Friday 30 November 2012

Book Blast -- The Sun Dwellers by David Estes + Guest Post



Synopsis
With those she's closest to dying around her, Adele embarks on a secret mission to the Sun Realm to assassinate the President. Along the way she'll uncover secrets about her relationship with Tristan that she might not be ready to face.

Tristan has a secret, too, one that's been eating him up inside ever since he met Adele. Will he reveal all, and risk the loss of friendship and love at a time when he needs it the most?

At the same time, Adele's mother, General Rose, must lead her soldiers into battle to face the Sun Dweller army in the hopes of holding them off until Adele can complete her mission. Can she outlast the strength of President Nailin's elite fighting force?

There's only one truth in their world: someone must die.
Includes bonus material:

The Dwellers Short Story (Anna's Story) and a sneak peek at David Estes's follow up YA dystopian Series: Fire Country!


Early Praise for The Sun Dwellers
"This finale exceeded all of my expectations. The action, the intrigue, and the relationships were taken to a new level. Fantastic finish to the series, and definitely the best of the three."
Kerri Hughes ~Goodreads

"There are some very surprising twists and turns. And the ending is awesome! I can’t wait to read what David writes next! "
Lolita ~ Goodreads

This was a great ending to the series! So much action and emotions packed into this story. The pacing was great and we get a lot of big secrets to come out and finally tie everything together.
Alexandria Nicole ~Goodreads

“This series is nothing short of amazing. It's given us more than the moon and the stars, now we the brilliance of the sun.”
Terri ~ My Book Boyfriend

The Dwellers Saga books are now available everywhere ebooks are sold or in print via Amazon.com


                                                                                                                                       
Readers Rule!
by David Estes

I’ve been thinking about writing a post like this for a while now. As the title suggests, I basically want to tell you why all of you, as readers, rule. I’m not just talking about my readers, those incredibly supportive and loyal people who chanced upon my books and now continue to read each new one I publish (although you are AWESOME in my completely biased opinion), but all lovers of the written word. The reason I think this post is important is that so many other groups of people get accolades poured out upon them, whereas the common reader is often ignored, or even shunned (and potentially bullied at younger ages, like in high school). Well, I’m here to set the record straight. Readers of all ages, officially rule!


Why are you all so awesome? Because you have an imagination and you like to use it. You don’t take yourselves too seriously to pick up a book about faeries or vampires or crazy worlds where people cry tears that fuel their cars or meatloaf is the equivalent of kryptonite to the superhero. No, you dive right in, biting your nails in suspense, sometimes crying when made up characters die, sometimes laughing, always happy at the end of a particularly long reading session. And nothing’s wrong with that.

I’d venture to say that readers are more compassionate, more creative, and more interesting than people who’d rather burn a book than read it. Why? There are probably many reasons, but I think it’s because you are constantly showing compassion and caring for the fictional characters in the books you read, so that when you see someone in real life who needs help, you’re the first one to jump up and help them.

Another reason readers are awesome is that we’re as funny as H-E-double hockey sticks. Trust me, I know. I spend an insane (and probably slightly pathetic) amount of time on Goodreads talking to fellow readers, and I am forced—yes, forced—to use the somewhat annoying LOL acronym a lot. Like every other comment. Okay, maybe I overuse it, but trust me, I only use it when I’m really laughing. Which is like all the time when I’m talking to fellow readers. Readers tend to be witty, opinionated and just plain funny. So, once again, you rule!

The last reason I think readers rule is because they’re so supportive of the authors they love. That kind of loyalty is hard to find in the world these days. I mean, I have to buy the books of my favorite authors on release day and read them immediately. That’s loyalty. Sometimes I even wait a few days to watch the next episode of Grey’s Anatomy, which is my favorite TV show. I can’t wait for books. So for being such loyal people, readers get another big green tick in the “You Rule” column.

Honestly, I love you people. All of you. Even the ones who hate my books and want to use them as a doorstop, or return them to Amazon for a full refund so they can buy a bag of McDonald’s French fries. Yeah, I love you too! Although I might draw the line at giving you a virtual hug.
So, readers, keep on doing what you do, reading and being compassionate, interesting, loyal people. And please, please, please keep talking to me on Goodreads or I won’t know what to do with myself!

Also in the Trilogy

The Moon Dwellers
In a desperate attempt to escape destruction decades earlier, humankind was forced underground, into the depths of the earth, creating a new society called the Tri-Realms. 

After her parents and sister are abducted by the Enforcers, seventeen-year-old Adele, a member of the middle-class moon dwellers, is unjustly sentenced to life in prison for her parents' crimes of treason.

Against all odds, Adele must escape from the Pen and find her family, while being hunted by a deranged, killing machine named Rivet, who works for the President. She is helped by two other inmates, Tawni and Cole, each of whom have dark secrets that are better left undiscovered. Other than her friends, the only thing she has going for her is a wicked roundhouse kick and two fists that have been well-trained for combat by her father.

At the other end of the social spectrum is Tristan, the son of the President and a sun dweller. His mother is gone. He hates his father. Backed by only his servant and best friend, Roc, he leaves his lavish lifestyle in the Sun Realm, seeking to make something good out of his troubled life.

When a war breaks out within the Tri-Realms,Tristan is thrust into the middle of a conflict that seems to mysteriously follow Adele as she seeks to find her family and uncover her parents true past


The Star Dwellers
After rescuing her father and younger sister, Adele is forced to leave her family and Tristan behind to find her mother in the cruel and dangerous realm of the Star Dwellers.

Amidst blossoming feelings for Adele, Tristan must cast his feelings aside and let her find her own way amongst the Star Dwellers, while he accompanies Adele's father to meet with the leaders of the Moon Dweller and decide the fate of the Tri-Realms.

Will Adele be able to rescue her mother and make it back to the Moon Realm before the President and the Sun Dweller Soldiers destroy her family?
Can Tristan convince the Moon Dweller puppets of the error of their ways?

Was Adele's lost kiss with Tristan her one and only chance at love?

In her world there's only one rule: Someone must die.

Haven't read The Dwellers Trilogy?
Today only- All three books are available everywhere ebooks are sold for $ 0.99 .

About the Author
David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife. A reader all his life, he began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010. He´s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.

You can follow David at:



Follow Friday (7)


Gain New Blog Followers
Feature and Follow is hosted by Paranjunkee & Alison Can Read every Friday. Complete Rules and Instructions are here: Feature and Follow

This week's question:

Activity! Who is your to-die-for book crush? What do you think they look like? Add an image to make us all happy.

One of the hardest questions any book lover has to come across. But my ultimate book crush will have to be Augustus Waters from The Fault in Our Stars. No one can beat the hotness of that metaphor-loving, unlit-cigarette smoking BAMF. I can't pick only one actor to embody the amazing Augustus so here are a few:
-vibe:

fuck

Another book crush would be Finnick Odair from Catching Fire. I know Sam Claflin was already casted for this role but Heath Ledger (circa 10 Things I Hate About You) is the perfect human being to play this role. Honestly.
 

I may have used this meme as a reason to post pictures of hot guys. I regret nothing.

Thursday 29 November 2012

Library Loot (3)

Library Loot is a weekly event co-hosted by Claire from The Captive Reader and Marg from The Adventures of an Intrepid Reader that encourages bloggers to share the books they have checked out from the library.

This week, I've got:
  • Blackout by Mira Grant
  • Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
  • Seraphina by Rachel Hartman
  • Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
  • Hallowed by Cynthia Hand
  • Tiger's Curse by Colleen Houck
  • Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare
Normally, when I get home with books from the library, I get right to reading. But this time, I think I wasted about 15 mins, dilly-dallying and doing odd things around the house so I don't have to make the decision to pick which book to read. I'm telling you, it wasn't an easy decision.

What books do have for this week?

Review -- Feed by Mira Grant


Feed (Newsflesh, #1)

Title: Feed
Author: Mira Grant
Series: Newsflesh Trilogy (1)
Publisher: Orbit
Release Date: 01 May 2010
Date Read: Nov 2012
Rating:★★★★

This is a zombie post-apocalyptic novel. This is not just a zombie post-apocalyptic novel.

The Rising occurred in 2014. The cures for the common cold and cancer had mutated and created a virus: The Kellis-Amberlee virus. Those infected have no control over their own bodies. The virus kills the mind and thought, making them the living undead. The virus drives the body to feed on flesh and spread the virus. Twenty years later, the government has taken back some of the land the zombies took from us. Society now lives with having to take several blood tests a day and decontamination baths to monitor the spread of the virus. Hardly anybody leaves their homes, choosing instead to live behind the safety of computerized walls. Those who do choose to go outside would never go without several firearms within their reach. Society lives drenched with fear and paranoia. But society lives nonetheless.


Tuesday 27 November 2012

Teaser Tuesday (3)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.
Anyone can play along! Just do the following
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page.
 BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! 
(Make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 

                                                                                                                                      
I am currently reading two books so I'll post teasers for both.


Faefever (Fever, #3)
Title: Faefever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever (3)
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Release Date: 16 Sept 2008

"V'lane was the sidhe-seer equivalent of Lucifer; and even if his motives in Mankind's current predicament mirrored ours, he was to be feared, shunned, and, a deep part of me insisted, destroyed. Seelie and Unseelie alike, the Fae were our enemies."

-pg 154

Linger (The Wolves of Mercy Falls, #2)
Title:  Linger
Author: Maggie Stiefvater
Series: Wolves of Mercy Falls (2)
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Release Date: 13 July 2010


"Likewise, my body wasn't firmly human- but it wasn't wolf either. Instead, it was a strange middle territory- human body, wolf brain. Human memories seen through wolf eyes."

 -pg 180

Friday 23 November 2012

Movie Review -- Because I Never Really Hated Twilight

I finally watched Breaking Dawn Pt 2.
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I don't know if my expectations are getting lower or they're making the movie better but it was good, a fitting end to the Saga. I liked this movie a lot better than the others mainly because for the first time, the plot wasn't fueled by angsty teen love triangle relationships. But I'm getting ahead of myself.



There will be spoilers. You have been warned.

Wednesday 21 November 2012

Waiting on Wednesday (1)



"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Jill on Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating. New installment of a series/trilogy, new book by a favourite author or a new release that captured your attention. Whatever book it may be, it certainly tickled your fancy and got you bouncing on your seat, silently giggling to yourself. Waiting on Wednesday allows us to feature books we're eagerly waiting for.

This Week I'm Waiting On:

Perfect Scoundrels (Heist Society, #3)
Title: Perfect Scoundrels
Author: Ally Carter
Series: Heist Society (3)
Publisher: Hyperion Books
Expected Publication: 05 February 2013

Katarina Bishop and W.W. Hale the fifth were born to lead completely different lives: Kat comes from a long, proud line of lovable criminal masterminds, while Hale is the scion of one of the most seemingly perfect dynasties in the world. If their families have one thing in common, it’s that they both know how to stay under the radar while getting-or stealing-whatever they want.

No matter the risk, the Bishops can always be counted on, but in Hale’s family, all bets are off when money is on the line. When Hale unexpectedly inherits his grandmother’s billion dollar corporation, he quickly learns that there’s no place for Kat and their old heists in his new role. But Kat won’t let him go that easily, especially after she gets tipped off that his grandmother’s will might have been altered in an elaborate con to steal the company’s fortune. So instead of being the heir-this time, Hale might be the mark.

Forced to keep a level head as she and her crew fight for one of their own, Kat comes up with an ambitious and far-reaching plan that only the Bishop family would dare attempt. To pull it off, Kat is prepared to do the impossible, but first, she has to decide if she’s willing to save her boyfriend’s company if it means losing the boy. 



Seriously. I can not stress enough how much I love Ally Carter. Kat and Hale are the cutest thing ever and I swear if they don't end up together I am going to write a very angry, passionate letter. Is that Hale I see in the reflection of her glasses? Nice move, cover designers, nice move. The past two books were awesome and this is going to be the last one, isn't it? I'm gonna cry...

Monday 19 November 2012

Review: Origin- Jessica Khoury

OriginTitle: Origin
Author: Jessica Khoury
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: 04 September 2012
Date Read: October 2012
Rating: ★★

Pia is perfect. She is incredibly intelligent. Her physical abilities are superhuman. Her beauty is stunning (literally). This is no coincidence. Pia was genetically engineered through five generation to be perfect, to be the first of an Immortal race. She was raised in Little Cam, a secluded village in the middle of Amazon, by the best scientists in the world.

Pia works hard to be the perfect immortal everyone wants her to be. I couldn't decide whether I enjoyed reading the story through Pia's perspective. I got frustrated at her, especially at the beginning, because so many of her hard convictions and beliefs weren't hers. Her thoughts and words were shadows of what the scientists told her time and time again. Ugh! And she was so conceited, up herself and vulnerable to say the least. Normally, I would have hated her, but considering her immortal circumstance, it made for a very interesting narrative.

Khoury did a fantastic job in creating the world of Little Cam, of the Amazon. With a few choice words, Khoury breathed life into a vibrant jungle filled with amazing greenery, flowers, exotic animals and the sounds exclusive only to the jungle that housed Pia's entire life.

Even though Pia is obedient of the scientists' wishes, she still yearns for the life outside Little Cam, the life of the jungle. On the night of her seventeenth birthday, she finds a hole in the gate that traps her inside Little Cam. She takes the opportunity, sneaks out and encounters Eio, as mysterious as the jungle itself. Half Ai'oan, he joins Pia in discovering the jungle that's always been out of reach. The romance between the two was romantic and beautifully crafted, even though it was an insta-love. I think the time frame of the book, and their encounters was only a week or two. But really it felt much longer than that and considering their circumstance, it didn't bother me at all. They had a real connection and they loved each other. Khoury's wonderful prose certainly helped in that matter. Seriously, the scnes between the two were heart-warming and butterflies were going crazy in my stomach.

The other characters were great and all you could hope for side characters. Well-rounded and with substance, they were real people with their own fears, dreams and desires. I especially liked Harriet. No matter how much I wanted to hate her, I couldn't. It made me wonder how far I would go for the things I wanted and loved.

Origin is a fast-paced novel with an original story-line. It is filled with action, romance, suspense, adventure and prose that expertly creates the exotic setting, the Amazon jungle, of this story. I was surprised to find that it is a stand-alone title. It's not easy to find a good stand-alone adventure/dystopia book. But I'm glad I found this one.

Friday 16 November 2012

Review: Beautiful Disaster - Jamie McGuire


Beautiful Disaster (Beautiful, #1)
Title: Beautiful Disaster
Author: Jamie McGuire
Series: Beautiful (1)
Publisher: Jamie McGuire
Release Date: 26 May 2011
Date Read: October 2012
Rating:

Beautiful disaster, indeed.

This is going to be more of a rant than a review with a lot of spoilers.

This tops the list of abusive, unhealthy relationships in YA literature, and there are a lot of those nowadays. Abby and Travis insist on hurting each other the first chance they get.

Abby Abernathy went to Eastern with her best friend, America, to escape her past. (I know America is her best friend but that's kind of selfish to go to a college just because you're friend wants to go there as well. You've got you're whole future to think about too, America. But obviously I don't have loyalty to my friends so don't listen to me.) She works hard to seem like a good girl -(she has the appropriate amount of cardigans).

Travis Maddox is the most eligible man in Eastern. He's smoking hot, ridiculously ripped, wins money from fighting in a floating fight club and he's got tattoos to increase his already high sex appeal. He's smart, he got a scholarship to go to Eastern (how and why he needs to be smart, I haven't got a clue since he didn't do any studying of his own and it doesn't fit his personality). There are puddles of drool all over the campus because girls forget their manners, and the fact that they are people that should be treated with respect, whenever Travis walks past. Girls literally throw themselves at him in ways that I can only hope stays in the fiction world. These girls chuck their self-respect out the window to be with Travis even though he's made it perfectly clear that he only wants sex. And how could I forget the fact that he's the Hulk? Abby snags his attention because she's the only girl in campus who's not pining for him and flipping her hair over her shoulder whenever she's around. No, Abby is immune to Travis charms and they proceed to become platonic friends, who secretly want to bang each other.


Wednesday 14 November 2012

Cover Release -- Furthermore: An Anthology

It's Cover Reveal week! Thanks to the talent of so many wonderful authors, our anthology is nearly complete and will be released on December 11th. But today, we are excited to share the cover with you and won't make you wait any longer!



A first date, a lottery, treachery and deceit. Sometimes fate has other plans. Sometimes there’s more to tell.
In Furthermore: An Anthology, eighteen original stories take you on a journey through worlds here and beyond. From the depths of the earth to the embrace of the sea, your favorite series continue. Prequels, alternative views, and new scenes give readers a chance to experience more than originally told.
Including stories from Rebekah Campbell, Amber Garr, David Estes, Leigh Michael, Karen Amanda Hooper, Stephanie Judice, and Mayandree Michael. And most importantly, in honor of those who lost the battle and those who continue to fight, all proceeds from this anthology will be donated to cancer research and support.
Here's a list of the short stories that will be included in Furthermore: An Anthology
  • SURPRISE VISITOR -Emily has never been a fan of surprises but Eric has something up his sleeve to change her mind. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)
  • GETTING TO KNOW THE HEAVIES - The two Sullivan bodyguards are still human beings underneath it all. And everyone has a weakness. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)
  • PEOPLE CHANGE - When Eric asks his dad a question about his mother, it’s time to go back to where it all began and then went so badly wrong. (The Darkness Through The Light Series)
  • COLD FEET - Kain witnesses Eviana’s deceit on their wedding day and is forced to deal with the consequences of her behavior. (The Syrenka Series)
  • RIFT - Daniel encourages the group to make a detour to the Grand Canyon, as the distance between the friends begins to rival the great ravine. (The Syrenka Series)
  • DISCOVERY - Leila’s first encounter with her psychic mentor is nothing short of memorable. (The Leila Marx Novels)
  • HUMAN RESOURCES – Blake finds a new job while Mac finds a friend who reminds him of home. (The Leila Marx Novels)
  • THE RUNAWAY- TAWNI’S STORY - After learning of her parents’ treachery, Tawni leaves home seeking to make amends for their transgressions. (The Dwellers Saga)
  • THE LIFE LOTTERY- A STORY FROM YEAR ZERO - With the survival of the human race on the brink, there’s only one way to decide who will be saved in the underground caves: The Lottery. (The Dwellers Saga)
  • FATE: Experience Annabelle’s struggle to fulfill the ABA Prophecy in a new light through the parting words of Adrian, Aurelia, Blake, and Lady Katherine. (Annabelle’s Story)
  • The Sound of Love - Glimpse into one of Nathaniel’s previous lives and see how his soul mate reacts when tragedy strikes. (The Kindrily Series)
  • MUIRNE’S MELODY--To escape her master’s vile desires, Muirne flees into the snow-swept night, finding a green-eyed stranger and a mystical destiny. (Saga of the Setti Series)
  • JEREMY’S HEART: Calm, cool, and complete scoundrel, Jeremy realizes the loss he’s suffered means nothing compared to true love. (Saga of the Setti Series)
  • FALL FROM GRACE: Warped by centuries of darkness, the creature Sveigja plots to capture Clara as his queen. (Saga of the Setti Series)
  • Plus two original stories by Mayandree Michel.
We would like to extend a HUGE thanks to Claudia at PhatPuppyArt for donating the artwork and to Alexandra Shostak for donating her time for the cover design. You ladies are amazing and we are all so grateful for your contribution!


If you are interested in promoting the release or reviewing an ARC, please visit HERE to sign up.
To find out more about the authors and their stories, please check out THIS POST.

In Which Katrina Returns From the Almost Month Long Absence Brought Upon the Horror that is Final Exams...

Yes. As it says on the incredibly long title of the post, I am back.
My final exams are over, there are no more classes, I don't have to think about anything school related until February 2013 (and even that's questionable since the whole end of the world thing is the way). So yeah...

I can do whatever I want! Granted, I already did that before, but at least now I don't have to feel guilty about doing what I want and not doing what I'm supposed to.
There will be reviews, new releases, blog tours and there will be general book-related excitedness.

Anyway, I hear the airport attendant calling out my flight.
Flight Number DK 394 to FictionLand: Now Boarding


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