Delirious About Books

Release: Rise Up Volume 2

2014-07-21T10:40:00.000+10:00

“We all know how fragile life is, especially when faced with a life threatening illness.” ~Nic, Flirty and Dirty Book Blog.

Fiction introduced us. Reality binds us together.

Stephanie Thomas—co-founder of The Indie Bookshelf—has been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. Stephanie isn’t only a blogger; she’s a loving wife, and mother to three young boys.

In the independent author community, we have an extraordinary network of fellow authors, and readers. A special group of people who bridge this gap—helping authors connect with readers—is book bloggers. These men and women dedicate hours upon hours to reading and reviewing our works, and spreading the word to help us reach new readers.

Now, one of these women needs our help.

100% of the proceeds of the Rise Up anthology (volumes one and two) will go directly to Stephanie and her family to help them on this unexpected leg of their journey together.

Inside the pages of this collection, you’ll find amazing works of fiction. But please remember the reality, and help support Stephanie and her family.

Included in Volume Two of this collection are the following novels:

* 1. Always There - Carol AnnAlbright-Eastman

* 2. Republic - Charles Sheehan-Miles

* 3. Seeds of Hate - Melissa Perea

* 4. In The Fields - Willow Aster

* 5. Bar Crawl - Andrea Randall

* 6. Totaled - Stacey Grice

* 7. Running from Forever - AshleyWilcox

* 8. Crossing Paths - Melanie Stinnet

* 9. Going Home - Rhonda Dennis

* 10. Never Goodbye - KerriWilliams

* 11. Without Boundaries - CJ Azevedo

* 12. Binds - Rebecca Espinoza

* 13. The Forgotten Ones - Laura Howard

Purchase

Amazon

Kobo

Release: Rise Up Volume 1 Collection‏ - In support of Stephanie

2014-07-14T17:34:00.000+10:00

“We all know how fragile life is, especially when faced with a life threatening illness.” ~Nic, Flirty and Dirty Book Blog.

Fiction introduced us. Reality binds us together.

Now, one of these women needs our help.

100% of the proceeds of the Rise Up anthology (volumes one and two) will go directly to Stephanie and her family to help them on this unexpected leg of their journey together.

Inside the pages of this collection, you’ll find amazing works of fiction. But please remember the reality, and help support Stephanie and her family.

Included in Volume One of this collection are the following novels:

What Happens Tomorrow - Elle Michaels

Insipid - Christine Brae

Bouquet Toss - Melissa Brown

Can't Go Home - Angelisa Stone

Point of Submission - Remy Landon

Breakaway - Lindsay Paige and Mary Smith

A Love by Any Measure - Killian McRae

Discovering Lucy - Laura Dunaway

Something's Come Up - Andrea Randall and MichellePace

By A Thread - RL Griffin

Honest Love - CM Hutton

Serendipity - Stacey Bentley

Haven from the Storm - Sarah Dosher

Damaged - Nina D'Angelo

Cover Reveal: Girls On Fire boxed set‏

2014-06-09T15:28:00.000+10:00

About the GIRLS ON FIRE boxed set

WITCH FALL – Amber Argyle

High Fantasy

Supreme in their dominion over seasons, storms, and sea, the witches have forgotten the unmatched destructiveness of mankind. And among the weapons men seek are the magical songs of the witches. Born of witches but raised among their enemies, Lilette searches for a way to heal the rift between mankind and the witches. But it may be too late to save either. For if there is one thing Lilette has come to know for certain, it’s that all things fall.

ETERNAL STARLING – Angela Corbett

Paranormal Romance

For centuries, Alex Night and Emil Stone have yearned for Evie Starling. When both men claim to be her soul mate and tell her about an unbelievable past, Evie learns that she’s not the person she thought she was, and her soul is about to become the rope in an eternal tug-of-war.

AWAKENING – Christy Dorrity

Fantasy

When an ancient curse threatens McKayla McCleery's family, she must decide what in her life is real and what is fantasy. Based in Celtic mythology, Awakening is a gripping young adult fantasy that is rife with magic, romance, and mystery.

INEVITABLE – Tamara Hart Heiner

Suspense

Visions of death plague Jayne, who thinks watching her sister die is the worst that could happen to her. But when she witnesses a murder, Jayne realizes that the next death she sees might be her own.

WATCHED – Cindy M. Hogan

Romantic Suspense

Change. She longed for it.

A murder. She will never be the same.

THE FORGOTTEN ONES – Laura Howard

Fantasy

ELEMENTAL HUNGER – Elana Johnson

Futuristic Fantasy

Sixteen-year-old Gabriella Kilpatrick can shoot fire from her hands, which would be great if she didn’t get blamed for a blazing inferno that kills 17 schoolmates. Gabby will have to learn who she can trust, how to control her own power, and most of all, how to lead a Council of Elementals, most of whom have more control over their power than she does. If she can’t, she’ll find herself just like those 17 schoolmates: burned and six feet under.

THE FAERIE GUARDIAN – Rachel Morgan

Fantasy

Kickbutt faerie Violet is about to graduate as the top guardian trainee of her class, but when an assignment goes wrong and the human boy she’s meant to be protecting follows her back into the fae realm, a dangerous plot is set in motion.

PERCEPTION – Lee Strauss

Dystopian/Romance

Eternal Life is to Die For.

A spoiled genetically altered girl needs the help of a jaded “natural” boy to find her missing brother.

INTRINSICAL – Lani Woodland

Paranormal

The gene that allows the women in Yara’s family to see and communicate with spirits seems to have passed her over. Until the night she rescues a local hottie from an attacking ghost. Her act of heroism attracts the attention of the evil spirit, and she finds herself entrenched in the middle of a sixty-year-old curse that haunts the school, threatening her own life as well as that of her friends.

Publication date: June 16, 2014

Price: 99 cents for 10 amazing YA novels!

Links

About the Authors

Follow each author’s link to learn more about them and their books.

Release Day Blitz: Ex-Factor by Elisa Dane, with Giveaway

2014-04-22T18:11:00.001+10:00

Title: Ex Factor

Author: Elisa Dane

Release Date: 22nd April 2014

Nevaeh Evan’s life is uprooted after her father’s death, when she moves in with her aunt and cousin, Livvie. Her plan to lay low at her new high school isn’t working. Her friend’s jerky boyfriend keeps asking her out, the guy she likes treats her like garbage, and the thought of tumbling again makes her want to hurl.

So when her aunt pushes her into joining the elite X-FACTOR cheer leading squad, Navaeh goes along with it. But Nev feels she doesn’t deserve to be happy. Not after what happened the night her father died.

Bodie Scott knows about grief all too well. Critically injured in an alcohol related accident the year before, Bodie struggles with the fact that he’ll never play football again, and he’s so far behind in credits he can’t see straight. That is, until he meets Nev. Haunted by their bloody pasts and wary of a shared future, Nev and Bodie turn to one another for comfort and support, and realize they’re not so alone after all. And when the party scene at school threatens the life of a loved one, the two stop at nothing to keep the past from repeating itself.

Purchase
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Excerpt

The warm, squirrely sensation festering in my gut grew stronger with each second that passed. Despite my best efforts to ignore it, and him, I finally gave in and looked over my shoulder. I was immediately sorry I’d done so.

Jet eyes filled with what appeared to be a heavy amount of disgust regarded me coolly. I frowned and glanced down at my feet, insecurity smothering me like a thick blanket. Why was he mean mugging me? I didn’t know him. He didn’t know me. Why was he so pissed?

I took a chance and dared another peek in his direction. I was shocked to find him glaring at me still, his expression angrier if that were even possible.

He crossed his arms over his chest and raised a brow. “Seriously? You’re just gonna stand there and look pretty the entire period? How ‘bout you at least move out of the way so the rest of us can get what we need?”

I blanched, unable to speak, let alone move. In another circumstance, I’d feel giddy about his reference to my “being pretty”, but as it stood, I felt sick. Clearly irritated, a healthy dose of sarcasm coated his deep voice. Why were there never any holes around when you needed them? I was ready to crawl into one and assume the fetal position.

“Back off, asshat,” Erin snapped. She brushed past me and opened the cupboard I’d been standing in front of, and pulled out a stack of aprons. With a huff, she snatched an aging blue apron from the top of the pile and flung it at my handsome hater, the soft cotton fabric hitting him in the face. “She’s new and doesn’t know where everything is yet.”

He didn’t say anything else; just scowled for what I assumed he felt was good measure before pulling a ball of pastry dough out of the small refrigerator below.

“Ignore him,” Erin said, as she handed me an apron. “Bodie Scott is a douche with a bad temper, and totally not worth your time.”

I mashed my lips together and gave her a nod, doing my best to ignore the pang of hurt whirling in my chest, and the odd tingling sensation skimming across my flesh. My short time at Grant High thus far had been anything but great. I’d been heckled by a group of Victoria Secret Angel wannabes. I’d flirted with a hot guy who turned out to be dating the one person who’d tried to befriend me. For reasons unknown to me, I’d pissed off the only other guy I’d come across in ages who’d had any sort of impact on me. If the morning’s events were any indicator of how the rest of my day would be, I was screwed.

Author Bio
I'm a lover of books (YA & Adult romance), chocolate, reality television, and am a proud mother to three All Star cheerleaders. Woot!

I write Contemporary YA romance with cheerleaders. Yep. I write what I know, and it's my hope that my stories will not only take you on a romantic journey that will warm your heart, but that you'll find a new respect and interest in the sport of Cheerleading you may not have had before.

Author Links

Giveaway

1 ebook of Ex-Factor & $10 Amazon gift card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

Blog Tour: Enmity by E. J. Andrews - Guest Post: Character Profile

2014-03-24T12:28:00.002+10:00

I'm happy to have E.J Andrews on the blog with a character profile of Hermia - one of the main POV's (the other being Nate) from her novel Enmity.

If you would like a chance to win a copy, head over to Enmity's Goodreads page and enter (Aus and NZ residents only).

If you'd like to follow the rest of the Blog Tour click here.

Character Profile- Hermia

Name: Hermia

Meaning of Name: The meaning of Hermia is ‘Messenger’

Reason for Name: Hermia’s mother named her so because she saw her own self in the character of Hermia from Shakespeare’s – A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Nickname: Mia (Hermia hates this nickname and gets agitated when others call her by that name. It was a pet name her uncle and grandparents were fond of calling her, whom she is now estranged from.)

Age: 16

Height: 157cm

Gender: Female

Hair: Brown/Dark Brown, Wavy Curls, Mid Back Length

Eye Colour: Hazel

Relationship Status: It’s complicated with Chase

Personality: Detached, cold, resentful

Strengths: Exceptional aim with her badass crossbow

Flaws: Highly emotional, doesn’t like to cooperate with others, headstrong

Ambitions: Stay alive and give everyone hell whilst she can

Biggest fear: Hermia isn’t afraid of much at all but she is terrified of losing herself. She never wants to be defined by someone else, like a guy or a relationship

Occupation: Formerly cleaner / make-up artist at Elaine’s Gentleman’s Club

About the Book

Title: Enmity
Author: E. J. Andrews
Publisher: Harlequin Australia
Expected Publication Date: April 1st, 2014
Series: Enmity #1
Genre: Young Adult: Science Fiction, Dystopian

Love vs Life.
Good vs Evil.
War vs Warfare.

Which would you choose?

After a solar flare wipes out most of the world’s inhabitants, it leaves behind nothing but a desolate earth and a desperate population. Existence is no longer a certainty. And with factions now fighting for the power to rule, people start to become reckless with their lives. The world has become a dangerous place.

Amongst the ensuing chaos, Nate and Hermia — two victims of the new world order — are taken against their will to The Compound. Joined by eight other teenagers all chosen for a specific reason, Nate and Hermia are forced to train as assassins to overthrow the current president and make way for a new leader of the free world. Here, they learn to plan, fight, and most importantly... to survive.

Except, despite the casual cruelty of their new existence, both Nate and Hermia — two very strong but very different people — begin to form fragile bonds within the group. But they soon realize their happiness is short lived...because their training is just the beginning.

A war awaits...regardless of how ready or willing they may be.

Purchase

Author Bio

E.J. Andrews was raised in a small town on the west coast of New Zealand by a gold miner with a fascination for guns and a nurse with an obsession with dragons.

Growing up, E.J. constantly felt that she needed to write down the vivid thoughts going around her head, but it wasn’t until her aunt gave her John Marsden’s Tomorrow series to read that her writing bloomed and her interest in books became a full-blown fixation.

At the age of eighteen she decided to live with her sister in Brisbane, Australia, where she found a job working at a boat club on the beautiful Moreton Bay. In between split shifts and while others her age were out enjoying their adolescence, E.J. was writing well into the early hours, trying to get down those ever-present ideas of a not-so-bright future.

E.J. now lives on the Redcliffe peninsula with her partner and their cat Senga.

Stacking The Shelves #58

2014-03-08T15:45:00.002+10:00

Stacking The Shelves is all about sharing the books you are adding to your shelves, may it be physical or virtual. This means you can include books you buy in physical store or online, books you borrow from friends or the library, review books, gifts and of course ebooks!

Thanks to the host Tynga's Reviews.

For Review

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Purchased

Cress by Marissa Meyer

The 100 by Kass Morgan

That's all for me, not that I needed any more books - I have a stack to read already! But who could resist - especially Cress, I've been waiting a year for that one. :)

Happy Reading everyone!

Stacking The Shelves #57

2014-02-22T17:44:00.000+10:00

Thanks to the host Tynga's Reviews.

For Review

Tease by Amanda Maciel

Heart Beat by Elizabeth Scott
Grim by Christine Johnson (Editor)

A big Thank You to Hachette and Harlequin Teen!

Mini Review Monday #4 - The Tahereh Mafi and John Green edition

2014-01-27T11:20:00.000+10:00

On this weeks edition of Mini Review Monday you'll find my brief thoughts on two very popular YA titles that I read recently - Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi and The Fault In Our Stars by John Green. I'm only doing mini reviews for these two as they are so popular with many, many reviews available on Goodreads and Amazon that I feel it's a little pointless to provide a full detailed review of my thoughts as I'm sure everyone else has already read them. ;) If there is something you really want to know from me about these titles, feel free to leave a comment and I'll let you know the answer. :)

Title: Shatter Me
Author: Tahereh Mafi
Published: 2nd October 2012
Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: Shatter Me, #1
Genre: Young Adult: Sci Fi, Dystopian

I heard nothing but amazing reviews for this book and series. It took me a while to get around to reading this, and I'm sorry to say, but for me, this didn't live up to the hype.

Juliette has a fatal touch which got her locked up for murder. The Reestablishment having originally locked her up, changes it mind. Now they think she may be useful.
The storyline itself is interesting, however it only held my interest in waves.
The writing was certainly different than anything I have read before, however after a while I found the crossed out sections annoying. I'd first read over them, then have to stop and go back to read them, turning the originally enjoyment of reading this book into a chore. I understand this was done for a purpose, but unfortunately it didn't really make me see Juliette sane or insane due to it. It just annoyed me.
I didn't feel anything towards any of the characters. None, and that is really different for me. Normally I at least like someone. It didn't help that the romance felt forced and was a driving point for the plot.

Due to the writing style, despite being unique, and the romance, there were multiple times where I was just bored. I even came to a point where I thought I might DNF it, but I preserved due to the reviews, however my opinion at the end of the book didn't change.

Unfortunately with all the 5 star reviews I was expecting an amazing book, instead I'm left amazed that it received so many 5 star reviews.

I'm clearly in the minority, but for me, this wasn't as amazing as everyone hyped it up to be and I most likely won't continue with the rest of the series.

★★

It Was Ok

Title: The Fault In Our Stars
Author: John Green
Published: 10th January 2012
Publisher: Dutton Books/ Penguin
Series: Nil
Genre: Young Adult: Contemporary

This was my first John Green novel. I thought this would be a difficult read for me, which is why it took so long for me to read it but it wasn't too bad.

I loved the characters. Hazel has terminal cancer and attends a support group because her mum wants her to make friends, while Augustus is a cancer survivor after surgery and attends to support his friend Isaac, which is where they meet. Hazel Grace and Augustus were delightful characters that drew me into the story and their journey. I adored Augustus, and the witty conversations between him and Hazel made for a funny, light read considering the seriousness of the subject. There were times that they were more mature then you would expected from teenagers their age, but it wasn't over the top and considering what they have been forced to go through it fitted the characters well.

I really liked John Greene's writing style and I will definitely be reading more books of his.
I understand why so many people loved this book as I totally fell in love with it too.

★★★★★

It Was Amazing

Review: The Archived by Victoria Schwab

2014-01-25T16:24:00.001+10:00

Title: The Archived
Author: Victoria Schwab
Published: 22nd January 2013
Publisher: Hyperion
Genre: Young Adult: Fantasy, Paranormal
Source: Purchased

Imagine a place where the dead rest on shelves like books.

Each body has a story to tell, a life seen in pictures that only Librarians can read. The dead are called Histories, and the vast realm in which they rest is the Archive.

Da first brought Mackenzie Bishop here four years ago, when she was twelve years old, frightened but determined to prove herself. Now Da is dead, and Mac has grown into what he once was, a ruthless Keeper, tasked with stopping often—violent Histories from waking up and getting out. Because of her job, she lies to the people she loves, and she knows fear for what it is: a useful tool for staying alive.

Being a Keeper isn’t just dangerous—it’s a constant reminder of those Mac has lost. Da’s death was hard enough, but now her little brother is gone too. Mac starts to wonder about the boundary between living and dying, sleeping and waking. In the Archive, the dead must never be disturbed. And yet, someone is deliberately altering Histories, erasing essential chapters. Unless Mac can piece together what remains, the Archive itself might crumble and fall.

Review

I absolutely loved the sneak peek (100 pages) I read late 2012. The book was unique, different and enjoyable. I couldn't wait to read the whole book. I pre-ordered this as I was so excited for it.

This isn't a fast paced book. In fact I stalled a little in the middle and found myself not really in a hurry to pick it back up. Once I worked through it the second half was much better.

This is a fascinating book. The world is intriguing, I mean - the dead are filed on shelves, like books! Come on! That's awesome!

I must say that the time of events moves around in this book a bit. You have frequent glimpses into the past with Da, Mac's Grandfather, and then back to the present time. It can throw you out of the story a little and may be off putting to some. The excerpt below is a "glimpse" of the past with Mac's Grandfather.

My biggest problem was with Mac getting side tracked. At one point she had histories to return, but just didn't and in the beginning you learn you just can't do that. On top of that, there was no explanation of what happened to them. The longer they are out the harder they are to return. Histories are confused enough when they "wake" not knowing they are dead, and can then get violent when confronted to be returned. Why wait? There were even a few histories that were on her list and we never knew what happened to them because they weren't mentioned again, and Mac wasn't doing any returning.

There are two romantic interests, but it's not a love triangle so don't let that put you off. It's not a driving force through the novel either. More subtle and a little cute. I liked Wes as a character and enjoyed their encounters.

The twist was kind of predictable for me. I wasn't 100% sure, but I had enough distrust of the character to believe they were behind it. This made the last 25% a definite a page turner.

While this held my attention in waves, it was still an enjoyable book. I think I would have preferred it to be a stand alone though so I'm not sure if I'm interested enough to pick up it's sequel, The Unbound, which is due for release on the 28th January.

★★★★

Really Liked It

Excerpt

page 212

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

2014-01-17T23:00:00.000+10:00

Title: Thirteen Reasons Why
Author: Jay Asher
Published: 18 October 2007
Publisher: Razorbill
Source: Purchased from Book Depository
Genre: Young Adult: Mental Health, Contemporary

Clay Jensen returns home from school to find a mysterious box with his name on it lying on his porch. Inside he discovers thirteen cassette tapes recorded by Hannah Baker, his classmate and crush who committed suicide two weeks earlier.

On tape, Hannah explains that there are thirteen reasons why she decided to end her life. Clay is one of them. If he listens, he'll find out how he made the list.

Through Hannah and Clay's dual narratives, debut author Jay Asher weaves an intricate and heartrending story of confusion and desperation that will deeply affect teen readers.

Review

Do you know what I have noticed lately? Bullying is slowly coming into the limelight. Just the other day a friend shared a video on Facebook concerning "The Bullying Experiment, by Fouseytube" (You can find it on Youtube if you are such inclined). That was interesting purely for the fact that despite someone being bullied directly in front of some people - they chose to ignore it. They walked away. One person, after being asked "Can I speak to you for a minute?" Answered "No". Were they ashamed they walked away? Or did they really care that little?
I remember an incident (and I'm giving away my age here) of a comment concerning the RSVP's to my high school reunion. The organisers were getting comments that people didn't want to socialise with the people that bullied them at school. I know this because the organiser posted it on the reunions facebook wall. I remember some of the people - not the bullies, or the bullied - make the comment "oh but we were just teenagers, get over it". Interesting that the ones making that comment were also the ones that turned a blind eye.

Bare with me, I did bring that up for a reason......

Bullying comes in all forms. You don't need to be constantly hit to say you were bullied.
Anyone can be bullied, and it can occur anywhere - school, work, sports activities, and online.
Bullying can be verbal, physical, social, psychological, or cyberbullying.

I mention this because some people might not think, like my high school classmates, that what happened to Hannah was that bad, or was justifiable due to age.
Short answer - no, it's not acceptable. Just because you didn't experience it doesn't mean that the other person wasn't bullied. Just because it does not cause the same feelings in you, doesn't mean it shouldn't for someone else.

This brings me to this book. Some reviews I read said that what happened to her weren't that bad; didn't justify why Hannah killed herself; could have been worse; or the clincher - she should have helped herself, she should have sort help from someone.
Bullying isn't about YOU (the reader, in this case). Bullying is about the person being bullied and how it makes THEM feel. In Hannah's case all the little things built up and ruined her.
You don't have to agree with her reasons. You don't have to feel like they were worthy reasons for her to commit suicide. What you DO have to understand is that SHE felt this way, and SHE felt like she didn't have anything worth living for. SHE felt that she had no one to talk to - in fact she did seek someone to talk too and quite frankly the way they handled the situation was pathetic.

This is something that every person needs to understand. This is something that every parent should teach their child. This is something that teachers should understand. Bullying is about how you are made to feel and your actions can affect everyone. Like a ripple effect. Everyone in Hannah's community was and will be affected by what happened to her.
Bullying is a real problem in schools, because children at schools are not treating others with any respect or empathy or understanding. Teachers should be able to say the right things and assist in finding help for someone that feels this lost.
Not everyone is strong enough to fight through it. Some give in. Some don't. Adults need to be able to see the signs and need to be open enough that the victim sees them as an ally, a friend, and most importantly someone that can help.
Now just to be clear, we are not talking about a single incident. We are talking about constantly being intimidated; harassed; rumours being spread about you; being hit; teased; etc and it happening over and over again.

When I finished this book, I posted the photo below (that I took) everywhere. Facebook, instagram, twitter, anywhere where people, young and old, kids and parents, could see it. This is the type of book that should be read in school. Studied at school. Explained at school. To get young people to understand that bullying is NOT ok. It is not ok to make someone feel so low that they want out of life. You don't know what is going on in someone's life away from where you know them. You could be compounding a problem that is already there, and if you're not, you could be starting a problem that might not stop.

I can't say I enjoyed this book as that isn't an appropriate statement. How can you enjoy reading about someone, who is dead, and how they came to that death.
I did find this well written. Very well written. I liked the delivery of the story. I liked how someone, who she thought was good, was the story we got to follow. I don't believe hearing it from one of the bullies sides would be appropriate nor show the story from her side as well.

Now the book isn't just about bullying, well it is, but it is also about the fact that Hannah was suffering from depression. No one seemed to pick up on her depressive state. All these things added up for Hannah and would have been overwhelming.

I can't say this enough, this is a book that everybody should read - if for no other reason but to understand how bullying and depression can affect someone (again - NOT YOU).

On an ending note-

Let me put it this way:

If physical illness was treated like mental illness

Source

★★★★★

It Was Amazing

Excerpt

"I guess that's the point of it all. No one knows for certain how much impact they have on the lives of other people. Oftentimes, we have no clue. Yet we push it just the same."

"But does that diminish any of your stories? Are your stories any less meaningful because I'm not telling you everything?

No.

Actually, it magnifies them.

You don't know what went on in the rest of my life. At home. Even at school. You don't know what goes on in anyone's life but your own. And when you mess with one part of a person's life, you're not messing with just that part. Unfortunately, you can't be that precise and selective. When you mess with one part of a person's life, you're messing with their entire life."

Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm Excited For

2014-01-14T18:01:00.001+10:00

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish .

Today's topic is - Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm Excited For

In no particular order:

Tease by Amanda Maciel

Hungry by H.A. Swain

Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira

No One Else Can Have You by Kathleen Hale

Alienated by Melissa Landers

Half Bad by Sally Green

Side Effects May Vary by Julie Murphy

Faking Normal by Courtney C. Stevens

The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings

Pointe by Brandy Colbert

They are my picks for the year. What debuts are you excited for?

Book Blitz: PODs by Michelle Pickett, with Excerpt & Giveaway

2014-01-13T22:00:00.002+10:00

Title: PODs

Author: Michelle K. Pickett

Release Date: 4th June 2013

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopia

Paperback/ebook

312 pages

Summary from Goodreads

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

Excerpt

The bus ride to the quarantine facility took more than ten hours. I was shoved against the window by my seatmate who slept almost the entire trip. He was a big guy, taking up most of the seat, and when he slept his body lolled to the side, wedging me against the metal side of the bus.

As we traveled, the air turned hot and dry, different than the humid, sticky climate of my coastal Texas hometown. The old school bus didn’t have air conditioning and the small windows didn’t let much air in. My seatmate’s body heat didn’t help. I was hot, thirsty, and had to pee in the worst way.

Wondering how much longer I’d be drooled on by the guy next to me, I strained my face against the window, looking for anything on the flat landscape.

That’s when I saw them.

I don’t know why I was surprised. I should’ve expected it after what had happened at the high school, but I hadn’t. It was worse than at the school—rioters everywhere. They waved anti-raffle signs and signs cursing the “Chosen.”

The land around the quarantine area was flat, dry, and dusty. The people lining the road sat under makeshift tents to keep out of the sun. Some stood on top of their RVs waving their handmade signs; one burned an American flag.

I watched women holding their small children toward the bus, begging with tear-stained faces for us to take them. I wanted to reach out and snatch them out of their mothers’ hands as we drove past. Several of the other people on the bus reached up and pushed their windows shut.

The National Guard at the quarantine site didn’t allow people to get close enough to touch the bus. They were shot with rubber bullets or Tasered if they tried to cross the police line. Every time I heard the shot of the riot guns I jumped. My muscles ached from tensing them—waiting for the inevitable sound.

“Why are you crying?” A boy sitting in front of me looked at me like I’d grown another head. “They’d probably kill you and steal your place in the PODs if given the chance.”

I shook my head, remembering what my dad had told me. “They’re just scared,” I said. After all, they were, essentially, the walking dead.

The rioters screamed and cursed us. They threw rocks and eggs as we drove by. An egg hit the window next to me, the slimy insides plopping against my head, matting my hair.

“Gross,” the boy sitting next to me said.

I just looked at him and rolled my eyes.

Yeah, the egg is gross. And the drool coming out of your mouth and dripping on my leg while you slept, leaning on me, was glorious.

The bus stopped in a fenced area like the one at the high school. The crowd screamed and banged the fence posts with their crude, homemade picket signs. Some climbed on the fence, pulling at it like chimpanzees at the zoo.

“Stay seated until your name is called,” a soldier yelled. “When you are called, grab your belongings and wait to be escorted into the building.”

Oh please, call this guy’s name. He needs to move before I shove him off the seat. I’m tired of being pinned against the side of the bus. I need some room.

Thankfully, my name was called soon after we stopped. I stood, stretched the kinks out of my muscles, and plowed through the massive body blocking me. Clambering over the other luggage that filled the aisle, I grabbed my two suitcases and stood in front of the bus.

The one-story brick building was large but had no windows, only a single green door. I couldn’t see the other sides, but I had a feeling there’d be no windows there, either—no glass for rioters to break through.

The soldier walked up from behind me, tapping my suitcase with his clipboard. “Follow me.”

I shuffled into the brick building, guided by the same guardsman who’d ripped me away from my parents hours earlier…

“I love you,” my mom said through her tears, her voice thick and trembling.

“I want to stay with you,” I pleaded.

“Come here, kiddo.” My dad, his face distorted with grief, folded me in a tight hug. He kissed the top of my head and told me he loved me and how proud he was of me. “I know, when this is over, you are going to do great things, Eva. you’re a fighter. I love you so much.”

A rough hand grabbed my arm, pulling me away from my dad. “Get on the bus,” the male voice ordered, yelling to be heard over the crying of parents and children saying their final goodbyes.

“I’m not done saying goodbye…” He didn’t let go, pulling me with him. My heels digging into the dirt, I tried to pull away. I needed one more hug, to hear them tell me they loved me and to tell them I loved them, too.

“MOM!” I screamed. “DAD!” Tears stained my face. The man thrust me toward the steps of the old, yellow school bus. I screamed one more time for my parents, telling them I loved them, reaching my arms out to them.

I could see my mom’s body rock with the force of her cries. Tears ran down my father’s face. “We love you, Evangelina,” I heard them call just before the bus door closed.

It was the last thing I’d hear my parents say. It was the last image I’d have of them. I pressed my hand to the window of the bus, my head bowed as I sobbed. I didn’t try to hide my tears. Everyone on the bus was crying for their families. We knew what awaited them.

Death.

I shook my head, trying to erase the horrible memory. I wanted to remember the good things about them, not saying goodbye.

Goodbyes are hard, but this one had been different. This wasn’t a goodbye, I’ll see you in a month. It was a permanent goodbye. I’d never see my parents again. The overwhelming sadness took over, like a black hole sucking me in. Fat, salty tears ran down my face, and I could feel my nose running. I wiped my arm across it. My eyes were swollen, my throat sore, and my chest tight.

I was alone. My parents were gone. No brothers or sisters. Just me—an orphan of the virus.

Buy Links

Also Available from:
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Author Bio

I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order. I write young adult urban fantasies, science/fiction and paranormal romances and have recently started dabbling in young adult contemporary romance. Reading was one of my earliest passions, writing soon followed. I began writing seriously during college where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a career that frowns on creativity remains a mystery.

I’m addicted to Reese’s peanut butter cups and eat way too many while I write, have an abnormal obsession with hoodies and can’t write without one, and I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows on television. An unabashed romantic, I love a swoon-worthy ending that will give me butterflies for days.

I wrote my debut young adult novel, PODs, in 2011. PODs, a science/fiction, post-apocalyptic romance, will be released June 4, 2013 through the amazing Spencer Hill Press. My second young adult title, Milayna, a paranormal romance, will release through Spencer Hill Press beginning in March 2014. Milayna is a standalone, with series potential. It’s meant to be a trilogy. The Infected, a PODs novel, will release November 2014. It is the second, and last, book in the PODs series.

I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. I now reside in a small community outside Houston, Texas with my incredibly supportive, not to mention gorgeous, husband, three amazing school-aged children, a 125-pound lap dog, and a snooty cat.

Keep up-to-date with my current, future projects, appearances, and fun giveaways at www.michelle-pickett.com.

I always love to hear from readers, bloggers and other authors!

Find me here:

Website│Email│Blog│Facebook│Twitter│Goodreads

Giveaway

First place: Signed copy of PODs, tote bag, and swag (US only see note for international)

Second place: Signed copy of PODs and swag (US only see note for international)

*International winners will receive a print copy of PODs only if www.Bookdepository.com delivers to their country. Otherwise they will receive an e-book. Swag will not be included.

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Book Blitz Organized by:

Giveaway! 2 YA paperback novels up for grabs.

2014-01-07T18:52:00.002+10:00

I wanted to (and believe I even posted about my intent) offer these up for Giveaway late last year, but it never eventuated. Until now....

Along the way last year I ended up with double ups of these books.

As I have my own copies these are brand new, never read copies that I am offering. Unfortunately due to the constant rise in postage costs I can only offer to post within Australia. I apologise to my international followers - I promise to hold a giveaway open internationally soon.

Now one of these books is the first in the series, and the second books is the second in a series. What books are they?

Slated (Slated, #1) by Teri Terry

Scarlet (Lunar Chronicles, #2) by Marissa Meyer

If you've been following me for a while you'd know I'm a huge fan of the Lunar Chronicles and absolutely loved Scarlet. I haven't read Slated yet, but have heard many great things about it. The titles above link to Goodreads so you can see what others say and read more about the books themselves.

2 Winners

Australian postal addresses only.

The prize will be posted through Australia post. I will not be responsible for lost or damaged packages.

The winner will be contacted by email and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

All details will be checked and incorrect/invalid entries will be deleted.

The giveaway will start at midnight tonight Australian time which is roughly around 6am PST, and 1pm GMT. It will run until the 17 Jan 2014.

That's all. Good luck!

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Happy New Year!

2014-01-01T00:30:00.000+10:00

Happy New Year Everyone! I hope the end of 2013 was good to you and you had a lovely Christmas too. Thank you all for supporting the blog. :) You are all awesome.

I think the start of the New Year is a great time to update you all on what has been happening with this blog......

The end of 2013 didn't fair too well in the reading department for me. Some of you may remember back in October when I posted Reasons, Excuses, Changes, and Why. I thought that I was taking the pressure off my reading/reviewing schedule and uni commitments. I choose not to take on more review books (though I took on a couple of Harlequin Teen titles because they have been so good to me and I couldn't resist) and concentrate on reading what I had and posting those reviews. As I'm sure you can see, I was not very successful at that at all.
I have something like 11 reviews that I need to type up, format and post.
I read a total of 4 books since October.
I have started 8 books. .... 8 books.... but I'm not motivated to keep reading them. I start them because I was looking forward to reading them, then get anywhere from 10% to 50% through the book, and I can't be bothered to pick them up and finish them.
They start out ok. I guess I'm not hooked on them. The 4 books I did read I just couldn't put them down. I was interested. They grabbed my attention - and held it.

The books I've started but am yet to finish are:

Captivate , by Vanessa Garden
Blackout , by Robison Wells
Never Fade , by Alexandra Bracken
My Life Next Door , by Huntley Fitzpatrick
Crown of Midnight , by Sarah J. Maas
Banish , by Nicola Marsh
Warm Bodies , by Isaac Marion
Living Dead in Dallas , by Charlaine Harris

I think about DNF'ing some, if not all, of them but these are books I was excited for. Two are sequels of books that I adored. I guess I'm finding it hard to give up on them. I am in no way saying these books are bad, just that I'm not interested in reading them. It's me, not the books. ;)

Unfortunately having started 8 books makes me reluctant to start any more. So I have spent very little time reading at all lately.

I use to force myself to finish a lot of books because they were review books and I think in some way it has put me off reading.

I took the summer months off uni hoping a break would help me settle and start reading again. Unfortunately it has had a different effect - I'm finding other things that I enjoy doing and I'm spending my time now pursuing other interests. Which also meant I wasn't keen to sit in front of the computer typing up my reviews.

I still stand by my post of October - I will still post reviews of books I read, and I wont be requesting review books nor accepting books for review.
Next year I will be busier with uni as my son starts school, therefore giving me more time to do more uni work which in turn means I can complete my double degree quicker.

I'll typing up reviews over the next week and will post 1 or 2 a week with the occasional promo post or meme thrown in.

I attempted a few challenges in 2013 but I didn't complete them. I did manage to read some of the books I said I would, just not all of them. This is one reason I wont be buying or reviewing new books - I have way to many on my shelves and kindle how it is. Therefore in 2014 I have no intention of participating in any challenges.

So there you have it. That's where I am and where the blog is at. Here's to a slightly more productive blog in 2014 ;)

Waiting on Wednesday #52 - Rebel by Amy Tintera

2013-12-11T16:41:00.001+10:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Expected publication: May 13th 2014

Publisher: HarperTeen

The sequel to the action-packed Reboot is a can't-miss thrill ride, perfect for fans of James Patterson, Veronica Roth, and Marie Lu.

After coming back from death as Reboots and being trained by HARC as soldiers, Wren and Callum have finally escaped north, where they hope to find a life of freedom. But when they arrive at the Reboot Reservation, it isn't what they expected. Under the rule of a bloodthirsty leader, Micah, the Reboots are about to wage an all-out war on the humans. Although Wren's instincts are telling her to set off into the wilderness on their own and leave the battle far behind, Callum is unwilling to let his human family be murdered. When Micah commits the ultimate betrayal, the choice is made for them. But Micah has also made a fatal mistake . . . he's underestimated Wren and Callum.

The explosive finale to the Reboot duology is full of riveting action and steamy love scenes as Wren and Callum become rebels against their own kind.

I enjoyed Reboot (you can read my review here) and am looking forward to seeing where Rebel goes with the story.

Waiting on Wednesday #51 - Enders by Lissa Price

2013-11-06T16:20:00.001+10:00

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Expected publication: January 7th 2014

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

With the Prime Destinations body bank destroyed, Callie no longer has to rent herself out to creepy Enders. But Enders can still get inside her mind and make her do things she doesn't want to do. Like hurt someone she loves. Having the chip removed could save Callie's life - but it could also silence the voice in her head that might belong to her father. Callie has flashes of her ex-renter Helena's memories, too ...and the Old Man is back, filling her with fear. Who is real and who is masquerading in a teen body? This is the thrilling sequel to "Starters".

I have been waiting on this for a while now. I liked the first book and would love to know what happens. I have to admit though, that I'm not that keen on the cover of this one. :/ I'm hoping it's not the actual cover, though I think it maybe. :(

What's your Waiting on Wednesday pick this week?

Stacking the Shelves #56

2013-11-02T17:48:00.002+10:00

Thanks to the host Tynga's Reviews.

For Review

The Iron Traitor by Julie Kagawa
Thank you to Harlequin Teen Australia!

Purchased

Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken

That's all for me this week. I look forward to seeing what everyone else has gotten this week. Happy reading!

Cover Reveal Chasing the Star Garden by Melanie Karsak‏, with Giveaway

2013-10-23T20:01:00.000+10:00

Title: Chasing the Star Garden

Author: Melanie Karsak
Series: The Airship Racing Chronicles, Book I

Genre: Alternative History/Gaslamp-Steampunk

Publisher: Clockpunk Press

Date of Publication: December 4^th, 2013

Cover Artist: Damonza

Book Description

An opium-addicted beauty.

An infamous poet living in self-imposed exile.

An ancient treasure about to fall into the wrong hands.

Melanie Karsak’s “Chasing the Star Garden” takes the reader on an exciting adventure from the gritty opium dens of gaslamp London to the gem-colored waters of the ancient world, introducing us Lily Stargazer, a loveable but reckless airship racer with a famous lover and a shattered past.

Lily Stargazer is having a bad day. She just lost the London leg of the 1823 Airship Grand Prix. To top it off, a harlequin fleeing from constables shoved a kaleidoscope down her pants, told her to fly to Venice, then threw himself from her airship tower.

What’s a girl to do? For Lily, the answer is easy: drink absinthe and smoke opium.

Lily’s lover, Lord Byron, encourages her to make the trip to Venice. Lily soon finds herself at the heart of an ancient mystery which has her running from her past and chasing true love and the stars along the way.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

I was going to lose-again. I gripped the brass handles on the wheel hard and turned the airship sharply port. The tiller vibrated in protest making the wheel shake and my wrist bones ache. Bracing my knees against the spokes, I tore off my brown leather gloves to get a better feel. The metal handgrips were smooth and cold. My fingers tingled from the chill.

“Easy,” I whispered to the Stargazer. I looked up from my position at the wheelstand, past the ropes, burner basket, and balloon, toward the clouds. They were drifting slowly left in a periwinkle blue sky. There would be an updraft as we passed over the green brown waters of the canal near Buckingham House. I locked the wheel and jumped from the wheelstand onto the deck of the gondola and looked over the rail. The canal waters were about a hundred feet away. I ran back to the wheel and steadied the ship. If I caught the updraft, it would propel me up and forward, giving me an edge.

“Cutter caught it, Lily,” Jessup yelled down from the burner basket below the balloon opening. “Up he goes,” he added, looking out through his spyglass. The gold polish on the spyglass reflected the fire from the burner.

“Dammit!” I snapped down my binocular lense. I saw Hank Cutter’s red and white striped balloon rise upward. At the top, he pitched forward with great momentum, catching a horizontal wind. I could just make out Cutter at the wheel. His blond hair blew wildly around him. He turned and waved to me. Wanker.

I was not as lucky. Just as the bow of the Stargazer reached the water, a stray wind came in and blew me leeward. The balloon jiggled violently in the turbulent air. I missed the air pocket altogether.

“No! No, no, no!” I cursed and steadied the ship. I had chased Cutter from Edinburgh across the Scottish and English countryside. He had been off his game all day. I’d had him by half a mile the entire race. With the bottom feeders lingering somewhere in the distance behind us, I’d thought the London leg of the 1823 Airship Grand Prix would be mine. That was until St. Albans, where Cutter caught a random breeze that pushed him slightly in front of me. Cutter had a knack for catching favorable winds; it was not a talent I shared.

“We’re coming up on Westminster,” Jessup called from the basket. “Lily, drop altitude. Cutter is too high. Come in low and fast, and you might overtake him.”

The airship towers sat at the pier near the Palace of Westminster along the Thames. A carnival atmosphere had overtaken the city as it always does on race day. There were colorful tents set up everywhere. Vendors hawked their wares to the excited Londoners and international visitors. Even from this distance, I could hear the merchants barking from their tents. I even fancied I could smell roasted peanuts in the wind.

I jumped down from the wheelstand, ran across the deck, and pulled the valve cord, opening the flap at the top of the balloon. Hot air released with a hiss. I kept one eye on the balloon and another eye on Tinkers’ Tower. At this time of day, the heat coming off of the Palace of Westminster and Tinkers’ Tower would give you a bump. I looked up. Cutter had started preparing his descent. It would be close.

I ran back to the wheel.

“Angus, I need more speed,” I yelled down to the gear galley, rapping on the wooden hatch that led to the rods, belts, and propeller parts below.

Angus slapped open the hatch and stuck out his bald head. His face was covered in grease, and his blue-lense monocle glimmered in the sunlight. He looked up at the clouds and back at me.

“Let’s giddyup,” I called to him.

“You trying the Tower sling?” he yelled back.

“You got it.”

He laughed wildly. “That’s my lassie,” he yelled and dropped back down, pulling the wood hatch closed with a clap. I heard the gears grind and the propeller, which had been turning nice and steady, hummed loudly. The ship pitched forward. Within moments, we were coming up on Tinkers’ Tower. The airship towers were just a stone’s throw away.

I aimed the ship directly toward Tinkers’ Tower. Just as the bowsprit neared the clock, I yanked the wheel. The warm air caught us.

“Whoa!” Jessup yelled as the balloon moved within arm’s length of the tower.

The sound of “Ohhs!” echoed from the crowd below.

A mix of warm air and propulsion gave us some go, and seconds later we were slingshotting around Tinkers’ Tower toward the airship platforms. Gliding in on warm air and momentum, we flew fast and low.

Cutter had kept it high, but now he was dropping like a stone toward his own tower. Damned American. I didn’t blame him; I would have used the same move. His balloon was releasing so much air that I wondered if he would be able to slow down in time, not that I wouldn’t mind seeing him smash to the ground in a million pieces.

“It’s going to be close,” Jessup yelled as he adjusted the heat pan.

I guided the helm. The Stargazer was temperamental, but we understood one another. A shake of the wheel warned me I was pushing too hard. “Almost there,” I whispered to the ship.

The Grand Prix Marshalls were standing on the platform. Cutter and I had the end towers. I was going to make it.

“Cut propulsion,” I yelled toward the gear galley. On the floor near the wheelstand was a rope attached to a bell in the galley. I rang it twice. The propeller switched off.

A soft, sweet wind blew in from the port side. It ruffled my hair around my shoulders. I closed my eyes and turned the wheel slightly starboard, guiding the ship in. As the bowsprit scooped into the opening of the tower, I heard a jubilant cheer erupt from the American side and an explosion from the firework cannon signaling the winner had been declared.

My eyes popped open. I tore off my goggles and looked starboard. Cutter’s balloon was parked. I threw the goggles onto the deck and set my forehead against the wheel.

The Stargazer settled into her tower. Jessup set the balloon on hover and, grabbing a rope, swung down to the deck. He then threw the lead lines and anchors onto the platform. The beautifully dressed crowd, gentlemen in suits and top hats and fancy ladies in a rainbow of satin gowns and parasols, rushed toward the American end of the platform to congratulate the winner.

I was, once again, a national disgrace. Lily the loser. Lily second place. Perhaps I would never be anything more than a ferrywoman, a cheap air jockey.

“Good job, Lily. Second place!” Jessup said joining me. He patted me on the shoulder.

I sighed deeply and unbuttoned my vest. The tension had me sweating; I could feel it dripping down from my neck, between my breasts, into my corset.

“You did great,” I told Jessup. “Sorry I let you down.”

“Ah, Lily,” he sighed.

Angus emerged from below wiping sweat from his head with a greasy rag. He pulled off his monocle. He frowned toward the American side. “Well, we beat the French,” he said with a shrug and kissed me on the cheek, smearing grease on me.

“Good job, Angus. Thank you,” I said taking him by the chin and giving him a little shake as I wrinkled my nose and smiled at him.

Angus laughed and dropped his arm around Jessup’s shoulders. They grinned happily at one another.

“You stink, brother,” Jessup told him.

“It’s a wee bit toasty down there. Besides, I pedaled this ship across the entire fucking country while ya were up here looking at the birds. That, my friend, is the smell of success.”

I laughed.

“You pedaled the ship?” Jessup said mockingly. “Like Lil and I were just up here playing cards? If I didn’t keep the balloon aloft, your ass would be kissing the ground.”

“Now wait a minute. Are ya saying your job is more important that mine?” Angus retorted.

I could see where this was going. “Gents.”

“More important? Now why would I say that? Just because I’m the one . . .” Jessup started and then his mouth ran.

“Gents.”

“ . . . and another thing . . .” Jessup went on.

“Gentlemen! Our audience awaits,” I said cutting them both off, motioning to the well-shod crowd who waited for us on the loading platform outside the Stargazer.

I grinned at my crew. “Come on. Let’s go.”

I patted the rail of the Stargazer. “Thanks,” I whispered to her, and we exited onto the platform.

A reporter from the London Times and several race officials stood waiting for me.

“Well done, Lily! Well done!” the British race official congratulated me with a pat on the back. “Second place! King George will be so proud. One of these days you’ll have it, by God.”

I was pretty sure that the last thing I needed was the attention of George IV, the extravagant, unpopular lush. But I bit my tongue and smiled politely.

“Lily, how did Cutter beat you? You led the entire race,” the reporter, a round woman wearing a very thick black lace collar which looked like it was choking her, asked me. Her heavy purple walking dress looked hot under the late afternoon summer sun. The brim of her black satin cap barely shaded her nose. I noticed then, however, that she had a small clockwork fan pin attached to her chest. The fan wagged cool air toward her face.

I pulled off my cap, mopped my forehead, and thought about the question. “Luck,” I replied.

“Lily, that was some move around Tinkers’ Tower. How did you learn to do that?” another reporter asked.

“My father,” I lied.

“Make way, make way,” one of the race officials called, ushering a Marshall forward.

The Marshall looked like someone who lingered an hour too long at supper. The gold buttons on his marigold satin vest would take an eye out if they popped. His overly tall top hat was adorned with a ring of flowers that matched his striking orange colored dress coat.

“Miss Stargazer, congratulations,” he said, shaking my hand. “The Spanish airship is coming in now. Will you please join Mr. Cutter at the winners’ podium?” he asked politely as he guided me forward by the hand.

From below there was a commotion. A man dressed in an unusual costume was rushing up the stairs. What looked like a full squadron of the Bow Street Runners, the London constables, were chasing him. When he got to the loading platform, the man pushed through a crowd of well-dressed ladies and gentlemen, many of whom were gentry. It was then I could see he was dressed as a harlequin. He wore the traditional red and black checked outfit and a black mask. He scanned the towers and caught sight of me. He jumped, landing on the tower railing, and ran toward me. A woman in the crowd screamed. Moments later the constables appeared on the platform. The race Marshalls pointed toward the harlequin who was making a beeline for me.

I let go of the Marshall’s hand and stepped back toward the ship.

“Lily,” Jessup warned, moving protectively toward me.

Angus reached over the deck of the Stargazer and grabbed a very large wrench.

Was it an assassin? Christ, would someone murder me for winning second place? I turned then and ran toward the Stargazer. A moment later, the harlequin flipped from the rail, grabbed one of the Stargazer’s ropes, and swinging over the others, landed on the platform directly in front of me. Any second now, I would be dead.

“Lily?” he asked from behind the mask.

“Stop that man! Stop him!” a constable yelled.

“Get out of my way!” Angus roared at the crowd that had thronged in between us.

The masked man grabbed me, tugged on the front of my trousers, and leaned into my ear. The long nose of the mask tickled my face. “Go to Venice,” he whispered as he stuffed something down the front of my pants.

“We got you now,” a constable said, grabbing him, raising his club.

The man shook him off, took two steps backward, and with a jump, leapt off the tower.

Several people in the crowd screamed.

I rushed to the side of the tower to see the harlequin lying at its base. His body was twisted oddly. Blood began pooling around him.

“Miss Stargazer, are you all right?” a constable asked.

“A man just killed himself in front of me. No, I am not all right.”

“I mean, are you harmed? Did he hurt you?”

I shook my head and looked down at the mangled body whose twisted form made the shape of a three-sided triskelion. It was the same symbol that was painted on the balloon of the Stargazer.

Author Bio

Melanie Karsak grew up in rural northwestern Pennsylvania where there was an abysmal lack of entertainment, so she turned to reading and hiking. Apparently, rambling around the woods with a head full of fantasy worlds and characters will inspire you to become an author. Be warned. Melanie wrote her first novel, a gripping piece about a 1920s stage actress, when she was 12. A steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and caffeine junkie, the author now resides in Florida with her husband and two children. Melanie is an Instructor of English at Eastern Florida State College.

Author Links

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Giveaway

10 ebook ARCs of Chasing the Star Garden

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Blog Tour: Guest Post by Carissa Andrews, author of Pendomus

2013-10-15T09:40:00.000+10:00

Follow the Tour Schedule

Guest Post

THE MANY BOOK LOOKS OF PENDOMUS

When I started writing Pendomus, I would occasionally get stuck. (Say it isn’t so!) When that was the case, I’d lean on my background in communication art (aka Graphic Design) to “sketch out” covers for the book.

It’s been three years since Pendomus first landed in my brain, so bear with some of the thumbnails. Not only has my writing grown with me, so has my visual art. As you may also guess, the book’s title has gone through a few different incarnations, too. ;)

What do you think? Can you see the evolution of the final cover buried in the older thumbnails?

Title: Pendomus

Author: Carissa Andrews

Series: Pendomus Chronicles, Book #1

Publication date: October 10th, 2013

Genres: Young Adult, Dystopia, Fantasy, Science Fiction

Synopsis:

Humanity has colonized on a tidally locked planet known as Pendomus, a planet of extremes. Half eternal scorching desert and half perpetual arctic night. Surviving along the temperate band between the two, we’ve set up home in a complex known as the Helix. Within the Helix lies a highly sophisticated, highly technological society functioning solely on humans fulfilling their life’s purpose. That purpose is determined and nurtured through a person’s natural aptitudes, as read by their daily brain scans. Eating, sleeping, even procreation is handled by professionals. These basic concepts, no longer a part of society’s every day norm.

Seventeen-year-old Runa Cophem longs to be more than part of the Helix machine. Her life inside is anything but fulfilling. She feels disconnected, and longs to be more than society dictates. Inside, no one socializes, no one interacts in a meaningful way. It’s never set right with Runa. She would love nothing more than to reach out to her family, but not even her own mother can show any semblance of love for her. Instead, Runa has found solace in the ancient woods nearby, despite being strictly forbidden.

Runa’s life takes an unforeseen turn when she’s brutally attacked, and left for dead in those woods near the Helix. Rescued by a stranger with blue hair, she’s immersed into a surprising way humanity has survived. Fueled by a yearning to belong, and an attraction she didn’t even know was possible, Runa wants desperately to make a new life. Yet, there’s much she doesn’t know about herself, about the planet and the forces controlling her from afar.

What she needs is some answers.

Purchase

Amazon

Author Bio

Born and raised in central MN, Carissa Andrews has always loved books. She started her career at 15 in a bookstore, just to be able to afford her book fetish. By 19, she worked for a magazine publisher. At 22, she was working for printers to learn their trade. At 27, she went back to school for graphic design, and became an award winning designer. Little did she know all of her experiences would lead her to becoming a self-publishing power house.

At 31, a magical world on a planet far away, invaded her mind.

At 34, she’s learned what she needs to make her work successful.

Pendomus (Book 1 of the Pendomus Chronicles) will be released OCTOBER 10, 2013.

Author Links

Giveaway

Grand prize giveaway

Prizes:

-Perfumes and aquamarine stones (related to the book) - US/CAN only

-3 Amazon gift cards (2 x 10$ and 1 x 25$) - INTL

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Cover Reveal: Push by Eve Silver with Giveaway

2013-10-08T20:27:00.001+10:00

Title: Push (The Game #2)

Author: Eve Silver

Release Date: 2014

Publisher: Harper Teen

Book Summary:

It’s either break the rules or die.

Miki Jones lives her life by her own strict set of rules, to keep control, to keep the gray fog of grief at bay. Then she’s pulled into the Game, where she—and her team—will die unless she follows a new set of rules: those set by the mysterious Committee.

But rules don’t mean answers, and without answers, it’s hard to trust. People are dying. The rules are unraveling. And Miki knows she’s being watched, uncertain if it’s the Drau or someone—something—else. Forced to make impossible choices and battling to save those she loves, Miki begins to see the Committee in a glaring new light.

And then the Game crosses a new boundary, pushes harder into Miki’s and her friends’ lives, and there’s nothing in the rules that can save them now.

Push is the sequel Rush fans will be screaming for.

Pre-Order:

Book One:

(linked to Goodreads)

Available from:

About the Author
Eve Silver lives with her gamer husband and sons, sometimes in Canada, but often in worlds she dreams up. She loves kayaking and sunshine, dogs and desserts, and books, lots and lots of books. Watch for the first book in Eve’s new teen series, THE GAME: RUSH, coming from Katherine Tegen Books, June 2013. She also writes books for adults.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:

Harper Teen is offering an ARC of PUSH as the prize, which will be mailed to the winner early 2014, as soon as ARCs become available. (US and Canada only)

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Cover Reveal Organized by:

eARC Review: Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis

2013-10-08T13:00:00.000+10:00

Title: Not A Drop To Drink
Author: Mindy McGinnis
Published: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Katherine Tegen Books
Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian

Regret was for people with nothing to defend, people who had no water.

Lynn knows every threat to her pond: drought, a snowless winter, coyotes, and, most importantly, people looking for a drink. She makes sure anyone who comes near the pond leaves thirsty, or doesn't leave at all.

Confident in her own abilities, Lynn has no use for the world beyond the nearby fields and forest. Having a life means dedicating it to survival, and the constant work of gathering wood and water. Having a pond requires the fortitude to protect it, something Mother taught her well during their quiet hours on the rooftop, rifles in hand.

But wisps of smoke on the horizon mean one thing: strangers. The mysterious footprints by the pond, nighttime threats, and gunshots make it all too clear Lynn has exactly what they want, and they won’t stop until they get it….

With evocative, spare language and incredible drama, danger, and romance, debut author Mindy McGinnis depicts one girl’s journey in a barren world not so different than our own.

Review

Firstly, let me say that a lot of people are not going to see this as a perfect 5 star book. This probably isn't a "perfect" book, but do you know - I don't care. To me it deserves 5 stars. Yes it's not perfect, but that doesn't mean its not worth it.

This is a story of drought, a world where freshwater is scarce. Lynn and her mum have their own pond which they defend with a 'shot first, ask questions later' attitude. Lynn, raised in isolation with her mum, knows nothing else but to defend that pond.

Steb is their neighbour and I loved hearing how he was dealing with the drought as he has very little to do with Lynn and her mum. I really enjoyed his character and what he taught Lynn.

Lynn's mum appears callous and hard but once you learn her story, it becomes more understandable. She shows a lot of strength in what she has dealt with.

I loved Lynn. Throughout the story her character just continued to grow. There is a romance aspect, which of course concerns Lynn, but it was a sweet and cute one, that fitted with the story.

This is a well done, quick easy read that is thought provoking, emotional and heartbreaking.

If you like dystopians then definite give this a read. It's a favourite of the year for me.

★★★★★

It Was Amazing

Buy Links

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

The Inspiration Behind Not A Drop To Drink

Reasons, Excuses, Changes, and Why.

2013-10-07T23:04:00.000+10:00

So I’ve been missing on here and social media for a while now. And this is the story of WHY.

In July I joined in on a Debut-A-Thon read a thon. I got through a few books, more than I normally would. Then I kind of stopped. Reading that is. I would start a book, read a bit then stop. Start another, and so on and so forth. I'm not joking. I currently have 6 books that I have started but not finished. I have read complete books in the mean time, books that I finished within a day or two (see below*). The thing was - I lost interest. I lost interest in reading. I lost interest in trying to keep up with blogging.

Then I had uni assignments, so I did them and stayed away from reading. I still tried to post on the blog, but if you look over my posts, you'll see I went from 40 odd posts per month prior to August to 16 in August and 12 in September.

I joined another read a thon thinking it might motivate me back to read. ..... No. It didn't. That ended on the 22 Sept. My last post was a promo on the 23 Sept. I haven't posted in 2 weeks.

Add to all this the kerfuffle with negative reviews, authors/reviewers, and now Goodreads. All this negativity was getting me down. I don't need that kind of stress over something that was meant to be a positive, fun hobby.

I still like reading. I still visit goodreads. I just stopped reading and book blogging when I realised it was consuming my life and that it had become my life. I was starting to not have time for anything else. I was always worried about getting reviews up in time, getting books read, helping out with promo posts and what not. It was consuming my time. So I stopped.

I'm still not in the mood to read. I'm still trying to finish those books - and yes some of them are review books so I apologise to the publishers that are waiting on these reviews. They will come, but it will be when I'm ready.

This brings me to the changes. I'm not going to be posting on here all the time any more. I wont be doing a pile of promo posts. I wont be doing memes every week.

So what will I do. That's easy.

I will post reviews.

I will post discussions.

I will post promos and cover reveals of books I am actually interested in. Not just promos for the sake of promos.

But I will be posting these when I want to. I'm not reviewing books any more - unless I specially want to read a particular book (Look out for my Countdown review which will be up soon). I don't want to read to a schedule. I don't want to have to read a book by a certain time. I want to read what is on my shelf. I want to read at my own pace. I most of all, I want to enjoy reading again.

I have a life outside of books, blogging and the internet. I don't want books to define me. I have other interests and I'd like to take the time to pursue them too. To do that, something has to give, and that something is posting frequently on the blog and spending all my time reading to do so.

So that's it. I'm still around. I'll still chat - Twitter is probably better to get me on as I get notified on my phone. But I wont be posting as often.

Another thing - I mentioned a while back that I was going to do a giveaway to celebrate my 1 year blogoversary but I never got around to doing it. I will probably be doing a giveaway in the near future as I have a couple of double up books I'd like to get off my shelf (for Aus peeps only - sorry, postage is too expensive) so keep an eye out for that. I'll also do an international one around the same time too.

Well, now you know the why's and I hope you all understand.

I'll see you all around the place at one time or another. Have a great week! :D

The books I read lately (and loved)

Stung

Countdown

Thirteen Reasons Why

Why did I read them - I don't know but I loved them from the first page so maybe they held my interest better!?!?

Book Blitz: Eramane by Frankie Ash with Giveaway & Author Q&A

2013-09-23T19:06:00.002+10:00

Title: Eramane

Author: Frankie Ash

Series: Eramane Trilogy, #1

Publication date: Summer, 2013

Publisher: Archway Publishing

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Synopsis:

In the village of Eludwid, seventeen-year-old Eramane Fahnestock goes about her life, cheerfully disregarding a prophecy made to her parents that she would have a great gift. Not yet wed and beset with boredom, Eramane cannot shake the feeling that something exciting awaits her beyond Eludwid. But when she is invited to picnic with a handsome young suitor, Eramane has no idea that her life will soon change forever.

As Eramane prepares for her date, she is suddenly hypnotized by a strange voice that tells her he will be coming for her that night. Unsettled but determined to press forward, Eramane and her suitor, Lebis, head to the woods to enjoy their picnic. As darkness falls on the forest, however, a beast emerges, transforming their beautiful outing into a terrifying scene. Taken captive and carried away to a mountain hideaway, Eramane finds her memories are soon clouded, even as her family frantically searches for her back home.

In this gripping fantasy tale, evil is summoned to the mountaintop, forcing a young woman to discover her magical gifts and exact revenge against a beast determined to destroy everything she has ever loved.

Author Q&A

What inspired you to write ERAMANE?

I really don’t remember. It was over ten years ago when the idea popped in my head. I think I was driving in my car. But that’s the awesome thrill of being a writer, when those great ideas just peek-a-boo in on you.

What are some of your favorite books/authors?

The Hobbit, anything from Poe or King, I added a new fav when I read The Hunger Games, Ann Rice has a special place in my heart, and I read every single R.L Stein book I could get my hands on when I was a kid.

How did you get in to writing?

From reading, there is something about a really great book that takes hold of you and won’t let go, and you find yourself thinking, “Man, I want to create something that awesome too!”

What do you like to do other than write?

I love listening to music and hanging with my family. I like catching a movie here and there. I really like to drink coffee and think about writing. Umm, does that count?

Did you listen to music when you wrote ERAMANE, and if so, who were some of the artists?

I sure did. But the experience of music is so individual, and tagging Eramane with the music that helped inspire me to write it might spoil the experience for others. It might not be that big of a deal, I don’t know.

How long did it take to write ERAMANE?

Well like I said, the idea came to me over ten years ago. I began writing immediately but not steadily. I didn’t actually finish it until 2005. Then I sat on it for several years before deciding to publish. And there were some developmental changes made during the editing process, but for the most part my initial story remained. So in short…haha…about 13 years. Don’t worry though; book two is moving along at a much faster rate

Did you have the whole trilogy planned before you began writing book #1?

Not even close. I know how I want ERAMANE to end, and I know certain things that I want to happen in the story, certain things that have to happen, and with that I will take her to the end…the path is plotted daily.

Buy Links

Amazon

Author Bio

Frankie Ash is the author of the YA novel Eramane, COMING SOON! She holds a B.A. in English and resides on the east-coast somewhere between “Will it ever be warm again?” and “The summers here are too short!” She is currently writing book #2 of The Eramane Trilogy, to be published in 2014.

Author links

Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card + eBook of Eramane (Open internationally)

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Tackle Your TBR Read-a-Thon Wrap Up

2013-09-22T22:22:00.001+10:00

I was really hoping to get read the 4 books I'm in the middle of, but I didn't. I didn't even get to read 100 pages per day. Link to my original goals.

Totals

Books currently reading: 4

Total finished books: 1

Titles of finished books: Countdown by Michelle Rowen

Pages read: 50 pages of 2 books I'd already started plus 336 pages of Countdown.
Total Pages: 386

Oh well, I got one complete book read - although it wasn't a listed one that I wanted to read. That's more than I've read in the past month so that has to count for something!

Thanks to Tressa and Laura for organising this!

Delirious About Books

Release: Rise Up Volume 2

Release: Rise Up Volume 1 Collection‏ - In support of Stephanie

Cover Reveal: Girls On Fire boxed set‏

Release Day Blitz: Ex-Factor by Elisa Dane, with Giveaway

Blog Tour: Enmity by E. J. Andrews - Guest Post: Character Profile

Stacking The Shelves #58

Stacking The Shelves #57

Mini Review Monday #4 - The Tahereh Mafi and John Green edition

Review: The Archived by Victoria Schwab

Review: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher

Top Ten 2014 Debuts I'm Excited For

Book Blitz: PODs by Michelle Pickett, with Excerpt & Giveaway

Giveaway! 2 YA paperback novels up for grabs.

Happy New Year!

Top Ten Books I Read In 2013

Waiting on Wednesday #52 - Rebel by Amy Tintera

Waiting on Wednesday #51 - Enders by Lissa Price

Stacking the Shelves #56

Cover Reveal Chasing the Star Garden by Melanie Karsak‏, with Giveaway

Blog Tour: Guest Post by Carissa Andrews, author of Pendomus

Cover Reveal: Push by Eve Silver with Giveaway

eARC Review: Not A Drop To Drink by Mindy McGinnis

Reasons, Excuses, Changes, and Why.

Book Blitz: Eramane by Frankie Ash with Giveaway & Author Q&A

Tackle Your TBR Read-a-Thon Wrap Up