Saturday 28 February 2015

February Recap

Read:











Favourites:







Reviews:


http://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/review-under-different-stars-by-amy.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/review-conspiracy-girl-by-sarah-alderson.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/review-conspiracy-girl-by-sarah-alderson.html



http://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/review-storm-fall-rebel-wing-2-by-tracy.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/review-vanishing-girls-by-lauren-oliver.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/review-talon-talon-1-by-julie-kagawa.htmlhttp://jesswatkinsauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/review-winners-crime-winners-trilogy-2.html




Blog Tour + Guest Post + Giveaway - Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show by Steve Bryant


Find the tour schedule here.





Title: Lucas Mackenzie and the London Midnight Ghost Show

Publication date: November 18, 2014

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Steve Bryant



Lucas Mackenzie has got the best job of any 10 year old boy. He travels from city-to-city as part of the London Midnight Ghost Show, scaring unsuspecting show-goers year round. Performing comes naturally to Lucas and the rest of the troupe, who’ve been doing it for as long as Lucas can remember.



But there’s something Lucas doesn’t know.



Like the rest of Luca’s friends, he’s dead. And for some reason, Lucas can’t remember his former life, his parents or friends. Did he go to school? Have a dog? Brothers and sisters?



If only he could recall his former life, maybe even reach out to his parents, haunt them.



When a ghost hunter determines to shut the show down, Lucas realizes the life he has might soon be over. And without a connection to his family, he will have nothing. There’s little time and Lucas has much to do. Can he win the love of Columbine, the show’s enchanting fifteen-year-old mystic? Can he outwit the forces of life and death that thwart his efforts to find his family?



Keep the lights on! Lucas Mackenzie’s coming to town.


Goodreads   





 Purchase links:









My Publishing Journey or How I Became a Published Author 


Meg Cabot (The Princess Diaries and many others) is from here in Bloomington, IN, so I wrote and asked her about her road to success. She suggested that I purchase Jeff Herman’s Guide to Publishers, Editors, and Literary Agents and, from that, to pick an agent. I submitted drafts to various agents until one said yes, Anna Olswanger. Anna worked hard with me re editorial changes to the manuscript to make it saleable and then began submitting it to publishers. Although there were rejections along the way, I was impressed that the publishers took Anna and the manuscript seriously. Eventually Anna found the perfect home for this book, Month9Books, run by Georgia McBride. Georgia assigned an editor, Jackie Morse Kessler, and I worked with Jackie for nearly a year until the manuscript was in final shape. I am now working with a publicist, Jaime Arnold, and the book is due out November 18.







About the Author

Steve Bryant is a new novelist, but a veteran author of books of card tricks. He founded a 40+ page monthly internet magazine for magicians containing news, reviews, magic tricks, humor, and fiction; and he frequently contributes biographical cover articles to the country’s two leading magic journals (his most recent article was about the séance at Hollywood’s Magic Castle).






Connect with the Author:  










Tour-wide giveaway

Open internationally



Friday 27 February 2015

Friday Reveal + Giveaway - Chapter Two Reveal: Hunted (Sinners #2) by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki



M9B-Friday-Reveal



Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!


This week, we are revealing Chapter 2 of

Hunted (Sinners #2) by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki

presented by Month9Books!


Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!


Hunted


HUNTED is the electrifying sequel to the bestselling debut BRANDED, A Sinners Series, by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki.

It’s been three months since the revolt against the Commander’s fifty-year-old regime failed.

Under a new ruler, things were supposed to change. Get better.

But can anyone really be trusted?

Lexi and Cole soon find out, as life takes an unexpected turn for the worse.

In this ever-changing world, you must hunt or be hunted.

Lives will be lost.

Dreams will be crushed.

Fears will be realized.

Secrets will be exposed.

When Cole is once again faced with losing Lexi at the hands of a monster, one encounter will change everything.

Forever.




Connect with BRANDED fans on Instagram at:
#abiandmissy
#Sinnersfandom
#Sinnersseries
#Colexi
#Sinnersseriesbranded
#Brandedofficialfanpage
#Brandedfandom
#Lexihamilton

add to goodreads


Title: Hunted (Sinners #2)
Publication date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki


Available for Pre-order:
 
amazonB&N






excerpt

You can read Chapter Two HERE!

Happy Reading and Enjoy!







About-the-Author



Abi and Missy 2
Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.


Author Links:  







Giveaway


Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!


The book will be sent upon the titles release.








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Thursday 26 February 2015

Review - The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #2) by Marie Rutkoski



Title: The Winner's Crime (The Winner's Trilogy, #2)
Author: Marie Rutkoski
Pages: 416
Publisher: Bloomsbury Childrens
Release date: 12th March 2015

Blurb from Goodreads:

Lady Kestrel's engagement to Valoria's crown prince calls for great celebration: balls and performances, fireworks and revelry. But to Kestrel it means a cage of her own making. Embedded in the imperial court as a spy, she lives and breathes deceit and cannot confide in the one person she really longs to trust ...

While Arin fights to keep his country's freedom from the hands of his enemy, he suspects that Kestrel knows more than she shows. As Kestrel comes closer to uncovering a shocking secret, it might not be a dagger in the dark that cuts him open, but the truth.

Lies will come undone, and Kestrel and Arin learn just how much their crimes will cost them in this second book in the breathtaking Winner's trilogy.







My Review:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Bloomsbury Publishing Plc (UK&ANZ) and NetGalley*

2/5 stars

Now back in Valoria and engaged to the crown prince, Kestrel's time is taken up with celebrations for her upcoming royal wedding. But Kestrel soon learns that she has made a cage for herself and that the Emperor is a dangerous man. Kestrel decides to help the Herrani.
Now governor of the Valorian controlled Herran, Arin struggles to help his people and keep the Emperor happy while his mind is overrun by thoughts of Kestrel.


The Winner's Crime started off well setting up Kestrel's life at court which I enjoyed reading about. Then Arin appeared. For me it went downhill from there - not much seemed to happen throughout the rest of the book and the angst between Kestrel and Arin really annoyed me. It wouldn't have been so bad if there hadn't been so many scenes that made me want to pull my hair out because of Kestrel's lies to Arin.
I like the writing style but the plot failed to hold my attention and after a while I started skim reading. 
I do like Kestrel and Arin but as I said above they really frustrated me in this book.


Overall this was an okay but disappointing read.

  


Wednesday 25 February 2015

Book Blitz + Giveaway - Uncharted Redemption by Keely Brooke Keith




Title: Uncharted Redemption

Author: Keely Brooke Keith

Release Date: February 24, 2015

Publisher: Edenbrooke Press



Description: 

Levi Colburn, resentful of his father, haunted by his mother’s tragic death, and pained by his love for the unattainable Mandy Foster, breaks from the Land’s tradition and begins to build a life of his own. When rebels tear through the village of Good Springs, Levi vows to deliver justice and restore the woman he loves. As tradition stands in the way of redemption and threats from the outside world begin to appear, Levi must learn his greatest battles cannot be fought with his fists. Romantic, suspenseful, and filled with adventure, Uncharted Redemption weaves dramatic new layers into life in the Land.




Purchase Links:






Pre-order signed paperbacks: 






Add Uncharted Redemption to your shelf on: Goodreads, Shelfari, FictFact, and LibraryThing.




Have your ebook of Uncharted Redemption signed via Authorgraph.



 Uncharted Redemption is the second book in the Uncharted series. If you haven’t read The Land Uncharted, it’s best to start here: The Land Uncharted.


 





Author Bio



Keely is a bass guitarist and lives on a hilltop south of Nashville. When she isn’t writing stories or playing bass, Keely enjoys dancing, having coffee with friends, and sifting through vintage books at antique stores. 










Author links:












Book blitz organised by:

http://www.yaboundbooktours.blogspot.co.uk/