Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 247

Obsidian Sky by Amy Braun #CoverReveal

BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:
Obsidian Sky
by Amy Braun
(Dark Sky #3)
Publication date: February 7th 2017
Genres: Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:The final struggle against the Hellions has arrived. A trapped engineer and a desperate marauder scramble to fight an enemy with unspeakable power on its side. Time is running out, and one world will be destroyed…
After sacrificing herself to save the lives of her friends and family, Claire Abernathy struggles to outwit her Hellion captors. They torment and terrify her into working on a weapon with the sole purpose of obliterating the world, friends, and love she has struggled to save. If Claire has any chance of saving those she loves, she must delve deeper into the Hellion world, and witness nightmares she could never imagine.
In Westraven, Sawyer Kendric is desperate to find the woman he loves. To do so, he must finally embrace his family’s atrocious past and heal the wounds it has caused. He will be forced to make new allies, uncover secrets that change all he knows, and find the courage to lead a ragtag crew into the darkest, deadliest battle of their lives.
Claire and Sawyer fight to save their broken world in the final installment of the epic DARK SKY trilogy.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29963554-obsidian-sky?ac=1&from_search=true
Purchase previous books in the series:Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=amy+braun+dark+skyB&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Amy%20Braun%22?Ntk=P_key_Contributor_List&Ns=P_Sales_Rank&Ntx=mode+matchalliTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/ca/author/amy-braun/id444361248?mt=11Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/search?query=Dark%20Sky&fcsearchfield=Series&seriesId=c7d5f2f7-fe40-5d9b-bda7-8d4bf0c8596d

AUTHOR BIO:Amy is a Canadian urban fantasy and horror author. Her work revolves around monsters, magic, mythology, and mayhem. She started writing in her early teens, and never stopped. She loves building unique worlds filled with fun characters and intense action. She is the recipient of April Moon Books Editor Award for "author voice, world-building and general bad-assery," and the One Book Two Standout Award in 2015 for her Cursed trilogy. She has been featured on various author blogs and publishing websites, and is an active member of the Writing GIAM and Weekend Writing Warrior communities. When she isn't writing, she's reading, watching movies, taking photos, gaming, and struggling with chocoholism and ice cream addiction.
Author links:https://twitter.com/amybraunauthorhttp://amybraunauthor.com/https://www.facebook.com/amybraunauthor/https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8452020.Amy_Braun

Golden Dragon by V.E. Ulett #Blogtour and #Giveaway

Golden Dragon (Code Black #1)
by V.E. Ulett
Genre: Historical Fantasy/Steampunk Adventure
Release Date: October 30th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

Romance, Intrigue, and Airships - Code Black Book 1

Miriam Kodio Blackwell is caught between East and West. When a Code Black arises she is recruited by Lord Q, head of British intelligence and airships, who helps Miriam escape Iran only to press her into service of the Crown. Will Miriam survive when she's put aboard the airship Nonesuch—with her captain, crew, and a Hell-Cat of fearsome reputation—and the assignment to rescue the niece of a Dutch ally taken captive in the South China Sea?

Golden Dragon is a witty new steampunk adventure, set in the Romantic age of Byron and Shelley.

Buy Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound

Praise for Golden Dragon -“Miriam is a great character. She figures out quickly how to use what she has in order to make an impact. I am very excited to see what new adventures will await the characters in the next book! This is a solid pick!” - MEGAN WESSELL, A Bookish Affair
“...a delightful fusion between historical fiction and fantasy with believable characters and an entertaining plot: highly recommended.” - ALARIC BOND, author of The Guinea Boat, Turn a Blind Eye, and The Fighting Sail Series
About the AuthorV.E. Ulett is a long time resident of California, but spends most of her time in a romantic nineteenth century world of airships and adventure. When she isn't head down in a first hand account of capture by pirates, battle at sea, or experimental flight, V.E. is an ordinary Silicon Valley warrior. Rare leisure hours are spent with her own small Hell-Cats.Author Links:
 
GIVEAWAY:a Rafflecopter giveaway

#WeeklyMenu Week 175

It has been a crazy week. It all started on Tuesda when my husband was supposed to take my mom, aunt, youngest son and two nephews to the mountain for some fun in the snow. I got a call while I was at work, that their car broke down at Mount Hood Village and they needed me to come get them. So I drove a two and a half hour round trip to rescue them. Turns out, my Suzuki has a bad aultornator and will be out of commision for a little while.

In the mean time, I get to drive a friends Porsche Cayenne that seems to want to kill me anytime I put it on the road. I don't understand what all the beeping is and what all the buttons do. The back window wipers wont turn off and I turned the heated seats soo far up, they burned my ass. I just can't win.

To top it all off, the weather was extrodinary this week. First snow of the season. It wasn't much, but the boys got to play with their uncle and went sledding. Our power didn't go out, which is a plus, because so many people were struggling to keep warm the last few days, and I made great progress on the sequel to my book.

I guess I can't complain. We survived and that's what matters. On to bigger and getter things. Enjoy this weeks menu!

Monday- Rosemary Garlic Steak
Tuesday- Chicken Quesadillas
Wednesday- Cheesy Casserole
Thursday- Asiago Tortellini Soup
Friday- Crack Chicken
Saturday- Doritos salad
Sunday- Tuna Sandwiches

Ocean of Stars by Belle Malory #BlogTour

BOOK & AUTHOR INFO:
Ocean of Stars
by Belle Malory
(Twelfth Keeper #3)
Publication date: January 7th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Synopsis:
One keeper down. Eleven to go.
Kennedy Mitchell has just survived an alien attack, but at what cost? The world still isn’t safe. The keepers still aren’t strong enough to defend it. The people still have no idea how much is at stake.
The Department of Extraterrestrials is planning an important mission, one that means seeking the help of another planet in order to save theirs. Kennedy is reluctant to leave at such a critical time, but her role in the mission is essential to its success. With everyone she loves still at risk, she’s willing to do anything to find the key to survival.
Even if that means crossing the universe.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25826552-ocean-of-stars?ac=1&from_search=true
Previous books in the series:https://www.amazon.com/Twelfth-Keeper-Belle-Malory-ebook/dp/B00B46ZD1Ahttps://www.amazon.com/Center-Universe-Twelfth-Keeper-Book-ebook/dp/B00DNA33B2





AUTHOR BIO:I don't consider myself a writer. I'm a storyteller.

My two great loves are books and coffee. If it weren't for books, my heart wouldn't feel as full. And if it weren't for coffee, I wouldn't know what mornings are. That being said, the guy at Starbucks knows me well. He sings to me sometimes.

I live in Orlando, Florida with my family and two rescue mutts. Their personalities are like night and day. One is gold. The other is black. The gold one doesn't like to sleep in. Before I've had my coffee, we are enemies.

You can visit me at http://www.bellemalory.blogspot.com. I love hearing from readers!
Author links:http://bellemalory.blogspot.ca/https://www.facebook.com/Belle-Malory-218217528238489/https://twitter.com/BelleMaloryhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5226809.Belle_Malory

#Review - All Kinds of Bad by Rachel Rust

Title: All Kinds of BadBy: Rachel RustGenre: YA RomanceRelease Date: October 7th, 2016Publisher: Evernight Teen
Summary from Goodreads:Dating the boy accused of trying to kill you is complicated. Proving he’s innocent is downright deadly.

Seventeen-year-old Lydia’s life is jolted when she’s nearly killed in a drive-by shooting. Things take another crazy turn when she meets Nathan, a hottie with a killer smile—and a delinquent past.

Romance ignites between Nathan and Lydia, but crime overtakes their small town and evidence points to Nathan’s involvement. And when he’s accused of firing the bullet that almost killed her in the drive-by shooting, Lydia’s convinced he’s being framed. But why? And by whom?

Lydia sets out to investigate, but as she creeps closer to uncovering local secrets, someone lurks on the sidelines, ready to silence her. With her life and Nathan’s freedom on the line, she must expose the truth behind the crimes, even if it means breaking the law herself. 
Add on Goodreads
Review: I don't normally pick up a contemporary romance, its not really my thing, but this one was written by my fellow Evernight Teen Author Rachel Rust, so I decided to give it a read.
At first, I was like, this is a lot of teenage touchy feely stuff, and then I just got sucked in by the characters and I wanted to punch something. This poor guy names Nathan keeps getting blamed by all the people in the town for everything bad that's happening. Rachel really brought the worst out in people which made me really hate them. I mean, come one.
Toward the middle of the book, I was certain that I had it all figured out who was doing all these bad things. It was so obvious... Um, yeah. I got that wrong. Turns out it was the last person I thought. 
I really enjoyed the way this book ended and how the main characters never lost sight of what was important, each other. 
The only gripe I have with this read is the part where Lydia puts on her pointe shoes and likes the way the wood feels on her feet. Being a ballerina for 14 years myself, I've never heard of a pointe shoe being made out of wood. I even did some research, just so I didn't put my foot in my mouth, just in case I didn't know everything. The box of the shoe is actually made out of cloth, paper and glue. This gives them pliability when the dancer is standing on them. But that is neither here nor there. 
I would recommend this read to anyone who loves a good teen romance. Four stars for All Kinds of Bad.

#Review - Smoke Sky by Amy Braun

Title: Smoke SkyBy: Amy BraunGenre: Steam Punk / FantasyRelease Date: December 6th, 2016Publisher: 
Summary from Goodreads:To survive in a horrific world overseen by bloodthirsty monsters, young thief Gemma will do whatever she must to see another day. Even though that means working for a damaged man convinced to make her a permanent member of this thuggish family.

So when her employer tells her that he’ll release her from his clutches, Gemma is obviously skeptical. Especially since the job is easy enough– recruit the two marauders that the gang has been spying on to take her place. 

But as Gemma lies to Nash and Sawyer, she commits the greatest mistake a spy can make–– she begins to see them as friends, and perhaps more. Soon, she will have to choose: Sacrifice two strangers to ensure freedom from a brutal future, or risk her life to save them…

Set two years before the events of CRIMSON SKY, this prequel novella tells the story of how Gemma met Nash and Sawyer, and what prompted her to chose their safety over her own. While best enjoyed before reading CRIMSON SKY, this bonus story can be read at any time or enjoyed as a standalone.
Add on Goodreads
Review: Amy Braun has delivered another exciting tale about our favorite Dark Sky characters.

I really enjoyed seeing Gemma's back story. She is strong, but also has a good heart. I felt how torn she was between doing her job and doing the right thing, and also the pull that brought her and Nash together.

This book has betrayal, a little bit of romance, and some pretty nasty characters that you just want to hate. Great read for a stormy afternoon. I would recommend it to anyone who loves adventure, pirates and steampunk. Four stars for Smoke Sky!

#WeeklyMenu Week 174

I just finished another good book. One that I had never heard of before, but should have. Dead Until Dark is True Blood. I didn't realize that until I started reading it and noticed the similarities. 
Enjoy this weeks menu!
Monday- Pork Tacos
Tuesday- Chicken and Broccoli Stir Fry
Wednesday- Beef Stroganoff
Thursday- Doritos Taco Salad
Friday- Asiago Tortellini Soup 
Saturday- Mongolian Beef
Sunday- Tuna Sandwiches

Snowed by Maria Alexander #BlogTour and #Giveaway

Book & Author Details:Snowed
by Maria Alexander
Publication date: November 2nd 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Mystery, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Charity Jones is a 16-year-old engineering genius who’s much-bullied for being biracial and a skeptic at her conservative school in Oak County, California. Everything changes when Charity’s social worker mother brings home a sweet teen runaway named Aidan to foster for the holidays. Matched in every way, Charity and Aidan quickly fall in love. But it seems he’s not the only new arrival: Charity soon finds the brutally slain corpse of her worst bully and she gets hard, haunting evidence that the killer is stalking Oak County. As she and her Skeptics Club investigate this death and others, they find at every turn the mystery only grows darker and more deadly. One thing’s for certain: there’s a bloody battle coming this holiday season that will change their lives – and human history – forever.
Will they be ready?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31559083-snowed?ac=1&from_search=true
Purchase: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1935738917/B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/snowed-maria-alexander/1124675012?ean=9781935738893



AUTHOR BIO:Maria Alexander is a produced screenwriter, published games writer, virtual world designer, award-winning copywriter, interactive theatre designer, fiction writer, snarkiologist and poet. Her short stories have appeared in numerous publications and acclaimed anthologies alongside living legends such as David Morrell and Heather Graham.

Her debut novel, Mr. Wicker, won the 2014 Bram Stoker Award for Superior Achievement in a First Novel. She's represented by Alex Slater at Trident Media Group.

When she's not wielding a katana at her Shinkendo dojo, she's being outrageously spooky or writing Doctor Who filk. She lives in Los Angeles with two ungrateful cats and a purse called Trog.

Author links:https://mariaalexander.net/https://twitter.com/LaMaupinhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1066257.Maria_Alexander

a Rafflecopter giveaway

#WeeklyMenu Week 173

Happy Thanksgiving! This time of years is always full of family and friends and I have been blessed with some of the best of both. 
We spent time with both sides of the family this Thanksgiving and my husband got to BBQ two turkeys. It was like the highlight of his day. He's weird like that, but I love that man.
I hope you all had a great turkey day. Enjoy this weeks menu!
Monday- Slow Cooker Crack Chicken
Tuesday- Cajun Chicken Alfredo
Wednesday- Beef Barley Soup
Thursday- Pork Tacos
Friday- Pizza 
Saturday- Spaghetti
Sunday- Tuna Sandwiches

Air by L.B. Gilbert #BlogTour and #Giveaway

Book & Author Details:
Air
by L.B. Gilbert
(The Elementals #2)
Publication date: November 28th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult, Paranormal
Synopsis:Despite being the junior Elemental, Logan’s never had to worry about failing a mission before. Not until an overgrown and annoyingly attractive shifter comes along.
Being an Elemental is in Logan’s blood. Hers is the gift of Air, a vast power she’s still struggling to control. Then a Were named Connell hunts her down. His wolf is missing, and he blames her.
A den of werewolves is the last place Logan wants to be. The testosterone alone is enough to make her choke. But she has a mystery to solve. She will find out who is stealing wolves even if kills her.
Unfortunately, that’s exactly what the enemy has planned…
—
Book 1: Fire
Book 2: Air, Available November 28th
Book 3: Water, Coming Soon
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32296734-air?ac=1&from_search=true
Purchase: Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LYND5D7/
Purchase book 1: https://www.amazon.com/Fire-Elementals-Book-L-B-Gilbert-ebook/dp/B0174PDMMG/



AUTHOR BIO:USA Today bestselling author L.B. Gilbert spent years getting degrees from the most prestigious universities in America, including a PhD that she is not using at all. She moved to France for work and found love. She's married now and living in Toulouse with one adorable half-french baby.

She has always enjoyed reading books as far from her reality as possible but eventually the voices in her head told her to write her own. And so far the voices are enjoying them. You can check out the geeky things she likes on twitter @elementalauthor, facebook www.facebook.com/elementalsauthor, or www.elementalauthor.com

*If you like a little more steam with your Fire, check out the author's Lucy Leroux titles*
Author links:http://www.elementalauthor.com/https://www.facebook.com/elementalsauthorhttps://twitter.com/elementalauthorhttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14442403.L_B_Gilbert
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