BOOKS AND BLOGGING PHILOSOPHY

Philosophy is defined as a theory underlying or regarding a sphere of activity or thought. Well, my theory is if I can add at least 10 new books to my Wishlist and move at least 5 older Wishlist selections to my TBR list every month, then life is a ice cream sundae. And if I can find those 10 books from at least 5 new blogs each month then that's the cherry on top.

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!

NEW VISITORS AND OLD- WELCOME!
Well, I've made it almost 5 years now, so for better or worse, I continue on. I tend to blog in spurts as the urge to be creative erupts. As I don't have an artistic bone in my body, you will see very few changes in the layouts. Hey, I'm a reader not an artist like so many of the awesome bloggers I follow. I know you don't always have the time but if you stopped and looked, take a half a minute and say your piece. Recommend a book that you have enjoyed or hated for that matter. Thank you to all who visit.
Oh, and I moved my Google Friend Connect info and share this buttons to the top, as without our friends, who are we?


Showing posts with label M9B. Show all posts
Showing posts with label M9B. Show all posts

Thursday, April 30, 2015

M9B Two for Thursday Book Blitz - Dead Jed: Adventures of A Middle School Zombie and Dead Jed 2: Dawn of the Jed by Scott Craven with Giveaway #T4T


T4T-Banner
Hello and welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!
Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!
You just might find your next read!
This week, #T4T presents to you the Dead Jed series by Scott Craven:
Dead Jed: Adventures of A Middle School Zombie
and
Dead Jed 2: Dawn of the Jed!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Dead-Jed-Cover
Dead Jed is Shaun of the Dead meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Jed's not your typical junior high geek. He is, to use the politically-correct term, cardiovascularly-challenged. And while his parents have attempted to shield him from the implications of being 'different' for as long as they could (Jed was 8 and at a friend's sister's birthday party when he blew his lips off onto the cake in front of everyone, finally prompting the “Big Talk” from his parents and an emergency SuperGlue repair by his dad), 7th grade at Pine Hollow Middle School as a target of Robbie the supreme school bully and his pack of moronic toadies is rapidly becoming unbearable.
From being stuffed in a filled trash can as “dead meat” and into a trophy case as the bully's “prize,” to literally having his hand pulled off in the boys' room (Jed's always losing body parts. Luckily, a good stapler and some duct tape and he's back in the action) and a cigarette put in it and try to frame him for the recent reports of smoking in the school, Jed's had enough and is ready to plan his revenge. Besides, it's awesome what you can do when you're already dead!
add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon  B&N
WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:
DEAD JED is amazing. It takes true talent to write a book that's witty and has such clever humor. That's exactly what DEAD JED has.” – Courtney, Author

 ” I’m entirely convinced this series is going to be as big and popular as the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series, if not more. It might be aimed at middle grade readers, but I will highly and happily recommend it to readers aged 9 to 99!”Angie, Books4Tomorrow

“Middle Grade humor at its finest.” – S.A. Larsen, Author

Dead-Jed-2-Cover
The first part of seventh grade was rough on Jed, but things are looking up now that Christmas is almost here. As with past Christmases, Jed asks for the one thing he’s always wanted–a dog–and again, his parents tell him they’re not ready. But fate has a different plan when Jed sees a dog get run over by a car. Then, it happens. Jed suddenly has a pet, Tread, a zombie dog bearing his namesake–a tire tread down his back. Jed may have gained a dog, but he loses his best friend Luke, who fears the way Jed created his undead pet.
When Jed returns to school, he finds a mysterious group called the No Zombies Now Network spreading rumors of the dangers the undead pose to normal people. Forced to disprove Hollywood stereotypes, Jed has his work cut out for him as stories of a zombie dog begin to circulate. Jed could be expelled if he can’t expose the NZN Network as a fraud. Jed needs help from his kind of girlfriend Anna, especially after he discovers Luke has joined the shadowy group.
Once again navigating the treacherous waters of middle school, Jed does his best to stay in one piece. Only this time he’ll need even more duct tape and staples than usual.
add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon  B&N
WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:
“Like its predecessor Dead Jed, Dead Jed 2: Dawn of the Jed is an incredibly cute and fun read!”Angie, Books4Tomorrow



“This is a fun story, which was written very well for the age group. I can imagine the series being a huge hit, especially with zombies being so popular at the moment.”Bri, Natural Bri - Pursuits of Life

“…just read it, you will love it and it sooooo funny” – Michelle, Because Reading



about-the-author


Scott Craven
Proud graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, have one son who will turn 18 in March 2013, now a features writer for The Arizona Republic.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter 

Giveaway
Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!


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Thursday, April 23, 2015

M9B Two for Thursday Book Blitz: Life, A.D. and M.I.A. by Michelle E. Reed with Giveaway #T4T


T4T-Banner
Hello and welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!
Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!
You just might find your next read!
This week, #T4T presents to you the Atman City series by Michelle E. Reed:
Life, A.D.: Life After Dez
and
M.I.A.: Missing in Atman!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Life-AD-Cover
In Life, A.D. you have two choices: join the program or face the consequences.
Seventeen-year-old Dez Donnelly crashes headlong into fate on the side of a rural highway, her life ending in a violent collision of steel and screaming brakes. The train that delivers her newly departed soul to the crossroads of the afterlife won’t be carrying her to the sweet hereafter until she accepts her abrupt end and learns to let go of the life she’ll never finish.
Her new reality is conduct manuals, propaganda, and unrelenting staff, all part of a system to ease her transition from life to death, while helping her earn her way out of limbo. Atman City, beautiful and enticing, is an ever-present temptation that is strictly off limits to underage souls. The promise of adventure proves too strong, and beneath the city’s sheen of ethereal majesty, Dez discovers a world teeming with danger.
Welcome to Life, A.D. where being dead doesn’t mean you’re safe, and the only thing harder than getting out of limbo is getting through it.
add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon  B&N
WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:
I loved this book. it takes on the aspect of death and afterlife, transforming it into a character driven story.” – Troy, Goodreads Reviewer

 ” There was a theme threaded throughout the tale: Most people are busy living life preparing for the future instead of living in the moment. Gosh, I love that.”S.A. Larsen, Author

“I think Life A.D. holds high potential for a fantastic series. It was GREAT and I really do think that people would really get into it if it became a series.” – Olivia, Book Comet

MIA-Cover
Dez is finally hitting her afterlife stride. She hasn’t missed a meeting or session in 42 days, and she’s put the adventures and danger of her first days at Atman behind her. Life after death is becoming tolerable, yet nothing is quite what she’d hoped. Confusion over her feelings for Charlie, residual resentment over losing Hannah, and a continuous stream of unwanted assignments leave Dez restless and argumentative. In a missed encounter with Crosby, her prying gaze lands upon a single entry in the datebook on his unoccupied desk. These few, hastily scribbled words reveal an enormous secret he’s keeping from her. Possessed by a painful sense of betrayal, she once again sneaks off to Atman City, determined to find answers to an unresolved piece of her life. It begins as all their adventures do, but as light falls into darkness, a stop in an unfamiliar neighborhood sets forth a chaotic series of events. Dez will have to fight for her very existence, and will face painful, irreparable loss in an afterlife teeming with demons wielding ancient powers.
add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon  B&N
WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:

“This was a wonderful continuation to the Atman City series!”Bri, Books and Ashes

“I couldn't put it down!!
Now I desperately await the next installment. I'm nowhere near the writer Michelle Reed is, so I won't bother trying. I'll simply say this book is a must read, following the first installment, "Life A.D."”Amy, Goodreads Reviewer

“M.I.A. had an interesting ending and I imagine there will be a third book in the series based on it. I look forward to reading it.” – Dawn, Bound 4 Escape


about-the-author
Michelle Reed
Michelle E. Reed was born in a small Midwestern town, to which she has returned to raise her own family. Her imagination and love of literature were fueled by a childhood of late nights, hidden under the covers and reading by flashlight. She is a passionate adoption advocate who lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and their yellow lab, Sully.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook Goodreads


Giveaway

Friday, April 17, 2015

Blog Tour/Excerpt--Where the Staircase Ends by Stacy Stokes






Where the Staircase Ends 
 Stacy Stokes
Publication Date: April 14 2015
Publisher: Month9Books

After her best friend orchestrates the lie that destroys her reputation, Taylor wants more than anything to disappear from her life. But when an accident turns this unspoken wish into reality, instead of an angel-filled afterlife, Taylor must climb a seemingly endless staircase into the sky.
Instead of going up, the journey plunges her into the past. As she unravels the mystery behind her friend’s betrayal, she must face the truth about life and find the strength to forgive the unforgivable — unless the staircase breaks her first.
Link to the Tour Schedule:
Link to Goodreads:

Purchase Links:

EXCERPT_
This time I wasn't surprised when I appeared back on the staircase. The posters on my bedroom wall faded into a blue sky, and like before, my feet were moving up the steps like they’d never stopped. Was it possible to be in two places at once?
I squinted against the bright afternoon, searching the steps. Something green swayed in the distance. At first I thought it was another ghost waiting to torture me, but as I got closer I saw that it was nothing more than the reaching stem of a sunflower.
Weird. I climbed closer to the plant. It was the first sign of life I’d seen since appearing on the staircase. How had a flower managed to grow in the middle of bumble-butt nowhere?
The green stalk stretched up through a crack in the stone until it was almost at my knees. Bright leaves splayed helter-skelter along the stem, and at the top sat a perfect circle of yellow petals, opened like a palm toward the sky.
There was something brave about the flower, something defiant in the way it broke through the steps like nothing could hold it back. Maybe my brain was still mash-potatoed from the car crash, but I thought it was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.
I wanted it. No, I needed it. There was no way I could take another step without having the perfect yellow petals to keep me company.
I wrapped my hands around the stem, surprised at how sturdy it felt, and gave it a sharp tug.
The flower didn't move.
I tried again, this time pulling and yanking and twisting with everything I had, but the damn thing wouldn't budge. It stayed rooted in place like it was planted in cement.
Something inside me snapped. It wasn't just the flower—it was everything. The staircase. Sunny. Logan. Justin. It all welled up inside me until I couldn't take it anymore. I wanted to take it all out on the immobile flower. The stupid, stupid flower that was so hell-bent on staying put.
I jumped on top of it, using my heels to grind the stem into the staircase. I kicked it and clawed it, then hopped and danced and jumped until I was sure the flower was mashed into paste.
But when I stepped to the side to admire my destruction, the flower looked unfazed. Its leaves still stretched toward the sky, and its yellow petals beamed as brightly as ever. It was as if nothing happened.
As if I didn't exist.


ABOUT STACY STOKES:

Stacy Stokes attended the University of Texas at Austin and The Wharton School of Business.  She grew up in Dallas, TX, and currently lives in San Francisco with her husband.  WHERE THE STAIRCASE ENDS is her first novel.
Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter





Giveaway Information:  Winner will be drawn May 8, 2015
·         Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Where the Staircase Ends by Stacy Stokes (INT)

Thursday, April 16, 2015

M9B Two for Thursday Book Blitz: A Shimmer of Angels and A Slither of Hope by Lisa M. Basso with Giveaway #T4T


T4T-Banner
Hello and welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!
Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!
You just might find your next read!
This week, #T4T presents to you the Angel Sight series by Lisa M. Basso:
A Shimmer of Angels
and
A Slither of Hope!
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
A-Shimmer-of-Angels-cover
Sixteen-year-old Rayna sees angels, and has the medication and weekly therapy sessions to prove it. Now, in remission, Rayna starts fresh at a new school, lands a new job, and desperately tries for normalcy. She ignores signs that she may be slipping into the world she has tried so hard to climb out of. But these days, it’s more than just hallucinations that keep Rayna up at night. Students are dying, and she may be the only one who can stop it. Can she keep her job, her sanity, and her friends from dying at the hands of angels she can't admit to seeing?
add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon  B&N
WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:

A Shimmer of Angels was a fantastic, extraordinary book from Month9Books. I adored it! Every single page i turned, I kept being pushed and grabbed into Reyna's world, full of angels, and maybe a few murders in between.” – Michelle, That Girly Bookwork

 ” It has what every Young Adult loves to read in books: romance, a good-looking and nice angel, a hot, fallen angel, drama, mystery, suspense.”Genesis, Gen Gen Book Blog

“This book has completely caught me off guard. I thought it would be good but I didn't know it would be amazing!! I mean look at that COVER who could turn away from it?? It draws you in immediately. Then you step into the book and realize its better then you could have expected.” –Courtney, Bookaholicsxoxo
A-Slither-of-Hope-Cover
Rayna struggles to piece her life back together, but hiding in plain sight from the police, the SS Crazy, and the Fallen isn’t a foolproof plan—something Kade, the World’s Worst Roommate, reminds her of everyday. The late nights of failing to teach Ray how to protect herself against the Fallen are getting to Kade, changing him in ways he doesn’t like, and after a family emergency sends Ray back into Cam’s arms, Kade decides he’s had enough. News of Rayna’s resurfacing brings both angels and the Fallen to San Francisco by the dozens, all eyes scouring the city for the girl with the gray wings. Rayna will need both Kade and Cam’s help to ensure her family’s safety, navigate the new dangers and enemies springing up all over the city, and manage the surprises that arise with her new set of wings.
add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon  B&N
WHAT READER’S ARE SAYING:
“I was literally biting my nails because the intensity of the story was so strong…”Genesis, Gen Gen Book Blog

“Suspenseful with a different take on angels, A Slither of Hope has only strengthened my admiration of the Angel Sight series and my place in the fandom of Lisa M. Basso.”Laurie, Author

“She does a great job with the angels versus demons theme in both books and really makes the characters come to life for the reader so that we feel their pain and suffering and when they succeed we feel like WE have accomplished something too” – Erika, WS Momma Readers Nook
about-the-author

Lisa M. Basso
Lisa M. Basso was born and raised in San Francisco, California. She is a lover of books, video games, animals, and baking (not baking with animals though). As a child she would crawl into worlds of her own creation and get lost for hours. Her love for YA fiction started with a simple school reading assignment: S.E. Hinton's The Outsiders. When not reading or writing she can usually be found at home with The Best Boyfriend Fiancé that Ever Lived ™ and her two darling (and sometimes evil) cats, Kitties A and B.

Author Links:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Giveaway

Thursday, April 9, 2015

Guest Post--Praefatio by Georgia McBride presented by Month9Books



Praefatio (Praefatio #1)
by Georgia McBride
Publication Date: May 21, 2013
Publisher: Month9Books



Seventeen-year-old Grace Ann Miller is no ordinary runaway…

After having been missing for weeks, Grace is found on the estate of international rock star Gavin Vault, half-dressed and yelling for help. Over the course of twenty-four hours Grace holds an entire police force captive with incredulous tales of angels, demons, and war; intent on saving Gavin from lockup and her family from worry over her safety.

Authorities believe that Grace is ill, suffering from Stockholm Syndrome, the victim of assault and a severely fractured mind. Undeterred, Grace reveals the secret existence of dark angels on earth, an ancient prophecy and a wretched curse steeped in Biblical myth. Grace’s claims set into motion an ages-old war, resulting in blood, death and the loss of everything that matters. But are these the delusions of an immensely sick girl, or could Grace’s story actually be true?

Praefatio is Grace’s account of weeks on the run, falling in love and losing everything but her faith. When it’s sister against brother, light versus darkness, corrupt police officers, eager doctors and accusing journalists, against one girl with nothing but her word as proof: who do you believe?


Here is Georgia McBride giving us a look
 at  the different locations in PRAEATIO
Home 
The Millers live in a craftsman style home in suburban Missouri. You wouldn’t know by looking at it that something other than the normal teenage angst was happening there. Inside, there are subtle hints about the backstory as evidenced through the color scheme, choice of art and furnishings. 

Heaven
We don’t actually get to visit until the sequel. But we learn a bit about weather systems and what really causes them as well what the different altitude heights mean to angels.

Hell
It was hard to represent hell as anything other than what is typically represented. But in PRAEFATIO, hell is actually a nice place. It’s hot and humid, but relatively nice. At least on the surface. 

Hospital 
We don’t get a lot of info on the facility beyond what takes place in the room where Grace is kept. We get a view out the window onto the street below and what we see is rather telling. 

Police Station
This is a central and vital location in PRAEFATIO. Both Grace’s and Gavin’s lives change based on what happens here. I spend a lot of time focusing on the sights, sounds, smells and materials here. The various encounters with police, psychiatrists, and various other well-meaning adults all make life in the “witness room” very interesting for Grace Ann Miller. 

Barn
The barn scene represents a critical turning point for Grace and Remi and the novel itself. It is both terrifying and awesome. It was one of my favorite scenes to write.

Church 
This is my version of an epic fight scene, which you would not think would take place in a church. But, as demons and angels fight it out, what better place than this tiny church which happens to be located in in a place with great Biblical significance. 

The Garden
I don’t specifically call it the Garden of Eden, and readers will have to decide for themselves what they think of this place. Of all the locations in the book, this is the place I enjoyed spending time in the most. I cried when writing a scene there. See if you can figure out which one. There is also some creepiness happening there. 

Gavin’s House
What can I say? Gavin is a 19yo rock star with a hot older albeit creepy older brother and let’s just say, they like to party. 


I hope you enjoy getting to know PRAEFATIO, its locales and characters as much as I enjoyed writing it. 
****


Georgia loves a good story. Whether it’s writing her own, or publishing someone else’s, story is at the heart of everything Georgia does. Founder of Month9Books, YALITCHAT.ORG and the weekly #yalitchat on Twitter, Georgia spends most of her days writing, editing, or talking about books. That is, of course, when she is not blasting really loud music or reading. She lives in North Carolina with four dogs, a frog, a parrot, 2 kids, parents and a husband. PRAEFATIO is her first novel.


Author Links:  Website | Twitter | Facebook 


Giveaway Information:  Winner will be drawn April 27, 2015
·        Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Praefatio by Georgia McBride (INT)

Thursday, April 2, 2015

M9B Two for Thursday Book Blitz: The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold and Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid with Giveaway #T4T



T4T-Banner
Hello and welcome to this week’s
Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!
Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!
You just might find your next read!
This week, #T4T presents to you:
The Looking Glass by Jessica Arnold
and
Pretty Dark Nothing by Heather L. Reid
Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
The-Looking-Glass-CoverFind the diary, break the curse, step through The Looking Glass!
Fifteen-year-old Alice Montgomery wakes up in the lobby of the B&B where she has been vacationing with her family to a startling discovery: no one can see or hear her. The cheap desk lights have been replaced with gas lamps and the linoleum floor with hardwood and rich Oriental carpeting. Someone has replaced the artwork with eerie paintings of Elizabeth Blackwell, the insane actress and rumored witch who killed herself at the hotel in the 1880s. Alice watches from behind the looking glass where she is haunted by Elizabeth Blackwell. Trapped in the 19th-century version of the hotel, Alice must figure out a way to break Elizabeth’s curse—with the help of Elizabeth's old diary and Tony, the son of a ghost hunter who is investigating the haunted B&B—before she becomes the inn's next victim.
add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon B&N

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:


“If you're looking for a good ghost story that's meant for suspense and not horror, or if you're just a lover of some really good paranormal magic, this is just the book for you.”Jasmyn - Bitten By Romance

 ”
I think one of the creepiest things about The Looking Glass was the way it made me feel so claustrophobic. It was similar to the way I felt when I read Stephen King's Under the Dome--trapped and a bit panicked.”Kelly – Goodreads Reviewer

“It was so different and so beautifully written and detailed that I really could not put this story down and I felt as though I was there with Alice throughout the story. I have read LOTS of paranormal, YA genre books, but this is truly unique!”
Melissa – Simplistic Reviews
about-the-author
Jessica Arnold
Jessica Arnold writes YA, codes ebooks, and is currently a graduate student in publishing at Emerson College in Boston. She spends most of her time in class or work or slogging through the homework swamp. If she has a spare moment, she’s always up for a round of Boggle. Given the opportunity, Jessica will pontificate at length on the virtues of the serial comma, when and where to use an en dash, and why the semicolon is the best punctuation mark pretty much ever.

Author Links:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Pretty-Dark-Nothing-coverIt’s been twenty three days since Quinn has slept for more than minutes at a time. Demons have invaded her dreams, stalking her, and whispering of her death. The lack of sleep and crippling fear are ruining her life. Energy drinks and caffeine pills don’t make a dent. When Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. The demons are determined to keep them apart, and Aaron from discovering the secret locked away in his memory. Together, they could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.
add to goodreads
Available for Purchase:
amazon B&N

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:


“This is a surprisingly very psychologically draining book and reminded me of the first season American Horror Story and Stephen King's Carrie.”Syahira – Requiem for More Books
“With a fast paced plot and more twists and turns that you can count this is one book you won't want to miss.”Katie – Curse of the Bibliophile
“If you are into paranormal books that are a little darker, if you are into love stories and knights in shining armour, if you are into books that leave you breathless craving more than go and read this book. Like seriously, read it now!” – Marie – Goodreads Reviewer

about-the-author
HeatherHeather L. Reid has always had a sense of wanderlust and a belief in the paranormal. She eats mayonnaise on her fries, loves video games, and getting lost in a good story. This native Texan now lives with her Scottish hubby in South Ayrshire, Scotland, where she spends her weekends wandering the moors in search of the ghost of William Wallace and exploring haunted castles.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
Giveaway
Chapter-by-Chapter-blog-tour-button
Complete the Rafflecopter for a chance to win!