Prophecy is Now Available and Blog Moved

I'm excited to announce that Prophecy, Book 1 in the Antigone: The True Story series, is now available.

A hidden prophecy. A chosen princess who speaks with snakes. A family duty.

Sixteen year old Princess Antigone, daughter of the infamous ancient Greek King Oedipus, wants to lead a normal life and fulfill her duty to the gods, her city, and her family, but fate has other plans.

The Olympian gods bless her, the snakes talk to her, her parents want her to marry a foreign prince, her embroidery looks like burial shrouds for dogs, and she has fallen in love with the wrong boy.

When the mysterious and devastating prophecies surrounding her family are revealed, Antigone must choose where her allegiance lies: With the gods who have betrayed her family but who she is obliged to serve? With her plague ridden city? With her family which lay in ruins? Or even with herself?

In Prophecy, Book One of the Antigone: The True Story series, Antigone steps out of the shadows of the past to tell her own story, a story where truth of history is stranger than the fiction of myth.

Buy the Ebook at:

Amazon ~ Smashwords ~ Kobo ~ iTunes ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Chapters

Also, for various reasons, I have moved my blog to a new site. You can continue to follow me and get updates on my writing and reviews at Coreena McBurnie's new website.

Procrastination

So far, I've had a fruitful morning of procrastination while "working" on my novel. I've made a word cloud of the book:

Word cloud made with WordItOut

And I've also made a meme with a quote from the book:

 Will get to some actual proofreading soon...

Book Review: The Eye of Odin by Dennis Staginnus

The Eye of Odin by Dennis Staginnus
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Summary:
On probation for burglary, disliked by everyone at school, and with no memory of his past, fifteen-year-old Grayle Rowen thought his life couldn’t suck more than it already did. He was wrong—it was about to get worse. Much worse.

While on a field trip to the Vancouver Museum, Grayle is forced to steal a Viking runestone from the museum’s newest exhibit. Should’ve been an easy job, especially for a master thief like Grayle. What he didn’t expect was another student, Sarah Finn, tagging along, or the Viking goddess of death showing up to steal the same artifact.

Now in a fight for their lives, Grayle and Sarah learn the runestone is one of five markers describing the whereabouts of the Eye of Odin, a mystical orb said to give its owner infinite knowledge of the past, present, and future. Though Grayle would love nothing more than to ditch Sarah, he knows he’ll have little hope of finding the Eye and unlocking his mysterious past without her.

Dodging Hel-hounds, Frost Giants, and a cannibal Hex, the two teenagers race from Canada to the frozen reaches of Norway in an effort to recover the remaining runestones. The stakes are clear: find the markers in time and save the world. Fail, and the Viking goddess will use the Eye to destroy mankind.

Review:
I had so much fun reading this book and could hardly put it down -- it was incredibly engaging, fast paced, and well written. I love how the author seamlessly blended the real and the mythological worlds and had obviously done his research.

Each of the protagonists, Sarah and Grayle, were well developed and interesting. Each has an air of mystery about them that makes me want to know more and anxious for the next book so I can see how things turn out for them.

This is an action packed book filled with imagination that will appeal to both boys and girls from upper middle grade to young adult, especially those who like Rick Riordan or books involving magic and mythology.

View all my reviews

Book Review: Paper Towns

Paper Towns by John Green

Summary:
Who is the real Margo?

Quentin Jacobsen has spent a lifetime loving the magnificently adventurous Margo Roth Spiegelman from afar. So when she cracks open a window and climbs into his life—dressed like a ninja and summoning him for an ingenious campaign of revenge—he follows. After their all-nighter ends, and a new day breaks, Q arrives at school to discover that Margo, always an enigma, has now become a mystery. But Q soon learns that there are clues—and they're for him. Urged down a disconnected path, the closer he gets, the less Q sees the girl he thought he knew...

Review:
I enjoy John Green's writing, the quirky characters that he creates tend to pull me in. I like how he takes ideas and explores them, and Paper Towns is no exception. He examines how we see each other, and what it takes to really know another person -- huge topics, and full of teenaged angst.

The actual story is good, and moves at various speeds. I found that I liked the main character, Quentin, and really wanted to see how things would work out for him and see if he would find the real Margot.

Overall, a good young adult read, especially for those who like quirky fiction.

Cover Reveal of Prophesy

I'm so excited to share the cover of my upcoming novel, Prophecy, Book 1 in the Antigone, The True Story series.

Prophecy is a young adult mythological fantasy with a bit of romance that tells the story of Antigone's life (daughter of the infamous Oedipus from Greek mythology) from her point of view. It's a novel where honour and scandal collide and the truth of history is definitely strange than the fiction of myth.

My plan was, originally, to publish Prophecy this fall, but due to health issues, it will not be quite ready. My goal now is now to have the book out this winter or early next year at the latest.

You can click on the tab up top to read the first chapter.

I can't forget to mention that the cover was designed by the wonderfully talented, creative, and patient people at Deranged Doctor Design.

If you would like to be the first to hear about updates, you can subscribe to my newsletter here.

Book Review: The Breaker's Code by Conner Kressley

The Breaker's Code (Fixed Points #1) by Conner Kressley


SUMMARY
Where were you when the world ended?

Three weeks shy of her seventeenth birthday, Cresta Karr wakes to find her world is falling apart. The necklace her father left her is mysteriously missing, a black sedan is stalking her and her friends, and her house is minutes away from exploding. To top it off, she finds out that Owen, the enigmatic, if slightly off-kilter guy of her dreams, is both not interested in going out with her and a superspy sent by a clandestine organization to keep tabs on her.

Turns out Cresta is the subject of a 500 year old prophecy, and if Owen and the other “Breakers” can't find a way to circumvent the future before the sun comes up on her birthday, Cresta is destined to bring about the end of the world -- something she'd rather not have on her college applications. That is, of course, if the gun-toting cult members piling onto her front porch don't get to her first.

The countdown is on. Secrets will be revealed, relationships will be tested, prophecies will be fulfilled, and fate will fight free will in a battle so intense that it won't end until the world itself does.

Happy birthday, Cresta.

REVIEW
I bought this book as part of a larger box set collection, but am reviewing each book individually.

Cresta lives in a small town and is frustrated from having to move there from Chicago after her father died. She has two friends, Casper and Owen. As it turns out, Cresta is part of a larger prophesy, as well as an ancient and paranormal sect in society.

I had some issues with this book, the first of which was the editing. There were many typing mistakes, and while I don't want to sound picky, these pull the reader out of the story and really are a big deal. I can forgive a few, but this book was riddled with them.

The concept of the book was fun and I like the themes about fate versus free will, and it was this that kept me reading. However, I wanted Cresta to be a bit stronger in the end. Maybe she will get there in the next books. I felt like she was floundering around and being fed a lot of solutions at times. The romance between her and Owen was fine, if forced at times.

Simon, her non paranormal friend, was probably my favourite character. I liked how goofy and loyal he was, kind of like a big puppy.

I am always sensitive when there are adoption issues in a book, and the one's in Breaker's Code were actually handled fairly well. It showed people being insensitive, which they can be, but ultimately, Cresta's parents are her parents, the one's who raised her. I hope that doesn't change in the next book.

This could be the beginning of an interesting series, but I hope the author gets some help with the editing. The book is pretty fast paced and I like how it began, talking about it being two days before Cresta's house blew up, then the day before, then the day of.

Short Story Review: Double Cross

Double Cross: An Eye of Odin Prequel #1 by Dennis Staginnus

SUMMARY
In the first of The Eye of Odin short prequels, the fifteen-year-old witch-for-hire finds herself atop the Athenian Acropolis, exchanging money for an ancient Spartan helmet said to contain extraordinary powers.


But when the exchange ends in a double-cross, it exposes a conspiracy that could reignite a two thousand-year-old war between Athens and Sparta. Keeping the peace will rest upon the shoulders of the scrappy, young witch.

REVIEW
Double Cross is the exciting first prequel the the upcoming middle grade Eye of Odin series by Dennis Staginnus. I have to say right off that I love myth, especially Greek myth, and Double Cross delivers a good dose.

The story starts fast and tense, grabbing the reader right away, only getting more intense at the story continues.

I am also a sucker for strong female heroines. Sarah is spirited, quick thinking, willing to fight to the end in order to do what she thinks is right, and she's magical. All in all, a great combination. Her background is subtly developed, making me want to know more about her.

The setting of this story is modern day Greece, but the world in which it is set includes Folklore, a world that is only seen by a select few and which includes myth and history from different cultures. Staginnus has obviously done his research on the mythology and has created an interesting world with great potential.

Overall, I think this is a book that will appeal to both boys and girls who like older middle grade books, and has a grittiness that will even appeal to teen audience (which, I think, makes this book stand out in the middle grade genre, assuming the rest of the series lives up to the standard set here). Some of the language, violence, and intensity might be a bit much for sensitive audiences.
 

Double Cross is the first in a series of three short story prequels to Eye of Odin and is free. You can go to Dennis Staginnus' web site (click here) to find out how to download it.

Book Review: Valiant by Holly Black

Book: Valiant (Modern Faerie Tales #2) by Holly Black, 2006 by Simon Pulse, 313 pages.

Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads:
When seventeen-year-old Valerie runs away to New York City, she's trying to escape a life that has utterly betrayed her. Sporting a new identity, she takes up with a gang of squatters who live in the city's labyrinthine subway system.

But there's something eerily beguiling about Val's new friends.
And when one talks Val into tracking down the lair of a mysterious creature with whom they are all involved, Val finds herself torn between her newfound affection for an honorable monster and her fear of what her new friends are becoming.

My Thoughts:
I love how Holly Black writes about characters who are normally invisible in YA books, and this book is no exception. This is the second book in the Modern Faerie Tales series, though it is more like a companion book with the world that Black created, rather than continuing the story of the first book. This installment focuses on teens who are living on the street in New York.

I enjoyed this - Black is a fantastic story teller and I enjoy the dark world of faeries that she has created. However, I didn't like this one as much as Tithe, the first in the series.

Seventeen year old Val runs away from home and finds herself living on the streets with a group of other teens who squat in the subway tunnels. They are linked to the world of Fey and take a faerie drug that gives them a unique high.

Val's character was good and I liked how she developed. I could understand her anger and betrayal, but she also grew beyond that. I wasn't as fond of the group of homeless teens that she hooks up with. I also found reading about taking copious amounts of drugs uncomfortable.

Overall, I liked the dark story and that faeries are not portrayed in a "nice" light. Black writes with a frank and honest tone that I think will appeal to many fans of YA fantasy who are looking for something different.
 
Note: There are significant amounts of drug use, swearing and sex in this book.

Book Review: Ultraviolet

Book: Ultraviolet (Ultraviolet #1) by R. J. Anderson, 2011 by Orchard, 416 pages.

Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Once upon a time there was a girl who was special.
This is not her story.
Unless you count the part where I killed her.

Sixteen-year-old Alison has been sectioned in a mental institute for teens, having murdered the most perfect and popular girl at school. But the case is a mystery: no body has been found, and Alison's condition is proving difficult to diagnose. Alison herself can't explain what happened: one minute she was fighting with Tori -- the next she disintegrated. Into nothing. But that's impossible. Right?

My Thoughts:
I enjoyed this book, but it is a tough one to review. 

For most of the book, 16 year old Alison is in a mental institution because she claims to have killed he friend. She also sees and hears things that aren't really there and her family is concerned and scared about it. I found the mental institution interesting and authentic sounding, feeling like the author really researched this part of the story. I also really felt for Alison and what she's going through, curious about what really happened. 

I also liked the other characters in the hospital and how things weren't glossed over with her family - that it was hard for them to have her there, that they didn't know how to relate to her, that her best friend changed how she felt.

Then, about three quarters of the way through the book, there is a twist. I won't say much, but it is a twist that changes the whole book. In one way, it was fun, but in another, it left me feeling betrayed.

Overall, I enjoyed Anderson's writing and she really pulled me in. I loved the exploration of Alison's condition and the acknowledgement that we all see things differently, some more than others. I am still torn about the ending.

Book Review: The Goddess Test by Aimee Carter

Book: The Goddess Test (Goddess Test #1) by Aimee Carter, 2011 by Harlequin Teen, 293 pages.

Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Every girl who had taken the test has died.
Now it's Kate's turn.
It's always been just Kate and her mom - and her mother is dying. Her last wish? To move back to her childhood home. So Kate's going to start at a new school with no friends, no other family and the fear that her mother won't live past the fall.
Then she meets Henry. Dark. Tortured. And mesmerizing. He claims to be Hades, god of the Underworld - and if she accepts his bargain, he'll keep her mother alive while Kate tries to pass seven tests.
Kate is sure he's crazy - until she sees him bring a girl back from the dead. Now saving her mother seems crazily possible. If she succeeds, she'll become Henry's future bride and a goddess.
If she fails...

My Thoughts:
I have a huge passion for Greek mythology, so was excited to read this book, though I put it off for a long time. Now having read it, I'm torn.

Kate and her fatally ill mother move to Eden where Kate meets Henry, a mysterious, dark stranger - and who says that he is Hades, the Greek god of the underworld. She makes a deal with him, to live with him and try to pass some mysterious tests, and he will keep her mother alive.

I loved the mythological aspect of this book. Carter does a great job combining the traditional myths with a modern story - she plays with it in a fun way. This was, by far, my favorite part of the story.

The story of Kate and her tests left me wanting. I liked Kate well enough and felt for her, but her time on Henry's estate felt flat. She spent a lot of time whining about her cloths and I couldn't understand how the future queen of the underworld didn't have any say in what she wore.

Then there were the tests - Kate was told at one point that she had passed one, but wasn't even curious what it was. Then the other tests all kind of occurred in an obscure way. I actually felt cheated because there was a loss of conflict. The anticipation was set up, but not fulfilled.

I did like Henry. He is sad and brooding, dark and mysterious, but also powerful and kind.

All in all, it was a book I was able to tear through quickly and I am curious enough to wonder what will happen next, so will definitely look up the next in the series.

10 Pieces of Advice for (Aspiring) Authors from Wendy S. Russo + Giveaway

Today I am very excited to have Wendy S. Russo on my blog, the author of January Black, as part of her book tour. Don't forget to read down to the end of the post for a $25 Amazon or Paypal giveaway. For the rest of the blog tour, click here.

First, a bit about her exciting new book:

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He's been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost...or call the king’s bluff.

And now for Ten Pieces of Great Advice for Aspiring Authors from Wendy S. Russo:

1. Bookmark "Author! Author!" (http://annemini.com). She's has an writing/submitting/marketing guidance archive dating back seven years. Her posts are tagged and searchable. It may be the closest you'll ever get to picking an industry professional's brain, and it's FREE. Schedule time for it, though. She's verbose. Also, several times per year, she invites readers to send her queries that she'll pick apart on her site. She also posts her articles to Facebook, so like her and they'll show up in your news feed.

2. Make friends. There are hundreds, maybe thousands of blogs kept by authors, readers, and reviewers. They have Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. You can find beta readers and critique partners. You can win free books and get cool author swag ideas. If the secret to success is knowing people, the next best thing is knowing people who know people, so...go meet some people.

3. Before you submit to an agent/publisher, print out your entire manuscript and read it. Out loud. (From Anne Mini's site. If you take none of her other advice, DO THIS.)

4. I do my edits on hard copy, too. I get a couple of red pens and I bleed them dry. (When I'm done, I use the paper in my flowerbeds as weed cover.) I find it much easier to flip through pages than scroll through a file. I can use sticky notes. I can highlight. Scribble. Draw pictures. And Facebook isn't tempting me from another open window.

5. Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest can be awfully distracting. I find that social media eats away at my writing time. (I mean, like months on end.) Set a goal...a number of words you want to accomplish in a day, and then schedule a time to write. Close your web browser. Turn off your WIFI if you have to.

6. Rejection is hard, but it's important. I recommend sending your manuscript to agents/publishers that you're certain will reject you. (In your genre, please, because wasting someone's time is rude.) Set up the initial disappointments and get them out of the way. Meanwhile, keep researching your dream agents and publishers and treat yourself after rejections. Spoonful of sugar, as Mary Poppins said.

7. Don't let other people discourage you. Well meaning though they may be, if they are not helping you reach your goals, they're not helping you.

8. Criticism is only helpful if you can use it to make your story better. Editors are people, too. Many are writers, and all have an opinion about how to tell a story. Listen when you should. Ignore when you must.

9. The only right way to tell a story is your way. Figure out what yours is.

10. Add "aspiring" to your list of curse words. If you write, you're a writer.

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Book Review: Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

Book: Last Sacrifice (Vampire Academy #6) by Richelle Mead, 2010 by Razorbill, 594 pages.

Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads:
They come first.

My vision was growing dimmer, the blackness and ghosts closing in. I swore it was like I could hear Robert whispering in my ear: The world of the dead won't give you up a second time. Just before the light completely vanished, I saw Dimitri's face join Lissa's. I wanted to smile. I decided then that if the two people I loved most were safe, I could leave this world.

The dead could finally have me.

Rose Hathaway has always played by her own rules. She broke the law when she ran away from St. Vladimir's Academy with her best friend and last surviving Dragomir princess, Lissa. She broke the law when she fell in love with her gorgeous, off-limits instructor, Dimitri. And she dared to defy Queen Tatiana, leader of the Moroi world, risking her life and reputation to protect generations of dhampir guardians to come.

Now the law has finally caught up with Rose - for a crime she didn't even commit. She's in prison for the highest offense imaginable: the assassination of a monarch. She'll need help from both Dimitri and Adrian to find the one living person who can stall her execution and force the Moroi elite to acknowledge a shocking new candidate for the royal throne: Vasilisa Dragomir.

But the clock on Rose's life is running out. Rose knows in her heart the world of the dead wants her back...and this time she is truly out of second chances. The big question is, when your whole life is about saving others, who will save you?

Join Rose, Dimitri, Adrian, and Lissa in Last Sacrifice, the epic, unforgettable finale to Richelle Mead's international #1 bestselling Vampire Academy series.

My Thoughts:
This was a great ending to the Vampire Academy series. It was full of action, tension, and twists. 

Rose is charged with killing Queen Tatiana is about to stand trial for treason, an offense punishable by death. While she is locked up, the tables turn as it is her friends who have concocted the crazy plan to help her escape.

The story has two aspects: Rose and Dimitri and their life on the run, following leads and getting into their own trouble when they are supposed to be laying low; and Lissa and their friends trying to find the real murderer back at the royal court. Again, the connection between Lissa and Rose proves to be invaluable so that we can see what is going on in both places.

Then there is the development of the relationship between Rose and Dimitri - and how Adrian fits into what is going on between them. I did feel sorry for Adrian, but I thought it was interesting how Mead dealt with the whole thing. There certainly was no nicely wrapped up solution and I liked how Mead didn't pretend there was. She left some things messy.

There are also some great twists in the plot that keep the reader turning the pages. I love how so many threads throughout the whole series come together to make sense in this book. However, there are also some tangles, and though things all make sense in the end, there are still questions about what will happen next.

Overall, I think anyone who has read the Vampire Academy series will really love this book and will completely devour it, eating up every word and savoring the tension between Rose and Dimitri.

Book Blast: Captive Spirits

 

Captive Spirits Aztar is a planet where no one remembers a time of peace. Fear of those who wield a mystical cruelty holds people as CAPTIVE SPIRITS. All that remains is the waning belief in a savior who will someday come to restore peace to a blood soaked land. Zmeria, an ancient text recovered, brings a Prophecy to life. The leaders of each Region come together with a plan to reunite Aztar's divided people and make way for their savior. They arm themselves with the recently discovered revelation of peace long past. A dream is born and legends revived as Aztar’s people determine to fight the evil and Reclaim Aztar. The Evil’s grasp is strong on the CAPTIVE SPIRITS of Aztar. Leaders know this battle to free the will and spirit of the people will not be easily won. They decree a King must be chosen. One man of the entire world stands out from the rest. Si, the firstborn son of the house of Volcum, is well known for valor and victories in battle. A kingdom must be established. As the center of his kingdom, Si Volcum decreed an ancient, long deserted castle far to the north that contained the lost records of Aztar’s forgotten glory. He accepted his chosen bride, Alexis, unseen from a house as old as his own. Si ruled and the land prospered for fifteen years while evil silently waited. The King did not know when evil struck it would be personally against him or that the price would be so high. The people of Aztar chose well in their King. Si will not hesitate. The King will pay the price. From his love and chosen path, the Saga of Aztar begins with the legend of her first King, Si Volcum. “Reclaim Aztar,” will be their battle cry.  

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Author M.A. Adair Mary A. Adair is an Amazon best selling author of Native American Romance. CAPTIVE SPIRITS is her first Young Adult Fantasy. It is the beginning to a Young Adult Fantasy series that can also be enjoyed by all adults. Mary's other works include Passion's Vision and Passion's Price, both are Best Selling Native American Romance. Mary did extensive research on several Native American tribes in the time period of her books. One of her many sources for learning about the rich Native American culture of that time period was a book written in the mid. 1700s by one of her husband’s ancestors, James Adair. PASSION'S VISION, a story filled with romance, excitement and danger. This story features James Fitzgerald, an agent in the court of King George II and New Moon, sister to Chief Dancing Cloud. PASSION'S PRICE is a poignant love story with a twist of humor. It is a next generation story filled with adventure and determination as well as self-realization and of course Romance. PASSION’S PRICE continues with James's and New Moon's daughter, Golden Dawn.

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Book Blast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/30/13   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

Book Blast: Helga, Out of the Hedgelands

 

Helga: Out of the Hedgelands Twelve-year-old Helga has more danger in her life than most beasts her age—Wrackshee slavers after her, a vicious attack by bandits that nearly kills her, a race against dragons pursuing her, and leading a daring rebellion to save her life and rescue friends and family from the insidious WooZan. And that is just the beginning. But what do you expect when you are a young beast who just can’t see the stupid rules of the world making any sense? Helga can’t accept things as they are and ends up taking on not just one, but two all-powerful, supreme tyrants in two different realms. Helga never intended to lead a revolution. It just sort of happened because she wouldn’t go along with the “rules of normal” that keep tyrants in power and entire societies enslaved. Beginning on a dangerous quest to solve some mysteries in her own past, Helga leads her quirky comrades on a journey that will not only forever change them, but upset ancient civilizations. As an author, I’m drawn to eccentric, unexpected characters: those who surprise because they hear a distant galaxy, see a different music, create their own fragrance rather than get hooked on a soundtrack; the child who has her own ideas about how the emperor is dressed; the lunatics and rebels who tell stories on the boundaries. Helga’s unusual story will take readers to worlds they never imagined—definitely a whole new ride. Time and again, the unconventional heroine and her eccentric comrades overcome ominous tyrants and black-hearted slavers, not by battling to the last beast standing, but by being the first beast to think differently. Helga: Out of Hedgelands is divided into three books which introduce the epic saga of the Wood Cow clan and their role in overturning centuries of slavery and tyranny. This story will continue in additional volumes of the Wood Cow Chronicles now in development. Over the series of current and future volumes, the entire history of the Wood Cow clan, the fall of Maev Astuté, and the coming of Lord Farseeker to the Outer Rings, will be told.  

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Book Trailer  

Author Rick Johnson I am a native of the Great Plains, having grown up on a farm in the Platte River Valley of western Nebraska. I love the wild beauty of the Plains and nearby Rocky Mountains--the too hot, too cold, too empty, too full of life extremes. Typically, the awesomely diverse and the awesomely stark are much the same, even as they are different. Although I have lived in Michigan, North Carolina, and British Columbia, the western plains, mountains, and desert are in my heart. As my day job, for over thirty years I have been a faculty member and administrator in higher education. Teaching broadly in the liberal arts, including creative writing, my professional publications include educational materials, poems, and 28 stories for young readers. During my spare hours, I have also collected and carefully studied the records of former times upon which the Wood Cow Chronicles are based. It is my privilege to bring this astonishing saga to light. ​ The Wood Cow Chronicles have been researched and written with the irreplaceable assistance of Barbara, my beloved wife of more than thirty-five years, and our children. Indeed, the essential research into the history of the Wood Cows has been conducted during the odd hours of family reading and storytelling "around the campfire" as we say--even when there is no campfire! This research continues and grows richer as our family expands across generations and continents.  

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   Book Blast Giveaway $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/1/13 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

Book Blast: January Black

January Black

Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He's been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost...or call the king’s bluff.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Amazon Kindle

Praise
Refreshingly intelligent and loads of fun!
I lost a few hours as I read this book. It's a Young Adult novel that is refreshingly and astonishingly intelligent, and the love story is perfectly played out.
~Christine Ashworth, Amazon Review

The mystery was intriguing - I loved how Wendy Russo weaved in all her secrets throughout the book, how she incorporated just enough to keep you reading, while never actually divulging much of anything. I was guessing for most of it and that's pretty hard to make me do.
~Julie, Clean Teen Reads

Wendy Russo has created a masterpiece.
~Ivan Amberlake, Author


Book Trailer

Author Wendy S. Russo

Wendy S. Russo got her start writing in the sixth grade. That story involved a talisman with crystals that had to be found and assembled before bad things happened, and dialog that read like classroom roll call. Since then, she’s majored in journalism (for one semester), published poetry, taken a course on short novels, and watched most everything ever filmed by Quentin Tarantino. A Wyoming native transplanted in Baton Rouge, Wendy works for Louisiana State University as an IT analyst. She’s a wife, a mom, a Tiger, a Who Dat, and she falls asleep on her couch at 8:30 on weeknights.

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BookBlast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 5/5/13
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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Book Blast: Sprung

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.

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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.


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(Audio) Book Review: Poison Princess

Book: Poison Princess (The Arcana Chronicles #1) by Kresley Cole, 2012 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 369 pages (11 CDs).

Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads:
#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole introduces The Arcana Chronicles, post-apocalyptic tales filled with riveting action, the dark mysticism of Tarot cards, and breathtaking romance.

She could save the world—or destroy it.

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side….

My Thoughts:
I want to start off by saying that the audiobook version of this book was presented amazingly well. Emma Galvin was fantastic as the main narrator and conveyed a real sense of Evie's character. Keith Nobbs did his part so well it was scary - he embodied creepiness itself.

I love the premise of this book and how tarot cards are used to hold it all together - it is brilliant. Evie has hallucinations and her mom thinks she's crazy, just like her grandmother. However, it turns out that Evie is one of the Major Arcana, the power cards, of a tarot deck. 

When the apocalypse comes, Evie and her mother realize that the hallucinations were actually visions. There are voices in Evie's had that speak to her. Then Jack comes along, a poor, rough, Cajun boy. Evie and Jack have to work together to try to find Evie's grandmother in the craziness that is left of the world - bagmen (zombies), soldiers, cannibals, plague, no vegetation,...

I alternately liked and disliked both Evie and Jack. There were many times I found them extremely frustrating. Evie spent a lot of time being weak and confused and even whiny. I can see why this was, and I appreciate her growth (and anticipate she will be a much stronger character in the next book), but felt it did go on a bit.

Then there is Jack, the ultimate bad boy. He and Evie clearly love each other, even if they can't stand each other. He is rude, rough, tough, can fight and survive on the land, drinks, rides a motorcycle. You get the picture. Again, I found that maybe this stereotype went a bit far.

However, I loved the parts about the visions and the tarot deck, the voices and the Arcana. And Cole's writing is beautiful. Her use of language is stunning and completely drew me in. Her descriptions are vivid and engaging.  

I think those who like dystopian novels will enjoy this different, almost paranormal, take. Despite my frustrations with the two main characters, I did like them and the book enough to eagerly anticipate the next installment.

Book Review: Pandemonium by Lauren Oliver

Book: Pandemonium (Delirium #2) by Lauren Oliver, 2012 by HarperTeen, 375 pages.

Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads:
"So what was your name before?" I say, and she freezes, her back to me. "Before you came to the Wilds, I mean."

For a moment she stands there.

Then she turns around.

"You might as well get used to it now," she says with quite intensity.

"Everything you were, the life you had, the people you knew... dust."

She shakes her head and says, a little more firmly, "There is no before. There is only now, and what comes next."

After falling in love, Lena and Alex flee their oppressive society where love is outlawed and everyone must receive the "cure" - an operation that makes them immune to the delirium of love - but Lena alone manages to find her way to a community of resistance fighters. Although she is bereft without the boy she loves, her struggles seem to be leading her toward a new love.

My Thoughts:
This second installment of the Delirium series takes place both in the wilds and in New York during a resistance movement, moving back and forth in time. The chapters are pretty clear about where you are. 

The story starts soon after Lena escapes over the fence and how she survives in the Wilds. I loved the addition of some of the new characters, especially Raven. I have to say, though, that there were a few logistics about their life in the Wilds that drove me crazy, like: Why do they wait until winter's there before they move camps? Why don't they just live somewhere warmer and set up a homestead and try to become self sufficient? Why do they have to rely on the cities for so much? Why, if there is a hardware store nearby, do they only have one shovel? OK, enough of that rant. These are not deal breaker issues, the story was still great, just things that frustrated me.

On the other hand, this time in the Wilds was compelling, the dynamics of the community, the constant peril, the heartbreak of peoples stories...

In contrast, the story alternates in a future time as part of an underground resistance movement in New York. There were some great twists in this part and, again, the addition of some new characters. I liked Julian, the son of the DFA leader, and how he grew and how the alliances and betrayals worked out.

I really love this series, though I didn't like this book as much as Delirium. Oliver's writing is brilliant and absolutely beautiful - she crafts words like an artist. And, I love the premise behind this book - that of a dystopian future where love can be "cured", along with the consequences of that. After the dramatic twist at the end, I can hardly wait to get my hands on Requiem (one of the advantages to coming to a series late!)

Book Review: Pretties

Book: Pretties (Uglies #2) by Scott Westerfeld, 2005 by Simon Pulse, 370 pages.

Synopsis from Goodreads:
Gorgeous. Popular. Perfect. Perfectly wrong.

Tally has finally become pretty. Now her looks are beyond perfect, her clothes are awesome, her boyfriend is totally hot, and she's completely popular. It's everything she's ever wanted.

But beneath all the fun -- the nonstop parties, the high-tech luxury, the total freedom -- is a nagging sense that something's wrong. Something important. Then a message from Tally's ugly past arrives. Reading it, Tally remembers what's wrong with pretty life, and the fun stops cold.

Now she has to choose between fighting to forget what she knows and fighting for her life -- because the authorities don't intend to let anyone with this information survive.

Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

My Thoughts:
This was an interesting second installment of the Uglies series. I loved Uglies and Pretties has a very different feel, taking place mostly in New Pretty with lots of "bubbly" language and mindless parties.

Tally has sacrificed herself and has become pretty so that they will have a test subject for their cure to the brain lesions. We get to know Shay better and are introduced to Zane, Tally's new love interest. I liked Zane and the way he tried so hard to keep his brain from going pretty.

Tally's character was good, though some of her indecisiveness drives me crazy, but it's probably supposed to because her ugly brain is at odds with her pretty brain.

I liked the development of the brain science and the idea of the lesions. And, again, the social commentary on the idea of pretty and ugly is terrific. Then there is the great twist at the end of the book. I love that kind of thing.

However, this book had the feel of a transition book for me. There was a lot of action and movement, but somehow, it still left me wanting something else. Hopefully, I'll find it in Specials. Maybe it's because I found the world in Uglies so much more interesting than the world in Pretties. Overall, though, it was worth the read and I'm anxious to get onto the next book.

Book Blast - Guardians Inc: The Cyper

GUARDIANS INC.: THE CYPHER

A chance reading of a newspaper ad will send 16 year old Thomas Byrne into the world within our world.

Following the ad he will find Guardians Incorporated. A seven thousand year old organization charged with protecting the balance between Magic and technology.

Through their guidance, technology has kept Magic at bay since the Renaissance, but the balance is shifting and soon all those creatures we've driven into myth and legend will come back with a vengeance.

To protect the present, Guardians Incorporated needs to know the future and to unlock the future
they need a Cypher.

Book Trailer

Guardians Inc.: The Cypher is FREE on Kindle, Nook & iBooks

Praise
USA Book News 2012 Finalist -Young Adult Fiction

"Rosado-Machain brings a light, humorous touch to themes of teenage love, loss and betrayal wrapped up in a tasty package of magical coming-of-age."
~Kirkus Reviews

"It's like Julian Rosado-Machain took everything that I love about middle grade children's fiction and slammed it into one awesome, well-paced fantasy"
~Emi London Oktopusink.blogspot.com

"The Cypher hooked me from the beginning. And kept my attention right through to the very end."
- Heidi Roth reviewthebook.com

Get Your Copy for FREE

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iTunes

Author Julian Rosado-Machain

Julian has enjoyed pizza in three continents, holds a degree in graphic design, built armored vehicles and computers, handcrafted alebrijes and swears has seen at least one ghost.

He is the Co-owner of Hacienda de Vega Restaurant in San Diego, California and enjoys the sun with his wife, three children and cat.

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Book Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 3/13/13

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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