Exclusive Cover Reveal- THE CURE FOR DREAMING by Cat Winters and a Giveaway!

I am sooooooo excited!!!! Today I get the EXCLUSIVE cover reveal for THE CURE FOR DREAMING by Cat Winters releasing in October 14, 2014! I adored Cat's other book and am dying to get my hands on this one myself! Check out the gorgeous cover, synopsis, and enter to win an ARC!

About the book: 

THE CURE FOR DREAMING by Cat Winters

Publisher: Amulet Books

Publication date: October 14, 2014

Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout.

From Cat:

To create the cover for The Cure for Dreaming, the book’s designer, Maria T. Middleton, started with a black-and-white historical photograph of a young hypnotized woman—the same photo that served as my inspiration for the novel’s opening chapter. She then worked her magic on the image, added that gorgeous lettering, and the final result is vibrant, intriguing, very Victorian, slightly odd, and absolutely perfect for the story.

Even more exciting are the cover’s hidden surprises. Look closely at that ornate wallpaper in the background, and you’ll catch hints about the novel’s darker side. See those swirls radiating from the girl’s head? On the final cover, they’ll turn into a hypnotizing special effect. And if you’re wondering what the girl’s feet are up to, you’ll need to wait until the full dust jacket becomes available. The young woman’s body will wrap around to the back of the book. I couldn’t be happier with Maria’s highly clever creation. 

Find THE CURE FOR DREAMING Online:

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository | Amazon UK

About Cat: 

Cat Winters’s critically acclaimed debut novel, In the Shadow of Blackbirds, was named a 2014 Morris Award Finalist, a 2014 Best Fiction for Young Adults pick, a 2013 Bram Stoker Award Nominee, and a School Library Journal Best Book of 2013. Her upcoming novels include The Cure for Dreaming (Amulet Books/Oct. 2014) and The Uninvited (William Morrow/2015), and she’s a contributor to the 2015 YA horror anthology Slasher Girls & Monster Boys. She lives in Portland, Oregon. Visit her online at www.catwinters.com.

Find Cat Online:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads 

Giveaway

Two winners will receive an advance reading copy of The Cure for Dreaming when the ARCs become available (approximately June 2014). Open internationally.

 

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Blog Tour- AFTER THE END by Amy Plumb Character Interview and a Giveaway!

Welcome to the AFTER THE END blog tour. I'm thrilled to be a part of the celebration for Amy Plum's upcoming release! I have a character interview with Miles and I adore him so make sure to check that out and enter the giveaway below! 

About the Book

By: Amy Plum
Published by: Harper Teen
Hitting Book Shelves on: May 6, 2014
Pre-Order from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indiebound
Find out more about the book

World War III has left the world ravaged by nuclear radiation. A lucky few escaped to the Alaskan wilderness.

They′e survived for the last thirty years by living off the land, being one with nature, and hiding from whoever else might still be out there.

At least, this is what Juneau has been told her entire life.

When Juneau returns from a hunting trip to discover that everyone in her clan has vanished, she sets off to find them. Leaving the boundaries of their land for the very first time, she learns something horrifying: There never was a war. Cities were never destroyed. The world is intact.

Everything was a lie.

Now Juneau is adrift in a modern-day world she never knew existed. But while she′s trying to find a way to rescue her friends and family, someone else is looking for her. Someone who knows the extraordinary truth about the secrets of her past.

Ok now on to the interview!!!!

Hi Miles! Welcome to Two Chicks on Books! Let me just say I have become a big fan of yours and I can’t wait for the readers to meet you! Ok so on to my questions….

You’ve been in quite a bit of trouble lately! Do you do it to get attention or because you’re bored?

Okay, first of all, this is just between you and me. I would never say these things to a friend. I guess that says a lot about my friends, but whatever. Amy’s asked me to be honest. And to keep sarcasm to a minimum. *laughs* I’ll do what I can.

So...as for getting in trouble, boredom wouldn’t be a factor. And attention...I don’t know.

To be honest, I was the model citizen until last year. Or at least, one who wasn’t attracting a lot of negative press, school-wise. But my mom left. And, you know, a lot of things felt less important after that. Like sports. And grades. And if I could do something to distract me from the hole Mom left when she took off, well, that was less time I had to think about it.

How was your childhood? Did having an absent father change you?

Dad has always been married to his job. At least, that’s what Mom said. So who am I to question it? It’s all I know.

Honestly, I don’t go out of my way to provoke him. But Dad and I are so different that no matter what I do, we’ll never be close.

You seem to be a risk taker so why does believing in magic come so hard for you?

Because I don’t live in Hogwarts. I mean, this is the real world. Magic doesn’t exist! It’s not like we’re all living between the pages of some reality-bending wand-waving novel. This is America, not Transylvania. Magic, monsters, and all that paranormal crap—it’s for weirdoes. Not guys like me whose feet are firmly planted to the ground.

Huh? What? Oh right. Amy says ixnay with the sarcasm. Sorry.

What is the most important or most impressive achievement in your life so far?

What I would tell my friends: the time I set the school dumpsters on fire using the deer crap our gardener left out after his last landscaping project.

What I would admit to you: keeping myself sane after my mother went crazy and left me and dad alone.

What’s a day like in the life of Miles Blackwell?

Pre-Juneau? School, home, Comedy Network and a beer from the gardener’s shed, video games.

Now? Drive this crazy chick halfway across America in search of her “kidnapped” clan. Watch her talk to trees, birds, and inanimate objects, jump from moving cars, and kill and roast small woodland creatures over the fire for our dinner. Scheme as to how I can get her back to L.A. and turn her over to my dad who’s searching for her.

So you can definitely say that life’s gotten a bit more interesting since Juneau came into my life.

Now that you’ve met Juneau tell us what about her do you like the most?

Alright, she’s pretty far out, lifestyle- and philosophy-wise. We’ll agree to that. But her smile is the most incredible thing I’ve ever seen. Maybe if she always smiled, I wouldn’t notice it—her normal expression would fall under the “troubled” category. But the one rare smile she gives me once in a full moon—it’s like walking out of a dark room straight into the sun.

What’s the most annoying thing she does?

Calls me on anything I get wrong. Most girls I know smooth things over, or try to twist things so that they help you save face. Not Juneau. She doesn’t give me an inch of rope—just lets me fall flat on my face and doesn’t look away. Strangely enough, even though it’s annoying, it makes me like her even more.

Thanks Miles you rock!

About Amy Plum

Amy Plum is the author of DIE FOR ME, a YA series set in Paris. The first three books—DIE FOR ME, UNTIL I DIE, and IF I SHOULD DIE—are international bestsellers, and have been translated into eleven different languages. The fourth book is an eNovella, entitled DIE FOR HER. The first book of Amy’s new series, AFTER THE END, releases in May 2014.

Amy grew up in Birmingham, Alabama before venturing further afield to Chicago, Paris, London and New York. An art historian by training, she can be found on most days either daydreaming or writing (or both) in a Parisian café.

Visit her on:  Blog | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads

The Giveaway

Each stop on the tour will be hosting a giveaway! We're giving away:
- 13 SIGNED After The End books
- 6 iPhone After the End shells. 
*This is open Internationally* 
To enter, please be sure to fill out the form featured on each stop along the tour. 

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The first 300 people who pre-order AFTER THE END and show proof of their pre-order will receive one of these limited edition After The End water bottles. *see below*


*Water bottle offer is for US and Canada, and is being hosted by Harper Teen. This is NOT part of the blog tour, but something we wanted to let fans know about.

Please be sure to send your mailing address and receipt to katieloumercier@gmail.com. 

The Blog Tour
Be sure to follow the entire After The End blog tour! Trust me, you don't want to miss this Truth or Dare themed tour stops! Authors like Beth Revis, Kimberly Derting, Josephine Angelini & more will be on the tour. As Amy mentioned in her recent newsletter, the truth-or-dare theme is particularly relevant to AFTER THE END, since Juneau's oracle has said she has to tell the truth or she won't find her clan.

Cover Reveal- MORTAL ENCHANTMENT by Stacey O'Neale and a Giveaway

Today, Stacey O'Neale and Phoenix Reign Publishing are revealing the cover for

MORTAL ENCHANTMENT, releasing on May 20, 2014!

Check out the awesome cover and enter to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes & Noble Gift Card!!!

On to the reveal!

“Mortal Enchantment spins a unique twist on elemental mythology. This series is not to be missed.” Jennifer L. Armentrout, #1 New York Times Bestselling Author

In Kalin Matthew's world, elementals control the forces of nature. They are divided into four courts: air, woodland, fire, and water. At sixteen she will leave the life she's built with her mortal mother. Kalin will move to Avalon to rule with her father—the elemental king of the air court. Along the way, she's attacked by a fire court assassin and saved by Rowan, a swoon-worthy elemental with a questionable past.

Worst of all, she learns her father is missing.

To rescue him, Kalin will have to work with a judgmental council and a system of courts too busy accusing each other of deceit to actually be able to help her. But, they aren’t her biggest challenge. With the Midwinter’s Ball only five days away, Kalin must take over her father’s duties, which includes shifting control of the elements—power Kalin has yet to realize.

As Rowan attempts to train her, a war looms between the four courts. If Kalin fails, her father will die and the courts will fall, but the betrayal she’s about to uncover may cost her even more...

Add to your Goodreads TBR!!!

If you haven't read THE SHADOW PRINCE, you can download if NOW for FREE from Amazon and Barnes & Noble!!!

Every sacrifice has consequences. Sixteen-year-old Rowan has spent most of his life living among the mortals—learning to control the element of fire, impatiently awaiting the day his vengeful mother, Queen Prisma, will abdicate her throne. When he finally returns to Avalon for his coronation, his mother insists he must first prove his loyalty to the court by completing a secret mission: Kill Kalin, the half-human, half-elemental daughter of the air court king. Willing to do anything to remove his mother from power, he agrees to sacrifice the halfling. He returns to the mortal world with his best friend, Marcus, determined to kill the princess. But as he devises a plan, he starts to question whether or not he's capable of completing such a heinous task. And what price he will pay if he refuses?

Available for FREE on Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Also available in PRINT from Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Stacey O'Neale lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter. Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing. Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and GoodReads. You can also visit her blog at http://staceyoneale.com/.
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Blog Tour- THE FOREVER SONG by Julie Kagawa Character Interview and a Giveaway!

I adore Julie Kagawa and her books so I always jump at the chance to have her on the blog and do I have a treat for you today! I have Jackal and Allison here to answer some burning questions Check it out and make sure to enter the awesome giveaway below!
Haven't heard of THE FOREVER SONG? Check it out!

Title: THE FOREVER SONG (Blood of Eden #3)

Author: Julie Kagawa

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 416

Pub. Date: April 15, 2014

Find it: Goodreads |Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

Allison Sekemoto once struggled with the question: human or monster?

With the death of her love, Zeke, she has her answer.

MONSTER.

Allie will embrace her cold vampire side to hunt down and end Sarren, the psychopathic vampire who murdered Zeke. But the path is bloody and long, and Sarren has left many surprises for Allie and her companions—her creator, Kanin, and her blood brother, Jackal.

The trail is leading straight to the one place they must protect at any cost— the last vampire-free zone on Earth, Eden. And Sarren has one final, brutal shock in store for Allie. In a ruined world where no life is sacred and former allies can turn on you in one heartbeat, Allie will face her darkest days. And if she succeeds, triumph is short-lived in the face of surviving forever alone.

Now on to the interview!

Hi Allison and Jackal…. or should I call you James? Welcome to Two Chicks on Books! Let me just say I have become a big fan of yours and I can’t wait for the readers to get to know you better! Ok so on to my questions. And feel free to chat away and not just answer the questions I love your banter ;)

• Jackal: How did you get to be so good with cars and boats?

Jackal: I hang out with a raider army, bloodbag.  You think they ride around on camels?  It's not like there are many open gas stations or repair shops in the apocalypse.  You want something fixed, you have to do it yourself. 

• Jackal: How was your childhood or do you even remember it?

Jackal: Ugh, why is every bloodbag I talk to lately so interested in my childhood?  It was perfectly normal.  Ordinary.  Boring.  I barely remember it.  The only part that was remotely interesting was the day my family was killed and I became a vampire.  Everything up until that point was an excruciatingly boring blur, so stop asking about it.

Allison: Seems like a perfectly reasonable question to me.  They just want to make sure you weren't left on a doorstep, or hatched from an egg.

Jackal: Oh, har har.  Once my sides stop splitting I'll tell you what you can do with your egg. 

• Allison: Would you have changed your mind about being a vampire if you knew all that you would have to suffer?

Allison:  You mean if I was dying again, and a vampire gave me a choice to Turn or die?  Yeah, I probably would've done the same thing.  That was the only reason I chose to Turn, the only acceptable excuse, for me, at least.   

Jackal:  Really?  I thought it was to annoy the crap out of anyone within earshot, over and over again, for eternity.

Allison: Shut up, Jackal.

• Jackal: Why do you like to get under Kanin’s skin so much, what did he ever do to you? Allison any thought on this?

Allison: That's easy.  Because he's an insufferable, obnoxious bastard with a death wish.

Jackal:  Hey, the old man tried to kill me.  I think I'm entitled to a little bitterness about that.  Besides, the uptight stiff really needs to loosen up a little.  If he ever deigns to crack a smile, his face will split.     

• For Both: What is the most important or most impressive achievement in your life so far?

Allison:  That I've managed not to strangle this idiot right here.

Jackal:  See, now that's why you'll never get anywhere in life, sister.  One, you need to dream bigger, like ruling your own city, or raising your own army, having minions to do whatever you want, that sort of thing.  And two, you're never going to get the upper hand on me, little sister.  I'm much smarter than you.

Allison: I rest my case.

• Jackal: Why a Fire Ax? Why not a sword or something else?

Jackal:  Where the hell am I going to get a bloody sword?  This isn't medieval Europe.  You think swords are just lying around in the apocalypse? 

Allison: I found one.

Jackal: Bully for you.  If I happen to see a sword, I'll use one.  But I saw an ax, so I make do with what I have.  Besides, axes suit me better.  I like to feel my enemy's skulls implode when I hit them.  So you stick to slicing off heads, and I'll keep breaking bones and cracking skulls, how's that sound to you?

• Allison: If there was no Red Lung virus what do you think Sarren would have done? Do you think he would have still been as crazy and cruel as he was?

Allison: I think the only one who can answer that is Kanin.  He knew Sarren, what he was really like, before all this.  But it doesn't matter.  I don't care what Sarren was like before, I just know I'm going to kill him for what he's done now.

• Allison: What do you think of your brother? Honestly?

Allison:  Honestly?  If he wasn't such a greedy, obnoxious, murdering selfish bastard...he'd actually be okay.

• Jackal: Same question for you. What do you think of your sister?

Jackal: My sister wounds me.  I actually think she's one of the brightest, most talented, bleeding-heart fluffy bunny rabbits I've ever met.  It's actually kinda cute, how she bares her teeth and pretends that she's a fierce, scary monster.  Maybe one day she'll actually be a real vampire, but I'm not getting my hopes up.   

• Anything you’d like to tell our readers?

Jackal: Yeah.  Stop pestering me with stupid questions, unless you're offering to make this a dinner date.  No need to dress up; you'll taste the same either way.

Allison: Always a charmer. 

Thanks for stopping by guys, it’s been a pleasure and I can’t wait for everyone to read The Forever Song! And as for dinner I think I'll have to pass... Jackal thanks for the offer though ;)

About Julie:

Julie Kagawa was born in Sacramento, California. But nothing exciting really happened to her there. So, at the age of nine she and her family moved to Hawaii, which she soon discovered was inhabited by large carnivorous insects, colonies of house geckos and frequent hurricanes. She spent much of her time in the ocean, when she wasn’t getting chased out of it by reef sharks, jellyfish and the odd eel.

To pay the rent, Julie worked in different bookstores over the years, but discovered the managers frowned upon her reading the books she was supposed to be shelving. So she turned to her other passion: training animals. She worked as a professional dog trainer for several years, dodging Chihuahua bites and overly enthusiastic Labradors, until her first book sold and she stopped training to write full-time.

Julie now lives in Louisville, Kentucky, where the frequency of shark attacks are at an all-time low. She lives with her husband, two obnoxious cats, one Australian shepherd who is too smart for his own good and the latest addition, a hyperactive Papillon puppy.

Website |  Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

Each tour stop is offering up the winner’s choice of either THE IMMORTAL RULES, THE ETERNITY CURE or THE FOREVER SONG - whichever book of the series you might be missing!

There are also 2 grand prizes:

• 1 winner will get a complete set of Julie Kagawa’s books, including The Iron Fey Saga and The Blood of Eden Saga!

• 1 winner will get a $100 gift card from either iTunes, Amazon or Barnes & Noble!

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Tour Schedule

Monday, April 7th - Harlequin Paranormal Romance Blog

Tuesday, April 8th - fiktshun

Wednesday, April 9th - The Page Turners

Thursday, April 10st - Books and Things

Friday, April 11th - Ticket To Anywhere

Monday, April 14th - Two Chicks on Books

Tuesday, April 15th - Parajunkee

Wednesday, April 16th - Refracted Light Reviews

Thursday, April 17st - Bewitched Bookworms

Friday, April 18th - Mundie Moms

Monday, April 21th - A Book Obsession

Tuesday, April 22nd - The Book Cellar

Wednesday, April 23th - Supernatural Snark

Thursday, April 24st - The Busy Bibliophile

Blog Tour- BURN OUT by Kristi Helvig and a Giveaway

I am so excited to have Kristi Helvig here with an awesome scene from James for the BURN OUT Blog Tour! I loved this book and since it was told from the MC. Tora's POV I thought it would be cool to hear from one of the other characters! Check it out and make sure to enter the awesome giveaway below!
Haven't heard of BURN OUT? Check it out!

Title: BURN OUT

Author: Kristi Helvig

Publisher: Egmont USA

Pages: 272

Pub. Date: April 8, 2014

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble

A futuristic blend of Beth Revis's Across the Universe and Lenore Appelhans's Level 2, Burn Out will satisfy the growing desire for science fiction with a thrilling story of survival, intrigue, and adventure.

Most people want to save the world; seventeen-year-old Tora Reynolds just wants to get the hell off of it. One of the last survivors in Earth's final years, Tora yearns to escape the wasteland her planet has become after the sun turns "red giant," but discovers her fellow survivors are even deadlier than the hostile environment.

Holed up in an underground shelter, Tora is alone--her brilliant scientist father murdered, her mother and sister burned to death. She dreams of living on a planet with oceans, plants, and animals. Unfortunately, the oceans dried out ages ago, the only plants are giant cacti with deadly spines, and her pet, Trigger, is a gun--one of the bio-energetic weapons her father created for the government before his conscience kicked in.

When family friend, Markus, arrives with mercenaries to take the weapons by force, Tora's fury turns to fear when government ships descend in an attempt to kill them all. She forges an unlikely alliance with Markus and his rag-tag group of raiders, including a smart but quiet soldier named James. Tora must quickly figure out who she can trust, as she must choose between saving herself by giving up the guns or honoring her father's request to save humanity from the most lethal weapons in existence.

Now on to the scene from James's POV!

One of the opening scenes in BURN OUT involves my main character, 17-year-old Tora Reynolds, as she steps outside her underground bunker. She thinks she’s alone on the planet and is caught off guard when soldiers begin firing at her. The scene in the book is from Tora’s point of view, so below is the same scene from the POV of James, a young soldier who captures her attention against her better judgment.

James:

I hoped this wouldn’t take long long. It was hot as hell out here and sweat streamed down my neck. The dying red sun blazed down on us and, despite our helmets and sunsuits, I didn’t know how much longer we could stand it out here. Markus tossed another pebble toward the bunker door. Please just let her come outside and surrender. Or we could do it the hard way and shoot her. We had orders to take her back alive, so we’d only be aiming to incapacitate her which would be easy since I was a perfect shot. Then we could get off of this godforsaken planet for good.

         

“Seriously, Markus?” Britta’s exasperated voice came through the com system in our

helmets. “It’s not like we have all day. I’m sweating my ass off.” Britta crouched behind another large boulder near the one where Markus and I hid. She leaned over, picked up a larger stone and flung it at the door as hard as she could.       

A minute later the bunker door swung upward from its underground entrance. The girl climbed out of the bunker in a faded red sunsuit. She was an easy target amidst the barren landscape as she swung her gun around looking for the source of the noise. I readied my gun and waited for our commander Kale to give the order.

Though the girl’s face was obscured by her helmet, the picture that Markus had shown me earlier flashed through my mind. Something in her eyes had reminded me of myself. She looked strong and sad at the same time. It was hard to tear my eyes away from the photo when Markus identified her as our target. I focused back on the girl, bent over to examine the pebbles strewn about the bunker door.

“Fire!” Kale ordered. I aimed at her right thigh knowing it would take her down quickly. My finger hovered on the trigger panel as I pictured her grief-filled eyes. The others had started firing, so maybe they wouldn’t notice. I moved my gun a few inches to the right and did something I’d never done before. I missed.

Thank you Kristi! That was awesome I adore James!!

About Kristi:

Kristi Helvig is a Ph.D. Clinical Psychologist turned sci-fi/fantasy writer. You can find her musing about space monkeys, Star Trek, and other random topics on her blog. Kristi resides in sunny Colorado with her hubby, kids, and behaviorally-challenged dogs.

Website  |  Blog | Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 signed hardcopy of BURN OUT, a red sun necklace, and assorted sun survival items (ie. chapstick, sunscreen) US Only

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Tour Schedule

Week One:

3/31/2014- Library of a Book Witch- Interview

4/1/2014- Shortie Says- Review

4/1/2014- Literary Meanderings- Guest Post

4/2/2014- Ketch's Book Nook- Review

4/3/2014- A Book and a Latte- Interview

4/4/2014- Such a Novel Idea- Review

4/4/2014- Fantasy Book Addict- Guest Post

Week Two:

4/7/2014- Reading with ABC- Review

4/7/2014- Refracted Light Reviews- Interview

4/8/2014- Imagine a World- Review

4/8/2014- Ticket to Anywhere- Guest Post

4/9/2014- The Demon Librarian- Review

4/10/2014- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

4/11/2014- Working for the Mandroid- Review

4/11/2014- Parajunkee's View- Interview