Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Giveaway: The Iron Elves Trilogy by Chris Evans

This week the third and final book in Chris Evans' Iron Elves trilogy was published and thanks to the publisher I have one set of the books to giveaway.  Yes that's right - one complete set of this trilogy.



 DarknessLightAshesFinal


So you get a paperback of book #1 A Darkness Forged in Fire, a paperback of book #2 The Light of Burning Shadows and the the brand new hardback version of book #3, Ashes of a Black Frost, released 10/18.

I have my own set of these beautiful books to read and cannot wait to read and review them.  Not familiar with the series?  Here's a little more about the books, then enter the giveaway through Rafflecopter, all that is required is your name and email address.  All other entries are optional.  Open to US only, ends 11:59 PM EDT 10/26.  Books will be coming from the publisher.  Thanks to Melissa Gramstad, Publicity Manager at Gallery Books/Threshold Editions/Pocket Books at Simon and Schuster for this giveaway!


Paperback book 1 of the Iron Elves, A Darkness Forged in Fire (Pocket Books; May 26, 2009; $9.99)

Shaking up the science fiction world this summer is the exciting adventure by Chris Evans now in paperback—the first in a stunning series, A DARKNESS FORGED IN FIRE introduces an unforgiving world of musket and cannon…bow and arrow…magic, diplomacy, and oaths—each wielding terrible power in an Empire teetering on the brink of war.

In this world, Konowa Swift Dragon, former commander of the Empire’s elite Iron Elves, is looked upon as anything but ordinary.  He’s murdered a Viceroy, been court-martialed, seen his beloved regiment disbanded, and finally been banished in disgrace to the one place he despises the most—the forest.

Now, all he wants is to be left alone with his misery…but for Konowa, nothing is ever that simple.  The mysterious and alluring Visyna Tekoy, the highborn daughter of an elfkynan governor, seeks him out in the dangerous wild with a royal decree that he resume his commission as an officer in Her Majesty’s Imperial Army, effective immediately.

For in the east, a falling Red Star heralds the return of a magic long vanished from the earth.  Rebellion grows within the Empire as a frantic race to reach the Star unfolds.  It is a chance for Konowa to redeem himself—even if the entire affair appears doomed to be a suicide mission…and the soldiers recruited for the task are not at all what he expects.  And worse, his key adversary in the perilous race for the Star is the dreaded Shadow Monarch—a legendary elf-witch whose machinations for absolute domination spread deeper than Konowa could ever imagine.  A DARKNESS FORGED IN FIRE will keep many lights on late into the night this summer as readers find themselves hooked to the last page.


Paperback book 2 of the Iron Elves, The Light of Burning Shadows (Pocket Books; October 26, 2010; $9.99)
Shaking up the science fiction world again, the second in the thrilling Iron Elves series by Chris Evans, THE LIGHT OF BURNING SHADOWS is now available in paperback.

Musket and cannon, bow and arrow, and magic and diplomacy vie for supremacy once again in the second epic fantasy adventure from acclaimed author Chris Evans.  As the human-dominated Calahrian Empire struggles to maintain its hold on power in the face of armed rebellion from within, the Iron Elves’ perilous quest to defeat the power-hungry witch, the Shadow Monarch, takes on greater urgency.

The Iron Elves, shunned by their own people for bearing the mark of the Shadow Monarch, and desperately wanting to forever erase this shame, became legendary for their prowess on the battlefield as the Calahrian Imperial Army’s elite shock troops.  But when their commanding officer, Konowa Swift Dragon, murdered the Viceroy of Elfkyna, he was exiled, and these brave elves were banished to a remote desert outpost, doomed and leaderless, their honor in tatters.

Recalled to duty to reform his regiment from the dregs of the Imperial Army, Konowa thwarted the plans of the Shadow Monarch at the Battle of Luuguth Jor—ensuring that the fabled Red Star, a source of great natural energy, did not fall into Her hands.  Now Konowa must cross storm-tossed seas to seek out the lost elves and the prophesied return of another Star somewhere in a desert wasteland roiling with mysterious power, infernos of swirling magic, and legends brought back to life in new and terrible ways.  And the fate of every living creature will come to depend on a small band of ragged and desperate soldiers, whose very loyalty to the Empire they have sworn to serve is no longer certain.  When death is but a temporary condition, a terrifying question arises: who is the true ally—and fearsome enemy—in a growing conflict that threatens all?  THE LIGHT OF BURNING SHADOWS will keep a strong hold of readers as they seek to find resolution in this thrilling epic.


Hardcover book 3 of the Iron Elves, Ashes of a Black Frost (Gallery Books; October 18, 2011; $25.99)

The acclaimed epic fantasy series Iron Elves by Chris Evans captured readers with A Darkness Forged in Fire and The Light of Burning Shadows, and now has followers eagerly anticipating the third and final in the Iron Elves series, ASHES OF A BLACK FROST (Gallery Books; October 18, 2011; $25.99).  Amidst a scene of carnage on a desert battlefield blanketed in metallic snow, Major Konowa Swift Dragon sees his
future, and it is one drenched in shadow and blood.  Never mind that he has won a grand victory for the Calahrian Empire.  He came here in search of his lost regiment of elves, while the Imperial Prince came looking for the treasures of a mystical library, and both ventures have failed.  But Konowa knows, as do the Iron Elves—both living and dead—that another, far more important battle now looms before them.  The campaign in the desert was only the latest obstacle on the twisted, darkening path leading inexorably to the Hyntaland, and the final confrontation with the dreaded Shadow Monarch.

In this third novel of musket and magic in Chris Evans’s Iron Elves saga, Konowa’s ultimate journey is fraught with escalating danger.  A vast, black forest finds a new source of dark power, spawning creatures even more monstrous than the blood trees from which they evolve.  The maniacally unstable former emissary of the Shadow Monarch hungers for revenge, leading an army of ravenous beasts bent on utterly destroying the Iron Elves.  A reluctant hero, Private Alwyn Renwar, struggles to maintain his connection to this world and that of the loyalty of the shades of the dead.  And in a maze of underground tunnels, Visyna Tekoy, whom Konowa counts among those he has loved and lost, fights for her life against the very elves he so desperately wants to find.

And so Konowa sets off from this Canyon of Bones, pursuing his freedom from a curse that has cast his life in darkness.  For though his long, violent trek may indeed lead him to his destiny, he is ill prepared for the discovery he will make…with the fate of the Iron Elves, and the world, hinging on the courage of one wrathful elf.

ASHES OF A BLACK FROST will engage Iron Elves enthusiasts from beginning to end, as well as entice new readers as part of a series that is “a grand new entry in the field of fantasy masters” (Richard A. Knaak, New York Times bestselling author)—a Fall 2011 adventure not to be missed.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Evans is the author of Ashes of a Black Frost, A Darkness Forged in Fire and The Light of Burning Shadows in the Iron Elves series.  He is a historian as well as an editor of military history and current affairs, including the highly successful Stackpole Military History series.  Born in Canada, he now lives in New York City.  He welcomes visitors to his website at www.ironelves.com.








Waiting on Wednesday - October 19

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


The Space Between by Brenna Yovanoff
Publish Date: 11/14/2011
Everything is made of steel, even the flowers. How can you love anything in a place like this?

Daphne is the half-demon, half-fallen angel daughter of Lucifer and Lilith. Life for her is an endless expanse of time, until her brother Obie is kidnapped - and Daphne realizes she may be partially responsible. Determined to find him, Daphne travels from her home in Pandemonium to the vast streets of Earth, where everything is colder and more terrifying. With the help of the human boy she believes was the last person to see her brother alive, Daphne glimpses into his dreams, discovering clues to Obie's whereabouts. As she delves deeper into her demonic powers, she must navigate the jealousies and alliances of the violent archangels who stand in her way. But she also discovers, unexpectedly, what it means to love and be human in a world where human is the hardest thing to be.

This second novel by rising star Brenna Yovanoff is a story of identity, discovery, and a troubled love between two people struggling to find their place both in our world and theirs
Wow I wish this week would work like last week.  Last week I wished for The Night Eternal and that afternoon I received it in the mail.  That was a really good day for me.  Somehow I doubt I get this one - I don't seem to make it on as many YA publishers lists as adult pubs, but that's fine, I'm not complaining one bit.

So what are you waiting on this week?



Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Book Feature: Unnatural & Unwelcome by Michael Griffo (Archangel Academy 1 & 2)



Unnatural
Publisher:Kensington
Publish Date:February 22, 2011
Paperback, 480 pages
ISBN: 9780758253385
Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal

Archangel Academy #1
About the Book:
In the town of Eden in northwestern England stands the exclusive boarding school known as Archangel Academy. Ancient and imposing, it’s a place filled with secrets. Just like its students…

For Michael Howard, being plucked from his Nebraska hometown and sent thousands of miles away is as close as he’s ever come to a miracle. In Weeping Water, he felt trapped, alone. At Archangel Academy, Michael belongs. And in Ciaran, Penry, and especially Ciaran’s enigmatic half-brother Ronan, Michael finds friendship deeper than he’s ever known.

But Michael’s only beginning to understand what makes the Academy so special. Ronan is a vampire—part of a hybrid clan who are outcasts even among other vampires. Within the Academy’s confines exists a ruthless world of deadly rivalries and shifting alliances, of clandestine love and forbidden temptations. And soon Michael will confront the destiny that brought him here—and a danger more powerful than he can imagine…



Unwelcome
Publisher:Kensington
Publish Date:August 1, 2011
Paperback, 352 pages
ISBN: 9780758253392
Fiction, Young Adult, Paranormal
Archangel Academy #2

About the Book:
 Archangel Academy is more than a school to Michael Howard. Within its majestic buildings and serene English grounds, he's found friends, new love, and a place that feels more like home than Nebraska ever did. But the most important gift of Archangel Academy is immortality. . .
Life as a just-made vampire is challenging for Michael, even with Ronan, an experienced vamp, to guide him. Michael's abilities are still raw and unpredictable. To add to the turmoil, the ancient feud between rival vampire species is sending ripples of discord through the school. And beneath the new headmaster's charismatic front lies a powerful and very personal agenda.
Yet the mysteries lurking around the Academy pale in comparison to the secrets emerging from Michael's past. And choosing the wrong person to trust—or to love—could lead to an eternity of regret. . .


About the Author:

Michael Griffo is an award-winning writer and one of six playwrights whose career will be tracked by WritersInsight.com until 2010. He is a graduate of New York University, has studied at Playwrights Horizons and Gotham Writers Workshop, and has written several screenplays.


*** I'm currently reading these so expect my reviews tomorrow - I've really enjoyed delving into the world Michael Griffo has created in Unnatural and look forward to seeing more of it in Unwelcome, so stay tuned for the reviews.***


Guest Blog, Book Review and Giveaway: The Comforts of Home by Jodi Thomas


As fall settles in around the Panhandle of Texas, I’m getting excited about THE COMFORTS OF HOME coming out Tuesday, Nov 1, 2011. My favorite time of year is fall with the cool nights and sometimes rainy days.  The perfect weather to curl up with a book.

Since the idea of a small town of Harmony first began to form in my mind, I wanted to write about not only the ‘important’ people in a place who make the community run, but also about the quiet people who live their lives and get lost in their dreams.  COMFORTS is a book full of possibilities in love and life.  Read it on a cool winter day and I promise it’ll warm your heart.

In a closing note, I’d like to add that you are going to love a new character I introduce.  He’s just a kid (17) with long hair, and a dream to make it big in the music world.  We’ll be watching him grow up and fall in love several times before he figures women out. 
Come along with me to Harmony.  We’ll have a grand visit with the people there.

Wishing you much love and laughter in your life,

Jodi Thomas
www.facebook.com/JodiThomasAuthor



The Comforts of Home by Jodi Thomas
Publisher: Berkley
Publish Date: November 1, 2011
Paperback, 320 pages 
Fiction, General Fiction with romantic elements
 ISBN: 978-0425244487






My Review:
Coming back to Harmony with each book is like coming home to me.  Jodi manages to make the town of Harmony, Texas feel like my own home town and it's inhabitants like people I know and run into at the store.  Even though there are usually six months between installments, I fall right back into town life and the life of the people the story focuses on.  Yet if this was the first Harmony novel you were to pick up, I think that would be fine as well.  Jodi goes into enough back story to familiarize you with a character so a new person to the Harmony books wouldn't feel lost.

The Comforts of Home is different from the first two Harmony novels which focused mainly on one couple while focusing on the town too.  Now of course those two couples are settled down and we get to see some of them in this book which is a real treat.  But in this installment, several story lines are focused on.  Here several romances are given the spotlight and several characters with minor roles in earlier books are also given the spotlight.  Reagan and Noah are ever-present and I am glad for that - I want to continue to see them grow up in the town of Harmony.  I also love how Jodi uses people of all different ages in her books.  She doesn't focus on 20-something couples or even 30-somethings.  There is even a couple who broke up in WWII in this one who are either trying to reignite the fire or keep it going, depending on who's gossip you believe.

So there is romance, and that is wonderful, but the characters are what really make these books and The Comforts of Home is no exception.  Getting a closer look at Tyler, Kate, Ronelle and several others was great in this book.  Such different people with different lives, yet they can all come together when needed.  And of course some new faces are introduced and there are some definite interesting ones there as well that I can't wait to see more of in future books.

I won't give too much away but suffice it to say that the plot moves along swiftly.  I never wanted to put it down and I didn't want it to end.  I definitely don't want to wait until April for the next book, but I guess I will have to.  Until then I have the various stories going through my head and hopes and dreams for the characters to come.  So far Ms. Thomas has not disappointed and I don't expect her to anytime soon.  The Harmony series is like a roaring fire on a cool fall or winter day, comforting and relaxing, something that just makes you feel like you are at home.  That's what The Comforts of Home is like and it's perfect for these coming late fall/early winter days so make sure you get a copy and see for yourself.


My Rating: 5.0/5.0


About Jodi
Jodi Thomas is the NY Times and USA Today best-selling author of 34 novels and 11 short story collections. In June 2011, WELCOME TO HARMONY won a RITA, the highest award for contemporary
fiction. Jodi currently serves as the Writer in Residence at West Texas A&M University in Canyon,
Texas.


Website
Twitter
Facebook
About The Comforts of Home:

In Harmony, Texas, twenty-year-old Reagan Truman has found her place, and found her family. But with her uncle taken ill and her friend Noah lost and disheartened with his life, Reagan is afraid of ending up alone again, and she's not the only one. When a terrible storms threatens the town, the residents of Harmony are forced to think about what they really want. Because making the connections they so desperately desire means putting their hearts at risk...



Giveaway:

I have been given 1 copy of The Comforts of Home by Jodi Thomas to giveaway to the readers of this blog. Simply leave name and email in Rafflecopter to enter.  Additional entries are available but not required.  Giveaway open to US/Canada only.  Giveaway runs through October 25, 2011.






FTC Information: I received this book from the publisher for an honest review.

Teaser Tuesday - October 18

teasertuesdays31

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
  • BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
  • Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! 
"Can't believe you're a sophomore already;  my little guy's gettin' to be a man."  She was standing in front of the oak bookshelf looking at the spines of the books Michael had read and would most likely read again. They were his escape.  It didn't take a genius to figure that out.
From Unnatural by Michael Griffo





About Unnatural


In the town of Eden in northwestern England stands the exclusive boarding school known as Archangel Academy. Ancient and imposing, it’s a place filled with secrets. Just like its students…

For Michael Howard, being plucked from his Nebraska hometown and sent thousands of miles away is as close as he’s ever come to a miracle. In Weeping Water, he felt trapped, alone. At Archangel Academy, Michael belongs. And in Ciaran, Penry, and especially Ciaran’s enigmatic half-brother Ronan, Michael finds friendship deeper than he’s ever known.

But Michael’s only beginning to understand what makes the Academy so special. Ronan is a vampire—part of a hybrid clan who are outcasts even among other vampires. Within the Academy’s confines exists a ruthless world of deadly rivalries and shifting alliances, of clandestine love and forbidden temptations. And soon Michael will confront the destiny that brought him here—and a danger more powerful than he can imagine…




Monday, October 17, 2011

Guest Blog: Teens and Their Supernatural Pursuits by Melody Carlson

Teens and Their Supernatural Pursuits
By Melody Carlson

Have you even wondered why some teens are drawn toward things like Ouija boards or psychics? Or why séances are still popular at sleepovers? Does it just have to do with Halloween and that spine-chilling need for a good scare? Or could it be something more? And, as a Christian, should you be concerned?

Those questions, as well as some confused reader letters, prompted me to tackle the “supernatural” in one of my teen novels (Moon White, TrueColors, Nav Press). And whenever I write an issues-based novel, I’m forced to research—and often in some dark places. So I began scouring websites, learning more about Wicca and the occult, trying to grasp what was really going on with today’s teens—and how I could write about it in a helpful and relevant way.

But, as usual, when I write a teen book, I go back to my own adolescence...trying to connect with my inner teen...and I suddenly remembered a short era when a friend and I got very interested in witchcraft. I had honestly forgotten about this time and was fascinated to recall how we scoured some witchcraft stores on a local campus—I think we even purchased a few things. Fortunately, this interest was short-lived and I became a Christian not long afterward.

However, as I reconnected with my inner teen, I had to ask myself—why had I looked into witchcraft back then? Why do teens dabble with it now? Suddenly the answer became crystal clear. I was searching. I’d been calling myself an atheist for several years by then, but I was spiritually hungry—starving in fact. Consequently I was looking for spiritual answers—something that would fill that empty void within me. I wanted a supernatural force in my life and I didn’t even care where it came from. I needed something bigger than me, more powerful than me, something to hold onto. I had no idea at the time that I was really searching for God.

This realization changed the way I viewed my research. Instead of feeling disgusted and dismayed by the witchcraft/Wicca sites (which are not particularly enjoyable) I began to recognize that these people (mostly girls) were simply searching too. They wanted a power source in their lives just like I wanted one in mine. They just hadn’t found God yet.

This led to another discovery. A girl who’s attracted to a religion like Wicca is usually seeking to gain some control over her life. Something is wrong and she wants to change it. To do so, she’s often enticed to purchase something—like “magical herbs”—to create a potion that will give her some control over her situation. Unfortunately, she doesn’t even realize she’s being tricked.

But think about it, wouldn’t you love to have control over a bad situation sometimes? Wouldn’t you love to be able to change the circumstances that make your life unpleasant? So what if someone offered you the “power” to do just that? Perhaps if you’re fifteen, you wouldn’t see that person as a charlatan and you would fall for it.  Which brings me to another important factor in understanding this generation’s attraction to the supernatural. Follow the money. The more I researched, the more it became painfully obvious that Wicca and witchcraft and the occult are money-making enterprises. Thanks to the internet, these savvy distributors sell anything imaginable—and many things you can’t. That leads to some serious motivation—these marketers want to hook their unsuspecting young customers and reel them in. Of course, these potions and trinkets and how-to books don’t come with a money back guaranty. Nor are they approved by the FDA. Yet they are a multi-million dollar industry.

So, in a way, it’s a perfect storm. Teens that are insecure, lost, unhappy, and searching...meet up with an unregulated industry that offers supernatural answers and power and control...for a price. And, oh yeah, I never even mentioned how this opens a door for Satan to slip in and wreak havoc. For that...you’ll have to read the book.
About Moon White by Melody Carlson


Heather's curiosity in Wicca brings new confidence and reassurance but alienates her from others. Even so, this enchanting path seems harmless, even helpful.

But when terrifying things begin to happen that Heather can't explain, it becomes clear that she has less control over her world than ever before.

The eleventh book in the teen fiction series TrueColors , this book discusses spiritual warfare, tragedy, anger, and more.





In My Mailbox (5) + Swag comment giveaway



In My Mailbox is hosted by The Story Siren. To see this weeks list of participants go here.

Another great week, and what makes it so hard is there are several books here I am dying to read, yet I have commitments to fulfill.  Sigh, but I'll get to read them soon.  What did you get this week, or if you are a reader not a blogger, what here do you see that you are dying to read or haven't even heard of.  I'll throw some bookmarks and swag in an envelope to one lucky commenter this week, US/Canada only, ends 9/23.

The Comforts of Home by Jodi Thomas
On sale date: November 1, 2011
From: publisher
Tour Date: October 18, 2011

The Baker's Wife by Erin Healy
On Sale Date: October 4, 2011
From author for reviewing The Promises She Keeps (which I loved)

Thou Shalt Not Road Trip by Anthony John
On Sale Date: April 12, 2012
From Teen Book Scene Tours

Remembering You by Tricia Goyer
 On Sale Date:November 2011
From Litfuse Publicity


My Own Worst Frenemy by Kimberly Reid
 On Sale Date:August 30, 2011
From: Publisher for Teen Book Scene Tour

MWF seeking BFF by Rachel Bertsche
 On Sale Date:January 3, 2012
From: Publisher 


The Night Eternal by Guillermo Del Toro & Chuck Hogan
  On Sale Date:October 25, 2011
From Publisher 



Say You'll Be Mine by Julia Amante
   On Sale Date:October 25, 2011
From Publisher 

The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern (win)
  On Sale Date:September 13, 2011
Won from Kathy at I am a Reader, Not a Writer

Dreamland by Alyson Noel

  On Sale Date:September 13, 2011
Won from Marcie at To Read or Not to Read