Friday 30 November 2012

Cover Reveal: The Summer I Became A Nerd - Leah Rae Miller



On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.
Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.


Leah Rae Miller
 Born and raised in northern Louisiana, Leah Rae Miller still lives there on a windy hill with her husband and kids. She loves comic books, lava lamps, fuzzy socks, and Cherry Coke. She spends most of her days reading things she likes and writing things she hopes other people will like.


Entangled Teen is an imprint of Entangled Publishing, an exclusive, boutique publisher of romantic fiction. Located in Fort Collins, Colorado, Entangled's goal is to bridge the gap between traditional and indie publishing, giving both readers and authors the best of both worlds.

Get more information at our website.



Thursday 29 November 2012

Blog Tour: Guest Post With Kate Cuthbert Of Harlequin Australia's New Digital Imprint 'Escape Publishing'.


Thanks for inviting me to stick my head in a book with you, Sarah! I'm having a great time on my blog tour.

I'm afraid that I'm here to add some more books to your towering 'to read' pile. My name is Kate and I'm the Managing Editor of Harlequin Australia's new digital-first imprint, Escape Publishing. This means that I get to read romance novels for a living. Which, honestly, is awesome.

So one of my roles is to choose which books Escape Publishing publishes – which means I also got to choose our launch titles, which was both an honour and a pressure, but I'm very pleased to tell you that they are all fantastic, and I really hope you like them as much as I do.

So business end first: all of our books, including our launch titles, are DRM and geographic restriction free, competitively priced, and available at the biggies (amazon, iTunes, B&N, etc) and smaller e-book retailers. We've launched with five titles, and we're releasing six more titles in December. And the new year is looking very bright.

Probably the  most important thing to know is that they are all on sale for a limited time to celebrate the launch: Christmas Wishes, Chaos Born, In Safe Hands, and Grease Monkey Jive are available for $0.99, and our erotic novella Chains of Revenge is available for free. So you don't have to take my word for it.

So, here are our titles!

Chains of Revenge – Keziah Hill: a very hot, very dark, very addictive erotic fantasy novella about a slave in sexual bondage who rises to become a Warlord – and take his revenge on the woman who broke his heart.

Chaos Born – Rebekah Turner: a very smart, very complex, surprisingly funny, wholly engrossing urban fantasy debut about a mercenary with a secret so dark even she doesn't know about it – but secrets are meant to be revealed. This novel introduces the gaslit world of the Applecross, its many layers, characters, and the militant religious order that seeks to control it all.

Christmas Wishes – Rhian Cahill: a very sexy, very steamy, surprisingly sweet and light-hearted holiday story about best friends realising that all they really want for Christmas is each other!

Grease Monkey Jive – Ainslie Paton: a lovely, slow-building, meaty, get-your-teeth-in, contemporary romance about a ballroom dance teacher, a mechanic, a dance competition, $50 000, friendships, family, and the power of a little sizzle.

In Safe Hands – Lee Christine: a very polished, very smart, very contemporary Sydney-set, sophisticated romantic suspense novel about a highly successful lawyer threatened by a youthful indiscretion and the ex-SAS Commander that she recruits to help her.

You can get more information about each of the titles and Escape Publishing itself on our website: www.escapepublishing.com.au which also has a ton of feedback mechanisms, including all of our social media accounts. So let us know what you think. Did you love them? What would you like to see more of? What do you think romance needs? We really want to know!

Thanks so much for hosting me here on Head Stuck in a Book today! 


Cover Reveal: Dare You To (Pushing The Limits #2) - Katie McGarry


Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2)

"I dare you..." 

If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does.... 

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him. 

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all....
Expected publication: May 28th 2013 by Harlequin Teen


Wednesday 28 November 2012

Blog Tour: Revelation (Pedalstem Lillies #2) - AmBear Shellea, Book Review (174).


Revelation (Pedalstem Lillies #2)

I sort of guessed the twist but still it was a great storyline, Slaine and his brother Deklan are involved in the mystery of Blaze and Demarko's missing memories, and we discover that they are both powerful and have some amazing powers, the most powerful around as a matter of fact.
And with the help of the kingdom,Blaze and Demarko will do their best to take Slaine and Deklan down and take revenge for the time they've lost.
I look forward to another book to continue on Blaze and Demarko's story and adventures.
I give this 4/5.


Author Bio:
Although I have always enjoyed writing, the dream to become a writer came when I read A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, in the sixth grade. My early works, not published, were in the form of children’s stories I would read to my two daughters. I divide my days between the real world and the ones I’ve created. My life and my characters keep me very busy in my Mid-Western scene, where I live with my husband, and my children (both human and furry.
My Links
Buy Links:


Book Review (173): Chaos Unleashed (Pedalstem Lillies #1) - AmBear Shellea


Chaos Unleashed (Pedalstem Lillies #1)

Publication: 15th August 2012
Publisher: Extasy Books
Pages: 146
Genre: Paranormal
Age Appropriate: Adult
Buy It: Amazon   Barnes And Noble
This isn’t your mother’s sweet love story and it’s not your sister’s fairytale. Chaos Unleashed is dark, dangerous, and highly addictive. You will share in every experience the hero and heroine have, as their quest for the truth leads them to the hateful dark void that threatens to consume their souls. 

Pedalstem is shrouded in darkness, leaving Castle Deverox in a vortex of confusion. Blaze awakens to find men she doesn’t know looming over, intent on capture, a handsome prisoner sharing her fate, and the gut tightening knowledge that her memories have been stolen.
My Thoughts...
This book was such an exciting and action-packed thrill ride, it never let up from the get-go.
Blaze awakens with no memory of who she is, all she knows is her name, and finds herself being tied up by three men and thrown into the back of a wagon with a man named Demarko  who is also tied up with no memory either, there's something vaguely familiar about him, but with no memory she doesn't know what.
She comes to discover that she is Queen of a place called Pedalstem and her husband King Slaine whom she has no memories of and feels no attraction to, but Demarko is another matter, but Slaine who has a temper is a jealous man and he can see the genuine attraction between the two and he will do whatever it takes to keep them apart.
With both Blaze and Demarko having dreams about a couple named, Red and Woody who used to be King and Queen of Pedalstem and their life together, they discover that nobody knows what happened to them, so why are they dreaming about them?
And with the help of the servants Arabella and Shaunt who seem to know a lot more than they let on, will both Blaze and Demarko ever regain their memories?
This was such a surprisingly great book and I highly look forward to the next book after the way this book left us hanging. highly recommended, definitely check it out.
I give this 4/5.

Author Bio:
Although I have always enjoyed writing, the dream to become a writer came when I read A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare, in the sixth grade. My early works, not published, were in the form of children’s stories I would read to my two daughters. I divide my days between the real world and the ones I’ve created. My life and my characters keep me very busy in my Mid-Western scene, where I live with my husband, and my children (both human and furry.
My Links
Buy Links:

Waiting On Wednesday.

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine where you can spotlight an upcoming release that you're eagerly anticipating.

This week I'm waiting on....

Epiphany (The Seven #1)

Epiphany will be the first installment in a paranormal romance bordering on Urban Fantasy.

Seven paranormal races have been at war since the dawn of time. The battle falls to seven families, who rule each race. Their lineage casts a great weight on their shoulders, even as they inherit allies and enemies. Those lost spell grief for the ruling clans, until a treaty is struck. Only the royal seven are aware of the terms and the secrets contained within.

Lily's childhood was spent in a vortex of constant change, as she was bounced from foster home to foster home. She spent those years dwelling on her past, wondering why she was abandoned, and where she came from. On her 23rd birthday, she discovers a rare book; it's pages stained with information about the origins of seven races and the details of their treaty.

At first, Lily believes the book to be a work of fiction. After retracing her steps, she finds a trail of blood has been left in her path, beginning with her discovery of the book. Desperately, Lily seeks answers, while using her book to find a haven, her past catches up with her. Lily is brought face to face with the very ones she needs saving from.

Lily must maneuver through conspiracies, overcome betrayal, and accept the truth of her past. If she doesn't, she may fall pray to those secrets that were better left hidden. How will Lily know which of the Seven are her allies? Can she discover who is stalking her, in time to prevent herself from becoming a casualty of war?
Expected publication: August 1st 2013 by Euphoric Publishing & Design

Unwanted

Tuesday 27 November 2012

Blog Tour: Loving Summer (Loving Summer #1) - Kailin Gow, Book Review (172).



Loving Summer (Loving Summer #1)

Publication: 28th May 2012
Publisher: theEDGEbooks.com
Pages: 250
Genre: Contemporary
Age Appropriate: Young Adult
Buy It: Amazon   Barnes And Noble
Summer has always looked forward to spending her summers at her Aunt's beach house with the Donovans. To her, summers at Aunt Sookie's beach house was magical, especially getting to spend time with the Donovans - her best friend Rachel and Rachel's brothers Nathaniel, and Drew. Here at Aunt Sookie's beach house, they can be anyone and anything they dreamed. For Summer, she had always wished to become as pretty as Rachel and for her brothers to think of her as more than Rachel's friend. For Nat and Drew, summers at Aunt Sookie's beach house meant fun and escape, a place where they go to with their mom and sister for the summer, away from city life. They never thought this summerNat whom  would be different. They never thought things would change as much as they did...and it all began with them falling for and loving Summer.
My Thoughts...
This is the second series that I've read by Kalin and I've been blown away by her writing both times, her stories are fantastic and I'm definitely going to be checking out all of her other books and series.

Having never really been a fan of contemporary romance I've been very surprised with the few that I've read this year and Loving Summer is no exception.


Summer has invited the Donovan's: Rachel, her twin brother Drew and their older brother Nat whom Summer has had a crush on ever since she was a little to her Aunt Sookie's beach house,  what used to be a yearly thing  has tapered off and this will be the first time they've seen each other in years.


Nat has a girlfriend and Drew is now a walking one night stand and Summer starts to feel attracted to Drew while also harboring feelings for Nat, and then she starts dating tv star Astor and develops feelings for him too, what's a girl to do with three gorgeous guys whom may or may not all have feelings for her.


I personally would choose Drew, he's so sweet and while his twin Rachel has warned him off Summer so as not to ruin their friendship I think they'd make a great couple.


I loved all the characters in this book, I laughed, I cried and I'm extremely, impatiently hanging out for the next book.


A great summer read or if you want a light contemporary romance to put a smile on your face, definitely pick this one up.


I give this 5/5.






Kailin Gow uses her author platform to bring awareness to issues affecting young adult and women. She has appeared on national radio as a regular guest on topics such as body image, self-esteem, dating and sexual relationships, bullying, and more; often brought up in her fiction books for young adults and women. She has won multiple awards from the International Book Awards and the Green Book Festival. Selling over half a million books, Kailin Gow has been a bestselling author of over 100 distinct books which includes the Desire Series, PULSE, Wicked Woods, and the Frost Series. She has been professionally published since 2001. She was one of the first authors for young readers to write books for girls with supernatural elements. Her first book series about extraordinary girls guided by an angel in 2001, was a success, selling thousands of print copies in days, and inspiring girl book clubs around the U.S. In 2003, she came out with more series, including The Fairy Rose Chronicles, about fairies in Feyland. Her books have been recommended by PBS Kids, US Mental Health Association, the PTA, and homeschooling associations in the United States. 

Her Bitter Frost Series, PULSE Series, and other book series are being developed into MMO Games by SEE GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT, one of the foremost entertainment developers in the world, known for developing world-reknown blockbuster films into games. The Frost Series and PULSE MMO Games are set to release late 2013 or early 2014. 

She is a graduate of the Annenberg School for Communications Masters in Management program in journalism, marketing and publishing at the University of Southern California.

You can find her here:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/KailinGowBooks

Twitter: @kailingow

Her website: http://kailingowbooks.com/

Her Publisher's Site: http://www.theedgebooks.com

Official website and blog: http://www.kailingow.wordpress.com

The charities she is active in as a sponsor or as a volunteer are: American Red Cross, Covenant House, Battered Women's Shelters, and Autism Speaks.



Monday 26 November 2012

Cover Reveal: The Uprising (The Forsaken #2) - Lisa M. Stasse


The Uprising (The Forsaken #2)

Expected publication: August 2013 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers



Book Review (171): Spectral - Shannon Duffy


Spectral

Publication: 10th April 2012
Publisher: Tribute Books
Pages: 242
Genre: Paranormal
Age Appropriate: Young Adult
Buy It: Amazon   Barnes And Noble
I loved the fact that this book is a stand-alone and that everything is resolved at the end, no questions left unanswered, no loose ends and a perfect ending to a fantastic book.
Jewel is a sixteen year old girl who with her family are in the witness protection program, never staying long in any one place, but what she doesn't know is that she is the reason for the constant moving, and the birthmark that she has on her shoulder is never allowed to be seen by anyone other than her immediate family, you see Jewel is a very important person whom is wanted by people the world over, but when she finds out just why that is, it will change her life forever.
Of course what's a YA novel without some gorgeous guys, Roman whom is Italian and also as he informs her her Guardian, which is pretty much another word for a bodyguard, a hot one at that, and finally Chase, the popular boy at school who is interested in Jewel as well
There is never a dull moment in this story, I loved every moment and it was a shame when it came to an end, this will definitely be a re-read for me and I will be looking out for further Shannon Duffy books.
I give this 5/5.

Sunday 25 November 2012

Blog Tour And Giveaway: Dark Seraphine (Seraphine Trilogy #1) - KaSonndra Leigh, Book Review (170).


Dark Seraphine (Seraphine Trilogy #1)

Publication: 21st October 2012
Publisher: Createspace
Pages: 230
Genre: Paranormal
Age Appropriate: Young Adult
Buy It: Amazon   Barnes And Noble
"Mom always says the angels walk among us. She forgot to tell me that sometimes they're not all fluffy and nice."

Seventeen-year-old Caleb Wood has seen people he calls the walkers since he was a baby. It didn't take long for him to realize something…no one can see these strangers but him. They never stuck around or tried to touch him. And they never said a word. That was until one day on the first day of class in his senior year when an incredibly gorgeous girl strolls into his life…and things are never the same again.

Soon Caleb realizes he has stepped into the middle of a growing conflict between two ancient groups. And his ability to see the invisible ones, the half-breeds that want to modify the human race, just might be the only hope both he and the mysterious, but infuriating, Gia, have of making it out alive.
My Thoughts...
Ever since he was a baby Caleb has seen Walkers (spirits), but has kept it to himself, they usually appear for a minute or two and he never sees them again, that is until he keeps seeing a a girl his age a walker whom even talks to him which none have ever done before.
Her name is Gia and the more she appears and she does, anytime, anywhere the more that Caleb can't stop thinking about her, even if he is supposedly dating Erica the most popular girl at school.
Caleb starts noticing men dressed all in black hanging around, although he's the only one that does seem to see them,and they're not real friendly, and neither are some of Gia's so called friends and through all this Caleb seems to be gaining strength, what he doesn't know is that he's smack bang in the middle of an ancient feud!
I did love the whole back story and the mythology that found it's way into the book, it was different reading a book from a male's pov but I found I quite liked it, I look forward to the next book especially after the ending.
I give this 3.75/5.

Dark Seraphine Excerpt
By KaSonndra Leigh
 There was no one in the classroom besides the two of us. To admit this girl made me feel a little shaky sounded weak. I put on a manly face, squared my shoulders, and sat in the desk behind her. The little kid in me still wanted to run away like a baby, though.
And then she laughed.
It was a high-pitched giggle, a normal girl’s sound. That wasn’t right. I don’t remember any of the other spirits laughing before.
“So you wanna run from me, huh? Go ahead. I’ll just find you like I always do, Caleb,” she said, still facing the chalk board in the front of the classroom. Her voice was smooth like a musical instrument, maybe a flute. Nah. It was more like a harp. I could listen to it all day.
But even her sexy pipes didn’t change the fact that she just read my mind. How did she do that?
“Are you going to run, or stay? I need a quick answer, because I have a lot to do today.” She turned her head to the side a bit.
“I don’t run from anything,” I said, trying to ignore the prickle in my underarms. Good thing I used my dad’s deodorant this morning. That old-timers stuff was strong enough to knock out anything.
She didn’t scare me as much as some of the other walkers, my nickname for them. But I wasn’t ready to get her digits either. As a baby, I remembered talking to a few of them. That ability disappeared sometime around my thirteenth birthday. This was the first time I spoke to one in four years.
“What are you people: angels, ghosts, or zombies?” I asked, my voice squeaking on the last syllable. What a dork.
“Can’t you be a little more creative?” She turned around in her seat to face me, an amused expression on her ridiculously gorgeous face. I sucked my breath. Her strange amber-hazel eyes pierced through me. The word beautiful didn’t do enough for this walker-girl.
“I thought I was pretty creative,” I said.
“Nope. Your ideas suck,” she said with a smug face.
“Nice. Thanks,” I said, getting annoyed.
“And I don’t sparkle in the sun, either. So scratch that one off your list too.”
I frowned. “Then tell me the right answer. And you can go ahead and explain how I won the honor of being stalked?”
“I’m a creative mix of many things. Feel better now?” She tilted her head. Blue-black hair flowed around her face as if it were made of silky thread. “So others have come before me?” She seemed to be talking to herself rather than asking me.
“Maybe,” I said. Why should I tell her everything? One thing I did know. At this rate, I was probably going to be committed to the loony ward on the first day of school.
“I’m going to need your help soon, Caleb. You have to be ready,” she whispered, her face suddenly serious. Right then, I knew my world was about to change…forever. 

Giveaway...

 Sterling silver necklace with an aquamarine stone, $20.00 Barnes&Noble or Amazon Gift Certificate, ecopies of Lost Immortals and Hacienda Moon, Surprise swaga Rafflecopter giveaway  



Meet your word sculptress...
Author of the Lost Immortals Saga and the Path Seekers Series. I’m also a mother, blogger, reader, gardener, home renovator, and a slayer of undead Egyptian mummies in Tomb Raider. I believe in karma, coffee, and seriously wish that the producers of Xena would bring my favorite show ever back.
Strange things about me: Everything. I am weird, odd, unusual, and generally tend to make people think I swooped down from another planet. I don’t know. Maybe I did. Who knows? I’m also a member of the #zombiesurvivalcrew on twitter. So if you need protection from the upcoming apocalypse, don’t hesitate to call on us.
I was born in the race-car city of Charlotte, NC, and now live in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, NC, when I’m not hanging out in Bardonia (Lost Immortals). Most of my characters are based on people that I’ve met throughout my travels and adventures. People tend to stop and start conversations with me as if I’ve known them my entire life. Does this freak me out? Not really. My mom says that one day I’ll get kidnapped by one of them. I told her that if it weren’t for these lovely people then I wouldn’t be able to create the stories that I do.
I have many favorite authors but there are some who truly rock my socks: Octavia Butler, Anne Rice, Kami Garcia, J.K. Rowling, Dean Koontz (on his good-book days), Stephen King (same as DK) Ann Radcliffe, Mary Shelley, Elizabeth Kostova, and so many more…
Some other common tidbits…hmm. I’ve watched the movie Under the Tuscan Sun almost 200 times. Seriously, the way I see it is if I keep watching it enough, then suddenly the house that Diane Lane lives in will magically appear in my backyard. I know. I’ve got a huge imagination!