#TheRuleOfMirrors Blog Tour: Kayla's Review of The Vault of Dreamers by @CaraghMOBrien

Thank you so much for visiting by Bibliophilia, Please for my stop of the Rule of Mirrors blog tour - which is out now! Today, I'll be featuring the first book in the trilogy, The Vault of Dreamers with a review!



Title: The Vault of Dreamers (The Vault of Dreamers #1)
Author: Caragh M. O'Brien
Publisher: Roaring Brook Press (Macmillan)
Release Date: September 16, 2014
Acquired Via: Personal Collection
The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success: every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the ridges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

From Caragh M. O'Brien, author of the Birthmarked trilogy comes the first book in a new series, The Vault of Dreamers, a fast-paced, psychologically thrilling novel about what happens when your dreams are not your own.

My Review

If you are ever looking for a book that is perfect for audio, it is The Vault of Dreamers. It's twisty-turny, with a little bit of smoochy-angsty, and perfect for keeping me listening, even when I wasn't in my car. I can only imagine that it would be the same for a reading experience.

The Vault of Dreamers explores our society's fascination for reality television while focusing on Rosie Sinclair, the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. The Forge School is her one shot out of poverty, so she does whatever it takes to go against the odds and get through the cuts, even though she doesn't see it happening. Of course, there are consequences to her actions that affect Rosie and her classmates throughout the novel.

Blog Tour (Guest Post): Sleight of Hand by Sue Duff @sueduff55 @samijolien

Happy Saturday! Thank you for visiting my stop on Sue Duff's blog tour for her third book in the Weir Chronicles, Sleight of Hand. Today, she's sharing her about her time at Denver ComiCon last year.



Title: Sleight of Hand (The Weir Chronicles #3)
Author: Sue Duff
Publisher: Crosswinds Publishing
Tour Organizer: Roger Charlie
Release Date: December 14, 2015
As the epic Weir Chronicles continue in this third installment of the series, rebels poison Ian and it’s up to Rayne and Patrick to find a cure before their friend succumbs and Earth’s fate is left in the hands of adversaries intent on taking control of the planet. To obtain answers, Rayne must travel to an alternate world where few survive as Patrick unearths the secrets of the rebels and discovers a truth that shatters his beliefs about the Weir and the future of Earth.

Guest Post

Last year I was a guest author at the 2015 Denver Comic Con in Colorado. I was thrilled to be a part of such an amazing venue, yet terrified at the same time! I’d never appeared in front of such a huge crowd, had never before participated on panels to discuss the craft of writing, or been seated alongside such distinguished authors!

The ultimate panic attack came when I ran late following my book signing, and arrived at the doors to my panel with NASA scientists. The three abreast row of waiting attendees disappeared around the far corner of the long conference hall. My blood ran cold. The woman guarding the door checked my name and pass. “You’re going to have a full house for this one,” she said as if that could possibly ease my nerves. She opened the door to admit me.

Review: Burning Midnight by Will McIntosh #yalit #scifi #BibPleaseReview

Title: Burning Midnight
Author: Will McIntosh
Publisher: Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House)
Release Date: February 2, 2016
Acquired Via: Publisher
For fans of The Maze Runner and The Fifth Wave, this debut YA novel from Hugo Award winner Will McIntosh pits four underprivileged teens against an evil billionaire in the race of a lifetime.

Sully is a sphere dealer at a flea market. It doesn’t pay much—Alex Holliday’s stores have muscled out most of the independent sellers—but it helps him and his mom make the rent.

No one knows where the brilliant-colored spheres came from. One day they were just there, hidden all over the earth like huge gemstones. Burn a pair and they make you a little better: an inch taller, skilled at math, better-looking. The rarer the sphere, the greater the improvement—and the more expensive the sphere.

When Sully meets Hunter, a girl with a natural talent for finding spheres, the two start searching together. One day they find a Gold—a color no one has ever seen. And when Alex Holliday learns what they have, he will go to any lengths, will use all of his wealth and power, to take it from them.

There’s no question the Gold is priceless, but what does it actually do? None of them is aware of it yet, but the fate of the world rests on this little golden orb. Because all the world fights over the spheres, but no one knows where they come from, what their powers are, or why they’re here.

My Review

I'll be honest with you - I have no idea why I requested Burning Midnight. I don't even remember requesting it. (Granted, I'm the sort of person who has to write notes for everything or it won't get done. Period.) I just found a note on my calendar saying that I needed to read it and my review was due today. It was already on my Kindle, so I went along with it.

I am so glad that I did.

Review: Inherit the Stars by Tessa Elwood #BibPleaseReview #scifi #yalit @RP_Kids

Title: Inherit the Stars (Inherit the Stars #1)
Author: Tessa Elwood
Publisher: Running Press (Perseus)
Release Date: December 8, 2015
Acquired Via: Publisher
Three royal Houses ruling three interplanetary systems are on the brink of collapse, and they must either ally together or tear each other apart in order for their people to survive.

Asa is the youngest daughter of the House of Fane, which has been fighting a devastating food and energy crisis for far too long. She attempts to save her family’s livelihood by posing as her older sister in an arranged marriage with Eagle, the heir to the House of Westlet, only to threaten their already precarious balance. All the while, she must save the life of her other sister...possibly from the hands of their own father.

But as Asa and Eagle forge a genuine bond, will secrets from the past and the urgent needs of their people in the present keep them divided?

My Review

Since there needs to be more young adult science fiction floating around in the world, I jumped at the chance to read Inherit the Stars and share my thoughts with you guys. The story is about a young girl, Asa, who would do anything for her sister, Wren and gets in trouble doing so.

Asa is a different heroine than what I've been reading about lately in YA. She's not some tough-as-nails, clever badass. She's just a young girl who loves her family and does almost everything in the novel for their benefit. One of her sisters is nearly killed very early in the book, and Asa does everything in her power to get Wren better. You see, Wren is a pretty integral part of the development of the new energy source, in addition to being Asa's favorite sister. Unfortunately, whenever Asa steps in to make something better or save the day, she usually makes everything worse.

Audiobook Review: Fortune's Pawn by Rachel Bach #scifi #audiobook #BibPleaseReview

Title: Fortune's Pawn (Paradox #1)
Author: Rachel Bach
Narrator: Emily Durante
Publisher: Orbit (Hachette)
Release Date: November 5, 2013
Acquired Via: Personal Collection
Devi Morris isn't your average mercenary. She has plans. Big ones. And a ton of ambition. It's a combination that's going to get her killed one day - but not just yet.

That is, until she just gets a job on a tiny trade ship with a nasty reputation for surprises. The Glorious Fool isn't misnamed: it likes to get into trouble, so much so that one year of security work under its captain is equal to five years everywhere else. With odds like that, Devi knows she's found the perfect way to get the jump on the next part of her Plan. But the Fool doesn't give up its secrets without a fight, and one year on this ship might be more than even Devi can handle.

If Sigouney Weaver in Alien met Starbuck in Battlestar Galactica, you'd get Deviana Morris -- a hot new mercenary earning her stripes to join an elite fighting force. Until one alien bite throws her whole future into jeopardy.

My Review

Sometimes I just need to take a break from reading books for review and for recommending to library patrons. You know how it is - you just have to have something to cleanse your palate. Well, Fortune's Pawn was just what I needed!

I was listening to an elaborate, epic fantasy that was boring the snot out of me on my last road trip. I pulled into a McDonald's for their WiFi to find something - anything - other than what I was listening to because I was going to fall asleep on the road. I've had Fortune's Pawn in my Audible library for a year or two, and I figured then was a good of a time as any to give it a shot. It was precisely what I needed to drive the empty road to South Louisiana on a dark and rainy night.

2015 Debut Author Bash (Guest Post): Tessa Elwood, author of INHERIT THE STARS @tessaelwood @YaReads @RP_Kids

Thank you so much for visiting by Bibliophilia, Please for my stop of the 2015 Debut Author Bash! Today, I'll be featuring Tessa Elwood and her debut novel, Inherit the Stars - and it's also the release date!



Title: Inherit the Stars (Inherit the Stars #1)
Author: Tessa Elwood
Publisher: Running Press (Perseus)
Release Date: December 8, 2015
Three royal Houses ruling three interplanetary systems are on the brink of collapse, and they must either ally together or tear each other apart in order for their people to survive.

Asa is the youngest daughter of the House of Fane, which has been fighting a devastating food and energy crisis for far too long. She attempts to save her family’s livelihood by posing as her older sister in an arranged marriage with Eagle, the heir to the House of Westlet, only to threaten their already precarious balance. All the while, she must save the life of her other sister...possibly from the hands of their own father.

But as Asa and Eagle forge a genuine bond, will secrets from the past and the urgent needs of their people in the present keep them divided?

Guest Post

City-states are fascinating.

I was a die hard Koei fan as a kid. They're a Japanese game developer, probably best known for the Dynasty Warriors series. Apart from my favorite title (New Horizons, still among my top five), I was enamored of Genghis Khan—a historical simulation of warring city-states, with mechanics much like Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Except in Khan, arranging strategic marriages and assigning governmental roles to family members was just as important as troop movements and sieges. I spent a great deal of time grooming various key relatives for high-stat unions that would help me not only win the war, but were also blissfully happy for everyone involved. I mean, obviously. I created whole backstories to prove it.

Blog Tour (Guest Post): Empire Ascendant by @KameronHurley #scifi #fantasy @angryrobotbooks @arobic8

Kameron Hurley's The Mirror Empire was one of my favorite Science Fiction reads from last year, so I am excited to share her guest post today with you in celebration of the second in the series. I hope you enjoy her books and the post as much as I did!



Title: Empire Ascendant (Worldbreaker Saga #2)
Author: Kameron Hurley
Publisher: Angry Robot
Release Date: October 6, 2015
Loyalties are tested when worlds collide...

Every two thousand years, the dark star Oma appears in the sky, bringing with it a tide of death and destruction. And those who survive must contend with friends and enemies newly imbued with violent powers. The kingdom of Saiduan already lies in ruin, decimated by invaders from another world who share the faces of those they seek to destroy.

Now the nation of Dhai is under siege by the same force. Their only hope for survival lies in the hands of an illegitimate ruler and a scullery maid with a powerful – but unpredictable –magic. As the foreign Empire spreads across the world like a disease, one of their former allies takes up her Empress’s sword again to unseat them, and two enslaved scholars begin a treacherous journey home with a long-lost secret that they hope is the key to the Empire’s undoing.

But when the enemy shares your own face, who can be trusted?

In this devastating sequel to The Mirror Empire, Kameron Hurley transports us back to a land of blood mages and sentient plants, dark magic, and warfare on a scale that spans worlds.

Guest Post

Other Suns: Reading, Championing and Remembering Writing from the Margins
Kameron Hurley


“There are no new things under the sun. But there are others suns.” - Octavia Butler
Dominant cultures are insidious not only because of the power they exert over individuals to conform, but because that power exerts a kind of hegemonic truth. In plain English, that means that when you grow up inside a culture, you believe that everything about how you live and work and play, all the things you think and feel, are simply the way things are. You believe this is the only logical way to live, work and play. You believe that even if you grew up somewhere else, you’d think and feel those same things.

And you would be wrong.

Waiting on Wednesday (122): Their Fractured Light by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner #waitingonwednesday #wow

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: Their Fractured Light (Starbound #3)
Author: Rhiannon Thomas
Publisher: Disney Hyperion
Release Date: December 1, 2015
A year ago, Flynn Cormac and Jubilee Chase made the now infamous Avon Broadcast, calling on the galaxy to witness for their planet, and protect them from destruction. Some say Flynn’s a madman, others whisper about conspiracies. Nobody knows the truth. A year before that, Tarver Merendsen and Lilac LaRoux were rescued from a terrible shipwreck—now, they live a public life in front of the cameras, and a secret life away from the world’s gaze.

Now, in the center of the universe on the planet of Corinth, all four are about to collide with two new players, who will bring the fight against LaRoux Industries to a head.

Gideon Marchant is an eighteen-year-old computer hacker and urban warrior known in Corinth’s underworld as The Knave of Hearts. He’ll climb, abseil and worm his way past the best security measures to pull off onsite hacks that others don’t dare touch.

Sofia Quinn has a killer smile, and by the time you’re done noticing it, she’s got you offering up your wallet, your car, and anything else she desires. She holds LaRoux Industries responsible for the mysterious death of her father back on Avon and is out for revenge at any cost.

When a LaRoux Industries security breach interrupts Gideon and Sofia’s separate attempts to infiltrate their headquarters, they’re forced to work together to escape. Each of them has their own reason for wanting to take down LaRoux Industries, and neither trusts the other. But working together might be the best chance they have to expose the secrets LRI is so desperate to hide.


I've had my ups and downs with the Starbound trilogy, but I've enjoyed it overall. I'm interested to see how everything plays out, and I'm super curious as to who will be narrating the audiobooks.

What are you waiting on this week?

Audiobook Review: Alive by Scott Sigler #dystopia #scifi #thriller #yalit #audiobook #booktrailer

Title: Alive (The Generations Trilogy #1)
Author: Scott Sigler
Narrator: Emma Galvin
Publisher: Del Rey (Penguin Random House)
Audio Publisher: Empty Set Entertainment
Release Date: June 14, 2015
Acquired Via: Audible
For fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, and Red Rising comes a gripping sci-fi adventure in which a group of teenagers wake up in a mysterious corridor with no knowledge of who they are or how they got trapped. Their only hope lies with an indomitable young woman who must lead them not only to answers but to survival.

“I open my eyes to darkness. Total darkness. I hear my own breathing, but nothing else. I lift my head . . . it thumps against something solid and unmoving. There is a board right in front of my face. No, not a board . . . a lid.”

A teenage girl awakens to find herself trapped in a coffin. She has no idea who she is, where she is, or how she got there. Fighting her way free brings little relief—she discovers only a room lined with caskets and a handful of equally mystified survivors. Beyond their room lies a corridor filled with bones and dust, but no people . . . and no answers.

She knows only one thing about herself—her name, M. Savage, which was engraved on the foot of her coffin—yet she finds herself in charge. She is not the biggest among them, or the boldest, but for some reason the others trust her. Now, if they’re to have any chance, she must get them to trust one another.

Whatever the truth is, she is determined to find it and confront it. If she has to lead, she will make sure they survive. Maybe there’s a way out, a rational explanation, and a fighting chance against the dangers to come. Or maybe a reality they cannot comprehend lies just beyond the next turn.

Book Trailer


My Review

Alive was my first book to read by Scott Sigler, though he is a great favorite of many of my friends. It was a good starting place for me because it is horror without too much gore, among many other things that I would hate to spoil. (Yes, I will be cutting off many thoughts because of fear of spoiling the book.) I will say that I saw many of the twists in the book coming, though it did not make them any less enjoyable.

Release Day #Giveaway: The Scorch Trials Movie Tie-in Edition by James Dashner #MazeRunner #ScorchTrials

Title: The Scorch Trials Movie Tie-in Edition (The Maze Runner #2)
Author: James Dashner
Publisher: Delacorte Press (Penguin Random House)
Movie Tie-In Release Date: August 4, 2015
Read the second book in the #1 New York Times bestselling Maze Runner series that is soon to be a motion picture, hitting theaters September 18, 2015, and is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent. This special movie tie-in hardcover edition features a foreword by Wes Ball, director of the movie, and an eight-page full-color insert with photos from the film. The first book, The Maze Runner, is now a movie featuring the star of MTV’s Teen Wolf, Dylan O’Brien; Kaya Scodelario; Aml Ameen; Will Poulter; and Thomas Brodie-Sangster! Also look for James Dashner’s newest series: the Mortality Doctrine that includes The Eye of Minds and The Rule of Thoughts.

Solving the Maze was supposed to be the end.

Thomas was sure that escape from the Maze would mean freedom for him and the Gladers. But WICKED isn’t done yet. Phase Two has just begun. The Scorch.

There are no rules. There is no help. You either make it or you die.

The Gladers have two weeks to cross through the Scorch–the most burned-out section of the world. And WICKED has made sure to adjust the variables and stack the odds against them.

Friendships will be tested. Loyalties will be broken. All bets are off.

There are others now. Their survival depends on the Gladers’ destruction–and they’re determined to survive.

About the Edition

The movie tie-in edition of The Scorch Trials includes the original novel and features movie art on the cover, as well as an 8-page full-color insert with photos from the film and a foreword by director Wes Ball. The paperback edition will also include a sticker. The Maze Runner movie, which debuted last fall, was an international success, grossing over $340 million worldwide at the box office. The release of the second film in the franchise is highly anticipated, with fan favorites such as Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad) and Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones) joining original cast members Dylan O’Brien, Kaya Scodelario, Thomas Brodie-Sangster, and Ki Hong Lee. The buzz continues to build on a daily basis.

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


About the Author

Waiting on Wednesday (116): Winter by Marissa Meyer

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: Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4)
Author: Marissa Meyer
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan)
Release Date: November 10, 2015
Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won't approve of her feelings for her childhood friend--the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn't as weak as Levana believes her to be and she's been undermining her stepmother's wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that's been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters? Fans will not want to miss this thrilling conclusion to Marissa Meyer's national bestselling Lunar Chronicles series.


With the exception of Scarlet, the second book in the Lunar Chronicles, I have loved every book in the series. I know Fairest was supposed to hold me over until November, but each installation has been my birthday gift to myself. My birthday is NOT in November! Either way, it's less than four months until I get my grubby fingers on it, and I cannot wait.

What are you waiting on this week?

Early Review: Starflight by Melissa Landers (ARC) #yalit #scifi

Title: Starflight (Starflight #1)
Author: Melissa Landers
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Release Date: February 2, 2016
Acquired Via: Around the World ARC Tours
Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She’s so desperate to reach the realm that she’s willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he’s been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world–and each other–the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe.

My Review

You won't often hear me say this, but I really hope that the Powers That Be at Disney Hyperion make the decision to turn Melissa Lander's Starflight into a series. It is a book that has two very likable main characters, the setting is awesome, and there are plenty of secondary characters who could have spin-off books about them!

Solara is a rough-around-the-edges young girl who has had to work hard for everything she has and is more than willing to help colonize a new planet in the outer realm, since her past mistakes are tattooed across her hands and interfering with potential jobs. She also doesn't take bullshit off of anyone - Doran included. Doran is a pampered little rich boy who has more money and looks than good sense. Of course they have some personality conflicts, which leads to a slow-burning romance of which Melissa Landers is the YA master. (If you don't believe me, go read Alienated - so good!)

Review: Linesman by S.K. Dunstall #SciFi #NewRelease #AceRocStars @AceRocBooks

Title: Linesman
Author: S.K. Dunstall
Publisher: Ace (Penguin Random House)
Release Date: June 30, 2015
Acquired Via: Publisher (Ace Roc Stars)
First in a brand new thought-provoking science fiction series.

The lines. No ship can traverse the void without them. Only linesmen can work with them. But only Ean Lambert hears their song. And everyone thinks he’s crazy...

Most slum kids never go far, certainly not becoming a level-ten linesman like Ean. Even if he’s part of a small, and unethical, cartel, and the other linesmen disdain his self-taught methods, he’s certified and working.

Then a mysterious alien ship is discovered at the edges of the galaxy. Each of the major galactic powers is desperate to be the first to uncover the ship’s secrets, but all they’ve learned is that it has the familiar lines of energy—and a defense system that, once triggered, annihilates everything in a 200 kilometer radius.

The vessel threatens any linesman who dares to approach it, except Ean. His unique talents may be the key to understanding this alarming new force—and reconfiguring the relationship between humans and the ships that serve them, forever.

My Review

I don’t read a lot of Science Fiction. It’s not that I don’t enjoy it, but there are often so many different names/species that I find myself losing track. That’s why I find Cozy Mysteries so easy to read, you have your usual set of characters and then add in three to five new people per book (to have some suspects for the crime), and that’s all. Besides trying to solve the mystery, you don’t have to worry about remembering which character is which.

Early Review: The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow (ARC) #yalit

Title: The Scorpion Rules
Author: Erin Bow
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (Simon & Schuster)
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Acquired Via: Around the World ARC Tours
In the future, the UN has brought back an ancient way to keep the peace. The children of world leaders are held hostage—if a war begins, they pay with their lives.

Greta is the Crown Princess of the Pan Polar Confederacy, a superpower formed of modern-day Canada. She is also a Child of Peace, a hostage held by the de facto ruler of the world, the great Artificial Intelligence, Talis. The hostages are Talis’s strategy to keep the peace: if her country enters a war, Greta dies.

The system has worked for centuries. Parents don’t want to see their children murdered.

Greta will be free if she can make it to her eighteenth birthday. Until then she is prepared to die with dignity, if necessary. But everything changes when Elian arrives at the Precepture. He’s a hostage from a new American alliance, and he defies the machines that control every part of their lives—and is severely punished for it. Greta is furious that Elian has disrupted their quiet, structured world. But slowly, his rebellion opens her eyes to the brutality of the rules they live under, and to the subtle resistance of her companions. And Greta discovers her own quiet power.

Then Elian’s country declares war on Greta’s and invades the prefecture, taking the hostages hostage. Now the great Talis is furious, and coming himself to mete out punishment. Which surely means that Greta and Elian will be killed...unless Greta can think of a way to save them.

My Review

It's not very often that I stay up all night reading a book, but I did for The Scorpion Rules. I think that worked both for and against the novel because on one hand, there's not much better than reading a dark book (no, I don't mean scary) alone in the dark. On the other hand, I can't quite figure out if the weirdness of the novel was due to my insomnia or if The Scorpion Rules was just a strange book.

Book Blast: The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack #Giveaway

Title: The Memory Painter
Author: Gwendolyn Womack
Publisher: Picador (Macmillan)
Release Date: April 28, 2015
What if there was a drug that could help you remember past lives?

What if the lives you remembered could lead you to your one true love? What if you learned that, for thousands of years, a deadly enemy had conspired to keep the two of you apart?

Bryan Pierce is an internationally famous artist whose paintings have dazzled the world. But there’s a secret to his success: Every canvas is inspired by an unusually vivid dream. When Bryan awakes, he possesses extraordinary new skills…like the ability to speak obscure languages and an inexplicable genius for chess. All his life, he has wondered if his dreams are recollections, if he is re-experiencing other people’s lives.

Linz Jacobs is a brilliant neurogeneticist, absorbed in decoding the genes that help the brain make memories, until she is confronted with an exact rendering of a recurring nightmare at one of Bryan’s shows. She tracks down the elusive artist, and their meeting triggers Bryan’s most powerful dream yet: visions of a team of scientists who, on the verge of discovering a cure for Alzheimer’s, died in a lab explosion decades ago.

As Bryan becomes obsessed with the mysterious circumstances surrounding the scientists’ deaths, his dreams begin to reveal what happened at the lab, as well as a deeper mystery that may lead all the way to ancient Egypt. Together, Bryan and Linz start to discern a pattern. But a deadly enemy watches their every move, and he will stop at nothing to ensure that the past stays buried.

A taut thriller and a timeless love story spanning six continents and 10,000 years of history, The Memory Painter by Gwendolyn Womack is a riveting debut novel unlike any you’ve ever read.

Praise for The Memory Painter

“Gwendolyn Womack’s tale dazzles.” - US Weekly (Standout Spring Novels)

“The guy-meets-girl story as you’ve never heard it before…A mind-explosion of a journey ensues that involves time travel, mystery, love, and a whole lot of plot twists.” - Refinery29

“Suspenseful and ambitious…We predict The Memory Painter’s story of love and revenge will be one of 2015’s biggest literary hits.” - Paste Magazine (Best New Books of the Month)

Review: Nova by Mara Fortune (ARC) #yalit @dawbooks

Title: Nova (Nova #1)
Author: Margaret Fortune
Publisher: DAW (Penguin Random House)
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Acquired Via: Publisher
*36:00:00*

The clock activates so suddenly in my mind, my head involuntarily jerks a bit to the side. The fog vanishes, dissipated in an instant as though it never was. Memories come slotting into place, their edges sharp enough to leave furrows, and suddenly I know. I know exactly who I am.

My name is Lia Johansen, and I was named for a prisoner of war. She lived in the Tiersten Internment Colony for two years, and when they negotiated the return of the prisoners, I was given her memories and sent back in her place.

And I am a genetically engineered human bomb.

Lia Johansen was created for only one purpose: to slip onto the strategically placed New Sol Space Station and explode. But her mission goes to hell when her clock malfunctions, freezing her countdown with just two minutes to go. With no Plan B, no memories of her past, and no identity besides a name stolen from a dead POW, Lia has no idea what to do next. Her life gets even more complicated when she meets Michael Sorenson, the real Lia’s childhood best friend.

Drawn to Michael and his family against her better judgment, Lia starts learning what it means to live and love, and to be human. It is only when her countdown clock begins sporadically losing time that she realizes even duds can still blow up. If she wants any chance at a future, she must find a way to unlock the secrets of her past and stop her clock. But as Lia digs into her origins, she begins to suspect there’s far more to her mission and to this war, than meets the eye. With the fate of not just a space station but an entire empire hanging in the balance, Lia races to find the truth before her time—literally—runs out.

My Review

Holy shit.

Seriously. Those are the only words that I have to describe Nova right off the top of my head.

*takes a deep breath*

Okay, so it's not very often that a book surprises me, and I can be quite cocky about it. I thought I had Nova all figured out, but I really liked Fortune's writing, so I stayed with it. Lia got a little angsty sometimes, but it never annoyed me too much because spacestations. (I love books set on spacestations! *quivers*) Then, three-fourths of the way into the book, I get shoved smooth on my ass. I had to call my mom because I was so shocked. (She doesn't read sci-fi, but she did tell me to stop being so cocky. Hmph.) I suppose you want some more reviewerly things.

Blog Tour (Excerpt & Giveaway): Powerless by @TeraLynnChilds & Tracy Deebs @heroagenda @SourcebooksFire #yalit

Title: Powerless (The Hero Agenda #1)
Author: Tera Lynn Childs & Tracy Deebs
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Kenna is tired of being "normal."

The only thing special about her is that she isn't special at all. Which is frustrating when you're constantly surrounded by superheroes. Her best friend, her ex-boyfriend, practically everyone she knows has some talent or power. Sure, Kenna's smart and independent, but as an ordinary girl in an extraordinary world, it's hard not to feel inferior.

So when three villains break into the lab where she interns, Kenna refuses to be a victim. She's not about to let criminals steal the research that will make her extraordinary too.

But in the heat of battle, secrets are spilled and one of the villains saves her life. Twice. Suddenly, everything Kenna thought she knew about good and evil, heroes and villains is upended. And to protect her life and those she loves, she must team up with her sworn enemies on a mission that will redefine what it means to be powerful and powerless...


Excerpt

“You never answered my question. What are you doing down here so late?”

Those bright blue eyes sear into me as he takes a step back. “I have to go.”

His sudden evasiveness makes me suspicious, so when he starts to move past me, I sidestep into his path. “Excuse me,” I say, “but this is a secure level. Are you even authorized to be down here?”

Interview: Nova by Margaret Fortune @mara_fortune @dawbooks #yalit #scifi

Title: Nova (Nova #1)
Author: Margaret Fortune
Publisher: DAW (Penguin Random House)
Release Date: June 2, 2015
*36:00:00*

The clock activates so suddenly in my mind, my head involuntarily jerks a bit to the side. The fog vanishes, dissipated in an instant as though it never was. Memories come slotting into place, their edges sharp enough to leave furrows, and suddenly I know. I know exactly who I am.

My name is Lia Johansen, and I was named for a prisoner of war. She lived in the Tiersten Internment Colony for two years, and when they negotiated the return of the prisoners, I was given her memories and sent back in her place.

And I am a genetically engineered human bomb.

Lia Johansen was created for only one purpose: to slip onto the strategically placed New Sol Space Station and explode. But her mission goes to hell when her clock malfunctions, freezing her countdown with just two minutes to go. With no Plan B, no memories of her past, and no identity besides a name stolen from a dead POW, Lia has no idea what to do next. Her life gets even more complicated when she meets Michael Sorenson, the real Lia’s childhood best friend.

Drawn to Michael and his family against her better judgment, Lia starts learning what it means to live and love, and to be human. It is only when her countdown clock begins sporadically losing time that she realizes even duds can still blow up. If she wants any chance at a future, she must find a way to unlock the secrets of her past and stop her clock. But as Lia digs into her origins, she begins to suspect there’s far more to her mission and to this war, than meets the eye. With the fate of not just a space station but an entire empire hanging in the balance, Lia races to find the truth before her time—literally—runs out.

Author Interview

Kayla: Hi Margaret, thank you so much for your time and willingness to answer a few questions about Nova and yourself for the readers at Bibliophilia, Please. To start things off – how did the idea for Nova come to you?

Margaret Fortune: Oftentimes, my stories start with a setting, and the same is true of Nova. This story started with a random thought along the lines of, “I want to write a story that takes place on a space station!” As I was brainstorming ideas for the story, the line “My name is Lia, and I’m a genetically engineered human bomb,” popped into my head. I knew at once I’d struck gold.

Kayla: Can you tell us a little bit about the two factions taking part in the war mentioned in the description of the novel?

Blog Tour (Character Interview): Sweet by Emmy Laybourne #Giveaway #YAlit @FierceReads

Hello, everyone! I'm off on a cruise this week, but prior to me setting sail, I was able to interview former child star, Tom Forelli. (Okay, maybe I mean Emmy Laybourne for her new book, Sweet, but shhhhh! Let's be in character!) I know you guys are just as excited as I was about this interview, so I hope you enjoy hearing about Tom's new gig as the celebrity host of Solu's Cruise to Lose!



Title: Sweet
Author: Emmy Laybourne
Publisher: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan)
Release Date: June 2, 2015
A cruise to die for...

Solu’s luxurious celebrity-filled Cruise to Lose is billed as “the biggest cruise since the Titanic,” and if the new diet sweetener works as promised — dropping five percent of a person’s body weight in just days — it would be the answer to the world’s obesity problem. But Laurel is starting to regret accepting her friend Viv’s invitation. She’s already completely embarrassed herself in front of celebrity host Tom Forelli (otherwise known as the hottest guy ever!), and she’s too seasick to even try the sweetener. And that’s before Viv and all the other passengers start acting really strange.

Tom knows that he should be grateful for this job and the chance to shed his childhood “Baby Tom-Tom” image. His publicists have even set up a “romance” with a sexy reality-TV star. But as things on the ship start to get a bit wild, he finds himself drawn to a different girl. And when his celebrity hosting gig turns into an expose on the shocking side effects of Solu, it’s Laurel that he’s determined to save.

Emmy Laybourne takes readers on a dream vacation that goes first comically, then tragically, then horrifyingly, wrong.

Character Interview with Tom Forelli

Kayla: Hi, Tom! Thank you soooo much for taking time out from your very busy schedule to talk with my readers! Can you tell us a little about yourself?

Tom: Sure thing! Can I just say that it’s really a pleasure to be connecting with you and your readers today? (Tom puts his broad, muscular hand over Kayla’s and gives it a little squeeze.)

Kayla: *giggling* If you don’t mind my asking, what made you decide to cross over from acting to becoming a reality show host?

Blog Tour (Excerpt): Masks and Mirrors by Sue Duff

Title: Masks and Mirrors (The Weir Chronicles #2)
Author: Sue Duff
Publisher: Crosswinds Publishing
Tour Organizer: Roger Charlie
Release Date: April 2, 2015
Ian Black’s commitment to safeguarding Earth has come at a price. His career as an illusionist is at a standstill and attending to the planet’s needs has distanced him from his best friend, his guardians, and the woman he loves. When presented with an opportunity to perform, Ian seizes the chance. But moments before he takes the stage, Ian encounters the mysterious Jaered and a rebel force fighting to protect Earth alongside the Weir.

Jaered is determined to stop a malevolent Weir from releasing a drug capable of wiping out the last vestiges of their race and plunging Earth into self-destruction. But when Jaered is willing to sacrifice an innocent child to obtain the drug for himself, Ian risks everything to uncover the secrets of the rebel forces and their true intentions for Earth’s survival.

Excerpt

A scream from beyond the glass. Jaered stepped toward the window, aghast at the test subject’s transformation. The center of the man’s chest glowed crimson, bright enough to be seen through his shirt. Heated fumes emanated from every pore of his translucent skin. He pressed his head back and his mouth opened, releasing flames into the air. The man’s core burned him alive from the inside out.