Accidentally opening a vortex sucks! Fifteen-year-old KIZZY TAYLOR is just hoping for an evening of fun when she joins her friends in a spelunking expedition through an under-city tunnel. But fun turns bizarre when Kizzy accidentally opens a vortex and her stepsister is swept through to an evil alternate dimension. The only way to rescue her stepsister is to reopen the vortex and go in after her. But will Kizzy be able to return home?
Print copy: Lori Strongin with email starting serena423
Ebook winner: Sweety with email starting sweety225
Ander McNair used to be the favorite son of a great monster-hunting family – until he was bitten by a werewolf and the hunter became the hunted. Now anything that makes his pulse race, even a kiss from his girlfriend Cicely, is enough to turn him into a monster. When he finally gets a chance to earn his cure by killing a vampire prince, he finds he has to choose between his own past and the future of the girl he loves. Can a guy who’s not even human learn what it means to be a man?
Luke Marianez used to be an immortal vampire prince – until the witch he loved betrayed him and cursed him with the ability to die. Now he lives in the world of vampire blood bars, where the waitresses are the drinks, and dreams about killing the last of the witch’s line so he can live forever. But revenge doesn’t just mean breaking the curse. He wants to break the girl’s heart, too. Can Luke seduce Cicely without falling in love himself?
Cicely Watson doesn’t believe in werewolves or vampires. She’s not even sure she believes in true love. But she’s about to discover what all werewolves know:
People change.
About Laura:
I grew up the oldest of nine kids in a cluttered Victorian house in a small town on the coast of Maine. The house was so close to the ocean that when we wanted to go sledding on our steep back hill we had to wait for low tide or we might wind up "in the drink." I spent half my childhood daydreaming and the other half desperately trying to get attention - which turns out to be the ideal training for writing and trying to get published! At eighteen I left Maine for Minnesota to attend Macalester College in St Paul where I earned my degree in Women's Studies and met the love of my life, my partner Marcy. Now she and I live in a little hippy-punk neighborhood of Minneapolis with our three astonishing children, one gentle great dane, one blind geriatric dachshund, one self-absorbed diva cat and four city chickens in a coop in the back yard. I'm a member of the Glitter Glam Rainbow Bunny Death Pixies critique group (It's pronounced "Death Pixies." The "Glitter Glam Rainbow Bunny" is silent) and a winner of a Writers of the Future award for fantasy and science fiction. When I'm not writing or cleaning up after someone I can usually be found reading paranormal YA, dancing to bad pop music with my kids or combing thrift stores for another pair of vintage Doc Martens. I love outsider art, good tattoos, costume parties, horseback riding, giant puppets and steampunk anything. A note on my bathroom mirror says "Try to relax and enjoy the crisis," and generally I do. Enjoy it, that is. I almost never relax.
Thanks for your time Laura!
--The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less. “Ander used to be a great monster hunter – until
he was bitten by a werewolf. Now he has the chance to earn a cure, but will it
cost him the girl he loves?”
-- How did you get the idea for the story? I have been in love with vampires and
werewolves since the fifth grade, so I have always wanted to write a paranormal
romance. I love the way monster stories are free to explore the big questions
in life – what does it mean to be human? What makes a person good? What would
it be like to live forever? – while still being sexy and funny and scary. This
book grew out of improvised stories that my partner Marcy and I would tell each
other whenever we got bored, about the vampire blood-bar The Nightlife, “where
the waitresses are the drinks.”
--Which character would you most/least like to have dinner with? I would
love to have dinner with Luke, even though he is a vampire and I know there is
a chance I could wind up on the menu. I love all things Victorian, from
steampunk to Goth Lolita, and having been around for two centuries now, Luke could
certainly give me a history lesson or two – and a dose of that old-school
charm.
--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?
I never have as much reading times as I’d like, but I make the most of what
I’ve got! The best books I’ve read recently are Laini Tayor’s “The Daughter of
Smoke and Bone,” and Holly Black’s “White Cat.” I’m also a huge fan of the
Hunger Games trilogy and the Twilight Saga, Maggie Stiefvater’s Wolves of Mercy
Falls trilogy, Daniel Waters’ Generation Dead series and Kami Garcia and
Margaret Stohl’s Caster Chronicles.
--Do you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates? I’m
loving working on “Crossfire,” the second book in the Darkride Chronicles,
which I hope to have out sometime in 2012. I’m also working on a YA novel that
takes place in a high school for kids who are cursed, and I have new short
stories coming out soon, too. I post links to my published short stories on my
website www.laurabradleyrede.com,
so you are welcome to read them online for free.
--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be like a favorite book for
24 hours, which book would you pick and why? I couldn’t survive in most of my
favorite books for 24 hours! A day in the world of the Hunger Games would
definitely do me in. But I’ll admit that I would love to be Alice Cullen for a
day, and I would gladly take a day of classes at Hogwarts, especially if I
could get a time-turner out of the deal!
--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on
your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were playing while you wrote? I write late at night, after my three kids are
in bed, so my Diet Coke caffeine is a must. I don’t listen to music when I
write, though. When the kids are in bed I savor the silence.
--If you could have any superpower what would you choose? Does immortality
count as a superpower? Because that’s one thing my vampire characters and I
have in common: the desire to live forever. If I had eternity, I might actually
have time to read all the books I want
to read – and write all the books I want to write!
--Besides writing, what do you like
to do in your free time? I love to read to my kids. It’s so satisfying to share
the books I loved when I was there age. I also love hanging out with my pets.
We have a Great Dane, an elderly dachshund and four pet chickens. I live for
thrift shopping, especially around Halloween when they put out the outrageous
stuff, and I collect vintage Doc Marten boots. I’m into the visual arts and I
like to do projects like designing my own tarot deck. My partner Marcy and I
designed the Darkride cover and we had a fantastic time doing it.
--Is there anything else you want to
add or say to your readers? I want to say thank you, honestly. I care deeply
about my characters and I don’t feel like they really, fully come alive until I
share them with someone else. The folks who read Darkride are supporting my
dream, and I hope that kindness comes back to them many times over.
Lightning round: this or that? That!
(Oh, wait, that wasn’t a question, was it.)
Vanilla or chocolate? vanilla
Edward or Jacob? I’m Switzerland.
Okay, if I have to choose, Edward.
Hockey or soccer? Soccer.
Ebook or paper? I’m torn! I’ve been a paper girl, but my book is an ebook,
so… ebook!
Salty or sweet? Both? Okay, salty.
Beach or mountains? Beach! (I grew up in Maine)
Phone call or email? Email. I’m better in writing. Go figure.
Early bird or night owl? Night owl. I keep vampire hours.
Dog or cat? Dog. (My Great Dane, Zeus)
Messy or neat? Ideally, neat. Actually, messy.
Ninjas or pirates? Pirates are sexier (but “ninja” is so fun to say!)
Rift of Askrah Book 1: Fracture by Benjamin Andrews
Rift of Askrah is the story of Nihlen Draven, heir to the throne of the nation of Draven. After being kidnapped though, everything changes. A world he thought he understood is now alien to him, as he must cope with the danger that haunts him around every turn. His only chance is to find a way to reclaim his stolen kingdom, understand new found abilities, and save himself and the rest of the world from an even greater danger.
About Ben: (from Goodreads)
Reading and writing have always been passions of mine. There are few things like losing yourself in a good book. I've always loved reading fantasy literature. From novels to manga, and all kinds of other stories in between. It's been a staple of my childhood, and is still an enjoyable part of my life. Writing brings its own similar form of this joy. Creating an entire world from scratch, making it feel as real as possible, no matter how unreal it may be. Making it flow and come to life, there's nothing else quite like it.
As for some personal information, I was born in Idaho. I grew up in small towns in the south-eastern portion of the state. At 19, I moved to Oregon, where I currently reside. I currently hold an Associate's Degree in Pharmacy Technology, and work for a call center.
Thank you Benjamin for the time, and the interview!
--The Twitter
version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less.
Rift of Askrah is a story of a kingdom lost, and the
struggle to recover it. The heroes will deal with the unknown to save the
world.
--How did you get the idea for the story?
It was
kind of a sequential event. I had written the outline to another novel, when I
had some ideas about another story. I started writing them down, and they
eventually developed into the Rift of Askrah series.
--Which
character would you most/least like to have dinner with?
Most
would probably be the hero, Nihlen. Least would be Cal, I think he would be an
unsavory dinner companion for me.
--What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?
I love
lots of different kinds of books, including other fantasy novels. Other genres
I read are action, thrillers, and some non-fiction when it interests me. I
always make time to read every day, no matter how busy I am. Recently I also
expanded my blog to include reviews, and have received some book I'll be
reviewing soon.
--Do
you have any other works in progress? Any teasers or release dates?
Book 2:
Shatter in the Rift of Askrah series is currently being written. Target release
is set for early 2012, so be sure to keep an eye out for it! I'm also toying
with a few ideas I've had while writing this series for what I'll be writing
after it is completed, so there won't be much of a pause between the end of the
Rift of Askrah series and my next relese.
--If a fairy godmother told you your life could be
like a favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?
I think it would have to be something with magic, maybe the Wheel
of Time or Lord of the Rings.
--Do you need anything to write (music, coffee, etc)? Are there any songs on
your playlist- songs that inspired you or that were
playing while you wrote?
I
usually write with the television on. I don't like to write in the quiet, and
music distracts me when I want to work. Oddly though, I can listen to the
television and continue working.
--If you could have any superpower what would you choose?
The
ability to fly, no question. Being able to fly anywhere, at anytime, would be
beyond amazing.
--Besides writing, what do you like to do in your free time?
I enjoy
playing video games, going snowboarding when it's in season, and traveling. Of
course, simple relaxation is always welcome.
--Is there anything else you want to add or say to your readers?
I'd
like to thank those who check out my book, and Brandi for allowing me the
opportunity to have this interview.
With Weston's self-imposed forty-eight hour deadline having already lapsed, Sophie's patience is pushed to the max- especially with her realization that his concern is not for his own well-being, but for hers. Just when they embrace a reconnection, she'll learn that her greatest threat is not necessarily something that might happen in the future, but something that's happening...right now. And this time, Sophie and Wes will need the help of more than one person to fix it -even if it means giving up his secret. With time forever moving, and the dark cloud at its lowest, the third book in the Pace Series stays true to its signature grace and determination as Sophie and Weston take the biggest detour so far.
Published in US: Aug 1 2011
3rd in Pace Series
Source: publisher for honest review
My Review:
The Pace Series is one that since I discovered it, the next installment is always on my anxiously waiting for list. The Iron Quill, like it's predecessors did not disappoint. The characters, the writing, and the pacing are right in line with what I expected, and the ending left me with that longing and expectation for the next chapter in their story.
There was no time wasted getting right into the plot and it was like I didn't miss a beat. It was like picking up with old friends, a comfort level, and a sense of completeness. That isn't to say that it started with Sophie and Wes in an easy place--that seems next to impossible with their situation, and their history, but I was glad to be back in their lives nonetheless.
There are old characters that we're used to, and a new and intriguing character that we get inside his head. He's a great addition, and I love how he's introduced and then how he impacts the story.
Ms. Shorts gives the right information at the right time, and kept me breathless on the edge of my seat waiting to see how things would turn out. She writes with an obvious passion, and I really appreciate how she can flesh out what the characters are feeling and thinking, putting me right into their shoes. She isn't afraid to blow up the character's worlds though, and no matter how hard it is to read, this really is a feat of a writer. Especially when I see no way to really reconcile it all, but have faith that somehow she will get them to the end!
This is a wonderful series, a great installment, and I can't wait until more from Sophie and Wes.
I'd love to hear what you think of the book and/or my review.
At 7:45 a.m. on the day before Thanksgiving break, a bomb goes off at Edison High. Nine people die instantly. Fifteen are critically injured. Twenty-two suffer less severe injuries. And one is blinded. Those who survive, struggle to cope with the loss and destruction. All must find new meaning for their lives as a result of something they may never understand. Lurlene McDaniel’s signature expertise and finesse in dealing with issues of violence, death, and physical as well as emotional trauma in the lives of teens is immediate and heartrending.
Publishes July 24th 2012
Source: Netgalley
My Review:
Red Heart Tattoo is a new addition to Lurlene McDaniel's masterpieces. I've always loved her writing style, and the way that she has an eye for grief and hard issues. She addresses them head-on and with characters that I can't help but care about. This book is no different.
At first it is a bit confusing because there are several rotating point of views, but I quickly got a handle on the personality and voices, and found myself caring, despising, cringing, and rooting for the different characters. It may seem that it's hard to encapsule a voice and several lives in so few pages, but I think she did a superb job.
Morgan is probably my favorite character, and the one that I connected with the most. It surprised me a bit because I have never been that popular, but she had a personality that I couldn't help but like.
Roth was also a very developed character, and more like someone that I would have been found hanging out with in school. I liked the different layers that were peeled back and how I got to know and care for his character.
The pace never lets up and Red Heart Tattoo kept me flipping until I reached the satisfying conclusion.
I'd love to hear what you think of this book and/or my review.
