Posts Tagged: Egmont USA

Cover Reveal- Nobody By Jennifer Lynn Barnes

16 Aug, 2012 by in Cover Reveal-, nobody 3 comments

Egmont USA and Mundie Moms have invited us to help reveal the newest book cover for Nobody by Jennifer Lynn Barnes…

What do you think?!!
NOBODY
Hardcover, 400 pages

Expected publication: January 22nd 2013
by EgmontUSA
ISBN1606843214

NOBODY Summary: There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.   That’s why they make the perfect assassins. The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated. Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.
Add Nobody on Goodreads
About the Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. She has been, in turn, a competitive cheerleader, a volleyball player, a dancer, a debutante, a primate cognition researcher, a teen model, a comic book geek, and a lemur aficionado. She’s been writing for as long as she can remember, finished her first full book (which she now refers to as a “practice book” and which none of you will ever see) when she was still in high school, and then wrote Golden the summer after her freshman year in college, when she was nineteen.
Jen graduated high school in 2002, and from Yale University with a degree in cognitive science (the study of the brain and thought) in May of 2006. She was awarded a Fulbright to do post-graduate work at Cambridge, and then returned to the states, where she is hard at work on her PhD. Visit her webiste at http://www.jenniferlynnbarnes.com/

Fire and Ice is giving away RAISED BY WOLVES, TRIAL BY FIRE, TAKEN BY STORM and her stand alone title EVERY OTHER DAY all signed! A galley of NOBODY will be included in the prize pack with some Raised by Wolves swag. To enter to win click here.

Good luck!

Nobody By Jennifer Lynn Barnes Giveaway and Video

09 Aug, 2012 by in mundie moms, nobody 19 comments

Egmont USA and author Jennifer Lynn Barnes are gearing up for the cover reveal of her newest book Nobody on Mundie Moms August 16th. In order to get ready we are posting a video by the author about what is coming up next in YA and offering up a huge giveaway! Be sure to check back here on the 16th for the cover reveal.

NOBODY Summary: There are people in this world who are Nobody. No one sees them. No one notices them. They live their lives under the radar, forgotten as soon as you turn away.   That’s why they make the perfect assassins. The Institute finds these people when they’re young and takes them away for training. But an untrained Nobody is a threat to their organization. And threats must be eliminated. Sixteen-year-old Claire has been invisible her whole life, missed by the Institute’s monitoring. But now they’ve ID’ed her and send seventeen-year-old Nix to remove her. Yet the moment he lays eyes on her, he can’t make the hit. It’s as if Claire and Nix are the only people in the world for each other. And they are—because no one else ever notices them.
Author Jennifer Lynn Barnes talks about YA:
The Giveaway: Fire and Ice is giving away Raised by Wolves series (RAISED BY WOLVES, TRIAL BY FIRE, TAKEN BY STORM) and her stand alone title EVERY OTHER DAY all signed. A galley of NOBODY will be included in the prize pack as well as some Raised by Wolves swag. To enter to win fill our the rafflecopter form below. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

International ARC Tour- Carmen

20 Apr, 2011 by in walter dean myers Leave a comment

Carmen
by Walter Dean Myers
Hardcover, 144 pages
Expected publication:
April 26th 2011
by EgmontUSA
ISBN 1606841157

Into the summer heat of New York’s Spanish Harlem strides Carmen, a chica who is as hot as the sizzling city streets. When she first meets José, she falls for him hard. He’s not like the gansta types she knows—tipo duros who are tough, who think they are players. But José has a quick temper, and he likes to get his own way. And nobody gets in Carmen’s way.
When Escamillo rolls into town, everyone takes notice of the Latino Jay-Z—a quadruple-threat singer/rapper/producer/businessman. But he only notices one person—Carmen. And Carmen has given up on José—he’s not going to get her out of her tough neighborhood, el barrio, and into the action. Escamillo will. But José won’t let that happen.

Passion, love, and betrayal explode into tragedy in this modern retelling of an enduring love story.

“…this concentrated dose of high drama is full of sharp repartee and would make a lively classroom read-aloud.” – Publisher’s Weekly

To sign up to read and review Carmen as part of Fire and Ice’s international ARC tours click and fill out this form.

Bitter Melon International ARC Tour

30 Mar, 2011 by in ARC tour 2 comments

Bitter Melon
by Cara Chow

Hardcover,
224 pages
Published December 28th 2010

by EgmontUSA
ISBN 1606841262

Frances, a Chinese-American student at an academically competitive school in San Francisco, has always had it drilled into her to be obedient to her mother and to be a straight-A student so that she can go to Med school. But is being a doctor what she wants? It has never even occurred to Frances to question her own feelings and desires until she accidentally winds up in speech class and finds herself with a hidden talent. Does she dare to challenge the mother who has sacrificed everything for her? Set in the 1980s.

To read an advanced reading copy of Bitter Melon as part of Fire and Ice ARC tours, simply fill out this form.

Book Review- Hourglass

18 Mar, 2011 by in myra mcentire 22 comments

Hourglassby Myra McEntire
Hardcover, 397 pages
Expected publication: June 14, 2011
by EgmontUSA
ISBN 1606841440
5 stars
One hour to rewrite the past . . .

For seventeen-year-old Emerson Cole, life is about seeing what isn’t there: swooning Southern Belles; soldiers long forgotten; a haunting jazz trio that vanishes in an instant. Plagued by phantoms since her parents’ death, she just wants the apparitions to stop so she can be normal. She’s tried everything, but the visions keep coming back.

So when her well-meaning brother brings in a consultant from a secretive organization called the Hourglass, Emerson’s willing to try one last cure. But meeting Michael Weaver may not only change her future, it may change her past.
Who is this dark, mysterious, sympathetic guy, barely older than Emerson herself, who seems to believe every crazy word she says? Why does an electric charge seem to run through the room whenever he’s around? And why is he so insistent that he needs her help to prevent a death that never should have happened?

Full of atmosphere, mystery, and romance, Hourglass merges the very best of the paranormal and science-fiction genres in a seductive, remarkable young adult debut.

I have been anticipating this book since I very first heard author Myra McEntire announce it on twitter, and can I just say what is there not to love about Hourglass? It is a-ma-zing. From the cover to the first page which contains my favorite quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson, to the end which left me reeling with a mind full of impossible possibilities.

Snarky, sarcastic Emerson has just moved from a boarding school in Arizona to the deep south town of Ivy Springs. She’s sent there to her brother/guardian Thomas, who is a well known architect in the area and his wife Dru. Thomas’ historic renovation sites are layered in history and as a result begin to trigger visions that only Emerson can see of people from the past.

Enter in Michael Weaver, a secretive and angtsy consultant hired by her Thomas from a foundation called Hourglass. Michael’s hired under the agreement that things are to stay strictly business and must not get personal, But not getting personal could prove dangerous for these two. And things get even more complicated when Emerson has to pick between the three men who suddenly take an interest in her: Michael who is fully understanding, Kaleb who is sexy-bad but offers more than meets eye, or Jack- the man who Emerson’s not even sure is real.

Oh my Myra. I was messed up (in a good way) after reading Hourglass. She masterfully explores the issues of grief and depression with skill I have never before seen in young adult fiction. McEntire takes a heroine from a broken fragile past and gives her some black belt hard core sass. Then she adds in Southern charm, and supernatural sci-fi elements. This is a book that will surely soar to the tops of the bestseller list as the best in time slip YA romance. Hourglass struck me deeply and had me in tears which very few books have ever had power to do. It’s gutsy, intelligent and inspiring with a voice you will never forget. I can’t wait for you all to read it!

To learn more about the book Hourglass visit Myra McEntire’s site.

Trailer Thursday- Hourglass Cover Reveal

27 Jan, 2011 by in myra mcentire 1 comment

One of our very favorite authors Myra McEntire and publisher EgmontUSA revealed the HOURGLASS cover today over at Twilight Lexicon. Click here to see the original post plus a chance to win an authoir signed advanced reading copy and hourglass. Myra has posted a large still photograph of the new cover and the back cover blurb on her website at http://myramcentire.blogspot.com/
What an amazing trailer! LOVE it and can not wait for the book…

Book Review- The False Princess

30 Dec, 2010 by in book review, YA fiction 12 comments

The False Princess
by Eilis O’Neal
Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected publication: January 25th 2011
by EgmontUSA
4.5 stars

Summary: Princess and heir to the throne of Thorvaldor, Nalia’s led a privileged life at court. But everything changes when it’s revealed, just after her sixteenth birthday, that she is a false princess, a stand-in for the real Nalia, who has been hidden away for her protection. Cast out with little more than the clothes on her back, the girl now called Sinda must leave behind the city of Vivaskari, her best friend, Keirnan, and the only life she’s ever known.

Sinda is sent to live with her only surviving relative, an aunt who is a dyer in a distant village. She is a cold, scornful woman with little patience for her newfound niece, and Sinda proves inept at even the simplest tasks. But when Sinda discovers that magic runs through her veins – long-suppressed, dangerous magic that she must learn to control – she realizes that she can never learn to be a simple village girl.

Returning to Vivaskari for answers, Sinda finds her purpose as a wizard scribe, rediscovers the boy who saw her all along, and uncovers a secret that could change the course of Thorvaldor’s history, forever.

A dazzling first novel, The False Princess is an engrossing fantasy full of mystery, action, and romance.

The False Princess was a pleasant surprise for me. I picked it up expecting just a fairy tale and finished it thinking, “I REALLY like this book.” Eilis O’Neal is a strong storyteller. First off, I’m glad the cover image for the final book is different from the first ARC cover which I didn’t care for much. This one is much more appealing. (My copy looks similiar to the CD cover image) Despite my initial hesitation, once I got past the first page of The False Princess I did not put it down.

The fantasy begins with Nalia, princess of Thorvaldor and her childhood friend Kiernan seeking for a hidden gate in the surrounding palace walls. Nalia is sixteen, quick to trip over herself, shy and some what quiet. Kiernan, her sidekick is a tease, quick witted and constantly happy. The two are inseparable. That is,until, the King and Queen make an announcement that Nalia is not really the princess but merely a stand in- an imposter, switched at birth. Nalia’s role was to protect the real princess who lies hidden away to avoid a prophecy that she would be killed. Now Nalia must step down from her acting role and become nothing more than a mere commoner, Sinda Azaway.

Sinda is pushed from King’s court to live with her aunt in the tiny village of Treb. Her one living relative is cold without affection for Sinda. Feeling completely alone, Sinda turns to a local boy Tyr with his “unruffled smoothness and silky voice.” All the while Sinda has two new emotions raging inside of her. A force welling up that she does not understand a longing for what she left behind in the city…Kiernan. If he is truly just a friend why did she feel so conflicted?

“But Kiernan and I weren’t like that, I thought, confused. We were just…friends, even if we had been friends so long that neither of us could remember a time when we weren’t. Even if we were so close we could sometimes finish each other’s sentences or say a joke in the instant before the other did,. Even if, every time I thought of living a life without him it was like stepping of into darkness with no lantern and no chance of very finding one again.” p. 49

Sinda’s inner conflict plus a breach of trust by village boy Tyr lead her back into the city of her royal upbringing- Vivanskari. There a dangerous plot to usurp the King’s power and crown yet another false princess are unfurling. Who is the real heir to the throne? Can Sinda resolve her feelings of inadequacy to save her kingdom?

There are so many twists that you’ll be reeling trying to keep all of characters straight. The one constant through the plot is Kiernan. He is a ray of sunshine. He stays with Sinda through all of her travels and is faithful to the end. I thought the plot was well paced and characters were interesting. Though I will say so many Princesses left little room for fully developed personas. I at times had a hard time identifying with Sinda because of her constant lack of confidence and blindness to Kiernan’s feelings. Her doubtful thoughts became a bit repetitive for me hence the 4.5 stars.

Overall, thought I was moved by O’Neal’s writing and the sweet spark of romance that develops. The False Princess is a winning pick for tween and teens who read fantasy. It’s a good match for readers who enjoyed Shannon Hale, Brightly Woven by Alex Bracken and The Secondhand Charm by Julie Berry. I will be picking up anything else written by Eilis O’Neal and will pass this book on to my children. Thanks to Egmont for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Visit the author and read more about The False Princess online at http://www.eilisoneal.com/

The Lost Saint Launch Party

29 Dec, 2010 by in the king's english, the lost saint 6 comments


Stacks of The Lost Saint ready for check out at King’s English


Bree reading to the audience

Bloggers Cranberry Fries, JenniElyse and Catie S

Answering audience questions

Me with local authors Nichole Giles, Windy Aphayrath and Elana Johnson


Bree siging our ARCs

Copies of The Dark Divine, the first in her trilogy


Me with Brittany, two TwilightMOMS


Last night author Bree Despain and The King’s English bookstore kicked off The Lost Saint with questions and answers, book signings and blue iced sugar cookies. I have to day Bree’s covers are some of my very favorites.


The theme of her launch speech was “sequels are hard.” She spent four years working on The Dark Divine and originally it was written as a tragedy with no ending for a second book. She had only four moths to write the second in the trilogy. The front cover of The Dark Divine was originally something completely different with a girl’s face silhouetted with a moon. Her editor spent three days looking for a new image after no one liked the first cover. The photo for the covers was taken by an Argentine photographer who is up and coming in modern photography. There were only three photos in the series and the third is not usable. So, a new set will be taken for cover three. Bree is hoping the theme for book four will be emerald green.

Bree uses music and writing classes to inspire her book which are currently optioned or a movie. As well, fellow YA writer Sara Zarr was instrumental in supporting her during the process of book two along with her husband and critique group. (who were on hand with TLS blue streaks in their hair)

Here’s some footage of Bree’s speech from my jumpy phone hands

Also, we picked up two bottles of The Lost Saint blue nail polish and some bookmarks to give away to our readers. The nail polish is open to US addresses only as it cannot be shipped outside the United States. The bookmarks are up for grabs internationally. To enter to win fill out this form. Giveway ends January 4, 2011.

The Lost Saint ARC Giveaway Winners

23 Dec, 2010 by in the Dark Divine, the lost saint Leave a comment

Congratulations to our TLS contest winners. T.V. & Book Addict won first place: a hardcover signed The Dark Divine, an ARC of The Lost Saint and a bottle of TLS blue nail polish

Denisemadness won second place: an ARC of The Lost Saint and a bottle of TLS nail polish.

Please email us your mailing address and we will send off your prizes.

Thanks so much to EgmontUSA for contributing our ARCS and nail polish! Bree Despain’s book #2 The Lost Saint comes out December 28, 2010! Head on over to her site to see the newly released teaser trailer. The countdown is on…

The Invisible Order Book One -Rise of The Darklings

16 Nov, 2010 by in paul crilley 26 comments

Hardcover, 352 pages
Published September 28th 2010
by EgmontUSA
ISBN1606840312
The Invisible Order #1
4 stars

Emily Snow is twelve years old, supporting herself and her younger brother on the streets of Victorian England by selling watercress. One early winter morning on her way to buy supplies, she encounters a piskie–a small but very sarcastic fey creature that has been cornered by a group of the Black Sidhe, piskies from an opposing clan. She rescues him and unknowingly becomes involved in a war between the Seelie and the Unseelie, two opposing factions of fairies that have been battling each other throughout the long centuries of human history, with London–and England itself–as the ultimate prize.

When the Invisible Order–a centuries-old secret society of humans that has protected mankind from the fey’s interference–gets involved, things really start to get complicated.

Now she is the central figure in this ancient war that could permanently change Earth. With no one to trust, Emily must rely on her own instincts and guile to make the right choices that could save her family and all of mankind.

The first installment in Paul Crilley’s Invisible Order series takes you between two worlds, Victorian London and hidden veiled faerie world which most every day humans can not see. The faeries have divided into Seelie and Unseelie and are at war with each other. But an even greater to their existence comes from a group of men called the Invisible Order who want to lock their pathway into human civilization forever. A young and spunky 12 year old Emily Snow holds the key to bring peace and end the great war.

Highlights of the book for me were the descriptions of the magical world heroine Emily Snow sees. A giant tree where fairies live…”her eyes were drawn to the lights, hundreds, thousands of glowing orbs hanging in the air. They lit the darkness with a golden glow, as if the sun were just sinking after a glorious summer’s day…” p. 85

Crilley really fleshes out his characters and The Invisible Order was full of all kinds of creatures from traditional faery lore. The gnome Pemberton (see Chapter 24 p.242) and Corrigan the pesky piskie were my personal favorites. Black Annis and Jenny Greenteeth are the only two I didn’t care for much. Chapter four is pretty violent for children and I think they added a darker element.

Overall, the strong message I pulled away was the value of Emily’s choices and her tenacity…”You must try to make the decisions that are true and pure. Those decisions might not necessarily be what you want , but such is life.We all have to make sacrifices the greater good.You are no different.” p.318

I soaked up the section where Emily meets Merlin in his clock chamber and all of the fun beginnings of a chemistry between she and Spring Heeled Jack. Her side kick from cheap side London can break into just about anything and get away with it! This was a fun introduction to Victorian London sprinkled with faeries and I would recommend it to middle grade readers ages 13 and up.

For more information see Paul’s website at http://www.paulcrilley.com/The%20Invisible%20Order.html Thanks to EgmontUSA for sending us a copy for review!

To enter to Win Book One of the Invisible Order: Rise of The Darklings, simply comment below. Contest ends December 16, 2010 and is open to US residents.