31 Mar 2016

ARC REVIEW: MY KIND OF CRAZY by Robin Reul

31 March 5 Comments

MY KIND OF CRAZY

Author: Robin Reul
Source: eARC via the Publisher
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Publication Date: April 5, 2016
Rating: 5/5 stars

Summary:
Despite the best of intentions, seventeen-year old, wisecracking Hank Kirby can’t quite seem to catch a break. It’s not that he means to screw things up all the time, it just happens. A lot. Case in point: his attempt to ask out the girl he likes literally goes up in flames when he spells “Prom” in sparklers on her lawn…and nearly burns down her house. 


As if that wasn’t bad enough, Peyton Breedlove, a brooding loner and budding pyromaniac, witnesses the whole thing. Much to Hank’s dismay, Peyton takes an interest in him—and his “work.” The two are thrust into an unusual friendship, but their boundaries are tested when Hank learns that Peyton is hiding some dark secrets, secrets that may change everything he thought he knew about Peyton.
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The main takeaway from this story is that everyone deserves a chance and everyone is capable of love, even if they have never received it before. Also, don't set fires. And if you light a candle make sure you blow it out before even closing your eyes for sleep. Pinky promise me you will do this.

I loved that the story was predictable and yet not. I guessed some of the things that were to happen but others caught me by surprise. It kept me flipping page after page (well, tapping at the end of my screen) so I could keep going. I willed myself to read faster (I finished the book in a little less than 2 hours) and it still wasn't fast enough. This story had me captivated from the get-go and I didn't WANT to put it down.

The characters are so well rounded and I think all the choices they made had logical sense and purpose. Was I a little disappointed in their actions? Sometimes, but not because I was like "No, Hank/Nick/Peyton/Amanda wouldn't do this" but because I was like "HANK/NICK/PEYTON/AMANDA WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" I was like a mama bird watching my little flock trying to fly: I was worried they would nose dive and not soar above the clouds. 

I'm sorry I didn't update more while reading but I read chapter one and then didn't stop. This is one of those feel good but make you cry kind of books and I just can't wait for everyone else to read it. The writing is phenomenal and will have you burning through the pages to be able to read more (see what I did there?). I love love love this one and I want to thank past!Jamie for already having pre-ordered this one. I highly recommend you all do the same.

28 Mar 2016

REVIEW: Penguin Teen on Tour One Fell Swoop

28 March 3 Comments
Hello friends! I am going to the Penguin Event today! So I thought I would review ALL THE BOOKS for you in one fell swoop! I have a Goodreads shelf SPECIFICALLY for all the books by all the authors so you can check that and them out.

I can't wait to share my fun day with you guys! I am meeting up with a lot of bloggers and I will be doing a wrap-up after the event so you guys can learn all about it. I will probably also periscope at some points during the day too so watch for that!

The Dark Days Club

Author: Alison Goodman
Source: Purchased from Chapters
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: January 26, 2016
Rating: DNF

Add to Goodreads

Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Review:
DNF @ 40%

Oh how I wanted to like this one. There were lots of good things to this: I really enjoyed the MC, Lady Helen. Where most heroines written in this time period are either really into the society scene or really against the society scene, Lady Helen was somewhere in between. She didn't think she should HAVE to do anything, but still really enjoyed dressing up and being a part of society. Which was actually more refreshing than a Regency MC who hates everything about society tbh. I too would want to dress up in pretty dresses but not have to marry someone. 

But it was BORING. SO boring. It seemed like it took so long for anything to happen and we had just gotten to the "interesting" part at 40% and I was still really bored. I liked the explanation and how the demons in this one were described and found their power. But I just didn't care at this point. This novel is 500 pages long and it took until page 201 for anything to happen. That's not cool man.


I may come back to it but I probably will not. It is just taking too long for anything to happen and it just seems so obvious the general way this story will unfold and I just don't really care.

An Ember in the Ashes

Author: Sabaa Tahir
Source: Purchased from BookOutlet
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Rating: 3/5 stars

Add to Goodreads

Purchase:
Amazon | Chapters | TBD
Review:
I have been on a mission since the Penguin Teen Tour was announced to finish all the novels I have been neglecting for the authors that are on said tour, hence me reading this one now. I picked this one up on my Boxing Day sale at BookOutlet (and have since acquired more copies for signing purposes) and TBH, I'm glad I didn't spend full price on it. It was super disappointing and left me bored rather than wanting more. Unless by "wanting more," you mean more out of this book itself. And the plot.

I actually had high hopes for this one. I was skeptical going in but I didn't immediately hate it, which is basically a five star for me, but then it went downhill. I was okay with Part One being slow and a little repetitive because we had to set the stage for this Epic Trial Showdown™. However, I sped through this first section because it was interesting and pretty fast paced. Laia has to find rebels, Elias wants to desert and be free. It was very intriguing. I found myself drawn to them more and more.

But then the Trials started. And *sighs* THERE WAS SO MUCH POTENTIAL. I mean, these kids are BRUTAL. These Trials could have been BRUTAL. Instead we barely got to witness them at all and half the time in the Trials was Elias thinking about everything BUT the Trials. Or being unconscious during them. It was stupid and ridiculous. Only to be made more stupid and ridiculous by the fact that Laia ended up playing a huge role in them. And why? Just so that our main characters could be together in scenes.

I spent the latter half of the book rolling my eyes to be honest. I can't even tell you how frustrating it was the get through the last 40% of the book because there was just SO MUCH that could have been done and so little that actually happened. It is a rare thing, but I actually think that Red Rising did the whole Trial/Testing thing better (because really both these books are similar: old Rome similarities, slaves to the Empire, lying rebel factions, etc. etc. etc.)

AN EMBER IN THE ASHES had a lot of pretty words, but not a lot of action. The best parts were when Laia was doing what she could to survive. I thought she was brave and strong and even when she thought she was weak, I could understand where she was coming from. I also didn't really mind the romance. I am usually not a fan of slave/owner romances but this one didn't really feel like that -- they didn't really have that dynamic (and maybe it was just in my mind because she was "faking" being a slave). However, I am glad that both main characters had other romantic interests. Although, honestly, everyone in this novel had the personality of a wet paper towel.


This one was disappointing. We never got enough of one thing and there was so much that could have been expanded upon that just wasn't. And I'm not sure why. The Trials could have been so badass and instead probably consisted of 20 pages total. It felt like there was never enough of anything tbh. I don't know if I'll be continuing with the series but it was something a bit different and has lots of potential so *shrugs* maybe. I'm going to see what the negative reviews of the next novel say to see if what I dislike continues into the next novel or not.

27 Mar 2016

SST: LIARS AND LOSERS LIKE US by Ami Allen-Vath \\ Review + #GIVEAWAY

27 March 2 Comments
Hello and welcome to my stop on the Sunday Street Team blog tour for LIARS AND LOSERS LIKE US by Ami Allen-Vath! I really enjoyed this one, so be sure to check out my review and keep scrolling for a giveaway!

Let's learn more about the book...

LIARS AND LOSERS LIKE US

Author: Ami Allen-Vath
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
Publication Date: March 15, 2016

Summary:
Keep calm and make it to prom night—without a legit panic attack.

For seventeen-year-old Bree Hughes, it’s easier said than done when gossip, grief, and the opportunity to fail at love are practically high-fiving her in the hallways of Belmont High.


When Bree’s crush, Sean Mills, gives her his phone number, she can’t even leave a voicemail without sounding like a freak. Then she’s asked to be on Prom Court because Maisey Morgan, the school outcast nominated as a joke, declined. She apologizes to Maisey, but it’s too late. After years of torment and an ugly secret shared with their class’s cruel Pageant Queen, Maisey commits suicide. Bree is left with a lot of regret…and a revealing letter with a final request.


With Sean by her side, Bree navigates through her guilt, her parents’ divorce, and all the Prom Court drama. But when a cheating-love-triangle secret hits the fan after a night of sex, drinks, and video games, she’s left with new information about Sean and the class Pageant Queen. Bree must now speak up or stay silent. If she lets fear be her guide, she’ll lose her first love, and head to prom to avenge the death of the school outcast—as a party of one.

Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4/5*

This was a really good read. Allen-Vath can WRITE, that's for sure. And she does so in a way that not only feels realistic but tells the story in a way that you want to read it. I thought this was a story that NEEDED to be told, NEEDED to be heard, and, most importantly, NEEDS to be read by all. Especially those who feel as if they don't quite fit in or belong anywhere. Bree is a champion for every teenage girl who floats between social groups and is trying to do the right thing for herself while not hurting others in the process.

26 Mar 2016

#AirAwakensApril: What It Is + Prompt Explanations!

26 March 0 Comments
Hey guys, so I have had a lot of fun hosting #instaBAMF on Instagram with Dani from Dani Reviews Things who I am also co-blogging with on Books Are My Fandom (#BAMF) so we have decided to host more Instagram challenges in the future! In fact, we will be hosting one a month so you should probably follow me on instagram so you can check those out (see how smooth that was).

Next month, to help celebrate the release of WATER'S WRATH by Elise Kova, Dani and I have teamed up with Sabrina from Beyond the Book Reviews to bring you...

#AirAwakensApril

Follow the hosts on Instagram:
A lot of the challenges are based on the Air Awakens Series, but feel free to be creative and make them your own if you haven't read the series yet! And if you haven't, I talk about why you SHOULD read the series in this post

Down below I try to explain what the challenges mean and what you can alternatively do if you haven't read the series or don't have the books or just want to participate in this challenge without spamming your followers with Air Awakens stuff. I will probably be doing the latter and I am an AVID fan of this series! 

Anyway, here is the challenge image! Feel free to share and save so you can refer to it for the challenges! When posting, make sure you use the hashtag #AirAwakensApril so everyone can see your posts. As well, please tag me, Dani, and Sabrina in your posts so we can see them and, if you would like, you can tag Elise in the ones that you feature Air Awakens in!

25 Mar 2016

Updates, Sign-Ups, & Requests! Oh My!

25 March 0 Comments

Hi friends! 

As you may or may not have seen, I have a lot of different things happening in and around all three of my blogs over the next couple of months into next year! I have been tweeting about them, but thought it would be easier to just put them all into one fancy-dancy post so that I can share them all at once instead of having my tweets not seen! I have two categories of things, one for Bloggers and one for Authors.

Updates

Tomorrow! I will be posting about what the prompts for #AirAwakensApril mean and what you alternatively can do if you haven't read the series yet! So watch for that. I know Elise Kova, the author, will have a post up today about it on her website, including some special stuff that will be happening throughout the month!

As well, I will be posting on Monday a review of all the books I've read for the Penguin Teen on Tour event that I'm going to! I will be periscoping throughout the day, especially once I meet up with the other bloggers that will be there, so make sure you are following me on there!

I still have a giveaway for a finished copy of IN REAL LIFE by Jessica Love that ends on March 31st! So get your entries in before it ends!

Bloggers

My blog is turning one in May and I want to know what you remember about my blog over the past year! You can tell me about things I've said, reviews I've written, books I've recommended, anything at all really so I can include them in my blogoversary post! You can do all that here!

As well, on my blog Books Are My Fandom, Dani and I are looking for people to review books with us! Once a month we video chat and review a recent release and post it to the blog. You can see our full schedule and sign up using this Form!

Authors

This blog, Books and Ladders, is turning one in May and I am hosting a giveaway! If you have any extra swag that you would like to donate to me to give away, please contact me either on Twitter or via email at jkramer@booksandladders.ca and I will send you specifics and my address! Thank you in advance!

On Books Are My Fandom, we have opened up sign-ups for 2017's Pro Talks! If you would like to be interviewed by us, please feel free to fill out this Form. You will find all the information you need there about this feature, but if you have any other questions, you can tweet me or email me at hello@booksaremyfandom.com!

Also on Books Are My Fandom, we are looking for 2016 debut authors to feature in 2017! We are starting up a new feature called "Where Are They Now?" which will feature ONLY debut authors from this year to keep them engaged with the book community! You can learn more and sign-up here. If you have any other questions, you can tweet me or email me at hello@booksaremyfandom.com.

Thank you to everyone for making this year so special! I can't wait to share my post with you guys!

24 Mar 2016

REVIEW: GATHERING DARKNESS by Morgan Rhodes

24 March 0 Comments

GATHERING DARKNESS

Author: Morgan Rhodes
Series: Falling Kingdoms #3
Source: Digital Copy Purchased from Kobo
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication Date: December 9, 2014
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

Summary:
In GATHERING DARKNESS, book three of the New York Times bestselling Falling Kingdoms series, the stakes have never been higher as three teams push forward on a race to find the Kindred, the four elemental crystals possessing ancient all-powerful magic, first:

Prince Magnus has just witnessed torture, death, and miracles during the bloody confrontation that decimated the rebel forces. Now he must choose between family and justice as his father, the cruel King Gaius, sets out to conquer all of Mytica. All Gaius needs now are the Kindred - the four elemental crystals that give godlike powers to their owner. But the King of Blood is not the only one hunting for this ancient, storied magic...

THE KRAESHIANS join the hunt. Ashur and Amara, the royal siblings from the wealthy kingdom across the Silver Sea, charm and manipulate their way to the Kindred, proving to be more ruthless than perhaps even the King of Blood himself.

THE REBELS forge ahead. Princess Cleo and vengeful Jonas lead them, slaying with sweetness, skill, and a secret that can control Lucia's overpowering magic - all so they can use the Kindred to win back their fallen kingdoms.

THE WATCHERS follow Melenia out of the Sanctuary. They ally in the flesh with King Gaius, who vows to use Lucia's powers to unveil the Kindred.


The only certainty in the dark times is that whoever finds the magic first will control the fate of Mytica... but fate can be fickle when magic is involved.
Purchase:
The story gets even more intricate with each book. There are layers upon layers to this story and people and past events that are influencing and affecting the current story that the main characters aren't even aware of. I love how much detail and complexity Rhodes weaves into this story and I am always left in awe when I read this series because there is such good world building, relationship building, and threats that it makes it such a GOOD read. This is honestly such a good example of amazing fantasy in YA and I wish more people had read this series.

21 Mar 2016

REVIEW: THREATS OF SEA AND SKY by Jennifer Ellison

21 March 1 Comments

Threats of Sea and Sky

Author: Jennifer Ellison
Publisher: CreateSpace
Publication Date: May 20, 2014
Source: eBook from the Author
Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:
Sixteen year-old Breena Perdit has spent her life as a barmaid, innocent to her father’s past and happily free from the Elemental gifts that would condemn her to a life in the Egrian King’s army. Until the day that three Elemental soldiers recognize her father as a traitor to the throne and Bree’s father is thrown in jail—along with the secrets from his last mission as the King’s assassin. Secrets that could help the King win a war. Secrets he refuses to share.

Desperate to escape before the King’s capricious whims prove her and her father’s downfall, Bree bargains with him: information for their lives. It’s a good trade. And she has faith she’ll get them both out of the King’s grasp with time.

But that was before the discovery that she’s the weapon the King’s been waiting for in his war.


Now, time is running out. To save her father’s life and understand her own, Bree must unravel the knot of her father’s past before the King takes his life– and uses her to bring a nation to its knees.
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
 
It's not that this was a bad book, but it wasn't a great book either. The "big reveal" at the end was pretty obvious - I guessed it at about 40% of the way through. And while I don't mind books following specific story lines and having tropes in them, it would be nice to have them feel a little more original and unique. But this one didn't really. 

19 Mar 2016

ARC April Intro Post!

19 March 3 Comments
The girls of Read.Sleep.Repeat. are hosting ARC April this year! Typically held in August, this is a month dedicated to clearing off your ARC shelf and getting caught up! There are some bonus incentives and sign-ups have to be in by April 15th! Here is my list of books to read during the month...
 

ARCs to Read:
  1. GOLDEN BOYS by Sonya Hartnett
  2. FINDING HOPE by Colleen Nelson
  3. BREAKING SKY by Cori McCarthy
  4. YOU WERE HERE by Cori McCarthy
  5. DON'T GET CAUGHT by Kurt Dinan
  6. BURNING MIDNIGHT by Will McInosh
  7. WHISPER TO ME by Nick Lake
  8. THE HIDDEN TWIN by Adi Rule

15 Mar 2016

BLOG TOUR: IN REAL LIFE by Jessica Love // Playlist, Interview, & #GIVEAWAY

15 March 8 Comments
Hello and welcome to my blog tour stop for IN REAL LIFE by Jessica Love

Today I have a lot of content to share with you including my review, an interview with the author, a playlist to listen to while you read along, and a US/Canada giveaway for a finished copy of the book! Phew, that's a lot! 

So let's jump right in and learn a bit more about the book...


IN REAL LIFE

Author: Jessica Love
Source: eARC via the Publisher
Publisher: Thomas Dunne
Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Summary:
Hannah Cho and Nick Cooper have been best friends since 8th grade. They talk for hours on the phone, regularly shower each other with presents, and know everything there is to know about one another.

There's just one problem: Hannah and Nick have never actually met.

Hannah has spent her entire life doing what she's supposed to, but when her senior year spring break plans get ruined by a rule-breaker, she decides to break a rule or two herself. She impulsively decides to road trip to Las Vegas, her older sister and BFF in tow, to surprise Nick and finally declare her more-than-friend feelings for him.

Hannah's surprise romantic gesture backfires when she gets to Vegas and finds out that Nick has been keeping some major secrets. Hannah knows the real Nick can't be that different from the online Nick she knows and loves, but now she only has night in Sin City to figure out what her feelings for Nick really are, all while discovering how life can change when you break the rules every now and then.

Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

I highly enjoyed this one. It was a light, fun contemporary about learning who you are. I liked that both Hannah and Nick hid behind masks of their own making, even if they both didn't really realize it. I think this book had a lot more to it than just a road trip to meet someone in real life; there was so much introspection about what you can get out of life by just living it and I loved it.

14 Mar 2016

ARC REVIEW: ON THE EDGE OF GONE by Corinne Duyvis

14 March 0 Comments

ON THE EDGE OF GONE

Author: Corinne Duyvis
Source: eARC via the Publisher
Publisher: Amulet Books
Publication Date: March 8, 2016
Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:
January 29, 2035. That’s the day the comet is scheduled to hit—the big one.

Denise and her mother and sister, Iris, have been assigned to a temporary shelter outside their hometown of Amsterdam to wait out the blast, but Iris is nowhere to be found, and at the rate Denise’s drug-addicted mother is going, they’ll never reach the shelter in time.

A last-minute meeting leads them to something better than a temporary shelter: a generation ship, scheduled to leave Earth behind to colonize new worlds after the comet hits. But everyone on the ship has been chosen because of their usefulness. Denise is autistic and fears that she’ll never be allowed to stay. Can she obtain a spot before the ship takes flight? What about her mother and sister?


When the future of the human race is at stake, whose lives matter most?
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I started out really liking this one: there was an autistic main character, the end of the world, and cats. But it seemed like it took too much time to DO anything and that the novel could have been cut down by a good 100-150 pages and still told me the same story. It was too much and too long for me and I started to get bored in between the exciting parts. It seemed like there was a bit of inclusion for the sake of inclusion and I just wanted something a little more out of this one than what we got. But I do like that it is a standalone because there isn't enough of that in YA science fiction.

11 Mar 2016

REVIEW: THE SCORPION RULES by Erin Bow

11 March 3 Comments

THE SCORPION RULES

Author: Erin Bow
Series: Prisoners of Peace #1
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Publication Date: September 22, 2015
Rating: 3/5 stars

Summary:
The world is at peace, said the Utterances. And really, if the odd princess has a hard day, is that too much to ask?

Greta is a duchess and crown princess—and a hostage to peace. This is how the game is played: if you want to rule, you must give one of your children as a hostage. Go to war and your hostage dies.

Greta will be free if she can survive until her eighteenth birthday. Until then she lives in the Precepture school with the daughters and sons of the world’s leaders. Like them, she is taught to obey the machines that control their lives. Like them, she is prepared to die with dignity, if she must. But everything changes when a new hostage arrives. Elián is a boy who refuses to play by the rules, a boy who defies everything Greta has ever been taught. And he opens Greta’s eyes to the brutality of the system they live under—and to her own power.

As Greta and Elián watch their nations tip closer to war, Greta becomes a target in a new kind of game. A game that will end up killing them both—unless she can find a way to break all the rules.

Purchase:
This one started off really strong. The first 35% of the book had me hooked: I wanted to see what would happen to Greta and the rest of the Children of Peace with war on the brink. But it sort of went downhill from there. Once we learned that Greta would become an AI, it was pretty obvious that everything in this book was leading to that moment and nothing else that happened really mattered.

8 Mar 2016

BLOG TOUR: HOLDING COURT by K.C. Held || Review + #GIVEAWAY

08 March 1 Comments


Hello and welcome to my tour stop for 

HOLDING COURT by K.C. Held

as hosted by Chapter by Chapter Blog Tours and Entangled: Teen!
I have a review of the novel for you today, plus there is a tour wide giveaway for a swag pack for the novel, so be sure to keep scrolling to enter to win! 

But first, let's learn more about the novel...

HOLDING COURT

Author: K.C. Held
Source: eARC via the Publisher
Publisher: Entangled: Teen
Publication Date: March 1, 2016

Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Jules Verity knows exactly what's in store at her new job at castle-turned-dinner-theater Tudor Times. Some extra cash, wearing a fancy-pants dress, and plenty of time to secretly drool over the ever-so-tasty--and completely unavailable--Grayson Chandler. Except that it's not quite what she imagined.

For one, the costume Jules has to wear is awful. Then there's the dead body she finds that just kind of...well, disappears. Oh, and there's the small issue of Jules and her episodes of what her best friend calls "Psychic Tourette's Syndrome"--spontaneous and uncontrollable outbursts of seemingly absurd prophecies.

The only bright side? This whole dead body thing seems to have gotten Grayson's attention. Except that the more Jules investigates, the more she discovers that Grayson's interest might not be as courtly as she thought. In fact, it's starting to look suspicious...
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 
Rating: 4/5 stars

Let me start off by saying, if you are on the fence about this one, but like a good mystery and a girl who randomly blurts out the future: this one is for you. I really enjoyed this one and found myself giggling like a madwoman at some points because it was too true and too hilarious. There were even some points where I felt such second hand embarrassment for Jules that I had to put the book down and wait a couple minutes before continuing. This is such a fun read and I recommend it!

7 Mar 2016

BLOG TOUR: FACSIMILE by Vicki L. Weavil || Review + Giveaway

07 March 1 Comments

Hello and welcome to my tour stop for FACSIMILE by Vicki L. Weavil! I am really excited to share my review for this book with you guys. As well, check out the bottom of this post for a giveaway!

First, let's learn more about the book...

FACSIMILE

Author: Vicki L. Weavil
Series: Facsimile #1
Publisher: Month9Books
Publication Date: March 8, 2016

Summary:
For a ticket to Earth, seventeen-year-old Anna-Maria “Ann” Solano is willing to jettison her birth planet, best friend, and the boy who loves her. Especially since all she’s required to do is escort Dace Keeling, a young naturalist, through the wilderness of the partially terraformed planet Eco. Ann‘s determination to escape the limitations of her small, frontier colony never falters, until Dace’s expeditions uncover three secrets. One offers riches, one shatters Ann’s perceptions of herself, and one reveals that the humans stranded on Eco are not its only inhabitants.


Ann’s willing to sacrifice friendship and love for a new life on Earth. But when an entire species is placed in jeopardy by her actions, she must make a choice – fulfill the dream that’s always sustained her, or save the planet she’s never considered home. 
Purchase:
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5*

This was an honest-to-goodness science fiction novel and I loved it for that. There is lots of science, but not too much that it is difficult to understand. A lot of what we learn is already things we have at least a bit of basic knowledge of if you paid even minimal attention in science class. And that was great because I hate when things get too technical that the common person can't understand it. The one thing I love about Science Fiction is that it is for everyone, even if you don't have a vast knowledge of STEM. FACSIMILE really delivers on this front because you can completely understand everything that is happening without having to stop and think too much.

4 Mar 2016

BLOG TOUR: TEMPER by Beck Nicholas Guest Post + #GIVEAWAY

04 March 1 Comments

Hello and welcome to my blog tour stop for TEMPER by Beck Nicholas! 

I have an amazing guest post for you today, plus an international giveaway to win one of five copies of the book. 

I have already read and reviewed this book alllll the way back in 2015 even though it's release date was in February 2016! I have also read and reviewed the first book in the series LIFER! Before we get to the guest post, let's learn more about the series...

LIFER

Author: Beck Nicholas
Series: Lifer #1
Publication Date: December 16, 2014
Publisher: Month9Books

Summary:
The Bourne Identity meets Under the Never Sky in this intergalactic tale of love and deception from debut novelist Beck Nicholas.

Asher is a Lifer, a slave aboard the spaceship Pelican. A member of the lowest rung of society, she must serve the ship’s Officials and Astronauts as punishment for her grandparents' crimes back on Earth. The one thing that made life bearable was her illicit relationship with Samuai, a Fishie boy, but he died alongside her brother in a freak training accident. 

Still grieving for the loss of her loved ones, Asher is summoned to the upper levels to wait on Lady, the head Official’s wife and Samuai’s mother. It is the perfect opportunity to gather intel for the Lifer’s brewing rebellion. There’s just one problem—the last girl who went to the upper levels never came back.

On the other side of the universe, an alien attack has left Earth in shambles and a group called The Company has taken control. Blank wakes up in a pond completely naked and with no memory, not even his real name. So when a hot girl named Megs invites him to a black-market gaming warehouse where winning means information, he doesn’t think twice about playing. 


But sometimes the past is better left buried. As Asher and Blank’s worlds collide, the truth comes out—everyone has been lied to...
Purchase:

TEMPER

Author: Beck Nicholas
Series: Lifer #2
Publication Date: February 23, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books

Summary:
FREEDOM COMES WITH A PRICE.

Free from the spaceship and reunited with Samuai, Asher should be happy. But thoughts of her dead family weigh heavily on her mind.

Things worsen when temper problems in camp lead to a murder. When Asher volunteers to get the drug need to calm people down, tension ignites.

Loyalties are questioned.

Jealousy rears its head. Sparks fly.

And when rumor of a second ship hits close to home, all bets are off.


Have the aliens returned? Is this the end of everything Asher has ever known?
Purchase:
Thanks for having me here today to talk about TEMPER and celebrate its release. I can’t wait for you all to read it.

I adore this story for so many reasons, not least the gorgeous cover, but also because in writing it I was able to spend more time with the characters from my first book, LIFER. When I had the idea for LIFER it revolved around a slave girl on a starship being made to pay for her grandparents’ crimes. There was also a boy without a name or a past. I had so much fun telling their story. It was journey of discovery to work out what made these characters tick and where they fit in the world.


Writing the sequel was something else entirely. I already knew Asher, Davyd and Blank. I knew a lot about the world they were in. This at once made it easy and difficult. There were rules in place by what had come before. These characters already existed and had been shaped so much by Lifer. It meant I needed to stay true to who they already were and at the same time, delve even deeper. I loved the experience but it was also challenging.


I had to block out any reader expectations from the first book and let the story go where the characters took it. They needed to continue to grow and move closer to the resolution of their inner conflicts. At the same time I wanted to make the story accessible to readers new to the books.


I really enjoyed pushing myself to write the sequel.


Thanks again for having me and happy reading. 

--





I always wanted to write.  I’ve worked as a lab assistant, a pizza delivery driver and a high school teacher but I always pursued my first dream of creating stories. Now, I live with my family near Adelaide, halfway between the city and the sea, and am lucky to spend my days (and nights) writing young adult fiction.




Connect with the Author:  




--

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of TEMPER by Beck Nicholas (INT)