Friday, October 31, 2014

Interview: Lish McBride & Firebug

http://supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com/2014/09/review-firebug_8.html

Today I'm thrilled to welcome author Lish McBride to the blog to answer a few questions about her paranormal young adult novel, Firebug. I had the chance to read and review Firebug last month and absolutely loved it, it had the perfect blend of gravity and laugh out loud humor, and I flew through it in a single sitting. I immediately emailed Lish and requested an interview, and she was nice enough to fit me into her incredibly busy schedule. I hope you all enjoy the Q+A and add Firebug to your lists!

Ava’s ability to start fires with a mere thought is not an ideal paranormal ability for those of us who are book lovers. If you had Ava’s ability, what’s one book you would make sure was completely fireproofed so you would never accidentally set it aflame?

I’m not really sure—I’m not good at these questions, really. I write books and for my day job I’m a bookseller at a local indie bookshop. I studied books in school—asking me to pick one from all the books I read? Not sure I can do that. I don’t have one favorite book. I have several favorite books for how I feel right this second…it will change in five minutes.

On second thought, maybe Farenheit 451 because that would be funny.

If Ava could temporary swap her gift with fire for the ability to see the future, would she make the trade and, if so, what’s the first thing she would hope to learn about what fate has in store for her?

I don’t think she would. For some reason I think Ava would be extremely wary of the ability to see the future. What with her past, I think she’d be too worried about what terrible, awful loss would be in her future. I think she’d stick with the devil she knew, and not some fresh hell.

There is a fairly rare type of shifter featured in Firebug. What’s another animal not often seen in stories with shifters that you would love to either read or write about?

Let’s see, in Firebug I throw in a were hares, a were fox, and a were rhino. I think it’s fair to say that I like to make people turn into weird stuff, though I’m far from the only writer to do this. But to answer your question—perhaps a were otter? I like otters.

Ezra and Lock are Ava’s closest friends, tied as they all are to the Coterie. If the three of them were to find themselves on a game show along the lines of the Newlywed Game and the two boys were asked what single word Ava would choose to describe them, what would each of them guess was her chosen word?

I think both Ezra and Lock would flip their cards over to reveal the word “Jerks.” And they would guess correctly. (She means it with love.)

There’s always an added layer of tension in romances that stem from a close friendship given both people have so much more to lose should things not work out. If you were in Ava’s position with feelings for a best friend, would you be one to take a chance and shift the dynamic, or would you work hard to keep things as they were?

Personally, I’d probably be the person to shift the dynamic. History has made this clear. I don’t like fuzzy or murky areas when it comes to relationships, so I tend to have point-blank discussions because it seems more efficient. (I am a hoot to date, let me tell you. I think my practicality kills all romance.) Since I tend to like nice, beta male types, this means that there’s little chance that they will beat me to the punch on making any change in status. That being said, at Ava’s age I probably would have reacted similarly not out of fear but out of shock that I was being asked out to begin with. I was fairly oblivious to such things…

If Ezra were to request you write a book that featured him as the protagonist rather than a secondary character, what’s the minimum number of romances you think he would ask be included in his story?

I think the discussion would go like this:

Me: How many were you thinking?

Ezra: *steeples fingers and considers* How many can I get?

Me: *sighs* I only have so many pages, Ez. Let’s keep it within reason.

Ezra: What is reasonable to some, is unreasonable to others, and I’m positive our definitions don’t match up.

What would commence after that would be an intense and lengthy negotiation that would end with me finding an ice pack for my head and writing about someone else until he chose to cooperate fully. And a fox cooperate? Only if he’s in the mood and it could take a while.

Looking forward to the second installment, what’s one small thing about the Ava of the next book that’s different from what we’ve learned of her in Firebug?

Ava’s world shifts a lot in book two—she’s maturing a little and seeing things in a different light, which means she has to reexamine how she thinks about everything. One thing you will see is more of her friend, Sylvie—a character that Ava has underestimated a little.

Thanks so much for stopping by Lish!

• • • • • • • • • • • 

FIREBUG


Ava can start fires with her mind . . . but is it a blessing or a curse?

Ava is a firebug—she can start fires with her mind. Which would all be well and good if she weren't caught in a deadly contract with the Coterie, a magical mafia. She's one of their main hit men . . . and she doesn't like it one bit. Not least because her mother's death was ordered by Venus—who is now her boss.

When Venus asks Ava to kill a family friend, Ava rebels. She knows very well that you can't say no to the Coterie and expect to get away with it, though, so she and her friends hit the road, trying desperately to think of a way out of the mess they find themselves in. Preferably keeping the murder to a minimum.


  
 • • • • • • • • • • •

LISH MCBRIDE




Lish McBride was raised by wolves in the Pacific Northwest. It rains a lot there, but she likes it anyway. She spent three years away while she got her MFA in fiction from the University of New Orleans, and she liked that too, although the hurricane did leave much of her stuff underwater. Her main goal in going to college was to become a writer so she could wear pajamas pretty much all the time. She currently resides in Seattle, spending most of her time at her day job at Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park. The rest of her time is divided between writing, reading, volunteering at 826 Seattle, and Twitter, where she either discusses her desire for a nap or her love for kittens. (Occasionally ponies.)

She plays a fierce game of potato hockey, and by "fierce" she of course means that she plays dirty, not that she plays well.

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Review: Burn for Me

BURN FOR ME
Hidden Legacy #1
Ilona Andrews
Urban Fantasy
384 pages
Avon
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Nevada Baylor is faced with the most challenging case of her detective career—a suicide mission to bring in a suspect in a volatile case. Nevada isn’t sure she has the chops. Her quarry is a Prime, the highest rank of magic user, who can set anyone and anything on fire.

Then she’s kidnapped by Connor “Mad” Rogan—a darkly tempting billionaire with equally devastating powers. Torn between wanting to run or surrender to their overwhelming attraction, Nevada must join forces with Rogan to stay alive.

Rogan’s after the same target, so he needs Nevada. But she’s getting under his skin, making him care about someone other than himself for a change. And, as Rogan has learned, love can be as perilous as death, especially in the magic world.


MY THOUGHTS
Burn For Me is everything readers have long come to expect from the writing team of Ilona Andrews, time in the beginning spent setting the world up so that we have our feet firmly beneath us before yanking our hearts into the mix thanks to a set of fun and multifaceted characters. The fairly extensive setup of world and story in the beginning, while appreciated, does make for a slightly slower start, but as always, before long we find ourselves in all sorts of dangerous situations alongside Nevada as she fights for her business, her life and her family. Things get even more interesting when Nevada finds herself paired with Mad Rogan, and once he enters the picture, the tension between them ensures we can’t put this first installment down until we’ve seen it all the way through.

Nevada is a woman with the perfect amount of attitude–feisty and in possession of a sharp wit she puts to good use, but not so exaggerated in those areas as to push us away rather than draw us in. Her relationship with her family is a highlight, her love for them clear from page one, but what really makes the entire lot of them shine are the moments of irritation or silliness that so often accompany familial relationships when all parties live in close proximity. They bicker and pick at one another in the most relatable, hilarious way possible, luring us into their world with their genuineness and the obvious affection that exists between them. Nevada’s trigger-happy mother and bad boy-loving grandmother lead the way, bringing a smile to our faces whenever they appear on page and providing a touch of comedic relief just when we need it most.

In addition to a family we can't wait to return to in the next installment, Burn For Me also gives us a romantic relationship positively thrumming with sexual tension. The dance between Nevada and Mad Rogan doesn’t start until about a hundred pages in, but we are more than fairly rewarded for our patience when the immense force of both their personalities finally collides. Despite Rogan’s staggering power and intimidating reputation, Nevada goes toe to toe with him without flinching, refusing to be strong-armed into doing what he wants when he wants it, and repeatedly rebuffing advances every woman around her would happily die surrendering to. Though she’s not a game player in the traditional romantic sense given she's as honest as they come about every aspect of herself, she and Mad Rogan play their own game nonetheless, one they both know they’re playing and one that is all the more entertaining for us because of it.

Overall, Burn For Me is a fantastic start to the Hidden Legacy series, full of action, humor, and a romance that is all about the delicious build-up rather than the pay off. It’s clear things between Nevada and Rogan are just beginning, and we can’t help but smile as we think about the merry chase on which we're sure to be led as their story progresses.

Rating: 4.5/5
  

Find Ilona:


This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

The Divincus Nex Chronicles Blog Tour + Giveaway: The Hex Boys

http://www.kismetbt.com/drop-dead-demons-by-ae-kirk-divinicus-nex-chronicles-2

Today is a special day. It marks the return of the oh-so swoon-worthy Hex Boys to Supernatural Snark, and I couldn't be more excited to turn things over to them (well, really, they just sort of took over, but they're hot, so what's a girl to do but let them turn on all the charm and flirt?). As part of the promotional tour for A&E Kirk's Divinicus Nex Chronicles, I had the chance to ask the boys what one question they wish they'd be asked in an interview. A bit of chaos ensued. Enjoy!

Blake: There are so many questions you ladies could ask me but—
Logan: One question only, Blake.

Blake: That’s good because there’s only one thing I wish to be asked. I wish these gorgeous ladies would ask me out!

Ayden: *rolls eyes* Here we go.

Tristan: At least he’s out of the way.

Blake: How about it Jenny? Let’s ditch these fourth wheels and run off together. You’re the answer to all my questions.
*Jenny swoons*
Matthias: *shoves Blake off Jenny* Nope, your turn is over. Jayden, you’re up.

Tristan: What sciency mumbo-jumbo genius question do you want to answer?

Jayden: Actually, I would like to be asked questions of a romantic nature.

All Hex Boys: *Look stunned* What?!

Jayden: All the interviewers ask multiple questions of the rest of you regarding your romantic propensities, but for the rare times I’m interviewed, I’m scarcely given such queries. And never about my “dream girl.”

Blake: Hate to break it to you, dude, but finding a chick that can keep up with you is going to be tough.

Jayden: She wouldn’t have to be my exact intellectual equal. What I most value is acceptance of my “quirks,” as you call them, a love of learning, and proficient social skills, which I lack. Once Ayden leaves, I would appreciate a companion who could continue my education on social conduct and help others connect with me.

Ayden: *looks anywhere but at his brother* You’d do just fine without me.

Jayden: The past has proven otherwise.

Blake: Remember that time Jayden was explaining to Aurora how many eggs she had in her flappy tubes.

Jayden: You mean her falo—

Logan: Don’t correct him! Can we move on?

Ayden: Yeah, let’s. I’m curious how many cars Logan’s crashed.

Logan: With my skills, why would you think I’d crash any?

Ayden: That’s not an answer.

Logan: It’s all you’re going to get. I wish I was asked where I’d like most to drive which would be the—

Blake: Isle of Man in Ireland.

Logan: Yes. They’ve got—

Jayden: No speed limits on rural roads.

Logan: And—

Ayden: A bunch of races every year.

Tristan: When you do talk, it’s pretty much one of the only things you do talk about.

Logan: Well…it’s cool.

Tristan: I’d like to be asked what we would cosplay together at—

Matthias: We are not dressing up in costumes with you.

Ayden: Seconded.

Blake: Wait, wait, could I be shirtless?

Logan: I’m out.

Tristan: Fine. I’d like to be asked what my dream girl and I would couples cosplay as.

Ayden: *coughs* Nerd! *cough, cough*

Tristan: *whacks Ayden* We’d do Spider Man/ Gwen Stacey or Dr. Who/Companion costumes that would look way better than anything you guys could pull off.

Blake: I already told you I’d pull off my shirt.

Ayden: I’d like to be asked where I’d take Aurora on our demon-death-injury free date.
Matthias: A prison cell is about the only place that could happen, mate. And you could leave her there locked up at the end.

Ayden: *punches Matthias’s shoulder* Dinner and a movie has not worked out well. I was going to take her to Paris, but that’s not a good idea anymore. She likes Italy, but that’s a worse idea now. So I’d take her for dinner on our old sailboat out on the lake. Go to the remote side, water and forests for miles. Light some candles when it gets dark and the moon comes out—

Blake: Lame!

Matthias: *snorts*

Tristan: I think you’ve been watching too many chick-flicks with Blake.

Blake: I don’t watch chick-flicks with Ayden!

Ayden: Yeah!

Blake: I watch them with Logan.

Logan: No! No we don’t!

Jayden: I have often watched them with you and Blake.

Logan: I don’t know what you’re talking about. What’s Matthias’s question?

Matthias: Absolutely nothing. I don’t want to be asked a bloody thing. *stands up* Thanks for having us. We’ll be leaving now. *turns to leave*

Jayden: I would like him to be asked about the events surrounding when he gained his powers as a young boy.

Matthias: *freezes*

Ayden: Tread lightly, Jayden.

Jayden: Everyone wants an explanation of exactly what happened to his mother and—

*lights go out*

Jayden: Ow!

Ayden: Matthias, let him go!

Tristan: Ow, that’s me!

Ayden: Sorry!

Blake: I’ve got Matthias!

Logan: You’ve got me.

Blake: Oh. Hey, is this shirt silk? Where can I get one?

Logan: You can get off of me.

Ayden: Does anyone have Matthias?
Jayden: I believe he vacated the premises.
Want more of the Hex Boys? Then check out The Divinicus Nex Chronicles :-)

 • • • • • • • • • • • • 

DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT
Divinicus Nex #1


For seventeen-year-old Aurora Lahey, survival is a lifestyle.

DEMONIC DESTINY

Aurora has the crappiest superpower on the planet. And it’s just unleashed a hit squad from hell. Demons are on the hunt, salivating to carve her carcass into confetti.

CHARISMATIC KILLERS

The Hex Boys—mysterious, hunky, and notorious for their trails of destruction—have the answers Aurora needs to survive. But their overload of deadly secrets and suspicious motives makes trusting them a potentially fatal move.

LETHAL ALLIES

The battle to save her family, herself, and stop demonic domination may cost Aurora everything worth living for, and force her to reveal her own dark secrets. But no worries. She needs the Hex Boys to pull this off, and, chances are, teaming up with these guys will get her killed anyway.


• • • • • • • • • • • 

DROP DEAD DEMONS
Divinicus Nex #2


Survival. It’s an on-going battle.

GOING ON A TREASURE HUNT…


Aurora Lahey finally knows why supernatural slayers salivate to slaughter her, but how to stop them? Not so much. Sure, she’s discovered her own lethal powers, and has six sexy, super-charged, demon hunting Hex Boys watching her back–the hottest one watching every part of her. But when a seductive stranger delivers a deadly ultimatum, Aurora and the Hex Boys plunge into a do-or-die hunt for a legendary Mandatum treasure, which will finally shift power in their favor. Or unleash hell on earth.

NEX MARKS THE SPOT…

Pursued by demons of mythical proportions, Aurora and the Hex Boys race deeper into the shadowy world of a centuries-old mystery and brutal conspiracy, where no one and nothing is what it seems. Where love and betrayal go hand-in-hand, and trusting the wrong person not only breaks your heart, but gets you killed.

DEMONS ON YOUR TAIL…

Uncovering shocking secrets from the Hex Boys’ past, hiding her Divinicus Nex identity, lying to her pretend-wish-he-were-real boyfriend, dodging demons, breaking into ancient tombs, taking the unexpected side trip to the dark depths of the Waiting World, tracking a traitor, and passing Physics…Aurora could do that in her sleep. Or more likely, die trying.

DON’T GET CAUGHT!


• • • • • • • • • • • •

A&E KIRK


This mother-daughter duo were in and out of inter-dimensional paranormal prisons until they finally quit making up cover stories for secret societies and started writing novels. The Supernatural Continuum Warlords of the Supernatural Continuum Warlordian High Command had pity upon them, and instead of having them slaughtered by the slow, tortuous flesh eating underwater, earthworm squid, they transported them into a habitationally friendly dimension called OOARCHTOHUTHLAMADILFRUMP, also known as 21st Century Earth.

Due to a demon infestation in their sleepy mountain California town, and a lack of sexy Hex Boys to stop them, Alyssa and Eileen were forced to relocate to Los Angeles. The Amazon best seller, DEMONS AT DEADNIGHT, is book one in the DIVINICUS NEX CHRONICLES series, and the first of their exclusive re-creations of supernatural society secrets. You can uncover more paranormal, inter-dimensional classified information at AEKIRK.com and Facebook.com/AandEKirk.com.

Citizens of Earth, you are welcome.


 • • • • • • • • • • • 

GIVEAWAY

Each week of this tour will feature a unique Divinicus Nex prize package giveaway, so be sure to follow along for more chances to win! The weekly prize packs:

WEEK 1: Choice of ebook (book 1 or 2), celtic cross necklace, feather hair clips
WEEK 2: Choice of ebook, (1 or 2), Signed Hex Boy Heaven Poster,  Love letter from a Hex boy
WEEK 3: Choice of ebook (1 or 2), Signed Hex Boy Poster, Divinicus Nex earrings
WEEK 4: Choice of ebook (1 or 2), Hex Boy Heaven Mug

Tour-Wide Giveaway: One lucky winner will receive a grand prize package consisting of a $100 Amazon gift card AND the chance to name a character in the third installment!

At each tour stop you will find a daily question. To be eligible to win the grand prize, you must answer at least 4 different daily questions. So go and visit the other tour stops, check the amazing content and answer the daily question!

Please enter via the Rafflecopter form. Giveaway is open internationally.

TODAY'S QUESTION: When the Hex Boys use their supernatural powers, their eye color changes. You’re a hunter now, what color do your eyes change to?


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out the other stops on the tour for more interviews, guest posts, and chances to win!

Monday, October 13th Curling Up With A Good Book Auhtor Interview
Tuesday, October 114th Books and Things Character interview
Wednesday, October 15th Blissful Book Reviews Guest Post
Thursday, October 16th Book Lovers Life Guest Post
Friday, October 17th Watcha Reading Author Interview

Monday, October 20th Her Book Thoughts! Guest Post
Tuesday, October 21st Sassy Book Lovers Guest Post
Wednesday, October 22nd fuonlyknew ~ Laura’s ramblins and reviews Guest Post
Thursday, October 23rd Forever Obsession Character Interview
Friday, October 24th Sweet Southern Home Guest Post

Monday, October 27th The Haunting of Orchid Forsythia Author Interview
Tuesday, October 28th Bad Bird Reads Guest Post
Wednesday, October 29th Supernatural Snark Guest Post
Thursday, October 30th Unabridged Bookshelf Author Interview
Friday, October 31st Auggie-Talk Character Interview

Monday, November 3rd Penny For Them… Guest Post
Tuesday, November 4th Bewitched Bookworms Guest Post
Wednesday, November 5th That Girl With Books Teaser/Excerpt
Thursday, November 6th Addicted Readers Guest Post
Friday, November 7th Romancing the Dark Side Character Interview

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Review: Adrenaline Crush

ADRENALINE CRUSH
Laurie Boyle Crompton
Contemporary Young Adult
192 pages
Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Seventeen-year-old Dyna comes from a family of risk takers and is an avid thrill-seeker herself, until the day she splinters her ankle in a terrible fall. Her whole life goes from mountain biking and rock climbing to sitting at home and attending group sessions at the bizarre alternative healing center that her hippie mother found. The boy who witnessed Dyna’s accident believes her injury is a wakeup call and he encourages her mild new lifestyle, but a young Afghanistan War veteran she meets at the healing center pushes her to start taking chances again. Forced to face the consequences of her daredevil impulses, Dyna finds herself in danger of risking the one thing she’s always treated with caution—her heart.

MY THOUGHTS
Coming in at under two hundred pages, Adrenaline Crush is a quick read, granting us a few short months in Dyna’s life before we reach the back cover and return to our reality. Shorter novels and novellas can sometimes be trickier reads simply from the standpoint that our time with characters and story is more limited, preventing us from connecting as thoroughly as we might like. Though that is certainly not the case across the board, it is unfortunately the case with Adrenaline Crush, Dyna’s journey toward physical and mental healing after her injury one we can’t help but want to explore in more detail, peeling back layers we instead gloss right over in favor of keeping forward plot momentum.

Dyna herself is a character who will perhaps go over better with a crowd closer to her age, her desire to show off in front of a cute boy driving her to make a decision that ultimately lands her in the hospital something that will likely cause older readers like myself to shake their heads in dismay. Her internal commentary in the opening chapter is slightly off putting as well, her bike ride that fateful afternoon consisting mainly of a search for a “fling” with a  “plaything” to save her from boredom. Said commentary also includes a fairy healthy appreciation for herself and her adrenaline-fueled talents, causing her to come across as immature and creating a greater character/reader gap than we had hoped for when cracking the spine.

It’s important to note that Dyna is not a terrible character in any way though, and it’s clear that the Dyna of the opening chapters is meant to leave room for growth over the course of our time with her. She continues to read a bit younger throughout however, and those who abhor cheating in any way, shape or form, should know to expect it as the bond between Dyna and Pierce starts to show her what’s missing from her relationship with boyfriend Jay. Overall, Adrenaline Crush has a great deal of potential in terms of message, Dyna’s attempts to rediscover who she is after her accident something of import, we simply aren’t given the opportunity to dig deeply into her life and fully invest in her road to recovery.

Rating: 3/5
 

Find Laurie


This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Monday, October 27, 2014

Review: Stray

STRAY
Four Sisters #1
Elissa Sussman
Young Adult/Fantasy
384 pages
Greenwillow
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Princess Aislynn has long dreamed about attending her Introduction Ball, about dancing with the handsome suitors her adviser has chosen for her, about meeting her true love and starting her happily ever after.

When the night of the ball finally arrives and Nerine Academy is awash with roses and royalty, Aislynn wants nothing more than to dance the night away, dutifully following the Path that has been laid out for her. She does not intend to stray.

But try as she might, Aislynn has never quite managed to control the magic that burns within her-magic brought on by wicked, terrible desires that threaten the Path she has vowed to take.

After all, it is wrong to want what you do not need. Isn’t it?


MY THOUGHTS
Stray is a quick read, one where the flipping of pages comes swiftly and easily, but it’s also a story that keeps us as readers at a distance. The first page instantly draws us in, introducing us to a distressed and disheveled Aislynn before moving us backward in time so that we can fully see just how she came to be so precariously situated. Though we’re engaged early on, once we settle into the story we find ourselves scrambling for purchase, talk of kingdoms, wicked queens, and fairy godmothers mentioned without much context or explanation. We’re left then only with Aislynn to cling to, but without an idea of what she’s up against or how magic works in this world, it’s hard to emotionally root for her journey.

Perhaps the main issue preventing us from throwing ourselves wholly and completely into Aislynn’s social demotion from princess (of which there are apparently many, complete with a hierarchy of royal houses that is not detailed for us in any way) to fairy godmother is the fact that we’re denied reasons for why magic in this world is so feared. We’re told of a Wicked Queen, but she remains nothing but rumor–quiet whispers in dark corners–and we’re given no details as to why her use of magic has had such a profound effect on the raising of every woman in the surrounding kingdoms. We therefore feel no anxiety over Aislynn’s ability or inability to access her magic, no sense of mounting tension as we wonder if her magic will either reveal her or fail her at just the wrong time, and so the emotional threads connecting us to her predicament remain thinner than we might like.

Additionally, it’s unclear where the story itself is headed given no prominent villain, romance, friendship or foil of any kind for Aislynn presents itself to help point us in a clear direction. We’re given snippets of friendships, a touch of romance, and the barest hint of dark things on the horizon, but they all remain largely background elements as we follow Aislynn in her day to day activities at the school where she’s training to be a fairy godmother. As a result, we stay largely on the surface of Stray, longing to extend our claws and really dig so that we can uncover all the wonderful fantasy elements this story has the potential to bring to life.

We’re left on the final page much as we existed for much of the book–a bit off kilter and unsure of where we might be headed moving forward. That being said however, Stray is by no means a bad book, it’s simply lacking a bit of cohesiveness and direction to help us form the bond with characters and story that is the reason we crack a spine in the first place.

Rating: 3/5


Find Elissa:


This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Friday, October 24, 2014

Talon Blog Tour: Teaser + Giveaway!

www.kismetbt.com/talon-by-julie-kagawa

I'm absurdly giddy today to be a part of the promotional tour for Talon, the newest paranormal young adult release from Julie Kagawa. I always want to read anything and everything Julie writes, but my excitement for this book is on a whole new level....because dragons. DRAGONS! Yes and please. If the rest of you aren't as excited as I am yet, I hope you will be after you read the teaser below! Be sure and check out the bottom of the post as well for all the details on a Catch the Dragon scavenger hunt in which 5 lucky winners will each receive one of Julie's fantastic dragon figurines, so you don't want to miss out.

But first, time to be teased:


• • • • • • • • • • •

TALON


Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.
 
Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.
 
Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.


• • • • • • • • • • •

JULIE KAGAWA 


Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it  by reef sharks, jellyfish and the odd eel.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all-time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian shepherd who is too smart for his own good and the latest addition, a hyperactive Papillon puppy.


• • • • • • • • • • •

CATCH THE DRAGON CONTEST


Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, a dragon will appear on a different blog and stay there for 48hrs. Once you have found the dragon, click on it and you will be directed to a Rafflecopter entry form for the Grand Prize Giveaway. To enter, you must answer the daily question found at the tour stop!!!

Where could the dragon appear? On all Book Blogger Tour Hosts and The Harlequin Blog, so go now and catch yourself a dragon! Will you find it? And will you be able to keep it?


What do you win if you track this bad boy down you ask? A prize package of AWESOME:


Five lucky grand prize winners will receive one of Julie’s amazing dragon figurines as well as some fun signed swag. To enter for the grand prize, you MUST follow the tour each day, find and catch the dragon, and answer the daily question. Giveaway is open to US/Canada.

Want to win? Then catch that dragon!

TODAY'S QUESTION: Now that you've gotten to know the characters and read a few teasers, on a scale of 1 to 10, how excited for Talon are you?

• • • • • • • • • • •

DAILY GIVEAWAY

In addition to the fabulous grand prize giveaway featured above for the Catch the Dragon contest, I also have a finished copy of Talon to give away on the blog today! To enter, just fill out the Rafflecopter form, and don't forget to check out all the participating blogs below for character profiles, interviews and chances to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, October 2nd – Harlequin Blog 

Monday, October 6th – Jessica at Step into Fiction
Wednesday, October 8th – Katie’s Book Blog
Friday, October 10th – Page Turners

Monday, October 13th – Bewitched Bookworms
Wednesday, October 15th – Mundie Moms
Friday, October 17th – Fiktshun

Monday, October 20th – Two Chicks on Books
Wednesday, October 22nd – YA Interrobang
Friday, October 24th – Supernatural Snark

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Interview: Roxanne St. Claire + They All Fall Down


I'm thrilled today to welcome author Roxanne St. Claire to the blog as part of the promotional tour for her newest release, They All Fall Down. Roxanne was nice enough to answer a few questions for me about high school, murder mysteries and her teenage self, so I hope you all enjoy the interview!

To help us get to know Kenzie and her newfound friends a little bit better, could you assign each of them a typical high school yearbook superlative (best dressed, most likely to succeed, etc.)?

Kenzie Summerall – Most Changed
Molly Russell – Biggest Band Geek
Josh Collier – Sexiest Smile
Levi Sterling – Most Wanted by Administration

Confession: I live for lists. I love them and can’t get through my day without making one. Instead of a list like the one circulating at Kenzie’s high school, please give us a list of your top 5 favorite high school-centric movies.

Mean Girls
A Cinderella Story
The Breakfast Club
Clueless
Perks of Being a Wallflower

If Kenzie could invite a character from any piece of fiction (aside from Sherlock Holmes) to help her uncover the secrets behind the list and the death of her classmates, who would she most want to work with?

Why not Sherlock!?! He’d be perfect. Okay, then I’d have her pick someone from either the Guardian Angelinos or the Bullet Catchers, two incredibly talented teams of protection and security specialists…all invented by me!

If Kenzie had the chance to sit down and interview you, what do you think the first question out of her mouth would be?

“Why did I have to wait so long to find out the truth about my brother?”

I love a mystery that can keep me guessing. What book had the biggest/most surprising twist you’ve ever encountered?

I admit that I didn’t see the sad ending of Fault in our Stars coming. I read the book very early, before the big buzz, and when Augustus flinches in pain in Amsterdam for the first time, I gasped loudly in shock. No! He wouldn’t do that! He wouldn’t…he did. Sigh. Also, there’s a death at the end of Mockingjay that stunned (and infuriated) me. 

If, like Kenzie, the teenage version of you suddenly found herself the center of the popular crowd’s attention, what would her reaction have been?

I’d like to think I’d be more like Kenzie than Molly. Kenzie was not overwhelmed by it all, because she never really sought seek the attention and didn’t place any value on it. Her best friend, Molly, on the other hand was seduced – so it was a good thing that Molly wasn’t on the list. That was a big reason Kenzie didn’t get sucked into the power of the list, and was able to stand back and see what was happening objectively. 

What’s one thing your high school self never would have guessed about the direction your career as an adult has taken?

My high school self went 3,000 miles away from home (from Pittsburgh to UCLA) with the intention of being a high-powered attorney. But after one semester of college, I knew I wasn’t cut out for law school. I think my high school self would be surprised that those little “stories” I wrote for fun and to amuse my friends ended up as the way I make my living.

Thanks so much for these awesome questions. I’m happy to pop in today and answer more!

My pleasure Roxanne, thank you so much for taking the time to stop by!

• • • • • • • • • • • •

THEY ALL FALL DOWN


Every year, the lives of ten girls at Vienna High are transformed.

All because of the list.

Kenzie Summerall can't imagine how she's been voted onto a list of the hottest girls in school, but when she lands at number five, her average life becomes dazzling. Doors open to the best parties, new friends surround her, the cutest jock in school is after her.

This is the power of the list. If you're on it, your life changes.

If you're on it this year? Your life ends.



• • • • • • • • • • • •

ROXANNE ST. CLAIRE


Roxanne St. Claire is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than thirty novels of suspense and romance, including three popular series (The Bullet Catchers, The Guardian Angelinos, and Barefoot Bay) and multiple stand alone books.

In addition to being a six-time nominee and one-time winner of the RITA Award, Roxanne’s novels have won the National Reader’s Choice Award for best romantic suspense three times, as well as the Daphne du Maurier Award, the HOLT Medallion, the Maggie, Booksellers Best, Book Buyers Best, the Award of Excellence, and many others. Her books have been translated into dozens of languages and are routinely included as a Doubleday/Rhapsody Book Club Selection of the Month.


And don't forget to check out the rest of the participating blogs!

10/14     Icey Books                                         
10/15     Bumbles & Fairytales                     
10/16     Across the Words                           
10/17     Bookish                                               
10/18     A Dream Within a Dream
10/19     Good Books & Good Wine          
10/20     Jean Book Nerd                           
10/21     Pandora’s Books                             
10/22     Anatea’s Bookshelf                        
10/23     Supernatural Snark                        
10/24     The Children’s Book Review       
10/26     Live to Read
10/27     Winter Haven Books / Rather Be Reading YA      
10/28     Peace Love Books                           
10/29     Christy’s Book Addiction              
10/30     Stories & Sweeties
10/31     Wondrous Reads            

Wednesday, October 22, 2014

Compulsion Blog Tour + Giveaway: Talking Magic with Jessica Spotswood


Today I'm hugely excited to be a stop on the I Have A Compulsion for Magic blog tour, a tour celebrating the upcoming release of Martina Boone's debut novel, Compulsion. I've been not-so patiently waiting (because I lack patience of any kind when it comes to books) for this book to release since the moment I saw the gorgeous cover and read the synopsis, and now the wait is almost over. YAY!

I couldn't be happier to turn my blog over to author Jessica Spotswood, who's lending Martina a hand with her pre-release festivities and is going to answer a few questions about magic. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more surprise guests, excerpts and giveaways!

• • • • • • • • • • • 

Ever wonder what it would be like to have a little bit of magic to use everyday? That’s what the Compulsion for Magic tour is all about! The characters on Watson Island don’t levitate, they don’t freeze time, and they don’t have magic wands. They just have an extra “gift” that doubles as a curse if you look at it from a different angle, and like in Jessica Spotswood’s Cahill Witch Chronicles trilogy, the magic doesn’t like not being used.
 

Because she knows a thing or two about the inconvenient aspects of magic, we’ve asked the lovely Jessica Spotswood to tell us a little about what kind of magic she and her characters wish—and don’t wish—they had.
If you could have any “everyday” magical gift, like finding lost things or knowing what people want, what gift would you want and why?

I'm not sure this counts as "everyday" magic, but I'd most like a time-turner. Mostly to give myself a few extra hours every day to read for pleasure. I feel like it's the first thing to go when I get busy, which is dreadful.

What everyday magic would your characters wish they had and why?

Ooh, interesting question, since my characters are witches. What can't they do magically that they'd like to, though? Cate would like to be a plant-whisperer - to know what each plant needs to thrive - because she loves gardening and gets such joy from it. Tess would choose to relive memories so she could spend more time with those she misses. Maura - oh, Lord, asking Maura this question would be downright dangerous because she'd never settle for something "everyday." Finn would love to have some magical way of absorbing more knowledge - maybe the ability to read a book by osmosis?

Eight, Barrie’s love interest in
Compulsion, has inherited his family’s gift of knowing what people want and feeling compelled to give it to them. What’s one gift you’re glad you don’t have? Or your characters would be glad they didn’t have?

I wouldn't want the ability to see the future. It's tempting sometimes (especially in this business, I think!), but half the magic and bravery of things is in the not-knowing and doing it anyway. I think Cate would prefer not to have her mind-magic, because she regrets some of the things she's done with it. I don't think Maura and Tess would give it up, though.

Barrie is tied to her family’s plantation, Watson’s Landing, in a magical way, and the whole landscape becomes magical for her. What’s the one place in your book that you wish you could bring to life?

Belastra's Bookshop, where Cate and Finn share their first kiss and she loses control of her magic. Also - it's a bookshop!

If you were going to a Halloween party and you had to dress as a character from a Southern Gothic or a Gothic romance, what would your costume look like?

I'd be Jane Eyre, I think - hair pulled back plainly and drab governess-appropriate clothes, but armed with a stack of books and a witty tongue and a loyal heart.

Your turn! We want to hear from you! What kind of a “gift” would you like to have? For a chance to win the HUGE tour mega prize of books and the $100 gift card, tell us in the comments below—but remember, as it is on Compulsion’s Watson Island—magic isn’t always a solution, it’s just as often a problem in itself.
 

Would you go with an unusual magic or a useful one?

And/Or . . .

Bonus option: If you’d rather do a photo answer, show us a Halloween costume with your interpretation of a literary witchy, Southern Gothic, Gothic, or magical costume! Would you go as Hermione Granger, one of the Cahill sisters, or one of the Vampire Diaries witches? Or would you take Jessica’s route of a Gothic character like Jane Eyre? Post a comment with the URL to your photo and we’ll share it. Use tag #CompulsionMagic.


• • • • • • • • • •

COMPULSION
Heirs of Watson Island #1
Releases October 28th from Simon & Schuster



Three plantations.  Two gifts. 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 somehow seems to know 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.



Pre-order Compulsion:

IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Signed copies are available for pre-order from One More Page Books. You can also pre-order with the special I have a Compulsion for readingbookplate from Eight Cousins. Pre-Order Incentives Going on here.


Early Praise for Compulsion:
“ Darkly romantic and steeped in Southern Gothic charm, you’ll be compelled to get lost in the Heirs of Watson Island series.”
— #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout

"A fresh twist on the Southern Gothic — haunting, atmospheric, and absorbing.”
— Claudia Gray, New York Times bestselling author of A Thousand Pieces of You and the Evernight and Spellcaster series

"Compulsion is 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 NYT bestselling author of the Sweet Evil trilogy from HarperTeen


• • • • • • • • • • • 
 
MARTINA BOONE 


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 things 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.



• • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY


Do you have a Compulsion for Reading? Then you don't want to miss what Martina Boone is giving away! 5 lucky winners will each win the following:
  • Grand Prize Winner - will win EVERYTHING pictured above! That's the right! That entire bag of books will go to 1 reader!! US residents only.
  • Next Winner - will win a $100 gift card to the book store of their choice! Open internationally.
  • 3 Additional winners will each win a Compulsion prize pack which features a signed copy of Compulsion, a Compulsion necklace and bookmarks. Open internationally.
To enter, please fill out the form below:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and don't forget to stop by the other participating blogs!

10/6- Reading Teen, intro to tour & giveaway
10/7 -
Fiktshun, Kimberly Derting & Kami Garcia guest post & giveaway
10/8 -
Chapter by Chapter, excerpt & giveaway
10/10 -
Katie's Book Blog, Paula Stokes guest post & giveaway

10/13 -
Curling Up With A Good Book, Jodi Meadows guest post & giveaway
10/14 -
Fangirlish, Amy Ewing guest post & giveaway
10/15 -
Reading Lark, excerpt & giveaway
10/16 -
Good Books & Good Wine, Megan Shepherd guest post & giveaway
10/17 -
Jenuine Cupcakes, Beth Revis guest post & giveaway

10/20 - Mundie Moms, Martina Boone interview & giveaway 

10/21 - Guest post with Martina Boone & Sara, and giveaway 

10/22 - Supernatural Snark, Jessica Spotswood guest post & giveaway 

10/23 - Girls in The Stacks, excerpt & giveaway 

10/24 - Novel Novice, Leah Cypess guest post & giveaway 


10/27 - Once Upon a Twilight, Kat Zhang guest post & giveaway 

10/28 - Martina Boone, tour wrap up