Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Lost to Me: Book Blitz!!


Lost To Me
by Jamie Blair
Release Date: 08/19/14

Summary from Goodreads:


Lauren Kelling’s prom night is a memory she’ll never forget—in her nightmares. She had the dress, the hair, and romantic first time plans with her boyfriend, Kolton Seidel. But what should have been the best night of her life bleeds into terror when she’s brutally attacked.

Now, Lauren relives the events leading up to prom, unraveling the clues that should have warned her of the trauma to come. Like Kolton ’s malicious ex-girlfriend, who’ll do anything to rip them apart. Or Kolton’s mentally unstable brother.



After the tragedy, Lauren wants to hide, disfigured inside and out, while Kolton drowns in a sea of guilt. Only together can the two of them lay rest to the past and heal each other, through a love too strong to break.






Here's An Excerpt!


I woke at one A.M. to my vibrating phone clattering loudly on top of my nightstand. I jolted up and grabbed it, my eyes darting to the screen. Three new text messages. I scrolled through and realized Kolton had been trying to reach me for the past hour. The first message said he missed me and asked what I was doing. The second said he was sure I was probably sleeping, and the third said, he didn’t want to call because it was so late and he didn’t want to wake my mom or dad. The last message had been sent at midnight.

I sent him a text back, telling him I’d been asleep and had just gotten his messages. Then I crossed my fingers, hoping he was still awake and would answer. Several minutes later, my phone vibrated again, and I read his text.

Have to talk to you. Come out on your balcony.

I jumped up and ran out the French doors. The wood deck under my feet was still wet from the day’s storm, and cold with the night air.

“Hey,” he said in a low voice from down below.

“What are you doing down there? I can’t see you.”

“Can you come down?”

“I’ll be right there.”

Mom, Dad and Amy were all in bed when I dashed through the house, out the back patio door, and across the sand to where I’d heard his voice under the balcony. He stood there with his arms out, waiting to hold me.



They wrapped around me, and he nuzzled his nose in my hair. “God, I’m glad I got to see you. This has been the worst night.” Then, he kissed my cheek and my neck and ran his hands over my back. “Your nightgown’s so soft, and you’re still warm from sleep.” His embrace tightened. “It’s like I woke up from a nightmare and here you are beside me.”





About the Author
Jamie Blair lives in Northeast Ohio with her husband, their two kids and a cat that broke into their house and refused to leave. She won a young author's contest in third grade, but it probably shouldn't count since her mom wrote most of her entry. LEAP OF FAITH is her first novel. She promises her mom didn't write one word of it.


Author Links:






GIVEAWAY:



1 - Bracelet with charms that go
with the book, a $20 Amazon card and a signed, dry erase, cover magnet (INT)






Book Blitz Organized by:

Monday, August 18, 2014

The Cinderella Theorem

A themed book tour through Prism Book Tours.

The Cinderella Theorem (The Lily Sparrow Chronicles)The Cinderella Theorem
(The Lily Sparrow Chronicles #1)
by Kristee Ravan

YA Urban Fantasy

Paperback, 367 pages

March 17th 2014





Fairy tales are naturally non-mathematical. That is a fact, and fifteen-year-old Lily Sparrow loves factual, mathematical logic. So when her mother confesses that Lily’s deceased father is (a) not dead, (b) coming to dinner, and (c) the ruler of a fairy tale kingdom accessible through the upstairs bathtub, Lily clings to her math to help her make sense of this new double life (1 life in the real world + 1 secret life in the fairy tale world = a double life).



Even though it’s not mathematical, Lily finds herself being pulled into a mystery involving an unhappy Cinderella, a greasy sycophant called Levi, and a slew of vanishing fairy tale characters. Racing against the clock, with a sound mathematical plan, Lily attempts to save her fairy tale friends while proving that normality = happiness.


Here's An Excerpt!!


An Interview with a Princess

A deleted scene from The Cinderella Theorem



Mom hadn’t mentioned what I was supposed to wear for the interview, but then again, Mom hadn’t mentioned the interview either. There were a lot of things going unmentioned in the Sparrow family these days. Like my dad isn’t really dead, like I’m a princess, like I’m having a ball in my honor. So in the grand scheme of things unmentioned by my mother, what was one reporter, showing up unannounced, knocking on my bedroom door.

Bo Peep looked up from her notes. “This will be my first big story for the Flame.”

“The Flame?” I echoed.

She nodded, “The Fireland Flame. It’s the most widely read newspaper in the kingdom.” She paused. “It’s also the only one in the kingdom.”

I tried not to let anything sarcastic show on my face. “Cool.”

“What was it like seeing your dad for the first time?”

“Terrifying. He opened the shower curtain, while I was brushing my teeth and scared me. I didn’t know it was him, because I had no idea what he looked like.”

“Right.” She scribbled that down and tried to balance the notebook on her knee.

She didn’t seem very good at this. Her equation of reporting was shaping up to look a lot like her shepherding equation: they both equaled failure.

“What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?”

“Cherry Vanilla. Is that what people want to know about me?” Ice cream flavors? Really?

Bo Peep nodded. “Well, the book said to start with easy, warm-up questions before getting to the difficult, hard-hitting ones.”

“What book?”

She blushed. “The book on journalism I borrowed from the library.” Her eyes lit up. “I really want to write a great article. I want the paper to run it and then hire me as a regular reporter. I hate looking after those stupid sheep all the time. I got fired last week from the Pelo estate because I lost some of the sheep. If I don’t have a job at my Oral Asylum Review, I won’t be allowed to stay in the kingdom.” She started to cry.

I awkwardly patted her knee. “Hey, don’t cry.”

She sobbed harder. “You probably think I’m another stupid nursery rhyme, just taking up space and living off the charity of Smythian Citizens.”

“I don’t think any of that. Mostly because I don’t know what any of that is.”

“Nursery Rhymes aren’t really citizens. We can be here through Oral Asylum, which gives characters from the oral tradition a safe place to live and work. But we have to be employed or we have to get out.”

“Ok. But you don’t work for the paper, now?”

She shook her head. “I snuck in here to interview you. The press isn’t allowed to talk to you without the King’s permission, so if I can get a story for the paper, they’ll definitely hire me.”

“Won’t that get you into trouble with my dad?”

“They’d run it anonymously.”

I considered this a moment and took the time to shape it into an equation. My cooperation + Bo Peep’s article = a great interview that gets her employed. I’m pretty sure it’s my princessly duty to help my people and how better to help than by providing jobs? Aren’t people always talking about unemployment?

“Listen. Just pull it together and ask your questions. You can do this.”

She blew her nose one more time and nodded. “How did you feel that your mom had kept everything a secret from you?”

“Angry,” I answered. “I understand that because of the law I couldn’t know about the kingdom or see my dad, but why couldn’t she have said he was in prison or a spy or something. Why was ‘dead’ the best option?”

“Are you happy to be here now, though?”

I sighed. Not really, I’d like to answer. I like order and logic and normalness. This place is none of these things. “I’m still processing everything, but I think it would be unmathematical to waste a chance to explore a new world.”

“What’s your favorite fairy tale?’

“Um. I really can’t say.” Because I don’t even like fairy tales at all. I barely remember any of them from when Mom used to read me bedtime stories. I made her stop as soon as I could read on my own, because I wanted to start reading math books.

Bo Peep smiled. “Good answer. They royals never commit to a favorite tale. Imagine how jealous everyone would be if they had favorites.”

Well, at least I’d done something right.



Calling for Reviewers!


We're looking for reviewers! You don't need a blog to sign up, but you do need to at least post a review on Amazon. Other sites (blog, Goodreads, etc.) are also appreciated. Reviews must be completed by the end of November. To sign up, please fill out this form.

Kristee Ravan
Kristee Ravan lives in Oklahoma with her husband, daughter, and pet fish, Val (short for Valentine). She wanted to be many things as she grew up including a general, an artist, and an architect. But she never bothered to say, "I want to be a writer when I grow up." She was always writing stories and thought of herself as a writer anyway. She sent her first story to a publisher in the sixth grade. (It was rejected - in a nice way.) When she is not making up stories in her head, she enjoys reading, juggling, green smoothies, playing dollhouse with her daughter, and hearing from her fans. You can contact Kristee at the facebook page for her Lily Sparrow books: The Lily Sparrow Chronicles.



Tour-Wide Giveaway

5 copies of The Cinderella Theorem (print for US winners, ebook for international winners)
Ends August 31st 


Friday, August 15, 2014

The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles: A Review

Goodreads (Description):

The Whangdoodle was once the wisest, the kindest, and the most extraordinary creature in the world. Then he disappeared and created a wonderful land for himself and all the other remarkable animals -- the ten-legged Sidewinders, the little furry Flukes, the friendly Whiffle Bird, and the treacherous, "oily" Prock. It was an almost perfect place where the last of the really great Whangdoodles could rule his kingdom with "peace, love and a sense of fun"-- apart from and forgotten by people.

But not completely forgotten. Professor Savant believed in the Whangdoodle. And when he told the three Potter children of his search for the spectacular creature, Lindy, Tom, and Ben were eager to reach Whangdoodleland.

With the Professor's help, they discovered the secret way. But waiting for them was the scheming Prock, who would use almost any means to keep them away from his beloved king. Only by skill and determination were the four travelers able to discover the last of the really great Whangdoodles and grant him his heart's desire.

Julie Andrews Edwards, star of stage and screen, has written a unique and beloved story that has become a modern classic. The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles is sure to continue to delight readers everywhere. This edition includes a new foreword by the author.

My Review:

Let me just say, that I had no idea Julie Andrews wrote books too. I mean, I've seen her in a plethora of movies: The Sound of Music, Mary Popping, The Princess Diaries, and many others. She is an amazing singer and actress--one of my favorites actually. I was introduced to this book by my cousin. She told me how it was one of her favorites when she was younger. So I decided to give it a try.

It was so cute and adorable.

This is a great book to read to a kid who loves adventures and has an active imagination.

One of my favorite things about this book was the lessons that Ben, Tom, and Lindy Potter learned from the great Professor Savant. He is a wise, awesome old guy who leads these children through their greatest adventure through Whangdoodleland. He is a scientist who specializes in genetics. (Granted, this was written in 1974, so a lot of the cloning and genetic science that has really been successful today wasn't actually in the book). Although genetics and cloning is talked about in the book, it is written in a simple way for children to understand. I must say though, I once had to do a research paper on cloning and was happy to confirm that everything she wrote was researched and in fact true. Haha, never thought I would truly be happy that I wrote that "lovely" research paper...

Anyway, I found it awesome how Julie was able to combine fantasy and science. It was incredible. Genius even. And she did it in a way that kids could understand. So not only would it help them to imagine a beautiful world that is completely different than our own, but it would help them see the incredible wonders that science has today.

I loved the characters. The children were unique in their own way, but they loved each other dearly. They grew close together through the many trials they had to go through. The Professor was also amazing. The lessons he taught are lessons that we all need to learn. I loved his wise words and the wonderful way Julie wrote them into her story.

Not only is this a great book to lose yourself in, but it really does teach invaluable lessons.

I give this a 5 out of 5!

Thursday, August 14, 2014

The Enemy: A Review

There are lots of variations of the cover,
this is an example of the copy I own.
Goodreads (Description):

In the wake of a devastating disease, everyone sixteen and older is either dead or a decomposing, brainless creature with a ravenous appetite for flesh. Teens have barricaded themselves in buildings throughout London and venture outside only when they need to scavenge for food. The group of kids living a Waitrose supermarket is beginning to run out of options. When a mysterious traveler arrives and offers them safe haven at Buckingham Palace, they begin a harrowing journey across London. But their fight is far from over-the threat from within the palace is as real as the one outside it.

Full of unexpected twists and quick-thinking heroes, "The Enemy" is a fast-paced, white-knuckle tale of survival in the face of unimaginable horror.

My Reivew:

I honestly don't really know what to say for this book review.

As you know, I have been looking for a really good, creepy book and well... I found it. Right here. This book made me shiver and scoot away from dark windows in the night.

I would love to talk to you about the characters... but I can't. I just... can't. I'm sure if you read this one, then you will completely understand why.

I do appreciate a lot of the characters though. I will only tell you about one. Sam. Sam is nine. I have a brother and he just turned ten, so they are not that much different in age. Now, I know that this book is fake and that zombies aren't real, but in the moment, I do get involved. It makes me cringe at the fact of such young kids having to endure and survive all this crap. I thought the other characters had to go through a lot, but Sam, I think, had to go through the most. He was only nine and yet he came out on top and beat the nasty zombies and the idiot adults he came in contact with. He is awesome. (At times I thought of my brother going through this junk and was almost brought to tears, almost. Silly, but hey. I have one vivid imagination).

I just hope he lives through the next books.

The writing was amazing. I found myself gagging within the first couple of pages because of the descriptions of the purifying/bursting/decomposing bodies. Blech, it was gross. Not only was the imagery good, but so was the suspense building. Man, Charlie Higson did an AWESOME job of making my insides squirm and my heart pound.

Finally, FINALLY, I have found a series that is going to creep me out! I am so excited :)  Scary movies are my favorite and now I finally have a scary book series.

I have no idea how this is going to be a series, but I am totally looking forward to it.

I give this a 5 out of 5! Truly amazing, horrifying, packed with action, depressing, sad, and all around chaotic (as in end of the world chaotic).

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Cover Reveal: Snark and Stage Fright



Snark and Stage Fright
Release Date: 10/14/14
Swoon Romance


Summary from Goodreads:

Happily-ever-after
isn’t as happy or forever as Jane Austen makes it look. Just something Georgia
Barrett learns when her sharp tongue costs her the only guy she’s ever really
cared about: Michael Endicott.

Determined to move on,
Georgia lands the lead role in the school’s fall musical. But to survive on
stage, she’ll need to learn to express herself without her protective shield of
snark. She soon discovers being honest with others means being honest with
herself, and the truth is she’s still in love with Michael.

But from the looks of
Michael’s new girlfriend, Georgia isn’t the only one who tried to move on.
Apparently, some people are just better at it than others. And when Michael and
his girlfriend join the cast of the fall musical, Georgia finds out that snark
and stage fright are the least of her worries…









About the Author

Stephanie Wardrop grew up in Reading, Pennsylvania, a town mostly famous
for being a railroad card in Monopoly. After giving up on her childhood goal of
becoming a pirate, she decided to become a writer but took a detour through
lots of college and grad school and ended up teaching writing and British and
American literature. She's the author of the Swoon Romance e-novella series
Snark and Circumstance, based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, and lives
in western New England with her husband, kids, cats, and gecko.

Author Links:














Cover Reveal Organized by:

Monday, August 11, 2014

The Cinderella Theorem LAUNCH!

A themed book tour through Prism Book Tours.

We're launching the BOOK TOUR for
The Cinderella Theorem
By Kristee Ravan


Come read along on our rather logical fairy tale journey!

Also, make sure you don't miss reading the excerpt below!!


August Dates:

11 - Launch

12

13

14

15

17

18

19

20

21

22

24 - Grand Finale


Calling for Reviewers!


We're looking for reviewers! You don't need a blog to sign up, but you do need to at least post a review on Amazon. Other sites (blog, Goodreads, etc.) are also appreciated. Reviews must be completed by the end of November. To sign up, please fill out this form.

The Cinderella Theorem (The Lily Sparrow Chronicles)The Cinderella Theorem
(The Lily Sparrow Chronicles #1)
by Kristee Ravan

YA Urban Fantasy

Paperback, 367 pages

March 17th 2014





Fairy tales are naturally non-mathematical. That is a fact, and fifteen-year-old Lily Sparrow loves factual, mathematical logic. So when her mother confesses that Lily’s deceased father is (a) not dead, (b) coming to dinner, and (c) the ruler of a fairy tale kingdom accessible through the upstairs bathtub, Lily clings to her math to help her make sense of this new double life (1 life in the real world + 1 secret life in the fairy tale world = a double life).



Even though it’s not mathematical, Lily finds herself being pulled into a mystery involving an unhappy Cinderella, a greasy sycophant called Levi, and a slew of vanishing fairy tale characters. Racing against the clock, with a sound mathematical plan, Lily attempts to save her fairy tale friends while proving that normality = happiness.


Excerpt


     Mom smiled at me. “How was school?”
     “Not enough math.” I munched a pretzel. “What time are we
going out tonight?”
     “Going out?” Mom’s voice was quieter, distracted. She was
sinking back into her novel.
     “For dinner? For my birthday?”
     Eyes fixed on her computer screen, she answered, “No. Matt
is bringing dinner.”
     “Matt? Matt who?” I quickly ran a mental index of my
mother’s friends, acquaintances, and contacts for a Matt.
     Mom gasped, covered her mouth with her hand, and mumbled,
“Oh! It was supposed to be a surprise! What am I—”
     “Mom!” I grabbed her shoulders, crushing a pretzel in my
palm. “Stop. Who is Matt? Explain logically.”
     She nodded. “Okay. Let’s sit down.” She led the way to the
living room, and sat beside me on the couch, patting me on the back. “The thing
is, Lily, I don’t want to explain too much without your father. He—”
     “Wait. What?” I interrupted. “My father?”
     “Oh! Fiddlesticks! I did it again! Matt’s going to kill me.
I do fine for fifteen years and blow it on the last day. Why am I—”
     “Mom!”
     “Right. Well,” she took a breath. “To begin, I should say
that your father is not dead.”
     “But, he is dead. You told me that he died–that the train he
was on hit a cow.”[i]
     “No, Sweetie.” She patted my knee. “He’s not dead. He is
alive and he’s coming to dinner.”
     “I don’t understand. The train wrecked, the cow died, Dad
died. You showed me the news story.”
     Mom sighed. (Why is she sighing? Did she think that I would
automatically understand? Did I miss the Lily,
your dad is not dead
memo?) “There was a train wreck, a cow did die. And it
was on the news. But your father was not on
the train.”
     I took a deep breath. “Okay. Where was he?”
     “He wants to explain all this to you, and he should be the
one to do it. Can we just leave it at: he’s not dead, and he’s coming to dinner
tonight?”
     “Why did you tell me he was dead?”
     “It was safer for everyone if you thought that. But, Lily,
your father can explain this a lot better than me.” She stood up. “Now, I need
to work on getting the prince to fall in love with the princess, and you should
probably get your homework done before dinner. I’m sure you’re going to have a
lot to talk about with your dad.” She turned to go back to the office.
       Are you kidding me? That’s the end of the conversation?













[i] If
I seem a little slow to understand what my mom is telling me, keep in mind that
fifteen years of believing my dad is dead is greater than 3 minutes of hearing
he is alive. (15 > 3.)

Kristee Ravan
Kristee Ravan lives in Oklahoma with her husband, daughter, and pet fish, Val (short for Valentine). She wanted to be many things as she grew up including a general, an artist, and an architect. But she never bothered to say, "I want to be a writer when I grow up." She was always writing stories and thought of herself as a writer anyway. She sent her first story to a publisher in the sixth grade. (It was rejected - in a nice way.) When she is not making up stories in her head, she enjoys reading, juggling, green smoothies, playing dollhouse with her daughter, and hearing from her fans. You can contact Kristee at the facebook page for her Lily Sparrow books: The Lily Sparrow Chronicles.



Tour-Wide Giveaway

5 copies of The Cinderella Theorem (print for US winners, ebook for international winners)
Ends August 31st 


Prism Book Tours

Northanger Alibi: A Review

Goodreads (Description):

The Russo family and Seattle, Washington, are no match for Claire Hart and her savvy knowledge of all things vampire-related. Thanks to her obsession with the Twilight series, if there is anyone who would know a vampire when she saw one, it's Claire. And she's positive totally hot Tony Russo is a vampire - she just has to prove it!

In this modern retelling of Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, follow Claire's hilarious journey on her first summer adventure away from home, where she learns everything isn't what it seems, and that in some instances, reality is way better than anything she'd ever find in a book.
My Review:

I haven't read Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, but this high school summer version of it was absolutely fantastic. It makes me want to read Jane Austin's version. After all, historical romance is my favorite. And Jenni James did a fantastic job of making me love her contemporary version!

This is about the youngest girl of the Hart Family, Claire. She is the girl who has never been kissed, never been on a date, and all around is just ignored by the guys in her hometown of Farmington, New Mexico. And yet, with a surprise trip to Seattle, she suddenly finds herself perused by two boys. Two attractive boys, who seem in her head to be either a werewolf or a vampire...

I found this book very humorous, adorable, and even spunky. The fact that Claire is obsessed with Twilight made me laugh out loud. Her obsession is on the verge of crazy... she genuinely believed that Tony Russo was a vampire. It make for some awesome scenes.

And yet, despite Claire's immaturity in the beginning, I really saw a lot of growth in her in this short novel. She grew up a lot. The love interest, Tony Russo, helped her to do so. He was kind, attractive and real. He helped her see how childish she was acting and even when things got tough between them, Claire began taking things seriously.

I love how everything worked out in the end. It was very clever the way Jenni James created the plot twist. I loved it!

Overall, it was a cute, fun and super fast read. If you love retellings of Jane Austin and adorable contemporary high school romances, I definitely recommend this one! Fantastic!

I give this a 5 out of 5!