Not Your Average Fairy Tale by Chantele Sedgwick -- Blog Tour GIVEAWAY!

Not Your Average Fairytale

Author: Chantele Sedgwick

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Published: August 1st, 2012

ISBN13: 9781937254667

Genre: YA Fantasy

FTC FYI: Received a free ebook in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary: Armed with wings and a blue wand, being a fairy godmother should be easy ... unless your name is Ash, and you're a dude.

Ash Summerland has it all–good looks, popularity, and the best grades at The Academy of Magical Beings. Ready to complete his last assignment in order to graduate, Ash is confident he will get the apprenticeship he wants. When he opens the letter from the Council, he is shocked to discover he has been assigned to apprentice Lady Shenelle, Keeper of Happy Endings. A.K.A. the head fairy godmother. Ash is forced to grant three wishes to a troubled human girl named Kendall, and ultimately give her a "happy ever after". But Kendall turns out to be more than he bargained for. Still grieving over her father's death, Kendall doesn't want anything to do with him. And worst of all, she doesn't believe in happy endings.

My Review

I knew by just reading the first page that I was going to love his book.  I loved Ash and Kendall instantly.  Everything about this book made me smile.  I thought Kendall and Ash worked well together.  I also really enjoyed the twists and turns of the story.  I loved the change in point of views for the telling of the story.  I really liked being in Ash and Kendall's heads, and seeing things through their eyes.  Especially about each other.  They are both hurting for different reasons, and realize how much they need someone else.  I LOVED the ending.  All the characters are well written and fun.  I adored Kendall's sister Ellie.  I love it when authors really invest in their 

secondary characters, Chantele did this very well.

5 out of 5 stars.  This is Chantele's first book.  It was amazing, and I can't wait for Book 2.  Find Chantele on her Blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

AMAZON / BARNES AND NOBLE

As part of the Blog Tour for Not Your Average Fairy Tale, Chantele is giving away a Kindle and some ebooks.  Fill out the Rafflecopter form below. Enjoy!

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Case File 13: Zombie Kid by J. Scott Savage

Case File 13: Zombie Kid

Publisher: Harper Collins

Publish Date: December 26th, 2012

ISBN13: 9780062133250

Hardcover: 224 pages

Genre: Middle grade fantasy

FTC FYI: Received an ARC copy for an honest review.

Partial from the book from Harper Collins Children's Website:  You hold in your hands a very dangerous record.

I have collected every side of the story and every piece of evidence on case number 13. Now, in this file, you will find all you need to follow the dark adventures of Nick, Carter, and Angelo, three boys who possess an unhealthy obsession with monsters, in a town so grisly, so horrific—

Whoa, whoa, whoa. You're telling it all wrong, dude. You make it sound like it's a scary story.

Ahem. Well, Nick, it is a scary story. In this volume alone, there are voodoo queens, graveyards—even the dreaded Zombie King himself.

Yeah, but there's also the part where Angie gets mashed potatoes all in her face, and the part where I use my cool zombie powers to—

All right, point taken. Now, if you don't mind . . .

You hold in your hands a very dangerous, very funny record, detailing the hilarious adventures of three boys who have an awesome obsession with monsters. This is the first volume. Read on if you dare. . . .

My Review

This is the story of three friends. Nick, Carter, and Angelo. They are three friends who love Halloween.  They always dress the same and go Trick or Treating together.  After planning the best costume ever, Nick is supposed to go to his great-aunt's funeral, and miss Halloween.  While he is there, Nick finds out the reason he has never met her, according to his dad, Lenora is a little strange.  Once he gets to the house, Nick understands why. He wanders to the basement where he finds many strange things.  Strangest of them all, is the black cat that keeps appearing and reappearing.

This is what Nick thought of the house when he first arrives.

"Nick didn't know exactly what he'd expected his aunt's house to look like--maybe a two-story home with bricks and stucco, like where he lived.  But the house they pulled up in front of was nothing like that.  It was really old, and looked like it hadn't been painted in a hundred years.  And it was big, too.  There were at least twenty windows on the front side alone.  With long strips of yellowing white paint peeling from the walls and faded green shutters, what it looked most like was a haunted house." page 31

I'm assuming from the title that I won't be giving much away when I say that Nick turns into a zombie.  The funniest part about it is, he enjoys it.  And so does his friends.  Carter and Angelo are the perfect mix of humor and smarts.  Angelo always has his head in a book, trying to read his way out of problem, while Carter wants to eat his way out.

Angelo swallowed.  "If my book is right--and from all of your symptoms, I'm pretty sure it is--the moment you put on that amulet you invoked its ancient curse."  The house was defintely still.  "You are ... a zombie." 

For a second none of the boys said a word.  Then they all shouted the same thing at exactly the same time. 

"Awesome!" page 103

5 out of 5 stars.  This is a book full of humor, gross zombie antics, and lots of fun.  This is a perfect book for your middle grade reader, your teen, and you.  Another favorite of mine was the chapter headings, make sure you don't miss those.

J. Scott Savage, aka Jeff Savage, is also the author of the Farworld series.  I have been waiting for the 3rd book, Airkeep, for a long time.

Preorder Case File 13: Zombie Kid on AMAZON / BARNES AND NOBLE

Pingo and the Playground Bully by Brandon Mull -- Giveaway

Pingo and the Playground Bully

Author: Brandon Mull

Publisher: Shadow Mountain

Published: October 9th, 2012

ISBN13: 978-1-609-07-178-3

Hardcover: 32 pages

FTC FYI: Received a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cover Summary

Who has the best imaginary friend? Is it Gary, who protects the galaxy with Sparky the robot? Or Tiffany, who helps save the day with Awesome Girl? Or Dustin, who can hide Mr. Bob in his pocket? During recess, Chad and Pingo are invited to participate in the contest to see which imaginary friend is the smartest or the strongest or the sneakiest. But when Jeremy, the schoolyard bully, and his imaginary friend, Grunt, barge into the contest, demanding to be included, no one expects what happens next--or how Pingo saves the day.

Pingo and the Playground Bully is a delightful, full-color picture book about the power of kindness and the importance of including others.

My Review

Pingo and the Playground Bully is another sweet story of Chad and his imaginary friend Pingo.  Together with Gary, Tiffany, and Dustin they try to see who has the smartest, strongest, and sneakiest imaginary friend. Until Jeremy the bully comes along with his imaginary friend, Grunt.  I loved how this sweet story is told, and the lesson it teaches.  The illustrations are amazing. Full of fun details, and  the pictures are beautiful to look at.

5 out of 5 stars.  Just an all around sweet story with a great message of learning how to help with a bully.  I have a copy of Pingo and the Playground Bully to giveaway! Fill out the Rafflecopter form below and you're entered.

Pingo and the Playground Bully was chosen to be a featured title by CBC (the Children's Book Council) for the next two weeks, on their homepage.  You can visit the Seasonal Showcase, which is currently showcasing books about bullying and education. www.cbcbooks.org

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Insight by Jolene Perry -- Giveaway

Insight

Author: Jolene Perry

Publisher: Next Door Publishing

Published: September 3, 2012

ISBN13:  9781479253074

eBook

FTC FYI: Received a free copy in change for an honest review

Goodreads Summary:  Micah hates her ability to “see” things when she touches people. She’s terrified of relationships, holds on to guilt over the death of her classmate, Lacey, and has no idea what to do with a vision from Landon, a boy from her school. She feels him falling for her, but Micah doesn’t do friends, much less relationships.

Enter a spooky history project about a tragedy from three hundred years ago, and voodoo dolls that Micah somehow feels has to do with her gift. Suddenly she’s sure the shadows in the woods are following her every move—without Landon’s relaxed attitude about what’s happening in her life, Micah would be sure she’s going crazy.

With no ideas on timing or specifics, the visions of both herself and the people she cares about are turning dark—and it appears the shadows around her house do move on their own. But as Micah and Landon try to prevent Micah’s visions of the future, the shadows close in, and they’re now afraid they’ve become the cause…

Micah's story is the first of three girls, with unique talents, who are part of a 300 year old tragedy that follows them in the shadows.

My Review

Micah's ability to see things has made it so she doesn't like to be around people.  She doesn't like accidently bumping into people at the risk of finding out things about them she didn't want to know.  When Micah arrives at her new school, she tries to purposely be late to class to avoid seeing.  The only person she doesn't mind touching is her mom, but now that they have moved, there is a new face besides hers that she sees through her mother.  Micah feels alone and has felt that way since she was five.  They only person she can't see images from is her father.  When she goes to visit him, we find out why.

There are so many exciting and cool things that happen in this book, I can't give any more details.   As with all of Jolene's book, the characters are well written and the plot is page turning.  There is a cool legend mentioned with voodoo and shadows.

I really enjoyed this book.  I thought that Micah's insights were very cool, and they always kept me guessing.  I loved how they were glimpses of what could happen.  Or are they?

4 out of 5 stars.

Content

There is some language, and teenage drinking. Some sexual references. Although the main characters do not have sex, it is talked about.

Jolene is the author of many awesome books.  Read more about her on her Website, Blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Giveaway and Good News!

I am excited to announce that Insight is on sale at Amazon for $.99! AND, I am giving an eBook copy of Insight to a lucky winner.  Fill out the Rafflecopter form below to enter. Contest ends October 16th.

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The Reluctant Bachelorette By Rachael Renee Anderson -- Blog Tour

The Reluctant Bachelorette

Author: Rachael Renee Anderson

Publisher: HEA Publishing

Published: September 8, 2012

ISBN13: 9781479269679

Genre: Romance

FTC FYI: Received an ePub copy in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary: Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town’s charity event, Taycee Emerson wants out. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it's up to the viewers--not her--to decide which bachelors stay or go.

Coerced into participating, Taycee does what any self-preserving girl would do. She launches a subtle attack on Luke’s good name with the hope of getting him voted off the show. Unfortunately, Luke's an eye-for-an-eye kind of guy, and when he discovers what she's up to, it means revenge.

But when their pranks go south, will they screw up any chance they have at a future together, or will they be able to forgive and forget and prove that love really does conquer all?

My Review

The Reluctant Bachelorette is another strong offering from Rachael Renee Anderson.  Rachael has an ability to make you instantly care about the characters and want to keep reading.  I also really enjoyed the change of point of views.  From Taycee, you could possibly see Luke as a uncaring guy, who breaks hearts as he goes.  But, with the point of view change, you see the Luke is just as clueless as any other guy out there, which I thought was very funny at times. Most of time, he says and does all the wrong things, and it either drives Taycee crazy or makes her heart beat faster.  Taycee has loved Luke for most of her life.  He is her brother Caleb's best friend, and she would always tag along with them around town.  Then Luke moved away, and no one heard from him for 10 years. 

Something always happens when I read one of Rachael's books.  I smile a lot, cry a lot, and at the end I am so happy I spent the time reading her books.  The ending of this book is a great one.  I also loved the Sneakers references.  That show is an old favorite of mine.  What I enjoyed most about this book was Taycee's self discovery.  She learned a lot about herself being the Shelter Bachelorette and I really enjoyed her journey.

4 1/2 out of 5 stars.  Good news! The Reluctant Bachelorette is only $.99 on Amazon.  Learn more about Rachael on her blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

Blog Tour Info and Giveaway!

About the Author:

Rachael Anderson is the author of four contemporary romances: Divinely Designed, Luck of the Draw, Minor Adjustments, and The Reluctant Bachelorette. She's the mother of four, can't sing, doesn't dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.

 Tour Giveaway (shared rafflecopter for entry) - October 1st to 31st:

-Grand Prize
Print copy of The Reluctant Bachelorette (Ebook for International winner)
$15 Amazon Gift Card
Copy of the DVD Sneakers (US only)
-Print copy of The Reluctant Bachelorette
-3 Kindle Ebook Copy of The Reluctant Bachelorette

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Winners of The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back

Winners of The Ugly Stepsister Strikes Back!

Thank you Rafflecopter for picking the winners. And they are...

Donna Weaver and Jen Coccimiglio!

Thank you to all who entered.  Have a great day.

A Bite of Magic Giveaway by Danyelle Leafty

Magic isn't a handful of sparkling dust, a star-topped wand, or a tame word captured on parchment.

It's alive. It has a mind of its own. And it's hungry.

To celebrate the release of Slippers of Pearl and Bitten: A Novel of Faerie, I'd like to offer a bite of magic to all those who love kidlit--and fairy tales in particular.

There will be eleven winners and six different prizes available:

A Bite of Cobbler

3 Chapter Sample Here

Shoes, unlike magic, are predictable. They don’t change shape, bite, or alter a person’s destiny.

And that’s just how Faryn likes it.

But his Uncle Harvey has a bad habit of dying. While inconvenient, this hasn’t ever been a problem until now. Thanks to an evil witch and a poisoned apple turnover, Harvey is dead again—permanently this time.

As his uncle’s heir, Faryn has to give up shoemaking in order to accept and refine his magic.

Magic he never wanted.

Unwilling to let go of his dream, but unable to escape his destiny, Faryn combines the two and discovers a knack for making magical shoes. He also learns that turning a person into a goose is a lot easier than turning her back, and that he severely underestimated how much trouble magic can be.

The witch who killed his uncle is trying to control all the magic of the land, and it’s up to Faryn to stop her. If only he can get his magic to cooperate in time. 

an autographed copy of Slippers of Pearl

a magical pouch to keep it in

and a Slippers of Pearl bookmark

A Bite of Faerie

(Available October 2nd-ish)

Fourteen-year-old Cherrie Wilding stopped believing in fairies after her Grams had a stroke that left her a silent, empty stranger. But whether she believes in them or not, one of them bit her, and now the venom is spreading through her system and causing  . . . complications. Like an allergy to iron and a craving for milk.

It turns out that fairy venom has the power to turn mortals into small, winged versions of themselves. And it gets better. Grams's stroke was the result of her light—her fairy soul—being stolen. The fairy who bit Cherrie demands her to help steal Grams’s light back. 

As much as Cherrie wants to save Grams, her need to protect her older brother from the fairies and the rest of the real world wins out. Who knows what lurks in a world populated by winged menaces? But when the fairy talks Cherrie’s brother into going to the fairy realm, Cherrie mounts a rescue attempt to save him. To her surprise, it’s not her brother who needs rescuing—it’s the fairies. Someone is stealing their lights and imprisoning them, and it’s up to Cherrie and her brother to free them. But saving the fairies, keeping her brother safe, and returning home requires the help of the Phoenix. And the price for his aid doesn’t come cheap. If Cherrie wants to succeed, she must be willing to part with her greatest possession: her heart.

an autographed copy of Bitten: A Novel of Faerie

a faerie habitat

a Bitten bookmark

A Bite of Books

1 $25 Amazon Gift Card

Two Bites of Music

2 $15 iTunes Gift Cards

Six Bites of Braun Books Certificates

6 $10 gift certificates to Braun Books; redeemable in store or through Amazon

(A special thanks to Megan at Braun Books!)

To enter, leave a comment. Extra entries available through the Rafflecopter below.

Thank you to all, and best of luck!

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