Meradeth Houston's Blog, page 30

After Reading: SINNER by Maggie Stiefvater

found.
Cole St. Clair has come to California for one reason: to get Isabel Culpeper back. She fled from his damaged, drained life, and damaged and drained it even more. He doesn't just want her. He needs her. 

lost. 
Isabel is trying to build herself a life in Los Angeles. It's not really working. She can play the game as well as all the other fakes...but what's the point? What is there to win?

sinner.Cole and Isabel share a past that never seemed to have a future. They have the power to save each other and the power to tear each other apart. The only thing for certain is that they cannot let go. (Goodreads)

The Wolves of Mercy Falls are such wonderful books. I love falling into that world and enjoy Stiefvater's writing so much. The same goes for Sinner. The writing and emotion behind them always shine through so incredibly well. And Cole and Isabel are such troubled, fascinating characters that it was hard to escape their world, even when I wasn't reading. One thing that stuck out to me, and which always hits me during one of her books, is how well the characters know themselves. They seems to have a solid grasp on their reasoning (even if flawed) and actions. It's what helps make their characters so amazingly real. (It is also rather strange for me to read, as someone who doesn't feel that way about myself whatsoever, but hey, it's interesting!) Other than that, the wolf bit did feel a tad tacked-on in this book, and I found myself viewing it more as a metaphor for drugs, but that didn't detract from the novel overall. The ending was satisfying in a silly-grin sort of way, which was what I was looking for :)

Have you caught any of this series? What did you think about this book?

52 LIKES by Medeia Sharif is on sale!

Happy Hump Day! A short post today to let you know that one of my favorite authors has a great book on sale!!

Medeia Sharif's 52 LIKES is 99 cents on Amazon for a limited time. This edgy, paranormal YA title has been receiving rave reviews. Important issues such as rape, bullying, and social media abuse are tackled in this novel. You can connect with Medeia through her blog, Twitter account, Goodreads page, and Instagram to learn more about this book and her other titles.

52 LIKES, Evernight Teen, 2015: After a brutal rape and near-murder, Valerie wants to get past feelings of victimhood from both the assault and her history of being bullied. She’s plagued by not knowing the identity of her rapist and by the nasty rumors in school about that night. Valerie follows clues from ghostly entities, past victims of the rapist-murderer, contacting her through a social media site—why do all of their eerie photos have 52 likes under them? Their messages are leading her to the mystery man, although he’ll put up a fight to remain hidden.

After Reading: DIVINE SCREAM by Benjamin Kane Ethridge

For Jared Kare, every part of life is terrifying. He relies heavily on his friends and family for everything in his day to day existence. So when he is confronted by a banshee who would soon herald his death, Jared finds a new type of terror.

There are things much worse than dying though.

Jared has been given as a gift to the Assembly, a demonic group who hunger to possess and torture him forever. Will the banshee save him from the assembly, watch him die, or both?

Love can be found in the most unlikely places, but nothing can be accomplished without a great deal of luck, and sacrifice. (Goodreads)

Thanks to the author and LibraryThing for a review copy of this book.

This was one really different read, and even after finishing it a couple of weeks ago, I don't know what to make of it. It was interesting, engaging, and definitely different. The Banshee in the novel was an interesting creature (even with the really horrible moniker of Bansh :). I liked her and how she handled Jared and his insecurities and issues. I don't know how she managed it at some points, because I found myself wanting to reach through the pages and slap Jared up the side of the head with a "hello, don't be such a wuss!" (Not that I'd ever do that in real life, but just to give you an idea of some of his troubles--he does mature throughout the book, which was gratifying.) The world and situation they were in, with some crazy interdimensional struggles and quite terrifying bad guys, was both really original...and sometimes made me wonder if there was any order or reason for why certain things happened. I don't want to get specific for fear of spoilers, but some aspects of the world didn't feel organic, more like they were placed in the world just to make things either problematic/convenient for the characters (okay, one small example--the Banshee couldn't lose connection with the ground, so no riding in cars or getting off of floor level. But what about basements? Or underground tunnels?). So, those kind of made me a little confused. Still, it was an interesting ride of a book and definitely enjoyable.

Have you heard of this one? Caught anything else by Ethridge?

And, if you're feeling up to it, wanna sign up for the release day fun for Travelers? :)

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Release Day Book Blitz for MILAYNA'S ANGEL by Michelle K. Pickett

I am super happy to get to share Michelle's new book with everyone today! I love this series, and Michelle is just a wonderful person and awesome author! Be sure to check this out!




Title:  Milayna’s Angel
Series:  The Milayna Series, Book 2Author:  Michelle K. PickettPublished:  July 7th, 2015  Publisher:  Clean Teen PublishingGenre:  YAm Paranormal RomanceContent Warning:  Adult language and violenceRecommended Age:  16+
Synopsis:  Now that the battle with Hell’s angel, Azazel, has ended, you’d think eighteen-year-old Milayna’s life would take a turn for the better. After all, what could be worse than having the angel of Hell trying to steal your soul? Plenty. Abaddon, the demon of destruction, is angry that Azazel failed to convert Milayna before her demi-angel powers matured. Now she’s untouchable… or so she thinks. It seems even in Hell, there are loopholes.

Not only is her life in danger, but her love life is crumbling, too. Just when Milayna and fellow demi-angel Chay get comfortable on their little cloud of bliss, Xavier comes to town. He’s one angel that’s as hot as the very embers of Hell, and he has his sights set on Milayna.

Now she has the demon of destruction out to kill her, Xavier out to steal her heart, and she still has to take final exams before she can graduate high school. Sometimes life sucks, even if you are half angel.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads


About the Author:Michelle is the bestselling author of the young adult novel “PODs.” She was born and raised in Flint, Michigan, but now lives in a sleepy suburb outside Houston with her extremely supportive husband, three school-aged children, a 125 pound “lap dog,” and a very snooty cat.Red Bull or Monster Khaos are her coffee of choice, and she can’t write without peanut butter M&Ms and a hoodie. A hopeful romantic; she loves a swoon-worthy ending that will give her butterflies for days. She writes across genres in the young adult and new adult age groups. She loves to hear from her readers.

Michelle signed her new young adult contemporary novel— Unspeakable, with Clean Teen Publishing in 2014.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Blog Clean Teen Publishing Links:Website | Blog | Facebook | TwitterGiveaway Details: There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:A bookmark swag pack and winner’s choice of any Clean Teen Publishing eBook.Giveaway is International.a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal for TRAVELERS!! (and a #Giveaway)

I am SO excited to share this today! This cover seriously blows my mind :) And I really hope you all like it, too! The release date is coming up quick: August 4th this baby will be available! If you're interested in helping out with the release day blitz, a sign up is below.

Now, before I go ahead, THANK YOU sooooo much to all those who signed up to help me show this off! I can't thank you enough!!
Okay, now, the cover ;)


Sienna Crenshaw knows the rules: 1) no time traveling beyond your natural lifetime, 2) no screwing with death, and 3) no changing the past. Ever. Sienna doesn’t love being stuck in the present, but she’s not the type to to break the rules. That is, she wasn’t the type until her best friend broke every one of those rules to keep Henry, her twin brother and Sienna’s ex-boyfriend, alive.

Suddenly, Sienna is caught in an unfamiliar reality. The upside? Henry is still alive. The downside? Sienna’s old life, including the people in it, has been erased. Now, Sienna and Henry must untangle the giant knot in time, or her parents and all the rest of the Travelers, will be lost forever. One problem: the only way to be successful is for Henry to die.
Add it on Goodreads! And be sure to look out for it available August 4th!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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#FlashFiction: The Spirit of the Holiday

I hope everyone had an awesome Fourth of July! And a safe one, too :) It's that time of the month where I share a short little piece of fiction on the Lightening Quick Reads website. This month's theme is Freedom, and I guess I was channeling a little American Gods (though I could never presume to do it justice like Gaiman!). Here's a little teaser of that, and be sure to check out the rest on the LQR blog!***
The Spirit of Independence Day lives on.
***
SourceThe last of the smoke cleared from the fireworks that had lit the bay. The booming thunderclaps had scared the last dogs and the crowds gathered their blankets and chairs. The trickle of people headed home were a little quieter, their voices still filled with happiness, but now muted by the night.
“Ready?” He leaned over and bumped my shoulder with his own, a small grin lighting up his features as I looked at him.
I sighed. The end always came too quickly. The light from the show over too soon. I didn’t want to go back. If only there were a way to pause, let the night linger for just a few more hours.
“I guess.” He stood and held out a hand, pulling me to my feet with a little added force that made me run into him.
His arms caught around me, tugging me close as he rocked us around in a slow circle on the lawn. The lawn around us had nearly emptied and the calm of the night, the rush and hiss of the surf past the low wall, marked a perfect moment.
“Another year,” I whispered. His neck felt cool against my forehead as I leaned against him.
“One of many more.”
I didn’t respond. So many ‘ifs’ clung to that word that I didn’t dare think too much about it. We could only hope for many more. Our lives depended on it.
We gathered up our things, folding them away into a bag he slung over his shoulder. He took my hand as we walked up the path toward the city lights. A few other stragglers trickled out onto the busier street, the clog of traffic still creating a long line at the freeway entrance.
We kept walking, no real destination in mind.
These last few hours were the sweetest. The ones I cherished the most, even if the always heralded the end.
“What did you like best about today?” he asked. His hand twined with mine squeezed a little tighter.
I cocked my head to the side, pretending to think it over. While the fireworks were always my favorite, today had more things to celebrate. “The laughter.” There had seemed to be more today. More faces smiling. This city we visited so infrequently had felt happier. It rang out in smiles and the laughter of the faces we watched.
The answer seemed to please him and our arms swung as we walked along the lit sidewalks, passing parties and sparklers and music that spilled out to greet us.
“The peace,” he said, with a shrug, knowing I’d want to know his response.
“You always say that.” I laughed at how obvious an answer it was, coming from him.
“Doesn’t make it less true.” His dark eyes met mine and the night with all its wonders seemed to expand before us, ignoring the end that approached all too fast.
Almost seeming to respond to our good mood, a siren, then two, cut through the air. They slid under my skin and I shivered, drawing closer to him.
The source of need came clear as we walked. ....
***Want to know what happens next? Check out the rest on the Lightening Quick Reads Blog!

Guest Post by Stuart R. West, Author of GHOSTS OF GANNAWAY

Okay, can someone please tell me how it's managed to get to July already? Pause the summer, someone, please! It can't go by this fast! Well, if you happen to be in the mood for a great summer read, look no further. Today we're talking ghost towns with the awesome Stuart R. West, author of GHOSTS OF GANNAWAY.

Ghosts of Gannaway available here!


My wife grew up in Oklahoma, her family still lives there. So we venture across the Midwest often to 
visit. When we first passed through Picher, Oklahoma, my jaw nearly hit the floorboards. A shell-shocked town, broken down, uninhabitable. Sad and haunting. I had to know more. Turns out the saga of Picher was more haunting than I’d ever imagined.

All of the buildings were destroyed, windows and walls blown out, some reduced to mere foundations. Evocative graffiti painted the walls, some threats, some scrawlings that raised the hair on my neck. “Beware you who enter…” Yikes.

I got out of the car, took some pictures. Apparently, a few people still lived there but I didn’t stick around too long to make friends. Whenever I see Confederate flags flying, hanging on burned out low income housing, I tend not to want to linger. Lots of rifle racks on display, too.

Picher had been a once prosperous mining town. In the ‘30’s, it was one of the biggest suppliers of lead and zinc in the country, a gold rush of booming activity. But now it was a dead town in more ways than one. The few residents still living there were called “chat rats,” people reduced to the bare minimum of civility, living the ways of the old west with very little laws in existence. The air and water had become contaminated, deadly and polluted. And looming over it all were the mountains of chat piles, the earth’s inner waste brought to the surface to poison the world. A monument to man’s greed and wonton destruction of the earth.

Picher is now the oldest and largest environmental Superfund site in America.

So I researched. I found a story buried in sadness, grief, violence and racism. A story of burgeoning unions and Native-American issues. I learned more about mining than I ever thought I’d know. And the book, Ghosts of Gannaway, was born. Of course I couldn’t leave well enough alone. I added thrills, chills, scares, moving statues, ghosts, murder, bad behavior. Topped it off with a love story that transcends decades and mortality. The book alternates timelines between 1935 and 1969. It’s complicated. And was a bear to write! But I think it paid off. The book still gets under my skin.

I hope it will yours, as well. In the best kind of sense, of course!

Ghost whispers echo through the mines of Gannaway. They have a story to tell. It’s the story of a town torn apart by greed, pollution and vanity, by racial discord between the Native Americans and the invading miners, by the Great Depression, by the violent union strikes of the 1930’s. That’s not all that brought Gannaway to its knees, though. Not by a long shot. Because something—else—lives in the deserted tunnels of the mine, something dark and evil. Something that breathes life into the Ghosts of Gannaway.

Ghost whispers echo through the mines of Gannaway. They have a story to tell. It’s the story of a town torn apart by greed, pollution and vanity, by racial discord between the Native Americans and the invading miners, by the Great Depression, by the violent union strikes of the 1930’s. That’s not all that brought Gannaway to its knees, though. Not by a long shot. Because something—else—lives in the deserted tunnels of the mine, something dark and evil. Something that breathes life into the Ghosts of Gannaway. (Goodreads)

Ghosts of Gannaway takes the reader on a journey they won’t forget. ~ Paranormal Suspense Writer Gail Roughton

Ghosts of Gannaway available here!

My Review:

I am a huge fan of West's work and have to say he's outdone himself with Ghosts of Gannaway. I had a chance to read an early draft and found myself unable to put it down and it haunted me for days after I'd finished it. It is a superb story that interweaves in the best possible way, leaving the reader guessing and completely unable to stop reading. I love how the story unfolds with bits of the past twining with the present, the stories coming together to explain some horrific events, but also a story of humanity. If you enjoy a great story, with a mystery that's sure to leave you a little a haunted, this is definitely a book to not miss!

Guest Post and Recipe by the Talented Juliana Neumann!

I'm incredibly happy to get to share another of Juliana's recipes today! This one is just as bound to make your mouth water. I can't wait to make myself some strawberry shortcake and I hope you all enjoy this as much as me. Be sure to say hello to Juliana and check out her fabulous blog, where there are a host of other recipes, her cookbooks,  and amazing photography!
Waiting for strawberries is so hard. They are the first fruit after the winter citrus and every year it seems like it takes forever until the first ones ripen in the garden. Once the end of May/beginning of June rolls around, I start looking for the little red berries.

I refuse to buy any that were grown outside of Switzerland. Who really wants to eat strawberries in February which are more white than red, imported from who knows where, and taste like nothing? So I (sometimes not so) patiently wait until the local berries are sold. But the best ones are still the ones which are grown in my garden. They taste like strawberries should. I stick my nose in the bowl and take a deep breath. Suddenly I'm transported back to my childhood, picking the little wild strawberries which grew behind my grandmother's house. The second best ones are the Norwegian strawberries. With all the sun they get in summer, they are perfectly plump and sweet. We ate them by the basket when we were there. I think there may have even been one day where all I ate was strawberries...
In summer, my mother would cut up bowls of strawberries and whip up some cream. That would be our dessert. Simple but delicious. There are so many ways of preparing things with berries, but I think I may like the classic strawberries and cream the best. I decided it was time to try making a strawberry shortcake.

The recipe I used for the shortcakes is from Fresh New England.

Strawberry Shortcake
250 g flour 62 g sugar 20 g baking powder 60 g unsalted butter, diced 1 egg 150 ml milk 1 egg mixed with a splash of milk and a splash of water sugar for sprinkling  Measure the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt into a food processor fitted with a dough attachment. Add the diced butter and pulse until mixture consists of crumbly, pea size granules.

In a separate container, beat the eggs, milk and lemon juice together. Add to food processor. Pulse until the mixture just starts to come together but is still crumbly. Turn out on to the floured counter. Knead two or three times until the dough comes together.

Roll out into a rectangle about 2 cm thick. Cut with a biscuit cutter or a glass. Brush tops with egg and water mixture and then sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 190°C until golden brown.

Cool on wire rack. Once cool, slice in half and top with fresh strawberries macerated in a bit of sugar. Top with fresh whipped cream.

Now doesn't that just make you hungry?

After Reading: ARTICLE 5 by Kristen Simmons

New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C., have been abandoned.

The Bill of Rights has been revoked, and replaced with the Moral Statutes.

There are no more police—instead, there are soldiers. There are no more fines for bad behavior—instead, there are arrests, trials, and maybe worse. People who get arrested usually don't come back.

Seventeen-year-old Ember Miller is old enough to remember that things weren't always this way. Living with her rebellious single mother, it's hard for her to forget that people weren't always arrested for reading the wrong books or staying out after dark. It's hard to forget that life in the United States used to be different.

Ember has perfected the art of keeping a low profile. She knows how to get the things she needs, like food stamps and hand-me-down clothes, and how to pass the random home inspections by the military. Her life is as close to peaceful as circumstances allow.
That is, until her mother is arrested for noncompliance with Article 5 of the Moral Statutes. And one of the arresting officers is none other than Chase Jennings—the only boy Ember has ever loved. (Goodreads)

This was quite an interesting read! At the beginning, I actually had to put it down a couple of times because I could feel my blood coming to a boil at the actions of the government and certain characters. The Moral Statutes and MM within the novel represent pretty much everything that I disagree with. It made me so frustrated to see what Ember had to deal with. And the most frustrating part, for me, was knowing just how easily that kind of thing could actually happen in our world. But Ember and Chase were great characters, strong and growing. I appreciated their relationship and their will to resist. I did sometimes want to see a bit more world building with what happened during the war and how/what led to things being the way they were, but there were enough hints that I got a general idea. It was an interesting read, for sure, and I'm looking forward to catching the rest of the series (and the last book's out, which always makes reading a series so much nicer!).

Have you had a chance to catch this one?

How Not to Annoy Your Muse

I'll admit, I was totally going to title this post "how not to piss off your muse" but figured that *may* not be the best thing to spread around on twitter and all :)

Okay, so, lately I have no interest in writing, crafting, or any of the general creative outlets I enjoy. It's summer break and normally I let myself indulge in these things freely, as I actually have time for them. This summer, thus far, nada. I wrote a chapter on something new, and bleh. Just wasn't feeling it. I've perused Pinterest for something fun to work on and absolutely nothing looked interesting. Trust me, that's a bit of a shocker for me ;) It would seem that any kind of creative muse I might ever have befriended has totally jumped ship.

SourceIn thinking about why this might be, I realize that a lot of things are different this summer. I am incredibly busy with a variety of things. And my stress level has been through the roof for the same reason. (Not pity-partying, just commenting!) While I'm no expert, it would seem that this is what's driven off my Muse. I haven't given her/it any space. I haven't felt like watching any good films (with the exception of Inside Out, which I saw yesterday and really enjoyed), music is annoying me, and I've even had a hard time getting into some novels (thank heavens for Maggie Stiefvater's work--that's sucked me in still). I feel like I need to give my Muse some breathing room, and I just pray that happens before the end of the summer.

Anyhow, yeah, if I seem off or upset online, I do apologize. Lots going on around here and I'm pretty much a giant basket-case. My normal means of staying "normal" (or as normal as I can get) aren't working, and I need to work on dragging back my Muse--which may involve some kicking and screaming :)

What about you? What drives off your muse?