Blog Tour Review with Giveaway: The Good Luck Girls by Charlotte Nicole Davis

Hardcover: 352 pages
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1250299705
ISBN-13: 978-1250299703

Praise for THE GOOD LUCK GIRLS

“Don't underestimate the girls in the Arkettan welcome houses because you might just lose your life. Davis' The Good Luck Girls is a dust-filled, bloody fairytale set in a menacing world haunted with the reminder―the price of freedom is high, but it's worth fighting for at all costs. Rise up, teen readers!” ―Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles

“This dystopian debut is deeply connected to today’s social issues, and readers will feel that impact.” ―Booklist

Book info:

Title:  The Good Luck Girls
Author:  Charlotte Nicole Davis
Genre:  YA Dystopian
Release Date:  October 1st, 2019
Publisher:  Tor Teen
Source:  ARC won from Bookish First which did not influence my opinion
My rating:  5 stars

Synopsis:
Westworld meets The Handmaid's Tale in this stunning fantasy adventure from debut author Charlotte Nicole Davis.

Aster, the protector
Violet, the favorite
Tansy, the medic
Mallow, the fighter
Clementine, the catalyst

THE GOOD LUCK GIRLS

The country of Arketta calls them Good Luck Girls--they know their luck is anything but. Sold to a "welcome house" as children and branded with cursed markings. Trapped in a life they would never have chosen.

When Clementine accidentally murders a man, the girls risk a dangerous escape and harrowing journey to find freedom, justice, and revenge in a country that wants them to have none of those things. Pursued by Arketta's most vicious and powerful forces, both human and inhuman, their only hope lies in a bedtime story passed from one Good Luck Girl to another, a story that only the youngest or most desperate would ever believe.

It's going to take more than luck for them all to survive.

You can purchase The Good Luck Girls at the following Retailers:

        

My Review:

This was a really great new dystopian story.  It totally had an Old West feel with "stagecoach" robberies and horseback getaways.  While there were definitely some parts that could be considered a bit standard for a dystopian story, I feel that those are things you kind of need to make the story work.  There were times I wondered if those who were tentative allies were actually allies or there for other possibly nefarious reasons, but that is what kept me intrigued and turning pages as fast as I could to see what would happen next, and how they would get past each obstacle that was thrown in their path. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was that it was in third person, and I feel like having it in first person might have worked better for some parts. However I feel that is my personal opinion, and not at all anything that reflects on how great the story is overall.  I can't wait to get a copy of this one for my school library for my students to read and enjoy!

About the Author:

Photo Credit: Brett Pruitt

Charlotte Nicole Davis is the author of The Good Luck Girls, a young adult fantasy novel releasing in Fall 2019 with Tor Teen. A graduate of The New School’s Writing for Children MFA program, Charlotte loves comic book movies and books with maps in the front. She currently lives in Brooklyn with a cat with a crooked tail.

       

WEEK ONE
SEPTEMBER 30th MONDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW
OCTOBER 1st TUESDAY Twirling Book Princess EXCERPT
OCTOBER 2nd WEDNESDAY A Court of Coffee and Books REVIEW
OCTOBER 2nd WEDNESDAY Kait Plus Books EXCERPT
OCTOBER 3rd THURSDAY Bibliobibuli YA INTERVIEW
OCTOBER 4th FRIDAY Novel Lives REVIEW
OCTOBER 4th FRIDAY Movies, Shows, & Books EXCERPT 

WEEK TWO
OCTOBER 7th MONDAY BookHounds YA REVIEW
OCTOBER 8th TUESDAY Lisa Loves Literature REVIEW
OCTOBER 8th TUESDAY Pages Below the Vaulted Sky REVIEW
OCTOBER 9th WEDNESDAY Casia's Corner REVIEW
OCTOBER 10th THURSDAY Lauren's Bookshelf REVIEW
OCTOBER 10th THURSDAY Starlight Reads REVIEW
OCTOBER 11th FRIDAY Nay's Pink Bookshelf REVIEW

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*


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Blog Tour Review with Giveaway: Never-Contented Things by Sarah Porter

Praise for NEVER-CONTENTED THINGS

“Sarah Porter is a genius. Her language is lush and dangerous, and her books burn with the beautiful, ferocious intensity of a bonfire in the darkest night. Read Never-Contented Things with the lights on. Then read it again.” ―Brittany Cavallaro, New York Times bestselling author of A Study in Charlotte

“Sarah Porter’s Never-Contented Things creates a creepy new world like none I’ve seen before. Eerie, edgy, and filled with mystery, Porter takes us to the depths of the magical and psychological.” ―Danielle Paige, New York Times bestselling author of Dorothy Must Die

Praise for WHEN I CAST YOUR SHADOW

“You’ll never think of your nightmares the same way again. Darkly seductive. Sarah Porter’s writing glitters and her storytelling stuns in this twisted tale of siblings, love, and death.” —Stephanie Garber, New York Times bestselling author of CARAVAL

“Sarah Porter’s darkly imaginative WHEN I CAST YOUR SHADOW intrigues from the start. Tragic and engrossing, filled with nightmarish dreamscapes and menacing villains, it also treads the tender terrain of family, and the strange and sometimes dysfunctional ties between siblings. Highly recommended!”  —Kendare Blake, New York Times bestselling author of THREE DARK CROWNS

Book info:

Title:  Never Contented Things
Author:  Sarah Porter
Genre:  YA fantasy
Release Date:  March 19th, 2019
Publisher: Tor Teen
Source:  Physical copy from publisher which did not influence my opinion
My rating: 4.5 stars  

Synopsis:
Seductive. Cruel. Bored.
Be wary of…

Prince and his fairy courtiers are staggeringly beautiful, unrelentingly cruel, and exhausted by the tedium of the centuries ― until they meet foster-siblings Josh and Ksenia. Drawn in by their vivid emotions, undying love for each other, and passion for life, Prince will stop at nothing to possess them.

First seduced and then entrapped by the fairies, Josh and Ksenia learn that the fairies' otherworldly gifts come at a terrible price ― and they must risk everything in order to reclaim their freedom.

You can purchase Never-Contented Things at the following Retailers:

        

My Review:

I'd been intrigued by this book when I saw it back in March, but didn't get the time to fit it into my reading schedule then. So when this blog tour popped up, I decided I really should make the time to read it now.  I picked this one up and sped through it.  It was really hard to put down.  The world the author created was so vivid and creepy, exactly as this kind of story should be.  But it wasn't all just atmosphere, the characters were so well developed and had so much depth.  I wanted so bad for all of them to be redeemed, to be saved, for the ending to be as happy as possible.  But the way it ended was perfect.  While most who deserved a second chance got it, not everyone got it in the way they wanted it or the way I as the reader wanted them to have it. And then there were the deaths that there was no way around, no way to save those characters.  Again, that was the way it should be.  Even though most everyone got their redemption, there were characters that you hated from the beginning, that really didn't redeem themselves even when they had the chance.  I like that as well.  Not all characters have to become better, because that just isn't realistic.  

This was just a beautiful world that I'm so glad I got the chance to experience.  Can't wait to put in my school library and recommend to my students as well as the people who come into the bookstore where I work.

Photo Content from Sarah Porter

SARAH PORTER is the author of the Lost Voices Trilogy (Lost Voices, Waking Storms, The Twice Lost) in addition to Vassa in the Night—all for the teen audience. For over ten years she has taught creative writing workshops in New York City public schools to students in grades K-10. Porter also works as a VJ, both solo and with the art collective Fort/Da; she has played venues including Roseland, Galapagos, Tonic, Joe’s Pub, The Hammerstein Ballroom, The Nokia Theater, and the Burning Man festival. She lives in Brooklyn with her husband and two cats.

        

WEEK ONE
JUNE 3rd MONDAY JeanBookNerd GUEST POST
JUNE 4th TUESDAY BookHounds YA REVIEW
JUNE 4th TUESDAY The Book Enigma REVIEW
JUNE 5th WEDNESDAY Insane About Books REVIEW
JUNE 5th WEDNESDAY Rose's Book Corner EXCERPT
JUNE 6th THURSDAY Sabrina's Paranormal Palace REVIEW
JUNE 6th THURSDAY Two Points of Interest REVIEW
JUNE 7th FRIDAY Movies, Shows. & Books EXCERPT
JUNE 7th FRIDAY Gwendalyn Books REVIEW

WEEK TWO
JUNE 10th MONDAY Wishful Endings INTERVIEW
JUNE 11th TUESDAY A Dream Within A Dream REVIEW 
JUNE 11th TUESDAY Bibliobibuli YA INTERVIEW
JUNE 12th WEDNESDAY Lisa Loves Literature REVIEW
JUNE 12th WEDNESDAY A Bookish Dream REVIEW
JUNE 13th THURSDAY Nay's Pink Bookshelf REVIEW
JUNE 13th THURSDAY TTC Books and More EXCERPT
JUNE 14th FRIDAY Casia's Corner REVIEW
JUNE 14th FRIDAY Crossroad Reviews REVIEW

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*


Giveaway:

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Cover Reveal with Giveaway: The Night Weaver (Shadow Grove #1) by Monique Snyman

Series: Shadow Grove (Book 1)
Paperback: 266 pages
Publisher: Vesuvian Books (October 15, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1645480062
ISBN-13: 978-1645480068

Praise for THE NIGHT WEAVER

"I have been searching high and low to get a writer that could intrigue me with writing as witty and crafty as Cassandra Clare, and lo and behold I found one. HOLY HELL what a read." ―Nadine Maritz, MY HEAD "IN A NUTSHELL"

“… a strong dark fantasy and fairy folklore … a very easy to read page-turner..” ―Ginger Nuts of Horror

BOOKS AND AWARDS

Bram Stoker Award Nominated
The Night Weaver (Shadow Grove – Book 1) (2018)
2019 Bram Stoker® Nominee
The Bone Carver (Shadow Grove – Book 2) (2019)
The Sin Eater (Shadow Grove – Book 3)
The Dream Keeper (Shadow Grove – Book 4)

SHADOW GROVE IS A PERFECTLY PLEASANT TOWN

Shadow Grove isn't a typical town. Bad things happen here. Children disappear, one after the other, and nobody is doing anything about it. Parents don't grieve, missing posters don't line the streets, and the sheriff seems unconcerned.

Seventeen-year-old Rachel Cleary lives on the outskirts of Shadow Grove, next to the creepy forest everyone pretends doesn't exist. Usually the forest is filled with an eerie calm, and unmistakeable graveyard solemnity. But the trees have started whispering, forgotten creatures are stirring and the night feels darker than ever.

Something is stalking the residents of Shadow Grove, changing them into brain-dead caricatures of themselves. It's up to Rachel to find a way to stop the devouring of her hometown before all is destroyed and everyone she loves is forever lost.

You can purchase The Night Weaver at the following Retailers:

 

Photo Content from Monique Snyman

Monique Snyman’s mind is a confusing bedlam of glitter and death, where candy-coated gore is found in abundance and homicidal unicorns thrive. Sorting out the mess in her head is particularly irksome before she’s ingested a specific amount of coffee, which is equal to half the recommended intake of water for humans per day. When she’s not playing referee to her imaginary friends or trying to overdose on caffeine, she’s doing something with words—be it writing, reading, or fixing all the words.

Monique Snyman lives in Pretoria, South Africa, with her husband and an adorable Chihuahua. She’s the author of MUTI NATION, a horror novel set in South Africa, and Bram Stoker Award® nominated novel, THE NIGHT WEAVER, which is the first installment in a dark fantasy series for young adults.

   *JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

Giveaway:

- 1 Winner will receive an Ultimate THE NIGHT WEAVER Tote Swag by Monique Snyman. 


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Blog Tour Author Interview with Giveaway: The Isle of Gold by Seven Jane

Series: Daughters Jones Trilogy
Paperback: 248 pages
Publisher: Black Spot Books;  (October 9, 2018)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0999742388
ISBN-13: 978-0999742389

Praise for THE ISLE OF GOLD

“Part fairytale, part fantasy, part romance, Jane’s debut is full of colorful characters [and] a plot that will thrill the heart of any lover of magic, legends, and epic adventure.” —Booklist

"Jane weaves a tale of myth and magic . . . This tempting novel will entrance." —Publishers Weekly

"A delightful, well researched and evocative historical fantasy that succeeds in bringing a fascinating era to life.” —Midwest Book Review

Mystery, Myth and Magic Meet in an Epic Adventure of Two Women Lost at Sea—
and the Secret that Binds Them Together

AN ORPHAN DISGUISED AS A PIRATE SETS SAIL FOR A MYSTICAL ISLAND IN HOPES OF UNRAVELING THE MYSTERIES OF HER PAST

The year is 1716—the Golden Age of Pirates. An orphan who sleeps in the dusty kitchens of a quayside brothel, Merrin Smith is desperate to unravel the secrets of her past and find the truth about the events that brought her to the Caribbean island of Isla Perla as a child. Disguised as a sailor, and with the help of her longtime friend Claudette, Merrin joins the crew of the pirate ship Riptide, helmed by the notorious Captain Erik Winters. Tenacious and rumored a madman, Winters is known as much for his ruthlessness as for his connection to the enigmatic and beautiful proprietress of the Goodnight Mermaid, Evangeline Dahl, who vanished from Isla Perla two summers before.

At sunset the Riptide sails for the mythical island of Bracile, a place hidden between air and sea and that exists only for a moment every two years, and which has never returned any man who has sailed for its shores. The journey will be perilous and long, and it will take Merrin far away from the only home she’s ever known. Because she can read, Merrin will serve as the Captain’s apprentice, deciphering old texts for clues to the island’s whereabouts as the ship sails through haunted, frozen waters and into the very heart of the ocean. As she struggles to navigate the rough, seafaring life aboard a pirate ship, Merrin must keep her identity hidden from the scrupulous gaze of not only Captain Winters, but also Mister Brandon Dunn, the ship’s surly, legend-spouting quartermaster, and Tom Birch, the charming boatswain Merrin can’t help but feel drawn to.

As the Riptide makes its way to Bracile, Merrin begins to suspect that the men she has worked so hard to deceive may in fact be more connected to her than she would have imagined, and that perhaps her own past might have more to do with the Dunn’s legends and myths than she ever could have guessed.

In The Isle of Gold [Black Spot Books, October 9, 2018] Merrin Smith must face perilous waters, cursed sea goddesses, and the embodiments of some of the ocean’s most terrifying legends as she not only struggles to survive her journey, but to find the answers to the mysteries of her past.

A story where history meets fantasy, The Isle of Gold is an epic, emotional adventure of two women—one desperate to save herself, and the other determined to be rescued—and the secret which binds them together.

    
Author Interview:

1.     What does your writing process look like? Do you know the whole story when you start?  Or do you just start writing and go with it (seat of the pants writing)?  If you plan it out, how do you do that?  Outline, notecards, post-it-notes, etc.?  

a.     Since I write primarily historical or mythology-driven fantasy, I tend to do a lot of research and I have a really hard time not wanting to include all the random facts I learn about something. This leads me to be a heavy plotter, but sometimes my characters take over and I find myself letting them lead the story. I use a lot of spreadsheets and have been known to hoard Post-It notes.

2.    Do you edit as you go, or wait till you're finished before you edit?  How many times would you say you go over it yourself before having another set of eyes look it over? 

a.     Editing is a daily process for me. I always begin a new writing session with an edit of the previous session. This helps me get into the story, and do a bit of continuous improvement after I’ve had a bit to sit away and come back with a fresh perspective. I always do a full round of edits when I’m done with a project, before turning it over to my trusted beta readers and, eventually, my agent or editor.

3.    Are you part of a writers group that gets together and helps each other with their writing?

a.     Not really a group—I am far too disorganized and antisocial for that. But I do have author friends that I am very close to, and since we’re a bunch of night owls we tend to seek each other out when we’re writing…mostly just so we don’t feel bad about procrastinating. I do stay involved with the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, where I am involved with the back end, and with author/blogger groups online.

4.    Is there a specific pirate or pirate story that inspired you?

a.     Well of course I love Treasure Island, but more modernly I am a huge fan of James L. Nelson’s Brethren Coast series. They’re incredible historical fiction, and James might even be a better researcher than me!

5.    What are your favorite:

a.     Favorite what? Since there was no category, I’ll tell you three favorite local foods from some of my favorite vacation haunts, in case you ever find yourself in any of these places. First, there’s a little coffee shop in Bar Harbor, Maine called The Independent, which sells a blueberry-infused coffee under the label Coffee By Design. Buy it in whole bean. In Calabash, North Carolina, there is a little ice cream shop called Calabash Creamery that hand-makes makes the most incredible ice cream I’ve ever tasted. Try the banana split. Lastly, there’s a gluten-free, vegan bakery in Seattle’s Fremont district, about a block from the statue of the troll under the bridge. Try the cinnamon rolls…and, literally, everything else they’ve got out.

 
                                             
“For as long as men have sailed the ocean, they have told stories about the sea,” says Jane. “It’s a place of mystery, myth, and magic—and this makes The Isle of Gold a perfect setting for an epic adventure that is not only a tale of historical fiction, but of the very evolution of a woman’s spirit as she seeks to find herself in a world of unpredictability and uncertainty.”

“There is an old saying that ‘the cure for anything is saltwater—tears, sweat, or the sea.’ In The Isle of Gold, Merrin’s journey requires all three.”

You can purchase The Isle of Gold at the following Retailers:

        

Photo Content from Seven Jane

Seven Jane is an author of dark fantasy and speculative fiction. Her debut novel, The Isle of Gold, was published by Black Spot Books in October 2018. 

Seven is a member of The Author's Guild and Women's Fiction Writing Association. She writes a weekly column for WFWA's Industry News​ newsletter, and is a regular contributor to The Nerd Daily.

She is represented by Gandolfo Helin and Fountain Literary Management and supported by Smith Publicity.

        

PART ONE

APRIL 8th MONDAY JeanBookNerd INTERVIEW

APRIL 9th TUESDAY Insane About Books REVIEW

APRIL 10th WEDNESDAY Adventures Thru Wonderland REVIEW

APRIL 11th THURSDAY Book Briefs GUEST POST

APRIL 11th THURSDAY Stephanie's Life of Determination REVIEW

APRIL 12th FRIDAY Wishful Endings REVIEW and FILL IN THE BLANKS

PART TWO

APRIL 13th SATURDAY BookHounds INTERVIEW 

APRIL 13th SATURDAY Port Jericho REVIEW 

APRIL 13th SATURDAY A Bronx Latina Reads REVIEW

APRIL 14th SUNDAY A Dream Within A Dream TENS LIST

APRIL 14th SUNDAY Lisa Loves Literature INTERVIEW

APRIL 14th SUNDAY Crossroad Reviews REVIEW

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

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Nerd Blast with Giveaway: The Cold is in Her Bones by Peternelle van Arsdale

Age Range: 12 and up
Grade Level: 7 - 9
Hardcover: 288 pages
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books (January 22, 2019)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1481488449
ISBN-13: 978-1481488440

Praise for THE COLD IS IN HER BONES

"A dark and enchanting tale about friendship, pain, revenge, and the power of love, The Cold Is in Her Bones is the perfect read for Greek mythology fans and YA readers alike." ―Bustle

“Fiercely written and beautifully feminist, The Cold is in Her Bones reminds us of the power of loyalty and love in the face of ignorance and fear. I loved this tale of dangerous girls with wild hair and tangled hearts.” ―Lisa Maxwell, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Magician

“A fresh, eerily compelling tale of betrayal, revenge, and the ties that bind. When van Arsdale paints a world, you can feel the fog against your skin.” ―Elly Blake, New York Times bestselling author of The Frostblood Saga

One girl must uncover secrets of the past to save her friend from a terrible curse in this dark and mesmerizing story of love, revenge, and redemption inspired by the myth of Medusa.

Milla knows two things to be true: Demons are real, and fear will keep her safe.

Milla’s whole world is her family’s farm. She is never allowed to travel to the village and her only friend is her beloved older brother, Niklas. When a bright-eyed girl named Iris comes to stay, Milla hopes her loneliness might finally be coming to an end. But Iris has a secret she’s forbidden to share: The village is cursed by a demon who possesses girls at random, and the townspeople live in terror of who it will come for next.

Now, it seems, the demon has come for Iris. When Iris is captured and imprisoned with other possessed girls, Milla leaves home to rescue her and break the curse forever. Her only company on the journey is a terrible new secret of her own: Milla is changing, too, and may soon be a demon herself.

Suspenseful and vividly imagined, The Cold Is in Her Bones is a novel about the dark, reverberating power of pain, the yearning to be seen and understood, and the fragile optimism of love.

You can purchase The Cold Is in Her Bone at the following Retailers:

        

Photo Content from Elena Seibert

Peternelle van Arsdale grew up in Newark, New Jersey, where she attended public school through the eighth grade. After that she attended three high schools in three different towns in four years, was deeply unpopular, and counted the seconds until graduation. She majored in English literature at Bryn Mawr College, and then landed in book publishing, thinking it was a good way to be paid to do what she liked to do anyway (she was only partly wrong). She worked her way up from editorial assistant to executive editor of adult fiction and nonfiction, and eventually struck out on her own as an independent editor.

Her first young adult novel, The Beast Is an Animal, is being developed by Amazon Studios for a feature film produced by Ridley Scott’s Scott Free and directed by Bert and Bertie. Her essays have been published by LitHub, Hypable.com, and Culturefly, and her short fiction has been published by The Whitefish Review.

Her second novel, The Cold is in Her Bones , will be published in January 2019. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, where she continues to edit and is at work on her third novel.

Giveaway:

        

*JBN is not responsible for Lost or Damaged Books in your Nerdy Mail Box*

Exclusive Framed Water color by Peternelle van Arsdale.

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