Waiting on Wednesday...FLAWED!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.

I am super-duper excited about this week's selection. I've recently "met" the author via Twitter, and she's fun and quirky and very nice, which makes me want to read her book even more! But even without "knowing" her, the awesome description below is MORE than enough! Judge for yourselves!

FLAWED 

by Kate Avelynn

pub date 7/10/2012

product description from goodreads.com

Sarah O’Brien is alive because of the pact she and her brother made twelve years ago—James will protect her from their violent father if she promises to never leave him. For years, she’s watched James destroy his life to save hers. If all he asks for in return is her affection, she’ll give it freely.

Until, with a tiny kiss and a broken mind, he asks for more than she can give.

Sam Donavon has been James’s best friend—and the boy Sarah’s had a crush on—for as long as she can remember. As their forbidden relationship deepens, Sarah knows she’s in trouble. Quiet, serious Sam has decided he’s going to save her. Neither of them realize James is far more unstable than her father ever was, or that he’s not about to let Sarah forget her half of the pact...

Now if that doesn't get you, then maybe this will--it's the SECOND cover currently designed for FLAWED! That's right, TWO of 'em, and they're both awesome!

Cover 2

Entangled Publishing is currently deciding which cover to go with, and though I have my fave (okay, it's the first one--LOVE!), I can honestly say that they can't go wrong with these two choices! 

What do you guys think about both the blurb and the possible covers? Lemme know, and visit Kate on Twitter @KateAvelynn and congratulate her on her upcoming debut!

Tune in Tuesday!

I must admit that I am starting to love Tuesdays...thanks to Ginger over at GReads!, I'm enjoying some awesome music!


This week is another oldie...but oh-so-goodie! It's one of my all-time favorite songs that I could seriously listen to over and over and over and ov--you get the point.

REM - Losing My Religion

Ah! Don't you just LOVE it!  Okay, off to listen to some more great tunes...hop over to GReads! and follow the fun!

A post where I update you on my writing

On the off-chance anyone stuck around after reading that lame-o title, today's post is gonna be a simple one. Just thought, in case some of you might be interested, that I would let you know where I stand on my current writing projects. Fun, right?! 


Ahem...moving on.

Jamie Manning's Current Writing Projects 

(thought it might sound better with a title. Okay, moving on again)

Blood Prophecy Trilogy - Book 2

           First draft done (yay!) 

           Round 1 edits received (yay!) 

           Round 1 edits hiding in drawer, totally being ignored (yay!)

                *sidenote: don't panic, I'll get to them...one day :)

Sekrit Projekt 1 (Trilogy)

          Dystopian (yay!)

          Book 1 Plotted (yay!)

          Chapter One written (yay!)

          That is all (boo!)

                *sidenote: no worries here either...I'm working on it! 

Sekrit Projekt 2 (stand-alone)

          YA Contemporary (yay!)

          Early stages of plotting (yay!)

          Few scenes written (yay!)

                 *sidenote: super excited about this one (yay!), wish I had oodles of time to work on it (boo!)

So there you have it, what I'm working on as of late. Admittedly, I am a HUGE procrastinator who seems to work much more quickly when under pressure, so hopefully I can get one of these assigned to a contract (perhaps Sekrit Projekt 1? hmm...) so I'll be forced to write! 

          

Cover Reveal...LUMINOSITY by Stephanie Thomas!

I am so excited to be part of the cover reveal for Entangled Publishing's newest title, LUMINOSITY by Stephanie Thomas! A HUGE thanks to Stacey at Entangled for doing such an awesome job at spreading the word about their upcoming YA titles (you rock, Stacey!).

Now, without further ado, the LUMINOSITY cover!!

Isn't it beautiful?! I love the glowing white of the model against the dark background, and the hint of what appears to be a dystopian-like cityscape just makes this cover all the more appealing to me...nicely done, Entangled!!

In case you haven't heard of LUMINOSITY, here's the blurb, via goodreads.com:

My name is Beatrice. When I was born, I was blessed with the Sight. I was immediately removed from my parents and enrolled in the Institution. At the age of twelve, I had my first true vision, earning my raven’s wings. And when I turned seventeen, one of my visions came true. Things haven’t been the same since.

The Institution depends on me to keep the City safe from our enemy, the Dreamcatchers, but I’m finding it harder to do while keeping a secret from everyone, including my best friend Gabe. It is a secret that could put us all in danger. A secret that could kill me and everyone close to me.

But the enemy has been coming to me in my dreams, and I think I’m falling in love with him. He says they’re coming. He says they’re angry. And I think I’ve already helped them win.


Doesn't that sound awesome?! Only drawback? It doesn't release until September!! :(

That's okay, though. Judging by Entangled's previous amazing books, I already know it's gonna be worth the wait!

A post where I mention I'm going to a little thing called BEA

I tried to get clever with that title, but alas...I failed. 


But you got the point of it, right? You didn't? Oh. Well. Lemme try again.

I'M GOING TO BEA!!

Got it that time? Good.


You read that right...I will be attending BEA in June! I'm so over-the-moon excited to be attending the biggest book event of the year, and cannot wait to rub elbows with other authors and fans of books! To get away for a few days is gonna be heaven, but to spend those few days talking nothing but books and writing and publishing? 


Cannot. Wait.


Just in case you're one of the few who has no idea what it is, click HERE to get all the info on BEA. My publisher, Pendrell Publishing, will have a booth throughout the entire event, so if you happen to be going, be sure to stop by and say hi to me and other Pendrell authors! We'll be in booth 2040, adjacent to the Digital Zone, so come see us! 


And on Thursday, June 7th, we'll be selling/signing books ALL DAY, so be sure to come by and grab a copy of each of Pendrell's great titles. And we'll also be revealing the TITLE and COVER for the second book in THE BLOOD PROPHECY TRILOGY while there, so be sure to come by and see! (And we'll be posting it on Twitter, too, in case you can't make it!)


Hope to see you all there...and YAY! I'm going to BEA!! :)

Wanna Party?

You do?! Then you're in luck, because it just so happens that I have the info on the launch party for my debut YA novel, BLOOD BORN!


On April 20th, from 5-7pm, I'll be having a meet & greet/signing (note I did not say reading? Yeah, that's because there will not be a reading!) at The L House in my hometown of Brewton, Alabama (think NYC, but without the size, population, culture or notoriety). I'll be giving away some BLOOD BORN swag (bookmarks, magnets, candy!) and signing books (and taking pics for anyone interested--though, I can't promise they'll turn out!). And the coolest thing? If you come by, you can purchase a copy of BLOOD BORN 4 days before anyone else! (exciting, right?! huh, maybe it's just me.)


So if you happen to be in the area (or maybe you live a couple hours away and don't mind driving. I'm talking to you, MB and JL!) please come by and say hi, buy a book and get it signed! 


Hope to see you there!

Waiting on Wednesday...THE LAST ECHO!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.
Today I've chosen the final book in a series that I just love. The writing, the characters, the plot...it's all good! So please, add to your TBR lists...

THE LAST ECHO
by Kimberly Derting
pub date 4/17/2012


product description from goodreads.com


Violet kept her morbid ability to sense dead bodies a secret from everyone except her family and her childhood-best-friend-turned-boyfriend, Jay Heaton. That is until forensic psychologist Sara Priest discovered Violet's talent and invited her to use her gift to track down murderers. Now, as she works with an eclectic group of individuals—including mysterious and dangerously attractive Rafe—it's Violet's job to help those who have been murdered by bringing their killers to justice.

When Violet discovers the body of a college girl killed by "the girlfriend collector" she is determined to solve the case. But now the serial killer is on the lookout for a new "relationship", and Violet may have caught his eye....

Ooh, sounds good, right? Hurry up, April (for more than one reason, lol)!

Teaser Tuesday!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!(make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Although the faces in the room and on the screens tried to remain static, the discomfort ratcheted around them. Kai gripped his hands so tight that crescent moons were left from his fingernails.
~pg 250, Cinder by Marissa Meyer

Review: TEMPEST by Julie Cross

TEMPEST
by Julie Cross
pub date 1/17/2012

product description from goodreads.com

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.

My Review:

TEMPEST is the first time-travel book I've read (though I've seen tons of movies!), and I absolutely loved it!

Julie Cross has woven a tale of love and intrigue with expert fashion--told through amazing characters and vivid settings--that keeps you both on the edge of your seat and wiping away tears the entire book. The MC, Jackson, is the key to this beautiful story, as it's his journey to discover more about himself and his abilities that carries him and the excellent supporting cast through the pages. His girlfriend Holly is also another key element in TEMPEST, for her death is the reason he jumps back in time--getting stuck there in the process.

That's where the real story begins. For once Jackson begins to uncover secrets about who he is, the people after him open the floodgates, stopping at nothing to either get Jackson on their side or destroy him.

My Rating:

TEMPEST was an exciting, heart-wrenching read that left me wanting more, and I am happy to give it 5 stars. If you haven't already, pick up a copy of this book and travel through time with Jackson!

Waiting on Wednesday...SUCH A RUSH!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.


This week's pick is by one of my favorite authors. Her writing style is so fun and real and steamy, it's impossible not to get lost in her books! And her latest one is sure to be another hit! So please, RUSH over to your goodreads accounts and add to your TBR lists...

SUCH A RUSH
by Jennifer Echols
pub date July 10, 2012

product description from goodreads.com

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

High school senior Leah Jones loves nothing more than flying. While she’s in the air, it’s easy to forget life with her absentee mother at the low-rent end of a South Carolina beach town. When her flight instructor, Mr. Hall, hires her to fly for his banner advertising business, she sees it as her ticket out of the trailer park. And when he dies suddenly, she’s afraid her flying career is gone forever.

But Mr. Hall’s teenage sons, golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson, are determined to keep the banner planes flying. Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business--until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers--and the consequences could be deadly.

See, I told you it would be a winner! Five months seems like forever, but I know it's gonna be worth the wait!

Monday Must Reads!...TEMPEST!

Not familiar with this little feature? It's simple, really. Monday Must Reads! is a feature I created to showcase books that I think you, well, Must Read (ha!).

This week's selection is one I read for the DAC ARC Tours, and I must say that I loved it! I'll have a review soon, so be sure to check back for that. Now for the reason of this post. Please rush over to goodreads and add to your TBR lists...

TEMPEST
by Julie Cross
pub date 1/17/2012

product description from goodreads.com
The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveler. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world.


See, doesn't that sound great?! Well trust me, it is! Now, quit reading and go get a copy for yourself!

Waiting on Wednesday...What I Didn't Say by Keary Taylor!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.

This week I've chosen a book by someone I just love. Her writing is beautiful, and her stories and characters are captivating (if you haven't yet, please read EDEN...it rocks!). Her latest title sounds just as great as all her others, and I urge you all to check out...

WHAT I DIDN'T SAY

by Keary Taylor

pub date 4/2012

product description from goodreads.com

Getting drunk Homecoming night your senior year is never a good idea, but Jake Hayes never expected it all to end with a car crash and a t-post embedded in his throat.

His biggest regret about it all? What he never said to Samantha Shay. He's been in love with her for years and never had the guts to tell her. Now it's too late. Because after that night, Jake will never be able to talk again.

When Jake returns to his small island home, population 5,000, he'll have to learn how to deal with being mute. He also finds that his family isn't limited to his six brothers and sisters, that sometimes an entire island is watching out for you. And when he gets the chance to spend more time with Samantha, she'll help him learn that not being able to talk isn’t the worst thing that could ever happen to you. Maybe, if she'll let him, Jake will finally tell her what he didn't say before, even if he can't actually say it.

Doesn't that sound so good?! Be sure to add it to your Goodreads TBR lists, and check out Keary's other awesome books!

Teaser Tuesday...TEMPEST by Julie Cross!

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS!(make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Her arms went from up against the wall to around my neck, yanking me even closer. Fingers were in my hair, lips moving across my cheek, hearts pounding. I wanted to tear off our clothes and let her crawl all over me.

~pg 141, TEMPEST by Julie Cross

Waiting on Wednesday...Jus Accardo!!

The lovely Jill (a fellow Alabamian!) over at Breaking the Spine created the Waiting on Wednesday meme for us bloggers to showcase books we're waiting on.

This week, I have two books that I'm chomping at the bits to read. One is sort of an in-between, and the second is a full-on book. They both are follow-ups to one of the best reads of 2011. Interest piqued? Then be sure to add to your TBR lists...

UNTOUCHED

by Jus Accardo

pub date 2/21/2012

(no product description)

UNTOUCHED is the in-between novel I mentioned earlier, and I do believe it is from Kale's point of view. No idea who Kale is? I feel bad for you! (seriously, though...read TOUCH)

TOXIC

by Jus Accardo

pub date 5/1/2012

product description from goodreads.com

When a Six saved Kale’s life the night of Sumrun, she warned there would be consequences. A trade-off. Something taken for the life they gained. But Dez never imagined she’d lose the one thing she’d give anything to keep… And as if it’s not enough Dez finds her immunity to Kale fading, the Six brought in to help Kale learn to control his killer touch starts drooling on him the moment they meet. Worse than that? Jade can touch Kale. But bimbo Barbie is the least of Dez's problems.

After Dez and Kale got away at Sumrun, her father lost not only his most powerful weapon but an important piece of the Supremacy project. Forced by Denazen to remedy the situation, he poisons Dez and offers her a choice—surrender to Denazen for the cure…or die. Determined to find a solution that doesn’t involve being bagged and tagged—or losing someone she loves—Dez keeps the poison a secret. But when a rash of Denazen attacks hit a little too close to home, Dez is convinced there’s a traitor among them. Jade.

Sacrifices, broken promises, and secrets. Dez will have to lay it all on the line if there’s any hope of proving Jade’s guilt before they all end up Residents of Denazen. Or worse, dead...

TOUCH was such an amazing and wonderful book, I can only imagine that TOXIC is even better. Hurry up May 1st!!!