Author Interview w/ Nusrat Sultana & Giveaway

Nusrat Sultana was born in Bangladesh and lives in New York City, where she grew up with her family. She is the oldest in her family and has a younger brother. She has been writing since childhood and loves books, music and tea. Bleed is her first novel.

   Can you share with us a little about yourself?

My name’s Nusrat Sultana and I’m currently a 17-year-old high school student. I live in New York City and have lived there all my life so I’d like to travel the world someday. I’m a dedicated bookworm, a music-fanatic and a night owl who loves to write!

  Favorite scary movie and favorite cartoon?

I’d have to say The Uninvited is my favorite scary movie. I always make anyone who comes over watch it with me. Favorite cartoon: Teen Titans hands-down. I never get tired of watching it. Love the Titans.

 Did you have any other names for the title?

Not at all. Bleed was always the title for the novel, even before I had started writing it, and I never felt like I should change it. It always felt like the perfect name.

 What was your favorite part of the book?

I love all the parts where Amara and Austin, the central characters, are together, the parts where you can see that they’re bonding. I like it because I think everyone should have someone like that, someone they share a close and special bond with.

Any other books in the works? Future projects?

Bleed is a series so currently, the sequel to Bleed is in the works! I’m always writing and I have plenty of other characters and stories that are waiting to come out so besides the Bleed series, I do have several other future projects I plan to work on.

Are you the only writer in the family?

Yes, I’m the only writer in the family so it’s a big accomplishment for me and for my family as well.

What was your favorite Middle Grade read?

Goosebumps by R.L Stine! I always used to read Goosebumps books in middle school and I’d get excited whenever I’d see a new one. I still remember the very first (and scariest) Goosebumps book I ever read.

Favorite music bands or singers?

My number-one favorite band is There for Tomorrow. I love them, literally grew up with their music. I also love Paramore, Tonight Alive, This Providence and Black Veil Brides. I listen to a lot of rock, metal and alternative but I’m open to all kinds of music—it’s honey to my ears!

How important do you think it is to read and tell stories to our children?

Very, very, very important, very vital. I think stories help expand children’s imaginations and stories always have their own charm in telling and listening. Reading does the same. It transports you to different worlds, into the lives of different characters and extends your knowledge so reading is definitely important.

You can find Nusrat on her website, tumblr, Facebook, and we certainly can't forget Twitter!

One paperback copy is up for grabs

open to everyone 13+

Winner must respond within 48 hours

Ends June 7th

Open Internationally

Enter Here

Review: Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow and Bone
by Leigh Bardugo

Published by: Henry Holt and Co.
Released on: June 5th, 2012
Hardcover
368 Pages
Rating: 4/5




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


  Leigh Bardugo was written a novel that is elegantly divine and captures your attention immediately. In reading, I did have to pay close attention, due to the very different nature that Shadow and Bone has to offer, but that also led to the unique nature it withholds.
  Alina grew up knowing that she couldn't depend on anyone but herself. The only other person that she had, was her longtime childhood friend, Mal. They live in Ravka and train thoroughly to be ready for anything that may come their way. Enemies are everywhere and life isn't easy but it could be much worse. And when Alina gets put into a position like never before, things come to surface and suddenly, her whole world is about to change. I loved the roughness of it all, the thrill and mystery. The unknowing.
  With no choice, Alina is forced to leave Mal behind and enter the world where mystic and magic lives. the Darkling is in control and Alina is in high states of denial. To be a Grisha is a high ranking that many want and hope for. It means that you get the best of things and Alina is now told that she is a member of the Grisha. I wanted her to welcome it with open arms, but she struggled hard in doing just that. Alina is far more powerful than anyone can imagine and this could be her biggest downfall. Once there, she finds out far more than she had ever hoped for and longed deeply for Mal. She can't stand it there and when she finally finds out that people aren't who they seem to be, and plans aren't good to their word, the only thing to do is to try and stop the wickedness that is coming. It is time for hidden truths to come out and it's far from anything ever imaginable. I never expected the events that led up to the end. Wonderfully creative all around.

Author Interview w/ Riana Lucas

Riana Lucas is actually a duo of writers who are best friends who go by the names Nichole and Angela in the real world.  Realizing that gobbling books like hungry caterpillars and then discussing them for hours at a time wasn’t fulfilling enough, the team decided to write their first book together.  The Deadly Flowers Series was born out of a kernel of an idea and has grown into a three book series—so far.  The two have realized their true calling in life and plan to make a career out of writing books with strong characters who evoke true emotion.

 

1.)    Can you share with us a little about yourself? Riana Lucas is the author of Poppy and Poppy:Awake, the first two books of The Deadly Flowers Series with a third untitled book from the series, due in June.

2.)    What was your favorite part of the book?  My favorite part of Poppy still makes me chuckle every time I read it.  She has just captured Holly, an enemy warrior and she begins to question her.  She keeps demanding answers, when Reed finally points out that maybe Holly would be more inclined to answer questions once Poppy takes the gag out of her mouth.

3.)    Who is your favorite author?  This has to be broken into two categories.  My favorite adult genre book author is Kim Harrison. Hands down.  My favorite YA author is Richelle Mead.  She’s awesome.

4.)    Any other books in the works? Future projects? The third book in the Deadly Flowers Series is due in June and a fourth book will be released later this year.  As for other stories, they are definitely in the works, but for now the focus is on finishing Poppy’s story.

5.)    Favorite snacks? Dove chocolates are a must.  Cheetos if you are looking for salty, but beware, it does turn your keyboard orange. J

6.)    What is something about you that most people don't know? And something that everyone seems to know about you?  Something that people don’t know is that Riana Lucas is actually a duo of two people, Nichole and Angela.  We took our kid’s name and smooshed them up so as to not favor one over the other.  Something that everyone seems to know?? I’m not sure.  They should know that we are never going to give up.

7.)    I feel it's important to have your children read at a young age. How does it feel when you see a young teen reading? I am excited for them.  It is important to use time constructively and whether they are reading a fantasy book or the newspaper it is enriching their minds and expanding their vocabulary.

8.)    Do you think you'll always stick to writing YA? Even though we are a duo and best friends, we have different tastes in what we read and what we would like to write.  I don’t think that it is out of the realm of possibility that we would expand our horizons, but it may be under a different pen name.

9.)    What's your most rewarding experience since getting published? Technically we are self published, but it is extremely rewarding to read the wonderful and well thought out reviews we have received on Amazon and on GoodReads about our books.  We never realized how our characters would affect some people and it is great that they took the time to tell us about it.

Review: All These Lives by Sarah Wylie

All These Lives
by Sarah Wylie

Published by: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
Released on: June 5th, 2012
Hardcover
256 Pages
Rating: 2/5



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


  The basis of this novel is what interested me. The thought of a set of twins, one having cancer and battling through the treatments of chemo and radiation, and the other willing to do anything if it would mean that her sister would live. I did find that, but it wasn't anything close to what I was expecting.
  In the beginning, Dani let's us know that her parents do everything they can to still make her feel special and loved despite the constant attention that her sister Jena gets due to her cancer. And she does have a great set of parents, doing great with everything that they must deal with. She also let's us know that Jena's cancer doesn't effect her. She is still the same Dani that she was before Jena was diagnosed. Jena is the only one who has changed. Dani only wishes that she was the same, and since Dani was little, her mother has always told her that she was just like her. They had nine lives. Jena didn't have this rare gift. Therefore, Dani purposely sets out to waste away her lives in hopes to help save Jena's. What she couldn't see was that her acts of 'death' were only making Jena weaker by worrying about her sister and if she would live through them. I couldn't help but find the nine lives thing a bit far fetched.
 Then we fell into the issue of Dani at school. She acted out, smarted off, and wasn't friendly to anyone. She then wondered why the few people that she did allow into her life didn't much care for her. It was clearly obvious that she was struggling with issues because of her sister, yet she clearly admitted to not being bothered by it.
  Towards the end, I loved the bonding that Dani and Jena were able to do before Jena got sick again, but the ending fell flat, leaving far too many questions in the open.


Received for review purposes from the publisher.

Splashing Into the Summer with....

What's a better way to break into Summer than jumping into a pool? Maybe reading while laying out? Today, I am giving away, one copy of ...


BLACK DAWN by Rachel Cain.
Open to everyone 13 and up.
Runs from May 25th- 31st.
Enter Here

Danielle Williams

                      Not interested in Black Dawn?
   Don't fret....How about a copy of The Vanishing Game? Enter Here

 

April Hays

Author Interview w/ Chantelle Causer

Thank you so much for stopping by today at Uniquely Moi Books. I have had the priviledge to interview author Chantelle Causer, author of Power Within.

Growing up, I couldn’t wait to leave the town I grew up in. Spending the term time in an all girl’s school in Lincolnshire, England, I couldn’t wait till the endless sunshine summers at my grandmothers hotel in North Wales. Making up stories and acting them out in the extensive gardens or climbing the trees in the woods and the mountain behind the hotel, made up my days. Spending day after day exploring the county of Conwy, I quickly fell in love with the Mountains and the Sea. Where the mountains are behind me, the sea is in front and the limitless sky so perfectly placed between the two.

 Leaving school with 12 GCSE’s and getting a triple distinction in college, I left England and moved to my Grandmothers. Taking a year out of education to look after a family member in Spain, I came back to start Bangor University. Only my heart wasn’t in it. Averaging in most of my essay’s, my mind was on my writing. I finished Power Within in my second year and I knew that’s what I wanted to do with my life.

Q.  What drives you towards your ambitions?

Growing up, it was mostly just my sister, my mum and I. Though I had grandparents who were there for us, it was just the three of us. And it was hard. My mum worked all the time and not once complained. She had a very rigid mind set. I learnt from her that if you work hard, you’ll get to where you want to be. Nothing comes easy in life, and life’s too short to not realize your dreams.

Q. When did you first have the idea for ‘Power Within’?

It was actually meant to be a children’s series. Right in the very beginning when the idea was just a little bubble in my mind, I wanted to show the growing up process of kids with powers. But that thought didn’t last long. So that quickly got replaced with a young adult as she begins to learn about the power she fears. With this change I was able to add much more mature scenes.

Q. How did you first start writing?

I’ve been writing on and off without purpose for years. Never really having the motivation to finish the stories. It was after the death of a close family friend that I just sat down and started flat out writing for two weeks. It was my way of dealing. When I finished the last chapter, ‘Power Within’ came about and it was easy. A month after that, I had finished my second book.

Q.  Do you think you’ll always stick to writing YA?

No. Before I finished writing ‘Power Within’ I wrote a small chapter for the Mills and Boon New Voices competition. Though I didn’t place, the unfinished story has stuck with me. One day, I will finish it but it won’t be YA. That story has more historical background, but it focuses on the Delaceur women who brings vigilante justice to bad men in the 1820’s. I guess you can see why the idea stuck with me!

Q. Hobbies or special interests?

Traveling the world runs in my blood. My great-grandfather was a naval officer. He travelled the world during his time in the force. My grandmother has been to nearly every continent (and she is still traveling more). My mother’s albums are full of European snap shots she had when she was younger and I’ve been slowly building up the stamps in my passport. I don’t travel as much as I want to, but one day I’ll get there.

Q. Are you the only writer in the family?

I know other members of my family dabble in writing, but I’m probably the only one who’s stubborn enough to want a career out of it. The day I self-published my first book, my sister sold her first painting and this year my cousin got signed up with a modeling agency. There are no shortage of dreams in my family.

Q. How important do you think it is to read and tell stories to our children?

I think it’s probably the most important gift you can give a child. Too many times as a kid I was told off in school for daydreaming. Imagination shouldn’t have limits and stories are a great way of making up new worlds. I look at my younger cousins now and I feel bad for them. They stay indoors with iPads and computer games, when all me and my sister needed was a nice sunny day, a big garden and a whole lot of imagination.

Charlotte 'Charlie' Gordon wants nothing more, than to be a normal girl. But having a near death accident as a child, she finds out that she has powers. After accidentally electrocuting her sister and blowing up her mother's kitchen, she suppresses her powers for ten years. Unknowing that there are more people like her out there. A lot more.

That is until a secret group of them try and hunt her down because of her unusual abilities. Forcing her family into hiding, she goes on the run. Having to learn about her powers and her past, she meets many new friends along the way. But you can't run forever. She learns that someone has betrayed her to the very people she is running from.

Review: Darkness Before Dawn by J.A. London

Darkness Before Dawn
by J.A. London

Published by: HarperTeen
Released on: May 29th, 2012
Paperback
368 Pages
Rating: 5/5




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



 I was very curious about Darkness Before Dawn. It seems as though the vampire craze has definitely settled down so I wasn't too sure what to expect. What I had delivered was far more than I ever could've imagined. I fell in love with the writing of the mother/son duo that goes by the name of J.A. London. I am more than touched just to know that this book was written by a mother and a son. I didn't find this out until I was finished, which added to the amazingness it delivers.
  For the most part, it takes place in a settled city after a war that led to massive changes to not only humans, but vampires as well. To live among the vampires is unheard of, and trying to make peace isn't easy. I'm not sure if there is really any peace at all. Dawn Montgomery has had her parents and brother ripped from her life by those vile vampire beasts, yet she now has to work hand-in-hand with them, trying to deliver a somewhat livable environment without fear of being attacked by vampires. Dawn already has a boyfriend, but that's not saying that he's a good one by any means. And while out with her best friend Tegan, she gets put into a horrid situation where she is saved by pure luck and a guy named Victor. I believe that Victor landed a place in my heart long before it settled in Dawn's. He isn't the Night Watchman that everyone thinks he is, he's far from it. He is quite persistent in what he wants and brings to the table, more than any character has in quite some time.
  When a new guy comes into town, bearing the name of Sin. I couldn't help but not like him. It didn't matter who else did. I just didn't trust the guy. Sadly, he proved himself in ways I never expected even with my instincts running high. Darkness Before Dawn is full of unexpected events, turns and surprises. I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

Author Interview w/ Cecilia Grey & Giveaway

I have had the pleasure to interview author Cecilia Grey today. Cecilia is the author of Fall For You.

Cecilia Gray lives in Oakland where she reads, writes and breaks for food. She also pens her biographies in the third person. Like this. As if to trick you into thinking someone else wrote it because she is important. Alas, this is not the case.

Cecilia has been praised for “instilling a warmth and weight into her characters” (Romancing The Book Reviews) and her books have been praised for being “well-written, original, realistic and witty” (Quills & Zebras Reviews).

Several of her titles - including A Delightful Arrangement (The Gentlemen Next Door #1) and An Illicit Engagement (The Gentlemen Next Door #2) - have spent, in her view, a shocking amount of time on bestseller lists for romance, historical romance and regency romance in the US, UK, Italy and Spain.

She’s rather enamored of being contacted by readers and hopes you’ll oblige.

Cecilia can be found at her website, Facebook, and Twitter.

Fall For You is available at these locations:
Amazon

Barnes & Noble

iTunes

Google Play

Now for the interview:

Can you share with us a little about yourself?

I’d love to! My name is Cecilia Gray, and I write fun, flirty romance and young-adult books. My latest release, FALL FOR YOU, is the first in a series of Jane Austen retellings set in an all-girl boarding school that (dum-dum-dummmmmm) becomes co-ed.

Growing up, what books do you remember reading?

I was obsessed with Roald Dahl - starting with James and the Giant Peach. I checked out so many of his books from the library that the librarians enforced a waiting period so my classmates could have a shot at reading them first. So I made my friends pretend to check out books when really they were for me.

The BFG was my favorite. After reading it, I pretended to sleep while keeping one eye half-open in the hopes of spotting the Big Friendly Giant slipping a dream through my window. I was seriously sleep-deprived as a child.

Where do you do most of your writing?

The couch. I have a friend who writes at her desk while walking on a treadmill which is crazy and awesome and enviable and nuts and I wish I could do the same and I hope I never do.

Who or what makes you laugh?

My girlfriends! Sometimes we get so giddy and ridiculous we go into this fugue state of cracking each other up. Afterwards we can’t even remember what was so funny.

Favorite snacks?

When I get into a writing groove, I’m not picky about snacks. Put anything remotely salty, crunchy or sweet and my fingers will reach for it and bring it to my mouth.

What books do you enjoy reading?

Awesome ones. Hunger Games is an obvious book that I read and re-read and then re-read again. I was also blown away by Daughter of Smoke and Bone. The writing, right down to the word choice, was incredible. Judy Blundell who wrote What I Saw and How I Lied also has an incredible style and voice that I an read over and over again.

Who are you favorite authors?

Suzanne Collins. If someone offered a master’s class in Suzanne Collins, I would take it. Then fail it, so I could take it again.

I feel it's important to have your children read at a young age. How does it feel when you see a young teen reading?

It’s always awkward because I usually want to engage - especially if I’ve read the same book they are reading - to ask how they’re liking their book or what they think or what else they’re reading. But I don’t engage because it’s not polite to interrupt someone who is reading and because it’s creepy, as a stranger and an adult, to approach a young teen in public. J So I usually just smile to myself and go along my merry way.

Any other books in the works? Future projects?

The next book in my Jane Austen Academy series - SO INTO YOU.

I’m also debuting a trailer for my series soon that is ah-mazing. The actors they cast were so perfect, the setting was epic and I love the whole thing so much I wish it was a real television show.

About Fall For You

The last thing that the girls at the elite Jane Austen Academy need is hot guys to flirt with. Please. They need to stay focused on something that lasts much longer: an acceptance letter from an Ivy.

But over the summer the school has been sold, and like it or not, the guys are coming. And it’s about to turn the Academy—and the lives of its students—totally upside down…

* * *

To say Lizzie and Dante are polar opposites is the understatement of the century. He’s a snooty Exeter transfer with more money than Google. She’s a driven study-a-holic barely keeping up with tuition. It’s obvious that Dante thinks he’s way too good for Lizzie. And Lizzie knows Dante is a snob with a gift for pushing her buttons.

But things are changing fast this year at the Academy. And when Lizzie’s quest to stop those changes blows up in her face, taking her oldest friendship with it, she has nowhere else to turn but to Dante, with his killer blue eyes, his crazy-sexy smile, and his secrets… Secrets Lizzie can’t seem to leave alone, no matter how hard she tries…

One ebook will be given away

13+

Open to Everyone

Ends May 31st

Enter Here



Amy Fournier

Suffocate by S.R. Johannes is released TODAY

Today is the release of SUFFOCATE by S.R. Johannes.

S.R. Johannes is author of the Amazon Bestseller Untraceable and a current nominee of the Georgia Author of the Year in the Young Adult category. After earning an MBA and working in corporate america, S.R. Johannes traded in her expensive suits, high heels, and corporate lingo for a family, flip-flops, and her love of writing. She lives in Atlanta Georgia with her goldendoodle Charley (notice he is listed first :), her British-accented husband, and the huge imaginations of their little prince and princess, which she hopes- someday- will change the world.  You can find her hanging out online and visit her at srjohannes.com

Suffocate is the first novelette in THE BREATHLESS series. It is a 15,000 word young adult thriller that combines the dystopic and science fiction genres.

“For centuries, the world outside the Biome has been unlivable. Today, marks the first time anyone will attempt to leave the suffocating ecosphere. Eria is not worried because her scientist father has successfully tested the new Bio-Suit many times. It's a celebratory day until something goes horribly wrong. In the midst of tragedy, Eria uncovers a deep conspiracy that affects the very air she breathes.

If those responsible find out what she knows, they won't stop hunting her until she takes her last breath.”

The 2nd novella in the series, CHOKE, is scheduled for Fall 2012. The 3rd, EXHALE, is scheduled for Winter 2013.

Suffocate is available for purchase for only 99 cents at

Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Don't forget to add it to Goodreads

You can find Johannes at

Twitter

Facebook

Pinterest

Goodreads

Mail Confessions (2)

This week I have a few books to share with you. To get technical, two of them I had received last week and completely forgot to mention them. Shame on me! Here is what I received:

My Heart be Damned by Chanelle Grey. Published by Knight Romance Publishing. Released September 15th, 2012

The Weepers: The Other Life by Suzanne Winnacker. Published by Marshall Cavendish. Released on May 15th, 2012

Obumbrate by Alivia Anders. Self published. Released on July 7th, 2012

A special thank you is in order for Chanell Grey and Alivia Anders for helping to fill my mailbox! 

DOG DAYS Blog Tour w/ author Elsa Watson

Today you have stopped on the DOG DAYS tour here at Uniquely Moi Books. DOG DAYS will be released on May 22nd by Tor-Forge. I have the lucky opportunity to have Elsa here today, sharing a very unusual topic. I hope you enjoy!

Why Birthing a Book and Birthing a Baby Are Really Very Different

Elsa Watson

Thank you so much for having me on Uniquely Moi!  I wanted to bring up a phrase I’ve heard a lot lately, that having a book published is a lot like giving birth to a child.  Sure, the similarities are clear—like children, books leave home and become their own beings.  They have their own adventures, become meaningful to other people, and, sometimes, go on to become more than their parent ever thought possible.

But since I will have given birth to both within the past year (the babe was born in September; the book will come on May 22), I thought I’d talk about the one key way in which they differ—timing. 

Giving birth to a baby is a process, but it passes in a blink relative to the amount of time it takes to deliver a book.  Granted, the gestation periods are similar—a book could be written in nine months, though it often takes longer.  But it’s the actual delivery that’s so wildly different. 

Most people, when birthing a baby, head to the hospital when serious labor pains start, and they generally come back home with a newborn within 48 hours.  Sometimes there are false starts or premature deliveries that can slow down the timeframe, for most people a day or two is all it takes.

With my latest book, Dog Days, the process took about three and a half years.  That’s one heck of a long labor!  I started writing in the fall of 2008 with one clear idea—I knew I wanted to write about a woman and a dog switching bodies.  Unfortunately for me, that was about all I knew.  The book had a number of false starts that included total rewrites, cut chapters, and tireless work by my critique group.  By November I finally had a decent sense of where I was headed. 

Writing the first version of the book took me about ten months—I like to think of that as the pregnancy period.  All the rest—a two and a half year process—was the delivery, most of which consisted of revising, revising, and revising. 

The first revision came after I showed the manuscript to my agent, Kevan Lyon, of the Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.  Dog Days includes two point-of-view characters—Zoe, the dog, and Jessica, the person.  Kevan’s feedback convinced me to give Zoe’s sections a pretty thorough overhaul.

Once that was done, Kevan sent the manuscript out to editors she thought might be interested (this was in August 2010).  We had the wonderful good fortune to receive an offer from Kristin Sevick of Tor-Forge.  (Yippee!!)  Not long after, Kristin gave me her editorial suggestions, which this time focused on Jessica’s side of the story. 

Kristin and I spent the next year shuttling the manuscript back and forth.  After an initial, major revision, there were two more rounds, followed by copyedits.  One year later after we finished that work, here I sit, just a week from publication. 

Soon, just like when a pregnant woman takes that big trip to the hospital, a book will appear.  I’ll be surprised to see it, like any new mom, because ultrasound images never give you any idea of what the really baby will look like.  I’ll be excited to show it off to friends and family.  I might even cry a little (new moms get so emotional.)  And, after a few months have passed, I’ll forget all about the agony of delivery and will be ready to go through the whole thing again.

Elsa Watson is the author of Dog Days, in which Zoe (a dog) and Jessica (a person) are struck by lightning and switch bodies, leaving Jessica trapped in a dog’s body—and giving Zoe thumbs and the chance to speak.  (Coming May 22.)  Find Elsa online at www.elsawatson.net.

Review: Camp by Elaine Wolf

Camp
by Elaine Wolf

Published by: Sky Pony Press
Released on: June 1st, 2012
Hardcover
256 Pages
Rating: 5/5



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



  You know when you come across one of those books that really makes you stop and think about not only your life, but the way the world is? A book that grabs you and shakes you down to your core. Shakes hard. It's rare, unique, and to be treasured. That is exactly what I found in Camp.
  When I first decided to review Camp, I figured it would be some fluffy book about a mother/daughter adventure and a big bonding experience. What I found was far from that. Camp doesn't skim on issues at hand, but rips deeply into them, revealing how bad bullying can get. I know we have all had our share, but not like this. And certainly not having to deal with all of the numerous issues Amy Becker has on her plate.
 Amy and her mother have never gotten along. It isn't some trivial topic at hand, but an underlying issue that seems as though her mother truly hates her. If it isn't hard enough dealing with a mother who despises her, she also had to deal with the motherly role of taking care of her autistic eight year-old brother Charlie. This is not the life that a fourteen year old should be living. Her father understood this and signed her up for summer camp, hoping that she would enjoy some time away. Truth is--if Amy never would've went to camp, the tragic events never would have taken place. It was all a series of events starting with the overbearing bullying that took place that summer. I never would've had the courage and strength of Amy. My heart broke for her repeatedly. My tears continuously fell for her. In the end, I couldn't help but wonder... Could any of this really be true? This is something that I have never pondered after finishing a book. And in reading the note from the author, I had my answer. I am so very thankful for that note. So very thankful for Camp. Elaine Wolf deserves tremendous praise for her amazing talent.


Received for review purposes from the publisher.

Review: Nothing Left to Lose by Natasha Head

Nothing Left to Lose
by Natasha Head

Published by: Wintergoose Publishing
Released on: March 16th, 2012
Paperback
110 Pages
Rating: 4/5







 Nothing Left to Lose has poetry concerning many different, and some controversial topics. As you sink into Natasha's carefully written words, you'll find yourself molded into the poetry itself. So many I connected to, but I fell in love with Frozen, Reflection, and Empathy. So many emotions, so much spirit, so much life...



Received for review purposes from the publisher.

Psst! I have news on "The Ash-Born Boy"

Guess what everyone!!!

It's May 15th...

Know what that means?!

It's the paperback release of THE NEAR WITCH by the amazingly talented Victoria Schwab.

Because of this paperback release, that means other hugely tremendous news. I've been very curious about this for awhile now.

"The Ash-born Boy"

The secrets have finally been released to the public.

Just what is "The Ashborn Boy"?

It's a free story Victoria wrote as a thank-you to her fans, and she wrote it to answer ONE question: "Who was Cole before he came to Near?"

Now, if you've already read THE NEAR WITCH, "The Ash-Born Boy" is guaranteed to change the way you see Cole.

And if you haven't read THE NEAR WITCH yet, don't worry, "The Ash-Born Boy" won't spoil anything!

So basically, either way, you should go read Cole's story ;) READ IT!!!

And if you want to wait and read THE NEAR WITCH first, don't worry! Cole's story will stay up on Disney*Hyperion's website, and if it ever comes down, Victoria will carve out a space for it on her own site. It will always be available somewhere, and it will always be free.

And!

Cole's story isn't the only goodie to go along with the paperback release. In the back of the paperback itself, you'll find the first chapter of Victoria's new book, THE ARCHIVED, which doesn't come out until January!

So what are you waiting for?

Help Victoria celebrate today by taking a look at "The Ash-Born Boy," and don't forget to buy/order/pick up your own paperback copy of THE NEAR WITCH!

Ready?

You can find out

RIGHT HERE!

and find it on Goodreads too!!



Kindle Fire and $50 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway

A sweet deal right here guys! You have a chance (actually you can have multiple entries) for a chance to win a new Kindle Fire along with a $50 Amazon gift card to load it with all your must reads and fav's.

This giveaway is open to anyone 13 years of age and up. The prize will be sent directly from Amazon. US entries will have the option to receive the prize listed or a $250 gift card. If outside of the US, you will receive the giftcard to purchase the Kindle yourself. This giveaway will run from May 15th-May 30th at 11:59 PM. This giveaway has been offered to you by 25 different bloggers coming together to give one great prize. Simply fill out the Rafflecopter form below.




Participating Members:

1. I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
2. Read for Your Future
3. Sweeping Me
4. Making the Grade
5. Bookittyblog
6. The Romanceaholic
7. Good Choice Reading
8. Helen Smith
9. A Book and a Latte
10. Froggarita's Bookcase
11. Fiktshun
12. So Many Precious Books, So Little Time 
13. Uniquely Moi Books
14. eReading on the Cheap
15. Lori the Author
16. There's a Book
17. Books a True Story
18. Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf
19. Brinda Berry
20. JJ iReads
21. Colorimetry
22. Lisa's Loves (Books of Course)
23. The Book Faery
24. SpadesHighReads
25. A Book Obsession