Showing posts with label book giveaways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label book giveaways. Show all posts

THE BOOKMINDER Blog Tour & Giveaway



Book:  THE BOOKMINDER 
Author:  M. K. Wiseman
Pages: 444
Format:  Paperback, Kindle, Barnes & Noble, iTunes, etc.
Publisher:  Xchyler Publishing
Book Source:  publisher
Category:  Historical fantasy
Style:   High fantasy written in a mature but approachable voice, ideal for young adult and adult market, with good character development and world-building
Giveaway: Scroll down to enter! or visit Rafflecopter or the XP Facebook page.


Synopsis:

Sired by magick and violence, sixteen-year-old Liara is found guilty of witchcraft and banished from her tiny village by the very priest who raised, then betrayed her. However, a mysterious mage steps forward to assume custody of her: Nagarath, the Wizard of Parentino, whose secret spellwork has long protected both Liara and Dvigrad from the ravages of war.

Despite Liara’s best hopes, Nagarath refuses to apprentice her to his craft but tasks her instead with the restoration of his neglected library. Liara gleans what magickal knowledge she can on the sly, determined to learn, come what may. But the first test of her stolen knowledge goes awry and renews an evil wizard’s interest in the people of the Limska Draga valley.

Only by tapping Liara’s inherent magick and joining it with his own can Nagarath protect Parentino from suffering a horrible fate. However, her discovery of his secrets destroys their fragile trust and ignites the darker tendencies of her gift. Now, he must rescue her from the influence of his mortal enemy before their powerful new alliance destroys them all.


M. K. Wiseman
Author M. K. Wiseman

About this project:

As a release of Xchyler Publishing, THE BOOKMINDER has probably been the most challenging for me both as editor-in-chief and as the content editor. Since 2013, the manuscript has gone through multiple production delays (can you say two brides?), at least three different content editors, multiple rewrites, a lengthy titling process, and lots and lots of collaboration with the author and our associate editor, Jessica Shen Fessler. With all the hitches, signing the amazing Egle Zioma to do the cover was an effortless slam-dunk. As the first installment of a three-part series, we wanted to get it right, all the work promised to deliver, and I took it on as a personal challenge to bring this project to fruition.

In the interim, Wiseman published two more short stories with Xchyler, including "Downward Mobility" in LEGENDS AND LORE: An Anthology of Mythic Proportions (2014), "Silver Scams" in MECHANIZED MASTERPIECES 2: An American Anthology (2015). Her original work, "Clockwork Ballet" which first brought her to Xchyler's attention, appeared in MECHANIZED MASTERPIECES: A Steampunk Anthology (2013).

Despite all the setbacks, and delays we remained invested in this work because it's a great story. At the beginning of the endeavor, we outlined the entire series, and it promises to be an engrossing and entertaining hero journey that spans a continent. I confess, my love of history and Wiseman's knowledge of her time period strongly influenced our decision, and, just as THE BOOKMINDER provides a glimpse into the Istrian peninsula on the shores of the Adriatic at the time of the Venetian Republic, the Renaissance in full bloom, further installments promise to be as sumptuous as the court of Louis XIV.

Wiseman's world building is imaginative, her magical laws and theories fresh and well-thought-out, and her characters are not your run-of-the-mill YA coming-of-age grist. The setting and the premise are unique, her knowledge of her historical material impeccable. To say this book is well-researched is an understatement. In short, this work has been well-worth the pains of hammering out the challenges, and all of us learned a great deal along the way.

Liara is an orphan, raised as a ward of the Church but forever a second-class citizen in her tiny village due to the origins of her birth. To say she has a chip on her shoulder is an understatement. Liara is desperate for love and affection, but for her this translates into kleptomania and resentment. Not until a rumored mage appears from no where to take her into his custody does she begin to trust and discover there is more to herself than the magic she craves but has been forever denied. Under Nagarath's watchful eye, she at last gains the home she felt she had been denied all her life. And learns to appreciate the gifts she had already been given.

As for Nazareth, he presents as the classic absent-minded professor making all the wrong choices for all the right reasons. His efforts to protect Liara from the secrets of her past produce the opposite of his intent, and threaten to destroy everything Liara has grown to be in his custody. I most enjoy the relationship between Liara and Nazareth that becomes one of equality and mutual trust, and a growing realization that the mage is as much dependent upon Liara's friendship as she is upon his. The big question is, can they get over the wounds of their mutual past before it destroys the future promised by their fragile coalition?

Bottom Line:

Wiseman's characters are multidimensional, flawed, and in serious need of personal growth. They may prove a challenge to readers of fantasy who expect to find their heroes charming and surrounded by a halo of light from the opening page, but the rewards of getting to know them are well worth the effort.

Wiseman doesn't hold the reader at arm's length, but lets her own wealth of experience shine through, her characters getting up close and personal. Doing so allows them to feel meaty, rather than the cloying cotton-candy variety that one finds too often in YA fare. It's also a delight to stumble upon the little Easter eggs nestled within the text, each a small omage to Wiseman's personal experiences as a librarian, musician, and of Croatian extraction.

More cool stuff on this blog tour:

Make sure to follow each stop of the blog tour for the opportunity to enter our give-away every single day. Check out our Rafflecopter giveaway below, or check out the website here.

We're celebrating the release of THE BOOKMINDER by M. K. Wiseman with a blog tour and Rafflecopter give-away! Visit each blog each day for more chances to win lots of great prizes. If you like epic fantasy, you'll love this coming-of-age tale of magic and wizards set in the Renaissance era.

January 9-16, 2016

Saturday, 01-09 Bookwhizz
Sunday, 01-10 M. K. Wiseman
Monday, 01-11 Perpetual Chaos of a Wandering Mind
Tuesday, 01-12 Are You Afraid of the Dark?
Wednesday, 01-13 The Howling Turtle
Thursday, 01-14 Dreams to Become
Semi-short Chic
Friday, 01.15 JD Spero
Books in the Spotlight
Saturday, 01-16 Creativity from Chaos
Rambling Reviews


Don't forget to enter our blog tour Rafflecopter give-away below, on the blogs above, 
on  our Facebook page, or on  Rafflecopter, with daily chances to win!

Book Tour: On the Isle of Sound and Wonder by Alyson Grauer (Character Interview)

Neapolis, 1854

I am not a courtier, by any means, and so you can well imagine my desire to serve my king well when he gave me such a critical commission. He came to me in the nursery late one evening, when all the children were abed. I never retire early; Mira betimes stirs in the night, tormented with strange and curious dreams. Not until she is well and truly settled do I myself seek my humble repose.

Often times, when King Alanno Civitelli has come to the nursery to check the children before he himself retires, we have shared a quiet word, a cup of tea, a bit of consultation. I know he loves his children dearly, especially his son and heir, Ferran. It warms the heart to see a father so devoted, especially one so powerful as he, especially as he is so beset with the troubles of rule.

Perhaps this explains his choice of ambassador. Secrets never stay long at court, and I fear His Majesty knows not whom to trust in this affair, the matter of utmost delicacy. Who would suspect a lowly governess conducting important matters of state?

Thus, it breaks my heart to have failed him. I had hoped to find the answers he sought, but instead, I return empty-handed, my quest a failure. I could not find Psychoraxx. She has simply vanished, probably drowned with the rest of the ship upon which she was last seen.

Probably, but I cannot be certain, for my own dream continues to plague me. I have told no one lest they think me mad. Indeed, I cannot, for once or twice I have attempted to tell the king, but the words will not come. As if by some enchantment, I find myself back in the nursery without knowing why, having never uttered a word to His Majesty. Perhaps if I commit it to paper, it may purge my torment.

Book Review: Legends and Lore: An Anthology of Mythic Proportions

Author:  Alyson Grauer, Sarah Hunter Hyatt, Emma Michaels, R. M. Ridley, Sarah E. Seeley, Lance Schonberg,  Danielle E. Shipley, A. F. Stewart, M. K.Wiseman
Pages:   404
Format:  Paperback, Kindle, Kindle Unlimited
Publisher:  Xchyler Publishing
Book Source:  personal project
Category:  Fantasy, Paranormal
Style:  Broad range of styles from Aurthurian fantasy to darker paranormal elements.

Synopsis:

     Delve into myth and legend, where the Fates force post-modern man into a world of the unknown—a world long since dismissed as ignorant superstition.
     The Brother-Sister Fable by Alyson Grauer: a young boy disappears into a realm where only his sister can follow.
     Faelad by Sarah Hunter Hyatt: Claire Whitaker didn’t even know she was Irish, let alone The Morrigan, the goddess of war.
     By Skyfall by Emma Michaels: a mer-couple from Atlantis find themselves in the middle of a human murder investigation.
     Charon’s Obol by. R. M. Ridley: Jonathan Alvey didn’t believe in gods, until he helps a lost child find her all-powerful parents.
     Peradventure by Sarah E. Seeley: a jinni must choose between the woman he loves and destroying the city that persecuted her.
     Natural Order by Lance Schonberg: when Carlos Vasquez is kidnapped, he discovers powers within himself to change the world.
     Two Spoons by Danielle E. Shipley: A little girl’s soul meets its match in the family diner’s most mysterious patron.
     Grail Days by A. F. Stewart: Living forever has its drawbacks, especially when you spend it clearing away the messes of other immortals.
     Downward Mobility by M. K. Wiseman: they say love conquers all, but can it save a Valkyrie when she breaks all the rules?

My Take:

One of the most fun and most difficult aspects of filling the role of editor on an anthology is getting to choose which stories to include. Three times a year, Xchyler Publishing holds short story contests, including Steampunk, paranormal, and fantasy genres. For each contest, we provide a theme; in this case, Mr. and Mrs. Myth. Time and time again we get asked the same question: what do  you mean by that? Our answer is always the same: what do you mean by that. This year, over forty authors decided they wanted to tell us.

Narrowing the field down to these nine titles was extremely difficult. It entailed reading every story, rating it, filling out a 92-question evaluation form, averaging the sum of scores from a number of editors and marketers, and then figuring out how many stories we could fit in and still stay within our target word count. It's not as easy as it sounds. However, the end result is worth it.

Then, the work begins.

Big In Japan Giveaway Winner

And the winner is:

Ana!


Thanks to every one who participated in this Big In Japan giveaway sponsored by Jolly Fish Press.  You're all winners in my book.

Big in Japan is available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle and Nook.  

Have something to say?  Leave a comment here, or click on over to Jennifer Griffith's author site, "like" her Facebook page, or follow her on Twitter.  And, read Big in Japan!  You'll be glad you did.

Book Review: Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar

Book:  Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar
Author:  Tommy Davey
Pages:  166
Format:  Paperback, Kindle/ebook
Publisher:  Create Space
Book Source:  Publicist
Category:  Ages 9-12 fiction
Style:  Easy, engaging, kid-friendly

Synopsis from GoodReads:

Eleven-year-old Cora Flash is ecstatic when she finally convinces her mom to let her take a train ride by herself to visit a relative in the mountains. Once on board, Cora meets a cast of intriguing characters, and stumbles upon her very own mystery: A valuable diamond has gone missing, and only one of her fellow travellers could have stolen it. It's up to our novice detective to solve the crime before the train reaches its destination – or the thief reaches Cora. This is the first book in the 'Cora Flash' series. . . . More

My Take:

Cora Flash engages, entertains, and connects, but Tommy Davey carefully avoids condescending to his audience.  He manages to address concerns of parents over violence and language but still provides the sense of adventure kids are looking for.  The mystery intrigues, the clues skillfully placed, the villain probably unexpected for a child, and the caper inventive and well-executed.  He accomplishes all this, and a bit of peril to boot, while Cora (and the reader) stay safe and sound.  While laws are broken, threats made, and plots discovered, Davey spurns the sinister and seamy.

Book Review & Giveaway: Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar by Tommy Davey

Editor's note: This duplicate post is the result of a Blogger hiccup that led me to believe it deleted it, and then a burp which belched it back out again. I'm not a complete and total idiot. Blogger just has indigestion and I don't want to delete the count it has generated.

Book:  Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar
Author:  Tommy Davy
Pages:   167
Format:  Paperback, Kindle
Publisher:  Amazon Digital Services
Book Source:  Provided by Novel Publicity Book Tours
Category:  Youth Fiction (mystery)
Style:  easy, approachable style, kid-friendly

Synopsis from GoodReads:

Eleven-year-old Cora Flash is ecstatic when she finally convinces her mom to let her take a train ride by herself to visit a relative in the mountains. Once on board, Cora meets a cast of intriguing characters, and stumbles upon her very own mystery: A valuable diamond has gone missing, and only one of her fellow travellers could have stolen it. It's up to our novice detective to solve the crime before the train reaches its destination—or the thief reaches Cora. This is the first book in the 'Cora Flash' series.

My Take:

Cora Flash engages, entertains, and connects, but Tommy Davy carefully avoids condescending to his audience.  He manages to address concerns of parents over violence and language but still provides the sense of adventure kids are looking for.  The mystery intrigues, the clues skillfully placed, the villain probably unexpected for a child, and the caper inventive and well-executed.  He accomplishes all this, and a bit of peril to boot, while Cora (and the reader) stay safe and sound.  While laws are broken, threats made, and plots discovered, Davey spurns the sinister and seamy.

Book Review & Giveaway: Big in Japan by Jennifer Griffith

Book:  Big in Japan
Author:  Jennifer Griffith
Pages:   312
Format:  Hardcover, Paperback, Kindle/ebook
Publisher:  Jolly Fish Press
Book Source:  Provided by Publisher
Category:  Contemporary Fiction, Contemporary Romance
Style:  Humorous, easy feel-good style

Synopsis on Amazon

Buck Cooper is Texan, obese, and invisible to his colleagues. And to the voluptuous Allison Turner, the girl of his dreams, he is way below parr. Buck's entire life is about fitting in, a feat he's been struggling to achieve but has never succeeded. Until serendipity lands him in Japan. Right in the middle of a sumo match.

As his life takes a new turn in a country where being big can mean fame and fortune, Buck must embark on the most dangerous, yet adventurous ride of his life—to find the ultimate meaning of love and acceptance. Even if it means risking his life and giving up everything he has.

My Take:

Author Jennifer Griffith
Query:  how does a petite wife and mother write an empathetic story about a 6'6" 300+ lb. young man embarking on an adventure of a lifetime in a place about as foreign to Texas as it can get?  Answer:  superbly, with a great deal of style and charm—not an easy feat, even for people the size of Buck Cooper.

Giveaway Winners: Tigers In Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann

Congratulations to Kaylee B., Scarlet R., and Denise Z. on winning the Tigers In Red Weather Giveaway.  Thanks to everyone for participating!

Upcoming events:

July 26th:  Book Pushalooza tomorrow, with a huge Amazon gift card giveway.

July 27th:  Big in Japan Giveaway.   You won't want to miss this one.  Jennifer Griffith tells a delightful tale.

Aug. 2nd:  Cora Flash and the Diamond of Madagascar blog hop and Giveaway.

Fun fun fun!  Drop by frequently to rack up the points.

Book Giveaway: The Secret Keeper by Sandra Byrd


Here's another fun book giveaway for all you historical fiction fans out there:  The Secret Keeper: A Novel of Katherine Parr by Sandra Byrd.  Melanie over at Christian Bookshelf Reviews is hosting this giveaway.  Enter this drawing through July 31st.

Sandra has written a whole slew of historical fiction novels, primarily Tudor England and Revolutionary France.  Learn more about her here.

Happy reading!

Book Giveaway: A Bride Opens Shop by Keli Gwyn

Head on over to Christian Book Reviews for Melanie's interview of Keli Gwyn about her book A Bride Opens Shop in El Dorado, California.  (How's that for a name?)

Here's the Synopsis from GoodReads:

An ever-resourceful widow, Elenora Watkins arrives in El Dorado ready to go into partnership with Miles Rutledge. When he refuses, Elenora becomes the competition across the street. Is this town big enough for the two of them? Miles can’t help but stick his well-polished boot in his mouth whenever he comes face-to-face with Elenora. Can he find a way to win her heart while destroying her business? Miles’s mother, Maude, is bent on Elenora becoming her new daughter-in-law while Elenora’s daughter, Tildy, thinks Miles would make a perfect papa. How far will these meddlers go to unite this enterprising pair?

Book Giveaway: Taken by Storm by Angela Morrison

Synopsis from GoodReads:

Mormon girl Leesie has life figured out until devastated Michael lands in her small town high school. He needs her like no one has before. A rare journey into a faithful LDS teen’s intimate struggle.
>From the book's blog page, by Angela Morrison:
      Welcome, welcome to my 10th Anniversary Celebration. It's going to be a blast! Ten years ago this week, Taken by Storm's scuba-diving hero, Michael, swam out of my brain and onto my page.
      I'm kicking off the party today with a big contest for US Readers and a separate contest for my international readers. (See details below. This one is huge!!)  
FREE BOOKS!  In a nutshell, the author is giving away tons of free stuff for her mega promo.  In addition, Taken by Storm is only 99₵ this week, while Unbroken Connection (Book 2) and Cayman Summer (Book 3) are both absolutely free.  That beat's a boot to the head.

In a nutshell, free or as-good-as-free sweet (meaning no copulation) romance for young adult readers.  Looks like a good way to get to know the author who has 155 reviews on GoodReads for Taken by Storm and a rounded average of four stars.  That's a pretty solid reputation.

Book Giveaway: Swipe by Evan Angler

Melanie over at Christian Bookshelf Reviews is holding a book giveaway of Swipe by Evan Angler.  Contest ends on July 24th at 12:00 am.  Her blog post includes her review and an author interview, which is pretty interesting.

I really like Christian Bookshelf Reviews.  Melanie has good taste in books and authors, and she reads like a maniac!

Here's the synopsis from GoodReads:

Everyone gets the Mark. It gives all the benefits of citizenship. Yet if getting the Mark is such a good thing, then why does it feel so wrong?
Set in a future North America that is struggling to recover after famine and global war, "Swipe" follows the lives of three kids caught in the middle of a conflict they didn't even know existed. United under a charismatic leader, every citizen of the American Union is required to get the Mark on their 13th birthday in order to gain the benefits of citizenship. . . .more

Good luck, and happy hunting!

Book Giveaway: Tigers In Red Weather by Liza Klaussmannn

Triple Winner Giveaway!

I'm tickled to be part of this promotional book tour sponsored by Little Brown & Company for the book Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klaussmann.    It looks really interesting and is definitely on my to-read list.

Don't forget to leave a way for me to contact you, either your email address, a Facebook, G+ or Twitter profile, or a contact site like About.Me.

Synopsis from GoodReads:

Nick and her cousin, Helena, have grown up sharing sultry summer heat, sunbleached boat docks, and midnight gin parties on Martha's Vineyard in a glorious old family estate known as Tiger House. In the days following the end of the Second World War, the world seems to offer itself up, and the two women are on the cusp of their 'real lives': Helena is off to Hollywood and a new marriage, while Nick is heading for a reunion with her own young husband, Hughes, about to return from the war.
     Soon the gilt begins to crack. Helena's husband is not the man he seemed to be, and Hughes has returned from the war distant, his inner light curtained over. On the brink of the 1960s, . . .a brutal murder, the intrusion of violence causes everything to unravel. The members of the family spin out of their prescribed orbits, secrets come to light, and nothing about their lives will ever be the same. . . . read more

Things to know:

  • Tigers In Red Weather will be released in paperback on July 17, 2012.
  • Three copies will be awarded from entries on this blog.
  • Contest is  open to residents of US and Canada only.
  • Prizes will be sent directly from Little Brown & Company.
  • I have not read this book and cannot comment on the content.
  • I receive no compensation for participating in this promotion.
  • Prizes cannot be awarded without inclusion of contact information in your comment. 

Click here to vote for Perpetual Chaos on PicketFenceBlogs



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Giveaways: Breathless Slipcase from Penguin

Here's a giveaway from Nereyda at Mostly YA Book Obsessed featuring a slipcase from Penguin including advanced readers copy of Falling Kingdoms, Black City, Venom, Origin and The Innocents.  These are all part of Penguin's Breathless Reads campaign.

Falling Kingdoms looks like an interesting read about a princess born to luxury, a commoner adopted into wealth and status, and a soldier born and bred in a warless world.  Nereyda also includes a mini-interview with author Morgan Rhodes.

This looks like a fun collection to win and get a jump on these young adult books which won't be released until the fall.


Book Giveaway: Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Here's a fun book giveaway you'll want to check out.  Rebecca Berto over at Novel Girl is giving away a copy of Insurgent by Veronica Roth.  This book is the sequel to Divergent, the first of a young adult dystopian trilogy.  Since synopses from sequels usually spoil the originals, I'm including the Divergent blurb from Amazon [with asides from me].
In Beatrice Prior’s dystopian Chicago world, society is divided into five factions, each dedicated to the cultivation of a particular virtue—Candor (the honest), Abnegation (the selfless), Dauntless (the brave), Amity (the peaceful), and Erudite (the intelligent). [Does this sound like the Houses at Hogwarts to anyone but me?]  On an appointed day of every year, all sixteen-year-olds must select the faction to which they will devote the rest of their lives. For Beatrice, the decision is between staying with her family and [or] being who she really is—she can’t have both. So she makes a choice that surprises everyone, including herself.  [Not even a thinly veiled Hunger Games scenario.]
Judging solely by the synopsis, it seems Ms. Roth rode The Hunger Games tsunami all the way to the top of the New York Times best-seller list.  Twice.  (Even the swirly cover evokes the HG look.)  That being said, I liked The Hunger Games.  My #2 son didn't think I would (a subject for another post).  Maybe I'll like the Divergent trilogy as well.

So, hop on over to Novel Girl's giveaway page, enter the drawing, and see how right (or wrong) I am.  You have only one more day to to it.  The drawing ends on July 6th at 12:00 am.

News of Reviews









Within the past couple of days I have officially become part of two publishers' official book  review bloggers.  The best part is, both Tyndale Blog Network and Hays House BookNook publish positive, uplifting books that fall well within my "virtuous, lovely or of good report or praiseworthy" (1) focus.

I look forward to reading The Last Temple by Hank Hanegraaff and Sigmund Brouwer from Tyndale books.  For the Sender (book and CD) by Alex Woodard will be released on September 18th.

JollyFish Press has asked me to review two books.  Made in Japan by Jennifer Griffith is slated for release on July 28th.  One Boy, No Water by Lahua Parker will be released September 29th.

Finally, I will be taking part in the blog tours of  The Last Baby Angel by Sam Calvin Brown (July 28th), Shadowlands by CM Gray (Aug. 5th) with a book giveaway, and The Founders by Holly Barbi (Aug. 8th).

In addition to these formal releases and promos, we have author interviews and guest posts, and a whole slew of other terrific books to be read and reviewed.

Don't miss it.  Mark your calendars.  It's going to be a fun summer!
  




Book Giveaways: Incandescent Enchantments

The book blog Incandescent Enchantments is having a one-year anniversary celebration with a huge book giveaway.  There's plenty here for any fan of young adult fantasy: mermaids, magic, ghosts, time travel, guardian angels, alternate dimensions and telepathy, all involving youths from 13-24.

Authors include:  Amber Garr, Charlotte Blackwell, JA Templeton, Laura Eno, Deborah J. Lightfoot, RA McDonald, Victoria J. Hyla and Kathleen Harsch.

I haven't read any of these books and so do not endorse them, but if you would like to enter the three separate giveaways all on the same blog, visit:  Prize Pack One, Prize Pack Two, and Prize Pack Three.

If you have read any of these books or others by the above authors, leave a comment and tell us what you think. 
—A Chaotic Mind

Incandescent Enchantment update: Today, enter a brand-new giveaway with twelve books to choose from.  Follow the button below to get there.



Book Giveaway: Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks

For a good book giveaway today, visit The Girl From the Ghetto, a blog about books and other good things which seems to have lots of giveaways.  Today's offering:  Caleb's Crossing, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Geraldine Brooks.  Ms. Brooks writes historical fiction, and Caleb's Crossing is about the first Native American to graduate from Harvard College back in the late 1665.  This seems to be an author after my own heart.  I look forward to exploring her work.

GirlFromTheGhetto looks like a fun reviewer and there are a bunch of different ways to connect with her.  Check out her site and get in on some free books!  

—A Chaotic Mind