E.J. Stevens's Blog, page 47
April 17, 2014
Lockstep Giveaway Winner
Congratulations Anastasia F. the winner of our
Lockstep Book Giveaway
here at From the Shadows! Anastasia will receive a hardcover copy of LOCKSTEP by Karl Schroeder.
Thank you to all who entered.
**Giveaway winner selected using Rafflecopter**
Thank you to all who entered.
**Giveaway winner selected using Rafflecopter**
April 8, 2014
Q+A with Desni Dantone + Sacrificed Book Giveaway
Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Desni Dantone! Desni is the author of IGNITED and SACRIFICED.
Q+A with Desni Dantone
EJ: When did you begin writing?
Desni: I started writing when I was eleven. That summer, I found one of my mom's Dean Koontz books and read it in one day. When my mom told me he came from the same hometown as me, I was totally inspired and wanted to be just like him. I started writing little horror stories and gave them to my mom to read. I'm sure they weren't as good as she led me to believe they were at eleven, but that was the start of my passion.
EJ: What brought you to the paranormal genre?
Desni: I honestly never thought about that. I went through phases of writing horror, then drama, then contemporary romance, but I never really got to the point that I was ready to publish any of those books that I wrote. Young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels are typically what I like to read, so when I started writing the first book in the Ignited Series, I think it came more naturally to me. For the first time, I completed a novel that I was completely happy with and ready to publish. I guess it's true that you should write what you love.
EJ: If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
Desni: The life of a vampire or demon hunter sounds exciting and dangerous, and they usually have some pretty cool talents. If I could have any talent, it would have to be supernatural speed, so I could actually accomplish everything I need to in a day...and land a kill shot without breaking a nail.
EJ: Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
Desni: Fans of the Ignited Series are going to enjoy the element of mystery that continues in Sacrificed, as more pieces of the big picture are put into place. The romance that was just starting in Ignited picks up in Sacrificed, with a lot more sizzle that I know Nathan fans will be happy with. The paranormal element picks up in this book as well, as the main character, Kris, discovers more of what she's capable of.
There will be mysteriously magical elements intermixed with action and romance, a fast paced story line, a fun gang of characters that will make you laugh and cry, and twists that will leave readers guessing what's next.
EJ: If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
Desni: For Kris, I would choose Erin Moriarty. She plays Vince Vaughn's daughter in "The Watch." She has this natural beauty thing going on, and her strawberry blonde hair is a perfect match for Kris.
For Nathan, I would choose a cross between Theo James for his rugged handsomeness and Chase Crawford for his boyish good looks and blue eyes.
For Alec, Luke Grimes because he's hot...and looks like he just might be trouble.
Sacrificed (Ignited #2) by Desni Dantone.
Kris Young is no normal seventeen year old.
She’s the worst thing to come along since the black plague, and she will do anything to alter the destiny she was made for. Failure is not an option. But if the shadows of evil overcome her…
Only one person can stop her.
When she meets Micah, she doesn’t expect him to save her life, or to offer his help. They were born enemies after all. Though he boasts noble intentions and a belief that, together, he and Kris could swing the tide of the war to the side of good once and for all, Kris can’t help but suspect that he is hiding something.
They have a plan…
Strengthened by new allies, Kris and gang take their fight to the Skotadi. As they discover shocking secrets and grow closer to learning of the evil-doers ultimate plans, Kris worries that time has run out. Struggling with her inner demons, she does the only thing she can to protect the ones that she cares about most, even if it tears her heart in two.
Question is, where will her heart lead her?
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Add to Goodreads.
Thank you Desni for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Desni Dantone and her books, please visit her website.
***Sacrificed Book Giveaway***
We are giving away an ebook copy of Sacrificed by Desni Dantone to one lucky winner!
To enter, please leave a comment on this post and include your email address so we may contact you if you win. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends April 25, 2014 midnight EST.
Good luck!
Q+A with Desni Dantone
EJ: When did you begin writing?
Desni: I started writing when I was eleven. That summer, I found one of my mom's Dean Koontz books and read it in one day. When my mom told me he came from the same hometown as me, I was totally inspired and wanted to be just like him. I started writing little horror stories and gave them to my mom to read. I'm sure they weren't as good as she led me to believe they were at eleven, but that was the start of my passion.
EJ: What brought you to the paranormal genre?
Desni: I honestly never thought about that. I went through phases of writing horror, then drama, then contemporary romance, but I never really got to the point that I was ready to publish any of those books that I wrote. Young adult paranormal romance and urban fantasy novels are typically what I like to read, so when I started writing the first book in the Ignited Series, I think it came more naturally to me. For the first time, I completed a novel that I was completely happy with and ready to publish. I guess it's true that you should write what you love.
EJ: If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
Desni: The life of a vampire or demon hunter sounds exciting and dangerous, and they usually have some pretty cool talents. If I could have any talent, it would have to be supernatural speed, so I could actually accomplish everything I need to in a day...and land a kill shot without breaking a nail.
EJ: Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
Desni: Fans of the Ignited Series are going to enjoy the element of mystery that continues in Sacrificed, as more pieces of the big picture are put into place. The romance that was just starting in Ignited picks up in Sacrificed, with a lot more sizzle that I know Nathan fans will be happy with. The paranormal element picks up in this book as well, as the main character, Kris, discovers more of what she's capable of.
There will be mysteriously magical elements intermixed with action and romance, a fast paced story line, a fun gang of characters that will make you laugh and cry, and twists that will leave readers guessing what's next.
EJ: If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
Desni: For Kris, I would choose Erin Moriarty. She plays Vince Vaughn's daughter in "The Watch." She has this natural beauty thing going on, and her strawberry blonde hair is a perfect match for Kris.
For Nathan, I would choose a cross between Theo James for his rugged handsomeness and Chase Crawford for his boyish good looks and blue eyes.
For Alec, Luke Grimes because he's hot...and looks like he just might be trouble.
Sacrificed (Ignited #2) by Desni Dantone.
Kris Young is no normal seventeen year old.
She’s the worst thing to come along since the black plague, and she will do anything to alter the destiny she was made for. Failure is not an option. But if the shadows of evil overcome her…
Only one person can stop her.
When she meets Micah, she doesn’t expect him to save her life, or to offer his help. They were born enemies after all. Though he boasts noble intentions and a belief that, together, he and Kris could swing the tide of the war to the side of good once and for all, Kris can’t help but suspect that he is hiding something.
They have a plan…
Strengthened by new allies, Kris and gang take their fight to the Skotadi. As they discover shocking secrets and grow closer to learning of the evil-doers ultimate plans, Kris worries that time has run out. Struggling with her inner demons, she does the only thing she can to protect the ones that she cares about most, even if it tears her heart in two.
Question is, where will her heart lead her?
Release Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Add to Goodreads.
Thank you Desni for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Desni Dantone and her books, please visit her website.
***Sacrificed Book Giveaway***
We are giving away an ebook copy of Sacrificed by Desni Dantone to one lucky winner!
To enter, please leave a comment on this post and include your email address so we may contact you if you win. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends April 25, 2014 midnight EST.
Good luck!
April 4, 2014
Book Excerpt + Giveaway: Blades of Magic by Terah Edun
Today we have a special BLADES OF MAGIC book excerpt and ebook giveaway for you!
Blades of Magic Book Excerpt
Sara Fairchild stared at the three men and two women who surrounded her with hard eyes. They had cornered her in an alley. But only because she wanted them to. She was having a bad day, might as well end it right. Feet planted firmly in the dry dirt, she called out to the group arrayed in a semi-circle around her,
“Nice day for a fight, isn’t it?”
The woman to her right wore a raggedy scarf around her hair and her ears were covered in at least five earrings per a lobe. She glared and said, “You think you’re funny, girl?”
Sara watched as the woman spit into the dirt before her in disgust.
“Your da was a disgrace,” the woman continued. “You’re just like him. A coward.”
“And a cheat!” said the man directly in front of her. He nervously fingered a blade in his hands. It was a poorly crafted one. That Sara could tell from five feet away. She stood in front of him with her back-up against the wall. She wasn’t carrying her broadsword but she did have one fine long knife at her waist, a dagger on her thigh, and a baton she’d lifted from a city patrolman in her right hand.
“Is that so?” Sara said directing her voice at the man in front of her, “And what, pray tell, did I cheat you of Simon Codfield?”
Her tone was level. Even surprised. He shifted warily. He was nervous even with four of his friends to back him up. When the people standing with him began to look at him oddly, he stiffened his back. Simon licked his lips and said, “Cards. I know you had an extra ace in your belt. Admit it now and we’ll only beat you two ways until Sunday.”
She titled her head, “And if I admit it later?” Even he couldn’t miss the derision in her voice.
“We’re trying to go easy on you,” said Simon Codfield – his voice dipping into desperation. He might be a liar as well as a thief, but he was no fool. Sara knew the only reason he and his crew had followed her into this alley was because if he didn’t accuse her, he would have to take the fall for loosing over forty shillings in a card game that started off over a bet of five. She knew and he knew that he didn’t have forty shillings to give. That was one month’s pay for a dockworker, never mind a ne’er-do-well like Simon who hadn’t worked an honest job a day in his life.
“Tell you what. Why don’t you drop those trousers of yours? Then we’ll call it even,” said the thief lord in charge of the west district of Sandrin. She turned to face the man who had spoken. He rubbed a hand over his two-day old beard with a grin.
Sara brought up the long knife in her left hand, “Why don’t you drop yours, Severin, so that I can cut off your balls for you?”
Anger flashed in the thief lord’s eyes. Anger and passion. Sara smiled. She wasn’t joking. If she got close enough to him, she’d make him a eunuch without batting an eye. Simon Codfield gulped and took a step back. He knew she wasn’t playing around.
What do you think of the excerpt?
Blades of Magic (Crown Service #1) by Terah Edun.
It is not a peaceful time in the Algardis Empire. War is raging between the mages and seventeen-year-old Sara Fairchild will be right in the middle of it.
She just doesn’t know it yet.
Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, executed for desertion. Sara is also the best duelist and hand-to-hand combatant in Sandrin. She lives quietly with her family’s shame but when challenged about her family’s honor, her opponent inevitably loses.
On the night she finds out her father’s true last actions, she takes the Mercenary Guilds’ vows to serve in the emperor’s army. Using her quick wits and fierce fighting skills, she earns a spot in the first division.
There she discovers secrets the mages on both sides would prefer stay hidden. Dark enemies hunt her and soon it’s not just Sara questioning the motivation behind this war.
While fighting mages, blackmailing merchants and discovering new friends, Sara comes across something she’s never had before – passion. The question is – can she fight for her emperor against a mage who has unwittingly claimed her heart?
This is year one of the Initiate Wars. Sara is hoping it doesn’t become the year she dies.
Release Date: March 31, 2014
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.
***Blades of Magic Giveaway***
We are giving away an ebook copy of Blades of Magic by Terah Edun to one lucky winner!
To enter, leave a comment on this blog post. Please include your email address so that we may contact you if you win. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends April 19, 2014 midnight EST.
Good luck!
Blades of Magic Book Excerpt
Sara Fairchild stared at the three men and two women who surrounded her with hard eyes. They had cornered her in an alley. But only because she wanted them to. She was having a bad day, might as well end it right. Feet planted firmly in the dry dirt, she called out to the group arrayed in a semi-circle around her,
“Nice day for a fight, isn’t it?”
The woman to her right wore a raggedy scarf around her hair and her ears were covered in at least five earrings per a lobe. She glared and said, “You think you’re funny, girl?”
Sara watched as the woman spit into the dirt before her in disgust.
“Your da was a disgrace,” the woman continued. “You’re just like him. A coward.”
“And a cheat!” said the man directly in front of her. He nervously fingered a blade in his hands. It was a poorly crafted one. That Sara could tell from five feet away. She stood in front of him with her back-up against the wall. She wasn’t carrying her broadsword but she did have one fine long knife at her waist, a dagger on her thigh, and a baton she’d lifted from a city patrolman in her right hand.
“Is that so?” Sara said directing her voice at the man in front of her, “And what, pray tell, did I cheat you of Simon Codfield?”
Her tone was level. Even surprised. He shifted warily. He was nervous even with four of his friends to back him up. When the people standing with him began to look at him oddly, he stiffened his back. Simon licked his lips and said, “Cards. I know you had an extra ace in your belt. Admit it now and we’ll only beat you two ways until Sunday.”
She titled her head, “And if I admit it later?” Even he couldn’t miss the derision in her voice.
“We’re trying to go easy on you,” said Simon Codfield – his voice dipping into desperation. He might be a liar as well as a thief, but he was no fool. Sara knew the only reason he and his crew had followed her into this alley was because if he didn’t accuse her, he would have to take the fall for loosing over forty shillings in a card game that started off over a bet of five. She knew and he knew that he didn’t have forty shillings to give. That was one month’s pay for a dockworker, never mind a ne’er-do-well like Simon who hadn’t worked an honest job a day in his life.
“Tell you what. Why don’t you drop those trousers of yours? Then we’ll call it even,” said the thief lord in charge of the west district of Sandrin. She turned to face the man who had spoken. He rubbed a hand over his two-day old beard with a grin.
Sara brought up the long knife in her left hand, “Why don’t you drop yours, Severin, so that I can cut off your balls for you?”
Anger flashed in the thief lord’s eyes. Anger and passion. Sara smiled. She wasn’t joking. If she got close enough to him, she’d make him a eunuch without batting an eye. Simon Codfield gulped and took a step back. He knew she wasn’t playing around.
What do you think of the excerpt?
Blades of Magic (Crown Service #1) by Terah Edun.
It is not a peaceful time in the Algardis Empire. War is raging between the mages and seventeen-year-old Sara Fairchild will be right in the middle of it.
She just doesn’t know it yet.
Sara is the daughter of a disgraced imperial commander, executed for desertion. Sara is also the best duelist and hand-to-hand combatant in Sandrin. She lives quietly with her family’s shame but when challenged about her family’s honor, her opponent inevitably loses.
On the night she finds out her father’s true last actions, she takes the Mercenary Guilds’ vows to serve in the emperor’s army. Using her quick wits and fierce fighting skills, she earns a spot in the first division.
There she discovers secrets the mages on both sides would prefer stay hidden. Dark enemies hunt her and soon it’s not just Sara questioning the motivation behind this war.
While fighting mages, blackmailing merchants and discovering new friends, Sara comes across something she’s never had before – passion. The question is – can she fight for her emperor against a mage who has unwittingly claimed her heart?
This is year one of the Initiate Wars. Sara is hoping it doesn’t become the year she dies.
Release Date: March 31, 2014
Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.
***Blades of Magic Giveaway***
We are giving away an ebook copy of Blades of Magic by Terah Edun to one lucky winner!
To enter, leave a comment on this blog post. Please include your email address so that we may contact you if you win. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. Giveaway ends April 19, 2014 midnight EST.
Good luck!
April 1, 2014
Q+A with Angela Dennis (Shadows of Fate)
Please welcome today's paranormal guest author Angela Dennis! Angela is the author of Shadows of Fate.
Q+A with Angela Dennis
EJ: When did you begin writing?
Angela: I honestly can’t remember a time when I didn’t write. I was always the kid with her nose in a book, or scribbling in her journal.
EJ: What brought you to the paranormal genre?
Angela: I have always been drawn to books with paranormal/fantasy elements. Writing in the genre was a natural transition for me.
EJ: If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
Angela: Teleporting. I would love to be able to visit anywhere, during any time, with only a thought. Can you imagine the possibilities? And it would cut down on my commute.
EJ: Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
Angela: Shadows is a supernatural thrill ride. Aside from the primary conflict/relationship between the main characters, I believe readers will also enjoy the diverse cast. There is definitely something for everyone.
EJ: If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
Angela: To be honest, I've never really thought about it. But I would probably choose Jessica Chastain for Brenna and Ian Somerhader for Gray. They are both dynamic and multi-faceted actors, not to mention they look the part.
Shadows of Fate (Shadow Born #1) by Angela Dennis.
Redemption lies beyond the veil between truth and lies.
After witnessing her husband’s brutal murder, Brenna Baudouin lost control of her Shadow Bearer powers and wreaked havoc on her home world. Her penance: one hundred years policing hordes of supernatural misfits that spilled onto the Earthly plane after a cataclysmic war.
She’s on a routine exorcism run when she learns she’s been assigned a new partner. But there’s something about this Shadow Bearer that sparks her suspicions. Particularly when people closest to her start turning up as piles of ash.
Gray Warlow holds tight to the glamour that allows him to get close to the woman on whom he plans to wreak vengeance for betraying his people. Yet as he skillfully manipulates his way past her distrust, he begins to see her not as the heartless monster he was led to believe, but a strong, vulnerable woman.
As they work to put together the pieces of a killer’s macabre puzzle, an attraction deeper than blood and bone flares between them. And they must reveal their deepest secrets to avoid becoming the final targets,
Product Warnings
A thrill ride of supernatural proportions. Contains violent battle scenes, nail-biting suspense, crazy hot sexual tension, and enough twists and turns to make your head spin.
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Add to Goodreads.
Thank you Angela for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Angela Dennis and her books, please visit her website.
Q+A with Angela Dennis
EJ: When did you begin writing?
Angela: I honestly can’t remember a time when I didn’t write. I was always the kid with her nose in a book, or scribbling in her journal.
EJ: What brought you to the paranormal genre?
Angela: I have always been drawn to books with paranormal/fantasy elements. Writing in the genre was a natural transition for me.
EJ: If you could be any paranormal or have any one supernatural talent, what would it be? Why?
Angela: Teleporting. I would love to be able to visit anywhere, during any time, with only a thought. Can you imagine the possibilities? And it would cut down on my commute.
EJ: Tell us why readers will enjoy your new release.
Angela: Shadows is a supernatural thrill ride. Aside from the primary conflict/relationship between the main characters, I believe readers will also enjoy the diverse cast. There is definitely something for everyone.
EJ: If your book(s) were being made into a movie, who would you cast for the leading roles? Why?
Angela: To be honest, I've never really thought about it. But I would probably choose Jessica Chastain for Brenna and Ian Somerhader for Gray. They are both dynamic and multi-faceted actors, not to mention they look the part.
Shadows of Fate (Shadow Born #1) by Angela Dennis.
Redemption lies beyond the veil between truth and lies.
After witnessing her husband’s brutal murder, Brenna Baudouin lost control of her Shadow Bearer powers and wreaked havoc on her home world. Her penance: one hundred years policing hordes of supernatural misfits that spilled onto the Earthly plane after a cataclysmic war.
She’s on a routine exorcism run when she learns she’s been assigned a new partner. But there’s something about this Shadow Bearer that sparks her suspicions. Particularly when people closest to her start turning up as piles of ash.
Gray Warlow holds tight to the glamour that allows him to get close to the woman on whom he plans to wreak vengeance for betraying his people. Yet as he skillfully manipulates his way past her distrust, he begins to see her not as the heartless monster he was led to believe, but a strong, vulnerable woman.
As they work to put together the pieces of a killer’s macabre puzzle, an attraction deeper than blood and bone flares between them. And they must reveal their deepest secrets to avoid becoming the final targets,
Product Warnings
A thrill ride of supernatural proportions. Contains violent battle scenes, nail-biting suspense, crazy hot sexual tension, and enough twists and turns to make your head spin.
Release Date: April 8, 2014
Add to Goodreads.
Thank you Angela for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Angela Dennis and her books, please visit her website.
Best Maine Author: 2014 Reader's Poll
Vote for E.J. in the Portland Phoenix: The Best 2014 reader's poll!
Go to the Best Maine Author category, type in E.J. Stevens, scroll down and click submit. Easy peasy!
Thank you so much for voting! I will let you all know the results when the winning names become public.
March 29, 2014
Transformed Ebook Giveaway Winners
Congratulations bn100 the winner of our
Transformed Ebook Giveaway
here at From the Shadows! Bn100 will receive an ebook copy of TRANSFORMED by E.V. Fairfall.
**Giveaway winners selected using Random.org. Author or publisher responsible for ebook transmission.**
**Giveaway winners selected using Random.org. Author or publisher responsible for ebook transmission.**
March 26, 2014
Cover Reveal: The Wild Hunt by Ron C. Nieto
Today we are taking part in the cover reveal for THE WILD HUNT by Ron C. Nieto. Take a look at the cover and let us know what you think!
The Wild Hunt (Faerie Sworn #1) by Ron C. Nieto
Magic still lingers in the mist-covered corners of the world, wherever the Old Ways are remembered. However, as civilization and reason scoff at the Fair Folk, the paths to power have been forgotten by all but a few.
Lily Boyd was meant to become a faerie doctor, a warden of humans and a keeper of balance, until disbelief and pragmatism led her away from the hidden world and into a mundane life. But truth has a way to be Heard and she will be forced to face it if she wants to save her family.
Armed with nothing but her childhood memories and protected by a debt of gratitude she doesn’t understand, Lily must decide who to trust while she navigates a world that is darker and more twisted than she is prepared for.
And should she make the wrong choice, should she mistake friend and foe… the eternal balance between the Faerie Courts may shatter, and then there will be more than Lily’s life on the line.
Release Date: June 2014
Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.
What do you think of the cover?
The Wild Hunt (Faerie Sworn #1) by Ron C. Nieto
Magic still lingers in the mist-covered corners of the world, wherever the Old Ways are remembered. However, as civilization and reason scoff at the Fair Folk, the paths to power have been forgotten by all but a few.
Lily Boyd was meant to become a faerie doctor, a warden of humans and a keeper of balance, until disbelief and pragmatism led her away from the hidden world and into a mundane life. But truth has a way to be Heard and she will be forced to face it if she wants to save her family.
Armed with nothing but her childhood memories and protected by a debt of gratitude she doesn’t understand, Lily must decide who to trust while she navigates a world that is darker and more twisted than she is prepared for.
And should she make the wrong choice, should she mistake friend and foe… the eternal balance between the Faerie Courts may shatter, and then there will be more than Lily’s life on the line.
Release Date: June 2014
Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.
What do you think of the cover?
March 24, 2014
Top 10 List with Michelle A. Hansen + Before They Find Us Giveaway
Please welcome today's guest author Michelle A. Hansen! Michelle is the author of Painted Blind, The Boyfriend Test, and Before They Find Us.
As part of the Before They Find Us tour, Michelle has agreed to share an exclusive Top 10 list with our readers. We've asked Michelle about her Top 10 YA Couples. Let's take a look!
Top 10 YA Couples
There are so many great YA couples out there, and I’ve read list after list. Forgive me for veering off the typical path, which usually includes a handful of best-selling series. Some of my top YA couples come from classics that got me hooked on YA romance in the first place.
10. Romeo & Juliet, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
It’s not the tragedy that makes these lovers appealing; it’s the emotional rollercoaster they take you on in the process. Plus, you just can’t top the beauty of the language in the balcony scene. I taught this play so many times I used to have the scene memorized. After dozens of readings, I still love it.
9. Jenny & Luke, Teen Idol by Meg Cabot
This is on my list because I think it’s a pretty typical fantasy. We all dream about meeting our superstar crush, and having him fall madly in love with the girl next door (i.e. us). Cabot did a good job of packaging that fantasy in a story that made it a believable reality for Jenny. And, it’s just a fun book.
8. Kate & Richard, The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer
This book is actually a spoof on the romance novel, and Kate is the spoof on the romance novel heroine. She’s got Coke-bottle glasses and falls victim to all sorts of embarrassments, but finds love with her brother’s best friend, Richard. Plummer offers wisdom and insight about grand romantic gestures and shows that love is always a little bit goofy.
7. Bella & Edward, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
When I say Twilight, I mean the first book, not the series. In Twilight, the reader is privy to the first sight, discovery and then the full weight of forbidden romance. I think the dark, forbidden romance is particularly appealing to teens. And who doesn’t need a vampire around when you’re about to be crushed by a truck?
6. Ron & Hermione, The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
What makes Ron and Hermione a fun couple is all the time they spent not a couple—the bickering and the jealousy. Don’t we all see some of ourselves in them? As a couple, they are far more compelling to me than Harry and Ginny.
5. Zane & Danica, Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Forced to marry in order to buy peace after years of war, Zane and Danica’s romance is not just a story about learning to trust another person, but also about throwing off all preconceived prejudices about another culture. Hawksong is my favorite of Atwater-Rhodes’s books, and she wrote it at the ripe old age of 19. (BTW, Atwater-Rhodes’s vampire novels are the reason I bought Twilight way back in 2006, before it was a cult classic.)
4. Benedick & Beatrice, Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare
They aren’t the stars of the show, but Benedick and Beatrice are two of my favorite characters, always hurling insults at each other, both swearing they will never fall in love. And of course they end up in love. With each other. Makes you think twice about that guy you always swore you hated, doesn’t it?
3. Mary Shelley & Stephen, In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters
Don’t hold out for a “happily ever after” in a story that takes place in the middle of World War I and the Spanish Influenza outbreak. However, Mary Shelley and Stephen’s romance is fresh, touching and bitter-sweet. A true paranormal romance that gives an entirely different spin to the ghost story.
2. Macy & Wes, The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
Of all the Dessen novels I’ve read (and I’ve read most of them) Macy and Wes are my favorite couple. I’m not sure why I like them better than Remy and Dexter or Annabel and Owen, but I do. Theirs is the realistic and contemporary romance that shows how love and help you find your way in a world littered with heartache and trouble.
1. Lizzy and Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
You might argue that this isn’t YA, but I’d disagree. It’s a story about young men and young women finding each other and their place in society—and that is what a lot of YA is about. What makes Lizzy and Darcy’s story so enticing is that they have to overcome not only their own arrogance and jaded opinions, but a slew of unfortunate circumstances out of their control. The fact that he lives in a mansion doesn’t hurt, either.
Before They Find Us by Michelle A. Hansen
I’m going to make you wish you were dead.
Just a text. Seventeen-year-old Rebecca Hales tries not to worry. Probably a wrong number. Not really meant for her, and definitely not related to the crime she witnessed six years ago. Right?
Then two states away, a bomb goes off in her best friend's locker. Soon Ryan is labeled a terrorist and runs to the safest place he knows—Rebecca’s house in small-town Wyoming. It doesn’t take long for the FBI to show up asking questions. Rebecca lies, of course, and says she hasn’t seen him.
Now she's neck-deep in it with him, whatever "it" is. The only way out is to return to Vegas, where Ryan is a wanted man. The city of lies and illusion tests Rebecca’s wits as she struggles to find the person who framed Ryan and why.
Is Rebecca’s text linked to the bombing? And what does it have to do with a six year old murder? Rebecca needs to find out before she loses Ryan—and her own life.
Release Date: November 2013
Genre: Romantic Thriller, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.
Thank you Michelle for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Michelle A. Hansen and her books, please visit her website or follow the other stops on her tour.
***Before They Find Us Giveaway***
Enter for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, a signed paperback copy of Before They Find Us, Before They Find Us charm necklace, bookmarks and signed postcard, and ebook copies of Before They Find Us and Painted Blind!
To enter, please use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. This is a tour giveaway, therefore winners will be drawn by the author or publisher.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!
Who are your favorite YA couples?
As part of the Before They Find Us tour, Michelle has agreed to share an exclusive Top 10 list with our readers. We've asked Michelle about her Top 10 YA Couples. Let's take a look!
Top 10 YA Couples
There are so many great YA couples out there, and I’ve read list after list. Forgive me for veering off the typical path, which usually includes a handful of best-selling series. Some of my top YA couples come from classics that got me hooked on YA romance in the first place.
10. Romeo & Juliet, Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
It’s not the tragedy that makes these lovers appealing; it’s the emotional rollercoaster they take you on in the process. Plus, you just can’t top the beauty of the language in the balcony scene. I taught this play so many times I used to have the scene memorized. After dozens of readings, I still love it.
9. Jenny & Luke, Teen Idol by Meg Cabot
This is on my list because I think it’s a pretty typical fantasy. We all dream about meeting our superstar crush, and having him fall madly in love with the girl next door (i.e. us). Cabot did a good job of packaging that fantasy in a story that made it a believable reality for Jenny. And, it’s just a fun book.
8. Kate & Richard, The Unlikely Romance of Kate Bjorkman by Louise Plummer
This book is actually a spoof on the romance novel, and Kate is the spoof on the romance novel heroine. She’s got Coke-bottle glasses and falls victim to all sorts of embarrassments, but finds love with her brother’s best friend, Richard. Plummer offers wisdom and insight about grand romantic gestures and shows that love is always a little bit goofy.
7. Bella & Edward, Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
When I say Twilight, I mean the first book, not the series. In Twilight, the reader is privy to the first sight, discovery and then the full weight of forbidden romance. I think the dark, forbidden romance is particularly appealing to teens. And who doesn’t need a vampire around when you’re about to be crushed by a truck?
6. Ron & Hermione, The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
What makes Ron and Hermione a fun couple is all the time they spent not a couple—the bickering and the jealousy. Don’t we all see some of ourselves in them? As a couple, they are far more compelling to me than Harry and Ginny.
5. Zane & Danica, Hawksong by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes
Forced to marry in order to buy peace after years of war, Zane and Danica’s romance is not just a story about learning to trust another person, but also about throwing off all preconceived prejudices about another culture. Hawksong is my favorite of Atwater-Rhodes’s books, and she wrote it at the ripe old age of 19. (BTW, Atwater-Rhodes’s vampire novels are the reason I bought Twilight way back in 2006, before it was a cult classic.)
4. Benedick & Beatrice, Much Ado About Nothing, William Shakespeare
They aren’t the stars of the show, but Benedick and Beatrice are two of my favorite characters, always hurling insults at each other, both swearing they will never fall in love. And of course they end up in love. With each other. Makes you think twice about that guy you always swore you hated, doesn’t it?
3. Mary Shelley & Stephen, In the Shadow of Blackbirds by Cat Winters
Don’t hold out for a “happily ever after” in a story that takes place in the middle of World War I and the Spanish Influenza outbreak. However, Mary Shelley and Stephen’s romance is fresh, touching and bitter-sweet. A true paranormal romance that gives an entirely different spin to the ghost story.
2. Macy & Wes, The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen
Of all the Dessen novels I’ve read (and I’ve read most of them) Macy and Wes are my favorite couple. I’m not sure why I like them better than Remy and Dexter or Annabel and Owen, but I do. Theirs is the realistic and contemporary romance that shows how love and help you find your way in a world littered with heartache and trouble.
1. Lizzy and Darcy, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
You might argue that this isn’t YA, but I’d disagree. It’s a story about young men and young women finding each other and their place in society—and that is what a lot of YA is about. What makes Lizzy and Darcy’s story so enticing is that they have to overcome not only their own arrogance and jaded opinions, but a slew of unfortunate circumstances out of their control. The fact that he lives in a mansion doesn’t hurt, either.
Before They Find Us by Michelle A. Hansen
I’m going to make you wish you were dead.
Just a text. Seventeen-year-old Rebecca Hales tries not to worry. Probably a wrong number. Not really meant for her, and definitely not related to the crime she witnessed six years ago. Right?
Then two states away, a bomb goes off in her best friend's locker. Soon Ryan is labeled a terrorist and runs to the safest place he knows—Rebecca’s house in small-town Wyoming. It doesn’t take long for the FBI to show up asking questions. Rebecca lies, of course, and says she hasn’t seen him.
Now she's neck-deep in it with him, whatever "it" is. The only way out is to return to Vegas, where Ryan is a wanted man. The city of lies and illusion tests Rebecca’s wits as she struggles to find the person who framed Ryan and why.
Is Rebecca’s text linked to the bombing? And what does it have to do with a six year old murder? Rebecca needs to find out before she loses Ryan—and her own life.
Release Date: November 2013
Genre: Romantic Thriller, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.
Thank you Michelle for joining us here today at From the Shadows!
To learn more about Michelle A. Hansen and her books, please visit her website or follow the other stops on her tour.
***Before They Find Us Giveaway***
Enter for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card, a signed paperback copy of Before They Find Us, Before They Find Us charm necklace, bookmarks and signed postcard, and ebook copies of Before They Find Us and Painted Blind!
To enter, please use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL. This is a tour giveaway, therefore winners will be drawn by the author or publisher.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!
Who are your favorite YA couples?
March 23, 2014
Cover Reveal: Prophecy of the Most Beautiful by Diantha Jones
Today we have a cover reveal for you! Check out the redesigned cover for PROPHECY OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL by Diantha Jones.
Prophecy of the Most Beautiful (Oracle of Delphi #1) by Diantha Jones.
She has a destiny so great that even the gods fear her.
Constant hallucinations and the frequent conversations with the voices in her head, have earned eighteen-year-old Chloe Clever the not-so-coveted title of “Whack Job” in her home town of Adel, Georgia. With the onslaught of prescription medications and therapists threatening to push her over the edge, she wishes for a life far away from the one she has, a life where she is destined to be more than the butt of everyone’s jokes and mockery.
Be careful what you wish for has never rung more true.
After living through an attack from her worst nightmare, she awakens to find herself far from home, surrounded by glorious riches and servants…and a few demigods who enjoy killing things. Upon learning that her favorite rockstar is an Olympian god, she is thrust into her new life as the Oracle of Delphi, the prophesier of the future, and the great Pythia that the gods have been anxiously awaiting to arrive for centuries. Setting out to fulfill the prophecy she has been given and to keep her family safe from a demigod Princess that wants her dead, Chloe learns of how great she is to become, all the while fighting mythical monsters, evading divine assassins and trying to outwit the ever-cunning Greek gods who harbor secrets of their own. In the hopes of discovering the Most Beautiful and the truth of her destiny, she strives to uncover the mysteries of the demigod Prince who has sworn to protect her with his life…and threatens to win her heart in the process.
Release Date: March 1, 2012
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.
What do you think of the new cover?
Here's what the old cover looked like...
Which cover do you like best?
Prophecy of the Most Beautiful (Oracle of Delphi #1) by Diantha Jones.
She has a destiny so great that even the gods fear her.
Constant hallucinations and the frequent conversations with the voices in her head, have earned eighteen-year-old Chloe Clever the not-so-coveted title of “Whack Job” in her home town of Adel, Georgia. With the onslaught of prescription medications and therapists threatening to push her over the edge, she wishes for a life far away from the one she has, a life where she is destined to be more than the butt of everyone’s jokes and mockery.
Be careful what you wish for has never rung more true.
After living through an attack from her worst nightmare, she awakens to find herself far from home, surrounded by glorious riches and servants…and a few demigods who enjoy killing things. Upon learning that her favorite rockstar is an Olympian god, she is thrust into her new life as the Oracle of Delphi, the prophesier of the future, and the great Pythia that the gods have been anxiously awaiting to arrive for centuries. Setting out to fulfill the prophecy she has been given and to keep her family safe from a demigod Princess that wants her dead, Chloe learns of how great she is to become, all the while fighting mythical monsters, evading divine assassins and trying to outwit the ever-cunning Greek gods who harbor secrets of their own. In the hopes of discovering the Most Beautiful and the truth of her destiny, she strives to uncover the mysteries of the demigod Prince who has sworn to protect her with his life…and threatens to win her heart in the process.
Release Date: March 1, 2012
Genre: Fantasy, Mythology, Young Adult
Add to Goodreads.
What do you think of the new cover?
Here's what the old cover looked like...
Which cover do you like best?
March 21, 2014
Book Giveaway: Lockstep by Karl Schroeder
Today we have a very special book giveaway for our readers. We are giving away a hardcover copy of LOCKSTEP by Karl Schroeder.
Lockstep by Karl Schroeder.
When seventeen-year-old Toby McGonigal finds himself lost in space, separated from his family, he expects his next drift into cold sleep to be his last. After all, the planet he’s orbiting is frozen and sunless, and the cities are dead. But when Toby wakes again, he’s surprised to discover a thriving planet, a strange and prosperous galaxy, and something stranger still—that he’s been asleep for 14,000 years.
Welcome to the Lockstep Empire, where civilization is kept alive by careful hibernation. Here cold sleeps can last decades and waking moments mere weeks. Its citizens survive for millennia, traveling asleep on long voyages between worlds. Not only is Lockstep the new center of the galaxy, but Toby is shocked to learn that the Empire is still ruled by its founding family: his own.
Toby’s brother Peter has become a terrible tyrant. Suspicious of the return of his long-lost brother, whose rightful inheritance also controls the lockstep hibernation cycles, Peter sees Toby as a threat to his regime. Now, with the help of a lockstep girl named Corva, Toby must survive the forces of this new Empire, outwit his siblings, and save human civilization.
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera, with YA crossover appeal
Add to Goodreads.
***Lockstep Book Giveaway***
To enter, please use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian mailing addresses only. Giveaway ends April 16, 2014 midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!
If you were to discover that you've been asleep for 14,000 years, what would you do first? (eat, read, dance, etc...)
Lockstep by Karl Schroeder.
When seventeen-year-old Toby McGonigal finds himself lost in space, separated from his family, he expects his next drift into cold sleep to be his last. After all, the planet he’s orbiting is frozen and sunless, and the cities are dead. But when Toby wakes again, he’s surprised to discover a thriving planet, a strange and prosperous galaxy, and something stranger still—that he’s been asleep for 14,000 years.
Welcome to the Lockstep Empire, where civilization is kept alive by careful hibernation. Here cold sleeps can last decades and waking moments mere weeks. Its citizens survive for millennia, traveling asleep on long voyages between worlds. Not only is Lockstep the new center of the galaxy, but Toby is shocked to learn that the Empire is still ruled by its founding family: his own.
Toby’s brother Peter has become a terrible tyrant. Suspicious of the return of his long-lost brother, whose rightful inheritance also controls the lockstep hibernation cycles, Peter sees Toby as a threat to his regime. Now, with the help of a lockstep girl named Corva, Toby must survive the forces of this new Empire, outwit his siblings, and save human civilization.
Release Date: March 25, 2014
Genre: Science Fiction, Space Opera, with YA crossover appeal
Add to Goodreads.
***Lockstep Book Giveaway***
To enter, please use the easy peasy Rafflecopter form below. This giveaway is open to US and Canadian mailing addresses only. Giveaway ends April 16, 2014 midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Good luck!
If you were to discover that you've been asleep for 14,000 years, what would you do first? (eat, read, dance, etc...)
