Archives

Blog Tour: This is Not the End by Chandler Baker (Book Birthday)

Aug8

Happy Book Birthday to Chandler Baker and This is Not the End (Disney-Hyperion)!!!

I wonder if for the rest of my life, I’ll be haunted by beautiful days.

On one cloudless, radiant summer afternoon, Lake Devereaux lost everything. The car crash claimed the lives of her best friend and boyfriend, the people who had become her family after her own fell apart. But she doesn’t have to lose them both.

The development of resurrection technology has changed the world. Under the new laws regulating the process, each person gets one resurrection to be used or forfeited on their eighteenth birthday. Mere weeks away from turning eighteen, Lake faces an impossible choice.

Envisioning life without one of the people she loves most is shattering enough, but Lake carries an additional burden: years ago, under family pressure, Lake secretly—and illegally—promised her resurrection to someone who isn’t even dead yet.

The search for answers about her future draws Lake more deeply into the secrets of her past until she begins to question everything about those closest to her. Betrayals and hurts both new and old threaten to eclipse the memories she once cherished.

Then Lake meets a boy unlike anyone she’s encountered before, who unflinchingly embraces the darkest parts of her life . . . and who believes that all resurrections are wrong.

Which path is the right one? And how can Lake start to heal when she can’t move on?

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Depository | IndieBound | Kobo

~*~*~*~

 
About the Author:
 
Chandler Baker grew up in Florida, went to college at the University of Pennsylvania, and studied law at the University of Texas. She now lives in Austin with her husband, though her heart remains at the beach. She strongly believes that writing quality improves vastly if done while staring out at a large body of water and daydreaming. Chandler is the author of the young adult thriller Alive, as well as the High School Horror series.
 
You can visit her online at www.chandlerbaker.com and Twitter.
 

Review: No Good Deed by Kara Connolly (Blog Tour)

Jul31

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: No Good Deed by Kara Connolly (Blog Tour)No Good Deed by Kara Connolly
Published by Delacorte Press on July 18, 2017
Pages: 352
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Fans of Dorothy Must Die will love this reimagining of the legend of Robin Hood. Girl power rules supreme when a modern girl finds herself in the middle of a medieval mess with only her smart mouth and her Olympic-archer aim to get her home.

Ellie Hudson is the front-runner on the road to gold for the U.S. Olympic archery team. All she has to do is qualify at the trials in jolly old England. When Ellie makes some kind of crazy wrong turn in the caverns under Nottingham Castle—yes, that Nottingham—she ends up in medieval England.

Ellie doesn’t care how she got to the Middle Ages; she just wants to go home before she gets the plague. But people are suffering in Nottingham, and Ellie has the skills to make it better. What’s an ace archer to do while she’s stuck in Sherwood Forest but make like Robin Hood?

Pulled into a past life as an outlaw, Ellie feels her present fading away next to daring do-gooding and a devilishly handsome knight. Only, Ellie is on the brink of rewriting history, and when she picks up her bow and arrow, her next shot could save her past—or doom civilization’s future.

Hey everyone! I’m so, so excited to be on the blog tour for No Good Deed by Kara Connolly! You guys know I LOVE retellings of any kind, so you know I JUMPED on this book when the blog tour invite showed up in my inbox. So, without further adieu, here’s my review!

I’m REALLY loving this book!!! Unfortunately, life has been a little hectic lately and I haven’t been able to finish reading it yet. That said, I’ve read 50% and feel confident I can write a partial review that will honestly reflect my thoughts and do the book justice. Once I finish the book, I’ll update my review.

I’m getting a lot of different vibes from this book: Robin Hood: Men in Tights vibes. Xena/Hercules vibes. The Witch Hunter vibes. I think these comparisons come from the similar time periods and settings, rather than plot – except for the Robin Hood vibe, the reason for that is obvious!

I really love the characters in this so far. Ellie reminds me of Emily from Make It or Break It – mostly because of the short hair and “Olympic hopeful” thing. James seems swoony so far! The Will Scarlet and Little John characters have me cracking up! I have a feeling I shouldn’t like Guilbert, but I kind of do really like him because I have a feeling there’s more to him than meets the eye!

So far, the plot is incredibly intriguing and I can’t wait to see what happens next! The writing is epic, too – I’m really getting sucked into the story because of it and the plot. I think Kara Connolly is going to be an author to watch and I’m already excited to see what else she does!

So far – and assuming this book continues being epic – I definitely do recommend it to those who love retellings! Also, I was told it has a similar vibe to Scarlet by A.C. Gaughen, so if you’re a fan of that book, I recommend checking this one out!

UPDATE (8/8/17): So I FINALLY finished the book. I’ll admit, I struggled with it a little – the middle dragged a bit. But I’m not sure if it was the book or because of life being hectic and my reading slump, so I’m not going to blame the book. It really picked up at the end and I ended up really enjoying it. My favorite parts were the ones with Eleanor of Aquitaine, especially the part that took place at 76% (in the US eARC version – I think it was chapter twenty-one). I also REALLY LOVED Will Scarlet. He was hilarious and I loved his friendship with Ellie.

The ending was a bit rushed, but adorable and fun. It wrapped up nicely, but it left room for my mind to wander and imagine what happened AFTER. In my opinion, the best standalones are the ones that end in such a way – nicely and with no loose strings, but with enough leeway to picture the “after” however I like.

I still highly recommend this to anyone who loves Robin Hood and retellings.

~*~*~

Blog Tour Schedule:

July 17:
Joyousread
Cafinated Reads

July 18:
Istyria book blog
My Guilty Obsession

July 19:
Stories & Sweeties
The Book Monsters
Urban Fantasy Investigations

July 20:
Seeing Double In Neverland
Love is not a triangle
A Backwards Story

July 21:
Take Me Away
Feed Your Fiction Addiction

July 24:
Beauty and the Bookshelf
Mom With a Reading Problem

July 25:
Teen Lit Rocks
Peace Love Books

July 26:
Bumbles and Fairy-Tales
The Hollow Cupboards

July 27:
Adventures of a Book Junkie
A Midsummer Night’s Read

July 28:
Gone Pecan
Mommy Ramblings

July 31:
By Valia Lind
Pandora’s Books

August 1:
Cracking the Cover
Jessabella Reads

August 2:
A DREAM WITHIN A DREAM
Bookish Lifestyle

August 3:
Twinning for Books
Ms. Yingling Reads

August 4:
Lisa Loves Literature
She Dreams in Fiction
Zach’s YA Reviews

~*~*~

About the Author:

Kara Connolly loves history, though she has never time traveled. She lives and writes in Arlington, Texas.

To learn more about Kara and her books, visit her website or follow @readKaraC on Twitter and @readkaraconnolly on Instagram.

four-stars

Blog Tour: The Shield by CJ Bentley (Top Ten List)

Jul22

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be on the blog tour for CJ Bentley’s The Shield (July 18, 2017 – Clink Street Publishing). Today, CJ is sharing her Top Ten List of Inspirational Books! First, here’s more about The Shield:

People lose their belongings. That is a fact of life. It can happen by accident, but sometimes it can happen when you put them in a very safe place and forget where that safe place is. Not many people are good at finding them again.

A young, gutsy girl with a kind heart, who’s searching for her own identity growing up in the 1960s, just happens to be very good at finding things. Can she be the one to help return whatever is lost – anywhere and at any time – to its original owner?

With the help of a beautiful yet mysterious wise woman and a chivalrous knight she does just that. She finds and returns his shield, lost in battle, which unbeknown to her holds a secret that is important to his King, the safety of the Kingdom and the life of the daughter of his best friend.
The Shield is the first story in The Finder Series, taking our heroine on extraordinary journeys back in time. Her first adventure takes place in Medieval England in 1340 where she meets King Edward III, his wife Philippa and their son, who will later become the Black Prince.

Goodreads | Amazon UK

~*~*~

And now for CJ’s post! Enjoy!

Being asked to write about only ten books that I have personally found inspirational is quite difficult. It’s like being asked which friend I love the most and I have many friends and many books and many of my books are friends. I have been an avid reader from as far back as I can remember. I can’t ever remember a time when I was not reading a book. To think of only ten is quite difficult so I will put them in to three different stages of reading. The books I remember for being inspirational to me as a child, as a mother for passing on a love of reading to my own children and as myself as an adult, books that I have enjoyed reading for my own pleasure, because I have been unable to do anything else until I have read them, so here goes.

As a child the book I remember being totally enthralled by and made me fall in love with reading, was ‘The Wind in the Willows’ by Kenneth Grahame. This book was read to us by our Year Five teacher Miss Allen. If we managed to finish our week’s work and been deemed ‘good’ she would read to us on a Friday afternoon, the better and more productive we were the longer she would read and what better incentive was that. She was an amazing teacher and an exceptional, dramatic reader. We were transported back to the river bank with Ratty, to the middle of the road with Toad as he fell in love with motor cars, her wonderful timing with Toad’s “poop poop” had us all in stitches. She took us inside Toad Hall as the weasels tried to take over the house and we listened to the calming and wise words of Badger as he gave his opinions. We couldn’t wait for Fridays. I still possess my own copy my sister bought for me, requested for my tenth birthday present and have reread it many times.

My parents bought me a set of ten classics for Christmas one year. I read all ten by Easter and loved them all. ‘Children of the New Forest’ by Captain Marryat brought the English Civil war alive for me. It instilled in me a love of history and inspired me to read more historical books which I do today. The thoughts of fighting between neighbours and even family members written in this book has been brought to the fore in this twenty first century by what has happened in Syria, it is as relevant now as then.

‘The Coral Island’ by R M Ballantyne inspired me as a child as it opened my eyes to the world, the different and beautiful planet we live on. This book inspired me to travel, to see different places, to meet different people with different cultures and ways of living and I am very thankful that I have been able to visit many different countries and yes, eventually, even a coral island in the Coral Sea.

As a mother reading to my three young boys we were introduced to ‘Winnie the Pooh’ by A A Milne. It is a book for children but also enjoyed by adults whilst reading, one of our all-time favourites. For sheer pleasure of reading to them as a parent I remember reading the ‘What a Mess’ books by Frank Muir. They thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the adventures of a very messy dog and we enjoyed shared laughter at his antics and adventures. As they matured Roald Dhal was the next writer who grabbed their attention. We read them all, loved ‘Danny the Champion of the World’ and ‘George’s Marvellous Medicine’, all of his books made such an impact on their falling in love with reading and for different reasons so it is very difficult to choose one book in particular.

Now I have time to read for my own pleasure again I like a book to take over to the point that I get nothing done until I have read it. ‘A Thousand Splendid Suns’ by Khaled Hosseini was a book I read from start to finish in a day, sitting by a swimming pool as my husband attended an interview for a new job. He left me at eight o clock in the morning and returned at five at night. I did not move from the lounger, apart from a toilet stop and to order a sandwich for lunch and when he returned ready to talk I warned him I needed ten more minutes to finish the book. When I finished it I held it lovingly to my chest as he regaled his day to me. I simply loved it. It moved me and for a book to do that is a wonderful thing. ‘Cutting for Stone’ by Abraham Verghese is another book which hooked me in and grabbed my attention immediately and I thoroughly enjoyed reading. It transported me to Ethiopia as the characters became alive and it had an extra special meaning as I had a friend at the time of my reading the book, an Ethiopian girl I had met at school in Dubai. We enjoyed long discussions about her childhood growing up in Ethiopia and became firm friends all due to my reading a book based in the country of her birth, a country until I had read it, I had known nothing about.

~*~*~

About the Author:
 
Originally heralding from the North of England, C.J Bentley has travelled extensively and enjoyed living in a variety of countries across the world from Dubai to Doha, Qatar and now the countryside in the South of France. A background in teaching and childcare she has always enjoyed creating adventure short stories. However, it was when she became a grandma and with her grandchildren growing up that she discovered that books seemed to contain only stories of vampires, zombies and farts that she decided seriously to take matters into her own hands and put pen to paper which today she calls The Finder Series.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

~*~*~

Blog Tour: Wendy Darling: Vol. 3: Shadow by Colleen Oakes (Spotlight)

Jul19

 
Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be on the blog tour for Wendy Darling: Vol. 3: Shadow by Colleen Oakes (July 18th 2017 – Sparkpress)! You guys know I’m a HUGE retelling fanatic, and this book looks EPIC!!!

Wendy Darling has found herself once again in the arms of charming Peter Pan, the god-child who desires power above all things. This time, though, Wendy burns not with passion but with a secret: with Hook as her ally, she is there to defeat the evil that lies inside of Peter, the evil that holds all Neverland hostage: the Shadow.

To do this, Wendy must quietly undo Peter from inside his heart while at the same time convincing Tink to betray the twisted love that binds them together. This is a task made nearly impossible by the arrival of Booth, her sweetheart from London and a new pawn in Peter’s manipulative game, a boy whose heart she must break in order to save his life. As all of Neverland prepares to fight, Wendy races to untangle Peter’s connection to the Shadow, a secret long buried in the Forsaken Garden. When the time comes, pirates, mermaids, Lost Boys, and the Darling family will all rise, but if Wendy can’t call the Shadow, they will all be destroyed by Peter’s dark soul. War has come to paradise, and Neverland will never be the same. Wendy Darling: Shadow is the thrilling final installment in Colleen Oakes’ Wendy Darling Trilogy.

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Depository | Kobo | IndieBound

~*~*~

About the Author:
 
Colleen Oakes is the author of the Elly in Bloom Series, the Wendy Darling Series and the upcoming YA fantasy Queen of Hearts Saga (Harper Collins Summer 2016.) She lives in North Denver with her husband and son. When not writing, Colleen enjoys swimming, traveling, and immersing herself in nerdy pop culture. She has two tiny dogs and an Underwood typewriter. Colleen is currently at work on the final Elly novel and her third YA fantasy series.
 

Website | Twitter

Facebook | Instagram | Pinterest

Review: Katana at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)

Jul10

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Katana at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (Blog Tour)Katana at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee
Series: DC Super Hero Girls #4
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on July 4, 2017
Pages: 240
Format: Hardcover
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

Get your cape on with the DC Super Hero Girls(TM)--the unprecedented new Super Hero universe especially for girls! Readers of all ages can fly high with the all-new adventures of Wonder Woman(TM), Supergirl(TM), Batgirl(TM), and some of the world's most iconic female super heroes as high schoolers!

Sword-wielding Katana isn't like most high school students--but with classmates like Wonder Woman, Batgirl, and Supergirl, Super Hero High isn't like most high schools!

In addition to training to be a super hero, Katana also follows the noble warrior traditions of the Samurai. Now an unknown source has given her the responsibility of guarding a hundred ancient Samurai swords--but why her, and for what purpose? With the help of Wonder Woman, Supergirl, Ms. Martian, and some of her other super friends, she intends to find out. But she just made captain of the fencing team, she has a huge school project due, and a villain with ties to her family's past seems to be amassing an army. Maintaining her inner peace isn't going to be easy . . .

. . . but Katana has the steel to save the day!

Award-winning author Lisa Yee brings this edge-of-your-seat adventure to life with mystery, thrills, and laughs. Move over Batman(TM) and Superman(TM)--the DC Super Hero Girls are ready to save the day and have fun doing it!

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Katana at Super Hero High by Lisa Yee (July 4, 2017 – Random House Books for Young Readers). This book was an epic, fun read, so I’m really excited to be a part of this blog tour! I hope you enjoy my review!

~*~*~*~*~

This series just keeps getting better! The plots are so intriguing and with each book, the cliffhangers get more and more evil! I love the characters and character growth. These books are such fast, fun reads, you can speed through them in a few hours to a few days (depending on your reading speed)! There was a LOT of mystery and intrigue in this book, which made it even more epic!

I really liked Katana! She was an interesting character with an incredibly intriguing and emotional backstory. I loved learning about her grandmother and her samurai legacy. I definitely had some Mulan vibes when we learned that women couldn’t be samurai, yet her grandmother was.

Another character I really liked was Miss Martian. She was shy and relatable, with intriguing powers – invisibility and mind reading! I wondered for awhile if she might be the main character of book five, but that ending has me questioning this theory. Whether I’m right about Miss Martian or whether my other theory comes to pass, I’ll be happy!

Speaking of… I’m still dying for a Harley Quinn story and a Poison Ivy story!! It NEEDS to happen and SOON!! I’m so curious about their characters, powers and backgrounds!

The ending was epic, incredible and emotional – it made me cry!!! And (as I briefly mentioned earlier) that cliffhanger was EVIL and I’m dying to get my hands on book five!!!

I highly recommend this book – and series – to anyone who loves the DC comics, as well as to anyone who wants to get into the comics, but who wants a quick and easy introduction to the characters first!

~*~*~*~*~

Lisa YeeAbout the Author:
 
Lisa Yee’s debut novel, Millicent Min, Girl Genius, won the prestigious Sid Fleischman Humor Award. With over two million books in print, her other novels for young people include Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, So Totally Emily Ebers, Absolutely Maybe, and a series about a 4th grader, Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally) and Bobby the Brave (Sometimes).

Lisa is also the author of American Girl’s Kanani books and Good Luck, Ivy, and this year’s Lea Clark novels. Her novel, Warp Speed, is about a Star Trek geek who gets beat up everyday at school. A Thurber House Children’s Writer-in-Residence, Lisa’s books have been named a NPR Best Summer Read, Sports Illustrated Kids Hot Summer Read, and USA Today Critics’ Top Pick.

The Kidney Hypothetical – Or How To Ruin Your Life In Seven Days is Lisa’s latest novel for teens. Lisa’s 2016 books include the DC Super Hero Girls middle grade novel series and the American Girl, 2016 Girl of the Year books.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

four-stars

Blog Tour: Beautiful Lost by Luanne Rice (Spotlight Post)

Jun27

Happy Book Birthday to Luanne Rice and Beautiful Lost!!

In The Beautiful Lost, Luanne Rice deftly uses her experiences with depression to craft a lilting and surprising story about the vagaries of the human heart. Maia has struggled with depression and suicidal thoughts ever since her mother left to follow her passion of studying ocean life in the Canadian Maritime provinces. Maia is convinced everything will be fine if she can only reconnect with her mother, meaning she won’t have to take her pills, she will never need to be institutionalized again. When Maia runs away from home in search of her mom, she gets unexpected help and companionship from Billy, her crush from school. On the roads through New England, Maia and Billy learn truths about each other that are equal parts enthralling and distressing.

Find it on Goodreads!!

~*~*~

About the Author:
 
Luanne Rice is the New York Times bestselling author of over 30 novels for adults and the YA novel The Secret Language of Sisters. There are more than twenty-two million copies of her books in print across the world and five of her novels have been adapted into TV movies and miniseries. Luanne lives in coastal Connecticut with her family of cats.

Website | Twitter

~*~*~*~

The Giveaway:

10 finished copies of The Beautiful Lost; open to US residents only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: Atlantis Reborn by Gloria Craw (Spotlight Post)

Jun16

 
Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be on the Atlantis Reborn (Gloria Craw) blog tour! This book sounds AMAZING!! Check out more about the trilogy below!

Book Title: Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw

Published by Entangled Teen

Genre: YA Fantasy

Release Date: January 6th, 2015

Goodreads | Buy Links

You’ll never see me unless I want you to…

I am different. I have always been different, but no one can know or my life will be in danger. So I hide in plain sight, wearing drab clothes and thick glasses and trying to be invisible. I’m so good at hiding, no one has ever noticed me. Until Ian…the mysterious and oh-so-cute boy I know I need to avoid.

Now I have been seen. And more terrifying still, I am wanted—by those who would protect me and those who would destroy everything and everyone I love. But if they’re all terrified about who I am, wait until they see what I can do…

Book Title: Atlantis Quest (Atlantis Rising, #2)

Author: Gloria Craw

Release Date: Mar. 1, 2016

Genre: YA Fantasy

Atlantis Rising is 99 cents all month! Go get your copy today!

Get ready for the exciting follow up to Atlantis Rising, dubbedAn enchanting debut from a promising new author of paranormal YAby Kirkus Reviews.

After all they’d cost me, I thought I was done with the Truss clan. I was wrong. Nikki Dawning, my mortal enemy, has beenkidnapped, and I’ve been asked to spy on the Truss to find her. The pull between Ian and I has never been stronger, but he can’t help me this time. I have to rely on Theron, a bad-tempered cousin I didn’t know I had. To make matters worse, the people I trust have been keeping secrets.

I’m starting to feel like a weapon in a war I don’t understand. How far am I willing to go to protect the descendants of Atlantis and the common good when I’m not sure what the common good is anymore?

Only one thing is certain. If I’m the next Laurel clan chief, I can’t let myself be manipulated…by anyone.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes

Kobo | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Entangled Page

~*~*~

~*~*~

Atlantis Reborn by Gloria Craw

Published by Entangled Teen

Buy link

Genre: YA Fantasy

In a few days, I’ll officially be the Laurel clan chief—but it comes at a heavy cost. My human family, the McKyes, think I’m dead, and the only family I have left is my surly cousin, Theron. Plus the occasional visit from my dead mother.

Gathering the fifteen clans of Atlantis is more tasking than I thought. Thank fate that Ian has my back, otherwise keeping the peace would be a total disaster.I want to give him my heart, too, but without an official likeness, or spontaneous pairing, it’s only wishful thinking. To make matters worse, someone out there has the formula to createhuman-Atlantian hybrids. For a hefty price.

~*~*~

~*~*~

And now for the giveaway! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*~*~

~*~*~

 
 
About the Author:
 
 
Gloria Craw grew up in the desert southwest and attended the University of Utah where she got a degree in anthropology. These days, she lives just outside of Seattle, Washington. She’s married, has four daughters and a very hairy dog.
 
 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 
 

Spotlight Post: Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley

Jun15

Hey everyone! I’m so, so excited to be participating in the blog tour for Words in Deep Blue by Cath Crowley (June 6, 2017 – Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers )! This book has been described as being perfect for “fans of Jennifer Niven & Jandy Nelson.” Prepare yourself for ALL the feels before you read the synopsis below:

Love lives between the lines.

Years ago, Rachel had a crush on Henry Jones. The day before she moved away, she tucked a love letter into his favorite book in his family’s bookshop. She waited. But Henry never came.

Now Rachel has returned to the city—and to the bookshop—to work alongside the boy she’d rather not see, if at all possible, for the rest of her life. But Rachel needs the distraction, and the escape. Her brother drowned months ago, and she can’t feel anything anymore. She can’t see her future.

Henry’s future isn’t looking too promising, either. His girlfriend dumped him. The bookstore is slipping away. And his family is breaking apart.

As Henry and Rachel work side by side—surrounded by books, watching love stories unfold, exchanging letters between the pages—they find hope in each other. Because life may be uncontrollable, even unbearable sometimes. But it’s possible that words, and love, and second chances are enough.

Goodreads | Amazon

Audible | Kobo | Book Depository

~*~*~*~

About the Author:

Cath Crowley is an award-winning author of young adult fiction. Her novels include Words in Deep Blue, Graffiti Moon, Chasing Charlie Duskin (A Little Wanting Song) and the Gracie Faltrain trilogy. Cath is a freelance writer, manuscript assessor and teacher.

Website | Twitter

Tumblr | Instagram | Facebook

Blog Tour: Breaking by Danielle Rollins (Excerpt + Giveaway)

May31

 
Hey everyone! Today, I have an awesome excerpt to share with you from Danielle Rollins’ Breaking (June 6, 2017, Bloomsbury USA Childrens). This book looks epic!!!! Check out the synopsis and buy links:

Prep school gets a twist of supernatural suspense in this commercial YA thriller.

Charlotte has always been content in the shadow of her two best friends at the prestigious Underhill Preparatory Institute. Ariel is daring and mysterious. Devon is beautiful and brilliant. Although Charlotte never lived up to the standards of the school—or her demanding mother—her two best friends became the family she never had. When Ariel and Devon suddenly commit suicide within a month of each other, Charlotte refuses to accept it as a coincidence. But as the clues point to a dangerous secret about Underhill Prep, Charlotte is suddenly in over her head. There’s a reason the students of Underhill are so exceptional, and the people responsible are willing to kill to protect the truth…

Suspenseful and scintillating, with hints of the supernatural, this fast-paced thriller will keep readers hooked.

(This is a companion novel to Burning)

Amazon | B&N

TBD | iBooks | Goodreads

~*~*~*~*~

And now here’s the excerpt!

“No.” I stop walking. My hands go to my chest and I press them there, flat.

Zoe turns. “Are you okay?”

I nod, but my voice cracks, betraying me. “Is it Devon?”

Devon, my second-best friend since we were sophomores, which feels like forever and ever ago instead of eighteen months. Or first-best friend now, I guess, with Ariel gone. Devon disappeared two days ago, but everyone, even her teachers, thought she hitchhiked into the city to go dancing or see a concert. It wouldn’t be the first time, or even the fifth time. We were never worried—just pissed she didn’t invite us.

Zoe hesitates. “I don’t know,” she says carefully. “I just heard that the cops were here. They found . . . something.”

She pushes through the trees. I walk slower, aware of the wet on the leaves beneath my feet, the wind on the back of my neck. I hear Ariel’s voice in my ear, but it’s a memory of a voice, not a real one.

Why are you so surprised?

The trees open onto a clearing. Police tape weaves between the branches, a shocking spot of fluorescent in the middle of all the black and gray and brown. I see faces, but most of the girls don’t creep close enough to be recognized. Dean Rosenthal kneels in the dirt, and her assistant, Mr. Coolidge, stands behind her. He has one hand pressed to his mouth. The emotion on his face is raw in a way that makes me blush and avert my eyes. I feel like I’ve just seen him in his underwear.

Their bodies form a barricade, blocking my view of what they’re staring at. I hesitate behind Zoe, but just for a moment.

“Charlotte,” Zoe says, but I’m already moving closer, ducking below the police tape. She grabs my wrist, her tiny hand surprisingly strong. I shake her off. An arm lies across the leaves. Brown skin and long, tapered fingers with bright red nails. The last time I saw those hands, they were wrapped around a tumbler of whiskey in her daddy’s office.

Now Devon holds a syringe. Her knees are bent, like she’d crumpled to the ground after it happened.

Doesn’t she look perfect? I imagine Ariel saying. I nod, because wouldn’t it be just like Ariel to say something so horrible? But she’s right. There are no marks on Devon’s body. No blood.

“Like she’s sleeping,” I whisper. I close my eyes and wrap my arms around my chest. Devon isn’t lying here in the dirt. Devon is dancing at a party in the city. Devon is drinking martinis and flirting with a thirty-year-old businessman who hasn’t guessed yet that she’s only eighteen. Devon is wearing a ridiculous dress that shows off too much skin and that she bought with her mother’s stolen credit card. She’s not here.

~*~*~*~*~

And now for the giveaway! 3 winners will receive a finished copy of BREAKING, US Only. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

~*~*~*~*~

About the Author:
 
 
Author of the best-selling MERCILESS series, SURVIVE THE NIGHT, BURNING, and BREAKING. I’m currently working on the last installment of the Merciless books, & starting a new series to be announced later this year.
 
 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

~*~*~*~*~

Tour Schedule:

Week One:
5/29/2017- The Cover Contessa- Interview
5/29/2017- A Dream Within A Dream- Review

5/30/2017- YA Books Central- Guest Post
5/30/2017- a GREAT read- Review

5/31/2017- Pandora’s Books- Excerpt
5/31/2017- Sweet Southern Home- Review

6/1/2017- BookHounds YA- Guest Post
6/1/2017- Dazzled by Books- Review

6/2/2017- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview
6/2/2017- Don’t Judge, Read- Review

Week Two:
6/5/2017- Wandering Bark Books- Guest Post
6/5/2017- Pretty Deadly Reviews- Review

6/6/2017- Two Chicks on Books- Excerpt
6/6/2017- Novel Novice- Review

6/7/2017- Literary Meanderings – Guest Post
6/7/2017- YA Book Madness- Review

6/8/2017- Mama Reads Blog- Excerpt
6/8/2017- A Gingerly Review- Review

6/9/2017- Portrait of a Book- Guest Post
6/9/2017- Storybook Slayers- Review

Full schedule with links can be found here.

Blog Tour: The Door in the Alley by Adrienne Kress (Spotlight Post)

Apr27

 
Hey everyone! The Door in the Alley (The Explorers #1) by Adrienne Kress just celebrated its Book Birthday on Tuesday! Check it out!

Featuring a mysterious society, a secretive past, and a pig in a teeny hat, The Explorers: The Door in the Alley is the first book in a new series for fans of The Name of This Book Is a Secret and The Mysterious Benedict Society. Knock once if you can find it—but only members are allowed inside.

This is one of those stories that start with a pig in a teeny hat. It’s not the one you’re thinking about. (This story is way better than that one.)

This pig-in-a-teeny-hat story starts when a very uninquisitive boy stumbles upon a very mysterious society. After that, there is danger and adventure; there are missing persons, hired thugs, a hidden box, a lost map, and famous explorers; and also a girl on a rescue mission.

The Explorers: The Door in the Alley is the first book in a series that is sure to hit young readers right in the funny bone.

Goodreads | Amazon

~*~*~

About the Author:
 
Adrienne Kress is a Toronto-born actor and author who loves to play make-believe. She also loves hot chocolate. And cheese. Not necessarily together.

She is the author of the award winning and internationally published children’s novels Alex and the Ironic Gentleman and Timothy and the Dragon’s Gate (Scholastic). Published around the world, Alex won the Heart of Hawick Children’s Book Award in the UK and was shortlisted for the Red Cedar. The sequel, Timothy, was shortlisted for the Audie, Red Cedar and Manitoba Young Readers Choice Awards, and was optioned for film. She has also published two YA novels: Outcast (Diversion Books), her quirky paranormal romance, and the Steampunk adventure The Friday Society (Penguin), released to a starred review from Quill and Quire and shortlisted for The Quill Awards.

2016 saw the release of Hatter Madigan: Ghost in the H.A.T.B.O.X., an exciting collaboration with NY Times bestselling author Frank Beddor (set in the same world as his Looking Glass Wars YA books). And this April she releases the first book in her new Middle Grade series: The Explorers: The Door In The Alley (Delacorte, Random House).

Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook Fan Page