Summer Circus: Dualing Magicians Tent


"The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. " ~The Night Circus - Erin Morgenstern
 
Welcome to the Dualing Magicians tent where two Magical Books are dualing it out to be your choice as the winner. Entering to win is easy just vote for the book of your choice and then enter the rafflecopter below. The Giveaway is open Intl as long as the book depository ships to you.


The Competitors


The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

The circus arrives without warning. No announcements precede it. It is simply there, when yesterday it was not. Within the black-and-white striped canvas tents is an utterly unique experience full of breathtaking amazements. It is called Le Cirque des Rêves, and it is only open at night.

But behind the scenes, a fierce competition is underway—a duel between two young magicians, Celia and Marco, who have been trained since childhood expressly for this purpose by their mercurial instructors. Unbeknownst to them, this is a game in which only one can be left standing, and the circus is but the stage for a remarkable battle of imagination and will. Despite themselves, however, Celia and Marco tumble headfirst into love—a deep, magical love that makes the lights flicker and the room grow warm whenever they so much as brush hands.

True love or not, the game must play out, and the fates of everyone involved, from the cast of extraordinary circus per­formers to the patrons, hang in the balance, suspended as precariously as the daring acrobats overhead.

Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

Anna Van Housen is thirteen the first time she breaks her mother out of jail. By sixteen she’s street smart and savvy, assisting her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, and easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums and mentalists in 1920’s New York City. Handcuffs and sleight of hand illusions have never been much of a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her true gifts secret from her opportunistic mother, who will stop at nothing to gain her ambition of becoming the most famous medium who ever lived. But when a strange, serious young man moves into the flat downstairs, introducing her to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, he threatens to reveal the secrets Anna has fought so hard to keep, forcing her to face the truth about her past. Could the stories her mother has told her really be true? Could she really be the illegitimate daughter of the greatest magician of all?


 
 
Who Should Win?


  
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Sunday Post: Book Haul


Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Hello World. This is what has been going on in my part of town.
 
So I just got back from Vacation last night. Drove from Chicago to Tampa with a 2yr old and 3 yr old. Doesn't sound like much of a vacation but it was fun and we survived. Although my kids weren't into the beach so I didn't get a whole lot of sun. Which I can't think of a time in my life when I have been tan soooo I think people have gotten used to me coming back from warm climates looking the same. While I was gone the Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup so I was pretty excited. Even though I missed all the craziness in the streets.
 
Alright so what's been happening while I've been gone. I didn't have a computer to really work on. Tablets just don't really do the job so it was hard to do any computing there were things happening on the blog.
 
Book Blitz: Shine not Burn by Elle Casey (win an ecopy!)
 
Cover Reveal: Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott (so excited for this book)
 
Cover Reveal: Embrace and Hold Tight by Cherie Coyler (I've read Embrace really liked it. They redid the cover to match the new Hold Tight cover)
 
I also did get some books while I was gone...
 
 
Star Cursed by Jessica Spotswood
Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
Songs of will Frost by Jamie Ford (publisher)
 
I also got some cool swag
 
 
So it was a nice set of mail to come home to.
 
There is a bunch of fun things coming up on the blog this week. I'm excited about I just have to get my thoughts organized and all since i just got back. The Summer Circus starts tomorrow so make sure to stop back and enter!!

Book Blitz: Shine not Burn by Elle Casey




Shine Not Burn by Elle Casey
Publication date: June 30th 2013
Genre: NA Romance
Purchase:
(special .99 pre-order price!)

Synopsis:

IT HAPPENED IN VEGAS. I can't be held responsible. Things that happen there are supposed to stay there, right? Right? Yeeeah. Not so much. ... Andie's just days away from tying the knot, but there's just ooooone little glitch. Apparently, she's already married. Or someone with her name is married to a guy out in Oregon of all places, and the courthouse won't issue her a marriage license until it's all cleared up. Tripping her way through cow pies and country songs to meet up with a man who gets around places on horseback is her very last idea of how to have a good time, but if she's going to get married, make partner at the firm, and have two point five kids before she's thirty-five, she needs to get to the bottom of this snafu and fix it quick ... before her fiance finds out and everything she's been working toward goes up in flames.




You started out writing in YA. What brought you over to New Adult?

I've been a reader of new adult titles even before they were called 'new adult'. And I love the age group it covers. 18-30 years old is such a great time in life, isn't it? I mean, it's when you sow your wild oats, learn about yourself in the context of the whole world and not just your family and friends; it's where you figure out who you're going to be. The adult-formative years I guess you could call it. And the sex part is awesome too, I won't lie. You can only get so sexy with a YA book, so as a writer, I have to hold back. In NA, I don't have to do that. It can be passionate, raw, sometimes awkward and full of bad decisions, but it can be REAL. I guess that's what I love about NA most … it's raw and real.

What's your favorite part of being a writer?

My readers. Hands down, it's the readers. I get emails and messages every day from devoted fans, and I can't express how much that means to me. There are readers out there who've set up book blogs just because they were so excited about my books, people who make it a point to promote my books on their Facebook pages and Twitter just because they want to share the reader-love, and whole families who are reading my series and discussing them at dinner. It just blows my mind that people would be so generous and so involved in my made-up worlds. Recently I had a fan dress as one of my characters at a comic con event. I also occasionally get a very heart-warming message about how my writing has changed someone's life - caused them to finally start reading or to go to college. To me, that's the sign of a life well-lived - that I've somehow inspired another person to reach for something they want in life that they thought they didn't have a chance at having before.

What kind of romances do you like to read?

The kind where bad boys are tamed by courageous girls. It's really that simple for me. :)

What's the most important element in a romance in your opinion?

A sexy guy. Seriously, he just needs to be sexy as hell, and that doesn't mean sexy can't come in different packages. For example, in the film My Big Fat Greek Wedding, the MC, Ian, is very understated and shy, but man, he rocked my world. He reminds me a lot of my husband, actually. On the other hand you have your angsty fighters ... guys who you'd never let into your world in real life but who are safe to fall for in books. Travis from Beautiful Disaster comes to mind. Boy, did he cause a lot of fuss in the reader world! Chemistry comes in all kinds of packages, which is awesome, but the chemistry has to be there or the book falls flat for me.




AUTHOR BIO

Elle Casey is a full-time writer of New Adult and Young Adult titles in several genres, including romance, urban fantasy, sci-fi dystopian, and action-adventure. She's an American girl who's been living in southern France with her husband and three children since 2010. She loves chatting with her readers, so feel free to drop her a line.

LINKS:





a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott #vmafia

So two awesome things happened yesterday, the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup and I got to see this cover. I am beyond excited for Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott and when I saw this cover my excitement sky rocketed. I love it! So without further ado here it is.


Coming March 2014

In a perilous race across the world, having the best Pandora can be the difference between life and death.

Sixteen-year-old Tella Holloway isn’t happy. Her mother rushed them out of Boston and into a craptastic house nestled in Middle of Nowhere, Montana. To make matters worse, Tella’s brother is sick, and though a dozen doctors can’t determine the cause, her mother is sure Montana’s “fresh air” will help. Now Tella spends her days being home schooled, and uses her imagination as entertainment.

But when a small blue box appears on her bed, Tella’s world is rocked. Inside the strange package she finds a white ear bud—and after she fits it into place and touches its blinking button—an unknown voice fills her head. Tella is invited to join the Brimstone Bleed, a race across four ecosystems: desert, sea, mountains, jungle. The voice in Tella’s ear explains she has 48 hours to retrieve her Pandora, an animal genetically designed to help her win.

Tella has never been the sporty type; she’s more a cheerleader than an athlete. But despite her mother’s warnings, she’s determined to compete in the race. And she’ll do anything to win, because if Tella is the Brimstone Bleed victor, she'll be granted a specific gift—the cure to save her brother’s life.




About the Author:

Victoria Scott is a YA writer with a die-hard affection for dark and humorous books. Her work is represented by the fabulous Laurie McLean of Larsen-Pomada literary agency. She has a master’s degree in marketing, and is a member of the Writers’ League of Texas and Teen Shiver.

Her first YA book, THE COLLECTOR, will be published by Entangled Teen in 2013. And her short story, FOUR HOUSES, is available now through Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

She currently lives in Dallas with her husband, Ryan.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads / Youtube



Cover Reveal: Embrace and Hold Tight by Cherie Colyer

I'm excited to help reveal the Hold Tight cover today, the sequel to Embrace by Cherie Colyer. I've read Embrace and I'm anxious for book two!

Title: Hold Tight (Embrace, #2)
Author: Cherie Colyer
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Age Group: Young Adult
Expected release date: August 20, 2013

Sixteen-year-old Madison Riley and her friends discover they aren’t the only supernatural beings in Gloucester, Massachusetts. These new creatures are more dangerous than ever, and this time Madison  risks losing more than just her friends.


With the new Hold Tight cover came a change to the cover of Embrace, in order for the covers to match. So here is the new Embrace cover.


 
Title: Embrace (Embrace, #1)
Released: December 2012

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It's responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve. Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he's a guy harboring a secret, but she's willing to risk the unknown to be with him. Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren't there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can't find the answers, Madison seeks her own. Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover. Dangerous, intoxicating, and darkly romantic, Embrace is a thriller that will leave you spellbound.





About the Author

Cherie Colyer writes young adult and middle grade novels. She loves finding new stories that keep her up late reading. While her favorite genre is realistic paranormal/fantasy, if the book is beautifully written with characters that come alive she’s all over it.

Facebook : Twitter


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Sunday Post: Book Haul


Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Hello World. This is what has been going on in my part of town.

The Blog;

Blog Tour: Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu (my playlist and review)

Frigid by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Pre-order awesomeness, First 3 chapters, Trailer)

Book Blitz: Romancing the RA by Ashelyn Drake (Excerpt and Giveaway)

Book Blitz: Triangles by Kimberly Ann Miller (Excerpt and Giveaway)

I have a lot of reviews sitting in files that I NEED to put it up. I have plenty of Blog Tours in July that I'm reviewing for so I'm looking forward to that. Plus July 1st the Circus comes to town so you are not going to want to miss that.

My Books;

It was a rainy day in Chicago when the mailman decided to drop some very awesome packages on my doorstep.

An unexpected superly awesome package came from Epic Reads! I love you Epic Reads/Pitch Dark Reads/Story Crush because I really do.

Defy the Dark

I really love so many of the authors that contributed to this book so I'm super excited to read it. I love anathologies. Probably because they remind me of fairy tale books a bit


Then this really cool poster came from Jessica Therrien. I like the cover of the first book but I looove the cover of Uprising.

My replacement book of Rush by Eve Silver came....finally, after recieving the wrong book in the mail. I like to make myself sound dramatic about it, but really things happen.


Oh so pretty cover. I love this cover like I love Ashes.....speaking of Ashes I found the library book in my car. Ya don't judge I leave books all over the place you never know when you are going to read.

There is actually a different cover of Ashes that freaks me out and I can't even look at it. So I'm so happy for this cover and I like to stare at it. I love the pictures in words look. On another not so rainy day I actually got another package from Jessica Therrien. Very cool, the book is signed by her too.


I really think that's all I got this week. Which I think I have books in transit to my house even though I'm on a book buying ban. It's going well...obviously. Most of these books I won/borrowed so I guess I did okay.

Couple of Ebooks for review that I'm really excited about;


Also my lovely husband bought me this shirt because if you don't know or haven't figured out. I'm a hockey fan and a big original 6 fan. Go Blackhawks!!

Feature and Follow

Feature and Follow Friday is a blog hop that is designed to provide some much-appreciated exposure to the bloggers participating, and to expand their following. Hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read, each of whom feature a chosen blog for the week, it's an interesting way to get to know one another.

If you would like to follow me, you can do so by GFC, Twitter or Linky .

I also make sure to go back and follow everyone that comments and I try to always follow twitter along with GFC/Linky. So if you have a twitter that is not on your page for some reason leave it in the comments and I will follow you that way too! I've recently become a fan of Bloglovin since it sends me an email update of everyones post. So much easier to follow then GFC! So follow me on there and I will definitely follow you back. If you don't have it, check it out.

Follow on Bloglovin

Q: Activity: Favorite Literary Quote

I have plenty of favorites but whenever I'm looking for one I always turn to Alice in Wonderland

“If I had a world of my own, everything would be nonsense. Nothing would be what it is, because everything would be what it isn't. And contrary wise, what is, it wouldn't be. And what it wouldn't be, it would. You see?”
Lewis Carroll, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland & Through the Looking-Glass

Book Blitz: Triangles by Kimberly Ann Miller (Excerpt & Giveaway)



Triangles
by Kimberly Ann Miller
Release Date: 06/18/13
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Summary from Goodreads: 


A cruise ship. A beautiful island. Two sexy guys. What could possibly go wrong?

In the Bermuda Triangle—a lot.

Hoping to leave behind the reminders of her crappy life--her father's death years ago, her mother's medical problems, and the loser who’s practically stalking her--seventeen-year-old Autumn Taylor hops on a ship with her sister for a little distraction. When she wakes up in the Bermuda Triangle, she fears she's gone nuts for more than one reason: that loser’s suddenly claiming they're a happy couple... a hot guy is wrapping his arms around her and saying "Happy Anniversary"... and suddenly, she’s full of bruises, losing her hair, and getting IV medication. Autumn visits the ship's doctor, hoping for a pill or a shot to make the craziness go away. Instead, she's warned that these "alternate realities" could become permanent.

She just has to ask herself one question—how the hell is she going to get out of this mess?










***Excerpt***

“Are you all right, honey?”

I opened my eyes. An attractive young woman with red hair and brilliant
green eyes was looking at me. What I thought was salt water from the
ocean must have been tears because my face was the only one nearby that
was wet. I glanced at her concerned expression and smiled. “Yes, thank
you. I’m fine.” I swiped away a tear with my finger. “Just…everything’s
fine.”

She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “This cruise will change
your life. Nothing will be the same when it’s over, but it will be worth it.
You’ll see.” Her emerald eyes twinkled, and she nodded her head once.

I forced a laugh to be polite. “Thanks. Enjoy your cruise.”

What a weirdo. What did that even mean? How could a cruise change
my life? I moved from my spot to avoid more weirdness from her and
found a less populated area at the back of the ship. New York and New
Jersey disappeared behind us as we charged toward Bermuda and away
from the mess my life had become.

A cloud covered the retreating sun, sending shivers through me. A
white-haired lady dropped her purse and lots of change tumbled out. A
penny hit my foot and landed on tails.

My cell phone buzzed. I pulled it from my pocket. I had thirteen
messages and thirteen texts. How would Nisha survive the next five days
without hearing from me? I took care of the messages and told her I’d call
her when we got back to Jersey.

Even though I was not very superstitious, a bad feeling crawled into
the pit of my stomach and took up residence.

I knew what I was leaving behind, but what was I floating toward?



***


Kimberly Miller received Bachelor's degrees from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University and a Master's degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She is an avid reader and particularly enjoys true crime and young adult novels. She grew up in New Jersey and currently resides in Monmouth County with her husband and three cats. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel to sunny islands where she snorkels by day and stargazes by night. She
always takes her Nook with her. 



WebsiteTwitterGoodreadsFacebookTumblr

***GIVEAWAY***


(2)
$10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes and Noble (US)

Spencer Hill Press is also doing a giveaway for a cruise!  Click HERE
to enter to win!
a Rafflecopter giveaway



Book Blitz: Romancing the R.A. by Ashelyn Drake



Romancing the R.A. (Campus Romance #1)
Release Date: 05/28/13

Summary from Goodreads:

Noelle Buckman is looking forward to making a fresh start in college, one that doesn’t involve immature high school boys. The second she steps on campus for freshman orientation, she can sense the possibilities. Especially when she spots Andy, a resident advisor who’s not just hot but also thoughtful enough to open doors for a girl. 

And Andy has his eye on Noelle. Even when her nerves take control and she thinks she comes off as a hillbilly with no direction, Andy can see what she’s really like and he’s more than a little interested.

But orientation is less than two full days and there’s an entire summer between Noelle and Andy. Will her attempt to romance the R.A. be as short-lived as college orientation?

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(only $.99!)

***EXCERPT***

He’s stunned at first and doesn’t move. I start to pull away, thinking I’ve made a huge mistake, but then I feel Andy’s hand on my lower back, pulling me closer. His lips part, and he deepens the kiss.

Every inch of me is on fire. Andy’s an incredible kisser, but the position we’re in is awkward. I reach my hands up and bury my fingers in his hair, which prompts him to lift me onto his lap. Much better. Our bodies are pressed so close I can feel every inch of him. My lungs are screaming for air, but I’m not willing to give in to them. I’ve been dying to kiss Andy ever since he first smiled at me, and I’ll be damned if I’m backing away that quickly.

His hands move up my back to my hair, and he pulls my head back gently exposing my neck. His lips trail down my jaw and to the nape of my neck. I bite my lip to stifle a moan, but it manages to slip out anyway. Andy slowly eases off, opening his eyes to see my reaction. I debate pulling his lips back to mine, but for the moment I drape my arms around his shoulders and just stare into his baby blue eyes.

“Wow.”

He can say that again. “Yeah.”

“I can honestly say that’s the first time I didn’t have to make the first move.”

“And it’s the first time I ever made the first move.”

He smiles. “Then I’m honored.” He leans forward and places a single kiss on my neck. His hips rise under me, and I know exactly where he’s hoping this is going to lead. My body is screaming for his touch, but I don’t want to be that girl. The one who goes off to college and sleeps with the first guy she meets. As much as I want Andy, I can’t do this right now.


About the Author

Ashelyn Drake is a New Adult and Young Adult romance author represented by Lauren 
Hammond of ADA Management. Look for her debut New Adult romance, Romancing the 
R.A., from S.B. Addison Books!

*Author Links*
WebsiteTwitterGoodreadsFacebook


***GIVEAWAY***


Signed Romancing the R.A. postcard and $10 gift card to Amazon or Barnes & Noble (INT)


Blog Tour: Shutdown by Heather Anastasiu (Review and My Playlist)

@itchingforbooks @h_anastasiu
 

Release Date: July 2nd 2013
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Purchase:

Summary via Goodreads:

The battle is all but over, and hope seems to be lost. Zoe and her fellow Resistance fighters are on the run, having lost their home, their protection, and their leader. They are outnumbered and outmatched by the powerful corporation that controls the world, and the cruel Chancellor is inches away from completing a scheme that would kill most of humanity. Zoe's only remaining option is to chase the impossible dream of upending the Link system, freeing the world from the hardware that controls their thoughts and emotions, and hope it will trigger a revolution.

The plot requires a nearly impossible mission to infiltrate the dangerous Community, and it is a task that Zoe must unfortunately complete alone. With challenges and surprises at every turn, nothing goes according to plan. Adrien's visions of the future now show two possible outcomes: one in which they succeed, and one in which humanity falls. It all lies in Zoe's hands.

Full of romance, high-adrenaline action and shocking twists, Shutdown is a heart-pounding conclusion to an exciting sci-fi adventure trilogy for young adults.

The thrilling conclusion to an action-packed sci-fi trilogy.

Read the Series


Review:

I was really excited to read Shutdown the final installment in the Glitch series by Heather Anastasiu. Override left us with such an unbelievable cliff hanger! I’m glad to say that I was really happy with this book.

Zoe has really changed as the story has progressed through the series but I think this book really shows that. She starts off book three being not just angry but at times consumed by rage. We have seen a girl that has had to learn to deal with emotions in the last year instead of the last 16 like she was supposed to. Plus she has had to deal with so much tragedy and conflict that would make anyone have that feeling of I give up. I think she has those moments where she thinks life would be easier to just sleep forever. She has lost the person she loves; well they will never be the same at least. She feels like she is constantly failing the people who look to her to lead them. This girl is definitely depleted. She is one of those people who you would say is already dead but she just refuses to lie down. There is a drive in Zoe that seems to override all her other instincts, even though she’s been pushed and shoved she just can’t accept giving up. Adrien says that Zoe doesn’t know how to survive but she does. She also knows that she cannot really live if she doesn’t save the people she cares about too.

For some reason I was not the biggest fan of Adrien in the previous books. I think book two I liked him better but he always seemed overly driven by his visions. Obviously Adrien had something horrible happen to him in book two that completely changed him. Although the basic components of Adrien are still there, he has become a different Adrien. I kept expecting him to change his name to something new. This new Adrien made me laugh at times; he acted a little on the Vulcan side. I was like; alright he’s definitely channeling some Spock here. He has become more fueled by logic than he is by emotions being that he has had them ripped away. I was wondering if it is mean of me to think that he is better this way.

Talk about a role switch with Zoe and Adrien. I was thinking back to the first book and how Adrien kind of had to teach Zoe how to feel, how to understand that there is more to the world then just what you see. Now it’s almost like Zoe has to do the same with him and she spends a lot of time yearning for the Adrien that was. I like when she finally accepts who he is.

We still have a lot of the same side characters, although their roles vary and they are not as prominent as they were in book 2. Max is still there and trying to gain Zoe’s forgiveness. His actions are so crazy and it makes sense for him. I feel sorry for him almost but at the same time I don’t.

So there is lead up to a battle and I was happy with how it played out. Sometimes you get these build ups and then you think in your head..is that it? That was not the case with this book. The action is definitely solid. I don’t want to give too much away about it but I really liked how it ended. How the series ended, it explains things and what is going to happen next. It was a good way of tying it up at the end.

I actually kind of felt like this might be my favorite book of the series. It’s hard to beat a first book, but I think because of the way Zoe and Adrien characters evolved. It sold it for me.


My Playlist:





Keep Breathing by Ingrid Michaelson /  Reminds me of Zoe. Especially in the opening scene of book 3

Figure Us Out ~ Chelsea Lee / One of the songs that reminds me of Zoe and Adrien. There love story is very angsty in this book so there was a lot of songs that kind of reminded me of them.

Second Chance ~ Tristan Prettyman / This is my Max and Zoe song. You have to remember that in the first book Max sort of had a thing.

I Will Follow You into the Dark ~ Death Cab for Cutie / Another Zoe and Adrien song

End of all Days ~ Thirty Seconds to Mars / It's kind of that moment when Zoe is trying to decide what to do

Angel with a Shotgun ~ The Cab ~ Okay so this my choice for Shutdown theme song. It's just certain lyrics in the song that really make me think of the book "I want to live, not just survive"



About the Author

Heather Anastasiu grew up in Texas and recently moved to Minneapolis with her family. When she's not busy getting lost exploring the new city, she spends most days writing at a café or daydreaming about getting a new tattoo.

Website | Twitter