Indie Spotlight (3)

Welcome to the "Writers Exchange" Edition of...

Indie Spotlight posts are an opportunity for me to feature indie press or self-published books that might not normally get much attention in the blogging world. I hope you'll find a title below that piques your interest.

The Tenth Ghost by Jennifer St. Clair

When ten-year old Jacob Lane's parents mysteriously vanish, she is sent to Darkbrook, the only school of magic in the United States. While there, she stumbles upon a series of mysterious deaths. Nine students have died in the past one hundred years. Nine ghosts haunt the halls of Darkbrook. Will Jacob be the tenth ghost, or will she be able to stop a witch's reign of terror with the help of her friends?

Find it on Writers Exchange.

Sunsinger by Michelle Levigne

Bain Kern wanted to crew a starship and explore the galaxies. But an orphan on a colony world in the path of an alien invasion had no real hope of his dreams ever coming true. Then he met Captain Lin Fieran of "Sunsinger". The other orphans stepped aboard to flee to safety, but Bain started on the adventure for the rest of his life.

Find it on Writers Exchange.

The Triskelion by JennaKay Francis

When the balance of power is threatened in the land of Glede, the powerful Triskelion calls for its master. The only problem is - the master is a 14 year old elf, who knows nothing of either the Triskelion or the power that he will ultimately command. He is joined in a dangerous quest to secure the Triskelion by the young, newly orphaned King of Odora Dava, the other half of the magic needed to free the magic that will restore peace in Glede.

Find it on Writers Exchange.

Dawn Memories by Michelle Levigne

Dawn has been alone for six years, growing up in an orphanage, waiting for her family to show up. Waiting for Stayn, her betrothed, her best friend. But a crime boss who thinks Dawn has information stolen from him might just stop her quest before it has a chance to start.

Find it on Writers Exchange.

The Mystery of the Third Seal by Margaret Pearce

James Tadworthy lives in a post holocaust society. It is an ideal society. Everyone lives in perfect harmony with their tamed environment, with all knowledge controlled by the Shepherds, a group selflessly dedicated to humanity's welfare and best interests. Tadworthy discovers the Shepherds' horrific and closely guarded secret and uncovers a world of violence and intrigue. He desperately launches on a quest through the dark and dangerous underground to discover what really waits beyond the third seal.

Find it on Writers Exchange.

(Long Overdue) Month in Review [November]

NOVEMBER
Number of...

Books Read: 21
Books Reviewed: 10
Challenge Books Read: 5 DAC books
eBooks Read: 15 [including Netgalley/GalleyGrab titles]
Library Books Read: 2

Favourite...

Standalone Book Read: Omigosh, tough call. Catching Jordan is standalone, although the next books are companion books, and that book was AMAZING. But I also fell in love with The Scorpio Races.
Series Book Read: Well, I read both Unearthly and Hallowed and really loved them!
Female Character: Jordan (Catching Jordan) made me laugh and I loved her athleticism, Puck Connelly (The Scorpio Races) was strong and would do anything for her family, & Claire (Morganville Vampires/Last Breath) is just generally awesome. A trifecta of girl power!
Male Character: umm, Tucker! (Unearthly/Hallowed) Yes, he is that awesome. But I would be remiss not to mention Henry (!!) from Catching Jordan, and Sean Kendrick of The Scorpio Races.

Gee, I wonder if you can tell which books I liked best in November?? ;)

List of Books Reviewed:

• Twenty-Somewhere by Kristan Hoffman
• Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
• Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi
• Happy Birthday to Me by Brian Rowe
• I'm Not Her by Janet Gurtler
• Legend of Witchtrot Road by E.J. Stevens
• Catching Jordan by Miranda Kenneally
• My Sparkling Misfortune by Laura Lond
• Double Clutch by Liz Reinhardt
• The Christmas Gift by John McDonnell

Indie Spotlight (2)

Indie Spotlight posts are an opportunity for me to feature indie press or self-published books that might not normally get much attention in the blogging world. I hope you'll find a title below that piques your interest.

Legend of a Ninja: Beneath the Shadows by Jarius Raphel

In the Iofrehn clan, relationships are forbidden. Seen as a weakness, love itself is a curse to the clear mind and focus of a true ninja. But when one ninja seeks permission to love, his struggle for survival will shake The Order of ninjas to its core.

Can you still trust your heart when the secrets beneath the shadows are revealed?

Find it on Kindle, Smashwords, & B&N.

Anomaly by K.C. King

22-year-old Bree Spencer hates prejudice of all kinds – especially the blatant elitism she is subjected to as a resident staffer at her aunt’s exclusive estate, Blackall Manor. So when Bree nearly winds up as road-kill on account of the wealthy Sebastian Templeton, she struggles to reconcile her inexplicable attraction to him. On the surface Sebastian epitomises all that Bree usually despises, yet her draw to him is irrefutable. Despite her reservations, Bree finds Sebastian intriguing; but his insistence to get to know her triggers a raft of niggling suspicions – heightened by a series of strange dreams and phenomena – until eventually, she learns the truth. 

Find it on Amazon & Smashwords.

Castigate My Sins by Elicia Clegg

In Elicia Clegg's newest novel five teenagers: Michael, Suzy, Christopher, Beth, and Leigh will have to answer that very question. Their souls will be thrown into a pit of malevolent despair where they will come face to face with their archetypal selves. their characters will be tested, they will be deceived, given half-truths, and face punishment for crimes they did not commit. Will any surrender to the ever growing lies, or will they escape the void of light and breathe life once again?

Find it on B&N and Smashwords.

Spirits of Glory by Emily Devenport

One morning the people of the North woke up and the people of the South were gone. That's the first thing every child learns on the colony world of Jigsaw. But for one girl, knowing about The Disappearance is not enough. Hawkeye wants to know why.

That's why she spent half her life researching The Disappearance. And that's also why eight Neighbors show up on her doorstep, demanding that she accompany them into the Forbidden Cities ruled by the Southern gods to speak with the Spirits of Glory.

Find it on Smashwords & Amazon.

Kevin's Point of View by Del Shannon

Kevin Tobin is a relatively ordinary 12-year-old dealing with the aftermath of his father's death in a mountain biking accident near their home in Boulder, Colorado. While he antagonizes his sister through his superhero antics on an average Wednesday morning, his ability to escape inside a character's head becomes critical to his survival after his life is once-again turned upside down a year after his father's death. 

Find it on Amazon & B&N.

Indie Spotlight (1)

The Protectors by P.M. Dooling

Avery learns that she and her friends are actually a group of powerful warriors known as the Protectors, who were charged with protecting the planet of Orcatia, but were killed by the evil Emperor. To save their lives, their magical mentor sent them to Earth to be re-born. It is now their duty to return to the planet and life they have no memory of, and once again serve as its Protectors, fighting the very Emperor responsible for their deaths.

Currently free on Smashwords.

The Black Orb by Sabine A. Reed

Aria is a young conniving thief and a con artist, living in the city of Kalaba. When her brother Marcus is taken prisoner by the Queen of Azmeer, Aria embarks on a desperate quest to free him. To save her brother, she has to enlist the help of an old wizard, Bikkar, who is critical of her thieving habits. The way to sever the power of the Queen is to break her magical weapon, the Black Orb, with which she plans to enslave not only her own subjects but other kingdoms also.

See Sabine's website for purchase options.

Off Leash by Renee Pace

Jay Walker is a fake. He's full when starved and happy when angry. How else is a guy who has a dead beat for a mother and a sister battling cancer supposed to feel? And isn't walking a pet just a chore? Too bad the dog doesn't know that. The dog lives in the now, embraces life to the fullest and gives his whole heart when offering love. Off Leash is a coming of age story, where a boy experiences the nitty gritty side of life through the eyes of a dog, and discovers that maybe, just maybe, life is really worth it.

Only 99¢ on Smashwords & Kindle.

Farsighted by Emlyn Chand

Alex Kosmitoras’s life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead-broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he’s blind. Just when he thinks he’ll never have a shot at a normal life, a new girl from India moves into town. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. . . . Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival—an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to “see” the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they begin to suggest that Simmi is in danger.

Buy on Smashwords, Amazon, or B&N.

Super Zombie Juice Mega Bomb by MJA Ware

After a failed attempt at running away, best friends Nathan and Misty return home expecting to face angry parents. Instead, they discover the military has destroyed the bridges out of their rural town and everyone's fled--except a small horde of the living dead. The stress of flesh-eating zombies may be more than their already strained relationship can handle. Even with the help of the town geek and lemonade-powered Super-Soakers, there's not enough time to squeeze their way out of this sticky mess. Unless the trio eradicates the zombie infestation, while avoiding the deadly zombie snot, the military will blow the town, and them, to pulp.

Click here for buying options (only 99¢).

I hope you've enjoyed this first Indie Spotlight post. I get a lot of requests to review indie press or self-published books, but there just isn't enough time in the day to read them all. I thought a feature like this would be a great way to spotlight some lesser known titles.

Month in Review [October]

OCTOBER
Number of...

Books Read: 20
Books Reviewed: 13
Challenge Books Read: 3 DAC books
eBooks Read: 9 [including Netgalley/GalleyGrab titles]
Library Books Read: 5

Favourite...

Standalone Book Read: I didn't read very many, but of those I would say Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook. Awesome gothic setting featuring a cool main character, ghosts, and a sexy stepbrother.
Series Book Read: So many good ones this month!! I would say The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams Chime, and also The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
Female Character: Juliette from Shatter Me & Raisa from The Gray Wolf Throne.
Male Character: Adam from Shatter Me & Han from The Gray Wolf Throne (what can I say?? these books are filled with awesome characters).

List of Books Reviewed:

• Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
• Eve by Anna Carey
• The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson
• If I Tell by Janet Gurtler
• The Son of Neptune by Rick Riordan
• There You'll Find Me by Jenny B. Jones
• Brightest Kind of Darkness by P.T. Michelle
• Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts
• Daughter of Smoke & Bone by Laini Taylor
• The Gray Wolf Throne by Cinda Williams
• Divergent by Veronica Roth
• Prized by Caragh M. O'Brien
• The Pledge by Kimberly Derting

I was able to get my reviews up from last month, which makes me happy, and I can't wait to get my review for "Shatter Me" posted, because I really enjoyed it.

Month in Review [August] + RAK

AUGUST
Number of...

Books Read: 28
Books Reviewed: 11
Challenge Books Read: 5 DAC books and 1 for The Contemps
eBooks Read: 14 [including Netgalley/GalleyGrab titles]
Library Books Read: 11

Favourite...

Standalone Book Read: Complete tie between Wanderlove and Graffiti Moon ... I had a hard time reading and liking any book after these, I was that blown away.
Series Book Read: Tap & Gown (Secret Society Girl #4) -- this whole series is so awesome and fun, but I really fell in love with the fourth book.
Female Character: Deryn from Goliath (Leviathan trilogy)... she is so freaking strong and awesome as a middy, but she's still totally a girl with her adorable crush on Alek.
Male Character: Jamie from the Secret Society Girl books... I love how he's not what he seems, and the character transformation he brings about in Amy.

List of Books Reviewed:

• Running From Secrets by Stephanie Void
• The Morganville Vampires [Series Spotlight] by Rachel Caine
• All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
• The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
• Frost by Wendy Delsol
• The Iron Knight by Julie Kagawa
• Ditched: A Love Story by Robin Mellom
• The Way We Fall by Megan Crewe
• Torrent by Lisa T. Bergren
• Remembrance by Michelle Madow
• Beyond the Grave by Mara Purnhagen

RAK (Random Acts of Kindness) is an amazing feature hosted each month by Isalys and Vanessa at Book Soulmates. Click the banner above to find out more information.

I didn't receive any RAK in August, but I did send out...






Anna and the French Kiss to Brenna.





I've signed up again for RAK in September (I'm lucky #13 on the list for my birthday month!). Be sure and check out the post on Book Soulmates for all the details, including new rules and information.

You can view my wishlist here.

A few of the books on my wishlist are...

• Morganville Vampires Volume 4 (Books 7 & 8) by Rachel Caine
• Stay by Deb Caletti
• Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles
• Fat Cat by Robin Brande
• The Treasure Map of Boys by E. Lockhart

Month in Review [July]

JULY
Number of...

Books Read: 34 (I'm insane, I know)
Books Reviewed: 14
Challenge Books Read: 0
eBooks Read: 25 [including Netgalley/GalleyGrab titles]
Library Books Read: 7

Favourite...

Book Read: I can't pick! Torrent & Ruby Red are very different (although they do both involve time travel), and are equally fabulous. And I have to mention the Morganville Vampires books, which blew me away (hence reading all 10 released books within a week).
Female Character: Audie from Into the Parallel -- Audie was just really awesome, and I loved how much she loved science. She's just a refreshingly normal girl who, oh yah, happens to be able to transport herself between universes.
Male Character: I'm having a tough time picking between Shane and Michael from Morganville Vampires. Michael is all responsible and smart (plus he has that musician thing going for him), but Shane is all rugged and protective.

List of Books Reviewed:

• Sometimes It Happens by Lauren Barnholdt
• A Long, Long Sleep by Anna Sheehan
• StarCrossed by Elizabeth C. Bunce
• Threads and Flames by Esther Friesner
• Love Story by Jennifer Echols
• The Wrong Path by Vivian Marie Aubin du Paris
• Wildefire by Karsten Knight
• Sean Griswold's Head by Lindsey Leavitt
• The Beginning of After by Jennifer Castle
• Fury by Elizabeth Miles
• She Smells the Dead by E.J. Stevens
• Spirit Storm by E.J. Stevens
• Into the Parallel by Robin Brande
• The Near Witch by Victoria Schwab

Month in Review [June]

JUNE
Number of...

Books Read: 25
Books Reviewed: 18
Challenge Books Read: 2 for Debut Author Challenge, 1 for The Contemps, and 2 for YA Historical Fiction Challenge
eBooks Read: 16 [including Netgalley/GalleyGrab titles]
Library Books Read: 5

Favourite...

Book Read: It doesn't get much better than Blood Red Road.
Female Character: Saba from Blood Red Road is so awesome, and I also loved Raisa from Threads and Flames.
Male Character: I can't pick one! Jack from Blood Red Road is epic, so he's probably my very favourite. But I also adored Daniel from The Gathering, and who can forget Marcello and Luca from Waterfall & Cascade?

List of Books Reviewed:

• Possession by Elana Johnson
• Six Moon Summer by S.M. Reine
• Blood Red Road by Moira Young
• The Girl in the Steel Corset by Kady Cross
• Dirty Blood by Heather Hildenbrand
• Uncommon Criminals by Ally Carter
• Sharks & Boys by Kristen Tracy
• The Day Before by Lisa Schroeder
• Waterfall by Lisa T. Bergren
• Sleight by Jennifer Sommersby
• Cascade by Lisa T. Bergren
• Solid by Shelley Workinger
• Elemental by Tiffany Dominguez
• Legacy by Cayla Kluver
• Silky by Lazette Gifford
• Karma by Cathy Ostlere
• Walk the Wild Road by Nigel Hinton
• Between by Cyndi Tefft

Future Reads (8)

Future Reads is a feature on Book Labyrinth where I sporadically post about books coming out in the near (or not so near!) future and explain why I want to read them. This feature is inspired by memes and features like Waiting on Wednesday and Books to Pine For. I hope you'll discover something you want to read as well! (All title links will take you to Goodreads.)

Saving June by Hannah Harrington
Release Date: November 2011

One for the Contemps Challenge, it sounds seriously sad but good. Harper takes a road trip to deal with her sister's suicide, and ends up discovering love and secrets.






Legend by Marie Lu
Release Date: November 29, 2011

This one seems to be getting a lot of hype. It sounds great, though... a republic at war, a privileged girl hunting down her sister's killer. Suspense, action, & romance? Yes please.





The Statistical Probability of Love at First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith
Release Date: January 2, 2012

You guys know that I hate insta-love, but I'm definitely intrigued by this premise. It's set over a period of 24 hours and it involves two people with very cool names (Hadley and Oliver). Oliver just happens to be a cute British guy. Um yes, I think I'll check this one out!


Unraveling Isobel by Eileen Cook
Release Date: January 3, 2012

Sprawling gothic mansion, hot new stepbrother (ooer?), ghosts... I don't even know what all, but it sounds fabulous! Plus I just love the cover.






The Rivals by Daisy Whitney
Release Date: February 6, 2012

I absolutely LOVED The Mockingbirds, so I'm really excited for this next installment.








I hope you've enjoyed these future reads! What not yet released books are you looking forward to?

Future Reads (7)

Future Reads is a feature on Book Labyrinth where I sporadically post about books coming out in the near (or not so near!) future and explain why I want to read them. This feature is inspired by memes and features like Waiting on Wednesday and Books to Pine For. I hope you'll discover something you want to read as well! (All title links will take you to Goodreads.)

Texas Gothic by Rosemary Clement-Moore
Release Date: July 12, 2011

I mean, just look at the title. How cool does that sound? Amy is a reluctant witch ranch-sitting for her sister. Ghosts, bodies discovered, AND a hot cowboy.





The Girl Is Murder by Kathryn Miller Haines
Release Date: July 19, 2011

So, this book is described as a "YA novel for fans of Veronica Mars." Me? Sold! Plus it's a historical novel, set during WWII. A teen girl helping out at her Dad's detective agency. And there's a boy! And dancing!



Lie by Caroline Bock
Release Date: August 30, 2011

This one is a more serious read, about a town torn apart by a hate crime. Skylar has to deal with whether to testify against her boyfriend as well as figure out why she would be with him in the first place.




Sweet Venom by Tera Lynn Childs
Release Date: September 6, 2011

The series is called "Medusa Girls": do you really need more than that? But seriously, TLC writes some very fun mythology based books, and I'm sure this one will be great.






Virtuosity by Jessica Martinez
Release Date: October 18, 2011

I've actually read this one already through GalleyGrab, but I wanted to spotlight it before its October release. It's good, you guys! Music, forbidden romance, addiction, & an overbearing mother. Are you intrigued yet?




I hope you've enjoyed these future reads! What not yet released books are you looking forward to?