#CoverReveal: WHO R U REALLY? by Margo Kelly

To celebrate the cover reveal for Who R U Really? Margo Kelly is giving away TWO Advance Reader Copies of the book! Visit www.margokelly.net to enter by Sunday, May 11, 2014!

WHO R U REALLY?

by Margo Kelly

Coming from Merit Press, September 18, 2014

About the Book:

Thea's overprotective parents are driving her insane. They invade her privacy, ask too many questions, and restrict her online time so severely that Thea feels she has no life at all. When she discovers a new role-playing game online, Thea breaks the rules by staying up late to play. She's living a double life: on one hand, the obedient daughter; on the other, a girl slipping deeper into darkness. In the world of the game, Thea falls under the spell of Kit, an older boy whose smarts and savvy can't defeat his loneliness and near-suicidal despair. As Kit draws soft-hearted Thea into his drama, she creates a full plate of cover stories for her parents and then even her friends.

Soon, Thea is all alone in the dark world with Kit, who worries her more and more, but also seems to be the only person who really "gets" her. Is he frightening, the way he seems sometimes, or only terribly sad? Should Thea fear Kit, or pity him? And now, Kit wants to come out of the screen and bring Thea into his real-life world. As much as she suspects that this is wrong, Thea is powerless to resist Kit's allure, and hurtles toward the same dark fate her parents feared most. Ripped from a real-life story of Internet stalking, Who R U Really? will excite you and scare you, as Thea's life spins out of control.

About the Author:

Margo Kelly is a native of the Northwest and currently resides in Idaho. A veteran public speaker, Margo is now actively pursuing her love of writing. Who R U Really? is her debut novel and will be published by Merit Press in September 2014. Margo welcomes opportunities to speak to youth groups, library groups, and book clubs.

Links:

Website: www.margokelly.net

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21444891-who-r-u-really

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MargoWKelly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MargoKelly.author

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/who-r-u-really-margo-kelly/1118847853?ean=9781440572760

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Who-R-Really-Margo-Kelly/dp/1440572763/ref=la_B00JY4LYZS_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1398971448&sr=1-1

LRT Blog Tours: OMNI, by Andrea Murray - #Review and #Giveaway

OMNI, by Andrea Murray
Published November 2013

About the Book (from Goodreads):

Pierce only wants a shot, a real shot, and not just the excuses he's been handed his whole life. Harmony wants to escape her future, the future she fears will be chosen for her. After their chance meeting, they might get exactly what they want.

Since taking over the US government years earlier, the Omni party has created a perfect existence. From consorts to job assignments, every choice, every facet of life is under their control. Each citizen has a specific role in one of the four strata. Seventeen-year-old Pierce is a Drudge, the lowest social stratum in society. For over two years, he’s hoped—prayed—that his upcoming aptitude test will finally free him from his virtual slavery and give him a chance at a better existence. When he rescues Harmony, an Artist and member of the most successful stratum, at a publicity event for her latest movie, his life takes an unbelievable twist. With his gallant act and good looks, he becomes a media sensation. Every stratum in society seeks his membership for their publicity, but as he becomes closer to Harmony, Pierce realizes what fame in the all-seeing eye of Omni is truly like. His choices will not only affect him but Harmony as well. The life Pierce thought he wanted may not be worth the cost to either of them.

In this retelling of the classic story of Paris and Helen, love must struggle against an ultramodern, ultra-controlling society. They will risk everything, even challenging the all-seeing eye of the Omni government. But will the prize be worth the cost?

 MY TAKE:

Oh. My. God. I really, really enjoyed this book. The sizzling blush of romance, the intricate world building, and the sardonic voice of our hero's POV combine to make a truly enjoyable read.

This is a dystopian future YA romance, similar in feel to Divergent but with a much more functional - if still totalitarian and brutal - society. Think Rebel without a Cause crossed with Brave New World.
The boy from the wrong stratum falls for the girl from the upper echelon of society whom he has no business even talking to, let alone falling in love with. When he saves her from harm, he gets skyrocketed into the limelight, and has to deal with the many levels and layers of fallout, and decide if love is worth the risks involved.

The book starts fast without a lot of backstory or world building, and I found the first chapter slow to get through as the author sets a stage with a lot of terms and information but without the full backdrop. Not an info dump, per se, but rather a full immersion into the world of OMNI.

Plunged into this dystopian society from the perspective of a boy at the lowest rung of the ladder, we see the gritty nuts and bolts of a rigid and regimented world. But then in later chapters, we see the same world from the perspective of upper strata...which are just as regimented in thought and action, and no where near as "free" as they appear from afar.

It's a political thriller without the obvious politics. It's also a poke in the eye to our current 24/7 news cycle fixation on all the wrong aspects of what's "going on" in the world, while leaving the public woefully uninformed about all the really important machinations of government and business.

My only problem with this story was that it ends too soon, leaving many threads dangling in midair. I'm not sure how many books are planned in this series, but you can bet that I'll be on the lookout for the next one to see what happens, and to find out if Pierce and Harmony ever get their Happily Ever After. Even dystopian heroes deserve to get the girl once in a while.

If you enjoy dystopian YA with a cynical point of view, definitely check out OMNI by Andrea Murray.  You can buy it on Amazon for $2.99 HERE.

**I received a copy of this book from LRT tours in exchange for my honest review.

 And I honestly loved this book.**

About the Author:

Andrea Murray has been teaching English for longer than most of her students have been alive. She has taught everything from junior high language arts to concurrent credit freshman composition. She lives in a very small town in Arkansas with her precocious daughter, energetic son, and race car-driving husband. When she isn't writing or reading novels for her students, she's probably watching reality television or cheesy science fiction movies. In addition to the Vivid Trilogy, she has also written Omni, her new YA dystopian romance. Visit her website at
https://www.amazon.com/author/andreamurray

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BOOK REVIEW: SHADES OF ATLANTIS, by Carol Oates

Shades of Atlantis, by Carol Oates
Published by Omnific Publishing, November 2010

Carol Oates has a new book coming out NEXT WEEK - Shades of Avalon will be released on April 15th! It's the second in this series, and this blog will be participating in her release party, and reviewing the new book as well! I recently finished the first book in the series and LOVED it, and thought I'd share the review today to get you excited about her new release! Her publisher is running a special 2-for-1 deal on the 15th as well - details are below. Now on to the review...


About the Book (from Goodreads):

Since the death of their parents, Triona Pryor and her brother, Ben, have lived with their aunt and uncle in Camden, Maine. Now in her senior year of high school, Triona loves her family and friends, but she has always felt that she didn't quite fit in...in Camden, or anywhere else.

Enter Caleb Wallace, the devilishly handsome man who has recently moved to Triona's small town.

While their attraction to each other is instantaneous, it also proves to be dangerous...and deadly. When tragedy strikes, Triona flees to London for solace and to start her life anew. It's there she discovers from an unlikely source that her family has been keeping secrets from her - secrets about not only her birthright, but her ultimate destiny as well.

Armed with this knowledge, Triona finds herself thrown into a whole new world and into a battle to save the lives of everyone she loves.

 MY TAKE:
To be perfectly honest, I was hoping for a mermaid in a young adult book with "Atlantis" in the title. There were supernatural beings, but no mermaids, but I wasn't disappointed at all. What SHADES OF ATLANTIS actually delivered was so much more than I expected, weaving Celtic legends into modern fantasies that had me glued to the book until the very end.

I've always had a fascination with Arthurian legends as well as English and Celtic mythology. Carol Oates takes all of these classic elements, blends them together and adds a modern YA voice. She's created a unique and fabulous storyline, and a timeless romance that crosses from modern to mythic and satisfies both cravings.

The narrator is Triona Pryor, a high school senior from the small town of Camden, Maine. After her parents die in a car accident, she and her younger brother Ben went to live with her aunt and uncle when they were both still pretty young. She seems like a quiet normal girl, something of a distracted bookworm type, with no real interest in dating or boys. She has a close-knit group of friends and a job waitressing at a local restaurant. She is beautiful but doesn't realize it. People are drawn to her, and to help her, including her friends and her brother who bail her out of a few awkward situations.

When the restaurant is purchased by three brothers from New York City, Triona ignores the rumors flying about the handsome third brother. He finally arrives in Camden and the attraction is instant and magnetic between them. Triona can't think or even breathe when she's close to Caleb Wallace - he instantly consumes her every thought, despite his cryptic and confusing behavior toward her.

With no prior dating experience, Triona misinterprets so many of their interactions that you just want to yell at her to pay closer attention, which is what her friends are for (thank goodness!) Luckily, as the story unfolds, Triona learns and grows into the woman she should be, changing from an oblivious schoolgirl to a heroine you can root for, with a love story that will have you holding your breath at each twist of the tale.

The author is a master of the slow build, unfolding each story element slowly and thoughtfully. She weaves the mythology throughout, infusing the standard Celtic myths with new life and new perspective. I loved how she let the main character grow and develop. Despite the instant attraction and "insta-love" they immediately feel, they still need to learn to trust each other and understand one another before they can fully realize their love, say the "L" word, or jump into bed. Ms. Oates lets Triona discover her inner strength and who she is on the inside before she can fully bond with her soul mate, a positive message I can fully endorse.

If you enjoy mythology based YA, I totally recommend trying SHADES OF ATLANTIS, (but don't expect any mermaids.) I'm eagerly anticipating the sequel, SHADES OF AVALON, coming later this year.

Get your copy of SHADES OF ATLANTIS on Amazon.

(be aware that the Amazon page might still have the old book cover.)

Carol's publisher is also running a Tax Day Special, in honor of her upcoming release, so you might want to wait until next week to get a 2-for-1 deal:

About the Author (from Goodreads):
Carol Oates came into the world on Christmas morning, in an elevator. Raised just across the street from the childhood home of Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, it was only a matter of time before Carol’s love of all things supernatural would emerge.
 
She began experimenting with fiction at school and keeps the notebook containing her first unpublished novel in her desk drawer. Over three decades later, all her stories still begin life scrawled on paper.
 
When not writing, Carol can be found exploring history with her son. Luckily, he shares her love of old buildings, castles, and tombs.

BOOK REVIEW: MY SISTER'S REAPER by Dorothy Dreyer

My Sister's Reaper, by Dorothy Dreyer

Published by Month9Books, May 2013

About the Book (From Goodreads):

Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.

When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper’s Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isn’t the same anymore—Zadie isn’t even sure she’s completely human, and to top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara’s soul no matter what. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister’s Reaper, or let Mara die … this time for good.

 MY TAKE:

In short, I loved this book. Totally recommend it.  Go read it now.

Oh wait, you want a review too? Okay, here goes.

Zadie is kind of a young 16, still scarred by her mother's incarceration in a mental hospital when Zadie was young. At the start of the book, she's also dealing with the fact that her older sister Mara is currently at the hospital on life support, having been run over by a bus. That's a lot to deal with on top of all the normal high school stuff, like class assignments, boy crushes, and mean girls.

She has a huge crush on this older boy named Gavin, with chocolate hair and indigo eyes, and as she says, "one dash of eyeliner shy of being goth." Swoon. Her BFF Naomie drags her to a party where she actually gets to talk to Gavin and makes a crazy bet about using magic to wake her sister from the coma. Only, Zadie has a weird thing with magic. Like, sometimes she can make things happen. She can't quite control it, but boy. Do things go wrong fast.

I loved the author's unique take on magical beings, introducing the reader to a new-to-YA category known as "Vila" who are a cross between witches and fairies. It's a forbidden mix passed down through a mother's bloodline, and long ago the queen of the fae made a deal with the Grim Reaper himself that all offspring of this forbidden union would be forfeit at the age of seventeen.

The same age as Zadie's sister, Mara.

This well-written fast-paced tale is full of teen angst, suspense, and a surprising amount of humor. I loved every twist and turn of Zadie's relationships with all of the other characters, including the hunky Gavin and the mysterious new kid on the block, Chase.

I'm a sucker for a new storyline and a new twist on a romantic paranormal tale and MY SISTER'S REAPER delivers it all. Action, adventure, magic, and romance, all rolled up into a high school drama that will keep you turning pages until the satisfying ending.

And even better, I already know that Book Two, MY TETHERED SOUL, will be coming out sometime this year! Zadie's going to turn 17 soon - can't wait to see what happens next!

Buy MY SISTER'S REAPER on Amazon. 

About the Author:

Dorothy Dreyer is Philippine-born American living in Germany with her husband and two teens.

She writes young adult books that usually have some element of magic or the supernatural in them. She also likes to read those kinds of books. Aside from reading, she likes movies, chocolate, take-out, coffee, traveling, and having fun with friends and family. She's also been known to make a pretty sweet cupcake.

She tends to sing sometimes, too, so keep her away from Karaoke bars.

NEW RELEASE and #GIVEAWAY ~ CHALLENGING DESTINY by Cherie Colyer

 

Challenging Destiny by Cherie Colyer is now available on Kindle and to celebrate Cherie’s throwing a party and giving away fun prizes!

 

CHALLENGING DESTINY

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Kindle Release Date: March 27, 2014

Worldwide Release Date: July 11, 2014

Synopsis:

Logan Ragsdale and his younger sister, Ariana, have been marked, chosen to be unwilling participants in a war between angels and demons.

Logan can sense something's not quite right. Like an unexpected chill on a summer's day, he can feel the unseen closing in. He's had these feelings before and, each time, someone close to him died. He's afraid this time it might just be Ariana.

Logan's fears are soon confirmed when he discovers their new friends aren't human, but rather representatives from Heaven and Hell sent to Earth to ensure he and Ariana accept their roles in an ancient prophecy. Demons want Logan to open the gates of Hell. Ariana has the power to stop them, but if she chooses to side with Heaven to spare the lives of thousands of innocent people, she'll damn her brother for eternity.

Together, they must derail the biblical event if they hope to save themselves and the future of mankind...but what price are they willing to pay to keep the other safe?

Challenging Destiny for Kindle

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About the author:

Cherie Colyer is the author of YA paranormal thriller/romance, EMBRACE and HOLD TIGHT from Omnific Publishing. Her latest novel, CHALLENGING DESTINY will be available this spring from The Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint. Check out her website and blog for news on her books and bonus material. Follow Cherie on Twitter, Facebook, and/or Goodreads to get the latest updates on her books.