Jessie Harrell's Blog, page 11
November 7, 2012
Indie Author Spotlight: Cindy Hogan
Hi! Thanks for joining me today as I shine the Indie author spotlight on CINDY HOGAN!
Names of Books: Watched series: Watched, Protected and Created
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Synopsis for Created: Despite her lack of advanced training, the director of Bresen Academy convinces Ari she would be the best fit for a mission that surfaces in Prague with a group calling themselves Division 57. Uncertain, but wanting to please, she agrees. She quickly discovers there is nothing easy about being a spy and finds her very life on the line.
Who will love it: young adults and adult women, although several men have reviewed it on Ama
What's next for you: The first book in my next series is with my agent. Crossing my fingers for an amazing deal to come my way. Working on Book 2 and 3 in that series as well as a new series that secretly I'm more excited about than the one my agent has. :)
Favorite part of being an author: There is nothing better than having fans come up to you at signings, giggling, squealing, and shaking while telling you they can't believe they are meeting you.
Favorite song right now: Avril Lavigne-Smile
Last book you read for fun: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White
So there you have it ~ if you're interested in learning more about Cindy and her books, check out her blog.
November 6, 2012
Happy Debut YA Book Birthday
While there are quite a few book birthdays this week, not many of them are from debut authors. Personally, I'm excited about getting my hands on Days of Blood and Starlight (sequel to Daughter of Smoke and Bone).
But here's the interesting debut book of the week ~
COLIN FISHER by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz
SOLVING CRIME, ONE FACIAL EXPRESSION AT A TIME
Colin Fischer cannot stand to be touched. He does not like the color blue. He needs index cards to recognize facial expressions.
But when a gun is found in the school cafeteria, interrupting a female classmate's birthday celebration, Colin is the only one for the investigation. It's up to him to prove that Wayne Connelly, the school bully and Colin's frequent tormenter, didn't bring the gun to school. After all, Wayne didn't have frosting on his hands, and there was white chocolate frosting found on the grip of the smoking gun...
Colin Fischer is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, and his story--as told by the screenwriters of X-Men: First Class and Thor--is perfect for readers who have graduated from Encyclopedia Brown and who are ready to consider the greatest mystery of all: what other people are thinking and feeling.
"Colin Fischer is like an alien anthropologist stranded on Earth, with no choice but to master the local social codes and try to pass as human, or perish." --Lev Grossman, New York Times bestselling author of The Magicians
“Evok[es] Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time . . . Readers will be drawn into the mystery and intrigued by Colin’s vision of the world.” --PW
But here's the interesting debut book of the week ~
COLIN FISHER by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz
SOLVING CRIME, ONE FACIAL EXPRESSION AT A TIME
Colin Fischer cannot stand to be touched. He does not like the color blue. He needs index cards to recognize facial expressions.
But when a gun is found in the school cafeteria, interrupting a female classmate's birthday celebration, Colin is the only one for the investigation. It's up to him to prove that Wayne Connelly, the school bully and Colin's frequent tormenter, didn't bring the gun to school. After all, Wayne didn't have frosting on his hands, and there was white chocolate frosting found on the grip of the smoking gun...
Colin Fischer is a modern-day Sherlock Holmes, and his story--as told by the screenwriters of X-Men: First Class and Thor--is perfect for readers who have graduated from Encyclopedia Brown and who are ready to consider the greatest mystery of all: what other people are thinking and feeling.
"Colin Fischer is like an alien anthropologist stranded on Earth, with no choice but to master the local social codes and try to pass as human, or perish." --Lev Grossman, New York Times bestselling author of The Magicians
“Evok[es] Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time . . . Readers will be drawn into the mystery and intrigued by Colin’s vision of the world.” --PW
October 30, 2012
TOUCHING THE SURFACE by Kimberly Sabatini
Way back when being an author seemed like an impossible dream (January 2009), I ventured to NYC to attend the winter SCBWI conference. My first day there I participated in the novel intensive, where we were seated at tables of about 9 authors with 1 agent or publisher. As we each took turns reading our first few pages aloud, one opening took my breath away. The writing was beautiful; the story compelling. I admit I was a little jealous. But mostly, I was in awe because I knew I was meeting a person who would undoubtedly be published one day. To my great delight, this author was as sweet as she was talented, and she went out of her way to befriend me and invite me out with her group that evening. This author was none other than Kimberly Sabatini.
(That's us there in the middle.)When I went back home, Kimberly served as my very first critique partner. She let me bounce ideas off of her and answered my late-night e-mails. She was a champion for Destined when I decided to self-publish it, even taking a copy to her dance studio and making sure everyone knew about it. So I couldn't be happier to tell you that her debut novel, TOUCHING THE SURFACE, celebrates it's book birthday TODAY.
So without further ado, I give you, TOUCHING THE SURFACE!
Experience the afterlife in this lyrical, paranormal debut novel that will send your heart soaring.When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn’t remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right.
Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed.
As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she’s hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.
Kimberly was nice enough to answer a few short questions for me too - even though Simon Pulse has her loaded to the gills with pre-launch activities, I'm sure!
Name three reasons readers are going to love Elliot. #1 She's a little snarky and less than perfect. #2 She loves pizza--yum! And #3 she learns that there is a difference between flying away and taking flight.
If you could pick an actress to play Elliot, who would it be? I'd totally pick Ellen Page. If you want a sneak peek, here is my TOUCHING THE SURFACE Pinterest Board. https://pinterest.com/kimsabatini/touching-the-surface/
I know it's hard to compartmentalize your story, but the synopsis says it's paranormal. When I read it (long ago), it felt more like a contemporary. How do you feel the story reads? I consider SURFACE an accidental paranormal LOL! In my mind it's a contemporary, that by circumstance, has a little zing.
Readers who loved _______________ will love Touching the Surface. IF I STAY by Gayle Forman and BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver. What song best represents Touching the Surface? LITTLE BIRD by Annie Lennox
What's the last book you read for fun? I just got done with MIND GAMES by Kiersten White--it was fabulous!
I just re-read Touching the Surface again and I loved it SO MUCH. I hope you'll check it out too. But before you go, tell me why you want to read TTS in the comments (with your e-mail addy) to be entered to WIN an awesome swag pack . (Similar to this, but minus the book - you'll have to get your own copy because I'm not sharing mine!)
(That's us there in the middle.)When I went back home, Kimberly served as my very first critique partner. She let me bounce ideas off of her and answered my late-night e-mails. She was a champion for Destined when I decided to self-publish it, even taking a copy to her dance studio and making sure everyone knew about it. So I couldn't be happier to tell you that her debut novel, TOUCHING THE SURFACE, celebrates it's book birthday TODAY.So without further ado, I give you, TOUCHING THE SURFACE!
Experience the afterlife in this lyrical, paranormal debut novel that will send your heart soaring.When Elliot finds herself dead for the third time, she knows she must have messed up, big-time. She doesn’t remember how she landed in the afterlife again, but she knows this is her last chance to get things right.
Elliot just wants to move on, but first she will be forced to face her past and delve into the painful memories she’d rather keep buried. Memories of people she’s hurt, people she’s betrayed…and people she’s killed.
As she pieces together the secrets and mistakes of her past, Elliot must find a way to earn the forgiveness of the person she’s hurt most, and reveal the truth about herself to the two boys she loves…even if it means losing them both forever.
Kimberly was nice enough to answer a few short questions for me too - even though Simon Pulse has her loaded to the gills with pre-launch activities, I'm sure!
Name three reasons readers are going to love Elliot. #1 She's a little snarky and less than perfect. #2 She loves pizza--yum! And #3 she learns that there is a difference between flying away and taking flight.
If you could pick an actress to play Elliot, who would it be? I'd totally pick Ellen Page. If you want a sneak peek, here is my TOUCHING THE SURFACE Pinterest Board. https://pinterest.com/kimsabatini/touching-the-surface/
I know it's hard to compartmentalize your story, but the synopsis says it's paranormal. When I read it (long ago), it felt more like a contemporary. How do you feel the story reads? I consider SURFACE an accidental paranormal LOL! In my mind it's a contemporary, that by circumstance, has a little zing.
Readers who loved _______________ will love Touching the Surface. IF I STAY by Gayle Forman and BEFORE I FALL by Lauren Oliver. What song best represents Touching the Surface? LITTLE BIRD by Annie Lennox
What's the last book you read for fun? I just got done with MIND GAMES by Kiersten White--it was fabulous!
I just re-read Touching the Surface again and I loved it SO MUCH. I hope you'll check it out too. But before you go, tell me why you want to read TTS in the comments (with your e-mail addy) to be entered to WIN an awesome swag pack . (Similar to this, but minus the book - you'll have to get your own copy because I'm not sharing mine!)
October 28, 2012
RENEGADE by J.A. Souders (review + contest)
Seriously, I couldn't be more excited to be participating in this blog tour today. Not only is Jessica (J.A.) a friend and an Oasis sister, but RENEGADE was freaking amazing. She allowed me to get an advance peek at the novel and I devoured it.
Since the age of three, sixteen-year-old Evelyn Winters has been trained to be Daughter of the People in the underwater utopia known as Elysium. Selected from hundreds of children for her ideal genes, all her life she’s thought that everything was perfect; her world. Her people. The Law.
But when Gavin Hunter, a Surface Dweller, accidentally stumbles into their secluded little world, she’s forced to come to a startling realization: everything she knows is a lie. Her memories have been altered. Her mind and body aren’t under her own control. And the person she knows as Mother is a monster.
Together with Gavin she plans her escape, only to learn that her own mind is a ticking time bomb... and Mother has one last secret that will destroy them all.
From the very first pages, Evie's world is palpably real. You can easily imagine living in the darkness of the seas, surrounded by water, never having experienced sunshine or the outside world. Evie herself is an instantly likable character, and although she is "perfect," you know right away that she's been brainwashed. Perfection is a forced perception and that perception is slowly shattered.
Which is another thing I loved about the story. There's not one cataclysmic event that turns Evie's world upside down. There is a slow building of little events - the clicking in of little puzzle pieces - that leads up to a very dramatic conclusion. You get to figure out what's happening right along with Evie (and a very delicious Gavin) and live the nightmare right along with her. And because (as the description tells you), Evie's memories have been altered, the realization of what really happened in Evie's past and what Mother has planned for the future, are just as shocking to Evie as they will be to you.
To sum this story up, it was like a futuristic, underwater Nazi Germany, where a perfect race is being cultivated and anyone who stands in the way meets death at the hands of a crazed dictator. Only in this case, the dictator is known as Mother. How creepy is that???
Trust me when I tell you that this book is AMAZING. There was never a moment when I felt bored. Instead, I turned the pages as quickly as I could and loved every minute of it. I'm so happy and proud for my friend, Jessica, and can't wait to see what the next book in the series has in store for Evie and Gavin!
Jessica was awesome enough to share a few of her favorite quotes from the novel. I think the second is my FAVORITE!! :)
"How can you even know who you are, if you can’t remember who you’ve been?”
"A woman’s best weapon is her smile, unless there’s a loaded Beretta 9mm nearby."
"So many memories. So much lost. So much to regain . . . again."
"No matter what cataclysmic event you’re facing, please be sure to double- check the seals on all of your samples and the tamper- proof container before reporting to your designated evacuation area."
AUTHOR BIO:J.A. Souders lives in Florida with her husband and their two children and is an active member of RWA, DFRW, YARWA, SCBWI, and SFWA. RENEGADE is her first novel.
To get your hands on a copy of RENEGADE or to follow Jessica, check out these links:
http://jasouders.com/ (Website)http://jasouders.com/blog/ (Blog)https://www.facebook.com/JASouders (Facebook)http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4880398.J_A_Souders (Goodreads)http://twitter.com/jasouders (Twitter)
BUY:AmazonThe Book Depository
Oh, and you want to win something, right? Here's the Rafflecopter. :) (Sorry, open to U.S. Residents only for swag and RENEGADE pre-order copies)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 25, 2012
YA Mythology Giveaway Hop (US only)
Hello fellow mythology lovers and welcome! If you already know me, then you know I LOVE mythology. Enough to major in Classics in undergrad. Enough to write a novel based on Greek myth and a short story based on Egyptian mythology.
Yes, I love mythology THAT MUCH.
To share my love of mythology with you, I'm offering the winner her choice between two prizes. The winner (US only, sorry) can pick from either:
1. An autographed copy of Destined (my Greek myth novel) or
2. An e-book copy of Two and Twenty Dark Tales (the anthology containing my Egyptian myth short story)
Just fill out the Rafflecopter and hop on over to the next blog. Very simple, very easy. But before you go, scroll down to the last blog entry for a chance to win some more spooky stories from C. Lee McKenzie. Happy Halloween!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
October 24, 2012
Ghost Story Anyone? (+ giveaway!)
Guest post by author C. Lee McKenzie ~
You’re seated around the campfire, light flickering over the faces of those huddled there with you, and one of your friends is telling a story--not just a story--a ghost story.That prickling at the back of your neck, the way your breathing grows shallow and you wrap your arms around yourself bumps your heart up to high. It’s a cool night, but tiny beads of sweat collect at your hairline.
It’s fear time, baby, and your body’s reacting to that familiar emotion, the one you experience whenever you’re scared by something and you’d like to pull the covers over your head or--better yet--run!
And you’re thrilled, right? Fear heightens awareness and cancels all the mundane concerns. For this moment you’re transported, you’re “alive” and “tingly.” This is one reason everyone loves a good ghost story. Another is that ghost stories try to demystify death, that one inescapable universal. This is why Halloween with its seasonal creepiness has such appeal and why this ancient Celtic celebration, steeped in ghostly myths, has continued in some form into the present day.
A few literary facts:
+ The thirteen stories nominated for the Booker Prize in 2011 were about death. Here’s an interesting link on how to get published by writing about death.+ Some of the best known and loved classics in literature are ghost stories: The Raven [Poe], A Christmas Carol [Dickens], The Turn of the Screw [James]. + Today ghost stories are among the favorites of young readers. Dead Connection, The Body Finder, The Ghost Sitter, Stonewords: A Ghost Story and on and on. + No Pulitizer for fiction this year, but Train Dreams was a finalist and it was an excellent ghost story.
So I’ve written some ghostly tales. Some have been published in magazines, some are still on my C drive waiting for a publisher to find them :-), and some are still in my head. But this time of year I’m stirred to read and write about ghosts who walk in the night, about restless spirits seeking revenge, about pumpkin-evil stuff. And you? Do you love to read ghost stories? Do you love to write them? What are your favorite ones? Want to give us a sample of a ghostly scene? That would be fun and it might help you win some SWAG. Here’s what’s up for grabs while I’m visiting Jessie’s super blog.
2 pdf of my ghostly short stories
2 eBooks of Alligators Overhead (Witch alert here!)
1 signed hardcopy of The Princess of Las Pulgas (It has some small ghostly moments.)
1 signed hardcopy of Sliding on the Edge (This ghost is more like a monster, but haunting in its own way.)
** hard copies are available for U.S. only **
Thanks, Lee! That's so generous of you to offer up so many great prizes! And because Lee is as cool as she is generous, she doesn't even want you to have to work that hard to win. You don't have to follow her (although you should). You don't have to buy her books (although you should do that too). All you have to do is tell us a ghost story. It can be real or made up. 1. Leave the story or a link in the comments.2. Also include your e-mail address in the comments so we can notify you if you win.3. Let us know if you're US or International so we know what contest to enter you for.4. Get your stories in by midnight on All Hallows Eve. When the witching hour arrives, your chance to win will disappear.And that's it! Of course, if you win, pretty please with cherries on top review the story somewhere . It's one of the nicest things you can do for an author.
And before you go, please stalk find Lee on line. She's an amazing person and author! And don't forget to check out her new creepy tale, Alligators Overhead. The links are below.
TRAILER: http://youtu.be/YP9I401gWNQWEBSITE: http://cleemckenziebooks.comBLOG: http://writegame.blogspot.comFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/cleemckenziebooksTWITTER : @cleemckenzieAMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0042M1KYW GOODREADShttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2809083.C_Lee_McKenzie
ALLIGATORS OVERHEAD:AMAZON KINDLE http://tinyurl.com/7hv8j5a
AMAZON PAPERBACKhttp://tinyurl.com/9kvezg5
B & Nhttp://tinyurl.com/8ywogjt
SMASHWORDShttps://www.smashwords.com/books/view/204548
October 19, 2012
Cover Reveal for THE SECOND SIGN + ARC tour sign-up
The Second Sign by Elizabeth ArroyoPublisher: Sapphire Star PublishingGenre: Young Adult Dark Fantasy/ Paranormal RomanceRelease Date: February 07, 2013 Synopsis: Bred to believe in the war between angels and demons, Gabby has come to the conclusion that love is responsible for war, jealousy, and all the other deadly sins she can think of. So when she’s exiled to the middle of nowhere for getting kicked out of her fifth school for fighting, she doesn't expect to meet Jake. Much less fall in love. But Jake is quickly drawn to the eerie beauty of her violet eyes while Gabby is unsettled by their undeniable connection.
When a demon guardian comes to collect her soul, she refuses to give it up. She’s not a demon. She can’t be. Her father and twin brother are angels. The demon gives Gabby twenty-four hours to decide her allegiance, and then starts killing her short list of friends, leaving a message behind: She is the Second Sign.
As Gabby and Jake begin to unravel the mystery behind the Second Sign, she learns Jake may be the key to saving her soul. But it means a sacrifice has to be made that will change their lives forever.
Check out Elizabeth:
Website: www.elizabetharroyo.comBlog: http://chandarawrites.blogspot.comTwitter: https://twitter.com/EArroyo5Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/elizabetharroyo.author
Interested in reading the ARC? Here are the details:
Anita Saxena is hosting an ARC Tour of The Second Sign. We would like as many people as possible to read THE SECOND SIGN before the release in February and we'd like the participants to blog about the book after they've read it.
So the blogger commits to:
1. Reading the book fast
2. Blogging about it
3. Paying to ship the book via priority mail (which typically costs $4.95) at post office. All post offices supply free envelopes so that way the reader doesn't have to pay for envelope/packing material
In addition, you're encouraged to write in the book, not only to sign it, but on any page where you think something is good/cool/whatever. Smiley faces and hearts are always welcome! Due to postage, this is only for US residents. If you are interested, please contact Anita at anita@anitasaxena.com so that she can put you on the list!
October 17, 2012
TAKING BACK ETERNITY Cover Reveal
Karen Amanda Hooper, author of Tangled Tides and Grasping at Eternity, is sharing her newest cover today. The sequel to Grasping at Eternity, book 2 of The Kindrily series, is titled Taking Back Forever.
Karen and her cover designer, Alexandra Shostak, have worked side by side to create the Taking Back Forever cover. After lots of hard work (and a lot of love) here it is…
Want to know more? Here’s a summary of Taking Back Forever.
Forever is worth the fight.
Maryah erased all memory of her past lives, but she couldn’t erase her soul mate Nathan, or his undying love. Now, Maryah and Nathan have a second chance at a future together, but first Maryah must remember the person she used to be and embrace her supernatural gifts—more than one kindrily member’s life depends on it.
Maryah’s power is Harmony’s best hope of finding her kidnapped soul mate, Gregory. But Harmony isn’t big on asking anyone for help, and she’s tired of waiting, so she’s taking matters into her own hands. Heaven help anyone who stands in her way.
To celebrate, Karen and Alexandra are giving away signed paperbacks of Grasping at Eternity. (Signed by Karen AND Alexandra!) Contest is open internationally!
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/shar...
Alexandra Shostak is a writer of dark and fantastical things, mostly meant for teenagers. She is a freelance cover designer, and is available to do covers and interior artwork directly for authors. She is also a former Irish dancer, a guitar player, and the person who can get you through the zombie apocalypse without getting bitten.If you’re especially worried about the zombie apocalypse, you can find her in one of these places:www.alexandrashostak.comwww.coversbyalexandra.comwww.yaconfidential.com
or on Twitter as @a_shostakKaren was born and bred in Baltimore, frolicked and froze in Colorado for a couple of years, and is currently sunning and splashing around Florida with her two beloved dogs. She's addicted to coffee, chocolate, and complicated happily-ever-afters. Due to her strong Disney upbringing, she still believes in fairytales and will forever sprinkle magic throughout all of her novels.
October 16, 2012
Two and Twenty Dark Tales is Here!
If you haven't heard about the awesome anthology from Month 9 Books, called Two and Twenty Dark Tales, it's time to check it out. Remember as a kid, that chill you got from things that went bump in the night? Well, here's the grown up version!
In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young.
Now, I'm particularly partial to this anthology because one of my stories is in it. My nursery rhyme? Hey Diddle, Diddle. If you've ever wondered why that dog was laughing, the cat was playing a fiddle, and a cow jumped over the moon -- well, all shall be explained in "I Come Bearing Souls." For more clues and to see some of my inspiration images, check out my Pinterest Board.
In the meantime, please consider picking up your copy now. These spooky tales are perfect to get you in the Halloween spirit - PLUS, proceeds from the first 5,000 will be donated to charity. So let's make sure those first 5,000 copies FLY off the shelves, okay?
What was your favorite Mother Goose rhyme? If you could write your own dark retelling, which rhyme would you choose?
In this anthology, 20 authors explore the dark and hidden meanings behind some of the most beloved Mother Goose nursery rhymes through short story retellings. The dark twists on classic tales range from exploring whether Jack truly fell or if Jill pushed him instead to why Humpty Dumpty, fragile and alone, sat atop so high of a wall. The authors include Nina Berry, Sarwat Chadda, Leigh Fallon, Gretchen McNeil, and Suzanne Young.
Now, I'm particularly partial to this anthology because one of my stories is in it. My nursery rhyme? Hey Diddle, Diddle. If you've ever wondered why that dog was laughing, the cat was playing a fiddle, and a cow jumped over the moon -- well, all shall be explained in "I Come Bearing Souls." For more clues and to see some of my inspiration images, check out my Pinterest Board.
In the meantime, please consider picking up your copy now. These spooky tales are perfect to get you in the Halloween spirit - PLUS, proceeds from the first 5,000 will be donated to charity. So let's make sure those first 5,000 copies FLY off the shelves, okay?
What was your favorite Mother Goose rhyme? If you could write your own dark retelling, which rhyme would you choose?
October 9, 2012
Debut YA Book Birthdays
This Tuesday we celebrate these debut YA book birthdays ~ Who's ready??
MYSTIC CITY by Theo Lawrence
For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.
Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.
VELVETEEN by Danial Marks
Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that’s not the problem.
The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.
Bonesaw.
Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days.
It’ll be brutal... and awesome.
But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.
Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules... or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT by Colleen Clayton
How can you talk about something you can’t remember?
Before the ski trip, sixteen-year-old Cassidy “Sid” Murphy was a cheerleader (at the bottom of the pyramid, but still...), a straight-A student, and a member of a solid trio of best friends. When she ends up on a ski lift next to handsome local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled; but Dax takes everything from Sid—including a lock of her perfect red curls—and she can’t remember any of it.
Back home and unable to relate to her old friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she can just shake the nightmares and those few extra pounds, everything will be perfect... or so she thinks.
Witty and poignant, Colleen Clayton’s stunning debut is a story about moving on after the unthinkable happens.
TIME BETWEEN US by Tamara Ireland Stone
Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett has the unique ability to travel through time and space, which brings him into Anna’s life, and with him a new world of adventure and possibility.
As their relationship deepens, the two face the reality that time may knock Bennett back to where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time.
Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, Time Between Us is a stunning, spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new voice in YA fiction.
VALKYRIE RISING by Ingrid Paulson
Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there.
What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.
Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.
MYSTIC CITY by Theo Lawrence
For fans of Matched, The Hunger Games, X-Men, and Blade Runner comes a tale of a magical city divided, a political rebellion ignited, and a love that was meant to last forever. Book One of the Mystic City Novels.Aria Rose, youngest scion of one of Mystic City's two ruling rival families, finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster, the son of her parents' sworn enemies. The union of the two will end the generations-long political feud—and unite all those living in the Aeries, the privileged upper reaches of the city, against the banished mystics who dwell below in the Depths. But Aria doesn't remember falling in love with Thomas; in fact, she wakes one day with huge gaps in her memory. And she can't conceive why her parents would have agreed to unite with the Fosters in the first place. Only when Aria meets Hunter, a gorgeous rebel mystic from the Depths, does she start to have glimmers of recollection—and to understand that he holds the key to unlocking her past. The choices she makes can save or doom the city—including herself.
VELVETEEN by Danial Marks
Velveteen Monroe is dead. At 16, she was kidnapped and murdered by a madman named Bonesaw. But that’s not the problem.The problem is she landed in purgatory. And while it’s not a fiery inferno, it’s certainly no heaven. It’s gray, ashen, and crumbling more and more by the day, and everyone has a job to do. Which doesn’t leave Velveteen much time to do anything about what’s really on her mind.
Bonesaw.
Velveteen aches to deliver the bloody punishment her killer deserves. And she’s figured out just how to do it. She’ll haunt him for the rest of his days.
It’ll be brutal... and awesome.
But crossing the divide between the living and the dead has devastating consequences. Velveteen’s obsessive haunting cracks the foundations of purgatory and jeopardizes her very soul. A risk she’s willing to take—except fate has just given her reason to stick around: an unreasonably hot and completely off-limits coworker.
Velveteen can’t help herself when it comes to breaking rules... or getting revenge. And she just might be angry enough to take everyone down with her.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT by Colleen Clayton
How can you talk about something you can’t remember?Before the ski trip, sixteen-year-old Cassidy “Sid” Murphy was a cheerleader (at the bottom of the pyramid, but still...), a straight-A student, and a member of a solid trio of best friends. When she ends up on a ski lift next to handsome local college boy, Dax Windsor, she’s thrilled; but Dax takes everything from Sid—including a lock of her perfect red curls—and she can’t remember any of it.
Back home and unable to relate to her old friends, Sid drops her college prep classes and takes up residence in the A/V room with only Corey “The Living Stoner” Livingston for company. But as she gets to know Corey (slacker, baker, total dreamboat), Sid finds someone who truly makes her happy. Now, if she can just shake the nightmares and those few extra pounds, everything will be perfect... or so she thinks.
Witty and poignant, Colleen Clayton’s stunning debut is a story about moving on after the unthinkable happens.
TIME BETWEEN US by Tamara Ireland Stone
Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett has the unique ability to travel through time and space, which brings him into Anna’s life, and with him a new world of adventure and possibility.As their relationship deepens, the two face the reality that time may knock Bennett back to where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate, what consequences they can bear in order to stay together, and whether their love can stand the test of time.
Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, Time Between Us is a stunning, spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new voice in YA fiction.
VALKYRIE RISING by Ingrid Paulson
Nothing ever happens in Norway. But at least Ellie knows what to expect when she visits her grandmother: a tranquil fishing village and long, slow summer days. And maybe she’ll finally get out from under the shadow of her way-too-perfect big brother, Graham, while she’s there. What Ellie doesn’t anticipate is Graham’s infuriating best friend, Tuck, tagging along for the trip. Nor did she imagine boys going missing amid rumors of impossible kidnappings. Least of all does she expect something powerful and ancient to awaken in her and that strange whispers would urge Ellie to claim her place among mythological warriors. Instead of peace and quiet, there’s suddenly a lot for a girl from L.A. to handle on a summer sojourn in Norway! And when Graham vanishes, it’s up to Ellie—and the ever-sarcastic, if undeniably alluring Tuck—to uncover the truth about all the disappearances and thwart the nefarious plan behind them.
Deadly legends, hidden identities, and tentative romance swirl together in one girl’s unexpectedly-epic coming of age.
