Here's the full list of attending authors and the books they'll be signing:
Showing posts with label author spotlight. Show all posts
Showing posts with label author spotlight. Show all posts
12.16.2017
YA Fest 2018 Authors Announced!
Here's the full list of attending authors and the books they'll be signing:
9.30.2017
BOOKED THIS WEEKEND with Matthew Landis!
WHERE MY HAMILTON FANS AT?!
Looking for some new material to scratch your Hamilton itch? Then you must have heard of League of American Traitors by now.
Matt Landis used his love of history (not to mention creative genius) to write a book that's been called "a cross between Hamilton and National Treasure." It's got history, comedy, and off-color humor that, honestly would probably appeal to just about everybody.
As a history lover, it hit Matt hard to see students look like their souls were being sucked out of them during history classes. So he decided to write something that could be historically informative but with more fun, and less soul-sucking.
The end result was a little piece of awesome known as League of American Traitors.
Props, Matt. You've earned it.
Looking for some new material to scratch your Hamilton itch? Then you must have heard of League of American Traitors by now.
"Those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it...
When Jasper is approached at the funeral of his deadbeat father by a man claiming to be an associate of his deceased parents, he’s thrust into a world of secrets tied to America’s history—and he’s right at the heart of it.
First, Jasper finds out he is the sole surviving descendant of Benedict Arnold, the most notorious traitor in American history. Then he learns that his father’s death was no accident. Jasper is at the center of a war that has been going on for centuries, in which the descendants of the heroes and traitors of the American Revolution still duel to the death for the sake of their honor.
His only hope to escape his dangerous fate on his eighteenth birthday? Take up the research his father was pursuing at the time of his death, to clear Arnold’s name.
Whisked off to a boarding school populated by other descendants of notorious American traitors, it’s a race to discover the truth. But if Jasper doesn’t find a way to uncover the evidence his father was hunting for, he may end up paying for the sins of his forefathers with his own life."
Matt Landis used his love of history (not to mention creative genius) to write a book that's been called "a cross between Hamilton and National Treasure." It's got history, comedy, and off-color humor that, honestly would probably appeal to just about everybody.
As a history lover, it hit Matt hard to see students look like their souls were being sucked out of them during history classes. So he decided to write something that could be historically informative but with more fun, and less soul-sucking.
The end result was a little piece of awesome known as League of American Traitors.
Props, Matt. You've earned it.
5.06.2017
BOOKED THIS WEEKEND with the Tahereh Mafi
Where to begin with Tahereh Mafi?
First off, she's one of the most ethereally beautiful people we at EAPL have ever seen in our lives. (Seriously, I've polled several people and we all agree.) Secondly, married to Ransom Riggs. You may know him as the author of a little known series called Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children. I feel like these two are the peak of #relationshipgoals. Lastly, she's a pretty decent writer.
Tahereh is the author of the fabulously written Shatter Me trilogy, which begins with a girl who's been in solitary confinement at a mental asylum for almost a year after she accidentally murdered someone with her touch. That's right. She murdered someone. WITH HER TOUCH.
It was originally billed as Hunger Games meets X-Men, and how do you say no to that??
And, oh yea... how about with the insane reveal OMG THREE MORE SHATTER ME BOOKS ARE COMING!!!
No, seriously. We have proof that THIS. IS. HAPPENING.
See! We told you so! Entertainment Weekly gave us the big reveal, plus an interview with Tahereh about the continuation.
Here are the first three books in the series:
Shatter Me
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
Unravel Me
Tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.
Ignite Me
With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.
Book #4 (set to be released in March 2018) will be called Restore Me, and we even get a little tease of what it will be about:
OMG HOLY CRAP WE CAN'T WAIT
If you've never read the series, we can't recommend it enough. Book this weekend catching up with the first three books in the series. Ya know. Just because we want to make sure you're fully prepared for the release of book 4 next year.
Tahereh is the author of the fabulously written Shatter Me trilogy, which begins with a girl who's been in solitary confinement at a mental asylum for almost a year after she accidentally murdered someone with her touch. That's right. She murdered someone. WITH HER TOUCH.
It was originally billed as Hunger Games meets X-Men, and how do you say no to that??
And, oh yea... how about with the insane reveal OMG THREE MORE SHATTER ME BOOKS ARE COMING!!!
No, seriously. We have proof that THIS. IS. HAPPENING.
See! We told you so! Entertainment Weekly gave us the big reveal, plus an interview with Tahereh about the continuation.
Here are the first three books in the series:
Juliette hasn’t touched anyone in exactly 264 days.
The last time she did, it was an accident, but The Reestablishment locked her up for murder. No one knows why Juliette’s touch is fatal. As long as she doesn’t hurt anyone else, no one really cares. The world is too busy crumbling to pieces to pay attention to a 17-year-old girl. Diseases are destroying the population, food is hard to find, birds don’t fly anymore, and the clouds are the wrong color.
The Reestablishment said their way was the only way to fix things, so they threw Juliette in a cell. Now so many people are dead that the survivors are whispering war – and The Reestablishment has changed its mind. Maybe Juliette is more than a tortured soul stuffed into a poisonous body. Maybe she’s exactly what they need right now.
Juliette has to make a choice: Be a weapon. Or be a warrior.
Tick
tick
tick
tick
tick
it's almost
time for war.
Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. It is a place for people like her—people with gifts—and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.
She's finally free from The Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch.
Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.
In this exhilarating sequel to Shatter Me, Juliette has to make life-changing decisions between what she wants and what she thinks is right. Decisions that might involve choosing between her heart—and Adam's life.
With Omega Point destroyed, Juliette doesn’t know if the rebels, her friends, or even Adam are alive. But that won’t keep her from trying to take down The Reestablishment once and for all. Now she must rely on Warner, the handsome commander of Sector 45. The one person she never thought she could trust. The same person who saved her life. He promises to help Juliette master her powers and save their dying world . . . but that’s not all he wants with her.
Book #4 (set to be released in March 2018) will be called Restore Me, and we even get a little tease of what it will be about:
Juliette Ferrars thought she'd won. She took over Sector 45, was named the new Supreme Commander, and now has Warner by her side. But she's still the girl with the ability to kill with a single touch—and now she's got the whole world in the palm of her hand. When tragedy hits, who will she become? Will she be able to control the power she wields and use it for good?
OMG HOLY CRAP WE CAN'T WAIT
If you've never read the series, we can't recommend it enough. Book this weekend catching up with the first three books in the series. Ya know. Just because we want to make sure you're fully prepared for the release of book 4 next year.
Follow Tahereh in all the usual places (the Interwebz, FB, Twitter, IG, etc.). That way you can get the more info about books 5 and 6 as soon as it's available!
2.16.2017
Author Spotlight: Gryffyn Phoenix
Well folks, if you're up for some otherworldly adventure with a touch of romance, give Gryffyn Phoenix's worlds a whirl. Think Narnia, then add more drama and romance, and less lions and wardrobes. Huffpo (Huffington Post, yo) called it absolutely irresistible. International bestselling author, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro called Haven Awakening "disturbing and revelationary."
Intrigued yet? Good, you should be.
Now the author herself: Gryffyn Jade Phoenix. Um....like her name would have you believe: SHE IS MAGIC. And you can meet her at YA Fest, and just hope that maybe, some of her magic will rub off on you. Behold the majestic nature of the Gryffyn and the Phoenix!
Book summaries nabbed from her website!
Intrigued yet? Good, you should be.
Now the author herself: Gryffyn Jade Phoenix. Um....like her name would have you believe: SHE IS MAGIC. And you can meet her at YA Fest, and just hope that maybe, some of her magic will rub off on you. Behold the majestic nature of the Gryffyn and the Phoenix!
Book summaries nabbed from her website!
Haven Awakening:
Some things are better left unseen.
The kids at Haven have been waiting. Legend foretold the veil-seer would lead them to victory over their sworn enemy, Helm. With her arrival comes the shocking realization that she is the one thing they never expected: a mortal.
Verity didn’t want the cornea transplant for her sixteenth birthday. She couldn’t have imagined it would make her the veil-seer, a coveted weapon in an ancient feud. Now she’s stuck trying to master her new powers, make friends, and stay alive. Having been saved by Helm too many times for comfort, Verity wonders which side she should be fighting for. The problem is something evil lurks in Haven, and the only thing it wants is for the new veil-seer to die.
Helm Abomination:
Some things are better left unseen.
Some hearts are better left unmet.
Living in Helm is a new experience for Verity, she’s the only female in a world of boys. Most of them embrace her as a potential friend, others long for her death, and one … well, one she can’t seem to pin down.
Her new possible boyfriend neglected to tell Verity there’s an ancient prophecy that foretells the end of Helm’s leader at the hands of the mortal veil-seer. A few of the boys fighting beside her feel the best way to keep Haydn alive is to make sure the veil-seer dies.
Verity barely survived her sixteenth birthday. Now she may not live to see her seventeenth.
Author Spotlight: Nancy Ohlin
So in passing, I noticed that Nancy Ohlin co-wrote the third book in the Haunting of Sunshine Girl series. I read the first one and LOVED it. So that was the gateway into what became a sorta-girl-crush on Nancy Ohlin's writing.
So I decided to pick up her book Consent and it was a very interested read regarding a student-teacher romance. Which was weird, but SO WELL WRITTEN. And ALL the conflicting emotions!
Not to mention that her personal history is awe-inspiring. She found an identity in intelligence, and her writing definitely belongs to a brilliant mind. Come on by YA Fest and meet her and support her and tell her how awesome she is. Because I'm not biased or anything. Nope, not me... ;)
The Sacrifice of Sunshine Girl
(co-authored with Paige McKenzie - release date April 4, 2017!)
Is Sunshine Griffith who she thinks she is? Now that her luiseach powers are fully awakened, and having barely survived an abyss full of demons at the end of Book Two, Sunshine must figure out who—or what—has been organizing the forces of darkness against her.
Thanks to her brainiac boyfriend, Nolan, they not only unearth that Sunshine's death would trigger a calamitous event, but that all civilization depends on her survival. So when an unexpected event unleashes a fierce war between the luiseach and the demon army, Sunshine will learn a shocking truth about herself. Can she bring herself to make the ultimate sacrifice to save humankind?
Consent
In this sexy and intriguing novel, an intense—and passionate—bond between a high school senior and her music teacher becomes a public scandal that threatens the reputation of both.
Bea has a secret.
Actually, she has more than one. There’s her dream for the future that she can’t tell anyone—not her father and not even her best friend, Plum.
And now there’s Dane Rossi. Dane is hot, he shares Bea’s love of piano, and he believes in her.
He’s also Bea’s teacher.
When their passion for music crosses into passion for each other, Bea finds herself falling completely for Dane. She’s never felt so wanted, so understood, so known to her core. But the risk of discovery carries unexpected surprises that could shake Bea entirely. Bea must piece together what is and isn’t true about Dane, herself, and the most intense relationship she’s ever experienced.
Always, Forever
Nothing is as it seems in this darkly romantic tale of infatuation and possession, inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.
Becca was the perfect girlfriend: smart, gorgeous, and loved by everyone at New England’s premier boarding school, Thorn Abbey. But Becca’s dead. And her boyfriend, Max, can’t get over his loss.
Then Tess transfers to Thorn Abbey. She’s shy, insecure, and ordinary—everything that Becca wasn’t. And despite her roommate’s warnings, she falls for brooding Max.
Now Max finally has a reason to move on. Except it won’t be easy. Because Becca may be gone, but she’s not quite ready to let him go…
Beauty
Looks to kill for...
Ana is nothing like her glamorous mother, Queen Veda, whose hair is black as ravens and whose lips are red as roses. Alas, Queen Veda loathes anyone whose beauty dares to rival her own—including her daughter.
And despite Ana’s attempts to be plain to earn her mother’s affection,
she’s sent away to the kingdom’s exclusive boarding school.
At the Academy, Ana is devastated when her only friend abandons her for the popular girls. Isolated and alone, Ana resolves to look like a true princess to earn the acceptance she desires.
But when she uncovers the dangerous secret that makes all of the girls at the Academy so gorgeous, just how far will Ana go to fit in?
So I decided to pick up her book Consent and it was a very interested read regarding a student-teacher romance. Which was weird, but SO WELL WRITTEN. And ALL the conflicting emotions!
Not to mention that her personal history is awe-inspiring. She found an identity in intelligence, and her writing definitely belongs to a brilliant mind. Come on by YA Fest and meet her and support her and tell her how awesome she is. Because I'm not biased or anything. Nope, not me... ;)
If you can't make it to YA Fest, but still want to share how awesome you think Nancy is, find her on Twitter, Facebook, and her website.
(co-authored with Paige McKenzie - release date April 4, 2017!)
Is Sunshine Griffith who she thinks she is? Now that her luiseach powers are fully awakened, and having barely survived an abyss full of demons at the end of Book Two, Sunshine must figure out who—or what—has been organizing the forces of darkness against her.
Thanks to her brainiac boyfriend, Nolan, they not only unearth that Sunshine's death would trigger a calamitous event, but that all civilization depends on her survival. So when an unexpected event unleashes a fierce war between the luiseach and the demon army, Sunshine will learn a shocking truth about herself. Can she bring herself to make the ultimate sacrifice to save humankind?
In this sexy and intriguing novel, an intense—and passionate—bond between a high school senior and her music teacher becomes a public scandal that threatens the reputation of both.
Bea has a secret.
Actually, she has more than one. There’s her dream for the future that she can’t tell anyone—not her father and not even her best friend, Plum.
And now there’s Dane Rossi. Dane is hot, he shares Bea’s love of piano, and he believes in her.
He’s also Bea’s teacher.
When their passion for music crosses into passion for each other, Bea finds herself falling completely for Dane. She’s never felt so wanted, so understood, so known to her core. But the risk of discovery carries unexpected surprises that could shake Bea entirely. Bea must piece together what is and isn’t true about Dane, herself, and the most intense relationship she’s ever experienced.
Nothing is as it seems in this darkly romantic tale of infatuation and possession, inspired by Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca.
Becca was the perfect girlfriend: smart, gorgeous, and loved by everyone at New England’s premier boarding school, Thorn Abbey. But Becca’s dead. And her boyfriend, Max, can’t get over his loss.
Then Tess transfers to Thorn Abbey. She’s shy, insecure, and ordinary—everything that Becca wasn’t. And despite her roommate’s warnings, she falls for brooding Max.
Now Max finally has a reason to move on. Except it won’t be easy. Because Becca may be gone, but she’s not quite ready to let him go…
Looks to kill for...
Ana is nothing like her glamorous mother, Queen Veda, whose hair is black as ravens and whose lips are red as roses. Alas, Queen Veda loathes anyone whose beauty dares to rival her own—including her daughter.
And despite Ana’s attempts to be plain to earn her mother’s affection,
she’s sent away to the kingdom’s exclusive boarding school.
At the Academy, Ana is devastated when her only friend abandons her for the popular girls. Isolated and alone, Ana resolves to look like a true princess to earn the acceptance she desires.
But when she uncovers the dangerous secret that makes all of the girls at the Academy so gorgeous, just how far will Ana go to fit in?
2.13.2017
Author Spotlight: Kara Thomas
Possibly not my brightest idea, but I'm writing this blog post the morning after a punk show and I'm all achy and bruised, but hey! This blog isn't gonna write itself! So therefore: Kara Thomas.
What can I say about Kara Thomas? How about her book, The Darkest Corners, is BLOODY BRILLIANT. Naturally, as is the author herself. But HER BOOK. IT'S SO DANG GOOD.
If you want suspense and twisties and believable girl-relationship-friendships, JUST PICK UP HER BOOK THAT I ALREADY READ. And come by YA Fest to meet her. Because she's cool.
ALL THE FANGIRLING-NESS. And I mean, The Darkest Corners is WOODSY-SUSPENSE AND TRUE CRIME-ISH-Y. THAT'S NOT EVEN A WORD.
I AM SO NOT MAKING SENSE. WHY AM I YELLING? I'M SO DANG EXCITED.
*deep breath*
Kara Thomas also has a rescue kitty cat, which only makes her that much cooler. And she was pretty bloody cool already. And I didn't even get around to talking about her other books, the Prep School Confidential series (written as Kara Taylor). Which I admittedly did not read yet, but I love her writing style, so I should probably binge-read those as well. It will happen: MARK MY WORDS!
By the way, book descriptions are nabbed from Kara Thomas's website.
Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the face of her demons–and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.
Tessa and Callie haven’t talked about what they saw that summer night since it happened. After the trial Callie drifted and Tessa moved and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.
But ever since she left, Tessa’s had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette–to Wyatt Stokes sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the only other person who may be hiding the truth.
Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer–and this time, it won’t be as easy to run away.
Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls—she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.
Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.
But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all—especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.
Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.
Kara Thomas can be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.
What can I say about Kara Thomas? How about her book, The Darkest Corners, is BLOODY BRILLIANT. Naturally, as is the author herself. But HER BOOK. IT'S SO DANG GOOD.
If you want suspense and twisties and believable girl-relationship-friendships, JUST PICK UP HER BOOK THAT I ALREADY READ. And come by YA Fest to meet her. Because she's cool.
ALL THE FANGIRLING-NESS. And I mean, The Darkest Corners is WOODSY-SUSPENSE AND TRUE CRIME-ISH-Y. THAT'S NOT EVEN A WORD.
I AM SO NOT MAKING SENSE. WHY AM I YELLING? I'M SO DANG EXCITED.
*deep breath*
Kara Thomas also has a rescue kitty cat, which only makes her that much cooler. And she was pretty bloody cool already. And I didn't even get around to talking about her other books, the Prep School Confidential series (written as Kara Taylor). Which I admittedly did not read yet, but I love her writing style, so I should probably binge-read those as well. It will happen: MARK MY WORDS!
By the way, book descriptions are nabbed from Kara Thomas's website.
The Darkest Corners:
There are ghosts around every corner in Fayette, Pennsylvania. Tessa left when she was nine and has been trying ever since not to think about it after what happened that last summer. Memories of things so dark will burn themselves into your mind if you let them.Callie never left. She moved to another house, so she doesn’t have to walk those same halls, but then Callie always was the stronger one. She can handle staring into the face of her demons–and if she parties hard enough, maybe one day they’ll disappear for good.
Tessa and Callie haven’t talked about what they saw that summer night since it happened. After the trial Callie drifted and Tessa moved and childhood friends just have a way of losing touch.
But ever since she left, Tessa’s had questions. Things have never quite added up. And now she has to go back to Fayette–to Wyatt Stokes sitting on death row; to Lori Cawley, Callie’s dead cousin; and to the only other person who may be hiding the truth.
Only the closer Tessa gets to the truth, the closer she gets to a killer–and this time, it won’t be as easy to run away.
Little Monsters (released July 2017):
Kacey is the new girl in Broken Falls. When she moved in with her father, she stepped into a brand-new life. A life with a stepbrother, a stepmother, and strangest of all, an adoring younger half sister.Kacey’s new life is eerily charming compared with the wild highs and lows of the old one she lived with her volatile mother. And everyone is so nice in Broken Falls—she’s even been welcomed into a tight new circle of friends. Bailey and Jade invite her to do everything with them.
Which is why it’s so odd when they start acting distant. And when they don’t invite her to the biggest party of the year, it doesn’t exactly feel like an accident.
But Kacey will never be able to ask, because Bailey never makes it home from that party. Suddenly, Broken Falls doesn’t seem so welcoming after all—especially once everyone starts looking to the new girl for answers.
Kacey is about to learn some very important lessons: Sometimes appearances can be deceiving. Sometimes when you’re the new girl, you shouldn’t trust anyone.
Kara Thomas can be found on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter.
2.08.2017
Author Spotlight: Melinda Michaels!
We're so happy to welcome Melinda Michaels to our YA Fest family!
Melinda's first book, Golden, is based on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and story I think we can all admit doesn't get enough attention in this day and age of fairy tale retellings. Go Melinda! Power to you for bringing this story back to the front lines! It's a very loose retelling, so it's not the exact story, but it's told in a much more dramatic and suspenseful way. Her upcoming book, Roses, will be out this spring. There's no summary for it yet, but we're hoping it's another fantastic and unique retelling!
*Book summaries taken from Goodreads.
Golden
High school senior Hanna Loch just suffered a blackout in front of her entire homeroom class. She hasn't had one in over ten years, and she’s terrified—the last time she blacked out, she woke up with no memory of her life before. To make matters worse, no one can explain why it happens. For Hanna, bad things tend to come in threes.
And that doesn't even begin to cover it . . .
When she learns she could be a descendant of someone who lived once upon a time, Hanna must put her trust in William Vann, a descendant of one of the most hated villains ever known. Their histories are intertwined in more ways than she expected, and he has answers about her past, answers even her family won’t share.
But is it safe to put her trust in someone who appears to be danger reincarnate, while trying to escape the darkness that tried to kill her ten years ago?
A loose fairytale retelling, GOLDEN is a story that’s just right, weaving together lost secrets, vengeful enemies, and what happens when fiction becomes reality.
Roses
Release Date: Spring 2017!
Summary coming soon!
Melinda's first book, Golden, is based on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and story I think we can all admit doesn't get enough attention in this day and age of fairy tale retellings. Go Melinda! Power to you for bringing this story back to the front lines! It's a very loose retelling, so it's not the exact story, but it's told in a much more dramatic and suspenseful way. Her upcoming book, Roses, will be out this spring. There's no summary for it yet, but we're hoping it's another fantastic and unique retelling!
Come to YA Fest 2017 to see Melinda for realsies! Chat her up, flail with us as we freakout with excitement over her new book... you know, the usual. In the meantime, find her at her website, on Facebook, and on Twitter!
*Book summaries taken from Goodreads.
High school senior Hanna Loch just suffered a blackout in front of her entire homeroom class. She hasn't had one in over ten years, and she’s terrified—the last time she blacked out, she woke up with no memory of her life before. To make matters worse, no one can explain why it happens. For Hanna, bad things tend to come in threes.
And that doesn't even begin to cover it . . .
When she learns she could be a descendant of someone who lived once upon a time, Hanna must put her trust in William Vann, a descendant of one of the most hated villains ever known. Their histories are intertwined in more ways than she expected, and he has answers about her past, answers even her family won’t share.
But is it safe to put her trust in someone who appears to be danger reincarnate, while trying to escape the darkness that tried to kill her ten years ago?
A loose fairytale retelling, GOLDEN is a story that’s just right, weaving together lost secrets, vengeful enemies, and what happens when fiction becomes reality.
Release Date: Spring 2017!
Summary coming soon!
2.06.2017
Author Spotlight: Kelly Hashway!
Let me enlighten you as to how many books Kelly Hashway has written: NINE. And that doesn't count the ADORABLE picture book she wrote about a puppy who competes with a new vacuum cleaner. (Seriously, could it get any cuter?) That also doesn't include the titles she's written under her pen name (there are SEVEN of those, btw).
Even though Kelly grew up with R.L. Stine and loves writing supernatural/paranormal fiction, she also has a soft spot for romance and first loves. No one likes an identity crisis, so she writes romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake.
Despite her incomprehensible writing powers, Kelly is also an editor which means she gets to work with really cool authors and read amazing books before we're even aware of their existence. LUCKY.
Fading Into the Shadows
When sixteen-year-old Ella Andrews’s best friend, Avery, goes missing, she’ll do anything to get him back—starting with punching the no-brain cop who couldn’t care less about the disappearance.
Ella’s convinced Avery’s been kidnapped, and she tries everything to find him—even following a strange shadow to another world where the constellations are real-life figures in the sky. But three star groups have fallen and are destroying the world.
The fallen constellations are not the only enemy. Melanie, the princess of Stellaris, is forcing Ella, Avery, and an army of other kids kidnapped from their world to fight the rogue constellations, even as the land is draining away their life. The longer they stay, the more they fade into substanceless shadows—a fate worse than death.
Can Ella save Stellaris before there’s nothing left of her and Avery?
Into the Fire
Into the Fire, Book 1
In one month’s time, seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman will die and be reborn from her own ashes…
Her life of secrecy has never been easy. She’s watched her younger brother, Jeremy, burn and rise again in a coming-of-age process called rebirth. And just like her brother, when her time comes, she won’t remember anything from her first life other than she’s a Phoenix—a member of a small group of people descended from the mythical Phoenix bird.
The last thing she needs to worry about is falling for the new guy in town—Logan Schmidt.
Cara is drawn to Logan in a way she can’t explain, but she’s not exactly complaining. Everything is perfect…except it’s not. Once she’s reborn, she’ll forget Logan. And to make things worse, a Phoenix Hunter is on the loose, and Cara’s involvement with Logan is bringing out her Phoenix qualities—the very qualities that will draw the Hunter right to her.
Desperate times call for desperate measures…
Afraid of hurting Logan, Cara breaks it off for good. But her attraction to him runs deeper than a typical high school crush. She wants him—needs him. And if he proves willing to stay by her side, their love might destroy them both.
Can Cara hide from the Phoenix Hunters long enough to survive her rebirth? And if so, will it mean a new beginning with Logan—or the beginning of the end?
Touch of Death
Touch of Death, Book 1
Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.
Stalked by Death
Touch of Death, Book 2
Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.
Unfortunately, Jodi has only convinced one Ophi to join her school: A hot guy named Chase who jeopardizes her relationship with Alex. Jodi loves Alex, but Chase can enhance her powers with just a touch—making her stronger than any Ophi has ever been.
Her mixed emotions send her powers surging out of control, and the dead start rising without her conscious summoning—exactly what Hades doesn't want! If she chooses Alex over Chase, she may lose the battle to Hades, leading the Ophi race to extinction. If she chooses Chase, she might be able to stop Hades for good… but lose everything else.
Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.
Face of Death
Touch of Death, Book 3
Having fallen at the hands of Hades, Jodi's enduring torture like she never imagined. Worse, she has to watch her Ophi friends suffer along with her--the punishment doled out by the very people she'd sentenced to life in Tartarus. Hell. This is one reunion Jodi hoped would never happen, but now she must find a way to free them all.
Except the underworld is nearly impossible to escape.
Jodi's one chance may rest in raising the human soul she killed when she drank Medusa's blood.
But splitting her human soul from her Ophi soul means living a double life: One as an Ophi experiencing unspeakable torture and the other as the human she could have been if she never came into her powers. With her two worlds colliding, Jodi will have to make the toughest decision she's faced yet.
The Monster Within
The Monster Within, Book 1
The moment seventeen-year-old Samantha Thompson crawls out of her grave, her second chance at life begins. She died of cancer with her long-time boyfriend, Ethan, by her side--a completely unfair shot at life.
But Ethan found a way to bring her back, like he promised he would. Only Sam came back wrong.
She's now a monster that drains others' lives to survive. And after she kills, she’s tortured by visions—glimpses into her victims would-have-been futures had she not killed them. Barely able to live with herself and trying to make things right, Sam ends up a pawn in a vicious game of payback within the local coven of witches.
But when the game reveals what Ethan had to do to save Sam, she must make a choice that will change all their lives forever.
The Darkness Within
The Monster Within, Book 2
After dying of cancer at seventeen and being brought back to life by an evil witch who turned her into a monster, Samantha Thompson thinks she's finally gotten past all the tragedy in her life. Now she's part of a coven of good witches who are helping her and her boyfriend, Ethan Anderson, learn to use the powers they received from other witches. Aside from the fact that Sam and Ethan are still in hiding from their old lives--the ones they had before Sam was brought back to life--things couldn't be better. Sam and Ethan are inseparable.
What could go wrong? Magic.
Ethan's magic came from a witch who'd turned as evil as possible, and though his coven thought he'd be fine, the more he uses his magic, the stranger he starts acting. The magic inside him is changing who he is. One minute he's Sam's sweet, perfect Ethan and the next, he's a complete stranger. Even with all her witchy power, Sam is helpless against the magic corrupting Ethan. Can Sam find out what's wrong with him before she loses him to dark magic forever?
Even though Kelly grew up with R.L. Stine and loves writing supernatural/paranormal fiction, she also has a soft spot for romance and first loves. No one likes an identity crisis, so she writes romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake.
Despite her incomprehensible writing powers, Kelly is also an editor which means she gets to work with really cool authors and read amazing books before we're even aware of their existence. LUCKY.
If you'd like to bask in Kelly's presence, visit her at YA Fest on March 18 :) And if you don't think you can handle all her awe-inspiring glory in person, you can always find her on her website, blog, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
When sixteen-year-old Ella Andrews’s best friend, Avery, goes missing, she’ll do anything to get him back—starting with punching the no-brain cop who couldn’t care less about the disappearance.
Ella’s convinced Avery’s been kidnapped, and she tries everything to find him—even following a strange shadow to another world where the constellations are real-life figures in the sky. But three star groups have fallen and are destroying the world.
The fallen constellations are not the only enemy. Melanie, the princess of Stellaris, is forcing Ella, Avery, and an army of other kids kidnapped from their world to fight the rogue constellations, even as the land is draining away their life. The longer they stay, the more they fade into substanceless shadows—a fate worse than death.
Can Ella save Stellaris before there’s nothing left of her and Avery?
Into the Fire, Book 1
In one month’s time, seventeen-year-old Cara Tillman will die and be reborn from her own ashes…
Her life of secrecy has never been easy. She’s watched her younger brother, Jeremy, burn and rise again in a coming-of-age process called rebirth. And just like her brother, when her time comes, she won’t remember anything from her first life other than she’s a Phoenix—a member of a small group of people descended from the mythical Phoenix bird.
The last thing she needs to worry about is falling for the new guy in town—Logan Schmidt.
Cara is drawn to Logan in a way she can’t explain, but she’s not exactly complaining. Everything is perfect…except it’s not. Once she’s reborn, she’ll forget Logan. And to make things worse, a Phoenix Hunter is on the loose, and Cara’s involvement with Logan is bringing out her Phoenix qualities—the very qualities that will draw the Hunter right to her.
Desperate times call for desperate measures…
Afraid of hurting Logan, Cara breaks it off for good. But her attraction to him runs deeper than a typical high school crush. She wants him—needs him. And if he proves willing to stay by her side, their love might destroy them both.
Can Cara hide from the Phoenix Hunters long enough to survive her rebirth? And if so, will it mean a new beginning with Logan—or the beginning of the end?
Touch of Death, Book 1
Jodi Marshall isn't sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she's in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she's being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.
After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he's not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she's part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendants of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.
Jodi's deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn't difficult enough, Jodi discovers she's the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can't figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.
Touch of Death, Book 2
Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.
Unfortunately, Jodi has only convinced one Ophi to join her school: A hot guy named Chase who jeopardizes her relationship with Alex. Jodi loves Alex, but Chase can enhance her powers with just a touch—making her stronger than any Ophi has ever been.
Her mixed emotions send her powers surging out of control, and the dead start rising without her conscious summoning—exactly what Hades doesn't want! If she chooses Alex over Chase, she may lose the battle to Hades, leading the Ophi race to extinction. If she chooses Chase, she might be able to stop Hades for good… but lose everything else.
Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.
Touch of Death, Book 3
Having fallen at the hands of Hades, Jodi's enduring torture like she never imagined. Worse, she has to watch her Ophi friends suffer along with her--the punishment doled out by the very people she'd sentenced to life in Tartarus. Hell. This is one reunion Jodi hoped would never happen, but now she must find a way to free them all.
Except the underworld is nearly impossible to escape.
Jodi's one chance may rest in raising the human soul she killed when she drank Medusa's blood.
But splitting her human soul from her Ophi soul means living a double life: One as an Ophi experiencing unspeakable torture and the other as the human she could have been if she never came into her powers. With her two worlds colliding, Jodi will have to make the toughest decision she's faced yet.
The Monster Within, Book 1
The moment seventeen-year-old Samantha Thompson crawls out of her grave, her second chance at life begins. She died of cancer with her long-time boyfriend, Ethan, by her side--a completely unfair shot at life.
But Ethan found a way to bring her back, like he promised he would. Only Sam came back wrong.
She's now a monster that drains others' lives to survive. And after she kills, she’s tortured by visions—glimpses into her victims would-have-been futures had she not killed them. Barely able to live with herself and trying to make things right, Sam ends up a pawn in a vicious game of payback within the local coven of witches.
But when the game reveals what Ethan had to do to save Sam, she must make a choice that will change all their lives forever.
The Monster Within, Book 2
After dying of cancer at seventeen and being brought back to life by an evil witch who turned her into a monster, Samantha Thompson thinks she's finally gotten past all the tragedy in her life. Now she's part of a coven of good witches who are helping her and her boyfriend, Ethan Anderson, learn to use the powers they received from other witches. Aside from the fact that Sam and Ethan are still in hiding from their old lives--the ones they had before Sam was brought back to life--things couldn't be better. Sam and Ethan are inseparable.
What could go wrong? Magic.
Ethan's magic came from a witch who'd turned as evil as possible, and though his coven thought he'd be fine, the more he uses his magic, the stranger he starts acting. The magic inside him is changing who he is. One minute he's Sam's sweet, perfect Ethan and the next, he's a complete stranger. Even with all her witchy power, Sam is helpless against the magic corrupting Ethan. Can Sam find out what's wrong with him before she loses him to dark magic forever?
2.04.2017
Author Spotlight: Victoria Scott!
We're not going to lie... we here at EAPL totally have a girlie crush on Victoria Scott (no relation to fellow YA Fest author Kieran Scott... we don't think). We kinda all really want to be BFFs with her.
Violet Grenade
DOMINO: A runaway with blood on her hands.
CAIN: A silent boy about to explode.
MADAM KARINA: A woman who demands obedience.
WILSON: The one who will destroy them all.
When Madam Karina discovers Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position inside her home for entertainers in secluded West Texas. Left with few alternatives and an agenda of her own, Domino accepts. It isn’t long before she is fighting her way up the ranks to gain the madam’s approval. But after suffering weeks of bullying and unearthing the madam’s secrets, Domino decides to leave. It’ll be harder than she thinks, though, because the madam doesn’t like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn’t know about the person living inside Domino’s mind.
Madam Karina doesn’t know about Wilson.
Release Date: May 2, 2017!
Titans
Ever since the Titans
first appeared in her Detroit neighborhood, Astrid Sullivan’s world has
revolved around the mechanical horses. She and her best friend have
spent countless hours watching them and their jockeys practice on the
track. It’s not just the thrill of the race. It’s the engineering of the
horses and the way they’re programmed to seem so lifelike. The Titans
are everything that fascinates Astrid, and nothing she’ll ever touch.
She hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them.
But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about.
What would you do to save someone you love?
Time is slipping away. . . .
Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to the middle of nowhere for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying--and she's helpless to change anything.
Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.
The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?
Salt & Stone
How far would you go to survive?
In FIRE & FLOOD, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and a terrifying march across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't stop - and in SALT & STONE, Tella will have to face the unseen dangers of the ocean, the breathless cold of a mountain, and twisted new rules in the race.
But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?
The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the beginning of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the fourth and final part of the race, just forty-one are left . . . and only one can win.
The Collector
He makes good girls...bad.
Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.
Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:
Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.
Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.
Bad boy, meet bad girl.
Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.
When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.
With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.
War between heaven and hell is coming, but Dante Walker makes it look damn good.
Dante’s girlfriend, Charlie, is fated to save the world. And Aspen, the girl who feels like a sister, is an ordained soldier. In order to help both fulfill their destiny and win the war, Dante must complete liberator training at the Hive, rescue Aspen from hell, and uncover a message hidden on an ancient scroll.
Dante is built for battle, but even he can’t handle the nightmares where spiders crawl from Aspen’s eyes, or the look on Charlie’s face that foretells of devastation. To make matters worse, the enemy seizes every opportunity to break inside the Hive and cripple the liberators. But the day of reckoning is fast approaching, and to stand victorious, Dante will have to embrace something inside himself he never has before—faith.
Taken from Victoria's Facebook.
And who wouldn't want to hang out with her?! She's totally obsessed with cotton candy, and OMG *I* love cotton candy! See, it's like we're soul sisters already!
Ok, I'm kidding. Kind of. But not about her awesomeness.
Her 2016 release Titans received not one, but two Starred Reviews (which is a big deal in the book world) and Fire & Flood was nominated for the Teens Top Ten in 2015. Her first middle grade book (a survival story about a girl in the wild) is coming out in March 2017, right before Violet Grenade, her next YA release, comes out in May.
I tell you, the girl is a WICKED WRITING MACHINE.
Rumor has it that she loves hearing from her readers, so make sure you find Victoria on all various forms of social media (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and her website), and COME SEE HER IN PERSON at YA Fest! We just found out that Victoria is going to join us at the Fest, and WE ARE SO HAPPY! So now we can hang out with her for real, instead of just wishing we could.
*All book summaries taken from Goodreads.
Violet GrenadeCAIN: A silent boy about to explode.
MADAM KARINA: A woman who demands obedience.
WILSON: The one who will destroy them all.
When Madam Karina discovers Domino in an alleyway, she offers her a position inside her home for entertainers in secluded West Texas. Left with few alternatives and an agenda of her own, Domino accepts. It isn’t long before she is fighting her way up the ranks to gain the madam’s approval. But after suffering weeks of bullying and unearthing the madam’s secrets, Domino decides to leave. It’ll be harder than she thinks, though, because the madam doesn’t like to lose inventory. But then, Madam Karina doesn’t know about the person living inside Domino’s mind.
Madam Karina doesn’t know about Wilson.
Release Date: May 2, 2017!
TitansShe hates them a little, too. Her dad lost everything betting on the Titans. And the races are a reminder of the gap between the rich jockeys who can afford the expensive machines to ride, and the working class friends and neighbors of Astrid’s who wager on them.
But when Astrid’s offered a chance to enter an early model Titan in this year’s derby, well, she decides to risk it all. Because for a girl from the wrong side of the tracks, it’s more than a chance at fame or money. Betting on herself is the only way she can see to hang on to everyone in the world she cares about.
Fire & Flood series
Time is slipping away. . . .
Tella Holloway is losing it. Her brother is sick, and when a dozen doctors can't determine what's wrong, her parents decide to move to the middle of nowhere for the fresh air. She's lost her friends, her parents are driving her crazy, her brother is dying--and she's helpless to change anything.
Until she receives mysterious instructions on how to become a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed. It's an epic race across jungle, desert, ocean, and mountain that could win her the prize she desperately desires: the Cure for her brother's illness. But all the Contenders are after the Cure for people they love, and there's no guarantee that Tella (or any of them) will survive the race.
The jungle is terrifying, the clock is ticking, and Tella knows she can't trust the allies she makes. And one big question emerges: Why have so many fallen sick in the first place?
Salt & StoneHow far would you go to survive?
In FIRE & FLOOD, Tella Holloway faced a dangerous trek through the jungle and a terrifying march across the desert, all to remain a Contender in the Brimstone Bleed for a chance at obtaining the Cure for her brother. She can't stop - and in SALT & STONE, Tella will have to face the unseen dangers of the ocean, the breathless cold of a mountain, and twisted new rules in the race.
But what if the danger is deeper than that? How do you know who to trust when everyone's keeping secrets? What do you do when the person you'd relied on most suddenly isn't there for support? How do you weigh one life against another?
The race is coming to an end, and Tella is running out of time, resources, and strength. At the beginning of the race there were one hundred twenty-two Contenders. As Tella and her remaining friends start the fourth and final part of the race, just forty-one are left . . . and only one can win.
Dante Walker Series
The CollectorHe makes good girls...bad.
Dante Walker is flippin’ awesome, and he knows it. His good looks, killer charm, and stellar confidence have made him one of hell’s best—a soul collector. His job is simple: weed through humanity and label those round rears with a big red good or bad stamp. Old Saint Nick gets the good guys, and he gets the fun ones. Bag-and-tag.
Sealing souls is nothing personal. Dante’s an equal-opportunity collector and doesn't want it any other way. But he’ll have to adjust, because Boss Man has given him a new assignment:
Collect Charlie Cooper’s soul within ten days.
Dante doesn't know why Boss Man wants Charlie, nor does he care. This assignment means only one thing to him, and that’s a permanent ticket out of hell. But after Dante meets the quirky Nerd Alert chick he’s come to collect, he realizes this assignment will test his abilities as a collector…and uncover emotions deeply buried.
Dante has a shiny new cuff wrapped around his ankle, and he doesn't like that mess one bit. His new accessory comes straight from Big Guy himself and marks the former demon as a liberator. Despite his gritty past and bad boy ways, Dante Walker has been granted a second chance.
When Dante is given his first mission as a liberator to save the soul of seventeen-year-old Aspen, he knows he’s got this. But Aspen reminds him of the rebellious life he used to live and is making it difficult to resist sinful temptations. Though Dante is committed to living clean for his girlfriend Charlie, this dude’s been a playboy for far too long…and old demons die hard.
With Charlie becoming the girl she was never able to be pre-makeover and Aspen showing him how delicious it feels to embrace his inner beast, Dante will have to go somewhere he never thought he’d return to in order to accomplish the impossible: save the girl he’s been assigned to, and keep the girl he loves.
Dante’s girlfriend, Charlie, is fated to save the world. And Aspen, the girl who feels like a sister, is an ordained soldier. In order to help both fulfill their destiny and win the war, Dante must complete liberator training at the Hive, rescue Aspen from hell, and uncover a message hidden on an ancient scroll.
Dante is built for battle, but even he can’t handle the nightmares where spiders crawl from Aspen’s eyes, or the look on Charlie’s face that foretells of devastation. To make matters worse, the enemy seizes every opportunity to break inside the Hive and cripple the liberators. But the day of reckoning is fast approaching, and to stand victorious, Dante will have to embrace something inside himself he never has before—faith.
2.03.2017
Author Spotlight: Christine Norris!
Christine Norris is the most super talented multi-tasker we've ever seen.
Here's a brief list of Christine's accomplishments: teacher/library media specialist, author of 10 published middle grade and young adult books, contributor to two short story collections, blogger, mom (to both human and animal children).
Oh yea, and she also has three degrees from three different colleges, studied theater and has performed in musicals and children's theater, and sells beautiful handcrafted pieces in her Etsy shop.
I will not live long enough to accomplish even *one* of those things, and she did all that (sometimes simultaneously) in the first 30 or so years of her life. I'm in serious awe of this woman.
So like I said before, most of the books she's written are for middle graders, but her YA novel, A Curse of Ash & Iron, is an amazing steampunky Cinderella retelling in 19th century Philly. For her first YA venture, she came out swingin' and is batting a thousand.
When he reunites with his childhood friend Eleanor Banneker, he is delighted. His delight turns to dismay when he discovers she has been under a spell for the past 7 years, being forced to live as a servant in her own home, and he realizes how sinister some secrets can be. She asks for his help, and he can’t refuse. Even if he doesn’t believe in ‘real’ magic, he can’t abandon her.
Ellie has spent the long years since her mother’s death under the watchful eye and unforgiving eye of her stepmother. Bewitched and hidden in plain sight, it seems no one can help Ellie escape. Not even her own father, who is under a spell of his own. When she sees Ben one evening, it seems he is immune to the magic that binds her, and her hope is rekindled along with her friendship.
But time is running short. If they do not find a way to break the spell before midnight on New Year’s Eve, then both Ellie and her father will be bound forever.
Here's a brief list of Christine's accomplishments: teacher/library media specialist, author of 10 published middle grade and young adult books, contributor to two short story collections, blogger, mom (to both human and animal children).
Oh yea, and she also has three degrees from three different colleges, studied theater and has performed in musicals and children's theater, and sells beautiful handcrafted pieces in her Etsy shop.
I will not live long enough to accomplish even *one* of those things, and she did all that (sometimes simultaneously) in the first 30 or so years of her life. I'm in serious awe of this woman.
So like I said before, most of the books she's written are for middle graders, but her YA novel, A Curse of Ash & Iron, is an amazing steampunky Cinderella retelling in 19th century Philly. For her first YA venture, she came out swingin' and is batting a thousand.
Visit Christine all over the interwebz (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, website, blog, etc.) and be at the Palmer Branch when Christine graces us with her greatness at YA Fest 2017 :)
A Curse of Ash and Iron
Benjamin Grimm knows the theater is much like real life. In 1876 Philadelphia, people play their parts, hiding behind the illusion of their lives, and never revealing their secrets. When he reunites with his childhood friend Eleanor Banneker, he is delighted. His delight turns to dismay when he discovers she has been under a spell for the past 7 years, being forced to live as a servant in her own home, and he realizes how sinister some secrets can be. She asks for his help, and he can’t refuse. Even if he doesn’t believe in ‘real’ magic, he can’t abandon her.
Ellie has spent the long years since her mother’s death under the watchful eye and unforgiving eye of her stepmother. Bewitched and hidden in plain sight, it seems no one can help Ellie escape. Not even her own father, who is under a spell of his own. When she sees Ben one evening, it seems he is immune to the magic that binds her, and her hope is rekindled along with her friendship.
But time is running short. If they do not find a way to break the spell before midnight on New Year’s Eve, then both Ellie and her father will be bound forever.
1.31.2017
Author Spotlight: Brigid Kemmerer!
Brigid Kemmerer makes my heart sing.
If paranormal romance is your thing and you haven't read her books yet, I don't know how they slipped under your radar. Her Elemental series is really unique and has gotten a lot of great reviews, both from professional reviewers and other authors.
And OMG her new book coming out in April... have your read what this is about?! Two people who bear their souls to each other through letters left in a cemetery??!! I must, must, MUST read this book.
One of the things that I love about Brigid (and believe me, there are many things to love) is that when she's writing, she associates her books with music. She has playlists on her website (find them here) of songs she listened to while writing and that remind her of her characters and/or their relationships with other characters. And for someone like myself who can't live without music, I love that she relates parts of her books to popular songs and artists. It's also really cool to see which songs she feels best matches her characters. Sometimes, it even gives you a completely different feel than what you were picturing in your head, and I think it's awesome that Brigid gives us that extra little insight.
*All book summaries taken from Goodreads.
Letters to the Lost
Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.
Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.
When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart. Release Date: April 4, 2017!
Thicker Than Water
Thomas Bellweather hasn’t been in town long. Just long enough for his newlywed mother to be murdered, and for his new stepdad’s cop colleagues to decide Thomas is the primary suspect.
Not that there’s any evidence. But before Thomas got to Garretts Mill there had just been one other murder in twenty years.
The only person who believes him is Charlotte Rooker, little sister to three cops and, with her soft hands and sweet curves, straight-up dangerous to Thomas. Her best friend was the other murder vic. And she’d like a couple answers.
Answers that could get them both killed, and reveal a truth Thomas would die to keep hidden…
Elemental series
Storm
Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn't want. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.
And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.
Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.
The storm is coming...
Spark
Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally. Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can't. Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he's not doing it. And no one seems to believe him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Because Layne has a few secrets of her own...
Spirit
With power comes enemies. Lots of them.
Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.
He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.
Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.
With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…
Secret
Nick Merrick is stretched to breaking point. He's trying to keep his grades sky-high or he won't get in to college. He's trying to keep his brother's business afloat or the Merricks will be out on the street. He's trying to keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his twin brother Gabriel - or he fears he'll lose his family. And he's trying to keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who is his 'girlfriend's' partner.
And then Quinn takes to hanging around his sworn enemy, and an Elemental Guide is counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. Storms are brewing. On all sides.
SECRETS IN THE WIND. DANGER IN THE AIR.
Sacrifice
One misstep and they lose it all. For the last time.
Michael Merrick understands pressure. He's the only parent his three brothers have had for years. His power to control Earth could kill someone if he miscalculates. Now an Elemental Guide has it in for his family, and he's all that stands in the way.
His girlfriend, Hannah, understands pressure too. She's got a child of her own, and a job as a firefighter that could put her life in danger at any moment.
But there are people who have had enough of Michael's defiance, his family's 'bad luck'. Before he knows it, Michael's enemies have turned into the Merricks' enemies, and they're armed for war.
They're not interested in surrender. But Michael isn't the white flag type anyway. Everything is set for the final showdown.
Four elements, one family. Will they hold together, or be torn apart?
If paranormal romance is your thing and you haven't read her books yet, I don't know how they slipped under your radar. Her Elemental series is really unique and has gotten a lot of great reviews, both from professional reviewers and other authors.
And OMG her new book coming out in April... have your read what this is about?! Two people who bear their souls to each other through letters left in a cemetery??!! I must, must, MUST read this book.
One of the things that I love about Brigid (and believe me, there are many things to love) is that when she's writing, she associates her books with music. She has playlists on her website (find them here) of songs she listened to while writing and that remind her of her characters and/or their relationships with other characters. And for someone like myself who can't live without music, I love that she relates parts of her books to popular songs and artists. It's also really cool to see which songs she feels best matches her characters. Sometimes, it even gives you a completely different feel than what you were picturing in your head, and I think it's awesome that Brigid gives us that extra little insight.
Tell Brigid how excited you are for her new book at YA Fest 2017! Can't make it to YA Fest? We'll miss you terribly, but we know you'll be there in spirit. In that case, then you can find Brigid on Twitter, Facebook, and at her website and blog.
*All book summaries taken from Goodreads.
Juliet Young always writes letters to her mother, a world-traveling photojournalist. Even after her mother's death, she leaves letters at her grave. It's the only way Juliet can cope.
Declan Murphy isn't the sort of guy you want to cross. In the midst of his court-ordered community service at the local cemetery, he's trying to escape the demons of his past.
When Declan reads a haunting letter left beside a grave, he can't resist writing back. Soon, he's opening up to a perfect stranger, and their connection is immediate. But neither Declan nor Juliet knows that they're not actually strangers. When life at school interferes with their secret life of letters, sparks will fly as Juliet and Declan discover truths that might tear them apart. Release Date: April 4, 2017!
Thomas Bellweather hasn’t been in town long. Just long enough for his newlywed mother to be murdered, and for his new stepdad’s cop colleagues to decide Thomas is the primary suspect.
Not that there’s any evidence. But before Thomas got to Garretts Mill there had just been one other murder in twenty years.
The only person who believes him is Charlotte Rooker, little sister to three cops and, with her soft hands and sweet curves, straight-up dangerous to Thomas. Her best friend was the other murder vic. And she’d like a couple answers.
Answers that could get them both killed, and reveal a truth Thomas would die to keep hidden…
Elemental series
Ever since her ex-boyfriend spread those lies about her, Becca Chandler is suddenly getting all the guys—all the ones she doesn't want. Then she saves Chris Merrick from a beating in the school parking lot. Chris is different. Way different: he can control water—just like his brothers can control fire, wind, and earth. They’re powerful. Dangerous. Marked for death.
And now that she knows the truth, so is Becca.
Secrets are hard to keep when your life’s at stake. When Hunter, the mysterious new kid around school, turns up with a talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, Becca thinks she can trust him. But then Hunter goes head-to-head with Chris, and Becca wonders who’s hiding the most dangerous truth of all.
The storm is coming...
Gabriel Merrick plays with fire. Literally. Sometimes he can even control it. And sometimes he can't. Gabriel has always had his brothers to rely on, especially his twin, Nick. But when an arsonist starts wreaking havoc on their town, all the signs point to Gabriel. Only he's not doing it. And no one seems to believe him. Except a shy sophomore named Layne, a brainiac who dresses in turtlenecks and jeans and keeps him totally off balance. Because Layne has a few secrets of her own...
With power comes enemies. Lots of them.
Hunter Garrity just wants to be left alone. He’s learned the hard way that his unusual abilities come at a price. And he can’t seem to afford any allies.
He’s up to his neck in hostiles. His grandfather, spoiling for a fight. The Merrick brothers, who think he ratted them out. Calla, the scheming psycho who wants to use him as bait.
Then there’s Kate Sullivan, the new girl at school. She’s not hostile. She’s bold. Funny. Hot. But she’s got an agenda, too.
With supposedly secret powers rippling to the surface everywhere around him, Hunter knows something ugly is about to go down. But finding out what means he’ll have to find someone he can trust…
Nick Merrick is stretched to breaking point. He's trying to keep his grades sky-high or he won't get in to college. He's trying to keep his brother's business afloat or the Merricks will be out on the street. He's trying to keep the secret of where he's going in the evenings from his twin brother Gabriel - or he fears he'll lose his family. And he's trying to keep his mind off the hot, self-assured dancer who is his 'girlfriend's' partner.
And then Quinn takes to hanging around his sworn enemy, and an Elemental Guide is counting the hours until he can try again to kill the Merrick brothers. Storms are brewing. On all sides.
SECRETS IN THE WIND. DANGER IN THE AIR.
One misstep and they lose it all. For the last time.
Michael Merrick understands pressure. He's the only parent his three brothers have had for years. His power to control Earth could kill someone if he miscalculates. Now an Elemental Guide has it in for his family, and he's all that stands in the way.
His girlfriend, Hannah, understands pressure too. She's got a child of her own, and a job as a firefighter that could put her life in danger at any moment.
But there are people who have had enough of Michael's defiance, his family's 'bad luck'. Before he knows it, Michael's enemies have turned into the Merricks' enemies, and they're armed for war.
They're not interested in surrender. But Michael isn't the white flag type anyway. Everything is set for the final showdown.
Four elements, one family. Will they hold together, or be torn apart?
1.28.2017
Author Spotlight: Beth Fehlbaum!
Beth Fehlbaum is like a superhero for so many reasons. She's intelligent, she's a high school teacher (which means she obviously has the mystical powers required to entrance young minds), and she serves the greater good in the most amazing ways possible.
When she's not working her amazing teacher magic with ninth grade English students, Beth is an advocate for children and survivors of sexual abuse, and is a member of RAINN Speakers' Bureau (if you're unfamiliar, that stands for Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) and has done a ton of talks and panel discussions on that very subject.
Beth is a survivor of abuse herself and a lot of her personal experiences have gone into all her books. Which is so great because they drive home the point that even though you've had awful experiences, YOU ARE STRONG AND YOU ARE AWESOME AND YOU WILL SURVIVE. Which is an important thing to remember.
See what I mean? SUPERHERO. MATERIAL.
All other book summaries taken from Goodreads.
Big Fat Disaster
Colby Denton’s family is a “package deal”. That’s what her dad, a candidate for the U.S. Senate running on a “Family Values” platform, calls his wife, a former Miss Texas, and three daughters: Rachel, Colby, and Drew. Rachel and Drew inherited their mother’s traditional beauty, but Colby takes after her father, a linebacker on his college football team.
Colby finds a photo of her father kissing another woman, and within hours, Colby’s father admits that he is in love with his mistress. But that’s not all he’s been up to; he’s also been stealing from his campaign, and his investment company has been defrauding investors so that he can support his secret lifestyle.
His wife and daughters are not only the objects of media speculation; they’re left homeless, too. The only person willing to provide them a place to live is Colby’s eccentric Aunt Leah, resident of Piney Creek, a tiny East Texas town, the black sheep of her image-conscious family, and mother to Ryan, the only player on his football team with the courage to report a girl’s sexual assault at a party. His teammates are out for revenge, and Ryan has a grudge against the world.
Piney Creek, Texas is tiny: Kindergarten through 12th grades are in the same building! But the social media network is huge, as Colby discovers. Her mother blames her binge eating and resulting weight problem for attracting negative attention, and Colby is driven to desperate measures. Tragedy ensues, and Colby keeps a secret out of fear that her mother will reject her once more if she finds out the truth.
At last, Colby must confront the truth about the tragedy, her role in the destruction of her family, and the eating disorder that will eventually kill her if she does not learn to cope in other ways.
Courage in Patience
After six years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from her stepfather, 14-year-old Ashley finally finds the courage to reveal the painful details of her experiences with her mother, who refuses to acknowledge the problem and turns her back on her daughter. After confiding in her teacher—the only adult whom Ashley can trust—she is removed from her home and sent to live with her father and his second wife, Beverly, an English teacher. Nurtured by Beverly, an extraordinarily positive influence in her life, Ashley and a summer school class of troubled teens learn to face their fears and discover who they really are.
Hope in Patience
Fifteen-year-old Ashley Asher has spent half of her life living in fear. Her stepfather sexually abused her for years, but her mother didn't believe her. After Child Protective Services finally removes Ashley from their home, she goes to live with the father she barely remembers. Her new life in Patience, Texas, is much better. She's in therapy to deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; she's getting used to living with her father, stepmother, and stepbrother; and she's made some friends at her new high school. But Ashley is so traumatized by her past that she sometimes scratches herself until she bleeds. When her stepfather is finally put on trial for hurting her, she learns that truth and justice don't always go together. Will Ashley adjust to a better life?
Truth in Patience
Truth in the past.
Truth in reality.
Truth for tomorrow.
Finally adjusting to life in small town Texas, Ashley Asher sees a glimmer of what happiness really is. Even her new relationship with the attentive Joshua Brandt shows promise of a first romance. But Ashley's fear of intimacy after years of unspeakable abuse may cause friction and distance in their relationship.
Determined to prove to her that she's healing, Dr. Matt, her beloved therapist, shows her that "life is messy." And he doesn't know how messy it is about to get. When her mother decides that Ashley belongs back in their hometown with her, Ashley is forced into another family feud that she isn't prepared for. Refusing to leave behind the new life she created in Texas, Ashley and her mother go head-to-head. But can Ashley finally find the courage and strength to battle her demons when her mother might be the biggest demon of all?
When she's not working her amazing teacher magic with ninth grade English students, Beth is an advocate for children and survivors of sexual abuse, and is a member of RAINN Speakers' Bureau (if you're unfamiliar, that stands for Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) and has done a ton of talks and panel discussions on that very subject.
Beth is a survivor of abuse herself and a lot of her personal experiences have gone into all her books. Which is so great because they drive home the point that even though you've had awful experiences, YOU ARE STRONG AND YOU ARE AWESOME AND YOU WILL SURVIVE. Which is an important thing to remember.
See what I mean? SUPERHERO. MATERIAL.
If you're a tweeter, you can find Beth on Twitter and tweet ALL the things to her! Also, the book summary for Big Fat Disaster was taken from Beth's website. You should read more about her awesomeness there. :) And don't forget to say hi and admire her superpowers at YA Fest 2017!
All other book summaries taken from Goodreads.
Colby Denton’s family is a “package deal”. That’s what her dad, a candidate for the U.S. Senate running on a “Family Values” platform, calls his wife, a former Miss Texas, and three daughters: Rachel, Colby, and Drew. Rachel and Drew inherited their mother’s traditional beauty, but Colby takes after her father, a linebacker on his college football team.
Colby finds a photo of her father kissing another woman, and within hours, Colby’s father admits that he is in love with his mistress. But that’s not all he’s been up to; he’s also been stealing from his campaign, and his investment company has been defrauding investors so that he can support his secret lifestyle.
His wife and daughters are not only the objects of media speculation; they’re left homeless, too. The only person willing to provide them a place to live is Colby’s eccentric Aunt Leah, resident of Piney Creek, a tiny East Texas town, the black sheep of her image-conscious family, and mother to Ryan, the only player on his football team with the courage to report a girl’s sexual assault at a party. His teammates are out for revenge, and Ryan has a grudge against the world.
Piney Creek, Texas is tiny: Kindergarten through 12th grades are in the same building! But the social media network is huge, as Colby discovers. Her mother blames her binge eating and resulting weight problem for attracting negative attention, and Colby is driven to desperate measures. Tragedy ensues, and Colby keeps a secret out of fear that her mother will reject her once more if she finds out the truth.
At last, Colby must confront the truth about the tragedy, her role in the destruction of her family, and the eating disorder that will eventually kill her if she does not learn to cope in other ways.
After six years of emotional, physical, and sexual abuse from her stepfather, 14-year-old Ashley finally finds the courage to reveal the painful details of her experiences with her mother, who refuses to acknowledge the problem and turns her back on her daughter. After confiding in her teacher—the only adult whom Ashley can trust—she is removed from her home and sent to live with her father and his second wife, Beverly, an English teacher. Nurtured by Beverly, an extraordinarily positive influence in her life, Ashley and a summer school class of troubled teens learn to face their fears and discover who they really are.
Fifteen-year-old Ashley Asher has spent half of her life living in fear. Her stepfather sexually abused her for years, but her mother didn't believe her. After Child Protective Services finally removes Ashley from their home, she goes to live with the father she barely remembers. Her new life in Patience, Texas, is much better. She's in therapy to deal with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder; she's getting used to living with her father, stepmother, and stepbrother; and she's made some friends at her new high school. But Ashley is so traumatized by her past that she sometimes scratches herself until she bleeds. When her stepfather is finally put on trial for hurting her, she learns that truth and justice don't always go together. Will Ashley adjust to a better life?
Truth in the past.
Truth in reality.
Truth for tomorrow.
Finally adjusting to life in small town Texas, Ashley Asher sees a glimmer of what happiness really is. Even her new relationship with the attentive Joshua Brandt shows promise of a first romance. But Ashley's fear of intimacy after years of unspeakable abuse may cause friction and distance in their relationship.
Determined to prove to her that she's healing, Dr. Matt, her beloved therapist, shows her that "life is messy." And he doesn't know how messy it is about to get. When her mother decides that Ashley belongs back in their hometown with her, Ashley is forced into another family feud that she isn't prepared for. Refusing to leave behind the new life she created in Texas, Ashley and her mother go head-to-head. But can Ashley finally find the courage and strength to battle her demons when her mother might be the biggest demon of all?
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