The Surrendered – Case Maynard: Cover Reveal + Giveaway

Happy Cover Reveal Day!

Blaze Publishing has another gorgeous design to share with the world today. We’re revealing the cover to THE SURRENDERED by Case Maynard. This YA dystopian will definitely have your pulse pounding as a tax is placed on the financially devastated country’s most valuable resource–the children.

Join the Facebook Party tonight from 5-11pm EST, and mark your calendars for release day 9/20!

The Surrendered – Case Maynard
Publication Date: September 20th, 2016
Publisher: Blaze Publishing
Genre(s): Young Adult Dystopia
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After a financial collapse devastates the United States, the new government imposes a tax on the nation’s most valuable resource—the children.

Surrendered at age ten—after her parents could no longer afford her exorbitant fees—Vee Delancourt has spent six hard years at the Mills, alongside her twin, Oliver. With just a year to freedom, they do what they can to stay off the Master’s radar. But when Vee discovers unspeakable things happening to the younger girls in service, she has no choice but to take a stand—a decision that lands her on the run and outside the fence for the first time since the System robbed her of her liberty.

Vee knows the Master will stop at nothing to prove he holds ultimate authority over the Surrendered. But when he makes a threat that goes beyond what even she considers possible, she accepts the aid of an unlikely group of allies. Problem is, with opposing factions gunning for the one thing that might save them all, Vee must find a way to turn oppression and desperation into hope and determination—or risk failing all the children and the brother she left behind.

With over 20 years’ experience in the legal and medical fields, Case Maynard decided to trade in her briefs and reports to write the stories that have been floating around in her head since childhood. She lives with her two teenagers and husband in South Georgia, while maintaining a long-distance liaison with her oldest daughter and partner in crime in Alaska. When not writing, she enjoys reading as often as possible, binge watching anything good on Netflix, and all things NCAA football (Go Noles!). You can learn more about Case and her stories on her website.

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Coming Soon:

Paired with a dark prince in a murderous game of survival, Maia Graystone discovers the only thing more dangerous than the Emperor’s court is her conflicted heart. The YA Sci-fi Apocalyptic SHADOW FALL by Audrey Grey releases in November, but you can sign up for review copies now.

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Liquid – Casey L. Bond: Review

Liquid – Casey L. Bond
Publication Date: September 8th, 2015
Genre(s): YA Fantasy Short Story
Format Read: Paperback (100 pages)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3.5/5)
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Water can give life. Water can take life away. Merra has a very unique talent: the ability to control and manipulate water. Some call her a witch. Most are afraid of her. No one truly understands her power, including her. She’s been held captive for most of her life. Liquid is in her veins. Does evil course through them as well? Liquid is a novella from award-winning author Casey L. Bond.

Liquid is a very interesting short story/novella that follows Merra, a girl that has the ability to control and manipulate water. I loved the concept behind Liquid but felt like it was almost a little too rushed, I really think it could have used another 50 or so pages so it didn’t feel as though it was pretty much “here is the MC, here is some back story mixed with the conflict, and it’s over.”
This was the first of Casey’s work I have read and while I wish it would have been longer I loved her writing style and am really excited to read more from her!

Award-winning author Casey L. Bond resides in Milton, West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. When she’s not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction.

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Zach’s Lie Series – Roland Smith: Series Review

This review is going to be different than one of my normal reviews, normally I would review each book individually but I decided that with how old these books are that it would be easier to do a series review. 

The Zach’s Lie series is one that I read back in middle school and loved; So when I came across both books at the thrift store I knew I had to pick them up and do a re-read of them to see if my opinion had changed in the last 10 years.

Zach’s Lie – Roland Smith
Series: Zach’s Lie #1
Publication Date: April 28th, 2003
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genre(s): Young Adult Realistic Fiction, Suspense, Adventure
Format Read: Paperback (211 pages)
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5)
Goodreads Link

 

Jack Osborne’s life changes forever the night men in masks break into his house, threaten Jack and his family, and ransack their home. Jack then discovers the reason these men have come into their lives-his father has been arrested for drug trafficking.

Jack, his mother, and his sister are then forced to enter Witness Security Program. Jack becomes “Zach” and moves to Elko, Nevada, a town in the middle of nowhere. There he meets Sam, the strangest school custodian he has ever encountered, and Catalin, a girl who might make Zach’s uprooting worth the trouble. But just as Zach finally begins to piece together a new life, he finds himself in danger again-and this time his actions could determine the fates of everyone he cares about.

Jack’s Run – Roland Smith
Series: Zach’s Lie #2
Publication Date: April 1st, 2007
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Genre(s): Young Adult Realistic Fiction, Suspense, Adventure
Format Read: Paperback (246 pages)
Rating:★★★★☆ (4/5)
Goodreads Link

 

When Jack Osborne’s father was arrested for drug trafficking, he agreed to tell the authorities everything he knew about his ex-boss, the ruthless drug czar Alonzo Asnar. But betraying a man as powerful as Alonzo has consequences. The Osbornes have spent the last year in hiding, forced to take on new identities and live under the close surveillance of the Witness Security Program.

Now, with his trial date fast approaching, Alonzo’s hunt for Jack’s family intensifies. One slip up, and Alonzo will find them, making sure no Osborne survives to testify against him. Jack has messed up once before, and he won’t do it again. Unfortunately, someone else in the family hasn’t been as careful .

The Zach’s Lie series follows Jack Osborne and his family after his father is arrested for drug trafficking. After Jack’s father is arrested the man he was working for comes after Jack, his mother and sister to keep his father from talking; this leads the Osbornes to be put into the Witness Security Program aka Witness Protection. I really enjoyed Roland Smith’s Zach’s Lies series and how it was written in third person as to not feel as though it was only focused on Jack, but all the focus characters. Between the two novels you really get to fall in love with the focus characters and start to hate the different bad guys involved. I like that Roland wrapped the series up in a neat little bow because it works perfectly for the age range this book was written for.

I’m glad that after 10 years that I still connected with this series and even though my reading level has progressed since I originally read them I didn’t feel as though the writing style was to simplistic for audiences outside the target audience to enjoy.

Roland Smith is an American author of young adult fiction as well as nonfiction books for children.
Smith was born in Portland, Oregon, and graduated from Portland State University and, following a part-time job at the Oregon Zoo in Portland, began a 20-year career as a zookeeper, both at the Oregon Zoo and the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma, Washington.

After working to save wildlife following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, in 1990, he published his first book, Sea Otter Rescue, a non-fiction account of the process of animal rescue. Smith continued to draw upon his zoo experiences for other non-fiction titles, including Journey of the Red Wolf, which won an Oregon Book Award in 1996.
In 1997, Smith published his first novel, Thundercave. The book continues Smith’s theme, as teenage protagonist Jacob Lansa follows his biologist father to Africa where the father is researching elephants. The Lansa character also appears in 1999’s Jaguar and 2001’s The Last Lobo.

Other novels by Smith include The Captain’s Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe, Zach’s Lie, Jack’s Run, Cryptid Hunters, Sasquatch (novel), about a boy who searches for Bigfoot. Peak, the story of a teenage boy obsessed with climbing mountains, Elephant Run and Tentacles(novel). In 2008, Smith published the first book in the series I, Q, titled Independence Hall.

Smith’s books have won “Book of the Year” awards in Colorado, Nevada, South Carolina, and Florida, as well as in his native Oregon. Smith lives in Tualatin, Oregon with his wife and stepchildren.

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Lavender In Bloom – Lily Velez: Cover Reveal + Giveaway

Lavender in Bloom – Lily Velez
Publication date: July 25th 2016
Publisher: House of Capet Publishing
Genres: Historical, Romance, Young Adult
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It’s the year 1802 in Avignon, France…

Noah Capet has spent most of his young life living simple and unvaried days in the hushed countryside of southern France. Quiet, reserved, and diffident, his preference for existing is to do so in solitude, keeping to himself both in town and on his family’s farm—a predilection that’s altogether disrupted when a newcomer to town by the name of Jeremie Perreault begins an unremitting quest to befriend him.

Jeremie is everything Noah is not. Charismatic and gregarious, he leaves a trail of charmed admirers in his wake wherever he goes. Expressive and idealistic, he talks without end about his deep love for old books and his spirited dream to one day travel the world on a literary pilgrimage.

Over the course of a single summer, the two form an unlikely friendship, but just as quickly as it develops, it soon entirely dissolves as they’re forced to face the truth of what has unexpectedly emerged between them.

Lavender in Bloom is a tender and tragic coming-of-age story about first love and self-discovery, and a poignant reminder that time is fleeting and always takes with it the choices we’re too afraid to make.

 

Lily Velez has been writing stories since she was six years old. Not much has changed since then. She still prefers the written word and her overactive imagination over the ‘real world’ (though to be fair, her stories no longer feature talking dinosaurs). A graduate of Rollins College and a Florida native, when she’s not reading or writing, she spends most of her days wrangling up her pit bulls Noah and Luna, planning exciting travel adventures, and nursing her addiction to cheese. All this when she isn’t participating in the extreme sport known as napping.

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Genesis Girl – Jennifer Bardsley: ARC Review

I recieved a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Genesis Girl – Jennifer Bardsley
Series: Blank Slate
Publication Date: June 14th, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books
Genre(s): Young Adult Dystopia, Science Fiction
Format Read: Kindle (280 pages)
Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3/5)
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Eighteen-year-old Blanca has lived a sheltered life. Her entire childhood has been spent at Tabula Rasa School where she’s been protected from the Internet. Blanca has never been online and doesn’t even know how to text. Her lack of a virtual footprint has made her extremely valuable and upon graduation Blanca, and those like her, are sold to the highest bidders.
Blanca is purchased by Cal McNeal, who uses her to achieve personal gain. But the McNeal’s are soon horrified by just how obedient and non-defiant Blanca is. All those mind-numbing years locked away from society have made her mind almost impenetrable. By the time Blanca is ready to think for herself, she is trapped. Her only chance of escape is to go online.

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The concept that was presented by Jennifer Bardsley in Genesis Girl was fairly interesting and caught my attention right away. I enjoyed the world she created in where a small group of people never use technology and therefore have no virtual footprint. Upon Blanca and her classmates of Tabula Rasa School’s graduation they are sold off to bidders. The lack of a virtual footprint is appealing to companies because they get say over what gets shared of the Vestals and because of this they don’t have to worry about any bad publicity attached to the people representing them and their products.

When Blanca is purchased by an individual instead of a company she doesn’t know what to think. But when Cal McNeal, her purchaser, realizes just how horrifyingly obedient Blanca is he is worried for her.

Bardsley created a wonderful world and well developed characters. I was hooked very quickly and loved learning more about Blanca and the other characters but as I reached the 70% mark the storyline started to fall a little flat for me. I know that is probably the point that it got action packed for some readers but I felt as it was a little too predictable and drawn out and that is why I had to go with a 3 star rating instead of something higher.

Overall Bardsley did a wonderful job with this book but parts of the ending just didn’t work for me.

Jennifer Bardsley is the author of GENESIS GIRL. She also writes the column “I Brake for Moms” for the Sunday edition of The Everett Daily Herald and blogs at Teaching My Baby to Read. Jennifer is a graduate of Stanford University and a member of SCBWI. She lives with her husband and two children in Edmonds, WA.

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Starbright Series – Hilary Thompson: Release Day Party + Giveaway

Starbright Series – Hilary Thompson
Publisher: Oftomes Publishing
Release Date: June 14th, 2016
Genre(s): Young Adult, Fantasy, Dystopia
Series Goodreads Link

Series Trailer

Justice Buried (Starbright #1)

Synopsis:

The people need Justice, but she’s not listening.
One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three dystopian cities. Now the community of Asphodel is trapped underground, waiting for the prophesied maiden of Justice to rescue them.
Sixteen-year-old Astrea is supposed to be this savior – too bad for them she isn’t a believer. Astrea fights her fate until discovering a power she never knew she had, and a handsome ally she never expected. With her life in danger, Astrea must choose between saving her city or herself.
This thrilling young adult adventure is the first in the richly-imagined Starbright series, which is laced with mystery, mythology, romance, and magic. Justice Buried will have you questioning fate versus free will along with Astrea’s strong female lead, and wondering who can be trusted when everyone is keeping secrets.

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Balance Broken (Starbright #2)

Synopsis:

Balance Broken is the second in the Starbright series. In the first book, Justice Buried, Astrea fights to remain independent in a world which demands she submit to an ancient prophecy. In Balance Broken, she learns that independence means little when the world is depending on her.
The world cries for Order, but she’s igniting a revolution.
One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three cities. Now, Asphodel no longer lingers underground, and the Starbright Maiden of Justice has returned.
Everyone has faith in Astrea’s ability to save the world – but only she knows the dark truth about her powers.
Astrea teams with Stian, Lexan, and Zarea to enlist the help of Lord Hadeon of Tartarus. They hope Hadeon will aid in attacking Asphodel’s First Leader Keirna, but the Destroyer usually takes lives, not sides.
As Astrea discovers life outside of Asphodel, she begins to wonder whether the remaining world is too broken to save – especially since the price of freedom just might be her own life.

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Destiny Risen (Starbright #3)

Synopsis:

The world cries for Peace, but she can’t stop fighting now.
One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three scattered cities. Now Asphodel has risen, Tartarus no longer burns, but Elysium still waits at the edge of the earth.
Trea’s destiny is still uncertain – but with her own personal prophet to help, the choice will finally be hers to make.
Three Sisters.
Four fallen stars.
Seven minutes to determine the future of our world.

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Amazon US
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Hilary Thompson was born to parents who made a habit of taking roads less traveled. But she was also a first child, and an independent, willful child, so she has made a habit of taking a few roads on her own.
After trying on hats made for artists, architects, restaurant and retail workers, landscape designers, legal secretaries, and professional students, she retreated back to her first loves of education and writing.
Hilary now teaches high school full time, writes whenever and wherever she can, and reads as much as her eyes can handle. She also tries not to spoil her own independent, willful children or neglect her wonderful soul-mate of a husband too much. She tends to ignore laundry baskets and dirty dishes.

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Ebooks of each book in the Starbright Series

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