My Clockwork Princess Collector’s First Edition copy just arrived!

A quick post everyone. I finally received my hard copy of the third book of The Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare.

After reading all the books in The Mortal instruments and The Infernal Devices series, I can say that this book, Clockwork Princess, is my favorite. Not only because it features me (ahem, the princess), but Clare really went overboard this time. This is her best masterpiece ever.

Even though I have already read this book in my digital copy last March, nothing beats holding the real, printed version. I feel bad I won’t be able to re-read it this month due to my uber busy, five-hour sleep schedule, but I would love to save a date for it before City of Bones appears in theaters. I still have three months!

Thanks to Cristin of Portrait of a Book for sending it to me via The Book Depository. I won in one of her giveaways and she generously made my original paperback copy request be hardbound and a collector’s first edition! Isn’t she an angel? I think she still has some great giveaways so why don’t you try your luck and head over to her site here?

Happy weekend, folks! Don’t forget to join my current clothing giveaway courtesy of Chicnova. It is an international giveaway so everyone has a chance to win some new stylish clothes. Good luck!

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Good news: Giveaway extended!

Hi, guys!

Indressme giveaway of 2 $30 clothing coupon with free shipping is extended for one more week. For those who haven’t participated yet, here’s your chance! This is open internationally so woohoo!

Please click the link below to be directed to the giveaway post.

http://gongjumonica.wordpress.com/2013/04/15/start-the-week-with-free-clothes-an-international-giveaway/

Good luck everyone!

Replacing Gentry Book Blast + Giveaway

Replacing Gentry

When Marlie agrees to attend a cadaver ball at Vanderbilt Medical School, she did not expect to actually see any cadavers. Or, that a strange apparition would issue her a chilling message.

Despite the cadaver’s warning, Marlie is married a year later to Tennessee State Senator, Daniel Cannon, and living in a plantation-style mansion with two step sons. Add to the mix her growing suspicion that something is amiss with the death of Daniel’s first wife, Gentry; and newlywed Marlie is definitely in over her pretty Yankee head.

What begins as an innocent inquiry into her new husband’s clouded past, ends with Marlie in the midst of a dangerous conspiracy.

A modern twist on the classic Gothic romance novels of Rebecca and Jane Eyre, Replacing Gentry follows Marlie’s precarious journey as she learns the truth about the man she married.

Grab a copy!

Replacing Gentry is just $1.99 on Amazon

Author Julie N. Ford

Julie N. Ford graduated from San Diego State University with a BA in Political Science and a minor in English Literature. In addition, she has a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama. Professionally, she has worked in teaching and as a Marriage & Family Counselor. She is the author of two women’s fiction novels, The Woman He Married and No Holly for Christmas, published in 2011. In addition, she wrote a romance/chick-lit novel, Count Down to Love, also published in 2011. Count Down to Love was a 2011 Whitney Award finalist. Her next novel, Replacing Gentry, is due for release April 9th, 2013.

Currently, she lives in Nashville, TN with her husband, two daughters and one hedgehog.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Tour Schedule

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/30/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sprung Book Blast + Giveaway

Sprung (Book 2 of the Witchbound Series):

Since she discovered magic, seventeen-year-old Skye Jackson’s life is almost perfect. Almost. Even perfect has its glitches.

What happens when the one with all the power makes the biggest mistakes? Welcome to my life.

Four months ago, I couldn’t have been happier. When my parents got divorced, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. Especially when Mom married a guy half her age. But then I found out I wasn’t the average Joana. Discovering magic existed and, best of all, I could use it, made everything easier to deal with. That is until I got a little too spell happy. But what girl wouldn’t defend her best friend against a world-class creep? Now I’m stuck in a nightmare, forced to make life and death decisions I never dreamed I’d face.

Love the magic, hate the responsibility.

Amazon

Book Trailer

 

Roots

Seventeen-year-old Baltimore Land just wants to be normal, but magic has other plans.

I don’t consider myself a witch, that’s my parents’ thing. I’ve never really believed in magic either. Sure, I tried it a few times. Fell for the whole “magic happens” thing. But it didn’t happen to me. No amount of rhyming stopped my parents from moving me halfway across the country. Not one spell stopped me from being labeled the town freak.

And worst of all, no matter how many times I begged the Universe to bring my twin back, I was ignored. Until now.

He’s back all right. And in a magical bind of his own. Not the magic-won’t-work-for-me kind either. In fact, it’s working a little too well. Too dark. Too deep.

It turns out our entire family’s magical roots run just as deep and my brother didn’t end up where he is by accident. So I’m going to help him. But magic isn’t really on my side. Nope. Once I finally get the craft under control, I’m expected to abandon the one person in the world who’s closest to me, just to save myself

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Praise for Roots (Book 1):

“I truly enjoyed this story.” Jessica, Goodreads

“…a great start to a promising series.” Kaylee, Goodreads

“I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Sprung is already on my “to read” list now!” Stacy, Goodreads

“…the first novel I’ve read by Kelbian Noel but it sure won’t be the last.” BellaReadz, Goodreads

“This book was great. It showed a different view of witches.” Kristy, Amazon

“A refreshing take on a classic theme.” looks and literature, Amazon

Author Kelbian Noel

Kelbian Noel is the author of the Witchbound Series and a blogger at Diverse Pages. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her two children.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

Book Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/21/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Lucky Ones (and I’m envious)

For almost two weeks, we have participated in The Pope’s Stone Book Tour. Aside from reading the reviews made by the hosts and learning more about the author from the interview we had with him, we were also gifted by the ever generous Marc Kuhn with four paperback copies of his book as well as four elegant journals where we can write our life’s journey like that of the characters in his book.

Four lucky winners will receive this package

Now, the giveaway finally ends. Guess what’s next?

On behalf of the author and the entire tour hosts, I would like to express our collective gratitude to each and every one of you for involving yourself in this novel. We are happy to be able to share to you such a wonderfully written historical fiction. It is quite flattering to know that because of us, some of you found your next love with the historical genre. That is why it was not surprising when Marc extended his generosity by offering a two-day Kindle free download of his book available to everyone last weekend. Did you grab this chance? Are you currently reading the book now?

It seems my preamble is getting lengthy now and I don’t want you to skip more of my writing just to see what’s written below. Without further much ado, here is the list of the winners for both US and International giveaways of The Pope’s Stone.

US WINNERS

Soo Clark

Followed Marc Kuhn’s Blog (Entry #43)

Ashley Rogers

Followed Nazninazeez’ Blog (Entry #34)

INTERNATIONAL WINNERS

Lana Khnkoyan

Followed Love of Book’s Blog (Entry #105)

Suad Yassin

Became a fan of Marc Kuhn in Goodreads (Entry #36)

Congratulations! I’ll be sending you guys an email informing the same good news in here. Do let me know your preferred postal address.

Once again, thank you everyone for joining such activities here in my blog. I am hoping to see you here real soon! Just browse over my Recent Posts widget and check my ongoing giveaways for more chances of winning.

Cheers,

Mortality by Kellie Sheridan: Review + Giveaway

Title: Mortality (The Hitchhiker Strain #1)

Author: Kellie Sheridan

Published: March 19, 2013 by Snarky Books

Pages: 271 (Paperback)

Mortality on Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16149748-mortality

Book Blurb:

After surviving a deadly plague outbreak, sixteen-year-old Savannah thought she had lived through the very worst of human history. There was no way to know that the miracle vaccine would put everyone at risk for a fate worse than un-death.

Now, two very different kinds of infected walk the Earth, intent on nothing but feeding and destroying what little remains of civilization. When the inoculated are bitten, infection means watching on in silent horror as self-control disappears and the idea of feasting on loved ones becomes increasingly hard to ignore.

Starving and forced to live inside of the abandoned high school, all Savannah wants is the chance to fight back. When a strange boy arrives with a plan to set everything right, she gets her chance. Meeting Cole changes everything. Mere survival will never be enough.

Purchase links: Amazon.com * Amazon.co.uk * Barnes&Noble * Kobo  * iTunes

 

THE REVIEW

It seems zombie is the next big thing. After reading and watching Warm Bodies starring handsome Nicholas Hoult and learning that World War Z will make it to the big screen, I found myself introduced to many zombie-themed novels sprouting in bookstores like mushroom. It is challenging to pick which are edible and good for the palate.

Mortality by Kellie Sheridan offers nothing much different than post-apocalyptic Z novels. Many zombies are lurking in the neighborhood, people were forced to evacuate to a safer place, some courageous teenagers wanting to play heroes, etc. I can read all of these in other Z novels. So what makes reading this book bearable?

First, the author has an excellent way of writing. The words flow effortlessly like being narrated by someone. No big words or deep idioms to impress. I like the simplicity of it – to express. The scene transitions are also good – not abruptly cut or overly described. The POVs shifting is something that I looked forward to instead of being annoyed at. She wrote few “chapters” or scene shifts before changing POV which made me less confused in reading.

Second, the characters are teenagers and I like that the author personified them appropriately. They acted in their age. Maturity can be achieved in a younger age, I know, but I feel uncomfortable when I read younger characters acting all grown up. It makes the story unrealistic. In Mortality, the author created the characters with flaws. And when I used the plural form, I meant it. Sheridan created a lot of faults in personalities and errors in decisions and I like it. Teenagers are susceptible having and doing just that, right?

Finally, what I like best in this book is the fresh idea the author introduced. It is not new that being a zombie could be caused by a virus, but what about having two kinds of zombies? The first one infected with the virus, and the second one vaccinated with the miracle drug. The latter will also be infected, but will still preserve the person’s instincts and strengths. Imagine smart and running zombies!

Rating: 4/5

*I received a complimentary copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

**This review is also available in Goodreads and Amazon.

About the Author:

I have been in love with stories in all of their forms for as long as I can remember. Admittedly, sometimes that means falling into places like Stars Hollow and Sunnydale, but books have always been my true love. In early 2011 I began writing a book blog in order to share my favorite reads with book lovers. From there, the bookish community encouraged me to stop sitting on my own stories and share them instead. Since then I’ve been madly devouring everything I can about digital publishing.

For the past two years I have been mainly obsessed with young adult books, but my favorite stories still come from the adult fantasy genre. As far as I’m concerned, Briggs, Bishop, Vincent and Vaughn are all must reads.

I spent part of my twenties living in Galway, Ireland and swooning after various lilting accents but am now back home in Ontario, Canada. My family includes two Glen of Imaal Terriers and a Green Cheek Conure.

Contact the Author:

Website* Twitter * Goodreads

THE GIVEAWAY

The author is offering one of you guys an e-copy of Mortality’s prequel, End Dayz. To know more about this book, kindly click here to be directed to its Goodreads page. This is open for international participants. The ebook will be available in the winner’s choice of format. Giveaway ends on April 5. The winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email to claim her book. To join, please click the link below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Interview with Marc Kuhn + Giveaway/Freebie

Two weeks ago, I hosted a tour for The Pope’s Stone, a historical fiction revolving around the lives of two descendants a century apart. I have rated the book 4 out of 5 stars and if you want to read my thoughts on this novel, you may click here. Aside from the review, I also hosted an international giveaway. Four lucky winners will be electronically drawn using rafflecopter and will receive a paperback copy of the book plus a simple journal.

Four lucky winners will receive this package

At this point I would like to give the spotlight to the person behind the brilliantly written and wonderfully weaved story. Aren’t you curious to know some things about the man who wrote The Pope’s Stone? I was lucky enough to steal some of his sleeping time by agreeing to have this interview. Hope you enjoy getting to know Marc Kuhn.

THE INTERVIEW

Me: Thank you for giving us the honor to chat with you. May you please tell us something about yourself?

I am currently retired from a career in broadcasting.  I worked in radio most of my life.  i was on the air, but just a little bit.  Mainly, I worked “behind the scenes” in the news and programming departments.  I rose to Program Director and did that for several radio stations.  The PD is in charge of everything on the air—the announcers, the materials they use, and the music they play.  I also got to be the producer for the broadcasts of professional football games for two very popular teams.  My career was very exciting at times, but also very busy and lots of stress!  Meanwhile, I married the girl I took to the high school prom!  We dated all through college.  Afterwards we got married…45 years ago!  We have two children and 8 grandkids, including dear Monica, our adopted granddaughter on the other side of the world, as I call her.

Me: What inspired you to write this book?

 I have always written in my career, either newscasts or promotional copy, but not books like I am today.  I always wanted to write a book but I never had any ideas.  Then one day I sat down and wrote some fun poems for children.  It turned into a book.  Then I wrote a few more.  Last year I read a story about the building of the Washington Monument and found a little known item very interesting.  It gave me an idea and the next thing I knew—bang!—I wrote a book about it.  Then I started looking for other ideas and found another one. It got me thinking about another book, the one I am currently writing.  It’s lots of fun, once you get into it.

Me: Is being a writer your dream profession?

If I had my life to do over, I may have become a columnist for a newspaper.  I would probably have written a piece several times a week like my current blog.  It would be about different things going on in real life, or just crazy stuff like we all think about from time to time.

Me: Tell us your most rewarding experience as a published writer.

The most rewarding thing is the first time you see your work actually in the form of a published book that you can hold in your hands.  Next, was the recent review tour that Monica produced.  It was quite humbling to read how people who were complete strangers read my book and expressed such enjoyment over it.

Me: Tell us in few sentences why we must read your book.

I’m not sure it is a “must” since you should read for enjoyment which means you can pick and choose what you like.  I like the story I wrote.  It was my first big effort and I know others t hat follow will be written better.  But for a first book I think it is an interesting concept and it is full of actually history lessons that are not “pushed” onto the reader, but simply work their way into the story.  So, if you like books and a good story…and maybe a little history…then you should find this book enjoyable.

Me: What were the challenges that you faced in creating this novel, The Pope’s Stone?

Getting the history right.  I insisted that every detail about events and places in the book that are real be very accurate and correct.  That took a lot of work.  The best compliment I got was from a marvelous lady who lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, a primary location in the book.  She could not believe me when I told her I had never physically visited the town.  All my descriptions and details were based on my reading and research…and a lot of help from Google Satellite!

Me: Why did you get interested writing this genre?

I have always had an interest in American history.  And I admire the writing of novelist James Michener and American historian/author David McCullough.

Me: What book did you wish you had written yourself?

I am happy that I have had one or two original ideas and have pursued them, transforming them into manuscripts.  I could as not ask more of myself.  I am sure other authors feel the same way about their efforts.  There are other books I admire and respect, but i do not necessarily wish that I had written them—I only wish I could write as well as some of them…and be as successful!

Me: If you could be a literary character who would you be and why?

It would have to be a “good guy” – I could not be a ruthless villain!  Maybe Atticus from To Kill a Mockingbird.

Me: Have u ever had a writer’s block? If so, how did you overcome it?

Many times.  I just stop and go get involved in something else for awhile.  Then I slap myself in the face, get a cup of good coffee, sit down and think in my thinking chair and then start writing.

Me: What are the books currently in your nightstand?

One called CONTAGIOUS by Jonah Berger which just came out.  It’s about topics/items becoming “viral” and why some become talked about and spread all over while others dwell on the bottom.  I have another young adult book called WONDER b y RJ Palacio that is very popular now…and I am almost finished a book called INTO THE LANDS OF SNOW written by a fellow indie-publisher and blogger, Ellis Nelson.

Me: Any current/future projects?

Yes, very much so.  I am heavy into writing another historical/mystery novel.  I hope to have it published by the end of the year.  The first draft is just about done, then there will be lots of editing and rewriting to do.  I am very excited about it…and all the lessons I learned from writing THE POPE’S STONE have been useful in writing this book.

Me: What can you advice to those aspiring writers?

Don’t be shy.  If you have a need to  express yourself, whether it is in writing, art, photography, whatever…just do it.  And build your skills constantly.

JUST FOR FUN

What do you on your free time?

I have a really nice camera and I am trying to learn what every gizmo on it does.

If someone will write you a biography, what would be its title?

Marc.

If you have won the lottery, what will be the first thing you will buy?

A really nice cruise for my wife so she and I could lounge around on deckchairs figuring out the best uses for your new fortune!

Where is your favorite place to travel?

Alaska was great, but I went when it wasn’t cold.  I hate the cold.  My favorite place on earth is the Chesapeake Bay, especially the area around Annapolis, Maryland (guess where my new novel takes place!).  Washington, D.C. is also a favorite.  Someday I hope to make it to Europe, Paris especially.

Any pet peeves?

Arrogance.  I don’t like arrogant people. 

CONTACT THE AUTHOR

Website * Blog * Goodreads

 ***

Now, the tour is finally over. The giveaway ends few hours ago and we will soon announce the names of those selected. On behalf of all the participants of The Pope’s Stone Tour, I would like to take this opportunity to thank each and every one of you for supporting me and my friends in this endeavor. I especially would like to transfer the spotlight to those who expressed their opinions about the novel and the routine of keeping a journal. Of course, we are very much overwhelmed by those likes, comments, and follows made by you. Some even went as far as declaring themselves as fans!

Words are not enough to express our sincerest gratitude to all of you. That is why the author, Marc Kuhn, decided to give thanks by showering you guys with free copies of his novel. You heard (read) that right! Starting today, March 23, until tomorrow The Pope’s Stone will be AVAILABLE FOR FREE in Amazon. Isn’t that wonderful news?

For those of you who have a Kindle or Kindle application, kindly to this link and you will be directed to the free download.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Popes-Stone-ebook/dp/B009H8XALM/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1364022182&sr=8-1

Don’t have a Kindle or a Kindle app? No worries! You may download and install the application by following the link below. Once done, you may go the link above.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=dig_arl_box?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771

I hope that this will be the perfect gift to show our appreciation to all of you. For those who have yet to read the novel, what are you guys waiting for? The book is free only for two days so let’s get the most out of it! Share the news to your family, friends, colleagues, and pets if they can read. Will you enjoy it? Find it not your cup of tea? Let the author know! Feel free to write even a one-liner review of the book in Goodreads, Amazon, blog, tissue paper, or anywhere you want.

Once again, thank you everyone! Will announce the four lucky winners of the giveaway in the next few days. Stay tuned!

The Pope’s Stone by Marc Kuhn: Review + huge giveaway

Title: The Pope’s Stone

Author: Marc Kuhn

Published: October 9, 2012

Paperback: 242 pages

Kindle Edition: 229 pages

ISBN: 1479185299

Purchase links: Amazon Kindle * Amazon Paperback * Barnes and Noble

Book blurb:

THE POPE’S STONE is a fascinating historical novel that follows the lives of Nathaniel and Nicholas, descendants of the Barrington family of Virginia. Each young man keeps life-long journals which eventually reveal their parallel lives; lives that are mirrored by similar events and experiences, similar relationships and consequences. The two, however, lived a century apart. The only connections between them are their family heritage, their journals…and the Pope’s Stone.

The Pope’s Stone was a slab of engraved marble given to America in 1854 by Pope Pius IX. It was to be embedded within the walls of the Washington Monument, then under construction in the nation’s capital. John Henry Barrington, a stonemason working at the Monument site, was persuaded to assist a small party of anti-Catholic activists in stealing the Pope’s Stone, smashing it to pieces and tossing them into the Potomac River. The Pope’s Stone was never to be seen again, except for a fragment that John Henry secretly kept for himself. This small piece of the stone passes down through generations of Barringtons, leaving a path of hardship and unexpected tragedy for those who possess it. Coincidence? Bad karma, as Cousin Sarah calls it? Or is it more than that? And, what role does the stone play in the lives of Nathaniel and Nicholas? These are some of the questions you’ll be asking…discover the answers in THE POPE’S STONE.

The Pope’s Stone Website

THE REVIEW

They say everything starts with a cover, so let me begin my review with that. The increasing font used for the three words of the title is appropriate; it gave more emphasis on the stone. Judging from the book blurb, one can know that the Stone has an important role in the story. However, I think that the Washington monument was featured a bit smaller, thus decreasing its towering height. I don’t know if there is another reason for its size in the cover other than the slab of Stone and an opened journal are intended to appear bigger and more prominent.

The story began in the 1850s, with the first chapter titled with date and place. It was a descriptive introduction fitting to be a foundation of the story. The history was established, actions were executed, and conflict was introduced. All of these were done in just a single chapter, six pages in all. There was brevity and creativity in the author’s art of implanting this very first part of the book in the reader’s mind.  It was a nice move, actually. My attention was immediately captured by the pace of the story. A well-described and explained intro can be the make or break of a book and this novel has given its successful teaser.

The second chapter started the same way – with title, date, and place. The date was 25 years after the first and the place different. In here, the story started with Nathaniel Henry Barrington, a boy who just celebrated his 14^th birthday. He is a smart and inquisitive young man and his friend, Elizabeth, supported his likes and hobbies by giving him an elegant leather notebook. The third chapter, 106 years after, Nicholas Henry Barrington also had his 14^th birthday highlighted with a leather bound journal gift from his neighbor friend, Jennifer.

On POVs and writing

The succeeding chapters became a continuation of the second and third chapters. When I started the fourth one, I realized the importance of the chapter headings with the different dates and places. They were to guide me about the generation I was reading. It is a smart trick, that. I appreciate the way the author wanted to make his chapters more understandable to his readers.

The chapters were, more often than not, kept on changing perspectives. One chapter it would be Nathaniel (the older) narrating, then Nicholas (the younger) next. Right now, it is worth noting that the author has an uncanny skill in living with the times. When the perspective is with Nathaniel, the characters during that time possess the appropriate personalities that people at that period have. I especially like the way they speak, all so formal and courteous. When the perspective shifts with Nicholas, the atmosphere became different. It became lighter, more freely. Or is it because it’s my generation? Anyway, I commend the author for being able to naturally capture two generations more than a century apart. It makes the story more realistic and believable.

Though it proved to be a good writing strategy, I somehow did not like the frequent shift of POVs. Occasionally is okay, but it was done every other paragraph. There were times I felt like Nathaniel and Nicholas were playing tennis due to their alternate chapter POVs. It was dizzying. In addition, there were many similarities between the two, and that’s honestly okay, but narrating an occurrence in Nathaniel’s time only to be echoed in Nicholas’ in the immediate succeeding chapter was a bit frustrating. I can assume the reason for this though. The author wanted to point out that Nathaniel experienced this situation a century ago and Nicholas had the same. He wanted to show how utterly similar their lives became. Perhaps the author did not want the readers to forget what happened in Nathaniel’s life so he immediately followed Nicholas’ turn. That’s actually acceptable, but personally speaking, perhaps three chapters of Nathaniel’s life then Nicholas’ would be better. This way, the readers can be challenged to remember what happened in Nathaniel’s life and soon, they’ll have the “Aha” moment.

Another thing which I did not approve of is the number of tragedy and deaths in the story. There were a lot. Yes, they were all essential in the story, but still. I am speaking in personal experience and I prefer fewer deaths because I tend to get quickly attached to a character. I’m weird. So shoot me.

Lastly, I was waiting to read more about the Pope’s Stone in general. When it got thrown in the Potomac, did everyone really stop there? I was looking for more story and drama regarding the stone per se, but I also realized that the book wasn’t pertaining about the rock, but to something that it symbolizes.

Well-researched.

But if there are low points, there are also flying ones. What I like best in this novel is the rich history it presented. I am not an American, but the author did not make me feel like an outsider. I could easily grasp the story of the states. And what’s more interesting? The foundation story and other parts of this novel are true! The geeky part of me made a research especially about The Pope’s Stone and was surprised to learn that it actually existed! I am not sure if it’s common knowledge since I didn’t have American History class, but I was amazed just the same. There were other stories that really happened in there – the Oklahoma Territory of 1889, crews died in Khe Sanh, Vietnam, the confederates’ cemetery, etc. This novel is very well researched! It is such a commendable practice of being a historical fiction author.

Based on research, the author extracted his creative juices and weaved an imaginative story with his characters. I used weaved because the lives of the two main characters were beautifully interlinked until the end. Both lives were interesting enough to keep my fingers continuously leafing the pages of the book. It was very fascinating and thought-provoking.  I even created my own Barrington family tree to guide me while reading. Like Nicholas, I slowly figured out his genealogy. If what I did isn’t a proof of how stimulating and entertaining this book is, I don’t know what is.

Summary

Overall, this book is an enjoyable read. Fans of historical fiction will definitely love this one. For others, they’ll find their first love of history in this book. There are some rooms for improvement, but they are small things that I am sure the author can work with. The book ended in an open plot and I wonder if the author is planning to have a sequel. Whatever the case may be, I will be looking forward to read more adult novels by Marc Kuhn.

Rating: 4/5 – Will definitely recommend it.

*I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

**This review is also available in Goodreads and Amazon.

About the Author

Author Marc Kuhn has worked in radio broadcasting most of his life as a journalist, a program director and a marketing executive. He has held positions at major radio stations in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C. and Miami.

Now retired, he has turned his attention to writing. His first book, NEVER GOOSE A MOOSE! is a collection of whimsical verse for young children.
ABOUT A FARM is his second children’s book. It features lessons in life beyond the barnyard.

A third book, THE POPE’S STONE, is Kuhn’s first adult novel. It is a fascinating historical novel about two descendants of the same family who live parallel lives, but a century apart!

Kuhn lives in South Florida with his wife, Rosemarie, and seven grandchildren.

Contact the Author

Website * Blog * Goodreads * Twitter

THE GIVEAWAY

Marc Kuhn, the author of the historical novel The Pope’s Stone, is very generous to offer a combo prize package of a signed paperback of his book plus a simple black journal. To sweeten the deal, four winners can totally get this awesome gift. Awesome? Two US residents and two international participants will be chosen by an electronic raffle after the giveaway ends. So what are you guys waiting for? Kindly check the rafflecopter links below. The first one is for International giveaway and the next is for US only.

Hop into the fun!

International Giveaway 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

US Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Note: Both giveaways are open until Friday, March 22. All entries will be checked for validity. On or before March 25, two international and two US residents will be randomly chosen by Rafflecopter. These four winners will be announced in this blog and they will have 48 hours to respond/comment on the announcement post.

FOLLOW THE REST OF THE TOUR

The Pope’s Stone Tour Schedule (March 8-19)

March 8 – Impressions of a Princess

March 10 – YA Big BOOKworm

March 11- Book Adoration

March 12 – For the Love of Books

March 13 – Nazninazeez

March 14 – Amidst Books

March 15 – Lollipops and Rainbows

March 16 – Emma Snow

March 17 – Prisailurophile Blog

March 18 – Pretty Little Dreamer

March 19 – Edge of Jade

Prize Winning Pacific Stories Blast and Giveaway

Prize-Winning Pacific Stories 

(Special Edition Boxed Set Vol. I-III)

House Of Skin, Cannibal Nights, Opium Dreams

Bestselling author, Kiana Davenport (The Spy Lover, Shark Dialogues) is pleased to offer a Special Edition Boxed Set, featuring the first three volumes of her Prize-Winning Pacific stories, many of which have appeared in the O.Henry Awards, the Pushcart Prizes, and The Best American Short Stories. Set across the Pacific, in islands where the author has traveled and lived, the stories comprise tales of love, lust, racism, family, murder, rape, the search for identity, and the universal search for human dignity.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Volume l, HOUSE OF SKIN, comprises stories set in Hawaii, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Fiji, Vanuatu.

Volume ll, CANNIBAL NIGHTS, comprises stories set in Hawaii, Tonga, Easter island, Marquesas Islands, Tahiti, Australia.

Volume lll, OPIUM DREAMS, comprises stories set in Western Samoa, Aotearoa, New Zealand, Honolulu, Georgia, and the title story, a novella set in Kohala, Hawaii.

READER REVIEWS FOR THE PACIFIC STORIES

(5 Stars) “BRUTALLY BEAUTIFUL…Tales of tragedy, triumph, murder, of rape, lust and love. Important literature for the 21st century.” — Robert Carraher

(5 Stars) “FLAWLESS PROSE…Rivetting characters. A must-read for anyone who wants to delve into the dark side of Paradise.” — Honi Aumiller

(5 Stars) “EXTRAORDINARY!…Absolutely stunning. She has introduced me to a world I might never have known.” — Scott Fitzgerald Gray

(5 Stars) “GORGEOUS. BRILLIANT…Recommended to anyone who loves

beautiful writing.” — Violette Vane

Purchase

Amazon Kindle

Author Kiana Davenport

KIANA DAVENPORT is descended from a full-blooded Native Hawaiian mother, and a Caucasian father from Talladega, Alabama. Her father, Braxton Bragg Davenport, was a sailor in the U.S. Navy, stationed at Pearl Harbor, when he fell in love with her mother, Emma Kealoha Awaawa Kanoho Houghtailing. On her mother’s side, Kiana traces her ancestry back to the first Polynesian settlers to the Hawaiian Islands who arrived almost two thousand years ago from Tahiti and the Tuamotu’s. On her father’s side, she traces her ancestry to John Davenport, the puritan clergyman who co-founded the American colony of New Haven, Connecticut in 1638.

Kiana is the author of the internationally best-selling novels, SHARK DIALOGUES, SONG OF THE EXILE, HOUSE OF MANY GODS, and a new novel, THE SPY LOVER, now available in paperback and on Kindle. She is also the author of the collections, HOUSE OF SKIN PRIZE-WINNING STORIES, CANNIBAL NIGHTS, PACIFIC STORIES Volume II, and OPIUM DREAMS, PACIFIC STORIES, VOLUME III. All three collections have been Kindle bestsellers. She has also been a guest blogger on Huffington Post.

A graduate of the University of Hawaii, Kiana has been a Bunting Fellow at Harvard University, a Visiting Writer at Wesleyan University, and a recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts grant. Her short stories have won numerous O. Henry Awards, Pushcart Prizes, and the Best American Short Story Award, 2000. Her novels and short stories have been translated into twenty-one languages. She lives in Hawaii and New York City.

Website * Blog * Twitter * Facebook

PRAISE FOR KIANA DAVENPORT

“She exhibits the character great writers must have. You can’t read Kiana Davenport without being transformed.”

– Alice Walker

“Reading Davenport is an overwhelming experience. Her prose is sharp and shining as a sword.”

– Isabel Allende

“Her writing has an intensity of feeling, a dedication to a level of writing few bestsellers possess.”

– Norman Mailer

“Writing that’s timeless, magical! A powerful moving experience.”

– The Washington Post

“Davenport’s imagination and her vision will haunt you for a long time.”

– The Chicago Tribune

BookBlast $50 Giveaway

Ends 3/21/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Blog Tour: Daynight interview and giveaway

Tour Schedule

daynight by Megan Thomason

Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance™. Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving—forced lifetime union between two people who have sex.

Meet Kira Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that left her boyfriend and friends dead.

Meet Blake Sundry. Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother’s death, Blake’s been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to success? His Recruit partner—Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan.

Meet Ethan Darcton. Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex, Ethan’s forced to do his SCI elite family’s bidding. Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs.

Full of competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, daynight is Megan Thomason’s debut young adult dystopian novel and first in the daynight series.

Purchase

Amazon

Praise

“Sure to win over YA readers looking for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story” —Kirkus Reviews

“Gripping young adult dystopian novel; compelling conflicts; high stakes; powerful narrative; surprises keep coming; strong writing; page-turner; engaging characters; Readers will be hungry for the sequels.”—BlueInk Review (starred review)

“The writing is impressive and the story is a real page-turner. So many twists and turns… I’m hooked… I can’t wait for the next installment to come out…4.5 out of 5 stars”—Self-Publishing Review

“Delicious humor, intelligence, and sparkling dialogue” —Amazon reviewer

“Strangely brilliant and imaginative”—Amazon reviewer

“Grips you from the first page and keeps you wanting more”—Amazon reviewer

“Plot twists kept me reading till late at night”—Amazon reviewer

“Every page a thrilling experience”—Amazon reviewer

“Hooked from the first chapter and could not put it down”—Amazon reviewer

“It’s like a CW fantasy TV show in a book with a really interesting environment.”—Amazon reviewer

“I’m a little tired of dystopian novels, but Daynight has a unique and fresh story line that didn’t have any trouble keeping my interest.”—Amazon reviewer

THE INTERVIEW

Me: Thank you for giving us the honor to chat with you. May you please tell us something about yourself?

I’m a happily married, mother of five who loves to write and read. Daynight is my fourth written book, but first published book.

Me: What inspired you to write this book?

As I hiked through the canyons of San Diego on an unusually hot day, I wondered what would happen if temperatures were so extreme that days and nights had to be switched. This was the impetus for Thera, the main setting for daynight. Quickly, Thera became a fully inverted Earth, with not only days and nights switched, but land and sea, direction of the sun, etc. I researched the extreme temperatures would have on the environment and what a society would have to do to adapt to it. Even the lingo was affected… Monnight, Tuesnight, etc.; daygowns instead of nightgowns; daymares and more… I had a lot of fun with it.

As for The Second Chance Institute, benevolent non-profit on Earth by day and totalitarian ruler on Thera by night, and their unusual agendas and methods… these are all products of my very warped mind.

Me: Is being a writer your dream profession?

Writing is a lot of hard work! I’ve always worked hard, so don’t mind the long hours and sleepless nights (previously, I had a very successful career in the software industry, which also required a big time commitment). I love immersing myself in my story, world and lives of my characters. Seeing my story take shape the way I envisioned is extremely rewarding. The flexibility of writing at home, in the car waiting to pick kids up from school, or wherever I am is a huge bonus. Despite all the perks, I’d probably say being a mother to my kids and wife is my dream profession .

Me: I am a new writer and blogger and I am interested to know about author’s writing environment. Do you prefer writing in pen and paper or in computer?

I write on my 11” MacBook Air laptop in a program called Scrivener. Scrivener allows me to fully outline and plot my story, scene by scene; store notes and research; and compile electronic and paperback copies of my book. When I don’t have immediate access to my laptop, I furiously type notes into my phone.

Me: When you want to take a breather from writing, what do you usually do?

Spend time with my husband and kids. Read. Lots of volunteer work (producing and fundraising for my daughters’ theatre group; community service; church service). Projects—from random (miniatures or world class weapons collection) to useful (plan community Christmas party or a summer girls’ camp). I love hiking, but there’s not as much in San Diego as there was back in Washington where we moved from.

Me: We have agreed and accepted that all writers are also readers. What are the books currently in your nightstand?

Too many to list completely! I read all books electronically on my phone. I just finished re-reading Brave New World. I am amidst a re-read of The Handmaid’s Tale, am reading a sample of Vain; reading The Moon Dwellers and then have at least 50 sequels from series downloaded and ready to read, dozens of samples of promising new books, and a lot of books I started the samples, but didn’t like, so didn’t finish. I read more than 600 books in the last year. My 50+ favorites are listed here: http://www.goodreads.com/author_blog_posts/3493195-my-favorite-books-of-2012.

Me: Who are your literary influences?

George Orwell, Aldous Huxley, Jane Eyre, J.R.R. Tolkein, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Anne Frank, Suzanne Collins, John Steinbeck, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allen Poe, William Golding, E.L. Konigsburg, Lois Lowry to name a few…

Me: If you could be a literary character who would you be and why?

Bilbo Baggins from The Hobbit. I’d have big hairy feet, live a cool house in a hill with a round door, get to adventure with Gandalf the Wizard, meet Gollum and steal ‘my precious’, and fight a dragon. And live to tell about it! Sounds like quite the adventure! Plus, I’d have a movie coming out this year about me… (Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games would be a close second… get the boy with the bread, be good at archery, take down two evil regimes. I only hesitate because I’d have to kill a lot of kids and that would seriously mess up my happily ever after.)

Me: Any current/future projects?

I’m targeting a summer release for the sequel to daynight, arbitrate. It would be hard to give any teasers forarbitrate without giving spoilers for daynight, but suffice it to say that there will be just as many surprises, twists and turns. Readers will get to see a lot more of Thera, as well as get to know the main characters and a couple key secondary characters a whole lot better .

In addition to the daynight series, I’m working on B*Lies, a story about a girl who makes the decision to run from her abusive father. If time permits, I’ll also do a re-write on the romantic comedy trilogy I wrote prior to daynight: the thin veil, the thin line, and thin skin. Although I love the stories and characters, I’d want to get the writing up to my current standards before publishing.

Me: What can you advice to those aspiring writers?

Read! If every author read every book in their genre (or at least the highly rated ones), there would be a lot less rehashed stories, better writing, and fresh concepts.

Plot! Certainly, there have been some successful books written off the cuff, but to have good pacing, story development, character development, building of tension, etc. it typically takes good plotting.

Flexibility! Revise, revise, revise. Rewrite, rewrite, rewrite. Don’t get so stuck on your initial concept that you reject an even better idea.

Edit! Editing is hard. I typically go through my book over a hundred times, looking for something different each pass.

Proofread! Yes, I list this separately from editing. Have someone (or even better, many someones)—other than you—someone with a sharp eye and very keen grasp of the English language, proofread your book. The brain compensates for missing words, extra words, etc. and they are very hard to find. If problems are found after publishing, fix and update.

Work hard! If you thought the writing was time-consuming and hard, promoting your book takes as much, if not more time.

Start writing the next one. Your chances increase exponentially of having a ‘hit’, the more offerings you have.

Just for fun.

1.       Forest or beach? Beach

2.       Coffee or tea? Herbal tea

3.       Cats or dogs? Cats (if you met our dogs, you’d be a cat person, too )

4.       M&Ms or Skittles? M&Ms

5.       Coke or Pepsi? Diet Coke

6.       Printed books or e-books? E-books

8.       Buses or trains? Trains

 

Author Megan Thomason

Megan Thomason lives in paradise aka San Diego, CA with her husband and five children. A former software manager, Megan vastly prefers writing twisted tales to business, product, and marketing plans. When she isn’t typing away on her laptop, she’s reading books on her phone—over 600 in the last year—or attending to the needs of her family. Megan’s fluent in sarcasm, could potentially benefit from a 12-step program for road rage, struggles with a Hot Tamales addiction, loves world travel & fast cars and hates paperwork & being an insomniac. Daynight is Megan’s first published novel, but fourth written one.

 Twitter * Goodreads * Facebook

Tour Schedule

Blog Tour Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card

Signed copy of Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Signed copy of daynight

Ends 2/7/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Awarded again: The Sunshine Award

In my previous post, I thanked Asha for giving me The Booker Award. Now, I would like to send my gratitude to Lottie Eve for thinking that I deserve the Sunshine Blogger Award. I don’t know how I got this though I hope that optimism isn’t one of the criteria for nominating. Sometimes I am too negative that my friends tease me of being a giant, vertical minus sign.

Lottie, thank you very much for continuously following my blog and reading my posts, especially the reviews. For the benefit of others, Lottie is a fellow bookworm and novice book reviewer. I find her blog too cute, pretty, and feminine. If you want to check out her opinions regarding a particular book, head to her site at Book Adoration.

Now to accept the award, of course there are the rules to follow.

 

Sunshine Blogger Award Rules

1. Display the award logo on your blog.
2. Link back to the person who nominated you.
3. State 5 things about yourself.
4. Pass the award to 6 other bloggers and link to one of their specific posts so that they get notified by ping back.

I love receiving awards and nominations, but I sometimes dread answering facts about myself. I know my life is an open book, but sometimes I find questions like those hard to answer. Perhaps I don’t know myself well? Moving on, let’s hear (read?) five things about me.

1. I admire women (and especially men!) who can raise their eyebrows. I don’t mean the duo eyebrow raising. I am referring to the one-sided, slanting of an eyebrow. It looks intimidating in a way and how I wish I could do that. But no, I cannot do it. So instead of raising mine, I pull them towards each other and try to frighten others with my frown.

2. Another thing I cannot do is whistling. Yes, I cannot do that. Whenever I tried, it sounds like a whistling kettle overused for more than a century.

3. I once tried driving a motorcycle with my uncle present to guide me since I did not know how to operate it. We were in our village and I was balancing while moving slowly. Suddenly, I was approaching a dead end! I panicked and tightly gripped the accelerator. I thought it was my end. I hit the wall, but my uncle caught the end of the motorcycle in time to lessen the impact. Thankfully, I was wearing safety gears.

4. If I see a typographical error, I always check the places of the letters in the keyboard. If they are near, I can accept it as an error. Otherwise, I will force myself not to advise the person concern to watch his/her spelling.

5. I cannot write in cursive. Actually, I can. But not legibly. I am sensitive to others and would not like to hurt their eyes whenever they read my writing. It is too ugly and incomprehensible at times that even I cannot understand what I have written.

The Nominees

LA

Nicole

Jennie

Emma Snow

Alesia

Sakthi

Congratulations! I hope you guys continue to shine in the blogosphere Thanks Lottie for this opportunity to share this award with deserving people. Let me show my appreciation to you by my current Etsy giveaway as well as other giveaways found in my Giveaways tab. Enjoy participating!

Daynight Blog Tour + giveaway

daynight by Megan Thomason

Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance™. Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving—forced lifetime union between two people who have sex.

Meet Kira Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that left her boyfriend and friends dead.

Meet Blake Sundry. Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother’s death, Blake’s been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to success? His Recruit partner—Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan.

Meet Ethan Darcton. Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex, Ethan’s forced to do his SCI elite family’s bidding. Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs.

Full of competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, daynight is Megan Thomason’s debut young adult dystopian novel and first in the daynight series.

daynight will be FREE from Jan 21 – Jan 23

Purchase

Amazon

Praise

“Sure to win over YA readers looking for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story” —Kirkus Reviews
“Gripping young adult dystopian novel; compelling conflicts; high stakes; powerful narrative; surprises keep coming; strong writing; page-turner; engaging characters; Readers will be hungry for the sequels.”—BlueInk Review (starred review)

“The writing is impressive and the story is a real page-turner. So many twists and turns… I’m hooked… I can’t wait for the next installment to come out…4.5 out of 5 stars”—Self-Publishing Review

“Delicious humor, intelligence, and sparkling dialogue” —Amazon reviewer

“Strangely brilliant and imaginative”—Amazon reviewer

“Grips you from the first page and keeps you wanting more”—Amazon reviewer

“Plot twists kept me reading till late at night”—Amazon reviewer

“Every page a thrilling experience”—Amazon reviewer

“Hooked from the first chapter and could not put it down”—Amazon reviewer

“It’s like a CW fantasy TV show in a book with a really interesting environment.”—Amazon reviewer

“I’m a little tired of dystopian novels, but Daynight has a unique and fresh story line that didn’t have any trouble keeping my interest.”—Amazon reviewer

Author Megan Thomason

Megan Thomason lives in paradise aka San Diego, CA with her husband and five children. A former software manager, Megan vastly prefers writing twisted tales to business, product, and marketing plans. When she isn’t typing away on her laptop, she’s reading books on her phone—over 600 in the last year—or attending to the needs of her family. Megan’s fluent in sarcasm, could potentially benefit from a 12-step program for road rage, struggles with a Hot Tamales addiction, loves world travel & fast cars and hates paperwork & being an insomniac. Daynight is Megan’s first published novel, but fourth written one.

 Twitter * Goodreads * Facebook

Tour Schedule

Book Blast Giveaway
$75 Amazon Gift Card
Apple Earbuds ($30 Value)
Ends 2/3/13
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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The Grimm Chronicles Blast and a Giveaway

The Grimm Chronicles

200 years ago, the Brothers Grimm unleashed their stories upon the world. Literally. Now the characters of the Grimms’ stories walk among us. With every day that passes, they grow more evil. They are the Corrupted, and only a hero can stop them.

For 18-year-old Alice Goodenough, that means taking precious time off from her summer vacation. In addition to volunteering at the local library, Alice must stop the Corrupted who are now actively hunting her down. With the help of her magic pen and her trusty rabbit friend, the world has suddenly gotten a lot more complex. The Corrupted are everywhere, and only Alice can see them for what they truly are.

This book contains the first 3 episodes of the critically acclaimed series:

Episode 1: Prince Charming Must Die!

Episode 2: Happily Never After

Episode 3: Revenge of the Castle Cats

Additional features for this special edition:

- An introduction

- Two special “Lost Diaries”

- A behind-the-scenes interview

- A collection of original Grimms’ Fairy Tales

The Grimm Chronicles is intended for Young Adults aged 13 and up. The goal is to provide Young Adult readers with a strong, charismatic young woman in the role of the hero and provide readers with a positive protagonist who uses her brain to overcome obstacles life throws in her way.

Praise

“5 stars!” ~ Bookies Book Blog

“Highly recommended for all who love fairy tales and the YA genre.” ~ My Cozie Corner

“All in all the books were excellent.” ~ LilyElement

“If you love fairy tales and them being turned into modern day stories you will love these short stories.” ~ Mom With a Kindle

5 stars (out of 5) ~ I Am, Indeed

“Isabella Fontaine and Ken Brosky’s incredible talent for storytelling takes the reader on an amazing action-packed ride fueled by endless creativity and limitless imagination. TGC is like a high-stakes version of Harold and the Purple Crayon meets a contemporary, above ground Alice in Wonderland. “

~ Bookfetish

“I absolutely loved this book! No, let me rephrase that, I FREAKING LOVE THIS BOOK! Nope, that doesn’t even do it justice. Vol. 1 has the first three stories from the 12 that will ultimately make up the chronicles.” ~ Jesse Kimmel-Freeman

Purchase:

The Grimm Chronicles: Volume 1

Book 1: Prince Charming Must Die!

Book 2: Happily Never After

Book 3: Revenge of the Castle Cats

Book 4: The Orphanage of Doom

Book 5: Blood and Thunder

About the Authors

Ken Brosky received his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He also teaches English at Madison College. This is his first Young Adult series.

Isabella Fontaine owns a farm in Wisconsin and enjoys reading weird books like House of Leaves. This is her first Young Adult series.

Website * Facebook

Book Blast Giveaway Details

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/11/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareadernotawriter.blogspot.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

CLICK on the link below for the giveaway.

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Blog Tour: Kindred review and interview + giveaway

Kindred

(A Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy) Novella#2

By Michelle Cornwell-Jordan

Now & Forever Tour

Publisher: Michelle Cornwell-Jordan

Genre: YA Paranormal

Release Date: 11/24/2012

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Smashwords

SYNOPSIS: 

The Kindred is the second novella in The Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy.

 Angel and her friends at Ame Academy, a boarding school for preternatural and humans are back, and they are preparing for battle against the dark forces that kidnapped Angel’s younger brother Jordan. Angel had recently discovered that she was a Hunter and that she alone has a special weapon against her enemies; her blood, which is discovered to be toxic to her enemies. Angel is prepared to use her training and all that is at her disposal in order to save Jordan, even if that means joining forces with the strange and mysterious Rafael, who at their first meeting, she recognized him as the boy she had  dreamed about for weeks prior to his arrival at the school. Angel cannot shake the feeling that she knew Rafael before, and is hopelessly drawn to her extremely handsome fellow hunter.

Rafael frightens her, he hints of a secret; another time and another life lived.

Can love survive two lifetimes?

Events unfold that provides the answers to who Rafael really is and what they mean to one another; and along with these strange and blossoming emotions for Rafael, along with guilt and fear for her brothers safety; Angel discovers that she is more than just a Vampire Hunter, and that she plays a major role in a ancient prophecy, which she must fulfill by facing an a force so evil that survival is not promised.

But she will face the Dark One, Angel will sacrifice all, if it means saving all whom she loves.

Many questions are answered, but the drama is just beginning….

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Thank you for giving us the honor to chat with you. May you please tell us something about yourself?

I am a paranormal writer, who loves to read and write stories that are fun, but have an eerie edge.

What inspired you to write this book?

A School that is close to my house, the building, the grounds all seemed like great story material.

Is being a writer your dream profession?

Yes, it is what I have always wanted to do, and if I could one day write full time, that would be the icing on the cake

I am a new writer and blogger and I am interested to know about author’s writing environment. Do you prefer writing in pen and paper or in computer?

I prefer writing on the computer, mainly because my handwriting is horrible and I can barely read it when trying to type up the document.   Also, just personally, it feels like double work, when first writing it long handed, just to have to type it up to save and work in it more later. But again, this is all personal preference.

When you want to take a breather from writing, what do you usually do?

Read or watch movies

We have agreed and accepted that all writers are also readers. What are the books currently in your nightstand?

I am reading “Into The Night” by Jade Fowler and  Tales of Aradia The Last Witch by LA Jones

Who are your literary influences?

I really admire James Patterson, with his quick, fast reads and I admire how prolific he is in producing his books.

If you could be a literary character who would you be and why?

Maybe for just as small fraction of time…Bella from Twilight, because really to have the attention and soul searing love that she has with Edward, come on! Who wouldn’t want to be in her shoes for just a little while!

Any current/future projects?

Coming soon the Hunter novellas series will come and these novellas will focus on characters that had been introduced in Night School Vampire Hunter trilogy. Plus I am completing and re-editing my 2012 NaNoWriMo creation Chrysalis for release.

What can you advice to those aspiring writers?

Never give up, ask and keep asking if help is needed. Read and research the field of Indie Publishing, because although much is the same as in relation to traditionally publishing, when it comes down to actually writing and what is needed and expected…such as professional attention to covers, and editing…but there are glaring differences when it comes to distribution/production and marketing. So start to watch, listen and equip yourself for this journey. Then jump in and have fun!

Just for fun.

1. 1.      Forest or beach? Forest
2. 2.      Coffee or tea? Sweet Iced Tea
3. 3.      Cats or dogs? Cats
4. 4.      M&Ms or Skittles? (M&M’s)
5. 5.      Coke or Pepsi? (Pepsi)
6. 6.      Printed books or e-books? (I like both:O)
7. 7.      M/T or A/T (A/T)
8. 8.      Busesor trains? Trains

THE REVIEW

It has been a while since I have read another vampire novel. Stories about the supernaturals once piqued my curiosity, but after the Twilight saga, it seems that my interest for vampires and werewolves died. I tried not to read books in the same genre since then.

However, it is high time to read another novel like that. I accepted this novel to review and guess what I found:

Kindred is the sequel to the Night School Vampire Hunter series. Even though I haven’t read the first book, the novel did not prove to be dependent to its prequel. I think this thought from the author is good as I also do not like reading a series and feeling left out if haven’t read the first books. In Kindred, each character was richly described which made me feel like I have been introduced to them personally. Other books make readers feel that they have to read the first installments to catch up, but not in Kindred. The adventures and experiences happened in the first book were also lightly explained so there’ really no chance of not understanding the story if you missed a book.

At first, I was a bit confused when I read the first pages. It was journal-styled. Each entry was written in numbered posts, like that of a blog. It can very well be like chapter of the book though it doesn’t have titles. The posts/chapters were written by the heroine at first, but then the other characters started talking/writing too so there were varied points-of-view in the novel. Honestly, I preferred a single point-of-view, or if not, at least there will be a definite section for a certain character. I do not like to get dizzy reading.

As for the story, it is no doubt a paranormal one. There were different entities mentioned, some were familiar to me while others aren’t. The story started with targeting a vampire with a stake, and I stifled a groan when I read that. I was hoping for something original, or if not at least more creative than that. Surely we can create vampires strong enough not to be killed by pointed stakes? Well, I was in for a treat. The author calmed my nerves after she introduced another kin of preternaturals. How many do you know? I admit I have read tons of tales about the paranormal, but it is nice to have something I haven’t encountered before. Now that’s what I call creativity and originality.

I am hardly able to read a book these days which offer a single genre. More often than not, authors try to mix at least two in their novel so readers who are fans of both can create a larger market for the story. Well, that’s my opinion. So I wasn’t surprised when there’s also romance in Kindred. It wasn’t like Fifty Shades romance, if that’s what you’re thinking. Instead, it is like those Disney-kind stories which I like. The hero and heroine were drawn to each other not only by physical attraction, but also because of something deeper than that. Want to find out? Read the book.

This novel is a short read which I only finished in less than six hours. I characterized this as YA paranormal fiction with clean romance which is safe to be read by others. The story is not bad though there are rooms for improvement. The characters are believable if one opened his mind on the paranormal beings while the plot is obvious though palatable. Overall, the book isn’t bad and I can suggest it to those who want to have a light reading to kill some time.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Michelle Cornwell-Jordan is a YA Paranormal Author.

Her titles: Reahket (Co-written with Author Danny Jones)

Michelle is also the author of the YA novella series Night School Vampire Hunter trilogy.

Series includes:

Night School Vampire Hunter novella #1    Released date March 2012

Kindred (A Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy novella) #2    Released date November 2012

Redemption (A Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy novella) #3 Released date spring 2013

Works –In-Progress

Chrysalis (Full Length) Released date spring 2013

Hunters Series novellas Released date summer 2013

Ame Academy’s Paranormal novella series summer 2013

Michelle Cornwell-Jordan is also the producer of the online radio segment IndieReview Behind The Scenes, where she and her co-host Jamie B Musings interviews Indie Authors and Musicians.

Contact: WEBSITE  |  FAN CLUB | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

THE GIVEAWAY

Angel & Rafael’s Now & Forever tour’s Mega Giveaway Prizes include: A $25.00 Amazon Virtual Gift card, 5 e-copies per stop avail of Kindred, and a tour wide giveaway with  3 lucky winners who will win an autographed copy of Rock Artist Cecile Monique’s EP Immortal Beloved! (Angel and Rafael’s song!)

Click the link below to be directed to the rafflecopter widget.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Artist: Cecile Monique

With her powerful, yet angelic voice and unmistakable charisma, Cecile Monique is a multi-talented musical artist ready to make her mark on the international music scene. Cecile Monique is not only an accomplished vocalist; she is also a skilled writer, composer, and arranger of her own original music. Her years of formal classical vocal training provided the foundation, but her singular creativity, diverse musical influences, and her fresh, youthful style have provided the fuel to create the distinctive fusion of rich, classically-influenced vocals with modern, innovative instrumentation that exist together in perfect harmony and have become Cecile Monique’s signature, genre-bending sound.

In addition to her impressive musical talent, Cecile’s cosmopolitan personality and multicultural roots (half European and half Hispanic) also broaden her appeal to an international audience; Cecile is fluent in several languages and has recorded and performed songs in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Czech, and Latin.

In 2010, Cecile Monique was awarded the prestigious FACTOR New Talent Award in support of her self-titled EP release featuring three of her original compositions, which was recorded at Metalworks Studios, Canada’s #1 recording studio. With the launch of her new EP now available on iTunes worldwide, and a myriad of new projects on the horizon, Cecile Monique is a rising star poised to become an international phenomenon!

Contact Cecile Monique: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | YOUTUBE | TWITTER | CDBABY

Cecile Monique Speaks about Kindred (A Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy Novella)

Listen Now! 

 Listen To Immortal Beloved! YouTube Video

The Stone Guardian: Interview and Review + giveaways

Interview with the author Therese McClinton

Me: Thank you for giving us the honor to chat with you. May you please tell us something about yourself?

Theresa: Thank you for having me! Sure, I’d love to tell you something about myself. My favorite hobby is travel. If I could explore every nook and cranny of the world, that’s where I would spend my imaginary fortune. The deep sea is thefirst place I would explore. I’ve only ever been 40 feet under the surface, and we know less about it than we do space.

Me: What inspired you to write this book?

Theresa: I wanted to write about something unique, and I have always been intrigued about the Maya. So I couldn’t think of a better topic to write on than an ancient civilization in a contemporary setting. I didn’t have a dream or “ah-hah moment” that lead me to the plot. Just a deep interest and a love for writing.

Me: Is being a writer your dream profession?

Theresa: It hasn’t always been. Believe it or not, when I was young I hated to read. In middle school I swore there would never be a day I could read an entire book from cover to cover. It was probably due to my poor education as a kid. We hopped around from state to state, school to school, so I never had an organized, consistent education. But that all changed when I entered high school. It was the first time we settled down—for real this time—and I was able to stay in a school for longer than a year. My English teacher had us study some of the great classics like The Scarlet Letter and The Odyssey. That is when my passion for reading and writing was born.

Me: Tell us your most rewarding experience as a published writer.

Theresa: Meeting my new readers. To have people write and express how much they enjoyed The Stone Guardian is perhaps the most overwhelming feeling I’ve ever had—besides the day my kids were born. I’d be a bad mom if I didn’t say that. Also working with the amazing staff at Etopia Press. No, seriously. I feel incredibly lucky to have such a great editor and team working to make my book the best it can be.

Me: Tell us in few sentences why we must read your book.

Theresa: If you enjoy reading about myth and ledged, passion, betrayal, and the incredible strength of friendship, then you should read my book. My characters are my favorite part of being an author, and to me, they are real people. I know them as well as I know any of my friends, and they all have vivid personalities.

Me: What book did you wish you had written yourself?

Theresa: I’d have to say Horton Hears a Who. What? You weren’t expecting me to name a Dr. Seuss book? He was a literary genius! I can’t get enough of his books. In fact, I have a quote of his on my office wall. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.” It reminds me that I can do anything I put my mind to.

Me: If you could be a literary character who would you be and why?

Theresa: Since I’ve always secretly wanted to own a tiger, and you all know I love to travel, I’ll sayKelsey from the Tiger’s Curse series by Colleen Houck. I don’t think she understands the ridiculously lucky situation she’s found herself in. Two handsome princes who live part of their lives as tigers, and she gets to travel the world on Mr. Kadam’sdime? Need I say more?

Me: What are the books currently in your nightstand?

Theresa: Darker Still: A novel of Magic Most Foul by Leanna Renee Hieber.

Me: Any current/future projects?

Theresa: The Stone Guardian is the first of a series, so keep an eye out for the rest of the novels. I have one under review right now, but I won’t get into that too much since it’s sorta’ a surprise.

Me: What can you advice to those aspiring writers?

Theresa: Don’t ever give up. Write because you love it, and work really, really hard. With those combined you are sure to succeed.

Just for fun.

1. What do you do on your free time? Travel and spend time with my awesome kids.
2. If someone will write you a biography, what would be its title? “The life of a woman who seems a little crazy, but really is.”
3. If you have won the lottery, what will be the first thing you will buy? I’d pay off my house. Then buy another one in Switzerland and learn how to ski!
4. Where is your favorite place to travel? This is a tough one. Europe has my heart, but there are so many great countries in Europe, it’s almost impossible to choose. I’d say either Venice, Italy with its quant canals, or Germany with itstowering castles. Or maybe Amsterdam, with its cobblestone sidewalks and bridges that connect the city. I could go on and on!
5. Any pet peeves?Who, me? No. I’m eternally patient…and always completely truthful. Ahem.

MY REVIEW

I’d like to start this review with the cover of the book. The art is okay though I personally do not like human faces in covers. However, the handsome face of the hero compensated for my early frustration, so I guess all is well.

While reading the first pages, I smiled. The theme can never be so timely. Basically, the story revolves around the Mayan race and its rich, but lost history. As I write this post, it is December 21, 2012 – the date predicted to be the end of the world as prophesied by an important phase in Mayan calendar. Now, isn’t that a coincidence?

If the world will end today, which I do not believe, then at least I have posted a blog entry today relating to the ancient race which started this all.

Now, the book and its story. It started with the beginning which may sound simple, but isn’t. Some authors tried to write it backwards or start with the climax. Those strategies are good, but I think it depends on the flow of the story. With The Stone Guardian starting from the beginning of the story, it made me comfortable. Sure, it did not bombard me with questions in my head because it started in the middle or the end, but like any other strategy, it made me continue reading. I think this is one essential element in writing. Some authors start with a bang, but after some point readers lost interest of the book as the story goes dull.

The story progressed slowly and made me impatient for a short time. However, I was rewarded with a sudden twist. I was like, “What the heck is that?” I was caught off guard. I thought the novel to be historical romance, not fantasy. I wasn’t prepared for the sudden onslaught of senses. In some points it made me more interested in continuing the book. From a normal story, it jumped to the world of fantasy which is neither laughable nor corny. It is somewhat believable, actually.

At this point, I would like to admit that I am not knowledgeable about the Mayan race. I am familiar a bit of its history, but I didn’t know about the stones, ancient powers, and gifted people. So imagine my surprise when I was introduced to those things. It wasn’t that bad, actually. In fact, I can say that I was fascinated with the story. As I said in a previous paragraph, a story about Mayans is a great factor for this novel.

The characters are believable, though I somehow see the heroine with a weak personality. She must be built with a sturdier personality, but since the story started with her being in a mental institution, I can understand. As for the hero, he was often described as someone well endowed. I can imagine him as the perfect personification of tall, dark, and handsome man. His personality was not that clearly described, but for some reason he suddenly fell in love with the heroine. And he’s loyal to a fault.

But like any other stories, there must be a conflict. In this novel, there are two. One is an outside force, a being much powerful than the race mentioned. Will he be responsible for the end of the world – December 21? The other conflict is an internal one – a struggle inside one of the character. Will that person be brave enough to continue loving even when darkness lurks just around the corner? Can they accept the truth?

The story ended and again I was caught off-guard. “What was that?” It is a cliffhanger. I wanted to tear the pages, but sadly I only have an e-copy, so I just stared at my reader. I want more! More, more! Now, if the author is reading my review, I am pleading: Hurry and finish writing the second installment!

Overall, I like the way the story was written. It is enough to catch the interest and convince a reader to continue reading. I was curious about the ancient race when I read the book that I made some searches about what were mentioned in the novel. However, I couldn’t find a reference. Either it was based from a fact which I haven’t dug up yet, or Theresa has this very creative mind to conjure such vivid picture where both mundane and magical  worlds coincide. Whatever it is, I commend the author’s confidence in creating something new and unique in the world of publishing.

THE GIVEAWAYS

Want to win a $50 paypal cash and a copy of The Stone Guardian? Click my previous post and try your luck!

How about a $50 Visa gift card? Go here and click!

Lastly, Theresa is also offering various gift cards to her readers. You may win Amazon, Kobo, B&N, and iTunes gift cards! Isn’t those amazing ways in celebrating the holidays? So what are you waiting for? Join now and win! With these three offers, your chances of winning are higher. And oh, all promos are open internationally. Good luck and Merry Christmas to you all!