Friday, November 13, 2015

New Release Alert: Name of RA by Kelsey Ketch - Excerpt & Giveaway



Title: Name of Ra
Author: Kelsey Ketch
Series: Descendants of Isis #3
Genre: Upper YA
Publication: November 11th, 2015

“Set has risen.”

After being on the run from a psychotic cult for a week, Natara “Natti” Stone has finally come to realize she and Seth are the only two people standing between the Sons of Set and the secret name of Ra. Holding a part of the key that unlocks Ra’s power, they relocate to a more isolated location in the California mountains. While laying low, Natti becomes even more determined to understand her mother’s bloodline and her blessing from the goddess, Isis. But when she starts seeing the truth behind her destiny, she begins to doubt her role in the events that are about to unfold.

Then the unthinkable happens . . .

All Seth O’Keefe wanted was to get Natti as far away from his father and the Sons of Set as possible. Unfortunately, after hearing of Natti’s destiny from Isis’s own lips, he realizes they have bigger issues to worry about. Especially when one stupid slip up leads the god of chaos himself straight to their doorstep. Now Natti is the god’s prisoner, and Set holds the key to unlocking the location of the secret name of Ra. Can Seth save Natti from her own destiny and thwart the demented god’s rise to power?

*Note: Content for Upper YA*


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~ Excerpt ~

When Seth insisted on taking their gear to a guest bedroom, Natti slowly paced the house, trying to get a feel for her new surroundings. It made her think back to when she first arrived in Setemple and how the little grey house she left behind didn’t feel like home. All she wanted was her little brick townhouse back in London. The cabin, however, was just plain unwelcoming. Despite the beautiful colored walls, the antique furniture, the honey-oak cabinets, and stainless steel appliances, something didn’t feel right about it. Like she was stepping on someone’s grave. Not that Mandy was dead, though from what Natti understood from Seth about “Thought Reform,” she might as well be. It just felt . . . wrong. On so many levels. And the more she explored, the worse the feeling grew. Her stomach twisted, and a chill took hold of Natti’s soul, very similar to the chill Sean’s magic had left behind for days after he kidnapped her.
Not really watching where she was going, she turned into a room that was a mix of pure white and mauve. Her attention was first drawn to the bed and cherry-stained headboard perpendicular to the threshold she stood in. The pillow shams were a soft, pastel pink, and a single plush toy—a black cat with a scarab necklace and earrings—sat on a mauve bed spread.
Natti walked up to the bed and picked up the plush cat, recognizing it as the goddess Bastet. The same goddess her grandmother had named Natti’s cat after. She missed the little Egyptian Mau. She also missed her Anubis, the plush toy Seth had won and given to her at the Pharaoh’s Festival. She had no doubt Seth had won this Bastet for Mandy from the same vendor, maybe not too long ago. Yet she couldn’t feel any disgust toward the toy. In fact, it was the one thing she found comforting in the entire house.
Keeping the cat close to her breast, she walked to a corkboard where Mandy had pinned up several old beauty pageant announcements and high school newsletter clippings. The most recent being a black and white cut out featuring Ky, Seth’s best friend, decked out in his football uniform. He was obviously getting down with the Setemple High Cheer Squad in what looked like some sort of victory dance. The caption under the photograph stated, “Touch Down!”
School spirit must have really been her thing.
Slowly, Natti took one more turn about the room. Other than a few trophies and trinkets placed on a few barren shelves, it was much like the rest of the cabin. The only difference was all the scattered golden-framed pictures. Most were professional photographs of Mandy. A few were with her friends or Seth’s. But the one that particularly caught Natti’s eye was a selfie placed on the dresser. She raised it, studying Mandy’s serene face and feathered-out, curly blond hair. The image was in a funky, diagonal perspective that gave little detail of the setting, and a gleaming light took up the little background that was visible. Yet the subject focus was crystal clear. Mandy was laying on her stomach with Seth’s bare chest hovering over her nude body. His lips captured in the middle of tracing kisses along her shoulder blade.
A sour mixture of jealousy and sorrow percolated in Natti’s stomach. And here Seth was acting as if Mandy meant nothing. She couldn’t sense any lie to his words then, but the suggestive form of her lips and her trusting expression confirmed Mandy felt a bond between them. Something that wasn’t created through his magic or Connection. Bile rose into Natti’s throat, and her gut twisted into knots. How could Seth not realize what he truly was to her? How could he think their years together, magic or no, wouldn’t affect her emotions?
“Guess the tour is out,” Seth remarked, making Natti nearly drop the frame.

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~ About the Author ~

During her high school years, Kelsey Ketch could always be found tucked away in a little corner of the hall or classroom, writing her fantasy worlds and creating illustrations and maps. Today is no different, except now she’s writing in the break room at her office building or at the tables of the Barnes and Noble CafĂ© in Cary, North Carolina. She is also an avid reader, a part-time book blogger at Ketch’s Book Nook, and lives with her two orange tabbies and awesome and humorous flat-mate.
For more information, please visit her site at kelseyketch.com.

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~ Giveaway ~


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Thursday, November 12, 2015

Next Door to a Star by Krysten Lindsay Hager - Excerpt & Giveaway

Next door to a star

Next Door to a Star
Krysten Lindsay Hager

Hadley Daniels is tired of feeling invisible.

After Hadley’s best friend moves away and she gets on the bad side of some girls at school, she goes to spend the summer with her grandparents in the Lake Michigan resort town of Grand Haven. Her next door neighbor is none other than teen TV star Simone Hendrickson, who is everything Hadley longs to be—pretty, popular, and famous—and she’s thrilled when Simone treats her like a friend.

Being popular is a lot harder than it looks.

It’s fun and flattering when Simone includes her in her circle, though Hadley is puzzled about why her new friend refuses to discuss her former Hollywood life. Caught up with Simone, Hadley finds herself ignoring her quiet, steadfast friend, Charlotte.

To make things even more complicated, along comes Nick Jenkins…

He’s sweet, good-looking, and Hadley can be herself around him without all the fake drama. However, the mean girls have other ideas and they fill Nick’s head with lies about Hadley, sending him running back to his ex-girlfriend and leaving Hadley heartbroken.

So when her parents decide to relocate to Grand Haven, Hadley hopes things will change when school starts…only to be disappointed once again.

Cliques.

Back-stabbing.

Love gone bad.

Is this really what it’s like to live…

Next Door To A Star?  


Excerpt

The school year should end right after spring break, because all anyone can focus on is summer vacation. You can’t learn anything new, because all you can think about is all the fun stuff you’re going to do once you don’t have to get up at the butt crack of dawn. Summer always seems full of possibilities.

Nothing exciting ever happens during the school year, but maybe, during summer vacation, you could run into a hot celebrity and he’d decide to put you in his next music video. Okay, it wasn’t like I knew anybody that happened to, but my grandparents did live next door to a former TV star, Simone Hendrickson, and Simone was discovered in an ice cream parlor one summer. Of course, she lived in L.A. at the time and was already doing plays and commercials, so the guy who discovered her had already seen her perform. But hey, it was summer, she got discovered, and that was all that mattered.

Amazing stuff didn’t happen to me. You know what happened to me last summer? I stepped on a bee and had to go to the emergency room. They’re not going to make an E! True Hollywood Story out of my life. I didn’t go on exotic vacations—like today, I was being dragged along with my parents to my cousin’s graduation party. Most people waited until at least the end of May before having a grad party, but Charisma was having hers early because she was leaving on a trip to Spain. I was dreading this party because I didn’t want to listen to everybody talk about how smart and talented Charisma was—making me feel like a blob in comparison—but my mom RSVP’d even though I said I’d rather die than go. My death threats meant nothing. But still, for some strange reason, I had a feeling this summer was going to be different.

   

  Praise for Next Door to a Star

From Readers’ Favorite: Next Door to a Star by Krysten Lindsay Hager is a heart wrenching tale of a young girl growing into her teen years….Hager's main character is representative of every teenage girl. The author really nailed the reality of a young girl's early high school years. I think this is a valuable read for girls ages 12-18.

From Kelly Smith Reviews: Hager wrote from a teen's perspective, and it gave the book a very authentic feel. She has a real gift for that, something many YA writers lack these days. She reminds me a lot of a modern Ann M. Martin or Judy Blume.

From Author Erin Fanning: If you, like me, have a soft spot for young adult novels then author Krysten Lindsay Hager should have a place on your bookshelf. Ms. Hager brings the teen years to life with absolute perfection in Next Door to a Star. Handling multiple plotlines with an expert touch, she’s crafted a young adult dramedy that on the top layer is a story about Hadley Daniels, an average teen whose only ambition is to fit in, have a few friends, and find her place in the world.

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Krysten L
Author Krysten Lindsay Hager Krysten Lindsay Hager is an obsessive reader and has never met a bookstore she didn’t like. She’s worked as a journalist and humor essayist, and writes for teens, tweens, and adults. She is also the author of the Landry’s True Colors Series (True Colors, Best Friends…Forever?, and the soon to be released, Landry in Like) and her work has been featured in USA Today and named as Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Teen & Young Adult Values and Virtues Fiction and Amazon’s #1 Hot New Releases in Children’s Books on Values. She’s originally from Michigan and has lived in South Dakota, Portugal, and southwestern Ohio. She received her master’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.




50_Amazon_Paypal $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 12/2/15 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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Wednesday, November 11, 2015

FREE Book Alert: The Soul Thief by Majanka Verstraete

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About the Book

Title: The Soul Thief (Angel of Death Series #1)
Author: Majanka Verstraete
Genre: YA Fantasy / Paranormal
When sixteen-year-old Riley is injured in a car crash and sees a girl stealing a boy’s soul, she’s convinced she’s hallucinating. But when she sees the same girl at the hospital later, she knows she wasn’t dreaming. That’s when Riley learns her secret heritage and who she really is: a halfling Angel of Death. Riley must come to terms with her new reality and supernatural abilities, but before she can do this, girls her age start dying in mysterious circumstances. It’s up to Riley to figure out why, what the innocent victims have in common, and what she can do to stop them from dying.

Author Bio

Majanka Verstraete begged her Mom to teach her how to read while she was still in kindergarten. By the time she finished fifth grade, she had read through the entire children’s section of her hometown library. She wrote her first story when she was seven years old, and hasn’t stopped writing since. With an imagination that never sleeps, and hundreds of possible book characters screaming for her attention, writing is more than a passion for her. She writes about all things supernatural for children of all ages. She’s tried to write contemporary novels before, but something paranormal always manages to crawl in. Majanka is currently studying for her Master of Laws degree, and hopes one day to be able to combine her passions for law and writing. When she’s not writing, reading or studying, she likes watching “The Vampire Diaries” and “Game of Thrones,” spending time with her friends, or playing “World of Warcraft.”

You can find her on:

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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

Review: To Catch a Cat Thief by Sean Cummings + Giveaway



To Catch a Cat Thief

Sean Cummings

Middle Grade Mystery/Humor
Rebelight Publishing
September 15, 2015


Amazon | B&N | Chapters | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Hundreds of cats are missing! Fear not-Penelope Ann Pickersgill and her hippie grandma are on the case. While her friends go to cool camps, twelve-year-old Penelope has to spend the summer with Grandma Bev, who is convinced that cat-eating aliens are beaming the town's furry friends aboard their mother ship at night. Lights in the sky point to UFO's, but Penelope is sure there's a more logical explanation. With a little help from Sherlock Holmes, she and Grandma Bev set out to find the cats. Will they be able to solve the mystery before all the cats in Thornhill disappear?



Review: I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review

To Catch a Cat Thief is an adorable story with fun characters and an intriguing mystery. This novel is perfect for middle grade readers as the fast pace will keep them immersed. I adored Grandma Bev- such a quirky character. She made the book for me. I couldn't get enough of her conspiracy theories!

I really appreciated the emphasis on family. Penelope was expecting a boring summer with her grandma and envied her friend at Cosplay camp. But Penelope ended up having the time of her life sleuthing with her grandma. Priceless.

Cat lovers and mystery lovers alike will enjoy this entertaining story.


About the Author

Sean Cummings is a mutli-published author with works ranging from urban fantasy (Shade Fright, Funeral Pallor) to dark fantasy and superheroes. (Marshall Conrad) 2012 saw the publication of Sean’s first young adult novel. Poltergeeks is a rollicking story about teen witch a race against time to save her mother’s life. The second book Student Bodies, hit stores in 2013. In 2014, he published The North, a gripping post-apocalyptic thriller for teens. To Catch a Cat Thief is Sean's first middle grade novel.

Sean lives in Saskatoon Canada with his wife, two lazy cats and a spotted dog named Stormageddon. You can learn more about Sean and his books at www.sean-cummings.ca.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Goodreads


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Monday, November 9, 2015

New Release Alert: Pirate Princess by Catherine Banks - Excerpt & Giveaway


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$10.00 Amazon.com Gift Card


PIRATE PRINCESS
Pirate Princess #1
Catherine Banks
Released Nov 2nd, 2015


As the daughter of the Pirate King, Tilia Swanson has an unusual upbringing learning skills that aren’t often available for women. As the heir apparent for the Kingdom of Crilan, her skills set her apart as she is trained by the best in the land and taught to harness her magic. However, piracy is in her blood, and draws danger to Tilia in the way that treasure draws pirates. Some treasures are more valuable than others. Will this lesson be learned in time or will the betrayal of those around her be her undoing?

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Excerpt

“You aren’t going to force me into an arranged marriage, are you?” I asked them.
Esmeralda looked like I had smacked her. “Of course not!”
“We haven’t done arranged marriages in a century,” Jared said.
I exhaled. “Well, my dad wasn’t sure and told me to be prepared just in case.”
“Does your dad do arranged marriages?” Esmeralda asked.
I shook my head. “No.”
“Well you don’t have to worry about that,” Jared said, “We aren’t going to force you to do anything.”
“Except not be a pirate,” I fake pouted.
Esmeralda laughed. “Except that.”
“Well, I guess I’m okay with that. Most pirates don’t have very long careers anyways,” I said.
“Speaking of marriage,” Esmeralda said, moving her horse closer to mine. “Technically we are supposed to have a ball for your seventeenth birthday so that all of the available men can come so you can start looking for a suitor.”
“WHAT?” I asked in an almost scream.
“You don’t want a boyfriend?” Faxon asked.
I blushed and said, “I just didn’t know it was a formal thing and, uh, hadn’t really thought about it yet.” That was a lie. I thought about boys like every teenage girl did, but my options were slim at the Capitol.
“Well, it’s a tradition and I thought I would let you know now that we’ll be having it while we are in Markleville,” Esmeralda said.
“I don’t have a dress,” I said, hoping that would cancel the plans until we returned home, “I didn’t bring one.”
“That’s fine. I will have one made for you,” Jared offered.
How generous. Ugh. “But if I find a guy I like in Markleville, I won’t even be able to see him when we return to the Capitol,” I said.
“That is where the true romance is supposed to begin,” Esmeralda said with a smile. “They have to try to keep you interested with letters and poems and gifts.”
“It’s very tedious,” Jared said.
“Only because you had to find others to write poems for you,” Faxon said.
“I knew you didn’t write that poem!” Esmeralda said with a triumphant shout.
“I’m going to skin you, Faxon,” Jared growled.
“It’s time she learned the truth,” Faxon said.
“I already knew,” Esmeralda said, “I just never had confirmation.”
“How did you know?” Jared asked.
“You haven’t written me a poem once since then. Every other guy who wrote me a poem continued to write them, not just one,” she said honestly.
“Who else wrote you poems?” Jared asked with crossed arms jealously.
“Yes, I’m really looking forward to this,” I muttered.
Griffin laughed.
“Not every man is like him,” Faxon said defensively.
“I can’t believe you helped him,” Esmeralda said.
“I’m a good friend,” he said with a shrug, “it’s a curse.” 


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Catherine Banks is the author of the Artemis Lupine Series, Little Death Bringer Series, Ciara Steele Novella Series, and the novel Daughter of Lions. She began writing fiction stories when she was only four years old and finished her first full length novel at the age of fifteen.
Catherine is a Northern California native and has lived within a twenty mile radius her entire life. She plans to travel to as many places as possible in her thirties to make up for her lack of traveling experience. She is married to her soulmate and best friend, Avery, who blessed her with two amazing children. After her full time job she reads books, plays video games, and watches a lot of anime shows and movies with her family to relax.