Promo: Eventide by Tracy & Laura Hickman
6 May
When a traveling bard stumbles into a dragon’s den, he is forced to tell stories to the fire-breathing menace or end up being eaten. Eventually running out of stories to tell, he makes a deal with the dragon: for his freedom, he will return with new tales of adventure, romance, and bravery. Tales of the Dragon’s Bard is the story of his quest to collect the most exciting stories he possibly can, and Eventide is the first town he encounters. With wish-women, gnomes, a centaur farmer, a resident Gossip Fairy, and a blacksmith dwarf, those living in Eventide have enough going on to keep the Dragon’s Bard busy collecting–especially if he can liven up those adventures a bit with his own ridiculous plots.– B&N
Eventide goes on sale June 5, 2012.
Promo: Journey to the Fringe by Kelli Swofford Nielsen
15 Apr
Long ago, Stone Mages were revered in Lyria. They were men and women who could use powerful tradestones to harness their unique gifts of wind, rain, and earth to help those around them. But war with the Southern realm has threatened the mages with extinction. The truth about the tradestones has been lost, and the remaining magic is dwindling.
When Princess Ivy, the beloved daughter of the king, is abducted, it seems that all hope for Lyria is lost as well. But when an unlikely group of loyal subjects embarks on a dangerous journey to the far-distant Fringe, the hope of restoring crown and kingdom is renewed. Among the group is Simon, a fool with wisdom beyond his years; Gilda, a nonmagical witch; Burr, a young thief; and Merrick, a jaded sea captain. Their quest will test their courage, their strength, and their friendship.
But at the Fringe, they encounter a truth that will change everything they thought they knew about themselves, and this small band of heroes must embrace the power that is their birthright and stand together as Stone Mages of Lyria.–B&N
Book Trailer & Giveaway: Lockdown by Alexander Gordon Smith
19 AugGiveaway is now closed! Thanks for entering.
Furnace Penitentiary: the world’s most secure prison for young offenders, buried a mile beneath the earth’s surface. Convicted of a murder he didn’t commit, sentenced to life without parole, “new fish” Alex Sawyer knows he has two choices: find a way out, or resign himself to a death behind bars, in the darkness at the bottom of the world. Except in Furnace, death is the least of his worries. Soon Alex discovers that the prison is a place of pure evil, where inhuman creatures in gas masks stalk the corridors at night, where giants in black suits drag screaming inmates into the shadows, where deformed beasts can be heard howling from the blood-drenched tunnels below. And behind everything is the mysterious, all-powerful warden, a man as cruel and dangerous as the devil himself, whose unthinkable acts have consequences that stretch far beyond the walls of the prison.
Together with a bunch of inmates—some innocent kids who have been framed, others cold-blooded killers—Alex plans an escape. But as he starts to uncover the truth about Furnace’s deeper, darker purpose, Alex’s actions grow ever more dangerous, and he must risk everything to expose this nightmare that’s hidden from the eyes of the world.
Want to win the first book in Alexander Gordon Smith‘s Escape from Furnace series? Zeitghost Media has allowed me to host a giveaway of Lockdown in honor of book three in the series, which was released earlier this month. To be eligible, you must have a U.S. or Canadian mailing address. I will select a winner with the help of a random number generator at noon on August 27; Zeitghost will mail the book to the winner. To enter, leave a comment telling me if you would expose Furnace or keep running after successfully escaping.
Review: The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum
28 Jun
The Forgotten Locket by Lisa Mangum
Shadow Mountain (June 9, 2011)
Hardback: $18.99
ISBN: 978-1-60908-049-5
There are spoilers included in the book’s blurb and the review posted below.
Favorite Lines: “Because the truth is I chose life–with all its unpredictability and impossibilities and messiness, and with all its joy and beauty and love. I chose you, Abby. I want to be where you are. I want to be by your side as your life unfolds.” (Withholding the page number to leave you in suspense. lol) Continue reading
Ruby Red Book Trailer and a Giveaway!
8 JunThanks for entering. The giveaway is closed.
Gwyneth Shepherd’s sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!
Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon–the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.
The great people at Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group have offered to sponsor a giveaway of 1 copy of Kerstin Gier’s Ruby Red here at Scooper Speaks. To enter tell me if you plan to read the book, or who you will give it to. To qualify, the winner’s mailing address must be in the USA or Canada. I’ll use a random number generator to select a winner on June 15, 2011. Macmillan will send the winner a copy of the book. Good luck!
Review: Nightfall by Ellen Connor
7 Jun
Nightfall by Ellen Connor (I adore the cover art!)
Penguin Group (June 7, 2011)
ebook: $9.99; Trade: $15.00
ISBN: 9780425241691
Favorite Lines: “He rolled onto her and tore down her panties in one motion. His hands were clumsy, shaking with desire…No foreplay. Just do it.” (p. 196) Continue reading
Review: Once Bitten by Kalayna Price
11 Oct
Once Bitten by Kalayna Price
Trade: $14.95
Bell Bridge Books (2008)
ISBN: 9780980245394
Favorite Lines: “I can’t go back to Firth! I was a constant embarrassment to my father before. What will he do if he finds out I can’t shift?” (p. 42)
Despite being named her father’s future successor in the alternate land of Firth, Kita Nekai ran away; she knows that as the head of the shifter clan she would face constant challenges because she doesn’t change into a lion, wolf or bear. Nope, she transforms into a calico kitten. A kitten which is drugged and attacked then saved by being turned into a freak: a vampire-shapeshifter.
Before she can come to terms with her newest station in life, she is set upon by a supernatural judge who sentences her to death making a psycho, shapeshifting killer. With a few allies in her corner, she is able to get a 72 hour stay, during which she must bring the killer to justice.
Once Bitten is book one in Kalayna Price’s Haven series about a kitten cat shifter transformed into a vampire. Kitten? Yes, I said kitten. You’re probably wondering, “What the f**k?” Don’t worry; the kitten aspect works because Price has taken time to weave several plot threads together and they all pass through Kita. And the book has engaging characters like Nathaniel, Kita’s sire; dedicated characters like Bobby, Kita’s former boyfriend; and annoying characters like Gil, a scholar-trainee who is studying Kita.
Once Bitten is more than an adventure packed tale; it is a diary of the emotional journey Kita is on as she attempts to absorb all the changes surrounding her. Especially when she considers her running away from Firth set everything into motion.
Once Bitten is dark, but it has light moments like:
“A blob of pastel pink moving out of the subway caught my attention. Who but Gil would wear an Easter egg pink coat?”
Overall, it is the type of book that leaves you wanting to know more about Kita, her new station in life, her ability to accept that station and the possibility of a loving relationship. If you are one of the people about to read book of the Haven, you’re in luck. Book two in the Haven series, Twice Dead is available for purchase now and in an interview at SciFi Guy’s blog Price said book three will be released in a few months.
* Price recently introduced a new series about a witch called the Alex Craft series.
Don’t forget to read other reviews of Once Bitten at:
Rogue Angel: Destiny by Alex Archer
15 Dec
Favorite Lines: “She wasn’t by nature a violent person, but she immediately resented anyone who tried to take advantage or intimidate her. That was one of the reasons she’d taken every martial-arts class she could in New Orleans as she’d grown up.” (p. 22)
An age old mystery is exactly what Annja Creed was looking for in France. She just never expected to become part of it. An archaeologist working for a television show, she is researching the story of La Bete, an animal-like creature that killed many French people, when the ground opens during an earthquake and drops her into a crypt.
The crypt is full of well preserved artifacts sure to get Annja an excavation grant, but a group of gun shooting motorcyclists endanger her life and the mysteries of the cave within minutes of her arrival.
Annja finds herself on the run with a strange older man, hunted by a group of monks and an occultist, all of whom want the precious artifact she managed to snag.
If I’d known last year that Rogue Angel was such a great series I’d have bought it then. Rogue Angel: Destiny by Alex Archer features Annja, a woman with the coolest ability and her awesome job-exploring and finding remnants from the past-is wonderful. I love both history and adventure making the Rogue Angel series a perfect fit with my interests.
Annja is not a snarky heroine, but she is intelligent, quick witted and able to hold her own against her enemies. She is also compassionate, even when it gets her into trouble.
The secondary characters are well rounded too. Roux and Garin are shadowy characters because you never know if they’re going to help or hinder Annja, which made me want to know more about their lives and wishes. The villains chasing Annja are evil or protecting a secret which makes it important to read the book from start to finish when the final pieces of the puzzle are placed together.
I’m very excited to have found a new (to me) series that I enjoy. Don’t take my opinion. Check out reviews at Curled Up, Fallen Angel, or SF Reader.
Scooper Speaks 