YA Spring Fling Giveaway Blitz

Spring is officially on its way! Nothing is better than finally being able to see the grass after three months of relentless snow!

And there is no better way to experience the new spring weather than with a new book!

Lucky for you, today we are part of the YA Spring Fling Blitz. Over 70 authors are participating and over 100 ebooks, paperbacks, and swag are up for grabs!

From March 20th to April 3rd, over 70 authors come together to give away hundreds of books. The YA Spring Fling is an opportunity for readers to find new books, new authors and take part in something very special. Here is a sneak peek of some of the books involved in the giveaway. 

All are featured in the YA Spring Fling giveaway. Click here to win free books!

Discussion | Series Procrastination

I hate endings. 

Just like the Doctor, I refuse to acknowledge that everything must end, especially my favorite books (even though I would never rip out the last page of a book).

For example, I have finally come  the last episode of season 7 of Doctor Who, which is the last episode that is currently available on Netflix. I am afraid to watch this episode, because it signals the end of my adventures with the Doctor until Netflix decides to put on the next season (which ended in November of last year, so I do not know what they are waiting for). I will probably not be able to make myself watch the episode for a while, at least a couple of weeks, maybe even until the next season is available.

This happens to me all the time with books. I will finish the second to last book in a series, but then I will just never read the last one.

I start excited to read it, but then that feeling fades when I realize that it is the last in a series. Then I convince myself that I should read other books on my to-be-read list. Eventually, days, weeks, then months pass (I think I may be too good at procrastinating...). Then I make the excuse that I would have to read the rest of the books before the last one so I actually know what is going on, but I never have the time (or patience) to read all of the books again. So, I end up caught in my web of procrastination.

There is a significant list of books that I have not read yet due to this special type of procrastination. 

The Blood of Olympus by Rick Riordan

Dreams of Gods and Monsters by Laini Taylor

Ruin and Rising by Leigh Bardugo

Mortal Heart by Robin LaFevers

Champion by Marie Lu

In the Afterlight by Alexandra Bracken

Undivided by Neal Shusterman

Archenemy by Frank Beddor

There are definitely more books, but I have procrastinated so long that I forget which ones they are...

I think that my biggest fear is being disappointed. All of the series that I have not finished are some of my favorites.

I have loved the Percy Jackson series since I was in middle school. Percy and his sass were helped me through the horrors of junior high and the beginnings of high school. I JUST DO NOT WANT IT TO END! I am terrified of what is going to happen in the book (I mean, someone is going to die) but I am more afraid of what is going to happen when the book is over. The world will be saved (hopefully) and the characters will all get their happily ever after (but you never now with Riordan books). There will be no more adventures with Percy, Annabeth, and Grover. I will be left in my completely ordinary world that lacks the magic of Greek mythology. 

I do not want that magic to end.

These characters sneaked in to my heart and taken control. They haunt my dreams. I cannot seem to get rid of them, but I am afraid of leaving when the book is over. 

I am also afraid to read sequels that are part of my favorite series.

Such as...

Heir of Fire by Sarah J. Maas

Outpost by Ann Aguire

Blue Lily, Lily Blue by Maggie Stiefvater

The Four novellas by Veronica Roth

Fairest by Marissa Meyer

The Fiery Heart by Richelle Mead

It is so intimidating to continue one of my favorite series. I mean, what if I do not like it as much as the rest of the series? I loved the rest of the books in the series so much that I doubt the book can actually live up to expectations. We all know that it only takes one bad book to ruin a series.

Now that I have shared my irrational fear of fictional characters leaving me and being disappointed by my favorite series and authors, I want to know what scares you about series.

Have you ever procrastinated on reading the last book in a series? If so, which ones? Are you afraid to read new books by your favorite authors? Or do you think that I am just crazy?

Also, if you have any advice on how to cope with the ending of a series, I could really use it!

Ebook Deals | March 2015

I disagree with the idea of spring cleaning. The weather is finally getting warm, the snow is melting, and the birds are singing, so I really do not want to spend my time working inside to clean something that will be dirty in five minutes. 

Instead, I like to sit outside and enjoy the wonderful spring breeze with a good book in my lap. So, if you are running short on good books (or even if you are not) here are the best ebook deals for the start of spring.

Top Ten Tuesday | Book on my Spring TBR

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by wonderful bloggers at The Broke and the Bookish. 

This week's topic is all about the books on our spring to-be-read list. It includes the new releases that we cannot wait to get our hands on and older books that have finally gotten to the top of the list.

Blog Tour and Review | The Burned Bridges Protocol by Abigail Borders

Welcome to my tour stop for The Burned Bridges Protocol by Abigail Borders. This is a YA science fiction published by Giant Squid Books. 

The tour runs March 2nd-13th with reviews, author interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule. 

About the Book:

The Burned Bridges Protocol 
by Abigail Borders
238 pages
Young adult, science fiction, dystopian

Seven hundred years ago, disaster forced humanity to abandon Earth. Life on the colony ship New Edinburgh is all sixteen-year-old Lilliane, the best programmer in her year at the Institute, has ever known. A week ago, Lilliane woke up in a life-pod. Its destination? Earth itself. Because it's time to rebuild. It's up to Lilliane and the four other survivors of the New Edinburgh to reclaim humanity's ancestral home. Today, the life pod arrived at Lady Diana--the lunar holding station that was once the luxury holiday destination for Earth’s super-rich. It’s supposed to be a good place. A safe place. Not anymore. Today, Lady Di is a battlefield. Because while Lilliane and her friends thought they they were the only humans left, somebody else got to Lady Di first. And he will stop at nothing to keep Lilliane from ever getting to Earth.

BBP on Giant Squid Books | Goodreads | Amazon | Indiebound

Review

*Disclaimer* 

I received this book from CBB Book Promotions in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my rating of the book.

The Burned Bridges Protocol was a interesting mix of science fiction, dystopian societies, and psychology. It explored so many different ideas, but everything was executed perfectly in the mere 200 pages. This was just a novella, but I would love if it was expanded into its own series (which I REALLY hope happens *hint hint*).

The New Edinburgh colony is stranded in space with a mission-- regain Earth. No one has set foot on the planet for hundreds of years, and it is up to Lilliane, Tomain, Cleo, and Becca to undo the mistakes of their ancestor and reclaim their home planet. But, as they approach their final pit stop before Earth, it becomes clear that someone does not want them achieving this goal. Together, they must fight selfishness, greed, and sassy computers to go home.

The characters were complex and the multiple perspectives, while hard to keep up with, portrayed every character in a unique way. Everyone (even the computer) had their own unique voice and role in the story. No one was left behind.

I loved the relationship between Lillane and Tomain. They have the playful humor of twins, but you could also tell that they really loved each other. They had their ups and downs, but at the end of the day, they stayed true to each other.

The relationships between the rest of the crew of the ship were also entertaining.

I also loved the subtle romance in the book. I mean, you really had to look for it sometimes, but it was still sweet and touching (and heartbreaking). Personally, I think that romance should not be the main focus in science fiction or dystopian novels, so this was perfect for me. 

The plot was quick and suspenseful and full of action. A lot of events happen in this book, but nothing felt rushed or glanced over, which is hard to achieve for such a short book. 

This was a quick read, but it will leave me thinking for a long time. The emotion, action, and suspense packed into this short novel is enough to keep me happy for a while.

I would recommend this book to fans of Across the Universe by Beth Revis, science fiction fans and any dystopian fans. 

I give The Burned Bridges Protocol by Abigail Borders five stars.

About the Author: 

Abigail is fluent in three languages, grew up in Asia, studied History in the UK, and now calls sunny Southern California her home. When not working with flowers (and daydreaming about what a ranunculus flower fairy looks like) she sings about Winnie the Pooh while baking treats like pineapple tarts and sand dollar cookies for her son, El Kiddo. She has an-going love/hate relationship with all things chocolate, although coffee will always remain her first love. She also holds graduate degrees in International Management and Special Education. 

The Burned Bridges Protocol is Abigail’s first novella. Her first novel, Cyrion, is scheduled to be released by MuseItUp Publishing in spring 2015.

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 Giveaway:

Five (5) digital copies of The Burned Bridges Protocol (INT) & a signed paperback copy (US)

Ends March 18th

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.