Blog Tour + Book Review: Dead Reckoning

Title: Dead Reckoning by Mercedes Lackey and Rosemary Edghill
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
Pages: 336 pages
Genre: Steampunk, Horror
Source: Publisher in exchange for an honest review

Goodreads Summary: Jett is a girl disguised as a boy, living as a gambler in the old West as she searches for her long-lost brother. Honoria Gibbons is a smart, self-sufficient young woman who also happens to be a fabulous inventor. Both young women travel the prairie alone – until they are brought together by a zombie invasion! As Jett and Honoria investigate, they soon learn that these zombies aren’t rising from the dead of their own accord … but who would want an undead army? And why? This gunslinging, hair-raising, zombie western mashup is perfect for fans of Cowboys vs. Aliens and Pride & Prejudice & Zombies. 

Interested in a fun summer read that stands out from the sea of paranormal and dystopia books out there right now? If you are then Dead Reckoning, a steampunk western with zombies, may just be the book for you. This book is original and entertaining, just what I needed to kick off my summer!

Dead Reckoning is set in a western town where Jett, our feisty gunslinger who dresses as a boy so she can make her way around without too much trouble, has stopped find out if anyone knows anything about her lost brother. Jett’s visit is short lived as the town is attacked by zombies and Jett barely escapes with her life. The book’s setting is very well done and Honoria Gibbons’ steampunk inventions are very cool to read about.

Jett and Gibbons are very opposite characters: Jett being very rational and a fighter and Gibbons being a dogged scientist who throws caution to the wind when it comes to her experiments. While Jett dresses like a boy, I liked the fact that she liked girly things but her circumstances dictates that she be disguised as a boy. The two girls strong personalities are balanced out by White Fox, the handsome Anglo boy that was raised by Native Americans.

Dead Reckoning is a quick read with great characters, action and mystery. The ending is completely satisfying (no cliffhangers!) and while this could easily be a standalone novel, I’m hoping there will be a second book to expand on the storyline, especially the one involving Jett’s missing brother. Dead Reckoning is a clean read and is appropriate for both older and younger teens.

Content: Violence and drinking.

My Rating: Really Good!

Blog Tour: Interview, Excerpt + Giveaway - The Galahad Legacy

I am very excited to be a part of the blog tour for the release of The Galahad Legacy by Dom Testa! Dom was gracious enough to answer a few questions plus I have an excerpt of the final book in the series, The Galahad Legacy, and a giveaway of the entire series!

About the author: DOM TESTA has been a radio show host since 1977. He is currently a co-host of the popular "Dom and Jane Show" on Mix 100 in Denver. A strong advocate of literacy programs for children, Dom began The Big Brain Club to help young people recognize that Smart Is Cool. More information on Dom Testa, his books and educational work can be found here at www.DomTesta.com.
Follow Dom: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | YouTube

Welcome Dom! Tell us about The Galahad series and your latest novel, The Galahad Legacy.

First, NC, thanks for the opportunity to be a part of Truly Bookish. I appreciate your passion about young adult books!

I've been hosting writing workshops and assemblies with schools for about 20 years, and decided to craft a series for middle school and high school students that focused on some of the best and brightest young people from around the world. Rather than the standard YA template of making the protagonist a "troubled" or "rebellious" teen, I wondered how high-achieving young people would fare when thrown into a desperate situation.

The characters in the Galahad series are far from perfect, and that's obvious right away. But they're also sharp, talented teens who are bold and curious, and willing to take on the biggest challenge in human history. I loved the idea of discovering how teenaged characters would learn to rely on themselves and each other in order to overcome catastrophe.

The Galahad Legacy is the sixth and final installment in the award-winning series, and ties up most of the threads that began back in The Comet's Curse, the first book. Note that I said "most" of the threads... Ha ha!

Where did the inspiration for the series come from? Why science fiction?

The original idea was to explore how young people fared in a difficult situation with no adults around. So, although the plan wasn't necessarily to create a science fiction series, it turned out to be the best vehicle for what I was writing. And that's fine with me, because some of the most inspiring and thought-provoking books I read as a kid were science fiction. I cut my teeth on Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, and Michael Crichton (his VERY early days).

Which one of the books in the series was your favorite to write and why?

Tough question, but I'll go with this last episode, The Galahad Legacy. I had a total blast writing this story, trying to wrap up a variety of story lines, and (hopefully) satisfying the most ardent Galahad fans.

Why do you write novels for young adults and how did you get started?

I wear a lot of hats, including hosting the top-rated morning radio show in Denver, as well as overseeing a non-profit education foundation (more on that later). But I also visit schools and help young people to discover their own creative spark. It was a natural for me to create a story specifically for those students. As for how it started: Sitting in my office in my basement with a legal pad and pen. I still have the original notes that I scribbled that day.

What is your favorite thing about writing?

It's similar to hosting the radio show, because in both instances I get to live a fantasy life for a brief time before checking back in with the real world. It's an escape, but a healthy one (usually). ;)

What are you currently reading?

Right now I'm reading two books. One is Man's Search For Meaning, by Viktor Frankl. I'm also reading the final book in Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars trilogy, Blue Mars. I've had that trilogy for more than 15 years and have just NOW finally read them. Sorry, Kim! But it's been worth the wait; they're fascinating books.

I love the idea behind the Big Brain Club! Tell us about it and why programs like this are so important to students.

We talk a lot in America about the various forms of peer pressure that young people struggle with, like alcohol and drugs and sex. But, in my opinion, one of the most devastating and most suffocating forms of pressure that kids face is academic peer pressure. Millions of kids intentionally dumb down because society and pop culture have continually told us that smart kids are nerds or dorks or geeks. Hollywood and television have made billions by portraying smart kids as socially awkward and inept, and young adults are incredibly sensitive to that stereotyping. Therefore, they blow off their education in order to impress their friends with how "cool" they are.

Then, when they walk out of high school, they find that they're hosed. They've wasted some of the most important years of their life trying to fit into some ridiculous notion of what's "cool." My foundation, The Big Brain Club, isn't about straight A's or honor rolls (although we like those); our mission is to help young people become the best versions of themselves. We help students visualize what REALLY matters going forward, and how what they do in a classroom today has a cascading effect on the rest of their lives.

We not only visit schools in person and through Skype presentations, but we provide technology to school libraries and classrooms, and we publish the creative writing of middle school students. More info (and a chance to donate to this registered non-profit foundation) can be found at: www.BigBrainClub.com.

Thanks for asking about that, NC

Now that the Galahad series is complete, what other projects are you working on?

Two things. I've just finished a non-fiction book about the problem that my foundation, The Big Brain Club, is addressing. The book is called Smart Is Cool.

I've also finished the first book in a new mystery series for young adults, and I'm working on the second one right now. I'll finish at least the first two before I sell the series.

Thanks again for this opportunity, NC, and thanks for all you do in the world of teen literature. All the best. Dom

Thank you, Dom!

Excerpt: Triana was quiet a moment, again gathering her thoughts. “But I don’t think I passed out because of anything physical. I think it was my mind’s way of coping with the sudden change, shutting down rather than attempting to process what was going on around it. A defense mechanism, maybe. I don’t know. But I was out.
“When I came to—and I have no idea how long that could have been—I was back in what appeared to be normal space.”

“So,” Gap said, “you have no idea how long it took to travel through the wormhole. Roc, any thoughts on that?”

Please visit Kid Lit Frenzy for the next excerpt from the second chapter of The Galahad Legacy and fill out the Rafflecopter form below to will all six books in the series!

Book Review and Blog Tour: Pure

I am thrilled to be a stop on the blog tour for Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout hosted by Valerie at Stuck in Books!

Title: Pure by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: April 3, 2012
Publisher: Spencer Hill Press
Pages: 329 pages
Genre: Mythology, YA Urban Fantasy
Buy: Amazon, B&N, Book Depository

Goodreads Summary: There is need. And then there is Fate... Being destined to become some kind of supernatural electrical outlet isn't exactly awesome--especially when Alexandria's "other half" is everywhere she goes. Seth's in her training room, outside her classes, and keeps showing up in her bedroom--so not cool. Their connection does have some benefits, like staving off her nightmares of the tragic showdown with her mother, but it has no effect on what Alex feels for the forbidden, pure-blooded Aiden. Or what he will do--and sacrifice--for her.

When daimons infiltrate the Covenants and attack students, the gods send furies--lesser gods determined to eradicate any threat to the Covenants and to the gods, and that includes the Apollyon... and Alex. And if that and hordes of aether-sucking monsters didn't blow bad enough, a mysterious threat seems willing to do anything to neutralize Seth, even if that means forcing Alex into servitude... or killing her.

When the gods are involved, some decisions can never, ever be undone.

Jennifer L. Armentrout has made a name for herself in the YA urban fantasy market and with good reason. Her books have this exciting, unputdownable quality to them that I love. Pure is no different. Plus, I’m a mythology junkie and with furies, oracles, Greek gods and demi-gods, I devoured this book and can’t wait for the next in the series.

Pure picks up shortly after Half-blood (read my review of Half-Blood here) with Alex attending school at the Covenant and playing catch up with her training. In addition to Alex being trained by her off-limits crush, Aiden, she now has to spar with Seth, the Apollyon and the one she is ‘fated’ to be with. The world of these demi-gods is more fully explored in Pure and we get to see the politics of their society. We also see the segregation between the Pures and the Half-bloods and it eye-opening. I really hoping that at some point in the series, there will be a slave revolt and the Half-bloods, especially the ones in servitude, will rebel and lay the smack-down on the Pures. The Pures so have it coming to them.

Ever at risk of being thrown into servitude herself, Alex continues to be hot-headed, impulsive and snarky although we do see her maturing quite a bit throughout the book, especially when she considers the consequences of some of her actions. Alex has a huge destiny to fulfill, one that she does not fully understand. She also has a lot of enemies and people working for her to fail. I’m looking forward to seeing the character grow throughout the series and really take control of her destiny especially when so many are trying to dictate it for her.

There is a love triangle in the book with Alex caught between Aiden and Seth. Seth is like the male version of Alex but he is even more hot-headed and impulsive than she is. Aiden is the opposite of Seth: he is calm, sensible, rational, even tempered and it’s obvious that he cares deeply about Alex. I know a lot of you may disagree but since I usually go for the good boy over the bad boy, I’m Team Aiden all the way!

Pure has exciting fight scenes, hot romance, a main character that you love and root for and enough Greek mythology to make me happy. I cannot wait for the third book in the series, Deity, which is scheduled for Nov. 2012.

Content: Kissing, sexual situations, profanity, underage drinking and violence.

My Rating: Really Good!

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Want to win a copy of this exciting book? To gain an entry in either/both of the tour giveaways for Pure, leave a comment here and then go to StuckInBooks and/or A Cupcake and a Latte with this link to complete your entry.

Author Interview: Cesya MaRae Cuono

As a part of the Elemental Reality Blog Tour, I am pleased to welcome author Cesya MaRae Cuono.

Cesya MaRae Cuono hails from a small town in northeastern Pennsylvania. She is a graduate of Alvernia University where she majored in Business Administration and also received her certificate of Multi-Media & Production makeup from Cosmix School of Makeup Artistry. You can find any updates from Cesya on her website at http://www.cesyacuonobooks.blogspot.com/.

Cesya, please tell us about your debut young adult novel, Elemental Reality.
Elemental Reality takes us on a journey with Callie Pierce and her sister Lola as their life transitions from being “human” to Faeries. We get to live through their training and some battles they face along the way.

Where did you get the idea for Elemental Reality?
My mind is constantly in motion no matter what I’m doing. I was listening to one of my favorite bands (I See Stars) before I got into the shower. As I was rinsing the shampoo from my hair, a scene played out in my mind. That’s the first thing I wrote before I even knew the plot of my story or what kind of paranormal being my characters were going to be.

Can you tell us more about the main character, Callie?
She’s plagued by the loss of her mom. Little things bring back thoughts of her. She’s a very determined person and you will see her determination throughout the novel.

I read that you are now working on book two in the Elemental series. Can you tell us a little about it? How many books are planned for the series and when will they be released?
I am actually. The outline is almost finished and then I’m going to start a rough draft. We’ll see a side of Lola no one expected but that’s all I can tell you right now. There are two more novels for the series and possibly a novella but that’s not set in stone yet. The two novels, Battle Scars and Rebirth, will be released in 2012 and 2013.

Do you read the same genre as you write? What are you currently reading?
Yes, I do. I love YA. Ha! I’m currently reading 10 different books but the one I’m trying to finish first is If I Stay.

What do you love most about writing paranormal books?
That’s an easy question! You can have fun with your characters’ powers. It gives you a chance to make them unique and put a new twist on them.

If Elemental Reality were made into a movie, who do you picture playing the lead roles?

• Tyler Blackburn as Oli.
• Amber Heard as Callie.
• Julia Voth as Ady.
• Matt Lanter as Emery.
• Skyler Samuels as Lola.
• Jeremy Sumpter as Cayden.

Is there anything more you’d like to share with us about upcoming projects or events?
I have a book signing on August 28th. The details can be found on my author page (www.facebook.com/cesyamaraecuono) but that’s all I have for right now. Anything you want to know about me can be found on Goodreads (www.goodreads.com/cesya_marae), Facebook (www.facebook.com/cesyamaraecuono), Twitter (@Cherrybomb_xox), or my blog (http://www.cesyacuonobooks.blogspot.com/).

Title: Elemental Reality by Cesya MaRae Cuono
Release Date: August 21, 2011
Publisher: Revolution Publishing
Pages: 260 pages
Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble

When Callie Pierce was ten, her mother disappeared without a trace. On the eve of her disappearance twelve years later, the Earth seemingly comes alive. The elements speak to Callie, and that's only the beginning. Everything she has ever known was a twisted fabrication to protect her. Now the truth is set free. Callie and her sister are more powerful than any Faerie ever born. Now they have to use their powers to save their mother and family from the evil hands of fate that threaten to tear them apart. Welcome to her elemental reality.