Feb 5, 2016

The Winner's Kiss: Favorite Literary Kiss



I honor of the final book in the Winner's trilogy next month, THE WINNER'S KISS, the awesome peeps at Fierce Reads asked me to share my favorite literary kissing. And trust me, I loves me some book kissing. 

What book is your favorite literary kiss in?
THE D.U.F.F. by Kody Keplinger



Who is kissing?
Wes and Bianca

Why is it your favorite?
These two have a great many kisses, but their banter and love-hate (that totally turns to more love than hate) relationship is one of the most passionate and combustive pairings in YA. Seriously - every kiss scorches the pages.



What kiss do you hope will occur in Marie Rutkoski's The Winner's Kiss?
Is this really even a question?! Obviously Arin and Kestrel. Lots of kissing. Those two have cornered the market on romantic tension.



The Winner's Kiss
by Marie Rutkoski
On Sale March 29th, 2016
War has begun. Arin is in the thick of it with untrustworthy new allies and the empire as his enemy. Though he has convinced himself that he no longer loves Kestrel, Arin hasn’t forgotten her, or how she became exactly the kind of person he has always despised. She cared more for the empire than she did for the lives of innocent people—and certainly more than she did for him.
At least, that’s what he thinks.
In the frozen north, Kestrel is a prisoner in a brutal work camp. As she searches desperately for a way to escape, she wishes Arin could know what she sacrificed for him. She wishes she could make the empire pay for what they’ve done to her.
But no one gets what they want just by wishing.
As the war intensifies, both Kestrel and Arin discover that the world is changing. The East is pitted against the West, and they are caught in between. With so much to lose, can anybody really win?

Marie Rutkoski is the author of The Kronos Chronicles, including The Cabinet of Wonders and The Celestial Globe. The Cabinet of Wonders, her debut novel, was named an Indie Next Kids’ List Great Read and a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year, among other honors. Rutkoski grew up in Bolingbrook, Illinois (a suburb of Chicago), as the oldest of four children. She attended the University of Iowa, where she took Writers’ Workshop classes and studied with Pulitzer Prize-winner James Alan McPherson. After graduating, she lived in Moscow and Prague. Upon receiving her Ph.D. from Harvard University, she held dual appointments as a lecturer there in both English and American Literature and Language, and History and Literature. Rutkoski is currently a professor at Brooklyn College, where she teaches Renaissance Drama, children’s literature and creative writing. She lives in New York City with her husband and cat. 

Feb 2, 2016

Blog Tour: Revenge & The Wild by Michelle Modesto


AHH!!! I am so excited to welcome Michelle Modesto to the blog today because REVENGE AND THE WILD is one of my favorite books I read last year - seriously, this book is like nothing else out there and is amazing!

Thanks, Michelle, for stopping by to chat about the book today! Let's get to it:


1. REVENGE AND THE WILD is quite possibly one of the most original books I have ever read – can you talk about what inspired you to write it?

I loved reading weird westerns as a teen—especially the Jonah Hex comics. Some of my favorite authors tackled the subgenre brilliantly. When I started writing for teens I knew I wanted to eventually write one set where I live in Northern California. It wasn’t until I was passing through the nearby town of Truckee—where the Donner Party was stranded—that all the ideas for the book came together.


2. How much research went into writing REVENGE AND THE WILD?

It’s mostly fantasy so I just added things I thought would be fun. The majority of my research went into the lay of the land and learning more about the Wintu. 

3. Talk about your experience about becoming a published author


I think the majority of the excitement on the road to publication, for me, was getting an agent, when all that hard work started to feel like it was paying off. Little did I know that “all that hard work” was nothing compared to what was to come after the book deal, when I was forced to dig deep into my creativity pool and come up with new scenes on the fly with a deadline attached. Things felt slightly more like work after that. From deal to publication seemed like such a long time at first but I was so preoccupied with edits and writing my next book that suddenly it’s two weeks away and I don’t feel prepared at all. It’s terrifying, really. 

Thanks, again!


About the Book:
Title: REVENGE AND THE WILD
Author: Michelle Modesto
Release Date: February 2, 2016
Pages: 384
Publisher: Balzer+Bray
Formats: Hardcover, eBook

The two-bit town of Rogue City is a lawless place, full of dark magic and saloon brawls, monsters and six-shooters. But it’s perfect for seventeen-year-old Westie, the notorious adopted daughter of local inventor Nigel Butler.

Westie was only a child when she lost her arm and her family to cannibals on the wagon trail. Nine years later, Westie may seem fearsome with her foul-mouthed tough exterior and the powerful mechanical arm built for her by Nigel, but the memory of her past still haunts her. She’s determined to make the killers pay for their crimes—and there’s nothing to stop her except her own reckless ways.

But Westie’s search ceases when a wealthy family comes to town looking to invest in Nigel’s latest invention, a machine that can harvest magic from gold—which Rogue City desperately needs as the magic wards that surround the city start to fail. There’s only one problem: the investors look exactly like the family who murdered Westie’s kin. With the help of Nigel’s handsome but scarred young assistant, Alistair, Westie sets out to prove their guilt. But if she’s not careful, her desire for revenge could cost her the family she has now.

This thrilling novel is a remarkable tale of danger and discovery, from debut author Michelle Modesto. 

About Michelle:
Michelle Modesto is a writer, hockey fanatic, lover of most art forms, terrible cook and her social skills aren't that great either. Her debut YA novel, REVENGE AND THE WILD comes out from Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins, early 2016. She lives in Northern California in a double-wide mobile asylum with two mastiffs who don't listen to her and two teenagers who also don't listen to her.
Michelle Modesto is represented by John Cusick at The Greenhouse Literary Agency.


Giveaway Details:
10 winners will receive a finished copy of REVENGE AND THE WILD, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:
1/25/2016- IceyBooks- Interview
1/26/2016- Book Briefs- Review
1/27/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
1/28/2016- Novel Novice- Review
1/29/2016- Good Choice Reading- Interview


Week Two:
2/1/2016- Brooke-Reports- Review
2/2/2016- The Irish Banana Review- Guest Post
2/3/2016- Bookish Lifestyle- Review + Interview
2/4/2016- Supernatural Snark- Interview

2/5/2016- Ex Libris- Review

Feb 1, 2016

Harper Summer 2016 Tour Update - Meet the Authors!



I am beyond excited that this week launches the Harper Summer 2016 Tour where we will be spotlighting 50 new Harper Teen books from their summer 2016 catalog! There will be even more giveaways than the winter tour, more chances to win, and more books.


But with all these books, we thought it might be fun for you all to meet some of the authors, and so, we decided to have 2 Facebook chats this time around.


The first chat will take place Feb. 16, 2016 @ 8 PM EST.


You will have the chance to chat with Susane Colasanti, Michelle Zink, Leah Konen & Chris Howard! We will have prizes and fun and snacks (well, you gotta bring your own snacks, but you can totally have snacks if you want)!




And be sure to check out our Facebook page for more giveaways! Feel free to post on there what book(s) you're excited for this summer ... maybe a magical ARC fairy will grant your wish. ;-)


About the participating authors:


Susane Colasanti:

Susane Colasanti is the bestselling author of When It Happens, Take Me There, Waiting for You, Something Like Fate, So Much Closer, Keep Holding On, All I Need, Now and Forever, and the City Love trilogy. She has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree from New York University. Before becoming a full-time author in 2007, Susane was a high school science teacher for ten years. She lives in New York City. 

You can connect with Susane on her blog, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr, and Instagram.


Michelle Zink: 


Michelle Zink is the award-winning author of over seven novels. She lives in New York with too many teenagers and too many cats. She is known for her gothic fantasy series, Prophecy of the Sisters and A Temptation of Angels.[1] Prophecy of the Sisters was named both to Booklist's Top 10 First Novels for Youth and the Autumn 2009 Indie Next List.



Leah Konen:

Leah Konen grew up in a two-stoplight farming town in Washington State before moving to suburban North Carolina, where there were many more stoplights and lots of sweet tea. After studying journalism at the University of North Carolina, she headed to New York City to pursue her dream of becoming a writer. When she’s not working on novels and articles or writing for fashion brands, she enjoys devouring new books, spoiling her dog, Farley, biking around Brooklyn, checking out live music, and binge-watching TV. Find her online at www.leahkonen.com.

Chris Howard:


I'm the author of ROOTLESS (Scholastic), as well as the follow-up THE RIFT which isOUT NOW. The third book, THE RECKONING, will be out in early 2016 and then... NIGHT SPEED is out MAY 3rd, 2016, from Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins. I'm excited!! 
I live in Denver, but grew up not far from London. I studied natural resources in college, then spent seven years leading wilderness trips for high school students. I like to write more than anything else I've ever done, though reading is right up there, too.




And because why not kick this off with a giveaway, enter here to win a preorder or backlist title of one of the authors featured in this chat - Open INT if the Book Depository ships to you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


*Don't forget to invite your friends!*

Jan 29, 2016

Reign of Shadows: Night Scapes



Welcome to my stop for the REIGN OF SHADOWS Tour!!!! I absolutely adored this book and I am so excited to share with you some Nightscape images I found that I think represent the book.








ABOUT REIGN OF SHADOWS:
Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

With lush writing and a star–crossed romance, Reign of Shadowsis Sophie Jordan at her best.



ABOUT SOPHIE JORDAN:
Sophie Jordan took her adolescent daydreaming one step further and penned her first historical romance in the back of her high school Spanish class. This passion led her to pursue a degree in English and History.

A brief stint in law school taught her that case law was not nearly as interesting as literature - teaching English seemed the natural recourse. After several years teaching high school students to love Antigone, Sophie resigned with the birth of her first child and decided it was time to pursue the long-held dream of writing.

In less than three years, her first book, Once Upon A Wedding Night, a 2006 Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Nominee for Best First Historical, hit book shelves. Her second novel, Too Wicked To Tame, released in March 2007 with a bang, landing on the USA Today Bestseller's List.



Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of REIGN OF SHADOWS
US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Schedule:

Sophie's Tour Schedule:
  • St. Louis, MO
  • February 9, 2016
  • Main Street Books, off-site at Spencer Road Library, 7 PM
  • Naperville, IL
  • February 10, 2016
  • Anderson’s Bookshop, 7 PM
  • Washington, D.C.
  • February 11, 2016
  • Politics & Prose, off-site at the Bethesda Library, 7 PM
  • Fairfax, VA
  • February 12, 2016
  • Barnes & Noble, 7 PM
  • Bensalem, PA
  • February 13, 2016
  • Barnes & Noble, 1 PM
  • New York City
  • February 14, 2016
  • Books of Wonder, 4 PM
  • *Billed as “Epic Reads Presents: A Date with Royalty”

Jan 21, 2016

The 100 Blog Tour: Makeup Inspirations

 

Happy 100 Day, everyone!!! Thanks for stopping by today to chat about The 100 (don't forget season 3 premieres TONIGHT!). While we wait, check out some 100-themed makeup trends!

The 100 Inspired Makeup

ABOUT THE 100:
New York Times bestseller The 100--now available in a paperback boxed set!

For centuries after a nuclear war destroyed the Earth, the human race has lived on spaceships far above the radioactive surface. Now, for one hundred juvenile delinquents, it's time to return home. Their mission: recolonize the savage land. The future of humanity rests in their hands.

Read the series that inspired the hit TV show. The 100, Day 21,and Homecoming are gathered together for the first time in this striking boxed set, perfect for fans and series newcomers alike.



LINKS: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N


ABOUT KASS MORGAN:
Kass Morgan studied literature at Brown and Oxford, and now resides in Brooklyn, where she lives in constant fear of her Ikea bookcase collapsing and burying her under a mound of science fiction and Victorian novels. Kass is currently working on the sequel to The 100, which she’ll finish as soon as she finds a coffee shop that allows laptops on the weekend.

LINKS: Website | Twitter

Giveaway:
3 Boxed Sets of THE 100 by Kass Morgan
-US/Canada Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Schedule:

Week 1:
1/18: Once Upon A Twilight - Q&A w/Kass Morgan
1/19: Don't Fold The Page - Review (The 100)
1/20: No BS Book Review - Getting' GIFy With It!
1/21: The Irish Banana Review - The 100 Inspired Makeup
1/22: Paperback Princess - Review (Day 21)


Week 2:
1/25: Swoony Boys Podcast - Interview w/Clarke & Bellamy
1/26: BooksABlog - If I Were Part of The 100
1/27: Fangirl Confessions - Review (Homecoming)
1/28: Reading Teen - Why Bellarke Are the OTP
1/29: Bookiemoji - Kass Morgan Guest Post

Jan 19, 2016

Blog Tour: The Impostor Queen by Sarah Fine





World building of THE IMPOSTOR QUEEN
 
One of the pleasures of writing fantasy is that you can be as far out as you like, invent entirely new worlds, fresh rules, odd societies, unfamiliar customs, and so on. The Impostor Queen includes all that stuff, but I chose to connect it to a very real place.

The northernmost point in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula is the Keweenaw Peninsula. If you know the place, you will find the map of Kupari in The Impostor Queen to be quite familiar. Part of the peninsula is actually referred to by some as Copper Island—or “Kuparisaari”—in Finnish. Copper mining was the primary industry in that area for a time, and immigrants from Finland were a large part of the population.

When I create a world, I feel no real obligation to stick to facts and history (that’s why it’s called “fantasy”), but I like using them as prompts or jumping-off points, and Keweenaw was exactly that for me. I used Finnish language and mythology as inspiration, as well as the general climate and geology of the Upper Peninsula, and then I just made a bunch of stuff up. That’s my (crazy, wonderful, can’t believe I get to do this as a real) job as an author. But the actual place provided the rich soil from which so many of my ideas grew, including the notion that the copper in the land might have something important to do with why only the Kupari people possess ice and fire magic, and why pulling it from the ground might impact more than just the environment.

I think grounding a fantasy in the familiar or real can sometimes help us as readers connect to a world while still allowing it to be strange and fresh in our imaginations. It gives us a scaffolding from which to hang all the fantastical ornaments we discover throughout the story. I hope that the wintery world of the Kupari feels that way: new, yet reachable, and a place easy to fall into and difficult to leave behind. Now that The Impostor Queen is out in the wild, we’ll find out if it worked!
ABOUT THE IMPOSTOR QUEEN:
Sixteen-year-old Elli was a small child when the Elders of Kupari chose her to succeed the Valtia, the queen who wields infinitely powerful ice and fire magic. Since then, Elli has lived in the temple, surrounded by luxury and tutored by magical priests, as she prepares for the day when the Valtia perishes and the magic finds a new home in her. Elli is destined to be the most powerful Valtia to ever rule.

But when the queen dies defending the kingdom from invading warriors, the magic doesn’t enter Elli. It’s nowhere to be found.

Disgraced, Elli flees to the outlands, the home of banished criminals—some who would love to see the temple burn with all its priests inside. As she finds her footing in this new world, Elli uncovers devastating new information about the Kupari magic, those who wield it, and the prophecy that foretold her destiny. Torn between the love she has for her people and her growing loyalty to the banished, Elli struggles to understand the true role she was meant to play. But as war looms, she must align with the right side—before the kingdom and its magic are completely destroyed.




ABOUT SARAH FINE:

I’m the author of several books for teens, including Of Metal and Wishes(McElderry/Simon & Schuster) and its sequel, Of Dreams and Rust, the Guards of the Shadowlands YA urban fantasy series (Skyscape/Amazon Children’s Publishing), and The Impostor Queen (McElderry, January 2016).
I’m also the co-author (with Walter Jury) of two YA sci-fi thrillers published by Putnam/Penguin: Scanand its sequel Burn. My first adult urban fantasy romance series, Servants of Fate, includes Marked,Claimed, and Fated, all published by 47North in 2015, and my second adult UF series — The Reliquary, kicks off in summer 2016. When I’m not writing, I’m psychologizing. Sometimes I do both at the same time. The results are unpredictable.


Giveaway:
3 Finished Copies of THE IMPOSTOR QUEEN 
(US Only)


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Tour Schedule: