Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway! -- Sock Monster by Stacey Campbell

Tour Schedule

Welcome to my stop on the Sock Monster Blog Tour :) This is an adorable book for young readers and parents, enjoy!

Sock Monster by Stacey R. Campbell
Publisher: Green Darner Press
Publication Date:  October 15, 2015

  

 

Synopsis:

When Billy refuses to pick up his clothes the sock monster comes to teach him a lesson.

I received this book from the author for the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.

This is such a cute and strange book. Timmy is a little boy with a messy room who never puts his dirty clothes in the laundry basket so at bedtime he is told the story of the Sock Monster. The illustrations throughout are beautiful and bright and the story is very short and to the point - great for a quick read or numerous ones. Although since it is about a monster, even a silly one, maybe not a bedtime story...
and as the book states "...may result in random acts of tidiness."

Wonderful book, I think parents and kids will enjoy it. 



About the Author
 Stacey R. Campbell lives in the Washington state with her husband and three

daughters. She is a graduate of the University of Washington and a dyslexic writer that believes there is no such thing as a bad reader. She is the author of the young adult novels Hush, Whisper, Scream & Silence, the highly acclaimed middle grade swashbuckling pirate book ARRGH! and the newly released picture book Sock Monster.

When not at her desk writing she can be found hiking, sailing, or skiing. She enjoys chocolate in any shape or size, too many cups of coffee, and laughing (often too loudly, as her daughters say) with her friends and family.

Stacey is available for classroom visits and loves working with writers and readers of any age; especially those with learning disabilities, like her own.

Learn more about Stacey R. Campbell and her up coming releases by visiting her website at www.staceyrcampbell.com.

Find the Author

Website | Twitter @staceyrcampbell | Facebook

$20 Amazon gift card (INT)

2 winners receive signed copies of Sock Monster (US)

Ends December 23

 

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Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway! - Zimmah Chronicles by Scott King

Welcome to my tour stop for the Zimmah Chronicles by Scott King! This is a middle grade fantasy series. The tour runs December 1-11with reviews, interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

Cupcakes vs. Brownies

Zimmah the djinn isn't evil. He simply thinks the world would be more fun if everything was made of desserts. So when ten-year-old Karim Jacobs makes a wish to fix his parent's marriage it's not Zimmah's fault that he twists the wish. He couldn't help himself. Candypunk airships and cupcake castles are cool! Of course Karim isn't happy about his wish going astray, specially when running into fantastical creatures like gummy-grizzly-bears and rock candy beasts; and although he desperately wants to go home, he finds himself in the middle of a war between the Cupcake Kingdom and Brownie Kingdom. With his parents lives in danger, its up to him to stop Zimmah and restore the world to normal.  

Amazon | Goodreads | iTunes | Kobo

I had the pleasure of reading the first book in this series and it was a very well developed world that sucked me in and make me hungry. Karim finds himself trapped in a world where everything is sweets and the Cupcake King and Brownie Queen are dueling it out over differences of opinion in foods. He must find the djinn who created the problem and put the world back as it was and hopefully no one dies in the process.

I really like the world in this book, King created a fantastical world of cake, ice cream, and candy and made it seem like that world was real. There was a lot of detail but at the same time enough left to the imagination to let the reader form a picture for him/herself. The characters were interesting and there were a few 'then'/ 'now' transitions that really brought everything together and made you understand the plot better. The vivid pictures everything formed were wonderful and I think middle grade readers will very much enjoy this one - although having some candy on hand might be wise. With all the descriptions of sweet, my mouth was watering the whole time.

Such a fun read and I think most MG readers would agree. 

 

Book Trailer

Other books in the series...

Mermaids vs. Unicorns

Zimmah the wicked djinn thought he was so smart. He thought nothing could

stop him, let alone a mere child. That was until he met Whitney, a devilish girl who used his own powers against him. A wish gone wrong sends Zimmah, Whitney, and Karim to The Otherworld, a magical land where Mermaids and Unicorns are caught in an epic war. All Whitney wants is to save her sick mother, all Karim wants is to get home, and all Zimmah wants is revenge on the children who have tricked him.

Amazon | Goodreads | iTunes | Kobo

***

Genie vs. Djinn

The chaotic magic of hundreds of djinn are destroying San Francisco. Dinosaurs. Butterfly volcanos. Buildings made of jello– If someone can wish it, it’s happening. Unable to access his own powers, Zimmah the former djinn, must rely on Karim and Whitney’s help.

Standing in their way is Alkema, Zimmah’s murderous father, an almost omnipotent ifrit who enjoys watching the suffering of others. If not stopped he will not only destroy the city, but plunge the entire world into total madness.

 Amazon | Goodreads  

***

 

About the Author

Scott King is a writer and photographer. He was born in Washington D.C. and raised in Ocean City, Maryland. He received his undergraduate degree in film from Towson University, and his M.F.A. in film from American University.

“DAD! A Documentary Graphic Novel,” King’s first book was published in Fall ’09. He is also the creator and writer of “Holiday Wars” and he is known for his board game photography, specifically his annual calendar that highlights tabletop and hobby games.

 Find the Author

Website | Twitter | Facebook

$25 Amazon gift card (INT)
Ends December 16th
Prizing is provided by the author, must be 13 or older to enter and have parental permission if under 17. Void where prohibited by law.

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Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway! - The Banished Craft by EDE Bell

Welcome to my tour stop for The Banished Craft by E.D.E. Bell!  The tour runs August 18 - September 1 with reviews, interviews, guest posts, excerpts and giveaways.  The Banished Craft is a fantasy novel and is written for adults but is appropriate for mature young adult readers.   This is the first book of the Shkode series and releases on September 1, 2015.

Synopsis

The Banished Craft is a genre-bending fantasy saga that follows the adventures of Cor, a woman caught in a dying world that does not accept her, and Atesh, a dragon scientist who's been asked to violate his own ethics or put the lives of his family at risk. Follow their trials as they deal with a shattered world, mired in political upheaval, while they try to rediscover a lost magic. The Banished Craft begins the Shkode trilogy: a quirky and modern take on dragons and wizards, exploring themes of identity, prejudice, violence, compassion, and the ways we are all connected.

"A wonderfully delightful and deeply imaginative tale of struggle and the quest for knowledge, set in a well-developed and complex high fantasy setting."

--G. S. Jennsen, author of Science-Fiction saga Aurora Rhapsody


"I love Bell's sensitive and insightful exploration of compassion, connection, and relationships. The Banished Craft provides layers of thought-provoking ideas as well as good old-fashioned escapism."
--Colleen Patrick- Goudreau, bestselling author of The 30-Day Vegan Challenge

Rating:

I was lucky enough to come upon this book through Candace’s Book Tours and am so happy I decided I wanted to take part in its review tour. This book is a layered masterpiece of epic fantasy that focuses on two worlds that are ending. The book follows a cast of character in these worlds as they try to come to terms with various political, emotional, and societal concerns while experiencing major world changing events like earthquakes and places just disappearing entirely.

Upon reading the synopsis it seems like you will be following Cor and Atesh, but in reality there is a huge cast in this book and each point of view is just as interesting as the last as the author builds this grand complex world and society. Cor is a human that is a victim or gender inequality and racial prejudice living in one world, while Atesh is a dragon scientist forced to work for the violent, vindictive dragoness emperor of his world. I found the political upheavals of both story lines multifaceted and their issues realistic though set in a fantasy world.

As for the other characters, we have the privilege of understanding the views of theses individuals in the human world: King’s wife, people of the Sea region, people in the Cave region, and people of the Marshlands. In the dragon world, there is a general, the emperor, some neighbors, and some art kids. It all seems kind of mish-mashed but it worked REALLY well.

I was partial to the dragon world – I found it faster paced than the human interactions and complications. (and dragons are cooler anyway, right?! YES!) I found myself speed reading through the human realm to get back to the dragon realm sooner and often you would get more about the humans than the dragons in a row, but most of the time they alternated.

Overall, this was an epic book, as it was supposed to be. I really adored the world building – it was SO good and the book brings up a lot of hardships society faces and I think that this could have a lot of feels for most readers. I know that I had them.

About the Author
Author E.D.E. Bell is a graduate of the University of Michigan with an MSE in Electrical Engineering, and works as an advisor in technical intelligence. A vegan and enthusiastic ignorer of gender rules, she feels strongly about issues related to human equality and animal compassion. Married with three children, she decided to pursue her dream of writing and is excited to share that vision with fans of epic fantasy. 

Website | Facebook | Twitter @edebellauthor | Pinterest | Instagram |  Wattpad

Bell will be releasing her first Wattpad story on 1 Sept to coincide with the release of The Banished Craft.

$25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
Ends Sept. 9th
Prizing is provided by the publisher and hosts are not responsible in any way.

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Guest Post w/ Giveaway!: Top 10 Rituals When I Write by Jeanne Barker author of The Intergalactic Adventures of Queen Bea

Welcome to my tour stop for The Intergalactic Adventures of Queen Bea by Jeanne Gransee Barker. I have a great Guest Post for you today :)

The tour runs February 16-27 with reviews, author interviews, guest posts and excerpts. Check out the tour page for more information.

About the Book

Genre: Young Adult, Sci-Fi

Everything she’d ever known was a lie. Now Bea must find the courage to trust her own voice to save not only herself — but an entire planet.

At almost 15, late-bloomer Bea Parker has just discovered that her aunt, uncle and cousins—the only family she’s ever known—aren’t actually related to her and don’t know anything about her birth parents. Then a strange, high-tech device shows up in her room in the middle of the night with a note promising answers about her shadowed past. This alien technology takes her on a journey that forces her to leave behind Earth, and everything she knows, to meet her destiny.

Goodreads

On sale for only .99 cents on Amazon for a limited time! 

The below Guest Post was written by Jeanne Barker.

Top ten rituals I like to do when I write

1. BIC. The first thing I do is get my Butt In the Chair. Obvious, I know. But not always easy to do. There are always other—very loud—draws on my attention.

2. Prevent electronically interruption. I quit my email app, turn off my ringer, close Facebook and Pinterest. I know there are apps that are great gatekeepers for this—I haven’t tried them yet. For now, simply closing them is usually enough.

3. Light a candle. Call me woo-woo, but I light a candle and invite the muse. (This is my favorite of my pre-writing steps. :-) If nothing else it focuses and honors my creativity. And I use a scented candle, so it smells nice. Bonus!

4. Turn on music. I try to have it match the mood of what I’m writing. I can’t listen to anything with words in it. I envy those authors who can. If I hear lyrics, I listen to them. Next thing you know I am following their story and not mine. I can’t help myself. Instead, I listen to movie soundtracks. I have tracks from love scenes, chase scenes, scenes that build tension, etc. Sometimes I choose a generic background scores and set it and forget it. But I always have something playing to drown out the world around me.

5. Get a solid picture of where my scene takes place. If I have to I’ll do a quick—less than five minute—search on the web. I know I’ll never find exactly what I’m looking for. I just need enough similarities to help me solidify the idea in my head. Enough so I can be visually grounded before I move my characters around in the space. Saves time in the long run.

6. Re-read what I wrote yesterday. Again, not more than five minutes. Just enough to ensure I’m in flow with whatever I’ve already got on the page.

7. Check my outline. I break my outline down and have a few sentences on my virtual notecard for each chapter. I make sure I know where I’m going before I begin.

8. Set a word count or time goal. Some days are just more prolific than others. I can tell what kind of day it will be before I begin. If I sense I’m going to be digging out words with my bare knuckles, I set a time goal. Then I just stay there until I meet that goal. Often just knowing I won’t let myself get up frees me to actually write. And no matter which I goal set, word count or time, I’m always proud of myself when I achieve it.

9. Write. Duh, of course. But I find it amazingly easy to let steps 5–7 expand to fill a whopping amount of time. Since I know that about myself I watch out for it.

10. Write the first sentence in the next scene or chapter. I hate starting on a blank page. Because time is tight I often have to stop when things are flowing. So the first sentence of a new chapter is easy at the end of a writing session. Not so much when I’m coming to it cold. Having it there is a good way to get me going.

 

About the Author

I discovered science fiction when I was four. My father loved Star Trek, the original series. Every Friday night he’d make a big deal of getting the house quiet so he could hear the TV. The importance of it drew me in. And then I was hooked on other worlds, molecules being scrambled and reformed, and meeting totally logical aliens. As I grew older and continued to watch, I loved the idea that a story could explore our contemporary dilemmas couched in two-tone faces or hidden with green skin. Science fiction was the “gateway genre” that led me to fantasy and paranormal fiction.

I began my first novel at age 12. I still have the ring binder with the hand-written pages of OOTG-1 (that stands for Out of the Galaxy)—the story of the first manned expedition to venture forth beyond our galaxy. Alas, after about thirty pages my hand got tired and the crew never left the Milky Way. But that experience sparked a lifelong love of writing which  has continued through my school days to the present.

When I'm not enjoying the alternate universes of my written creations, I live, work, and play  Seattle, Washington.

Find the Author

Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Five (5) $10 Amazon gift cards (5 winners)

Open Internationally

Ends March 3, 2015

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This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway! -- The Girl Who Came Back to Life by Craig Staufenberg

Today is a Blog Tour Review and Giveaway for an adorable Middle Grade book. Hope you enjoy ! :)

The Girl Who Came Back to Life is a Middle Grade Fantasy (fable/fairytale).

 Check out the tour page for the full schedule.

The Girl Who Came Back to Life by Craig Staufenberg

About the Book

When you die, your spirit wakes in the north, in the City of the Dead. There, you wander the cold until one of your living loved ones finds you, says "Goodbye," and Sends you to the next world. After her parents die, 12-year-old Sophie refuses to release their spirits. Instead, she resolves to travel to the City of the Dead to bring her mother and father’s spirits back home with her. Taking the long pilgrimage north with her gruff & distant grandmother—by train, by foot, by boat; over ruined mountains and plains and oceans—Sophie struggles to return what death stole from her. Yet the journey offers her many hard, unexpected lessons—what to hold on to, when to let go, and who she must truly bring back to life.

 

Amazon | Goodreads

The Girl Who Came Back to Life was a very interesting and strange story. It follows a young girl who has just lost her parents and must travel North to see them off into the afterlife - but decides instead that she wants to bring them back to life. 

The book jumps right in from their death and Sophie's attempts to make money and then the travels North; and it because it jumps right in there is not much time to learn about the character or even learn to feel for her as a reader. Give it a chance though. Once you get to about the halfway point you feel her mission take hold of you and want her to achieve and it is a wonderful story. The grandmother is horrible most of the time and that is saddening, but the people Sophie encounters along her journey are amazing and full of light in this almost depressing tale. 

Sophie is strong, stubborn, and determined to reach her parents. Dealing with emotions that she has always suppressed Sophie learns a lot about herself on her journey North. Although as a reader we only see this through the transformations in Sophie as she travels - the tale is actually told as if by a narrator looking into her tale. It is a beautiful story. 

The format itself is very easy to read; the chapters are short and there were a good amount of break-pages in between the chapters so its length is very short overall. I was surprised by this - the story if so deep yet the chapters leave a lot to the imagination. It was a very interesting read and I enjoyed it.

Rating:

About the Author:
Craig Staufenberg is a writer and filmmaker living in NYC. Website: craigstaufenberg.com

Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

3 signed copies of The Girl Who Came Back to Life by Craig Staufenberg (US)

3 ebook copies of The Girl Who Came Back to Life (INT)

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