Promo & Giveaway: The Jewel by Amy Ewing

The Jewel (The Lone City #1)
by Amy Ewing
Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 2nd 2014

Synopsis:

The Jewel means wealth. The Jewel means beauty. The Jewel means royalty. But for girls like Violet, the Jewel means servitude. Not just any kind of servitude. Violet, born and raised in the Marsh, has been trained as a surrogate for the royalty—because in the Jewel the only thing more important than opulence is offspring.

Purchased at the surrogacy auction by the Duchess of the Lake and greeted with a slap to the face, Violet (now known only as #197) quickly learns of the brutal truths that lie beneath the Jewel’s glittering facade: the cruelty, backstabbing, and hidden violence that have become the royal way of life.

Violet must accept the ugly realities of her existence... and try to stay alive. But then a forbidden romance erupts between Violet and a handsome gentleman hired as a companion to the Duchess’s petulant niece. Though his presence makes life in the Jewel a bit brighter, the consequences of their illicit relationship will cost them both more than they bargained for.

Click to view The Jewel Chapter Sampler

Follow the FFBC The Jewel Blog Tour and don't miss anything! Click on the banner to see the tour schedule.

Amy Ewing is the young adult author of THE JEWEL, the first in a trilogy from HarperTeen, coming out September 2014.

She grew up in a small town outside Boston, where her librarian mother instilled a deep love of reading at a young age. Amy moved to New York City in 2000 to study theater at New York University. Unfortunately, her acting career didn’t quite pan out. She worked in restaurants, as an administrative assistant, a nanny, and a sales representative for a wine distributor before the lack of creativity in her life drove her to begin writing.

Amy received her MFA in Creative Writing for Children from The New School, where she was lucky enough to meet a fabulous community of YA writers who keep her sane on a daily basis. She lives in Harlem, where she spends her days writing, eating cheese, and occasionally binge watching The Vampire Diaries.

Win (1) of (3) copies of The Jewel (Us Only)

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Cover Reveal: Between Now and Goodbye by Hannah Harvey

About the Book

Title: Between Now and Goodbye

Author: Hannah Harvey

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Release Date: September 22^nd 2014

Synopsis
Three friends. One eventful summer.
Libby finally has the settled life she's always wanted, and never before had. She has a happy family, two best friends Julie and Charles, and loves her home.This summer will be the best of her life. A summer spent learning in a culinary camp in New York, but when something happens at home and she's forced to return, how will her summer turn out?

Charles had big dreams for his future, college, medical school, and spending as much time as possible with his girlfriend Julie. This summer will change all of that. His mom's sick, his dad's gone and he's left trying to hold his family together. On top of that, Julie's pulling away from him. Will he be able to fix things before they fall apart?

Julie is bored. She's bored of her private school. Bored of always doing the same thing. Bored of having plans cancelled by her boyfriend who's always busy. She's bored and she wants a change. When she attempts to liven things up with some of her school friends, she ends up making a mistake. How will that mistake end up shaping her summer?


Follow Libby, Charles and Julie as they fight their way through an emotional summer, as they learn that sometimes theirs no escaping goodbyes, but that they aren't always bad things.

About the Author
Hannah is a young adult fiction author from the UK. She lives at home with her parents, brother and sister, and spends a lot of her time reading and writing.
She also runs two blogs, one focussed on all things bookish, and the other dedicated to other things she loves.
Links
The Book Tower | Messy Little Moments
Goodreads | Twitter

Cover Reveal Giveaway & Excerpt: Rivals by Doug Solter (Skid #2)

Rivals by Doug Solter 

(Skid #2) 

Publication date: September 23rd 2014 

Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult

Jealousy is a powerful emotion, it can destroy even good people.

Synopsis:
Eighteen-year-old Samantha Sutton is back for a new racing season in Formula One. The hot new racing star of Wolert Porsche has everything she wants. An awesome team. An awesome car. And the perfect boy. But her optimism sinks when her boss steals arch-rival Emilio Ronaldo away from Ferrari and makes the sexist jerk her team’s premier driver.

Stressing about Emilio, Samantha struggles with her new public life as a teen sports star. Finding time to be the best girlfriend to Manny proves more and more difficult. It also doesn’t help that Manny’s ex-girlfriend Hanna shows up. The girl who was just released from a mental hospital.

The pressure on Samantha becomes unbearable. Paranoia, mistrust, and jealousy take over. She lashes out at everyone as the world seems determined to bring her down.

Can Samantha rise above it all and win the world championship? Or will this be the end of everything?

Excerpt 

“Are you ready to meet your new teammate?” Benito asks.
Not really.
Outside the main garage, the three of us take the little sidewalk that leads to the scenic overlook near the back of the office building. The overlook is this cozy spot with chairs and benches. Lots of Wolert Porsche employees walk over here to have lunch or to take a break from work to stare at the pretty view of the deep valley and the pointy tops of the Alps surrounding it. 
A slight breeze runs up the valley and smacks the side of the mountain we’re on. The sun spreads Emilio Ronaldo’s shadow over the molded-stone pavement as he leans against the wood safety rails that prevent people from falling over the steep drop.
I join him along the rail.
Emilio takes a long drag from a cigar, blowing out a large plume of smoke. He tucks his hand inside his sport coat and pulls out another cigar. “Do you smoke?”
“Seriously? You’re offering me a cigar?” I ask.
“They’re very good. Very strong. Grow hair on your chest.” Emilio grins. 
Yeah, right. Smoking a cigar is a macho-guy thing. They need it to feel like men. Hmm. I wonder if little-old me is intimidating him again. The same girl who made him flinch during that race at Spa. That would be awesome if I’m getting under his skin. 
Emilio slips the cigar back into his coat. “But if you don’t feel adventurous I understand.” 
Wait a second. Is he saying I’m too timid? That I can’t handle a cigar just because I’m a girl?
“I’d love a cigar,” I say, acting like it’s no big deal.
Emilio pulls out the cigar. I snatch it and place it in my mouth. The foreign object lays heavy on my tongue and feels like I have a wad of paper stuffed in my mouth.
“You need to cut off the end first.”
“I know that.” I pull the cigar out and notice the round end that isn’t cut off. I bite into that and rip it off with my teeth. I taste flakes of pure tobacco on my tongue and it’s like ash and it’s disgusting and I spit it all over the stones at my feet.
Emilio smiles and holds up some rectangular-looking tool with a round hole in it. “I have a cutter. You don’t have to bite the end off.” 
Now I feel like an idiot. Emilio must be enjoying this. Another genius plan to embarrass and humiliate me. Too late to stop now. I hold out the cigar and he cuts off the end. I put the cigar back in my mouth. 
Emilio takes out a lighter and flicks. The flame licks the end of my cigar. “You must inhale to draw the flame in and light the tobacco.”
I breathe in and smoke fills my lungs. 
Oh My God! I cough hard and bend over, belching smoke from my mouth like a dragon. I feel my eyes watering. A definite sign my body is yelling. What the hell are you doing to me, Samantha? 
Enjoying my discomfort, Emilio inhales his cigar, the end of which glows bright red. Like a demon.
I take another drag on the cigar and my lungs belch out the foul smoke again. But I try to stand casual. Like the smoke doesn’t bother me.
“I would like to begin,” Emilio says. “By mentioning that our past grievances should be left in the past. We are both competitors. We both fight to win. But starting today, we will be teammates. Do you understand? When both of us do well, the team does well. The team will always matter more than one driver. I look forward to working with you. Not against you.” Emilio takes a moment for a puff on his cigar. “What is your opinion on that?”
My opinion? Someone actually wants to hear my opinion? It’s a mountain of cow puke. That’s my opinion. This is still my team and Emilio is not going to come in here and take it away. All this crap about team this and team that. It’s only to put a pacifier in my mouth so I won’t complain. Be the good little girl, Samantha. Play nice and get along with the boy who stole your place on the team. 
I puff on the cigar and cough. Jeez. That’s what this cigar is. It’s a pacifier. Make baby Samantha shut up. 
I take the cigar out of my mouth.
“Is it too strong?” Emilio asks.
This guy can read people crazy-well. He read me like a book right before our final race at Spa. Emilio detects weakness in others like a hawk drifting over a limping sheep, patiently waiting for it to fall over before attacking. 
I won’t let him read me ever again. 
“I agree. We so got into it last year and it was insane.” I use my sweet girlie voice that fools most guys. “And there were times I actually wanted to kill you. Like that time at your home in Brazil?”
“I remember,” he says. “I mentioned something about how you could never win the world championship.”
“Because I was a woman and didn’t have the killer instinct or something like that.”
Whoa. Easy, Samantha. Don’t lose it. Stay in control. Do not let Emilio beat you.
“Yes. Something like that,” Emilio says, his voice quieter. “You proved me wrong. The way you hunted me those last few laps at Spa. You were ruthless. Unyielding. You chased me down like a cunning animal that had learned patience and the art of intimidation. My observations please you?” 
Crap. He caught me smiling.
“It was impressive. We are teammates now so I can mention this. You are not some female racer who shows off her body more than her racing skills. You are quite different.”
If that’s his version of a compliment, I guess I’ll take it. 

Author Bio
Doug Solter writes young adult novels and screenplays. He respects cats, loves the mountains, and one time took a stroll on the streets of Barcelona. Doug lives in Oklahoma where he spends time with friends, good music, and the characters in his head who won't leave.
Author Links:
Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

Free ebook or audiobook of Skid (book 1) for anyone who sign ups to Doug's newsletter: http://dougsolter.us4.list-manage.com/subscribe/post?u=0bc319ca4a663b0522af8f813&id=a61e7718a2 

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Waiting on Wednesday #63: Captive by Aimee Carter

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

Captive by Aimee Carter

Expected Release: November 2014

Synopsis:For the past two months, Kitty Doe's life has been a lie. Forced to impersonate the Prime Minister's niece, her frustration grows as her trust in her fake fiancé cracks, her real boyfriend is forbidden and the Blackcoats keep her in the dark more than ever. 

But in the midst of discovering that her role in the Hart family may not be as coincidental as she thought, she's accused of treason and is forced to face her greatest fear: Elsewhere. A prison where no one can escape. 

As one shocking revelation leads to the next, Kitty learns the hard way that she can trust no one, not even the people she thought were on her side. With her back against the wall, Kitty wants to believe she'll do whatever it takes to support the rebellion she believes in—but is she prepared to pay the ultimate price?

What book are you looking forward to reading?

Spotlight: The Right Song by Shane Morgan

Book Blast: The Right Song by Shane Morgan

A young girl hopes to conquer her fears and experience the full force of love and music.

Release date: July 31st 2014

Publisher: TSW Books

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary

Purchase: Amazon

Pain never truly goes away, until you find something deeper and meaningful that cures the heart and fills it with love. That is what eighteen-year-old Aurora desperately wants to believe. That somehow her music can save her, or even touch the unreachable heart of the guy she has liked for years. Rora yearns for his attention and wants to experience this so-called love that could possibly end her long suffering and inspire her to chase after her dreams. In deeply understanding the feelings of others and herself, will Aurora give up on ever finding true happiness, or will an intriguing soul teach her about the greatest song ever written?

  

About the Author

Shane Morgan is a twenty-something bestselling author of Young Adult and New Adult Fiction. Shane lives in the beautiful town of Narragansett, Rhode Island, where she spends her days blogging, reading, and escaping in her stories.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER GOODREADS | INSTAGRAM

The crowd roars. Some chant my name while others sing the lyrics to the song that brought me to this moment. It sets off a wild party of butterflies in my stomach. My heart starts racing and my knees shake. The music rises throughout the arena—my cue to take the stage.

I look behind at the guy that inspired me to reach this point, giving his hand a soft squeeze. He smiles, then nods approvingly for me to go for it.

A wave of confidence washes over my body; I slip out of the safety of his grasp and walk out in front of the many eager fans waiting to hear me sing.

Taking center stage, I clasp my hands around the microphone stand, close my eyes, and inhale a deep breath.

As the electrifying guitar riffs blast off, accompanied by the haunting melodies of the keyboard, I part my lips and allow the words to seep out of my heart.

I open my eyes to glance over the crowd. A smile makes its way to my lips as I notice they’re singing along with me.

We escape into the lyrics, united in this moment of bliss. It warms my heart, knowing I’ve touched theirs.

This is why I’ve worked so hard. I’m here now. And it’s only the beginning.

Cover Reveal: Night Sky by Suzanne Brockmann & Melanie Brockmann

Young girls are being kidnapped for the secret that’s in their blood. When Skylar’s neighbor becomes the next victim, she must use her newly discovered abilities to save her before it’s too late.

 

Sixteen-year-old Skylar Reid is thrown into a strange world when she discovers that she has unique telekinetic and telepathic powers.  After Sasha, the child she babysits, is kidnapped and believed to be murdered, Sky and her best friend Calvin are approached by Dana, a mysterious girl who has super-abilities similar to Sky’s.  With the help of Dana and her sidekick Milo, the four teens embark on a quest to discover who killed Sasha, and to bring the killers to justice.

 

With Dana as Skylar’s surly and life-toughened mentor, Sky attempts to harness her powers to aid them in their quest. Complicating an already complex relationship with the older girl, Sky starts to fall for the dangerously handsome and enigmatic Milo – and begins to suspect that the attraction is mutual. But then Sky realizes that Sasha might still be alive, and the unlikely foursome’s mission becomes one of search and rescue, pitting the heroic teens against a very deadly enemy.

About the Authors
Suzanne Brockman, a New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author, has won 2 RITA awards, numerous RT Reviewers’ Choice, and RWA’s #1 Favorite Book of the Year three years running. She has written over 50 books, and is widely recognized as a “superstar of romantic suspense” (USA Today). Suzanne and her daughter, Melanie Brockmann, have been creative partners, on and off, for many years. Their first project was an impromptu musical duet, when then-six-month-old Melanie surprised and delighted Suz by matching her pitch and singing back to her. Suzanne splits her time between Florida and Massachusetts while Mel lives in Sarasota, Florida. NIGHT SKY is Mel’s debut and Suzanne’s 55th book. 

Visit Suzanne at www.SuzanneBrockmann.com.

Check out an interview with Suzanne and Melanie from RT Booklovers Convention: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pOM5jLp2_c