10/14/17

Unearthed After Sunset by Lauryn April (Review + Excerpt + Giveaway) !

     Today, I have a treat for you. Unearthed After Sunset by Lauryn April will release tomorrow, and to celebrate, Lauryn has given us a little excerpt of the story as well as a giveaway! I have also included my review of the book, but lets be honest, everyone is looking forward to the excerpt and giveaway. If you love vampires and mysterious plots, keep reading and see if Unearthed After Sunset is for you! Stay tuned till the end for the giveaway!


Author: Lauryn April
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Published: October 15th 2017

     When Greg Erickson is killed by sultry and seductive vampire Lila, he wakes up cold and alone in a wooden box. After clawing his way out he finds himself thrust into a vampire turf war, unsure of exactly what he’s fighting for. Greg discovers that it’s not easy to be human one day and hunting humans the next, and while his new vampire cohorts try to get him to accept his newfound existence there’s one girl from his human life he’s unable to forget.

     Caroline Christensen lived a normal life once. Then her brother was killed by vampires and her family legacy as a vampire hunter was handed down to her. When she meets Greg out at the bar one night they both feel a connection. Then Greg discovers Caroline’s secret and she worries he’ll never talk to her again, but soon she finds out that he has a very different reason for not calling – he’s dead.

     Now Greg has become Caroline's target, but can she bring herself to kill him? Greg, however, isn’t Caroline’s only concern. The vampires are battling one another, and Caroline is determined to find out what they're fighting over.

Review

     This book gave me Buffy the Vampire Slayer vibes right off the bat. Though the book is mainly told from a guy’s POV (Greg’s), the times we get a look into Caroline’s head just scream Buffy to me, but in Lauryn’s own unique way. I enjoyed the moments we got to see Greg and Caroline interact with each other because we got to experience that tension filled air that hovers between them. I really got into the book towards the end when they got to spend a lot more time together because they make sparks fly and we really see their true character.

     I have to say I liked Caroline’s character more than Greg, which was a bummer because we get more of the story from Greg’s POV. Greg definitely gave me Angel vibes too (aka Buffy’s vampire boyfriend). He was a very morally confused character in the beginning, which I liked, but his relationship with Lila threw me off. Anyway, other than that, the story was very interesting. The ending left us with a cliff hanger, but it also felt like a conclusion to me. It was a very unique feeling to still have questions that needed answering, but to have the ending also feel like a closed book. But the story will continue, and it will be interesting to see where it goes because a lot of things happened in the end, which could blow the story wide open in the next book.

     I recommend this book to anyone looking for a vampire/vampire hunter story not focused on romance, but on character development and mysterious plots. It’s also unique because it is mainly told from a guy’s POV, which is hard to find in paranormal genres. I don’t usually read books from a guy’s POV because I can’t place myself in his shoes, but if that is what you are looking for, this book is for you. I give this book three out of five stars.


Unearthed After Sunset is the first novel in the Cereus Vampire Chronicles. This dark tale follows college student Greg on his journey to discover a world he never knew existed where he quickly learns that beauty can be deadly as. Filled with action, adventure and a bit of romance Unearthed After Sunset will keep you on your toes. Continue on to read an exclusive excerpt from Lauryn April’s gripping new Urban Fantasy novel.
Excerpt

     When I got close, however, I found I wasn’t the only one interested in visiting my stone that night. A woman stood before my grave. Dark hair lay loose over her shoulders, and she set a rose atop my stone. Sarah. She wore a navy dress and I remembered there was a bar a few blocks from here she and her friends liked to go to. Sarah kneeled in the grass and wiped a tear away from her cheek. I watched her from a distance. I wanted to go to her, but Santo’s rules played in my mind as if the sight of her had triggered a warning in my head.

     “I know this wasn’t my fault,” she said to the empty casket below. “At least that’s what everyone keeps telling me, but I can’t help but wonder if…if I hadn’t broken up with you, if I had just given you more time, you never would have been out that night and….” She sniffled. “I never wanted this.”
I felt weight on my arm. I turned to see Santo standing beside me, his hand on my shoulder.

     “She’s a pretty one, not your intended recruit I hope.”

     A nervous laugh passed my lips. “No.” I handed Santo Carter’s wallet. He pulled out his ID, looked it over, nodded, then handed it back.

     “Good,” he said. “Turning your ex novia would have been a bad idea.”
“How do you know—”

     “That she’s your ex? She’s leaving roses on your grave, amigo. Is not so hard to figure out.”

     I shook my head. “Right.”

     “Don’ worry about her. She will move on.”

     “Why would it be a bad idea to turn her?”

     Santo stared at me for a long moment. “Is best to leave todos behind when you become a vampire. If you bring someone from your old life into your new one…problemas every time.”

     “I wasn’t going to, I was just—”

     “Do not worry, you are new, you have questions, I get it.”

     Santo started to walk away. I cast Sarah one last glance before following him.

     “I didn’t like you much at first, you know,” he said, then glanced at me over his shoulder.

     “Yeah, I figured that.”

     Santo paused until I caught up to him. “You’ve grown on me since then.”

     A moment of silence passed. “Can I ask you something?”

     Santo nodded.

     “You’ve been around a long time, how do you…differentiate between us and them?”

     Santo smiled. “It gets easier as you get older. When you can walk among them and have no fear of finding a familiar face, it’s easier to see them as they are.”

     “And what are they?”

     Santo was quiet for a moment. “Do you know how I became a vampire, Archer?”

     “No.”

     “It was 1521. I was an officer in the Spanish Army, under Cortez. We were in Tenochtitlan, fighting Aztecs. For eight months, we battled them, slaughtered them, starved them by cutting off their supplies of food and water, but they were relentless. I remember hearing that Cortez ordered the siege to stop, but they would not rest. They would not surrender, and we were forced to continue. That is when I remember first thinking there is no God.

     “A group of my men were captured, but I managed to escape into the jungle. Lost and frightened, I wandered until the heat and exhaustion overcame me. I passed out, knowing I would soon die.”

     “What happened?”

     Santo laughed. “I died. But first I woke; it was night and a woman stood before me. She wore a red dress, and her hair hung loose around her face, muy bonita. Not one of the natives, a Spaniard like me. Later, she told me she’d hidden away on our ship. Her skin was so white and her eyes…I thought she was an angel. She helped me up, and I was lost in her beauty. I remember, she asked me one question.

     “She asked, ’¿Desea ser libre?’ Do you want to be free? And I said yes. Then she pulled me to her, and she killed me. She buried me in the dirt, and I dug my way free nights later. I couldn’t comprehend what any of it meant at first. She would try to explain, but it wasn’t until she showed me that I understood.” Santo got this faraway look in his eyes. “She took me back to Tenochtitlan, and I tried to tell her the Aztecs would kill us. She wouldn’t listen. I tried to stop her, but she pushed on. She walked straight into their city unharmed. The people of Tenochtitlan looked at her and they bowed. They fell to their knees! Cihuateteo, they called her.

     “The next day I slept in one of their temples when I heard a commotion outside. I walked to the edge of the shadows and watched as they gathered. I saw my men, in the crowd. One by one they were brought to the top of the temple, and the Aztecs cut out their hearts. Sixty, seventy some men were murdered and they left their hearts at my feet. And you know what I felt like?”

     I shook my head. “What?”

     “I felt like a god!” Santo laughed. “That is the difference between us and them. They are human, mortal. They exist in the blink of an eye, temporary. We are eternal, we are gods, and as such their lives bend to our will.”

     I laughed. “You don’t really think…I mean, gods?”

     “We have the power to take lives and to make men immortal; what more to being a god is there?”

     I thought that over for a long moment. Santo was quiet. Then he slapped my shoulder again. “Come, amigo. Let’s go home.”

     We walked out of the graveyard. All the while I wondered if maybe he were right. Maybe I wasn’t a demon, like all the movies liked to suggest.

     Maybe I was a god?


Lauryn April has always been fascinated by the paranormal, picking up a healthy Stephen King habit by the age of thirteen. Her favorite TV show growing up was "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", and she's always preferred bands like The Rolling Stones, and The Doors over whatever they're playing on the radio.


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10/9/17

5 Tips for Bookish Decor!

 Have you caught the decorating bug? I know I have. Ever since I moved a few months ago, I have been obsessed with creating my perfect space. My color palate changed drastically from my last one so I had to start over. I have been obsessed with cool tones, greys, muted pastels, and the occasional wood texture to complement my room. They fit my aesthetic perfectly. But there is one thing I know I did not and could not get rid of, MY BOOKISH DÉCOR.
    
     I cannot live in a room that shows no sign of my love for books; however, I ran into a big problem when looking for décor…most of it didn’t match my color palate! So, I took to the internet and went hunting for décor that would complement my room and my love for books. If you have trouble finding décor that matches or need ideas on how to spice up your room then check out my list of ideas and places to shop below!

1. Throw Pillows Galore.
Evie Seo
PaperFury

     I love throw pillows, and Society6 is the place I go to get them. Society6 is a platform where artists can sell their art on many different surfaces: canvas print, mugs, blankets, bags, and my personal favorite, THROW PILLOWS. A girl can never have too many throw pillows, especially bookish pillows. They are a great way to add a little something to your room and they come in all different styles. Some of my favorite pillows come from artists Evie Seo and PaperFury , but there are thousands more if their style isn’t for you. Below are a few of my favorite pillows from them and you can find a link to them below the picture as well.
 
 
2. Art Prints Are Always Good, But Not Too Many!

     I love hanging art on my wall because it’s an easy way to make a room your own, but be careful not to overdo it! Putting too much on your wall can make your room look smaller, and my solution to this is to make a small art collage on one wall with very minimalistic designs. My choice of collage is book inspired (obviously), so I like to go out and find minimalist art incorporating books. Society6 is a great place for canvas art, but Redbubble is also a site for all my fangirls and boys out there.

     I would suggest keeping the colors greyscale with very little color to make the collage look cohesive, but that is just my preference. Make the collage a square, circle, or another shape that you like. To get an idea of what I mean, here is my wall collage:


     It has everything from books, dragons, badass quotes, and two of my favorite comic book prints. I love it. I also suggest incorporating images as well as quotes to break things up.

3. Bookish Candles for The Win!

     If you already feel like your wall décor is on point, then add a bookish candle to top off the awesomeness! I love candles that are inspired by some of my favorite books because it brings the book to life for me. I always go to Etsy for things like these!  There are tons of great candle makers out there, all you have to do is search “book candles” and you are set. If you want to see if there is a candle maker out there who tackled your favorite book universe (like Throne of Glass by Sarah J. Maas in my case) then search that too. Your room will smell like your favorite book and that’s all anyone ever wanted, right?

4. Create A Featured Book Shelf!

     Since my room isn’t big enough to hold all three of my bookshelves, I had to get creative. I thought creating a small floating bookshelf or two displaying my favorite book or series accompanied by art or quotes from that book would be a nice touch to my room. I haven’t found the time to put one up but just imagine it. You pick out your favorite books, find some cute bookends that complement the book or your aesthetic, find little things like a mug, picture, or art piece that reminds you of that book (or even better, is inspired by it), and you have a cute themed shelf dedicated to your love of reading.

5. No Luck? No Worries, Find an Alternative!

     One problem I come across a lot is the lack of specific art or décor inspired by a favorite book of mine. I don’t always want a picture or quote from a book because one, I already have enough pictures, and two, I want something unique. So, I started looking for décor/art/statues that reminded me of a book I love. For example, it is no secret that I love dragons and one of my favorite series is Going Down in Flames by Chris Cannon. Naturally, I went hunting for anything dragon related and found the art print that you can see in my picture collage above. However, your art doesn’t have to be so obvious, it can be abstract. If you love a book about a motorcycle club, like Nowhere but Here by Katie McGarry, then note the symbol described on the riders’ leather cuts and find a print similar to it. If you love a book about pirates then find a small plaque of a pirate’s flag to put on a shelf. I have learned that when it comes to bookish décor, it doesn’t have to be obvious because the art is for you. If you see something that reminds you of a book, pick it up! There are no rule when it comes to bookish décor.


     I hope my list gave you some ideas or at least got you started in the right direction. However, if it did not and you really want to make your space a Pinterest dream, check out Havenly.com ! Havenly is an online interior designer platform that employs professional interior designers to help you find the perfect style unique to you. You can take a style quiz, find out exactly what your style is, and choose which room you want to revamp. They have tons of designers, with expertise in all styles so the options are endless! Check them out if you want to know more.

Let me know how you decorate your space! What is your favorite part of your bookish décor? What tips do you have? Leave your answers down below.
Cheers!

8/28/17

Heart of Mist (The Oremere Chronicles #1) by Helen Scheuerer Review!


Author: Helen Scheuerer
Genre: YA High Fantasy
Release Date: August 31st
Publisher: Talem Press
Rating: ★★★★


In a realm where toxic mist sweeps the lands and magic is forbidden, all Bleak wants is a cure for her power.

Still grieving the death of her guardian and dangerously self-medicating with alcohol, Bleak is snatched from her home by the Commander of the King’s Army, and summoned to the capital.

But the king isn’t the only one interested in Bleak’s powers.

The leader of an infamous society of warriors, the Valia Kindred, lays claim to her as well, and Bleak finds herself in the middle of a much bigger battle than she anticipated.

Heart of Mist is the gripping first book in The Oremere Chronicles, a fantasy series of epic proportions.

Review:

     I did not know what to expect when I started this book, but after reading the prologue, I knew I was in for a crazy journey filled with diverse characters and mysteries galore. First of all, the main character, Bleak, was a character that I immediately connected to. In the beginning, we see her at one of the lowest points in her life and my heart broke for her, but she had a resilience about her that I loved as well. She isn't the type of whiny and incapable main character who waits for things to come to her. Bleak goes after what she wants or needs, which is what I like most about her. I love that quality in a character. Then we get a little back story on how Bleak made it to that point in her life and the back story almost had me in tears. We see Bleak as a child, so full of energy and innocence, and compared to the present Bleak, everything is different.  That made me want to read more, not only to find out where she had been, but where she was going. She was intriguing to say the least. She also has the reckless selflessness and self-deprecating nature about her, which I oldy like in characters because they seem more human to me that way.

     We get to know a few characters through multiple POVs, which at first, I didn’t like. Too many POVs can be confusing and make me lose track of what is happening with the main character and what they are feeling. At first, I wanted this book to only be in Bleak's POV so that I got the chance to really get to know her and who she is at her core before adding in other stories to follow. We see glimpses of who Bleak really is in the beginning, but the different POVs took my mind off what Bleak was feeling and experiencing. However, I can see how multiple POVs were necessary in this case to move the story forward and let readers in on important details Bleak wouldn't know. In the end, I was more than okay with it, and I actually wished I had an inside look into a few other character’s minds as well. You all know how much I dislike multiple POVs so it should tell you how much I liked this book by me wanting MORE POVs.

     As I mentioned before, I had no idea what to expect out of Heart of Mist, and I was shocked at how compelling and captivating this book was. Scheuerer’s power to make her book world come alive amazed me. The descriptions she used and the attention to the littlest details really made my journey into the book so smooth and believable. She described scenery and emotions so beautifully that it was hard NOT to feel as if I was in Bleak's world right alongside her. The high fantasy world Scheuerer has created made me tune out everything around me and live in the story. I felt as if I was in the otherworldly creation, walking through forests and meeting mysterious magical people. One minute after the other something exciting, invigorating, interesting or action packed was happening and it made reading so much fun because I never knew what was going to happen with Bleak next. I loved the anticipation and mystery that hung in the air throughout the book. I was hooked. There were moments where a twist or revelation was discovered, and each time, I never saw it coming. This book had me on my toes the whole time. Literally everything in this book is connected or means something and every time a mystery was uncovered I felt my heart skip a beat. The way Scheuerer wove this story together floored me. I LOVED every second of it. I especially loved the ending although I hated it too. That cliffhanger is going to kill me, and if the second book doesn't start out EXACTLY where it left off, I will be angry. That being said, I NEED THE SECOND BOOK ASAP.

     I think it is safe to say that this book is a four star book for me!

    If you want to know more about this book and the author, Helen Scheuerer, check out the Q&A we did together last month! You will learn all kinds of interesting things about Heart of Mist and the author.

     I hope you all are enjoying your current read and you pick up Heart of Mist when it releases on August 31st!

Cheers.

7/28/17

Q&A Featuring Author Helen Scheuerer and Her New Book, Heart of Mist (The Oremere Chronicles #1)!

    
     I have an exciting and interesting post for you guys today!

     Most of you know that I love fantasy books of all kinds, so of course I jumped at the chance to interview author/editor Helen Scheuerer about her new YA fantasy novel, Heart of Mist, which debuts August 31st.The synopsis drew me in and I immediately knew I had to read this book. So if you love fantasy books and are looking for a new book to read, keep on reading and learn more about Heart of Mist and Helen’s writing process!

But first….

The synopsis!



In a realm where toxic mist sweeps the lands and magic is forbidden, all Bleak wants is a cure for her power.

Still grieving the death of her guardian and dangerously self-medicating with alcohol, Bleak is snatched from her home by the Commander of the King’s Army, and summoned to the capital.

But the king isn’t the only one interested in Bleak’s powers.
The leader of an infamous society of warriors, the Valia Kindred, lays claim to her as well, and Bleak finds herself in the middle of a much bigger battle than she anticipated.

Heart of Mist is the gripping first book in The Oremere Chronicles, a fantasy series of epic proportions.



     Sounds intriguing, right? I immediately like Bleak as a character and that is just from the synopsis. Plus the promise of action and fighting has me excited!

     Now get ready to be inspired to write and read her book after you check out my interview with Helen; she has a ton of great advice for writers.

Q&A TIME

1. Your book is a fantasy novel featuring an interesting concept of toxic mist. What made you want to write this book/ what was your inspiration and how did you start the writing process?
Helen: About a year and a half ago now, I was working on a literary fiction novel that was giving me a lot of trouble. I’d lost my vision for it and the edits I was receiving were gut-wrenching. I honestly think Heart of Mist was born out of a desire to escape.

I’d been reading a lot of YA fantasy for the same reason, and had the realization: shouldn’t I be writing what I love reading?

NaNoWriMo was just around the corner, so myself and my two friends Kyra and Claire signed up. It feels like a long time ago now, but I think after a brief planning stint, I just jumped straight into the story. Six weeks later, the very rough first draft was complete...

2. What parts of your book did you struggle with and what parts did you enjoy the most? Do you have a favorite scene you wrote?

H: In Heart of Mist there’s a younger character named Dash, who’s about ten years old. He’s a POV character and I often found myself struggling to get into his head. I was constantly questioning would a 10-year-old do that? Would a 10-year-old say that? He was definitely the character I worried about the most.

In terms of enjoyment… By the time I got around to rewrites and edits, I surprised myself by finding that I enjoyed the worldbuilding, and that the descriptions were a lot of fun to write. I tend to layer these in later, after I’ve got the big picture details down on the page. So it was nice to take my time, listen to playlists and really revel in the scene I was painting.

As for favourite scene… Without wanting to spoil things… There’s an event when some kick-ass warrior women show up and do some damage. I love that #girlpower moment :)

3. You are an editor as well as a writer, how does your job as an editor affect your writing? Are you focused on the technicalities of your writing when you write or do you set aside the editing part of your brain and just write?

H: For the first draft, I try my best to set aside the editor hat. I’m a big believer in pumping out a first draft as quickly as possible and then using the time after to really perfect all the details.

Throughout my manuscript when I’m writing my first drafts, there’s loads of ‘XXX COME BACK TO THIS’ or ‘XXX NEEDS MORE DETAIL’ and sometimes even ‘XXX ARE YOU SERIOUS?’. That’s because I find that if I stop to try and make things perfect at this stage, it really kills my motivation and my momentum.

Later drafts are for analyzing the quality of the writing, first drafts are for the writer to get down all they know about their world, their characters and their story.

4. Who was your favorite character to write and why did they leave such an impact? What do you want readers to take away from that character?

H: It depends what day you ask me! But as I’m actually really enjoying writing a Bleak prequel story at the moment, let’s stick with her. What I love about Bleak is that she’s very flawed. She’s not your typical cool, beautiful, perfect heroine. She has a darkness to her, and can sometimes be quite selfish.

I suppose what I’d like readers to take away from her, and all the Heart of Mist characters really, is that everyone is flawed. In real life we’re constantly surrounded by people’s social media profiles that only ever show the best possible version of their lives. It’s nice to remind ourselves that nobody’s perfect, and that’s perfectly okay.

5. How long did it take you to write Heart of Mist? What advice would you give authors who struggle with finding time and motivation to tackle writing a book? (You can find a LOT of writing advice on Writersedit.com, a website and business that Helen founded!)

H: I wrote the first draft of Heart of Mist in about six weeks, most of which during NaNoWriMo of 2015. But it was a very rough draft, and it took me probably another year after that to rewrite, edit and refine the manuscript.
As for advice…

          1. Find a supportive writing community. I had my two writing besties Kyra and Claire by my side throughout the whole process, and couldn’t have done it without them cheering me on.

          2. Try and write a little each day. Even if it’s only a paragraph. I wrote Heart of Mist just about everywhere - on the train, in my lunch breaks, on a Friday night instead of going out. I was on holidays in Birmingham, a few days before Christmas when I finally wrote ‘The End’. Creating a good writing habit is half the battle.

          3. Break the massive task (writing a book) into smaller tasks, like ‘Plot Chapter One’ or ‘Create Word Pool For XX Setting’... Doing it this way allows you to feel like you’re making progress, and keeps you motivated to keep checking things off your list.

6. Was there an author whose work you read to get inspiration from for your series? Why did you choose that author and what did you take away from their work that you wanted to fine tune in your own writing?

H: Hmmm… To be honest, I don’t read other authors’ work to get inspiration, but rather to escape. That’s what YA fantasy is to me - an escape from the daily grind, an escape from the stress and pressures I put on myself as an author… So for the most part I’m not analysing other books, but rather just enjoying them.

I definitely went through a period in life where I was reading what I thought I should be reading, rather than what I wanted to read. So I’m quite protective over what and how I read now.

That being said, I really admire writers like Sabaa Tahir and V.E. Schwab for the immense quality of their writing, and Sarah J. Maas for her insanely thoughtful plotting :)

7. Finally, what was your favorite part of the journey of writing a book? Was there a moment when it all became real to you?

H: For me, it’s always different for each book. With Heart of Mist I loved writing the first draft. It felt like it had been a long time since I wrote with such utter abandon. I had an absolute blast.

I think it was Stephen King in On Writing who said: “When you write a story, you’re telling yourself the story. When you rewrite, your main job is taking out all the things that are not the story." That was very true of the first draft of HoM, and I found it incredibly liberating.

The moment it became real to me was when I saw the completed Heart of Mist map for the first time in print. I had worked closely with a very talented map maker based in France and we’d exchanged dozens of emails going over all the minute details like terrain styles and town illustrations, but seeing it finished at the front of my book was surreal… Here was this realm that had been in my head for two years, fully formed, in a stunning map for all my readers to see.

Thank you for an awesome interview, Helen!

     Aren't you inspired to write now? I love Helen’s advice to  break down the process of writing a book into smaller hurdles. That will definitely help me.

     I also can't wait to dive into Heart of Mist and experience that kickass warrior women scene Helen mentioned. Everything about this book screams exciting!

     What do you guys think? Are you going to buy it when it releases on August 31st? Check back on August 28th and I will have a review of Heart of Mist to help you decide!

     In the meantime, feel free to check Helen out on all her social media and websites; she is super nice!

Don't forget to add Heart of Mist to Goodreads!

About Helen Scheuerer:

Helen Scheuerer is a YA fantasy author from Sydney, Australia. Heart of Mist is the first book in her high fantasy trilogy, The Oremere Chronicles. It explores themes of identity, belonging, loyalty, addiction, loss, and responsibility.

After writing literary fiction for a number of years, novels like Throne of Glass, Elantris, The Queen’s Poisoner and The Queen of the Tearling inspired Helen to return to her childhood love of fantasy.

Helen is also the Founding Editor of Writer’s Edit (www.writersedit.com), an online literary magazine and learning platform for emerging writers. It’s now one of the largest writers’ platforms in the world.

Helen’s love of writing and books led her to pursue a Bachelor of Creative Arts, majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Wollongong and a Masters of Publishing at the University of Sydney.

Helen now works as a freelance writer and editor, while she works on the second book in The Oremere Chronicles.

Cheers!

7/14/17

Q&A + Giveaway: Enigma (Schrodinger’s Consortium #2) by Tonya Kuper!


     Today, I have the honor of hosting one of my favorite authors and a fellow friend on my blog! Tonya Kuper just released the second book in the Schrodinger’s Consortium series, Enigma! We are celebrating with a fun Q&A session and a giveaway! You will find out a lot of cool stuff about Tonya’s series, her writing process, writing advice, and much more. Keep reading to find out more about this thrilling Sci-Fi series!

Author: Tonya Kuper
Genre: Sci-Fi
Date Published: July 3, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Synopsis:


Worst. Road Trip. Ever.
Escaping with Reid Wentworth should have been fun, but how can I enjoy it when I just (accidentally) killed someone, my mom and brother are in danger, and the Consortium is trying to enslave humanity? (Yeah, they aren’t fooling around.) So feeling something for Reid Wentworth was not part of the plan. Trying to help unite the Resistance against the Consortium means I can’t be distracted by hot boys.
The Resistance secret hideout isn’t exactly the rebel base of my dreams. A traitor there wants me dead, but we have no idea who it is. And with both the Resistance and the Consortium trying to control me, the only one I can trust is Reid. If we’re going to have any chance of protecting my family, controlling my unstable powers, and surviving the clash between the Oculi factions, I’m going to have to catch this traitor. By using myself as bait.

You can check out my review of Anomaly, the first book in the series, here !
Where you can buy this series:

Q&A

1. What inspired this story? It involves a lot of Sci-Fi elements to explain what Josie and Reid are capable of and I was wonder what made you want to write such a story?

T: I was actually approached by my agent about writing a YA dual point-of-view somehow  dealing with Schrodinger’s Cat Experiment theory (quantum physics) for an editor at Entangled Teen. Being a huge scifi fan, I said yes. I was to write a synopsis and the first chapter in a few days. Before I could do that though, I had to learn about the quantum physics theory, so the next day I read for over six hours. I came up with the Pushing, Retracting, Anomalies, as well as the characters.

2. How did you come up with all the proper name and powers in the story as well as the explanations for them? The story is full of sci-fi elements and in-depth explanations for Reid and Josie’s power so how did you come up with that and as well as names for everything?

T: *see above, haha! For me, I had to put it all in laymen’s terms. I thought about creating reality and the energy it would take to think, blink, manipulate reality, and visualized Josie having to almost physically push reality into existence. Then I needed a name for taking that reality away – retracting. I came across a LOT of quantum physics terms as I was reading/researching. Some terms were: anomaly, enigma, and entropy. Originally, Anomaly was titled Entropy.

3. What was your writing process like with these books? Did you plot everything first and hash out all the technicalities or did you just start writing and plan as you went along?

T: Well, the process was slightly different for each book. I didn’t plan nearly as much for the first book. I kind of dove right in, following my synopsis. About mid-way through edits of Anomaly, I found a screenwriter’s beat sheet that many authors use and began referencing that. By the time I got to Enigma, I was a plotter, using the Blake Snyder Save the Cat Beat Sheet and kind of tweaking it to my liking. It allowed me to plan, hitting the important beats, but yet left me enough flexibility that I could still be creative within chapters.

4. What was one of your favorite scenes to write and why?

T: My favorite scene to write was Josie and Reid in Reid’s “secret” place. They both are in a vulnerable place and have admitted their feelings to one another. It’s intimate, touching, and sweet.

5. Who is your favorite character? What makes them special to you?

T: Josie is my fave because she’s a nerd and she totally owns it. She is strong and intelligent, but she also has flaws and doesn’t always make the best decisions.

6. What is the best piece of writing advice someone has ever given you and what would you tell aspiring authors or authors struggling to write?

T: One piece of advice from my friend author Lynne Matson is “follow your writer’s compass.” Listen to your gut. You know your characters and your vision better than anyone else, trust yourself.

7. What is your favorite genre to read when you want to de-stress and what is your favorite book from that genre?

T: I love everything scifi, fantasy, and paranormal, so I want to get lost in another world to distress. Favorite? There’s no way I can choose just one.

8. Why do you like to write and how does it feel to have two published books now?

T: I like writing because I get to create something that others can use to escape, learn, relate to, and feel. Having two traditionally published books out now feels freaking awesome! What’s better though, is Enigma’s reception from fans. Sharing the world and characters that live in my brain with others is the most incredible feeling.

     Thank you so much! xo t

     Wow, quantum physics? Wayyyyy over my head, but I am so happy this series came out of it! Now you can have the chance to experience it for yourself. Look no further for the giveaway below and may the odds be ever in your favor!

GIVEAWAY:



Tonya Kuper is the author of ANOMALY, the first in the Schrodinger's Consortium Series, a young adult science fiction trilogy, released November 4, 2014 by Entangled Teen. She fell for Young Adult lit while earning her Masters degree in Reading Education. She's a mom to two awesome boys, an alt music junkie, a Star Wars nerd, and in love with Sherlock.

She sounds awesome, right? She is. Check out her social media and website below. She is super nice and won't bite.

Twitter  Website  Facebook  Instagram  Google+  Goodreads

Don’t forget to stop by the other blogs featured in this tour and share the love!
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7/2/17

Trickery + Persuasion (Curse of the Gods 1 & 2) by Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington Review!


Author: Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington
Genre: Older YA High Fantasy
Date Published: February 2017

 Willa Knight: Dweller. Slave. Non-magical being.
 
In Minatsol, being a dweller means that you are literally no better than dirt. In fact, dirt might actually be more useful than Willa. Her life will be one of servitude to the sols, the magic-blessed beings who could one day be chosen to become gods.

At least her outer village is far removed from the cities of the sols, and she won’t ever be forced to present herself to them... Until one small mistake changes everything, and Willa is awarded a position to serve at Blesswood, the top sol academy in the world—a position that she definitely did not earn.
 
Under the sudden, watchful eye of the gods, she will be tasked to serve the Abcurse brothers, five sols built of arrogance, perfection and power. They are almost gods themselves, and under their service she is either going to end up sentenced to death, or else they are going to ruin her so badly that she will wish for it.
 
Either way, she is in trouble.
 
 

     Guys. GUYS. This series took me by surprise, you have no idea. The synopsis does NOT do it justice or hint at the things I love about this series. Just take my word for it, you NEED to read this series. Bear with me, because I have a lot of gushing to do so I might jump around, but such is the life of a fangirl, well, fangirling.

     So right of the bat, this is a high fantasy series, which most of you know I love. The world Eve and Washington create in this series is...magical to say the least. They created a world filled with gods, sols (which are basically people who will take the place of a god when they die) and dwellers (which are essentially servants to the sols). There are so many layers to this series that make it even more intoxicating but I won't spoil it. Eve and Washington do SUCH a great job of introducing this world that it reminds me of Sarah J Maas and how she easily places readers in the world of ToG. I wasn't kidding when I said this series was close to rivaling the love I have for ToG. It's been a while since I've been so engrossed in a book that I stayed up until 5 AM reading and barely stopped to eat because I didn't want to stop reading. I don't know how the books after this will live up to the impact of this one. I had no idea that this book would blow me away like it did, as I stumbled across it thanks to Amazon. However, the characters and the setting make me love this book so much.

     First of all, I LOVE Willa. She is a clumsy badass and that's everything I didn't know I wanted in a character. She is always falling or accidentally seriously injuring herself or others and it's so hilarious and endearing. I couldn't help but love her. Although she is clumsy as hell and believes the gods cursed her with perpetual clumsiness, she is a strong character. She stands up for what she believes in and she is unapologetically herself, which I love. She faces down scary gods and stares unflinchingly at the scariest group of sols at Blesswood Academy, which is where Willa has been sent to serve the sols. Some might find her clumsiness annoying, but I just find it quirky and it just makes Willa seem human and not the perfect heroin I'm used to. I just love Willa to pieces. Then there are the Abcurse brothers. *fans self*

     Wooo boy do I love those boys. At first, they seem crazy, and that would be an accurate first impression. However, as Willa keeps crossing their path, they take an interest to her and soon....well things get interesting. This is what I love to call a reverse harem story, but minus the sexy times. The sparks that fly between Willa and the Abcurse brothers are insane, but the brothers don't act on it really. They just become fiercely protective of Willa and I DIE for that. I'm such a sucker for a protective group of men that I will literally read anything with men like that in it. It's one of my favorite things that could happen in a book. And the fact that they are kind of jerks to everyone else BUT Willa? PURE GOLD.

     The thing I love most about Willa and the boys is that their romance is far from the focus of the story. Sure, the sparks fly more often than not, but the story isn't about them. It's about uncovering secrets of their world and taking on the gods with a LOT of mischief in between. There is never a dull moment in either books and I could not put it down. The adventures they go on and the situations they get themselves into is enough to entertain anyone. And there is a LOT of humor in this series, which isn't surprising since Willa is a such a character. She never failed to make me laugh and the boys never failed to make me swoon. Eve and Washington kept me interested, not that it was hard to do with their writing style. I won't reveal too much, but I was so shocked when some of my burning questions were answered and unknown identities uncovered. I just loved every second of these two books, and I CANNOT wait for the third book to come out!

     Needless to say, these two books have made their way onto my favorites list and the authors have found themselves a new fan! I can't wait to see what else they have in store for Willa and the boys because I am along for the ride! I give Trickery and Persuasion five out of five stars!

     Go get it! Now! I demand it. You won't regret it! *winks*

4/25/17

The Keepers Series by Rae Rivers Revamped Cover Reveal!


Happy Tuesday, my lovely followers! Today I have a special reveal for you.

Those of you who have been following me for a few years may recognize the title The Keepers: Declan from a review I did two years ago, and you might also remember that I loved it. Anyway, this lovely series got a makeover and the covers are SO drool-worthy. I am here to show you just how captivating these covers are, but first, a little about the series…


The Keepers is a Paranormal Romance series with a unique premise consisting of a powerful witch with three warrior brothers, the Keepers, duty-bound to defend her.  They are her friends, her fierce protectors and her allies in maintaining the balance of nature.

An evil rival family is out for revenge, determined to tip the balance in their favour.  Sienna and her Keepers will do whatever it takes to stop them. 
Will their strength, loyalty and love survive the ultimate war?
Each book can be read as a standalone romance, or for a richer reading experience, the books can be read in order:  Sienna (The FREE Prequel), Archer, Declan and Ethan.
Three brothers, four stories, an exciting adventure of magic, mayhem, and breathtaking romance. 
Download your FREE eBook, Sienna, and enjoy their world!




Sounds awesome, right? Like the synopsis suggests, these books can all be read alone, but they come together to create an awesome experience so I suggest diving into this series all the way. You can find my review of Declan’s story linked here as well as below with buy links!
Now, time for the revamped cover reveal!
Are you ready?

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Tada!




Holy hotness, these covers are FIRE. I wouldn’t hesitate to grab these beauties off a bookstore shelf if I caught a glimpse of them. These boys are stunning and they seem to stare into my soul. Their minimalist design is the perfect way to go about showcasing this series, and I definitely love these covers a lot more. What do you guys think? Will you be diving into this series soon? Comment below and let me know!

If you DO happen to dive into this series and love it as much as I did, feel free to let Rae and the world know! She is so kind and she loves talking to readers. Check out her bio below!

Rae’s an avid reader with a passion for writing spicy romance novels.  She writes Romantic Suspense and Paranormal Romances.  She lives in Cape Town, South Africa, with her husband and children and a zoo of house pets.  Besides writing, she loves family time, the outdoors, travelling, watching TV series, reading and chocolate. 

She loves to hear from her readers and can be found here:








Don’t be afraid to get in touch with her and let her know what you thought of the Keepers series! Speaking of, here are some links where you can find the series:


Finally, you can find my review of Declan’s story here. Go forth and read your hearts out lovelies!

1/11/17

My Dream Book Panel!



I have been thinking a lot about book signings and panels lately so I decided it would be cool and interesting to create my own dream book panel. I love the idea of creating my own dream panel, which might one day come true (or at least a little true). It gives me a little insight into myself and it shows others where my interests lie.

My dream panel would consist of all kinds of authors from all different genres because I hate it when panels cater to only one type of interest. My panel would be for everyone from fantasy lovers to romance fanatics. I would want anyone and everyone to get their answers and inspiration from my panel. My questions for panels like these usually have to do with inspiration because it is always so interesting to me to see what inspires different people and how that translates into their novels. It also gives me a look into how their writing process works, which I always find helpful.

Without further ado, here is my dream panel:

1. J.R.R Tolkien


The Godfather of fantasy. This man created a whole world and his own freaking languages (THATS RIGHT, LANGUAGES. PLURAL). I just want to sit down with him and listen to him talk. Maybe then some of that creative genius can rub off on me. I would be too star struck to ask him questions to be honest, but the number one question would be: How the hell did you do it all?

2. Sarah J. Mass


The Queen of YA fantasy as to attend. I have been to a few panels with SJM on them, and I was never disappointed. Not only is she hilarious, she is also a genius when it comes to creating wonderful characters AND steaming up the pages of her books. I just want to know where she gets all that creativity. Plus, I want to learn how to create kickass female characters.

3. Heather Lyons


I call her the Queen of mythological retellings because she wrote the best mythological retellings about my favorite goddess and god, Medusa and Hermes. One, I want to beg her to write more. Two, I want to ask her how she managed to mold such amazing myths that have been around for centuries to seem like completely new characters and do it well. She takes these myths and flips them on their head to suit her needs and it doesn't seem forced at all. It's all so natural. I want to learn how to do that.

5. Nalini Singh


This woman can write romance and paranormal fantasy novels like no other. Her adult novels are some of my all time favorites because they have the perfect combination of romance and fantasy, and I want to know how she does that so flawlessly.

6. Cecy Robson


Cecy Robson wrote one of my favorite adult paranormal series of all time, The Weird Girls. It has everything I love in it: vampires, werewolves, witches, protective male leads, and badass women. I have no idea how she created such an amazing series so flawlessly, and I want to pick her brain and get some tips. I have a feeling she has a ton of advise to give especially about ripping readers’ hearts out.

7. Chris Cannon


Chris honestly made my YA dreams come true with her series, Going Down in Flames. It is a dragon shifter series, AND YOU GUYS KNOW I LOVE DRAGONS. However, it isn't just any dragon shifter series. It revolves around a dragon shifter school and the hierarchy within the shifter community. BUT, the female lead is a snarky badass who does everything she can to undermine the established hierarchy and makes some pretty awesome friends while doing it. Anyway, Chris fulfilled my dreams with an awesome YA series about dragons, and I want to know how in the world she came up with that amazing idea. I also want to beg her for more dragon books, PLEASE.

8. George R. R. Martin (moderator)


Not only would I love to have Martin on the panel because he created THE Game of Thrones, but he would be a great moderator with his dry humor and witty remarks. I would probably forget that he was the moderator though and bombard him with questions about Daenerys Targaryen and Arya Stark. I will admit that I haven’t read the books because I haven’t found the time, but the T.V. show has me HOOKED. I want to ask him how he managed to create such an amazing and detailed world, and how he keeps up with so many people and their stories. Most of all, I want to know where his inspiration comes from.

 
There you have it, my dream panel!

Who would your dream panel consist of and what would you want to ask your authors ? Would you want a specialized panel (dedicated to one topic or genre) or would you want a free for all like me? Let me know in the comments!

Check out Eventbrite's event planning software page if you want to create and plan your own event or to find events and conferences in your local area!

Cheers!