Three Dark Crowns By Kendare Blake Review

Synopsis

When kingdom come, there will be one.

In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born—three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark hungry flames or vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to bloom the reddest rose and control the fiercest of lions.

But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.

The last queen standing gets the crown. 

Very fast paced book with tons of action and scheming.  You learn about each sister and their abilities, and discover the torment each one has to suffer.

Love this book.  It's well worth the read.

Hardcover, 398 pages

Published September 20th 2016 by HarperTeen

Original Title

Three Dark Crown 

ISBN 0062385437 (SBN13: 9780062385437)

Edition Language

English

Series

Three Dark Crowns #1

Characters Katharine, Natalia Arron, Genevieve 

Arron, Giselle, Pietyr Renard, Queen Arsinoe, Juillenne "Jules" Milone, Luke Gillespie, Joseph Sandrin, Queen Mirabella, High Priestess Luca, Miles Westwood, Bree Westwood, Priestess Rho, Elizabeth, Sara Westwood...less

EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker Official Nerd Blast

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SYNOPSIS

From the bestselling author of All Is Not Forgotten comes a thriller about two missing sisters, a twisted family, and what happens when one girl comes back...

One night three years ago, the Tanner sisters disappeared: fifteen-year-old Cass and seventeen-year-old Emma. Three years later, Cass returns, without her sister Emma. Her story is one of kidnapping and betrayal, of a mysterious island where the two were held. But to forensic psychiatrist Dr. Abby Winter, something doesn't add up. Looking deep within this dysfunctional family Dr. Winter uncovers a life where boundaries were violated and a narcissistic parent held sway. And where one sister's return might just be the beginning of the crime.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for EMMA IN THE  NIGHT

"Twisty...a thriller that keeps readers guessing." —The New York Times

"In this searing psychological thriller...Walker's portrayal of the ways in which a narcissistic, self-involved mother can affect her children deepens the plot as it builds to a shocking finale." —Publishers Weekly, Starred Review

"A tense thriller explores the bond between sisters and family dynamics that give new meaning to the term 'dysfunctional'...This thriller aims right for the heart and never lets go." —Kirkus, Starred Review

"Both twisted and twisty, this smart psychological thriller sets a new standard for unreliable narrators." —Booklist, Starred Review

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Wendy Walker is a former family law attorney in Fairfield County, Connecticut who began writing while at home raising her three sons. She published two novels with St. Martin’s Press and edited multiple compilations for the Chicken Soup for the Soul series before writing her debut psychological thriller, All is Not Forgotten. Her second thriller, Emma In The Night, will be released August 8, 2017.

Wendy earned her J. D., magna cum laude, at the Georgetown University Law Center where she was awarded the American Jurisprudence award for her performance in Contracts and Advanced Criminal Procedure. She received her undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from Brown University and attended The London School of Economics and Political Science as part of her undergraduate studies.

Prior to her legal career, Wendy was a financial analyst at Goldman, Sachs & Co., in the mergers and acquisitions group. She has also volunteered at the ACLU, Connecticut Legal Services and Figure Skating in Harlem where she served on the Board of Directors for over twelve years.

Wendy is currently writing her third thriller while managing a busy household.

PHOTO CREDIT: BILL MILES

WEBSITE: https://www.wendywalkerbooks.com/
TWITTER: @Wendy_Walker
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3111135.Wendy_Walker
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/WendyWalkerAuthor/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/wendygwalker/

--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

- 2 Winners will receive a Signed Copy of EMMA IN THE NIGHT by Wendy Walker.

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DIVE SMACK by Demetra Brodsky Official Nerd Blast

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SYNOPSIS

Theo Mackey only remembers one thing for certain about the fire that destroyed his home: he lit the match.

Sure, it was an accident. But the blaze killed his mom and set his dad on a path to self-destruction. Everything else about that fateful night is full of gaping holes in Theo’s mind, for good reason. Maybe it’s better that way. As captain of the Ellis Hollow Diving Team, with straight A's and solid friends, he's only one semester away from securing a scholarship, and leaving his past behind.

But when a family history project gets assigned at school, new memories come rushing to the surface, memories that make him question what he really knows about his family, the night of the fire, and if he can trust anyone—including himself.

A 2018 JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD SELECTION

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for DIVE SMACK

"A tense psychological drama with a voice that pulls you in and a twist you won't see coming, Dive Smack is an instant Hitchcockian classic!" —Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten

"A twisty, witty thriller readers will love puzzling through to the very end. A visceral, delightful debut." —Carrie Mesrobian, author of William C. Morris award finalist Sex & Violence

"This riveting debut will plunge readers into an accelerating coil of twists and turns as if in free fall, plummeting them from a precipice as they cling to the dwindling hope of safe entry into the mysterious darkness below." —S.A. Bodeen, author of The Compound

"Brodsky’s debut combines an engaging school story, filled with best friend shenanigans, first love, and a fascinating look at competitive diving, with a tense psychological mystery." —Booklist

"In an impressive debut, Brodsky injects her teen drama with ambiguity, and a subtle hint of paranormal phenomena, leaving readers to guess at what’s really going on. Strong characters and a compelling mystery make this a real page-turner." —Publishers Weekly

"A taut thriller with a twist ending that will blow your mind." —Kim Liggett, Bram Stoker Award-Winning Author of The Last Harvest

"Complex, thrilling, and with a pitch-perfect narrative voice, Dive Smack will leave you on the edge of your seat and unable to put this one down." —C. Desir, author of Bleed Like Me

"Heartbreaking, human and heroic, Dive Smack is a Perfect 10!" —Karen LaFace, 1992 USA Olympic Springboard Diver

“A taut roller coaster of a thriller chock full of dark family secrets, twisty lies, and finally, the redeeming power of truth.” —Michelle Zink, author of This Wicked Game 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Demetra Brodsky is an award-winning graphic designer & art director turned writer. She has a B.F.A. from The Massachusetts College of Art and Design and lives in Southern California with her family of four and two lovable rescue dogs where she is always trying to make more time for the beach. Dive Smack is dedicated to Pumpkin, the monarch butterfly she once saved from the brink of death. Once you read the book, you'll understand why. 

PHOTO CONTENT FROM DEMETRA BRODSKY

WEBSITE: https://www.demetrabrodsky.com/
TWITTER:  @demetrabrodsky
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15852879.Demetra_Brodsky
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/demetrabrodsky
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/demebrodsky

--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

- 2 Winners will receive the Ultimate DIVE SMACK Swag by Demetra Brodsky.

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HEART OF MIST by Helen Scheuerer Official Nerd Blast

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SYNOPSIS

In a realm where toxic mist sweeps the lands and magic is forbidden, all Bleak wants is a cure for her power.

Still grieving the death of her guardian and dangerously self-medicating with alcohol, Bleak is snatched from her home by the Commander of the King’s Army, and summoned to the capital.

But the king isn’t the only one interested in Bleak’s powers.

The leader of an infamous society of warriors, the Valia Kindred, lays claim to her as well, and Bleak finds herself in the middle of a much bigger battle than she anticipated.

Heart of Mist is the gripping first book in The Oremere Chronicles, a fantasy series of epic proportions. 

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

Praise for HEART OF MIST

"I fell in love with the world Scheuerer has built..." ―Book Series Recaps

"Scheuerer has crafted a vibrant world shrouded in magic, mystery and deadly mist, slowly revealing a back story that has the reader clamouring to know more. Heart of Mist ends on the promise of future adventure, and I for one can't wait to go!" ―the AU review

"A brilliant, absorbing read - I absolutely loved it. The dark, rich characterisation, the wonderful world building, the breathtaking plot and the beautiful writing make the whole experience a joy from start to finish." ―Alexandra Nahlous

"Heart of Mist is captivating in its world-building and brilliant character development. Scheuerer is a true master at weaving together magic, mystery, passion and politics in her standout debut." ―The Literary Casanova 

"Heart of Mist is an incredible fantasy novel: magic, hints of romance, friendship, betrayal, secrets and deeply rooted plot twists abound... A unique fantasy series that I can see easily becoming one of my all-time favourite fantasy novels." ―The Book Tweeter

"Scheuerer's tale is intense, filled with details of scenes of action, despair and danger. Well-defined characters will leap off the pages as Bleak and the rest come to life. Scheuerer has done a fabulous job of pulling me into her story and her world. A wonderful fantasy series with a very firm foundation to build upon!" ―Tome Tender

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Helen Scheuerer is a YA fantasy author from Sydney, Australia. Heart of Mist is the first book in her high fantasy trilogy, The Oremere Chronicles. It explores themes of identity, belonging, loyalty, addiction, loss, and responsibility.

Helen is also the Founding Editor of Writer’s Edit (www.writersedit.com), an online literary magazine and learning platform for emerging writers. It’s now one of the largest writers’ platforms in the world.

Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a Bachelor of Creative Arts, majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Wollongong and a Masters of Publishing at the University of Sydney.

Helen is now a full-time author living by the beach.

PHOTO CONTENT FROM HELEN SCHEUERER

WEBSITE: http://helenscheuerer.com/
TWITTER:  @HelenScheuerer
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9898249.Helen_Scheuerer
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/helenscheuererauthor/
INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/helenscheuerer/

--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

- 1 Winner will receive an Audio Book Copy of HEART OF MIST by Helen Scheuerer

- Winner will receive a $10.00 Amazon Gift Card.

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SHE DOESN’T KNOW by Shane Morales NERD BLAST

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SYNOPSIS

Chloe Parker has just been uprooted to a tiny American compound in Saudi Arabia. You’d think after fourteen years of being an Air Force brat, she’d be used to being the new kid, but it still sucks. At least until she meets charming, charismatic Alex and falls for him hard. 

But Alex is a year older and is heading off to boarding school in Switzerland. Chloe won’t see him again for nine months and it’s breaking her heart. She doesn’t even know if Alex likes her back until he gifts her his private binder of hand-written stories and song lyrics to remember him by. That has to mean something, right? 

At long last the wait is over and Alex returns, but he's a haunted shell of his former self. Something bad happened while Alex was away, something that killed the light in his eyes, and Chloe is determined to help him. She has to get the old Alex back. 

But Chloe doesn’t know you can’t bring someone back from a place you’ve never been. All you can do is be there when they finally decide to come home.

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Forever young and living on the fringes of society, Shane Morales delights in questioning authority and challenging social norms. Drawing from his own teen experience, he writes young adult stories about first love and second chances.

Shane grew up overseas and attended a boarding school in Switzerland during the 80s. He went to college in Maryland where he earned a degree in physical geography with an emphasis in comparative paleo-anatomy (he knows a lot about dinosaur hip structure). After graduating, he disregarded his training, promptly fell in with a bad crowd and spent the next 17 years in IT.

He can usually be found at his computer writing, coding, or wreaking pixelated havoc online with his friends.

Shane currently lives in Florida with his wife and two Feline Masters.

PHOTO CONTENT FROM SHANE MORALES

WEBSITE: http://www.shanemorales.com/
TWITTER:  @shanemorales069
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14428182.Shane_Morales
FACEBOOK: http://facebook.com/shanemoralesauthor
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/shaneofnine

--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

- 10 Winners will receive a Copy of SHE DOESN’T KNOW by Shane Morales

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Cover Reveal: The Deceivers by Kristen Simmons @kris10writes

THE DECEIVERS, the first  new Vale Hall series, out February 5th, 2019!

Add it to your Goodreads TBR shelves!

Welcome to Vale Hall, the school for aspiring con artists.

When Brynn Hilder is recruited to Vale, it seems like the elite academy is her chance to start over, away from her mom's loser boyfriend and her rundown neighborhood. But she soon learns that Vale chooses students not so much for their scholastic talent as for their extracurricular activities, such as her time spent conning rich North Shore kids out of their extravagant allowances.

At first, Brynn jumps at the chance to help the school in its mission to rid the city of corrupt officials--because what could be better than giving entitled jerks what they deserve? But that's before she meets her mark--a senator's son--and before she discovers the school's headmaster has secrets he'll stop at nothing to protect. As the lines between right and wrong blur, Brynn begins to realize she's in way over head.

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Pre-order THE DECEIVERS:

• Amazon
• Barnes and Noble
• Kobo
• Google Play
• Recorded Books
• Joseph Beth Booksellers (I will personalize any copies bought through Joseph Beth when they come in!)