Release Day Blitz & Giveaway: Summerlost by Ally Condie

Today, I'm excited to take part in the release day blitz for Ally Condie's Summerlost. Check out the book below, and keep scrolling for an excerpt and a giveaway...

About the book...
Title: Summerlost
Author: Ally Condie
Publisher: Dutton Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: March 29, 2016 

Goodreads  Amazon  Barnes & Noble  Book Depository  Indiebound 

Synopsis from Goodreads...
It's the first real summer since the devastating accident that killed Cedar's father and younger brother, Ben. But now Cedar and what’s left of her family are returning to the town of Iron Creek for the summer. They’re just settling into their new house when a boy named Leo, dressed in costume, rides by on his bike. Intrigued, Cedar follows him to the renowned Summerlost theatre festival. Soon, she not only has a new friend in Leo and a job working concessions at the festival, she finds herself surrounded by mystery. The mystery of the tragic, too-short life of the Hollywood actress who haunts the halls of Summerlost. And the mystery of the strange gifts that keep appearing for Cedar.

Infused with emotion and rich with understanding, Summerlost is the touching middle grade debut from Ally Condie, the international bestselling author of the Matched series, that highlights the strength of family and personal resilience in the face of tragedy...

Dear Readers,

I think most of us have had our hearts broken. Sometimes we can see it coming, and sometimes it comes down with the unexpected force of a sudden gale of wind or a rising of waters that we thought were still and safe. Loss is universal to human experience, but the way we each feel and recover is one of the most personal things we do.

In Summerlost, Cedar is dealing with the loss of her father and younger brother. And my intent was to show how hard their deaths are for her. But this is also a book about the healing power of friendship. Most of us have been broken-hearted; I hope that most of us have also discovered the miracle of friendships that were just what we needed. Cedar and Leo’s friendship is based on someone I met when I was twelve. Like Leo, my friend was fun and liked to enlist me in crazy adventures (although we never gave a secret guided tour of our town the way they do in Summerlost). And, like Leo, he thought I was wonderful and of worth at a time when I needed it most.

SUMMERLOST is my attempt to pay tribute both to the pain we feel and the friendships that save us. Thank you so much for supporting this book, and for your willingness to give Cedar’s story a try. I hope it makes you think of a wonderful friend of your own, whether that is someone you met in the pages of a favorite book or outside, in the world where it is often hard and beautiful to live.

Best wishes and happy reading always,

Ally Condie

A Spring 2016 Kids' Indie Next List Top 10 Pick!

Named one of Publishers Weekly’s Most Anticipated Children’s and YA Books of Spring 2016

«“Condie (Matched) strikes a deep emotional chord with this coming-of-age story.” – Publishers Weekly, starred review

«“Multiple, seemingly random details, including a family of turkey vultures that now roost outside Cedar’s window, an absurd soap opera narrative of a woman buried alive, and Leo’s quest for a trip with his father, coalesce into metaphors that help Cedar make sense of her grief and the life she now has to look forward to. Thoughtful, poetic chapter endings guide readers new to psychological depth toward meaningful connections between plot events and thematic reflections.” – BCCB

“A moving tale of friendship and loss. I loved these characters—I wish we could have been friends when I was a kid.” –Brandon Mull, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Fablehaven and Five Kingdoms series

“Ally Condie’s first middle grade book might also be my favorite out of ALL her books to date. Summerlost is a story packed with nostalgia, heart, and gorgeous prose.” – The Novel Novice
“A nuanced portrait of grief deeply grounded in the middle-school mind-set.” – Booklist

“Honest, lovely, and sad.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A sweet, heartfelt story.” – School Library Journal

“Achingly good.” – Summer Laurie, Books Inc.

You can also read the excerpt HERE 

And now for the giveaway. Up for grabs are finished copies of Summerlost, paperback copy of Atlantia, and a copy of the first book in the Matched series. Sounds awesome, right? So, go forth and enter...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Word Spelunking (@WordSpelunker) & Penguin Kids  (@PenguinKids)

Launch Blitz & Giveaway: Starflight by Melissa Landers

 

About the book...

Author: Melissa Landers

Release Date: February 2, 2016

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Synopsis from goodreads...

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he's been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe...

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository     Indie Bound

A note from the author...

Hey there, booklovers! I’m author Melissa Landers, and I’m thrilled to announce the release of STARFLIGHT, the first in a brand new sci-fi series from Disney-Hyperion. I originally pitched this story to my editor as “Overboard” (one of my favorite romantic comedies) meets “Firefly” (an amazing show that was tragically cancelled after one season). STARFLIGHT follows the misadventures of Solara Brooks, a penniless felon who indentures herself to her high school nemesis, Doran Spaulding, in exchange for passage to a new world. But when Doran’s memory is temporarily erased, Solara convinces him their roles are reversed—that she’s the master and he’s the servant—and leads him onto a renegade spaceship, where intergalactic shenanigans ensue. STARFLIGHT is very different in tone from the Alienated trilogy, but the story is still filled with all the things I love: humor, heart, and adventure...

What do reviewers have to say?

“Get ready for blast-off! Action-packed and utterly addictive, nobody writes like Melissa Landers. A smart, satisfying romance set in a vividly detailed world, Starflight was just plain fun!” –New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman

“Teens will be bracing themselves during the swashbuckling action scenes. A great choice for fans of raw sci-fi action, reminiscent of the lawlessness presented in the television series Firefly.” –School Library Journal

“A lively tale of romance, space pirates, conspiracy, and made (as opposed to genetic) families.” –Booklist 

To celebrate Starflight's release, Melissa Landers is offering one lucky winner a STARFLIGHT swag pack, complete with custom nail wraps, bookmarks, and a mini poster! This giveaway is open internationally. Due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate. Best of luck, and happy reading!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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.

A Week Without Tuesday Blog Tour Review, Interview, & Giveaway

Today marks the beginning of the A Week Without Tuesday blog tour. So, welcome to my stop! There are a number of reasons why I'm excited about this post. One, I finally get to share my interview with Angelica Banks. Two, I can, at last, talk about the book. And three, there is a giveaway from the publisher, so you, the readers, can enter for a chance to win A Week Without Tuesday. But first, more about the book before I get to the good stuff...

Author: Angelica Banks

Release Date: February 2, 2016

Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR)

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Something is broken in the land of story. Real and imaginary worlds are colliding—putting everything and everyone in grave peril. Tuesday and Baxterr, at the request of the Librarian, and with the help of Vivienne Small, venture to find the Gardener—the one person who can stop this catastrophe. On their way, they'll meet friends and foes, and discover strengths they didn't know they had. Will they be able to save the land of story?

I got the chance to read the continuation of Tuesday McGillycuddy’s story, A Week Without Tuesday, early. The series so far has been consistently good. The concept alone is cool and handled incredibly well. I mean, writers drifting off to visit their own characters in their own fictional worlds? Yes please! There’s a lot of charming details that I absolutely adore about this series. Finding Serendipity was one of my favorite books of 2015, and thankfully, A Week Without Tuesday was no different.

It's safe to say that I loved this book. But I can't just end my review there, I have to talk a little more about the book. So, here goes nothing.

This story picks up after the end of Finding Serendipity. Tuesday has taken up writing, just like her mother. Only, there’s trouble afoot. In the land where stories come from, fictional worlds are colliding in the worst way possible. This inevitably causes chaos that’s begun to affect Tuesday’s world, making it impossible to write safely. The rapidly evolving—and worsening—situation created some much needed tension, and set up situations that directly affected the characters. Their reaction to the situations were interesting since there was no easy solution.

The setting, as always, was highly imaginative once Tuesday steps into the land where stories come from. The method on how to get there—by thread—was still cool. And the Library was just as amazing as last time, even in a state of disarray.

Many of my favorite characters from Finding Serendipity made another appearance. Tuesday along with her trusty dog, Baxterr, are caught up in the trouble that's plagued the land where stories come from. Some of my favorite parts included Tuesday's reactions. She was a good main character. Their adventures are always a joy to read. Vivienne Small was also back, and I liked her and Tuesday's interactions—those were some of my favorite parts. Blake, the Librarian, and a few new writers were introduced. All of them were wonderful in their own ways, which is why the characters are one of my favorite aspects of the book.

This was one book that was right up my alley. The different aspects worked really well together. As such, A Week Without Tuesday was a ridiculously good book. In light of that, all I can really say is that I’m looking forward to Angelica Bank’s next book.

This copy of the book was provided by the publisher for this review, thank you!

Angelica Banks is the author of the Tuesday McGillycuddy series for middle grade readers. The first book in the series is Finding Serendipity (published by Henry Holt in the USA in 2015) and the sequel – A Week Without Tuesday – is published in February. The third book will be published in 2017. What you may not know is that Angelica Banks is the pen-name of the writing duo of Heather Rose and Danielle Wood who live on the isolated island of Tasmania off the south coast of Australia. Here’s an insight into their friendship, collaboration and writing...

What were a couple of your favorite young adult or middle grade novels that you read in 2015?

Danielle: I love a good list, and a while ago I looked up a list of the 50 best young adult novels ever, and I've been slowly working my way through it. This has taken me back to amazing books that I might have missed, such as Dodie Smith’s I Capture the Castle and Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time. I Capture the Castle is, like our Tuesday McGillycuddy books, something of a love letter to the business of writing, and the voice of the main character - Cassandra - is completely fresh and lovely. A Wrinkle in Time is a fantastical romp through time and space - it plunges you into a bizarre series of events, but the book is so well written, and so much fun, that you can accept these events with very little in the way of explanation.

Heather: I have a fifteen year old so she often helps me discover new YA books. In 2015 the books that really stood out were the The Apothecary by Maile Meloy and The Minnow by Australian author Diana Sweeney. The Minnow is a heart-breaking yet luminous novel. And I absolutely loved discovering Patrick Rothfuss’ The Name of the Wind series – I devoured those. Brilliant world creation.

What was it like working in collaboration with each other to write Finding Serendipity?

Danielle: Heather and I have been friends for years, and we already knew each other very well when we started writing together. But, wow, do we know each other well NOW! Now I know just how much she dislikes semi-colons (while I love them) and words ending with ly (I also like those). To write with someone else is an amazing exercise in trust and sharing, and I feel like it’s taught me a huge amount about writing. We don’t argue; (tee hee - a semi-colon!) we just keep working on things, and trying new approaches, until both of us are totally happy with the outcome.

Heather: When we embarked on this journey there was a friendship at risk. And of course our own egos – would we live up to each other’s expectations, and would we be able to communicate and compromise successfully? As time has gone on, our collaboration has become more and more miraculous to me. It has enriched my life beyond measure. Danielle is a fastidious scientist of language and plot. She has helped corral my wild imaginings into books that we could never have created alone, and yet are somehow beyond both of us too. It’s a perfect collaboration of minds, hearts and our mutual love of literature – and children! We spend an enormous amount of time laughing.

Finding Serendipity is a book that I think would appeal to a lot of people for many reasons. So, what inspired you to sit down and write this story?

Danielle: We wanted to write a book for children while our own children were still young enough to enjoy it. Also, we love children’s books ourselves. We loved children’s books when we were children, and then we had the opportunity to share our favourite classics (and a heap of wonderful new books) with our children. Each of us is a mother of three children, so as you can imagine, we’ve read thousands of books for young readers.

Heather: I have always had enormous respect for Danielle as a writer and a person. One day she invited me over for a cup of tea and a chat. Danielle said she thought we should write a children’s book together. She also said she knew there was a character called Tuesday McGillycuddy. Somehow as soon as she said that, I knew that Tuesday’s mother was called Serendipity and she was the most famous writer in the world. Danielle knew Tuesday had a dog and I knew his name was Baxterr with a double rr - but at that stage I didn't know why. It was as if this series had split itself into two and half was living in Danielle’s head and half was living in mine. It took Danielle making tea and suggesting we write together for the whole thing to begin unfurling. I suspect a lot of magical things have happened over cups of tea…

What are your favorite aspects of the Tuesday McGillycuddy series?

Danielle: For me, one of the best things is the character of Baxterr. I have been lucky enough to have wonderful canine companions all through my life, and they are a great source of companionship, safety and love. Tuesday has a truly magnificent dog in Baxterr, and he has been an absolute joy to write.

Heather: My three children are mostly grown up now, so I have spent a lot of years visiting classrooms and talking to children. And it was really apparent to me that creative children often lack guidance about the creative process – particularly budding writers. And they also sometimes lack a wise friend in times of challenge. So for all that our books are funny and full of wonderful characters and wild adventure, they also have some really important information for young creative minds to take counsel and courage from. When we do school visits it’s extraordinary how much the books have inspired so much writing and art – and that makes it feel immensely worthwhile. We’re planting seeds and we have no idea what will grow.

Do you have any daily goals or sources of inspiration that keep you motivated?

Danielle: My goal is always to do at least SOME writing every day. With three young children and all the busy-ness that goes with them, this isn’t always easy, but I’m a much nicer person when I manage it. When I start thinking that writing is really hard, or that I’ll never be as good as I hope to be, I remind myself that every single thing ever written was just something that somebody once sat down and wrote. That’s obvious, of course, but it seems to help me get over my stage fright.

Heather: I think a lot of us go through life saying ‘No’ to our creativity. No because there’s a schedule, there’s demands, there’s competing forces in our lives that keep us away from the desk or the canvas etc. I know this so well being a mother of three, a wife, and for years working full-time running a business etc. So now, like Danielle, I try to be available every day for writing. I’m at my desk at 9am (earlier when I can) and I’m ready to work. I always have a number of writing projects on the go, but that also helps. I have a great note-taking App on my phone (Captio) and I always have a pen and a notebook with me wherever I go. So I’m available when ideas come. Elizabeth Gilbert has captured all this beautifully in her new book Big Magic. I highly recommend it. I also have a quote by Pablo Picasso stuck on my desk. It says ‘“Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die having left undone.”

Where are some of your favorite places to write?

Danielle: I write in a gypsy caravan in my garden. Through the window, I can see the Derwent River that divides our city of Hobart in two. In my caravan, I have a pin-board covered in images that inspire my writing. At the moment, there are lots of pictures of the Russian witch, Baba Yaga.

Heather: I am inspired by a house with only me in it, and a view of nature. The solitude is really important, and the removal of potential and actual interruptions. I also find a walk on a beach or in a forest really gets my characters talking. In the busier times in life when business demands and the school schedule precluded such things, I would write deep into the night once my family was asleep. And I try to schedule in at least two weeks where I escape each year to pour a lot of words onto the page and work with structuring. I find those long stretches of time are essential once the word count gets over 25000 words.

What’s next for you?

Danielle: Angelica Banks is working on the finishing touches of the third Tuesday McGillycuddy book, which is called Blueberry Pancakes Forever, and which will be out in the USA in 2017.

Heather: Yes, we have the launch of A Week Without Tuesday (Book 2) in the US in February. It’s going to be a wonderful year for Tuesday, Vivienne and Baxterr! And I have my next adult novel coming out in Australia in September. It’s called The Museum of Modern Love. I hope Angelica Banks will also do lots of school visits to talk about writing and creativity. Those are the true highlights for me.

I hope you enjoyed the interview as much as I did. Those are some fantastic answers, and I'm definitely looking forward to Blueberry Pancakes Forever. Now, onto the giveaway. Below, you can enter for a chance to win a copy of A Week Without Tuesday. This giveaway is US ONLY.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't forget to check out the rest of the blog tour...

1/28: Our Thoughts Precisely

1/29: Middle Grade Mafia

2/1: On Starships and Dragonwings

2/2: Read, Write, Reflect

2/3: Alexa Loves Books

Sneak Peek & Giveaway: Titans by Victoria Scott

Today, I'm super excited to share a sneak peek from the Titan Enquirer from Victoria Scott's upcoming young adult novel, Titans. And I get to share a giveaway, so make sure you scroll down to the bottom of the post. But first, more about the book...

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Ever since the Titans first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch. She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them. But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about...

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

And now for the giveaway. Below, you can enter for a chance to win a copy of Titans by Victoria Scott. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Week Blitz & Giveaway: Wolf by Wolf by Ryan Graudin

I am so excited that WOLF BY WOLF by Ryan Graudin releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway! If you haven’t yet heard about this book yet be sure to check out all the details below. And as always, there's a giveaway at the end of the post, so keep scrolling.

Special intro from the author...

"Once upon a different time, there was a girl who lived in a kingdom of death. Wolves howled up her arm. A whole pack of them--made of tattoo ink and pain, memory and loss. It was the only thing about her that ever stayed the same.

Her story begins on a train."

And so begins the story of Yael, a girl who can change her appearance to mimic any other female. A girl who must win a 20,000 kilometer cross-continental motorcycle race from Germania to Tokyo so that she can have an audience with Adolf Hitler. A girl who has every intention of killing him.

Whenever I describe the premise of WOLF BY WOLF to people, the reactions I get are quite similar. It's the "are-you-insane-or-are-you-onto-something" face: dropped jaw, squiggly eyebrows. I must admit, I felt many of those same feelings when I first started penning Yael's story. Alternate history + sci-fi + epic motorcycle journey felt like a strange recipe for a novel. But I pushed through my fears and kept writing, and I couldn't be happier with the result. I, for one, don't think I'm insane, but I'll let you, dear reader, come up with your own conclusion. Happy reading!"--Ryan Graudin

About The Book:

Title: WOLF BY WOLF

Author: Ryan Graudin

Release Date: October 20, 2015

Pages: 400

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Code Name Verity meets Inglourious Basterds in this fast-paced novel from the author of The Walled City.

The year is 1956, and the Axis powers of the Third Reich and Imperial Japan rule the world. To commemorate their Great Victory over Britain and Russia, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito host the Axis Tour: an annual motorcycle race across their conjoined continents. The victor is awarded an audience with the highly reclusive Adolf Hitler at the Victor's ball.

Yael, who escaped from a death camp, has one goal: Win the race and kill Hitler. A survivor of painful human experimentation, Yael has the power to skinshift and must complete her mission by impersonating last year's only female victor, Adele Wolfe. This deception becomes more difficult when Felix, Adele twin's brother, and Luka, her former love interest, enter the race and watch Yael's every move. But as Yael begins to get closer to the other competitors, can she bring herself to be as ruthless as she needs to be to avoid discovery and complete her mission?

About Ryan:

Ryan Graudin grew up in Charleston and graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in Creative Writing in 2009. She is the author of All That Glows and The Walled City. She resides near Charleston with her husband and wolf-dog. You can find her online at www.ryangraudin.com.

Website | Twitter |Tumblr | Goodreads | Pinterest | Blog

Now time for the giveaway. One winner will receive a signed finished copy of the book with a special WOLF BY WOLF pin. This contest is US Only and ends on October 26th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: Grudging by Michelle Hauck

Today Michelle Hauck and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover for Grudging, book one of the Birth of Saints series, which releases November 17, 2015! Check out the gorgeous cover and enter to win a copy of the eBook. Now, on to the reveal! 

Title: GRUDGING

Author: Michelle Hauck

Pub. Date: November 17, 2015

Publisher: Harper Voyager Impulse

Format: eBook

Find it: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | Goodreads

A world of chivalry and witchcraft…and the invaders who would destroy everything...

The North has invaded, bringing a cruel religion and no mercy. The ciudades-estados who have stood in their way have been razed to nothing, and now the horde is before the gates of Colina Hermosa…demanding blood.

On a mission of desperation, a small group escapes the besieged city in search of the one thing that might stem the tide of Northerners: the witches of the southern swamps.

The Women of the Song.

But when tragedy strikes their negotiations, all that is left is a single untried knight and a witch who has never given voice to her power.  And time is running out.

A lyrical tale of honor and magic, Grudging is the opening salvo in the Book of Saints trilogy.

About Michelle: 

Michelle Hauck lives in the bustling metropolis of northern Indiana with her hubby and two teenagers. Two papillons help balance out the teenage drama. Besides working with special needs children by day, she writes all sorts of fantasy, giving her imagination free range. A book worm, she passes up the darker vices in favor of chocolate and looks for any excuse to reward herself. Bio finished? Time for a sweet snack.

She is a co-host of the yearly contests Query Kombat and Nightmare on Query Street, and Sun versus Snow.

Her epic fantasy, Kindar's Cure, is published by Divertir Publishing. Her short story, Frost and Fog, is published by The Elephant's Bookshelf Press in their anthology, Summer's Double Edge. She's repped by Sarah Negovetich of Corvisiero Literary.

Website | Twitter | Facebook page | Tumblr | Goodreads

And now for the giveaway. Starting now you can enter for the chance to win an ebook copy of Grudging, this contest is International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Day & Giveaway: Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson

I am so excited that Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson releases today and that I get to share the news, along with an awesome giveaway! If you haven’t yet heard about this new series by Rae Carson, be sure to check out all the details below. As always, there's a giveaway at the bottom of the post.

About The Book:

Title: WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER

Author: Rae Carson

Pub. Date: September 22, 2015

Publisher: Greenwillow Books

Pages: 448

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

The first book in a new trilogy from acclaimed New York Times bestselling author Rae Carson. A young woman with the magical ability to sense the presence of gold must flee her home, taking her on a sweeping and dangerous journey across Gold Rush–era America.

Lee Westfall has a secret. She can sense the presence of gold in the world around her. Veins deep beneath the earth, pebbles in the river, nuggets dug up from the forest floor. The buzz of gold means warmth and life and home—until everything is ripped away by a man who wants to control her. Left with nothing, Lee disguises herself as a boy and takes to the trail across the country. Gold was discovered in California, and where else could such a magical girl find herself, find safety? Rae Carson, author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy, dazzles with this new fantasy that subverts both our own history and familiar fantasy tropes.

Walk on Earth a Stranger, the first book in this new trilogy, introduces—as only Rae Carson can—a strong heroine, a perilous road, a fantastical twist, and a slow-burning romance. Includes a map and author’s note on historical research. 

Read chapter 1 of WALK ON EARTH A STRANGER annotated by Rae Carson HERE!

About Rae...

Rae Carson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the acclaimed Girl of Fire and Thorns trilogy. Her next book, Walk On Earth A Stranger, will be available September 22, 2015. She lives in Arizona with her husband.

Connect with the Author... 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

And now time for the giveaway. One winner will receive a set of the Girl of Fire and Thorns series (in paperback format). This giveaway is US Only and ends on September 30th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Release Week Blitz & Giveaway: The Pirate Code by Heidi Schulz

I'm so excited that THE PIRATE CODE by Heidi Schulz releases today and that I get to share the news along with an awesome giveaway! If you haven’t yet heard about this series by Heidi Schulz, be sure to check out all the details below. And don't forget to check out the giveaway at the bottom for the post, and enter for a chance to win copies of both HOOK’S REVENGE books! US Only.

Title: THE PIRATE CODE: HOOK'S REVENGE Book 2

Author: Heidi Schulz

Pub. Date: September 15, 2015

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Pages: 352

Format: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Goodreads

Fresh off a fearsome encounter with the Neverland crocodile, Jocelyn Hook decides the most practical plan is to hunt down her father's famous fortune. After all, she'll need the gold to fund her adventuring in the future. (And luckily, Hook left her the map.)

But the map proves to be a bit harder to crack than Jocelyn had hoped, and she's convinced that the horrible Peter Pan might be the only one with the answers. Of course, he doesn't really feel like helping her, so Jocelyn takes the only reasonable course of action left to her: she kidnaps his mother. Evie, though, is absolutely thrilled to be taken prisoner, so Jocelyn's daring ploy doesn't have quite the effect she'd planned for.

Along with the problem of her all-too-willing captive, Jocelyn must also contend with Captain Krueger, whose general policy is that no deed is too dastardly when it comes to stealing Hook's treasure. And with the ever-shifting Whens of the Neverland working against her as well, Jocelyn, Evie, Roger, and the rest of the Hook's Revenge crew have their work cut out for them.

In this rambunctious showdown between characters new and old, Jocelyn puts her own brand of pirating to the test in a quest to save her future and those she loves...

About Heidi...

Heidi Schulz is a writer, reader, and giraffe suspicioner. She lives in Salem, Oregon with her husband, co-captaining a crew made of their teen daughter, a terrible little dog, and five irascible chickens. Her debut novel for middle grade readers, HOOK’S REVENGE, published by Disney•Hyperion, was a Bank Street Best book, among the New York Public Library’s Top 100 Titles for Children in 2014, and an OCTE Oregon Spirit Honor Book. A sequel, HOOK’S REVENGE: THE PIRATE CODE, will follow in September 2015. Bloomsbury Kids will publish her picture book debut, GIRAFFES RUIN EVERYTHING, in Spring 2016.

Connect with the author:

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | PINTEREST | TUMBLR | INSTAGRAM

And now time for the giveaway. One winner will receive both HOOKS’S REVENGE Books. This contest is US Only and ends on September 25th at Midnight EST!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sale Alert & Giveaway: Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne

Oh yes, it's that time again. The ebook for Midnight Thief by Livia Blackburne is going to be on sale for $0.99 starting on September 10th to the 13th. So if you haven't read it yet, now would be the time to get it.

Check out the sale here

Synopsis from Goodreads...

Growing up on Forge’s streets has taught Kyra how to stretch a coin. And when that’s not enough, her uncanny ability to scale walls and bypass guards helps her take what she needs. But when the leader of the Assassins Guild offers Kyra a lucrative job, she hesitates. She knows how to get by on her own, and she’s not sure she wants to play by his rules. But he’s persistent—and darkly attractive—and Kyra can’t quite resist his pull. Tristam of Brancel is a young Palace knight on a mission. After his best friend is brutally murdered by Demon Riders, a clan of vicious warriors who ride bloodthirsty wildcats, Tristam vows to take them down. But as his investigation deepens, he finds his efforts thwarted by a talented thief, one who sneaks past Palace defenses with uncanny ease. When a fateful raid throws Kyra and Tristam together, the two enemies realize that their best chance at survival—and vengeance—might be to join forces. And as their loyalties are tested to the breaking point, they learn a startling secret about Kyra’s past that threatens to reshape both their lives.

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

And don't forget to check out the second book in the series, Daughter of Dusk!

Synopsis from Goodreads...

After learning the truth about her bloodlines, Kyra can’t help but feel like a monster. Though she’s formed a tentative alliance with the Palace, Kyra must keep her identity a secret or risk being hunted like the rest of her Demon Rider kin. Tristam and the imprisoned assassin James are among the few who know about her heritage, but when Tristam reveals a heartbreaking secret of his own, Kyra’s not sure she can trust him. And with James’s fate in the hands of the palace, Kyra fears that he will give her away to save himself. As tensions rise within Forge's Council, and vicious Demon Rider attacks continue in surrounding villages, Kyra knows she must do something to save her city. But she walks a dangerous line between opposing armies: will she be able to use her link to the Demon Riders for good, or will her Makvani blood prove to be deadly?

Goodreads     Amazon     Barnes & Noble     Book Depository

Livia Blackburne wrote her first novel while researching the neuroscience of reading at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Since then, she’s switched to full time writing, which also involves getting into people’s heads but without the help of a three tesla MRI scanner. Her novel MIDNIGHT THIEF debuted with Disney-Hyperion in July 2014, and its sequel DAUGHTER OF DUSK came out in August 2015. 

Website     Twitter     Goodreads

And now, time for the giveaway. Enter for a chance to win a prize pack from Livia Blackburn including an audiobook copy of Midnight Thief, a annotated paperback copy of Poison Dance, a early manuscript of Daughter of Dusk (with editorial marks), and book swag. This giveaway is International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway