Monthly Re-Cap: July

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

 

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

 

The start of July was awesome! I have been reading in the evenings, during lunch breaks and listening to audiobooks in the car, and I even participated in a Read-aThon (even though I wasn't super involved).

 

I am still settling in Vermont but all of my stuff is in storage up here now while we sell our condo in Northern VA and buy a home here which is a load off my shoulders at the least. My commute for the time being is kind of long, but on the bright side, I am listening to a lot more audiobooks and getting through them a lot faster than normal. A lot of good ones this month :)

 

I hope everyone is having an awesome summer!

What did you read or listen to in July? Link me up in the comments section!

~~Books Read in July~~

Click the book covers to go to Goodreads

~~Links to Reviews ~~
A Voice in the Night by Ernestine Dali (2 Stars)
Hope (Faerieground #2) by Beth Braken (5 Stars) - Review August 2nd.
Hit the Road, Helen! by Katie McMullen (4 Stars) 
The Blood of Cowards by Matt Cole [Short Story] (3 Stars) -- No full review yet
The Geek's Guide to Dating (4 Stars)  -- Review up on Goodreads for now

~~Audiobooks in July~~

Click the book covers to go to Goodreads

~~Links to Reviews ~~

W.A.R.P. The Reluctant Assassin by Eoin Colfer (5 Stars)
Far Far Away by Tom McNeal (5 Stars)
A Matter of Days by Amber Kizer (5 Stars) 

Summer Giveaway Hop!

Hello Lovely Readers! 

Welcome to the 2013 Summer Giveaway Hop

It has been a long time since I have done an International giveaway so today here is one for everyone!! 

The Rules: Must be 13 or have parent's permission. The Book Depository must ship to your country (Not sure? check HERE!). Open Internationally! Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. 

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email at end of giveaway or forfeit their prize.

The Prize: A book up to $10 from the Book Depository, your choice!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This is a Giveaway Hop, so make sure to visit all the links and enter to win all the goodies! Good Luck!

Blog Blitz: Giveaway -- King of Bad by Kai Stand

King of Bad 

About the Book
Jeff Mean would rather set fires than follow rules or observe curfew. He wears his bad boy image like a favorite old hoodie; that is until he learns he has superpowers and is recruited by Super Villain Academy – where you learn to be good at being bad. In a school where one kid can evaporate all the water from your body and the girl you hang around with can perform psychic sex in your head, bad takes on a whole new meaning. Jeff wonders if he’s bad enough for SVA. He may never find out. Classmates vilify him when he develops good manners. Then he’s kidnapped by those closest to him and left to wonder who is good and who is bad. His rescue is the climactic episode that balances good and evil in the super world. The catalyst – the girl he’s crushing on. A girlfriend and balancing the Supers is good, right? Or is it…bad?  

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Goodreads * Whiskey Creek Press

About the Author
Kai Stand When the electricity winked out, Kai Strand gathered her family around the fire and they told stories, one sentence at a time. Her boys were rather fond of the ending, “And then everybody died, the end.” Now an award winning children’s author, Kai crafts fiction for kids and teens to provide an escape hatch from their reality. With a selection of novels for young adult and middle grade readers and short stories for younger children Kai entertains children of all ages, and their adults.

Find the Author

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Blog

       

BookBlast Giveaway $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 8/15/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.  a Rafflecopter giveaway

ARC August!

While I was reading through blog posts this weekend, I stumbled upon this awesome month long challenge called ARC August, you can find the original post HERE!

Image from Read. Sleep. Repeat.

The challenge is to read your ARCS, any of them, all of them, that you have been stashing and really need to get to, all in the month of August...easy right?! 

So I am signing up and I hope you will too :)

Here are my goals for ARC August

Need to finish...:

Updates:                           Finished Dragon Run on 8/2 -- Review Here
                                          Finished Wacko Academy on 8/10 -- Review Here

From Netgalley, Need to read:

 

Updates:                         Finished The Sweetest Dark on 8/3 -- Review Here
                                 Not in this list: Finished Stitch Head. The Pirates Eye on 8/7 -- Review Here
                                 DNF Weather Witch -- just couldn't get into it - DNF review on 8/24

Interview with Kassandra Kush, Author of The Things We Can't Change

Today on Cover2CoverBlog we welcome Kassandra Kush the author of Guardian and The Things We Can't Change...

 

 The Things We Can't Change is Free for Kindle Currently-- Go Grab a Copy!

Click here for Amazon page

Kassandra is also hosting a giveaway on her Facebook page: Click Here to Enter

Welcome to Cover2CoverBlog Kassandra! Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Good afternoon and thanks for having me :] My name is Kassandra, I’ve received grief all my life (and every time they ask my name at Starbucks) that I spell my name with a K instead of a C. I come from a HUGE family of seven kids, and all our names start with a K – which left me no other option for spelling. I’m twenty-two years old, and I was home schooled until the ninth grade, where I went to public school and received MAJOR culture shock, but survived intact.

I was always ‘the quiet girl who was reading’ and this definitely led to my love of writing, which I’ve been doing since I was ten. My first book was a young kid’s adventure where a girl fell through a trapdoor in Scotland to a magical land. Since then, I’ve both improved my story lines and my writing, though I’m sorry to say not my handwriting. After attempting several times to get my books published traditionally, I decided to launch on Kindle and self-publish, and I can definitely say this was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

What was your inspiration for The Things We Can't Change?

I was – am – actually gearing up to write the third book for my other series that is out, The Fallen Chronicles, and I wanted to sort of ‘practice’ writing something that was a little deeper and darker than the first two books, something more intense because the characters of that book demanded it. was something I started a long time ago and dug back out because I thought I could revise it and write it in parts and put on Kindle as a sort of freebie or cheap book, and also it could help me practice writing a more intense story. It was changed a LOT from the original idea, but even I was surprised at how fantastic it turned out and how much everyone liked it when they read and reviewed it.

Which came first – the story or the characters?

It can always be a toss-up for me, but in this particular instance, the story came first, though it has changed substantially from the original idea. Tony wasn’t even in the first draft, and anyone who has read the book will know just how 110% important he is to the story and that should tell them how much it changed! Evie and Zeke changed as well, but the basic idea of two broken characters, one rich and one from the wrong side of the tracks finding common ground, was the big idea that stayed the same and really carried over to the new version.

 What is your favorite part about the writing process? Do you have a special writing spot?

My favorite part about writing is... well, writing! I love the beginning, when all the ideas and so fresh and clear and you’re just frantic to work on the story all the time and get it all out of your head and onto the paper. For people who only read, don’t write, it’s the same feeling as reading a fabulous book and staying up past 2AM when you have to be up at 5 – you’re just so caught up in the story that you can’t put it down until you get to the end. It’s almost worse as a writer, because if you’re sitting idle at work, you’re always tempted to pull out that scrap of paper and keep jotting things down! I’m queen of Post-It’s and scribbling on receipts. I also love the ending, because it’s the same feeling. The thrill of the finish is really incredible, especially when you either have a cliffhanger or everything just comes together if it’s a stand-alone book. Nothing beats a happily ever after.

Is there anything about you that would surprise your readers?

People who have read more of my works or even just my two published ones, Guardian and The Things We Can’t Change, may have noticed that I have this fetish for writing about abused or broken characters, or even just ones that come from unstable homes. I also get a lot of people asking if anyone very close to me has died. I think it would surprise a lot of people to say this is ALL just from a VERY vivid imagination. I’ve never lost anyone close to me (thank God) and I come from an extremely supportive home where I have both my parents and we are very physical.... as in, we hug each other a lot. In reality, I’m nothing like Lyla or Evie; I’m loud and pretty annoying and generally, I’m a very happy and upbeat person who thinks she was supposed to be born as a Disney Princess and pretty much only wears neon or glittery clothes. I’m not sure why I end up with characters like this, but I think it’s just something so thrilling about reading – and writing – a story where a character not only gets rescued from that kind of situation, but learns to stand up for themselves in it as well. The one thing that translates from me to my characters is that I like to think of myself as a very strong person, and so I try to create characters that are, or at least, learn to be, very strong as well because I think every girl and woman should have that quality.

If you could meet anyone, any time or place; who would it be and why?

What a question! In a moment of total fangirl randomness, I think the coolest thing for an emerging author would be to meet J.K Rowling. She’s a great example of a writer who started out with just this story, and had to get a grant to even be able to afford to finish writing it, and now she’s pretty much the most famous and well-known author in the world. I’m pretty sure I would die if I could meet her face to face, but I think her writing and how she succeeded is really inspiring, and I also think it’s cool that a woman broke that ceiling and holds that title. A few other names that come to mind that would be cool to meet are Taylor Swift, Henry Cavill (okay, I would definitely die meeting HIM in person), Rick Riordan – heck, maybe just Percy Jackson! I’m just going to stop now because every other name that comes to me just feels too embarrassing!

What are you reading right now? Do you have any book recommendations for us?

I’m between actual books right now, but I have a really good friend who published a book about the same time as I came out with Guardian, and we’re ‘penpals’ (do people even say that anymore?!) and edit each other’s works and cheer each other on. Her name is Allyson Gottlieb and the book she published is a novella called Darkest Legacy (which is fantastic, by the way!). She’s currently working on the sequel and has been sending me snippets now and then (since I’ve been working on TTWCC’s sequels, we’ve been having a battle of the teasers, actually, it’s quite fun!) and I just can’t wait to get my hands on it! It’s called Darkest Shadows and I’m just so pumped for it.

This or That?

Ebooks or Physical Books?

I’ve made the move to mostly e-books lately so I can support fellow authors, but physical books will always win out! It’s the feel and weirdly enough, the smell. Yes, I do sniff books.... Hey, it’s better than glue, right?

Coffee or Tea? 

COFFEE! 

Coke or Pepsi?

Coke for sure. Never liked Pepsi!

Jeans or Yoga pants? 

Yoga pants when I’m writing and for most daily life, but there’s definitely something to be said for a well-fitted pair of jeans!

The Book or the Movie?

Always always the book. I love a good movie, but they never are able to drive me to sobbing tears the way a book can!

Find the Author

Facebook Page

Goodreads Author Page

Twitter

Disclaimer: Images have been taken from Goodreads and Author Pages. Links throughout post will take you to Goodreads/ Amazon/  Author pages.

Building the Book Pile #59

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

Hello Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people! 

Giveaways Going on NOW!

       
Click pic to be taken to the giveaway!

Others may be linked on the right sidebar :) check them out!
 

Coming up on the Blog...

Interview: Kassandra Kush Author of The Things We Can't Change 
Book Blitz: The King of Bad
July Re-Cap
Summer Giveaway Hop (Int)
Review: Hope by Beth Braken 

What I got this week...

Books

The Geek's Guide to Dating by Eric Smith from Librarything Early Reviewers

EBooks

 
Forgive Me, Leonard Peacock by Matthew Quick from Netgalley 
Nomad by JL Bryan from the Author
Karmack by JC Whyte from the Author for Review
The Outside by Laura Bickle from Netgalley for Blog Tour

Covers Link to Goodreads

 

Have you missed anything lately?

Last Few Weeks

Review: Matter of Days by Amber Kizer
Cover Reveal + giveaway:  A Wicked Kind of Dark
Cover Reveal: The Wind Whisperer by Krista Holle
Guest Post + Giveaway: Nomad by JL Bryan
Review: Far Far Away by Tom McNeal 
Cover Reveal: Creatura by Nely Cab
Blog Tour + Giveaway: Barbie World by Heidi Acosta
Release Day Launch: Found by Alysa Rose Ivy
Review: Hit the Road, Helen! by Kate McMullan  

A few others:

Blitz: Lost by M Lathan
Blitz: Over the Rainbow by Brian Rowe
Once Upon a Read-a-Thon Posts

  Comment and leave me a link to your Shelves post! Happy Reading!

Recent Reads: A Matter of Days by Amber Kizer

A Matter of Days by Amber Kizer
Publisher: Listening Library (Audio)
Available: Now! June 11, 2013

 

 
My rating:

Format: Audiobook 
Source: Random House Audio for Review

Goodreads Synopsis: 

On Day 56 of the pandemic called BluStar, sixteen-year-old Nadia's mother dies, leaving her responsible for her younger brother Rabbit. They secretly received antivirus vaccines from their uncle, but most people weren't as lucky. Their deceased father taught them to adapt and survive whatever comes their way. That's their plan as they trek from Seattle to their grandfather's survivalist compound in West Virginia. Using practical survival techniques, they make their way through a world of death and destruction until they encounter an injured dog; Zack, a street kid from Los Angeles; and other survivors who are seldom what they seem. Illness, infections, fatigue, and meager supplies have become a way of life. Still, it will be worth it once they arrive at the designated place on the map they have memorized. But what if no one is there to meet them?

Review: 

A Matter of Days is a count of the days in which Nadia and her brother Rabbit (aka Robert) become the cockroach. Survive everything and be determined. The Blustar virus, a hemorrhagic virus that in the end leaves blue star like bruises, has hit the world like wildfire and there are not many known survivors. It is their hope that they can make it to their uncle who has forewarned them about the virus, and live in peace during the aftermath. While their mother died, Nadia and Rabbit have managed to stay alive and now must make their way from their home in Seattle to their grandfather’s compound in West Virginia.

During their trip they encounter everything one might think of during the end of days: rebellious groups of marauders, death and decay, injured and resourceful animals, buildings demolished and looted, bridges exploded because towns believed it would stop the spread, and much more. Their goal is to make it to their grandfathers, but will he be alive when they arrive?

I recently moved into an apartment in the middle of nowhere, dirt road to get to it, pitch black at night because there is no ambient light nearby… and this book was all the more interesting because of it. I have to say that my first thought while listening to the audiobook was not about the characters or the virus itself, but of me and my pets and how I would be so, totally, screwed if this happened (I have no skills and I think I should have more food in the house). Anywho, the book had a lot of impact and with all the Doomsday Preppers shows and things happening on TV lately and hit series like Walking Dead, I think that this new book is a great addition to the end-of-days genre classification.

The plot was remarkably believable, no zombies or paranormal elements, just siblings using their survival knowledge to move through their trip as best they could. The suspense is in their encounters with other survivors, it is always a toss up as to whether they will be welcoming or crazies. So throughout the story I found myself holding my breath and homing for the best each time… sadly that did not happen.

The characters, Nadia, Rabbit, and Zach are strong. Told from Nadia’s point of view the reader can relate to her feelings about the situation and the amount of responsibility that she now must uphold with the death of both her parents. Her character is a teen and she adapts like one, she doesn’t try to overdo her parental placement and tries to stay juvenile as her surroundings will allow her.

As for the virus, there was a great author’s note included in the audiobook after the reading, the author goes on to explain her reasoning behind her story and the kill rate of the virus. I appreciated this. At first I thought there could be a virus this destructive, there have been (ex. black plague), but this is extreme for now right? The author thinks so too, but it allowed her to love out her “what if?” scenario and I think that she held on to that image well throughout the plot.

I really enjoyed this post-crisis tale and think that others will too. It is a bit graphic at times, but there is a lot of death, so duh!

Amber Kizer can be found on her website at AmberKizer.com, she is also known for the Fenestra series and writes Young Adult and Romance.



View all my reviews

Cover Reveal + Giveaway! A Wicked Kind of Dark by Jonathan K. Benton

Author Jonathan K. Benton

Jonathan Benton always wanted to write books, having won first place in a short story competition when he was ten. Inspired by writes such as Ray Bradbury and Stephen King, Jonathan first discovered the crossover genre of literary/fantasy while reading Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes.
Jonathan grew up in New Zealand, dreaming of travelling to London and finally making the pilgrimage in his mid-twenties. Returning from England, he settled in Australia, the country he now calls home, and decided to take his writing seriously.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

A Wicked Kind of Dark

Robert Duncan no longer believes in magic. A mysterious call about a blood moon, however, leads him back to the magical world of his childhood and to Luthien, the beautiful girl with flame-coloured hair, who he loved and lost.

As Robert unravels the secrets of his childhood, darkness enters his life and an ancient evil awakens. To have any chance of defeating the dark forces that would destroy two worlds, Robert must find Luthien before the rise of the blood moon. He must, once more, believe in magic …

A Wicked Kind of Dark mixes vast and spectacular fantasy landscapes with gritty urban reality. A must-read for people of all ages who believe in the power of imagination, and the importance of never losing touch with your inner child.

Giveaway Details

$10 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Open Internationally

Ends 8/15/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

*An additional $10 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash is available to anyone who shares this giveaway on their blog.  See link in the rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: The Wind Whisperer by Krista Holle

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The Wind Whisperer by Krista Holle
Available: October 15, 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

About the Book
At fifteen, Anaii is the most important member of her tribe—and the most mysterious.  Ever since Anaii can remember, the spirits of the wind have whispered of fertile hunting grounds and imminent enemy attacks.  But when her people are ambushed by a brother clan without any apparent cause, the spirits remain eerily silent.

As the village prepares to retaliate, Anaii is pressured by her best friend, Elan, to marry him.  It’s an old plea—Elan has spent a lifetime loving her, but Anaii only sees a childhood playmate out of an imposing warrior.  Stifled by Elan’s insistence, Anaii escapes into the forest where she meets Jayttin, the beautiful son of the enemy chief.

Enamored by Jayttin’s carefree spirit and hope for peace, she repeatedly sneaks away to be with him, but when her deception is discovered, Elan is devastated.  Pledging his lifelong affection, Elan gives her a passionate kiss, and Anaii begins to see her friend in a new light.

While Anaii is tormented over which man she must choose, the wind whispers of a new threat that could destroy both tribes.  Only a union will afford a chance at survival, but the reality of that union is based on one thing—which man Anaii chooses to die.

About the Author (from her blog)
Krista has been writing since she was nine-years-old when she scribbled out her first adolescent work entitled Merish, the completely illogical but heartfelt story of a girl who was part mermaid, part fish. As a young mother, Krista added to her repertoire some middle grade readers and picture books she’s wary of mentioning.

In 2004, Krista began an intensive four year period working part-time as a critical care nurse while homeschooling her four children. During this hectic time, courses of writing were taught and learned, and rules of syntax were scolded to memory. Ironically this period of study equipped Krista with the tools she needed to enter the next phase of her writing experience. Now equipped with the mysteries of the comma, Krista was ready to tackle a much bigger project—a full fledged novel.

After the kids were enrolled in public school in 2009, it occurred to Krista that there is an insatiable audience of women and girls who want to read books filled with stories about true love. Convinced that there was an unfulfilled audience waiting for what Krista loves to write—romance, she sat down in the family’s dungeon, a.k.a. the basement, and began to furiously type. In no time, her first novel was drying on crisp white paper.

Krista currently resides in Midlothian, Virginia with her husband, four daughters, and an eccentric cat with an attachment to the family’s socks. She continues to write obsessively every chance she can get.

Find the Author

Blog/Website - Facebook - Twitter - Goodreads

Guest Post + Giveaway! -- Nomad by JL Bryan

What Not to Wear When Traveling Through Time 

Guest post by J.L. Bryan

When the conversation turns to time travel, as it so often does, you’ll hear a lot of blather about the risks and dangers.  Everyone talks about the risk of universe-destroying paradoxes, but little attention is giving to the risk of universe-destroying fashion decisions.

Don’t fear!  We’ve put together this handy guide to what to wear (and not wear!) on your next time-travel escapade.

DON’T wear high heels.  If you’re traveling into the past, you may have to escape Nazis or rabid cavemen.  In the future, watch out for killer cyborgs and radioactive mutants!  Whatever your destination, be prepared to run for your life.  We recommend comfortable, well-worn running shoes, with combat boots as a useful second option.  If you’re attending a formal event in another century, simply pack those high heels in your carry-on luggage.  If you must have high heels, pick the stilettos, as they can double as a handy weapon.

DON’T dress in a silver bodysuit with a clear bubble helmet, especially with antennae on top.  People will mistake you for a 1950s-era space alien rather than a time traveler, leading to a variety of potential problems: quarantine, imprisonment, military attack, being a guest on The Today Show, and other horrific outcomes.  Dress in a low-key fashion, and save the aluminum-foil outfit for another occasion...or, actually, just throw it away.  That silver bodysuit doesn’t go well with your hair.

DON’T wear ankle-length dresses, tight corsets, or other binding clothes.  Again, you may need to fight or flee for survival, so jeans or slacks might be your best bet.  Short skirts are both alluring and provide ample kicking radius, in case you need to kick in a face or two.

DON’T clash with the time and place you’re visiting.  Skinny jeans, for instance, are huge no-no in the Puritan era.  That cute cami top may be both comfortable and casually sexy, but if you wear it in Victorian England, you’ll stick out like a sore thumb from another century...a thumb full of licentiousness and sin. 

Learn before you get burned!  Always study the correct attire and customs of your destination before you travel in time.  For help, contact your local vintage thrift shop and/or Halloween store.  Remember: the right look at the right time is the right way to go.  And you can quote us on that.

If you have additional fashion tips for time travelers, please share in the comments below!

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J.L. Bryan’s book Nomad, a new adult time-travel dystopian, releases Friday, July 26!  (See it on Goodreads.) 

Nomad by J.L. Bryan
Publication date:  July 26th 2013
Genre: NA time travel dystopian novel

About the Book

A new dystopian novel from the author of Jenny Pox - coming July 26.

They took everything: her family, her home, her childhood.

By the age of nineteen, Raven has spent most of her life in the sprawling slums of America, fighting as a rebel against the dictatorship. When the rebellion steals an experimental time-travel device, she travels back five decades to the year 2013. Her plan: assassinate the future dictator when he is still young and vulnerable, long before he comes to power. She must move fast to reshape history, because agents from her own time are on her trail, ready to execute her on sight.

Goodreads

Giveaway is International for one ebook of Nomad (mobi or epub). Prize will be awarded by tour and author following the Blitz. Please enter on the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in the metro Atlanta sprawl with his wife Christina, where he spends most of his day servings the toddler and animal community inside his house. He is the author of the Paranormals series and the Songs of Magic series.

His novel Jenny Pox is currently free on Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Sony, Kobo, and Nook!      

Find the Author

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter