28 June, 2013

Weather Witch Blog Tour: Why Philly...? by Shannon Delany



Read My Mind is super happy to be part of the WEATHER WITCH blog tour today! Thanks to Shannon Delany and The Author's Taproom, who is hosting the tour. This upcoming YA takes place in my current and home town residence, and I got a chance to ask Shannon Delany: Why use Philadelphia as the setting for a steampunky, historical paranormal?


About The Author:
Shannon Delany has always been surrounded by books! Her aunt was a head librarian and her father was always trying some new creative endeavor. She grew up with a fierce love of history and studied social studies education and foreign language and culture in college.

After substitute teaching in every grade level and subject area in Pennsylvania and Maryland she taught for five years in Florida and then moved back north to be around family.

With the birth of her son she decided to become serious about writing and worked freelance jobs until she landed a contract with St. Martin's Press for the 13 TO LIFE series--all because of a contest one critique partner warned her against!

Website | Goodreads


***

I have an absolute love of Philly. I grew up an hour outside of the city and got to visit it pretty frequently. I enjoy New York City, but Philly has a warmth and a colonial feel that seems to steep into even the tallest and most modern of buildings. From the waterfront to Society Hill, the Fabric District, South Street and Reading Terminal Market--there is truly something for everyone and yet it's not overwhelming. Philly doesn't try to crush you...

...Philly embraces you.

Philly is also a strong supporter of the arts and art education. I respect that so very much!

Philly has a rich and readily accessible and welcoming history which draws people in and makes me want to return and research more and more. And although the Philadelphia I use in the Weather Witch series is definitely fictitious (I mess with the geography and take certain liberties with the history I adore) there is still enough of Philadelphia there that I hope people are made curious about the city and want to learn more--and visit the City of Brotherly Love!

***


EXCERPT:

The young man no longer stuck to the shadows, no longer waited until nightfall to work his
magick--or mischief as those Grounded would claim. He was tall and broad of shoulder with
dark hair and gray eyes and a coolness about him that made people think of first frosts and
snowfalls. And with good reason.

Because Marion Kruse was a cold-hearted young man.

Truth be told, He wanted nothing more than to return to a simpler time. A time he didn't wander
the roads and towns doing small things to amuse himself and set others to wondering. He wanted
nothing more to be back at his mother's feet, reading books about pirates and scoundrels that
made her laugh and tell him and his brother to never grow up to be wicked--that goodness was its own reward.

He wanted nothing more than to grow fat on Chloe's generously proportioned biscuits and call
her "nanny" again. Nothing more than to go fox hunting with his father and friends (even that
frustrating pretty boy Rowen Burchette) and dance with an attractive girl.

He wanted nothing more than to go back to before he'd been Made.

But Marion had been taught that going back was nigh unto impossible.



Blurb:
In a vastly different and darker Philadelphia of 1844, steam power has been repressed, war threatens from deep, dark waters, and one young lady of high social standing is expecting a surprise at her seventeenth birthday party–but certainly not the one she gets!

Jordan Astraea, who has lived out all of her life in Philadelphia’s most exclusive neighborhood, is preparing to celebrate her birthday with friends, family and all the extravagance they might muster. The young man who is most often her dashing companion, Rowen Burchette, has told her a surprise awaits her and her best friend, Catrina Hollindale, wouldn’t miss this night for all the world!

But storm clouds are gathering and threatening to do far more than dampen her party plans because someone in the Astraea household has committed the greatest of social sins by Harboring a Weather Witch.

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Barnes And Noble | Books A Million | Book Depository | Amazon

26 June, 2013

Cover Reveal: My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White (Rafflecopter Giveaway + Excerpt Included!)

It's A Cover Reveal! Check out this interesting-sounding upcoming NA, hosted by Kathy of I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Book Blasts And Blog Tours.


About The Author:
Karey White grew up in Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Missouri. She attended Ricks College and Brigham Young University. Her first novel, Gifted, was a Whitney Award Finalist.

She loves to travel, read, bake treats, and spend time with family and friends. She and her husband are the parents of four great children. She teaches summer creative writing courses to young people and is currently working on her next book.

Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook



Blurb:
After being dragged to the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice by her mother, sixteen-year-old Elizabeth’s life changes when Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy appears on the screen. Lizzie falls hard and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. This ill-advised pledge threatens to ruin any chance of finding true love. During the six intervening years, she has refused to give any interested suitors a chance. They weren’t Mr. Darcy enough.

Coerced by her roommate, Elizabeth agrees to give the next interested guy ten dates before she dumps him. That guy is Chad, a kind and thoughtful science teacher and swim coach. While she’s dating Chad, her dream comes true in the form of a wealthy bookstore owner named Matt Dawson, who looks and acts like her Mr. Darcy. Of course she has to follow her dream. But as Elizabeth simultaneously dates a regular guy and the dazzling Mr. Dawson, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.

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***

Excerpt:


It was a busy Monday morning. I was looking out at the line of waiting customers when he walked in. I gasped, shut my thumb in my cash drawer, and then tried not to cry while Mr. Sandoval from a hearing aid store asked me if I was okay.

When I finished Mr. Sandoval’s transaction, I looked at him again. He was taller than anyone in the room. Of course. His hair was dark and a little disheveled. It was hard to see from where I was, but his eyes looked like they were blue. And best of all, he didn’t smile. He looked gorgeously unpleasant and impatient. He looked around the room and his eyes met mine. Still he didn’t smile. My heart was racing. He looked perfect.

I did my best to time it so I’d be his teller. I went a little too fast with one customer and accidentally shorted her a twenty dollar bill. I tried to concentrate as I corrected the transaction. I slowed way down on the next customer, but just when I thought I was finished and would be able to help him next, my customer asked me to break a ten into change. He walked up to Courtney’s window while I counted out nickels and dimes. Furious, I stomped my foot. Not too loudly but enough to release a little of my frustration.

I listened closely as Courtney helped him to see if I could learn anything, but he hardly spoke. He gave a terse nod when Courtney thanked him for coming in and turned on his heel and left. He had excellent posture and a nice, confident stride.

I finished with my customer, and then before anyone else could step forward, I picked up the phone and dialed Courtney’s extension. She glanced at her phone’s display and looked over at me curiously.

“Who was that?” I whispered when she picked up the receiver.

“Elizabeth, look how many customers there are.”

“I know. Just tell me who that was.” I watched as Courtney picked up her last transaction slip.

“His name is Matt Dawson.”

“Is he married?”

“I have no idea,” Courtney said.

“Was he wearing a ring?”

“I didn’t look. What’s going on, Lizzie?”

“I just need to know about him.”

“Well, I don’t know anything about him and Delia’s watching us. I’ve gotta go.”

Matt Dawson. Matt. Matthew. Like Matthew Macfadyen. Dawson. It was pretty close to Darcy. The only way it could be better is if his name was Fitzwilliam but I’d never met a Fitzwilliam in my life.

Matt Dawson.

This had to be a sign.


***




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25 June, 2013

Blog Tour Promo: My Life As A Lumberjack by Sara V. Olds (with giveaway)

Today, Read My Mind is participating in the blog tour for MY LIFE AS A LUMBERJACK by Sara V. Olds. A review will post separately, but thanks to the author, there is a giveaway via rafflecopter going on during the tour. Enter the contest at the end of this post!

Here's more on the author and book:


About The Author:
Sara V. Olds has been telling stories for as long as she can remember. One of her favorite memories is of unfolding a tale for friends while they were all bundled in sleeping bags watching a comet shower in the Uintah Mountains.

Mother of three: Large, Medium and Small, she welcomes her newest role, that of mother-in-law.

Life has taken her from thither to yon and back again—she's moved 22 times during her marriage. She breathes to travel. Longs to fulfill a lifelong dream of owning a horse. Is an addictive reader. Enjoys swimming, skiing, violin and movies. Wonders if she'll ever get to SCUBA dive again. And has found a calling that fulfills her in ways she never could have imagined—teaching history to—wait for it—8th Graders.

Her stories consume her. There's nothing she'd rather do than spend all day, all night and the next day conversing with her latest set of characters. History, adventure, action, romance, humor. Adults, YA and kids. Yep, she does it all. Looking for something to enjoy on a quiet rainy afternoon? Or wanting a pulse-pounding, stay up all night turning pages adventure? Or a you've-GOT-to-be-kidding romp? You'll find them in her pages.

Website | Twitter | Facebook



Blurb:
Me, Mercedes Bennion? Working for the US Forest Service? I’ve never thought of myself as the outdoorsy, hard-working type. But one quick glance at those mouth-watering forest rangers and oh, baby, sign this seventeen-year-old up for a whole summer of fresh air, mountains and starry, starry nights!

Barnes and Noble | Amazon






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Promo: Camp Boyfriend by J.K. Rock Pre-Order Sale!


Damaris over at Good Choice Reading has a fabulous opportunity for book lovers looking for a summer read this July! Just pre-order CAMP BOYFRIEND by author duo, J.K. Rock from Anderson's Book Shop in Larchmont, NY and you can get your copy autographed by the authors, and then shipped to you.

Just clicksy on this PayPal link to order your copy. Here's some more details on the whole deal:


Those who pre-oder via Anderson's Book Shop not only get a SIGNED copy of CAMP BOYFRIEND (personalized or not), but the authors themselves will also ship out a friendship bracelet, and I ♥ CAMP tattoo to each person as a thank you!




Price for each book is $10.68 with tax included, and a $5.00 flat rate fee for shipping. There will be a tracking # that I will send out to everyone who pre-orders, so that you can keep up with your package.

All packages will be shipped out release week.


SOME THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW FIRST:

  • YOU DO NOT PAY GCREADING A DIME TO DO THIS.
  • THIS IS AVAILABLE TO U.S. RESIDENTS ONLY.
  • YOU CAN REQUEST A REFUND AT ANYTIME AS LONG AS THE BOOK HASN'T ALREADY BEEN BOUGHT AND SIGNED.
  • EVERYONE WHO PRE-ORDERS HAS TO FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW SO THAT I CAN FORWARD ALL OF YOUR INFORMATION TO THE AUTHORS. I WILL ALSO BE USING THE FORM TO E-MAIL EVERYONE THEIR TRACKING #. 
  • IF YOU BUY MORE THAN ONE BOOK, SHIPPING COST CHANGES. PLEASE E-MAIL ME FIRST BEFORE BUYING MORE THAN ONE. THIS IS TO ENSURE YOU DO NOT OVER PAY SHIPPING TO THE SAME ADDRESS.


Once you have ordered your copy, please go fill out THIS FORM


Also, if you live in the New York area, authors J.K. Rock will be signing at Anderson's Book Shop in Larchmont, NY on July 13th! More details to come!

Please feel free to contact Damaris with any questions or concerns at: 

Events@andersonsbooksny.com
Damaris@goodchoicereading.com




Blurb:
The summer of her dreams is about to get a reality check.

They said it couldn't be done, but geeky sophomore Lauren Carlson transformed herself into a popular girl after moving to a new school halfway across the country. Amazing what losing her braces and going out for cheerleading will do. Only trouble is, the popular crowd is wearing on Lauren's nerves and she can't wait to return to summer camp where she's valued for her brain instead of her handsprings. She misses her old friends and most of all, her long time camp-only boyfriend, Seth. This year she intends to upgrade their relationship to year-round status once she's broken up with her new, jock boyfriend, Matt. He doesn't even begin to know the real her, a girl fascinated by the night sky who dreams of discovering new planets and galaxies.

But Matt isn't giving her up without a fight. As he makes his case to stay together, Lauren begins to realize his feelings run deeper than she ever would have guessed. What if the guy she thought she was meant to be with forever isn't really The One? Returning to Camp Juniper Point was supposed to ground her uprooted life, but she's more adrift than ever. Everything feels different and soon Lauren's friends are turning on her and both guys question what she really wants. As summer tensions escalate, Lauren wonders if she's changed more than she thought. Will her first big discovery be herself?

Coming July 2013, SPENCER HILL CONTEMPORARY

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Pre-Order before July 2nd, 2013.

13 June, 2013

Cover Reveal Thursday: A Little Too Far by Lisa Desrochers

I spotted this yesterday on several blogs, including good friend Dee's over at Good Choice Reading. Clicksy on her link for a contest that is part of the reveal. I couldn't resist putting it up on Read My Mind though, because the author is, none other than, Lisa Desrochers of PERSONAL DEMONS series fame!



About The Author:
Lisa Desrochers lives in central California with her husband and two very busy daughters. There is never a time that she can be found without a book in her hand, and she adores stories that take her to new places, and then take her by surprise.

Look for her New Adult novel, A LITTLE TOO FAR , courtesy of HarperCollins Sept 2013, and the first companion, A LITTLE TOO MUCH , in Nov 2013. Also in stores is her YA PERSONAL DEMONS trilogy (Macmillan).

Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook



Blurb:
Yep. She just had mind-blowing sex with her stepbrother. In her defense, she was on the rebound, and it’s more of a my-dad-happened-to-marry-a-woman-with-a-super-hot-son situation. But still, he’s been her best friend and confidant for better part of the last few years... and is so off limits. It’s a good thing she’s leaving in two days for a year abroad in Rome. But even thousands of miles away, Lexie can’t seem to escape trouble.

Raised Catholic, she goes to Confession in hopes of alleviating some of her guilt... and maybe not burning in hell. Instead, she stumbles out of the confessional right into Alessandro Moretti, a young and very easy on the eyes deacon... only eight months away from becoming a priest.

Lexie and Alessandro grow closer, and when Alessandro’s signals start changing despite his vow of celibacy, she doesn’t know what to think. She’s torn between falling in love with the man she shouldn’t want and the man she can’t have.

And she isn’t sure how she can live with herself either way.

Coming September 2013, HARPER COLLINS

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Pre-Order At:
Barnes and Noble | iBookstore | Amazon





Cover Reveal Thursday: Skin Deep by Megan D. Martin

I'm a little late posting this up. The reveal was last week, but it's never too late to post pretties on the blog, in my opinion!


About the Author:
Megan D. Martin is a multi-published author, mother, student and editor. In her spare time she enjoys decorating her house with strange things that do not match, playing her old school Nintendo Entertainment System, and buying fish for her many fish tanks.

Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook




Blurb:
What would you do to have the body of your dreams?

Kiera hates being overweight and hides behind thick layers of clothing. One night, her friends present an opportunity that seems impossible to believe. With a single spell, she can have the thin physique she's always coveted.

But all magic comes with a price: no sex or she'll revert back to her old body. Kiera accepts the cost. It's not like she has men lined up at her door. Obeying this one tiny rule isn't difficult at all—until the night she meets Cain, a were-tiger and a soldier with the Eternal Forces.

When a slew of unexplained murders forces Kiera and Cain together, they'll have to face the
horrors of their pasts. Will Kiera realize she is worth more than her outward appearance? Or will she make the wrong the choice and lose everything—including her life?

Coming: Fall 2013, DRAGONFAIRY PRESS

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Cover Reveal Thursday: The Sound of Letting Go by Stasia Ward Kehoe (Plus Giveaway!)

Exciting news from AUDITION author, Stasia Ward Kehoe! Check out the cover of her upcoming YA from Penguin (February 2014).


About The Author:
Stasia Kehoe grew up dancing and performing on stages from New Hampshire to Washington, DC. She now writes books for young adults and choreographs the occasional musical.

Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook






Blurb:
For sixteen years, Daisy has been good. A good daughter, helping out with her autistic younger brother uncomplainingly. A good friend, even when her best friend makes her feel like a third wheel. When her parents announce they’re sending her brother to an institution—without consulting her—Daisy’s furious, and decides the best way to be a good sister is to start being bad. She quits jazz band and orchestra, slacks in school, and falls for bad-boy Dave.

But one person won’t let Daisy forget who she used to be: Irish exchange student and brilliant musician Cal. Does she want the bad boy or the prodigy? Should she side with her parents or protect her brother? How do you know when to hold on and when—and how—to let go?

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Don't forget to enter via the rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

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02 June, 2013

Conference: Book Expo America #BEA13



As many who are involved in the publishing and book world know, this past Wednesday, May 29th through Saturday, June 1st, was the annual BookExpo America. Held in New York City, at the Jacob Javits Center, it's a pretty huge deal for those of us living on the east coast.

Usually I represent Read My Mind for the entire event, however real-life work commitments interfered this year, and I was only able to attend one full day on the exhibit floor.




Saturday, June 1st, the last day of the convention, also coincides with one of the event's newest venture, Power Reader Day, where the public can register to attend as avid readers and book lovers.


For some, BEA is not just about acquiring "free books". It's the chance to network and build stronger relationships with publishers, publicists, and representatives of the world that exists to promote authors, a love of reading for the next generation, and improve literacy overall. This is the approach that I have taken in the past couple of years and how I want to present Read My Mind at the event. I think, because this is my 4th BEA, I've gotten a bit over the idea of grabbing as many free things as possible. That's not to say that I don't get super excited to hear about some of the books and authors making an appearance at the conference, by any means!

Since I was only in New York for an abbrieviated stay, I did not have a chance to attend some of the events that sounded really exciting this year.




I was uber excited to hear about the Publishing Hackathon that started the week before BEA. The finalists were presented at the conference. The idea of this type of event intrigued my inner geek girl.

Check out the Hackathon website for more info about the event itself, and who the finalists were.




One of the other improvements this year at BEA was the mobile app, available for Android, iPhone and iPad. I thought the Android app was fairly user-friendly. I was able to not only look up authors and their events, but also the books they would be promoting. There was a complete list of books being represented, and an "email" section where the conference sent updates during the day for some of the advertised events.

Sponsored by:


Check back to Read My Mind where I'll have a post about my personal experience at BEA, and of course, THE BOOKS!

01 June, 2013

BEA Book Spotlight: Dare You To by Katie McGarry Book Review

Blurb:
If anyone knew the truth about Beth Risk's home life, they'd send her mother to jail and seventeen-year-old Beth who knows where. So she protects her mom at all costs. Until the day her uncle swoops in and forces Beth to choose between her mom's freedom and her own happiness. That's how Beth finds herself living with an aunt who doesn't want her and going to a school that doesn't understand her. At all. Except for the one guy who shouldn't get her, but does....

Ryan Stone is the town golden boy, a popular baseball star jock-with secrets he can't tell anyone. Not even the friends he shares everything with, including the constant dares to do crazy things. The craziest? Asking out the Skater girl who couldn't be less interested in him.

But what begins as a dare becomes an intense attraction neither Ryan nor Beth expected. Suddenly, the boy with the flawless image risks his dreams-and his life-for the girl he loves, and the girl who won't let anyone get too close is daring herself to want it all...


There are some books that I read and are completely blown away by. Last year, one of those books was PUSHING THE LIMITS by Katie McGarry. Not only did she deliver a powerhouse of a novel, but she delivered a complete story arc that satisfied me to the bone. Therefore, I was utterly excited to read the next book. Not only was Beth Risk such an interesting character when she first showed up, but the edgy tension and so, so real environment promised to continue, and even be ratcheted up a notch.

To my surprise, McGarry takes Beth out of her friendly space, the space that I loved during PUSHING THE LIMITS, plops her down in a totally foreign world, then has Beth deal with all manner of distractions. The Beth Risk that I wanted to know more about was revealed layer by layer, in such a complex and engrossing story that I read 300+ pages in one sitting. I couldn't put the book down until I read the last page. That's how compelling it was.

Everything I have to say about DARE YOU TO is a rave. From Ryan's very detailed character, to Beth's family relationships and hardships, to the peek we see of old favorites, Noah and Echo... McGarry brings an awesome character-driven novel to the table, grabs the reader by the throat and pulls us along for a ride. Anyone who likes books should read this.

I dare you.

My Rating:
14/15

Must Read
4.5 star
A



I obtained this book from Harlequin Teen. No other compensation was given for the expectation of an honest review.

Cover Reveal: An Easy Dare by Rosalie Rousseaux + Rafflecopter Giveaway



Read My Mind is starting the weekend with a cover reveal bonanza! Thanks to the author, Rosalie Rousseaux and GCR Promotions for this one!


About The Author: 
I’m a Louisiana girl who loves to write about strong, opinionated women who go after what they want, even if they make a few mistakes on the way. And usually those mistakes involve MEN! (Sound like your life? Yeah, me too, lol). That being said, bad-ass women and the men they love make for great stories, and that’s what I always aim to bring my readers: A great story with lots of drama. A story you wanna keep reading.

Facebook | Goodreads



Blurb:
Cat loved Gabe from the time she was five years old. She thought it would be easy: fall in love with your childhood sweetheart, get married and live happily ever after. But as the years go on, the fairy tale soon falls apart. At twenty, Gabe – penniless, unable to find work, and drinking himself into a bad reputation – leaves New Orleans, believing that Cat is better off without him.

She doesn’t hear from him for three years.

Not until her bachelorette party, when he sends her a $400 bottle of Champagne the night before she’s set to marry Cort Belrose, a wealthy restaurateur that Gabe despises.

It seems the past three years have treated Gabe well. He’s now mysteriously wealthy and the picture of a perfect Southern gentleman – a gentleman who is quietly seeking vengeance on the man who forced him out of the city and stole the woman he loved.

With Gabe’s return, the sweltering heat of New Orleans becomes even more stifling as Cat struggles with the truth about her malicious husband and her consuming lifelong love for the vengeful and troubled Gabe.

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

Witch Fall Cover Reveal! Book #3 of The Witch Song Series by @AmberArgyle

OK, after opening an email about Amber Argyle's cover reveal for WITCH FALL, I had a huge smile on my face. Not only was I excited to post about the next book in the WITCH SONG series, but the heroine of this book HAS MY NAME! I'm mostly known as Lillie on the interwebs, which isn't an uncommon name, but my full name is. And I've never seen it on any toothbrush, wallet, keychain or cheesy whatever souvenir. But there it was, in the blurb for WITCH FALL. !!! Caps lock excitement!

Enough about me. Onto the reveal.


About The Author:
For the first twelve years of my life, I lived in a two bedroom ranch house at the base of a mountain. Besides my parents, my family consisted of three brothers--the oldest of which enjoyed beating me up. Ironically, the younger two were terrible wimps. I rode horses, moved sprinkler pipe, and mucked out barns (when they could catch me). We didn't have a lot of money, and the part of the ranch we lived on was eventually repossessed by the bank. Subsequently, we had to move to town (I know. I should have written Westerns).

I graduated from Utah State University with a bachelors degree (English and physical education), a husband, and a two-year old. I was a member of the collegiate honor society and graduated cum laude (which basically means I'm an overachiever).

My second son had severe colic, often crying for 16 hours a day. By the time he was four months old, I was in a very dark place. I discovered that I could prop him up between my arms and type for brief periods of time. Creating stories quickly became a cathartic addiction I couldn't function without.

It took seven manuscripts and five very long years before my debut novel, Witch Song, came out. I currently live in Northern Utah with my husband and three children.

Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest



Blurb:
All things fall.

Even Witches.

Supreme in their dominion over seasons, storms and sea, the Witches have forgotten the unmatched destructiveness of mankind—and among the weapons men seek are the magical songs of the Witches.

Lilette is one of the few who sees the signs of decadence and decay within the Witches. An outsider amidst her own kind, can she delay her people's annihilation long enough for them to survive the war that is coming?


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