Jessie Harrell's Blog
March 21, 2014
Desecration Excerpt + Giveaway
I came out of hibernation to share this excerpt with you. Why? I love the cover. What can I say? Some things never change...
Desecration: The Wizard Queen at Sixteen Synopsis:In a hidden world of wizards where only men hold the power of magic, one girl arises with the power to change everything, if she isn’t killed first…Adriana Victoriana Evangelista (Addie), daughter to the High Chancellor of the Wizard’s Council, has always been the perfect wizard girl. She never questions why men possess magical powers and women have no power at all, magical or otherwise. Male wizards blend into the modern human world, leading huge corporations while wizard women are sequestered away. On her sixteenth birthday, Addie discovers she possesses magic. Under wizard law, she is a desecration. An ancient prophecy surrounds the emergence of a girl magic-wielder, the wizard queen, who is destined to bring about the downfall of the wizard-kin.Addie has long had a forbidden crush on a human boy who lives in the wizard stronghold, Rory Devlin. As she delves deeper into the dangerous mysteries surrounding her own destiny, she suspects Rory might be more than just human.
Addie’s fate sends her straight into the path of a powerful and evil sorcerer, but the worst danger of all may come from right inside her own home.DESECRATION - Excerpt, Addie Discovers Her Magic…
The sound of footsteps outside sent my heart racing. If Izzy got caught without her cloak on school property, we’d both get detention for a week. And worse, my father would murder me.
“Your cloak!” I whispered. I stretched out my hand as if I could somehow grab Izzy’s cloak from several feet away.
In answer to my thoughts, Izzy’s discarded forest-green cloak flew across the room, coming into my open hand.
I blinked at my hand and the cloak I clutched in my fist. I stared as my knuckles went white and my outstretched arm began to tremble. A thunderous pulse echoed in my ears and my limbs and I realized it was the pounding of my heart.
Finally, I met Izzy’s shocked stare. We both gaped at each other for a moment. Then our gazes whipped back and forth between the corner where her cloak had been and my hand, where it currently was. And then to the door, which fortunately remained closed.
I realized I’d stopped breathing. Gasping for air, I dropped Izzy’s cloak like it was on fire.
“Addie,” Izzy gasped, then giggled nervously, “you just did magic.” She pointed a finger at me. “You just did MAGIC!”
“No. Shhhh! Don’t even say that!” I shook my head spastically. I clutched my head between my hands. “No! No! No!”
“Yes, yes, yes! You did!” she sang back.
“It didn’t happen. It couldn’t have.” I kept shaking my head so vehemently that I started to get woozy. “I’m a girl. That’s impossible!”
“It is impossible. But you did it anyway.” I couldn’t seem to stop shaking my head.
“Ha! Your brat of a brother would look like such a total idiot right now. Bet he couldn’t do what you just did. His magic hasn’t come that far yet.”
“No,” I said, still in major denial. I could hear my father’s voice ranting; a
woman wielding magic is a desecration!
“There’s some prophecy about this.” Izzy tapped her palm against her forehead several times. “Hugo mentioned it a while back. Shoot! I can’t remember.”
“I can’t be part of some prophecy. My father will kill me.”
“Yeah, he isn’t exactly the understanding type,” Izzy agreed as her brows drew together. “That’s why we can’t tell anyone about this. You’ll be a virtual prisoner of the council, and you’ll probably be retrained.”
At any second I was sure my brain would explode. In a single elapsed moment, I’d become the antithesis to every precept of wizard culture, a desecration of our beliefs. How had it happened? I couldn’t even begin to fathom what was happening to me.
“I mean it, Addie. We can’t tell anyone about this, well except for Hugo. Seriously, they’ll poke and prod at you and find some way to control you. I’m sure of it.”
I didn’t keep secrets from my parents. I always did what they expected of me. “Maybe my father wou-”
“Wouldn’t cart you off to be retrained?” Izzy cut me short. “I’m sorry, Addie, but don’t kid yourself. Your father is the head of the council, and he’s the most uncompromising of all when it comes to enforcing the wizard laws. The illustrious Manfred Evangelista will do whatever needs to be done to protect wizard-kin even if it means treating you like a lab rat or worse.”
Hadley Holt Bio:Hadley Holt, author of paranormal, and fantasy YA (Young Adult) has always loved to write. She also nurtures an incurable fascination with all things supernatural and fantastical. From a young age, she imagined stories about dragons, wizards, witches, ghosts, shape-shifters, vampires, and other magical creatures. As life often does, it blessed Hadley with family - a hunky husband and amazing children, and with family came a rewarding career. Hadley spent many years in the not-so-magical world of finance and mortgage banking, but the stories were always there in the back of her mind, demanding to be set free. Thanks to the housing market crash, Hadley finally realized her dreams. She now breathes life into her magical tales of reluctant young heroes finding their inner power to stand up against terrible creatures and even more terrible odds.
Please visit me at HadleyHolt.com! AmazonBlogTwitterFacebookAuthor Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
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Desecration: The Wizard Queen at Sixteen Synopsis:In a hidden world of wizards where only men hold the power of magic, one girl arises with the power to change everything, if she isn’t killed first…Adriana Victoriana Evangelista (Addie), daughter to the High Chancellor of the Wizard’s Council, has always been the perfect wizard girl. She never questions why men possess magical powers and women have no power at all, magical or otherwise. Male wizards blend into the modern human world, leading huge corporations while wizard women are sequestered away. On her sixteenth birthday, Addie discovers she possesses magic. Under wizard law, she is a desecration. An ancient prophecy surrounds the emergence of a girl magic-wielder, the wizard queen, who is destined to bring about the downfall of the wizard-kin.Addie has long had a forbidden crush on a human boy who lives in the wizard stronghold, Rory Devlin. As she delves deeper into the dangerous mysteries surrounding her own destiny, she suspects Rory might be more than just human.Addie’s fate sends her straight into the path of a powerful and evil sorcerer, but the worst danger of all may come from right inside her own home.DESECRATION - Excerpt, Addie Discovers Her Magic…
The sound of footsteps outside sent my heart racing. If Izzy got caught without her cloak on school property, we’d both get detention for a week. And worse, my father would murder me.
“Your cloak!” I whispered. I stretched out my hand as if I could somehow grab Izzy’s cloak from several feet away.
In answer to my thoughts, Izzy’s discarded forest-green cloak flew across the room, coming into my open hand.
I blinked at my hand and the cloak I clutched in my fist. I stared as my knuckles went white and my outstretched arm began to tremble. A thunderous pulse echoed in my ears and my limbs and I realized it was the pounding of my heart.
Finally, I met Izzy’s shocked stare. We both gaped at each other for a moment. Then our gazes whipped back and forth between the corner where her cloak had been and my hand, where it currently was. And then to the door, which fortunately remained closed.
I realized I’d stopped breathing. Gasping for air, I dropped Izzy’s cloak like it was on fire.
“Addie,” Izzy gasped, then giggled nervously, “you just did magic.” She pointed a finger at me. “You just did MAGIC!”
“No. Shhhh! Don’t even say that!” I shook my head spastically. I clutched my head between my hands. “No! No! No!”
“Yes, yes, yes! You did!” she sang back.
“It didn’t happen. It couldn’t have.” I kept shaking my head so vehemently that I started to get woozy. “I’m a girl. That’s impossible!”
“It is impossible. But you did it anyway.” I couldn’t seem to stop shaking my head.
“Ha! Your brat of a brother would look like such a total idiot right now. Bet he couldn’t do what you just did. His magic hasn’t come that far yet.”
“No,” I said, still in major denial. I could hear my father’s voice ranting; a
woman wielding magic is a desecration!
“There’s some prophecy about this.” Izzy tapped her palm against her forehead several times. “Hugo mentioned it a while back. Shoot! I can’t remember.”
“I can’t be part of some prophecy. My father will kill me.”
“Yeah, he isn’t exactly the understanding type,” Izzy agreed as her brows drew together. “That’s why we can’t tell anyone about this. You’ll be a virtual prisoner of the council, and you’ll probably be retrained.”
At any second I was sure my brain would explode. In a single elapsed moment, I’d become the antithesis to every precept of wizard culture, a desecration of our beliefs. How had it happened? I couldn’t even begin to fathom what was happening to me.
“I mean it, Addie. We can’t tell anyone about this, well except for Hugo. Seriously, they’ll poke and prod at you and find some way to control you. I’m sure of it.”
I didn’t keep secrets from my parents. I always did what they expected of me. “Maybe my father wou-”
“Wouldn’t cart you off to be retrained?” Izzy cut me short. “I’m sorry, Addie, but don’t kid yourself. Your father is the head of the council, and he’s the most uncompromising of all when it comes to enforcing the wizard laws. The illustrious Manfred Evangelista will do whatever needs to be done to protect wizard-kin even if it means treating you like a lab rat or worse.”
Hadley Holt Bio:Hadley Holt, author of paranormal, and fantasy YA (Young Adult) has always loved to write. She also nurtures an incurable fascination with all things supernatural and fantastical. From a young age, she imagined stories about dragons, wizards, witches, ghosts, shape-shifters, vampires, and other magical creatures. As life often does, it blessed Hadley with family - a hunky husband and amazing children, and with family came a rewarding career. Hadley spent many years in the not-so-magical world of finance and mortgage banking, but the stories were always there in the back of her mind, demanding to be set free. Thanks to the housing market crash, Hadley finally realized her dreams. She now breathes life into her magical tales of reluctant young heroes finding their inner power to stand up against terrible creatures and even more terrible odds.
Please visit me at HadleyHolt.com! AmazonBlogTwitterFacebookAuthor Goodreadsa Rafflecopter giveaway
January 9, 2014
Cover Reveal: Final Life by Rose Garcia
Nothing sucks more than being forced to move cross country during senior year. And Dominique Wells doesn't think things can get any worse until she's invited to a quirky neighbor's party. When pressured into playing a magical card game, Dominique's world goes from sucky to terrifying. She begins having visions of a red desert and an evil presence--a presence who hints at past lives and promises to kill her.
Plagued by fear and suspicion, and unaware of a family secret kept hidden from her, Dominique is determined to live. Together with a mysterious and gorgeous guy who's moved in while his parents are away, and a hot, popular guy from school, Dominique must seek clues to her past if she's to survive. That, and keep her emotions in check for the two guys she suddenly can't stop thinking about because if she doesn't, she'll be dead. For real.
Cover Artisit: Laura H. @ www.facebook.com/bookfabulousdesigns or www.bookfabulousdesigns.com.
Praise for FINAL LIFE
"Rose Garcia will explode your mind with action packed scenes and emotional turmoil.” - Moonlight Book Reviews
"The whole transhuman concept had the whole Sci-Fi/Fantasy element going on, yet Rose Garcia has written it in a way that is both fresh and believable, with the classic good versus evil theme incorporated." - Always YA at Heart
"Final Life is filled with magical moments, heart aching moments, action, and suspense. I look forward to the next chapter of Dominique's story." - WinterHaven Books
BOOK TRAILER
Available on Amazon † Barnes & Noble
Author Rose Garcia will be taking over Good Choice Reading Facebook page tonight (January 9th) at 7 PM EST. She will be giving away extra prizes, and talking with readers. You can win a paperback signed copy of FINAL LIFE. Chat ends at 8 PM EST. Don't miss it!
http://facebook.com/GCReading
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rose Garcia is a lawyer turned writer who's always been fascinated by science fiction and fantasy. From a very young age, she often had her nose buried in books about other-worlds, fantastical creatures, and life and death situations. More recently she's been intrigued by a blend of science fiction and reality, and the idea that some supernatural events are, indeed, very real. Fueled by her imagination, she created The Transhuman Chronicles--a series of books about people who have overcome human limitations.
Rose lives in Houston with her husband and two kids. You can visit Rose at www.rosegarciabooks.com
December 11, 2013
Recover Reveal: WHISPER by Chelsea Cameron
Guys - I read this book awhile ago because once I read the first few pages, I was hooked. I loved it and if you like girl meets ghost stories, I'm sure you will too. When I saw Chelsea was recovering the book, I jumped at the chance to be part of the reveal. So without further ado, I give you:
Whisper by Chelsea M. Cameron
June 2012Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14060048-whisper
BOOK SUMMARY: People think I'm crazy. Maybe I am, since I've been able to talk to spirits for as long as I can remember. They are the forgotten, the souls who have unfinished business and can't cross over. I help them, or at least I try to. There's this one in particular, Jack, I call him, who's been following me around a lot. Usually they tell me what they need to do and move on. Not him.
It isn't until he brings another spirit, Tracy, the victim of an unsolved hit-and-run accident, that I know for sure he's something more than just your average spirit. Then I start seeing him. And feeling his touch. And falling for him.
In our quest to get justice for Tracy and help her move on, Jack and I become something more than just a dead boy and a living girl. I'm just waiting to see what happens next…
Now for the teaser….
Now that you've got to have it, here are the Buy Links ~Amazon: http://amzn.to/1jJSh2M
B&N: http://bit.ly/JbSf6u
Author Information
Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times/USA Today Best Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting (this one time, she was tweeted by Neil Gaiman). She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.
Her New Adult Contemporary Romance titles include My Favorite Mistake, which has been bought by Harlequin along with a sequel, Deeper We Fall and Faster We Burn (April 20, 2013)
Her Young Adult books include Nocturnal, Nightmare and Neither, the first three books in The Noctalis Chronicles. The fourth and final book, Neverend will be out in 2013. Whisper, the first in The Whisper Trilogy is also available, with the second book in the series, Silence and the final book, LIsten coming out in 2014.
Website: http://www.chelseamcameron.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/chel_c_camFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chelsea-M-Cameron-Official-Author-Page/304422529610919Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5752359.Chelsea_M_Cameron
Whisper by Chelsea M. Cameron
June 2012Goodreads link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/14060048-whisper
BOOK SUMMARY: People think I'm crazy. Maybe I am, since I've been able to talk to spirits for as long as I can remember. They are the forgotten, the souls who have unfinished business and can't cross over. I help them, or at least I try to. There's this one in particular, Jack, I call him, who's been following me around a lot. Usually they tell me what they need to do and move on. Not him.
It isn't until he brings another spirit, Tracy, the victim of an unsolved hit-and-run accident, that I know for sure he's something more than just your average spirit. Then I start seeing him. And feeling his touch. And falling for him.
In our quest to get justice for Tracy and help her move on, Jack and I become something more than just a dead boy and a living girl. I'm just waiting to see what happens next…
Now for the teaser….
Now that you've got to have it, here are the Buy Links ~Amazon: http://amzn.to/1jJSh2M
B&N: http://bit.ly/JbSf6u
Author Information
Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times/USA Today Best Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting (this one time, she was tweeted by Neil Gaiman). She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.
Her New Adult Contemporary Romance titles include My Favorite Mistake, which has been bought by Harlequin along with a sequel, Deeper We Fall and Faster We Burn (April 20, 2013)
Her Young Adult books include Nocturnal, Nightmare and Neither, the first three books in The Noctalis Chronicles. The fourth and final book, Neverend will be out in 2013. Whisper, the first in The Whisper Trilogy is also available, with the second book in the series, Silence and the final book, LIsten coming out in 2014.
Website: http://www.chelseamcameron.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/chel_c_camFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chelsea-M-Cameron-Official-Author-Page/304422529610919Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5752359.Chelsea_M_Cameron
December 3, 2013
ANTIGODDESS by Kendare Blake
Ok, so I missed last week. Blame it on Thanksgiving - hope you all had a great one! And I don't see any upcoming releases this week, so I figured I'd tell you about the book I just finished. You all remember Kendare Blake, author of Anna Dressed in Blood, right? When I met her last year in Decatur, she told me about this mythology-based novel she was writing and I about died. You know me and mythology. Well, the book is out and I've read it.
ANTIGODDESS by Kendare Blake
Old Gods never die…
Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god. These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning. Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out. Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.
The Goddess War is about to begin.
I admit, it was a bit difficult to relate to Athena at first. She is cold, calculating. What you might expect of a war goddess, but not a relatable YA lead. Cassandra, on the other hand, I quickly identified with. She has this awesome relationship with Aiden, a great brother, and a really cool bestie (she's captain of the hockey team and can kick some serious butt).
I really enjoyed the irony of the way each of the gods and goddesses were meeting their fate. Kendare was clever with her death sentences and they were believable and often horrific at the same time.
What kept me going most in the story was the plot and pacing. The stakes just kept getting higher for Athena, Hermes, Cassandra (and the others who aren't mentioned in the description, so I won't spoil it for you. Not every god or goddess makes an appearance though - I will tell you that.) I kept thinking, I don't know how they can survive this. The tension kept me flipping the pages and I stayed up way late reading it.
Because the gods basically lack any power, you don't get much of a mythology feel in the classical sense, but there are plenty of references to the Trojan War and the roles everyone played there.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I thought it was unique and fast-paced. If you like books with loads of action, a dash of romance, and a side of mythology, I recommend Antigoddess.
ANTIGODDESS by Kendare Blake
Old Gods never die…
Or so Athena thought. But then the feathers started sprouting beneath her skin, invading her lungs like a strange cancer, and Hermes showed up with a fever eating away his flesh. So much for living a quiet eternity in perpetual health.Desperately seeking the cause of their slow, miserable deaths, Athena and Hermes travel the world, gathering allies and discovering enemies both new and old. Their search leads them to Cassandra—an ordinary girl who was once an extraordinary prophetess, protected and loved by a god. These days, Cassandra doesn’t involve herself in the business of gods—in fact, she doesn’t even know they exist. But she could be the key in a war that is only just beginning. Because Hera, the queen of the gods, has aligned herself with other of the ancient Olympians, who are killing off rivals in an attempt to prolong their own lives. But these anti-gods have become corrupted in their desperation to survive, horrific caricatures of their former glory. Athena will need every advantage she can get, because immortals don’t just flicker out. Every one of them dies in their own way. Some choke on feathers. Others become monsters. All of them rage against their last breath.
The Goddess War is about to begin.
I admit, it was a bit difficult to relate to Athena at first. She is cold, calculating. What you might expect of a war goddess, but not a relatable YA lead. Cassandra, on the other hand, I quickly identified with. She has this awesome relationship with Aiden, a great brother, and a really cool bestie (she's captain of the hockey team and can kick some serious butt).
I really enjoyed the irony of the way each of the gods and goddesses were meeting their fate. Kendare was clever with her death sentences and they were believable and often horrific at the same time.
What kept me going most in the story was the plot and pacing. The stakes just kept getting higher for Athena, Hermes, Cassandra (and the others who aren't mentioned in the description, so I won't spoil it for you. Not every god or goddess makes an appearance though - I will tell you that.) I kept thinking, I don't know how they can survive this. The tension kept me flipping the pages and I stayed up way late reading it.
Because the gods basically lack any power, you don't get much of a mythology feel in the classical sense, but there are plenty of references to the Trojan War and the roles everyone played there.
Overall, I really enjoyed the book. I thought it was unique and fast-paced. If you like books with loads of action, a dash of romance, and a side of mythology, I recommend Antigoddess.
November 23, 2013
MOONLESS - Excerpt + Contest!
Today I'm really excited to be a part of Crystal Collier's MOONLESS Blog Tour. She's worked so hard to put this together and make this a really fun adventure for her readers. So I won't make you read any more from me. :)
Title: Moonless Author: Crystal Collier Series: Maiden of Time #1 Publication: November 13th, 2013 Category: Young Adult (YA) Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance
Alexia’s nightmares become reality: a dead baron, red-eyed wraiths, and forbidden love with a man hunted by these creatures. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with her beloved and risk becoming one of the Soulless. MOONLESS is Jane Eyre meets Supernatural.
Unravel the mystery of the Moonless night! Hidden in each of the 8 blog tour excerpts is a single word. Gather all 8 and figure out the sentence to win a free copy of Moonless. Send your mystery sentence to crystal (AT) crystal-collier.com with the subject MYSTERY SENTENCE before December 10, 2013, and you will be entered to win one of 10 copies of MOONLESS—just in time for Christmas. Happy hunting!
Excerpt #5
Kiren extended a hand to help her up, and she took it. Her feet were instantly below her—so quickly that she stumbled and landed against his solid form. An arm rounded her back tenderly, her legs threatening to give at the elation of his touch.He turned in the direction of the house, pulling her forward with him, moving out of the garden and up to solid brick walls. They halted at a window, the study window. Father sat within, gazing at the portrait of Dana, fingers tracing the details.“He gave her up.” Her attention snapped back to her breathtaking captor, inhaling his oaken tang. “He could have kept her for his own, and he gave her up.”His eyes met hers. The azure depths broke in a myriad of lighter flecks, like stars reflected in an ocean tide. They consumed her, igniting a fire within her breast—an irrational hunger for the tremor in his arm against her back, the heat of his side against hers, the feel of his hand vacillating ever so slightly . . .He released her and took a few steps back. “You need to go now.”
READ MORE EXCERPTS
Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Website
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Title: Moonless Author: Crystal Collier Series: Maiden of Time #1 Publication: November 13th, 2013 Category: Young Adult (YA) Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance
Alexia’s nightmares become reality: a dead baron, red-eyed wraiths, and forbidden love with a man hunted by these creatures. After an attack close to home, Alexia realizes she cannot keep one foot in her old life and one in this new world. To protect her family she must either be sold into a loveless marriage, or escape with her beloved and risk becoming one of the Soulless. MOONLESS is Jane Eyre meets Supernatural.
Unravel the mystery of the Moonless night! Hidden in each of the 8 blog tour excerpts is a single word. Gather all 8 and figure out the sentence to win a free copy of Moonless. Send your mystery sentence to crystal (AT) crystal-collier.com with the subject MYSTERY SENTENCE before December 10, 2013, and you will be entered to win one of 10 copies of MOONLESS—just in time for Christmas. Happy hunting!
Excerpt #5
Kiren extended a hand to help her up, and she took it. Her feet were instantly below her—so quickly that she stumbled and landed against his solid form. An arm rounded her back tenderly, her legs threatening to give at the elation of his touch.He turned in the direction of the house, pulling her forward with him, moving out of the garden and up to solid brick walls. They halted at a window, the study window. Father sat within, gazing at the portrait of Dana, fingers tracing the details.“He gave her up.” Her attention snapped back to her breathtaking captor, inhaling his oaken tang. “He could have kept her for his own, and he gave her up.”His eyes met hers. The azure depths broke in a myriad of lighter flecks, like stars reflected in an ocean tide. They consumed her, igniting a fire within her breast—an irrational hunger for the tremor in his arm against her back, the heat of his side against hers, the feel of his hand vacillating ever so slightly . . .He released her and took a few steps back. “You need to go now.”
READ MORE EXCERPTS
Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Website
a Rafflecopter giveaway
November 19, 2013
Debut YA Book Birthdays ~ Week of November 19
I missed last week's post, but I had a good excuse… I was at Disney during the weekend, so I didn't have time to do my post. If you're interested in the books that released last week, you can see a list here. I'm back on track though, and since I'm in the birthday kind of mood (mine was Sunday), here is the debut YA book birthday this week. What do you think?
HE SAID, SHE SAID by Kwame Alexander
Sparks will fly in this hip-hop-hot teen novel that mixes social protest and star-crossed romance! He Said, She Said is perfect for fans of Walter Dean Myers and Rachel Vail alike.He says: Omar "T-Diddy" Smalls has got it made—a full football ride to UMiami, hero-worship status at school, and pick of any girl at West Charleston High.She says: Football, shmootball. Here's what Claudia Clarke cares about: Harvard, the poor, the disenfranchised, the hungry, the staggering teen pregnancy rate, investigative journalism . . . the list goes on. She does not have a minute to waste on Mr. T-Diddy Smalls and his harem of bimbos.He Said, She Said is a fun and fresh novel from Kwame Alexander that throws these two high school seniors together when they unexpectedly end up leading the biggest social protest this side of the Mississippi—with a lot of help from Facebook and Twitter.
The stakes are high, the romance is hot, and when these worlds collide, watch out!
HE SAID, SHE SAID by Kwame Alexander
Sparks will fly in this hip-hop-hot teen novel that mixes social protest and star-crossed romance! He Said, She Said is perfect for fans of Walter Dean Myers and Rachel Vail alike.He says: Omar "T-Diddy" Smalls has got it made—a full football ride to UMiami, hero-worship status at school, and pick of any girl at West Charleston High.She says: Football, shmootball. Here's what Claudia Clarke cares about: Harvard, the poor, the disenfranchised, the hungry, the staggering teen pregnancy rate, investigative journalism . . . the list goes on. She does not have a minute to waste on Mr. T-Diddy Smalls and his harem of bimbos.He Said, She Said is a fun and fresh novel from Kwame Alexander that throws these two high school seniors together when they unexpectedly end up leading the biggest social protest this side of the Mississippi—with a lot of help from Facebook and Twitter.The stakes are high, the romance is hot, and when these worlds collide, watch out!
November 5, 2013
Debut YA Book Birthdays ~ Week of November 5
November… wow! I hope everyone had a fabulous Halloween. My kiddos had parties and parades and trick-or-treating, but somehow I think I'm the one about to gain 5 pounds. Hmmm….
So, here we are at the start of Turkey Month, which I'm always partial to since my own birthday falls in November (and Destined will be turning 2, which is crazy). And while we're talking birthdays, let's check out this week's debut YA book birthdays. ARE THERE ANY THAT GET YOUR ATTENTION?
AFTER EDEN by Helen Douglas
The day Eden met Ryan changed her world forever. Actually, not just her world. Ryan has time traveled from the future to save the world. In a few weeks, Eden’s best friend Connor will discover a new planet—one where human life is possible. The discovery will make him famous. It will also ruin the world as we know it. When Ryan asks Eden for help, she must choose between saving the world and saving her best friend’s greatest achievement. And a crush on Ryan complicates things more than she could have imagined. Because Connor is due to make the discovery after the girl he loves breaks his heart. That girl is Eden.
Grounded in a realistic teen world with fascinating sci-fi elements, After Eden is a heart-pounding love triangle that’s perfect for dystopian fans looking for something new to devour.
PALACE OF SPIES by Sarah Zettel (while this isn't Sarah's first novel by a long shot, it does appear to be her first YA novel)
A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don't.Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she's impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love . . .
History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.
ENGINES OF THE BROKEN WORLD by Jason Vanhee (another published author making his debut YA appearance)
Merciful Truth and her brother, Gospel, have just pulled their dead mother into the kitchen and stowed her under the table. It was a long illness, and they wanted to bury her—they did—but it’s far too cold outside, and they know they won’t be able to dig into the frozen ground. The Minister who lives with them, who preaches through his animal form, doesn’t make them feel any better about what they’ve done. Merciful calms her guilty feelings but only until, from the other room, she hears a voice she thought she’d never hear again. It’s her mother’s voice, and it’s singing a lullaby. . . .Engines of the Broken World is a chilling young adult novel from Jason Vanhee.
BROKEN by C.J. Lyons (and ANOTHER adult author venturing over to YA land)
WOULD YOU PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE TO BE NORMAL?
Diagnosed with a rare and untreatable heart condition, Scarlet has come to terms with the fact that she's going to die. Literally of a broken heart. It could be tomorrow, or it could be next year. But the clock is ticking...
All Scarlet asks is for a chance to attend high school—even if just for a week-a chance to be just like everyone else. But Scarlet can feel her heart beating out of control with each slammed locker and vicious taunt. Is this normal? Really? Yet there's more going on than she knows. And finding out the truth might just kill Scarlet before her heart does...
And this is definitely NOT a debut, but since I adore Jessica Souders (as a person and an author), I have to wish her a VERY HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY for Revelations, book 2 in the Elysium Chronicles. And if you haven't read Renegade yet (book 1), go forth and do so!
REVELATIONS by J.A. Souders
The Elysium Chronicles, J.A. Souders’ riveting SF series for teens which began with the psychological thriller Renegade, continues in Revelations.
Six weeks after her arrival on the Surface, Evelyn Winters is no closer to unlocking the memories lost in her subconscious than she was when she first came. Isolated in a strange new society, Evie has only Gavin Hunter to remind her of who she once was. But even with a clean slate, it’s easy to see that Evie doesn’t fit in on the Surface. And as her differences make her feel more and more alone, she can’t help but yearn for that place she doesn’t remember: the isolated city hidden in the depths of the ocean. Elysium. Home. But she can’t exactly tell Gavin what she’s feeling. Not when he’s the one who helped her escape Elysium in the first place, and has the scars to prove it. Though the doctors say otherwise, Gavin believes that Evie just needs time. And if her memories don’t come back, well, maybe she’s better off not remembering her past. But the decision may be out of their hands when Evie’s ever-elusive memories begin to collide with reality. People and images from her past appear in the most unlikely places, haunting her, provoking her…and making her seem not only strange but dangerous. Evie and Gavin can’t wait around for her memories to return. They’ll have to journey across the Outlands of the Surface to find help, and in the end, their search may just lead them back to the place it all started…
So, here we are at the start of Turkey Month, which I'm always partial to since my own birthday falls in November (and Destined will be turning 2, which is crazy). And while we're talking birthdays, let's check out this week's debut YA book birthdays. ARE THERE ANY THAT GET YOUR ATTENTION?
AFTER EDEN by Helen Douglas
The day Eden met Ryan changed her world forever. Actually, not just her world. Ryan has time traveled from the future to save the world. In a few weeks, Eden’s best friend Connor will discover a new planet—one where human life is possible. The discovery will make him famous. It will also ruin the world as we know it. When Ryan asks Eden for help, she must choose between saving the world and saving her best friend’s greatest achievement. And a crush on Ryan complicates things more than she could have imagined. Because Connor is due to make the discovery after the girl he loves breaks his heart. That girl is Eden. Grounded in a realistic teen world with fascinating sci-fi elements, After Eden is a heart-pounding love triangle that’s perfect for dystopian fans looking for something new to devour.
PALACE OF SPIES by Sarah Zettel (while this isn't Sarah's first novel by a long shot, it does appear to be her first YA novel)
A warning to all young ladies of delicate breeding who wish to embark upon lives of adventure: Don't.Sixteen-year-old Peggy is a well-bred orphan who is coerced into posing as a lady in waiting at the palace of King George I. Life is grand, until Peggy starts to suspect that the girl she's impersonating might have been murdered. Unless Peggy can discover the truth, she might be doomed to the same terrible fate. But in a court of shadows and intrigue, anyone could be a spy—perhaps even the handsome young artist with whom Peggy is falling in love . . .History and mystery spark in this effervescent series debut.
ENGINES OF THE BROKEN WORLD by Jason Vanhee (another published author making his debut YA appearance)
Merciful Truth and her brother, Gospel, have just pulled their dead mother into the kitchen and stowed her under the table. It was a long illness, and they wanted to bury her—they did—but it’s far too cold outside, and they know they won’t be able to dig into the frozen ground. The Minister who lives with them, who preaches through his animal form, doesn’t make them feel any better about what they’ve done. Merciful calms her guilty feelings but only until, from the other room, she hears a voice she thought she’d never hear again. It’s her mother’s voice, and it’s singing a lullaby. . . .Engines of the Broken World is a chilling young adult novel from Jason Vanhee.BROKEN by C.J. Lyons (and ANOTHER adult author venturing over to YA land)
WOULD YOU PUT YOUR LIFE ON THE LINE TO BE NORMAL?
Diagnosed with a rare and untreatable heart condition, Scarlet has come to terms with the fact that she's going to die. Literally of a broken heart. It could be tomorrow, or it could be next year. But the clock is ticking...All Scarlet asks is for a chance to attend high school—even if just for a week-a chance to be just like everyone else. But Scarlet can feel her heart beating out of control with each slammed locker and vicious taunt. Is this normal? Really? Yet there's more going on than she knows. And finding out the truth might just kill Scarlet before her heart does...
And this is definitely NOT a debut, but since I adore Jessica Souders (as a person and an author), I have to wish her a VERY HAPPY BOOK BIRTHDAY for Revelations, book 2 in the Elysium Chronicles. And if you haven't read Renegade yet (book 1), go forth and do so!
REVELATIONS by J.A. Souders
The Elysium Chronicles, J.A. Souders’ riveting SF series for teens which began with the psychological thriller Renegade, continues in Revelations.Six weeks after her arrival on the Surface, Evelyn Winters is no closer to unlocking the memories lost in her subconscious than she was when she first came. Isolated in a strange new society, Evie has only Gavin Hunter to remind her of who she once was. But even with a clean slate, it’s easy to see that Evie doesn’t fit in on the Surface. And as her differences make her feel more and more alone, she can’t help but yearn for that place she doesn’t remember: the isolated city hidden in the depths of the ocean. Elysium. Home. But she can’t exactly tell Gavin what she’s feeling. Not when he’s the one who helped her escape Elysium in the first place, and has the scars to prove it. Though the doctors say otherwise, Gavin believes that Evie just needs time. And if her memories don’t come back, well, maybe she’s better off not remembering her past. But the decision may be out of their hands when Evie’s ever-elusive memories begin to collide with reality. People and images from her past appear in the most unlikely places, haunting her, provoking her…and making her seem not only strange but dangerous. Evie and Gavin can’t wait around for her memories to return. They’ll have to journey across the Outlands of the Surface to find help, and in the end, their search may just lead them back to the place it all started…
October 29, 2013
What???
I went to my trusted source for debut YA releases last night and found NOTHING. Not even non-debut authors are releasing today. Do people not want to compete with Halloween or something? Who knows!
Anyway, so as not to miss my once-a-week posting day, I thought I'd share a pic of me being Fan Girl with Joshua Radin (his music inspired lots of my writing) and my hubby playing along. Hope you have a beautiful week and delightfully frightening Halloween!
Anyway, so as not to miss my once-a-week posting day, I thought I'd share a pic of me being Fan Girl with Joshua Radin (his music inspired lots of my writing) and my hubby playing along. Hope you have a beautiful week and delightfully frightening Halloween!
October 22, 2013
Debut YA Book Birthdays ~ Week of October 22
Again this week, I found only 1 debut YA novel. But boy, does this sound different? What do you think... TBR pile or not so much?
FREAKBOY by Kristin Elizabeth Clark
From the outside, Brendan Chase seems to have it pretty easy. He’s a star wrestler, a video game aficionado, and a loving boyfriend to his seemingly perfect match, Vanessa. But on the inside, Brendan struggles to understand why his body feels so wrong—why he sometimes fantasizes having long hair, soft skin, and gentle curves. Is there even a name for guys like him? Guys who sometimes want to be girls? Or is Brendan just a freak?
In Freakboy's razor-sharp verse, Kristin Clark folds three narratives into one powerful story: Brendan trying to understand his sexual identity, Vanessa fighting to keep her and Brendan’s relationship alive, and Angel struggling to confront her demons.
FREAKBOY by Kristin Elizabeth ClarkFrom the outside, Brendan Chase seems to have it pretty easy. He’s a star wrestler, a video game aficionado, and a loving boyfriend to his seemingly perfect match, Vanessa. But on the inside, Brendan struggles to understand why his body feels so wrong—why he sometimes fantasizes having long hair, soft skin, and gentle curves. Is there even a name for guys like him? Guys who sometimes want to be girls? Or is Brendan just a freak?
In Freakboy's razor-sharp verse, Kristin Clark folds three narratives into one powerful story: Brendan trying to understand his sexual identity, Vanessa fighting to keep her and Brendan’s relationship alive, and Angel struggling to confront her demons.
October 15, 2013
Debut YA Book Birthdays ~ Week of October 15th
I could only find one debut novel this week, but it sounds pretty intense. What do you guys think???
ANYWHERE BUT HERE by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Cole’s small town is a trap he’s determined to escape in this fresh and moving debut novel that balances loss with humor.
Ever since his mom died, Cole just feels stuck. His dad acts like a stranger, and Lauren, his picture-perfect girlfriend of two years, doesn’t understand him anymore. He can’t ditch his dad, so Cole breaks up with Lauren. She doesn’t take the news very well, and Cole’s best friend won’t get off his case about it.
Now more than ever, Cole wants to graduate and leave his small, suffocating town. And everything is going according to plan—until Cole discovers the one secret that could keep him there…forever.
ANYWHERE BUT HERE by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
Cole’s small town is a trap he’s determined to escape in this fresh and moving debut novel that balances loss with humor.Ever since his mom died, Cole just feels stuck. His dad acts like a stranger, and Lauren, his picture-perfect girlfriend of two years, doesn’t understand him anymore. He can’t ditch his dad, so Cole breaks up with Lauren. She doesn’t take the news very well, and Cole’s best friend won’t get off his case about it.
Now more than ever, Cole wants to graduate and leave his small, suffocating town. And everything is going according to plan—until Cole discovers the one secret that could keep him there…forever.
