Silver-White by Shawn Underhill “The woods are lovely, dark, and deep, But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep.” ~ Robert Frost
*Evie’s family has been holding out on her …
Big time.
On an unexpected visit to her grandparents’ house in New Hampshire’s secluded North Woods, the
sixteen-year-old literally runs into the truth of the long-hidden family secrets, and finds herself thrust
without warning into the clandestine world of the Great North Pack—a wild and exhilarating world of
rugged beauty, heart-pounding adventures, and long nights running under a sea of stars … but as she’s
set to discover, a world also fraught with potential dangers lurking in the shadows.
★ Praise ★
"Simply put, this book was amazing. I've read more fantasy novels than than I can count, but this
one is certainly one of the best. The heroine isn't some wishy-washy pansy that screams at everything,
and the focus of the story isn't on some unbelievably beautiful teenage girl who suddenly becomes
the biggest, baddest member of her species falling in love with some big, bad, sexy member of her
newfound species. It's about a girl becoming something she never knew existed, finding her place within
the pack family she values more than ever before, and an age-old feud that threatens everything she
loves." ~Morgan
Shawn is a part-time writer from New Hampshire, where he spends his free time hiking in the
mountains, camping, racing dirt bikes, or anything else that keeps him outdoors. Dogs are his very
favorite people. He is also the author of the novel All Things Different.
★★★BookBlast $100 Giveaway★★★
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 2/13/13
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.
But as Anna’s powers intensify, she begins to experience frightening visions of her mother in peril, which leads her to explore the powers she’s tried so long to hide. And when a mysterious young man named Cole moves into the flat downstairs, introducing Anna to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, she is forced to confront her past and rethink everything she’s ever known. Is her mother truly in danger, or are Anna’s visions merely illusion? And could the great Houdini really be her father, or is it just another of Marguerite’s tricks?
From Teri Brown comes a world bursting with magic, with romance, and the temptations of Jazz Age New York—and the story of a girl about to become the mistress of her own destiny.
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Title: Splintered Author: A.G. Howard Number of Pages: 384 Published: January 1st 2013 by Amulet Books Source: Hardcover (library) Genre: Urban Fantasy > Retelling Reading Level: Young Adult
This stunning debut captures the grotesque madness of a mystical under-land, as well as a girl’s pangs of first love and independence. Alyssa Gardner hears the whispers of bugs and flowers—precisely the affliction that landed her mother in a mental hospital years before. This family curse stretches back to her ancestor Alice Liddell, the real-life inspiration for Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Alyssa might be crazy, but she manages to keep it together. For now.
When her mother’s mental health takes a turn for the worse, Alyssa learns that what she thought was fiction is based in terrifying reality. The real Wonderland is a place far darker and more twisted than Lewis Carroll ever let on. There, Alyssa must pass a series of tests, including draining an ocean of Alice’s tears, waking the slumbering tea party, and subduing a vicious bandersnatch, to fix Alice’s mistakes and save her family. She must also decide whom to trust: Jeb, her gorgeous best friend and secret crush, or the sexy but suspicious Morpheus, her guide through Wonderland, who may have dark motives of his own.
Splintered by A.G. Howard Book Trailer
Splintered captured my heart from the very first page. I have always been a huge fan of story book retellings ever since I read Cinder last year. The classic story of Alice in Wonderful by Lewis Carroll has always been a childhood favorite of mine. I remember reading the book over and over again. There is just something so magical about a girl who falls down a rabbit hole and finds herself in a strange new world fulled with talking plants, mad tea parties, and a queen who has a obsession with chopping off heads.
Splintered is possibly the best fairy tale book retelling I have ever read. At first I was a little hesitant to read the book because I did not want to be disappointed that author may not be true to the original story-line of Alice in Wonderland but she was....OMG she was! I was totally floored *mouth hung open* by how beautifully dark, and modern Splintered turned out to be. Each and every aspect of this book was true to the original story with A.G. Howard own spin on things.
Have you ever wondered what happen after Alice returned home from Wonderland? Did she grow up and start of family? Did she return to wonderland just to attend a mad tea party?
Alyssa Gardner has always been able to hear and talk to plants and bugs, as does her Mother. She hides her secret well.....unfortunately her Mother was not so lucky. Allison, Alyssa mother lives in a insane asylum and talks of a world that do not exist. Alyssa knows she and her mother both are descended of real Alice who once went to wonderland. She refuses to believe the story of her great, great, great Grandmother is true and hides the fact that she hears the voices of the plants and bugs. While visiting with her Mom, Alyssa comes to find out more secrets that Allison has been hiding. Secrets that will change her life forever. Wonderland is REAL and Alyssa hold the key through the looking glass.... into a lost world of magic and a curse which begs to be broken.
If talking to a huge moth, secretly loving a boy who is just a friend, and having Alice as a distance relative wasn't enough.... Alyssa now has to dive head first down the rabbit whole to save her Mom by breaking an ancient curse from the one curious girl who started it all.
If you have not read Splintered or have doubts about the book that are holding you back from reading it. Let me put your mind at ease because I say without a shadow of a doubt YOU will NOT be disappointed. From page one until the very end I was totally in love with this book!
This dark and gritty retelling of Alice in Wonderland is a MUST READ! A totally magnificent read for all ages.
Totally EPIC! One of the best books I have read. A MUST read!!
Kill Bill meets Buffy in this supernatural samurai taleRileigh Martin would love to believe that adrenaline
gave her the uncanny courage and strength to fend off three muggers. But it doesn't explain her dreams
of fifteenth century Japan, the incredible fighting skills she suddenly possesses, or the strange voice
giving her battle tips and danger warnings. While worrying that she's going crazy (always a reputation
ruiner), Rileigh gets a visit from Kim, a handsome martial arts instructor, who tells Rileigh she's
harboring the spirit of a five-hundred-year-old samurai warrior.
Relentlessly attacked by ninjas, Rileigh has no choice but to master the katana--a deadly Japanese sword
that's also the key to her past. As the spirit grows stronger and her feelings for Kim intensify, Rileigh is
torn between continuing as the girl she's always been and embracing the warrior inside her.
"This action-packed novel has a unique and compelling plot...Fans of Carrie Asai's Samurai Girl series will
be particularly interested, but even readers who dislike supernatural story lines will enjoy this tale of
modern samurais."
~School Library Journal~
"An action packed page-turner tempered with slow-burning romance."
Is Rileigh’s only hope for salvation to team up with her sworn enemy?
Rileigh Martin just wants to do normal teenage things, like go on romantic dates with Kim, her boyfriend
and past life soul mate. Although that seems impossible when she’s the reincarnation of Senshi, a
fifteenth century samurai warrior. After a ninja ambush leaves her unable to control her ki powers,
Rileigh vows to get them under control before her friends lose more than their eyebrows. But when
Kim leaves her for his past life betrothed and the other samurai stop talking to her, Rileigh realizes she
doesn’t have any friends left to worry about.
As the ninja attacks increase, Rileigh learns that the reincarnated kunoichi, a powerful female ninja,
wants to kill her in order to reclaim her destructive powers. Alone and with increasingly unstable
powers, Rileigh’s only offer of help comes from Whitley, her sworn past life enemy. Rileigh knows she
doesn’t stand a chance against the kunoichi by herself, but Whitley’s sudden allegiance might be hiding
a much deadlier agenda.
When Cole Gibsen isn't writing books for young adults, she can be found rocking out with her band,
sewing crazy costumes for the fun of it, picking off her nail polish, or drinking milk straight from the jug -
- provided no one is looking.
Yay for all the winners! Congrats to you all! I will be e-mailing each of you sometime today so be sure you keep a eye out in your inbox's. Thank you all for entering these wonderful giveaways and it you did not win try again with another giveaway here at Bittersweet Enchantment. Happy Reading & Enjoy the weekend!
Joclyn Despain has a scar. In fact, it is almost like a brand on her skin. She doesn’t know why it appeared on her neck, but she doesn’t want anyone to see it, including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won’t let the idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to.
The scar is the reason she is being hunted.
If only she knew that she was.
If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten feet in the air.
Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart. When Ryland finds her scar; but he knows what it means, and who will kill her because of it.
GIVEAWAY: Paperback copies (US ONLY) of Kiss of Fire and Eyes of Ember, or, if you live outside the US and you win this giveaway, you will automatically win ebook copies. :)
Lenah Beaudonte should be dead. But having sacrificed herself to save another, she finds herself awakening with strange powers that are neither vampire nor human—and a new enemy on her trail. In her vampire life, Lenah had thought that being human was all she ever wanted; but the human heart suffers pain, heartbreak and loss.
With her new powers growing and the dark force of the Nex after her soul, Lenah faces a choice: between the mortal love of gorgeous Justin, whose passion fed her human soul, and taking a different path to become the mistress of her own destiny, wherever that may lead...
Hi Rebecca, (nice name, BTW) ;)
Thanks for being here today and agreeing to be interviewed. So let's get started...
1. Tell me a bit about yourself?
I am a reader, a Bichon Frise lover, and of course, a writer of YA lit. I am happy. I love what I do. I feel lucky every day. I am currently drinking tea.
2. Why be a author? Have you always liked to write?
Yes. I always, always liked to write. I don't think I knew as a child that this was what I would end up doing. But I was always writing stories, making movies, and thinking up plays. I loved dancing and moving my body as a narrative to music. As I got older, I found the most cathartic and important way I could express myself was through my creative voice. We're human, we communicate through language. But it was the play on language and the ability to make stories and people out of thin air that really formed my identity.
3. Besides writing, what other hobbies do you enjoy?
Kickboxing, learning to play my guitar (really badly), and hanging out with my dog George. I included a picture of him with this interview because he's really cute. That's him as a puppy, he's 2 now and looks like a Muppet. I am learning to love running but most of the time I am debating how I can make time move faster so I can be DONE with the run. Am I alone in this? I love reading as well. I just finished Sharon Creech's The Great Unexpected. It was amazing.
4. Do you have an author you admire? If so, why?
It's 100% a tie.
1st #1: AM Jenkins. She is brave. She is painstakingly meticulous about her characters. Her ability with language is inspiring. I want to be her when I grow up.
And also tied for number 1: Franny Billingsley. Have you read Chime? If you are an avid reader, I dare you to go out to your library or bookstore and get Chime by Franny Billingsley and Beating Heart by AM Jenkins and study just the first two pages. Really. Look at every single solitary word they use and you tell me if any of them are wasted. These are incredible writers. I am humbled just reading their work.
But here are some other writers I adore:
Jandy Nelson
Coe Booth
Laini Taylor
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Sherman Alexie (his short stories are just amazing though True Diary is a freakin' FANTASTIC NOVEL)
John Green
Natalie Babbitt
5. Where did the idea for your series, Vampire Queen come from?
I was free writing one day and I heard this voice. Not like hearing voices like a looney tunes but in my head. An artistic voice. I guess you could say she was a muse because she had so much to say and a real problem. She was 592 years old and was tired of it. Lenah was so strong, sinister, and tragic. I wanted to tap into that sorrow and darkness. I wanted to bring this person, whoever she was back out to light. It turned out that she was a vampire and thematically, it worked. Every person out there has done something they aren’t be proud of. And whatever that thing is, they have to live with it - forever. That’s Lenah but times about a million! So I just went with it, I wrote the story and didn't think about word count or plot or anything. I paid attention to LENAH and what she needed. That's the best advice I could ever give. Listen to what your character needs. Don't let the plot force her to do things she wouldn't do. Let it be organic.
6. Do you have a favorite character in your books?
Depends. When I wrote Stolen Nights, I had a ball with Vicken. When I wrote Infinite Days, I had a lot of fun with Tony. So as I write the third book, that person has changed yet again. But probably, Tony overall. He's so loyal. His Patronus would definitely be a dog. :)
7. What is your favorite book at the moment? Or what is your current read?
I just started Diviners by Libba Bray. She should be up on my list of favorite writers. She's really talented. I really liked NightSpell by Leah Cypress. I heard she has another book Mistwood. I am looking to grab that. I like her world building and character development. Nightspell's main character, Darri was strong and self assured. That really resonates with me.
8. If you could be one mythological creature what would it be?
I guess I would be a mermaid as long as there were other mermaids to hang out with. And I would make sure to stay away from princes who hang out on ships that like to ship wreck. We all know what happens THEN.
9. What are your plans for future writing? Any new books or series in the works?
I have two other books outside of this series. One is completed on my agent's desk the other is a partial I am working on. And nope, I can't tell you a thing! I will say they are both realistic and not fantasy.... Well, sort of. Muhahahaaaa....
10. What has been your biggest struggle as an author?
I find that sometimes I don't put my characters in harm's way because I am protecting them emotionally and in turn, protecting myself emotionally. If you don't feel it, your characters won't feel it, and in turn your readers certainly won't feel it. You have to put your characters in the worst position possible so that when they can find their way out you feel like it was worth the struggle.
11. Describe your book in only 3 words:
GO.READ.IT.
12. Thank you again for being here today. Do you have any final thoughts for my readers?
Just that I hope they love Stolen Nights. It is a big change from Infinite Days. Lenah has really grown as a character! I am finishing up book three so I hope they love Lenah's journey and can't wait to read her final chapter!
Rebecca Maizel received her B.S. from Boston University and has masters degrees from RIC and VCFA. She teaches literature in her home state of RI. She talks to her Bichon Frise George like he’s a real person.
Welcome to the Nobody But Us by Kristin Halbrook Blog Tour. Today is my stop on the tour which also happens to be the start of this amazing tour: brought to you by -
I was signed up to do a author interview & author playlist but because I have been sick the interview kind of went down the tubes. I do still have much to share with my readers about the book and the author playlist with a note from Kristin Halbrook.
Enjoy!
Nobody But Us
by Kristin Halbrook
Paperback, 272 pages
Expected publication: January 29th 2013 by HarperTeen
Bonnie and Clyde meets IF I STAY in this addictively heart-wrenching story of two desperate teenagers on the run from their pasts.
They’re young. They’re in love. They’re on the run.
Zoe wants to save Will as much as Will wants to save Zoe. When Will turns eighteen, they decide to run away together. But they never expected their escape to be so fraught with danger....
When the whole world is after you, sometimes it seems like you can’t run fast enough.
Nobody But Us, told in alternating perspectives from Will and Zoe, is an unflinching novel, in turns heartbreaking and hopeful, about survival, choices, and love...and how having love doesn’t always mean that you get a happy ending. Described as “beautiful, heartbreaking, and exhilarating” by Kody Keplinger, author of The DUFF, Nobody But Us will prove irresistible to fans of Nina Lacour, Jenny Han, and Sara Zarr.
Thanks for featuring my Nobody But Us playlist, Beckie!
I love listening to music that fits the mood of my writing, especially during the revising stages. Music helps me become engulfed by my project and makes it easier to really reach into my characters and extract the emotion I need for complexity. My playlists evolve throughout the entire writing, revising and publishing process, until they're something I feel really fits the book. In the case of the Nobody But Us playlist, there are a lot of songs about running, about getting away from the past, about needing someone else, about wanting to be someone's hero. There are songs that address some of the social themes of the book, like Bruce Springsteen's "American Skin." There are songs toward the end of the playlist that one of the characters would likely listen to as the dust of Will and Zoe's road trip settles, like Patty Griffin and Julie Miller's "Coming Home to Me." Some songs define Will to me, like Ryan Adams "Shadowlands," while others make me think of Zoe, like Iron and Wine's "Flightless Bird." The Civil Wars' "Barton Hollow" is a nod to criminal behavior. Finally, "Wherever You Will Go" is sort of the theme song of the book. It's the one Will sings the wrong lyrics to early on in the story. I hope you enjoy the list!
When I was little, I wanted to be a writer, the President of the USA or the first female NFL quarterback. Despite being able to throw a wicked spiral, I didn't really grow to the size needed for the NFL. Then, as I got older and studied more, I came to realize there were better ways to effect positive change than becoming president. The first one, however, stuck. Even when I was pursuing other dreams, I always took time to write here and there. NOBODY BUT US will be published by HarperChildren's in 2013.
When I'm not writing or reading (which is what I do all day, in all of my work), I'm spending time with pixies, my Mad Scot soulmate, and one grumpy cocker spaniel; traveling across oceans and time; cooking and baking up a storm and watching sunsets and waves crash on the beach. I currently live, love and explore in The Emerald City, though I occasionally make wispy, dream-like plans to move to New York, Paris or a Scottish castle one day (if just temporarily).
Title: Nobody Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes Number of Pages: 393 Expected publication: January 22nd 2013 by EgmontUSA Source: Publisher (ARC Paperback) Genre: Science Fiction > Dystopia Reading Level: Young Adult
There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.
That’s why they make the perfect assassins.
The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated.
Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.
Picture this: Your whole life you have been forgotten. You parents barely talk to you or even acknowledge your existence. You have no friends to speak of, most people pass you by without even a glance. You feel lost and alone but this...this is YOUR normal.
In a world where your either your a somebody or a nobody one girl knows first hand what it's like to be invisible. Sixteen year old, Claire is a nobody. Forgotten.Alone. This is "her" normal. The way it has always been. Claire goes about her life, day by day in the same way as always doomed to a Nothing, a Nobody. On a day just like any other Claire begins to get ready to go to the pool for a swim. While getting changed in her bedroom she gets a strange feeling that she is being watched, a prickle on the back of her neck. When she turns around Clarie get the shock of her life....SOMEONE is in fact watching her....and this someone is aiming a gun right at her. Nix is a Nobody, like Claire. He knows that no one cares about him and the only way he makes any kind of difference in the world is by KILLING. Nix is a hired assassin to kill other nobodies or Nulls. He works for a group called "The Society" and they have put a hit out on Claire. Nix knows his job well and is perfect at it. Until his job is to kill a girl his age, who also happens to hold a secret all her own. From the very moment Nix set eyes on Claire both teens lives now change forever.... Deadly secrets, murder cover-ups, and deep betrayals.... Even a Nobody....is not safe!
I feel in love with the concept of the story. I think everyone sometime in there lives feeling like a nobody, someone who just does not belong. The world the author creates gives the readers the sense of what's it like to be invisible and alone. In this case being a nobody is very wrong. They don't belong in this world, and should be eliminated. One of the best parts of the book for me was I was able to see and feel what Clarie and Nix had to go through both together and separately. Their personal growth through the hardships endured and seeing them find acceptance in each other was both beautiful and enlightening. Besides being able to relate to both of the characters, the story moves along quickly and had the perfect amount of "end of your seat" suspense. The romantic aspect throughout the story was sweet, and set at a great pace.
I felt the only short-coming the book had was that I would have liked to get to know both Nix and Claire a little better individually before all of the action took place. Also, at a few (not all) parts during the book I found myself somewhat loosing interested; which slowed down my reading.
Nobody is the first novel I have read by author Jennifer Lynn Barnes and it wont be the last. I truly enjoyed the book and look forward to reading additional works from the author. The story as a whole was quite enjoyable and unique. A definite read for anyone who likes the Dystopia genre.
Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She's been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a "practice book" and which none of you will ever see) when she was still in high school, and then wrote Golden the summer after her freshman year in college, when she was nineteen.
Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She was awarded a Fulbright to do post-graduate work at Cambridge, and then returned to the states, where she is hard at work on her PhD.
For more video's of Jennifer Lynn Barnes: CLICK HERE
First and foremost, I want to give a huge thank you to Media Masters Publicity & Egmont USA for supplying me with my print ARC of the book and for offering to host this giveaway.
You guys totally ROCK!
Here's what you can win:
One of my lucky readers here @ Bittersweet Enchantment will have the chance to win 1 hardcover copy of Nobody and the new paperback release of Every Other Day, which pubs on the same day as Nobody (January 22nd).
US and Canada residents only.
Closes: Feb 4th, 2013
Main entry: Follow my blog - All other entries are optional but will gain you more chances to win.
Thank you so much to everyone who entered the the following giveaways:
First Prize winner: Kindle Touch, $30 Amazon giftcard and signed paperback of Infinity.
Second Prize winner: $20 Amazon giftcard and signed paperback of Infinity.
Wow, a lot of winners!! Congrats to you all! I will be e-mailing each of you sometime today so be sure you keep a eye out in your inbox's. Thank you all for entering these wonderful giveaways and it you did not win try again with another giveaway here at Bittersweet Enchantment. My readers mean the world to me so I hope you enjoy your stay!
Krishani always knew he would have to go to the Lands of Men, but he never thought it would be like this. Enemies everywhere, an ancestor he can't respect, elders he can't trust, a curse he can't stop and friends he can't help but hate. Desperate to end the pain, he sets out on a quest to find the other Flames and face the enemy that took everything from him.
Author Rhiannon Paille has also decided to reveal the cover for Blood & Gold (The Ferryman and the Flame #2.5).
BLOOD & GOLD: Art by Paragraphic Designs / Typography by Rhiannon Paille
Blood & Gold (The Ferryman and the Flame #2.5)
by Rhiannon Paille
50 pages
Expected publication: June 2013
This is JUSTICE from the villain's POV.
The Daed are pawns to one of the most powerful members of the Valtanyana. Crestaos is insane, his hunger for the Flames insatiable. The closer the Daed get to achieving his goal, the more expendable they become.
Rhi was never a normal girl. Her life was an urban fantasy wrapped in a paranormal romance and served with a side of horror. To escape her everyday weirdness she began writing fantasy. She studied at U of Sedona and MIMT, obtaining a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology. She's married to a chef/comic book shop owner and has a fondness for architecture. She frequents twitter and facebook, but if you really want to get to know her you should visit her site: www.yafantasyauthor.com
FYI, I will be pulling the winners for the Kindle Touch giveaway today. So stay tuned.
Hello and welcome to my Young Adult (and now NA & Adult) book blog, Bittersweet Enchantment. There is a lot to look at here - reviews, giveaways, meme's, authors events, and so much more! I hope YOU enjoy your stay and if you like what you see here then before you leave please follow my updates. Thanks!
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