31 Jan 2017

#ReleaseDay Celebration: EMBERS IN THE SEA by Jennifer M. Eaton // #Excerpt + #Giveaway

31 January 0 Comments


I am so excited that EMBERS IN THE SEA by Jennifer M. Eaton releases today and that I get to share the news!

If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author Jennifer M. Eaton, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a Perfectly Posh, Posh To Meet You Set ($20 value), and an Alien Charm Necklace US Only courtesy of Jennifer & Month9Books. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

EMBERS IN THE SEA

Author: JenniferM. Eaton
Series: Fire in the Woods #3
Publisher: Month9Books
Publication Date: January 31, 2017

Summary:
Alien scientist David has dealt with disappointment his entire life, but failing to breathe life into the planet Mars is his greatest regret. Out of options and in need of a new home for their people, the alien Caretakers rekindle their plan to inhabit Earth. First they will have to eliminate the human race, including Jess, the only human David holds dear.

Humanity has one final chance at survival. David needs to emulate Earth’s precipitation on Mars. But the catalyst to make it rain lies in the fathomless depths of Earth’s ocean.

The clock is ticking down to humanity’s last hours as Jess and David face a world more alien than either of them can imagine. The sea hides secrets, but some secrets don’t want to be found.

Purchase:
We rattled, cascading and spinning. My sight blurred. My breakfast threatened a reappearance. I closed my eyes and prayed David and Edgar could bring us under control. The tiles rumbled beneath my cheek before we collided to a stop.

My body left the floor before slamming back down once again.

Oww.

I blinked until I could focus. David lay across the side of his seat, his head dangling near the floor.

30 Jan 2017

#Review: CRYSTAL STORM by Morgan Rhodes

30 January 0 Comments

CRYSTAL STORM

Author: Morgan Rhodes
Series: Falling Kingdoms #5
Source: Purchased from Chapters
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: December 13, 2016
Rating: 4/5 stars

Summary:
The ruthless Empress Amara of Kraeshia has taken the Mytican throne, and now uncertainty looms over the three kingdoms. Since Lucia unleashed the fire Kindred, wreaking havoc throughout the land, Myticans have been looking for someone—anyone—they can trust. They believe in Amara, not knowing her grand promises are built on lies.

In Paelsia, Magnus and Cleo reluctantly follow King Gaius to the home of his exiled mother, Selia. Selia is a powerful witch and claims she can help unlock the magic of the Kindred—if the visitors agree to her terms. When Jonas arrives from Kraeshia, he is shocked to find that his rebel army now includes his sworn enemies. Along with Nic, Felix, and the mysteriously resurrected Ashur, the contentious group agrees to cast aside old grudges—for now—and united against their common enemy: Amara.

Meanwhile, bearing the child of a Watcher and feared by all, Princess Lucia travels across Mytica to find her family. But time is running out. The impending storm signals the dark prophecy Timotheus warned her about. Her fate is written, and it includes none other than the rebel Jonas. When their paths collied, Jonas and Lucia must decide between blindly following their destiny or fighting for their own free will.

The battle for power culminates at the Paelsian palace, where Amara resides. Rain pours. Blood spills. And soon all will discover that the darkest magic comes at an even darker price.
Purchase:
WARNING! This fifth book in a series so there will be spoilers for at least the first four books. To see my reviews of those, click HERE.

29 Jan 2017

#52Wks52Bks: Week Five Recommendations + #Interview with BECKY CHAMBERS!

29 January 1 Comments
You may or may not know, but this year I am hosting a 2017 reading challenge! Every week for the whole year there are different themes and the idea is to read a book that fits the theme within that week! It will help you keep on track for your Goodreads Challenge as you will be at least thinking about a book for a whole week even if you don't quite get to it. 

But don't worry, if you don't finish a book or skip a week or start late, that's okay! This is just to make you think more about the types of books you are reading and to broaden your horizons.

If you didn't see the original post with all the challenges, click HERE.
If you are participating (or want to without checking, that's cool too), you can keep track of your reads with my Handy Dandy Charts.

This week's theme is...

Book You've Heard A Lot About But Haven't Read

Here are some books that I highly recommend that I *have* read that I think you guys should read! This way you have some books to choose from ;)

I'll be reading...

THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET

Author: Becky Chambers
Series: Wayfarers #1
Source: Purchased from Kobo
PublisherHodder & Stoughton
Publication Date: August 13, 2015

Summary:

Somewhere within our crowded sky, a crew of wormhole builders hops from planet to planet, on their way to the job of a lifetime. To the galaxy at large, humanity is a minor species, and one patched-up construction vessel is a mere speck on the starchart. This is an everyday sort of ship, just trying to get from here to there. 

But all voyages leave their mark, and even the most ordinary of people have stories worth telling. A young Martian woman, hoping the vastness of space will put some distance between herself and the life she‘s left behind. An alien pilot, navigating life without her own kind. A pacifist captain, awaiting the return of a loved one at war. 

Set against a backdrop of curious cultures and distant worlds, this episodic tale weaves together the adventures of nine eclectic characters, each on a journey of their own.
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD

I also have the wonderful Becky Chambers here for an interview so you can learn more about the book I am reading this week!

Describe THE LONG WAY TO A SMALL, ANGRY PLANET in 10 words or less.


Becky Chambers: A wormhole construction crew goes on a space road trip.

Which character from your book would you most like to be friends with?


Becky Chambers: That is a really tough call. I’m going to go with Dr. Chef. I just want to garden and eat snacks with him all day.

How is writing a sequel different to writing the first book in the series?


Becky Chambers: The biggest challenge is figuring out how much worldbuilding stuff to reiterate, and how much to let the reader remember on their own. I was constantly reminding myself that the only reason the lore is obvious to me is because I wrote it, and someone who read the first book a year or more ago will have forgotten things. That was an especially tricky thing to consider, given that A Closed and Common Orbit doesn’t follow the main characters from the first book and can be read as a standalone. I wrote it with the assumption that the reader’s read the first one already, but it had to work on its own as well. In the end, I decided not to repeat myself. I gave a few subtle reminders -- Aeluons don’t move their mouths when they speak, Harmagians use carts to get around, that kind of thing -- but for the most part, I trusted folks to follow along. 

Have you learned anything in the process of writing that you wished you'd known when you first started?


Becky Chambers: You will always, always, always think your work is terrible when you’re in the middle of getting it done. It doesn’t matter how many book deals you get or how many people tell you they like your stuff. All of us are our own worst critics. I’ve yet to meet an author who isn’t.

What's your favourite thing about being an author?


Becky Chambers: Creatively, I love being able to take something from inside my own head and put it into someone else’s. I think that’s kind of magic. And honestly, one of my favorite things is hearing how people interpret things differently than the way I imagined them. I get such a kick out of that. 

On the practical side, being my own boss is the best thing in the world. Yes, there are deadlines and whatnot, but for the most part, I’m on my own. I work when I want to work, I don’t have to stress about taking sick days or asking for vacation time, and I don’t have to sit around and look busy when I’m done for the day. It’s totally worth the quarterly taxes.

Why do you write Science Fiction novels?


Becky Chambers: Because I love real science. And yeah, I’ll be the first to tell you that my stories are not hard science fiction, so that may sound like a funny thing for somebody writing character-driven stuff to say. But science and science fiction have a symbiotic relationship, regardless of whether you’re drawing diagrams or not. It’s hard to find people working in STEM who weren’t inspired by books and TV shows when they were young. So I see myself as kind of a support class for the people who are doing what I view as the real important work. If all you get out of my books is a fun escape, then I’ve done my job, and I’m good with that. There’s value in taking your brain elsewhere for a while. But the hope that my stuff will spark an interest in space and exploration for someone out there is what keeps me working. And that doesn’t mean I want my readers to go for a career in science (though I’d consider that a huge achievement). Just an interest. A spark. I want people to care about space exploration. I want people to see the universe as something we’re a part of, something that belongs to us all equally. I want people to think about how small and fragile and precious our species is, and what we’ll need to prioritize if we want to keep existing. That’s why I write.

There was a lot of science involved in your book. What kind of research did you do?


Becky Chambers: I grew up in a family that works in science and aerospace, so a lot of it I just absorbed through proximity. My mom’s an astrobiology educator, so she’s usually my first stop when I have questions about whether or not something works the way I’ve written it. I like to keep things plausible, even if they’re unlikely. For The Long Way, I did spend some time in the library reading up on wormholes. The explanation I give in the book on how they work is pretty user-friendly, but I wanted to have a clear understanding of what I was riffing on. That’s true of most of the tech and physics in my books. If you’re going to mess with something, you have to know what you’re messing with.



Becky Chambers is the author of the award-nominated science fiction novel The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet and its stand-alone sequel, A Closed & Common Orbit. She also writes nonfiction essays and short stories, which can be found in various places around the internet. In addition to writing, Becky has a background in performing arts, and grew up in a family heavily involved in space science. Having lived in Scotland and Iceland, she is currently back in her home state of California. She can be found online at otherscribbles.com and @beckysaysrawr.

27 Jan 2017

Science Fiction and Fantasy Fridays (4): #Review: THE ALCHEMISTS OF LOOM by Elise Kova + #Giveaway

27 January 4 Comments
One book that really fits into this theme is Elise Kova's THE ALCHEMISTS OF LOOM. Elise wrote a YA Fantasy series, AIR AWAKENS, and while that started as YA it definitely ventured into the Adult realm near the end. However, the Loom Saga is decidedly Adult, so I thought I would feature it today as Kova is an author that has written both YA and Adult Fantasy! See my thoughts below + enter to win one of three signed Loom bookmarks!

Breakdown for the month...


January's Theme: YA to Adult Crossover
January 6: 2016 Release Roundup
January 13: Review of OUTLANDER by Diana Gabaldon from Shannon @ Shannon Reads
January 20: YA to Adult SFF Recommendations
January 27: Review of THE ALCHEMISTS OF LOOM by Elise Kova


THE ALCHEMISTS OF LOOM

Author: Elise Kova
Series: Loom Saga #1
Source: ARC via Publisher
Publisher: Keymaster Press
Publication Date: January 10, 2017
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary:
Her vengeance. His vision.

Ari lost everything she once loved when the Five Guilds’ resistance fell to the Dragon King. Now, she uses her unparalleled gift for clockwork machinery in tandem with notoriously unscrupulous morals to contribute to a thriving underground organ market. There isn’t a place on Loom that is secure from the engineer turned thief, and her magical talents are sold to the highest bidder as long as the job defies their Dragon oppressors.

Cvareh would do anything to see his sister usurp the Dragon King and sit on the throne. His family’s house has endured the shame of being the lowest rung in the Dragons’ society for far too long. The Alchemist Guild, down on Loom, may just hold the key to putting his kin in power, if Cvareh can get to them before the Dragon King’s assassins.

When Ari stumbles upon a wounded Cvareh, she sees an opportunity to slaughter an enemy and make a profit off his corpse. But the Dragon sees an opportunity to navigate Loom with the best person to get him where he wants to go.

He offers her the one thing Ari can’t refuse: A wish of her greatest desire, if she brings him to the Alchemists of Loom.
Purchase:


Anytime you read a book by an author you love, you have that momentary jolt of panic thinking "Am I going to like this? What happens if I don't?!" and that's how I felt going into THE ALCHEMISTS OF LOOM. I loved the AIR AWAKENS Series by Elise Kova and had those butterflies upon starting Loom, but I shouldn't have. THE ALCHEMISTS OF LOOM has a great magic system, complex characters, and lots of action to keep you on your toes. If you're a fan of MISTBORN by Brandon Sanderson, you will enjoy THE ALCHEMISTS OF LOOM.

25 Jan 2017

10 YA Books About Mental Health for #BellLetsTalk Day!

25 January 2 Comments
Today, January 25th, 2017, is Bell's annual Mental Health Awareness Day called "Bell Let's Talk." For every tweet using the hashtag, #BellLetsTalk, Bell will donate 5 cents to Canadian mental health initiatives. To bring more awareness to mental health, it is important to read up on who it affects (everyone), why (brain chemicals), and how you can be a good ally to someone with a mental illness (talk to them and don't stigmatize). 

However I know it is sometimes easier for people to learn and understand through fiction, so here are 10 YA books that deal with mental health issues of a variety and pretty much nail them. Feel free to add more below that you know of!

HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME

Author: Adam Silvera
Publisher: Soho Teen
Publication Date: January 17, 2017
What Mental Illness It Portrays: OCD
Learn more about OCD here!

Summary:
When Griffin’s first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he’s been imagining for himself has gone far off course.

To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin’s downward spiral continues. He’s losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he’s been keeping are tearing him apart.

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life.
Purchase:

GIRL AGAINST THE UNIVERSE

Author: Paula Stokes
Publisher: HarperTeen
Publication Date: May 17, 2016
What Mental Illness It Portrays: OCD and PTSD

Summary:
Maguire is bad luck.

No matter how many charms she buys off the internet or good luck rituals she performs each morning, horrible things happen when Maguire is around. Like that time the rollercoaster jumped off its tracks. Or the time the house next door caught on fire. Or that time her brother, father, and uncle were all killed in a car crash—and Maguire walked away with barely a scratch.

It’s safest for Maguire to hide out in her room, where she can cause less damage and avoid meeting new people who she could hurt. But then she meets Jordy, an aspiring tennis star. Jordy is confident, talented, and lucky, and he’s convinced he can help Maguire break her unlucky streak. Maguire knows that the best thing she can do for Jordy is to stay away. But it turns out staying away is harder than she thought.

From author Paula Stokes comes a funny and poignant novel about accepting the past, embracing the future, and learning to make your own luck.
Purchase:

LIARS AND LOSERS LIKE US

Author: Ami Allen-Vath
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Publication Date: March 22, 2016
What Mental Illness It Portrays: Anxiety Disorder

Summary:
Keep calm and make it to prom night—without a legit panic attack.

For seventeen-year-old Bree Hughes, it’s easier said than done when gossip, grief, and the opportunity to fail at love are practically high-fiving her in the hallways of Belmont High.

When Bree’s crush, Sean Mills, gives her his phone number, she can’t even leave a voicemail without sounding like a freak. Then she’s asked to be on Prom Court because Maisey Morgan, the school outcast nominated as a joke, declined. She apologizes to Maisey, but it’s too late. After years of torment and an ugly secret shared with their class’s cruel Pageant Queen, Maisey commits suicide. Bree is left with a lot of regret…and a revealing letter with a final request.

With Sean by her side, Bree navigates through her guilt, her parents’ divorce, and all the Prom Court drama. But when a cheating-love-triangle secret hits the fan after a night of sex, drinks, and video games, she’s left with new information about Sean and the class Pageant Queen. Bree must now speak up or stay silent. If she lets fear be her guide, she’ll lose her first love, and head to prom to avenge the death of the school outcast—as a party of one.
Purchase:

23 Jan 2017

Event Recap: Last Stop on the WINDWITCH Tour!

23 January 2 Comments
On Sunday, January 22, 2017, I crossed the border to Beverly Hills, Michigan to the Books-A-Million! It was the LAST STOP for the WINDWITCH Tour for Susan Dennard and featured E.K. Johnston, Kate Elliot, and Elly Blake! The panel was really fun and we got to learn a lot about the books the authors have written and what they are working on now. They also gave really good writing advice and Susan Dennard used me to show people how to kick people in the knees. So, you know, normal things happened. 

Below you can learn about the panel and each other's book(s) so you can check them out yourself. At the bottom of the post you can win a signed paperback copy of TRUTHWITCH by Susan Dennard. If you're looking for the signed copy of WINDWITCH, that will be over on Books Are My Fandom!


Repeat Offence

It had been exactly one year since I met Susan Dennard and it was pretty close to being in the same place so it was basically magic! Just like last time, Susan was with a bunch of different authors and came to this event just after ConFusion. It was really great to see Susan and Kate again since I've seen them both before and I got to spend time with Alex, Theresa, Sarah, and Stephanie, which is always a bunch of fun -- and really the reason I love going to events!


Introductions

Once the panel started, each author introduced themselves and their most recent book, so I'm going to do that for you now.


WINDWITCH

Author: Susan Dennard
Series: Witchlands #2
Publisher: Tor Teen
Publication Date: January 10, 2017

Summary:
Sometimes our enemies are also our only allies…

After an explosion destroys his ship, the world believes Prince Merik, Windwitch, is dead. Scarred yet alive, Merik is determined to prove his sister’s treachery. Upon reaching the royal capital, crowded with refugees, he haunts the streets, fighting for the weak—which leads to whispers of a disfigured demigod, the Fury, who brings justice to the oppressed.

When the Bloodwitch Aeduan discovers a bounty on Iseult, he makes sure to be the first to find her—yet in a surprise twist, Iseult offers him a deal. She will return money stolen from him, if he locates Safi. Now they must work together to cross the Witchlands, while constantly wondering, who will betray whom first?


After a surprise attack and shipwreck, Safi and the Empress of Marstok barely escape with their lives. Alone in a land of pirates, every moment balances on a knife’s edge—especially when the pirates’ next move could unleash war upon the Witchlands.
Purchase:

AHSOKA

Author: E.K. Johnston
Series: N/A
Publisher: Disney Lucasfilm Press
Publication Date: October 11, 2016

Summary:
Fans have long wondered what happened to Ahsoka after she left the Jedi Order near the end of the Clone Wars, and before she re-appeared as the mysterious Rebel operative Fulcrum in Rebels. Finally, her story will begin to be told. Following her experiences with the Jedi and the devastation of Order 66, Ahsoka is unsure she can be part of a larger whole ever again. But her desire to fight the evils of the Empire and protect those who need it will lead her right to Bail Organa, and the Rebel Alliance…
Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD