Top Cuddles of 2012 Giveaway Hop

In honor of our favorite reads of 2012, the fabulous team at Cuddlebuggery is hosting the Top Cuddles of 2012 giveaway hop. I think I broke up with more books this year than I did last year, but there were some gems I managed to dig up and I'm here to give you the chance to win them.

The giveaway is international to any country The Book Depository ships to. If the winner is from the US, the prize will be shipped from Amazon. There will be one winner for each book. You must be thirteen or older. Make sure to check the linky below and visit all the fantastic blogs participating in the hop. Good luck!

My top two favorite reads of the year are Angelfall by Susan Ee and Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

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Book Recommendation...Grave Mercy

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae’s most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

My thoughts~ Assassin nuns? What? Well let me tell you, these are not your grandma's nuns. These are knife wielding, warrior nuns that serve Death himself.

Hands down my favorite book of the year. Seriously, if you have not read Grave Mercy stop whatever you are doing and get your grubby little mitts on this book. See someone reading it? Grab it and run like the wind. Then lock yourself away and do not emerge till you have finished. (Okay, do not really steal it from an unsuspecting reader. They would probably hunt you down and chew off one of your limbs.)

But seriously, I fear I cannot bring justice to this book. Robin LaFevers is extremely talented.. Her writing is superb and every character makes and impact. Ismae is smart, strong, independent and extremely likable. It was very refreshing reading a character that empowers woman like Ismae does. She puts her work above herself and does not compromise things by running off after some guy and putting the whole mission in jeopardy. There are times when issues are set before Ismae that cause her to question things, but she stays the course and does not act with out reason.

And oh how I love Duval, let me count the ways. There is romance and Duval is one of the yummiest I've read this year. (I have to admit something though. I may be partial to Duval because he is one of the few male leads I've read that is not a teenager. So I didn't feel all cougarish for liking him as much as I did. Okay, TMI...moving on.) I'd say the romance is perfectly balanced with the plot. It is never shoved down our throat, but is present enough to keep things interesting.

Whether you are a fan of historical fiction or not, this story is a must read. It is based on an actual historical event with a flare of fantasy weaved throughout. From the plot to the setting this intriguing story makes an impact.I received Grave Mercy from Net Galley last spring and did not read it till now. I loved it so much I bought the hard back, put it on my favorites shelf and bought a copy for friend.

Robin stated on her blog that she spent seven years working on this story. Her dedication and perseverance shows on every page. Grave Mercy is book one in His Fair Assassin trilogy, but stands alone as a complete story. Book two follows along the same time line but we will get to follow Sybella, Ismae's sister nun and friend.


One of my favorite lines~
The thinly veiled venom of her false concern still bubbles through me, as vicious as any poison.
~location 2043

Cover Reveal...The Dracian Legacy

I am very excited to be a part of Priya Kanaparti's cover reveal for her upcoming release, Dracian Legacy. It is YA Paranormal Fantasy Romance, all my favorite things, and book one in the trilogy. Check it out, it sounds like it will be a great read and I cannot wait to get my hands on it. It will be available Feb. 14th. You can enter to win a free e-book of Dracian Legacy, The Covenant Series by Jennifer L. Armentrout or The Significance Series by Shelly Crane, the stories that inspired The Dracian Legacy, below.

Blurb:

Ren and Axel are caught between two powerful magical races: one destined to end the bloodshed, the other out for vengeance.

Seventeen-year-old Ren Pernell is prophesied to end the war between the Dracians and the Telalians. So when a Dracian, Axel Knight, is sent to find and bring back the prophesied one before she turns eighteen and Telalians discover of her existence, unexpected sparks start to fly between the two. Once Ren finds the truth behind Axel’s arrival, she wants everything to do with him and nothing to do with his mission.

Things prove to be difficult as Ren’s life is constantly threatened by forces that are beyond her control, including the leader of the Telalians.
With the clock ticking and Ren’s life in jeopardy, it is no longer just a mission for Axel. It becomes a personal endeavor to save the only one he’s ever loved. In a heart racing ending, they must find a way to evade the preordained war that won’t also end Ren’s life.

Isn't it beautiful? Of course it is. The designer for the cover is: Regina Wamba at maeidesign.com.

Priya Kanaparti was born in India, grew up in Detroit, and is now living in Boise, ID. She attended Wayne State University for her undergrad degree in Bachelor of Science in Biology, and University of Phoenix for her Masters in Business Administration. Priya works as a project manager in software field during the day and lives in the world of her characters during the nights and weekends. She had found the love for reading and writing early this year, when she stayed home with her year old and needed something to occupy those 'downtime' hours.
She loves playing tennis on a good summer day and chess during the cold winters, but reading and writing has become a year round hobby.
She lives in Boise with her husband, son and a Yorkie. Dracian Legacy is her debut novel.

Priya can be found all over the web~

Twitter: https://twitter.com/pkanaparti
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorpriyakanaparti
Goodreads Author Page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6526707.Priya_Kanaparti
Goodreads Dracian Legacy: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16007175-dracian-legacy
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/103131167289314491102
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pkanaparti/



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(Mini) Movie Review...The Hobbit

Oh Mr. Tolkien how I love you.

I must tell the truth, I did not like reading The Hobbit. But before you drag out the tar and feathers hear me out. I think Tolkien is the king of fantasy. I love every story he has created. Just not on paper.

This movie is superb. The cinematography is breath taking. If you are a Lord of the Rings fan this movie is a must. We all know LOTR is fantasy but The Hobbit takes it to a new level. It just seems more magical. There are no humans, we get to see several new creatures and a few of our old favorites are sprinkled through out.

Some might say it could be a tad shorter, but I was fully immersed into the story and drank up every second of it. I think the best way to explain it is this. You know how you see movies in the theater, then you see the extended version on DVD with all the extra scenes built right in? Well that is what The Hobbit is like. All the extra, really cool scenes are right there for us in the theater to enlighten and richen the experience.

So grab the kiddies, con the parents or just go by yourself if you have to. The Hobbit is defiantly worth the price of admission. I am going to see it again.

My Name Is Kriston, and I Judge Books By Their Cover

I admit it, I am easily influence by clever advertising, snappy tag lines and visually appealing book covers. Now I'm not all shallow, I do picks books based on intriguing summers and recommendations, but sometimes I just plain buy a book because I love the covers and want them on my shelf.

Here are a few of the books that I have bought strictly based on the cover alone.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordian. So of course I read all the Percy Jackson books and was kind of tired of them by the end. But when I saw the mechanical dragon with three new demigods I was interested.

What appealed to me the most? The colors. I love the teal.

Did it live up to the cover love? Yes. But this book alone. I loved the new demigods and new story line. So what a huge disappointment it was for book two, to be about Percy. What? His story is over. Lets give the new kids a chance. But no such luck. I recently broke up with The Mark of Athena. There are just to many characters to care about now. We have the old ones, minus Grover, and now five new ones. And where's Jason's point of view? I get all hooked on new characters just to have them over shadowed by the same ol Percy.

Faery Tales & Nightmares by Melissa Marr. What appealed to me the most? The creepy cabin in the woods and the mysterious girl in the puffy dress.

Did it live up to the cover love? Yes and no. The writing is of course is beautiful. But, this book is an anthology of previous published short stories by Melissa Marr that they rounded up and stuck in one book. There are a couple original works, but a good portion are related to the Wicked Lovely series.

Mocking Jay by Suzanne Collins. I do not know why this cover appealed to me, but it did. I use to visit my beloved Borders every single week and I was always drawn to this book.

Did it live up to the cover love? Not at all. I did not like Mocking Jay one bit. I found it depressing and the characters unrecognizable. But I am very thankful for Mocking Jay. Because when I bought it I bought the whole series and without it I would not have read The Hunger Games, which happens to be one of my all time favorite reads.

I have three more to share, but I fear one of them may also make it into a Book Break Up post. I have my fingers crossed that we can work things out.

Please tell me I am not the only person that has done this? Are there any books on your shelf that you bought just because of the cover? I would love to hear about them.

Book Blast...The Immortal Circus

Ladies and gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to introduce to you a show unlike any you've seen before.

Within the walls of THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS, you'll be amazed by acts of tragic romance, seductive magic, and maybe even a little murder.

After all, loves, nothing is what it seems under this big top. Not even your innocent little heroine, Vivienne.

Released every two weeks through the Kindle Serials program, we'll be sure to keep you on the edge of your seat, right up to the breathtaking conclusion that will have you begging for more. But don't worry, loves—you'll delight in the anticipation.

I personally guarantee it.

Follow our spectacle across four blogs representing the two Faerie Courts. There will be exclusive interviews and artwork, backstage reviews and more from the author, A.R. Kahler—and trust me when I say, he knows the circus well. Pick a side, promote the show, and compete for your chance to win a spectacular prize of circus goods.

And my eternal love, of course.

Trust me when I say, when the final curtain falls, no one and no thing will ever be the same. But let's not get ahead of ourselves. The show's just beginning.

Are you ready to run away forever?

~Mab

Ringleader, Fashionista, and Queen of the Winter Court

Choose Your Court...

***

About THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS

Murdered contortionists aren’t exactly what Vivienne signed up for when she ran away to join the circus. But like most things under the big top, nothing is what it seems. With a past she can't quite remember, Vivienne finds that running away forever might not be as appealing as it once sounded—especially not when she realizes the devilishly attractive ringleader Mab is the Faerie Queen of legend…and that she and the rest of the troupe are locked in an age-old rivalry between the otherworldly Courts.

Aided by her friends Kingston—a feisty stage magician whose magic is quickly stealing her heart—and his smart-ass assistant Melody, Vivienne finds herself racing against the clock to discover the culprit behind a series of deaths that should be impossible. However, the answer she seeks might reveal more about her own bloody past—and future—than she bargains for.

The show's just beginning.

Step right up… GOODREADS, AMAZON, FACEBOOK, WEBSITE

About A.R. Kahler

Most little boys dream of running away to join the circus. Alex didn't just dream it: he did it. But then, he rarely lets a good dream pass him by.

In the past six years he's toured and trained across America and Europe. He's performed in Amsterdam, taught trapeze in Madrid, studied in Glasgow and even had a stint as assistant to Holly Black and Cassandra Clare in New England. He's constantly on the lookout for new places to explore and new worlds to invent. He's a Sagittarius fueled by full moons and espresso. The way to his heart is a latte and fan art. Just for the record.

THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS is his first New Adult novel, and is being released exclusively through the Amazon Kindle e-Serials program by 47North. It will be available in print and audio when the episodes are complete.

MARTYR the first book in his post-apocalyptic fantasy, will be published by Spencer Hill Press in October 2014


Find him: TWITTER as @ARKahler, TWITTER as @ImmortalCircus, WEBSITE

There are 10 Kindle eBook serial copies of THE IMMORTAL CIRCUS up for grabs.

The giveaway is 3 days ONLY and it’s open to anyone 13 and older who can receive gifted Kindle books.

The winners will be announced within 24 hours after the giveaway closes in the Rafflecopter form.

All giveaway rules are listed in the Rafflecopter.
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Blog Tour & Giveaway...There Comes A Prophet

Welcome to the There Come A Prophet blog tour, hosted by CBB Book Promotions. I am super excited to be kicking it off today with Read, Write, Sleep, Eat! After you leave here head over there to read the guest post. Also, make sure you enter the giveaway below and check out the list of all the amazing blogs on the tour.

Book Blurb~
Who among us will cast aside a comfortable existence and risk death to follow a dream?
A world kept peaceful for a thousand years by the magic of the ruling vicars. But a threat lurks from a violent past. Wizards from the darkness have hidden their sorcery in a place called the keep and left a trail of clues that have never been solved.
Nathaniel has grown up longing for more but unwilling to challenge the vicars. Until his friend Thomas is taken for a teaching, the mysterious coming-of-age ritual. Thomas returns but with his dreams ripped away. When Orah is taken next, Nathaniel tries to rescue her and ends up in the prisons of Temple City. There he meets the first keeper of the ancient clues. But when he seeks the keep, what he finds is not magic at all.
If he reveals the truth, the words of the book of light might come to pass:
“If there comes among you a prophet saying ‘Let us return to the darkness,’ you shall stone him, because he has sought to thrust you away from the light.”

My thoughts~ I will be the first to admit I always want to classify books and stick them in specific categories. I must say that is a little difficult with this book because it covers such a broad range of interests, but I will help narrow it down. There Comes A Prophet is a little fantasy, sci-fi with a dash of dystopian thrown in. David Litwack  seamlessly weaves the three genera's together to create an intriguing and entertaining story.

When I started reading I really had know idea what direction it was going to take, but the unique world instantly grabbed me and lured me in. I really enjoyed reading the tale of these three life long friends and lengths they go to keeping each other safe.  It quickly moves into the meat of the plot and clips along and a good pace.

As far as the writing goes David Litwack gives some of the best examples of "showing" I've read. We are rarely, if ever, "told" how something looks or how someone feels. The rich descriptions are full of detail that gives clear images of every person and scene.

I recommend the read.

Author Bio:

The urge to write first struck when working on a newsletter at a youth encampment in the woods of northern Maine. It may have been the night when lightning flashed at sunset followed by northern lights rippling after dark. Or maybe it was the newsletter's editor, a girl with eyes the color of the ocean. But he was inspired to write about the blurry line between reality and the fantastic.

Using two fingers and lots of white-out, he religiously typed five pages a day throughout college and well into his twenties. Then life intervened. He paused to raise two sons and pursue a career, in the process becoming a well-known entrepreneur in the software industry, founding several successful companies. When he found time again to daydream, the urge to write returned. There Comes a Prophet is his first novel in this new stage of life.

David and his wife split their time between Cape Cod, Florida and anywhere else that catches their fancy. He no longer limits himself to five pages a day and is thankful every keystroke for the invention of the word processor.

Website/blog

Facebook: David Litwack - Author

Twitter: @DavidLitwack

Book trailer: http://youtu.be/43girNzSFsw

Book available at

  Amazon

 Goodreads

 Barnes and Noble

 Sony ebooks

 Apple

Paperback

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Make sure to visit all the fabulous blogs in the tour for more chances to win!

12/3

Words Escape Me - Review

&

Read, Write, Sleep, Eat! - Review and Guest Post

12/4

My Parahangover - Review

12/6

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer - Interview

12/7

Books in the Spotlight - Review

&

Fiction Fervor - Review

&

Lili's Reflections - Review

12/8

Moosubi Reviews - Review

12/10

Comfort Books - Interview

&

 Ensconced in YA - Review and Interview

12/11

Supernatural Snark - Excerpt

12/12

Lizzy's Dark Fiction - Review

12/13

On Starships and Dragonwings - Guest Post

12/14

Jean Book Nerd - Review and Guest Post 

12/17

The Book Babe - Top Ten Songs 

&

Nawanda Files - Interview 

12/18

Steampunkery and Book Reviews - Review and Teaser Quotes

12/19

Love is Not a Triangle - Review

&

Insane About Books - Review

12/20

Books, Thoughts and a Few Adventures - Review

12/21

Indie Book Blog - Guest Post

Blog Tour...The Warlock's Curse

The Warlock's Curse by M.K. Hobson

I'm super excited to be a part or The Warlock's Curse blog tour. Make sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a free book and some cool swag.

book description~
THE YEAR IS 1910. Eighteen-year-old Will Edwards has landed a prestigious apprenticeship at Detroit’s Tesla Industries, the most advanced scientific research center in the United States. It’s a plum prize for a young man who dreams of a career in the new science of Otherwhere Engineering.But his father doesn’t want him to go. And he won’t tell him why.
Determined to get there by any means necessary, Will finds unexpected support along the way. His old friend Jenny Hansen—daughter of a San Francisco timber baron—is eager to help him for reasons of her own. And so is his estranged brother Ben, who he hasn’t seen in over ten years.
But running away turns out to be the easy part. On the first full moon after his eighteenth birthday, Will is stricken by a powerful magic—a devastating curse laid upon his ancestors by the malevolent sangrimancer Aebedel Cowdray. Will must find a way to control the magic that possesses him—or the vengeful warlock’s spirit will destroy everything and everyone he loves.

My thoughts~ The Warlock's Curse is the third book in the Veneficas Americana series. This story is strong enough to stand on its own so do not be afraid to jump right into this book if you want.

M.K. Hobson, in my opinion, is a wonderful writer. The imagery pops right off the page. I have never read a book taking place during the early 1900's and through the description I pictured it perfectly. I think this book is what would be considered magical realism. In The Warlock's Curse is set in an alternate history where magic is common among everyday life.

I do have to say this book took a while to gain momentum and starts off with a nineteen page prologue. It was a little to long for my tastes, but the information is given to us for a reason so it is worth hanging in there. When we jump into Wills story it still takes a bit to get started, but during this time we are introduced to Wills world and we learn a lot about his character, his family and what motivates him. After the story starts rolling it moves along a good pace with plenty of excitement.

Jenny is Wills partner on his journey and I instantly liked her. She can be a little feisty and is a determined young lady that knows how to get exactly what she needs. Though they are brought together to fulfill their own separate needs, a relationship unfolded before our eyes and I was really rooting for them.

 I really enjoyed this story and am looking forward to the continuation of Will and Jenny's adventure.

Bio:

M.K. Hobson’s debut novel, The Native Star—the first book in her Veneficas Americana series—was nominated for a Nebula award in 2010. She lives in the first city in the United States incorporated west of the Rockies. Her favorite writers are Theodore Dreiser, Sinclair Lewis, Booth Tarkington, Gore Vidal, and William S. Burroughs. The Warlock’s Curse is her third novel. You can find out more at her website,www.demimonde.com.

Website: http://www.thewarlockscurse.com/

Twitter: mkhobson

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/mkhobson

Book trailer: http://youtu.be/oyrYAfu8IMg

Giveaway:
Prize package of *signed* copies of The Native Star, The Hidden Goddess and The Warlock's Curse as well as a swag pack of a Tesla Industries pin, magnets and a sticker *not shown*.
*Open to US only*

13 ebooks of The Warlock's Curse 
*Open worldwide*
Ends 12/30/12

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What Twilight Did For Me

I have to admit, Twilight changed my life.

Lets flashback to early 2008. Breaking Dawn had yet to be released and Twilight was nothing more than an irritating suggested read from Amazon.

I would read the summery and think they were right. I would like this, I do love vampires. Then I read the category... Young Adult. Okay, next. I am a grown adult, what was I going to do with a kids book? I know I devoured Harry Potter, but that was the exception. Ya right. Little did I know.

Then one magical day a friend was carrying on about how much she loved her latest read, and there it was, Twilight. I rolled my eyes. She mentioned the vampire sparkled like diamonds. Sparkled? No self respecting vampire is going to sparkle. Needless to say, I eventually gave it a try, and there was no going back.

Twilight opened up a whole new world. I always liked to read, but it was hard to find books I loved. For some reason YA filled that void. I know I am old enough to be most YA characters mother, but I relate to YA books. I rarely read anything else. I remember at the time the YA section in my beloved Borders consisted of one wall. By the time they bit the dust the Ya section expanded to at least 5 times the size. At first I hid the fact that I read YA. Not now. Along with my love for reading the exciting new (to me) genera, I realized I also like to write it. My life has never been the same.

Now we are at the end of an era. Breaking Dawn - Part Two is upon us. Will Twilights popularity pass along to the next generation? I doubt it. Only time will tell. I remember how sad I was when I completed the final book. I wondered how I would ever make it through the withdrawals. I scoured the shelves looking for anything to help me with the process. Then there it was. A shirtless boy with a golden sheen standing behind the New York City skyline. "The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare. Never heard of her. I guess I'll give it a try." Well, we all know that worked out. *winks and flashes evil smile*

Drain You blog tour

Today is my stop on the Drain You, by M. Beth Bloom, blog hop and giveaway. Published by Harper Teen. I'm super excited to be a part of this tour. We get the 90's, vamp's (I heart vampires) and L.A. What a combo! The Drain You tour was launched on Oct 5th at  Mundie Moms and Hobitsies. Make sure stop by to see the entire list of hosts and blog stops. And don't forget to enter the giveaway below.

Book Description: "Summer. The 90s. The rich, sun-bleached neighborhoods of the Los Angeles canyons. Enter Quinlan Lacey, a cool, bored, sarcastic, sexy 17-year old with a dull part-time video store job and a mild case of teen ennui. That is, until she meets the alluring, River Phoenix-esque James, and realizes the hills are alive with the undead. Inspired more by the early, dry L.A. short stories of Bret Easton Ellis than the current crop of serialized vampire fiction, the supernatural grunge romance, Drain You, narrates the headaches and heartbreaks Quinn undergoes in her quest to stay sane and cool and in love and alive."

 Publisher's Weekly review  "Bloom debuts with a languid, stylish novel that reads like a love letter to cult vampire flicks like The Lost Boys, the work of Francesca Lia Block, and Southern California in the 1990s." 

Available at  Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About the author "Bloom's first short story “Love And Other Catastrophes: A Mix Tape” was featured in Story Quarterly and selected by Dave Eggers for inclusion in The Best American Nonrequired Reading: 2003 (Houghton-Mifflin), which he curates annually. Bloom is the founder of underground dance label 100% Silk (profiled here in LA Weekly) AND the producer/lead singer of the band LA Vampires (written up in The Guardian as well as Pitchfork and Fader). Her next book will be published through HarperTeen.
M. Beth lives on the east side of L.A. where she indulges in raw fooding, magazine subscribing, thrift shopping, Sunday matinee'ing, and ladies book clubbing." 

 A list of Giveaway Prizes: -5 Copies of 'Drain You' signed by the Author, -$50 Credit at Wasteland (Quinn's favorite store), -Pages from Quinn's Notebook (pics attached), -10 'Drain You' Bookmarks handmade by Quinn, -10 90's mixtapes curated and created by Quinn





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Teaser Tuesday...The Carnival of Souls

Teaser Tuesday is bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following~

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

The Carnival of Souls by Melissa Marr

"Mallory?" Kaleb stared at her in that too-intense-for comfort way he had done since they'd met a little over a month ago."

"That meant she was caught living among the witches, preparing to fight daimons with only a human's defenses."

I heart Melissa Marr's books. She is one of my favorite story tellers.

Just Finished Reading...Ten

Ten by Gretchen McNeil

from Amazon

Shhhh!
Don't spread the word! Three-day weekend. House party.
White Rock House on Henry Island.
You do not want to miss it.
It was supposed to be the weekend of their lives—three days on Henry Island at an exclusive house party. Best friends Meg and Minnie each have their own reasons for wanting to be there, which involve their school's most eligible bachelor, T. J. Fletcher, and look forward to three glorious days of boys, bonding, and fun-filled luxury.
But what they expect is definitely not what they get, and what starts out as fun turns dark and twisted after the discovery of a DVD with a sinister message: Vengeance is mine.  Suddenly, people are dying, and with a storm raging outside, the teens are cut off from the rest of the world. No electricity, no phones, no internet, and a ferry that isn't scheduled to return for three days. As the deaths become more violent and the teens turn on each other, can Meg find the killer before more people die? Or is the killer closer to her than she could ever imagine?

I really liked this book. But to tell the truth, I did try to break up with it several times. I will start of with what did not work for me.

I did not connect with most of the characters. They were quickly introduced and none of them really stood apart from one another. But the main reason I kept breaking up with Ten was Minnie. The annoying best friend. Let me rephrase that. The worlds most annoying character. I was actually hoping she was going to get knocked off so I didn't have to hear from her anymore. Even though Minnie was the reason I kept setting this book down, she was also the reason I kept picking it back up.

The author made me feel something. Even though it was irritation, it was a really strong feeling. Not all writers can make me feel for their characters like that. Who says all books need to make you feel warm and fuzzy? You know who else made me feel like that? Cassandra Clare. With the big reveal at the end of City of Bones. (You know what I'm talking about) After that I always said, if a writer can bring that much emotion out of me, she must be doing something right.


Now for what did work for me. It was a super fun story. It really sucked me in. Every time I set it down I was wondering what was going to happen next. I really liked T.J. and Meg. They seemed like real people and I liked their chemistry together.

Now this is not a "deep" read. It went pretty quick. I loved the dark and dreary setting and it was easy to picture. Ten reminded me of one of my all time favorite scary movies, April Fools Day. The whole time I read this book I pictured it in my head as a movie.  It just has that big screen feel to it.

Plus I love this cover, its all creepy and cool at the same time.

So if you were thinking of reading Ten, this is what I would do. Save it for a rainy weekend. Grab your Snuggie and keep in mind that it is a light read, a little scary and lots of fun.

Fangs, Fur and Fey Giveaway Hop

Fangs, Fur & Fey. My three favorite subjects. How could I not be a part of this giveaway?

What is the prize? The book of your choice, from the Book Depository, up to $15.00! But here is the catch. It has to be about something with fangs, fur of fey. You know, like vamps, weres or faeries.

Give away is International. (as long as the Book Depository ships to your country for free)
You must be 13 years or older to enter.
Winner will have 72 hours to respond after notification.

Please see below for a complete list of links to other blogs in the hop. Thanks for stopping by. Good luck! Hosted by I'm a Reader, Not a Writer & Reading Lark

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Uncontrollable Blog Tour

Today we have a very special guest with us. S.R. Johannes, award winning author of Untraceable and her latest release Uncontrollable. She took the time to give us a peek behind the scenes and talk about the essentials of plotting a novel.

Also...Shelli is giving away a free chapter or query critique to one lucky reader. (or maybe I should say writer)

~Thank you Shelli for joining me here on Words Escape Me. I'm a huge fan of your work and am thrilled to have you here today. 

~So I have to ask, are you a plotter or a panster?

I used to be a total pantser. But after it took me 3 years to do Untraceable, I changed my approach. So now I develop a query pitch first and then bullet out the story. This is my shell of an outline and that ends up expanding into my overall story.

So I guess I am both. I plot at a high level –I know the story and how it generally plays out - but as far as specifics – like clues and twists – it comes as I write.

~I love to read about how authors bring their creations to light. I know there are about a million different ways to flesh out a plot. Can you tell us what works for you and share a little bit about your technique?

After I write my pitch letter – I know the overall story. Then I start with a bulleted list of what happens in my head from A to Z (again at a high level – so for example

·      Grace loses father.

·      Grace finds evidence.

·      Grace takes it to police

·      They don’t believe her.

·      Etc etc.

I go as far as I can with what I have in mind.

Then, those bullets end up bunched into chapters.

I talk through the story with a couple of beta readers to see if I can explain it out loud. Out of those conversations – I end up figuring out some more details as I externally process. It gives my beta readers a chance to thro win ideas too. I add more bullets in and flush it out based on the conversation.

After that, I start writing the chapters and the details come into play as I write that chapter.  So for example I didn’t know that the evidence was a Cheetos bag. But it had to be something that could be mistaken for trash to someone but was a clue to Grace. Yet still crazy enough to make you question her sanity.

~Do you have any advice or resources that you can recommend to a writer to help them discover their own plotting technique? 

If you spend too much time reworking your plot and/or your book/idea over and over – that might be a sign that your process is not working. I’m not saying your first draft doesn’t change. But the general story/idea should be there and unfold at a high level. I’m not saying you don’t need to edit or revise, but if you are totally reworking your whole plot and characters every draft – then it might be a sign that you might need to plan out the story in some more detail before you write.

Try to research plotting books and try out different techniques. You will know when you find the right one for you.

Thanks again Shelli for taking the time to chat with us. 

To celebrate the release of Uncontrollable S.R. Johannes has agreed to offer something unique for our giveaway. A free chapter or query letter critique.

Helpful links~

S.R. Johannes blog   Untraceable on Amazon  Uncontrollable on Amazon
You can also click on the Uncontrollable banner on the right to link the rest of the blog tour and other chances to win prizes.

Enter here for a chance to win  a chapter or query critique from S.R. Johannes. This is a great opportunity for all you writer folks. We know  the more eyes to see our work the better.