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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #27: Rebel Springs by Morgan Rhodes

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


Rebel Springs by Morgan Rhodes
Expected Release: December 2013

Goodreads Synopsis
Love, power, and magic collide with war in the second book of the Falling Kingdoms series.

Auranos has fallen and the three kingdoms—Auranos, Limeros, and Paelsia—are now united as one country called Mytica. But still, magic beckons, and with it the chance to rule not just Mytica, but the world...

When the evil King Gaius announces that a road is to be built into the Forbidden Mountains, formally linking all of Mytica together, he sets off a chain of events that will forever change the face of this land, forcing Cleo the dethroned princess, Magnus the reluctant heir, Lucia the haunted sorceress, and Jonas the desperate rebel to take steps they never could have imagined.


  What are you waiting for?

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Summer Love by Marysue G. Hobika

Summer Love by Marysue G. Hobika
Series: Senior Year #1
Publication date: June 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Synopsis:
Carly and her best friend Becca are ready to drop a nuclear bomb on summer. It’s the last one before reality sets in and they’re off on their own. Carly is ready to break the mold and stop being known as a goody-two-shoes. In order to get the ball rolling, she agrees to a double date with Gavin – her good-looking, yet moody, lab partner.

Gavin doesn’t have summer plans except to work at his two jobs and hang out in his room drawing. He likes to keep to himself, but lets his brother Nate talk him into going on a double date. Carly isn’t like the rest of the girls at school that drive him crazy. She doesn’t ask a lot of questions and seems to know when to give him the space he craves. Gavin always thought that she was beautiful, but he believes that relationships and love are a lost cause.

Will their date prove that summer love is right around the corner or will it be a dead end?

This book is intended for audiences 17+


Excerpt
The band played and I held my breath, waiting to hear Carly’s voice. I thought maybe she’d lost her nerve. I was ready to rush in and rescue her, even if she didn’t want me to, when, like magic, she began to sing. The notes that came out of her mouth were full and sensuous, changing the band’s sound completely. It was harmonious, free flowing, and full. 

I’d heard the band last summer, and even though they were good, something had always been missing. That something was Carly. Her voice fit and molded perfectly with Nate’s, and I felt another tinge of jealousy. Their sound filtered through the cracks and walls of the garage and into the night air. For a second, I forgot how to breathe. I found myself slinking back into the garage as the song came to an end. I felt empty and lost when she hit the last note, and every cell in my body craved more. I’d been wrong. So very wrong. 

Everyone in the garage was silent, as if the music had cast a spell on them. All of a sudden, led by Ed, claps and cheers echoed. Carly looked elated until her gaze landed on me. I read in her eyes that she thought I was a jerk for not believing in her, and I couldn’t blame her. I was a jerk. 

“Damn!” shouted Ed. “That gave me goose bumps.” He hugged himself, rubbing his hands over his arms. 

“I told you Carly could sing,” Becca said, directing her words toward Nate.



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Monday, July 29, 2013

The Light in the Wound by Christine Brae

Author: Christine Brae
Title: The Light in the Wound
Publication:  July 23, 2013
Genre: NA Contemporary
Source: Author via Blog Tour

Book Summary
Affected by her parents’ highly publicized divorce, Isabel grows up isolated and alone, with a resolve to never fall in love and repeat their mistakes.

When Jesse Cain enters her life, she falls hopelessly in love with him, and every sadness she’s ever felt is washed away by his intensity and passion. But people change as they grow up. Things can never stay the same forever.

Jesse and Isabel fight to stay together, determined to hold on to their first love. But can a second love be enough to make her forget?

Isabel life changes when her mother is abused by her father in front her and her sisters. In the chaos the girls are separated and she feels lonely living with her grandparents. One day she crosses paths with a boy that will change her life forever. Jessie consumes her and overshadows her with his love.His insecurities come across so easily to everyone but her. I personally didn't like his jealous and possessive nature. He's so worried about fitting into her world that he stifles the individual she is. Isabel loves helping and caring for others, she so wrapped up in Jesse that she gives up what she loves but he still continues to do what he wants further isolating her and making her rely on him for attention. Their relationship is volatile and borderline destructive. Alex has had his eyes on Isabel for years but knew that she loved Jesse and never really thought he did a chance. He gets a chance to win her over but Jesse isn't going out without fight. This story made me mad and sad. Isabel goes through so much with her mother, Jesse and her family. It's easy to relate to her confusion because falling in love can be all consuming and losing yourself to a person that isn't sure of themselves can cause an imbalance. I think this book provides a good example of what a good and bad relationship is like. Overall, I liked getting to see how Isabel found her way to the one for her. There are really touching and beautiful moments in this book that I think will speak to people in these types of situations. This is story for a mature audience as there is a lot of physical activity...lots.

Teaser
Once during our freshman year, Jesse called and asked me to meet him on the baseball field late one evening after school. I automatically assumed that he wanted me to watch him practice, something I would often do when I didn't have much homework to finish. As I walked across the newly shaved grass, I wondered where he could be. It worried me a bit to see no one there. The grounds were dark, except for a faded lamppost illuminating the walkways.  The night was hot and humid, so I dressed in shorts for the occasion, fully expecting to be sitting on a bench watching Jesse play.  He popped out of nowhere, just as I was about to walk up the steps toward the stands.

"Hi," I said, as I looked around the field. "Am I late? Did I get the practice time wrong?"

"Nope," he answered with a grin. "Practice ended an hour ago."

"Oh. Am I here to pick you up?" I asked, still confused.

"I thought we'd play on the field for a bit," he said as he took my hand and led me further in toward the bases. He had his pitching glove on and carried a bat in his right hand.

"Play what, Jess? You know I don't know anything about this game!" I laughed incredulously.

"Yes, you do! You've been watching me do this for almost three years! I thought it would be fun to watch you swing a bat," he coaxed. "Come on, you'll do great, I promise. Here, wear these so you don't hurt your hands." He fished into his pockets and handed me some batting gloves. I wiggled my fingers to make sure that they were still in there. They were twice the size of my hands. He looked delighted and enamored with me all at the same time. "You look so cute. Come here," he ordered as he pulled me in for a hug. Seconds later, he handed me the bat and then walked backwards until he was a few feet away from me.

"This is heavy!" I said, as I lifted the bat and mockingly took on the stance—both knees bent, two hands on the bat.

"Issy baby, you're gonna fall over if you lean like that." He laughed. "This isn't tennis. Keep one foot in front of you, turn your body to face me. Now just relax and swing when I pitch, ok?"

"Like this?" I breathed, as I stuck my leg out and swiveled my hips.

"If you keep that up, we'll be swinging something else," he teased.

Five empty swings later, I finally hit the ball. It didn't go very far, but I whooped and he whooped and I ran twice around the bases. It didn't take much effort for him to pursue me as soon as he caught the ball. I hit the ball two more times until he chased me down and lifted me off the ground.

"Jess!" I panted, as he swooped me in his arms. "That was hard work! What do I get for doing this?" I flirted.

"Me," he responded, as I wrapped my arms and legs around him.

"I'll take that," I whispered, and with a tender kiss, I gave him permission to carry me back to the dugout.



About the Author:  

I love to read, write about reading, shop, write about shopping, three day weekends, high heels and purses. I’m a wife, a mother, a corporate executive, a loyal friend and a passionate believer in true love. This is all you need to know about me. If you get my stories, you get my heart.




 
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Sunday, July 28, 2013

This or That & Giveaway: Sylo by D.J. MacHale

Synopsis 
Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island? 

Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures. Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come.

 It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night—and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world—and all before tomorrow is too late. 
 #1 New York Times bestselling author D.J. MacHale brings his brilliant plotting and breathless pacing to SYLO, the first in this ultimate end-of-the-world adventure trilogy.

    
“This or That” with D.J.

Paris or Venice.  Venice.

Deodorant or Perfume.  Deodorant.

Winter or Summer.  Summer.

Vampire Diaries or Twilight.  Interview With A Vampire.

Angels or Demons.  Demons.

Fall or Spring.  Fall.

Lord of the Rings or Harry Potter.  Pendragon.

Ice Cream or Sorbet.  Ice Cream.

Coke or Pepsi.  Pepsi.

Cabin in the woods or Condo on the Beach.  Toss up.  I’ve got both!

Kisses or Hugs.  Hugs.

Cash or Card.  Card.

Print or Ebook.  Print.

Voice or Text.  Voice.

Batman or Superman.  Superman…hands down.

Wheat or White.  Wheat.

Romance or Passion.  Passion.

Night or Day.  Day.


About the Author
D.J. MacHale is a writer, director, executive producer and creator of several popular television series and movies. As an author, his ten-volume book series: PENDRAGON – JOURNAL OF AN ADVENTURE THROUGH TIME AND SPACE became a New York Times #1 bestseller.

He was raised in Greenwich, CT and graduated from Greenwich High School. While in school, he had several jobs including collecting eggs at a poultry farm, engraving trophies and washing dishes in a steakhouse…in between playing football and running track. D.J. attended New York University where he received a BFA in film production.
His filmmaking career began in New York where he worked as a freelance writer/director making corporate videos and television commercials. He also taught photography and film production.

D.J. broke into the entertainment business by writing several ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIALS. As co-creator of the popular Nickelodeon series: ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?, he produced all 91 episodes over 8 years. D.J. also wrote and directed the movieTOWER OF TERROR for ABC’s WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY which starred Kirsten Dunst and Steve Guttenberg. The Showtime series CHRIS CROSS was co-created, written and produced by D.J. It received the CableAce award for Best Youth Series.

D.J. co-created and produced the Discovery Kids/NBC television series FLIGHT 29 DOWN. He wrote every episode and directed several. His work on FLIGHT 29 DOWN earned him the Writers Guild of America award for “Outstanding Children’s Script” and a Directors Guild of America award nomination.Other notable writing credits include the ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL titled SEASONAL DIFFERENCES; the pilot for the long-running PBS/CBS series GHOSTWRITER; and the HBO series ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN, BOY DETECTIVE for which he received a CableAce nomination for writing.

In print, D.J. has co-written the book THE TALE OF THE NIGHTLY NEIGHBORS, based on his own teleplay and penned the poetic adaptation of the classic Norwegian folk tale EAST OF THE SUN AND WEST OF THE MOON. His most current work is the spooky MORPHEUS ROAD trilogy; and a whimsical picture book THE MONSTER PRINCESS.

D.J. lives in Southern California with his wife Evangeline and daughter Keaton. They are avid backpackers, scuba divers and skiers. Rounding out the household are two elderly goldfish and a Kitten, Kaboodle.




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Trailer Blast: Dare Me by Eric Devine





About the Book
When Ben Candido and his friends, Ricky and John, decide to post a YouTube video of themselves surfing on top of a car, they finally feel like the somebodies they are meant to be instead of the social nobodies that they are. Overnight, the video becomes the talk of the school, and the boys are sure that their self-appointed senior year of dares will live in infamy. Every dare brings an increased risk of bodily harm, but Ben cannot deny the thrill and sense of swagger that come with it. The stakes become even more complex when a mysterious donor bankrolls their dares in exchange for a cut in the online revenue the videos generate. But at what point do the risk and the reward come at too high of a price? What does it take to stay true to one’s self in the face of relentless pressure.





About the Author
Eric Devine is the Young Adult fiction author of Dare Me (pub. date 10/8/13), Tap Out and This Side of Normal

He is also a high school English teacher and education consultant.

Eric married his high school sweetheart, and together they are raising two daughters in Upstate, NY.

He is represented by Kate McKean of the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency.

Both Dare Me and Tap Out are edited by Lisa Cheng and published by Running Press.
Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

1 Winner will get this awesome t-shirt + an ARC of DARE ME by Eric Devine
Must be 13+ To Enter – Shipping in the US Only

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My Sunday Post #27






The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer. 
~this meme was inspired in part by ~ In My Mailbox~ which is now hosted by The Mod Podge Bookshelf


Last Week on the Blog
Sunday Post #26
Sizzling Summer Giveaway~Krystal Wade Guest Post
Supernatural Fog by Louisa Klein ~ Cover Reveal
Waiting on Wednesday #26: Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater
The Light in the Wound by Christine Brae ~ Release Day Event
The Switch by Dawn Pendleton & Andrea Heltsley ~ Cover Reveal
Losing Francesca by J.A. Huss~Review
Eternally 21 by Linda Joffe Hull ~Review


Tenative Schedule for this week 
My Sunday Post #27
Dare Me by Eric Devine ~ Trailer Blast
Sylo by D.J. MacHale ~ Guest Post
The Light in the Wound by Christine Brae ~ Review
Summer Love by Marysue G. Hobika ~Blitz
Waiting on Wednesday #27
Sink or Swim by Jamie Canosa ~ Review
Earth Girl by Janet Edwards ~Review
Scary School #3: The Northern Frights by Derek the Ghost~Review
Giveaways

4 Year Blogoversary Celebration!
Summer '13: Kindle Fire Giveaway
New This Week 
Review

Received from Publisher via Audiobookjukebox
Thanks to Penguin Audio



Received from Author for Blog Tour
Thanks to Jamie Canosa
Tours
 July 28, 2013

August 1, 2013 ~Review

Notes
 Happy Reading! :)


Saturday, July 27, 2013

Eternally 21 by Linda Joffe Hull

Author: Linda Joffe Hull
Title: Eternally 21
Publication: June 8, 2013
Publisher: Mira Ink
Genre: Adult Mystery
Source: Publisher

About the Book
Coupon-clipping Mrs. Frugalicious gets more than she bargained for

After Mr. Frank "Finance" Michaels loses the family's financial nest egg in a Ponzi scheme, his wife Maddie does whatever she can to help keep up the appearance that everything is financially fine. When she starts a bargain hunter's blog under the alias Mrs. Frugalicious, her website becomes a viral hit with a growing "frugarmy" of budget advice seekers.

While Maddie is researching "frugasm"-worthy deals on holiday shopping for teens, Eternally 21 store manager Laila DeSimone mistakenly accuses her of shoplifting. Then her day goes from bad to worse when Laila expires on the floor. Since Laila was a universally disliked manager, the murder suspect list is longer than Maddie's bargain spreadsheet. But when evidence points to Maddie as the prime suspect, she must track down the real culprit. Can she uncover the truth before police throw away her get-out-of-jail-free coupon for good?

Includes bargain shopping tips & techniques. Find more money-saving advice at MrsFrugalicious.tumblr.com!

Maddie in the aftermath of the devastating news about her family's financial situation after her husband Mr. Finance himself makes a bad investment. In order to keep up the appearance of their lush life she decides to become a couponista and sets up her own couponing blog secretly under the name Mrs.Frugalicious. One day at the mall she decides to shop at Eternally 21 to buy some inexpensive Christmas gifts for teens and finds herself wrongly accused of shoplifting by the store manager Laila DeSimone. What happens to be a mistake spirals into a whole new world of trouble and revelations for Maddie, especially when she finds herself in the center of the investigation. She has taken on the role of detective hoping to speed along the process, so her husband won't find out she's involved and to not draw unwanted attention that would hinder a deal that could get her family out of their financial hole. However, the more she learns, the more unknown danger she puts herself in. With the help of a circus monkey and mall cop Griff, can this savvy saver connect the dots before time runs out?


Maddie is funny and a take charge kind of woman except where her husband's concerned. This is what got in her into this predicament, if he wasn’t trying to keep up his false image, she wouldn’t be scrambling and scrapping to make ends meet. He doesn't seem very grateful for what she's doing. I know firsthand that couponing takes loads of planning and work. So, I tried, stopped and maybe need to start again. There are little hints and tips throughout in the form of blog post entries and footnotes. The best part is the mystery, which I can honestly say I didn't know who the killer was until the very end and wasn't expecting that at all. So many people hated Laila in that mall, so Maddie's suspect list is long and hard to narrow down, especially when her co-detective Griff believes most of them are innocent. Maddie's is also feeling uncertain about her husband's fidelity, afraid that he might trade her in for his lovely co-worker Anastasia. Frank is superficial and I don't like him very much especially during the moment that Maddie needed him to have faith in her the most. Let's just say he gets a taste of his own medicine and believe me it's hilarious. I think the writing is good and the characters are entertaining though I feel like I got to know Maddie and Griff the most. I'm looking forward to the next adventure for Mrs. Frugalicious.




About the Author

Linda Joffe Hull is on the national board of the Mystery Writers of America, and is a member of Sisters in Crime and the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers. Hull is the author of The Big Bang (Tyrus Books, 2012) and the Mrs. Frugalicious Shopping Mystery series (Midnight Ink). She earned a bachelor’s degree from UCLA. A native of St. Louis, Hull now lives in Denver with her husband and three children. Visit her online at LindaJoffeHull.com.

Thursday, July 25, 2013

Losing Francesca by J.A. Huss

Author: J.A. Huss
Title:Losing Francesca 
Publication: July 1, 2013
Publisher: Science Future Press
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Author via Blog Tour
Kobo | Amazon | BN (These links do not benefit this blog)
Synopsis:
Francesca Sabatini came to America to take in the sights, celebrate her high school graduation, and have fun wasting time before college starts in the fall.

That’s not what happens.

Fresh off the plane and barely on American soil more than a handful of minutes, Francesca’s face is recognized by TSA scanners to be a match for a child who was kidnapped twelve years ago.

Brody Mason remembers the day Fiona Sullivan went missing during a family vacation in Italy and it’s haunted him his whole life. So when Francesca shows up at the Sullivan farm down the road, he’s compelled to figure out if this girl really is his long lost friend.

But Francesca knows she’s not Fiona Sullivan. She knows exactly who she is. At least she thinks she knows – until Brody Mason relentlessly pursues her and she begins to have feelings for him. Maybe being Fiona isn’t so bad?

Reality becomes blurred, secrets are revealed, and life will never be the same when the final questions are answered: Is she Francesca or Fiona? And where does she really belong?




Francesca has a secret life that she's trying hard to keep hidden from the Sullivan's. She's adamant that she is not their Fiona and refuses to cooperate for the next several weeks. Brody's world shattered the day that Fiona was taken leaving him in a world or hurt and anger. When he first sees Francesca, he feels that she is his Fiona and that he'll finally get a chance to be with her but she has no hopes of staying. Eventually these two begin to open up to each other, he seems to be the only one she's willing to be somewhat open with. She doesn't tell him or the Sullivan's much about her life but she does give them bits and pieces. Francesca has moved around a lot and has had many names but the big question is who is she really? Will the truth finally surface for her to truly live and our will that choice be taken from her before she's even had the chance to try?

I liked this book and think it's a clean read for older teens. The whole mystery about who Francesca really is can be a little confusing with all the names and characters speaking to her  flipping between them in the same sentence or paragraph. Yet, I think this helps connect with her uncertainty and confusion about her identity. The character that touches me the most was Brody because I could visualize him as a young child scared for his friend that he had strong feelings for after learning she's been kidnapped or possibly dead. He really suffered and her coming back whether or not she's Fiona may bring him out of his funk. My favorite moments are the quiet ones with Francesca on the beach or in the woods...so simple but beautiful. Overall,I liked the characters and the romance. Nice read about family, truth and love.









Author Bio
J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter
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Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Cover Reveal: The Switch by Dawn Pendleton & Andrea Heltsley


Honor and Faith haven’t switched places since they were kids. When Honor begs her twin sister to go on a date with her boyfriend, Cameron, Faith reluctantly agrees. The problem is that she lets things go too far. Now Honor and Cameron have broken up and he won’t stop calling Faith, claiming he felt something more for her than he ever felt for Honor. The scary thing is, Faith felt it too. She struggles to come to terms with her feelings for Cameron. There is one rule that sisters and best friends abide by, don’t date their ex’s. 

Honor has her own problems. Breaking it off with Cameron was the right thing to do, she knows that. His best friend, Parker, won’t leave her alone and forces her to talk about her feelings about the break-up. They spend a lot of time together and Honor starts to heal. Suddenly, Honor sees Parker as more than just a friend who cares. She wants more.

Neither sister wants to complicate things further and cross those boundaries. They can’t stop their emotions for the guys in their lives. Turns out, the switch is the one thing that has changed them forever.



Andrea Heltsley is a biology nerd who decided it was more fun writing than dissecting. She has written three novels and four more will be out in 2013. Living on coffee and reading like a robot. Her husband and two italian greyhounds usually have to tear her away from the computer...imagine that. :)







Dawn Pendleton is a New Adult & Young Adult author living in Maine with her husband and pup. When she's not writing angsty stories of love, she can usually be found with her nose in a book or her eye behind the lens of a camera.