I am happy to announce that Shadow Fire is on sale for 99¢ at Amazon for a limited time. Shadow Fire is a YA romantic fantasy featuring action, adventure, quirky characters, and lots of romance.
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Character Profiles
Friday, June 12, 2015
Thursday, June 11, 2015
Review: Secret of the Sevens by Lynn Lindquist
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Secret of the SevensRelease Date: 06/2015
Flux Publishing
Summary from Goodreads:
Summary from Goodreads:
Everyone at Singer, a boarding school for underprivileged kids, knows the urban legend of the Society of Seven. Decades ago, the original members of the secret guild for elite students murdered the school's founder and then perished in the fire they lit to hide the evidence. Or so the story goes.
Talan Michaels doesn't care about Singer's past. He's too focused on his future and the fact that he'll be homeless after he graduates in May. To take his mind off it, he accepts a mysterious invitation to join a group calling itself the Sevens.
He expects pranks, parties, and perks. Instead, he finds himself neck-deep in a conspiracy involving secret passages and cryptic riddles about the school's history. Even worse, he's now tangled in web of lies someone will kill to keep hidden.
“At the end of the day, it’s Talan and his endearing combination of bravado and vulnerability, coupled with the crackling chemistry he shares with Laney, that will keep readers turning the pages. A satisfying read for secret-society fanatics and romantics alike.” – Kirkus Reviews
I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Looking for an interesting mystery filled with suspense and conspiracy? Look no further than Secret of the Sevens. Lots of action, sweet romance, intrigue, and good old fashioned treasure hunting make this novel a winner.
Talan was an amazing character- I loved that the story was from his point of view. Cocky yet sweet, confident yet vulnerable, Ms. Lindquist did a fabulous job bringing this character to life. Just enough backstory was shared to really connect the reader to him and understand what makes him tick. Talan was the type of guy I want to be friends with. I also adored the fact that despite his ADHD, Talan was presented as intelligent and capable when he set his mind to it. The budding romance between Laney and Talan was so adorable. I haven't rooted that hard for a couple in a long time.
I love riddles and cryptic clues, and this novel was full of them. I shared the characters' excitement every time a new clue arrived, The Pillars and villain Kane were quite despicable, and I couldn't wait for their downfall. The entire mystery around the Sevens and the Singers was so intriguing and well-plotted. I liked that Ms. Lindquist created a complex mystery but still made it easy to follow and understand. The only issue I had was with the pacing. There were times when it was lightning fast but others where I found myself skimming to get to the next part,
If you like secret societies, conspiracies, and kids making a difference, then Secret of the Sevens is a book you'll enjoy. This is a great novel for teen guys as well, especially since the protagonist is male. I'll definitely be recommending this one to my son.
Buy Links:
About the Author
Lynn Lindquist lives in a suburb of Chicago with two overly-social sons and a mutt named Slugger who wisely hides under the bed most days. The hordes of teenagers that regularly frequent her house (think Panama City Beach during spring break) provide fodder for her young adult novels and growing anxiety disorder. Ever since her sons broke the Guinness Record for Largest-Rager-Thrown-While-a-Parent-Was-Out-for-the-Night, she enjoys spending her free time at home entertaining friends, cooking, reading, and writing. Thankfully, her favorite things in life are her sons, words, and kids, so she wouldn’t have it any other way. She is represented by Katherine Boyle at Veritas Literary Agency.
Author Links:
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Wednesday, June 10, 2015
Hexed Hearts by Becca Vincenza - Excerpt & Giveaway
Becca Vincenza
New Adult Paranormal
April 2015
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads
Colette had known all her life that she was half human and half werewolf. She had no expectations of a life filled with love and adventure.
Everything changed on her 21st birthday. A curse casted by witches centuries ago set things in motion, things she could have never imagined. A past that Colette has no clue about has come back to steal her away.
When Hunter, her destined but very unexpected mate, arrives, she is at a complete loss. She must learn to forget an old love and how to make room for a new love.
The curse is being recast and Colette must stop it in order to save the wolves, all the while finding who she really is.
Excerpt
“That
is what you are going to wear?” I asked eyeing Griffin’s light blue t-shirt and
dark washed jeans. He looked down at himself then looked at me.
“Why?
What’s wrong with it?” he asked.
I
narrowed my eyes. I crossed my arms and pressed my lips together. My nose
scrunched a little. I looked down. I thought I was the epitome of a stealth
mission we were going on. There was a lot of digging in my drawers and closet,
but I finally found my black yoga pants and long sleeve shirt. Sure, the shirt
was just a pinch too small. It rode up sometimes and the sleeves stopped just
before my wrist. Unfortunately, it also stretched over my chest snugly. I saw
Griffin take a couple peeks. Sometimes even he was a pig. I was seconds from
slapping him. I grabbed the combat boots that I had owned for years and slipped
them on.
“You
don’t understand covert mission do you?” I muttered as I pulled on my last
boot. I looked over at Griffin and he held in his laughter.
“Ass.”
“I
heard that.”
“You
were meant to,” I said with a smug smile.
Griffin
clapped his hands together and I looked over at him. He had a huge smile on his
face, the smile I had seen many times in our youth. I was glad for Griff, Liam
and Nick. They knew how my childhood wasn’t a happy one so they made sure our
childhood was full of adventures. Many of those adventures were not sanctioned
by Keith, Isaac, or Rose. Most of the time, they were our secret, though as I
got older I began to doubt Isaac hadn’t noticed our antics.
Griffin
had the same look on his face as he used to when we would sneak out as
children. I held in my own laugh now. It was nice to see the Griffin that I had
grown up with, the one that kept me sane for years.
“Alright
sir, let’s do this.”
Most
of the bedrooms were on the second story of the house. Griffin could make the
jump easily enough. I had more strength than a human but I didn’t trust myself
not to break or at the very least strain something. I waited for him to go
first and Griffin stood outside my window.
“Rapunzel,
Rapunzel, let down your hair!” Griffin yell-whispered up to me. I rolled my
eyes as I climbed out my window. I was going backwards and I could feel his
eyes on my backside. I turned and stuck my tongue out at him.
“Why
my prince I didn’t realize you were such a gracious ass.”
“Well when I see one, I
see one.”
About the Author
Becca
Vincenza lives in wonderful Michigan. She has a love for Skittles,
rainbows, Star Wars, and reading about hot men. When she's
not wearing her author hat, she's working to pay off her student
loans for her recently acquired English degree.She recently released the first book in her Rebirth Series and is set to release the second book before the beginning of summer.
You can find Becca around the internet at these sites:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beccavincenza
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/goodreadscombecca_vincenza
Website: http://beccavincenzaauthor.wordpress.com/
Blitz-Wide Giveaway
Tuesday, June 9, 2015
Review: The Season of Lightning by Kate Avery Ellison
The Season of Lightning
Kate Avery Ellison
YA Fantasy
February 20, 2015
Emma meets Robin Hood in this antebellum-esque
historical fantasy set in the same fantasy world as A Gift of Poison.
Verity Elysius is the only daughter of a famous retired general and rich plantation owner. She lives in an insulated world of wealth and privilege, where she spends her time riding her horse, sassing her lady’s companion, and being tormented by the family’s handsome but irritating nobleman friend, Lord Roth. But when a mysterious, masked vigilante called the Hawk begins stirring up trouble and freeing silvras, the oppressed lower class, Verity’s world is turned upside down as she is challenged about everything she knows about her world and her place in it.
Verity Elysius is the only daughter of a famous retired general and rich plantation owner. She lives in an insulated world of wealth and privilege, where she spends her time riding her horse, sassing her lady’s companion, and being tormented by the family’s handsome but irritating nobleman friend, Lord Roth. But when a mysterious, masked vigilante called the Hawk begins stirring up trouble and freeing silvras, the oppressed lower class, Verity’s world is turned upside down as she is challenged about everything she knows about her world and her place in it.
I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review
The Season of Lightning is a standalone YA fantasy set in a world that seems very similar to our historic past - circa Civil War era. I mention this because the book has a more historical feel than fantasy. In the blurb, it's compared to both Emma & Robin Hood. Well I see the similarities between Verity and Emma... Robin Hood- not so much. The Hawk had rather brutal tendencies and was fueled by revenge. He wasn't robbing the rich to feed the poor so much as decimating the rich and freeing the oppressed.
Verity was a young noblewoman coming of age in a time when women were treated as pretty objects to brighten a room. It's safe to say that Verity was anything but docile. She had a sharp brain and a sharp tongue to match which drove her genteel father mad. I loved Lord Roth from the beginning. He came across so sweet, intelligent, and charming. He had his own thoughts and ideals. The Hawk, on the other hand, I didn't like very much. While I admired his commitment to his cause, the way he went about achieving his goals was rather short-sighted.
I really enjoyed how Verity matured in this novel. When faced with something unpleasant, she didn't turn away but learned from it. I found her to be rather impetuous but lovable all the same. The beginning and end of the story were very fast-paced with just a tiny lag in the middle. I think my main problem in the middle was page after page of correspondence. It got tedious after a while. I found the world created by Ms. Ellison to be intriguing, but I wanted a tad more in the way of character development, especially concerning the Hawk and Roth.
Overall, this is a fun YA fantasy with adventure and a touch of sweet romance. Definitely a nice diversion for a summer day.
Monday, June 8, 2015
Interview with Vanessa K. Eccles, Author of Fabled
Not only does this new YA fantasy have a beautiful cover, it looks like an intriguing read!
Vanessa K. Eccles
YA Fantasy
May 5, 2015
Amazon | B&N | Goodreads
Rowena thinks the Grimm’s infamous podcasts are simply another teen fad until she finds herself trapped in a land of nightmarish storybook characters. She tries desperately to flee Mezzanine and return home, but Dresdem, Mezzanine’s wicked monarch, plans to use Rowena’s access to her world to bring dark magic and absolute rule into Georgia and beyond.
But when Rowena’s dear friend Madeline falls into Dresdem’s grasp, her battle with him becomes war, and all hopes of home are temporarily thwarted. With the help of an invisible hero, a beast, and an owl, she sets out to free Madeline from a deadening sleep. But Rowena must become her own hero when she finds herself bound by the kingdom’s darkest family. She must make the ultimate choice – align herself with her enemies or live on the run forever.
Interview with Vanessa K. Eccles
Favorite Writing Quirk:
I like using “O” instead of “Oh.” It just seems more
appropriate. That large, empty letter sums up the sentiment behind the thought
better, I think, and I always imagine someone pantomiming it when they read.
See there, you just did it, didn’t you?
What’s your
writing process like?
Lots of coffee and a touch of madness. In all seriousness
though, I usually sit at the computer with my notebook full of index cards,
scribbles, and post its and fuss with characters until we come to some
compromise about what will be written.
I also do a lot of scene writing by hand. This ends up being
more of a sketch so that when I type I’m more focused on filling in the gaps
and adding details.
Plotter or
Pantser?
I try to plot really well before I begin a new project, but
I usually end up getting laughed at by my characters, who always do whatever
they want.
Favorite writing
snack?
Skinny Pop! I am so addicted that I drive an hour one way to
buy extra large bags because none of our local stores carry it.
For fun:
Most embarrassing
high school experience:
About the Author
Vanessa
K. Eccles graduated Troy University with a degree in English. She
currently serves as executive editor of Belle Rêve Literary
Journal and is founder of the book blog YA-NASisterhood. When she’s
not writing or devouring books, she enjoys the lake life with her Prince
Charming and their four dogs.Author Links:
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