Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Book Blitz: Air by L. B. Gilbert


Air
L.B. Gilbert
(The Elementals #2)
Publication date: November 28th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal
Despite being the junior Elemental, Logan’s never had to worry about failing a mission before. Not until an overgrown and annoyingly attractive shifter comes along.
Being an Elemental is in Logan’s blood. Hers is the gift of Air, a vast power she’s still struggling to control. Then a Were named Connell hunts her down. His wolf is missing, and he blames her.
A den of werewolves is the last place Logan wants to be. The testosterone alone is enough to make her choke. But she has a mystery to solve. She will find out who is stealing wolves even if kills her.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the enemy has planned…

Book 1: Fire
Book 2: Air, Available November 28th
Book 3: Water, Coming Soon
EXCERPT:
Connell tried to drag the Elemental toward him, but she didn’t budge. Instead, she glanced at his hands. For a second, he could have sworn amusement flashed across her face. Then she was gone—wind whipping him in the face so hard it stung.
Fuck!
He turned around in a circle, scanning the air and the land around him. God, he couldn’t lose her now. He needed to get his wolf back. Not having the extra other in his head was tearing him apart. The empty space inside him was like a crawling emptiness. Sometimes, it was in his head. Other times, it was in his heart.
I can’t believe I lost her. He’d had her in his hands, and then poof. At this
point, she could be anywhere. A strangled sigh escaped from deep in his chest. It sounded pathetic and broken, even to him. He checked the house to make sure she wasn’t there, and then he walked back out to his rented jeep. Damn it, he was going to have to start tracking her all over again.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
Stunned, Connell tripped. Pivoting on his heel, he turned to see the sprite standing on a huge boulder in the distance. He was so damn surprised to see her that he lost his tongue. He just stared at her like an idiot.
Apparently, she agreed. “I can’t keep calling you tall, dark, and stupid, now can I? Whatisyourname?” she repeated, over- enunciating each word.
He was too relieved to get upset over the fact she was talking to him as if he were slow. “Connell Maitland.”
The imp turned away and started addressing the air around her, “He says he’s one of the Maitlands. American accent, so one of the Colorado ones. Yeah. It’s severe. I haven’t seen anything like it. It’s like his wolf was torn out of him somehow. He thinks we did it. Hold on a sec—” Her words broke off as Connell started to run toward her.
A gust of strong air slammed him down to the ground before he cleared the rise.
“Stay there,” the sprite ordered in a glacial tone.
Frigid as the wind, he thought as he regained his footing. Hell, everything about her should be ice-cold. Instead, he felt like he was burning up around her. It was disconcerting. So was the hard edge in her voice. That kind of steel shouldn’t be coming out of such a tiny, doll-like girl.
“Yeah, yeah. It’s fine. He’s on a leash,” the imp said a touch smugly.
Connell growled low in his throat. At least that hadn’t changed. Prey the world over would still react instinctively in fear at that sound.
But the imp didn’t even blink. And she had heard him. She just hadn’t cared. She kept on talking like some gossipy housewife on the phone. Except she was addressing no one.
“Who the bloody hell are you talking to? Invisible fairies? Can anyone even hear you?” he asked incredulously.


Author Bio:
USA Today bestselling author L.B. Gilbert spent years getting degrees from the most prestigious universities in America, including a PhD that she is not using at all. She moved to France for work and found love. She's married now and living in Toulouse with one adorable half-french baby.
She has always enjoyed reading books as far from her reality as possible but eventually the voices in her head told her to write her own. And so far the voices are enjoying them. You can check out the geeky things she likes on twitter @elementalauthor, facebook www.facebook.com/elementalsauthor, or www.elementalauthor.com
*If you like a little more steam with your Fire, check out the author's Lucy Leroux titles*

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Monday, November 28, 2016

Review of Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever by Eddie Owens

Title: Millie Hardiman and the Red Parrot Fever
Author: Eddie Owens
Genre: Middle Age, Humor
Rating: 4/5 "I liked it."

I received an eARC of this novel from Eddie Owens in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Description from GoodReads
Millie Hardiman is a thirteen year old from Bognor Regis, with a wild imagination, who dreams of becoming a writer. 

When Millie’s scriptwriter Dad, Barry, has writer’s block, Millie becomes his muse for the daytime television soap, Double Top. 

After her success on Double Top, Millie creates a Sci-Fi, teen drama, The Adventures of Martian Girl.

Millie falls in love for the first time with Wolf Van Der Beek, an arrogant, South African child actor. 

This is a story about friendship, first love and growing up.



My Thoughts
Reading this novel was definitely a move away from my typical books. I tend to focus on so many fantasy or sci-fi pieces that I forget to look to some of the more realistic ones from time to time.  I am very thankful that Eddie Owens gave me the opportunity to do exactly that.

This novel focuses on Millie, but I really could not stand her. I think that she was very strongly written, but her lack of respect for the adults around her was a hard pill for this teacher to take.  How could her parents stand her calling them by her first names?  How did she escape major punishments for such major lies?  While entertaining, it was very difficult for me to deal with.  I did admire her creativity as well as her ability to stick to the stories that she creates. This may be a good way for my students to observe the effects of lying and the need for honesty.  I hate to take the fun out of everything, but lets keep the storytelling to the soap opera.

I thought that Owens did a fantastic job of introducing and maintaining a theme that teaches about the importance of honesty.  Despite my frustrations about Millie's actions, I felt that younger students could learn quite a bit from this book.  

The only thing that I can see impeding the students' ability to learn this theme is the references that Owens uses.  Many of these references will eventually date themselves.  This will only make it more difficult for younger individuals to understand the points made by including these references. 

Overall, I thought that this was an absolutely adorable book.  It is a story that will help students to learn about and consider honesty and lies in their lives.



Tuesday, November 22, 2016

Book Blitz: Shadow Fall by Audrey Grey


Shadow Fall
Audrey Grey
(Shadow Fall, #1)
Published by: Blaze Publishing
Publication date: November 22nd 2016
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
The asteroid hurtling toward the earth will kill billions.
The Emperor and his Gold Court will be safe in their space station, watching from the stars. The Silvers will be protected underground. But the Bronzes must fight it out at the Shadow Trials for the few remaining spots left on the space station.
When an enigmatic benefactor hands Maia Graystone a spot in the Trials, she won’t just get a chance at salvation for her and her baby brother, Max: She gets to confront the mother who abandoned her in prison, the mad Emperor who murdered her father, and the Gold prince who once loved her. But it’s the dark bastard prince she’s partnered with that will make her question everything, including her own heart. With the asteroid racing closer every day, Maia must trust someone to survive.
The question is who?
You can get your copy now for the special release price of 99 cents, and be sure to meet us at the Facebook Party happening right now!
EXCERPT:
My legs wobble as I step into the now lukewarm water. I sink to the bottom. Tiny bubbles escape my nose as I watch all the ugly remnants from the last seven years leave my body.
Lungs burning, I rise and come face-to-face with Pit Boy.
I glare at him. “You really have to work on the knocking thing.”
Despite the fact that I’m indecent, his attention never falls from my face. I almost wish it would, just to give me a break from the intensity of his focus.
“I only get a few more hours to be the ‘one-eyed freak’ from the pit. Might as well take advantage.” He doesn’t dare crack a smile, so it’s hard to tell if he’s joking or serious.
“Don’t worry. In my heart, that’s exactly who you’ll always be.”
His words remind me that soon we’ll be reconstructed using forbidden nanotech. But it won’t just be our flesh they’ll reengineer. It will be our brains, too.
I don’t foresee my rewiring being too complicated, but Riser needs to upload almost twenty years of false memories. That will be tricky and time-consuming.
And time is the one thing we don’t have.
Riser flicks his gaze to the mirror. He lifts a hand, touches the patch of mottled flesh where his eye should be.
“How did it happen?” I ask.
“Careful, my lady.” His gaze settles on my face. “You’re beginning to sound like you care.”
I roll my eyes. “And I thought I was lacking in conversational skills.”
He focuses his attention on the graffiti sprayed across the mirror.
“It’s written language,” I blurt, even though all I want to do is end the conversation so Pit Boy can leave. His presence unnerves me more than the other Pit Leeches ever could. “It’s how we communicate.”
“I know what it is.” He examines his jagged thumbnail. “I just . . . can’t read it.”
“It’s just stuff about the Chosen. You know, insults.” The populace is finicky. As much as they love watching the Chosen with their petty intrigues and court life, they would be just as happy to see their heads on a pike.
“Chosen?”
Time to explain what you are, Everly, Nicolai’s voice grates inside my head. Riser’s eyes flutter just enough that I know he’s heard Nicolai’s voice too.
You do it, I think, watching Riser’s reaction. But his face remains emotionless; either he’s a good actor or only Nicolai can hear my response.
“The Royalist astronomers discovered the asteroid twenty-one years ago,” I begin. “It’s actually a slow moving planet called an earth-crosser, meaning its orbit and ours intersect every twenty-thousand years. Usually it’s too far away to affect us, but this time it will pass close enough to wreak havoc and make the earth uninhabitable for years.” I stir the water with my big toe. “Before I was born, the Emperor decided that creating a population of genetically superior humans would be a great idea, you know, just in case the Caskets don’t work or the asteroid does more damage than predicted.”
Riser’s hyper-focused gaze bores through me. “You’re one of them?”
“Yes.” I run my hand through the filthy water. “But my father’s a Bronze, so even though my mother comes from a Gold House, the Emperor only allowed them one Chosen instead of the customary twins. So it’s just me . . . not Max.”
“What makes being Chosen so special?”
“I don’t know . . .” I bite my lip, trying to remember everything my parents told me. “My genes are perfect, I guess.”
For some reason, talking about my body makes me remember that I am naked in a room with a boy. As if reading my mind, Riser slowly lets his gaze fall, his expression both curious and unapologetic as he takes me all in, his thoughts cryptic.
“What are you staring at?” I blurt, smashing my breasts beneath my hands. Not like there’s much there to cover. “Haven’t you seen a naked girl before?”
A smile twitches his lips. “Not one that’s genetically flawless.
“It doesn’t work that way! You can’t just look at us and tell. We look like everyone else—”
“No.” Riser shakes his head, a dark swath of hair covering his damaged eye. “You don’t. Whatever you are.”
“You must be happy . . . about our reconstruction, I mean,” I mumble, trying desperately to change the subject. “They’ll fix your eye . . . and . . . and all those horrible scars.”
I freeze as he slides off the counter, unable to look away as he hooks one finger beneath his shirt and lifts.
Scars ravage his anemic body in varying shades of red and silver and white. Some deep and pitted like the craters of a far-away planet, others smooth and neat. One particular nasty scar carves down his shoulder, tunneling across his chest and stomach. A fresh red wound nestles just below his throat.
He carefully touches the long ugly one. “I’m not ashamed for surviving.”


Author Bio:
Audrey Grey lives in the charming state of Oklahoma, with her husband, two little people, and four mischievous dogs. You can usually find her hiding out in her office from said little people and dogs, surrounded by books and sipping kombucha while dreaming up wondrous worlds for her characters to live in.

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Monday, November 21, 2016

Book Blitz: Catalyst by Kristin Smith


Catalyst
Kristin Smith
(The Deception Game, #1)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: November 21st 2016
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
Too pretty.
Too smart.
Too perfect.

In a crumbling, futuristic Las Vegas where the wealthy choose the characteristics of their children like ordering off a drive-thru menu, seventeen-year-old Sienna Preston doesn’t fit in. As a normal girl surrounded by genetically modified teenagers, all of her imperfections are on display. But after the death of her father, everything she’s ever known and loved changes in an instant.
With little skills to help provide for her family, Sienna clings to the two things that come easily—lying and stealing. But not all thief-for-hire assignments go as planned. When a covert exchange of a stolen computer chip is intercepted, she becomes entangled with a corrupt government official who uses her thieving past as leverage, her mother as collateral, and the genetically modified poster boy she’s falling for as bait.
In order to rescue her mother, there may only be one option—joining forces with the Fringe, an extremist group, and their young leader who’s too hot to be bad. Problem is, these revolutionaries aren’t what they seem, and the secrets they’re hiding could be more dangerous than Sienna is prepared for. In the end, she must be willing to risk everything to save the one thing that matters most.
Catalyst is a thrilling adventure of danger, romance, intrigue, and deception.
EXCERPT:
“You need to learn a little hand-to-hand combat.” Trey puts his fists up by his face. “Always protect your soft spots—your face being numero uno.” He glances at my bandaged arm. “You right-handed?”
It’s after breakfast and we’re in the training facility, a large, gym-type room with thick mats, punching bags, weights, and a long wall of mirrors. The smell of sweat and stinky feet assault my nose as I stand across from him on the pile of black mats used to create a “ring”. We have the gym to ourselves. Most likely because everyone else is too smart to work out right after a meal.
I nod and flex my right hand, the one that’s not bandaged.
“You should be fine, then. I’ll take it easy on you.” He grins. “Go ahead—hit me.”
I take a step back and shake my head. “I’m not gonna hit you.”
He moves forward to decrease the distance between us. “I said, hit me.”
I raise my arms as if I’m about to fight him, but all I can think is how much he’s done to help me. How can I punch the man who saved me from the government facility, removed my tracker, and is willing to help rescue my mother?
When he realizes I won’t fight, he lowers his hands. “Remember, Sienna, these men don’t care that you’re a girl. They don’t care how old you are. If given the opportunity, they will hurt you.” His eyes harden. “Now hit me.”
I punch him as hard as I can, and he’s not expecting it. The force of the blow to his face knocks him backward, and my hand throbs from the impact. He looks stunned, especially when a trickle of blood makes its way out of his nose. But then he grins.
Wiping his nose on his shirt, he motions with his hands for me to come closer. “Nicely done. Now, hit me again.”
Surely, he must be crazy. I’m about to walk away, but his words echo in my mind. If given the opportunity, they will hurt you. I can’t give them that opportunity.
catalyst-quote-promo-blog-tour


Author Bio:
Kristin Smith writes young adult contemporary and science fiction novels. When she’s not writing, you can find her dreaming about the beach, beating her boys at Just Dance, or belting out karaoke (from the comfort of her own home). Kristin currently resides in the middle-of-nowhere North Carolina with her husband and five incredibly loud but extremely cute boys. To read more about her obsession with YA novels or her addiction to chocolate, you can visit her at kristinsmithbooks.com.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

ARC Review: Iniquity by Melody Winter


Title: Iniquity (Ascent #1)
Author: Melody Winter
Publication Date: October 25th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Romance
Rating: 5 out of 5 "I loved it!"

This book is rather sexually explicit and may not be suitable for some readers.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

Synopsis:
Athena Harrow is about to turn twenty-one, but there will be no celebration. What is there to celebrate when the world is ruled by demons?

She hates the darkness the demons brought with them and longs for the light to return to the world—a world she only vaguely remembers. The people in her forest village blindly accept the life the demons forced upon them, even tolerating the yearly ascension ceremony where all the girls who have turned twenty-one are either sent away to serve the Master Demon or left in the village and forced to procreate.

But Paymon, the assigned village demon, selects a different role for Athena, a role that pits her against the village. While she adapts to her new life, Erebus, a younger, more powerful demon, arrives, and Athena must play a dangerous game with his emotions in return for information about the demon’s reign of darkness.

As Athena’s dreams of restoring the light begin to fade, her life with Erebus takes an unexpected turn, and this time it’s her life being put to the test.

Set in the forest around Buttercrambe in North Yorkshire, England, Iniquity explores the frightening, darker side of romance and the uncontrolled emotions it can unleash.

 Purchasing Links:  Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

My Thoughts
Wow.  I have somehow managed to hit the jackpot of amazing books lately and Iniquity did not disappoint!  I was sad at a few points during this book.  I was devastated when it ended.  Where is book two???

I liked that Athena was a very strong character.  She had her own ideas and was definitely willing to stand up for her beliefs.  I honestly loved that I have found a romance novel (which I RARELY read) with such a strong female character!  Yes!  I mean, I'm sorry, but I have a difficult time with purposefully weak women.   As much as I liked Athena, Paymon was my favorite character.  Winter hands us this beautifully written character who is meant to be a demon but is such a gentleman and is nothing short of a man of his word. Drool.  And then Melody Winter happens to him, but that's way too much of a spoiler for me to give you.  

Winter definitely has a talent for descriptions.  I never misunderstood any descriptions in this novel and was blown away by how easily I knew the village and Paymon's home.  This world seemed more real than my own at times!  This was especially true in the battle scenes.  I was never confused about how anyone attacked or who was attacked.  All of the motions made sense for the characters involved and she stayed true to the demon's abilities. So believable!

Lastly, I want to comment on some of the sexual events in this book.  Yes, they are quite explicit.  She does all but draw us a diagram.  However, I loved that these moments did not overpopulate the story and that the story was not based on the sexual moments.  Yes, these characters have sex.  They are husband and wife.  Get over it.  But I felt that Winter did a terrific job keeping these scenes within a loving and consensual tone.  Typically, I don't like romance novels because they are so overly focused on the sex.  Winter only uses it as necessary.   

                                                                                              Author Bio


Growing up, Melody showed a natural ability in art, a head for maths, and a tendency to write too long English essays. Difficult to place in the world when she graduated, she pursued a career in teaching, but ended up working in finance. Melody is convinced the methodical times she spends working with numbers fuel her desire to drift into dream worlds and write about the illusory characters in her head.

Melody Winter lives in York, North Yorkshire, England with her husband and two sons. When not dealing with football, rugby, and a whole plethora of ‘boy’ activities, she will be found scribbling notes for her stories, or preparing for another trip to the nearby beaches at Scarborough and Whitby. With an obsession for anything mythical, Melody revels in reading and writing about such creatures.

Author links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads


Wednesday, November 16, 2016

Review: Oppression by Jessica Therrien


Oppression
Jessica Therrien
(Children of the Gods #1)
Publication date: September 2nd 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She’s been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than average people, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she’s closer to eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don’t make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she’s been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Some are waiting for her to put an end to centuries of traditions that have oppressed their people under the guise of safeguarding them. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning – and she’s not entirely willing to play by their rules.
The complete series:
25729635 25729652 25471700

My Thoughts
I truly enjoyed reading Oppression. Therrien did a wonderful job keeping me so focused on what I was reading that I didn't even realize how much time had elapsed as I flipped the pages.  My Kindle actually became an extension of my arm with this one!

Having to choose a favorite character is like having to choose a favorite book.  Elyse and all of her friends are rather lovable and rather believable.  I did find Elyse to be rather annoying at times, but only because her concerns were sometimes written in an extra superficial way.  However, I am really looking forward to seeing how she grows in the next two books.

Let's take a second to talk about the romance in this book.  It's definitely there, but it was the only part of this book that I felt was a bit poorly written.  I mean, here we are, with two people who just met and are already deeply in love.  Yes, it is super cute!  Yes, it made me smile!  I just wish that there would have been more drama so that I have to hang on to the idea of maybe they will be together or won't they?  I prefer when it is killing me to know!

However, this book includes their romance but it is not set completely around it.  It is, however, set upon the ideas of Greek mythology which I believe that Therrien did a terrific job researching.  I would definitely love to have a copy of this series in my classroom library.  As my juniors study Greek mythology, I believe that this would be a fantastic series for girls who are interested in seeing these same gods and goddesses discussed in a more modern way.  It would also be a fantastic way for students to introduce themselves to the mythology before seeking further and deeper knowledge.  I am in total support of that!

Make sure you don't miss out on the special sale and the giveaway below!  They are fantastic opportunities!




Click here for a special $0.99 tour only sale!





Author Bio:
Jessica Therrien is the author of the young adult paranormal fiction series Children of the Gods. Book one in the series, Oppression, became a Barnes & Noble best-seller shortly after its release.
Aside from her Children of the Gods series, Jessica’s work can also be found in a published collection of flash fiction stories called Campaigner Challenges 2011. Out of over 350 submissions her story, The Soulless, won first place for people’s choice and fourth place in the judging round of Rachael Harrie’s Writing Campaign Challenge. Her story, Saved, is also available as part of the anthology.
Jessica spent most of her life in the small town of Chilcoot, California, high up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In this town of nearly 100 residents, with no street lights or grocery stores, there was little to do but find ways to be creative. Her mother, the local English teacher, inspired her to do all things artistic, and ultimately instilled in her a love for language.
In 2003, Jessica attended California State University Long Beach where her passion for language found her studying Chinese, and in 2005 she moved to Taiwan to study abroad. From 2005 to 2006 Jessica was fully immersed in the Chinese language as she attended National Taiwan University, and in 2008 she graduated from San Diego State University magna cum laude.
Jessica currently lives in Irvine with her husband and two sons. She is working on an adult novel and a children’s picture book.


Monday, November 14, 2016

The Starlit Woods New Fairy Tales



Synopsis 

An all-new anthology of cross-genre fairy tale retellings, featuring an all-star lineup of award-winning and critically acclaimed writers.

Once upon a time. It’s how so many of our most beloved stories start.

Fairy tales have dominated our cultural imagination for centuries. From the Brothers Grimm to the Countess d’Aulnoy, from Charles Perrault to Hans Christian Anderson, storytellers have crafted all sorts of tales that have always found a place in our hearts.

Now a new generation of storytellers have taken up the mantle that the masters created and shaped their stories into something startling and electrifying.

Packed with award-winning authors, this anthology explores an array of fairy tales in startling and innovative ways, in genres and settings both traditional and unusual, including science fiction, western, and post-apocalyptic as well as traditional fantasy and contemporary horror.

From the woods to the stars, The Starlit Wood: New Fairy Tales takes readers on a journey at once unexpected and familiar, as a diverse group of writers explore some of our most beloved tales in new ways across genres and styles.





                                                             ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Dominik Parisien is an editor, poet, and writer. He has worked on several anthologies with Ann and Jeff VanderMeer, including The Time Traveler’s Almanac (Tor), Sisters of the Revolution (PM Press), and The Bestiary(Centipede Press). He is the editor for Clockwork Canada, an anthology of Canadian steampunk for Exile Editions. Dominik is also the poetry editor for Postscripts to Darkness, and was an editorial assistant for Weird Tales. His fiction and poetry have appeared in Strange Horizons, Uncanny Magazine, Shock Totem, Imaginarium 2013: The Best Canadian Speculative Writing, and other venues.
TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | WEBSITE

Navah Wolfe is an editor at Saga Press. She was previously an editor at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, where she worked on many bestselling books, including some that have won awards such as the Printz Honor, The Pura Belpré Award, The Pen/Faulkner Award, The Stonewall Award, the Lambda Literary Award, and the Schneider Family Award.
TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | WEBSITE





Wednesday, November 9, 2016

Cover Reveal: Gilded Cage by Sherry D. Ficklin


The Gilded Cage
Sherry D. Ficklin
(A Canary Club Novella)
Publication date: December 1st 2016
Genres: Historical, Young Adult
Masie, the flaxen-haired daughter of notorious boot-legger Dutch Schultz, returns home from boarding school to find her family in crisis. Her mother is dangerously unstable, her father’s empire is on the brink of ruin, and the boy she once loved has become a ruthless killer for hire. To keep her family’s dangerous secrets Masie is forced into a lie that will change the course of her future—and leave her trapped in a gilded cage of her own making. As she watches her world fall apart, Masie must decide whether to take her place in the hierarchy, or spread her wings, leaving the people she loves, and the life she despises, far behind her.
Two worlds collide in Gatsby era New York, in a time of dazzling speakeasies and vicious shoot-outs, of gritty gangsters and iridescent ingénues, where not everything that sparkles is gold.
*This is the first of the Canary Club series and is a short story introduction into the forthcoming novels.


Author Bio:
Sherry is a full time writer from Colorado and the author of over a dozen novels for teens and young adults including the best selling Stolen Empire series. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she's on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.
Sherry also writes New Adult fiction under the pen name Ranae Glass and is a contributing writer for fangirlish.com. You can find her at her official website, www.sherryficklin.com, or stalk her on her Facebook page www.facebook.com/sherry.ficklin.

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Friday, November 4, 2016

Blog Review Tour: Forever Blue by Abby Wilder




Title: Forever Blue
Author: Abby Wilder
Publication Date: June 17, 2016
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery, YA
Rating: 5 out of 5 "I loved it!"



GoodReads Description
I broke the surface and gulped in air, running my hands over my face to push the water away. A raindrop splattered on my cheek. He did not rise. Seven more raindrops in quick succession splattered against my skin. And still, he did not rise. The heavens opened and rain fell like a sheet, blanketing me, cutting me off from the rest of the world.
I thought it was the end of everything.
But I was wrong.

Brothers, Ruben and Judah Mitchell, used to be close, but that was before they met Cara Armistead. Once she moved in next door, the brothers grew further and further apart until the tension between them led to an event which left one dead and the other branded by the aftermath.

One year later, after the death of her baby brother destroyed her family, Lennon Donnelly has moved back to her home town of Puruwai. While visiting the cemetery she finds a boy sitting on a gravestone, a boy with secrets in his past, but someone who finally sees her. Accused by the town as a killer, he reaches out to Lennon, but as their relationship deepens, the events of the year before present themselves in a way no one could have imagined.

In this compelling ya romantic mystery, Forever Blue tells of the intertwining relationships of Lennon, Ruben, Judah and Cara. Spanning over two years, Abby Wilder creates a story of intrigue and suspicion that will haunt you long after you turn the final page.

This story contains mild use of strong language and references to underage drinking and smoking.


My Thoughts
WOW!  What a book!  I am honestly not sure what I want to write about first!  This is going to be a difficult review to share because I honestly just want to tell you EVERYTHING so that you can share the experience with me..but it's more fun if you read it. Here....we...go!!!!!

In this novel, the story follows Lennon.  My favorite character, however, was Judah.  It takes a strong and solid person to shoulder as much as he does and I think that Wilder did a wonderful job of writing him that way.  Besides, I think I developed a fangirl crush..*swoon* I really liked Lennon's character as well, I just thought that there was more depth to Judah than there was to Lennon.  That was weird for me because Judah isn't our main character.

My least favorite characters were ALL of the parents.  I cannot imagine living a life with parents who are so distant.  It may be my teacher mind kicking in, but as these kids are out drinking and partying, don't the parents wonder where they are?  I mean, Judah keeps beer in his bedroom!  My parents would have cleaned the floor with me if that had happened when I was in high school!  How do these parents think that's OK? Or do they not check?  Or am I just old fashioned?  Who knows...

As soon as the twist came in at the end, I was so wide eyed that I was afraid I was going to have to sleep with both eyes open. I have never been so surprised that I wasn't sure I would ever be able to shut my eyes again!  WOW!  I SOOOOOO DID NOT SEE THAT COMING!  I am so impressed by a writer who is so talented that she can pull a twist like that out of goodness only knows where and still have it make complete and total sense!  I don't think amazing is a good enough word for such skill! 

If you are still reading this, why haven't you gone to Amazon and bought this book yet? Here!  Let me help you!  Just click right here!  



Author Bio
Abby grew up on a sheep farm at the bottom of the world.

A love of reading has remained constant in her life, and when it occurred to her that she couldn't imagine anything better than being a writer, she set out to achieve just that.

Girl Behind Glass, Boy in Uniform & Girl Beneath Stars are available now, and Forever Blue was released June 17th 2016

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Thursday, November 3, 2016

Book Blitz: The Limbo Tree by T. N. Suarez


The Limbo Tree
T.N. Suarez
Publication date: October 10th 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult
An accident. A secret. The truth.
Something is wrong with Samantha McCallister. Her baby brother is dead, and she has only one memory of the accident: the canned version her parents impressed upon her. But piece by piece, Sam struggles to make sense of it.
Cast aside by her self-involved family, Sam seeks out a friendship with the next-door neighbor, Hazel, until Hazel inexplicably goes missing, leaving nothing but a note and a jar of jam.
Determined to uncover the truth about Hazel’s disappearance, Sam finds out more than she bargained for. Bizarre episodes and nightmares consume her, vicious and unstoppable.
Meanwhile, an adolescent muse moves into Hazel’s abandoned home. Sam is immediately drawn to him—discovering the beginnings of true love—when the unthinkable occurs. Sam is alienated to a world in which she no longer feels she belongs. Try as she might, Sam cannot escape these nightmares or the truth behind them—the truth that lies in the Limbo Tree.
Brilliantly crafted, shimmering with uncertainty, The Limbo Tree is as mystical as it is moving.
Are you a book reviewer?
You can request a review copy here!
EXCERPT:
I’m sleeping. I fell asleep on my bed. I have to be.
But not fully convinced, I inched down the hall to investigate further. When I turned to inspect the bathroom, my face collided with a pile of towels, nearly eating them. It was Mom.
I wearily backed away from her, not sure which Mom I was confronting.
“I heard you scream.”
“Um.” My voice quavered. “A spider, on my bed.”
“Well, did you get ’im?”
“Um, yeah, I flushed it down the toilet.” My blood surged as she needled me with her eyes.
Mom leaned in close. “You smell like a pond. Take a shower.” She handed over the warm stack of towels. “Here.”
As I eased inside the bathroom, my heart hammered so hard I heard it beating from outside my chest. I slowly closed the door, watching it, waiting for something else to happen, but it didn’t.
I put away the towels in the closet, turned on the shower, and collapsed on top of the toilet seat. Had my reality and dream world finally collided? Or was I just crazy?
Pulling my knees in, I began to rock back and forth while babbling, “I don’t know, I don’t know, I don’t know.”
I twirled my hair, giving it a yank, feeling a burning twinge of delight. The pain was real. And so was the clump of hair that emerged from my palm. I rolled the long strands between my fingertips, reminding me of corn silk, and watched them flutter to the floor. My arms curled tight around my legs, I began rocking again. I couldn’t be sure that anything was real at this point. I wasn’t to be trusted. I stood up and looked in the mirror.
An unkempt version of myself blinked blankly back at me; her sullen eyes were encircled by sleepless nights, and her hair was wild as a beast’s, oily and matted. A chunk went missing by her ear.
There I stood, watching the tears spill over her cheeks. I looked deeper into the mirror, watching her mimic my movements. She bit her bottom lip, in serious denial, and pressed her palms against the glass, meeting mine.
“A crazy person doesn’t ask whether they are crazy. They just are,” we said to one another.
The steam condensed on the mirror, leaving only my handprints. And soon the haze filled them in, too. I took off my clothes and stepped into the shower. The hot streams pelted my face as I dared to close my eyes again, rinsing away the insanity. Water slapped the porcelain floor of the tub in short spurts as I rinsed my hair. A slow creak of the bathroom door echoed in between splats and a cold rush of air flooded over the top of the shower curtain. I opened my eyes. Steam had filled the shower, from the ceiling down.
“Hello?” I queried nervously from behind the curtain.
“Pajamas. I’ll leave them on the toilet seat.” Mom’s erratic tone ricocheted around the tiny room.
“Thanks,” I replied, watching her silhouette disappear from behind the curtain.
“To your room when you’re done, Samantha.” Her demand echoed from the hallway.
The door clicked shut.
I cranked the shower knob toward the H. The steam surrounded me and rose to the ceiling. I stood amidst the hot streams, hearing a clang from the vent in the ceiling, and shortly afterward my name echoed through the steel opening. My gaze darted to the ceiling. Wide-eyed with panic, I shut off the water and waited. My name whispered ominously through the same hole in the wall again, entering through the small cracks of my mind between insanity and reality.




Author Bio:
Chicago-born author Tania Nicole Suarez, best known as T.N. Suarez, does her best writing on her backyard patio, as well as at the charming coffee shop around the corner with free refills. When she isn’t glued to her laptop, she spends time with her magical family, binge-watches Netflix, paints with acrylics, and tries very hard not being the worst tennis player in the burbs.
Tania began her writing career while working as an art director for an advertising agency. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Design and is an internationally published photographer. Her work has been featured in USA TODAY, Fox News, ABC News (Australia & New Zealand), New York Magazine, New York Post, Fuji Television Network (Tokyo, Japan), Asahi Television Network (Tokyo, Japan), EuroNews (Lyon, France), Huffington Post (Osaka, Japan), and Les Journal de Montréal (Montréal, Quebec, Canada).
Additionally, Tania is an active member of Chicago Writers Association (CWA), Poetry Society of America (PSA), Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA).

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Wednesday, November 2, 2016

Book Tour: Song of the Oceanides by J. G. Zymbalist

Title: Song of the Oceanides
Author: JG Zymbalist
Genre: YA/NA fantasy/steampunk




Description from GoodReads
J.G. Zymbalist's debut is a quirky but poignant coming-of-age tale about children, Martians, freaky Martian hummingbird moths, and alluring sea nymphs.

The first thread relates the suspenseful tale of a Martian girl, Emmylou, stranded in Maine where she is relentlessly pursued by the Pinkerton Detective Agency's Extraterrestrial-Enigma Service. The second thread concerns her favorite Earthling comic-book artist, Giacomo Venable, and all his misadventures and failed romances. The final thread deals with a tragic young lad, Rory Slocum, who like Emmylou, loves Giacomo's comic books and sees them as a refuge from the sea nymphs or Oceanides incessantly taunting and tormenting him.

As much as anything, the triple narrative serves to show how art may bring together disparate pariahs and misfits--and give them a fulcrum for friendship and sense of communal belonging in a cruel world.




About the Author
J.G. Źymbalist began writing Song of the Oceanides as a child when his family summered in Castine, Maine where they rented out Robert Lowell’s house.

The author returned to the piece while working for the Martha’s Vineyard Historical Society, May-September, 2005. He completed the full draft in Ellsworth, Maine later that year.

He wrote the original draft of his other experimental work,Hymn to the Night, while night clerking at a series of Palestinian youth hostels in the Old City of Jerusalem, 1996-1999.

He lives in Ohio.

Tuesday, November 1, 2016

Book Tour: Soul Finder by Jacinta Maree


I am so excited to share this title with you! 


Soul Finder
Jacinta Maree
(The Immortal Gene, #2)
Publication date: September 16th 2016
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult, Supernatural
Since being discovered as Soulless, Nadia has become a target for both terrorist groups and government corporations. Now, her only hope for survival rests in the hands of the man sent out to kill her: Diesel, the Mad Dog terrorist.
Diesel is determined to free himself of the never ending curse of reincarnation and the haunting memories that plague his mind. But when his search leads him to Nadia, a greater desire stills him from taking her life.
Unable to see into Diesel’s cracking mind, Nadia instead puts her faith into his strength, fueled by eleven generations of unmatched rage and insanity. Their tight-rope relationship balances the two between life and death, love and rage, trust and betrayal.
Tension pulls at the hems of their dangerous companionship, and as time runs out all madmen must eventually make their choice.
Book two of the thrilling Immortal Gene series dives deeper into the danger of trusting your heart over your head.
Sequel to:
Soulless


Excerpt
Diesel slowly stood. “I have been thinking a lot lately. About how delicate this situation is. I have had many experiences in hostage situations. But you are different. Difficult.” He stepped around the table. I shuffled back. His voice dropped and curled with a gentle accent that didn’t suit his pitch. A Russian accent, spoken through an English voice. Krane. He jabbed at his own temple with the gun. “You’ve done something to me. You’ve planted this desire in my head. Something I need to stamp out.” His eyes shot down and his eyebrows twitched, pinched by a thought.

“I need you to stay with me, Nadia. I have sacrificed so much for you. Don’t you get it? You and me, we are more than life. We are more than this. Without you I will crumple into ruins.” The earnestly behind his words shuddered his breath. Weakened his body. I blinked at the poetry of it. At first I thought I was the wax, bending and breaking within Diesel’s presence, but it turned out I was the flame. I was destroying him.

“You forget.” I turned the gun against my own head. “I know your weakness too.”






Author Bio:
Born in Melbourne Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, video gaming and Japan. She writes a variety of genres including YA paranormal, steampunk, horror, new adult, dystopian and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the year and bestselling author, Jacinta writes to bring enjoyment to others while fulfilling her own need to explore the weird and the impossible.




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