Guest Review+ GIVEAWAY: The Girl In The Spider's Web

This book is for ADULTS. Which is why this post will be published at my website Writer and Tales as well.Don't forget to check out my website!

I'm participating in the Hachette India blog tour for the Millennium series newest installment.

The Girl in the Spider's Web (Millennium Trilogy #4)

by David Lagercrantz

The girl with the dragon tattoo is back: Lisbeth Salander and Mikael Blomkvist return in a continuation of Stieg Larsson's Millennium series.


Written by Swedish novelist and journalist David Lagercrantz, this much anticipated continuation to one of the best-loved crime series of the last decade will be published in Sweden as Det som inte dödar oss (What Doesn't Kill You).

Shayantani's Thoughts:

Lisbeth Salander is back, and with a new creator!

Steig Larsson’s death had many fans including me grieving the great loss it was. Not only was he a fabulous writer, with his sharp journalistic authoritative tone of writing and his crisp plot, but there was also the added loss of not encountering Lisbeth again. Salander is probably one of the most iconic literary heroines of our time. Her sharp tongue, photographic memory, hacking skills, piercings and tattoos along with her uncompromisingly vengeful nature is very much a part of the public imagination. Probably this is why she rises from the grave, much like she did towards the end of “The Girl Who Played with Fire” and this time with a new creator,crime journalistDavid Lagercrantz.

It was with great anticipation mingled with trepidation that I looked forward to the publication of this book. Any book which is a part of a series already leads to comparison with former novels. Lagercrantz’s job is made doubly hard as he carries forward the legacy of Larsson and has to recreate a character like Lisbeth, but he rises to the challenge. Multiple narratives intertwine to tell a complicated plot which manages to successfully bring together all the complex elements it introduces while delving into character development as well. Hacking the NSA, the Russian mafia, the possibility of artificial intelligence capable of replacing humans are just some of the elements it incorporates.

The novel introduces two prominent new characters - Franz Balder, a genius scientist working with complicated Artificial Intelligence technology and his son August, an autistic child who possesses savant skills. There is also Gabriela Grane, genius analyst, member of the Sapo, working in an overwhelmingly male dominated work environment and Ed Needham, the irate NSA official who has a beef with Lisbeth.

Among the old characters we meet Bloomkvist and it is interesting to watch him compete and struggle to maintain his superstar status in the twitter age. His “mary sue” like traits which I previously had a problem with in the earlier novels are significantly toned down. Girls no longer throw themselves at him which is a welcome relief. We also get renew our acquaintance with Erica Berger, inspector Bublanski (bubble as Lisbeth calls him) and the by now familiar landscape of Sweden.

For me the most interesting element in the story was the interactions between Lisbeth and August. Lisbeth’s character is most endearing when she is in her uncompromising fight against personal wrongs mode. But in August, there is a protective touch as well as a self-identification with this genius autistic boy who has been through childhood trauma. Perhaps it is the closest Lisbeth ever comes to finding somebody like herself. More aspects of her history are also revealed which add to her character depth. She is undoubtedly one of the most badass women in literature and continues to kick misogynist butts.

Lagercrantz’s work lacks some of the gritty complexities of Larsson but he does a brilliant job at taking the story forward. It also leaves certain issues unresolved which makes me hopeful for a sequel. With the cult status that Lisbeth has attained, I hope she is around for a long time and outlasts the author again.

Thanks so much Shayantani for taking the time to review this book for me. Shayantani's reviews are brilliant.Which is why it's awesome that she agreed to do a guest review.

You can check out her Goodreads profile here.

GIVEAWAY

 The giveaway guidelines are a part of the Rafflecopter widget .Giveaway is INDIA only and the fact that there are 7 winners of the giveaway and each will win a copy of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo , The Girl Who Kicked The Hornet's Nest , The Girl Who Played With Fire, The Girl in the Spider's Web and one book from the titles listed below:

1.       Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

2.       Dark Places by Gillian Flynn

3.       Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn

4.       Cuckoo’s Calling by Robert Galbraith

5.       The Folded Earth by Anuradha Roy

6.       An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy

7.       Rescue by Nicolas Sparks

8.       Under the Dome by Stephen King

9.       Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell

10.   The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman

11.   The Elephant Catchers: Key Lessons for Breakthrough Growth by Subroto Bagchi

12.   In Spite of the Gods by Edward Luce

13.   Living History by Hillary Clinton

14.   To The Moon and Back by Jill Mansell

15.   Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell

16.   Theodore Boone,Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

17.   One Day by David Nicholls

18.   The Devotion Of Suspect X by Keigo Higashino

19.   Between The Lines by Jodi Picoult, Samantha van Leer and Yvonne Gilbert

20.   The Girl With All The Gifts by M.R.Carey

A total of five books for each winner.

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B2W2014: Split Second by Kasie West [GUEST POST + GIVEAWAY]

Today I'm featuring

Split Second (Pivot Point #2)

by Kasie West

Life can change in a split second.

Addie hardly recognizes her life since her parents divorced. Her boyfriend used her. Her best friend betrayed her. She can’t believe this is the future she chose. On top of that, her ability is acting up. She’s always been able to Search the future when presented with a choice. Now she can manipulate and slow down time, too . . . but not without a price.

When Addie’s dad invites her to spend her winter break with him, she jumps at the chance to escape into the Norm world of Dallas, Texas. There she meets the handsome and achingly familiar Trevor. He’s a virtual stranger to her, so why does her heart do a funny flip every time she sees him? But after witnessing secrets that were supposed to stay hidden, Trevor quickly seems more suspicious of Addie than interested in her. And she has an inexplicable desire to change that.

Meanwhile, her best friend, Laila, has a secret of her own: she can restore Addie’s memories . . . once she learns how. But there are powerful people who don’t want to see this happen. Desperate, Laila tries to manipulate Connor, a brooding bad boy from school—but he seems to be the only boy in the Compound immune to her charms. And the only one who can help her.

As Addie and Laila frantically attempt to retrieve the lost memories, Addie must piece together a world she thought she knew before she loses the love she nearly forgot . . . and a future that could change everything.

EXPECTED PUBLICATION: Already Available (February 11th)

GUEST POST WITH AUTHOR

Split Second excerpt:

“Tell me I’m crazy.” He looked into my eyes, and the intensity of his stare, the set of his mouth, the angle of his brow—it all seemed so familiar. Like I had been here before with him staring at me like that. It caught me off guard, softened my resolve, and I hesitated. I had to look away. I knew what my father said about lying and how one of the first indicators was when someone couldn’t look you in the eyes.

                                              …

He put his hand on my shoulder…His normal friendly exterior was stripped away, replaced by a vulnerability that made me want to tell him everything. “You’re crazy,” I whispered.

I’m so excited to have Split Second, the conclusion to Pivot Point, come into the world in February. It’s sad to me that the story is ending. It was a big part of my journey into the publishing world and I feel like I’m saying goodbye to the beginning, in a way. I’m sure I’ll be blubbering like a child when it comes out. Well, I’m not really a blubberer, but my eyes will sting and my nose will hurt and…yeah…too much info. That’s another post altogether. This is a post about inspiration and what inspired me to write these books.

As I’ve mentioned in past interviews, my inspiration for Pivot Point was a movie called Sliding Doors. I adore this movie with its idea that one little decision can change the course of a life. Plus it was just a really really cool movie. (I know that’s not a very detailed, informative review, and probably explains why I don’t make a very good book reviewer). Pivot Point explores this idea of one choice changing the course of a life in a supernatural kind of way through alternate realities.

So then what was my inspiration for Split Second? This is a hard question to answer. And hopefully I don’t sound vain when I say that the inspiration for Split Second was Pivot Point. Yep, I sounded vain. It was impossible not to even with my disclaimer. But by the time I sat down to write the sequel, I was invested in the characters. They were real people to me. I wanted to know where their stories went and I let them take me there. It seemed to be the natural conclusion to Addie and Trevor’s story.

Split Second also has another POV character—Laila. With Addie leaving the Compound to visit her father, I knew I wanted to mirror Pivot Point a bit by having the perspective of someone inside the Compound. I didn’t want to use the same plot device of Pivot Point by having another Search (plus, poor Addie had been through enough and didn’t need another heart wrenching decision at the end of the sequel). So that’s where Laila came in. It was fun to see the world through her eyes, plus it gave me the opportunity to introduce another love interest. Can there ever be too many cute boys to swoon over? I don’t think so.

I’m so happy to finally get to share this story with you all. I hope you enjoy it.  

GIVEAWAY

The author has been kind enough to offer a SIGNED paperback of the  first book in the series Pivot Point .

INTERNATIONAL.

Knowing the outcome doesn’t always make a choice easier . . .

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with—her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.

In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school—but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the Compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through . . . and who she can’t live without.

I really liked this book , you can check out my review here .

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Blog Tour: Dream Cast for My Sister's Reaper

Today I have the author Dorothy Dreyer talking about her dream cast for her book 

My Sister's Reaper

ABOUT THE BOOK

My Sister's Reaper

by Dorothy Dreyer 

Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.

When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper’s Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isn’t the same anymore—Zadie isn’t even sure she’s completely human, and to top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara’s soul no matter what. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister’s Reaper, or let Mara die … this time for good

Book Links: Goodreads - Barnes And Noble-Amazon

GUEST POST

I don’t know if it’s every author’s dream to have their book made into a movie, but it’s definitely on my bucket list. But whom to cast? Well, I have an idea.

Here is my dream cast for MY SISTER’S REAPER:

Kelli Berglund as Zadie

Douglas Booth as Gavin

Jeremy Sumpter as Chase

Aimee Teergarden as Mara (normal Mara and “zombie” Mara)

Sarah Hyland as Naomi

The harder pick would be an actress to play Lilura. But it would have to be someone awesome at being snarky. The rest would be makeup and costume anyway. ;)

ABOUT DOROTHY DREYER:Dorothy Dreyer has always believed in magic. She loves reading, writing, movies, and spending time with her family and friends. Half-American and half-Filipino, Dorothy lives in Germany with her husband and two children.

Author Links: Website - Facebook Page - Twitter - We Do Write Blog

GIVEAWAY

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Guest Post: The Serpent's Ring + GIVEAWAY

As part of The Serpent's Ring blog tour I'm posting an excerpt and a guest post!

Excerpt from The Serpent’s Ring

Claire squint her eyes and pursed her lips. After a minute, her face turned red, a rush of air released from her mouth, and she collapsed against the seat.

Evan laughed. “Seriously, you are as loony as the imp.”

“At least, I’m trying to do something here! What about you? Aren’t you going to try?” Claire bellowed.

“No,” said Evan flatly.

“Evan, an enormous flyingfish swooped down and stole the Serpent’s Ring from your arm. We are in a Model T with an imp, and the sky is tangerine with rainbow-colored clouds. Humor me, and try to move this blasted car with your mind!” said Claire, grabbing Evan’s shirt collar. “If you don’t, I will make your life miserable. Got it?”

Evan looked at Dunkle, then back at his sister before saying, “Fine, I’ll do it. But just for the record, this is bizarre.”

Dunkle gave him a little smile, and Evan brought in a breath of air. He imagined the tires turning, but nothing happened.

“See, I told you. This is ridiculous,” he sighed.

“No, try again,” encouraged Dunkle.

Evan rolled his eyes and then stared at the steering wheel. He concentrated and concentrated. Suddenly, the Model T swayed and lavender mist billowed from underneath the car.

“Whoa, what happened?” asked Evan, his eyes wide.

“You, my boy, are telekinetic,” said Dunkle with obvious delight.

“Come on, Evan, try it again,” Claire encouraged.

“You can do this. Just imagine the wheels turning,” instructed Dunkle.

Evan looked back and forth between Claire and Dunkle. After careful deliberation, he closed his eyes and imagined he was pushing the tires around and around. Suddenly, he felt the car rock and heard his sister gasp. He opened his eyes. Not only did the tires roll, the entire flippin’ car was floating!

“Argh!” Evan shouted, and with that, the car fell, producing a startling jolt.

“Ouch!” Claire yelped and swatted her brother. “Why did you drop us?”

“Am I the only one here who finds it the tiniest bit odd that we were flying in a Model T?” shouted Evan.

Claire placed her hand on his shoulder. “Evan, yes, it is strange. But if we don’t get over it, then according to Dunkle, everything we care about will soon be covered in water. I’m not any happier than you are, but I’m trying to deal with it and so should you.”

Evan took another second to collect himself before sitting upright and taking hold of the front seat. “I think this will work better if I’m behind the wheel,” he said, jumping over. He looked at Dunkle, who nodded.

“Ready?” Dunkle asked.

“As I’ll ever be,” said Evan, his bare white knuckles clutching the wheel.

Again, he filled his lungs with air and concentrated. To his surprise, the car lifted and hovered in place.

“Now, forward,” instructed Dunkle.

“Wicked,” said Evan, as air blew through his hair and whispered into his ears.

“Be very careful; you must continue to concentrate and don’t look down,” said Dunkle.

Evan hadn’t considered looking down. But now that Dunkle mentioned it, he just couldn’t resist. Evan peeked over the car door, and the Model T fell.

“Concentrate! Don’t lose your focus!” shouted Claire.

The car froze in place, and from that moment on, Evan resisted peeking over the side.

Guest Post

            Superheroes — who doesn’t love them? Not only does each one have a unique power, their costumes are pretty awesome as well. Most of them are strong, kind and always eager to help. Common folks look up to them and strive to reach a higher level of perfection. But what would happen if an average kid was given a superpower? How would he match up to the superheroes everyone adores and respects? What if he was flawed, just like the rest of mankind? What if he didn’t wear a cape or flashy clothes? And what if he was just asked to save the world?

           

Evan Jones and his sister, Claire, started their morning as normal teens, but that changed as soon as they found the Serpent’s Ring. Not only was it stolen from them, it altered their DNA. Evan soon learned, through the help of a bossy little imp named Dunkle, that he was telekinetic. Meaning, he was able to move objects with his mind. His first attempt at using his newfound power was when he was given orders, by Dunkle, to fly an old Model T.

           

Soon after landing the antique car near Lake Huron, Claire was instructed to use her new power of transfiguration. Dunkle explained how she could transform the shape of an object and change it into anything she wanted. Her first task was to melt sand and form it into a glass Viking ship. After all, how else would they sail to Asgard?

            

The Serpent’s Ring is the first in a series, Relics of Mysticus. Each book will bring Evan and Claire into a different realm of mythology, where they must search for and keep all of the relics safe. Each relic is powerful in its own right, and each relic can offer a new power when the siblings come in contact with it. What new powers will Evan and Claire gain on their magical adventures? 

             

If you could have one superpower, which would it be? What would your costume look like?

Photo Credits

Avengers

photo credit: JDHancock viaphotopin

cc

The Serpent's Ring (Relics of Mysticus, #1)

by H.B. Bolton 

BLURB:

Evan and Claire Jones are typical teenagers, forced to go with their parents to yet another boring museum ... that is, until something extraordinary happens to make their day a little more than interesting. After following a strange little creature into a closed exhibit, Evan and his older sister, Claire, discover the Serpent’s Ring, one of the magical relics formed from the shattered Mysticus Orb. Purely by accident, they have awakened its powers and opened a portal to Sagaas, land of ancient gods. 

Before the siblings can comprehend what has happened, the Serpent’s Ring is wrenched from Evan’s hand by an enormous bird and flown back to Aegir, the Norse god of the sea. Evan and Claire, accompanied by a band of unlikely heroes, must retrieve the Serpent’s Ring before Aegir uses its immense powers to flood all the lands on Earth.

ADD TO GOODREADS

GIVEAWAY!

OPEN INTERNATIONALLY!

paperback copy of The Serpent's Ring, a Rune Treasure box and a signed bookmark.

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Guest Post:Thoughts on Cupid + GIVEAWAY!

Today I have the awesome Jessie Harrell on the blog to talk about the god of love ,Cupid  

WHAT I THINK ABOUT CUPID

Let me just come right out and say it: if you're going to read and appreciate Destined, you need to go into it knowing that Eros (a/k/a Cupid) is HOT.  Free your mind from the notion that he's some naked baby or boy with wings.  This god is no Valentine's Day icon.  

Think more Alex Pettyfer or Ryan Gosling with angel wings, piercing blue eyes, and soft, blonde curls. Oh yeah, and muscles to spare.

(Aside: I must admit, I wasn't always a Ryan Gosling fan.  But I like him for the role of Eros ever since my author-friend, Magan Vernon, posted this on Goodreads: "Hey girl, it's hard being a God, why don't we just cuddle." Or this one's good too: "Hey girl, you know I'd fly through the heavens for you, don't you?"  Yeah - that's the swoonworthy attitude Eros has in my mind.)

So now that we're in the appropriate state of mind, let me tell you what I know about Eros.  (Much of this is based far more on my over-active imagination than actual mythology.  I don't promise that any of this is accurate beyond the world I've happily created in my stories.) Let's start with the basics: he's the god of Love and the son of Aphrodite.  Naturally, he's a bit cocky.  He's hot and he knows it.  He also has enormous power in those little arrows he totes around, being able to force love on anyone he wishes.  And all-too-often, he inflicts heartache (or worse) on his fellow gods.  This has gotten him into trouble more than once and he doesn't have many friends among the other gods.  

In the past, his antics have gotten him exiled from Greece and stripped of his powers.  It was during this fall from grace that Eros fell in love -- true love -- for the first time.  It was also then that a mortal shredded his heart.  (If you want to know the whole story, check out Before, which is a free short story.) 

AMAZON Link for Before

Eros came back from the experience acting like a college frat boy with a vendetta.  He pretty much hates mortal girls and he lets his temper and his lust drive his actions.  I don't expect you to like this Eros.  There's not much redeeming about him.  (Except the hair, eyes and muscles.  There's always that!)  But deep inside, is a playful spirit and a heart that aches to love again.  It just takes a lot to break through that tough exterior and find those qualities.

If you know your mythology, then you know Pysche is the mortal who finally cracks open his protective shell.  She brings out a side in Eros that is tender, protective, and selfless.  He takes her on moonlight flights to the ocean and dines with her under the stars.  He pulls out all the stops in his romantic bag of tricks to win Psyche's heart.  But even love can't make his temper entirely recede and there might not be a happily-ever-after for Eros after all.

If you want to know more about the Eros that I know, I invite you to pick up a copy of Destined.The story is told in alternating points of view between Psyche and Eros.  You see a lot more from her perspective, but you learn enough about Eros to fall in love with him right along with Psyche.  Move over Prince Charming - you've got nothing on the God of Love.

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON CUPID?


I was also curious about somethings ,So I asked a few questions...

Why did you choose to be an  indie/self publisher?

There are so many reasons that went into my decisions, but the primary factor was that Destined was ready and Greek mythology was hot last year in young adult.  I didn't want to miss the reading trend while waiting a year or two for a traditional publishing deal.  Plus, I had full creative control over my cover, which was awesome.  Indie has been a lot of work, but there are also a lot of rewards if you're in a position to be able to invest in yourself.

What's next for you ?

Hoping that my co-written novel, entitled Beneath the Surface, finds a home and comes to life soon.  It's a blend of Greek mythology and paranormal set in present day Michigan. Tag line: A timeless love. An endless curse. Which one will survive the summer?

Song you're listening to 

Payphone by Maroon 5

TV show you love 

There's only 1 TV show that I take the time to watch regularly -- True Blood.  The rest of the time, I'm usually glued to my computer

Jessie Harrell is the author of Destined.Here is the blurb and the gorgeous cover

Destined

by Jessie Harrell 

 When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Goodreads,MY REVIEW,Amazon

Find Jessie Harrell : Goodreads,Blog,Twitter,FB

GIVEAWAY

One person can win an ecopy of Destined.The author will send the ecopy via Amazon,B&N,Kobo,iTunes or Smashwords (WINNER's choice)

THIS GIVEAWAY is INTERNATIONAL!

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[Blog Tour:Spectral]...Thoughts on Love Triangles

Today I have the author of Spectral i.e.Shannon Duffy telling us her thoughts on .....

LOVE TRIANGLES 

Thoughts on love triangles:

I do think writing a love triangle can be tricky because I never wanted anyone to think that Jewel is fickle or whatever. But, in reality, love triangles happen—emotions get mixed up, hearts are unsure, and different circumstances come into play that can make you second guess everything. Add to that, being a teenager and it can be even harder. I remember my teen years very well, and well, romance can be so all consuming and emotional.

It was important for me to make it so that Jewel had a reason to doubt one of the guy’s true intentions, and therefore, second guess her heart and her ability to make the right choice. As a reader, we are in her head, so therefore we’re supposed to doubt one of the guys, too. So, I’m hoping that people can relate to her decisions and confusion. But, it’s not long before Jewel realizes where her heart truly belongs, and in the end she figures things out.

                                         

Thanks for inviting me to your blog today.

~Shannon

Spectral Summary

Convinced she’s a part of the witness protection program, sixteen-year-old Jewel Rose is shuffled around the globe with her family like a pack of traveling gypsies. After arriving at lucky home twenty-seven, she stumbles upon a mysterious boy with magical powers claiming to be her guardian . . . and warning of imminent danger. Despite the obvious sparks between them, Jewel discovers a relationship is forbidden, and the more she learns about dark, brooding Roman, she begins to question who she can even believe — the family who raised her, or the supposed sworn protector who claims they’ve been lying to her all along.

As she struggles to uncover who her family has really been running from, she is forced to hide her birthmark that reveals who she is. With new realities surfacing, unexplained powers appearing, and two tempting boys vying for her heart, Jewel battles to learn who she can trust in an ever growing sea of lies, hoping she’ll make it through her seventeenth birthday alive.

Spectral web site, GoodReads page,

Amazon,Nook,iBookstore,Google,Smashwords,PDF buy link

Shannon Duffy's Bio: Shannon Duffy writes young adult and middle grade fiction. She grew up on the beautiful east coast of Canada and now lives in Ontario, Canada. She is the mom of one boy, Gabriel, her angel. She loves writing, reading, working out, soccer, and the sport of champions-shopping. She is the author of the young adult paranormal romance, SPECTRAL. Her upcoming middle grade fantasy novel, GABRIEL STONE AND THE DIVINITY OF VALTA is scheduled for a January 2013 release. 
Shannon Duffy's Facebook,Shannon Duffy's Twitter,Shannon Duffy's Website,Shannon Duffy's Blog,GoodReads