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Sunday, May 12, 2013

[Guest Post] Oh, The Things My Mom Will Do... by Marianne Richmond


Just in time for Mother's Day we have a special treat for you.

Author and artist Marianne Richmond praises the amazing ways that moms show their love in her new picture book, OH, THE THINGS MY MOM WILL DO... This delightful rhyming tale celebrates the unpredictable adventure that is motherhood, with its sometimes silly, always cherished, and wonderfully important moments — all rooted in love:
The Mother’s Tea is soon to start.
So far, my mom’s not here.
She said her work would end in time.
“I promise,” she made clear.

I start to cry as lunch begins
when…yippee—here she comes!
I don’t see the speeding ticket
She’s hiding as she runs!
About Oh, The Things My Mom Will Do...

What a child sees as everyday routine is anything but for a mom! Oh, the Things My Mom Will Do... is a celebration of the unpredictable adventure that is motherhood with its sometimes silly, always heartfelt, and wonderfully important moments--all rooted in love. This sweet and amusing book will have book moms and kids smiling with recognition while spotlighting all the different ways a mom shows her devotion.
Oh, the Things My Mom Will Do…
by Marianne Richemond
Sourcebooks Jabberwocky
Published: April 2013
ISBN: 9781402232331
$16.99; Ages 4 & up
Want a chance to win your very own copy of Oh, The Things My Mom Will Do...? One lucky winner will be gifted a copy direct from the publisher! Enter now!

Happy Mother's Day! And Good luck!

Saturday, May 4, 2013

[Special Offer] The Search for Artemis by P.D. Griffith

I was contacted on Thursday regarding a promotion for a limited time free ebook offer from Amazon. I typically skim these over very quickly, and 99% of the time decide I'm not interested.

This was the 1% of the time that I was so intrigued that I decided to take advantage of the offer, and so I felt I should share it and let everyone else who was interested take advantage of it as well.

The book is The Search for Artemis (The Chronicles of Landon Wicker, Book 1) by P.D. Griffith.

I looked it up on Goodreads and was impressed by its 4.06 rating and a comment from a reviewer that stated:
Like a cross between Harry Potter, X-Men and Ender’s Game.
The actual synopsis of the book is as follows:
Fifteen-year-old Landon Wicker is psychokinetic, but the tragic unleashing of his abilities forces him to run from everything he knows. Alone, terrified and unable to remember the events that compelled him to flee, Landon fights to survive and understand what’s happening to him. He finds solace, however, in the company of hundreds of psychokinetics like him when he’s brought to the Gymnasium.

Now in a world where extraordinary abilities exist; where people don’t just see—but control—the world around them; and where teenagers lift city buses with a thought, Landon struggles to accept his new reality and the guilt over his painful secret. But everything changes when a chance encounter with a mysterious girl propels him on a hunt for answers. After uncovering dark truths the Gymnasium would do anything to keep hidden, Landon is forced to choose where his loyalties lie.

Will Landon accept his past—and his future? Will he discover the truth? What’s hidden in the Restricted Tower, and who is Artemis?
Does that sound as interesting to you as it did to me?

If so there are a few more days left to pick up this Kindle edition for free!

My fellow Canadian readers can find it here.

US version here.

Book 2 in there series, The Prince's Trap, was released in December.

Saturday, April 27, 2013

[Product Review] Kobo Aura HD eReader

I don't often do product reviews, mainly because I pretty much stick to my standard devices and rarely have an opportunity to try anything new. But that changed about a week and a half ago when the wonderful people over at Kobo asked me if I would be interested in experiencing their new Kobo Aura, before it even released! Honestly, the first time I read the email I thought it was either spam or a joke...but I Googled the contact's name and found out she was legitimate so I went ahead and responded. I am sure glad I did because a few days later the awesomeness started.


I might be a bit biased because I have always been a fan of the Kobo products. I purchased one of their original Kobo eReaders as soon as they released. It was light and easy to sync with my computer, and I loved it. It was a bit slow between page turns, and it was before they added wi-fi to their devices, so it wasn't perfect, and the clicking of the page turning button drove me batty. But it was a great device to read my Kobo ebooks on. I used it until the Kobo Vox came out, and then I gifted it to my son.
The Kobo Vox was my next eReader of choice. I had skipped the wi-fi and touch upgrades because I didn't feel they were different enough to warrant an upgrade. But the Vox was stunning and I knew I had to have it. Full colour, wi-fi enabled, also with Android apps for email, Twitter, Facebook and more, it was like a cheaper and smaller (and heavier) iPad. It was fabulous and I enjoyed it for quite a while. It was a little heavier than I liked for an eReader, but it was convenient because I could use it for more than reading. I was a little annoyed at how slow it could be at times, and how the videos often wouldn't work, but I was happy with it none-the-less. I even wrote an article about how to use it with NetGalley titles and they went and posted it on their site! I was really fond of the colour, but quickly realized it didn't make much difference in my reading experience, except for viewing the covers.

Which brings us to the Kobo Aura HD. I don't think there is anything negative I can say about this new device.

First off, something so small, yet for me so huge, is this new cable style for charging.


My biggest issue with most cables, especially Apple cables, is that they are so thin and flimsy my cats often take them out in one bite. This is a wonderfully thicker and fabric braided cord. I love it! I also love that you charge the Kobo directly with the computer, and not have to plug it into an outlet like the Vox. That was a bit of a pain.

Other things I love about the new Kobo Aura HD:
  • 30% larger HD screen
  • very light and easy to travel with
  • built-in front-lit lighting for reading in darker places
  • super responsive and precise touch screen interaction
  • 4GB of built-in storage, expandable up to 32 GB with MicroSD card
  • wi-fi enabled for shopping direct from Kobobooks.com
  • supports EPUB and Adboe DRM files
  • super fast page turning and downloading of ebooks
  • easy transfer for other ebooks, especially my NetGalley titles (see more below)
  • ability to create shelves and easily add titles with search function


The ease of transfer of NetGalley titles is always important to me as publishers move more to digital e-arc distribution. It was also one of the first things I tried out when I set up this Kobo. And it was a breeze. I downloaded the file from NetGalley, plugged in the Kobo to my computer, opened the file in Adobe Digital Editions, dragged the file from the main library to the Kobo listed under devices. Easy peasey.

And it looks great, even when it's turned off!


Thursday, February 28, 2013

[Guest Post] Megan Squires on Traced


My Writing Room
by Megan Squires


I'm like a cat. I cannot focus on one thing if even the temptation for distraction is a possibility. If I'm on the computer, my email, Facebook  and several other forum pages are open on the screen. I can’t zero in on just one thing unless all outside distractions are completely removed. I've always been like this, and it makes productivity quite a challenge.


This is why I adore having my studio space as a place to write. For the past three years, I've had a photography studio in town where I photograph all of my newborn clients. However, just this last year I've utilized the space as a writing room as well. In addition to the huge picture windows and mini fridge stocked full of my favorite snacks, I absolutely love that I don’t have internet there. It’s a place I can go and not be tempted to check my email, to update my status, or to catch up on the latest celebrity gossip. All that exists is my computer, my thoughts, and some food to fuel my creativity.


I try to carve out two to three times a week where I can write at the studio after I drop my daughter off at school. That allows me a three-hour, solid chunk of time to dive into my world and get my thoughts on paper. But as all you writers know, we never have enough time to get it all out. That’s why I also spend about three more hours at night—usually from 10:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m.—writing on my family room couch. When everyone else is asleep and when my responsibilities as mommy and homemaker are on hold, I jump on the chance to spend a few more quiet hours with the laptop. Apparently my characters are night owls, too, because my favorite scenes have all been written in the wee hours of the night. Maybe I work best when the line between creativity and delirium blurs, but it’s my routine, it really seems to work, and I love it!
  

About Traced - Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Indiebound, The Book Depository

Tessa can’t sleep.

But when your parents are dead and the government directs your path in life, sleep shouldn’t come easily. Lately, Tessa’s fitful nights are growing even more predictable, almost like déjà vu. And she’s beginning to think that something greater is at work—something her society has taken drastic measures to keep hidden.

Caught between self-discovery and government conformity, she’ll have to choose either the boy who can help her reveal this new truth or the one that can provide her with the security of familiarity.

Tessa’s faced with a weighty decision. And she’s going to need more than a good night’s sleep to make it.

About Megan Squires
Megan Squires lives with her husband and two children just outside of Sacramento, California. A graduate from the University of California, Davis, Megan is now a full-time mother, wife, and dreamer – though her characters don’t often give her much opportunity to sleep. websiteFacebookTwitterGoodreads
Giveaway!

Enter for a chance to win an ecopy of Traced by Megan Squires and a bookmark!

Also enter for a chance to win the grand prize, a Kindle skinned with the Traced cover!

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Tour Stops

Monday, February 11th - A Book and a Latte
Tuesday, February 12th - Coffee, Books and Me
Wednesday, February 13th - The Cozy Reader
Thursday, February 14th - The Book Whisperer
Friday, February 15th - Ticket to Anywhere

Monday, February 18th - Sara in Bookland
Tuesday, February 19th - Tynga's Review
Wednesday, February 20th - Imagine a World
Thursday, February 21st - Oops I Read a Book Again
Friday, February 22nd - Jenuine Cupcakes

Monday, February 25th - Ruby Reads
Tuesday, February 26th - My Neurotic Book Affair
Wednesday, February 27th - The Book Faery Reviews
Thursday, February 28th - Rants N Scribbles
Friday, March 1st - The Book Hookup

Wednesday, February 27, 2013

[Cover Reveal] Wait For You by Jennifer Armentrout

What do early readers have to say about WAIT FOR YOU?
“J. Lynn creates a wonderful cast of characters that will make you laugh, swoon, and cry. Cam stole my heart.” – Cora Carmack, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of LOSING IT
“For the love of all that is Cameron without a shirt on! Wait for You will have you laughing out loud, fanning yourself and anxiously waiting to know what will happen next.” – Molly McAdams, NYTimes and USA TODAY Bestselling Author of FROM ASHES and TAKING CHANCES
“I don't think I have ever read a NA Contemporary novel with as much depth as this one. It really moved me and by the end I was just speechless over how inspirational and uplifting it was as well as being sexy and cute and funny and emotional.” - K Books
“Wait For You is uniquely different from anything else J. Lynn's written but it might possibly be her best work yet.” – Jenuine Cupcakes
“For all of you in love with Aiden and Daemon, PREPARE YOURSELVES! Your heart will have to expand a little more for Cam.” - Total Bookaholic
“For the love of all things CAM, this book deserves more than 5 stars.” – Mundie Moms
“I cannot even begin to explain how much I adored this perfectly crafted contemporary.” – Shortie Says
Excited? Ready to see the cover for WAIT FOR YOU?


 Synopsis

Some things are worth waiting for…
Traveling thousands of miles from home to enter college is the only way nineteen-year-old Avery Morgansten can escape what happened at the Halloween party five years ago—an event that forever changed her life. All she needs to do is make it to her classes on time, make sure the bracelet on her left wrist stays in place, not draw any attention to herself, and maybe—please God—make a few friends, because surely that would be a nice change of pace. The one thing she didn’t need and never planned on was capturing the attention of the one guy who could shatter the precarious future she’s building for herself.

Some things are worth experiencing…
Cameron Hamilton is six feet and three inches of swoon-worthy hotness, complete with a pair of striking blue eyes and a remarkable ability to make her want things she believed were irrevocably stolen from her. She knows she needs to stay away from him, but Cam is freaking everywhere, with his charm, his witty banter, and that damn dimple that’s just so… so lickable. Getting involved with him is dangerous, but when ignoring the simmering tension that sparks whenever they are around each other becomes impossible, he brings out a side of her she never knew existed.

Some things should never be kept quiet…
But when Avery starts receiving threatening emails and phone calls forcing her to face a past she wants silenced, she’s has no other choice but to acknowledge that someone is refusing to allow her to let go of that night when everything changed. When the devastating truth comes out, will she resurface this time with one less scar? And can Cam be there to help her or will he be dragged down with her?

And some things are worth fighting for…

WAIT FOR YOU is available now!
 J. Lynn, also known as Jennifer L. Armentrout, is the USA TODAY Bestselling author of the adult romance Gamble Brothers’ series, the young adult Lux Series and award winning Covenant Series. She pretty much writes everything—contemporary, paranormal, and fantasy. All of her books have one thing in common no matter the name or genre: kissing… and stuff. When she’s not busy writing, which is never, she’s usually hanging out with dog Loki, watching reruns of The Walking Dead, or procrastinating on the Internet. 

You can find out more about Jennifer by visiting the following websites: