Burning Blog Tour Stop

Burning
by Elana K. Arnold
Pages: 320
Release Date: June 11, 2013
by Delacorte Press

Goodreads / Purchase

Ben: Having just graduated from high school, Ben is set to leave Gypsum, Nevada. It's good timing since the gypsum mine that is the lifeblood of the area is closing, shutting the whole town down with it. Ben is lucky: he's headed to San Diego, where he's got a track scholarship at the University of California. But his best friends, Pete and Hog Boy, don't have college to look forward to, so to make them happy, Ben goes with them to check out the hot chick parked on the side of Highway 447.
Lala: She and her Gypsy family earn money by telling fortunes. Some customers choose Tarot cards; others have their palms read. The thousands of people attending the nearby Burning Man festival spend lots of cash--especially as Lala gives uncanny readings. But lately Lala's been questioning whether there might be more to life than her upcoming arranged marriage. And the day she reads Ben's cards is the day that everything changes for her. . . and for him.

Guest Post:

I am a big fan of research, and so far all of my novels have allowed me to fall into interesting worlds. I become kind of obsessed with my subject matter while I’m researching, and I begin to see my “special interest” all around me. When I was writing SACRED, I delved into Kabbalah; for BURNING, I got to research Romani people, gypsum mining, and the Burning Man festival. What a wonderfully rich combination of topics!I love Google. I think that had I been writing BURNING fifteen years ago, it could have taken me years to gather the information I needed to write it. But in the magical world we inhabit today, I was able to find out-of-print collections of Romani poetry and fables, connect with an agronomist who send me pictures of the gypsum mine where he works, find Burners who were eager to share their stories, and read articles about the real town of Empire, Nevada, on which I based Ben Stanley’s town of Gypsum.In fact, it was a picture in one of these articles that inspired the opening scene of BURNING—Ben and his friends skating in an abandoned gypsum mine. I can’t seem to find that picture again, but here’s a link to an article about the town: http://www.reviewjournal.com/news/nevada-and-west/empire-death-nevada-company-town. I originally heard about Empire by chance, just listening to NPR as I drove. Here’s a link to the transcript of that interview: http://www.npr.org/2011/06/20/137304964/shuttered-plant-marks-the-end-of-a-nevada-town. I had already decided that my female protagonist would be a Romani Gypsy, and when I heard that the residents of Empire mined Gypsum, my Scooby ears stood up. Then I learned that Empire was located near the entrance to Burning Man, and I knew I had discovered my setting, and the home of my male protagonist Ben Stanley. Really, everything about BURNING is linked to that setting—the desperation, the shuttering of a town, the hard choices, the end of things, the blistering heat and unrelenting, oppressive sun. 

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Young Adult Debut Promotions: The S-Word by Chelsea Pitcher

Young Adult Debut Promotions (YADP) is a post I do to help out debut authors, and to get them noticed.  My posts will definitely include a feature of the book, a feature of the author, and a giveaway, with an interview, guest post, or excerpt optional.  If you would like more information about YADP click here and scroll down until you come to the section talking about it.

Today I am featuring...

Chelsea Pitcher
And she will be doing a guest post and giveaway!

The S-Word
by Chelsea Pitcher
Pages: 304
Release Date: May 7, 2013
by Gallery Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster)

Goodreads / Purchase

First it was SLUT scribbled all over Lizzie Hart’s locker. But one week after Lizzie kills herself, SUICIDE SLUT replaces it—in Lizzie's looping scrawl.
Lizzie’s reputation is destroyed when she's caught in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend on prom night. With the whole school turned against her, and Angie not speaking to her, Lizzie takes her own life. But someone isn’t letting her go quietly. As graffiti and photocopies of Lizzie’s diary plaster the school, Angie begins a relentless investigation into who, exactly, made Lizzie feel she didn’t deserve to keep living. And while she claims she simply wants to punish Lizzie’s tormentors, Angie's own anguish over abandoning her best friend will drive her deep into the dark, twisted side of Verity High—and she might not be able to pull herself back out. Debut author Chelsea Pitcher daringly depicts the harsh reality of modern high schools, where one bad decision can ruin a reputation, and one cruel word can ruin a life. Angie’s quest for the truth behind Lizzie’s suicide is addictive and thrilling, and her razor-sharp wit and fierce sleuthing skills makes her impossible not to root for—even when it becomes clear that both avenging Lizzie and avoiding self-destruction might not be possible.

Guest Post:

Several years ago, I was flipping through a magazine when I came across an interview with Natalie Portman. In it, the interviewer mentioned that Portman hails from the same hometown as Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan (notorious partiers at the time). Why, the interviewer mused, did Natalie suppose those girls behaved so differently from her? Did she have anything to say about their behavior?

It was clear the interviewer was baiting her. All she had to do was bite. But Portman took the high road, saying (and I’m paraphrasing here, as this was a while ago):

I don’t know what kind of person I’d be without the support of my family. They are my rock.

It isn’t such a novel idea, is it? Of course a person’s support system affects her choices. Yet, so many times, when faced with a behavior we don’t understand, the inclination is to lash out, rather than try to relate. To do what’s easy, instead of what’s right.

Years later, as I sat down to write THE S-WORD, this idea still resonated with me. It might have even resonated more, considering the book’s high school setting. After all, how common is it to see a fellow student wearing an unusual outfit, and whisper quietly to a friend, “What was she thinking?” How easy is it to see a boy huddled in the park, lips clinging desperately to a joint, and mutter, “He’s wasting his life”?

After that, the names come easily: slut, burnout, loser, skank. They’re just whispers, shared between two friends. And even if they do catch on the wind and spread like wildfire, what’s the big deal? We’ve all heard that “sticks and stones” thing a thousand times. Words are only words. 

They’re harmless. 

Well here’s the thing. If we lived in a perfect world, where everyone had a supportive family and awesome friends, maybe being bullied at school wouldn’t have the power to ruin someone’s life. Those taunts could still hurt, scrape, and gnaw away at a person’s sense of value, but through the support of their family and friends, they’d find a way to get through it. They’d come home to hugs and encouragement and spend the night laughing on the phone with their friends. They’d ride on unicorns while Care Bears shot rainbows out of their tummies and…

You see where this is going. In reality, no one has such a perfect life. Even those with supportive families suffer through bouts of loneliness and insecurity. Those surrounded by friends still wonder if they’re truly known by the people in their lives. And what about the majority of teens, the ones without an ever-supportive family and awesome friends?

The ones whose parents work so often they never actually see their kids?

The ones who’ve been bounced in and out of foster homes their entire lives?

The ones who suffer abuse at the hands of their relatives?

In their own houses. 

In their own bedrooms. 

What about them?

The truth is, we often have no idea what’s going in someone’s personal life. No idea what their family is really like. No idea what they’ve already survived. And by passing on little slut-like words to our friends, even if we think no one is listening, we could be doing much more than ruining a person’s day.

We could be taking away her only safe place.

By reducing a person to an outfit, an action, a word, we could be ripping away someone’s only reprieve in a world wrought with pain, loss or abuse. And what does that leave him?

Nothing.

It’s something to think about, at least, the next time that cleverly crafted taunt forms on your lips. God, what a laugh you’ll get! People will be rolling on the floor. Then again, you could be taking away a person’s last refuge, leaving her nowhere to feel safe, untouched, undestroyed.

Is it worth it?

Giveaway:

THE RULES:

~There will be 1 winner

~Giveaway ends on May 17, 2013 @ 12:00 A.M.

~This giveaway is US/CAN


THE PRIZE:
Finished copy of The S-Word.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Get to know Chelsea Pitcher:

Bio:

Chelsea Pitcher is a native of Portland, OR where she received her BA in English Literature. Fascinated by all things literary, she began gobbling up stories as soon as she could read, and especially enjoys delving into the darker places to see if she can draw out some light.

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

THANK YOU SO SO SO SO SO MUCH Chelsea FOR STOPPING BY! YOU'RE WELCOME BACK ANY TIME!! :)

Gilded Wings Blog Tour Stop



Hello my lovely book fanatics!  Today I am participating in the Broken Wings Blog Tour!  Today I will be doing an awesome guest post and excerpt, as well as a giveaway, so let's get started!!!!

Gilded Wings

by Amy Lignor

Series: The Angel Chronicles #2

Release Date: November 1, 2012

by Tribute Books

Goodreads / Purchase

The Beloved Angel/Warrior Team from Until Next Time Returns!

When Matt and Emily are sent on their second mission they have no idea how truly dark human nature can become…

Emily never wanted to face humans again. With the heartache that went on down below, she’s still trying to figure out how to save souls that don’t deserve saving. The only one she wants to see again is Jason - the young man she fell in love with who became the soulmate she simply can’t forget…

Matt was trained to protect and defend the souls down below. Longing to feel the heartfelt emotions that come from being human, Matt wants nothing more than to have just one life - one chance - to live and love the girl of his dreams…

The powerful team find themselves in a brand new century, living in the Gilded Age of New York City. Emily takes over the body of Anya, a young Russian girl who arrives on Ellis Island after a hideous tragedy. There she meets up with a strangely familiar young man by the name of Drew Parrish, who helps Anya survive in an unknown world of luxury, snobbery and…obsession.

What Anya’s inner angel doesn’t know is that the soul she loves is also back. This time around Jason goes by the name of Max Carrow. Once a quiet and kind boy, he’s now part of the ‘Four Hundred Club,’ and wants nothing more than to be among the most admired as he climbs the shaky ladder of society’s elite.

As two worlds merge, Emily and Matt struggle under the weight of their “Gilded Wings.” Not only will they have to figure out who they should fight to save, but they must also face a romantic choice that could destroy them both.

Until Next Time

by Amy Lignor

Series: The Angel Chronicles #1

Pages: 255

Release Date: February 1, 2012

by Tribute Books

Goodreads / Purchase

How does a girl choose between the one who steals her heart and the one who owns her soul?

Matt and Emily were created for a specific job. Raised and trained as the ultimate angel/warrior team, they are sent down to save, defend, judge and forgive, depending on the 'life' they've been assigned. What they don't realize is that the power of human emotions, such as love, anger, passion and fear can take over even the best of souls, causing them to make mistakes and follow paths that lead to confusion and heartache.

When the reason for their training is finally revealed, the angel/warrior team find themselves thrust into a world they know nothing about. Matt takes over the life of Daniel, a young man with a great deal of baggage. Emily becomes Liz, a girl living in a remote village who relies on nothing more than her own strength to survive. A violent storm erupts one night, and framed in the window of Liz's establishment is a frightening face. Let in by the soul of a Good Samaritan, the two visitors bring with them a past full of secrets that could literally change an angel's path and a warrior's plans.

From murder to redemption, this angel/warrior team must find a way to keep the faith they have in each other in a world that's ripping them apart.

~Guest Post~

What’s the Real Selling Point of Your Book?

The Cover!

We are a completely visual society. From computers to phones to iPods to all the vibrant colors coming at us from almost every direction, we usually make our decisions based on how the ‘scene’ effects us. Colors, pictures - these are used in many different ways: From scaring us on the news with graphic images to making us fall in love with a product because a cute, white, fuzzy puppy was on the commercial, and we can’t forget about it. This is how heavily we rely on images to find out what we really love or hate.

When it comes to the literary world, cover art is one of - if not THE most important - part of selling your book. Millions will buy a book written by Stephen King, JK Rowling, Tom Clancy, Dean Koontz, J.D. Robb - and it’s because they already know the ‘name.’ They are already a fan because these writers have been doing this a good, long time and have built a fan base that is completely loyal. In fact, they don’t much care what’s on the cover of the latest Stephen King book; just as long as his name appears on the cover that’s good enough to make the sale.

But for smaller, unknown, or debut authors, cover art is sometimes more important than plot. Now, don’t get me wrong, the story has to be great in order to get the wonderful reviews you need to build a reading list of loyal fans, but the very first thing a reader will judge about your book is the cover. It has to be outstanding. It has to grab the attention of the reader and make them want to research the title further. They need to be lured into the story, and once the book is purchased, THEN it’s up to you to thrill them and excite them with your characters, storylines, etcetera.

Finding a cover artist who can take a book and literally create the image that YOU know you want because, as the author, you’ve been thinking and dreaming about it for years, is difficult. A lot of cover artists don’t even read the manuscript, which I find hard to understand seeing as that they have to have some background about the book and what you’re trying to say in order to even begin to work up a design. But, what can I say? There are some designers out there who work as if they’re on an ‘assembly line’ and just cannot put in the time it takes to understand or even like your story.

I say all this because I was one of the lucky ones. When The Angel Chronicles found a home with Tribute Books, I was introduced to their cover designer - a woman by the name of Emma Michaels. (http://emmamichaels.blogspot.com)

Emma is not just an artist who draws what the author wants. She is one of those rare people who read the book cover to cover, comes up with ideas about various scenes, and discusses options and paths to take in order to create the perfect cover. She takes suggestions, ideas and really works with the author to make the book a unique masterpiece that fans really take a shine to.

Emily and Matthew have been in my mind since I was thirteen years old. Seeing as that I was born when Jesus was just a boy, that’s a long time to have these imaginary people in your brain. Emma Michaels had the amazing skill and unwavering talent to take my ideas and my story and draw the characters as if she was looking at them face to face in my own head.

So, remember, whether you go the self-publishing route, sign on with an independent, a small press - whatever it may be - make sure to remember that the cover of your book is the very first thing readers will see. And if the cover doesn’t ‘speak’ to them, the book is automatically dead in the water - even if the next Gone with the Wind or Harry Potter awaits the reader inside.

Until Next Time, Everybody,

Amy



~Excerpt~

Hope reached out and patted her hand. “You’re very brave to take on so much for one so young. How old are you, child?”

“Almost eighteen.”

Hope nodded and twisted the soft blanket in her hand. “I’m a bit older,” she said, with a smirk. “Why did you leave Russia?”

The gruesome image of the girl in red once again sprang into the Anya’s mind and she could feel the blood drain from her face.

“No matter,” Hope said quickly. “Everyone leaves home for some reason or another. Past is past, I always say. But everybody in this house has a story. We have a cook who also doubles as the pastry chef; he’s Dutch and goes by the name of Drake. Makes the most beautiful desserts you’ve ever laid your eyes on. We have a few maids from Germany, France, even Poland. And, I suppose,” she said, rolling her eyes, “that you’ve already had the pleasure of meeting our resident British pain in the backside.”

Anya was taken aback by the words of this Southern lady.

But Hope just laughed. “I always say what I feel, darlin’. Nasty habit, I suppose. Won’t ever be a lady of any house with my kind of lip.” She smiled wide. “The future is right at your fingertips, Anya. Anything can happen in this place—some good, some bad. By bringing you here, Drew has started you off with the best possible chance that you and Gregori could ever dream of having.”

Anya tried to stifle a yawn.

“I do tend to rattle on, don’t I? Now, I’m right next door if you need anything. You best get some sleep. I’m sure your trip was...horrible.” Hope pushed herself off the bed and padded across the thick carpet to the door. “Good night, Anya.”

“Good night.” Anya smiled. “Thank you, Hope.”

“You bet.” She grinned. “Welcome to America.”

~Giveaway~

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Follow the Tour~

~Get to Know Amy Lignor~

Bio:

Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.  Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.  She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter

Guest Post with Author Ellie James

Hello everyone!  Happy New Year!  So far in 2013 I've only posted reviews, but I'm going to break that string by posting a guest post and giveaway, featuring the AWESOME Ellie James!!

~Her Books~

Shattered Dreams

by Ellie James

Series: Midnight Dragonfly #1

Pages: 342

Release Date: December 6, 2011

by St. Martin's Griffin

Goodreads / Purchase / My Review

Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late. Trinity arrives on her aunt’s doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she’s seen. But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica’s disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She kind-of dating Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica  pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario.Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her.

Broken Illusions

by Ellie James

Series: Midnight Dragonfly #2

Pages: 352

Release Date: May 8, 2012

by St. Martin's Griffin

Goodreads / Purchase / My Review

It’s Mardi Gras, but for 16 year-old psychic Trinity Monsour this is no time for celebration. Another girl is missing. Haunted by visions she doesn’t understand—of an empty street lined by crumbling old buildings, a terrified voice warning her to be careful, and a body lying motionless in the grass—Trinity embarks upon a dark odyssey she could never have imagined. She'll stop at nothing to better understand her abilities, convinced that doing so is the only way she can make sure the terrifying images she sees never actually happen. But it seems everyone wants to stop her. Her aunt is worried Trinity might discover secrets best left in the past. Her best friend, Victoria, is afraid Trinity is slipping away, her boyfriend, Chase, fears she’s taking too many chances, and the lead detective will barely let her out of his sight. Only one person stands by her side, and in doing so, he slips deeper and deeper into her heart—and her dreams—blurring the lines of reality and illusion. 

Fragile Darkness
by Ellie James
Series: Midnight Dragonfly #3
Pages: 352
Release Date: November 27, 2012
by St. Martin's Griffin

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Mystery, suspense, romance and a touch of the paranormal, makes Fragile Darkness a strong, unique entry into the YA market!   How do you stop someone you can’t see? For as long as she can remember, sixteen-year-old psychic Trinity Monsour has seen things before they happen. But now, in the wake of tragedy, her visions have gone dark. She can still feel, though, and the danger she senses swirling around a new friend sends her into the New Orleans party scene, where nothing is as it seems, surprises wait at every turn, and the last guy she wants to see is the one she needs the most: the mercurial Dylan Fourcade, part stranger, part friend, part so much more.But whether she wants him there or not, he’s by her side, shadowing her every step of the way, until the darkness clears, and a shocking truth emerges—a truth that changes everything. 

~Guest Post~

When The Perfect Guy…Isn’t  We’ve all been there. You meet a guy, or maybe you just see him across the classroom or at a party. And he seems so perfect. He’s that guy, the one everyone wants. Good looking. Quarterback of the football team. Popular. Charismatic. The kind of smile that makes you feel like you’re the only one in the room. He’s perfect.  You fall for him hard and fast, and miracle of miracles, he notices you. You get together. You go out. You become a thing, and suddenly it’s like you’re living your own amazing story. Everything is…perfect.
 It’s a story as old as time. Girl meets boy, boy meets girl, everything is perfect. The End. But in reality, that’s just the beginning, right? So what happens next? What happens after you and the perfect guy hook up? It’s your dream, your fantasy. It’s what you wanted—he’s what you wanted. And yet… Ah. The and yet. That’s where things get complicated. Everything’s perfect. You keep telling yourself that. He’s that guy, the one everyone wants, and he’s yours. You’re so lucky. And yet, sometimes you catch yourself not feeling the way you want to feel. Maybe it’s a jealous streak that sometimes feels controlling, or the way he checks up on you that feels like he doesn’t trust you. Or maybe it’s those little half-truths you discover, the times when he tells you he’s going straight home after dropping you off, but instead stops by a friend’s house—or party. You tell yourself that’s all part of it, that everything is perfect, remember?
 Or maybe none of that happens. Maybe everything really is perfect. He’s awesome and nice and treats you like a princess. But then it happens. You’re at a party or maybe at work or a hundred other places, and you meet someone. It’s casual, unplanned. But the second your eyes meet his, this place inside you comes surging to life. It’s overwhelming. Everything inside you in humming and buzzing, and you feel alive, alive in ways you never have before. But you think it’s wrong. You’re with someone else… Wow. Yeah. Has this ever happened to you? It’s happened to me, and it’s one of my pet peeves about fiction. In fiction, the first guy is almost always the right guy. In real life, not so much. In real life there are usually lots of guys, some pretty darn nice, others not so much, before the right guy comes along. And that guy who seems so perfect? The one who looks the part and acts the part, the one everyone wants…that doesn’t make him perfect for you. Perfect for you is the guy that makes you sing inside, the one that, when you so much as see him, little ripples go through you. Ah, but what to do? What to do if you’re with one guy, a perfectly nice guy, when the right guy comes along? Are you a bad person for feeling what you feel? Is it wrong?
 Those are all questions I played with in the Midnight Dragonfly series. With all the drama and uncertainty swirling around teenage psychic Trinity, I set out to give her a guy who would be her safe place. Chase. I wanted to explore the emotional whirlpool of having the one person who should doubt you the most be the one person to stand by your side. And so that’s what I wrote for the first 200 pages or so of SHATTERED DREAMS. A nice guy. A guy who stood by her. A guy who trusted her, believed in her. In fact, Chase was so nice some readers were suspicious of him, while others lamented that he was boring and wimpy. Then Dylan came along and everything changed­—for Trinity, and for me.  Chase had the resume of perfection, but it was Dylan who brought Trinity to life. Dylan who made that place inside her sing. And suddenly I had a problem. Chase was slotted to be the guy. Dylan was not. But clearly Dylan was the one.
 What to do…what to do? At first I considered going back and rewriting the first 300 pages giving Dylan a bigger role and minimizing Chase, but then I realized life didn’t play like that. We move forward not backward, and sometimes, frankly, we’re just plain wrong.
 So I plowed along, letting my dilemma play out on the page. Letting Trinity struggle. Letting her try to be loyal to the first guy, the one who had been so good to her even if sometimes he was a little jealous and overbearing. Making her try to resist the draw she felt to a guy she viewed as wrong, wrong, wrong, but who kept slipping into her dreams anyway. And as this played out in the stories, some readers got pretty vocal about her being with the wrong guy. It was so obvious to them—just as it’s obvious to our friends when we’re with the wrong guy. J  Suddenly Trinity’s struggle with the illusion of perfection versus the reality of it turned into a major plot point, and I loved it. I loved it because it was real. It was human. And, honestly, I loved that she discovered that sometimes the perfect guy…isn’t. It’s not about how popular or good looking he is, if everyone else wants him. It’s about something more, something deeper. It’s about that place inside of you, the place that sings, the place that knows. Like so many other things in life, we just have to be dialed into the clues we’re getting.  Sometimes we want so badly for something to be perfect that we’re blinded to what really is.
 Sometimes the right guy comes along at the wrong time, in the wrong clothes, with the absolute wrong resume…but stirs all the right feelings. It’s happened to me—what about you?

~Get to know Ellie James~

Bio:

Most people who know Ellie think she’s your nice, average wife and mom of two little kids. They see someone who does all that normal stuff, like grocery shopping, going to soccer games, and somehow always forgetting to get the house cleaned and laundry done.  What they don't know is that more often than not, this LSU J-School alum is somewhere far, far away, deeply embroiled in solving a riddle or puzzle or crime, testing the limits of possibility, exploring the unexplained, and holding her breath while two people fall in love.  Regardless of which world Ellie’s in, she loves rain and wind and thunder and lightning; the first warm kiss of spring and the first cool whisper of fall; family, friends, and animals; dreams and happy endings; Lost and Fringe; Arcade Fire and Dave Matthews, and last but not least…warm gooey chocolate chip cookies.

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Twitter | Facebook

Ellie Jame would also like me to mention that she has a giveaway going on right now on Goodreads where you can win a Broken Illusions.  To enter click >>>>>here<<<<<!!!

Princess of the Silver Woods Blog Tour Stop

Hello lovelies!  Today is my stop on the Princess of the Silver Woods Blog Tour!  Today I have an awesome review and guest post for you, so let's get started!

Princess of the Silver Woods

by Jessica Day George
Series: Princess #3
Pages: 336
Release Date: December 11, 2012
by Bloomsbury USA

Goodreads / Purchase

When Petunia, the youngest of King Gregor's twelve dancing daughters, is invited to visit an elderly friend in the neighboring country of Westfalin, she welcomes the change of scenery. But in order to reach Westfalin, Petunia must pass through a forest where strange two-legged wolves are rumored to exist. Wolves intent on redistributing the wealth of the noble citizens who have entered their territory. But the bandit-wolves prove more rakishly handsome than truly dangerous, and it's not until Petunia reaches her destination that she realizes the kindly grandmother she has been summoned to visit is really an enemy bent on restoring an age-old curse. The stories of Red Riding Hood and Robin Hood get a twist as Petunia and her many sisters take on bandits, grannies, and the new King Under Stone to end their family curse once and for all.

*A copy was provided by Bloomsbury USA for review purposes*

I will admit that in the beginning of this book, I was considering giving up. The first twenty pages really weren’t that great: the events were too sudden, the writing wasn’t very good, it was confusing. But after the first twenty pages it got awesome!

This is the third in a series, and I haven’t read the first two. This was a bit of a problem, but Jessica Day George did such a good job explaining it didn’t really matter. The writing was awesome, there was really good, smart staging, and the events flowed together like a stream. There was a surprising amount of action in this book for a fairy tale. And, like all fairy tale stories, there was a VERY happy ending! :)

This book has a huge cast, maybe 17 or 18 people, because there are 12 princesses. But this cast was so awesome it didn’t even matter. Each character played their part very well, and they all contributed to the story. But the real main characters were Petunia and Oliver, and they were also the love interest. Insta-love happens way too often in YA, and I’m happy to say that this book did not suffer from the deadly disease that is Insta-Love. I loved how the romance grew over time, and Petunia and Oliver are really perfect for each other.
Petunia is totally kick-butt, especially for a fairtytale princess. I loves her spunk, attitude, and her fearlessness. I also love that she can take care of herself.
Oliver I also love. He’s such a sweet guy, and he really had to deal with a lot at a young age. You go man!

Needless to say, I will soon read the first two books in this series because if they are anything like this book I will love them. Also, I kind of want to see what happened before this one! :P

4 pink flowers

~Guest Post~



Where do you get your inspirations for your stories? How do you choose which fairytales to write about?

Oh, inspiration comes from lots of places!  I was in the shower the other day singing Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” and came up with an idea!  It just happens, and it’s exciting!

I decided to write about The Twelve Dancing Princesses (PRINCESS OF THE SILVER WOODS) because I love the story but I own three different versions, and I wanted to make them fit together.  For instance, in one the guy is a soldier, in another he’s the gardener.  In one version he marries the oldest princess, in another the youngest, and in a third he says he doesn’t need any reward and just disappears!  Which one is the “real” story?  Hmm.  Guess I need to make my own version!  I picked Cinderella for PRINCESS OF GLASS because I wanted to put one of the twelve dancing princesses into a story where she would have to dance again, just one more time.  (At the ending of all the versions of Twelve Dancing Princesses, it says, And they lived happily ever after, and they never danced again.)  And for PRINCESS OF THE SILVER WOODS, I wanted to do a Red Riding Hood story because I’ve always wondered, What if the wolf weren’t a wolf?  If he can talk to Red and pretend to be her grandma, then what is he?  Maybe “wolf” is just another word for . . . well, you’ll see!

Bio:

Jessica Day George likes chocolate, knitting, books, travel, movies, dragons, horses, dogs, and her family. These are all things to keep in mind if you ever meet her. For instance, you could bring her chocolate to make the meeting go more smoothly. You could also talk about how adorable her children are, even if you have never seen them. You could discuss dog breeds (she has a Maltese named Pippin, and grew up with a poodle mix and a Brittany Spaniel). You could talk about Norway, and how it's the Greatest Place On Earth, and Germany, The Second Greatest Place On Earth. You could ask her about yarn, and indicate a willingness to learn to knit your own socks, if you can't already do so.

Connect:

Goodreads | Website | Facebook

Thanks so much for stopping by everyone!  I'm sorry I couldn't find a picture of JDG!  But anyway, I hope you enjoyed!! :)

ReAwakened Blog Tour Stop

Hello everyone!  Today is my stop on the ReAwakened Blog Tour!  I am super excited to have Ada stop by, so I have an awesome guest post and giveaway for you guys!! :)

ReAwakened
by Ada Adams
Series: Angel Creek #2
Release Date: November 27, 2012
by Ada Adams

Goodreads  / Purchase

Becoming a vampire guardian was Dawn Fairchild’s ticket out of the Scarlet House. Fresh off a successful mission, life in Angel Creek should have been great. But when her sort-of-maybe-boyfriend, Sebastian, disappears on a quest to help a beautiful vampire from his past, Dawn finds herself amidst a web of danger, lies, and deceit.

Joining forces with Razor, an enigmatic rebel lacking both a verbal and a physical filter, and her band of Misfits—Brooke, Sophie, Hunter, and Seth—Dawn is thrust into a race against the clock to solve the mystery surrounding brutal Born kidnappings and come to terms with the sudden discovery of her own unique powers. With time ticking away and Born vampires’ lives in jeopardy, it quickly becomes evident that someone—or something—desperately wants Dawn and is willing to shed any amount of blood to get her.

Dawn has only one chance to face her demons and overcome all obstacles standing in her way as she embarks on the biggest mission of her life—one that threatens a deadly outcome for all involved.

ReAwakened

by Ada Adams

Series: Angel Creek #1

Release Date: February 20, 2012

by Ada Adams

Goodreads / Purchase

A simple mission turned deadly.

Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue.

When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.

Click on this link to check out my review!

~Guest Post~

“Angel Creek” Location Inspiration

I am often asked if I draw setting inspiration from real-life locations. When it comes to the “Angel Creek” series, the answer is “no”. In fact, I seem to be working backwards! I often craft and create various settings, and only after writing about them do I connect them to real-life structures and locations.

When I think of the Scarlet House (the vampire version of the White House where Dawn spent most of her childhood and young adulthood), I’m reminded of two locations on opposite sides of North America: Casa Loma in Toronto, Ontario and Hearst Castle in San Simeon, California. Even though the architecture for both structures is very different, the big, glass windows and dark, red rooms of Casa Loma combine with the pristine white church-like towers and marble fountains found on the grounds of Hearst Castle to complete my vision of the Scarlet House.

Since I spend so much time writing, I thought that I would switch things up today and share some photographs that I took of both locations!

Casa Loma

Old books! Obligatory library photo.

Reminds me a bit of the Scarlet House crest.

Not as spectial as Dawn’s Scarlet House fountain, but pretty nonetheless.

Resembles Dawn’s father’s office. He loves to keep up appearance, making the room seem dark and ancient.

Hearst Castle

I love the architecture!

Did you know that it was designed by a female architect (Julia Morgan) btw. 1919 and 1947? Girl power!

According to the property guide, they looked into filming a Harry Potter scene in this room.

(Not sure  if it’s true, but cool!)

If you’ve read the books, I’d love to hear from you: How do you imagine the Scarlet House?

Since we’re chatting about location inspirations, I also wanted to share the only real-life place that had inspired a scene in all of the “Angel Creek” series so far. Believe it or not, it’s an abandoned hospital! I’ve included some pictures and an excerpt of the description that the exploration of the structure inspired. Kinda freaky, right?

Peeling wallpaper.

While there is some light in this picture, Dawn shuffled through the darkness.

Dawn and Razor had to crawl over countless stacks of chairs to get into the hospital.

“We should split up,” I said, looking down the dark hallway of the ground floor. “I’ll take this level, you check the one above.” For a brief second, Razor hesitated, but when I pulled out my dagger, he smiled and headed up the steps.

I relied on my sharp vision to get through the first part of the hallway, but when hanging curtains began to resemble mummified bodies, I turned to my flashlight for help. The hallway flooded with soft yellow light. Old, broken tiles, cut electrical wires, and piles of plaster crunched underneath my feet as I shuffled through the debris on the floor. The patient room walls were covered with countless wallpaper murals. Faded pictures of teddy bears, sailboats, puppies, and other bright elements that once used to bring cheer now peeled off the walls, clinging on for dear life.

A wild howl pierced the silence, and I shuddered, trying not to think of the few short stories I had read earlier. My mind swirled with the fictional tales of torture that took place in this setting in the early 1900s; tales of pain and vengeful spirits returning to claim the living—or perhaps even the undead…

I hope that you’ve enjoyed a little peek behind the scenes of “Angel Creek”!

~Giveaway~

GIVEAWAY:

- 3 winners (One grand prize winner +2 small prize winners)

- One main entry per person

- Must be 13 years or older to enter

- Open Internationally

- Winners will have 48 hours to reply before a new winner is chosen

Grand Prize Winner will win the following-

PRINT COPY OF RV

PRINT COPY OF RA

RV POSTER

RA POSTER

2 RV/RA POSTCARDS

3 RV BOOKMARKS

3 RA BOOKMARKS

I <3 SEBASTIAN KEYCHAIN

I <3 HUNTER GUITAR PICK

I <3 RAZOR DOGTAG

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~Get to know Ada Adams~

Bio:

“Many people sing in the shower. I write scenes in my head and act them out."
 At the age of five, Ada read her first chapter book—Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren. Ever since that moment, she developed an intense passion for stories and characters found within the pages of literature.
In her career as an actress and a writer, Ada currently spends most of her days immersed in imaginary worlds. Much like the characters she enjoys playing and writing about, Ada is a martial artist with a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. She is also a big proponent of lifelong learning, and has attained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (it aids in creating characters with unique quirks!) as well as a Master’s of Science in Education.
Ada strives to bring a fresh voice and perspective to fiction. She has been writing creatively for many years, and is an editor of a global fashion/literary magazine called VEUX.

Connect:

Goodreads | Twitter | Website | Facebook

~Follow the Tour~

Tuesday, November 20

• Words Pages, and Books - Review + Character Interview with Razor
• Escaping One Book at a Time - Review
• Justin's Book Blog - Review

Wednesday, November 21

• Books Live Forever - Review + Excerpt
• Owl Read It - Guest Post

Thursday, November 22

• Artsy Musings of a Bibliophile - Review + Author Interview

Friday, November 23

• The Book Goddess - Review
• Author Jacqueline Gardner - Promo + Excerpt 
• My Home Away From Home - Promo

Monday, November 26

• Cozy Up With A Good Read - Review
• K-Books - Review + Character Interview with Sebastian
• Andrea Heltsley Books - Review (ReVamped + ReAwakened)

Tuesday, November 27

• Spare Time Book Blog - Review (ReVamped + ReAwakened), Favorite quotes + Giveaway
• Amina Black - Review (ReVamped) + Giveaway
• Izzy's Book Blog - Promo + Excerpt

Wednesday November 28

• Obsession with Books - Review + Excerpt 
• Escaping with Fiction - Promo + Review

Thursday November 29

• Miss Book Reviews - Review
• Books are Sanity - Review
• WhYAnot Reviews - Review + Playlist

Friday, November 30

• My ParaHangover - Review, Author Interview + Giveaway
• Ja čitam, a ti? - Review
• Claire Reads - Excerpt

Saturday, December 1

• Girls Heart Books - Review

Sunday, December 2

• Read Between the Lines - Review 

Monday, December 3

• Confessions of a Vi3tBabe - Review + Guest Post

Tuesday, December 4

• Charming Chelsey's - Review + Favorite quotes
• Reader Girls - Review + Playlist
• Batty for Books - Review, Guest Post + Giveaway

Wednesday, December 5

• Chapter by Chapter - Review, Excerpt + Giveaway
• Bassgiraffe's Thoughts - Review 
• Indie Writers Review - Promo + Review

Thursday, December 6

• Pinkindle Reads and Reviews - Review
• One a Day Y.A. - Guest post + Giveaway

Friday, December 7

• Books are My Life - Review 
• That READioactive Book Blog - Review, Guest post + Giveaway
• Forget the Housework, I'm Reading - Review + Giveaway

Monday, December 10

• Tifferz Book Review - Review + Ada's Favorite Quotes
• Sassy Cassie's Reviews - Character Bio

Tuesday, December 11

• Bumbles and Fairy-Tales - Review + Excerpt
• Dyadic Echoes - Author Interview

Wednesday, December 12

• Books Over Boys - Review, Favorite Quotes + Playlist (TBRS)
• I'm Luvin' Books - Excerpt + Giveaway
• I Know That Book! - Review + This or That with Sebastian

Thursday, December 13

• Ren's Rambles - Review
• Synchronized Reading - Review + Excerpt 

Friday, December 14

• Romancing the Darkside - Review, Character Interview + Giveaway
• Leeanna.Me - Review + Excerpt
• Michelle Chew Writes - Review + Author Interview

Monday, December 17

• Shortie-Says - Review + Character Interview with Hunter
• Novel Nerd - Guest Post + Excerpt 
• Doctor's Notes - Review
• Sweet Southern Home - Review

Tuesday, December 18

• Emily's Crammed Bookshelf - Promo, Guest Post + Giveaway
• Tumbling in Books - Review + Giveaway
• Words, Pages, and Books - Exclusive Sebastian POV (TBR)
• Blood, Sweat, and Books - Review + Excerpt 

Wednesday, December 19

• Paranormal Urban Fantasy Reviews - Review (ReVamped + ReAwakened) + Giveaway
• Between Fantasy and Reality - Review
• Aripi pentru a visa - Review + Guest post (about characters) 

Thursday, December 20

• Vamp and Stuff - Review, Character Interview with Dawn & Sebastian + Giveaway 
• Ladybug Storytime - Review
• MajiBookshelf - Review + Giveaway
• Book Nerd Canada - Review (ReVamped + ReAwakened) + Excerpt