My Favorite Reads Giveaway Hop (INT)

It's blog hop time again! I won't wax poetic today and just get down to business. First things first - thank you to I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Rachelle Writes for hosting! Secondly, here is what you can win:

These are my some of favorite reads released in 2012 so far. You can choose any ONE of those books as your prize. (Note: Dust Girl will be a preorder, as it has not been released yet.) You can also choose Silver-Tongued Devil by Jaye Wells if you win.

Giveaway Requirements

• Be thirteen (13) years old, have parental consent, or lie about it. (Please don't do that.)
• Live somewhere that can get shipments from Amazon or the Book Depository for free.
• Be Awesome (and fill out the Rafflecopter).
• Following is NOT required, but it is always appreciated. Your options are on my sidebar, but I will tell you that I am yet to figure out Linky.
• You can help me spread the word, but it isn't required.

Thankful Thursday (1)

In order to cut down on memes in favor of more reviews and features, I'm going to start doing a "Thankful Thursday" on the last Thursday of each month. It won't be just the books that I receive, but it will also consist of bloggers, authors, lolcats, aliens, and other entities on the interwebz that have made my month amazing. (This month will also have the general wrap-up incorporated into it so I don't swamp you with posts today.)

Books

First things first, I would like to cover the various books I have received. There are two that will be in the May RAK Wrap-Up tomorrow, but I'd like to cover a few that I got in the mail at the tail-end of this month. (If you'd like to see what I got earlier this month, go look here, here, and here.) You'll have to excuse the quality of the picture, but the camera on my phone is quite terrible.

Author Interview & Giveaway: Peter Giglio

PETER GIGLIO is a Pushcart Prize nominated novelist, screenwriter, and anthologist. He is the author of three novels—Anon, Beyond Anon, and The Dark (with Scott Bradley)—and two novellas—A Spark in the Darkness and Balance. His short fiction can be found in several books, including two anthologies edited by John Skipp, where he had the honor of sharing TOCs with Thomas Harris, George R.R. Martin, Neil Gaiman, Charlaine Harris, Chuck Palahniuk, and many other literary icons. He is also the editor of the anthologies Help! Wanted: Tales of On-the-Job Terror and Evil Jester Digest, Volume One.

Peter lives in Lincoln, Nebraska with his wife and three cats. He stays busy but always has time for readers at his website.




***
Peter, thank you so much for taking the time to do an interview for Bibliophilia, Please. Just looking at your bibliography speaks volumes about how busy you are. When did you know that you wanted to be a writer?

For as long as I can remember. My dad, a respected historian, is a writer. The scent of aging paper, the sight of overflowing bookshelves and manuscript pages strewn all over the floor—good memories. I used to write and illustrate by own little books as a kid, mostly James Bond and Star Wars fan-fiction. I’m sure my mom kept all that stuff. Hope she keeps it away from me.

When did you write start writing things that you intended for other people to read?

Waiting on Wednesday (19)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Undeadly

Author: Michele Vail

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Release Date: November 20, 2012

The day I turned 16, my boyfriend-to-be died. I brought him back to life. Then things got a little weird...

Molly Bartolucci wants to blend in, date hottie Rick and keep her zombie-raising abilities on the down-low. Then the god Anubis chooses her to become a reaper-and she accidentally undoes the work of another reaper, Rath. Within days, she's shipped off to the Nekyia Academy, an elite school that trains the best necromancers in the world. And her personal reaping tutor? Rath. Who seems to hate her guts.

Rath will be watching closely to be sure she completes her first assignment-reaping Rick, the boy who should have died. The boy she still wants to be with.To make matters worse, students at the academy start turning up catatonic, and accusations fly-against Molly. The only way out of this mess? To go through hell. Literally.

I was just playing around on Amazon, looking for books to preorder - I do this every few months to get the 4 for 3 discount on paperbacks. Anywho, I came across this one, and I had never heard of it! Of course it went straight into my cart. I can't wait for it to hit my doorstep!

What are you waiting on this week?

Review: The Wicked and the Just by J. Anderson Coats

Title: The Wicked and the Just

Author: J. Anderson Coats

Publisher: Harcourt Children's Books (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt)

Release Date: April 17, 2012

The Wicked and the Just is the debut novel of J. Anderson Coats. It is historical fiction and focuses on the lives of two girls forced together during the early years of England’s subjugation of Wales in the late thirteenth century and told from alternating points of view. The novel is aimed at the young adult audience.

Cecily d’Edgely thinks life is very unfair. Since her uncle’s return from the Crusades, she and her father lost “their” claim to the family holding. To make matters even worse, she is to leave her friends, family, and all that she knows behind to start a new life in Wales – that’s if she isn’t murdered by barbarians first. Once there, they are no better than foreigners in Caernarvon until her father is sworn in as a burgess.

Gwenhwyfar hates the English. Not only have they taken Wales, but they have also broken her family. Her father hung from the castle walls after he refused to swear allegiance to the English king. Due to her family name and the difficulty for men to find work, she is forced to work as a maid in a house that should belong to her. If it wasn't for her brother Gruffyd – who was too honorable to take jobs before family men – or her dying mother, she wouldn't have to deal with the English brat who she hates.

Review: Dust Girl by Sarah Zettel

Title: Dust Girl

Author: Sarah Zettel

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Release Date: June 26, 2012

Dust Girl is the first young adult novel written by Sarah Zettel, who is an award-winning science fiction and fantasy author. It is a fantasy and the first planned in The American Fairy Trilogy. Dust Girl focuses on a girl was raised by her mother in Kansas during the Dust Bowl of the 1930s.

Callie LeRoux always had to lie about her heritage. It was not just her blue-gray eyes and freckled, creamy skin that made it necessary for her to cover herself, wear a hat, and wear gloves when she went outside. It is after her mother goes missing that she discovers that her father’s dark skin may not be the family secret that is most dangerous to her. As Callie searches for her parents, she is thrown in the middle of the on-going war between the two fae kingdoms. Luckily, she finds an ally in Jack – a young man with his own secrets.

Cheating and Scams

I had a long rant typed out, but I decided that you guys wouldn't want to read that.

Blog Politics = SNORE!!!

Sure, I found a few instances of cheating on some of my OPEN GIVEAWAYS after reading Parajunkee's Rafflecopter Cheating Post. Instead of boring you with my disappointment in a passer-through (because my followers are far to awesome for bad behavior) and irritation at giveaway scams, I will give you the lolcat pictures I was going to use throughout the post.

Author Interview: Travis McBee

Look - another interview! Today we have Travis McBee, the author of Bridgeworld.

William Haynes was the type of guy that everyone either wanted, or wanted to be. He was an honor roll student and captain of his middle school football team. He was dating the most popular girl in the school and had dozens of friends.

Yes, life was perfect for Will…that was, until a strange man showed up and forced his parents to reveal a secret they had kept hidden since he was born.

Will is told that he has been given a scholarship to a prestigious private school that his parents attended, a private school that happens to be in space. Will must choose between a life many would die for and a life none could imagine. A life where he is no longer perfect, where he must make new friends, and where he must survive a school rivalry like no other.

Travis, first I would like to thank you for taking the time to answer some questions here on Bibliophilia, Please. According to your bio on Hydra Publication’s website, you wrote Bridgeworld during your sophomore year of college. I have to ask – were you fantasizing about alien abduction as an escape of the course load?

Ha! Not really, but the course load – it was nice getting away from all of that work.

In all seriousness, what was your inspiration in writing Bridgeworld?

Book Blast (Epic Interview & Giveaway): Masters of the Veil by Daniel Cohen

As a part of today's book blast, I have a special treat for you guys. The hilarious Daniel Cohen was kind enough to do an interview for us bibliophiles to promote his new novel, Masters of the Veil. I have to tell you, this is probably one of the funniest interviews that I've ever done. There was a lot of laughter involved on my end. I think you guys are going to enjoy his answers as much as I did. You can also enter to win a $100 gift code from Amazon if you are up to battling the intimidating Rafflecopter beasty at the end of the post.

Daniel A. Cohen was just your average business student. Microeconomics, finance, marketing… you name it, he had to do a PowerPoint presentation on it. One dark and stormy night, he was bitten by the radioactive realization that memorizing business jargon could possibly be the most boring activity known to man.

After gaining eagle-eye vision, abs that could grate cheese, and a talent for imagining things (including his cheese-grating abs), he wrote his first novel and began his epic battle against the formidable business jargon. He continues to fight the good fight by playing saxophone and writing YA fantasy, forever hoping his Veil trilogy will help inspire others to join his cause.

Daniel, I would like to thank you before we do anything else for agreeing to do this interview - I know you're busy getting ready for BEA. When did you write your first book?

My first book, The Ancillary’s Mark was written when I was nineteen years old. Funny enough, I started writing it when I was selling cars at a Nissan dealership. There was a ton of downtime, so when the older guys were staring out of the window or fooling around on the Internet, I tried my hand at something productive. I had no idea it would become a career.

Did you offer free copies of your novel to anyone who bought a new car?

I actually would have, but by the time it was published I had already moved on to bigger and better things. And by that I mean making minimum wage at Barnes and Noble. But I did get to hand-sell my book there, which was pretty cool.

What inspired you to write Masters of the Veil?

Harry Potter. Although when I set out to write MOTV I vowed to only use magic/creatures/theories/games of my own creation, it was J.K. Rowling’s novels that inspired me to try my hand at fantasy. She is my idol and my nemesis. (You hear that J.K.!!! Now you have to acknowledge my existence since we’re nemeses! Also, can we hang out sometime?)

How long did it take you to write Masters of the Veil?

From idea to final draft took about three years.

What do you think it is that sets Masters of the Veil apart from other fantasy novels?

Most fantasy novels that I’ve read have been centered around an outcast type who finds his/her place in a fantasy world. MOTV tells what happens when the opposite happens. Sam Lock is a high school football star who finds himself in a magical world and struggles there.

How much did your being a musician effect the way you told the story?

Hey, cool! You know that I’m a musician! It came through big time in Glissandro Thicket (my favorite character after Sam). He’s a mute sorcerer who has found a way to speak through music. I had a lot of fun meeting him, and he taught me some really important things.

Google knows everything – and I may be peeking in your windows. But to be serious, did you write any songs based on Glissandro and the book, or did you just play/listen to other music?

Uh…. Uh… the batman underoos I wear to bed are a joke. *Nervously tugs collar* Yeah, just a joke.

Waiting on Wednesday (18)

Title: Stormdancer
Author: Jay Kristoff
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books (Macmillan)
Release Date: September 18, 2012

A DYING LAND
The Shima Imperium is verging on the brink of environmental collapse; decimated by clockwork industrialization and the machine-worshippers of the Lotus Guild. The skies are red as blood, land choked with toxic pollution, wildlife ravaged by mass extinctions.

AN IMPOSSIBLE QUEST
The hunters of the imperial court are charged by their Shōgun to capture a thunder tiger—a legendary beast, half-eagle, half-tiger. But any fool knows thunder tigers have been extinct for more than a century, and the price of failing the Shōgun is death.

A SIXTEEN YEAR OLD GIRL
Yukiko is a child of the Fox clan, possessed of a hidden gift that would see her executed by the Lotus Guild. Accompanying her father on the Shōgun’s hunt, she finds herself stranded: a young woman alone in Shima’s last wilderness, with only a furious, crippled thunder tiger for company. Even though she can hear his thoughts, even though she saved his life, all she knows for certain is he’d rather see her dead than help her.

But together, the pair will form an indomitable friendship, and rise to challenge the might of an empire.

Blog Hop (Facts & Giveaway): Donna Grant

Super Duper Release Date 
Extravaganza Blog Hop

From the acclaimed author of the Dark Sword novels comes a thrilling spin off series in which ancient magic in the modern world ignites a timeless passion…

A MYSTERY OUT OF TIME
Gwynn Austin has no idea why her father has disappeared on a mysterious trip to Scotland. When she goes on a desperate mission to search for him she finds more than she bargains for in a ruggedly handsome, wickedly exciting Highlander who exudes danger and mystery. And when she discovers her own link to Scotland, she’ll have to trust her heart to help lead her…

A LEGEND IN THE FLESH
Propelled through time by powerful Druid Magic, Logan Hamilton uses his immortality and powers of the god inside him to help prevent the awakening of an ancient evil in the modern world. He never expects to find help in the form of a beautiful, alluring, and all too tempting woman whose passion and strength matches his own. Together, Logan and Gywnn must fight for their love—before a demon from the past destroys them both…


Buy your copy today: Amazon | Book Depository

One of my favorite types of giveaway or contest is a treasure hunt, so today I am taking part in one for YOU guys. Not only are you going to be able to take part in a Warrior Fact Treasure Hunt, but you're going to find out about some really fantastic books. I bet you want to know how this will work, right?

Giveaway Rules

Teaser Tuesdays (7)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! 

Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"What would Lily have thought if I'd laid it all out there like that? Would she have run away screaming, knowing that we were here to collect on that promise?"

-- Lies Beneath by Anne Greenwood Brown

Page 206 (ARC)

Release Date: June 12, 2012

Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Buy Here: Amazon | Book Depository

Author Interview: Gwen Perkins

I have another great author that I would like to introduce you guys to today - Gwen Perkins, author of The Universal Mirror. She was kind enough to stop by and answer some questions about her book, writing, and some inspirational historical events.

On the island of Cercia, the gods are dead, killed by their followers and replaced with the study of magic. Magicians are forbidden to leave their homeland. Laws bind these men that prevent them from casting spells on the living—whether to harm or to heal.

Quentin, a young nobleman, challenges these laws out of love for his wife. His best friend, Asahel, defies authority at his side, unaware that the search for this lost magic will bring them both to the edge of reason, threatening their very souls. The Universal Mirror shows how far two men are willing to go for the sake of knowledge and what they will destroy to obtain it.

This is the first novel of the new fantasy series, Artifacts of Empire.

Hi, Gwen! Thank you so much for being so kind as to answer some questions about your book. In your own words, can you tell us a little bit about The Universal Mirror?

Cover Re-Do Reveal & Giveaway: My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century by Rachel Harris

I was lucky enough to have participated in the March cover reveal of My Super Sweet Sixteenth Century. Although the cover was gorgeous, it’s been changed! I'd love to know what you think of the new cover, so please leave your thoughts in the comments. Before I share the new cover with you, here’s the blurb:

On the precipice of her sixteenth birthday, the last thing lone wolf Cat Crawford wants is an extravagant gala thrown by her bubbly stepmother and well-meaning father. So even though Cat knows the family’s trip to Florence, Italy, is a peace offering, she embraces the magical city and all it offers. But when her curiosity leads her to an unusual gypsy tent, she exits . . . right into Renaissance Firenze.

Thrust into the sixteenth century armed with only a backpack full of contraband future items, Cat joins up with her ancestors, the sweet Alessandra and protective Cipriano, and soon falls for the gorgeous aspiring artist Lorenzo. But when the much-older Niccolo starts sniffing around, Cat realizes that an unwanted birthday party is nothing compared to an unwanted suitor full of creeptastic amore.

Can she find her way back to modern times before her Italian adventure turns into an Italian forever?

Now without further ado:

In My Mailbox (10)

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives readers the chance to spotlight the books they received over the past week, whether they are for review, won, gifted, or borrowed.

This was a really good week for me, and I am so grateful for it. I've been needing some awesome to add to my sauce from all the Suck that's been going on lately. My IMM is going to be a mess like last week, but I took a picture of everything together earlier in the week (it all came on Friday!), and I don't feel like digging everything out to do it again. :-)

Blog Tour (Guest Post): Pavlov's Dogs by D.L. Snell and Thom Brannan

Book Club at the End of the World

Guest Post by D.L. Snell
Innovative Online Book Tours

The characters of our novel, PAVLOV’S DOGS, don’t have time to read. Zombies are slow, but they’re not that slow. Any downtime our characters get, they’re spending it barricading, rationing, or cleaning guns. In the case of the Dogs, they spend it getting hormone therapy to ensure the werewolf ability to change on command. But as our characters are carrying out these mundane chores, they do have some time to dwell on what they miss about the world. One thing they miss dearly is curling up with a great book. You might be surprised by some of their reading preferences.

Review: Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Title: Grave Mercy 

Author: Robin LaFevers

Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Release Date: April 3, 2012

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers is a historical romance novel that is aimed at the young adult audience. It has a small mix of the paranormal and mythology that lends to its story about Ismae Rienne, Death's handmaiden.

Life was hard in the 15th century. Surviving an attempted abortion and being raised by a hateful father had to make it even harder. Throw in an abusive husband, and that describes the life of Ismae Rienne. That is, until she is rescued by the followers of the Old Ways in the countryside, who recognize her for what she is. Her life changes for the better when she is taken in by the convent of Saint Mortain, the pre-Christianity god of death. Ismae finds her calling in the walls of the convent - she is an assassin, a genius with poisons, and an adept student. However, all of that may prove to not be enough when she faces an assignment that places her in a dangerous political struggle and in a partnership with the equally dangerous Gavriel Duval.

I love historical fantasy novels (okay, and some historical romance), so I was more than excited to get my hands on Grave Mercy. Reading about imaginary assassin nuns in the 15th century was a huge factor in my starting the book ahead of others on my review pile. Unfortunately, I overheard talk of a romance that played a pretty major role in the book. I was almost turned off and nearly put it down.

I have never been happier to stick with a book.

Author Interview: Rachel Hunter

Hullo, fellow bibliophiles and booklovers! I have someone special on the blog today. Rachel Hunter is a college student who was kind enough to take a break from her busy school and writing schedule to answer a few questions about writing and her debut novel, Empyreal Fate.

Filled to the brim with forbidden love, an ancient evil, and a nation in disrepair, Empyreal Fate is a tale of riveting bravery and mortal corruption.

The land of Llathala lingers on the brink of war between men and elves, a dark history surrounding each race. Stirred by tensions of the land, a shadow of the past reemerges, taking precedence in reality and consuming the very soul of mans’ mortal weakness. Darrion, the son of a poor laborer, is ensnared in a hostile world, forced to choose between loyalty to his king or the counsel of the elves. Yet Fate has other plans in store, tying his course to Amarya, an elven royalblood of mysterious quality and unsurpassable beauty. But this forbidden connection incites betrayal from members of their own kin, marking them as traitors to the crown. In a land torn asunder, only Fate’s decree can allow such love to coexist with an ancient enmity.

Thank you so much for stopping by Bibliophilia, Please to answer some questions, Rachel! You’re a very young published author. How old were you when you wrote your first novel?

Author Interview: Rolando Garcia

Today on the blog, we have author Rolando Garcia promoting his new short story collection, The Sun Zebra. Dr. Garcia was nice enough to answer some questions that I had for him regarding the collection, writing, and books.

This book is best described as a children's book for grownups. Its aim is to encourage us to discover (or rediscover) the amazing things that children and their magical carefree world can teach us, even as we try to teach them about the harsh realities of our own. The book is a collection of five stories that follow the "adventures in living" of an unusual little girl called Nell, her mother Rhonda, and Nell's father who is the narrator of the stories.



Please tell us, in your own words, a little about The Sun Zebra.

It is what I call a “children’s book for adults.” It is a series of short stories that chronicle the adventures in living of an unusual little girl named Nell, her mother Rhonda, and Nell’s father who is the narrator of the stories. The stories deal with how the world of adults and its hard realities intersects with the magical carefree world of children. Its aim is to help us discover (or rediscover) what it is to see the world through the eyes of a child.

What inspired you to write the story collection?

Blog Tour (Guest Post): Veiled Virtues by Jan Fischer Wade

I am having a blast with the Summer Teen Reading Party and I am so excited about this month long event! We’ve got lots of great books and authors there – many for $1.99 or less. I hope everyone visits! Make sure to read the rest of this post to find out how you can enter to win a $50 Barnes & Noble gift card!

I usually love reading in the summer, but this year, I will be working on the finishing touches to the sequel to Veiled Virtues so I won’t have time to read much else! The sequel is entitled Latent Legacy and you can read more about it on my website listed below! But first, here is a taste of Veiled Virtues -

When Paige Stewart left America to house-sit in England, her only thoughts were to get away from her controlling mother and to have fun. Little did she know that her working holiday would find her hearing eerie voices, experiencing alarming dreams and bleeding from old scars. Although Paige's differences confuse and disgust her, she opens up to the shopkeeper of a strange metaphysical store in town, where she finds much more than tarot cards and crystals. Soon, Paige is stalked like prized game. Relentlessly pursued, her holiday takes a turn for the eerie and dangerous. Her only saving grace may be a modern-day English knight who sweeps her off her feet and recognizes the true virtues the American teen unknowingly possesses.


Excerpt

Waiting on Wednesday (17)

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event that is hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Title: Darkness Before Dawn

Author: J.A. London

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: May 29, 2012

This electrifying new trilogy blends the best of paranormal and dystopian storytelling in a world where the war is over. And the vampires won.

Humans huddle in their walled cities, supplying blood in exchange for safety. But not even that is guaranteed. Dawn has lost her entire family and now reluctantly serves as the delegate to Lord Valentine, the most powerful vampire for miles. It isn’t until she meets Victor, Valentine’s son, that she realizes not all vampires are monsters....

Darkness Before Dawn is a fresh new story with captivating characters, unexpected plot twists, a fascinating setting, and a compelling voice. Written under the name J. A. London by a talented mother-son team, the trilogy is perfect for fans of True Blood and the House of Night and Morganville Vampires series.

Available to pre-order: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Be sure to add it to your TBR list on Goodreads!

Am I burnt out on vampires? Not as long as they're blood-sucking monsters. :-)

What are you waiting on this week?

You Can Ignore This

...But I'm Writing It For Me

I tried to keep my blinders on and ignore everything going on in the blogosphere. I try to avoid drama like the plague, and I would rather just keep marching on like nothing has happened. (I don't know these people and don't care to.) I do not agree with the way it's being handled currently, so I need to distance myself from the blog involved. (Which is hilarious to me because the majority of bloggers have no idea who I am or care in the least what I do.)

The only reason I'm acknowledging anything at all is that I'm withdrawing from one of my weekly memes. I have not decided if I am going to replace it. I will continue with the challenge because I am finding a lot of great new authors through it, I love the ladies on a sister-blog attached to it (they are fantastic), and I've worked really hard on it so far.

Oh, and I'm making the time stamp crazy because I don't want this to have top billing over my legitimate posts. The authors and books - and you, my readers - are the most important things around here.

Blog Tour (Interview): The Seven Habits of Highly Infective People by William Todd Rose

On Bibliophilia, Please today, the fascinating William Todd Rose has stopped to promote his new book, The Seven Habits of Highly Infective People. He was kind enough to answer some questions for us about his book, other zombie novels, and writing.

Bosley Coughlin can travel through time. And the future does not look good.

Through a heady cocktail of drugs and the occult, Bosley slips through time and space and glimpses The End. Cities lay in ruins, and those who still cling to life hide in the rubble like frightened animals. Walking carcasses shamble through the debris exacting a horrible fate upon any living they find.

This horrific future is the only world fourteen year old Ocean has ever known. Starving and alone, she struggles for even the most basic of necessities: food, water, shelter, love…

In the present, Bosley stumbles across Clarice Hudson and soon realizes that she is much more than a simple shop girl. One by one, she displays the seven symptoms of the contagion that will bring Bosley’s world to an end and create the nightmare Ocean calls home. Clarice may hold the key to stopping the coming apocalypse and sparing Ocean from the atrocities of mankind’s imminent future… but only if Coughlin is willing to push beyond every notion he’s ever held about right and wrong.

First off, William, I would like to thank you so much for answering questions for my readers here at Bibliophilia, Please. I have to be honest and ask you about the first thing that came to mind when I read the title – that other book. How does the Seven Habits of Infective People compare to The Seven Habits of Effective People?

Book Blast ($50 Giveaway): The Rock of Ivanore by Laurisa White Reyes

The annual Great Quest is about to be announced in Quendel, a task that will determine the future of Marcus and the other boys from the village who are coming of age. The wizard Zyll commands them to find the Rock of Ivanore, but he doesn't tell them what the Rock is exactly or where it can be found. Marcus must reach deep within himself to develop new powers of magic and find the strength to survive the wild lands and fierce enemies he encounters as he searches for the illusive Rock. If he succeeds, he will live a life of honor; if he fails, he will live a life of menial labor in shame. With more twists and turns than a labyrinth, and a story in which nothing is as it seems, this tale of deception and discovery keeps readers in suspense until the end.

Middle readers will find that The Rock of Ivanore fits nicely among the traditional fantasies they so enjoy. They will also appreciate its fresh and inventive take on the genre.

Praise

"This is a swift and compelling epic that readers of high fantasy will love!"
– Tony Abbott, author of The Secrets of Droon

“Magic! Swords! Mysterious cloaked figures! A good choice for middle-grade fantasy lovers.”
– Marissa Burt, author of Storybound

Review: The Moonstone by Nikki Broadwell

Title: The Moonstone

Author: Nikki Broadwell

Publisher: airmid publishing

Release Date: February 12, 2012

The Moonstone is the fantasy debut novel of author Nikki Broadwell that is based on Celtic and Gaelic mythology. It focuses on the pregnant Finna and her mother, Catriona, as they travel to the Glass Mountain to have the unborn child blessed by the goddess Arianrhod.

Finna has finally taken control of her life. She's living in a cottage on her own, after escaping her abusive husband and overbearing father. Unfortunately, her supposedly dead mother shows up on her doorstep, insisting they travel into a parallel world where the old ways still exist. Catriona will not take no for an answer, despite the danger the trip holds for Finna and her unborn child. The existence of the Otherworld is at stake, and Finna may just be a key piece to its survival.

May New Release Giveaway Hop

Welcome to my stop on the May New Release Giveaway Hop! It is being hosted by the magnificent Book Twirps and the glorious Refracted Light Reviews - which is very awesome of them. Since there is a castle in the  super cute hop button, I'm going to offer you a choice of one of the books that come out this month that are based either on the monarchy, fairy tales, or have some sort of fantasy aspect.

What you can win:

Happy Mother's Day

I know I am late in the day posting, but I was spending the day with my eccentric, loving, crazy, huge, loud, and utterly wonderful family. I just wanted to share what I received for Mother's Day because my little girl was very, very proud of herself. She made these for me at school:

In My Mailbox (9)

In My Mailbox was created by Kristi at The Story Siren. It gives readers the chance to spotlight the books they received over the past week, whether they are for review, won, gifted, or borrowed.

For Review

Blogging from A to Z Challenge Reflections

I know I'm a little late with the wrap-up post (it was supposed to go up on the 7th), but I think it fairly represents what happened last month.

I was late. I was scrambling. But I made it in the end.

I learned a lot from needing to have a blog post up every day, with only minimal days off. Instead of incorporating the letters into my normal posts, I made something special for each day. I usually wrote the posts the day or night before, but I did manage to schedule posts a few times. I'm terrible about getting things done ahead of time, and I thrive under the pressure of a deadline. I had each day's theme mapped out, but I "pantsed" it for the most part. It was random, off the top of my head, and a lot of fun.

I used a lot of lolcats during the challenge. That started with the Erotica post because I had absolutely no idea how to get around talking about the genre and keep it PG13 at most. Erotica does make me giggle (I even say that in my review policy), so I wanted my thoughts on it to get you to perhaps crack a smile. The lolcats continued because I would be scrambling to get a post ready, and they are just one Google search away from an awesome post. Here's one for you that I never managed to use (Geeky Daddy will appreciate this one):

Blog Tour (Interview): Trial of Tears by Chris Semal

Look, guys! We have another fascinating author joining us today to answer some questions. Chris Semal is here to talk about his book, Trial of Tears.

Pete Watts is a former undercover narcotics cop who got way too close to his job. He now runs a music rehearsal studio in which all manner of eccentric musicians come through. His soon to be ex-girlfriend is a talented singer with a sleazy manager who is in the habit of giving his clients drug habits, occasionally overdosing them to move their recordings up the charts, with the full support of the shady entertainment company for whom he works. This universe of people is inexorably drawn into a war between two violent drug gangs, viewed through the perspective of the Napoleonic leader of one gang. He has recently signed on a strange, but beautiful ex-mercenary, who wears makeup in the form of multi-colored tears running down her face. These tears are, in fact, decals on which different poisons are concealed, hence the title. Some survive the Trial of Tears, some don’t. The story’s taut climax is set in a posh townhouse in which only the courageous will emerge unscathed.While it certainly has its share of humor, action and suspense, it is also a story of friendship and redemption, as well as being a love letter to New York City.

Hi, Chris. Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you. Your bio says that you are also a musician/singer/songwriter. What is it that inspired you to go from writing songs to writing a novel?

Guest Post: M. Pax, Author of The Backworlds

The Backworlds is here!

The first story in the Backworlds series by M. Pax - a vision of how humanity might colonize the galaxy some day in the distant future.

After the war with Earth, bioengineered humans scatter across the Backworlds. Competition is fierce and pickings are scant. Scant enough that Craze’s father decides to hoard his fortune by destroying his son. Cut off from family and friends, with little money, and even less knowledge of the worlds beyond his own, Craze heads into an uncertain future. Boarding the transport to Elstwhere, he vows to make his father regret this day.

Available from: Amazon / AmazonUK / Smashwords / Feedbooks

Other links to more outlets can be found at either Wistful Nebulae or MPax.

The Backworlds is an ebook and a free read. All formats can be found at Smashwords and Feedbooks.

It’ll take a few weeks to work its way down to free on Amazon Kindle. It will also be available on B&N and iTunes. Sign up for M. Pax’s mailing list to be notified the day it does go free on Amazon, and when the book becomes available at other outlets. You’ll also receive coupons for discounts on future publications. NEWSLETTER

The sequel, Stopover at the Backworlds’ Edge, will be released in July 2012. It will be available in all ebook formats and paperback.

  

M. Pax’s inspiration comes from the wilds of Oregon, especially the high desert where she shares her home with two cats and a husband unit. Creative sparks also come from Pine Mountain Observatory where she spend her summers working as a star guide. She writes mostly science fiction and fantasy, but confesses to an obsession with Jane Austen. She blogs at her Website and Wistful Nebulae. 

You can also connect with her on Twitter, Goodreads, and Facebook.

LDS Author Giveaway Hop

This hop has been brought to you by the lovely folks over at The Book Bug and I Am A Reader, Not a Writer!

A few years ago, I was having a conversation with one of my friends about books. (Can you believe it?) After a few hours of talking about books that we loved, she finally asked me if I had some sort of obsession with Mormon writers. Of course, I looked at her like she had a second head. Back then, I couldn't even tell you which country an author was from, let alone their religious preference. I did some research, and sure enough - there are quite a few authors who I love that are also "Latter-day Saints". I never gave it another thought until I saw the sign-ups for the hop. So hooray - I have another excuse to give away some great books!

I'm not going to subject you to the hardcore science fiction and fantasy that I enjoy, so you're going to get to choose your own book by an LDS author. (Please keep it below $12US because I have quite a few giveaways going on this month.) Below are some suggestions*, but you can also check out this list of LDS writers for some guidance.

Mother's Day Kindle Fire Giveaway

Orangeberry Book Tours

Happy Mother's Day Kindle Fire Giveaway

May 10th to 17th

A swirl of recipes from around the world,
a love story that spans for decades,
a family at the crossroads of life
and so much more ...

This Mother's day,
the authors from Orangberry Book Tours
are sponsoring a host of freebies
and a Kindle Fire giveaway.

To the special women in our lives,
to the bloggers who help us on our journey
and to the readers who make it possible to
share our stories ... we thank you.

Blog Tour (Review): Shadow on the Wall by Pavarti K. Tyler

Title: Shadow on the Wall 

Author: Pavarti K. Tyler

Publisher: Fighting Monkey Press

Release Date: May 1, 2012

Shadow on the Wall is a Middle Eastern based fantasy novel that follows the transformation of billionaire Kurd, Recai Osman, into a superhero on the heels of a horrible occurence. It is the latest book by Pavarti K. Tyler, author of several other novels and novellas.

After spending an evening with a mysterious, alluring woman at a bar in Elih, Turkey, Recai Osman awakens in the middle of the desert. Luckily, Hasad Sofaer - a benevolent Jew - stumbles upon him. The old man takes Recai to his home, rescuing him from a certain death in the desert. While at the Sofaer home, Recai meets Rebekah, the intelligent, lovely daughter of Hasad who begins to nurse him back to health.

When Krazy Book Lady offered Shadow on the Wall to me for a review, I was very excited. The unique idea of a Muslim superhero was very appealing to me. When I began reading the book, I was immediately drawn into the desert with Recai. Tyler's writing was excellent, and I would have breezed through the book but for one thing. Graphic violence makes me very uncomfortable in books, and rape is one of the few reasons that I will step away from the book. For this reason alone, I was unable to finish the book. (I read books with uncomfortable ideas in school; now I read for pleasure alone.) Until that point, I thought the book held a lot of potential and was one of the most well-written independent novels I had read.

I am sure that many of you are willing and able to read books that address hard truths (and reality), so I suggest that you check out other reviews on the Shadow on the Wall blog tour. Though this was a DNF, it was for personal reasons and does not reflect on the book at all.

Now Available to Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Be sure to add it to your TBR list on Goodreads!

About the Author

Pavarti K Tyler is an artist, wife, mother and number cruncher. She graduated Smith College in 1999 with a degree in Theatre. After graduation, she moved to New York, where she worked as a Dramaturge, Assistant Director and Production Manager on productions both on and off Broadway.

Later, Pavarti went to work in the finance industry as a freelance accountant for several international law firms. She now operates her own accounting firm in the Washington DC area, where she lives with her husband, two daughters and two terrible dogs. When not preparing taxes, she is busy penning her next novel.

Follow Pavarti on her Blog, Fan Page, Twitter, and Google+!

Author Interview: Jonathan Grant

Today on Bibliophilia, Please, we have Jonathan Grant on the blog. He is the author of many books, but is currently promoting his new release - Brambleman.

Down-and-out Atlanta writer Charlie Sherman has no idea what madness awaits him when a mysterious stranger convinces him to finish a dead man’s book about a horrific crime that’s gone unpunished for decades.

What Charlie inherits is an unwieldy manuscript about the mob-driven expulsion of more than 1,000 blacks from Forsyth County, Georgia in 1912. During the course of his work, Charlie uncovers a terrible secret involving a Forsyth County land grab. Due to its proximity to Atlanta, the stolen farm is now worth $20 million—and a sale is pending.

When he finds the land’s rightful owner, Charlie becomes convinced he’s been chosen by a Higher Power to wreak justice and vengeance on those who profit from evil.

And then things go horribly wrong.

Jonathan, thank you so much for visiting Bibliophilia, Please. Could you tell us, in your own words, a little about Brambleman.

It’s the story of a homeless writer, Charlie Sherman, who is convinced by a mysterious stranger to finish a dead man’s book about a horrific crime that’s gone unpunished for decades. Charlie begins work on an epic manuscript about the mob-driven expulsion of more than 1,000 blacks from Forsyth County, Georgia in 1912. However, during the course of his work, Charlie uncovers a terrible secret involving the theft of a Forsyth County farm that is now worth $20 million. When he finds the land’s rightful owner, Charlie becomes convinced he’s been chosen by a Higher Power to wreak justice and vengeance upon the wicked who stand to profit from evil. That’s when things go horribly wrong.