Guest Post & Giveaway: Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks!

Welcome to the Human Body Theater, where your master of ceremonies is going to lead you through a theatrical revue of each and every biological system of the human body! Starting out as a skeleton, the MC puts on a new layer of her costume (her body) with each "act." By turns goofy and intensely informative, the Human Body Theater is always accessible and always entertaining.
[aka: welcome to one of the quirkiest blog tours I've ever been part of! =D ]

Now: onto the Organ o' the Day...

LUNGS

Take a deep breath. Now exhale. (Also, keep breathing after you’ve done those first two instructions.) Breathing is one of those things that we must do to survive, but we rarely think about it. That’s because it’s one of our bodies’ many involuntary actions. Our heart beats, our stomach digests, our armpits sweat, all without us telling them to do so. Breathing pulls air into the lungs, were oxygen is exchanged for carbon dioxide. The oxygen is absorbed into the blood and carried throughout the body to give energy to cells, and the carbon dioxide (leftover waste from the body) is carried up out of the lungs and out into the air. It’s not all oxygen and carbon dioxide though! The air that we breathe is only about 21% oxygen with the rest being 78% nitrogen and 1 to 2% other gases. The nitrogen goes into our lungs as well, but it’s just along for the short ride, and is exhaled back out, along with the carbon dioxide! Whew!

****GIVEAWAY****

To celebrate the release of Human Body Theater, FirstSecond has offered up a copy of the book to one lucky winner! 

To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below. 

Entrants under 13 require parents permission.

US ONLY.

Ends October 23rd, 2015 at 11:59pm EST.

Make sure to check out the rest of the Human Body Theater blog tour for more kooky-cute facts (and chances to win!)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK:
Human Body Theater by Maris Wicks
Get It | Add It
Graphic Novel, 240 pages
Published October 6th 2015 by First Second

Welcome to the Human Body Theater, where your master of ceremonies is going to lead you through a theatrical revue of each and every biological system of the human body! Starting out as a skeleton, the MC puts on a new layer of her costume (her body) with each "act." By turns goofy and intensely informative, the Human Body Theater is always accessible and always entertaining.

Maris Wicks is a biology nerd, and by the time you've read this book, you will be too! Harnessing her passion for science (and her background as a science educator for elementary and middle-school students), she has created a comics-format introduction to the human body that will make an expert of any reader -- young or old!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Maris Wicks lives in Somerville, Massachusetts. She has harnessed the power of her various biological systems to draw comics for Adhouse Books, Tugboat Press, and Spongebob Comics, and written stories for Image and DC Comics. Wicks is the illustrator of the New York Timesbestselling Primates, with Jim Ottaviani. When she's not making comics, Wicks works with New England Aquarium. She's especially proud of her pulmonary system.

Creepy October Reads | The Next Five Books

It's time for my next stack of 5 books from my TBR, and I'm fully in eerie October-mode. =D

THE BOOKS:

Blood and Salt

Slasher Girls & Monster Boys

Six of Crows

DreamStrider

Chemistry

Disclosure: These books were sent to me for review purposes. This is NOT a sponsored video.

A Peek at Fable Comics! | blog tour

Fable Comics is a collection of graphic novel adaptations of various fables by a whole host of amazing illustrators and graphic novelists, edited by Chris Duffy (whom some of you may remember from the similar take on Fairy Tales, which obvs I need to get my hands on). I'll be talking about Fable Comics pretty soon in an upcoming video (woot!), but until then, I'm very happy to be part of the very unique blog tour, in which a laundry list of awesome bloggers and talkers-of-books are each featuring one tale from the book, in the order in which they appear!

The story I'm sharing a peek at today comes from an old Russian fable in which a group of cluelessly jealous animals debate why Elephant always seems to get ahead; it's been adapted by Corinne Mucha to very humorous effect, as you'll see below. And though it may amuse no one but me, having worked in the crafting industry, the idea of Elephant tediously and meticulously (an elephant, of all things! With clumsy elephant-feets!) felting tiny mushrooms . . . well, the image just gives me lols.

Check out the sneak peek of the story below, and a bit of each tale on the Fable Comics blog tour, and make sure to keep an eye out for my next The Last Five Books video, where I'll be telling you all about what I thought of this fun anthology!

ABOUT FABLE COMICS:

From classics like "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The Grasshopper and the Ants" to obscure gems like "The Frogs Who Desired a King," Fable Comics has something to offer every reader. Twenty-eight fables from different cultures and traditions are wonderfully adapted and illustrated in comics format by twenty-six different cartoonists. Edited by New York Times bestselling Fairy Tale Comics' Chris Duffy, this jacketed hardcover is a beautiful gift and an instant classic.

Fable Comics is:

James Kochalka and ‘The Fox and the Grapes‘
Tom Gauld and ‘The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse’
George O’Connor and the ‘Hermes’ fables
Sophie Goldstein and ‘Leopard Drums Up Dinner’
Charise Harper and ‘The Belly and the Body Members’
R. Sikoryak and ‘Lion + Mouse’
Jennifer L. Meyer and ‘Fox and Crow’
Eleanor Davis and ‘The Old Man and Death’
Jaime Hernandez and ‘The Boy Who Cried Wolf’
Simone Lia and ‘The Crow and the Pitcher’
Graham Chaffee and ‘The Dog and His Reflection’
Maris Wicks and ‘The Dolphins, The Whales, and The Sprat’
Vera Brosgol and ‘The Hare and the Pig’
Kenny Widjaja and ‘The Demon, The Thief, and the Hermit’
Corinne Mucha and ‘The Elephant in Favor’
Liniers and ‘The Mouse Council’
Mark Newgarten and ‘Man and Wart’
Israel Sanchez and ‘The Milkmaid and Her Pail’
Ulises Farinas and ‘The Great Weasel War’
R.O. Blechman and ‘The Sun and the Wind’
Graham Annable and ‘The Hare and the Tortoise’
John Kerschbaum and ‘The Grasshopper and the Ants’
Braden Lamb and Shelli Paroline and ‘The Thief and the Watchdog’
Gregory Benton and ‘The Hen and the Mountain Turtle’
Roger Langridge and ‘Demades and His Fable’

Makeup Book Tag | #TagWeek

Sorry for the delay in Tag Week, guys! I was having technicaly difficulties and couldn't upload, BUT ANYWAY, onto today's tag! Day 4 of Tag Week brings us a combo-version of the Makeup Book Tag.
I was tagged by LizzzzzzZ and the tags were created seperately by Beth Anne & lifeloveandbooks.

Mentioned:
More tags!
Betwixt review
Instagram

THE QUESTIONS
(I picked only those that interested me from each tag, and combined them into one)
Questions from Beth Anne:
1. FOUNDATION: pick your favourite book that is the first book in a series
2. EYESHADOW: pick a book that has your favourite colours on the cover
3. EYELINER: pick a dark & mysterious book
4. MASCARA: pick a loooooong book
5. BLUSH: pick a book that had some cringe-worthy romance
6. LIPSTICK: your favourite book kiss
7. FINISHING POWDER: pick your favourite book that is the last book in a series

Questions from lifeloveandbooks:
Acne Remover- What book would you "remove" from your memory?
Moisturizer- What book "covers all" of the things you look for in a book?
Eyebrow Pencil- What novella really "filled in the gaps" that the novels left?
Eye Primer- What is your favorite world "building"?
Eyeshadow- A book cover that perfectly reflects the book, and a book that does not
Eyeliner- A book that took you a few tries to get into?
Lash Primer- The "longest" book on your shelf?
Mascara- Your favorite villain?
Bronzer- A "highlight" of your reading career?
Lip Stain- A book that "stained" you?
Lipstick- A fun story about a book that has nothing to do with the actual book

MUSIC: "Sleepy Jake" by Silent Partner, from Youtube Creator Library lifeloveandbooks   Beth Anne

NSFW Tag | #TagWeek

I think it should go without saying, since this is the NSFW tag, but
THIS IS UNCENSORED, YO.

Mentioned;
Tagged by Kat  |  Original tag by Luke and Katie.
Bad Sex Award
Hush, Hush review.
Book Boyfriends (so many!)
More book tags this week on my instagram.
See more tag videos here.

The Questions:
1. What is the LAST book you would want your parents to walk in on you reading?
2. It’s storming outside, and you’re home alone for the night. What book would only make matters worse?
3. Have you ever read a book simply because of the controversy surrounding it?
4. What is the most cringe-inducing romance or sex scene you have ever read?
5. What book has made you question the author's sanity?
6. Have you ever put down a book and not finished it because the content was too much for you?
7. What fictional character do you have the most NSFW thoughts about?
8. Show us your most NSFW book cover (or drawing/photo inside a book).
9. Have you ever read something from the erotica/romance genre, and what did you think?
10. You stumble across a portkey. What fictional world would you NOT want to be transported into?

MUSIC: "Fingers" by Otis McDonald

Jane Austen Book Tag | #TagWeek

Bit of a thoughts from places today! Sorry if the occasional windiness bothers anyone, but if you hang in, it's not too bad after the beginning!
Today I'm doing the Jane Austen Book Tag, which I was tagged in by Angela  aaaages ago!
Original tag from Thoughts from Nowhere.

I tag people who have a J or an A in their names! (Or anyone who wants to do this tag.)

For more tag videos, check out this playlist.

Questions:
1) Sense & Sensibility - a book with a dynamic sibling relationship
2) Pride & Prejudice - a book that at first did not seem interesting but after reading it you found it very much enjoyable
3) Emma - a book in which two close friends fall in love
4) Mansfield Park - a book with a “rags to riches” story plot
5) Persuasion - a book involving second chances
6) Northanger Abbey - a book with an almost overly imaginative character

Books Mentioned:
Something Real
Hatchet
True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle
Anne of Green Gables
An Old-Fashioned Girl
Cinder
Vicious
Hush, Hush
and the complete works of Jane Austen


My instagram, if you want to check out my tags there.

UNPOPULAR OPINIONS | #TagWeek

It's official! Tag Week has begun. =D
Kicking it off with the UNPOPULAR OPINIONS TAG, because yeah, I got those.

Tagged by Michelle from ChelleyReads. Original tag video here.

Hush, Hush review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76034803
Carrier of the Mark review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/169837421

TAG QUESTIONS:

1. A Popular Book or series that you didn't like.
2. A Popular Book or series that every one else seems to hate but you love.
3. A Love Triangle where the main character ended up with the person you did NOT want them to end up with (warn ppl for spoilers) OR an OTP that you don't like.
4. A popular book Genre that you hardly reach for.
5. A popular or beloved character that you do not like.
6. A popular author that you can't seem to get into.
7. A popular book trope that you're tired of seeing. (examples "lost princess", corrupt ruler, love triangles, etc.)
8. A popular series that you have no interest in reading.
9. The saying goes "The book is always better than the movie", but what movie or T.V. show adaptation do you prefer more than the book?

Excerpt: Believarexic by J.J. Johnson

Little sneak peek of a book that a lot of people expressed interest in when I shared it on instagram and in a book haul. This one's out very soon, so you'll be able to get your hands on it shortly, but until then, check out this excerpt and let me know your thoughts in the comments!
Hope to see you next week for Tag Week. Thanks for watching!

Believarexic by J.J. Johnson
Get It | Add It
464 pages
Expected publication: October 1st 2015 by Peachtree Publishers

In 1988, when she was fifteen, JJ Johnson was hospitalized for treatment of bulimarexia, a combination of bulimia and anorexia. During her ten-week stay, JJ had to eat everything on her tray, and took classes like "Assertiveness Training," "Depression Management," and "Body Image Workshop." She gained weight, but her path toward health was a constant struggle. In her heart, JJ knew-she knew-that she would be a happy, healthy adult one day.

But how? Instead of a clear path, there was a black abyss. She needed a guide, a mentor, someone who knew her inside and out.

So, one morning, just before weigh-in, JJ closed her eyes and made a deal with herself:

I promise myself that when I'm grown up, and happy, I will come back here, to these months. Healthy me will guide bulimarexic me through this.

This book is that promise, kept.

Music:
Isolated by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100792
Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Disclosure: This books was provided to me for promotional/review purposes. This is NOT a sponsored video.

Giveaway: A Whole New World by Liz Braswell!

Well, Fairy Tale Fortnight may be well-over for the year, but that doesn't mean there aren't still some great new fairy tale adaptations being released -- and really, by this point, you're probably going through fairy tale withdrawals and about due for some new ones, right? ;)
Enter the "fairy tale 2.0" campaign from Disney-Hyperion, which is filling up this Fall with new imaginings of some old favorites -- one of which I have the pleasure of offering up to you today!
Check it out:

A Whole New World by Liz Braswell
Get It | Add It
384 pages
Published September 1st 2015 by Disney Press

What if Aladdin had never found the lamp? This first book in the A Twisted Tale line will explore a dark and daring version of Disney's Aladdin. When Jafar steals the Genie's lamp, he uses his first two wishes to become sultan and the most powerful sorcerer in the world. Agrabah lives in fear, waiting for his third and final wish. To stop the power-mad ruler, Aladdin and the deposed princess Jasmine must unite the people of Agrabah in rebellion. But soon their fight for freedom threatens to tear the kingdom apart in a costly civil war. What happens next? A Street Rat becomes a leader. A princess becomes a revolutionary. And readers will never look at the story of Aladdin in the same way again.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

After the sort of introverted childhood you would expect from a writer, Liz earned a degree in Egyptology at Brown University and then promptly spent the next ten years producing video games. Finally she caved into fate and wrote Snow and Rx under the name Tracy Lynn, followed by The Nine Lives of Chloe King series under her real name, because by then the assassins hunting her were all dead. She lives in Brooklyn with a husband, two children, a cat, a part-time dog, three fish and five coffee trees she insists will start producing beans any day.

****GIVEAWAY****

To celebrate the release of the "Fairy Tale 2.0" books, Disney-Hyperion has offered up a prize pack of A Whole New World and "fairy tale 2.0" swag!
One (1) winner receives:
·           Copy of A Whole New World;
·           plus FAIRY TALE 2.0 tank, notepad, cosmetic pouch & pillow.
Giveaway open to US addresses only.
Prizing provided by Disney-Hyperion
Closes to entries October 2nd, 2015 at 11:59pm EST
Fill out the Rafflecopter to enter.
Good luck!!


a Rafflecopter giveaway


BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

Follow along with hashtag #FairyTale2pt0 to discover giveaway opportunities for more twists on other classic tales in the line!

ONCE UPON A TIME: RED’S UNTOLD TALE
by Wendy Toliver
in stores September 22nd

About the Book
Red is 16 and lives with Granny in a cottage in the village, where boarding up the house and hiding during Wolfstime is a means of survival. Red help’s Granny with Granny’s baked good business, catering as well as door-to-door sales. Red has a constant internal battle between her wild side and her strict, overprotective upbringing, and the issue of “control” as she discovers she has a hot temper when the “mean girls” push her too far. (“When we learn to control it, we needn’t fear it,” Rumpelstiltskin says in the series.) She has flashbacks to her 13th year when she received her cloak and the nickname “Red.”
She is plagued by nightmares that she doesn’t understand, but the Once Upon a Time fans will recognize them as her wolf side coming out. Red balances the difficult times with Granny at home and the girls at school with an emerging and satisfying romance with Peter.

A FROZEN HEART
by Elizabeth Rudnick
In stores October 6th

About the Book
Told in alternating chapters from both Anna's and Hans' perspectives, A Frozen Heart takes a sophisticated look at events of Frozen, exploring the couple's backstories, motivations, and doomed relationship.


FTC Disclaimer: All prizes and samples* for this campaign are provided by Disney-Hyperion for promotional purposes. This is not a sponsored post (no compensation was received, just sharing an opportunity for you to win!)
* I did not accept samples for this campaign.

Book & Beauty Haul | MailBag #6

Hey! Next week is Tag Week, so if you've tagged me in something, or have a tag you want me to do, let me know! ^_^

THE BOOKS:

Slasher Girls & Monster Boys

Wet Cement

The Killing Jar

After the Woods

I See Reality

Love, Lies & Spies

from BIRCHBOX:

https://www.birchbox.com/invite/heysexy

Cargo Summer in the City Eye Shadow Palette

Dr. Lipp Original Nipple Balm for Lips

Stila Sparkle Waterproof Liquid Eye Liner in Curacao

Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator

Pura Vida Lace Headband

MUSIC:
Carefree by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license. 
Source | Artist

Disclosure: Books shown were provided by the publishing companies for review purposes; I have NOT been paid to feature or review them, and any reviews I decide to do are 100% my honest opinion. This is NOT a sponsored video.

Interview with Sandra Block, author of The Girl Without a Name

Joining us today is Sandra Block, author of the just-released The Girl Without a Name, the follow-up to the psychological thriller, Little Black Lies. Check out our quick Q&A on the book's darker themes and what inspires (and scares!) Sandra, below, and then let us know your thoughts in the comments!

---

1.  The Girl Without a Name touches on alcoholism, drug abuse, anorexia and mental illness. Do you deal with these tough issues in your practice as a neurologist? 

I'm a neurologist, not a psychiatrist, so I don't directly treat problems like depression or drug abuse. But, I do deal with these issues on a daily basis. Patients may have seizures every time they quit drinking, or neuropathy (peripheral nerve damage) or ataxia (unsteadiness) from years of alcohol abuse. Depression and anxiety also play a huge role in insomnia - on of my specialties as a sleep doctor. Most doctors, in every field, work with mental illness on some level. 

  

2. What scares you as a writer, and why? 

Reviews always fill me with a certain dread, and yet it's so hard not to read them. Nowadays, I'm kinder to myself though. I used to read bad reviews as a sort of tough love, but I'm not so masochistic anymore. It just isn't helpful in a field already sewn with self-doubt. I've come to accept that not everyone will love my books, and everyone has a right to an opinion. I try to focus on the positive reviews and emails I've received. If reading my book has given someone, somewhere, a sense of wonder, escape, or even joy for a few hours, then I've done my job.  

3.  What inspired your new character, Jane Doe? 

The character came to me as first line, while I was on vacation. I had just finished Little Black Lies (the first Zoe Goldman novel) and scored an agent, so I was on a bit of a high. The line goes: "We call her Jane, because she can't tell us her name." Then Jane showed up in the hospital bed. I really couldn't shake the vision of the character, so I wrote her.   

  

4. We have grown to know and love Dr. Zoe Goldman! What’s next for our favorite doctor? 

Zoe is taking a bit of a break at the moment, getting ready for her Forensic Psychiatry fellowship. She does make a cameo in the Detective Adams novel I'm working on right now though. I also have a great case lined up for her next novel, but I'm afraid you'll just have to wait and see on that one…

ABOUT THE BOOK:

The Girl Without a Name by Sandra Block
Get It | Add It
Contemporary Thriller, 368 pages
Published September 8th 2015 by Grand Central Publishing

Another gripping pageturner featuring psychiatrist Zoe Goldman, the protagonist from Little Black Lies.

In what passes for an ordinary day in a psych ward, Dr. Zoe Goldman is stumped when a highly unusual case arrives. A young African American girl, found wandering the streets of Buffalo in a catatonic state, is brought in by police. No one has come forward to claim her, and all leads have been exhausted, so Zoe's treatment is the last hope to discover the girl's identity.

When drugs prove ineffective and medical science seems to be failing, Zoe takes matters into her own hands to track down Jane Doe's family and piece together their checkered history. As she unearths their secrets, she finds that monsters hide where they are least expected. And now she must solve the mystery before it is too late. Because someone wants to make sure this young girl never remembers.

The Girl Without a Name is a powerful novel of memory and forgetting, of unexpected friendship and understanding...and of the secrets we protect no matter the consequences.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

credit: Brian Block

Sandra A. Block graduated from college at Harvard, then returned to her native land of Buffalo, New York for medical training and never left. She is a practicing neurologist and proud Sabres fan, and lives at home with her husband, two children, and impetuous yellow lab Delilah. She has been published in both medical and poetry journals. "Little Black Lies" is her debut, and "The Girl Without a Name" in the next novel in the series.  

THE ACCIDENT SEASON by Moïra Fowley-Doyle | Review

This review is long overdue, seeing as I've been raving about this book for nearly two solid months now. It's easily going to nab a spot in my top books of 2015, and it may well even take top honors.
So here it is, my thoughts on the FAB debut by Moïra Fowley-Doyle, The Accident Season.
When you're done hearing my thoughts, you can hop over to the excerpt I shared to get a feel for the writing. ^_^

ABOUT THE BOOK:

THE ACCIDENT SEASON by Moïra Fowley-Doyle
Get It | Add It
Contemporary/Magical Realism/Paranormal, 304 pages
Expected publication: August 18th 2015 by Kathy Dawson Books  (PenguinRandomHouse)

It's the accident season, the same time every year. Bones break, skin tears, bruises bloom.

The accident season has been part of seventeen-year-old Cara's life for as long as she can remember. Towards the end of October, foreshadowed by the deaths of many relatives before them, Cara's family becomes inexplicably accident-prone. They banish knives to locked drawers, cover sharp table edges with padding, switch off electrical items - but injuries follow wherever they go, and the accident season becomes an ever-growing obsession and fear.

But why are they so cursed? And how can they break free?

The Next Five Books: awesome graphic novels on my current TBR!

I'm putting the last TNFB stack on pause, because a few of the books just weren't working for me, and I'm changing it up with this fun, quick new stack!
Let me know your thoughts in the comments, and if you want to see video reviews of any of these (or another Graphic Novel Week?).
And don't forget to check out my review & giveaway of LITTLE ROBOT here.

THE BOOKS:

Little Robot

The Fall of the House of West

The Stratford Zoo Midnight Revue Presents Romeo & Juliet

Fable Comics

Secret Coders

Wicked Fate by Shannon L. Maynard + Mystery Box Giveaway!

Lots of giveaways going on 'round here lately! Must be something about the season. . .

Carrying on that giving tradition, today to celebrate the release of Shannon L. Maynard's Wicked Fate, I've got copies of book one, Wicked Luck, AND a mystery box of books up for grabs!
The kindle version of Wicked Luck is free for a limited time, so grab yourself a copy and then make sure to enter to win the mystery box of books (oooh) below, which who knows, may just include book two, Wicked Fate, and BOOM! Suddenly you've got a bunch of free books! ;)

You can find out more about the book below.
And make sure to check out the rest of the stops on the Wicked Fate blog tour, including reviews, guest posts and interviews!
(And hey, maybe you want to also enter my other giveaways while you're here? =D )

****GIVEAWAY****

To celebrate the release of Wicked Fate and other Clean Teen titles, Clean Teen has offered up mystery boxes of books & swag!
Fill out the Rafflecopter below to enter.
Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway



ABOUT THE BOOK:

Wicked Fate By Shannon Maynard
Book two in the Wicked Luck Series

Amazon | Goodreads | Kobo

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary, Mystery, Adventure, Romance

How can Ava Starr's dream come true be Dax Miller's worst nightmare?

Ava's mother always told her to be careful what she wished for. From the moment Ava woke up on Lamarai Island, she wanted nothing more than to find Preston. But now that she has, her heart is caught in a fierce game of tug-of-war. In a place where danger lurks around every tree, she must quickly figure out who she can trust, and who is out to destroy her dream of a happy ever after.

Dax's plan to capture Ava's heart was all falling into place. That is, until Ava's past showed up on the island in the form of a tall, dark, and handsome pilot named Preston, leaving Dax to wonder if he's inherited Ava's wicked luck. Preston is determined to pick up his relationship with Ava where they left off before a plane crash separated them, but Dax will stop at nothing to fight for the girl of his dreams and discover the truth behind the mysterious pilot.

But Dax isn't the only one troubled by the surprise appearance of Preston and his flight crew. The new visitors to the island have caused Dax's stepsister, Roxy, to develop a bad case of sibling rivalry, as well as managed to attract the unwanted attention of a vicious tribe of cannibals. Now Dax must figure out a way to keep his new tribe of misfits safe, while Ava is left to make the most important decision of her life. Will they succeed, or will fate decide for them?

Wicked Fate is the heart-pounding sequel to Wicked Luck, a new adult adventure romance series.

~Read what others are saying about Wicked Fate~

"I love how unique this series is. It’s a mystery like none other. Shannon keeps you on your toes and you will never guess what’s around the corner. "
~Cali Mel

"I highly recommend this series, and now I’m desperately hoping for another book...There’s a love triangle, plenty of action, tragedy, and plenty of revelations throughout the entire book." 
"If you want to read a unique romance, Wicked Luck and Wicked Fate are the books for you."
~Leah Nova Moss

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shannon Maynard studied art and criminology before getting a license in cosmetology, but eventually wound up an expert daydreamer; a skill that occasionally leads to getting lost while driving, but has been a huge asset to her love for writing. 

Her debut novel WICKED LUCK released in June of 2015 and is the first book in the Wicked Luck Trilogy.

Goodreads | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Webpage

You can grab Book One, Wicked Luck for FREE on Amazon for a Limited Time!

Release Day Blast Organized and Hosted by:

Festivals, Fairs & Fancy Dresses | The Vlog + BONUS BOOK HAUL!

What's this? A VLOG?
...okay, so I'm a little rusty at this, guys. But yay, the vlog is back! Here are a few fun things I got up to before the Austen in August madness started, with bonus book haulage!
Chat with ya in the comments; thanks for watching!

THE BOOK HAUL:

Charles & Emma

Roland Barthes' Mythologies

The Little Stranger

Kitchen Confidential

The Goddess Inheritance

Hidden

Vanish

MUSIC:
live music by Armed-N-Dangerous
and the Rhythm Society Orchestra
as well as 'Life of Riley' by Kevin MacLeod (licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license)

Little Robot by Ben Hatke Review & Giveaway!! | blog tour

I'm pleased to usher in the blog tour for Ben Hatke's latest, Little Robot, today! In addition to my usual gushing when it comes to Ben's work, I'm also giving YOU a chance to win a copy -- woot!
Check out my thoughts below, leave yours in the comments, and then make sure to enter to win!
And don't forget to check out more of the Little Robot blog tour for more great reviews & chances to win!

It's not news to anyone who's hung around my blog/vlog for any length of time that I love the work of Ben Hatke. (Also not news to anyone who read that intro, so. . .)  I've talked about this many, many times, and pushed his books on many, many people, both online and IRL.  So of course, I'm always looking forward to whatever's coming up next, confident in the belief that whatever it is is sure to brighten my shelves.
And Little Robot is no exception to that rule.

Little Robot follows in the tradition of plucky young female protagonists and their oddball companions, set by Julia's House for Lost Creatures and the Zita the Spacegirl series.  Unlike Hatke's previous books, Little Robot is nearly wordless (and of the words that make it to the page, most of them are in robot, so...), though its no less full of story as a result.

If there's anything Hatke excels at, it's injecting as much personality as possible into every frame, every character, every inanimate object -- and yes, I mean that literally. More than once, this man has made me have feels about rocks, literal rocks with eyeballs, and monsters, and what may have been a giant coil of hair or wire or something, I don't even know, but it, too.
And yes, robots.

Hatke is an excellent anthropomorphosizererer, skillfully drawing the reader into caring about even the smallest and most unimposing of creatures/creations, with an immediacy that is impressive. You can't help but fall for our little unnamed adventurer and her newfound robot companion, and once you've decided to care about them, well, you may as well care about the pile of broken machinery in the junkyard, too, right? And that perky little fixer robot-bug-thingy, he's quite adorable now, isn't he? Hatke draws you into their magical little world so seemlessly that it seems obvious that you'd love these things. Of course you want to join our lonely little adventurer girl, let her lead you on explorations and discoveries, and bring smiles to each others faces.

Lest you think Hatke's books are just cute, but inconsequential, they most certainly are not. The robots and their nameless human girl may draw you in with their sweetness, but there's depth there, too. There's a loneliness and sense of longing to the story that grounds it and makes it stick with you. I think at the core of all of Hatke's stories, there's a thread of "finding your people," even if those "people" aren't people. They're all about finding your place, your companion(s), your way in the world. Hatke's characters stumble upon each other by chance and it's as if a missing piece has been found; they fit together perfectly. It's charming and sweet and funny and real, and I think you can see why I end up singing his praises so often... And this time around, I was getting double-feels because it reminded me of another nearly-wordless, unlikely robot companion story, Robot Dreams, that is just one of the bestweirdestawesomest things I've ever read. So this is in excellent company.

And of course, of course, the art is gorgeous. So what's not to like?

****GIVEAWAY****
To celebrate the release of Little Robot by Ben Hatke, the awesome folks at FirstSecond have offered up one (1) copy of the book to one (1) lucky winner!
Giveaway is US only.
Ends September 18th, 2015 at 11:59pm EST.
Fill out the Rafflecopter to enter.
Good luck!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway


ABOUT THE BOOK: 

Little Robot by Ben Hatke
Get It | Add It
Graphic Novel, 144 pages
Published September 1st 2015 by First Second

When a little girl finds an adorable robot in the woods, she presses a button and accidentally activates him for the first time. Now, she finally has a friend. But the big, bad robots are coming to collect the little guy for nefarious purposes, and it's all up to a five-year-old armed only with a wrench and a fierce loyalty to her mechanical friend to save the day!

#1 New York Times Bestselling author Ben Hatke brings his signature sweetness to a simple, moving story about friendship and overcoming fears that will appeal to readers of all ages.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Ben Hatke is an author and illustrator of graphic novels and picture books. Most notably he is the creator of the Zita the Spacegirl graphic novel series.

He posts art and stories online at:
www.benhatke.com

Austen in August 2015 Wrap-Up & Winners!

My dears, my darlings, my doves, my Janeites.
The time has come for us to once again bid Austen adieu. . . I mean, as much as we ever do. You're still free (encouraged!) to read, watch, love and talk about (especially with me!) Jane Austen to your hearts' content. But our little summer party is over for another 11 long months. Alas, alack!

BUT with the end of Austen in August comes one bright light: giveaway winners! I've got loads of Austen awesomeness to assign, but before we get into that, I just want to say a

BIG THANK YOU 

to everyone who participated in this year's AIA. Be it through a guest post, giveaway, our conversation interviews, or just in comments and tweets, you guys (well, gals, mostly) are what keep AIA lively, lovely and worth the sleepless nights it takes to bring it together. Again, THANK YOU!

Thank you to the lurkers, as well. I know it can sometimes take a lot to come out of the dark and leave a comment, but I hope you enjoyed your time here during AIA, and that you found some good books to read!

Now, onto what you really came here for: GOODIES! The giveaways and their respective winners are listed below, and all giveaways are accompanied by a link to the original post, to refresh your memories, if needed. All winners have been emailed, and are announced on their respective Rafflecopters, so if you're unsure if you're the one listed as a winner, check your email & the listed giveaway link to confirm; if you still aren't sure, please email me.
Winners have 48 hours to confirm their win/send me any mailing info needed. If I do not hear back within 48 hours, or someone is disqualified for some other reason, like shipping restrictions, I will choose new winners and update accordingly.

CONGRATS to all winners; hope you enjoy your prizes!  Big, big, big thanks to all authors and giveaway-ers -- make sure you leave them some love in the comments!!

WINNERS:

MISTAKING HER CHARACTER ebook [link]

Lúthien84

&

Sophia Rose

EMMA & AUSTEN ADDICT PRIZE PACK [link]

Marissa

MR DARCY FALLS IN LOVE [link]

Judy

THE SUN ALSO SHINES FOR ME [link]

Ashley

SIGNED SHANNON WINSLOW PAPERBACK [link]

holdenj

SHANNON WINSLOW EBOOK OF CHOICE [link]

Summer L.G.

&

Mary

SUN-KISSED: EFFUSIONS OF SUMMER ebook [link]

Bethwyn

YOUNG JANE AUSTEN, SIGNED [link]

Susan

&

Gabriela

D♥RCY EARRINGS [link]

Tessa

P&P DANGLE EARRINGS [link]

Jessica B.

PRIDE & PREJUDICE WORD ART [link]

Beth

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