Verb Vixen

I read. I listen. I watch. I write.
Tuesday, May 21
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With only two weeks until The Testing’s release, we want to make sure everyone knows about it! Read all about The Testingand also be sure to enter to win one of two copies of the book!

The Testing by Joelle Charbonneau

Keep your friends close and your enemies closer. Isn’t that what they say? But how close is too close when they may be one in the same? The Seven Stages War left much of the planet a charred wasteland. The future belongs to the next generation’s chosen few who must rebuild it. But to enter this elite group, candidates must first pass The Testing—their one chance at a college education and a rewarding career. Cia Vale is honored to be chosen as a Testing candidate; eager to prove her worthiness as a University student and future leader of the United Commonwealth. But on the eve of her departure, her father’s advice hints at a darker side to her upcoming studies – trust no one. But surely she can trust Tomas, her handsome childhood friend who offers an alliance? Tomas, who seems to care more about her with the passing of every grueling (and deadly) day of the Testing. To survive, Cia must choose: love without truth or life without trust.

The Official Website for The Testing Add on Goodreads Preorder the Book: Amazon | B&N | Book Depository Also, don’t forget to download the FREE prequel story. All the details can be found here There are more goodies on The Testingwebsite as well, such as a quiz to see if YOU would be selected for the Testing. 

About Joelle Charbonneau :

Joelle Charbonneau began telling stories as an opera singer, but these days she finds her voice through writing. In addition to The Testing trilogy, she is the author of the Rebecca Robbins Mysteries and the Glee Club series. She lives near Chicago with her husband and son. When she is writing, she works as an acting and vocal coach. Visit Joelle on the Web at her Website, Facebook, and Twitter

Praise for The Testing:

“The Testing is a chilling and devious dystopian thriller that all fans of The Hunger Games will simply devour. Joelle Charbonneau writes with guts and nerve but also great compassion and heart. Highly recommended.” – Jonathan Maberry, New York Times best-selling author of Rot & Ruin and Flesh & Bone “Trained to rely on her wits, Cia must survive on her courage and trust her instincts, even when it means following her heart ever deeper into danger. A surefire favorite for dystopian fans, The Testing crackles with suspense, passion and betrayal set against a scarred and brutal world.” –Sophie Littlefield, author of Unforsaken and Hanging By A Thread. See the stunning trailer! If you are interested, signed copies can be ordered through Anderson’s Bookshop before June 4. Joelle Charbonneau will be having her launch party here. See Anderson’s website to order! AND even cooler, for all books pre-ordered or bought for her launch party, a donation will be made to Autism Speaks. TWO people will win a copy of The Testing - Open to wherever The Book Depository ships!

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway here!

Tags:   #i read #books #ya #young adult #Young Adult Fiction #ya lit #the testing #giveaway


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Saturday, May 11
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Game. Set. Match by Jennifer Iacopelli Here’s a not so secret secret: I’m not into tennis. I find it boring to watch, all the back and forth, the quiet crowd— it’s just not my idea of a sporting event. When I was about ten my dad asked me if I wanted to learn to play tennis and I said no. And I have never regretted that decision until today when I finished Game. Set. Match. And isn’t that the hallmark of great book? To convince you that the world you’re immersed in is the best of all possible worlds? To take something you seemingly have no interest in and make it fascinating? Well Game. Set. Match did just that. It made tennis compelling! I think that I’m tennis fan now, a feat I would have thought near impossible. I reveled in this book. The characters are complex and nuanced.  The girls have grit and the boys have heart; it was effortless to fall in love with them. The plot is riveting, full of rivalries and competition. And who doesn’t love a good competition? While the romances are a part of the story, it’s not the only thing of interest. Game. Set. Match is also about dealing with pressure and pride, seeking to define who you are and who you want to be, forming friendships and of course, playing tennis. The end was phenomenal: a practical homage to underdog sport stories and the triumph of the human will/spirit. I WANT MORE! There’s only one thing left to say: GO GET Game. Set. Match AND READ THIS BOOK RIGHT BLOODY NOW! Overall: A+ Game. Set. Match is out now from Coliloquy. Get your copy here.  e-copy provided gratis via Coliloquy

Game. Set. Match by Jennifer Iacopelli

Here’s a not so secret secret: I’m not into tennis. I find it boring to watch, all the back and forth, the quiet crowd— it’s just not my idea of a sporting event. When I was about ten my dad asked me if I wanted to learn to play tennis and I said no. And I have never regretted that decision until today when I finished Game. Set. Match.

And isn’t that the hallmark of great book? To convince you that the world you’re immersed in is the best of all possible worlds? To take something you seemingly have no interest in and make it fascinating? Well Game. Set. Match did just that. It made tennis compelling! I think that I’m tennis fan now, a feat I would have thought near impossible.

I reveled in this book. The characters are complex and nuanced.  The girls have grit and the boys have heart; it was effortless to fall in love with them. The plot is riveting, full of rivalries and competition. And who doesn’t love a good competition? While the romances are a part of the story, it’s not the only thing of interest. Game. Set. Match is also about dealing with pressure and pride, seeking to define who you are and who you want to be, forming friendships and of course, playing tennis. The end was phenomenal: a practical homage to underdog sport stories and the triumph of the human will/spirit. I WANT MORE!

There’s only one thing left to say: GO GET Game. Set. Match AND READ THIS BOOK RIGHT BLOODY NOW!

Overall: A+

Game. Set. Match is out now from Coliloquy. Get your copy here. 

e-copy provided gratis via Coliloquy

Tags:   #i read #books #ya #young adult #young adult fiction #ya lit #coliloquy #game set match #jennifer iacopelli #tennis #contemporary #active fiction



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Wednesday, May 8
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BLOG TOUR: SILENT ORCHIDS by Morgan Wylie

I’m delighted to have Morgan Wylie on the blog today to talk about music and her new book Silent Orchids, out now! Check our what Morgan has to say and check back for my review of The Silent Orchids here tomorrow!

xoxo 

V.V.


Morgan:

When I started writing, I thought it was interesting to hear about people’s playlist for their books. But I didn’t really get it. I didn’t think I would be the type of person to write with music—I just didn’t think I would be able to. Now, granted I LOVE music. My husband is a musician and I’m surrounded by it, but write to it… probably not.

There were times when I was writing that I felt stuck or couldn’t find life in the words on the page… it felt dry. To take my mind off it, I put on some music or I’d be somewhere and a song would come on. Suddenly, I would feel it. Whether it be the words to the songs, or just the emotion that poured out from the music itself, it would stir inspiration inside of me. I would see a scene play out in my mind, or I could relate to the emotions the character was trying to portray. All because of the music.

I’ve read several articles other writers have written about their experiences with music. I even read some medical research of studies being conducted to gauge the affects music has on writing and creativity. Music is everywhere! It’s used in movies, TV, commercials, jingles, etc. For most, it provides a focus and an atmosphere for emotion. 

So I put together some songs that I felt inspired by to write. After months of adding music as I would find it, I ended up with over 2 ½ hours worth of music. I found that the songs with lyrics I was eventually able to tune out the specifics of the song and let its emotion or rhythm it take me where I needed to be inside my book or a certain character. I could listen (or not listen and just feel) to it over and over as I would write.

I had a soundtrack made for my specific book, which I also listen to, but at the writing of this post it was not yet available for purchase through iTunes so the songs were unavailable to use in the playlist (see below for more info) So this is a sampling of my Silent Orchids playlist…

As I mentioned above, my husband Steven James Wylie is a musician. He teamed up with talented Blair Masters and they created this beautifully haunting soundtrack that reflects the tone and heart of Silent Orchids. If the links are not yet available, please visit my site or the Amazon preview link here to hear this original music. 

Thank you so much for having me today!! ~Morgan Wylie

Tags:   #i read #books #fantasy #morgan wylie #playlist #music #young adult #ya #ya lit #young adult fiction


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Thursday, May 2
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Chosen at Nightfall- C.C. Hunter I love the Shadowfalls Series, don’t get me wrong, but Chosen at Nightfall felt just a little too saccharine for me. I love Kylie and the entire crew, I like the direction that the plot goes, I like the subplots and I like the threat of Mario that looms, but there wasn’t a single twist I didn’t see coming. While most of this review might seem negative, I don’t want that to take away from the series overall which is still delightful. Frankly, tons of people will LOVE this last book for precisely the reasons it annoyed me.  The ending, which many will love, ties everything up in a nice happy bow. I’m not really a nice happy bow kind of girl. I’d like a hint of reality please. While I’m happy with the way Kylie deals with the problems facing her and the decisions she makes, it all seems to end just too perfectly. I also felt (and this is a big no no for me) preached at on certain subjects, like protected sex and pregnancy. I probably could have let it slide but it was repetitive and constant in a way that it hadn’t be in previous books and it just irked me. And lastly, there were points where I thought the writing was so basic it felt like a completely different author. There’s a place where she describes what Kylie and Lucas are wearing and it’s just that. It felt weird and awkward and strange and not at all like what the writing in the first 4 books was like. Bottom line: the series is great, the last book is just okay. Still worth the read though. Overall: B You can find Chosen at Nightfall here. 

Chosen at Nightfall- C.C. Hunter

I love the Shadowfalls Series, don’t get me wrong, but Chosen at Nightfall felt just a little too saccharine for me. I love Kylie and the entire crew, I like the direction that the plot goes, I like the subplots and I like the threat of Mario that looms, but there wasn’t a single twist I didn’t see coming. While most of this review might seem negative, I don’t want that to take away from the series overall which is still delightful. Frankly, tons of people will LOVE this last book for precisely the reasons it annoyed me. 

The ending, which many will love, ties everything up in a nice happy bow. I’m not really a nice happy bow kind of girl. I’d like a hint of reality please. While I’m happy with the way Kylie deals with the problems facing her and the decisions she makes, it all seems to end just too perfectly. I also felt (and this is a big no no for me) preached at on certain subjects, like protected sex and pregnancy. I probably could have let it slide but it was repetitive and constant in a way that it hadn’t be in previous books and it just irked me. And lastly, there were points where I thought the writing was so basic it felt like a completely different author. There’s a place where she describes what Kylie and Lucas are wearing and it’s just that. It felt weird and awkward and strange and not at all like what the writing in the first 4 books was like. Bottom line: the series is great, the last book is just okay. Still worth the read though.

Overall: B

You can find Chosen at Nightfall here. 

Tags:   #i read #books #ya #young adult #young adult fiction #ya lit #c.c. hunter #born at midnight #shadowfalls series #paranormal



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Monday, April 15
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Stolen Nights (A Vampire Queen Novel)- Rebecca Maizel I have waited a long, long time for this book. I loved Infinite Days and this sequel has been years in the making. I was excited to pick up Stolen Nights especially considering the unbelievable ending of Infinite Days which was a cliffhanger to say the least. I love Lenah and Rhode and this book made me love them even more. It also made me love Vicken, like move to Scotland kind of love. The plot was good, nothing revolutionary as far as I’m concerned—I saw the twist coming. I had a minor problem with the portrayal of the Aeris but nothing that I couldn’t overlook. What I had a major problem with was the Epilogue. This book’s ending prior to the epilogue was perfect. It was heartbreaking and sweet, full of love and duty and sacrifice. But then the epilogue, which sets up for a next book I’m presuming, diluted that whole experience for me. I would have liked to linger a bit longer emotionally in the strength of her love and the sacrifice that she had made. I will say Infinite Days is a hard book to follow up, but Stolen Nights does a decent job and the end before the epilogue is quite powerful and moving. It’s worth reading just for that. Overall: A- Stolen Nights is out now. Get your copy here. 

Stolen Nights (A Vampire Queen Novel)- Rebecca Maizel

I have waited a long, long time for this book. I loved Infinite Days and this sequel has been years in the making. I was excited to pick up Stolen Nights especially considering the unbelievable ending of Infinite Days which was a cliffhanger to say the least. I love Lenah and Rhode and this book made me love them even more. It also made me love Vicken, like move to Scotland kind of love. The plot was good, nothing revolutionary as far as I’m concerned—I saw the twist coming. I had a minor problem with the portrayal of the Aeris but nothing that I couldn’t overlook. What I had a major problem with was the Epilogue. This book’s ending prior to the epilogue was perfect. It was heartbreaking and sweet, full of love and duty and sacrifice. But then the epilogue, which sets up for a next book I’m presuming, diluted that whole experience for me. I would have liked to linger a bit longer emotionally in the strength of her love and the sacrifice that she had made. I will say Infinite Days is a hard book to follow up, but Stolen Nights does a decent job and the end before the epilogue is quite powerful and moving. It’s worth reading just for that.

Overall: A-

Stolen Nights is out now. Get your copy here. 

Tags:   #books #i read #ya #young adult #ya lit #young adult fiction #vampires #paranormal #infinite days #stolen nights #rebecca maizel #st martin's press



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Thursday, March 28
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shelbydoodlebug:

All the lovely book ladies. 

Tags:   #female leads #characters #writing #ya #young adult #ya lit #fiction #movies #books to movies


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Friday, March 15
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Post Mortem (Parish Mail Series #2)- Kira Snyder I love the Parish Mail Series. Post Mortem sealed that deal, like one of those letter Celia Jane gets in the books. Okay that was a stretch, but in all seriousness, a good old fashioned ghost story and some sleuth work make for damn good winter reading. There is something classic about the Parish Mail series, something of Nancy Drew and Goosebumps, something in the pleasure of being a bit scared, a bit nervous and bit curious when reading these books that delights in the signature way. Post Mortem picks up where Dead Letter Office ends and extends our motley, meddling crew further into the worlds of historical and present day murder and mystery. Now they are a team with a mission and more is revealed regarding the evil loosed on Halloween and the paranormal misbalance that needs to be rectified. Trust me, Parish Mail isn’t a series to be missed, particularly for fans of things that go bump in the night. Overall: A  Post Mortem is out now from Coliloquy. Get your copy here.  e-Arc provided gratis by Coliloquy.

Post Mortem (Parish Mail Series #2)- Kira Snyder

I love the Parish Mail Series. Post Mortem sealed that deal, like one of those letter Celia Jane gets in the books. Okay that was a stretch, but in all seriousness, a good old fashioned ghost story and some sleuth work make for damn good winter reading. There is something classic about the Parish Mail series, something of Nancy Drew and Goosebumps, something in the pleasure of being a bit scared, a bit nervous and bit curious when reading these books that delights in the signature way. Post Mortem picks up where Dead Letter Office ends and extends our motley, meddling crew further into the worlds of historical and present day murder and mystery. Now they are a team with a mission and more is revealed regarding the evil loosed on Halloween and the paranormal misbalance that needs to be rectified. Trust me, Parish Mail isn’t a series to be missed, particularly for fans of things that go bump in the night.

Overall: A 

Post Mortem is out now from Coliloquy. Get your copy here. 

e-Arc provided gratis by Coliloquy.

Tags:   #kira snyder #i read #books #ya #young adult #ya lit #young adult fiction #dead letter office #post mortem #parish mail series #coliloquy #nancy drew #goosebumps #choose your own adventure #mystery #paranormal #ghost story #history #new orleans


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Wednesday, March 13
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Poison Blog Tour This blog tour is a little different from the rest, mainly because it’s a tribute to the author, Bridget, who unfortunately died before her book published. Rather than a typical review we were asked to write about “A First”. There’s a lot of firsts that happen in a person’s life, but I thought it might share the first book that ever made me cry. The book was Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley, and it is basically a sequel to Gone with the Wind. I was in 4th grade and I was a Gone with the Wind junkie. I wanted to be Scarlett O’Hara and frankly I wasn’t far off in temper and stuborness, so Scarlett was a perfect read for me. That being said, in this book Mamie dies. If you know Gone with the Wind you will remember Mamie raised three generations of women in the book, she is strong and proud and compassionate and she gives Rhett a bit of hell. In short, she’s completely endearing. Well, when Mamie died, I cried. I cried and cried and cried. And it was the first time I felt truly bereft at the loss of a fictional character. Little did I know that fictional characters would make me cry lots in the future. In fact they make my cry more than anything else in this life. That next year I bawled my eyes out when Aslan was killed in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In years to come I would cry for countless of characters but Mamie’s death stays with me in ways others do not. And that’s the thing about firsts, for good or bad, they’re impossible to forget. So tell me, what was the first book that made you cry? Post in comments, reblog with your answer or hit me on twitter @verbvixen with the hashtag #Poison.  xoxo,  V.V. Poison by Bridget Zinn  Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend. But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses. Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her? Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon. Purchase your copy of Poison: Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Poison-Bridget-Zinn/dp/1423139933/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361422901&sr=1-1&keywords=bridget+zinn Barnes & Noble  < http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poison-bridget-zinn/1110606774?ean=9781423139935> iTunes Bookstore <https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/poison/id586771278?mt=11> Add Poison to your Goodreads pile! <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8113512-poison>   About Bridget Zinn Bridget grew up in Wisconsin. She went to the county fair where she met the love of her life, Barrett Dowell. They got married right before she went in for exploratory surgery which revealed she had colon cancer. They christened that summer the “summer of love” and the two celebrated with several more weddings. Bridget continued to read and write until the day she died. Her last tweet was “Sunshine and a brand new book. Perfect.” Bridget wanted to make people laugh and hoped readers would enjoy spending time with the characters she created. As a librarian/writer she loved books with strong young women with aspirations. She also felt teens needed more humorous reads. She really wanted to write a book with pockets of warmth and happiness and hoped that her readers’ copies would show the watermarks of many bath time reads. Check out the rest of the Poison Blog Tour: MARCH 12 E.M. Kokie Nyrae Dawn Julie “Manga Maniac Cafe” Abby Niles Pam “Bookalicious” van Hylckama Jennifer McAndrews “Honestly YA” MARCH 13 Martha Brockenbrough Cameron Y. - What the Cat Read Bobbie Gould Molly “Wrapped Up in Books” Eileen Li MARCH 14 Ashley Walsh “The Quiet Concert” Jennifer Rummel Tammy Hall Laura Kaye Melissa Simmons Shelley Bunnell Kate Bourne “The Book Monsters” Taneesha “A Diary of a Book Addict” MARCH 15 Caroline Starr Rose Lindsey Loucks Amy Alessio Elyana Noreme Rachel Patrick “Beauty and the Bookshelf” Sonya “Sony the Book Lover” Elizabeth Seckman MARCH 16 Sara Bennett Wealer Amy Plum Betty G. Birney Elizabeth Otto Ellen Faith Celeste Holloway MARCH 17 Janet Fox Erica “The Book Cellarx” Amy Stewart “Simple Love of Reading” Libby Fischer Hellmann Melody May Rebekah Faubion MARCH 18 Jon Goldhirsch MaryAnn Oprea @ Chapter by Chapter Jennifer L. Armentrout Brenna from Esther’s Ever After Lauren Thoman “The Housework Can Wait” Annabelle Hammond “Read Write and Read Some More MARCH 19 Lucia “The Loyal Book” Jessica Miller “I Read to Relax” Melissa de la Cruz Sara Hayet “The Page Sage” Tara Hudson Rebecca Lamb MARCH 20 Johanna Wright Tara @ Shhh… Not While I’m Reading Michelle “Much Loved Books” Kristina Snyder Zoe Dawson Peter Salomon MARCH 21 Gwenyth Love “Rants n Scribbles” Sarah Evans Robin Bielman Mundie Moms (Katie) Cynthia Leitich Smith MARCH 22 Lucy “The Reading Date” Carrie Ardoin “Sweet Southern Home” Tracy James Jones Nikki Wang “Fiction Freak” MARCH 23 Amy Thau “Tripping Over Books” Ashley G. “Wholly-books” jone “Maclibrary” Jaime @ Twisting the Lens Crystal “Winterhaven Books” Allison Kirk Jess “Book Rook Reviews” MARCH 24 Lucy Softich “Adventures in Bookland” Stephanie “Poetry to Prose” Caren Crane “Romance Bandits” Beth Saxton DJ MARCH 25 Michael Gettel-Gilmartin “Middle Grade Mafioso” Ruth Tenzer Feldman “Blue Thread” Lynne Kelly Hafsah “Icey Books” Samanthe Beck MARCH 26 Becca “I’m Lost in Books” Brook Gideon “Dead Gideons” Everybody Needs a Little Romance Beth Revis Damaris “Good Choice Reading” MARCH 27 Amy G. (Kissed by Ink) Stephanie Ruble Angie Manfredi “Fat Girl Reading” Rachel Coyne Chris Miller MARCH 28 Natalie J. Damschroder Sara Shafer Audra “The Society” Laura Hernandez “Reviews at mse” Stephanie “Love Life Read”

Poison Blog Tour

This blog tour is a little different from the rest, mainly because it’s a tribute to the author, Bridget, who unfortunately died before her book published. Rather than a typical review we were asked to write about “A First”. There’s a lot of firsts that happen in a person’s life, but I thought it might share the first book that ever made me cry.

The book was Scarlett by Alexandra Ripley, and it is basically a sequel to Gone with the Wind. I was in 4th grade and I was a Gone with the Wind junkie. I wanted to be Scarlett O’Hara and frankly I wasn’t far off in temper and stuborness, so Scarlett was a perfect read for me. That being said, in this book Mamie dies. If you know Gone with the Wind you will remember Mamie raised three generations of women in the book, she is strong and proud and compassionate and she gives Rhett a bit of hell. In short, she’s completely endearing. Well, when Mamie died, I cried. I cried and cried and cried. And it was the first time I felt truly bereft at the loss of a fictional character. Little did I know that fictional characters would make me cry lots in the future. In fact they make my cry more than anything else in this life. That next year I bawled my eyes out when Aslan was killed in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In years to come I would cry for countless of characters but Mamie’s death stays with me in ways others do not. And that’s the thing about firsts, for good or bad, they’re impossible to forget.

So tell me, what was the first book that made you cry? Post in comments, reblog with your answer or hit me on twitter @verbvixen with the hashtag #Poison. 

xoxo, 

V.V.

Poison by Bridget Zinn 

Sixteen-year-old Kyra, a highly-skilled potions master, is the only one who knows her kingdom is on the verge of destruction—which means she’s the only one who can save it. Faced with no other choice, Kyra decides to do what she does best: poison the kingdom’s future ruler, who also happens to be her former best friend.

But, for the first time ever, her poisoned dart…misses.

Now a fugitive instead of a hero, Kyra is caught in a game of hide-and-seek with the king’s army and her potioner ex-boyfriend, Hal. At least she’s not alone. She’s armed with her vital potions, a too-cute pig, and Fred, the charming adventurer she can’t stop thinking about. Kyra is determined to get herself a second chance (at murder), but will she be able to find and defeat the princess before Hal and the army find her?

Kyra is not your typical murderer, and she’s certainly no damsel-in-distress—she’s the lovable and quick-witted hero of this romantic novel that has all the right ingredients to make teen girls swoon.

Purchase your copy of Poison:

Amazon http://www.amazon.com/Poison-Bridget-Zinn/dp/1423139933/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1361422901&sr=1-1&keywords=bridget+zinn

Barnes & Noble  < http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poison-bridget-zinn/1110606774?ean=9781423139935>

iTunes Bookstore <https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/poison/id586771278?mt=11>

Add Poison to your Goodreads pile! <http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8113512-poison>

 

About Bridget Zinn

Bridget grew up in Wisconsin. She went to the county fair where she met the love of her life, Barrett Dowell. They got married right before she went in for exploratory surgery which revealed she had colon cancer. They christened that summer the “summer of love” and the two celebrated with several more weddings. Bridget continued to read and write until the day she died. Her last tweet was “Sunshine and a brand new book. Perfect.”

Bridget wanted to make people laugh and hoped readers would enjoy spending time with the characters she created. As a librarian/writer she loved books with strong young women with aspirations. She also felt teens needed more humorous reads. She really wanted to write a book with pockets of warmth and happiness and hoped that her readers’ copies would show the watermarks of many bath time reads.

Check out the rest of the Poison Blog Tour:

MARCH 12

E.M. Kokie

Nyrae Dawn

Julie “Manga Maniac Cafe”

Abby Niles

Pam “Bookalicious” van Hylckama

Jennifer McAndrews “Honestly YA”

MARCH 13

Martha Brockenbrough

Cameron Y. - What the Cat Read

Bobbie Gould

Molly “Wrapped Up in Books”

Eileen Li

MARCH 14

Ashley Walsh “The Quiet Concert” Jennifer Rummel

Tammy Hall

Laura Kaye

Melissa Simmons

Shelley Bunnell

Kate Bourne “The Book Monsters”

Taneesha “A Diary of a Book Addict”

MARCH 15

Caroline Starr Rose

Lindsey Loucks

Amy Alessio

Elyana Noreme

Rachel Patrick “Beauty and the Bookshelf”

Sonya “Sony the Book Lover” Elizabeth Seckman

MARCH 16

Sara Bennett Wealer

Amy Plum

Betty G. Birney

Elizabeth Otto

Ellen Faith

Celeste Holloway

MARCH 17

Janet Fox

Erica “The Book Cellarx”

Amy Stewart “Simple Love of Reading”

Libby Fischer Hellmann

Melody May

Rebekah Faubion

MARCH 18

Jon Goldhirsch

MaryAnn Oprea @ Chapter by Chapter

Jennifer L. Armentrout

Brenna from Esther’s Ever After Lauren Thoman “The Housework Can Wait”

Annabelle Hammond “Read Write and Read Some More

MARCH 19

Lucia “The Loyal Book” Jessica Miller “I Read to Relax”

Melissa de la Cruz Sara Hayet “The Page Sage”

Tara Hudson

Rebecca Lamb

MARCH 20

Johanna Wright Tara @ Shhh… Not While I’m Reading

Michelle “Much Loved Books”

Kristina Snyder Zoe Dawson

Peter Salomon

MARCH 21

Gwenyth Love “Rants n Scribbles”

Sarah Evans Robin Bielman Mundie Moms (Katie)

Cynthia Leitich Smith

MARCH 22

Lucy “The Reading Date”

Carrie Ardoin “Sweet Southern Home”

Tracy James Jones

Nikki Wang “Fiction Freak”

MARCH 23

Amy Thau “Tripping Over Books”

Ashley G. “Wholly-books”

jone “Maclibrary” Jaime @ Twisting the Lens

Crystal “Winterhaven Books”

Allison Kirk Jess “Book Rook Reviews”

MARCH 24

Lucy Softich “Adventures in Bookland”

Stephanie “Poetry to Prose” Caren Crane “Romance Bandits”

Beth Saxton DJ

MARCH 25

Michael Gettel-Gilmartin “Middle Grade Mafioso”

Ruth Tenzer Feldman “Blue Thread” Lynne Kelly

Hafsah “Icey Books”

Samanthe Beck

MARCH 26

Becca “I’m Lost in Books”

Brook Gideon “Dead Gideons”

Everybody Needs a Little Romance

Beth Revis

Damaris “Good Choice Reading”

MARCH 27

Amy G. (Kissed by Ink)

Stephanie Ruble

Angie Manfredi “Fat Girl Reading”

Rachel Coyne

Chris Miller

MARCH 28

Natalie J. Damschroder

Sara Shafer Audra “The Society”

Laura Hernandez “Reviews at mse”

Stephanie “Love Life Read”

Tags:   #blog tour #poison #bridget zinn #books #ya #young adult #ya lit #young adult fiction #firsts



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COVER REVEAL: SILENT ORCHIDS By Morgan Wylie Isn&#8217;t that just a stunning cover? Don&#8217;t worry, there&#8217;s going to be a stunning fantasy story to go along with it.  ABOUT SILENT ORCHIDS: A dying realm.   The ancient evil of the Droch-Shúil has been unleashed. The Orchids have been silenced… but for how long?  Daegan, elite of the Ferrishyn warrior tribe of Faeries, is charged with a mission to find the Sol-lumieth, a mysterious new power that could change the fate of all in the realm of Alandria. But he is conflicted by his purpose, and he cannot trust the motives of those he serves. He has too many questions and they must be answered. Kaeleigh, a girl abandoned as a small child just outside Missoula, Montana, is now 18. She is trying to discover who she is and where she belongs. In her heart, she feels she has family out there… somewhere. Desperate to unravel the mysteries of her past, she embarks on a journey that will forever change her along with her two best friends, Finn and Chel—who have secrets of their own.   ABOUT MORGAN WYLIE: Morgan Wylie has been writing on and off throughout her growing up years, but started seriously working on her first novel in the Spring of 2009. 7 months pregnant with her first child, she didn&#8217;t start off with a lot of focused writing time. But Morgan had an epiphany, if you will, and the story flashed before her so she began to write. And she’s still writing. Her debut Young Adult fantasy, SILENT ORCHIDS, will be out this summer. LINKS: Twitter: MWylieBooks Blog:www.morganwylie.blogpost.com Web: morganwylie.net Friend Morgan on Facebook or Goodreads SILENT ORCHIDS Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17340090-silent-orchids?ac=1

COVER REVEAL: SILENT ORCHIDS By Morgan Wylie

Isn’t that just a stunning cover? Don’t worry, there’s going to be a stunning fantasy story to go along with it. 

ABOUT SILENT ORCHIDS:

A dying realm.

 

The ancient evil of the Droch-Shúil has been unleashed.

The Orchids have been silenced… but for how long? 

Daegan, elite of the Ferrishyn warrior tribe of Faeries, is charged with a mission to find the Sol-lumieth, a mysterious new power that could change the fate of all in the realm of Alandria. But he is conflicted by his purpose, and he cannot trust the motives of those he serves. He has too many questions and they must be answered.

Kaeleigh, a girl abandoned as a small child just outside Missoula, Montana, is now 18. She is trying to discover who she is and where she belongs. In her heart, she feels she has family out there… somewhere. Desperate to unravel the mysteries of her past, she embarks on a journey that will forever change her along with her two best friends, Finn and Chel—who have secrets of their own.

 

ABOUT MORGAN WYLIE:

Morgan Wylie has been writing on and off throughout her growing up years, but started seriously working on her first novel in the Spring of 2009. 7 months pregnant with her first child, she didn’t start off with a lot of focused writing time. But Morgan had an epiphany, if you will, and the story flashed before her so she began to write. And she’s still writing. Her debut Young Adult fantasy, SILENT ORCHIDS, will be out this summer.

LINKS:

Twitter: MWylieBooks

Blog:www.morganwylie.blogpost.com

Web: morganwylie.net

Friend Morgan on Facebook or Goodreads


SILENT ORCHIDS Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17340090-silent-orchids?ac=1

Tags:   #i read #books #cover reveal #inkslinger pr #silent orchids #morgan wylie #fantasy #ya #young adult #young adult books #ya lit #fiction


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Monday, March 11
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Dead Letter Office (Parish Mail Series #1)- Kira Snyder Do you like:New Orleans? Ghost stories? History? Mysteries? Choose your own adventures? Stories set in high school? Magic? Swoon worthy boys? Girls with gumption? If you replied yes to ANY of the above then you&#8217;re going to love Dead Letter Office! The first book in the Parish Mail series throws you right in with a killer first line: The dead man smiles at me. WELL THEN why don&#8217;t we just get started, eh? Who doesn&#8217;t love a good old mystery or a ghost story. Great news: this is both! While certainly unsettling from ghosts to zombies, evil fiends to Voodoo, there is no shortage of the creepy, supernatural or paranormal here. However, I wasn&#8217;t scared out of my wits mainly because my curiosity for the mystery and my inner historian took over. We also have a leading lady who doesn&#8217;t wallow, who is recklessly brave, endearingly hopeful and most of shines with an inner strength and resolve that we often don&#8217;t see in heroines in contemporary YA these days. Add to that mix THREE boys from which to choose (no, literally it&#8217;s part of the choose your own adventure aspect) and an equally impressive best friend in Tilly. I&#8217;m hard pressed to find a reason NOT to read this series.  And now time for a little fan girl rant: Snyder does an amazing job of capturing the setting&#8212;-New Orleans, where and I may be paraphrasing the past brushes up against the present and sometimes it pokes through. Having been a dedicated NOLA obsessee for years now, I can say with all honestly this book does the town justice. From the mansions of the garden district to the cities of the dead in the cemetery, every description takes you to the place itself. I can almost smell the moss and sweet tea. Lastly, as a Coliloquy title, Dead Letter Office, features that hallmark choose your path points in the book where we as readers influence the story&#8217;s direction. This book however has many more of these points than other Coliloquy titles I&#8217;ve read and that&#8217;s a great thing. It felt quote like reading a Goosebump choose your own adventure and I loved that! You don&#8217;t want to miss out on this series. And if you do, well then something is seriously wrong with you. Overall: A  Dead Letter Office is out now from Coliloquy. Get your copy here (it&#8217;s a steal at $5!). 

Dead Letter Office (Parish Mail Series #1)- Kira Snyder

Do you like:
New Orleans? Ghost stories? History? Mysteries? Choose your own adventures? Stories set in high school? Magic? Swoon worthy boys? Girls with gumption?

If you replied yes to ANY of the above then you’re going to love Dead Letter Office!

The first book in the Parish Mail series throws you right in with a killer first line: The dead man smiles at me. WELL THEN why don’t we just get started, eh? Who doesn’t love a good old mystery or a ghost story. Great news: this is both! While certainly unsettling from ghosts to zombies, evil fiends to Voodoo, there is no shortage of the creepy, supernatural or paranormal here. However, I wasn’t scared out of my wits mainly because my curiosity for the mystery and my inner historian took over. We also have a leading lady who doesn’t wallow, who is recklessly brave, endearingly hopeful and most of shines with an inner strength and resolve that we often don’t see in heroines in contemporary YA these days. Add to that mix THREE boys from which to choose (no, literally it’s part of the choose your own adventure aspect) and an equally impressive best friend in Tilly. I’m hard pressed to find a reason NOT to read this series. 

And now time for a little fan girl rant: Snyder does an amazing job of capturing the setting—-New Orleans, where and I may be paraphrasing the past brushes up against the present and sometimes it pokes through. Having been a dedicated NOLA obsessee for years now, I can say with all honestly this book does the town justice. From the mansions of the garden district to the cities of the dead in the cemetery, every description takes you to the place itself. I can almost smell the moss and sweet tea.

Lastly, as a Coliloquy title, Dead Letter Office, features that hallmark choose your path points in the book where we as readers influence the story’s direction. This book however has many more of these points than other Coliloquy titles I’ve read and that’s a great thing. It felt quote like reading a Goosebump choose your own adventure and I loved that!

You don’t want to miss out on this series. And if you do, well then something is seriously wrong with you. 

Overall: A 

Dead Letter Office is out now from Coliloquy. Get your copy here (it’s a steal at $5!). 

Tags:   #i read #ya #young adult #young adult fiction #ya lit #books #dead letter office #parish mail series #kira snyder #coliloquy



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Tuesday, March 5
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Perfect Scoundrels- Ally Carter Perfect is an apt title word, since it is the ideal word to describe this book. I die over Kat and Hale. I JUST DIE. And if you loved them before, this book is heartbreaking. Poor Hale! Poor Kat! SO MANY FEELS. Putting the relationship aside, the plot is phenomenal. Ally Carter has a true gift of clever heist plots. She is always a step ahead and her twists are unrivaled. I revel in her writing style, the simplicity of her prose yields to such complex storytelling. If you haven&#8217;t read the first two books in the Heist Society series you will want to pick them up before reading Perfect Scoundrels but run, don&#8217;t walk, to get these! Lastly, I&#8217;m going to throw in a plug for Double Crossed (A Spies and Thieves Novella) in which the Gallagher Girl and Heist Society worlds collide. I swooned so hard reading that one that I pulled something. For fans of both series, it is perfection itself. Frankly, I demand more crossovers. A spin-off series that involves both! You hear me Ally? PLEASE?!?! MOAR, we need MOAR! Overall: A+

Perfect Scoundrels- Ally Carter

Perfect is an apt title word, since it is the ideal word to describe this book. I die over Kat and Hale. I JUST DIE. And if you loved them before, this book is heartbreaking. Poor Hale! Poor Kat! SO MANY FEELS. Putting the relationship aside, the plot is phenomenal. Ally Carter has a true gift of clever heist plots. She is always a step ahead and her twists are unrivaled. I revel in her writing style, the simplicity of her prose yields to such complex storytelling. If you haven’t read the first two books in the Heist Society series you will want to pick them up before reading Perfect Scoundrels but run, don’t walk, to get these! Lastly, I’m going to throw in a plug for Double Crossed (A Spies and Thieves Novella) in which the Gallagher Girl and Heist Society worlds collide. I swooned so hard reading that one that I pulled something. For fans of both series, it is perfection itself. Frankly, I demand more crossovers. A spin-off series that involves both! You hear me Ally? PLEASE?!?! MOAR, we need MOAR!

Overall: A+

Tags:   #i read #ya #young adult #young adult fiction #ya lit #books #perfect scoundrels #ally carter #heist society #uncommon criminals #gallagher girls #double crossed


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Wednesday, February 13
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Snark and Circumstance- Stephanie Wardrop I&#8217;m thrilled to be part of the Snark and Circumstance blog tour. Be sure to check our my exclusive interview with author Stephanie Wardrop below my review. I love Jane Austen. I had all of her works by the time I was 16 and have been a constant fan ever since. When the chance to read Snark and Circumstance popped up, I knew it would be a good fit for me. I love Wardrop&#8217;s fresh take on Austen and while I was frustrated that I will have to wait a bit for the next installment, I actually do appreciate the series aspect. To explain&#8212;-the book is being released as a serial ala Jane Austen style. I love this return to the way these books were originally released. Now let&#8217;s get down to business: the story itself. I love the snark aspect- Georgia is a clever, witty, strong leading lady. The high school setting is a perfect modern translation to Austen&#8217;s world and Georgia and Michael while different from their Austen models hearken back to their predecessors just enough to keep the symmetry. Georgia feels more like an outsider than I think Elizabeth Bennett did but those changes make the story even more interesting. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and this is a series I am going to continue to read. My only complaint is that I want the next book sooner! Overall: A Snark and Circumstance is out from Swoon Romance now and is a wicked cheap bargain! Feed your e-reader at Amazon or B&amp;N. Also, be sure to check out Swoon&#8217;s site for more awesome YA and romance titles.  Our Interview with Stephanie Wardrop: 1. What inspired your retelling of a Jane Austen classic? Why tackle such a beloved book? You&#8217;d think it would be audacity, but it was really insecurity that motivated me.  After years of grad school and teaching, I wanted to get back to writing fiction and was really rusty.  What better model than Jane Austen?  2. HS and suburbia seem to translate really well to the societal hierarchy and social commentary that Austen is known for. Tell us a little bit about how you make that setting work for you and what commentary on high school you&#8217;d like your reader to walk away thinking about.   The biggest thing I want Georgia to learn is what the reader should consider, I guess.  We&#8217;re all human, we all have our perspectives on things, and if we take time to see someone else&#8217;s view, what motivates them, it usually benefits us.  Wow.  That sounded so preachy!  Not my intention.  Maybe the lesson is if you&#8217;re going to laugh at others, you have to laugh at yourself first. And through Georgia I&#8217;m kind of laughing at myself.  And laughter is the key to surviving high school.  3. Your leading lady, Georgia Barrett, is quite snarky, which I love, where did the idea for her come from and who do you see when you think of her? I picture her as tall and thin, gangely even, with dark hair and eyes.  She came from my own discomfort at moving (as a grown up) to a preppie New England town quite unlike where I grew up and feeling that sooner or later someone was going to ask to see my membership card.  And I wouldn&#8217;t have one to produce.  Georgia keeps insecurity at bay through snark &#8212; I hid out and wrote a book :) 4. As far as modern Darcy like boys go, Michael Endicott is pretty close to perfect, but just like Darcy it&#8217;s hard to read his motivations. Can you give us a glimpse under the surface?   Michael is not nearly as confident as he looks, though I have to say his parents did a good job with him.  He&#8217;s very well adjusted except for some minor OCD.  But impatient with people and he can appear cold and aloof when he just doesn&#8217;t know what to say. 5. What is your writing process like? Are  a (fly by your seat) Pantser or a (outline outline outline) Plotter? Do you have any requirements when you are writing? Snark was different be because I already had the structure , but in some ways that made it harder.  I had to give myself permission to jump off the P&amp;P rails at some points.  Other times I just have an idea of a scene or a conversation between two people I don&#8217;t know yet and I just try to get it all down before I forget.  Then for two days I am ecstatic; two days later I read it and decide it sucks!  Then the work of fleshing it out and deciding what to do with it begins.  I think for every book any writer&#8217;s produced, they probably have at least another whole book&#8217;s worth of unusable material &#8212; at least I do. 6. If Snark and Circumstance had a theme song what would it be?   Depends on the book, but Book Four is Jason Mraz&#8217;s &#8220;I&#8217;m Yours&#8221; and not just because he has serious vegan cred. 7. Snark and Circumstance is a series.  Did you approach writing it differently? What can we expect next and when?   Book two comes out in May and I can&#8217;t tell you how happy I was when someone said &#8220;I can&#8217;t wait that long!&#8221;. Originally it was a standalone novel but Mandy at Swoon had the idea to turn it into a four novella series&#8212; which is so Jane Austen!  (Her books came out in threes or Tripledeckers&#8221;).  It&#8217;s been a challenge to make each installment work on its own but I&#8217;m learning a lot in the process. 8. Free share&#8212; tell us something about yourself that most people don&#8217;t know.  This will freak out some people who know me but don&#8217;t know this. When I was in grad school, I had an acquaintance whose mom, unbeknownst to me, was a famous British psychic, apparently.  I met her at a party and we talked about Tess of the Durbervilles.  The next day someone told me that she asked her daughter if &#8212; I&#8217;m paraphrasing here &#8212; I knew I had it.  So some psychic thinks I am psychic.  I sometimes know things that are about to happen, unexpected things, but nothing useful yet, like picking Lotto numbers.   Thank you to Stephanie Wardrop and Swoon Romance for the interview and the opportunity to review this awesome new book! e-ARC provided gratis by Swoon Romance. 

Snark and Circumstance- Stephanie Wardrop

I’m thrilled to be part of the Snark and Circumstance blog tour. Be sure to check our my exclusive interview with author Stephanie Wardrop below my review.

I love Jane Austen. I had all of her works by the time I was 16 and have been a constant fan ever since. When the chance to read Snark and Circumstance popped up, I knew it would be a good fit for me. I love Wardrop’s fresh take on Austen and while I was frustrated that I will have to wait a bit for the next installment, I actually do appreciate the series aspect. To explain—-the book is being released as a serial ala Jane Austen style. I love this return to the way these books were originally released. Now let’s get down to business: the story itself. I love the snark aspect- Georgia is a clever, witty, strong leading lady. The high school setting is a perfect modern translation to Austen’s world and Georgia and Michael while different from their Austen models hearken back to their predecessors just enough to keep the symmetry. Georgia feels more like an outsider than I think Elizabeth Bennett did but those changes make the story even more interesting. All in all, I really enjoyed this book and this is a series I am going to continue to read. My only complaint is that I want the next book sooner!

Overall: A

Snark and Circumstance is out from Swoon Romance now and is a wicked cheap bargain! Feed your e-reader at Amazon or B&N.

Also, be sure to check out Swoon’s site for more awesome YA and romance titles. 


Our Interview with Stephanie Wardrop:

1. What inspired your retelling of a Jane Austen classic? Why tackle such a beloved book?

You’d think it would be audacity, but it was really insecurity that motivated me.  After years of grad school and teaching, I wanted to get back to writing fiction and was really rusty.  What better model than Jane Austen? 

2. HS and suburbia seem to translate really well to the societal hierarchy and social commentary that Austen is known for. Tell us a little bit about how you make that setting work for you and what commentary on high school you’d like your reader to walk away thinking about.  

The biggest thing I want Georgia to learn is what the reader should consider, I guess.  We’re all human, we all have our perspectives on things, and if we take time to see someone else’s view, what motivates them, it usually benefits us.

 Wow.  That sounded so preachy!  Not my intention.  Maybe the lesson is if you’re going to laugh at others, you have to laugh at yourself first. And through Georgia I’m kind of laughing at myself.  And laughter is the key to surviving high school. 

3. Your leading lady, Georgia Barrett, is quite snarky, which I love, where did the idea for her come from and who do you see when you think of her?

I picture her as tall and thin, gangely even, with dark hair and eyes.  She came from my own discomfort at moving (as a grown up) to a preppie New England town quite unlike where I grew up and feeling that sooner or later someone was going to ask to see my membership card.  And I wouldn’t have one to produce.  Georgia keeps insecurity at bay through snark — I hid out and wrote a book :)

4. As far as modern Darcy like boys go, Michael Endicott is pretty close to perfect, but just like Darcy it’s hard to read his motivations. Can you give us a glimpse under the surface?  

Michael is not nearly as confident as he looks, though I have to say his parents did a good job with him.  He’s very well adjusted except for some minor OCD.  But impatient with people and he can appear cold and aloof when he just doesn’t know what to say.

5. What is your writing process like? Are  a (fly by your seat) Pantser or a (outline outline outline) Plotter? Do you have any requirements when you are writing? Snark was different be because I already had the structure , but in some ways that made it harder.  I had to give myself permission to jump off the P&P rails at some points.  Other times I just have an idea of a scene or a conversation between two people I don’t know yet and I just try to get it all down before I forget.  Then for two days I am ecstatic; two days later I read it and decide it sucks!  Then the work of fleshing it out and deciding what to do with it begins.  I think for every book any writer’s produced, they probably have at least another whole book’s worth of unusable material — at least I do.

6. If Snark and Circumstance had a theme song what would it be?  

Depends on the book, but Book Four is Jason Mraz’s “I’m Yours” and not just because he has serious vegan cred.

7. Snark and Circumstance is a series.  Did you approach writing it differently? What can we expect next and when?  

Book two comes out in May and I can’t tell you how happy I was when someone said “I can’t wait that long!”. Originally it was a standalone novel but Mandy at Swoon had the idea to turn it into a four novella series— which is so Jane Austen!  (Her books came out in threes or Tripledeckers”).  It’s been a challenge to make each installment work on its own but I’m learning a lot in the process.

8. Free share— tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know.  This will freak out some people who know me but don’t know this. When I was in grad school, I had an acquaintance whose mom, unbeknownst to me, was a famous British psychic, apparently.  I met her at a party and we talked about Tess of the Durbervilles.  The next day someone told me that she asked her daughter if — I’m paraphrasing here — I knew I had it.  So some psychic thinks I am psychic.  I sometimes know things that are about to happen, unexpected things, but nothing useful yet, like picking Lotto numbers.  

Thank you to Stephanie Wardrop and Swoon Romance for the interview and the opportunity to review this awesome new book!

e-ARC provided gratis by Swoon Romance. 

Tags:   #i read #books #ya #young adult #young adult fiction #ya lit #snark and circumstance #stpehanie wardrop #swoon romance #blog tour #jane austen #contemporary


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Monday, January 28
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Starling- Lesley Livingston I love Lesley Livingston&#8217;s faerie series, Wonderous Strange, so when I heard there was going to be a spin-off focusing on the Fennrys Wolf, I was excited. Starling delivers with a stellar new heroine, Mason, who may not be a faerie princess but certainly is something equally as cool (no spoilers, I promise). The Norse mythology is fascinating and the intermingling of mythologies&#8212;the hints at the Wonderous Strange fae and the bits of Greek and Egyptian are smartly done. I was always a fan of Fennrys, but even more so here; it&#8217;s so nice to see him get a well deserved love interest after that whole self-sacrificing move of being escorted off by a Valkyrie previously. The end, well quite a bit happens and quite a bit is revealed but the cliffhanger will leave you screaming for the next book.Overall: A Starling is out now from Harper Teen. Get your copy here.  

Starling- Lesley Livingston

I love Lesley Livingston’s faerie series, Wonderous Strange, so when I heard there was going to be a spin-off focusing on the Fennrys Wolf, I was excited. Starling delivers with a stellar new heroine, Mason, who may not be a faerie princess but certainly is something equally as cool (no spoilers, I promise). The Norse mythology is fascinating and the intermingling of mythologies—the hints at the Wonderous Strange fae and the bits of Greek and Egyptian are smartly done. I was always a fan of Fennrys, but even more so here; it’s so nice to see him get a well deserved love interest after that whole self-sacrificing move of being escorted off by a Valkyrie previously. The end, well quite a bit happens and quite a bit is revealed but the cliffhanger will leave you screaming for the next book.

Overall: A

Starling is out now from Harper Teen. Get your copy here.  

Tags:   #i read #books #ya #young adult #ya lit #young adult fiction #starling #harper teen #lesley livingston #wonderous strange #norse mythology



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Monday, January 21
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Georgetown Academy Book 3- Jessica Koosed Etting and Alyssa Embree Schwartz It&#8217;s Inaugeration Day and what better way to celebrate than with some fictional political drama. I don&#8217;t know about you but the fictional kind is much more palatable to me than the real life political drama these days. That being said, Georgetown Academy Book Three JUST came out on January 15th and this time, we&#8217;re hitting the slopes. A few weeks have lapsed since the end of Book Two and the Follow the Stars event and there are quite a few changes to absorb. Brinley is back and practically a different person. I LOVE HER! Her growth is phenomenal. Ellie meanwhile is struggling and making some terrible decisions and at one point I wanted to shake her and say, &#8220;LOOK AT YOUR LIFE! LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES!&#8221;. We get some great twists and turns but we also get a ski lodge setting. The best part of the Georgetown Academy books&#8212;aside from the politics, relationships, fashion&#8212;is that every single character is flawed and those flaws make them real, believable, and most of all lovable. The end of Book 3 is a doozy and I NEED Book 4, like yesterday.  Haven&#8217;t read book 1 or 2 yet? No worries! Enter to win BOTH via rafflecopter here!  Overall: A Georgetown Academy Book Three is out from Colilquy now. Get your copy here. e-acr provided gratis via Coliloquy. 

Georgetown Academy Book 3- Jessica Koosed Etting and Alyssa Embree Schwartz

It’s Inaugeration Day and what better way to celebrate than with some fictional political drama. I don’t know about you but the fictional kind is much more palatable to me than the real life political drama these days. That being said, Georgetown Academy Book Three JUST came out on January 15th and this time, we’re hitting the slopes. A few weeks have lapsed since the end of Book Two and the Follow the Stars event and there are quite a few changes to absorb. Brinley is back and practically a different person. I LOVE HER! Her growth is phenomenal. Ellie meanwhile is struggling and making some terrible decisions and at one point I wanted to shake her and say, “LOOK AT YOUR LIFE! LOOK AT YOUR CHOICES!”. We get some great twists and turns but we also get a ski lodge setting. The best part of the Georgetown Academy books—aside from the politics, relationships, fashion—is that every single character is flawed and those flaws make them real, believable, and most of all lovable. The end of Book 3 is a doozy and I NEED Book 4, like yesterday. 

Haven’t read book 1 or 2 yet? No worries! Enter to win BOTH via rafflecopter here! 

Overall: A

Georgetown Academy Book Three is out from Colilquy now. Get your copy here.

e-acr provided gratis via Coliloquy. 

Tags:   #i read #books #ya #young adult #young adult lit #ya fiction #contemporary #politics #georgetown academy #book three #jessica koosed etting #alyssa embree schwartz #coliloquy



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Friday, January 18
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Georgetown Academy Book 2- Jessica Koosed Etting and Alyssa Embree Schwartz *This review is spoiler free but if you want to read my review of Book 1 go here. There is something about Georgetown Academy that is immersive. When I&#8217;m in the fast paced world of politics and high school with Ellie, Taryn, Brinley and Evan, nothing else matters out in &#8220;real life.&#8221; I consumed this book in record time, and who could blame me? We have relationship drama, potential romance, secrets, alliances, politics, parental problems, forbidden loves, and frenemies. There&#8217;s something for everyone! Book Two picks up right where Book One left off&#8212;-namely in the midst of a massive scandal! And things just get more complicated and entangled here as we lead up to the Follow the Stars benefit. I am still LOVING the choose your own adventure style of Coliloquy especially because at the end point of that chapter I can with one click go back and read all the other story lines as well. Honestly, it&#8217;s the order that I chose to read those in that revealed to me who I like best (Elle) and who I find most interesting (Brinley). And frankly having to choose between Hunter and Gabe is no easy matter&#8212;-so I&#8217;m glad I don&#8217;t have to. Georgetown Academy is my new guilty pleasure! And thanks to the generous folks at Coliloquy it can be yours too! ENTER TO WIN A SET OF DIGITAL BOOKS (Book 1 and Book 2) USING THE RAFFLECOPTER HERE. Overall: A Georgetown Academy Book Two is out now from Coliloquy, get your copy here or enter the raffle to win it above! e-copy provided gratis by Coliloquy.

Georgetown Academy Book 2- Jessica Koosed Etting and Alyssa Embree Schwartz

*This review is spoiler free but if you want to read my review of Book 1 go here.

There is something about Georgetown Academy that is immersive. When I’m in the fast paced world of politics and high school with Ellie, Taryn, Brinley and Evan, nothing else matters out in “real life.” I consumed this book in record time, and who could blame me? We have relationship drama, potential romance, secrets, alliances, politics, parental problems, forbidden loves, and frenemies. There’s something for everyone!

Book Two picks up right where Book One left off—-namely in the midst of a massive scandal! And things just get more complicated and entangled here as we lead up to the Follow the Stars benefit. I am still LOVING the choose your own adventure style of Coliloquy especially because at the end point of that chapter I can with one click go back and read all the other story lines as well. Honestly, it’s the order that I chose to read those in that revealed to me who I like best (Elle) and who I find most interesting (Brinley). And frankly having to choose between Hunter and Gabe is no easy matter—-so I’m glad I don’t have to. Georgetown Academy is my new guilty pleasure! And thanks to the generous folks at Coliloquy it can be yours too!

ENTER TO WIN A SET OF DIGITAL BOOKS (Book 1 and Book 2) USING THE RAFFLECOPTER HERE.

Overall: A

Georgetown Academy Book Two is out now from Coliloquy, get your copy here or enter the raffle to win it above!

e-copy provided gratis by Coliloquy.

Tags:   #i read #books #ya #young adult #ya lit #young adult fiction #coliloquy #georgetown academy #jessica koosed etting #alyssa embree schwartz #covers #politics #contemporary



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