Giveaway Blitz: Firefight & Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson | Epic Reads Prize Pack

Brandon Sanderson’s Steelheart and Firefight are an epic reading experience!

•  “Sanderson has written a riveting dystopian adventure novel . . . Snappy dialogue, bizarre plot twists, high intensity action, and a touch of mystery and romance; it’s a formula that sucks readers into the prologue, slings them through on tension-filled encounter after the other, and then . . . leaves them panting for the sequel.” —Booklist, starred
• "Sanderson's whiz-bang imaginings, and a fully realized sense of danger (the brutal opening scene alone will hook many) make this an absolute page-turner." —Publishers Weekly
• "Perfect for genre fans who love exciting adventure stories with surprising plot twists. Readers will be rooting for David." —School Library Journal
• “Unfortunately for my ego, Steelheart is another win for Sanderson, proving that he’s not a brilliant writer of epic fantasy, he’s simply a brilliant writer. Period.” —Patrick Rothfuss, author of the New York Times bestseller The Name of the Wind
• “Fantastic! The suspense is relentless and the climax explosive, with a resolution that I’ll be thinking about for a long time.” —James Dashner, New York Times bestselling author of the Maze Runner series
• "A tense, fast-paced adventure. Brandon Sanderson is one of the best fantasy sci-fi writers working today.” —Christopher Paolini, author of the New York Times and USA Today bestseller Eragon

ABOUT FIREFIGHT
Brandon Sanderson is back with a vengeance in FIREFIGHT, the follow up to the #1 New York Times bestselling Steelheart. In the book that Kirkus Reviews is calling a “rare middle volume that keeps the throttle open,” Sanderson takes readers on another a thrill ride and “presents a Marvel Comics-style mix of violently destructive battles, fabulous feats and ongoing inner wrestling over morality and identity.”

David Charleston still can’t believe it. Steelheart is dead, and he died by David’s own hand. Even the Reckoners had never killed a High Epic, but the invincible has fallen and now Newcago is free. Despite attaining revenge for the murder of his father and living his dream as a team member of the most elite Reckoners cell, David finds he has more questions than ever before, and he won’t find the answers in his home city.

Babylon Restored, the city formerly known as Manhattan, could hold the key. Ruled by the mysterious and ambivalent High Epic Regalia, Babylon Restored is a place flooded with water and painted in neon, where the inhabitants spend most of their days lounging and nights partying. David can’t seem to understand the complacency of the city and its residents, but what he does understand is that being positioned here, risky as it may be, could lead him to the answers he so desperately seeks. Because there is an emptiness in him, one left behind after killing Steelheart, that was filled unexpectedly by Firefight, who is just plain Megan to him. And David will stop at nothing to find a way to understand Epics and bring her back to him. Hopefully for good this time.

The second book in the Reckoners series and follow up to the highly acclaimed Steelheart, which Publishers Weeklycalled “an absolute page-turner,” FIREFIGHT is filled with spine-tingling adventure and heart-racing action that promises to satisfy fans both new and old.

Read an excerpt from FIREFIGHT

#Steelheart | #Firefight | #ForgetNothing

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

BRANDON SANDERSON is the author of the internationally bestselling Mistborn trilogy. In 2007, he was chosen to complete Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time series following the author’s death. The concluding book in that series, A Memory of Light, was released on January 8, 2013, and debuted at #1 on the New York Times Hardcover Fiction List., just as his two previous Wheel of Time books had done. His work has been published in over 25 languages and his books have sold millions of copies worldwide. He lives and writes in Utah. Visit him at BrandonSanderson.com or connect with him on Twitter @BrandSanderson.

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EPIC READS prize pack.
Enter for your chance to win copies of Brandon Sanderson’s Steelheart and Firefight for an epic reading experience. Prizing & samples courtesy of Random House. Giveaway open to US addresses only.

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Book Review: Steelheart by Brandon Sanderson

Steelheart
Reckoners #1
Author: Brandon Sanderson
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genres: Science Fiction | Dystopian
Released: September 24th 2013 (originally)
Review Source: Random House

Pre-order the sequel—Firefight—today!

Brandon Sanderson, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Words of Radiance, coauthor of Robert Jordan’s Wheel of Time series, and creator of the internationally bestselling Mistborn Trilogy, presents Steelheart, the first book in the Reckoners series, an action-packed thrill ride that will leave readers breathless.
How far would you go for revenge if someone killed your father?
If someone destroyed your city?
If everything you ever loved was taken from you?
David Charleston will go to any lengths to stop Steelheart. But to exact revenge in Steelheart’s world, David will need the Reckoners—a shadowy group of rebels bent on maintaining justice.
And it turns out that the Reckoners might just need David too.
Look for book two in the Reckoners series, Firefight, available in 2015.

This was the first of Sanderson that I have ever read, and I really didn’t fall head over heels for the story. It isn’t a genre that I typically read, but the book as a whole didn’t even leave me wanting more until the very end.

The story is about how this group of people called Epics basically take over the world. They have powers, but are far from being the protagonists. David, the narrator, had his father killed by an Epic, Steelheart. He has intended on getting vengeance since then. That’s when he heard stories about a group of people called “Reckoners” who go around the country killing Epics, and has made it his life’s mission to join them. When he does finally get involved and joins their team, it’s not exactly smooth sailing from the beginning. He, as do the rest of the team, go through their struggles to accomplish an ultimate goal. there is a very subtle love interest throughout the story, but it’s obvious that is not the mission of the book. It is packed full of action and scheming and weaponry. There is a cliffhanger at the very end that actually left me wanting to go on and read the next book in this three-part series.

I just found myself losing interest and feeling like the story had dragged a bit. There were some really good parts and chapters of the book, though. When those did come along, I found it hard to even put it down. So, I have mixed emotions. It’s definitely not in my top five, but it was worth reading to venture out into a different genre. I will be reading book 2 (Firefight), to see how the rest of the story unfolds.

Book Deal News: Delacorte Press Will Publish Sophie Kinsella's First YA Novel in 2015

DELACORTE PRESS TO PUBLISH SOPHIE KINSELLA’S FIRST YOUNG ADULT NOVEL IN THE U.S., 

FINDING AUDREY, ON JUNE 9, 2015

Full Press Release:

New York, NY (October 22, 2014)—Delacorte Press, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, will publish FINDING AUDREY by the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Shopaholic series, Sophie Kinsella, on June 9, 2015, it was announced today by Barbara Marcus, President & Publisher, Random House Children’s Books. U.S. and Open Market rights for Kinsella’s debut teen novel were acquired by Beverly Horowitz, VP, Publisher, Delacorte Press, from agent Kim Witherspoon at Inkwell Management. Horowitz will edit, and the novel will be published with a first printing of 150,000 copies and supported by a major marketing and publicity campaign.

FINDING AUDREY is a contemporary young adult novel featuring a 14-year-old girl recovering from an anxiety disorder, and it blends family comedy, romance, and personal discovery.

“To welcome Sophie Kinsella to Random House Children’s Books is a wonderful moment for us, and for teen readers everywhere,” says Marcus. “The story that Kinsella tells in FINDING AUDREY will appeal widely, and we cannot wait to share it.”

“FINDING AUDREY is my first YA novel, and I loved writing it. Audrey has already become a best friend to me, and I hope you will enjoy meeting her and her crazy family,” says Kinsella. “I’m so delighted to be working now with Random House Children’s Books, together with the Random House team that publishes my novels for adults.”

“Sophie Kinsella’s voice and writing style are so spot-on for teen readers and twenty-somethings,” says Horowitz. “We are thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Sophie to the young adult community of readers in the U.S. with the publication of FINDING AUDREY.”

Published in 42 countries and translated into 39 languages, Kinsella’s books have sold more than 36 million copies worldwide. Her most recent adult novel, Shopaholic to the Stars, wasreleased on October 21, 2014, by The Dial Press.

Sophie Kinsella is the author of the bestselling Shopaholic series and the novels Can You Keep a Secret?, The Undomestic Goddess, Remember Me?, Twenties Girl, I’ve Got Your Number, and Wedding Night. Finding Audrey is her first young adult novel. She lives in England.

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FINDING AUDREY

By Sophie Kinsella / Delacorte Press / On sale June 9, 2015

HC ISBN: 9780553536515 / $18.99 / NCR / Ages 12 Up

Ebook ISBN: 9780553536522

Random House Children’s Books is the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Creating books for toddlers through young adult readers, in all formats from board books to activity books to picture books, novels, ebooks, and apps, the imprints of Random House Children’s Books bring together award-winning authors and illustrators, world-famous franchise characters, and multimillion-copy series. The company’s website, Kids @ Random (randomhousekids.com), offers an array of activities, games, and resources for children, teens, parents, and educators. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Random House LLC, a Penguin Random House Company.

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Here are a few other books written by Sophie Kinsella:

    

Blog Tour: The Mark of the Dragonfly | Jaleigh Johnson | Review

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The Mark of the Dragonfly
Author: Jaleigh Johnson
Reading Level: Middle Grade
Genre: Fantasy
Released: March 25th 2014
Review Source: Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Fans of The City of Ember will love The Mark of the Dragonfly, an adventure story set in a magical world that is both exciting and dangerous.

Piper has never seen the Mark of the Dragonfly until she finds the girl amid the wreckage of a caravan in the Meteor Fields.

The girl doesn't remember a thing about her life, but the intricate tattoo on her arm is proof that she's from the Dragonfly Territories and that she's protected by the king. Which means a reward for Piper if she can get the girl home.

The one sure way to the Territories is the 401, a great old beauty of a train. But a ticket costs more coin than Piper could make in a year. And stowing away is a difficult prospect--everyone knows that getting past the peculiar green-eyed boy who stands guard is nearly impossible. Life for Piper just turned dangerous. A little bit magical. And very exciting, if she can manage to survive the journey.

[STAR] "This magnetic middle-grade debut...[is] a page-turner that defies easy categorization and ought to have broad appeal."-Publishers Weekly, starred

[STAR] "Heart, brains, and courage find a home in a steampunk fantasy worthy of a nod from Baum."-Kirkus Reviews, starred

The Mark of the Dragonfly was a wonderful, adventurous read from start to finish. We follow Piper; she comes from a small scrapper town in the Merrow Territories. Survival here means trading items salvaged after the meteor storms. Piper must survive on her own following the death of her father. Her advantage is that she has a magic touch when it comes to machines. She can repair just about anything, so she can barter her services also.

Following one of these meteor storms Piper happens upon a beautiful young girl. Her caravan has wrecked and has been destroyed by the storm. The girl is unconscious and more important she wears the mark of the Dragonfly Territories, tattooed on her arm.

Piper begins a journey to get this young girl, Anna, back home. There is one small problem. Anna doesn’t remember much of anything when she wakes up. No details about herself or where she comes from. Her tattoo gives Piper the lead she needs and together they set out on an adventure like no other.

Piper and Anna are forced to sneak onto the 401 train to get back to the Dragonfly Territories. They hope that someone will see Anna and give an ending to the mystery surrounding her. The train itself is amazing and its passengers are most entertaining. The train is also guarded by a mysterious green-eyed boy named Gee. There is trouble following the girls. They must learn to trust the people on this train, and harder for Piper, she must learn to trust Gee, who is their best hope for getting Anna home safely.

This story was just so much fun to read and it did not disappoint at all. This will be an absolute joy for readers of any age. The Mark of the Dragonfly is a great way to introduce the fantasy genre to our younger readers with all of its amazing details, characters and adventure around every turn. This is the first book that I have read from Jaleigh Johnson and I will be recommending this book to fellow readers young and old.

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JALEIGH JOHNSON is a lifelong reader, gamer, and moviegoer. She loves nothing better than to escape into fictional worlds and take part in fantastic adventures. She lives and writes in the wilds of the Midwest, but you can visit her online

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Quick-fire Book Review: Being Sloane Jacobs by Lauren Morrill

Being Sloane Jacobs
Author: Lauren Morrill
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Science Contemporary
Released: January 7th 2014
Review Source: Purchased

Meet Sloane Emily Jacobs: a seriously stressed-out figure-skater from Washington, D.C., who choked during junior nationals and isn’t sure she’s ready for a comeback. What she does know is that she’d give anything to escape the mass of misery that is her life.

Now meet Sloane Devon Jacobs, a spunky ice hockey player from Philly who’s been suspended from her team for too many aggressive hip checks. Her punishment? Hockey camp, now, when she’s playing the worst she’s ever played. If she messes up? Her life will be over.

When the two Sloanes meet by chance in Montreal and decide to trade places for the summer, each girl thinks she’s the lucky one: no strangers to judge or laugh at Sloane Emily, no scouts expecting Sloane Devon to be a hero. But it didn’t occur to Sloane E. that while avoiding sequins and axels she might meet a hockey hottie—and Sloane D. never expected to run into a familiar (and very good-looking) face from home. It’s not long before the Sloanes discover that convincing people you’re someone else might be more difficult than being yourself.

At a Glance:
So I love reading sad books and after I like to read a fun sweet book to balance my emotions. So when I saw the cover and read the synopsis, well this felt like the right book to read at the moment.

Cover:
I love it. This is such an adorable cover and I am a sucker for cute covers!

Action:
Sports. I love sport. I love ice skating. I love watching the Olympics and ice skating is one of the events I enjoy the most. I love watching a good hockey game live. Every year I attend at least one hockey game. If you haven’t I highly recommend it. Nonstop action when it comes to hockey. This book has both sports.

Heroine/Hero:
I liked both Sloane Jacobs. They are both different yet they both learn something from this switching role. Although the story is predictable, you learn that sometimes taking unplanned steps can take you many places. These girls learn to embrace their skills in different ways and this helps them grow.

Romance:
This is such a cute and adorable story. The romance is suitable for a YA contemporary book.

Something I loved:
I was looking for a fun and cute story to read and this book delivers this. It was perfect for me at the moment. Also, this book reminded me so much of “The Parent Trap”. I can watch the movie every time is on TV and never get tired.

Would I recommend it?
This book will not WOWyou but if you are looking for something cute and fun, then you should pick this book!

Waiting on Wednesday: Fates by Lanie Bross

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Fates

Fates #1

Author: Lanie Bross

Release Date: February 11th 2014

Publisher: Delacorte Books

What if your destiny was to kill the one you love?

One moment. One foolish desire. One mistake. And Corinthe lost everything.

She fell from her tranquil life in Pyralis Terra and found herself exiled to the human world. Her punishment? To make sure people’s fates unfold according to plan. Now, years later, Corinthe has one last assignment: kill Lucas Kaller. His death will be her ticket home.

But for the first time, Corinthe feels a tingle of doubt. It begins as a lump in her throat, then grows toward her heart, and suddenly she feels like she’s falling all over again—this time for a boy she knows she can never have. Because it is written: one of them must live, and one of them must die.

In a universe where every moment, every second, every fate has already been decided, where does love fit in?