Showing posts with label Blog Tour. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blog Tour. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Blog Tour: Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty {Guest Post + Giveaway!}



ABOUT LOCK & MORI:


In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.
You know their names. Now discover their beginnings.

Someone has been murdered in London’s Regent’s Park, and sixteen-year-old Lock has challenged his classmate Mori to solve the crime before he does. His only rule: they must share every clue with each other.

Mori reluctantly agrees, but what begins as fun and games quickly becomes sinister. As she gets closer to solving the case—and more and more drawn to Lock—she discovers that the murder is connected to her own past. Now she’s keeping secrets from Lock, her family, and her best friend, secrets with dire consequences.

To save herself and loved ones, Mori is prepared to take matters into her own hands. Will Lock be standing by her side when it’s all over? That’s one mystery Mori cannot solve.

LINKS: Amazon | B&N


GUEST POST: 

The fabulous Heather W. Petty shares with us her favorite scenes in the book and her inspiration behind them!

To be honest, most of the scenes I write into a book don’t have any kind of direct inspiration, other than their place within the storyline. But one of my favorite scenes in LOCK & MORI was definitely inspired by real life. 

Favorite Scene: Lock and Mori on the boating lake in Regent’s Park

I worked at a summer camp for a few years during college in the Sequoia National Forest of California. The camp was built on top of an old logging camp on a beautiful lake. I’m not a super outdoorsy girl, but I managed to hold my own through the dirt and BEARS and giant-flying-bugs-that-will-not-die and also BEARS. Still, on our days off, instead of challenging survival missions or going on spelunking expeditions, I preferred to read. Books. 

This mostly meant I spent my days off alone, but in my second season at the camp I met a friend who also preferred reading to thirty-mile, off-road bike rides. I used to love to sit on the end of the boat dock to read surrounded by the sounds of the lake and the water birds. My friend decided that we should take it one step further and go out on the lake to read. 

I’ll spare you the hilarious stories of two people who are really bad at rowing learning to navigate a rowboat. But, while we had great reading intentions, one day my friend needed to talk through something, and we found that the boat was a really great way to hide away from everything and everyone at camp and talk about all of those deep questioning things we didn’t want anyone else to hear. We also laughed about ridiculous things and told stupid jokes and nearly capsized a boat trying to retrieve a lost oar. (We were super bad at rowing.)

So, obviously when I saw a sign about boat rentals in Regent’s Park, I definitely pulled from my own rowboat adventures to write my scene of Lock and Mori out on a boat. I also stared at this picture a lot for inspiration. These two could totally be Lock and Mori reading a book together out on the lake. 

ABOUT HEATHER W. PETTY:



Heather Petty has been obsessed with mysteries since she was twelve, which is when she decided that stories about murders in London drawing rooms and English seaside villages were far superior to all other stories. She is the author of the Lock & Mori series. She lives in Reno, Nevada, with her husband, daughter, and four hopelessly devious cats. You can visit her online at HeatherWPetty.com.









Tour Schedule:
9/5: In Wonderland - Review

Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of LOCK & MORI (US Only)

Rafflecopter Code:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

Blog Tour: Borderline by Mishell Baker {Review + Giveaway}



ABOUT BORDERLINE:

A year ago, Millie lost her legs and her filmmaking career in a failed suicide attempt. Just when she's sure the credits have rolled on her life story, she gets a second chance with the Arcadia Project: a secret organization that polices the traffic to and from a parallel reality filled with creatures straight out of myth and fairy tales.


For her first assignment, Millie is tasked with tracking down a missing movie star who also happens to be a nobleman of the Seelie Court. To find him, she'll have to smooth-talk Hollywood power players and uncover the surreal and sometimes terrifying truth behind the glamour of Tinseltown. But stronger forces than just her inner demons are sabotaging her progress, and if she fails to unravel the conspiracy behind the noble's disappearance, not only will she be out on the streets, but the shattering of a centuries-old peace could spark an all-out war between worlds.

No pressure.



REVIEW:

Borderline is one of the most unique books I've come across. The main character, Millie, is so interesting and such a stand out. After a failed suicide attempt, Millie ended up with two prosthetic legs and a permanent stay at a rehabilitation facility. Recruited by the Arcadia Project, an organization that patrols creatures that are straight out of fairytales, she has to deal with a world she didn't know existed while managing her borderline personality. Basically, this is a darker (and much better) version of The Mortal Instruments

One of the things that grabbed me immediately was Millie's voice. Her character is so over the place yet so interesting and complex. I love that she's unapologetic and her mind is such a great representation of mental health. Some of her interactions are hilarious while others are uncomfortable and heartbreaking. The rest of the characters stand out as well, which is surprising since the main character has such a strong personality. I love that I am already so involved in this world and this is just the beginning. Add the fantasy aspect (which is flawlessly executed) and you have one of the most promising series out there. 

The writing is excellent and the story is so dark and delicious. I know that this series is definitely a new favorite and I'm very excited to see where it goes next. If you're looking for something unique then you should definitely check this out!

ABOUT MISHELL BAKER:
Mishell Baker is a 2009 graduate of the Clarion Fantasy & Science Fiction Writers’ Workshop.  Her short fiction has appeared in Beneath Ceaseless Skies, Daily Science Fiction, Redstone Science Fiction, and Electric Velocipede.
Her urban fantasy series The Arcadia Project is being released by Simon & Schuster’s Saga imprint beginning with Borderline in March 2016.  The series is narrated by Millicent Roper, a snarky double-amputee and suicide survivor who works with a ragtag collection of society’s least-wanted, keeping the world safe from the chaotic whims of supernatural beasties.
When Mishell isn’t convention-hopping or going on wild research adventures, she lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two changelings.  When her offspring are older, she will probably remember what her hobbies are.  In the meantime, she enjoys sending and receiving old-fashioned handwritten paper letters.  You can write her at:
Mishell Baker
PO Box 78760
Los Angeles, CA 90016
If analog isn’t your thing, Mishell also tweets almost incessantly under the handle @mishellbaker.

LINKS: Website | Twitter

Tour Schedule:
Week 1:

Week 2:

Giveaway:

3 Finished Copies (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, January 29, 2016

Blog Tour: We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson {Review + Giveaway}




ABOUT WE ARE THE ANTS:


Henry Denton doesn’t know why the aliens chose to abduct him when he was thirteen, and he doesn’t know why they continue to steal him from his bed and take him aboard their ship. He doesn’t know why the world is going to end or why the aliens have offered him the opportunity to avert the impending disaster by pressing a big red button. 

But they have. And they’ve only given him 144 days to make up his mind.

Since the suicide of his boyfriend, Jesse, Henry has been adrift. He’s become estranged from his best friend, started hooking up with his sworn enemy, and his family is oblivious to everything that’s going on around them. As far as Henry is concerned, a world without Jesse is a world he isn’t sure is worth saving. Until he meets Diego Vega, an artist with a secret past who forces Henry to question his beliefs, his place in the universe, and whether any of it really matters. But before Henry can save the world, he’s got to figure out how to save himself, and the aliens haven’t given him a button for that.





REVIEW: 

What happens when you read a book that has so many beautiful quotes that you have to stop every page or two to reread them? You recommend it to the world, of course. Everyone (that's right, EVERYONE) should read this book. Why? Because We Are the Ants is the most beautiful book I've ever read. It is so lyrical, so real, and so heartbreaking that I want to buy a million copies and distribute them.  It is THAT good. 

When I said that the writing is gorgeous, I really wasn't exaggerating. You don't believe me? Okay, how about: 

Sometimes I think gravity may be death in disguise. Other times I think gravity is love, which is why love's only demand is that we fall.

Or:

How ugly we must look to them, spilling light into every dark corner to push back the shadows, blinding ourselves to the true beauty of emptiness.

Or my personal favorite: 

The first time I'd kissed Jesse was the first time I'd kissed anyone, and it had felt like remembering the name of a song I'd forgotten but had been humming for days.

I mean, seriously. Stunning. My ARC has way too many tabs marking every single beautiful moment (so I can revisit them over and over again). I was in love the second I started reading. That first quote is literally in the first ten pages so you know that it can only get better from there. Now, not only will the prose win you over but the main character will make you laugh, weep, and embrace the book because you can't deal with the feels. Henry's life is awful so you can't help but care about him. Everything (and everyone) that surrounds him is important. I love that the author managed to add so much depth to every single character and event. Everyone has a purpose and every turn contributes to the conclusion. I was fascinated by the very unique "science fiction" component. Not only is this a great contemporary but you also get a sprinkle of aliens and who doesn't love that? All Henry's "End of the World" scenarios and his interactions with the sluggers are brilliant. These elements added a little something special to the book that sets it apart from everything else out there. 

Can you tell that I think this novel is flawlessly executed? Because I do. Unless suicide is a trigger for you, please pick up a copy. Or enter to win one below. But if you don't win, BUY THIS BOOK. I'm pretty sure it'll make your "Best Books of 2016" list at the end of the year. 



ABOUT SHAUN DAVID HUTCHINSON:


Shaun is a major geek and all about nerdy shenanigans. He is the author of The Deathday Letter, fml, and the forthcoming The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley. He can be reached at shaun@shaundavidhutchinson.com. He currently lives in South Florida with his partner and dog and watches way too much Doctor Who.




LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook




Tour Schedule:
Week 1:



Week 2:



Giveaway:

3 Finished Copies of WE ARE THE ANTS


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

The 100 by Kass Morgan: Blog Tour!




About The 100:

New York Times bestseller The 100--now available in a paperback boxed set!



For centuries after a nuclear war destroyed the Earth, the human race has lived on spaceships far above the radioactive surface. Now, for one hundred juvenile delinquents, it's time to return home. Their mission: recolonize the savage land. The future of humanity rests in their hands.

Read the series that inspired the hit TV show. The 100, Day 21,and Homecoming are gathered together for the first time in this striking boxed set, perfect for fans and series newcomers alike.

LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N


About Kass Morgan:



Kass Morgan studied literature at Brown and Oxford, and now resides in Brooklyn, where she lives in constant fear of her Ikea bookcase collapsing and burying her under a mound of science fiction and Victorian novels. Kass is currently working on the sequel to The 100, which she’ll finish as soon as she finds a coffee shop that allows laptops on the weekend.



LINKS: Website | Twitter

Review:

Guys. GUYS. Let me tell you something, do not read this series unless you have a couple of hours to spare. There is no way you'll be able to put this down once you start. You'll devour book after book after book before you even realize what's happening. This is The Mortal Instruments level of addiction and I'm not even sorry. Even though I had some "I'm Not Sure If I Like Where This is Going" moments, I had a ton of fun with these books. You'll get through them so quickly that you'll be able to read the trilogy in a little less than a week. I. Loved. That. I don't have a ton of time to read anymore so I was very excited to find a series that moved so quickly and had me hooked from the beginning. I love that the story is told in different points of view and you get to see two different perspectives (the one from earth and the one on the ship). The characters are imperfect and all over the place but it works so well with the story. I just wanted to know what was going to happen next, regardless of whether I slept or not. That alone should tell you if I enjoyed it.... I haven't started the show yet but I've heard INCREDIBLE things about it. So, do yourself a favor and get on this bandwagon (on this ship? Never mind) as soon as possible because you're missing out!

Tour Schedule:
Week 1:


1/18: Once Upon A Twilight - Q&A w/Kass Morgan
1/19: Don't Fold The Page - Review (The 100)
1/20: No BS Book Review - Getting' GIFy With It!
1/21: The Irish Banana Review - The 100 Inspired Makeup
1/22: Paperback Princess - Review (Day 21)

Week 2:
1/25: Swoony Boys Podcast - Interview w/Clarke & Bellamy
1/26: BooksABlog - If I Were Part of The 100
1/27: Fangirl Confessions - Review (Homecoming)
1/28: Reading Teen - Why Bellarke Are the OTP
1/29: Bookiemoji - Kass Morgan Guest Post

Giveaway:


3 Boxed Sets of THE 100 by Kass Morgan!


Isn't it beautiful? Enter below! 




Friday, October 30, 2015

Blog Tour: We Are All Made of Molecules by Susin Nielsen

256 pages
Published May 12th 2015 
Published by Wendy Lamb Books
Source: Publisher
Thirteen-year-old Stewart is academically brilliant but socially clueless. 
Fourteen-year-old Ashley is the undisputed “It” girl in her class, but her grades stink.
Their worlds are about to collide when Stewart and his dad move in with Ashley and her mom. Stewart is trying to be 89.9 percent happy about it, but Ashley is 110 percent horrified. She already has to hide the real reason her dad moved out; “Spewart” could further threaten her position at the top of the social ladder.
They are complete opposites. And yet, they have one thing in common: they—like everyone else—are made of molecules.
This is the story of two complete opposites: Steward is your typical nerd while Ashley is the mean girl we all love to hate. What happens when Steward's father moves in with Ashley's mother? Beautiful chaos,  that's what. 

We Are All Made of Molecules is the perfect book for anyone in their teens. It handles tough subjects with a hint of humor that keeps everything heartwarming and relatively light. The writing is clever and witty. I loved the use of the two points of view and how the story progressed for both of the main characters.  Steward and Ashley shine in their own way and are rich characters that have the potential to help younger readers in a moment of need. I do have to admit that Ashley made me a little bit upset because she can be slightly annoying but enough character development is there to get you through her obnoxious stage. Now, to balance that out, Steward's story is very touching. He lost his mother and he has to put up with bullying at school. His positive nature is so well done and I couldn't help but love him. 

Even though this novel didn't blow me away, I enjoyed the journey. I loved that it features diverse characters and that it could introduce teens to important issues.  Keep in mind that this reads more like MG than YA. This didn't bother me but it might be an issue for some of you. 

Tuesday, October 13, 2015

Blog Tour: Daughters Unto Devils by Amy Lukavics

​ABOUT DAUGHTERS UNTO DEVILS:

When sixteen-year-old Amanda Verner's family decides to move from their small mountain cabin to the vast prairie, she hopes it is her chance for a fresh start. She can leave behind the memory of the past winter; of her sickly Ma giving birth to a baby sister who cries endlessly; of the terrifying visions she saw as her sanity began to slip, the victim of cabin fever; and most of all, the memories of the boy she has been secretly meeting with as a distraction from her pain. The boy whose baby she now carries.

When the Verners arrive at their new home, a large cabin abandoned by its previous owners, they discover the inside covered in blood. And as the days pass, it is obvious to Amanda that something isn't right on the prairie. She's heard stories of lands being tainted by evil, of men losing their minds and killing their families, and there is something strange about the doctor and his son who live in the woods on the edge of the prairie. But with the guilt and shame of her sins weighing on her, Amanda can't be sure if the true evil lies in the land, or deep within her soul.




REVIEW: 

I love Horror any time of the year but there's something magical about reading a deliciously creepy story in October. I always take it a step further and only read scary stories at night (probably because I'm a masochist) to set the mood. If you're like me then Daughters Unto Devils should be your next read.  

I have to admit that I wasn't hooked right away.  That all changed about halfway through the book. All of the sudden, I was turning the lights on and hugging my cat (which he didn't appreciate) so I could handle all of the creepiness/insanity/etc. Everything develops so fast that you won't be able to stop reading. Even if you're too scared to continue. 

The end totally makes this novel a terrifying experience...and if you love horror then you'll love this. And you'll probably love me for introducing you to Amy Lukavics. I hate when scary books don't deliver but that's not the case here. YA doesn't have a great selection in the Horror department so I'm assigning Lukavics the title of that superhero who's going to provide us with truly terrifying novels. I can't wait. 

In you're looking for a super quick and spooky read, Daughters Unto Devils is the book for you. Just make sure to to keep your nightlight on. 

Rating: 4/5

ABOUT AMY LUKAVICS:

Ever since she was little, Amy was especially intrigued by horror books and movies. Raised in a small mountain town in Arizona, she sustained herself on a steady diet of Goosebumps, Fear Street, and Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark books before discovering Stephen King in her mother's bookshelf.

Amy lives with her husband, their two precious squidlings, and an old gentleman cat by the name of Frodo. When she isn't writing, she enjoys cooking, crafting, and playing games across many platforms.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Tumblr


TOUR SCHEDULE:

Week 1:

Week 2:


GIVEAWAY:

3 Finished Copies of DAUGHTERS UNTO DEVILS for 3 winners (US/Canada)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Blog Tour: GAIA by Karen Ann Hopkins {Review + Giveaway}

Gaia_Banner


Gaia_FINALGAIA (The Wings of War Series Book 2) by Karen Ann Hopkins 
Release August  2015 * Young Adult Paranormal



As the Demons grow bolder and the walls between the planes of existence weaken, Ember is forced to develop her powers as quickly as possible, and she seeks out a powerful earth Watcher to continue her supernatural lessons. Her glimpse of the future demands she fight the dark forces spreading across the earth. 

But her new mentor has his own agenda, making her question everyone and everything she ever trusted. 

When Ember is thrust into the world of the Watchers, she learns of their plans—ones that defy the scripture and make them enemies of the Celestial Host. Ridding the world of evil gets complicated when it becomes impossible to take sides.  

As Ember struggles with morality, she soon discovers that there’s something more frightening than anything she’s faced before.


Praise for Embers, the first book in the Wings of War series:

“An impending apocalypse provides a compelling backdrop for romance in this page-turning first installment of a new YA series…Hopkins delivers many successful elements of young-adult romance—appealing lead characters, high-voltage chemistry, repressed sexuality—which will win her ardent followers.” ~Kirkus Reviews

“Embers is the start of an action-packed paranormal YA series. Ms. Hopkins draws the reader immediately in with her richly drawn prologue that introduces the lurking evil in a breath-taking manner. a must read for YA, paranormal, fantasy and suspense fans. Make that a delight for any reader!” ~ Morgan Stamm, Ind’Tale Magazine

Embers_FC_SEmbers (The Wings of War Series Book 1) by Karen Ann Hopkins

Released October 2014  *  Young Adult Paranormal  *  Add it on your Goodreads Shelf  *  Get a Copy from Amazon!


There are descendants of angels walking among us. Ember is one of them. And she may be the only hope mankind has as the rapture approaches and evil rises.  
Embers is an epic paranormal adventure about an eighteen year old girl who discovers that she’s immune to fire and any other injury when she’s in a horrific car crash that kills her parents. 
Following a violent episode with her aunt’s boyfriend, Ember flees Ohio to live with an old relative in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Ember’s exuberance at escaping a bad home life soon turns to trepidation when she finds out that she’s a Watcher, a descendant of angels. While Ember learns about her heritage and the powers that go along with it, she strikes up friendships with two young men who live in a frightening walled compound in the forest. Inexplicitly drawn to one of the men in particular, an impossible romance develops. But it is cut short when Ember discovers that her new friends are fighting on the opposite side of a war—one that’s been raging between two factions of Watchers for thousands of years. When the compound’s inhabitants threaten the townspeople, Ember takes action, sealing her fate in the ancient battle of good versus evil—and the grayness in between. Ember is up to the challenge, until she realizes that she isn’t only fighting for the lives of the locals and the souls of her new friends. She also might be one of the few champions who will make a stand for all of mankind as the rapture approaches and the end of days begin. 
Embers is a dark and gritty YA novel that’s the first book in the series, The Wings of War.

Review: 


Angels! Demons! An incredible/strong/smart/etc female main character! Wonderful writing and  an interesting plot! Beyond beautiful covers! How can this be bad? (Answer: it can't and it isn't). 



I'm always a little nervous about the second book in a series, especially when I loved the first book to pieces. While I enjoyed Embers just a tiny bit more, GAIA is a solid sequel.  It has the same intensity and flawlessness present in the first one. It is fast-paced (which I love) and continues to develop one of my favorite main characters EVER. Trust me on this one, Ember is fantastic. A great main character can only carry you so far but luckily GAIA has a lot more to offer. I was hooked from the very first page, which happened with Ambers as well. The story, the way it is written, and the world left me speechless. I couldn't walk away from it until I reached the end...and I wanted to read slower about 90% in because I didn't want it to end. Props to Karen Ann Hopkins for putting together so many incredibly elements in such a magnificent way. 

The Wings of War Series is quickly becoming one of my favorite series. These books fall into the "Don't Bother Me, Even If You're On Fire" category so set aside a couple of hours before you start. All I have left to do now is wait for the next one. I'll just sit here until then. 


About Karen Ann Hopkins


You can visit Karen Ann Hopkins at her website.

Karen Ann Hopkins resides in northern Kentucky with her family on a farm that boasts a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats. Karen’s main job is home schooling the kids, but she finds time to give riding lessons, coach a youth equestrian drill team, and of course, write. She was inspired to create her first book, Temptation, by the Amish community she lived in. The experiential knowledge she gained through her interactions with her neighbors drove her to create the story of the star-crossed lovers, Rose and Noah.

Karen grew up about a mile from Lake Ontario in Upstate New York. She was bitten by the horse bug at the age of five, and after diligently taking riding lessons for several years, was rewarded with her first horse when she turned eleven. The feisty horse’s name was Lady, a Quarter Horse-Thoroughbred cross, who became Karen’s steadfast companion. Through the years, the constant force in her life was horses. Eventually, she found her place as a riding instructor herself. Before accepting her fate in the barnyard, she worked a short stint as a paralegal, traveled abroad, and guided tourists on horseback riding tours in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.
Karen is currently working on her Amish mystery series, Serenity’s Plain Secrets, along with the YA paranormal/fantasy series, The Wings of War.  Karen is also excited to announce the Temptation series has been optioned for TV by Pilgrim Studios and is available on Audible. More books in the Temptation series are in the works.


Blog Tour

GAIA will be on a Blog Tour in August with Reviews, Guest Posts and Interviews, starting August 24th!
Giveaway: 


One lucky winner will receive a $50 gift card (Amazon, B&N, iTunes), as well as a complete set of Karen’s YA books, including Embers, Gaia, Temptation, Belonging, Forever, and Rachel’s Deception! Please enter via the Rafflecopter form. Giveaway is open internationally.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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