Hey All,
I'll be at ArmadilloCon 2015 in Austin, Texas this weekend! The conference will be held at the Omni Southpark Hotel, and here's where you can find me:
Saturday the 25th at 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Ballroom E
HUNGER GAMES VS. DIVERGENT
Young adult novels, successful film franchises: What do these series tell us about markets, readers, and viewers? How do they compare?
Saturday the 25th at 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Southpark A
WRITING A STRONG TEEN PROTAGONIST
What works and what doesn't when striving to create a memorable and believable teen character?
Saturday the 25th at 2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Conference Center
READING
Sunday the 26th at 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM
Ballroom D
WRITING FICTION FROM A GENDER, ETHNIC, CULTURAL OR TEMPORAL VIEWPOINT OTHER THAN YOUR OWN
What are the challenges of writing a character unlike yourself in a significant way? Are there benefits to creativity?
Sunday the 26th at 1:00 PM - 1:30 PM
Dealer's Room
AUTOGRAPHING
Anyone who knows me, knows I absolutely cannot wait for the Hunger Games vs. Divergent discussion!!! Make sure to check out my good friend, the absolutely talented Barbara Wright as well!
I hope to see you all there!
Thursday, July 23, 2015
Thursday, June 4, 2015
BOOK REVIEW: SECRET OF THE SEVENS BY LYNN LINDQUIST
Hey All!!!
So we have a review for a very nice story from Lynn Lindquist called Secret of the Sevens. My review is below:
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In Secret of the Sevens you have a lot of the elements that make up a great story. There's a boarding school, a mystery, and teen angst. The only thing I needed for this to be better is for some supernatural elements to be added!
Talan Michaels has grown up most of his life in a harsh way. His mom was more focused on getting her next fix than on making sure her kid was fed, and he had to deal with so many hardships. That all stopped when he came to Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids - many of them foster kids with no homes. Worried that he may be homeless after graduation, he accepts an invitation to join a super secret society with promises of riches and freedom in his future. Little does he know, this invitation is about so much more, and will change his life.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I was sympathetic to the characters and the situation they found themselves in, and watching the teens solve the mystery was pretty interesting and fun. I liked Talan, though he did frustrate me from time to time. And watching him slowly realize his feelings for foster sister Laney felt natural and sweet.
My biggest issue is that I saw a lot of the surprises coming...for example when we discovered who was sending the clues to the Seven's rituals. And at times I found myself skimming. Especially towards the end when I got a bit tired of the clues and games, and was ready to get on to the reveal. All in all, it was a good story, with fun characters, and nice drama.
3 stars!
So we have a review for a very nice story from Lynn Lindquist called Secret of the Sevens. My review is below:
In Secret of the Sevens you have a lot of the elements that make up a great story. There's a boarding school, a mystery, and teen angst. The only thing I needed for this to be better is for some supernatural elements to be added!
Talan Michaels has grown up most of his life in a harsh way. His mom was more focused on getting her next fix than on making sure her kid was fed, and he had to deal with so many hardships. That all stopped when he came to Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids - many of them foster kids with no homes. Worried that he may be homeless after graduation, he accepts an invitation to join a super secret society with promises of riches and freedom in his future. Little does he know, this invitation is about so much more, and will change his life.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story. I was sympathetic to the characters and the situation they found themselves in, and watching the teens solve the mystery was pretty interesting and fun. I liked Talan, though he did frustrate me from time to time. And watching him slowly realize his feelings for foster sister Laney felt natural and sweet.
My biggest issue is that I saw a lot of the surprises coming...for example when we discovered who was sending the clues to the Seven's rituals. And at times I found myself skimming. Especially towards the end when I got a bit tired of the clues and games, and was ready to get on to the reveal. All in all, it was a good story, with fun characters, and nice drama.
3 stars!
Monday, May 18, 2015
BOOK REVIEW: THROUGH FIRE & SEA BY NICOLE LUIKEN
Hello All!!!
So I have been sick. Like, sicker than sick. The kind of sick that makes you completely gross to be around and incapable of doing the wonderful things you need to do...like putting up your book reviews!
Today I have my review for Through Fire & Sea by Nicole Luiken!
Through Fire & Sea was very much a fun read. Alternating between the perspectives of Leah and Holly - the same girl, but living on alternate universes - the story takes you between how both girls find their soul-mates (Gideon and Ryan). In Leah's world she's the bastard daughter of a ruling duke, who forces her to take the place of his real daughter with a duchess who just happens to be able to get rid of the country's dragon...for a price. When she meets Gideon sparks fly. For Holly, it's a normal day hanging out with her dad on his boat when she falls in and almost drowns. But when she meets her mysterious rescuer at school the following week she feels inexplicably drawn to him.
Overall, I enjoyed the tale, but had trouble with the back and forth perspectives of the girls. Because they lived in such drastically different worlds, alternating between the two became jarring. I felt like at times I was more happy with Leah's story than Holly's, and vice versa, which made it difficult to truly care about either one of them.
I enjoyed the magic piece of the story, but the solutions to some of the problems faced felt a bit convenient for me. I'd have liked to know how Ryan's mom got busy with the sea god, because we didn't get any info on that, but were given tons of detail on how Gideon's mom got herself knocked up.
All in all, it was a fun read, with decent characters and a plot that was a bit all over the place. I'd give it 3 stars!
So I have been sick. Like, sicker than sick. The kind of sick that makes you completely gross to be around and incapable of doing the wonderful things you need to do...like putting up your book reviews!
Today I have my review for Through Fire & Sea by Nicole Luiken!
Through Fire & Sea was very much a fun read. Alternating between the perspectives of Leah and Holly - the same girl, but living on alternate universes - the story takes you between how both girls find their soul-mates (Gideon and Ryan). In Leah's world she's the bastard daughter of a ruling duke, who forces her to take the place of his real daughter with a duchess who just happens to be able to get rid of the country's dragon...for a price. When she meets Gideon sparks fly. For Holly, it's a normal day hanging out with her dad on his boat when she falls in and almost drowns. But when she meets her mysterious rescuer at school the following week she feels inexplicably drawn to him.
Overall, I enjoyed the tale, but had trouble with the back and forth perspectives of the girls. Because they lived in such drastically different worlds, alternating between the two became jarring. I felt like at times I was more happy with Leah's story than Holly's, and vice versa, which made it difficult to truly care about either one of them.
I enjoyed the magic piece of the story, but the solutions to some of the problems faced felt a bit convenient for me. I'd have liked to know how Ryan's mom got busy with the sea god, because we didn't get any info on that, but were given tons of detail on how Gideon's mom got herself knocked up.
All in all, it was a fun read, with decent characters and a plot that was a bit all over the place. I'd give it 3 stars!
Thursday, May 7, 2015
BOOK REVIEW: DRAGONS ARE PEOPLE, TOO BY SARAH NICOLAS
Hey All!!!
Today I'm reviewing a fantastic book by Sarah Nicolas, Dragons Are People, Too!
In DAPT we meet Katherine "Kitty" Lung, who is a super spy operative within a super secret government agency housed in DC. It's Kitty's job to take on various missions through the world for the U.S. She's also responsible for keeping the President's son safe while at school. If you're wondering why some teenage girl is racked with so much responsibility, and how she can be expected to handle it all...it just so happens that Kitty is not only trained to be a lethal fighting machine, she also is part dragon! At her own will, Kitty can change into a full on, non-fire-breathing (only English dragons breath fire) dragon!
But when the dragons cover is blown and the President's son is kidnapped, it's up to Kitty to save both her best friend and her people.
This book was action packed and full of mind-blowing fun. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Kitty and all of the people/dragons surrounding her. Kitty's progression from a well trained fighter battling with her emotions, to a girl who can be true to herself was nice to watch. I also enjoyed seeing her figure out how to navigate the difficult waters of freeing the President's son, while trying to barter for her parents (and friends) freedom.
The characters throughout the book were spot on. Both her parents were fierce and seasoned warriors who had different battle scars. It was nice to see how each one had a different influence on who Kitty was and how she would grow throughout the story. And the plot twist that conveniently got them out of the way so that she could grow as the hero was well done. I also liked how the romance between herself and her partner in crime, Sani, developed. It felt natural and not at all rushed. You'll find no insta-love here!
Overall, this was a great story, with great characters that really drew me in.
4 Stars!!!
Today I'm reviewing a fantastic book by Sarah Nicolas, Dragons Are People, Too!
In DAPT we meet Katherine "Kitty" Lung, who is a super spy operative within a super secret government agency housed in DC. It's Kitty's job to take on various missions through the world for the U.S. She's also responsible for keeping the President's son safe while at school. If you're wondering why some teenage girl is racked with so much responsibility, and how she can be expected to handle it all...it just so happens that Kitty is not only trained to be a lethal fighting machine, she also is part dragon! At her own will, Kitty can change into a full on, non-fire-breathing (only English dragons breath fire) dragon!
But when the dragons cover is blown and the President's son is kidnapped, it's up to Kitty to save both her best friend and her people.
This book was action packed and full of mind-blowing fun. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Kitty and all of the people/dragons surrounding her. Kitty's progression from a well trained fighter battling with her emotions, to a girl who can be true to herself was nice to watch. I also enjoyed seeing her figure out how to navigate the difficult waters of freeing the President's son, while trying to barter for her parents (and friends) freedom.
The characters throughout the book were spot on. Both her parents were fierce and seasoned warriors who had different battle scars. It was nice to see how each one had a different influence on who Kitty was and how she would grow throughout the story. And the plot twist that conveniently got them out of the way so that she could grow as the hero was well done. I also liked how the romance between herself and her partner in crime, Sani, developed. It felt natural and not at all rushed. You'll find no insta-love here!
Overall, this was a great story, with great characters that really drew me in.
4 Stars!!!
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
PROMO POST: SCHOOL OF DEATHS BY CHRISTOPHER MANNINO
Hey All!!!
Today we have a promo post for School of Deaths by Christopher Mannino! All book deets are below:
School of Deaths
Release Date: 05/02/14
270 pages
Summary from Goodreads:
Thrust into a world of men, can a timid girl find bravery as the first
female Death?
Thirteen-year-old Suzie Sarnio always believed the Grim Reaper was a fairy tale image of a skeleton with a scythe. Now, forced to enter the College of Deaths, she finds herself training to bring souls from the Living World to the Hereafter. The task is demanding enough, but as the only female in the all-male College, she quickly becomes a target. Attacked by both classmates and strangers, Suzie is alone in a world where even her teachers want her to fail.
Scythes hungry for souls, Deaths who subjugate a race of mysterious magicians, and echoes of an ancient war with Dragons.
As her year progresses, Suzie suspects her presence isn't an accident. She uncovers a plot to overthrow the World of Deaths. Now she must also discover the reason she's been brought there: the first female Death in a million years.
Thirteen-year-old Suzie Sarnio always believed the Grim Reaper was a fairy tale image of a skeleton with a scythe. Now, forced to enter the College of Deaths, she finds herself training to bring souls from the Living World to the Hereafter. The task is demanding enough, but as the only female in the all-male College, she quickly becomes a target. Attacked by both classmates and strangers, Suzie is alone in a world where even her teachers want her to fail.
Scythes hungry for souls, Deaths who subjugate a race of mysterious magicians, and echoes of an ancient war with Dragons.
As her year progresses, Suzie suspects her presence isn't an accident. She uncovers a plot to overthrow the World of Deaths. Now she must also discover the reason she's been brought there: the first female Death in a million years.
Buy Links:
About the Author
Christopher
Mannino’s life is best described as an unending creative outlet. He
teaches high school theatre in Greenbelt, Maryland. In addition to his
daily drama classes, he runs several after-school performance/production drama
groups. He spends his summers writing and singing. Mannino holds a
Master of Arts in Theatre Education from Catholic University, and has studied
mythology and literature both in America and at Oxford University. His
work with young people helped inspire him to write young adult fantasy,
although it was his love of reading that truly brought his writing to life.
Mannino is currently working on a sequel to “School of Deaths” as well as an adult science fiction novel.
Author Links:
Book Tour Organized by:
Monday, April 27, 2015
BOOK BLITZ: COMPULSION BY MARTINA BOONE
Hey All!!!
Coming to the stage today is a book blitz for Compulsion (The Heirs of Watson Island #1) by Martina Boone. All book deets are below:
Simon Pulse/Tantor Audio
448 pages
Summary from Goodreads:
Three plantations. Two wishes. One ancient curse.
All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.
Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.
All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.
Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.
Buy Links:
IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon |
Target
| Book Depository | Goodreads
Audio CD via Tantor | Audio CD via Amazon | Audio via Audible
Audio CD via Tantor | Audio CD via Amazon | Audio via Audible
Listen to an audiobook sample:
Praise
for Compulsion:
"Skillfully blends rich magic and folklore with
adventure, sweeping romance, and hidden treasure . . . An impressive start to
the Heirs of Watson Island series." —Publishers Weekly
"Eight Beaufort is so swoon-worthy that it's
ridiculous. Move over Four, Eight is here to stay!" —RT Book
Reviews, RT Editors Best Books of 2014
"Darkly romantic and steeped in Southern Gothic
charm, you'll be compelled to get lost in the Heirs of Watson Island
series." —JENNIFER L. ARMENTROUT, #1 New York Times bestselling
author
"A fresh twist on the Southern Gothic --
haunting, atmospheric, and absorbing." —CLAUDIA GRAY, New York
Timesbestselling author of A Thousand Pieces of You and
the Evernight and Spellcaster series
"A stunningly magical debut with a delicious
slow burn to be savored. I want to live in this story world!" —WENDY
HIGGINS, USA Today and New York Times bestselling
author of the Sweet Evil trilogy
"Beautifully written, with vivid characters, a generations-old
feud, and romance that leaps off the page, this Southern ghost story left me
lingering over every word, and yet wanting to race to the compelling finish. Compulsion is
not to be missed." —MEGAN SHEPHERD, author of The Madman's
Daughter
Book Two:
PERSUASION (HEIRS
OF WATSON ISLAND, BOOK 2)
Beautiful
Creatures meets Gone With the Wind
As reporters
chasing rumors of a stolen shipment of Civil War gold descend on Watson Island,
Barrie Watson discovers more is buried at Colesworth Place than treasure. A
mysterious, magical man claims the key to the Watson and Beaufort gifts and the
Colesworth curse also lies beneath the mansion, and Barrie has no option but to
help him find it. While she and Eight Beaufort struggle to make sense of the
escalating danger and their growing feelings for each other, Barrie must decide
not only whom to trust, but which gift is more reliable—Eight’s or her own. With the fate of the founding families
at stake, she has to choose between what she feels deep in her heart and what
will keep her loved ones safe.
Pre-Order Links:
IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads
About the Author
Martina Boone was born in Prague and spoke several languages before learning English. She fell in love with words and never stopped delighting in them.
She’s the founder of AdventuresInYAPublishing.com, a Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers site, and YASeriesInsiders.com, a site devoted to encouraging literacy and all this YA Series.
From her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, children, and Auggie the wonder dog, she enjoys writing contemporary fantasy set in the kinds of magical places she’d love to visit. When she isn’t writing, she’s addicted to travel, horses, skiing, chocolate flavored tea, and anything with Nutella on it.
Book Blitz Organized by:
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
COVER REVEAL: PIXELATED BY L.S. MURPHY
Hello All!!!
Coming to the stage we have Pixelated by L.S. Murphy. All book deets are below:
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Pixelated
by L.S. Murphy
Release
Date: 06/30/15
Bloomsbury
Spark
Summary
from Goodreads:
Senior Year.
Middle of nowhere.
What's the new girl to do?
For Piper Marks, the answer is simple. She’s determined to have her photography
rock the cover of National Geographic someday, and moving to Clarkton, Iowa for
her last year of high school is not going to stop her. Even if her usual subjects
have changed from bright lights and skyscrapers to fields, cows…and more
fields.
But when photographer at the local paper quits in a huff, she steps into his
spot. Her new job keeps Piper busy capturing tackles, and zooming in on first
downs and end zone dances, not to mention putting her directly in the path of
varsity football star Les Williams IV. Her new friends warn her off, but she
can’t resist the pull she feels toward this mysterious country boy. But this
small town is keeping a secret, and it’s one that could destroy any chance they
have to be together.
It’s up to Piper to decide what to do with the distorted truth. Can she risk
exposing her heart? It might be worth it, 'cause Les is about to change her
world from black and white to fully saturated color.
Praise
for Pixelated:
"In Pixelated, L.S. Murphy weaves a complex web of secrets and lies with a ‘will they or won’t they’ romance that kept me turning pages and holding my breath!" ~ Julie Reece, author of The Artisans and Crux
"Beautifully written, with a full spectrum of emotion and complex characters, Pixelated will tug at all your heartstrings. I easily lost myself in the world L.S. Murphy created and couldn't stop reading because I needed to see how the story ended." ~ Kelly Oram, author of Cinder & Ella
"L.S. Murphy brings something for every reader with Pixelated: romance, secrets, mystery, and a main character torn between two choices. Murphy's writing is sharp and steeped in emotions, deftly hooking her readers from the first sentence to the last." ~ Sarah Bromley, author of A Murder Of Magpies
"In Pixelated, L.S. Murphy weaves a complex web of secrets and lies with a ‘will they or won’t they’ romance that kept me turning pages and holding my breath!" ~ Julie Reece, author of The Artisans and Crux
"Beautifully written, with a full spectrum of emotion and complex characters, Pixelated will tug at all your heartstrings. I easily lost myself in the world L.S. Murphy created and couldn't stop reading because I needed to see how the story ended." ~ Kelly Oram, author of Cinder & Ella
"L.S. Murphy brings something for every reader with Pixelated: romance, secrets, mystery, and a main character torn between two choices. Murphy's writing is sharp and steeped in emotions, deftly hooking her readers from the first sentence to the last." ~ Sarah Bromley, author of A Murder Of Magpies
About
the Author
L.S.
Murphy obsesses about St. Louis Cardinals baseball, fangirls over her favorite
authors, and watches every episode of Doctor Who like it's the first time. When
she's not doing those time-consuming things, the former farm-girl turned city
slicker turned suburbanite writes sweet romances for teens and adults.
Author Links:
Author Links:
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