Showing posts with label Jean Book Nerd Tours. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jean Book Nerd Tours. Show all posts

Saturday, May 13, 2017

{Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway} Seeker - By Veronica Rossi


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Author: Veronia Rossi
Website
Release Date: 5/16/2017
Purchase Info: Amazon ~ B&N 
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Veronica Rossi's new fantasy adventure in the Rider series—Seeker .

When Daryn claimed she was seeing visions during her sophomore year of high school, no one believed the truth. She wasn't losing her mind, she was gaining the Sight the ability to see the future. If she just paid attention to the visions, they'd provide her with clues and show her how she could help people. Really help them. Daryn embraced her role as a Seeker. The work she did was important. She saved lives.

Until Sebastian.

Sebastian was her first and worst mistake.

Since the moment she inadvertently sealed him in a dark dimension with Samrael the last surviving demon in the Kindred guilt has plagued her. Daryn knows Sebastian is alive and waiting for help. It's up to her to rescue him. But now that she needs the Sight more than ever to guide her, the visions have stopped.

Daryn must rely on her instincts, her intelligence, and on blind faith to lead the riders who are counting on her in search of Sebastian. As they delve into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems and where Samrael is steadily amassing power, Daryn faces the ultimate test. Will she have to become evil to destroy evil? The very fate of humankind rests in the answer.

Exquisite!!!


By far, hands down, my favorite read of 2017! Magical, stunning and original are a few of the words that come to mind when I think about what I just read with Seeker.

Though I didn't read the first book of the series, Veronica made is very clear and evident what was going on within the dynamic of all these character. Daryn has made a mistake and is frantically trying to make things right again....but her hardest struggle is trying to figure out what "right" is. I loved her as a character, Daryn brings more to the table than a kick ass demeanour and an attitude, she is three dimensional and growing as a heroine with every word. Veronica is such a talented writter, it's evident that she takes each characters life to heart, and doesn't tread lightly on their fates. There's an emmence about of heart surrounding all of these character, and it leaps off the pages.

The number of books in this series remains unknown, but if Veronia finishes it out like she did her previous series', then I will be one happy lady! I highly recommend this series for not only avid readers, but anyone who enjoys a fantastically entertwined story that has been written with passion and heart!


5/5+++






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About the Author




Veronica Rossi is a best selling author of fiction for young adults. Her debut novel, UNDER THE NEVER SKY, was the first in a post-apocalyptic trilogy. Released in January 2012, it was deemed one of the Best Books of Year by School Library Journal. The series appeared in the NY Times and USA Today best seller lists and was published in over 25 foreign markets.

Her second series for young adults will begin with RIDERS (published February 16, 2016), the story of four modern day teens who become incarnations of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, and the prophetic girl who brings them together.

Veronica completed her undergraduate studies at UCLA and then went on to study fine art at the California College of the Arts in San Francisco. She is a lifelong reader and artist. Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, she has lived in Mexico, Venezuela, and all over the United States, to finally settle in Northern California with her husband and two sons.

When not writing, Veronica enjoys reading (it’s worth repeating), painting, and running. She does NOT like anything involving numbers, the addition of them, subtraction of them, you name it. They terrify her. Her obsessions generally lead to fictional works. Currently, she’s exploring New York City during the Revolutionary War.

Don’t tread on me. (If you know what that means, then you are my people!)

What else? This is getting more fun, isn’t it?

She–okay, I–am a huge fan of the SF Giants and the Golden State Warriors. I know, I know. Book types and sporty types shouldn’t be one in the same, but what can I say? I’m breaking the mold. Continuing. I have an irrational love of elephants. They make me cry, but it’s the best kind of cry. On other end of the spectrum, I abhor the shrill squeak styrofoam makes when it’s coming out of a box. Just typing that sentence made me want to scream. Needless to say, Christmas is great, but also really tough on me.

It’s probably time to wrap this up. If you’re here, it’s likely because you’ve read one of my books, or because you’re thinking about reading one of my books. Either way, thank you. Writing fulfills me like nothing else and I feel exceedingly fortunate to also call it my profession.

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GIVEAWAY
 10 Winners will receive a Copy of SEEKERS and Swag (Glow in the Dark Bracelet and Stickers) by Veronica Rossi
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Wednesday, March 29, 2017

{Nerd Blast + Giveaway} The Courage Test - By James Preller



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The Courage Test - By James Preller
Release Date - 9/13/2016
Genre - Adventure, Middle Grade, Children's


Will has no choice. His father drags him along on a wilderness adventure in the footsteps of legendary explorers Lewis and Clark--whether he likes it or not. All the while, Will senses that something about this trip isn't quite right.

Along the journey, Will meets fascinating strangers and experiences new thrills, including mountain cliffs, whitewater rapids, and a heart-hammering bear encounter.

It is a journey into the soul of America's past, and the meaning of family in the future. In the end, Will must face his own, life-changing test of courage.

A father-and-son journey along the Lewis and Clark Trail--from Fort Mandan to the shining sea--offers readers a genre-bending blend of American history, thrilling action, and personal discovery.

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Praise for THE COURAGE TEST

"Preller stirs doses of American history into a first-rate road trip that does traditional double-duty as plot device and coming-of-age metaphor. Will is initially baffled and furious at being abruptly forced to accompany his divorced father, a history professor, on a long journey retracing much of the trail of Lewis and Clark. ...Will survives a meeting with a bear and a spill into dangerous rapids—tests of courage that will help him weather the bad news that awaits him at home." --Booklist

"Whatever young explorers look for on their literary road trips, they’ll find it here."--Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"The lively narrative is interspersed with Will’s entries for a school writing assignment, which contain lots of facts about the original journey, as well as postcards to his mother. Despite the emotional heft, there is plenty of action, including white-water rafting and a close encounter with a bear. A middle grade winner to hand to fans of history, adventure, and family drama."--School Library Journal

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Excerpt
 

 My mother pushes me out the door, and I don’t know why.


“I don’t want to go,” I tell her.


“I know,” she says.


“But why now?” I ask again.
 “All-Stars starts this week. I don’t want to miss it.”


“We’ve been over this,” she says.


She might as well say what every parent resorts to when they run out of good answers: Because I said so. There’s no explanation, no more discussion. It’s time for me to go.

I feel ridiculously, stupidly, helplessly annoyed, and there’s nothing I can do about it. I see in that instant my mother is getting old. Stray gray hairs, wrinkles around the down-turned corners of her mouth. She looks tired and thin, sick of arguing with me. I carry a fully loaded metal-frame backpack on my shoulders and a smaller gym bag in my right hand—stuff for the long drive, all my technology’s in there. 
I don’t want to go, but I can’t stand here forever. 
So come on, Mom, let’s do this.


“You’ll have fun,” she says. “It’s good for you and your father to spend time together.”


“Please, Mom.”


“He’s the only father you’ve got,” she says.


I give her nothing in return. Not a nod. I’m not even listening. I turn my back to her.


“Bye,” she says, and adds, “I love you, Will.”


I walk away like I don’t hear.

“Will?”


I raise my hand in good-bye without looking back.


My father waits in the car. He steps out as I approach. I nod to him, hey. None of this is my idea. I have no say, no choice. I refuse to be happy about it. I’m not going to make this easy.


“Here, um, let me help you with that.” He reaches to take my backpack.


“No, I got it,” I say, leaning away.


“Oh, okay, sure,” he says.


He stands there, not knowing what to do.


“Are you going to pop the trunk?” I ask. Because: obviously.


Flustered, my father moves to the driver’s side door. He fumbles in the front pocket of his water-resistant khakis, drops the keys on the road, stoops to the ground. I glance sideways, slyly, to check how this is playing from the front window. But my mother is no longer watching.


She’s gone.
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About the Author



James Preller (born 1961) is the children's book author of the Jigsaw Jones Mysteries, which are published by Scholastic Corporation. He grew up in Wantagh, New York and went to college in Oneonta, New York. After graduating from college in 1983, James Preller was employed as a waiter for one year before being hired as a copywriter by Scholastic Corporation, where he was introduced (through their books) to many noatable children's authors. This inspired James Preller to try writing his own books. James Preller published his first book, entitled MAXX TRAX: Avalanche Rescue, in 1986. Since that time, James Preller has written a variety of books, and has written under a number of pen names, including Mitzy Kafka, James Patrick, and Izzy Bonkers. James Preller lives in Delmar, New York with his wife Lisa and their three children.


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Giveaway
 
Rafflecopter Link (Needs to be added on your post)
--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

3 Winners will receive a Copy of The Courage Test by James Preller  

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Monday, February 27, 2017

{Blog Tour: Review + Dream Cast + Giveaway} Game of Shadows - By Erika


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Author: Erika Lewis
Website
Release Date: 2/28/2017
Purchase Info: Amazon ~ B&N
Ethan Makkai thought that seeing ghosts was the worst of his problems. Between his ethereal gift and life with a single mother hell-bent on watching his every move, he feels imprisoned. When Ethan sees a chance to escape, to leave the house by himself for the first time in his life, he seizes it, unaware that this first taste of freedom will cost him everything.

Ethan is thrown into a strange and eerie world, like nothing he's ever seen. He's assaulted by dive-bombing birds and rescued by a stranger who claims to be his bodyguard. His apartment is trashed, and his mother is kidnapped to a place Ethan never knew existed—a hidden continent called Tara.

Travelling to Tara in search of his mother, Ethan discovers that everything he knows about his life is a lie. His mother is royalty. His father is not dead. His destiny is likely to get him killed.

Confronted by a vicious sorcerer determined to destroy the Makkai family, Ethan must garner strength from his gift and embrace his destiny if he’s going to save his mother and all the people of Tara, including the beautiful girl he’s fallen for.

LOVED-LOVED-LOVED!!!

Ethan is my favorite....EVER! I want him to protect me, to help me, to just hang out with me! He's this seemingly average teenage boy, with an overprotective (like super over protective..crazy even) mother...who can see and talk with those who have passed on. Yet he seems to attract those who cause trouble, so you could see why his mother wants to protect him. 

Until the day his mother is kidnapped & a strange man enters his life claiming to be family. So, as Ethan's story unfolds he's swept away to this new place, with interesting characters and beautiful landscapes. One of the things I felt the author did wonderfully was integrating the love story withing Game of Shadows. It wasn't a "boy-sees-girl-boy-falls-in-love-with-girl", I felt the progression of their relationship. It was natural and honest.

Since this was the first book in a series I felt as though Erika hit it out of the park! There were a couple of things that I wanted wrapped up in the first book, but I can wait until #2 to get those answers. Now everyone go out and grab Game of Shadows....now!


4/5





 











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Dream Cast

Caitríona Makkai, Ethan’s mother, a strong woman who fights for what she wants, there is one actress who not only fits the bill when it comes to appearance, but claims her name as well. Or should I say, I borrowed her name! Caitriona Balfe! 



I was in copyedit and really needed a new name for this characters. Something Irish, Celtic, and ancient. I was watching something online where Caitriona Balfe was interviewed and fell in love with her name. I knew she was Irish and looked up the origin of her name and it was perfect. I used the original accented version in the book.

Post the interview I started watching Outlander and am now very thankful for using her name. She would be the perfect person to play her!

Runyun Cooper. For Ethan’s formidable father, I had to turn to another Irish actor, Michael Fassbender. In looks, in persona, he would really make Runyun everything he is, charismatic and dangerous. Not sure I need to say more!







Sawney Bean. Bean is a villain with all the charm of the Marvel character Tony Stark. He’s a ladies man, but one date with him and you won’t come back alive. For Bean, yet another Irish actor came immediately to mind. Colin Farrell. An actor who has incredible range, the man can be scary and sexy all at the same time.






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About the Author



Erika Lewis graduated from Vanderbilt University with a degree in Math. And what do you do with a degree in Math? You become a writer of course… eventually…

She moved to the west coast following her dream to work in television. And after fifteen glorious years developing and producing for truly awesome places, like Sony Pictures Entertainment, Fireworks Television, 20th Television, that’s a division of Fox if you didn’t know that, and then at G4, where she could finally be free to be the nerd she had always been. She had more collectible toys in her office than even the famed executive producers of ATTACK OF THE SHOW and XPLAY. At least that’s the way she remembers it.

So how did this circle back to the beginning of this bio? A Math major becoming a writer? Because she’d actually always been a writer, she just never told anyone. She would write and write, edit and edit, then realize that it wasn’t good enough and go back in for yet another pass. And when she finally had several projects she really loved, that’s when she knew it was time to unleash them to the world.

Her first project, a graphic novel, THE 49TH KEY, is currently being featured in Heavy Metal Magazine, and will be released in trade in summer, 2017. Along with her amazing partner, Jessica Chobot, she’s currently working with LINE Webtoon and Legendary Comics on FIREBRAND, an ongoing comic series. Her first novel, GAME OF SHADOWS hits the bookstore shelves February 28th, 2017 from TOR/Forge Books, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers.

There are several other really exciting projects that you will be hearing much more about soon, but if she leaked them now, she’d get in big, big, big trouble. She resides in the sunshine state of California. When she’s not chained to her laptop, she’s usually playing with her big fluffy Golden Retriever, or running, or at one of the bookstores or comic shops by her house. And always drinking coffee.

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Giveaway






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