Blog Blast w/ Giveaway!: Creed by Trisha Leaver and Lindsay Currie

 

About the Book

Creed by Trisha Leaver & Lindsay Currie

 
Release date: November 8, 2014 
Publisher: Flux 
Genre: Young Adult psychological horror 
ISBN: 0738740802

Three went in. Three came out. None even a shadow of who they once were.

When their car breaks down, Dee, her boyfriend Luke, and his brother Mike walk through a winter storm to take refuge in a nearby town called Purity Springs. When they arrive, the emergency sirens are blaring and the small farming town seems abandoned. With no other shelter, they spend the night in an empty house.

But they soon discover that not everything in Purity Springs is as it seems. When the town's inhabitants suddenly appear the next morning, Dee, Luke, and Mike find themselves at the mercy of the charismatic leader, Elijah Hawkins, who plans to make Dee his new wife. Elijah's son, Joseph, offers to help them escape . . . but the price of his help may be more than Dee and her friends can bear. 

Buy the Book

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 20.00 Amazon Gift Card

Open Internationally, Must be 13+ To Enter.

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Praise For CREED

“Debut authors Leaver and Currie make an auspicious foray into YA horror...creating a believably desperate and terrifying situation for their characters, and Dee's history of physical and sexual abuse adds another layer of terror to this suspenseful and sporadically gory thriller.” ~Publishers Weekly

Welcome to a town that makes "Children of the Corn" look like child's play. There's no shortage of scary shenanigans happening in "Creed" ... We'd rather take a year-long gig teaching botany to the "Children of the Corn" than take a gas-and-bathroom break on a sunny day in Purity Springs.  ~Kat Rosenfield author of Amelia Anne is Dead and Gone/ MTV News

"This is: a straight-ahead, cover-your-ears tale of terror that grows more nihilistic and grueling by the page.... Leaver and Currie do the best thing horror authors can do, presenting protagonists who make smart choices, over and over, but to no avail. Now that's scary" ~ Daniel Kraus/ Booklist

About The Authors

Trisha Leaver: Trisha Leaver graduated from the University of Vermont with a degree in Social Work. She lives on Cape Cod with her husband, three kids and one rather irreverent black lab. She is a member of the SCBWI, the Horror Writers Association, and the YA Scream Queens.

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | Instagram: @trishaleaver

About Lindsay Currie: Lindsay Currie graduated from Knox College in Galesburg, IL with an English Literature degree. She is a member of the SCBWI, the Horror Writers Association and a contributor to the YA Scream Queens.

TWITTER | WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | Instagram: @lindsayncurrie

Monthly Re-Cap: October 2014

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Another month down, here's another wrap-up- complete with Goodreads and Review links. 

 

I still can't believe how fast this year is flying by! Another month gone... October was a bit rough on the blog. I had a ton of work stuff going on so there wasn't much blogging or reading getting done. November is going to be much more productive, I can already tell.

What did you read or listen to in October? 

Link me up in the comments section! 

 

  ~~Events from October~~

     ~~Books Read in October ~~   

 

~~Links to Reviews ~~

• The Hockey Saint by Howard Shapiro (GN) - 5 stars
•  The Diaries of Robin's Toys: Bertie the Bee by Ken and Angie Lake (MG) - 4 stars
• The Diaries of Robin's Toys: Carla the Cow by Ken and Angie Lake (MG) - 3 stars 
• The Girl Who Came Back to Life by Craig Staufenberg (MG) - 3.5 stars 
• Bend Your Brain: 151 Puzzles, Tips and Tricks to Blow (and Grow) Your Mind by Lindsay Gaskins (Adult) - 5 stars
•  The Scandalous Sisterhood of Prickwillow Place by Julie Berry (MG) - 2 stars

 

Building the Book Pile #114

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

What's Happening?! 

How was your week ? Let me know in the comments.

Hello again! BTBP is on time again and I am back to reading like crazy. I read two Graphic Novels this past week and completed a book, started and finished another and got about 20% into a third  -- woot woot!

This weekend I am away from home visiting my Grandfather and family in southern VA and so I am actually writing up this post early (before I leave). 

edit: [begin rant - sorry in advance] I am at my grandfather's house with a bunch of family and as much as I love family time, sometimes I really dislike it. I am an adult and it still hurts to overhear someone in your family calling you a nerd just because you like different things than they do... I normally embrace my nerdiness but this time it was mean and hurtful and behind my back and I would love to tell this person off and point out all of their horrible qualities -- instead I am blogging... don't you wish you could just rage-quit family sometimes?! [end rant]

I hope you all had wonderful weeks reading and blogging. Let me know how it is going for you in the comments.

Giveaways Going on Now!!

 
GO ENTER!

 

Coming up on the Blog... 

My (Late) October Recap
Blog Blast: Creed by Lindsay Currie and Trisha Leaver (YA)

Early Reader Review: Doomboy by Tony Sanduval (GN)

Review: The Swallow: A Ghost Story by Charis Cotter (MG)

Review: Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis (YA)

No Books Received this Week - at least as far as I remember :P

Links go to Goodreads and/or Publisher Site.

Have you missed anything lately? 

Double Cover Reveal: Prodigal and Riven by Tyler Jolley and Sherry D. Ficklin (YA)
Blog Blast: Ennara and the Book of Shadows by Angela Myron (MG)
Review: The Clockwork Scarab (A Stocker and Holmes Novel #1) by Colleen Gleason (YA) - 5 stars
Review: The Deepest Night (The Sweetest Dark #2) by Shana Abe (YA) - 5 stars
Early Reader Review: The Littlest Pet Shop by Georgia Bell (GN) - 3 stars 

  Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up/ STS/ Weekly...anything post and I will happily stop by and say hello!

 Happy Reading!

Early Reader Review: The Littlest Pet Shop by Georgia Bell

The Littlest Pet Shop: Open for Business by Georgia Bell
Series: The Littlest Pet Shop
Publisher: Diamond Book Distributors
Publication Date:  November 1, 2014

 

Format: ebook
Source:From Netgalley and Diamond Book Distributors for review. Receiving this ebook in no way effects my opinions or review.

Rating:




 


Goodreads Synopsis: 

Lets you join Russell, Penny, Blythe, and all of the pets for new adventures based on the hit animated TV series and toy line.

 Review: 
This was a cute compilation, nothing overly wonderful but cute. There were about 10 stories, five are longer ones and five are short three page spreads. Blythe has a fun time with the pets, doing cool things, wrangling them when they are all over the place, and caring for them. It is also fun that she can talk to them and they understand her and she understands them - it makes for more fun in the stories. 

The colors were bright and fun like the stories but there was a lot of what seemed to be random dialogue interspersed which made the stories longer than they needed to be but I guess it was to make them act as lessons. The lessons were on helping, friendship, and thinking outside the box. It was all fun and quirky. I think young Littlest Pet Shop lovers will be very into this book.


 

Recent Reads: The Deepest Night by Shana Abe

The Deepest Night by Shana Abe
Series:The Sweetest Dark #2
Publisher: Bantam Books
Publication Date:  August 2013

 

Format: Paperback ARC
Source:Librarything Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this book in no way effects my opinion or review.

Rating:


 



Goodreads Synopsis: 

A rich portrait of post-Victorian England, The Deepest Night seamlessly blends thrilling romance with riveting history and adventure—perfect for fans of Libba Bray and Lauren Kate.

It’s 1915, and sixteen-year-old Lora Jones is finishing up her first year as a charity student at Iverson, a prestigious, gothic boarding school on England’s southern coast. While she’s always felt different from everyone around her, now she finally knows why: She is a drákon, a rare, enchanted being with astonishing magical abilities.

As war hits Britain’s shores, and Lora reels from an unimaginable loss, she finds that her powers come with grave and dangerous responsibilities. At the request of Armand Louis, the darkly mysterious boy whose father owns Iverson, Lora will spend her summer at his lavish estate. To help the war effort—and to keep Lora by his side—Armand turns his home into a military hospital, where Lora will serve as a nurse. For Armand is inescapably drawn to her—bound to her by heart-deep secrets and a supernatural connection that runs thicker than blood.

Yet while Lora tries to sort out her own feelings toward Armand, fate offers an unexpected surprise. Lora discovers there is another drákon, a prisoner of war being held in Germany. And that only she, with her newly honed Gifts, will be able to rescue him.

With Armand, Lora will cross enemy lines on an incredible mission—one that could bond her to Armand forever, or irrevocably tear them apart.

Beautifully written, deeply romantic, and filled with daring adventure and magic, The Deepest Night is a mesmerizing novel of the enduring pull of destiny, and the eternal strength of love.

 Review: 


It has been a minute since I read book one in this series and so I was a little lost initially but didn't really feel the need to reread book 1. The Deepest Night picks up where The Sweetest Dark left off which made things easier. Lora is coming to terms with her secret and powers and always trying to be strong around the nasty girls at her school. 

I flew through this book just like I did with book 1. Lora is an interesting character to follow and sometimes the reader gets snippets into Armand's mind as well. I love the romantic elements of this book. It is all pretty corny but I did like it. Lora is not sure how she feels about Armand but is trust into his life when she agrees to stay with him for the summer. 

In this plot there was a lot of build up to the action of the book, much like that in book one; but whereas book 1's action was all at the very very end, we get a lot of development about 60% through this one. 

I found Lora to be a little frustrating but I feel that way about most teenage romance stories, the girls are stubborn and the boys are too good to be true but marvelous to read about. Their development throughout the book was very nice; Lora becomes more confident and Armand less conceited and overbearing. 

I am not sure when book 3 will be released but I believe it is in the works and will be excited to read it. I believe that this book had a good amount more depth than the first and was happy to see that it was less love-triangle-y.

Trailer

  

Author's Website 
Chapter Sampler 

Recent Reads: The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason

The Clockwork Scarab by Colleen Gleason
Series: A Stocker and Holmes Novel #1
Publisher: Chronicle Books
Publication Date:  October 7, 2014

 

Format: Paperback
Source:Librarything Early Reviewers Program in exchange for an honest review. Receiving this book in no way effects my opinion or review.


Rating:




 
  

Goodreads Synopsis: 

Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes never meant to get into the family business. But when you’re the sister of Bram and the niece of Sherlock, vampire hunting and mystery solving are in your blood. And when two society girls go missing, there’s no one more qualified to investigate.

Now fierce Evaline and logical Mina must resolve their rivalry, navigate the advances of not just one but three mysterious gentlemen, and solve murder with only one clue: a strange Egyptian scarab. The stakes are high. If Stoker and Holmes don’t unravel why the belles of London society are in such danger, they’ll become the next victims.

 Review: 
I have been waiting to read this book for a long time and I am so glad I got it from the early reviewers program. I had first seen this book at BEA in 2013 and I got a car with a code to read the first chapter and it was amazing. The idea of taking the niece of the famous Sherlock Holmes and the sister of Bram Stocker was were the most appeal came from. After the first 30 or so pages there had already been 3 deaths, tidbits into the stories of Holmes and Dracula and two strong female leads - both strong in very different ways. 

I absolutely loved this plot and the overall idea of the story. Missing men and women, dead women, a secret society that is enthralled with ancient Egyptian artifacts, oh so good. While there wasn't a whole lot of character development throughout the book, Holmes and Stocker do learn a lot about themselves from one another and forge a strange friendship.

I think this was a great starting point for the series. The girls both have their talents that they will need to use together much like Sherlock and Watson, they are more stable with one another present. I loved the references to the classics that the book made throughout and I really liked that they incorporated some steampunk elements into it. 

The book left me with questions as most mystery series do, many involving the case they were working on, but there was enough closure that the ending was not frustrating. I am definitely going to pick up book 2.

Authors Website

Stocker and Holmes Website 

 

Blog Blast: Excerpt from Ennara and the Book of Shadows by Angela Myron

Hello Blog Readers and Book Lovers! 
First off - look at this awesome cover - a dragon, a Pegasus, and I love the purples and blues! Please take a moment to read about this book. It looks like a wonderful Middle Grade read! It is on sale for $0.99! OH and there is a Giveaway! Go check it out!

Ennara and the Book of Shadows by Angela Myron
Series: Ennara #2
Publisher: Patchwork Press
Publication Date:  October 31, 2014

 

About the Book
When strange accidents start happening around thirteen year-old necromancer Ennara and her friends, she must search for the mysterious stolen artifacts causing the attacks while learning the highest form of magic--the spells that could prevent the fruition of a terrible prophecy.   

Equus ferus pegasi

 “Head due west until you find Estlan, then south to Dordonne. I’ve prepared the pegasi and griffins—they’ve been trained on the flight path and are rested. With their keen sense of direction, they won’t go off-course.” Formult clapped Snowflake on the hindquarters and stepped aside. She leapt from the door and into the air effortlessly. Ferrus and the two griffins followed.

Excerpt Continues After the Break...

Double Cover Reveal: Prodigal and Riven by Tyler H. Jolley and Sherry D. Ficklin

TWO AMAZING COVER REVEALS, ONE AWESOME SERIES— THE LOST IMPERIALS.

By Tyler H. Jolley and Sherry D. Ficklin

ABOUT THE LOST IMPERIALS SERIES: 

In a battle for control of the time stream, the past and the future will collide, either saving mankind—or destroying it.

The Tesla Institute stands on one side of the battle. Controlled by the mind of one of the greatest inventors in history, the Institute recruits gifted, young time travelers called Rifters. Those who survive his training are sent into history with the mission to preserve the time stream, recruit more of their kind, and better humanity through subtle, controlled event manipulation.

Standing in the way are the Hollows, a rogue group of Rifters who have vowed to put an end to the Tesla Institute—at all costs. They steal, cheat, and bend history to their own ends. Using children stolen from time as their personal armies, they fight not only for control of time itself, but also for self-preservation.

BOOK #1—EXTRACTED — IS ALREADY AVAILABLE. FIND OUT WHY IT'S A BEST-SELLER! 

"Steampunk and time travel combine to provide pizazz in this series opener about a long-lost royal brother and sister, the surviving Romanovs. Ficklin and Jolley handle the rather intricate plotline well, populating the time stream with interesting characters that pop up in various unexpected places. The steampunk scenario adds a great deal of zest to the proceedings, with top hats, leather corsets and a variety of steam-driven contrivances providing set dressing. Kids who pick it up won't encounter much real history, but they'll be reading it for fun anyway. (Steampunk. 12 & up)" ~Kirkus Reviews

ABOUT RIVEN:

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing

What should be a routine mission leaves Ethan with a serious problem. He’s fractured—a break between mind and body that leaves him at the mercy of his Rifter abilities, which are quickly tearing him apart. He will have to trust the only person who might know how to fix him, a mysterious Rifter named Stewart Stills, who seems to have a special connection with the time stream.

Forced to face his dark past and a decision he may never forgive himself for, he will be trained unlike any of the others, to become a true guardian for time. If he accepts, it will mean leaving everyone he loves behind. If he refuses, time itself could unravel. After a glimpse of the dark future awaiting them all, he will have to choose between destiny and desire. Will he rise up and take his place as a defender of the natural order, or will he watch as all of time burns at the hands of the girl he loves?

Welcome to the time war.

ABOUT PRODIGAL:

Release Date: May 5, 2015

Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing

Stein has been with the Hollows for as long as she can remember. Taken as a child, she has no memories of her past—and that’s always been fine by her. Until the day she stumbles across a hidden journal containing the devastating truth about her paternity. Now everything she thought she knew—and everyone she thought she could trust—has changed. The truth about who she is and where she came from is a secret so deep, it will rock the Hollows and the Tesla Institute alike.

During a test to verify her bloodlines, Stein makes a terrible discovery. She is carrying a rare genetic mutation that is slowly killing her. Unsure who to turn to and running out of time, she has no choice but to turn to Tesla—her most hated enemy—for help. But can she trust the man who she’s been fighting against her whole life, or will she end up another piece in his deadly game of cat and mouse with the people who betrayed her so long ago?

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

TYLER H. JOLLEY AND SHERRY D. FICKLIN 

In order to support his hobby of writing, Tyler decided to pursue dentistry. He graduated from Nova Southeastern University School of Dental Medicine in 2002. He then completed a four year residency at the University of Pennsylvania. In June 2006, he opened Jolley Smiles in Grand Junction, CO. Snowboarding, mountain biking, road biking, fly fishing, bird hunting, camping, hiking, and backpacking are the things he enjoys doing with his family. When life gets stressful he escapes to unseen worlds.

Sherry is a full time writer from Colorado where she lives with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and a fluctuating number of chickens and house guests. A former military brat, she loves to travel, eat exotic food, and meet new people. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she's on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is often only seen in blurry photographs.

Building the Book Pile #113

Welcome to Building the Book Pile!  A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

What's Happening?! 

How was your week ? Let me know in the comments.

Happy Sunday Readers! Look I was on time this week!!!! Yay I have been reading again and posting reviews and blasts lately and I am feeling great about it all. I hope that everyone had a wonderful Halloween. We did but I was a little bummed that we only had one trick-or-treater.... yup ONE! So more candy for me I guess... oh well. How did your evening go? Did you do anything fun?

Have a wonderful week!

Giveaways Going on Now!!

 
GO ENTER!

 

Coming up on the Blog... 

Double Cover Reveal: Prodigal and Riven by Tyler Jolley and Sherry D. Ficklin
Blog Blast: Ennara and the Book of Shadows by Angela Myron
Review: The Clockwork Scarab: A Stocker and Holmes Novel by Colleen Gleason
Possible review -- Stitching Snow by R.C. Lewis (we shall see if I get around to this one)

Books Received this Week

Physical Books

I won Courtney Alameda's Birthday Giveaway and got the best box of goodies this week.

In the box: 
Signed ARC of Shutter by Courtney Alameda
Shutter Wrap Bracelet
Cake Bites - That were amazing! Om Nom NOM!
Disposable Camera Kit
Crystal Camera Necklace
Copy of Bram Stocker's Dracula Illustrated by Ben Templesmith
Dracula Lithographs Tote Bag
Signed Hardbacks of: Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Black; Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by April Genevieve Tucholke; The Merciless by Danielle Vega; and Mary: The Summoning by Hillary Monahan 

And then I got the following for Review:



Mom Made Us Write this in the Summer by Ali Maier - from the publisher for review consideration.

Links go to Goodreads and/or Publisher Site.

Have you missed anything lately? 

Double Review: The Diaries of Robin's Toys: Bertie the Bee and Carla the Cow - (MG) - 4 & 3 Stars
Blog Blast: Adrenaline Crush by Laurie Boyle Compton - with Giveaway
Review: The Hockey Saint by Howard Shapiro - (Graphic Novel) 5 stars
Promo: Fractured Dream by KM Randall (on sale for $.99 Nov 1-5th!)

 

  Comment and leave me a link to your Round-up/ STS/ Weekly...anything post and I will happily stop by and say hello!

 Happy Reading!

Promo! Fractured Dream by K.M. Randall is $0.99

Today at Cover2Cover, I would like to share an amazing deal with you -- Fracture Dream bu K.M. Randall is $0.99... and doesn't this book sound great?!

Fractured Dream (The Dreamer Saga, Book 1) by K.M. Randall

Genre: Fantasy, Fairytale

Published: June 21, 2014 by Booktrope Publishing

About the Book
Have you ever wondered where fairytales go once they’re created? It’s been eight years since Story Sparks last had a dream. Now they’re back, tormenting her as nightmares she can’t remember upon waking. The black waters of Lake Sandeen, where her Uncle Peter disappeared decades before, may hold the secret to Story’s hidden memories, or a truth she’d rather not know. On a bright summer afternoon, Story and her two best friends, Elliott and Adam, take a hike to the lake, where they dive into the cool water and never reemerge. What they find is beyond anything they’ve ever imagined could be possible, a world where dangers lurk in the form of Big Bad Wolves, living Nightmares and meddlesome witches and gods. Now Story must remember who she really is and somehow stop two worlds from ultimate annihilation, all while trying not to be too distracted by the inexplicable pull she feels toward a certain dark-eyed traveler who seems to have secrets of his own. The fates of the worlds are counting on her.

On Sale for 99 cents through November 5th!

Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

About the Author 

As a girl, K.M. always wished she’d suddenly come into magical powers or cross over into a Faerie circle. Although that has yet to happen, she instead lives vicariously through the characters she creates in writing fantasy and delving into the paranormal. When K.M. is not busy writing her next novel, she is the editor-in-chief of a blog covering the media industry, as well as an editor with Booktrope Publishing. She has a master’s degree in journalism from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree in English-Lit from Nazareth College of Rochester. K.M. lives in Upstate New York’s Finger Lakes region with her husband and her extremely energetic little boy. Fractured Dream is her first novel. Twitter- Twitter.com/km_randall Facebook- Facebook.com/authorkmrandall Website- Kmrandallauthor.com