Blog Tour- FRAGILE CHAOS by Amber R. Duell An Interview & Giveaway!

Hey everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for FRAGILE CHAOS by Amber R. Duell!

I have an interview with Amber to share with you today! And make sure to enter the giveaway below!

Haven't heard of FRAGILE CHAOS? Check it out!

Title: FRAGILE CHAOS

Author: Amber R. Duell

Pub. Date: July 11, 2017

Publisher: Radiant Crown Publishing, LLC

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 300

Find it: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Indiebound,  Goodreads

A GOD OF WAR SEEKING RESTORATION.

AN UNWILLING SACRIFICIAL BRIDE.

BETRAYAL THAT COULD DESTROY THEM BOTH.

“Every fiber of my being is woven from the rage of mortals.”

Theodric, the young God of War, has a talent for inciting conflict and bloodshed. After being stripped of his powers by his older brother, King of Gods, he sets out to instigate a mortal war to prove himself worthy of being restored to power.

“I loved Kisk once; it was my home… But that was before. This is now.”

Sixteen-year-old Cassia, like many in the modern era, believes gods and goddesses to be just a myth. Enemy to her country and an orphan of the war, she has no time for fairy tales. That’s until religious zealots from Theo’s sect offer her up as a sacrifice.

Can Cassia and Theo end the mortal war and return balance to the earth and heavens? Or, will their game of fate lead down a path of destruction, betrayal, and romance neither of them saw coming?

Join the FRAGILE CHAOS Release Day Party on Facebook! Chat with Amber & win prizes!

Now on to the interview!

Hi Amber! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books! FRAGILE CHAOS sounds absolutely fantastic and I can’t wait 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 FRAGILE CHAOS and the characters?

Fragile Chaos is set in modern times in the fictional world with a new pantheon of gods. Theodric, the God of War, is trying to earn his power back by proving he can wage a war. Cassia, a 16-year-old sister of a traitor, is sent against her will as a sacrifice to Theo to end the war on their island. Both Cassia and Theo have their own motives and reasons to lie.

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?

Fragile Chaos is a standalone. I just finished revising a manuscript featuring the Sandman. It’s been so fun to work on!

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

Nope! I don’t use people I know in my books because it might influence things that need to happen to the characters.

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

Leander was hands down my favorite. I think Astra was my least favorite to write, but I liked writing them all in their own way.

What is your favorite passage/scene in FRAGILE CHAOS?

Oooh, it’s a spoiler-y passage/scene so I can’t answer this one! My second favorite is the scene leading up to the first kiss.

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

I researched different pantheons of gods before deciding to create my own. Antimatter was another thing I read up on. A friend of mine is a scientist, and she helped out with that one.

Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?

Arin from The Winner’s Trilogy. *swoon*

What inspired you to write YA?

The teen years are so pivotal, and reading really helped me through mine.

Lightening Round Questions

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

I’m currently reading When Planets Fall by Abby J. Reed. It’s great!! Next up is Caraval.

What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?

I’m a Hufflepuff!

Twitter or Facebook?

Twitter for bookish things, Facebook for keeping in touch with family while I move around every few years.

Favorite Superhero?

Loki! Does he count? If not, I’ll go with Thor. But, really—Loki.

Favorite TV show?

Game of Thrones

Sweet or Salty?

Sweet

Any Phobias?

Bugs!

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

Something Just Like This by The Chainsmokers & Coldplay

Summer/Fall Movie you’re most looking forward to?

Wonder Woman

Thanks so much Amber for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read FRAGILE CHAOS!

About Amber:

Amber R. Duell was born and raised in a small town in Central New York. While it will always be home, she’s spent the last six years living in Germany, Maine, and Mississippi as a military wife where the next step is always an adventure.

When Amber isn't writing, she's wrangling her two young sons. She is a lover of history, a fan of snowboarding, and a travel enthusiast. In her downtime, she can be found curling up with a good book and a cat or two.

Website  | Twitter  | Instagram | Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest |  Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive a FRAGILE CHAOS map postcard, bookmark, printed Fate dice, and a Theo/Cassia poster, US Only.

1 winner will receive a $5 Amazon Gift Card

1 winner will receive an eBook of FRAGILE CHAOS in their preferred format.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

7/3/2017- YA and Wine- Interview

7/4/2017- Twinning for Books- Review

7/5/2017- Literary Meanderings - Guest Post

7/6/2017- YA Book Madness- Review

7/7/2017- YABC - Interview

Week Two:

7/10/2017- Quite The Novel Idea- Review

7/11/2017- Margie's Must Reads- Guest Post

7/12/2017- Wishful Endings- Review

7/13/2017- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

7/14/2017- Rachel's Book Reviews- Review

M9B Friday Reveal- Month9Books Fall Books Preview And A Giveaway!

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we are sharing the

Month9Books Fall Books Preview!

Check out these amazing titles coming from Month9Books this Fall!.
They look amazing!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.

When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.

“Vivid worldbuilding, incendiary romance, heart-pounding action, and characters that will win you over–I highly recommend Serpentine.” Cinda Williams Chima, best-selling author of the Seven Realms and Heir Chronicles fantasy novels

“Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright’s transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.” ~Kristin Cashore, NYT Bestseller of the Graceling Realm Series

“Serpentine’s world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you’ll want to lose yourself in.” ~ Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of Legend and The Young Elites

Amazon | B&N | BAM | Chapters | Kobo | TBD | Mysterious Galaxy (make sure to enter her pre-order giveaway if you purchase from Mysterious Galaxy!)

Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association’s Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. The sequel to Silver Phoenix, titled Fury of the Phoenix, was released in April 2011. Serpentine, the first title in her next Xia duology, will be published by Month9Books in September 2015. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Visit her website at www.cindypon.com.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Tumblr | Goodreads

Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.

Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.

What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series.

"Jenkins brings edge-of-your-seat adventure to this intriguing new world. I can’t wait to read more!”~ New York Times bestselling author Jessica Day George

"Wow....WOW, WOW, WOW! I have no words to describe how much I love this book. Jenkins writes characters who are just so easy to love, and when you love a character it makes the book so much better. And I loved all the characters. Zo, Tess, Joshua and Gryphon. Gryphon is definitely my favorite - but who wouldn't love Gryphon? Of course I do have a soft spot for our heroine, Zo." ~Bri, Blogger @ Once Upon A Twilight

"Nameless destroyed me in the best way possible. The romance was subtle, but written beautifully. The plot was very intriguing and the pacing was spot on. I loved the entire cast of characters, every single one of them added to the story. Trust me when I say you should preorder it, add it to your TBR, request it from your library, do whatever you have to do to get this book in your hands because if you are a YA fantasy fan like me you need this book in your life!" ~Bridget, Blogger @ Dark Faerie Tales

"NAMELESS is epic storytelling at its best. My mind is still reeling from the world that I have just been immersed in and I don't want to leave it. Can I please have the sequel NOW? Because I need to know what happens next but in the meantime I'm just going to re-read it again and again. Is it that good, you may ask? Hell yes!!! And you will think so too. Trust me." Nancy, Blogger @ Tales of A Ravenous Reader

"To say that I love this book is an understatement. It completely blew me away! I am so happy that I took a chance on it. NAMELESS is one book that you can re-read over and over again and it will still feel fresh! I cannot wait for the world to read it and fall under the NAMELESS spell. Because that’s what I feel like I am under, a spell that has me trapped in Zo's world and won’t let me out! I don’t want out!"~Damaris, Blogger @ Good Choice Reading

Amazon | B&N |  iBooks | TBD | Chapters | B&N | Kobo

With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.

Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).

Visit her online at jajenkins.com

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest |Instagram

“Where shall I start?” asked Minotaur.

Ovid made an expansive gesture with both hands. “Where else but the beginning of course.”

Minotaur nodded his huge head. “Yes,” he said. “Yes,” his eyes already glazing over with the weight of thousand year old memories. And then he began.

So begins the story of Asterion, later known as Minotaur, the supposed half bull creature of Greek legend. Recorded by the famous Roman poet, Ovid, Asterion tells of his boyhood in Crete under the cruel hand of his stepfather Minos, his adventures with his friend, Theseus, and his growing love for the beautiful Phaedra.And of course what really happened in the labyrinth.

This is the true story of the Minotaur.

 “Lovers of mythology will enjoy this coming-of-age adventure and be surprised by the believable, "true story" of the Minotaur.”~ School Library Journal

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo | BAM | Chapters | Indiebound | TBD

Phillip W. Simpson is the author of many novels, chapter books and other stories for children. His publishers include Macmillan, Penguin, Pearson, Cengage, Raintree and Oxford University Press.

He received both his undergraduate degree in Ancient History and Archaeology and his Masters (Hons) degree in Archaeology from the University of Auckland.

Before embarking on his writing career, he joined the army as an officer cadet, owned a comic shop and worked in recruitment in both the UK and Australia.

His first young adult novel, Rapture (Rapture Trilogy #1), was shortlisted for the Sir Julius Vogel Awards for best Youth novel in 2012.

He is represented by Vicki Marsdon at Wordlink literary agency.

When not writing, he works as a school teacher.
Phillip lives and writes in Auckland, New Zealand with his wife Rose, their son, Jack and their two border terriers, Whiskey and Raffles. He loves fishing, reading, movies, football (soccer) and single malt Whiskeys.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads


Review copies (eGalleys) for theses books are available! Reviewers request them HERE!

Complete the Rafflecopter below for your chance to win!

Title(s) will be sent upon release.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour- GODS OF CHAOS by Jen McConnel and a Giveaway!

Hey y'all! I have an interview from Jen McConnel's amazing paranormal book GODS OF CHAOS for you today! Oh and stick around for the giveaway!
Haven't heard of GODS OF CHAOS ? Check it out!

Title: GODS OF CHAOS (Red Magic #2)

Author: Jen McConnel

Pub. Date: March 31, 2015

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Pages: 288

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it:Goodreads| Amazon | Barnes &Noble | Kobo |iBooks

The gods of chaos cannot be trusted.

Since battling her best friend, Darlena’s grip on Red Magic has been shaky. She heads to Scotland after the Winter Solstice in search of another Red Witch.

On a sightseeing excursion with girls from her hostel, Darlena arrives at The Vaults, a mysterious underground city beneath Edinburgh. But there is something there that make Darlena’s instincts go haywire, as she lets loose a defensive burst of Red Magic, putting everyone around her in danger.

If there was ever a time when Darlena needed the help of another Red witch, it was now. But beware the witch who wields Red Magic.

Now on to the interview!

Hi Jen! First I want to say welcome to Two Chicks on Books! DAUGHTER OF CHAOS rocked and I am so happy that you could stop by for a visit!

Thank you! I’m thrilled to be here! :)

For the new readers: can you tell us a little bit about the RED MAGIC series and the characters?

Sure! The series focuses on Darlena, a sixteen-year-old Witch who made a very bad choice. She’s been raised to believe that there are three kinds of magic: Green, which her parents practice; White, the path Justin, her ex, is drawn to; and Black, the magic her best friend, Rochelle, likes. Lena doesn’t feel pulled to any of the three, and when Hecate pops up in her living room one night, demanding that she pick a path, Darlena says the first word that flashes through her mind: RED. Turns out, Red Magic is real (and destructive), and with that one impulsive word, Lena’s plunged into a world of gods and goddesses, chaos, and powerful magic.

So what has Darlena been up to since book 1?

Not much! The events of the first book left her traumatized (no spoilers!), and she’s basically been hiding out in her room, wallowing in guilt and depression. From Halloween until the Winter Solstice, she’s basically avoided magic…and people. Her mom and Justin haven’t given up on her, though, and eventually, their combined efforts pull her out of her slump, which is when we meet her again in GODS.

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

All my characters have a pinch of myself or people I’ve encountered in them, but they’re all fully themselves, too. Darlena has a lot of my teen self in her in some ways: the impulsiveness, the need to be active rather than passive, and the need to make her own path are all things that echo my sixteen-year-old memories, but then again, Lena isn’t just a stand in for me. She’s sassier and braver than I think I could ever be, and she also makes choices I like to think I’d be able to avoid.

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

I think Lena wins that one, not just in this series, but out of all my books so far. I’m not sure why I love writing her so much, but she’s a character it’s easy for me to come back to, even when months (or years) pass between revisions. Conversely, her best friend, Rochelle, was hard for me to write, and I didn’t really feel like I got a handle on her until I’d been working on the Red Magic series for a really long time. 

What is your favorite passage/scene in GODS OF CHAOS?

Without giving too much away, I’ll say that one of my favorite scenes happens once Lena has found the other Red Witch, and they’re posturing, showing off their magic and trying to threaten the other one. Spoiler alert: Lena may be powerful, but she’s no match for the other Red, and she knows it. J

What kind of research did you have to do for the story? I know there’s a lot of mythology involved.

I’ve always loved global mythology, and I’ve read a ton of myths from different cultures long before I started this series, so I didn’t so much do specific research for the Red Magic books; I’d been doing the research my whole life, and it was all there, hanging out in the back of my mind and waiting for me to find a chance to use it. I loved creating characters out of the gods and goddesses of familiar mythology, and there are even more new faces in GODS and the upcoming TRIUMPH, so that was a lot of fun, to stretch myself beyond the classic Greco-Roman pantheon.

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

I can’t wait for WINTER, the final Lunar Chronicles book by Marissa Meyer: I ADORE fairy tale retellings, and that series has been awesome so far. I’m also eagerly awaiting the next Sarah Maas book; I absolutely love her world building!

Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend?

My teen self is torn between Phoenix from Jessica Shirvington’s VIOLET EDEN CHRONICLES, and Thorne from Marissa Meyer’s series. I love misunderstood boys :)

As an adult, I’m also torn: Rhett Buttler from GONE WITH THE WIND vs Jamie Frasier from OUTLANDER.

What inspired you to write YA?

The biggest thing was my teaching; I taught middle school for four years, and I LOVED working with that age, especially my eighth graders. While I was teaching them, I was reading everything they were reading (and trying to stay one jump ahead of them, too), and my love for YA lit that developed in college was rekindled.  My teaching has such a huge impact on my writing; I started the Red Magic series during my last year teaching middle school, and now that I teach college, I’ve found myself writing a lot of NA, too.

Lightening Round Questions

Twitter or Facebook?

Right this minute? Facebook. I go in cycles. J

Favorite Superhero?

My hubby. J

Favorite TV show?

Loving ONCE UPON A TIME and DOWNTON ABBEY.

Sweet or Salty?

Both! Love popcorn and M&Ms together!

Any Phobias?

Hospitals terrify me. Not sure why.

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

The entire 1989 album by Taylor Swift.

Spring/Summer Movie you’re most looking forward to?

I fail this question; don’t even know what’s coming out!!

Thanks so much Jen for answering my questions! It was a pleasure to have you on the blog!

My pleasure! Thank you for hosting me! J

About Jen:

Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. Since then, her words have appeared in a variety of magazines and journals, including Sagewoman, PanGaia, and The Storyteller (where she won the people’s choice 3rd place award for her poem, “Luna”).

She is also a former reviewer for Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA), and a proud member of SCBWI, NCWN, and SCWW.

A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. She's a graduate of Western Michigan University, and she also earned her MS in Library Science at Clarion University of Pennsylvania.

When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches writing composition at a community college. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.

Follow Jen on Twitter @Jen_McConnel, and visit www.jenmcconnel.com to learn more.

Author Links:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Gods of Chaos by Jen McConnel (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Go to Chapter by Chapter to check out the Tour Schedule for more awesome posts!