The Phoenix Born Book Blitz and Giveaway

Posted on November 17, 2015 by The Page Unbound

The Phoenix Born (A Dance of Dragons #3)
by Kaitlyn Davis
Release Date: November 17th 2015

Summary from Goodreads:

From bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis comes the final book in the thrilling A Dance of Dragons series—perfect for fans of Throne of Glass, Graceling, and Game of Thrones!

For the first time in a thousand years, the fire dragon has been awakened and Rhen is its rider. But after destroying the armies that threatened the city of Rayfort, Rhen is shown a vision in flames that changes everything. The shadow’s phantom armies are coming and the dragons are the only things that might stop them.

High in the castle at the top of the Gates, Jinji has learned something of her own. Janu, her long lost twin, is alive. And just as the spirit shares her body, the shadow shares his. In the blink of an eye, her quest for vengeance against the evil that killed her family has changed to one of protection. Because she knows that if Rhen learns the truth he will do what she cannot—end the shadow, and end her brother in the process.

As the shadow grows more aggressive, Jinji and Rhen fight to find the rest of the dragon riders. But with time running out, they are forced to face the impossible decision between honor and love. Alliances are formed, promises are broken, and the fate of the world hangs in the balance…

Excerpt

The Phoenix Born – Chapter 10

Jinji stopped him by grabbing his cheeks and pulling his face against hers, kissing him urgently. Rhen tried to pull away, to understand why she wasn’t thrilled by the news, but her hands traveled to the back of his neck, grip tight, and he couldn’t break her hold. Her lips moved fast against his, pleading with him silently. Everything about her was desperately trying to hold on to the moment, to stop time, as though she were drowning and the air from his lungs was the only thing that might save her, as though he were her tether to life.

Rhen wanted to give in. More than anything, he wanted to melt beneath her touch and forget the world, to kiss her until the sun rose the next morning, and even then maybe not stop. He could so easily get lost in the fire of her touch, the silkiness of her skin.

But he couldn’t let himself.

The woman he loved was in pain.

Her kiss wasn’t full of passion. It was full of dread. Rhen sensed the dark taste on his tongue.

“Jin,” he mumbled against her lips.

But she didn’t stop.

Rhen reached back, unlatching her fingers, pulling her forcibly away from him, finding her eyes. “Jin?”

And with that word, she couldn’t avoid what was in her heart any longer. A tear rolled down her cheek, and she gave in, collapsing against him as her body racked with sobs. The moans came from a dark place within her, ripping their way up her throat, making him wince at the sound.

Rhen wanted to demand answers.

He wanted to force her to explain, to let him in, to tell him what had her so distraught.

But he didn’t.

He just held her, kissing her forehead and rubbing her back. Not questioning. Not demanding. There would be time for answers later. Right now, Jinji needed a shoulder to cry on and nothing more. He gave that to her, embracing her until sleep claimed them both.

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo│Smashwords│iBooks

A Dance of Dragons: Series Starter Bundle!

A FREE ebook bundle which includes the prequel novella, The Golden Cage, and the first full-length novel, The Shadow Soul!

Description:

An ancient evil awakens.

Three unlikely heroes rise.
An age of myth is reborn.

Try the A DANCE OF DRAGONS Series Starter Bundle today! This bundle includes the prequel novella, The Golden Cage, as well as the first full-length novel, The Shadow Soul.

RAVE REVIEWS for The A Dance of Dragons Series!

“Gorgeous writing (spellbinding is a word that fits well here), creative and unique world and characters that steal your heart away, this is an unbelievably fantastic beginning to what is sure to be a new favorite series. I’m so eager for more!” – Candace’s Book Blog

“The writing is flawless. The story and plot line, and plot twists, had me captivated and enamored for the first words. I couldn’t put this book down for anything, and I absolutely cannot wait for book two…It’s an amazing start to a new series that is going to have people of all ages wanting so much more.” – Happy Tails and Tales

“One word to describe this book: intense! Everything from the battles, to the secrets, to the descriptions of the characters and scenery, are all incredibly intense. This book had me biting my nails, stomach tided in knots, and completely entranced til the last word.” – Desert Rose Reviews

“Mind. BLOWN. Do you know that one book that made you love a certain genre again because it was so amazingly & beautifully written?? Well, The Golden Cage is the book that made me realize how good Fantasy can be.” – Spiced Latte Reads

“The Shadow Soul was positively transportive, left me feeling refreshed, and renewed my faith in symbolism, imagery, and the importance of world building and cultural preservation…If you want to set out on a journey, read this.” – We Do Write

About the Author

Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie.

Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she’s not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found indulging in some puppy videos, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her–about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general–you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com

To stay up-to-date with all of Kaitlyn’s new releases, sign up for her new release newsletter here: TinyLetter.com/KaitlynDavisBooks

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

Book Blitz Organized by:

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Bound Book Blitz

Posted on November 16, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Bound
by Donnielle Tyner
Release Date: 10/19/15

Summary from Goodreads:

Bound by Vengeance.

Sadie has found the resolve to fight the man who caused so much pain in her life. Her tentative alliance with the HCA underground gives her the resources to train both her body and Talent for when she comes face to face with her grandfather.

Bound by Loss.

Being separated from her friends at St Vincent’s is harder than she could have ever realized and it doesn’t help that Kian has withdrawn from her as well. With help from a new friend, Sadie uncovers more about her past and that someone close to her has been keeping secrets from Sadie her entire life.

Bound by Fear.

Tragedy strikes close to home, giving a longstanding enemy, one desperate and willing to do anything to have Sadie on their side, an opportunity to arise. Allies and friends come together to stand against evil, but at a terrible cost. Sadie’s history and future collide while the world is thrown into chaos.

Sadie must overcome or forever be Bound.

Buy Links:

Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Book Excerpt:

Kian pulled into a well-worn dirt path off the main road, almost hidden by the thick press of trees on both sides. Both of us bounced in our seats with each pot-hole hit as the headlights danced through the trees. A smart retort was on the tip of my tongue as we broke through the thicket in a small clearing, but when Kian parked the car next to the lake I forced my lips together and swallowed my unspoken remark.

I jumped out of the car instead of waiting on him and his chivalry. Stars dotted the clear night sky and the full moon was exceedingly bright tonight. Both reflected off the blackened still waters of the lake like a mirror. The view was cleansing to my soul. A tear escaped as I marveled at the celestial view. It was magical.

A pair of strong arms snaked around my waist before I felt Kian’s warm body press against mine. He rested his chin on my shoulder and in this moment there was only the two of us. Existing in harmony with the universe. With no death. No Fears. Just the void above us and the Earth below, with the two of us secured in their warm embrace.

Kian was the first to break the silence. “Happy?”

I twisted in his arms, turning around to where I could see his face. He looked more supernatural than man with the glow of the moon bouncing off his goldenrod hair. “More than I have been in a long time.” I paused and brushed some of his unruly curls out of his eyes. “Thank you.”

About the Author

Hello! Donnielle here. I’m a new indie young adult author. When I’m not writing, I spend my time reading, binge watching Netflix, homeschooling my two children, and hanging out with my husband.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

GIVEAWAY:

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Gratitude Giveaway Hop!

Posted on November 15, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Happy Thanksgiving!

We are so excited to be a part of the Gratitude Giveaway Hop! There are tons of blog sites participating. Be sure to check them out at the end of this post and enter their giveaways as well as ours!

What are we giving away?

One winner will receive a Signed Hardback Copy of The Storyspinner by Becky Wallace and one ebook of their choosing (US only).

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Dead Ringer Book Blitz

Posted on November 13, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Dead Ringer

by Jessie Rosen

Release Date: November 11th 2015

Full Fathom Five Digital

Summary from Goodreads

From the moment Laura Rivers steps foot into Englewood High, she notices the stares-and they aren’t the typical once-overs every pretty new girl endures. The students seem confused and…spooked. Whispers echoing through the halls confirm that something is seriously off. “That new girl looks just like her,” they say.

It turns out Laura has a doppelgänger, and it isn’t just anyone—it’s Sarah Castro-Tanner, the girl who killed herself by jumping into the Navasink River one year ago.

Laura is determined not to let the gossip ruin her chances of making a fresh start.

Thanks to her charming personality and California tan, she catches the eye of Englewood’s undisputed golden boy, Charlie Sanders, and it’s only a matter of time before they make their relationship official.

But something is making Charlie and his friends paranoid—and Laura soon discovers it has to do with Sarah Castro-Tanner.

What really happened to Sarah? Why is Charlie unraveling? And how does Laura Rivers fit into it all? After all, she’s the dead ringer for a dead girl.

Buy Links

Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Kobo │iTunes│GooglePlay│Full Fathom Five store

Excerpt

September 1

Laura

Deep breath, big smile, and remember: it’s all about swag.

Laura laughed at her reflection in the little compact she kept in her bag for touch-ups and pep talks. The word “swag” sounded so ridiculous. That’s what made it the perfect mantra for day one of her senior year of high school—the very first time she would be “the new girl.”

Laura had been dreaming about her entrance into Englewood High since it was decided that’s where she would spend this year—three thousand miles away from her previous home.

The move was a big change, but she welcomed the clean slate. It was time to focus her energy on everything but the demons of the typical high school girl—the kind she’d been her whole life: a wallflower and a pleaser. She was over the precarious balance between wearing something trendy but not so “out there” that people might talk. She was tired of being meek because battling the Queen Bees seemed too scary. And the days of hiding her natural smarts were over. Laura felt like high school was a tricky series of hoops she had to jump through before she could finally live on her own. So if high school isn’t for me, she’d decided, why let all its silly rules run my life?

That was Laura’s final thought as she stepped out of her vintage, black BMW convertible and glanced around at the other cars in the student parking lot. She’d debated the car purchase as soon as she arrived on the East coast. Convertibles are so obnoxiously California, she’d thought, but then she reminded herself that worrying about what everyone else thought was exactly the spiral she was trying to avoid. Besides, she worshipped that car and had saved every penny she could for almost two years to buy it. So what if people assumed it was a gift from her parents? She’d inform them that she bought it with a combo of waitressing tips from Joe’s Café right on the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, and money saved from fit modeling for the Rosefox denim line in downtown LA. No one would expect that. From what Laura knew of Englewood, most of the other BMWs in the lot would be brand-new sweet-sixteen gifts.

And yet the very first thing that caught her eye when Laura drove into the senior parking lot was another old car with its convertible top down. This one was cherry red and looked like it drove right out of a 90s music video, but it was in almost perfect condition. Apparently at least one other person in this town had to buy their own ride, Laura thought as she gave her reflection in the car window one final check.

For the first time in forever, she had decided to wear her long, blond hair down and parted on the far-left side so a waterfall of curls danced over her right eye, the slightly bluer one—the one that usually made her self-conscious. Today she let the curls do their thing instead of making sure every piece of frizz was locked down with an army of gooey hair products. She wore simple makeup paired with a shocking pink lipstick she’d seen on the girls strolling the pier all summer long. It was wild, but it made her feel powerful. Her first-day outfit was a 1960s floral shirt belted over a flirty, white sundress to make sure her tan legs showed, because why not milk the Cali-girl vibe? On her feet were cork-soled wedges in a neon-colored, striped print from 1989—one of her favorite vintage finds besides the car, of course. She was pretty sure she wouldn’t look like anyone at this posh, brick-and-ivy-covered, suburban New Jersey school, and she loved that fact. She was ready to start out on a totally new foot.

But just as Laura’s first-day confidence finally locked in, it vanished.

Across the parking lot, she caught the glance of two girls getting out of a shiny, white Corvette. Laura smiled in their direction, but something was off about the way they both looked back at her. Their faces were frozen in a strange, almost confused look that made her instantly uncomfortable. It was more than just the usual new-kid-in-school stares.

It wasn’t until the shorter, curly-haired girl glanced back and quickly turned away again that Laura saw the real feeling behind her eyes: she was scared.

* * *

“Rivers? Do we have a Laura Rivers? Hello, hello? Miss Rivers?”

Laura slipped into first period AP English just as the bell rang. Ms. O’Malley stood at the front of the room, just as skinny and evil-looking as all the online reviews claimed. She barely looked up from her attendance sheet as she barked. If she had, she would have seen twenty-four sets of eyes staring directly at Laura, and she would have also noticed that something was off.

As with those girls in the parking lot, there was something about these stares that gave Laura instant goose bumps. It was like everyone who saw her had the exact same thought. The only way she could think to describe the looks on their faces was spooked.

“Yes. Hi!” Laura said, trying her best to push through the awkward moment.

“Try to get here before the bell rings tomorrow,” Ms. O’Malley said. “I have you all seated alphabetically, so go take a seat behind…hmm, let me see…”

Laura scanned the room for empty desks. There were two open seats where students with last names beginning with R might fall. One was directly behind a way-too-friendly looking cheerleader type. She gave Laura a fairly convincing fake smile, but Laura took it with a grain of salt. Girls like that were skilled at the art of playing instant besties.

Then Laura’s eyes hit the person sitting behind the only other open chair, and instantly locked. It was as if there was a magnetic field around him; if you stayed far enough away it wouldn’t suck you in, but once you looked, you were done.

“Charlie Sanders,” Ms. O’Malley finally bellowed. “Charlie, raise your hand for the new girl to see.”

That wasn’t necessary—Laura had already found him. In the time it took him to lift his hand, she’d already stared through his dark-brown eyes, his knife’s-edge cheek bones, his messy- but-not-on-purpose chestnut hair, and his wide, toothy smile. She had to clench every muscle in her body to stop herself from giggling as he smiled politely in her direction.

But in the time it took for Charlie’s hand to fall back at his side, that smile was gone.

Laura saw the switch go off in his head and the confusion land on his face. It was the same creeped-out reaction she’d prompted so far that morning. Charlie’s version of the gaze was by far the most intense, but it was also the shortest. He almost instantly reverted back to a wide, comfortable smile. Either he has better manners than the rest of my classmates, Laura thought, or he’s the best actor.

“I’m Charlie,” he said as she took her seat.

“So I’ve heard,” she teased. “I’m Laura…the new girl.”

“So I’ve heard,” Charlie shot back. “Welcome to Englewood. It isn’t all that bad. Where’d you move from?”

“Los Angeles.”

“Oh. In that case, this place sucks,” Charlie said.

“Way to welcome the newbie…” Laura joked, and Charlie smiled back. Then Ms. O’Malley demanded all eyes on the front of the room and started rambling about the fact that Shakespeare was probably a woman.

Laura breathed a sigh of relief. For the next forty or so minutes she didn’t have to worry about what Charlie was thinking of her, or try to hide what she was thinking about him. It wasn’t until Charlie tapped her on the shoulder to pass him a copy of the homework assignment circulating around the room that Laura’s heart started pounding again. She caught him off guard when she turned around, and he had that same instant reaction to her face. For the first time, Laura put her finger on what was so strange about it.

He was looking at her like he knew her.

About the Author

Jessie Rosen is a writer, producer, and performer. She grew up in New Jersey, attended Boston College in Massachusetts, and began her writing career in New York. Her live storytelling series Sunday Night Sex Talk has received national attention. She was named one of “The 25 Best Bloggers, 2013 Edition” by TIME magazine for her blog 20- Nothings, which was also named in “The 100 Best Websites for Women” and “The Top 10 Best Websites for Millennial Women” in 2013 by Forbes.

Rosen is the oldest of four girls, which gives her a special window into the minds of teenagers. She now lives in Los Angeles, where she’s working on film and television projects, as well as her next novel.

Author Links

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

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Author Interview with Marie Landry

Posted on November 12, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Author Interview with Marie Landry

Author Links
Blog |Facebook | Twitter
Instagram | GoodReads | Newsletter

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you begin writing? What inspires you to write?
I live in Ontario, Canada, and I’ve been writing professionally for about five years now. I’m also a graphic designer, an avid reader, and a blogger. I started writing when I was really young; I’ve always had a vivid imagination and knew from an early age I wanted to be a writer. I find inspiration in everything – real life, TV shows and movies, songs, conversations I shamelessly eavesdrop on… 😉

Who is your intended audience and why should they read your book?
My intended audience for Something in the Air is anyone who enjoys coming-of-age stories about friendship, love, family, and following your dreams. I think many people will be able to relate to my main character, Rose, who feels stuck in her life and is trying hard to make changes and figure out what she wants in life. Most people have likely felt stuck or lost or unsure at some point in their life, and I think it’s nice to see that reflected on the page and know you’re not alone.

How did you come up with the title of your book or series?
When I started writing the book, a character in the first chapter tells Rose there’s ‘something in the air’, and it alternately freaks her out and excites her, because she’s so desperate for change. I thought it was fitting as the title.

Tell us a little bit about your cover art. Who designed it? Why did you go with that particular image/artwork?
I actually design all my own covers. I’ve been interested in graphic design for the last 12 years or so, and when I decided to start self-publishing it seemed natural to design my own covers. ForSomething in the Air, I chose the picture because I think it captures the way Rose feels about Declan – safe, secure, happy. It gives me this warm, happy feeling whenever I look at it.

Who is your favorite character from your book and why?
That’s hard! I love Rose and Declan (Declan was extra fun to write because he’s Irish and I love Irish boys), but I’m going to say Rose’s best friend, Dante, is my favourite. He’s funny and kind and caring, and I never knew what he was going to say or do next. He’s the type of guy who’s fiercely loyal and would do anything for the people he loves. He’s also very charming and a bit cocky, which was fun to write.

How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?
My least favourite would be Rose’s mother, Gail. She’s not a bad person so much as misguided and selfish. She can be pretty awful to Rose, but I have to admit she was fun to write. She’s the complete opposite of my own mother, who is beyond amazing, so it was a challenge, but in a good way.

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book or series:
In the book, Rose desperately wants to travel. She considers taking a job in the UK, but part of me wondered if that was realistic. I know people do it all the time – in fact, a friend of mine (who’s also my editor) moved to London a year ago on a 2-year work visa for the experience of living abroad and just basically a major life change – but I didn’t know if it was something Rose would do. This past summer I visited London, fell completely in love with the city, and knew if I’d had the opportunities Rose did, I’d jump at the chance. It helped me move the story along and finally finish it.

How can we contact you or find out more about your books?
I’m available pretty much everywhere online! I have a Facebook page, I’m on Twitter, Instagram, GoodReads, and I have a blog where I talk mostly about books, writing, travel, and share lots of pictures. You can find information about all my books (7 in total right now) on GoodReads and my blog.

What can we expect from you in the future?
You can expect a lot from me! I have more ideas than I know what to do with, and honestly, I hope that’s always the case. Next up is a contemporary young adult book I’m really excited about.

What can readers who enjoy your book do to help make it successful?
This is such a great question. A lot of readers have no idea just how much power and sway they hold. If someone enjoys my book – or any book – the best thing you can do to help make it successful is talk about it. Tell your friends; write a review on GoodReads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.; tweet about it or talk about it on Facebook or other social media; buy a copy of the book if you read an ARC, or if you bought the book, consider buying a copy for a friend. There are so many things readers can do, and I promise you, authors are grateful for all of it.

And now, before you go, how about a snippet from your book that is meant to intrigue and tantalize us:

“If you need help apartment hunting, I’m available. Or I have a spare room I’ve been thinking of renting.” I wasn’t sure if he was serious or not, but then he winked at me. “Too soon?” He laughed and I joined in. “Well, it’s true, I do have an empty bedroom, so if you get desperate…”

“I’ll keep you in mind,” I said. His brow quirked up and I blurted, “It! I’ll keep it in mind. The room. Oh god.” Heat flooded my cheeks.

He started laughing again, a quiet rumble that grew louder before tapering off. “Please do keep me and my spare room in mind.” He reached across the table and took my hand. “I want to see you again.”

Normally when I was embarrassed I got shy. This time it seemed to have the complete opposite effect. “Good. I want to see you again, too.”

Book Summary (Goodreads):

Her life hasn’t gone as planned, but she’s about to realize that sometimes the best things happen when you stop expecting life to be a certain way…

When Rose Morgan put off her college plans to help her mother through a difficult time, she thought it would just be a bump in the road of her journey. She got a job to help pay the bills and started picking up the slack at home. But three years later, her bumpy ride hasn’t smoothed out yet, and Rose feels stuck. She’s working at a job she hates and living with a manipulative mother. She’s tired of feeling like her life has stalled, tired of the resentment and anger building inside her with each passing day.

Then Declan Connelly appears in her life, and even though the hot Irishman is seriously tempting, Rose is determined not to let him in. She’s afraid to suck anyone into her bizarre life, especially someone who seems too charming for his own good. She soon learns there’s more to Declan than his sexy accent and charismatic personality, though. He’s a good man, and he wants Rose in his life, baggage and all. He’s got his own, and he isn’t scared away like she originally feared he would be.

Everything in Rose’s life is changing quickly. It’s finally her time–time to figure out what she wants and what her future holds. Time to get swept off her feet and not fight it. But when her plans might take her away from all the amazing new things in her life, including Declan, Rose has to make a choice. Is she willing to chase her dreams, even if it means letting go of love?

About the Author:

Marie has the best job in the world—one where she gets to make stuff up for a living and shamelessly eavesdrop on everyone around her. She writes happily ever afters while dreaming about the day she’ll have her own epic love story to tell. Most days you can find her writing, reading, fantasizing about traveling the world, listening to U2, watching copious amounts of TV on DVD, or having grand adventures with her nephews and niece.

For more on Marie and her books please visit http://sweetmarie-83.blogspot.ca. She also loves to chat with fellow book lovers, so feel free to tweet her @SweetMarie83 any time!

Forget Tomorrow Blog Tour and Giveaway

Posted on November 11, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Forget Tomorrow

by Pintip Dunn

Release Date: 11/03/15

Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

Imagine a world where your destiny has already been decided…by your future self.

It’s Callie’s seventeenth birthday and, like everyone else, she’s eagerly awaiting her vision―a memory sent back in time to sculpt each citizen into the person they’re meant to be. A world-class swimmer. A renowned scientist.

Or in Callie’s case, a criminal.

In her vision, she sees herself murdering her gifted younger sister. Before she can process what it means, Callie is arrested and placed in Limbo―a hellish prison for those destined to break the law. With the help of her childhood crush, Logan, a boy she hasn’t spoken to in five years, she escapes.

But on the run from her future, as well as the government, Callie sets in motion a chain of events that she hopes will change her fate. If not, she must figure out how to protect her sister from the biggest threat of all—Callie, herself.

24804505

Pre-Order Links:

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

About the Author
When my first-grade teacher asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I replied, “An author.” Although I have pursued other interests over the years, this dream has never wavered.

I graduated from Harvard University, magna cum laude, with an A.B. in English Literature and Language. I received my J.D. at Yale Law School, where I was an editor of the YALE LAW JOURNAL. I published an article in the YALE LAW JOURNAL, entitled, “How Judges Overrule: Speech Act Theory and the Doctrine of Stare Decisis,” and received the Barry S. Kaplan Prize for best paper in Law and Literature.

I am represented by literary agent Beth Miller of Writers House. I’m a 2012 Golden Heart® finalist and a 2014 double-finalist. I’m a member of Romance Writers of America, Washington Romance Writers, YARWA, and The Golden Network.

I live with my husband and children in Maryland.

Author Links:

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Blog Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

Giveaway Info:

 $50 Amazon gift card. Open internationally.

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Winter Teaser

Posted on November 10, 2015 by The Page Unbound

13206900

Winter (The Lunar Chronicles #4)

by Marissa Meyer (Goodreads Author)

Synopsis(Goodreads):

Princess Winter is admired by the Lunar people for her grace and kindness, and despite the scars that mar her face, her beauty is said to be even more breathtaking than that of her stepmother, Queen Levana.

Winter despises her stepmother, and knows Levana won’t approve of her feelings for her childhood friend–the handsome palace guard, Jacin. But Winter isn’t as weak as Levana believes her to be and she’s been undermining her stepmother’s wishes for years. Together with the cyborg mechanic, Cinder, and her allies, Winter might even have the power to launch a revolution and win a war that’s been raging for far too long.

Can Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter defeat Levana and find their happily ever afters?

Quote 1:

“She hesitated before asking, “Do you ever think about the future?”
His expression turned wary. “Of course I do.”
“And … does it include me?”
His gaze softened in a way that made her pulse skip. Releasing the overhead pipe, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “That depends on whether I’m thinking about the good future or the bad one.”
Cinder shut her eyes and tucked her head under his chin. “As long as one of them does.”
― Marissa Meyer, Winter

Quote 2:

“It’s not proper for seventeen-year-old princesses to be alone with young men who have questionable intentions.”
She laughed. “And what about young men who she’s been best friends with since she was barely old enough to walk?”
He shook his head. “Those are the worst.”
― Marissa Meyer, Winter

Quote 3:

“Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been?” she said, crossing to him. “I didn’t know if you were dead or being held hostage, or if you’d been eaten by one of the queen’s soldiers. It’s been driving me mad not knowing.”
He quirked an eyebrow at her.
She scowled. “Don’t comment on that.”
“I wouldn’t dare.”
― Marissa Meyer, Winter

Quote 4:

“Emperor, right.” she retacked the curtain “That’s weird to say, after eighteen years of listening to celebrity gossip feeds go on and on about ‘Earth’s favorite prince'”. She claimed one of the lumpy sofa cushions, curling her legs beneath her. “I had a picture of him taped to my wall when I was fifteen. Grand-mere cut it off a cereal box.”

Wolf scowled.

“Of course, half the girls in the world probably had that same picture from that same cereal box.”

Wolf scrunched his shoulders against his neck, and Scarlet grinned, teasing. “Oh, no. You’re not going to have to fight him for pack dominance now are you? Come here.”

She beckoned him with a wave of her hand and he was at her side in half a second, the glower softening as he pulled her against his chest.”
― Marissa Meyer, Winter

Lumiere

Posted on November 10, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Lumière by Jacqueline Garlick
(The Illumination Paradox #1)
Publication date: December 12th 2013
Genres: Steampunk, Young Adult

Book Summary

Even in a land of eternal twilight, secrets can’t stay hidden forever.

Seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth is no stranger to living in the dark. She’s hidden her secret affliction all of her life—a life that would be in danger if superstitious townspeople ever guessed the truth. After her mother is accused and executed for a crime that she didn’t commit, the now-orphaned Eyelet has no choice but to track down the machine—her last hope for a cure. But Eyelet’s late father’s most prized invention, the Illuminator, has been missing since the day of the mysterious flash—a day that saw the sun wiped out over Brethren forever.

Alone and on the run, she finds the Illuminator—only to witness a young man hauling it away. Determined to follow the thief and recover the machine, she ventures into the deepest, darkest, most dangerous part of her twisted world.

Purchase Links

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My Review

The Characters

This book starts out as such a tearjerker! From the very beginning of this book, Eyelet is met with so many challenges in her world. Searching for the truth about her father and the Night of the Great Illumination, she is met with horrible events that take her down a troubled path with seemingly no one to support her. Eyelet suffers from seizures, an illness that is associated with madness and therefore extremely dangerous. After her mother is accused of Wickedry, a crime punishable by death, Eyelet sees her mother just long enough to be given a mysterious glowing necklace and a plea to live.

I really feel for Eyelet and so many characters in this book. In addition to all of the challenging events in her life, Eyelet considers herself defective because of her condition and even questions why she was born at times. Angry with her father for leaving before he could fix her, she is determined to find what is called an Illuminator. A machine that is introduced in the very beginning and is somehow meant to cure her seizures.

On her trek to escape execution, she finds a clue to where her father hid the Illuminator, or Lumière, and discovers a thief towing it away into the night. As any ‘sane’ person would do, she jumps aboard the moving carriage and demands to be saved by a boy thief. Urlick Babbit is an amazing character. He saves Eyelet from a likely fall, takes her in, and can kind of be a bit of a jerk sometimes. It’s pretty great.

This book has the added bonus of including both Eyelet and Urlick’s points of view. I really enjoyed the back and forth narration. It felt very natural and was spaced very well between the characters so that the reader could enjoy finding out different perspectives of the scene without seeming repetitive. It was also very interesting comparing the characters self worth and then how they viewed each other. The relationship that developed between also seemed so natural and while they could both be very stubborn, I really enjoyed the comical appeal it brought out in the book.

It is of course my duty as a reviewer to warn you that there is cliffhanger at the end of this book. I seem to have a curse that makes me choose amazing books that make me wanting more at the end.

*Shakes fist*

The World

Lumière truly did have a very grand scope. Garlick creates a fantastical world with so many different varieties of imagery, magical, and mechanical inventions.

This is the first book in which I got to delve in a world of steampunk and it’s so exciting! I can really understand the appeal of this genre and why it’s becoming so popular. There is something very raw and gothic about the style and realm of this type of story.

I love these types of novels; the cinematic visual descriptions and action sequences really jump off the page and have me on the edge of my seat. Well…couch anyway.

I love the twists of different stories and what most appealed to me was the cohesive way that the author integrated magic and science together. Not only did it have its brand of mystery and excitement but corruption in society as well.

I look forward to reading the sequel Noir in the future and observing how the author’s writing will develop.

About the Author

I’m Jacqueline Garlick, author of young adult and new adult fiction. I love strong heroines, despise whiny sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog. (Don’t you?)
I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper). I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology and would rather hang out with a dog, than a cat. I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you. You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (currently in my writing room), and there may or may not be a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won’t find a hidden passageway, but a girl can dream, can’t she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea.

My writing style has been described as edgy and rule-breaking, and by some–a touch Tim Burton-esque. Because of this, I am often referred to as the Quentin Tarantino of YA among writing friends.

In my former life, I was a teacher (both grade school and college-don’t ask), but more recently I’ve been a graduate of Ellen Hopkin’s Nevada Mentor Program and a student of James Scott Bell, Christopher Vogler and Don Maass. An excerpt from Lumière earned me the 2012 Don Maass Break Out Novel Intensive Scholarship.

Lumière–A Romantic Steampunk Fantasy–my debut novel, is the recipient of an indieBRAG Medallion!!! B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree October 15, 2014) I am so proud! (LUMIERE by Jacqueline E. Garlick is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!) Book II of the ILLUMINATION PARADOX SERIES, is out January 26th, now on pre-order.

Also, check out my young adult contemporary romantic/mystery serial, IF ONLY, where reluctant telepathic sleuth Kyla Cooper must embrace her powers and risks all to solve the mystery of what happened to her boyfriend Denver Munro, becoming his voice of truth, before he has no voice at all…

I love hearing from READERS! Please contact me, either at my website: www.jacquelinegarlick.com, or catch up with me on twitter @garlick books, or on facebook: http://bit.ly/jegarlickfb

I’m open to reviews and interview, requests for skype visits, guest blogs, pod casts and book club meetings! I LOVE TO HEAR FROM READERS!

Author Links

Pinterest | Goodreads | Blog

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Sugar Skulls Excerpt and Giveaway

Posted on November 9, 2015 by The Page Unbound

Sugar Skulls
Glenn Dallas & Lisa Mantchev
Published by: Skyscape
Publication date: November 10th 2015
Genres: Dystopia, New Adult, Science Fiction

Book Summary (Goodreads):

Welcome to Cyrene, a city where energy is currency and music is the lifeblood of its young citizens. Everyone lives on the grid, and the residents of the world’s largest playground are encouraged to pursue every physical and emotional pleasure imaginable.

Vee is the lead singer of the Sugar Skulls, an all-girl band that is Corporate’s newest pet project. Micah haunts the city like a ghost after an overdose of a deadly illegal street drug knocks him off the grid. When Micah and Vee forge an immediate, undeniable connection, their troubled worlds collide.

Trading concert stages for Cyrene’s rooftops and back alleys, they have to evade vicious thugs and Vee’s possessive manager as they unravel the mysteries connected to their dark pasts. And before the curtain falls, Micah and Vee will bring the city to its knees in their desperate bid for love, home, and a future together.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble

EXCERPT:

The girl in the mirror is an undead supermodel in search of a catwalk. It’s the handiwork of the new styling team Corporate brought in to deal with my hair and paint my face and glue sequins to my eyelids and shove in the black-light contacts after the old team quit.

Not that I’m admitting I had anything to do with them unceremoniously packing their kits and leaving before the last show. Better to point the finger at Jax.

In the group, Jax is “the crazy one.” Damon recruited her a year ago, just before her eighteenth birthday, and she’s driven every styling team we’ve had batshit insane with her demands.

“Spiderwebs,” she decides for her face paint tonight, then points her index fingers at a case of skunk-striped bedhead so legendary, it looks like mice have nested in it. “Just don’t touch the ’do.”

There’s a continuous rumble coming from the front of the house: newbies, fresh off the nanotech install and frothing at the mouth to get a taste of everything Cyrene has to offer. The mistress of ceremonies appears a few minutes later, hovering around the edges of my mirror like a moth about to get bug-zapped, makeup already settling into creases she thinks no one else can see. Hellcat Maggie drones on for a bit, her words painted in every shade of predictable monotony.

Eyes glued to the set list on her laptop, short hair spiked and pink, Sasha nods and makes understanding noises without really listening. Five months back, Damon pulled her from outside Cyrene, where everything is workaday business as usual, melting polar ice caps and recycling and talking heads, minimum-wage jobs and Wall Street assholes. She told me he offered a considerable chunk of cash to her poor-as-dirt family in exchange for a three-year contract capitalizing on her sound design and computer skills. Means Sasha got to leapfrog over a hundred thousand or more eager applicants all clamoring to get into the city, but instead of acting like a badass, she’s more like a puppy that might pee on the rug.
She and Jax are the same age, but you’d never guess it, because Sasha is “the nice one.”

And me? Well, I guess that makes me “the bitch.” Like now, instead of joining in Jax’s preshow pill binge or Sasha’s obsessive run-throughs of the set list, I hug Little Dead Thing and wish everyone would just shut their cakeholes. He understands my mood, curling up in a tight fur-splotched ball in my lap, purring like a rusted-out lawn mower engine. Sasha dragged this sorry excuse for a cat in off the street a couple months back. He’d almost immediately started trailing after me, gratitude be damned, yowling at doors closed between us and shredding furniture when left behind at the Loft. Just easier to bring him along, a freaky little mascot who leaves hairs all over my robe.

But I banish him to a dark corner before getting dressed. Fuck-me wardrobe. Heels so tall, I prance instead of walking through the dim red lights in the wings. Corseted waist, narrow skirt, a thousand pounds of hand-sewn beads catching the light when I step onstage. The dress was a class-me-up gift from Damon: vintage and gorgeous and beyond expensive.

I’d taken a switchblade to it, because tatters suit me better.

Still miles away from comfortable, I try to draw a deeper breath than the corset allows, and it catches in my throat. I shouldn’t be stressing. Tonight’s just a warm-up for the big to-do at the Dome. Three days and counting. Have to test the set list and the newest energy-grabbing thrum-collectors Corporate’s eager to roll out citywide.

Every time I blow up one of the old ones, it knocks me off the grid. Cue a mind-scrubbing and a nanotech reboot. I’m tired of waking up as a brand-new Vee. I’d like to keep this version of myself, even if that means making nicey-nice with the equipment.

Anything to keep Damon off my back for a little while longer.

About the Authors:

When not working on puzzles for Penny Press or writing about them for PuzzleNation, Glenn Dallas is an author of short stories and at least half of one novel. After appearing in the acknowledgments of several outstanding novels, he looks forward to returning the favor in the future.

Lisa Mantchev is the acclaimed author of Ticker and the Théâtre Illuminata series, which includes Eyes Like Stars, nominated for a Mythopoeic Award and the Andre Norton Award. She has also published numerous short stories in magazines, including Strange Horizons, Clarkesworld, Weird Tales, and Fantasy. She lives on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State with her husband, children, and horde of furry animals. Visit her online at http://www.lisamantchev.com.

Author links
Lisa:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

Glenn:
Website / Twitter

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The Secrets We Kept Book Blitz and Giveaway

Posted on November 9, 2015 by The Page Unbound

The Secrets We Kept by Lily Velez
Publication date: November 8th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

One year. That’s how long it’s been since childhood sweethearts Sully Graham and Cadence Gilbertson broke up, since one adoption and one out-of-state move turned their worlds upside down.

Suddenly, Cadence is back in New York City, but something’s different about her. The light in her eyes, the music in her laughter, the warmth in her smile—all of those things have entirely vanished. In their place stand the makings of a girl Sully can’t even begin to recognize, much less understand.

Still, despite the collective history of heartbreak between them, he’s convinced he can win her trust again, and he’s committed to proving the invincibility of their love no matter what it takes.

But Cadence is quietly harboring secrets of her own. Dark secrets. Ugly secrets. Secrets that could break a person. And though broken herself and unbearably lonely, she’s determined to protect Sully from her terrible, biting truths. Even if it means locking him out of her life forever.

The only problem is it seems her heart hasn’t quite received the memo. One glimpse of him is all it takes for her to trip into familiar (and, she’ll admit, addictive) feelings that threaten to all but consume her. Now her biggest fear is that her secrets will begin to slowly unravel one by one…long before Sully’s resolve ever does.

The Secrets We Kept is a moving story about first love, friendship, and forgiveness, and the enduring bonds that forever connect us and give us our strength.

EXCERPT

Sully still remembered the first time that he saw Cadence. It was a sweltering summer that year. Push-cart ice cream vendors roamed the neighborhood blocks like soldiers on patrol, circling playgrounds and community swimming pools. It was common to see people pop open fire hydrants like champagne bottles, children dancing in the shoots of water as miniature rainbows reflected off the asphalt.
Sully and his brother, twelve and ten years old at the time, were living with the Petersons back then along with a tribe of foster siblings. Ol’ Man Peterson was a Vietnam vet with PTSD and a short-fuse temper that exploded so quickly, it was like his personality had a gas leak. Usually, maintaining a thirty-foot distance from the man at all times was insurance against his drunken rampages. His military pedigree had bred in him a no-nonsense adherence to hard work and, where appropriate, hard discipline—both of which were far less easy to escape.
The hard work in particular manifested in the Peterson prison as an endless checklist of chores (otherwise known as “slave labor” in the Spencer Graham lexicon), the completion or lack thereof of which determined whether or not you ate dinner that night. Additionally, each child had to fulfill their assigned task in accordance with certain standards, and as Ol’ Man Peterson was an uncompromising perfectionist, one chore could go through three to five rounds before the man extended a grunt of approval.
The afternoon Cadence arrived, Sully and Spencer were attached to yard work. While the Peterson walk-up sat only a few yards from the curb, which meant there barely existed a lawn between the chain-link fence and the front door, Ol’ Man Peterson preferred his grass cut to an exact height. It was taking painstaking precision to perfect his science.
Spencer lay on his stomach with a see-through ruler to measure the blades of grass. “I think you cut this side of the walkway too short.”
Sully rested a broom atop his shoulders, arms draping over it like a scarecrow. “It’s way too hot to even care, dude.”
“I care because I want to see the new Adam Sandler, movie and I’m not about to get grounded for another weekend.”
“How many times have I been grounded because of you?”
Spencer stood. “Whatever. I’m taking over sweeping duty.” He stretched out a hand to receive the broom, but Sully’s gaze had already shifted to a royal blue SUV parking alongside the curb. A woman emerged from the driver’s side. She came around to open the backseat door closest to the Peterson home. Two ballet flats appeared from under the door, reaching for the street. When the woman closed the door, a girl who looked to be Sully’s age or slightly younger stood with her, hands bracketed to the straps of her backpack and her bottom lip caught softly under her front teeth.
Spencer snapped in Sully’s face. “Hellooo? Earth to Sully.” Sully nodded toward the two, and when Spencer turned and saw them, he said, “Uh oh. Another casualty.”
The woman, clearly the girl’s caseworker, greeted the boys with a cheery “working hard?” before continuing up the walkway with her charge. Sully waited for the girl to look his way, and when she finally did, he offered her a soft, barely-there smile by way of hello. Part greeting, part commiseration. She instantly looked away.
They discovered her name only because she was sharing a bunk-bed with their friend Novah. “Cadence Livingston,” she told them. “She’s been in the system for a few years. She doesn’t talk much. Or at all. Those are the only things I was able to get from her. She’s probably halfway to being a mute.”
“I wish Spencer was a mute,” Sully muttered.
“Ha ha,” Spencer said. “You’re so funny. Absolutely hilarious. How did I get so lucky to have a brother like you?” Then he excused himself to see about fixing the eyesore Sully had made of the front lawn and left Sully fixated on the enigma of the quiet and elusive Cadence Livingston.

Purchase Links:

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AUTHOR BIO:

Lily Velez has been writing stories since she was six years old. Not much has changed since then. She still prefers the written word and her overactive imagination over the ‘real world’ (though to be fair, her stories no longer feature talking dinosaurs). A graduate of Rollins College and a Florida native, when she’s not reading or writing, she spends most of her days wrangling up her pit bulls Noah and Luna, planning exciting travel adventures, and nursing her addiction to cheese. All this when she isn’t participating in the extreme sport known as napping. You can learn more about Lily and her books at www.lilyvelezbooks.com.

Lily’s debut novel, The Secrets We Kept, comes out November 8, 2015.

Author Links:

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