April 28, 2016

INVISION Blog Tour - The Chronicles of Nick +Excerpts and a Scavenger Hunt to Win Goodies!

Today I have the fun pleasure of sharing with you the latest book in Chronicles of Nick - Invision. 

I had so many boy students who loved this series! They liked the action, the suspense and just Nick in general.  I loved that there are so many books in the series for them to read! 

About the newest book:


Think you have a lot of pressure on your shoulders? Nick Gautier was born to bring about the end of the world . . . it's not easy being the heir of a demon overlord.

But Nick is determined to thwart his destiny and get into a good college. To be more than his genetics and prophecy foretell. No one is ever going to tell this stubborn Cajun who and what he really is. Or how to live his life.

Not even the Fates of the Universe. But now that he and his team of ancient gods and demons have claimed the Eye of Ananke and he sees the missteps of the future, he has to battle the demons within that are far deadlier and more treacherous than any he's battled before. All the while his arch nemesis is back and determined to reclaim his place as the harbinger for Armageddon. Even if it means killing Nick and barbecuing everyone he loves to do so.



Wanna taste of the book?  Read the excerpt:

Hanging his head, he pushed his chair back to face her. “What do you want me to say, Kode? You saw what I did. It’s hopeless. I’m going to end this world. Whether it’s tomorrow or a thousand years from now. I’m going to lose it all. Break bad and tear humanity apart. . . . Don’t matter what we do. Whatever we try. We just delay the inevitable outcome. So I’m going to sit here with my eats. And just . . .” he let his voice trail off as the full horror of his future played through his mind for the five millionth time.

He was the end of everything.

Everyone.

All he loved.  

The entire world would one day fall to Nick’s army of demons.

Yeah, there was something to put on his college applications. That ought to have schools lining up to accept him. Who wouldn’t want that as their alumnus? We have graduated senators, presidents, movers-and-shakers, and the Malachai demon who ate the world whole…

It was the one reality Nick wanted to deny and couldn’t. Everything eventually came back to that one inescapable fact he wanted to runaway from and couldn’t.

I’m only sixteee. Too young to deal with this crap.

He was supposed to be worried about his grades. About keeping his girl happy. Staying out of trouble. His mom finding his friend’s porn magazines stashed in his room. Getting to work on time. Making curfew.

Not hellgates and demons coming for the throats of his family and friends.

Definitely not about the fact that his birthright was to bring on the destruction of all humanity.


Sounds good doesn't it!

Here's a bit about the series:

Nick Gautier was born the son of a hated demon and is destined to end the world. But he doesn't believe in accepting a fate he had no say in, and he's just stubborn enough to balk. No one tells Nick who and what he is. Not even the gods. But how much control does anyone really have to defy the odds and their impoverished past, and build a better future?

In Sherrilyn Kenyon's YA novel series The Chronicles of Nick, we journey with Nick as he finds ways to circumvent the odds and become the man and hero he knows he can be, odds and enemies be danged.  Reviewers call Kenyon’s writing “brisk, ironic, and relentlessly imaginative” (Boston Globe); Publishers Weekly called her “[A] publishing phenomenon…[Sherrilyn Kenyon is] the reigning queen of the wildly successful paranormal scene…Just one example of arguably the most in-demand and prolific authors in America these days.” 

To Learn More





Would you like a chance at some goodies??

Go to the web address in the image and head out on a scavenger hunt! In might lead you to a giveaway for the series..... Get going!


April 26, 2016

The Secrets That We Keep Blitz +GIVEAWAY


I am so excited to help spread the word that THE SECRETS WE KEEP by Trisha Leaver is now out in paperback!


If you haven’t yet added this awesome book to your shelf, now’s the perfect time. Just scroll down to learn more about the book and author, to read an excerpt, and to enter the giveaway for a chance to win an Amazon gift card!


About THE SECRETS WE KEEP

Title: THE SECRETS WE KEEP
Author: Trisha Leaver
Paperback release date: April 26, 2016
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR) | Square Fish
Pages: 304
Genre: YA Contemporary
Ages: 12 and up
Formats: Paperback 978-1250073624) | hardcover (978-0374300463) | audio (978-1501212222) | eBook (ASIN: B00OFKKFFQ)


Description:
Twin sisters. A fatal accident. A devastating lie. Which girl survived?

"A girl takes over her twin sister's identity in this emotionally charged page-turner about the complicated bond between sisters."

Ella and Maddy Lawton are identical twins. Ella has spent her high school years living in popular Maddy's shadows, but she has never been envious of Maddy. In fact, she's chosen the quiet, safe confines of her sketchbook over the constant battle for attention that has defined Maddy's world.

When--after a heated argument--Maddy and Ella get into a tragic accident that leaves Maddy dead, Ella wakes up in the hospital surrounded by loved ones who believe she is Maddy. Feeling responsible for Maddy's death and everyone's grief, Ella makes a split-second decision to pretend to be Maddy. And everyone believes her. Caught in a web of lies, Ella is faced with two options--confess her deception and risk devastating those who loved Maddy, or give up her own dreams and live her sister's life.


Praise

*"Leaver's brilliant novel is the high school version of What Happened to Janie? The compelling premise will attract readers and the strong characterization will keep them enthralled." -VOYA, STARRED REVIEW

*“Leaver's story is certainly entertaining and intriguing. VERDICT This should be a primary purchase for any library with patrons who love melodramatic mysteries and romance.” SLJ, STARRED AUDIO REVIEW

"Trisha Leaver crafts a powerful and haunting novel that will keep you up long after you read the last page. Full of twists and turns and FEELS, this book questions how far a person will go for her family . . . even if it means losing herself." - Lynne Matson, author of NIL


The Excerpt

I don’t remember her room being so cold. Even snuggled into her sweater the chill seeps in, settling into my bones like a whisper from beyond. That’s where I will sleep tonight...in Maddy’s bed, surround by her scent. Mom wants to change the sheets, but I won’t let her. The hint of vanilla mingled with Alex’s dark cologne brings a little piece of my sister back to me each night.

The only thing I have left of my old life is a few sketches and a poor replica of the friendship bracelet Josh gave me. It took me days to re-create, to weave the strings into the right pattern. It’s not perfect, but it goes with me everywhere, a tiny reminder of who I once was and what Josh still means to me. The real bracelet is gone, cut off and tossed aside just like my life.

I want to make peace with my choice, but Maddy’s secret haunts me. The dark pieces of her life are hid- den in the back of her closet for no one but me to see. She’s not who I thought she was, but that doesn’t matter. Maddy was my sister, my twin sister, and I’ll do anything for her, including losing myself.


The Teasers

There was a fear behind his words, a fear that I would change my mind and reveal a secret I didn't even know.”

“I am already gone. I died that night on the side of the road with my sister.”


About Trisha Leaver


Trisha Leaver lives on Cape Cod with her husband, three children, and one rather disobedient black lab. She is a chronic daydreamer who prefers the cozy confines of her own imagination to the mundane routine of everyday life. She writes Young Adult Contemporary Fiction, Historical Fiction, Psychological Horror and Science Fiction and is published with FSG/ Macmillan, Flux/Llewellyn and Merit Press. Her YA Contemporary, THE SECRETS WE KEEP, was named one of the best YA novels for summer (2015) by Teen Vogue and received starred reviews from VOYA Magazine and School Library Journal (audio). For more details, check out her website at www.trishaleaver.com



The Giveaway

There is a blitz-wide giveaway, courtesy of the author, for:

ONE (1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon Gift Card

***Giveaway is open to anyone 13 or older who can accept an Amazon Gift Card***

Enter in the Rafflecopter below.

April 25, 2016

The Rose and the Dagger Release Day Blitz +GIVEAWAY


I am so excited that THE ROSE & THE DAGGER by Renée Ahdieh releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Renée Ahdieh, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a paperback of THE WRATH & THE DAWN and a hardcover of THE ROSE & THE DAGGER and an awesome candle from The Melting Library’s Etsy Store, US Only!  So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.


 Title: THE ROSE & THE DAGGER
Author: Renée Ahdieh
Release Date: April 26, 2016
Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers
Pages: 432
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, & audiobook
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iBooks 

The much anticipated sequel to the breathtaking The Wrath and the Dawn, lauded by Publishers Weekly as "a potent page-turner of intrigue and romance."

I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid's empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.

While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn't yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.
Praise for The Rose and the Dagger:

“Above all there is the shattering, triumphant catharsis of love… In a story about stories, love is ‘the power to speak without words.’ Thrillingly full of feeling.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Fiery romance, a spirited heroine, shifting loyalties… With more than a few heartrending twists and turns.”—Booklist 


Excerpt:



About Renée:

Renée lives in North Carolina (Go Heels!) with her husband Victor and their dog Mushu. Her YA fantasy novel, THE WRATH AND THE DAWN, will be published on May 12th, 2015. In her spare time, she likes to cook, dance salsa, and wreak havoc on the lives of her characters.

She’s also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, as well as an active member of theScience Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.






Giveaway Details:
1 winner will receive a paperback of THE WRATH & THE DAWN, a hardcover of THE ROSE & THE DAGGER, and a His Calipha candle from The Melting Library’s Etsy Store, US Only.


Ends on May 3rd at Midnight EST!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

SnapShot: The May Queen Murders

To keep my blogging simple I like to just snap a photo of the book I'm currently reading or just finished.


Today's snapshot is:


Looks like a good one! 

April 22, 2016

Look at the Goodies! Swap Reveal!

Today I'm very excited to share with you the swap goodies I got in the the Books 'n Bloggers Swap hosted by Chaotic Goddess Swaps.

The idea was to send:
1 Book from your partner’s wishlist
1 Book you love and recommend they read
1 Other book of your choice
Other book-related goodies

My swap partner was Giovanna from Book Coma and she was fantastic! 

Here's the fun stuff she sent me!

We Should Hang Out Sometime by Josh Sundquist
Rook by Sharon Cameron
CHOCOLATE!!
Cute, cute socks
Warmer melts - I don't burn candles but I have warmers.  This one is a super yummy smelling one.
Pencils, notepads etc - so pretty!

I loved it all.  I'm super excited to read We Should Hang out.  I hadn't heard of Weird Girl, but it looks fantastic! And I've heard great things about Rook.  
One thing I like about swaps is they push me to read something I might not have read or bought before, but yet I know I would like!

Thank you so much Giovanna!!

April 20, 2016

WoW: The Safest Lies by Megan Miranda

This post is inspired by a meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.


Today I'm Waiting On:


Release Date: May 24, 2016

Can fear be inherited?

Kelsey was raised to see danger everywhere. Her mother hasn’t set foot outside their front door in seventeen years, since she escaped from her kidnappers with Kelsey growing inside her.

Kelsey knows she’s supposed to keep a low profile for their own protection, but that plan is shattered when she drives off a cliff and is rescued by volunteer firefighter and classmate Ryan Baker.

A few days later, she arrives home to face her greatest fear: her mother is missing. She and her mother have drilled for all contingencies—except this one. Luckily, Ryan is as skilled at emergency rescues as Kelsey is at escape and evasion.

To have a chance at a future, Kelsey will have to face all her darkest fears. Because someone is coming for her.

And the truth about the past may end up being the most dangerous thing of all.
 

Why?
I have loved other books by Megan Miranda, so when I saw this one it went straight on my list of needed books.  She has a way of making you think one way and then pulling that right out from under you! 


April 18, 2016

The Day My Sons Met Jeff Kinney

This past weekend my sons were able to meet the author of the books they have both read over and over and over and over and over.  
I'm talking about The Diary of  a Wimpy Kid books by Jeff Kinney.  
Honestly I think they've read each book like 10 times!

Well Jeff Kinney came to a bookstore near us, and we were lucky enough to get a ticket.  They were only allowing 300 people in because he was only there for an hour.  You had to get "tickets".  When I got the email I signed up right away which was good because they were gone fast! 

Saturday morning we got up and headed out.  
My youngest wasn't so sure I knew what I was doing when there was a road closure and I had to ignore GPS and wind around, but we found the place!

Here they are waiting in line.

Now for the signing.  


He liked my son's shirt and was surprised that his book was already signed.  I had given him a signed copy I found for Christmas.  He wanted Jeff to sign it in person too!


Picture of all three
My 8 yr old didn't quite know what to do for the picture


It was a whirlwind because he was on a time frame, but he was very nice and chatted with them as he signed.  

Thanks Wild Rumpus for hosting this event!




April 14, 2016

Blog Tour and GUEST POST: Rebel Series by Rachel Hawkins


I'm so very very excited to be a part of the blog tour for the Rebel Bell Series by Rachel Hawkins in celebration of the latest book, Lady Renegade, coming out.


I absolutely adore this series and most especially the heroine of the series - Harper. She is just the best. She's prim and proper - doesn't approve of swearing or PDA and loves getting in front a the student body and speak. But she's also a kick-butt defender that can, and does, fight without reserve. How she wants to be and how she has to be because of being a Paladin that must defend the Oracle is such a contrast hat it makes me love her even more!


Ok a little bit about the last book in the series since that's why were here today:




Just as Harper Price started coming to terms with her role as David Stark's battle-ready Paladin – and girlfriend – her world goes crazy all over again. Overwhelmed by his Oracle powers, David flees Pine Grove and starts turning teenaged girls into Paladins . . . and these young ladies seem to think that Harper is the enemy David needs to be protected from. Ordinarily, Harper would be able to fight off any Paladin who came her way, but her powers have been dwindling since David left town, which means her life is on the line yet again.



I've finished up the series and loved it all!!! I'm going to be brief on my review just because I'm super afraid of giving anything away!! In Lady Renegade once again Harper is challenge to fight against new threats against not only David but also her. It brings the level of action and tension up another notch. But as usual, Harper handles it with her typical mix of charm and determination.  One of the things that I have loved about Harper thoughout the whole series was how she tried to keep her manners and upbringing while being faced with life or death situations.  It would make me giggle each time, but I also respected that she believed in them so much!

You never know how a series will end and if you'll find it satisfying.  Did I?  Yes I did.  Of course there was a few things I wanted to know more about - or more of Harper and David I wanted to see.  But in the end I was satisfied.  You know how sometimes you want to know more but yet you don't because you don't want to put those more characters through more drama?  That's how I feel!  

I do have to comment about David.  I feel like I over focus on Harper, but David is super important as well. - of course! I've liked David since the beginning. Throughout Miss Mayhem I always felt sorry for him because he just seemed lost.  In this final book I didn't feel that as much.  He didn't have it all figured out but he felt stronger or more assured.  This doesn't come easy.  Chaos is created, but I just felt like David was better in this book.

Anyway - in short I loved the series!


And guess what - I have more for you!  

Rachel so graciously wrote a guest post for The O.W.L.!! 

I asked Rachel what character in the series did you enjoy writing the most and why?  Or did you see the most change in?  Or turned out way different than you had originally planned? 

Here's what she shared!

Going into the Rebel Belle series, I knew that writing Harper was going to be a challenge for me. Type A, over-achieving, homecoming queen? Yeah, that is VERY far from me. (I know you are all shocked.) What I hadn't anticipated though was how much fun it would be getting out of my head and into hers. As the books went on, I actually found that I was having fun being Harper so much of the time. Even when things in her life are spiraling out of control, she's still trying to keep a firm grip, and as someone who can't even manage to go to the post office more than twice a year (and if I do, that is all I'm doing for the day, let's be real), I enjoyed getting to pretend to be a responsible human. 

As for the character who turned out very different than I'd expected, it was easily Blythe. She shows up in Rebel Belle as, I believe I have Harper say, "a tiny psychotic witch person." I'd assumed I was kind of done with her after the events of Rebel Belle, and she doesn't show up in Miss Mayhem. But then, as I was plotting Lady Renegades, I realized I needed another character in the mix. I was going to just invent someone new to serve that purpose, but the more I thought about it, the less done with Blythe I felt, and it occurred to me that, bizarrely enough, she, more than anyone else, would get a lot of what Harper was going through. That gave me a really fun thing to play with in the book, this idea of Blythe as a foil to Harper, and it opened up ways to talk about the things that most interest me in this story- what are you willing to sacrifice, what does it mean to be "chosen," how do you balance what you want with what you have  to do? Blythe started out as being a fairly minor character since she was mostly there for Plot Reasons in Rebel Belle, but my Lady Renegades, I just loved her and was kind of sad the books were ending so that I didn't get more time to figure her out!

Thank you so much Rachel for sharing all that!!! 
I love finding out how books and characters change as authors begin to write them.  I would've never guessed that about the character of Blythe.  
And I agree - I'd love writing Harper just to have maybe some of her rub off on me. 

Praise for Rebel Belle:
"Harper is as quippy as you please, with a sass born of a sharp intellect....as surprising as it is delicious."
– Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, STARRED REVIEW

"If Buffy the Vampire Slayer were Southern instead of SoCal, raised on good manners, Cotillion and sweet tea–she would be Harper Price." – Justine

"Hawkins strikes a pleasing balance between humor and drama, giving the 'chosen one' narrative a welcome dusting of irony and aglowing Southern setting." – Publishers Weekly

"This series–about an Alabama belle who is suddenly gifted with supernatural powers–has everything you could want from the genre and more: heart, smarts, scares, swoons and best of all, LAUGHS." – Kirkus Reviews

Rest of the Tour
MUNDIE MOMS–Interview - 04/11/16
YA BIBLIOPHILE–Listicle–04/12/16
FICTION FARE–Interview - 04/13/16
THE O.W.L.–Guest post–04/14/16
THE YOUNG FOLKS–Guest post–04/15/16
THE MIDNIGHT GARDEN–Guest post–04/18/16
TWO CHICKS ON BOOKS–Would You Rather? - 04/19/16
BOOKISH ANTICS–Listicle- 04/20/16
Here's to Happy Endings–Review and Giveaway–04/21/16
ONCE UPON A TWILIGHT–Series Giveaway–04/22/16



April 13, 2016

WoW: The Blood Between Us by Zac Brewer

This post is inspired by a meme hosted by Jill over at Breaking the Spine.


Today I'm Waiting On:

Release Date: May 3rd, 2016

Growing up, Adrien and his sister, Grace, competed viciously for everything. It wasn’t easy being the adopted sibling, but Adrien tried to get along; it was Grace who didn’t want anything to do with him. When their scientist parents died in a terrible lab fire, there was nothing left to hold them together.

Now, after years apart, Adrien and Grace are forced to reunite at the elite boarding school where their parents were teachers. Being back around everyone he used to know makes Adrien question the person he’s become, while being back around Grace makes him feel like someone he doesn’t want to be.

For as much as Adrien wants to move on, someone seems determined to reopen old wounds. And when Adrien starts to suspect that Grace knows more about their parents’ deaths than she let on, he realizes there are some wounds no amount of time can heal. If Adrien isn’t careful, they may even kill him.
 

Why?
I loved the Vladimir Tod books from the first one and read every last one - from their I loved the rest of the books by this author.  So when I saw this one I knew I had to look into it.  And of course, it sounds great! 
Oh and a boarding school?! - count me in! 


April 7, 2016

Book Review: Sanctuary Bay by Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz

Title: Sanctuary Bay
Authors: Laura J. Burns and Melinda Metz

When Sarah Merson receives the opportunity of a lifetime to attend the most elite prep school in the country-Sanctuary Bay Academy-it seems almost too good to be true. But, after years of bouncing from foster home to foster home, escaping to its tranquil setting, nestled deep in Swans Island, couldn't sound more appealing. Swiftly thrown into a world of privilege and secrets, Sarah quickly realizes finding herself noticed by class charmer, Nate, as well as her roommate's dangerously attentive boyfriend, Ethan, are the least of her worries. When her roommate suddenly goes missing, she finds herself in a race against time, not only to find her, but to save herself and discover the dark truth behind Sanctuary Bay's glossy reputation. 


I liked this book quite a bit.  At first I was just interested because it took place at a boarding school and ever since I was in high school I have loved books set at a boarding school.  This school though is the most isolated! There is no cell service.  You don't leave from the time you get there until you graduate! Yes that means you could be there from the time you are 14 until 18!! And, it's on an island.  It's extreme boarding school.  

The book starts with a bang with Sarah hiding and hearing some scary things.  That hooked me in right away, and as the story continued I kept going back to that scene wondering if it had anything to do with the rest of the book.  From there it slows down for a bit before the mystery kicks in.  The mystery was good.  I didn't have it figured out and was surprised by what you learn.  Definitely didn't see it coming! 

I liked Sarah although a few times I wanted to shake her.  I understood why she did some of the things she did, but I wanted to believe she was smarter than that! I also liked her relationship with Ethan.  The story would've been lacking without Ethan and how he and Sarah interact.  

The ending was good.  I was satisfied for now, but I do want to know more.  I'm hoping there will be sequel the authors have said at this point they don't plan on writing one!!! I guess not every book has to have a sequel, but boy would I like one!

Final - Good mystery that kept me guessing and not knowing until the end.  



April 6, 2016

Top 1(0) Tuesday: Last 5 Star Read

Hosted by Broke and Bookish

As I was explaining in an earlier post, I want to keep blogging but in order to do that I really need to simplify what I do.  

Top Ten Tuesday is an awesome weekly meme, but I just can't do 10! I don't have the time.  
So I'm going to keep it simple and to the point and only share 1-2 picks for the week's current topic. Which is why it's titled Top 1(0)! And FYI this was last week's topic!

Today the topic is:Last 5 Star Book You've Read



For me that would be The Crossover by Kwame Alexander.
I absolutely adored and was moved by this book!
If you haven't read it you should.  It's a quick read since it's written in verse.  But don't let that fool you - it's packed with emotion!


"With a bolt of lightning on my kicks . . .The court is SIZZLING. My sweat is DRIZZLING. Stop all that quivering. Cuz tonight I'm delivering," announces dread-locked, 12-year old Josh Bell. He and his twin brother Jordan are awesome on the court. But Josh has more than basketball in his blood, he's got mad beats, too, that tell his family's story in verse, in this fast and furious middle grade novel of family and brotherhood.


Josh and Jordan must come to grips with growing up on and off the court to realize breaking the rules comes at a terrible price, as their story's heart-stopping climax proves a game-changer for the entire family.