25 April, 2012

COVER REVEAL: Redheads Are Soulless by Heather M. White

I'm really happy to have Read My Mind participating in today's reveal of REDHEADS ARE SOULLESS. Thanks to Heather at SupaGurl Blog Tours for cover creation and hosting!


About The Author:
Hi! I am Heather M. White, the author of the Destiny Saga, the Vampire Hunter Series and the upcoming novel Redheads are Soulless! It's so nice to meet you!

I am a returning resident to Arkansas. I just migrated south from Saint Louis, MO with my husband. We have been married a year. :)

I love to write. I have been writing since I was a kid - literally. I decided in the 2nd grade I would write a book. I wrote lots of stories and poems... And did I mention I wrote over 200 songs? (Yeah, I'm a musician too). So I wrote my very first novel at the ripe age of 14... My Mom still has it :-/. Ok, so maybe it wasn't my best work, but I had a LOT of fun writing it!

I started college at the young age of 17. (I graduated high school at 16). And my English papers were always a hit in my classroom. Somebody told me "you should make that story into a book". I pushed it to the back of my mind... Until recently.

I LOVE TO READ. Besides writing it is my absolute favorite thing to do.




Blurb:
High School senior, Sofia Black, has had a very hard life. Since her father's death 7 years ago, she has had to look after her drug addicted, alcoholic mother. School isn't any better for her either. The other kids constantly tease, and ridicule her. All she wants is to get out of her small hometown in Alabama.

When new student, Jason, shows up, Sofia's world is turned upside down. She doesn't understand why he wants to befriend her so badly... And, just when she thinks she can trust him, trouble appears.

Jason's twin brother, Robbie, moves into town, and things go haywire. Sofia is now running for her life - and Jason is forced to share hidden secrets with her. She learns the truth about her father's death, and finds out that she may not be as "human" as she once thought. She struggles to accept her fate, while fighting for her life.

Coming May 25th



Redheads are Soulless


Comment with your thoughts!

22 April, 2012

Dewey's #Readathon: Hour 24 and Finish Line


YAY!
I lasted the 24 hours! Looking at the actual time I spent reading, it was 12.75 hours. Now, I didn't read non-stop; when I thought about it, I did take time out to do mini-challenges and visit a few blogs, and I took time out to write my update posts. Even with a pre-made template, I still had to put in some time for that. Food and refreshment breaks, a lit meeting and two venue changes to keep me from going stir-crazy inside, also account for about 6 or so hours of the day. With all that in consideration, and a little more than 4 books under my belt in 24 hours, I'm very happy with what I accomplished!

***

The very last (April 2012) read-a-thon mini-challenge is the End Of Event


Which hour was most daunting for you?
Hour 21. That was when I realized how long I had been up and was getting so sleepy, but I also realized that I had invested so much, and it would be really nice if I could make it to hour 24.

Could you list a few high-interest books that you think could keep a Reader engaged for next year?
I think everyone has their own tastes. I love high fantasy novels, but I put aside LIAR'S MOON by Elizabeth C. Bunce because I wanted to be engaged in the book and I was too tired by the time I got to it.

Do you have any suggestions for how to improve the Read-a-thon next year?
I liked how it worked this year, although this is my first time participating, so I don't have a frame of reference for how each event is improved over the previous.

What do you think worked really well in this year’s Read-a-thon?
I liked the mini-challenges, and I liked being able to come to the read-a-thon site every hour for encouragement.

How many books did you read?
4 completely, and I started 2.

What were the names of the books you read?
Misfit by Jon Skovron
Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson
Carrier Of The Mark by Leigh Fallon

Which book did you enjoy most?
Past Perfect by Leila Sales

Which did you enjoy least?
Carrier Of The Mark by Leigh Fallon

How likely are you to participate in the Read-a-thon again? What role would you be likely to take next time?
Definitely. I'll want to participate as a reader again.

***


Here are some of my other read-a-thon stats:


Total Pages Read: 1476

Total Time Spent Reading: 765 minutes

Blogs Visited/Discovered: Fictionally Inclined | Noumena12 Books | Midnight Book Girl | The Fake Steph Dot Com | Reflections Of A Bookaholic | Kathryn's Book Nook | The Hungry Readers

Total Mini Challenges Completed: 6

Time Spent On Mini-Challenges And Visiting: 150 minutes

Time Spent On Updates: 90 minutes

Partial Books Read: When She Woke by Hillary Jordan (34 pages)
An Impartial Witness by Charles Todd (130 pages)

Dewey's #Readathon: Hours 21-23 (Mini-Challenge 1)

Well, the last few hours have been killer. I'm struggling to stay awake with only a little while left. I've also slowed way down, not just on the speed that I am reading, but also on my comprehension. I decided to take a break, start preparing my finish line post, and do another mini-challenge to pep me up for the grand finale.

I read 34 pages of WHEN SHE WOKE by Hillary Jordan, but I was waning, so I put it aside. I've really been looking forward to the book, and I didn't want to lose appreciation just because I was so tired. For that same reason, I decided not to start LIAR'S MOON by Elizabeth C. Bunce either. It's the sequel to STARCROSSED, which I absolutely loved, so I moved to the last book in my pile, AN IMPARTIAL WITNESS by Charles Todd.

***

The Hungry Readers have an hour 23 mad lib mini-challenge. Check out my attempt (which makes about as much sense as I would right now, with or without the mad libs!):

This ____cable____ is ____mysterious____! ____Chelsea____

has never ____conjured____ so much. The ____novel____ I'm currently

____hoping____ is____sleepy___ and____little____.

When this is over, I will ____made____ for ____a week____.


***


Currently Reading:



Total Pages Read: 1437

Total Time Spent Reading: 735 minutes

Total Mini Challenges Completed: 5

Total Finished:
Misfit by Jon Skovron
Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson
Carrier Of The Mark by Leigh Fallon

Dewey's #Readathon: Hours 17-20

I'm starting to feel the tired, but I'm going to keep reading for one more hour, and see how many final pages I can knock out. And then, I'm going to pass out.

***

Currently Reading:



Total Pages Read: 1312

Total Time Spent Reading: 615 minutes

Total Mini Challenges Completed: 4

Total Finished:
Misfit by Jon Skovron
Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson
Carrier Of The Mark by Leigh Fallon

On Deck:

21 April, 2012

Dewey's #Readathon: Hours 10-14 (Mini-Challenge 1)

I decided to jump back into the mini-challenge pool and fill out the Mid Event Survey

***

How are you doing? Sleepy? Are your eyes tired?
Absolutely. It's past the halfway point, but I'm bolstered by caffeine and determination.

What have you finished reading?
Misfit by Jon Skovron, Past Perfect by Leila Sales, and Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson.

What is your favorite read so far?
Definitely PAST PERFECT by Leila Sales. She has a great voice for real-sounding contemporary YA protagonists. Plus, I've been wanting to read this book since I finished her previous novel, MOSTLY GOOD GIRLS.

What about your favorite snacks?
I spent some time at a coffeeshop, and there I had a great coconut cream flavored coffee. I know, it's not technically a snack. Later, I also switched up venues to a Barnes and Noble. There I had a divine mixed berry cake with a whipped cream topping. And, of course, I had whole grain goldfish at home!

Have you found any new blogs through the readathon? If so, give them some love!
Fictionally Inclined | Noumena12 Books | Midnight Book Girl | The Fake Steph Dot Com | Reflections Of A Bookaholic

***

EDIT (2am): As I was putting together my template for my final update and finish line post, I realized that Blogger had not posted this, even though I had scheduled it. So boo for Blogger. This post will seem really out of date, but there you go.



Currently Reading:



Total Pages Read: 970

Total Time Spent Reading: 435 minutes

Total Mini Challenges Completed: 4

Total Finished:
Misfit by Jon Skovron
Past Perfect by Leila Sales
Ultraviolet by R.J. Anderson

On Deck:


Dewey's #ReadAThon: Hours 5-8 (Mini-Challenge 2)

One Librarian's Book Reviews has a mini-challenge, in which, the player chooses a book title and then tries to express the title in pictures. I gave it a go.

Hint: This book is somewhere on my read list at Good Reads HERE, but there's over 600 other books, too!


***

Reflections Of A Bookaholic has a mini-challenge that involves turning to the current book's page 32 and filling in the blank from, "I would rather read than ________ any day!", with an entertaining sentence from that page.

I was reading PAST PERFECT by Leila Sales, at the time, so here's my try:

I would rather read than spend the summer gallivanting around, demonstrating minuets any day.

***

I'm going to be taking a break to catch up with the lit group I belong to, so probably no more updates until later tonight.


Currently Reading:



Total Pages Read: 667

Total Time Spent Reading: 270 minutes

Visited Since Last Update: Reflections Of A Bookaholic | Kathryn's Book Nook | Midnight Book Girl | Noumena12 Books

Total Mini Challenges Completed: 3

Total Finished:
Misfit by Jon Skovron
Past Perfect by Leila Sales

On Deck:

Dewey's #Readathon: Hours 1-3 (Mini-Challenge 1)

I started the read-a-thon at 8:17am. Pretty good for me on a Saturday. I'm usually of the mind: don't call me, and don't talk to or look at me before 10am, on a Saturday. Or Sunday. Really any day, unless you've witnessed me drinking a full cup of coffee beforehand.

But, I digress.

***

Check out my Introductory Questionnaire

What fine part of the world are you reading from today?
Slightly Suburban, PA AKA just outside of Philly.

Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to?
When She Woke by Hillary Jordan. I was intrigued by the concept, and read the first chapter a few days ago. I had to fight myself to put it down and save it, but I managed.

Which snack are you most looking forward to?
I forgot to prepare or think about snacks. I've got plenty of coffee, though! I'll probably take a mid-afternoon break and run out to the Wawa.

Tell us a little something about yourself!
I watch television almost exclusively from my laptop, I'm a crazy, crazy anglophile, and I like aggressive sports: hockey, football, and rugby.

If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to?
This is my first time participating! I'm looking forward to the community aspect, and my pile is exclusively pleasure books I found at my local library. No review books in this stack.

***


Currently Reading:



Total Pages Read: 202

Total Time Spent Reading: 80 minutes

Total Mini Challenges Completed: 1

Total Finished: 0

On Deck:

20 April, 2012

Dewey's 24 Hour Read-A-Thon

Saturday April 21st at 8am EDT starts the Dewey's 24 Hour Read-A-Thon, and I'm taking part! Bloggers from all over the world participate twice a year in this wonderful event, but this is my first time. I'm not afraid to admit that 24 hours seems pretty daunting. Not reading for the better part of 24 hours, but having no leeway to get into the swing of things. When it starts, I gotta be ready, because 24 hours leaves no room to mess around.

With that in mind, I will warn Read My Mind readers that I'll be making updates on the blog throughout the event. I've got an update template pre-made, so that I don't get distracted on the computer. Of course, I don't want to overload my followers or clog up people's readers with my updates, so I won't do them hourly.

Now, since it's my first 24 hour read-a-thon, I thought I'd play it a tad safe. I did make a library visit. One of the branches in my township was just overflowing with some of the YA books I've been dying to read, and I have a couple books that looked totally intriguing in the pile also. Here's the stack of books that I intend to tackle:



I'm starting with MISFIT by Jon Skovron, which missed being in the picture, and my camera is acting up now, so I couldn't do a re-shoot.


It's not too late to sign up yourself at the Dewey's Reader Sign-Up Page

19 April, 2012

ARC Review: The Selection by Kiera Cass

Book: THE SELECTION
Author: KIERA CASS
Genre: YA FANTASY/DYSTOPIAN
Published: April 2012, HARPER TEEN


Series: The Selection #1 (upcoming series)
Source: Around The World ARC Tours, no other compensation given for an honest review

From Good Reads:
For thirty-five girls, the Selection is the chance of a lifetime. The opportunity to escape the life laid out for them since birth. To be swept up in a world of glittering gowns and priceless jewels. To live in the palace and compete for the heart of the gorgeous Prince Maxon.

But for America Singer, being Selected is a nightmare. It means turning her back on her secret love with Aspen, who is a caste below her. Leaving her home to enter a fierce competition for a crown she doesn't want. Living in a palace that is constantly threatened by violent rebel attacks.

Then America meets Prince Maxon. Gradually, she starts to question all the plans she's made for herself- and realizes that the life she's always dreamed of may not compare to a future she never imagined.


My Review:
I'll start off by saying that I am not a big fan of ___ meets ___ book pitches, and I had heard that THE SELECTION was THE HUNGER GAMES meets The Bachelor. I hate The Bachelor. Did this deter me? The fact is that, whatever the book was pitched as, I had read the blurb and was intrigued. It sounded like more than a fight to the finish with the winner gaining a husband. Other controversy and a few trusted people saying it wasn't great aside, I really wanted to read THE SELECTION.

There was one major thing that didn't work for me, and I've got to get it out before I burst. I DESPISE the way the book ended. So what if this is just the beginning of a story? I still expect some kind of payoff after making it through more than 250 pages. Leave me in suspense about who Prince Maxon takes to wife? Fine. But, this book did not end. It paused. And that's one of my pet peeves about YA series (particularly trilogies). In fact, it's more likely to make me NOT wait with bated breath 10-12 months until the next book comes out, UNLESS I really super adored it. That's my little rant done.

Truthfully, I liked THE SELECTION. I think that Cass has a way with creating a world where everyone has to fit into an extremely rigid caste system that offers no upward mobiity and has a majority population that is at or below poverty level, where parents do without food to feed their children. AND YET, if there is a prince in the royal house, one girl of his approximate age might be lifted out of her caste and become royalty. It is like THE HUNGER GAMES, in that hope is the only thing that keeps the population from a complete revolution.

In the end, THE SELECTION kept my interest and explored some of the issues that should be brought to light in a good YA dystopian. Despite my dislike of how the novel (didn't) end, the journey there was interesting.

3.5/5 for plot
3.5/5 for characters
3.5/5 for language

My Rating: 10.5/15 (3 stars) Recommend



Find the author at:
Website | Journal | Twitter | GoodReads

ARC Review: Masque Of The Red Death by Bethany Griffin

Book: MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH
Author: BETHANY GRIFFIN
Genre: YA FANTASY
Published: April 2012, HARPER COLLINS


Series:
Source: Around the World ARC Tours, no other compensations given for an honest review

From Good Reads:
Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population. And those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles to pieces around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery make-up . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club. And Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither boy is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find something not just to live for, but to fight for—no matter what it costs her.


My Review:
When I first started MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH, I wasn't sure if it might be a help or a hindrance that I've read the original Poe work. See, Poe is spooky and creepy and super odd, but his work has a draw for me; a magnetism that I've never been able to resist. I was worried that Bethany Griffin's adaptation wouldn't hold the same charisma. But, I needn't have worried. Griffin's MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH is an homage in the truest sense. It takes the original idea and updates it, but retains all of the skin-crawling, wide-eyed appeal that drew me to Poe.

Griffin's language is as lyrical as the pace of the book. Almost mirroring the languidness of Araby when amidst the, well, debauchery of The Debauchery Club, the novel exposes the world that has arisen out of a devastating plague, while concealing tidbits and details of the people that live in this world. Araby herself is a puzzle. Though she spends time at The Debauchery Club ingesting naughty substances she isn't an unsympathetic character. Living in the world she lives in (and being one of the few fortunate favored) has necessarily dulled her happiness. She, Will and Elliott, along with Araby's parents, and Will's siblings make up a motley cast of characters that stay true to the idea of Poe's MASQUE.

The masks the citizens have to wear do the dual job of protecting them and hiding their true nature. And MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH does a fantastic job of exploring human nature, while following Araby on her self-discovery, and illuminating a world that sounds very scary indeed.

4.5/5 for plot
5/5 for characters
5/5 for language

My Rating: 14.5/15 (5 stars)

Must Read, if you liked:

Starters by Lissa Price
Partials by Dan Wells


Find the author at:
Website | Blog | Twitter | GoodReads

Austism Awareness Hop 2012 Winner

Prize: Winner chooses one of the following books:
Heavenly by Jennifer Laurens
Marcelo In The Real World by Francisco X. Stork
House Rules by Jodi Picoult
Water Bound by Christine Feehan

Winner: See rafflecopter below





Congratulations to the winner! I will be contacting you in the next few days for your prize redemption.


Didn't win this time around? Check out the other giveaways/contests I have going on right now:

MEETING DESTINY by Nancy Straight *Signed* Copy Giveaway

Laura Kaye's Preview and Prizes Event

Remember, come back to Read My Mind for more great bookish content, including reviews, author posts, interviews, cover reveals, and giveaways!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight: The Vampire Shrink by Lynda Hilburn (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Please welcome Lynda Hilburn, who has stopped by Read My Mind today to talk about her new release, THE VAMPIRE SHRINK.

About The Author

Lynda Hilburn writes paranormal fiction. More specifically, she writes vampire books. After a childhood filled with invisible friends, sightings of dead relatives and a fascination with the occult, turning to the paranormal was a no-brainer. In her other reality, she makes her living as a licensed psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, professional psychic/tarot reader, university instructor and workshop presenter.

Her first novel, “The Vampire Shrink” -- which introduced us to Denver Psychologist Kismet Knight and a hidden vampire underworld -- was first released in 2007 and republished (the rewritten, expanded version) by Quercus Books 9/2011 and Sterling Publishing/Silver Oak 4/2012. Book #2 in the series, “Blood Therapy,” releases Fall, 2012.

Several more books are planned. “Undead in the City,” an erotic paranormal novella, “Diary of a Narcissistic Bloodsucker,” a satire/parody, and “Until Death Do Us Part,” a humorous mini-story, are now available in e-form from Amazon.com. “Devereux: The Night Before Kismet” will be available Spring, 2012. Her short story, “Blood Song,” is part of the Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance anthology, April, 2009.



***

18 Things I Love About Vampires

1. They never leave the toilet seat up.
2. They don’t snore.
3. They don’t fight with you over your coupons for the tanning place.
4. They can help you with your history exam.
5. They won’t sit on the couch watching TV when you want to go out.
6. They look good in black.
7. If they break a fang, it just grows back (same as any other body part).
8. They have many creative euphemisms for the word “blood.”
9. They can have sex all night long.
10. They won’t take your last candy bar.
11. They give new meaning to the phrase “he looked at me hungrily.”
12. They won’t eat you out of house and home.
13. They’ll laugh at your jokes (or at least that’s what you’ll think they’re
laughing at.)
14. They don’t walk in their sleep.
15. They wear blood-repellent leathers.
16. As they drain you, they’ll compliment you on your translucent skin.
17. They’ll cart their dead victims out to the garbage so as not to inconvenience
you.
18. There are no legal entanglements: If you get tired of them, you can always rip the covers from the windows, let the sun shine in and watch them explode.

I really am a major vampire fan. Especially the gorgeous, sexy variety.

But if my work as a psychotherapist has shown me anything, it’s that nothing is ever as it appears to be. With my luck, the beautiful, long-haired bloodsucker tapping at my window would have dumpster body odor, blood breath, ragged, yellow fingernails and disgusting substances stuck between his fangs. He’d be incapable of conversation and would, instead, make grunting noises as he grabbed at my tender breasts. The last thing I’d remember would be his sharp canines ripping into the vein in my neck, accompanied by sucking sounds.

Not exactly a best-selling fantasy, LOL.

It’s so much more fun to imagine an astounding vampire like Devereux, the main male character in the Kismet Knight, Vampire Psychologist series. Long blond hair, blue-green eyes, expressive mouth, sculpted profile, body to die for. Geez. Is it getting warm in here?

So, what things do you love about vampires?

I’ll give away a signed copy of The Vampire Shrink to one commenter.

***


Thanks Lynda for visiting!

You heard her! One signed copy to a lucky random commenter. I added a rafflecopter because it's super easy for me to stay timely with choosing a winner. So just enter via the widget at the end of the post, and leave a comment answering Lynda's bolded question, to make your entry count.

Rules:
Must be 18+
Must enter via rafflecopter AND leave a comment
Must have U.S. mailing address to redeem prize
One entry per person
Giveaway ends 11:59pm, May 9th.


Blurb:

Kismet Knight, a brainy Denver-based psychologist with a stalled career and a nonexistent love life, is about to have her world rocked. Not only does her newest patient, Midnight, long to become a vampire, but the teenager insists that a coven of the undead hangs out at a local goth club. The always-rational Kismet dismisses Midnight's claims as the delusions of an attention-starved girl--until bodies start turning up drained of blood and the hottest self-proclaimed vampire ever to walk the face of the earth enters her office.

What's real? What's not? As inexplicable events and romantic opportunities pile up, along with the corpses, Kismet finds herself in a whirlwind of passion, mystery, and danger. But this tough and funny heroine--who doesn't do damsel in distress--is about to turn the vampire-meets-girl convention on its head.

Barnes and Noble | Publisher | Amazon



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18 April, 2012

Book Review: Somebody To Love by Kristan Higgins

Book: SOMEBODY TO LOVE
Author: KRISTAN HIGGINS
Genre: CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Published: April 2012, HQN Books


Series: none
Source: Publicist, no other compensation given for an honest review

From Good Reads:
After her father loses the family fortune in an insider-trading scheme, single mom Parker Welles is faced with some hard decisions. First order of business: go to Gideon's Cove, Maine, to sell the only thing she now owns—a decrepit house in need of some serious flipping. When her father's wingman, James Cahill, asks to go with her, she's not thrilled -- …even if he is fairly gorgeous and knows his way around a toolbox.

Having to fend for herself financially for the first time in her life, Parker signs on as a florist's assistant and starts to find out who she really is. Maybe James isn't the glib lawyer she always thought he was. And maybe the house isn't the only thing that needs a little TLC….


My Review:
SOMEBODY TO LOVE starts off with Parker's father's fall from grace, and the subsequent loss of her and her young son's trust funds. I like Kristan Higgins as an author, which was why I jumped at being able to review this book. It's the first book where Higgins has a wealthy female protagonist, which was another reason why I was willing to give it a try. Usually, I wouldn't pick up a book that has a riches-to-rags plot. Why? Because in fiction, as in life, most wealthy people cannot even fathom what it's like to not have expendable income or a monthly expense account. I've read a few books in the past where the whole novel comes off laughable and disingenuous.

Luckily, that's not what happened here. As with UNTIL THERE WAS YOU, one of Higgins other novels that I've read and reviewed at Read My Mind, I was really drawn into the story. It wasn't just the journey that Parker took: travelling to Maine to take control of a house unseen, taking on its restoration, and her slow starter of a romance with James. These elements came together well because of how engaged I was in Higgins writing.

Honestly, the romance and Parker's transformation into a lobster town resident aside, what shined in SOMEBODY TO LOVE was the family relationships. Parker and her son, Parker and her ex and her ex's wife, Parker and her mother, James and Parker's father, James and his own parents, James and his sister... there was no shortage of entanglements, and of course, the most complicated and acrimonious relationship of them all was Parker and the father that essentially stole her money through an insider trading deal.

The twists and tangles of these relationships and how they played off of each other (though I loved every time Parker called James, Thing One) far overpowered the riches-to-rags plot, and instead built off of the situation that Parker found herself in, to showcase issues that anyone might have to deal with in their lifetime, regardless of wealth.

With James' character, SOMEBODY TO LOVE explored some of the deeper issues of loss and guilt, but it didn't bog me down in depressive seriousness. In fact, I found myself laughing through much of the novel and appreciating the sense of humor woven throughout that both James, Parker, and some of the ancillary characters (like Parker's cousin) possessed. Higgins is definitely an author whose books I'll continue to read.

4/5 for plot
4.5/5 for characters
4/5 for language

My Rating: 12.5/15 (3.5 stars) Highly Recommend



Find the author at:
Website | Blog | GoodReads | Facebook

Purchase book at:
Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Amazon

Available formats: Print (Mass Market Paperback), NookBook, Kindle

15 April, 2012

SupaGurl Tours: Nancy Straight Guest Post & MEETING DESTINY Giveaway



Read My Mind welcomes Nancy Straight today to promote her novel MEETING DESTINY, an adult contemporary that has appeal for YA and New Adult category readers. Nancy will be sharing the playlist that best represents and chronicles her female protagonist, Lauren's journey in the book. But first:

About The Author:
Nancy was born in Sioux City Iowa, left the cold of the Midwest in 1991 and only returns to see family in the summer time. She spent ten years traveling the world as a US Marine and settled in rural SC with her husband and two children.

She enjoys reading all types of Paranormal and Young Adult literature.





Lauren's Playlist for Meeting Destiny is here: Meeting Destiny Play List

(click the link to be redirected to the Spotify playlist. You must already have Spotify on your device before playing, or you will be prompted to complete the download.)

***

Eye of the Tiger (Survivor) Lauren’s reaction to the robber at the restaurant – she stands fearless.

Don’t Know Why (Norah Jones) In the ambulance, Lauren realized her dreams were real and Max wasn’t a figment of her imagination.

You Can’t Make a Heart Love Somebody (George Straight) At the hospital when Lauren realizes no matter how hard she tries, she’ll never love Seth the way he deserves.

Bubbly (The Magic Time Travelers) Lauren gets a private moment with Max at the hospital and realizes the chemistry she feels is felt by Max, too.

Set Fire to the Rain (Adele) After Lauren finds out Max is leaving for three months to give her time to get over Seth. She’s furious that he won’t listen to her explanation.

Mine (Taylor Swift) Max returns and he and Lauren share a fantastic first date.

Disturbia (Rihanna) Lauren met Rachael at the mall. While spending time with Rachael, Paul introduces himself to them. Lauren can’t understand while she feels the way she does, certain that Paul is trouble but unable to explain why.

Poker Face (Lady Gaga) Lauren sneaks into the jail using a false identity to learn more about Paul’s intentions at the mall.

Here and Now (Luther Vandross) Lauren spent the day at Max’s house getting to know him better.

Give Me One Reason (Tracey Chapman)Lauren went with Paul to the Police Station, the police have a tough time believing Paul’s explanation of the events.

Come Away With Me (Norah Roberts) After Paul’s death, Lauren and Max decide to leave town to get her away from all the chaos.

Love Story (Taylor Swift) While on their camping trip Lauren fully accepts her destiny and the love she has for Max.

One of us (Joan Osborn) While in the coma, Lauren wasn’t sure if she was in heaven, hell, or purgatory – her disorientation made her question everything she thought she knew.

What I’ve Done (Linkin Park) While in the coma, Lauren worried that Paul’s death was a result of her actions or her inability to see what was about to happen before it was too late.

What a Wonderful World (Louis Armstrong) When Lauren woke up from her coma and realized she wasn’t dead and Max, too, was alive.

***

Thanks for sharing, Nancy!

Also thanks to Nancy and Heather at SupaGurl Tours for providing a signed copy of MEETING DESTINY for giveaway at Read My Mind. Just follow the rafflecopter directions at the end of this post to enter.


Blurb:
Lauren is visited in her dreams for years by a stranger claiming to be her destiny. Destiny becomes reality when paths cross during a failed robbery attempt. Lauren and the stranger experience chemistry like no other and now her doubt over her long time relationship with her high school sweetheart is not her only secret... someone else knows about her keen intuition and sixth sense.

A mysterious clairvoyant seeks Lauren out and tells her not only of her life now but what the future may hold. Soon Lauren is in the middle of a murder investigation and a questionable friendship with the key suspect. Law enforcement, friends and family are concerned for Lauren but unfortunately they are unaware of the true danger…Sinister forces are at work and will stop at nothing to destroy Lauren’s abilities.



Giveaway Rules:
Must be 16+ to enter
Must enter via rafflecopter and leave a comment for entry to count
One entry per person
Must have U.S. mailing address
Giveaway ends 11:59PM, April 30th


a Rafflecopter giveaway

11 April, 2012

Autism Awareness Blog Hop 2012


Welcome to Read My Mind's stop on the Autism Awareness Blog Hop. Autism is a disorder close to my heart, since I've spent the last 8.5 years being caretaker, tutor, friend, and companion to a young boy with Asperger's Syndrome (a disorder on the higher functioning end of the autistic spectrum).

To find out more about Autism and autistic-spectrum disorders, or to find a resource if someone close to you has Autism, start with Autism Speaks. There are also many organizations on and off-line that can help and provide support.


Autism In Fiction:
I've decided to contribute to this hop by giving away a book that features a character with Autism or Asperger's Syndrome.

Pick Your Poison:
One winner will be able to choose 1 (one) book from the following group


Enter Via Rafflecopter:
Follow the directions from rafflecopter to make your entry count

Rules:
U.S. address required to claim prize
Must comment to enter
Must be 13+ to claim a YA title, and 18+ to claim an adult title
Must enter before 11:59pm, April 17th
1 (one) winner will be chosen via rafflecopter within a week of the giveaway ending

Good Luck To All!


Thanks to the Autism Awareness Blog Hop hosts:
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer
Page Turners Blog
Fire And Ice
Just Another Book Addict


See all of the participating blogs HERE


a Rafflecopter giveaway

10 April, 2012

Laura Kaye's WEST OF WANT Preview & Prizes Event

Welcome to the WEST OF WANT Preview and Prizes Event! Read My Mind is taking part with many other blogs to help Laura Kaye celebrate. Check out what the author has to say:

Happy WEST OF WANT Preview and Prizes Event, everyone! Today, April 10, was the original release date for Book 2 in my Hearts of the Anemoi series, West of Want. And then some really cool things happened: my publisher, Entangled Publishing, signed a huge deal with the nation’s biggest book distributor, which means for the first time ever, my books will be shelved in brick-and-mortar bookstores.

And then, West of Want received a very nice pre-sales estimate by the booksellers and Barnes and Nobles bought it for all their stores nationwide (and it got bought for airports, too—squee!). The only bad news in this whole scenario was this: the release date got pushed back, by three LONG months! LOL

So, I thought I’d celebrate the original release date with a preview of the book and a big contest, and give you a small taste to whet your appetite until the actual release date arrives.


"Laura Kaye’s captivating writing and vibrant world-building will have readers hooked on the gods of the Anemoi. WEST OF WANT is steamy, spellbinding, and a must-read for all romance fantasy fans."
~Elisabeth Naughton, author of the Eternal Guardians series

Forty sites are celebrating with me today, and there are different posts at those different sites. To see the whole list of participants, click here. Now, without further ado, here’s the book blurb and one of four different never-before-seen excerpts from the book available for you to enjoy:


WEST OF WANT BLURB:

Betrayal is all he's ever known, but in her, he'll find a love strong enough to be trusted...

When Marcella Raines' twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Though she's gravely injured--and still emotionally damaged from her recent divorce--Ella fights to survive.

Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn't protected him from betrayal and loss. Worse, he's sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph's heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt forces him to save her.

Ella is drawn to the vulnerability Zeph hides beneath his otherworldly masculinity and ancient blue eyes. And her honesty, empathy, and unique, calming influence leave Zeph wanting...everything. When Eurus threatens Ella, she and Zeph struggle to let go of the past, defend their future, and embrace what they most want--a love that can be trusted.

EXCERPT:

Zeph’s arms gripped her tighter, yanking her fully against him. The rigid line of his erection pressed into her belly. “You don’t understand how much you intrigue me.” His head dropped so his lips caressed her ear. “You don’t understand how much you attract me. You’re in my head. All the time. You make my heart beat faster, my body ache with want.” He kissed the shell of her ear and moved sinuously against her.

Her body came alive, tightening, opening, preparing. Ella gasped as he nipped and licked down her neck.

Then he growled. “What is this?” He tugged at the fleece collar around her neck.

“What?” she asked, trying and failing to keep up through the haze of lust.

“This…is this a man’s shirt?”

Ella looked down. “Oh, yeah.”

“I cannot abide it.” His mouth dropped open and the dark blue of his eyes flared. “Please,” he rasped.

Ella frowned. “I don’t understand,” she said, but she stepped back enough to pull the fleece over her head. She tossed it to the futon. “It was just my br—”

Zeph’s mouth crushed to hers. His big hands buried in her hair. He pursued her, devoured her. His passion overwhelmed and overpowered. She stumbled back a half step here and there, until
her shoulders hit the hallway wall.

Male spice filled her nose and tantalized her taste buds. Jesus, she couldn’t get enough of him. She met him kiss for kiss, stroke for stroke. She sucked his tongue until he groaned deep in his throat, and then she did it again.

He grabbed her hands in one of his and braced them over her head, against the wall. He pulled away from the kiss, but kept their faces pressed together. They were both panting, chests heaving, their clothing wet everywhere they touched. He stroked her face, her neck. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…I…” He pressed his lips to her cheek. “I couldn’t stand seeing another man’s belongings on you.”

Pre-order West of Want: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

So, what d’ya think? Want more Zephyros and Ella? Visit more participating sites to read all the excerpts, meet the characters, see the the West of Want romance trading cards, and enter to win! Thanks for reading! July 10 can’t get here soon enough for me! *grins*

~Laura Kaye

“Using ancient winter mythology as an allegory for grief, Kaye has written a sexy story that packs a powerful emotional punch. NORTH OF NEED is pure winter magic and Kaye’s sparkling talent warms the heart.”
~Stephanie Draven, author of the Mythica series about
multi-award-winning Book 1 in the Anemoi series, North of Need

About The Author:

Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is a bestselling and award-winning author paranormal and contemporary romance. Hearts in Darkness is the EPIC eBook Award Winner for Best Novella, Forever Freed won the NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011, and North of Need, the first book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, was named GraveTells’ Best Book of 2011 and won their 5-STAR Gold Heart Award, and won Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.



Thanks to Laura Kaye, there are 2 separate contests running until May 10th to celebrate WEST OF WANT!

At Read My Mind:
One commenter from each participating blog site will win a West of Want bookmark and the romance trading cards for North of Need and West of Want. Simply comment to enter to win and be sure to leave your email address. These prizes will be announced soon after May 10. Open to international.


Via Rafflecopter:
Seven participants who enter through the Rafflecopter form will win gift cards from winners’ choice of Amazon or Barnes and Noble valued between $15 and $100! Those prize winners will be announced on West of Want’s release day, July 10, 2012. As a special thank you to those who have pre-ordered the print West of Want through Amazon or B&N, you'll receive extra entries - just enter your order confirmation number on the appropriate Rafflecopter line. Pre-orders are hugely important for an author because they determine how many books bookstores will actually stock and they count toward an author’s first-week sales which is when most authors have their best chance to hit the big bestseller lists. However, pre-orders/purchases are not required to enter. Commenting is the only required entry. Open to international.



a Rafflecopter giveaway

09 April, 2012

COVER REVEAL: Greta And The Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs

Another cover reveal from Entangled Publishing, this time from author Chloe Jacobs for her upcoming YA fantasy!

About The Author:
Chloe Jacobs is a native of nowhere and everywhere, having jumped around to practically every Province of Canada before finally settling in Ontario where she has now been living for a respectable number of years. Her husband and son are the two best people in the entire world, but they also make her wish she'd at least gotten a female cat. No such luck. And although the day job keeps her busy, she carves out as much time as possible to write. Bringing new characters to life and finding out what makes them tick and how badly she can make them suffer is one of her greatest pleasures, almost better than chocolate and fuzzy pink bunny slippers.



Blurb:
While trying to save her brother four years ago, Greta was thrown into the witch’s fire herself, falling through a portal to a dangerous world where humans are the enemy, and every ogre, goblin, and ghoul has a dark side that comes out with the full moon.

To survive, seventeen-year-old Greta has hidden her humanity and taken the job of bounty hunter—and she’s good at what she does. So good, she’s caught the attention of Mylena’s young Goblin King, the darkly enticing Isaac, who invades her dreams and undermines her determination to escape.

But Greta’s not the only one looking to get out of Mylena. The full moon is mere days away, and an ancient evil knows she’s the key to opening the portal. If Greta fails, she and the lost boys of Mylena will die. If she succeeds, no world will be safe from what follows her back...

Coming November 2012, ENTANGLED PUBLISHING


As a special treat, for participating in the cover reveal, Read My Mind will also have the opportunity to post an exclusive excerpt closer to the release date! But now, here's the cover:


Add to Goodreads

Pre-Order: Barnes and Noble


What do you think? Leave your thoughts in the comments!

07 April, 2012

Stalking The Others by @Jess_Haines Giveaway on Goodreads

I discovered this series last year and absolutely LOVE it! Check out the Goodreads giveaway for the 4th book in this engrossing urban fantasy series:




Goodreads Book Giveaway





Stalking the Others by Jess Haines



Stalking the Others


by Jess Haines



Giveaway ends June 22, 2012.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.




Enter to win





Start From The Beginning:

Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Amazon



Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Amazon



Barnes and Noble | Books-A-Million | IndieBound | Amazon

02 April, 2012

Wrap Up: #Bloggiesta Finish Line



The last 30 hours have been very busy, but very productive and satisfying. When I first decided to participate in Bloggiesta, I had a huge amount of things that I wanted to get done for and on Read My Mind. Of course, life happened and I missed the first half of the event. So, joining in late, I figured that I needed to priortize those things that i wouldn't just idly do on any day.

Here's my original goal list:

1. Archive and link all of my reviews from 2012 on my reviews page
2. Update and check that all 2012 reviews are on Good Reads
3. Reduce and simplify my Good Reads bookshelves
4. Update Good Reads books read in 2012 with novellas and re-reads I'm missing
5. Create a Pinterest account for blog/bookish things
6. Make a drop-down menu for blog pages
7. Write review backlog (6 reviews for March)
8. Update blog calendar with future posts and reviews already scheduled


In blue, are the goals that I was able to fully complete. I know the basics of creating the drop down menu, but I wasn't happy with the format and look that resulted from a mostly copy/paste tutorial and using some of my HTML knowledge. I'm going to tinker around with it a little more. I also started on the reviews, but only made it halfway through.



You can see how much time I spent on each task at my starting line post HERE and how I got along with The Book Vixen's mini-challenge HERE.

Part of the fun of bloggiesta is really getting a feel for the blogging community, making new friends, discovering new blogs, and trying out mini-challenges. Unfortunately, I didn't have as much time to do this as I wanted. I did log into the twitter chat on Sunday morning. Even with the conversations moving quickly, I was able to make connections with several people and get some help with a few issues and questions. I visited a few blogs, but not nearly as many as I had hoped I'd be able to, due to the fact that I was unable to access the internet on my laptop for the greater part of Sunday.

I completed The Book Vixen's mini-challenge dealing with a comprehensive blog back-up

I completed Joy's Book Blog mini-challenge and plunged into the world of Pinterest

Ongoing is my attempt to improve my SEO using the advice from April at Good Books and Good Wine


All thanks to Suey at It's All About Books for hosting this year. I'm already looking forward to the next Bloggiesta September 28-30, 2012


Let's Talk:
If you bloggiesta-ed this weekend how'd you do? Leave a link to your post or a comment.
If you didn't and you're a blogger, what one thing might you put on your goal list for a future bloggiesta?
Not a blogger at all? What might you want to see changed or improved on Read My Mind? I'm taking suggestions for September!

01 April, 2012

#Bloggiesta Mini-Challenge #1: Back Up Your Blog


I like to tinker around in my HTML. I do this pretty frequently, so I know the value of having a back-up of my template. Do I go back and save it regularly? Uhh. I pretty much only save whenever I've made changes. So, The Book Vixen's Bloggiesta mini-challenge was the perfect chance for me to get up to date.

I have a WordPress account that I've never used, except to comment on blogs that require a log-in. Now, I have a private back-up with all of my Blogger posts imported ready, just in case. I've downloaded my template and comments to my hard drive, as well as the Amazon cloud (another account I never use). All of my photos are saved in Picasa in the order that they were downloaded to my blog.

And last, but not least, I've pre-set notifications in my calendar to remind me to back-up all components of my blog once a week.

This is something that I should have done long ago, and now I feel better prepared should I encounter any trouble.

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