Cover Reveal and Waiting on Wednesday #9


"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

I just saw this cover reveal on YA Books Central. It is a book that is based off of Brigadoon. I love the cover! They said that it is the same artist who did the cover for Poison by Bridget Zinn. It looks and sounds like a book I will really enjoy!


Doon (Doon #1)
by Carey Corp and Lorie Langdon
Publication: August 20th 2013 by Zondervan
Pre-order from Amazon


Goodreads summary:
DOON…

Veronica doesn't think she's going crazy. But why can't anyone else see the mysterious blond boy who keeps popping up wherever she goes? When her best friend, Mackenna, invites her to spend the summer in Scotland, Veronica jumps at the opportunity to leave her complicated life behind for a few months.

But the Scottish countryside holds other plans.

Not only has the imaginary kilted boy followed her to Alloway, she and Mackenna uncover a strange set of rings and a very unnerving letter from Mackenna's great aunt—and when the girls test the instructions Aunt Gracie left behind, they find themselves transported to a land that defies explanation. Doon seems like a real-life fairy tale, complete with one prince who has eyes for Mackenna and another who looks suspiciously like the boy from Veronica's daydreams. But Doon has a dark underbelly as well. The two girls could have everything they've longed for...or they could end up breaking an enchantment and find themselves trapped in a world that has become a nightmare.

DOON is loosely based on the premise of the musical Brigadoon, with permission from the ALan Jay Lerner Estate and the Frederick Loewe Foundation. Follow the journey at http://www.DoonSeries.com

~Destiny awaits!



What do you think? Do you like the cover? Will you be adding this to your tbr shelf?







Disclosure: This post contains a link to an affiliate program. If you make a purchase of any type using this link, I receive a small kickback.

Teaser Tuesday #11


Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


I have one teaser for you today:


  


As we came to the road, I caught sight of the temple rising above the city, and the white glow of shifting patterns. It was almost hypnotic.
 
"What's it like in there?" Sam asked. I'd warned him several times already, about the everywhere-light and the unsound, but that was knowledge he kept losing. The forgetting magic had cracked, not shattered.

 p. 170, Asunder (Newsoul #2) by Jodi Meadows



 

What do you think? Do you want to know what's going on? I'm looking forward to starting this one later this week.

Book Blast - Emergence

$50 Gift Card Bookblast celebrating the RELEASE of Emergence by Rachel Fisher:

Emergence (Eden's Root Trilogy #3)Emergence 
Eden's Root Trilogy #3
by Rachel E Fisher
RELEASE DATE: APRIL 30, 2013


"I promise you, Sean. We're going to stop them."

The pieces on the board are in motion and with both sides gathering strength, each move will be critical. When the Truthers make a play for checkmate, the Seeders are forced to respond. Fi and her companions will face greater challenges and higher stakes than ever before, because this time if they fail, it's for keeps.


Amazon * Kindle * Barnes & Noble coming soon!




Seeds of War (Eden's Root trilogy #2)Seeds of War #2

The mission of Eden must be fulfilled and Eden’s best Seekers are needed. Forming a new group they dub the Seeders, Fi, Asher, and Sean are joined by a new addition as they set out to bring hope and support to the Topsiders in the form of radios and heirloom seeds. Their experiences Topside prepare them for the threat from marauding gangs they call Lobos, but it is a different, less obvious sort of threat that takes them by surprise. As radio broadcasts begin to reconnect Eden and the Topsiders, the Seeders stumble upon mysterious broadcasts from unknown stations. When two of their own new radio stations go silent within days of each other, Fi and her companions realize that something is terribly wrong. Eden finds itself pitted against a growing and unknown force as their very mission lights the flames of war.


Eden's RootEden's Root #1
It is 2033, and the world hovers on the edge of explosion as unexplained crop deaths lead to severe global food shortages. In the United States, the Sickness is taking lives slowly, creeping its way into every family. Fi Kelly has already faced the Sickness in her own family, toughening her beyond her years. But a shocking confession from her dying father will push her toughness to its absolute limits. Saddled with an impossible secret and the mission of saving her little sister, Fi sets out to transform herself into the warrior that she must become to survive the coming collapse. Along the way, she will discover that evil can be accidental and that love can be intentional.







Rachel Fisher
Rachel Fisher

I am a wife and entrepreneur living and working in Florida. I am also a graduate of Mount Holyoke College, where I majored in Biology. It was always my assumption that I would end up making research my life. Though it did not work out that way in the end, my passion for Biology remains intact. 

I have always loved biology-based science-fiction and the young adult genre. It is in this vein that I offer my work.




GIVEAWAY - Multiple Winners! 
(International)

1 - $50 Amazon gift card Grand Prize 

10 ebook copies of Emergence
5 ebook copies of Seeds of War
5 ebook copies of Edens Root
2 ebook copies of Trilogy

See Rafflecopter for restrictions

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Want to POST this awesome BOOKBLAST on your blog?!  Email BurgandyIce(at)live(dot)com for an easy-to-post html code and celebrate the release of Emergence with us!!

Weekly Update #11


Welcome to my Weekly Update where I post my blog's schedule for the week.

My Monthly Giveaway for April ends tomorrow, so if you entered be sure to check your email on Wednesday in case you're a winner. May's giveaway will be up on Wednesday.

I will be posting for a couple of book blasts this week, one tomorrow and one on Thursday. Come enter!

Tuesday I will be sharing snippets from Asunder by Jodi Meadows for Teaser Tuesday.

On Wednesday I am excited to post a cover reveal as part of my Waiting On Wednesday post. Come back to see what book I'm so excited about.

Thursday, I will be reviewing Shades of Earth by Beth Revis and Chantress by Amy Butler Greenfield. I'm hoping to have a couple other reviews too scattered throughout the week. Did you read my reviews of Sweet MercyEtiquette & Espionage, and Tempestuous and Exposure from last week?

On Friday I will post which ebooks I downloaded this week for Feed Your Reader Friday. Did you miss last week's post?

I added several books to my shelves last week. You can see what they were in my Stacking the Shelves post. I will be posting again this Saturday since I have two books coming in the mail. :)

Have a great week!

Stacking The Shelves #7


Welcome to Stacking The Shelves, hosted by Tynga's Reviews. Stacking The Shelves is all about the books I am adding to my shelves each week, sharing with you my excitement for my newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process!

I got a bunch of books this week. I got more ARC's from the same blogger as a few weeks ago (again, thank you Heather from Fire & Ice). Then I recieved my pre-order of the second book in the Immortal City series. So excited to read it! Here they are:



The Bridge by Jane Higgins

Have you read any of these or are any of them on your tbr? I also added some ebooks to my shelves this week, which you can see in my Feed My Reader Friday post. Did you get any books this week?








Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program. If you make a purchase of any type using these links, I receive a small kickback.

Book Tour Finale - I Have People

Grand Finale Celebration!

On tour with Prism Book Tours

Feeling forgetful? Can't remember where the heck you set down your keys? Your glasses?

We've all been there.

But . . . what if you forgot your life?

What if that life wasn't worth remembering?

In spite of the happy cover, I HAVE PEOPLE deals with the sensitive issue of domestic abuse. It is about learning to recognize a good man versus a bad one. It's about second chances and finding love, real love. 

The overpowering message behind I HAVE PEOPLE is that verbal, mental, and physical abuse is NOT OKAY! EVER!

Check out the tour and then read Holly's story. It will change your life.

The Book:

I Have PeopleI Have People
by Taylor Dean
Paperback, 366 pages
Published September 19th 2012 by Create Space

Premise:

Missing any memories? 

Holly Sinclair is happily married to the love of her life, Gabriel. Young and in love, Holly hopes to have their first child soon. Of course, Gabriel wants to wait till Holly’s health is restored, much to Holly’s dismay. She feels perfectly fine. So what if she just woke up from an eight-month coma? So what if some of her memories are missing? She remembers Gabe and that’s all that matters, right?

That is, until HE enters her life again . . . she forgot about HIM.




It's been a great Tour, exploring the origins and themes of I Have People by Taylor Dean. In case you missed part of the tour... here it is, one more time:  links to all the great guest posts and reviews with quotes...

The Grand Finale!!

8 –  Launch!
9 – Snuggling on the Sofa - Amnesia
I vividly remember my favorite high school English teacher sadly telling us that his wife had been in a bicycle accident.
-          Sylv Jenkins - The Cover of I Have People
I am a ‘happily ever after’ writer, therefore the happy cover matches the happy ending! I promise!
10 – PauseTime - The Music that Inspired I Have People
I love to share what song goes with which scene in my books. 
11 – TheBroke Book Bank - Ten Things You Don't Know About I Have People
My heroine’s name, Holly Noel, came from a friend who had a Christmas baby and named her Holly Noel. LOVE
12 – Mel’sShelves - Review; The Worth of a Soul
I was excited to get this guest post, The Worth of a Soul. This is one of my favorite conversations from the book, too.
14 – TheReaddicts - Review; Two Kinds of Love
I Have People was not an easy light read I was expecting but it was a good read none the less.
15 – Paulette’sPapers - A Gentleman Who Says "Gosh" Review
The hero of I Have People is a true gentleman and in many ways the perfect man. He’s kind, soft-spoken, polite to a fault, and compassionate.
-          Christy’s Cozy Corner - Review; The Inspiration behind I Have People
I love Taylor Dean's books. They always feel so real...One minute you're feeling giddy with happiness and the next you're filled with dread!
16 – fuonlyknew - ReviewThe Prologue to I Have People

You’ll cry, you’ll laugh, you’ll want to kick someone, but most importantly, you’ll want to hug someone.
You’ll want to hug “your people.”

17 – Tressa’sWishful Endings - Review; The Locations Featured in I Have People
I also really liked Holly's character. She was sweet and still strong. 
18 – LiteraryWinner - Review
I have to say it’s a bit eye-opening that Holly felt that if she wasn’t actually hit by her abuser, then she wasn’t being abused.  I can imagine that this may be thought by other people in similar situations.  
19 – GettingYour Read On - Review; Soooo Cliche!
I.  Love.  I Have People.  This book kept me engaged the whole way
22 –  A Tiffyfit’s Reading Corner - My Favorite Character in I Have People
The main character, Holly, discovers that she does have ‘people’ in her life who are willing to help her out of a bad situation—she just has to let them. 

 - Beck Valley Books - The Title of I Have People
It was at this moment that I realized, I Have People, and I always will!
23 – Deco MyHeart - Review
This is an emotional story of domestic abuse and recovery, wonderfully written with realistic characters, and it will stay with you long after you finish. How I wish women (and men) that are bring abused would seek help and realize they have "people" too.
-          Mrs. Mommy Booknerds Book Reviews - Review
Dean creates a story that is not only engaging, gritty and real
24 – GreenMountain Couple - Review
I cried with Holly and laughed with her too.
25 – icultgen - Friendship
Angela was fun to write. She is funny, blunt, loyal, and loves her ‘girl time.’
  – I Am a Reader, Not a Writer  - When is it Abuse

 - That Girl Reads - Review; Two Kinds of Men

26 – Grand Finale Blast!


The Author:

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding that she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it's paranormal, contemporary, or suspense-you'll find all sub-genres of romance in her line-up. 



The Giveaways:

5 prize packs to US winners: 1 signed paperback, 1 tote bag, 2 bookmarks, 1 "I Have People" pencil, and 1 "I Have People" pink dog tag necklace.


10 ebooks to US or International winners

Open only to those who can legally enter. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by Rafflecopter and announced on Rafflecopter and Grand Finale posts as well as emailed and the winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Burgandy Ice @ Colorimetry and Prism Book Tours and sponsored by Taylor Dean. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Feed My Reader Friday # 11


Welcome to Feed My Reader Friday, hosted by Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer. This is where I list the ebooks I downloaded for my Kindle this past week. Prices were accurate as of Thursday, so please check the price if you make a purchase. Here is what I got:


Surrender Bay (Nantucket #1)
Denise Hunter
$2.99
Purchase from Amazon


Amazon summary:
Once childhood friends, Samantha and Landon are now separated by distance and secrets. Will Samantha’s return to Nantucket bring her the peace she longs for?

Samantha Owens' estranged stepfather has died, leaving her his cottage in Nantucket—a place she fled years ago, never planning to return. As a single mom, Samantha can't afford to pass up a financial windfall like ocean-front property. So she travels home to fix up the house and sell it . . . never suspecting that Landon Reed still lives two doors down.

As their long-dormant romance begins to bud again, Samantha must face a past that separated her from the God of her childhood. And she must tell Landon why she fled the island in the first place—a secret that could tear them apart.

Is Landon’s love really as unconditional as he claims? And will Samantha finally realize that the God she found all those years ago never abandoned her?

A heart-tugging tale of shattered trust, growing faith, and love that endures . . . all in a romantic seaside setting.
 

What I Didn't Say
Keary Taylor

Free
Purchase from Amazon


Amazon summary:
Getting drunk homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat.

His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.

When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it.


Hansel and Gretel (Faerie Tale Collection #5)
Jenni James

$1.99
Purchase from Amazon


Amazon summary:
A hidden princess and the boy who saves her life—

Hansel's father finds a child lost and alone during a violent thunderstorm. After bringing her in from the tempest, he and his son are startled to discover that she is Gretel, a princess of Larkein--the enemy kingdom their own king has just destroyed. Fearful for her life, Hansel pleads with his father to save her. He believes they can make Gretel good by teaching her their ways. His kindhearted father agrees, but with great trepidation.

Ten years later, Gretel has grown into a lovely young woman who both infuriates and drives Hansel to distraction while he attempts to not lose his heart to her. When the Larkein witch comes back in the guise of a beautiful woman and marries their father, everything is set into a tailspin. Now they must figure out their new stepmother's plans and prevent her from destroying them all before it is too late.


Reviews: Tempestuous and Exposure


(Twisted Lit, #1)

Purchase from Amazon
Purchase from Book Depository


Goodreads summary:
Recently banished, unfairly, by the school’s popular crowd, former “it girl,” Miranda Prospero, finds herself in a brave new world: holding dominion amongst a rag-tag crew of geeks and misfits where she works at the Hot-Dog Kabob in the food court of her local mall. When the worst winter storm of the season causes mall workers and last-minute shoppers to be snowed-in for the night, Miranda seizes the opportunity to get revenge against the catty clique behind her social exile. With help from her delightfully dweeby coworker, Ariel, and a sullen loner named Caleb who works at the mall’s nearby gaming and magic shop, Miranda uses charm and trickery to set things to right during this spirited take on Shakespeare’s The Tempest.

What I thought:
I haven't actually read The Tempest, so I can't compare its story line to this one. I can say that this was a very fun read! I was cracking up quite a bit. The authors have a great writing style.

I loved the group of characters, including all the supporting ones. I could connect to some of them and the others reminded me of some people I've known. I would say that Caleb was my favorite though. He seemed very sure of himself and wasn't easily swayed by the whims of others. I liked Miranda too. She is still figuring where she fits in after being demoted in her high school's hierarchy, but eventually she gets there.

My only negative comment about this was the amount of language. There weren't any major swear words, but there was a lot of mild ones and repeatedly. I would have rated it much higher without the language; probably 4.5 stars. Such a disappointment as this would have been a great recommendation to my teenage nephews and nieces.

Content: A lot of mild language.
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: December 18th 2012 by Merit Press
Source: Received a copy from the authors for review
Rating:





(Twisted Lit, #2)

Purchase from Amazon
Purchase from Book Depository


Goodreads summary:
Double, double, toil and trouble. Sometimes, the quest for high school royalty can be deadly! In this emotionally-charged twist on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, a self-conscious shutterbug named Skye Kingston navigates a treacherous school year in Alaska fraught with unspoken secrets and tragic twists of fate. Along the way she encounters three strangely prophetic BFFs; one social-climbing, sociopathic cheerleader; and a heart-stopping hottie named Craig McKenzie: the man who would be Prom King. Can Skye save the boy she loves — and herself — before they get caught in the crosshairs.

What I thought:
I really liked the authors' writing style. The way they wrote the high school scene and their characters were realistic, but in places a little dramatic. Makes for some great sarcasm. This one has some suspense in it too. I had a discussion with my husband about the legalities regarding the crime that was committed, which was interesting.

I liked Skye's character. She is kind of a wallflower, but she is also gorgeous and talented. I liked Craig at the beginning, but that faded by the time the book ended. I didn't like the way he treated Skye and I thought he should have redeemed himself more or Skye should have moved on to someone more deserving. I also didn't like how easily he let Beth manipulate him.

This one had a little less language than the first book, but quite a bit of innuendo. Because of this and not liking the leading man so much, it was a little bit of a disappointing read for me. I liked the first book much better.

Content: Innuendo and language
Genre: YA Contemporary
Publication date: January 18th 2013 by Merit Press
Source: Received a copy from the authors for review
Rating:











Disclosure: This review is of a book I was given for free by an author or publisher, or through NetGalley or Edelweiss. This in no way influences the opinions shared in my review. You may see my complete policy on the sidebar and on my policies page. This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase of any type using these links, I receive a small kickback.

Review: Etiquette & Espionage

Etiquette & Espionage               
(Finishing School #1)
by Gale Carriger
Purchase from Amazon
Purchase from Book Depository


Goodreads summary:
It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners—and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage—in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

Set in the same world as the Parasol Protectorate, this YA series debut is filled with all the saucy adventure and droll humor Gail Carriger's legions of fans have come to adore.


What I thought:
What an outrageously ridiculous, hilarious, and sweet read! I loved it! I didn't realize, for some reason, that this was a steampunk novel. Even more so, I didn't realize it was also paranormal. What a pleasant surprise! I've only read a few of those so I can't say how this rates as far as in that genre. However, I can say that this is one of the funnest books I've read in a while. Even the more serious parts, weren't really serious. I mean how could they be when the characters were making hilarious assumptions or were in hilarious fixes (i.e. a young man stuck half under a sticky net and half under Sophronia's petticoat - what? Exactly!)? Half the characters names alone made me laugh.

Let me share one insightful moment from Miss Sophronia: "Monique, instead of striking out in the manner of Sidheag, stepped in toward the werewolf. She commented on the pleasantness of the night and the beauty of the countryside. She fluttered her eyelashes in a way Sophronia had come to recognize as very advanced. I should never have thought there would be a time when I would envy another girl's eyelash manipulation." You see they are being taught to properly flutter their eyelashes as only you would learn in a finishing school and the girls are half in love with the werewolf, thus the envy that tom-boyish Sophronia experiences. :)

I absolutely loved Sophronia's character! I loved how she thought; stating things in such a matter-of-fact way and how she made connections from observation. Quite an intriguing mind. She also comes across as straight forward, even though some underestimate her.

I do wish I would have gotten just a little bit more information on the story-book world. I wasn't completely sure exactly why things were as they were with the whole aether and such. However, this wasn't a huge influence on the story, so it still worked.

I will definitely be recommending this to my teenage niece and to anyone else who enjoys an intelligent MC and witty dialogue or is a fan of Ally Carter. The characters are in their early teens, but I'm guessing they'll grow up a little as the series progresses, which I will definitely be following!

Content: Clean
Genre: YA Steampunk
Publication date: February 5th 2013 by Little Brown Books for Young Readers
Source: Library
Rating:




I selected this post to be featured on Book Review Blogs. Please visit the site and vote for my blog!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase of any type using these links, I receive a small kickback.

Book Tour: Daynight


On Tour with Prism Book Tours...

It's time to leave Earth and cross over to the other side... it's not as far away as you think!!


 
Megan Thomason is here today to talk about dystopias. This is continued from Little Library Muse. . .
 
I’ve encountered a lot of extremes in my life and have always been fascinated by them, which is probably why I enjoy dystopias so much.
 
What makes for a good dystopia?
 
The dystopia category is pretty broad these days. By definition a dystopian world must have:
 
Extremely bad living conditions due to deprivation, oppression, or terror
 
By that definition my kids probably think our home qualifies. There’s a whole list of pets they’ve asked for that we continue to deprive them of (yes, they’ve asked for sharks, ferrets, alligators, more cats—you name it…if they had their way we’d live in a zoo/aquarium). In a terribly oppressive move, we ask the kids to help with the occasional chore. And well, with five kids they pretty much terrorize each other, so that’s covered too.
 
Brad: You should have your kids take the SCI Test. They could put all that energy and enthusiasm to use helping other people.
 
Megan: I’m going to ignore that suggestion. I think they’d prefer our home dystopia to your seriously messed up one. As for books, I personally prefer dystopias that explore interesting societal and moral dilemmas to catastrophic conditions/survival stories (though, if the entertainment value is high, I’ll still read the latter).
 
The very best dystopias, in my opinion, have a well formed government enforcing extremes. A well written dystopia will explore, without belaboring:
 
- What events drove them to shift the way they governed?
 
- What results are the dystopia looking to achieve?
 
- What methods do the governments use to achieve the desired result? 
 
The guest post continues at Red-Headed Bookworm. . .


Megan ThomasonMegan Thomason lives in paradise aka San Diego, CA with her husband and five children. A former software manager, Megan vastly prefers writing twisted tales to business, product, and marketing plans. When she isn't typing away on her laptop, she's reading books on her phone—over 600 in the last year—or attending to the needs of her family. Megan’s fluent in sarcasm, could potentially benefit from a 12-step program for road rage, struggles with a Hot Tamales addiction, loves world travel & fast cars and hates paperwork & being an insomniac. Daynight is Megan's first published novel, but fourth written one.
Find & Follow:



Daynightdaynight
by Megan Thomason
Paperback, 324 pages
Published November 26th 2012 by Creatspace

Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance™. Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving—forced lifetime union between two people who have sex. Punishment for disobeying SCI edicts? Immediate Exile or death.

Meet Kira Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that left her boyfriend and friends dead.

Meet Blake Sundry. Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother’s death, Blake’s been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to success? His Recruit partner—Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan.

Meet Ethan Darcton. Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex, Ethan’s forced to do his SCI elite family’s bidding. Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs.




Introducing...  the new Novella:  FREE for the Tour!
On Smashwords!

clean slate complex
by Megan Thomason

Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Worldwide non-profit and do-gooder organization. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance at Life(TM). Reality: hidden behind every kind act is a dark agenda designed to gain control and force societal and moral extremes. Currently, the SCI’s pushing Project Liberate, a program to woo the poor and downtrodden into their Clean Slate Complexes—where “everything is provided” from jobs to food, shelter, clothing, and education. Unfortunately, as with all things that sound too good to be true, there’s a catch…

Meet Alexa Knight. Feisty, tough and currently homeless in Los Angeles, Alexa agrees to help the SCI in return for medical care for her sick mother. When she starts to suspect there’s more to the SCI than meets the eye will she believe Adam—the boy who saved her life and the SCI’s biggest champion, or Joshua—the attractive enigma who sings about conspiracy theories and pretends to be someone he’s not?

Full of action, humor, romance, twists and turns, clean slate complex is a companion story to the highly-praised dystopian novel, daynight. It can be enjoyed before or after readingdaynight.


Happy Birthday to Shakespeare!

The Chandos portrait, artist and authenticity unconfirmed. National Portrait Gallery, London.
 

Shakespeare is estimated to have been born on April 23, 1616 in Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire, England. He died a the age of 52. He wrote fourty plays, including some that are incomplete and two that were lost. There are also eleven that are sometimes attributed to him. Some of his most well known include: A Midsummer Night's Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, The Taming of the Shrew, The Tempest, Twelfth Night, Romeo and Juliet, Julius Caesar, Macbeth, Hamlet, Othello, and King Lear. (Information gathered from Wikipedia.) It's amazing the influence he has had and continues to have!

There are a bunch of books that are retellings or based off of Shakespeare's works. I put together a shelf on Goodreads with those that were listed there. I know there are quite a few that aren't included. The shelf doesn't include books that only have titles that play off of Shakespeare (as in the actual story isn't Shakespearean) or those in genres outside of YA. I will just have to add to it over time. Here are a few of those included on the shelf (click on the picture to take you to Goodreads):

   
  
  

Some of these are on my tbr, but I've only read the Wondrous Strange series, which I loved, and I'm currently reading the Twisted Lit series. Have you read any of these? Are you a fan of Shakespeare?