Blog Tour- SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT by Kady Cross Meet Wren and Lark and a Giveaway!

I am so excited to be able to host a stop on SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT Blog Tour! I adore Kady and her books and can't wait to get my hands on a finished copy of this one to add to my collection! I have a character comparison and contrast post today and make sure you enter the giveaway below fro some awesome prizes!
Haven't heard of SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT? Check it out!

Title: SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT

Author: Kady Cross

Pub. Date: March 31, 2015

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Pages: 288

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Amazon| B&N | IndieBound | Book Depository, Goodreads

Wren Noble is dead—she was born that way. Vibrant, unlike other dead things, she craves those rare moments when her twin sister allows her to step inside her body and experience the world of the living.

Lark Noble is alive but often feels she belongs in the muted Shadow Lands—the realm of the dead. Known as the crazy girl who talks to her dead sister, she doesn't exactly fit in with the living, though a recent suicide attempt and time in a psych ward have proved to her she's not ready to join her sister in the afterlife.

Now the guy who saved Lark's life needs her to repay the favor. He and his friends have been marked for death by the malevolent spirit of a vicious and long-dead serial killer, and the twins—who should know better than to mess with the dead—may be their only hope of staying alive.

Now on to the post!

Wren Vs. Lark - Compare and contrast the two sisters - maybe something along the lines of the cover with two separate lists of personality traits/quirks/likes/dislikes?

Okay, this was really interesting to do! Thanks so much for hosting me.

Contrasts:

Lark	Wren
·        Alive ·        White hair ·        Abrasive ·        Street smart ·        Wary ·        Loves shoes ·        Likes boys who can kick butt ·        Tries to keep herself distance from other people ·        Is careful about being truthful ·        Is physical ·        Confronts pain with belligerence ·        Thinks most ghosts are jerks ·        Would die for her sister	·        Dead ·        Red Hair ·        Fairly gentle ·        Naive ·        Trusting ·        Likes to go barefoot ·        Likes boys who are soulful ·        Would love to have friends ·        Is always honest ·        Is cerebral ·        Runs from pain ·        Thinks humans misunderstand ghosts ·        Would kill for her sister

Where they are the same:

·        Both have blue eyes.

·        Both are devoted to each other.

·        Both are suckers for a pretty face. ;-)

·        They are both brave.

·        They both believe that if people knew the *real* them they'd be afraid.

·        They finish each other's sentences, or say what the other is thinking.

·        They can make each other very angry.

·        They can make each other very happy.

·        Each believes that her sister is truly all she has in the world.

· They see themselves as halves of the same whole. That's not to say that they're not their own individual selves, but they feel stronger together.

About Kady:

In her other life, Kady Cross is a USA TODAY bestselling author of more than twenty books. She is lucky enough to have a husband who shares her love for the slightly twisted and all things geek, and a houseful of cats with whom she shares her darkest secrets. When she’s not listening to the characters in her head, she’s either trying to formulate the perfect lip gloss or teaching herself to solder. She has a weakness for all things girlie, sugar skulls and boots. Her love of books and makeup borders on addiction—of which she never, ever wants to be cured.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook | HarlequinTEEN

Giveaway Details:

Thanks to the amazing team at Harlequin Teen each stop on the tour will be offering up a copy of SISTERS OF BLOOD AND SPIRIT, so be sure and follow along for more guest posts, interviews and chances to win! To enter, please fill out the Rafflecopter form.

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Tour Schedule

Monday, April 20th - Bewitched Bookworms & Harlequin TEEN

Wednesday, April 22nd - Two Chicks on Books - Guest Post

Friday, April 24th - Chapter by Chapter - Interview

Monday, April 27th - Me, My Shelf and I - Guest Post

Wednesday, April 29th - Fine Lines - Interview

Friday, May 1st - Xpresso Reads - Interview

For more info about the guest posts go to the Kismet to the Tour Page

Blog Tour- CRIMSON BOUND by Rosamund Hodge Audio-book Sample and a Giveaway!

I am excited to be able to host a stop on the CRIMSON BOUND Blog Tour! I loved Rosamund's CRUEL BEAUTY and can't wait to read this one. Just a note I know some people think that CRIMSON BOUND is a sequel. It's not. This is a standalone novel, not part of the Cruel Beauty Universe. I have an audiobook sample and an interview between the tour organizer, Wendy from The Midnight Garden and the book's narrator to share with you today. Make sure to enter the giveaway below for a copy of each of the books in the series courtesy of Harper Teen!
Haven't heard of CRIMSON BOUND? Check it out!

Title: CRIMSON BOUND

Author: Rosamund Hodge

Pub. Date: May 5, 2015

Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Pages: 448

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes& Noble, Goodreads

When Rachelle was fifteen she was good—apprenticed to her aunt and in training to protect her village from dark magic. But she was also reckless— straying from the forest path in search of a way to free her world from the threat of eternal darkness. After an illicit meeting goes dreadfully wrong, Rachelle is forced to make a terrible choice that binds her to the very evil she had hoped to defeat.

Three years later, Rachelle has given her life to serving the realm, fighting deadly creatures in an effort to atone. When the king orders her to guard his son Armand—the man she hates most—Rachelle forces Armand to help her find the legendary sword that might save their world. As the two become unexpected allies, they uncover far-reaching conspiracies, hidden magic, and a love that may be their undoing. In a palace built on unbelievable wealth and dangerous secrets, can Rachelle discover the truth and stop the fall of endless night?

Inspired by the classic fairy tale Little Red Riding Hood, Crimson Bound is an exhilarating tale of darkness, love, and redemption.

(This is a standalone novel, not part of the Cruel Beauty Universe.)

Now on to the sample!

And the interview!

Interview with Crimson Bound Audiobook Narrator Elizabeth Knowelden

The Midnight Garden: I was very taken with your performance of Rosamund Hodge's first book Cruel Beauty--your interpretation brought the characters and setting to life in a very vivid way, so I was pleased to see that you are narrating the author's new bookCrimson Bound as well. What was your favorite scene and/or character to perform from Crimson Bound?  Do you enjoy the unusual fairy tale mash-ups in these books? 

Elizabeth Knowelden: First of all, thank you for your kind words! I'm so happy you had such a great response to Cruel Beauty - it was an absolute pleasure narrating it. Yes, I absolutely love working with Rosamund's books. With Crimson Bound, my favorite sections were the dark, creeping side-chapters in-between the main tale, where we hear the story of Zisa and Tyr in the forest and their original journey. It leads us into the present day while also being full of mystery and danger. These sections were written so cleverly and, as a narrator, it was delicious fun delving into an age old, dark and sinister tale and being able to use my voice in such a malevolent way.

The Midnight Garden: You've made me want to listen to the audiobook even more! You have extensive theater credits, including work with Kevin Spacey at The Old Vic in London. Do you find that a dramatic background helps in interpreting different characters when you're narrating? 

Elizabeth Knowelden: One of my favorite parts of acting is the initial creation of the character. Coming from the theatre, it is the norm for each character you play to be exclusively different from the last. With narration, I generally play all of the characters in the book and act them with only my voice, so having the background of the theatre is a great foundation for such work. 

The Midnight Garden: I would imagine so. How does the experience of acting for theater differ from acting for audio? 

Elizabeth Knowelden: With theatre you have your whole body to communicate with the audience. So much of what we say on stage is through how we move - body language says so much - so working in audio, where you only have your voice to connect with the reader requires a different skill set. You have to manipulate your voice very specifically. Also, with theatre, you have an immediate contact with the audience - you can feel the energy of the room - whereas with narration, you're on your own in a studio! You never really have that contact, which is why blogs like these are great! I also love being able to experience another style of acting - while normally on stage I would project to a large theatre, with audio - like acting in film - you have the joy of telling a story with an intimacy as if you were sharing a secret with a friend behind closed doors.

The Midnight Garden: Ah, that description makes so much sense. Your narration has a very hushed, secretive, wonderful quality, which is perfect for these books, and hearing you describe your approach makes me appreciate your performance even more. Take us through a typical audiobook gig. How do you prepare, and what is the process typically like?

Elizabeth Knowelden: I prepare each book before I record by making character notes as I go along. As you only have your voice to connect with the audience, it's important to depict the differences in all the characters very clearly. As a narrator, you get to use your own imagination to decide what these characters would sound like. For example, what is the rhythm of the character? Are they young and excited? Do they speak quickly? Is it a deeper, husky sound if they are old, or clear, calm and wise? I decide all these things before stepping into the booth. Some books I will record at my home studio, others, like Crimson Bound, I will work in the studio of the company. 

Generally, I like to narrate a book within 3 days or so, which provides a relaxed yet efficient timetable! Naturally, it all depends on scheduling with other acting projects. Once I start recording, I get lost in the book and have a great time. I'll often catch myself in a strange physical positions, acting out how the character would be expressing themselves at that moment. Hidden cameras would make a hilarious TV show...

The Midnight Garden: What other books have you narrated that you'd recommend? 

Elizabeth Knowelden: I recently worked opposite Alfred Molina in The Starling Project, which is a wonderful Jeffery Deaver script - a political thriller. Rather than an audio book - it's an audio movie, (where there are terrific sound effects and it's, effectively, a "movie in your ears"). We had a large cast and it's a fantastic piece of audio drama produced by Audiocomics.

I also just co-narrated the drama One Step Too Far, the #1 International Bestseller by Tina Seskis. This is a fictional tale of a woman at a deeply jarred moment in her life - I don't want to give the game away, as the plot evolves as we listen - but it deals with the troubles that can unfold being a mother and issues of love and guilt. I had a wonderful experience recording it. It is often written in the first person, so the audience is able to hear the characters most private thoughts, as if it were a series of secret journal entries. It was incredible to have the opportunity to play such a role, solely with the voice, and deliver the performance of this character and express the extreme highs and lows of her life. It's a wonderful book and it was a joy to perform as an actor.

The Midnight Garden: Are you working on other projects you can talk about?

Elizabeth Knowelden: I'm on stage at the moment in "The English Bride" at the Road Theatre in LA, which is a glorious piece of writing by Lucile Lichtblau - looking at the complexities of love within a possible act of terrorism...you know, just a typical Thursday night. On screen, I play Lindsay Hawthorne in the movie Hot Bot, directed by Michael Polish, will also be out later this year.

The Midnight Garden: Oh, I'm in Los Angeles! I might have to check that out. Rosamund Hodge seems to have found her niche in fairy tale-inspired young adult stories. What fairy tales would you be interested in seeing her take on next? 

Elizabeth Knowelden:  All of them! Rosamund uses a basis of these classic tales that we all love and connect with, but she also develops the stories into the wonderful imagination of her own new worlds, which are rich, fresh and exciting. Her stories are brilliant and a joy to narrate so I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next.

The Midnight Garden: Thanks so much for joining us on the Crimson Bound blog tour, Elizabeth! And many thanks to Two Chicks on Books for hosting us as well.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

About the Narrator:

Elizabeth Knowelden is a critically acclaimed English actress. Hailing from the theatre, she continues to garner respect in all areas of her career, epitomised by recognition from BAFTA. She has worked at the Old Vic Theatre and in London's West End in many notable productions, as well as in national tours and in Los Angeles. As a voice over actress she works across the board, while as a singer she has performed at the Royal Albert Hall in London, as well as in various musicals.

Visit her on her website, IMDB page, or on Twitter to keep up with all her latest news.

Photograph courtesy of IMDB, by Dana Patrick.

About Rosamund:

Rosamund Hodge loves mythology, Hello Kitty, and T. S. Eliot. She writes YA fantasy that draws on two of those things. In her wild youth, she studied Medieval English at Oxford; she now lives in Seattle and writes wildly. Visit her on the web athttp://www.rosamundhodge.net or follow her on Twitter: @rosamundhodge.

Website |  Blog | Facebook  | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

Thanks to Harper Teen, we're giving away two prizes! The first prize is a bundle of Rosamund Hodge books, including hardback copies of CRIMSON BOUND and CRUEL BEAUTY, and the second prize is a giveaway for the fantastic audiobook narrated by Elizabeth Knowelden. Let us know in the comments which of the two you'd prefer, or if you're open to either one.

Open to U.S. and Canadian residents, see entry form for complete details.

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Tour Schedule

Monday, 4/20              The Midnight Garden         Fairy Tale Inspiration: Little Red Riding Hood & The Girl with No Hands

Tuesday, 4/21             Mundie Moms                    Cosmetics for Badasses

Wednesday, 4/22        Two Chicks on Books        Audiobook Clip + Interview

Thursday, 4/23            YA Romantics                    Flash Fiction #1

Friday, 4/24                 Cuddlebuggery                  The Obligatory Strong Heroine Post

Monday, 4/27              YA Midnight Reads             Writing a Bad Girl/Good Boy Romance

Tuesday, 4/28             Alice Marvels                       Flash Fiction #2

Wednesday, 4/29        The Daily Prophecy             Interview

Thursday, 4/30            The Social Potato                Death Before Dishonor

Friday, 5/1                   The Starry-Eyed Revue       Flash Fiction #3

Make sure you check out all the tour stops! The tour is designed so that readers may earn extra giveaway points by visiting each stop.

Book Review- AN EMBER IN THE ASHES by Sabaa Tahir

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES 

Sabaa Tahir

Release Date: April 28, 2015

Hardcover: 464 pages

Publisher: Razorbill

ISBN: 978-1595148032

Source: ARC Received from the Publisher

Rating: Obsessed!!!!!!!!!!!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

I WILL TELL YOU THE SAME THING I TELL EVERY SLAVE.

THE RESISTANCE HAS TRIED TO PENETRATE THIS SCHOOL COUNTLESS TIMES. I HAVE DISCOVERED IT EVERY TIME. 

IF YOU ARE WORKING WITH THE RESISTANCE, IF YOU CONTACT THEM, IF YOU THINK OF CONTACTING THEM, I WILL KNOW 

AND I WILL DESTROY YOU.

Laia is a slave.
Elias is a soldier.
Neither is free.

Under the Martial Empire, defiance is met with death. Those who do not vow their blood and bodies to the Emperor risk the execution of their loved ones and the destruction of all they hold dear.

It is in this brutal world, inspired by ancient Rome, that Laia lives with her grandparents and older brother. The family ekes out an existence in the Empire’s impoverished backstreets. They do not challenge the Empire. They’ve seen what happens to those who do.

But when Laia’s brother is arrested for treason, Laia is forced to make a decision. In exchange for help from rebels who promise to rescue her brother, she will risk her life to spy for them from within the Empire’s greatest military academy.

There, Laia meets Elias, the school’s finest soldier—and secretly, its most unwilling. Elias wants only to be free of the tyranny he’s being trained to enforce. He and Laia will soon realize that their destinies are intertwined—and that their choices will change the fate of the Empire itself. 

First thing's first PENGUIN TEEN YOU NEED TO PICK UP THE SEQUEL TO THIS BOOK!!!! IT CAN'T BE A STAND ALONE I REFUSE TO BELIEVE THAT YOU WOULD DO THAT TO US!

Ok now on to the review!

Obviously from my screaming above you see how much I loved this book! It was so amazing! It was dark and violent and exactly what I needed when I read it. The world building was incredible and I could totally imagine it in my mind. I felt like I was walking in the characters sometimes uncomfortable shoes.

I fell hard for Elias's character he was tough yet vulnerable at times and he was smoking hot!

Laia at first I was unsure about but as her character progressed I really liked her! She was brave and headstrong and most of all loyal. All she wants to do is save her brother and I found that admirable when she could have run away to live a safe life.

The Commandant is one evil bitch! Honestly she's one of the best villains I've read in a long time, I. Want. Her. To. Die. Horribly.

There were a few other secondary characters that I really liked but the main focus was on Elias ans Laia for me.

Oh and Sara Raash I will fight you for Elias ;)

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES releases next Tuesday so make sure you have your copy ordered! You don't want to miss out!

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