Character Interview w/ Kaidan Rowe ~ Sweet Evil Blog Tour

Thank you for stopping by on the Sweet Evil Blog Tour. When I was first asked to interview Kaidan, I literally jumped at the chance. I obviously didn't know what I was getting into. Kaidan can be a hot hunk of a sweetheart while being extremely difficult at the same time. I can definitely feel for Anna even more after talking with Kai.

Me:  Is there anything you would like to say before we officially begin?

Kaidan: I don't think so. We can get straight to business. *winks*

Me: Alright pretty boy, I know you have a definite "tough guy" approach, but if you actually had to choose, would you choose your life as it is, no changes?
 Kaidan: You think I'm pretty? I'm flattered. *grins*

In all seriousness, Jodie, I cannot afford to think like that - about changes and such. That sort of false hope has led many Neph to their ends. I'll just say that being controlled is not my cup of tea.

Me: Ok, I'll try a different direction. What are your true feelings for Anna? How do you really feel about her?
Kaidan: Ha! Okay, I'll play along. Let's see...Anna is...naive. I feel frustrated by her. It would serve her well to gain some survival instincts. That being said, there's something sexy as hell about a good girl.


Me: Do you have any other feelings for Anna? Possibly feelings that you don't have for anyone else?
Kaidan: Possibly...

Me: Do you think those feelings could ever blossom into something more?
Kaidan:  I'm sorry if you're hoping for a romantic answer, luv, because I can't give it to you. I don't really do the whole "feelings" thing. But I admire your persistence.

Me: What's it like being a demon?
 Kaidan: Well, I wouldn't know personally, but my father and the other Dukes are on top of the world. They get off on watching humans suffer, and they do a damn good job playing their parts. As for myself and their other children, we're meant to help their endeavor to destroy souls. Some of us enjoy it as much as our fathers. Others not so much. But that's life for us. No use dwelling on things that cannot be changed.

Me: You're a member of Lascivious, do you help write songs?
 Kaidan: Nah. I leave the poetic stuff to our lead singer, Michael. Although we sometimes get songs from other sources, like...*pauses*...I'm sorry...I seem to be distracted. You have nice lips, Jodie. *gives interviewer a lingering look*


Me: Oh.... um... thank you! *smiles and blushes* Um, next question.
 What do you like best about being in the band?
 Kaidan: The release. When I play, it's the only time I let go and there's nothing but the music. And then, of course, there's the fans.


Me: Who is you favorite musician?
Kaidan: Easy. Travis Barker. Or maybe Dave Grohl...

Me: I know I've taken up much of your time and you have many things to do. I thank you for giving me the time to interview you and I have one last question before you go. Will you be sticking around these parts or does your schedule have you on the road in the future?
 Kaidan: It's been a pleasure, J. And as for scheduling, I'll be here and there, doing this and that. Keep an eye out. Who knows what the future holds?

Sweet Evil will be released on May 1st by Harperteen.

Available for preorder on Amazon

You can find my review here.

Sweet Evil was written by the amazingly talented Wendy Higgins. You can find her on Twitter,  Facebook, and her blog.

  

What if there were teens whose lives depended on being bad influences? This is life for sons and daughters of fallen angels in Sweet Evil.

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.

A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

Blog Tour Schedule:

4/23 http://www.supernaturalsnark.blogspot.com/

4/24 http://imlovingbooks.com/

4/25 http://livetoread-krystal.blogspot.com/

4/26 http://livredeamour-booksoflove.blogspot.com/

4/27 http://myoverstuffedbookshelf.blogspot.com/

4/28 http://www.twochicksonbooks.com/

4/29 http://www.magicalurbanfantasyreads.com/

4/30 http://uniquelymoibooks.blogspot.com/

5/1 http://www.bookswithbite.net/

5/2 http://www.hookedtobooks.com/

5/3 http://www.latebloomeronline.com/

5/4 http://www.fiktshun.com/fiktshun/

Review: The Weepers: The Other Life by Susanne Winnacker

The Weepers: The Other Life
by Susanne Winnacker

Published by: Marshall Cavendish Children's Books
Released on: May 1st 2012
Hardcover
256 Pages
Rating: 5/5








  The Weepers definitely has the ability to keep you highly interested and full of anticipation. I can very well say that it does have a feel that is very similar to The Walking Dead but I definitely think that it made me love it all that much more. Let's just subtract the zombies, and insert weepers. A creation all of it's own.
  I was definitely feeling sympathy and heartache for the family that belonged to Sherry. Living in a bunker for over three years. Not seeing daylight whatsoever, and eating the last of the food that her family had stored left them hungry and empty bellied for two full days before her father decided he couldn't wait on the government any longer. Taking action into his own hands and Sherry by his side, they opened the bunker to find a city long forgotten. It's when they run into the rabies infected that they realize that things aren't solved.
  Losing her father to what is called a weeper, pussy tears running down their eyes, Sherry is even more determined to not only get him back, but find help and food for her family.  It's when they all see what the governments true plans were, that they decide to take further action. But what can they really do in a city overrun by wickedly infected beasts?


Received for review purposes by NetGalley.

Author Interview w/ Stacy Juba and Giveaway

Today at Uniquely Moi Books, we have the lovely and talented Stacy Juba. Stacy has been kind enough to allow me to interview her and dig a little deeper into her life to share with you. She has also been kind enough to give away one paperback copy of Dark Before Dawn!



1.) Can you tell us a little about yourself?

I wrote my first novel, Face-Off, when I was 16 years old, in high school study halls, and it was originally published when I was 18 after I entered it in a contest. After college, I worked as a newspaper reporter for several years and later in public relations and marketing. Now I'm mainly focusing on writing and promoting my fiction books, which include the adult mystery/romantic suspense novels Twenty-Five Years Ago Today and Sink or Swim, the YA titles Dark Before Dawn and Face-Off; and the children's books The Flag Keeper and The Teddy Bear Town Children's E-Book Bundle.


2.) Favorite hobbies?

I'm very holistic, and I'm trained in Reiki (a form of hands-on energy healing) and Tai Chi. I wouldn't call Reiki a hobby, but I use it on friends and family when they need some energy balancing. I love to read books, both on my e-readers (I have a Kindle and Sony) and in print. I've also taken up a new hobby, coloring mandalas - a Sanskrit word meaning "circle." You can buy books filled with different kinds of mandalas to color or paint, from different cultures. I enjoy it as it's very peaceful and it's also creative. I have a hard time sitting still to meditate, but this has a similar effect.


3.) What is your favorite book?

My favorite all-time book is The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, the coming-of-age novel set in the 1960s about three "greaser" brothers, and the greasers' battles with the Socs, or the rich kids. I also love the Harry Potter series and think J.K. Rowling is absolutely amazing to have created such an intriguing, captivating and well-developed series.

4.) Where did you first get the idea for Dark Before Dawn?

I originally started this book when I was in my early twenties, and it went through many versions over the years, going in and out of my drawer. I loved the books of Lois Duncan, Christopher Pike, and R.L. Stine when I was a teenager, and those were my inspirations. As I got older, I got interested in topics like energy healing and chakras, so that knowledge helped to deepen the book.


5.) How did you come up with the title?

 It was originally titled Deadly Thoughts, but an agent who worked for the agency that repped Mary Higgins Clark suggested that I change it as she felt it sounded like the title of a "Mary book" - a suspenseful women-in-jeopardy novel. She thought another title might be a better fit for the young adult age group. Dawn is the name of the main character, and in the book, she must choose a path of darkness or light - good vs. evil. She is walking a fine line. The cover also reflects a mix of darkness and light, to drive home that theme.

6.) You've written for many different ages and ranges. Are there any that you enjoy writing the most?

I plan to make my main focus adult fiction, as that comes the easiest to me, though I may have a few more YA novels in the future. I'm working on a sequel to my YA hockey novel Face-Off, and several readers have asked for a sequel to Dark Before Dawn. Right now, I'm working on an adult romantic comedy/chick lit novel, and am surprised to find that I'm very comfortable with this genre as it's new to me. I also have an adult mystery novel that I need to finish, but that's on the backburner.


7.) Any advice for aspiring authors?

As a start, I'd recommend taking creative writing classes, either on-line or in-person, finding critique partners or a writing group, and either taking a few marketing classes or reading a lot of marketing books. In addition to writing as much as you can, learn how to rewrite and edit. In addition, all writers should know that e-books are outselling print books and be aware of the independent publishing opportunities available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other retail outlets like Smashwords.


8.) If you could only read one book for the rest of the year, what would it be?

If I could make it one series, I'm really addicted to the House of Night vampire school series by PC and Kristin Cast. I've read several and need to catch up with the rest of the series, and there are also some novellas that expand upon minor characters. I'd go crazy if I couldn't find out what happened next!


9.) When writing, do you prefer any special spots, beverages, or rituals at all?

My first choice is sitting at my desk, but I also have a small AlphaSmart word processor that I take when I'm waiting in an office for an appointment, or if I just have 10 minutes to write and don't have time for my computer to get warmed up. I've been known to lay on the floor against a backrest in my walk-in closet in the fifteen minutes before my family wakes up, with my cat crawling all over me!

Thank you so much for stopping by today!

Now for the giveaway

13+

US Only
Ends May 5th
Enter Here

The Book Bellwether (4)

This is the fourth edition of the Book Bellwether here at Uniquely Moi Books! So just what is it? The Book Bellwether is my collection of, simply put, highly anticipated books that are to be released! I want to share them with you along with their information. I hope that you find them as appealing as I do! I hope you enjoy this new feature. And would love to hear all feedback. 

All These Lives

by Sarah Wylie

Published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux

Released on June 5th

I have this one but haven't been able to get to it just yet but I can't wait! I'm nearly positive that it will leave me in tears.

Sixteen-year-old Dani is convinced she has nine lives. As a child she twice walked away from situations where she should have died. But Dani’s twin, Jena, isn’t so lucky. She has cancer and might not even be able to keep her one life. Dani’s father is in denial. Her mother is trying to hold it together and prove everything’s normal. And Jena is wasting away.

To cope, Dani sets out to rid herself of all her extra lives. Maybe they’ll be released into the universe and someone who wants to live more than she does will get one. Someone like Jena. But just when Dani finds herself at the breaking point, she’s faced with a startling realization. Maybe she doesn’t have nine lives after all. Maybe she really only ever had one.

Shadow and Bone

by Leigh Bardugo

Published by Henry Holt

Released on June 5th

I just received this one this week! Another I can't wait to read. I seriously need super fast reading abilities. I have heard nothing but good things about it.

Surrounded by enemies, the once-great nation of Ravka has been torn in two by the Shadow Fold, a swath of near impenetrable darkness crawling with monsters who feast on human flesh. Now its fate may rest on the shoulders of one lonely refugee. 
Alina Starkov has never been good at anything. But when her regiment is attacked on the Fold and her best friend is brutally injured, Alina reveals a dormant power that saves his life—a power that could be the key to setting her war-ravaged country free. Wrenched from everything she knows, Alina is whisked away to the royal court to be trained as a member of the Grisha, the magical elite led by the mysterious Darkling. 
Yet nothing in this lavish world is what it seems. With darkness looming and an entire kingdom depending on her untamed power, Alina will have to confront the secrets of the Grisha…and the secrets of her heart.

Fade Out

by Nova Ren Suma

Published by Simon Pulse

Released on June 5th

Fade Out is getting republished from its former title Dani Noir. I just loved Imaginary Girls and have had this one on my list since forever. A new cover makes it that more enticing!

Dani Callanzano is thirteen going on miserable. It’s the summer before eighth grade in her sleepy small town, and her cheating father has left, her mom is broken-hearted, and her best friend has moved away. The only salve to her lonely solitude is the Little Art movie theater, where she soaks in old black-and-white noir films…and where the suspicious appearance of a girl in polka-dot tights marks the beginning of a noir mystery of her very own. Armed with a vivid imagination, a flair for the dramatic, and her extensive knowledge of film and all things Rita Hayworth, Dani sets out to solve the mystery of the Girl in the Polka-Dot Tights—and learns more about herself than she ever thought she could.

A Midsummer's Nightmare

by Kody Keplinger

Published by Poppy

Released on June 5th

As if I don't have enough being released on June 5th, I have fallen for another. As soon as I read the synopsis, I knew I had to read it!

Whitley Johnson's dream summer with her divorced dad has turned into a nightmare. She's just met his new fiancée and her kids. The fiancée's son? Whitley's one-night stand from graduation night. Just freakin' great. Worse, she totally doesn't fit in with her dad's perfect new country-club family. So Whitley acts out. She parties. Hard. So hard she doesn't even notice the good things right under her nose: a sweet little future stepsister who is just about the only person she's ever liked, a best friend (even though Whitley swears she doesn't "do" friends), and a smoking-hot guy who isn't her stepbrother...at least, not yet. It will take all three of them to help Whitley get through her anger and begin to put the pieces of her family together.

The Golden Lily

by Richelle Mead

Published by Razorbill

Released on June 12th

Seriously, who isn't waiting for this one?! Enough said.

The second thrilling installment in Richelle Mead's Vampire Academy spinoff series

Tough, brainy alchemist Sydney Sage and doe-eyed Moroi princess Jill Dragomir are in hiding at a human boarding school in the sunny, glamorous world of Palm Springs, California. The students--children of the wealthy and powerful--carry on with their lives in blissful ignorance, while Sydney, Jill, Eddie, and Adrian must do everything in their power to keep their secret safe. But with forbidden romances, unexpected spirit bonds, and the threat of Strigoi moving ever closer, hiding the truth is harder than anyone thought.

Populated with new faces as well as familiar ones, Richelle Mead's breathtaking Bloodlines series explores all the friendship, romance, battles, and betrayals that made the #1 New York Times bestselling Vampire Academy series so addictive. In this second book, the drama is hotter, the romances are steamier, and the stakes are even higher.

My Life Next Door

by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Published by Dial

Released on June 14th

I need this one bad! I really need to find someone to do a trade with so I can read it!!! OMG, I can't wait....

A gorgeous debut about family, friendship, first romance, and how to be true to one person you love without betraying another

“One thing my mother never knew, and would disapprove of most of all, was that I watched the Garretts. All the time.”

The Garretts are everything the Reeds are not. Loud, numerous, messy, affectionate. And every day from her balcony perch, seventeen-year-old Samantha Reed wishes she was one of them . . . until one summer evening, Jase Garrett climbs her terrace and changes everything. As the two fall fiercely in love, Jase's family makes Samantha one of their own. Then in an instant, the bottom drops out of her world and she is suddenly faced with an impossible decision. Which perfect family will save her? Or is it time she saved herself?

A dreamy summer read, full of characters who stay with you long after the story is over.

This is Not a Test

By Courtney Summers

Published by St. Martin's Griffin

Released on June 19th

I have noticed a trend lately with the zombie/hoarding theme and I am loving it!

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually wantto live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to.

Zoe Letting Go

by Nora Price

Published by Razorbill

Released on June 28th

I fell in love with Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson and have been looking for similar reads ever since. I can only hope that this one will satisfy my search for a while.

While at a clinic receiving treatment for anorexia, Zoe is instructed to write letters. Through letters, she tells her mother and brother about the clinic; the doctors, the food, her struggle to get better. But she tells her best friend Elise about the strange goings on around her, the shady relationships, the dark mysteries. When the lights go out, the place turns into someplace else.

While her mother and brother write back, their letters filled with cheerful encouragement—Zoe’s letters to Elise remain unanswered. As Zoe struggles to understand why her best friend would cut her off, she must unravel the secrets that surround her in the clinic.

An Amazing Young Adult Novel

Deb Catletti is an amazing young adult fiction writer. Her new novel Stay is as seductive as Clara's suave stalker boyfriend, Christian. With white blonde hair and a deep voice licked by flames of danger, he doesn't seem like the other regular suburban teens. Clara, a self-described nice girl who doesn't have the "sadistic overconfidance of the popular," finds herself approaching him at a basketball game when his girlfriend goes to the bathroom. This racy move is uncharacteristic of Clara, but she says it was love at first sight. She says that she should have listened to her father. Love at first sight is almost always something darker.
Stay is as much a psychological thriller as a romance novel. Deb Catletti makes readers turn pages chasing Clara through her race to escape Christian's clutches. Love at first sight turns out to be hard to resist and even harder to get away from. Clara's dad says that the kind of love experienced at first sight is just the darker parts of oneself identifying with the darker parts of another. This psychological assessment of the underlying causes of obsession is a deep lesson for a young adult novel. Stay is a page-turner, but it's also a cautionary tale for teens on avoiding dangerous relationships and situations. Educational leadership programs offers tips on teaching to teens.
For those young adults who like to spend a lot of time in the library, Deb Catletti's new novel is a must for passing time between stacks. Clara is something of a librarian herself, with a summer job at Armchair books in Stay. This is as much a novel for aspiring librarians as for young adults. Clara gets to peruse her favorites in the setting of the beautiful Pacific northwest, but that doesn't mean that readers everywhere can't immerse themselves in the scenery from their neighborhood libraries. For someone thinking about becoming a librarian (www.librariandegree.org), Stay is an inspirational tale as well as a fun story.
Deb Catletti grew up in the Pacific Northwest, and it's obvious she has a real sense for the romantic oceanside setting. It's no wonder Twilight was set in Forks, Washington, a port village near Seattle. Catletti says that setting is like a character itself, paying as much attention to detail in backdrop as character development. She is intimately familiar with the Pacific Northwest, and it shows in evocative descriptions of waves, lighthouses and quaint bookstores. To read more about Catletti and her writing process, see her website.

Review: Bright Young Things by Anna Godbersen

Bright Young Things
by Anna Godbersen

Published by: Harper Collins
Released on: October 12th, 2010
Hardcover
389 Pages
Rating: 4/5









 I am a big fan of Anna Godbersen, falling head over heels for The Luxe series. Needless to say I have been anxious to begin this series. I love how Anna portrays past lives, introducing us to things we know little about. The past is the past, yet very different from this day and age. Bright Young Things takes place in 1929. This is the same year that my great-grandmother graduated from High School. I actually have her class ring, so I definitely read with her in mind.
  The lives of three young ladies takes us on a journey of so many variables of emotion throughout this book. We are first introduced to Letty and Cordelia. Cordelia is about to get married to a great man, yet she isn't so sure that this marriage thing is for her. In 1929, things are different, and she really feels as if she doesn't have a choice. What else is there for her? Letty has always had an interest in performing and rightly so. A small girl, petite with beautiful looks if accented just right. So, when the idea that they have always imagined of springs to mind yet again, the girls decide to act on it. Running off to the big city of New York holds so many big opportunities that their teensy town of Union, Ohio.
  Next, we meet Astrid. A young flapper, living in New York. This girl seems to have the skills and talent to get everything she wants. Astrid is definitely one to be envious of. Yet, her life isn't as perfect on the inside as it seems to be on the outside. It's after a huge fight between Letty and Cordelia, that Astrid becomes Cordelia's new best friend.
  The fight revolves around the fact that apparently, Cordelia has been keeping a huge secret from Letty. When Letty hears of the news that Cordelia's father lives in New York and is very well known, it starts trouble for the two girls. Letty is determined to be a star and isn't going to get a troubled friendship get in her way. Cordelia, isn't going to let this slow her down either. Destined to find and make contact with her father, it leads to more trouble than she could ever have imagined. When her heart steers her to make bad and irreversible decisions, Cordelia has no choice but to rethink things. Astrid winds up with her own issues too. Never has she had to make tough decisions. Life altering decisions. Will any of these ladies end up happy or is it just one mistake after another?


Purchased from Cynthia Hand

Guest Post w/ Author Dave Becker

Today at UMB, we have author Dave Becker. Dave is the author of The Faustian Host and is here to talk with us about a most wonderful topic that I think we all question at some time or another.


What is Out There?

In addition to reinvigorating the young adult book market, authors like JK Rowling and Stephanie Meyer gave us something else: magic. Not just magical stories and characters, but a paranormal element woven into the fabric of the narrative, a "secondary world" that was intriguing and somehow fit in the world we know.

Anthropologists recognize that humanity has always shared a fascination with the unknown. Whether it's gods and monsters, or aliens and quantum phenomena, we know something is out there - something extraordinary. We've all experienced strange, inexplicable things, and our gut reaction is usually to use words like luck, miracle, or magic. Even if it's in jest, we're acknowledging our spiritual inheritance - there's more to this world than we can see.

In recent polls, most Americans still believe in angels, aliens, and psychics. And while we recognize it as fiction, our favorite stories always seem to include the supernatural, something bigger than ourselves. There's something about a world where we understand everything that's stifling, depressing, and downright boring. Nobody wants that. Nobody really believes in that.

That's the biggest appeal to writing paranormal fiction. It's exciting; it's boundless; it's timeless. I didn't use every idea that popped into my head in my new thriller, THE FAUSTIAN HOST, but it was never because it didn't make sense. Anything can make sense in a supernatural novel!

I chose certain plagues, monsters, and curses to carefully propel the main character, Tony, through the theme of the book. Tony is convinced that religion and magic are completely false, and anyone who believes in them is ignorant. Then a meteorite destroys his house, and a scroll bursts into flames at his touch, and Plymouth Rock begins to bleed. Suddenly, his logical world is falling apart, and no scientific explanation can save him.                                                                     

As Tony's science teacher eventually muses, "Most people spend their entire lives wandering in darkness, never wondering if there's anything more out there."

What is out there? Read THE FAUSTIAN HOST and find out!



Dave Becker is the author of The Faustian Host, a new young adult, paranormal thriller. After losing his family and his home, 14-year-old Tony Marino is forced to move from Florida to Massachusetts to attend Kalos Academy, an unconventional school for gifted children. Strange things begin to happen the day he arrives, and soon stories of plagues, monsters, and mystical objects surround him. Refusing to believe superstitions, Tony struggles to explain the occurrences logically, until he comes face to face with a satanic cult determined to bring about the end of the world.

Obumbrate Cover Reveal & Synopsis

A great friend of mine, Aliva Anders has just released her cover for the second book in her series and I want to share it with you!!! If you haven't yet, don't forget to check out ILLUMINE. I aslo have the pleasure of sharing the synopsis with you so you can find out what is yet to come.

Essallie Hanley just wishes her life could go back to normal. But what's normal when you carry the burden of knowing you're a half-angel created for war, that the only person who can help you is a demon still waiting to kill you, and that your only chance for salvation rested in a boy who died in front of you?

If Essallie had turned her back on everything she'd learned, she could have made the most of her fractured life. That is, until Kayden told her that she's a ticking time-bomb; that at any given moment her blood could betray her, her veins burning her alive from the inside out until nothing but ash remains.

Desperate to find answers, and possibly find her only chance for survival, Essallie heads back for New York City, back to the place where it all began. With every answer comes a price, and with every price the risks and rewards become greater. But when Essallie soon finds herself the target of an unknown hunter determined to have her, all appears to be at wits' end. Until Ari, a man claiming to be Nephilim, steps in. Charming, gentle, and boldly brave, he seems to be exactly what Essallie needs.

Could Ari be the missing piece of her puzzle, or is he the promise of her demise?

 

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12 Days of Morganville Madness Blog Tour and Giveaway

Get ready because today is the first day of  twelve that the blog tour for the Morganville Vampires series by Rachel Caine. Everyday there will be a different blog sharing their review of each book in the series, not only to celebrate the upcoming release of BLACK DAWN, but sharing in their love of the series! Also, each blog will be giving away a very special prize pack! Sweet right?! I have posted the list below of all the stops, but I have a giveaway myself to share with you. A special "thank you" to Penguin and New American Library for letting me share this with you!

I have one copy of GLASS HOUSES, the first book in the series, as well as one bookmark for BLACK DAWN.

BLACK DAWN is released on May 1st!

Giveaway details:

US Only

13+

Ends May 1st

Enter Here

Twelve Days of Morganville Madness Blog Tour stops:

April 20^th: GLASS HOUSES (Book 1)

Page Turners

April 21: THE DEAD GIRLS DANCE (Book 2)

A New Kind of Ordinary

April 22: MIDNIGHT ALLEY (Book 3)

Book Sp(l)ot Reviews

April 23: FEAST OF FOOLS (Book 4)

Hobbitsies

April 24: LORD OF MISRULE (Book 5)

Book Monster Reviews

April 25: CARPE CORPUS (Book 6)

My Overstuffed Bookshelf

April 26: FADE OUT (Book 7)

Miss Vains Paranormal Fantasy

April 27: KISS OF DEATH (Book 8)

The Story Siren

April 28: GHOST TOWN (Book 9)

Awesomesauce Bookclub

April 29: BITE CLUB (Book 10)

Confessions of a Bookaholic

April 30: LAST BREATH (Book 11)

Literal Addiction

MAY 1: BLACK DAWN (Book 12, NEW!)

Mundie Moms

Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

The Selection
by Kiera Cass

Published by: HarperTeen
Release Date: April 24th, 2012
Hardcover
336 Pages
Rating: 4/5




*Please note that this review was based from an ARC*



  I found the synopsis of THE SELECTION most intriguing, yet when I first got into the storyline and learned about America Singer and the life that she is living, and must change, I couldn't help but be strongly discouraged to stop. I found strong resemblances to the television show THE BACHELOR as well as the book WITHER. Being patient and hoping for the best, I pulled through and gladly so. I did fall in love with America, as she goes through this journey that she never wanted to participate in, yet has slowly found herself liking it over time. In a way, it's the same way with my thoughts of the book I suppose. In the end, THE SELECTION proved itself to me, and grabbed my heart along with it.
  America comes from a family that isn't well of. In fact, it seems that many aren't too well off. Everyone in the family must work to support everyone as a team. Yet, America gets the opportunity of a lifetime when Prince Maxon is ready to be married and is looking for a wife. It becomes a contest of how the wife will be chosen. This is the tough part. America isn't happy at all when she has found out that she is one of the thirty-five girls that will live with the Prince and his family as he spends time with all the young ladies, eager to bare the title of Princess.
  Over time, America can't help but fall for the Prince, yet she doesn't seem to notice this. I loved that I knew it before she realized it. No sooner as she figures this out that her ex strolls in and reopens the love that America has for him. Now she isn't so sure of Prince Maxon. Could she still have a fairly decent life with her ex, or will Prince Maxon manage to win her heart?


Received for review purposes from Harper Collins.

Guest Post featuring Cheree Alsop

Today at Uniquely Moi Books, we have Cheree Alsop joining us. Cheree is the author of a fabulous series that will be featured today. Cheree has let the main character of her werewolf series speak with us. So, with that being said, take a look, enjoy, and feel free to fall in love with yet another amazing series.




It’s easier for the rest of the world to think of us as legends and myth. Life as a werewolf isn’t simple; it’s dangerous and at times filled with heartache. The chaos of teenage life is touched with the ever-changing moon and the call of the night to run and lose one’s self among the shadows. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t love it.
I don’t think a human can fully understand the call of moonlight streaming through the window, or the way it can brush against the skin like never-ending acceptance. The moon pulls at us, beckoning and welcoming, promising nights lit with the gray-washed expanse forest and farmland, the scent of rabbits and deer tickling tantalizingly along trails that lead to midnight adventures. Every smell is a new experience, a new image for my brain to categorize and my paws to follow. Sounds are multiplied a hundred fold until the chirp of a cricket is a miniature symphony and the breeze catching in the leaves creates a blanket of soft rustling that embraces the night in the security of sheltering hands.
I take care of the others. Ever since my dad was killed, I have been a protector and peace keeper between the werewolves and hunters. The things I have seen haunt my dreams and sometimes it’s easier to give in to the moonlight and run with the thoughts of a wild thing far from the cares of my teenage world. Werewolves are being experimented upon, fought like dogs in underground arenas, hunted as though we’re wild animals instead of people with thoughts and feelings who love and fear, hate and hope as passionately as any human. My life is dedicated to protecting other werewolves from the horrors I have lived through. If I can save even one, it will be a life well worth living. And there is always the call of the moonlight.

---Jaze Carso

You can find Cheree at her website, friend her on Facebook, and check her out on Goodreads.

Free Kindle Book Day! A total of 16 available!

Give Your Child A Free Kindle Book Day (Or 15 of Them!) 

 15 Free Kindle Books From Established 

Children's & YA Authors

Plus One Bonus E-Book in Multiple Formats!

April 19, 2024

ONLY!

Visit the Amazon Listmania list at http://www.amazon.com/lm/R1UOP8U7FVOU4P/ref=cm_lm_pthnk_view?ie=UTF8&lm_bb= for another way to browse the 15 Kindle Books.

The Event: Fill up your Kindle and get your children reading this summer with these 15 books, free on Kindle only on April 19 during the Give Your Child A Free Kindle Book (or 15 of Them!) Promotion. The list includes picture books, middle grade novels, and young adult books spanning a range of topics from sports, to paranormal, to historical, to educational. Selected books include the Florida Historical Society's Best Children's book of its year,  books that have been recommended in Best Books for Young Teen Readers Grades 7-10 and in an edition of Children's Book of the Year compiled by the Child Study Children's Book Committee in New York City, and a finalist in the Valley Forge Romance Writers Sheila contest and in the Florida Romance Writers Golden Palm contest.

Belgrave House has also offered a 16th bonus book, an Agatha-awarding winning novel, which will be free on that day and can be downloaded in the e-book format of your choice.

The authors in the promotion have been published by houses such as Scholastic, Dell, HarperCollins, Simon Pulse, Avon, E.P. Dutton, Millbrook, Lerner, and St. Martin's Minotaur, and have written for Broadway, to name a few of their accomplishments. Don't miss this one-day exclusive offer to give your child an e-book (or many e-books!) Adult readers will find much to enjoy on this list also.

The Books:

Captain Morgana Mason by Dorothy Francis - Gramp falls ill.  Morgana and her younger brother, Seth take charge of the family's sponging business, using their small boat to hook sponges from the sea and sell them. Housekeeper, Goldie, adds humor and wisdom to the tale. You'll root for Morgana as she seeks her strengths and grapples with the adult world.  The Florida Historical Society voted this book as the best Children's book of its year.

http://www.amazon.com/Captain-Morgana-Mason-ebook/dp/B003VIWPHO/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1333210644&sr=8-2

ASIN: B003VIWPHO

Dark Before Dawn by Stacy Juba - When teen psychic Dawn Christian gets involved with a fortuneteller mentor and two girls who share her mysterious talents, she finally belongs after years of being a misfit. When she learns her new friends may be tied to freak “accidents” in town, Dawn has an important choice to make - continue developing the talent that makes her special or challenge the only people who have ever accepted her.

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Before-Dawn-ebook/dp/B005PG7SXG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333210686&sr=1-1

ASIN: B005PG7SXG

Face-Off by Stacy Juba: Brad’s twin brother T.J. has gotten himself out of the fancy prep school his father picked for him and into the public high school Brad attends. The whole school is rooting for a big double-strength win…not knowing that their twin hockey stars are heating up the ice for a winner takes all face-off. Included in the reference guide Best Books for Young Teen Readers Grades 7-10 and recommended by the Hockey Hall of Fame Junior Education Program.

http://www.amazon.com/Face-Off-Book-One-ebook/dp/B005LQ99F0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333210722&sr=1-1

ASIN: B005LQ99F0

Einstein The Lazy Kitty by Renae Rae - This 30-page story is inspired by Renae Rae's real-life lazy kitty. Einstein The Lazy Kitty, combines rhythmic writing and colorful illustrations to make this a short, fun book for all ages but it was designed with your toddler and early reader in mind.

http://www.amazon.com/Einstein-Lazy-Kitty-Childrens-ebook/dp/B007DR41MQ/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333210773&sr=1-1

ASIN: B007DR41MQ

Teddy Bear Town Children's E-Book Bundle (Three Complete Picture Books) by Stacy Juba - Immerse your child in the gentle world of teddy bears with three picture books in one download. Each story is fully illustrated with simple illustrations of teddy bear families. Includes The Flag Keeper, Victoria Rose and the Big Bad Noise, and Sticker Shoes. The Midwest Book Review on The Flag Keeper: "Excellent educational book filled with information all American children should know."

http://www.amazon.com/Childrens-E-Book-Complete-Picture-ebook/dp/B0071OHVD2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333210821&sr=1-1

ASIN: B0071OHVD2

The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Dan Elish - Pancakes that turn into trampolines, attacking caramel apples, roller-skating pies, are all a part of The Worldwide Dessert Contest: Enhanced Multimedia Edition by Dan Elish, a lip-smacking middle grade fantasy with an original musical score by a Broadway veteran embedded alongside the text! After losing to a cheat for the past eleven years, will chef Applefeller finally manage to nab the prize?

http://www.amazon.com/The-Worldwide-Dessert-Contest-ebook/dp/B005PR4LB2/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333210862&sr=1-1

ASIN: B005PR4LB2

Savage Cinderella by PJ Sharon - Eighteen-year-old Brinn Hathaway has survived on her own in the Northwest High Country of Georgia since she was left for dead in a shallow grave by the man who kidnapped her as a child. When a young nature photographer, Justin Spencer, catches the wild girl on film and the two form a tentative friendship, Brinn must decide if coming out of hiding is worth the hope-and the danger-that may await her.

http://www.amazon.com/Savage-Cinderella-ebook/dp/B007JPBEGS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333210932&sr=1-1

ASIN: B007JPBEGS

Ashlyn's Radio by Wilson Doherty (Norah Wilson and Heather Doherty) - When circumstances force 17-y-o Ashlyn Caverhill to move to her grandma's in Maine, she's PO'd. Although it boasts the hot Caden Williams, she thinks Prescott Junction is the deadest place ever. She may be right. Not only does a ghost train roll through at night, but the Caverhill-cursed radio Ashlyn finds foretells that she'll board it! With Caden's help, she must find a way to escape her fate.

http://www.amazon.com/Ashlyns-Radio-ebook/dp/B0056O2D2S/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333210965&sr=1-1

ASIN: B0056O2D2S

Dark Ascension: A Demon Anthology by N.R. Wick - Keep a flashlight handy. This collection of short stories for young adults is sure to draw out whatever's skulking in the shadows. From supernatural entities, to crazed monsters, to disturbing discoveries, evil is lurking 'round every corner. Delve into the dark recesses of this creepy book… if you dare.

http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Ascension-Demon-Anthology-ebook/dp/B006NG8K4I/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333211016&sr=1-1

ASIN: B006NG8K4I

The Younger Days by Mike Hays - In the beginning, Boy Smyth has a dull Missouri farm life and a burning desire to be an outlaw like his hero, Cole Younger. In the end, Boy Smyth has five dead bodies and two burning buildings at his farm and the most feared man in the United States crying outside his front gate. And that desire for the outlaw life? It's purged completely from his system. 

http://www.amazon.com/The-Younger-Days-ebook/dp/B007I7OY3W/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333211094&sr=1-1

ASIN: B007I7OY3W

Practice Cake by Dalya Moon - There's one thing Maddie Bird (18) finds more tempting than red velvet cake: her coworker, Drew. All it takes is one of his sly winks or a playful hip-check by the cooler, and she's incinerating the cookies. Her boyfriend would not approve. When a reality TV crew descends upon the bakery, her simple summer job gets even more complicated.

http://www.amazon.com/Practice-Cake-Life-Saltwater-ebook/dp/B005Y1APLY/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333211140&sr=1-1

ASIN: B005Y1APLY

Away from Whipplethorn by A.W. Hartoin - Tiny fairies. Huge adventure. Matilda is about to get what she’s always wanted, and it’s a bad thing. Being a babysitter isn’t much of a dream, but Matilda is anything but average. She’s half a centimeter tall, invisible to the human eye, and hearing-impaired. In her life, adventures are in short supply, but there is a emergency list for her first job. The only problem; humans aren’t on the list.  

http://www.amazon.com/Away-From-Whipplethorn-ebook/dp/B007J68WNK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333211203&sr=1-1

ASIN: B007J68WNK

Grammar Candy by Katrina Streza - Have you ever wondered what exactly an adjective was? Drawn a blank when your child asked for help with English grammar homework? In Grammar Candy, the second book by educator Katrina Streza, Danny and Sam are back for another candy-filled learning adventure. This time, they'll turn a grammar lesson into some sweet fun when they visit Mr. Candor's Candy Shop and learn about nouns, pronouns, adjectives, verbs and more. For candy-loving kids in grades 1-3 (and their parents too)!

http://www.amazon.com/Grammar-Candy-Stories-Readers-ebook/dp/B00759NK6U/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333211251&sr=1-1

ASIN: B00759NK6U

Doctor: Discover Series Picture Book for Kids by Xist Publishing

Who likes going to the doctor? Who wants their child to grow up to be a doctor?

Whether you're looking to alleviate anxiety or plant the suggestion early, DOCTOR features 25 full-color photos of doctors, nurses and medical equipment.Like other titles in the Kindle Kids Library from Xist Publishing, DOCTOR has been formatted to take advantage of the Kindle, Kindle Fire and Kindle apps for phones, tablets and computers.

http://www.amazon.com/Doctor-Discover-Series-Library-ebook/dp/B007A9TLN6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333211329&sr=1-1

ASIN: B007A9TLN6

Time to Get Ready, Bunny! by Brenda Ponnay - It's time to get ready, Bunny! Bunny? BUNNY? In this charming little book, author/illustrator Brenda Ponnay has artfully depicted the morning routine of so many families. Whether your little one would rather stay in bed, play with toys, or try on every outfit in the closet, this book is sure to resonate with parents.

http://www.amazon.com/Time-Get-Ready-Bunny-ebook/dp/B0079TVPS6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1333211365&sr=1-1

ASIN: B0079TVPS6

Don't miss the free bonus book, compatible with many types of e-readers! Offered by author Nancy Means Wright and Belgrave House:

The Pea Soup Poisonings by Nancy Means Wright - To get into her brother's Spy Club, Zoe must walk a high narrow beam over rusted farm machinery and then discover who poisoned Granny Fairweather's pea soup. She has 5 days to find the culprit. Can she do it? Winner of an Agatha award for Best Children’s/Young Adult Novel.

http://www.belgravehouse.com/bookstore/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=614