Review: A Little Wicked by Janet R Macreey

Please join Janet Macreery as she tours with HF Virtual Book Tours for A Little Wicked, from October 27-November 7.

 

Publication Date: April 29, 2014 | Outskirts Press | Paperback; 188p

Genre: Middle Grade Historical Fiction (Ages 9-13+)

After her Scottish village is attacked, 12-year-old Dory must flee her home without her family. Once the granddaughter of the chief, now branded a fugitive, Dory begins a dangerous journey trekking through the Scottish wilderness and crossing the Atlantic in disguise in order to reach the distant and unfamiliar Massachusetts Bay Colony in the New World. There she must survive a crisis that is quite different from the one in Scotland but no less fatal, the Salem Witch Trials. The year is 1692 and Dory is plunged into mayhem on both sides of the ocean.

My Review:  This was a fun read!  It was nice to have something different to read!  And perfect with it being so close to Halloween!!  I really enjoyed reading this book!  And highly recommend it for anyone wanting a Halloween fix!

Praise for A Little Wicked

“…readers will learn a lot about resilience and Scottish identity.” – Publisher’s Weekly

"...the fast pace and suspense-filled pages will keep younger teens engrossed while providing notable history lessons. A high-stakes historical adventure full of emotional, social and political drama." – Kirkus Reviews

“…debut novel is addicting, passionate, and fresh.” – Novel Nutritious

“A Little Wicked evokes themes of survival, rebellion, and identity just as vividly as the most popular fantasy novels for young people.” – Amazon.com Reader

“The author writes from the viewpoint of the female child character Dory, making the story highly relatable as well as understandable to young readers. Readers will gain a strong idea of customs, daily life, and government for those living in 1692 in England, Scotland, and The New World…” – Michelle Robertson for Reader Favorites

“Writing with both discipline and creative abandon, Macreery gives studious attention to detail as each carefully crafted sentence flows fluidly to the next.” – Amazon.com Reader

“…fast-paced style that kids are used to from their favorite fantasy-adventure books.The book is full of historical and cultural details, with touches of Scottish folklore leaving open the possibility of the supernatural.” – Goodreads Reader

Watch the Book Trailer

About the Author

Janet’s parents never had to emphasize the importance of reading; they both genuinely love to read. That love of literature transferred to Janet, her sister and brother as they grew up in suburban New Jersey. College took Janet to Pennsylvania where she met her husband. Proud of her homeland and her heritage, Janet and her husband read about and travel the United States and Scotland to learn more about the history and culture of both countries and currently live in the shadow of Washington, DC in Northern Virginia.

For more information please visit Janet Macreery's website. You can also connect with Janet Macreery on Facebook, Twitter, and Gooreads.

A Little Wicked Blog Tour Schedule

Monday, October 27
Review at Books Complete Me
Spotlight at Unshelfish

Tuesday, October 28
Review a A Bibliotaph's Reviews

Wednesday, October 29
Spotlight at Let them Read Books

Thursday, October 30
Spotlight & Giveaway at Passages to the Past

Monday, November 3
Review at Beth's Book Nook
Spotlight at Historical Fiction Connection

Tuesday, November 4
Interview at Closed the Cover

Wednesday, November 5
Spotlight at The Maiden's Court

Thursday, November 6
Review at A Book Geek

Friday, November 7
Review at Peeking Between the Pages

Release Day Blitz: Puppet by Pauline C Harris

About the book:

Penelope lives in a world of advanced technology but many claim society has yet to catch up. Marionettes have advanced in the form of robots; lifelike creations remote controlled to perform super human tasks.

When Penelope makes a deal with Jed, a marionette-obsessed scientist, she doesn’t fully realize what she’s getting herself into. In order for Jed to take her away from the orphanage she lives in, she must first agree to undergo his experiments and tests, ultimately creating something no one ever dreamed possible; the first living marionette.

As Jed shows off his scientific creation to the world, concerns arise surrounding Penelope’s abilities and what she’s capable of doing. Ordered to somehow lessen her abilities, Jed makes a desperate attempt to change Penelope to make her more human, more vulnerable. After Penelope lies to the officials about her past, Jed makes sure it’s the last one she’ll ever utter. The truth is now the only thing she is capable of telling.

As Penelope struggles with her past, her disturbingly new present, and her uncertain future, she is thrust into a magically twisted world of mayhem in search of the one thing she wants, but knows she can never have. The chance to be just a girl again. To be normal. To be real.

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Release Day Twitter Chat 

The Patchwork Press team will be hosting a release day chat with Pauline and would love for anyone interested in the book to stop by. Just be sure to follow Pauline and Patchwork Press!

About the author:
Pauline C. Harris is a ninteen-year old author living in Northern Idaho. She started writing short stories when she was eight, and after she self-published her first book when she was fourteen, moved on to write the Mechanical Trilogy. She loves anything that has to do with science fiction, including Star Trek, and her main hobbies are writing and playing the violin in various orchestras and quartets.
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Mechanical is her first professionally published novel. She is currently studying in both high school and college and hopes to achieve her AA degree alongside her high school diploma.

She is also working on another series of YA science fiction novels.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

Review: Souls by Ednah Walters

SOULS

WARNING: This is CORA'S story: This book may be considered NA (new adult) because it contains some swearing, violence and sex scenes: Suitable for ages 17 and up. A Clean Version will also be available on Amazon.

Eighteen-year-old Cora Jemison knows what it’s like to date a soul reaper. There are no Friday night movies, no school dances, and no stolen kisses between classes. It totally sucks! What makes it even worse, souls pop up when she least expects it. The last one is not her fault, but it all adds up to zero quality time with her super hot, scythe-carrying boyfriend, Echo.

Since Cora was etched with special runes by an evil Immortal, she understands why souls are drawn to her. She makes the best of it by helping souls find closure while Echo escorts them to the realm of the dead. Perfect partners, until a dark soul visits Cora in the dead of the night and Echo decides her soul-helping days are over.

Cora can either listen to Echo or follow her instincts. To make matters worse, other reapers start stalking her, demanding she hand over the soul. Even her Valkyrie friends think she’s gone too far. But something sinister is coming their way, and the soul is the key to saving her town, her friends, and her relationship with Echo. Can she convince Echo to see things her way before it’s too late?

Review
This book was just as awesome as the first!!  It was so engaging and I couldn't put it down until I finished every word!  I loved how persistent Cora is, in defending those souls she chooses to help and in Echo.  I can't believe what happened in this installment!  Some books you can predict what's going to happen, but not this one!!! It'll leave you hanging and wanting more, trust me!!

AUTHOR BIO

EDNAH WALTERS grew up reading Nancy Drew and the Hardy Boys and dreaming of one day writing her own stories. She is a stay-at-home mother of five humans and two American short-hair cats (one of which has ADHD) and a husband. When she is not writing, she’s at the gym doing Zumba or doing things with her family, reading, traveling or online chatting with fans.

Ednah is the author of The Guardian Legacy series, a YA fantasy series about children of the fallen angels, who fight demons and protect mankind. AWAKENED, the prequel was released by Pill Hill Press in September 2010 with rave reviews. BETRAYED, book one in the series was released by her new publisher Spencer Hill Press in June 2012 and HUNTED, the third installment, was released March 2013. She’s working on the next book in the series, FORGOTTEN. Visit her at www.ednahwalters.com.

Ednah also writes YA paranormal romance. RUNES is the first book in her new series and there are currently three other books published in this series. SOULS (Grimnir book 2 a side story to the RUNES series) and WITCHES book 4 will release 2014.  Read more about this series and the world she's created here www.runestheseries.com.

Under the pseudonym E. B. Walters, Ednah writes contemporary romance. SLOW BURN, the first contemporary romance with suspense, was released in April 2011. It is the first book in the Fitzgerald family series. Since then she has published five more books in this series. She's presently working on book seven. You can visit her online at or www.ebwalters.com.

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Review and Guest Post: Monarch by Belle Whittington

Monarch by Belle Whittington
Published:
Publisher:
Genre:  Paranormal YA

The Story: Blair Reynolds was born to rule. Worlds, that is. Destined to reign over an ancient intergalactic race, it may seem her fate is written in the stars. But she’s willing to risk it all for another chance to spend forever with her true love – even if it means traveling through time and space to the other side of the universe.

As far as Ash is concerned, Blair's happily-ever-after involves him, not the mere mortal with whom she seems so infatuated. She was bequeathed to him by her father, and Ash will go to any lengths to keep Blair and her true love apart.

And Ash isn’t the only one.

Deep in the jungles of Brazil, where tribal drums call to Blair and her true love, other forces carry out dangerous secret plans.

However, Blair has secrets of her own … secrets so lethal she dares not even remember them.

Secrets so painful they could ruin everything.

Because some secrets kill.

My Review: I can't believe this story is done.  Just not possible!  It's been great reading about Blair and the obstacles she's had to overcome.  And those secrets?!  WOW, totally wasn't expecting them!  

You can tell that Belle Whittington puts a lot of emotion and research into her books.  All three books: Cicada, Firefly and Monarch have been such great reads!  I'd highly recommend reading this series!  Especially if you love paranormal!

About the Author: Belle was raised in deep East Texas.  She now resides somewhere north of Houston, Texas in a small inconsequential town with the smallest, most inconsequential name.  There, in the shady reaches of the pines, elms, and oaks, she daydreams adventures and secrets she weaves throughout her stories.  She’s the author of CICADA, FIREFLY, and MONARCH, a Young Adult/New Adult cross-over trilogy with excellent reviews.  She studied literature and history at University of Houston where Beowulf, Shakespeare’s works, and the history of the Vikings were her favorite topics.  Belle is positive her readers and fans are the best in the universe.

Website / Facebook / Goodreads / Tumblr / Twitter / Authorgraph (for free e-book autographs) / Pinterest / Wattpad

Guest Post: When Nicole submitted the question for this guest post, I must admit I was so happy that someone finally wondered why Blair’s mom chose the site of “the building” for the new Sprinkles bakery!  For a long time now, I’ve been asking myself the same question – “don’t they wonder why she chose that spot?”

I set out to answer Nicole’s question.  However, I found myself at a bit of a loss in how to explain why Blair’s mother, Renee, chose such a location for her new bakery.  Therefore, it only seemed logical that I asked Renee to explain it for my readers.  Here’s the interview I had with her.

“Hi, Renee!  Thanks for taking the time to stop by and help explain why you chose that specific location for the new Sprinkles bakery.”  I poured her a glass of sweet iced tea and led her to the dining room where golden autumn sunlight shone through the windows.

“Hey, Belle,” she smiled.  The happiness that had once sparkled in her eyes was replaced with a hint of sorrow.  She ran her hand through bangs that now hung long over half over her face. The other side of her hair was shaved close to her head, revealing the tell-tale tattoo of members of The Resistance.  “Glad I could be of help,” she took a sip of iced tea and glanced out the window for a moment before speaking.

“I’d been surprised to meet Luke,” Renee began.  “He’d claimed to have met my late husband while training in The Resistance.”  A frown tugged at the corner of her lips … the sort of frown the spoke of equal parts of sadness and regret.  “It was a mistake to get involved with him.  But I was lonely, and I missed my husband so much.  I thought he’d make me feel safe again.”  She shook her head, and her bangs slipped back down and covered part of her face again.  “He ended up making me feel the exact opposite.”

“So, Luke had something to do with the new location?” I asked.

“Oh, yes,” Renee nodded.  “He’d said we’d prove we’d won the battle against the Hunters by taking over their lair … it was hogwash, of course.”  Her nostrils flared, and I remembered what Luke had hidden in the secret basement beneath the bakery.  As if she could read my thoughts, she said, “He was going to use those weapons to kill my daughter, my entire family, everyone I love.”

“I know,” I answered, placing my hand on her arm.  “But I know how strong you are … I know you didn’t just follow him blindly into rebuilding your bakery there.”

“Well,” she blushed.  “I admit I wanted to show the Hunters I wasn’t going to cower down to them and let them kill Blair.  It was my pride that drove me to build the brightest, shiniest bakery right on top of where they’d been hiding for several years.”  She smiled, “Each month, I’d pay the bills and then send the rest of the sales to support The Resistance.”

“How did Luke like that?” I asked.

“I never told him.  It wasn’t any of his business.  Besides, at the time, I thought he would’ve liked it.  Then I found out what he really was when he became obsessed with my daughter.”  Renee’s hand clenched into a fist.  “I’d already started seeing someone else at that point,” her face softened a bit.  “My new fella tried to help me kill Luke and his entourage of Hunters.  I’d set a trip line, wired to the explosives Luke had hidden in the basement.  But they’d ambushed us, and knocked my new boyfriend out.”  She took a sip of tea and glanced back out the window.  “I was out for days.  I woke up back in South America.  I don’t want to talk about that, though.”

“No, that’s okay.  You don’t have discuss that.” I patted her hand.  “So, the reason you built the new Sprinkles where the building had once stood was because – “

“Because I wanted to show those bastards they weren’t going to win.  I wanted to show them I’d take back everything they’d ever stolen from me.  I wanted to claim a victory over them!”  She sat up high in her chair.

I nodded and smiled.  I’d had a feeling that had been her motivation.  But I’d wanted her to explain it.  We spent the rest of the afternoon talking about her plans for her upcoming nuptials.  When she drove away, I had to wonder how she’d been coping with what had happened with Andrew …

But that’s another story.

And so, now we know why Blair’s mother built the new Sprinkles where “the building” had once stood. 

Many thanks to Nicole for having me on her lovely blog and for featuring my book, MONARCH. <3 font="" nbsp="">

Giveaway:

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Cover Reveal: Fall with Me by Jennifer L Armentrout

It's time!!! Jennifer L. Armentrout's FALL WITH ME cover is here! And you are going to love it! This New Adult Contemporary Romance in Armentrout's With You Saga is the 4th book in the series, and is being published by Avon Romance, an imprint of HarperCollins. You should definitely add it to your Goodreads now.

FALL WITH ME Goodreads

  About FALL WITH ME: Eleven months ago, bartender and weird-shirt-wearing extraordinaire Roxy and Officer Reece Anders had a one night stand. Well, kind of. She’s been in love with him since she was fifteen, and he wishes that night they shared never happened. She’s sworn him off forever, but the past and future collide, forcing her to rely on the one man who broke her heart not once, but twice. Her best friend since birth has been in a long-term care facility since he became a victim of a hate crime years ago, and the person who put him in there is out of prison and wanting to make amends with him and Roxy. She’s not sure she has room for forgiveness in her and when she begins to receive frightening messages and is on the receiving end of escalating violence, she thinks she knows who is to blame. The man who already destroyed one life already. But Reece isn’t convinced. The threats are too personal, and even if Roxy doesn’t believe him, he’s not willing to let anyone hurt her. Including himself. He’s already messed up more than once when it comes to Roxy and he’s not going to let history repeat itself.

And here's the beautiful new cover!

 

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** Kobo

  About Jennifer L. Armentrout: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.  

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads

Release Day Blitz: Whispers from the Past by Elizabeth Langston

Book Blurb:

...that's not freedom at all. 

With the dangers of the past behind them, Mark and Susanna are reaching for what the future holds. As Mark's final year of high school draws to a close, his focus shifts to choosing a college and moving on. For Susanna, it's time to set down roots and realize dreams of her own. 

Yet the whispers from the past continue. A glimmer in the waterfall reveals messages from a dear, old friend. As she fights to resist their call, Susanna must finally confront the consequences that her choices have made across two centuries.

Links:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Book Information:

Paperback: 368 pages

Expected publication: October 7, 2014 by Spencer Hill Press

ISBN: 9781939392213

Author Bio:

Elizabeth Langston lives in North Carolina, halfway between the beaches and the mountains. She has two teen-ish daughters and one husband (a geek like her). When she's not writing software or stories, Elizabeth loves to travel with her family, watch dance reality TV shows, and dream about which restaurant ought to get their business that night.

Elizabeth's debut novel WHISPER FALLS released in November 2013. Its sequels, A WHISPER IN TIME released in April 2014 and WHISPERS FROM THE PAST released in October 2014. Learn more about her at www.elizabethlangston.net.

Author Links:

Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | Blog | Website

Giveaway

• A signed set of all three Whisper Falls books + VISION by Lisa Amowitz and FOREST OF WHISPERS by Jennifer Murgia 
• Swag pack including recipes, a dozen home-baked SWEET DREAMS cookies and a WF book-cover charm
• $25 gift card to the bookstore of your choice (for sharing the cover on social media--use #WhisperFallsSHP) 

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Review: Blood Wars by Brenda Pandos

Blood Wars by Brenda Pandos
Published Date: April 2014
Publisher: Obsidian Mountain Publishing
Genre: YA paranormal

The Story: After just having died while saving all of humanity, Julia wakes up to a world where no vampires exist. Unexplainably, she and Nicholas are the only ones who remember the past. Julia’s wish to be a normal teen has come to pass, and like a gift, they can start their happily ever after. 

That was until a new teacher showed up. To everyone else, Mr. Cruor is just a good looking guy with a voice that makes everything sound exciting, including stories of a bunch of dead guys. However, Julia knows Mr. Cruor. Stuck in his class, Julia is afraid that he’s not here to teach her history. He’s here for something else and there’s nothing she can do about it. 

Following the Onyx Talisman, OUT FOR BLOOD is volume 1 of a spin-off series of serials, each at 20,000 words. Start here, or immerse yourself with The Talisman Trilogy to get the drama first hand.

My Review: I loved reading the Talisman Trilogy, and was sort of sad that I didn't get to know what happened after everything went back to "normal".  Well, Brenda Pandos gave us readers and fans a continuation of Nick and Julia's story!!  And man, its just as awesome as the first series!!  Nothing is as it seems, and Brenda Pandos keeps you guessing!  You don't have to read the first trilogy to start Blood Wars, but I would recommend it, as it helps to know why Nick and Julia and Phil all act how they do!