Interview + Giveaway: Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk

I am thrilled to be a stop on the book tour for Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk hosted by Rockstar Book Tours! Today, I have an interview for your reading pleasure, but be sure to check out the additional stops below, or click on the tour banner above, for more!

Don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Title: Arrows
Author: Melissa Gorzelanczyk
Series: Standalone
Release Date: January 26, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Realistic Fiction, Mythology, Romance
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

A modern cupid story set in present-day Wisconsin combining the fantastical elements of Greek mythology with the contemporary drama of MTV's Teen Mom.

People don’t understand love. If they did, they’d get why dance prodigy Karma Clark just can’t say goodbye to her boyfriend, Danny. No matter what he says or does or how he hurts her, she can’t stay angry with him . . . and can’t stop loving him. But there’s a reason why Karma is helpless to break things off: she’s been shot with a love arrow. Aaryn, son of Cupid, was supposed to shoot both Karma andDanny but found out too late that the other arrow in his pack was useless. And with that, Karma’s life changed forever. One pregnancy confirmed. One ballet scholarship lost. And dream after dream tossed to the wind.

A clueless Karma doesn’t know that her toxic relationship is Aaryn’s fault . . . but he’s going to get a chance to make things right. He’s here to convince Danny to man up and be there for Karma. But what if this god from Mount Olympus finds himself falling in love with a beautiful dancer from Wisconsin who can never love him in return?

This fast-paced debut novel explores the internal & external conflicts of a girl who finds herself inexplicably drawn to a boy who seemingly doesn't reciprocate her feelings, touching on the issues of love, sex and responsibility, with a heroine struggling to control her destiny--perfect for fans of Katie McGarry's novels and MTV’s 16 and Pregnant.

Interview with Melissa Gorzelanczyk

Welcome to Bookish Lifestyle, Melissa! I'm so excited to have you here with us today! In tweet form (140 characters or less), how would you describe the story of Arrows to those who haven’t heard of it yet? 

Hey, thanks for having me.

Since my agent Carrie Howland and I met through a single tweet, I’ll throw-back to one of my original #PitMad entries:

An ambitious cupid is stripped of his power until he fixes a ballet prodigy’s life, originally derailed by his arrow. YA myth adapt #PitMad

What was the inspiration behind your story?

I think the plot started because I loved the idea of “cupids among us” while also being able to explore what love is, and what it’s not.

From there, inspiration was layered during multiple revisions and brainstorming sessions. Putting my own spin on the myth of Cupid and Psyche--as well as reflecting on bad relationships I’ve experienced or observed in real life--helped add depth to the story.

What is the hardest line to write - the first or the last?

I’d say the last. A scene doesn’t start to take shape for me until the first line feels right.

Teaser: the last line of Arrows is only two words.

What characters from mythology are your favorite? Do you have a favorite mythological couple? 

They’re all a little terrible, aren’t they? That said, of course I love Aaryn, the cupid in my book.

I also really really love Psyche—the girl who gave up her human existence for love. That’s so sweet and tragic and gutsy. And she stood up to her crazy mother-in-law.

What is the most memorable reaction you've had from a reader?

One girl finished my book and said it made her realize the relationship she was in wasn’t healthy. 

Now, I don’t hope everyone reading my book decides to break up, but I believe true love should feel good. I wrote more about that here: http://www.melissagorzelanczyk.com/blog/first-lines-love-shouldnt-hurt/

If I could live in any TV/movie/book universe, it would be . . . I’d want to switch between Gossip Girl (hello, Chuck Bass) and Friends (because I’d always be laughing).

If I could tell the world just one thing, it'd be . . . Take a chance.

I'm addicted to . . . Two things: Coffee, and that feeling I get when I write a line I love.

About the Author

Melissa Gorzelanczyk is a former magazine editor and columnist who believes love is everything. A dreamer for life, Melissa has been writing books since she was nine years old when she penned her first story about a beloved black horse. She is a member of the Class of 2k16, the SCBWI and The Sweet Sixteens. She lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with her husband and family.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway

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Tour Schedule

1/18/2016- Seeing Double In Neverland- Interview
1/19/2016- A Perfection Called Books- Review
1/20/2016- Ohana Reads- Guest Post
1/21/2016- The Best Books Ever - Review
1/22/2016- Once Upon A Twilight- Review

1/25/2016- Bookish Lifestyle- Interview
1/26/2016- Literary Meanderings- Guest Post
1/27/2016- DanaSquare - Review
1/28/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
1/29/2016- Here's to Happy Endings- Review

Throwback Thursday Book Review: Inferno by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Some of you may know that I originally had my own blog, Beauty but a Funny Girl, prior to joining Bookish (now Bookish Lifestyle). I was thinking the other day about all those reviews I left behind when I transferred and thought they should get some love too - no matter how badly written and newbie they come off! So I present to you: Throwback Thursday Reviews! Every once in a while I'll post an old review from Beauty but a Funny Girl, unedited in terms of content, with the exception of any spelling or grammatical mistakes. It's definitely going to be fun and interesting to see how my tastes and writing style have changed over the years!

Series:	The Chronicles of Nick #4
Genre:	Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Zombies, Retelling
Publication.Date:	April 9, 2013
Pages:	440 (Kindle)
Published By:	St. Martin's Giffin
Website:	Sherrilyn Kenyon
	Inferno on Goodreads
My review copy:	Borrowed from the library

Where to get:

The heat is on, and a new threat to humanity has risen…

Nick has his driver’s license and he’s not afraid to use it. But turning sixteen isn’t what he thought it would be. While other boys his age are worried about prom dates and applying for college, Nick is neck deep in enemies out to stop him from living another day. No longer sure if he can trust anyone, his only ally seems to be the one person he’s been told will ultimately kill him.

But life spent serving the undead is anything except ordinary. And those out to get him have summoned an ancient force so powerful even the gods fear it. As Nick learns to command and control the elements, the one he must master in order to combat his latest foe is the one most likely to destroy him. As the old proverb goes, fire knows nothing of mercy, and if Nick is to survive this latest round, he will have to sacrifice a part of himself. However, the best sacrifice is seldom the sanest move. Sometimes it’s the one that leaves your enemies confused, and you even more so.

And sometimes, you have to trust your enemy to save your friends. But what do you do when that enemy is you?

(Goodreads)

Originally posted May 16, 2013 on Beauty but a Funny Girl

I'm very into the way that Kenyon is adding the underlying tone of anti-bulling in her Young Adult series. From what I've read about her she is very passionate about people treating others with kindness and respect and the fact that she is imparting this upon her readers is absolutely amazing. If you haven't read this book yet, you at the very least need to read this letter that was incorporated into the plot.

This book does a lot to progress the plot of Nick and him attempting to change his future. As a character, he really starts to go to war with his Malachai self, which adds a lot of depth and realism. Okay, so maybe we not all of us are trying to avoid becoming one of the most evil demons known to man, but you know what I mean.

We also see a few glimpses into the future and I like the implication of will happen between Nick and Kody. Or what a possibility is anyway. As Ambrose drives into Nick's head that anything he does can change his future, which we know happens throughout the series and will happen a few times in this book.

Artemis and Adarian both really redeem their characters in this novel and I'm really curious to see how Artemis is going to handle this situation. It's very out of character for her and definitely a new situation and she never imagined she would be in. Adarian, well... he's still evil, but we know that he truly loves Cherise and would do anything to keep her safe. He also really hates Nick.

Kenyon definitely left us hanging with the epilogue. While it's definitely not my favorite of Kenyon's series, I'm very intrigued to see how everything is going to play out. Will Nick become the Malachai and destroy the world? Or will he be able to control that part of him and change his destiny? Bum, bum, bum.

Book Review: Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

 

Series:	Six of Crows #1
Genre:	Young Adult, Fantasy, Mythology
Publication.Date:	September 29, 2015
Pages:	465 (hardcover)
Published By:	Henry Holt and Company
Website:	Leigh Bardugo
	Six of Crows on Goodreads
My review copy:	Bought

Where to get:

Ketterdam: a bustling hub of international trade where anything can be had for the right price—and no one knows that better than criminal prodigy Kaz Brekker. Kaz is offered a chance at a deadly heist that could make him rich beyond his wildest dreams. But he can't pull it off alone...

A convict with a thirst for revenge.

A sharpshooter who can't walk away from a wager.

A runaway with a privileged past.

A spy known as the Wraith.

A Heartrender using her magic to survive the slums.

A thief with a gift for unlikely escapes.

Kaz's crew are the only ones who might stand between the world and destruction—if they don't kill each other first.

(Goodreads)

With a great sigh, Jesper removed the gun belts at his hips. She had to admit he looked less himself without them. The Zemeni sharpshooter was long-limbed, brown-skinned, constantly in motion. He pressed his lips to the pearl handles of his prized revolvers, bestowing each with a mournful kiss.

"Take good care of my babies," Jesper said as he handed them over to Dirix. "If I see a single scratch or nick on those, I'll spell forgive me on your chest in bullets."

"It's not right -"

"Wylan," Jesper said, giving him a little shake. "Maybe your tutors didn't cover this lesson, but you do not argue with a man covered in blood and a knife up his sleeve."

Jesper knocked his head against the hull and cast his eyes heavenward. "Fine. But if Pekka Rollins kills us all, I'm going to get Wyaln's ghost to teach my ghost how to play the flute just so that I can annoy the hell out of your ghost."

Brekker's lips quirked. "I'll just hire Matthias' ghost to kick your ghost's ass."

"My ghost won't associate with your ghost," Matthias said primly, and then wondered if the sea air was rotting his brain.

Nina noddly slowly. "Ice Court, remember? Impossible heist? Near death? Three million kruge waiting for you in Ketterdam?"

Kaz blinked and his eyes cleared. "Four million."

"I thought that might bring you around."

I, like many of Leigh Bardugo's fans, was beyond excited for Six of Crows. A new series that takes place within the world of The Grisha? How can I pass that up? I preordered my copy, jumped on the I Can't Wait for This! train and . . .

It's okay.

I don't know if I was affected by the hype or I just didn't enjoy Six of Crows as much as The Grisha series, but it took me a really long time to get in to Six of Crows and even then it was okay. Don't get me wrong, Leigh's writing is just as magical and spot on as ever. This story itself is well thought out and intriguing, but I just wasn't feeling it as deeply as I wished.

I am fully aware when the issue is me and not the book, and this is one of those instances. I'm torn because while I liked Six of Crows, I didn't love it and I feel this is a book I could love . . . eventually. The characters are great, the dialogue witty and humorous, and has ships coming at your left and right. What is wrong with me that I'm not swooning over this book as everybody else?!

Even though I wasn't as awed by this as I felt I could have been, I'm excited to read Crooked Kingdom and continue one with these characters. This time around, I just hope that I won't fall victim to the hype and will truly fall into the story as I did with The Grisha series.

Book Review: Dragonbane by Sherrilyn Kenyon

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Series:	Dark-Hunter #26
Genre:	Adult, Paranormal, Romance
Publication.Date:	August 4, 2015
Pages:	335 (paperback)
Published By:	St. Martin's Press
Website:	Sherrilyn Kenyon
	Dragonbane on Goodreads
My review copy:	Bought

Where to get:

Out of all the mysterious boarders who call Sanctuary home, no one is more antisocial or withdrawn than Maxis Drago. But then, it’s hard to blend in with the modern world when you have a fifty foot wingspan.

Centuries ago, he was cursed by an enemy who swore to see him fall. An enemy who took everything from him and left him forever secluded.

But Fate is a bitch, with a wicked sense of humor. And when she throws old enemies together and threatens the wife he thought had died centuries ago, he comes back with a vengeance. Modern day New Orleans has become a battleground for the oldest of evils. And two dragons will hold the line, or go down in flames.

(Goodreads)

Max shrugged. "What can I say? Absence does indeed make the hear grow fonder, and the guilt of having him locked away in a hell realm for a thousand years means I have to tolerate any annoying habit Illation possesses with utmost patience."

She popped Dev in the stomach.

"See how great dragons are? You should be taking notes." "Fine. Lock Etienne and Remi in a hell realm for a thousand years and I promise I'll be nice to the them when they get out."

Edena shrieked and danced toward her brother as the object came to rest near her and turned out to be a disembodied human head.

An instant later, a huge, spiny dragon poked his head out from between the curtains to offer a lopsided grin. "Sorry, love. Didn't realize anyone was here."

"I don't give up family." He paused. "Well, they could have Fury. I'm not that attached to him. But they'd only keep him till he opened his mouth, then launch his ass back to me with a catapult. He's like a bad boomerang that way."

Two weeks ago my review for Sherrilyn's Son of No One was posted here on Bookish Lifestyle. And while I liked it, I didn't love it and I knew Sherrilyn is capable of doing better. Ladies and gentlemen, HERE IS BETTER! I was so nervous about this series after reading So of No One, but I should have known better than to doubt the Author Goddess.

Dragonbane is the epitome of my love for Sherrilyn and her books. We have a familiar character as our main man and are constantly in contact with old favorites. After I finished Dragonbane, I understood why Sherrilyn needed to tell Son of No One. The way her stories connect and interact and feed off one another is nothing short of genius - there's a reason we Menyons call her "Author Goddess" and books like Dragonbane are a prime example!

If you're familiar with her novels, you know Maxius is the dragon Were-Hunter that lives in the attic  of Sanctuary. Not much is known about him other than he's a dragon, he lives in the attic, and he never sets foot outside of Sanctuary. Immediately we are introduced to Seraphina, a fierce Amazon warrior and fellow dragon Were-Hunter. Seraphina comes from a Amazon tribe of humans who can turn into dragons (verse Maxis who is a dragon that can turn human) and take pride in hunting and killing his kind. Not the best start to a relationship, but some of Sherrilyn's OTPs have been through worse.

The wonderful thing about Sherrilyn's books is that she has some bad ass female characters. They're not sitting and waiting to be saved, they're out there fighting just as hard (and sometimes harder) than some of the male counterparts. Seraphina is no exception - especially coming from an ancient tribe of Amazon warriors. She is from a society where women are above men in all things, but comes to love Maxis as an equal, not someone she needs to constantly take care of.

Full of snark, beloved characters, and a hot and steamy romance Dragonbane will you keep turning pages until late hours of the night (or early hours of the morning really). You'll love getting to know Maxis, especially those of us who first met him in Night Play, and delving deeper into the most intricate and mind blowing world I've ever read.

Mortal Gods by Kendare Blake (Review + Giveaway)

Genre:	Young Adult, Mythology
Publication Date:	October 14, 2014
Published By:	Tor Teen
Website	Mortal Gods on Goodreads
	Kendare Blake Website
My review copy:	Purchased

 Where to get:

Ares, God of War, is leading the other dying gods into battle. Which is just fine with Athena. She's ready to wage a war of her own, and she's never liked him anyway. If Athena is lucky, the winning gods will have their immortality restored. If not, at least she'll have killed the bloody lot of them, and she and Hermes can die in peace.

Cassandra Weaver is a weapon of fate. The girl who kills gods. But all she wants is for the god she loved and lost to return to life. If she can't have that, then the other gods will burn, starting with his murderer, Aphrodite.

The alliance between Cassandra and Athena is fragile. Cassandra suspects Athena lacks the will to truly kill her own family. And Athena fears that Cassandra's hate will get them ALL killed.

The war takes them across the globe, searching for lost gods, old enemies, and Achilles, the greatest warrior the world has ever seen. As the struggle escalates, Athena and Cassandra must find a way to work together. Because if they can't, fates far worse than death await.
(Goodreads)

  "And what do they want?"

  "They want their weapon," she said.  "They want Achilles found."

  "We won Cassandra," she said.  "And we're closer to Achilles.  Don't you see?  The cards are falling our way.  Wherever they are, the Moirae are with us.  Fate favors us.  That has to be true, Hermes.  We have to have another chance."

 "I was thinking of..." she said, and stopped.  She'd been thinking of touching Ares in the rainforest.  The heat in her hands when she did it, and the feeling she got, when his blood burst under her fingers.  Joy.  Flat-out, powerful joy.

  

  There is no right place to start this review.  Kendare Blake is a spectacular author that knows how to pull a reader in.  Picking up a book written by this author is like opening the present that you have been dying to get.  Kendare Blake and mythology... Well, lets just say that these books are in my hands as quickly as possible.  Though I will admit that Mortal Gods got some of the second book syndrome, I will not deny that I enjoyed every minute of it regardless.

  Starting this book I thought it might take a bit to get into the swing of things, but it was smoother than I could have hoped for.  Mortal Gods transitioned almost flawlessly from Antigoddess, even adding some intrigue to make it interesting right from the start.  This being said it was still a little slow to start.  Slow, but interesting.  Does that make sense?  Basically I was into it but wihed that everything would move a little quicker.  This was very much a second book for me.  It was pulling from the first book and setting the tone for the third.  There was lots of great development but still many questions that were not answered.  What really got me pulled back in was how well the gods parts were placed.  Nothing like gods accepting or fighting their fate for their own reasons to pull me in.

  I really liked Cassandra in Antigoddess.  There might be a but when it comes to this book though.  It's still easy to admire her strength and love for her friends, but her need for revenge is changing her in ways that I'm not sure about.  She wants her revenge and the cost does not seem to effect her, or at least in any way that she is willing to admit.  She is basically willing to let everyone burn and disappear if it serves her purpose in the end.  She is becoming a teenager with an attitude and a dangerous power along side it.  I admire her strength and dedication but I'm disappointed with her behaviour.

  Athena, Hermes and the other gods/demigods/reincarnates are all developing in their own way too.  There are so many conflicting feeling when I think of them all.  It's not if they are good or bad, but more so why they have gone the way they have.  I realize that they all fought for their own reasons before and host their own demons, but sometimes the things they do appear out of desperation.  Athena seems to have her own reasons and yet they seem to always be in the best interest of her family.  There are more dimensions added to Athena's character that made her easier to feel for.  You start to get a better idea of what her motives truly are.  You also get a better idea of where everyone's loyalties lay and why.

  Mortal Gods is the perfect second book.  It pulls from Antigoddess and leads perfectly into the grand finale; Ungodly.  It will never cease to amaze me the emotions that Blake can pull out with just one book.  Admittedly I found disappointment in a character but am also willing to recognize that this is the path to something far better.  However, there was also the introduction of characters that I really did enjoy and I guess that creates some balance.  I look forward to picking up Ungodly and seeing how it all ends.  If you have read Antigoddess I do recommend you read this because, heck Blake is epic.  Even with the minor issues I had I believe that Ungodly will blow me away!! A must read series for fans of mythology.



This Giveaway will also be posted on the upcoming review of Ungodly

Open to US/CAN residents :)  GOOD LUCK!

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Book Review: Complete Nothing by Kieran Scott

Genre:	Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, Comedy
Publication.Date	September 30th 2014
Pages:	336
Published By:	Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers
Author	Kieran Scott
	Complete Nothing on Goodreads
My review copy:	Received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Where to get:

True’s matchmaking skills are the stuff of legend! The second novel in Kieran Scott’s delightful teen romance series that TeenVogue.com called “the next Twilight.”

True is not exactly loving New Jersey. Banished from Mount Olympus and tasked with helping couples find love without using her powers, the goddess-formerly-known-as-Cupid is having a tough time. Especially now that True’s immortal love, Orion, has also appeared at her New Jersey high school—but with no memory of their relationship.

To distract herself from seeing Orion flirt with another girl, True focuses her efforts on making a match: Peter and Claudia. Peter is the star quarterback and the most popular guy in school. But he’s insecure about his future, so he preemptively dumps Claudia, his girlfriend. (If she won’t want to be with him later, why stay together now?) Claudia doesn’t take the breakup too well, and she’s ready to show the quarterback of their rival school just how ready she is to get over it.

But True sees something in these two seniors. She believes they should be together—but can she help them find their way back to each other (and get herself closer to home)? Or have things already spun too far out of control?

(Goodreads)

“I’m . . . fine,” the love of my life mumbled, searching my face. “But who the hell are you?”

     Man, this series just keeps on getting better.

    In Complete Nothing, Kieran Scott continues on with the theme of the series (matchmaking on deadline), but she takes a slightly different approach to it. Instead of helping couples fall in love, this time True has to help them stay in love and seal their fates together. Miscommunication and misunderstandings are the ultimate enemies. Things we keep to ourselves, things we don't talk about, things we assume about one another - these things can pull us apart, bring uncertainty and doubts and, eventually, turn love into heartbreak, even hate. 

     The couple in need of True's help this time is Claudia (remember the girl True stole the scarf from in the first book? Yup, that's her!) and her boyfriend, Peter. These two are undeniably meant for each other. They love each other more than anything and want to actually spend their lives together, BUT, here's the thing.. They are world's apart when it comes to school, social life, college plans, extracurricular interests, etc. Peter is the star quarterback and the hottest guy in school, Claudia is the smart and artsy girl with a secured spot in Ivy League school. While Claudia has it all figured out and is actually eager to start the next chapter in her life, Peter is lost in doubt and paralyzed by fear. Where Claudia sees new possibilities and exciting things to happen, Peter sees rejection and the end of the life as he knew and loved it. And so when Claudia keeps offering her help in filling out college applications, Peter takes it as a clear sign that she's ready to move on and leave him behind. At the same time, Claudia, who is starstruck by Peter and still unable to believe that a guy so gorgeous and popular would date her, is all too quick to accept Peter's suggestion to break up - because in her mind, she was never cool enough to be dating him to begin with. It's a vicious cycle of self-doubt and lack of communication that leads to serious heartache. And the only one who can help them see how much they really love each other is, of course, True. 

     True is dealing with many problems of her own in this installment of the series. Not only is Orion on Earth with her, attending the same high-school and living a life of a regular teenager, but Artemis and Appolo are now after her, she learns things about her mother's past she never even suspected to be true and all of a sudden her godly powers start coming back. All that makes her matchmaking mission even more stressful and complicated. 

     Kieran Scott continues to write incredibly engaging and entertaining plots filled with vivid and realistically drawn characters. Both Claudia and Peter are very convincing, their struggles - relatable and authentic. I liked seeing their love story through their eyes, seeing how the situation looked from each of their points of view. Peter's side of the story was particularly harrowing and almost painfully well written. I could feel the desperation and fear pouring off the pages when he talked about leaving high school and going somewhere nobody knew him. Here, he was popular and had a tight group of friends and a loving girlfriend, but what's going to happen to him in college? Claudia, with her own fears and worries, was almost equally captivating, but I felt more for Peter than I did for Claudia. Perhaps it's because Peter's character had a magnetizing intensity to it. 

     All that being said, I am completely in love with this series and can't wait to dive straight into book three, Something True.