Wednesday, 14 October 2015

Book Blast: Wishing for You by

Today we're joining the book blast for Wishing for You by Elizabeth Langston. Come take a look at the I Wish series, read an excerpt from the new book, and take part in the rafflecopter to win a cool prize!

I wish
I Wish by Elizabeth Langston

What Lacey needs is a miracle. What she gets is a genie with rules.

Lacey Linden is hiding the truth of her life—a depressed mom, a crumbling house, and bills too big to pay. While her high school classmates see a girl with a ready smile and good grades, Lacey spends her evenings seeking ways to save her family. On a get-cash-quick trip to the flea market, Lacey stumbles over a music box that seemingly begs her to take it home. She does, only to find it is inhabited by a gorgeous "genie." He offers her a month of wishes, one per day, but there's a catch. Each wish must be humanly possible.

Grant belongs to a league of supernatural beings, dedicated to serving humans in need. After two years of fulfilling the boring wishes of conventional teens, he is one assignment away from promotion to a challenging new role with more daring cases. Yet his month with Lacey is everything that he expects and nothing like he imagines. Lacey and Grant soon discover that the most difficult task of all might be saying goodbye.

Praise for I Wish

From School Library Journal (I Wish #1)

Langston wisely limits the power of wishes, so there can be no easy fixes to complex problems. [The story] is all the better for it, putting the focus on the compelling and sympathetic characters.

… the denouement offers enough twists and unresolved questions to have readers wishing the next book was already available.

From K-books blog:

I Wish is a fantastic storyline, with a dash of romance that is perfect for any YA fan. I can't recommend it enough.

From Reese’s Reviews blog:

This is definitely one of the most beautiful and amazingly written books I’ve ever read. Elizabeth Langston has written a fantastic story that drew me in from the first page.



Wishing for You NewWishing for You by Elizabeth Langston

She’s a girl who can’t remember. He’s the guy she can’t forget…

It’s her final semester of high school, and Kimberley Rey is curious to discover what will come next. She needs to pick a college, but her memory disability complicates the choice. Will her struggles to remember make it impossible to leave home?

Help arrives through an unexpected and supernatural gift. Grant is a “genie” with rules. He can give her thirty wishes (one per day for a month) as long as the tasks are humanly possible. Kimberley knows just what to ask for--lessons in how to live on her own.

But her wishes change when a friend receives a devastating diagnosis. As she joins forces with Grant to help her friend, Kimberley learns that the ability to live in the moment--to forget--may be more valuable than she ever knew.



Excerpt from Wishing For You

There was a pounding on the bedroom door. My eyes fluttered open to find sunlight streaming into the attic.

Lacey groaned. "What is it, Henry?"

The door creaked and then banged against the wall. "Did Kimberley sleep over?"

"Does it look like she's in this room?"

"Yes."

"Then she did sleep over."

"Cool." Lacey's younger brother ran over to my side of the bed and plopped cross-legged on the floor. "Do you want breakfast?"

I turned my head toward him, trying to focus. "Yes, I do."

"Mom is making pancakes. Do you like them?"

"Yes, I do."

"Bacon?"

"One of my favorites." I could smell it in the air.

"Good. It's one of mine too. Will you be ready to eat soon?"

I clapped a hand over my mouth to keep from snorting. Lacey had the most adorable little brother ever. "Is your mom making you wait until we come down?"

"Yes, she is."

"Give us ten minutes to get dressed."

"Ten? That sounds like a lot."

"Seven, then," I said in a firm voice.

He rose and ran from the room.

Beside me, Lacey laughed. "You handled that very well."

"How do you keep from laughing every time you talk to him?"

"Practice."

We were ready in six minutes and were about to head down the stairs when Lacey caught my arm. "Do you know where Sean went for Christmas?"

"I don't think so." I grabbed my phone and opened my notes. "What made you think of that?"

"It's been puzzling me. Mrs. Tucker and Sara kept their consignment shop open until Christmas Eve. Did his father go with him?"

"Yes." Lacey was right. It had felt strange when Sean mentioned it. But if I'd asked other questions, he hadn't answered because my notes only had the one detail. "Maybe he was visiting colleges."

"Someone like Sean would already have that decision made. Has he said where he's applying?"

I shook my head helplessly. It seemed like the kind of information a friend should know, but nothing was emerging from the recesses of my brain.

"Hey, guys," Henry called up the stairs. "It's been seven minutes."

Lacey called back, "On our way, little man."

We smiled at each other. There were pancakes waiting. We'd have to solve the Sean puzzle later.



ElizabethAuthor Elizabeth Langston

Elizabeth Langston lives in North Carolina, halfway between the beaches and the mountains. She has two college-age daughters and one old husband. When she's not writing software or stories, Elizabeth loves to travel with her family, watch shows on dance or Sherlock Holmes, and dream about which restaurant ought to get her business that night.



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BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/1/15

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Tuesday, 13 October 2015

Happy Book Birthday, Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch!

Woop woop! It's time for a release day celebration! We are so excited because Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch has been let out into the wild today. Go get a copy!




It’s been three months since the Winterians were freed and Spring’s king, Angra, disappeared—thanks largely to the help of Cordell.

Meira just wants her people to be safe. When Cordellan debt forces the Winterians to dig their mines for payment, they unearth something powerful and possibly dangerous: Primoria’s lost chasm of magic. Theron sees this find as an opportunity—with this much magic, the world can finally stand against threats like Angra. But Meira fears the danger the chasm poses—the last time the world had access to so much magic, it spawned the Decay. So when the king of Cordell orders the two on a mission across the kingdoms of Primoria to discover the chasm’s secrets, Meira plans to use the trip to garner support to keep the chasm shut and Winter safe—even if it means clashing with Theron. But can she do so without endangering the people she loves?

Mather just wants to be free. The horrors inflicted on the Winterians hang fresh and raw in Januari—leaving Winter vulnerable to Cordell’s growing oppression. When Meira leaves to search for allies, he decides to take Winter’s security into his own hands. Can he rebuild his broken kingdom and protect them from new threats?

As the web of power and deception weaves tighter, Theron fights for magic, Mather fights for freedom—and Meira starts to wonder if she should be fighting not just for Winter, but for the world.



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Monday, 12 October 2015

Book Blitz: The Summer Marked by Rebekah L. Purdy



Welcome to our stop on the book blitz for THE SUMMER MARKED by Rebekah L. Purdy. Take a look at this young adult fantasy, and get to know the author a little better by reading how she handles writing from two points of view. There's also a rafflecopter to enter, so be sure to check that out. But first, a looksie at the book cover.

The Summer Marked by Rebekah L. Purdy
(The Winter People #2)
Published by: Entangled: Teen
Publication date: September 22nd 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

The sequel to the chilling Winter People returns to the world of Faerie, and is a romantic and enchanting follow-up.

Salome left humankind behind to be with her boyfriend, Gareth, in the Kingdom of Summer. But now forces of darkness are rising. Her happily-ever-after is coming apart, and the Kingdom is on the brink of war.

Newly-single Kadie Byers is on her way home for Thanksgiving, imagining a visit filled with hot chocolate, a hot guy for a little rebound action, and some girl time with her bestie, Salome. Except she receives a message from Salome with two important words: PLEASE HURRY.

When Kadie rushes to help Salome, she’s ripped from the human world and pulled into the kingdoms of Faerie, where she’s shocked to learn that Salome’s monsters are real, and that she’s now at the mercy of one extremely vengeful Winter Queen…

Now both Salome and Kadie must find a way to survive the deadly chaos…or lose themselves to Winter’s deadly, icy grasp.


Writing From Two POVS

I had a blast writing The Summer Marked (book two in the Winter People series), but mostly because I got to create the story from two different characters’ points of view. Kadie and Salome are SUCH different people. Kadie is more bad ass and hardcore, where Salome, who can be tough if she needs to, is a more “soft” kind of character. She kind of wears her heart on her sleeve and cares SO much about people. So it was nice being able to see how each character reacted to their environments.

But these two girls are both in very different types of places within Faerie. Kadie has been dropped right into something out of a horror flick or a fairytale gone wrong. Winter is filled with so much darkness, violence, and nightmarish stuff—a very macabre place. It was tough to write Kadie’s character, because we see how all this evilness is starting to break her down. She’s struggling to remain strong and protect her friend at all costs. But her whole situation seems helpless. It’s like every ray of hope that she has just keeps getting sucked away.

Salome, on the other hand is in Summer. When I was creating Summer all that kept popping into my head was something out of Tolkien novel, kind of like Rivendell. Summer is a HUGE contrast from Winter. It’s beautiful, with fountains, waterfalls, flowers, trees, castles etc. But underneath all the beauty there is a danger for Salome as well—and she learns quickly that not everything that’s “pretty” is nice. She has her own battles to fight, especially since not all the Fae like humans. She trying to find her place in a world where she really doesn’t totally belong or fit into. I had a different kind of fun writing her character. I liked showing her contrast from Kadie. How she had her own “horrors” and political issues she was dealing with. But also showing her grow more of a backbone and into her own so to speak.

The great thing about duo povs is being able to give the reader a bigger look at the setting and characters your writing about. To give them an idea of things outside just the main protagonist’s thoughts. I seriously love this book and hope the readers do as well.


AUTHOR BIO:
Rebekah was born and raised in Michigan where she spent many late nights armed with a good book and a flashlight. She’s lived in Michigan most of her life other than the few years she spent in the U.S. Army. At which time she got a chance to experience Missouri, Kansas, South Carolina, and California. Rebekah has a business degree from University of Phoenix and currently works full time for the court system. In her free time she writes YA stories, anything from YA Fantasy to YA Contemporary Romance. Rebekah also has a big family (6 kids) she likes to consider her family as the modern day Brady Bunch complete with crazy road trips and game nights. When not hiding at her computer, Rebekah enjoys reading, singing, soccer, swimming, football, camping, playing video games, traveling, and hanging out with her family and gazillion pets.


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Friday, 9 October 2015

M9B Friday Reveal: Cover Reveal - Return of the Jed (DEAD JED 3) by Scott Craven with Giveaway #M9BFridayReveals

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Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!
This week, we are revealing the cover for
Return of the Jed (DEAD JED 3) by Scott Craven
presented by Month9Books!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Dead Jed 3.Ebook

With seventh grade behind him, Jed jumps at the opportunity to spend the summer in Mexico with his dad. But there's just one catch: Luke and Tread get to tag along.
​In Mexico, fitting in ​might be easier than Jed imagined, ​with holidays such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)​.​ Here, a ​rising 8th grade zombie ​boy ​and his zombie dog ​won't draw that much attention.
​But then Tread unwittingly sets off Mexico’s Chupacabra Defense Network and Jed accidentally collides with a bus​. So much for blending in. T​​he unusual pair catch the eye of a professional wrestler, who challenges ​Jed to a fight!​ ​
Their antics manage to ​capture the attention of a doctor​ who​se knowledge of the undead ​caus​es Jed to question his very existence. ​Is this the answer Jed's been hoping for since his parents sat him down for the "you're a zombie" talk? Jed may have finally found a way to be normal, but at what cost?
Dead Jed: Return of the Jed is book 3 in Scott Craven's humorous and heartwarming series about surviving middle school, fitting in, and embracing one's differences - even if you are a zombie.
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Return of the Jed (Dead Jed 3) by Scott Craven
Publication Date: December 15, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books

About-the-Author

Scott-Craven

Proud graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, have one son who will turn 18 in March 2013, now a features writer for The Arizona Republic.
Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter

Giveaway
Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!

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Thursday, 8 October 2015

M9B Two for Thursday Book Blitz: My Sister's Reaper and My Tethered Soul by Dorothy Dreyer with Giveaway #T4T

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Welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!
Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!
You just might find your next read!
This week, #T4T presents to you:
The Reaper's Rite series by Dorothy Dreyer!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

My Sister's Reaper

Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.
When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper’s Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isn’t the same anymore—Zadie isn’t even sure she’s completely human, and to top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara’s soul no matter what. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister’s Reaper, or let Mara die … this time for good.
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WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:

“I felt that the author did a great job with her character developement. She was very vivid in her details and I felt like they were people I would meet on the street.” – Michelle, Goodreads Reviewer

“My Sister’s Reaper was a great paranormal, YA novel. Dreyer did an awesome job at creating Zadie’s linage and having it make complete sense.” – Tyler, Jolley Chronicles

“Okay, reapers, zombies, and death? Yeah, I was definitely reading this one.” – Kelly Hashway, Author

My Tethered Soul

Months have passed since Zadie faced her sister’s Reaper, during which time she's been under her mentor's magical protection. But now that she's turning 17, that protection is about to run out. When dark forces lure Zadie to wander at night, she's manipulated into committing unspeakable acts. With her friends and family at risk, Zadie must try to use her powers to break free from the Reaper's grasp, or surrender to the Reaper's Rite, which can only lead to death.
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WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:

“The series is magnificent and should be on the best sellers list!!” – Holly, Author

“Dorothy Dreyer continues the fast-paced, heart pounding journey she started in My Sister's Reaper, delivering a YA paranormal romance filled with believable characters battling unbelievable odds.” – Katie, Author

“Ms. Dreyer has upped the ante in terms of characterization, suspense, some down-right spooky scenes, and a playful sense of humor, particularly in the dialogue between her teen protagonists.” – Stuart, Author

about-the-author

Dorothy Dreyer

Dorothy Dreyer has always believed in magic. Born in Angeles City, Philippines, to a Filipino mother and American Father, Dorothy grew up a military brat, living in Massachusetts, South Dakota, Guam, New Jersey, and New York. She now lives in Frankfurt, Germany, with her husband, two teens, and two Siberian huskies. Dorothy not only writes books with some element of magic in them, but has a fondness for reading those kinds of books as well. She also enjoys movies, chocolate, take-out, and spending time with family and friends. She’s known to make a pretty sweet cupcake when she has the time. She also tends to sing sometimes, so keep her away from your Karaoke bars.

Giveaway
Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

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Wednesday, 7 October 2015

Rare Form by Jen Crane: Excerpt and Giveaway



Today we're taking part in the RARE FORM blog tour, sneaking a peek at chapter eleven from this exciting new adult paranormal romance that just released yesterday! There's also a rafflecopter at the end of the post, so be sure to take part in that. But first, a little more about RARE FORM.

Rare Form by Jen Crane
(Descended of Dragons, #1)
Publication date: October 6th 2015
Genres: New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

A Secret Past
Fiery redhead Stella Stonewall can’t decide between a margarita and a manhattan. The rest of her life? Please. Stella has never really fit in, and her pretty world comes crashing down when she learns it was never her world at all.

Rowan Gresham is domineering, brooding, and as sexy as chocolate-dipped sin. When he transports Stella to the magical realm of her parents she recognizes her rightful place immediately. Gresham’s motivations are less clear.

A Scorching Chemistry
The enigmatic Gresham aids in Stella’s metamorphosis and their chemistry ignites, though a long-time girlfriend and a significant age difference stand in the way.

A Battle for the Rest of Her Life
Stella’s life fast-tracks to extraordinary when she enrolls at Radix Citadel for Supernatural Learning, an enchanted college whose students turn furry on the regular. As Stella learns to navigate the magical new world of Thayer she must also find her animal form, a task as elusive as her ancestry. Stella soon faces an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn to manipulate an animal form she never knew she possessed.


Rare Form
Descended of Dragons, Book 1
By Jen Crane
www.JenCraneBooks.com


Chapter 11 Excerpt (535 words)
Stella and her friends receive class assignments for aide in finding their metamorphoses.
Stella’s assignment only reveals more questions.


This was the moment we had been waiting for—to learn to reach that part of us linked directly to our evolutionary heritage.
Professor Martin held a stack of crisp white paper, and as he weaved between tables he distributed an individualized handout to each person in the class. He called out the surnames of the recipients. “Adder, Avenatio, Bartlet, Corleone, Durand…”
Damn alphabetical listings and an “S” name.
“…Redfern…” I had seen Boone, Layla, Ewan, Bex, and then finally Timbra all greedily snatch their stapled papers from the professor’s hand and devour its contents. I was dying to get my hands on mine.
“…Stonewall…” My heart stuttered to a stop and I sucked a breath in through my teeth. It took him 900 seconds to get to my desk, and when he finally got close enough I lifted off of my stool and snatched it right out of his hands. He probably gave me a censorious look, but I don’t know for sure because once I had the handout in my hands my gaze never left it. My whole identity could be revealed in the next second. All I had to do was turn the page.
The printouts were personalized for each student and listed family histories, genetic anomalies, and other information, as well as the name and contact information for each student’s advisor.
Many students shared advisors since genetic classifications intersected. Bex, for example, whose genetic ancestry was that of lions was paired—much to her obvious distaste—with another student whose family evolved from hyenas.
Likewise, Boone and Raynor shared an advisor since they both fell within the scientific suborder Caniformia. I had already learned of Raynor’s ancestry of seals. Boone, I was not surprised to learn, was descended of great dogs—ancient Greek Molossians.
“My ancestors chased the beasts of the forests,” Boone boasted. “How about you, Bristol?” he asked as he turned on his stool to face Ewan.
“My people are the beasts of the forests,” Ewan said menacingly. “You wanna have a go now?”
“Ah. No thanks,” Boone blew him off with a laugh and a shake of his head, ever the good-natured soul.
“And you, Stella? From what great line are your people descended?” Boone asked.
Of course he had no way to know that this subject was uncomfortable for me. I had not shared with anyone the enigma of my paternity; not even Timbra.
The paper was so starched that I had to lick my finger to flip to the second page. The cover whirred as I threw it over in search of my information.
Except for one line, my handout was blank. The only information listed?
Metamorphosis Advisor: Rowan Gresham
My heart plummeted to the pit of my stomach. I closed my eyes in defeat and anger and let out two or three breaths before I opened them again. I leaned to look at Timbra and Layla’s handouts to make sure that mine was, in fact, the anomaly. Of course it was. I knew I wouldn’t get any information about myself or my animal form that day. I never answered Boone’s question. I was so frustrated I couldn’t speak for fear of breaking out in tears.


AUTHOR BIO:
Though she grew up on a working cattle ranch, Jen Crane has been in love with fantasy and science fiction since seeing a bootleg tape of Quantum Leap in the 90’s.

She has a master’s degree, and solid work histories in government and non-profit administration. She’s been published in reputable newspapers and magazines.

One day, though, she said, “Life’s too real for nonfiction. I’m gonna write about love and magic.”

Jen is happily living out her dream in The South with her husband and three children, striking that delicate balance between inspiration and frustration.


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