Thursday, January 31, 2013
Cat Thursday - A Snoozy Sunday Morning
Who is Marcus Finch?? Indigo Spell (Bloodlines) Two Week Event & Giveaway!! [Day #8]
I am honored to be among a small group of bloggers participating in Penguin Teen's
"Who is Marcus Finch Event"!!!
"Who is Marcus Finch Event"!!!
Richelle Mead’s third book in the Bloodlines series (a spinoff from the popular Vampire Academy series), The Indigo Spell, is coming out on February 12th, 2013! Aside from more Adrian, The Indigo Spell will also feature the mysterious Marcus Finch, but who is he?
Is he competition for Adrian for Sydney’s heart?
Is he an Alchemist? An ex-Alchemist??
Is he good? Evil? A Warrior of Light?
There will be a new clue posted each day 1/22 thru 2/11 to help us figure this out...
I also have a hardcover copy of The Indigo Spell to give away to one of my lucky readers!! So check back each day for a new clue and additional entries for your very own copy!!!
The Eighth Clue:
About the Book:
Bloodlines WebsiteBloodlines Facebook page
Bloodlines Trailer
Bloodlines Excerpt
In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch–a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought.
There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood—or else she might be next.
Other books in the series:
The Indigo Spell Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Book Excerpt & Giveaway: Crescent Chronicles by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Series: The Crescent Chronicles #1
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy
Reading Level: Mature YA/New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reading Level: Mature YA/New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: August 16th 2012
Sometimes you just have to take flight.
A summer in New Orleans is exactly what Allie needs before starting college. Accepting her dad’s invitation to work at his hotel offers an escape from her ex-boyfriend and the chance to spend the summer with her best friend. Meeting a guy is the last thing on her mind—until she sees Levi.
Unable to resist the infuriating yet alluring Levi, Allie finds herself at the center of a supernatural society and forced to decide between following the path she has always trusted or saving a city that might just save her.
Title: Flight
Series: The Crescent Chronicles #2
Series: The Crescent Chronicles #2
Author: Alyssa Rose Ivy
Reading Level: Mature YA/New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Reading Level: Mature YA/New Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Paperback Release: January 31st 2013
Freshman year of college is hard even when you're not tied to the future king of a supernatural society.
Allie dives into college head first with Hailey as her roommate and the city of New Orleans as her backyard. As things within The Society heat up, Allie realizes that whether she’s with Levi or not, she's in far too deep to turn back.
Flight Excerpt
I glanced up. Intense gray-blue eyes stared back at me, as I recognized the guy from the hotel. Surprised to see him again, I merely nodded before bringing the shot to my lips.
“What was that?” I spat out while the liquor continued to burn my throat.
“A jaeger shot.” He laughed lightly. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah. I can’t believe I did that.” I peered over my shoulder at the stage where another group was starting their rendition of Time of my Life.
“It really wasn’t so bad. It was more entertaining than if Cyndi Lauper performed it herself.” Raking his eyes from my toes back up to my face, he spent an annoying amount of time studying my legs. Long legs were nice, but not when they attracted the wrong type of attention. Normally I would call a guy on mentally undressing me, but I was too busy taking my own inventory. Finished, I glanced around for Jess but couldn’t see her in the crowd.
“So, thanks for the shot, but I need to find my friend.”
“Hey, you can’t run off on me again.” He didn’t say it like a question, more like a demand and it annoyed me. “Besides, your friend appears to be unavailable.”
I followed his gaze and noticed Jess flirting with Dave again. “Run off on you again? That implies we have run into each other before.” I tried for coy; I wasn’t going to let this guy unnerve me. Sure, he had the most amazing set of eyes I had ever seen, but I wasn’t interested.
“I saw you at the Crescent City Hotel this afternoon, but you took off before I could say hello.” He leaned in closer to me, trying to be heard over the loud music.
“Oh, I didn’t notice you.”
He smiled, ignoring my comment. “You here for vacation?”
“I’m here for work actually, at the hotel.”
“Are you around for the whole summer then?”
I allowed myself to really look at him. My earlier estimate of his height was dead on; he was much taller than my 5 feet 9 inches.
I finally answered. “Yeah, I’m here until I start school in the fall.”
“All right, so where are you going to school?”
“Princeton.” I braced myself for his response.
“Nice,” he said in a way that suggested he wasn’t impressed.
“You in school?”
“Yeah, I’m going to be a senior at Tulane.”
“Oh, so you live here?”
“Born and raised,” he said proudly.
“I didn’t think locals hung out at places like this.”
“We don’t usually, but they’re great spots to meet girls from out of town.”
I shook my head. “Ah, so you’re one of them.”
“One of who?”
“The type to prey on innocent tourists.”
“Innocent tourists? You make me sound like the big bad wolf.”
“And you’re not?” I questioned.
“Only if you’re Red Riding Hood,” he said flirtatiously.
“Wow, that’s original.” I caught myself staring at his eyes again and decided it was time to end the conversation. “Well, nice talking to you.”
“Hey, I didn’t even get your name yet.”
“Allie.”
“Is that short for Allison?”
“Yes, but no one calls me Allison.” I cursed myself. Why couldn’t I just walk away from this guy? I briefly regretted my decision to swear off men because if I hadn’t this one would be exactly my type: tall, strong, and confident. He was exactly the kind to avoid.
Alyssa Rose Ivy is a Young Adult and New Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Who is Marcus Finch?? Indigo Spell (Bloodlines) Two Week Event & Giveaway!! [Day #7]
I am honored to be among a small group of bloggers participating in Penguin Teen's
"Who is Marcus Finch Event"!!!
"Who is Marcus Finch Event"!!!
Richelle Mead’s third book in the Bloodlines series (a spinoff from the popular Vampire Academy series), The Indigo Spell, is coming out on February 12th, 2013! Aside from more Adrian, The Indigo Spell will also feature the mysterious Marcus Finch, but who is he?
Is he competition for Adrian for Sydney’s heart?
Is he an Alchemist? An ex-Alchemist??
Is he good? Evil? A Warrior of Light?
There will be a new clue posted each day 1/22 thru 2/11 to help us figure this out...
I also have a hardcover copy of The Indigo Spell to give away to one of my lucky readers!! So check back each day for a new clue and additional entries for your very own copy!!!
The Seventh Clue:
About the Book:
Bloodlines WebsiteBloodlines Facebook page
Bloodlines Trailer
Bloodlines Excerpt
In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch–a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought.
There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood—or else she might be next.
Other books in the series:
The Indigo Spell Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Teaser Tuesdays - Beautiful Lies by Jessica Warman
Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
- Grab your current read & Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
Author: Jessica Warman
Reading level: Young Adult
Genre: Thriller
Size: 422 pages
Release Date: August 7th 2012
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Publisher: Walker Childrens
Find the Book: Goodreads | Amazon | BN | The Book Depository
Rachel and Alice are an extremely rare kind of identical twins-so identical that even their aunt and uncle, whom they've lived with since their parents passed away, can't tell them apart. But the sisters are connected in a way that goes well beyond their surfaces: when one experiences pain, the other exhibits the exact same signs of distress. So when one twin mysteriously disappears, the other immediately knows something is wrong-especially when she starts experiencing serious physical traumas, despite the fact that nobody has touched her. As the search commences to find her sister, the twin left behind must rely on their intense bond to uncover the truth. But is there anyone around her she can trust, when everyone could be a suspect? And ultimately, can she even trust herself?
Master storyteller Jessica Warman will keep readers guessing when everything they see-and everything they are told-suddenly becomes unreliable in this page-turning literary thriller.
No matter where I am, no matter where she is, I have always felt her presence from somewhere within myself. Until this moment. It is as though the thread connecting us has snapped, like something deep inside me has been severed. She is simply gone." ~ pg 18
Guest Post & Giveaway: Women, Society and the Zombocalypse by Rhiannon Frater
I honestly didn’t set out to write a feminist take on the zombocalypse when I started writing AS THE WORLD DIES as an online serial. I just wrote about the sort of people I that exist in my everyday life. The characters all evolved naturally as I wrote, as did their complicated relationships and sometimes disastrous choices. It was only later that I fully began to understand how ground-breaking having two female leads in the genre actually was.
Admittedly, Jenni and Katie were born out of my desire to read a zombie story that was from a woman’s perspective. AS THE WORLD DIES was born as online serial in 2005. At that time zombie fiction was inundated with the lone gunman wandering across the zombie-infested lands. Women, children, and men who weren’t Rambo in disguise were merely zombie fodder. The women played the roles of the love interest (who often died), the victims, and the zombies. It became demoralizing to read over and over again stereotypes that bore no real resemblance to any of the women in my life. So when the characters of Jenni and Katie invaded my mind one day at work, I wanted to write their story and share it with others.
When I started the serial, I wanted to write about real men and women with flaws and strengths struggling to rebuild society in the zombie wastelands. If history has shown us one thing, it’s that humans survive in communities. I didn’t want to create a world of alpha males and subservient women, or vice versa. I wanted to write about real people dealing with real life issues while facing the undead hordes. I didn’t want to shy away from the difficulties of creating a new community. Differences of opinion, religion, culture, etc. were definitely going to cause problems at some point. Little did I realize that the issues my characters tackled in the online serial (which ran from 2005-2007) would become hotbed issues in 2012. Religion, gay rights, and gender equality are all topics the people in the fort are forced to deal with while still dealing with bandits and zombies.
STRONG FEMALE CHARACTERS
Oddly enough, I never thought about any of the females in my story as being “strong” or unusual. The positive feedback to the characters was definitely a reaction to all the stereotypical women in these kinds of books. People were genuinely surprised to read such positive portrayals. The readers weren’t surprised that the women were strong and competent; they were surprised to see an accurate portrayal of themselves, their wives, their girlfriends, mothers, and sisters. Quite a few male friends have told me that they loved how certain female characters reminded them strongly of the women they love. Female fans have also shared how refreshing it was to see women doing the types of things they would do in the zombocalypse—like killing zombies.
Jenni and Katie aren’t wonder women or superhuman like Alice in the Resident Evil films. They aren’t perfect either. Each has to deal with the aftermath of the destruction of their lives and they don’t always make the right choices. But they aren’t afraid to fight for their own lives and those they love. They step up and take part in the planning of the new community and fight for the survival of everyone.
THE REGULAR GUYS
Though I get a lot of kudos for my female characters, I don’t feel that any of my male characters suffer from standing alongside competent women. I didn’t want to resort to the alpha male stereotype with my male characters, but I also didn’t want to weaken them. Travis and Juan play vital roles in the story and are just regular men facing horrible circumstances. They understand that to survive everyone has to work together and have their own strengths and weaknesses. One of my greatest compliments was when someone told me that he could totally see himself hanging out with my male characters because they were just “dudes.”
THE BIGOTS
There are, of course, men that don’t like the women playing such a strong role. One of them, Shane, becomes a dangerous foe to Katie when she has to kill his brother after he becomes infected. It’s in Shane and his cohort that we see a more dismissive attitude toward women and other people in general. Shane and Phillip are great at entering the zombie-infested towns and salvaging for supplies and serve the community well, but their attitudes toward women, especially bisexual Katie, creates serious problems for the burgeoning society in FIGHTING TO SURVIVE. Shane and Phillip challenge the rules of the new society with their behavior. One particularly upsetting scene between Shane and Katie immediately causes a rift among the people in the fort as people take sides in a “he said, she said” battle.
FRIENDSHIPS
One of the things that’s often missing in fiction, especially post-apocalyptic fiction, is the strong friendship bonds that exist among people. Often the survivors are not really friends, but people thrown together that just barely get along. In AS THE WORLD DIES, I enjoyed portraying various types of friendship bonds. There are best buddies, Juan and Travis, BFFs Ken and Lenore, and Jenni and Katie’s strong, sisterly friendship.
Though people comment on all three friendships as being refreshing and similar to ones they share in their real lives, the one that stands out the most is the friendship between Jenni and Katie. Women are not often portrayed as being friends in fiction. In fact, a lot of heroines are often the only women in the book. Jenni and Katie’s friendship was one of the things my editor at Tor really enjoyed. It’s so rare to see female best friends who love and support each other. Usually women are portrayed as rivals. Since I have close female friends in my life it felt only natural to have Jenni and Katie be close.
In closing…I am very happy that readers embrace the characters and feel they are an honest, realistic version of people they have in their own lives. I am also pleased that readers have enjoyed the dynamics of the new and growing society in the middle of the zombocalypse.
Title: Fighting to Survive
Series: As the World Dies, #2
Author: Rhiannon Frater
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Zombies
Paperback Release: January 29th 2013
Publisher: Tor Books
Find the book: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords
It’s time to clear the hotel.
The fort has grown crowded as survivors of the zombie apocalypse have found safety between its walls. Winter is coming; soon it will be too cold to live in tents and other makeshift shelters. The leaders of the survivors—Katie, Jenni, Juan, Travis, and Nerit—decide it’s time for an assault on the zombie-occupied hotel that looms over the town square.
A pitched battle in the banquet room is the start of a harrowing, room-by-room struggle from Reception to roof. As the sun sets, the people of Ashley Oaks gather in the hotel’s rooftop ballroom and gazebo to celebrate their survival. Gazing out over the beauty of the surrounding Texas countryside, it’s hard to believe that death and danger lurk around every corner.
The fort’s search and rescue teams have attracted unwanted attention from bandits who see the fort as competition for food . . . and as a ready source of women. The first attacks are minor, but everyone knows there is worse to come.
And beyond the fort’s walls, the zombies shamble, moaning, eyes fastened hungrily upon the living.
Other books in the series:
Rhiannon Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies trilogy (The First Days, Fighting to Survive, Siege,) and the author of three other books: the vampire novels Pretty When She Dies and The Tale of the Vampire Bride and the young-adult zombie novel The Living Dead Boy and the Zombie Hunters. Inspired to independently produce her work from the urging of her fans, she published The First Days in late 2008 and quickly gathered a cult following. She won the Dead Letter Award back-to-back for both The First Days and Fighting to Survive, the former of which the Harrisburg Book Examiner called ‘one of the best zombie books of the decade.’ Rhiannon is currently represented by Hannah Gordon of the Foundry + Literary Media agency. You may contact her by sending an email to rhiannonfrater@gmail.com.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Who is Marcus Finch?? Indigo Spell (Bloodlines) Two Week Event & Giveaway!! [Day #6]
I am honored to be among a small group of bloggers participating in Penguin Teen's
"Who is Marcus Finch Event"!!!
"Who is Marcus Finch Event"!!!
Richelle Mead’s third book in the Bloodlines series (a spinoff from the popular Vampire Academy series), The Indigo Spell, is coming out on February 12th, 2013! Aside from more Adrian, The Indigo Spell will also feature the mysterious Marcus Finch, but who is he?
Is he competition for Adrian for Sydney’s heart?
Is he an Alchemist? An ex-Alchemist??
Is he good? Evil? A Warrior of Light?
There will be a new clue posted each day 1/22 thru 2/11 to help us figure this out...
I also have a hardcover copy of The Indigo Spell to give away to one of my lucky readers!! So check back each day for a new clue and additional entries for your very own copy!!!
The Sixth Clue:
About the Book:
Bloodlines WebsiteBloodlines Facebook page
Bloodlines Trailer
Bloodlines Excerpt
In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch–a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought.
There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood—or else she might be next.
Other books in the series:
The Indigo Spell Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Monday, January 28, 2013
A Chat with Rachel Schurig, Author of The Love Story Series
I am happy to welcome Rachel Schurig to Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf for a chat today! In Search of a Love Story (the first in her new Love Story Series) sounds like an amazingly fun read. A totally non-romantic girl who tries to change her poor dating luck by searching for the truth of true love within romance novels, chick flicks, and sappy love songs? Sign me up!
1. Please start by telling us a little bit about yourself.
I live in the metro Detroit area with my dog, Lucy, the cutest golden retriever in the world. I have a huge family—lots of sisters, a brother, nieces and nephews, tons of cousins. Family is very important to me. I read as much as I possibly can and I love to write!
2. When did you know that you wanted to write professionally and how did you take the leap to get into the business?
Have you ever played the lottery game? You know, when you decide all the things you’ll do when you hit the jackpot? My good friend and I used to always talk about how we would quit our jobs and write books if we ever won the lottery. A year before our 30th birthday, we both decided there was no need to wait. With the emergence of ebook publishing, we realized that we could publish our books ourselves. We made a pact to get serious about our writing and get something up on Amazon before we turned 30. In addition to finishing my book, I learned as much as I could about ebook publishing. I also worked hard to make my book professional with editing and cover art. Once I had my first book out I was hooked—I knew it was something I could do forever.
3. Can you tell me a little bit about your book and what inspired it?
In Search of a Love Story was such a fun book to write. I’ve always loved anything romantic—romance novels, chick flicks, even sappy love songs. I wanted to write a book about a girl who didn’t like those things, and what a perfect love story would look like to her. Emily Donovan’s friends spend a lot of time in the book trying to teach her all about the romantic essentials they think she’s missed out on.
In writing this book, I was very inspired by location. All of my previous books have been set in metro Detroit, my hometown. I love writing about the places I know and love in the area. But I also wanted to write about northern Michigan, a place where I spent a huge amount of my childhood. Emily gets to experience the best of both of those places, just like me. She lives outside of Detroit but grew up in the northern woods. It was so wonderful to get to write about those nature things I love so much!
4. What do you hope that readers take way with them after reading your book?
I hope readers will recognize how important love is—in all of its forms. Friendship, family love, and romance are all main themes of the book.
5. I find it interesting to know what environment authors find most productive… Do you use a pen and paper or laptop? Quiet room at home or bustling café? Basically, what gets your creative juices flowing?
I usually can’t write with pen and paper—my thoughts go way faster than my hand can, and I type much more quickly than I can print. I split my writing time pretty evenly between home, the library, and cafes or restaurants. No matter where I write, I HAVE to have headphones on. I usually listen to playlists or Pandora stations that match the mood of what I’m writing, but sometimes I listen to classical music if I’m having trouble with focus. When I write at home I have a big dog resting on my knee—that always helps!
6. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
The toughest criticism is usually the most helpful. My best friend is always the first person to read my books and she gives me the best criticism and advice. I respect her opinion immensely, so it’s hard when she thinks something I’ve done doesn’t work, but she always helps me figure out what I need to do to fix it.
The best compliment is when people tell me they feel like my characters are friends. I love that!
7. What book is currently on your nightstand? And who are some of your favorite authors?
I just finished the Matched series by Ally Condie. It’s a dystopian YA series that I really enjoyed. I love anything by Harriet Evans, Elizabeth Young, Sophie Kinsella, Emily Giffin, Jill Mansel, Sarah Dessen, and Marian Keyes. I also love JK Rowling and the Harry Potter series. Some recent favorites are Dee Ernst and Hugh Howie. Jane Austen is my favorite author of all time.
8. What do you like to do when you're not writing?
I love to travel. I enjoy baking and decorating cakes. I also love to spend time outdoors. And reading, of course! A perfect day for me is a good book and nice weather, so I can sit outside and get lost in the story.
9. Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Read as much as you can and write as much as you can. Get feedback from people you trust. Don’t give up!
10. What can we expect from you next?
I’ve been working hard to get the sequels to In Search of a Love Story finished. An Unexpected Love Story and An (Almost) Perfect Love Story are available now on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and in paperback. Now that the Love Story series is finished, I’m turning my attention to something brand new, set in London. I’m very excited about it!
11. Do any animals share your life? Please tell us about them.
I have a dog named Lucy. She’s an eighty pound golden retriever with a huge personality. She’s my best friend in the world and makes a great writing buddy!
And now for a little bit of fun:) This or That?
Coffee or Tea? Tea.
Sweet or Salty? I like them together!
Beach or Lake? Lake.
Winter or Summer? Summer.
Cats or Dogs? Dogs.
Zombies or Vampires? Vampires. Especially Damon from Vampire Diaries. Sigh. Love him!
Country or City? Country.
Shower or Bath? Bath.
Morning or Evening? Evening. I’m a huge night owl!
M&Ms or Skittles? Always pick the one with chocolate!
Trains or Planes? Trains.
Comedy or Drama? I like a mix of both!
Thanks for having me, that was fun!
Author: Rachel Schurig
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Chick Lit
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Chick Lit
Release Date: May 9thth 2012
Find the book: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository
Emily Donovan doesn’t have a romantic bone in her body.
At least, that’s what her friends Ryan and Ashley keep telling her. They’re convinced her bad luck with men is directly related to her life-long lack of interest in all things romantic. When Emily’s latest relationship crashes and burns, she decides to go along with her friends’ plans for a romance research project. Sure, the idea that she’ll have better luck if she learns about the great romances of literature and film seems a little silly, but Emily figures it can’t hurt.
In no time at all, Emily finds herself buried under a mountain of romance novels, chick flicks, and sappy love songs, hopeful that her hard work will pay off with true love. When she meets Greg, Ashley and Ryan are convinced she’s found prince charming—after all, he’s rich, handsome, and totally into Emily. What more could she want? And why does it seem that her friend Elliot isn’t exactly happy for her?
Faced with misunderstandings, miscommunications, and a seemingly endless string of missteps, she is nevertheless determined to give true love a try. In doing so, Emily will eventually find that true romance, the kind that lasts, has little to do with stereotypes or clichés, and everything to do with finding out what’s in her own heart.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)