Blog Tour (Review): Provocateur by Charles D Martin

Title: Provocateur
Author: Charles D. Martin
Publisher: Chaney-Hall
Release Date: July 2012
Acquired Via: JKS Communications
Provocateur is a novel of intrigue and womanly wile that follows the path of Nadia Borodin from her poor beginnings in Russia to her role as a top earner in the agency which rescued her.

The Writing of Provocateur was not quite what I expected from the novel. It was an easy read, but I found myself a bit disconnected and confused from time to time. The premise was fascinating, and I had no trouble sitting with the book for an hour or so at a time, but I felt like I was reading a documentary. The author inserted little tidbits of history and some great photographs into the novel, and it proved distracting. As much as I love history, I think that it took away more than it gave to this novel about a seductress. The narrator was also a little too omniscient, also lending to the documentary feel. Charles D. Martin provided the thoughts of various characters to us, whether it was necessary or not.

Thankful Thursday (4)

Thankful Thursday is a feature on the last Thursday of every month here at Bibliophilia, Please. It allows me to share not only the books that I receive, but also the bloggers, authors, lolcats, aliens, and other entities on the interwebz that made my month amazing.

Hi, guys! I'm going to keep this short and sweet this go-round because I'm trying to get ready for Hurricane Isaac to hit my area.

Books

Review: The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna

Title: The Lost Girl
Author: Sangu Mandanna
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Acquired Via: DAC ARC Tours
The Lost Girl is the debut novel of Sangu Mandanna. It is a young adult, speculative fiction novel that explores grief and the lengths that families are willing to go to never have to say goodbye. The main character is an "echo" named Eva who has been created for the sole purpose of stepping into her "other's", Amarra's, life if anything should happen to her.

Before I start hitting the main points that I look at when writing a review, I feel it is important for me to let you know that I experienced a loss in my family at the time I read the book and reviewed it (in addition to two other family deaths in the past two months). A major theme of this novel is grief and loss, so it had a profound affect on me as a reader. The manner in which Ms. Mandanna captured the feelings of each character was gut-wrenching.

Dog Shaming

Shammy is a bad, bad dog.

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

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: Poison
Author: Bridget Zinn
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: March 12, 2013

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart… misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

What are you waiting on this week?

Blog Tour (Review): Loving Lady Marcia by Kieran Kramer

Title: Loving Lady Marcia
Author: Kieran Kramer
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Acquired Via: Innovative Online Book Tours

Loving Lady Marcia is the first book in Kieran Kramer's new Regency series, The House of Brady. It is a light-hearted adult romance that is inspired by situations in the beloved American sitcom,The Brady Bunch. The main focus of the book is Lady Marcia Brady's romance first with Finnian Lattimore, and then later his brother, Duncan Lattimore, Earl of Chadwick.

The Writing of Loving Lady Marcia was typical for the adult Modern Regency novel, if you are familiar with those. It was a very fun read that follows the characters through the romantic and conservative standards of 19th century British society. Lady Marcia is the oldest daughter in the Brady household who we meet while she is traveling to a wedding in Ireland with Lord Chadwick (Duncan) and Mr. Lattimore (Finn). She turns sixteen on the journey and falls madly in love with Mr. Lattimore, who proceeds to break her heart. Kieran Kramer takes us on a delightful romp with Marcia through London five years later, following her dismissal as headmistress of her former school by the school's benefactress (and her rival), Lady Ennis.

Books for Bunnies

Books for Bunnies is an event set up by the blogger over at The Bunny’s Review and coordinated with the help of blogger Alchemy of Scrawl.

These two ladies have worked tirelessly in getting authors to donate eBooks for the event. Currently there are over 100 eBooks that have been donated, along with over 30 print books donated. Some of the print books are even signed by the author’s themselves.

The event is to help raise money for the House Rabbit Society. The House Rabbit Society or HRS is a 501 non-profit organization to help raise awareness and to rescue rabbits from animal shelters.

House Rabbit Society Background
House Rabbit Society is a national, nonprofit animal welfare organization based in Richmond, California. Our mission has two parts:

• Through our fostering program, volunteers rescue abandoned rabbits and find permanent adoptive homes for them.
• Through education, we seek to reduce the number of unwanted rabbits — and to improve bunnies' lives — by helping people better understand these often misunderstood companion animals.

In line with our mission, we are against the exploitation of rabbits. Since HRS was founded in 1988, over 25,000 rabbits have been rescued through our foster homes across the United States. Many of these bunnies had run out of time at animal shelters and were scheduled for euthanasia; others had been deemed "unadoptable" because of age, health, or disposition. Because there is no time limit on our rescued rabbits, HRS foster parents are able to spend time getting to know each individual bunny and can then match him or her with an appropriate home. We neuter/spay all incoming rabbits, obtain any necessary veterinary care, and attend to their social needs.

NPR Books: 100 Best-Ever Teen Novels

So, I know that a lot of people are posting about the NPR Top 100 Teen Books that was actually posted earlier this month. (I always miss everything, so bear with me.) I actually voted in the poll, so I’m going to jump on the bandwagon and share with you which of these books I’ve actually read. The ones in BLUE are going to be those, and the ones I loved or really have stayed with me over the years will have the fantastic little ♥ beside them. Also, I stole this idea from everyone, so please feel free to grab a handful of credit for being fantastic. *hugs*

1. Harry Potter (series), by J.K. Rowling ♥

2. The Hunger Games (series), by Suzanne Collins ♥

3. To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee ♥

4. The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

5. The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien ♥

6. The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger

7. The Lord of the Rings (series), by J.R.R. Tolkien ♥

8. Fahrenheit 451, by Ray Bradbury

9. Looking for Alaska, by John Green

10. The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak

11. The Giver (series), by Lois Lowry

12. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (series), by Douglas Adams ♥ (Every. Single. Book. Yeah.)

13. The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton

14. Anne of Green Gables (series), by Lucy Maud Montgomery

15. His Dark Materials (series), by Philip Pullman ♥

16. The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky

17. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman

18. Lord of the Flies, by William Golding

19. Divergent (series), by Veronica Roth (I have not read Insurgent yet.)

20. Paper Towns, by John Green

Cover Reveal: Naturals (The Lost Souls #2) by Tiffany Truitt

Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don’t call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of one McDonald's and Banana Rats (don't ask) she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).

Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman (5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered “low brow” or outside the “classics.”

Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom. She currently teaches the following novels: The Outsiders, Speak, Night, Dystopian Literature Circles: The Hunger Games, The Giver, The Uglies, and Matched.

You can find Tiffany on her Website and Twitter.

NATURALS
Tess is finally safe from the reach of the Council, now that she is living in the Middlelands with the rebel Isolationists. With James having returned to Templeton, she easily falls back into her friendship with Henry, though her newfound knowledge of Robert’s chosen one status still stings. Even surrounded by people, Tess has never felt more alone. So she’s thrilled when James returns to the settlement, demanding to see Tess — until she finds out that it’s because her sister, Louisa, has been recruited into Tess’s old position at Templeton, and that the dangerously sadistic chosen one George has taken an interest in her.

Naturals is the second book in The Lost Souls trilogy, and follows the dystopian hit, Chosen Ones.

Ready for the gorgeous cover?

Authors After Dark Recap (Better Late Than Never)

As some of you may know, I was in New Orleans from August 8-12, 2012 for Authors After Dark. It was a completely amazing experience and a lot of fun. I didn't take a lot of pictures while I was there (and I'm not sharing the ones I did on this blog*), but I did take pictures of the majority of the books that made it home with me. I do not have pictures of all of them because my smut-loving kinfolk fell upon the erotica and hardcore romance stuff like buzzards on carrion.

I'm going to start you guys out with MY books - the ones that I took with me to New Orleans. I have been hoarding books by authors I knew even the remotest tidbit of information about for the trip since my friend and I decided that we should attend. I also had a large number of these books already because I lurve these ladies. Let's begin.

Review: Crossed by Ally Condie

Title: Crossed
Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Release Date: November 1, 2011
Acquired Via: Library
Crossed* by Ally Condie is the highly anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller, Matched. In it, Cassia Reyes searches for her lost love in the dystopian, post-apocalyptic future United States. It is told from the alternating viewpoints of Cassia and Ky Markham. (You should probably stop reading right here unless you don't mind getting some Matched spoilers.)

Excerpt: Twelve Months by Steven Manchester

Don DiMarco has a very good life – a family he loves, a comfortable lifestyle, passions and interests that keep him amused. He also thought he had time, but that turned out not to be the case. Faced with news that might have immediately felled most, Don now wonders if he has time enough. Time enough to show his wife the romance he didn’t always lavish on her. Time enough to live out his most ambitious fantasies. Time enough to close the circle on some of his most aching unresolved relationships. Summoning an inner strength he barely realized he possessed, Don sets off to prove that twelve months is time enough to live a life in full. A glorious celebration of each and every moment that we’re given here on Earth, as well as the eternal bonds that we all share, Twelve Months is a stirring testament to the power of the human spirit.

Twelve Months Excerpt
Though there were empty tables up front, Vic escorted Bella and me to a darkened back room where no one else was seated. The table sat in the center of the room and was very nicely decorated. I could tell by Bella's face that it seemed peculiar to her. As we took our seats, Vic lit a candle. “I’ll be right back,” he said.

Bella started to question it, but I shrugged it off. “There must have been reservations for the other tables up front?” I suggested. .

She nodded, and then noticed a man seated on a stool a few tables over. He was holding a guitar and squinting at some sheet music. .

He looked over and smiled. “I hope you guys don’t mind, but I’m trying out tonight for a weekend gig at this place.” .

“Oh, that’s great,” Bella said, with no idea Gary had already landed the job. .

Guest Post: Jennifer Turner (My Name is Jake)

My Name is Jake is a colorfully illustrated, rhyming book for kids centered around a boy named Jake. Each page leads the reader through an activity that rhymes with Jake. Rhyming books for kids are perfect for young children, or early readers just beginning to put letters into words and rhyming them together.





The Importance of Reading to Children

by Jennifer Turner
As a parent, you have probably heard – on more than one occasion – it is good to read to children. There are many benefits cited. Some are more subjective: helping parents and kids bond and calming children down before bedtime. Potential academic benefits include increased vocabulary and a greater familiarity of reading and learning in general. Depending on your economic circumstances, easy access to children’s books may be taken for granted. However, there are many community resources available which can help bridge the gap so children’s books are more readily available to all. One group working to increase availability of books for all young children is Reach Out and Read, a national nonprofit organization.

Review: The Raft by S.A. Bodeen

Title: The Raft
Author: S. A. Bodeen
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends
Release Date: August 21, 2012
Acquired: Once Upon a Twilight ARC Tour
The Raft is a contemporary young adult novel by S. A. Bodeen that follows Robie – a fifteen year old girl who lives with her research scientist parents on Midway Island – after her plane crash on her flight home from Honolulu, Hawaii.

The Writing of The Raft is perfect for a young adult reader, but still has crossover appeal for adult readers. It is not too technical and does not use terminology that would potentially be daunting for a more reluctant reader. There are scientific facts woven into the story, but it is done in such a way that makes the story flow and could very possibly interest a reader into finding out more about various settings, creatures, situations, etc. in the novel.

Blog Tour (Guest Post): The Blood Poetry by Leland Pitts-Gonzalez

The Blood Poetry is a dark and otherworldly literary novel about a clan of grotesques. Epstein, the protagonist, who delivers his innermost rants in a berserk vernacular all his own; Abby, Epstein’s wife, whose disappearance sparks our protagonist’s descent into guilt and vice; Olivia, Epstein’s mother, who is undead and tames her ruthlessness by joining a Pentecostal church; Astor and Fester, conjoined twins who date back to the Civil War and elders of the Pentecostal church who profess their own brand of redemption to Epstein; Professor Applebaum, Olivia’s boyfriend during Epstein’s childhood, who forced Epstein to participate in a series of horrifying acts; and our once rambunctious Sylvia, Epstein’s daughter who returns to life after dying, only to become repulsed by the sound of her grandmother’s thoughts and all human touch, but whose yearning for her father to restore her to health is Epstein’s best chance at reclaiming his own humanity.

BookExpo America 2012

Guest Post by Leland Pitts-Gonzalez
I arrived at the Javits Center in New York City for the BookExpo — an oversized, rolling suitcase in hand to tote back all of those advanced copies of my novel that I would surely fail to give away. Inside, the Javits Center was somewhat aesthetically pleasing in that express, faux-luxury-hotel kind of way. Yet, mainly it was a beehive of suited and badged industry folks, shuffling as quickly as possible through the aisles and offshoots lined with publishers and author’s associations — some of which by this time next year will have gone under.

August New Release Blog Hop (INT)

Welcome to my stop on the August New Release Giveaway Hop! It is being hosted by the magnificent O'Dell at Book Twirps and the glorious Dani at Refracted Light Reviews - which is very awesome of them. On my stop, you can enter to win a book that was released in August. Due to the crazy train that is my life, I'm offering up a book that I somehow ended up with two copies of that was released on the 7th.

Book Blast (Giveaway): Mrs. Tuesday's Departure by Suzanne Anderson

Mrs. Tuesday's Departure Book Blast
$100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
August 14th to 21st

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for…

Hungary's fragile alliance with Germany kept Natalie, a renowned children’s book author, and her family out of harm's way for most of the war. Now as the Führer's desperation grows during the waning years of the conflict, so does its threat. Natalie's younger sister, Ilona, married a Jewish man, putting both her and her young daughter, Mila, in peril; Natalie's twin sister, Anna, is losing her already tenuous hold on reality. As the streets of Budapest thrum with the pounding boots of Nazi soldiers, danger creeps to the doorstep where Natalie shields them all.

Ilona and her husband take the last two tickets to safety for themselves, abandoning Natalie to protect Anna and Mila from the encroaching danger. Anna's paranoid explosion at a university where was once a professor, sparked by delusions over an imagined love triangle, threatens their only other chance for escape. Ultimately, Natalie is presented with a choice no one should ever have to make; which of her family will she save?

An inspirational story of faith and family, strength and weakness, and the ultimate triumph of love over hate. Mrs. Tuesday’s Departure demonstrates the power of faith to light even the most harrowing darkness.

... faith is the evidence of things not seen.

Blog Tour (Interview & Giveaway): Loving Lady Marcia by Kieran Kramer

MARCIA GETS SCHOOLED…
Of the three Brady sisters, Lady Marcia has always seemed the girl most likely to lead a perfectly charmed life. But after a handsome cad breaks her heart, she swears off love and devotes her life to teaching girls at a private school. In spite of her family’s wish for a London debut, Marcia is happy where she is—until terrible news sends her back to the Brady clan…and into the arms of an unexpected suitor.

ON THE SUBJECT OF LOVE
A dark and dashing earl who knows Marcia’s past, Duncan Lattimore is surprised by what a fascinating and independent woman she’s become. Marcia, too, is surprised—by the fiery attraction she feels for Duncan. But why—why—must he be the brother of the scoundrel who broke her heart? Why must Marcia’s rival at school forbid her from seeing him? How can this lady possibly resist this fellow—when they know that it’s much more than a hunch…?

Today on the blog, we have the lovely Kieran Kramer talking about her new book, Loving Lady Marcia, and she's hosting a super sweet giveaway. But first things first, off to the interview!

Thank you so much for stopping by Bibiliophilia, Please today, Kieran! The first thing we'd like to know is which character was your favorite to write for in this story? Why?

This is a great question but impossible to answer when you love both your hero and your heroine! I can’t choose one over the other. It would be like choosing one of your own kids over the other to brag about!! Nope. Can’t do it. LOL!!!

Review: So Close to You by Rachel Carter

Title: So Close to You

Author: Rachel Carter

Publisher: HarperTeen

Release Date: July 10, 2012

Acquired: DAC ARC Tours

So Close to You is the debut novel of young adult author, Rachel Carter. It is about a young girl, Lydia Bentley, and her search for answers about the Montauk Project and Camp Hero.

The Writing of So Close to You gets no complaints from me. Even though the copy I had for reviewing purposes was an ARC, I cannot recall any problems that I had with the structure of the book itself. It is written in a way that is not intimidating, so teens (even the younger ones) will have no difficulty in reading this book. I suppose the theme of the book is family and the lengths we're willing to take with our loved ones. 4/5 Stars

Rachel Carter's World-Weaving in the story is quite lovely, and I had no problem believing the parts of the book that were set in the 1940s. I thought Ms. Carter captured the essence of that time period (as I think of it) and portrayed the atmosphere of a country at war convincingly. She even included pop culture references from that era that teens may be excited to recognize. However, I found the characters in the "world" (both 1944 and 2012) to be a bit two-dimensional, but that is not to say there is no beauty in a flat image. Lydia Bentley is the only one with substance, but she has a bit of a one-track mind. She offered no surprises or growth (not that there is much point for it in the story). I won't even get started on the instalove.

As a science fiction nerd, I do need to touch on that aspect of the world-weaving. I wanted more explanation than what was given for the rules of time traveling in Carter's world. Not much more was offered than a nod to Edward Lorenz' Butterfly effect (also known as the Chaos theory). I suppose it doesn't help that I always go back to Ray Bradbury's "A Sound of Thunder" when reading about these things, but I digress. I know that I'm hard to please where time travel and paradox is involved. Also, I came to this book excited about reading nerdy things (okay, I thought I was getting inter-dimensional travel), and I found a time-traveling contemporary novel. I'm not saying it's a bad thing - just not what I had expected. 3/5 Stars

Waiting on Wednesday (25)

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:Monster Hunter Legion (Monster Hunter International #4)
Author: Larry Correia
Publisher: Baen
Release Date: September 4, 2012
Monster Hunter International might be the premier monster eradication company in the business, but they’ve got competition.

When hunters from around the world gather in Las Vegas for a conference, a creature left over from a World War Two weapons experiment wakes up and goes on a rampage across the desert. A not-so-friendly wager between the rival companies turns into a race to see who can bag the mysterious creature first.

Only there is far more to this particular case than meets the eye, and as Hunters fall prey to their worst nightmares, Owen Zastava Pitt and the staff of Monster Hunter International have to stop an ancient god from turning Sin City into a literal hell on earth.

What are you waiting on this week?

Giveaway: Fingerprints of You by Kristen-Paige Madonia

Title: Fingerprints of You
Author: Kristen-Paige Madonia
Publisher: Simon & Schuster BFYR
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Lemon grew up with Stella, a single mom who wasn’t exactly maternal. Stella always had a drink in her hand and a new boyfriend every few months, and when things got out of hand, she would whisk Lemon off to a new town for a fresh beginning. Now, just as they are moving yet again, Lemon discovers that she is pregnant from a reckless encounter—with a guy Stella had been flirting with.

On the verge of revisiting her mother’s mistakes, Lemon struggles to cope with the idea of herself as a young unmarried mother, as well as the fact that she’s never met her own father. Determined to have at least one big adventure before she has the baby, Lemon sets off on a cross-country road trip, intending not only to meet her father, but to figure out who she wants to be.

Fingerprints of You is now available everywhere!
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond
Be sure to add it to your TBR list on Goodreads!
Since this is a rare contemporary that I'm seriously excited about, as I mentioned in yesterday's interview with Kristen-Paige Madonia, I am giving away a copy to one of YOU guys. Fingerprints of You releases today, so I will have the book making its way to the winner as soon as the contest ends (12:01 EST August 21st).

Giveaway Requirements

Author Interview: Kristen-Paige Madonia (Fingerprints of You)

Lemon grew up with Stella, a single mom who wasn’t exactly maternal. Stella always had a drink in her hand and a new boyfriend every few months, and when things got out of hand, she would whisk Lemon off to a new town for a fresh beginning. Now, just as they are moving yet again, Lemon discovers that she is pregnant from a reckless encounter—with a guy Stella had been flirting with.

On the verge of revisiting her mother’s mistakes, Lemon struggles to cope with the idea of herself as a young unmarried mother, as well as the fact that she’s never met her own father. Determined to have at least one big adventure before she has the baby, Lemon sets off on a cross-country road trip, intending not only to meet her father, but to figure out who she wants to be.

Today, I have a very special interview in store for you guys with Kristen-Paige Madonia, the author of Fingerprints of You. I emailed Ms. Madonia back in March to tell her how excited I was about her debut novel (which releases TOMORROW!) after reading the first chapter. As you guys may know, contemporary novels are not really my thing. However, her beautiful writing and fascinating characters were so addictive that I just had to tell her. Anyways, Ms. Madonia is probably one of the sweetest people I have ever spoken with online, and she was kind enough to allow me to interview her for you guys. I hope you enjoy.

Kristen-Paige, thank you so much for stopping by Bibliophilia, Please! Please tell us a little bit about your debut novel, Fingerprints of You, in your own words.

Fingerprints of You is about that bizarre but beautiful phase in life when you realize the world is much larger than you thought, and that you have the ability to decide what kind of person you want to become. It’s about a pregnant teenager and the cross-country road trip she takes in search of her father, a man she’s never met. It’s set on the road and amidst the inspiring music and art scene in San Francisco, and the book explores the challenges of growing up in a single-parent home and the various ways we can confront our pasts, our skeletons in the closet. But at the heart of it, Fingerprints of You is about the comfort we find in one another and the security of family; not blood-born family necessarily, but the families we create for ourselves from the people we love and the people that love us back. The book is about a seventeen-year-old named Lemon Williams and her discovery of hope and strength as she stands on the brink of adulthood.

How did the novel begin? Were there any specific inspirations that began forming the story in your mind?

Guest Post by Christopher Turkel (Ouroboros)

Christopher Turkel was born in Brooklyn, NY, the son of a journalist and a stay at home mom. He has lived in Florida, California and Taiwan. He comes from a family of writers, following in the footsteps of his father, aunt and grandmothers. Christopher was given a typewriter at age thirteen and proceeded to write his first novel, a pastiche of the Narnia books, in one day. Despite being all of three pages long, his father kept encouraging him to write.

Christopher works as a technical writer for a nonprofit and enjoys the works of Gene Wolfe, Lawrence Watt-Evans, Steven Burst and Kurt Busiek. When he is not reading, writing, or working, he is eating and sleeping. He resides in western Massachusetts with his wife Joann, two cats, and a dog.

A World For a Character
I have to admit that when I started writing Ouroboros, I had only a vague idea of what the world my hero Thomas lived in was like. I just knew certain things: humans were a minority, and Thomas lived in an empire ruled by a longer lived human-like race, the Prakani.

World building is something I enjoy doing. I started world building when I played role-playing games in the early 80s, and I haven't stopped creating worlds to tell stories since. For Ouroboros, I wanted a world that would be a character itself, something whose mechanics played a crucial role in the story, something that would seem like a real place.

Review: Ouroboros by Christopher Turkel

In a dystopian future, Thomas the assassin is about to face the job of his career -- and his life. After avenging his alcoholic father's untimely death, Thomas begins his transformation into a cold-blooded killer. The Prakanis, a human race with superhuman abilities -- and superhuman egos -- rules the land of Xuelition with an iron fist, and as Thomas learns, it's much easier to work with than against them. When the government hires him to recover bonds from a disgruntled employee, Thomas has no idea what's in store for him. He's stealthy, clever, and one of the best assassins in the business, but what he learns on this mission will change his life forever.



Title: Ouroboros
Author: Christopher Turkel
Publisher: Libertary Company
Release Date: June 6, 2012
Acquired via: Publisher
Hi there. Welcome to Uncle Will’s ranty attic. Before I get on with the review, join me for a rant why don’t you.♦

Like many good things, this book starts in a bar. “What are these many things?” I hear you ask. (don’t look behind you, lemme tuck my feet under the curtains first!) Bar brawls, flirting, drunkenness, a tall tales competition, or in this case – hiring an assassin.

Interview & Giveaway: The Dark Light by Sara Walsh

Mysterious lights have flickered above Crownsville for as long as Mia can remember. And as far as she's concerned, that's about the only interesting thing to happen in her small town.

That is, until Sol arrives. Mia's not one to fall for just any guy, but she can't get Sol--or the brilliant tattoo on his back--out of her mind.

Then Mia's brother goes missing, and Mia's convinced that Sol knows more than he's sharing. But getting closer to Sol means reevaluating everything Mia once believed to be true. Because Sol's not who Mia thought he was--and neither is she.


Hi, Sara! Thank you so much for agreeing to take some time from your busy schedule as a debut author to answer some questions for us here at Bibliophilia, Please. Let’s break the ice a little – what is something funny about you that only your friends know?

Hi, Kayla! Thanks for inviting me over! I’m the kind of person who finds it very easy to make myself look silly, so it’s tough to pick just one funny thing! One thing that only my friends would know is that I throw a mean outdoor disco. Lights. Music. The works. You’re all invited.

Now that we’re all friends, let’s did around in your head a little. In the synopsis of your debut novel, The Dark Light, Sol’s “brilliant tattoo” is mentioned. Is there a tattoo that you saw that inspired it?

Random Acts of Kindness - August

RAK is a monthly meme hosted by Book Soulmates. You can join in on the fun HERE.
For those of you who don't know, a RAK is a Random Act of Kindness. People sign up with their wishlist and then can look at other people's wish-lists and send them a Random Act of Kindness. It is really simple, but here are the rules:

COMPLETE RULES RE-CAP:

• Please read carefully & follow all rules! Thank you!
• Please sign-up each month that you can participate (and by participate, we mean give as well as receive).
• Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button (code is in the right sidebar of the Book Soulmates page).
• Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog, etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
• If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger directly for their information.
• Once you receive a RAK, send us an our new email to [rakbybooksoulmates @ gmail . com] so that we can update the Google Doc. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEND EMAILS TO THIS ADDRESS!
• E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble with Nook as well.
• At the end of the month, SHOW US YOUR R.A.K by making a "RAK Wrap-Up" post. This post should include who you SENT gifts to as well who you RECEIVED gifts from.

OPEN TO EVERYONE including all of our International brethren!

Remember, there's always the Book Depository or Fishpond, and they offer FREE shipping!

If you're feeling the urge to splurge on me this month, here is my WISHLIST! If you just want highlights, here are the top 5 that I really want:

1. Tiger Lily by Jodi Lynn Anderson
2. Changeling by Philippa Gregory
3. The Sorceress by Michael Scott
4. Graceling by Kristin Cashore
5. The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy

I can't wait to start sending things out to you guys!

Blog Tour (Guest Post): Comeback Love by Peter Golden

A debut novel about a man and his romantic quest to find the woman he loved and lost years before.

Like Nicholas Sparks and Robert James Waller, first-time novelist Peter Golden knows how to write the kind of nostalgic fiction that men and women alike fall for. In Comeback Love, a universal story about lost love, he offers an evocative debut that begins in the tumultuous 1960s and ends in the feverish thrill of present-day New York City.

Over thirty-five years ago, Gordon Meyers, an aspiring writer with a low number in the draft lottery, packed his belongings and reluctantly drove away, leaving Glenna Rising, the sexy, sharp-witted med student he couldn’t imagine living without.

Now, decades later, Gordon is a former globetrotting consultant with a grown son, an exwife, and an overwhelming desire to see Glenna again. Stunned when Gordon walks into her Manhattan office, Glenna agrees to accompany him for a drink. As the two head out into the snow-swept city, they become caught up in the passions that drew them together before tearing them apart. And as the evening unfolds, Gordon finally reveals the true reason for his return.

Comeback Love is a bracing journey into the hearts of two lovers who came of age in the 1960s. Plumbing the depths of youth, regret, and desire, Peter Golden deftly illuminates the bonds that mysteriously endure in the face of momentous change.

It is the hardest question to answer, and I hear it all the time: “Is Comeback Love true? Are you the narrator?”