Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Expiration Day Book Tour, Review, 7 Favorite Books and Giveaway

Expiration Day by William Campbell PowellOfficial Blog Tour
April 21st  Monday: Jean Book Nerd Interview & Tens List
April 22nd Tuesday: Nerdophiles Review & Guest Post
April 23rd Wednesday: Once Upon a Twilight Review 
April 24th Thursday: Bittersweet Enchantment Review & Music Playlist
April 25th Friday: Bookish Review & Dream Cast
April 26th Saturday: The Reader Lines 5 Random Things
April 27th Sunday: Literary Meanderings Interview
April 28th Monday: Swoony Boys Podcast Review & Interview
April 29th Tuesday: TTC Books and More Books Review & Interview
April 30th Wednesday: Insane About Books Review & Favorite Books Read This Year


What happens when you turn eighteen and there are no more tomorrows?
It is the year 2049, and humanity is on the brink of extinction….
Tania Deeley has always been told that she’s a rarity: a human child in a world where most children are sophisticated androids manufactured by Oxted Corporation. When a decline in global fertility ensued, it was the creation of these near-perfect human copies called teknoids that helped to prevent the utter collapse of society.
Though she has always been aware of the existence of teknoids, it is not until her first day at The Lady Maud High School for Girls that Tania realizes that her best friend, Siân, may be one. Returning home from the summer holiday, she is shocked by how much Siân has changed. Is it possible that these changes were engineered by Oxted? And if Siân could be a teknoid, how many others in Tania’s life are not real?
Driven by the need to understand what sets teknoids apart from their human counterparts, Tania begins to seek answers. But time is running out. For everyone knows that on their eighteenth “birthdays,” teknoids must be returned to Oxted—never to be heard from again.
You can purchase Expiration Day at the following Retailers:
    
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
William Campbell Powell was born in 1958 in Sheffield, but grew up in and around Birmingham. He was educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham, and gained a scholarship to Clare College, Cambridge to study Natural Sciences. Leaving Clare College in 1980 with a BA in Computer Science, he entered the computer industry, which is where he has been ever since.
William has been writing since 2002, experimenting with various genres, but he is most at home with Science Fiction, Historical Fiction and fiction for Young Adults.
 

William Campbell Powell's
7 Favorite Books Read This Year!

It’s been a fascinating year for books.  When I finished Expiration Day I felt I needed to find out a lot more about the YA genre  where I’d been assigned.  And my SF shelves definitely looked dated, so I challenged myself to find some new authors there.  And because Expiration Day is not just YA but also SF, I set myself to work through the SFWA Nebula / Andre Norton shortlist.

My favourites from the Andre Norton shortlist were:

#1 Sister Mine by Nalo Hopkinson

#2 The Summer Prince by Alaya Dawn Johnson

#3 When We Wake by Karen Healey

From the Nebula list:

#4 The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
The rest of my list is a mixed bag of discoveries, new and old

#5 Cinder by Marissa Meyer

#6 Homeland by Cory Doctorow

#7 Boneland by Alan Garner

You’ll find my reviews of most of those on Goodreads and Booklikes,

My Review

Expiration Day is a unique read with surprising realities about human nature and the desire to raise children.

This story is written in a diary/journal format about Tania Deeley's life.  

The world is in chaos with the total drop in fertility.  Rarely, is there a human child that is conceived and actually lives.  To calm society, a company called Oxted designs human androids called Teknoids to fulfill the human desire to raise children.

Tania is the average teenage girl...insecure, and wanting to make friends and fit in.  However, she discovers it difficult at times, and gets bullied.  She does meet some close friends, who have the same love for music, and that friendship blossoms when they start a band.

Expiration Day has so much depth.  The desire for a family is embedded in each person from birth.  So what will happen when the human race can no longer produce these families?  Expiration Day tackles this, and nails it.

I really enjoyed how the story was written.  It was unique and fun to read.  Of course, this story is not short of twists and turns.  Even though Tania had some rough times with her friends, they pulled through.  The ending was completely unexpected in such a OMG kind of way.  I wondered the whole time reading how it would end, but never came up with the final conclusion.  I found all the characters strong, with a nice background.  The whole plot of the story was creative with a twist of technology and sci-fi thrown in.  What an amazing combination to wrap that all with the human most wanted desires.

It is a fun fast paced read, that you will finish before you know it!  I feel honored to be a part of this tour for William Campbell Powell's Debut.





GIVEAWAY
 3 Winners will receive a Copy of Expiration Day +Tor Teen Bag by William Campbell Powell.
Must be 13+ to Enter
INT Giveaway
*Book Nerd Tours is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Mail Box*
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Thursday, April 24, 2014

Stone of Destiny Release day





Stone of Destiny (The Danaan Trilogy Book 2)


by Laura Howard

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Blurb:


Allison thought it was crazy enough when she found out her father, Liam, wasn't entirely human. But now she has to join his magical allies to unravel his former mistress's plans. Aoife wants to keep Allison's parents apart forever.

Despite Allison's efforts to keep Ethan, the only guy she's ever cared about, out of this supernatural mess, fate keeps throwing him back into the mix.

Will Allison be able to find the amulet that holds the enchantment Aoife placed on Liam and destroy it? Are Ethan' s feelings for Allison strong enough to endure the magic of the Tuatha De Danaan?

Links:

Kobo:



The Forgotten Ones

Book One in The Danaan Trilogy


About Laura:

Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known.


Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Summer on the Short Bus by Bethany Crandell Book Nerd Blast and Giveaway

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Welcome to the Official Book Blast for SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS by Bethany Crandell!
Short Bus Cover (1)
SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS
Genre: YA Contemporary.
Cricket Montgomery has been thrown under the short bus. Shipped off to a summer camp by her father, she is forced to play babysitter to a bunch of whiny kids—or so she thinks. When she realizes this is actually a camp for teens with special needs, Cricket doubts she has what it takes to endure twenty-four hours, let alone two weeks.
Thanks to her dangerously cute co-counselor, Quinn, there may be a slim chance for survival. However, between the campers’ unpredictability and disregard for personal space, Cricket’s limits get pushed. She will have to decide if suffering through her own handicapped hell is worth a summer romance–and losing her sanity.
Praise For SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS
“Crandell creates a wonderful and relatable protagonist with Cricket but even better than that, she surrounds her with equally relatable, flawed, and real characters…This book is an absolute winner!” – Feathered Quill Book Reviews
“A novel oozing with heart and humanity.” – Ken Baker, E! News correspondent and author of Fangirl and How I Got Skinny, Famous and Fell Madly in Love
“A hilarious and heartwarming ride.” – Jennifer Salvato Doktorski, author of How My Summer Went Up in Flames and Famous Last Words
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
bethanygiveaway
Bethany lives in San Diego with her husband, two kiddos (one of whom is differently-abled), and a chocolate lab who has no regard for personal space. She believes that prayer solves problems and that Jake Ryan is going to show up at her door any minute now…. She is represented by Rachael Dugas of Talcott Notch Literary Services.
GIVEAWAY
One Winner will get: a Signed Copy of SUMMER ON THE SHORT BUS
One Winner will get a $25 Gift Card to Amazon or B&N – winners choice!
Open Internationally for the Gift Card. Book Ships in US only. Must be 13 + To enter



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Monday, April 21, 2014

The Story of Awkward



A New Adult romance with a twist. Embrace your awkward. Be unique. Change your fairytale ...

If you are looking for a happy book about beautiful people, this is the wrong story.
If you are looking for a narrative without emotion, without regrets, and without mistakes, this is definitely the wrong story.

This is by no means an uncomplicated tale about uncomplicated people. It is by no means sweet or light.

This story is ugly.
This story is complicated.
This story is emotional.
This story is tragic.

In short, this story is about being awkward.

Peregrine Storke is an artist with an odd sketchbook full of pictures she’s drawn since she was a child. It is a book full of strange sketches and awkward characters, for there is no better way to hide from bullying and life than to create a world of your own. With a stroke of her pencil, she has given life to a spectacled princess, a freckle-nosed king, a candy loving troll, a two-horned unicorn, and a graceless fairy.

At nineteen, Peregrine leaves her home, her sketchbook, and awkwardness behind. But what happens when something goes wrong in the world of Awkward? Trapped inside of her complex realm with the bully she thought to leave behind, Peregrine discovers there is nothing worse than falling for your own villain. 

http://smarturl.it/awkwardamazon
http://smarturl.it/awkwardnook
https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-story-of-awkward/id860266542?mt=11

Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/RKRyals?fref=ts

Friday, April 18, 2014

Big Fat Disaster Book Blast and Giveaway

BethFBlast
Welcome to the Official Book Blast for the new Young Adult Novel BIG  FAT DISASTER by Beth Fehlbaum
BFD CoverBorder
Big Fat Disaster
By Beth Fehlbaum
Insecure, shy, and way overweight, Colby hates the limelight as much as her pageant-pretty mom and sisters love it. It’s her life: Dad’s a superstar, running for office on a family values platform. Then suddenly, he ditches his marriage for a younger woman and gets caught stealing money from the campaign. Everyone hates Colby for finding out and blowing the whistle on him. From a mansion, they end up in a poor relative’s trailer, where her mom’s contempt swells right along with Colby’s supersized jeans. Then, a cruel video of Colby half-dressed, made by her cousin Ryan, finds its way onto the internet. Colby plans her own death. A tragic family accident intervenes, and Colby’s role in it seems to paint her as a hero, but she’s only a fraud. Finally, threatened with exposure, Colby must face facts about her selfish mother and her own shame. Harrowing and hopeful, proof that the truth that saves us can come with a fierce and terrible price, Big Fat Disaster is that rare thing, a story that is authentically new.
Pre-Order this Novel From These Fine Retailers: 
BOOK TRAILER





1 Winner will get a Signed Hardcover of BIG FAT DISASTER as well as a surprise pack of other Merit Books titles. 
Must be 13+ To Enter | Open to US Only
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Monday, April 14, 2014

Kundalis: Storm Dragon cover reveal for author Frances Pauli and Giveaway



Title: Storm Dragon
Series: Kundalis
Author: Frances Pauli
Release Date: June 19, 2014
Genre: NA/ Fantasy


Karin knows she’s gone completely insane—nuts—absolutely batshit crazy, when she spots an insidious blue dragon twining through the trees at a rest stop in the Cascade Mountains. Despite agreeing to join her roommate at a psychic fair, she’s never believed in anything metaphysical. She’s pretty sure the Reiki treatment she succumbed to has brought on a frighteningly realistic hallucination—until they roll their mini-van in the middle of I-90, and she is rescued from the vehicle by the same monstrous blue figment of her imagination. 

She awakens to find that she’s been delivered to a cabin high in the mountains instead of to a proper hospital. The “doctor” looking out for her is more of a new-ager than a physician, and the people who own the house, including the urban highlander version of Fabio, don’t have any intention of letting her leave.

Faced with the unimaginable, and strapped to an all-too-real dragon, Karin must decide how to tame the beast or risk losing herself to it forever.





Author Bio: Frances Pauli writes across multiple genres. Her work is speculative, full of the fantastic, and quite often romantic at its core. Whenever possible, she enjoys weaving in a little humor. Once upon a time she was a visual artist, but she's since come to her senses. Now she fills her miniscule amount of free time with things like crochet, belly dance and abysmal ukulele playing. She lives in Central Washington State with her husband, two children, a pair of hairless dogs and five tarantulas.

Twitter: @MothinDarkness 

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Friday, April 11, 2014

A Soul's Kiss by Debra Chapoton



Creative Prose Publishing launched their imprint this year dedicated to representing all genres of clean fiction from middle grade through adult.

One of their first offerings is the paranormal romance A SOUL'S KISS by Debra Chapoton. Chapoton is a best-selling international author.

When a tragic accident leaves Jessica comatose, her spirit  escapes her body. Navigating a supernatural realm is tough, but being half dead has its advantages.
      
Like getting into people’s thoughts.

Like taking over someone’s body.

Like experiencing romance on a whole new plane - literally.

Jessica learns an amazing truth as she struggles to return to her body before the doctors pull the plug, only she can’t do it alone. Now the only two people willing to help Jessica’s splintered soul are the two she’s hurt the most. They must find a way to guide her soul back to her body ... before it’s too late.

Here's what's being said about A SOUL'S KISS:

“Sensational, satisfying and surreal. A thrilling tale, beautifully imagined and carefully crafted. A must read 'coming of age' novel. I hope to see more of Chapoton in the future.”
~Lucy Morris, Lucy Reads

 “Very intriguing. With elements of friendship, romance, and the supernatural, A Soul’s Kiss is a fun novel with a good message and perfect for fans of Gayle Forman’s If I Stay.”
~Paola Benevides, Don’t Fold the Page

 “A unique novel filled with engaging characters that captivate our heart as well as the imagination. An emotional ride loaded with intrigue, secrets, romance, and the paranormal that hooks the reader till the very last page.”
~Mandy Sickle, The Reading Diaries

"A Soul's Kiss is a compelling story of a group of teenagers struggling to find their place in the world. It's a fresh reminder that what we think we want isn't always what we need and that sometimes what we need was right in front of us all along."
~Ashley Gafford, Wholly Books!

"Ms Chapoton created living characters and gave us a gripping story. One word: awesome!
                                                                 ~Hira Mushtaq, Views and Reviews

Get your copy today!

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Rewind to You by Laura Johnston Cover Reveal and giveaway

Cover Reveal, About the Author, a Sneak Peek of REWIND TO YOU and Rafflecopter Giveaway


Genre: Clean Contemporary YA Romance
Release Date: September 15, 2014; Available for PREORDER now

One last summer before college on beautiful Tybee Island is supposed to help Sienna forget. But how can she? This is where her family spent every summer before everything changed, before the world as she knew it was ripped away.

But the past isn’t easily left behind. Especially when Sienna keeps having episodes that take her back to the night she wants to forget. Even when she meets the mysterious Austin Dobbs, the guy with the intense blue eyes, athlete’s body, and weakness for pralines who scooped her out of trouble when she blacked out on River Street.

When she’s with Austin, Sienna feels a whole new world opening up to her. Austin has secrets, and she has history. But caught between the past and the future, Sienna can still choose what happens now…

About the Author:

Laura Johnston lives in sunny Arizona with her husband and two children. Growing up in Orem, Utah with five siblings, a few horses, peach trees, beehives and gardens, she developed an active imagination and always loved a good story. Laura enjoys running, playing tennis, sewing, dancing (deduced to dancing around the kitchen while cooking dinner these days), traveling, writing, writing and more writing, and above all, spending time with her husband and kids. REWIND TO YOU, her debut novel, was inspired by the loss of her father as a teenager.

A Sneak Peek of REWIND TO YOU:





Giveaway: Signed Copy of REWIND TO YOU and $25 Amazon Gift Card


a Rafflecopter giveaway
Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. The winner, chosen by Rafflecopter, will be announced here on April 29th as well as emailed. The winner will have 5 days to respond at which point a new winner will be chosen. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.

Saturday, April 5, 2014

The Field Book Nerd Tour, Review, and Giveaway

The_Field_Tour_Banner

Welcome to the Official Blog Tour for THE FIELD by Tracy Richardson
April 1st Sabrina’s Paranormal Palace REVIEW
April 2nd A Dream With In A Dream 10 Random Things
April 3rd Writer Person REVIEW
April 4th Rose’s Book Corner THIS OR THAT
April 5th Insane About Books REVIEW
April 6th MHZ Book Reviews and Giveaways SPOTLIGHT
April 7th Book Cracker Caroline REVIEW
April 8th Jean Book Nerd REVIEW
April 9th Library of Seen REVIEW
April 10th Me, My Shelf and I REVIEW
theFieldfrt2final
Eric Horton has been having disturbing nightmares of explosions and fire and someone screaming. The dreams keep him up at night, but during the day, as a goalkeeper on his high school’s varsity soccer team, he has been unbeatable, saving shot after shot with what feels like a supernatural awareness of where the ball is headed. He also shares an uncommonly strong connection with Renee, the attractive new French exchange student. The wild visions and synchronicities pale in comparison to the strange experiments Renee’s father is carrying out in the physics lab at the university, however. He has asked Eric to take part in the tests, which makes Eric question whether what he is seeing and hearing is reality or something far beyond it. When his friend Will develops a drinking problem and Renee starts flirting with other guys, Eric loses his confidence on the soccer field and in himself. If he is going to pull it all together, he will have to tap into a part of himself that he never knew existed.
Praise For THE FIELD
“Readers will appreciate the fast-paced, compelling drama. A good choice for people who hope there’s more to space than space”. ~ Kirkus Reviews
The Field is a compellingly honest slice of life with fully dimensional characters whose struggles and triumphs matter and touch you deeply. Richardson is a worthy heir to Madeleine L’Engle, whose 1962 fantasy fiction novel, A Wrinkle in Time, introduced serious scientific concepts in a book for young adults, and to boot placed a girl in the center of the story. While L’Engle unfolds concepts of space and time and thrusts her characters into an unknown fifth-dimension, Richardson’s characters physically stay put yet intellectually travel beyond ordinary consciousness to delve into concepts of dark energy, collective [un]consciousness and universal energy fields. ~ 4 Stars ~ Rita Kohn, NUVO Newsweekly
A combination of the real world of soccer and the mystical world of the Universal Energy Field. This is a very imaginative novel. ~ Bookviews by Alan Caruba
About The Author
DSC_4556tracyfinal
Tracy Richardson is the author of  THE FIELD (Moonbeam Award winner)  and INDIAN SUMMER. Her realistic fiction also delves into science fiction, just to keep things interesting. When she has free time, you will likely find her painting furniture, knitting scarves, gardening or whipping up gourmet meals for her vegetarian, no-carb, omnivore family. Ernie, her Jack Russell  Terrier, will eat anything.

My Review

The Field is so much more than just a book about soccer.  It holds within it's pages the loyalties of friendships, beginning love, and that element of surprise that makes you ponder what may actually exist in the universe.

Eric is an American boy all the way. He has gained a position on the varsity soccer team, has a great group of friends, and starts a relationship with the new girl from France, Renee. He has a unique sense of knowing when something is going to happen, and learns to tap into this with his sessions with Renee's father, who is a scientist doing a study at the university.  However, as his best friend becomes distant, he has a feeling of doom that something is about to happen.  Eric will learn that the universe holds many secrets that can't be explained.

The Field was a fun and fast easy read that gives you that satisfaction when you finish.  It has that mystery of "The Field", which you will discover is more than the soccer field.  It truly made me ponder the mysteries of the universe, and how there could be, and I'm sure IS, more than our imagination can fathom.  It was refreshing to read without too much drama.  Eric and Renee's relationship was sweet, and you learn how much that connection means to Eric.  Even with Eric's best friend, Will's problem with drinking, and the reason why, Eric never gave up.  His loyality shines at the end.

So, yeah, give this one a go for sure.  I was pleasantly surprised with the sci-fi element, and loved how it was all wrapped together.







RichardsonGiveaway

GIVEAWAY

1 winner will get a signed copy of THE FIELD
1 Winner will get a $25.00 Amazon Gift Card
Must be 13 + To Enter. Physical Items ship in US only. Gift Card open Internationally.
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Friday, April 4, 2014

The Riding Master Cover ReVeal



Quirky, reclusive, and unwilling to trust, Rayne Greer has removed herself from the world and lives only for her horse, Bob. After her heartbreaking divorce from the wealthy, arrogant, and much older Foster Greer, Rayne returns hides behind the world of horses she loved as a child. She is insulated from men, until she meets the handsome new riding master of Southland Stables, Trent Newbury. Hired to supervise Rayne and the other riding instructors, Trent is bold, competitive, and from the moment he meets Rayne, determined to have her. Rayne thinks the man with the striking gray eyes is just another playboy out for a good time with women and little else. But Trent has something other men do not; a patient and methodical plan for taming the skittish Rayne and gaining her elusive trust.
     After corralling her to dinner, Trent gets Rayne to slowly open up and she learns to confide in him. After an impassioned kiss, Rayne begins to see the riding master in a whole new light.
     Despite Rayne’s wishes to keep the relationship platonic, Trent relentlessly pursues her. He also encourages her to move forward with her riding and return to the show ring despite a long absence. Gaining her confidence inside and outside of the riding ring, Rayne feels ready to take the next step with Trent. But right when the relationship heats up, Rayne’s ex and her alcoholic mother step in and complicate matters.       
     Trent offers a shoulder for Rayne to lean on when dealing with her cold and distant mother. Slowly, he gains her trust, but doubts still plague her, especially when facts about Trent’s philandering past come to light. After Rayne discovers Trent’s involvement with his former boss, Lisa Shelby the owner of Shelby Stables where he worked as riding master, she begins to question his intentions for her.
     But Trent swears he has found something special in Rayne, and promises to be loyal to her. As Rayne slowly succumbs to his gentling of her heart, Trent introduces her to a new world of passion. Falling for Trent, she allows him in her life and takes his advice to return to the show ring. He enters her in an upcoming horse show and works with her and Bob to get ready. Rayne feel she has found the best of both worlds; a boyfriend and trainer.
     At a special party where she meets Trent’s friends, Tyler Moore and his wife, the famous author Monique Delome, Rayne runs into her ex, and Trent’s former flame, Lisa Shelby. The encounter makes her wonder why Trent is with her. But her fears soon subside when he gives her the key to his home, asking her to be a part of his life. Overjoyed, Rayne agrees.
     A friend at work encourages Rayne to take another step forward and give Trent her house key, so he will feel she is earnest about her desire to make things work between them. Deciding to surprise Trent with her key, she goes to his house and when she walks in, finds a Lisa Shelby naked and dripping wet in his living room. Lisa tells Rayne how she has worked her way back into Trent’s life. When Trent walks in and finds the two women, he denies any wrongdoing, but it is too late. Rayne’s trust has been shattered and she ends their relationship.
    Things go from bad to worse when her mother’s health quickly deteriorates. Years of alcohol abuse have left Estelle with a bad liver and a lot of debt, compounding Rayne’s heartache. Desperate for escape, Rayne buries herself in preparations for the coming horse show.
     On the day of the horse show Rayne confronts Trent about their relationship. He vows they are not finished, but Rayne disagrees. When she enters the show ring, she is able to jump a glorious round and be in contention for a ribbon.
    Exiting the show ring, she is greeted by an unexpected visitor, her mother. Estelle has spent her life avoiding her daughter’s love of horses, but now, encouraged by Trent, she has come to the show to support Rayne. She admits Trent has helped her to see her daughter in a new light and wants a chance to mend things between them. She tells Rayne that Trent needs another chance, too.
     When Rayne discovers she has won the blue ribbon, she wants nothing more than to share it with Trent. Finding him on the show grounds she confesses her love for him, but he is not entirely convinced, and Rayne must commit one final act of “proof” to assure Trent. 
     In the end, Rayne finally finds contentment with a man she can truly call her riding master.                   





    https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21479643-the-riding-master





Other Books By Alexandrea Weis