Alivia Anders's Blog, page 4
February 15, 2013
Interview with PT McHugh, Author of KEEPER OF THE BLACK STONES
Hey all!
Guess who's one of the first stops in the KEEPER OF THE BLACK STONES blog tour? A- this gal! I'm incredibly proud to say Glass House Press gave me the honor of doing an interview with the fresh, intelligent new author PT McHugh. We definitely hit some of the more... interesting topics in this interview. What can I say, I like asking all the weird questions in life, hah!
Alivia Anders: I'm not one to ask the standard 'When did you start writing, what gave you the idea for Keeper, blah blah blah.' So, I'll go straight for the jugular. Name the weirdest place you had an idea for a scene for Keeper of the Black Stones. Bathroom with a Soap Opera Digest? Shower while singing to Beyonce? Baking a cake for your dog?
PT McHugh: Weirdest place to think of a scene or a character? How about walking steel beams several stories above the ground, just after the last beam was hung out at the Raleigh museum? That’s when I figured out how to introduce Tatiana’s character.
Alivia Anders: We both know that, as authors, sometimes we think of our characters as darling little children. And sometimes, those children misbehave. Tell me which character was the biggest pain in your behind out of everyone in KEEPER.
PT McHugh: Paul was the most misbehaved character. Not so much in regard to his antics and humor, but just because of his unpredictability. I pretty much know where I stand with Reis, Jason, and even Tatiana, but Paul is sometimes out there, and I don’t always know where he’s coming from. I don’t think he does either.
Alivia Anders: If you had to choose a lifetime of bacon-flavored foods, or lifetimes of cheesecake flavored foods, which one would you consume?
PT McHugh: That’s a tough one because you’d be ruining one of the two favorite food groups: bacon and cheesecake (and yes, they have their own individual food groups because of how great they truly are). But let’s just say that I wouldn’t get sick of one or the other. I guess I would have to vote bacon. My dogs agree.
Alivia Anders: Give me three words typically used to describe food, but use them to describe Keeper of the Black Stones. Bonus points if you don't use the words 'juicy' or 'delicious'.
PT McHugh: Let’s make it more interesting, I can only use words that start with the letter “S”: succulent, savory, scrumptious!
Alivia Anders: Finish the sentence! If I could, I would wear ________ with a superhero costume every day.
PT McHugh: That’s easy, my Patriots baseball cap.
Alivia Anders: You wake up in a stalled out elevator, flickering lights and impending doom looming. With you is a cellphone good for one phone call for 30 seconds, a pen and paper, and a copy of Twilight with a lighter. You have enough time to use one of the three. Do you burn Twilight, write something on the pen and paper, or call someone with the cellphone?
PT McHugh: Well, since Twilight never hurt me physically, I’d leave the book alone. I wouldn’t want my loved ones to hear me screaming like a little girl, so that leaves me with then pen and paper. “Love you all … don’t stay up too late girls, and make sure Mommy lets the dogs out before going to bed.” That’s pretty much what my last though would be.
Alivia Anders: If Jason from KEEPER had to read one girly magazine (Cosmo, Seventeen, Vogue, etc.) which one would he choose?
PT McHugh: How about Good Housekeeping? There are some beautiful younger women who don’t wear as much makeup in that magazine (pretty girls make him very nervous) AND Jason enjoys cooking every once in a while (something we haven’t covered yet).
Alivia Anders: I typically hear from authors a lot that they never saw themselves as becoming an author. So, pretending you never became an author, list your three fantasy careers and why. (But I'm so going to guess one of your fantasy careers would be a football player for the Patriots!)
PT McHugh: You’re close on the Patriots, but the real action isn’t playing for the Patriots, but owning them. I want Robert Kraft’s job. So that’s number one. Second choice, how about film director? And for my last wish list fantasy job … professional golfer (they’ve got it made).
Alivia Anders: If KEEPER was made into a movie (or TV series!) who do you think would play Jason?
PT McHugh: My daughter said the boy who played Peta in the Hunger Games. Can’t think of his name, but he would be great.
Alivia Anders: Are you a glass half-full kind of guy, or a glass half-empty gent?
PT McHugh: I wish I were a half-full kind of guy, but unfortunately I have a knack for worrying, just ask my wife, coworkers, daughters, editor, publisher…
Oh, Patrick, you should definitely be looking at the glass half-full! You, sir, have done one of the impossible things in life; you got a book published! Much luck to you and your wicked debut.
Make sure all of you pre-order your copy of KEEPER OF THE BLACK STONES today! (Especially since I see the paperback is on sale, double bonus!)
Amazon or Barnes & Noble
February 8, 2013
Release Date Updates!
I've got some awesome hold-onto-your-hats news that's worthy of a little happy dance!
Finally, I can share some dates for releases this year. Some have moved forward (yay!) and some have been pushed a little back (boo!), but here's a nice list of dates we can all mark on our calendars for 2013.
Ethereal: An Illumine Series Novella- February 28th, 2013 (ebook release exclusive for Kindle)
*Ethereal will be going to Nook on May 30th, 2013*
The Illumine Series: Volume One- March 11th, 2013 (includes Illumine, Obumbrate, and Ethereal in a single paperback)COVER TBA
Untitled (The Illumine Series, #4)- Spring 2014*This one is a constantly shifting, very tentative date. Until I finish the first draft in full and have some editors and betas look it over, I won't be able to stick a solid date on this one. The earliest it COULD release is winter 2013, the latest will be summer 2014.*COVER & TITLE TBA
A Shard of Ice (The Black Symphony Saga, #1)- April 14th, 2014COVER TBA
You can still VOTE for the cover HERE, though!
An Ice Princess Heart: A Shard of Ice Novella, #1- October 28th, 2013
An Ice Princess Kiss: A Shard of Ice Novella, #2- December 9th, 2013
An Ice Princess Symphony: A Shard of Ice Novella, #3- January 21st, 2014
An Ice Princess Dream: A Shard of Ice Novella, #4- March 25th, 2014
Unwanted: Stand-Alone Adult Dystopian- July 30th, 2013(This is the only one that hasn't had a change in its date, hah.)
And that's it for now, but we all know I love working on a million projects at the same time. Trust me, you think this year is nuts? Wait until you see what's in store over the next two. If I don't go insane, it's because I met an awesome doctor with some seriously good anti-anxiety meds. Or I moved to Disney. Either way, the next few years are going to be one heck of a roller coaster.
Finally, I can share some dates for releases this year. Some have moved forward (yay!) and some have been pushed a little back (boo!), but here's a nice list of dates we can all mark on our calendars for 2013.
Ethereal: An Illumine Series Novella- February 28th, 2013 (ebook release exclusive for Kindle)
*Ethereal will be going to Nook on May 30th, 2013*
The Illumine Series: Volume One- March 11th, 2013 (includes Illumine, Obumbrate, and Ethereal in a single paperback)COVER TBA
Untitled (The Illumine Series, #4)- Spring 2014*This one is a constantly shifting, very tentative date. Until I finish the first draft in full and have some editors and betas look it over, I won't be able to stick a solid date on this one. The earliest it COULD release is winter 2013, the latest will be summer 2014.*COVER & TITLE TBA
A Shard of Ice (The Black Symphony Saga, #1)- April 14th, 2014COVER TBA
You can still VOTE for the cover HERE, though!
An Ice Princess Heart: A Shard of Ice Novella, #1- October 28th, 2013
An Ice Princess Kiss: A Shard of Ice Novella, #2- December 9th, 2013
An Ice Princess Symphony: A Shard of Ice Novella, #3- January 21st, 2014
An Ice Princess Dream: A Shard of Ice Novella, #4- March 25th, 2014
Unwanted: Stand-Alone Adult Dystopian- July 30th, 2013(This is the only one that hasn't had a change in its date, hah.)
And that's it for now, but we all know I love working on a million projects at the same time. Trust me, you think this year is nuts? Wait until you see what's in store over the next two. If I don't go insane, it's because I met an awesome doctor with some seriously good anti-anxiety meds. Or I moved to Disney. Either way, the next few years are going to be one heck of a roller coaster.
January 31, 2013
OCEANS OF RED VOLUMES ONE AND TWO Cover Reveal!
Phew! Okay, looks like I'm going to be late on this one. >.<
One of my favorite indie authors, and fellow mentor-guide-person-of-awesomeness, Willow Cross, is having a cover reveal today. Yay! It's a beautiful new set of covers to her Oceans of Red series, and the best part is, with these new covers comes some equally cool news. But first, cover love time!
Oceans of Red Volume One
Oceans of Red Volume Two
Definitely a wicked, dark, and eye-catching pair of covers!
Okay, so you want the awesome news coming with these sweet covers? Willow Cross' Oceans of Red series is being made into a WEB SERIES! They're doing casting calls soon, how's that for a HOLY FREAKING CRAP moment?! Congrats, Willow, I hope it's huge!
One of my favorite indie authors, and fellow mentor-guide-person-of-awesomeness, Willow Cross, is having a cover reveal today. Yay! It's a beautiful new set of covers to her Oceans of Red series, and the best part is, with these new covers comes some equally cool news. But first, cover love time!
Oceans of Red Volume One
Oceans of Red Volume Two
Definitely a wicked, dark, and eye-catching pair of covers!
Okay, so you want the awesome news coming with these sweet covers? Willow Cross' Oceans of Red series is being made into a WEB SERIES! They're doing casting calls soon, how's that for a HOLY FREAKING CRAP moment?! Congrats, Willow, I hope it's huge!
January 22, 2013
Vote For A SHARD OF ICE Cover!
Voting Time!
Not too long ago, I asked on my Facebook what you guys wanted to see more, the cover to the final Illumine novel, or the covers I wanted to put to vote for A Shard of Ice, the debut to my new upcoming series, the Black Symphony Saga. By just a teeny-tiny inch, you voted to see the Shard of Ice covers. I'm guessing it probably has to do with all those itty-bitty teasers I keep sharing without giving you any real information as to what this series is about.
Well, no more fretting. Once this gorgeous cover contest comes to an end, I'll be announcing the winning cover, the blurb, AND a chance for a signed ARC. Oh yeah, baby, I'm going all out on this one.
So here's how this works- out of the three below, vote for your TWO favorite. That's is, piece of cake. When you're done, feel free to share the vote to your friends! Or leave a comment on which one was truly your favorite of the three. ;)
Voting closes on February 28th, and the winning cover will be announced around mid-March. Now go, vote!
EDIT: The lovely model in ALL of these covers is Maria Amanda. If you're free for a minute, please check out her Facebook here or her Deviantart here. <3
Vote For Your Favorite TOP TWO Covers For A SHARD OF ICE!
Cover One
Cover Two
Cover Three
View results
Powered by FreeOnlineSurveys.comMWAHAHAHAHA! One more vote for the pile! Thank you for voting, don't forget to check back for the results in mid-March.
(Hint: bookmarking my blog, or following my Facebook page makes it tons easier to remember, in case you're like me and can't remember what day of the week it is without your phone, heh.)
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/aliviaanders
See you soon!
Create a poll like this
Not too long ago, I asked on my Facebook what you guys wanted to see more, the cover to the final Illumine novel, or the covers I wanted to put to vote for A Shard of Ice, the debut to my new upcoming series, the Black Symphony Saga. By just a teeny-tiny inch, you voted to see the Shard of Ice covers. I'm guessing it probably has to do with all those itty-bitty teasers I keep sharing without giving you any real information as to what this series is about.
Well, no more fretting. Once this gorgeous cover contest comes to an end, I'll be announcing the winning cover, the blurb, AND a chance for a signed ARC. Oh yeah, baby, I'm going all out on this one.
So here's how this works- out of the three below, vote for your TWO favorite. That's is, piece of cake. When you're done, feel free to share the vote to your friends! Or leave a comment on which one was truly your favorite of the three. ;)
Voting closes on February 28th, and the winning cover will be announced around mid-March. Now go, vote!
EDIT: The lovely model in ALL of these covers is Maria Amanda. If you're free for a minute, please check out her Facebook here or her Deviantart here. <3
Vote For Your Favorite TOP TWO Covers For A SHARD OF ICE!
Cover One
Cover TwoCover ThreeView resultsPowered by FreeOnlineSurveys.comMWAHAHAHAHA! One more vote for the pile! Thank you for voting, don't forget to check back for the results in mid-March.
(Hint: bookmarking my blog, or following my Facebook page makes it tons easier to remember, in case you're like me and can't remember what day of the week it is without your phone, heh.)
Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/aliviaanders
See you soon!
Create a poll like this
January 4, 2013
GAMES OF FIRE Cover Reveal!
Oh, squee! It's another cover reveal, ladies and gents! But this time, it's from a loving friend of mine, and fellow author, Airicka Phoenix! Let's show this lovely author some love (lovely, love, I need to invest in a bigger vocabulary box).Ahem.I present to you... -drumroll-
GAMES OF FIRE!
Title: Games of Fire
Author: Airicka Phoenix
Publisher: Self-Published
Release date: February 14, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Action, Suspense, Mystery, Romance
Warnings: None
Formats: ebook, paperback
Goodreads: Add to your TBR list!
Synopsis:
Sophie has enough problems in her life without Spencer turning her blood to fire, without his eyes freezing and burning her, without his hatred of her. Since his migration into the house next to hers, Sophia Valdez isn’t sure whether she wants to toss him under a bus or kiss that smirking mouth of his.
But even as the temperature rises around them, leaping flames of passion, want and desire, everything either has ever known will be shattered by the lurking shadow hounding their every step, wanting revenge.
Spencer Rowth moves to the sleepy town of River Port with his mother and twelve year old sister, Suzy, to escape a deceitful father, an unfaithful girlfriend and a life crumbling much too fast for him to grapple onto only to be smacked upside the head by the last thing he wanted again. Sophie was everything he refused to want. Her temper, her wit, her laugh, her smile, the way her entire body goes up in flames under his hands are things he would rather slam a lid on and forget. Instead, he finds himself falling for the smart-mouth next door. But how long will he have before the evil chasing them catches up? How long before the very thing he never wanted becomes his only thread to sanity? And who is after them?
What do they want and why do they want Spencer and Sophie dead?
Other Novels by Airicka Phoenix:
~
~ Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology
~ Midnight Surrender Anthology
Social Networks:
Facebook! - Twitter! - Goodreads! - Author Website!
Teaser to GAMES OF FIRE:
“I hope that’s the last of our unlucky streak.”
Sophie couldn’t agree more, but something in the air, a chill, coiled around her, sinking razor sharp talons into her flesh. It trickled venom through her veins, paralyzing all hopes that tomorrow would be better. Truthfully, how could it be when the person responsible was still out there? What if they came back? What if they tried again? What if they did it to someone else?
No. Sophie had no delusions that it would be better tomorrow. She wasn’t fooled by the temporary calm. Two incidents simultaneously? Maybe the police didn’t spot the link, but she wasn’t so lucky nor could she rule out that possibility that Spencer was the center of it all.
Author Bio:
Airicka Phoenix is the author of TOUCHING SMOKE (Touch Book #1), TOUCHING ETERNITY (Touch 1.5), TORRID, a short story as part of the Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology and WANTING & INTENTIONS, two stories as part of the Midnight Surrender Anthology.
When she's not hammering away at the keyboard, she can be found banishing pirates or crawling through the attic looking for lost treasure with her kids. She loves baking, gardening and reading. She also likes to travel and take pictures of everything she comes across. When asked, Airicka describes herself as a sarcastic basket case that has an unhealthy addiction to chocolate, old movies and really bad jokes. She loves to laugh, make friends and write. If she could have one wish granted, it would be to spend one day as a fly-on-the-wall inside Stephen King's mind. If she could have two wishes granted, she would ask for a castle dedicated entirely to her overwhelming collection of books.
GAMES OF FIRE!
Title: Games of FireAuthor: Airicka Phoenix
Publisher: Self-Published
Release date: February 14, 2013
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Action, Suspense, Mystery, Romance
Warnings: None
Formats: ebook, paperback
Goodreads: Add to your TBR list!
Synopsis:
Sophie has enough problems in her life without Spencer turning her blood to fire, without his eyes freezing and burning her, without his hatred of her. Since his migration into the house next to hers, Sophia Valdez isn’t sure whether she wants to toss him under a bus or kiss that smirking mouth of his.
But even as the temperature rises around them, leaping flames of passion, want and desire, everything either has ever known will be shattered by the lurking shadow hounding their every step, wanting revenge.
Spencer Rowth moves to the sleepy town of River Port with his mother and twelve year old sister, Suzy, to escape a deceitful father, an unfaithful girlfriend and a life crumbling much too fast for him to grapple onto only to be smacked upside the head by the last thing he wanted again. Sophie was everything he refused to want. Her temper, her wit, her laugh, her smile, the way her entire body goes up in flames under his hands are things he would rather slam a lid on and forget. Instead, he finds himself falling for the smart-mouth next door. But how long will he have before the evil chasing them catches up? How long before the very thing he never wanted becomes his only thread to sanity? And who is after them?
What do they want and why do they want Spencer and Sophie dead?
Other Novels by Airicka Phoenix:
~
~ Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology
~ Midnight Surrender Anthology
Social Networks:
Facebook! - Twitter! - Goodreads! - Author Website!
Teaser to GAMES OF FIRE:
“I hope that’s the last of our unlucky streak.”
Sophie couldn’t agree more, but something in the air, a chill, coiled around her, sinking razor sharp talons into her flesh. It trickled venom through her veins, paralyzing all hopes that tomorrow would be better. Truthfully, how could it be when the person responsible was still out there? What if they came back? What if they tried again? What if they did it to someone else?
No. Sophie had no delusions that it would be better tomorrow. She wasn’t fooled by the temporary calm. Two incidents simultaneously? Maybe the police didn’t spot the link, but she wasn’t so lucky nor could she rule out that possibility that Spencer was the center of it all.
Author Bio:
Airicka Phoenix is the author of TOUCHING SMOKE (Touch Book #1), TOUCHING ETERNITY (Touch 1.5), TORRID, a short story as part of the Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology and WANTING & INTENTIONS, two stories as part of the Midnight Surrender Anthology.
When she's not hammering away at the keyboard, she can be found banishing pirates or crawling through the attic looking for lost treasure with her kids. She loves baking, gardening and reading. She also likes to travel and take pictures of everything she comes across. When asked, Airicka describes herself as a sarcastic basket case that has an unhealthy addiction to chocolate, old movies and really bad jokes. She loves to laugh, make friends and write. If she could have one wish granted, it would be to spend one day as a fly-on-the-wall inside Stephen King's mind. If she could have two wishes granted, she would ask for a castle dedicated entirely to her overwhelming collection of books.
December 30, 2012
Vote for Alivia in the YATR New Author of 2012 Poll!
The end of the year is only a few days away, you know what that means, right?
Voting for all those awesome 2012 reads and their authors!
So guess who may have been nominated for New Author of 2012? (/cough hack not subtle at all)
Young Adult and Teen Readers have a whole bunch of polls going on for today, but the best one (in my opinion) is New Author of 2012! And since I started my career as a published author in January of 2012, I'm in. Holy crap, that feels like forever ago.
Ahhh, getting off track.
The polls for various nominations are running until tomorrow, but if you have a moment, click the link below and vote for Alivia Anders for YATR's New Author of 2012!
Click here to go vote!
Thank you! <3
Voting for all those awesome 2012 reads and their authors!
So guess who may have been nominated for New Author of 2012? (/cough hack not subtle at all)
Young Adult and Teen Readers have a whole bunch of polls going on for today, but the best one (in my opinion) is New Author of 2012! And since I started my career as a published author in January of 2012, I'm in. Holy crap, that feels like forever ago.
Ahhh, getting off track.
The polls for various nominations are running until tomorrow, but if you have a moment, click the link below and vote for Alivia Anders for YATR's New Author of 2012!
Click here to go vote!
Thank you! <3
December 29, 2012
Best of the Best! 2012's Top Reads
2013 is inching upon us! Which means two things:
1- Mayan's were wrong, we so didn't die. Well played Mayans, well played. (I'm seriously going to beat this Mayan-apocalypse-failure joke into the ground, I'm so sorry guys)
2- Time to share my favorite and top reads for 2012! (This is where the real fun begins, you know, sharing is caring and all that jazz)
I will admit, picking a top book for the following categories was hard, like, really freaking impossible hard. There are so many books this year I didn't get to read, so I couldn't count them, and there were quite a few blunders I read this year that took away time from the good books I could have been reading. Stab me with a sword and watch me bleed, why don't'cha. Sigh. But, I did manage to narrow it down from the small pile I did read (and silently promise myself to read more next year or the Book Gods will smite me with page paper cuts, ouch) and share them with all of you lovely peeps.
Ready? It's time to share my favorites of 2012!
TOP 2 INDIE BOOKS OF 2012
This was particularly difficult, and I'm still feeling the gut twist over this. I only read a few indie books this year, way less than I should have (bad Livi!) so it almost feels unfair to choose. Especially when I've heard so much positive response to Melissa Andrea's FLUTTER and Tabatha Vargo's WICKED FATE. They're definitely on my immediate to-read lists as soon as I get an inch of free time.
But out of the few that I did manage to read, here's my top two.
NUMBER ONE
Burning Bridges
I haven't exactly been shy in expressing my love for the two main characters of this exceptional YA Dystopian-Romance novel, Echo and Ayden. So it should be no surprise that, when I thought of what my favorite Indie book would be, BURNING BRIDGES immediately came to mind. You can read my review of this spectacular novel here on Goodreads, but trust me when I say you're better off just grabbing the book and diving headfirst into the story.
NUMBER TWO
Dazzle
This was definitely another easy favorite of mine. While I didn't sink into the book as easily as I have with others, something kept pulling me back to it, be it the mystery surrounding one key character, or the romance that brewed on the surface between two others. And that ending? Now I NEED the second book!
And now, moving onto the next major category! Picking two indie books was nearly impossible, but I had to select two traditionally published books for my favorites of the year, too. Umm, if picking indie books for the year was hard, this one had me FREAKING OUT. I almost wished there had been a ninja in the dark corner of my room to take me out so I didn't have to pick!
TOP 2 TRAD BOOKS OF 2012
My brain is still trying to go over how I managed to select only two out of this mosh-pit of insanity. There were simply too many books this year, WAY too many. There was THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin, INCARNATE by Jodi Meadows, CLOCKWORK PRINCE by Cassandra Clare, I could list books all day. But just like I mentioned above, I ran into a few books this year I'd rather not remember, nor do I care to. Some flopped so hard in my brain, I had to take a few days to get over them, and it cut into the time I could have been slugging away at all these other awesome reads just waiting for me.
But, if I had to pick only two books, I did my best to pick two that have impacted me both emotionally and mentally.
NUMBER ONE
Throne of Glass
Oh my gosh, where do I even start with this one? Just thinking about it brings a huge wave of varied emotions. THRONE OF GLASS was one of those books I really dug into during Hurricane Sandy's nightmare, and it was probably the perfect book for the event. Dragging me from our powerless house to a castle of glass coupled with a mix of love, lust, determination, and mystery, I still feel intensely powerful about this book. THRONE OF GLASS gave me a broken heroine, twisted by the salt mines and captivity, and let her blaze to life with the touch of a guard and the prince. The turn of each page brought a new shade to each character, expertly navigating emotions and cultivating them just right so your heart pounded when Celaena's did, felt the rush of excitement when she did, it all blended together perfectly.
But by far the moment that has kept with me from this book rests in the final battle within its pages. Celaena is losing, terribly losing after being drugged by the competition, and for a moment, it all seems lost. The connection she makes in her rawest moment of weakness with a specific person reduced me to tears, and I nearly shook trying to turn the page. It's rare that I find myself choking on emotion with books, but when I do, I know it will be a favorite and a MUST RE-READ of mine forever.
NUMBER TWO
Divergent
Holy crap. There are no words for how I feel for Divergent, except... Divergent. The love that builds in a pulse-pounding reality, the struggle on the main character's shoulders, and the well balanced secondary characters left me in pure awe and literally unable to sit this book down from the moment I picked it up. I hadn't even realized how deeply I had sunk into the world of Veronica Roth's until my Dad woke up at 4AM, only to come and find me sitting on the kitchen floor, head in the book.
And don't even get me started on Four... just... oh Tobias, my heart! (/swoon indeed!)
Now we move onto the smaller, single categories. Equally as hard to pick, but still each deserving of their titles.
TOP FANTASY READ of 2012
Dragons, sylph, and reincarnated lives? Oh, so much love.
TOP DYSTOPIAN READ of 2012
This was a total no-brainer. Divergent was good, but best Dystopain HAD to go to BURNING BRIDGES by Nadège Richards!
TOP PARANORMAL READ of 2012
You want freaky? How about dead animals, mental hospitals, and back-from-the-dead people?
TOP ROMANCE READ of 2012
Three words: Jem and Tessa. That love scene had me swooning so hard I nearly fell off my bed reading it... so scandalous, so delicious, I WANT MORE!
TOP COUPLE of 2012
Tobias and Tris; Four and Six!
TOP BFF's of 2012
Celaena and Chaol! (Yes, I know you really can't count them as a 'bff' pair, but since they're not technically together in ToG...FRIENDS THEY SHALL BE!)
And finally, what I would consider to be the biggest award for the year, my top YA Read of 2012!
TOP YA READ OF 2012
A HUGE congrats to Michelle Hodkin for THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER!
While BURNING BRIDGES stole my dystopian virginity, DAZZLE sparked a mystery lover within me, THRONE OF GLASS captured my fantasy realm, DIVERGENT showed me strength from the inside out, and each other top book of the year sparkled a little more into my life, none of them could hold a candle to the wild, dramatic, intoxicating power of EVOLUTION.
It's no secret I'm a HUGE Michelle Hodkin fan. I'd follow her like a groupie if it was legal. I'd love to pick her brain on a rainy day in a musty bookshop, letting her chat about her process and where all the darkness that swallows each page of her novels comes from. From the minute I latched onto her debut novel, THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER, I was horribly, impossibly hooked. All I could think about is Noah, Noah, Mara, and yeah, Noah. The way Hodkin writes her stories, leaving you to question the words on each and every page as real or false, imagination or reality, it's scary. It's hauntingly dark and gorgeous. And most of all, it's my favorite YA read of the year.
Alright, so that's it for me! What about you? Any special books this year that you'd call your top read, or maybe you have a top for a couple genres like I did? Share in the comments!
1- Mayan's were wrong, we so didn't die. Well played Mayans, well played. (I'm seriously going to beat this Mayan-apocalypse-failure joke into the ground, I'm so sorry guys)
2- Time to share my favorite and top reads for 2012! (This is where the real fun begins, you know, sharing is caring and all that jazz)
I will admit, picking a top book for the following categories was hard, like, really freaking impossible hard. There are so many books this year I didn't get to read, so I couldn't count them, and there were quite a few blunders I read this year that took away time from the good books I could have been reading. Stab me with a sword and watch me bleed, why don't'cha. Sigh. But, I did manage to narrow it down from the small pile I did read (and silently promise myself to read more next year or the Book Gods will smite me with page paper cuts, ouch) and share them with all of you lovely peeps.
Ready? It's time to share my favorites of 2012!
TOP 2 INDIE BOOKS OF 2012
This was particularly difficult, and I'm still feeling the gut twist over this. I only read a few indie books this year, way less than I should have (bad Livi!) so it almost feels unfair to choose. Especially when I've heard so much positive response to Melissa Andrea's FLUTTER and Tabatha Vargo's WICKED FATE. They're definitely on my immediate to-read lists as soon as I get an inch of free time.
But out of the few that I did manage to read, here's my top two.
NUMBER ONE
Burning Bridges
I haven't exactly been shy in expressing my love for the two main characters of this exceptional YA Dystopian-Romance novel, Echo and Ayden. So it should be no surprise that, when I thought of what my favorite Indie book would be, BURNING BRIDGES immediately came to mind. You can read my review of this spectacular novel here on Goodreads, but trust me when I say you're better off just grabbing the book and diving headfirst into the story.
NUMBER TWO
Dazzle
This was definitely another easy favorite of mine. While I didn't sink into the book as easily as I have with others, something kept pulling me back to it, be it the mystery surrounding one key character, or the romance that brewed on the surface between two others. And that ending? Now I NEED the second book!
And now, moving onto the next major category! Picking two indie books was nearly impossible, but I had to select two traditionally published books for my favorites of the year, too. Umm, if picking indie books for the year was hard, this one had me FREAKING OUT. I almost wished there had been a ninja in the dark corner of my room to take me out so I didn't have to pick!
TOP 2 TRAD BOOKS OF 2012
My brain is still trying to go over how I managed to select only two out of this mosh-pit of insanity. There were simply too many books this year, WAY too many. There was THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER by Michelle Hodkin, INCARNATE by Jodi Meadows, CLOCKWORK PRINCE by Cassandra Clare, I could list books all day. But just like I mentioned above, I ran into a few books this year I'd rather not remember, nor do I care to. Some flopped so hard in my brain, I had to take a few days to get over them, and it cut into the time I could have been slugging away at all these other awesome reads just waiting for me.
But, if I had to pick only two books, I did my best to pick two that have impacted me both emotionally and mentally.
NUMBER ONE
Throne of Glass
Oh my gosh, where do I even start with this one? Just thinking about it brings a huge wave of varied emotions. THRONE OF GLASS was one of those books I really dug into during Hurricane Sandy's nightmare, and it was probably the perfect book for the event. Dragging me from our powerless house to a castle of glass coupled with a mix of love, lust, determination, and mystery, I still feel intensely powerful about this book. THRONE OF GLASS gave me a broken heroine, twisted by the salt mines and captivity, and let her blaze to life with the touch of a guard and the prince. The turn of each page brought a new shade to each character, expertly navigating emotions and cultivating them just right so your heart pounded when Celaena's did, felt the rush of excitement when she did, it all blended together perfectly.
But by far the moment that has kept with me from this book rests in the final battle within its pages. Celaena is losing, terribly losing after being drugged by the competition, and for a moment, it all seems lost. The connection she makes in her rawest moment of weakness with a specific person reduced me to tears, and I nearly shook trying to turn the page. It's rare that I find myself choking on emotion with books, but when I do, I know it will be a favorite and a MUST RE-READ of mine forever.
NUMBER TWO
Divergent
Holy crap. There are no words for how I feel for Divergent, except... Divergent. The love that builds in a pulse-pounding reality, the struggle on the main character's shoulders, and the well balanced secondary characters left me in pure awe and literally unable to sit this book down from the moment I picked it up. I hadn't even realized how deeply I had sunk into the world of Veronica Roth's until my Dad woke up at 4AM, only to come and find me sitting on the kitchen floor, head in the book.
And don't even get me started on Four... just... oh Tobias, my heart! (/swoon indeed!)
Now we move onto the smaller, single categories. Equally as hard to pick, but still each deserving of their titles.
TOP FANTASY READ of 2012
Dragons, sylph, and reincarnated lives? Oh, so much love.
TOP DYSTOPIAN READ of 2012
This was a total no-brainer. Divergent was good, but best Dystopain HAD to go to BURNING BRIDGES by Nadège Richards!
TOP PARANORMAL READ of 2012
You want freaky? How about dead animals, mental hospitals, and back-from-the-dead people?
TOP ROMANCE READ of 2012
Three words: Jem and Tessa. That love scene had me swooning so hard I nearly fell off my bed reading it... so scandalous, so delicious, I WANT MORE!
TOP COUPLE of 2012
Tobias and Tris; Four and Six!
TOP BFF's of 2012
Celaena and Chaol! (Yes, I know you really can't count them as a 'bff' pair, but since they're not technically together in ToG...FRIENDS THEY SHALL BE!)
And finally, what I would consider to be the biggest award for the year, my top YA Read of 2012!
TOP YA READ OF 2012
A HUGE congrats to Michelle Hodkin for THE EVOLUTION OF MARA DYER!
While BURNING BRIDGES stole my dystopian virginity, DAZZLE sparked a mystery lover within me, THRONE OF GLASS captured my fantasy realm, DIVERGENT showed me strength from the inside out, and each other top book of the year sparkled a little more into my life, none of them could hold a candle to the wild, dramatic, intoxicating power of EVOLUTION.
It's no secret I'm a HUGE Michelle Hodkin fan. I'd follow her like a groupie if it was legal. I'd love to pick her brain on a rainy day in a musty bookshop, letting her chat about her process and where all the darkness that swallows each page of her novels comes from. From the minute I latched onto her debut novel, THE UNBECOMING OF MARA DYER, I was horribly, impossibly hooked. All I could think about is Noah, Noah, Mara, and yeah, Noah. The way Hodkin writes her stories, leaving you to question the words on each and every page as real or false, imagination or reality, it's scary. It's hauntingly dark and gorgeous. And most of all, it's my favorite YA read of the year.
Alright, so that's it for me! What about you? Any special books this year that you'd call your top read, or maybe you have a top for a couple genres like I did? Share in the comments!
December 27, 2012
Upcoming Releases 2013
Holy crap, can you believe we only have a few more days in 2012? Take that, Mayans!
Aside from my goofy outburst above, I figured I'd post a little update on some upcoming release dates! This is all a little rough, so things might flux around their releases, but my goal is to do my best and stick as close to specific release dates as possible.
Here's what we've got coming up for all of 2013!
The Illumine Series: Volume I - Combo paperback of Illumine and Obumbrate (February 2013)
Ethereal - Novella of Rinae and Tegen from the Illumine Series pre-Riven (March/April 2013)
Swimming Songbird - Anthology published through Red Alice Press (May 2013)
Unwanted - Stand-alone New Adult dystopian (July 30th, 2013)
Hallowed - Anthology published through Red Alice Press (October 2013)
An Ice Princess Heart, An Ice Princess Kiss, An Ice Princess Symphony, An Ice Princess Dream - Black Symphony Saga novellas pre-Shard of Ice (Fall 2013/Summer 2014)
Untitiled - the final book to the Illumine Series, name TBR (December 2014)
I know it doesn't look like much, but there's a lot of work in that tiny little sheet. And that doesn't include all the drafts I'll be finishing between these, drafts that'll turn into books for 2014 and beyond. I'll be lucky if I see the sun at all this summer. -sniffle-
Aside from my goofy outburst above, I figured I'd post a little update on some upcoming release dates! This is all a little rough, so things might flux around their releases, but my goal is to do my best and stick as close to specific release dates as possible.
Here's what we've got coming up for all of 2013!
The Illumine Series: Volume I - Combo paperback of Illumine and Obumbrate (February 2013)
Ethereal - Novella of Rinae and Tegen from the Illumine Series pre-Riven (March/April 2013)
Swimming Songbird - Anthology published through Red Alice Press (May 2013)
Unwanted - Stand-alone New Adult dystopian (July 30th, 2013)
Hallowed - Anthology published through Red Alice Press (October 2013)
An Ice Princess Heart, An Ice Princess Kiss, An Ice Princess Symphony, An Ice Princess Dream - Black Symphony Saga novellas pre-Shard of Ice (Fall 2013/Summer 2014)
Untitiled - the final book to the Illumine Series, name TBR (December 2014)
I know it doesn't look like much, but there's a lot of work in that tiny little sheet. And that doesn't include all the drafts I'll be finishing between these, drafts that'll turn into books for 2014 and beyond. I'll be lucky if I see the sun at all this summer. -sniffle-
December 13, 2012
SACRIFICE OF INNOCENCE Cover Reveal!
(Hey all, sorry I'm a tad late on a few posts! Blogger decided it liked my Belated NaNo Wrap-Up, Riven Tour Thank You, and this post. I've been so steamed over it, I didn't want to touch my blog for a few days. But, eh, life goes on, and I still want to show all of you the awesome authors I'm thankful to know, plus I think I'm just going to type all my posts in Word before posting them. Problem solved.)
Today I have a gorgeous cover up for you all to see! A patient friend of mine, Allison Cosgrove, made me feel honored enough to include me in her cover reveal extravaganza. And I know I'm jealous- the layout is gorgeous and eye-catching in a unique way.
Here's the blurb to SACRIFICE OF INNOCENCE, by Allison Cosgrove:
A cult had been killing children for its rituals, and only one cop knows who they are. Detective Stan Brookshire knows, but his past keeps people from believing him. Can he rise above the stigma that shrouds his past, and stop a cult from taking yet another innocent children from her mother's arms, before it's too late?
And now, THE COVER!
See what I mean about unique? Most covers have people on them, or blood all over the cover, maybe even a child in the case of a story involving kids. The lone candle on the top, like a tiny flame, just says volumes all on its own. This would DEFINITELY be a cover I'd pick up and check out on a bookshelf.
Even better, I've got a piece of the story for you to read! Get ready to click to add to those Goodreads lists, guys and gals.
Prologue
The man in the corner listened in the darkness, the wind whistling through the crack in the window frame, billowing his hair around him. The child in the room with him was invisible in the darkness. Even the power of the sun, let alone the light from the full moon, could not dampen the gloom hidden behind the boarded windows.
Hearing a sound, the man stiffened. It was the child; the sweet, young child.
"Very soon, my precious, very soon," Joseph whispered, his breath coming in short gasps. Excitement filled his belly; time was drawing closer for the boy.Footsteps in the hallway caused the boy to whimper in fear, lighting the man's loins on fire. Desperately wanting the forbidden, to touch and play with the boy, he tried to force the urge back down. He wasn't allowed that pleasure, yet. The priests would come soon and the boy would have to be pure. The man's needs would have to wait. The boy would have to wait.Dreaming of the day he would finally be able to have his way with the boy, the man fixed the delicious whimpers in his memory. The boy would no longer be able to cry and plea.
It was coming soon. So close now.
On the other side of the room, he heard the ominous creak of the door opening. Blinding light silhouetted a figure dressed in long robes.
He hurried over and retrieved his boy-child, his breath coming in gasps so ragged that he thought his lungs would cease to function.
A whimper was all that escaped the gag when the boy tried to scream. Cringing at the man's touch, he fought against the bonds, causing the man's groin to harden once more.
The man smiled. He tightened his grip upon the boy as he tried to wiggle free. The door stood open, waiting for him and the boy.
Suddenly, the door swung closed behind him, plunging the room into darkness once again.
add Sacrifice of Innocence to your Goodreads list
About the author, Allison Cosgrove!
Allison Cosgrove was born and raised in a suburb of Toronto, Ontario. A married mother of three daughters, she works in accounting by day and creates her own worlds by night. She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughters hiking in the woods or sitting by the fire reading a good book. She has had the love of reading and writing detective mysteries from the age of twelve but it has only been since the birth of her youngest that she has gotten serious about crafting some of her own works for others to enjoy. She credits her family and friends with being the driving force that has given her the strength to breathe life into her books.
Keep up with Allison and all her projects!TWITTER @alleycat34BOOKS FB PAGE:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sacrifice-of-Innocence/189484287742684
MY AUTHOR PAGE:http://www.facebook.com/AllisonMCosgrove
BLOG: www.stanbrookshire.com
Today I have a gorgeous cover up for you all to see! A patient friend of mine, Allison Cosgrove, made me feel honored enough to include me in her cover reveal extravaganza. And I know I'm jealous- the layout is gorgeous and eye-catching in a unique way.
Here's the blurb to SACRIFICE OF INNOCENCE, by Allison Cosgrove:
A cult had been killing children for its rituals, and only one cop knows who they are. Detective Stan Brookshire knows, but his past keeps people from believing him. Can he rise above the stigma that shrouds his past, and stop a cult from taking yet another innocent children from her mother's arms, before it's too late?
And now, THE COVER!
See what I mean about unique? Most covers have people on them, or blood all over the cover, maybe even a child in the case of a story involving kids. The lone candle on the top, like a tiny flame, just says volumes all on its own. This would DEFINITELY be a cover I'd pick up and check out on a bookshelf.
Even better, I've got a piece of the story for you to read! Get ready to click to add to those Goodreads lists, guys and gals.
Prologue
The man in the corner listened in the darkness, the wind whistling through the crack in the window frame, billowing his hair around him. The child in the room with him was invisible in the darkness. Even the power of the sun, let alone the light from the full moon, could not dampen the gloom hidden behind the boarded windows.
Hearing a sound, the man stiffened. It was the child; the sweet, young child.
"Very soon, my precious, very soon," Joseph whispered, his breath coming in short gasps. Excitement filled his belly; time was drawing closer for the boy.Footsteps in the hallway caused the boy to whimper in fear, lighting the man's loins on fire. Desperately wanting the forbidden, to touch and play with the boy, he tried to force the urge back down. He wasn't allowed that pleasure, yet. The priests would come soon and the boy would have to be pure. The man's needs would have to wait. The boy would have to wait.Dreaming of the day he would finally be able to have his way with the boy, the man fixed the delicious whimpers in his memory. The boy would no longer be able to cry and plea.
It was coming soon. So close now.
On the other side of the room, he heard the ominous creak of the door opening. Blinding light silhouetted a figure dressed in long robes.
He hurried over and retrieved his boy-child, his breath coming in gasps so ragged that he thought his lungs would cease to function.
A whimper was all that escaped the gag when the boy tried to scream. Cringing at the man's touch, he fought against the bonds, causing the man's groin to harden once more.
The man smiled. He tightened his grip upon the boy as he tried to wiggle free. The door stood open, waiting for him and the boy.
Suddenly, the door swung closed behind him, plunging the room into darkness once again.
add Sacrifice of Innocence to your Goodreads list
About the author, Allison Cosgrove!
Allison Cosgrove was born and raised in a suburb of Toronto, Ontario. A married mother of three daughters, she works in accounting by day and creates her own worlds by night. She enjoys spending time with her husband and daughters hiking in the woods or sitting by the fire reading a good book. She has had the love of reading and writing detective mysteries from the age of twelve but it has only been since the birth of her youngest that she has gotten serious about crafting some of her own works for others to enjoy. She credits her family and friends with being the driving force that has given her the strength to breathe life into her books.
Keep up with Allison and all her projects!TWITTER @alleycat34BOOKS FB PAGE:http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sacrifice-of-Innocence/189484287742684
MY AUTHOR PAGE:http://www.facebook.com/AllisonMCosgrove
BLOG: www.stanbrookshire.com
December 7, 2012
RIVEN Is Here!
Yes, I am afraid I cannot tell a lie. #RIVENDAY has been ENGAGED!
(You know, that means it's out and all. Huzzah!)Both buttons will take you to their respective spots to grab an ebook copy of this delicious read.
Oh, and the awesome part. For the release day, and ONLY THE RELEASE DAY (DECEMBER 7TH, 2012), Riven will be priced at $0.99After that, it will return to normal pricing.
What does this mean, you ask? Grab that sucker today, don't wait, and show a little love for #RIVENDAY!
Hold onto your hats, all you Kayden fans. Try not to cry too much, all you Ari fans. And Essallie fans? Just pray she makes it through this book alive.
(You know, that means it's out and all. Huzzah!)Both buttons will take you to their respective spots to grab an ebook copy of this delicious read.
Oh, and the awesome part. For the release day, and ONLY THE RELEASE DAY (DECEMBER 7TH, 2012), Riven will be priced at $0.99After that, it will return to normal pricing.
What does this mean, you ask? Grab that sucker today, don't wait, and show a little love for #RIVENDAY!
Hold onto your hats, all you Kayden fans. Try not to cry too much, all you Ari fans. And Essallie fans? Just pray she makes it through this book alive.
