Melanie McCullough's Blog

Mind of Winter, Laura Kasischke

Rating:   3.5 of 5 Stars
Source: Suspense

Publication: 3/25/2014, Harper

# of Pages:  288 (Hardback)

Source: Purchased

Synopsis from Goodreads: On a snowy Christmas morning, Holly Judge awakens, the fragments of a nightmare-something she must write down-floating on the edge of her consciousness.

Something followed them from Russia.

On another Christmas morning thirteen years ago, she and her husband Eric were in Siberia to meet the sweet, dark-haired Rapunzel they desperately wanted. How they laughed at the nurses of Pokrovka Orphanage #2 with their garlic and their superstitions, and ignored their gentle warnings. After all, their fairy princess Tatiana-baby Tatty-was perfect.

As the snow falls, enveloping the world in its white silence, Holly senses that something is not right, has not been right in the years since they brought their daughter-now a dangerously beautiful, petulant, sometimes erratic teenager-home. There is something evil inside this house. Inside themselves. How else to explain the accidents, the seemingly random and banal misfortunes. Trixie, the cat. The growth on Eric's hand. Sally the hen, their favorite, how the other chickens turned on her. The housekeeper, that ice, a bad fall. The CDs scratched, every one.

But Holly must not think of these things. She and Tatiana are all alone. Eric is stuck on the roads and none of their guests will be able to make it through the snow. With each passing hour, the blizzard rages and Tatiana's mood darkens, her behavior becoming increasingly disturbing and frightening. Until, in every mother's worst nightmare, Holly finds she no longer recognizes her daughter.

M y Review:   I can't really delve too much into the plot because I don't want to give anything away so I'll just say that Mind of Winter is a clever little book by an equally clever writer. Laura Kasischke has a unique writing style that may seem, to some, repetitive or overwrought, but once you get used to it, the story is well worth the investment. It was engaging, though little was actually happening. Just seemingly mundane, normal things. I can't say that I didn't enjoy it because I did. I enjoyed it tremendously. I started reading before bed one evening and, in complete disregard for how I tired I would be at work the next day, I continued to read well into the early morning the next day. I didn't want to put it down and for the few brief minutes that I was forced to, I continued to think about the story, to try and puzzle it out. I read a ton of books so for a story to leave me guessing all the way to the end, is a rare occurrence. Mind of Winter did that and it did it well.

My main problem with Mind of Winter, then, is that I expected something else. The synopsis really gave me a supernatural/horror vibe that I never really felt while reading. I wasn't once frightened or on the edge of my seat, I was just confused. Albeit in a good way but confused nonetheless. That being said, I don't feel it's fair to judge a book too harshly based upon my own assumption of what the book would be about. That's not the book's fault. It's mine. Removing my bias, we are left with an engaging story and a memorable ending. I'd recommended it to fans of psychological suspense or mysteries. It's tension-filled but slow-moving, so if you're looking for action, this book isn't for you.


Add to Goodreads 

May is Lupus Awareness Month so today I am participating in a cover reveal for Empower: Fight Like a Girl. Personally, I think it's an amazing cover and all proceeds go to a great cause.


Amazon
Genre: Anthology of short stories ranging from crime mysteries to paranormal thrillers
Publisher: Words Empower Media
Release date: May 1, 2014

Praise for Empower: Fight Like A Girl

"Even non-girls will feel empowered by these stories about ordinary, flawed characters finding their own strengths. Highly entertaining and original." -  Lee Goldberg, New York Times bestselling author of The Chase and King City, whose mother lost her hearing to lupus.

Women of TV have united against lupus! Presenting Empower: Fight Like A Girl , a special collection of short stories by top women writers from some of your favorite shows, including: Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., Family Guy, Person of Interest, Grimm, Battlestar Galactica, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Law & Order: SVU, Star Trek: Voyager, Eureka, Twisted, The 100, Malcolm in the Middle, Millennium, Being Human, The Shield, Castle, Chuck, Gilmore Girls, and Game of Thrones. In this anthology, you'll discover supernatural thrillers, crime mysteries, horror, comedies, and more.

Authors contributing stories to this volume include:
Amy BergCherry ChevapravatdumrongAkela CooperLiz EdwardsJane EspensonShalisha Francis & Nadine KnightLisa KlinkPang-Ni LandrumLauren LeFrancKam MillerJess PinedaJennifer QuintenzLisa RandolphKay ReindlKira SnyderJeane Wong

All proceeds will be donated to the non-profit Lupus Foundation of America to help solve the cruel mystery of lupus.

Quick, look. I've brought you something pretty...


Today I'm super excited to be part of the cover reveal for Arcana by Jessica Leake. I've been wanting to get back to posting regularly and I think this amazing cover reveal was the right way to start. It's gorgeous and I'm kind of in love with it. Now stop reading this and go gawk at the pretty.


Release Date: November 4, 2014

Book Summary:
 A romantic, suspenseful, genre-bending debut set in Edwardian London.

Amid the sumptuous backdrop of the London season in 1905, headstrong Katherine Sinclair must join the ranks of debutantes vying for suitors. Unfortunately for Katherine, she cannot imagine anything more loathsome—or dangerous. To help ease her entrance into society, Katherine’s family has elicited the assistance of the Earl of Thornewood, a friend and London’s most eligible bachelor, to be her constant companion at the endless fetes and balls. But upon her arrival in London, Katherine realizes there will be more to this season than just white gowns and husband hunting.

Through her late mother’s enchanted diary, Katherine receives warning to keep hidden her otherworldly ability to perform arcana, a magic fueled by the power of the sun. Any misstep could mean ruin—and not just for her family name. The Order of the Eternal Sun is everywhere—hunting for those like her, able to feed on arcana with only a touch of the hand.

But society intrigue can be just as perilous as the Order. The machinations of the fashionable elite are a constant threat, and those who covet Katherine’s arcana, seeking the power of her birthright, could be hiding behind the façade of every suitor—even the darkly handsome Earl of Thornewood.

With so much danger and suspicion, can she give her heart to the one who captivates her, or is he just another after her power?
Author Bio: Jessica Leake has been in love with historical England ever since her first literary crush: Mr. Darcy. After embarking on a quest to bring her own intriguing and headstrong characters to life, she decided to quit her day job as a clinical therapist and spend her time weaving arcana with words. She lives in Greenville, SC with her brilliant husband, three painfully cute children, and two mischievous dogs. She invites you to visit her at jessicaleake.com.
              Links:http://jessicaleake.comwww.facebook.com/authorjessicaleakewww.twitter.com/jessleakewww.amazon.com/Arcana-A-Novel-Jessica-Leake/dp/1940456142/https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20344642-arcana

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
Today I'm featuring 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil.  
Synopsis from Goodreads:   Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. Her parents are divorcing, her boyfriend Nick has grown distant, and her physics teacher has it in for her. When she's betrayed by the two people she trusts most, Josie thinks things can't get worse.

Until she starts having dreams about a girl named Jo. Every night at the same time—3:59 a.m.

Jo's life is everything Josie wants: she's popular, her parents are happily married, and Nick adores her. It all seems real, but they're just dreams, right? Josie thinks so, until she wakes one night to a shadowy image of herself in the bedroom mirror – Jo.

Josie and Jo realize that they are doppelgängers living in parallel universes that overlap every twelve hours at exactly 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to jump through the portal and switch places for a day.

But Jo’s world is far from perfect. Not only is Nick not Jo's boyfriend, he hates her. Jo's mom is missing, possibly insane. And at night, shadowy creatures feed on human flesh.

By the end of the day, Josie is desperate to return to her own life. But there’s a problem: Jo has sealed the portal, trapping Josie in this dangerous world. Can she figure out a way home before it’s too late?

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N Why I'm Waiting:  I loved Gretchen McNeil's Possess and Ten so she's on my automatic pre-order list. Anything she writes I will buy. If you haven't read anything by her yet, you should.  She's amazing.------3:59 will be released by Balzer + Bray on September 17th, 2013!
Okay, so that's mine. What's your WOW pick this week? Also, if you want to participate, head on over to Breaking the Spine and link up!!

It's that time again! Rock the Drop 2013 will happen tomorrow 4/18/2013. I participated last year with some books from the lovely folks at Haper Collins and it was a blast. This year I'll be dropping the following around Philadelphia for some lucky teens to find:


  Level 2, by Lenore Appelhans
What Happens Next, by Colleen Clayton
A Beautiful Dark, by Jocelyn Davies
Dark Eden, by Patrick Carman
Justin Bieber: Just Getting Started
Most of these books are new but are duplicates of books I received from the publisher, so thank you to Harper, Simon & Schuster, and Little Brown!! If you want to join in the fun, see the details below courtesy of Figment.
Here’s how Rock the Drop works:1. Print out the official bookplate (click here for a full-size version) and put it inside a book you want to share. Used books are totally okay! You can also share the bookplate on your blog, Tumblr, and Facebook.
2. Plan a super sneaky or sentimental place to hide your book. Under the tree in your favorite park? On the subway? In the cafeteria? Whichever place you choose is perfect.
3. On Thursday, April 18, drop your book and then tweet a picture or the name of the location with the hashtag #rockthedrop.
4. Bask in the glow that comes with introducing a complete stranger to his or her new favorite book.

And don’t forget, you can FIND books too! Follow @readergirlz for more info on #rockthedrop.

Rock the Drop celebrates YALSA‘s Support Teen Literature Day. It’s being coordinated by readergirlz, Figment, Soho Teen, I Heart Daily, and 826NYC.

This year, you can also donate books to the awesome 826NYC to help them grow their in-house library and support their youth writing and literacy initiatives! Package up books you love and mail them to:

  826NYCattn: Joan Kimc/o: readergirlz Rock the Drop
372 Fifth Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11215

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
Today I'm featuring The 100 by Kass Morgan.    Synopsis from Goodreads:   In the future, humans live in city-like spaceships orbiting far above Earth's toxic atmosphere. No one knows when, or even if, the long-abandoned planet will be habitable again. But faced with dwindling resources and a growing populace, government leaders know they must reclaim their homeland...before it's too late.
Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents are being sent on a high-stakes mission to recolonize Earth. After a brutal crash landing, the teens arrive on a savagely beautiful planet they've only seen from space. Confronting the dangers of this rugged new world, they struggle to form a tentative community. But they're haunted by their past and uncertain about the future. To survive, they must learn to trust-and even love-again. Goodreads / Amazon / B&N    Why I'm Waiting:  A toxic Earth, spaceships, a struggle to survive. Definitely right up my alley. Plus, I hear they are already developing a pilot for TV and I always like to read the book before I watch the television show.
 ------The 100 will be released by Little Brown BFYR on September 3rd, 2013!
Okay, so that's mine. What's your WOW pick this week? Also, if you want to participate, head on over to Breaking the Spine and link up!!

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine , that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.
Today I'm featuring These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Megan Spooner.  
  Synopsis from Goodreads:   It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they're worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.
Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other's arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder-would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won't be the same people who landed on it.

The first in a sweeping science fiction trilogy, These Broken Stars is a timeless love story about hope and survival in the face of unthinkable odds. Goodreads / Amazon / B&N    Why I'm Waiting: OMG, that cover. SWOON! And, well, we all know I'm a sucker for a good sci-fi romance novel.
 ------These Broken Stars will be released by Disney/Hyperion on December 10th, 2013!
Okay, so that's mine. What's your WOW pick this week? Also, if you want to participate, head on over to Breaking the Spine and link up!!

Hey guys! Today I'm excited to take part in the Happy New Year 2013 Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Babs Book Bistro . For my stop, I'm giving away a copy of What Happens Next by Colleen Clayton. This was one of my favorite reads of 2012!


Synopsis from Goodreads:    How can you talk about something that you can't remember?
Before the ski trip, Cassidy "Sid" Murphy was a cheerleader (on the bottom of the pyramid, but still...) and a straight-A student, with two of the best friends a girl could ask for.
When Sid finds herself on a ski lift with hunky local college guy, Dax Windsor, she's thrilled. "Come to a party with me," he tells her, but Dax isn't what he seems. He takes everything from Sid-including a lock of her perfect red curls-and she can't remember any of it.
After the ski trip, Sid is an insomniac and an obsessive late-night runner, unable to relate to her old friends.
Caught in a downward spiral, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey "The Living Stoner" Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey--slacker, baker, total dreamboat--Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if only she could shake the nightmares, everything would be perfect...
Witty and poignant, Colleen Clayton's debut is a stunning story of moving on after the unthinkable happens.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
To enter just leave a comment and a way to contact you (email, twitter handle, etc.). Sorry, rafflecopter is being a pain!! In any case, this counts as 1 entry. If you follow this blog, you get an extra entry. If you tweet, facebook, or otherwise spread the news I'll give you 3 additional entries. Just let me know what you did in the comments. The hop runs from January 1st-7th. I will chose a winner on the 8th. Good luck to everyone who enters and don't forget to check out the rest of the stops on the hop!!!

Today I'm thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for Emily McKay's The Farm. This book is thrilling and unexpected and just all around awesome. Look for my review to be posted next week. In the meantime, I have a brief Q&A with the author and a giveaway!!!!!


Synopsis: Life was different in the Before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race...
Amazon / Goodreads
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Amazing, right?! Now, Emily McKay gives us some insight into The Farm's setting and her experience writing both Young Adult and Adult novels...

Q. Is there a specific reason that the story takes place in Texas? Was it a purposeful decision, or a random selection?

A. I live in Austin, Texas, and the landscape of this state—particularly between the major cities—lends itself well to a post-apocalyptic novel.  Also the drive they take out of Texas is a drive I took every summer growing up when I was visiting my family in the Ozarks.

Q. When writing a YA novel, what are the things you are conscious of in terms of language choice, character development, etc? What are some of the differences when writing a YA novel and compared to an Adult novel?

A. I think whether I’m writing a YA novel or an adult novel, my number one focus is on telling a kick-ass story.  And while I edited a little for language and content in the YA novel, I think YA readers are some of the savviest ones out there and I knew I had to bring it if I wanted to impress them.  I hope I did.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. Thanks to the lovely folks at Penguin I have a prize pack to offer to one lucky reader!!!

The prize pack includes a copy of The Farm and a Vampire Apocalypse Survival Kit.

Rafflecopter is being wonky so just leave a comment for Emily and don't forget to include a way for me to contact you (email, twitter, etc.). I'll pick a winner on 1/15/2013!!! If you tweet or facebook about the giveaway, leave a link and I'll give you 2 additional entries.


Good luck and don't forget to check out the rest of the blog tour for more content and more chances to win!!! To learn more about the book or the author, please check out the book's website at: http://www.escapethefarm.com/
BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE 
Nov. 26  ICEYBOOKS  http://www.iceybooks.com/
Nov. 27  THE READING FEVER  http://www.thereadingfever.com/
Nov. 28  READ NOW SLEEP LATER  http://www.readnowsleeplater.com/
Nov. 29  KATIE’S BOOK BLOG  http://www.katiesbookblog.com/
Nov. 30  MY OVERSTUFFED BOOKSHELF  http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/
Dec. 3    WASTEPAPER PROSE  http://www.wastepaperprose.com/
Dec. 4    CORNUCOPIA OF REVIEWS  http://cornucopiaofreviews.blogspot.com/
Dec. 5    THE READING GEEK  http://thereadinggeek.blogspot.com/
Dec. 6   CHICA READER  http://chicareader.blogspot.com/
Dec. 7   THE READING DATE  http://thereadingdate.com/
Dec. 10  YOUNG ADULT BOOK REVIEWS  http://youngadultbookreviews.com/
Dec. 11  LITERARY ESCAPISM http://www.literaryescapism.com/
Dec. 12  THE LIBRARIAN READS  http://thelibrarianreads.com/
Dec. 13  ACTIN UP WITH BOOKS  http://actinupwithbooks.blogspot.com/
Dec. 14  YA LOVE BLOG  http://yaloveblog.com/
Dec. 17  ADDICTED 2 NOVELS  http://www.addicted2novels.com/
Dec. 18  POISONED RATIONALITY  http://www.prationality.com/
Dec. 19  BREE’S BOOKS  http://www.breesbooks.com/
Dec. 20  GONE WITH THE WORDS  http://www.gonewiththewords.com/

And the winner of an ARC of Level 2 is....

ERIN 
Erin has already replied to the winner notification and her book is on the way. Congratulations Erin!!!!