IT'S GETTING WITCHY GIVEAWAY

Happy Thursday!! I am so very happy because I have an opportunity of awesome to share with you. As you know I am a big fan of Jessica Spotswood's Cahill Witch Chronicles. I think this is one of the best paranormal series around and I adore the fact that this story doesn't have the usual paranormal players in it, but that it hosts a group of witches that will simply enthrall you. If you have not read heard about THE CAHILL WITCH CHRONICLES or have not had the opportunity to check them out then please read about them. Then enter the amazing contest at the end of this post.

BORN WICKED: Book 1 of The Cahill Witch Chronicles

Now in paperback!

Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship—or an early grave.
Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word...especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra.
If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood—not even from each other.

My Review of BORN WICKED is HERE

 

STAR CURSED: Book 2 of The Cahill Witch Chronicles

Coming June 18, 2013!

With the Brotherhood persecuting witches like never before, a divided Sisterhood desperately needs Cate to come into her Prophesied powers. And after Cate's friend Sachi is arrested for using magic, a war-thirsty Sister offers to help her find answers—if Cate is willing to endanger everyone she loves.

Cate doesn't want to be a weapon, and she doesn't want to involve her friends and Finn in the Sisterhood's schemes. But when Maura and Tess join the Sisterhood, Maura makes it clear that she'll do whatever it takes to lead the witches to victory. Even if it means sacrifices. Even if it means overthrowing Cate. Even if it means all-out war.

In the highly anticipated sequel to Born Wicked, the Cahill Witch Chronicles continue Cate, Maura and Tess's quest to find love, protect family, and explore their magic against all odds in an alternate history of New England.

My Review of STAR CURSED is HERE

 

They sound amazing, right? One simply cannot resist. So I am giving you a great opportunity.

 

Today on Tales of the Ravenous Reader I am giving away one paperback copy of Born Wicked and one ARC of Star Cursed (as a prize pack). I know it sounds too good to be true, but it's just that. Simply fill out the form below and good luck :) 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Life Actually Tour with Lurlene McDaniel, Dana Reinhardt and Wendeline Van Draanen  KEPLER'S  follow at @keplersteens  Friday, May 24, 7:30 p.m.   The Year of Luminous Love by Lurlene McDaniel  The Things a Brother Knows by Dana ReinhardtThe Running Dream by Wendeline Van Draanen Realistic fiction at its best! The Year of Luminous Love: In the vein of Eat, Pray, Love, but for teens, this inspirational novel is set against the backdrop of Tennessee horse country as well as the historic cities of Italy and the Italian countryside. The story unfolds as three teenage girls, recently graduated from high school, plan the next phase of their lives while dealing with immediate life issues. The Things a Brother Knows: Levi's older brother Boaz returns from fighting with the Marines in the Middle East. He's safe. Levi's family has waited three long years for this. But Boaz is no longer the brother Levi thought he knew. The Running Dream: Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run? Winner of the 2012 Schneider Family Book Award.

REQUIEM 03/05/13
Delirium, Book Three
by Lauren Oliver
ISBN: 978-0062014535
Publisher: Harper Teen
Pages: 400
Amazon, B&N, Goodreads
Source: Audible
Rating: ♥♥

Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight. Of Pandemonium, ALA Booklist noted that “like all successful second volumes, this expands the world and ups the stakes, setting us up for the big finale.”

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor. Requiem is told from both Lena's and Hana’s points of view. The two girls live side by side in a world that divides them until, at last, their stories converge.

With lyrical writing, Lauren Oliver seamlessly interweaves the peril that Lena faces with...

My Thoughts:

My dear REQUIEM. I have looked forward to this last novel in the DELIRIUM trilogy for quite some time and yet never have I felt so disappointed in a series finale. I purposefully waited a few months hoping that my feeling would change but they have not so here I go.

When PANDEMONIUM ended on a such a cliff hanger that I could not wait to see what would happen next in this series. So much was left unanswered. So much to look forward to, but instead of feeling satisfied I was left more confused and wanting to hurl my book into the nearest wall.

WHY? (Spoilerific you are warned)

First of all I disliked the fact that the POV changed. I could not tolerate Hana and whenever she came into the scene I was practically bored to tears and kept speeding through her parts. GRRRRR! Then I was left hanging in regards to whom Lena decided to stay with, are you serious Lauren Oliver? You string me along for this series and then cannot give me the satisfaction of whom Lena choses to be with. GRRRR! GRR! Then I get to the ending at the major plot points are left dangling like participles in the wind of WTF.

What I can always admire is Lauren Oliver's lyrical quality of writing. It is beautiful and haunting and there are moments that she can squeeze a tear or two out of my eyes, but it wasn't enough this time. I'm sad because this series had such promise but it failed to deliver.

If you're a fan of this series be forewarned of what you are getting yourself into and if you can be open you may enjoy this last book. I hope that someone proves me wrong :)

Jill over at Breaking the Spine started this and I believe that it's awesome" This blog post is to alert those that visit about "the" book that we cannot wait to get our hands on.

My WoW for this week is THE KINGDOM of LITTLE WONDS by Susann Cokal. This novel has a feel of sumptuous darkness and mystery. I was instantly intrigued by it's fairytale quality and the cover is just gorgeous. One look and I knew I had to read it.

That is my WoW for this week. What is yours? My curious mind wants to know. 

 10/08/13
THE KINGDOM OF LITTLE WOUNDS
by Susann Cokal
ISBN-13: 978-0763666941
Publisher: Candlewick
Pages: 608
Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

 

A young seamstress and a royal nursemaid find themselves at the center of an epic power struggle in this stunning young-adult debut.

On the eve of Princess Sophia’s wedding, the Scandinavian city of Skyggehavn prepares to fete the occasion with a sumptuous display of riches: brocade and satin and jewels, feasts of sugar fruit and sweet spiced wine. Yet beneath the veneer of celebration, a shiver of darkness creeps through the palace halls. A mysterious illness plagues the royal family, threatening the lives of the throne’s heirs, and a courtier’s wolfish hunger for the king’s favors sets a devious plot in motion. Here in the palace at Skyggehavn, things are seldom as they seem — and when a single errant prick of a needle sets off a series of events that will alter the course of history, the fates of seamstress Ava Bingen and mute nursemaid Midi Sorte become irrevocably intertwined with that of mad Queen Isabel. As they navigate a tangled web of palace intrigue, power-lust, and deception, Ava and Midi must carve out their own survival any way they can.

 

I'm Not Her is the Apple “Book of the Week” on the iBookstore starting on May 21^st.  The book will be offered free for this week, and I am happy to inform everyone, so they can get a chance to rediscover the magic of Janet Gurtler’s characters and stories. Feel free to spread the love by tweeting this post with the hashtag #BookoftheWeek

Click HERE for your free copy of I'M NOT HER 

"For the first time in my life, I didn't feel envy..."

Tess is the exact opposite of her beautiful, athletic sister. And that's okay. Kristina is the sporty one, Tess is the smart one, and they each have their place. Until Kristina is diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly Tess is the center of the popular crowd, everyone eager for updates. There are senior boys flirting with her. Yet the smiles of her picture-perfect family are cracking and her sister could be dying. Now Tess has to fill a new role: the strong one. Because if she doesn't hold it together, who will?
May 1st 2011 by Sourcebooks Fire
ISBN 1402256361
(ISBN13: 9781402256363)

What I’M NOT HER Means to Me

By Janet Gurtler

To me, I’M NOT HER, is a story about self-discovery and learning to embrace who you really are. The story came to me with the image of two sisters at a party, one sister, pretty, confident and popular, dancing to music while the other sister sits alone watching and envying her. I was thinking about how things aren’t always as they seem, and what if the perfect sister had her perfection ripped out from her. How would it change both sisters’ lives?

I was motivated by showing how our perceptions of people are often different from how they see themselves. In I’M NOT HER, the change for the sister who gets cancer is perhaps more abrupt but both sisters are forced to deal with it.

Internal struggle resonates with me in what I write and what I read. Personal growth is important to me as a reader and author. I’m also fascinated by roles we are assigned in families and how these roles stick to us even though they’re often not a true reflection of who we are outside our family circles.

It’s funny that we continue to fall into these roles around our families, even in adult years. Personally, I was kind of shy around my sister Tracey when we were teens. She was three years older than me and so much more sophisticated back then. Tracey was taller and thinner (still is) and I envied her.

I did use some of our dynamics in the book sister relationship, but those characters are more forced into growing intimacy while Tracey and I developed ours more naturally. With I’M NOT HER, I wanted to rip away the assigned family roles. The sisters have to find new roles especially as their parents collapse in the face of diversity. The sisters find out how much they can rely on each other.

Also, I firmly believe in ending my YA fiction with hope. In I’M NOT HER each sister has hope for her future, even if the future isn’t what she thought it might be. 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
 
Janet lives near the Canadian Rockies with her husband and son and a little dog named Bruce. She does not live in an Igloo or play hockey, but she does love maple syrup and says “eh” a lot.

Janet only gives 5 stars to the books she reviews because she is an author herself and knows that no book can appeal to everyone, but like a child, it is very special to the creator.

You can find Janet here:

Blog / Facebook / Twitter 

Additional information, Janet’s novel How I Lost You was just published this month.  Along with a kick-ass interview on Entertainment Weekly’s Shelf Life blog: http://shelf-life.ew.com/2013/05/05/how-i-lost-you-janet-gurtler/ , Janet is also hosting a month-long  “YA Authors Talk BFFs” celebration on her blog where she’s posting interviews with other YA authors about their relationships with their best friends from their teen years to today.  It’s actually really fascinating: http://janetgurtler.blogspot.com/ 

　
　

 Thursday

May 23rd   7:00 p.m.

  

FEATURING

Lurlene McDaniel

Wendelin Van Drannen

Dana Reinhardt

Lurlene McDaniel's THE YEAR OF LUMINOUS LOVE

 In the vein of Eat, Pray, Love, but for teens, this inspirational novel is set against the backdrop of Tennessee horse country as well as the historic cities of Italy and the Italian countryside. McDaniel subtly explores the many types of love the girls experience--including love for one's family, one's friends, and intimate love--and the sacrifices they choose to make (or not) for each of them. 

 

Wendelin Van Drannen's RUNNING DREAM

Jessica thinks her life is over when she loses a leg in a car accident. She's not comforted by the news that she'll be able to walk with the help of a prosthetic leg. Who cares about walking when you live to run?

 

Dana Reinhardt's THE SUMMER I LEARNED TO FLY

Drew's a bit of a loner. She has a pet rat, her dead dad's Book of Lists, an encyclopedic knowledge of cheese from working at her mom's cheese shop, and a crush on Nick, the surf bum who works behind the counter. 

Today I have the awesome honor of being a host for the OF TRITON blog tour. I absolutely adore this series and it's author and am excited to share with you a bit of information about one of my favorite characters, Rachel. That woman will always hold a special place in my heart and I cannot wait until you find out some more information about her, but is it really her?  Things that make you go hmmmmmm...... Please check it out, for you will NOT be disappointed.

Also, I have an awesome GIVEAWAY for the paperback of OF POSEIDON and a hardcover of OF TRITON and an OF POSEIDON book mark!!(US and Canada only)

In this sequel to OF POSEIDON, Emma has just learned that her mother is a long-lost Poseidon princess, and now struggles with an identity crisis: As a Half-Breed, she’s a freak in the human world and an abomination in the Syrena realm below. Syrena law states that all Half- Breeds should be put to death.

As if that’s not bad enough, her mother’s reappearance among the Syrena turns the two kingdoms—Poseidon and Triton—against one another. Which leaves Emma with a decision to make: Should she comply with Galen’s request to keep herself safe and just hope for the best? Or should she risk it all and reveal herself—and her Gift—to save a people she’s never known?

Of Triton Blog Tour Schedule

Monday 5/13

Bewitched Bookworms

Tuesday 5/14

Ex Libris

Wednesday 5/15

The Book Cellar

Thursday 5/16

Two Chicks on Books

Friday 5/17

Icey Books

Monday 5/20

Tales of a Ravenous Reader

Tuesday 5/21

The Cozy Reader

Wednesday 5/22

Mermaid Visions

Thursday 5/23

MacTeenBooks

Friday 5/24

Carina’s Books

.
 

Ravenous Reader: This is who I envisioned Rachel to look like

 FIVE THINGS YOU DIDN’T KNOW ABOUT RACHEL

1.) What you do know: Rachel loves wearing high heels.
What you didn’t know: Some of those high heels have razor blades hidden in the soles for those “just in case” moments in life. (Such as being tied to a cement block and thrown into the Gulf of Mexico, for instance.)
2.) What you do know: Rachel is ex-Mafia.
What you didn’t know: Rachel used her family “connections” to assist several governments in discreetly disposing of half a dozen international terrorists.
3.) What you do know: Rachel likes to cook.
What you didn’t know: Rachel swore she would never cook for any man—until she met Galen.
4.) What you do know: Rachel has many aliases.
What you didn’t know: One of them is Leigh Bardugo.
5.) What you do know: Rachel doesn’t have children.
What you didn’t know: Or does she?

ANNA BANKS

Author of OF TRITON,

Surfacing in Bookstores May 2013

“A refreshing story filled with vibrant characters, feisty humor, and an irresistible romance. This story of star-crossed lovers in a luscious coastal setting brings new life to the age-old myth of merfolk and left me swooning for more!”—Marissa Meyer, New York Times–bestselling author of Cinder

Twitter: @byannabanks

Website: www.byannabanks.com

Check out these other awesome sites

 

Anna Banks will be on tour in June as part of the Fierce Reads Tour. Get all the info/dates: https://www.facebook.com/FierceReads/events

Of Triton is featured in our Spring 2013 Fierce Reads Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/w-F_U3TtW24

Pre-order Of Triton  and Anna Banks will send you bonus content! Details: http://byannabanks.blogspot.com/2013/04/of-triton-pre-order-bonus-content.html

Follow Anna Banks on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ByAnnaBanks

Become a fan of Fierce Reads on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/FierceReads

 **GIVEAWAY**

 
 a Rafflecopter giveaway