Hannah McBride: Current Author, Former Irish Banana: blog tour

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Sep 27, 2017

Blog Tour: Best Day Ever by Kaira Rouda

BEST DAY EVER is a chilling page-turner taking place over just 24 hours that follows seemingly perfect couple Paul and Mia, as Paul whisks Mia away for what he promises will be the best day ever, but may have ulterior motives...

There have been many domestic suspense and psychological thrillers in the past few years, but what I love about BEST DAY EVER and what makes it unique is that it takes place entirely from the husband’s point of view, which, as Kimberly McCreight (New York Times bestselling author of Reconstructing Amelia and The Outliers) says, makes for “an unreliable and chillingly unrepentant narrator.”

BEST DAY EVER is continuing to get great advanced praise! Good Housekeeping called BEST DAY EVER a “chilling, satisfying suspense,” saying, “It's clear from the beginning that something sinister is going on in this novel, which will cost you sleep as you race through its pages.” and Library Journal gave it a Starred Review, writing, “This latest psychological thriller from bestselling Rouda is destined to fly off the shelves, enticing readers to ride along as this multifaceted day in the life of the Stroms unfolds.” PopSugar also named Best Day Ever one of “the 25 best new books of Fall!”

Now, let's sit down for a quick Fast 5 with Kaira Rouda!

Last book you read:

Sometimes I Lie by Alice Feeney. And I’m not lying. Seriously, a great book with a cliffhanger ending that makes me anxious to read her next novel, Sometimes I Kill.

Last thing that made you smile:

Pub day for BEST DAY EVER. I was grinning all day long. I went to the nearest Barnes & Noble to find my book and yes, I probably embarrassed myself. I was so excited. Luckily, the manager said she loves authors. Or maybe she was just saying that. I’m still smiling today. It never gets old, that feeling of seeing your book on the store shelf. Pinch me.

Favorite quote:

A smile confuses an approaching frown.

Best moment as an author:

There are so many great moments in this business, but my favorite times are meeting other authors. This summer I had a chance to meet B.A. Paris, author of The Breakdown. She is amazing, brilliant, and even met me for coffee to chat. It was fabulous. The other great moment has been having my book chosen to lead the Graydon House imprint of Harper Collins |Harlequin. I have had such a fabulous journey with my publishing team. I couldn’t be more thankful.

Favorite place in the world:

The beach. Pretty much anywhere in the world. My dream since I was a young person was to grow up and live near the beach. We arrived in Southern California ten years ago from Ohio. Dreams do come true, just maybe not as soon as you’d like them to, but usually when they should.

Last emoticon you used:

The red book! It looks just like the cover of Best Day Ever, well without the words and the envelope design. But still. Whenever I thank someone for reading or reviewing or liking BEST DAY EVER, I tend to use the red book and the high five hands. It’s become a habit.

Kaira Rouda is a USA TODAY bestselling, multiple award-winning author of contemporary fiction. Her debut novel, Here, Home, Hope, was the Winner of the Indie Excellence Book Award in Mainstream/Literary Fiction, Winner of the USA Book Awards in the Women's Fiction category and received Honorable Mention in Mainstream/Literary Fiction for the Writer's Digest Book Awards. Her novel, The Goodbye Year, which was released in May 2016, was Redbook Magazine's “20 Best Books You Absolutely Must Read This Spring.” Kaira’s latest novel, Best Day Ever, is one of the major launch titles for Harlequin’s new imprint Graydon House, and will be available on September 19, 2017.

Kaira is also the author of Real You Incorporated: 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs and the creator of Real Living, one of the nation’s most successful real estate brands and the first national women-focused brand in real estate. She has given speeches to both women and men’s entrepreneurial conferences and programs across the country on the power of women as consumers and in the world. Kaira was named Best Entrepreneur from the Stevie Awards for Women in Business, and was also recognized in Entrepreneur magazine’s inaugural Top 50 fastest-growing, women-led companies list.

In addition to her many entrepreneurial and literary accomplishments, Kaira is very active in both her native Ohio community and in her community in Southern California, where she now resides. Her philanthropic pursuits began when she founded Central Ohio’s first homeless shelter for families when she was twenty-five years old, and Kaira has since received numerous awards for her civic service.

Kaira’s family includes her husband of 28 years, her four kids, and her two spoiled dogs. She lives in Southern California and is at work on her next novel. After living in Columbus, Ohio, for most of her life, she now enjoys the beach whenever possible.

Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

9/25: Wandering Bark Books - Guest Post

9/26: Wonderland Novels - Q&A

9/27: The Irish Banana Review - Fast 5

9/28: Savings in Seconds - Review

9/29: Lisa's Loves (Books of Course) - GIF Review

Week 2:

10/2: A Binding Attraction - Top 10

10/3: That Artsy Reader Girl - Review

10/4: books are love - Review

10/5: Diving Under the Cover - Review

10/6: Avid Reader - Review​

Aug 27, 2017

Fast Five with Irena Brignull

I'm so excited to welcome Irena Brignull to the blog for a quick Fast 5!

Favorite quote:

‘It’s never too late to be what you might have been.’ George Eliot.

My mum has this framed in her office and it really reminds me of her. She is, in fact, a living example of it. She got a university degree in psychology in her 40’s and trained as a relationship counsellor, helping countless couples in a career that’s lasted until her retirement this year at the age of 70. She’s now about to start learning Italian.

Favorite bookish moment:

There are so, so many, but I’ve picked my earliest. It’s from The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe when Lucy first hides in the wardrobe and feels her way through the fur coats until she reaches trees and snow, the lamp-post and Mr Tumnus in the land of Narnia. Reading this as a child was when I first understood the amazing adventures that stories can take you on.

Best moment as an author:

As a screenwriter, it has to be the 18 minute standing ovation for The Little Prince when it premiered at Cannes. It was an extraordinary, unforgettable, magical night. As an author, it was hearing the news that a publisher wanted to publish my first novel. I was over the moon.

Last person you hugged:

My husband. We met at university and, a wedding and three children later, we are still together. We just seem to fit. In life and in hugs.

Favorite place in the world:

Skiathos, Greece. Skiathos is a small island, lush with pine trees and olive groves and surrounded with sandy beaches and the brilliant blue waters of the Aegean sea. My mother and my husband are Greek and I’ve been coming here since I was a teenager. It’s my happy place. Whenever I’m feeling glum in grey London, I look at the wallpaper on my phone which is the view from my mum’s house.

THE HAWKWEED LEGACY By Irena Brignull, Hardcover, $18.00, August 15, 2017
Poppy is discovering a purpose for her powers in Africa, but she is haunted by a vision of her own death. Taken in by a boy and his great-grandmother, a healer, they vow to keep her safe-even if that ultimately means holding her captive. But Poppy never stops longing for Leo and, when she feels his magic begin to spark, she will do anything to be reunited with him.

Desperate to regain Poppy's trust and bring her home, Charlock embarks on a plan to reunite Leo with his mother. What Charlock doesn't foresee are the string of consequences that she sets into motion that leave Ember all alone and prey to manipulation, the clan open to attack from other witches, Sorrel vulnerable to Raven's ghost, Betony determined to protect her son from his father's fate, and which leave both Leo and Poppy in terrible danger.

THE HAWKWEED PROPHECY By Irena Brignull, Trade Paperback (All new cover!)

$10.99, August 15, 2017
Poppy Hooper and Ember Hawkweed couldn't lead more different lives. Poppy is a troubled teen: moving from school to school, causing chaos wherever she goes, never making friends or lasting connections. Ember is a young witch, struggling to find a place within her coven and prove her worth. Both are outsiders: feeling like they don't belong and seeking escape.

Poppy and Ember soon become friends, and secretly share knowledge of their two worlds. Little do they know that destiny has brought them together: an ancient prophecy, and a life-changing betrayal. Growing closer, they begin to understand why they've never belonged and the reason they are now forever connected to each other.

Switched at birth by the scheming witch Raven Hawkweed, Poppy and Ember must come to terms with their true identities and fight for their own place in the world. Enter Leo, a homeless boy with a painful past who – befriending them both – tests their love and loyalty. Can Poppy and Ember's friendship survive? And can it withstand the dark forces that are gathering?

Tour Schedule:

8/21: Two Chicks on Books - Q&A

8/22: Wandering Bark Books - Guest Post

8/23: In Wonderland - Review

8/24: A Binding Attraction - Top 10

8/25: Miranda's Book Blog - Guest Post

8/26: Reading Is Better With Cupcakes - Review

8/27: The Irish Banana Review - Fast 5

8/28: books are love - Q&A

8/29: A Backwards Story - Review

8/30: Rants and Raves of a Bibliophile - Top 10

8/31: Live To Read - Review

9/1: Just Commonly - Review

9/2: Quartzfeather - Review

9/3: Lori's Little House of Reviews - Review

9/4: Never Too Many To Read - Bookish Collage

PRAISE FOR THE HAWKWEED PROPHECY:

"Brignull develops story and characters slowly, long, luxurious sentences balancing the magic and the mundane expertly and building the world of the witches by showing how out of place Ember is in it. Tension
builds inexorably to the inevitable witch showdown, which brings small victories but not a happily-ever-after for all. The third-person narration switches focus from character to character as they make frustrating, heart-rending, totally believable choices. Fantasy and nonfantasy readers alike will appreciate this gritty and intriguing coming-of-age story."
—Kirkus Reviews

"Brignull...debuts with an instantly engrossing novel...It's a fantasy with the air of a classic, yet one that's also entirely contemporary in
its tight focus on identity, friendship, and romance. Ages 12-up."—Publishers Weekly *Starred Review*

"Wildly delightful."— Laini Taylor, author of The Daughter of Smoke & Bone trilogy

"Wise, weird, a touch evil and totally charming, Irena Brignull's tale of magic in our time is as rich and complicated as sisterhood. From the first page, I felt drawn into a modern classic."
— Anna Godbersen, author of The Luxe and Bright Young Things series

“Irena Brignull's The Hawkweed Prophecy is a book of wicked, beautiful magic. Compulsively readable and delightfully gritty, one does not mess with these Hawkweed witches.
— Kendare Blake, author of Anna Dressed in Blood and Three Dark Crowns

"I loved this book! Irena has created such beautifully complete world--our world, and nestled within it, a simmering world of magic. The Hawkweed Prophecy has everything: friendship, desire, delicious earthy magic, secrets and spells and at its centre, the wonderful young Poppy, on a journey of self-discovery. I so hope there is more to come!"
— Karen Foxlee, author of Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy and A Most Magical Girl

“The Hawkweed Prophecy was bewitching from the get-go. Irena Brignull does an amazing job weaving a tale of pure magic in this debut novel. She'll have you on a roller coaster of emotions from the very first page. Get ready to be spellbound."
— Paige McKenzie, author of the New York Times bestselling Haunting of Sunshine Girl series

"Brignull's The Hawkweed Prophecy is a deft exploration of friendship, sacrifice and betrayal. I can't decide who I love more, the sweet and trusting Ember or the spunky, dark Poppy. You can't help but cheer for both girls, and ache when they are pitted against one another. I was completely absorbed in the sinister, complicated world of magic and witches. The coven is described so confidently and beautifully, it's hard to emerge from the novel without wondering if these women are operating somewhere just below the surface of our world. Full of romance, heart and suspense, readers will find themselves staying up all night just to spend a little more time with Ember and Poppy."

— Madeleine Roux, author of the New York Times bestseller Asylum

Jun 8, 2017

Makeup Looks: The Refrigerator Monologues

About THE REFRIGERATOR MONOLOGUES:

The Refrigerator Monologues is for anyone who ever got upset at the way women were treated in comic shows, movies or books.

The lives of six female superheroes and the girlfriends of superheroes. A ferocious riff on women in superhero comics

From the New York Times bestselling author Catherynne Valente comes a series of linked stories from the points of view of the wives and girlfriends of superheroes, female heroes, and anyone who’s ever been “refrigerated”: comic book women who are killed, raped, brainwashed, driven mad, disabled, or had their powers taken so that a male superhero’s storyline will progress.

In an entirely new and original superhero universe, Valente subversively explores these ideas and themes in the superhero genre, treating them with the same love, gravity, and humor as her fairy tales. After all, superheroes are our new fairy tales and these six women have their own stories to share.

Amazon | B&N

About Catherynne M. Valente

Catherynne M. Valente was born on Cinco de Mayo, 1979 in Seattle, WA, but grew up in in the wheatgrass paradise of Northern California. She graduated from high school at age 15, going on to UC San Diego and Edinburgh University, receiving her B.A. in Classics with an emphasis in Ancient Greek Linguistics. She then drifted away from her M.A. program and into a long residence in the concrete and camphor wilds of Japan.

She currently lives in Maine with her partner, two dogs, and three cats, having drifted back to America and the mythic frontier of the Midwest.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram

Tour Schedule:

6/6: The Novel Hermit - My Favorite Superheroes

6/7: Avid Reader - Superhero Looks

6/8: The Irish Banana Review - Superhero Makeup

6/9: Little Red's Reviews - Q&A

6/10: Quarzfeather - Review

6/11: Megnificent Books - Q&A

6/12: Don't Fold the Page - Review

Giveaway:

2 Finished Copies of THE REFRIGERATOR MONOLOGUES (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Apr 5, 2017

Makeup Looks: Spindle Fire by Lexa Hillyer

ABOUT SPINDLE FIRE:

Half sisters Isabelle and Aurora are polar opposites: Isabelle is the king's headstrong illegitimate daughter, whose sight was tithed by faeries; Aurora, beautiful and sheltered, was tithed her sense of touch and her voice on the same day. Despite their differences, the sisters have always been extremely close.

And then everything changes, with a single drop of Aurora's blood--and a sleep so deep it cannot be broken.

As the faerie queen and her army of Vultures prepare to march, Isabelle must race to find a prince who can awaken her sister with the kiss of true love and seal their two kingdoms in an alliance against the queen.

Isabelle crosses land and sea; unearthly, thorny vines rise up the palace walls; and whispers of revolt travel in the ashes on the wind. The kingdom falls to ruin under layers of snow. Meanwhile, Aurora wakes up in a strange and enchanted world, where a mysterious hunter may be the secret to her escape . . . or the reason for her to stay.

Spindle Fire is the first book in a lush fantasy duology set in the dwindling, deliciously corrupt world of the fae and featuring two truly unforgettable heroines.

LINKS: Amazon | B&N

ABOUT LEXA HILLYER:

Lexa Hillyer is the co-founder of Paper Lantern Lit, former YA editor, and author of Proof of Forever. Lexa is also an award-winning poet: Her first collection, Acquainted with the Cold, won the Melissa Lanitis Gregory Poetry Prize as well as the 2012 Book of the Year Award from ForeWord Reviews. Her poetry has been anthologized in Best New Poets 2012, and has appeared in several journals. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and their daughter.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Instagram

Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

4/3: Lost In Lit - Bookish Inspirations

4/4: Ex Libris - Review

4/5: The Irish Banana Review - Makeup Inspirations

4/6: Reads All the Books - Review

4/7: In Wonderland - Guest Post

Week 2:

4/10: Book Scents - Review

4/11: The Fake Steph - Q&A

4/12: Swoony Boys Podcast - Review

4/13: The Bookkeeper's Secret - Mood Board

4/14: The Story Sanctuary - Review

Giveaway:

3 Finished Copies of SPINDLE FIRE (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mar 31, 2017

Review: Letters to the Lost by Brigid Kemmerer

Review:
I've been a fan (both personally and professionally) of Brigid Kemmerer's for years. I've long considered her one of those authors who I cannot figure out why the world hasn't caught on to the magic of her awesome. But I feel like LETTERS TO THE LOST is about to change that.

At least I can say I knew Brigid way back when.

LTTL is a heartbreaking tale of grief and hope. It's a rare book that can make me cry, but this one did. Multiple times. Brigid has this ... visceral way of connecting the character to the reader that leaves a lingering, haunting bond long after the last page is turned.

Maybe this is your first Brigid book (if so, you need to read The Elementals series NOW). Maybe you've been a fan since the beginning. Either way, it's safe to say that Brigid Kemmerer just upped the bar for all YA contemporary novels.

ABOUT LETTERS TO THE LOST:

Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.

Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.

When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart.

LINKS: Amazon | B&N | Indiebound

ABOUT BRIGID KEMMERER:

BRIGID KEMMERER is author of LETTERS TO THE LOST (Bloomsbury; April 4, 2017), a dark, contemporary Young Adult romance; THICKER THAN WATER (Kensington, December 29, 2015), a New Adult paranormal mystery with elements of romance; and the YALSA-nominated Elemental series of five Young Adult novels and three e-novellas which Kirkus Reviews calls “refreshingly human paranormal romance” and School Library Journal describes as “a new take on the supernatural genre.” She lives in the Baltimore area with her husband and four sons.

LINKS: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram

Tour Schedule:

Week 1:

3/27: Reading Teen - Review

3/28: Teen Lit Rocks - You've Got Mail Feature

3/29: Love Is Not a Triangle - Review

3/30: Lost In Lit - Bookish Inspirations

3/31: The Irish Banana Review - Review

Week 2:

4/3: Addicted 2 Novels - Guest Post

4/4: Alexa Loves Books - Review

4/5: Novel Novice - Top 10

4/6: Bookhounds YA - Review

4/7: Pure Imagination - Review

Giveaway:

3 Finished Copies of LETTERS TO THE LOST (US Only)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mar 21, 2017

Fast 5 with Gena Showalter

Hi, all! I'm so excited to welcome Gena Showalter, whose new book, LIFEBLOOD, is already a NYT bestselling success! Gena's here to answer a few quick questions and make sure you check out the giveaway!

1. Last book you read:

GS: I’ve been working so much, the last handful of books I read...I hate admitting this because I'm usually a devoted reader...were all my own. Can’t Hardly Breathe (the copy edit), Can’t Let Go (finished the rough draft) Lifeblood (last round of edits), and The Darkest Promise (checking for typos—fingers crossed I got ‘em all).

2. Last thing that made you cry:

GS: An onion—the bastard!

3. Last trip you took:

GS: I went to New Orleans with my bestie (and fellow author) Jill Monroe to celebrate the release of Feversong by the amazing Karen Marie Moning. Darynda Jones and Diana Love were there and oh, my gosh, what awesome ladies! In true Showalter fashion, however, I never left the hotel. If I wasn’t attending a conference panel, I was in my room, working on a contemporary romance titled Can't Let Go (part of my Original Heartbreakers series). Deadlines, man. They tend to follow you LOL

4. Favorite quote:

GS: I have this on my wall as a constant reminder that no matter how bad things get, I’m going to come out on top. It’s my anthem, and the reason I can make it through a single day. “Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.” Isaiah 43:1-2.

5. Best moment as an author:

GS: Nothing beats finding out (1) you’re going to be published for the first time (2) you’ve hit the New York Times for the first time and (3) you’ve sold the movie rights to one of your books. Okay, that’s not true. When a movie is actually made—that’ll be better.

Synopsis:

"My Firstlife is over, but my Everlife is only now beginning."
With her last living breath, Tenley "Ten" Lockwood made her choice and picked her realm in the Everlife. Now, as the war between Troika and Myriad rages, she must face the consequences.
Because Ten possesses a rare supernatural ability to absorb and share light, the Powers That Be have the highest expectations for her future—and the enemy wants her neutralized. Fighting to save her Secondlife, she must learn about her realm from the ground up while launching her first mission: convincing a select group of humans to join her side before they die. No pressure, right?
But Ten's competition is Killian, the boy she can't forget—the one who gave up everything for her happiness. He has only one shot at redemption: beating Ten at a game she's never even played. As their throw-downs heat up, so do their undeniable feelings, and soon, Ten will have to make another choice. Love…or victory.

Author Bio: Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of the Intertwined Novels, the White Rabbit Chronicles, and the Everlife Novels, among numerous novels for an adult audience as well. Her stories have been praised as “unputdownable.” Gena lives in Oklahoma with her family and a menagerie of dogs. Follow her on twitter @genashowalter and visit her website at genashowalter.com.