Cover Reveal: Ignite by Erica Crouch

Posted By: Kellie - May• 17•13

Very, very exciting stuff today. Check out the cover reveal for Ignite by Erica Crouch (who just happens to be critique/business partner)! I’m sure I’ll be gushing about this book a lot over the next month or so until it comes out, but for now I’ll let you enjoy the fantastic cover.

Ignite Version2

Penemuel (Pen) fell from grace over a millennium ago, yet there are still times she questions her decision to follow her twin brother, Azael, to Hell. Now that the archangel Michael has returned, threatening Lucifer’s vie for the throne, she begins questioning everything she has always believed.

As Hell prepares for war – spreading a demonic virus and pilfering innocent souls to build an army – the lines separating the worlds blur.  Fates erase and the future is left unwritten. Azael is determined that he and his sister will continue to serve as demons together, but for the first time in her life, Pen is not ruled by destiny. She has the freedom of choice.

With choice comes sacrifice, and Pen must decide which side she’s willing to risk everything fighting for: the light, or the dark.

Ignite on Goodreads ~ Erica on Twitter ~ Erica’s Website ~ Erica on Facebook ~ Patchwork Press

image-2Erica Crouch is a twenty-year-old living on the outskirts of Baltimore, Maryland. She is pursuing a degree in English and Creative Writing with a specialization in Fiction at Southern New Hampshire University. Currently, she works for a small press in editorial services. She spends what spare time she has reading an overwhelming stack of books, watching an obscene amount of Netflix and procrastinating.

Ignite is her debut novel and she is currently writing it’s sequel along with other future projects.

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Review: You Look Different In Real Life

Posted By: Kellie - May• 15•13

you look different in real life

Publisher: Harper Teen
Publish Date: June 4th, 2013
Source: Digital ARC
Goodreads

Synopsis: The premise was simple: five kids, just living their lives. There’d be a new movie about them every five years, starting in kindergarten. But no one could have predicted what the cameras would capture. And no one could have predicted that Justine would be the star.

Now sixteen, Justine doesn’t feel like a star anymore. In fact, when she hears the crew has gotten the green light to film Five at Sixteen, all she feels is dread. The kids who shared the same table in kindergarten have become teenagers who hardly know one another. And Justine, who was so funny and edgy in the first two movies, feels like a disappointment.

But these teens have a bond that goes deeper than what’s on film. They’ve all shared the painful details of their lives with countless viewers. They all know how it feels to have fans as well as friends. So when this latest movie gives them the chance to reunite, Justine and her costars are going to take it. Because sometimes, the only way to see yourself is through someone else’s eyes. -Goodreads

Thoughts: I wish I’d written this review sooner. As soon as I finished this book, I was absolutely buzzing with how much I enjoyed it. Inevitably I got distracted, and about a week has passed, but I hope I can do it justice, because I REALLY loved this book. The concept alone was enough to catch my interest, but the writing and the characters held me from cover to cover.

You Look Different In Real Life is one of those books that reminds me why I keep coming back to contemporary reads, even though I’m more of a fantasy/apocalyptic girl. All of the characters were interesting, funny and genuine. Of the five main kids, I don’t think there was one that I didn’t just want to stop and hug at some point in the book.

The thing with reviewing books you love, is that you’re never sure how much you should give away. I’d love to go into all the little details that made me love this book, but at the same time I think you should just dive in and experience it for yourself. This story is very much about the study of people, so if that’s something you can get behind, then I very much recommend this read. There’s also some fun bits in here for film makers and documentary buffs. Okay, and a small dose of reality TV, but you didn’t hear it from me.

The version I read was an ARC, but I will absolutely be picking up a copy as soon as it’s available.

Purchase You Look Different In Real Life
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN) @The Book Depository

Second Opinions:
@Chick Loves Lit
@The Allure of Books
@Mostly YA Lit

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Tour (Review & Interview + Giveaway)- The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

Posted By: Kellie - May• 14•13

the summer i became a nerd

It’s a blog tour day, it’s a blog tour day!! Who’s excited?! I’m excited. Today we have all kinds of goodies to celebrate the release of The Summer I Became a Nerd by Leah Rae Miller–A review, an interview, and a giveaway.

So, let’s get to it, shall we!

About the bookOn the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl’s body isn’t just unknown, it’s anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.
Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever. -Goodreads

Review: As soon as I heard about this book, I contacted the author to see if I could get my sticky little hands on a review copy… the concept was just too awesome to pass up. Preppy, highschool cheerleader lets her freak-flag fly.

The main character Maddie is a pretty typical cheerleader, but it’s only on the surface. She’s also an epic comic book nerd, but an epicly embarrassing moment a few years back made her feel like she had to repress all that. Anyways, the stars align and Maddie meets Logan, whose parents run the local comic book shop, and sparks fly.

I won’t go into the whole plot for you, but this book is a lot of fun for nerds and non-nerds alike. But as someone who is undoubtedly a nerd (although, I’ve never tried LARPing), there were a lot of references in here that made me all kinds of giddy. I really enjoyed both Maddie and Logan as character and was definitely rooting for them throughout the whole story.

The one thing I will say is that the book was a little predictable at times, and the message wasn’t even a little bit subtle–but that didn’t take away from the enjoyment of the story for me.

The Summer I Became a Nerd is a quick, cute read that is perfect for the coming season.

Purchase The Summer I Became A Nerd
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN) @The Book Depository

Interview with Leah Rae Miller!

leah raeKellie- From concept to completion, how long did TSIBAN take you to write?

Leah- From point A: getting the idea and sitting down to write the first word, to point Z: signing the contract with Entangled, it took about six months.

Kellie-
Was there any research involved in crafting the book? Please tell me you LARP’d.

Leah- I didn’t have to do much research at all other than the occasional question for a friend. I watched a lot of teenage romantic comedies like Easy A and Sixteen Candles. As far as LARPing goes, I did a lot of it in my early twenties so all I had to do was rehash those old, awesome memories.

Kellie-
Can you tell us a little bit about your writing process?

Leah- I usually start out with a simple idea. I’ll toss it around with my writer friends and let it simmer in my head. I’ll write a query for it to help pinpoint the real gist of the book. Then I sit down to write. Normally, I’ll have the first few chapters done before I find myself needing to plot.

Kellie- Without giving anything away, what was the most difficult scene for you to write?

Leah- Wow, that’s a tough one. I guess it’d have to be the final LARP scene. Even though it was my favorite scene to write, it was also hard because there’s a certain amount of action in it and a well-balanced action scene can be difficult to write.

Kellie-
What has been your favorite read of 2013 so far?

Leah- SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard was awesome! I love stories derived from classics and Anita did such a great job! I can’t wait for the second book! Team Jeb, baby! 

Kellie- What’s next for you?

Leah- I have a lot of stories in the works. All different kinds, too. So hopefully, you’ll be seeing a lot more from me in the coming years!

Kellie- Thanks, Leah! I really enjoyed TSIBAN and can’t wait to see what you come out with next.

Visit Leah Rae Miller online!

Win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Review: Just One Day by Gayle Forman

Posted By: Kellie - May• 13•13

just one day

Publisher: Dutton Juvenile
Publish Date: January 8th, 2013
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Synopsis: When sheltered American good girl Allyson “LuLu” Healey first meets laid-back Dutch actor Willem De Ruiter at an underground performance of Twelfth Night in England, there’s an undeniable spark. After just one day together, that spark bursts into a flame, or so it seems to Allyson, until the following morning, when she wakes up after a whirlwind day in Paris to discover that Willem has left. Over the next year, Allyson embarks on a journey to come to terms with the narrow confines of her life, and through Shakespeare, travel, and a quest for her almost-true-love, to break free of those confines. -Goodreads

Thoughts: Whoa, Gayle Forman! How did you DO that?! Just One Day is a simple story about being a person trying to figure out the whos and whats, that somehow manages to be so much more.

Allyson is a character I’m sure a lot of readers can relate to. There’s a little bit of Allyson in everyone, and a little bit of Lulu (her spontaneous alter-ego), which is why this book works so well. Gayle Forman managed to make “finding yourself” seem not at all cheesy or over done. It’s just something we all have to go through, and Allyson does it beautifully/disastrously/just-want-to-hug-that-girl-ly.

While both the character and plot could have carried this book on their own, the surprise treat for me was all the travel. This book brought back a lot of the fantastic feelings that came with my own European travels, and it also brought back the ones that make me facepalm. Also, Paris is amazing.

Here’s the part where I wish I could talk about the ending. I’m not sure I agree with it, but I loved it all the same. And… sequel!! (sort of) Overall, GREAT book, that I’ll be purchasing a second copy of for my reluctant-reader sister.

My only problem with this book is that every time I see it mentioned on Twitter One Day More from Les Mis get stuck in my head for a few hours, but that’s something I can live with.

Purchase Just One Day
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN) @The Book Depository

Second Opinions
@Dear Author
@Never Ending Stories
@Mostly Reading YA

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Bout of Books 7.0- Goals & Updates

Posted By: Kellie - May• 12•13

BoBAnd so it begins (or at least it will tomorrow)! Today is Bout of Books Eve and readers everywhere are getting ready for a week of bookish insanity. You can get up-to-date on the Bout of Books blog that has all the nitty-gritty details of what to expect.

My Goals

This week is going to be pure madness! It’s the last week before my next book release, and I still have A LOT to do. More than I care to admit. But I’m going to break that up with a lot of reading because I have a lot to do. Snarky Books has a lot of tours coming up that I have to read up for. I also have a stack of MUST READS that I somehow haven’t managed to read yet. Fingers crossed, I’m hoping to cross six books off my list this week. I’ll be working from the following pool of books…

MOST EXCITED FOR
- Oath Bound by Rachel Vincent
- Kitty Steals the Show by Carrie Vaughn

STILL INSANELY EXCITED FOR
- Finishing Scarlet by Marissa Meyer
- Poison by Bridget Zinn
- Finishing Partials by Dan Wells
- Finishing Prophecy of the Sisters by Michelle Zink
- Stars in Her Eyes by Clare C. Marshall
- Runes by Ednah Walters
- Siege & Storm by Leigh Bardugo
- Sky on Fire by Emmy Laybourne
- Something off my Kindle collection

How epic would it be if I could read all of those books this week? I also want to participate in the twitter chats when I can!

And finally… next Sunday I will be hosting the final Bout of Books challenge for 7.0, and it’s going to be epic. Be sure to check back for the chance to win A LOT of AWESOME books.

UPDATES
Monday- I finished a short story from my Kindle collection, started Kitty Steals the Show, and still cannot find where I put my copy of Scarlet. I did however get to participate in the Twitter chat.

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Promo: Over the Rainbow by

Posted By: Kellie - May• 11•13

rainbow

I just wanted to take a minute today to point everyone in the direction of a Kickstarter project that you should all check out. Author, Brian Rowe has been publishing books for awhile now, but he’s got something new in the works that is worth having a look at.

Also, I don’t think that’s the real cover. Are those pterodactylus? Anyways, details! Click the cover to check out the campaign.

Over the Rainbow is a love story, a fantasy, an action adventure. And it’s a modern day update of The Wizard of Oz!

16-year-old Zippy Green never meant to fall in love with a girl, but when she does, her ultra-conservative father tries to send her to anti-gay camp. At the Kansas City airport, however, she hides inside a giant suitcase and sneaks onto an airplane headed not to the camp, but to Seattle, where her online love Mira lives. Halfway through the flight, the plane barrels out of control and crashes into the ground, knocking her unconscious.

When Zippy awakens, she finds that most of the passengers have vanished. She doesn’t know what’s happened, but she’s determined to find out. She begins a quest on foot toward Seattle, and along the way, she meets an exchange student with a concussion, a homeless man with a heart condition, a child without a shred of bravery, and a terrier named Judy. Together the group discovers that more than two-thirds of the world’s population has mysteriously disappeared. But that’s only the beginning…

All Zippy wants is to find her Mira, but before she can she has to contend with two outside forces. The first is her homophobic father, who does everything in his power to keep her from the girl she loves. And the second is extinct creatures of all shapes and sizes, including living, breathing dinosaurs, which have replaced the missing population.

Over the Rainbow is unlike any novel you’ve ever read. It mixes romance and comedy and action like you’ve never seen before. And at the heart of it is a love story between two teenage girls that will inspire readers all the world over!

Click here to read the first scene!

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Review: For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

Posted By: Kellie - May• 10•13

for darkness shows the stars

Series: For Darkness Shows the Stars, #1
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Publish Date: June 12th, 2012
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Rating: 5/5 -ZOMG! AMAZING!

Review: LOOOVVVEEEDDD ITTTTT!

I should probably say more. But really, I loved this book! It was simple, the worldbuilding was beautiful, and the characters were genuine. It read like a classic (without being boring), and well… I just really enjoyed this book.

If you’re just stumbling on my blog for the first time, I promise my reviews aren’t always this short. Actually, let’s say succinct. But all that you can really say about For Darkness Shows the Stars, is that everyone needs to read it.

Counting down the days until book two!

Annnnd, I’ve just realized how far away that is.

Sad, Kellie.

Purchase For Darkness Shows the Stars:
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CAN) @The Book Depository

Second Opinions:
@Young Adult Anonymous
@Writing My Own Fairytale
@Tumbling Books

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Cover Reveal: Maverick by Anna Cruise + Giveaway

Posted By: Kellie - May• 09•13

maverick_cover

Maverick by Anna Cruise
Publication date: May 21st 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Synopsis:

Kellen Handler is in deep.

Ever since he can remember, he’s wanted to be a professional surfer. And he made it, rising to the top of the ranks, traveling the world and riding every break he’s ever dreamed of. His good looks and reputation for living on the edge—both in and out of the water—have made him an international superstar. But when his best friend dies in a tragic accident, Kellen wipes out big time, spiraling so badly that everything he’s worked for starts to disintegrate.

Tour officials scramble to do damage control and demand he work with a public relations company to clean up his bad boy image. It doesn’t help that the person assigned to him, Gina Bellori, has her own demons associated with the surfing world.

Against her better judgement Gina accepts the job and concentrates on repairing Kellen’s tattered reputation, despite his protests and despite the pain it causes her. With her past colliding with her present—and Kellen in the thick of it—she begins to realize that some secrets can’t stay hidden.

And suddenly, Kellen Handler is no longer worried about losing his career.

He’s more worried about losing his heart.

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Review: The Elite by Kiera Cass

Posted By: Kellie - May• 07•13

the elite

Series: The Selection, #2
Publisher: Harper Teen
Publish Date: April 23rd, 2013
Source: Purchased
Goodreads

Rating: 4/5 – I need to know what happens next!

Synopsis: Thirty-five girls came to the palace to compete in the Selection. All but six have been sent home. And only one will get to marry Prince Maxon and be crowned princess of Illea.

America still isn’t sure where her heart lies. When she’s with Maxon, she’s swept up in their new and breathless romance, and can’t dream of being with anyone else. But whenever she sees Aspen standing guard around the palace, and is overcome with memories of the life they planned to share. With the group narrowed down to the Elite, the other girls are even more determined to win Maxon over—and time is running out for America to decide.

Just when America is sure she’s made her choice, a devastating loss makes her question everything again. And while she’s struggling to imagine her future, the violent rebels that are determined to overthrow the monarchy are growing stronger and their plans could destroy her chance at any kind of happy ending.
-Goodreads

Review: Ahhhhh, I love this series! The Elite was one of my most highly anticipated 2013 titles. I reread The Selection a month ago, and was ready to go as soon as I could get my hands on the sequel. So, what was the result? I really enjoyed it. Loved it even. Not quite jumping up and down, sleeping with it under my pillow until the next one comes out, but it was everything I hoped it would be, and managed to live up to the first book… so that’s saying a lot.

Where book one kind of had a slow build, the drama in this one just kept coming. There were a few moments that fell a little flat of expectations, but others that will absolutely rip your heart out. The love triangle is one of those “not quite there” elements, as I still can’t bring myself to root for Aspen even a little, so it was a little frustrating watching America hem and haw over something that seems pretty obvious, but I guess that’s to be expected with these kinds of romance stories.

Where the book really shone was in America’s other relationships. There are a lot of ups and downs with her and the other selected girls, as well as some big revelations about the royal family. There are also some bits and pieces thrown in about her own family, but not enough to be truly satisfying. I hope all the tidbits Kiera Cass has given us about them will come together with the last book.

Overall The Elite was a fun, fast read that I didn’t want to put down. The world-building and characters remain on par with book one, and the story won’t leave you disappointed.

Also, I’m really hoping the pilot gets green-lit  Although, after reading this book, having Anthony Steward Head play the King will basically break my heart.

Purchase The Elite
@Amazon (US) @Amazon (CA) @The Book Depository

Second Opinions:
@Books With Bite
@Narratively Speaking
@The Bawdy Book Blog

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Guest Post: The Challenges of Writing a Series by Debbie Dee

Posted By: Kellie - May• 03•13

undergroundWhen I was about seven years old my friends and I decided to put on a play for our parents. We set out lawn chairs, gathered props and costumes, and came up with a script we thought was pretty amazing. We had a packed house on opening night (all 10 lawn chairs were filled!) and the crowd eagerly watched as our play unfolded before their eyes. I’m pretty sure we rocked it. In fact, I was so certain of our awesomeness that near the end of the play I pulled my friends aside and suggested we do another one. Right then. I was so sure of our amazing seven-year-old improvisational skills that I had no doubt we would continue dazzling our captive audience with whatever we came up with. My friends agreed and we continued on, shouting out whatever popped into our minds. We even expanded our “stage area” to include the sides of the house and behind the porch. Never mind that our audience couldn’t see us in these locations, we were actors and we were putting on the best play EVER!

I’m not sure how long this lasted, but I remember my mother pulling me aside and, after kneeling down to my level, saying, “I think it’s time to finish the show. You started out great, but things are getting out of hand.”

She was so kind, and her voice was gentle, but I was devastated. How could they not love the second play when they loved the first one so much? Didn’t they see how much passion I was putting into my acting? (I had just completed a drama scene with a stray cat and I was pretty sure I was on the road to the Academy Awards.)

My friends and I took our bows, our parents clapped, and then the chairs were put away and the “curtain” closed. I forgot about that day until I sat down to write the sequel to The Last Witch. My mother’s words flooded back to me. “You started out great, but things are getting out of hand.” Fresh waves of terror washed over me as I recalled my younger humiliation. What if people didn’t like my second effort? What if they packed up their chairs and left in the middle of my most heartfelt endeavor? Granted, I knew I would put in a little more planning for a second book than my younger self had put into a second play, but doubt still hung over me.

Fortunately, while writing The Underground Witch, I was swept away into the story. My mind had no room for doubt because it was having too much fun with all the action, love, and adventure! When I finished the first draft of The Underground Witch, I was on a creative high, one that had me skipping through my house with glee. I’d done it! I’d written the best sequel EVER!

And then the editing started.

Without my imagination to carry me off into new lands, self-doubt crept in. Every sentence sounded like complete crap, ever paragraph a total waste of space. I wanted to toss the entire manuscript out a dozen times, or at least throw my computer across the room. Instead, I worked hard and went over the manuscript until I was sick of it. And then I went over it again. There were days when I never thought I’d be able to get it right, and then I’d have days where everything seemed to fall into place. And somewhere along the way I fell in love with it again.

I’m glad I didn’t give in to my self-doubt, or throw my computer across the room (phew!), but I’m especially glad I didn’t give up on Emmeline’s story. Not only because she had barely begun to discover her power in the first book, but because she totally kicks butt in The Underground Witch and I loved writing every second of it!!

debbie dee

About Debbie Dee

Debbie Dee recently moved to southern Idaho with her husband and three children where

In addition to writing, she plays the piano, harp, violin, and gets in frequent fights with her cello. She loves to read and play board games – when she is winning. she is learning how to be a country girl in her favorite pair of blue heels. She adores fairy tales and happy endings, but secretly crushes on the bad guy now and then.

Debbie is the author of young adult novels, The Last Witch and The Underground Witch. Her first middle-grade novel, Tiy and the Prince of Egypt, is due out Fall 2013.

You can visit Debbie online, on her website.

Purchase The Last Witch@Amazon, @Barnes & Noble

Already read The Last Witch? Purchase The Underground Witch@Amazon, Barnes & Noble

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