Book Blitz: The Rose & The Dagger by Renée Ahdieh | Excerpt + Giveaway!

Hi everyone!

I am so excited that THE ROSE & THE DAGGER by Renée Ahdieh has just recently been released and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Renée Ahdieh, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a paperback of THE WRATH & THE DAWN and a hardcover of THE ROSE & THE DAGGER and an awesome candle from The Melting Library’s Etsy Store, US Only!  So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

Title: THE ROSE & THE DAGGER

Author: Renée Ahdieh

Release Date: April 26, 2016

Publisher: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers

Pages: 432

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, & audiobook

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | iBooks

The much anticipated sequel to the breathtaking The Wrath and the Dawn, lauded by Publishers Weekly as "a potent page-turner of intrigue and romance."

I am surrounded on all sides by a desert. A guest, in a prison of sand and sun. My family is here. And I do not know whom I can trust.

In a land on the brink of war, Shahrzad has been torn from the love of her husband Khalid, the Caliph of Khorasan. She once believed him a monster, but his secrets revealed a man tormented by guilt and a powerful curse—one that might keep them apart forever. Reunited with her family, who have taken refuge with enemies of Khalid, and Tariq, her childhood sweetheart, she should be happy. But Tariq now commands forces set on destroying Khalid's empire. Shahrzad is almost a prisoner caught between loyalties to people she loves. But she refuses to be a pawn and devises a plan.

While her father, Jahandar, continues to play with magical forces he doesn't yet understand, Shahrzad tries to uncover powers that may lie dormant within her. With the help of a tattered old carpet and a tempestuous but sage young man, Shahrzad will attempt to break the curse and reunite with her one true love.

Praise for The Rose and the Dagger:

“Above all there is the shattering, triumphant catharsis of love… In a story about stories, love is ‘the power to speak without words.’ Thrillingly full of feeling.”—Kirkus Reviews

“Fiery romance, a spirited heroine, shifting loyalties… With more than a few heartrending twists and turns.”—Booklist 

Renée lives in North Carolina (Go Heels!) with her husband Victor and their dog Mushu. Her YA fantasy novel, THE WRATH AND THE DAWN, will be published on May 12th, 2015. In her spare time, she likes to cook, dance salsa, and wreak havoc on the lives of her characters.

She’s also a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, as well as an active member of theScience Fiction & Fantasy Writers of America.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

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Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a paperback of THE WRATH & THE DAWN, a hardcover of THE ROSE & THE DAGGER, and a His Calipha candle from The Melting Library’s Etsy Store, US Only.

Ends on May 3rd at Midnight EST!

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Cover Reveal: Deadly Design by Debra Dockter + Author Interview & Giveaway: win 1 of 5 print ARC's!

Welcome everyone! 

I am so excited to say I've been asked by Penguin/G.P. Putnam's Sons to share with my readers today the cover reveal for the book DEADLY DESIGN by debut author Debra Dockter. The book is set to release in summer of 2015, which is a way off but today you will have a chance to win 1 of 5 print ARC's!! Yes, you heard me right! FIVE copies! (5 winners). How awesome is that? Along with the cover reveal and giveaway there is also a fun author interview. It's a great way to meet new author, Debra Dockter.

I am totally psyched about this one and the cover is without a doubt GORGEOUS! Don't you think?!

Though technically twins, Connor and Kyle couldn’t be more different. Star of the track team, valedictorian, and all-around golden boy of their high school, Connor’s always overshadowed his sarcastic loner brother Kyle, who’s most comfortable hiding out in the basement playing video games. But the most surprising difference is that Kyle and Connor were born two years apart. Conceived in vitro at the Genesis Innovations Laboratory after their parents struggled to have children, the decision was made to carry the embryos separately—and that decision made all the difference in Kyle’s world. Paralyzed with anger over being left behind and sure he’ll never be able to catch up to his perfect brother, Kyle doesn’t even try. But when the children conceived in the Genesis lab, including Connor, start dropping dead of apparent heart attacks on their eighteenth birthdays, catching up is the very last thing Kyle wants to do.

All he wants to do now is live—to figure out what happened to Connor, to keep from obliterating his parents’ already broken heart, and to love the beautiful Cami for as long as he can. He quickly discovers the key to his survival lies with a mysterious Dr. Mueller, who not only created Kyle and the others but genetically modified them, turning them all into virtual gods—the best looks, the best athletic and academic ability, the best everything. They were perfect with just one deadly flaw. In a race against time, Kyle sets off to find the missing Dr. Mueller and unlock the secrets hidden in his genetic code, because eighteen years is not enough. A gripping thriller where DNA proves fatal, Deadly Design is an adrenaline-charged ride through the dark world of genetic manipulation.

Me: Debra, please introduce yourself and tell the readers a few things you would like them to know about you. 

Debra: I grew up as the youngest child in a family of five kids. I had four older brothers who were the perfect combination of protectors and tormentors. For the most part they were pretty awesome, but I failed miserably as a tomboy. Ballet was more my style and of course, writing. But like so many people, I thought writers were born, not developed. I wrote because I loved it, and after many years of practice and conferences, got my first book deal. Yay! I live in Kansas with my husband and our three kids.  I teach at a local college and love writing for teens. To me, teens are individuals poised on the edge of life’s diving board. No matter how high the diving board, or how deep the water, they have to find the courage to jump.   

Me: Where did the idea for the book come from? 

Debra: Writers need to practice, and practice and practice. I wrote a book a while back, and while the book wasn’t that great (it was pretty awful really), I fell in love with one of the characters. I could let the book go, but not him. I also love science and the amazing possibilities it holds. As a professor, I study and teach about the wonders of DNA and the possibilities that can come with understanding genetics. Some of it’s really exciting, and some of it’s kind of scary. 

When Kyle, my main character, and science met, a story was born. I imagined what kind of people could be created if genes could be manipulated and what limits scientists would have, especially evil ones, in regards to what they could achieve. But we’re more than our DNA. We’re individuals, and it’s up to Kyle to prove that no matter what his DNA says, he has a right to live his life.   

Me: Tell us a little about the main characters in the book. Was there one in particular you enjoyed writing about the most? 

Debra: What can I say about Kyle? This may sound strange, but when I’m having a tough day, I think about him and how hard he fights to save his own life and he gives me courage. Sounds hokey, I know, but part of my writing process, was to imagine sitting at a table with him and having conversations. I don’t feel like I created him, as much as I got to know him, and well – I love the kid. He’s smart and funny, and like all teens, he’s got insecurities and he’s got strength. And did I mention he’s really, really handsome. 

The two main female characters, Emma and Cami, may seem like opposites, and in some ways, they are. Emma is all about climbing the high school social ladder. Cami loves art and her family. But both girls see something special in the McAdams twins, in Kyle and his brother Connor. In so many ways, these guys seem perfect – guys any girl would fall for. But how do you let yourself fall in love with someone, who seems destined to die?     

Me: If your book was made into a movie, who would you envision playing the lead roles?

Debra: This is such a tough question, but a fun one, too. Here’s what I came up with. 

Alex Pettyfer as Kyle and Connor

Madison McLaughlin as Cami

Maddie Hasson as Emma

Me: Is there anything you wish you could go back and change? A character, chapter or technique?  

Debra: This story has evolved so much from the first version I wrote.  As a writer, one thing a person needs to keep in mind is that writing is something fluid. There’s never a point where it becomes like some marble statue and you know it’s finished. If given the chance to tweak a thing here or there, I probably would. There’s always something that could be a little better. But I’ve been so blessed to work with my wonderful agent, Ayesha Pande, and amazing editors. People have asked me if I got upset or even angry when my editor, Stacey Barney with Putnam, asked me to change something. The somewhat annoying truth is that she was always right. Any writer should want their work to be the best it can be, and having Stacey and her assistant Kate helping me achieve that was amazing. It’s because of them that I can say I feel pretty good about the outcome. 

Me: Is there anything else you’d like to say or shout out to readers of my blog? Final Thoughts? 

Debra: I guess more than anything, I hope readers enjoy getting to know Kyle, and I hope he inspires them like he inspires me. If there’s something I’d like to say to your teen readers, I suppose it’s what I told Kyle when we’d have our chats at the kitchen table. Don’t give up. No matter how sucky life can be sometimes, hang in there. And don’t ever let anyone tell you your worth. Not to sound like a fortune cookie or Dr. Phil, but the reality is that while there are many people out in the world who know what fear and sadness and insecurity and hope are, no one knows them the same way you do. You’re unique and valuable. You matter, and that’s why I love writing for you.  Hope you enjoy Deadly Design!  

I can’t wait to connect with readers on the page!  Thanks for letting me share on your blog Becky!  

Find Debra @ Website / Twitter / Goodreads 

When my parents told me I could be anything I wanted when I grew up, I took it to heart. Even being a Kansas girl, I managed to become a ballerina (performing Swan Lake 28 times), worked as a magician's assistant (worst job ever!), became a child psychologist, and currently work as a college professor and a young adult author. I currently live in Kansas with my husband, our three children, one dog, one bird, nine fish and if my youngest gets her way, some sort of rodent. My young adult novel, "Deadly Design" is due out June of 2015 from Putnam/Penguin. I'm represented by the wonderful Ayesha Pande Literary Agency. Follow me on Twitter @debdockterYA

Please use the rafflecopter form below to enter. 

Prizes: 5 print ARC's of Deadly Design. 
Open to US/Canada Only.

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Blog Tour: Black City by Elizabeth Richards / Review + Giveaway!

Hello my lovelies! 

Welcome to my stop on the Black City Blog Tour hosted by Good Choice Reading. I am lucky to be part of this outstanding tour and so super excited to share with you all my review for the book. Black City is like nothing I have ever read. I truly hope my review will get you guys excited to read this wonderful debut novel. Enjoy!

Title: Black City 

Author: Elizabeth Richards

Number of Pages: 384 

Expected publication: November 13th 2012 by G.P. Putnam's Sons BYR

Source: Print ARC - Publisher

Genre: Dystopia > Paranormal Romance

Reading Level: 14 and up

Goodreads | Purchase

In a city where humans and Darklings are now separated by a high wall and tensions between the two races still simmer after a terrible war, sixteen-year-olds Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling, and Natalie Buchanan, a human and the daughter of the Emissary, meet and do the unthinkable—they fall in love. Bonded by a mysterious connection that causes Ash’s long-dormant heart to beat, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed—but their feelings are too strong.

When Ash and Natalie then find themselves at the center of a deadly conspiracy that threatens to pull the humans and Darklings back into war, they must make hard choices that could result in both their deaths.

Black City is one of the most highly anticipated YA novels of 2012 and if you ask me, one of the best! To be completely honest I was not quite sure I would enjoy the book. Even though the cover is breathtaking and the plot sounded unique I felt it may just be another vampire novel. I don't know about you but I am kind of tired of vampires in books. Yeah, big shocker right? I will tell you right now I was sadly mistaken. Black City IS so much more than another vampire book, by far. Author Elizabeth Richards takes "vampires" to a WHOLE new level, and then some. The story is set in a dark post-apocalyptic world were new creatures have emerged. Darklings (a vampire like creature), twin bloods (a mix of vampire and human) and of course humans. Humans of course are known as the superior race and live as such. This also mean they make the laws for the darklings and Twin-Bloods. Of course like any dystopian world the lesser race is not happy. They do not want to live under the human rules but to break down the very wall the separates them from each other. 

A teenage human girl named Natalie Buchanan who is also the daughter of the Emissary lives by these rules and tries hard not to question what she knows to be right. Although soon something or yet someone will have her questioning everything she once believed in.

  

Ash Fisher a darkling boy, part-time "haze dealer" and all around hottie lives outside the wall and has never known anything else. Until the day he meets Natalie Buchanan and from that moment Ash's world and heart becomes alive. In a turn of events both of their lives will soon come to change. Even though they are so different Ash and Natalie will need to find the will to fight for what's right and above all else true love.

For me the story was a very dark and futuristic Romeo and Juliet tale of sorts. Both Ash and  Natalie have very intense relationship and the character development was spot on amazing!

I felt I really got to know both of them as individuals and a couple. Now while the main characters Ash and Natalie were great I felt the secondary characters could use a bit of work. I really wanted to get to know Day and Beetle more in this book than what I did. I can see that the author does leave room for them both to grow in her next installment in the series, or so I hope. 

The world building was outstanding as well as the amount of action within the story. I will admit there were a few slow scenes in the book, mostly toward the beginning. 

All in all Black City is a excellent read which I think most of you will enjoy.  Elizabeth Richards did a beautiful job of turning the overdone vampire tale into something outstanding. Black City is by far one of my favorite reads of 2012 and I can't wait until next year to find out what happens next. 

 Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.

 Find Elizabeth @ Website / Blog / FB / Twitter / Goodreads

Elizabeth Richards is a YA author who loves books about supernatural boys, kissing and blood.

Elizabeth recently signed a three-book deal with Putnam, Penguin. BLACK CITY, Book #1 of the BLACK CITY trilogy will be published in North America in November 2012. 

Here's your chance to WIN a copy of Black City and/or a pre-order of book 2 Phoenix! 

Just us the rafflecopter from below to be entered. Giveaway will ends Nov 30th. 

A HUGE thank you goes to the wonderful gals @ Good Choice Reading for hosting this awesome giveaway !

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Thank you to everyone who stopped by and read my review. Leave me a comment on my review or this post and you will get 5 extra entries into the giveaway above.

Happy Reading!