Blog Tour: Painted Blind by Michelle A. Hansen

AToMR Tour Schedule

Title: Painted Blind
Author: Michelle A. Hansen
Publisher: by Createspace
Publishing Date: May 3rd 2012
Pages: 331
Genre: YA Mythology Retelling
Series: Stand Alone
Source: Kindle

Goodreads Summary:
Seventeen years old and agoraphobic, Psyche Middleton vows her dad will never see the risqué photos she took during a summer modeling stint abroad, but one of them ends up on a billboard in her Montana hometown. Now everyone—especially her dad—can see it. And yet, somehow, those are the mundane things in her life because she is about to fall unexpectedly, head-over-heels in love with Erik, a mysterious young man who rescues her from a crowd of admirers, and who she’s never actually seen because…he can make himself invisible.

As strange as this may seem, it’s about to get even stranger. Erik takes her to his palace in an idyllic kingdom, and she is swept into the beauty and culture of his world, but his affection has one condition: she may not see him. Overtaken, intrigued, and still not wholeheartedly believing he’s real, Psyche is going to have to decide if she can love him blindly; because if she can’t, she may lose him forever.

Review:
Wow Wow Wow! I signed up for a blog tour of this book because I like retellings, but I didn’t know much of Psyche and Cupid myth. I was intrigued. I am so HAPPY I signed up for this blog tour. This book is amazing! Oh and out of curiosity I looked up the myth. Very interesting story and this was a great retelling of that myth.

This retelling is about Psyche and her relationship with cupid, or better known as Eros, God of Love. Lucky girl! Psyche, a 17 year old girl, has decided to model over the summer to please her mother. She was modeling overseas and didn’t think anyone she knew would ever see her Venus ad. Somehow it reached the US, her hometown in Montana, and her Dad. She went from quiet girl no one really noticed to a teen idol. Now everywhere she goes there are mobs and paparazzi. One night at a carnival she is saved from the mob by an invisible boy, one she falls in love with, one who doesn’t allow her to see him…. So she takes matters into her own hands. This is when her entire world comes crashing down. She makes a deal with Aphrodite in order to see Eros again. The deal comes with three really hard tasks to complete. With the help of some friends he sets off on a journey to find her way back to Eros.

So I kind of new what I was getting into after I read the myth, but I was not prepared to fall in love myself. Erik, Eros, Cupid, any name he goes by is definitely the God of Love. Even with one minor incident in the story where his temper wins out, Eros is just delicious! He is also sweet, protective, gentle, and mysterious. I found myself on pins and needles waiting for his next appearance in this book. He is one of those characters that made me swoon and feel like a teenage girl all over again. WOWZERS. More Eros please! Moving on to Psyche…. She is a pretty cool character too. She does have her flaws, her stupid moments, but it’s a retelling and she is a teenager, what does one expect. Other than those few stupid moments, she is a very likeable person. Beautiful but doesn’t want to be. She likes to hide from the world. Has a few issues with public, but she is a very determined girl once she knows what she wants and what she has to do to get it. She started out shy and kind of helpless and really grew into a strong girl at the end. She found her voice and her backbone, and still has a kind a heart.

I found the writing style to be perfect for me. The story flowed really well, the story kept me turning pages. I had a hard time putting the book down and when I had to, I kept thinking about it and wanting to read more. The character building was great, the world of myth were beautiful and scary, true to what I would believe them to be. I was lost inside this story.

I was very surprised with the pull that this book had over me. I loved every aspect of this book and wish I had more. It was one of those books, after the last word was read, I put the book up and just smiled lost in my own world for quite a while.

Rating:'

About the Author:   Michelle A. Hansen was raised in southeastern Washington. She earned her bachelor of arts degree in English teaching from Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, and taught high school English for six years. She and her husband have four children.

Links: 
Website/Goodreads/Amazon/Facebook/Book Facebook Page/Twitter-  
@michelleahansen 

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Thoughts For Thursday: We Have More Austin Teen Book Festival

Time for more author spotlights for the upcoming

Austin Teen Book Festival

First on my list today... 

Libba Bray 

What is it about writing an author bio that gives me that deer-in-headlights feeling? It's not exactly like I'm going to say "I was born in Alabama…" and somebody's going to jump up and snarl, "Oh yeah? Prove it!" At least I hope not.

I think what gets me feeling itchy is all that emphasis on the facts of a life, while all the juicy, relevant, human oddity stuff gets left on the cutting room floor. I could tell you the facts–I lived in Texas for most of my life; I live in New York City with my husband and six-year-old son now; I have freckles and a lopsided smile; I'm allergic to penicillin.

But that doesn't really give you much insight into me. That doesn't tell you that I stuck a bead up my nose while watching TV when I was four and thought I'd have to go to the ER and have it cut out. Or that I once sang a punk version of "Que Sera Sera" onstage in New York City. Or that I made everyone call me "Bert" in ninth grade for no reason that I can think of. See what I mean?

God is in the details. So with that in mind, here is my bio. Sort of.

Website/Goodreads

Can't wait to read Diviners...

Evie O'Neill has been exiled from her boring old hometown and shipped off to the bustling streets of New York City--and she is pos-i-toot-ly thrilled. New York is the city of speakeasies, shopping, and movie palaces! Soon enough, Evie is running with glamorous Ziegfield girls and rakish pickpockets. The only catch is Evie has to live with her Uncle Will, curator of The Museum of American Folklore, Superstition, and the Occult--also known as "The Museum of the Creepy Crawlies." When a rash of occult-based murders comes to light, Evie and her uncle are right in the thick of the investigation. And through it all, Evie has a secret: a mysterious power that could help catch the killer--if he doesn't catch her first.

A Victorian boarding school story, a Gothic mansion mystery, a gossipy romp about a clique of girlfriends, and a dark other-worldly fantasy--jumble them all together and you have this complicated and unusual first novel.

Sixteen-year-old Gemma has had an unconventional upbringing in India, until the day she foresees her mother's death in a black, swirling vision that turns out to be true. Sent back to England, she is enrolled at Spence, a girls' academy with a mysterious burned-out East Wing. There Gemma is snubbed by powerful Felicity, beautiful Pippa, and even her own dumpy roommate Ann, until she blackmails herself and Ann into the treacherous clique. Gemma is distressed to find that she has been followed from India by Kartik, a beautiful young man who warns her to fight off the visions. Nevertheless, they continue, and one night she is led by a child-spirit to find a diary that reveals the secrets of a mystical Order. The clique soon finds a way to accompany Gemma to the other-world realms of her visions "for a bit of fun" and to taste the power they will never have as Victorian wives, but they discover that the delights of the realms are overwhelmed by a menace they cannot control. Gemma is left with the knowledge that her role as the link between worlds leaves her with a mission to seek out the "others" and rebuild the Order. A Great and Terrible Beauty is an impressive first book in what should prove to be a fascinating trilogy.

Some more by Libba 

We also have Rachel Cohn

Rachel grew up in the D.C. area and graduated from Barnard College with a B.A. in Political Science. She has written many YA novels, including three that she cowrote with her friend and colleague David Levithan. She lives and writes (when she's not reading other people's books, organizing her music library or looking for the best cappuccino) in New York City.

Website/Goodreads

I am really excited to read the newest by Rachel Cohn, Beta. It looks awesome....Love the Cover!

In a world constructed to absolute perfection, imperfection is difficult to understand—and impossible to hide.

Elysia is a clone, created in a laboratory, born as a sixteen year old girl, an empty vessel with no life experience to draw from. She is a Beta, an experimental model of teenaged clone. She was replicated from another teenage girl, who had to die in order for Elysia to be created.

Elysia's purpose is to serve the inhabitants of Demesne, an island paradise for the wealthiest people on earth. Everything about Demesne is bioengineered for perfection. Even the air there induces a strange, euphoric high that only the island's workers—soulless clones like Elysia—are immune to.

At first, Elysia's new life on this island paradise is idyllic and pampered. But she soon sees that Demesne's human residents, the most privileged people in the world who should want for nothing, yearn. And, she comes to realize that beneath its flawless exterior, there is an undercurrent of discontent amongst Demesne's worker clones. She knows she is soulless and cannot feel and should not care—so why are overpowering sensations clouding Elysia's mind?

If anyone discovers that Elysia isn't the unfeeling clone she must pretend to be, she will suffer a fate too terrible to imagine. When Elysia's one chance at happiness is ripped away from her with breathtaking cruelty, emotions she's always had but never understood are unleashed. As rage, terror, and desire threaten to overwhelm her, Elysia must find the will to survive.

Others by Rachel....

I am also excited for this author... I have not read her debut book as of yet but I have it ready!

Tamara Ireland Stone

Tamara lives with her husband and two children just outside San Francisco, California. She runs a marketing communications firm that serves the software industry and is currently working on her next novel.

Her YA time travel romance, TIME BETWEEN US (Hyperion/October 9, 2012), has sold in fifteen countries and been optioned for film by CBS Films.

Website/Goodreads

Anna and Bennett were never supposed to meet: she lives in 1995 Chicago and he lives in 2012 San Francisco. But Bennett’s unique ability to travel through time and space brings him into Anna’s life, and with him, a new world of adventure and possibility.
As their relationship deepens, they face the reality that time might knock Bennett back where he belongs, even as a devastating crisis throws everything they believe into question. Against a ticking clock, Anna and Bennett are forced to ask themselves how far they can push the bounds of fate—and what consequences they can bear in order to stay together.

Fresh, exciting, and deeply romantic, TIME BETWEEN US is a stunning and spellbinding debut from an extraordinary new talent in YA fiction.

That's it for this week... More next week!

Cover Reveal: Vengeance Bound by Justine Ireland

Vengeance Bound by Justine Ireland and Simon and Schuster

Expected release is April 2, 2013

Book description:

The Goddess Test meets Dexter in an edgy, compelling debut about one teen’s quest for revenge…no matter how far it takes her.

Cory Graff is not alone in her head. Bound to a deal of desperation made when she was a child, Cory’s mind houses the Furies—the hawk and the serpent—lingering always, waiting for her to satisfy their bloodlust. After escaping the asylum where she was trapped for years, Cory knows how to keep the Furies quiet. By day, she lives a normal life, but by night, she tracks down targets the Furies send her way. And she brings down Justice upon them.

Cory’s perfected her system of survival, but when she meets a mysterious boy named Niko at her new school, she can’t figure out how she feels about him. For the first time, the Furies are quiet in her head around a guy. But does this mean that Cory’s finally found someone who she can trust, or are there greater factors at work?

As Cory’s mind becomes a battlefield, with the Furies fighting for control, Cory will have to put everything on the line to hold on to what she’s worked so hard to build.

Links: 
Goodreads/Amazon/Indiebound

Cover Reveal hosted by AToMR Tours

I love this colors! Very bold, mysterious, and full of attitude! I can't wait to read this book... What do you think of the cover and the synopsis?

Blog Tour: Seaweed by Elle Strauss

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Title: Seaweed
Author: Elle Strauss
Publisher: ESB Publishing
Publishing Date: June 15th 2012
Pages: 233
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Series: Stand Aloen
Source: Kindle

Goodreads Summary:

Dori Seward can’t wait to get out of Eastcove, a sleepy fishing village on the border of New Brunswick and Maine. She bides her time by hanging out with friends, attending swim club, and holding her biggest competition, Colby–who wants more than just friendship, at arm’s length.

Then Tor Riley comes to town and he has everything Dori dreams of in a boyfriend–looks, athleticism and mystery.

But Tor also has a tantalizing secret and Dori is determined to find out what it is. The truth is crazier than her wildest imaginations and more dangerous, too. Dori has new enemies, and they will do anything to get to her.

Her life, her dreams and her love for Tor are all weighing in the balance. Will Dori risk it all in order to have it all?

Review:
I love the cover of this book and I seem to be into mermaid books as of late, so I signed up to tour this book. It was a great read, fun book, I enjoyed it very much!

The story is about a girl and a boy. The girl loves to swim, grew up in a small town, and has some really great friends. The boy is new to town, mysterious, good looking, and is interested in the girl. Girl meets boy and starts hanging out with him. She begins to notice things different about him, jumping off a cliff into the cold ocean and disappears, doesn’t like to get wet, and has some strange tattoos. She also notices strange things happening with her, school breaking swim records, strange bruises, and skin rashes. This is the story of a girl, Dori, and a boy, Tor, and how they fall in love.

Dori is a great character; I really didn’t seem to find any faults in her other than she was a little slow to figuring things out. Of course if she figured it out as fast as the reader, it would be a very short story. Dori is a very kind soul; she wants to give everyone a chance and is really loyal to her friends. She jumps in head first and thinks about the consequences later, but that is about every teenage girl. Tor is great. He is cute, a great swimmer, sweet, but a little too hardheaded sometimes.

The book was a very fast read, really entertaining, and full of creativity. I loved the world of mermaids, the story behind the merpeople, the land vs. water, and the way they live. It was different then many of the mermaid books I have read recently but still had the main elements of being a mermaid, like the tail and gills. The writing flowed and it was a pager turn. I didn’t come across any slow moments. What I did notice is that even though the book is short, it felt like there was quite a bit to the story. Every time I thought I was near the end, something else happened.

If you like quick and fun reads, fantasy, romance, and a little bit of mystery, action, and thrills…read this book!

Rating:

About the Author:

I write time travel and merfolk chic-lit, light SF and historical YA fiction. I'm a married mom of four, and live in the beautiful Okanagan Valley, famous for beaches and vineyards. I'm fond of Lindt's sea salt dark chocolate and hiking in good weather. My YA rom/com time-travel CLOCKWISE is now available on Amazon, B&N and other sites!

Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13638450-seaweed
Author Blog: http://ellestraussbooks.blogspot.com/
Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ElleStraussAuthor
Twitter: @elle_strauss, https://twitter.com/elle_strauss




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Mailbox Monday #30 abd Stacking the Shelves #5

In My Mailbox is a weekly hosted by The Story Siren. and Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews.

From The Library:




Bought:

 v

For Blog Tours:



For Review from Publishers:

Blog Tour: Fractured Light by Rachel McClellan

AToMR Tour Schedule

Title: Fractured Light 
Author: Rachel McClellan
Publisher: Sweetwater Books
Publishing Date: February 8th 2012
Pages: 304
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Series: Fractured Light #1
Source: Kindle

Goodreads Summary: 

I’m dying, I thought. This was unexpected and not at all how I envisioned my death. I was supposed to die gardening in a flowerbed as a hundred-year-old woman, not as a seventeen-year-old trapped in a lake beneath inches of ice.

Llona Reese is used to living on the run. After the Vykens killed her parents, she knew they would eventually come for her too. She can’t take any chances. But when she starts to make friends for the first time in her life, she gets careless and lets her guard down. Big mistake.

As an Aura, Llona can manipulate light and harness its energy. But if she wants to survive, Llona will have to defy the Auran Council and learn to use her power as a weapon against the Vyken whose sole desire is to take her light. Now she’s caught in something even bigger than she can understand, with a power she can’t wield, and no one she can trust, except, just maybe, a mysterious stranger.

In this breathtaking and romantic adventure, Rachel McClellan delivers a truly mesmerizing story that will keep you guessing to the very end.

Review: 
The cover, the synopsis, the title, all grabbed me when I first saw this book. I knew it was a book I wanted to read. I was not disappointed. This book is fast-paced and full of mystery, suspense, and yes romance.

The story is about a girl, Llona, who carries Light inside of her. This light gives her senses and abilities to help others. As a teenager, she is just now developing her abilities. Her mother was killed by their enemy, a Vyken, which are very vampire like. Years later her father is killed in an accident. Llona and her uncle move to a new town, new school, and start a new life. Everything seems to be working out. Llona has a friend, plays sports, and keeps her head down low. Enter in the boy, Christian, mysterious, good-looking, and a real need to protect Llona. Form this moment nothing in Llona’s life will remain as it was.

Llona is a great character. It did take me a bit to get to know her because she never let anyone all the way in. She just wanted to hide and stay under the radar. She has a fear of bringing attention to her light and end up with the same fate as her mother. She does this very well until her heart gets in the way. Once she opens up she unfolds many layers. She is very independent, stubborn, and brave (sometimes to the edge of stupidity) and she allows herself to enjoy the Light’s abilities. Christian is a very interesting character. It is really hard at first to see where his motives lie. I was not sure he was there to hurt Llona or help her. He and his father are very mysterious. He is very protective, instinctual, and possesses the ability to be sweet and caring.

The writing flows very well, it’s very fast paced and the author did a very good job at keeping secrets and leading me down the wrong path. It’s full of mystery and suspense, surprises around every turn. I anxiously await the next book!

Rating:

Rachel McClellan

Social Media links: Facebook/Website/ Twitter

Links to find/buy book: Amazon has the book for .99 for the duration of the tour!

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Giveaway

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