BOOK BLAST & $100 GIVEAWAY: THE ONLY BOY by Jordan Locke

The Only Boy by Jordan Locke

Mary is stuck in Section One, living with three hundred women in a crumbling hospital. She wonders what life was like two centuries ago, before the Cleansing wiped out all the men. But the rules—the Matriarch's senseless rules—prevent her from exploring the vacant city to find out.

Taylor's got a dangerous secret: he's a boy. His compound's been destroyed, and he's been relocated to Section One. Living under the Matriarch means giving up possessions, eating canned food and avoiding all physical contact. Baggy clothes hide his flat chest and skinny legs, but if anyone discovers what lies beneath, he'll be exiled. Maybe even executed.

Mary's never seen a boy—the Matriarch cut the pictures of men from the textbooks—and she doesn't suspect Taylor's secret. If she knew, she might understand the need to stop the girls from teasing him. If she knew, she might realize why she breaks the rules, just to be near him. Then again, she might be frightened to death of him.

Taylor should go. The Matriarch is watching his every move. But running means leaving Mary—and braving the land beyond the compound's boundaries.

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Praise for The Only Boy

“It’s not a dystopia that does a good job—it’s a great book that happens to be a dystopia.”
Rachel Miller, Editor

“This book is one of the best of its genre I have read, it kept me gripped to its satisfying end.”
Janet Love, Amazon UK Reviewer

“If you like a different take on the dystopian genre then I would highly recommend this unique and amazing book.”
Tamara Bass, The Avid Book Collector



Author Jordan Locke

Jordan Locke lives in Connecticut with his wife, two lively daughters and a well-behaved whippet. A graphic designer by trade, his creativity spilled over into the literary world. After years of writing, reading and learning the craft, his fifth novel, The Only Boy, brought him offers of representation from two well-known agents. Now, after the dog is fed and the kids are in bed, you will find him tapping away at the keyboard.

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Blast Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/31/14

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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


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GUEST REVIEW: THE VOW by Jessica Martinez

Title: The Vow

Author: Jessica Martinez

Publisher: Simon Pulse

Publication Date: October 15, 2013

Genres: YA, Contemporary Romance

Reviewed by: Ellen Fritz

Ellen’s rating: 4/5

SUMMARY

No one has ever believed that Mo and Annie are just friends. How can a guy and a girl really be best friends?

Then the summer before senior year, Mo’s father loses his job, and by extension his work visa. Instantly, life for Annie and Mo crumbles. Although Mo has lived in America for most of his life, he’ll be forced to move to Jordan. The prospect of leaving his home is devastating, and returning to a world where he no longer belongs terrifies him.

Desperate to save him, Annie proposes they tell a colossal lie—that they are in love. Mo agrees because marrying Annie is the only way he can stay. Annie just wants to keep her best friend, but what happens when it becomes a choice between saving Mo and her own chance at real love?

  

REVIEW

Although The Vow is not exactly an edge-of-your-chair, adrenalin rush inducing read, I found myself unable to put it down. Mo doesn't want to return to Jordan, and Annie is determined to help him remain in America. For them to marry and hence, secure immigration for Mo, seems to be a very obvious answer to the problem. Only, did Annie and Mo stop to consider questions like immigration fraud and the hazards of living together?

The magic of this book is in the characters. Annie, a lonely girl, unable to move past her sister's disappearance, befriends an equally lonely and displaced Mo; the kind of person who puts everything into a friendship, is extremely loyal and will sacrifice everything to help a friend, Annie commits to helping Mo realize his dream of studying and living in America. All this at the most likely cost of her own chance at a real love interest.

Mo, on the other hand, is a bit less mature than Annie and, at times, even childish. Despite this he is, however, wonderfully funny. Mo's sharp wit and slightly acid-tongued dialogue often made me laugh out loud. The nail-biting suspense in this book happens when you know that Mo's smart mouth is going to get him into enormous trouble; something that happens with refreshing regularity.

Then there is Reed, every girl's dream of a handsome, sweet natured guy. At first he seems rude but eventually he thaws to become a truly kind and, in the end, forgiving person.

For those who love a good, tender romance with a healthy dash of the poignant, The Vow will more than satisfy you. Although it looks like there would be a love triangle between Annie, Mo and Reed, this fortunately doesn't happen in the true and very clichéd sense of the word.

For a story that will warm your heart and often make you laugh, I recommend The Vow as a satisfying and fulfilling read.

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ABOUT the AUTHOR

My name is Jessica Martinez, and long before I was a writer, I was a musician. When I was three years old my parents wedged a violin under my chin. I loved it, it loved me, and then classical music ate up the next 15 years of my life.

Somehow, between practicing and lessons and concerts and competitions, I managed to fall in love with books too. I was the girl who always had a novel tucked into her violin case, because I just never knew when my mom was going to forget to pick me up from orchestra. In my mom’s defense, this only happened when she was driving one of my siblings to a cello/piano/flute/ukulele lesson. (My family: think Malcolm in the Middle meets The Sound of Music. Basically, musical hooligans minus the leiderhosen.) Miraculously, I emerged from the pressure cooker of classical music unscathed. Or nearly. The raging insomnia lives on, but I have learned to embrace it.

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RIPPLE EFFECT ROMANCE BLOG TOUR: REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: LOST AND FOUND by Karey White

Title: Lost and Found

Series: Ripple Effect Romance Novellas, #4

Author: Karey White

Publisher: HEA Publishing

Publication Date: April 21, 2014

Genre: Clean Romance

Reviewed by: Angie Edwards

Source: Received for blog tour review

My rating: 4/5

SUMMARY

Lydia was supposed to have an adventurous and exciting summer. Instead she's done nothing more than read and eat takeout. Now it's time to go home, and what does she have to show for it? A big fat nothing. Unless, of course, her trip to the airport somehow turns into something more than just a flight home. 

Blake feels like he's been sent on a wild goose chase. While work is piling up back in Denver, he's on the other side of the country, hunting for some mysterious box that his grandfather left him. Well, no more. Nothing inside that box could possibly be more important than the opportunity to make it as the youngest partner at his firm. So he's going home, and that's that. But that's before he discovers his flight has been cancelled. 

When these two strangers meet at the airport, they make a split-second decision to search for the box together. Maybe with both of them on the hunt, Lydia can have her adventure and Blake can find the box. And maybe, if they’re lucky, they’ll even find some romance.

REVIEW

Lost and Found turned out to be a surprisingly heart-warming and adventurous read with a touch of mystery! In the previous novella, we get to meet Lydia’s character. In Lost and Found her story continues, and we get to know her even better. Both her and Blake’s characters are so realistic, it’s easy to identify with them. They both have flaws and certain personality traits which make them so much more endearing to the reader. The story is filled with adventure and engaging dialogue, and even though it wraps up with these two lovely people falling in love, their journey to that pivotal moment is light-hearted, intriguing, and romantic. I’m having such a great time reading this series, and now it’s off to book five!

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ABOUT the AUTHOR

I am the oldest of eleven children, born to parents who were either saints or crazy, maybe both. They thought we were all capable of being professional athletes or broadway stars. They weren't right, of course, but they did help us have self-confidence.

Nothing makes me happier than being with family and friends eating good food, sharing good conversation and a few laughs. That might be why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.

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REVIEW: THE RATASTROPHE CATASTROPHE by David Lee Stone

Title: The Ratastrophe Catastrophe

Series: The Illmoor Chronicles, #1

Author: David Lee Stone

Publisher: Open Road Media

Publication Date: February 25, 2014

Genres: YA, Fantasy, Humor

Reviewed by: Angie Edwards

Source: From publisher via NetGalley

My rating: 3/5

SUMMARY

Diek Wutspah is a normal shepard boy. That is until a dark, evil magic roots itself within him instilling him with the power to charm man and beast with his magic flute. When the ancient town of Illmoor is plagued by an infestation of giant rats, Diek offers to lead the rodents to their doom. But when the dim-witted Duke of Illmoor refuses to reward him, Diek seeks revenge by kidnapping the town's children. Just when it seems the children are gone for good, a team of misfit mercenaries - Groan, a buck-toothed Giant, Gordo, a wise-cracking dwarf, and Tambor, a has-been sorcerer - set out on a bumbling journey to stop Diek, and save the children. But will it be too late?

REVIEW

I was both hesitant and excited to read this retelling of a favorite classic. But in the end, I was happy with how it turned out to be something distinctively different from the original, yet still doing justice to the much-loved fable on which it is based.

Dullitch is a fascinating city, richly imagined and elaborated upon. Filled with humans and all sorts of creatures such as trolls, sprites, pixies ogres, dwarves, elves, giants, and gnomes, it ensures an interesting plot that would keep the fantasy fanatic riveted. The story also has its fair share of humor, and whatever it lacks in other areas – specifically the disjointed writing - it makes up for with a few hilarious scenes. Here’s one that had me laughing right at the start.

“What is it, lad”?

The boy turned and looked up at his father, his smile was apprehensive. “I thought I heard something, Dad.”

“That’ll be the cattle cart,” said his father, quietly grateful that his son had stopped playing; Diek’s musical ability suggested possible employment in the torture trade.

Mr. Wustapha looked out over a broad expanse of west-country farmland, his brow creased. A few cows in the field opposite had wandered over to the gate and were mooching idly about.

“No, it was more like a feeling than a sound. I thought I felt something.”

“Well, that’ll be your dinner,” his father continued, reflecting on years of terror at the dinner table. Mrs. Wustapha was one of a long line of cooks on her mother’s side of the family. He hoped fervently she would be the last.

Even though I found the writing to be a little off-balance with sudden scene transitions, I was impressed by the amount of work the author put into fleshing out each character, as well as the in-depth world building that made me feel part of the realm of Illmoor. The characters are what drive this hilarious spin on the classic fable of the Pied Piper. Each character is uniquely flawed, and stands apart from the rest. The plot is filled with twists and surprises, and the ending is not what you’d expect.

Overall, this was a fun read which reads so effortlessly I finished it in no time. Apart from the very simplistic writing which was sometimes more a miss than a hit, I still had a great time reading The Ratastrophe Catastrophe (try saying it five times really fast, I dare you)! I might actually read the rest of the series sometime.

  

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GUEST REVIEW: STUNG (Stung, #1) by Bethany Wiggins

Title: Stung

Series: Stung, #1

Author: Bethany Wiggins

Publisher: Walker Children’s

Publication Date: April 2, 2013

Genres: YA, Dystopian, Sci-fi

Reviewed by: Ellen Fritz

Ellen’s rating: 5/5

SUMMARY

There is no cure for being stung.

Fiona doesn’t remember going to sleep. But when she opens her eyes, she discovers her entire world has been altered—her house is abandoned and broken, and the entire neighborhood is barren and dead. Even stranger is the tattoo on her right hand—a black oval with five marks on either side—that she doesn’t remember getting but somehow knows she must cover at any cost. She’s right.

Those bearing the tattoo have turned into mindless, violent beasts that roam the streets and sewers, preying upon the unbranded while a select few live protected inside a fortress-like wall, their lives devoted to rebuilding society and killing all who bear the mark.

Now Fiona has awakened branded, alone—and on the wrong side of the wall.

REVIEW

Stung is a thrilling, sometimes horrific, yet romantic tale that captivated me from the very beginning. When Fiona Tarsis, the main character, wakes up on her own bed, everything is different. Her home seems to have been in a state of neglect and abandonment for a very long time, the outside world is a desolate wasteland populated by beasts, and she is no longer a thirteen-year-old girl.

This is the kind of start to a book that is bound to grab my attention and hold it until answers to the mystery are found. The author fortunately does not provide the answers right away but keeps the reader guessing throughout the story, only supplying all the pieces of the puzzle towards the end.

Stung presents a new and refreshing take on the futuristic, changed world theme. In this case the world isn't overrun by zombies, but by beasts. I, however, thought the raiders who roam the part of the city outside the wall, to be just as dangerous as the tattoo-marked beasts. Then there is the militia, supposed to be the good, law-keeping guys, whose loyalties are so doubtful that I wondered who the true beasts in this story were. As in all chaotic societies, there are those who will exploit the circumstances for personal gain.  

Fiona is a strong, realistic female lead. Dreyden Bowen, as the other main character, is a bit of an enigma in the beginning. Because of some genetic tampering with the natural order of things, siblings are forced to fight to the death, middle aged people are terminated when they get to the age of fifty-five, and families are split because of a simple tattoo.

For those who love a bit of romance in a book, Stung will more than satisfy you. As impossibly difficult and often heart breaking choices and sacrifices need to be made, you may need to keep the Kleenex close at hand.

For a never-a-dull moment read full of suspense and romance, I highly recommend Stung as a more than worthwhile read.

PURCHASE LINKS

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ABOUT the AUTHOR

Bethany Wiggins has always been an avid reader, but not an avid student. Seriously! She failed ninth grade English because she read novels instead of doing her homework. In high school, she sat alone at lunch and read massive hardback fantasy novels (Tad Williams and Robert Jordan anyone?). It wasn't until the end of her senior year that the other students realized she was reading fiction--not the Bible.

Once upon a time, Bethany's sister dared her to start writing an hour a day until she completed a novel. Bethany wrote a seven-hundred page fantasy novel that she wisely let no one read--but it taught her how to write. Since then she has penned SHIFTING (2011), STUNG (2013), and CURED (2014).

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GUEST REVIEW: SKY JUMPERS (Sky Jumpers, #1) by Peggy Eddleman

Title: Sky Jumpers

Series: Sky Jumpers, #1

Author: Peggy Eddleman

Publisher: Random House Children’s Books

Publication Date: September 24, 2013

Genres: MG, Sci-fi, Fantasy

Reviewed by: Ellen Fritz

Ellen’s rating: 4/5

SUMMARY

What happens when you can’t do the one thing that matters most?

12-year-old Hope lives in White Rock, a town struggling to recover from the green bombs of World War III. The bombs destroyed almost everything that came before, so the skill that matters most in White Rock—sometimes it feels like the only thing that matters—is the ability to invent so that the world can regain some of what it’s lost.

But Hope is terrible at inventing and would much rather sneak off to cliff dive into the Bomb’s Breath—the deadly band of air that covers the crater the town lives in—than fail at yet another invention.

When bandits discover that White Rock has invented priceless antibiotics, they invade. The town must choose whether to hand over the medicine and die from disease in the coming months or to die fighting the bandits now. Hope and her friends, Aaren and Brock, might be the only ones who can escape through the Bomb’s Breath and make the dangerous trek over the snow-covered mountain to get help.

For once, inventing isn’t the answer, but the daring and risk-taking that usually gets Hope into trouble might just save them all.

REVIEW

Although Sky Jumpers is clearly a book for younger readers, I enjoyed it as much as I would have when I was twelve. In a world mostly destroyed by the green bombs of World War III, all known technology is gone. The strength and properties of most metals have been changed and magnets can no longer be created. Progress and survival lies in agriculture and inventions. Apart from the dangerous, ruthless bandits roaming the plains between towns and settlements, the ever present Bomb's Breath at high altitudes is the main threat. Could said Bomb's Breath be used to benefit the remainder of mankind as either a weapon or as part of an invention?

Though not always quite as realistic as one would hope, Sky Jumpers is an exciting, suspenseful read. Starting with a couple of extremely adventurous kids cliff diving into the lethal Bomb's Breath, the story progresses to bandit attacks, journeys through vicious snow storms, and even some highly exciting stunt riding. 

Hope, the main character, is rather useless at inventing but her bravery knows no bounds. Fortunately she is a born leader and proves her worth when bandits try to take the valuable Ameiphus antibiotic from the town of White Rock. The other two main characters, Aaren and Brock, are likable and probably even more realistically crafted than Hope. I particularly liked the silent Brock who accomplishes more than most without ever saying much.

The whole book is a tale of adventure but the action gets particularly riveting towards the conclusion of the story. I recommend Sky Jumpers as a safe, clean and yet thrilling read for younger readers.

PURCHASE LINKS

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ABOUT the AUTHOR

Peggy Eddleman is the author of the middle grade post-apocalyptic adventure SKY JUMPERS (Random House), and the forthcoming THE FORBIDDEN FLATS (Random House). She lives at the foot of the Wasatch Mountains with her three hilarious and fun kids (two sons and a daughter), and her incredibly supportive husband. Besides writing, Peggy enjoys playing laser tag with her family, doing cartwheels in long hallways, trying new restaurants, and occasionally painting murals on walls.

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GUEST REVIEW: RUBY RED (Edelstein Trilogy, #1) by Kerstin Gier

Title: Ruby Red

Series: Edelstein Trilogy, #1

Author: Kerstin Gier

Publisher: Henry Holt

Publication Date: May 10, 2011

Genres: YA, Fantasy

Reviewed by: Ellen Fritz

Ellen’s rating: 5/5

SUMMARY

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

REVIEW

Comfortably paced with prose that flows naturally, I certainly did not want this book to end. When Gwyneth turns out to be the one carrying the time-travel gene, her aunt Glenda and cousin Charlotte is jealous, her mother is worried, and several other people are quite pleased. Apart from being able to see ghosts, Gwyneth's life had been perfectly normal. This is about to change drastically, but fortunately, she has her friend, Lesley, who believes her and fully supports her.

As time travel is one of my very favorite topics for a book, I couldn't put Ruby Red down. The brilliantly realistic characters immediately captivated me. Despite her weird family and the fact that her cousin, Charlotte, is believed to have inherited the time-travel gene, Gwyneth is just a normal school girl. Imagine her astonishment when she unexpectedly plunges from her time to another time with vintage cars and people who are rude when she asks them what year it is. Totally unprepared for all this, she only has the snooty, rather hostile Gideon to assist her through the first few jumps back in time.

Gwyneth is rather stoic about all these new developments but when she has to kill somebody in the eighteenth century, she freaks out. I really didn't like Gideon at first but he redeems himself a bit during the course of the book. At the end of the book I still have no idea who of the guardians to trust; Falk De Villiers with his strange eyes, or the unfriendly doctor White. There is also no clear line between good guys or bad in this story thus keeping the reader guessing and making sure that we'll move onto the next book in the series to find out.

The author splendidly keeps all the characters realistic in their own period. I laughed out loud when Gwyneth wondered whether the eighteenth century character, Rakoczy from Transylvania, could perhaps be Dracula.

Full of excitement, intrigue, a couple of hilarious scenes and even a touch of romance, Ruby Red is a thrilling read that I gladly recommend to readers of all ages.

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BOOKS ON MY WISHLIST FOR 2014!

Title: Talon

Series: Talon, #1

Author: Julie Kagawa

Expected Publication Date: October 28, 2014

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

SUMMARY

Long ago, dragons were hunted to near extinction by the Order of St. George, a legendary society of dragon slayers. Hiding in human form and growing their numbers in secret, the dragons of Talon have become strong and cunning, and they're positioned to take over the world with humans none the wiser.

Ember and Dante Hill are the only sister and brother known to dragonkind. Trained to infiltrate society, Ember wants to live the teen experience and enjoy a summer of freedom before taking her destined place in Talon. But destiny is a matter of perspective, and a rogue dragon will soon challenge everything Ember has been taught. As Ember struggles to accept her future, she and her brother are hunted by the Order of St. George.

Soldier Garret Xavier Sebastian has a mission to seek and destroy all dragons, and Talon's newest recruits in particular. But he cannot kill unless he is certain he has found his prey: and nothing is certain about Ember Hill. Faced with Ember's bravery, confidence and all-too-human desires, Garret begins to question everything that the Order has ingrained in him: and what he might be willing to give up to find the truth about dragons.

Title: The Vault of Dreamers

Author: Caragh M. O’Brien

Expected Publication Date: September 16, 2014

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press

SUMMARY

The Forge School is the most prestigious arts school in the country. The secret to its success:  every moment of the students' lives is televised as part of the insanely popular Forge Show, and the students' schedule includes twelve hours of induced sleep meant to enhance creativity. But when first year student Rosie Sinclair skips her sleeping pill, she discovers there is something off about Forge. In fact, she suspects that there are sinister things going on deep below the reaches of the cameras in the school. What's worse is, she starts to notice that the edges of her consciousness do not feel quite right. And soon, she unearths the ghastly secret that the Forge School is hiding—and what it truly means to dream there.

Title: Shadowboxer

Author: Tricia Sullivan

Expected Publication Date: October 28, 2014

Publisher: Ravenstone

SUMMARY

Thai martial arts, international crime, celebrity and mythical creatures combine in this masterful new tale of two kids facing incredible dangers, from multiple award-winning author Tricia Sullivan. 

Nothing she's faced in the cage will prepare her... 

Jade is a young mixed martial arts fighter. When she's in the cage she dominates her opponents--but in real life she's out of control. 
After she has a confrontation with a Hollywood martial arts star that threatens her gym's reputation, Jade's coach sends her to a training camp in Thailand for an attitude adjustment. Hoping to discover herself, she instead uncovers a shocking conspiracy. In a world just beyond our own, a man is stealing the souls of children to try and live forever.

Title: The Cure for Dreaming

Author: Cat Winters

Expected Publication Date: October 14, 2014

Publisher: Amulet Books

SUMMARY

Olivia Mead is a headstrong, independent girl—a suffragist—in an age that prefers its girls to be docile. It’s 1900 in Oregon, and Olivia’s father, concerned that she’s headed for trouble, convinces a stage mesmerist to try to hypnotize the rebellion out of her. But the hypnotist, an intriguing young man named Henri Reverie, gives her a terrible gift instead: she’s able to see people’s true natures, manifesting as visions of darkness and goodness, while also unable to speak her true thoughts out loud. These supernatural challenges only make Olivia more determined to speak her mind, and so she’s drawn into a dangerous relationship with the hypnotist and his mysterious motives, all while secretly fighting for the rights of women. Winters breathes new life into history once again with an atmospheric, vividly real story, including archival photos and art from the period throughout.

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