Review: The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine
Published by Margaret K. McElderry Books on January 5, 2016
Pages: 336
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-half-stars

Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by magical priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.

Quick head’s up: This review may include some minor spoilers. They were included because I felt they were important, mostly because they were things I loved about the book (things about some of the relationships between characters, etc) and contributed to my overall rating.

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Holy wow, this book was epic! I loved everything about this book – the writing, the world, the plot, the characters – I have very few issues/complaints! I was really, really excited to read it and it absolutely exceeded my expectations!

I really liked Elli. She’s not a born fighter – in fact, she was pampered for pretty much her entire life. Yet she doesn’t sit back and just accept things as they are. She asks questions, demands answers and when things get tough, she fights. She pushes herself to do what she has to without complaint. Her loyalty to the Valtia and her compassion for others, coupled with her fierceness and inner strength, make her one of my favorite MC’s of 2015! I especially loved the plot twist concerning her and her “destiny/fate.” It was different and unique from other YA novels in many ways, though most are spoilery, so I can’t share in detail! Sorry!

Oskar was epic! In the beginning, he was moody, distant and sarcastic – Okay, okay, I know! You’re all probably like, “Wait, how do those things make him epic?!?!” But the thing is, later on in the book, once he warms up to Elli, he becomes really epic! The plot twist concerning him didn’t completely shock me, but it was still awesome! I also had MAJOR SHIP FEELS for him and Elli!

I loved Oskar’s strained friendship with Sig. It felt so raw and relatable. We all have (or have had) that friend who we love, but whose toxic nature makes us wary of their friendship. I loved the dynamics between Elli, Oskar and Zig, as well!

I think one of my favorite things about The Imposter Queen was the relationship between the Valtia and the Saadella. The mother-daughter-like bond is very heartwarming. I also loved Mim and how protective and loyal she was to Elli. Aside from the main character’s, she was one of my absolute favorites.

The characters in this book – both main characters and secondary characters (even some tertiary characters!) – were incredible! There are too many of them for me to discuss them individually, but they felt incredibly real and every single one of them had an important role to play. Fine did a wonderful job with character development, even with characters that didn’t seem to play a huge part in the story.

The ending – especially the last 65 pages (give or take) – was incredibly intense! The action never let up. The revelations and plot twists will keep you flipping pages, demanding more. My only issue with this book was that the pacing slowed down a bit roughly 70% in; however, the page numbers in the PDF eARC I had were off, so I don’t know where that is in the actual book. When I have a chance, I’ll find it in the bookstore and check, then update this part of my review!

Overall – if you couldn’t tell from my review – I HIGHLY recommend this book! I’m not really sure why, but this book gave me major Kiss of Deception feels and major Grisha feels. So if you loved those two trilogies, you’ll likely love The Imposter Queen! So far, there’s no series/trilogy name for this book and I have no idea if there’s going to be a sequel. But I REALLY hope there is! This was my first Sarah Fine book and I’m definitely eager to read more from her!

Review: A Midsummer Night #nofilter by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

Dec22

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: A Midsummer Night #nofilter by William Shakespeare and Brett Wright

A Midsummer Night #nofilter by Brett Wright, William Shakespeare
Series: OMG Shakespeare
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 5, 2016
Pages: 112
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, one of the greatest stories ever told . . . in texts?!

Imagine: What if the fairies and star-crossed lovers of the forest had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

Four lovers who can’t decide who they have a crush on.
One mischievous fairy with a love potion.
Total chaos in the fairy world, the human world, and everywhere in between!

and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, posting photos, checking in at locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

I’ve always been fascinated by Shakespeare’s plays. But, like many, I find them confusing and hard to understand. I’ve taken classes on Shakespeare, purchased “Shakespeare for Dummies,” Googled translations and even watched the movies. But I still have a hard time grasping the language. A Midsummer Night’s Dream happens to be one Shakespeare play that I DIDN’T read in school. And I never got to it on my own, though I own it! But I’ve read and watched adaptions, retellings, etc and I know the basic premise – which made me SUPER excited to read this book!

I found myself reading A Midsummer Night #nofilter more carefully than the other three books in the OMG Shakespeare series – again, because I haven’t read the actual play and was more intrigued and curious for this one than the others. I was also able to follow who the characters were in this one, better than I was with the other three, because I’ve read so many adaptions and retellings – Also, because I LOVE faeries, so I had no issues remembering who Titania, Oberon and Puck were, especially! Knowing who the characters were went a long way in keeping any confusion at bay!

I also found the hashtags in A Midsummer Night #nofilter to be completely hilarious. I mean, all of the OMG Shakespeare books have been hilarious – how could they not be?!?! – but the hashtags were ESPECIALLY funny in this one!

Overall, this was definitely my favorite of the OMG Shakespeare books – for so many reasons! Between being the most excited for this play and better following who the characters were, I was able to pay more attention to the story itself. That made it incredibly enjoyable! And, honestly, it’s kind of inspired me to read the actual play now!!!

Whether you want to learn Shakespeare or teach Shakespeare, I highly recommend this book. You’ll never view Macbeth in the same way, ever again! And you’ll (actually) enjoy reading it!

Review: Macbeth #killingit by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

Dec22

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Macbeth #killingit by William Shakespeare and Courtney Carbone

Macbeth #killingit by Courtney Carbone, William Shakespeare
Series: OMG Shakespeare
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on January 5, 2016
Pages: 112
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Macbeth, one of the greatest stories ever told . . . in texts?!

Imagine: What if that tragic couple, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, had smartphones? A classic is reborn in this fun and funny adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays!

A prophecy from three witches.
A social-climbing couple committing a murder most foul.
A cover-up that spins way out of control.

and h8. The classics just got a whole lot more interesting. ;)

tl;dr A Shakespeare play told through its characters texting with emojis, posting photos, checking in at locations, and updating their relationship statuses. The perfect gift for hip theater lovers and teens.

A glossary and cast of characters are included for those who need it. For example: tl;dr means too long; didn’t read.

I’ve always been fascinated by Shakespeare’s plays. But, like many, I find them confusing and hard to understand. I’ve taken classes on Shakespeare, purchased “Shakespeare for Dummies,” Googled translations and even watched the movies. But I still have a hard time grasping the language. Macbeth was also one of my least favorite plays when we read it in High School and, to be honest, I had forgotten pretty much everything about it – the plot, the characters, everything! So when I first started reading, I found myself really confused, trying to remember who was who! Let’s just say I was really thankful for the character index!!

Confusion aside, Macbeth #killingit was hilarious and entertaining. Once again, the OMG Shakespeare books took a play that should have been serious and boring (sorry, Shakespeare fans! This one was boring for me when I read it in school!) and made it hilarious and entertaining. By breaking down the complex language into modern phone/internet speak (via text messages, group chats, status updates, emojis, etc), I was actually able to grasp what the play was about and follow along!

Overall, Macbeth #killingit was just as LOL as srsly Hamlet was! Though I definitely struggled with the characters, the content itself was easy to grasp and follow and I really ended up enjoying it – YES, I ended up enjoying one of my LEAST FAVORITE Shakespeare plays thanks to this epic OMG Shakespeare interpretation!

Whether you want to learn Shakespeare or teach Shakespeare, I highly recommend this book. You’ll never view Macbeth in the same way, ever again! And you’ll (actually) enjoy reading it!

Review: Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein

Dec21

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Becoming Jinn by Lori Goldstein
Series: Becoming Jinn #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on April 21, 2015
Pages: 384
Format: ARC
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Forget everything you thought you knew about genies!

Azra has just turned sixteen, and overnight her body lengthens, her olive skin deepens, and her eyes glisten gold thanks to the brand-new silver bangle that locks around her wrist. As she always knew it would, her Jinn ancestry brings not just magical powers but the reality of a life of servitude, as her wish granting is controlled by a remote ruling class of Jinn known as the Afrit.

To the humans she lives among, she’s just the girl working at the snack bar at the beach, navigating the fryer and her first crush. But behind closed doors, she’s learning how to harness her powers and fulfill the obligations of her destiny.

Mentored by her mother and her Zar “sisters”, Azra discovers she may not be quite like the rest of her circle of female Jinn . . . and that her powers could endanger them all. As Azra uncovers the darker world of becoming Jinn, she realizes when genies and wishes are involved, there’s always a trick.

I loved Becoming Jinn! I finished it in TWO days because I couldn’t put it down! I’m so sorry I didn’t read it sooner! The world of the Jinn, the magic and the rules – the way there are serious consequences to wish granting – are all intriguing. The characters are awesome and the life lessons are relatable. Lori Goldstein is a great writer and she really sucked me into her story. I had some minor issues with it, but overall, it was a wonderful read!

Azra is a bit tough to like in the beginning. Though I loved having an MC who refusec to sit back and accept their “destiny” (Because, really, not EVERYONE wants to be a vampire slayer, a chosen one, or the only one who can save the world); however, at times her attitude was awful and she could be really mean and dismissive to those who were close to her (her mom, her Zar “aunts” and her Zar “sisters”). I was really torn between feeling bad for her, for this destiny that was forced on her, this destiny that she doesn’t want and really just hating her attitude. I definitely think she grows a LOT by the end of the book. I was incredibly intrigued by the revelations about her and her family and I can’t wait to see what it means for her in the sequel.

I really couldn’t stand Yasmin for the majority of the book. She was so terrible to Azra – but then again, Azra wasn’t exactly nice to her or the other Zar sisters, either. But the more I read, the more I felt for Yasmin and her situation, especially by the very end. I understood where she was coming from and why she did the things she did. I really liked Laila, though, from beginning to end. She was one of my favorite characters! I felt very bad for her at one point and I hope she and Azra can reconcile!

As for the other three Zar sisters, – Hana, Mina and Farrah – well, they kind of faded into the background. I couldn’t really tell them apart from each other and I don’t really have much to say about them. The same can be said for the mothers: While I have many thoughts on Kalyssa, Samara and Raina (the mothers of Azra, Laila and Yasmin, in that order), I don’t really have much to say about the other three. They sort of faded into the background and weren’t as integral to the story. As for Kalyssa, Samara and Raina, they were so frustrating! I hated how cryptic and secretive they were. If they’d just TOLD their daughters the truth, maybe things would have turned out differently.

I really liked both Henry and Nate. Henry definitely had some odd moments, though, where he seemed a bit immature. I definitely felt for him and his family situation though. I definitely got the friend vibe from him and I hope he and Azra remain friends because I really enjoyed their friendship (And YA could use more female/male friendships). I liked Nate and Azra together, though, and I really hope things can work out for them! Poor Nate dealt with a LOT in this book and I’m (morbidly) curious to see what happens next for him.

Also, I really can’t stand the Afrit. Like, not at all! And we haven’t even officially met them. but they make me REALLY angry!!!! :(

Something really interesting about this book: Though it was about Jinn, it had a major contemporary feel to it. I really, really liked that because it made it more relatable. It’s not a book about a Jinn who also happens to be a teenage girl – it’s about a teenage girl who also happens to be a Jinn. It’s Azra trying to live her normal life while dealing with this huge family obligation – something many teens can relate to.

The ending was really crazy, with a ton of revelations and intriguing things. It was also sad and heartbreaking. But it sets things up nicely for the next book – which I just read the synopsis for and it’s also the conclusion!!! For some reason, I thought this was a trilogy and it’s actually a duology and that makes me sad panda :( But that also means the next book will be epic and intense and I can’t wait!!!

Overall, this book was really an amazing read. Though I had some minor issues with certain characters, as well as some pacing issues near the end, I really enjoyed the majority of it. I’m really happy with the character development and growth and, as I mentioned, the world and the Jinn magic and rules were really epic! If you love stories about Jinn, Genies and magic, I definitely recommend this one! And if you aren’t a huge fan of Jinn/Genie stories (which I wasn’t, really), then I also definitely recommend this book because, as I said, it really has a contemporary feel to it and the lessons learned are really relatable! Lori Goldstein is a great writer and I can’t wait to see what she does next!

Release Day Launch: Love and Decay: Revolution, Episode 2 by Rachel Higginson (Giveaway)

Dec18

Today is the release day of Rachel Higginson’s Love and Decay: Revolution, Episode 2. This is a serial novella, and completely standalone in the Love & Decay universe. I am so excited to share this with you!! Don’t forget to enter Rachel’s giveaway, which can be found at the end of this post!!

About Love and Decay: Revolution: Episode Two:

It’s not easy being a badass Zombie killer. But somebody’s got to do it.

Page Parker is unsatisfied with her post-apocalyptic life in the relative safety of the research station. She knows there’s something bigger out there for her. There’s something… more.

When “more” just happens to show up on her doorstep one night, she finally has the opportunity to find the purpose she’s been looking for. And the revenge.

But first she must convince her overprotective family that leaving their home and fighting an evil bigger than Zombies is the right thing to do. Except they don’t want to listen.

Until the fight follows them home. Until it destroys every semblance of peace and illusion of security they’ve worked so hard for.

They’re not safe anymore.

And until they kill Matthias Allen, Zombies are the least of their problems.

Love and Decay: Revolution is a Dystopian Romance Novella Series about Zombies, the end of the world and finding someone to share it with. Every episode is approximately 20,000 words long and released every two weeks. Look for Love and Decay: Revolution, Episode Three coming January 8th, 2016.

By now from Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Read Episode 1: Amazon | BN

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Rachel Higginson Bio:

Rachel Higginson is the author of The Five Stages of Falling in Love, Every Wrong Reason, The Star-Crossed Series, Love & Decay Novella Series and much more!

She was born and raised in Nebraska, and spent her college years traveling the world. She fell in love with Eastern Europe, Paris, Indian Food and the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka, but came back home to marry her high school sweetheart. Now she spends her days writing stories and raising four amazing kids.

Author Page | Instagram | Twitter | Website

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Enter Rachel’s giveaway!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Going Geek by Charlotte Huang (Giveaway)

Dec17

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to share with you the cover for Going Geek by Charlotte Huang (Fall 2016, Delacorte/Random House). I absolutely ADORED Charlotte’s debut, For the Record, so I’m beyond thrilled to share the gorgeous cover of her next novel!

Are you ready to see it??

Are you sure?

It’s gorgeous!

Okay, ready?

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Here it is!

Isn’t it gorgeous?!?!?!?! The full, official synopsis isn’t available yet, but here’s a brief description of the plot, plus the Goodreads link!

In GOING GEEK, a girl is forced to stand up for who she really is – if she even knows – when her friends dump her and she is forced to hang out with the fringe crowd at school.

Goodreads

And now for the giveaway!!! One winner will get the very first ARC of GOING GEEK! US Only. Prize will ship when item becomes available!

Open | Must be 13+ To Enter

Sweeps/Giveaway accounts are not eligible to participate.. See Terms & Conditions for more info

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the author:

Charlotte Huang is a graduate of Smith College and received an MBA from Columbia Business School, which is clearly something every aspiring writer should do. When not glued to her computer, she cheers her two sons on at sporting events and sometimes manages to stay up late enough to check out bands with her music agent husband. Charlotte lives in Los Angeles and is the author of For the Record (Delacorte, 2015)

Website
Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | Tumblr

Review: Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard

Dec16

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard
Series: The Cruentus Curse series #2
Published by RAH Media LLC on December 15, 2015
Pages: 380
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

All magic has its price, and no one knows that better than Victoria Warrick. Gifted with a centuries-old blood curse, Tori has finally learned to master her blood’s demands and has emerged triumphant with Christian Devereux, a vampire overlord, at her side.

But the worst is yet to come …

In the infamous City of Lights, home to both the Witch Clans and the Vampire Council, Tori enrolls at the exclusive Belles Fontaines school in Paris, where she is faced with a devastating choice: choose Christian and be an outcast, or choose the coven and secure her place with the witches.

When the fate of the supernatural world is targeted by a sinister new threat, Christian and Victoria must unite their two warring species to defeat it. Their bond will be tested, twisted, and sorely weakened, and Tori will find herself in uncharted territory—a dangerous place to be when her blood’s magic has its own dark agenda.

But to save them all, she may have no choice but to invoke its deadly power.

*NOTE: Bloodcraft is Upper YA / New Adult (for mature content–violence, sensuality & language)

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Amazon | Kobo | B&N

Hi guys! Welcome to my stop on the Bloodcraft blog tour! Today, I was supposed to share with you my review. However, an unexpected and devastating death in the family caused me to fall behind in my reading and I haven’t finished Bloodcraft yet. The wonderful and understanding tour host has given me permission to share a review of what I’ve read so far, so that’s what you’ll find below! Once I’ve finished the book, I’ll update my review to a full review! Enjoy!

Also, be sure to click here to view the Release Week Blitz post, which has an excerpt, an epic giveaway and links to Bloodspell’s (The Cruentus Curse series, book one), $0.99 sale!

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Review Updated On December 21, 2015!

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Bloodcraft blew me away! Amalie’s gorgeous writing + an epic world + an intriguing plot + epic characters = another incredible book by Amalie Howard!

First of all, Amalie is a gorgeous writer. She creates these amazing worlds that just pull you in and refuse to let you go. I especially love the Bloodspell/Bloodcraft world. The magic, the rules, the history, it’s just all completely fascinating! And it makes sense, since I LOVE vampires and witches and always have! Amalie is also incredible at creating characters you love and characters you love to hate.

Tori had SO MUCH character growth from the beginning of book one to the end of book two. She really came into herself and her powers. I wasn’t sold on her and Christian’s relationship in Bloodspell, but I totally shipped them in Bloodcraft. And I really liked Christian a lot more in this book (as opposed to Bloodspell)! He, like Tori, had a lot of character growth and really came into his own and his powers. I liked the revelations with him a lot!

Lucian was totally evil in Bloodspell, yet I couldn’t help but feel for him. And in Bloodcraft, he became… Well, he wasn’t nicer or less evil, but something changed in him. I think, of all the characters that experienced character growth in Bloodcraft, he experienced the most! I was incredibly heartbroken by the way his story ended though :(

I never trusted Lena, not in either book. She kind of reminded me of Victoria from Twilight. Cunning, calculating and – when it really comes down to it – looking out for herself and no one else, even despite her feelings for Lucian. Yet, she was really growing on me in this book! And, like with Lucian, I was shocked and saddened by the way her story ended.

I really liked Leto and Aliya, but I was really weary of them and I really didn’t trust either of them. I had a feeling they were hiding things… And, by the end of the book, I was partially right about one of them and wrong about the other! I also really loved Pan and I’m so disappointed with the way his story ended! It made me so sad panda!!!

The plot for Bloodcraft really was incredibly intriguing! Don’t get me wrong, Bloodspell had an interesting plot, too. But Bloodcraft really had me turning pages as fast as I could! The plot twists and revelations (which I briefly mentioned above) were intense and epic. The ending of the book was non-stop action, one thing after another! It was emotionally draining and exhausting, but in a good way! I was so invested in these characters and the things that happened to them at the end… It was just !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Overall, I really loved this book. I didn’t enjoy Bloodspell as much as I’d hoped to, but Bloodcraft really made up for that with epic characters who experienced a ton of character growth, an intriguing plot, non-stop action, plus tons of revelations and plot twists! I HIGHLY recommend this book if you’re an Amalie fan, especially if you were meh on Bloodspell, because Bloodcraft was EPIC and will blow your mind!

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And now for the giveaway! Here’s what’s up for grabs:

-Kindle Fire giveaway is open to US residents due to shipping restrictions.
-Paperback copies of BLOODSPELL & BLOODCRAFT are open to US and INT readers.
-This giveaway is sponsored by Amalie Howard.
-Leading up to the release of BLOODCRAFT, more entries/options will be added to the rafflecopter to double your chances!

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About Amalie:

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island (Trinidad & Tobago) where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie’s poem “The Candle,” written at age twelve, was published in a University of Warwick journal. At fifteen, she was a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed simultaneous Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for research and criticism in Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, Mothers of the Nation. She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge (A-levels) as well as a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. Traveling the globe, she has worked as a research assistant, marketing representative, teen speaker and global sales executive.

agold-authorShe is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller and a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. She is represented by the Liza Royce Agency and is a member of SCBWI.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Tour Schedule

December 7th
Readers Live A Thousand Lives | Review
Ohana Reads | Promo
Live To Read ~Krystal | Promo

December 8th
Addicted Readers | Promo
SolaFide Book Club | Promo
Bookwyrming Thoughts | Promo

December 9th
Book Lovers Life | Promo
The Cover Contessa | Promo

December 10th
Curling Up With A Good Book | Promo
Reader Girls | Promo

December 11th
Whatever You Can Still Betray | Promo
Literary Meanderings | Promo

December 14th
Crystal’s Chaotic Confessions | Promo
Two Brains of Book Reviewers | Review

December 15th
A Dream Within A Dream | Review
A Cupcake and a Latte | Review

December 16th
Pandora’s Books | Review

December 17th
TSK TSK What to Read | Review
Good Choice Reading | Promo

December 18th
Pixie Vixen Book Reviews | Review
Books are Love | Review

2015 Debut Authors Bash: Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff (Interview + Giveaway)

Dec15

Hey everyone! Welcome to this stop on the 2015 Debut Authors Bash! I’m so excited to be sharing with you an interview between Michelle Falkoff, author of Playlist for the Dead (January 27, 2015, HarperTeen) and the bloggers at Her Book Thoughts! Plus, there’s an epic giveaway! First, here’s the epic cover and synopsis:

Playlist for the Dead by Michelle Falkoff

A teenage boy tries to understand his best friend’s suicide by listening to the playlist of songs he left behind in this smart, voice-driven debut novel.

Here’s what Sam knows: There was a party. There was a fight. The next morning, his best friend, Hayden, was dead. And all he left Sam was a playlist of songs, and a suicide note: For Sam—listen and you’ll understand.

As he listens to song after song, Sam tries to face up to what happened the night Hayden killed himself. But it’s only by taking out his earbuds and opening his eyes to the people around him that he will finally be able to piece together his best friend’s story. And maybe have a chance to change his own.

Part mystery, part love story, and part coming-of-age tale in the vein of Stephen Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower and Tim Tharp’s The Spectacular Now, Playlist for the Dead is an honest and gut-wrenching first novel about loss, rage, what it feels like to outgrow a friendship that’s always defined you—and the struggle to redefine yourself. But above all, it’s about finding hope when hope seems like the hardest thing to find.

Published on January 27th, 2015

Published by HarperTeen

Genre: YA Contemporary

Goodreads | Amazon | Epic Reads

And now here’s the interview! Enjoy!

Hi Michelle!! Thanks for stopping by on the blog!! We’re so excited! To start off, can you tell us a little bit about yourself? :)
I’m so excited to be here! I’m a New England native who’s moved all over the country, most recently to Chicago. I used to be a lawyer, and for my day job I teach legal writing, as well as some fiction writing on the side.

Your debut novel, Playlist for the Dead has a very interesting synopsis,, we’re really curious on how did this idea came to you. Can you share how did the whole concept of the book materialized in your head? :)
I was inspired a lot by Jay Asher’s 13 REASONS WHY and John Green’s LOOKING FOR ALASKA. Both were books about boys who’d lost girls they were interested in to suicide; I started thinking a lot about boys losing friends, which struck me as a different kind of thing. I’ve also always been really into music–I used to make lots of mixes when I was younger, and I gave a lot of thought to what kinds of messages go into into them and how it’s both easy and hard to teach people about how we’re feeling through music.

How would you introduce your main character, Sam, to us? Did you have a particular muse for him?
No muse in particular. He’s just a character who seemed very genuine and lovable to me, but in some ways kind of clueless–he starts out the book assuming that he knows everything about the people around him, especially his best friend, and part of his journey is learning that sometimes people are struggling with much more than he realizes.

Is this the genre you originally want to write? What other genre would you like to try in the future?
When I think of genre, I think of mysteries versus fantasies versus literary fiction, that sort of thing. I’ve always written literary fiction, and I’m very into mysteries, so I’ve always written hybrids of those things. In terms of category, I started out writing for adults (or at least I thought I did), but I’m finding that I enjoy writing for teenagers more at the moment, so I’m going to stick with this for as long as the teenagers will have me.

The title and the cover of the book is really eye catching, how did you decide it? And will you change anything if you could?
I wish I could take credit, but I had help with both of those things–I’m terrible at titles, and I’m not very visual. I love both, and I’m super grateful for the help I got with them. I wouldn’t change a thing.

What is the hardest thing you ever did while writing Playlist for the Dead? Can you share a bit of your experience?
At first, the hardest thing was getting in the mindset of someone who’d experienced what Sam was experiencing. I’d never lost someone that way, and you have to go to a pretty dark place to try and imagine it. While I was writing, a good friend of mine passed away very suddenly, and then the hardest thing became actually dealing with that. The writing, in a weird way, helped.

What will readers expect from the romance aspect in this book?
Um, disappointment? ;-)

I tend to think relationships are really hard, no matter how old you are. And a relationship that starts under the kinds of circumstances the characters are dealing with here has a lot of pressure put on it that might be more than that relationship can bear. What Sam and Astrid have is complicated, and the book grapples with that in a number of different ways.

Are you working on something new already? Do you have a WIP that you can tell us about? :)
I am! It’s called PUSHING PERFECT, and it’s about a high school valedictorian who gets blackmailed into being part of a prescription drug ring. It should be out next fall, and I’m really excited about it.

Lastly, what’s your three current YA favorites?
Oh, that’s so hard! There are just so many good books out there. Three I loved recently were E. Lockhart’s WE WERE LIARS, Becky Albertalli’s SIMON VS. THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA, and Amanda Panitch’s DAMAGE DONE.

Thanks again, Michelle for the Q&A!

OPTIONAL: If you can share a playlist of Playlist for the Dead with us, that would be awesome!! But if not, maybe photos of your inspirations while writing?
Here’s the Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/mfalkoff/playlist/4VTRRllBB7Qe5ABo2ReHJS

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Note: Interview Questions provided by Her Book Thoughts

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The Giveaway:

One copy of Playlist for the Dead open to US & CAN

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Michelle Falkoff’s fiction and reviews have been published in ZYZZYVA, DoubleTake and the Harvard Review, among other places. She is a graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and currently serves as Director of Communication and Legal Reasoning at Northwestern University School of Law.

Visit Michelle:

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Release Week Blitz: Royal Marriage Market by Heather Lyons (Except + Giveaway)

Dec15

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Heather Lyons’ ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET! ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET is a brand new standalone contemporary romance by Heather Lyons due to be released TODAY(!!!), December 15, 2015! Grab ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET now for a limited time special sale price of $1.99! Price will rise on December 23rd.

So, first, here’s more about the book!

“Heather Lyons has officially charmed me. Royal Marriage Market is an indulgent read that will have you flipping pages until the very end.” – R.S. Grey, USA Today bestselling author.

“The perfect royal romance.” – Nichole Chase, New York Times bestselling author.

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Every decade, the world’s monarchs and their heirs secretly convene to discuss global politics and social issues—and arrange marriages between kingdoms.

Elsa may be the Hereditary Princess of Vattenguldia, but she finds the entire situation archaic and unsavory. While she wants what’s best for her country, she isn’t about to jump into an unwanted relationship—let alone a marriage—with a virtual stranger. Of course, her feelings matter little to her parents, whose wheeling and dealings over trade pacts and alliances achieved at her expense begin the moment they set foot in California for the Summit. So when a blindingly handsome royal runs into her, she doesn’t hesitate to tell him there’s no way she’s marrying him.

Christian is all too happy to agree: no marriage. As the Hereditary Grand Duke of Aiboland, his main goal is to get through the summit without a bride being foisted on him. Which is why he suggests they help each other field potential intendeds. As Christian slowly gets to know Elsa, though, he realizes they have a lot more in common than just their feelings about the Royal Marriage Market. Only he can’t fall for her, because royal or not, they’re not meant for each other.

Elsa and Christian will have to evaluate matters of the heart verses those of state and crown, and decide whether or not tradition trumps love.

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Goodreads
iBooks | Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

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And now here’s the excerpt! Enjoy!

“I denied myself the éclairs earlier and then resolved, as I stared up at the ceiling for a good hour, that life is too short to not indulge in things that bring about small joys.”

I wander over to the island, positioning myself on the opposite side. “Éclairs bring you such?”

His grin grows. “Hell yeah, they do. Want one?”

Three éclairs rest upon his plate. “Will it bring me joy?”

“Have you ever eaten an éclair in the middle of the night, Els?”

I blink at the nickname he bestows upon me. No one has ever called me Els. Not a single person. It’s bizarre, because one would think such a derivative would be natural, but Her Serene Highness was strict about such things during my childhood. My name is Elsa. I ought to be called Elsa. Nicknames are common, and she claimed she wanted more for me.

Whatever that meant.

Despite our earlier conversation concerning his own, though, I happen to like nicknames. “As a matter of fact,” I say, absurdly pleased at the bestowment, “I have not.”

“Then this shall be a first for you.” He shoves the plate my way. “Don’t worry. Éclairs eaten in the middle of the night have no calories. If they did, I’d be at least five pounds heavier already.”

It is impossible to not grin like a fool. Are we really standing here in the kitchen, in the dead of night, sparring with one another again? And why is it so bloody entertaining? Small joys, indeed. “Is that so? Well then. This will be more than just a first for eating an éclair in the middle of the night. It will be my first time consuming a calorie free dessert, too. Who knew such things existed?”

“Shall I make you some warm milk, too?”

I blink again, abruptly unsteady.

“You were rooting around in the fridge for milk to heat up, weren’t you?” He motions to his own mug. “As it helps with snoring parents?”

I counter with, “Why were you sitting here in the dark?”

“I’d had my cell’s flashlight on, but switched it off when noises sounded outside the door. I suppose I wasn’t too keen on being caught rummaging around the kitchen in the middle of the night.” He touches the ceramic in front of him once more. “Yes or no?”

I gingerly select one of the éclairs, shivering at its coldness. “Actually, yes. I would very much like that. Do you know how to heat up milk?”

The room may be dim, but there’s no mistaking the comical yet wounded look he proffers. “Everyone knows how to do that.”

“Not everyone. There are surely milk virgins in the world.”

He wanders over to the fridge and extracts a carton of milk. “Rest assured, I am no milk virgin. I’m thirty, remember?”

It is my turn to nearly choke as I swallow a far too large bite of éclair.

“No choking allowed. If four a.m. rolls around, the calories will come back.”

I clear my throat. “Is three a.m. a magical hour, then?”

He heads over toward the stovetop, where a small pan rests upon another stainless steel countertop. I angle our phones’ flashlights his way; shadows crawl around his body as a blue flame erupts from a burner, allowing me to ogle silently at a well-shaped arse. Goodness. Will his too-ness ever cease?

“As a matter of fact, it is. All the best firsts should be experienced at three a.m.” He sets the pan on the stove and adds milk. “But it’s a witching hour. The magic only lasts for sixty minutes before turning ordinary once more.”

With the next bite of éclair, pleasure bursts across my tongue. Curse him for being spot on about pastry-based joy.

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And now for the giveaway! One winner will receive a signed copy of Royal Marriage Market and Kate Spade Ring! To enter, fill out the Rafflectoper below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Heather’s website | Heather on Goodreads

Heather’s Twitter | Heather’s Facebook

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Heather Lyons’s ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET – Release Week Blitz Schedule:

December 14^th

Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous

Collector of book boyfriends

Desert Divas Book Addiction

Got Nikki?

I Love Romance

Jen in Bookland

Jen’s Reading Obsession

Love Affair With Fiction

Maari Loves Her Indies

Musings In Fiction Alley

Oh My Growing TBR

Once Upon a Book Blog

Once Upon a Twilight

One Guy’s Guide to Good Reads

Rachel Reads Ravenously

The Talking Bookworm

Those Crazy Book Chicks

Three Little Birds Book Blog

TSK TSK What to Read

Typical Distractions

Witchy Richey’s Booktastic Reviews

December 15^th

Adventures in Writing

kariny’s teen boox frenzy

Kimmy Loves to Read

Library of a Book Witch

LuLo Fangirl

Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps

My Girlfriends Nook Korner

NightWolf Book Blog

One Girl Lost in Romance Books

Pandora’s Books

Pretty Little Book Blog

Pretty Little Book Reviews

December 16^th

Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous

Book-o-Craze

Cocktails and Books

Confessions FromRomaholics

Cupcakes & Vodka Book Blog

Ellesea Loves Reading

Mama She’s Crazy About Books

Movies, Shows & Books

Nicole’s Book Musings

Nose Stuck in a Book

Penny for my thoughts

Ramblings on Readings

Seeking Book Boyfriends

Sexy Bibliophiles

Teatime and Books

The Bookstore Diaries

The Butterfly Reads

True Story Book Blog

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Release Week Blitz: Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Dec15

Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard

Series: Bloodspell #2

Genre: Upper YA/NA (mature content), Fantasy

Publication: December 15th, 2015

All magic has its price, and no one knows that better than Victoria Warrick. Gifted with a centuries-old blood curse, Tori has finally learned to master her blood’s demands and has emerged triumphant with Christian Devereux, a vampire overlord, at her side.

But the worst is yet to come …

In the infamous City of Lights, home to both the Witch Clans and the Vampire Council, Tori enrolls at the exclusive Belles Fontaines school in Paris, where she is faced with a devastating choice: choose Christian and be an outcast, or choose the coven and secure her place with the witches.

When the fate of the supernatural world is targeted by a sinister new threat, Christian and Victoria must unite their two warring species to defeat it. Their bond will be tested, twisted, and sorely weakened, and Tori will find herself in uncharted territory—a dangerous place to be when her blood’s magic has its own dark agenda.

But to save them all, she may have no choice but to invoke its deadly power.

PURCHASE

Amazon | Kobo | B&N

—————————————————-

Book #1, Bloodspell

AVAILABLE ON

Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Kobo

for 99¢!

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Excerpt

With a frustrated growl, he gently but firmly separated their bodies, composing himself with a harsh breath. Victoria sighed and leaned back against the table, watching a muscle work in his jaw. It should be getting easier, but it only seemed to be getting harder—and riskier—for them to be together. Every touch, every look, every kiss drew them closer to the edge of the abyss from which there would be no return—one mistake and one of them would die. Victoria took his cool hands in hers.

“I love you,” she said as his hands trembled in hers. Touching his cheek, she climbed off his lap, putting some space between them. Despite the distance, she could feel her blood churning wildly, tempting him, inciting him to take it, and she shivered at the volatility of it. Her blood’s siren call was near impossible to resist, and she knew how hard it was for him. He’d once told her that he’d risk the consequences of her blood’s appeal because he couldn’t deprive himself of never being able to touch her.

Seeing the savage transformation in his face and the tips of teeth pressing into his lower lip, she wondered whether he still thought the same. Christian stood and kissed her fingers, and with the ever-present apology in his eyes, excused himself from the room. Victoria watched him leave, his long, lithe body loping with an easy grace across the back gardens into the forest beyond.

The château sat at the edge of the Fontainebleau forest, which, as in the days of old, continued to fulfill its function as a royal hunting park, for Christian’s purposes anyway. She pressed a finger to her lips, the impression of his lingering on them. Sometimes she felt like the vampire, as if she were the one who couldn’t get enough of him. And most times, she didn’t know if those feelings were hers or those of her blood. Given the chance, her blood would devour Christian’s very essence until there was nothing left.

It thrummed in her veins as if sensing her ominous thoughts, its hunger unabated and ever-present. It, too, was voracious and would consume anything to sate its dark thirst—even the one she loved. Victoria shivered, wrapping her arms about herself and staring toward the forest lost in thought. She wasn’t afraid of Christian or the fact that he was a vampire. After all, she was more of a monster than he could ever be.

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About the Author

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island (Trinidad & Tobago) where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie’s poem “The Candle,” written at age twelve, was published in a University of Warwick journal. At fifteen, she was a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed simultaneous Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for research and criticism in Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, Mothers of the Nation. She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge (A-levels) as well as a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. Traveling the globe, she has worked as a research assistant, marketing representative, teen speaker and global sales executive.

agold-authorShe is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller and a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. She is represented by the Liza Royce Agency and is a member of SCBWI.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Giveaway

Kindle Fire giveaway is open to US residents due to shipping restrictions.
Paperback copies of BLOODSPELL & BLOODCRAFT are open to US and INT readers.
This giveaway is sponsored by Amalie Howard.
Leading up to the release of BLOODCRAFT, more entries/options will be added to the rafflecopter to double your chances!

a Rafflecopter giveaway