Blog Tour + Giveaway: Indigo Awakening by Jordan Dane

Welcome! Today is my stop for the Indigo Awakening blog tour hosted by YA Bound. Get to know about the book and enter to win books from Harlequin Teen! To check out the reviews, guest posts, interviews from other participating bloggers, click here for the complete tour schedule.

Indigo Awakening
(The Hunted #1)
by Jordan Dane

Published December 18th 2012 by Harlequin Teen

Blurb (Goodreads):


Because of what you are, the Believers will hunt you down.

Voices told Lucas Darby to run. Voices no one else can hear. He’s warned his sister not to look for him, but Rayne refuses to let her troubled brother vanish on the streets of LA. In her desperate search, she meets Gabriel Stewart, a runaway with mysterious powers and far too many secrets. Rayne can’t explain her crazy need to trust the strange yet compelling boy—to touch him—to protect him even though he scares her.

A fanatical church secretly hunts psychic kids—gifted “Indigo” teens feared to be the next evolution of mankind—for reasons only “the Believers” know. Now Rayne’s only hope is Gabe, who is haunted by an awakening power—a force darker than either of them imagine—that could doom them all.


Trailer:

Buy Indigo Awakening now!

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

* Book Depository

About the Author:

Bestselling, critically-acclaimed author Jordan Dane’s gritty romantic thrillers are ripped from the headlines with vivid settings, intrigue, and dark humor. Publishers Weekly compared her intense novels to Lisa Jackson, Lisa Gardner, and Tami Hoag, naming her debut novel NO ONE HEARD HER SCREAM as Best Books of 2008. She also pens young-adult novels for Harlequin Teen. Formerly an energy sales manager, she now writes full time. Jordan and her husband share their Texas residence with two cats of highborn lineage and two lucky rescue dogs.
Social Media Links:
Website / Twitter / Facebook / Pinterest
Thriller/Crime Fiction Blogs:
The Kill Zone
YA Blogs:
ADR3NALIN3 / Fringe Dweller

GIVEAWAY!

- HarlequinTEEN prize pack, includes (US only):
·         INDIGO AWAKENING by Jordan Dane
·         ON A DARK WING by Jordan Dane
·         IN THE ARMS OF STONE ANGELS by Jordan Dane
·         THE JULIET SPELL by Douglas Rees
·         BELONGING by Karen Ann Hopkins (ARC)
·         DANCERGIRL by Carol M. Tanzman
·         2 Harlequin notebooks

- 4 Infinity Bracelets: (US only)
"For anyone who has read an advance copy of INDIGO AWAKENING, you know that a silver infinity bracelet plays an important part in the story. Special bracelets will be given away on the virtual tour so the lucky winners will be part of Rafael’s street family. Rafe’s bracelet was in black leather, but I’ve added a white leather braid as my personal remembrance to you for being in MY family." - Jordan Dane

-1 audio book of In the Arms of Stone Angels. Digital download only. (International)



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday (21): Arclight

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on.

Arclight
by Josin L. McQuein 

Expected publication: April 23rd 2013 by Greenwillow Books

No one crosses the wall of light . . . except for one girl who doesn’t remember who she is, where she came from, or how she survived. A harrowing, powerful debut thriller about finding yourself and protecting your future—no matter how short and uncertain it may be. 

The Arclight is the last defense. The Fade can’t get in. Outside the Arclight’s border of high-powered beams is the Dark. And between the Light and the Dark is the Grey, a narrow, barren no-man’s-land. That’s where the rescue team finds Marina, a lone teenage girl with no memory of the horrors she faced or the family she lost. Marina is the only person who has ever survived an encounter with the Fade. She’s the first hope humanity has had in generations, but she could also be the catalyst for their final destruction. Because the Fade will stop at nothing to get her back. Marina knows it. Tobin, who’s determined to take his revenge on the Fade, knows it. Anne-Marie, who just wishes it were all over, knows it.

When one of the Fade infiltrates the Arclight and Marina recognizes it, she will begin to unlock secrets she didn’t even know she had. Who will Marina become? Who can she never be again?




I first came across this book on Epic Reads' cover reveals. I instantly fell in love with the cover! But of course, I have to read the blurb to know whether this'll rock..and gosh, it sounds rockin' good! Can't wait for it!!! :D


What book/s are you waiting this week? Share them below!
Have a happy Wednesday and enjoy reading!

Don't forget to check out my giveaways, too. (Links are available on the top right sidebar.) :)

What's Cool? Buzzing Mailbox!

What's Cool? is an anytime meme created by yours truly. This is where I showcase the Cool things I got, happened, and anything that I think is really Cool!

(And yeah, Cool is a noun here. ;D)


So....

What's Cool?
BUZZING MAILBOX!





If you follow me via Twitter and has seen my tweets, you know what I'm talking about.
This week was the Coolest week ever! Why? Because my mailbox (which is imaginary, we only have a gate, a door, a doorstep, and a doorbell) buzzed with packages! PACKAGES. In plural form. *faints* And I'm sharing you what I got here!

Yay, here they are!

Showing their wonderful covers. :)

Splintered by A.G Howard (ARC) - won from Rebecca @ Lunanshee's Lunacy
The Glimpse by Claire Merle (signed) - won from Hannah's Dystopian December giveaway @ The Girl in a Cafe
Breaking Point by Kristen Simmons - for blog tour/review
Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (ARC) - for review
Requiem by Lauren Oliver (ARC) - for review
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger - gifted from a school friend

Thank you so much to Christine of HarperCollins International, TorTeen and to the awesome bloggers who hosted their giveaways!

My won copy of The Glimpse is signed!

I also got swags!
His Black Wings by Astrid Yrillogen (poster, sticker and bookmarks) - from the author. I should have shared this to you a few months ago but I always forgot to take a photoshoot! XD
Bookmarks (Demention) + sticker + postcard - swag from Claire Merle as well. It comes with the signed book! The postcard has a sweet note behind it. I really appreciate it. Thank you so much, Claire! ❤

• GIVEAWAYS!

You could experience buzzing mailbox, too, by joining my giveaways!

You could be one of the 5 lucky winners of The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann. Check out my tour stop for some Q&A and enter the giveaway!

You can also win this really awesome Valentine treat!

Grand Prize: (1) Paperback Copy of Robin in the Hood, (2) Red by Taylor Swift CD, (3) Ruby Red Nail Polish, (4) Red Scented Love Candle, (5) Enchanted Forest Body Lotion, (6) Red & Purple Touch-Key Gloves (7) 2 Packets of Lindt Chocolate Truffles
2 Runners up: paperback or ebook (winner's choice) of Robin in the Hood
ENTER HERE.

• Reviews

Okay so, this part is not that Cool. I've been pretty busy this month (can you believe 2013 just started and I'm already busy as hell?!) so I didn't get to post my promised reviews and only posted these:

Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins

Touch of Death by Kelly Hashway

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor

Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Upcoming *sure* reviews:

Splintered by A.G Howard

Unravel Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me #2)

Stealing Parker by Miranda Kenneally (Hundred Oaks High #2)

• Celebrating  Debutantes

If you are a debut author of 2013 and interested in being part of Celebrating Debutantes 2013, please fill out this form. Feel free to share it to your debutante friends! :)

Review copies are highly appreciated.
*Review policy still applies.

• Policy / Ad

Check out my updated Review Policy.

Get your ad posted in Michelle Shouts Random! Click here to learn more.

• And the Coolest of 'em all? This:

Visit their site to view. (Located on the right bottom sidebar.)

ASDDFFGHKLJHGFDS!!!!!

I CANNOT BELIEVE EPIC READS THOUGHT I WAS AN EPIC BLOGGER!!! I MEAN. SINCE WHEN??! HOW?! LOL

I found out about this when Book Nerd Canada shared this photo on her Facebook fan page. I was going to exit when my eyes accidentally dropped and saw MICHELLE SHOUTS RANDOM in it(!!!). I have to do a several mental check to confirm that my blog is called Michelle Shouts Random and look at the photo again and again and again.

I am not over-reacting. I mean, I may be. But the thing is, I haven't even reached one year of blogging, and the blogs that I was with, there in the list? They're all awesome. I can't imagine my blog is listed along with theirs.

I honestly have no idea someone--apart from me, other Filipino book bloggers, and you, my amazing reader--knew my blog existed. XD So I think this made this What's Cool? edition, together with my lovely haul. <3 font="">

*waves to amazing people at Epic Reads* Thank you so much! I think you're epic, too. :)) ❤

***

Let me know what Cool thing/s happened to you! Share them on the comments below or just link me your Stacking the Shelves/In My Mailbox posts!

Let's rock the last week of January and welcome February with love! Enjoy reading and God bless everyone. :)

Book Review: Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi,
international paperback edition book cover

Shatter Me

by Tahereh Mafi

Series: Shatter Me #1

Genre: YA, dystopian, paranormal, sci-fi

Editions available: Hardcover, paperback, Kindle, ebook, international, audiobook

Published: October 2nd 2012 by HarperCollins (first published November 15th 2011)

Source: Bought
Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
* Book Depository * Indiebound * iTunes ( physical / audiobook )

Blurb (Goodreads):

No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon. But Juliette has plans of her own. After a lifetime without freedom, she's finally discovering a strength to fight back for the very first time—and to find a future with the one boy she thought she'd lost forever.

My Thoughts:

Shatter Me was one of the books on top of my wishlist. And I have to admit, because of the hype and the recommendations I keep on getting, I expected a lot from it.

This book was not like the other books I've read. First factor was that there are a lot of strikethrough words. Second, I am inside a girl's mind who was considered, "crazy". I've never been into a crazy girl's mind, so that's a change. And a challenge. Was she really insane? Recalling the things I've read, she really sounds like a mentally ill person. She repeat words (and even crossed it). She's counts. A lot. And she's always afraid of them.

If you would ask me, I'd say I liked Shatter Me. I really do. You can feel the spark of the book, the electricity flowing into your hands while reading it. The scenes are swoon-worthy and frustrating (in a good way) that would keep you reading. What put me on edge was that as I said above, I expected something from it. And it wasn't the one I got. But it's not entirely a bad thing. It just draw a whole lot of confusion to me.

First, I REALLY thought Warner was the love interest. The good guy. The hero. But he wasn't. He's the opposite. I was waiting for the time when will he shine, when will Juliette feel something from him. But every page I turn, he kept on being the evil guy. Just imagine my confusion and frustration at that time.

And because of my WHAT-THE(?!) confusion, I didn't swooned over him. I also didn't feel for Adam that much. I thought he'd be the notch on the love story, but I was wrong, and it's too late for that. Okay. HOLD ON. I know you want to tackle me right now because of this coz you're Team Warner or Adam. But what can I do? You guys spoiled the wrong one, letting me believe Warner was my the superhero. :P So I think Unravel Me, who just arrived and is now waiting on my tbr queue, would help me decide which team I'm on. :)

I also expected Shatter Me to be an action-packed novel. I didn't expect it be...hot. That's why I'm quite shocked with the happenings. So right now, I'm working on my Don't-Expect-Too-Much-Before-You-Read-A-Book thing. 

My fave part was the ending. *splits grin* It makes me really excited for the book two! It is not really a cliffhanger, and I liked it. But it gave me an idea on how the next book would be. Just with Juliette's suit and new characters with their 'talents', it gave my mind a more intense, more action-packed and more hotter scenes. I am also hoping to get to know the main characters more and that Juliette would turn out to be kick-ass, not entirely insane. I am hoping. Not expecting. It kind of different, right? :)

Recommendations:

For readers who loved romantic dystopian with a twist of sci-fi-ness and paranormal-ness.

Rating:

Alternate cover and comments:

First edition, hardcover/paperback.

I think I liked the cover above more. It is eye-catcher, looking like creepy but interesting story behind it. Besides, I've seen a lot of covers with pretty girls with their pretty dresses on the cover who looked like they posed in the middle of a runway.

Pre-order Unravel Me (Shatter Me #2) now!

Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Amazon

Book Feature + Giveaway: Robin in the Hood by Diane J. Reed

Robin in the Hood
by Diane J. Reed

Published October 14th 2012 by Bandits Ranch


“Is it any wonder I became a bank robber?” said Robin. 
But she never dreamed she’d fall in love…

15-year-old Robin McArthur thinks she has it all figured out when it comes to bilking her wealthy dad for guilt money as a substitute for his genuine affection. Until one day he suffers a stroke, and she learns the brutal truth.

They’re broke.

And everyone from bankers to bookies has come to collect.

His only saving grace is what he reveals to Robin in between drools: He truly does love her, in spite of all his mistakes.

Panicked and desperate, Robin figures she has two choices. Either surrender to the pestering caseworker and live in a skanky foster home, or take a chance and sneak her dad out of the hospital to make a run for it. Little does she know that stealing a car and hitting the road means that before the day is through, she will rob her first bank.

Now an outlaw, Robin finds a backwoods trailer park to hide her dad from authorities. There, she encounters Creek, a local bad boy who also commits crimes to provide for their motley neighbors. Realizing she could use Creek’s help, Robin proposes an ingenious plan—they should team up to rob banks together. But when their partnership leads to a romance that turns Robin’s world upside down, she soon begins to discover that people are more precious than pocketbooks, and real love means opening your heart to the kinds of treasures money can’t buy…

Buy Robin in the Hood now!

GIVEAWAY!

Grand Prize: (1) Paperback Copy of Robin in the Hood, (2) Red by Taylor Swift CD, (3) Ruby Red Nail Polish, (4) Red Scented Love Candle, (5) Enchanted Forest Body Lotion, (6) Red & Purple Touch-Key Gloves (7) 2 Packets of Lindt Chocolate Truffles
2 Runners up: paperback or ebook (winner's choice) of Robin in the Hood

- open INTERNATIONALLY
- winners has 48 hours to respond. If failed, I'll pick another winner/s
- ends February 10th



I'd like to thank author Diane J. Reed for making this giveaway possible. :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Waiting on Wednesday (20): INK

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on.

Ink
(The Paper Gods #1)
by Amanda Sun

Expected publication: June 25th 2013 by Harlequin Teen

Blurb (Goodreads):


I looked down at the paper, still touching the tip of my shoe. I reached for it, flipping the page over to look.

Scrawls of ink outlined a drawing of a girl lying on a bench.

A sick feeling started to twist in my stomach, like motion sickness.

And then the girl in the drawing turned her head, and her inky eyes glared straight into mine.

On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.


Aren't you intrigued, excited or loving the blurb? And besides, I heard that this was good. ;)

Blog Tour (Interview + Giveaway): The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann

Hello there! Today is my stop for The Peculiar blog tour hosted by Pinoy Book Tours and with the support of HarperCollins International and National Bookstore. This will be interesting because the talented author, Stefan Bachmann, answers questions about his idea for The Peculiar, the characters and the upcoming sequel! And the party isn't over, because there will be awesome giveaways just for you (just don't forget to read the rules) and a Twitter party! Now, read on. ;)



The Peculiar
by Stefan Bachmann
(The Peculiar #1)

Published: September 18th 2012 by Greenwillow Books

Blurb (Goodreads):

Don't get yourself noticed and you won't get yourself hanged.

In the faery slums of Bath, Bartholomew Kettle and his sister Hettie live by these words. Bartholomew and Hettie are changelings--Peculiars--and neither faeries nor humans want anything to do with them.

One day a mysterious lady in a plum-colored dress comes gliding down Old Crow Alley. Bartholomew watches her through his window. Who is she? What does she want? And when Bartholomew witnesses the lady whisking away, in a whirling ring of feathers, the boy who lives across the alley--Bartholomew forgets the rules and gets himself noticed.

First he's noticed by the lady in plum herself, then by something darkly magical and mysterious, by Jack Box and the Raggedy Man, by the powerful Mr. Lickerish . . . and by Arthur Jelliby, a young man trying to slip through the world unnoticed, too, and who, against all odds, offers Bartholomew friendship and a way to belong.

Part murder mystery, part gothic fantasy, part steampunk adventure, The Peculiar is Stefan Bachmann's riveting, inventive, and unforgettable debut novel.


Q&A:
How did the idea for The Peculiar come to you?

I guess I just wanted to write a book with all the things I liked in it. So, folklore, Victorian England, steampunk, and scary goings-ons. The whole plot and world kind of grew from there.


How did you come up with the names of the characters? Do their names mean anything?

Some of them mean things! Some I just thought sounded strange and interesting, and some were what the characters were called when they walked into my brain.For instance, Bartholomew Kettle was always called Bartholomew Kettle. Melusine was always Melusine. Mr. Jelliby's name I stole from Dicken's Bleak House, because I think it fits him in several ways. He's a bit jello-y in his morals and sense of duty at the beginning of the book. Later, not so much.

Who's your favorite character in the book? Who was the most fun to write? Who was the hardest?

Mr. Jelliby's my favorite. He was also the funnest to write. Bartholomew, the half-blood boy and the other main character, has a hard, sad life, so it was great to be able to write a really spoiled frivolous character, too. The hardest were probably all the faery characters. They had to be distinct from each other, andreally distinct from the English, and they had to be not-entirely-bad but at the same time not-even-remotely-good.

Did you put something of yourself in the characterization of any characters? To whom are you most alike?

Little bits of me are probably in all the characters, but I'm not sure any of them are very much like me. Maybe Mr. Jelliby. Again. Then again, I couldn't chase a clockwork bird across London or hunt down murderers the way he does in the book, so hmm. . .

The world you built for The Peculiar is very rich in possibilities. Will there be a sequel or a novel set in the same world?

Thank you! And yes! The second (and last) book in this series is going to be called The Whatnot, but only part of it takes place in Steampunk England. I don't want to spoil anything, but one of characters spends much of the book in the Old Country, the land of the faeries, and it's a very strange and creepy place indeed.

*****

Buy The Peculiar now!

Barnes & Noble * Book Depository * Amazon * National Bookstore!

*****

Oh and, Stefan says hi! :D

GIVEAWAY!

Giveaway #1
- open INTERNATIONALLY!
- 5 SIGNED, HARDCOVER COPIES of The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann courtesy of HarperCollins International
- GRAND PRIZE of a SIGNED COPY AND a SKYPE CHAT with the author himself, Stefan Bachmann

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway #2
- open to PHILIPPINE residents only!
- two copies of The Peculiar by Stefan Bachmann

a Rafflecopter giveaway



TWITTER PARTY!
There will be, yes. Stay tuned til the end of the tour because there will also be a giveaway!
For the complete tour schedule, click here. 

Enjoyed? Don't forget to leave your thoughts below, darlings! :)

WWW Wednesdays (19) / Waiting on Wednesday (20): ACID

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?




Currently Reading:

Splintered by A.G Howard
- like, on the very first page. ;D

Finished Reading:

Since I've been changing books last week, I haven't finish anything yet.

Read Next:

Partials by Dan Wells

I have started but paused reading this because I'm so excited to start Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Til I read several books and forgotten this one. Now I'll continue reading it. :))

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, originally started by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that highlights upcoming book releases everyone is waiting on.

ACID

by Emma Pass

Expected publication: April 25th 2013 by Corgi Children's Books/Random House Children's Publishing

Blurb (Goodreads):

ACID - the most brutal police force in history.

They rule with an iron fist.

They see everything. They know everything.

They locked me away for life.

My crime?

They say I murdered my parents.

I was fifteen years old.

My name is Jenna Strong.

Okay, so this sounds really awesome. The first time I came across ACID is when I was writing my Celebrating Debutantes: Thank You + Books of 2013 post. And I immediately fell in love with it. I want. I want it. I want it! Sounds like action-packed with kick-ass heroine that I love about!

Don't forget to share your books with me below! Happy Wednesday and enjoy reading! :))