Monday 31 December 2012

Zombie Reading Challenge!

Myself and my mum (from JeanzBookReadNReview) have decided to host a reading challenge of our own!

ZombieReadingChallengeButton



Zombie Challenge Rules:
  
©    Our Zombie challenge will run from the 1st of January 2013 to the 31st of December 2014. 

©    Please take our reading challenge button (code & button above) and post it on your own blog, including a link back to JeanzBookReadNReview. 

©    Please leave a comment on JeanzBookReadNReview's post here with your name and blog url so we know who is taking part. Also we would appreciate it if you don’t just stick to large book publishers, we want to include smaller publishers and Indie authors too. 

©    Any full length book that has Zombies and/or major Zombie/Undead elements will count towards the challenge. If novella's are read you could keep a separate count of those! 

©    Books can be any format (E-Books, Audio, Paperbacks, Hardbacks, Netgalleys, Edelweiss Galleys etc). 

©    Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed. 

©    You may list your books in advance or put them in a final post. If you list them, of course you can be free to change them as and when you wish. 

©    You may move up levels, but not down. So you could sign up low and increase your target as you go. 

©    Sign-ups will be open all year, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year!

©    Don't forget to keep in touch and recommend great Zombie reads to each other, and discuss what we are reading too.


The Zombie Levels are:

Reanimated: 1 - 8 Zombie Books
Newly Undead: 9 - 14 Zombie Books
Corpse Bride: 15 - 20 Zombie Books
Zombie Slayer: 21+  Zombie Books

I am starting the Zombie Reading Challenge at "Newly Undead".

Here is the list of Zombie books I have on my shelves already to choose to read from:

©    Undead by Kirsty McKay (paperback)
©    My Life As A White Trash Zombie by Diana Rowland (paperback)
©    Even white Trash Zombies Get The Blues by Diana Rowland (paperback)
©    The Reapers Are The Angels by Alden Bell (paperback)
©    God Save The Queen by Kate Locke (paperback)
©    Feed by Mira Grant (paperback)
©    Hollowland by Amanda Hocking (e-book)
©    Rebirth by Sophie Littlefield (paperback)
©    Flesher by Emily Shore (e-book)
©    Ashes by Ilsa J Bick (paperback)
©    Die For Me by Amy Plum (paperback)
©    The Scorch Trials by James Dashner (paperback)
©    The Death Cure by James Dashner (paperback)
©    Contagious by Emily Goodwin (paperback)

. . . And here is my Zombie Wishlist:

©    Zombies Don't Forget by Rusty Fischer
©    Undead Much by Stacey Jay
©    This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers
©    Deadline by Mira Grant
©    Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion
©    The Life Beyond by Susanne Winnacker
©    Horizon by Sophie Littlefield
©    Zombie Blondes by Brian James
©    You Are So Undead To Me by Stacey Jay
©    Hollowmen by Amanda Hocking
©    Apocalypse by Rashad Freemen 
©    Cure by Belinda Frisch
©    Bad Taste In Boys by Carrie Harris
©    Arcadium by Sarah Gray
©    The Scourge by A.G. Henley
©    Rage Within by Jeyn Roberts
©    The Kill Order by James Dashner
©    Through The Zombie Glass by Gena Showalter
©    What Happens In Vegas, Dies In Vegas by Mark Everett Stone
©   Girl Of Nightmares by Kendare Blake
©   Burn Bright by Marianne De Pierres

Tuesday 25 December 2012

Promotion: Clara Claus by Alexandra Lanc

Clara Claus
By Alexandra Lanc

Clara Claus is the first book in the Snowflake Triplet series.

Jack Frost is about to lose everything. After attempting to again destroy Christmas, the Holiday that he hates more than anything, he is threatened with losing his job, and his Immortality. But, he is given one last chance at redemption.

That last chance lands Jack in the North Pole the week before Christmas, in order to help Santa Claus prepare for his busiest night of the year. There, Jack is tasked with the job of “Tour Guide”, in order to show Santa’s granddaughter, Clara, the sights of the Pole.

As Christmas draws nearer, and Jack’s time begins to run out, he finds himself becoming fond of Clara, who attempts to show him the real meaning of Christmas, all while shocking him with her unique view of the world.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Monday 24 December 2012

What's Left Of Me by Kat Zhang

ISBN: 9780007476817
Publisher: HarperTeen
Pages: 576

Who would you give up to stay alive?

Eva and Addie started out the same way as everyone else - two souls woven together in one body, taking turns controlling their movements as they learned how to walk, how to sing, how to dance. But as they grew, so did the worried whispers. Why aren’t they settling? Why isn’t one of them fading? The doctors ran tests, the neighbours shied away, and their parents begged for more time. Finally Addie was pronounced healthy and Eva was declared gone. Except, she wasn’t . . .

For the past three years, Eva has clung to the remnants of her life. Only Addie knows she’s still there, trapped inside their body. Then one day, they discover there may be a way for Eva to move again. The risks are unimaginable - Hybrids are considered a threat to society, so if they are caught, Addie and Eva will be locked away with the others. And yet . . . for a chance to smile, to twirl, to speak, Eva will do anything.

I received an ARC copy of What’s Left Of Me by Kat Zhang for review from HarperTeen, which I absolutely loved reading! The concept of “two souls woven together in one body” and the souls “settling” reminded me a bit of The Host by Stephanie Meyer. I loved reading about both Eva & Addie and their unique personalities and opinions. One of my favourite parts of the book was reading about the other Hybrids, how they compared to Eva & Addie and how they were viewed within their local community, as well as in society as a whole. My favourite character was Eva, because despite Addie being the one “on the surface”, Eva is the one who is more confident, determined and outgoing, mainly due to the short amount of time she has to express herself through their shared body. I love the cover of What’s Left Of Me by Kat Zhang, as it represents Addie & Eva well, as if Addie were without Eva, (or Eva were without Addie), they would feel as if they were only half of who they were supposed to be.

Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Sunday 23 December 2012

Promotion: Reining In by Dawn Judd

Reining In
By Dawn Judd

The Network. Being a vampire in the 21st century is not as easy as one might think, especially when the vampire has decided to become part of society once more. Social security numbers, driver's licenses, and vehicle registrations are some of the every day things that modern day vampires have to get around. After all, government officials start to suspect something's up when the same name pops up over centuries. Gathering some of the most talented people in the world, Khalida has created the Network.

Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Saturday 22 December 2012

Full-Blooded by Amanda Carlson

ISBN: 9780316205207
Publisher: Orbit
Pages: 322

Born the only female in an all male race, Jessica McClain isn’t just different - she’s feared.

After living under the radar for the last twenty-six years, Jessica is thrust unexpectedly into her first change, a full ten years late. She wakes up and finds she’s in the middle of a storm. Now that she’s become the only female full-blooded werewolf in town, the supernatural world is already clamouring to take a bite out of her and her new Pack must rise up and protect her.

I received an ARC of Full-Blooded by Amanda Carlson for review from Orbit, which I absolutely loved reading! As in the prequel, Blooded, my favourite character was Jessica McClain, mainly because of her confidence, stubbornness and personality. I really like the cover of Full-Blooded, as it is inkeeping with the prequel, without being overly samey and it represents the story within well.

Available at Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk.

Friday 21 December 2012

Promotion: Forgotten Fox by Lena Horn

Forgotten Fox 
By Lena Horn

Forgotten Fox is the first book in The Celestial Saga series.

In the world of Temis, where the Familiars have separated themselves from the other humans, eighteen year old Aruna finds herself exiled from home for not conforming to society, something that she did not even have control over. She is thrust into a dangerous wilderness where she is lost and alone. But she meets George, a mystical fox that grows a second tail after an encounter with a vicious animal.

As Aruna searches for a new home, accompanied by her fox, her undeniable destiny lies before them and pulls them into the ancient war of the Celestials, the demi-gods that once ruled the wild.

Even while they are pitted against these higher beings, and a family that Aruna can no longer trust, they continue the search for a place that they can call home, and people that they can call family.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Author Interview: Lena Horn

Lena Horn has written Forgotten Fox.

1. What is your name and where do you call home?
I’m Lena Horn and even though I’m originally from Germany, I currently call Virginia (near Washington D.C.) my home. But it might not be for much longer as I’m hoping to move to southern California soon.

2. Do you have a pen name?
I always wanted a pen name, but at the same time I like my name. I do, however, use the handle PageBreak a lot online.

3. What is the name of your most recent book and if you had to sum it up in 20 or less words, what would you say?
The book is Forgotten Fox, and it’s a young adult fantasy novel about a young girl who gets exiled from home, finds a mystical fox, and seeks the truth and a new home.

4. Do you have plans for a new book? Is this book part of a series?
Forgotten Fox is the first book of The Celestial Saga. I’m currently working on the second bookThe draft is about halfway done. In addition, I have a basic storyline for the 3rd book of the series.

5. What or who inspired you to start writing? And how long have you been writing?
I started creating stories at a pretty early age and in middle school I started writing (bad) poetry. Then in high school I wrote short stories and a lot of fan fiction. It wasn’t until college though that I realized that writing was not just a hobby for me, but a pure passion that I didn’t just want to pursue, but needed to. I studied both screenplay and creative writing. I’d love to adapt my stories to the big screen one day.

6. Do you gift books to readers for book reviews?
Yes! I love to gift books. I have eBook versions and some paperbacks ready to send out if anyone’s interested in the story.

7. How did you come up with the cover? Who designed the cover of your book?
Since Forgotten Fox is my first novel and I wrote it pretty straight out of college, my budget was extremely low and the majority of it went to getting a professional editor. Therefore, the cover was designed by me. I did get very lucky that a friend of mine gave me a picture of a fox that he took and said I could use it however I wanted.

8. Is there anything you would change about your book covers?
I would love to have gotten an illustrator to design a cover for me, which would have featured the main characters, but as it stands, I’m quite happy with how it turned out.

9. Would you have different book covers for different countries?
I never really thought about it. It’d certainly be a fun thing to have. I’m very budget conscious though, and if it were to affect the price of the book, I might not do it. I’d rather keep the price low.

10. How did you come up with the title for your book?
Originally, I had titled the book George the Fox as I had wanted to focus more on George, but as the story evolved, I realized the title didn’t fit anymore. The word “forgotten” fit so many themes in the story that as soon as I thought of it, I knew that had to be it.

11. Is there anything you would change about your book? And why?
No. I worked incredibly hard to write and edit the book and I am proud of the way it turned out. There is always the thought in the back of your head that you need to continue working on it, make it more perfect, and I got close to getting stuck in a loop where I continuously go back and edit, but at some point you have to say stop. You have to believe in yourself that it is not just “good enough” but “great enough.” Well I certainly hope that it is at least!

12. Do you have a book trailer? And what are your thoughts on book trailers?
I don’t have a book trailer, but I do have a video interview on my website. I love book trailers, they often express a mood or atmosphere that the cover or description may not have been able to show. It’s another way of finding readers that may otherwise have not been interested in the book.

13. What is your opinion on ARCs?
ARCs are a great way to garner some early feedback and reviews. I was very happy that I decided to do ARCs since it boosted my confidence that my book was good, even though there were only a few of them as my budget was limited. 

14. Do you prefer e-books, paperbacks, hardcovers or audiobooks?
I’m kind of on the fence. I love having an actual book in hand, and hardcover books always feel a little more special than paperbacks. At the same time, ebooks are great because I like the environmentally friendly side of it, and getting a book on the spot for very cheap and within seconds? That’s awesome. I like audiobooks for long drives, but otherwise I don’t listen to them much.

15. Are you a self-published / Indie author?
Yes, I’m an indie author. I’d like to get away from the thought that self-published authors are just people throwing their stories online and hoping to get rich quick. Many of us aren’t! I write with pure passion and I chose to self-publish. I also strove for professionalism in the writing, editing, cover design, and everything else.

16. Have you ever read a book more than once? And if so what was it?
Nope, but I always mean to reread books. You know, when I have nothing else to read, but I always have a ton of books lying around that need to be read.

17. Have you ever bought a specific edition of a book because of it’s cover? (For example a UK, US or Canadian version)
I was tempted back when Harry Potter came out and I saw the various covers. I thought it’d be really neat to have 1 of each.

18. Have you ever read a book just based on it’s cover?
Maybe? I have certainly picked up books and read the back purely because the cover interested me, but in the end it is the description that convinces me.

19. Has the quality of the cover of a book ever put you off of reading it?
I hate to admit it, but yes. I’m getting more into the indie world of authors and seen some very poor cover designs. It gives the impression that the story won’t have effort put into it either. That being said, I do give those books a chance and will often read the first chapter.

20. What is your favourite film based on a book?
Hmm that’s a tough one. I’m often disappointed in the adaptations, but I try to see them as separate ways of interpreting one story.Stardust was a great one, and Romeo and Juliet (1996) the one with DiCaprio and Claire Danes. Ok I’m not sure it counts as a book… but I loved the modernization with the original words from Shakespeare.  

21. What is your favourite book genre at the moment?
Fantasy. I used to read a lot of young adult books, and more recently I’m into heavy fantasy. I guess that’s why I write young adult fantasy? I’ll still read anything that catches my attention, for example, I have a bit of a pirate fascination at the moment.

22. What books have made it onto your wishlist recently? And why?
Do comic books count? I’ve been getting into the Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Mass Effect comics recently.

23. What book are you reading at the moment? And in what format?
My friend gave me a hardback fairy tale book from the Brothers Grimm. I find fairy tales fascinating, and I love comparing them to modern interpretations. They really are everywhere!

24. If you could invite any four celebrities (alive or dead) to your dinner party, who would you invite and why?

Joss Whedon – I love his work. I think I’d get along with him and (only in my wildest dreams) I’d love to work with him on something. He has the best strong female characters.

Jason Statham – because I’m in love with him. And maybe he could give me one-on-one martial arts lessons?

Kate Beckinsale – so that I could convince her to make more action flicks. She’s hot and she’s awesome.

James Cameron – I would like to explain to him how he could have made Avatar better. You know, right before he slaps me for insulting him.

Man this would be a weird dinner party… I hope they get along!

25. Do you have any advice for other writers? And what’s the best advice that you have been given when it comes to writing?
I have various pieces of advice that I’ve taken to heart and I think they can apply to pretty much any writer. “Just write” is probably the best one. Another one that I think especially applies today with books like Harry Potter breaking the tradition that YA books need to be of a limited word count is “a story is as long as it needs to be.”

26. Do you have any hobbies that aren’t related to reading & writing?
I’m a gamer! Sometimes that’s bad because it cuts into my writing time. Whoops! I also love horseback riding, traveling (when time and money allows), playing with my dog, and when I’m feeling lazy I love TV/movies.

27. Where can your readers follow you?

The best place is probably my blog or my facebook fanpage.



Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/lenahorn

Twitter: @LHorn714



Instagram: @pagebreak


Thankyou so much for taking the time to do this interview and allowing us a glimpse into your writing world!

Thursday 20 December 2012

Promotion: Verita by Tracy Rozzlynn

Verita
By Tracy Rozzlynn

If your world suddenly crumbled, leaving you with nothing but heartache, would you risk your life for a chance at a new beginning on a new world?

Brett Bradbury's parents are dead, her boyfriend's a cheater, and her best friend essentially dumped her. Truly alone in the world, Brett agrees to help colonize the newly discovered planet, Verita. 

Now Brett's on a strange new world. She quickly makes friends and starts her assigned job. Verita begins to feel like home, but it's far from perfect. Brett has an overwhelming attraction to Brody, despite the fact that he's entirely not her type. Her colleague, Ryan, utterly hates her for reasons out of her control. And there are creatures in the forest that would like nothing more than to devour everyone for dinner.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Wednesday 19 December 2012

Promotion: The Summer I Became A Nerd by Leah Rae Miller

The Summer I Became A Nerd 
By Leah Rae Miller

On the outside, seventeen-year-old Madelyne Summers looks like your typical blond cheerleader—perky, popular, and dating the star quarterback. But inside, Maddie spends more time agonizing over what will happen in the next issue of her favorite comic book than planning pep rallies with her squad. That she’s a nerd hiding in a popular girl's body isn’t just unknown, it's anti-known. And she needs to keep it that way.

Summer is the only time Maddie lets her real self out to play, but when she slips up and the adorkable guy behind the local comic shop’s counter uncovers her secret, she’s busted. Before she can shake a pom-pom, Maddie’s whisked into Logan’s world of comic conventions, live-action role-playing, and first-person-shooter video games. And she loves it. But the more she denies who she really is, the deeper her lies become…and the more she risks losing Logan forever.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.

Tuesday 4 December 2012

Blooded by Amanda Carlson

ISBN: 9780316225090
Publisher: Orbit
Pages: 66

Blooded is book 0.5 in the Jessica McClain series by Amanda Carlson.

Jessica McClain was born the only female in an all male race. The only problem is - she's no wolf. Called a curse, a witch and the Daughter of Evil by the superstitious wolves, Jessica decides to fight for her freedom, at age nineteen, the only way she can-in the ring. 

When she's brutally attacked right after her fight, is it enough to finally earn her freedom off Compound, or will she be forced to endure the hatred even longer . . . 

I received an ARC of Blooded for review from the author herself, Amanda Carlson, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading! Although Blooded was only a sixty-six page novella, it was still more beautifully written and action-packed, than most other full length, shifter books I have read. From the moment the main character, Jessica McClain, was introduced she became my favourite character, mainly because of her confidence & stubbornness. I really like the cover of Blooded by Amanda Carlson, as it represents Jessica McClain and the plot of Blooded well.

Available at Amazon.com & Amazon.co.uk.

Monday 3 December 2012

Cover Reveal: Hover by Melissa West

Hover is the second book in The Taking series and will be released on the 6th of August 2013.


My Opinion:
Although I quite like the cover of Hover, it feels as though it is lacking something special to make it stand out.  Due to the lack of blurb I can't really comment on whether the cover looks as though it is inkeeping with the story, however Hover's cover is inkeeping with the cover of Gravity, the previous book in the series. If I saw this in my local bookstore it would probably attract my attention but I wouldn't necessarily pick it up to buy.

Like the sound of Hover? Add it to your wishlist on Goodreads or pre-order it on Amazon!

Saturday 1 December 2012

Promotion: Breathless by Sophie Jordan

Breathless
By Sophie Jordan

Breathless is a novella set in the world of Firelight.

For Az, it's supposed to be a fun summer vacation with her family. Nothing complicated. Just a quick trip to test the waters as she prepares for a year on her own. That all changes when she rescues a drowning girl and meets Tate—the most gorgeous human boy she's ever seen. Tate throws her heart, her plans, and her life into upheaval, but the closer she gets to him, the harder it is to hide the secret of what she is.
With no hope for a future together, the last thing that can ever happen . . . is love.


Available at Amazon.co.uk.