Giveaway Review 3:59 by GRETCHEN McNEIL @GretchenMcNeil #BookNerdTour

Tour Schedule

Welcome to the Official Blog Tour for 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil

This tour is going to wrap up in a very exciting way! Gretchen McNeil is going to do a live chat via BlogTV on the evening of the 9th! You will be able to see and hear her, with a space for you to chat with the her and the other fans in the room! Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to talk to one of your favorite authors! Click on the link HERE

Book Description

Publication Date: September 17, 2013

From Possess and Ten author Gretchen McNeil comes a deliciously eerie science-fiction horror story in the tradition of Lisa McMann's Wake trilogy and the movie Sliding Doors.
Josie Byrne's life is spiraling out of control. And just when she thinks it can't get worse, she wakes to an image of herself in the bedroom mirror. Except it's not her at all—the girl in the mirror is blonder and prettier. And her name is Jo.
The two girls are doppelgängers whose universes overlap every twelve hours at 3:59. Fascinated by Jo's perfect world, Josie jumps at the chance to pass through the portal and switch places for a day.
But Jo's world is far from perfect, and the stuff of nightmares lurks around every corner. And when Josie finds herself trapped there, her life becomes more dangerous—and more deadly—than she ever imagined.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Singer. Writer. Clown.

Gretchen is repped by Ginger Clark of Curtis Brown. Her YA horror/paranormal POSSESS debuts with Balzer + Bray for HarperCollins, August 23, 2011. Her second novel, TEN – YA horror/suspense about ten teens trapped on a remote island with a serial killer – also with Balzer + Bray is tentatively scheduled for a Fall 2012 release.


Gretchen is a former coloratura soprano, the voice of Mary on G4′s Code Monkeys and she currently sings with the LA-based circus troupe Cirque Berzerk. She is a founding member of vlog group the YARebels where she can be seen as “Monday,” and she is an active member of both The Enchanted Inkpot, a group blog of YA and middle grade fantasy writers, and The Apocalypsies, a group blog of 2012 children’s debut authors.

You can find Gretchen on Twitter, Facebook, and on her blog.

AND -- she always wears FABULOUS SHOES!  

AMAZON | BARNES AND NOBLE | BOOK DEPOSITORY

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER

MY THOUGHTS 

LOVED IT

Josie is having a bad day and it just seems to get worse.  She just found out her parents are divorcing, her science experiment that she hopes will lead her to dream college isn't cooperating and her boyfriend, Nick, cheated on her -- with her "best" friend.  Now it seems the whole high school is picking on her, making snide jokes as well as lots of typical whispers.  Oh, and her brother has cancer.  Yep, her life sucks.  So when she sees another Josie in her bedroom mirror, one who is a bit prettier, a bit blonder, a girl known as Jo.  Seeing another world, she wonders if she can put her universe back together and have a chance at normal again, even for a day.  Meanwhile, there is a serial killer on the loose.

Jo, the girl in the mirror, is actually Josie in a parallel universe, one where she isn't walked on, and Josie finds that their lives link up every twelve hours at 3:59.  Except everything isn't always greener on the other side. Josie finds that even though she has her boyfriend back and he treats her much better.  Instead of a serial killer, there are The Nox, which are the things of nightmares.  So even with a better version of herself, there are still downsides.

There are a lot of twists and turns in this story, some of which are surprising and some I guessed.  I guess this would be a sci-fi thriller, with a good balance between the two.  I love those sciencey things!  The whole idea of Josie excelling at math and science is something I adore in female characters. There needs to be a lot more of those!  I really have to applaud Gretchen for coming up with this plot.  The characters are all given the chance to show both sides.  I could really see this as a movie like Freaky Friday in the Twilight Zone.  I seem to have been reading a lot of books in this genre lately.  

A SIGNED copy of 3:59 – 7 winners

A SIGNED copy of TEN – 7 winners

An eBook of TEN – 7 winners will receive a coupon for download

 Must be 13 or older to enter - Giveaway is US only for physical books, International for eBooks

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway SWEET LEGACY by TERA LYNN CHILDS - EXCERPT with Gretchen @teralynnchilds @HarperTeen

Book Description

Publication Date: September 3, 2013

The stunning conclusion of Tera Lynn Childs's Greek mythology–based Sweet Venom trilogy is perfect for teen fans of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson series.

The girls cannot hesitate as they seek the location of the lost door between the realms, even as monsters and the gods of Olympus descend on San Francisco in battle-ready droves.

Greer has always known she was privileged, though she had no idea how special her second sight made her, even among her triplet monster-fighting sisters. But when a god starts playing with her mind, can Greer step up in her pretty high heels to prevent anything from stopping her sisters’ mission?

Grace loves her adopted brother, Thane, but now that he’s back and has joined her sisters’ team, it’s clear his past is full of dark mysteries. She wants to trust him, but will Thane’s secret put the girls in even more danger?

Gretchen knows she can rely on her sisters to help her stop the monsters. But after getting to know some of the beasties in the abyss, she finds her role as a huntress comes with more responsibility than she ever imagined. How can she know what her birthright demands of her now?

The girls cannot hesitate as they seek the location of the lost door between the realms, even as monsters and gods descend on San Francisco in battle-ready droves. In this exciting conclusion to the Sweet Venom trilogy, these teenage heirs of Medusa must seek the truth, answer the ancient riddles, and claim their immortal legacy.

BUY 

• Indiebound (hardcover)
• Amazon (hardcover | kindle)
• Apple (ibookstore)
• Barnes & Noble (hardcover | nook)
• Books-a-Million (hardcover)
• Book Depository (hardcover)

EXCERPT

I place my hand around Nick’s wrist and—without waiting for him to respond—pull him after me. Seeking a better strategic position, I move up, over onto the nearest boulder. He follows right behind and I release my grip so I can move stealthily.

Belly-crawling across the smooth surface, I inch toward the edge of the rock, toward the sound that could be a million things. A million dark and nasties.

Whatever it is, I have to draw it away from my sisters.

As I lean forward, out over the edge to get a better view, I hold my breath. Surprise is a crucial advantage. Whatever is coming doesn’t know we’re here yet and I don’t want to give away our position until I’m ready.

I peer down, but can’t see anything in the inky space below. The shufflings stop. All but one. Then I hear a loud, Oof! Followed by a vehement, Shh!

“Sorry,“ a small voice says. “Not know we stopping.“

“Shhhh!“ Louder. And more irritated.

“If you no want Sillus—“

A loud smack, followed by an angry, “Shut. Up.“

Then a muffled, “Sorry,“ that sounds more like, “Rawry.“

I smile. Leaning out as far over the edge as possible, I can barely make out several shapes below in the faint glow. One gleams in the green light. Golden, metallic.

The golden maiden.

About the Author
Tera Lynn Childs is the award-winning author of the mythology-based OH. MY. GODS. and GODDESS BOOT CAMP, the mermaid tales FORGIVE MY FINS, FINS ARE FOREVER, and JUST FOR FINS (July 3rd, 2012), and a new trilogy about monster-hunting descendants of Medusa beginning with SWEET VENOM and SWEET SHADOWS (September 4, 2012). Tera lives nowhere in particular and spends her time writing wherever she can find a comfy chair and a steady stream of caffeinated beverages.

LINKS

• website http://teralynnchilds.com/
• twitter http://twitter.com/teralynnchilds
• facebook http://facebook.com/authortlc
• Sweet Legacy http://teralynnchilds.com/books/sweet-legacy/

WANT TO WIN SOME TERA LYNN CHILD'S BOOKS?  

I ALSO HAVE SOME REALLY COOL BOOKMARKS TO 5 PEOPLE WHO LEAVE A COMMENT! 

Ends 
US - Canada Only - No PO Boxes
Open only to those who can legally enter
Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded.
No purchase necessary.
You must be 13 or older to enter .
The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.
The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
Giveaway was organized by BookHounds and sponsored by the publisher.
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Review Interview CONJURED by SARAH BETH DURST @sarahbethdurst @bwkids

Book Description

Publication Date: September 3, 2013

Eve has a new home, a new face, and a new name—but no memories of her past. She’s been told that she's in a witness protection program. That she escaped a dangerous magic-wielding serial killer who still hunts her. The only thing she knows for sure is that there is something horrifying in her memories the people hiding her want to access—and there is nothing they won’t say—or do—to her to get her to remember.

At night she dreams of a tattered carnival tent and buttons being sewn into her skin. But during the day, she shelves books at the local library, trying to not let anyone know that she can do things—things like change the color of her eyes or walk through walls. When she does use her strange powers, she blacks out and is drawn into terrifying visions, returning to find that days or weeks have passed—and she’s lost all short-term memories. Eve must find out who and what she really is before the killer finds her—but the truth may be more dangerous than anyone could have ever imagined.

SOURCE:  PUBLISHER / NETGALLEY

MY THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Eve doesn't remember anything about her past life except little blips of information and the surgeries to change her appearance.  Now in a witness protection program, she is told she must remember her past so others won't die.  She first realizes that there is a problem with her past when strange things start to occur.  Her Aunt Nicki is really an agent assigned to protect her and Nicki's partner, Malcolm, tries to make her life as normal as possible.  Whatever normal is for her since she has discovered that she can do things like make the birds on the wallpaper in her room fly around.  Malcolm does try to help her become more "normal" by getting her a job at a library where she meets Zach.   Zach and Eve make an instant connection and while touching Zach, Eve can use her magic without the side effect of blacking out and losing newly gained memories.  When she does blackout, she has horrible  visions of her past that fill her with fear.

Malcolm and Nicki's boss, Lou, wants to press her to regain her memory quicker, so he introduces her to other teens like her.  They can all use magic without losing consciousness and even though they befriend her, she senses something just isn't right. One of the boys, Aidan, tries to romantically entangle her and pull her away from Zach.   As Eve starts to connect more with her memories, the more she begins to fear what she has witnessed.  She begins to fear the other teens, the agents of the WitSec program and even herself.  Forced to face her fears, she discovers that she is from another world and in order to save others from harm, she must go back to where she came from.

This story really captured my attention since it seemed to mix the best of the Twilight Zone with Men in Black in more of a horror-thriller type tale.  The passages where Eve has her visions are the stuff of your worst nightmares.  As Eve starts to remember her past, the horrors just keep on coming.  Even nice, normal Zach has some horror in his past bringing to light some domestic abuse in his own family.  The love story around this pair is one for the ages.  The last third of the book had me guessing and I never imagined the ending.  Parents:  some language, some magical kissing and a bit of violent imagery.

About the Author
SARAH BETH DURST is the author of the young adult novels Vessel, Drink Slay Love, Enchanted Ivy, and Ice, as well as the middle grade novels Into the Wild and Out of the Wild. She has been a finalist for SFWA's Andre Norton Award three times, for Vessel, Ice, and Into the Wild. Sarah lives with her husband and children in Stony Brook, New York. Visit her at SarahBethDurst.com.

WEBSITE * TWITTER * FACEBOOK  * GOODREADS

PLEASE WELCOME SARAH BETH TO BOOKHOUNDS

1.    Do you have a secret talent?

I can summon dolphins with the power of my voice. Okay, that's not true. The dolphins flock to me of their own volition. No, seriously, I don't have a secret talent. I wish I did. But the fact is that I don't even know how to whistle.

2. Is there a song that really reminds you of your book?

"Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men. I have no clue what the song is about, and the lyrics have nothing to do with CONJURED. But the manic feel to the song, the hint of longing, the carnival-like instruments... it reminds me of Eve's life.

3. What was the easiest thing about writing this book?

The visions. In CONJURED, Eve has no memories but lots of bizarre powers. Every time she uses her power, she blacks out and experiences terrifying visions. The visions were so much fun to write. Definitely some of the creepiest sentences ever to crawl out of my fingertips.

4. Is there a word you love to use? 

I love the word "azure. " I don't get much chance to use it because, really, how many times can you say, "The sky looks azure tonight, " before you start to sound pretentious? (I can tell you: zero.)

5. Any real or imaginary pets? 

One real: my evil cat, Perni. She hates everyone except me (on occasion and only if I do NOT try to pet her belly). I once tried to have an imaginary pet griffin, but Perni ate him.

Thanks so much for interviewing me!

WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK? US ONLY

Ends 9/13/13
No PO Boxes
Open only to those who can legally enter
Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded.
No purchase necessary.
You must be 13 or older to enter .
The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.
The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
Giveaway was organized by BookHounds and sponsored by the publisher.
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure  I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review.  If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!  

September is for Sequels Giveaway Hop WIN 2 ARCs

Welcome to the SEPTEMBER IS FOR SEQUELS Giveaway Hop

This hop is hosted by 

I Am A Reader (HERE) and

fellow dachshund mommy   - Lisa Loves Literature (HERE)

There are around 100 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts September 2nd and ends on September 9th,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

Want to win this set of books?

Contest is open to anyone over 13 years old with a US mailing address, PO Boxes are OK!  

Contest ends on 9.9.13 Winner will be chosen by Random.org 
WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED IN THE COMMENTS OF THIS POST

Winner will have 48 hours to respond to email or a new winner will be chosen. Void where prohibited.

This giveaway is sponsored by me and ONE set is available.



Complete the below form 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

SIGN UPS NOW OPEN Banned Book Week Giveaway Hop!

(your choice of buttons!)

Announcing the 3rd Annual Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop
 Hosted by Kathy at I AM A READER and BookHounds

September 22nd to September 28th

 This will run similar to the hops I usually host but will have a requirement that you give away a banned or challenged book or include information about Banned Book Week as part of your giveaway post.

 The dates for the hop are September 22nd to September 28th

 RULES:

 1. The Banned Books Week Giveaway Hop Images needs to be part of your post.

2. Include the linky list with all the participating blogs at the end of your post OR link to this blog &; IAmAReader.com

3. You giveaway must be related to Banned Book Week – You can giveaway a book that has been banned or challenged or if you are giving away a gift card you must post some information about Banned Book Week.

4. Keep It Simple!! Keep the way to enter your giveaway as simple as possible.
1 Mandatory entry and no more than 5 optional extra entries.
All entries must be able to be done on one visit to your blog –
Entries such as tweet once a day are NOT allowed (tweeting once is fine).
You must turn off word verification/CAPTCHA if you are requiring more than one comment for entries – If you are concerned about spam then enable comment moderation.
 If you are using Rafflecopter you can only have 6 possible entries per person.

5. This must be a giveaway specifically for this hop and must run only the 7 days this hop is scheduled.

 6. Keep your giveaway easy to find for the entire 7 days this hop is open.


 7. Your blog needs to be “family friendly”. To sign up to host a banned books week giveaway just add your blog or website to the linky below.
Please include your shipping information after your blog name.

Giveaway Interview A CAT'S TALE: PEANUT'S STORY by JUDY CROUSE @judyc3880

A Cat's Tale:  Peanut's Story
This book takes the reader through the happiness and hardships of a cat’s life, as seen through the eyes of a fantastic Calico named Peanut.
From being abandoned in a cardboard box as a tiny kitten to living the sweet life at a loving home in York County, Pennsylvania, Peanut recounts growing up in a world filled with dangers and abuse no kitty should have to go through. Many a cat has made their way into Peanut’s life, some to stay, welcomed as part of the family, and others who were just passing through. Each one has left a paw print on her heart and the heart’s of the people she owns.

 

About the Author Judy M. Crouse grew up in White Hall, Maryland. She has worked for twenty-five years as a temporary employee, and has collected many funny and strange tales along the way. Judy has written two books, A Cat’s Tale: Peanut’s Story and Temp Tales: An Exposé. Judy hopes Temp Tales: An Exposé will encourage others who have struggled with temporary staffing companies to join her in a crusade to win fair and equal working conditions for temporary employees nationwide. She also hopes A Cat's Tale: Peanut's Story will help people understand why it's so important to spay and neuter your cats, and stop abusing our furry friends. Judy currently resides in the beautiful countryside of York County, Pennsylvania, along with her husband, whom she lovingly refers to as her Knight on a Harley, and her dear cats.

Website *  Facebook *  Twitter 

PLEASE WELCOME JUDY TO BOOKHOUNDS!

1. What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child?

Black Beauty by Anna Sewell


2. What are you reading right now? 

The Complete Works of Oscar Wilde


3. How does your garden grow? 

Like mad, especially this year with all the rain and sultry steamy days.

4. What is the last thing you Googled?

 What is the cost of renewing a passport?

5. What makes you cringe? 

 Shaking hands with people I don’t know.

 WANT TO WIN A COPY OF THIS BOOK? US ONLY

Ends 9/12/13 Open only to those who can legally enter
Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded.
No purchase necessary.
You must be 13 or older to enter .
The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.
The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
Giveaway was organized by BookHounds and sponsored by the author.
VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway DiSEMBLANCE by SHANAE BRANHAM @DiSemblance WIN $50 @toobusyreading

DiSemblance
 Jason Tanner’s life has always been different from the ordinary citizen’s. It started when he was an infant and his parents were only teenagers. A computer science prodigy, Lloyd attended MIT but left a pariah in the eyes of the school’s dean—but a computer physics genius in the eyes of his primary investor. Then his theories and ideas created a holographic machine and their world shrunk as contact with the outside world became less and less frequent. A computer prodigy now himself, Jason is about to learn that the world never waits for you if you have the ability to change it: it will come for you. Detective Bruce Durante has been handed the case of the Comfort Killer, a serial killer so named because he appears to abduct terminally ill patients before returning their corpses to their families in refrigerated coffins. When he picks up the trail, it leads straight to the home of Lloyd Tanner. Jason has been living life through the world of Lloyd’s invention and wishing he could carry on a relationship with Boston, the beautiful girl next door. When his father is murdered and framed as the Comfort Killer, he is brought back to reality in a hurry. He is forced to destroy all of the planted evidence—and finds he is being targeted as the killer’s new fall guy. But the secrets of his father’s invention run deep and Jason, his brother Isaac,Boston, the Comfort Killer, and Detective Durante hurtle towards one another on a deadly collision course that leaves everyone’s life hanging in the balance.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Author Shanae Branham
I am a professional writer with a bachelor’s degree in creative writing and a minor in grammar. I have also attended several years of classes and workshops in screenplay writing at the Los Angeles Screenplay writer’s Expo. I love suspense thrillers and am a master at plot and character development. I enjoy stories with happy endings. I promise all my readers that when they put one of my books down or walk away from one of my movies, they will be enthused with excitement and joy. This does not mean there will not be some sad parts, because you have to feel the bitter in order to understand the sweet. In fact, I have struggled with Dyslexia my whole life, so you can imagine how overjoyed I was when DiSemblance won a Silver metal in the fantasy/science fiction category at the eLit awards in 2012.  

Website * Twitter * Facebook

 

Tour Schedule

 
BookBlast Giveaway
 $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
 Ends 9/13/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash.
Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you.
The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen.
This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified.
The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author.
 VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


  a Rafflecopter giveaway