Waiting on Wednesday: Scythe

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

SCYTHE
Neal Shusterman
Young Adult/Dystopian
Releases November 22nd from Simon & Schuster

From Goodreads:

In a world where disease has been eliminated, the only way to die is to be randomly killed (“gleaned”) by professional reapers (“scythes”). Citra and Rowan are teenagers who have been selected to be scythe’s apprentices, and—despite wanting nothing to do with the vocation—they must learn the art of killing and come to understand the necessity of what they do.

Only one of them will be chosen as a scythe’s apprentice. And when it becomes clear that the winning apprentice’s first task will be to glean the loser, Citra and Rowan are pitted against one another in a fight for their lives.

First, I really, really don't want to live in this world. I would one hundred percent be randomly killed for population control purposes, I know it. Second, while pitting two young people against one another in an epic battle to the death is not a new plotline, it's one that never fails to grab my attention and hold it. I can't help but want to know what happens (sidenote: I'll definitely be reading the end first)! The synopsis doesn't give us very much information about either Citra or Rowan, so I have no idea if I'll be rooting for one over the other or both:)   

Waiting on Wednesday: The Last Magician

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking The Spine and is a fun way to see what books other bloggers just can't wait to get their hands on!

THE LAST MAGICIAN

Lisa Maxwell

Young Adult/Fantasy

Releases April 2017 from Simon Pulse

From Goodreads:

Stop the Magician.
Steal the book.
Save the future.

In modern day New York, magic is all but extinct. The remaining few who have an affinity for magic—the Mageus—live in the shadows, hiding who they are. Any Mageus who enters Manhattan becomes trapped by the Brink, a dark energy barrier that confines them to the island. Crossing it means losing their power—and often their lives.

Tessa is a talented thief, and she's been raised to steal magical artifacts from the sinister Order that created the Brink. With her innate ability to manipulate time, Tessa can pilfer from the past, collecting these artifacts before the Order even realizes she’s there. And all of Tessa’s training has been for one final job: traveling back to 1901 to steal an ancient book containing the secrets of the Order—and the Brink—before the Magician can destroy it and doom the Mageus to a hopeless future.

But Old New York is a dangerous world ruled by ruthless gangs and secret societies, a world where the very air crackles with magic. Nothing is as it seems, including the Magician himself. And for Tessa to save her future, she may have to betray everyone in the past.

You guys. LOOK AT THAT COVER! It's gorgeous. A glorious, creepified version of The Neverending Story ouroboros, and it makes my little designer (and reader) heart happy. If the cover wasn't enough to sell me on this one (sidenote: it was), the synopsis sealed the deal with all its talk of magical artifacts, time travel and secret societies. Tessa sounds like she has an epic adventure ahead of her and I want in!

Goodreads • Amazon    

Cathy Reviews: The Unexpected Everything

My amazing mother in law Cathy is back today with her latest review!

THE UNEXPECTED EVERYTHING
Morgan Matson
Contemporary YA
Simon & Schuster
519 Pages
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Andie had it all planned out.

When you are a politician’s daughter who’s pretty much raised yourself, you learn everything can be planned or spun, or both. Especially your future.

Important internship? Check.

Amazing friends? Check.

Guys? Check (as long as we’re talking no more than three weeks).

But that was before the scandal. Before having to be in the same house with her dad. Before walking an insane number of dogs. That was before Clark and those few months that might change her whole life.

Because here’s the thing—if everything’s planned out, you can never find the unexpected.

And where’s the fun in that?

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson lives up to its name. In Ms. Matson's newest YA romance, Andie thinks she has her life planned out and she likes it that way. Then her politician father gets caught up in a scandal and Andie's plans–and world–are turned upside down. Not only is her father home all summer, but Andie's camp plans fall through and she has to find a job. I was laughing out loud while reading about Andie's job search. It was treated with such humor. I could especially relate to when she was learning to be a dog walker. Her initial ineptness reminded me of me when I would try and walk Jenny's two boxers! It was all a little chaotic. (Jenny interjects - NONSENSE! They were low-energy, perfectly behaved dogs at all times. ALL TIMES! ;-)

Since this is a romance–meet Clark. He is the exact opposite of Andie and this adds some depth to the story. We get to enjoy a slow build up in the relationship. It's endearing reading about all the longing looks and early yearnings of young love. There was a nice natural progression to the romance. As with most YA novels, there is some teenage angst, but I found all the emotions to be real and not over exaggerated. It was a storyline that kept you turning the pages to see how the relationship was progressing. I do want to add that this is a big book but isn't a slow read.

Another enjoyable aspect of this book was the cast of characters that made up Andie's circle of friends. Several of them had their own side story that would intersect with Andie's, but each character was well-developed and engaging. Andie and her three best friends spend a lot of time texting. I found that to be imaginative and on trend. All the stories wrap up neatly by the end of the book but not in an overly contrived manner. They ended realistically. This book makes for a great summer read!

Rating: 4/5

Find Morgan:

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my, or in this case Cathy's, honest opinion.

Review: Captive

CAPTIVE
A.J. Grainger
Young Adult/Thriller
272 pages
Simon & Schuster BFYR
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
When a teen is held hostage, her efforts to escape uncover a conspiracy that forces her to question everything in this psychological thriller with a twist of forbidden romance.

They told her not to worry—
because the man who shot her father was in custody.
They told her that she was safe—
because security had been increased.

All it took was one opportunity, one breach,
and then she was theirs. Kidnapped, confined, alone.

They told her she could go home when their demands were met.
That it wouldn’t take long, because she was the prime minister’s daughter.

But it has been days, and still no help has come.

She wonders when they will tire of this game and kill her.

She cannot wait around for that to happen; she will escape. She has to.

MY THOUGHTS
Captive draws us in immediately, a quick flashback to Robyn’s father bleeding on the snow in Paris yanking us into this story before we’re flipped back to the present and the building tensions that lead to Robyn’s kidnapping.

Robyn starts out handling her kidnapping in a way we only hope we ourselves would if we were ever in her shoes, managing to stay sharp and calm as she evaluates both her kidnappers and the environment in which she’s kept. She uses every available opportunity to free herself but doesn’t take unnecessary risks, making survival her number one priority and escape her second. Her time with Scar, Feather and Talon is broken up by flashbacks to her time in Paris with her dad (who’s also the British Prime Minister), connective threads between the two events slowly but surely forming until the whole truth is revealed and Robyn finds herself having to look at her world through entirely new eyes.

While Robyn is strong, smart and beautifully level-headed in the first half of this story, the second half sees a marked slip in believability, the  realistic stress and tension of a horrific situation giving way to a more fantastical showdown between Robyn, her kidnappers and those attempting to rescue her. The romance between her and Talon (one of the people holding her hostage) is understandable for the most part–Robyn latching on to the one person who offers her the smallest of kindnesses in a life or death situation–but her affection for him leads her wildly astray in the concluding chapters. Chaos and unlikely scenarios ensue, detracting from the heart-pounding realism of the first half and leaving us wishing this thriller had ended as strongly as it started.

Overall Captive is a lightning-quick and enjoyable read, but the shift in Robyn from a savvy heroine who keeps calm under pressure to a young woman who risks everything for a boy she just met keeps this one from a higher rating.

*I think it does the first half a disservice to split the difference and give an overall rating of 3.5, so I've done separate ratings instead:)

First half: 4/5
Second half: 3/5

Find A.J.

Website • Facebook • Twitter • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Cathy Reviews: Sisters of Treason

SISTERS OF TREASON
The Tudor Trilogy #2
Elizabeth Fremantle
Historical Fiction
448 pages
Simon & Schuster
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Early in Mary Tudor’s turbulent reign, Lady Catherine and Lady Mary Grey are reeling after the brutal execution of their elder seventeen-year-old sister, Lady Jane Grey, and the succession is by no means stable.

Neither sister is well suited to a dangerous life at court. Flirtatious Lady Catherine, thought to be the true heir, cannot control her compulsion to love and be loved. Her sister, clever Lady Mary, has a crooked spine and a tiny stature in an age when physical perfection equates to goodness -- and both girls have inherited the Tudor blood that is more curse than blessing. For either girl to marry without royal permission would be a potentially fatal political act. It is the royal portrait painter, Levina Teerlinc, who helps the girls survive these troubled times. She becomes their mentor and confidante.

But when the Queen’s sister, the hot-headed Elizabeth, inherits the crown, life at court becomes increasingly treacherous for the surviving Grey sisters. Ultimately each young woman must decide how far she will go to defy her Queen, risk her life, and find the safety and love she longs for.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS 
I have always had an interest in the stories and lives of those that lived in the era of Henry VIII. So when Jenny asked me to read Sisters of Treason, I gladly accepted. Who doesn't love all that intrigue, plotting and the many beheadings! All the wickedness that surrounds being heir to the throne. The story begins with the beheading of Lady Jane Grey. She was one of the successors of Henry VIII but was quickly overthrown. We are shown the complicated court life of Mary Tudor and Elizabeth I through three different viewpoints. Two are the sisters of Jane Grey: Katherine, young, beautiful and a successor to the throne; and Mary, the youngest sister who suffers from some physical deformities. The third person is Levina, the royal portrait painter. Her observations are appreciated because using her focused painters eye, she sees the court from a removed and non-threatening viewpoint. She tries to protect the Grey sisters by working behind the scenes.
 
Katherine, because of her beauty and position, tends to go through her life with blinders on. She is at the center of the intrigue and her life is constantly in peril but she tends to romanticize what's going on around her. As a counterpoint, we have Mary's thoughts. I enjoyed Mary, even though she's entrenched in the middle of all the drama, her physique allows her to be slightly removed and therefore grasp of the dangers that surrounded she and her sister. These were treacherous and convoluted times. No one speaks the truth and everyone is out to improve their standing in the court, no matter who has to die! What is even more mind boggling is that these girls were hardly more than children when they were being pledged for marriage and becoming involved in plots to overthrow the throne. It is no wonder that if you made it to the age of 40, you were considered old.
 
Ms. Fremantle's historical research is very well done and her descriptive writing plants us firmly into the Tudor court. We become involved in the lives of Katherine and Mary and feel their anxiety about the times in which they lived. As with many historical fiction novels, there is a lot of narrative so that the reader can become engaged in the times but this does tend to slow the pace of the story. Ms. Fremantle does include a family tree and as well as a cast of characters, which are very helpful in keeping the relationships straight. If you enjoy historical fiction, you will enjoy getting to know the Grey sisters, as I did.

Rating: 4/5
 

Find Elizabeth:

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is Cathy's honest opinion.

Interview: Heather W. Petty + Lock & Mori

Today I'm thrilled to have author Heather W. Petty stopping by the blog to answer a few questions about Lock & Mori, the first book in a new series featuring a young Sherlock Holmes and his eventual sworn enemy, Miss James Moriarty. I love all things Sherlock Holmes, so I'm excited to see how the relationship between these two is built and then devolves as the series progresses. Welcome to Supernatural Snark Heather!

If you were to give Lock and Mori a guided tour of your favorite city that kept well away from tourist hotspots, what are the top three places you’d recommend never leaving the city without seeing?

Portland, OR is one of my favorite cities, for sure. I think I’d take them to

1) McMenamin’s Kennedy School, which is this old elementary school that got turned into a restaurant that has bars in the principal’s office and detention hall and a theater in the gym. It’s awesome.

2) Saturday Market, which is an open arts & crafts market downtown. I love walking the artisan stalls and looking at all the amazing art.

3) Cheating, but I’d also probably take them to the coast, because it’s gorgeous. There’s this one little dock area with an ice cream shop that hands out small cups of popcorn to feed to the gulls and ducks. And if you walk down a little farther, there are sea lions basking in the sun and little purple jellyfish bobbing around in the water, and even the fattest cat ever who obviously steals fishing boats.

Let’s say Lock somehow found his way from the pages of Lock & Mori and into a library in our world, specifically the section that houses all the Sherlock Holmes mysteries. Which of Sherlock’s adventures do you think Lock would be most intrigued by?

The Adventure of the Speckled Band, maybe? Trained snakes and instant karma.

Definitely The Adventure of the Musgrave Ritual. Because riddles AND a treasure hunt. How can you get cooler than that?

What are 3 books we might find on Mori’s shelf at the moment?

A brand new copy of THE LITTLE PRINCE that Sadie gave her and she never opened, Sketch of the Analytical Engine Invented by Charles Babbage, Esq. by Ada Lovelace, and her mother’s doodled on copy of Lady Windermere’s Fan by Oscar Wilde

If Lock and Mori were told at the beginning of this story that they were destined to become mortal enemies, what might each of their responses have been?

Mori would definitely believe it. Lock would probably say he doesn’t care about melodramatic labels like “enemy” or “nemesis.”

Thanks so much for answering my questions Heather!

LOCK & MORI

In modern-day London, two brilliant high school students, one Sherlock Holmes and a Miss James "Mori" Moriarty, meet. A murder will bring them together. The truth very well might drive them apart.

Before they were mortal enemies, they were much more.

FACT: Someone has been murdered in London's Regent's Park. The police have no leads.

FACT: Miss James "Mori"Moriarty and Sherlock "Lock" Holmes should be hitting the books on a school night. Instead, they are out crashing a crime scene.

FACT: Lock has challenged Mori to solve the case before he does. Challenge accepted.

FACT: Despite agreeing to Lock's one rule--they must share every clue with each other--Mori is keeping secrets.

OBSERVATION: Sometimes you can't trust the people closest to you with matters of the heart. And after this case, Mori may never trust Lock again.

Find Lock & Mori:

Goodreads • Amazon • B&N

Find Heather:

Website • Facebook • Twitter

Interview and Giveaway: Jen Brooks + In A World Just Right

It's been an interview kind of week this week! I'm an overly curious question-asking machine apparently:) 

I'm so excited today to have author Jen Brooks stop by the blog, she was nice enough to answer a few questions for me about In A World Just Right, her new young adult novel released last month from Simon and Schuster. I've always been a sucker for any story that deals with multiple worlds or parallel universes, and Jen really put her own unique spin on this idea so I had a blast trying to poke around in her head a bit with my questions. I hope you all enjoy the interview and don't forget to check the bottom of the post for a fantastic giveaway!

If you could create your own world at will as Jonathan does, what are the top three things you would make sure it had?

If I were simply trying to improve my own life, I’d have a personal nutritionist/chef to make sure I eat all the healthy things; enough time in every day to work, exercise, read, and be relaxed with my family; and a screened porch.

If I were trying to improve the whole world--and since unlike Jonathan I don’t need to fix my own life first because 1) I’m older and 2) I have everything that he does not—I would aim much, much bigger. Any change you make to the world comes with consequences—environmentally, socially, biologically, economically—so I’m not sure I would with one broad stroke eliminate poverty or disease or war, though I would love for all three to cease to exist. Honestly, there is only one thing that I think I’d really like to experiment with in a world, and it might be the most cliché thing ever, but I would create a world where people don’t judge other people. As Mother Teresa said, “If you judge people, you have no time to love them.” Think of how very different all kinds of people would be in this world if they were loved and loving and never had or received a judgmental word. I think such a change would go a long way toward eliminating poverty, disease, and war.

If the real Kylie was able to see the version of herself from Jonathan’s alternate world, what’s the one thing she’d find most surprising about her doppleganger?

That she was in love with him.

I almost feel sorry for my husband because if his well-being was ever dependent on whether or not I was able to unravel a mystery, he’d more than likely be up a creek without a paddle. Good with puzzles or under pressure I am not. How well do you think you’d handle a situation like Jonathan’s?

Meaning the puzzle of what’s happening to the Kylies? I think I’d handle it just about as well as he does. At first he tries to figure out just how the two Kylies are changing. Then when the situation gets worse, he goes into damage control mode, and ultimately he . . . well, you’ll have to read the book to see what he’s ultimately willing to do.

What would Jonathan miss most from his real life if he were forced to live solely in the world he created?

Throughout the book, more and more he craves what’s real. Knowing that he lives in a fantasy world, for Jonathan, isn’t satisfying, and that’s why he keeps coming back even though he’s miserable.

If Jonathan could temporarily exchange his world-creating ability for any other supernatural gift, which would he choose and what’s the first thing he’d do?

He says at one point he would want to fly, and I would guess the first thing he’d do with that gift is take Kylie up in the sky like Superman does with Lois Lane.

I suspect, though, that by the end of the book he might give a different answer.

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Jen!

• • • • • • • • • • • 

IN A WORLD JUST RIGHT

High school senior Jonathan Aubrey creates worlds at will. In Kylie-Simms-is-my-girlfriend, he’s given himself everything he doesn’t have in real life-–the track team, passing grades, and his dream girl–-until one day he confuses his worlds and almost kisses the real Kylie Simms. Now his girlfriend Kylie and the real Kylie are changing, and Jonathan must solve the mystery of his own life to save his love from a gruesome fate.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • •

JEN BROOKS

Jen has a habit of being deeply moved by profound ideas, and her writing reflects her interest in exploring human goodness, relationships, and the feeling of being a part of something greater than oneself. She loves the science fiction and fantasy genres because of their dazzling possibilities for portraying characters and ideas. She credits her undergraduate experience at Dartmouth College, her MFA at Seton Hill University, and her fourteen years of English teaching with shaping her writing.  She is grateful to her family, friends, and students for inspiring her to write.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

Thanks to the generous team at Simon and Schuster, I have one copy of In A World Just Right to give away on the blog today! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway is open to US addresses only.

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Review: The Storyspinner

THE STORYSPINNER
The Keepers' Chronicles #1
Becky Wallace
Young Adult/Fantasy
432 pages
Margaret K. McElderry
Available Now
Source: ARC from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Drama and danger abound in this fantasy realm where dukes play a game for the throne, magical warriors race to find the missing heir, and romance blossoms where it is least expected.

In a world where dukes plot their way to the throne, a Performer’s life can get tricky. And in Johanna Von Arlo’s case, it can be fatal. Expelled from her troupe after her father’s death, Johanna is forced to work for the handsome Lord Rafael DeSilva. Too bad they don’t get along. But while Johanna’s father’s death was deemed an accident, the Keepers aren’t so sure.

The Keepers, a race of people with magical abilities, are on a quest to find the princess—the same princess who is supposed to be dead and whose throne the dukes are fighting over. But they aren’t the only ones looking for her. And in the wake of their search, murdered girls keep turning up—girls who look exactly like the princess, and exactly like Johanna.

With dukes, Keepers, and a killer all after the princess, Johanna finds herself caught up in political machinations for the throne, threats on her life, and an unexpected romance that could change everything.

MY THOUGHTS
The Storyspinner starts out a little tricky, those readers (like me) who typically stumble with multiple point of view likely to develop a touch of anxiety as we're quickly introduced to the five primary characters with whom we're going to spend our time over the next several hundred pages. While getting situated with Johanna, Rafi, Jacare, Pira and Leao takes a few chapters, before long we find ourselves swept up in the search for a long lost princess and the scheming of those who would do anything to keep her from her rightful claim. Short chapters and the fact that our five protagonists are simply two groups on opposite sides of the search rather than five separate storylines helps keep our attention from wandering with each POV shift, and the strength of the characters themselves makes us absurdly grateful we're privy to each of their innermost thoughts.

Though we spend plenty of time with all five individuals, Johanna and Rafi get the most page time, their antagonistic relationship something that brings a smile to our faces from the moment she wakes up after Rafi knocks her unconscious in a case of mistaken identity. The tension between them is the kind that has us nearly bouncing on our feet in anticipation of their impressive mutual dislike shifting to something softer and sweeter, and the slow escalation of feelings between them doesn't disappoint.

In addition to the five protagonists, this tale also belongs to Johanna and Rafi's respective brothers, a secondary cast that steals the show on more than one occasion. Johanna's two younger brothers are absolutely adorable in their typical boy-ness, saying whatever pops into their heads and delighting in all things adventurous and troublesome, while Rafi's brother wins our hearts with his charmingly inflated ego and tendency to compliment himself (good-naturedly) whenver possible. The result of this entire group together is a story brimming with personality, moments of humor and levity sprinkled in between the rising tension as Johanna's identity gets closer to being revealed with every chapter. The only mild complaint is with an ending that is more a pause in the action than actual conclusion, but thankfully no cliffhanger awaits on the last page even though things as a whole are left very much up in the air.

Rating: 4/5

Find Becky:

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook •Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

If you haven't had a chance yet, be sure and check out my interview with Becky!

The Storyspinner Blog Tour: Interview + Giveaway

I couldn't be more excited to welcome author Becky Wallace to the blog today as part of the promotional tour for her new young adult fantasy release, The Storyspinner. I absolutely adored this book (my review will go up next week), it gave me a touch of romance, a sliver of magic, and a whole slew of characters who made me fall madly in love with them. I jumped at the chance to ask Becky a few questions about this world and those who inhabit it, so I hope you guys enjoy the interview. Don't forget to check the bottom of the post for a giveaway and the full list of participating blogs!

If you lived in this world and had no choice but to join a Performer’s troupe, what set of skills or hidden talent would you be able to put on display?

Ha! Great question! I would totally be a dancer. I trained for fifteen years as a competitive ballroom dancer. I can’t listen to samba music without busting out in bachacadas. My family totally loves the impromptu dance parties.

There’s always a lot of political maneuvering surrounding a seat of power. If you could transport yourself to any royal court in history to witness firsthand the machinations of those in a bid for power, which court do you think would be most fascinating?

As a Wallace, I have to don my tartan and defer to my Scottish heritage. It would be amazing, and slightly tragic, to have been a part of the uprising against King Edward I. I know Braveheart romanticizes the story, but there had to have been insiders, traitors, and spies, keeping tabs on both Wallace and the English usurper.

If Johanna was given the opportunity to interview you as part of the promotion for The Storyspinner, what’s one question you would be scared or uncomfortable answering about her story if she asked?

Without any spoilers, Johanna suffers a significant loss in the story—just thinking about it makes me cringe! If she asked me why this particular character had to die, I think I’d want to crawl in a hole and never come out again. I’m sorry, Johanna! I don’t blame you for hating me!

One of the highlights of any fantasy novel for me is the world itself. What is your favorite part of building a completely new world? Is there any one aspect of Johanna’s world that surprised you as you were creating it?

Building a world—stop for a second and think about that phrase—is amazing. It can be anything your imagination can conjure. But the truly great worlds are governed by reason.  If the sky is green, there has to be an explanation. If there are giant flesh-eating lizards, you have to create a habitat where those things can logically exist. A reader can only be pushed so far before the fantastical becomes the unbelievable. I like creating the rules my world is governed by, and then forcing myself to stick to them. 

The one aspect of Santarem, the country in which THE STORYSPINNER is set, that surprised me the most were all the nasty creatures. I am not a lover of toothy reptiles of any variety and yet I created a world full of them!! The next book I write is going to be completely nasty creature free. *shakes head* Not really.

If you were to give Johanna a short excerpt from book two with a sneak peek of what’s in store for her as this series progress, how might you describe the look on her face after she's done reading?

If she ever got over hating me for all the awful things I did to her in book 1, I hope she’d forgive me a little bit after she read book 2. Johanna faces incredible odds, but at least in book 2 she doesn’t have to surmount them alone.  ;)

Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions Becky!

• • • • • • • • • • • •

THE STORYSPINNER

Drama and danger abound in this fantasy realm where dukes play a game for the throne, magical warriors race to find the missing heir, and romance blossoms where it is least expected.

In a world where dukes plot their way to the throne, a Performer’s life can get tricky. And in Johanna Von Arlo’s case, it can be fatal. Expelled from her troupe after her father’s death, Johanna is forced to work for the handsome Lord Rafael DeSilva. Too bad they don’t get along. But while Johanna’s father’s death was deemed an accident, the Keepers aren’t so sure.

The Keepers, a race of people with magical abilities, are on a quest to find the princess—the same princess who is supposed to be dead and whose throne the dukes are fighting over. But they aren’t the only ones looking for her. And in the wake of their search, murdered girls keep turning up—girls who look exactly like the princess, and exactly like Johanna.

With dukes, Keepers, and a killer all after the princess, Johanna finds herself caught up in political machinations for the throne, threats on her life, and an unexpected romance that could change everything.

Amazon • B&N • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • • 

BECKY WALLACE

In second grade, Becky Wallace had to sit in the corner because she refused to write anything except princess stories and fairy tales (and because she talked too much).

Her time in isolation gave her plenty of opportunities to dream up the fantasy worlds she’s been dabbling with ever since. She was lucky enough to find her own real-life Prince Charming. They have four munchkins and live in happy little town near Houston, Texas.

Where you can find Becky:

Website • Blog • Twitter • Facebook • Pinterest • Goodreads

• • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

 Up for grabs today are 5 personalized copies of The Storyspinner! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Giveaway open to US/Canada only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
WEEK ONE
2/23/2015- IceyBooks- Interview  
2/24/2015- I Heart YA Fiction- Review  
2/25/2015- Effortlessly Reading- Guest Post  
2/26/2015- Fiction Fare- Review  
2/27/2015- Bookish- Interview    

WEEK TWO
3/2/2015- Mundie Moms- Review

3/3/2015- Owl Always Be Reading- Review

3/4/2015- Supernatural Snark- Interview

3/5/2015- Once Upon A Twilight- Review

3/6/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

Cathy Reviews: Wayfaring Stranger

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming my mother-in-law Cathy back to the blog to share with us her latest review!

WAYFARING STRANGER
Weldon Holland #1
James Lee Burke
Historical/Mystery
435 pages
Simon & Schuster
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Amazon)
In 1934, sixteen-year-old Weldon Avery Holland happens upon infamous criminals Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow after one of their notorious armed robberies. A confrontation with the outlaws ends with Weldon firing a gun and being unsure whether it hit its mark.

Ten years later, Second Lieutenant Weldon Holland barely survives the Battle of the Bulge, in the process saving the lives of his sergeant, Hershel Pine, and a young Spanish prisoner of war, Rosita Lowenstein—a woman who holds the same romantic power over him as the strawberry blonde Bonnie Parker, and is equally mysterious. The three return to Texas where Weldon and Hershel get in on the ground floor of the nascent oil business.

In just a few years’ time Weldon will spar with the jackals of the industry, rub shoulders with dangerous men, and win and lose fortunes twice over. But it is the prospect of losing his one true love that will spur his most reckless, courageous act yet—one that takes its inspiration from that encounter long ago with the outlaws of his youth.

CATHY'S THOUGHTS
Wayfaring Stranger is the first book I've read by James Lee Burke. The dust jacket states this book is a thriller and Mr. Burke has won 2 Edgar Awards. Quite impressive. I was expecting a "who done it" mystery, but that's not exactly what I got. Instead, Wayfaring Stranger is a piece of literary prose. Mr. Burke's use of metaphors and literary references creates a rich and descriptive story that envelops us as we read his novel. We get an in depth sense of the post-Depression Era and WWII through the eyes of our protagonist, Weldon. By the time he rescues Rosita from the concentration camp, it's no surprise to us that he will risk everything for her, including his life.

After the war, he finds Rosita and marries her. They return to Texas and begin to make a success in the oil business. Weldon, being the principled man that he is, never backs down from his ideals and crosses the wrong people. When this occurs, we let go of the frustration and tension of the slow building story and watch with baited breath to see if Weldon can still  remain the upstanding person that we've grown to know. All while the bad guys do everything that they can to destroy him.

The intrigue that is in play is very similar in nature to how spy novels are written. Mr. Burke takes us to the last page making us wait to see if Weldon breaks down; if he caves and takes the easy way out.  These kinds of stories put me on edge because I always want good to win over evil. We are definitely kept guessing in this novel.

Wayfaring Stranger takes us through the Dust Bowl, the Ardennes, out on oil rigs, Hollywood and even insane asylums! And while we read, we can vividly picture each location and feel the tension oozing off the page. Each character comes to life so vividly that we find ourselves strangely attached to them. The biggest surprise I found about this book was the love story. The only thing stronger than Weldon's moral values was his love and dedication to Rosita.

This book may take a little patience to read, but part of that is due to wanting to know what happens to these characters. It is well worth our time to become involved in this story and wait out the end.

Rating: 4/5

Find James:

Website • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Review: Compulsion

COMPULSION
The Heirs of Watson Island #1
Martina Boone
Paranormal Young Adult
448 pages
Simon Pulse
Available Now
Source: BEA

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt’s South Carolina plantation instead--a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who knows what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family's twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

MY THOUGHTS
Compulsion is molasses and a deep southern drawl, transporting us to the atmospheric world of Watson’s Landing and, once there, moving us forward slowly and carefully until the past finally decides to give up its ghosts. Those looking for a page turner will not find it here, Barrie’s journey one that allows us to dwell on the small nuggets of information we learn along the way, slotting the various pieces of a lengthy family feud into place before moving on to the next one. While certainly slow at times, Compulsion gives us quite a bit to think about as questions are raised, magic is brought to light yet never fully illuminated, and a cast of secondary characters hovers intriguingly on the darker end of the gray spectrum.

Barrie is a young woman who’s lived a life of near isolation, her mother’s disfigurement keeping her hidden behind doors, veils and wigs with little inclination to be a part of her daughter’s life. With the terminal diagnosis delivered to her godfather just before we meet her, she suddenly finds herself truly alone in the world, something that keeps us from being overly frustrated at the way she handles herself once she gets to Watson’s Landing. In her understandable desire to fit in and finally make a place for herself, she’s enormously forgiving of those who quite frankly don’t deserve it, making excuses for them again and again for the sake of her newfound family connection. We can’t really blame her in the beginning–her loneliness and longing palpable–and just as we start to reach the point where we can no longer rationalize away certain behaviors, Barrie seems to reach the same conclusion and finally snaps a spine of steel into place.

Though Barrie is certainly likeable and someone we can’t help but want good things for given all she’s faced in her short life, an emotional connection isn’t something that forms quickly or easily. Her relationship with Eight is one characterized by a great deal of push and pull, Barrie’s prickly nature clashing with Eight’s propensity for keeping useful information about her family history, the feud, and the magic of their families close to his chest. They have their sweet moments to be sure, but there are times when questions about what exactly they see in each other find their way to the forefront of our minds and stay there. There are thankfully no dramatic declarations of love or secondary love interests waiting in the wings to make things difficult for them though, and despite their flaws individually and as a couple, the desire to see how their relationship progresses and strengthens in subsequent books is strong by the end.

Overall, Compulsion has some fascinating elements, a few of the secrets long harbored by the Watson, Beaufort and Colesworth families finally revealed, bringing with them not only a sense of satisfaction but also the lingering sense of unease that comes from knowing they are but the tip of the iceberg.

Rating: 3.5/5

Find Martina:

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads • Amazon

This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.

Compulsion Blog Tour + Giveaway: Talking Magic with Jessica Spotswood

Today I'm hugely excited to be a stop on the I Have A Compulsion for Magic blog tour, a tour celebrating the upcoming release of Martina Boone's debut novel, Compulsion. I've been not-so patiently waiting (because I lack patience of any kind when it comes to books) for this book to release since the moment I saw the gorgeous cover and read the synopsis, and now the wait is almost over. YAY!

I couldn't be happier to turn my blog over to author Jessica Spotswood, who's lending Martina a hand with her pre-release festivities and is going to answer a few questions about magic. Be sure to check out the rest of the tour for more surprise guests, excerpts and giveaways!

• • • • • • • • • • • 

Ever wonder what it would be like to have a little bit of magic to use everyday? That’s what the Compulsion for Magic tour is all about! The characters on Watson Island don’t levitate, they don’t freeze time, and they don’t have magic wands. They just have an extra “gift” that doubles as a curse if you look at it from a different angle, and like in Jessica Spotswood’s Cahill Witch Chronicles trilogy, the magic doesn’t like not being used.
 
Because she knows a thing or two about the inconvenient aspects of magic, we’ve asked the lovely Jessica Spotswood to tell us a little about what kind of magic she and her characters wish—and don’t wish—they had.

If you could have any “everyday” magical gift, like finding lost things or knowing what people want, what gift would you want and why?

I'm not sure this counts as "everyday" magic, but I'd most like a time-turner. Mostly to give myself a few extra hours every day to read for pleasure. I feel like it's the first thing to go when I get busy, which is dreadful.

What everyday magic would your characters wish they had and why?

Ooh, interesting question, since my characters are witches. What can't they do magically that they'd like to, though? Cate would like to be a plant-whisperer - to know what each plant needs to thrive - because she loves gardening and gets such joy from it. Tess would choose to relive memories so she could spend more time with those she misses. Maura - oh, Lord, asking Maura this question would be downright dangerous because she'd never settle for something "everyday." Finn would love to have some magical way of absorbing more knowledge - maybe the ability to read a book by osmosis?

Eight, Barrie’s love interest in Compulsion, has inherited his family’s gift of knowing what people want and feeling compelled to give it to them. What’s one gift you’re glad you don’t have? Or your characters would be glad they didn’t have?

I wouldn't want the ability to see the future. It's tempting sometimes (especially in this business, I think!), but half the magic and bravery of things is in the not-knowing and doing it anyway. I think Cate would prefer not to have her mind-magic, because she regrets some of the things she's done with it. I don't think Maura and Tess would give it up, though.

Barrie is tied to her family’s plantation, Watson’s Landing, in a magical way, and the whole landscape becomes magical for her. What’s the one place in your book that you wish you could bring to life?

Belastra's Bookshop, where Cate and Finn share their first kiss and she loses control of her magic. Also - it's a bookshop!

If you were going to a Halloween party and you had to dress as a character from a Southern Gothic or a Gothic romance, what would your costume look like?

I'd be Jane Eyre, I think - hair pulled back plainly and drab governess-appropriate clothes, but armed with a stack of books and a witty tongue and a loyal heart.

Your turn! We want to hear from you! What kind of a “gift” would you like to have? For a chance to win the HUGE tour mega prize of books and the $100 gift card, tell us in the comments below—but remember, as it is on Compulsion’s Watson Island—magic isn’t always a solution, it’s just as often a problem in itself.
 
Would you go with an unusual magic or a useful one?

And/Or . . .

Bonus option: If you’d rather do a photo answer, show us a Halloween costume with your interpretation of a literary witchy, Southern Gothic, Gothic, or magical costume! Would you go as Hermione Granger, one of the Cahill sisters, or one of the Vampire Diaries witches? Or would you take Jessica’s route of a Gothic character like Jane Eyre? Post a comment with the URL to your photo and we’ll share it. Use tag #CompulsionMagic.

• • • • • • • • • •

COMPULSION

Heirs of Watson Island #1

Releases October 28th from Simon & Schuster

Three plantations.  Two gifts. One ancient curse.

All her life, Barrie Watson has been a virtual prisoner in the house where she lives with her shut-in mother. When her mother dies, Barrie promises to put some mileage on her stiletto heels. But she finds a new kind of prison at her aunt ’s South Carolina plantation instead–a prison guarded by an ancient spirit who long ago cursed one of the three founding families of Watson Island and gave the others magical gifts that became compulsions.

Stuck with the ghosts of a generations-old feud and hunted by forces she cannot see, Barrie must find a way to break free of the family legacy. With the help of sun-kissed Eight Beaufort, who somehow seems to know what Barrie wants before she knows herself, the last Watson heir starts to unravel her family ’s twisted secrets. What she finds is dangerous: a love she never expected, a river that turns to fire at midnight, a gorgeous cousin who isn’t what she seems, and very real enemies who want both Eight and Barrie dead.

Pre-order Compulsion:

IndieBound | Barnes & Noble | Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Signed copies are available for pre-order from One More Page Books. You can also pre-order with the special “I have a Compulsion for reading” bookplate from Eight Cousins. Pre-Order Incentives Going on here.

Early Praise for Compulsion:

“ Darkly romantic and steeped in Southern Gothic charm, you’ll be compelled to get lost in the Heirs of Watson Island series.”
— #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Jennifer L. Armentrout

"A fresh twist on the Southern Gothic — haunting, atmospheric, and absorbing.”
— Claudia Gray, New York Times bestselling author of A Thousand Pieces of You and the Evernight and Spellcaster series

"Compulsion is a stunningly magical debut with a delicious slow burn to be savored. I want to live in this story world!"
— Wendy Higgins, USA Today and NYT bestselling author of the Sweet Evil trilogy from HarperTeen

• • • • • • • • • • • 
 
MARTINA BOONE 

Martina Boone was born in Prague and spoke several languages before learning English. She fell in love with words and never stopped delighting in them.

She ’s the founder of AdventuresInYAPublishing.com, a Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers site, and YASeriesInsiders.com, a site devoted to encouraging literacy and all things YA Series.

From her home in Virginia, where she lives with her husband, children, and Auggie the wonder dog, she enjoys writing contemporary fantasy set in the kinds of magical places she’d love to visit. When she isn’t writing, she’s addicted to travel, horses, skiing, chocolate flavored tea, and anything with Nutella on it.

Website | Blog | Tumblr | Facebook | Pinterest | Instagram | Twitter

• • • • • • • • • • • •

GIVEAWAY

Do you have a Compulsion for Reading? Then you don't want to miss what Martina Boone is giving away! 5 lucky winners will each win the following:

• Grand Prize Winner - will win EVERYTHING pictured above! That's the right! That entire bag of books will go to 1 reader!! US residents only.
• Next Winner - will win a $100 gift card to the book store of their choice! Open internationally.
• 3 Additional winners will each win a Compulsion prize pack which features a signed copy of Compulsion, a Compulsion necklace and bookmarks. Open internationally.

To enter, please fill out the form below:


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, and don't forget to stop by the other participating blogs!

10/6- Reading Teen, intro to tour & giveaway
10/7 - Fiktshun, Kimberly Derting & Kami Garcia guest post & giveaway
10/8 - Chapter by Chapter, excerpt & giveaway
10/10 - Katie's Book Blog, Paula Stokes guest post & giveaway

10/13 - Curling Up With A Good Book, Jodi Meadows guest post & giveaway
10/14 - Fangirlish, Amy Ewing guest post & giveaway
10/15 - Reading Lark, excerpt & giveaway
10/16 - Good Books & Good Wine, Megan Shepherd guest post & giveaway
10/17 - Jenuine Cupcakes, Beth Revis guest post & giveaway

10/20 - Mundie Moms, Martina Boone interview & giveaway 
10/21 - Guest post with Martina Boone & Sara, and giveaway 
10/22 - Supernatural Snark, Jessica Spotswood guest post & giveaway 
10/23 - Girls in The Stacks, excerpt & giveaway 
10/24 - Novel Novice, Leah Cypess guest post & giveaway 

10/27 - Once Upon a Twilight, Kat Zhang guest post & giveaway 
10/28 - Martina Boone, tour wrap up