Category: Blog Tour

Item: Of Sea and Stone
Rating: 5
Author: Jana

My 13 Favorite Quotes from A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle | Blog Tour

Posted March 5, 2018 by Jana in Blog Tour, Bookish Quotes / 2 Comments

Welcome to my stop along the official A Wrinkle In Time blog tour, hosted by Macmillan Children’s, in honor of the upcoming theater release of the A Wrinkle In Time movie (March 9, 2018!

I read A Wrinkle In Time just a few years ago as an adult in library school, so I don’t have the nostalgia surrounding the story like so many readers have. I did really enjoy it, though, and can totally see why it has become such a beloved classic. I’m excited to see the movie!

Today I’m going to share with you some of my favorite quotes from the book, which is going to be a bit of a daunting task because A Wrinkle In Time is SO quotable.

My 13 Favorite Quotes from A Winkle In Time

“It was a dark and stormy night.”

“Just relax and don’t worry over things that needn’t trouble you.”

“Nothing is hopeless; we must hope for everything.”
– Mrs. Who, quoting Euripides

“People are more than just the way they look.”

“‘We do not know what things look like, as you say,’ the beast said. ‘We know what things are like. It must be a very limiting thing, this seeing.'”

“Maybe if you aren’t unhappy sometimes you don’t know how to be happy.”

“I don’t understand it any more than you do, but one thing I’ve learned is that you don’t have to understand things for them to be.”

“We look not at the things which are what you would call seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporal. But the things which are not seen are eternal.”

“But of course we can’t take any credit for our talents. It’s how we use them that counts.”

“To love is to be vulnerable; and it is only in vulnerability and risk—not safety and security—that we overcome darkness.”

“We have to make decisions, and we can’t make them if they’re based on fear.”

“The more a man knows, the less he talks.”

“The most memorable books from our childhoods are those that make us feel less alone, convince us that our own foibles and quirks are both as individual as a finger-print and as universal as an open hand.”

A Wrinkle In Time by Madeleine L’Engle
Series: Time Quintet #1
Published by Farrar, Straus, and Giroux on November 7th 2017 (first published in 1962)
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Time Travel
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It was a dark and stormy night; Meg Murry, her small brother Charles Wallace, and her mother had come down to the kitchen for a midnight snack when they were upset by the arrival of a most disturbing stranger.

“Wild nights are my glory,” the unearthly stranger told them. “I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract”.

Meg’s father had been experimenting with this fifth dimension of time travel when he mysteriously disappeared. Now the time has come for Meg, her friend Calvin, and Charles Wallace to rescue him. But can they outwit the forces of evil they will encounter on their heart-stopping journey through space?

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Keeping Up With the Debuts: Tricia Levenseller | Daughter of the Siren Queen Blog Tour

Posted February 28, 2018 by Jana in Blog Tour, Guest Post, Keeping Up With the Debuts / 2 Comments

Keeping Up With the Debuts is an original That Artsy Reader Girl feature, where I bring back former debut authors and give them the opportunity to talk about what they learned from their debut novel and what’s next for them!

I’m so excited to welcome Tricia Levenseller to the blog today as part of the official blog tour for her sophomore novel, Daughter of the Siren Queen! Tricia’s debut novel, Daughter of the Pirate King, came out exactly one year ago today on February 28, 2017. What better day than today to invite her back to the blog to tell us what’s she’s been up to over the last year, and what’s on the horizon!

Keeping Up With Tricia Levenseller

Guest post by Tricia Levenseller

Being a debut author was, in a word, magical. It was unreal having complete strangers read my work for the first time, and it was even more surreal when they wanted to discuss themes and topics that I hold dear. I’ve loved getting to know so many bloggers, Instagrammers, and YouTubers. The book community as a whole is very welcoming and fun.

Doing book events was a new experience. I loved being able to connect with readers directly, instead of solely over the internet.

In some ways, however, being a writer was exactly the same. I was working on my next project as soon as DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING released. The sequel, DAUGHTER OF THE SIREN QUEEN, was already done, and so I had to be thinking about the next project I wanted to try to sell to my publisher.

I’m excited to share that I have sold two new books! The first of which is a Viking fantasy titled WARRIOR OF THE WILD, which will release in 2019. It’s about a teen warrior who is banished after failing her coming-of-age test. With only two boys who were banished the previous year for company, she must survive the monster-filled wild and kill her village’s oppressive deity if she is ever to return home.

My current task is my first round of edits on WARRIOR OF THE WILD. It’s been a fun break from pirates, and I’m excited to for readers to get to read Rasmira’s story next year!

Daughter of the Siren King by Tricia Levenseller
Series: Daughter of the Pirate King #2
Published by Feiwel and Friends on February 27, 2018
Genres: Adventure, Fantasy, Young Adult
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Alosa’s mission is finally complete. Not only has she recovered all three pieces of the map to a legendary hidden treasure, but the pirates who originally took her captive are now prisoners on her ship. Still unfairly attractive and unexpectedly loyal, first mate Riden is a constant distraction, but now he’s under her orders. And she takes great comfort in knowing that the villainous Vordan will soon be facing her father’s justice.

When Vordan exposes a secret her father has kept for years, Alosa and her crew find themselves in a deadly race with the feared Pirate King. Despite the danger, Alosa knows they will recover the treasure first . . . after all, she is the daughter of the Siren Queen.

About Tricia Levenseller

Tricia Levenseller writes historical fantasies for young adult readers. Her debut, DAUGHTER OF THE PIRATE KING, is set to release Feb. 2017 from Feiwel and Friends, an imprint of Macmillan Publishers.

Initially from a small town in Oregon, Tricia now lives next to the Rocky Mountains with her bossy dog, Rosy. She received her degree in English Language and editing and is thrilled that she never has to read a textbook again. When she’s not writing or reading, Tricia enjoys putting together jigsaw puzzles, playing volleyball, and watching shows while eating extra-buttered popcorn.

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Visit the other tour stops!

2/20 Love is Not a Triangle – Guest Post on research about lady pirates
2/21 Page Turners Blog – Moodboard
2/22 Fiction Fare – Author Interview
2/23 Avid Reader – Fancast
2/24 Mundie Moms – Character Interview
2/25 Stories & Sweeties – Quote Highlights
2/27 Moonlight Rendezvous – Playlist
2/28 That Artsy Reader Girl – Keeping Up With the Debuts

Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison | Book Review (+ Giveaway)

Posted February 14, 2018 by Jana in Blog Tour, Book Review, Giveaway, Young Adult Fiction / 10 Comments

Of Sea and Stone by Kate Avery Ellison
Series: Secrets of Itlantis #1
Published by Self on February 2, 2014
Pages: 260
Format: eBook
Source: Author
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Aemi lives in a village carved from stones and surrounded by sea. She wins spear-throwing competitions in disguise and earns slaps from her spoiled mistress by talking back. She hates being a slave. She survives by remembering her mother's tales of home, a paradise called Perilous.

Aemi intends to find it.

But then, black ships rise from the sea in the night. Aemi is captured and taken to Itlantis, an underwater world of cities and gardens encased in glass, dazzling technology. and a centuries-long war.

She is determined to escape, even if it means conspiring with fellow prisoner Nol, who fills her with equal parts anger and desire. Even if it means impersonating her mistress. Even if it means fleeing into the territory of the Dron, the bloodthirsty barbarians of the deep.

But when Aemi witnesses firsthand an attack by the Dron, she realizes not all is as it seems below the sea.

And Perilous might be closer than she thinks.

I love everything Kate has written, so I was very eager and excited to read Of Sea and Stone. I’m happy to report that I’m still a Kate Avery Ellison fangirl, and absolutely loved Of Sea and Stone! As always, my main points are bolded. :)

1. I love the world of Itlantis. It’s beautiful! There are different underwater cities spread across the ocean, each one special in its own way. Aemi has been captured from her village at the surface and taken to the city of Celestrus. This city has, what I can only describe to be, glass spheres that are suspended in the water. Each sphere is a library dedicated to each of the different cities of Itlantis. You can see sea life swimming by and light from the surface dancing. The libraries are filled with books, foliage, sculpture, fountains, and walkways. I’d LOVE to visit!

2. Kate’s writing is so beautiful. She describes things as if you were right there! I kept wanting to highlight all the descriptive passages because I loved them so much.

3. I really liked Aemi. She’s strong, versatile, brave, smart, and level-headed. She takes her kidnapping very well. Haha. She adapts well to her new home, but she’s got plans to escape. She’s assertive and makes people fall for her, whether it be in love or in friendship.

4. Nol is pretty swoony. In the beginning he was a very cocky, jerky guy who Aemi loved to hate. But they are the only survivors (that we know of) from their village, so they learn to work together. And I loved watching him grow from such a jerk to such a caring, selfless person.

5. There’s a little mystery, a little romance, and even some action! It’s the perfect blend of everything I love.

6. Holy cliffhanger. I can’t WAIT to buy the second book!

All in all, Of Sea and Stone pulled me out of a deep reading slump. I loved everything about it, and I love Kate’s storytelling and writing style. This is a wonderful fantasy/dystopia, and I’d recommend it to anyone and everyone!

About Kate Avery Ellison

I’m the author of the Frost Chronicles, an Amazon bestselling series and source material for the adventure app game Frost by Delight Games, as well as numerous other fantasy and science fiction novels. I love putting a dash of mystery in everything I write, an ode to a childhood spent reading Nancy Drew, Agatha Christie, and Sherlock Holmes. I can’t resist adding a good twist in the story wherever I can.

I wish I could live in a place where it’s always October, but until that’s possible, I make my home in humid Atlanta with my husband, children, and two spoiled cats.

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Amazon Page

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Meet the Anarchists! | Marissa Meyer’s Renegades Blog Tour

Posted October 30, 2017 by Jana in Blog Tour / 1 Comment

Welcome to my stop along the official blog tour for Marissa Meyer’s Renegades, hosted by Fierce Reads! This tour asks us all to choose a side: are you a renegade (a hero who uses their powers to rebuild Gatlon City and return the world to order) or an anarchist (a villain who wants to take back power and give it to the people)? I’ve thought long and hard about this, and I have chosen my side. I have chosen the…

I know, I know. I’m usually all about the good guys, but everyone loves a sexy villain, right? Everyone loves the bad boy/girl. I believe that the power should be in the hands of the people, and not the power-hungry Renegades who pretend they’re all that, but are just in it for themselves.

Marissa Meyer is here to exclusively introduce the Anarchists that you will be reading about in Renegades. I’m pretty sure you’re going to decide you’re on their side as well.

Things You Should Know

• Take this nifty quiz to discover your superpower and choose your side!

• Tell us on social media which side you’ve chosen (meet the Renegades here) using the hashtags #Renegades and #ChooseASide.

• If you pre-order Renegades (out November 7th) and upload your proof of purchase here, you’ll receive some cool buttons that correspond with the side you’ve chosen.

Renegades by Marissa Meyer
Series: Renegades #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on November 7, 2017
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Secret Identities. Extraordinary Powers. She wants vengeance. He wants justice.

The Renegades are a syndicate of prodigies—humans with extraordinary abilities—who emerged from the ruins of a crumbled society and established peace and order where chaos reigned. As champions of justice, they remain a symbol of hope and courage to everyone…except the villains they once overthrew.

Nova has a reason to hate the Renegades, and she is on a mission for vengeance. As she gets closer to her target, she meets Adrian, a Renegade boy who believes in justice—and in Nova. But Nova’s allegiance is to a villain who has the power to end them both.

About Marissa Meyer

Marissa Meyer is the #1 New York Times–bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles series, as well as the graphic novel Wires and Nerve: Vol. 1, and The Lunar Chronicles Coloring Book. Her first stand alone novel, Heartless, was also a #1 New York Times bestseller. She lives in Tacoma, Washington, with her husband and their two daughters.

Nicole Conway Guest Post | Savage Blog Tour

Posted September 25, 2017 by Jana in Blog Tour, Giveaway / 1 Comment

Welcome to my stop along the blog tour for Nicole Conway’s Savage, hosted by Chapter By Chapter Book Tours! I helped reveal the cover for Savage earlier this month, and now I’m welcoming Nicole to the blog to tell us about Savage and how it ties in to her previous series.

This series is marketed as a companion follow-up to the Dragonrider Chronicles. Tell us about that series and how this one continues that story.

You absolutely do NOT have to have read The Dragonrider Chronicles in order to read this series! Here’s why:

The Dragonrider Chronicles deals with the origins of Jaevid Broadfeather. Each book from that series covers an important time in his life. It’s about how his journey began, how he became a dragonrider, how he was trained to becoming a knight in the king’s service, and how he impacted their world. At the end of that series, Maldobar has finally achieved peace after 20 years of war because of Jaevid’s sacrifice.

The Dragonrider Legacy takes place 40 years after the end of the first series and will tell the second portion of Jaevid’s journey. However, unlike the first series, a majority of it will be told from the perspective of an entirely new cast of heroes. Many of these characters are the children and grandchildren of the original cast from the Chronicles. Because the events of the first series are now legends and tales of heroism told to the current characters, readers new to the world shouldn’t feel alienated. They will be given any information from the first series they absolutely need. My hope was to generate feelings of nostalgia for those who are already fans of the first series, and to also pique the curiosity of new readers about just who this Jaevid guy is whenever parts of his epic story are told.

Overall, The Dragonrider Legacy has been so much fun to write! Having that curtain of history behind it from the original series makes the world feel all the more realistic and immersive. It’s really been an emotional experience for me, especially since this will be my last visit to Maldobar. Training, battling, and soaring with the Dragonriders has been an incredible journey for me as a writer. I hope it’s one that readers will enjoy as much as I have!

Savage by Nicole Conway
Series: (Dragonrider Legacy #1)
Published by Month9Books on September 26, 2017
Genres: Fantasy
Google Play • BAM • Chapters • Indies • Amazon • B&N • Kobo • BD • iBooks
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Savage begins the Dragonrider Legacy series, a thrilling companion to the international bestselling Dragonrider Chronicles.

Never send a hero to do a monster’s job.

Forty years have passed since Jaevid Broadfeather brought peace to Maldobar and Luntharda. But that fragile truce will be tested as darkness gathers on the horizon. The vicious armies of the Tibran Empire have crossed the far seas and are threatening to destroy Maldobar completely. Not even the dragonriders can match the Tibran war machines. And after an attempt to awaken Jaevid from his divine sleep fails, the fate of Maldobar is looking grim.

Reigh has never known what it means to be a normal human. Raised amongst the gray elves in the wild jungle of Luntharda, he’s tried everything to fit in. But the dark power within him is bursting at the seams—refusing to be silenced. And while his adoptive father, Kiran, insists this power must be kept secret, Reigh knows he’s running out of time.

As Maldobar burns, the world is desperate for a new hero. Destiny has called, and one boy will rise to answer.

About Nicole Conway

Nicole is the author of the children’s fantasy series, THE DRAGONRIDER CHRONICLES, about a young boy’s journey into manhood as he trains to become a dragonrider. She has completed the first two books in the series, and is now working on the third and final book. Originally from a small town in North Alabama, Nicole moves frequently due to her husband’s career as a pilot for the United States Air Force. She received a B.A. in English with a concentration in Classics from Auburn University, and will soon attend graduate school. She has previously worked as a freelance and graphic artist for promotional companies, but has now embraced writing as a full-time occupation. Nicole enjoys hiking, camping, shopping, cooking, and spending time with her family and friends. She also loves watching children’s movies and collecting books. She lives at home with her husband, two cats, and dog.

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