Friday, May 31, 2013

Review: Libriomancer by Jim C. Hines

2 comments:


Title: Libriomancer (Magic Ex Libris #1)
Author: Jim C. Hines
Publisher:
DAW
Release Date: August 7, 2012
Acquired Via:
Personal Collection

Isaac Vainio is a Libriomancer, a member of the secret organization founded five centuries ago by Johannes Gutenberg. Libriomancers are gifted with the ability to magically reach into books and draw forth objects. When Isaac is attacked by vampires that leaked from the pages of books into our world, he barely manages to escape. To his horror he discovers that vampires have been attacking other magic-users as well, and Gutenberg has been kidnapped.

With the help of a motorcycle-riding dryad who packs a pair of oak cudgels, Isaac finds himself hunting the unknown dark power that has been manipulating humans and vampires alike. And his search will uncover dangerous secrets about Libriomancy, Gutenberg, and the history of magic. . . .


My Review*

This book is Awesome. Now let me tell you why.

Isaac’s life was boring and somewhat dull, until a trio of vampires stormed into his library to make his life a hell of a lot more complicated, interesting, and shorter. And they didn’t even have their library cards on them! From then on, things start moving fast. Not rushed at all, but the story never really stopped growing. The writing is very good, as are the characters, plot, twists, everything.

The brand of magic in this world is really cool. If you’re Isaac Vainio, our main character and intrepid librarian, you get to pull items out of books and into reality. Items like Excalibur, a Phaser (if you’re around kids, remember to set it to stun!), a skull by the name of Bob (!!!), or even The One Ring. Now, say it with me: A-WE-SOME.

Thursday, May 30, 2013

Blog Tour (Excerpt & Giveaway): Bitter Angel by Megan Hand

3 comments:

Tour Schedule

Torn between two realities.
A choice that will mean life or death.
She won’t know anything… until she wakes up.

College sophomore, Lila Spencer lived Friday night twice. She doesn’t know how or why, just that she did. As if she split in half and went in two different directions.

Out clubbing with her friends, Heather and Nilah, the girls rock it out and party hard. What begins as an innocent night will lead to a deadly fight for their lives, and Lila might be their only chance for survival.

In bed with her boyfriend, Jay, Lila is safe and warm as she drifts to sleep in the arms of the man she loves. Until she is sucked into a horrifying nightmare of her friends’ deaths.

As the sunlight warms her face on Saturday morning, the two scenarios collide. But there can be only one outcome. Will she wake up in her warm bed with Jay by her side, devastated and grieving for her friends? Or was she there to save them?

The answer is just the beginning.


Title: Bitter Angel
Author:
Megan Hand
Genre: Contemporary/Thriller
Age Group: Mature Young Adult
Blog Tour Organizer: AToMR Tours
Release Date: April 1, 2013

Excerpt

As Nilah hooted and woohooed, it took less than a minute for her Infiniti G35 to reach illegal speeds. Her hollering was a painful side effect of her birthday high. If she weren’t driving, she’d have probably stuck her head out the window and let her ears flap in the wind. From the front passenger seat, Heather was blowing on her French manicure, even though her nails were way past dry.

I leaned forward from the back, an elbow on each of their seats. “Where is this place again?”

Armchair BEA 2013: Day Three

10 comments:

Design Credit: Nina @ Nina Reads

Giveaway

Since I've been mentioning quite a few books that not everyone has read in my Armchair BEA posts, I'm going to give away your choice of book that I bring up anytime during the event - Day One through Five? *looks at agenda* Six! Day One through Six! *wipes sweat*

My giveaways are almost always international, as is this one, and following won't be required. I will give you some opportunities for extra entries, though. :-)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Literary Fiction

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Armchair BEA 2013: Day Two

7 comments:

Design Credit: Nina @ Nina Reads

Blogger Development

About six months after I've started blogging, I began socializing less with other bloggers and readers. I was caught up with several jobs and always being busy. Time was precious, and I didn't have much time to make new connections. I took a new full-time position within the library that eliminates the need to work several jobs, but I'm yet to reap the benefit of having more social time. And yes, I know this has hurt the blog in some capacity because I don't have much of a support network, and not many bloggers know me well.

I think making these connections with other bloggers is vital to blogger development because working with others is a great source of new ideas and support. When I first started blogging, I did some side reviews for Krazy Book Lady. Working with her taught me about blog tours, giveaway hops, and how great it can be to have a more seasoned blogger buddy in my corner.

I intend to get more active in the blogging community now that life is - hopefully - settling down a bit. I look forward to visiting other bloggers, commenting, and all that fun stuff. I still have a few blogging acquaintances that I made back when I had more time to do such things, but I know they are probably quite put out with my silence.

Genre Fiction

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Armchair BEA 2013: Introduction

6 comments:

To learn more about Armchair BEA, visit HERE.

This is the second year that I've participated in Armchair BEA, and I'm very excited about it. In fact, I'm currently sitting in a hotel room, taking time from my vacation to write this post. Truth be told, this is the only thing keeping me from dying of jealousy of the bloggers that are actually going to BEA this year. I've gotten more than a few invitation to some publishers' blogger parties, and each one has made me die a little inside because I WANT TO GO! But I digress. I think I should get on to my introduction questions.

1. Please tell us a little bit about yourself: Who are you? How long have you been blogging? Why did you get into blogging?

*waves* I'm Kayla, and I am very happy to meet you. I've had Bibliophilia, Please since June 2011, but I didn't really start using it consistently until December 2011. I got into blogging because I needed another outlet to profess my love of Kevin Hearne, and my personal life blog wasn't really the place for it. I haven't reviewed one of his books on here in ages, but I try to bring him up at least once a week here. So if you think you'll be sticking around for a while, brace yourself for the Kevin Hearne fangirliness. I even have Will here with me now, who I met through Kevin Hearne fandom. Aren't we just adorkable?

What are you currently reading, or what is your favorite book you have read so far in 2013?

Friday, May 24, 2013

Review: Parallel by Lauren Miller

3 comments:
Abby Barnes had a plan. The Plan. She'd go to Northwestern, major in journalism, and land a job at a national newspaper, all before she turned twenty-two. But one tiny choice—taking a drama class her senior year of high school—changed all that. Now, on the eve of her eighteenth birthday, Abby is stuck on a Hollywood movie set, miles from where she wants to be, wishing she could rewind her life. The next morning, she's in a dorm room at Yale, with no memory of how she got there. Overnight, it's as if her past has been rewritten.

With the help of Caitlin, her science-savvy BFF, Abby discovers that this new reality is the result of a cosmic collision of parallel universes that has Abby living an alternate version of her life. And not only that: Abby's life changes every time her parallel self makes a new choice. Meanwhile, her parallel is living out Abby's senior year of high school and falling for someone Abby's never even met.

As she struggles to navigate her ever-shifting existence, forced to live out the consequences of a path she didn't choose, Abby must let go of the Plan and learn to focus on the present, without losing sight of who she is, the boy who might just be her soul mate, and the destiny that's finally within reach


Title: Parallel
Author: Lauren Miller
Publisher:
HarperTeen
Acquired Via: DAC ARC Tours
Release Date: May 14, 2013

My Review

When Parallel arrived in the mail, I was a little disappointed because I was extremely busy in the middle of transferring jobs. I grudgingly opened the book to gauge how many days I needed to give myself at the end of that week to rush through the book. However, there was no reason for me to worry or begrudge the book in any way because I was immediately sucked into it and happily distracted by the story.

Abby, the main character, is unhappy with the road that her life has taken. While she is [not] enjoying a life that many could only dream of, she resents the opportunity that she's been given. She goes to bed the night before her eighteenth birthday confused, but not as confused when she wakes up the next morning on the opposite side of the country. With the help of Caitlin and her randomly placed memories from her parallel self, she figures out how the alternate reality came about.

Instead of giving you a long, drawn out review (because I'm already late), I'm going to tell you what I liked best about Parallel. First, I am a hardcore fan of old school science fiction, and Ray Bradbury has handled time travel and alternate realities best in A Sound of Thunder. Parallel handled its shenanigans pretty much the same way without being blatantly using the Butterfly Effect. (No, I'm not talking about the terrible movie with Ashton Kutcher.) The things that happened in Abby's parallel's past changed the future directly and immediately. She woke up several mornings in what could have easily have been the worst possible situation.

Secondly, Lauren Miller was pretty accurate in portraying the behavior and emotions of older teenagers and/or new adults. Her characters made stupid decisions, had very selfish tendencies, were insecure about themselves, and friends said some pretty ugly things to each other. The turmoil and feeling of "My life is ovarrrrrr!" is what I remember best about my teen years. The fact that the characters were not perfect or miniature adults really let me connect with them and believe in them more. Abby and Caitlin bullied Ilana, the Queen Bee, in the own way just as much as she hassled them. There was boyfriend stealing and cheating galore, too, while I'm thinking about it.

The third good about Parallel is that they characters were both forgiving and willing to learn from their mistakes. Yes, this is a supposedly a story about alternate realities, but it really hit me as contemporary love story, that was both about romance and friendship, that happened on two different timelines. True love (if there is such a thing) should only exist in the presence of forgiveness and willingness to change, and the folks in Parallel really embraced both.

The best thing about the book is Abby. She wasn't willing to lay down and just accept her parallel's life. Her parallel had vastly different experiences and that life had taken a totally different path than what Abby ever thought that she'd choose for herself. She fought to make changes to her parallel's life to make it something of her own, realizing certain aspects of her former situation were actually things she loved and enjoyed. She was strong, but she really grew as a character.

Parallel was not really what I expected initially, but a delightful read, nonetheless. I would recommend it mainly to contemporary fans, but anyone who likes a quick, sweet read would enjoy the book.

- 4/5 Stars -

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond



To satisfy FTC guidelines, I am disclosing that I received the book for reviewing purposes as a part of a Debut Author Challenge ARC Tour in exchange for an honest review. The advance copy was likely provided to the tour by the publisher or author, which has in no way affected the outcome of my review. All opinions expressed are rambling, honest, and completely my own.



This book counts toward my completion of the Debut Author Challenge.

Cover Reveal: Darker Days by Jus Accardo

No comments:


Title: Darker Days (The Darker Agency #1)
Author:
Jus Accardo
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Expected Release Date: August 2013

Jessie Darker goes to high school during the day, but at night she helps with the family investigation business. Cheating husbands and stolen inheritances? They’re your girls—but their specialty is a bit darker. Zombie in your garage? Pesky Poltergeist living in your pool? They’ll have the problem solved in a magical minute. For a nominal fee, of course...

When gorgeous new client, Lukas Scott, saunters into the office requesting their help to find a stolen box, it sounds like a simple case—until the truth comes out. The box is full of Sin.

Seven deadly ones, in fact.

They’ve got five days to recapture the Sins before they're recalled by the box, taking seven hijacked human bodies with them. Easy peasy—except for one thing...

There’s a spell that will allow the Sins to remain free, causing chaos forever. When the key ingredient threatens the life of someone she knows, Jessie must make the ultimate choice between love and family—or lose everything.


Excerpt

“So not your biggest fan at the moment,” I said, closing the office door behind me. The runoff from my jeans had soaked my sneakers pretty good. With each step, I gave a slight squishing noise accompanied by an annoying squeak against the old tile floor.

From across the room, Mom stared. “What happened to you?”

“It attacked me.” Tossing my bag on the couch, I sank into her chair and made sure to grind my butt into the cushion. Got it nice and wet. I was all about sharing the love—and right now, the love was soggy.

She laughed, waving a folder in my direction. “Surely you’re overreacting. It was one little zombie. They don’t attack people.”

“I’m serious, Ma. It tried to drown me. And the client assaulted me with ugly footwear. As far as punishments go, I’d say we’re probably square. I’ve learned my lesson.”

“You’re serious?” Amused expression now replaced by concern, she crossed the room and leaned over her desk to get a better look at me.

“As a coronary.” Once I was sure the chair had sponged up all it could, I stood and huffed past her. Pulling at my favorite T-shirt—the word Fate inside a blood red heart, is a four letter word on the back—I said, “Child welfare would not be happy to hear you tried to feed your only child to a walking corpse…”

“But why would it attack? Did you provoke it?” Folding her arms, she frowned. “Insult it, perhaps?”

I winked at her. “Provoke it? Sure. I went and wiggled my ass in front of it yelling lunch just to see what’d happen.” I’d called it Stinky, but that didn’t count as an insult. Something couldn’t be considered an insult if it was true, right?

Right eyebrow twitching, she fought against a smile. “But you’re okay, right? No bites, broken bones, head injuries, possessions…?”

I smiled and did a little twirl. “All in one piece and still me.”

Mom had a checklist she went through at the end of each job. I was known for taking almost as much damage as I inflicted.

“Oh, and you’re probably going to get a call from the client. I sorta smashed her fence in the process.”

Mom groaned. “I told you to be more careful.”

“It’s not like I tried to break anything.”

“Something tells me you didn’t try hard enough not to break anything, either.”

“In my defense, it wasn’t a simple trap and slap…”

“We can’t afford this.” She reached down and pulled a white envelope out from under a stack of papers.

“This is the bill for that Mercedes you smashed.”

“Oh! So not my fault. How was I supposed to know that Spring Heel was gonna land on the car? If it makes you feel any better, I think he was aiming for my head…”

“If you keep this up, we won’t even be able to afford the rent.”

She was right, of course, and it made me feel horrible. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m a wrecking ball wrapped in blue jeans. Take my cut of this job and put it toward the repairs. Keep my paycheck for the next month, too.” A good start, but it didn’t feel like enough. Sure, it would cover the damages—I hoped—but I felt guilty about upsetting her. The bills that were piling up kept her awake at night. This was only going to make things worse. We got a fair amount of business, but the overhead in our line of work was sky high.

As much as I hated the idea, I knew what would cheer her up. “I’ll even throw in pet possessions for the next month.”


About the Author

Jus Accardo spent her childhood reading and learning to cook. Determined to follow in her grandfather’s footsteps as a chef, she applied and was accepted to the Culinary Institute of America. At the last minute, she realized her path lay with fiction, not food, and passed on the spot to pursue writing. Jus is the bestselling author the popular Denazen series from Entangled publishing and is currently working on the first book in a new adult series due out summer 2013. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald.

Website | Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Space Warriors Giveaway! Premiering May 31st Exclusively On The Hallmark Channel

7 comments:

Six highly skilled teenagers are handpicked to be part of a summer space camp competition at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. As the competition heats up, the kids have no idea that their ultimate challenge will be to solve a life or death crisis aboard the International Space Station as the world anxiously watches.

Starring: Thomas Horn, Danny Glover, Josh Lucas, Dermot Mulroney, Mira Sorvino and Booboo Stewart.

Space Warriors Trailer


Space Warriors is the second film in the Walden Family Theater original lineup featuring great family entertainment, airing Friday nights exclusively on Hallmark Channel. Walden Family Theater is creating films for the whole family to enjoy together, so make sure to mark your calendars and gather around the television to watch all the great upcoming films!


Watch Space Warriors on Hallmark Channel May 31st at 8/7C for your chance to win a trip for the whole family to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center's Space Camp! Keep an eye out for the secret keyword for a chance to go on location where Space Warriors was filmed and train like a real astronaut!

Past films include: The Chronicles of Narnia series, Holes, Nim's Island, Charlotte's Web, and Return to Nim's Island.

Space Warriors App

TROUBLE VIEWING APP? GO HERE

The Giveaway

Walden Media is offering a giveaway for a Space Warriors Blu-ray Combo Pack, which will be released on DVD and Blu-ray May 28, 2013 at Walmart and worldwide on July 30, 2013, to a lucky winner here on my blog. So, check out the app and be sure to enter to win on the Rafflecopter form below!

Open to residents of the US ONLY
The prize will be sent via FedEx or UPS. No P.O. Boxes!
Ends at 12:01 EST June 14th

a Rafflecopter giveaway
If you have any questions or problems, just let me know!

DISCLOSURE: Bibliophilia, Please is working with Walden Family Theater in order to provide its readers with a fabulous giveaway. We have not been paid in any way to write this post.

Book Thoughts: An Internal Dialogue About Stormdancer

6 comments:

Me: Hey, Kayla, didn't you read Stormdancer by Jay Kristoff last year?

Myself: Umm... Hey! I ordered that book sometime in 2011 (I think) before it had any cover art. I appealed to all the Powers to get an ARC, but was unsuccessful. Did you know that Kevin Hearne, one of my nerd idols, said that the book was awesome? I bought the book on his recommendation alone!

Me: Yeah, I know all of that already. We're the same person, remember? But didn't you grab it and start reading it as soon as it came out?!

Myself: Yep, I sure did! It had some of the most beautifully crafted world-building that I've ever encountered in a novel. I have absolutely no idea why it is even classified as YA except that Yukiko is a teen. I think it has to do with marketing, but I think the YA tag may turn off some adult readers that haven't jumped on the bandwagon yet. It should be classified as "AWESOME" and leave it as that.

Me: I agree completely. How long did it take you to finish it?

Myself: Have you SEEN the cover art for Kinslayer?!


Me: Oh yeah, it is totally badass, though Cuddlebuggery's reveal kind of made it awkward to look at. I think it's the veins on the sea creatures neck.

Myself: *stares at the cover* Yeah... But seriously, I have a crush on these covers. There is just so much badassery going on that it's almost painful to look at the cover. I think I'd switch teams for Yukiko if I wasn't afraid that she'd kick my ass!

Me: Yes, she would totally kick your ass. I'm sorry to interrupt your rambling, but when did you finish READING Stormdancer?

Myself: *glares*

Me: *waits*

Myself: *glares*

Me: OMG! You didn't finish reading it?!

Myself: You know what, you're just some crazy figment of my imagination that is OUT TO GET ME!

Me: Bahahaha! You totally didn't finish the book! You fantard so hard over Jay Kristoff, but you didn't even read the @$%^&!* book! Kayla, seriously, what the hell is going on with you?!

Myself: See, what had happened was—

Me: *groans*

Myself: Fine! I was working three jobs, juggling review copies, and it kind of ended up back on the shelf. It happens!

Me: You know what, you suck just a little bit. You know damn good and well that Stormdancer was primed up to be the best thing you read last year. What's really going on?

Myself: *shuffles feet*

Me: Spill it!

Myself: Okay, okay! I don't want to cry.

Me: You don't want to cry?

Myself: Yeah, I don't want to cry.

Me: Why would you cry?

Myself: Well, everyone seems to have it on these "made-me-cry" shelves on Goodreads. And even Jay says in his "About Me" section states that he doesn't believe in happy endings.

Me: Do you want to know what I think?

Myself: No.

Me: I'm going to tell you anyway.

Myself: I figured that.

Me: Just go read the damn book.

Myself: Ha! I one-upped you there! I bought the audiobook on Audible, and I've been listening to it. I'm taking my hardcover with me on vacation so I can read in the car. So neener neener neener!

Me: How about you stop talking to yourself now? Everyone is going to think you're crazier than what they already do.

Myself: Actually, you're the one who started it.

Me: Touché.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Blog Tour (Review & Giveaway): The Rules for Disappearing by Ashley Elston

6 comments:

Tour Schedule

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.

But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters — survival.

Title: The Rules for Disappearing
Author:
Ashley Elston
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: May 14, 2013
Acquired Via: Itching for Books Blog Tour

My Review

The Rules for Disappearing is probably one of my favorite contemporaries that I've read. While I am not usually drawn to the genre, I chose to read and review this novel because the author, Ashley Elston, is from my area. I read the book well before it's time on my reading schedule because I was a bit curious about the writing style, and I like glancing at the first page when I'm scheduling myself a certain amount of reading time. The next day, I had finished the book.

Blog Tour (Excerpt): The World Below by Mike Phillips

No comments:

Tour Schedule


In ancient times, magical creatures inhabited the earth. They lived on mountaintops, in trees, at the bottom of lakes and rivers. But that was long ago, before the human race declared war on the creatures they feared and hated. Now the enchanted peoples are all but gone. Those few that remain fear being stretched out on an examination table in some secret, governmental facility.

The only place they can hide from the ever increasing number of satellites and smart phones is in the World Below. Mitch Hardy is going through a hard time in his life. In his early twenties, he was working his way through college when he suffered an accident that left him flat broke and physically deformed. When Mitch decides to make a fresh start in a new town, things start looking up. He finds a place to live, a decent job, good friends. He even meets a nice girl. Unknown to Mitch, his new girlfriend is one of the Elder Race, what some call the Faerie Folk. Mitch doesn’t know that Elizabeth is looking for a father she never knew. The key to finding him is somehow tied up with the mysterious Blade of Caro. Desperate, she steals the Blade from its protector, the despotic ruler of the World Below, the Dragon of Worms, Baron Finkbeiner. When Elizabeth is kidnapped by the Baron, Mitch is pulled into a world or magic and monsters he never imagined.


Title: The World Below
Authors:
Mike Phillips
Publisher: Damnation Books
Genre: Horror/Urban Fantasy
Release Date: April 1, 2013

Excerpt

Extending his hand, the Baron asked, “Please? Have a look?” He smiled his wicked smile, showing a mouthful of pointed teeth.

Monday, May 20, 2013

No Strings Attached Giveaway Hop #3 (INT)

6 comments:

Welcome to my stop on the No Strings Attached Giveaway Hop hosted by the lovely Kathy at I Am a Reader, Not A Writer. Being as most of my giveaways have no strings attached, it will be no different from my other giveaways. My giveaway is INTERNATIONAL as long as Amazon, Book Depository, or Fishpond delivers to you for free. The prize today is going to be:



The Mystery Box!

Yes, I know you are all terribly excited about potentially getting your hands on the mystery box. Don't you just love receiving surprises in the mail?

Giveaway Requirements

Blog Tour (Excerpt & Giveaway): Animate Me by Ruth Clampett

No comments:

She seemed far beyond his reach…could love draw them together?

For years shy animator Nathan has carried a torch for Brooke, the beautiful and dynamic Director of Development at their animation studio, even creating B-Girl, a comic-book heroine in her likeness. When a new project throws the two of them together, lovestruck Nathan finally seizes his moment – only to find Arnauld, head of the animation studio, claiming exclusive rights to Brooke’s affections.

But Nathan, it turns out, is not giving up on his dreams so easily. With inspired determination, he sets out to be the super hero of wooing his girl. Threatened by his persistence, Arnauld plays dirty – only to spark an uprising at the studio that unleashes the sort of havoc only a building full of frustrated animators can create. While Nathan pulls out all the stops to win his B-girl, Brooke has to choose. Should she pursue the sparkling career that has taken her years to build…or follow her heart?


Excerpt

About four a.m. I stumble out of bed towards the bathroom, and when I return I laugh quietly, because Brooke is lying exactly where I was before getting up. I open the bottle of water, and take a swig as I observe her.

I sigh deeply. The moonlight falling through the window skims over her. Her hair’s fanned across my pillow like it’s blowing in the wind, her lips gently moving, whispering secrets I can’t hear. She’s so beautiful as she waltzes through dreamland. I flex my fingers, fighting the urge to run my fingertips across her cheek.

I love you Brooke.

Friday, May 17, 2013

Blog Tour (Guest Post & Giveaway): Search for the Lost Realm by Kraig Dafoe

10 comments:

Tour Schedule

Search for the Lost Realm is an epic journey in which a young man named Varan wants to find a power which has been missing from the world of Kantania for thousands of years.

Varan sets out but soon discovers his true mission is to save the worlds creator from a spiritual bond placed upon him by the powerful demon, Eldrok.

From demons to dragons and sorcerers to soldiers, battles erupt and Varan must hurry or the world could be lost to darkness forever.

This story does not consist of action alone as Varan faces dilemmas of the heart, struggles of the flesh and complex issues of the mind.



Do not let rejection get you down.
by Kraig Dafoe

There is something you should know. If you are not famous, rejection lies in your future. That’s the way it is, but never give up on your dreams. When I first started the process of trying to get an agent, I was rejected more than fifty times. I started looking at my material and decided to do some rewrites, thinking my story or the writing was the reason for my rejection. The second time I tried getting an agent, again I was rejected numerous times.

After a while, you start to realize just how tuff this seemingly easy task is. I spoke with an agent not so long ago and he flat out said agents don’t care about great stories, they care about making money. It makes sense; they get paid if you make money, and if you’re not a known celeb, then odds are not in your favor.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

May New Release Giveaway Hop (INT)

No comments:

Welcome to my stop on the May New Release Giveaway Hop! As always, it is being hosted by the magnificent O'Dell at Book Twirps and the glorious Dani at Refracted Light Reviews. They exude awesomeness to an extent that I am sure is contagious.

What You Can Win

The very lovely Ashley Elston's debut novel releases this month, so I'm featuring The Rules for Disappearing on the hop. I do not have nearly enough authors in a close proximity to my home, so I try to support the ones who pop up.

She’s been six different people in six different places: Madeline in Ohio, Isabelle in Missouri, Olivia in Kentucky . . . But now that she’s been transplanted to rural Louisiana, she has decided that this fake identity will be her last.

Witness Protection has taken nearly everything from her. But for now, they’ve given her a new name, Megan Rose Jones, and a horrible hair color. For the past eight months, Meg has begged her father to answer one question: What on earth did he do – or see – that landed them in this god-awful mess? Meg has just about had it with all the Suits’ rules — and her dad’s silence. If he won’t help, it’s time she got some answers for herself.

But Meg isn’t counting on Ethan Landry, an adorable Louisiana farm boy who’s too smart for his own good. He knows Meg is hiding something big. And it just might get both of them killed. As they embark on a perilous journey to free her family once and for all, Meg discovers that there’s only one rule that really matters — survival.


If you would prefer a different prize, you can choose a May new release that costs $15US or less.

The Giveaway

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Blog Tour (Interview & Giveaway): Family Ever After by Michelle Packard

2 comments:

Tour Schedule

Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Perfect Happiness in an Imperfect Family

Women frustrated with their marriage and their family will find the help they need to achieve greater happiness and success in their family in the new book, Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Extraordinary Happiness with Your Ordinary Family by stay-at-home mom, blogger, and ordinary family leader Michelle H. Packard.

Family Ever After uses the fairytale concept that once you find your prince charming life is happily ever after. Michelle H. Packard knows this concept, while romantic, is not realistic, and she provides a practical, poignant, funny, and moving exploration of the simple ways you can help find greater happiness and satisfaction in your marriage and family. Packard says, “While the idea of happy ever after is distorted, you can, in fact, achieve a Family Ever After.”

Family Ever After brings time-tested and well-researched principles to family life to help you learn specific ways to improve your marriage and your family, whether that family is ordinary or extraordinary. Using real-world examples of best practices and helping woman readjust their media-driven perception of what happily ever after means, Family Ever After gives readers a pragmatic, helpful, and entertaining exploration of:

Friday, May 10, 2013

Blog Tour (Excerpt & Giveaway): Family Ever After by Michelle Packard

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Tour Schedule

Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Perfect Happiness in an Imperfect Family

Women frustrated with their marriage and their family will find the help they need to achieve greater happiness and success in their family in the new book, Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Extraordinary Happiness with Your Ordinary Family by stay-at-home mom, blogger, and ordinary family leader Michelle H. Packard.

Family Ever After uses the fairytale concept that once you find your prince charming life is happily ever after. Michelle H. Packard knows this concept, while romantic, is not realistic, and she provides a practical, poignant, funny, and moving exploration of the simple ways you can help find greater happiness and satisfaction in your marriage and family. Packard says, “While the idea of happy ever after is distorted, you can, in fact, achieve a Family Ever After.”

Family Ever After brings time-tested and well-researched principles to family life to help you learn specific ways to improve your marriage and your family, whether that family is ordinary or extraordinary. Using real-world examples of best practices and helping woman readjust their media-driven perception of what happily ever after means, Family Ever After gives readers a pragmatic, helpful, and entertaining exploration of:

Cover Reveal: Act Like You Love Me by Cindi Madsen

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Title: Act Like You Love Me
Author:
Cindi Madsen
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group:
Adult
Publisher: Bliss (Entangled Publishing)
Expected Release Date: June 10, 2013

All’s fair in acting and amore...

Brynn McAdams isn’t the awkward drama geek she was in high school—she’s grown up and confident, or at least she likes to think so. But when her old crush, the impossibly handsome and impossibly unattainable Sawyer Raines, comes back to town to direct her community play, Brynn finds herself determined to be someone other than the girl he doesn’t even recognize. Good thing she’s an excellent actress.

After his bad breakup in NYC, the last thing Sawyer wants is to get involved with another actress. But the glamorous and beautiful Brynn draws him in, even though as her director, he knows she’s off-limits. There’s just something about the woman that feels…familiar. Like home.

As Brynn’s lies start to snowball, she struggles to stop acting and come clean. But what if Sawyer is already falling for the fake Brynn, not the Brynn she truly is?


Excerpt

“Cut, cut cut!” Sawyer stood. “Was that supposed to be more passionate? Because it sucked.”

Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Book Blast (Giveaway): Your Mommy Was Just Like You by Kelly Bennett

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Your Mommy Was Just Like You
Kelly Bennett

Once upon a time-according to Grandma-Mommy loved getting messy, wearing kooky costumes, and dragging out bedtime with just one more story. She collected bottle caps and dandelion fluff, and didn’t know how to tie her shoes. Sometimes she was a terror, but most of the time she was a sweet potato. Just like her own little girl today. Kids love to hear about what their parents were like as children, and this celebration of moms and the little girls they were will inspire lots of laughter and memories.

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository



About the Author

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Kindle Fire HD Giveaway - May 2013

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JOINT AUTHOR & BLOGGER SPONSORED GIVEAWAY - WIN A KINDLE FIRE HD 7"

May Kindle Giveaway

What You Can Win


7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

OR


$199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

OR


$199 in Paypal Cash (International)


Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors

Blog Tour (Guest Post & Giveaway): Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown

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Tour Schedule

Freak. Witch. Crazy. Schizo.

Ember Brycin has been called them all. She’s always known she’s different. No one has ever called her normal, even under the best circumstances. Bizarre and inexplicable things continually happen to her, and having two different colored eyes, strange hair, and an unusual tattoo only contributes to the gossip about her.

When the latest school explosion lands her in a facility for trouble teens, she meets Eli Dragen, who’s hot as hell and darkly mysterious. Their connection is full of passion, danger, and secrets. Secrets that will not only change her life, but what and who she is—leading her down a path she never imagined possible.

Between Light and Dark, Ember finds a world where truth and knowledge are power and no one can be trusted. But her survival depends on finding out the truth about herself. In her pursuit, she is forced between love and destiny and good and evil, even when the differences between them aren’t always clear. At worst, she will incite a war that could destroy both worlds. At best, she will not only lose her heart but her life and everyone she loves. Once the truth is out, however, there will be no going back. And she’ll definitely wish she could.


Guest Post on Bullying
Stacey Marie Brown

Who doesn’t root for the underdog? You want to see the nerdy, scrawny kid fight back against his bullies and that awkward girl stand up to those mean girls. Bullying has probably been around since the beginning of civilization. I doubt it will ever really go away. I, too, suffered from the “mean girl” experience. It is a part of life, and my own experience has made me who I am now. It forced me to be a stronger person. These incidents can actually be turned around and used in a positive way. It can make you fight harder, work harder, and appreciate things more.

Book Blast (Giveaway): Tiger's Quest by Colleen Houck

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Tiger's Quest (The Tiger Saga #2)
Colleen Houck

Back in Oregon, Kelsey tries to pick up the pieces of her life and push aside her feelings for Ren. But danger lurks around the corner, forcing her to return to India where she embarks on a second quest–this time with Ren’s dark, bad-boy brother Kishan, who has also fallen prey to the Tiger’s Curse. Fraught with danger, spellbinding dreams, and choices of the heart, Tiger's Quest brings the trio one step closer to breaking the spell that binds them.

Winner of a Parent’s Choice Award!




Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond



About the Author




Monday, May 6, 2013

Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop #4 (US/Can)

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Welcome to my stop on the Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop hosted by the wonderful Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. I have a few books that I received signed copies of and one that I'll probably never read that I will feature on the hop.

What You Can Win

The winner of my stop will get to choose ONE of the following books:



Taken by Erin Bowman
The Nightmare Affair by Mindee Arnett
The 13th Sign by Kristin O'Donnell Tubbs

Giveaway Requirements