Book Blitz: The Violet Hour

Through Prism Book Tours.

We're celebrating the RELEASE of 

The Violet Hour

By Brynn Chapman

Check out the book and author info, exclusive excerpt, and enter the giveaway below...

The Violet Hour

Brynn Chapman

YA Romantic Historical Fantasy

ebook, 209 Pages

Secrets.



Allegra Teagarden, a musical prodigy, flees her father’s dominance and abuse while touring in pre-civil war Charleston, South Carolina. Plagued by depression over her mother’s suicide during their previous visit, she escapes in an effort to piece together the details behind her mother’s mysterious demise.



Secrets.



Down to her final coin, Allegra happens on Charleston’s Fancy, the first southern amusement park, which is searching for musicians for its orchestra. At first, the park seems her salvation; but she quickly realizes she has traded the dominance of her father, for the even more terrifying madness of the owner, Silas.



And more secrets.



Allegra meets the dashing Brighton LeFroy, Fancy’s engineer and pyrotechnics master. His shabby clothing cannot conceal the brilliant mind beneath. The musician’s whisper he is a witch, is obsessed with storms, and is rumored...to fly. And despite the danger, despite her own misgivings, Allegra is inexplicable drawn to him.



She ventures to his reclusive home on Fire Isle during a thunderstorm and together they seek to unravel an ancient mystery.

Exclusive Excerpt

     LeFroy stares out the window, his brow creased in thought. He remains statue-still, as he has for the past quarter hour, oblivious to the late afternoon sun that bathes his face in a beautiful golden-amber.

     I stare intently, reveling in the rare opportunity to drink in his features.

     His dark curly hair is in need of a cutting and his thin lips turn down as he absently bites the side of his nail, lost to himself. He is not a classic beauty—but the singularity of his face demand’s attention.

     Not all women would swoon for him. But something about him draws me…makes him utterly irresistible.

     The warmth on my chest again. Almost hot this time. I struggle not to look down my dress to examine what I imagined to be an inevitable rash, but all I see is the Magnolia pattern—the patch on my dress, lovingly sewn by my mother’s hand.

     I banish the thought. I shall not think on her now.

     Brighton clears his throat, driving away my mother’s ghost and I struggle for words. When he regards me, my tongue seems to shrivel in my mouth.

     It is his eyes. They…speak. Sometimes whisper, sometimes shout.

     They now squint, as whatever vexing scenario playing on his mind continues to dominate his demeanor. He doesn’t move. Doesn’t speak.

Born and raised in western Pennsylvania, Brynn Chapman is the daughter of two teachers. Her writing reflects her passions: science, history and love—not necessarily in that order. In real life, the geek gene runs strong in her family, as does the Asperger’s syndrome. Her writing reflects her experience as a pediatric therapist and her interactions with society’s downtrodden. In fiction, she’s a strong believer in underdogs and happily-ever-afters. She also writes non-fiction and lectures on the subjects of autism and sensory integration and is a medical contributor to online journal The Age of Autism.



She also writes under the pseudonym R.R. Smythe .

Website - Goodreads - Facebook - Twitter

Release Blitz Giveaway

$10 Amazon Gift Card, ebook of The Violet Hour, and Bracelet with: "Well behaved women seldom make history." - Eleanor Roosevelt 

Open internationally (bracelet to US entrants only)

Ends April 21st

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Back to School!

This is just going to be a short post.

I am heading back up to BYU-Idaho today! I have been off-track since December (due to their odd three-track system) and I will be back to homework, studying, and my college friends back in Rexburg, Idaho. I've been home in AZ and I'm excited to get to the cooler weather of Idaho, and of course, my friends again! Whoop!

I've been working while back here, and have had significantly more time to read (since I didn't have hours of homework :/ ). The posts you will see after today are all books that I have read before now--and they will be more spaced out, about one a week instead of everyday. When those stop, well ... it's because my reading time has reduced to nearly zero. Passing classes comes first!

Also, I won't have as much time to visit other blogs either. I'll apologize for that now. I will try to visit when I can. Thanks for your support and leaving comments :)

I will still try to do book blitzes and tours, but I can't promise my blog will be very busy for the next three and a half months. My summer begins in late July, so hopefully I will have more reviews posted during that time.

Thanks for visiting! I love sharing the books I read :) Reading will forever be one of my favorite hobbies, and I hope that my reviews lead you to great written adventures.

The Vanishing Game: A Review

Goodreads(Description):

Seventeen-year-old Jocelyn follows clues apparently from her dead twin, Jack, in and around Seale House, the terrifying foster home where they once lived. With help from childhood friend Noah she begins to uncover the truth about Jack's death and the company that employed him and Noah.

Jocelyn's twin brother Jack was the only family she had growing up in a world of foster homes-and now he's dead, and she has nothing. Then she gets a cryptic letter from "Jason December"-the code name her brother used to use when they were children at Seale House, a terrifying foster home that they believed had dark powers. Only one other person knows about Jason December: Noah, Jocelyn's childhood crush and their only real friend among the troubled children at Seale House.

But when Jocelyn returns to Seale House and the city where she last saw Noah, she gets more than she bargained for. Turns out the house's powers weren't just a figment of a childish imagination. And someone is following Jocelyn. Is Jack still alive? And if he is, what kind of trouble is he in? The answer is revealed in a shocking twist that turns this story on its head and will send readers straight back to page 1 to read the book in a whole new light.

My Review:

I have to say, this certainly a suspenseful book. It made me jump in all the right places. It even had a huge creep factor.

Jocelyn grew up with a troubled mother in messed up circumstances. To make it worse, she was sent to Seele House - a foster home filled with really troubled kids. A lot of messed up things happened. And to make it worse, the chick who ran the place was a part of the whole messed up factor.

Once Jack dies, everything goes wrong for Jocelyn. She seeks out her old childhood friend in order to help figure out what all these clues were about. One thing leads to another and we are on a chase.

ISI, the company Jack worked for gets involved and everything just goes crazy.

It was an awesome, suspenful ride.

Until the end.

Everything was so realistic until the author added this TINY thing that just crushed the mood, the atmosphere, and the suspense for me. Crushed it. So much so that I almost put the book down. Everything was so believable, like it could happen in real life until this. And yet, there was only ten pages left so I finished it.

Happy ending. Everything tied up. Yay, but super disappointing. It's a good thing that I liked the characters, Jocelyn and Noah. And I am happy they ended up together--after everything, they were indeed perfect for one another.

I give this a 3.5 (would have been a 4.5, but that tiny blip just ruined it for me).

Dark Triumph: A Review

Goodreads (Description):

When Sybella arrived at the doorstep of St Mortain half mad with grief and despair the convent were only too happy to offer her refuge - but at a price. The sisters of this convent serve Death, and with Sybella naturally skilled in both the arts of death and seduction, she could become one of their most dangerous weapons.

But her assassin's skills are little comfort when the convent returns her to the life that nearly drove her mad. Her father's rage and brutality are terrifying, and her brother's love is equally monstrous. But when Sybella discovers an unexpected ally she discovers that a daughter of Death may find something other than vengeance to live for...

My Review:

Wow. I just ... This was such a sad book. Sybella's life sucks. She's gone through hell and back, then back again several times over. I don't really know how to write a review for this book. It was so dark and depressing.

So many horrible things happened to her, and yet she is still fighting for what's right. It certainly makes her stronger than most female leads I've read about. I can't say I connected with her though. At all. I felt puty for her.

Mainly, it was nice seeing her sucky life finally find happiness. Called love and Beast.

Beast! LOVE HIM. I loved him in the other book. He's freaking awesome. A super good fighter and a loyal friend and companion. He was the one who made the story.

This is an interesting stories because it is based off real events. I still feel like it's another Poison Study book, the characters' voices are similar. Still. I've liked it well enough.

I give this a 3.5 out of 5.

Just One Wish: A Review

Goodreads (Description):

Seventeen-year-old Annika Truman knows about the power of positive thinking. With a little brother who has cancer, it's all she ever hears about. And in order to help Jeremy, she will go to the ends of the earth (or at least as far as Hollywood) to help him believe he can survive his upcoming surgery.

But Annika's plan to convince Jeremy that a magic genie will grant him any wish throws her a curveball when he unexpectedly wishes that his television idol would visit him. Annika suddenly finds herself in the desperate predicament of getting access to a hunky star actor and convincing him to come home with her. Piece of cake, right?

Janette Rallison's proven talent for laugh-out-loud humor, teen romance, and deep-hearted storytelling shines in a novel that will have readers laughing and crying at the same time.

My Review:

So I have read a lot of Janette Rallison's books, and I have to say, she impressed me all over once again. I had the opportunity to see her at the ANWA Conferende too. Not only is she a fantastic author, but a great person too.

Just One Wish is about a girl who wants to give her brother the only thing he has really wished for. To meet Robin Hood from the TV show Teen Robin Hood. So of course, Annika, goes to extremes to make this wish come true.

Annika drags ger best friend, Madison, to California to stalk actor Steve Raleigh, star of Teen Robin Hood. Unfortunately, Annika has to go sneak through numerous security guards, a scene shooting, the writer of the show, and Steve himself.

So, being the quirky and fierce girl she is, Annika challenges Steve to an archery contest and wins. Which opens up for many more problems and adventures to try and get him to see her brother.

Since Annika's six-year-old brother, Jeremy, was diagnosed with cancer, her belief in the goodness of life and God has dwindled. She believes she is being punished in one way, that God no longer hears her prayers. She has even lost all sense of her purpose in life. Making this wish come true for Jeremy is the one thing that is holding her together.

Steve, although seemingly a jerk at first, is the perfect person for Annika. He helps her focus on the better aspects of life. Sure he has his own problems, but he helps Annika see that no matter what happens, it will be okay.

Jeremy. Sheesh. That kid made me cry, and not necessarily because of his cancer. The things he says to Annika are so sweet and kind. Beautiful, even. I love how he also helped Annika accept that things happen for a reason, and that the important thing is to be happy.

I give this a 5 out of 5!

Book Blitz: Scar and the Bamboo Leaf!

Scar
of the Bamboo Leaf
by Sieni A.M.
Release
Date: 07/09/14

Summary
from Goodreads:


"That boy is like the bamboo...foreign and unknown in this environment. But like the bamboo, if you plant and nurture it in the right soil, it has the potential to grow vibrant and strong."

Walking with a pronounced limp all her life has never stopped fifteen-year-old Kiva Mau from doing what she loves. While most girls her age are playing sports and perfecting their traditional Samoan dance, Kiva finds serenity in her sketchbook and volunteering at the run-down art center her extended family owns, nestled amongst the bamboo.

When seventeen-year-old Ryler Cade steps into the art center for the first time, Kiva is drawn to the angry and misguided student sent from abroad to reform his violent ways. Scarred and tattooed, a friendship is formed when the gentle Kiva shows him kindness and beauty through art, until circumstances occur beyond their control and they are pulled away.

Immersed in the world of traditional art and culture, this is the story of self-sacrifice and discovery, of acceptance and forbearance, of overcoming adversity and finding one’s purpose. Spanning years, it is a story about an intuitive girl and a misunderstood boy and love that becomes real when tested.





Available from:

Here's An Excerpt!

Ryler saw her art piece earlier that day. Kiva hadn’t planned on it, but she also hadn’t planned to hide it forever. Her nerves flared when he stood inches from her back, silently absorbing the girl’s black silhouette and birds while his warmth and scent surrounded her. Her hands turned clammy when she thought about exposing a personal side of herself to Ry, more so than the hundreds of people who’d be flocking to the gallery during the festival, because at least then she could steer clear of her art work and avoid the judgments of strangers by immersing herself in the other displays. But left alone now in this setting felt more intimate than anything she’d ever experienced before, and with Ry standing so close and her dreams laid bare, Kiva had nowhere to escape to.

Her uncle had briefly left the art center to retrieve a few things from the house, and Ry was moving some carvings to a corner of the room when he’d come around the table where she was working and paused. Aware that he had stopped behind her, Kiva drew in a silent breath and held it. He was so much taller than her, and it became even more evident when she was sitting. She urged her heart to slow as she tried to look at the canvas through his eyes. Could he see her heart through the arcs and curves? Her loneliness through the slight downwards tilt of the girl’s profile? Could he see through the patterns and decipher their inner meanings? She didn’t have the courage to turn around and interpret for herself through his eyes. Her own were too vulnerable.

The room was quiet save for their breathing—his calm and steady while hers was rapid—and the atmosphere charged with something potent. Her anxiety grew and grew into an invisible bubble until she felt like the drum beats of her own heart could pop it.

About
the Author


Sieni A.M. is a coffee addict, world traveler, and avid reader turned writer. She was born and raised in the South Pacific, graduated from the University of Canterbury, and is currently living in a port city near the Mediterranean with her husband and two daughters.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:

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Book Blitz Organized by:

Five Kingdoms: Crystal Keepers: A Review

Goodreads (description):

Trapped in a world where magic is powerful and dreams are real, Cole continues his quest in book three of a “fanciful, action-packed adventure” series (Publishers Weekly, starred review), from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Beyonders series.

Cole Randolph ventures to a new kingdom as he continues his search for his friends—and also pursues his quest to mend what has gone awry with the magic in The Outskirts. Can he overcome the challenges ahead, or will he be stranded forever in a world between reality and imagination?

My Review:

This was another great installment in the Five Kingdoms series. Cole found himself in the third kingdom, which was sort of futuristic. There were a lot of things this kingdom had that Earth doesn't, but they were set back by their imagination, and a few laws that kept them from going overboard. Still, it was cool to see this new kingdom.

The action starts right off in the beginning. Cole and Jace are separated from Dalton, Mira, and Joe. (Twitch having left to save his hometown). They go to this awesome arcade center where they meet the Crystal Keepers--a secret spy group of kids.

Here, we see Cole finding similarities with home, even emailing his family, who still fails to realize who he is and what's happened to him. It's really sad to see, even if Cole knew the results before he even tried.

In this book, Cole is singled out. He goes on an adventure by himself, the only he can help his friends. During this adventure, he meets an unexpected friend. I'm still slightly suspicious of him, but Cole's new friend turned out to be a huge help.

I liked seeing how Cole handled things on his own. It showed me how much he has grown in his short time in the Outskirts. He is intuitive, brave, strong, and witty. For being only about twelve, he's pretty resourceful.

My favorite new character was Sidekick. Who knew a robot could be so sarcastic and funny? Cole may have handled some things well on his own, but without Sidekick Cole and his friends would have been caught in some sticky situations.

Overall, I like the growth of this series. We are seeing one kingdom a book, but the underlying social structure is falling apart due to the king's waning powers and Owendall's scary secret society.


I give this one a 4.5 out of 5!