11

Stacking the Shelves (#62)

stackingtheshelves

Stacking the Shelves
Hosted by:  Tynga’s Reviews
Description: Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Find their latest post here!

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(Taken 2? years ago
Bottom left to right:  Grandma and Mom
Top left to right: Ex hubs; Me; Brother’s Ex; Brother)19397190_1517264524992930_5742177254426628454_n

(taken last year after her hip or knee surgery)

Hi, Penguins.

Last Saturday evening, I got a phone call from my mom.  She went to deliver some sort of bread… I don’t remember what kind now… to my grandma, and found the back door still locked.  This is unusual–my grandma kept herself very busy with cleaning, and going going going all the time.  Mom managed to work her way into the house using the screen and sliding glass door, which was never kept locked.  She found my grandma still in bed.  She’d apparently suffered some sort of massive coronary event–they’re thinking heart attack–and died in her sleep.

Needless to say, the world felt very unreal for me for a few days.  My grandma was one of the best women in my life; she stepped in, a LOT, as a mother figure when mine was unavailable growing up.  This was, for lack of a better way to explain, very unexpected and took us all by surprise.  While I’ve been expecting a phone call, I was preparing for it to be for grandma’s sister (who has a brain tumor) or brother (who has terminal cancer).  None of us expected that grandma would be the first to go in the end; she’s been preparing to be the last one left for the last year.  And I… I just don’t quite know what to do with myself yet.  I guess I might still be in a bit of shock.

This said, I wasn’t really given time to mourn.  The boss lady gave me Sunday off to get my head on straight, and then had to leave town for her own family emergency the next day.  Which means I had to be back at work and in top form Monday morning.  While this has helped to keep me occupied, it has also made believing reality that much harder–I still find myself realizing I can’t just call her later (often in the very middle of a different task) and having the world crash down all over again.

We are doing the best we can.  Kind thoughts and vibes for my mom, who I’m sure is struggling so much more than she’s letting on, are so appreciated though.

Grandma, we love and miss you.

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from publishers/authors/edelweiss/netgalley
(for blog tours/reviews)

Spliced
Elora of Stone (Legend of Rhyme, #1)
Into Coraira (Legend of Rhyme #2)
Teagan of Tomorrow (Legend of Rhyme, #3)
Second Twin (Legend of Rhyme, #4)
Blood and Stars
Mirror Me
from a friend

Eliza and Her Monsters

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What are some of the books YOU picked up/added to your shelves (either real or virtual?)  Let me know below, or link me to your own Stacking the Shelves!

Until next time, happy book-ing!

 

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Book Blitz: Chameleon’s Challenge

Chameleon Challenge Banner.jpg

Book Title: Chameleon’s Challenge

Author Name: B.R. Kingsolver

Genre: Urban Fantasy, science fiction, post-apocalyptic dystopian

Hosted by: Ultimate Fantasy Book Tours

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Blurb:

Libby’s chameleon mutation has led to a lucrative career as a thief and assassin. She normally doesn’t worry about the comfort of corporate executives, but when she stumbles onto the grisly murder of a rich man’s mistress, it gets her attention.

The murder leads Libby to believe her best friend’s life is in danger, and she vows to protect her. The killings continue, some in broad daylight, but no one ever sees the killer.

For a chameleon assassin, the scenario feels uncomfortably familiar.

 

 

↓Buy Links↓

U.S.  —  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0725X6V21

U.K.  —  https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0725X6V21

CA  —  https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0725X6V21

AU  —  https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0725X6V21

 

B.R. Kingsolver.jpg

Author Bio:

I made silver and turquoise jewelry for almost a decade, ended up in nursing school, then took a master’s in business. Along the way I worked in construction, as a newspaper editor, a teacher, and somehow found a career working with computers.

As to my other interests, I love the outdoors, especially the Rocky Mountains. I’ve skied since high school, with one broken leg and one torn ACL to show for it. I’ve hiked and camped all my life. I love to travel, though I haven’t done enough of it. I’ve seen a lot of Russia and Mexico, not enough of England. Amsterdam is amazing, and the Romanian Alps are breathtaking. Lake Tahoe is a favorite, and someday I’d like to see Banff.

For special deals and news about new books, sign up for my newsletter.

http://brkingsolver.us1.list-manage.c…

Visit her at:

Website: http://brkingsolver.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brkingsolver

Twitter: https://twitter.com/brkingsolver

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/BR-Kingsolver/e/B007XDV5OW

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0

Book Blitz, Excerpt, Teasers, and Giveaway: Damned Either Way

 

Damned Either Way
(The Harker Trilogy, #3)

Erin Hayes
Publication date: May 31st 2017
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance

The thrilling conclusion to The Harker Trilogy

I’m finally free of my family’s curse.

Except now, the world is ending. FML.

Anthony, the vampire that killed my sister and my brother-in-law, has won. I’ve lost everything. I no longer have my powers. I have no idea where Amelia is. And the vampire I love has surrendered to the hunger that is throwing the world into chaos.

The worst part? I can’t do anything about it, because I’m no longer the Harker. Sure, I’m not dying anymore, but I’m barely living at this point.

But there may be one last chance to save us all. If only I can find it in me to make one final sacrifice.

Goodreads / Amazon

The complete trilogy is on sale for only $0.99 until June 5th!

Previous books in the series:

SEE MY REVIEW FOR:

Damned If I Do
Damned If I Don’t

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EXCERPT:

The Twinkie is mushed and some of the cream is coming out, but as I pull it out of the wrapper, I can’t help but be gentle.

I found the single-serve pastry in a hollowed-out convenience store in downtown Birmingham a few days back. It’s the only thing resembling a cake that we’ve found on

our way to Austin. In the aftermath of the apocalypse, all the grocery stores are empty as everyone panicked and stole every little thing they could get their hands on. Many of them are now hiding out in their houses during the night.

Those that are alive anyways.

I could make a cake myself, but we are never in one place long enough for me to find an oven and make one. With one arm, it’s a little…hard.

Besides, this is just a small ritual that I want to do myself. I don’t need to decorate it. I just need to…pay tribute. With the only kind of food that would survive the apocalypse.

I light the candle that I stuck in it, its soft glow flickering in the dying light. I give a small smile, feeling my heart break.

“Happy birthday, Amelia.”

 

Author Bio:

Sci-fi junkie, video game nerd, and wannabe manga artist Erin Hayes writes a lot of things. Sometimes she writes books.

She works as an advertising copywriter by day, and she’s an award-winning New York Times Bestselling Author by night. She has lived in New Zealand, Hawaii, Texas, Alabama, and now San Francisco with her husband, cat, and a growing collection of geek paraphernalia.

You can reach her at erinhayesbooks@gmail.com and she’ll be happy to chat. Especially if you want to debate Star Wars.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Street Team / Newsletter

 

GIVEAWAY!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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9

Stacking the Shelves (#60)

stackingtheshelves

Stacking the Shelves
Hosted by:  Tynga’s Reviews
Description: Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Find their latest post here!

Hellooooooooooo, penguins!

How are all your feathers treating you!?  Snack on any awesome tuna fish in the few weeks I’ve been MIA from this post?!  Had your beaks tucked, your talons painted, your pebbles shined?!  Let me know what’s up in your penguin worlds, if anything!

As for me…

Nothing much new around here.  I am workaworkaworking, just waiting for August to come around–the man and I will be flying back to Colorado to visit his family and spend some time for his grandma’s (93?rd) birthday.  Mostly I’m excited to get out of town and GET AWAY FROM WORK for a while.  I swear, working 6 days a week is haaaaaaaaard.  Because exhausting.  I feel like I never have time to just relax, I always gotta have my phone on and my brain working.

I got an email the other day from HarperCollins Publishers that took me completely by surprise.  It read:

“Happy Monday…and congratulations!

You have been chosen as one of our Harper Voyager Super Readers! We’re so excited to have you and welcome you to our tribe of nerdy booklovers!

We’ll be sending you a “welcome package” soon…once we manage to dig ourselves out from beneath the email deluge that is conference season.  In the meantime, rest assured that we’ll be sending you e-galleys for our upcoming titles via edelweiss.abovethetreeline.com.”

I cannot EXPLAIN to you guys how excited I was about this–and how excited I still am!  I don’t know what I did to catch their attention, but I am SO beyond honored to have been considered and chosen–THANK YOU SO MUCH, HarperCollins!

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So between the chaos of work and the excitement that is my book world…the last few weeks have been pretty nonstop, and I’m happy with that!  (I still can’t wait for August, though–I need a serious vacation.)

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from publishers/authors/edelweiss/netgalley
(for blog tours/reviews)

Ember Burning: Trinity Forest Book 1

Natalie and the Nerd

It Could Happen

Scandal (Scions of the Star Empire, #1)

The Year of Four (Phoebe Pope, #1)

The Blood of Kings (Phoebe Pope, #2)

The Danger With Love

Freeze (Midnight Ice #2)

from LitCube
(May theme —  Robin Hood: Princess of Thieves)

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freebies from around the net

After Loving You

Cruel and Unusual (Somewhere-in-Between, #2)

A Death's Awakening (Somewhere-in-Between, #3)

Addicted to You (Addicted, #1)

Unwrapped

recentpurchased

curse you, book deals!
(no, no, I don’t really mean this)

Six Wakes

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What are some of the books YOU picked up/added to your shelves (either real or virtual?)  Let me know below, or link me to your own Stacking the Shelves!

Until next time, happy book-ing!

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Top Ten Tuesday (#50)

toptentuesday

HOSTED BY: The Broke and The Bookish
DESCRIPTION:  Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish in June 2010. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We’d love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Find their latest post here!

WELCOME TO THE LIBRARY, WE’VE GOT BOOKS TO SPARE!

I mean, okay, it doesn’t quite work but still–who can say no to a little MORE weirdness from your lovably strange Princess Penguin!?

We celebrated Keith’s birthday this past weekend with a group of friends.  We hung out a bit, then went and saw Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 — Baby Groot is the absolute greatest thing to happen to my life since the dawning of evarrrrrr, I swear!  I mean seriously, JUST LOOK AT HIM:

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Image result for baby groot gifs

I just…. I really wanna squish him, okay?!

This week’s theme is:

Sequels I Need RIGHT NOW RIGHT NOW

because let’s be honest…there are WAY too many of these and I need some way to keep track of them all in my head, yah know?!  I mean, there’s only so much room in my beak for these things!

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Please note, some of these are the PREVIOUS books in the series because not all of them have future releases set or dreamed up yet.

*shakes fish at authors threateningly because I NEED THE SEQUELS*

Please?!

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Equal Parts (Supernova, #1) Nobody knows happiness better than nineteen-year-old Felicity Eastwood. For years now, she’s been ‘gifted’ with the ability to collect and transfer happiness to anyone at will. Well, everyone except herself.
That is until Achilles – renowned criminal mastermind with a face painted like Death and enough charm to cause hormonal riots – crashes into Felicity’s world and makes her feel … something.

Determined not to let such a coveted superpower slip beyond his reach, Achilles kidnaps Felicity, hoping to use her ability to brave his own skeletons. Felicity is only a half-unwilling prisoner though, forgoing escape to learn more of the man behind the mask and pursue the inexplicable spark between them.

As the lines between hero and villain begin to blur, Felicity finds herself wondering if Achilles might be the key to her own happiness at long last. Is it possible to be so happy with someone so dangerous?

But Achilles isn’t the only villain in the town, and the pursuit of happiness can be a deadly hunt…

READ MY REVIEW HERE!


Lilith and her five rockstars are back.  Roadie (Rock-Hard Beautiful Book 2)
Paxton is the leader, covered in tattoos, and cocky as hell.
Michael is the bad boy determined to change his ways.
Ransom is the scarred one, dark and beautiful.
Muse is the practical one, the enigma with a silver mohawk.
Copeland is the boy next door with a penchant for reading romance novels.

Together, these six twisted souls make up one beautiful whole.

READ MY REVIEW FOR GROUPIE HERE!


Traveler (Traveler #1) Jessa has spent her life dreaming of other worlds and writing down stories more interesting than her own, until the day her favorite character, Finn, suddenly shows up and invites her out for coffee. After the requisite nervous breakdown, Jessa learns that she and Finn are Travelers, born with the ability to slide through reflections and dreams into alternate realities. But it’s not all steampunk pirates and fantasy lifestyles—Jessa is dying over and over again, in every reality, and Finn is determined that this time, he’s going to stop it…This Jessa is going to live.

READ MY REVIEW RIGHT HERE!


The dark sequel to the best-selling Chameleon Assassin. Chameleon Uncovered

Libby has a chance to build a legitimate reputation when she’s hired by one of the world’s most prestigious museums to bolster their security. The gig is in Chicago, where her heartthrob lives, so she hopes for a little romance.

She’s on a first-name basis with larceny, mayhem, and death, but Libby’s not used to being on the receiving end. Chicago is far darker and more dangerous than her native Toronto. Amidst terrorist bombings, stolen treasure, and murder, a mutant prophet calls for revolution. Away from her family and friends, Libby has nowhere to turn as enemies assault her from all sides.

Their mistake. Libby is a dangerous enemy.

READ MY REVIEW OF CHAMELEON ASSASSIN RIGHT HERE!


The Dragons of Nova (Loom Saga, #2) Cvareh returns home to his sky world of Nova with the genius crafter Arianna as his temperamental guest. The mercurial inventor possesses all the Xin family needs to turn the tides of a centuries-old power struggle, but the secrets she harbors must be earned with trust — hard to come by for Ari, especially when it comes to Dragons. On Nova, Ari finds herself closer to exacting vengeance against the traitor who killed everything — and everyone – she once loved. But before Ari can complete her campaign of revenge, the Crimson Court exposes her shadowed past and reveals something even more dangerous sparking between her and Cvareh.

While Nova is embroiled in blood sport and political games, the rebels on Loom prepare for an all-out assault on their Dragon oppressors. Florence unexpectedly finds herself at the forefront of change, as her unique blend of skills — and quick-shooting accuracy — makes her a force to be reckoned with. For the future of her world, she vows vengeance against the Dragons.

Before the rebellion can rise, though, the Guilds must fall.

READ MY REVIEW FOR THE ALCHEMISTS OF LOOM RIGHT HERE!


The stakes have risen. For fifty years, Prince Vladimir has tolerated the Resistance, butMen and Monsters (Nightfall, #2)  now they threaten what he holds dear. The vicious vampire will no longer hold back. A plan he has been working on for decades will finally reveal itself and entangle everyone standing on the way.

For the first time after the Nightfall, the Resistance holds a true bargaining chip. For the first time, they have a chance to tip the scales of the war and ensure humanity’s survival. But Myra has made a promise, and breaking it will destroy all that is human in her. She is loyal to the Resistance, but nothing is black and white. Long-buried secrets emerge, showing her that vampires can be more honorable than humans, and humans can be more monstrous than beasts.

A desperate nobleman, fighting to save a doomed culture. A reclusive poet, choosing art over immortality. A vampire, rejecting her raw nature. Past and present weave together in an action-packed tale of power games, a hopeless fight for survival, and the indestructible human need to create art.

READ MY REVIEWOF KINGDOM OF ASHES RIGHT HERE!


Consurge (Somniare #2) Remy Novem went from one nightmare to another…only this time she’s awake.

After clawing her way out of Somniare, Remy finds a world she doesn’t recognize. Her family and friends have been slaughtered, and a war is brewing between light and dark forces.

Sacrifices will be made, and unlikely alliances formed, but ultimately the fate of the world will rest on one magical being’s shoulders…

And it isn’t Remy.

READ MY REVIEW OF SOMNIARE RIGHT HERE!


Alone and exhausted after her month-long sojourn as a shooting star, Solina Mundy flees Arctic Dawn (The Norse Chronicles, #2)to southern California to lie low, recuperate, and plot a survival strategy. The one person she trusts to watch her back is her best friend, Skyla Ramirez. But Skyla has been missing for weeks.

The arrival of a dangerous stranger and the discovery of a legendary weapon of mass destruction forces Solina out of hiding and back into the fight for her life. Solina knows she won’t last long on her own. She must find out what happened to Skyla and unite her contentious allies if she hopes to track down this devastating weapon before her enemies use it to burn the world to ash.

READ MY REVIEWS FOR:

MIDNIGHT BURNING –and–
ARCTIC DAWN


Down Among the Sticks and Bones (Wayward Children, #2) Twin sisters Jack and Jill were seventeen when they found their way home and were packed off to Eleanor West’s Home for Wayward Children.

This is the story of what happened first…

Jacqueline was her mother’s perfect daughter—polite and quiet, always dressed as a princess. If her mother was sometimes a little strict, it’s because crafting the perfect daughter takes discipline.

Jillian was her father’s perfect daughter—adventurous, thrill-seeking, and a bit of a tom-boy. He really would have preferred a son, but you work with what you’ve got.

They were five when they learned that grown-ups can’t be trusted.

They were twelve when they walked down the impossible staircase and discovered that the pretense of love can never be enough to prepare you a life filled with magic in a land filled with mad scientists and death and choices.

FIND MY REVIEW FOR EVERY HEART A DOORWAY RIGHT HERE!


She struggles to feel human. Artificial (The Kepler Chronicles, #1)

In 2256, the only remnants of civilization on Earth’s first colonized planet, Kepler, are the plant-covered buildings and the nocturnal, genetically spliced bug-people nesting within them: the Cull. During the day, Syl leaves her home in the sewers beneath Elite City to scavenge for food, but at night the Cull come looking for a meal of their own. Syl thought gene splicing died with the Android War a century ago. She thought the bugs could be exterminated, Elite city rebuilt, and the population replenished. She’s wrong.

Whoever engineered the Cull isn’t done playing God. Syl is abducted and tortured in horrific experiments which result in her own DNA being spliced, slowly turning her into one of the bugs. Now she must find a cure and stop the person responsible before every remaining man, woman, and child on Kepler is transformed into the abomination they fear.

He struggles not to.

For Bastion, being an android in the sex industry isn’t so bad. Clubbing beneath the streets of New Elite by day and seducing the rich by night isn’t an altogether undesirable occupation. But every day a new android cadaver appears in the slum gutters, and each caved in metal skull and heap of mangled wires whittles away at him.

Glitches—androids with empathy—are being murdered, their models discontinued and strung up as a warning. Show emotion, you die. Good thing Bastion can keep a secret, or he would be the next body lining the street.

He can almost live with hiding his emotions. That is, until a girl shows up in the slums—a human girl, who claims she was an experiment. And in New Elite, being a human is even worse than being a Glitch. Now Bastion must help the girl escape before he becomes victim to his too-human emotions, one way or another.

JOURNEY TO MY REVIEW OF ARTIFICIAL RIGHT HERE!


Midnight (The Romany Outcasts, #3) The final volume in this incredible YA trilogy which will see Sebastian and Josephine’s fates finally sealed…

Sebastian Grey’s sole purpose is to be a guardian for secretive gypsy clans and to protect the girl he loves, Josephine Romany. But what happens when your guardian is the one in trouble?

When Kari Corsi is found dead in his trailer, all evidence points to him being killed by a shadow creature. This is a threat to the entire clan: frightened, rumours begin to spread among them, and Sebastian becomes the main suspect.

Josephine must risk everything to find the inner strength to save Sebastian and uncover the true killer. Then, and only then, can they be together. Can they prove that love is stronger than stone?

SEE MY REVIEWS FOR

GREY
–and–
SHADOW

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What sequels are YOU most looking forward to, penguins?!  Have I convinced you to pick any of these awesome reads up?! (C’mon, admit it–you love indie authors just as much as I do!)

Feel free to share your thoughts with me in the comments, or link me to your own Top Ten Tuesday!

Until next time, happy book-ing!

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Stacking the Shelves (#59)

stackingtheshelves

Stacking the Shelves
Hosted by:  Tynga’s Reviews
Description: Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Find their latest post here!

So… I didn’t say anything the other day because I was SUPER tired, but I was working the night shift the last few nights annnnnd the first night there, who should walk in but on of my FAVORITE booktubers.

Now….if you know me, you know I sometimes don’t say things when I should because I get all awkward and nervous, but this day I just couldn’t help myself. I mentioned that I followed him on youtube and we had a great chat about books while my coworker and I made his sandwich.

And then he turned around and talked about it. On his vlog. On youtube. So…yeah… GO WATCH IT! Mostly because he’s such a great person to watch.

( If you’re wondering/only want to see what he says about our interaction, skip ahead to like the eight or nine minute mark.  SERIOUSLY, though, guys–you should TOTES go follow Peter for his booktube if you’re not already following him, because he’s awesome sauce and I adore him so hard.  His booktube channel can be found RIGHT HERE MAH DEARS! )

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from publishers/authors/edelweiss/netgalley
(for blog tours/reviews)

Stalker, My Love

It Had to Be You (Brokemore Academy, #1)

The Upside of Regret

Internet Famous

Unexpectedly Hers (Sterling Canyon, #3)

Before I Knew (The Cabots Book 1)

All That Glitters (All That #1)

Wicked Dance (Lovers Dance, #3)

recentlydownloaded

freebies from across the web

Play Me

Blackheath (The Blackheath Witches, #1)

Prejudice Meets Pride (Meet Your Match, #1)

Play With Me (Grover Beach Team, #1)

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What are some of the books YOU picked up/added to your shelves (either real or virtual?)  Let me know below, or link me to your own Stacking the Shelves!

Until next time, happy book-ing!

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Cover Reveal, Excerpt, and Giveaway: The Dragons of Loom

Today Elise Kova and Rockstar Book Tours

are revealing the cover for THE DRAGONS OF NOVA, which releases July 11, 2017!

Check out the gorgeous cover and enter to win assigned ARC of the book!!

On to the reveal! 

 

 

Title: The Dragons of Nova
(Loom Saga #2)

Author: Elise Kova

Pub. Date: July 11, 2017

Publisher: Keymaster Press

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 488

Find it:
 Amazon | B&N | TBD |
Goodreads

Cvareh returns home to his sky world of Nova with the genius crafter Arianna as his temperamental guest. The mercurial inventor possesses all the Xin family needs to turn the tides of a centuries-old power struggle, but the secrets she harbors must be earned with trust — hard to come by for Ari, especially when it comes to Dragons. On Nova, Ari finds herself closer to exacting vengeance against the traitor who killed everything — and everyone – she once loved. But before Ari can complete her campaign of revenge, the Crimson Court exposes her shadowed past and reveals something even more dangerous sparking between her and Cvareh.

 

While Nova is embroiled in blood sport and political games, the rebels on Loom prepare for an all-out assault on their Dragon oppressors. Florence unexpectedly finds herself at the forefront of change, as her unique blend of skills — and quick-shooting accuracy — makes her a force to be reckoned with. For the future of her world, she vows vengeance against the Dragons.

Before the rebellion can rise, though, the Guilds must fall.

 

Exclusive Excerpt!

“They’re coming from the front!” Nora screamed over the crescendo of the engine gaining speed. On cue, the train lurched as an endwig was splattered to a bloody mess on the point of the engine’s pilot.

 

“Bloody cogs,” Florence cursed. The Vicar Alchemist had sent her to protect the mission as the Revolver, but one of her wasn’t going to be enough. “I’m going to the engine.”

 

“What are we going to do?” The usually self-sure Nora had the face of a cornered hare.

 

“You’re going to fight.” Florence passed her a weapon.

 

“I’ve never shot a gun before.”

 

“Now is a great time to learn.”

 

“I’m an Alchemist!”

 

Seriously, Florence was a breath away from shooting the woman herself. “You’re dead if you don’t adapt! There’s three more bombs exactly like the ones you just used, right there. Just fend them off until the train gets up to speed. But don’t use any other disks.”

 

Florence had no more time to waste as the train lurched again. They just had to survive until the train reached full speed. For all the endwig were, they certainly couldn’t keep up with a locomotive.

 

She hoped.

 

The wind whipped her hair around her face as she stuck her head from the train car. Florence reached out for the ladder to the right of the door, scaling up before another endwig could emerge. She swung up just in time as an explosion nearly blew her foot clean off.

 

“By the five guilds, you two only had three bombs!” she screamed over the wind, not knowing if they could hear.

“Ration them a bit!”

 

Standing, Florence looked in horror at the tracks ahead. Dozens of endwig lined the path, running eagerly to meet the train. She loaded six canisters at once.

 

Jumping to the tender, Florence lost her footing atop the moving train car. A nail snapped clean off as she sought a grip that would prevent her from being thrown to certain death. If she fell now, she would never get back on the vessel. She’d be torn limb from limb.

 

Gritting her teeth, Florence rose to her knees, shooting two endwig in the process. She wedged herself between two grooves on the top of the tender. Blood pooled around her shins as she dug them into the metal for a grip where there was none, but she was stable enough to take aim, and that meant she could open fire.

 

Five shots down, and Florence reloaded her gun. Endwig came relentlessly like a never-ending nightmare. But the train didn’t gain any more speed. She repeated the process, waiting for the vessel to be like her bullets, whizzing through the night at deadly speeds.

 

“Anders, now would be a great time to open her up!” she screamed.

 

There was no reply.

 

“Anders, Rotus, we need speed, get us out of here faster!”

 

Five long claws curled around the door of the engine in answer. Florence watched in horror as the white silhouette of an endwig, dotted in the black blood of a Chimera, pulled itself from the engine room. Florence swallowed hard.

 

They were without Rivet and Raven, stumbling through the darkness, enemies at all sides. She raised her gun slowly, looking fearlessly at the face of death itself. Her revolver was steady over the rocking of the train.

 

“You think I’m not used to this?” Her mouth curled into a mad grin. “I’ve been fighting my way out of the darkness my whole life. And you’re not going to stop me now.”

 

Gunshots echoed through the forest.

About Elise: 

Elise Kova has always had a profound love of fantastical worlds. Somehow, she managed to focus on the real world long enough to graduate with a Master’s in Business Administration before crawling back under her favorite writing blanket to conceptualize her next magic system. She currently lives in St. Petersburg, Florida, and when she is not writing can be found playing video games, watching anime, or talking with readers on social media. She is the USA Today bestselling author of the Air Awakens Series as well as the Loom Saga (Keymaster, 2017).

 

Giveaway Details:

(1) winner will receive a signed advanced readers copy of THE DRAGONS OF NOVA.

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Book Blitz, Excerpt, Teasers, and Giveaway: July Thunder

 

July Thunder
(Bad Bloods #3)

by Shannon A. Thompson
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: April 10th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

From best-selling author Shannon A. Thompson comes an exciting new duology in the Bad Bloods universe.

Fourteen-year-old Violet has been called many things: a bad blood, a survivor, an immortal…now she has a new name–citizen. But adjusting to a lawful life is not easy, especially when she must live under the rule of the same officers who justified the killings of her flock only eight months earlier.

Segregation of bad bloods and humans is still in effect, and rebellious Violet steps into a school where she is not allowed. When the police get involved, things deteriorate quickly, sparking a new revolution at the wall separating the Highlands from the outskirts.

That’s when Caleb steps in. He might appear to be an average sixteen-year-old bad blood, but he has secrets, and Violet is determined to figure them out. Caleb knows who’s attacking the wall and why, but his true identity remains a mystery–and how he relates to Violet could shake the threatened city to its very core.

Together or not, a storm will form, a rally will start, and shocking truths will be revealed.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Smashwords

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EXCERPT:

While the Northern Flock had to be quiet to survive, the herd played music in order to live.

Caleb’s hand found mine. “Dance with me?” he asked, but I hated my answer.

“I can’t.” My confession came with my wrecked knee. With one gesture, Caleb seemed to understand, but as he turned his eyes to his herd—to Britney prancing around with Plato, to Kat covering her ears, to Yasir holding Hanna with his protective gloves between them—Caleb pulled me up to my feet.

“Let me do it for you,” he said, and then, he lifted me up and placed me on the tops of his boots.

As he swayed, I saw the sunburn on the tops of his cheeks, the sand in his hair, the sea salt on his skin. Then, his chapped lips as he managed a shaky smile. For once, Caleb looked disheveled, and I had never liked him more.

“That’s some crew you have,” he said, but I hadn’t noticed anyone else in the world around us until he spun.

Life-sized shadows—dozens of them—danced all around us, and I recognized their shapes as people I would always know. Blake and his teddy bear. Floyd’s stretched limbs, and Ami’s swinging braids. Even Adam’s speed.

Alive or dead, the shadows of every member of my own flock joined in on the dance of a herd, and my heart fluttered at the sight.

Losing control had never felt so great.

Neither had a storm descending down upon us.

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Author Bio:

Shannon A. Thompson is a young adult author, avid reader, and a habitual chatterbox.

As a novelist, poet, and blogger, Thompson spends her free time writing and sharing ideas with her black cat, Bogart, named after her favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart. Her other two cats bring her coffee. Between writing and befriending cats, Thompson graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor’s degree in English with an emphasis on creative writing, and her work has appeared in numerous poetry collections and anthologies. Represented by Clean Teen Publishing, Thompson is the best-selling author of The Timely Death Trilogy and the Bad Bloods duology. When she is not writing, she is climbing rooftops, baking cookies, or watching murder shows in the middle of the night, often done with her cats by her side.

Visit her blog for writers and readers at http://www.ShannonAThompson.com.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

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Weekly Wishlist (#24)

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Because I needed a post in my life that kept me up to date on all things BOOKS!  and it seemed like Wishlist Wednesday was dead, I decided to make my own.

Welcome to Weekly Wishlist!

I’m all about breaking bending the rules to my will, so I’m switching it up!  I’m going to pair books that are already in the wild (except not this one because I ran out of books to include that have already been published–what is this madness?!)…with books soon to be released. Click the covers to be taken to the Amazon page.

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Violet Grenade

DOMINO: A runaway with blood on her hands.

CAIN: A silent boy about to explode.

MADAM KARINA: A woman who demands obedience.

WILSON: The one who will destroy them all.

When Madam Karina discovers Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position inside her home for entertainers in secluded West Texas. Left with few alternatives and an agenda of her own, Domino accepts. It isn’t long before she is fighting her way up the ranks to gain the madam’s approval. But after suffering weeks of bullying and unearthing the madam’s secrets, Domino decides to leave. It’ll be harder than she thinks, though, because the madam doesn’t like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn’t know about the person living inside Domino’s mind.

Madam Karina doesn’t know about Wilson.

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Why I want it:

While the cover alone is GOOOOORGEOUS and calls to me like a siren…I wasn’t hooked until the blurb.  Seriously, this book sounds SO SO GOOD, I cannot wait to get my tuna-fish covered flippers on it!

The Thing with Feathers

Emilie Day believes in playing it safe: she’s homeschooled, her best friend is her seizure dog, and she’s probably the only girl on the Outer Banks of North Carolina who can’t swim.

Then Emilie’s mom enrolls her in public school, and Emilie goes from studying at home in her pj’s to halls full of strangers. To make matters worse, Emilie is paired with starting point guard Chatham York for a major research project on Emily Dickinson. She should be ecstatic when Chatham shows interest, but she has a problem. She hasn’t told anyone about her epilepsy.

Emilie lives in fear her recently adjusted meds will fail and she’ll seize at school. Eventually, the worst happens, and she must decide whether to withdraw to safety or follow a dead poet’s advice and “dwell in possibility.”

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Why I want it:

First of all, LOOK LOOK LOOOOOOK at that cover!  I mean, can we just talk about it for a minute?!  Because it’s drool-worthy and I need it in my life.  Secondly…Well, I mean, Emily Dickinson plays some role in this book, and I adoooooore me her words!  So…win-win!?

Lost Boy: The True Story of Captain Hook

From the national bestselling author of Alice comes a familiar story with a dark hook—a tale about Peter Pan and the friend who became his nemesis, a nemesis who may not be the blackhearted villain Peter says he is…

There is one version of my story that everyone knows. And then there is the truth. This is how it happened. How I went from being Peter Pan’s first—and favorite—lost boy to his greatest enemy.

Peter brought me to his island because there were no rules and no grownups to make us mind. He brought boys from the Other Place to join in the fun, but Peter’s idea of fun is sharper than a pirate’s sword. Because it’s never been all fun and games on the island. Our neighbors are pirates and monsters. Our toys are knife and stick and rock—the kinds of playthings that bite.

Peter promised we would all be young and happy forever.

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Why I want it:

I mean… you all KNOW I’m obsessed with Peter Pan, right?  So…do I really need to explain myself here?  Really?!

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Have a book YOU’D like to recommend to me?!  AWESOME!  Either shoot me a comment down below, or send me a recommendation on Goodreads RIGHT HERE!

What do you guys think–have you read any of these…or WANT to?  What did you think of them, if so?  Let me know your thoughts and as always…

Until next time, happy book-ing!

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Release Day Blitz, Excerpt, and Giveaway: Zenn Diagram

 

 

I am so excited that ZENN DIAGRAM by Wendy Brant is available now and that I get to share the news!

 

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Wendy Brant, be sure to check out all the details below.

 

This blitz also includes a giveaway for 3 finished copies of the book courtesy of Kids Can Press and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

About The Book:

Title: ZENN DIAGRAM

Author: Wendy Brant

Pub. DateApril 4, 2017

Publisher: Kids Can Press

Pages: 328

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Eva Walker is a seventeen-year-old math genius. And if that doesn’t do wonders for her popularity, there’s another thing that makes it even worse: when she touches another person or anything that belongs to them — from clothes to textbooks to cell phones — she sees a vision of their emotions. She can read a person’s fears and anxieties, their secrets and loves … and what they have yet to learn about calculus. This is helpful for her work as a math tutor, but it means she can never get close to people. Eva avoids touching anyone and everyone. People think it’s because she’s a clean freak — with the emphasis on freak — but it’s all she can do to protect herself from other people’s issues.

Then one day a new student walks into Eva’s life. His jacket gives off so much emotional trauma that she falls to the floor. Eva is instantly drawn to Zenn, a handsome and soulful artist who also has a troubled home life, and her feelings only grow when she realizes that she can touch Zenn’s skin without having visions. But when she discovers the history that links them, the truth threatens to tear the two apart.

 

 

Excerpt:

While he waits for his coffee, I snuggle deeper into the couch, hoping he won’t notice me. The only thing worse than filling out college applications the night of the homecoming dance is your crush seeing you fill out college applications the night of the homecoming dance. I guess it should make me feel better that he’s not at the dance, either, but it doesn’t. When guys don’t go to homecoming it seems like a conscious choice. When girls don’t go, it just seems like they didn’t get asked.

….

“Tall black drip!” the barista calls out, like she’s calling out his name and not the drink. Zenn is tall and dark, but there is nothing drippy about him. He is most definitely non-drippy, whatever that means. He takes his coffee and I think I am home free until he steps away from the counter. Crap. He sees me. I am equal parts mortified and thrilled. He raises his cup in a silent greeting and comes a few steps closer. He opens the lid and I try not to stare at his mouth as he blows on his coffee to cool it.

“Hey, Zenn.” My voice sounds goofy in my own ears. Too loud in this small, cozy space.

He takes a tentative sip from his cup. Straight black coffee, no cream, no sugar, no chocolate syrup. What a badass.  “No homecoming for you either?” he asks.

I close my laptop and press my hands against the warm surface. I shrug. “I’m not much of a dancer.”

Zenn nods in agreement. “Yeah. Me neither.” He comes even closer and sits down on the arm of the sofa across from me. His knees are spread wide, his forearms resting on his inner thighs, his hypnotizing hands holding his coffee in the triangle between his legs. He looks so comfortable, so at ease in his own skin. How does one get that way? You wouldn’t think it would be hard – I mean, we’re born in our skin. It should be pretty comfortable by the time you hit seventeen, eighteen. But for me … not so much.

Excerpt from Zenn Diagram © 2017 Wendy Brant, with permission from Kids Can Press.

About Wendy:

So my name alone should give you a clue that I graduated from high school when bangs were big and clothes were baggy. I went to Northwestern University and majored in journalism even though I had no desire to be a journalist. I’ve been married to a great guy for a whole drinking-aged person’s life. I’ve got two amazing and yet very different (and very tall) teenage kids. I like crappy food, pinning inspirational quotes on Pinterest, have a tendency to start paragraphs with “anyway”, and I wish I were funnier. I would love to be one of those really, REALLY funny bloggers (like Insane in the Mom-Brain) that makes you pee yourself a little bit. I am only moderately funny. I admit that. It’s one of my great sadnesses in life. I started writing fiction when I was 10, but tried to be practical with the whole journalism thing. Didn’t take. Shortly after college, the fiction-writing desire reared its non-practical head and I’ve been writing ever since.

Anyway, I’m probably just like you. We’d probably be friends if we met in real life. (Well, let’s be honest. It’s likely that only my friends are actually reading this blog, so we probably ARE friends in real life.) But whether we are friends in real life, or just virtual friends through cyberspace, I hope you will enjoy your time here.

Check out my debut YA novel, ZENN DIAGRAM (KCP Loft 4/4/17), available for pre-order at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or Target!

Giveaway

Details:

3 winners will receive a hardcover of ZENN DIAGRAM, US Only.

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