Review: Incarnate by Jodi Meadows

Incarnate

by

Jodi Meadows

Jodi has packed such power, such thrills, such rich, luscious, and heart pounding emotion into a book called Incarnate. The words just seem to flow of the page in front of you, wrapping the story around you and enrapturing you in it's fullest.

Ana is so far different from all the others, being an outcast because she is brand new. Fresh. When she was born, her soul was to be replaced with that of another, as expected. Just as it has always been for many, many years. Everyone knows their previous lives. They get

re-incarnated into new bodies when the time is scheduled just right. So when Ana's hand was placed on the box to scan her soul, shock was registered throughout the people, for this had never happened before. A new soul.

Her mother figured it best to move her away from the townspeople, and raised her in the country teaching her she had no soul. She deserved nothing. As I learned of Ana's journey of discovering who she was, and where she came from, I ached for her. I also felt such a deep bond with her.

It is when Ana's wicked mother sends her out in the frigid cold to embark on finding out her heritage and her true self that she discovers far more than she ever expected. Ana's mother tells her that if she gets lost, she won't come looking. It's what Ana finds that is so incredible.

5/5 Stars. 384 Pages. Published by HarperCollins. Received for review from NetGalley.

Incarnate Theater Treasure Hunt & Interview w/Authoress Anonomous

A very warm welcome to The Incarnate Theater Treasure Hunt!

I have also had the lovely opportunity to interview Authoress Anonomous

and have recieved some really fabulous inside scoop into the making of Incarnate! Just wait because it's GOOD!

This week, 48 wonderful bloggers have come together to celebrate the release of INCARNATE by Jodie Meadows with a BANG!!! You are going to love what's in store! We are all participating in many different things, so be sure to check us all out, as we are all linked to each other to make it easier for you to find all of us. Set up for you is a treasure hunt with clues, activites, and lots of prizes including signed books and handknit fingerless mitts!! I am a CLUE blog. This is important to know, as somewhere on this page is a clue to finding the hidden page and GRAND PRIZE entry form on Jodi's site. You'll have to follow 26 clue's to get there. Pay close attention. 

For more information on The Incarnate Theater Treasure Hunt, you can check out Jodi's post here.

Grand prize: Signed, annotated hardcover; fingerless mitts; a Jodi-made mask; character named after them in book 3 (could end up dead); swag

Two runners up: Signed hardcover; fingerless mitts; swag

Treasure Hunt Ends February 6th.

 >\*_*<

Now, let's get to that really good info I was telling you about earlier!

Author Interview w/ Authoress Anonomous

          Do think you have and old soul, or a new soul? 

I definitely have a new soul.  Aside from the fact that I don't believe in reincarnation (though I do believe in the magic of Jodi's story--with all my heart!), I relate to Ana more than I relate to the old souls around her.  I've spent the majority of my life feeling like I'm "different" and "outside" and "misunderstood."  So if any of those things exist on a soul level, then I'm certainly a new soul!

As you got to see the magic Incarnate come alive, and be developed, can you share that awesome experience? 

Oh my goodness, it's hard to put into words the delight of having watched INCARNATE grow from an idea to a draft to a brilliant novel.  Jodi has the amazing capacity to be fully invested in a story before it's even taken shape, so her passion for the world of INCARNATE was evident from the very beginning.

I was fortunate to be Jodi's resident pianist/music major, available for consulting on Sam's character.  Yes, I gave her a hard time about all things musical, so that everything would be perfect.  Just like Sam.

It's been such a privilege to experience the INCARNATE journey vicariously, and it's profoundly satisfying to see this story hit the shelves.  If anyone deserves success, it's Jodi!  I've been so blessed to have walked by her side during the past two years.

As powerful of a story as Incarnate is, I just can't imagine how it could get any better. Could you share with us something that isn't in the story, but was at one time or something us as readers didn't know about Incarnate?

Well, you may not know that the earliest version of INCARNATE was told from both Ana's and Sam's point of view.  So I have had the wonderful experience of hearing SAM'S words and knowing SAM'S thoughts about Ana (not that I think Sam is practically perfect or anything).  It was admittedly a stretch for Jodi to rewrite the story from Ana's perspective, but I believe she's done a beautiful job, and the story, in my opinion, works much better this way.  I'm sure Jodi agrees!

One thing that Jodi especially lamented having to get rid of was Sam's description of Ana's eyes.  She's tucked that away, though, and I'm certain she's going to find a way to weave that in somewhere in the future.  If she doesn't -- well, at least I can go back to that original draft and read it whenever I want to!

Well, have you found that clue yet? No? Hmm...guess I should share more info.

My clue is to help you get an extra entry into the grand prize drawing. >\*_*< When you reach the password-protected page (using the clues from other bloggers!), you'll find a form to enter the grand-prize drawing. One question on the form will say, "What's the secret blogger word?" 

The answer to that is a six-letter word. Five other bloggers and I have clues to this one. Unscramble the word and enter it for an extra chance to win!

My clue is . . . O

Good Luck!

Here's a few fellow bloggers you can visit that are participating too! Don't forget to stop by! Most importantly, HAVE FUN!
Chick Loves It
The Book Vortex
The Night Bookmobile

Guest Post w/ Clare Marshall {Blog Tour}

Today we have the lovely Clare Marshall. Please give her a warm welcome as she stops with us today on her blog tour! Clare is the author of Within, which was just released at the end of last year. You must check it out!




Write What You Know and Challenge Yourself 

I don’t like clichés, and I try to avoid them as much as possible. The writing cliché, “Write what you know,” while good advice on the surface, is not for the adventurous writer. Writers looking to improve their technique and perhaps their personal knowledge will take what they know and turn it into a challenge.

It’s certainly not a bad thing to draw from things you know. There’s something that can be said for drawing from the internal well of knowledge within you. There is a strength there that could last for several books, if not every book you write.

I set Within in Halifax because I know the landscape: I lived there for four years while I did my undergrad in journalism. The landscape also happens to play a large part in the novel’s plot, especially the Commons (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Common). I also drew some knowledge from the psychology part of my undergrad degree to create Trinity’s (the protagonist’s) condition.

However, taking a subject or a place you know well and using it to step outside your comfort zone can be a challenge. The most challenging part of Within was that it was one of the first novels I’ve written that didn’t have a heavy fantasy influence or setting. Somehow writing about a place you know is harder because I couldn’t just make stuff up about it. Sure, I took some liberties—but I spent more time than I thought I would on Google Maps, making sure the streets and other locations were correct.  So while I had inside knowledge about Halifax, it was still out of my comfort zone to set a novel there.

Writing from multiple points of view was also a challenge. I tend to lean toward first person-only narratives from the female perspective. My novel has a strong female presence, but I also wanted to see what the men were thinking as well. It was fun to get into everyone’s thoughts, and it was something I wanted to try especially since reading A Song of Ice and Fire. Every character is a hero in their own mind, and I find that idea fascinating. My next book will be back in first person, but I have other manuscripts where I hope to use third person, multiple POVs again, and improve on my technique.

Taking something you know and twisting it around to be something different can keep your writing fresh and hopefully, fun. Try it!

Greatly said girl! Thanks so much for stopping by Clare! 

In My Mailbox (45)

What is "In My Mailbox"?In My Mailbox is a weekly meme. What is a meme, you ask. The simple description is  "an idea that spreads quickly." Usually the creator of the meme asks for other people to participate and ultimately link back to the person that started the meme. Memes shouldn't be confused with "features." There are some features that are somewhat exclusive to certain blogs, be courteous and don't steal content.

The idea of In My Mailbox is to bring books to the attention of our blog readers and to encourage interaction with other blogs.  Here's what I got this week, how about you?

Won from Twinmom101 Book Blog (Big thanks)

Audiobook of Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Goodreads|Amazon)

Received through trade:
Empty by Suzanne Weyn (Goodreads|Amazon)

Bought:
Hallowed by Cynthia Hand (Goodreads|Amazon)

Never Eighteen by Megan Bostic (Goodreads|Amazon)

Fallen in Love by Lauren Kate (Goodreads|Amazon)

Downloaded for free:

The Childe by C.A. Kunz (Goodreads|Amazon)

Received for review:

Wasteland by Lynn Rush (Goodreads|Amazon)



Review: A Grown-up Kind of Pretty by Joshilyn Jackson

A Grown-up Kind of Pretty

by

Joshilyn Jackson

This one is to be highly anticipated. A well thought out mystery/suspense that'll leave you in shock. Jackson has thought of everything you could ask for in a book! Full of danger, love, heartache and hope.

In this remarkable story you will meet all three Slocumb women. Everyone calls the oldest in the family Big. Next we meet Big's daughter Liza, and finally the remarkable Mosey. Mosey is Liza's daughter, following in the bad line of Big's theory of the fifteen year doom.

They are upon the fifteen year mark and Liza has suffered a stroke. So bad off, she can't even talk, much less walk on her own. That's not where this story really starts though. It's when Big wants to cut down Liza's tree to put in a swimming pool for her therapy. Mosey begs her not to because that tree isn't just any ol' tree, it's special. Liza went to that tree for many reasons. To think, be alone, and even to put her sobriety pins on it. She was a part of that tree.

Mosey just can't get Big to change her mind. Mosey thinks the tree is better for Liza, Big thinks the pool will be. Alas, the tree comes down. And that's when everything goes downhill. As Liza comes screaming out the back door, a tiny little box is found with something inside. Something that will question just who Mosey is.

Everything has just been turned upside down. Their whole world and everything they knew.

What did Liza put in that box?

And how can Big fix it without Mosey finding out the truth?

4/5 Stars. 322 Pages. Published by Grand Central Publishing. ARC received from the publisher.

YA Give away H0P! You choose what YOU want!

Alright lovelies! It's time again to take your pick! I have for you, a selection of some awesome books that are about to be released! Just let me know which one you want!

Ages 13+
Ends Jan 31st
Winner must respond within 48 hours
Open to everyone



Your choices:

Enter Here

Now, don't forget all the other awesome participants!!!

Guest Post w/ Mark McKenna + Giveaway

Today we have Mark McKenna, author of The Word Gang. Please give him a very warm welcome as he is here today to talk about some quite interesting protocols! And while he's here, he's also giving away a copy of his book! Don't forget to check it out!



Action Protocols

I love action thrillers. They’ve always been a guilty pleasure and a fun one. The trailer for Ghost Protocol has just been released and watching it I found myself thinking, “Haven’t I seen this all before?” (The answer is yes, of course.) But it made me start thinking about the rules of action/thrillers—which are odd, but also oddly consistent. For example:

What do you do if someone is shooting at you with an assault rifle?

Cartwheels.

It’s a well-known fact that you can’t hit a person doing cartwheels. You say, “But what if the bad guys are shooting 2,400 rounds a second?”

Hey! They’re cartwheels! The hero won’t even need a Band-Aid.

What do you do if something blows up?

Run really fast.

Heroes can outrun any explosion. The proof is in the slow motion photography which proves how fast they are running by showing every bit of debris and shrapnel flying slowly and harmlessly by. Heroes can also outrun cars, ravenous beasts and tornados. The secret is having top, or near-top, billing. If you’re buried in the credits, forget it. You’re toast. You couldn’t outrun my grandmother.

What do you do if you come to a cave?

Simply gather any truck lying around, whip a cord around it and voilà—you have a torch that will burn for hours.

Warning: This torch will start to flicker as soon as any maniac enters the cave. It will go out when they’re standing right behind you. (Or you’ll drop it down a well.) It’s a move torch. That’s what they do.

What happens if there is a briefcase?

If the briefcase is closed and unattended, it will blow up. If opened, it will be full of money. If it’s a ransom movie, the money will be fake. There will be a tracking device. If the briefcase doesn’t have money in it, or blow up, leave the theater immediately. You went to a documentary by mistake.

What if there is a kid in the movie?

The kid will get kidnapped and the hero has to save them. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.

Note: In some movies kids ARE the hero. This is usually the annoying type of kid you would happily send to reform school. But in a thriller this is overlooked if they can do cartwheels and outrun explosions. Or out-think evil adults, which is surprisingly easier than it sounds.

What happens if the world is threatened with destruction?

Forget global warming, it’s guys with eye patches and bad attitudes we have to watch out for. Don’t ask questions like, “Why do they want to destroy the world? Don’t they know they’re in it?” (They don’t.) But their motivations can remain opaque to the hero—he or she just has to blow them up in the end.

Note: If the viewer doesn’t actually see them get blown up, they’ll be back in a sequel—missing a hand and madder than ever.

So these are a few of my favorite action/thriller memes. I didn’t do horror (face worms, exploding heads, aging 1000 years in ten seconds) or romantic comedies…

I left them for you! Comments, anyone?

* * *

Mark McKenna has written a young adult novel called The Word Gang. It’s about three kids in school who start using big words to be disruptive. There are no explosions or cartwheels in his book. Maybe in the sequel?

Note: The Word Gang website no longer works with Internet Explorer. No one knows why. Use Opera, Firefox, or anything else.

Giveaway Details:

Runs from now until Feb. 2nd.

Ages 13+

Open to US only

Winner must respond within 48 hours

Enter Here

Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Everneath

by

Brodi Ashton

A powerful and enticing novel that combines a powerful love, along with a wicked dread of the underlying.  Captured well, Ashton has done a remarkable job. Everneath will not be laying low, but soaring greatly with praise. 

Nikki is coming back. Returning to her life that she's been away from since she went into the tunnels. The Everneath. She only has six months though, until she has to return. The Everneath has now claimed her, always to return. Her destiny. 

Once home, Nikki realizes how much she missed everyone. Especially Jack. And she never would've dreamed how hard he took her disappearing. She told nobody when she left. It was a decision that was at the spur of the moment. She never realized the consequences. They were never explained to her. Cole was the one who got her into this mess. And now that she is back, he can't seem to leave her alone either. All she wants to do is make things right before she has to leave again, yet all Cole wants to do is get in her way. Pressure her into becoming Queen and being by his side. She doesn't really know how all that works, and she doesn't want to either. 

If Nikki can find a way around it, maybe, just maybe she doesn't have to go into the tunnels. Time is running out, and she doesn't think she can do it. Jack loves Nikki more than anything though, and he will help her through whatever it takes.

4/5 Stars. 384 Pages. Published by Balzer & Bray. Received for review from Netgalley.



Review: The Dead of Winter by Chris Priestley

The Dead of Winter

by

Chris Priestley

The Dead of Winter is quite the chilling tale! I do feel as though it would be better geared for younger readers since the main character is so young, but all the same, seriously creeped me out as I stayed up reading this one late into the night. Priestley definitely knows how to put a scare into you!

Michael is now sadly left with no family due to the recent events of his parents death. Luckily, his father had connections and a wealthy friend has decided to become his guardian and take him in. Micheal really doesn't want to live with this stranger, knowing nothing about him, but he really doesn't have a choice, and if he screws it up, he'll have to go live in a home. He certainly doesn't want that. I felt so much pity for him, being so young and having nobody to turn to. So unfortunate.

It was on his way to his new home when it first happened. He seen a woman on the side of the road in desperate need of help. Michael was the only one to notice and got them to stop only to find the woman had gone. Being in the country, where could she have gone? Tossing it up to the fact that he was just exhausted and saddened by his recent losses, they figured he just thought he seen someone. Nobody could've been there.

Once Michael arrived, it was explained that it was an old house and the plumbing made lots of noises. Creepy noises. He also had to deal with his guardian always being locked up in his room. He thought this was odd as well. But it was when he heard noises coming from behind the wall with the secret passageway that got to him the most. And when everyone told him it was all in his head, he didn't believe any of them. He knew. Michael knew better than that. Just because he was a kid didn't mean that he didn't know what he was talking about. So when his guardian finally told him that he heard them too and that there really were things behind that door to the passageway and the story behind it, Michael's whole world changed. If only he knew what he was in for. 

4/5 Stars. 224 Pages. Published by Bloomsbury Children's Books. Received for review from the publisher.

Guest Post/ Martha Bourke

Today at Uniquely Moi Books we have the wonderful Martha Bourke!

Martha is the author of Jaguar Sun, which was just released. Just hearing the name of the book appeals to me. We aren't here to talk about me though, let's get the scoop on Martha and find out more about what's going on with her.

Most people don’t realize it, but Jaguar Sun is actually my second novel. I wrote another book about four years ago that I never really attempted to have published. It’s an MG Fantasy. At the time, I wasn’t exactly sure why I just wasn’t working on getting it out there. I was proud enough that I had written a novel and for some reason that, as they say, was that.

Now, as I look back, I realize that I was confused about the whole experience because had nothing to compare it to. After writing Jaguar Sun, I can see how much writing the first novel had just been so much work. Writing is always a lot of work, but this had been a real struggle. Then Maya and her BFF’s came into my life. And let’s not forget her boyfriend, Matt. I was so incredibly intrigued by these characters. I wanted to know everything about them. I wanted to see what their lives were like and where they were headed. As I continued to write, I wanted to know how Maya was going to deal with having to redefine her own identity, her relationships and her place in the world at just sixteen. And then kick some serious butt on top that!

As a result, I have fallen head over heels in love with writing YA Paranormal Romance. I adore everything about it. As far as I’m concerned, it’s where it’s at. I love writing for an older audience. I’m obsessed with the power of writing in the first person. And writing about Matt and Maya’s relationship in the context of the action was awesome. Their relationship is tender and supportive, and yes, it’s also hot. People keep telling me that they have a crush on Matt. I even had a reviewer confess something along those lines. My reply is always the same. Well, yeah, who wouldn’t? But, my guess is that it’s not because he’s beautiful, although he is. I think it’s because he’s Maya’s perfect compliment. He’s not perfect; he’s just perfect for her. And, let’s face it, that’s what it’s all about.

I start writing Jaguar Moon, Book 2 in the Jaguar Sun Series, in February. And I’m just as excited about it as I was about starting Book 1. Sometimes you need to take the wrong road before heading in the right direction. Without that first unpublished novel (which will still probably never see the light of day) I wouldn’t be where I’m at now as a writer. I would never have come to realize what kinds of stories I don’t want to tell. And Maya Delaney’s world would never have existed.

Thank you so much for stopping by Martha! I just love what you said about how sometimes you just need to take the wrong road first. Very well said girl!

You can get your copy from Amazon. Want to know Martha better? Follow her on Twitter, check out her blog, and find out more about the book on the website dedicated to The Jaguar Sun.

Strange Chemistry has announced their first two Authors AND Titles!!! Find out who!

You might even be asking the question "Who is Strange Chemistry?" I'll fill you in on all the good details! Keep your eyes out for them, I'll definitely say that much! They aren't quite here yet and already they are causing a big stir of awesomeness!!!

Strange Chemistry is the new YA imprint of the award-winning indie genre fiction publisher Angry Robot. 

The first two authors and titles have just been released! SQUEE!

You can also find out more at http://strangechemistrybooks.com/ and follow them on Twitter.

 

Now for the authors and titles!





Shift by Kim Curran  

About the Author: Kim Curran was born in Dublin and moved to London when she was seven. After studying Philosophy and Literature at Sussex University her plan of being paid big bucks to think deep thoughts never quite paid off. She became an advertising copywriter instead, specialising in writing for video games. She lives in SW London with her husband, if they’re not both off travelling. When she’s not writing she fences and plays guitar, both very badly.

About The Book: When your average, 16-year old loser, Scott Tyler, meets the beautiful and mysterious Aubrey Jones, e learns he’s not quite so average after all. He’s a ‘Shifter’. And that means he has the power to undo any decision he’s ever made. At first, he thinks the power to shift is pretty cool. But as his world quickly starts to unravel around him he realises that each time he uses his power, it has consequences; terrible unforeseen consequences. Shifting is going to get him killed. In a world where everything can change with a thought, Scott has to decide where he stands.

Visit Kim online at http://www.kimcurran.co.uk/  and follow Kim on Twitter

Shift is the first of two books. The first one will be released this fall and the second will be released in 2013.

Poltergeeks by Sean Cummings

About the Author: Sean Cummings lives in Saskatoon, Canada. He’s a comic book geek, superhero junkie, zombie fan and a total nerd. His interests include science fiction, the borg, cats with extra toes, east Indian cuisine and quality sci-fi movies/television. Sean has been writing since 1978 (as a means of liberating his “inner nerd”) and his published works for adults include Shade Fright, Funeral Pallor and Unseen World, all published by Snowbooks. Poltergeeks is his first book for Young Adults.

About the Book: Julie is an apprentice witch - or so she believes. When a dark power comes stalking out of the past to haunt her and her mother, Julie learns that she is far more than just a witch. With the help of her best friend Marcus and a rather unusual Great Dane, Julie has to race against time to ensure she can defeat the bad guy, save her mother and avoid being grounded - again!

You can visit Sean online at http://www.sean-cummings.ca/ and http://www.darkcentralstation.com/ you can also follow him on Twitter.

Poltergeeks is also the first of two books. The first is set to be released in October of this year and the second is due out in 2013.

I have some winners!

Thank you all for your continued support and visits to Uniquely Moi Books and all the help that you do in spreading the word about my posts and giveaways! You guys ROCK!!!

Today I am sharing the winners for Strange Angels and the winner from the Dreaming of Books Hop. As always, the winners have 48 hours to contact me or a new winner will be chosen.

Strange Angels goes to...Victoria Zumbrum

Dreaming of Books (chose Hallowed) goes to...blackwolf

CONGRATULATIONS!!!

Guest Post w/ Cornelia Amiri + Giveaway

On this lovely Friday I would love to thank Cornelia for stopping by Uniquely Moi Books and sharing a little of her time with us and her knowledge in some really interesting things! Check out the picture of her first before you read! Cornelia is the author of 
The Prince of Powys, freshly released January 7th!

Daffodils & The Prince of Powys

By Cornelia Amiri

Daffodils and newborn lambs heralded springtime in Wales for thousands of years. Not only are yellow daffodils the essence of spring but they also hold a place of sacred honor to the Welsh. One of the daffodil's many Welsh names is Cenhinen Bedr (Peter's leek). St. David, also known as Dewi, the patron saint of Wales, was a monk who lived on bread, water, herbs and leeks. The day he died, March 1, 589 A. D., is celebrated each year in Wales as St. David’s day. At the battle of Heathfield in 633 AD, which took place in a field of leeks, St. David told the Welsh warriors to wear a leek on their helmet so they could tell them apart from the Saxons they were fighting. Legend has it the wild daffodils open their buds on March 1st to remind people of Saint David. Also Welsh soldiers wear a leek or daffodil in the their caps each year on St. David's Day. Daffodils are often worn in place of leeks in hats and buttonholes, because they’re prettier and smell much sweeter.

When the Welsh began to settle in the New World, they did not leave their love of daffodils behind. They planted daffodils outside their homes to welcome new arrivals from Wales, so the immigrants would know where their fellow countrymen were living. As my maiden name is Welsh, my ancestor, Joseph Pritchett, may have gotten off the boat in Virginia in 1650 to find blooming daffodils welcoming him. Recently I attended the Daffodil festival in Round Rock Texas where they celebrate the national flower of Wales each year with fun and food. They have daffodil balloons, daffodil corsages, and daffodil note pads. A photo is attached of me holding a daffodil balloon. The daffodil cup cakes were mouth watering, melt in your mouth delights. Don’t’ tell anyone, but I ate three. They were so good. But best of all the Daffodil festival had bunches of sunny daffodils.

Even warriors, both present and past, loved daffodils. The 8^th century Welsh Warrior King, Elsiedd, has a pillar, a standing cross his grandson erected to honor his deeds in battle, which still stands in Powys near Eglwyseg Mountain. In my new young adult novel, The Prince of Powys, King Elisedd picked daffodils at the hill fort of Dynas Bran and discovered the magic within them.

Excerpt:

“Men like your sire and I are warrior kings. We have no time for pretty words and daffodils. We must look after our land and our people." As the stern-faced king spoke those words, he twirled a daffodil in hand.

Branda covered her trembling lips to keep from laughing. She gathered a bouquet of the yellow flowers and handed them to the king.

”Don’t tell Carthann that you picked these flowers," Elisedd said.

“No." Branda leaned in close to him. "Are you going to give her the daffodils?"

"Yes. Let her think I picked them, for it was my intent. It is why I offered to bring you here, I remember a time when I picked daffodils for her. The summer scents and a pretty maid meant much to me. You make me feel young again girl."

Here is blurb for The Prince of Powys:

In an age of heroes, Branda, a Saxon princess helps Blaise, a Prince of Powys, escape her father’s stronghold. In turn, he vows to escort the princess to her sister in Scotland so she can escape an arranged marriage. Instead, he holds her captive as his hostage in the unbreachable hill fort of Dinas Bran, where she captures his heart. Will Blaise be forced to throw away his honor for love or to tear out his heart for honor?

Blogging Contest: I am having a blogging contest today. The other national emblem of Wales is a Red Dragon. I’m giving away a Welsh toy dragon. Leave a comment or question below and I will randomly select a winner from the comments. Please include your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win.

For more on The Prince of Powys please visit my website at http://CelticRomanceQueen.com

How fascinating! Thank you so much Cornelia! The Prince of Powys is available at Amazon. Don't wait to download yours!

Review: Hallowed by Cynthia Hand

Hallowed

by

Cynthia Hand

A most touching follow up in the Unearthly series, proving Cynthia has went far over the top in her creativity and writing! Hallowed will melt your hearts, and leave you yearning for more. This is such a great series!

As Clara is trying to regain normalcy her life from everything that became of her 'purpose' and the fires, not to mention the run in with Samjeeza, things are quite well. Things are going great with Tucker, and staying friends with Christian are going well to. It's when she realizes that her purpose must not be finished that she starts to get worried.

It starts with more visions. What scares her the most out of it all, is that Tucker isn't there. She messed up everything the last time to save him, and this time, he isn't in them. The feeling of the vision is sadness. Christian is there, comforting her. She is more than scared of the outcome of these visions, and rightly so, doesn't want to share what she suspects with Tucker.

It's when Samjeeza makes his grand appearance that things get even rockier. He starts to watch her outside of school. Christian can sense her fears and insecurities,and he is there for her. It's quite sweet really. The way he just waits just in case she needs him. Having him do this though, opens her eyes to the truth of the future and how things will always be. She has to make huge decisions, As well as find out that her vision was far wrong, it was about someone else entirely. Someone even closer to her, and she even has another new visitor along the way. Someone she would never expect.

5/5 Stars. 416 Pages. Published by Harperteen. Received for review from Netgalley.

Get a chance on those Mystery ARC's again!

Alright everyone...


                          same things apply as last time.....




                                                                             no leaks...no real hints...


same ol' scenario as before.

3 Books given away

US only

13+

Ends Jan. 26th

Enter Here

Review: Fracture by Megan Miranda

Fracture

by

Megan Miranda

To put into words, the beauty that is beheld in Fracture? I can't say enough that will leave you in awe. What other book have you read that made you cry within the first ten minutes, if any? Yes, that's how phenomenal it is.

Just another normal day in Maine for Delaney and her best friend Decker. All was well, and they were walking across the ice doing just fine, until Delaney slipped and fell. The ice, a little too thin, started to crack and Delaney fell in the ice cold water, feeling the rush of needles in her lungs. Feeling the pain of the water as if it were stabbing her. She tried to get out but couldn't. Eleven minutes she stayed under there. Delaney was dead.

Somehow, someway, Delaney's heart started pumping, beating again. And while in the hospital, laying there in the coma, Decker never left her side. He felt guilty for not being at her side when she slipped.  When Delaney finally woke up, even the doctor couldn't believe it. All the brain scans showed signs of damage, but Delaney didn't seem to show symptoms of any. Except for a pull when around sick people. Something you or I wouldn't understand.

Once out of the hospital, and finally getting back to a fairly normal routine again, Delaney runs into a stranger named Troy who seems to know what happened to her from the newspaper. Except, it wasn't posted in the newspaper. And now she starts noticing him around more and more. Decker has always been there for her, but now Troy seems to be sliding into his place. And when Delaney learns that Troy was in a coma just like her, and has that pull, she thinks that maybe they can help these sick people. Delaney is going to have to learn the hard facts about Troy's ulterior motives. He's not going to stop for anything either.

4/5 Stars. 272 Pages. Published by Walker Publishing Company Received for review from NetGalley



Who do the Mysterious ARC's go to? And when will it happen again?

Let me start by saying that since I had such a big outcome on this I'm going to do it again this week sometime, so please stay tuned for it! The winner for this time around is...

Marg @ Clockwork Reverie

Congrats!!!

Guest Post w/ Mike Mauthor

Today at Uniquely Moi Books, we have Mike Mauthor, author of House Trap! Mike is here to talk about a very interesting topic that I just love! Let's welcome him here today! Now, on with the good stuff!

Quotes that inspire me as an author and create such novella as House Trap

“Writing well means never having to say, 'I guess you had to be there.”- Jef Mallett

First and foremost I like to identify myself as a storyteller more so than an author.  I loved to create stories when I was little (in my head) and back then I thought everyone has this ability. I wrote at times but I wasn’t really a compulsive writer—still not but I try to be.  This post is basely to inform you about my writing experience thus far. What get me through my writing and defeat an ever-present enemy call WRITER BLOCK.  So read up and hopefully get a tip or two in the process.

“You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club”- Jack London

This quote is always in my head everytime I have no story to write about. The quote reminds me to write each and every day (except Sundays, that’s my break). I don’t ever wait for a story to come to me. Instead the more I write the more an inner story reveals itself to me. I don’t doubt what comes out of it and I go with flow of the story.  Editing and Reediting comes later so I never worry about it at the beginning stage.

Writing well means never having to say, 'I guess you had to be there.'- Jef Mallett

                This quote I take to heart each and every time I write a story. I attempt to put my reader into the character’s situation. I always attempt to transport my readers into the world I created. I make sure that the characters, the world I created and their situations would be clearly understood by the reader. To create such an experience for my readers I have to use sharper sentences and get to the point. Active verbs make the story come alive and don’t dull up your story.  I try not to write flowery sentences. These are the rules I followed when I wrote my first YA thriller/suspense novella entitled House Trap.  With every stroke from my keyboard I wrote what the character felt, thought and reasoned on each problem that came her way. It’s essential to have this ability as an author, without taking your reader to the journey you created, you’re simply saying and I quote from Jef Mallett, “I guess you had to be there.”  It’s never good to distance your reader from their character’s experience. It would only make their read boring.

            I hope my little chat in my writing experience has been worthwhile to you. These quotes have helped me thus far in my writing and I know there are more quotes out there that would help me in the future. Maybe these quotes can jumpstart your way into writing an amazing novel. Not to say that the road is smooth. There are bumps on that road and they are called WRITER’S BLOCK.  Here is an advice from an author that helped me deal it.

            With two books a year to complete, I don't have time for writer's block. But more seriously, when a story begins to bog down and I feel blocked, something is intrinsically wrong with the scene or character or point of view I'm working on. Sometimes I have to backtrack and search for where the story had gone astray and edit things back into proper alignment. Once I correct that error, the story flows with more vigor again and we're off and running.  James Rollins

          So I never, ever let writer’s block hinder me from writing. I stuck to my story till I saw its completion in front of me and trust me; it’s the best feeling in the world when you complete a story.

Thank you for your time and I hope your writing journey goes well. Now I’m currently writing the sequel to House Trap. Sequels aren’t easy to write but that’s another blog post on its own so I wouldn’t discuss it here. Those quotes are like my foundation I work with when I write any story.  I hope you read the excerpt of House Trap to see what I mean and check it out at Amazon as well. Last but least I like to thank Uniquely Moi Books blog for being so welcoming. I hope everyone is having a great new year so far.

Click link to read excerpt of House Trap:

My blog: http://novelpro.weebly.com/

Twitter: @Mauthor