TinasBookReviews

The Saturday Spotlight with Jennifer Thompson & Giveaway of Silver and Stone

2012-05-26T08:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight a weekly event hosted by Tinasbookreviews. This feature shines the light on Debut and Indie authors, a very growing and popular group of writers. This week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

~JENNIFER THOMPSON~

Author of Silver and Stone

Hi Jennifer, welcome to the blog, please Tell us a little about yourself?

I'm a mother of two and wife of one. My day job is actually as an electroneurophysiology tech but since most people look like a dear in the head lights when I mention it, I didn't bother writing it into my author bio. I own a small photography business, which I absolutely love. I mostly write at night when the kids are asleep and I don't have toys and baby spit up flying at my head.

Indie publishing....hard road or good experience?

I won't lie; it wasn't easy. As a first time author I had no idea what I was actually getting myself into. I had to first figure how to even get my work out there, and then everything from the cover to the formatting and everything in between. It's a lot of work for one person, especially when that person is new to the literary world. That being said, indie publishing does have its advantages. Every decision is your own and so the author has total creative control.

What influenced you to write Silver and Stone?

While on maternity leave, I went on a YA paranormal romance bender so to speak. The more I read, the more annoyed I became with vampires. They're deadly sexy, we get it. But I kept thinking that there MUST be something else out there. That's where the character of Lucas took life and the Bloodlines series was born.

If you could pick a song that fit the mood of your book what would it be and why?

That's a tough one since the book touches so many different themes, but I would have to say Birdy's rendition of Skinny Love matches the dark melancholic mood of Silver and Stone.

What would you like readers to walk away with after reading your book?

I hope they walk away wanting more!

Whats on the horizon for Jennifer Thompson?

I'm hoping to complete the three book series by 2013. I also have another series in mind, though it's still only in the conceptual stages.

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Jennifer, it sounds like your going to be busy writing away!!! Your book sounds really interesting, thank you for being on the spotlight today and best of luck to your writing career.

GIVEAWAY

Today Jennifer is giving away one eBook copy of Silver and Stone. To enter please just leave a comment. Winner will be drawn June 2, 2012.

Silver and Stone

Welcome to high school high society hell. As if senior year at Weatherford Preparatory School wasn’t hard enough, sixteen year old Alexis Bardolph had to add school outcast to the curriculum.A new found notoriety following a family scandal, her lacrosse star boy-friend dumping her for a former BFF and a string of perpetually bad hair days were among the many things going wrong in her already turbulent teenage life. But when the haunting nightmares that have plagued her since childhood begin to take an eerily tangible form and several Holler Creek residents are reported missing, Alexis can’t help but wonder if there isn't more to her hellish dreams than meets the eye.

The unexpected arrival of a mysterious and dangerously handsome new student ultimately leads Alexis to troubling truths that not even her wildest imagination could have conjured.

Find out More about this author at her Blog

~If you are an Indie author and would like to be featured please check out the features page.
~If you are a blogger and would like to participate in this feature please email me for more info.

Book Review~ Arranged by Catherine McKenzie

2012-05-25T10:40:00.001-04:00

Arranged by Catherine McKenzie
May 15, 2012 by William Morrow
Paperback, Pages
Review Copy

Anne is your typical savvy career prone 33 year old woman. She's young, full of life, has great hair and has a weakness for good looking, blue-eyed, dark haired men who always break her heart. Why, when she has the looks, the body, the success and the personality, does she always pick the wrong one, why do they keep leaving her?

Those are the questions Anne asks herself before contemplating a dating service. At her wits end and sick of the dating scene, Anne decides to swallow her pride and go for it. When she actually starts the process with a secret and unknown company, she learns that the agency is in fact not a dating service but arranges marriages for couples in need of a husband or wife. Its totally legit and legal and only assigns willing, consenting adults, to the sum of ten thousand dollars.

At first Anne is floored by the idea but over the course of a few weeks and wringing her hands about the money, decides to go forward with it, I mean her best friend is getting married, her brother Gil and his happy wife are on baby number four and her mom can't understand why she wont just settle down....what could possibly go wrong? She'll either A: find a husband or B: get rejected from the program. So Anne does it with both feet in and undergoes evaluation and tons of tests to match her personality with the perfect man. She has to start rounds of therapy, things that help her see why she picks the men she does and gets to know herself a little better, because when the man is found there is no dating, its a meet and marriage arrangement, the company wants to make sure Anne is prepared and ready.

Anne fumbles her way through the process and everyday that a man isn't found she gets more nervous, in a sense shes ready to leave the awkward dating shenanigans behind her and settle down, but can she really just marry some guy before even going on a date with him? Anne finds out after a few months, when a man named Jack is matched to her and all her dreams are promised to come true. They each travel separately to a resort in Mexico, meet in a room full of other couples, eat dinner privately and you guessed it.....get married.

The therapist {who worked with them both in the beginning} warns the eager couple to take things slow, build a friendship and commit to the level of marriage they both so eagerly wanted. But when the couple rushes things and lets the intensity of their attraction get away from them, things lead to faster than should have scenarios. When the excitement and dangerous thrill of Jack and Anne's choice wears off the two must face reality when back at home. Friends and family must be told, lives must be merged and living together takes on a life of its own. Can the couple make it? Is it a dream come true? Only time will tell and the odds are stacked against them.

I so loved this book, it was brilliantly funny and Anne was a hysterical drama queen who captured my heart in the first chapter, she was so fun, at times calm and admirable and other times flighty and dramatic. Yes the cliche single woman with a great career looking for love arc was the building stones of Arranged, but McKenzie brought such originality to her story with the concept of an extreme dating service arranging marriages that I was able to overlook that. The book is told in three parts, before the marriage, the marriage and the after, my favorite part being of course the after because that's when the seriousness of the story took hold and the real depth of McKenzie's unique characters surfaced. Most of the book had me smiling, laughing out load and saying things like "ohhhh, noooo"...when things were said and done I filed Arranged under recommended summer reads for a blast of good time.

Rating

Arranged is recommended to adult readers and contains: Strong language, drinking and sexuality including sex scenes and dialog.

4/5- Contemporary
Thanks to William Morrow and TLC Book Tours for Review Copy

Catherine McKenzie was born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, where she now practices law. An avid runner and skier, she also sits on various boards and professional organizations, and has taught part-time at the McGill Faculty of Law.

Check out the Rest of the Tour

May 16th: “That’s Swell!”

May 22nd: Twisting the Lens

May 23rd: Creating Comfort

May 24th: Book Journey

May 29th: Life In Review

May 30th: Peeking Between the Pages

May 31st: Colloquium

June 1st: Sara’s Organized Chaos

Book Review- Balthazar by Claudia Gray

2012-05-23T10:45:00.000-04:00

Balthazar by Claudia Gray
March 6, 2012 by HarperTeen
Hardcover, 347 Pages
Purchased

Skye is all to familiar with the ghosts and vampires that surrounded her at Evernight Academy, before it burnt down to the ground. For years shes lived with ghosts and had an uncanny ability to sense them. So when she lent a helping hand to Bianca in the last book, she was left with a permanent ability into physic power that can reach into the world of the wraiths and connect her to ones that have passed on. With this new power it also changed Skye's blood, making it a potent powerful drug like magic to a vampire. A chance encounter with an old vampire who bites her makes this fact known to the vampire world and Skye finds herself the desire of a very evil group of blood suckers. With a taste of Skye's blood a vampire is transported (like a powerful hallucination) back to their previous life before turning and however brief the trip it brings back all the feelings of being alive. Needless to say, Skye is viewed as a major intoxicating human who is wanted for power, greed and lust. She's pretty much doomed to a life of slavery or a life of death.

When Skyes best friend Lucas asks Balthazar to keep an eye on her, he easily obliges. Having known each other from Evernight, the two find it easy to be around each other and build a fast friendship. Skye has actually always secretly admired Balthazar's good looks and old fashioned gentleman persona and pretty much falls for him within the first few weeks together. Balthazar becomes her full time body guard and when he discovers that the vampire leading the hunt for her is his sire, the man who claimed his life 400 years ago, the mission becomes personal.

Swept away by powerful memories, attacks around every corner and a soft realization that Skye is slowly becoming more than a friend makes everything crucial to keep her safe. Of course our broody Vamp who has sworn to never have a relationship with a human doesn't fail in his mission to make everything even more difficult as he denies once again what he truly desires.

Balthazar was a fabulous edition and spin-off from the Evernight series, he was always my favorite character from the books {especially Stargazer} and being in his head this time around was tremendous. B is a big ball of emotions, he's almost Edward like only older with his years of struggling against his vampire nature, the tortured I want to be a human again, but different because of his sordid and heartbreaking past, he's unbelievably strong and brave yet has an ancient sadness that pulls at the heartstrings. Only a taste of his life is shown in the previous books, tiny little snippets of a hinted romance and a crazy sister, in this book instead of just a glimpse into his past we get to be there, learning how he was changed, what his sister Charity went through, what he did to her, seeing and feeling the agony of his parents deaths and the death of the girl he loved. We also find out the torture he went through becoming a vampire and loneliness that has made this hundreds of years old vampire-man trapped in a 19 year old body become who he's become.

Grays delicious detail to an already enduring character gave him depth and soul (we wont mention the whole immaturity back to teenage shenanigans thing here) and FINALLY gave him the girl.

A Little Fun:

So I read on Claudia's blog that she wrote parts of Balthazar while listening to the Inception movie score. So I thought it would be fun to reread some of my favorite parts and listen to see if I could see the scene with the music. So I played The Dream is Real and it was crazy fun to feel what the music did for the action in the scenes. Listening, I read about the two getting trapped in a room at an old gas station, the vampires kicking and breaking in through the door, Balthazar crashing through the wall with his body, saving Skye from the evil vamps, they run, he's dragging her, a car flips over to not hit them, the gas station explodes, running again, gasping, falling and then Balthazar tastes Skyes blood that's sprayed into the ground and then he's being zapped back to the 1640s as memories flash before his eyes, then zapped back to the street of fire and craziness, then riding on the horses, being chased, being beaten, falling off the cliff, falling into the water, Skye trying to save a drowning Balthazar, the vampires getting closer to her......Skye taking off Balthazar's clothes, Balthazar biting into her neck.......Skye running, the wraiths, everything freezing her.......Balthazar going ballistic like bat shit crazy and beating a vampire with a crow bar.......and then the kiss...with the gasps and the thighs and the hands.....I just had a mini-movie explosion in my brain!

Ok so its safe to say this book was a blast and action packed and written with Claudia Gray awesomeness that you can enjoy even without having read the Evernight series. So what if it was a tad cheesy or a bit far-fetched with the use of a hundreds year old immortal falling for an 18 year old, or that Gray did a ton of telling and not showing, I still liked it and Im also totally in love with Balthazar. Its been a long time since a vampire made me weak in the knees and its so much fun!

Rating

Recommended to mature teens (16-17ish&up) and contains: Violence, blood, gore, torture, gruesome deaths {told not shown} sexuality-including sex scenes, mild language, hinted memories and scenarios such as rape, child abuse and pedophilia.

4/5- YA-Vampires

Feature~ Shelf Cravings {49}

2012-05-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

Its time for Shelf Cravings~ a weekly dish on books. New releases, coming soon, just discovered and great Nook deals. This week Im excited for:

Coming Soon

Covet by Tracey Garvis Graves
Summer-2012

What if the life you wanted, and the woman you fell in love with, belonged to someone else? Chris and Claire Canton’s marriage is on life support. Downsized during the recession, Chris copes by retreating to a dark place where no one can reach him, not even Claire. Daniel Rush had it all, until a tragic accident took away everything he cherished. A chance meeting with Claire sets in motion a chain of events that will leave three people questioning their choices and dealing with the aftermath of their decisions.

Crewel by Gennifer Albin
October 6, 2012 by Farrar

Incapable. Awkward. Artless.That’s what the other girls whisper behind her back. But sixteen year-old Adelice Lewys has a secret: she wants to fail. Gifted with the ability to weave time with matter, she’s exactly what the Guild is looking for, and in the world of Arras, being chosen as a Spinster is everything a girl could want. It means privilege, eternal beauty, and being something other than a secretary. It also means the power to embroider the very fabric of life. But if controlling what people eat, where they live and how many children they have is the price of having it all, Adelice isn’t interested. Not that her feelings matter, because she slipped and wove a moment at testing, and they’re coming for her—tonight. Now she has one hour to eat her mom’s overcooked pot roast. One hour to listen to her sister’s academy gossip and laugh at her Dad’s stupid jokes. One hour to pretend everything’s okay. And one hour to escape. Because once you become a Spinster, there’s no turning back.

Defiance by C.J Redwine
August 2012 by Balzer & Bray

Within the walls of Baalboden, beneath the shadow of the city’s brutal leader, Rachel Adams has a secret. While other girls sew dresses, host dinner parties, and obey their male Protectors, Rachel knows how to survive in the wilderness and deftly wield a sword. When her father, Jared, fails to return from a courier mission and is declared dead, the Commander assigns Rachel a new Protector, her father’s apprentice, Logan—the same boy Rachel declared her love for two years ago, and the same boy who handed her heart right back to her. Left with nothing but fierce belief in her father’s survival, Rachel decides to escape and find him herself. But treason against the Commander carries a heavy price, and what awaits her in the Wasteland could destroy her. At nineteen, Logan McEntire is many things. Orphan. Outcast. Inventor. As apprentice to the city’s top courier, Logan is focused on learning his trade so he can escape the tyranny of Baalboden. But his plan never included being responsible for his mentor’s impulsive daughter. Logan is determined to protect her, but when his escape plan goes wrong and Rachel pays the price, he realizes he has more at stake than disappointing Jared. As Rachel and Logan battle their way through the Wasteland, stalked by a monster that can’t be killed and an army of assassins out for blood, they discover romance, heartbreak, and a truth that will incite a war decades in the making.

Kat Fight by Dina Silver
June 1, 2012 by CreateSpace

The seriously funny, fabulously flawed Kat Porter has arrived, and she may just steal your heart—not to mention your boyfriend. Readers everywhere will revel in this sharp-witted, well-meaning whirlwind in author Dina Silver’s hilarious new novel, Kat Fight. In her quest for love, Kat makes every wrong turn, juggling two men, one best friend, and her own deeply confused heart’s desires.

Can Kat connect with the man of her dreams without hurting two of the people she cares most about? At the same time, she must also contend with the quips of her beloved catty coworker Adam, her bi-polar boss Brooke, and a string of comic, unpredictable plot twists. All the while, Kat’s cheeky perspective and generous heart will leave readers adoring every moment of her journey while chuckling and cheering for the ever cute, razor-sharp Kat as she fights to land the love of a lifetime.

New Releases

Afterwards by Rosamund Lupton
April 24, 2012 by Crown Publishing

Black smoke stains a summer blue sky. A school is on fire. And one mother, Grace, sees the smoke and rush. She knows her teenage daughter Jenny is inside. She runs into the burning building to rescue her. Afterwards Grace must find the identity of the arsonist and protect her children from the person who's still intent on destroying them. Afterwards, she must fight the limits of her physical strength and discover the limitlessness of love.

Swipe by Evan Angler
May 8, 2012 by Thomas Nelson

Set in a future North America that is struggling to recover after famine and global war, Swipe follows the lives of three kids caught in the middle of a conflict they didn’t even know existed. United under a charismatic leader, every citizen of the American Union is required to get the Mark on their 13th birthday in order to gain the benefits of citizenship.

The Mark is a tattoo that must be swiped by special scanners for everything from employment to transportation to shopping. It’s almost Logan Langly’s 13th birthday and he knows he should be excited about getting the Mark, but he hasn’t been able to shake the feeling he’s being watched. Not since his sister went to get her Mark five years ago . . . and never came back. When Logan and his friends discover the truth behind the Mark, will they ever be able to go back to being normal teenagers? Find out in the first book of this exciting series that is Left Behind meets Matched for middle-grade readers.

Is that a great bunch or what!? I loved Tracey Garvis Graves first book On the Island, so Im over the moon to get Covet. I cant wait to check out Defiance and see what Dina Silver has whipped up for her sophomore helping, all these books look great. Which one looks good to you?

And my Kindle/Nook/Ereader Purchases for the last two weeks:

Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini~ .99 Cents
Effortless by S.C Stephens~ 3.99 (Bought at Smashwords)
Obsidian by Jennifer Armentrout~ 5.99
Cornerstone by Misty Provencher~ .99 Cents

$12.00 Bucks total....a little more than normal for Ebooks, but I couldn't pass up the deals!

Book Review- Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan

2012-05-21T08:00:00.000-04:00

Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan
May 1, 2012 by Thomas Nelson
Hardcover, 352 Pages
Review Copy

Sam Hopkins, a normal, sixteen year old teen wants more than anything to just fit in with his peers. He longs to be on the track team and capture the heart of a pretty popular girl. He longs for once to just be Sam. The kids at his school are nice enough, but they never really let him in or make him feel like another kid in the group. Sam doesn't fit in with the popular kids or really any of the kids because of who his father is....a pastor at a local church in the community. Always labeled as the mood killing PK {Pastors Kid} no one is ever real and everyone is overly polite afraid that they cant be themselves around the ministers son. Everyone expects one hundred percent from Sam and everyone expects him to do the right thing, except for the bullies, those guys just hit and knock Sam around. Which is how the book opens up, Sam being chased by bullies and standing up to them out of anger. It shocks and impresses the leader so much that he wants Sam in the group. Attempting to be anything other than what he's been labeled, Sam winds up making friends with them and joining in the band of dangerous boys. Thieves and all around trouble makers who steal cars, participate in illegal activities and have really no aspirations for a good future. Everything a PK kid needs to avoid.....and everything that screams rebellion.

During this time, which Sam calls the biggest mistake of his life, he gets deeper into the crimes and finds him self doing things that he knows is wrong and drifting further away from his Pk status. He also winds up meeting Jennifer, the sister of one of the guys in the group and life takes a spin into the unknown when he stands up for her against a bully at school. Jennifer herself is mentally ill and is constantly plagued by visions and voices in her head, that we later learn are demons taunting her. Compounded by her mental illness, Jennifer's hallucinations are terribly frightening and horrific to live with. her mother is frustrated with her, her brother while supportive just doesn't understand, that's why its such a God send when Sam comes into her life, he's the first close friend she's ever had and with that trust shes able to share and connect with him about what shes seeing. When Jennifer's visions start revealing some frightening premonitions of the future, Sam decides to help her figure things out and dares to become the hero that stops the madness about to take place, but at what cost and who will believe him when no one will listen?

Crazy Dangerous was a fun, fast and sometimes really weird read. For me personally I loved Klavan's voice and how he was able to create a young male protagonist that fit the age perfectly. While I liked the actual plot of Crazy Dangerous, the story itself was very youth driven and a tad juvenile for the YA I normally do read. Granted I think this book will be a wonderful addition to the middle grade audience, I wouldn't recommend it to adults. Crazy Dangerous has a profound message of right verses wrong, evil verses good and the lengths of true friendship.

Rating

Recommended to kids and teens 12&up and contains: Violence, bullying, mental disorders,frightening hallucinations, faith aspects and use of demonic activity.

3.5/5- YA-Inspy Thriller
Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Litfuse for Review Copy

Enter for your chance to Win:

A $100 Visa Cash Card

A copy of Crazy Dangerous by Andrew Klavan for YOU and 5 of your Friends!

Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. But hurry, the giveaway ends at noon on May 28th. Winner will be announced at the "Crazy Dangerous" Author Chat Facebook Party on 5/29. Andrew will be hosting an Author Chat, testing your survival trivia skills, giving away books and gift certificates to iTunes and Amazon.com! Don't miss a second of the "danger"!

Grab your copy of Crazy Dangerous and connect with Andrew on the evening of 5/29/12 for an author chat and lots of giveaways.

The Saturday Spotlight With Kaiya Hart & Getting Thin Giveaway

2012-05-19T09:47:00.002-04:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature shining the light on Indie and Debut authors, this week I have the pleasure introducing readers to:

KAIYA HART~Author of Getting Thin

Hi Kaiya, please tell us a little about yourself.

First, I would like to thank you for having me. I’ve been writing seriously since I was eighteen. I’m a reader and always have been. My heroes were always fictional characters in books and I’ve always secretly believed that they are real people, even if they don’t exactly exist where we can call them up on the phone. Growing up, I devoured books by the dozen. I love words and I try to spend as much time as possible fitting them together and playing with them. I spend a lot of time in made up worlds, and, sometimes, I get a little confused about the difference between the places that are fictional and the ones that actually exist, lol.

What inspired you to write Getting Thin?

This was one of those rare books that required no real help from me. Eva just started talking in my head one day and telling me this story. She is one of my favorite characters, despite all the darkness in her. She has a beautiful, poetic mind, and once she started talking, that was all the inspiration I needed because I always wanted to know what she was going to say next.

If you could pick a song that fit the mood of the book, what would it be and why?

Actually, I have soundtracks for all my books when I’m writing them. There are several songs which I could pick, but I think the song that really fits best is The Kill by 30 Seconds to Mars. I love the lyrics of that song because, to me, it is a song about someone realizing they have to accept who they are, no matter what anyone else thinks, even those closest to them, even if it means they have to accept their own insanity.

What three indie books would you recommend to readers?

Well, I don’t usually check to see who is indie and who isn’t. I just read what appeals to me. However, there are a few that I do know are indie and well worth a read. The first is Brains, Trains, and Video Games by Alicia Hart. Birthright (The Dark Gifts) By Willow Cross (or anything else Willow has written, really) is my second choice. Vs. Reality by Blake Northcott is my third pick and this one is really something if you love the superhero genre. There are so many talented authors out there right now, but these are books that I think are extra special.

What would you like readers to walk away with after reading your book?

If I could point out anything for people to pay attention to, it is that Eva was so willing to give herself up because she thought she wasn’t good enough. It took someone else to point out how amazing she was. I would tell people that, no matter who you are, what you look like, or how much you weigh, you are amazing and anyone who can’t see that isn’t worth your time. Don’t wait for someone else to come along and give you value. Find it for yourself and don’t let anyone take it away.

Can you share any future plans?

Well, I have several books I want to write, but right now I’m working on books 2 and 3 of my fantasy trilogy The War for Inisfail. I really want to finish that before moving on to anything else.

Kaiya, your book sounds fabulous! Thanks for stopping by today and PS- I love that song you chose, my first celebrity crush (after New Kids on the Block of course) was Jared Leto so that is awesome...true story.

~GIVEAWAY~

Today- thanks to Tim Mann, I have five eBook copies of Getting Thin to giveaway to my readers! Woot! This is open to everyone, please just leave a comment for an entry! Winners will be picked May 26, 2012. Thanks and goodluck.

When Roxy was alive, she was the perfect friend. When Roxy was alive, she was the girl everyone wanted to know. When Roxy was alive, she was the girl everyone fell in love with. The trouble is, Roxy isn't alive anymore and now she is looking for payback. Even if it means destroying her best friend in the process. This is a tale of Eva, one girl haunted by something more than just her best friend's tortured spirit. Her sanity is Getting Thin and she is starting to become the one person she never wanted to be. For Eva, Roxy is the key to finding herself and sometimes discovering who you really are isn't a good thing.

Find out more about this author at: www.kaiyahart.com

Blog Tour: Guest Post & Giveaway with Genevieve Graham

2012-05-18T09:05:00.002-04:00

Today Im thrilled to welcome Genevieve Graham to the blog for a guest post and a part of the Sound of the Heart Blog Tour.

Crossing Over by Genevieve Graham

In the beginning there was FICTION. And lo, the world so loved fiction that it became splintered among the masses.

Those who followed their hearts read ROMANCE.

a novel or other prose narrative depicting heroic ormarvelous deeds, pageantry, romantic exploits, etc., usuallyin a historical or imaginary setting.

Those who desired puzzles read MYSTERIES.

a novel, short story, play, or film whose plot involves a crimeor other event that remains puzzlingly unsettled until thevery end: a mystery by Agatha Christie.

Romance, of course, occurs at any time, anywhere. To accommodate that, the literary world embraced Historical Romance, Contemporary Romance, Futuristic Romance, even Erotic Romance.

Mysteries branched into Crime Fiction, Detective Fiction, suspense, thriller, and various other forms of WhoDunIt.

Other genres emerged, including Action/Adventure, Horror, Fantasy/Science Fiction, Westerns, Inspiration … and Paranormal.

Now the literary world had something new upon which to chew! Genres which had previously been limited to the ‘possible’ now swung open to reveal a treasure trove of the ‘impossible’. This new genre embraced the true concept of “fiction”, meaning the reader was forced to open their mind to a world they might not otherwise consider. Readers were introduced to vampires, ghosts, monsters, psychic phenomenon, time travel, and more.

What happens when Paranormal is married to Romance? We may be swept into the monumental struggle of a non-human entity in love with one of us, battling obstacles thrust in their path.

What about Paranormal with Mystery? Perhaps a ghost seeking to solve his or her own murder?

Now go farther. Explore the concept of Historical Paranormal Romance Adventure. That’s what you’ll discover in my novel, “Sound of the Heart”.

✔ Historical : The first thing you’ll notice is that the story occurs in the 1700’s. Read a little farther and you’ll see the history is accurate, brutal, and real.

✔ Paranormal : Then Dougal will tell you about the gift he has: the ability to hear other men’s thoughts and even to see into the future.

✔ Romance : You will fall in love with Glenna, just as Dougal does. You will watch their love grow from something totally unexpected into something neither can live without.

✔ Adventure : Dougal must battle for his life when he loses Glenna, then joins the army so that he can travel to the colonies and search for her across the endless land. Glenna is enslaved, put through hell, but she vows to live on, to find purpose in her life. And when she escapes … well, suffice to say, Adventure is a major part of “Sound of the Heart”.

I think most readers have a favourite genre. I love Historical Fiction, but when Diana Gabaldon threw in Time Travel, I was hooked. How wonderful it can be to mix and match. Take the best features of each, blend them together, and sample the results.

Do you have a favourite genre? Would you dare mix it with something new?

* definitions from Dictionary.com

~Thanks Genevieve for stopping by, personally my favorite genres are romance, dystopian and contemporary.....Im always up for an adventure though and would love to see things mixed up!!

GIVEAWAY

Today you can enter for your chance to win a copy of Sound of the Heart. To enter please just leave a comment. Open to US and Canadian residents only. Winner will be drawn at the end of the tour.

Dougal MacDonnell, a fierce warrior from the Highlands of Scotland, is able to hear the thoughts of other men and dream how the future will unfold. Devastated by the loss of his family during the Battle of Culloden in 1746, he fosters a deep hatred for the English. But when Glenna, the love of his life and a Scottish outlaw, is captured and shipped overseas, Dougal is forced to join an English army made of vanquished Scots. Now fighting on the side of his sworn enemies, he embarks on a journey that will take him across the seas to the colonies. There he will risk everything for the chance to find his true love.

Find out more about Genevieve and a full blog tour list HERE!

Mini~Reviews: Holly Black's Modern Faerie Tale

2012-05-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Time for Mini~Reviews.....where I get out a few thoughts on a bundle of books or series Ive read.......this week Im talking about Holly Black's Modern Faerie Tale series, the three books being Tithe, Valiant and Ironside.

Black is not your puppy dog tales and sugar romance type of author, she's not the next Sarah Dessen or Stephenie Meyer, if you've read her stuff you know shes dark and very gritty for YA...Id say she crosses the line in whats acceptable considering most of her readers range from 13-17. Going into this series, I knew that and while I read the first two months ago, I actually just finished up Ironside and let me tell you readers, I am disturbed by just how dark Ms. Black can go.

TITHE

In Tithe we meet Kaye, a sixteen year old who travels around with her dead-beat mother and spends most her time in bars, smoking cigarettes and fending off creepy old dudes that want to see under her shirt. Kaye has a bucket full of crap called a life, but before you cry any tears over poor Kaye you'll be thrilled to learn that shes really an ugly pointy eared faerie pixie who when rolling around in grass and clovers can shed her human skin. One minute your a screwed up teen, the next minute your telling weird faerie dudes named Roiben to kiss your butt, in which he twirls you over pulls down your jeans and really kisses your butt........

After the butt-kiss Kaye winds up falling in love with Roiben {which I must admit the two had perfect chemistry} finds out shes an actual changeling and winds up smack-dab in the middle of a faerie war, lots of Seelie/Unseelie trivia, fights and pointy ears later, Kaye winds up having to rescue her new lover boy by saving his tush from an unseemly death. By the end we find out what fate will bring Kaye and Roiben and how the two will rule the Faerie courts forever and ever.

This was ok, the plot moved along pretty fast and the reading was simple, to the point and fueled with ugly, dark situations that normally tend to make my skin crawl. This isn't your grandma's Tinkerbell, this is black eyes and green skin and tree branch fingers....{ugh}....its also vulgar language, adult content and things not appropriate for young readers.

3/5- YA-Paranormal- {Paperback- 332 Pages Borrowed- Published 2004 by Simon & Schuster}

VALIANT

Valiant takes a deep nose dive straight off a cliff, having really nothing to do with Tithe's story but revolves around immature emotional Val who mistakenly comes home early one day to find her mother having the shag Olympics with her {Val's} boyfriend.. er...or should I say finds her boyfriend munching on something that wasn't carrots!?

This betrayal makes Val see red and without a second thought she turns around, hits the subway and becomes homeless. (!!!) Overnight we have popular happy La Cross playing Val turn into a homeless dirty piece of crap.....suspending disbelief even for fiction sake didn't work for me on this one to be able to accept that happening.

In a twisted, freaky version of beauty and the beast, Val then finds solice in a group of teen runaways who live under the subway and begins taking a fairy drug called Never. A potent liquid that they shoot into their arms with needles to get high, causing terrible hallucinations, very similar to a street drug called heroin. After becoming a full out junkie and drug dealer, Val then falls in love with a troll...(yes a real ugly beastly troll who makes the drugs shes addicted to) and then has some freaky drugged out dirty sex with one of the homeless dudes who looks like another dude, never finds her way home and go's off in a happy ever after at the end with troll boy.

What this sad story had anything to do with the other story....not sure, but I can say as a parent I would never want my kids to read it. Black presented drug use in her book with utter carelessness... making drugs and homelessness out to be fun, orgasmic and a thrill ride. At first my instinctive knee jerk reaction to Valiant was anger, due to the horrible message in it for teenagers, however with the space of time between me finishing this and reading Ironside, my overall reaction is I feel sorry for the kids who are going to pick this up and get the message that getting high is ok and that it will solve your problems.

Novels aimed to influence children in negative ways with drugs and sex don't sit well with me. If this had been an adult novel, obviously I wouldn't judge it so harshly, but you can find it in the kids section in a public library. For SHAME, that this book promoted illegal graphic drug use to minors.

EPIC FAIL.

0/5- YA-Paranormal- {Paperback, 319 Pages- Borrowed-Published 2006 Simon & Schuster}

IRONSIDE

In Ironside we are back to the original plotline, no junkies lurking about...just messed up ugly fearies sitting around not doing much of anything......except I guess Kaye gets to go on a cool mission to help new king Roiben not lose his throne to witchy faerie queen lady. Im not sure why I read this third one, perhaps to see what becomes of Kaye? To see if it could redeem the previous turd I had read? All in all I was just more annoyed then really getting into the book........

Meh, a crappy ending to an overall crappy series.

2/5- YA-Paranormal {Paperback- 323 Pages-Borrowed- Published 2007 by Pulse}

Rating

While I would never recommend this series to kids, Modern Faerie Tale is suitable for mature teens and adults (17&up) and contains: Graphic language, graphic sexuality, disturbing drug use, life on the streets, illegal activities (stealing, crime, murder) and violence.

Book Review~ Everneath by Brodi Ashton

2012-05-16T09:01:00.000-04:00

Everneath by Brodi Ashton
January 24, 2012 by Harper Collins
Hardcover, 370 Pages
Purchased

Pain comes in many forms, for Nikki Beckett her emotional pain has been held at bay due to her strong relationship with boyfriend Jack. After the death of her mother she clings to that love and manages to find daily peace. But after one night of betrayal, Nikki without even considering the consequences makes a choice that alters her life forever.

Sucked into the underworld, or the Everneath, as the Everlivings call it, Nikki is in the Feed for a hundred years- a process that sucks the life force from a mortal and transfers it to an immortal. When Nikki awakens she's weak and confused but has one memory that helps her pull out of the fog and wanting back up to the surface...that thought would be Jack. However going back to her mortal life means she will pay a price to the Everneath and that price is the Tunnels, the life source the immortals send Forfeits to, to be drained of any life that is left. Six months is all she has left to make amends before the Tunnels come to take her home, clogging her throat with dirt and suffocation, six short months, its not a lot of time to figure out how to dupe the immortal who sucked you dry.

Cole, the Everliving who enticed Nikki to the Feed is shocked that Nikki remains young, pretty and mind intact after the one hundred years and follows her up to the surface. Its rare that anyone can survive the Feed and he wants Nikki for his queen so together they can rule the Everneath, but Nikki only wants to reconnect to her family and to Jack. Due to her choices six months ago, Nikki is now faced with choosing Cole and becoming his queen or choosing the Everneath Tunnels, which will come for her and bury her under the ground sucking her life out until she fades to nothing. As the days go by and Cole fights to gain her trust and Nikki's powerful connection to Jack begins healing her mind the knowledge of whats coming for her makes the future horrifying to process. None of them want to give up though, all three characters have a piece to be played on the game-board called Nikki's life and only one can win.

Everneath was an alluring story of myth, love and betrayals...the biggest of the three being love. Ashton's world was like a toxic drug, with its simple yet complex mix of mythology, romance and mystery, it had me addicted at page one and unable to stop until it was over, leaving me craving for more once I finished. I couldn't help but race to the end as each chapter revealed a little layer of the present and little peal pack of the events leading up to the Feed. I enjoyed every minute I spent with characters, Cole as the immortal, Jack as the tortured boyfriend and Nikki the young girl with huge amounts of mixed, tangled emotions, ones that were understandable due to her state of mind and due to what she was facing. While in the beginning I was irritated that Nikki made the choices she did, I couldn't help but feel sorry for her due to the overwhelming and unfortunate circumstances in her life.

Everneath was highly entertaining and by the end my emotions were almost as bad as Nikki's....a tangled mess of shock, swoon and sadness, that left me with a sigh when I turned the last page. I loved this take on the story of Hades and Persephone and the combination of another surprise mythology couple. Oh yes, somebody call the cheese police, because this book had me in swoon overdrive and made me cry. Outrageous acts of bravery or love always pull at my heart strings and Ashton offers a heaping spoonful in Everneath, I loved it and cant wait for book two.

Rating

Everneath is recommended to teens (15&up) and contains: Greek Mythology, mild romance and violence.

5/5- YA- Mythology

Book Review~ Providence by Jamie McGuire

2012-05-14T15:00:00.000-04:00

Providence by Jamie McGuire

Kindle Edition- 370 Pages

Published: November 20, 2010

Purchased

The world of Providence, which has always been sunny for Nina Grey, lurks of mist and shadows under happy skies. Sheltered by the love her father and the life of ease, Nina has never second guessed or even sensed the evil around her. Days go by, childhood happens, dances are had and college is attended, nothing can touch Nina in her happy place. But when her father passes away and the facade of the family's life is reveled, Nina is left to deal with the aftermath and learns that the demons who were after her father are now after her. What Nina doesn't know is that along with the darkness surrounding her there is also a man who is protecting her. A man who was once a child with her, a teenager with her and now an adult with her, who always in the shadows, has been watching over her and shielding her from a specific danger not of our world.

Jared, Nina's protector was born of a human mother and a father who was a fallen angel, making him a cross breed of both and automatically assigning him to a life of servitude, basically a guardian angel in human form who by nature will be bound to a human on earth. Like Jared's father who was bonded to Nina's father, Jared bonds to Nina and takes on the role of full time guardian when he is yet young himself.

Over the years of watching her grow, protecting her from danger and feeling her sorrows, Jared's emotional commitment due to his human side goes from one of obligation to one of love. After the deaths of the father's, circumstances become out of control and {in a moment of weakness}Jared makes the decision to reveal himself not knowing that Nina would in turn fall in love with him. Neither Nina or Jared can stop or fight the feelings that bring them together, however being a couple is huge taboo in the hierarchy of angels and a price will be paid for breaking those rules. Even without the threat of angel punishment, Jared is now more physically connected to Nina as the relationship draws closer to intimacy....every pain, every emotion, every desire Nina feels, Jared feels with her and if she dies, well he dies as well and that terrifies them both.

As the two discover more about her fathers dealings, its hard for Nina to buy into, even in Nina's doubt, even as she tries to ignore the truth sitting in front of her, she can no longer ignore the fact that her dad might not of been the man she once thought he was and no longer can she fight the inevitable fate that led her straight into Jared's arms. How can she give him up....even if it costs them everything........

Jamie McGuire's writing is like a warm cup of coffee, tasty to perfection. Each layer of Providence just got better and better as the plot grew thicker and the characters took more shape. I loved McGuire's take on fallen angels and half-breeds and absolutely adored the love story which developed both Nina and Jared's characters. While Jared was pretty much the stronger of the two throughout the entire story, as Nina tended to get on my nerves with her whiny, cries a lot selfish girl act and wish-wash emotions towards Jared {the classic string him on, string him off, string him on...string him off} does in the end try her hardest to turn a corner in the maturity department. With the dynamic of the relationship, it was interesting to see a secondary character carry the weight of the main character so effectively. Providence offered a refreshing twist of the overused love triangle, insta-love {due to the life long connection} and intense action for an outcome of a well worked audience pleaser, supplying what the romantic wants, swoons, gasps and a reason to shed a little tear. Despite its -insert annoying break up phase arc for ya drama- the story itself was very well rounded and highly entertaining.

Compared to McGuire's Beautiful Disaster, this felt more polished in character development, well edited and focuses on a more tender, less toxic relationship. I am for sure a Jamie McGuire fan, I can tell in her writing shes a romantic who loves happy endings and ever afters. I shall now stalk her blog, read all her books and say outrageously nice things about her and her hair......I truly believe with her raw talent and future book plans, McGuire is an author to watch. I would recommend this to readers who enjoy angel, fantasy or paranormal stories.

Rating

Recommended to mature teens {17&up} and adult readers. Contains: Sexuality and sensual scenarios, strong language, graphic violence, murder and alcohol use.

4/5- Paranormal Romance

Married With Zombies...A Read Along Event

2012-05-14T08:00:00.000-04:00

I don't know if you've noticed the badges around, but we're doing a special read-a-long in June for Married With Zombies by Jesse Petersen! Why is it special you ask? Well, besides the fact that we are special (too much?) it's going to be a Scavenger Hunt Read-a-Long. Kind of like when we were kids but with more swearing and the zombie apocalypse. So, go get the book and join us for a month of fun and prize packs that may make you pass out with the awesome.

Scavenger Hunt Schedule:

Week1: Chapters 1-5 (June 1st) - Jen @ In the Closet With a Bibliophile

Week2: Chapters 6-10 (June 8th) - Ashley @ The Bookish Brunette

Week3: Chapters 11-15 (June 15th) - Loretta @ Between the Pages

Week4: Chapters 16-20 (June 22nd) - Tina @ Tina's Book Reviews

Week5: Chapters 21-26 (June 29th) - Missie @ The Unread Reader

Prize Pack 1:

Prize Pack 2:

Prize Pack 3:

Prize Prize Pack 4:

RULES and DIRECTIONS FOR PARTICIPANTS:

1. Must have a blog or outlet to participate in the answering of questions (if you don't have a blog, GoodReads will work or any place you can post up your pictures/answer to the questions and people can visit.) For all those who don't have one, they are free to open and you can close it whenever.

2. You must answer all the questions on your site.

3. This read-a-long is a scavenger hunt, it WILL INVOLVE PICTURES. We'll be posting things you have to find around your house, from the book and you'll NEED TO TAKE A PICTURE of yourself with said item and post it up.

4. There will be 4 items to find every week and 1 question to answer.

5. After posting up your pictures/question, make sure to link your DIRECT URL into the linky of that weeks hosting blog.

6. Visit all of the other linked up participants and leave comments.

7. Everyone who signs up for the read-along and participates each week will be entered for a chance to win one of three prizes. Best part: there will one winner per prize!

8. International participants: The giveaway is open to you as well (as long as The Book Depository delivers to your country).

Wanna join us?

Visit any of the participating blogs above to sign up and head on over to Jen's at In the Closet With a Bibliophile to grab the first set of Scavenger Items for week one!

About the Book:

Married With Zombies (Kindle)

Married With Zombies (Mass Market Paperback)

Living With The Dead #1

Jesse Petersen

A heartwarming tale of terror in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. Meet Sarah and David. Once upon a time they met and fell in love. But now they're on the verge of divorce and going to couples' counseling. On a routine trip to their counselor, they notice a few odd things - the lack of cars on the highway, the missing security guard, and the fact that their counselor, Dr. Kelly, is ripping out her previous client's throat.....Meet the Zombies. Now, Sarah and David are fighting for survival in the middle of the zombie apocalypse. But, just because there are zombies, doesn't mean your other problems go away. If the zombies don't eat their brains, they might just kill each other.

Attention participants:

If you have CAPTCHA on your blog, please consider turning it off (even for the day) to help make commenting simple and fun for everyone. If you need instructions on how to turn CAPTCHA off, visit this post: CAPTCHA: How to Eradicate Evil.

Grab a button and sign up!

CFBA Book Spotlight~ Becky Wade's My Stubborn Heart

2012-05-14T06:00:00.000-04:00

My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade
May 1, 2012 by Bethany House
Paperback/Review Copy

Kate Donovan is burned out on work, worn down by her dating relationships, and in need of an adventure. When Kate's grandmother asks Kate to accompany her to Redbud, Pennsylvania, to restore the grand old house she grew up in, Kate jumps at the chance.

Yet, she discovers a different kind of project upon meeting the man hired to renovate the house. Matt Jarreau is attractive and clearly wounded -- hiding from people, from God, and from his past. Kate can't help but set her stubborn heart on bringing him out of the dark and back into the light... whether he likes it or not.

If you would like to read the first chapter of My Stubborn Heart, go HERE.

About the Author

Becky Wade is a graduate of Baylor University. As a newlywed, she lived for three years in a home overlooking the turquoise waters of the Caribbean, as well as in Australia, before returning to the States. A mom of three young children, Becky and her family now live in Dallas, Texas.

Oh my stars...Im so excited to read this one......thank you Bethany House and the CFBA for sending me my review copy this week.....I cant wait to get started. This is one that I will for sure be reviewing.

The Saturday Spotlight with Lois Brown & Giveaway

2012-05-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to the Saturday Spotlight, a weekly event shining the light on Indie and debut authors. This week I have the pleasure of introducing

~Lois Brown author of Cycles~

Please tell us about yourself?

I graduated from college with a bachelor's degree in journalism. I later returned to complete a master’s degree in communications. Early on, I spent time in Washington, D.C. as a news correspondent, during which time I covered events like the Queen of England coming to visit (seriously) and other such odds and ends. After having my first child, I became a freelance editor and ghostwriter. A few years ago I decided to try my hand at writing fiction when the bedtime stories I told them never put them to sleep.

What inspired you to write Cycles?

I had the idea for Cycles at the same time I was diagnosed with Simple Partial Seizures. These seizures don’t affect motor skills, but they can affect all of your five senses (hence their other name: sensory seizures.) My seizures created an odd mesh of symptoms, the most disconcerting of which was massive déjà vu. For those who are saying to themselves, “huh?” take a minute to read this article about the different types of seizures. As part of my seizures, time would slow down to a crawl and everything around me faded in and out. It was like I had lived that moment a thousand times before in a different life. Needless to say, it was weird.

I went to bed one night thinking about my recent trip to the neurologist. In my sleep, I had a vivid dream about a girl who had frightening feelings of having already experienced things before but in another lifetime. It wasn't like reincarnation—the same soul coming back to earth to live as someone or something else. Instead, it was like her life just kept repeating itself and she had moments where these “other-life” memories were intensely strong.......I woke up and knew I was going to write a book about it.

Did any research or travel go into writing your book?

No traveling (unfortunately) but a lot of research. There are some fantasy elements in the book that are scientifically-based, so I had to do a fair amount of research in quantum physics and astronomy so I could explain the concepts very simply to my readers.

What authors have inspired you?

ALL of them. Anyone who is willing to put their soul out there for anyone to read deserves respect.

What are you reading right now?

I’m halfway through Marc Zusak’s The Book Thief.

What’s on the horizon for Lois Brown?

I've got a middle grade mystery set in 1985 called Catching Katil that will be published in the next few months. I’m also working on an adventure/coming of age story set in 1920. Oh, and of course, I’m writing the sequel to Cycles. I expect it to be out the end (very end) of 2012.

Wow..what an inspiring story Lois, thanks for sharing that info about seizures with us. Here's wishing you all the best in your writing career.

GIVEAWAY

Today Lois is giving away one Ebook copy of her book Cycles. To enter please just leave a comment. Winner will be picked on 5/19.

She remembers things that never happened.

She's a stranger in her own home.

She always knew she was different.

She just didn't know why.

Until now.

Renee Beaumont is about to die . . . again.

To learn more about this author visit Lois at her blog Life of Lois

Beth Wiseman's Need You Now

2012-05-11T08:00:00.000-04:00

Need You Now by Beth Wiseman
April 10, 2012 by Thomas Nelson
Paperback, 320 Pages
Review Copy

Review Provided by Tonya, Feature Blogger for Tinasbookreviews~

When big-city life threatens the safety of one of their children, Brad and Darlene Henderson move with their three teenagers from Houston to the tiny town of Round Top, Texas. Adjusting to small-town life is difficult for the kids, especially fifteen-year-old Grace who is coping in a dangerous way. Married life hasn't always been bliss, but their strong faith has carried them through the difficult times. When Darlene takes a job outside the home for the first time in their marriage, the domestic tension rises. While working with special needs children at her new job, the widowed father of one of Darlene's students starts paying more attention to her than is appropriate. Problem is, she feels like someone is listening to her for the first time in a long time. If Darlene ever needed God . . . it's now.

Thoughts

One word, busy. Most of the time there is one big climax, but there are many things happening with Darlene and Brad. They move to the small town of Round Top TX from Houston TX. Brad still commutes to Houston but they moved into Darlene's grandparents farmhouse, wanting to fix it up. They thought it would be good for them and their kids, especially Chad who had gotten into some trouble in Houston. Their middle daughter Grace is a perfect daughter. The youngest has had some challenges so the move would be good for her too.

Darlene has a snake in her bedroom, and her new next door neighbor knocks on the door. Layla seems cold and Darlene figures they will never be friends. Darlene feels like God is calling her to befriend Layla though. Now that the kids are a bit older, Darlene gets a job at a school for special education children, where she does one-on-one with a young girl Cara. Cara has autism. Cara's mother died and so it is just Cara and her dad Dave. Dave warms up to Darlene eventually, maybe a bit too much?

Grace being the "perfect" daughter, cuts herself to release the pain she feels she can't let anyone know she has. When that situation, Dave hitting on Darlene and Darlene and Brad not communicating comes to a head, you have a colossal explosion of an ending! I am not even doing it justice. You will just need to read the book.

Beth stepped out here and wrote a contemporary work. I am so glad she did, I loved this book! Of course I adore her Amish books too, but this one was for us that aren't in the Amish community. It has marriage, friendships, relationships with our children, couldn't ask for more! Read it, TODAY!

Grade~A
Thanks to Thomas Nelson for Review Copy

A New Look.........Again!!!

2012-05-09T18:56:00.000-04:00

Hey friends!!! So remember back during bloggestia when I wanted to work on some changes to the blog and finally figure out what my blog needed to look like....well here it is.

Im so happy with the new look. The super talented Suzy from BlogSites by Suzy created this super sweet and super simple layout for me. Bare with me while I fix up the sidebars and some posts and what not......

Shelf Cravings {48}

2012-05-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Shelf Cravings a weekly dish about books coming soon, new releases, just discovered and deals on the Nook. This week Im excited for:

~Coming Soon~

Blackberry Winter by Sarah Jio

September 25, 2012 by Plume

Seattle, 1933. Single mother Vera Ray kisses her three-year-old son, Daniel, goodnight and departs to work the night-shift at a local hotel. She emerges to discover that a May-Day snow has blanketed the city, and that her son has vanished. Outside, she finds his beloved teddy bear lying face-down on an icy street, the snow covering up any trace of his tracks, or the perpetrator's.

Seattle, 2010. Seattle Herald reporter Claire Aldridge, assigned to cover the May 1 "blackberry winter" storm and its twin, learns of the unsolved abduction and vows to unearth the truth. In the process, she finds that she and Vera may be linked in unexpected ways.

Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill

November 13, 2012 by Delacrote

It's one thing to fall head over heels into a puddle of hazelnut coffee, and quite another to fall for the—gasp—wrong guy. Straight-A junior Julia may be accident prone, but she's queen of following rules and being prepared. That's why she keeps a pencil sharpener in her purse and a pocket Shakespeare in her, well, pocket. And that's also why she's chosen Mark Bixford, her childhood crush, as her MTB ("meant to be").

But this spring break, Julia's rules are about to get defenestrated (SAT word: to be thrown from a window) when she's partnered with her personal nemesis, class-clown Jason, on a school trip to London. After one wild party, Julia starts receiving romantic texts . . . from an unknown number! Jason promises to help discover the identity of her mysterious new suitor if she agrees to break a few rules along the way. And thus begins a wild goose chase through London, leading Julia closer and closer to the biggest surprise of all: true love.

You Don't Know Me by Susan May Warren

October 2012 by Tyndale House

To everyone who knows her, Annalise Decker is a model wife and mother. She’s a permanent member of the PTA, never misses her kids’ sporting events, and is constantly campaigning for her husband’s mayoral race.

No one knows that Annalise was once Deidre O’Reilly, a troubled young woman whose testimony put a dangerous criminal behind bars. Relocated through the Witness Security Program to the sleepy town of Deep Haven, Deidre got a new identity and a fresh start, which began when she fell in love with local real estate agent Nathan Decker. Twenty years later, Annalise couldn’t be more unprepared for her past to catch up with her. When Agent Frank Harrison arrives with news that the man she testified against is out on bail and out for revenge, Annalise is forced to face the consequences of her secrets. Will she run again, or will she finally find the grace to trust those she loves most with both her past and her future?

Perfect Escape by Jennifer Brown

July 10, 2012 by Little Brown

Kendra has always felt overshadowed by her older brother, Grayson, whose OCD forces him to live a life of carefully coordinated routines. The only way Kendra can stand out next to Grayson is to be perfect, and she has perfection down to an art -- until a cheating scandal threatens her flawless reputation.

Behind the wheel of her car, with Grayson asleep beside her, Kendra decides to drive away from it all -- with enough distance, maybe she'll be able to figure everything out. But eventually, Kendra must stop running and come to terms with herself, her brother, and her past.

~New Releases~

Mariana by Susanna Kearsley

April 3, 2012 by Sourcebooks

When Julia Beckett moves into a beautiful old farmhouse, she finds herself transported into17th-century England, and into the world of Mariana. Each time Julia travels back, she becomes more enthralled with the past... until she realizes Mariana's life is eclipsing her own. She must lay the past to rest or risk losing the chance for happiness in her own time.

Dreamspell by Tamara Leigh

March 18, 2012 by Kindle

Sleep disorders specialist Kennedy Plain has been diagnosed with a fatal brain tumor. When her research subject dies after trying to convince her he has achieved dream-induced time travel and her study is shelved, she enlists herself as a subject to complete her research. But when she dreams herself into 14th-century England and falls into the hands of Fulke Wynland, a man history has condemned as a murderer, she must not only stay alive long enough to find a way to return to her own time, but prevent Fulke from murdering his young nephews. And yet, the more time she spends with the medieval warrior, the more difficult it is to believe he is capable of committing the heinous crime for which he has been reviled for 600 years.

Baron Fulke Wynland has been granted guardianship of his brother’s heirs despite suspicions that he seeks to steal their inheritance. When the king sends a mysterious woman to care for the boys, Fulke is surprised by the lady's hostility toward him--and more surprised to learn she is to be his wife. But when his nephews are abducted, the two must overcome their mutual dislike to discover the boys' fate. What Fulke never expects is to feel for this woman whose peculiar speech, behavior, and talk of dream travel could see her burned as a witch.

Oh yes its time for more Shelf Cravings.....and this week I cant wait to read all these books, especially Sarah Jio's new one and Susan's new one, two of my favorite authors. Which one looks good to you?

~And my eBook Purchases this week:

Eden by Jamie McGuire ( Third in Providence Series) ~3.99
Kiss, Crush, Collide by Christina Meredith ~ 2.99
My Heart for Yours by Jolene Perry and Stephanie Campbell ~ .99

Book Review~ The Cove by Ron Rash

2012-05-07T09:50:00.000-04:00

The Cove by Ron Rash

April 10, 2012 by Ecco

Hardcover, 272 Pages

Review Copy

The town of Mars Hill is known for its superstitious people, mainly due to the fact that a place named The Cove in the Appalachian Mountains resides with them. The Cove is dreary, dark and maintains an almost constant rainy atmosphere. This is where we meet Laurel and her brother Hank, two outsiders who live in The Cove but keep to themselves. The towns folk believe the siblings to be cursed, one because Hank came home from the War without his hand and two because Laurel with a visible purple wine birthmark is believed to be the towns witch. The entire community pretty much treats her badly, labeling her with their small minded ignorance and with no friends, nothing to do outside of The Cove, Laurel is terribly lonely and living what the reader would call a depressing life of sorrow.

So on the afternoon that Laurel hears a flute playing in the distance its so unlike a normal day that she seeks out the noise. In The Cove she discovers a man, a drifter who is living in one of the caves. At first the only thing Laurel can figure out is that he is some type of escaped prisoner, or perhaps a homeless man who is mute. No matter the danger, Laurel decides to take care of him and over the course of weeks she winds up falling in love for first time, giving her a new sense of hope and the possibility of living a life shes only dreamed of, maybe one with marriage and children. When news reaches the town of this mute man wooing the local witch, things don't remain private any longer and a twist of events brings all of Laurels hopes crumbling down.....{and that's about as much as I can reveal without spoiling the main plot-line}

Initially I had a hard time getting into The Cove, I thought the opening was rather slow, its pace too leisurely and perhaps a little to dreary for me considering its defiantly a mood book. However Mr. Rash has a beautiful voice in his writing and picking up the story midway I certainly fell into this book and found myself in the gloom, in those cold mountains watching a tender love story take place. Needless to say, even with my enjoyment of the middle, the ending shocked me, I was already emotional finding out who Walter was and with the added struggles of the people during WWI, I seriously thought the ending was too much. After closing the book I was left with a sad almost haunted feel. I would recommend The Cove to readers who enjoy dark stories, in the sense of mood, not subject. Everything is chilly in this book, letters upon letters almost rain off the page, its story will leave you emotionally rattled and the chill seeped into your bones.

Rating

Recommended to adult readers and contains: Mild language, stereotypical racism and violence.

3/5- Contemporary

Thanks to Ecco & TLC Book Tours

The Saturday Spotlight with Danielle Weiler and Giveaway

2012-05-05T08:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to The Saturday Spotlight, a weekly feature created by myself and celebrates Indie and Debut Authors. This week I have the pleasure welcoming author Danielle Weiler to the blog.

Hi Danielle, welcome to the blog, please tell us a little about yourself?

I’m a 28-year-old (as of Monday!) teacher, wife, almost mother (13 weeks left!), owner of the naughtiest ginger cat in the world. I love the beach, shopping, writing, reading, watching TV series, picnics with family…and I do have a special place in my heart for eBay.

Indie publishing....hard road or good experience?

I’m not sure how to answer this one as I have a publisher that isn't a traditional large house but they do a variety options for authors including traditional publishing and co-publishing. So I’m not published under my own name but I’m not published by a big house.

If you could pick a song that fit the mood of your book what would it be and why?

Probably ‘You Are’ by Tenth Avenue North. However I did have a ‘Daisy’ play list while I was writing Friendship on Fire. I like You Are because it talks about being more than the choices that you make and the mistakes in your life. That you can still be worth something because you’re growing and learning.

Have any authors or books inspired you or your work?

I have a big writer crush on Melina Marchetta. As a YA author, she has the most well-rounded characters I think I've ever come across. In terms of adult lit, Jodi Picoult is amazing how she churns out massive novels every year on various social/ethical issues and her structure, while formulaic, keep you on your toes the entire book.

What do you want readers to walk away with after reading Friendship on Fire?

Various things. That past mistakes put you on the path to where you should be. That people are much more than they can appear to be on the surface. That it’s worth holding out for the best you can get. Watch out for those gorgeous boys with the name Nate. Not to give up on yourself. To enjoy your youth. Listen to your grandparents!

What’s on the horizon for Danielle?

Besides looking forward to meeting my gorgeous little boy in August, I want to challenge myself to write something out of my comfort zone. Still in YA, but something I need to research. I’ve written 2 other YA contemporary manuscripts that are being looked at, but in terms of the future, I just want some good ideas and funky characters to come my way. Thanks Tina for having me on your blog!

And thank you Danielle for stopping by. I also have a huge thing for Melina Marchetta, I wanted to marry The Pipers Son......and oh my goodness congrats on your new future son and hats off to a fabulous writing career.

GIVEAWAY

Today Danielle is giving away one Ebook copy of her novel Friendship on Fire. To enter please just leave a comment. Winner will be drawn May 12, 2012.

Daisy Brooks’s senior year is not off to a great start. Her first assembly as school captain is slightly ruined by her new bright orange hairdo – thanks to her father’s inability to choose correct permanent hair dye. The local Blonde Brigade is already giving her a hard time (and affectionately dubbed her ‘ranga’) and her teachers have done the unthinkable and handed out assignments on the first day back.

The one bright spot in Daisy’s first day back is the appearance of a private school boy hottie. Oh, and her best friend and vice-captain, Roman, who she can count on to hold her temper and have her back.

But the winds of change are sweeping through Daisy’s small town of Twin Rocks. Turns out the private school hottie is new in town and fast friends with her brothers. His name is Nate and he turns Daisy’s legs to jelly. But her totally platonic best friend, always reliable Roman, is starting to act strange.

This is Daisy’s senior year. She’ll learn hard truths and lose small battles on the path to adulthood . . . but, hey, nobody said it was going to be easy.

CFBA Book Spotlight- Travelers Rest

2012-05-04T21:20:00.000-04:00

Travelers Rest by Ann Tatlock

May 1, 2012 by Bethany House

Review Copy

Jane Morrow has a dilemma. She's engaged to Seth Ballantine, a member of the National Guard's 30th Heavy Brigade Combat Team, and he's returned from Iraq severely wounded. Jane hasn't seen him for nearly a year, and with trepidation, she heads to the VA hospital in Asheville, North Carolina, where he is being treated.

Seth isn't happy to see her. He'd asked her not to come. He wants to end the relationship. But Jane loves him, and despite his injury, she's determined to convince him that they can have a life together. Her faith has never been strong, yet she hopes God will answer her prayers and tell her what to do.

If you would like to read the first chapter of Traveler’s Rest, go HERE.

About the Author

Ann Tatlock is the author of the Christy Award-winning novel All the Way Home. She has also won the Midwest Independent Publishers Association "Book of the Year" in fiction for both All the Way Home and I'll Watch the Moon. Her novel Things We Once Held Dear received a starred review from Library Journal and Publishers Weekly calls her "one of Christian fiction's better wordsmiths, and her lovely prose reminds readers why it is a joy to savor her stories." Ann lives with her husband and daughter in Asheville, North Carolina.

**Thanks to Bethany House I just received my review copy of Travelers Rest this week, Im so excited to read this novel, having had a solider come home from Iraq myself, this promises to be an emotional read**

Book Review~ The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

2012-05-03T09:55:00.000-04:00

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda

May 8, 2012 by St. Martins Griffin

Hardcover, 293 Pages

Review Copy

There's something not right with the folks in Gene's community. While like other people, they go to school, do their homework and goof around, they also have this irksome habit of scratching their wrists, popping their necks, mating with their elbows and of course a little thing that involves eating humans.

Vampires make up the vast majority of the living..er nonliving society in The Hunt. Almost all the humans have become extinct and the vampires live off animal blood and raw meat, forever squelching the blood thirst that with even the mention of a human makes them frenzy with desire. Most carry on just like normal humans would, they attend school, eat three meals a day, have jobs and go home to sleep...upside down hanging from the ceiling during the daylight hours. Needless to say, these vampires are scary, their evil and have no shred of human emotion. Not one of them would save you, date you or even care if you were a child....the objective is to eat humans and its a violent bloody death, granted while most of the humans have been eaten, one is always on the look out for a survivor.

Gene, a human living among the vampires was trained by his father and knows how to blend in. His mind has been so trained to think, feel and pretend vampire actions, that he flies easily under the radar. Obviously there are some dangerous and scary close calls, but our smart, loner protagonist fools them all night in, night out. Things become a challenge however when the government decides to announce they are holding captive humans awaiting a much overdo game called The Hunt, where a special selected group of teens from the school will get to participate in hunting down the released humans and having a glorious feast. Gene along with a few others get their numbers pulled and its off to training and heper hunting. What the vampires don't know is that the vampire game masters have upped the ante and have trained the humans with weapons, good nutrition and survival skills. They don't just want a feeding frenzy, they want sport, fun and gruesome murders.

Once the group gets to the training center, things really start looking bleak for our hero Gene. There is no source of water and dehydration and body odor kick in faster than he could imagine. Other vampires even though they see the Dome and know humans, aka the hepers are in it, cant stop picking up the smell of a fresh human. Crazy with lust and the frenzy that begs to take over them, they don't realize the smell is coming from their own classmate and each day that Gene doesn't find a source to clean himself brings him that much closer to discovery. The Hunt may start sooner then they all realize and how can one boy stand up to them all?

UK Cover-Mama Like

This hunt, this world of the truly grotesque, the lost in all its evilness of fleshy desires, was truly a terrifying, suspenseful ride. I cringed at the disgusting parts, I got nervous at the intense parts, I was sad in the lonely parts, I was swoony during the romantic parts {minis elbow closet} and I was shocked at the ending. The pace kept me alert and while I thought I had everything figured out, things were still a surprise once surfaced.

Fukuda's writing was a thrilling, nonstop ride that I couldn't set down. Compared to his debut Crossing, this author proves again that he has beautiful talent to make you love an outsider. From the suspenseful plot to the killer cliffhanger, The Hunt for sure is my favorite vampire novel this year.

Rating

Recommended to mature teens (15 and up) and contains: Violence, deaths{murder-vampires killing humans} some gross things like bodily functions and mild romance.

5/5- YA-Vampires-Paranormal

Thanks to Andrew Fukuda and St. Martins for Review Copy

The Hunt is available on Audiobook, check out this five minute clip brought to you by MacMillan!

http://media.us.macmillan.com/video/olmk/macmillanaudio/TheHunt.mp3

Indie April Wrap Up and Winners!!

2012-05-01T09:00:00.000-04:00

Well April Indie is over and I must say I loved getting to know the authors and finding a bucket load of new books to read and check out. I read 15 Indie books in April and discovered some new Indie favs including, Providence, Flat out Love, One Pink Line, Double Clutch, Thoughtless, Out of Time, Unlovable, Hush Money and Glimpse....

I also found two that blew me away...Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire and On the Island by Tracey Garvis Graves. On the Island put me in such a tizzy I blew up my friends cell phone with hundreds of text messages talking about T.J this and T.J that and did you read chapter 26????????? In which of course she loved it too and we will be doing a joint review in the near future.....I then finished Beautiful Disaster and proceeded to talk about Travis this and Travis that and about annoyed her to death with all my commentary....of course then the conversation turned to Jax and Magic Mike and my cell blew up.

This event has helped me appreciate and respect Indie authors so much more. I hope you all take a look at these great authors and experience the great escapes their books have to offer. A HUGE thanks to all the authors who participated in this years Indie April, I thank you for your time, the review copies many of you gave me, the giveaway prizes and the fabulous interviews....wishing all of you tons of success!!!!

Monique Martin
Michelle Brooks
Rashelle Workman
Shelly Crane
Jessica Park
Elle Strauss
Danielle Weiler
Liz Rheinhardt
Heather Huffman
Rachel Higginson
Sandra Dee
Quinn Loftis
Sherry Gammon
Stacey Joy Netzel
Abria Mattina
K.C NealSusan BischoffBonnie Dee And a very special thanks to Belle Whittington!

If you are an Indie author and would like to be featured on a Saturday Spotlight, please contact me.

And here are the winners of Indie April

Out of Time- Annette- Annette's Book Spot
Bone Dressing- Danny- Bewitched Bookworms
Prince of Wolves- Jen- In the Closet
Unlovable- Asheley - Into the Hall of Books
Devour- Sarah Elizabeth
Throwaway- Felicia- Geeky Blogger
Hush Money- Jenny- SuperSnark
Flat Out Love- Rummanah- Books in the Spotlight
Double Clutch- Jenny- Supernatural Snark
Cicada- Melissa- Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf
Clockwise- Jenny - Supernatural Snark
Dragonfly Boxset- Missie- The Unread Reader
Wake- BN100
Four Kisses- Felicia- Geeky Blogger

*The Flower Reader- Diana Leigh- Book of Secrets*{Non-Indie Giveaway}

And Exiled by Rashelle Workman is available to everyone who entered...it is now free on Smashwords!
Thanks to everyone for entering and supporting Indie authors, I have emailed the authors with your info!

Book Review~ Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire

2012-04-30T08:00:00.000-04:00

Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire
Kindle Edition- 361 Pages
Published May 26, 2011
Purchased

Abby and America have been best friends since childhood and with the many obstacles life has brought including an alcoholic mother, a gambling father and a dangerous childhood, college is Abby's first independent choice. The girls originally leave so Abby can get away from her low life parents and change her surroundings and connections to make the best out of a new start. Abby has sworn off anything that could lead to a scandalous life, so she lays low and enjoys college for it is......well until she meets Travis and her plan gets blown to bits.

One night while accompanying America and her boyfriend Shepley, Abby go's to see Shelpley's cousin and roommate Travis, a local hero and underground fighting champion {aka...the elusive sexy man-whore of Eastern U} fight live in the ring. Standing out in her little pink cardigan sweater, Travis is taken by the pretty, fresh faced girl who looks nothing like the average bimbos who crawl all over him 24/7 and is immediately drawn to her sparkle. Travis is determined to know her and Abby at first does not fall for his sexy charms and good looks or even the cute name he calls her {Pigeon} no matter the try, he cant change her mind. While a tad awkward due to the physical chemistry between them, Abby and Travis strike up a very snarky and playful friendship that begins having a dramatic effect on Travis, and Travis being Travis, the proud cant share my feelings type, never tells Abby how he truly feels and winds up acting out in some not so gentlemanly ways........

Abby and America wind up staying at the guys apartment for awhile and due to a lost bet Abby winds up moving in with Travis for a month. While Abby tries to date Parker, Travis begins to stray from the one night stands and begins fighting for the one thing he really wants. With all the shared nights of sleeping in the same room, growing close and the escalating sexual tension, Travis and Abby fall in love. Things aren't perfect though, both are immature and stubborn and the pieces of their past come to haunt both of them, making the complicated relationship if you can imagine, even more complicated.

I read Beautiful Disaster due to the controversy it sparked and I cant say enough how much I liked this book, while going into it I was expecting to read about this awful horrid psycho named Travis, but what I realized by the end was that I really liked McGuire's style of writing and grew to care about bad-boy Travis. Was Travis a prince charming? Absolutely not...Travis was an emotional wreck and a product of his childhood, the boy lost his mother, was abused and had a ton of self esteem issues. He protected himself by placing a wall around his heart, most of Travis's behavior {the fighting, sleeping around} were defense mechanisms, he used people before they could use him, pretty much a classic case of an abandoned or neglected child. This complaint about Travis being a domestic abuser...I just don't see it. What I saw was a macho tough guy who's creator indulged him in a fantasy world of being too hot, too tattooed and able to make girls go squee in their pants. An in depth analysis would say McGuire created him to be the unattainable bad boy who uses his penis like a Macy's Thanksgiving Day Sale- only to be tamed by the love of his life, showing us that even the most whoreish of men can settle down.

Abby takes Travis by surprise, the real emotional connection brought true intimacy that in itself was too overwhelming for him. It scared him, unsettled him, made him a codependent nightmare that sometimes turned to jealousy, fits of violence against guys who would dare take a crack at Abby's boobs and trashing his apartment. This doesn't scream danger to me, it screams grow the hell up. Fortunately that's exactly what all these issues amount to, stepping stones in Travis's maturity and the big boy pants he would eventually put on. Granted his character was prone to douche-baggery but thank goodness the Travis in the end was not the Travis we met in the beginning.

Abby was no saint in this book, yes she was virgin and tried to maintain a somewhat wholesome lifestyle, but like Travis, she too came from a very rough childhood and escaped a life of crime, gambling and neglectful/abusive parents. It made sense that the first real intimate relationship she would have was with a potentially dangerous guy. Intimacy and emotional connection was overwhelming for her too and she used that against Travis to manipulate him, stringing him along throughout most of the book {Case and point: while living with Travis and sleeping in his bed every night, she was dating another guy who was buying her dinner, buying her presents and trying to get physical} While Abby's emotional level was much more stable, in the end they both were guilty of hurting and obsessing over each other. Neither one knew how to handle the relationship, compounded by the emotional scars of their pasts, its easy to see why things were so intense. I never thought the author had any intentions of making this an evil or murderous love story, or making Travis a domestic abuse hero. Travis was guilty of jealousy, temper tantrums, telling Abby she couldn't wear skimpy clothes to his underground fights and being an emotional tool. However Travis never hit Abby, he never threatened her or even contemplated violence against her, he never isolated her or tried to cut her off from her friends, he never called her names, nor did he ever make Abby feel scared or trapped. Im not condoning or justifying Travis's behavior but I think after reading the book and knowing his love for Abby, I was left with an ending that painted a happy future I can hope the characters receive. Together in a world of no sense, they made sense and taking her characters through that dark fiery hallway, McGuire showed us how brokenness can heal and how even the disregarded can be redeemed. I wanted to see these broken characters find happiness and romance and find love that stands the test of time.

On a personal note, as a person who has seen first hand what domestic abuse is, I think the controversy is ridiculous. In the real world a guy like Travis would need some help like say counseling to address his abandonment issues, or what have you, on the other hand in the real world Travis probably would have went in the other direction and became the "paid fighter" leaving Pigeon in the dust.

Beautiful Disaster is fiction, so enjoy it for what it is, a guilty pleasure liable to make you blush. Despite a few minor typos, its sure to be an Indie stand out among readers. Defiantly gritty, defiantly unconventional but nonetheless, still a love story.

Rating

Beautiful Disaster is recommend to readers 18 and over this is not a young adult novel and shouldn't be treated as one {think college crowd and adults} contains violence {boxing and male on male violence} gambling, drinking, smoking, strong and crass language, illegal activites and graphic sexuality.

4.5/5- Contemporary Romance

April Indie- Guest Post with Danielle Weiler

2012-04-27T12:00:00.000-04:00

Today on April Indie I have author Danielle Weiler author of Friendship on Fire. So welcome to the blog Danielle and thank you for stopping by today and closing this event with a fun guest post.

What inspired me to write Friendship on Fire?

The easy answer: I woke up one Sunday morning and a girl with accidentally dyed red hair was vividly in my head as the school captain of a conservative school who was about to get into big trouble with the principal. I tried to ignore her, saying to myself that I was way too busy teaching to even think of writing a novel. But the first line kept repeating itself in my head – always with the first lines. “You would think that at a school as large as mine, one could go unnoticed and subtly anonymous for one day…” and it snowballed from there. The plot came in such a hurry that I had to plot point straight away and I could have sworn I’d be able to write the story in a week.

The other bits: I was given a challenge in my mind and I took it. More than that, Daisy’s voice was very strong in her eagerness to have her story told. But it’s more than that. We don’t think to record every idea or thought we ever have. I chose to write my story because I like stories about teenagers finding their own way through life. They are in the throes of learning the biggest lesson of all: life isn’t simple, it isn’t always black and white. It’s multiple and varied shades of grey. If you mix these shades of grey you might end up getting close to black or white, but in the end, it’s the darkening of themselves around the edges and the ways in which they bend and break that will make young adults more wholesome and refined people; people that others will want to be around.

I also love the unabashed honesty of teenagers, the eyebrow-raising comments said with self-confidence and vulnerability mixed equally. They are passionate, opinionated, energetic people, and that is why it was easy to write Friendship on Fire. Teenagers are not only funny, self-deprecating, brave, and resilient, they are also very fascinating and versatile people to write about. That is why I chose to write Daisy’s story, a story to which so many can relate.

Thanks Danielle for stopping by today! I know Im having a blast getting to know Daisy.

You can grab Danielle's book on paperback or Kindle!

Learn more about Danielle at Goodreads and on the Web

Yes my friends, this is the end of author guest posts and interviews, I will be closing April Indie on Monday with a final review, in the meantime please check out all the fun giveaways over 15 to enter and hurry, they close at midnight April 30th!

Indie April with Abria Mattina's Wake & Giveaway

2012-04-27T00:00:00.000-04:00

~Today on Indie April I have Abria Mattina author of Wake~

Welcome to the blog Abria, What Inspired you to write WAKE?

The first thing that popped into my head was the scene where Jem and Willa are taking a walk through her neighborhood, taking about various kinds of personal catastrophes. I could immediately grasp the tone and voice that I wanted to write it in, but sat on the idea for a few days before I started writing. By that time, I had a backlog of ideas about what to do with these two characters.

Indie publishing- Why do you think its becoming so popular?

From what I've seen it seems to be popular with three kinds of people: (1) those who are tired of trying to jump through the industry's hoops to get traditionally published, (2) those who want to maintain creative control over every aspect of their work, and (3) those who didn't produce something a traditional publisher would print. Self-publishing provides a venue for these books and voices.

WAKE has become a movie, who is playing your main character (s) and why?

I can't picture Wake ever being a movie. The characters are very much themselves in my mind, and I can't imagine them being portrayed by real people.

Oh but its so fun to pretend...dreams can come true. I read this and really liked it, maybe a great fit for Willa would be Hailee Steinfeld...at least that's a face I could picture.....ps- she was in True Grit with my favorite actor Matt Damon who Im sure we could find a part for in your movie......I think I missed my calling as a casting director...LOL...

What top three Indie books would you recommend to readers and why?

I'm going to have to use the 90's definition of Indie here and include a few books published by independent presses. I've read some self-published books over the past year, but only one has really wowed me. The Indies I would recommend are:

Angel by Laura Lee, published by Itineris-Press

The White Pigeon by Kevin Kvas (forthcoming, printed by UESA)

Hollowland by Amanda Hocking

Whats on the horizon for Abria Mattina?

More writing. I still work in production for a literary journal, and do freelance book production on the side. I love doing interior layouts.

What do you want readers to walk away with after reading your book?

So far the great thing about it is that they all walk away with something different. Some aspects or dimensions of the novel will speak more to some people than others, so they may learn, they may recognize parts of themselves, they may see familiar experiences--it all depends on the reader.

Thank you so much Abria for stopping by and being a part of this event, I really enjoyed Wake, one of the Indie novels I read this month. Best of luck to your writing career.

GIVEAWAY

Today Abria is giving away one Kindle Ebook copy of her book Wake. To enter please leave a comment and winners will be announced at the end of this event....HURRY my lovely readers, there is only a few days left to enter for this one!!

Eighteen isn’t too young to run your life into the ground, but it’s not too old to fix it, either. The desire for change drives Willa Kirk from St. John’s, Newfoundland back to hometown of Smiths Falls, Ontario, away from her mistakes and the place where her sister died. She’s looking for a place to settle and rebuild, but Jem Harper just wants to get out of town, back to the life he knew before cancer. By letting the tragedies in their lives define them, they are both dying a little more every day. Welcome to the wake

Learn more about Abria at Goodreads~On the Web or Buy Wake on Kindle for 2.99
Books Mentioned

Indie April with Elle Strauss and Clockwise Giveaway

2012-04-26T08:30:00.000-04:00

Today in the spotlight I have Elle Strauss author of Clockwise

Hi Elle, welcome to the blog, What Inspired you to write CLOCKWISE?

Many years ago I wrote a time travel book with a teen protagonist. This was before I was aware of the term YA and long before YA got "hot". I had a lot to learn as a writer and it wasn't very good, but I always like the twists in thinking caused by the time travel theme. Then, about the four years ago, I thought I'd like to try again. Eventually it turned into Clockwise.

Indie publishing- Why do you think its becoming so popular?

I think it's become popular because it's given authors something they've never had before, control. For so long every little step was decided by someone else. It is now in our power to make things happen for us. What we used to have to wait, hope and pray that someone else would do for us, we can now do on our own.

CLOCKWISE has become a movie, who is playing your main character and why?

This is a hard one for me because I really don't have time to watch a lot of TV and movies and I don't know who's who anymore. I'll take recommendations in the comments.

hmmmmmm...may I suggest casting Matt Damon for the movie and letting him play all the parts? That would be awesome.....like a one man show......

What top three Indie books would you recommend to readers and why?

There are so many great ones out there, it's impossible for me to choose.

Alright you cant pick three Indies, how about one time travel novel that sticks out in your mind......and tell us why you loved it.

I just read Tempest and I thought it was brilliant. Julie Cross has a lot going on in her brain to keep all those leaps and story lines she created straight. It's older YA, more New Adult I'd say because of the college age of the main characters in the present storyline--for parents who are wondering. The writing style is compelling and I was pulled in immediately and it didn't let me go, not even at the end, because yes, there's more.

Whats on the horizon for ELLE STRAUSS?

I have a lot planned for this year. The first new thing to come out is my middle grade, IT'S A LITTLE HAYWIRE, look for it this month. The sequel to Clockwise, CLOCKWISER, will be out in May and a companion book called LIKE CLOCKWORK, is set for June. I'm planning to launch a historical drama called PLAYING WITH MATCHES towards the end of summer.

What do you want readers to walk away with after reading your book (s)?

First of all, I just hope they are entertained. I also hope that something deeper in the books makes them think. That something about what they read will stay with them for a long while.

Thanks Elle for being on this event, I read and loved Tempest too so great choice for a time travel book. Best of luck to you and the Clockwise series.

GIVEAWAY

Today Elle is giving away one Ebook copy of her book Clockwise. Please leave a comment for your chance to win. Also Clockwise is blog touring right now on various blogs so you can check out more fun things around the blog world and even purchase Clockwise for .99cents on Kindle.

Casey Donovan has issues: hair, height and uncontrollable trips to the 19th century! And now this --she’s accidentally taken Nate Mackenzie, the cutest boy in the school, back in time. Awkward.

Protocol pressures her to tell their 1860 hosts that he is her brother and when Casey finds she has a handsome, wealthy (and unwanted) suitor, something changes in Nate. Are those romantic sparks or is it just “brotherly” protectiveness?

When they return to the present, things go back to the way they were before: Casey parked on the bottom of the rung of the social ladder and Nate perched high on the very the top. Except this time her heart is broken. Plus, her best friend is mad, her parents are split up, and her younger brother gets escorted home by the police. The only thing that could make life worse is if, by some strange twist of fate, she took Nate back to the past again. Which of course, she does.

Find out more about Elle on the Web~Goodreads