Night Study Guest Post Valek's POV + Giveaway!

About the Author

Maria V. Snyder changed from being a meteorologist to a novelist in 1995, when she began writing to keep her sanity while raising two children. Since then, she has published numerous freelance articles in magazines and newspapers, and teaches fiction-writing classes at the local college and area libraries. The classes give her the wonderful opportunity to encourage fellow writers, and to keep improving her craft.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Maria always had a fascination with big storms. Dreaming of chasing tornados, Maria earned a bachelors of science degree in meteorology at Penn State University. But she discovered, much to her chagrin, that forecasting the weather wasn't one of her skills. In order to chase tornados you had to predict where they might form. Creating fantasy worlds where she has complete control of the weather was more agreeable to her.

Maria's research on food-tasting methods with an expert chocolate taster, her husband, turned out to be a delicious bonus while writing Poison Study.

Maria has a brown belt in Isshinryu Karate, and enjoys playing volleyball and the cello. Traveling in general and via cruise ship in particular are her biggest distractions from writing. Maria has traveled to Belize, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal.

Maria lives with her husband, son, daughter and yellow lab, Hazelnut, in Pennsylvania where she is at work on more LUNA novels. She is also pursuing a master's degree in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University.


☆ How to find Maria ☆
Website ☆ Blog ☆ Facebook ☆ Goodreads

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

About the Book

Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana's life has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia is safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he's quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he's been keeping secrets from Valek…secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander's mysterious plans, they realize it's far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.

☆ Where to find Night Study ☆
Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes & Noble ☆ iBooks



☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Valek and Janco spent the rest of the day hunting for the familiar sticky feel of magic in the foothills. They returned late and left early the next morning to resume the search. Another two full days passed before Janco stopped Beach Bunny.

He pressed his hand to his right ear. “Son of a snow cat!”

“You’re not thinking again, are you?” Valek drew next to Janco, halting Onyx.

“Not funny. It’s gotta be a superstrong illusion.”

Valek dismounted. “Which direction?”

Janco pointed to the right. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The bare branches of the trees dipped and swayed in a cold northern breeze that smelled of snow, despite it being a couple weeks into the warming season. High, thin clouds filtered the sunlight.

Valek pulled his sword. Janco slid off Beach Bunny and yanked his weapon from its sheath. The rattle and tumble of dried leaves filled the air. This patch of forest grew in a dip in the rolling terrain near the base of the Soul Mountains. To the east, the jagged snowcapped peaks stretched high, like a row of gigantic corn plants reaching for the sun.

The mountain range earned its name from old legends. Folk lore claimed the peaks snagged souls as they ascended toward the sky. These trapped souls haunted the frozen heights and sucked the life from anyone who dared climb past the tree line. Valek believed it to be just a story to explain why no one who tried to reach the summit ever returned. The lack of breathable air was the more likely explanation. Although some also asserted that mysterious people who supposedly lived on the other side of the mountains patrolled the upper regions to prevent anyone from crossing into their homeland, keeping their existence a secret.

Pure nonsense. Valek returned his attention to the task at hand. He hadn’t expected Owen’s tunnel to be this high in the foothills, but the isolated location was ideal.

Janco aimed for an ordinary group of trees and hissed in pain as he disappeared from sight. Increasing his pace, Valek hurried after him and encountered magic. The invisible force pressed against his skin. Pushing through felt like swimming in mud. He found Janco rubbing his temple on the other side. Valek scanned the area for possible threats. Nothing so far.

A mass of oversize boulders was piled next to a hill. At first glance, it resembled a natural rock slide from the mountains, but upon closer inspection the heap was too neatly stacked. It must be blocking the tunnel.

“Looks like someone beat us to it,” Valek said.

“No.” Janco’s voice strained with effort. “Move closer.”

He did. The air thickened. Another illusion. “Clever.” It would stop the smugglers from using it, but it kept the tunnel open in case Owen needed it again in the future.

“Could be a trap.”

“Indeed.” Valek tightened his grip on his sword and drew a knife with his free hand. “I’m just going to confirm there’s a tunnel behind it.”

Janco straightened. “Then I’ll come confirming with you, just in case.”






This is a publisher hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY


a Rafflecopter giveaway
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆ The Tour ☆

Week One:
1/18/2016- Dark Faerie Tales- Interview
1/19/2016- The Bibliophile Chronicles- Review
1/20/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
1/21/2016- The Moonlight Library- Review
1/22/2016- Read Now Sleep Later- Interview

Week Two:
1/25/2016- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review
1/26/2016- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Excerpt
1/27/2016- a GREAT read- Review
1/28/2016- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview
1/29/2016- Mundie Moms- Review

Passenger Blog Tour! Interview + Giveaway!

About the Author

Alexandra Bracken was born and raised in Arizona, but moved east to study at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. She now writes full time and can be found hard at work on her next novel in a charming apartment overflowing with books. You can visit her online at www.alexandrabracken.com or on Twitter (@alexbracken).



☆ How to find Alexandra ☆
Website ☆ Twitter ☆ Facebook ☆ Goodreads ☆ Instagram

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

About the Book

passage, n.
i. A brief section of music composed of a series of notes and flourishes.
ii. A journey by water; a voyage.
iii. The transition from one place to another, across space and time.


In one devastating night, violin prodigy Etta Spencer loses everything she knows and loves. Thrust into an unfamiliar world by a stranger with a dangerous agenda, Etta is certain of only one thing: she has traveled not just miles but years from home. And she’s inherited a legacy she knows nothing about from a family whose existence she’s never heard of. Until now.

Nicholas Carter is content with his life at sea, free from the Ironwoods—a powerful family in the colonies—and the servitude he’s known at their hands. But with the arrival of an unusual passenger on his ship comes the insistent pull of the past that he can’t escape and the family that won’t let him go so easily. Now the Ironwoods are searching for a stolen object of untold value, one they believe only Etta, Nicholas’ passenger, can find. In order to protect her, he must ensure she brings it back to them— whether she wants to or not.

Together, Etta and Nicholas embark on a perilous journey across centuries and continents, piecing together clues left behind by the traveler who will do anything to keep the object out of the Ironwoods’ grasp. But as they get closer to the truth of their search, and the deadly game the Ironwoods are play¬ing, treacherous forces threaten to sep¬arate Etta not only from Nicholas but from her path home . . . forever.

☆ Where to find Passenger ☆
Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes & Noble ☆ iBooks

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Mindy: Hi Alexandra! First I want to say welcome to Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! I am looking forward to PASSENGER and I know my readers are as well and am so happy that you could stop by for a visit!

Alexandra : Thank you so much for having me!! I’m excited to hear what you guys think when you have it in your hands!

Mindy: For the readers: can you tell us a little bit about PASSENGER and the characters?

Alexandra : Of course! I pitched Passenger as being like Outlander meets National Treasure to my editor, and I think that description still works pretty well! It’s the story of Etta, a modern New York City teen, who finds that she’s the latest in a long line of time travelers—unfortunately, she discovers this during a violin performance, and only because she’s basically being kidnapped and brought into the past by the head of another family of travelers. He needs her to find an object that he claims was stolen from him, and if she refuses… well, she loses her path home forever. She’s joined on the adventure by Nicholas, another reluctant traveler currently working as a privateer in the 18th century.

Mindy: Will we get to see the cover for WAYFARER soon?

Alexandra : I wouldn’t say soon, unfortunately! We’re still working on it and trying to land on the right option. Passenger is a hard cover to live up to! ;)

Mindy: Were any of the characters in the book inspired by people from your real life?

Alexandra : Sort of—Etta was really inspired by the teens (and some now-adults) I met while I lived in New York City who had grown up there. Most of them are incredibly self-sufficient, cultured, and driven, almost like the city sharpened them. Etta inherited a lot of those traits, which helps her survive this whole ordeal and bounce back when she takes hit after hit.

Mindy: Who was your favorite character to write? What about your least favorite?

Alexandra : I really, really loved writing from both Nicholas and Etta’s point of views; they’re different in so many ways, and had such different upbringings, but they’re so well-matched in the ways that really matter. I love Etta’s spunk and Nicholas’s dry humor.

Both Sophia and Cyrus were really difficult to write, and for two very different reasons. Sophia, a traveler Etta’s age who’s grown up in this world, is an absolute pill for the most part, but I find her anger and frustration really understandable. She’s a young woman who wants more and opportunity, but for all of the advantages and opportunities innate in time travel, they’re very old-fashioned and priggish about gender roles. And, well, Cyrus is just plain E-V-I-L.

Mindy: What is your favorite passage/scene in PASSENGER?

Alexandra : I really love the scene with the snake, mostly for Etta’s reaction and Nicholas’s realization in that moment that she’s it, and all of the quiet despair and happiness that came bundled with that.

Mindy: What kind of research did you have to do for the story?

Alexandra : Hah! The better question is, what didn’t I research? I had to learn a lot about the violin and violinists and a tiny bit on musical theory, I revisited a lot of the primary documents I worked with when I studied early American history in college, struggled (in vain!) to find some sort schematic of a non-military tall ship vessel, seafaring, World War II, dress styles from head to toe, typical food dishes… I LOVE this kind of stuff, though, so it was an absolute joy. The fact that they’re time travelers gave me a little wiggle room on this, but I also consulted quite a bit with the Oxford English Dictionary to make sure that Nicholas wasn’t using words that were standard in the 18th century, to double-check that the meaning of a word hadn’t changed, and that he would be able to glean what Etta meant if she used a modern phrase.

Mindy: What are you reading right now? Or what do you have on your TBR that you’re dying to read?

Alexandra : I’m reading Winter by Marissa Meyer veeeeery slowly, both because I don’t want it to end, and because I don’t actually have that much time to read right now. I’m getting close to the end of drafting Wayfarer, Passenger’s sequel, and trying to use every spare moment for it.

Mindy: Who is your ultimate Book Boyfriend?

Alexandra : Ron King-of-My-Heart Weasley. Always!

Mindy: What inspired you to write YA?

Alexandra : The funny thing is, I only ever wanted to write children’s books, pretty much from the moment I knew I wanted to be a writer. (This was in third grade after I wrote a short story about the planets in the solar system.) I had so much fun reading the books I grew up that I thought it must be just as fun to write them. And, mostly, it is.

I think I ended up gravitating toward YA because of when I started trying to write to one day hopefully be published. I was a freshman in college and I had so many thoughts and ideas and feelings about those teen years I had to get them out.

Lightening Round Questions

Mindy: Twitter or Facebook?

Alexandra : Twitter

Mindy: Favorite Superhero?

Alexandra : Sailor Moon (she’s still my hero)

Mindy: Favorite TV show?

Alexandra : Right now? It’s The Knick.

Mindy: Sweet or Salty?

Alexandra : Salty… like me (just kidding!)

Mindy: Any Phobias?

Alexandra : Spiders and the ocean

Mindy: Song you can’t get enough of right now?

Alexandra : Shine a Light by BANNERS

Mindy: Upcoming Movie you’re most looking forward to?

Alexandra : It was The Force Awakens… so now I guess it’s Rogue One? Sign me up for endless Star Wars movies forever and always!

Mindy: Thanks so much Alexandra for answering my questions!



☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆


This is a tour hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
3 winners will receive a finished copy of PASSENGER. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆ The Tour ☆

Week One:
12/28/2015- Novel Novice- Review
12/29/2015- Fiktshun- Interview
12/30/2015- Mundie Moms- Review
12/31/2015- Me My Shelf And I- Guest Post
1/1/2016- Page Turners Blog- Review


Week Two:
1/4/2016- Dark Faerie Tales- Interview
1/5/2016- Fangirlish- Guest Post
1/6/2016- Supernatural Snark- Review
1/7/2016- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Interview
1/8/2016- The Book Cellar- Review

Endure Blog Tour! Guest Post + Giveaway!

About the Author

Sara B. Larson is the author of the acclaimed YA fantasy DEFY, and the sequels IGNITE and ENDURE. She can’t remember a time when she didn’t write books—although she now uses a computer instead of a Little Mermaid notebook. Sara lives in Utah with her husband and their three children. She writes in brief snippets throughout the day (while mourning the demise of naptime) and the quiet hours when most people are sleeping. Her husband claims she should have a degree in “the art of multitasking.” When she’s not mothering or writing, you can often find her at the gym repenting for her sugar addiction.


☆ How to find Sara ☆
Website ☆ Twitter ☆ Facebook ☆ Goodreads ☆ Pinterest

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

About the Book

The remarkable third novel in Sara B. Larson's bestselling Defy series!

At last, Alexa and King Damian are engaged to be married. But their lives are far from safe. The kingdom of Antion is under siege, and Rylan is a prisoner of the enemy. Even worse, Alexa remains at the mercy of the evil Dansiian Rafe, who controls her mind and can force Alexa to kill or harm Damian at any moment. Despite this, Alexa is determined to rescue Rylan, which soon leads her far from Damian and deep into enemy territory.

When she arrives, what awaits her is deadlier than anything she could have ever imagined: an army of black sorcerers, and a horrifying plot to destroy the world as Alexa knows it. Will she be able to gather the strength to free herself, protect the love of her life, and save the land? Will there ever be true peace?

Acclaimed author Sara B. Larson has woven a stunning, romantic, and evocative finale to the Defy trilogy, that is sure to leave readers breathless until the very last page.

☆ Where to find Endure ☆
Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes & Noble ☆ iBooks



☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆


With your series being fantasy was there any research involved in writing it? Highs and lows throughout writing the Defy Series.

I have had such an amazing experience writing this series. I’ve learned and grown so much as an author—and as a person. These characters have been tested and tried, pushed to the breaking point and I have had to go there with them. To hurt with them, to fight with them, to try and hold on to hope alongside of them. And in the end, I wept with them as lives were lost and celebrated when they triumphed. Sometimes it was a struggle to convey on the page what I was feeling and seeing in my mind, but I worked and worked on those scenes until they rang true to what I wanted them to be…and I hope my readers will feel that as Alexa’s story comes to an end. This story came from a place of deep personal grief and loss, but it morphed into a story of seeking hope in the face of seemingly insurmountable darkness and of finding courage to do what you know you must, even if the outcome is terribly uncertain. It also became a story of what true beauty is and of the many different kinds of love and how they can shape and drive you in all aspects of your life, for bad or good.

In short, there were lots of ups and downs writing the DEFY series, but I feel incredibly privileged and blessed to have gone on this journey with Alexa, Damian, Rylan, and everyone else. I hope my readers will feel the same way.






This is a publisher hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY


a Rafflecopter giveaway
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆ The Tour ☆

Week One:
12/28/2015- Fiction Fare- Review
12/29/2015- Dark Faerie Tales- Interview
12/30/2015- A Backwards Story- Review
12/31/2015- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Guest Post
1/1/2016- The Book Cellar- Review


Week Two:
1/4/2016- Supernatural Snark- Interview
1/5/2016- Novel Novice - Guest Post
1/6/2016- Page Turners Blog- Review
1/7/2016- Two Chicks on Books- Interview
1/8/2016- Mundie Moms- Review

Nameless Blog Tour + Giveaway!

About the Author

With her degree in History and Secondary Education, Jennifer had every intention of teaching teens to love George Washington and appreciate the finer points of ancient battle stratagem. (Seriously, she’s obsessed with ancient warfare.) However, life had different plans in store when the writing began. As a proud member of Writers Cubed, and a co-founder of the Teen Author Boot Camp, she feels blessed to be able to fulfill both her ambition to work with teens as well as write Young Adult fiction.

Jennifer has three children who are experts at naming her characters, one loving, supportive husband, a dog with little-man syndrome, and three chickens (of whom she is secretly afraid).


☆ How to find Jennifer ☆
Website ☆ Twitter ☆ Facebook ☆ Goodreads ☆ Pinterest ☆ Instagram

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

About The Book

Four clans have been at war for centuries: the Kodiak, the Raven, the Wolf and the Ram. Through brutal war tactics, the Ram have dominated the region, inflicting death and destruction on their neighbors.

Seventeen-year-old Zo is a Wolf and a Healer who volunteers to infiltrate the Ram as a spy on behalf of the allied clans. She offers herself as a Ram slave, joining the people who are called the “nameless.” Hers is a suicide mission – Zo’s despair after losing her parents in a Ram raid has left her seeking both revenge and an end to her own misery. But after her younger sister follows her into Rams Gate, Zo must find a way to survive her dangerous mission and keep her sister safe.

What she doesn’t expect to find is the friendship of a young Ram whose life she saves, the confusing feelings she develops for a Ram soldier, and an underground nameless insurrection. Zo learns that revenge, loyalty and love are more complicated than she ever imagined in the first installment of this two-book series.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Hi Jennifer! Thank you for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads. I’m about half-way through NAMELESS, and I am loving it so far!

Can you tell us a little about each of the clans in the world of NAMELESS?

The four clans in the book were inspired by four of my favorite cultures/civilizations throughout history. The Ram Clan (which is featured more than any other in Book 1) was inspired by Ancient Sparta. The Kodiak by the Maori people, the Raven by the Navajo, and the Wolf Clan by the Vikings and Norse legend. As a lover of all things historical, I’d always wondered what it would be like to pluck different cultures from history and put them into the same world. Thus, NAMELESS was born.

The central characters in your story are very well developed. When you picture your characters in your mind’s eye, how do you describe each of their character traits?

Thank you! Creating realistic characters with motivation and internal (as well as external) conflict is very important to me, so I appreciate the compliment.

When I picture Zo, I see a girl who is fundamentally kind and compassionate, but past experiences have created a sort of hard leather shell around her heart. She’s slow to trust and defends those within her small circle of loved ones with fierce intensity… mostly because she can’t stand the thought of losing someone again.

Gryphon has also experienced loss, but in a very different way. When his father deserted the clan shortly after his birth, he left Gryphon a crummy inheritance: family dishonor, a broken mother, and a massive chip on his shoulder. Instead of letting this lead to his ruin, he used his anger to fuel his training and success within the clan.

In the creation of your story, what was the first to develop?

As mentioned before, I’d always wanted to write this type of story, however, the plot didn’t unfold in my mind until Zo’s character took shape.

A few years ago, a teenage girl very dear to me moved into our home. She’d just graduated from high school and had battled with severe anxiety and depression for years. Her life had taken a dark turn and we hoped we might provide a good change in scenery as she prepared to attend college. Watching her struggle with anxiety and depression changed me to the core. At times, when things were really bad, I feared that no matter how hard I tried to help her, defeating her inner-demons was impossible.

I created Zo not because my cool book concept needed a heroine so much as because I personally needed to put a character into the worst circumstances imaginable and see her not just survive, but fight back. I’m happy to report this girl is doing phenomenal things in her life right now. It really is a fundamental truth that out of great trials come tremendous blessings.

Here is a quick Q&A to get to know you!

Facebook or Twitter? I’m on the fence on this one. (Cop out! I know) If I say Facebook, does that make me old???

Most visited online website? Email, Amazon, and Pandora

Kindle or Nook? Kindle

Favorite food? Salmon

Morning or night? Night!

Strange quirks? I have this thing about people eating cereal. Even if they’re chewing with their mouths closed, I can’t be in the room with them because every slurp and sound involved shivers my spine.

Guilty pleasure? Old Fashion, Chocolate Glazed donuts with milk. *Sighs*

Preferred weapon? Bow and arrow

What do you like to do in your spare time other than writing? Read (obvious and boring, I know. But it’s my favorite!) I also enjoy anything random and adventurous include skiing (water and snow), mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, etc…

Top fave movies? Count of Monte Cristo, the latest Les Miserables, Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (old-school, Kevin Costner style),

Top authors that inspire you? Patrick Rothfuss (the guy is sick-talented), Libba Bray, Shannon Hale, Maggie Steifvator (Raven Boys blew my mind), and of course, J.K. Rolling

Mindy: Top 5 fave books? WOW! There is no way of answering that question! But I’ll try…

In no particular order: Under the Never Sky, The Books of Bayern series, A Great and Terrible Beauty, Raven Boys, and really anything by Sarah M. Eden.

Favorite TV show when you were a kid? Full House and old Nick at Night reruns (Anyone remember F-Troop?)

Thanks again for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! Maybe when your next book comes out we can have you again!

I’d love that! Thank you so much for having me!




☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆


NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Poison Study 10 Year Anniversary Scavenger Hunt + Giveaway!

About the Author

Maria V. Snyder changed from being a meteorologist to a novelist in 1995, when she began writing to keep her sanity while raising two children. Since then, she has published numerous freelance articles in magazines and newspapers, and teaches fiction-writing classes at the local college and area libraries. The classes give her the wonderful opportunity to encourage fellow writers, and to keep improving her craft.

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Maria always had a fascination with big storms. Dreaming of chasing tornados, Maria earned a bachelors of science degree in meteorology at Penn State University. But she discovered, much to her chagrin, that forecasting the weather wasn't one of her skills. In order to chase tornados you had to predict where they might form. Creating fantasy worlds where she has complete control of the weather was more agreeable to her.

Maria's research on food-tasting methods with an expert chocolate taster, her husband, turned out to be a delicious bonus while writing Poison Study.

Maria has a brown belt in Isshinryu Karate, and enjoys playing volleyball and the cello. Traveling in general and via cruise ship in particular are her biggest distractions from writing. Maria has traveled to Belize, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Europe, Mexico, the Caribbean and through the Panama Canal.

Maria lives with her husband, son, daughter and yellow lab, Hazelnut, in Pennsylvania where she is at work on more LUNA novels. She is also pursuing a master's degree in writing popular fiction from Seton Hill University.

☆ How to find Maria ☆
Website ☆ Blog ☆ Facebook ☆ Goodreads

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

About The Book

Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison...

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...

Other Covers



☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆



Scavenger Hunt

The mystery word for the Scavenger Hunt in the chapter below is bolded and colored RED. Simply find the word and then put that word in the rafflecopter as a giveaway entry. Make sure you check out the tour schedule below to check out the chapter samplers and enter into the giveaway! Enjoy!


Chapter 1

Locked in darkness that surrounded me like a coffin, there was nothing to distract me from my memories. Vivid recollections that waited to ambush me whenever my mind wandered.

Lying in the darkness I remembered white-hot flames stabbing at my face. Though my hands had been tied to a post that dug sharply into my back, I had recoiled from the onslaught. The fire had pulled away just before blistering my skin, but my eyebrows and eyelashes had long since been singed off.

“Put the flames out!” a man’s rough voice had ordered. I blew at the blaze through cracked lips. Dried by fire and fear, the moisture in my mouth had gone and my teeth radiated heat as if they had been baked in an oven.

“Idiot,” he cursed. “Not with your mouth. Use your mind. Put the flames out with your mind.”

Closing my eyes, I attempted to focus my thoughts on making the inferno disappear. I was willing to do anything, no matter how irrational, to persuade the man to stop.

“Try harder.” Once again the heat swung near my face, the bright light blinding me in spite of my closed eyelids.

“Set her hair on fire,” a different voice instructed. He sounded younger and more eager than the other man. “That should encourage her. Here, Father, let me.”

My body jerked with intense fear as I recognized the voice. Twisting to loosen the bonds that held me, my thoughts scattered into a mindless buzzing. A droning noise had echoed from my throat and grew louder until it had pervaded the room and quenched the flames.

The loud metallic clank of the lock startled me from my nightmarish memory. A wedge of pale yellow light sliced the darkness, then traveled along the stone wall as the heavy cell door opened. Caught in the lantern’s glow, the brightness seared my eyes. I squeezed my eyes shut as I cowered in the corner.

“Move it, rat, or we’ll get the whip!” Two dungeon guards attached a chain to the metal collar on my neck, and hauled me to my feet. I stumbled forward, pain blazing around my throat. As I stood on trembling legs, the guards efficiently chained my hands behind me and manacled my feet.

I averted my eyes from the flickering light as they led me down the main corridor of the dungeon. Thick rancid air puffed in my face. My bare feet shuffled through puddles of unidentifiable muck.

Ignoring the calls and moans of the other prisoners, the guards never missed a step, but my heart lurched with every word.

“Ho, ho, ho...Someone’s gonna swing.”

“Snap! Crack! Then your last meal slides down your legs!”

“One less rat to feed.”

“Take me! Take me! I wanna die too!”






This is a publisher hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
10 winners to match 10 years!
Grand Prize is a signed hardcover first edition of Poison Study and Magic Study (both books).
First Place a signed hardcover first edition of Poison Study
5 winners will get a signed cover flat of the original cover of Poison Study
3 winners will get a signed original bookmark for Poison Study

a Rafflecopter giveaway
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆ The Tour ☆

Week One:
9/28/2015- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Scavenger Hunt
9/29/2015- a GREAT read- Scavenger Hunt
9/30/2015- Seeing Double In Neverland- Scavenger Hunt
10/1/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
10/2/2015- Alice Marvels- Scavenger Hunt


Week Two:
10/5/2015- Fiktshun- Scavenger Hunt
10/6/2015- Read Now Sleep Later- Scavenger Hunt
10/7/2015- Mundie Moms- Guest Post
10/8/2015- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Scavenger Hunt
10/9/2015- Parajunkee- Scavenger Hunt

Nefarious 9 Introduces ☆ Psiren ☆ Plus Giveaways!

Penguin Teen has come up with an excitingly fun way to celebrate the paperback release of New York Times bestselling series THE YOUNG ELITES, and the upcoming release of THE ROSE SOCIETY by Marie Lu! As said before in the announcement of my awesome villain crew, we have each been releasing a villain we have created to celebrate. And today I'm proud to introduce you to the mysterious Psiren!

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

☆ Now Reporting ☆


Psiren
Prefers to be called “Ren”

Legal age 19
Actual age is 17

$67M Net Worth

Ability:
Mental Manipulation

Psiren Joining Nefarious Nine
Ren (Psiren) had previously worked with each of the other Nefarious Nine (the villainous squad officially formed after the death of Ren’s mother) in many different illicit activities. Not only are Ren's abilities and connections valuable to the NN9 crew; it is suspected that Ren uses her wealth to invest in the squad's notorious efforts.

Psiren's Abilities
Ren (Psiren) is the older of two daughters by the recently deceased and politically infamous Psibyll. Each female born in Ren’s blood-line has had some form of the ability to control other minds. Psibyll's (Ren's mother's) gift was the power to influence dreams, but her ability also included the aptitude to influence day-dreaming.

Ren’s gift is even more powerful; she has the gift to heavily influence the thoughts and actions of others. Although she doesn’t initially have the capability to control someone completely, she can use seduction to fully succeed in her controlling influences.

Ren learned her skills of manipulating others at a very young age when her mother started training Ren on how to seduce the boys, and even many girls, into doing things for her. Many times Ren could accomplish manipulation without even using her mental manipulation. And then, a year ago, Psibyll acquired a fake identity for Ren so Ren could go under the knife and have breast augmentation surgery as a minor.

Rumor has it that Psibyll was losing favors in politics, so she started grooming Ren to get into the political field. Ren’s first “political” assignment was to seduce Jason West, the Secretary of State’s most recent political advisor, and it was shortly after this assignment that Psibyll was found dead in a Bethesda hotel.

The family fortune worth more than $130M is now split between Psibyll’s two daughters, Ren and Psienna. Due to Psibyll's many scandalous affairs, the fathers for both Ren or Psienna are unknown.

Psiren's Mother's Death
Many suspect Ren (Psiren) to be the mastermind in Psibyll’s demise, but there is no substantial proof. Psibyll was last seen alive with Jason West, and sources close to Jason West have confirmed his obsessive affection toward Ren. Jason West is the primary suspect in Psibyll’s mysterious death, but he is now missing and listed as one of America’s Top Ten Most Wanted.

Psiren's Sister
Ren (Psiren) is now the legal guardian of her 9 year old sister, Psienna. Ren is extremely protective of her little sister and we have yet to obtain information on Psienna’s abilities. She is just really well known as a sweet and likable little girl.

We also have obtained proof that Psibyll (Ren's mother) had been pregnant 7 other times and all 7 pregnancies resulted in an abortion once Psibyll learned they were male.

Psiren's Late Best Friend
We interviewed Ren’s previous best friend, Jared.

Jared and Ren had been inseparable all throughout their youth. It was well known that, other than Psienna, Jared was the only other person Ren would never use her gift on, but Jared distanced himself from Ren over the last year when Ren was starting to do her mother’s bidding.

Jared expressed to us that the last straw was when Ren joined the Nefarious Nine. He can’t imagine that their relationship can be repaired after her choice to join the villainous squad. Before now, it was easier for Jared to put the blame of Ren’s actions on her mother, but her choices are her own now and he’s chosen to not associate with it.

Conclusion
Ren has refused to allow us to interview her. Her only response was that she had better things to do than answer our “stupid questions.”

No one knows her motivation to join the Nefarious Nine or what she’s up to, but it can’t be good!

And there you have it folks! That’s the background on Psiren. Just remember, if you ever cross her path…run…very far away…and very fast…before she pulls you into her manipulation.


☆ ☆

Check Them Out
Fiktshun: Fiammata
Owl Always Be Reading: Xana and Deadly Dolly
Books With Bite: Rewind
Once Upon A Twilight: Kenesis
Two Chicks on Books: Lahettaa
Me My Shelf And I: Chaotica
Tales of a Ravenous Reader: Radioaktiva
Magical Urban Fantasy Reads: Psiren
Mundie Moms: Elemental




About The Book

From New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu comes the second book in the exhilarating Young Elites series

Once upon a time, a girl had a father, a prince, a society of friends. Then they betrayed her, and she destroyed them all.

Adelina Amouteru’s heart has suffered at the hands of both family and friends, turning her down the bitter path of revenge. Now known and feared as the White Wolf, she and her sister flee Kenettra to find other Young Elites in the hopes of building her own army of allies. Her goal: to strike down the Inquisition Axis, the white-cloaked soldiers who nearly killed her.

But Adelina is no heroine. Her powers, fed only by fear and hate, have started to grow beyond her control. She does not trust her newfound Elite friends. Teren Santoro, leader of the Inquisition, wants her dead. And her former friends, Raffaele and the Dagger Society, want to stop her thirst for vengeance. Adelina struggles to cling to the good within her. But how can someone be good, when her very existence depends on darkness?

Bestselling author Marie Lu delivers another heart-pounding adventure in this exhilarating sequel to The Young Elites.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆


This is a publisher hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Giveaway donated by several awesome peeps in the Nefarious Nine Crew
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
13 or older to enter and that cheaters will be disqualified

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Serpentine Blog Tour + Giveaway!

About the Author

Cindy Pon is the author of Silver Phoenix (Greenwillow, 2009), which was named one of the Top Ten Fantasy and Science Fiction Books for Youth by the American Library Association's Booklist, and one of 2009′s best Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror by VOYA. The sequel to Silver Phoenix, titled Fury of the Phoenix, was released in April 2011. Serpentine, the first title in her next Xia duology, will be published by Month9Books in September 2015. She is the co-founder of Diversity in YA with Malinda Lo and on the advisory board of We Need Diverse Books. Cindy is also a Chinese brush painting student of over a decade. Visit her website at www.cindypon.com.

☆ How to find Cindy ☆
Website ☆ Twitter ☆ Facebook ☆ Goodreads ☆ Tumblr ☆ Instagram

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

About The Book

SERPENTINE is a sweeping fantasy set in the ancient Kingdom of Xia and inspired by the rich history of Chinese mythology.

Lush with details from Chinese folklore, SERPENTINE tells the coming of age story of Skybright, a young girl who worries about her growing otherness. As she turns sixteen, Skybright notices troubling changes. By day, she is a companion and handmaid to the youngest daughter of a very wealthy family. But nighttime brings with it a darkness that not even daybreak can quell.

When her plight can no longer be denied, Skybright learns that despite a dark destiny, she must struggle to retain her sense of self – even as she falls in love for the first time.

“Vivid worldbuilding, incendiary romance, heart-pounding action, and characters that will win you over–I highly recommend Serpentine.” Cinda Williams Chima, best-selling author of the Seven Realms and Heir Chronicles fantasy novels

“Serpentine is unique and surprising, with a beautifully-drawn fantasy world that sucked me right in! I love Skybright’s transformative power, and how she learns to take charge of it.” ~Kristin Cashore, NYT Bestseller of the Graceling Realm Series

“Serpentine’s world oozes with lush details and rich lore, and the characters crackle with life. This is one story that you’ll want to lose yourself in.” ~ Marie Lu, New York Times bestselling author of Legend and The Young Elites


☆ Where to find Serpentine ☆
Amazon ☆ B&N ☆ BAM ☆ Chapters ☆ Indiebound ☆ Kobo ☆ TBD ☆ iBooks ☆ Google Play


Favorite Heroes and Villains.

The Heroes
Eugenides from The Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner.
Han Alister from The Seven Realms series by Cinda Williams Chima
Mai from The Crossroads series by Kate Elliott
Ged from the Earthsea series by Ursula K. Le Guin
Anyanwu from Wild Seed by Octavia E. Butler
Katherine from The Privilege of the Sword by Ellen Kushner

And the Villains
Darkling from The Grisha series by Leigh Bardugo
Zhong Ye from my own Silver Phoenix and Fury of the Phoenix titles.
Jack Torrance from The Shining by Stephen King





This is a publisher hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
1 winner will receive a signed hardcover of SERPENTINE and brush art painting card. US Only.
3 winners will receive a signed paperback of SERPENTINE and brush art painting card. US Only.


a Rafflecopter giveaway
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆ The Tour ☆

Week One:
8/31/2015- Good Choice Reading- Guest Post
9/1/2015- Dark Faerie Tales- Interview
9/2/2015- Fiktshun- Guest Post
9/3/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
9/4/2015- Novel Novice- Interview


Week Two:
9/7/2015- Once Upon A Twilight- Guest Post
9/8/2015- Chapter by Chapter- Interview
9/9/2015- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Guest Post
9/10/2015- Mundie Moms- Review
9/11/2015- Page Turners- Interview

Jubilee Blog Tour - Interview with Bethany + Giveaway

About the Author

Bethany is a a former librarian living in the Kansas City area with her husband and two children.

Her debut novel Landry Park came out from Dial/Penguin in 2014, and the sequel, Jubilee Manor, will be out August 11, 2015. She is am represented by Mollie Glick of Foundry Media.



☆ How to find Bethany ☆
Website ☆ Tumblr ☆ Pinterest ☆ Twitter

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

About THE Book

The thrilling conclusion to Landry Park is full of love, betrayal, and murder--perfect for fans of Divergent, The Selection, and Pride and Prejudice.

In Landry Park, Madeline turned her back on her elite family, friends, and estate to help the Rootless. Now, in Jubilee Manor, she struggles to bring the Gentry and the Rootless together. But when Gentry heirs—Madeline’s old friends—are murdered, even she begins to think a Rootless is behind it, putting her at odds with the boy she loves and the very people she is trying to lead. If she can’t figure out who is killing her friends and bring them to justice, a violent war will erupt and even more will die—and Madeline’s name, her estate, and all the bonds she’s forged won’t make any difference.

This conclusion to Landry Park, which VOYA dubbed "Gone with the Wind meets The Hunger Games,” is a richly satisfying, addictive read.


☆ Where to find Jubilee Manor ☆
Amazon ☆ Barnes & Noble ☆ iBooks ☆ Goodreads

The 1st Book

In a fragmented future United States ruled by the lavish gentry, seventeen-year-old Madeline Landry dreams of going to the university. Unfortunately, gentry decorum and her domineering father won't allow that. Madeline must marry, like a good Landry woman, and run the family estate. But her world is turned upside down when she discovers the devastating consequences her lifestyle is having on those less fortunate. As Madeline begins to question everything she has ever learned, she finds herself increasingly drawn to handsome, beguiling David Dana. Soon, rumors of war and rebellion start to spread, and Madeline finds herself and David at the center of it all. Ultimately, she must make a choice between duty - her family and the estate she loves dearly - and desire.


☆ Where to find Landry Park ☆
Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes & Noble ☆ iBooks

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆

Mindy: Hi Bethany! Welcome to Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! We are thrilled that you could join us!

Can you please describe Jubilee Manor for us in 10 words or less?

Bethany: Blood and silk, glitter and murder, love and fire.

Mindy: There were some big revelations for Madeline (the protagonist) near the end of Landry Park. Does these revelations change the dynamic of the Gentry and the Rootless’ lifestyles?

Bethany: They do! But what was interesting to me was also showing how resistant people were to change, even when their entire world is shown to be built on lies. It takes a lot of work to change the status quo and also to move people past anger into productive work, and that’s the wall Madeline faces from page one of Jubilee Manor.

Mindy: Now that the series has ended, had you expected the duology would end this way from the beginning?

Bethany: In some ways yes, and other ways no. I had a very different storyline originally for this series, a different direction, and when we were editing Jubilee Manor, we scrapped a lot of it and went back to the drawing board. But the last two or three chapters and the epilogue specifically were always how I imagined the book ending. With kissing and fire, naturally.

Mindy: Which book was easier for you to write?

Bethany: Landry Park was much less brutal to write! Fun, even. But I think at the end of the day, Jubilee Manor was more worthwhile for me to write. I learned so much about myself and about the craft while working on it, and the lessons I learned writing that book I will carry with me forever.

Here is a quick Q&A to get to know you!

Mindy: Facebook or Twitter?

Bethany: Tumblr ;)

Mindy: Most visited online website?

Bethany: Other than tumblr? Probably iflscience.com or Buzzfeed.

Mindy: Kindle or Nook?

Bethany: Kindle—Amazon may be our evil overlords, but man, they are good at what they do.

Mindy: Favorite food?

Bethany: I’m a Kansas City girl, so it’s probably either barbecue or a good rare steak.

Mindy: Morning or night?

Bethany: Night! If I had my way, I’d sleep in til noon every day.

Mindy: Strange quirks?

Bethany: I’m a laugher. I laugh a lot, especially when I’m in awkward or weird situations, and so I’m sure people think that I’m bananaballs sometimes!

Mindy: Guilty pleasure?

Bethany: Frappucinos from Starbucks, which are basically coffee milkshakes with a green straw. But I love them. And I drink them even in the winter.

Mindy: Preferred weapon?

Bethany: Now we’re talking. I’ve done karate since I was twelve, and my favorite weapon is probably the sword, especially my training shinai, which makes all these satisfying clacking noises when I hit other people’s weapons with them.

Mindy: What do you like to do in your spare time other than writing?

Bethany: Karate, for sure, and then after that, maybe reading and napping.

Mindy: Top fave movies?

Bethany: So many! I’ll narrow it down to three: Gladiator, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, Inception

Mindy: Top authors that inspire you?

Bethany: Again, there’s so many! It’s hard to keep it brief. Um, okay, off the top of my head: Elizabeth Wein, Laini Taylor, Tessa Gratton and Megan Whalen Turner.

Mindy: Top 5 fave books?

Bethany: Oh boy. *chews fingernails* Okay: Jane Eyre, Lord of the Rings (I’m counting the whole trilogy as one, which is cheating, I know), Harry Potter (again with the counting the whole cycle as one), The Once and Future King, and The Little Prince.

Mindy: Favorite TV show when you were a kid?

Bethany: All That on Nickelodeon. Lori Beth was kind of my idol.

Mindy: Thanks again for stopping by Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! Maybe when your next book comes out we can have you again! 





☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆


This is a tour hosted giveaway!
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY
1 winner will receive a paperback of LANDRY PARK and an ARC of JUBILEE MANOR. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆
☆ The Tour ☆

Week One:
8/3/2015- The Bibliophile Chronicles- Interview
8/4/2015- Fiction Freak- Review
8/5/2015- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post
8/6/2015- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review
8/7/2015- Wishful Endings - Interview


Week Two:
8/10/2015- The Eater of Books! - Review
8/11/2015- Fiktshun- Guest Post
8/12/2015- WinterHaven Books- Review
8/13/2015- Magical Urban Fantasy Reads- Interview
8/14/2015- The Reading Nook Reviews- Guest Post