Welcome to Two Chicks on Books!!!

Thanks for stopping by! I'm here to share all things Bookish and also news about Movies, TV Shows, and even Video Games I love! I love to read your comments :)


Showing posts with label Scholastic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scholastic. Show all posts

Friday, October 13, 2017

Blog Tour- THE KNOWING by Sharon Cameron An Excerpt & Giveaway!


Hey everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for THE KNOWING by Sharon Cameron! I adore Sharon's books!

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


Haven't heard of THE KNOWING? Check it out!



Title: THE KNOWING
Author: Sharon Cameron
Pub. Date: October 14, 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 448
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Find it: AmazonAudibleB&NiBooksTBDGoodreads
Samara doesn't forget. And she isn't the only one. Safe underground in the city of New Canaan, she lives in a privileged world free from the Forgetting. Yet she wonders if she really is free, with the memories that plague her and secrets that surround her. Samara is determined to unearth the answers, even if she must escape to the old, cursed city of Canaan to find them.

Someone else is on their way to Canaan too . . . a spaceship from Earth is heading toward the planet, like a figment of the city's forgotten past. Beck is traveling with his parents, researchers tasked with finding the abandoned settlement effort. When Beck is stranded without communication, he will find more in Canaan than he was ever trained for. What will happen when worlds and memories, beliefs -- and truths -- collide? 

Now on to the excerpt!


Copyright © 2017 Sharon Cameron
All rights reserved. Published by Scholastic Press, an imprint of Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920. scholastic, scholastic press, and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.
The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, write to Scholastic Inc., Attention: Permissions Department, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data available
ISBN 978-0-545-94524-0
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1                   17 18 19 20 21
Printed in the U.S.A. 23
First edition, October 2017
Book design by Becky Terhune


  

 Excerpt from The Knowing
I am one of the Knowing.

I was three years old the day my memories came. I had my arms stretched out, my brother, Adam, flying me up and around and over his head like the bluedads that dart through the linen fields. I was laughing. And suddenly there were voices in the rush of air. Images. Swirling color. And so much feeling. Cold on new skin the moment after my birth. Hunger pangs before I knew how to ask for food. Fear. Shame. I knew the number of painted stars on the ceiling over my bed. I knew how many pins held back my hair. I knew because I remembered.

And then I sank, deep inside my mind, and I was two seasons younger, standing before my mother’s chair, tears running wet on my cheeks, skin hot on the back of my hand. “We do not show what we feel,” Mother says. “When I cannot see your fear, there will be no slap.” And then she slaps my hand. Stinging. Again. And again.

I lived the memory eight more times before rising back into the present, kicking and screaming while Adam stroked my hair. “Don’t cry, Sam.” I can hear his voice now, soft in my memory. “You are one of the Knowing. Special. Like me.”

Fifteen years have passed since that day, and my memories are like words piled on words on pages that are infinite in ink that is indelible. As sharp and fresh as the day they were written. I saw Adam die, and I have lived that death a thousand times. I will live it ten thousand more. When you cannot forget, pain is a fire that never stops burning.

I am one of the Knowing. The privileged. Special.

What have we done to be punished with this life?

from the hidden book of Samara Archiva

in the city of New Canaan




About Sharon:
Sharon Cameron was awarded the 2009 Sue Alexander Most Promising New Work Award by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators for her debut novel, The Dark Unwinding. When not writing Sharon can be found thumbing dusty tomes, shooting her longbow, or indulging in her lifelong search for secret passages. She lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee.





Giveaway Details:


3 winners will receive a finished copy of THE KNOWING. US Only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway




Tour Schedule:
Week One:
10/9/2017- Tales of the Ravenous ReaderInterview
10/10/2017- QUITE THE NOVEL IDEAReview
10/11/2017- Feed Your Fiction AddictionReview
10/12/2017- The Eater of Books!Excerpt
10/13/2017- Two Chicks on BooksExcerpt

Week Two:
10/16/2017- Betwixt the PagesReview
10/17/2017- YA Books CentralExcerpt
10/18/2017- The Book NutReview
10/19/2017- Here's to Happy EndingsReview
10/20/2017- YA and WineGuest Post

Grab book 1 now!

Friday, May 26, 2017

Blog Tour- DARK BREAKS THE DAWN by Sara B. Larson An Interview & Giveaway!


Hey everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for DARK BREAKS THE DAWN by Sara B. Larson! I adore Sara and this book and I can't wait for the next book!!

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


Haven't heard of DARK BREAKS THE DAWN? Check it out!


Title: DARK BREAKS THE DAWN
Author: Sara B. Larson
Pub. Date: May 30, 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 320
Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook
Find it: AmazonB&NiBooksTBD, Goodreads
On her eighteenth birthday, Princess Evelayn of Eadrolan, the Light Kingdom, can finally access the full range of her magical powers. The light looks brighter, the air is sharper, and the energy she can draw when fighting feels almost limitless.

But while her mother, the queen, remains busy at the war front, in the Dark Kingdom of Dorjhalon, the corrupt king is plotting. King Bain wants control of both kingdoms, and his plan will fling Evelayn into the throne much sooner than she expected.

In order to defeat Bain and his sons, Evelayn will quickly have to come into her ability to shapeshift, and rely on the alluring Lord Tanvir. But not everyone is what they seem, and the balance between the Light and Dark comes at a steep price.

In the first book of a remarkable duology, Sara B. Larson sets the stage for her reimagining of Swan Lake -- a lush romance packed with betrayal, intrigue, magic, and adventure.

Now on to the interview!


Hi Sara! First I want to say welcome back to Two Chicks on Books! I freaking loved the DARK BREAKS THE DAWN and I can’t wait for everyone to read it! And I am so happy that you could stop by for a visit!

Thank you so much! I’m so thrilled you loved it and I’m so happy to be back!

For the readers: can you tell us a little bit about the DARK BREAKS THE DAWN and the characters? 

DARK BREAKS THE DAWN is a fantasy reimagining of Swan Lake. There are so many complex characters in this story that I loved getting to delve into and write aboutincluding Evelayn, the Princess of Eadrolan (the Light Kingdom), Ceren, her best friend who is more like a sister to her, Tanvir who is the new High Lord of the Delsachts, and Lorcan, the Prince of Dorjhalon (the Dark Kingdom). All of these characters have strengths and weaknesses, many of which you’ll see in DBTD, but that will be revealed even more (and sometimes in VERY shocking ways) in the sequel, BRIGHT BURNS THE NIGHT.

How was writing it compared to the Defy series? Is it different writing a second series? 

Writing this duology has been a very different experience from writing the DEFY series. I was able to draft the three books of the DEFY trilogy very quickly, often in huge spurts of inspiration that lasted for hours. With DARK BREAKS THE DAWN and the sequel, I was dealing with quite a lot in my personal life, and found it much harder for that same creative passion to overtake me. This meant that both books took longer to draft than I had been used to, but it was a great learning experience for methat I can still write and create, even under less than ideal circumstances. 

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

Not really. I think as authors, we are constantly observing and absorbing, but I have yet to consciously model a character after someone in my real life. But perhaps “stealing” bits and pieces here and there, yes. I think we all do that.

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

Besides Evelayn, my main character, I think my favorite was Lorcan. He is so complex and has such a difficult life. He demanded much more attention than I’d first anticipated giving him and actually threw me for some major loops in this book and the sequel. While it can be terrifying as an author to give a character “his head” so to speak, it is also exhilarating, and I can’t wait for everyone to get to know him.

What is your favorite passage/scene in DARK BREAKS THE DAWN?

I can never pick just one there are so many! And some are very spoilery. But one of my favorite scenes to write takes place in a cave, when Evelayn risks her life to go seeking something to help her stop the war.

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

I did all sorts of different research, but one of my favorite bits of “research” I did was when I was lying in a hotel room, trying to rest while my kids watched Wild Kratts on PBS. It was an episode about spiders, and in particular how strong spider silk is. That episode sparked an idea that became an integral part of the plot in DBTD! You never know where inspiration (and research) can take place!

Who is your ultimate book boyfriend?

I’m terrible at picking just onebut some of my recent favorites are Rhysand (ACOMAF), and Anton (BURNING GLASS). Very different men, but both very swoon-worthy!

What inspired you to write YA?

I’ve always naturally gravitated to YA, as a reader and a writer. I love the urgency at this time in a person’s life, when characters are experiencing so much for the first timelove, death, independenceand when they are figuring out who they really are and want to be.

Lightening Round Questions

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

My TBR is a mile high! As soon as I finish editing BRIGHT BURNS THE NIGHT, I am currently dying to read FLAME IN THE MIST, THE STAR TOUCHED QUEEN, A COURT OF WINGS AND RUIN, and my ARC of CRYSTAL BLADE!

What Hogwarts House would the Sorting Hat place you in?

I always end up in Gryffindor when I take the tests.

Twitter or Facebook?

Instagram. J I love pictures.

Favorite Superhero?

My mom.

Favorite TV show?

I don’t have a TOP favorite, but I did just binge watch How I Met Your Mother and Heart of Dixie while I was on bedrest (I needed light, fun shows to keep my mind off of things) and thoroughly enjoyed both.

Sweet or Salty?

Sweet. Unless it’s chips with salsa and guacamole.

Any Phobias?

I can’t stand the sound of napkins tearing, so I hate using paper napkins.

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

Believer by Imagine Dragons is my workout jam right now, and HandClap by Fitz and the Tantrums

2017 Movie you’re most looking forward to?

SO many! Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Wonder Woman are at the top of the list! And of course THE LAST JEDI!!!


Thanks so much Sara for answering my questions! I can’t wait for everyone to read DARK BREAKS THE DAWN! 

Thank YOU!



About Sara:
SARA B. LARSON is the author of the acclaimed young adult fantasy Defy trilogy: Defy, Ignite, and Endure. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write booksalthough she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Sara lives in Utah with her husband and their children. She writes in brief snippets throughout the day (while mourning the loss of nap time) and the quiet hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims she should have a degree in “the art of multitasking.” When she’s not mothering or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting of her sugar addiction.


Giveaway Details:


3 winners will receive a finished copy of DARK BREAKS THE DAWN. US Only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway




Tour Schedule:

Week One:
5/22/2017- Adventures of a Book JunkieInterview
5/23/2017- Here's to Happy EndingsReview
5/24/2017- Novel NoviceGuest Post
5/25/2017- A Dream Within A DreamReview
5/26/2017- Two Chicks on BooksInterview

Week Two:
5/29/2017- FiktshunReview
5/30/2017- A Backwards StoryGuest Post
5/31/2017- Mundie MomsReview
6/1/2017- Fiction Fare- Interview
6/2/2017- Owl Always Be ReadingReview

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Blog Tour- UMBERLAND by Wendy Spinale An Interview & Giveaway!


Hey everyone! I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the blog tour for UMBERLAND by Wendy Spinale! I adore Wendy and this series!! If you haven't read them you really should!

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


Haven't heard of UMBERLAND? Check it out!

Title: UMBERLAND
Author: Wendy Spinale
Pub. Date: May 2, 2017
Publisher: Scholastic Press
Pages: 288
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
What began with a reimagining of Peter Pan and Wendy now twists into a stunning version of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass!

Gwen, Pete, and the others have escaped from Everland. But the safe haven they hoped to find at Alnwick Castle doesn't exist. With the Queen of England on her deathbed, Duchess Alyssa has stepped in to lead, but things have gotten worse as the cure Doc created for the Horologia virus has mutated, accelerating the disease. The only possible solution he can think of is to go back to the virus's origin: an extinct poisonous apple.

Legend has it a tree bearing the apple might be found at the center of a deadly labyrinth hidden deep within Germany. A place that no one in their right mind enters. Leaving Pete in charge of the survivors, Alyssa sets out with only her sword, her wits, and the help of Maddox Hadder, a wild boy who oversees the castle gardens. To get to the center of the maze, she'll be forced to battle monsters more terrifying than her darkest nightmares.

But can anyone truly survive the madness of the maze? And what if there's no apple to be found there? 

Now on to the interview!


Hi Wendy! First I want to say welcome back to Two Chicks on Books! Umberland 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 give us a recap of what happened in Everland and what we can expect in Umberland?

Everland, a dark, steampunk retelling of the original Peter Pan and Wendy story, takes place in post-war London. A virus has broken out and the only survivors, with a few exceptions, are the children. Pete, Gwen, and an eclectic group of Lost Boys set out to save Gwen’s sister, Joanna, from the ruthless Captain Hook, who believes that a girl might be the one who holds the cure. At the Bloodred Queen’s bidding, he is responsible for the destruction and release of the deadly disease, but the children refuse to die.

Umberland is the hope for those who survived Everland, but it isn’t all that was expected. The disease has mutated, making its victims more animal than human. Alyssa, the Duchess of Alnwick, joins forces with the caretaker of the Poison Garden, Maddox Hadder, to retrieve a forgotten deadly apple thought to be found in the center of a deadly labyrinth. It’s believed this apple might be the cure to the virus. 

But our heroes aren’t the only ones looking for it . . .

So Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was your choice this time. Why did you choose it? And why do you love writing retellings?

When I planned the series, I looked for common things in fairy tales I loved. Clocks, airships, Victorian themes, tea parties, London. Both Peter Pan and Wendy and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland had those elements. I did my best to come up with a story that could be inclusive of the elements they had in common. I enjoy fairy tales and retellings because I grew up with them and then I worked with them as a Disneyland actress. They took up more than half my life. It only makes sense to go back to the things I love.

Is this the end for Gwen, Pete, and company? Or will there be more stories? There is one more story in the works. Beyond that . . . only time will tell.

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

This would be where I would say “OMG!!! YES!!!” I worked with some phenomenal people during my time at Disneyland. I played hide and seek with Peter Pan, ate lunch (not tea) with Alice, and had arguments with Captain Hook. And while those characters were so true and brilliant out in the park, behind the scenes, they were unbelievable people and lifetime friends. To this day, they are family and always, always will be. I’m forever indebted to them for their love and support.

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

In Umberland? Jack was an intriguing character to delve into. He’s so complicate in so many levels. I’m still surprised as we journey into book three by his choices. Pete was a hard one to write. I missed the brash, charismatic Pete in Everland. He’s become so jaded in book two. I’m hoping we’ll see him bounce back in book three.

What is your favorite passage/scene in Umberland?

I can’t divulge too much on this question. I will say this: one of my favorite characters doesn't make it out of Umberland alive. I cried writing it. Tried to change it. But ultimately, the story demanded this scene. It’s my favorite because it is someone in the midst of fear, of tyranny, of terror, he rises up and gives everything he has to be sure those he loves lives.

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

I’ve never been to England. So the entire setting of Alnwick, the Poison Garden, Lohr Castle . . . all of it require hours of research, maps, tourism brochures, history behind the cities and castles. Oh, and watching lots of Harry Potter movies. Why? Because Hogwarts was filmed at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland, England.

What inspired you to write YA?

When I write, it sounds young adult in my head. I blush when it comes to adult themes and I don’t quite get the middle grade. I guess my creativity is stuck in YA.

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 reading Carval by Stephanie Garber.

Team Cap, Team Iron Man, Team Hulk, Team Black Widow, or Team Thor?

Team Thor. I met him today at the pet store. He’s a fluffy (obese) chinchilla at the pet store. I’m seriously thinking about bringing him home. And, yes, the chinchilla’s name was Thor.

Would you rather live in Neverland or Wonderland?

Not a fair question. Can I buy lakefront property in both lands?

Favorite TV show?

The Big Bang Theory

Sweet or Salty?

Spicy

Any Phobias?

Interview questions J

Song you can’t get enough of right now?

I just discovered a song called “Peter Pan” by Kelsea Ballerini. Seriously, it’s the story of my life.

2017 Movie you’re most looking forward to?

Movies? What are those?


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


About Wendy:
I must admit, I have lived an extraordinary life and will forever be grateful for the opportunities I have had.

I was the middle of three kids, my older brother being deaf for as far back as I can remember. At the time, I didn't realize how much that would later impact my life. I was a sign language interpreter for a short time (although I'm extremely rusty now), taught my kids to sign as infants, and now am using that experience in my current manuscript.

During college I was living in southern California working for Disneyland as a Cast Member in the Entertainment Department. I met my husband there who was also a performer. After four incredible years working with the Mouse, we moved to his hometown in the Bay Area.

I eventually got my Bachelor's in Kinesiology and worked in the fitness industry for ten years before a knee injury ended my career. Not sure what to do with my time, I applied to job posting to be an online journalist. I loved writing, but had no experience. I didn't hear back so I wrote up a review about a local restaurant and sent it to them to prove I could do the job. Twenty-four hours later, I was a journalist with AOL Media/Pleasanton Patch.

I spent three great years with them before cut backs forced me without a job again. That's when I started writing my first novel, which went nowhere. Dozens of rejection letters later. I started a second book. A year later I was offered representation by Thao Le from Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency and within another six months I was offered a book deal. EVERLAND (Scholastic) is scheduled to debut Summer of 2016!

Today I live in the Bay Area with my husband and three sons who are my biggest fans. While they're off at work and school, I bounce ideas off my four-legged, furry family members, Odie and Sammy.


Giveaway Details:


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



a Rafflecopter giveaway




Tour Schedule:

Week One:
5/1/2017- Tales of the Ravenous ReaderInterview
5/2/2017- A Glass Of Wine BlogReview
5/3/2017- Margie's Must ReadsExcerpt
5/4/2017- Swoony Boys PodcastReview
5/5/2017- Brittany's Book RamblesGuest Post


Week Two:
5/8/2017- BookHounds YAReview
5/9/2017- Two Chicks on BooksInterview
5/11/2017- YA Books CentralInterview
5/12/2017- Emily Reads Everything- Review 

Go back to where it all started and get the prequel and book 1!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...