Monday, August 8, 2016

Musing Mondays (58) Favorite Fictional Friendships

Musing Mondays is a weekly meme hosted by Jenn at Books and a Beat, that asks you to muse about something book related each week.

My musings for the week...

Random weekly question: Name a book that you hope to re-read some day...

Well, I've kind of already somewhat accomplished that. This year, I've reread many of my favorite books from back before I started blogging. So, there was just never a review for them. However, there is one book I hope to have time to reread in the near future: The Iron King by Julie Kagawa. The Iron King is the start of one of my all-time favorite series that centers on faeries.

Other Musings:

I’m always looking for those relationships beyond the love interests. It’s always great to see the main character interact or have some kind of established connection to the secondary characters. So, to start out this week I want to discuss some of my favorite fictional friendships. This can include anything from magical unicorns to dogs—just as long as it’s a close friendship of some kind. Although, secondary characters are preferred for this list, I’m willing to make exceptions.
Tuesday, Baxterr, and Blake Luckhurst from Finding Serendipity by Angelica Banks: Baxterr is Tuesday’s faithful dog who was kind of magical to a certain degree, so it’s pretty easy to understand why they’re so close. But then there’s the friendship between Blake and Tuesday. They went from total strangers to close friends. Their friendship is one my favorite parts of the Tuesday McGillyCuddy series.

Fallon, Anais, and Nico from Love Fortunes and Other Disasters by Kimberly Karalius: They behaved like normal friends—concerned for each other when one of them happened to be down because of…well, circumstances, and supportive when necessary. It was the kind of easy friendship that seemed to fit naturally in the story.


Iko and Cinder from the Cinder by Marissa Meyer: There’s so much I could say about this fictional friendship, and most of it would be a spoiler for those who haven’t started the series yet. So, I’m just going to leave it at that for today.

Zara and Isabelle (Issie) from Need by Carrie Jones: In Need, one of my favorite parts of the story was the friendship between Zara and Issie. They met pretty early on in the novel when Zara moved to the area after a personal loss, and got along great throughout the rest of the story.

Gwen Frost and Daphne Cruz from the Mythos Academy series by Jennifer Estep: These two were so different that they were the least likely characters to end up as friends. But, yeah, they ended up being friends and their friendship was one of the best I’ve seen, and remains as one of my favorites. They go through some tough times, changing circumstances, emerging magic, and even a ridiculous number of life or death situations in a war against an evil god and his equally evil minions. But through it all, their friendship persisted.

Karou and Zuzana from the Daughter of Smoke and Bone Trilogy by Laini Taylor: Despite Karou’s circumstances—and frequent absences—she remained as a close friend to Zuzana, and vice versa. This friendship was just great. End of discussion.
So, that was just a few of my favorite fictional friendships, there are others, but then it would be pretty impossible to fit them onto one post and keep it a decent length. So, what are some of your favorite fictional friendships?

Sunday, August 7, 2016

Pre-release Blitz, Interview, & Giveaway: The Flame Never Dies by Rachel Vincent


I'm super excited to be a part of this pre-release blitz to help spread the word that The Flame Never Dies, the second book in Rachel Vincent’s The Stars Never Rise series, is releasing on August 16th! For those that are already caught up on this series, the wait is (almost) finally over! For those that haven’t yet met Nina Kane or discovered the dark and dangerous world she lives in, there’s still time to catch up - and a really sweet deal (details below) that will make you want to move this series to the top of your reading pile! And for even more peeks at the fab content being shared throughout the blitz - shareable quotation graphics and excerpts - look for other blogger participants now through August 15th on social media #TheFlameNeverDies.

Scroll down to learn more about The Flame Never Dies, The Stars Never Rise, and the author, Rachel Vincent. Plus, check out the interview and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed hardback set of the books!
The Stars Never Rise goes on sale!

In anticipation of the upcoming release of The Flame Never Dies, the publisher is dropping the price for the eBook version of the first book in the series - The Stars Never Rise! So if you haven’t yet discovered this series, now is the perfect time!

Just head over to your favorite online e-tailer to look for The Stars Never Rise with its newly lowered price or visit one of these online stores:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | iTUNES | GOOGLE PLAY | KOBO.

Please note that at the time of this post some stores may not yet have updated their sites to the promotional pricing. If they haven’t, be sure to check back for this awesome not-to-be-missed deal!

About THE FLAME NEVER DIES


Title & Series: THE FLAME NEVER DIES (The Stars Never Rise #2)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Release date: August 16, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 352
Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Description...


For fans of Cassandra Clare and Richelle Mead comes the unputdownable sequel to The Stars Never Rise, a book Rachel Caine, author of the bestselling Morganville Vampires series, called “haunting, unsettling, and eerily beautiful.”

ONE SPARK WILL RISE. Nina Kane was born to be an exorcist. And since uncovering the horrifying truth—that the war against demons is far from over—seventeen-year-old Nina and her pregnant younger sister, Mellie, have been on the run, incinerating the remains of the demon horde as they go. In the badlands, Nina, Mellie, and Finn, the fugitive and rogue exorcist who saved her life, find allies in a group of freedom fighters. They also face a new threat: Pandemonia, a city full of demons. But this fresh new hell is the least of Nina’s worries. The well of souls ran dry more than a century ago, drained by the demons secretly living among humans, and without a donor soul, Mellie’s child will die within hours of its birth. Nina isn’t about to let that happen . . . even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.


The Interview

Interview with Rachel by her sixteen-year-old daughter (Codename: Melody), who’s thinking about actually reading her mother’s book...

Melody: So, this is a series is about demons, right?

Rachel: Sort of. Not really. A century ago, Nina’s world was invaded by residents of another reality who can only remain in our world by taking over a human body. People called them demons, because that’s the only association they had for the concept of possession.

Melody: So these “demons” aren’t actually bad?

Rachel: Oh, no, they’re totally bad. They’re entertained by the suffering of humanity. They’re just not the residents of hell most people think of when they hear “demon.” But that’s all I can say without spoiling anything from THE STARS NEVER RISE!

Melody: Okay. But if they’re not religious demons, why is the government in this world run by the Church?

Rachel:
Because people assumed that only the Holy could fight the unholy. So a fictional “Church” stepped in to do just that. To fill the power vacuum, when secular government couldn’t protect the people.

Melody: So THE STARS NEVER RISE is a book about faith?

Rachel: No. It’s a book about false faith. About the frailty of untested beliefs. About how accepting everything you hear as the truth can mean living a lie. That’s true with every predatory situation, from abusive relationships to investment scams. I just chose to tell that story on a larger scale, where the entire world has accepted a lie because it was easier to believe a hero has come to save us than to stand up and fight our own battles. Take from that what you will… ;)

Melody: Wow, Mom. That was deep. (Teenage eye roll.)

Rachel:
(shrugs) There’s also lots of fighting, kissing, and setting demons on fire.
About Rachel Vincent

Rachel Vincent is a former English teacher and an eager champion of the Oxford comma. She shares her home in Oklahoma with two cats, two teenagers, and her husband, who’s been her # 1 fan from the start. Rachel is older than she looks and younger than she feels, and she remains convinced that writing about the things that scare her is the cheapest form of therapy—but social media is a close second.

About THE STARS NEVER RISE

Title & Series: THE STARS NEVER RISE (The Stars Never Rise #1)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Release date: June 9, 2015
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 368
Formats: Hardcover, paperback, eBook


***See above for details on the promotional pricing of the eBook***

Description...

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago. When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble. To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie? Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her...

Courtesy of the author, there is a blitz-wide giveaway. One winner will receive a signed hardback set of The Stars Never Rise + The Flame Never Dies. This giveaway is US only. Must be 13 or older to enter, and ends on August 14th at 11:59 PM Pacific. Just enter on the Rafflecopter widget below...


Friday, August 5, 2016

The Friday 56 (72) Women In Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky

The Friday 56 is a weekly meme hosted by Freda's Voice where every Friday you pick a book and turn to page 56 or 56%, and select a sentence or a few, as long as it's not a spoiler. For the full rules, visit the the page HERE
Synopsis from Goodreads...
27405561 
A charmingly illustrated and educational book, Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon. Women in Science celebrates the achievements of the intrepid women who have paved the way for the next generation of female engineers, biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts, physicists, and more!
"Grace Hopper thought it would be easier to just "talk" to a computer in English. Everyone thought Grace was nuts, but she proved them wrong when she invented the first compiler. This led her to create COBOL, the first universal computer language. Thanks to Grace, just about anyone can learn to code. "--Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers who Changed he World by Rachel Ignotofsky
Comments: My 56 this week comes from page 57 since 56 was mostly pictures. Up close and personal, this book is absolutely gorgeous. The illustrations and the color used on each page were done really well. Women in Science strongly reminds me of Rachel Swaby's Headstrong, which is an extremely good thing. Have you read any nonfiction lately?


Tuesday, August 2, 2016

Release Day Blitz & Giveaway: United by Melissa Landers

Today, I'm so excited to take part in the release day blitz for Melissa Lander's, United, the third book in her Alienated series, which is on sale today! There is a giveaway down at the bottom of the post, but first, a note from the author...
Hey there, booklovers!

I’m author Melissa Landers, and I’m thrilled to announce the release of UNITED, the final book in the Alienated trilogy. Our star-crossed lovers Aelyx and Cara have overcome some heavy obstacles to be together—riotous mobs, alien hybrids, and worst of all, high school on two planets. Now to stay together they’ll have to unite their people against a common enemy, a threat more deadly than they ever imagined. (NBD, right?) I’ve written an ending to this trilogy that makes my heart happy, and I hope you’ll love the conclusion as much as I do!

26180279

Synopsis from Goodreads...

After thwarting a deadly coup and saving the alliance between their worlds, Cara and Aelyx have finally earned a break. Their tiny island colony is everything they dreamed it would be―days spent gathering shells on the beach and nights in each other’s arms. But the vacation is short-lived. The treaty between Earth and L’eihr has awakened an ancient force that threatens to destroy them all. The Aribol, mysterious guardians charged with maintaining interstellar peace, deem the alliance a threat to the galaxy. They order a separation of the races, decreeing humans and L’eihrs must return to their own planets within the month or face extinction. In fact, they already have agents in place on Earth, ready to begin. With the clock ticking, Aelyx and Cara assemble a team of colonists and race back to Earth, where they unite with old friends to solve the mystery of who the Aribol are, what they want, and the real reason the alliance has provoked them. As tensions build to a full-scale war, Aelyx and Cara must fight harder than ever―not just for their future, but for the survival of both their worlds...

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository


Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” For more information or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.



Website     Twitter     Goodreads

And now for the giveaway. To celebrate the release of United, Landers is giving away a set of signed alienated posters. This giveaway is open to everyone. Now, go forth, enter...


Monday, August 1, 2016

EP Summer Carnival & Giveaway: Balloon Pop Booth from Entangled Teen!

Welcome to the Entangled TEEN Balloon Pop Booth! Entangled TEEN is all about the excitement of first love, so we are talking about all of the reasons a summer carnival makes a good date! Pintip Dunn, Vivi Barnes, Heidi R. Kling, and Gloria Craw are here to share their reasons and we would love to hear some of your carnival date stories. So be sure to leave a comment and don’t forget to enter the giveaway below!
OMG, I think one of my first dates ever was at a summer carnival! Why does it make a good date? Because it is fun, thrilling, playful, giddy, and romantic! You get to be a kid again as you scream on rides that smash you up against your date. Feel that rush of excitement when your hoop lands on the bottle and you win a gigantic stuffed animal. Taste the sticky sweetness of cotton candy on your date's lips. Best of all, you form memories that you still remember fondly 20 years later!
No other date can measure up to the excitement and… opportunities…of a carnival. Where else can you legitimately be smashed up against the cute guy without having to apologize for being in his space? Or be lifted a couple hundred feet in the air for a few peaceful minutes of conversation with zero possibilities of someone butting in? Or be given the opportunity to win a huge stuffed monkey that you know you must have, whether or not you really do. And maybe, just maybe, you’ll receive that special kiss you’ll remember far longer than that ugly orange monkey.
Hot. Summer, Night. Well, that's enough right there for romance to spark, but add some sticky cotton candy, popcorn, rides that push you into your partner instead of further apart, and if you're lucky? A moonlit kiss on a Ferris Wheel. Only thing missing from Paige and Jake's summer in Jackson Hole was the town carnival. Why didn't I think of that? Maybe in the sequel.
Carnivals are all about roller-coasters, so we can get some quality handholding-time in as we scream on the way down. Our guy might show off his man-skills and win a stuffed animal, and the food can be amazing. The best thing about a carnival date, though, is we’re going to get windblown hair, he might choose the scary, stuffed clown prize, and there’s a chance someone will spill Slurpee on their jeans. I think when the fun gets chaotic, we let our guard down and that’s when we really get to know someone.
Don’t forgot to check out all the authors books below.

Forget Tomorrow by Pintip Dunn

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Paper or Plastic by Vivi Barnes, on sale for just 99¢!

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Paint My Body Red by Heidi R. Kling, on sale for just 99¢!

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Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw

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The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller, on sale for just 99¢!

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And be sure to stop by the other carnival booths for more fun and giveaways and each day stop by the Facebook event page to chat with the authors.

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