Babs Hightower's Blog, page 144
June 17, 2014
WC Mystery & Thriller Authors
Be sure to come check out all the books over at World Castle Publishing.
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June 16, 2014
The Cook’s Temptation!
HF Virtual Book Tours invites you to join Joyce Wayne as she tours the blogosphere for The Cook’s Temptation! Enter the giveaway to win an eBook of The Cook’s Temptation or a $10 Amazon Gift Card!
Publication Date: February 1, 2014
Mosaic Press
Formats: Ebook, Paperback
Joyce Wayne brings to life the complexities of Victorian life, first in County Devon and then in Londonís East End. The ëbig pictureí is about one womanís life, class conflict, religious intolerance, suspicion and betrayal. The central figure is Cordelia, a strong-minded Jewish woman who is caught between her desire to be true to herself and her need to be accepted by English society.Cordelia Tilley is the daughter of a Jewish mother and an Anglican father. Her mother has groomed her for a life in English society while her father, a tough publican, has shown no tolerance for his wifeís social climbing or the conceits of their perspicacious daughter. Cordeliaís mother dies from typhoid fever, she tries to run the family ës establishment, she falls prey to a local industrialist, she gives birth to a son, she is tormented by her husband and his family. Finally, she is rescued by suffragette friends and sets off to start a new life in London.The Cookís Temptation is about a woman who is unpredictable, both strong and weak willed, both kind and heinous, victim and criminal. It is a genuine Victorian saga, full of detail, twists and turns, memorable scenes, full of drama and pathos.
Praise for The Cook’s Temptation
ìJoyce Wayneís debut novel, The Cook’s Temptation, has the stately bearing of a nineteenth century novel ñ the mercilessness of Thomas Hardy, the black allegory of Nathaniel Hawthorne, the tense marriages of George Eliot. It is a story of how people become what you blame them for being.î ñ Ian Williams, poet and fiction writer, short listed for the 2012 Griffin Poetry Prize
Buy the Book
Amazon US (Kindle)
Amazon US (Paperback)
About the Author
Joyce Wayne has an MA in English literature, has taught journalism at Sheridan College, Oakville, Ontario, for twenty-five years, and lives in Toronto, Ontario. She was a winner of the Diaspora Dialogues contest for fiction and the Fiona Mee Award for literary journalism. She is the co writer of the documentary film So Far From Home (2010), a film about refugee journalists persecuted for their political views, and various of her other works have been published in Parchment, Golden Horseshoe Anthology, Canadian Voices, and TOK6.
For more information please visit Joyce Wayne’s website. You can also connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, and Goodreads. She is happy to participate in Books Clubs by phone and Skype.
Virtual Tour & Book Blast Schedule
Monday, June 9
Review at 100 Pages a Day
Tuesday, June 10
Guest Post & Giveaway at Passages to the Past
Wednesday, June 11
Book Blast at History From a Woman’s Perspective
Thursday, June 12
Book Blast at WTF Are You Reading?
Book Blast at I’d So Rather be Reading
Friday, June 13
Book Blast at Literary Chanteuse
Saturday, June 14
Book Blast at A Bookish Affair
Book Blast at Griperang’s Bookmarks
Book Blast at Just One More Chapter
Sunday, June 15
Book Blast at Historical Fiction Obsession
Monday, June 16
Review at Book Nerd
Book Blast at Bab’s Book Bistro
Tuesday, June 17
Review at Seaside Book Corner
Book Blast at Lily Pond Reads
Wednesday, June 18
Interview at From the TBR Pile
Book Blast at Historical Tapestry
Thursday, June 19
Review at Flashlight Commentary
Book Blast at Kelsey’s Book Corner
Friday, June 20
Interview at Flashlight Commentary
Book Blast at The Mad Reviewer
Saturday, June 21
Book Blast at Bibliophilic Book Blog
Sunday, June 22
Book Blast at Book Lovers Paradise
Book Blast at Historical Fiction Connection
Monday, June 23
Book Blast at History Undressed
Book Blast at CelticLady’s Reviews
Tuesday, June 24
Book Blast at Mina’s Bookshelf
Book Blast at Peeking Between the Pages
Wednesday, June 25
Review at Svetlana’s Reads and Views
Book Blast at Broken Teepee
Thursday, June 26
Review at Caroline Wilson Writes
Friday, June 27
Review at Historical Novel Review
Interview at Oh, For the Hook of a Book
Giveaway
Up for grabs are 3x eBooks of The Cook’s Temptation and 3x $10 Amazon Gift Cards! To enter, please complete the Rafflecopter giveaway form below. Giveaway is open to US & Canada residents only.
Giveaway ends at 11:59pm on June 27th. You must be 18 or older to enter.
Winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on June 28th and notified via email.
Winner have 48 hours to claim prize or new winner is chosen.
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June 13, 2014
Facial Lift and Firm Serum with Dead Sea Minerals and Vitamin C Review
Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial. 
I rather enjoy Adovia and the #serum. I am always a bit skeptical to try these things as most don’t work or not as well as people say. I am surprised how well this product has made my face feel and look. My husband is gone during the week so when he came home one weekend he asked me what I have done to look younger. I was so shocked I didn’t speak for a few minutes then explained about the serum. I have to say this will be a keeper and I will be buying more as needed.
Item description:
- Achieve An Instant Lift and Anti Aging Effects on Your Skin
- Delivers Anti Wrinkle Results Over Time
- Vitamin C – Also Contains a High Concentration of Vitamin C for Anti Wrinkle Antioxidant Skin Protection
- Dead Sea Salt – Formulated with a High Concentration of Dead Sea Minerals and Salt – 21 Minerals Essential for Skin Health and Beauty
Non-Oily Moisturizer Delivers Deep Hydration and Nutrient Absorbtion
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
The post Facial Lift and Firm Serum with Dead Sea Minerals and Vitamin C Review appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
Bookish T-Shirts for Women Review + Giveaway
Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
I was excited to review a shirt for GoneReading. I of course picked out a Jane Austen shirt as picture to the left. All their shirts come in Small to 2xl. You can see the selection here
Check the giveaway below.
Original book and reading-themed t-shirts from GoneReading! Our t-shirts empower you to “shout out” your love of reading to the world. Each shirt features a clever design and slogan to reflect a particular aspect of the reading lifestyle. Only readers will know the inside joke! 100% cotton, 100% Money-Back Guarantee.
GoneReading is a social enterprise that has pledged 100% of after-tax profits to fund reading related charities in the developing world. Our funding recipients include non-profits READ Global and Ethiopia READS.
Giveaway: One winner will receive a t-shirt of their own
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
The post Bookish T-Shirts for Women Review + Giveaway appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
Publisher Plus for Mac Review
Disclosure: I got this product as part of an advertorial.
Publisher Plus is a powerful page layout application for desktop publishing on Mac. It empowers you to create stunning flyers, brochures, business cards, newsletters, adverts, reports, calendars, posters, booklets, etc.
Key Features:
170+ professionally designed templates.
Customize text and crate multiple pages freely.
Lots of art resources: clipart, background, mask, frame and filter.
Lots of editing features: margin, size, calendar, layer, etc.
Add preset shapes or customize shapes with drawing tool.
Multiple export and share options.
Check it on Mac App Store:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/publisher-plus/id862880554?ls=1&mt=12
Regarding video tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejcrX4NKpvo
I have been wanting this product for a while now and so glad I could review it. This program is so easy to use and walk through.
I don’t know how I lived with out this before hand.
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.
The post Publisher Plus for Mac Review appeared first on Babs Book Bistro.
June 8, 2014
Linda Lael Miller Q & A and more
#1 New York Times bestseller Linda Lael Miller is kicking off her brand new Bliss County series in June with the new book THE MARRIAGE PACT and I would love to have you be apart of the blog tour! June is wedding month and Linda has a great twist on a book about finding Mr. Right just in time for summer reading.
When Hadleigh Stevens and her single friends form a marriage pact to each find their Mr. Right, Hadleigh is determined that Tripp Galloway won’t get in the way of her plans. Divorced and back in Bliss County to save the family ranch, Tripp interrupted Hadleigh walking down the aisle ten years ago. And even though that marriage would’ve been a big, youthful mistake, Hadleigh doesn’t want Tripp stopping her from saying, “I do,” this time around.
Mini Q&A with Linda Lael Miller, author of THE MARRIAGE PACT
Q: It’s exciting to read your new Bliss County series! What inspired you to write this new series and how long have you had the idea for THE MARRIAGE PACT?
A:. I was actually inspired by my own penchant for arts and crafts, since I love to make things, and by the beautiful state of Wyoming. In the books, three women friends, all successful in their own right, decide to help each other find husbands. One of the women is a jewelry designer, and she makes a special bracelet charm to represent each of their romances. If I hadn’t already been inspired, my visit to Jackson, the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone National Park last September would have done the trick.
Q: In THE MARRIAGE PACT, Hadleigh is determined to find Mr. Right but it turns out Mr. Right isn’t who she thought he would be. Do you think most relationships are like that?
A: Maybe not most relationships, but definitely a lot of them. I think we human beings have a tendency to look for love (and everything else) in strange and faraway places, instead of in our own backyard.
Q: The pressure to get married can be huge for women. Do you think you can really find love when you are “looking” for it? Or is it easier to fall in love if you aren’t on the hunt?
A: Complex question! I do think it’s possible to find true love by actively looking for it—several of my friends have done exactly that. On the other hand, there is something to be said for letting the chips fall where they may.
Q: The group of women Hadleigh makes the “marriage pact” with are dear friends to her. Do you have a group of friends like she does? What makes friendship between women so special?
A: I do have a group of very close friends, people I would literally trust with my life. Women are especially good at friendship, I think, because they know how to nurture, and they’re generally quite empathetic.
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June 5, 2014
Blackjack & Moonlight blog tour & Giveaway
BLURB:
Sex v. Love—a battle in the courtroom and the bedroom!
Hotshot litigator Elise Carroll doesn’t have time for romance—she wants to make partner at her Philadelphia law firm. Despite her mother’s urging, Elise avoids settling down by keeping her relationships short and sexy. Her idea of a perfect date? Beer and pretzels at a Phillies game.
When Jack “Blackjack” McIntyre—Philly’s super-sexy new judge—falls for Elise in court, she’s horrified. He “claims” to be in love with her—but that can’t possibly be true. He doesn’t give up trying to wine and dine her, though, so she devises a new scheme. Like all men, surely he’ll leave after a short and sexy fling.
Only problem—Blackjack refuses to sleep with her! They compromise—she’ll go on his romantic dates if he’ll alternate them with her “just sex” dates. Their contract works surprisingly well—until Elise can no longer find the line between love and sex.
Can Elise get her life back where she wants it—in a partner’s office? Or will Jack McIntyre use his superpowers to win their contest of wits?
BUY LINKS:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
AUTHOR BIO & LINKS:
After pairing up lawyers romantically in her head for fifteen years, Magdalen Braden traded in her job as an attorney to set her inner matchmaker free. Today she draws on her past adventures in a Philadelphia law office to write her sexy contemporary romance series, The Blackjack Quartet.
Blackjack & Moonlight, the third installment in the series, was a finalist in the prestigious Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® contest in 2012. All four books contain love, romance, and a solid dose of legal humor.
Magdalen connects with readers at her local satellite of the Lady Jane’s Salon® reading series, and with fellow writers at her Romance Writers of America® chapter.
When not writing, she enjoys spending time with her crossword-loving husband, their Rhody-mix dog, and two omnipresent cats in the Endless Mountains of Northeast Pennsylvania.
Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads
GIVEAWAY CODE & LINK:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
EXCERPT
“Hey, it’s my favorite client.” Elise Carroll grinned and dropped her briefcase so she could scoop DeeDee, her secretary’s four-year-old, into her arms.
Kim looked up from a file open on her desk, her cheeks striped by dried tears. “Can you play with her for a couple minutes?”
Uh-oh. More domestic drama—the last thing Kim needed. “Okay, but I cannot be late for that man.” Elise walked into her office. With the door open, Kim would be able to watch her daughter from across the hall.
“What man, Auntie Leese?” DeeDee asked, her corn-silk hair glinting under the office lights.
Elise pointed at the magazine on her desk. “Him.”
DeeDee reached for Philadelphia Magazine, the cover showing a handsome man in a black robe. The headline read, “Philadelphia’s Newest—and Sexiest—Judge” and beneath that, in smaller letters, “Blackjack McIntyre moves from the US Attorney’s office to his own district court.”
“Who’s dat?” DeeDee inspected the photo.
Elise laughed. “Just the latest guy to think a black robe makes him right all the time.” She set DeeDee down on the carpeted floor. “You want to color, sweetheart?”
“Sure!”
Elise pulled some paper out of the recycling bin, and after checking what was printed on it, spread it out on the floor, blank sides up. She found the crayons she kept in her desk for DeeDee’s visits.
She checked her watch. “Oh, lord, look at the time. If I don’t leave immediately I’ll be late for him.” She pointed at Blackjack McIntyre, scowling at her from the cover of the magazine.
Kim grinned. “I can’t wait to hear all about it. Details, I want all the details. Is he as good-looking as in his press conferences?”
“Not you too.” Elise threw the magazine onto Kim’s desk. Jack McIntyre’s blue-black hair and chiseled jaw mocked her from the cover. Superman in a judicial robe. “I don’t plan to be there long enough to look at him. Five minutes, tops. He grants my motion, and I’m out of there.”
“Oh, please. You know he’s seriously hunky. And the article says he’s not dating anyone at the moment.”
“Well, based on the women he’s been seen with, I’m not his type. Good thing because I have no interest in dating him or anyone else right now. I want to focus on making partner. And you’d better focus on getting your daughter to day care.”
Another check of the watch. Shit. There’d better be a cab downstairs or she’d be late.
On her way back into her office, Elise looked at the papers on the floor. DeeDee had drawn a figure in black. Either it was the Honorable Jack McIntyre or a vampire bat. Hard to tell.
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June 4, 2014
Ten Things I Remember from My Italy Tour by Aubrie Dionne
Ten Things I Remember from My Italy Tour
So why did I write a book called An American Girl in Italy?? Because I was an American Girl in Italy! I didn’t have a whirlwind romance like my main character, Carly Davis. I was in high school-with chaperones- but that doesn’t mean I didn’t have the time of my life! Here are the top ten things I remember from my trip.
#1. Gelato. I learned that word pretty quick. Oh man, it was so good- rich and creamier than ice cream in all sorts of flavors. I remember going to every gelato shop I could find and barley pronouncing the flavors. Even if I had no idea what I was ordering, I knew I couldn’t go wrong.
#2. The Coliseum. Everyone had talked this up so much, I was disappointed when I saw it for real. It was old and crumbly and gave off some weird vibes. I can’t imagine how many people died there. This was not the highlight of my trip. Maybe now that I’m older I could go back and appreciate the history of it better than my teenage self.
#3. St. Peter’s Basilica. This place was so grand, I couldn’t even fit enough of it in my camera to encompass the awe- inspiring majesty. It was just plain gorgeous and left me breathless.
#4. Michelangelo. Yes, I did meet a guy named Michelangelo on my trip. But, he’s nothing like the Michelangelo in my book. Actually, he was a shy teenage boy living in one of the host families houses. We played air hockey and that was it. End of story.
#5. Barber’s Adagio. This is one of the pieces the orchestra played. It’s written for strings, so the winds have to sit and listen to the entire thing without playing. It is such a gorgeous piece, I remember listening to the string play the swelling tones at our last concert with tears running down my face. It was a culmination of the entire trip, and the fact that it was over. Awesome moment.
#6. The death mask of Giuseppe Verdi- 1813-1901. So Verdi was a composer, and we visited his house in St. Agata . Inside they had this stone death mask, the impression taken from his face at the time of his death. A few of his hairs had been lodged in the clay. You could still see them in the mask. So, this is what a teenage girl remembers when she visits Italy. Hmmmm…..
#7. The strange looking shells on the Mediterranean Sea. So we spent one day at the beach. I remember collecting these strange swirly shells I’d never seen before- at least not on the coast of NH. Made me think of the different marine life that must inhabit the Mediterranean Sea. I think my mom still has the shells in my room in some shoe box somewhere.
#8. One of my host families giving my cakes and cookies for breakfast. There was this gigantic plate of pastries, cookies, and éclairs on the table. I remember the Italian mom saying- please eat, EAT! She didn’t understand why I could only eat one or two of them! I remember thinking- is this how everyone eats breakfast? If so, then, I’d like to stay, thank you very much!
#9. David Commanday- my orchestra conductor who has since moved on to become a famous conductor around the world. I remember sitting around a table in a garden and asking him if he enjoyed the movie Amadeus. It was probably the only time I’d ever had the courage to speak to him directly.
#10. The beauty of the countryside. All of Carly’s descriptions in An American Girl in Italy are from my own memories of the trip. Pick up your copy and to see what I’m talking about today!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Aubrie Dionne is an author and flutist in New England. Her books have received the highest ratings from Romance Times Magazine and BTS Magazine, as well as Night Owl Reviews and Two Lips Reviews. She has guest blogged on the USA Today Happy Ever After Blog and the Dear Teen Me blog and signed books at the Boston Book Festival, Barnes and Noble, and the Romance Writers of America conference. Her books are published by HarperImpulse, Entangled Publishing, Astraea Press, Spencer Hill Press, Inkspell Publishing, and Lyrical Press. When she’s not writing, Aubrie teaches flute and plays in orchestras.
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May 29, 2014
99 cent Sale on Walk on the Wild Side Series
In honor of Memorial Day, I put my entire contemporary romance series up for sale. Time to snatch up three books and a novella for steamy beach reading!
These are the last two days to get the books for 99 cents or FREE.
Vanilla on Top ($0.99): The NYT & USA Today Bestselling Book starring the shy Heather and successful Tony. Discover your inner bad girl… and set her free.
Amazon US * Amazon Canada * Amazon UK
Kobo * Apple * B&N
Vanilla Twist ($0.99): The continuation of Heather and Tony’s budding relationship. Will exes come back to ruin what the couple has started to build?
Amazon US * Amazon Canada * Amazon UK
Avoiding Mr. Right ($0.99): Carla, Heather’s best friend, thinks taking control of her love life will protect her heart… Andy’s game to prove her wrong.
Amazon US * Amazon Canada * Amazon UK
Loving Ms. Wrong (FREE): Readers wanted to know what happened to Marcus. In this short & sweet novella he’ll meet his match, with a little help from a 12-sided sex dice.
Amazon US * Amazon Canada * Amazon UK
Apple * Kobo * B&N
Do you know of any readers who enjoy a hot romantic read? I’d greatly appreciate you sharing the news of the sale with them! I’d love to have as many people take advantage of the low pricing while it lasts!
Contests: Don’t forget — I’ve cleaned out my basement of reader convention bags, books & swag from other authors, and anything else I could find and set up five contest widgets on my website for easy entry. Don’t miss your chance to get a cool box of goodies.
Writing Update: I announced in a Facebook post on my author Page last week , that I will not be continuing Ceara’s Tales , the prequel novella relating Vivian’s transformation into a vampire, at this time. But I will be jumping into the continuation story after Big Game and promise to keep you posted on its progress.
Wishing you a terrific end of spring!
CJ
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Read on June 7th at 4 pm Q & A w/ 4 authors and more goodies
#ReadOn is getting better and better! Check out these great authors and their books June 7th at 4pm EST. And make sure to enter the giveaway below! Click Here to Get to the Show!
Author Jamie Ayres
›Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website
Jamie Ayres writes young adult paranormal love stories by night and teaches young adults as a Language Arts middle school teacher by day. When not at home on her laptop or at school, she can often be found at a local book store grabbing random children and reading to them. So far, she has not been arrested for this. Although she spent her youthful summers around Lake Michigan, she now lives in Florida with her prince charming, two children (sometimes three based on how Mr. Ayres is acting), and a basset hound. She really does have grandmothers named Olga and Gay but unlike her heroine, she’s thankfully not named after either one of them. She loves lazy pajama days, the first page of a good book, stupid funny movies, and sharing stories with fantastic people like you. Her books include the first two installments of her trilogy, 18 Things and 18 Truths. Visit her online via Twitter, Facebook, or at www.jamieayres.com.
Olga Gay Worontzoff thinks her biggest problems are an awful name and not attending prom with Conner, her best friend and secret crush since kindergarten.
Then, Conner is killed in a freak boating accident and Olga feels responsible for his death.
When she downs an entire bottle of pills to deal with the emotional pain, her parents force her into counseling. There, her therapist writes a prescription in the form of a life list titled “18 Things”: eighteen quests to complete the year of her eighteenth birthday.
But there’s more to Olga’s quests than meets the eye and when her therapist reveals a terrifying secret, her world is shaken.
There’s only one thing she knows for certain: her choices won’t just affect her future, but all eternity.
From the Back Cover
Can eighteen things save a life?Olga Gay Worontzoff thinks her biggest problems are an awful name and not attending prom with Conner, her best friend and secret crush since kindergarten.Then, Conner is killed in a freak boating accident and Olga feels responsible for his death. When she downs an entire bottle of pills to deal with the emotional pain, her parents force her into counseling. There, her therapist writes a prescription in the form of a life list titled “18 Things”: eighteen quests to complete the year of her eighteenth birthday.But there’s more to Olga’s quests than meets the eye and when her therapist reveals a terrifying secret, her world is shaken.
There’s only one thing she knows for certain: her choices won’t just affect her future, but all eternity.
Author Amy Christine Parker
›Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website
AMY CHRISTINE PARKER writes full-time from her home near Tampa, Florida, where she lives with her husband, their two daughters, and one ridiculously fat cat. Visit her at amychristineparker.com and follow her on Twitter @amychristinepar.
In the Community, life seems perfect. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Pioneer invited Lyla’s family to join his group and escape the evil in the world. They were happy to be chosen, happy to move away from New York and start over in such an idyllic gated community. Now seventeen, Lyla knows that Pioneer is more than just their charismatic leader, he is their prophet . . . but his visions have grown dark.
Lyla is a loyal member of the Community, but a chance encounter with an outsider boy has her questioning Pioneer, the Community–everything. And if there’s one thing not allowed in the Community, it’s doubt. Her family and friends are certain in their belief. Lyla wishes she could feel the same. As Pioneer begins to manipulate his flock toward disaster, the question remains: Will Lyla follow them over the edge?
From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand why anyone would join a cult. But “Gated” tells the story of the Community from the inside looking out, and from behind the gates things are not quite so simple. Amy Christine Parker’s beautiful writing creates a chilling, utterly unique YA story. Perfect for fans of creepy thrillers and contemporary fiction alike.
“A tense psychological thriller that will leave you gasping for breath as you race to the very last page.”—Gretchen McNeil, author of Ten“An awesome, creepy book that reminds me of my favorite cult films while still being surprising.”—HelloGiggles.com
“Compelling. . . . This absorbing examination of a cult focuses on a teenage girl who begins to doubt their leader.”
—Kirkus Reviews, Starred
“I highly recommend Gated to fans of contemporary fiction with a twist. This one has a bit of everything—mystery, intense action, real life issues, and romance.”
—My Book Addiction (blog)
“After the last page is turned, the question will linger: ‘Could I ever be deceived like this?’”
—SLJ
“Highly recommended for fans of YA thrillers and contemporary fiction.”
—A Dream Within a Dream (blog)
“Every once in a while a book comes along that leaves you reeling. Speechless. Shocked. Nothing you say will do it justice. Gated is that book. Chilling, horrifying, but beautiful.A MUST read.”
—Lilybloombooks.com
“Action-packed and full of suspense. . . . It’s new and fresh, a step away from everything that’s out there right now.”
—Me, My Shelf, and I (blog)
“A complex, intriguing tale rooted in real-world events.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Mysterious, entrancing and dark, Gated brings in just the right amount of paced storytelling with the edge-of-your-reading-seats sense of suspense.”
—TeenReads.com
“An absolutely enrapturing book . . . I couldn’t put it down.”
—In Libris Veritas (blog)
An entertaining and unique entry in a sea of generic YA novels.”
—Fiction Frenzy (blog)
“If you need a summer thriller read with a smartly woven plot and a lamb-to-lion main character, then this book is for you.”
—Great Imaginations (blog)
“An absolutely fascinating read with an original concept and an absolutely brilliant villain! Different with just the right touch of chilling.”
—Fiction Freak (blog)
“Entertaining throughout.”
—Examiner.com
Author Lindsey Cummings
›Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website
Lindsay Cummings is a 22-year-old author of THE MURDER COMPLEX series coming June 10th, 2014 from Greenwillow Books/HarperCollins. THE FEAR TRIALS, a prequel novella, releases May 27th, 2014. Lindsay also has the MG trilogy, THE BALANCE KEEPERS. Book 1, THE FIRES OF CALDERON, releases Fall 2014 from Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins.Why writing?—
When Lindsay graduated from highschool in 2009, she became sick with Chronic Fatigue. She was constantly tired from several surgeries, couldn’t get out of bed most days, failed her college classes, and had to drop out. Because of Chronic Fatigue, Lindsay took up writing. At first, it was a hobby and a way to escape. But after a while, Lindsay became obsessed with writing stories…it turned into a career, and she wouldn’t have it any other way! Unless she could teach Defense Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts. Then she’d have it that way.
Lindsay loves YA books, especially the dark ones, and wants every girl in the world to know that Daryl Dixon from The Walking Dead is HER man, and they should kindly back off 
Lindsay owns two German shepherds,one wolf cub who isn’t very smart, a real live Budweiser draft horse named Dan the Man, and a silly little quarter horse named Clue. Lindsay collects weapons, loves to shoot her guns, eats too many Hot Cheetos, and can’t stop dying her hair crazy colors. She’s still waiting on her letter from Hogwarts–it was probably just lost in the mail. She loves Jesus Christ and believes all of her success is His doing! She’s getting married in October, and she can’t freaking wait.
You can follow Lindsay on twitter @lindsaycwrites ! Or keep updated on her books at lindsaycummingsbooks.com
She’s always online, and loves to chat!
You can also find Lindsay on YouTube and Facebook and instagram @authorlindsaycummings
An action-packed, blood-soaked, futuristic debut thriller set in a world where the murder rate is higher than the birthrate. For fans of Moira Young’s Dust Lands series, La Femme Nikita, and the movie Hanna.
Meadow Woodson, a fifteen-year-old girl who has been trained by her father to fight, to kill, and to survive in any situation, lives with her family on a houseboat in Florida. The state is controlled by The Murder Complex, an organization that tracks the population with precision.
The plot starts to thicken when Meadow meets Zephyr James, who is—although he doesn’t know it—one of the MC’s programmed assassins. Is their meeting a coincidence? Destiny? Or part of a terrifying strategy? And will Zephyr keep Meadow from discovering the haunting truth about her family?
Action-packed, blood-soaked, and chilling, this is a dark and compelling debut novel by Lindsay Cummings.
From the Back Cover
Close your eyes and feel your enemy’s weakness.
Mind over body.
Mind over body.
Mind over body.
Breathe.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
Now survive.
Welcome to the Murder Complex.
You cannot see us. You cannot feel us.
But we are here.
And we control your every move.
Author Leila Howland
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A graduate of Georgetown University, Leila Howland spent five years acting in New York in everything from an MTV public service announcement for safe sex to a John Guare play at Lincoln Center and was a proud company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. Currently, she teaches high school English and English as a second language in downtown Los Angeles and occasionally moonlights as an extra on the Young and the Restless.
Cricket Thompson’s lifetime of overachieving has paid off: she’s headed to Brown University in the fall, with a spot on the lacrosse team and a scholarship that covers almost everything. Who knew living in the dorm cost money? An Ivy League education seems to mean living at home for the next four years.
When Cricket is offered the chance to earn enough cash to afford a real college experience, she heads back to Nantucket for the summer. But the faraway island challenges Cricket in ways she hadn’t anticipated. It’s hard to focus on earning money for next year, when she finds her world opening up in entirely new ways-to art, to travel, and, most unexpectedly, to a future completely different from the one she has been working toward her whole life. A friendship blossoms with Ben, the gorgeous surfer and bartender who encourages Cricket to be free, even as she smarts at the pain of seeing Zack, her first love, falling for her worst enemy.
But one night, when Cricket finally lets herself break all her own rules, she realizes she may have ruined her carefully constructed future with one impulsive decision. Cricket must dig deep to fight for her future, discovering that success isn’t just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she’s been trying to ignore-her own heart.
Gr 9 Up—Senior year has been a rollercoaster for Cricket Thompson. After a summer full of love found and friendship lost, Cricket has navigated her way through her last year of high school and is on her way to an Ivy League college, with one catch—she’ll have to live at home. When the teen is offered the chance to earn enough money and have the true college experience living on campus, she boards a ferry back to Nantucket. A year older and with more life experience, the girl readers first met in Howland’s Nantucket Blue (Hyperion, 2013) sets out on a path that offers adventure, romance, and the chance to find herself. Nantucket Red is an engaging continuation of Cricket’s story, and its pace is perfect for a long weekend or beach read. The protagonist is fully developed as a character, but secondary figures are not as fleshed out. Sure to circulate this summer and throughout the year, libraries will want to purchase this along with the first in the series. Even readers who avoid “chick lit” will find this story multidimensional and enjoyable. For fans of YA romance.—Betsy Davison, Cortland Free Library, NY -
From School Library Journal
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