Saturday 31 August 2013

COVER REVEAL - FOREVER FREDLESS BY SUZY TURNER

BLURB supplied by Suzy Turner

Kate Robinson has spent the past two decades yearning to find her soul mate, the boy she found and then lost during a family holiday. Shortly after her twenty-eighth birthday, however, she inherits a fortune from an old family friend and becomes something of an overnight celebrity. Can her new-found fame lead her to him after all this time?
Forever Fredless will be available from online bookstores from October 2013

For more details about Suzy and her books, visit: 
http://suzyturner.com
http://suzyturner.blogspot.com
http://facebook.com/suzyturnerbooks
http://twitter.com/@suzy_turner
http://pinterest.com/suzyturnerbooks

Friday 30 August 2013

COVER REVEAL - FORTY NIGHTS - NEIMA'S ARK BK#2 BY STEPHANIE PARENT

Forty Nights (Neima's Ark #2)
Release Date: September 2013
Cover Designed by: Najla Qamber Designs

Summary from Goodreads:
Neima, her family, and her grandfather Noah have found themselves trapped aboard an ark as a great flood destroys all life in the world. As their time aboard the ark lengthens, food begins to run out, wild animals grow restless, and family tensions become as much of a threat as the flood outside. In the second and final installment of Neima’s Ark, the stakes are higher, the conflicts are greater, and Neima finds herself facing a choice as impossible as the destruction all around her.

Forty Nights is a continuation of the story begun in Forty Days, and it’s recommended that you read Forty Days first for the best experience. Forty Nights does, however, contain a character guide to refresh readers’ memories. The Neima’s Ark series is a historical, feminist reimagining of the story of Noah’s Ark rather than a religiously oriented one, and the novels are best suited for readers who are comfortable with new interpretations of biblical stories.


Forty Days Goodreads Link:

Forty Days is currently FREE!  Get your copy!




BLOGAVERSARY CELEBRATION!

UK GIVEAWAY
(includes Ireland)
For the UK part of our Blogaversary, we are having a pre-loved
book giveaway. All pre-loved books are in excellent condition!
Those gorgeous books up for grabs are:
Intrusion by Ken Macleod
Cursed by Jennifer L Armentrout
Nexus by Ramez Naam
Throne Of Glass by Sarah J. Maas
Raised by Wolves by Jennifer  Lynn Barnes




Thursday 29 August 2013

EXCERPT - IMMORTAL HEART - A FEW ARE ANGELS Bk#3 - INGER IVERSON



EXCERPT


Sola pushed her fingers through her hair, trying desperately to untangle the mess of curls bundled at the top of her head. She was late, again, and only had enough time to shower, brush her teeth, and finger combed her hair. She’d thrown on a teal green short-sleeved blouse outlined in black, a pair of skinny jeans, and her most comfortable ballet slippers. There was a small tour at work that day, and she’d decided to dress a bit more business casual than usual.
She looked at the clock on her wall and groaned. “Damned curls! You’re always getting tangled.” She winced as she tugged at them and yanked her scalp.
In high school, her hair had been one of her best features—wild and curly, with a touch of natural copper coloring. The boys always wanted to run their hands through it, and the girls always wondered how an African American mother and father could have possibly produced a toffee-colored girl, with hazel eyes and natural golden highlights. Her mother always said she looked like a young Minnie Gentry, but with a riot of curls on her head. She loved to tell Sola that she had an untamed wildness to her beauty that couldn’t be mimicked with any amount of makeup, but Sola didn’t know who Minnie Gentry was, nor did she care about some untamed wildness.
The alarm on her phone beeped again, and Sola gave up with a huff. She grabbed tangle-free hair band and her spray bottle of water. The water would make detangling her curls easier, but the heat outside would cause her hair to frizz later, but since time wasn’t on her side, she didn’t have a choice. She was supposed to being giving a tour of the shipyard museum to some middle school kids.
She always wondered who really cared about the shipyard. Okay, yes it was where part of the popular horror film Jennifer’s Body was filmed, but in the end the director, Karyn Kusama, cut the scenes that included the shipyard, so what was everyone so excited to see?
It didn’t matter, though; working at Jesper Ship Yard was the only way Sola could keep her tiny apartment without the direct help of her parents.
After throwing her damp hair in a ponytail, she grabbed her bag and headed out the door and down the stairs of her apartment complex.


Now you have read the Excerpt why not enter
the Tour Wide Giveaway

BOOKSOUNDTRACK - IMMORTAL HEART - FEW ARE ANGELS - INGER IVESON


Inger was asked to share her idea of the perfect soundtrack to ‘Immortal Heart’ with us.

Her reply was . . . .


I love book soundtracks and I honestly don’t think that I could have written Immortal Heart without lyrical motivation.


Below are my top ten favorite songs.


1. Nothing Else Matters: Scala & Kolacny Brothers

2. Bleed Out: Imagine Dragons

3. Letters from the Sky: Civil Twilight

4. Dark Again (Lights Out): Gold Fields

5. Whispering: Alex Clare
6. The Window: Black Lab

7. Sail: AWOLNATION

8. Cool as Fire: Chairlift

9. Bonfire: Blue Foundation

10. Litost: The Ambassadors

Have you entered the Tour Wide Giveaway yet?

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - INGER IVESON


How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
Normally, I get an idea for a book from a dream or daydream, and then I think of who I could place in that world. With Immortal Heart, I decided that the readers needed to know that Kale had a life before he met Ella and that Sola was a part of that life.

What do you think about book trailers?
I love book trailers. They give the book a real feeling. You know, like when you see a trailer for a movie you have been waiting for the entire summer, and FINALLY there it is for your viewing pleasure. I actually have a book trailer for Few Are Angels that starts filming soon :)  
How do you market/promote your books?
Just recently I hired a PA and I’ve really see a difference in sales because of it. She sets up all my giveaways, Facebook and Twitter events. She’s created a street team for me and those in the street team help me with promoting my books. Social Media plays a great importance in promoting and marketing a book.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
It normally takes me six months to write a book, two months of self-edits, two months with a professional editor and then it’s off to the proofreader. So, all in it takes about a year maybe less. ; ) Immortal Heart took eight months.

Do you have a favourite genre of book?
I am in love with Multicultural Romances! I read a lot of books by Latrivia Nelson and Sienna Mynx!

Do you think ebooks will ever totally replace printed books?
Maybe one day, I mean, I’ll see books that are 12.99, then the ebook is only 3.99. Money is tight, and everyone is looking to save a buck or two. I love paperbacks, but when money is tight, I check out the ebook. Then again, the library is free.  

Which format of book do you prefer, ebook,hardback, or paperback?


Where can readers follow you?

Your Blog Details?

Your Website?  




Your Twitter Details? @kris10inger

Don't forget to enter the Tour Wide Giveaway!

POMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT & ABOUT THE AUTHOR & GIVEAWAY- IMMORTAL HEART - A FEW ARE ANGELS BY INGER IVERSON

Book Information supplied by Girls Heart Books Blog Tours
Title-Immortal Heart
Series-Few Are Angels Book # 3 (Prequel)
By-Inger Iversen
Expected Publication Date- September 28th, 2013
Genre-New Adult/Mature YA-*Contains sexual content*


BLURB supplied by Girls Heart Books Blog Tours
More than a century after the tragedy of Hélène's death and before Ella found Kale bruised and broken on her doorstep, Kale moved through the world in a haze of personal punishment allowing it to consume him. Until his friend, Detective Deacon, a newly infected Chorý calls on him for a favor.


In this prequel to the Few Are Angels series, Kale is thrown into a world of human blood trafficking and is introduced to a Chorý that offers him a chance at happiness— in blood.


LINKS
Goodreads


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Inger Iversen lives in Virginia Beach with her tree-hugging boyfriend Joshua and her overweight lap cat Max. When not reading or writing she spends her time watching reruns of True Blood or killing zombies in Call Of Duty.

Author Links

Facebook Events
GIVEAWAY

Wednesday 28 August 2013

THE HALLOWED ONES BY LAURA BICKLE

ISBN:  978-0547859262
Series: The Hallowed Ones
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 311pages
Formats Available: Paperback

BLURB from Goodreads
Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.

MY REVIEW
Well it's kind of a long story as to how I came to have a free copy of this one to read and give my honest review on. Originally I downloaded a mobi from Netgalley, Then I had a kindle problem so "lost" the book. I then saw that the second book in the series was soon to be available and spoke to the author Laura Bickle who kindly and generously sent me a kindle copy of The Hallowed Ones.
So what about the cover, well it's quite a dark cover and to be honest the book has "dark" parts too, so it suits it well. The girl on the front is the Amish girl and main character of the book Katie. I love the byline of "If your home was the last place on earth, would you let a stranger in" it totally fits the situation that Katie finds herself in.
This story is set in and around an Amish community. It is rumored that there is something really bad going on Outside, that darkness is approaching. Some of the Amish people are in the neighbouring town working so end up cut off from their families. as the Amish do not have telephones etc they cannot communicate. An English woman is at Katie's parents farm when the elders of the Amish community enforce a lockdown nothing in or out with immediate effect. Katie's family generously take the English woman under their roof for the time being. 
Before all the upset and lockdown happened Katie and Elijah had been planning their Rumspringa, the time they get to try life in the outside world before deciding to be baptized and devoting their lives to the Amish way of life for good.
Things change rapidly, the elders change things and families are encouraging their youngsters to be baptized much sooner. Elijah and Katie argue about this with Elijah wanting to be baptized and bring forward their engagement and marriage, but Katie still feels like she want to experience more of the Outside even if she has to wait until this "darkness" has passed. Katie ends up seeing a different side to Elijah when they argue.
Katie ends up finding a young man who is injured by their farms boundary. She alerts her father who calls the elders. The Elders decide to stick by their "No one in No one out policy" and will not allow anyone to help the young man. In fact there is even a discussion if it would be better to just shoot the young man! Later Katie smuggles the young man, Alex into the dog barn, where only she has reason to go to. She smuggles him food and even risks a trip to the Outside to get Alex antibiotics when one of his wounds becomes infected. It is whilst she is Outside that she see's the "monsters".
I won't tell you anymore as you should, no must read this book it's brilliant. There's a lot of things that happen much more than I have described At times you become so frustrated with the Elders of the Amish who refuse to see what is at the end of their noses. They have what some would say is a bullish attitude and others would say devoted faith that all they need to do is pray and God will do what needs to be done.
This book has dystopian elements and personally with some of the blood and gore scenes I'd say horror elements too. In fact if this was ever made into a movie, it would be a horror movie to rival Stephen King's Carrie!!
So did I enjoy the book? Yes, I really did, even the horror elements. If someone had told me the book had horror elements it would probably have put me off a little too, but I really enjoyed it. Would I recommend it? Yes I would for dystopian, horror and post apocalyptic fans too. Would I read another book in this series? Yes please, I'd read it . . . . like now if it was available! Would I read other books by this Author? Definitely, I intend to check out some more of her titles as soon as I can!

PURCHASE LINKS 

THE OUTSIDE - THE HALLOWED ONES BK#2 BY LAURA BICKLE


ISBN: 978-0544000131
Series: The Hallowed Ones
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 320pages
Formats Available: Hardback
Release Date: 2nd September 2013

THE OUTSIDE

Copyright © 2013 by Laura Bickle

CHAPTER ONE
EXCERPT


The hard part about the end of the world is surviving it, surviving when no angels scoop you up to fly you away to heaven. God doesn’t speak. But I kept asking.

“Unser Vadder im Himmel . . .”

My breath was ragged in my throat, my voice blistering around the words of the Lord’s Prayer. I spoke in Deitsch, the way my people always did when we prayed. It didn’t matter if evil understood me, only God.

“. . . Dei Naame loss heilich sei . . .”

I opened my arms, my coat and dark skirts flapping around my legs and wrists. I stared out at a field, holding a sharpened pole in each fist. One had been a garden hoe in a previous life and the other a shovel. The metal had been stripped from them, but they were still tools. Weapons. A crumpled piece of paper was fastened to my chest with straight pins, the writing growing faint and illegible in the gathering darkness.

Darkness with eyes.

“Dei Reich loss komme . . .”

I strained to see into the night. Shapes seethed. I knew that something terrible was out there. The bullfrogs had stopped chanting and the late-season crickets had gone silent. I heard crunching in leaves, saw something shining red.

“Dei Wille loss gedu sei.”

My knuckles whitened on the wood in my hands.

“Bonnet, c’mon!”

My head snapped around, my bonnet string slapping my chin. I could see two familiar figures retreating behind me. A short, round woman scurried through the field. Her platinum hair was bright against the night, almost appearing as a moon bobbing along churning water. She reached a nervous white horse who was pawing at the earth, clambered clumsily onto its back. Between her and me, a lanky shadow in a dark jacket gestured at me with white hands. Alex.

Bonnet. That was Alex’s nickname for me. My real name is Katie.

Alex said that God did not rule the end of the world. Alex said the end of the world was ruled by sun and Darkness. By time. And time was one thing we had very little of. The light had drained out of the day, and we were vulnerable.

I saw Alex taking off his jacket, wading through the grass toward me. I swallowed. That meant that he sensed the same thing I did, that the hair also stood up on the back of his neck, that he was ready to fight.

He stripped off his shirt. My heart flip-flopped for a moment and my grip on the stakes slackened for a fraction of a second. His pale skin was covered by black sigils that seemed to blur in the twilight. It was cold, but for them to work well, the creatures pursuing us needed to see them —the same reason I’d pinned the petition to God to my chest.

I worked the prayer through my teeth, one eye on the horizon, at the roiling shadows in the east.

“ . . . Uff die Erd wie im Himmel.”

“Damn it, Bonnet.” He grabbed my elbow. He tore the white bonnet off my head, stuffed it into his pocket.

I snatched at the strings. “Don’t . . .”

“This thing makes you a target. I could see you from all the way back there.” He stabbed a thumb at Ginger’s retreating figure on horseback, melting into the grass. “It shines like a beacon.”

I lifted my chin. “Ja. Maybe it should.”

This was an argument we repeated often. Though the end of the world had come, I adhered to the old ways. I was born Amish, and I would die Amish.

But hopefully not tonight.

Alex’s eyes narrowed and he looked over my head. I could feel his hand grow cold through the sleeve of my dress.

“They’re here,” I breathed.

He swore.

Alex pulled me back, back into the tall grass disturbed by a breeze.

My breath hissed behind my teeth:

Want to read more? I know I certainly do! well here is the link you need to purchase your own copy!

PURCHASE LINK

AUTHOR INTERVIEW - LAURA BICKLE


Did you always want to be a writer? If not what did you want to be?
I’ve always been scribbling, since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I didn’t believe, until recently, that other people would want to read what I wrote.
I have, at various times, worked in criminal justice, in a library, and in government. Dreams change, but writing has always been with me.

What is the name of your latest book, and if you had to summarise it in less than 20 words what would you say?
 My newest release is THE OUTSIDE, the sequel to THE HALLOWED ONES. It’s up to one Amish girl to save her family, her community, and the boy she loves . . . but what will she be asked to leave behind in return?

Who is your publisher? or do you self publish?
 I’m published by the wonderful folks at Harcourt. I feel very fortunate to be part of such a great team – they are such a pleasure to work with.

How long does it usually take you to write a book, from the original idea to finishing writing it?
 It usually takes me a few months. I like to noodle around with the idea and structure it a bit in a journal before actually starting to write. I find that the more real estate I allow the book to take up in my head, the faster it goes.

What genre would you place your books into?
 THE OUTSIDE is a YA thriller. It has some elements of horror and contemporary fantasy, as well.

What made you decide to write that genre of book?
The funny part about this series is that I didn’t set out to make it YA. It just came out that way…I knew that I wanted to tell the story from the perspective of a young Amish woman who was dealing with issues of conformity and autonomy. I was completely unaware that it was YA until I turned it in to my agent.
So I guess…the answer is that I didn’t consciously adjust my writing. The story just developed on its own in a YA way.

Do you have a favourite character from your books? and why are they your favourite?
Katie is my favorite. Katie was an interesting character to write because she's very strong in a quiet, enduring kind of way. And she’s a young Amish woman – which was a very exciting challenge for me to write! Katie struggles to develop her own moral compass, independent of her parents and community. That requires a great deal of fortitude, just as much fortitude as dealing with the evil creatures in her world.

How long have you been writing?, and who or what inspired you to write?
I’ve always been scribbling, ever since I was old enough to hold a crayon. I loved stories – my mother was a librarian and was always reading to me – so I always wanted to try to tell my own.
Writing as Laura Bickle and Alayna Williams, I wrote four urban fantasies. Two are best summed up as “Ghostbusters in Detroit with dragons and arson” (EMBERS and SPARKS). The other two, DARK ORACLE and ROGUE ORACLE, are about a criminal profiler who uses Tarot cards to solve crimes. 
My most recent work includes a pair of dystopian fantasies, THE HALLOWED ONES and THE OUTSIDE.

Do you choose a title first, or write the book then choose the title?
 I have a hard time coming up with titles that “stick.” THE HALLOWED ONES was originally called THE GATE, to symbolize the boundary between the Amish world and the world outside, safety and chaos. But THE HALLOWED ONES fits the story better – it evokes a mood and creates more curiosity, I think.
And the same was true for the sequel. THE OUTSIDE was originally THE SHINING ONES when I was drafting.

How do you come up with characters names and place names in your books?
 One of my favorite tools to use in naming characters and places is Behindthename.com. This website allows me to search by meaning, so I can give my characters names that really fit their personalities and challenges.

Are character names and place names decided after their creation? or do you pick a character/place name and then invent them?
 I name the character when I create him or her, and the name becomes a part of the character.

Do you decide on character traits (ie shy, quiet, tomboy girl) before writing the whole book or as you go along?
 I keep notebooks of character ideas. So my characters are pretty well laid-out before I start writing. There are always some surprises and new developments, but I like to know what I’m starting with. They always grow and change as the story develops, which feels pretty organic to me.

Do you basic plot/plan for your book, before you actually begin writing it out? Or do you let the writing flow and see where it takes the story?
I do plot before I write. I like to have a roadmap that shows me where I’m going. Usually, I wind up somewhere more unexpected than I began, but I like to keep track of character arcs and the pacing in the story.

Have you ever suffered from a "writer's block"? What did you do to get past the "block"?
The only solution I’ve found to writer’s block is pushing through it. If I let the block fester, it becomes larger and more difficult to surmount. If I keep nibbling at it, it disappears.

What do you do to unwind and relax? Do you have a hobby?
I collect comic books, Tarot cards, and action figures. I recently started taking karate classes, and have been known to break out into spontaneous belly dance (but never when anyone’s watching!).

Where can readers follow you?
My website is www.laurabickle.com. I’m also on Facebook and Twitter, usually exclaiming over cute cat pictures.
Your Twitter Details? http://twitter.com/Laura_Bickle

PROMOTIONAL SPOTLIGHT - THE HALLOWED ONES SERIES BY LAURA BICKLE

ISBN:  978-0547859262
Series: The Hallowed Ones
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 311pages
Formats Available: Paperback
Release Date: 25th September 2012

BLURB from Goodreads
Katie is on the verge of her Rumspringa, the time in Amish life when teenagers can get a taste of the real world. But the real world comes to her in this dystopian tale with a philosophical bent. Rumors of massive unrest on the “Outside” abound. Something murderous is out there. Amish elders make a rule: No one goes outside, and no outsiders come in. But when Katie finds a gravely injured young man, she can’t leave him to die. She smuggles him into her family’s barn—at what cost to her community? The suspense of this vividly told, truly horrific thriller will keep the pages turning.


ISBN: 978-0544000131
Series: The Hallowed Ones
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Pages: 320pages
Formats Available: Hardback
Release Date: 2nd September 2013

BLURB from Goodreads
One girl. One road. One chance to save what remains…

After a plague of vampires is unleashed in the world, Katie is kicked out of her Amish community for her refusal to adhere to the new rules of survival. Now in exile, she enters an outside world of unspeakable violence with only her two “English” friends and a horse by her side. Together they seek answers and other survivors—but each sunset brings the threat of vampire attack, and each sunrise the threat of starvation.

And yet through this darkness come the shining ones: luminescent men and women with the power to deflect vampires and survive the night. But can these new people be trusted, and are they even people at all?

In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, it’s up to one Amish girl to save her family, her community, and the boy she loves . . . but what will she be asked to leave behind in return?


PURCHASE LINKS