Jax Reviews The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness

Publisher: Penguin Books

Series: All Souls Trilogy, book 3

Format Read: ebook

Source: purchased by reviewer

Release Date: July 15,2014

Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* |  Barnes & Noble | 

* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches--with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

Bea Reviews The Kind-hearted Monster by Max Velthuijs

Publisher: NorthSouth (NY) 
Format Read: eGalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: May 1, 2015
Challenges: May 2015 Clean Sweep ARC Challenge |  NetGalley and Edelweiss ARCs
Buying Links: Amazon*  | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

What do you do with a fire-breathing monster? Adore him! The Monster from Halfway to Nowhere... When the people of a little town discover that the fire-breathing monster in their midst is really a kind-hearted mind mannered monster, they all have different ideas about what to do with him. But the ideas make Mervyn unhappy, until a professor has an idea that lightens everyone's mood especially Mervyn's! The Monster from Halfway to Nowhere... Robbers have kidnapped Mervyn the monster by baking him cakes full of sleeping powder. They think the heist is a success. But the robbers don t know Mervyn . . . and the people from the town that s halfway to nowhere." 

The Friday 56: Blaze by Krista D. Ball

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join in the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

I'm reading an epic fantasy, "Blaze", by Krista D. Ball. The quote is from 56%  in the ebook.

"Rose", the girl whispered. "Are we g-g-going to die?"

Release Day Blitz & A Giveaway: Fierce, A Fantasy Collection by Merceds Lackey, et al

 

I'm delighted to be part of the release day launch for Fierce: A Fantasy Collection. This anthology has sixteen USA Today, New York Times and Amazon bestsellers, including Mercedes Lackey!!! Grab your copy today!!

Quote-Tastic - Night Shift by Nalini SIng, Ilona Andrews, Lisa Shearin and Milla Vane

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed you for one reason or another. Everyone's welcome to join in - authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier! Just grab the button and put up your post :) Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section.  Quote-tastic is hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup.

This quote is from the short story, "The Beast of Blackmoor" by Milla Vane. The hero and heroine are talking and whew, you'll need some cold water! It's part of a very hot scene between them involving voyeurism and public sex.

It's part of the Night Shift anthology. I'm giving away a copy and posted a review here. 

"Who needs leather and a collar? A man's leash grows between his legs. I would only have to tug on it a few times to make you mine." "Then a woman's leash must be much shorter. " She laughed. "So it is. And harder to find."

Group Interview with Author David Baldacci

Recently, I had the good fortune to be part of a group phone conference interview with author David Baldacci. A number of bloggers were invited to participate and we each had a turn to ask a question. The call lasted about 30 minutes. I was delighted and flattered to be asked to be one of the bloggers in this interview. I've enjoyed David's books and enjoyed listening to him talk; he was funny and eloquent. I've tweaked the interview a bit but it's basically intact. It's a long one! So make yourself comfy and enjoy!

 

Interview with Author Kelley Armstrong & A Giveaway

I'm ecstatic to have one of my fave authors here today, Kelley Armstrong. I love Kelley's urban fantasy and her mysteries. Last year she started a new young adult epic fantasy series, Age of Legends. The second book, "Empire of Night" is due to release this April. In the meantime, she has a new short story from that world, "The Kitsune's Nine Tails", as part of an anthology, "Fantasy For Good: A Charitable Anthology" releasing next week on the 9th.

All of the proceeds from the sale of "Fantasy For Good: A Charitable Anthology" go directly to The Colon Cancer Alliance, a charity dedicated to the prevention of this deadly disease, as well as funding research and supporting patients who suffer from it. As someone who has cancer running in her family and only a few of them survivors, I like to support projects benefittng cancer research and patient support whenever i can.

Kelley graciously agreed to do an interview and she's giving away a copy of the first book in the Age of Legends series, "Sea of Shadows" (I love the US cover of this book, gorgeous!)

Free Kindle Books for Halloween!

I've read the first two anthologies, reviewed the first one, and have the third on my Kindle, waiting it's turn. The Kindle books are FREE for 4 days only so get yours now!

Jax & Bea Review The Midnight Queen by Sylvia Izzo Hunter

Publisher: Ace
Series: Noctis Magicae #1
Format Read: Print
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble |
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In the hallowed halls of Oxford’s Merlin College, the most talented—and highest born—sons of the Kingdom of Britain are taught the intricacies of magickal theory. But what dazzles can also destroy, as Gray Marshall is about to discover…

Gray’s deep talent for magick has won him a place at Merlin College. But when he accompanies four fellow students on a mysterious midnight errand that ends in disaster and death, he is sent away in disgrace—and without a trace of his power. He must spend the summer under the watchful eye of his domineering professor, Appius Callender, working in the gardens of Callender’s country estate and hoping to recover his abilities. And it is there, toiling away on a summer afternoon, that he meets the professor’s daughter.

Even though she has no talent of her own, Sophie Callender longs to be educated in the lore of magick. Her father has kept her isolated at the estate and forbidden her interest; everyone knows that teaching arcane magickal theory to women is the height of impropriety. But against her father’s wishes, Sophie has studied his ancient volumes on the subject. And in the tall, stammering, yet oddly charming Gray, she finally finds someone who encourages her interest and awakens new ideas and feelings.

Sophie and Gray’s meeting touches off a series of events that begins to unravel secrets about each of them. And after the king’s closest advisor pays the professor a closed-door visit, they begin to wonder if what Gray witnessed in Oxford might be even more sinister than it seemed. They are determined to find out, no matter the cost…

Guest Post - The Story Behind Two Empty Thrones by C.H. Maclean

Welcome to my stop on MacLean's virtual tour. I have a guest post and excerpt for you today so make yourself comy, and enjoy!

To young C. H. MacLean, books were everything: mind-food, friends, and fun. They gave the shy middle child’s life color and energy. Amazingly, not everyone saw them that way. Seeing a laundry hamper full of books approach her, the librarian scolded C. H. for trying to check them all out. “You’ll never read that many before they expire!” C. H. was surprised, having shown great restraint only by keeping a list of books to check out next time. Thoroughly abashed, C. H. waited three whole days after finishing that lot before going back for more.

With an internal world more vivid than the real one, C. H. was chastised for reading in the library instead of going to class. “Neurotic, needs medical help,” the teacher diagnosed. C. H.’s father, a psychologist, just laughed when he heard. “She’s just upset because those books are more challenging than her class.” C. H. realized making up stories was just as fun as reading, and harder to get caught doing. So for a while, C. H. crafted stories and characters out of wisps and trinkets, with every toy growing an elaborate personality.

Bea Reviews The Feral Child by Che Golden

Publisher: Quercus
Series: Feral Child Trilogy #1
Format Read: egalley
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: June 3, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

"Gripping, mystical and adventurous, young readers will be as hooked as Maddy was the minute she set foot inside that creepy as hell old castle," Irish World said of The Feral Child.

Maddy, an orphan, is sick of her Irish town, and sick of her cousin Danny, one of the nastiest people you could meet. Mad as hell one evening, she crawls inside the grounds of the castle, the one place she has always been forbidden to go. Once inside, she is chased by a strange feral boy, who she suspects is one of the faerie: cruel, fantastical people who live among humans and exchange local children for their own.

When the boy returns to steal her neighbor Stephen into his world, Maddy and her cousins set off on a terrifying journey into a magical wilderness, determined to bring him back home. To do so, they must face an evil as old as the earth itself.

Che Golden has created a gripping adventure that interweaves Maddy's modern Irish experience with the vivid fantasy of the region's ancient folklore. Readers will enjoy the frank and bold heroine of Maddy, and will be dazzled by The Feral Child's evocative rendering of Irish folklore and richly imagined alternate worlds.

The Friday 56 #35 The Feral Child by Che Golden

This is a fun meme to do hosted by Freda's Voice. If you'd like to join in the fun go to The Friday 56.

Rules:
*Grab a book, any book.
*Turn to page 56 or 56% in your eReader.
*Find any sentence that grabs you.
*Post it.
*Link it here.

I'm reading a middle grade urban fantasy set in Ireland,  "The Feral Child" by Che Golden. The quote is from 56%  in the eARC.

"Why do the trees behave like that?" asked Roisin as they stopped for what must have been the sixth time to watch the old trees groan and bed their creaking trunks slowly as Fionn talked to them.

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Jax Reviews The Road to Nyn by Brian Michaud & A Giveaway

Publisher: Self published
Format Read: e-book
Source: From author in exchange for honest review
Release Date: November 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* 
* affiliate link; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb:

In a land where magic is outlawed, a young boy is living a double life. Although Kay is training to be a knight, he has been secretly studying the forbidden ways of magic with Alamin, a powerful but eccentric wizard.

After passing of the Trial of the Rings and being raised to squirehood, Kay has decided to tell Alamin that he is going to leave his magical studies behind. And why not? Kay hasn’t ever cast a spell without something going seriously wrong–like the random appearance of frogs or hungry wolves–besides, Kay could be banished from the kingdom just for associating with Alamin.

Kay’s plans are quickly obliterated when a horde of goblins attacks his village and captures his family and friends. Now, with his home lying in ruins, everything has changed. Along with Alamin and Felix, a self-serving kleptomaniac sprite, Kay embarks on an adventure that takes him across the Kingdom of Gaspar and into the dark and treacherous caves of the Goblin Realm. What Kay doesn’t realize is that his journey is leading him on a collision course with the Lord of Nyn – a being so powerful that none dare face him...not even Alamin himself!

Spotlight & GC Giveaway: Labyrinth Society - The Versailles Vendetta by Angie Kelly

Today I have the pleasure of sharing a new Middle Grade fantasy, Labyrinth Society - The Versailles Vendetta by Angie Kelly, from my publisher, Astraea Press.

 Angie Kelly is the pseudonym of a former member of the Labyrinth Society. When she’s not writing about her adventures, or reading about other people’s adventures, she’s busy traveling the world and indulging her inner twelve year-old. Although she was last sighted lurking around the British Museum after hours, her current whereabouts are unknown.

Find Angie Online:

Pinterest * Blog * Twitter

Disclaimer: I am an employee of Astraea Press. I am not being compensated for publishing this post.

Bea Reviews A World Without Princes by Soman Chainani

Publisher: HarperCollins
Series: The School for Good and Evil #2
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: PR firm in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: April 15, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | OmniLit* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

In the epic sequel to the New York Times bestselling novel, The School for Good and Evil, Sophie and Agatha are home, living out their Ever After. But life isn’t quite the fairy tale they expected.

When Agatha secretly wishes she’d chosen a different happy ending, she reopens the gates to the School for Good and Evil. But the world she and Sophie once knew has changed.

Witches and princesses, warlocks and princes are no longer enemies. New bonds are forming; old bonds are being shattered. But underneath this uneasy arrangement, a war is brewing and a dangerous enemy rises. As Agatha and Sophie battle to restore peace, an unexpected threat could destroy everything, and everyone, they love—and this time, it comes from within.

Soman Chainani has created a spectacular world that Newbery Medal-winning author Ann M. Martin calls, “a fairy tale like no other, complete with romance, magic, and humor that will keep you turning pages until the end.”

Bea Reviews Seven Wild Sisters by Charles de Lint, Illustrated by Charles Vess

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Series: Newford #12
Format Read: Hardcover
Source: local library
Release Date: February 4, 2014
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

This full-color, illustrated companion novel to The Cats of Tanglewood Forest from two masters of modern fantasy is a captivating adventure about magic, family, and the power in believing in both.
When it comes to fairies, Sarah Jane Dillard must be careful what she wishes for. She may have thought she wanted to meet the fairies of the Tanglewood Forest, but that was before she knew the truth about them. When Sarah Jane discovers a tiny man wounded by a cluster of miniature poison arrows, she brings him to the reclusive Aunt Lillian for help. But the two quickly find themselves ensnared in a longtime war between rival fairy clans, and Sarah Jane's six sisters have been kidnapped to use as ransom. Her only choice is to go after them, and with the help of several mythical friends--from the Apple Tree Man to a cat called Li'l Pater--she'll have to find a way to untangle herself from the fairy feud before she and her sisters are trapped in their world forever.

Quote-Tastic #46 I can always get back if anything goes wrong

Join us every Monday and share a favorite quote that's grabbed you for one reason or another. Everyone's welcome to join in - authors, bloggers, readers. The more the merrier! Just grab the button and put up your post :) Don't have a blog? No worries, just leave your favorites in the comment section.  Quote-tastic is hosted by Herding Cats & Burning Soup.

This week, the 12th through the  18th, is Children's Book Week. I'm celebrating all week with reviews and giveaways of childrens for kids of all ages. So for today's meme, I picked some quotes from one of my fave kids books, "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe". It's a classic, in kids books, fantasy books, Christian books, and inspirational books. You can enjoy it on one level or many levels.

GIVEAWAY & INTERVIEW with Jackie Morse Kessler

"To Bear An Iron Key" by Jackie Kessler is officially out today and I'm delighted to be today's tour stop. I first read Kessler years ago when I picked up a used copy of one of her Hell's Belles books. These days, she's writing YA and I was lucky enough to be able to interview her.

Jackie is the author of the acclaimed YA series Riders of the Apocalypse, published by Harcourt/Graphia. The first two books in the quartet, HUNGER and RAGE, are YALSA Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers; in addition, HUNGER has been nominated for several awards and RAGE is an International Reading Association YA Choice. RAGE, LOSS and BREATH are Junior Library Guild selections.

Find Jackie Online: 

 Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY - Chronicles: The Library of Illumination by C.A. Pack

Chronicles: The Library of Illumination - Release Blitz

By C.A. Pack

Young Adult Fantasy

Date Published: April 29, 2014

  

Within the walls of a centuries-old building lies the magical Library of Illumination, a place where books literally come to life. 17-year-old Johanna Charette is the youngest curator ever chosen to oversee the day-to-day operation of the library and she knows, in case of trouble, having an assistant can be invaluable, so she hires 16-year-old Jackson Roth to give her a hand. Jackson gets off to a rocky start, but manages to prove his mettle. Besides, he’s kind of cute and a lot of fun.

Johanna is charming and brilliant—and a natural born leader. She keeps the library operating on an even keel. Jackson is clever and intrepid. He relies on his wits to keep them out of danger when trouble arises. Unfortunately, his derring-do is one of the reasons why they sometimes find themselves in awkward situations. So it shouldn’t be any surprise when his wanton curiosity sparks a journey to a distant realm, where they end up with front row seats in a battle against an ancient foe.

Publisher: Artiqua Press
Series: The Library of Illumination #1-5
Format: Hardcover, ebook

Buy Links:  Barnes & Noble | Amazon

CarolKat Reviews Gargoyle: Three Enchanting Romance Novellas

Publisher: SB Group
Format Read: ebook
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 10, 2013
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Barnes & Noble
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

The mysterious lives of gargoyles.
They don't just hang out on buildings.
They right wrongs. They wreak havoc.
And they change the lives of unsuspecting people who never see them coming.

The hero...
Craig knows that Bea is in trouble. But Craig can't do anything about it--because he's a garden gargoyle and Bea can't hear his warnings. When unexpected visitors arrive to help, Craig finds the power he had all along. Now the neighborhood will never be the same.

The touchstone...
When a thunderstorm transports software expert Rose Waldman to thirteenth century France, she meets hunky stonemason Julien, who is secretly creating a gargoyle in defiance of his master mason. Can independent gadget loving Rose trust her life and heart to Julien, and can she really never go home again?

And the freak just trying to get along...
Sentenced to burn at the stake for sorcery, Merofled volunteers to help jaded warrior Alaric kill a gargoyle that threatens her village. But Merofled soon discovers the gargoyle is not a monster at all. It's a misfit just like her. Can she persuade Alaric to spare the gargoyle-and herself?