kariny's book frenzy : February 2015

ARCs from authors

MOONLANDS REVIEW

February 28, 2015

2 Comments

standalones

February 25, 2015

4 Comments

with

Hello everyone! So i'm so excited for all of you to read Rachel's interview! For those of you who don't know, Rachel is the author of the Black Mage. Both books in the series have received an Astounding and well deserved five stars from my blog. If you want to check out the reviews, just click on the cover below!

ABOUT RACHEL
Rachel E. Carter lives in Placerville, California with her fiancé and their two spoiled pets: a feisty feline named Charlie, and Zoey, an Australian Shepherd who gets jealous of her own shadow. She loves to organize –and when she is not color-coding her closet she is always looking for the next good book. She grew up reading about magic, hot bad boys, and lady knights. The Black Mage, her debut series, is a tribute to all the things she never stopped loving.

THE INTERVIEW

1. How did you get inspired to write “The Black Mage” series?

My true inspiration came from a song I listened to in 7th grade (yea, that’s right, over 10 years ago!). I always get my favorite book/scene ideas when I listen to music. Anyways with the song I envisioned a guy & girl who were dueling in a huge arena with magic. They were rivals but you could tell there were some feelings involved that made it difficult to fight one another. Thus the concept of the Candidacy (a gladiator-style tournament with magic) and Ryiah/Darren were born.

2. How did you feel when you held a tangible copy of your book for the first time?

I freaked out. Pretty much broke down sobbing. I don’t think anything will ever equate to that moment.

3. Who is you favorite YA author and why?

I don’t really have just one, but if I had to I’d say it’s Tamora Pierce hands down. No one will ever be able to replicate her world-building, her kick-butt protagonists, her side characters, her awesome battle scenes, her magic… the list could go on forever. I have many favorite authors but Tamora Pierce is truly a queen in her own right.

4. Which character did you have the most fun writing about?

Darren. I love his hot and cold personality and his back-and-forth dialogue with Ryiah. He’s complicated and his character evolves continuously over this series. I feel like readers never really know whether or not to trust him, and even after the second book is over he’s never what someone would describe as “safe.” He’s Mr. Complicated and I can’t wait for readers to learn more about his past in book three.

5. Are you planning anything else after this series?

Ohhhh, so many more books and series. I have a list on my computer that is a mile long but I only trust myself to write one series at a time.

6. Can you tell us a little bit about your journey from your draft to publication? Did you encounter any problems?

I quit my full-time job to work part-time and write two full days a week after I had written the first draft of “First Year.” Then it took me 4 months to finish, and when I did I really thought I was done. Words of wisdom: you are never, ever done with your first draft. And mine was particularly terrible: info-dumping and a very boring beginning (nothing like what people read in the book)… Needless to say, I queried agents too soon and got rejections. I spent months editing my manuscript and doing several rewrites until I finally got to a draft that landed me my publishing deal.

7. What is your writing routine?

I have two full days off during the week to write, but most of the time is spent staring at the computer. My writing comes in waves, some weeks I do crazy word counts and the others I’m lucky to get a paragraph. When I do write each book’s plot is already broken down by chapter in advance with an expected word count, so that helps keep me on track. I also have book playlists on my iTunes so I have theme music for a lot of scenes I write and that helps. And coffee and Diet Dr. Pepper, because this writer needs a lot of caffeine.

8. How do you deal with writer's block???

Scream, cry, throw things… then do nothing. Stop trying and watch Netflix. Eat junk food. Clean the house. Read a good book. Then try to write again. Sometimes you just need to take a break from it, but never let yourself stay away more than a week. If it persists I download a new CD, because sometimes I just need new music to be inspired.

9. Any advice for future writers??

Read, read, read all your fave books/authors and study what works. Invent a style of your own and write what you always wanted to read. Don’t write because you want to make money/write the next big trend, write what you are passionate about because readers will be able to recognize that and hopefully share your passion!

EITHER OR

1. Hardcover or paperback? Paperback. Hardbacks don’t fit in my bookcase and they mess up my system.

2. coffee or hot chocolate? COFFEE! Iced coffee with 2% milk, no sugar –from Starbucks, to be exact.

3. Pizza or burgers? PIZZA. Vegetarian or chicken pesto!

4.Hunger Games or Divergent? Hunger Games, hands down!

I would like to thank Rachel for doing this interview!! <3 her answers! Don't forget to check out her books guys!!

February 24, 2015

2 Comments

February 23, 2015

0 Comments

faeries

February 22, 2015

0 Comments

ARCs from authors

February 20, 2015

0 Comments

February 19, 2015

10 Comments

ARCs from authors

February 18, 2015

2 Comments

ARCs from authors

February 17, 2015

0 Comments

blitzes and cover reveals

We have been dying to bring you the Release Blitz for Jennifer L. Armentrout's THE RETURN! THE RETURN is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Titan Series. Seth is looking to be just as dangerously delicious as we all hoped!!

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Booksamillion

THE RETURN Synopsis: The Fates are cackling their bony asses off... It's been a year since Seth made the deal with the gods that pledged his life to them. And so far, the jobs they've given him have been violent and bloody--which is kind of all right with him. But now Apollo has something else in mind for Seth. He's got to play protector while keeping his hands and fingers off, and for someone who really has a problem with restraint, this new assignment might be the most challenging yet. Josie has no idea what this crazy hot guy's deal might be, but it's a good bet that his arrival means the new life she started after leaving home is about to be thrown into an Olympian-sized blender turned up to puree. Either Josie is going insane or a nightmare straight out of ancient myth is gunning for her. But it might be the unlikely attraction simmering between her and the golden-eyed, secret-keeping Seth that may prove to be the most dangerous thing of all. Because history has once again been flipped to repeat.

THE RETURN Excerpt: I was a half-blood, but I was also the Apollyon, a child of a pure and a half, a union that had been forbidden for thousands of years because an Apollyon was more powerful than any pure or half could ever hope to be. And I always got to the traitors’ hideouts before they did, so the Sentinels were usually left with the cleanup, which I was sure absolutely thrilled them. The first to enter was a female half-blood dressed just as I was. Her black hair was pulled back in a neat little knot at the top of her head. She was older, probably in her mid-thirties. It was pretty rare for a Sentinel to live that long. Her dark skin paled as she stopped just inside the entrance. She clenched titanium daggers in her hands like she expected something vicious to pop out from under the bloody mess. The female Sentinel tipped her chin up, and the overhead light sliced across her broad cheekbones. She bore a jagged scar under her right eye, the skin lighter in tone. She saw me and froze. My smile widened. Behind her, another Sentinel rushed in, almost mowing her over. He saw me and whispered, “Seth.” He’d said my name like I was the monster under his bed, and I sort of liked that. Then another Sentinel and another rolled in. The fifth took one look at my interior design work and keeled over. Slamming his hands on his knees, he hurled up his dinner. Nice. Our society existed completely unknown to the average mortal and had operated under what was known as the Breed Order for thousands of years. The Order had been dismantled, which meant halfs were no longer forced to choose between becoming Sentinels—hunting down violent creatures, protecting pures, enforcing laws, and otherwise usually dying pretty damn quickly on the job—or servants, which was a job that really wasn’t a job, but more like slavery. Since then, many pampered pures had signed on to be Sentinels, making up for the loss of the halfs who’d pretty much said “screw this shit, I’m out.” This wasn’t necessarily a good thing. For example, the dumbass puking all over my blood-covered floor was a pure. When he straightened, his face a greenish hue, he backed away, shaking his head. “I can’t,” he gasped out. “I can’t do this.” Then he turned and hauled ass out the doors. I sighed. This was why we couldn’t have nice things.

About Jennifer L. Armentrout: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.