Blog Tour: Focus by Alyssa Rose Ivy Review & Giveaway!

Title: Focus (Crescent Chronicles, #2)

Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Release date: January 23, 2013

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Age Group: Mature YA/ New Adult

Tour Schedule

 Summary:

Sometimes you just have to take flight.

A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.

Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.

Summary:

Freshman year of college is hard even when you're not tied to the future king of a supernatural society.

Allie dives into college head first with Hailey as her roommate and the city of New Orleans as her backyard. As things within The Society heat up, Allie realizes that whether she’s with Levi or not, she's in far too deep to turn back.

My Thoughts:

The first book in this series was great and I was happy to be able to read the second!  Allie is on her way to start her first year at college but that is just the tip of the iceberg. There is so much going on in this book for Allie, Levi and everyone else!

Now I am all for strong women and not giving into a man right away, but there were times where I was frustrated wtih Allie. I know she and Levi didn't necessarily get off to the best start, but the man is trying to hard to prove to Allie that he does care about her and after a while I thought that he had proved himself enough, but Allie just kept refusing him. I was glad the whole book wasn't that way or I would have gone insane. I love Levi. He is great for Allie with her tendency to not always think everything through before she acts. 

The chemistry between the two characters was perfect. I can't think of one way I would change it in that regard There were times where they really made me laugh. 

I'm on the edge of my seat for the next book! Levi may not have learned his lesson and Allie may not have fully forgiven him which could lead to so very very bad things!!! I can't wait to see what happens in the third book!

My Rating: 4 Stars!

Links to Buy:

Focus (Crescent Chronicles, #2) –

 Amazon

Barnes&Noble

 Flight (Crescent Chronicles, #1) –

 Amazon

 Barnes&Noble

Giveaway!

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About the Author

Alyssa Rose Ivy is a Young Adult and New Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.

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Book Review & Giveaway: Manipulation by Jolene Perry

Welcome to my stop on the Manipulation blog tour by Jolene Perry hosted by YA Bound.  Click HERE to see the rest of the blog tour schedule!

Summary: Micah hates her ability to “see” things when she touches people. She’s terrified of relationships, holds on to guilt over the death of her classmate, Lacey, and has no idea what to do with a vision from Landon, a boy from her school. She feels him falling for her, but Micahdoesn’t do friends, much less relationships. 

Enter a spooky history project about a tragedy from three hundred years ago, and voodoo dolls that Micah somehow feels has to do with her gift. Suddenly she’s sure the shadows in the woods are following her every move—without Landon’s relaxed attitude about what’s happening in her life, Micah would be sure she’s going crazy. 

With no ideas on timing or specifics, the visions of both herself and the people she cares about are turning dark—and it appears the shadows around her house do move on their own. But as Micah and Landon try to prevent Micah’s visions of the future, the shadows close in, and they’re now afraid they’ve become the cause… 

Micah's story is the first of three girls, with unique talents, who are part of a 300 year old tragedy that follows them in the shadows. 

Goodreads / Amazon / Kindle / Barnes & Noble

Summary: Addison Prince has almost always gotten what she wants.

Dean Courser only wants to find his brother, but it's the one thing he’s failed at... Even with his unusual ability.

Dean and Addison share the gift of Manipulation—a brief touch that forces others to do what they wish. But when they meet and realize their connection, they find more questions than answers. Suddenly Dean is seeing shadows move on their own, and Addison is learning her father’s mysterious group may know more about her abilities than he’s ever let on.

As Dean and Addison second-guess every decision about who they are and why they're wanted, time is running out. With shadows following their every move, they're losing hope they’ll ever get to safety—if such a thing exists.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

My Thoughts: (Manipulation)

I loved the first book in this series and was very happy with this book as well!

You don't necessarily have to have read the first book to be able to follow the second one, but I was really glad I did. So I would recommend to all to read Insight first. You get a better feeling for the backstory with everything. 

The best thing about this series is that I feel it is original. I don't mind reading different author's different takes on things, but I love reading ideas and characters that are unlike others. It also helps that the actual writing is fabulous!

It was great to see how the whole book played out. Addison proves that she is so much more than a rich girl and how much she loves her sister. It was also great to see how well Dean and Addison got along. I think it was good for both of them to be able to rely on someone that also faces many of the same challenges.

I can not wait to see what Perry will write next! 

I would recommend this book (this series!) to anyone looking for a good read!

My Rating: 4 Stars!

About the Author:

Jolene kissed a boy on her high school graduation night. One she’d wanted to kiss for a long time. They got married two years later, have built two homes together, survived military deployments, law school, student loan debt, and two children.

Jolene plays the guitar, takes pictures, and loves to hike. She doesn’t like rivers, but loves the ocean. She loves to fly, but gets motion sick. Her ultimate vacation would be to sail
through the deserted islands in The Bahamas. Two years ago, she got that wish when her parents retired on a sailboat.

She taught high school French when she was only a few years older than her students, and then taught middle school math with her degree in political science and French.

She spends grocery money on designer fabric, shoes, and books.

Jolene cannot express how many times she wished she could write a whole novel. And now she has. Several times. Life is good. 

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GIVEAWAY!!!

Prize #1: (1) Paperback copies of Insight and Manipulation (International)

Prize #2: (1)Paperback copy of Manipulation (US only)

Prize #3: (3) e-book copies of Manipulation. Kindle or Nook (International)

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