Sunday, November 10, 2013

Stanley & Katrina's book! + Giveaway

Celebrating 

Stanley and Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge are celebrating their one year blogiversary (click here to read their inaugural post) by hosting their very own "Book Blasty Tour". Thank you for taking the time to visit this special stop along their tour. 

About the Book

Title: The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets
Authors: Stanley & Katrina, Pet Authors
Illustrator: Miro Chun
Year published:  2012
Updates: This book was updated in September of 2013 with a new cover, interior illustrations, and a sneak peek of book #2 in the series.
Publisher: CreateSpace
Number of pages: 106
Recommended ages: 5+
Summary (Amazon): After three years of living under the same roof as the dog in the house, Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge decides to write a letter to her canine housemate, Stanley. Katrina loves treats, naps and bossing the dog around. Stanley loves snow, attention and turkey. The diva kitty, Katrina, will have none of Stanley's antics and most certainly will not stand for him eating her food. The only reasonable solution is to take him to Kitty Court.

Amazon U.S. * Amazon U.K. * Amazon Canada 


 Barnes & Noble *  Leanpub(digital formats) 

The Buzz

"The book is really humorous. It is unique in a manner where you see the cat and dog communicating with each other about themselves, their likes, and dislikes in a letter form. The narrator's tidbits add to the charm of the book. The contrasting characters and their individual personalities have been etched well. The author has put the perspective of the pets in the forefront and written a unique and excellent book for children." ~ Reviewed by Mamta Madhavan for Readers' Favorite
"We enjoyed this book tremendously! It charmed us, made us laugh, and kept us wanting to read more. A tip of the hat to the pair of pets whose rivalry leads the story along its delightful course." ~ Amazon Reviewer

My Tidbits

Cute! And totally realistic. . .well, I'm sure it is if I were a cat or a dog.

This book is a collection of the letters between Katrina the cat and Stanley the dog. We dive right into Katrina and Stanley's heads, getting to know everything about them -- their thoughts, opinions, hates, dreams -- as we follow them through their adventures. And guess what, those cats and dogs are exactly the way us humans always thought they would be! 

The authors did a terrific job on letting Katrina and Stanley each develop their own distinct personality. And to make sure the letter form doesn't become too confusing, a well written narrator throws in his thoughts every now and then.

There are plenty of scenes to put a smile on the face, especially for children. My daughter and son were able to sympathize with the characters immediately. We used this book as a read-a-loud and found it works best as such. Although my son (8) was able to read it on his own, he definitely preferred to hear the characters. Summed up, this is an enjoyable dive into the thoughts of two fun pets for children 5-8 years old.

About the Authors: Stanley & Katrina

Stanley is a three-year-old black Labrador/Rottweiler mix who does his best to ignore Katrina.
Katrina von Cat the Master of Wisdom and Knowledge is an eight-year-old grey tabby cat who loves her toy mouse.They would love to tell you where they live but all they know is that they live in a tan house. For more information about Stanley & Katrina, please visit their website, www.StanleyAndKatrina.com.

* Free Printables For This Book! *

Kid Lit Printables has created fun and FREE printables for The Perpetual Papers of the Pack of Pets. Click here to view all available printables, now. 


Stanley & Katrina's 

Book Blasty Tour Stops(2013)

November 8

* $25 Book Blasty Tour Giveaway *

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner's choice)
Contest runs:November 8  to November 30, 11:59 pm, 2013 </ span>
Open: Internationally
How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget above or by clicking here.
Terms and Conditions: A randomly drawn winner will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Pinterest or any other entity unless otherwise specified. If you have any additional questions, feel free to send us an email at stanleyandkatrina (at) gmail (dot) com.</ div>
* This giveaway is sponsored by the authors, Stanley & Katrina. *</ strong>
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Friday, October 18, 2013

Moirai by Ruth Silver




MOIRAI
by Ruth Silver
Patchwork Press
YA Dystopian
246 pages



ebook



Paperback
























Olivia has been on the run from the government of Cabal since the marriage ceremony. Finally settling in and finding herself a place to call home, in Shadow, Olivia and Joshua are preparing for the uprising that they and the rebel alliance have been planning for months.

With new abilities and special talents, from Mindonsiphan, Olivia learns that she can do more than most ordinary eighteen year olds. Learning both to hide and perfect her skills will be one of the biggest challenges she'll be forced to face.

A constant rollercoaster of emotion and adventure await Olivia and Joshua, as they embark on a journey to the rebel city of Torv, and what was once home, Genesis.




EXCERPT


“He wants her thrown in the dumpster.” I grimaced as I approached the mattress. “Help me.” I gestured towards the body. “I can't carry her on my own.” Even if I could, I wasn't doing this alone.

“I'm not throwing her away like garbage!” Lisa crossed her arms. “Think of something else, Jacqueline.”

“We could grab some wood, wrap her body, and burn her.” I glanced around the small bedroom. It was mostly empty, except for the dresser against the wall. There were no trinkets, no signs of another life outside of Genesis. I couldn't help but wonder if anyone missed her from back home.

“How are we going to do that without getting caught?” Lisa asked.

“I don't know. Craynor will know we did it.” We were the ones that were told to throw the body away. “We could find a place in the far end of the lot and bury her.”

Lisa frowned. “No, I like the idea of burning her body. We'd be making a statement. Anita would have approved.”

“If we get caught, we'll be killed,” I reminded her. So much for staying out of trouble.

“He's killing his servants. You don't think that demands attention?” Lisa huffed. “I would have liked to know what I was getting involved in before I worked here.”

“It wasn't like you had a choice.” I reminded her bitterly. That was what we were fighting for: our freedom to make choices. Whether they were right or wrong, they were our choices to make.

“Even so,” Lisa scoffed, “she deserves more than being thrown away like a piece of trash.”

Footsteps clomped through the hallway, just outside the door. “Well whatever we decide, we need to do it fast.”

My Tidbits


I have a weak spot for dystopian, so I'm always glad to get my hands on series like the ABBERANT one. MOIRAI (Book#2) meets up with Olivia as she's regained a partly comfortable life, but not for long. The attempts to avoid a druid invasion immediately put her in danger. Once the action starts, it doesn't stop.

Olivia seems more mature in this book, a development I really enjoyed seeing. She's determined to do her part to 'save her world', but also battles with what that would mean for her new-developing family. This inner-fight, although not blatant, gave her character a nice touch.

MOIRAI introduces a few new twists and turns, one which surprised me but was extremely well done (I won't say what for the risk of giving something away). Even elements that were already used in book #1 (unknown towns, out-laws, etc.) didn't appear regurgitated, but held new complications which kept the plot fresh. There was no guessing what would happen next.

In other words, I give this a . . .




CC



Where can you find MOIRAI?




And here she is. . .
RUTH SILVER!!!



Ruth Silver attended Northern Illinois University and graduated with a Bachelor's in Communication in the spring of 2005.  While in college, she spent much of her free time writing with friends she met online and penning her first novel, Deuces are Wild, which she self-published in 2004.  Her favorite class was Creative Writing senior year where she often handed in assignments longer than the professor required because she loved to write and always wanted to finish her stories. Her love of writing led her on an adventure in 2007 to Melbourne, Australia.  Silver enjoys reading, photography, traveling and most of all writing.  She loves dystopian and fantasy young adult stories.  Her debut novel published by Lazy Day Publishing, ABERRANT is scheduled for release April 2013.  Ruth has been actively writing since she was a teenager.  She currently resides in Plainfield, Illinois.


You can visit her:



Join her Facebook Event for more fun!


AND. . . 

To celebrate the release of MOIRAI, Ruth is giving away a $10 gift certificate from Amazon. So don't forget to sign up for that below!




a Rafflecopter giveaway




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Monday, August 26, 2013

The Frost Series by Liz DeJesus and Giveaway


FIRST FROST
The Frost Series Book #1
by Liz DeJesus
Musa Publishing
YA Fantasy
233 pages






Fairytales aren’t real…yeah…that’s exactly what Bianca thought. She was wrong.

For generations, the Frost family has run the Museum of Magical and Rare Artifacts, handing down guardianship from mother to daughter, always keeping their secrets to “family only.”

Gathered within museum’s walls is a collection dedicated to the Grimm fairy tales and to the rare items the family has acquired: Cinderella’s glass slipper, Snow White’s poisoned apple, the evil queen’s magic mirror, Sleeping Beauty’s enchanted spinning wheel…

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Frost wants none of it, dreaming instead of a career in art or photography or…well, anything except working in the family’s museum. She knows the items in the glass display cases are fakes because, of course, magic doesn’t really exist.

She’s about to find out how wrong she is.



My Tidbits

I love fairy tales, so I was more than excited to get my hands on this book. I wasn't disappointed.

The first chapters started slow (a little too much backstory), but once the evil witch showed up, there was no stopping this plot. Bianca is pulled into an action packed adventure, a sweet romance and a world, which I myself wouldn't mind diving into. The seventeen-year-old starts out as a fairly quiet girl, who has a great relationship with her mother. But during the story, she learns to go beyond herself and gains a good amount of self-confidence. Yep, great character development.

I loved a integration of the old fairy tales, especially since these weren't based on the Disney versions, but on the real, sinister, not always happy original ones. A special treat was the Prince of Everafter - the charming, heroic prince, who wasn't as heroic (but still charming!) and clever as one might think.

I'd definitely recommend this one for you fairy tale fans out there. The writing is a tiny bit rough at times, but the plot definitely makes up for it. I enjoyed it and couldn't put it down.

I give this a:




CC


Where can you find it?




GLASS FROST
The Frost Series Book #2
by Liz DeJesus
Musa Publishing
YA Fantasy
260 pages




When joined together, Cinderella's slippers grant the wearer her heart's desire. But whose wish will be granted?

When Cinderella’s glass slipper is stolen, Queen Felicia sends her faithful steward Terrance to the real world to retrieve his love and witch-in-training, Bianca Frost. The power of the glass slipper, when paired with its mate, and in the wrong hands, could ruin the peace of Everafter. Bianca must gather every bit of magic she has learned in the past few weeks to find the slipper and protect her new love. Together, Bianca, Ming, Prince Ferdinand, and Terrance venture deep into the heart of Everafter to seek clues as to who has stolen the slipper and why. Along the way, they uncover what happened to the Seven Dwarves after Snow White married the prince, but also learn the awful risk of tampering with black magic and the high price that must be paid for magic, even when used for good.

Bianca and Terrance’s relationship is put to the test. Through the pain of suffering and loss, Bianca must determine if following her gallant boyfriend into his faraway world is in fact her heart's desire.
My Tidbits
I don't know about you, but often times, I'm disappointed with sequels. After the 1st book, there are expectations and, unfortunately, these are hard to meet. But for Liz DeJesus, this was no problem. I devoured this book.

GLASS FROST takes off where FIRST FROST ends and dives into the adventure without the need for any extra backstory. The bad part is that without reading the 1st book, the reader will be lost - but is that bad when both books are fun??? 

Like before, I wanted to dive into Liz's world and never come back. Especially when Bianca met up with her great-great-great Grandmother's 7 (well, now 3) dwarfs. It was a magical moment and very well done. The evil witch problem was very unlike the first book, which made the adventure fun to read and not like a regurgitation. 

Again, I can only say 'read it'. 


I give this one a big, fat:




CC

Where can you find it?





Character Bio

Bianca Frost: 
She’s a seventeen year old girl that works at the Museum of Magical and Rare Artifacts with her mother Rose Frost. She recently found out that she’s the great-great-great granddaughter of Snow White. Her favorite color is dark purple, she loves punk rock and indie music. Her favorite book is Jane Eyre and she loves to draw. She hopes to go to college and become an art major. Her best friend is Ming Lee and the love of her life is Terrance Connor.



Ming Lee: 
She’s seventeen years old and her best friend in the whole wide world is Bianca Frost. Her father is a surgeon and her mother, Mrs..Lee is a stay  at home mom. Ming loves pop music and her favorite color is pink (every single shade of pink is her favorite). She’s an accomplished singer and loves to play the piano in her spare time. Her dream is to become a famous singer. She has a bit of a crush on Prince Ferdinand and she’s trying to figure out how she really feels about him.



Terrance Connor: 
He is eighteen years old and is a steward for the royal family in Everafter. He’s often quiet and reserved but once you get to know him you will discover that he’s very intelligent and charming. His parents are William and Claire Connor. His grandfather is Magnus Connor aka The Big Bad Wolf. Trust me, this makes for a very complicated family dynamic. He has a great love for Bianca Frost, who he believes is his soul mate.



Prince Ferdinand: 
His full name is Prince Ferdinand Anthony Charles
Ash and he is the future king of Everafter. He is a kind and charming prince who is in the constant search for damsels in distress, adventure and true love. Sometimes he comes across a bit silly and goofy but his heart is true and pure. He has grown and matured since  his first adventure in First Frost but he’s still light hearted and fun no matter what situation he’s in. He’s madly in love with Ming Lee.
Rose Frost: She is Bianca’s mother and the owner of the Museum of Magical and Rare Artifacts. Rose has been hiding the fact that she and Bianca are witches. Rose’s main magical talents are healing and plant related. She can grow any type of plant under any conditions. She is extremely protective over her daughter Bianca and anyone she holds close to her heart.


And here she is:
Liz DeJesus!!!



Liz DeJesus was born on the tiny island of Puerto Rico. She is a novelist and a poet. She has been writing for as long as she was capable of holding a pen. She is the author of the novel Nina (Blu Phi'er Publishing, October 2007), The Jackets (Arte Publico Press, March 31st 2011) First Frost (Musa Publishing, June 22nd 2012) and Glass Frost (Musa Publishing, COMING SOON).
​
She is also a member of The Written Remains Writers Guild http://www.writtenremains.org/.
​
Liz is currently working on a new novel.

And you can find her:





You can follow the tour here on Facebook!


There's a giveaway to celebrate!!!
Go here and check it out!









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Thursday, August 15, 2013

BLUCY by Julia Dweck with Great Giveaway!

About the Book

Blucy by Julia DweckTitle: Blucy Author: Julia Dweck Illustrator: Erika LeBarre Year published: 2013 Publisher: Xist Publishing Number of pages: 21 Recommended age: 3+ Summary (Amazon): Once in a blue moon, a special pet comes along. When Mandy adopts the best cat at the shelter, she doesn't realize it has a big secret and an even bigger personality. Features full screen images and pop-up text.

Blucy Facebook Page * Blucy Pinterest Page * Goodreads

 

Purchase & Special Offer

Xist Publishing is pleased to offer you a special Buy One Get One FREE (BOGO) offer when you purchase Blucy by Julia Dweck. The Deal? If you purchase Blucy (e-book) through Amazon, you will receive a FREE electronic copy of Julia Dweck's newest book, Mary Had a Sleepy Sheep (released September 5, 2013). All you have to do is forward your purchase confirmation email to sales@xistpublishing.com and Xist Publishing will send you a complimentary copy of Mary Had a Sleepy Sheep. Don't wait to take advantage of this great deal!

Amazon

 

The Early Buzz

"Julia Dweck scores another winner Blucy! This book is beautifully illustrated, features solid rhyming verse, has a most unusual main character in Blucy the cat, and will surely be loved and appreciated by all cat-lovers! I would recommend this wonderful picture book to children who love cats and for their grown-ups who will recognize their own cat's behavior in this funny story. ." ~ Mother Daughter Book Reviews
"Ms Dweck and Ms Lebarre have created a delightfully humorous read that will no doubt capture the attention of every little mischief maker. The rhythm and rhyme are wonderful and flow so beautifully throughout the book. The illustrations are absolutely exquisite. I honestly wish I could purchase every one of them to put upon my toddlers walls." ~ WhenIgrowupIwannawriteakidsbook
"The illustrations are amazing and beautiful and the story pulls you in and had Dino telling Mandy and Blucy what to do and got upset when they didn’t listen to him. He was hysterical with some of Blucy’s antics and wanted to know if Balboa could do that to. Really and truly a cute book and one that Dino will keep reading, especially now that he think he’s a catosaurous." ~ Dinosaur Superhero Mommy
A blue cat? I love color - lots of color and these illustrations are exactly that. The rythmic method used by Julia is perfect for all ages and the content is entertaining for all - including adults. My daughter loves mood rings so she found this book particularly interesting - what about a "mood cat". I am also a firm believer and supporter of pet adoptions - so another plus for this story...That Blucy is quite a mischievous cat. Blucy has special facts at the end of the story as well as a game for the kids to keep them thinking. I love this book as I have all of Julia's books and so do my kids. ~ The Stuff of Success
A Phenomenal Children's Classic. Children & Adults will love and cherish this beloved tale. Julia Dweck has always amazed me with her talent at writing children's books and Blucy is by far my favorite one yet. I laughed and giggled my way through the whole book and had to read it again several times for the pure joy of the story. The illustrations are fabulous and very colorful and I found myself staring at each page as I read and just loved the details in the illustrations. This is a RECOMMENDED MUST read story that adults and their children will fall in love with. This book will become the best bedtime story that children will want to hear over and over again. ~ Back Words, White Pages
 

About the Author: Julia Dweck

Julia Dweck, Author Julia Dweck's background in elementary education affords her the opportunity to be in touch with what children want to read and what makes them giggle. She's collaborated with leading artists in the world of children's literature to produce over 20 Amazon eBooks. Her titles have garnered placement on Amazon's bestsellers in children's color picture books multiple times with two #1 bestsellers: PIE-RITS and Zombie-Kids. These titles have been chosen by Amazon Editors for the prestigious "Kindle Daily Deal." Many of Julia's titles have earned placement on Amazon's top ranked lists based on customer review. In her spare time, Julia is a designer of educational adjuncts for children's literature, and has worked with such notable publishing houses as Penguin Young Readers. She presented at the 2011 National Center for Family Literacy for her creative use of technology in the classroom. For more information about Julia Dweck and her books, please visit her website, Jule Loves 2 Write.

Twitter * Facebook

 

* Where's Blucy? *

Before we get to the $100 Book Blast Giveaway, we have a special treat for you. If you head on over to Julia Dweck's Facebook Fan Page, you will find the "Where's Blucy?" contest. Julia Dweck fans are invited to post suggestions of "blue" places Blucy could be hiding, (e.g., near Elvis' blue suede shoes). The most creative answer will win a print of the Blucy cover by the artist, Erika LeBarre. Head on over to Julia Dweck's Facebook Fan Page to enter and...

Pssssttt... if you enter the contest before August 20th, 2013, you gain 5 entries in the $100 Book Blast Giveaway below!

Julia Dweck - Blucy  

* $100 Book Blast Giveaway *

Prize: $100 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner's choice) Contest runs: August 13 to September 15, 11:59 pm, 2013 Open: Internationally How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below. Terms and Conditions: A randomly drawn winner will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. If you have any additional questions, feel free to send us an email!
* This giveaway is sponsored by the author, Julia Dweck and by Xist Publishing. *
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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