#BookTrailerThursday - My Prophecy? Ellen Oh's Debut My Most Anticipated New Book

Book Trailer Thursdays!

To participate, post an entry in your blog on Thursdays with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before. 

Today we are featuring a Sneak Peek from Prophecy, the Debut Novel by Ellen Oh!

PROPHECY by Ellen Oh -- Book Trailer by harperteen

The greatest warrior in all of the Seven Kingdoms . . . is a girl with yellow eyes. Kira is the only female in the king's army, and the prince's bodyguard. She's a demon slayer and an outcast, hated by nearly everyone in her home city of Hansong. And, she's their only hope . . . Murdered kings, traitors, and a demon invasion sends Kira on the run with the young prince, who may be the true heir to the Dragon King's throne, destined to reunite the seven kingdoms. But without the lost treasures, there will be nothing left to reunite. With only the guidance of a cryptic prophecy, Kira must battle demon soldiers, evil shaman, and the Demon Lord himself to find what was once lost and raise a prince into a king. Intrigue and mystery, ancient lore and action-packed fantasy come together in this heart-stopping debut from Ellen Oh. Purchase your copy today! Amazon: http://amzn.to/T4G7Um Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/STb6Ev Books-a-Million: http://bit.ly/W2KYGz IndieBound: http://bit.ly...

#BookTrailerThursday - Can't Wait For More From Shatter Me Author Tahereh Mafi?

Book Trailer Thursdays!

To participate, post an entry in your blog on Thursdays with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before. 

Today we are featuring a novella from "Shatter Me" author Tahereh Mafi!

Did you LOVE Tahereh Mafi's "Shatter Me"?

You remember...

"Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.

The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.

The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war– and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.

Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior."

Make the wait for the sequel, UNRAVEL ME a little easier...enjoy the novella...DESTROY ME!


The official trailer for DESTROY ME, an e-original novella in Tahereh Mafi's Shatter Me series.

"In SHATTER ME, Juliette escaped from The Reestablishment by seducing Warner-and then putting a bullet in his shoulder. But Warner is not that easy to get rid of . . .

Back at the base and recovering from his near-fatal wound, Warner must do everything in his power to suppress any mention of a rebellion in the sector. Still as obsessed with Juliette as ever, his first priority is to find her, bring her back, and dispose of Adam and Kenji, the two traitors who helped her escape. But when Warner's father, the Supreme Commander of The Reestablishment, arrives to correct his son's mistakes, it's clear that he has much different plans for Juliette. Plans Warner simply cannot allow.

Set after SHATTER ME and before the spellbinding sequel, UNRAVEL ME, DESTROY ME is told from the perspective of Warner, the ruthless leader of Sector 45."

For more information, visit: http://www.epicreads.com/.

...so while you are, not so patiently, waiting for the sequel to Shatter Me - check out Destroy Me 

You know I wouldn't leave you without a teaser for UNRAVEL ME - are you as in love with the cover art as I am?

"And oooooooooooh, it is amaaaaazing. This is an aesthetic change-up for the series, and we're digging it! And with that strikeout tagline—a clever throw to Juliette's inner monologue from the first book—there's no doubt that "Unravel Me" will open up a whole new world for the heroine as she finds her new home at Omega Point, meets other people with gifts like hers, and struggles to focus on her love for Adam even with the villainous Warner still out there. (And speaking of Warner: Don't miss the digital novella, "Destroy Me," (out in October) that offers a scary-sexy peek inside the mind of the man who tried to claim Juliette for his own...and that might just have you rethinking how you want this story to end.)"                                                                Cover Comment and Reveal via Hollywood Crush on MTV!

Review: The Seven Swords - Book 2

THE SEVEN SWORDS

Book 2 of the Otherworld Chronicles

By Nils Johnson-Shelton

The Kingfisher children, Artie and Kay, have found that an Otherworld and magic exist, and that in that world, Artie is King Arthur. They also found that freeing Merlin from The Invisible Tower was not the end of their adventures.

Now, Artie, Kay and the rest of Artie’s court and friends must find and rejoin the Seven Swords: Excalibur, Cleomede, Gram, Kusanagi, Orgulus, the Anguish and the Peace Sword. This quest brings them many perils, new friends and allies, and knowledge about what is right and wrong. Artie, especially, learns what the duties and expectations of a good king are.

While this is the second book in a series it can easily stand alone and you won't feel lost....personally I am looking forward to getting to know these characters better!

This title will be released on January 2, 2013.

Publisher's Description (from Book 1: The Invisible Tower):

Part of the spell has already been broken.

The first stones have begun to crumble.

In Artie Kingfisher’s world, wizards named Merlin, fire-breathing dragons, and swords called Excalibur exist only in legends and lore—until the day his video game Otherworld springs to life.

You are special, Arthur,

Says the mysterious message in his game.

In one week’s time you will come to me at the it.

Cryptic clues lead Artie to a strange place called the Invisible Tower, where he discovers that nothing in his life is as it seems. Artie is none other than King Arthur, brought to life in the twenty-first century. Artie has won the battle in the virtual Otherworld—now the key to saving the realOtherworld lies in his hands as well.

Green dragons, hungry wolves, powerful sorcerers—suddenly Artie must battle them all as he wields Excalibur and embarks on a quest worthy of the Knights of the Round Table. With his sister, Kay, by his side, Artie steps into the Otherworld—straight toward his destiny.

The Earthquake Machine

The Earthquake Machine
by Mary Pauline Lowry


Mary Pauline Lowry offers up an action filled, brilliant debut novel that takes the reader on one WILD ride!  ...and she pulls from her varied background to develop her characters and storyline.


The Earthquake Machine is the story of a very unhappy 14 year old Rhonda who "escapes" her painful home life to find the one person in her life that she has been able to rely on...Jesus, the family gardener.  Her adventure takes her south of the border and teaches her the value of the people that surround you and illustrates the inequities that exsist between traveling as a young girl versus as a young girl...while also sxposing the reader to Mexico's historically exotic culture.


The story moves well and the charachters will draw you in...from the delightful 14 year old Rhonda who has assumed the blame for he Mother's insanity; her abusive Father; the drug adled Bartender who manages to become a key part of Rhondas travels; to the tender and supportive Jesus and his Mama.


Exploring topics of Mexican and American Culture and Norms along with the obvious "coming of age" issues that any story of a 14 year old will...this is a book that I highly recommend.


Thank you to the author for providing a review copy of The Earthquake Machine.

#TeaserTuesdays - The Fairytale Keeper

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!


My May 1st Teaser is from:

The Fairytale Keeper
...avenging the queen


by Andrea Cefalo


Chapter: 18 March, 1248
Page: 147


"Better wake up, boy," a hoarse voice orders as the breeze of a large object sweeps past my cheek, smacks the wall next to me, and lands like a thud. My hazy eyes flash open and I shoot up violently from the unfamiliar bed. The room is a blurry brown smudge and I try to quickly rub the sleep from my eyes.

"I said, get, up boy! the voice commands and my vision clears in just enough time to see the second boot fly at me right before it slams into the side of my face.

#BookTrailerThursday - The Lure of Shapinsay

#BookTrailerThursday!  

To participate, post an entry in your blog on Thursdays with an embedded book trailer of your choice (note: the trailer can be fan made but please no movie trailers of book adaptations) with your thoughts and comments underneath. It can be a book you have read, want to read or have never even come across before.
(not sure who started this meme - let me know and I'll give credit)


This week from the author of The Lure of Shapinsay, Krista Holle:


"Here's a bit about me: I'm an indie author who published her first e-novel this past December called The Lure of Shapinsay.  It’s soon to be released as paperback.  It's a unique paranormal romance dealing with the very old Scottish mythology of the selkies.  

Ever since Kait Swanney could remember, the old crones of the village have been warning her to stay away from the selkies. They claim that like sirens of old, the seal men creep from the inky waters, shed their skins, and entice women to their deaths beneath the North Sea. But avoiding an encounter becomes impossible when Kait is spotted at the water’s edge, moments after the murder of a half-selkie infant. 

Kait is woken unexpectedly by a beautiful selkie man seeking revenge. After she declares her innocence, the intruder darts into the night, but not before inadvertently bewitching her with an overpowering lure. 

She obsesses over a reunion deep beneath the bay and risks her own life to be reunited with her selkie. But when she lands the dangerous lover, the chaos that follows leaves Kait little time to wonder—is it love setting her on fire or has she simply been lured?"

Sounds GREAT can't wait to get my hands on this one for a review!

#TeaserTuesdays - CHOMP!

“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!”

Chomp 
by Carl Hiaasen

Pg. 175

“The pain was so piercing he forgot about the lights and cameras and how ridiculous he must look on videotape with a flapping varmint attached to his face. Immediately he grew weak and woozy, slipping into a dream haze.”

#IMM - In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a blog meme from The Story Siren - more info at the end of this post or on The Story Siren blog.


You all know that I am the Teen & YA Stage Coordinator for the Orange County Children's Book Festival...well, it's that time again!!!


This year we have planned a Book Giveaway to top all Book Giveaways!!!


At the end of the festival we will giveaway a set of books from each of the authors performing on the stage.  Most of the authors are participating and it should be quite a haul...20-25 books!


So, you ask, how do I enter the contest?  Easy!!!  You will receive an entry for every Author Appearance that you attend at the Teen & YA Stage! 


Support your favorite Authors and earn an entry!  The more events you attend the more entries you get!


We are just under 2 weeks away and the books are starting to come in...

See anything you might like?   like that copy of Beautiful Chaos before it hits the stores?


Come on over to the Teen Stage Blog and check out the Schedule  - it is jam packed with Authors presenting and signing from 9:30am to 4:30pm.


Teen Stage Blog:  http://teensread.posterous.com/

In My Maibox is a blog meme from The Story Siren:


Initially In My Mailbox was something I did myself, but ultimately I thought it would be even better if other bloggers shared in the idea... thus the craziness of IMM was born! In My Mailbox is a great way for bloggers to socialize and network their blogs, it’s also a great way for bloggers to share upcoming releases!

Currently their are around 200 blogs that participate every week. Think you might like to join up? 

1. Make your own IMM post! You can post about books you've bought, gotten from the library, received for review... books don't have to arrive via your mailbox. 
2. I post every week, but you don’t have to. You can do one week out of the month or every other week it’s up to you. 
3. You don't have to call your post In My Mailbox... (some people don't even have mailboxes!)
4. I post my IMM on Sunday, but choose a day of the week that works for you.
5. Once you have your IMM posted, come back to The Story Siren on Sunday and add your link to the list. 
6. Try to post a comment on other bloggers IMM posts. I don’t expect you to post a comment on every single one, but pick a few!

All book bloggers are welcome, while I’d like to keep the theme to YA literature it’s NOT a requirement.

There is no right or wrong way to do In My Mailbox, you can vlog, you can take fun picture, you can use the books cover art, it’s up to you!

Most importantly HAVE FUN! 

Teaser Tuesday - "Damned"

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!

My Tuesday Teaser Today is from...

Damned  (Crusade #2)

by Nancy Holder 

and Debbie Viguie'

"Jamie leaped into the room, and suddenly saw everything in ultrasharp focus.  A white-haired vampire in jeans and a black sweater sat at a computer terminal.  A man in white cammies and a gas mask was standing in front of him."

Yep - those girls who gave you Wicked are at it again!  This quote is from the ARC which I got from Simon & Schuster.  It drops August 2011 - so you have time to read book one Crusade first !

ArmChair BEA

For all those bloggers, reviewers and readers that can't make that trip to NYC!

With all of the perks & benefits of being there - panel discussions, Tweet Ups, Blogger Events, Book Chats, Book Trailers, Introductions and reveals...all from the comfort of your own home!

May 23rd through May 27th!

See the giveaways and events that have already happened and connect with other ArmChair BEA participants at ArmChair BEA Central!    http://www.armchairbea.com/

Winner Announced! Sea Poster!

Sea is the hot new YA book from Heidi R. Kling....who, a little while back announced that she wanted a poster for her book! Her parameters? she wanted it to look like a movie poster!

Well the winner has been announced...Tawni Coakley! you should check out this talented graphic artist's blog - it is truly a treat for the eyes!!!

...and now the winning poster!

Judging A Book By It's Cover...

There have been so many really beautiful covers lately - especially in the YA/Teen Genre - that I thought it would be fun to write an occasional post about covers.

Now - I am in no way posting these as a positive review - the ones that I have reviewed I can link to a review of...otherwise you all know the danger of "judging a book by it's cover".

I want to start with an author whose covers never fail to impress:

Lauren Kate

Fallen is out now - Torment is due September 2010

...and while we are on the subject of Fallen Angels - Becca Fitzpatrick

Hush, Hush is out now -
cover art for Torment out April 2010,
with the book due November 2010!

OK - so that is a good start - you know the saying "so many books, so little time..."

BOOK GIVEAWAY!!! Child of Fire by Harry Connolly

ANNOUNCING!!!

My First GIVEAWAY!!!!

YAY! Free Books!

I just received the most wonderful package from DelRey Publications - FIVE - yep 5 copies of the debut urban paranormal book by Harry Connolly!!!!

Child of Fire

A Twenty Palaces Novel

by Harry Connolly

*** Let me give a quick caution to my loyal YA followers - there is some graphic violence in this book and I wouldn't recommend it to readers under 18.

That being said this is probably the best book I have read in this genre - I love Connolly's style! You view this eerie incredulous world (the world of the Twenty Palaces Society) through the eyes of Ray Lilly - but Ray is as much in the dark about the mission as you are!

Publisher's Synopsis:

Ray Lilly is living on borrowed time. He’s the driver for Annalise Powliss, a high-ranking member of the Twenty Palace Society, a group of sorcerers devoted to hunting down and executing rogue magicians. But because Ray betrayed her once, Annalise is looking for an excuse to kill him–or let someone else do the job. Unfortunately for both of them, Annalise’s next mission goes wrong, leaving her critically injured. With the little magic he controls, Ray must complete her assignment alone. Not only does he have to stop a sorcerer who’s sacrificing dozens of innocent lives in exchange for supernatural power, he must find–and destroy–the source of that inhuman magic.

---------------------------------

So do I have your attention now? How do you qualify for one of these paperback editions of Child of Fire: A Twenty Palaces Novel?

1 entry leave a comment

1 entry follow this blog

1 entry if you already follow

(leave a comment let me know you are following my blog)

Facebook Fan Page: http://www.facebook.com/ReadingItAllReviews

1 entry become a fan of my Facebook page

1 entry if your are already a fan on Facebook

(leave a message on the wall there so I know you are a fan)

1 entry follow me on Twitter @ReadingItAll

1 entry for tweeting this contest!

Contest closes on 12/01/09 so you should have it to read during your Holiday break!!! BTW - I would really love it if the winners would take the time to post a review on their fave platform (Amazon, Shelfari, GoodReads, LibraryThingy, etc..). Open to US entries only (unless you want to cover the shipping?)

OK - you have 5 possible entry options...

Ready? Set? GO!!!

Graceling Audio - Behind the Mic!

Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Graceling

Have you ever played the game where everyone had to name the "super-power" they would ask for if given the opportunity? What was yours? probably not the ability to literally kill anyone or anything and be fairly invulnerable to pain...

In Graceling author Kristine Cashore creates a world where a chosen few are born with "Graces" - these can be something as simple as the ability to catch fish with your bare hands, the ability to run swiftly, the ability to shoot an arrow quickly and true --- and then there is the Lady Katsa's Grace - the ability to kill.

This is full of really juicy adventure, hand to hand combat, archers, sword play, good kings and bad kings...but what sets this book apart from other offerings in this genre is it's look at the consequences of the use of these graces on those who wield them.

Katsa is a strong headed young woman who has always held a position of power - not many people argue with her so she is sure that what she knows are truths...until she meets another Graceling who shows her otherwise.

The really nice thing about the way Cashore has written the relationship between Po and Katsa is that there is enough romance for the girls and it doesn't get mushy so the boys think it's in the way.

I picked this book up to "look" at it at my Mom's and sat down and read it all the way through by the next morning - this story is destined to become a blockbuster movie!

Product Description from Amazon

Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight—she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change. She never expects to become Po’s friend. She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace—or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away . . . a secret that could destroy all seven kingdoms with words alone.

Shiver

by Maggie Stiefvater

A trio of girls, a budding teenage romance, the spiteful rich girl, this book has it all - - - oh yeah did I mention the werewolves?

Shiver is well written and definitely reaches for you from the start.

Maggie Stiefvater has accomplished what a lot of writers are still trying to figure out - how to engage a teenage reader without "text-speak" or sounding like a cheerleader who just downed an energy drink...intelligent but still fun.

So - I mentioned the werewolves - don't get any preconceived notions about silver bullets, full moons, etc. - this is NOT your parents werewolves. Stiefvater has done an excellent job of updating the legend and adding her own twist to the tale.

This is a fast read and a lovely afternoon diversion.

Product Description from Amazon

For years, Grace has watched the wolves in the woods behind her house. One yellow-eyed wolf--her wolf--is a chilling presence she can't seem to live without. Meanwhile, Sam has lived two lives: In winter, the frozen woods, the protection of the pack, and the silent company of a fearless girl. In summer, a few precious months of being human . . . until the cold makes him shift back again.

Now, Grace meets a yellow-eyed boy whose familiarity takes her breath away. It's her wolf. It has to be. But as winter nears, Sam must fight to stay human--or risk losing himself, and Grace, forever.

100 Heartbeats...and every heartbeat matters...

100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save Earth's Most Endangered Species

With 100 Heartbeats: The Race to Save Earth's Most Endangered Species, Biologist and TV Host Jeff Corwin embarks on the journey of a lifetime. We follow him into every ecosystem on Earth to get a glimpse of some of the Earth's most endangered species. Between the behind-the-scenes stories, Corwin gives us real - meaty - discourse. Global warming, destruction of rainforest, pollution...are all covered with intelligence and facts.

100 Heartbeats refers to the subjects of the book (...and upcoming MSNBC Documentary of the same title) species that have fewer than 100 members living in the wild.

The following is from the Acknowledgement:

It is my hope that this book will serve as a catalyst, educating people about the state of our natural world and compelling them to help protect it for future generations. We have the chance to do it and we can succeed. Every heartbeat matters.

The only thing that can make this better is the 16 pages of color photos promised in the published version...although Corwin does an excellent job of drawing the picture. This is a documentary that I look forward to seeing.

Product Description from Amazon:

It’s no secret that our planet—and the delicate web of ecosystems that comprise it—is in crisis. Environmental threats such as climate change, pollution, habitat loss, and land degradation threaten the survival of thousands of plant and animal species each day. In 100 Heartbeats, conservationist and television host Jeff Corwin provides an urgent, palpable portrait of the wildlife that is suffering in silence and teetering on the brink of extinction. From the forests slipping away beneath the stealthy paws of the Florida panther, to the giant panda’s plight to climb ever higher in the mountains of China in search of sustenance, to the brutal poaching tactics that have devastated Africa’s rhinoceros and elephant populations, Corwin takes readers on a global tour to witness firsthand the critical state of our natural world. Along the way, he shares inspiring stories of battles being waged and won in defense of the earth’s most threatened creatures by the conservationists on the front lines. These stories of hope and progress underscore an important message: Our own survival, as well as that of the world’s wildlife, is in our hands. The race to save the planet’s most endangered wildlife is under way. Every heartbeat matters.

Blood Game - vampires for adults....

Blood Game: An Eve Duncan Forensics Thriller

Iris Johansen has done it again...

I made the mistake of opening this book when I knew I was working under a project deadline...it sucked me right in!

I was already a Johansen fan and especially an Eve Duncan (forensic sculptor) fan. What really interested me about this book was the more adult treatment of the "vampire" and "paranormal" phenomenon. Between the Twilight series and the new "True Blood" TV series it appears the paranormal is here to stay.

I like the concept of a mortal to vampire resurrection...and I especially like the thought out means to this end that Johansen devises.

Joe Quinn (long time boyfriend) the hard boiled detective is the perfect person to bestow with psychic abilities as he is the first to scoff at them and their use in police work.

The pace is good - the characters well developed (I have to say I loved the old world charm of Seth Caleb) - the paranormal scenes well done and not tied into teen angst and romance.

Overall - it is nice to see the genre aimed at a mature audience.

Product Description from Amazon:

First comes darkness, then comes fear
Eve Duncan is back! Blockbuster New York Times bestselling author Iris Johansen’s latest thriller brings Eve closer to discovering her daughter’s killer…and into a web of danger from which she may not be able to escape…

Eve Duncan returns in a thriller that pits her against the most evil mind she has ever encountered: a ruthless killer who taunts her with his every move…and who has a special affinity for blood. When a Georgia senator’s daughter is found murdered, and her body drained of blood, Eve Duncan is drawn into the web of Kevin Jelak—a serial murderer who is on Eve’s short list of killers who might know something about her missing daughter Bonnie. When a goblet of blood is found in Eve’s refrigerator, she knows the taunting is over…and the games have begun. As Eve and Jelak engage in a dance of death, Eve must call upon those she loves and trusts the most…even if it means bringing them into the game as well.