Sarai Henderson's Blog, page 248

The Silver Key by Elena Schauwecker #BlogTour

The Silver Key
by Elena Schauwecker
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: December 6th 2016
BookLogix

Summary from Goodreads:

“If those bad guys—Meladyne—if they have this Key, they will . . .?”
“Unlock the greatest power in all the universe and enslave every man, woman, and child on this planet, destroying the earth and all life as you know it; there will be nowhere to go but Meladyne. Then they’ll leave the Sunolians, the spirits, and all the magical creatures here to die.”
Alyssa pulled the Key out of her pocket and held it up. “Unless I protect this little thing?”
“Yes.”
Alyssa McCaw is a normal fourteen-year-old girl, perfectly happy with her life. But when one little key falls into her hands, her whole world is turned upside down. She suddenly finds herself whisked into a world full of the one thing she never would’ve thought possible: magic. At first, it appears to be a beautiful thing. But as Alyssa and her sister soon discover, magic, like all things, has a dark side. When her best friend Hazel is taken captive by a land of dark magic, it is up to Alyssa and her friends to rescue both Hazel and the world.
A classic tale of light versus dark, this book will pull you into a universe of love, betrayal, and, most of all, magic.

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Author Links:
Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook 



Blog Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours

Shadow Fall by Audrey Grey #BlogTour and Giveaway

Book & Author Details:
Shadow Fall
by Audrey Grey
(Shadow Fall, #1)
Published by: Blaze Publishing
Publication date: November 22nd 2016
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Synopsis:The asteroid hurtling toward the earth will kill billions.
The Emperor and his Gold Court will be safe in their space station, watching from the stars. The Silvers will be protected underground. But the Bronzes must fight it out at the Shadow Trials for the few remaining spots left on the space station.
When an enigmatic benefactor hands Maia Graystone a spot in the Trials, she won’t just get a chance at salvation for her and her baby brother, Max: She gets to confront the mother who abandoned her in prison, the mad Emperor who murdered her father, and the Gold prince who once loved her. But it’s the dark bastard prince she’s partnered with that will make her question everything, including her own heart. With the asteroid racing closer every day, Maia must trust someone to survive.
The question is who?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29366679-shadow-fall?ac=1&from_search=true
Purchase: Special release price of 99¢!Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-Fall-Audrey-Grey-ebook/dp/B01KVPGCDW/B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadow-fall-audrey-grey/1124086889?ean=9780997010497iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/shadow-fall/id1146700893?mt=11Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/shadow-fall-5

AUTHOR BIO:Audrey Grey lives in the charming state of Oklahoma, with her husband, two little people, and four mischievous dogs. You can usually find her hiding out in her office from said little people and dogs, surrounded by books and sipping kombucha while dreaming up wondrous worlds for her characters to live in.
Author links:http://audreygrey.com/https://www.facebook.com/audreygreybooks/https://twitter.com/AudreyGreyBookshttps://www.instagram.com/audreygreyauthor/https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15044420.Audrey_Grey




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Catalyst by Kristin Smith #BlogTour and #Giveaway

Book & Author Details:
Catalyst
by Kristin Smith
(The Deception Game, #1)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: November 21st 2016
Genres: Dystopian, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Too pretty.
Too smart.
Too perfect.
In a crumbling, futuristic Las Vegas where the wealthy choose the characteristics of their children like ordering off a drive-thru menu, seventeen-year-old Sienna Preston doesn’t fit in. As a normal girl surrounded by genetically modified teenagers, all of her imperfections are on display. But after the death of her father, everything she’s ever known and loved changes in an instant.
With little skills to help provide for her family, Sienna clings to the two things that come easily—lying and stealing. But not all thief-for-hire assignments go as planned. When a covert exchange of a stolen computer chip is intercepted, she becomes entangled with a corrupt government official who uses her thieving past as leverage, her mother as collateral, and the genetically modified poster boy she’s falling for as bait.
In order to rescue her mother, there may only be one option—joining forces with the Fringe, an extremist group, and their young leader who’s too hot to be bad. Problem is, these revolutionaries aren’t what they seem, and the secrets they’re hiding could be more dangerous than Sienna is prepared for. In the end, she must be willing to risk everything to save the one thing that matters most.
Catalyst is a thrilling adventure of danger, romance, intrigue, and deception.
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29922963-catalyst?ac=1&from_search=true
Purchase:Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1634229983
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/catalyst-kristin-smith/1123761371?ean=9781634229982
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/catalyst-62

AUTHOR BIO:Kristin Smith writes young adult contemporary and science fiction novels. When she’s not writing, you can find her dreaming about the beach, beating her boys at Just Dance, or belting out karaoke (from the comfort of her own home). Kristin currently resides in the middle-of-nowhere North Carolina with her husband and five incredibly loud but extremely cute boys. To read more about her obsession with YA novels or her addiction to chocolate, you can visit her at kristinsmithbooks.com.

Author links:http://www.kristinsmithbooks.com/https://www.facebook.com/KristinSmithAuthor/https://twitter.com/SwordsStilettoshttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15184285.Kristin_Smith




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#WeeklyMenu Week 172

I can't believe its the holiday season already. Thanksgiving is this week and Christmas is right around the corner.
We get to BBQ our Turkey this year, instead of deep frying. Sadly, the fryer died. Should still be good though.
Enjoy this weeks simple menu.
Monday- Pork Schnitzel
Tuesday- Chicken and Green Bean Casserole 
Wednesday- Beef and Chedder
Thursday- Thanksgiving
Friday- Italian Crazy Bread
Saturday- Mexican Hot Dog
Sunday- Tuna Sandwiches

#Review - The Coldest Girl in Cold Town by Holly Black

Title: Coldest Girl in Cold TownBy: Holly BlackGenre: Urban Fantasy/ParanormalRelease Date: September, 3rd 2013 Publisher: Little, Brown Books
Summary from Goodreads: Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown's gates, you can never leave.
One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.

The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black
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Review: I really enjoyed this take on the vampire world. It was unique but didn't feel hokey or far fetched. It felt like it followed vampire lore closer than some books I've read. 
Tana is an awesomely bad ass character who has no idea how bad ass she is. She spends the entire book just trying to stay alive, but in the end realizes that she was stronger than she thought. She is selfless and caring and at times a little reckless. If you love a good "girl tries not to turn into a vampire" story, then you will love The Coldest Girl in Cold Town (Awesome Title!).

#Review A Night Without Stars by Jillian Eaton

Title: A Night Without Stars
By: J.A. EatonGenre: Urban FantasyRelease Date: July 4th, 2014Publisher: Bay Horse Publishing
Summary from Goodreads: You might know vampires...but you don't know Lola. 
Sixteen-year-old Lola Sanchez is no hero. Snarky, rebellious, and completely fed up with her life, she has one goal: graduate high school and get the hell out of her small hometown. Until a night of terror and bloodshed changes everything...forever. 

Now the only thing Lola wants to do is survive. But how can she survive when everything she knows has been destroyed and the one person she thought she could trust ends up being the most dangerous person of all?
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Review: I kept seeing this book roll through my Goodreads feed and show up in my email. Finally, I decided that if it kept showing up, it must be a sign that I had to read it.
The story follows Lola, a troubled teen, who seeks attention by doing dangerous and illegal things. One night she is thrown in the path of a vampire and strange things start happening. The whole town goes dark and the sounds of screams from the dying can be heard. Lola and her best friend and father try to escape the city, but can't. When the best friend is captured by a sadistic vampire, Lola makes the ultimate sacrifice to get him back. 
Jillian Eaton has created a mysterious world where vampires don't hide anymore. When Lola takes on the sadistic female vampire, I wanted to jump up and down and scream "You go girl." Who takes on a vampire without the normal wooden stake or garlic necklace. This chic is bad ass.
The vampire lore is what you would think. They don't go out in the sunlight, they have super healing powers, and they can only be killed in a special way. No sparkle to these blood suckers.
The only part of the story where it kind of fell apart for me, was when Lola's group tries to leave the city. Without giving a lot away, apparently, there is only one way out of that side of the city and its blocked, so they don't even try to leave after that. It seems a little flimsy to me. 
With that being my only down side. I gave this read three stars and would recommend it to anyone who loves urban fantasy, paranormal and vampires. 

#Review - Hero High by Mina Chara @authorminachara

Hero High: Figure in the Flames
by Mina Chara
Genre: YA Mystery Romance/Superheroes
Release Date: October 1st 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

Reality TV meets Superhero High School in this intriguing story about friendship, fame, and what it means to be a hero.

In Icon City superheroes save the day every day on the quarter hour. Led by Captain Fantastic, scores of superhero celebrities do their best to train the next generation. Seventeen year old Friday Fitzsimmons and Jake her childhood friend are their latest starstruck recruits. When Doctor Dangerous returns from the dead and the Figure in Flames decimates the city, Captain Fantastic is betrayed by one of his own.

Torn between Jake, Ashley and her feelings for Doctor Dangerous, Friday must decide if her childhood friend is worth fighting for, and if the worlds most famous super-villain is worth saving, all while learning how to be a hero.

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Review: Its not everyday that you read a book that has a unique story. Mina Chara has brought us this interesting world full of super heroes and super villains, where they are thrust in front of the camera in Hero High, a super hero school and TV show.

I've never read a book that takes this approach to a story. Its like reading a reality show, but you also get an in depth mystery that keeps you wondering what's next for our unlikely super heroes. If you want to read something new and unique, check out Hero High. You will love it! I give this four out of five stars...

Advance Praise:- I think this book will appeal greatly to fans of the Selection. - the dressmaker D'fwan reminded me of America's maids … The whole TV reality show aspect also reminded me of Hunger Game as well as The Selection.
- I Really Loved The BookI am so looking forward to book two. I love the world you’ve created and I want to explore it more. I thoroughly enjoyed Friday and her story.
- I Really, Really Enjoyed This Book!The way that Ashley and Friday’s relationship progressed was amazing. Too often, in books the two main love interests relationships progress way too quickly and it was refreshing to see Ashley and Friday’s relationship develop gradually instead of it being super rushed.
- I Would Give This Book a Full 5/5 Stars!Like there was just so much to this book and none of the characters are like what you originally predicted. Every chapter keeps adding to the story and making it more and more complex, and it leaves you on the edge of your seat in suspense.


About the Author
Hi! I’m Mina Chara, I’m a student, an artist, a daughter, sister and companion to my two furry friends, Gimli and Gwynne. This blog is here because I’ve just written a book called Hero High: Figure In The Flames.

This is My Story:
Being dyslexic isn’t so much of a problem, the hard part is not letting it dictate what I like, and what I can do. For years I was scared of reading, but then I discovered YA fiction, real books with main characters I could relate to because most of them were girls.

When someone criticizes my writing, I feel like crying, because I feel like that I’m back in English class getting yelled at again, just wanting to go home, but I’m not a kid anymore, I’m an adult, and as an adult, I wrote a book, and you can too.

Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Tumblr│Author's Amazon Page


Blog Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours

#WeeklyMenu Week 171

I don't care what any of you say, but I have the most hilarious kids in the world. They keep me on my toes, that's for sure. 
Even during the last week, when I was supper sick and still had to be mommy to two sick children, my little six year old took good care of me and helped me with his brothers. I love that kid!
There are lots of great foods on this weeks menu. Enjoy!
Monday- Shepherd's Pie
Tuesday- Chicken Caesar Salad
Wednesday- Creamy Bruschetta Chicken
Thursday- Philly Cheesesteak 
Friday- Pork Schnitzle 
Saturday- Beef Stroganoff
Sunday- Tuna Sandwiches

#Review - Relentless by Karen Lynch

Title: RelentlessBy: Karen LynchGenre: Urban Fantasy / ParanormalRelease Date: December 26th, 2013Publisher: Karen Lynch
Summary from Goodreads:Sara Grey’s world shattered ten years ago when her father was brutally murdered. Now at seventeen, she is still haunted by memories of that day and driven by the need to understand why it happened. She lives a life full of secrets and her family and friends have no idea of the supernatural world she is immersed in or of Sara’s own very powerful gift.

In her quest for answers about her father’s death, Sara takes risks that expose her and her friends to danger and puts herself into the sights of a sadistic vampire. On the same fateful night she meets Nikolas, a warrior who turns Sara’s world upside down and is determined to protect her even if it’s the last thing she wants.

Sara’s life starts to spin out of control as she is hunted by an obsessed vampire, learns that her friends have secrets of their own and reels from the truth about her own ancestry. Sara has always been fiercely independent but in order to survive now she must open herself to others, to reveal her deepest secrets. And she must learn to trust the one person capable of breaking down the walls around her.
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Review:I enjoyed all the complexities of the characters. There weren't just Mohiri or vampire. There were a plethora of other creatures that were mixed into the story to make the world something special.

I really wanted there to be more sexual tension between Nicholas and Sara, but I'm intrigued to see how their relationship plays out in the sequel.
I give this book 4 out of 5 stars!

Carmine #Review and #BlogTour by Alan Janney

Carmine
by Alan Janney
Genre: YA Dystopian/Adventure/Romance
Sparkle Press

Playlist:
To get into character, I've to a lot of excellent music on Spotify written and/or preformed by strong women.

Here are my favorites:

The Naked and Famous - “No Way,” “Runners,” “Higher”

The Foxies - “Floods,” and “Box Wine”

Halsey - “Colors”

Five Knives - “Savages,” and “Dirty Souls”

LEVV - “Heartbreaker”

Broods - “Bridges”

Hailee Steinfeld - “Rock Bottom”

FLETCHER - “War Paint”

Also, the entire 1989 album by Taylor Swift. Shut up, she rules. I listen to more music than anyone I know. Probably five hours a day, headphones clamped tight. If you have Spotify or something similar and want to check out a few bands you may not have heard of, I recommend:

Leagues
The Hearts
Conquer Divide
The Runaway Club
SmallPools
Jack Moy & Gloden

Here’s the Outlaw’s playlist, just for fun:
https://open.spotify.com/user/aljanne...

Cheers!

Alan Janney

www.alanjanney.com

PS. I’m giving away FREE BOOKS and Amazon gift cards to celebrate the launch. Enter the contest here —> http://eepurl.com/cl1x05

Summary:

She wakes as society crumbles
She wakes up with no memory
She wakes up a queen

The girl once known as Katie Lopez wakes up in an abandoned Wal-Mart with no memory, possessing only the vague sense that something has happened.  Where is her family?  Where is her boyfriend?  She has a faint recollection of him, a ghost of a memory.  The world, she discovers, is staggering from the weight of rampaging mutants, victims of a bizarre surgery gone wrong.  Once intended to bring about a utopia, now the victims threaten societal meltdown.  Much to her surprise, the girl with no memory discovers she is their queen.

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Author Links:
Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

Review: This book started off with a bang. The main character, Carmine, wakes up in a Walmart without any memories. She learns about an infection and super human people and these people seem to be drawn to her. After gathering a small group, Carmine decides to go to LA to take over another group of super humans, don't ask me why, it just all of a sudden happens. The whole middle of the book seemed to fly by without a lot of excitement or extra content to keep me interested. It seemed like every chapter there were way more super humans gathering in LA, and all though they all considered Carmine their leader, not a lot of them knew who she was.

I had a hard time getting through this book, but the concept and writing were good. I just wished there was more excitement throughout the story to keep me hooked. For this, I gave the book three stars, because I had hoped for more.


Blog Tour Organized by:
YA Bound Book Tours