.Review + Giveaway: The Exceptionals by Erin Cashman

The Exceptionals

by Erin Cashman

Hardcover, 236 pages


Published February 1st 2012 by Holiday House, Inc.

ISBN

0823423352 (ISBN13: 9780823423354)

*Copy provided by publisher*
                         

Born into a famous family of exceptionally talented people, 15-year-old Claire Walker has deliberately chosen to live an average life. But everything changes the night of the Spring Fling, when her parents decide it's high time she transferred to Cambial Academy--the prestigious boarding school that her great-grandfather founded for students with supernatural abilities.





The Exceptionals is a quick, easy read, with a heroine who comes into her own, over time.

Claire Walker is a human with special powers, although the power she possesses is not as strong as the other members of her family. She attends public school, until her one err in judgement forces her parents to make her leave the school, to join the rest of her family in the elite school for  "specials", students whom display supernatural abilities.

Cambial Academy was started by her now deceased grandfather. A school for children to be free to learn and use their special powers. Her whole family has been involved or attends the school, feeling out of place, Claire will face the challenges of being the "new kid" Although most students at the Academy come across as very friendly. Claire has always kept her "special" hidden, embarrassed at not having a great real "special", or even one that is powerful, she feels out of place, but soon she manages to fit in and begins to enjoy the Academy.

While practicing on her own in the woods she meets a mysterious boy named Dylan, the attraction between the two of them is noticeable and strong. She enjoys Dylan's company, although he is aloof and I felt like he always had a hidden agenda. 

Strange things start to occur as one by one the talented students known as Exceptionals are being kidnapped, as well as Claire's parents.

Within time we find out Claire may just be the strongest of them all as she becomes a heroine not only saving her friends, but also her family. Sacrificing all that she is.

3/5 Stars



{2} Hardcover copies of The Exceptionals provided by the publisher.
US/Canada Only
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Winner will have 48hrs. to respond to winning e-mail.
Giveaway open -9/29-10/29



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.Blog Tour: Review/Giveaway: The Star Child by Stephanie Keyes

The Star Child

by Stephanie Keyes

Published September 21st 2012 by Inkspell Publishing

ISBN: 139780985656249.

The world is about to be cloaked in darkness. Only one can stop the night.

Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past eleven years of his life, shows up spinning tales of a prophecy. Not just any old prophecy either, but one in which Kellen plays a key role.

Suddenly, Kellen finds himself on the run through a Celtic underworld of faeries and demons, angels and gods, not to mention a really ticked off pack of hellhounds, all in order to save the world from darkness. But will they make it in time?

EXCLUSIVE BOOK BIRTHDAY DISCOUNT!

Buy the book now at Inkspell Publishing Store and enjoy a special EXCLUSIVE 30% discount! Offer valid only till 30th Sep!

Also, available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and The Book Depository amongst others.

Stephanie Keyes holds an undergraduate degree in Management Information Systems as well as a Master’s in Education. A seasoned, facilitator, Mrs. Keyes worked in Training and Development for an international telecommunications corporation for twelve years; spending the first eight years of her career as a Software Trainer and Technical Writer and the last four working in Human Resources and Employee Development.


In May of 2012, Mrs.Keyes left the corporate world to focus on her family and her writing full-time. She also operates a freelance graphic and instructional design business, Sycamore Road Design.

Inkspell Publishing will release her first novel, The Star Child, on September 21, 2012. She is now currently at work on the second book in The Star Child Trilogy, The Fallen Stars.

Keyes lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two children, and Riley the dog.

Kellen, are male lead protagonist, is a smart, college educated 17 yr.old! Yes, 17 and already a college graduate, so you already know he is super smart! That really doesn't change the fact that he has no support from his family, his mother died, his father is not the greatest, and he can't explain his recurring dreams, that he  has been having for years.

Kellan decides to set off to Ireland, to his recently deceased grandmother's home as he is drawn to the country via his dreams, and a girl who seems to always appear in them.

Caliente, the girl in his dreams, shows Kellan there is more to his dreams and introduces him to another world.
A world unlike ours, filled with creatures. These creatures include Faires, Gods, demons, gargoyles, and many more...

Kellan must fill a prophecy, along with the help of Caliente their journey embarks them over the land fighting the "evils" of this "other" world.

The Star Child was a good read, although slow at times the pace did pick up as the adventure was played out and the action rivets up as these two journey across the "other world". I would recommend this book to Fantasy, epic readers, but I would keep it under the middle grade genre.

4/5 Stars -

InkSpell Publishing is giving away an

Autographed Paperback copy of The Star Child,

5 ebook copies of The Star Child,

6 of The Star Child Poster and bookmarks!

Paperback and posters is open to US and UK only. The ebooks are international.

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.Cover Reveal: Release by M.R. Merrick

Today on the blog, I have a fantastic cover reveal for M.R. Merrick's Protector's Series, Release #3.
Love the "storms" that seem to be brewing, on this cover. I own the first book, and really need to start this series. I've heard great things about it, and it sounds like it's right up my alley.





December 10, 2012



After uniting the shifters and calling in reinforcements, Chase has to face his toughest challenge yet: learning to control his emotions. But as tensions rise and his powers grow, controlling his emotions

becomes the least of his problems.

Terrorized by a multi-shifter who is hell-bent on turning him, Chase questions just how far he’s willing to go to stop his father. Meanwhile, Tiki’s virtuous nature has placed him in the middle of Vincent’s past, leaving Chase to oppose a senate of vampires and defend a demon he hates.

Trying to balance his friends, his enemies, and his inner demons, Chase is left searching for answers about the Mark, his destiny, and where he can find the next soul piece. Stopping Riley is his top priority, but as more obstacles arise, he finds himself doubting all the decisions he’s made - especially regarding Rayna.

One thing is for certain: Chase has finally realized that he doesn’t know anything. The light doesn’t always quell the darkness, the monsters don’t always stay in the shadows, and the past doesn’t always stay in the past - sometimes, the demons inside are the hardest to fight.

Links:



M.R. Merrick
Goodreads
Exiled (Protector #1)
Shift (Protector #2)

.Book Tour: Guest Post + Giveaway: Jane Kindred -The Midnight Court

Today, on the blog I have a great guest post with Jane Kindred and why she is addicted to the paranormal{funny, I am too!} Don't forget to enter the giveaway and share some love for Jane and her books in the comments!






Against the pristine ice of Heaven, spilled blood and a demon’s fire will spark celestial war.

The exiled heir to the throne of Heaven, Grand Duchess Anazakia and her demon companions, Belphagor and Vasily, have made a comfortable home in the Russian city of Arkhangel’sk, but their domestic bliss is short lived. When their daughter Ola is taken as a pawn in Heaven’s demon revolution, the delicate fabric of their unorthodox family is torn apart—threatening to separate Belphagor and Vasily for good.

Anazakia is prepared to move Heaven and Earth to get her daughter back from Queen Aeval, risen in Elysium from the ashes of temporary defeat. But Aeval isn’t the only one seeking Ola’s strange power.

To conquer the forces amassing against them, Anazakia is prophesied to spill the blood of one close to her heart, while Vasily’s fire will prove more potent than anyone suspected. In the battle for supremacy over Heaven’s empire, loyalties will be tested and secrets will be revealed, but love will reign supernal.

Addicted to the Paranormal

Recently, I decided to take a departure from my usual genre of romantic epic fantasy and try my hand at romantic suspense. I was a voracious reader of gothic romances when I was a teenager. There was nothing better than a brooding, mysterious gentleman and a young governess who found herself irresistibly drawn to him even as she began to suspect he might be the one murdering people in the manor.

I’m probably dating myself by admitting that Victoria Holt was my favorite author. Romance has changed a bit since I was last devouring it. But romantic suspense is a close relative to the gothic tale, and I thought it would be fun to try to conjure up some of that brooding bad-boy danger and angsty “am I in love with the killer?” drama. So I started working on my new romantic suspense project, plotting it out in my stream-of-consciousness writing journal, peopling it with characters, and finding an interesting setting. So far, so good.

As I started to write, however, I couldn’t help thinking what other deep, dark secret my hero might be hiding. If he wasn’t the killer, maybe he was something else, something a little bit dangerous and different, something…paranormal. And before I knew it, a mysterious new breed of brooding bad-boy was growing in the petri dish of my imagination.


I kept trying to tell it to go away. This isn’t your story, I tried to explain. We’re not doing immortals and secret fae clans and elemental magic. This is romance. Just a nice, normal, suspenseful romance. With humans. That’s it. The story wasn’t having any. Mysterious groves started appearing, and the hero’s family secrets started getting a little bit weird. The setting I thought I’d chosen at random turned out to be the ideal place for unusual things to happen and for esoteric magic to be hidden for centuries, and the family history that should have had nothing to do with the locale suddenly fit perfectly, as if the story had meant to go there all along. I couldn’t stop myself. I was out of control.


I think I just may be addicted to the paranormal. Though it’s epic fantasy, even my current release, The Midnight Court, has demons for heroes instead of knights and wizards. I seem to be incapable of writing “normal,” and always go straight to the “para.”

And maybe there isn’t anything wrong with that. I’ll have my romance with a side of otherworldly, please. After all, some of the earliest gothic romance was all about vampires and werewolves and ghosts. I’m not exactly sure what psychological need such elements satisfy, but it does seem pretty primal. Paranormal heroes are a little bit wild, appealing to the id, feeding the desire to give oneself over to dark side and lose control—at least for a little while.

So I’m just going to embrace my paranormal addiction and enjoy the ride, and write the story that wants to be told. There’s no point in trying to force it to be something it’s not. Because we all know what happens when you try to suppress your true nature. It comes out and devours the neighbors, and buries the bones in the backyard.





About the author:

Jane Kindred began writing fantasy at age 12 in the wayback of a Plymouth Fury—which, as far as she recalls, never killed anyone…who didn’t have it coming. She spent her formative years ruining her eyes reading romance novels in the Tucson sun and watching Star Trek marathons in the dark. Although she was repeatedly urged to learn a marketable skill, she received a B.A. in Creative Writing anyway from the University of Arizona.

She now writes to the sound of San Francisco foghorns while two cats slowly but surely edge her off the side of the bed.

You can find Jane on Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, and on her website.




The Midnight Court is available now in print and ebook from Amazon
Barnes & Noble
BAM
The Book Depository
Books On Board
Diesel eBooks
Indigo
Powell’s Books.







1 ebook copy of The Midnight Court

OR 

Book One, The Fallen Queen, if the winner prefers

Open INT

Must fill out Rafflecopter form to enter

Winner will have 48hrs. to respond to winning e-mail

Giveaway sponsored by author/publishing

 

 

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Review + Giveaway: Once Burned by Jeaniene Frost

Once Burned (Night Prince, #1)

by Jeaniene Frost
S

eries

Night Prince #1, Night Huntress - Complete World #9

Published June 26th 2012 by Avon

Mass Market Paperback, 346 pages

ISBN

006178320X (ISBN13: 9780061783203)

*Personal Purchase*

She's a mortal with dark powers...
After a tragic accident scarred her body and destroyed her dreams, Leila never imagined that the worst was still to come: terrifying powers that let her channel electricity and learn a person's darkest secrets through a single touch. Leila is doomed to a life of solitude...until creatures of the night kidnap her, forcing her to reach out with a telepathic distress call to the world's most infamous vampire...

He's the Prince of Night...

Vlad Tepesh inspired the greatest vampire legend of all—but whatever you do, don't call him Dracula. Vlad's ability to control fire makes him one of the most feared vampires in existence, but his enemies have found a new weapon against him—a beautiful mortal with powers to match his own. When Vlad and Leila meet, however, passion ignites between them, threatening to consume them both. It will take everything that they are to stop an enemy intent on bringing them down in flames.

Vlad, Vlad, Vlad....How I miss your humor and sex appeal.... :(

This was one of the hardest review for me to write up, becuse of my love for this series. BUT, this book did not meet my expectations and I was disappointed....

I am a HUGE fan of Jeaniene Frost and her fantastic Night Huntress Series. I love, and adore Jeaniene's writing style and love to be whisked away by her main character in the series, Bones, *little obsession*.

 I also adore the secondary characters(vamps) in the series. Being that Jeaniene has branched off the original series and is giving her secondary characters their own books, I find I'm missing the main characters and the group as a whole in these secondary books.

Having been introduced previously to Vlad as one of the secondary vampire's in this series, we as readers finally get an insight to Vlad and all of his charming ways, in his own book, or so we thought!

I was so excited to read this book, I mean Vlad was funny, snarky, sexy, hmmm. if I wasn't already attached to Bones, and Ian, he would definitely be my third choice! lol

But, sadly I must say I was very disappointed in this book. Now, don't get me wrong or think I'm bashing the author, I just think this book totally missed it's mark for me, and unfortunately it is my least favorite book by Jeaniene that I've read, and I've read them all! So, on that standpoint I know what she is capable of. I wanted to be swept away by Vlad. I wanted him to exude his confidence and be engulfed in his heated flame, and not just the flame he is able to produce from his body.  

In this book she doesn't show Vlad as she did in the past, instead he reminds me of being a little tight, and not as easy going as he was previously, gone is the humor, and snarkiness, gone is his "heat". 

The writing felt obscured and distant. I didn't care for the main plot as Vlad meets his future love and they can hear each others thoughts, for me it didn't really work. I really didn't care for Vlad's love, Leila, as the book is mostly told from her POV. I didn't feel the connection between these two, and at times felt like giving up reading this book. I think the  main reason was because of the way so much emphasis was placed on Leila and less on Vlad. I felt no connection to Leila, as I did with past ladies in the series.

I also missed the whole "gang" I believe the reason why the Night Huntress series is so successful, is because Jeaniene is able to incorporate so many great characters and make you fall for them, but with less of a showing of the "gang" I found I missed them terribly.

Per, Jeaniene's website I read that she will continue with Vlad and Leila's story, with less emphasis placed on Bones and Cat, which really makes me sooo sad. She will also end the Night Huntress series(Bones and Cat) at book #9. I'm not sure she should be giving up on them.

I really dislike giving books low ratings, and I'm not into bashing authors. I mean it took me forever to write this review, I actually read this back in the end of July.

I just feel when/if Jeaniene continues with this series, she brings back the characters we first fell in love with and how they made us laugh and fall in love with them. I want the old gang fighting together, with maybe each book featuring each secondary character in a relationship. I really loved how she displayed that with past Night Prince books. I also want to see more of Bones and Cat.

2.5/5 Stars 

Actual Quotes from this book,  I incorporated my thoughts in pink.

“People frequently bore me, sometimes amuse me, most often irritate me, but rarely intrigue me.”

This is my thoughts when thinking about, Leila

“How unconvincing. Try again.”

This is what comes to my mind when trying to think of these two as a couple

“Of course he wouldn't hesitate before trying something that had never been done before. He was Vlad Tepesh. How could he fail?”

But, fail he did :(

“Let me introduce my friend, Cat.’ The redhead, and for some reason, she looked familiar. ‘Her husband Bones’ – here Vlad smiled coolly at the short-haired brunet – ‘is not my friend.”

Aaah, there is the Vlad we all know and love....

“I can give you honesty, monogamy, and more passion than you can stand, but not love. That emotion died in me long ago, as I suspect you already know.”

Yes, I did know, but along with it went your humor and snark!

Now, I want you to have a chance at reading this and tell me if my review is too harsh.

**You don't have to read the whole series to be able to read this book, can be classified as stand alone. You just won't understand how Vlad is in previous books and why sooo many *swooned* for him, in the first place...**

**Questions can be found on Rafflecopter form**

1) If you read this book,what were your thoughts?
 1A) Have you read any of Jeaniene's books?
 2) Do you think my review was too harsh or just right?
3)When you have to write a less than stellar review, do you find yourself, not as confident. I know I was unsure about writing this one (Thanks for supporting me and boosting my confidence Kristin @ My Parahangover)
**In no way was Kristin an influence on my review. She just helped me feel better about me having to write a less than stellar review!** All thoughts above are 100% my own!!
4)What was the last book you read that disappointed you? 

I'll giveaway one paperback copy of Once Burned plus some surprise bookmarks/swag

• Open Int.
• Must fill out rafflecopter form
• Winner will have 48hrs. to respond to winning e-mail notification

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.Excerpt: Book Tour Stop: Island Of Tory by Regina M Geither

 

Loconeal Publishing   

Amazon  
Amazon UK  
Barnes and Noble Online
Facebook  
Twitter  
Author website  



Regina M. Geither was raised on stories of legends, curses, and all things paranormal. Today, she is a teacher, writer, and published author of the middle grade short story, Swamp Stallion, part of McGraw-Hill’s Imagine It! reading series. Her most recent publication is the young adult paranormal fantasy novel, Island of Tory, a tale of Celtic myth and Irish curses. Along with being an intermediate school teacher, Regina teaches adults novel writing at Polaris Career Center. She resides in northern Ohio and is currently working on the sequel to Island of Tory, Cursing Stone. Find out more at www.reginamgeither.com.

My eyes followed the direction of his arm. A few meters away, among the shore’s pebbles, was a large gray rock. Algae and moss covered the slab of limestone, but anyone could see that it was unusually angular for a natural stone. “What is it?”

“That is Cloch Arclai, the pedestal of the Cursin’ Stone.”

“Wishing Stone, Cursing Stone-- how many special stones does this island have?”

My question made Declan smile, but he continued his original story without answering me. “Only Cloch Arclai remains, but it is a reminder ta all of the islanders of Tory’s mystical past.”
I grinned at Declan’s words. He was trying to distract me from my somber mood, and I had to admit it was working.

He lowered his voice to a whisper. “Some say that the Cursin’ Stone or Cloch na Mallacht was put here by St. Colm Cille. Others say that druids brought the stone ta Tory ta use against their enemies. Regardless of how it got here, it brought with it great magic.

“It was used as part of a pilgrimage called An Turas Mór. The pilgrims would walk the circumference of the island before sunrise, stoppin’ at designated points ta place a small stone and say a prayer or curse, as the case may be. Upon returnin’ ta Cloch Arclai, they would turn the Cursin’ Stone upside down ta end the ritual.”

“Where is the Cursing Stone now?” Though the account was obviously just a local folktale, Declan’s story telling skills had me wanting more.
“No one knows for sure. The last time anyone saw it was on the eve of September 23, 1884, right before the HMS WASP was dashed upon the rocks just off shore from the lighthouse.”

I twisted my chin in skepticism. “You’re saying someone deliberately used the Cursing Stone to make the HMS WASP wreck? Why?”
“It was coming ta our island ta collect taxes. The islanders were very poor and desperate. They would have been willin’ ta try anythin’ ta survive.”

“So why hide the Cursing Stone?”

“It isn’t known where the stone went. Someone could have taken it, or maybe the sea claimed it. Regardless, it’s gone, never ta be used again.”

I looked at Declan’s face trying to decide if he believed his own tale. His features were smooth, betraying no hint of a lie. “If someone did take it, what good would it do?”

“No more curses could be made, and no curses made could be undone.” The corners of Declan’s mouth hinted at a smile.

The Hobbitt: Official Movie Trailer #1 and #2

The Hobbit is a classic! Of course many of you already have read The Hobbit, probably in school as a required read. I recall reading it and falling in love with the imaginative mind of  J.R.R Toilkien and his imaginative world of creatures. First Published in 1937, it has spanned countless generations and has exposed readers to a fantasy that can be read at any age.  With the hits of Lord Of The Rings book series, and movie, it is only fitting that they bring the Hobbit to life on the visual screen, as this book is what all started the journey of The Golden Ring and a vile creature with a seemingly, haunting voice.. my Precious...Gollum, greed at it's best and worst. Embark on the journey with the Dwarves as they show their strength and fearless journey to come face to face with the relentless Dragon, Smaug the magnificent. 
I cannot wait to watch this book come to life on screen. Enjoy the trailers!
Dwarves kick butt!

Movie Due in theaters December 14, 2012

In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat: it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.

Written for J.R.R. Tolkien’s own children, The Hobbit met with instant critical acclaim when it was first published in 1937. Now recognized as a timeless classic, this introduction to the hobbit Bilbo Baggins, the wizard Gandalf, Gollum, and the spectacular world of Middle-earth recounts of the adventures of a reluctant hero, a powerful and dangerous ring, and the cruel dragon Smaug the Magnificent.  

 

Trailer #1 can be seen directly on You Tube, as embedding was disabled

Trailer #1 You Tube

http://www.thehobbit.com/


                                                                                                                                                                                           

.Stacking The Shelves #17 and Sunday Post #3

Stacking The Shelves is all about the books we are adding to our shelves each week, sharing with you our excitement for our newest titles and maybe have you discover a new book in the process! Tynga from Tynga's Reviews is is the host and you can Link up with her and join this meme here: Tynga's Reviews.

The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.






*Great giveaways going on, check my left sidebar!!*

Hey guys, welcome to another STS and Sunday Post. So last week I was ultra busy and didn't have time to post and visit everyone's meme, so I decided not to post. But, I'm back and here goes...
Hope you all had a great week!!



Blog Happenings from the past week.


Sun: 9/16 -Cover Reveal for The Perfect Clone by M.L. Stephens
               -Release Day Teaser for Blood and Bone by Courtney Cole

Mon: 9/17 -Book Tour: Giveaway + Excerpt: Guardian of the Moon Pendant by Laura J. Williams

Tues: 9/18 - Book Tour: Review- Dancing With Death by Andrea Heltsley

Wed: 9/19 - My Waiting On Wednesday  had me choosing two highly anticipating books.
                - Review + 2 pb. Giveaways: Incarnation by Emma Cornwall

Thurs: 9/20 -Guest Post: C.C Hunter -Whispers at Moonrise {Shadow Falls Series #4}


Fri: 9/21 -Official Cover Reveal: OPAL(Lux #3) by Jennifer L. Armentrout
              -Release Day Blitz: {Giveaway} The Star Child by Stephanie Keys


Sat: 9/22  -Excerpt and Giveaway Crossroads Academy Series by JJ. Bonds




I only received a few books for review and since I didn't have a chance to to actually list them this week I'll list them next week.

I did receive some great goodies in the mail from a few wins and surprises!




Won from Beth Revies author of Across The Universe.
Beth had a giveaway of Razorbill/Penguin Arcs, and I won
The Innocents by Lili Peloquin
Thanks!



From the lovely Michelle Leighton

after posting the first two reviews from a tour

Michelle sent me this surprise, which I am

savoring at the moment! Hmm. Jackson *swoon*

Thank You!!

I actually won these awhile ago, but they just came in and I totally forgot
where I won them from, sorry :/
Thanks!

My huge score this week was from the local library bookstore. They had a whole section of books that just came in on Thurs. from a donation. I was so excited when I saw all the amazing titles I paid $24.00US dollars on all below, plus I found two awesome dvd's and managed to get a few cookbooks. Let me just say, whom ever is donating these books, has some awesome taste. Either that, or the pub. companies are sending them to the library and they don't put them out, either way I clearly was super excited! Squee :D

While I was at the library I picked up Rift. I picked up Matched at a local discount store.



Picked up some bookmarks from B&N