Cover Reveal- DANGEROUS ALLIANCE By Jennieke Cohen

Today Jennieke Cohen, Epic Reads, and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover and a note from Jennieke about the cover for DANGEROUS ALLIANCE, her debut YA Historical Book which releases on December 3, 2019! Check out the awesome cover and enter the giveaway!

On to the reveal!

Title: DANGEROUS ALLIANCE

Author: Jennieke Cohen

Pub. Date: December 3, 2019

Publisher: HarperTeen

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Pages: ?

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

Lady Victoria Aston has always been just as comfortable in a pair of breeches stolen from her father as she has in satin ballgowns decked in lace. And though she is perfectly capable of minding her manners in polite society, she doesn't much see the point. With an older sister happily wed and the future of her family estate secure, she is quite content to while her time away in the fields around her home.

However, Vicky’s comfortable, idyllic life is overturned in the course of one night. Her sister’s husband is a terrible cad and now Vicky must marry, or find herself and her family destitute. Armed only with the wisdom she has gained from her beloved novels by Jane Austen, she enters society’s season in a flutter of silks, dances, and pretty words.

But Miss Austen has little to say about Vicky’s particular circumstances: whether the gorgeous and roguish Mr. Carmichael is indeed a scoundrel, if her former best friend—the much-grown and very handsome Tom Sherborne—is out for her dowry or for her heart, or even how to fend off the attentions of the foppish Mr. Silby, he of the bright-orange waistcoat.

Most unfortunately of all, Vicky’s books are silent on the topic of the mysterious accidents cropping up around her. Accidents that have her wondering if there’s someone trying to prevent a match from being made…or prevent her from surviving until her wedding day.

Note about the cover from Jennieke:

When I got the concept art for DANGEROUS ALLIANCE’s cover, I was thrilled with what designer Jessie Gang had come up with. 

I’m a little like Elle Woods from Legally Blonde in that pink is my signature color, so the palette was just what I’d hoped for. When the final cover made it to my inbox, my heart sped up as I saw how it had all come together. The artist, Kasi Turpin, did a beautiful job creating the font and I just love how the line through the “A” forms the top of an upside down heart and draws attention to the tagline. 

The cameo silhouette also happens to be perfect for my main character, Vicky, while still allowing readers to picture her for themselves! I can’t wait to see what it looks like on the shelves, and I hope people love it as much as I do!

About Jennieke:

Jennieke Cohen (JEN-ih-kuh CO-en) is used to people mispronouncing her name and tries to spare her fictional characters the same problem.  She studied English history at Cambridge University and has a master’s degree in professional writing from the University of Southern California. When not writing or researching little-known corners of history, you'll find her singing opera arias and show tunes, over-analyzing old movies, or discovering the best foodie spots in her native Northern California. Read more on Jennieke’s website www.JenniekeCohen.com or find her on Twitter or Instagram @Jennieke_Cohen

Website |Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will win an ARC of DANGEROUS ALLIANCE, US Only.

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Blog Tour- HEARTSTONE by Elle Katharine White An Interview & Giveaway!

I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for HEARTSTONE by Elle Katharine White! I loved this freaking awesome historical fantasy re-imagining of PRIDE AND PREJUDICE! I have an interview with Elle to share with you today! And make sure to enter the awesome giveaway for a chance to win the book!!

Haven't heard of HEARTSTONE? Check it out!

Title: HEARTSTONE

Author: Elle Katharine White

Pub. Date: January 17, 2017

Publisher: Harper Voyager

Pages: 352

Formats: Paperback eBook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Goodreads

A debut historical fantasy that recasts Jane Austen’s beloved Pride & Prejudice in an imaginative world of wyverns, dragons, and the warriors who fight alongside them against the monsters that threaten the kingdom: gryphons, direwolves, lamias, banshees, and lindworms.

They say a Rider in possession of a good blade must be in want of a monster to slay—and Merybourne Manor has plenty of monsters.

Passionate, headstrong Aliza Bentaine knows this all too well; she’s already lost one sister to the invading gryphons. So when Lord Merybourne hires a band of Riders to hunt down the horde, Aliza is relieved her home will soon be safe again.

Her relief is short-lived. With the arrival of the haughty and handsome dragonrider, Alastair Daired, Aliza expects a battle; what she doesn’t expect is a romantic clash of wills, pitting words and wit against the pride of an ancient house. Nor does she anticipate the mystery that follows them from Merybourne Manor, its roots running deep as the foundations of the kingdom itself, where something old and dreadful slumbers . . . something far more sinister than gryphons.

It’s a war Aliza is ill-prepared to wage, on a battlefield she’s never known before: one spanning kingdoms, class lines, and the curious nature of her own heart.

Elle Katharine White infuses elements of Austen’s beloved novel with her own brand of magic, crafting a modern epic fantasy that conjures a familiar yet wondrously unique new world.

Now on to the interview!

Hi Elle! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books! HEARTSTONE was absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait for everyone to read it! And am so happy that you could stop by for a visit!

For the readers: Can you tell us a little bit about HEARTSTONE and the characters?

Thanks for having me! HEARTSTONE is a reimagining of Pride and Prejudice in an epic fantasy world where dragons are commonplace, monsters run amok, and the gentry have traded in their cravats and petticoats for hauberks and swords. Darcy is Alastair Daired, heir to a long line of dragon-riding monster-hunters and professional grouch. Elizabeth is Aliza Bentaine, a healer and artist who doesn’t like the sight of blood and whose curiosity often gets her into trouble. Needless to say they do not hit it off well . . . at first.

Is this a standalone or a series? And if it’s a series do you have a title for book 2 yet? And if it’s a standalone what are you working on next? Also I would love to see a reimagining of Persuasion set in this world ;)

Right now HEARTSTONE is a standalone, but who knows? We may see more adventures in Arle in the future. In the meantime I’m working on a series of cyberpunk novels filled with ALL my favorite things: augmented transhuman drama, corporate espionage, complicated sibling dynamics, and GIRL POWER.  

Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?

Yep. Mari, the bookish Bentaine sister, is teenaged-me. I was always the one to bring a book to the party and hoped no one noticed me in the corner.

Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?

I loved writing the hobgoblins and creature characters; Tobble the Hobgoblin is my favorite. I could hear his voice in my head every time he entered a scene, which made his dialogue easy to write. Charis Brysney, my reimagined Caroline Bingley, was the hardest, as her voice had to walk the tricky line between haughty, aloof, and endearing. 

What is your favorite passage/scene in HEARTSTONE?

The first scene between Daired, Aliza, and Tobble is my favorite, if only because it never ceases to make me laugh. (A hint to those who haven’t read it yet: it involves Daired getting pelted with mud by an irate inconvenience of hobgoblins.)

What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

As someone to whom the complexities of mathematics might as well be sorcery, I’m quite proud of the fact that I managed to calculate the average airspeed velocity of an unladen European swallow—er, I mean dragon—in order to make the travel scenes realistic. I also spent a lot of time binge-watching medieval weaponry masters on YouTube as they demonstrated the best methods for beheading and the proper way to wear chainmail.

Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?

Gabriel Syme from G.K. Chesterton’s The Man Who Was Thursday. Brave, British, good with words, rocks a cravat, soul of a poet, and just a little bit crazy. My kinda man.

What inspired you to write a Jane Austen reimagining?

I’ve been obsessed with the fantasy genre since I was a child and I fell in love with Darcy the moment I read Pride and Prejudice, so some part of me has always wanted to read a mash-up of the two. After years of searching without luck, I finally thought, “Aw, screw it. I write it myself.” The final piece of inspiration fell into place one Sunday afternoon in college when my housemate started the movie How to Train Your Dragon. I happened to be rereading P&P in the same room, and halfway through the movie I had the sudden image of Mr. Darcy riding a dragon and thought “THAT’S IT.” I couldn’t sleep until I outlined the story that would become HEARTSTONE.

Lightening Round Questions

What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

N.K. Jemisin’s dark and lovely The Killing Moon. And I’m kicking myself for waiting so long, but I’m dying to read V.E. Schwab’s A Gathering of Shadows, because I MUST finish it in time for the release of A Conjuring of Light.

What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?

        

Ravenclaw.

Twitter or Facebook?

          

Twitter. A helpful training tool for writers looking to kill characters.

Favorite Superhero?

          

Batman, of course. Because he’s Batman.

Favorite TV show?

          

Doctor Who, Sherlock, and anything by Masterpiece: Mystery!

Sweet or Salty?

        

Yes.

Any Phobias?

          

Heights. And velociraptors. (I’m serious. Don’t ask.)

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

          

“Hold My Hand” by Jess Glynne

2017 movie you’re most looking forward to?

          

It’s a tie between Beauty and the Beast and The Dark Tower.

Thanks so much Elle for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read HEARTSTONE!

About Elle:

Elle was born and raised in Buffalo, NY, where she learned valuable life skills like how to clear a snowy driveway in under twenty minutes (a lot easier than you think) and how to cheer for the perennial underdog (a lot harder than you think).

MEET ELLE

When she's not writing she spends her time reading, drinking absurd amounts of tea, having strong feelings about fictional characters, and doing her best to live with no regrets.

​

Connect with her on Facebook at @ellewhite.author, or witness the hilarious spectacle that is a writer contending with the 140-character limit on Twitter at @elle_k_writes.

Website | Twitter |Tumblr | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of HEARTSTONE, US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

1/9/2017- YA Book Nerd- Interview         

1/10/2017- Seeing Double In Neverland - Review

1/11/2017- Novel Novice- Guest Post     

1/12/2017- What the Cat Read- Review 

1/13/2017- Two Chicks on Books- Interview        

Week Two:

1/16/2017- Fiction Fare - Review

1/17/2017- The Eater of Books!- Excerpt

1/18/2017- History from a Woman's Perspective- Review             

1/19/2017- Stories & Sweeties- Excerpt

1/20/2017- The Book Nut- Review       

Top Ten Tuesday (83)- My Top Ten Characters I'd Name A Dog or Cat

Hi thanks for stopping by!!! And welcome to my Top 10 Tuesday post! 

Thanks to the lovely ladies at The Broke And The Bookish for creating this weekly meme!

Here's this week's topic.

October 18: Ten Characters I'd Name A Child/Dog/Cat/Car/Etc. 

I don't have kids nor will I be having any so these characters names will be for my future furbabies whether they be a dog or a cat. I tend to have more male animals so there will be more male names.


1. Valek or Janco from Maria V. Snyder's Study and Glass books! Valek if the animal is mysterious or aloof so most likely a cat and Janco if the animal is fun loving so most likely a dog.

2. Rhysand (Rys for short) from Sarah J. Maas's A Court of Thorns And Roses series.


3. Magnus from Morgan Rhodes's Falling Kingdom's series.

4. Zo from Jennifer Jenkins Nameless series.

5. Vhalla from Elise Kova's Air Awakens series.

6.  Irial from Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely series.

7. Roar from Veronica Rossi's Under The Never Sky series.

8. Ash from Julie Kagawa's Iron Fey series.

9. Darcy from Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice. Who would I be without my own Darcy?

10. Lestat from Anne Rice's The Vampire Chronicles series, not gonna lie I've wanted to name a cat Lestst for a long time lol

So what about you? What are your favorite character names? And check back next week for my Top Ten Halloween-ish reads!! 

Hugs,

Jaime

Top Ten Tuesday (25)- My Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Authors

Hi thanks for stopping by!!! And welcome to my Top 10 Tuesday post! 

Thanks to the lovely ladies at The Broke And The Bookish for creating this weekly meme!

Here's this week's topic.

April 21: Top Ten ALL TIME Favorite Authors

Ah there's so many but here's a few

1. Maria V. Snyder (She wrote my #1 all time favorite High Fantasy series!)
2. Jane Austen (Love all of her books! Especially Persuasion)
3. Richelle Mead (She wrote Adrian Ivaskov one of my all time favorite book boyfriends!)
4. Jeri Smith-Ready (She's one of the only authors who I love both her adult and YA books!)
5. Sarah J Maas (She may be a newer author but I've loved every book she's written!)
6. Mary Stewart (Her Arthurian Legend Books changed my life)
7. Ursula K. Le Guin (My first Fantasy author!)
8. Anne Rice (She may have gone off the deep end lately but I love her older books!)
9. L.J. Smith (She was my first YA author and she'll always hold a special place in my heart)
10. J. K. Rowling (Harry Potter... need I say more?)

So this is my list. What about you? Who are your favorite authors?

And come back next week for my Top Ten Books Which Feature Characters Who _____ (are musically inclined, have lost someone, have depression, who grow up poor, etc.) I may not do this one still thinking on it.

Hugs,
Jaime

Top Ten Tuesday (14)- Ten Books I'd Love to Read With My Book Club/If I Had A Book Club

Hi and welcome to my Top 10 Tuesday post! 

Thanks to the lovely ladies at The Broke And The Bookish for creating this weekly meme!

Here's this week's topic.

January 27: Ten Books I'd Love to Read With My Book Club/If I Had A Book Club!

I don't have a book club but if I did I would add these to our reading list for sure!

1. The STUDY & GLASS Books by Maria V. Snyder. It's my favorite High Fantasy seirs of all time so of course I would add this!

2. The WICKED LOVELY Series by Melissa Marr. Marr's take on Fae is still my favorite to this day!

3. The VAMPIRE ACADEMY and BLOODLINES Books by Richelle Mead. Two words. Adrian Ivashkov. Everyone needs to fall in love with him!

4. THE HUNGER GAMES Series by Suzanne Colins. I may have hated the ending to the third book but this series always makes for some interesting conversation.

5. The WVMP Series by Jeri Smith-Ready. This series is one of my favorite adult PNR's and I love how she ties music into it!

6. PERSUASION by Jane Austen and FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS by Diana Peretfreund. I loved Austen's and Peterfreund's books! I would love to read Persuasion and then Darkness and compare the two!

7. The FIRE AND THORNS Series by Rae Carson. My second favorite high fantasy of all time!

8. The HIS FAIR ASSASSIN Series by Robin LaFevers. My friends and I still talk about this series. We absolutely love it!

9. The CAHIL WITCH CHRONICLES by Jessica Spotswood. I love this historical paranormal and it has a lot of good issues to talk about.

10. The ACROSS THE UNIVERSE Series by Beth Revis. Probably one of my favorite sci-fi's of all time even though the last book did piss me off a bit. This one would be another great one to discuss!

So this is my list. What about you? What books would you have your book club read?

And come back next week for Top Ten Books I Can't Believe I Haven't/Want To Read From X Genre! I'm not sure what I'll do but it should be fun!

Hugs,
Jaime

Back to School With Violet and Aiden Title Reveal and Contest

Hey y’all were super stoked to be a part of Kristi Cooks’ title hunt for the third book in the Winterhaven series! Below you will find all you need to figure out the new title! Just unscramble the letters to get the title and when you’re done make sure to fill out the Rafflecopter form here or on one of the other sites listed below!

Here’s some info on Haven and Mirage!

Violet McKenna thought she was crazy when she had a vivid vision of her dad’s murder—but when her premonition came true, her life fell apart. Then she found a new school: Winterhaven. There, Violet fits right in. All the students have special “gifts” like her own, and she quickly finds a close group of friends. But Violet’s attraction to an alluring boy becomes problematic when intense visions of his death start to haunt her. In her premonitions, the secret he is unwilling to share begins to reveal itself—and the unbelievable becomes reality. To Violet’s horror, she learns that their destinies are intertwined in a crictical—and deadly—way.

Seventeen-year-old Violet McKenna is back for her senior year at Winterhaven, and thrilled to be with Aidan after a long summer apart. But when a violent and disturbing vision begins to haunt her, Violet suddenly feels unsure of everything: who to trust, if she is in danger, and—worst of all—whether she and Aidan are really meant to be together.

Add these books to your Goodreads lists!

Haven/ Mirage/ Book #3

Where you can find Kristi and her books!

Website / Simon & Schuster / Amazon / Barnes & Noble 

On to our letter and the Prize!

Our letter is……..

E is for England.  Because Aidan's from England--Dorset, to be precise.  

And the prize!!!!

What will be in the GRAND PRIZE PACK, you ask? Signed hardcover copies of HAVEN and MIRAGE, a signed, 1st edition copy of Jennifer L. Armentrout's CURSED, a signed paperback copy of Lori Devoti's DEMON HIGH, a signed original-art Winterhaven poster, a MIRAGE scrabble tile necklace, a $15 iTunes gift card, a "Winterhaven School" spiral notebook,a Jane Austen action figure, stickers, bookmarks, and assorted back-to-school supplies. Oh and it's International!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Want to know what the other letters are? Check out the other participating sites!

 Pam @ Bookalicious 

Magnet 4 Books 

Two Chicks on Books- Us :)

Moosubi Reviews 

Good Choice Reading 

Cari's Book Blog 

Books Complete Me 

Think you got it? Fill out the rafflecopter form and good luck!

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Jaime's Review of For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund

For Darkness Shows the Stars

Diana Peterfreund

Hardcover: 416 pages

Publish Date: June 12, 2012

Publisher: Balzer + Bray (Harper Collins)

ISBN:0062006142

Source: ARC from Publisher

Rating: Obsessed

From Goodreads. Generations ago, a genetic experiment gone wrong—the Reduction—decimated humanity, giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology. Eighteen-year-old Luddite Elliot North has always known her place in this caste system. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family’s estate over love. But now the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress and threatening Luddite control; Elliot’s estate is floundering; and she’s forced to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth—an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliott wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she abandoned him. But Elliot soon discovers her childhood friend carries a secret—-one that could change the society in which they live…or bring it to its knees. And again, she’s faced with a choice: cling to what she’s been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she’s ever loved, even if she has lost him forever. Inspired by Jane Austen’s PERSUASION, FOR DARKNESS SHOWS THE STARS is a breathtaking romance about opening your mind to the future and your heart to the one person you know can break it.

For Darkness Shows the Stars is one of those rare books that takes an old classic and makes it its own while keeping the beautiful story intact and adding a new modern twist to it. Many of you know I love Jane Austen’s books and that Persuasion is one of my favorites so when I read this synopsis I knew I had to read it. Diana wrote such a beautiful story that I found myself falling hard for a certain Captain Wentforth (Kai) even though I knew he would utterly break my heart. If you’ve read Persuasion or seen the movie you know how this story unfolds but Diana added a Dystopian/Sci-Fi aspect to the story that I adored!

Elliot was such a brave character and seeing her turn her true love away because of duty was heart-wrenching to watch. I know I wouldn’t be able to do it. Another thing I really liked was the letters between Elliot and Kai from when they were children we got to see their friendship grow into something more! The cast of characters in the book range from skeevy and horrid, to brilliant and caring, to dynamic and heroic they were perfect additions to the book. Oh and once more just because I loved Kai he was awful and hurtful but I knew all along his feelings so I could overlook them.

Instead of a passage I wanted to share a couple of the notes between Kai and Elliot because I thought they were awesome!

Dear Kai,

I can’t come to the barn tonight. Tatiana is becoming suspicious. Ever since she took over the household duties, she’s been acting like she can tell me what to do as well.

Yours,

Elliot

Dear Elliot,

Of course she does. She knows your mother isn’t here to protect you anymore. But you know what the solution is: stay out of her way.

Stay here.

Stay with me.

Yours,

Kai

Add For Darkness Shows the Stars to your Goodreads shelves.

Pre-Order it here!