As I'm now SUPER busy with my latest venture - a 40+ style & lifestyle blog - I've decided to stop blogging here for the time being, so please do come and visit me over on the new blog, where you'll find everything for the fun-loving stylish woman approaching, and over 40!
I'm still blogging about books at Fiction Dreams and I'm still writing (albeit slowly) as this new and exciting venture is taking up so much of my time. Once it's well established, I'm planning to split my time evenly between the two.
For now though, the only things on my mind are style, photography, fashion, beauty, travel, etc! But I'm having so much fun learning the tricks of the trade, how to take beautiful photos and I'm discovering many new things about myself. I've also been signed up to a local model agency, which promises to be fun.
So if you're interested in lifestyle, please come and check it out. I'd love it if you'd consider following me on Bloglovin or signing up to my monthly newsletter (you'll get access to a free copy of Forever Fredless if you do this!). You can also sign up to receive posts directly to your inbox too. Just pop over to www.suzyturner.com and put your email address in the right hand column where it says subscribe to blog posts.
Here are links to a few of my favourite posts:
Release Date: 9/22 Alec is a seventeen-year-old who has endured more in life than anyone should have to. Seeing his neighbor and ex-bestfriend, Skylar, struggle after a tragic loss, Alec makes it his mission to show her that life is worth living. Little does he know that he will learn that same lesson.
The Ark by Laura Liddell Nolen
Published by: HarperVoyager
Publication date: March 26th 2015
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
There’s a meteor headed for Earth, and there is only one way to survive.
With her criminal record, sixteen-year-old Char is never going to get a place on an Ark, one of the five massive bioships designed to protect Earth’s survivors. The Arks are reserved for the real goody-goodies, like Char’s mom, dad, and brother, all of whom have long since turned their backs on her.
With Earth on the brink of destruction, Char must use all her tricks of the trade to swindle her way into outer space, where she hopes to reunite with her family, regardless of whether they want to see her or not.
Once she arrives on the North American Ark, Char discovers that the remnants of humanity haven’t achieved the egalitarian utopia they’d planned for. For starters, the “Officers of the Peace” are anything but peaceful, especially since stealing a spot on an Ark is a crime punishable by death… Goodreads Amazon B&N
Suzy: I love the premise of your book, can you tell us more about the story that inspired it?
Laura: I’m not sure I can put a finger on exactly why I needed to write a story about the end of Earth. I wanted the story to be reminiscent of an old-school space adventure, but told through the eyes of a young girl struggling for survival. I wanted her to be resourceful but not particularly wise yet, and to have a strong desire for redemption without fully understanding what that might involve. I wanted to explore the breaking down of polite society during a big catastrophe. So an end-of-the-world scenario seemed like a good fit! In the end, The Ark turned out to be about a girl who can’t seem to get it right. Sixteen-year-old Charlotte Turner has been behind bars, off and on, since she was twelve. Even before that, she felt trapped– hemmed in at every angle by her parents’ relentless drive toward status and achievement. But at least in juvy, people seem to get her. They call her by her chosen name, Char, and they even pronounce it correctly: with a hard ch, as in charred. Something that got burned. But when The Ark begins, Char really is trapped. She’s stuck in prison, and there’s a meteor headed straight for earth. Because of the date of her latest conviction, she’s ineligible for a spot on an Ark. The most she can hope for is to apologize to her family, all of whom have been awarded salvation. She doesn’t know whether they’ll stop by the prison before they leave, but if they do, she hopes not to botch her final chance to make things right before she dies. The idea is that the closer she gets to redemption, the more of an outlaw she becomes. In the end, it’s about Char’s journey toward knowing herself, and humanity’s endless quest for survival and peace.
Laura grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where she spent an excellent childhood playing make-believe with her two younger brothers. The Ark is the direct result of those stories and a lifelong devotion to space-themed television. It received a Work in Progress Grant from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Laura has a degree in French and a license to practice law, but both are frozen in carbonite at present. She lives in Texas with her family. Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads
True by Laney McMann
(Fire Born #3)
Publication date: September 2015
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
Nothing in Layla and Max’s world will ever be the same.
Since Max left, and joined his father in the Shadow Realm, everything in Layla’s life has changed. The Demon Gods threaten to destroy the Otherworld, and an inconceivable darkness has awakened—a darkness that wants control of Layla’s will. It also wants Max … dead. Not only must Layla face the true fire simmering inside her, but fight the one she loves most.
And this time, with her friends and family left behind, she’s completely on her own.
Leaving Layla nearly destroyed Max, but it was his only choice. Now, he must play the part—stay in control of his end goal, his actions, and the poison coursing through his veins, clouding his thoughts, and turning him into what he fears most, a Demon God. But even with his Oghams fighting the toxins, his control is slipping. Living in the Fomore castle with his Vampyre Fae ex-girlfriend isn’t making it any easier to stay sane, and waiting to face off against Layla is taking its toll.
In the final installment of the Fire Born Novels trilogy, the legendary Battle will be fought, and Layla and Max stand to lose everything. How far will they go to save each other and protect the ones they love? Even they don’t know the answer.
No one can win.
From the ashes of old,
They shall rise.
The last of the Ancients,
Foe and Ally.
The Legend lies in wait,
And bides its time.
Until at last the day comes,
For the children born of fire.
I write young adult dark urban fantasy mixed with a spike of paranormal romance, a touch of history, and a dash of mythology. I'm a dreamer, an over thinker, and a myths and legends believer. Nothing moves me more than writing fantastical stories. And reading them.
I am the author of:
The Fire Born Novels, TIED, TORN & TRUE
The Primordial Principles, CRYSTALLUM, book 1, releases in the Fall of 2015
ASTRAL (An Asylum Short Story) which also releases in the Fall of 2015. Website Facebook Goodreads Twitter Weebly website
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
2 winners:
The complete series in print
The complete series in eBook a Rafflecopter giveaway
We've got a fabulous end of summer sale for you from today until the 11th September. All of these books are either Free or 0.99!! So what are you waiting for? Go grab a copy now!
Legends by Doug Solter
(Skid #3)
Publication date: September 2nd 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Looking for an exciting young adult read about a kick-butt girl that doesn’t revolve around high school?
Meet Samantha. She drove the car that killed her dad. Now racked with guilt, the 18-year-old-girl racer dedicates her life to becoming what her dad always planned her to be…a racing champion. Now demoted to number three driver, Samantha feels alienated from her friends on the crew and Manny. And the worst part of it is…she knows it was all her fault.
Determined to make amends and save her Formula One career, Samantha re-commits herself to winning the championship. But how? How can she convince her boss to give back her car? How can she convince the crew that she’s changed? And how can she win eight consecutive races against the best drivers in the world? That’s what it will take for her to have a shot at the world championship.
Manny doesn’t like to create waves. His uncle owns the racing team, but the crew teases the boy like one of their own. But that’s okay. Manny dreams of designing his own race cars and he thought his girlfriend Samantha would race them. But she tossed him to the side when the self-absorbed racing star took over from the small-town girl from Oklahoma that he fell in love with.
Samantha needs an edge. She needs that revolutionary new transmission Manny designed that made her car so nimble and fast. But Manny hates her. She neglected him so bad that he broke up with her. Why would the boy help her? Especially when Manny’s ex-girlfriend is making her move to take Samantha’s place.
The world now thinks Samantha Sutton is a joke. Solid proof that girls don’t belong in a race car.
She doesn’t have a choice. Samantha must prove the world wrong. Goodreads
(Skid (book 1) is free and Rivals (book 2) is only 0.99 this month so readers can get caught up with the series!) Amazon
Growing up in Oklahoma, Doug Solter began writing screenplays in 1998 and became a 2001 semi-finalist in the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences' Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting. He made the switch to writing young adult novels in 2008. His first novel, the Formula One racing romance SKID, was honored as a young adult semi-finalist in the 2013 Best Kindle Book Awards. His paranormal werewolf romance MY GIRLFRIEND BITES was honored in the same category in 2014. Doug is also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. He respects cats, loves the mountains, and one time walked the streets of Barcelona with a smile on his face. Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
One signed paperback copy of Legends,
One paperback copy of the first two books in the series,
One T-shirt and one hat from the main character's fictional racing team.
One book cover jigsaw puzzle
Escape From the Past: The Duke's Wrath (YA Historical)
When fifteen-year-old nerd and gamer Max Anderson thinks he's sneaking a preview of an unpublished video game, he doesn't realize that 1) He's been chosen as a beta, an experimental test player. 2) He’s playing the ultimate history game, transporting him into the actual past: anywhere and anytime. And 3) Survival is optional: to return home he must decipher the game's rules and complete its missions—if he lives long enough. To fail means to stay in the past—forever. Now Max is trapped in medieval Germany, unprepared and clueless. It is 1471 and he quickly learns that being an outcast may cost him his head. Especially after rescuing a beautiful peasant girl from a deadly infection and thus provoking sinister wannabe Duke Ott. Overnight he is dragged into a hornets' nest of feuding lords who will stop at nothing to bring down the conjuring stranger in their midst.
Praise for the Book
"Fast-paced compelling YA debut."
Giselle Green, #1 bestselling author of A Sister's Gift"
"A wonderfully crafted romp to the time of lords, ladies, and knights."
Lee Ann Ward, author and former Senior Editor of Champagne Books
"Escape from the Past is chock-full of the tiny details that make a story feel realistic and immersive, from the leather ribbons used to fasten shoes to the slimy gruel that formed the bulk of the peasants' diet....those who love historical fiction or medieval fantasy will certainly enjoy Escape from the Past."
Mike Mullin, author of the Ashfall trilogy
Excerpt
Chapter 1
It was exactly 9:32 p.m. when I settled into my favorite chair, the one with the ripped Mexican blanket that serves as a cushion. Little did I know I’d be gone within the hour. I mean gone as in disappeared. Powering up my high-speed Cyber Xtreme and 32-inch monitor, a guilt gift from my dad and the only valuable thing I own, I stared at the blank disc in my hand. According to my friend, Jimmy, it contained some secret new game his father had invented. Jimmy said his dad thought the game was faulty and I wondered why his dad would have given it to him. Most people consider Jimmy the lucky one. He lives in a mansion because his father runs some ginormous tech company. My mom and me share space with a thousand spiders in a two-bedroom cottage with a thatched roof. Who in the twenty-first century lives in a house covered with a bunch of straw? Anyway, I digress. The tower purred as it swallowed the disc, the best sound in the world. It took a long time to boot which should’ve given me the first clue something was wrong. If there’s one thing that drives me crazy it’s slow processors and I knew it wasn’t my equipment. I’ve been gaming since I was six and consider myself pretty good. Especially when it comes to debugging stuff. I was stoked to figure it out, maybe make a few bucks in the process. I’m still American enough to think of dollars instead of Euros because we’ve only lived in Germany for two years. I was scrounging for a candy bar in my desk when a flame shot across the screen, burning yellow, red and blue. Not that I smoke, but it looked real enough to light a cigarette. In slow motion the fire edged letters into the screen. EarthRider. Cool name. Of course I didn’t get it then. Stupid me. Below the fire appeared a globe, the kind librarians have on their desks. The thing rotated slowly, zooming closer and closer like Google Earth. Jimmy was right, this was the coolest thing I’d ever seen, the graphics as realistic as if I’d been standing there. Bornhagen, the place we live, was marked with a front door. Enter here flashed below. I was pretty fed up waiting, my fingers twitching to hit the keys. First it took ages to load, then it showed a map? But I didn’t have much else to do except review a few algebra problems— unlike Jimmy I’ve got no trouble with math—so I clicked. On the screen giant boulders shaped themselves into a gate, opening onto a bunch of hills and a shadowy forest. In the distance, high on the mountain, I saw a castle with two towers, a pale banner fluttering limply on top. It looked vaguely familiar, but at the time I didn’t really think much about it. An ox cart moved slowly across a country road toward the castle. I sniffed. Something reeked like boiled manure. I looked around to find the source when I noticed a man on the screen scurrying along a bumpy trail. He wheezed, dragging his bare feet. He was obviously injured, the filthy rags on his right shoulder dark with blood. The screen zoomed to follow as the man darted into the woods. Giant oaks swallowed the sun, a patchwork of shadows and light in the undergrowth. At the time I remember thinking how lame this game was despite the graphics—no dragons, no monsters, nothing exciting whatsoever. Besides, I was slightly worried my mom would come in. The whiskey she likes usually puts her to sleep on the couch, but you never know. Luckily, most of the time, she doesn’t know when I pull an all-nighter. Horse gallop thudded out of nowhere. Visibly trembling the grimy-looking man hesitated for a moment before thrashing his way through bushes and undergrowth. At the edge of the forest three riders in chainmail and helmets came into view, their chestnut horses whinnying and covered in sweat. The clang of metal sliced the air as the men drew swords. At that moment my cell rang.
Annette Oppenlander writes historical fiction for teens. Whenshe isn’t in front of her computer, she loves indulging her dog, Mocha, and traveling around the U.S. and Europe to discover amazing histories.
“Nearly every place holds some kind of secret, something that makes history come alive. When we scrutinize people and places closely, history is no longer a number, it turns into a story.”
$25 Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon eGift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 9/25/15
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com eGift Card or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author.
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Rival Dreams by Natalie Decker
(Rival Love #3)
Published by: Swoon Romance
Publication date: September 1st 2015
Genres: Romance, Young Adult
Skylar Fletcher and Caleb Morgan have been together for almost two years. On the surface, everything is great. Skylar is kicking major butt in swimming and has been offered the captain spot. Caleb is the top quarterback in the league. And even though their schedules can be a little hectic at times, they’ve always seem to make time for one another.
But once Caleb is approached by the NFL, his behavior turns odd. He flakes out on appointments to check out apartments and doesn’t call her on the nights when they’re apart.
Pro football has been Caleb’s dream since forever. But what kind of idiot asks a girl to drop everything so he can follow his dream?
RIVAL DREAMS is the dramatic and heartwarming conclusion to Natalie Decker’s RIVAL LOVE series. Goodreads Amazon B&N
Can you tell us a little about your latest book?
This is the third book in the series. We continue to follow Caleb and Skylar into their college years. Skylar Fletcher and Caleb Morgan have been together for almost two years. On the surface, everything is great. Skylar is kicking major butt in swimming and has been offered the captain spot. Caleb is the top quarterback in the league. And even though their schedules can be a little hectic at times, they’ve always seem to make time for one another.
But once Caleb is approached by the NFL, his behavior turns odd. He flakes out on appointments to check out apartments and doesn’t call her on the nights when they’re apart.
Pro football has been Caleb’s dream since forever. But what kind of idiot asks a girl to drop everything so he can follow his dream?
What inspired you to write it?
This particular series came from an article I read about a rival teams making fun or bullying each other. This made me think about my high school and the crap we did when we were playing our rival teams. And it branched off from there.
How did you come up with the idea for the cover?
I didn’t come up with the cover, my wonderful publisher and her cover designing team came up with these awesome covers J
If it was made into a movie, who would you like to play the main characters?
Oh wow, um … Zac Efron for Caleb, Lily Collins for Skylar, Jake Abel for Lance, and Alexandra Daddario for Kayla. Is it part of a series or is it a stand-alone novel?
This is the last book in the series.
Where is the novel set and why did you choose to set it there?
This would be at Duke University in NC. I just like Duke. That’s the college I chose for them to go to when writing the series.
What is it about this genre that appeals to you so much?
I love reading YA, NA because I love that first love or messy relationship stuff before Adult things start happening, Bills, Work, Families, Kids. That’s probably why I like writing it so much.
What made you want to become an author?
Well … I could say it was a dream of mine always, but that would be a lie. I’m a math major. WHAT? I know I know. But you have to take required courses and in my English 1 and 2 classes we mostly wrote short stories. I love stories. I fell in love with coming up with different plots and endings and it took off from there. So when I became pregnant with my child, on maternity leave, I read a lot of books. An idea popped into my head one afternoon and it wouldn’t leave, not during naptime (had a lot of those) or cleaning, cooking. Nope it stayed with me the whole day, so I sat at my computer and typed. Have been doing it ever since then.
How do you come up with character names?
Baby Name Book. Had one when naming my own children and use it for all my characters. As for last names … Year book. I flip to a page, close my eyes and run my finger up and down the names while counting to ten. Whatever I stop on that’s the last name. Then I go to my baby book and start looking through the first names. Whatever sounds good together is what sticks.
Do you struggle to come up with book titles? Do they come before, during or after you've written your book?
I don’t struggle with book titles too much. They usually come pretty easy. When I save the book I come up with the title, so in the beginning but after I started the first chapter.
Name one of your all-time favourite books?
I have two: Flipped by Wendelin Van Draanen and Dark of the Moon by Rachel Hawthorne
Who, or what, inspires you?
My family, fans, and readers they all inspire me to write. Every story I write is for them.
Where is your favourite place to write?
I usually write in my living room or my bedroom with my cow print throw-blanket.
What is your favourite movie that was based on a book?
Harry Potter. Really did love all the books and films.
Name two of your favourite authors.
Jane Austen and JK Rowling
Tell us a random fact about yourself.
I hate snakes and clowns biggest fears of my life.
Who would play you in the movie about your life?
My life movie probably Mila Kunis because we’re the same age, height, hair color and she’s funny.
Tell us an interesting fact about where you live.
There is a free books mailbox down the road.
What are your (writing) plans for the future?
I finished up book #1 of a new series: Scandalous Boys. The book is called Bryce. I’m currently working on book #2 in that series called Graham. Totally can’t wait to share this series with all my fans and readers. Tell us one thing that's on your bucket list.
Totally I want to stay in the hotel that’s underwater one time.
Favourite myth / fairytale?
My FAV Fairytale would have to be Beauty and the Beast.
Who/What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I wanted to be a vet as a kid, that changed as soon as I found out you might actually have to help someone’s Pet Snake, um no thanks.
Natalie Decker is the author of RIVAL LOVE series. She loves oceans, sunsets, sand between her toes, and carefree days. Her imagination is always going, which some find odd. But she believes in seeing the world in a different light at all times. Her first passion for writing started at age twelve when she had to write a poem for English class. However, seventh grade wasn’t her favorite time and books were her source of comfort. She took all college prep classes in High school, and attended the University of Akron. Although she studied Mathematics she never lost her passion for writing or her comfort in books. She’s a mean cook in the kitchen, loves her family and friends and her awesome dog infinity times infinity. If she’s not writing, reading, traveling, hanging out with her family and friends, then she’s off having an adventure. Because Natalie believes in a saying: Your life is your own journey, so make it amazing!
The Geneva Project – Lies (vol.3) by Christina Benjamin
New release. Third book in the award-wining YA fantasy fiction series, The Geneva Project
Can you live a life of LIES? That’s exactly what Geneva finds herself doing to protect everyone she loves. While Geneva and her friends embark on a dangerous mission to fulfill her destiny, the dark forces that seek her powers are closing in, putting everyone she cares about at risk. Geneva must lie about who she is, what she knows and her true feelings. Are all these lies worth it or will she go too far and lose everything she’s been fighting for? Amazon B&N itunes Square
Excerpt from book:
Chapter 1
We marched forward out of the protective tree line of the forest and into the open field; a wall of bodies, hands clasped moving with purpose toward the Troian Center. Even though we had the protection of Remi’s invisibility power, I still felt tense and exposed. My heart pounded with uncertainty as a cool wind rushed past and we picked up speed. I could barely feel the strange sensation of lightness that being invisible provided. My skin tingled, but it felt more like nerves than magic. The last time I’d been invisible the sensation had felt much more intense, which had me worried that maybe it wasn’t working right. The possibility that Remi wasn’t strong enough to stretch his power over all of us made me shutter with uneasiness. This was more people than he’d ever tried to share his power with before .
Christina Benjamin is the Award-Winning Author of the Young Adult series The Geneva Project.
Her debut novel, Truth, has won multiple awards, including the 2014 FAPA Gold Medal for YA fiction.
Benjamin’s writing hooks fans of mega-hit YA fiction like Harry Potter and The Hunger Games, and offers them a new series to obsess over. She paints a vivid world, where magic and imagination run wild in her epic tale of adventure, courage and friendship.
Benjamin studied English at the University of Central Florida. She’s dedicated to giving back to the community and speaking at schools to inspire creativity in young writers. Facebook Author Page Facebook Twitter Instagram Instagram fan page Tumblr Google+ Youtube LinkedIn Website Book site Square
Christina is hosting a facebook party event. Join here.
Summer Crush
A Multi-author YA anthology
Sasha Hibbs * S.D. Wasley * Melissa Frost * Diana Stager * Deanna Dee * Bridie Hall
Summer Crush: A wonderfully romantic boxed set of Upper YA short stories by today's hottest authors.
Summer is the time for lazy days at the beach, sun-kissed hair, flip-flops, and sizzling nights with a new crush. Those stolen glances and first kisses can quickly spark a flame. However, the road to love isn’t always a smooth ride.
Every Summer has a story, whether it’s a second chance on love, seeing a friend in a different light, or taking a step in a new direction with someone special. Love and long days create endless possibilities, but can a summer crush really last? AmazonEvernight Teen
Follow the tour HERE
About the Stories:
Sutton Summer by Sasha Hibbs After breaking Dylan’s heart last year, McKenzie returns to Sutton Lake for another summer. McKenzie realizes love was in front of her the entire time, but is it too late for Dylan to forgive her?
Exquisite Torture by S. D. Wasley Stuck at his Gran’s house in a deadbeat town for the entire summer, things suddenly don’t seem so bad when 16 year old Ryan meets gorgeous Connie. But why is she so cagey about where she lives? Is there something more to Connie than he first thought?
Forbidden by Melissa Frost The new guy in town has a bad reputation and a bad boy demeanor to go with it. Even so, Olivia can’t help feeling drawn to Gavin. Can she convince her mother he’s not the delinquent everyone believes, or will his past tear them apart?
Borderline Love by Deanna Dee Nearly drowning wasn’t part of Dalya’s vacation plans. Neither was being rescued by a guy with a perfect six pack and a haunted look in his eyes. Mason reminds Dalya too much of her over- protective older brother, but when he offers to teach her to surf, she can’t say no. Can Dalya get past her frustration with her brother to realize how much Mason means to her?
An Ocean of Their Own by Bridie Hall Lola spends her days trawling the sand dunes in search of the perfect subject for her art. She finds it in a solitary, beautiful girl. Sarah doesn’t just fill the pages in her sketchbook, she enchants Lola’s heart too. But how can Lola tell her family about Sarah?
About the authors
Sasha Hibbs is a nurse living in mountainous West Virginia with her husband, two daughters, and lives in her own imaginary world where she’s plotting her next story.
Diana Stager is a teacher who writes in her spare time and lives with her husband and kids in Ontario, Canada.
Deanna Dee is a full-time writer living in sunny North Carolina, where she takes full advantage of the beach whenever she can.
S.D. Wasley is an author, copywriter and daydreamer living in Western Australia where she wrangles chickens, cats, dogs and children on a daily basis.
Melissa Frost is a young adult author who lives near Pittsburgh PA with her husband, their son Marshall, and their soon to be daughter Adalynn.
Bridie Hall is a translator and editor who spends every free minute writing and reading.
Cage of Deceit by Jennifer Anne Davis
(Reign of Secrets #1)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: August 25th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Jennifer Anne Davis’ best-selling True Reign series captivated readers from the very first page. Now, get ready to become entangled in the follow-up series, Reign of Secrets. In this new series, follow Allyssa, the daughter of the beloved Emperor Darmik and Empress Rema— and find out what happens after happily ever after.
Seventeen-year-old Allyssa appears to be the ideal princess of Emperion—she’s beautiful, elegant, and refined. She spends her days locked in a suffocating cage, otherwise known as royal court. But at night, Allyssa uses her secret persona—that of a vigilante—to hunt down criminals and help her people firsthand.
Unfortunately, her nightly escapades will have to wait because the citizens of Emperion may need saving from something much bigger than common criminals. War is encroaching on their country and in order to protect her people, Allyssa may have to sacrifice her heart. Forced to entertain an alliance through marriage with a handsome prince from a neighboring kingdom, she finds herself feeling even more stifled than before. To make matters worse, the prince has stuck his nosy squire, Jarvik, to watch her every move.
Jarvik is infuriating, bossy and unfortunately, the only person she can turn to when she unveils a heinous plot. Together, the unlikely pair will have to work together to stop an enemy that everyone thought was long gone, one with the power to destroy her family and the people of Emperion. Now the cage Allyssa so longed to break free from might just be the one thing she has to fight to keep intact. In order to save her kingdom, she will have to sacrifice her freedom, her heart, and maybe even her life. Goodreads Amazon B&N
Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she married her best friend and high school sweetheart. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids’ creativity. Website Goodreads Facebook Twitter
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
Clean Teen Publishing Mystery Box. This will include 3 specially chosen young adult print novels, bookmarks, swag, and awesomeness. a Rafflecopter giveaway
Shadow in the Sea by Sheila A. Nielson Publication date: July 15th 2015 Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
When sixteen-year-old Sadelyn Hanson washes up on the shores of Windwaithe Island, her beauty and the strange marks on her wrist make superstitious locals suspect she is a mermaid. Feigning amnesia, Sade hides a far worse secret: she was sailing to her own murder trial when she was thrown overboard by the real killer, the cunning and cruel Captain Westwood. Sade’s quiet effort to rebuild her life on the island is threatened when she meets an actual young merman. Unable to speak his language, Sade still longs for the warm companionship he offers, despite the locals’ dire legends about merfolk and their dark magic. But her confused feelings for the impossible boy become the least of her problems when Captain Westwood’s ship docks at Windwaithe. With nowhere to escape, Sade must trust in the one person who doesn’t fear the merfolk. A woman who had dealings with them herself—years ago. Goodreads Amazon (Paperback and Kindle) Barnes and Noble (Paperback and Nook) eBook Mall (ePub version)
Sheila never did figure out what she wanted to be when she grew up. She graduated from college with a BFA in illustration, has worked as a children's librarian for over eighteen years, and would eventually like to be a full-time author. Why pick one career when you can have many? Sheila lives with her two pets, a goffin cockatoo and a tiny toy poodle. She was born and raised in California but has come to also love her adopted home in Utah where she currently resides.
There have always been warps—tears between realities—and they’ve always been a threat to humanity. Most people are blind to them. But Hallie’s eyes are opening. Now that she’s going to school at the Protectorate, she’s learning there’s more to life than fun and games. The truth is, she’s just become part of Earth’s only shield against the monsters of the warps. Before, she didn’t think she was anything special. Now, yanked from her relatively normal life, she realizes that she doesn’t have a choice. When the emergency alarm sounds, calling everyone in the school to arms, even the young and inexperienced are needed. As one of the warp weavers—capable of closing the warps and stopping the monsters—Hallie must now work to save lives. And she must do it in the most complicated situation she’s ever experienced. Because there are sea serpents in the Thames, and Hallie has to close the doors that are letting them in. The problem is, they’re underwater, and they’re hungry. Now everyone is relying on her, and Hallie must find a way to do her job—with a brand new partner—before it’s too late. Because if she fails she’ll die, along with everyone who’s depending on her.
EXCERPT The team next to us glides to the edge of the wharf and drops into the water, the weight of the girls plunging the whole apparatus under. I flinch in shock, and Ruble pats my hand. The gleaming container pops to the surface as I watch, just metres from our feet, and slides off over the water, leaning forward. Like a Segway—a floating, water-riding Segway made of magic. In it, Louise is wielding the fierce-looking gun she’d been assembling in the van, while her partner crouches in front of her, one hand pressed against the inside of the bubble. A viciously serrated tail punctures the water surface next to them, but they’re already spinning out of the way, as if they’d seen it coming. Louise fires, the sound muffled by distance, and gleaming purple blood flowers on the chalky tail, which splashes back into the water, raising a huge wave that almost capsizes the team. I realize I’m pressed extremely tightly against Ruble’s back, and that he’s been talking for the past few minutes, and groan under my breath. Can’t you listen to one thing, Hallie, ever? “Are you ready?” His voice is thrumming with excitement. No, no, I didn’t hear a word you just said, and I have no idea what you need from me or what I’m doing.
The Summer the World Ended by Matthew S. Cox
Published by: Curiosity Quills Press
Publication date: June 29th 2015
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult
As far as Riley McCullough is concerned, her best friend getting ‘dragged’ off to Puerto Vallarta for the first two weeks of summer vacation was the end of the world―at least until the bombs fell.
Life in suburban New Jersey with her mother has been comfortable, not to mention boring, to an introverted fourteen year old. As if her friend’s surprise trip wasn’t bad enough, her expectations for the ‘best summer ever’ disintegrate when she gets sent across the country to stay with a father she hasn’t seen in six years. Adjusting to a tiny, desert town where everyone stares at them like they don’t belong proves difficult, and leaves her feeling more isolated than ever. To make matters worse, her secretive father won’t tell the truth about why he left―or what he’s hiding.
Her luck takes an unexpected turn for the better when she meets a boy who shares her interest in video games and contempt for small town boredom. In him, she finds a kindred spirit who might just make the middle of nowhere tolerable.
Happiness is short lived; fleeing nuclear Armageddon, she takes shelter with her dad in an underground bunker he’d spent years preparing. After fourteen days without sun, Riley must overcome the sorrow of losing everything to save the one person she cares about most. Goodreads Amazon B&N
I asked Matthew for his top ten dystopian books...
1 Sprawl trilogy: Neuromancer, Count Zero, and Mona Lisa Overdrive by William Gibson 2 Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick 3 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 4 The Minority Report by Philip K. Dick 5 A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess 6 Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury 7 Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 8 A Scanner Darkly by Philip K. Dick 9 The Running Man by Stephen King under the pseudonym Richard Bachman 10 Animal Farm by George Orwell
Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.
Hobbies and Interests:
Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.
He is also fond of cats. Website Goodreads Facebook Twitter
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)
$40 Amazon Gift Card
Signed copy of The Summer the World Ended
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Pushing Send by Ally Derby & Jacqueline Ross
Publication date: August 8th 2015
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Fitting in has never been something fifteen-year-old Hadley Asher ever aspired to. Three schools in one year brings unwanted and unwelcome attention to a girl like Hadley who only wants to blend in.
After her family moves from Buffalo, NY to the small, upper-class town of Blue Valley in Central New York, Hadley’s next door neighbor Lana quickly befriends her, the two becoming nearly inseparable. However, Paxton Jamison, Lana’s stepbrother and the boy with the brilliant blue eyes, has to step in to help Hadley deal with Lana, who is hard to handle on a good day.
When an unprecedented scandal and tragedy strike the small community, Hadley becomes its focus, its target. As a result, the girl who hides in books and wants to blend in with the background finds breathing is nearly impossible. Goodreads Amazon B&N
Ally Derby lives in upstate New York in a small town. She is a middle school student,who loves field hockey, music, books, family and God.
She has no problem sticking up for what she feels is right, regardless of the social ramifications and that doesn't always go over well.
She is also a fierce fangirl, and loves to role play on Instagram as @firefandoms.
Her favorite book genre is young adult dystopian. Her favorite book series include, The Hunger Games, Percy Jackson, The Divergent series, The Maze Runner, and The Selection series.
Other books she devours are anything John Green, and Gayle Foreman.
Her books are her life and when Ally gets in trouble at home, her mother grounds her from books, *gasp*
Jacqueline Ross is an author, and mother to Ally. She reads almost everything Ally does and enjoys the romance genre.
She is 'one of those moms'. Meaning she is overprotective and pushes Ally to do her best at everything she does. Facebook Website Twitter
Lumière by Jacqueline Garlick
(The Illumination Paradox #1)
Publication date: December 12th 2013
Genres: Steampunk, Young Adult
Even in a land of eternal twilight, secrets can’t stay hidden forever.
Seventeen-year-old Eyelet Elsworth is no stranger to living in the dark. She’s hidden her secret affliction all of her life—a life that would be in danger if superstitious townspeople ever guessed the truth. After her mother is accused and executed for a crime that she didn’t commit, the now-orphaned Eyelet has no choice but to track down the machine—her last hope for a cure. But Eyelet’s late father’s most prized invention, the Illuminator, has been missing since the day of the mysterious flash—a day that saw the sun wiped out over Brethren forever.
Alone and on the run, she finds the Illuminator—only to witness a young man hauling it away. Determined to follow the thief and recover the machine, she ventures into the deepest, darkest, most dangerous part of her twisted world. Goodreads Amazon B&N
I'm Jacqueline Garlick, author of young adult and new adult fiction. I love strong heroines, despise whiny sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog. (Don't you?)
I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper). I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology and would rather hang out with a dog, than a cat. I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you. You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (currently in my writing room), and there may or may not be a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won't find a hidden passageway, but a girl can dream, can't she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea.
My writing style has been described as edgy and rule-breaking, and by some--a touch Tim Burton-esque. Because of this, I am often referred to as the Quentin Tarantino of YA among writing friends.
In my former life, I was a teacher (both grade school and college-don't ask), but more recently I've been a graduate of Ellen Hopkin's Nevada Mentor Program and a student of James Scott Bell, Christopher Vogler and Don Maass. An excerpt from Lumière earned me the 2012 Don Maass Break Out Novel Intensive Scholarship.
Lumière--A Romantic Steampunk Fantasy--my debut novel, is the recipient of an indieBRAG Medallion!!! B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree October 15, 2014) I am so proud! (LUMIERE by Jacqueline E. Garlick is a B.R.A.G.Medallion Honoree. This tells a reader that this book is well worth their time and money!) Book II of the ILLUMINATION PARADOX SERIES, is out January 26th, now on pre-order.
Also, check out my young adult contemporary romantic/mystery serial, IF ONLY, where reluctant telepathic sleuth Kyla Cooper must embrace her powers and risks all to solve the mystery of what happened to her boyfriend Denver Munro, becoming his voice of truth, before he has no voice at all...
I love hearing from READERS! Please contact me, either at my website, or catch up with me on twitter @garlick books, or on Facebook.
I'm open to reviews and interview, requests for skype visits, guest blogs, pod casts and book club meetings! I LOVE TO HEAR FROM READERS! Pinterest Goodreads Blog
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
A signed copy of LUMIERE, a signed copy of NOIR, + Swag (necklace with matching earrings and some collector’s cards with excerpts on them)
