The Modified Cover Reveal & Giveaway

AN AWESOME COVER AND THE CHANCE TO WIN SOME PRIZES! 

What would you sacrifice to save the one’s you love? To save the one who holds your heart? To save the world?

Kenley Grayson is all too familiar with these questions.

After Earth is thrust into its first intergalactic war with an unknown race called the Bringers, our military forces begin to suffer heavy losses. Desperate for a solution, the Allied Federation issues a worldwide draft for every able seventeen-year-old to enlist. As Kenley turns seventeen, she finds herself thrown into the very war that took her older brother’s life.

This year’s draft is a little different than in the past though. A new program, known as the Magnus Project, has been introduced, and only the best and brightest qualify. Kenley is amongst a select few whom are chosen to join this elite group of soldiers, and as a part of this project, undergoes a modification procedure that leaves her and her peers endowed with powers beyond their wildest dreams.

As Earth continues in its struggle against the Bringers, Kenley is transported to a high-tech training facility, the Magnus Academy, to prepare for the major battle that lies ahead. It’s here that she meets the California heartthrob, and son of a legendary war hero, Landon Shaw. As unexpected feelings toward Landon begin to develop, Kenley wonders if this is the right time or place for romance to bloom, especially when those feelings start to interfere with her training.

With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Kenley is constantly reminded of how important she and the rest of the Magnus cadets are to the fate of humanity. She is one of the Modified, Earth’s last line of defense against utter destruction.

The Modified releases this Fall

Like the cover for The Modified? Well then head over to Nathan Szerdy’s website and peruse his amazing collection of works. 

The Giveaway

Here are the cool prizes you can win: 

Enter below:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A little info about the authors...

The mom and son author duo, C.A. Kunz, thoroughly enjoy writing about things that go bump in the night and futuristic action-packed romances while drinking massive amounts of English breakfast tea and Starbucks coffee.
To find out more about this duo and their books visit their blog, or find them on Facebook and Twitter.

The City of Bones Movie - The "Most Anticipated 2013 Summer Movie"?

THE IMMORTAL INSTRUMENTS NOMINATED FOR "THE MOST ANTICIPATED 2013 SUMMER MOVIE", AND IN THE LEAD TOO

Despite the fact that the filming for the movie only started like a week ago... the City of Bones Movie is pretty big already!

Movie poster from Cassie's tumblr

It's already been nominated for the "Most Anticipated 2013 Summer Movie" by Next Movie along with:
"Iron Man 3"
"Man of Steel"
"Pacific Rim"
"Star Trek 2"
"World War Z"

And so far The City of Bones is pretty much killing it gathering about 80% of the votes.

Personally for us, this is pretty darn understandable, we can't wait for the movie which comes out next summer, August 23rd 2013... sigh...

You can vote here!

Interview; Jennifer Armentrout

JENNIFER ARMENTROUT TALKING ABOUT DAEMON, WEST VIRGINIA, AND HER GOOGLE DEGREE IN GEMMOLOGY

So excited to have done this interview with the amazing, Jennifer Armentrout! Author of the Lux series and the Covenant series:

What was your inspiration for the Lux series?

It's kind of an interesting story. I turned in one of my adult novels into my editor who asked me if I'd be interested in writing about aliens in high school. Initially, I laughed and said no. Aliens in high school? What could I do with aliens in high school? But the more I thought about it, the Katy and Daemon surfaced in my head and then the Luxens did. I wrote a couple of chapters and the editor loved it. Obsidian was a book that almost didn't happen. 

How would you describe Daemon?

He's a jerk. Daemon does have a softer side, but he's kind of what you see is what you get. So when he's being a douche canoe, it's because he's a douche canoe. Though, he is rather selfless. That's something a lot of people might not realize yet. 

Are there any characters who are based on real people?

No hot aliens living next to me, but Katy is kind of a mixture of the book bloggers that I know. 

What sort of research did you have to do for Obsidian and Onyx? 

A lot of research on gemstones. Obsidian and Onyx actually do impact light, so I think I have an official Google degree in gemmology now. 

What made you choose West Virginia?

I live there... and no one writes about West Virginia. A lot of time when people do, they back it seem like a land before time and get it drastically wrong. 

Thank you for answering our questions Jennifer, is there anything else you'd like to add? 

Thanks for having me!

Going to the bookstore? -28th August

FORETOLD, SPEECHLESS, CONFESSIONS OF AN ANGRY GIRL AND MORE ALL COMING OUT TODAY!

Going to the Bookstore is basically showcasing some interesting books to look out for that are being released.


It's seems today is a pretty big booky day with 10 awesome books out today, 28th of August:

                 

                    

                       

                       

                     

Signed copy of Black Dawn!!

A HUGE THANK YOU TO ALL OUR AMAZING FOLLOWERS! WE GOT THERE!

Yep it happened... we reached 100 followers!! We are so so so very excited about this!

And as we promised before that as soon as we got 100 followers we would post more info on our gievaway, so here we go, we're gonna do more than post info...

Our FIRST EVER giveaway: A signed copy of Black Dawn by Rachel Caine.

All right guys, all you have to do to enter this competition is follow us either by Google Friend Connect, Linky Followers, or subscribe to us via email! All of these options are on the sidebar to the left.
This starts today, (well now really) and ends 20th of September! Good Luck!

Enter below!

(Please note that the entries you choose will be checked and your entry will be suspended if you do not follow through)


a Rafflecopter giveaway

(MM#3) How I Live Now, Meg Rosoff

SAOIRSE RONAN CAST AS DAISY!! AND A LOOK AT THE CAST OF HOW I LIVE NOW

This is Movie Monday, a new feature here that weekly updates you on book related movie news.
Here's Movie Monday take three :)

We were pretty excited when we found out that How I live Now by Meg Rosoff is being turned into a film, and then even more excited when we found out that Saoirse Ronan was cast as Daisy!

Here's a picture of Daisy (Saoirse Ronan), on set

Filming started 25th of June and went on for 8 weeks, here's part of the press release: (you can find the complete press release here)

Daisy (Ronan), a teenager from New York, is sent to the English countryside for the summer to stay with cousins.  She soon immerses herself in a dreamy pastoral idyll as she falls madly in love with Eddie (MacKay), until their perfect summer is blown apart by the sudden outbreak of a 21st century world war.  Along with Eddie’s younger siblings, Isaac (Tom Holland) and Piper (Bird), they are left in isolation and forced to fend for themselves.  When they are violently separated Daisy must embark on a terrifying journey in order to be reunited with the boy she loves.  Eddie is never far from Daisy’s mind but as her journey to find him becomes more desperate, the idea of what she may or may not find consumes her consciousness and haunts her soul.

We've seen Daisy, let's take a look at the rest of the cast:

George MacKay as Edmond

Tom Holland as Isaac

Harley Bird as Piper

Review: The Twisted Window

Lois Duncan
184 pages
ebook: August 28th 2012

Summary:
The new guy at Tracy’s school is handsome, intense, and desperately needs her help—but there’s something about him that isn’t quite right.
High school junior Tracy Lloyd is unsure about the new guy in school. Brad Johnson is attractive, smart, and polite, but Tracy can’t help but feel he watches her too closely. Then one day Brad confides in Tracy a horrible secret: His little sister Mindy has been kidnapped by his stepfather, and he needs Tracy’s help to get her back. But even as Tracy commits to a plan to help her vulnerable new friend, details emerge that suggest nothing is what it seems.
The Twisted Window is a zigzagging thriller that keeps readers guessing up until the final page. This ebook features an illustrated biography of Lois Duncan including rare images and never-before-seen documents from the author’s personal collection.

We meet Tracy, a slender dark-haired girl who doesn't let anyone in, then we meet Brad, an attractive charming guy, who gets through Tracy's tough exterior.

Brad goes to the high school to find someone who could help him track down his sister, Mindy, who he believes was abducted by his 'cruel' step-father Gavin. And from hearing Brad's story, Tracy knows that though she shouldn't get involved, she hardly even knows Brad, she can't help wanting to aid Brad in getting Mindy back home safe.

After the plan to get Mindy back goes wrong, Tracy finds herself no longer able to stay come, and that is where the book starts to slowly unravel details that could change everything.

I have to be really careful witting this review because I really don't want to give anything away, this book literally "keeps readers guessing up until the final page". This is the sort of book that just as you think you know everything, it all changes and you're caught off guard then you realise that actually there's a hell of a lot more to it than you first thought.

I liked this book a lot more than I thought I would, you can't help but side with Brad as he stops at nothing to try to bring Mindy back. Once this book gets going, you find yourself unable to put it down.

As the book goes on, you find out the background of Tracy and why she has such a tough exterior, you feel everything she felt from rejection to fear. And Brad is charming and funny, and his determination and commitment to his baby sister is pretty admirable. The characters were independent and definitely strong and that's what made them likeable and also believable.

Duncan makes this book a page-turner by filling it with thrills and mystery. And I'm glad this book is making a comeback, it was originally published in 1987 and is now being re-published 2012, though it has been slightly updated, what with cell phone references and such. I guess you could say that the dialogue felt slightly dated, but it didn't make me love it any less.

Overall this book is a page-turner that will get inside your heart until you reach the breathtaking ending,
FOUR 1/2 STARS  

(FF#2) Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft

READ AN EXCERPT OF JODY GEHRMAN'S 'AUDREY'S GUIDE TO WITCHCRAFT'!

Feature Friday is something new we have that features books we get sent by authors, but can't review them.

This is Feature Friday two.

And today the book is:

Audrey's Guide to Witchcraft

Jody Gehrman

Summary:

Falling in Love, baking a magical cake, fighting an evil necromancer—it’s all in a day’s work for Audrey Oliver, seventeen-year-old witch-in-training. When her mother goes missing and her twenty-one-year-old witchy cousin shows up out of the blue, Audrey knows something’s gone horribly, dangerously wrong. Now it’s up to her to get her own magical powers up to speed before everyone she loves is destroyed by the sorcerer intricately connected to her mother’s secret past.

Here's an excerpt:

The perfume of scorched sugar conjured my Mom’s face again, her eyes bright, her lips curved into a proud smile. We’d baked together a lot over the years. She was the one who taught me to use a culinary torch back when I could barely see over the counter. As I watched, the memory of her happy face morphed, her mouth opening in a scream, her eyes going wide with horror. I shivered.
“Your turn.” Bridget handed me the torch.
I took it from her. The flame sprang to life when I pushed the button; I adjusted the intensity with the dial, turning it up just slightly. Bending over the nearest custard, I focused my attention, letting the room disappear around me. The top layer of superfine sugar quickly transformed as I touched the flame to it. White powder became dark, bubbling beads. Soon the whole surface started to darken, oozing a rich satiny brown. Mesmerized, I watched the sugar transform into something else, something molten.
From under the surface of the custard, a slow movement began. At first I thought it was just bubbling slightly from the heat, but then I felt my stomach clench in fear and I knew something bizarre was happening. The yellowish custard roiled under the layer of liquefied sugar. Gradually, beneath the steady kiss of my blue flame, a face began to take form. The darkened sugar gave way as the pale features took shape. At first I could only make out a faint outline, but then it sprang out at me, eyes and nose and mouth bulging up from the custard like a swimmer emerging from the depths of an opaque sea.
“Ack!” I yanked the torch away so abruptly I almost burned Bridget, who hovered at my side.
Bridget spoke softly, almost reverently. “What was that?”
“I don’t know!” With panicky fingers I turned off the torch and set it down. “Did you see it?”
“I saw something.”
“Oh, god.” I darted a look at Mrs. Jackson, who thankfully had her hands full keeping a couple pimply-faced sophomore boys from using their kitchen torches as light-sabers. “It looked like—didn’t it—wasn’t there a—?”
“A face?” Bridget said. “Yeah. What’s up with that?”
I covered my mouth with one trembling hand, afraid to answer her. The scariest part was that I hadn’t just seen a face, I’d seen the face, the same blue-eyed man that had been haunting me all morning.
Bridget stared fixedly at the custard. “You can still kind of see it—like the Jesus face on that tortilla.”
“What Jesus face?”
“You know, the miracle tortilla.”
A nervous, slightly hysterical laugh escaped me. I covered my mouth and studied the custard. I had no idea what miracle she referred to, but she was right about one thing; you could still see a man’s face etched into the caramelized sugar. The singed caramel coating outlined high cheekbones and fine, angular features. I knew I’d never seen him before, yet something about that face felt hauntingly familiar.
Bridget suddenly got all excited. “Maybe he’s a being from another dimension trying to contact you.”
I snorted. Here it was! I’d been right to keep it from her earlier. “If you say so.”
“You’re so cynical. How can magic ever find you if you won’t let it in?”
 “Put that on a bumper sticker.”

Interview; Corrine Jackson

AN INTERVIEW WHERE A BOOK MOOD RING, MULTI-BEAR, AND A MANOTAUR ARE MENTIONED... 

Super excited to have Corrine Jackson, the author of If I lie and Touched here with us!! Here's the interview:

What gave you the idea to write If I Lie?
I wanted to explore how much one friend would be willing to sacrifice for another and the different levels of loyalty between friends and family members. Before I started writing, I’d spent a bit of time in VA hospitals visiting my uncle and honorary uncle. I was struck by how forgotten some of the patients seemed after everything they’d been through for our country. These things all kind of percolated together until the concept for IF I LIE came together.

How would you describe Quinn?
One of the best friends you could ask for. She’s smart, empathetic, funny, and imperfect. She makes mistakes, but she does the best she can in an imperfect situation. And she’s a different person at the end of the novel. Everything that happens to her changes her, and I love watching her journey.

Are any of the characters based on people you know?
Most of my characters are constructed from bits of me or people I know. I like to give my characters small ticks that are unique to them and those are usually borrowed (ie. stolen). I keep lists of these character traits and when a character forms in my mind, they become an amalgamation of things on that list. George, a lovable Vietnam vet in If I Lie, reminds me a lot of one of my uncles. I hear his laugh whenever George is being bad.

What sort of research did you have to do for If I Lie?
I had to do a lot of military research since I did not grow up in a military town. I read up on towns stationed near military bases. I interviewed Marines, read a lot of nonfiction books, and did a ton of online research. I also watched a lot of YouTube videos, documentaries, and spent time on the Library of Congress’ Veterans History Project site. I wanted the battalion my character was in to be a real battalion and the place he was fighting in to be a real place. It was important to me to get it right and to treat this topic with respect. I hope I did it justice.

What is your favourite book?
Oh, I don’t have a single favorite book. It entirely depends on my mood. When I’m down, I love romance. Sad? I like comedies. Exhausted from work? Moby Dick. (Ha! That last one was a lie. Seriously, does ANYONE like that book?) And sometimes a paranormal hits the spot. Has someone created a book mood ring? No? I’m going to patent that idea. DON’T. TELL. ANYONE.

Which book are you currently reading?
John Green’s Looking for Alaska. Somehow I haven’t read this book. I’m only on page 21, but so far so good.

Is there anything you could reveal to us about your yet to be published book, Touched 2?
Remy is going to meet her grandfather and a community of Healers. She’s going to discover more about her kind, and then (dun, dun, dun) all hell breaks loose. Her actions put everyone at risk, and things get very dark. I will add that Gabe, Asher’s brother, has a larger role in this book, too.
Is there any advice you could give to aspiring writers?
Persevere and work hard. Some people think my path has been easy. They forget about all the work I put into the years leading up to my book deals. I’ve studied craft, even taking classes at community colleges between degrees (I have a master’s in English and a MFA in Creative Writing) so that I could keep writing and learning. I’ve workshopped my stories and took the feedback to heart, always striving to be better and to push myself. This isn’t a hobby for me, and I always try to treat my writing with respect. Schedule time to write and stick to it. Don’t just write when you’re inspired. Authors don’t really have that luxury, and you’ll be surprised at what you can do when the pressure is on.


RANDOM QUESTIONS

Favourite animal?
Real animal? Dogs. They’re so less pretentious than evil cats. Animal that should be real? The Multi-Bear (from Gravity Falls). I mean, come on. A bear with eight heads? I’m so there. A close second would be the Manotaur (also from Gravity Falls). Apparently, I watch too many cartoons.

Have you read Fifty Shades of Grey?
Nope.

Thank you for answering our questions, is there anything else you’d like to add?
Thanks for having me! And beware the multi-bear.

On Set photos Filming TMI: City Of Bones

WE SEE CLARY, JACE, SIMON AND ALEC ON SET! AHHHHHHHHHH

Everyone has been buzzing what with City of Bones filming that started yesterday and we thought we should just take this chance to appreciate some photos of the filming on set that Cassandra Clare posted on her tumblr, and also the link she left to even more photos.

So without further ado, here are some pretty exciting photos that make us even more impatient for the film to come out on the 23rd of August 2013... sigh:

Actually one of the photos that Cassandra posted on her tumblr, we love her comment "I think that was my first “My babies! My babies!” moment."

 aww Simon, you're too damn funny...

It's Jace and Alec!!! 

And now it's Jace and Clary!!

AHHHHH, we can't wait for the movie to come out!!!! What about you guys? What do you think about the set of City Of Bones?

Going to the bookstore? -21st August

ALIENS, ANGELS AND SHARKS... ALWAYS EXCITING

Going to the Bookstore is basically showcasing some interesting books to look out for that are being released.

Here are three books out today, 21st of August:

The Rise of Nine (Lorien Legacies #3), Pittacus Lore (OUT IN AMERICA. out in UK on 30th)

Until the day I met John Smith, Number Four, I'd been on the run alone, hiding and fighting to stay alive.
Together, we are much more powerful. But it could only last so long before we had to separate to find the others. . . .
I went to Spain to find Seven, and I found even more, including a tenth member of the Garde who escaped from Lorien alive. Ella is younger than the rest of us, but just as brave. Now we're looking for the others--including John.
But so are they.
They caught Number One in Malaysia.
Number Two in England.
And Number Three in Kenya.
They caught me in New York--but I escaped.
I am Number Six. 
They want to finish what they started.
But they'll have to fight us first.

Heaven (Halo #3), Alexandra Adornetto

Only sixteen when she started the series, Ally Adornetto knows how teen hearts beat, and this long-awaited conclusion is certain to be her most popular book yet. 
Bethany, an angel sent to Earth, and her mortal boyfriend, Xavier, have been to Hell and back. But now their love will be put to its highest test yet, as they defy Heavenly law and marry. They don’t tell Beth’s archangel siblings, Gabriel and Ivy, but the angels know soon enough, and punishment comes in a terrifying form: the Sevens, who are rogue angels bent on keeping Beth and Xavier apart, destroying Gabriel and Ivy, and darkening angelic power in the heavens.
The only way Bethany and Xavier can elude the Sevens is to hide in the open, and blend in with other mortals their own age. Gabriel and Ivy set them up at college, where they can’t reveal their relationship, and where there is still danger around each corner. Will Bethany be called back to Heaven – forever – and face leaving the love of her life?

The Raft, S.A. Bodeen

Robie is an experienced traveller. She’s taken the flight from Honolulu to the Midway Atoll, a group of Pacific islands where her parents live, many times. When she has to get to Midway in a hurry after a visit with her aunt in Hawaii, she gets on the next cargo flight at the last minute. She knows the pilot, but on this flight, there’s a new co-pilot named Max. All systems are go until a storm hits during the flight. The only passenger, Robie doesn’t panic until the engine suddenly cuts out and Max shouts at her to put on a life jacket. They are over miles of Pacific Ocean. She sees Max struggle with a raft. 
And then . . . she’s in the water. Fighting for her life. Max pulls her onto the raft, and that’s when the real terror begins. They have no water. Their only food is a bag of Skittles. There are sharks. There is an island. But there’s no sign of help on the way.

(MM#2) The Host by Stephenie Meyer

SAOIRSE RONAN CAST AS MELANIE AND MAX IRONS AS JARED. MEYER - "THE TALENT INVOLVED IS UNBELIEVABLE" 

This is Movie Monday, a new feature here that weekly updates you on book related movie news.
Here's Movie Monday take two :)

Ok yeh I know it's Tuesday and this is a Movie Monday post... but I'm so sorry I missed yesterday cos we were all too busy so we have Movie Monday today!

Anyway this Movie Monday is about The Host by Stephenie Meyer:

I actually really liked The Host when I read it (apart from the ending which sorta annoyed me...) and it's coming out on our screens March 29th 2013! 

This is part of the press release: 

""The Host" is a riveting story about the survival of love and the human spirit in a time of war. Our world has been invaded by an unseen enemy. Humans become hosts for these invaders, their minds taken over while their bodies remain intact. Most of humanity has succumbed.

When Melanie, one of the few remaining "wild" humans, is captured, she is certain it is her end. Wanderer, the invading "soul" who has been given Melanie's body, was warned about the challenges of living inside a human: the overwhelming emotions, the glut of senses, the too-vivid memories. But there was one difficulty Wanderer didn't expect: the former tenant of her body refusing to relinquish possession of her mind.

When outside forces make Wanderer and Melanie unwilling allies, they set off on a dangerous and uncertain search for the man they both love."

THE CAST:

Saoirse Ronan - Melanie Stryder

Max Irons - Jared Howe

Chandler Canterbury - Jamie Stryder

Jake Abel - Ian O'Shea

Boyd Holbrook - Kyle O'Shea

William Hurt - Jeb Stryder

Raeden Greer - Lily

Frances Fisher - Maggie Stryder

Scott Lawrence - Doc

J.D. Evermore - Mel's Dad

Shawn Carter Peterson - Wes

Lee Hardee - Aaron