Cover Reveal: NOMAD by JL Bryan

Cover by PhatPuppy Art

NOMAD by JL Bryan

Expected publication: July 26th 2013

They took everything: her family, her home, her childhood.

By the age of nineteen, Raven has spent most of her life in the sprawling slums of America, fighting as a rebel against the dictatorship. When the rebellion steals an experimental time-travel device, she travels back five decades to the year 2013. Her plan: assassinate the future dictator when he is still young and vulnerable, long before he comes to power. She must move fast to reshape history, because agents from her own time are on her trail, ready to execute her on sight.

Goodreads

J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in Atlanta with his wife Christina, dogs Violet and Tiger Lily, and cats Shadow and Sue.

Twitter - Website - Facebook – Goodreads – Amazon

Looks and sounds exciting right?!?!

Happy reading,

Giveaway & Promo: The Dragon's Call by K.W. McCabe

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The Dragon’s Call
The Dragon Throne #1
K.W. McCabe
Genre: Paranormal Romance / Fantasy / Young Adult
135 Pages
Goodreads – Amazon – Kobo – B&N
 

In a war-torn world, a careless act of destruction wakes a creature of myth and legend - a dragon. Mankind unites to battle for survival, but when dragons enter the fray in human form... humans lose.

Three decades later, Cecily lives in an enclave with her father and brother. Ignorant of life before the war, she placidly obeys the restrictions imposed by dragonkind.

Stifled by court life, Derek, heir of the Dragon Queen, commits a petty crime. To avoid punishment and chronic boredom, he escapes to the enclave. His arrival sparks increased tension when he meets Cecily. She realizes the limitations on her freedom, and Derek discovers his life is built on a lie. Their forbidden friendship threatens to splinter the separation between their people, but something more dangerous occurs.

A mysterious killer has kidnapped Cecily's mother - and seems to be stalking Cecily. Derek and Cecily must defy the rules of their society to find and stop the murderer before Cecily is next.

The Dragon’s Call sounds like it could be such a good read and it has been getting amazing reviews on Goodreads!

About The Author

K.W. McCabe is a Californian transplant to Minnesota. She lives there with her family where she tries very hard to stay warm in all the snow. She has loved fairy tales, Sci-fi, and fantasy all her life, and has been writing stories and poems of that nature since she could first spell. She has worked, in the past, as a library assistant, a baby sitter, a counseling hotline intern, and as a case manager. She maintains that art and writing can only be done when inspired, and inspiration comes from a sufficient amount of laziness. Currently, she is working on Dragon Kin.

WEBSITE – FACEBOOK – TWITTER – SMASHWORDS – GOODREADS - GOOGLE+

 

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Throwback Thursday: Songs of Magic series by J.L. Bryan

This week I picked a series instead of a single book.

Fairy Metal Thunder

A rock & roll fairy tale.

Jason plays guitar in a teenage garage band called the Assorted Zebras, but they have no fans, no gigs, and they're going nowhere. Even worse, Jason has a crush on their lead singer, but she doesn't seem interested in him at all.

Then Jason steals instruments from the fairy world. Soon the band is enchanting crowds, and Jason is a step closer to the girl of his dreams, but the new gear is brimming with dangerous and destructive magic they can't control.

Their shortcut to success has cost a troupe of innocent fairies their livelihood and turned Jason and his band into enemies of the powerful Queen Mab, who sends supernatural bounty hunters to track them down, including one of the most dangerous horned creatures in Faerie...a small unicorn named Buttercake.

Free on Kindle right now!

Click the cover to go to Goodreads

During the summer my girls and I stay outside constantly. My middle daughter completely believes in fairies. Over the past few weeks I have seen her on many fairy hunts. She is the reason for this weeks pick.

The covers of the Songs of Magic series aren’t the only awesome thing about this series. This continuing series has a way-out-there story that some how totally works and I LOVE it. Each book’s magic has kept me entertained from beginning to end and obviously with this being a Throwback Thursday post I think of the memorable characters long after I have read the last page of their story. I can’t wait to give these books to my girls to read in just a few years.

I hope you hill give this series a try.

Happy Reading,

Review: Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

We at Bending The Spine are all excited for the sequel of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children! In honor of the paperback release and of the sequel, Hollow City, I pulled Richard’s review from his former blog… Because it is better than mine I hope you all enjoy and if you haven’t read this amazing book yet go out and get a copy today!!! You have no excuse now that it is in paperback.

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Ransom Riggs
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Quirk Books
Paperback edition: June 4, 2013
ISBN-10: 1594746036
ISBN-13: 978-1594746031
Source: Publisher
Goodreads   Amazon

A New York Times #1 best seller
On the New York Times Best Seller List for more than 52 consecutive weeks

Includes an excerpt from the much-anticipated sequel and an interview with author Ransom Riggs
A mysterious island.


An abandoned orphanage.


A strange collection of very curious photographs.


It all waits to be discovered in Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children, an unforgettable novel that mixes fiction and photography in a thrilling reading experience. As our story opens, a horrific family tragedy sets sixteen-year-old Jacob journeying to a remote island off the coast of Wales, where he discovers the crumbling ruins of Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. As Jacob explores its abandoned bedrooms and hallways, it becomes clear that the children were more than just peculiar. They may have been dangerous. They may have been quarantined on a deserted island for good reason. And somehow—impossible though it seems—they may still be alive. 

A spine-tingling fantasy illustrated with haunting vintage photography, Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children will delight adults, teens, and anyone who relishes an adventure in the shadows.

Review

When an author has an awesome name like “Ransom,” you expect great things.  Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children did not disappoint!  For one thing, the book is just beautiful!  The chapter headers, the layout, even the texture of the pages.   I was instantly drawn to this book by the cover and title.  Read the description, and was hooked!  I borrowed the book from Kelly at Bending the Spine, and will be buying my own copy in the next couple weeks!  This is a nearly perfect book!

The use of he vintage photographs added to the story, gave it almost a surreal effect—instead of merely experiencing it as an outsider, I felt like I was there with Jacob, learning as he learned.   Riggs is a fantastic storyteller.  To realize that the book was written around some of the photographs was a strange feeling.  They had to have been taken after Ransom Riggs had written the book, right?  They fit so perfectly.  Nothing was forced or contrived—the photos felt like a natural extension of the book.  Mr. Riggs is genius!

I could NOT put this book down, reading snippets whenever I had a few free minutes, then staying up practically all night to finish it!  The story is gripping, compelling the reader forward at a frenzied pace just to know what happens next.  There were so many twists, I almost couldn’t keep up!  The predictability was minimal—it would feel like something bad was about to happen, then not, and sometimes bad things happened I wasn’t expecting.  Inconsequential characters make a huge different in this story, something that I was surprised about.  This book is meant to be devoured in as few reading-sessions as possible!

I’m not big on science, so I don’t really understand some of the “how this works” of the story, but it’s good that I didn’t need to know, I just needed to trust that it worked.  Riggs didn’t dwell on unnecessary details or go into too much scientific babble—things just are the way they are, all we as readers need to do is trust that that is how they worked.  And, it is believable, so I had no problems doing that.  I appreciate that Riggs didn’t try to create how-this-is-real-because-I-did-scientific-research-and-used-big-words (as some sci-fi books I’ve read heave on other topics, not that this is sci-fi, it is more paranormal sci-fi if I had to categorize it) theory of **SPOILER ALERT** time travel.  It wasn’t all about the time travel, that was just one small part of the story.  Thank you, Mr. Riggs, for not making me feel like an idiot.

My one issue (yes, there usually is at least one) is the ending.  Notice a theme to my reviews, yet?  Endings to a book are important to me.  I like to feel satisfied, like having just eaten a large amount of comfort food and settling into a  corner of the sofa for a nap.  Well, as seems to be the trend with movies and books lately, the ending is left open.  Is there a sequel on the horizon?  The way the book ends, I suspect there is, but couldn’t find evidence to support my theory.  Which doesn’t entirely disappoint me, because I want more of the Peculiar Children; the portion that is disappointed needed more closure.  It was a poignant ending, beautiful in the words alone that were used, leaving a lasting impression with the use of a photograph.

There are some great posts about Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children at Ransom Riggs’s blog here.  Also, 20th Century Fox bought the movie rights!

5 Moons: I devoured this book like a hollowgast would a peculiar child.  Great work, Mr. Riggs!

Get to reading,

Review and Giveaway: Evertaster by Adam Glendon Sidwell

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Evertaster
Series: Evertaster #1
Adam Glendon Sidwell
Goodreads   Amazon

A legendary taste. Sought after for centuries. Shrouded in secrecy.

 

When eleven-year-old Guster Johnsonville rejects his mother’s casserole for the umpteenth time, she takes him into the city of New Orleans to find him something to eat. There, in a dark, abandoned corner of the city they meet a dying pastry maker. In his last breath he entrusts them with a secret: an ancient recipe that makes the most delicious taste the world will ever know — a taste that will change the fate of humanity forever.

 

Forced to flee by a cult of murderous chefs, the Johnsonvilles embark on a perilous journey to ancient ruins, faraway jungles and forgotten caves. Along the way they discover the truth: Guster is an Evertaster — a kid so picky that nothing but the legendary taste itself will save him from starvation. With the sinister chefs hot on Guster’s heels and the chefs’ reign of terror spreading, Guster and his family must find the legendary taste before it’s too late.

Review

Between the super cute cover, exciting blurb, and amazing trailer I was so excited to read Evertaster. Being a mom I know all to well what it is like trying to feed picky eaters, but Evertaster by Sidwell brings the dinner time experience to a life or death situation that I gobbled up quickly.

Now let me just go ahead and say that this story is way out there. Evertaster has over the top character names, action that a stunt team would find hard to accomplish, and incredible situations and story line that is just impossible. But somehow it all worked… And I can’t wait to read this aloud to my girls for us all to enjoy together.

I read a lot of YA, Middle Grade, and Children’s books, one thing that always drives me crazy is that the parantal role is often missing. Evertaster did not fallow the missing parent trend. I was very happy to see that the main character, Guster (who was such a great character) had his family with him throughout the story. It was refreshing to read a family supporting the main character and not just some random thrown in best friend.

There were a few parts in the beginning that became a bit choppy but as the story progressed so did the writing. By the end as this amazing adventure with Guster was drawing to a close a few things happen that really pulled on my heart strings that made this a story I won’t soon forget.

Happy reading,

 

4 Moons

This was a clean adventurous tale that anyone could enjoy.

About the Author

   

Author Adam Sidwell In between books, Adam Glendon Sidwell uses the power of computers to make monsters, robots and zombies come to life for blockbuster movies such as Pirates of the Caribbean, King Kong, Transformers and Tron. After spending countless hours in front of a keyboard meticulously adjusting tentacles, calibrating hydraulics, and brushing monkey fur, he is delighted at the prospect of modifying his creations with the flick of a few deftly placed adjectives. He’s been eating food since age 7, so feels very qualified to write this book. He once showed a famous movie star where the bathroom was. Adam currently lives in Los Angeles, where he can’t wait to fall into the sea.

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Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 7/2/13

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Review: The Last Keeper's Daughter by Rebecca Trogner

The Last Keeper’s Daughter
Rebecca Trogner
Paperback: 280 pages
Publisher: Crescent Moon Press
Release Date: February 10, 2013
ISBN-10: 1939173116
ISBN-13: 978-1939173119
Goodreads   Amazon
Source: Author

Born into old money, Lily Ayres lives at Waverly, her family’s estate situated at the foot of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Paris, Virginia. She is a strange, small, almost mute, young woman who has no idea that her father has given her to the Vampire King Krieger. Walter Ayres is the King’s Keeper and part of a secret society of historians who unearth, preserve, and attempt to understand relics of long forgotten civilizations.

Lily has never felt comfortable in the human world, but after she suspiciously falls down a flight of stone steps, and is healed and claimed by Krieger, she realizes there is another world. In this Other Realm she feels a sense of belonging, and begins to untwine the mysterious event which left her mentally and psychologically damaged. When Walter disappears in England, Lily works with human and supernatural beings to uncover his whereabouts. With each new discovery, she is pulled deeper into the vortex of magic, intrigue, and dark desires that permeates the supernatural world. The revelations revealed unfold a story of deception and betrayal that threaten to tear the thin veil between the supernatural and human world asunder.

Review

I was on book tour for The Last Keeper’s Daughter back in February with an excerpt and giveaway. After reading the excerpt I knew I wanted to read this book!

“Do you want me, Lily?”
“I don’t know what I want.” It was the honest truth.
“I could force you.” He held up his hand. “I could bend your body to my will with one finger.”
She wasn’t afraid that he’d hurt her. “That’s not what you want.”
His arm fell to his side. “True.” He looked sad.
She hoped he didn’t expect a response, because she was too stunned by the conversation to think of anything to say.
“You’re pure, and clean, and light. I’ve killed men, and women, and children. I was a soldier long before I became a vampire. Is it possible for you to love a creature such as me?” Krieger didn’t wait for a response. “I’ve overwhelmed you, haven’t I?” His smile was kind. “You have nothing to fear from me. Come.” He held his hand out to her.
Like the night they met, she slipped her hand into his.

Doesn't this sound like a romance you want to read happen??? Yeah! Me too.

 

This totally sounded like a paranormal romance I could devour in a few hours… And that is halfway what happened.

 

The first half of The Last Keeper’s Daughter was hard to get through. I would continually have to read pages and paragraphs over trying to understand the story better, or to figure out what character was speaking. I honestly think that one or two more edits and this could have been cleared up because the second half of the book was so fast and a pleasure to read.

 

I didn’t care for Lily at all when I first started reading, but as the story progressed I found myself intrigued by all the mystery surrounding her. I liked that Lily had so much character growth from such a quiet girl in the beginning to a woman who took an active role in her own life by the end of TLKD.

 

Krieger I liked right from the get go. Um, hello… Badass vampire king, how could I not love his character?!?! Krieger is also very good at what he does. He knows how to deal with all the… Um, “people” under him to keep peace amongst everyone. Introducing Lily to all the different rules of her new life doesn’t always go so smoothly,but he does his best to protect her.  

 

From the romance that I enjoyed, to side characters that I would love to read more about, I did enjoy The Last Keeper’s Daughter. After the first part of the story this became a real page turner and if Rebecca Trogner writes more in this world I will definitely want to read it.

 
Happy reading,
  

3 Moons

World Book Night Follow Up

Most of you know I had the opportunity to participate in World Book Night back in April. A week ago I got to go back and talk to the students that received my copies of The Lightning Thief.

So on April 23rd I took this box of books to Lakeside Middle School.

Here are some of the students listening to me talk about the book and asking if I could come back to discuss what they thought of the book. (Yeah, I totally took cupcakes)

This is all the students holding up their copy of The Lightning Thief. I am there in the middle… I love this picture.


A week ago I got to go back and follow up with the students and listen to what they thought of the book. here are a few of the questions I asked and my favorite answers:

What was your favorite part of the book?

I really liked the part when Percy is going to camp Half Blood and fights the minotaur.

I think all the action in this book was a big draw for all the guys.

If you were a Half Blood who would you want your parent to be and why?

I will go ahead and say many students said Zeus and Poseidon for obvious reasons but one answer really got me.

I would want Athena to be my mom because then I could be sisters with Annabeth. I really liked her character and I think she would be nice to be around.

Um, can I just say my heart melted a little bit.

Who was your favorite Character?

This ended up going into a vote and guess who won…

Grover!

I thought that was awesome… He is my favorite satyr;)


Being a World Book Night Giver has been an amazing experience! From receiving the books, giving the books out, to following up with the kids a month later. I hope to do this again next year.

Do you think you will apply to be a giver next year?
I know I will!

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: A French Star in New York by Anna Adams

A French Star in New York (The French Girl series #2)
Anna Adams
Release Date:  July 31st 2013
Goodreads

 

Maude thought her life couldn’t get any better: her first music album is a hit, she’s about to meet her extended family and she’s looking forward to her first date with teen pop star, Matt.

 

But when scandal strikes Maude must part ways with Matt, and watch Soulville Records fall into the hands of an ambitious Alan Lewis, who will stop at nothing to turn Maude into an unparalleled star.

 

Between glamorous parties, an unauthorized tell-all book, a web of lies, new revelations about her French past and her rivalry with Lindsey Linton attaining a whole new level, Maude must fight for her voice to be heard and decide if being a star is more important than her love for music.

 

This sounds like it could be such a fun summer read!!! Don’t forget to enter the Rafflecopter below.

 

About the Author

Anna Adams is a new YA author who has always loved to read and write. Anna's started writing stories at a young age and her sisters would read and correct the spelling mistakes… and laugh their heads off. Her very first critics.Apart from writing, Anna also loves to sing and  play the piano. She comes from quite a musical family and music has always been a big part of their lives whether it was singing with her sister while doing the dishes (she washed, Anna dried) or forcing her little brother to participate in numerous sing and dance shows Anna choreographed! Anna lives in Paris today but used to live in the States, which she considers to be her second home. After all, home is where the heart is.
Contact Anna
Website – twitter

a Rafflecopter giveaway Good luck and happy reading!

Giveaway Winners

Blogiversary Giveaway Winners

First Place

Jennifer

Winner of book or books up to $25 from bookdepository.

 

Second Place

Ashley

Winner of book up to $15 from bookdepository.

 

The Repeat Year Giveaway Winner

Entry #21  Jenni

Congratulations to you all!
I hope you enjoy your new reads.
Thanks to everyone who entered! We will have new giveaways up soon:)

Summer has come!

Picture from Chesterfield library

It has been an insane two weeks. I have been getting my children through the last bit of school, I had a sister and a nephew graduate, parties to go to, and countless awards days. Through all of this I also recently started a new job:) With everything going on Bending The Spine has been very quiet the last two weeks.

Thankfully now it is SUMMER!!! Starting Monday the blog will be back to normal. I have lots of reviews to get out, winners to post, and comments to reply to. Not to mention a ton of blog reading I want to catch up on. I have really missed making my blogger rounds… As you read this I will be catching up on my email (I’m scared of that actually), and getting all my upcoming posts ready.

Have you been as excited for summer as I have?