{ReadOn} 19 Dec. 14~4pm EST for Q & A with @Adrianna_James @Elizatilton @KrystalWade @RPWeston

Join us today while we have a great Q and A with these authors! And don't forget to enter to win!

Adrianne James

@Adrianne_James

Growing up, Adrianne couldn't get her hands on enough books to satisfy her need for the make believe. If she finished a novel and didn't have a new one ready and waiting for her, she began to create her own tales of magic and wonder. Now, as an adult, books still make up majority of her free time, and now her tales get written down to be shared with the world.

During the day, Adrianne uses her camera to capture life's stories for clients of all ages and at night, after her two children are tucked in bed; she devotes herself to her written work. Adrianne is living the life she always wanted, surrounded by art and beauty, the written word and a loving family.

As a young adult and new adult author, Adrianne James has plans to bring stories of growing characters, a little romance, and perhaps a little magic and mythology down the line for her readers to enjoy.

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In the tiny town of Willowspring, just about nothing ever happens except for layoffs, hockey games, and your average melodramatic teenage angst.

But that was before.

Vi, Ashley, and Macy are just trying to make it through the school year without one more humiliation when they team up for a simple photography assignment: create a story through a series of photographs. Can't be too much trouble, right?

Wrong.

The shutterbugs happen upon Willowspring High School's darkest secret. When everything around them starts to crumble after trying to do the right thing, their only hope is to stick together.(

5Stars
This one I couldn't wait to read!  I found out that the cover was made by the author!  So surprised!  Going into this book I wasn't sure what I was going to get.  But, I was surprised not only by the cover! But, by what lay within the pages! It is wonderful, great, knock your socks off interesting! I finished this one in half a day as I couldn't stop reading it! The plot was wonderful and the characters and story were so real.  Vi is such a great character with a love of photography I instantly loved her. Her passion to get real shocking news on film just made her a great main character in this book.  For a stand alone this book would also make a great series! Cant wait to get this in print! 

Eliza Tilton

@ElizaTilton

Eliza graduated from Dowling College with a BS in Visual Communications. When she’s not arguing with excel at her day job, or playing Dragon Age 2, again, she’s writing. Her stories hold a bit of the fantastical and there’s always a romance. She resides on Long Island with her husband, two kids and one very snuggly pit bull.

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Hopeless he'll never be more than the boy who didn't save his brother, 17-year-old Avikar accepts his life as the family stable boy, trying to forget the past. But when his sister, Jeslyn, is kidnapped, the thought of losing another sibling catapults him on a desperate quest. With his best friend by his side, and using the tracking skills he learned from his father, he discovers Jeslyn has been taken, kidnapped by one Lucino, the young lord of Daath, a mystical place thought only to exist in fables. 

And Lucino has plans for Jeslyn.

His shape-shifting brethren feed off the auras of humans, and Jeslyn's golden hue is exactly what Lucino needs to increase his power. The longer it takes Avikar to reach her, the more entranced she becomes with Lucino's world, and the harder it will be for Avikar to set her free.

He failed his family once. He won't fail again.

5 STARS

This one was a fast paced fantasy novel. And it was great!  From action to action and yes to more action this one will keep you on the edge of your seat until you read the last page.  This book is filled with shape-shifting, Auras, and more! And is deff for those who love fantasy!

Krystal Wade

@KrystalWade

Krystal Wade can be found in the sluglines outside Washington D.C. every morning, Monday through Friday. With coffee in hand, iPod plugged in, and strangers - who sometimes snore, smell, or have incredibly bad gas - sitting next to her, she zones out and thinks of fantastical worlds for you and me to read.

How else can she cope with a fifty mile commute?

Good thing she has her husband and three kids to go home to. They keep her sane.

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Happy endings are hard to find, and even though Katriona is in the middle of a war with someone who’s already stolen more than she can replace, she aches for a positive future with her Draíochtans.

Armed with hope, confidence in her abilities, and a strange new gift from her mother, Kate ventures into the Darkness to defeat a fallen god.

Losses add up, and new obstacles rise to stand in the way. Is the one determined to bring Encardia light strong enough to keep fighting, or will all the sacrifices to stop those who seek domination be for nothing?

5 STARS

This was one of the first series that I had gotten in print by the author.  I got to give away an entire set of signed copies.  I was then very happy to receive a signed set for myself. From some giveaway.  So I was over joyed when the author decided to come on our show.  This series is amazing! Its a story of finding your true self and standing up for those in need.  Its also a very nice romance between two people that were worlds apart.  This is a deff must read series!! For those who love fantasy and the old war of Good vs. Evil!

Robert Paul Weston

@RPWeston

Ahoy. This is my small, oddly-shaped island in the GoodReads archipelago. You're welcome to surf, swim in the lagoon, or stroll along the pier (where they sell prawns and whelks by the cupful). If you'd like to keep things topical—as well as tropical—head down to the beach and sling yourself in a hammock with a good book. One of these, perhaps...

My first novel, ZORGAMAZOO, won the 2011 California Young Reader Medal, the 2010 Silver Birch Award, and the 2009 Children’s Choice Award. If you've had a bit too much sun and crave something darker, try my hardboiled fairy tale, DUST CITY. It was shortlisted for the 2011 Edgar Alan Poe Award and the 2011 Sunburst Award. My newest novel-in-verse, PRINCE PUGGLY OF SPUD AND THE KINGDOM OF SPIFF, is out now from Penguin/Razorbill and THE CREATURE DEPARTMENT emerges from its secret underground lair in November 2013.

I live in London, England, which is also on an island. 

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A hidden laboratory…

A brilliant invention…

A team of quite unusual creatures…

But can they save the department?

Elliot Von Doppler and his friend Leslie think nothing ever happens in Bickleburgh, except inside the gleaming headquarters of DENKi-3000—the world’s fifth-largest electronics factory.

Beneath the glass towers and glittering skywalks, there's a rambling old mansion from which all the company’s amazing inventions spring forth. And no one except Uncle Archie knows what’s behind the second-to-last door at the end of the hall.

Until Elliot and Leslie are invited to take a glimpse inside.

They find stooped, troll-like creatures with jutting jaws and broken teeth; tiny winged things that sparkle as they fly; and huge, hulking, hairy nonhumans (with horns). It is unlike anything they’ve ever seen!

But when Chuck Brickweather threatens to shut down the DENKi-3000 factory if a new product isn’t presented soon, the creatures know they are in danger. And when Uncle Archie vanishes, it’s up to Elliot, Leslie, and every one of the unusual, er, "employees" to create an invention so astonishing it will save The Creature Department.

5 STARS
Well for this one my daughter was glad to see come in the mail.  I guess she had heard about it from school.  So when she seen it she grabbed it and I didn't see it for three days.  She read it and shared it with her class.  I finally got a hold of it and I was blown away!  From the cover to the creative art work on the pages this story and plot will grab any child's imagination.

"*I received a copies of these books for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

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{Blitz} Class of 98 @Amberlplayer

Class of '98

by A.L. Player

Summary from Goodreads:

Jackie Dunn and Matt Stewart barely knew each other in high school, back when she was a blue-haired alterna-kid and he was a preppy jock. High school rules dictated they'd never hang out, or sit at the same lunch table, or God forbid, date.

But when a weird storm transports them from their ten-year reunion back to senior year, they have to work together to figure out a way to get back to 2008.

Stuck in high school, Jackie and Matt agree to tough it out. They agree to do everything exactly as they remember, even though that means staying with the boyfriend Jackie knows will betray her, or playing nice with the girl that will someday be Matt’s ex-wife. Soon, they come to rely on one other, even become friends.

Jackie’s just starting to get used to curfews and term papers again, when Matt hits her with the biggest surprise of all: he’s fallen in love with her. He’ll change the past however he has to if it means a future with Jackie. But Jackie’s terrified they’ll not only alter their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

Back to the Future meets She's All That, Class of '98 is a young adult/adult crossover that will appeal to teens and adults.

Available from:
 

CHAPTER ONE

Jackie Dunn needed a change, and she was about to get one.  For four years she had worked in the same bile-yellow cubicle, listening to her officemate hum flat tunes over the partition.  She had slogged through twelve-hour days, translating page after page of legalese that scrambled her brain.  She had taken contracts home over weekends and holidays.  Now all that work was about to pay off.  Today, at four o’clock, she would meet with the partners, who would give her the promotion she’d been desperate for.

            She had the whole day planned for weeks.  First, the purchase of her celebratory coffee a half hour before her meeting with the partners to allow it time to cool to the perfect temperature. That first sugary, whipped-cream-and-chocolate sip would taste particularly good when the partners told her the international liaison position was hers.  Then, she would sign the new contract, which promised not only her own office—complete with hum-silencing door—but also a hefty raise and frequent trips to Spain, Chile, and Argentina to meet with the heads of the companies her firm did business with.  On those late evenings when she thought she couldn’t work another minute, she’d used the dreams of sprawling on sunny Chilean beaches or late dinners at the Ritz-Carlton Madrid to propel her forward.

            The icing on her perfect day’s cake would be leaving the office a few minutes early to zip down the highway to her ten-year high school reunion.  She picked out her favorite blue dress and brown wedge boots and wore them to work so she wouldn’t have to stop by her condo on the way to the school.  Jackie could envision herself, clad in the perfect outfit, greeting old friends and not-so-subtly slipping in news of her promotion.  Her classmates would have to be impressed at how perfectly her life had come together.

The partners announced the month before that the choice was between her and one other candidate, Walker Melton.  She absolutely had the advantage.  As far as she could tell, the most Walker Melton had contributed to the office was a tendency to tell off-color jokes at the worst possible moment.  She hadn’t been sure the promotion was hers until that afternoon, though.  The partners went in for their meeting to discuss the candidates, with Jackie’s boss, Tyrone, in tow.  Jackie searched Tyrone’s face for a sign, and he grinned and winked.  She took the look as a green light to run to Starbucks for the seven-dollar calorie bomb she never would have allowed herself on a normal day. 

At last, the electric-blue clock on her desk clicked over to four o’clock.  Jackie closed her laptop, grabbed the coffee, and walked down the plush carpet to the conference room for her meeting.  Tyrone and the partners were already assembled, standing beside the round oak table.  Her grin wilted a little.  Shouldn’t they sit down to sign the contract?  Her stomach dropped.  A quick glance at their hands told her no one had papers of any kind.

Mr. Houston, the short, bald senior partner, nodded at her.  He offered her a tight smile.  “Good afternoon, Jackie.  Thanks for meeting with us.”

“Thank you, Mr. Houston.”  She went to take a seat in one of the high-backed leather chairs, but he held up a hand to stop her.

“This…this won’t take long.”

Oh, no.  Jackie placed a hand on the back of the chair, in an imitation of nonchalance, but the wheeled chair shifted and she had to do a quick sidestep to keep her balance.

Tyrone stepped forward.  “Jackie, you know we appreciate how much you do for this company.  This was a really tough decision.  But, in the end, the partners and I have decided to go with Walker.”  He smiled a little.  “Something good will come up for you soon, I’m sure.”

Jackie gritted her teeth, but the words still screamed in her head.  But my office!  With a door!  The Ritz-Carlton!  The beeeeeeach.  She took a deep breath and nodded.  “Right.  Well.  Thanks for considering me,” she said, gripping the coffee in both hands.  She turned to walk out, and Tyrone followed her back to her cubicle.

“Try not to let it get to you,” he said.

“You know I do twice the work he does.”  Jackie leaned against the wall.  “I basically did the entire last contract translation by myself.”

            Tyrone held up his hands.  “It’s true.  You’re a real team player.  But you have to take into account that Walker’s kid was sick those two weeks.”

            “I thought the kid just had the chicken pox.”

“Walker took on as much as he could, but his family comes first.  That’s just not something you have to worry about at this point.” 

            Jackie threw a hand in the air.  “And that’s what this is about, isn’t it?  I’m single, I can spend all weekend poring over work, right?  No kids, no sick days.” 

            Tyrone ran a hand over his shaved head.  “Look, when you’re the one with a family you’ll be glad this company takes that into account.  Your day is coming.  It’s just not today.”

            Jackie looked down at the formerly celebratory coffee and decided to re-christen it as a comfort coffee.  She raised it to her lips and tilted the cup, ready for its warm reassurance.  Instead, she felt a tap of plastic on her nose, followed by a flood of liquid over her mouth and down her dress.  The lid, now resting in a brownish puddle on the floor, hadn’t been on tight enough, and the entire drink now soaked through her favorite outfit. 

She squeezed her eyes shut for a long moment as coffee dripped from her chin.  When she opened them again, Tyrone stood staring at her, his mouth slack and his brown eyes wide.  She straightened her shoulders and back, trying to reclaim what little dignity she could with a beverage slopped down her front.

            “I’m taking a personal day,” she said.

            Tyrone glanced at the clock.  “It’s four-fifteen.”

            She dropped the empty cup into the trashcan and grabbed her purse.  “Then I’m taking a personal hour, I guess.  See you Monday.” 

            “Wait,” Tyrone said. 

            Jackie turned back to him and fought the urge to scream.  “Yes?”

            He cleared his throat and picked up a file folder from her desk.  “Any chance you could take a look at the new contract this weekend?”

            In the silence that followed, she could hear the drip of coffee from her dress hitting the floor.  Every muscle in her body felt like a rubber band about to snap.  Even her hair was tense.  Tyrone raised his eyebrows.  Finally, Jackie held out a hand, and he gave her the file folder.

            “Thanks,” he called over her shoulder as she sped down the hall.

            On the way to the elevator, she ducked into the bathroom for paper towels, but they did nothing to sop up the brown stain spreading across the dress.  The coffee did, however, make the outline of her bra and panties clear through the thin fabric.  She wiped the last of the coffee off her chin then sprinted back out toward the elevator, holding her purse awkwardly across her front to try to cover the mess.  As soon as she hit the button, the elevator door dinged open, and she breathed a little sigh of relief when she stepped in.  Maybe she could get to the parking garage without anyone seeing her. 

            A hand appeared between the closing doors.  They sprang open again and Walker Melton stepped in, all goofy grin, bulging eyes, and a frat-boy sweep of brown hair.  The four-letter words bounced around in Jackie’s head so forcefully, she worried they might project out of her eyes and onto the wall of the elevator, like a vulgar PowerPoint slide.

            “Hey, Jackie,” he said, as his eyes traveled down her front.  “Whoa, did you spill something?”

            “No.  Purely decorative.”  She held her purse in front of her again, jabbing the button for the parking deck five or six more times, until the doors slowly closed.  “I guess congratulations are in order.”

            “Thanks.  Not sure my wife is going to like the idea of all those trips abroad.  Maybe if I bring her along once in a while.  Company’s already paying for the hotel rooms, right?”  He winked at her. 

            “Look at you, already embezzling like a pro,” she said.

            His brow wrinkled, and he took on the faraway look of someone trying to do long division in his head.  “Ha, yeah.  Anyway.  You got anything going on this weekend?”

            The thought smacked her between the eyes: the reunion.  She glanced down at her dress, then over at the ring on Walker’s thick finger, glinting in the fluorescent light.

            “I’m supposed to go to my high school reunion, but…I’m not sure if I really want to go anymore,” she said.

            “You should go.  Reunions are a blast.”  The elevator doors slid open and Walker stepped through.  He waved goodbye and grinned at Jackie.  “Have fun.”

            Oh yeah, she thought as the doors slid closed.  After a day like this?  Nothing more fun than a trip down memory lane.

About the Author

A. L. Player teaches middle and high school English in Atlanta, GA.  She lives with her guitar-playing, English-teaching husband and their three crazy rescue dogs.  Her last name gets about the reaction you'd expect.

CLASS OF '98 is A.L.'s first novel.

Author Links:
  

***GIVEAWAY***

1 - $10 Starbucks gift card + ebook of Class of 98’ (INT)

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{Review} Princesses Behaving Badly @LinRod @quirkbooks

You think you know her story. You’ve read the Brothers Grimm, you’ve watched the Disney cartoons, you cheered as these virtuous women lived happily ever after. But the lives of real princesses couldn’t be more different. Sure, many were graceful and benevolent leaders—but just as many were ruthless in their quest for power, and all of them had skeletons rattling in their royal closets. Princess Stephanie von Hohenlohe was a Nazi spy. Empress Elizabeth of the Austro-Hungarian empire slept wearing a mask of raw veal. Princess Olga of Kiev murdered thousands of men, and Princess Rani Lakshmibai waged war on the battlefield, charging into combat with her toddler son strapped to her back. Princesses Behaving Badly offers minibiographies of all these princesses and dozens more. It’s a fascinating read for history buffs, feminists, and anyone seeking a different kind of bedtime story.

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Linda Rodriguez McRobbie is an American writer and journalist living in London, England. She's written about everything from the history of toilet paper to the story of the Ouija Board and has, so far, never met a topic that didn't sound utterly fascinating.

After graduating from Columbia School of Journalism in 2004, Linda began her career in Boston, first at the City Desk of the Boston Herald, fielding phone calls from irate readers and would-be tipsters with probable mental illness, and writing articles. From there, she moved to the South End News, paper of record for the South End of Boston, and Bay Windows, paper of record for New England's GLBTQ community. After four years in the trenches of community journalism, Linda decided to both move to London and become a fulltime freelance journalist. Neither decision turned to out be as easy as they sounded.

Once in London, Linda became the editor of The Periscope Post, an online news site that specialised in highlighting the most interesting and important commentary of the day. In November 2012, she left the Post to begin work on her first book, Princesses Behaving Badly, published by Quirk Books (order now!).

Back in the freelance saddle, Linda has been writing primarily for Smithsonian.com and Mental Floss, both the magazine and the web. Her work has also appeared in the Christian Science Monitor, CNN Money, US News & World Report, and others.

She's married to graphic designer Chris McRobbie and they have one son and one cat.

(biography taken from Linda's official website)

5 Stars

This book is a collection of short stories about princesses and women that really lived. And although they are not the Disney princesses that we have all come to love and adore. These women from history are some of the most interesting stories. From warriors to floozies there a princess for everyone! A DEFF must read for someone I treated to learn about real live princesses. 

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

{Review} {Excerpt} Revelations @jasouders @torbooks

Six weeks after her arrival on the Surface, Evelyn Winters is no closer to unlocking the memories lost in her subconscious than she was when she first came. Isolated in a strange new society, Evie has only Gavin Hunter to remind her of who she once was.

But even with a clean slate, it’s easy to see that Evie doesn’t fit in on the Surface. And as her differences make her feel more and more alone, she can’t help but yearn for that place she doesn’t remember: the isolated city hidden in the depths of the ocean. Elysium. Home.

But she can’t exactly tell Gavin what she’s feeling. Not when he’s the one who helped her escape Elysium in the first place, and has the scars to prove it. Though the doctors say otherwise, Gavin believes that Evie just needs time. And if her memories don’t come back, well, maybe she’s better off not remembering her past.

But the decision may be out of their hands when Evie’s ever-elusive memories begin to collide with reality. People and images from her past appear in the most unlikely places, haunting her, provoking her…and making her seem not only strange but dangerous.

Evie and Gavin can’t wait around for her memories to return. They’ll have to journey across the Outlands of the Surface to find help, and in the end, their search may just lead them back to the place it all started…

› Visit Amazon's J.A. Souders Page

Biography

J.A. Souders was born in the heartland with an overactive imagination and an over abundance of curiosity that was always getting her into trouble. She first began writing at the age of 13, when she moved to Florida and not only befriended the monsters under the bed, but created worlds for them to play together.

Because she never grew up, she decided she'd put her imaginary friends to work and started writing. She still lives in the land of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and their two children and is an active member of the RWA, CFRW, YARWA and SCBWI.

She is represented by Natalie Fischer Lakosil of the Bradford Literary Agency. Her debut book, RENEGADE, surfaced November 2012 from Tor Teen (Macmillan) and the sequel, REVELATIONS, releases November 5,2013.

Her short story TOOTHLESS is in the Mystery Times Ten anthology from Buddhapuss Ink.

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. CHAPTER ONE PATIENT EVELYN WINTERS: Female. Approximately 16 Years of age. Patient still displays signs of amnesia. Evaluation shows worsening fevers, syncope, failure to heal from multiple wounds and infection of said wounds. Patient has failed to respond to standard treatment. Recommended course of action has met with refusal by patient’s significant other. No next of kin available. Unsure of patient’s ability to consent for herself due to diminished mental faculties. —MEDICAL RECORD LOG, DR. DANIEL GILLIAN, MD Evie My life is just about perfect. At least I think it is. It’s hard to be sure since I can’t remember anything from the last sixteen years. My hopes. My dreams. Everything. Gone. As if they never existed. And I will probably never get them back. It hurts just thinking about it, so I try not to, but the thought festers in my mind as I sit on the beach by the water’s edge and push my bare feet into the surf. The waves lap at my ankles as I dig my toes into the sand. It feels good—the chilly water against my heated flesh. I just know I’m running another fever. I’m never not, lately. I scratch at my healing shoulder before remembering myself and shoving my hands into the cool sand. It’s only been a few days since my release from the confines of the local medical facility—I’d been there just a few weeks, but it’d felt like forever. Dr. Gillian said, despite the failure of the wound on my shoulder to heal completely, I was healthy enough to leave. I’m not convinced he actually thinks that’s true, but he’s done so much for me since I got here, he almost feels like family. Or I think so anyway. I don’t really remember what family feels like. But, anyway, he’s done so much for me, Dr. Gillian, that I could hardly refuse, and even though I wasn’t at all sure I was ready to leave the hospital, Gavin was impatient to get me home. Home. Another pang of something I can’t really describe hits me, and tears well in my eyes. I trace my fingers over the etched lines of the silver rose pendant lying between my breasts. I really, really want to go home, I know that. I just don’t know exactly where “home” is. Gavin’s dog, Lucy, bumps my shoulder with her head, whining softly. I dig my fingers into her soft fur, staring into the water until the tears that sting my eyes are from the sun sparkling on the surface. Even at sunset, the solar rays are still intense to my eyes, but a bit of my bad mood slips away. It’s beautiful today, as it always is, the sky flickering now with the oranges, reds, and pinks of the setting sun. This is my favorite time of day. When the sun is setting and the last of its fiery fingers caress the water line before relinquishing their hold to the darkness of night. And I can watch as the stars pop out, one by one, to pinprick the sky with their silvery light. The breakers crash against the shore in a steady rhythm. It’s lovely. Peaceful. Calming. Like somewhere else I used to know. Home, I think again, holding the pendant tightly in my fist. Gavin tells me I came from beneath those waves. But I don’t know if home is really there. At the bottom of the sea in a place I can’t remember and I’m not sure if I want to. Or if it’s with Gavin and his wonderful family: His brother, Tristan, and all his chattering and curiosity. His sister, Ann Marie, with her easy happiness, and his mom, whose quiet strength—the same strength Gavin has in spades—resonates from her in waves. I’ll admit, when they’re around, it’s easy to forget that I haven’t always been here. That I haven’t always been a part of their family. But still, I know I don’t really belong. I’m not sure I belong anywhere. That thought making my heart squeeze, I push up from the sand, click my tongue so Lucy will follow, and go back into the house I’m supposed to consider my home. Gavin The bucket of tallow oil weighs heavy in my hand as I drag it up the two hundred and thirteen steps to the lantern room. I don’t suppose we really have to light the lamp anymore, but it’s become a custom. My family has kept the lighthouse going since the War. Using the light not to guide ships, but people. It was one of the few buildings left standing after everything, but our cove was still in better shape than a lot of places. More importantly, it was safe—from raiders and starving animals—due to the coast on three sides and the wall they’d built around the town. My ancestors had hoped to guide those lost in what is now known as the Outlands to the safety of our town. I don’t know if my family always lived here or if we took it over when we came across it, but we’ve been here ever since. No one new has come in ages, not since the mayor was sent from the city to keep an eye on us, but we still make the tallow and light the lantern every night. Just in case. It’s technically Tristan’s job—ever since I started spending all my time hunting and providing food for the family—but he has a hard time dragging the bucket all the way to the top, and anyway I don’t mind doing it. The mindless repetition of dragging the oil to the top, pouring it into the lamp, winding the clockwork, and lighting it usually gives me some much needed thinking time. Today, though, I’m just going to enjoy the view. I can see Evie down on the beach, and now that she’s with me after being in the hospital for way too long, I just want to bask a little. Even though I’ve been back on the surface for a little over a month, I can’t get over how grateful I am to be home. My mind still reels thinking of what I—we—went through. Genetic mutations. Brainwashing. A beautiful princess needing rescuing. Okay, that part’s not true. She rescued me. I just decided I couldn’t leave without her. A smile curves my lips as I glance down over the rail. Far below, the light from behind me shines on her blond head, then continues on its way. She was the only shining light from that hell. But it’s hard to be happy looking at her now. I can tell from how she’s holding on to Lucy that she’s unhappy, and considering the way she’s staring out into the water, I can’t pretend I don’t know the reason. She’s homesick. Even if “home” is the last word I’d use to describe Elysium. Hell. Living nightmare. Bottomless pit of everlasting tortures. Those descriptions would fit it a lot better, but it’s not like she remembers what really happened. She didn’t even want to leave until she was forced to. By me. No, scratch that. Because of me. Because she’d risked her life to rescue me. And it had cost her much more than either of us had anticipated. I watch, leaning over the rail, as she gets up and walks into the house, Lucy prancing by her side. She never once looks up at me, though I’m sure she knows I’m up here. Not sure if I should feel stung or just let her be; after all, I should know better than anyone how difficult it is to feel lost in a world that’s not yours with no one you know or trust. And while I know she cares for me, ever since she left the hospital there’s been this awkwardness between us. Like neither of us quite knows what to do with the other now that it’s safe for us to touch. Huffing a sigh, I turn to pick up the now empty bucket, then make my way down the stairs. It’s much easier with gravity and an empty bucket on my side. Taking my time, I put the supplies back into the fuel room, then clean up the already meticulous space. When I finally admit to myself that I can’t get it any cleaner than it already is, I wander into the house. It’s quiet, as it usually is after supper, except for the sounds of Tristan playing in his room, making sound effects from whatever toys he’s deemed worthy of his time. Mom must have nixed unplugging the water heater for him to play video games for today. Good, because I’m filthy. I glance down at my sooty hands and arms. I need a shower. Besides, I have to pass Evie’s room along the way to the bathroom. It’ll give me the perfect excuse to check on her. The floorboards creak and groan as I walk. I used to try and learn which floorboards to use or how to step to avoid them making noises, but it’s useless. They’re old and they all creak. In fact, I see a loose one poking up near Evie’s doorway. I’ll have to run to the general store for nails to fix that so she doesn’t trip on it. And while I’m at it, I should probably see if I can trade something for some paint. The walls are peeling and Mom’s been making noises since Evie came about wanting to fix up the house. I’m careful to avoid the loose board as I stop at her doorway. But when I peek my head into the room, she’s back to staring out her window to the black sea. One hand rests on Lucy’s head, which rests in Evie’s lap. The other rests on the glass, palm pressing to it, fingers curled slightly, as if she’s reaching for something. In the reflection, I can see tears sliding down her cheek. I back away from the door, so she can’t see that I saw her, swallow the lump in my throat, and continue on into the bathroom. With a flick of the wrist, I turn on the water. At first it only drizzles out and I glare at the pipe. “Work, damn you,” I mutter. I don’t want to have to fumble around in the pump house in the dark. Then it pulses and shoots a stream from the rusty faucet, pouring blackish water into the tub. God, I hate well water. After another half a minute, the water turns clear and steam starts rising from the bottom of the tub. I quickly adjust the temperature and step into the spray. While I’m scrubbing...

Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

{Winners Announced} of The Promise of Amazing, These Broken Stars, Ashes to Ashes, Evertrue

Congrads to all the winners!  

These are the winners for the following books!

  

Holly M. Bryan

Ariel Tam

Danielle Schneider

Becca Fowler

Meghan Stith

Holly J. Underhill

1 un-named 

For those who have won if you email me a picture of you with the book when you get it you will be added to a special winners only giveaway! 

Winners Items have been mailed!

{Review} The In-Between @StMartinsPress

When Elanor’s near-death experience opens a door to a world inhabited by bold, beautiful Madeline, she finds her life quickly spiraling out of control

Fourteen-year-old Elanor Moss has always been an outcast who fails at everything she tries—she's even got the fine, white scars to prove it. Moving was supposed to be a chance at a fresh start, a way to leave behind all the pain and ugliness of her old life. But, when a terrible car accident changes her life forever, her near-death experience opens a door to a world inhabited by Madeline Torus . . . Madeline is everything Elanor isn’t: beautiful, bold, brave. She is exactly what Elanor has always wanted in a best friend and more—their connection runs deeper than friendship. But Madeline is not like other girls, and Elanor has to keep her new friend a secret or risk being labeled “crazy.” Soon, though, even Elanor starts to doubt her own sanity. Madeline is her entire life, and that life is drastically spinning out of control. Elanor knows what happens when your best friend becomes your worst enemy. But what happens when your worst enemy is yourself?

With her debut novel, The In-Between, Barbara Stewart presents a bold new voice in teen fiction.

5 STARS
Haunting, Compelling Story of Lost, Love, and What It Means To Be Alive. 

The first thing I want to say about this book is that even through the main character Elanor is 14 the content of this book I would recommend to readers in Junior and Senior years.  

This will not be a book for everyone.  This book deals with suicide, the death of family, and the paranormal (ghosts). It was much darker than a lot of YA that I have read. But, that made the book very good.  It makes you think about the people in the world that have mental illnesses.  Are they really crazy or are they just perceiving something that we can't.  Elanor has this issue after her family is in a horrific car accident.  I can't explain to much without giving the story away.  But this is one dark and haunting read.  I loved the character of Elanor she was written wonderfully. And her mental stability through out the book goes from fine to disordered to again fine in such a way to make you want to keep reading.  She will make you second guess what is going on until the last few pages.  Now I can say that this book I read very fast. Although the story itself is on the slower side.  I was flipping pages to find out what was going on.  I would classify this one as mystery meets the paranormal with a little psycho added in. 

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Excerpt From the First Chapter  

I was pronouced dead at the scene of the accident. My lifeless body slumps over the cat carrier in the backseat of the twisted wreck. Bloodstains bloom through my T-shirt and jeans, and my hair sparkles with bits of broken glass. My parents sparkle and bloom too. They are in the front seat, pinned upright by the dashboard of our crappy little hatchback. The airbags slowly deflate, floating down over them like freshly washed sheets. My mother's cheek is pressed against the side window. My father's head droops, his chin on his chest. Even with all the blood we look peaceful, as if we're napping at a rest stop before continuing the long five to our new home.

Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

{Review} {Giveaway} The Impossible Knife of Memory @halseanderson @NightOwlReviews

For the past five years, Hayley Kincaid and her father, Andy, have been on the road, never staying long in one place as he struggles to escape the demons that have tortured him since his return from Iraq. Now they are back in the town where he grew up so Hayley can attend school. Perhaps, for the first time, Hayley can have a normal life, put aside her own painful memories, even have a relationship with Finn, the hot guy who obviously likes her but is hiding secrets of his own.

Will being back home help Andy’s PTSD, or will his terrible memories drag him to the edge of hell, and drugs push him over? The Impossible Knife of Memory is Laurie Halse Anderson at her finest: compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

@halseanderson

› Visit Amazon's Laurie Halse Anderson Page

Biography

Laurie Halse Anderson is the New York Times-bestselling author who writes for kids of all ages. Known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity, her work has earned numerous American Library Association and state awards. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists. Chains also made the Carnegie Medal Shortlist in the United Kingdom.

Laurie was the proud recipient of the 2009 Margaret A. Edwards Award given by YALSA division of the American Library Association for her "significant and lasting contribution to young adult literature...". She was also honored with the ALAN Award from the National Council of Teachers of English and the St. Katharine Drexel Award from the Catholic Librarian Association.

Mother of four and wife of one, Laurie lives in Northern New York, where she likes to watch the snow fall as she writes. She and her husband, Scot, plus dogs Kezzie and Thor, and assorted chickens and other critters enjoy country living and time in the woods. When not writing or hanging out with her family, you can find Laurie training for marathons or trying to coax tomatoes out of the rocky soil in her backyard. You can follow her adventures on Twitter, http://twitter.com/halseanderson, and on her blog, http://madwomanintheforest.com/blog/.

5 Stars
Having read Speak I love Laurie Halse Anderson's books.  And she didn't disappoint with new title.  This one focuses on many characters and has a lot more action than her previous book. The characters in this book are all over the place but that just makes them seem more real.  This one is also filled with moments where one minute you are panicking and the next you are laughing your butt off which is a great thing for this book about PTSD.  This book opens with Hayley talking about that there are only two kinds of people in the world.  Zombies and Freaks.  I love how that really plays out in the pages of this intriguing story.  It really shows you how Hayley views the world around her and the people she comes into contact with.  This is a deff. must read for those who want a book that they will be thinking about for years to come! This book really is compelling, surprising, and impossible to put down.

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Blitz} Holiday Heat @NoelleAdams3 @Giselleco

Holiday Heat is available exclusively in Love for the Holidays, a five book Christmas bundle that will be on sale for just $.99 from

 December 11 through December 24!

Available exclusively in Love for the Holidays (five book Christmas bundle)                                                         

Holiday Heat by Noelle Adams 
(Love for the Holidays) 
Publication date: November 6th 2013
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

After being hit with heartbreaking tragedy, Carrie has thrown herself into a hot, secret relationship with Matt. With Christmas approaching, she realizes she might want even more from her sexy, damaged artist, but the boundaries around their relationship make anything deeper than sex impossible.

Matt was the rising star of the art world, but he hasn’t painted since a tragic accident two years ago. His passion for Carrie finally inspires him, but first he must convince her that the heat between them is far more than just sex.

Goodreads

Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she teaches English, reads any book she can get her hands on, and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.

She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances.

Website |  Twitter |  Facebook  |  Goodreads

GIVEAWAYS

 (1) ebook copy of any of Noelle’s backlist titles (so any of her books except for Holiday Heat - find a list here)

. Open internationally. 

To enter comment with your book choice and email! 

{Review} Shadowplay @LR_Lam

The circus lies behind Micah Grey in dust and ashes.

He and the white clown, Drystan, take refuge with the once-great magician, Jasper Maske. When Maske agrees to teach them his trade, his embittered rival challenges them to a duel which could decide all of their fates. People also hunt both Micah and the person he was before the circus—the runaway daughter of a noble family. And Micah discovers there is magic and power in the world, far beyond the card tricks and illusions he's perfecting...

A tale of phantom wings, a clockwork hand, and the delicate unfurling of new love, Shadowplay continues Micah Grey’s extraordinary journey.

› Visit Amazon's Laura Lam Page

Biography

Laura Lam was raised near San Francisco, California, by two former Haight-Ashbury hippies. Both of them encouraged her to finger-paint to her heart's desire, colour outside of the lines, and consider the library a second home. This led to an overabundance of daydreams.

She relocated to Scotland to be with her husband, whom she met on the internet when he insulted her taste in books. She almost blocked him but is glad she didn't. At times she misses the sunshine.

5 Stars

Well I have to say that I loved Pantomime.  Had to track down a copy and just ate it up!  So to read this book two was such a great chance.  This one is a very easy read.  It picks up right where Pantomime leaves off and it was just a great book!  Micah grows so much in this story.  From creepy shadows to a blooming love story this one is a must read! 

"*I received a copy of this book for free to review, this in no way influenced my review, all opinions are 100% honest and my own."

Disclaimer: Thanks to Goodreads and Amazon for the book cover, about the book, and author information.