The Grand Finale

(In case you missed anything!)

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

Hero

by Alethea Kontis



Rough and tumble Saturday Woodcutter thinks she's the only one of her sisters without any magic—until the day she accidentally conjures an ocean in the backyard. With her sword in tow, Saturday sets sail on a pirate ship, only to find herself kidnapped and whisked off to the top of the world. 


Is Saturday powerful enough to kill the mountain witch who holds her captive and save the world from sure destruction? And, as she wonders grumpily, "Did romance have to be part of the adventure?" 


As in Enchanted, readers will revel in the fragments of fairy tales that embellish this action-packed story of adventure and, yes, romance.  Excerpt

   

Alethea Kontis

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Sail Away on the 

Fairy Tale Adventure Tour*

*Family Welcome

Sept 22 - LAUNCH

Sept 23 - The Missing Piece - Althethea Kontis 

 I wrote them. And I cried. And I sent them in. And my editor was touched. And then somewhere between then and publication, they fell through the cracks...

 - Video Rant on Debz Bookshelf

Something about Saturday’s story just touched me... and that made my experience reading this book even more powerful. - Debz review

 - Celebration on Deal Sharing Aunt

Sept 24 - Interview with Miss Print 

The plan is for the Woodcutter Sisters Series to encompass 7 books — one about each sister. That’s always been my original plan. The publisher’s plan was for Enchanted to be a solo book...INTERVIEW

Hero is another excellent installment in the Woodcutter Sisters story and a mandatory read for anyone looking for an antidote to the typical princess story.  - REVIEW

Sept 25 - Interview with Carina Olsen  

What was the first fairy tale you remember falling in love with?  I started reading when I was three and was crazy about reading by the age of five. When I was eight, my French grandmother gave me a giant copy of unexpurgated Grimm and Andersen tales. I mark that date as The Beginning of The End...

 - The Grandfather Pirate on Living a Goddess Life

 - Meet the Inspiration Part I on The Wonderings of One Person

I was a normal kind from a REALLY NOT NORMAL family. My biggest feelings of inadequacy came from comparing myself to my parents and siblings and everyone else and just not measuring up...

Sept 26 – Review on Shannon’s Blog

Coming from a large family, I liked the way the author not only made the heroine one of many siblings, but managed to include all her brothers and sisters...  It wasn’t just an interesting biographical fact that Saturday came from a large family; it actually mattered to the story.

Sept 27 – My Amazing Sister on Leeana Me

My little sister, Soteria, always asks me who she is in the Woodcutter stories, but it’s hard to say. She and I were so close growing up–if I am every single one of my characters, then she is always my sister in every scene.

Sept 30 -- USA Today Happy Ever After interview

My 8-year old daughter loves Alethea Kontis. She's never read one of her YA books, but she knows her as "Princess Alethea" who hangs out with Mommy at book festivals. Alethea lives and breathes fantasy, fairy tales and girl power, and it always pours out of the page. The second book in her Woodcutter series, Hero, is out, and this one has all the trademark spunky heroine and swashbuckling (there are pirates!) fantasy adventure you will find in her books. I was fortunate enough to grab a few moments with Alethea to ask her a few questions...

 

- Review of Enchantment on Colorimetry

What a deliciously fairy tale filling read… with just enough light-hearted fun, deeply dark antagonists, magic straight out of real fairy-tale-dom with real fairy god mothers… and characters that carry their faults around like real people that accidentally fell into the story.

Oct 1 - RELEASE DAY!

 - Alethea at Waterworld Mermaids - "Last Minute Wonder"

I can’t even call it procrastination, because it was more like Self-Imposed Ninja Boot Camp...

 - "My Favorite Bit" guest essay by Alethea - Mary Robinette Kowal

...clothes may be an expression of who you are, but they are not the definition.

 - Review at Library of a Book Witch

I think that this series is really good at setting that fairy tale tone with the writing style, being a hard core lover of fairy tales, it makes the books perfect for me. I also love how she weaves in the different stories and pieces it togther like one of Fridays quilts.

Sunday

- Interview & Review at Tressa's Wishful Endings

Alethea: I have been accused many times of "cramming all the fairy tales into one book like it was some sort of challenge"--and indeed, it sort of started out that way.I just have to ask, what is your favorite fairy tale and fairy tale princess and why?Alethea: Yay! I love answering this question... Interview

Saturday is such a great character! She is struggling with figuring out her place in the world and who exactly she is...  I loved that she isn't dramatic, but rather sarcastic... Review

Oct 2 - Video Rant Geek Girl In Love 

Princess Alethea rants about Petronella 

I found Hero to be a creative and exciting work of fantasy.  The highlight of the book was the exploration of gender roles, and the romance, which was based very much on the idea that people’s differences can complement each other.

  - "The Big Idea" John Scalzi's blog 

Every author wonders if they’ll be able to hack it in a trial by fire. Well, this author knows she’s got what it takes. I wrote that manuscript in three months, and when they didn’t like that, I took the fourth month to rewrite the whole thing. But I did it, against all odds, and what came out was magic.

Ironically, this is exactly what Hero is all about.

  - My Bookshelf on Mel's Shelves

I was intrigued with the summary for this book. I come from a family of 7 daughters (and 2 sons). I line up with daughter number 4, Thursday, who ran off with the Pirate King and sends trunks of gifts back home, haha!  - Review of Enchanted

The Shelf I Can't Live Without

  - Did You See? on Cu's eBook Giveaways

Princess Alethea has had a busy week!

Oct 3 – Hightlighting The Missing Piece on I Am a Reader, Not a Writer 

Last but not least I must thank the members of my very large family... thank you for keeping my feet tied to the ground while I reach for the stars. You are my heart, and I love you all more than these humble words can say. 

 - Review at Books for Kids

I love the way she writes.  Her characters are vibrant and full of life.  Saturday is a fabulous protagonist.  I adore her strength and her stubbornness, her fire and her fight.  I love the way she solves her problems (with her brain) and the way she carries out her plans (with her strength).

Oct 4 - Podcast Anything Goes with Bennet Pomeranz

More Entertainment Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with BennetPomerantz on BlogTalkRadio

 - Review of Hero on Colorimetry

The scene with the lake is burned on my memory forever:  Surrounded by icy walls, with water so clear you can see that the lake is deep, so deep you don’t know how deep, heated from molten lava within the mountain. It’s amazing. I want to go there!!

Oct 5 - Hero LAUNCH PARTY at One More Page Books in Arlington, VA

...where you can get a personalized, signed copy from Alethea!!

 - Meet the Inspiration Part II on Bookmarks

...So you see, I didn’t just have family members growing up. I had legends. I may have been destined for greatness, but only because my family set the bar SO HIGH.

Oct 7 - Character interview with Saturday Woodcutter at I Smell Sheep

Troubadour: I’m here today with Saturday Woodcutter, sixth of the seven Woodcutter daughters, and sister to the Queen of Arilland. Princess Saturday, could you tell me--

Saturday: Call me "princess" again and I punch you in the face. 

 -  Craft "Stealing from the Best" on Romance Writers of America & Fantasy Futuristic &Paranormal Chapter

In my teen novels, I retell the classic Grimm and Andersen (and a few others') fairy tales. I don't regurgitate the exact same sequence of events--though as they're public domain, I suppose I could. I prefer, instead, to fill in the blanks I feel the original authors left.

Oct 8 - Families in Fiction at A Backwards Story

In real life, we have families. Some of us have REALLY LARGE AND OBNOXIOUS families. And though we feel alone sometimes in those awkward middle school years, we're never really alone-alone.
Even when we want to be.

 - Review at JL Mbewe

There’s that saying that “it takes a village to raise a child” — well, in the publishing world, books are the author’s children. And it takes a village to raise them, too...

The first thing that jumped off the page at me was the author’s style. It’s playful, fun, and fresh filled with an out-of-this-world yet grounded fairy tale experience. I loved it... Review

Oct 9 - Enchanted Inkspot

AK – Beloved is a parallel novel to Hero, chronicling the adventures of Friday and the rest of the Woodcutter crew back in Arilland, in the tragic aftermath of the appearance of Saturday's "impossible ocean." Apprentice seamstress Friday becomes a leader of the children (because that's Friday's thing), and gets caught up in trying to break a curse involving seven swans, a mute girl, and the need to weave seven shirts out of stinging nettles. 

I've always loved all the bird-tales ("The Goose Girl" is my favorite) and I have to say...I am SO IN LOVE with writing this book. Beloved is such an appropriate title.

 - Deleted Scene at Fragments of Life

It was a sad road that led Peregrine to his mother's bedside... 

All in all, Hero was like a tapestry of fairytales interwoven together: vibrant, fun, humorous, tragic and100% magical. I strongly recommend this to readers who love fairytale retellings and fantasy. - Review

Oct 11 - 13 - Caplave

Oct 11-15 - GRAND FINALE

Contact BurgandyIce(at)live(dot)come if you're interested in sharing this Grand Finale!

Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * The Book Depository * Indie Bound * Powell's * Book Tour

Tour-Wide Giveaway

Sept 22 - Oct 17



Fairy Tale Gift Basket (US only): Signed copies of both Enchantment and Hero by Alethea Kontis plus swag!



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Born of Deception by Teri Brown Cover Reveal

Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself—or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim—or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Set in Jazz-Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.

Book 1 in the Born of Illusion Series

About Teri Brown

I’m not sure who to tell you about here because I’m actually two people rolled into one. As a responsible mother of teens, I show one persona to the world. That person is driven, conservative and level headed. But the other part of me just never grew up. She is rebellious, impulsive and curious.
It’s hard being both these people. They’re often at odds.
The mother part of me knows I should put a cap on how many animals we take in. The teen part of me wants to save them all. We have five cats and two dogs. Who do you think is winning?
Even now. The mother part wants to make a meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a tossed salad. The teen part wants to order a pizza, work on my website and check my Facebook.
Luckily, though my two halves don’t always agree, both of us live happily in Portland, Oregon, with a husband and too many animals. And we both love to write and write and write..

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Giveaway is open to US Only. | Must be 13+ to Enter

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Beautiful Broken Tour (Review, Excerpt, Giveaway)

I'm so excited to be a part of the tour for Nazarea Andrew's Beautiful Broken tour. You can check out the rest of the tour HERE

Beautiful Broken by Nazarea Andrews

University of Branton, #2

October 2013

She's been broken by her past. He's been breaking for as long as he can remember.

Together, they can make each other whole--or destroy each other.

When his best friend asks for something, Dane rarely says no. But babysitting a newly sober Scout Grimes for three weeks isn't exactly a normal request. And with their history, it's a recipe for disaster. Not to mention, she's drop dead gorgeous and he can't touch her.

There are few people Scout trusts as much as Dane Guillot. He's always been her safe place, where nothing can hurt her. He's also been the only man she's never let herself want--screwing up their friendship isn't worth one amazing night together.

They have too much history, and too much personal baggage to ever work. But if they are willing to take a chance on love--it might be worth the risk.

**MY REVIEW**

We start the book off with Scout getting out of rehab after a 3 month stint and Dane is there to pick her up. I can’t think if I’ve read a book where the main character is so involved in drugs the way Scout has been. She’s been a user for years and even though there is a reason she turned to it, you almost read the book with your guard up wondering yourself if she’s going to fall back into them.

Scout really impressed me because she works hard in the book to keep herself out of trouble. Getting a job, going to meetings and choosing therapy. For some reason when I first started reading I thought she was going to be the kind that throws things out the window but I really liked her character. I really liked that she was holding herself accountable for the mistakes she has made. This is really her trying to get clean. There are so many things I like about how she handles her issues. It was easy to cheer for her throughout the book.

Dane is also someone torn up with his own issues. He does the best he can working through them but he doesn’t seem to realize he can’t do it alone. Scout definitely draws some of the things out of him. I like that he is severely loyal to the people he cares about, especially Atti and Scout. I thought I should be pissed at the way Dane treats Mel but I wasn’t, I was actually pissed at her. She let him get away with crap for way too long. It’s always easier to be on the outside looking in though. I hope at some point there is a story about Mel. So as much as Dane can be an asshat and was, he could also be really sweet, caring and kind.

Dane and Scout’s relationship is intense and I think a lot of it comes from the close friendship they have had for years. I mean seriously the chemistry between these two characters could blow up buildings. I think it’s also interesting how they think that they are bad for one another when all through the book they are actually helping eachother. Dane asks Scout to go to a meeting she agrees if he goes with her and I think he gets a little out of the meeting too. I love how they interact with one another. There is a particular club scene that is my absolute favorite and it just helps make the book for me. As their relationship grows they do too and they really learn what it means to have each other.

I flew through this book like it was on fire. I didn't even realize how fast I was reading until I would look down and go, oh wow I’m at 50% already. It’s that addictive and that easy to get lost in. The plot is great the writing is great and the characters are fantastic. I would definitely recommend this book if your looking for steamy romance and sweet story.

**EXCERPT**

The door peeks open, and her voice fills it. "Dane?"
For a heartbeat, I almost don't answer. But there's a hitch in her voice that makes me sit up.
"What's wrong, Scout?" I ask, surprised my voice is steady.
"Can I sleep with you?"
My eyes go wide, and my dick twitches. Great. Five minutes after orgasm and I'm already getting hard again.
"I don't think that's a good idea." I say hoarsely.
"Just to sleep," she says, her voice unspeakably weary. "You keep the dreams away. I don't want to dream."
Her voice breaks me. What did I tell her earlier? A safe place. I won't take that away from her, not when she's staring at me like I can make the boogieman go away.
I toss the blankets back and she climbs into bed without hesitating. I lean over and tuck her in, ignoring her shiver, the way she looks so right in my bed. That's not what she's asking for or needs. I settle on my side of the king sized bed, and it's quiet, the only noise her soft breathing and the subtle shifts as she tries to get comfortable.
"Scout?" I ask, and she tenses. "Go with me to a meeting tomorrow?"
I see her slight nod, and some of my tension eases. Without letting myself overthink it, I pull her into my arms. She's stiff for a heartbeat that seems like an eternity, and then the tension drains out of her so quickly it makes me dizzy. She nestles against me, her head tucked into the crook of my shoulder, her body a pliant warmth against my side.
"Night, Dane," she whispers, and I murmur something incoherent as her breathing settles.
She's asleep in minutes, and I'm left in the dark, holding her. Wondering how I became her safe place, and wondering how the hell I'm going to keep from screwing it up.

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

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GIVEAWAY:

One lucky winner will get a loaded MP3 player, 2 signed bookmarks, bookplates, and the first 25 pages of Beautiful Broken with editing marks and special extras from Nazarea.

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PUSH by Eve Silver Cover Reveal (Giveaway)

Push (The Game #2)

by Eve Silver

Release Date: 2014

Harper Teen

It’s either break the rules or die.

Miki Jones lives her life by her own strict set of rules, to keep control, to keep the gray fog of grief at bay. Then she’s pulled into the Game, where she—and her team—will die unless she follows a new set of rules: those set by the mysterious Committee.

But rules don’t mean answers, and without answers, it’s hard to trust. People are dying. The rules are unraveling. And Miki knows she’s being watched, uncertain if it’s the Drau or someone—something—else. Forced to make impossible choices and battling to save those she loves, Miki begins to see the Committee in a glaring new light.

And then the Game crosses a new boundary, pushes harder into Miki’s and her friends’ lives, and there’s nothing in the rules that can save them now.

Push is the sequel Rush fans will be screaming for.

Pre-Order from:

Book One:

(linked to Goodreads)

Available From:

    

About the Author
Eve Silver lives with her gamer husband and sons, sometimes in Canada, but often in worlds she dreams up. She loves kayaking and sunshine, dogs and desserts, and books, lots and lots of books. Watch for the first book in Eve’s new teen series, THE GAME: RUSH, coming from Katherine Tegen Books, June 2013. She also writes books for adults.

Author Links:

     

GIVEAWAY:

Harper Teen is offering
an ARC of PUSH as the prize, which will be mailed to the winner early 2014, as
soon as ARCs become available. (US and Canada only)

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Cover Reveal
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Before We Fall by Courtney Cole Teaser Reveal

Sometimes, one dark moment is all it takes to turn your world black...

For 24-year old Dominic Kinkaide, that moment took place on the night of his high school graduation. One dark incident changed him forever. He's a hardened actor now, famous in the eyes of the world, but tortured in his own. He doesn't care about much of anything, except for losing himself in the roles that he plays.

23-year old Jacey Vincent doesn't realize how much her father's indifference has affected her. She is proof that sometimes it isn't one specific moment that wrecks a person, but rather it's an absence of moments. She's like a bird with a broken wing-strong yet fragile, as she tries to float through life, finding acceptance in the arms of random guys, one after the other... to fill the void that her father left in her.

Until she meets Dominic.

After jaded Dominic and strong-willed Jacey are thrown together, his secret and her issues create a dark and damaged energy that will soon turn their attraction to each other into an explosive storm.

Even though when the clouds have cleared and the dust has settled, both of them are almost obliterated... they've learned a priceless lesson.

Sometimes, before we fall... we fly.

 

Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people.

Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.

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Sunday Post

Hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer

This week I'm just doing a quick recap of what was on the blog. I've gotten some new ebooks for review but I will post those next week. We confirmed this week my 4yr old has asthma, crazy. So I had to deal with that and I'm just hoping he grows out of it since it's allergy related  For some reason I feel like the week went by fast. I've been trying to figure out how I'm going to change my layout too. Let me tell ya I do use premade layouts that I tweak to suit me but I go through quite a bit of testing. I'm way too picky. So this is what went on the blog this week.

On the Blog:

Autumn Rose By Abigail Gibbs Cover Reveal
Dawning Apocalypse by Jill Cooper Cover Reveal (Giveaway)
Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen (Excerpt & Giveaway)
Watercolor by Leigh T. Moore Release Day! (Giveaway)
Cover Spell by T.A. Foster Cover Reveal
Hero by Alethea Kontis (Review & Giveaway)
Eternal Starling by Angela Corbett