News!

NEW Email
fictionalcandy@yahoo.com

****Comments have been disabled on posts****

**** I have not updated links since switching from fictionalcandy.com to fictionalcandy.blogspot.com The best way to review old posts at this time in in Desktop View (link at bottom of this page) and then using the post archive located on the right-hand sidebar of the page***

Thank you!

Friday, December 23, 2011

Ink - Holly Hood - Plus Giveaway


Title: Ink
Author: Holly Hood

Format: Ebook provided by author for review

From Goodreads:
Hope didn’t ask for so much change in her life. She was happy living in Georgia for the rest of her life. Focusing on the things she loved the most: singing, dancing, and her best friend Karsen. This was effortless, she had no worries. 

But all that changed when her mother decided to leave her dad for Pete, the Tae Kwon do instructor. And now Hope had to choose between staying where she belonged or moving far away to Cherry California with her dad. 

After making the choice to move far away, to protect her father, Hope realizes Cherry is nothing like the hometown she’s used to. Everyone is rude, high class and she doesn’t fit in. Not until Slade comes along. He has never fit in and he is okay with that. And Hope is fascinated by everything that Slade is. All the way down to his tattoos and bat wielding rescue the first time they meet. 

She knows she should stay far away from him, but it proves tricky as she discovers dark secrets about the town and people in Cherry, California. Hope doesn’t know who to trust as her life takes a turn from ordinary and depressing to dangerous and wild.




This really was a fantastic read.  I was captured right from the beginning, and found myself staying up late and getting up early so I could read more. 

The book starts off with Hope and some of her family moving out to Cherry, CA.  They are a family divided, and her paternal grandmother lives out west, so they decide to leave GA.   They aren’t rich, but they are definitely moving to a wealthy area.  Hope, her dad, and two of her brothers (Eliot and Easton – twins) pack up the van and are on their way.

Right away Hope meets a few people, and they are all kind of haughty.   She manages to make a couple friends right away, but no one like her bestie back home, Karsen. 

And then one night she sees a bunch of people walking down the beach, and they are all heading the same direction.  She decides to investigate and comes upon a rock concert! The crowd is enthralled, and soon starts to get wild.  But someone is coming to Hope’s rescue, a guy full of tattoos, mystery, and carrying a baseball bat!  His name is Slade, and he saves her from the rock hungry crowd.

And then Hope meets Tucker.  He’s the classic all American boy type:  fantastically good looking, charming.  And he’s giving Hope lots of attention.  What girl wouldn’t be flattered and excited?

Boy, these two guys, Slade and Tucker, really had me in a tug of war for the first half of the book.  I could easily see how Hope was having trouble picking just one.  But luckily that difficulty doesn’t last.  She goes on dates with each of them. 

Slade and Hope’s first date is the perfect teen dream.  Two young people learning about each other, fanning that spark.  The undertow of excitement, curiosity and fascination took me back in time and made me want more, more, more!  I thought right there I had made my mind up, regardless of the story I was picking Slade. 

But then Tucker picks Hope up for the first day of school and he seems so sweet and genuine.  Could it be true?  I was wrestling with myself mentally here.  He seems so intent on getting to know her better and definitely on a flirtier level.  I must admit, if it was me I would have totally fallen for his tactics.  Flirty, fun, carefree.  Then I made my mind up again, I wanted Tucker.

And then I flip flopped around, every new fact giving you more information.  Do you go with the mainstream and play it “safe” or do you go outside your boundaries where there is passion and danger?

So which does she pick?  Who steals her heart?  And whose mystery is more dangerous than fun?  This book was really good at keeping you guessing.  The author gives you a little hint, then steers you in a new direction.  But either way, you are glued to the page, waiting to see where the path goes.   You get to see the characters really develop and grow all while going on a great trip.  I got mad, I got happy, and I was anxious and scared.  It was a lengthy book, but for me it went superfast and would be positively happy if it were even longer – or a series!

I agree with Holly Hood, this book doesn’t exactly fit into a YA category.  There are some mature scenes.  It is probably best left for eyes 16 and over.  And with that said, I think that the paranormal fans will be happy, along with love story fans, and even some mystery fans. 

Holly Hood's Website: Fictitious Chronicles
Holly Hood's Social Networking: Facebook and Twitter
Available for purchase on: Amazon 

***** ***** *****
GIVEAWAY
***** ***** *****


CONTEST IS OVER, WINNER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED

Giveaway is open internationally to people age 16 and over (there is some mature content included in book).  Giveaway will start today and end on December 30, 2011 at 11:59pm EST. 

Prize is one Ebook of Ink by Holly Hood

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to notification, or another winner will be picked. 

Rules:
Fill out entry form for contact information, and leave a comment on this post