This one is for those of you who love fairy tales! Check out an excerpt from Potion by Dorlana Vann. Leave questions and comments as you follow the tour. Best of luck entering the giveaway.
Showing posts with label fairy tales. Show all posts
Showing posts with label fairy tales. Show all posts
Monday, August 1, 2022
Monday, September 3, 2018
Read an excerpt from Keeper of the Bees by Meg Kassel with Giveaway
Welcome to the blog tour for Keeper of the Bees by Meg Kassel. I have an excerpt for you to read today of this young adult paranormal book, that looks like none other I have ever seen. Please enjoy it and then follow the tour for even more excerpts, reviews, and more. Be sure to enter the giveaway at the end!
Keeper of the Bees
by Meg KasselGenre: YA Paranormal
Release Date: September 4th 2018
Entangled Teen
Summary:
“Beauty and the beast like you’ve never imagined!” —New York Times bestselling author Pintip Dunn
KEEPER OF THE BEES is a tale of two teens who are both beautiful and beastly, and whose pasts are entangled in surprising and heartbreaking ways.
Dresden is cursed. His chest houses a hive of bees that he can’t stop from stinging people with psychosis-inducing venom. His face is a shifting montage of all the people who have died because of those stings. And he has been this way for centuries—since he was eighteen and magic flowed through his homeland, corrupting its people.
He follows harbingers of death, so at least his curse only affects those about to die anyway. But when he arrives in a Midwest town marked for death, he encounters Essie, a seventeen-year-old girl who suffers from debilitating delusions and hallucinations. His bees want to sting her on sight. But Essie doesn’t see a monster when she looks at Dresden.
Essie is fascinated and delighted by his changing features. Risking his own life, he holds back his bees and spares her. What starts out as a simple act of mercy ends up unraveling Dresden’s solitary life and Essie’s tormented one. Their impossible romance might even be powerful enough to unravel a centuries-old curse.
Buy from Entangled Publishing
Read an excerpt:
“Will I see you again, Dresden?”
My throat goes dry and raw and aching. “Do you want to?”
However she answers will be excruciating. There will be no recovering from this encounter. From the memory of her touch and her wide, trusting eyes. Good gods, from her embrace.
She nods.
I am doomed. “I’ll find you later. I’ll…” What? Knock on her door and ask her aunt if I can invite her to the movies? Not in this universe. “I will see you again, Essie. I’m not sure when.”
“I’ll look for you,” she says, finally releasing her hold on my T-shirt. “Be careful.” And she’s gone, disappearing into the woods, back toward the trail.
About Meg Kassel
Meg Kassel is an author of fantasy and speculative books for young adults. A graduate of Parson's School of Design, she’s been creating stories, whether with visuals or words, since childhood. Meg is a New Jersey native who lives in a log house in the Maine woods with her husband and daughter. As a fan of ’80s cartoons, Netflix series, and ancient mythology, she has always been fascinated and inspired by the fantastic, the creepy, and the futuristic. She is the 2016 RWA Golden Heart® winner in YA and a double 2018 RITA® finalist for her debut novel, Black Bird of the Gallows.
Website: http://megkassel.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/megkassel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/seemegwrite/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/megkasselauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8353652.Meg_Kassel
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Meg-Kassel/e/B0756Q8N2L/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1524085261&sr=1-1
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Tuesday, June 12, 2018
The Secret Lives of Royals by Shalini Dua with Giveaway
Welcome to the book blast for The Secret Lives of Royals by Shalini Dua! Thanks to the recent royal birth and royal wedding, stories of royal families are a hot topic. This one is going to be a little bit different, though, which can be a very good thing. Check out an excerpt before you download your own copy. Leave a comment or a question for the author. And then be sure to follow the tour for more sneak peeks into the book, as well as more chances to win the giveaway.
Please note that affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission to help me support my websites, at no additional cost to you.
Secret Lives of Royals
Olivia can’t take it anymore. She’s had enough of the big city and it’s lack of fulfilling her dreams. Then, just when she’s about to give up and move home, out of the blue, she is offered her dream job. Olivia is suspicious but that could just be the New York in her. She decides not to pull at threads. Despite her best efforts to remain blissfully oblivious, the secret to her life upgrade is soon uncovered when she finds herself invited to be part of a secret society.Olivia learns that there is a thin curtain separating our world from theirs. Just beneath the surface, an entirely different one exists. One that is controlled by those of Royal lineage. The chosen ones, the Royals, hold the fate of the world in their hands. Will Olivia be able to bear the weight of the crown?
Confessions of a Shopaholic meets The Adjustment Bureau, this contemporary fairytale is both relatable and aspirational. Taking a look at the current balance of media and power with a healthy dose of humor, fashion, food and wanderlust.
Read an excerpt:
I’m getting a very weird feeling. I consider turning around and leaving, but getting a cab on a cold rainy night before 2AM is going to be tough as they don’t begin frequenting the area until the bars start to close, and the nearest Uber appears to be 25 minutes away. Plus, I did go to all of this trouble to get my lazy self dressed and over here.
There is a crest engraved in brass metal on the front of the red door, an intricately designed crown and some lettering. I tilt my head to read it all the way around. ‘Alea iacta est memores acti prudentes uturi modus operandi’ I read aloud, and below, ‘Posteriori’. I recognize the language as Latin from the three weeks we spent on it during Intro to Languages, which was designed to help us choose one to focus on during our tenure at the university.
…
Against my better judgment, I push on the heavy door, which creaks open. I enter into a cold stone-walled hall with a stone slab floor, lit by what appears to be a row of fire lanterns on each side. I guess this place is a bit behind the times in converting, or maybe they think it’s super ironic and hipster to not jump on the modernization bandwagon. Or maybe it’s me. I’m not exactly the authority on architectural trends. Maybe converted vintage is over and re-vintaged vintage is back in. Ugh, I can’t wait until I’m old and have an excuse not to be hip.
I walk down a windy stone hallway that seems straight out of a period film. Wow, they are really taking this theme seriously. How cool would it be if this stuff was authentic? I take a few pictures with my phone just in case. I mean as Cultures Editor, it’s always nice to be the one to discover the next big thing, like Connor said.
As I round the corner I hear, before I see, a British male mumbling to himself, apparently in debate.
“It’s so bizarre. But it couldn’t be. Could it? Stranger things have happened.”
I find myself face to face with a short-ish man, though taller than me, with glasses, wearing a sports coat with suede elbow patches. I scream in surprise and jump about five feet in the air. He seems slightly taken aback as well but less jumpy than me, or at least less vocal about it. He’s good looking in an intellectual sort of way and his dark floppy hair is conservatively combed back. I’m not sure if he’s startled by our unexpected encounter or my scream, but he does a bit of a double back.
“Sorry,” he recovers charmingly, “I didn’t see you there.”
“No, me either.” I try to breathe. I feel like I know him from somewhere.”
“Stuart Stephens.” He proffers his hand in greeting.
“Olivia Grace Thorpland.” I shake his in return. “But you can call me Gigi.”
“Hello, Gigi. Nice to meet you.” He is impeccably mannered even after our near death collision. Must be the British thing.
“So are you here for the party too?” I inquire. “Do you know where it is?”
“Party?” he asks, confused. “No, I just had a meeting here.”
“Ah, I see,” I say, although I don’t, given the hour. I definitely know him from somewhere. Got it, he’s a comedian.
“Well, care to join me anyway?” I offer politely. After all, he’s British, I’m being a good ambassador. He appears a bit bewildered.
“No, thanks. I best be going.”
“Are you sure? My friends are in there.”
“Really? Your friends are in there?” He seems surprised to see where I’m gesturing.
“Yup,” I tell him confidently.
“Oh, well, thanks for the invite, but I’m completely sure. Thanks anyway,” comes his nervous reply. “But, can I ask you a question?” I nod. “Is this all, um, kosher?”
“I, I, don’t know.” I hesitate. Is he Jewish and British? Is that a thing?
“Well, I’ll let you get on “he says. “Have a good night.”
“You too. Bye,” I reply. And with that, we walk off in opposite directions.
Finally, I reach a semi-circled entryway that has the option of five doors, one straight ahead and two on either side. These are not your ordinary doors either. They are heavy, arched, rustic, dark brown, slated wooden doors. I’m not really in the mood to crash a wedding reception, murder, or worse, a live band performance; and, given that anything could be behind these doorways, I’m about to give up on this expedition completely, when one of the doors, the entryway smack dab in the center, starts to creak open, apparently of its own accord. A feeling of unexpected dread overtakes me. I brace myself, unsure of what to expect to find behind it.”
Buy links
About Shalini Dua
An international upbringing and a love of stories laid the foundation for wanderlust. Shalini aspires to spend her time country-hopping and consuming pop-culture, comedy and good food but the reality is often frantically downing coffee, meeting deadlines at exactly the last second and working her unglamorous corporate job to fund all of the other pursuits.The Secret Lives of Royals is Shalini’s debut novel. Her other work includes published poetry and scripts only she has read.
SOCIAL MEDIA AND WEBSITE LINKS
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ShaliniDuaBooks/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShaliniDua126
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ididntmeantofeelanything/
Website: www.shalinidua.com/books
Shalini will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.
Thursday, May 17, 2018
Happy Release Day! Unlocked by Casey L. Bond
Welcome to the release blitz for Unlocked by Casey L. Bond! Many congrats to Casey on her release today! Fairy tales will never get old, and today's authors know this. Please check out this new fairy tale retelling and be sure to grab your copy right away!
Title: Unlocked
Author: Casey L. Bond
Genre: YA Epic Fantasy, Fairy Tale Retelling
Editor: Stacy Sanford/ The Girl with the Red Pen
Cover Designer: Melissa Stevens/ The Illustrated Author Design Services
Publication Date: May 17th, 2018
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Please note affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission to help me support my websites, at no additional cost to you.
Please note affiliate links are present within this post. Should you make a purchase through one, I may earn a small commission to help me support my websites, at no additional cost to you.
Unlocked
Princess Raya of Paruth lived alone on a deserted island in a towering lighthouse, forgotten by time. With only a loyal albatross as a friend, she had little hope or joy in her life until he washed up on her shore in the middle of a raging winter storm.
Prince Trevor of Galder left his father and kingdom behind to travel north in search of a wife. It was time to settle down and forget Ella Carina, the woman who chose to love a peasant and follow her heart instead of choosing Trevor and fulfilling her duty to her people. He didn’t heed the warnings about the North Sea in winter, and his ship, crew, and captain paid the price.
Raya and Trevor must work together to find a way off the island, or risk being trapped there for the rest of their lives. But sometimes the simplest lessons are the hardest, and each will have to learn that the only thing that can truly set you free is love.
Award-winning author Casey L. Bond resides in Milton, West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. When she’s not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction.
You can find more information about Bond’s books via the following links:
Website: www.authorcaseybond.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorcaseybond
Twitter: https://twitter.com/authorcaseybond
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7212486.Casey_L_Bond
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/caseyb007
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1PmE0pg
Tuesday, May 17, 2016
Wednesday, April 13, 2016
Enchanted: The Fairy Revels Collection with Giveaway
Enchanted: The Fairy Revels Collection
9 Faerie Romance & Fantasy Fairy Tales; Urban Fantasy, YA Fairies, Fractured Fairy Tales, Sweet Fae Romance, and Paranormal Boxed Set
One spellbound night, nine award-winning and Amazon best-selling authors joined together to bring you an enchanting collection of tales featuring our favorite otherworldly creatures, fairies.
Enchanted: The Fairy Revels Collection will seduce you into the wondrous world of the fae with magic, romance, fantasy, adventure, fairy tales, and folklore. Get ready to be beguiled by a unique boxed set with fractured fairy tales, contemporary romance, paranormal romance, sci-fi adventure, and more. This captivating collection is certain to please anyone who loves magical realism and fairy stories.
Books & Authors
THE BEE CHARMER by Poppy Lawless
Rayne moved to Chancellor on a mission to help Alice find true love. That is, after all, his job as her fairy godfather. What Rayne didn’t expect was to find a love of his own. All Viola wants is to pursue her dream of becoming a perfumer. She doesn’t have time to fall in love. Viola and Rayne will soon find that when your heart makes a wish, even impossible dreams can come true.
I DO BELIEVE IN FAERIES by Erin Hayes
Even though she grew up in a family of witches, Abby is normal. When faeries offer her a wish, she wishes for magick of her own, without realizing the consequences. Now she has to travel to the land of faeries to save her friend's baby and undo the wish, even if it means losing her magick forever.
WOE FOR A FAERIE by B. Brumley
When I chose retribution, it got me got kicked out of the spiritual realm and banished to mortality. Now I've got to choose between Jason, the priest who’s hiding something, and Arún, the handsome off-world Fae that believes I’m his prophesied queen... But first, I've got to survive New York City.
FLIGHTLESS by Margo Bond Collins
Josh Bevington doesn't know how to survive living in Fairy, Texas without his wings; Laney Harris doesn’t know how to survive without Josh. When Laney's biological father shows up in Fairy, determined to steal his daughter's newfound powers, Josh and Laney will have to overcome work together—or risk losing everything they care about.
ROSE PETAL GRAVES by Olivia Wildenstein
I thought losing my mother would be the greatest shock of my life, but the real surprise came after her death. Dad said she suffered a stroke after she dug up one of the ancient graves in our backyard, which happens to be the town cemetery. Creepy, I know. Creepier still, there was no corpse inside the old coffin, only fresh rose petals.
FAIRLY NORMAL by Carrie L. Wells
Violet Abernathy has spent more than 20 years in the human realm, but this is the year that everything changes. Potentially her last stint among the humans, her "senior" year in high school teaches her more than she ever guessed it would about friendship, love, and support. Maybe what they say is true, change is the only thing that ever stays the same.
FAE CAME ON THE PLANE! by Elizabeth Watasin
At Jifk Spaceport, something every creature and person feared came in on a plane: faeries. When the spaceport goes down, it’s any survivor of the fae incursion on her or his own, and Nico’s not going to let Darqueworld’s most feared boogeymen, the faerie kind, stop her from getting to her lover’s arrival gate.
THE FAE AND THE FARMGIRL by Pauline Creeden
A Fae princess in jeans and paddock shoes--could any of this be real? Daisy Adams was an orphan raised on her uncle's farm, but a tractor accident suddenly forces her uncle to reveal the lie she's been living. Her mother's still alive and she's a queen of the Fae... and to make matters worse, Daisy is hunted and the center of a war that is just beginning.
THE FAIRY BARGAIN by Blaire Edens
When FayeLynn Roberts finds herself pregnant by Drake, The Folk’s most dangerous man, she relies on Alvin Fairchild, the exiled prince of The Folk to carry her back to The Realm in order to save her child. Alvin wants to protect the child and save The Realm, but can the two of them band together and defeat Drake without losing their hearts?
Get your copy on Amazon today!
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/bdRtbD
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fallingindeepcollection/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29387416-enchanted
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Tuesday, December 29, 2015
'The Crystal Snowflake' by Leigh Gillery
Blurb:
For the past eleven years, Elena has called a different realm home, a realm void of magic. Facing her 18th birthday, she's an unpopular wallflower, plagued by dreams of a beautiful woman much like her, and voices crying for help in the dark.
When Kellan, the gorgeous stranger with enchanting green eyes and almost medieval clothing, claims to know the answers to her questions, Elena's world is turned upside-down. How could she possibly believe his fanciful tale of wizards, elves and fairies? Is she really a princess like Kellan says she is? Could the answers she seeks lead her back home to a magical kingdom and the evil Queen she was shielded from?
Author bio:
Leigh Gillery loves to write young adult fiction and will be releasing more in the future, including dystopian romance and more fantasy. She lives in Texarkana with her boyfriend and their dog.
Thursday, June 25, 2015
'Prince Charming Must Die (The Grimm Chronicles)' by Ken Brosky & Isabella Fontaine
Blurb:
Grimm's Fairy Tales come to life in this exciting Young Adult adventure series! 18-year-old Alice Goodenough must use her magic pen to vanquish the evil before it threatens the world!
Snag the rest of the series here.
Ken Brosky received his MFA in writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
'Gathering Frost' by Kaitlyn Davis & Why This Sleeping Beauty Is Better Than Disney's
Gathering Frost
(Once Upon A Curse #1)
Release Date: 02/17/15
Summary from Goodreads:
Will his kiss be enough to revive her frozen heart?
Once Upon A Time meets La Femme Nikita in GATHERING FROST, a dystopian romance from bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis that reimagines the classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty.
Jade was only a little girl when the earthquake struck. Before her eyes, half of New York City disappeared, replaced by a village that seemed torn out of a storybook. Horses and carriages. Cobblestone streets. A towering castle. And, above all, a queen with the magical ability to strip emotions away.
Ten years later and Jade has forgotten what it is to feel, to care...even to love. Working as a member of the queen's guard, she spends most of her time on the city wall staring at the crumbling skyscrapers of old New York. But everything changes when the queen's runaway son, Prince Asher, returns. Jade is tasked with an unusual mission--to let the Prince capture her, to make him trust her, and then to betray his secrets to the crown. In return, she'll earn her freedom. But life outside the queen's realm is more than Jade bargained for. Under Asher's relentless taunts, her blood begins to boil. Under his piercing gaze, her heart begins to flutter. And the more her icy soul begins to thaw, the more Jade comes to question everything she's ever known--and, more importantly, whose side she's really on.
Once Upon A Time meets La Femme Nikita in GATHERING FROST, a dystopian romance from bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis that reimagines the classic fairy tale of Sleeping Beauty.
Jade was only a little girl when the earthquake struck. Before her eyes, half of New York City disappeared, replaced by a village that seemed torn out of a storybook. Horses and carriages. Cobblestone streets. A towering castle. And, above all, a queen with the magical ability to strip emotions away.
Ten years later and Jade has forgotten what it is to feel, to care...even to love. Working as a member of the queen's guard, she spends most of her time on the city wall staring at the crumbling skyscrapers of old New York. But everything changes when the queen's runaway son, Prince Asher, returns. Jade is tasked with an unusual mission--to let the Prince capture her, to make him trust her, and then to betray his secrets to the crown. In return, she'll earn her freedom. But life outside the queen's realm is more than Jade bargained for. Under Asher's relentless taunts, her blood begins to boil. Under his piercing gaze, her heart begins to flutter. And the more her icy soul begins to thaw, the more Jade comes to question everything she's ever known--and, more importantly, whose side she's really on.
Read an excerpt:
This is the scene where Jade and Prince Asher meet for the first time! It's a little different than the Disney version :)
There are no sounds outside of the fire, no moans of pain, and instantly I am on edge. The commander would say it was nothing—that part of a building slipped free and happened to fall on our mine. Nothing more.
But the back of my neck tingles.
Then it is cold.
Metal presses against my skin, the shape of a circle. I recognize the barrel of a gun when I feel one.
"Don't move," a voice whispers, close to my ear. A voice meant to menace, but the ugly tone sounds unnatural, unconvincing.
I should be afraid. I should feel my insides tighten. But they are cool, calm. So hard that I wonder if a bullet would even break my skin.
A second passes and he does nothing. No hand grabs for my shirt. The gun does not press deeper into my skin. I wait for pain, but his touch is gentle. Too gentle for this world.
I react swiftly, throwing my head to the side and reaching my arm back to catch his. I twist my elbow, bending his arm unnaturally until his fingers open and the gun clangs uselessly against the floor. Blindly, I reach down, feeling the tile as I flip myself over. My grip tightens on the handle.
One swing of my arm and we have changed places.
"Don't move," I say, unable to stop my smirk. The gun is aimed at his chest, but I doubt I will use it. Bullets are too precious to waste.
My eyes travel higher, up his neck, past his square jaw, until I meet his eyes. His face holds shock, a little awe. I've seen that look before, during training rounds with the guard. I'm much tougher than I look.
But there is something else.
Something familiar.
The fire behind me floods through the window, illuminating his features and I swear that I've seen them before.
"Are you going to shoot me?" His voice holds a musical quality. It captures me, makes me lose myself for a moment. And suddenly I remember. In a burst, recognition shocks my brain.
The ice-blond hair. The perfect pale skin. The only difference is his eyes, which seem dark as midnight in this light.
It's Queen Deirdre's son. Prince Asher.
"No," I say quickly.
Buy Links:
**This is a KDP select novel. $2.99 to buy or free
on Kindle Unlimited!**
***************
Five Ways My Sleeping Beauty Is Way Cooler Than The One We Grew Up With!
Okay, I have to start by admitting that I am totally Disney obsessed and think each princess is absolutely perfect in her own way! I may be partial to Belle and Ariel, but Sleeping Beauty is still a Disney classic I could rewatch again and again and again!
But when updating a fairy tale, a writer is allowed to take liberties—and take liberties I did! Jade, the sleeping beauty in my novel, is completely different than the Aurora we all know and love! She's tougher, more modern, and made for a post-apocalyptic world. So here are five ways I think my princess kicks some Disney ass :)
1) She's not in a spell-induced coma during the major action! Jade's curse isn't one of actual sleep—it's her heart that is cursed. It's frozen over and she's in an emotional sleep—unable to love, but still able to kick butt during the entirety of the novel!
2) No insta-love for our prince and princess! While Aurora and the prince met once upon a dream and fell in love during their first dance in the woods, Jade and Prince Asher don't start out quite so smoothly. He puts a gun to her head, she punches him in the face, he takes her captive, she tries to escape…you know, the usual!
3) She doesn't need a prince to fight her battles! Jade can slay her own dragons, thank you very much! She's independent and a fighter, and pulls off some pretty awesome actions scenes during the course of the novel!
4) No fairy gifts of beauty or song! Jade is just a plain old human, no extra magic-induced gifts or fairy friends! She has to rely on her own strength to overcome the battle ahead!
5) Character growth takes center stage! While Princess Aurora pretty much remains her kind beautiful self from start, to curse induced sleep, to finish—Jade has a tough road to overcome and she changes a lot along the way, all for the better. And those are the characters I enjoy reading about the most!
So you might be wondering now, how is Jade like Sleeping Beauty at all? Well, you can read Gathering Frost and find out! But I will say this—they both wish for more with their lives, they both miss their families, they both have adventurous spirits, they both fall under an evil curse, and without giving too much away, true love's kiss might be involved a little bit too :)
About the Author
I've always been a writer. I grew up duct taping my novels together, started writing complete manuscripts in high school and studied creative writing at Johns Hopkins University. Upon graduating, I decided it was finally time to actually give my dream career a chance. So, of course, I started writing a young adult paranormal romance series -- and no, I'm not jumping on the bandwagon. I've been a true paranormal supporter for my entire life! I blame my obsession almost completely on Buffy the Vampire Slayer, my all-time favorite television show. And, before you ask: Yes, I own every season... even the post WB ones! I especially challenge anyone to watch the first three seasons and not fall in love with Angel, securing a lifelong love of vampires! Other culprits of my paranormal obsession are some of my favorite authors: JK Rowling, Raymond Feist, Meg Cabot, Richelle Mead, Lynne Ewing and Tamora Pierce.
Book Blitz Organized by:
Tuesday, June 17, 2014
'Cinderella Girl' by Ava Smith
Blurb:
Ten year old Briony Duke and her parents own a prestigious girls’ school in the country. This is in contrast to Mrs. Eyres, a middle-aged woman who has just been sacked by Briony’s father for embezzling funds. When Briony’s parents are killed in a car crash, Mrs. Eyres and daughter Lucy take over the school and Mrs. Eyres now becomes Briony’s guardian. Mrs. Eyres makes Briony sleep in the kitchen, cook, clean and tend to her and her daughter’s every whim. Seven years pass and Briony grows to be a beautiful and highly intelligent 17 year old. One day she meets Tom Logan, the sixth richest man in the country. She starts to fall in love with the charismatic 19 year old. The only question is, can she win his heart before her evil stepsister does.
I live with my family in Cambridge, England. I started writing at the age of 7 and have never stopped. I love reading all kinds of books but my favourite authors are Stephen King and John Grisham.
Friday, March 7, 2014
'My Name is Rapunzel' by KC Hilton
My Name is Rapunzel - Week Blitz
By K.C. Hilton
Young Adult Fantasy / Fairytale / Folklore
Date Published: 11/23/2013
My tale has been told again and again, and I've heard each one. Except for my hair, I barely recognize the pitiful renditions. Muddled versions, crafted to entertain laughing children...but the children wouldn't have laughed if they'd known the real story. It wasn't their fault. They didn't know the truth. Nobody did. My name is Rapunzel. I will tell you my story. I will tell you the truth.
EXCERPT
Just go, Henry. Save yourself. I tried to shout, but my mouth wouldn’t give way to sound. I was paralyzed. Was it with fear, or something else? The cackling witch at the tree line convinced me it was her doing.
I heard Henry continue to shout for me to flee, but I didn’t respond. I didn’t move. I didn’t run. I was frozen like a lifeless statue in a cold museum.
With only the movement of my eyes, I pleaded with him to help me. A tear escaped one of my eyes then rolled down my cheek. That single tear managed to do what my heart and body could not. Escape.
Fear, like unseen hands, gripped my lungs and tried to crush them slowly. My stomach churned and threatened to empty. Would we die here?
The gentle chill of night had turned into a mid-winter’s frost. Tiny bumps rose on my arms and the small hairs prickled to attention. I opened my mouth to speak, but the words remained trapped in my throat.
K.C. Hilton
Born and raised in Aurora, Illinois I spent my childhood playing street games with the neighborhood kids. When I wasn't outside, I spent much of my time reading and getting lost in adventurous worlds and whirlwind courtships. At the age of seventeen, I moved to Kentucky and eventually began to raise a family of my own. I have always been entranced by stories of magical adventure and I have discovered that writing is an entirely new, exciting adventure all on its own! In my spare time, I can be found updating my website or blog, finding great books to read or watching videos. Most days I crave Diet Coke, pizza and chocolate, in no particular order. I have my own pink toolbox with pink tools and secretly want to be a mechanic! I grew up a tomboy. But, when I didn't want to climb a hill, to walk through the graveyard, the boys said I turned into a girl.
Author Links
Buy Links
GIVEAWAY
Signed Copy of My Name Is Rapunzel and SWAG!
This Blitz is brought to you by Reading Addiction Book Tours
Thursday, February 20, 2014
'The Grimm Chronicles, Vol. 4' by Ken Brosky and Isabella Fontaine
Blurb:
The final volume of The Grimm Chronicles ends with a bang as Alice Goodenough confronts her own mortality while attempting to save the world one last time! As darkness threatens to suffocate her, Alice must find the strength to seek out a mysterious creature that claims to have the power to bring back a loved one. In the process, she'll discover that there's more to the magic pen than meets the eye and will have to journey to a mysterious land filled with familiar--and dangerous--characters.
This volume contains the last three episodes of the series:
Episode 10: The Black Towers
Death has come again, and this time he's claimed a loved one of hero Alice Goodenough. While she reels in the aftermath of a heartbreaking loss, those around her are forced to cope with the terrible consequences of a world without a hero. Alice has learned a terrible lesson: the hero is not safe. Her loved ones are not safe. So long as the Corrupted walk the earth, death will stalk her like a shadow.
In her dreams, she's plagued by a golden boy and a statue with a terrible thirst for darkness. The boy believes he is the key to saving the human race and calls to Alice while she sleeps. But can Alice pull herself from the abyss and sally forth, or will she end up in the heroes' graveyard?
Episodes 11 and 12: A Dance With Death
The hero's journey comes to a close in this epic two-part adventure! Alice Goodenough has passed through Death and now finds herself in a strange land with only her nemesis Sam Grayle for company. Their presence doesn't go unnoticed ... soon, they find themselves in the middle of a war between the good and the Corrupted. Old foes return. New allies are made. Lines are drawn and then crossed as the Corruption spreads, threatening to destroy the land itself and cover this strange world in darkness forever.
Alice and her allies must stop it. But to do that, they'll have to find the source of the Corruption: an old enemy whose power has only grown stronger. And this time, the Golden Dragon has an army ...
Like Katniss in The Hunger Games and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, hero Alice Goodenough is going to need to use more than her fists if she hopes to survive this nightmare!
This volume contains the last three episodes of the series:
Episode 10: The Black Towers
Death has come again, and this time he's claimed a loved one of hero Alice Goodenough. While she reels in the aftermath of a heartbreaking loss, those around her are forced to cope with the terrible consequences of a world without a hero. Alice has learned a terrible lesson: the hero is not safe. Her loved ones are not safe. So long as the Corrupted walk the earth, death will stalk her like a shadow.
In her dreams, she's plagued by a golden boy and a statue with a terrible thirst for darkness. The boy believes he is the key to saving the human race and calls to Alice while she sleeps. But can Alice pull herself from the abyss and sally forth, or will she end up in the heroes' graveyard?
Episodes 11 and 12: A Dance With Death
The hero's journey comes to a close in this epic two-part adventure! Alice Goodenough has passed through Death and now finds herself in a strange land with only her nemesis Sam Grayle for company. Their presence doesn't go unnoticed ... soon, they find themselves in the middle of a war between the good and the Corrupted. Old foes return. New allies are made. Lines are drawn and then crossed as the Corruption spreads, threatening to destroy the land itself and cover this strange world in darkness forever.
Alice and her allies must stop it. But to do that, they'll have to find the source of the Corruption: an old enemy whose power has only grown stronger. And this time, the Golden Dragon has an army ...
Like Katniss in The Hunger Games and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, hero Alice Goodenough is going to need to use more than her fists if she hopes to survive this nightmare!
Available on Amazon
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Cover Redesign Reveal! 'A Grimm Legacy' by Janna Jennings
Patchwork Press presents the new, redesigned cover reveal for Janna Jennings' YA fantasy A GRIMM LEGACY The final novel in the series (GRIMM MEMORIES) will be released later this year.
Enchanted castles and charming princes thought to exist only in stories come to life in this classically twisted fairy tale that combines the timeless quality of generations old folktales with the challenges of the modern world.
The woods of Elorium appear ordinary to Andi Grace, until birds start talking and elves answer doors. Along with three others, Andi has been whisked out of her world and finds herself the reluctant guest of the perplexing millionaire, Mr. Jackson—a stranger willing to help get them home, but who’s keeping secrets of his own.
Discovering unexpected family connections to this fairy tale land, the group must rely on each other as they dodge evil fairies and battle giants, intent on keeping them in Elorium. Faced with characters short on whimsy and bent towards treachery, Andi, Quinn, Fredrick and Dylan are forced into fairy tale roles to find the way home. But in Elorium, happily ever after is never guaranteed.
Cover Designed by: Erica Crouch (http://erica.patchwork-press.com)
Originally Published by: Patchwork Press, October 29th 2013
Janna is a Colorado based YA author who loves a good fairy tale. She’s married to her own real life Prince Charming, and will usually admit to being mom of three, including her incorrigible middle child, Benny. Besides wrangling her kids she can be found doing some therapeutic baking, dreaming of the ocean, and of course, curling up with a good book.
Twitter: @jannajennings80
Blog: http://www.janna.patchwork-press.com/
Sunday, September 8, 2013
Review of the Frost Series by Liz DeJesus
Book Info-
Title- First Frost
Series-The Frost Series Book # 1
By-Liz DeJesus
Publication Date- June 22, 2012
Published By- Musa Publishing
Blurb-
Fairytales aren’t real…yeah…that’s exactly what Bianca thought. She was wrong.
For generations, the Frost family has run the Museum of Magical and Rare Artifacts, handing down guardianship from mother to daughter, always keeping their secrets to “family only.”
Gathered within museum’s walls is a collection dedicated to the Grimm fairy tales and to the rare items the family has acquired: Cinderella’s glass slipper, Snow White’s poisoned apple, the evil queen’s magic mirror, Sleeping Beauty’s enchanted spinning wheel…
Seventeen-year-old Bianca Frost wants none of it, dreaming instead of a career in art or photography or…well, anything except working in the family’s museum. She knows the items in the glass display cases are fakes because, of course, magic doesn’t really exist.
She’s about to find out how wrong she is.
**My thoughts**
I was a little apprehensive about reading this book when I first heard about it. After all, everyone is redoing fairytales these days. I took a chance when it was free for Kindle, and I am glad that I did. Liz DeJesus has done something different in the new world of fairytales. Instead of retelling those famous stories, she has made the classics a part of a new story.
Bianca gets herself lost in another world and discovers how true those stories really are. She also discovers how real magic is and discovers the truth about herself and her family. I really enjoyed how Liz wove the fairytales and their artifacts into her world. I felt like I learned something new about all of those stories that I enjoyed as a kid. I was also exposed to some new stories and want to read them.
She and her best friend Ming are whisked away upon an adventure of danger and magic, discovering new friends and enemies along the way. I love their relationship and banter, because it is so real. Their interactions with the hottie young men they find in this alternate world are also amusing, as they come from very different backgrounds and cultural expectations. I found myself wondering what it would be like to have to mold myself to those.
Bianca finds strength within herself that she never knew existed. She realizes the true value of friendship and of family. She also realizes her destiny. I was eager for the second installment to come out!
Bianca finds strength within herself that she never knew existed. She realizes the true value of friendship and of family. She also realizes her destiny. I was eager for the second installment to come out!
Also available from MUSA Publishing
Book Info-
Title-Glass Frost
Series- The Frost Series Book # 2
By- Liz DeJesus
Publication Date- July 19th, 2013
Published By- Musa Publishing
Blurb-
When joined together, Cinderella's slippers grant the wearer her heart's desire. But whose wish will be granted?
When Cinderella’s glass slipper is stolen, Queen Felicia sends her faithful steward Terrance to the real world to retrieve his love and witch-in-training, Bianca Frost. The power of the glass slipper, when paired with its mate, and in the wrong hands, could ruin the peace of Everafter. Bianca must gather every bit of magic she has learned in the past few weeks to find the slipper and protect her new love. Together, Bianca, Ming, Prince Ferdinand, and Terrance venture deep into the heart of Everafter to seek clues as to who has stolen the slipper and why. Along the way, they uncover what happened to the Seven Dwarves after Snow White married the prince, but also learn the awful risk of tampering with black magic and the high price that must be paid for magic, even when used for good.
Bianca and Terrance’s relationship is put to the test. Through the pain of suffering and loss, Bianca must determine if following her gallant boyfriend into his faraway world is in fact her heart's desire.
**My thoughts**
I was excited to read the second installment in this series. It was enjoyable, even though I wasn't quite as engrossed as I was in the first book. The first one was all about Bianca discovering who she really is. This one is more about her adventures under her new role in the magical world. It felt like a step along the path that will lead to an epic battle.
Bianca has reunited her family, yet has incredible responsibility in that magical fairytale world. This new responsibility puts her and her loved ones in danger, but she is compelled to do it. Those people depend on her and her legacy to protect them. She is also the key to solving their problems, especially considering her family's business.
In this one, Ming didn't feel quite as necessary as a character, other than being a sort of security blanket to help Bianca embark upon her journey. Her place is more in the real world, but I hope she can have more of an impact in future installments.
Yet again, Liz DeJesus stretches the imagination with her twists on those classic fairytales. She looks beyond the original story and finds ways to make them her own. I eagerly anticipate the third installment.
In this one, Ming didn't feel quite as necessary as a character, other than being a sort of security blanket to help Bianca embark upon her journey. Her place is more in the real world, but I hope she can have more of an impact in future installments.
Yet again, Liz DeJesus stretches the imagination with her twists on those classic fairytales. She looks beyond the original story and finds ways to make them her own. I eagerly anticipate the third installment.
About the Author-
Liz DeJesus was born on the tiny island of Puerto Rico. She is a novelist and a poet. She has been writing for as long as she was capable of holding a pen. She is the author of the novel Nina (Blu Phi'er Publishing, October 2007), The Jackets (Arte Publico Press, March 31st 2011) First Frost (Musa Publishing, June 22nd 2012) and Glass Frost (Musa Publishing, COMING SOON).
Liz is currently working on a new novel.
Links-
Frost Series Tour Facebook Event- https://www.facebook.com/events/224535611029392/
Rafflecopter- https://www.facebook.com/FirstFrost1/app_228910107186452
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