May 8, 2014 · 7:00 am

Student Review: Kiley D.: Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

Wintergirls
Author: Laurie Halse Anderson
Genre: Fiction
Publishing Date: March 19, 2009 
Publishing Company: Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated


Summary (Goodreads):

“Dead girl walking,” the boys say in the halls.
“Tell us your secrets,” the girls whisper, one toilet to another.
I am that girl.

I am the space between my thighs, daylight shining through.

I am the bones they want, wired on a porcelain frame.

Lia and Cassie were best friends, wintergirls frozen in matchstick bodies. But now Cassie is dead. Lia’s mother is busy saving other people’s lives. Her father is away on business. Her stepmother is clueless. And the voice inside Lia’s head keeps telling her to remain in control, stay strong, lose more, weigh less. If she keeps on going this way – thin, thinner, thinnest – maybe she’ll disappear altogether.

In her most emotionally wrenching, lyrically written book since the National Book Award finalist Speak, bestselling author Laurie Halse Anderson explores one girl’s chilling descent into the all-consuming vortex of anorexia.
 


Review: Wintergirls, by Laurie Halse Anderson, is an amazing book that just sucks the reader into the story. I really enjoyed it because many books have been written about anorexia, but never from the perspective of the person who actually has the eating disorder. The book really sheds a light on what people with eating disorders are actually thinking and going through. It doesn’t sugarcoat the problems that come along with anorexia, and Laurie Halse Anderson does a great job of showing the reality of eating disorders and how the family and the person with the disorder cope with the issues they are going through. I would definitely recommend this book to someone else as I really enjoyed reading it myself. But I would not recommend Wintergirls to a younger child to read as it is a very serious and covers a deep topic that a younger child might not understand.

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May 7, 2014 · 7:00 am

Student Review: Lauren L: Graceling by Kristen Cashore


Graceling by Kristen Cashore

Copyright © 2008 Harcourt. Fantasy.

This is the first of three books in the Graceling Realm Series, and precedes  Fire and Bitterblue

Summary (Back Cover): Katsa has been able to kill a man with her bare hands since she was eight- she’s a Graceling, one of the rare people in her land born with an extreme skill. As the niece of the king, she should be able to live a life of privilege, but Graced as she is with killing, she is forced to work as the king’s thug.

When she first meets Prince Po, Graced with combat skills, Katsa has no hint of how her life is about to change.
She never expects to become Po’s friend.
She never expects to learn a new truth about her own Grace- or about a terrible secret that lies hidden far away…

Review: I was lucky enough to find this book at Barnes and Noble at noon a few weeks ago, and I finished it by 6:30 pm that night. This book is rather lengthy (471 pages), but I didn’t finish it quickly because it was an easy read, I finished it in record time because I couldn’t put it down. Personally, I love reading fantasy books that include kingdoms, strategy and conspiracies, and Graceling was the perfect combination of the three. Kristin Cashore did a fantastic job of  filling her book to the brim with creativity from the names of the characters to the plot. I became a little too emotionally attached to the main characters, Katsa and Po, but that made the book that much more enjoyable for me. This novel is not written at a third grade level, but its non-threatening text allows for a wide variety of people to read it, and I highly recommend it to anybody that is intrigued by castles and fantasy.

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May 6, 2014 · 8:47 am

Student Review: Anna S.: The Fault in Our Stars by John Green.



Title: The Fault in Our Stars
Author: John Green

 

Publisher: Dutton Books
Published: January 1st 2012
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Summary (from the cover flap): Despite the tumor-shrinking medical miracle that has bought her a few years, Hazel has never been anything but terminal, her final chapter inscribed upon diagnosis.  But when a gorgeous plot twist named Augustus Waters suddenly appears at Cancer Kid Support Group, Hazel’s story is about to be completely rewritten.  
Review:
          I am currently rereading The Fault in Our Stars for the third time and I don’t know if I’ll finish it.  Not because it is a bad book. Heaven knows that The Fault in Our Stars is not a bad book.  If fact, The Fault in Our Stars (let’s shorten it to TFIOS, shall we?) is likely one of the best books I will ever read in my life.  John Green managed to convey the story of Hazel Grace is such a beautiful way the strikes me right to the core.  This book makes me feel a array of emotions, but more than anything it makes me cry.  It makes me cry for a million different reasons.  While reading TFIOS I 1) cry because I am upset, 2) cry because this book makes me wish I was a better person, 3) cry because this book makes me wish other people were better people, but 4) mostly I cry because of how beautiful the story is, and how beautiful its theme’s are.  Can you guess why I might not finish this book again? It’s because it makes me cry so much.


        Sobbing Staab aside, this book is phenomenal.  Never, ever, has a book stuck with me as much as this book has.  I first read it ages ago, right around the time it was published (the beginning of 2012), but I live life the way I do because of this book.  As mentioned before, the theme’s throughout this novel are immense.  From acknowledging that sometimes life sucks but you have to make the best of it or from how people to often leave negative marks upon this world, the theme’s in this novel are not only thought provoking, but (at least to me) life changing.  I’ve spent countless days and nights thinking about quotes from this book and what they mean to me, and I know I will keep on doing this until the day I die.  Sometimes books do that.  They stay with you long after you’ve read the last word. TFIOS is one of those books.

        You might be thinking “I don’t want to cry” or “I don’t want to read a depressing book”, but this book is more than just a sad story. It’s not just a cancer story.  It’s a story of two teenagers living their life.  Hazel Grace is a funny and snarky narrator who feels like a long lost best friend, and Augustus Waters is the prince of this story.  And oh my goodness, what a prince he is.  If nothing else you should read this book so you can get to know Augustus Waters.   If you think that you will never have a crush on a fictional character then read TFIOS and let Augustus Waters prove you wrong.

Did I mention that this book is getting made into a movie? Yep.  And by the looks of the first trailer it is going to be a pretty amazing one too.  So what are you doing? Read this book. Laugh. Cry. Then watch the movie and laugh and cry a little more. Trust me, it’s good fun! 🙂


      

I’ll end this review with a fantastic quote from the book that basically sums up all of my feelings in one neat little sentence:

“Sometimes, you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.”
         -John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

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April 27, 2014 · 7:03 am

Book Nerd Tours: Review: Streetlights Like Fireworks by David Pandolfe

Streetlights_Like_Fireworks_Tour_Banner

I’m so excited to be apart of Book Nerds Tour of David’s Pandolfe’s Streetlights Like Fireworks. To follow the tour click here. And don’t forget to enter the giveaway at the bottom of this post. 
SLF_FrontCover_Smaller
Streetlights Like Fireworks by David Pandolfe
Category: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal
Publisher: Createspace
Publication Date: March 19, 2014 
Synopsis: Psychic flashes, haunting visions, missing persons and visits from ghosts. That’s just their first date.

Jack has been getting on his parents’ nerves for some time. Bad enough he’s a rock musician, has crappy grades and hangs out with his “loser” friends. But Jack’s ability to predict the future — well, that just annoys the hell out of them.

Jack’s classmate, Lauren, is said to have unique abilities too. The town still talks about when she kept badgering her mother about the money in their wall. For the longest time, Lauren’s mother didn’t listen. Finally, she did and she hasn’t had to work since.

Jack would really like to connect with Lauren but can’t figure out how. She’s never looked at him twice. But when he experiences a mystifying event involving visions, voices and spectral visits, Jack figures there’s only one person to help him understand who’s calling out to him and why. Before long, Jack and Lauren are off on a road trip of discovery that could provide answers to a mystery left unsolved for twenty years. More importantly, they might even unravel the greatest mystery of all — how every so often someone will accept you for who you are.

    

 
Review: David Pandolfe has done it again; he’s wonderfully crafted a book that can’t be put down and will never leave your heart. It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Pandolfe’s so it’s no surprise that I love his second book, Streetlights Like Fireworks. Once again, Pandolfe’s story pulls the reader in from the first page and doesn’t let you go until the last. I was drawn into this story the moment Jack was chosen by the guitar. Having grown up with a father who plays the guitar, I was taken back to the many conversations about different guitars. In addition, I understand emotional attachment that comes with each guitar that each person owns over the years. I loved the blend of the mystery behind those stories and Jack’s struggle to understand his mysterious gift.
Jack and Lauren are fantastic characters with unique gifts. It’s their gifts that make them quirky, outsiders. It’s also their gifts that bring them together. I loved reading the story from Jack’s point of view; his voice is what makes the story funny, interesting and mysterious. Speaking of mysterious, Lauren is one of the most mysterious characters I have met. Since the story is told from Jack’s point of view we don’t learn much about Lauren until Jack does. While I loved going on the adventure with both of them, I would love to hear Lauren’s thoughts. She is an amazing character. Not only did Pandolfe create two lovable main characters but the people they meet along their road trip are also well-developed. I couldn’t get enough of Tohru and Shakeesha who were two hilarious people I would like to meet in my own life. Besides the characters, the story itself is phenomenal.
Pick up a copy of Streetlights Like Fireworks today; you will not be disappointed.
DavidPandolfeABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Pandolfe is the author of two novels, Jump When Ready and Streetlights Like Fireworks. Currently, he’s working on a sequel to Jump When Ready, to be published in 2014. His short fiction has also appeared in literary reviews.

While he’s still writing about himself in third-person, David should probably also mention that he lives outside Richmond, VA, with his wife, two kids and a dog who’s terrified of thunder (not the best situation since it thunders from spring until fall in Richmond).

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Giveaway: One lucky winner will receive a signed copy of Streetlights Like Fireworks and a $25 gift card. 

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April 14, 2014 · 8:02 am

Blog Tour & Giveaway: Harp’s Song by Cassie Shine

Welcome to the tour stop for the Harp’s Song Blog Tour for Cassie Shine’s debut novel, HARP’S SONG (Harp’s Song #1). 

Harps_Song_Tour_Banner       HarpsSong_FINAL_EbookIn just a few months Harp Evans will be officially coming of age and graduating from high school. She will be free from the mother that never wanted her, the house that never felt like home, and the disappointment of the last seventeen years. What she doesn’t know is that her mother has been holding onto a secret that has the potential to derail her dreams and destroy her already faulty sense of self. A self-proclaimed recluse, Harp spends most of her time practicing the cello, in the hopes of earning a full scholarship that will grant her freedom, but will also send her away from her best friend Connor Williams, who is becoming more than just a friend. As revelations are made, will Harp still feel the same way about leaving everyone that cares about her behind? Or will she continue to pursue the life she’s been dreaming of for as long as she can remember?  GOODREADS    AMAZON    BARNES & NOBLE      SMASHWORDS

Review

Harps’ Song is a beautifully written novel that deals with a very upsetting subject matter. Since April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month as well as National Child Abuse Prevention Month, everyone should read this book. Once I picked it up, I couldn’t put it down. I immediately fell in love with Connor and his mother for being such amazing people to Harp. I loved that Connor and Harp’s relationship grows more strongly with each page. Connor is one of the best characters I have read in while. He’s devotion to Harp is breathtaking. While this is a quick read, the development of the story and relationships is slow and deliberate. It’s emotionally taxing (so keep those tissues handy) but so incredibly worth it. I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

CShine_Headshot2Cassie Shine

Cassie Shine released her debut young adult novel, Harp’s Song in November 2013, finally finishing the short story she started in her college creative writing class … many, many moons ago. She has always been an avid reader and lover of music (yes, she was in the high school marching band). While she has a weak spot for all things teeny bopper, especially boy bands, she also loves classical, country, rock and well, pretty much everything. After living in St. Louis for more than ten years, she and her husband packed up a U-Haul and headed west. They currently live in Orange County, CA with their furry kids Finnegan and Molly.  WEBSITE       FACEBOOK         TWITTER       GOODREADS

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Giveaway

One winner will receive a signed copy of HARP’S SONG and $25 Amazon or B&N gift card (US/CA only). Three winners will receive an ebook copy (international). a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule

Monday, April 7th – My Stars Book Blog (Review) Tuesday, April 8th – Cuzinlogic (Interview) & Savings in Seconds (Review) Wednesday, April 9th – Once Upon a YA Book (Top 10 Lists) Thursday, April 10th – Girl Meets Books (Guest Post) & Imaginative Minds (Review) Friday, April 11th – Swipe the Pages (Review & Dream Cast) Monday, April 14th – The Real Bookshelves of Room 918 (Review) Tuesday, April 15th – A Book and a Latte (Interview) & Actin’ Up With Books (Review) Wednesday, April 16th – Sleepless in Chicago (Review) Thursday, April 17th – Mythical Books (Guest Post) & Deal Sharing Aunt (Guest Post) Friday, April 18th – My Daily Romance (Review) Monday, April 21st – Plain Talk Book Marketing (Guest Post) Tuesday, April 22nd – Book Bliss (Guest Post) & Books Books Books (Review) Wednesday, April 23rd – Inside the Pages of a Book (Interview) Thursday, April 24th – Fictionally Obsessed (Post/Excerpt) & Forever Obsession (Review) Friday, April 25h – Through the Booking Glass (Review)

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March 18, 2014 · 7:00 am

Cover Reveal/Giveaway: Harp’s Song by Cassie Shine

I’m thrilled to take part in the new cover reveal for HARP’S SONG by Cassie

Shine! Check out the cover below, and let me know what you think in the comments. Then be

sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed copy of HARP’S SONG,

and a $25 Amazon gift card!

Harp's Song by Cassie Shine

Harp’s Song by Cassie Shine | Publication

Date: November 5, 2013

In just a few months Harp Evans will be officially coming of age and graduating from high

school. She will be free from the mother that never wanted her, the house that never felt like

home, and the disappointment of the last seventeen years. What she doesn’t know is that her

mother has been holding onto a secret that has the potential to derail her dreams and destroy

her already faulty sense of self.

A self-proclaimed recluse, Harp spends most of her time practicing the cello, in the hopes of

earning a full scholarship that will grant her freedom, but will also send her away from her best

friend Connor Williams, who is becoming more than just a friend.

As revelations are made, will Harp still feel the same way about leaving everyone that cares

about her behind? Or will she continue to pursue the life she’s been dreaming of for as long as

she can remember?

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Add Harp's Song to your Goodreads TBR! What do you think of the cover?

Cassie ShineAbout Cassie Shine

Website | Facebook | Twitter |

Google+ | Instagram | Goodreads

Cassie Shine released her debut young adult novel, Harp’s Song in November 2013, finally

finishing the short story she started in her college creative writing class … many, many moons

ago. She has always been an avid reader and lover of music (yes, she was in the high school

marching band). While she has a weak spot for all things teeny bopper, especially boy bands,

she also loves classical, country, rock and well, pretty much everything.

After living in St. Louis for more than ten years, she and her husband packed up a U-Haul and

headed west. They currently live in Orange County, CA with their furry kids Finnegan and Molly.

Giveaway

Enter to win a signed copy of HARP’S SONG with $30 Amazon

gift card! (US/CA only)

***Any contestant that uses dummy or contest only accounts to enter will be disqualified.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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March 14, 2014 · 7:33 am

Blog Tour: Faces on My Wall by Jesse Wilson

Faces On My Wall Blog Tour

 

FACES ON MY WALLCover_FacesOnMyWall_800

A coming-of-age story and a comedic tour-de-force, meet Jamey Fuller, a cocky California kid who achieves his wildest ambition: admission to The Juilliard School in New York City, the country’s most prestigious acting school. Once there, he is sure, he will find fame and glory. He will dance on tables, as in “Fame.” He will take his place among the Great Actors of his time, freed from the fear of becoming just like his father, a director of Hollywood TV spots. But the reality proves hilariously brutal, as Jamey grapples with Shakespeare, lust, disillusionment, cut-throat classmates and imperious teachers. FACES ON MY WALL is a privileged glimpse into the bizarre hidden world of an actor’s training, a poignant father-and-son story, and the chronicle of a young man’s painful gropings toward maturity.

Faces On My Wall: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes |Kobo

Review: Faces on My Wall is a wonderful coming of age story that gives a different perspective of life after high school. JameyFuller is an honest and hilarious young actor who dives head first into the wonderful world of Juilliard. His brutal honesty and somewhat carefree attitude is reminiscent of Holden Caulfield but with much less attitude and with much more purpose. Jesse Wilson gives the reader what seems to be a realistic glimpse behind the curtain of the prestigious performing arts school. As I read, I couldn’t help but picture some of my current students in the situations Jamey gets into. I recommend this book to all aspiring artists and anybody who has every chased their dreams. 

 

JESSE WILSON- headshotAbout Jesse Wilson
Jesse Wilson is a motivational performer, professional speaker, author, teacher, and visual artist. A life-long involvement with theatre and film as both performer and writer began early, growing up in Hollywood, CA. A theatre graduate of The Juilliard School in New York City, Jesse developed material for his one-man shows that have been performed across the country. His solo production, Face the City, written for high school and college audiences, combines visual and animation projections in a multimedia presentation of a young artist’s journey to find his voice in the “real world.” His children’s book The Night the Moon Ate My Room! written and performed for young audiences to experience self-discovery, is created with the support of The Kennedy Center’s Imagination Celebration and Pikes Peak Library District. Integrating the arts and especially the powerful tool of improvisation, a program that Jesse has developed entitled “Making Perfect Mistakes!” helps people (like educators, business owners, at-risk teenagers, and every one else a part of the human race!) overcome the pitfalls of perfectionism that so often hinder the creative mind. Please visit his website at http://www.jessewilsonproductions.com for more information on what Jesse Wilson is doing in the “community at large”.

Author Links: Website | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
GIVEAWAY

***Any contestant that uses dummy or contest only accounts to enter will be disqualified.***

Grand prize:
Signed copy of FACES ON MY WALL with $30 Amazon giftcard (US/CA only)
Second prize (5):
ebook copy of FACES ON MY WALL (international)

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TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, March 3rd – A Book and a Latte

Wednesday, March 5th – Jennifer Tressen

Friday, March 7th – Book Blogger Mom

Monday, March 10th – Once Upon a Twilight

Tuesday, March 11th – Daily Actor

Wednesday, March 12th – Plain Talk Book Marketing

Friday, March 14th – The Real Bookshelves of Room 918

Monday, March 17th –  Heather Reid
Wednesday, March 19th –  Lost in Ever After
Friday, March 21st – My Life in Books

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February 21, 2014 · 7:00 am

Blog Tour: Persefone Series by Michelle Gagnon Blog Tour – Review and Giveaway

Persefone Tour Banner
Dont-Turn-Around-HCDON’T TURN AROUND (PERSEFoNE #1)

Sixteen-year-old Noa has been a victim of the system ever since her parents died. Now living off the grid and trusting no one, she uses her hacking skills to stay anonymous and alone. But when she wakes up on a table in a warehouse with an IV in her arm and no memory of how she got there, Noa starts to wish she had someone on her side.

Enter Peter Gregory. A rich kid and the leader of a hacker alliance, Peter needs people with Noa’s talents on his team. Especially after a shady corporation threatens his life in no uncertain terms. But what Noa and Peter don’t realize is that Noa holds the key to a terrible secret, and there are those who’d stop at nothing to silence her for good.

Don’t Turn Around: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | iTunes

Don't Look Now HC C (1)DON’T LOOK NOW (PERSEFoNE #2)

Noa Torsen is on the run. Having outsmarted the sinister corporation Pike & Dolan, Noa and her friend Zeke now move stealthily across the country, protecting runaways before they become test subjects for P&D’s horrific experiments. Noa knows all too well what that feels like: Whatever they did to her has left her exhausted and scared.

Back in Boston, Peter anxiously follows Noa’s movements from his computer, using his hacker skills to feed her the information she needs to stay alive. But he’s desperate to do something more, especially when he learns what P&D has done to his ex-girlfriend Amanda.

Then, in an explosive confrontation, Noa and her team are trapped in the one place they thought was safe. It will take everything Noa and Peter have to bring down the corporation before it gets them first. And with no one to trust and enemies hiding at every turn, they may be the only people alive who can.

This stunning second book in the critically acclaimed Don’t Turn Around trilogy raises the stakes to their absolute limit and will leave readers begging for the exciting conclusion, Don’t Let Go.

Don’t Look Now: Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound | iTunes

 Review:

I couldn’t put either of these books down. When I read  Don’t Turn Around,  I was on the edge of my seat with every turn of the page. Gagnon immediately grabbed my attention and had me invested into the characters from the very first page. There were times in both books that I would think to myself, “Oh, I know where this is going” and then Gagnon would divulge a new piece of the plot that would throw me completely.

There are so many layers to the characters that I found myself lost in their world. I wanted Noa and Peter to be my friends. Even when they were discussing computer hacking terms, I didn’t get lost (like I normally do). I knew that every piece of information being given was going to big in some sort of way. And even with all the suspense and action, Gagnon finds a way to weave in a romantic relationship or two, adding even more complication to the situation. In addition, to the well-developed main characters, Gagnon makes the reader interested in all the minor characters too. I found myself completely involved in each character’s story. And while some sequels don’t develop the new characters to this reader’s high standards, the new characters in Don’t Look Now are fully developed and serve a purpose to the plot. 

What I liked most about the two books is that the story is told from multiple POVs. In Don’t Turn Around, we get the story from Noa’s and Peter’s point of view. In Don’t Look Now, Teo (a new character) and Amanda (Peter’s ex-girlfriend) are added to the mix. While this may sound overwhelming, Gagnon makes it work seamlessly. 

I can’t wait to read the last book in the trilogy. I’ll be sad when it’s all over (as I always am when a series end) but I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next. If you haven’t read these first two, go out and get your copy today. You will not be disappointed!

high-res-Michelle_Gagnon-color-ABOUT MICHELLE GAGNON

Michelle Gagnon is the international bestselling author of thrillers for teens and adults. Described as “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo for teens,” her YA technothriller DON’T TURN AROUND was recently nominated for a Thriller Award by the International Thriller Writer’s Association, and was selected as one of the best teen books of the year by Entertainment Weekly Magazine, Kirkus, Voya, and the Young Adult Library Services Association. Book 2 in the PERSEFONE trilogy, DON’T LOOK NOW, is on sale now. She splits her time between San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads

GIVEAWAY
Signed editions of both books!
***Any contestant that uses dummy or contest only accounts to enter will be disqualified.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

TOUR SCHEDULE

Monday, February 3rd – Chapter by Chapter
Wednesday, February 5th – Fantasy Book Addict
Friday, February 7th –  A Bookish Escape

Monday, February 10th – Ex Libris
Wednesday, February 12th – The Book Monsters
Friday, February 14th – YA Bookmark

Monday, February 17th – In the Best Worlds
Wednesday, February 19th – Adventures of a Book Junkie
Friday, February 21st – The Real Bookshelves of Room 918

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January 26, 2014 · 6:27 pm

Blog Tour & Review: Song and Signal by ME Patterson

Song and Signal by ME Patterson

January 9, 2014 By 

Song_and_Signal_Tour_Banner1

Welcome to the Official Blog Tour for SONG AND SIGNAL by M.E. Patterson

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* From the award-winning, bestselling author of Devil’s Hand and Burning Cards comes a universe-spanning science fiction adventure. *

Seventeen year-old genius Zakari Sharp has never stood on the surface of a planet, never seen a sun-streaked sky. He lives on a corporate-owned mining facility at the edge of the solar system, with a mute alien for a guardian and brainwashed, muscle-bound ex-convicts for company. The day his father vanished was so long ago that Zak thought he would never hear from him again.

Zak was wrong.

Now, chased off-station by a cabal of mythical assassins, Zak and his best friend Liz embark on a harrowing journey across the galaxy, to find his father’s hiding place and learn the universe-shaking discovery that hides with him. But their enemies will stop at nothing to steal the secret themselves.

Can a teenage boy change the fate of the universe? Or will a nanotech-wielding killer reach him first?


PRAISE FOR SONG AND SIGNAL:

“The kind of storytelling that makes a statement: M. E. Patterson is here to stay.” — Austin Post

“[Song and Signal is] WELL worth the read. Enjoyable and immersive.” — Michal
 
“Patterson’s work will blow you away… a page turning, roller coaster ride.” — ReviewsByMolly

 My Review:

This isn’t usually a genre I readily pick up, but the synopsis really drew me in. I couldn’t wait to see what kind of adventure Zak would get into. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. It’s packed with nail-biting action. This is honestly the best sci-fi I’ve read in awhile. There were sections that got a little “techy” for me but I was still able to keep up with the story line. I found that the jargon was a little heavy in the beginning but served a purpose later and is worth reading. Don’t skip over it, no matter how frustrating it might be to some of use that aren’t as tech-savvy as Zach and the other characters may be.  Patterson’s ability to put the reader into the action is amazing. I became apart of Zak’s world immediately and didn’t want the adventure to end. I liked being whisked away to a different planet. Even if you’re not usually a sci-fi fan, I highly recommend Song and Signal. 

Pick up an eBook or Paperback of Song and Signal Now!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

mepattersongiveaway

M. E. Patterson is a bestselling author of highly-rated horror and science fiction novels for both teens and adult readers. His first novel, Devil’s Hand, was a Kindle bestseller in Horror, and was the winner of Kindle Book Review’s 2012 “Best Indie Horror Novel” award.

In addition to writing fiction, Mr. Patterson is also an accomplished web software engineer and software consultant, currently working with the video game industry. He lives in Austin, Texas with his family.

My Author Site — http://mepatterson.net
Twitter — http://twitter.com/mepatterson
Facebook — http://facebook.com/mepattersonauthor
Goodreads — http://www.goodreads.com/mepatterson

GIVEAWAY 

Must be 13 + To Enter
Gift Card open internationally
Books ship in US only. 

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January 12, 2014 · 8:11 am

Blog Tour: Vision of Shadows (Vision #1) by Vincent Morrone

Today is my stop during the blog tour for Vision of Shadows by Vincent Morrone. Vision of Shadows is published by Entranced Publishing. This blog tour runs from 30 December till 19 January, you can view the whole tour schedule on Vincent Morrone his website.

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Vision Book Coverby Vincent Morrone
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Release Date: December 30, 2013

Blurb:
Is Bristol Blackburn about to meet the love of her life…or her killer?
After the death of her parents, Bristol Blackburn’s life is thrown into chaos and she’s forced to move to Spirit, a small town where shadows are stirring. As she learns to navigate her new school and figures out how to keep her psychic abilities secret from her family, Bristol comes face to face with the boy who makes a regular appearance in her dreams: the gorgeous, possibly deadly, Payne McKnight. Soon sheíll find out if Payne will be the love of her life, or the end of it ó and she has no idea which possibility scares her more.
And that’s not even the worst of it. Strange shadows are haunting her dreams, and they’re up to something that could put Bristol and the lives of everyone she loves in jeopardy.

You can add Vision of Shadows to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can find more about Vision of Shadows on the Entranced Publishing website.

You can buy Vision of Shadows on Amazon.

Want to chat with Bristol, the main character of this series? Well she has her own twitter account.

 

Excerpt: 

Journal of Bristol Blackburn

Sunday, March 17th

 There are times when being psychic really bites, and this is one of them. Here it is, three in the morning, and all I can think about is the boy who will eventually have his hands on me.

I have no idea what his name is. We’ve never met, but I feel like we’ve grown up together. I’ve had visions of him since I was six years old. Now, eleven years later, I know we’re getting closer and closer to finally meeting. I think it’s going to happen any day now.

And the thought scares the hell out of me.

I know what Dream Boy will look like. In a word: hot. Dark hair that falls loosely over his deep blue eyes. He has an angel’s face and the devil’s grin.

I know he’s got a bad boy attitude. Half the time, I get flashes of him getting hurt. Sometimes he’s playing the hero. Other times, he’s just being an idiot. Many times, it seems like there’s someone who enjoys hurting him.

What I don’t know is what he’ll be to me.

There are times when he seems to love me. Don’t ask me why. But he’ll look at me with nothing but love and contentment in his eyes. Earlier tonight, I had one of those dreams. One where he couldn’t keep his hands off of me. Weird that I know every inch of his body, yet I have no idea what his name is, huh?

Then there’s the other vision. It was the first one I had of him, and the one I have most often. It’s the one I woke from tonight, the feeling of his hands still on my skin.

In that vision, he doesn’t look at me with love, but with hatred. He has his hands wrapped around my neck as he slowly squeezes the life out of me.

So any day now, I’m about to meet the boy of my dreams —literally. Then I get to see if he’s going to be the love of my life or the end of it.

Funny thing is, I’m not sure which idea scares the crap out of me more.

Vision .5 CoverVision of Secrets (Vision #0.5)
by Vincent Morrone
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Release Date: December 2, 2013

Blurb: Bristol understands secrets. She’s got plenty of her own, ranging from the annoying ghost that keeps showing up and attempting to sing Copacabana, (badly) to the visions of a terrifying future that is getting closer each day.
Bristol knows secrets can kill. She’s getting flashes of a boy racked with guilt over his secret. And a girl who’s prank might lead to someone’s death.
Vision of Secrets is a free prequel introduces you to Bristol Blackburn before the explosive events in Vision of Shadows and let’s you see how a young girl deals with her Visions of Secrets!

You can add Vision of Shadows to your to-read list on Goodreads

You can download Vision of Secrets for free from smashwords

About the Author:
Born and raised in Brooklyn NY, Vincent Morrone now resides in Upstate NY with his wife. (Although he can still speak fluent Brooklynese.) His twin daughters remain not only his biggest fans, but usually are the first to read all of his work. Their home is run and operated for the comfort and convenience of their dogs.

Vincent has been writing fiction, poetry and song lyrics for as long as he can remember, most of which involve magical misfits, paranormal prodigies and even on occasion superheroes and their sidekicks.

Vincent Morrone

As they say in Brooklyn: Yo, you got something to say to Vincent?

You can find and contact Vincent Morrone here:
– Website
– Facebook
– Twitter
– Goodreads

Vincent also participates in a group blog called YA Rush which consist of YA and NA Entranced authors. You can find YA Rush here:
– Website
– Facebook
– Twitter
– Pinterest

There is a tour wide giveaway for the blog tour of Vision of Shadows.
Here is what you can win:
– 1 Vision of Shadows Pen
– 1 Vision of Shadows Calender
– 1 Vision of Shadows Pen & calender
– 1 Vision of Shadows Pen and calender in a Vision of Shadows canvas bag
– 1 Vision of Shadows Pen, calender in Vision of Shadows canvas bag and an e-copy Vision of Shadows

Enter the rafflecopter below for a chance to win:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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