Cover Reveal for HIDDEN PIECES by Paula Stokes and INT giveaway of a signed ARC!

Dear All:

I am so excited to get the chance to show you the cover for Paula's next amazing book, HIDDEN PIECES! Without further ado, here it is!

Description of book:

Embry Woods has secrets. Small ones about her past. Bigger ones about her relationship with town hero Luke and her feelings for someone new. But the biggest secret she carries with her is about what happened that night at the Sea Cliff Inn. The fire. The homeless guy. Everyone thinks Embry is a hero, too, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Embry thinks she’ll have to take the secret to her grave, until she receives an anonymous note—someone else knows the truth. Next comes a series of threatening messages, asking Embry to make impossible choices, forcing her to put her loved ones at risk. Someone is playing a high stakes game where no one in Embry’s life is safe. And their last move...is murder.

Paula: Hidden Pieces started out as a book called Choose about a girl forced by a mysterious tormentor to make impossible choices. But like most of my books, during the writing and revision, the story evolved and enlarged into something that was more about the characters than the plot. This is a mystery intertwined with a little romance and a lot of family dynamics. Embry is a flawed character, but her flaws stem from her worldview, which has been shaped by her history and experiences. Like all of my main characters, she grows and changes throughout the book.

I only saw this cover last week, because the team at HarperTeen decided to change it from an earlier design. We'll probably be tweaking this a bit, but I really love this concept. The girl is great for Embry and the overall feel of the design is dark and creepy, which matches the feel of the book. A fire plays prominently in the plot, which is why the puzzle pieces are burned. I love the font of the title and author name, how it's eye-catching and reminiscent of the font of Liars, Inc. but still a little different. Christina has read an earlier draft of the book. C, what do you think? 

Me: I love the puzzle pieces on the cover and how it eliminates the face of the model. It gives the book the appropriate air of mystery but also intrigue, so I love how the designers put that together. I also like how the puzzle isn't quite perfect and seems to devolve into ash as you mentioned. Really well done. 

As for the book itself, I was one of the lucky readers to see a draft of this book. I was hooked from the first page. The characters were intriguing, particularly Embry herself, and I loved how she was flawed but at the same time likeable, which is a hard balance to maintain, but Paula pulled off perfectly. The book kept up the momentum while building character relationships that were meaningful and made you care about what happened to them, which is hard to find in a suspense novel, where most of them are just twist after twist with cardboard cut out characters. You won't find that here. And this book will definitely keep you guessing until the bitter end!  I was very satisfied with the ending and how it wrapped up. You guys will LOVE THIS BOOK!

Paula: Want to be one of the first people to read HIDDEN PIECES? Enter the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win a signed ARC, once copies are available. Contest is international. Good luck! And if you want to check out my earlier releases, head over to my Books page where you can read the first few chapters of any of my novels.

Me: Enter to win this amazing book! You won't be disappointed!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Re-release Blast: Poisonous Touch Book #2 of The Secrets of the Eternal Rose (formerly Belladonna) by Fiona Paul and INT Giveaway!

I am thrilled to host the re-release of The Secrets of the Eternal Rose trilogy. My post is on the second book, which I loved, Poisonous Touch, formerly Belladonna. Paula Stokes wrote this book with Paper Lantern Lit (under the pen name Fiona Paul). Here's the new cover!

Isn't it GORGEOUS???

I loved this book when it first came out, and still do!

Rating: 5 out of 5 couches

Goodreads description: In the second installment of the Secrets of the Eternal Rose series, Cassandra Caravello is trying to forget Falco, the wild artist who ran off with her heart, as she grows closer to her strong, steady fiancé, Luca. But Luca has his own share of secrets. When he’s arrested by soldiers in the middle of the night, Cass’s life is once again thrown into chaos.

So begins her journey to Florence to prove Luca’s innocence. In the city haunted by whispers of vampirism, secret soirees and clandestine meetings of the Order of the Eternal Rose, Cassandra also finds Falco, who is working for the Order’s eerily stunning leader, the Belladonna herself.

Nothing is as it seems in this seductive mystery, where the truth may be the deadliest poison of all.

Formerly published as Belladonna, Fiona Paul’s romantic series is perfect for fans of Jennifer Donnelly’s These Shallow Graves and Libba Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty.

My review (originally written 12-1-12): Poisonous Touch (formerly Belladonna) is a thrilling follow up to Venomous Kiss (formerly Venom), and starts us a few weeks after Venomous Kiss ends. Cass is still living with her aunt Agnese, engaged to the handsome and honorable Luca, but she is still head over heels for the dashing, young artist, Falco, who has left her to go pursue his art in Florence. After the intense events at the end of book one, Luca is now arrested in the first few pages, and Cass finds a way to make her way to Florence with her best friend Mada and her sweet and loyal maid, Siena, in order to save Luca's life. Along the way, she runs into Falco and is introduced to the enticing and creepily gorgeous Belladonna (and she questions herself as I did if there is something going on between Falco and Belladonna). From there, all chaos breaks loose.

I absolutely loved this book from beginning to end. We are thrust right into the action, and the pace never lets up. We see Cass still as a spoiled young girl, but she has grown up a bit from the first book. We still get the gorgeous landscape of Venice and Florence and the wonderful historical details that Fiona is so good at getting right-- but it fades into the background as we get to know our characters better, get swept up in the plot, and wring our hands to make sure that everything turns out right. We also find out a lot more about The Order of the Eternal Rose, and a lot of the secrets that were still pending from the first book get answered very satisfactorily. I generally don't like to become a Team anything, but I have to say, I have a bigger crush on Luca after this book than I had in the last. What can I say? I have a thing for the "other boring love interest." Although, I'm not sure anyone will say he's boring after reading Belladonna.

All my reservations from the first book have vanished with this new installment. I think some of it is the fact that I'm not a big fan of the necessary development of main characters and world building in general for first books, and also the fact that Fiona Paul is just getting better and better with every book and word she writes. I feel honored to have been able to read this book and can't wait to see how this trilogy ends.

In celebration of the re-release of this wonderful trilogy, I'm giving away the entire trilogy to one lucky winner on Kindle (remember you don't have to have a Kindle to be able to read this-- you can download the app on your phone or your computer)! The last title will be available on May 24!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: A Murder of Magpies by Sarah Bromley and Giveaway!

You guys, one of my favorite things to do as a blogger is support really awesome authors from my home town of St. Louis. I'm so lucky to get to do this! So this cover reveal (and the one earlier this week with Paula Stokes) is for one of our talented writers-- Sarah Bromley! She's such a sweetie, and I'm so glad I get to support her!
 Without further ado... THE COVER!

I absolutely love this cover-- it's creepy, and gives sort of a Poesque vibe. Very striking! But wait, we have more!! Sarah has been kind enough to give me a teaser to share with you all!

TEASER:

I glanced to my brother and father talking to Monsignor. That Jonah hadn’t chased off Ward was a tacit tolerance of him. “A few cuts. I’ll live.” I twisted my black hair, skimming my hips. “You hardly needed to play the white knight. Marty’s not much of a dragon, more like a salamander.”

“Maybe I like fighting salamanders.”

Chipped gray polish colored his nails, artsy in an I-don’t-give-a-damn-I’ll-wear-it-if-it’s-clean way. If Monsignor noticed, that’d earn Ward a detention or two.

“Listen, gadjo.” He didn’t deserve social devastation all because of my cavalier brother. He needed to back off from us. While he still could. “Marty won’t bother you if you don’t bother him. Tangling with him will never be forgotten.”

His mouth twitched, neither a grin nor a frown. “I don’t scare easily.”

He slipped on his headphones once more. Must be nice to be so untouched, unfazed. Must be peaceful.

“Hey,” I called. He lifted one side of his headphones. “What are you listening to?”

“Music.”

Smart ass.

Thud!

A chair had overturned in Monsignor’s office and rocked ever so slightly. A chair no one had been sitting in. Dad’s muffled voice came fast as he pulled Jonah by the arm. From the dark expression on his face, we were in for a major talking to.

“We need to leave. Now,” Dad said as he steered Jonah out of the office.

He whisked us past the sanctuary where our footfalls echoed on wood floors polished by nuns until glistening. The school was a dour extension off a century-old Catholic parish. The walls in the language arts wing were painted rich blue, the Virgin’s color. Hung between classrooms were carvings from the Stations of the Cross, thick with dust except for the Christ’s gaze, which followed us and knew my family’s secrets and sins.

Outside was better. Riding in the car, the windows lowered to allow in the fire-musk smell of October, but there was something else, an odor of things buried deep in the black earth. Dad steered into a parking lot by a grocery store. The heavy silence in the car made it impossible to push back the memory of the last time we pulled over like this. Instead of a parking lot, it’d been off a highway in a forest in northern Georgia and, with the haze of morning fog guarding the Chevy we’d escaped in, Dad had vowed we were going straight to Black Orchard, a town in Wisconsin near Canada. There, we would start over.

Find somewhere new. Claim different names.

Dad pushed his fingers through his black hair, streaked with silver, and set his eyes, the same green as mine, on my reflection in the rearview mirror. “This stops now. Your mama might’ve called what y’all do Mind Games sp. But I won’t play.”

“Yes, Sir,” Jonah and I answered.

 “Mind Games, if you must work them, are private. Working them in public is how your mama found trouble.” He twisted his wedding band. “We can’t risk a repeat of Georgia.”

I jerked my head to the view out the window. Black Orchard, Wisconsin. Easter egg-colored Victorian homes lined the streets, and people spoke with northern accents, which sounded friendly no matter what they said. But pretty towns and nice people could betray you.

CREEPY!!! But awesome! Can't wait to get my hands on a copy!

And now...  enter to win some great prizes from Sarah!

a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Cover Reveal: Liars, Inc by Paula Stokes!

Guess what, guys?? I am so thrilled to get the chance to show you this awesome, amazing, fabulous cover of LIARS, INC by the equally fantastic Paula Stokes for her February 2015 release, LIARS, INC.

About LIARS, INC:

It all starts with one little lie…

Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell lies to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts a business providing forged permission slips and cover stories for the students of Vista Palisades High. Liars, Inc. they call it. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit? Paula Stokes starts with one single white lie and weaves a twisted tale that will have readers guessing until the explosive final chapters.

And now the moment you’ve been waiting for—THE COVER!

Paula's thoughts on the cover: 
OMG, I’ve been flailing about the awesomeness of this cover since April. I saw it and was basically like HOLY COVER LOTTERY!! :D 

I’ve talked about how LIARS, INC. is very different from THE ART OF LAINEY, and this cover really highlights that. LIARS has first-person narration, a bit of romance, and similar fast-paced dialogue to LAINEY, but that’s where the major similarities end. This book is a dark mystery for fans of I HUNT KILLERS, PRETTY LITTLE LIARS (the TV show, because I’ve never read the books), or old-school Christopher Pike novels. I hope you love it, because if it does well I might get to write a companion novel, and I’m seriously not ready to let go of these characters. Max is a little aloof and slackerish so it might take you time to warm up to him, but his girlfriend Parvati is totally badass and fun, and both of them really grow and change over the course of the novel. (You know how I love me some character development!) And no worries, this is a total standalone book, plotted and written as a solo novel. 

Christina's thoughts on the cover:

AHHHH I just looove how stylish this cover is. It evokes mystery, and the grays, whites, and blacks really enhance the mood/film noir feel of the book. Not to mention the shadow, just pops! Wow! So excited to get to show this off on my blog!

What do you think? Do you like this cover?

Enter to win an ARC of this awesome book!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Illuminosity (Transcender 3) by Vicky Savage and $50 Amazon GC giveaway!

Dear Readers:
I'm so excited to welcome back one of my all time favorite self published authors, Vicky Savage! As you know, I've raved about her first two books in the Transcender trilogy, which have been romantic, fast paced, and basically, just a lot of fun! You all need to read them if you haven't already.

Drum roll, please...

Here's the cover!

Isn't it amazing?? I love the gorgeous purple colors!

Book Description:

In this highly anticipated conclusion to the Transcender Trilogy, Jaden Beckett faces her greatest challenges to date. Her choice is clear: leave the love of her life or face certain death.

With Warrington Palace under siege, Jaden and Ryder are wrenched away from each other, as the powerful Inter-Universal Guidance Agency seeks Jaden’s ultimate demise. Heartsick and alone, she begins a new chapter of life as a Transcender, only to discover that her fiercest battle has yet to come.

Is Jaden safe anywhere in the galaxy? Or should IUGA ask itself that question, having underestimated her before?

With her usual wit and tenacity, Jaden fights to discover her place in the multiverse, the true meaning of destiny, and the keys to the mystery of eternal love.

About Vicky:
Prior to becoming an author and publisher of young adult fiction, Vicky Savage enjoyed many diverse occupations; flagman on a construction crew, trial lawyer, and healthcare company executive, to name a few. She is currently working on Book 3 of the Transcender Trilogy, as well as collaborating on a screenplay. She lives on the west coast of Florida with her boyishly charming husband, handsome son, and two effervescent dogs.
Visit the author at www.vickysavage.com. 

You guys have to get your hands on this book! And for those of you who haven't read the first two, get on that!

And now, enter to win some terrific prizes!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: My Not So Super Sweet Life by Rachel Harris

Hey readers! I'm so thrilled to help out with the cover reveal for one of my favorite authors, Rachel Harris, who also happens to be one of the sweetest people I know as well! I loved the first two books in this series, so you can be sure I'll be picking up this one! Do the right thing and pick up the whole series!

Cat Crawford just wants to be normal—or at least as normal as a daughter of Hollywood royalty can be. And it looks like fate is granting her wish: she’s got an amazing boyfriend, Lucas; her fabulous cousin, Alessandra, living with her; and her dad planning his second marriage to a great future stepmom. That is, until her prodigal mother reveals on national television that she has something important to tell her daughter…causing a media frenzy.

Lucas Capelli knows his fate is to be with Cat, and he’s worked hard to win her over once and for all. Unfortunately, Lucas has his own issues to deal with, including a scandal that could take him away from the first place he’s truly belonged.

As secrets are revealed, rumors explode, and the world watches, Cat and Lucas discover it’s not fate they have to fight if they want to stay together…this time, it’s their own insecurities.

Well, and the stalkerazzi.

PUB DATE: April 21st, 2014

LINKS:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Super-Sweet-Life-Entangled-Teen-ebook/dp/B00HTJH9J0

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/my-not-so-super-sweet-life-rachel-harris/1118048798

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17930616-my-not-so-super-sweet-life

About Rachel:

Rachel Harris writes humorous love stories about sassy girls-next-door and the hot guys that make them swoon. Emotion, vibrant settings, and strong families are a staple in each of her books...and kissing. Lots of kissing.

A Cajun cowgirl now living in Houston, she firmly believes life's problems can be solved with a hot, sugar-coated beignet or a thick slice of king cake, and that screaming at strangers for cheap, plastic beads is acceptable behavior in certain situations. She homeschools her two beautiful girls and watches way too much Food Network with her amazing husband.

An admitted Diet Mountain Dew addict, she gets through each day by laughing at herself, hugging her kids, and losing herself in story. She writes young adult, new adult, and adult romances, and LOVES talking with readers!

Website: http://www.rachelharriswrites.com/

COVER REVEAL for The Art of Lainey by Paula Stokes AND INT giveaway!

You guys know how much I love Ms. Paula Stokes--she's got to be one of my favorite people in the world. Now I'm thrilled to be able to reveal the cover of the first book under her own name! :-)

Flap copy: 
To win back the one she loves, she’ll have to go to “war” . . . 

Soccer-star Lainey Mitchell is gearing up to spend an epic summer with her amazing boyfriend, Jason, when he suddenly breaks up with her—in public no less! Lainey is more than crushed, but she's not the kind of girl to take defeat lying down. With help from her friend Bianca, Lainey resolves to do whatever it takes to get Jason back.

And that’s when the girls stumble across a copy of The Art of War. With just one glance, Bianca’s sure they can use the military handbook to lure Jason back into Lainey’s arms. Lainey channels her inner warlord, recruiting spies to gather intel and persuading her coworker Micah to pose as her new boyfriend to make Jason jealous. After a few dates, it looks like her plan is going to work! Perfect...except that her relationship with Micah is starting to feel like more than just a game.

What's a girl to do when what she wants is totally different from what she needs? How do you figure out the person you're meant to be with, if you're still figuring out the person you're meant to be? 

My thoughts: I love this cover because Lainey looks like the kind of girl I'd love to hang out with-- cute and mischievous at the same time!

Paula's thoughts: I love this cover! It's full of happiness and hope and fun. It does a great job capturing the spirit of the story and the girl is a perfect fit for Lainey. Great job, HarperTeen :-)

But before I get to the contest, Paula wanted to introduce you to the staff of Denali, the fictional coffee shop where most of the characters work:
 

name: Lainey
age: 17
hair color: strawberry blonde
eye color: green
occupation: barista
likes: soccer, dancing, spray-tanning, celebrity stalking
claim to fame: I scored the winning goal at the state championships last season!!

name: Bianca
age: 17
hair color: black
eye color: brown
occupation: barista
likes: soccer, reading, hiking, hanging out with my brothers
claim to fame: I'm not big on fame. I'm more of a behind the scenes kind of girl.

name: Ebony
age: 23
hair color: flesh-colored?
eye color: brown
occupation: manager
likes: crushed velvet, piercings, playing bass for the Hellkittenz
claim to fame: I'm the hottest bald chick you’ve never met

name: Leo
age: 17
hair color: light brown
eye color: gray
occupation: cook/barista
likes: theater, baseball, astronomy
claim to fame: N/A

name: Cal aka “C-4”
age: 27
hair color: brown
eye color: blue
occupation: cook
likes: mixing hazardous chemicals, sniffing glue, funny cat videos
claim to fame: my beard is so big it gots its own Netflix account

name: Micah
age: 17
hair color: brownish black, but subject to change (my little sis likes to dye it)
eye color: hazel
occupation: prep cook
likes: punk music, vintage cars, cartoons, baking
claim to fame: Um…people say I make really kickass cookies and brownies? 

Name: You 

That’s right, YOU can be the newest member of the Denali staff because Paula wants to put you in her book! Your first name, physical description, and (if possible) your claim to fame, right there in the pages of THE ART OF LAINEY, with full-name mention in the Acknowledgments if desired.

To enter this contest:

1. You must be at least 13 years old (and willing to pretend to be 15 if you want to work at the coffee shop. We don’t want Lainey’s dad to get arrested for violating child-labor laws, right?)
2. You must be human. Sorry, there are no open positions for vampires, werewolves, zombies, selkies, aliens, etc.
3. You must be flexible. It’s always possible your particular you-ness won’t work in THE ART OF LAINEY. Perhaps your name is Lainey—two Laineys in one book would be a bit awkward, right? Perhaps you just fit better (or prefer to be featured) in LIARS, INC instead. I will make every attempt to put you in the book of your choice, but my editor and I maintain the right to cut you misbehaving movie extra if things just don't work out. But don't worry, because they will! ;-)  In the meantime, I’m also giving you a $25.00 gift card to Powell’s Books so you have something to read while you wait for your big debut. This contest is international. For more info on Powell’s shipping, click here.

link: http://www.powells.com/info/shipping.html

About Paula: Paula Stokes is half writer, half RN, and totally thrilled to be part of the world of YA literature. She started out writing historical fiction under a pen name and is now branching out into other YA genres. 

When she's not writing (rare), she's kayaking, hiking, reading, or seeking out new adventures in faraway lands. She's petted tigers, snuggled snakes, snorkeled with stingrays, and once enjoyed the suction-cuppy feel of a baby elephant's trunk as it ate peanuts from her palm. Her future goals include diving with great white sharks, learning Krav Maga, and writing a whole slew of novels, not necessarily in that order.

OK now enter this awesome contest!!! I totally wish I could win myself!!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal of SEQUEL to "The Stereotypical Freaks" by Howard Shapiro with TONS OF PRIZES!!!

ANNOUNCEMENT FROM HOWARD SHAPIRO, AUTHOR: On September 10th (my birthday), I'm holding an event online on Facebook to do a Reveal of my next Graphic Novel, the sequel to "The Stereotypical Freaks."

During the day, I'll be posting some pages from the book, drop a few chapter titles and the recommended listening songs (this was a well received part from "Freaks") to those chapters as well as posting some bio info on the team I've assembled to bring the story to life!

All that will lead up to 9:00 PM EST when I'll be revealing the title, cover, a synopsis of the story and the release date of the book. Please join me then! There will be a bunch of prize giveaways during the day also!

The Giveaways are as follows - at 10 AM, 2:00 PM, 5:00 PM and 9:30 PM (all EST) we will be picking names from the event attendees and the winners will receive the following:

The 10:00 AM Winner - A Signed (by Rocky Braat and Steve Hoover (Rocky is the subject of the "Blood Brother" documentary and Steve is the Director) "Blood Brother" Movie poster

The 2:00 PM EST Winner will receive a 3 pack of my books... "Hockey Days", "Hockey Player For Life" and "The Stereotypical Freaks"... all will be signed and include bonus items

The 5:00 PM EST Winner will receive a signed "The Stereotypical Freaks" Ltd edition (1 of 40) poster

The 9:30 PM EST Winner will receive a $50 iTunes Gift Card

Thanks and pls email me with questions or for more info! hockeyplayer4life@gmail.com or go to www.howardshapiro.net or www.animalmediagroup.com

RSVP here to be in the running for these great prizes! 

https://www.facebook.com/events/193101047525877/

Cover Reveal for Wavecrossed by Andrea Colt and INT giveaway!

Hey gang! So much for my hiatus, right? I guess I can't really call it that anymore :-) Anyway, I'm so excited to do this cover reveal for one of my favorite indie writers, Andrea Colt. She wrote the wonderful Torched, which was in my top favorite indie reads of last year. Now, she comes back with a bang with Wavecrossed, a YA paranormal!

Book Description:

To Cassandra Kelleher, trust is a dirty word. A teenage selkie who grew up on land, all she wants is to free her family from the man who stole their sealskins long ago. With her twin brother Brennan losing hope and her window of opportunity disappearing like the beach at high tide, she’ll try anything.

Before long, however, Cassandra can’t tell whether her biggest threat is the man holding her family captive, a classmate who’s discovered her secret, or her own paranoia. Battling broken friendships and alarming romantic entanglements, Cassandra finds that trust could be the key to winning her family’s freedom … or losing her own.

Andrea Colt grew up reading and squabbling with her identical twin. She lives in Alexandria, Virginia with her husband, a fridge full of cheese, and two feline muses. Visit andreacolt.com to get to know her better.

And now... thanks to Andrea's generosity, you're going to get a chance to win her book and this LOVELY necklace (sorry gang, cute kitty is NOT included).

a Rafflecopter giveaway