Book Blitz + Giveaway - Valiant by Merrie Destefano

Valiant by Merrie Destefano
Published by: Entangled: Teen
Publication date: December 4th 2018
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

The Valiant was supposed to save us. Instead, it triggered the end of the world.

Earth is in shambles. Everyone, even the poorest among us, invested in the Valiant’s space mining mission in the hopes we’d be saved from ourselves. But the second the ship leaves Earth’s atmosphere, our fate is sealed. The alien invasion begins. They pour into cities around the world through time portals, possessing humans, forcing us to kill one another.

And for whatever reason, my brother is their number one target.

Now the fate of the world lies in the hands of me, a seventeen-year-old girl, but with the help of my best friend, Justin―who’s suddenly starting to feel like more―maybe if we save my brother, we can save us all…

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—

EXCERPT:

There’s a pain in my chest as I remember the first time I stumbled across a man with fists lined with metal spikes. I was walking through downtown Santa Ana with Justin, and it was one of those times when I thought, He’s totally going to kiss me tonight. It was back before I began traveling through time, before I found out just how dark the world could be. We were laughing and heading toward a frozen yogurt shop, and he slid his arm around my waist.

It might have been the first time I thought, This guy is it; he’s the one I could fall for. I knew he was a Genetic and that nobody wanted us to be together. But I didn’t care. He was sunshine on a dark night. He was heat when the cold winds blew.

I put my head on his shoulder.

It was only natural.

It was exactly right.

Then I saw the metal man, his brow furrowed as if his heart held all the anger in the world. He was chaos and destruction and he was walking toward us, eyes like fire, like he wanted to kill us both.

Maybe he was looking at Justin. Metal men hate Genetics, because in a real battle, Genetics win. It doesn’t matter how much metal you’ve grafted onto your skin or bones—it might make you stronger, but you’re slower, too. Nobody can match the speed and natural strength of a Genetic. So, this guy might have been looking at Justin and challenging him, but it felt like I was going to be collateral damage.

One swing of his spike-covered fist and I’d be dead.

But I didn’t have to worry about it for long, because Justin pushed me behind him. I couldn’t see his face, but I could see the metal man. Doubt flickered in his eyes; he paused and glanced to the side. He was probably looking for a way out.

Justin took a step forward, his hands curled in fists. When he spoke, his voice came out like thunder, a loud, low growl that rumbled through my spine.

“Don’t even think about it,” Justin said. “Take one more step and I’ll rip out your metal implants, one by one. They hurt going in, so you better believe it’ll be a mother when I pull them out.”

He paused to laugh, but I’d never heard him laugh like that before. It was chilling, like he was a different person. He continued to warn the metal man. “Especially when I twist those implants sideways and the roots tear off chunks of your flesh.”

The metal man narrowed his eyes, and there was a split second when I thought he was going to tackle Justin.

Maybe he would have.

But he didn’t get a chance. It was like Justin knew the metal man’s plan, like it was an open football playbook. Justin rushed him, grabbed the guy around the waist, and slammed him against the brick wall of a local tattoo parlor. It took the wind out of the metal man’s lungs, and he was temporarily stunned. Justin could have slugged him; he could have broken the guy’s arms; he could have killed him.

All he did was lean close enough to whisper in the guy’s ear.

Then Justin stepped back and let the thug slide to the sidewalk in a heap. The metal man caught his breath, his eyes flickered, and he glanced up at us. Then he floundered to his hands and knees and crawled away as fast as he could. By the time he got to his feet, we were surrounded by a Friday-night club crowd, most of them drunk and all of them laughing at the metal man as he ran away.

Justin didn’t even hit the guy.

Sometimes you can win by intimidation alone.

So, do I melt every time I see this boy, who was willing to fight to protect me?

You better believe it.

Author Bio

Born in the Midwest, former magazine editor Merrie Destefano currently lives in Southern California with her husband, two German shepherds, a Siamese cat, and the occasional wandering possum. Her favorite hobbies are reading speculative fiction and watching old Star Trek episodes, and her incurable addiction is writing. She loves to camp in the mountains, walk on the beach, watch old movies, and listen to alternative music—although rarely all at the same time.

 

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Review - The Book of M by Peng Shepherd

 

Title: The Book of M

Author: Peng Shepherd

Pages: 496

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Release Date: 28th June 2018

Blurb from Goodreads: 

A vivid, touching and original debut, following the effects of an 

extraordinary catastrophe on very ordinary people.

In the middle of a market in India, a man’s shadow disappears. As 

rolling twenty-four-hour news coverage tries to explain the event, 

more cases are discovered. The phenomenon spreads like a plague 

as people learn the true cost of their lost part: their memories.

Two years later, Ory and his wife Max have escaped ‘the Forgetting’ 

by hiding in an abandoned hotel deep in the woods in Virgina. They 

have settled into their new reality, until Max, too, loses her shadow.

Knowing the more she forgets, the more dangerous she will become 

to the person most precious to her, Max runs away. But Ory refuses 

to give up what little time they have left before she loses her memory 

completely, and desperately follows her trail.

On their separate journeys, each searches for answers: for Ory, about 

love, about survival, about hope; and for Max, about a mysterious 

new force growing in the south that may hold the cure. But neither 

could have guessed at what you gain when you lose your shadow: the 

power of magic.

A breathtakingly imaginative, timeless story that explores fundamental 

questions about memory and love—the price of forgetting, the power of connection, and what it means to be 

human when your world is turned upside down.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review:

  

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Thanks to Harper Voyager and NetGalley*

 The world changes when a man loses his shadow in a market in India 

and then his memories.

The phenomenon soon spreads throughout the world.

Two years later, Ory and Max are living in an abandoned hotel. They 

appear to have escaped losing their own shadows until the worst 

happens - Max's shadow disappears.

Knowing that the shadowless can be dangerous, Max runs away so 

that she can't harm Ory. But when Ory finds that Max has gone he 

sets off in search of her.

Why are people losing their shadows?

How are memories linked to shadows?

Can Ory find Max?

The Book of M was a very intriguing and thought-provoking read.

The chapters focus on four main characters - Max, Ory, Naz and the 

amnesiac. Each storyline was interesting and I liked how they linked 

together.

The concept of the Book of M was very intriguing. The idea that 

memories are stored in shadows was interesting, as was the 'magic' 

that the shadowless could do by forgetting things.

The plot was interesting and held my attention despite being nearly 

500 pages long.

The writing style was easy to follow and I would definitely read 

another book written by the author.

Overall this was an enjoyable, unique read that I would recommend. 

Review - Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1) by Amanda Foody

 

Title: Ace of Shades (The Shadow Game, #1)

Author: Amanda Foody

Pages: 416

Publisher: HQ Young Adult

Release Date: 24th April 2018

Blurb from Goodreads: 

Take a card. The price is your soul. Welcome to the City of Sin, 

where secrets hide in every shadow. 

Enne Salta was raised as a proper young lady, and no lady would 

willingly visit New Reynes, the so-called City of Sin. But when 

her mother goes missing, Enne must leave her finishing school—

and her reputation—behind to follow her mother's trail to the city 

where no one survives unchanged.

Frightened and alone, her only lead is a name: Levi Glaisyer. 

Unfortunately, Levi is not the gentleman she expected—he's a street lord and con man. Levi is also only one payment away 

from cleaning up a rapidly unraveling investment scam, so he doesn't 

have time to investigate a woman leading a dangerous double life. 

Enne's offer of compensation, however, could be the solution to all 

his problems.

Their search for clues leads them through glamorous casinos, 

cabarets and into the clutches of a ruthless society. As Enne unearths 

an impossible secret about her family, Levi's enemies catch up to 

them, ensnaring him in a vicious execution game where the players 

always lose. To save him, Enne will need to surrender herself to the 

city…

And she'll need to play the game.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review:

*I received a eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Thanks to HQ and NetGalley*

The City of Sin, New Reynes, is not a place that a young lady 

attending finishing school should go, especially by herself. But 

Enne Salta has no choice - her mother is missing.

Enne enters the city with a trunk of belongings and the name of 

someone she hopes can help her.

Levi Glaisyer is a con-man and a street lord. Levi is desperately 

trying to gather money together to pay back investors of a scam. 

Desperate enough that he'll even help Enne, a young woman clearly 

out of her depth, if she will pay.

Enne and Levi's investigation leads them into dangerous territory 

and Enne might not like what she finds.

Can Enne survive New Reynes?

Will Levi evade his enemies?

The blurb for Ace of Shades really intrigued me so of course I 

requested a copy on NetGalley. Fortunately, my request was approved!

Enne and Levi were both interesting characters. Enne in particular 

surprised me by how much she changed throughout the book.

The plot kept me guessing and held my attention but there were a 

couple of things that bugged me.

The setting of New Reynes and its history were interesting and I'd 

like to find out more about the city.

The romance wasn't one of my favourites but I didn't dislike it.

The writing was atmospheric and easy to follow.

I definitely want to see what happens in the sequel.

Overall this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.  

 

Interview - Jess Vallance, Author of You Only Live Once

Today I am hosting an interview with Jess Vallance whose latest book is You Only Live Once which is published by Hot Key Books.

Read on for the interview and for information on Jess and her book.

 

How did you get the idea for You Only Live Once?

 

It feels like messages about living for the moment are very popular. You know the kind of thing – ‘live today as if it’s your last! You might get run over by a bus tomorrow!’

 

The only problem is, most people probably won’t be run over by a bus tomorrow, so where does that leave you?

 

How do you decide how much fun to have now and how much boring stuff to do to plan for tomorrow? Nobody knows! And I find that quite interesting. I wanted to write a story about how tricky it can be to get that balance right.

 

 

What was your favourite part of writing You Only Live Once?

 

Thinking up all the stuff Gracie was going to have a go at while she searched for the ultimate YOLO experience. I looked at lots of real life bucket lists and it’s mad the stuff people want to try.

 

 

 

Who is your favourite character in You Only Live Once?

 

Til. I wanted her to be grounded, loyal and definitely no-nonsense. Gracie comes out with enough nonsense for everyone. 

 

 

 

Are you working on the sequel at the moment?

 

The sequel is actually almost finished. It’s called To Be Perfectly Honest and is about Gracie making a pledge to be totally honest for 50 days. And she means *totally* honest.

 

 

 

When did you start writing?

 

I started writing fiction in 2013 but I’ve always written for a living.

 

 

 

What are your hobbies?

 

Making really big sandwiches and eating them. Doing impressions of what my dog’s voice would sound like if he had one. Watching whole Netflix series without learning a single character’s name.

 

 

 

Quick Fire Questions:

 

Chocolate or ice cream? Neither. Crisps

Paperbacks or ebooks? Ebooks

Dogs or cats? Dogs

Go out or stay in? Go out – but only in nice weather

Summer or winter? Summer (closely related to the above)

About Jess

 

The short version:

I’m an author and freelance writer and I live near Brighton.

The long version:

I grew up in Bournemouth but moved along the coast to Brighton to go to Sussex University. I decided to do a law degree as I didn’t have any particular calling and thought at least it would be a route to a nice secure job. The only problem was, the law degree was quite boring. Some bits were good – crime, family, forensics – but most of it was more about covenants and trusts and equity and easements. I can’t even remember what all those words mean now.

When I finished my degree, I decided I’d only train as a solicitor if I couldn’t find something else within a year and applied for every job I could find. Luckily, I was eventually offered a not-too-bad one – as a scriptwriter for an educational media company.

I still write some educational stuff on a freelance basis but now write books too.

I’ve lived near Brighton since moving here for university, although I did live in Paris for a year which was fun.

 (Author bio and photo taken from Jess's website.)

 Title: You Only Live Once (Gracie Dart, #1)

Author: Jess Vallance

Pages: 400

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Release Date: 23rd August 2018

Blurb from Goodreads:

 The start of a hilarious new teen series for fans of Geek Girl.

Gracie Dart has always worked hard and she's got a wall covered with revision timetables and French verbs to prove it. But now GCSEs are behind her and she suddenly starts to think: what was the POINT of it all?

When Gracie thinks she's dying of a disgusting tropical illness, she starts to worry she's been wasting her best years being sensible. It's like people say: you only live once - so isn't it about time she started LIVING?
(OK, so the tropical illness turned out to be a fake-tan miscalculation. Anyone could make the same mistake.)

When Gracie decides to do something, she does it properly. Gracie Dart is about to live out her dreams. However embarrassing.

 

 

Book Blitz + Giveaway - Jaws of the Wolf (The Visigoth Chronicles, #1) by Charlotte Jardine

Jaws of the Wolf (The Visigoth Chronicles, #1) by Charlotte Jardine
Publication date: October 30th 2018
Genres: Historical, Romance, Young Adult

He’s her father’s slave. She’s promised to another. But war changes everything.

Tervingi Territory, 376 AD. Gelvira dreams of becoming a powerful jeweler. But the arrogant son of a tribal elder wants her for a wife instead. After a Hun raid sends her people into exile, her chance to master the ancient secrets of her craft are stripped away…

Adafuns yearns to become a great warrior and win Gelvira’s affection. But as a slave in her father’s service, he has little chance of either. Captured and carried off by the Huns, Adafuns’ dream of being a warrior could come true… at the cost of losing Gelvira forever.

With her people starving, marrying the tribal elder’s spoiled son may be Gelvira’s only hope to save her family. Will Adafuns reunite with the exiles in time to free Gelvira from her loathsome vows?

Jaws of the Wolf is the exciting first novel in the epic Visigoth Chronicles series of YA adventures. If you like strong heroines, thrilling action, and rich historical detail, you’ll love Charlotte Jardine’s page-turning saga.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

After the meeting broke up, Gelvira sat by the fire, mulling over everything she’d heard. The wood creaked as someone sat beside her. Their reiks’ son, Widin. She scowled. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to him. Not after the way he’d treated Pa.

“It must be a lot to take in,” Widin said. “Most of the men will be riding to war. Sorry, not to war. To rebuild old Roman fortifications.” His face darkened and he compressed his lips.

“Did you come to Erdeu to round up warriors in Lord Angmar’s name?” Gelvira asked.

He smiled. “Also to see you.”

She glanced around. Praise the Great Mother, Ma hadn’t heard. She’d be planning their wedding feast.

Widin motioned toward her amulet. “This is new. Did you make it?”

She nodded. “After the raid. I worked on it in the evenings, to take my mind off the Huns.” There was no way she’d tell him its purpose.

He traced the outline of the wolf. “I would have thought flowers or birds more appropriate for a maiden?”

A shiver ran through her. A wrongness. Then heat flared from the metal.

Widin snatched his hand back. “It … burnt me. Was it made using the Becoming One?”

“Yes,” she replied, head spinning with excitement. Had her amulet really done that?

He scowled. “Our people are under attack. You shouldn’t be wasting your time making baubles.”

“It’s a practice piece,” she replied, biting down on her anger. “Master Raginmar used it to teach me the rudiments of the Becoming One.”

“Ah, I see.” Widin’s black look faded. “You must make me something useful, once you’ve mastered the art. I’ll need the gods’ aid far more than you, safe behind your palisade.” He wound his fingers through hers and pulled them against his chest.

Ma noticed the gesture, and beamed.

“If it wasn’t for the Huns, I’d marry you before summer’s end,” he said, leaning close so his breath brushed her skin. “My father would prefer I took a wife who brings more political advantage. He doesn’t see it, but you’ve much in your favour: you’re well born, brave, and quite lovely to look at. And your jewellery will bring me renown, now you’re learning the Becoming One.”

“You honour me,” Gelvira replied, lowering her eyes so he couldn’t see her dismay. Marry him after the way he’d behaved? She couldn’t bear the thought. “As you said, you’re a warrior. You must deal with the raiders first. At times like these, marriage must wait.”

For one terrible moment, she felt almost grateful to the Huns.

Author Bio

Charlotte Jardine writes Historical Fiction, Contemporary Romance and Romantic Adventure. Her books feature courageous heroines, big-hearted heroes, adventure and love.

Her love of history came from reading the adventures of Asterix and Tintin at a young age and continued into adult life, when she studied Classics and Roman History to postgraduate level at university.

While working as a desk slave by day, she spends her evenings escaping into other worlds via her writing.

 

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Can't-Wait Wednesday - The Binding

Can't-Wait Wednesday is a feature hosted by Wishful Endings where people share their excitement for upcoming books.

This week I am excited for . . .

 

Title: The Binding

Author: Bridget Collins

Pages: 400

Publisher: The Borough Press

Release Date: 10th January 2019

Blurb from Goodreads: 

 In the tradition of Sarah Waters, Helene Wecker, and Jessie Burton, an atmospheric and mystery-laden historical novel set within a magical world where books are not stories but the repository of individual lives.

Imagine you could erase grief.
Imagine you could remove pain.
Imagine you could hide the darkest, most horrifying secret.
Forever.

Young Emmett Farmer is working in the fields when a strange letter arrives summoning him away from his family. He is to begin an apprenticeship as a Bookbinder—a vocation that arouses fear, superstition, and prejudice among their small community but one neither he nor his parents can afford to refuse.

For as long as he can recall, Emmett has been drawn to books, even though they are strictly forbidden. Bookbinding is a sacred calling, Seredith informs her new apprentice, and he is a binder born. Under the old woman’s watchful eye, Emmett learns to hand-craft the elegant leather-bound volumes. Within each one they will capture something unique and extraordinary: a memory. If there’s something you want to forget, a binder can help. If there’s something you need to erase, they can assist. Within the pages of the books they create, secrets are concealed and the past is locked away. In a vault under his mentor’s workshop, rows upon rows of books are meticulously stored.

But while Seredith is an artisan, there are others of their kind, avaricious and amoral tradesman who use their talents for dark ends—and just as Emmett begins to settle into his new circumstances, he makes an astonishing discovery: one of the books has his name on it. Soon, everything he thought he understood about his life will be dramatically rewritten.

 Goodreads

Why I'm Excited:

1) The cover is gorgeous! 

2) It gives me The Archived vibes.

3) Booookkksssss!

 

Review - Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

Title: Kindred

Author: Octavia E. Butler

Pages: 306

Publisher: Headline

Release Date: 27th March 2014

Blurb from Goodreads:

 The first science fiction written by a black woman, Kindred has 

become a cornerstone of black American literature. This combination 

of slave memoir, fantasy, and historical fiction is a novel of rich literary 

complexity. Having just celebrated her 26th birthday in 1976 California, 

Dana, an African-American woman, is suddenly and inexplicably

wrenched through time into antebellum Maryland. After saving a

 drowning white boy there, she finds herself staring into the barrel of a 

shotgun and is transported back to the present just in time to save her 

life. During numerous such time-defying episodes with the 

same young man, she  realizes the challenge she’s been given: to 

protect this young slaveholder until he can father her 

own great-grandmother.

Goodreads | Amazon UK | Amazon US

My Review: 

 

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Thanks to Headline and NetGalley*

Dana, a young African-American woman who lives in 1976 

California, finds herself suddenly whisked away to 1800's 

Maryland. 

After saving a boy from drowning and having a gun pointed at her, 

Dana reappears back home.

Dana is drawn back to the past on numerous more occasions, each 

time at a point when the boy, Rufus's, life is in danger.

Rufus is prone to getting into life-threatening situations, and Dana has to keep him alive until he has a 

daughter - her own great-grandmother.

Can Dana keep Rufus alive long enough to ensure her own future?

I wasn't really sure what to expect going into Kindred, but I'm glad 

that I read it.

Dana was a likeable and relatable protagonist. She went through a 

lot and I thought she coped very well in the circumstances.

There were several other characters that I liked and thought were 

interesting.

The plot was interesting. I don't know that much about American 

history but I knew about the plantations. It was tough to read about 

how the slaves were treated. 

The relationship between Dana and Rufus was very complicated and 

intriguing. 

The writing style was easy to follow and engaging. I never lost 

interest and I think this will be a book that stays with me for a while.

Overall this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.