Flock: Guest Post & Giveaway

September 30, 2012


Today I have a guest post for you from Wendy Delsol, author of Flock, third in the Stork trilogy. You can also enter a giveaway for a chance to win the Stork trilogy through the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post.



Why Ya?
Because an individual on the threshold of adulthood is fascinating. Experiences are fresh. Emotions are raw. And potential is boundless.

But I didn’t start out writing for young adults. My first three novels—two of which were technically attempts—were in the contemporary-adult-fiction genre. (The third, The McCloud Home for Wayward Girls, was published by Berkley Books in August of 2011.) I began with adult fiction because it was what I was reading at the time. The other genre I read on a daily basis back then was middle-grade high fantasy. I should probably qualify that such books were put into my hands by my two sons at bedtime with a “read this” directive. Harry Potter was on a constant loop. I had no complaints. The books were a joy to all of us. No surprise, then, that there’s a middle-grade manuscript (attempt number four) on my hard drive.

By the time I was ready to begin writing book five, my oldest was about to turn fourteen, and we had recently moved from California to Iowa. The teen perspective was relevant and accessible to me (and costing me more and more in groceries and Clearasil). Moreover, our move and its inherent challenges unearthed long buried emotions in me. I was actually fairly shocked to be experiencing such angst in my forties. And, yes, it took me right back to my teen years. With a real-life teen and teen memories at my fingertips, I felt confident I could write authentically from this POV. And, yes, my Stork girl, Katla, is the new girl in town. From California, in fact.

It certainly didn’t hurt that the market for YA projects was strong at the time. It would be disingenuous of me to say that wasn’t a factor. But once I tapped into my inner sixteen year old, I knew YA was a genre in which I belonged. And intend to remain active, by the way.

I’ve often said life is a journey. While the analogy is hardly fresh, it’s so very true. I think I was meant to find my way to YA. Back to my sixteen-year-old self, if you will. So glad I did. And so glad I met Katla en route.



And now for a giveaway!
PLEASE NOTE! The first entry requires you to follow MOD PODGE BOOKSHELF, not Little Book Owl :D

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

9/25 Giveaway @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf 
9/26 Guest Blog @ Chapter By Chapter 
9/27 Review & Interview @ Coffee, Books & Me 
9/28 Guest Post @ Catch the Lune 
9/29 Guest Blog @ The Little Book Owl 
9/30 Interview @ Bittersweet Enchantment 
10/1 Review & Interview @ Moosubi 
10/2 This or That @ Kindle & Me 
10/3 Review @ Sara Through the Looking Glass 
10/4 Interview @ OMFG Books
10/5 Review @ Book Briefs
10/6 Review @ Stiletto Storytime
10/7 This or That @ The Busy Bibliophile
10/8 Interview & Giveaway @ I Am a Reader, Not a Writer

Bloggiesta Mini-Challenges

September 29, 2012


Image reproduced with permission of There's A Book
28-30 September

I have decided to partake in some of the mini-challenges in this Bloggiesta! This post will be updated throughout the weekend as I participate in new ones, as I would like to share with you what I have done!

Here is the link to a full list of all of the mini-challenges: September 2012 Bloggiesta Mini-Challenges @ It's All About Books. There were also some really helpful mini-challenges from this years previous Bloggiesta, if you would like to have a look through those (obviously you cannot participate, but they are useful) Flashback to April 2012 Mini-Challenges @ There's A Book.


Blogging Notebook and Calender @ Love, Laughter and a Touch of Insanity


I have selected Option 1 (Calendar - aka blog organization):
1. Print an October Calendar
2. Jot down your regular blog features or posts you already have planned
3. Next fill in some posts you would like to write. If you don't want to commit to a day, list these in the white space of the calendar (I do this on the back, you can do this on the front so it's visable).
4. If you still have big holes and want to post more, brainstorm a few more ideas and write them down


This month is a little hectic, and things will probably change around, but I am hoping to post at least every Tuesday and Friday :D



20 Discussion Post Ideas @ Girl xoxo

There are so many amazing discussion ideas! Take a look yourself. They are all for book lists, and I will definitely keep these in mind. In particular, I loved:

  • 10 Covers That Terrify
  • 5 Books With a Love Triangle Where the Right Guy Wins
  • 10 Authors I Read For the First Time in 2012 and Want to Read More From
I am hoping to use these within the next few months, as well as possible do a series in December of Top 10 or Top 5 book lists for 2012


Step Out of Your Comfort Zone @ Jen Ryland

So for this mini-challenge, we are encouraged to step out of our comfort zone and do something for our blog that we have never done before or are hesitant about. Here are some of the suggestions:

  • Read something outside your preferred genre
  • Take something that you're passionate about and incorporate it into your blog
         eg. Create an outfit inspired by a book
         Book-inspired nail art
  • Resolve to do some blog-related thing that you've been avoiding
So I have taken note of some of the ideas such as book-inspired outfits, nail-art, food, etc. and I hope to use those in the future because they sound really fun! In addition, I am going to give another genre a try. Adult literature isn't too foreign, but I am thinking maybe a Classic? I don't usually read Classics and those that I have read have been with school and therefore I did not enjoy them as much as I may have if it were just for fun (some however I am certain I will never ever learn to like).


Grade Yourself @ Smash Attack Reads

This challenge involves signing up at HubSpot to "grade" my site. It gives you hints and tips for helping increase readability and traffic for your site. Take a look yourself and see how your site grades! Here is some information about mine:

HubSpot

Bloggiesta!

September 28, 2012


Image reproduced with permission of There's A Book
28-30 September

Bloggiesta is an event for bloggers, allowing them to work on their blogs and tick off items on our to-do lists to help improve them. It is hosted by There's A Book and It's All About Books. If you would like to join too, head over to There's A Book to register your blog and find out more information.

So I will be working on my blog during this weekend, however due to a busy personal life, I won't be able to put as much effort in as I would like. Nevertheless, I hope to achieve some of these items and tick them off my to-do list:
  • Update reviews and make sure all of the book information is streamlined
  • Write some over-due reviews
  • Ensure that all of the information on the blog pages (under banner) are up to date
  • Participate in some mini-challenges (in events like this I usually neglect them, but these look like very helpful and useful challenges)

Masks of the Lost Kings by Tom Bane

I received this book for free from the author's marketing representative in exchange for an honest review.


Masks of the Lost Kings by Tom Bane
Released: March 3rd, 2012
Series: Suzy da Silva Series [Book One]
Format: eBook
Publisher: Telemachus
Pages: 374
Source: Marketing Rep.
Buy it: The Book Depository (free shipping) | Amazon

Following the sudden disappearance of treasure hunter Ben Sanders in Mexico, beautiful archaeologist Suzy da Silva is snatched from the cloistered environs of Oxford University and thrust into a deadly maelstrom of intrigue and discovery.

Joining forces with astrophysicist Tom Brooking she crosses four continents, to unlock the dark secrets of Tutankhamun's tomb, the Holy Sepulchre and the mysterious Mayan Temple of Inscriptions to reveal a mysterious truth. Together they risk their lives, pursued by martial assassins and renegade special forces, fighting the forces of evil to discover hidden knowledge so precious that it has lain dormant for over a thousand years


The Short
Masks of the Lost Kings was a fascinating and gripping story. The historical elements were very interesting - I am so intrigued by Egyptian history! Furthermore, the action and suspense kept me wanting to know what was going on and how everything would unfold. The ending was certainly not what I was expecting; it was a revolutionary ending within the story's world that I didn't see coming.


The Long
Suzy was a feisty little thing. She had a very interesting back-story that was quite touching which led to some traits which made her pretty bad-ass and strong both physically and mentally. Suzy is very intelligent and knows how to take care of herself.

The story had a slower pace during the first few chapters, with the exception of the first chapter. You are introduced to Suzy's world and interests through lectures concerning Egypt and although I feel that it was necessary to understand the mysteries of the story, it did slow down the pacing. Personally, I have always been extremely fascinated by Egyptian history, so I did not find all of the information boring. Some may not find this very enjoyable reading, but in all honesty I am surprised by how intrigued I was! I don't usually read books with such strong historical knowledge, I generally prefer to jump into action from the get go. That first chapter though kept you in anticipation for later action, and curious as to what the heck just happened!

About the action: it was intense! The violence could get a little visually gruesome at some points, but it added so much suspense to the story. The identity of the assassins was a well kept mystery until later on in the book, leaving me guessing who was after Suzy and why. My assumptions constantly changed as new information was revealed that led me to question new people.


The Good 
Egyptian history, action, mystery solving!


The Bad
Slower pace at the start, didn't feel a strong connection with characters


Top Ten Tuesday (12)

September 25, 2012




I am participating in Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish! Each week, there is a specific topic for a top ten list.

This weeks topic is:
Top Ten Series I Haven't Finished



A Game of Thrones (Song of Ice and Fire, #1) / George R.R. Martin
1. The Song of Ice and Fire Series George R. R. Martin

I am a little intimidated by the size of these books, so I am holding off continuing for a little while. Don't get me wrong though, I loved the first books and really want to continue!







Shiver / Maggie Stiefvater
2. The Wolves of Mercy Falls Series by Maggie Stiefvater

I won't be continuing on with this series. I read Shiver, but unfortunately I did not enjoy it.








Naughts and Crosses / Malorie Blackman
3. Naughts and Crosses Series by Malorie Blackman

I absolutely adored Naughts and Crosses, however I liked how it ended as a stand-alone novel. I am a little hesitant to read the rest.







Hush Hush / Becca Fitzpatrick
4. Hush, Hush Series by Becca Fitzpatrick

I own the sequel, but have not read it as of yet. I am also a bit hesitant with this as well. I enjoyed Hush, Hush when I first read it but am unsure if I will continue to like to series.







Uglies / Scott Westerfeld
5. Uglies Series by Scott Westerfeld

This is simply because I have not yet gotten around to buying the next book in the series. My bookstore only sells copies with a different cover for the sequel (although they have the other books with the same cover design that I have).






Leviathan / Scott Westerfeld
6. Leviathan Series by Scott Westerfeld

Same sort of reason here, just haven't gotten around to buying the next book.









Across the Universe / Beth Revis
7. Across the Universe Series by Beth Revis

I don't know why, but I just haven't read A Million Suns! I absolutely loved Across the Universe, but for some reason I have take forever to firstly buy the sequel, and now read it!






Nightshade / Andrea Cremer
8. Nightshade Series by Andrea Cremer

The whole cover change completely put me off buying the sequel originally. Then I got the impression that the other books within this series aren't as good as Nightshade. I quite liked the first book, but I don't feel compelled to continue on with this series.






City of Bones / Cassandra Clare
9. Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare

So I own the first three books in this series, and have read City of Bones. I haven't continued on through because firstly, I didn't enjoy CoB as much as I thought I would. I liked it, but I think my expectations were a little too high. And secondly, I am contemplating starting the Infernal Devices series before continuing with the second book.





Wither / Lauren DeStefano
10. Chemical Garden Trilogy by Lauren DeStefano

I suppose I am just lazy with this one, like a few of the other series. I really enjoyed Wither but have yet to purchase the next book.

Uncontrollable Launch Blog Tour

Yay! Uncontrollable is out today!

Uncontrollable is the second book in "The Nature of Grace" series by S.R. Johannes. Untraceable, the first book in the series, has won and been nominated for several awards including Winner of the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Award (YA), 2012 Georgia Author of the Year (YA Nominee), and a finalist in The Kindle Book Review's "Best Indie Book of 2012 (YA)".

Kirkus reviewed Untraceable as "A thrilling story is a dramatic entanglement of mystery, deception and teen romance. The action flows like a brisk mountain stream interspersed with rapids, holding suspense to last page."

If you like a page turner, you will love this series!

Head over to Mundie Moms for a Big Uncontrollable Launch Party with tons of prizes and then over to SR Johannes blog for even more.

To continue on with the blog tour, check out the line up! Where SR talks about anything from marketing to writing to her books to personal interviews and giveaways.

As 16-year-old Grace recovers from tragedy, her science class is chosen by Agent Sweeney at the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to help with research on the new "Red Wolf Reintroduction Program".

While she’s excited about helping with the conservation of the endangered wolves, Grace knows this means being outdoors in the worst winter recorded, in a place she no longer feels comfortable. It also means working closely with Wyn (her ex) and his annoying girlfriend (Skyler), a girl whose idea of getting close to nature is picking silk plants and growing fake plants.

After a couple of wolves show up dead, Grace almost quits. However, when a fellow project team member goes missing, Grace continues the assignment under a renewed suspicion that someone might be sabotaging the conservation program. She quietly begins to hunt for clues.

Little does she know, she is being hunted too.


On Sale Now!

Uncontrollable is on sale in paperback and ebook at all major booksellers including Amazon, iBooks/Apple (coming soon), Smashwords, and B&N.

If you haven't read Untraceable, you can get it in paperback and ebook at all major booksellers including Amazon, Apple, Smashwords, and B&N.


Author Bio

S.R. Johannes is the author of award-winning and Amazon bestselling Untraceable (a teen wilderness thriller) and new tween paranormal, On The Bright Side. She has also published short novelettes as well as a teen romance anthology with 16 other authors titled, In His Eyes. Uncontrollable, the sequel to Untraceable, is scheduled for September 2012.

S.R. Johannes is a winner of the 2012 IndieReader Discovery Awards (Young Adult) and was also recently nominated for 2012 Georgia Author of the Year (Young Adult). Untraceable was also recently named a Finalist in The Kindle Book Review's Indie Book of the Year (YA).

After earning an MBA and working in corporate America, S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia with her dog, British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world.



Connect!

Follow S.R. online on her website, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest

You can also sign up for her newsletter to keep up on author or book news.

Blood Song Blog Tour

September 22, 2012


Today I am here with a video review of Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart, as part of the blog tour for Blood Storm which is the sequel.



Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart
Released: September 1st, 2011
Series: Lharmell Series [Book One]
Publisher: Random House Australia
Pages: 290
Source: Received through Giveaway
Buy it: Book Depository (free shipping)

I wanted to turn but I was held captive by the song on the wind. I’m coming, I told the voices. Please, wait for me.

When her sister becomes betrothed to a prince in a northern nation, Zeraphina’s only consolations are that her loyal animal companions are by her side – and that her burning hunger to travel north is finally being sated.

Already her black hair and pale eyes mark her out as different, but now Zeraphina must be even more careful to keep her secret safe. Craving blood is not considered normal behaviour for anyone, let alone a princess. So when the king’s advisor, Rodden, seems to know more about her condition than she does, Zeraphina is determined to find out more.

Zeraphina must be willing to sacrifice everything if she’s to uncover the truth – but what if the truth is beyond her worst nightmares?



The Short
Blood Song was an unexpected surprise - I enjoyed this book so much! I wasn't sure what the story would entail, but I was continuously bombarded with mystery and action that kept me flipping those pages.


The Long

Unfortunately there was a slight mishap with the video review, I will have this fixed shortly!

The Good
World-building, mystery & secrets, awesome sidekicks

The Bad
Zilch!



LINKS

Goodreads
- Blood Song
- Blood Storm

Facebook
Twitter
Blog
1st Chapter of Blood Storm


TOUR STOPS

SEPTEMBER 20 - Inkcrush
SEPTEMBER 21 - Refracted Light
SEPTEMBER 22 - Little Book Owl (Blood Song)
SEPTEMBER 23 - Intrepid Reader Blog (Blood Song)
SEPTEMBER 24 - The Rest is Still Unwritten
SEPTEMBER 25 - Tales of the Inner Book Fanatic
SEPTEMBER 26 - The Tale Compendium
SEPTEMBER 27 - Larissa Book Girl (Blood Song)
SEPTEMBER 28 - The Eclectic Reader
SEPTEMBER 28 - Beauty & Lace (Guest post)
SEPTEMBER 29 - Treasured Tales for Young Adults (Blood Song)
SEPTEMBER 30 - Ticket to Anywhere (Guest post)

Any Love But Mine by Debbie Davies

September 14, 2012

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

Video review of Any Love But Mine by Debbie Davies


Any Love But Mine by Debbie Davies
Released: March 3rd, 2012
Series: The Erosians [Book One]
Publisher: Night Publishing
Pages: 290
Source: Author
Buy it: Amazon

Look but don't touch has never been more true...

The gods forbade her to love, but love is a powerful force. Acacia has been created purely for Eros' pleasure but discovers within moments of being summoned into his presence that he has no interest in her whatsoever. Rejected, she is banished to Earth to serve as Eros' minion with the task of promoting the blissful state of love among all those around her, a state she must never indulge in with a human being herself on pain of immediate destruction. And then comes Josh, someone whose power of attraction over Acacia is so intense she will find it utterly impossible to resist him. But is he human? Is he a god? Or is he a trick of the gods? And what would happen should they kiss?



The Short
Any Love But Mine was a great take on Greek mythology! This aspect certainly didn't disappoint, rather I found myself pleased as my expectations were exceeded. However, there was insta-love, which was a little frustrating and confusing at times. Overall I would definitely recommend this to those who aren't completely turned off by insta-love. If you can overlook it and focus on the mythological side of things, then I am sure you will enjoy this one.


The Long


The Good
Greek mythology, intriguing characters, secrets and mystery

The Bad
Instalove



What are your opinions on Any Love But Mine?

Cover Reveal: Focus & GIVEAWAY

September 6, 2012

Today I will be revealing the gorgeous cover of Focus. If you have not yet started this series, check out Flight, a copy of which will be given away at the bottom of this post!

Focus (The Crescent Chronicles #2) by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Expected publication: January 2013

"Freshman year of college is hard even when you’re not tied to the future king of a supernatural society.
Allie dives into college head first with Hailey as her roommate and the city of New Orleans as her backyard. As things within The Society heat up, Allie realizes that whether she’s with Levi or not, she’s in far too deep to turn back."


Goodreads Link


Author Bio:
Alyssa Rose Ivy lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write.

Author Links: Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Website


Now it is time for the giveaway! One copy of Flight, the first in the series, will be given away.

Details-
1 paperback copy of Flight (The Crescent Chronicles #1) by Alyssa Rose Ivy
US Only
Must be 13+

a Rafflecopter giveaway

August Wrap Up | 2012

September 5, 2012

This month has been so crazy. I had exams, a short story to write, and a complete body of work for art to finish. So not much time has been available for reading and blogging, I'm afraid. However, I do have some good news... I AM OFF MY BOOK BUYING BAN! So I accomplished one thing this month: buying a bunch of books!




Books Acquired:
- A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
- Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky
- A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness
- Switched by Amanda Hocking
- Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
- Insignia by S.J. Kincaid
- Soulbound by Heather Brewer
- Glow by Amy Kathleen Ryan
- Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry
- Eon by Alison Goodman
- A Million Suns by Beth Revis



Books Read:
- Any Love But Mine by Debbie Davies
- Fracture by Megan Miranda


/In Progress/
- Blood Song by Rhiannon Hart
- A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
- The Night is for Hunting by John Marsden


September TBR:
- Masks of the Lost Kings by Tom Bane
- Intangible by J. Meyers
- The Burning Star by Jessie Lane
- Paraglide by Peter Kelley
- Untraceable by S.R. Johannes

*****


Reviews
Insurgent by Veronica Roth
Cloudworld by David Cunningham
Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Memes
Top Ten Tuesday; Fave Books During Life of my Blog


Additions to Reading Challenges
Fracture by Megan Miranda - Debut Author Challenge
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