Blog Tour (Guest Post & #Giveaway): The Tapestry by #NancyBilyeau #HistoricalMystery @hfvbt @tudorscribe @TouchstoneBooks

Title: The Tapestry (Joanna Stafford #3)
Author: Nancy Bilyeau
Publisher: Touchstone (Simon & Schuster)
US Release Date: March 24, 2015
UK Release Date: April 24, 2015
The next page-turner in the award-winning Joanna Stafford series takes place in the heart of the Tudor court, as the gutsy former novice risks everything to defy the most powerful men of her era.

After her priory in Dartford is closed—collateral damage in tyrannical King Henry VIII’s quest to overthrow the Catholic Church—Joanna resolves to live a quiet and honorable life weaving tapestries, shunning dangerous quests and conspiracies. Until she is summoned to Whitehall Palace, where her tapestry weaving has drawn the King’s attention.

Joanna is uncomfortable serving the King whom she has twice attempted to overthrow—unbeknownst to him. She fears for her life in a court bursting with hidden agendas and a casual disregard for the virtues she holds dear. And her suspicions are confirmed when an assassin attempts to kill her moments after arriving at Whitehall.

Struggling to stay ahead of her most formidable enemy yet, an unknown one, she becomes entangled in dangerous court politics. Her dear friend Catherine Howard is rumored to be one of the King’s mistresses. Joanna is determined to protect young, beautiful, naïve Catherine from becoming the King’s next wife and possibly, victim.

Set in a world of royal banquets and feasts, tournament jousts, ship voyages, and Tower Hill executions, this thrilling tale finds Joanna in her most dangerous situation yet, as she attempts to decide the life she wants to live: nun or wife, spy or subject, rebel or courtier. Joanna must finally choose her fate.

Praise for the Joanna Stafford Series

“Illuminated by Bilyeau’s vivid prose, minor players of Tudor England emerge from the shadows.” —Kirkus Reviews

“In The Tapestry, Nancy Bilyeau brilliantly captures both the white-hot religious passions and the brutal politics of Tudor England. It is a rare book that does both so well.” —Sam Thomas, author of The Midwife’s Tale

“In spite of murderous plots, volatile kings, and a divided heart, Joanna Stafford manages to stay true to her noble character. Fans of Ken Follett will devour Nancy Bilyeau’s novel of political treachery and courageous love, set amid the endlessly fascinating Tudor landscape.” —Erika Robuck, author of Hemingway’s Girl

“These aren’t your mother’s nuns! Nancy Bilyeau has done it again, giving us a compelling and wonderfully realized portrait of Tudor life in all its complexity and wonder. A nun, a tapestry, a page-turning tale of suspense: this is historical mystery at its finest.” —Bruce Holsinger, author of A Burnable Book and The Invention of Fire

“A supremely deft, clever and pacy entertainment. This is Nancy Bilyeau’s most thrilling—and enlightening—novel in the Joanna Stafford series yet.” —Andrew Pyper, author of The Demonologist and The Damned

“A master of atmosphere, Nancy Bilyeau imbues her novel with a sense of dread and oppression lurking behind the royal glamour; in her descriptions and characterizations… Bilyeau breathes life into history.” —Laura Andersen, author of The Boleyn King

"Nancy Bilyeau's passion for history infuses her books and transports us back to the dangerous world of Tudor England. Vivid characters and gripping plots are at the heart of this wonderful trilogy, and this third book will not fail to thrill readers. Warmly recommended!" —Bestselling author Alison Weir

Guest Post

Creating Conflict in the Joanna Stafford Series
Nancy Bilyeau
According to what I hear from fellow authors, bloggers, critics and industry wags, book editors are laying down the law: We want more conflict! It’s all about higher stakes now. Drama. Heightened tension. Put your protagonist at greater risk than you ever thought possible. And then ratchet it up again

To meet the challenge, writers are booking seats at Donald Maas workshops and buying his book, Writing the Breakout Novel, like crazy. One successful mystery-author friend who swears by Maas confided that before she’s done with a book she shuffles all the pages until they’re completely out of sequence and then reads each one to make sure there is conflict on every single page. Other friends plot their books with multi-colored index cards and arrows and circles, making sure to squeeze the drama out of every single moment.

Blog Tour (Interview & #Giveaway): Guardians by Susan Kim & Laurence Klavan

Thank you so much for stopping by my stop of the Guardians official blog tour here on Bibliophilia, Please! Today, I'll be featuring my interview with Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan.



Title: Guardians (Wasteland #3)
Author: Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan
Publisher: HarperTeen (HarperCollins)
Release Date: March 24, 2015
The Emmy Award-nominated and Edgar Award-winning duo of Susan Kim and Laurence Klavan deliver a heart-pounding finale to the postapocalyptic teen world of the Wasteland, filled with dramatic twists and turns. Bestselling author of Criminal, Karin Slaughter, called Wasteland "a Lord of the Flies for future generations. An irresistible page-turner."

No one dares to leave the District—the towering structure of glass and steel that is their protection against the unruly bands of Outsiders that roam Mundreel and the deadly rain that carries the disease that kills all over the age of nineteen.

This skyscraper stands amid the urban devastation, the city rumored to have once been called "Montreal." Esther and her allies have created a haven on the rooftop, a garden that flourishes, and a home for her new baby, hidden from all but the very few who know her secret. But as Gideon's power grows and factions form, the ultimate darkness is born from greed, and Esther must find a way to save the citizens from themselves.

Interview

Kayla: Hi Susan and Laurence, and thank you so much for allowing me to interview you. Do you mind telling us a little bit about the Wasteland series?

Laurence: The Wasteland trilogy takes place about thirty years from now. Climate change has thawed the Arctic ice in which the bodies of 20th century Spanish Flu victims had been preserved. The freed virus destroys nearly the entire world population; and the mutating disease—spread by water droplets, even rain— kills off all survivors by the age of nineteen.

Kayla: What can you tell us about Guardians if we haven’t read the first two books?

#TheHobbit The Battle of The Five Armies Blu-ray #Giveaway!

The final installment of The Hobbit is here, and we now have a Blu-ray up for grabs thanks to Warner Bros., who is celebrating the Blu-ray release of The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies! Mouse over the Interactive map of Middle-Earth and take the quiz to find out if you're Brave like Bilbo!

About The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Digital

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world.

Special Features on the Blu-Ray combo pack include:

• New Zealand: Home of Middle-earth Part 3
• Recruiting the Five Armies
• Completing Middle-earth: A Six-Part Saga
• Completing Middle-earth: A Seventeen-Year Journey
• The Last Goodbye: Behind the Scenes
• Music Video
• Trailers

Own it on Digital HD NOW
iTunes | Amazon

Own it on Blu-ray NOW
The Hobbit Facebook Page
A Behind-the-Scenes Look at New Zealand


Short Making-of Montage


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Giveaway

Review & #Giveaway: The Orphan Queen by Jodi Meadows (ARC)

Title: The Orphan Queen (The Orphan Queen #1)
Author: Jodi Meadows
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books (HarperCollins)
Acquired Via: Publisher
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Wilhelmina has a hundred identities.

She is a princess. When the Indigo Kingdom conquered her homeland, Wilhelmina and other orphaned children of nobility were taken to Skyvale, the Indigo Kingdom's capital. Ten years later, they are the Ospreys, experts at stealth and theft. With them, Wilhelmina means to take back her throne.

She is a spy. Wil and her best friend, Melanie, infiltrate Skyvale Palace to study their foes. They assume the identities of nobles from a wraith-fallen kingdom, but enemies fill the palace, and Melanie's behavior grows suspicious. With Osprey missions becoming increasingly dangerous and their leader more unstable, Wil can't trust anyone.

She is a threat. Wraith is the toxic by-product of magic, and for a century using magic has been forbidden. Still the wraith pours across the continent, reshaping the land and animals into fresh horrors. Soon it will reach the Indigo Kingdom. Wilhelmina's magic might be the key to stopping the wraith, but if the vigilante Black Knife discovers Wil's magic, she will vanish like all the others.

Jodi Meadows introduces a vivid new fantasy full of intrigue, romance, dangerous magic, and one girl's battle to reclaim her place in the world.

My Review

The Orphan Queen not only surprised me by how much I enjoyed it, but it also ended my streak of "meh" reads. I enjoyed Jodi Meadows' Incarnate series, her debut, but this one blew those out of the water. Her books are very clean and sweet, but The Orphan Queen takes on some darker issues within the Indigo Kingdom, as well as within the characters.

Early Review: Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge (ARC)

Title: Crimson Bound
Author: Rosamund Hodge
Publisher: Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)
Release Date: May 5, 2015
Acquired Via: Around the World ARC Tours
An exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, from the author of Cruel Beauty.

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless—straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in a vain effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her hunt for the legendary sword that might save their world. Together, they navigate the opulent world of the courtly elite, where beauty and power reign and no one can be trusted. And as the two become unexpected allies, they discover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic . . . and a love that may be their undoing. Within a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

My Review

I really hate to leave a DNF review, as I did not finish the book, but I think it's important to talk about some of the issues that I had with Crimson Bound because that's what I personally look for in a review, in addition to whatever positive aspects that there may be.

I was very excited to read Crimson Bound because I loved Hodge's Cruel Beauty. As soon as I started the book, I was excited to follow Rachelle on her journey. She seemed to be a flawed and tough character like Nyx, but somewhere along the way, she lost me. I was unable to connect with her because she continuously wallowed in self-hatred (as far as I read). She reminded me a little of Katniss Everdeen, but not in a good way. Yes, Rachelle is a badass, but the wallowing... *sigh*

Waiting on Wednesday (99): The Anatomical Shape of the Heart by Jenn Bennett

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: The Anatomical Shape of the Heart
Author: Jenn Bennett
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan)
Release Date: November 3, 2015
A mysterious graffiti artist, an anatomy-obsessed artist, and a night bus that will bring the two together.

Artist Beatrix Adams knows exactly how she's spending the summer before her senior year. Determined to follow in Da Vinci’s footsteps, she's ready to tackle the one thing that will give her an advantage in a museum-sponsored scholarship contest: drawing actual cadavers. But when she tries to sneak her way into the hospital’s Willed Body program and misses the last metro train home, she meets a boy who turns her summer plans upside down.

Jack is charming, wildly attractive . . . and possibly one of San Francisco’s most notorious graffiti artists. On midnight buses and city rooftops, Beatrix begins to see who Jack really is—and tries to uncover what he’s hiding that leaves him so wounded. But will these secrets come back to haunt him? Or will the skeletons in Beatrix’s own family’s closet tear them apart?


I absolutely adored Bennett's first series, Arcadia Bell, and I'm really enjoying her newest paranormal series, Roaring Twenties. I'm intrigued that's she's switching genres to contemporary, but I'm sure I'll love anything she writes!

What are you waiting on this week?

Blog Tour (Interview, Excerpt & #Giveaway): All Mascara is Not Created Equal by Jessica Landmon #WomenGetRealBlogTour @AshleyLitPub @JessicaLandmon

Title: All Mascara is Not Created Equal
Author: Jessica Landmon
Publisher: Women Get Real
Release Date: February 2015
All Mascara is Not Equal takes spirituality to the modern woman. Tackling issues such as body image, fear, depression and many others, Landmon has tips that are practical, spiritual and apply to any struggle in between.

Originally written to help her daughter counter the social media haze of today’s pop culture, Landmon has now expanded the book to all women readers. With God’s faith leading her, she hopes to be a “life changer” for every woman that reads or hears her words.

Interview

Can you give us a brief summary of your book, All Mascara is Not Created Equal?

All Mascara is Not Equal is intended to present lighthearted, witty, and spiritually sound advice to young women and girls in “tweet-like” form to help them live a life God would approve of.

Where did you get the idea to write this book?

Cover Reveal: The Body Institute by Carol Riggs @Artzicarol @entangledteen

Title: The Body Institute
Author: Carol Riggs
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Cover Reveal Organizer: YA Bound Book Tours
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Meet Morgan Dey, one of the top teen Reducers at The Body Institute.

Thanks to cutting-edge technology, Morgan can temporarily take over another girl’s body, get her in shape, and then return to her own body—leaving her client slimmer, more toned, and feeling great. Only there are a few catches...

For one, Morgan won’t remember what happens in her “Loaner” body. Once she’s done, she won’t recall walks with her new friend Matt, conversations with the super-cute Reducer she’s been text-flirting with, or the uneasy feeling she has that the director of The Body Institute is hiding something. Still, it’s all worth it in the name of science. Until the glitches start...

Suddenly, residual memories from her Loaner are cropping up in Morgan’s mind. She’s feeling less like herself and more like someone else. And when protests from an anti–Body Institute organization threaten her safety, she’ll have to decide if being a Reducer is worth the cost of her body and soul...

Pre-Order
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo


About Carol Riggs

I'm a YA writer represented by Kelly Sonnack of Andrea Brown Literary. My sci-fi novel The Body Institute explores the themes of society, identity, and body image. I live in the beautiful, green state of Oregon and have a Studio Arts degree; I'm an SCBWI member.

You'll usually find me in my writing cave, surrounded by my dragon collection and the characters in my head. I also enjoy reading--mostly young adult novels--as well as drawing, painting, and quilting. I also attend writing conferences, walk with my husband, and enjoy music and dance of all kinds.

Find Carol Online
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

#TheHobbit The Battle of The Five Armies Digital #Giveaway!

The final installment of The Hobbit is here! Warner Bros. is proud to bring you the Digital release of The Hobbit: The Battle of The Five Armies! Mouse over the Interactive map of Middle-Earth and take the quiz to find out what is your Middle-Earth weapon of choice!

About The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Digital

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Peter Jackson comes The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies" the third in a trilogy of films adapting the enduringly popular masterpiece The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien. The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies brings to an epic conclusion the adventures of Bilbo Baggins, Thorin Oakenshield and the Company of Dwarves. Having reclaimed their homeland from the Dragon Smaug, the Company has unwittingly unleashed a deadly force into the world.

Own it on Digital HD NOW
iTunes | Amazon

Own it on Blu-ray March 24th
Official Movie Trailer


Blog App

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Giveaway

One (1) Digital Download Coupon for The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies will be awarded to a lucky winner here on my blog. So, check out the blog app above and be sure to enter to win on the Rafflecopter form below!

Open to addresses in the US ONLY.
The prize will be sent via FedEx or UPS - No P.O. Boxes!
Ends at 12:01 EST April 1st
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Each household is only eligible to win One (1) Digital Download Coupon for The Hobbit: Battle of the Five Armies via blog reviews and giveaways. Only one entrant per mailing address per giveaway. If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Winner is subject to eligibility verification.

FTC DISCLOSURE: Bibliophilia, Please is working with Warner Home Video in order to provide this giveaway to its readers. All materials have been provided through Warner Home Video. No money or favors have been exchanged for this post.

Early Review: An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (ARC)

Title: An Ember in the Ashes
Author: Sabaa Tahir
Publisher: Razorbill (Penguin Random House)
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Acquired Via: Around the World ARC Tours
I WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING I TELL EVERY SLAVE.

THE RESISTANCE HAS TRIED TO PENETRATE THIS SCHOOL COUNTLESS TIMES. I HAVE DISCOVERED IT EVERY TIME.

IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE RESISTANCE, IF YOU CONTACT THEM, IF YOU THINK OF CONTACTING THEM, I WILL KNOW

AND I WILL DESTROY YOU.

Laia is a slave.
Elias is a soldier.
Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself.

My Review

I had high hopes for An Ember in the Ashes, and it pretty much met every one of them. One of my favorite things is finding a debut or new to me epic fantasy, and even though An Ember in the Ashes is more dystopia than high fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Blog Tour (Review): Letters to Kezia by Peni Jo Renner

Title: Letters to Kezia (The Puritan Chronicles #2)
Author: Peni Jo Renner
Publisher: iUniverse
Release Date: January 14, 2015
Acquired Via: Historical Fiction Virtual Book Tours
It is 1693 in Hereford, Connecticut, when Mary Case, the spinster daughter of a Puritan minister, finds herself hopelessly smitten by the roguish thief, Daniel Eames. Betrothed to a man she does not like or love, she is soon compelled to help Daniel escape from jail. Suddenly, she finds herself on the run, not only accused of being Daniel’s accomplice, but also of murder.

The fugitive pair soon finds solace-and a mutual attraction-among the escapee’s Algonquin friends until two men from Daniel’s dark past hunt them down. After Mary is captured and returned home to await trial, a tragedy takes the life of her younger sister, revealing a dark secret Mary’s father has kept for months. But just as Mary learns she is pregnant, she makes a horrifying discovery about Daniel that changes everything and prompts her to develop an unlikely bond with his mother, Rebecca, who soon saves Mary from a shocking fate. It is not until years later that her daughter, Kezia, finally learns the truth about her biological father and family.

Letters to Kezia shares a courageous woman’s journey through a Puritan life and beyond as she struggles with adversity and betrayal, and discovers that loyalty can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.

Praise for Letters to Kezia

“In the tradition of author Peni Jo Renner’s gripping debut novel, Puritan Witch: The Redemption of Rebecca Eames, Letters to Kezia recounts the tale of courageous, compassionate, and relatable Mary, whose connection to Rebecca and her family is unforeseen and profound. The reader is captivated at the very first page, as Letters to Kezia is a story of forbidden love, deep family secrets, intrigue, murder, and atonement. Another beautifully written triumph for this author, whose immense gift for story-telling transports the reader into each scene so deftly, one can almost smell the wood smoke and hear the crackling of the fire in the hearth.” – Kelly Z. Conrad, award-winning author of Shaman

“Peni Jo Renner enthralled readers with Puritan Witch, the ordeal of Rebecca Eames, who was condemned to hang from Salem’s gallows as a witch. Now the Eames saga continues as Peni uses her special brand of witchery to bring Mary Case and Daniel Eames to vivid life, and shows us just how much a young woman will risk for love. Letters to Kezia is a poignant, true-life tale from colonial New England’s heartland which will captivate you, and keep you guessing until the end.” -JoAnn Butler, author of Rebel Puritan and The Reputed Wife

My Review

I was a little apprehensive when Kezia starts to read her mother's letters. They are addressed to Kezia, but Mary thought that she would have passed away before Kezia would find the letters to read them. I'm not a huge fan of epistolary novels, so I was relieved that only the first paragraph or so of each encounter was written so. The rest transitioned into third person narration.

"Spring Cleaning" - Clear Your Shelf Giveaway Hop #6 (US)

Thanks to Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer, I'm going to let you share in my goodies that need to be cleared off of my shelf.

What You Can Win

I work in a library, so I've tried to give away my ARC of Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver (you can read my review HERE) to the people in the YA dept. so they can read it, give it to a kid, etc. but no one will get it off my hands. So I'm giving it to one of you guys. Here's a info about the book:



Title: Vanishing Girls
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperCollins
Acquired Via: Publisher
Release Date: March 10, 2015
Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before—before Dara kissed Parker, before Nick lost him as her best friend, before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred. Now the two sisters, who used to be so close, aren't speaking. In an instant, Nick lost everything and is determined to use the summer to get it all back.

But Dara has other plans. When she vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl has vanished, too—nine-year-old Madeline Snow—and as Nick pursues her sister, she becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances may be linked.

In this edgy and compelling novel, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

Buy Links
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Fishpond
Google Play | Indiebound


Giveaway

Review: Vanishing Girls by Lauren Oliver

Title: Vanishing Girls
Author: Lauren Oliver
Publisher: HarperCollins
Acquired Via: Publisher Release Date: March 10, 2015
Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was before—before Dara kissed Parker, before Nick lost him as her best friend, before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred. Now the two sisters, who used to be so close, aren't speaking. In an instant, Nick lost everything and is determined to use the summer to get it all back.

But Dara has other plans. When she vanishes on her birthday, Nick thinks Dara is just playing around. But another girl has vanished, too—nine-year-old Madeline Snow—and as Nick pursues her sister, she becomes increasingly convinced that the two disappearances may be linked.

In this edgy and compelling novel, New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver creates a world of intrigue, loss, and suspicion as two sisters search to find themselves, and each other.

My Review

Vanishing Girls is a weird book. It's not sci-fi/fantasy/paranormal weird. It's not even the sisters' relationship that is weird. I think the writing, the twists, and the character interactions are what makes it all so strange, and to elaborate will mean spoilers.

Honestly, I had part of Vanishing Girls' plot twist that is really central to the novel figured out from the start, but the execution of the twist was so off. After being presented with the "truth" behind a mystery, I like to have some sort of satisfaction. Vanishing Girls only left me scratching my head. I understand why tackling the issue is important to YA, but the events surrounding it were confusing. I get that Oliver is trying to blindside the reader, but I was confused to the point that I knew I would have to reread it to have any understanding. And I didn't like the characters enough to justify rereading the book.

Blog Tour (Review): Fiercombe Manor by Kate Riordan

Title: Fiercombe Manor
Author: Kate Riordan
Publisher: HarperCollins
Release Date: February 17, 2015
Acquired Via: TLC Book Tours
Fiercombe Manor is a haunting and atmospheric novel that tells the tales of women in two different eras – the 1890’s and 1930’s – and how their lives seem to be entwined by fate. Kate Riordan’s novel is a beautifully dark and beguiling tale which will sweep you away. It will appeal to fans of Kate Morton and Daphne Du Maurier's Rebecca.

In the summer of 1933, Alice Eveleigh has arrived at Fiercombe Manor in disgrace. The beautiful house becomes her sanctuary, a place to hide her shame from society in the care of the housekeeper, Mrs Jelphs. But the manor also becomes a place of suspicion, one of secrecy.

Something isn't right.

Someone is watching.

There are secrets that the manor house seems determined to keep. Tragedy haunts the empty rooms and foreboding hangs heavy in the stifling heat. Traces of the previous occupant, Elizabeth Stanton, are everywhere and soon Alice discovers Elizabeth's life eerily mirrors the path she herself is on.

My Review

I started reading Fiercombe Manor thinking it was going to be a gothic period book like one of the Brontë sisters' books or Daughne Du Marier's Rebecca. There were some definite creepy and mysterious happenings in the old house, but I felt mostly the book was a commentary on women's plight in the later 1800s and early 1900s.

Waiting on Wednesday (98): Queen of Shadows by Sarah J. Maas

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: Queen of Shadows (Throne of Glass #4)
Author: Sarah J. Maas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Children's
Release Date: September 1, 2015
Everyone Celaena Sardothien loves has been taken from her. But she's at last returned to the empire—for vengeance, to rescue her once-glorious kingdom, and to confront the shadows of her past...

She will fight for her cousin, a warrior prepared to die just to see her again. She will fight for her friend, a young man trapped in an unspeakable prison. And she will fight for her people, enslaved to a brutal king and awaiting their lost queen's triumphant return.

Celaena’s epic journey has captured the hearts and imaginations of millions across the globe. This fourth volume will hold readers rapt as Celaena’s story builds to a passionate, agonizing crescendo that might just shatter her world.


I have no idea how Maas is going to top Heir of Fire, but I'm so excited to find out. I'm going to be so spoiled this year because not only do we get a new Throne of Glass novel, but she's also releasing the first book in her A Court of Thorns and Roses series in a few months.

What are you waiting on this week?

Blog Tour (Guest Post): The Masque of the Murderer by Susanna Calkins @hfvbt @scalkins3 @MinotaurBooks

Title: The Masque of a Murderer (Lucy Campion Mysteries #3)
Author: Susanna Calkins
Publisher: Minotaur Books (Macmillan)
Release Date: April 14, 2015
In Susanna Calkins’ next richly drawn mystery set in 17th century England, Lucy Campion, formerly a ladies’ maid in the local magistrate’s household, has now found gainful employment as a printer’s apprentice. On a freezing winter afternoon in 1667, she accompanies the magistrate’s daughter, Sarah, to the home of a severely injured Quaker man to record his dying words, a common practice of the time. The man, having been trampled by a horse and cart the night before, only has a few hours left to live. Lucy scribbles down the Quaker man’s last utterances, but she’s unprepared for what he reveals to her—that someone deliberately pushed him into the path of the horse, because of a secret he had recently uncovered.

Fearful that Sarah might be traveling in the company of a murderer, Lucy feels compelled to seek the truth, with the help of the magistrate's son, Adam, and the local constable. But delving into the dead man’s background might prove more dangerous than any of them had imagined.

In The Masque of a Murderer, Susanna Calkins has once again combined finely wrought characters, a richly detailed historical atmosphere, and a tightly-plotted mystery into a compelling read.

Praise for the Lucy Campion Mystery Series

"...the high-quality writing augurs well for future outings." - Publisher's Weekly

"Calkins makes Lucy’s efforts to find the real killer entirely plausible, leading to a nail-biter climax with London in flames. This history-mystery delivers a strong heroine making her way through the social labyrinth of Restoration London." -Booklist

"Calkins' debut mystery places her unusual detective in a world rich in carefully researched historical detail." - Kirkus

"A historical mystery with originality and great attention to detail. Readers are transported to 17th century England, a time when social classes were just beginning to change. The characters are multi-dimensional--including the smart, adventurous Lucy Campion--and the mystery will keep readers turning the pages, and they'll eagerly await the next book in the series." - RT Book Reviews (4 Stars)

"...an intricate tale of fraud and blackmail, leavened by a touch of romance. Calkins, who holds a doctorate in British history, puts her knowledge to sparkling use in this intriguing mystery, which combines a gripping plot with rich historical detail and one of the most admirable protagonists in the genre." - The Richmond Times-Dispatch

"Calkins is able to seamlessly weave this romance into the story without making it the main plot line, and keeping the mystery the main focus of the story....The puzzles, anagrams, and many secrets combine to make intertwining plot twists that keep the pages turning. From the Charred Remains is an exciting, secret filled, historical mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end." - Fresh Fiction (Reviewer's Pick)

“A good yarn and a fascinating look at life in England in a time when things began to change...social classes, positions, servants' rights...all because of plague and fire.” - Book Babe Blog

“For me, this book was more than a mystery. It was an eye-opening look at what London was like in the mid-1660s, including the plague and fire that ravaged London, class struggle, the plight of women, and the laws of the time. The author's engaging writing style made it easy to slip back into the past and experience these things with Lucy.” - Book of Secrets

“A Murder at Rosamund's Gate is Susanna Calkins' absorbing debut novel. Just a warning that time WILL easily slip away as you become engrossed in this historical fiction mystery.” - 1776 Books: A Philadelphian's Literary Journey

Susanna Calkins' Guest Post

The murders in my novels are largely described through ballads, broadsides and other penny pieces, which is how 17th century Londoners would have learned about crimes within their community.

Murder was literally described in verse, sung by booksellers on street corners, in a sort of a half fictional, half truthful way. My heroine, Lucy Campion, who became a printer’s apprentice in From the Charred Remains, had to learn to sing about murder while selling books in the streets.

Lucky Leprechaun #Giveaway Hop (INT)

Happy St. Patrick's day, giveaway hoppers! Thank you Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Cindy Thomas for hosting this hop.

What You Can Win

I've tried to do some research on books set in Ireland or with Irish characters, and I found quite a few - both adult and YA. Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer is a personal favorite of mine, as I adored the audiobooks. What YOU can win here today is your choice of book that has something to do with Ireland or the Irish. I'm even willing to go out on a limb and let you choose something with the Tuatha Dé Danann (Hounded by Kevin Hearne, anyone?) or the Fae.

Giveaway

Blog Tour (Interview & Giveaway): Harrison Squared by Daryl Gregory

Harrison Squared Tour Schedule
Welcome to my stop on the Harrison Squared Blog Tour, brought to you by Rockstar Book Tours. Today I will be featuring an interview with Daryl Gregory, and there will be a tour-wide giveaway at the end of the post!



Title: Harrison Squared
Author: Daryl Gregory
Publisher: Tor Books (Macmillan)
Tour Organizer: Rockstar Book Tours
Release Date: March 24, 2015
From award winning author Daryl Gregory comes a thrilling and colorful Lovecraftian adventure of a teenage boy searching for his mother, and the macabre creatures he encounters.

Harrison Harrison—H2 to his mom—is a lonely teenager who’s been terrified of the water ever since he was a toddler in California, when a huge sea creature capsized their boat, and his father vanished. One of the “sensitives” who are attuned to the supernatural world, Harrison and his mother have just moved to the worst possible place for a boy like him: Dunnsmouth, a Lovecraftian town perched on rocks above the Atlantic, where strange things go on by night, monsters lurk under the waves, and creepy teachers run the local high school.

On Harrison’s first day at school, his mother, a marine biologist, disappears at sea. Harrison must attempt to solve the mystery of her accident, which puts him in conflict with a strange church, a knife-wielding killer, and the Deep Ones, fish¬-human hybrids that live in the bay. It will take all his resources—and an unusual host of allies—to defeat the danger and find his mother.

Author Interview

Kayla: Hi Daryl, thank you so much for allowing me to ask you a few questions. To start us off, I have to ask after reading the Harrison Squared description – are you afraid of water or its inhabitants? I personally refuse to swim in anything that doesn’t have concrete on the bottom.

Daryl Gregory: Right? What if is something comes out of the sand and grabs you?

I’ve always been a bit freaked out by large creatures moving under water. It’s not been a debilitating fear -- I have managed to swim in the ocean, and I like it -- but a shadow in the water can still get my heart racing. I was snorkeling near Honolulu a couple years ago, and this sea turtle came up beside me. When you’re on the beach, turtles are these cute, slow creatures. But when you’re in the water with them, it’s like being naked in Jurassic Park.

Kayla: I'm right there with you: a stingray killed any joy of the ocean for me. *shudders* Can you tell us a little bit about the Dwellers? (If it’s too spoilery, please tell us about what inspired them.)

Blog Tour (Spotlight & #Giveaway): The Masque of the Murderer by Susanna Calkins @hfvbt @scalkins3 @MinotaurBooks

Title: The Masque of a Murderer (Lucy Campion Mysteries #3)
Author: Susanna Calkins
Publisher: Minotaur Books (Macmillan)
Release Date: April 14, 2015
In Susanna Calkins’ next richly drawn mystery set in 17th century England, Lucy Campion, formerly a ladies’ maid in the local magistrate’s household, has now found gainful employment as a printer’s apprentice. On a freezing winter afternoon in 1667, she accompanies the magistrate’s daughter, Sarah, to the home of a severely injured Quaker man to record his dying words, a common practice of the time. The man, having been trampled by a horse and cart the night before, only has a few hours left to live. Lucy scribbles down the Quaker man’s last utterances, but she’s unprepared for what he reveals to her—that someone deliberately pushed him into the path of the horse, because of a secret he had recently uncovered.

Fearful that Sarah might be traveling in the company of a murderer, Lucy feels compelled to seek the truth, with the help of the magistrate's son, Adam, and the local constable. But delving into the dead man’s background might prove more dangerous than any of them had imagined.

In The Masque of a Murderer, Susanna Calkins has once again combined finely wrought characters, a richly detailed historical atmosphere, and a tightly-plotted mystery into a compelling read.

Praise for the Lucy Campion Mystery Series

"...the high-quality writing augurs well for future outings." - Publisher's Weekly

"Calkins makes Lucy’s efforts to find the real killer entirely plausible, leading to a nail-biter climax with London in flames. This history-mystery delivers a strong heroine making her way through the social labyrinth of Restoration London." -Booklist

"Calkins' debut mystery places her unusual detective in a world rich in carefully researched historical detail." - Kirkus

Blog Tour (Interview & Giveaway): The Crimson Gate by Whitney A. Miller

Thank you so much for visiting by Bibliophilia, Please for my stop of The Crimson Gate blog tour! Today, I'll be talking with Whitney Miller! If you haven't read The Violet Hour, you may want to skip down straight to the interview.



Title: The Violet Hour
Author: Whitney A. Miller
Publisher: Flux
Release Date: March 8, 2015
Harlow must stop her evil counterpart in this thrilling sequel to The Violet Hour.

Harlow Wintergreen has just been named the new Matriarch of VisionCrest, the powerful religious organization previously led by her father. But there's one big problem. The real Harlow is trapped inside a Cambodian temple, and her double, the evil Isiris, has escaped confinement and is masquerading as her.

Now initiated as their leader, Isiris intends to unleash a killer super virus aimed at cleansing the planet of VisionCrest. In order to stop her, Harlow must find a way out of the temple and locate the Resistance...or the world will be destroyed.

Interview

Kayla: Hi Whitney, thank you so much for stopping back by Bibliophilia, Please allowing me to ask you a few questions. To start us off, I would like to congratulate you on being nominated for a Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel for The Violet Hour. How did you find out about your nomination?

Whitney A. Miller: Thank you! It was really exciting to be on the long list for the Bram Stoker. I’m an active member of the Horror Writers Association so I knew the list was coming out, but didn’t know I’d been nominated until I saw some congratulatory tweets! Twitter is how I found out most of my exciting book info, and this was no exception. :-)

Kayla: Can you tell us a little bit about The Violet Hour? Should we read it before The Crimson Gate?

Review: Zali Luna by Emma Jamvold

Title: Zali Luna: Movie Star
Author: Emma Jamvold
Publisher: Self
Release Date: January 28, 2015
Acquired Via: Author
Sixteen-year-old school girl Zali Luna has just been cast in her first Very Big Movie. But while going to Sydney and working with her gorgeous, world famous co-star Oliver Lamond is a dream come, Zali also has a very big problem. She's pretty sure that she's the only sixteen-year-old girl in the world who hasn't been kissed, and soon she's going to have to kiss Oliver on screen. Zali's determined to get some kissing practice in before the big day, but there's her malicious rival, child star Emma Small to contend with, and then there's Harry, who may have feelings for Zali that go deeper than just friendship.

My Review

Like any teenage girl, Zali Luna is ecstatic when she lands the leading role in a movie. She travels to Australia for an exotic movie shoot, and stars opposite the heartthrob actor Oliver Lamond. Life couldn't be any better, except for one tiny little problem. At sixteen years-old, Zali has never been kissed. She doesn't want her first kiss to be an onscreen embarrassment with hunky Oliver. What if her snarky co-star Emma Small uses Zali's inexperience to steal her leading part? Zali needs to get kissed fast, but she doesn't have many viable options. She even manages to screw up the budding friendship with Harry, the cute driver in charge of taking care of Zali's every need. As taping progresses and Zali gets closer and closer to her on-screen first kiss, Zali learns some valuable lessons about life, friendship, and love.

Review: The Winner's Crime by Marie Rutkoski

Title: The Winner's Curse (The Winner's Trilogy #1)
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Publisher: Farrar Straus and Giroux (Macmillan)
Acquired Via: Publisher Release Date: March 3, 2015
Following your heart can be a crime.

A royal wedding is what most girls dream about. It means one celebration after another: balls, fireworks, and revelry until dawn. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement: that she agreed to marry the crown prince in exchange for Arin’s freedom. But can Kestrel trust Arin? Can she even trust herself? For Kestrel is becoming very good at deception. She’s working as a spy in the court. If caught, she’ll be exposed as a traitor to her country. Yet she can’t help searching for a way to change her ruthless world . . . and she is close to uncovering a shocking secret.

This dazzling follow-up to The Winner’s Curse reveals the high price of dangerous lies and untrustworthy alliances. The truth will come out, and when it does, Kestrel and Arin will learn just how much their crimes will cost them.

My Review

You can read my review of The Winner's Curse HERE.

This is an extremely difficult review to write because I loved the first book in the Winner's trilogy. The Winner's Crime is a beautifully written book that continues with the fascinating world-building, but I just didn't like the story. The plot made me uncomfortable the entire time I was reading, the characters became pretty unlikable, and it felt very much like how a second novel in a series should feel.

Cover Reveal (#Giveaway): Dragons Are People, Too by by Sarah Nicholas

Today I'm so happy to share with you the cover of Dragons Are People, Too by Sarah Nicholas, who I've known online for several years from various book clubs and just bloggy stuff in general. I am so excited for her, and I'm so glad to be able to participate in the cover reveal.



Title: Dragons Are People, Too
Author: Sarah Nicholas
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Release Date: April 28, 2015
Never judge a dragon
by her human cover...

Sixteen-year-old Kitty Lung has everyone convinced she’s a normal teen—not a secret government operative, not the one charged with protecting the president’s son, and certainly not a were-dragon. The only one she trusts with the truth is her best friend—and secret crush—the über-hot Bulisani Mathe.

Then a junior operative breaks Rule Number One by changing into his dragon form in public—on Kitty’s watch—and suddenly, the world knows. About dragons. About the Draconic Intelligence Command (DIC) Kitty works for. About Kitty herself.

Now the government is hunting down and incarcerating dragons to stop a public panic, and a new shape-shifting enemy has kidnapped the president’s son. Kitty and Bulisani are the last free dragons, wanted by both their allies and their enemies. If they can’t rescue the president’s son and liberate their fellow dragons before getting caught themselves, dragons might never live free again.


About the Author

Cover Reveal: Nexis by A.L. Davroe @entangledteen @aldavroe

Title: Nexis
Author: A.L. Davroe
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Cover Reveal Organizer: YA Bound Book Tours
Release Date: December 1, 2015
In the domed city of Evanescence, appearance is everything. A Natural Born amongst genetically-altered Aristocrats, all Ella ever wanted was to be like everyone else. Augmented, sparkling, and perfect. Then...the crash. Devastated by her father's death and struggling with her new physical limitations, Ella is terrified to learn she is not just alone, but little more than a prisoner.

Her only escape is to lose herself in Nexis, the hugely popular virtual reality game her father created. In Nexis she meets Guster, a senior player who guides Ella through the strange and compelling new world she now inhabits. He offers Ella guidance, friendship...and something more. Something that allows her to forget about the “real” world, and makes her feel whole again.

But Nexis isn't quite the game everyone thinks it is.

And it's been waiting for Ella.

Pre-Order
Amazon


About A.L. Davroe

I write both YA and adult speculative fiction. I prefer revisionist tales in paranormal, romance, Steampunk, and fantasy. I'm the author of Salvation Station (adult psych horror), The City Steam Collection (adult psych horror), For Your Heart (YA Paranormal Romance) and my YA Sci-Fi novel, Nexis, is coming out with Entangled Publishing in 2015!

By day, I live in Connecticut with my two feline hench-creatures. I'm a terrible blusher, have a weak spot for cuddly animals, love Laffy Taffy and Cadbury MiniEggs, and I'm a huge advocate of alternative healing methods. I also wear Vibram five-finger toe shoes and corsets...Though not always in the same ensemble. I'm a Capricorn, a Hufflepuff, and a few nuggets short of a Happy Meal. I also suffer from Resting Bitchface Syndrome (RBS), so even though I might look like I'll tie you in a knot if you come near me, I'm more afraid of you than you are of me (see blushing problem above).

Find A.L. Online
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Waiting on Wednesday (97): Spinning Starlight by R.C. Lewis

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: Spinning Starlight
Author: R.C. Lewis
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Sixteen-year-old heiress and paparazzi darling Liddi Jantzen hates the spotlight. But as the only daughter in the most powerful tech family in the galaxy, it's hard to escape it. So when a group of men show up at her house uninvited, she assumes it's just the usual media-grubs. That is, until shots are fired.

Liddi escapes, only to be pulled into an interplanetary conspiracy more complex than she ever could have imagined. Her older brothers have been caught as well, trapped in the conduits between the planets. And when their captor implants a device in Liddi's vocal cords to monitor her speech, their lives are in her hands: One word and her brothers are dead.

Desperate to save her family from a desolate future, Liddi travels to another world, where she meets the one person who might have the skills to help her bring her eight brothers home-a handsome dignitary named Tiav. But without her voice, Liddi must use every bit of her strength and wit to convince Tiav that her mission is true. With the tenuous balance of the planets deeply intertwined with her brothers' survival, just how much is Liddi willing to sacrifice to bring them back?

Haunting and mesmerizing, this retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's The Wild Swans strings the heart of the classic with a stunning, imaginative world as a star-crossed family fights for survival in this companion to Stitching Snow.


I LOVED Stitching Snow, and Essie is one my favorite heroines. She was just so awesome and capably bad-ass. I couldn't articulate all the feels into words, but you can read Kayla's review here. I can't wait to see what Lewis writes next in this universe!

What are you waiting on this week?