The Surrendered Review & A Giveaway!

Yesterday, I introduced you to CASE MAYNARD. Today, I have the privilege of introducing you to her debut novel for Blaze Publishing: THE SURRENDERED.

**I LOVE THE COVER!**

BACK COVER BLURB

After a financial collapse devastates the United States, the new government imposes a tax on the nation’s most valuable resource―the children.

Surrendered at age ten―after her parents could no longer afford her exorbitant fees―Vee Delancourt has spent six hard years at the Mills, alongside her twin, Oliver. With just a year to freedom, they do what they can to stay off the Master’s radar. But when Vee discovers unspeakable things happening to the younger girls in service, she has no choice but to take a stand―a decision that lands her on the run and outside the fence for the first time since the System robbed her of her liberty.

Vee knows the Master will stop at nothing to prove he holds ultimate authority over the Surrendered. But when he makes a threat that goes beyond what even she considers possible, she accepts the aid of an unlikely group of allies. Problem is, with opposing factions gunning for the one thing that might save them all, Vee must find a way to turn oppression and desperation into hope and determination―or risk failing all the children and the brother she left behind.

MY REVIEW

FIRST THOUGHTS: I was blown away by this novel, hooked from the very first sentence/scene until the end. Case took all my favorite elements of story and put them together. Strong, but flawed characters, intense plotline, great dialogue and action, touches of romance, the ability to make me forget the world around me, and a BOOK COMA because of the ending—seriously, it took me days to recover!

PLOT: The plot was well-developed and kept me on my toes. The backdrop was familiar–America in the future after a financial collapse–but the ideas and execution of the story were fresh. They hit a little close to home . . .

CHARACTERS: Strong, relatable characters with flaws. Case did a great job of blurring that line between the good guys and bad. She gave me characters to love, hate, and relate too. Vee was definitely someone to root for and also at times, made me cringe from her thoughts, actions, and dialogue. No one was as they seemed. When a new character came on the scene, I doubted them, even if I was HOPING they would show up in the story again. I got so into the characters lives and struggles, that when something happened to them it affected me deeply. Case wasn’t afraid of making her bad guys evil and actually allowing them to do bad things, not just talk about how evil they were gonna be. She also wasn’t afraid to kill off characters, but there was always a PURPOSE when she did.

“I want to live too, you idiot! But life without freedom is no life at all. And a life where friends choose their life over yours is one I want no part of.”

My whole life I’ve had to fight for myself. I’ve fought hunger and hatred and terror and despair. I’ve fought for any freedoms I could get and for any joy I could garner. I’ve fought for my own sanity. But most of all, I’ve fought to hold onto hope. Because somewhere deep inside me I know that without hope, there is nothing. -Vee’s words and thoughts from page 197.

MOOD: Suspenseful, darker, times of playfulness. Case didn’t shy away from some tough topics. The characters went through a lot. And, I loved that their past/problems didn’t just magically disappear when they were “free.” They had baggage and still had to deal with it and the consequences of their actions–nothing was packed neatly into a box, there were a lot of messy situations that forced the characters to be who they needed to be. Case did a marvelous job!

PACE: I was hooked from the first scene and couldn’t stop reading! (I even missed making dinner for my family because I COULDN’T STOP!!) It was a fast-paced read, although, I did have to take a break near the end to recover…oh, the feels!

WRITING: Flawless, tight writing. Great dialogue and action sequences . . . and romance *SIGH* (Vee and Cason are a couple that I totally ship!)

FAVORITE QUOTE:

“I like to read too.” His gaze roams my face, as though he’s amazed we share this similarity. “The greatest thing about being introduced to new worlds in books is that you can revisit them as often as you like.”

I agree wholeheartedly. “I read those books multiple times before the Regulators discovered them during a bunk toss. The books were taken from me, but they couldn’t get the new places Id experiences. They couldn’t take the new friends I’d met . . . friends that had lives so different from the one I was living behind the fence.” I draw a deep breath. “I got twenty lashes for those books, but the joy I gained was worth every one of them.”  (page 97)

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS BOOK: Oh, YES! This was hands-down the best dystopian novel I’ve read in a long time! Any fan of the dystopian will love this book. Especially fans of the Divergent Series, Maze Runner, and fans of Marie Lu. It will leave you craving the next book!

GIVEAWAY TIME

Up for grabs: $5 AMAZON gift card

There are several ways to get your name in the drawing.

1. Leave a comment on yesterday’s blog post CASE MAYNARD: THE INTERVIEW, telling us your favorite joke (Case couldn’t think of any and admitting she’s bad at telling jokes, so let’s help her!)

2. Buy THE SURRENDERED, either paperback or e-book and comment on this post when you have.

• Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Surrendered-Case-Maynard/dp/0997010479/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1472554022&sr=8-2&keywords=The+Surrendered
• Blaze Publishing: http://www.blazepub.com/

3. Leave a review! (1 entry for every place you leave a review: Goodreads, Amazon, your blog, Facebook . . .)

**I will draw the winner September 30th**

Thanks for hanging out with us! Hope you all have a wonderful week! READ ON!

 

Case Maynard: The Interview

I’m so excited to be doing my third YAA! Chat (Review:YA = Young Adult, A = Adult, ! = Excitement, Chat = Interviews, getting behind-the-scenes with other writers).

 Today, I will be introducing you to super-talented, Case Maynard and her debut novel with Blaze Publishing: THE SURRENDERED. Tomorrow, I will post my actual review. So stay tuned! 

<—–This is CASE! Author of young adult fiction. When not reading or writing, she can be found binge-watching Netflix or watching NCAA football (Go Noles!)

This is the AMAZING cover for THE SURRENDERED! —–>

INTERVIEW TIME:

The “Serious” Questions

JKL: The CLIFF NOTES version of your writing journey . . . when you started, etc.

CM: I sometimes think I came out of the womb reading a book. I can’t remember a time in my life that wasn’t full of stories—humor, romance, horror, bad guys, and good. With the end of each story, I was often left feeling that “book hangover” that every reader knows about. I hated for them to end and wanted more! Sometimes I would daydream continuations to the stories, creating new plots and introducing new characters into them. And it wasn’t long before I realized that I was actually creating stories of my own. I knew then I was a writer.

JKL: What authors inspired you to write?

CM: There are so many writers who I love and who inspired me to write. When I was very young, some of my favorites were Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Francine Pascal, and Astrid Lindgren. As I became a teenager, my tastes in books changed, and I suddenly couldn’t get enough of Stephen King, Clive Barker, and Dean Koontz. Now, my absolute favorite author is Kresley Cole, but I also enjoy Monica McCarty, Sara J. Maas, Maggie Steifvater, and Marie Lu. There are really too many to name!

JKL: How do you pick your character names? (How did you pick Vera, Oliver, Cason’s names?)

CM: A lot of times my character names come from people who I actually know. For example, I have a great Aunt Vera, who is also known to my family as Aunt Vee. Another example would be Oliver’s character, who is loosely based on my son, Riley. When Riley was born, I wanted to name him Oliver, but my husband fought it. So I went with Oliver as his name this time around (and didn’t ask my husband’s opinion either lol)! Cason is actually the name that I chose for my daughter, Olivia—had she been a boy. It was a play on my own name, Case. John William, another character in The Surrendered, was based on my father, also named John William.

JKL: Are you a Plotter, Panster, or Staller (play on Facebook, Pinterest, clean, do tons of research…not much writing until the deadline is looming)?

CM: When I write, I generally just sit down and see where the words take me. I do normally have a broad idea of where I am going but don’t hold myself to any overall plot. I’m a fly-by-the-seat-of-my- pants type of writer! On top of that, I’m the world’s biggest procrastinator, so I often wait until the last minute to get started. Sometimes those two things are not the best combination of writing traits to have, but luckily, I work best under pressure!

JKL: Did you do anything weird while researching The Surrendered?

CM:All I can say is I hope that the government is not tracking my google searches. If they are, I have likely been flagged as a suspected extremist. While researching The Surrendered, I googled lots of information on topics like killing someone with herbs, ways that the government might fail under pressure, how to break someone’s neck, and how to live only off of the land. I need a special tag for my searches that let’s others know I’m a writer and not a terrorist!

JKL: Do you have any strange writing habits (like writing in the shower or writing under the covers at night?)

CM: Not really, but I do need extreme quiet while I’m writing. If anything is happening in the background, my head can start spinning. This is unfortunate because I have teenagers at home who are rarely, if ever, silent.

JKL: Which actors do you have in mind to play your main characters?

CM: I love to do Pinterest boards that depict actors and models for my characters. Some of the ones I have chosen for characters can be found at my personal Pinterest here: https://www.pinterest.com/casemaynard/the-surrendered/ 

JKL: What’s your favorite way to get past writer’s block?

CM: When I experience writer’s block, the best thing I can do for myself is to take a break from whatever it is that I am writing. I might take several day or even longer, binge watch some Netflix, or read one of my favorite books. Sometimes, you can be too close to a work, and you just need to take a step back and return later to reevaluate.

Are you an AM, PM, or ANYTIME I CAN writer? As I said above, I have to have complete silence to write which means, in my household, that my writing is mostly done early in the morning. Unfortunately, I’m not a morning person though. I would prefer to write deep into the wee hours of the night, but those are the hours my nocturnal teenagers keep.

JKL: What is your favorite quote?

CM: Passion, only passion, can elevate the soul to greatness.

—Thomas Diderot.

JKL: What do you crave when you’re writing?

CM: Solitude? A best-selling epiphany?

JKL: When writing with ink, which color do you prefer?

CM: Up until a couple of months ago, I would have said blue, but this really sweet friend of mine sent me some purple gel pens, and I absolutely adore them. The one downside to them is that everyone at work keeps trying to steal them.

The RANDOMNESS questions

Favorite accent: The sexy Scottish burr. Oh boy am I a sucker for a Scot.

Favorite party game: It, shit, or bullshit OR Drink, drank, drunk.

Favorite dessert: Coconut cream pie

Dream job: Trophy wife? Just kidding. Writer

Weapon you’d choose for a duel: Violence from afar suits me best!

Go to Karaoke song: Crazy by Patsy Cline

Song you’d choose for The VOICE: Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran or Not a Bad Thing by Justin Timberlake

Most interesting thing you could do with 400 pounds of cheddar cheese: Carve a sculpture? Maybe of some famous Wisconsin landmark.

Funniest thing to fill a piñata with: 400 lbs of cheddar cheese?

Pet pet peeves: Oh gosh, I have so many I don’t know where to start. Fairly OCD here.

Coffee or another type of drink and how do you take it: Coffee, with cream and Splenda

And that’s it for now! Thanks for hanging out with us! Hope you enjoyed getting to know more about Case. Stay tuned for my review of THE SURRENDERED!

 

For more of CASE, check out her website:  www.casemaynard.com

And follow on:

Twitter: www.twitter.com/Case_Maynard

Facebook: www.facebook.com/case.maynard

Tumblr: www.casemaynard.tumblr.com

Instagram: www.instagram/case_maynard/

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/user/show/42936998-case-maynard

AND Join the release day party on Facebook (tell them I sent you!): https://www.facebook.com/events/228748277468688/

Guest Blog Post!

I just had the opportunity to write a guest blog post for BLAZE Publishing! Check it out, share, like Blaze Publishing, leave a comment…Buy some AMAZING books! Hope you have a wonderful weekend! Read On!

http://www.blazepub.com/hoping-for-a-wardrobe/

The Carver: Jacob Devlin

I just finished reading THE CARVER by JACOB DEVLIN. It was extra special because I got to meet Jacob in person!

This is Jacob.

He’s such a great guy. We had so much fun hanging out at UTOPIA—the writers’ event/conference in Tennessee.

<=== We got to ride the employee elevator and get the unofficial tour of the kitchens and offices at the hotel where the conference was held. Don’t ask . . .

**Side note: He’s the one who got me hooked on FUNKO POPS!

This read was extra special because I got to be present when Jacob first saw it in print–first got to hold it! So exciting to see the “inside” of published-author world. And, if that wasn’t enough for this first-time author, The Carver SOLD OUT at the conference!

* * * * 

So, my review . . . I gave THE CARVER 4 Stars. The storyline follows an epic ROAD TRIP with Enzo (the son of Pinocchio), Pietro (grown-up Peter Pan), and Rosana (the daughter of THE Alice—yes, the one who went to Wonderland) as they try to figure out what’s happening to their loved ones–who keep disappearing!

Plot: Here is the short version by way of a quote by HUA MULAN herself (p.191):

“Then let me give you the short version. Hansel is under the control of a dark queen who should have disappeared years ago. She’s trying to come back and using Hansel’s body as a vessel. But to come back in her true form, she needs to gather seven pure souls in the Cavern of Ombre . . . ”

Mood: The Carver was fun all around. There were some darker moments, but overall, I was sucked into both the fairy tale world, and our world–it was amusing experiencing our world through the eyes of the fairy tale characters that found themselves here. (I REALLY want to try Macaroni and Cheese on a stick . . . Didn’t know that existed!!)

Pace: Once I got the hang of the back and forth between the OLD WORLD PRESENT, NEW WORLD PRESENT, and OLD WORLD PAST, it was a fast read.

Characters: Jacob’s twist on the characters was reminiscent of Once Upon a Time, yet he did a wonderful job breathing freshness into the characters and adding lots of twists to the fairy tale world that we all “know.” The characters were unique, and you never knew which beloved (and not so beloved) fairy tale character would show up next.

I loved Jacob’s little snippet about The Boy Who Cried Wolf.

And I’m still chuckling about: Hook. James Hook. HA!

“You cannot win a fight without a pirate, and I’m the best there is.” -Hook p.252

Writing: Grammatically, this book was well-written.

Cons for me personally: At times the dialogue seemed a bit juvenile and forced. And the !’s were a bit over-used. And at times I was totally confused with where I was–which story line–and had to flip back to remind myself.

Level of Violence: There were several moments of evilness-in-action (loved the twists of the good being forced to do evil, but for great reasons…so intriguing!) and some great fight scenes.

My favorite fight scene being when Pietro and Enzo were forced into a joust at a Renaissance Fair! Pietro (Peter Pan) is such a sore loser!

Other Thoughts:  I think this sums up the takeaway of this story:

“ . . . I think it was a big shock when they got to the big twists, but, in the end, you have to realize that these fairy tales were also influenced very heavily by reality, and unfortunately reality sometimes includes tragedy. Even for the heroes.” -Heather McClavender AKA Violet p.231

Would I recommend this?: If you can’t get enough of fairy tales, this book is for you! Well, even if you are “eh” about fairy tales, this book is a great read! And, I must say, I think this book will be even better the second read through—now that I know what happens, and I can follow the back and forth of the story line.

The Carver ends with a TO BE CONTINUED . . .

BOOK 2 will be out next year, I will definitely be getting a copy so I can find out what happens to all the characters as they try to save their world and ours from the Ivory Queen—Avoria!

Grab your copy here . . . 

 . . . And check out BLAZE PUBLISHING for other AMAZING novels!!

http://www.blazepub.com/

 

May/June Wrap-Up

I have been living in Non-Existia for 2 months. Busy at work: writing, editing, researching, editing, tweaking, reading, editing, submitting, editing . . . It was a busy two months, writing-wise, and now SUMMER VACATION is happening. While I’m glad I don’t have to get up early to drive my kiddos to school, I’m already missing having a schedule–having somewhere I have to be, having a purpose to get up early and be productive. (That is going to change starting next week!)

WRITING UPDATE:

I just returned from Nashville: UTOPIA CON (I will be writing a post about my time there…as soon as I recover…). What a wonderful place/people to help me get back into the excitement of writing. Since I returned, I’ve been sucked into Steampunk Victorian London. Stay tuned for exciting things. Hopefully!

MAY READING:

• Scarlett Epstein Hates It Hear By Anna Breslaw (3 STARS)
  • A YA, quirky tale that just had way too much blah in it.
• Pride and Prejudice By Jane Austen (5 STARS)
  • My all-time favorite book. I have to read this at least once every year.
• Because I Love You By Tori Rigby (5STARS)
  • Another wonderful book published by Blaze Publishing. This book sent me on an emotional rollercoaster ride. Have tissues handy!

JUNE READING:

• Kate By Sharon Srock (4 STARS)
  • Adult, contemporary romance–a quick, enjoyable read.
• The Last Necromancer By C.J. Archer (4STARS)
  • Adult–fun story with a steampunk feel.
• The Siren By Kiera Cass (4 STARS)
  • YA Fantasy–a very interesting premise. I listened to this on my drive to Tennessee.
• The One By Kiera Cass (3 STARS)
  • YA Dystopian–last book of the Selection Trilogy–must say, I didn’t really enjoy this one as much as the first two. Listened to this on my drive to Tennessee.
• The Heir By Kiera Cass (3 STARS)
  • YA Dystopian–the next generation of the Selection . . . I listened to this as I drove home from Tennessee–I have to say, the main girl REALLY annoyed me with his snottiness, made it hard to enjoy the story.
• Defy By Sara B. Larson (4 1/2 STARS)
  • YA Fantasy–such a great adventure! Loved every second!
• The Clockwork Scarab By Colleen Gleason (5 STARS)
  • YA Steampunk–The first book in the Holmes and Stoker Trilogy. Sherlock Holmes niece and Bram Stoker’s sister team up to fight crime, and vampires in Steampunk London! So fun!
• The Spiritglass Charade By Colleen Gleason (4 STARS)
  • YA Steampunk–Second book in the Holmes and Stoker Trilogy.

And, that is it for now . . . headed back to Non-Existia for awhile to research and write. Have a wonderful 4th of July weekend. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

The Carver in Utopia!

My new friend Jacob sums up Utopia! I’m so glad I got to go!

Jacob Devlin

Tonight I’m writing you from Nashville, Tennessee. I used my afternoon to get a little touristy. I walked along the river, checked out the Opry Mills, strolled Broadway and popped in and out of some local bars. I’ve never exactly been a huge country guy, but I appreciate what Nashville has to offer. The air was a little too thick with humidity, but in a charming way it reminded me of Charlottesville. Unfortunately I left my cowboy boots back home, but the smell of brand new leather and the flashing neon on Broadway reminded me that I easily could’ve picked up a new pair from one of about seven or eight different shops along a 3-block radius. Oh, and did I mention I stumbled on a FREE showing of Independence Day Resurgence in IMAX 3D? (Not a great movie, but I loved it! We all have movies like that, right?)

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April Wrap-Up

Another month gone . . .

Life-Happenings Summary: April was such a fun, exciting month! I went out to Amish country in Ohio with my mom and sister. Did some sight-seeing, shopping, eating at the CHEESE BARN (survived eating ghost pepper cheese…), and a little bit of research for a novel idea I’ve been working on. It’s about an Amish girl (17) . . . But that’s where the similarities between Amish fiction end. Stay tuned! Gonna be a fun one . . . hopefully!

On the 23rd, I went with my partner in crime, Laurel, to the CHILLER EXPO in New Jersey. I got to see (looked around a corner at him after waiting in line for 25 minutes…) Alice Cooper and Weird Al, and got to meet the guys from CHiPs! They were all genuinely-sweet men. Really enjoyed chatting (being mauled by Ponch) with them!

Larry Wilcox = Jon Baker.

 

 

 

 

Robert Pine (Chris Pine’s dad!) = Sgt. Getraer

 

 

 

 

Erik Estrada = Ponch.

Writing Summary: I’ve been busy working on a series I started during NANOWRIMO. I’m hoping to have the first draft done soon so I can get to editing!

Editing = LOVE

Exciting things coming in June: Last week I was introduced to a writers conference, UTOPIA. After some, but really not much–all the doors opened wide–finagling, I’m GOING to Nashville, Tennessee in JUNE!! It’s a long drive, but gonna be so worth it! I’m especially looking forward to meeting, and hanging out with, the wonderful staff and authors of Blaze Publishing! I’ve been able to connect with a lot of their authors through Facebook–seriously, go check out this publishing house (their new website logo is AWESOME!). Their second book comes out May 17th! Already ordered my copy! http://www.blazepub.com/

Reading Summary: I read 9 books this month. That brings my total to 28 for the year . . . only 72 to go until I reach my year goal of 100 books!

Shadow Queen by C.J. Redwine: 2 STARS. This was a Snow White, Evil Queen, Huntsman twist. It pulled me in at first, but then I quickly lost interest and ended up skimming through just to get to the end. The characters were okay, nothing memorable.

Unhooked by Lisa Maxwell: 3 1/2 STARS. This was a neat, unexpected twist on Peter Pan and Captain Hook.

The Duff by Kody Keplinger: 2 STARS. . . I picked up this book after watching the movie. Must say that out of the two, I enjoyed the movie a lot better–there was more of a plotline. The novel, well all they did was have sex and try to keep that fact from everyone. I did like the ending of the book (but the ending of the movie I could watch over and over, I love their playful, friend-banter…and Robbie Amell…) . . . Overall, it was a quick read . . .

Rebel Mechanics by Shanna Swendson: 5 STARS. I absolutely LOVED this book! The characters were well-written and spunky. It had a Scarlet Pimpernel feel with a hint of Robin Hood. This was the first book I’ve read by this author, can’t wait to read more!

The Infinite Sea by Rick Yancey: 4 STARS. This was the second book in the series. It picked up right at the end of the last story and continued on it’s merry way. Can’t wait to pick up the next book and see what happens next for all the characters.

Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly: 5 STARS. If you’re looking for a fun, fast read, grab this one. It was a riot! The characters were quirky and well-written and I laughed out loud several times at their antics.

A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn: 4 1/2 STARS. (Adult romance). I’ve read several of Deanna Raybourn’s novels, but this was definitely my favorite! A quirky heroine living in Victorian England + A murder mystery = FUN! Can’t wait to continue in this series.

The Forbidden Wish by Jessica Khoury: 4 STARS. I really enjoyed this twist on Aladdin (Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves). “Aladdin” made his wish to be a prince and marry the princess . . .  but what happens if ithe genie is female and he starts to fall for her instead? The characters were very well-written, and it had several twists and surprises along the way

Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton: 4 1/2 STARS. This was a very unique and fun story. I loved the main characters and the journey they went on. Looking forward to picking up the next book in the series.

 

 

March Wrap-Up

Life-Happening Summary: March came in like a lamb and left like a … Hungry Lamb ? . . .  What a weird weather year we’ve been having. It’s been wonderful! I do like snow for Christmas and December, but that’s about it. Amazingly, my kiddos didn’t have any snow days. The second week of March, I experienced my first SOLO road trip!I had lots of fun singing LOUD, talking to myself, and stopping for coffee whenever I wanted. 🙂  I went to Ohio to visit my sister (it was her birthday!) and to go to THE PIANO GUYS concert! Let me just say: The Piano Guys are AMAZING! If you don’t know who they are, check them out! So much fun and talent wrapped into one show.

Writing Summary: I had an idea last year that I’ve been mulling over. I knew the WHO (Cortland McGraw) and the WHERE (Steampunk Novel), but I didn’t know the WHAT, WHEN, and WHY’s of the story. I had a few ideas but they weren’t taking me anywhere. Then I watched THE LIBRARIANS (LOVE that show!!) and the ideas started to pour over me! I’ve been plotting, researching, and of course, building a Pinterest board all month–still going strong! I love when a new idea hits. The excitement gives me momentum and has me thinking about it all day (and most of the night…didn’t get a lot of sleep this month). For fun, I tried something a little different with the first draft: I wrote it as a screenplay. It’s too long to actually be one, but it was a fun way to just write the dialogue and motions for each scene. Now, I’m going back through and adding meat (and paragraphs) to it!

Reading Summary:

Winter By: Marissa Meyer

     

Winter was the last book of the Lunar Chronicles series. It was a great ending, wrapped everything up, gave the main characters their Happily-Ever-Afters. I love when a series ends and my questions are answered. This entire series is one of my absolute favorites!

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children By: Ransom Riggs 

   

This was such an odd book . . . but in a good, fascinating way! I recently saw the trailer for the movie coming out and it looked really interesting, so of course I had to go get the book so I could be prepared to watch it. I don’t tend to pick up books like this, but I’m glad I did. It was a neat escape from my norm. Excited to see how close the movie keeps to the book!

The Volk Advent By: Kristen Wiks

Every March-June, I get a box of books in the mail that I get to read, judge and then KEEP! Several years ago I signed up to be a judge for contest/book awards (not saying what contest just yet…shhh . . . ). The Volk Advent was among the  books in the box this year. The cover had me grabbing for it first. It was a quick read, but I really didn’t connect with the characters, and it was hard for me to suspend disbelief for the plot line.

The Young Elites By: Marie Lu

    

Really enjoyed this story–fresh and new, with a good twist ending. Very well written!

Lady Midnight By: Cassandra Clare

  

This was a BIG book! It was fun being back in the Shadowhunter world…there were things I loved more than the original series, and things that almost felt like a repeat of the original.

The 5th Wave By: Rick Yancey

   

I listened to this book as I drove to and from Ohio! It made the time fly by. I really enjoyed the story (although at times it reminded me of Divergent and The Hunger Games)…but it did have some twists and fresh views on things that I really enjoyed. Can’t wait to see this movie either!

The Glass Sword By: Victoria Aveyard

  

While I absolutely LOVED The Red Queen–the first book in this serie–this second book didn’t impress me as much. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good story, but by the end I wasn’t dying to get my hands on the next book in the series. This story felt forced and a lot like an X-Men movie . . . I’ll probably check out the third book when it comes out, but I’m not as jumping-up-and-down-can’t-wait excited for it.

Watched Summary:

THE LIBRARIANS: As I said above, I watched Season 1 of THE LIBRARIANS–loved every second!

ELEMENTARY: While some friends cautioned me, telling me to stay away from it, other’s said they enjoyed it. I must say, I am REALLY enjoying it! I love how they made Watson a woman . . . and the twist that Irene Adler is MORIARTY–woohoo! I’m almost done with Season 2.

I watched ANT MAN and GOOSEBUMPS with my boys–both were great!

CHiPs: This month we were all introduced to CHiPs! We’ve been watching Season 1 as a family–so much fun, and it’s family friendly/appropriate. Love to hear my boys laughing…and my youngest hums the theme song non-stop now (it replaced Star Wars theme song…but that movie comes out tomorrow, so I’m sure he’ll be back to the dark side humming…)

PSYCH: Just discovered this on Netflix . . . I know, I’m behind the times. 🙂 It’s a fun show (annoying at times, but that’s what fast forward is for . . .).

POLDARK: Watched the first 3 episodes… *swoon*…hoping to watch the rest SOON!

February: 100 in 2016

Where did February go? We even got an extra day and it still felt like it super-sonic flew by! I gotta say, February is my favorite month. I’m a little biased because it’s my BIRTHDAY month! Overall, this month was WONDERFUL!

• I “finished” editing and resubmitted my novel (waiting…”patiently” to hear).
• I got to be a part of a book launch–so fun!
• And on my actual birthday, I got to BE THERE to witness the birth of my GOD-SON! Such an amazing birthday gift from my bestest friend! (Still deciding which T-shirt & baby outfit to get… 😉
  

  

  

  

  

   

• Oh, and I got purple and green highlights in my hair, which is my annual birthday hair fun.

“I Read These” List

Here, as promised, is the list of books I read in February–brings my total up to 13 for 2016!

Unmasking Juliet By: Teri Wilson: Genre: Adult, Romance

   

This was the first book I’ve read by Teri Wilson. Must say, I really enjoyed her writing style and her quirky dialogue–and the ROMANCE!  Her writing style is tight and easy to read. It was a quick read and super fun.

Unleashing Mr. Darcy By: Teri Wilson: Genre: Adult, Romance

   

After watching the Hallmark version of this novel, I of course had to go look it up! The novel was so similar to the movie, even most of the fun dialogue. I really enjoyed getting to read Darcy’s side to the story–which they didn’t show at all in the movie. Again, an enjoyable, fast read by Teri Wilson.

Poison Princess By: Kresley Cole: Genre: YA

 

This is the first book in The Arcane Chronicles series. I enjoyed the writing and the premise. It grabbed my attention right away . . . but I kinda of lost interest in the middle, but it did pick up again at the end. I’ll probably read the second book at sometime.

 

Harry Potter and The Chamber of Secrets By: JK Rowling

   

Always so much fun to revisit Harry Potter’s world! These stories are just as good the 100th time through as they were the first! I actually listened to this on CD with my boys (we’re reading/listening to all the books before we watch the movies–so fun to hear them say THE BOOK WAS BETTER!) These audio books are read by Jim Dale–he is AMAZINGLY talented!

Passenger By Alexandra Bracken: Genre: YA

   

This story was so unique and the characters all very well written! Time travel, lies, secrets, a race to save lives . . . and a cliffhanger ending! I can’t wait to
continue this series!

Starflight By Melissa Landers: Genre: YA, Sci-Fi

   

I absolutely LOVED this story! It was like watching an episode of the TV show Firefly. Such a fun romp through space and the future–I couldn’t put it down!

 

Asleep By Krystal Wade: Genre: YA, paranormal thriller

   

This book messed with my brain! I started it last night and couldn’t put it down! By the time I was done reading, I couldn’t fall asleep–and didn’t want to (when I did, I admit, I actually had a nightmare that I was locked away!). ASLEEP was so well-written, that I felt I was the one in the asylum. I felt trapped, scared, betrayed . . . and whenever Rose thought about runnin
g, I was right there with her. I just wanted to get out! I went in thinking I knew everything, that Rose wasn’t really crazy just misunderstood, that her parents and the nice doctor just wanted to help her, that her nightmares were just that–dreams. But as I read, I began to doubt her sanity (and mine). I began to doubt who could be trusted, and doubt that everyone Rose met in the asylum was real.

**I was privileged to be a part of the release day party for ASLEEP. This also happened to be the first book published through BLAZE publishing! So excited for them all!

MOVIES/TV SHOWS

**Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: I LOVED it!! I wasn’t sure if I could handle the zombies invading my Jane Austen, but it just added a new layer to it. And the first proposal/rejection scene: EPIC! I could always sense the tension and the desire to react more (but propriety wouldn’t allow it) in the scene in the novel, but to see Darcy and Elizabeth actually do hand-to-hand combat…definitely something I can’t wait to see again!

**Agent Carter Season 2: This show is so much fun! I love Peggy Carter–her relationship with Jarvis and the others is so well done.

**DC’s Legends of Tomorrow: Another fun super hero show. Really enjoying it so far.

**Fuller House: I just started watching this on Leap Day. So many memories wrapped up in one show.

**Gilmore Girls: I FINALLY got around to watching this show! The characters–and the LOVE for coffee–has me hooked.

 

 

ASLEEP by Krystal Wade

To celebrate the release of the spine-chilling YA psychological thriller ASLEEP by Krystal Wade, we have a full blog tour and exciting giveaways ahead! ASLEEP is the debut novel from Blaze Publishing, and answers the question of what happens when Sleeping Beauty meets Freddy Krueger. If you want to see more of ASLEEP, you can still find the Ten Weeks of Teasers and other great content on the Blaze Publishing blog. Order your copy now!

Amazon   Barnes & Noble   Kobo   Signed Copy of Asleep   Goodreads

That was the first time he’d spoken her name, and she would have celebrated the fact she’d made a connection with someone—anyone—had her world not been spinning.

“Betty just gave me something before I came outside.”

“Something’s changing, something big.” He nodded once, agreeing with himself most likely. “You’re like me.”

The sounds of the door opening and closing, the women squabbling near the oak tree over who drew the better picture in the dirt, and people’s feet crunching on the gravel path leading to the door all felt trapped inside her head, loud and somehow touching her, upsetting her system more. God, even the smell of antiseptic made it out here and into Rose’s nostrils… 

“I think I’m going to throw up.”

“You are.” Phillip gently placed his hand on her back and rubbed small circles. “And they’ll get you.”

“I don’t understand. What’s changing? Why do you keep saying I’m like you? Who’ll get me?”

He was paranoid. Crazy. Unpredictable. Yet part of him seemed to know things, to understand, to want to help. How much of what he said was real? How much was just crap made up in his head?

“Different. Everything’s different. Except it’s not. And you . . .” He fell to the ground with Rose as she began vomiting. Phillip held her hair back and talked softly, the lunatic whispering, “It’s okay,” a couple times and touching her raw wrist before continuing, “I wish you never had to fall asleep again.”

“To cure fear, you must use fear.”

Rose Briar claims no responsibility for the act that led to her imprisonment in an asylum. She wants to escape, until terrifying nightmares make her question her sanity and reach out to her doctor. He’s understanding and caring in ways her parents never have been, but as her walls tumble down and Rose admits fault, a fellow patient warns her to stop the medications. Phillip believes the doctor is evil and they’ll never make it out of the facility alive. Trusting him might be just the thing to save her. Or it might prove the asylum is exactly where she needs to be.

Follow the Blog Tour!

Tuesday 2/16	Wednesday 2/17	Thursday 2/18
Vicki Leigh: First Chapter Reading	Jordan Elizabeth: First Chapter Reading	Eve Langell: First Chapter Reading
Case Maynard: Promo Post	What A Nerd Girl Says: Interview	A Thousand Books: Teaser One
Friday 2/19	Saturday 2/20	Sunday 2/21
OriginiquEquanimity: Promo Post	Janelle Howard: Teaser Two	Archaeolibrarian: Teaser Three
Ryan Hill: Interview		Nerd Girl Official: Promo Post
		Tesairie’s Book Reads: Promo Post

Giveaway!

We’re giving away some awesome prizes to celebrate the release of ASLEEP, including this stylish cuff! Enter with the Rafflecopter below and tell your friends!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

“To cure fear, you must use fear.”

Rose Briar claims no responsibility for the act that led to her imprisonment in an asylum. She wants to escape, until terrifying nightmares make her question her sanity and reach out to her doctor. He’s understanding and caring in ways her parents never have been, but as her walls tumble down and Rose admits fault, a fellow patient warns her to stop the medications. Phillip believes the doctor is evil and they’ll never make it out of the facility alive. Trusting him might be just the thing to save her. Or it might prove the asylum is exactly where she needs to be.

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Krystal Wade can be found in the sluglines outside Washington D.C. every morning, Monday through Friday. With coffee in hand, iPod plugged in, and strangers-who sometimes snore, smell, or have incredibly bad gas-sitting next to her, she zones out and thinks of fantastical worlds for you and me to read. How else can she cope with a fifty mile commute?

Good thing she has her husband and three kids to go home to. They keep her sane.

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