Book Spotlight/ Sneak Peeks

sneakpeeksHMH

THIS IS A SAMPLER containing 2-chapter excerpts from 6 books.

From the complex web of a twenty-year friendship, to the chillingly realistic look at the next world war, to the dark world of Fight Club meetsBridget Jones – this sneak peek sampler includes a bit of everything. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt brings you a compelling ebook sampler containing excerpts of new and diverse fiction.

Sneak Peaks includes a two-chapter excerpt from each of the following ebooks: How to Start a Fire, Dietland, Ghost Fleet, Maud’s Line, Girl Waits With Gun, and The Zig Zag Girl. Click the link at the end of each excerpt to buy the full ebook.

I love when publishers do this because it allows the reader to get a snippet of what new and exciting books are coming out plus it gives you the chance to read a bit to peek your interest. For me this is a great way to discover a new author(s) that I  might normally pass up when I am at the bookstore plus it allows me to perhaps dig into a book that I might not normally pick up otherwise.

I wish more publishers would follow this and put out these kinds of samplers. Do you like samplers?

This was the case with this sampler. I have discovered a few hidden gems that I think I would have missed out on otherwise. Here is the books that were in the sampler:

  1. How To Start a Fire by Lisa Lutz
  2. Ghost Fleet by P.W Singer & August Cole
  3. Maud’s Line by Margaret Verble
  4. Girls Wait With Gun by Amy Stewart
  5. The Zig Zag Girl by Elly Griffiths

I believe that most of these books are out now. 

I had so much fun reading this little snippets of the above books and a few of these titles have made it to my wishlist of books. I love how each book is different from the previous one. I think there is a book in this sampler for everyone who loves to read.

Book Spotlight/ CRAVE The Atria Indie Author Sampler

Book Spotlight/ CRAVE The Atria Indie Author SamplerCRAVE The Atria Indie Author Sampler Format: eBook
on April 28th, 2015

Description

Turn up the heat with this free e-sampler featuring seven irresistibly sexy and utterly enticing selections by some of the biggest names in contemporary romance and new adult fiction. Lose yourself in these stories and spread the love by sharing with your friends.Here’s a taste of:After the Rain by Renée Carlino
When You’re Back by Abbi Glines
Where Sea Meets Sky by Karina Halle
Confess by Colleen Hoover
Amber to Ashes by Gail McHugh
Black Iris Leah Raeder
Chasing River by K.A. Tucker

Find out more about your favorite authors at
Facebook.com/AtriaIndieAuthors
Twitter.com/AtriaBooks

I am a huge fan of reading these samplers because its a great way to discover a new book or perhaps a book you heard about that you would like to read. I was recently on Netgally I spotted this sampler so I quickly went ahead and downloaded it. I am always on the hunt for a new book to read and these are perfect.

In this sampler there is seven samplers to read which makes this for a pretty quick read. The samplers that are:

aftertherainFrom the USA TODAY bestselling author of Sweet Thing and Nowhere But Here comes a deeply emotional contemporary romance about the second chances waiting beyond the shattered dreams of youth.

When eighteen-year-old Avelina Belo meets a charismatic cowboy the summer before her senior year of high school, she doesn’t know that accepting his invitation to dinner will lead to a whirlwind marriage three months later and an exciting new life on a Montana ranch. She also doesn’t know that, in a few short years, fate will send everything crashing down around her.

A thousand miles away and fresh out of medical school, Nate Meyers is poised to become UCLA’s next superstar heart surgeon. His laser focus is the key to his success, but it’s also his greatest liability. When a routine surgery ends in disaster, derailing his career, he’s confronted with the hard truth: there’s no one waiting for him at home, no one to help him pick up the pieces.

Regrouping on his uncle’s Montana ranch, Nate meets Avelina, a beautiful but mysterious young woman who keeps to herself and barely speaks a word. As he discovers the details of her devastating past, Avelina teaches him more about matters of the heart than he ever knew before. But can they trust each other enough to put everything on the line?


This is book 12 in the series. From #1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines comes the next new adult novel in her beloved Rosemary Beach series, which continues the story of Mase and Reese from When I’m Gone.

She was where my home would always be. It was time I took the next step and proved to her I was all in. Forever.

A chance meeting in Rosemary Beach has turned into a fairy-tale romance as Reese prepares to move in with Mase on his family ranch in Texas. With the loving support of the Colts, and her recent discovery that she has family of her own, Reese can finally move on from the dark horrors of her past and into a bright future.

But Aida isn’t going to let that happen. The beautiful blonde has been raised to think of Mase as her cousin, but it’s clear to Reese that Aida doesn’t love Mase like a cousin should.

And then there’s Captain, the inescapable stranger who has connections in Dallas and Rosemary Beach—and who conveniently shows up wherever Reese happens to be. Hot, mysterious, and plain-speaking, Captain isn’t afraid to tell Reese what he thinks about Mase—and how he feels about her.

As the competition for Mase and Reese’s hearts heats up, Reese’s past begins to unravel, illuminating shocking truths that will forever change the lives of the happy couple—and set the final stories of Rosemary Beach in motion.

I think this is one book I really want to read since it takes place in Vancouver, Canada and she is a Canadian author.

A new adult novel that perfectly captures the existential angst of your early twenties with raw wit, fresh insight, and true feeling from a critically adored USA TODAY bestselling author.

Joshua Miles has spent his early twenties spinning his wheels. Working dead-end jobs and living at home has left him exhausted and uninspired, with little energy to pursue his passion for graphic art. Until he meets Gemma Henare, a vivacious out-of-towner from New Zealand. What begins as a one-night stand soon becomes a turning point for Josh. He can’t get Gemma out of his head, even after she has left for home, and finds himself throwing caution to the wind for the first time in his life.

It’s not long before Josh is headed to New Zealand with only a backpack, some cash, and Gemma’s name to go on. But when he finally tracks her down, he finds his adventure is only just beginning. Equally infatuated, Gemma leads him on a whirlwind tour across the beautiful country, opening Josh up to life, lust, love, and all the messy heartache in between. Because, when love drags you somewhere, it might never let go—even when you know you have to say goodbye.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover, a new novel about risking everything for love—and finding your heart somewhere between the truth and lies.

At age twenty-one, Auburn Reed has already lost everything important to her. In her fight to rebuild her shattered life, she has her goals in sight and there is no room for mistakes. But when she walks into a Dallas art studio in search of a job, she doesn’t expect to find a deep attraction to the enigmatic artist who works there, Owen Gentry.

For once, Auburn takes a chance and puts her heart in control, only to discover that Owen is keeping a major secret from coming out. The magnitude of his past threatens to destroy everything important to Auburn, and the only way to get her life back on track is to cut Owen out of it.

To save their relationship, all Owen needs to do is confess. But in this case, the confession could be much more destructive than the actual sin.
From the New York Times bestselling author of Collide and Pulse comes a gritty new novel about a shattered young woman who unexpectedly falls for two best friends.

They were a storm I never saw coming, an unforeseen heartbreak on the edge of a dangerous cliff.

Amber Moretti’s life changes in the span of minutes. An orphaned outsider, she is desperate to start fresh the moment she walks onto campus. In the time it takes to cross the university’s dining hall, she meets two men who bring color, air, and light to her darkened world.

They became my addiction, each a needle to my next hit, my high.

Brock Cunningham’s appeal is dizzying, a potent force Amber can’t deny. A green-eyed smooth talker, he instantly attracts Amber. It doesn’t take long for him to consume her every thought, her every breath.

Ryder Ashcroft, a blue-eyed, tattooed, and pierced bad boy, turns Amber off immediately—that is, until he kisses her, stealing a piece of her heart, her soul.

They were as opposite as fire and ice, yet I ached for them equally.

Never knowing she could be broken down in so many unexpectedly beautiful yet petrifying ways, Amber finds herself falling for both men.

Immoral? Maybe. I say undeniable. Uncontained.

But one devastating event changes everything, shattering each of their lives…and Amber isn’t sure she can recover from it.
The next dark and sexy romantic suspense novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author ofUnteachable, which was praised for its “lush, haunting prose, deft storytelling, and scorching sensuality” (M. Pierce, bestselling author of the Night Owl trilogy), and called “one of the best forbidden romances” (Lauren Blakely, New York Times bestselling author).

“Love is not a thing that we create. It’s an undoing.”

It only took one moment of weakness for Laney Keating’s world to fall apart. One stupid gesture for a hopeless crush. Then the rumors began. Slut, they called her. Queer. Psycho. Mentally ill, messed up, so messed up even her own mother decided she wasn’t worth sticking around for.

If Laney could erase that whole year, she would. College is her chance to start with a clean slate.

She’s not looking for new friends, but they find her: charming, handsome Armin, the only guy patient enough to work through her thorny defenses—and fiery, filterless Blythe, the bad girl and partner in crime who has thorns of her own.

But Laney knows nothing good ever lasts. When a ghost from her past resurfaces—the bully who broke her down completely—she decides it’s time to live up to her own legend. And Armin and Blythe are going to help.

Which was the plan all along.

Because the rumors are true. Every single one. And Laney is going to show them just how true.

She’s going to show them all.

Another book I am excited to read and she is a Canadian author to.

A suspense-driven New Adult romance novel from the USA TODAY bestselling author of Ten Tiny Breaths and Burying Water.

Luke Boone doesn’t know exactly what his uncle Rust is involved in but he wants in on it—the cars, the money, the women. And it looks like he’s finally getting his wish. When Rust hands him the managerial keys to the garage, they come with a second set—one that opens up the door to tons of cash and opportunity. Though it’s not exactly legal, Luke’s never been one to worry about that sort of thing. Especially when it puts him behind the wheel of a Porsche 911 and onto the radar of gorgeous socialite named Rain.

Clara Bertelli is at the top of her game—at only twenty-six years old, she’s one of the most successful undercover officers in the Washington, DC, major crime unit, and she’s just been handed a case that could catapult her career and expose one of the West coast’s most notorious car theft rings. But, in order to do it, she’ll need to go deep undercover as Rain Martines. Her target? The twenty-four-year-old nephew of a key player who appears ready to follow in his uncle’s footsteps.

As Clara drifts deeper into the luxurious lifestyle of Rain, and further into the arms of her very attractive and charming target, the lines between right and wrong start to blur, making her wonder if she’ll be able to leave it all behind. Or if she’ll even want to.

divider4.png

 

I should let you know that all these books are available to purchase in your local bookstore.

All these books sound so good that I have added them all to my wishlist of books.

Does any of these books interest you? Have you read any of these books?

I know I will be on the look out for these books. I know Becoming Rain and Where Sea Meets Sky is definitely on my radar because I love books that are set in Canada and I love supporting Canadian authors.

These books are definitely my kind of books that I would read.

Thanks Atria for putting together this sampler of titles. I wish more publishers would do this kind of thing although that could be a bad thing for a complusive book buyer like myself.

Do you like samplers?

Review/ Prodigal & Riven

Review/ Prodigal & RivenProdigal & Riven Series: The Lost Imperials #2 & #3

Format: Paperback
on May 5th, 2015
Pages: 157 & 197

Prodigal Book 2:

Two journeys. One inescapable outcome. No time to lose.

Stein has been with the Hollows for as long as she can remember. Taken as a child, she has no memories of her past—and that's always been fine by her. Until the day she stumbles across a hidden journal containing the devastating truth about her paternity. Now everything she thought she knew—and everyone she thought she could trust—has changed. The truth about who she is and where she came from is a secret so deep, it will rock the Hollows and the Tesla Institute alike.
During a test to verify her bloodlines, Stein makes a terrible discovery. She is carrying a rare genetic mutation that is slowly killing her. Unsure who to turn to and running out of time, she has no choice but to turn to Tesla—her most hated enemy—for help. But can she trust the man who she's been fighting against her whole life, or will she end up another piece in his deadly game of cat and mouse with the people who betrayed her so long ago?

Riven Book 3:

Two journeys. One inescapable outcome. No time to lose.

What should be a routine mission leaves Ethan with a serious problem. He's fractured—a break between mind and body that leaves him at the mercy of his Rifter abilities, which are quickly tearing him apart. He will have to trust the only person who might know how to fix him, a mysterious Rifter named Stewart Stills, who seems to have a special connection with the time stream.

Forced to face his dark past and a decision he may never forgive himself for, he will be trained unlike any of the others, to become a true guardian for time. If he accepts, it will mean leaving everyone he loves behind. If he refuses, time itself could unravel. After a glimpse of the dark future awaiting them all, he will have to choose between destiny and desire. Will he rise up and take his place as a defender of the natural order, or will he watch as all of time burns at the hands of the girl he loves?
Welcome to the time war.

I am so thrilled that I was able to stop by the Clean Teen booth to pick up a signed copy of Prodigal & Riven by two of my favorite authors Sherry Ficklin and Tyler Jolley and I was lucky enough to get to spend some time with them. They are two of the most awesome authors out there.

As per BEA tradition this was the book I packed with me to read on the train ride home. If you recall from my previous BEA (2013) I was lucky enough to have met Sherry and Tyler at a breakfast their publisher had put on for selected bloggers. I was lucky enough to have sat near them and they spoke about  their first book, Extracted and I’m not going to lying this wasn’t a genre I have read or had an interest in but listening to them both speak about the book I knew I had to read it and I don’t regret it. I read this book on the train ride back to Montreal and I loved it.

Prodigal and Riven were on my top ten list of books that I must get at BEA or die trying to get. Thankfully I was able to get a copy but it was so hard to hold off on reading this while I was in NYC because I really wanted to dive in and see what was happening.

I won’t get into to much of a review because I don’t want to give it all away since this is book 2 and 3 in the series.

Prodigal picks up right where Extracted ended. Stein discovered a journal from Tesla on her last mission. She probably wouldn’t have paid much attention to it had it not been for the emblem on the front of it. Its the same emblem she has on her navel. Curious about it she grabs it. She begins to question her past. With a simple blood test it will uncover who she really is. Will this provide her the answer she needs or wants to know?

I love how Prodigal was more about Stein because she was a favorite of mine from Extracted. She is this feisty nothing is going to stand in my way kind of character. She is that strong girl you want to me.

I was so happy that this was actually a flip book because Prodigal ended in a cliff hanger and I couldn’t imagine having to wait for Riven to come out. I probably would have stalked written Sherry and Tyler and begged them for book 3.

Thankfully having Riven on hand I was able to dig right into book 3 because other wise I might have gone ballistic on the train which would not have been good since there was already at least one wack a doodle on the train.

Riven is the extension of Prodigal and it tells Ethan’s side of the story of the events that have just happened. It was nice to discover more about Ethan since not alot of information about him was given. I really like Ethan. He is probably the kind of guy I could see my crushing over. I loved learning about his past and I think it made him who is today.

Riven gives a little bit more information about the time stream and how important is was.

I loved the friendship between Stein, Ethan, Ember, Lex, Nobel, Stills and Sissen. They stuck together and they had each other’s back which is my definition of a true friend. I can’t wait to discover more about these characters because they all have a story to tell.

I don’t know how I am ever going to wait for book 4 to come out. The suspense is killing me.

I loved both of these books and they were so much fun to read. I had to hold myself back from just breezing through the book because I know I could have but I wanted to savour the story and I didn’t want it to end.

If you are a fan of steampunk and/or futuristic then you would probably enjoy these books. I can’t recommend these two authors enough. You will fall in love with their writing style, characters or world. As I was reading this I could only imagine the world they had created.

Review/ Courtney Crumrin Tales of a Warlock Vol. 7

Review/ Courtney Crumrin Tales of a Warlock Vol. 7Courtney Crumrin Tales of a Warlock Series: Courtney Crumrin Volume 7

by Ted Naifeh
Format: Hardcover
Published by Oni Press on March 18th 2015
Pages: 128
Goodreads
Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels, General, Young Adult

At long last, Courtney Crumrin Tales returns... in full color! Though the Witches and Warlocks of Hillsborough keep to themselves under Ravenna’s Law, there are outliers who are a danger to others. The Anti-Sorcery Society, headed by mortal Horace Crisp, seeks to destroy these individuals, and Aloysius Crumrin, an eager young man, offers his assistance–keeping his magical ancestry to himself, of course. But he doesn't count on Alice Crisp, Horace’s tenacious daughter, accompanying him on missions, or on trusting her with his secret… or on falling in love. Which proves more dangerous than anything when Horace becomes his enemy…

May Book Unhauling #5

BookUnhauling

In the month of May I took roughly a week to go through a few boxes of books as well as the book cases to try and purge them down in prep for the books I would be bringing home from BEA. I managed to gather a box full of books but sadly I never got the chance to document or take photos of the books I was giving away so I have no idea what I gave away or how many.

I think with all the hype and getting ready for BEA I think at some point I told myself I had taken photos and I never second guessed that.

So as of right now I have give away 89 books. I wish I could remember how much was in that box oh well I think I am still doing good and I am pleased with my work so far.

Do you have a hard time giving books away?

Review/ Courtney Crumrin The Final Spell Vol.6

Review/ Courtney Crumrin The Final Spell Vol.6Courtney Crumin The Final Spell Series: Courtney Crumrin #6

Format: Hardcover
Published by Oni Press on August 20, 2014
Pages: 152

On the run from the Coven with her former teacher Calpurnia, Courtney Crumrin is quickly learning just how sinister the witches and warlocks of Hillsborough can be - but she never thought she'd see the day when Uncle Aloysius turned on her as well. It's a lot harder to fight a battle when the only family you care about is against you, and Courtney's only salvation may lie in the Twilight Kingdom - and away from the mortal world. But Aloysius won't give up his niece so easily, even if he has to fight the night creatures to do it!

Originally this was suppose to be the final book in the Courtney Crumrin series but I see they did another volume which I am just about to read.

Like the previous books it picks right up where volume 5 ended which I think is really nice. I am sure they could have combined all the comics into one volume or even two but that is just my opinion.

This will be basically a mini review because I don’t want to give to much away. This was a quick read and I really enjoyed this one. Its nice to see how much Courtney has grown from the first volume. She is a cute and spunky girl who takes nothing from no one.

Courtney is reunited with her former teacher Calpurnia and they are on the run from the Coven. It seems like everyone has turned on Courtney even her uncle. It appears like Courtney knows too much and they are trying to get to her and make her forget everything she knows but will she allow that?

In this volume Courtney dominates and lets nothing stand in her way.

This was a fast pace read.

 

Review/ Courtney Crumrin The Witch Next Door Vol 5

Review/ Courtney Crumrin The Witch Next Door Vol 5Courtney Crumrin, Volume 5: The Witch Next Door Series: Courtney Crumrin #5

by Ted Naifeh
Format: Hardcover
Published by Oni Press on May 14th 2014
Pages: 148
Goodreads
Genres: Comics & Graphic Novels, General, Young Adult

The first five issues of the full-color Courtney Crumrin comic series are collected for the first time in a special hardcover edition! Holly Hart is new to Hillsborough and witchcraft. When her family moves in next to Courtney, the two girls quickly become friends. But as Courtney watches Holly making the same mistakes she once made, she begins to have second thoughts about teaching the girl magic. And when Holly sees the aftermath of the other children's

One of the good things about getting back into the library is being able to catch up on some graphic novels that I discovered last summer and imagine my surprise when I discovered that the next three volumes of Courtney Crumrin  were out. I quickly borrowed them because I wanted to catch up.

The Witch Next Door is volume 5 and they are super quick reads. It picks right up from where volume 4 left off which is really nice.

In this graphic novel a new girl (Holly) moves in and its right across from Courtney’s uncle’s house. Courtney is thrilled to finally have a friend and things are going really good until magic steps in between their friendship. Courtney and Holly get along so well because they both are deemed as outcast and appear to be exactly alike in manner and style of clothing. I think Holly is thrilled to finally have found a friend.

I don’t want to say much more about the book because I can literally give it away. Its a really good read and if your a fan of dark graphic novels then I have to recommend this. It was nice to see how much Courtney has grown emotionally, mentally and magically.