The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Stockman

December 12, 2012

The Jelly Bean Crisis 
by Jolene Stockman


A total meltdown. The whole school watching. Now Poppy’s an ex-straight-A with no Plan B.

When Poppy Johnson throws away a full scholarship to Columbia, she can only blame the jelly beans. The yucky green ones? Midnight cram sessions and Saturday’s spent studying. The delicious red? The family legacy: Columbia, and a future in finance. Except now it’s starting to look like Poppy’s jelly bean theory is wrong. School has been her life until, but maybe it’s time to start living now.

Poppy has thirty days to try a new life. No school, no studying. Just jumping into every possible world. Thirty days to find her passion, her path, and maybe even love.

The Jelly Bean Crisis is officially on.
*** Praise for The Jelly Bean Crisis***

"The Jelly Bean Crisis is a heart warming and thought provoking story, especially if you're in the process of figuring out your life!"  - Ajoop On Books!

"This book had me riveted. Completely riveted the entire time. The Jelly Bean Crisis was instant love for me."  - Book Briefs.

"It's a beautifully told story that you'll be thinking about long after you finish reading."  - A Pocket Full of Books.

If you're looking for a smart contemporary YA read, then The Jelly Bean Crisis is for you!


Purchase
Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Amazon Kindle

Author bio
Author Jolene Stockman
Jolene Stockman is an award winning writer, speaker, and an expert for Girlfriend Magazine Australia. She is a Master of Neuro Linguistic Programming, and one of the youngest in the world to achieve the Distinguished Toastmaster Award. Jolene lives in New Zealand, and is the author of Total Blueprint for World Domination. The Jelly Bean Crisis is her debut fiction.

***Book Blast Special***
Get your Kindle copy of The Jelly Bean Crisis for 99 cents!
http://www.amazon.com/The-Jelly-Bean-Crisis-ebook/dp/B008PODAAK




$100 Book Blast Giveaway

Ends 12/21/12

*You need not enter your twitter name for each entry. Simply enter it when you follow Jolene and leave the others blank.

Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Cover Reveal: Pieces by Michelle Davidson Argyle

November 05, 2012
Pieces 
by Michelle Davidson Argyle
Series: The Breakaways #2
Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing
Expected publication: February 14th, 2013


Two years after watching her kidnappers go to prison, Naomi Jensen is still in love with one of them. Jesse will be released in a few years, and Naomi knows college is the perfect distraction while she waits. But when her new friend Finn makes her question what is right and what is wrong, she begins to wonder if Jesse is the one for her … until she discovers he's out on parole. Naomi must sort through her confusion to figure out where love and freedom truly lie—in Finn, who has no connections to her past, or Jesse, who has just asked her to run away with him.

Pieces is a companion to The Breakaway and can be read independently, if desired.
Book trailer


The Breakaway Series

The Breakaway
by Michelle Davidson Argyle
Series: The Breakaways #1
Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing
Published: May 1st, 2012
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble


When Naomi Jensen is kidnapped, it takes her parents two days to realize she’s missing. Escape isn’t high on her list of priorities when all she has to return to is an abusive boyfriend and parents who never paid much attention to her. For the first time in her life she’s part of a family—even if it is a family of criminals. But she’s still a captive. In a desperate attempt to regain some control in her life, Naomi embarks on a dangerous plan to make one of her kidnappers think she’s falling in love with him. The plan works too well, and when faced with the chance to escape, Naomi isn’t sure she wants to take it.

Author bio
Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She loves the seasons, but late summer and early fall are her favorites. She adores chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in whatever time she can grab between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life.

Guest Post: Tasting Fire by Shelly Holt

October 29, 2012
Today we have invited to a special author: Shelly Holt who wrote Tasting Fire.
So don't stop reading!

Guest post
Panthera unica or Asian Snow Leopard is one of the most highly endangered felines on the planet. When I sat down last March and decided to write a paranormal romance about a shape-shifting species, one of the first things I had to decide was which animal I would bring to life in the book. You should have seen me sitting literally on the floor going through my collection of library discards until I found a book called Snow Leopards and their babies. I paid a whopping twenty-five cents for it at the library. I have a habit of buying books at library bookstores and putting them on my shelf and forgetting about them. As I sat there and read the children's book I feel in love with the incredibly beautiful exotic cat. After I finished the book, I got up and started to Google everything I could about the Asian Snow Leopard.

I was horrified to learn that experts believe there are only three to seven thousand of them left in the wild. I watched video after video on You Tube to learn all I could about their habitat and challenges the snow leopard faces in the wild. Everything I learned pretty much ended up distilled into the book. I knew that to do justice to my story about shape-shifting Asian Snow Leopards that the characters would have to actually be from cultures that evolved in the habitat range of the animal itself. That's why my alpha male hero Kai Tenzin is from Tibet, because snow leopards are from Tibet. Many of my secondary characters are from cultures that live in the habitat range of the exotic cat as well. My shape-shifters come from China, Mongolia and Pakistan and India.

As I wrote the book, I found I had to walk a very thin line between preaching and educating people about conservation of this amazing animal. Hopefully the plot and romance are also evenly balanced as well. The very presence of the Asian Snow Leopard in the story helped guide the tone and style of the book.

Tasting Fire is not your average paranormal shape-shifting romance. Twenty thousand years ago a thermophilic (heat loving) bacteria that thrives in hot springs, infected primitive nomads in many parts of the world. The bacteria when ingested orally allows the infected individual with just the right genetic makeup to add a secondary DNA sequence to their own genetic code. Over the course of thousands of years, this little bug has given rise to the many different legends of shape-shifters that have evolved on nearly every continent. Tasting Fire is the story of how one species in particular, the Pari of central Asia, fought to stay hidden and what happens when they are revealed to the world.

There is no magic in Tasting Fire by design. This forced me as a writer to not use a crutch to prop up weak writing. Instead, I was forced to develop a strong plot and create fully developed characters. There is humor, adventure, passion, and intelligence, but Tasting Fire is not a light read!

If you want a book where the hero and heroine fall into bed within the first two minutes of meeting and have mindless sex, than this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a rich, textured romance full of world building and character development, and if you want to lose yourself in an intelligent, romantic, SEXY, adventure, this is your book.

My thanks to Books Down My Pillow for inviting me on the blog today to share my thoughts on Tasting Fire with you.


Tasting Fire 
by Shelly Holt
Purchase: Amazon

Shape-shifters have always walked the earth. Shrouded in myth and folklore, hiding in the shadows, watching and waiting. Advances in modern science are now about to reveal them to the world. Kai Tenzin is the self appointed leader of the Pari people. He and his kind evolved from the most reclusive predators on earth, the Asian Snow Leopard. They live and hunt in the most fearsome and rugged terrain known to man, the Himalayas. As a young man, Kai left his small village where the mountain touches the heavens, determined to do anything to protect his people. When he is forced to enlist the aid of the beautiful American scientist Dr. Rae Hales, the last thing he expects to find is a woman who will ensnare his heart and endanger them all. Their action-packed adventure will take them around the world to discover the truth behind the legends and reveal the future of humanity. 
Excerpt:
 Rae took an admiring look at the vista below as she dropped her heavy pack on the ground. The mountains in the distance looked purple and the desert brush spread out below them like a master oil painting.  It was awe inspiring to human eyes. Rae wondered what would it look like to a snow leopard. She suddenly realized many a biologist would sell their very soul for the opportunity she had at that moment. Rae turned to Kai who had been sitting on the ground with his pack and fishing around for lunch and asked him “what is it like when you're in your Shan form out in country like this?”  Kai rewarded Rae with the most brilliant smile she had yet seen to grace the handsome shape-shifter's face.  He seemed truly delighted to discuss the subject with her.  Kai stood up to answer Rae's question.  He addressed the human scientist.  “It's like nothing you can imagine Rae. Every sense is in tune with the planet. See that tree over there” he pointed a few yards away at an ancient gnarled pinyon. “Yes” Rae replied. Kai walked up behind Rae and put his hands on her shoulders and directed her to look even closer at the tree. He whispered intimately in her ear as if they were in a church or another sacred space “when you look at that tree with your limited human vision, the average person can certainly appreciate its form and color. A biologist like yourself would ask what type of tree is it and how old it is.  A philosopher might ask who may have sat underneath it in the past or who might sit underneath it in the future. All of you might even wonder when will it die. That's the limit of your human perception. When you're in Shan form every single leaf will bid you a glorious greeting as you walk up to the tree for the first time. Every drop of sap tells you the history of the tree's life like an intimate biography written in the utterly sensual language of scent. The tree itself will tell you if it's healthy or sick. You can smell if the water that nourishes it is bitter or sweet. If you deeply pay attention you can smell every animal that has ever been there.” Kai looked to Rae like he was experiencing a spiritual moment and Rae suddenly realized he was. The enthralled shape-shifter continued to explain to Rae the nuances of the animal world  “when you are ready to move on to another place you reach up with your powerful claws and dig deep into the bark to mark the tree with your scent.  It's added harmoniously to the scent of hundreds of other animals. You do this not just to mark your hunting territory, but to tell every animal after you have left this world that you lived and breathed here at one time in the great mystery that is life. That is your only immortality in the animal world. There are no monuments to mark a man's ego, or family albums for a mother to remember her children by, but neither is there hate, nor fear of the future or regret of the past. You are fully alive in each and every moment. It's a wonderfully free existence. I wish I could truly share it with you... words, words pale in comparison.” Kai looked so happy at that moment. Rae was so moved by what he had just shared with her that all she could do was reach out and touch his wrist. “Thank you!” she whispered. Kai nodded at her in acknowledgment, but he was too emotional to even speak. 

Author bio:
My name is Shelly Holt and I live in the middle of the harsh and unforgiving Mojave desert. I write my stories looking out of a window that shows sweeping desert views. Outside is a barren and severe landscape, yet inside my head lives a world filled with exotic shape-shifters come to life, pulled from the pages of myth and legend, ready to entice and seduce any reader brave enough to take them on. 

Cover Reveal: Hollywood Holiday by Sasha Summers

September 25, 2012
Hollywood Holiday
by Sasha Summers
Red Carpet Series #2

All she wants for Christmas is for Hollywood to love her again. But once she meets him, her Christmas list changes.

Jen’s only Christmas wish: Hollywood falling back in love with her. Meeting ex-Marine Gunner was a bonus. She likes that he isn’t impressed by celebrities or the movie biz. She likes that he’s funny and sweet … and drop-dead gorgeous. And she loves that he has no idea who her alter-ego is: Jen Fleming, Hollywood bad-girl and paparazzi target number one. Why ruin an amazing affair when he’s leaving after the new year? 

But the closer they get, the harder she falls, and the more she wants to tell Gunner everything. Especially once he shares his secret with her. 

Her new Christmas wish: Gunner accepts and loves her for who she really is. 
Red Carper Series
Know More about Red Carpet: Series Book 1: 
Hollywood Ever After (Paperback Giveaway)
She wasn’t meant for movie stars, Hollywood, or happy endings. 
And then she met him.

Happy Endings are for fairy tales. Or the movies. Not for real life. At least, not in Claire’s life. Even though she’s starting over, she knows better than to want too much this time. But when she falls, literally, into the strong arms of Hollywood’s ‘it’ boy Josh Wiley, Claire’s in for some surprises. Her plans for rest and relaxation are forgotten as one incredible night with Josh becomes two… And her heart begins to want him as much as her body. Will two kids, one bastard ex-husband, and Josh’s juggernaut career mean the end of their affair? Or can Claire find her happy ending after all?

Author bio
Sasha is part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, Hollywood, history, and travel. It’s no surprise that her books include a little of each. Her first play, ‘Greek Gods and Goddesses’ was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She’s been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she’s doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.

Giveaway Swag Gift
- Open to US, UK and Canada Only

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Book Blast: Concilium by Michelle Pickett


Concilium 
by Michelle Pickett
Purchase: MuseItUpPublishing | Amazon | Bookstrand | Omnilit | Smashwords | Kindlegraph

A tale of deadly creatures and forbidden romance...

Leslee hit a strange animal with her car. Now she’s marked for death.

It was a simple car accident – the animal didn’t even die – but it drew the attention of the Cruor Imbibo. Driven by their insatiable need to feed, the secret society of Imbibo has devoured the dregs of civilization for centuries. Afraid Leslee will expose them, and put an end to their meal ticket, the Imbibo want her dead.

The Concilium is Leslee's only protection. Guardian of the ancient secret and the protector of humans, the Concilium fights to control the Imbibo and end their feeding frenzy. Miller works for the Concilium. Keeping Leslee alive is his next assignment.

Now Leslee is on the run, and the only thing between her flesh and the snapping jaws of the Imbibo is Miller. He and Leslee quickly form a bond, but will falling in love make Miller’s job more difficult? Because if he fails, Leslee will be next on the Imbibo menu.

The Cruor Imbibo are coming, and they're coming for Leslee.
Author bio:
Michelle Pickett

Michelle has been an avid reader since a young child.  She began writing for personal enjoyment in college, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting.  Deciding sitting in a cubical all day was her form of cruel and unusual punishment, she decided to do what she really wanted to—share her passion for reading and writing with others.

She wrote her debut novel Concilium in 2010.  It was released July of 2012 by MuseItUp Publishing.  The sequel, Concilium: The Departure will also be published by MuseItUp Publishing with scheduled release date of November 2012.

Her Debut young adult novel, PODs, will be published by Spencer Hill Press and is scheduled for release in paperback June 4th, 2013.  Milayna, a young adult paranormal romance, will be released through Spencer Hill Press March 2014.

Michelle was born and raised in Michigan.  She now resides in a small community outside Houston, Texas with her incredibly supportive husband, four wonderful children, a 125-pound lap dog, a very grumpy cockatiel and a cat that thinks it's queen.

Michelle writes adult and young adult Sci/Fi and urban fantasy romance.

Links and Contact Information:
Website  | Email | Blog Facebook Twitter Goodreads PODs

Book Blast Giveaway:
~ $50 Amazon Gift Code
~ Ends 10/2/12
~ Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Blog Tour: Hive by Marc Davies

September 24, 2012

Hive
by Marc Davies
Psionic Man #1
Genre: M/M - Sci-Fi/Paranormal
Date Published: 8/6/12
Publisher: Champagne Books
Purchase: Amazon | Burst Books

For centuries the Hive has waged a secret war, pitting psychic powers against the monstrous appetites of the Silencers.  Now its visionary leader has an ambitious plan to tip the balance, and the conflict threatens to boil over onto the streets of modern dayLondon.
Nineteen-year-old Luke is thrust into the conflict when he foils an assassination attempt on the charismatic Dr. Jean-Paul Lysayer, a world renowned expert on telepathy.  Down on his luck, and torn between an old flame and blossoming desire, the last thing Luke needs is to be used as a pawn in the eternal conflict.
But the Hive needs Luke's unique abilities, and when he uncovers evidence of a conspiracy it will take all his street-smarts to stay alive long enough to separate friend from foe.
My thoughts
With this reading I got what I was expecting. I'm not a huge fan of sci-fi, but some times in a while a take some of this genre to vary and don't be boring myself with only one genre. So. in this time I've decided jump into Hive and it haven't disappointed at all.
In his debut novel, Marc Davies has created a realistic world which captivates you immediately after reading some pages. I have a little bit of all, comedy and anxious are mixed into yourself trying to figure out what will happen next, and you you think you have get it,  the story totally turns!
It has been an amazing reading, I can't put it down for a long time. Maybe I should read sci-fi more often, so, who know? Maybe I'd find more books like this, which surprise you in a really good way.
My rating : 4/5

Excerpt
           An inferno roiled where the briefcase had been only moments before, held back by an invisible, sphere-shaped barrier. It seethed with barely contained violence, testing the limits of its prison with fingers of fire.
           Lysayer stood in front of it, legs planted wide and arm locked rigid as if pushing against an invisible force. A howling wind tore at his leather suit, streaming through his blond hair. His entire body shuddered with strain, and sweat ran down the back of his neck. Excess Psi traced his back in dancing, red flames.
           The explosion appeared to get the better of him. Half a dozen fiery fingers escaped their cage, reaching for me with hunger. The sphere wobbled, and I threw my hands up to protect my face. But Lysayer twisted his wrist, and the inferno shrunk into a pinpoint of space with the howl of displaced air.

Author bio
Marc started writing as a teenager, and has always been obsessed with science fiction and fantasy. He has a soft spot for books with fast plots, unusual characters and twisted humor. The more unusual, the better. He predominantly reads sci-fi and fantasy, depending on mood.
Marc is an active member of several writers groups, including the Online Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, and maintains a blog at www.marcdavies.net.  He lives in an old house owned by a Golden Retriever and a Labrador, with a mountain of books, an impressive collection of half-finished wine bottles, and the occasional ball of drifting dog hair.

Giveaway
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Follow the tour
September 24 - Books Down My Pillow- Review/Excerpt/Giveaway {You're here}
September 25 - How I See It - Review/Guest Post
September 26 - My Seryniti - Giveaway/Excerpt/PROMO
September 27 - Reader Girls - Review/Interview/Giveaway
September 28 - Up All Night Reviews - Review/Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt
*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Blog Tour: Glimpse by Sara Daniell

September 20, 2012
Welcome to my tour stop! I hope you are having a good week. Today in my stop in the blog tour of Glimpse, so I hope you enjoy it.


Glimpse
by Sara Daniell
Series: The Dwellers #1
Genre: YA - Dystopian
Purchase: Paperback | Kiddle

Orion Draper is not your typical Dweller. She is a non-conformist with an insatiable appetite for adventure. And trouble. So it is no surprise when she finds herself eavesdropping on a Constable meeting. One word that makes no sense, "Earth", sends Orion on a quest for answers.
What is this "Earth"? And why has it never been mentioned before? Her search is soon over, but not without a heavy price to pay. Forced to leave behind the only home she has ever known, Orion fights for the chance to return. Every corner holds a new danger, and every shadow hides a secret. No one can be trusted, and no town is permanent.
Will Orion ever return to Dandux? Or is she forever condemned to repeat this hell she now knows?


*I received this book from the author as part of the blog book tour. I have not received any reward for my review, this contains my most honest thoughts.* 
My thoughts
I just loved, I want wishing to read something like this but I haven't find anything until now, and I'm more than happy of have read it. But I want to be honest, at first sight I was hoping to find something more... dark. I was totally wrong the history is just hilarious, intense and with a love-hate relationship that had me on the edge from start to finish. 
Sometimes felt the story was a little fast from chapter to chapter, and this is where must I do a stop and explain myself. If you are a person who like slow stories and details of almost every second that happens, this story is not for you, but if instead you're like me and you like fast stories, in which the story progresses and light without major entanglements, this book is strongly recommended for you.
Orion is a fearless girl says when she thinks it is. One of the things I most liked about her was her sense of humor, mixing it with the personality of Plath, the hottie who saved his live mo than twice, turn out to be a perfect odd couple.
What I can say? I wanted have a paperback edition! I enjoyed this book as I did some time ago, I laughed as could be though in the end there were several parts that made cracks in my heart.

My rating: 4/5
Interview
Please tell us a little bit about you.  Who is Sara Daniell?

I am a 27 year old wife and mother.  I have two amazing daughters, one 6 and the other 1 year old.  I am currently going to college to get my Masters degree in Special Education.  I have published four books.  The Holly Nather Trilogy (Visions, Secrets, and Choices) and Glimpse, book one of The Dwellers series. 

I am obsessed with Coke and Twix – together.  Best snack EVER. 

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

When I finish the first draft of a book.  This is my favorite part because then I have something to work with and perfect.  Until that first draft is done, you have nothing to work with.  

Describe your book in your own words.
On a quest for answers, Dweller Orion Draper finds herself trapped on a strange planet known as Earth.  Fighting to return to the world that she left behind, every corner holds new dangers and every shadow a secret.  Orion wonders if she will ever get to return home to Dandux, or if she will be condemned this hell she now knows. Forever. 

Where did you get the idea to write Glimpse?
I can’t pinpoint the exact thing that inspired me to write Glimpse.  I had been playing with the idea of the story line for a while but couldn’t get anything to really make sense.  Then one day, the whole story came to me.   

Can you share with us your favorite non-spoiler quote or scene from Glimpse?
        He looks down at his feet, and then looks up at me with a playful grin. He slowly walks towards me, slowly taking off his jacket.  He then slowly removes his shirt, exposing his bare chest. As he gets closer he runs his hands through his hair and bites his bottom lip. Oh my damn, he is hot. I swear the temperature in here is rising as he gets only inches away from me.  He cups my face in his hands, and I am too shocked to pull away. He brings his lips close, gently brushing them against mine.  He smiles against my lips and starts laughing, quickly pulling away. 
        “You were going to let me kiss you?!” He asks in pure shock, while still laughing.
        I look away.  Embarrassed as hell.  “No I wasn’t!”
        “Yes you were. Don’t lie.” He has a cocky smile plastered across his face.
        “Go put on your shirt.” I say while not making eye contact with him.
        “Sorry I know my sexy body can be intimidating.”  He is seriously amused by this.
        I roll my eyes and take off my shoes.  “I never said anything about your body being attractive.  It is just weird you standing here, shirtless.” 

Are there any songs you could list as the theme of this book or any of your characters?
Barton Hallow by The Civil Wars

Can you give any details about the second part in The Dwellers series?
It is called Sway.  I hope to have it released by spring 2013.  

How many books do you have planned in The Dwellers Series?
I am not sure yet. I should have a better idea of how many after Sway is done. 


Author bio
Sara Daniell is a 27 year old from a small town in Arkansas. She is married to her best friend, has two amazing daughters, and is a full time college student working towards her Masters in Special Education. When not busy with working, doing homework, and being a mom, she loves to read and write. 
Sara Daniell is the author of The Holly Nather Trilogy & The Dwellers series. 

Favorite Quote: 
"You're off to Great Places! Today is YOUR day! Your mountain is waiting, So... get on your way!" ~ Dr. Seuss

Giveaway
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I heart swag! (giveaway)

September 17, 2012
Hello everyone, today I'm doing my first giveaway.
One of the things I most like that came with reading as a plus are swag & merchandise. Along all years I've been around the WEB I've had the possibility to see awesome bookmarks and a lot of merchandise that I was dying for have. So in honor of that and also I reached my first month blogging last week, I'm hosting this giveaway, I hope it like you.
Any questions you email me o write me in my twitter account.

Prize size XS
One lucky winner will win a books inspired in the Curse Workers Series by Holly Black that I really love. It had the inscription "I am the best kind of thief...".
*Depends on how many people enter the giveaway I will add more XS prizes, but only with normal bookmarks*
3 Prize pack size S:
1 signed bookmark of Never Enough/Losing Faith by Denise Jaden (bookmark with double side)
1 signed bookmark of Reunited bu Hilary Weisman Graham
1 bookmark of Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig
2 Prize pack size M:
1 signed bookmark of Lost in Time/Witches of East End by Melisa de de la Cruz (bookmark double side)
1 signed bookmark of Never Enough/Losing Faith by Denise Jaden (bookmark with double side)
1 signed bookmark of The Faerie Ring Series by Kiki Hamilton (bookmark double side)
1 signed bookmark of Reunited bu Hilary Weisman Graham
1 bookmark of Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwi
2 Prize pack size L:
1 signed bookmark of Until I Die by Amy Plum
1 signed bookmark of  Dreamless by Josephine Angelini
1 signed bookmark of Reunited bu Hilary Weisman Graham
1 signed bookmark of Lost in Time/Witches of East End by Melisa de de la Cruz (bookmark with double side)
1 signed bookmark of Never Enough/Losing Faith by Denise Jaden (bookmark with double side)
1 signed bookmark of The Faerie Ring Series by Kiki Hamilton (bookmark with double side)
1 signed bookmark of Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig
1 bookmark of Starstruck by Cyn Balog
1 signed postcard of The River of Time Series by Lisa Bergen
1 signed postcard of The Faerie Ring Series by Kiki Hamilton 
1 signed bookplate by Amy Plum
1 fortune teller "Miracle Fish" *-*
Grab the button 


I want to thank to all the authors and Vivian Hebel from Hebel Design who have very generously provided bookmarks and swag for this giveaway.
You can visit Hebel's shop and see all her piece of art clicking the image below:

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Have a great day,
Camila

RAK: September Sing-Up

September 15, 2012
This is my second time participating in this event so I want to thank so much to Miki form Lecture toute une Aventure for reminding me that I should do a Sing-Up :)
So, I hope send some RAK's this month.
Are you participating in RAK?
Book Soulmates
     Rules

  • Please sign-up each month that you can participate (and by participate, we mean give as well as receive).
  • Show off your participation by grabbing our RAK button (code is in the right sidebar).
  • Create a wish list (on Amazon, Goodreads, or your blog, etc) and post it in the Google Doc located in each R.A.K post for the month.
  • If you choose to do a R.A.K for someone, check out their wish list and contact that blogger directly for their information.
  • Once you receive a RAK, send us an our new email to [rakbybooksoulmates @ gmail . com] so that we can update the Google Doc. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT THAT YOU SEND EMAILS TO THIS ADDRESS!
  • E-book participation is limited to files being gifted directly to a person from the e-book store. Amazon's Kindle Store is set up to allow this, as well as the Kobo store and we believe Barnes & Noble with Nook as well.
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Have a nice day!
Camila

Blog Tour: Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye by Shari A. Brady

September 14, 2012
At this time I have a review of a book you won't regret of read it. I can assure it to you. So, just follow reading, I have a stop with review, 1rst chapter, interview & giveaway

Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye
by Shari A. Brady
Genre: Young Adult
Publish Date: June 11, 2012

Before Carmella D’Agostino’s older sister Francesca died, she worked at the bakery and wrote songs, but now she writes lists.  Lists like ten reasons why it's her fault Francesca's dead, or five reasons why she should try and win Howie back, or one reason why she needs to stop lying to everyone, including herself.
 Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is an extraordinary novel about one family’s struggle to make sense of their world after losing a family member to addiction. Through sixteen-year-old Carmella’s eyes, we witness the courage and strength it takes to overcome the consequences of grief, guilt and co-dependency.
With conviction and determination, Carmella shows us what can happen when we’re open to love, feel the pain of our loss, and have the courage to accept the truth of our lives.
Before sixteen-year-old Carmella’s older sister Francesca died, she worked at the bakery and wrote songs, but now she writes lists. Lists like ten reasons why she shouldn’t feel guilty for her sister’s death, or five reasons why she needs to win Howie back, or one reason why she should stop lying to everyone, including herself.
Wish I Could Have said Goodbye is an extraordinary first novel about one family’s struggle to make sense of their world after losing someone they love to addiction. Shari A. Brady skillfully takes the reader on a journey and through Carmella’s eyes we witness the guilt, pain and courage it takes to overcome the consequences of co-dependency. It is truly a heart-breaking novel about what happens when love, loss and truth collide.
*I received this book from the author as part of the blog book tour. I have not received any reward for my review, this contains my most honest thoughts.*
My thought
I have no words to describe how amazing is this book, it is a book that teaches you a lot, so , I love this kind of story.
Through the story we are seeing it grow Carmella. She has so much to manage, and in some places want to throw in the towel and give up but remember that time Francesca, her older sister who has dead because of an overdose. She tries to deal with it as best as possible, but I imagine that losing a loved one should be really hard, especially if it's someone as close as a sibling, I personally have never experienced, This story tells you how it would be, in a very vivid way from POV's Carmella.
His parents are another matter, personally I did not like at all the position they take opposite the situation. His father on the one hand trying to cover up the truth of Francesca's death all the time and on the other hand her mother doing a thousand things to "help" Carmella, but really she did not feel better.
Now, Howie, the cutest and nicest boy Carmella starts dating, is really lovely, he just wants to see her happy, but she is scared, scaref of her feelings and scared of the reaction of her parents, because they've been being very overprotective with her. I think Howie is partly responsible with how Carmella grows-up in the story, sort of like a pillar for her. One of the things I liked most was his sense of humor, makes him even more charming than he already is.
Despite the sad parts of the story, (yep, there were many tears I let go), is a book I would recommend to anyone. Writing is almost perfect and so is the convinación between dialogues and descriptions, which allow you to immerse yourself without any probleme in the reality Brodi has written, it is certainly a very good book besides being his debut novel, I hope ansionamente another project from the author will surely be as good as Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye.
My rating: 5/5

Chapter 1

October
           I hug Francesca’s purse tight against my chest and rest my head against the corner of my closet. This is me since my big sister died four weeks ago. Francesca was six years older than me, and at twenty-three she became one of those people you read about in the tabloids, only she wasn’t an actor in Hollywood. She was my big sister who accidentally overdosed at her own party and now she’s not here to help me get over the fact I let her down, or to give me one reason why I should keep on living since my universe exploded and turned to dust.
           I close my eyes and make a list, the kind Francesca and I would make when the lights were out and we were supposed to be sleeping.
            Why I should live the rest of my life in my closet
           1. I don’t have to talk to anyone.
           2. I don’t have to listen to Mom and Dad fight.
           3. I don’t have to face the rest of my life without my big sister.
           Francesca and I had a pact to keep the lists just between us and we swore each other to secrecy before we made our first one. When Francesca went to college and was home for a break or a visit, we didn’t make many lists.  And then when she graduated, the lists stopped. I forgot all about the lists until I found one in her purse the night she died. It was her Monday to do list.
           “Carmella?” My mother taps on the door. “Could you—?”
           I slide the closet door open and squint up at my mother.
           “We need you to come out. Your father’s got his coat on. He’s waiting.”
           “I’m not going.”
           “Carmella, don’t do this.” She pushes up the sleeves of her burnt orange pullover and folds her arms in front of her. “We need you.”
           I want to tell Mom I can’t reduce my big sister’s life to twelve boxes and stuff them underneath the steps of my parents’ basement. But I won’t say what I’m thinking. I don’t want to make things worse for her and Dad.
           My mother’s eyes are a million miles away. They’ve been like that ever since we got the news. “I know this is hard, Carmella, but Father Carlucci says packing up her things and moving her out of the apartment will help us start to heal.”
           “What if I don’t want to move her things out of there? I want everything to stay the same.”
           “Please, I don’t have the energy to fight.” Mom’s hair is tucked behind her ears, all messy, and her make up is rubbed off of her puffy eyes.
           “Fine.” I set Francesca’s purse down on top of my red Converse shoes and drag myself towards the steps.
           When I get into the kitchen, Mom hands me my coat.
           My father’s pacing in front of the sink, crunching on corn chips. The veins in the side of his head pop out while he chews.
           Mom grabs her purse from the scratched up wooden kitchen table they’ve been talking about replacing since Francesca started middle school.
           “The owners from Lincoln Distributors sent flowers to the office Friday. How did they find out?” Mom asks.
           My father stops in front of the door and rubs his forehead with his left hand. “I don’t know. Obviously, someone at the office told them. We never should have let the truth get past the family.”
           “What are you talking about?” Mom squeezes the strap of her black leather purse tight.
           “Yesterday, Mary at Davenport Motor Works asked what happened to Francesca. I told her she died of a fatal arrhythmia. From here on in, if anyone asks, that’s the story. And when you go back to school, you tell everyone the same thing.” He points to me.
           “But most of them know what happened.” I zip my jacket.
           “Not all of them. Tell Anna and your other friends to keep quiet too.”
           Dad doesn’t know I haven’t spoken to anyone but Anna in the last year. My only friends lately were Francesca and Donny. Mom and Dad don’t know much about me at all now. When Francesca started having problems in middle school, I disappeared.
           “You lied? You told a customer our daughter died from a fatal heart condition?” Mom swipes her hair behind her ear.
           “Gina, our daughter died at a party where kids were doing drugs. People see that as a reflection on us. Since my father passed away and I took over the business two years ago, I’ve been working my ass off. I don’t want anything to jeopardize our reputation and I don’t want all my hard work to go to hell.”
           My mother’s eyes glass over, her face drops like all her muscles turned into water and poured out. “Joe, this is our daughter. How can you talk like this? People will understand. It was an accident.”
           “This type of shit only happens to kids who are on drugs. Francesca was in the wrong place at the wrong time, that’s all. If she didn’t move in with that asshole Donny, she’d be alive right now.” My father stabs his finger in the air.
           “I don’t believe this. So when I talk to people at work, I’m supposed to lie about how my daughter died?” My mother’s eyes glass over.
           “Say it was a heart thing and you don’t want to talk about it. People won’t push. And that goes for you too.” My dad plucks his keys out of his coat pocket. “Let’s go.”
***
           The three of us head up the creaky steps to Donny and Francesca’s third floor apartment. We had to walk two blocks struggling to hold onto the flattened boxes and packing tape. Parking on city streets is always a pain, especially on Saturdays when everyone is home from work. Most people work Monday through Friday in this neighborhood, except for Francesca and Donny.
           Donny works weekends at the bar down the street. That’s how they got this apartment. A year ago, Donny met a guy who was transferred to China for a four-year assignment and needed to rent out his top floor condo in a cool brownstone building. Francesca was so excited; she thought they got lucky. The place was only a few blocks from the famous Second City Theatre in Chicago. Francesca thought she was going to move in here and get her life back on track.
           Francesca worked at different restaurants for a while, but last summer she didn’t work at all. Around middle of August, she stopped returning my calls. When she finally called me back it was the first week in September to ask me to go to an AA meeting with her. It was a week before she died and the last time I ever heard her voice.
           Dad sets his stack of boxes down and knocks. Mom starts to cry. She pulls a tissue out of her purse. She hands one to me, but I’m not gonna cry. I’m gonna be strong for Mom and Dad because that’s what families do for each other.
           Donny opens the door and we get a whiff of rotten food like moldy cheese. We haven’t seen him since the funeral.
           “Hi,” Donny says. He combs his messy dishwater blond hair with his fingers, like he just woke up. His green T-shirt is all wrinkled.
           “C’mon in.” He steps back and holds out his hand. “Hey, sis.” He smiles.
           “Hi.” I almost walk towards the kitchen, but I stop myself. Francesca loved to cook. I kept her company in the kitchen while she made stuff. They were always broke, so she cooked a lot of pasta.
           Everywhere I look I see Francesca. Like her favorite fake painting of a sunrise on the beach she bought from a guy on the street for ten bucks when she first moved in with Donny. Francesca and I dreamed of living near the ocean, where the air is always warm and people are more relaxed. She was sure the painting meant good luck for her. I run my finger along the tacky gold frame.
           “We were supposed to be awesome career women, get married, have kids and live next door to each other, two blocks from the beach,” I whisper. “That was our plan.”
           I remember thinking how much I liked Donny and was so happy for Francesca. We were both sure her life was going to finally get better.
           Donny leads us into the bedroom.
           He points to the closet. “I boxed up her shoes, just the hanging stuff needs to be done.”
           I think I might puke. I push past my parents, who are stiff like statues. I run straight to the bathroom where Francesca and I hung out when we wanted to talk in secret. I close and lock the door, taking my usual seat on the side of the tub, staring at the toilet where Francesca parked her foot as she blew cigarette smoke out the tiny frosted paned window. I rock back and forth and howl into my sleeve.
           I bend down and run my fingers across the tiny tiles on the floor. I imagine her lying here, taking her last breaths, all alone. I grab my chest. I wish she hadn’t died in here alone. I wish I could have been with her, to hold her hand or to hug her. I wish I could have said goodbye.
           “Carmella.” My mother knocks on the door. “Are you okay?”
           I stand up and turn the cold water on full blast. “I’m fine,” my voice cracks. I clear my throat. “I’ll be right out.”
           I open the door, and I hear Dad shout. “How can you live with yourself? This is all your fault.”
           “Don’t go blaming me. All I did was try and love her,” Donny stomps out of the apartment, the door slamming behind him.
           I walk into the bedroom. My father is mumbling over the high-pitched scream of the packing tape as he seals the top of a box.
           Mom sniffles as she takes Francesca’s clothes off the hangers, folds them and puts them carefully in the box on the floor next to her.
           Dad stands in the middle of the room, staring at the dresser, the tape dispenser dangling from his right hand.
           “Where’s Donny?” I ask.
           Mom turns towards me. “He left. He shouldn’t be here.” She folds Francesca’s blue and white plaid shirt.
           “Wait,” I say. “Can I have that one?”
           Mom clutches the shirt. “This old thing? Why would you want this?”
           “Because. It was her favorite.”
           Mom passes me the shirt. “Okay.” She shakes her head.
           Holding it up to my nose, I smell Francesca and for a tiny fraction of a second, I get her back.
           I put the shirt down next to my purse on the bed. “What should I do?”
           Dad hands me a small box. “Donny says there’s a few things out there.”
           I take the box from him and walk into the kitchen, pretending she’ll be standing at the sink, excited to see me as usual, throwing her arms around me in one of her over-the-top hugs.
           I turn my head. There’s a small magnet on the side of the fridge in the shape of an old potbelly stove with red letters that say “Francesca’s Kitchen” across the belly. Donny bought it for her and she loved the stupid thing. I shove the magnet into my pocket.
***
           I stretch my red and white tiny-flowered comforter over my crossed legs and try not to look over at Francesca’s empty bed, still made up with the matching bedspread. My guitar sits in the stand and stares at me like an abandoned dog. I haven’t been able to go near it since we got the call. Francesca talked my parents into giving me the guitar for my eighth grade graduation, a gift from all three of them. It’s the same style of acoustic guitar John Lennon had. She knew I’d go ballistic over it. I used a black Sharpie marker to copy his famous character sketch, just like the one he had on the guitar he used during the Bed-In for Peace. My parents had a fit when they saw the drawing. They thought I’d ruined the guitar.
           I tried to explain how much I admired John Lennon, how I want to be an artist who changes the world like he did. In the middle of my explanation, the phone rang. The office called with an emergency. We were supposed to finish talking later, but never did.
           I was playing “Imagine” when my mother stormed through the door screaming that Francesca was dead. Then she fainted.
           I glance over at Francesca’s empty bed and turn out the light. Staring at the moon outside my window, missing Francesca so bad I want to curl up and die, I wonder how Donny’s surviving.
           I close my eyes. A replay of the day flashes through my head. I start to drift into the still black waters of the night.
           Then I smell cigarette smoke.
           I see Francesca in her bathroom, standing with her foot on the toilet, blowing smoke out the window, making fun of all our goofy distant relatives that were at her wake and funeral.
           I’m sitting on the side of the tub, laughing.
           Francesca smiles at me, taking a long drag from her cigarette. Then she tells me she’s okay.
           My eyes fly open.
           I sit up.
           My heart jumps into my throat. I grab for the lamp and miss. My water glass falls onto the carpet. I reach for the lamp again and turn it on. I stare at the end of my bed. No Francesca. I fly out of bed. I blink, rub my sweaty forehead and look around the room. My legs shake as I crawl back into bed.
           The cigarette smoke chokes me.
           I scream but nothing comes out.

Interview

Hi Shari! Thank you so much for taking the time out to talk with us and let us know more about you.

Please, tell us a little bit about you, who’s Shari A. Brady?
I’m a writer who is passionate about books and stories that get people talking about real life challenges while entertaining them. I think books and movies have the power to change people’s lives for the better.  I’m also a wife, mother of a thirteen-year-old son, a twelve-year-old daughter and proud owner of a shelter-dog mutt named Betty Queen Elizabeth.  When I’m not writing stories, I’m reading, watching movies, walking the dog, hanging out with my family and friends or doing some kind of creative activity such as painting or drawing. I’m interested in constantly learning something new and getting in touch with nature, so I love taking family field trips on the weekends to museums or exploring a national park.

Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is your first novel, what inspired you to write this book?
I lost my older sister a while back and wanted to write a story about two sisters, since the relationship between sisters is so compelling and unique.  While working on one of my drafts, I learned about teens in my area dying of accidental drug overdoses at a rapidly growing rate.  That’s when I knew exactly the story I wanted to tell.

What has been your favorite part of the writing process?
I love revision, especially when I’m going through the novel word for word and putting the finishing touches on every detail to make the story the best it can be.

Can you describe Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye with your own words?
Wish I Could Have Said Goodbye is a story about starting over and learning how to face the truths of your life.  It is also a story about taking chances and letting new people into your life when you’re feeling vulnerable.

Which character was the most difficult to write and why?
The parents were the most difficult to write because my parents were so unlike them when I lost my sister.  Also, I was writing from Carmella’s point of view so I had to portray the parents exactly how she was seeing them, without the reader (or Carmella) knowing what they were really thinking and feeling.
Is there any song you could list as the theme of this book or of any of the characters?
Anna Nalick’s “Breathe (2AM)” would be a song I think captures the hurt and emotional paralysis feel when we lose someone.

Could you tell us please, which book changed your life, and why?
So many books have changed my life in so many ways, but Julie Cameron’s The Artist’s Way made the biggest impact on me as an artist.  At twelve, I was inspired by Judy Blume to become a writer.
If you could jump in to a book, and live in that world, which would it be?
I’ve always wanted to live in New York City, so any book where I’m a successful writer living there. I also actually love jumping into the world of my latest work-in-progress because the characters live in Chicago and all attend a Performance Arts High School and I think that would be so fun.

Thanks so much for this interview, it's been a pleasure.


Giveaway
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Author bio
Shari A. Brady is a native Chicagoan and previously had so many careers she’s lost count.  A graduate of Loyola University’s Business School and University of Chicago’s Creative Writing program, she’s finally a full-time writer, a dream she’s carried with her since she was twelve.  She lives in suburban Chicago with her awesome husband, two of the best kids ever, and their shelter dog, Betty Queen Elizabeth.  This is her first novel and her last career.