Showing posts with label excerpt. Show all posts
Showing posts with label excerpt. Show all posts
Friday, October 2, 2015
Hello, everyone!!! I've missed you!!! It's been quite awhile hasn't it? *sheepish grin* Life is busy and crazy wonderful but I've missed this community and outlet in my life. But I'm back today for a very special reason! One of my favorite authors, and someone I'm honored to call a friend, Shannen Crane Camp has brought me something exciting to share with you all: the cover to Keeping June, the 4th and final book in her June series!!!!!
My heart is a bundle of mixed emotions at this reveal. I am very excited to be so close to getting my hands on the final installment of this wonderful series....
...but despite if all, we are not here to cry, but celebrate this exciting release! And those of you who are already familiar with the June series know that Shannen has been blessed by the cover gods. Well let me tell you that Keeping June is no exception. :) So without further ado (because let's be honest, you'll just scroll through all the information if I delayed..) I present, in all her vintage, romantic beauty.........Keeping June!!
Isn't it beautiful?! *swoons from the happy feels* Now, for a little refresher & a special sneek peek!
The June books is a YA/LDS fiction series that follows June Laurie, actress and vintage romantic, in her journeys navigating life, acting and love. Filled with humor and romance these books explore what it means to find yourself and standards in a crazy world.
**for more detailed summaries, follow the Goodreads link for access to each individual book.
Shannen Crane Camp was born and raised in Southern California, where she developed a love of reading, writing, and anything having to do with film. After high school, she moved to Utah to attend Brigham Young University, where she received a degree in Media Arts and found herself a husband in fellow California native Josh Camp. The two now live in Utah with their miniature schnauzer Hemingway. Shannen's true love is Young Adult Fiction though she often dabbles in New Adult, Paranormal, and Mystery. She takes any opportunity to include her love of film and video games in her writing and you might just find a nerdy Easter Egg or two hidden in her works.
And now for even more excitement....a snippet of Keeping June that I got begged and pleaded Shannen to share. I hope you love it just as much as I do!!
My fingers were all prune-y from the amount of time I’d spent being sprayed by water on set that day. Even though it was a five minute scene, I’d ended up getting soaked for nearly three hours, and now my skin was rebelling by refusing to look normal. I sighed at the impossibility of ever looking normal after a day of shooting.
My cheeks were always bright red from scrubbing makeup off, my hair was usually a hard shell of over-hairsprayed 1950s curls, and my feet killed from walking around in heels on set all day. Luckily, everyone else looked about the same.
Stepping out of my trailer with a purse slung over my shoulder, I walked through the nearly dark studio lot to where Joseph would pick me up. Gran had finally given me the vintage red car of hers that I’d always wanted since I was officially getting married and she’d wanted it to be a wedding present. I’d offered to pay her for it a million times, but she absolutely refused. As a compromise, I told her I’d buy her a car, but she countered by saying that would defeat the purpose of a gift.
Still, in the end, we’d come to the understanding that I’d pay for at least half of the car so I wouldn’t feel so terrible about just taking it. And now the beautiful vehicle was mine. But the problem with an old car, was that is was an old car, which meant it broke down more than I’d like to admit. So while it was in the shop, Joseph was shuttling me around.
Looking down at my phone and sending Joseph a quick text to let him know I was on my way, my concentration was broken by Ryan, who had exited his own trailer at the same time as me,
“Please don’t be a text-walker,” Ryan joked with a little smile.
Things were definitely still weird between us, but I was glad that he at least made an effort to forget about all the drama that had happened in the past.
“For you, I’ll change my ways,” I promised, sticking my phone back in my purse and continuing the walk to the front of the studio.
Ryan walked with me in silence for a few minutes. I wasn’t sure if it was an awkward silence or not. I guess it all depended on what Ryan was thinking. Either way, I didn’t like it and felt like it needed to be broken up.
“So, did you get our wedding invitation in the mail?” I asked, realizing too late that I was breaking up a potentially awkward silence with definitely awkward conversation.
“Yeah, it was nice,” he said, looking at his feet as he walked and sticking his hands in his jacket pockets.
These were the classic Ryan-feels-awkward signs. I knew him well enough to know when he was uncomfortable.
“You can bring Dez,” I said, hoping this would be a nice olive branch for our friendship. There was no reason we couldn’t go back to being friends, no matter how cliché it sounded.
Ryan squinted his eyes for a moment, as if figuring out how to respond.
“Yeah,” he began slowly, sighing before continuing on. “I don’t think I’ll be going.”
“Oh,” I replied, deflated by this revelation.
“It’s nothing personal, it’s just… you know… a little weird still.”
Which made it personal. Not that I would point that out.
“Of course,” I agreed, trying to act like this didn’t hurt my feelings a little. “I just wanted you to know you were invited.”
“I appreciate it,” he said, looking up then over at me. “I think your ride is here.”
Following his line of sight I saw Joseph Cleveland, my childhood sweetheart and soon-to-be husband standing beside his old VW Bug and giving me the sideways smile that always made his brown eyes crinkle in the corners. As sad as I was that Ryan and I wouldn’t be best friends any time soon, somehow, seeing Joseph put my worries at ease.
I tried not to smile too much when I saw him. I didn’t need Joseph getting a big head or Ryan thinking I was trying to make things weird. Instead I just winked at him so that Ryan wouldn’t see.
It was difficult worrying about the feelings of your on-screen husband and your soon-to-be husband all the time.
“Hey Ryan,” Joseph said with a nod at the man who used to be his friend and was now… whatever they were.
“Good to see you,” Ryan responded. “Bye, June.”
And with that he was gone.
I waited for him to walk around the corner before I let the smile I’d been holding back break over my face.
“Joseph Cleveland, how gallant of you to come and rescue me when I was stranded without a car,” I said, trying to sound as dramatic as possible.
Joseph smiled and slid an arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him.
“I must be pretty gallant then, because you never seem to have a working car.”
He leaned closer to me, touching my nose to his.
“I’m starting to think you sabotage all of my transportation just to prove that you’re a gentleman.”
“That wouldn’t be very gentlemanly,” he said, touching his lips to mine in a slow kiss.
I wished I could say that kissing Joseph was old hat by now and didn’t faze me in the slightest. But that would be a lie. It always felt like my stomach was dropping out from under me when he kissed me.
“You’re a gentleman,” I promised him as I pulled away with a ridiculous smile on my face.
He smiled back before shaking his head.
“I was about two seconds away from saying “Hey, thanks for being paid to kiss my fiancé all day, because that’s not awkward at all,” when I saw Ryan,” Joseph began. “Before I realized that nothing about that joke would be funny. It would just get really weird really fast and everyone would think I was secretly plotting to kill your TV husband.”
I made a face at this idea.
“Yeah, I’m glad your brain stopped that particular “joke” before it had the chance to escape,” I agreed. “It would just be like all the times Candice jokes about killing Lucas Leighton. We think she’s being funny but no one’s really sure.”
“I don’t think anyone is really unsure on that front. I think her hate for Lucas Leighton is pretty obvious.”
Shrugging my shoulders at the truthfulness of his statement, we got into the car and headed back toward Simi Valley, to the street we’d both grown up on our whole lives. The VW Bug, however, that usually smelled faintly of gasoline, now smelled like blueberries and my stomach growled at the warm sugary scent.
“What is that glorious smell?” I asked Joseph, closing my eyes and breathing in deeply.
“Oh, right,” he exclaimed, reaching behind him as he drove and producing a small round object from the back seat. “It’s a cup pie.”
I studied the small blueberry pie that fit in his palm and wondered if it was too cute to eat, or if my growling stomach would ignore its aesthetic appeal in favor of how amazing it smelled.
“Where did you get this?” I asked, taking the cup pie from him and inhaling the scent once more.
“I made it,” he answered, obviously proud of his accomplishment.
“Since when do you know how to make regular pies, let alone cup pies?”
“Since today, when my mom taught me after my classes.”
I looked over at my fiancé who always seemed to know that the way to my heart was through food and romantic gestures that often went hand in hand, and let out a small laugh.
“You just thought, “Hey, today is a good day to learn to bake pies”, did you?”
“We’re getting married soon, which means we’ll need to actually feed ourselves and if I’m only able to cook one meal for the rest of my life, I want it to be pie,” he explained.
“While I totally agree with the idea of eating pie forever, why are you the one who’s learning to cook. I’m the wife. Shouldn’t I be working on that particular aspect of our forthcoming domestication?”
Joseph nodded his head slowly, as if considering my words carefully.
“You’re right. I should probably go to my classes for six hours each day, then come home and sit around until you get home from a twelve hour work day, and then force you to cook me dinner, so that we can eat by midnight.”
“See, I know you’re being sweet right now, but I can see right through you,” I told him, taking a bite out of the cup pie, which actually turned out to be just as delicious as it looked. “You do get brownie points… or pie points, for wanting to make dinner since I work so late and not wanting me to be overwhelmed, but I know the real reason you want to cook, is because you don’t think I could learn to cook even if I wanted to.”
I was expecting Joseph to lie about his faith in my nonexistent cooking abilities, or at least to think about it for a minute, but he didn’t skip a beat in answering.
“I love you more than any boy has ever loved any girl,” he began sincerely. “But we’ll both be dead in a month if we try to eat your cooking.”
***************************************
And there you go! So cute. So wonderful. All the happy happy feels!! :) Thanks to Shannen for sharing that gem along with the gorgeous cover! The book is going to be fantastic. :) And now last but not least, here is the official synopsis for Keeping June. Make sure you all go check Shannen and her books out!
June Laurie has spent the better part of her young adult years in the Hollywood world of fame, envy, and rumors, and has managed to come out of it mostly unscathed. Now that she’s finally followed her heart and married her true love, she knows she’s found the perfect end to her story. But at twenty-two years old, it turns out her story is only beginning — and marriage, it seems, is more of an opening act than a finale. When fans of June’s television show start spreading online rumors about her faithfulness to her new husband and fabricating an off-set romance between her and her costar, she learns that even marriage offers no immunity from the gossip that always seems to haunt her. With complications in her personal and professional lives threatening to topple them both, will June be able to hold to her beliefs and her newfound happiness, even as what she thought was her perfect ending transforms into the challenges of reality that lurk beyond the fairytale?
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Spy Island
Abby Maduro is a young girl living a purposeless existence when she rescues a handsome deserter from a German U-boat, Erich Seibold, who has washed ashore on her Caribbean island. Abigail hides Erich in the basement of her house and friendship and love blossom between the unlikely pair. Unbeknownst to Abby, St. Thomas is a hotbed of German spies and saboteurs who use their Hamburg steamers to aid the Kaiser's war effort. When island's German Consul, Lothar Langsdorff, discovers Erich's presence on the island, he forces him back into the conflict. Langsdorff blackmails Erich into committing sabotage and murder, throwing the whole island into chaos and plunging Abby headfirst into the dangerous world of German spies. When Erich is arrested, Abigail faces the ultimate test. But as long as Lothar Langsdorff is on the loose, Abby relies on her wits, bravery, and a little island magic to save Erich and rid her tranquil island of a nest of German spies.
About Sophie Schiller
Facebook - Blog
Sophie Schiller grew up in the West Indies amid aging pirates and retired German spies. She was educated at American University, Washingont D.D. and now lives in Brooklyn NY.
Sometimes I get an uneasy feeling that Erich is here for a specific reason. For some terrible purpose. How can I not be suspicious when he says he only came here to escape the war? Sometimes late at night when I'm lying in bed, my mind races about the danger we're all in. I see knives gleaming in the moonlight, furtive pistols hiding under dinner jackets. And while I sit in the sewing room, the fear becomes so overwhelming I lose my ability to concentrate. The needle slips through my fingers, the pounding of my heart leaves me breathless.Super-Duper Excerpt:
As the gramophone plays the same infuriating song over and over, "Your cunning little dimples and your baby hair, Your baby talk and baby walk and baby hair. Your baby smile makes life worthwhile. You're just as sweet as you can be," I feel like my whole world is caving in. I stand up, mutter some excuse about needing fresh air, then escape to the privacy of my room where I stroke Teddy's feathers in an attempt to assuage my fears as the tears start streaming down my face. It all boils down to one fact. I have put everyone at risk by harboring an enemy soldier. For all I know he might even be a saboteur.
When the strain becomes too great, I decide to take action. I jot down a message telling Erich to meet me in Emancipation Park on Sunday, then I slip outside and shove it under his door. There, it's done. No matter what happens, I will get to the bottom of this.If Erich is indeed a German spy or saboteur, I will muster up the courage and ask him to leave, regardless of the consequences.
_______________________________________________________
That's the awesome excerpt I have for you! What do you think? Does it get you excited to read this book?! I"m excited to get my hands on this one sometime. There are some great reviews for it so don't miss out!Aaaaand, here is your chance to snag a KINDLE copy!!! Just fill out the Rafflecopter and you're entered to win! Giveaway ends March 31st. 11:59 pm and is open to everyone who can receive Kindle Books. Enjoy!
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don't miss the other tour stops!
March 11 - Jessabella Reads - Excerpt
Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf - Review
March 12 - The Howling Turtle - Review
In Wonderland - Review
March 13 - Short and Sweet Reviews -Review
Mom With a Kindle - Excerpt
March 14 - Book Haven Extraordinaire - Excerpt
Belle of the Literati - Review
March 15 - Curling up with a Good Book - Excerpt
Beneath the Moon and Stars - Review
March 16 - Bookwyrming Thoughts - Excerpt
Geo Librarian - Review
Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf - Review
March 12 - The Howling Turtle - Review
In Wonderland - Review
March 13 - Short and Sweet Reviews -Review
Mom With a Kindle - Excerpt
March 14 - Book Haven Extraordinaire - Excerpt
Belle of the Literati - Review
March 15 - Curling up with a Good Book - Excerpt
Beneath the Moon and Stars - Review
March 16 - Bookwyrming Thoughts - Excerpt
Geo Librarian - Review
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And that's all I've got for you today on the Spy Island tour! Have a great Pi day and make sure to eat lots of yummy food!! Xoxo,
by Jade Kerrion
Published: 12.21.12
Pages: 144
When you choose your friends, you also choose your enemies. Seventeen-year old Dee wants nothing more than to help her twin brother, Dum, break free from the trauma in their childhood and speak again, but the only person who can help Dum is the alpha empath, Danyael Sabre, whom the U.S. government considers a terrorist and traitor. The search for Danyael will lead Dee and Dum from the sheltered protection of the Mutant Affairs Council and into the violent, gang-controlled heart of Anacostia. Ensnared by Danyael's complicated network of friends and enemies, Dee makes her stand in a political and social war that she is ill equipped to fight. What can one human, armed only with her wits and pepper spray, do against the super-powered mutants who dominate the Genetic Revolution? America, nevertheless, is ripe for transformation. Exhausted by decades of belligerence between humans and their genetic derivatives--the clones, in vitros, and mutants--society is on the verge of falling apart or growing up. Dee, with her sassy attitude and smart mouth, is the unwitting pebble that starts the avalanche of change. In her quest to help her brother become normal, Dee will finally learn what it means to be extraordinary.
Blog / Facebook / Twitter
Jade Kerrion unites cutting-edge science and bioethics with fast-paced action in her award-winning Double Helix series. Perfection Unleashed and its sequels, Perfect Betrayal and Perfect Weapon, have been described as “a breakout piece of science fiction” and drawn rave reviews for their originality and vision. Her latest novel, When the Silence Ends, is a Young Adult spinoff the Double Helix series. She is also the author of Earth-Sim, a whimsical and compelling view of Earth’s history through the eyes of the two students assigned to manage our planet.
Don't they both sound fabulous? Make sure to check the book out and say hi to Jade!
Guest Post: The Power of Ordinary
Young Adult novels abound with extraordinary protagonists. I’m sure that in your travels through books, you’ve met the child of destiny who’s fated to end a war and unite two worlds. You’ve probably also met the quiet kid who doesn’t quite fit in, who discovers his amazing super powers and uses them to save the world. Of course, there’s the protagonist who stumbles upon a mysterious world that coexists alongside her reality, populated by sparkly vampires and handsome werewolves.
I’ve found two major themes running through most YA novels: the first, as I noted above, the extraordinary teenage protagonist, and second, the adults are frequently the enemy, ranging from indifferent parents to murderous despots. Neither of those observations particularly align with my observations of life.
I don’t know about you, but most days, I feel pretty ordinary. When I did go to school, I was something of a geek and somewhat lacking in hand-eye coordination (which is why I danced ballet instead of playing sports involving balls of any sort.) My superpower was an ability to excel on standardized tests (try writing that into a book…) And I don’t know how you feel about it, but adults weren’t really the enemies. Yes, my parents were (and still are) occasionally tiresome, but they were always supportive and loving. The worst thing you could have said about my teachers is that some of them were boring, but still, they were all decent people. Adults have never been the enemy—at least, adults should never be perceived collectively as the enemy. As an adult now, I should know.
So, when I set out to write a YA spin off my award-winning Double Helix series, featuring Dee and her twin brother, Dum, I wanted my readers to appreciate adults in more roles than that of the enemy. Some of them are, of course, but like the real world, there’s a vast spectrum of them; some adults even become Dee’s friends and mentors. More importantly though, I wanted my readers to appreciate the power of ordinary.
Dee, the protagonist of When the Silence Ends, is ordinary. She’s seventeen years old, and she has ordinary concerns that include holding down two jobs to pay the rent, making sure her brother gets to his speech therapy class, and wondering how to pay for college. She lives in a world populated by extraordinary people who possess psychic powers, but unlike Bella who had the good fortune to be loved by a vampire, Dee can never become that kind of extraordinary, now or ever.
Is it possible to write a book about an ordinary person having an extraordinary effect on the world? Of course! We see those heroes around us every day—people, just like us, making an extraordinary difference in our world. I think those heroes have several traits that make them special.
They know how to work with others. Rarely are heroes solitary loners. More often than not, they’re talented leaders who understand the value of listening as much as they do the importance of speaking. They inspire with their vision, but they are not too proud to listen to advice or accept help. Most importantly, they care for something beyond themselves.
Dee is that special person—a perfectly ordinary person, surrounded by psychically talented mutants—who finds her own brand of extraordinary. Inspired by her love for her brother Dum, and armed with nothing more than her wits and pepper spray, she navigates the social and political minefield of a world transformed by the Genetic Revolution. In so doing, she changes her life and the lives of those around her.
Here’s to a celebration of being normal and to the power of ordinary. Three cheers for Dee. If she can do it, so can we.
Super Duper Excerpt
Dee stalked over to her brother. For a long, silent moment, she stared into his familiar face as he bopped along to whatever music was blasting from his iPod. He did not even look at her. When had he become a stranger? She smacked him on the side of his head and remained unmoved when he raised his aggrieved gaze to her. “Are you saying that this place is okay for you?” she asked, raising her voice so that he could hear her through his ear pods.
He nodded.
“Are you sure about that? We’re moving here so that you can train with Danyael. I’d hate for you to feel inconvenienced about leaving the comfort and protection of the council for this dump.”
He frowned, his eyebrows drawing together, and turned away.
All right, so he understood sarcasm. How was she supposed to argue with a person who would not argue back, but who could hurt her just by walking away? Dee was still scowling and blinking back the tears from her eyes when Jessica returned with an armful of cleaning supplies. Dee ignored Jessica’s compassionate glance. “I thought Danyael said he worked all day. I didn’t think he would be around.”
“He isn’t.”
“You broke into his apartment?”
Jessica put the cleaning supplies on the grimy countertop in the kitchen. She tapped the side of her head. “I flipped the lock on his door. I did tell him, though.”
“Before or after you broke in?”
Jessica cocked her head to the side. “Why are you so uptight about stuff like that?”
“Because when I do it, I run the risk of being caught and labeled a criminal. You do it, and nobody cares.”
“Sure, they care. They just don’t notice.”
“And you don’t care?”
“Look, I got his permission. Who cares if I got it a microsecond before or after I flipped the lock? You need to chill out.” Jessica snatched up a spray bottle and a rag, and stomped off toward the bathroom.
With a sponge in hand and her teeth clenched, Dee scrubbed out the dirty brown spots on the kitchen counter. Jeez, I’m becoming my mother. Except that Mom had never been a nag. When she wasn’t sunk in depression, Mom had been cool, even though she had been a mutant. Dee cast a narrow-eyed glare at her brother, who was washing down the windows. Mom had not been an alpha mutant; she had not possessed the prerequisite weirdness that accompanied most alpha mutants.
I am not weird. Jessica’s irate voice snapped through her head.
Dee hurled the sponge into the sink and stalked into the bathroom. For a long and silent moment, she stared at the rag, apparently under the control of an invisible hand, as it scrubbed down the shower tiles. She looked back at Jessica who sat on the closed lid of the toilet bowl. “And that’s not weird?”
“No, it’s who I am, and I don’t like being called ‘weird.’”
“Fine, but that—” She pointed at the hardworking rag. “—is not normal.”
“What’s not normal is how gross the shower is. I’m not stepping in there to scrub it out.”
Dee’s passing glance at the shower became a hard look, and she chuckled. “Is that green thing in the corner alive?”
“Yes, and it’s really close to sentient thought. In a year, it might be able to talk.”
Unlike Dum.
Jessica’s gaze darted to Dum and then flashed back to Dee. She switched to a telepathic conversation. He can talk, you know. I asked Danyael. He said there wasn’t anything wrong with Dum physically.
I know. The problem is just in Dum’s head. What else did Danyael tell you about my brother?
Jessica shrugged. If you want to know, you can ask Danyael directly. It’s not like it’s a secret.
Who knew what other telepathic and empathic conversations were taking place around her? It sucked to be human in a world dominated by super-powered alpha mutants, and worse, she could do nothing about it.
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Aren't they awesome? You're totally excited right!? You should be!! Please leave a comment telling Jade hi! Now go stuff your face with Pie on this awesome of Pi days. Thanks for stopping by!! Xoxo,
Thursday, February 14, 2013
Published: 2.12.13
Pages: 304
Rapunzel is not your average teenager. For one thing, she has a serious illness that keeps her inside the mysterious Gothel Mansion. And for another, her hair is 15 feet long. Not to mention that she’s also the key to ultimately saving the world from certain destruction. But then she meets a boy named Fane, who changes all she has ever known, and she decides to risk everything familiar to find out who she really is. Filled with romance, adventure, and mystery, Rapunzel Untangled is one story you won’t want to put down. Discover the true meaning of love and friendship in this modern twist to the classic fairytale.Inky's Blurbings:
This book was adorable. Short, sweet, with a pinch of magic and a dash of romance on the side. If you like fairy-tales and happily-ever-afters, this is probably the book for you.
Let's start with Rapunzel. The epitome of Rapunzel plopped in the 21st century. Just like in the fairy-tale, our MC is naive about the world. She knows absolutely nothing about the workings of the world outside her tower. Literal tower. I was a little unsure about this. That's pretty naive. She has to learn everything. And it was fine. Just kinda funny, she didn't even know what M&M's were. But that just goes to demonstrate her innocence. Despite not know anything about the world, she learns things well and changes a lot in character. There were a few times when I felt like she would snap from reluctance to confidence in a page, or when her character would slip. I can't say that I ever felt super connected, but Rapunzel was a very sweet heroine who told the story in a great way.
Moving onto the romance. It's same old same old Girl meets Boy by accident and then they fall in love. This time through the magical internet world of Facebook. :D Now the one thing that deeply cracked me up was the fact that Boy of Interest is named Fane Fannigan. I'm sorry, but it's the 21st century. Yes the name is adorable, but come one. His character is great, and he's a very sweet guy. But the NAME?! Moving on the romance between the two of them was quite cute actually. Yes, it's likes most Rapunzel tales; the girl's intrigued by the boy, the boy likes the girl. 100 pages to love. Aaw. It's all sparkles and cupcakes.
Plot wise, we got a crazy mother Gothel, obsessed with her magic hair. Big surprise. Digging deeper, we find that there is a deep reason behind the madness. I'm not gonna say anything to spoil it, but there were some things about the magic that I really would have liked to know more about. We learn that the magic was PUT in her hair. How. Why? What? Ah well. This is just a cute fluffy book. It's all good.
There's really only one other thing I have to talk about. The Mansion. Haha. Now, what I found interesting about this was that I believe Cindy based it off an actual house. Which is really cool, because I've been to this house. In the book, she talks the house being under constructions, doors opening on walls, stairs to nowhere, and the like. Not to mention Gothel's obsession with sixes. Now, to me, this was screaming Winchester Mystery House. This is a real house near me that had a similar story. It's actually very cool. I've been to see it and so I thought it was tots awesome. Anyway, random thought over.
Am I too sarcastic? Maybe that's a flaw. Either way. Bottom line, this book was too cute. And beyond that, sure a few things cracked me up but I did really enjoy this cute book. It was sweet and a very true retelling of Rapunzel. I loved how it was set in the 21st century. You should go check out this adorable book if you are looking for a sweet chick-flick read.
3.5 Stars
-About the Author-
Cindy C Bennett was born and raised in beautiful Salt Lake City, growing up in the shadows of the majestic Rocky Mountains. She and her husband - who happens to be her high-school sweetheart - raised two sons and two daughters. She's now blessed with two daughters-in-law as well. She developed a love of writing in high school when a teacher introduced her to the joys of escaping reality for ten minutes each day in writing. When she's not writing, reading, or answering emails (notice there's no mention of cleaning, cooking or anything remotely domestic), she can often be found riding her Harler through the beautiful canyons near her home. (Yes, she rides a Harley.)
So whatcha thinking so far?! Well I've got a great guest post from Cindy up next for you. On...fairytales! (What else?!)
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The Frog Kissed the Princess? (Scandalous!) Or, Why Do We Retell Fairytales?
I laughed when Hannah sent me this subject for a guest post. You know, in reality, if a girl kissed a frog she would—at minimum—be frowned upon. And she’d get warts on her lips, right?So, I hope you've enjoyed the Rapunzel fun here today! And don't forget to check out the snazzy giveaways from Cindy! #1 is open to INT, #2 is open to US peeps! Happy Thursday everyone!
As much as I love both the Grimm versions and the Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo versions, I also love the retellings. Fairytales are timeless, classical tales. It seems that every movie, every book, every story can be in some way compared to or traced back to one of the classical fairytales.The original versions of most fairytales have been lost beneath the clutter of Disney films and retellings. For example, in most of the original versions of Rapunzel, she came out of the tower pregnant after the Prince’s many visits (talk about scandalous!). In some versions of The Frog Prince it wasn’t a kiss but sleeping in the Princess’ bed that broke the spell. One incarnation even has her flinging him violently against the wall to break the spell. In almost all of the versions of The Little Mermaid, the Prince marries another and the mermaid is turned into sea foam. In Cinderella, she did not talk to animals, ride in a pumpkin, or have glass slippers until centuries after the first telling.There’s a trend right now for fairytale retellings—which I welcome because I’m such a fan—but it’s nothing new. All of the fairytales have had retellings throughout the centuries from their first incarnation. Some of them are as old as the 1st century, some came about as late as the 1800’s, but in my research for writing my own retellings, I have yet to run across a single one that hasn’t been retold at some point or another.My personal theory is that because of the timeless nature of the stories, they hold an endless fascination to anyone who loves good storytelling. There will be waves and ebbs in the popularity of fairytale retellings, but I suspect that long past the time that my footprint has faded from the earth, there will be some writer putting pen to paper, finger to keyboard, or whatever technology they have, and giving all the old fairytales another go round.
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Xoxoxoxoxo's on this VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps the lovely Lady Gleamdren, Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission...and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.
But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?
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-ABOUT THE AUTHOR-
Excerpt from STARFLOWER: The First Kiss
The girl did not stir when Eanrin lifted her into his arms; her sleep was profound indeed. Her head lolled over his arm, and he was obliged to part her thick hair to uncover her face. It was an uncommonly beautiful face for a mortal.However, this girl’s beauty was different from any he had ever before seen. For one thing, her skin was rich dark brown, and her hair glossy black. For another, she was imperfect. Her teeth, visible between gently parted lips, were a little crooked. Mud stained her skin, making it darker still, and her brow, even in sleep, was puckered with anxiety or fear. Her dreams must be wicked indeed.Eanrin grimaced at the sight and almost put her down again. After all, a princess with dreams like those probably had a tale of woe to match. She would certainly wake with expectations of a handsome hero to aid her. As far as Eanrin was concerned, a dash of heroism was one thing, but commitment to a cause? Never. Rushing off to the rescue of Lady Gleamdren was different, for he had determined that she must be his wife and the sole inspiration to his life’s work. Besides, he loved her.This creature meant nothing to him.But blood oozed from the abrasions on her wrists. And her body, mortal and vulnerable, lay in his arms. Eanrin rolled his eyes heavenward as though to seek some holy aid. Then he braced himself and wiped the mud off her lips with the edge of his cloak. She frowned in her sleep and stirred, but did not wake.“Nothing for it,” he muttered. Closing his eyes and trying not to smell her any more than he must, he leaned in and kissed her . . .
Charming isn't it?! You know you want to read it now!
-ABOUT THE AUTHOR-
-THE GIVEAWAY!-
PRIZE: $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
ENDS: 1/31/13
OPEN only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Thanks so much for stopping by this wonderful blast! I hope you enjoyed learning about this and entering the giveaway! Happy Tuesday!! See you all back on Thursday for the tour! XOXO!
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