Cover Reveal: Love At First Slight by J. Marie Croft

Title: Love At First Slight

Author: J. Marie Croft

Publisher: Rhemalda

Release Date: October 1st, 2013

“It may not be universally acknowledged, but the unvarnished truth is that a young widow in possession of a good fortune is not necessarily in want of another husband.”

In this humorous, topsy-turvy Pride & Prejudice variation, all the gender roles are reversed. It is Mr. Bennet’s greatest wish to see his five sons advantageously married. When the haughty Miss Elizabeth Darcy comes to Netherfield with the Widow Devonport nee Bingley, speculation—and prejudice—runs rampant.

William Bennet, a reluctant and irreverent future reverend, catches Miss Darcy’s eye even though he is beneath her station. However, his opinion of her was fixed when she slighted him at the Meryton Assembly. As her ardour grows, so does his disdain, and when she fully expects to receive an offer of marriage, he gives her something else entirely …

I am excited to be a part of this cover reveal today! Pride & Prejudice is a story that has been reshaped and remodeled into plenty of different stories. However, when I first read the summary of this particular story, I thought “Wow, I haven’t seen it done that way yet!” I am so excited to see what J. Marie Croft has done with that. Unfortunately, we still have to wait until October for that to happen. BUT to tide us over until then, we get to look at the brand new cover. Without further ado, the cover for Love At First Slight….

So what do you think? I just LOVE that it has that old-fashioned look to it. It definitely looks like it could be a book from the Jane Austen era. The font, the picture, the pretty swirly design thingy surrounding the title, it all just works so well together! Be sure to check out the book and author information below and of course let us know in the comments section what you think about the cover!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J. Marie Croft, a Nova Scotia resident and avid reader all her life, discovered Jane Austen’s works later than others but made up for lost time by devouring the six novels and as many adaptations and sequels as she could find. In the midst of reading prodigious amounts of Austen based fan-fiction, she realized, “Hey, I can do that.” In her spare time, when not working at a music school or on a wooded trail enjoying her geocaching hobby, she listens to the voices in her head and captures their thoughts and words in writing. Her stories are light-hearted; and her motto is Miss Austen’s own quote, “Let other pens dwell on guilt and misery.” J. Marie Croft is a member of the Jane Austen Society of North America (Canada) and admits to being “excessively attentive” to the 1995 BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. She can be contacted at jmariecroft@gmail.com.

Website

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads

Rhemalda

Tune In Tuesday (119)

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! This feature was originally created by Ginger over at GReads! but you can now find it here at Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands. If you would like to participate in this weekly feature, make a blog post showcasing a song (or a few!) and link up at the bottom of this post by clicking the cute blue guy! While you’re here make sure to check out all the other awesome blogs that have decided to participate!

Hey there you guys! I hope you all are having an incredible week so far! Mine is off to a pretty good start. I have officially changed positions at work which means that I am now working in the stock room by myself (this is a good thing, I promise!) While I am in back, I get to do the one thing I wasn’t able to do on the sales floor: listen to whatever the heck kind of music I want! Paying that extra $10 a month is a small price to pay to have my Spotify playlists stream all day long. The past couple of days I have just been putting my Starred playlist on shuffle and just listening to whatever happens to pop up. While in back yesterday, a song came on that I hadn’t heard in a long time and I just knew I would be sharing this guy’s music for Tune In Tuesday today. Jason Walker has a voice I will never tire of hearing. As far as I know he doesn’t have a whole lot of songs out BUT the ones that are out are simply awesome. I really have no idea how to explain them so I will just jump right into my favorites. Also, be sure to check out my special announcement below!

Cry by Jason Walker

I am not trying to be cheesy at all but this song sort of makes me want to cry. The whole leaning on each other thing gets me every time.

Don’t Know by Jason Walker

I really like this song by him. It has a different vibe than his other songs; it’s a bit more upbeat!

Everybody Lies by Jason Walker

I am not going to lie (okay, I am trying to be cheesy this time around), this song is a bit depressing. True but still depressing. I like it anyways though!

Echo by Jason Walker

I love this song so very much! I love the way he incorporates the song title into the actual lyrics of the song.

Down by Jason Walker featuring Molly Reed

This is my absolute FAVORITE song by him. Their voices couldn’t be more perfect for each other and the result is this haunting yet beautiful song.

A SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT:

It has been a good couple of months since we’ve done a themed month for Tune In Tuesday so I figured we were definitely in need of one! I have been thinking about doing this theme for quite some time now and then someone mentioned it a while ago and I just knew it would be a fun one to do  (I am so sorry I couldn’t remember who suggested it. Whoever it is, THANK YOU!) For the month of September, our Tune In Tuesday theme is going to be….

I hope you are all just excited about this as I am! For those of you who don’t know, let me explain a little bit about how the special edition Tune In Tuesday will work. First off, it is by no means required. If you want to just post your own thing, that’s totally fine but if you do want join in that’s incredibly awesome too! For this edition in particular, you will be asked to show off your favorite covers. I know what it’s like to likethe original version of the song but LOVE it when someone else puts their own spin on it so with keeping this in mind, pick out your favorite covers and get ready to showcase them. Aside from the theme change, the feature will work just like normal! And as always, if you have any suggestions for future Tune In Tuesday themes, please let me know in the comments or feel free to email me at katelynsblog@aol.com!

Blog Tour + Guest Post + Book Playlist: Authors Are Rockstars featuring Sarah Guillory

I am beyond thrilled to be participating in the 2nd Annual Authors Are Rock Stars event hosted by Fiktshun, Two Chicks on Books, and Magical Urban Fantasy Reads! As part of the tour, I have been paired up with a young adult author who just so happens to be a bookish rock star! Sarah Guillory, author of the upcoming novel Reclaimed, has put together such a FUN post for us today. She’s selected songs that fit into her book AND she explains just why she picked them. But before we get to the musically awesome portion of this post, first let’s learn a little more about Sarah and see just why I think she is a rockstar!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Sarah Guillory has always loved words and had a passion for literature.  When she’s not reading or writing, Sarah runs marathons, which she credits with keeping her at least partially sane.  Sarah teaches high school English and lives in Louisiana with her husband and their bloodhound, Gus. Reclaimed is her debut novel.

Twitter: @sguillory262

Website: www.sarahguillory.com

Blog: www.sarahguillory.blogspot.com

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/16045763-reclaimed

WHY I THINK SARAH GUILLORY IS A ROCKSTAR:

So why do I think Sarah Guillory is a rockstar? Let me just count the ways! First is because her book cover is gorgeous. Superficial of me yes, but still, I can’t deny it. Second is because her book blew my freaking mind. BLEW MY MIND PEOPLE. It was so intense that I had to put it down about 75% of the way through because I was scared to find out what was going to happen next. Not scared in a I’m-hiding-beneath-the-covers way but more in the holy-crap-I-think-I-know-what-is-about-to-go-down-and-I’m-scared-to-be-right way. When I finally worked up the courage to read the remaining amount of the book, it shocked me because what I thought what was going to happen didn’t and what I couldn’t possibly imagine happening did. Sarah threw one curveball after another. She basically pulled the rug out from under me making it so I really didn’t know which way was up. Moving on to another reason why Sarah rocks my socks off: her writing style is different and unique and just refreshing. Oh and she writes from alternating points of view…successfully and totally non-confusing! I am a sucker for alternating points of view. And can I just say that there was lots of swooning on my part while reading her book? Yes the book as a whole was sort of mysterious and very much heart-not necessarily breaking but definitely heart-hurting, she still knows how to write a beautifully broken and totally swoon-worthy male character. And don’t even get me started on this book playlist. Seriously, it’s awesome. So there you have it, in a very long and sort of rambly nutshell, just why I think Sarah Guillory is a rockstar!

And now that my fan-girling is on pause for the moment, let’s move on to this sort of mash-up of a guest post and a book playlist. Sarah did an awesome job selecting the music and now that I’ve read the book AND have read her reasoning for picking each song, I can so see it! So please take a look at Sarah’s post, give her a warm welcome, and by all means, let us know what you think of the book playlist in the comments section!

Welcome Home – Radical Face

I listened to this album on repeat while working on RECLAIMED, so just hearing this song pulls me into Solitude. I see the pine trees, the lake, Solitude Point, and the abandoned train yard. Though Solitude is a town I made up, I have lived in several small towns. I grew up in Arkansas, where the novel is set, so writing the scenery was a homecoming for me.

The line “the backs of my eyes hum with things I’ve never done” makes me think of Jenna. Solitude is her home. She has lived in the small town her entire life, just like her mother and grandmother. But Jenna wants to see different places and be different people. She knows she will never be able to do all the things she wants if she stays in Solitude, and she is reminded daily of the things she’s never done.

“Peel the scars from off my back/I don’t need them anymore” also fits with Jenna because she feels like if she can just escape Solitude, she can escape those things which scarred her as well.

Picking Up Pieces – Blue October

Sometimes I feel like weeping
Awake and when I’m sleeping
Perfecting how to put a game face on

This puzzle I’ve been keeping
Has been in hiding creeping out the closet door
Spilling out onto the floor

How long will I be picking up pieces
How long will I be picking up my heart

I chose this song because all three characters hide things from the outside world, and all three feel like they are picking up the pieces left scattered by those secrets. Jenna has to deal with her mother’s drinking while trying to keep it a secret from everyone, especially her grandmother. Every time her mother gets drunk, Jenna is the one who has to put her back together again. Ian is always putting on his game face. He’s the peacekeeper, and he feels like he has to put his family back together after the divorce. Because he is the responsible one, it’s his job to try and repair the cracks in his family. Luke is keeping a secret from his brother, one that has consequences that he is still dealing with. But the secret he’s been hiding will eventually creep out, and all three characters will have to try and salvage the pieces.

This is How I Disappear – My Chemical Romance

This is mainly Luke’s song. He feels like being in Ian’s shadow causes him to disappear. Ian is the good student and athlete, while Luke is the one always getting in trouble. But Luke feels like Jenna sees through all that, sees who is really is. She makes him feel like he doesn’t have to disappear.

Better than Today – Wes Kirkpatrick

no need to lie – cause I find the truth on your face and your ways

 

Just realize, I don’t care if you like what I say

when I leave, you’re still here

the same old place year after year

I want to see the smiles on different faces, I want to see the stars from other places, it will do no good to stay, you’ll never be better than today

Jenna is dealing with her mother’s alcoholism and lies. She wants to help her mother, but she always wants to leave Solitude. She is sick of being in the same place. The chorus is exactly Jenna – she wants to go places and experience new things. She is angry that her mother may jeopardize that by being selfish and having to be taken care of.

Falling Away with You – Muse

So I’ll love whatever you become
and forget the reckless things we’ve done
I think our lives have just begun
I think our lives have just begun

The relationships in this story are complicated in that each is dealing with a lot at home and each finds something in the other that helps them cope. Add in the fact that Ian and Luke both need each other and have conflict with each other. I wanted to write a story about three teens who come together as their lives are falling apart. I think I’ve done that.

All of the love we’ve left behind
watching the flash backs intertwine
memories I will never find
memories I will never find

All of the characters have left things behind in the past, things they don’t really want to remember, and things they wish they could get back.

What if We Could – Blue October

What if we could
Put our lives on
Hold and meet some
Where inside of the world
I would meet you
Would you meet me?

This story is about the solid places we find when our lives are crumbing. Each of these characters needs something from the relationship, be it Jenna and Ian, Jenna and Luke, or Ian and Luke. While their worlds fall apart, they find something in each other that helps them get through it, or deal with it, or ignore it just for a little while.

I’m glad to say that we’ve met
But I’m sad to say that the circumstances weren’t
On our side

And the circumstances aren’t on their side. Ian has lost three solid months. Luke doesn’t seem to be able to do anything right. And Jenna has to be the responsible adult when dealing with her mother. Add in that Jenna is falling for both boys, and the circumstances aren’t ideal at all. But none of them are willing to give those relationships up.

Fix You – Coldplay

When you try your best, but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse

I love writing broken, flawed characters. In some way, each of these characters tries and fails at something. Each needs something that may not happen. Jenna says at one point in the story that while she tries to do great things, she sometimes feels like she’s stuck, wading around in mediocrity, thinking she’s found her way out only to circle back to where she started. Ian is used to being successful (honor student and star athlete), but he can’t recover his memories as quickly as he wants to. And Luke feels he is always going backwards, stuck in a pattern of self-destruction.

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?

They all lose things that can’t be replaced. Jenna watches her mother destroy herself with alcohol. Ian and Luke, who were once inseparable, now have what feels like an irreparable rift between them.

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Home is an important idea in this novel, and in the end, while these characters find things they need in their relationships with each other, they cannot fix each other. In the end, we can only fix ourselves.

Ghosts That We Knew – Mumford and Sons

You saw my pain washed out in the rain
Broken glass, saw the blood run from my veins
But you saw no fault, no cracks in my heart
And you knelt beside my hope torn apart

For Jenna, being with Ian is like having a blank slate. He hasn’t known her all her life, doesn’t remember every stupid thing she ever did, so she feels like she has a new start. For Ian, Jenna gives him hope that he will be normal again. When his memories fail, he can make new ones with Jenna.

Jenna sees through the dark version of himself that Luke throws at everyone. She knows Luke is broken, but she sees deeper than that, and she likes that they can be a little broken together.

So give me hope in the darkness that I will see the light
‘Cause oh that gave me such a fright
But I will hold as long as you like
Just promise me we’ll be alright

In the end, they help each other believe that things will be okay. Spending time with one another shows them there is hope and redemption, that the past might possibly be escaped, and that a life can be reclaimed.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Jenna Oliver doesn’t have time to get involved with one boy, let alone two.

All Jenna wants is to escape her evaporating small town and her alcoholic mother. She’s determined she’ll go to college and find a life that is wholly hers—one that isn’t tainted by her family’s past. But when the McAlister twins move to town and Jenna gets involved with both of them, she learns the life she planned may not be the one she gets.

Ian McAlister doesn’t want to start over; he wants to remember.

Ian can’t recall a single thing from the last three months—and he seems to be losing more memories every day. His family knows the truth, but no one will tell him what really happened before he lost his memory. When he meets Jenna, Ian believes that he can be normal again because she makes not remembering something he can handle.

The secret Ian can’t remember is the one Luke McAlister can’t forget.

Luke has always lived in the shadow of his twin brother until Jenna stumbles into his life. She sees past who he’s supposed to be, and her kiss brings back the spark that life stole. Even though Luke feels like his brother deserves her more, Luke can’t resist Jenna—which is the trigger that makes Ian’s memory return.

Jenna, Ian, & Luke are about to learn there are only so many secrets you can keep before the truth comes to reclaim you.

Goodreads

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Indie Bound

Giveaway: The Devil You Know by J.M. Gregoire

Hi there everyone and HAPPY FRIDAY! What better way to celebrate the beginning of the weekend than with an awesome giveaway? J.M. Gregoire has had great success with the recent release of book #1 in her Demon Legacy series, The Devil You Know. In honor of its arrival into the bookish world, J.M. is offering up a copy to one lucky winner! Check out all of the info on the book below and look at the bottom of this post for more information on the giveaway!

Title: The Devil You Know (Demon Legacy #1)

Author: J.M Gregoire

Deziree Davanzatti is a thief by trade and to keep herself occupied between jobs, she owns and operates Onyx, a trendy nightclub for the supernatural citizens of New York City.

What else would a 400-something year old demon-human hybrid do with her spare time?

Following a drunken night of questionable decisions, the vampire Michael “Vegas” Tremayne leaves town with no explanation. Dez is left wondering if they made a mistake and if it cost her a price she wasn’t willing to pay – her best friend and confidant.

When he returns after two weeks of no contact, he comes bearing grave news that could potentially change the world forever….or end it all together. To make matters worse, they suspect that someone they know may be behind it all.

An extremely dangerous chain of events has been set in motion and it is up to Dez and Vegas, with the help of his brother Lucas, to find a way to stop it.

From the author of Burning, the short story prequel, comes The Devil You Know, the first full length novel in the Demon Legacy series by J.M. Gregoire.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

J.M. Gregoire was born and raised in New Hampshire, USA and despite her abhorrence for any season that dares to drop to a temperature below seventy degrees, she still currently resides there with her two children and her two cats. Always a passionate reader, her love of urban fantasy books eventually morphed into a love of writing them. She is currently working on the Demon Legacy series and has an urban fantasy thriller project coming up that will be co-written with one of her best friends and favorite authors, Ginny Lurcock.

Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads

Amazon

GIVEAWAY:

One lucky winner will receive a copy of The Devil You Know. IF the winner is a U.S. or Canadian resident, they will be receiving a signed copy of the book. IF the winner is outside of the U.S. & Canada, they will be receiving an e-copy of the book. All you have to do to enter is fill out the Rafflecopter form below!

Click here to enter the giveaway!

Guest Post: Gemini Rising by Eleanor Wood

Hi there everyone! I hope your Thursday is off to an incredible start! I have a super fun post planned for all of you today.

I am so excited to have author Eleanor Wood here on the blog. For those of you that don’t know, Eleanor is the author of Gemini Rising, a recently released young adult novel that sounds just as mysterious as it is fascinating. She has written up a guest post entitled “The Difference Between Books and Bands” which I absolutely LOVED because books and bands just so happen to be my two favorite things! Be sure to check out all of the book information and the guest post below and of course, give Eleanor a warm welcome by leaving a comment and letting us know what you think!

Title: Gemini Rising

Author: Eleanor Wood

Publisher: Carina

How far would you go to fit in? Sorana Salem is ok with being not quite bottom of the pile at her exclusive private school. Until the mysterious Johansson twins arrive unexpectedly mid-term. Hypnotically beautiful and immensely cool, magnetic Elyse and mute Melanie aren’t like the school’s usual identikit mean girls.Soon Sorana’s sharing sleepovers and Saturday nights out with the twins. But their new world of Ouidja boards and older boys might not be as simple as it seems. And the dark secrets that they share could be about to take Sorana down a path that’s impossible to turn back from…

The Difference Between Books and Bands

The only things that matter?  I love books and bands so much that sometimes the two have been known to get confused in my mind.  When I was a kid, I would write early-prototype fan fiction about Kurt Cobain in my diary.  I would make mixtapes to listen to while I read a specific book – Lemonheads for I Capture the Castle; Placebo for Jean Genet.

When I wrote my first novel, a book for teenagers set in a girls’ school, I found the same thing happening all over again.  It’s probably a good metaphor for my life – the inability to separate fact and fiction.  If we’re being totally honest here, I also used to write early-prototype fan fiction about a boy at school and over-empathize with Leonard Cohen songs at far too young an age to know what they were really about.

I knew that music would have to be in my book.  It manages to feature in pretty much all my writing, but this was a teenage novel, so it was extra important.  I still love music and reading as much as I ever did, but I don’t identify myself through it quite so much these days.

So, the text is littered with name-drops of bands I love – from Mudhoney to the Velvet Underground.  It’s also sprinkled with book titles from my heroine’s shelf – from The Bell Jar to Less Than Zero.

Best of all, I got to invent an entire fictional band, called Trouble Every Day (named after the Vincent Gallo/Beatrice Dalle/crazy French cannibal film; I love Vincent Gallo nearly as much as I love books and bands, a man who seems to have similar difficulty in separating fact from fiction).  The girls in my book are obsessed with Trouble Every Day – they bond over their love for the singer and go to their first live gig together.

When I picture Trouble Every Day, if I squint, they’re a tiny bit Placebo (who I was obsessed with at 17), a little bit 30 Seconds to Mars, a dash of the Horrors.  They are the band I would have loved beyond all measure when I was a teenager.

My career as a bass-player in terrible gothy girl bands turned out to be sadly short-lived; I want to write books forever.  That’s the thing about books and bands – you can project your own worlds onto them, and invent things that you wish existed in real life.

WHERE TO FIND THE AUTHOR:

Twitter

Facebook

Blog

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads

Amazon

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Anyone But You by Kim Askew & Amy Helmes

Title: Anyone But You (Twisted Lit #3)

Authors: Kim Askew & Amy Helmes

Two Italian restaurants, both alike in dignity, in Chicago’s Little Italy where we lay our scene… After her family’s struggling eatery, Cap’s, falls prey to another of the Monte clan’s vicious and destructive pranks, sixteen-year-old Gigi Caputo finds herself courting danger during a clandestine encounter with Roman Monte, the very boy whose relatives have brought her family such grief. When the daughter and son of these two warring factions fall for each other, their quest to mend this bitter family feud turns out to be a recipe for disaster. Their story is irrevocably linked to the summer of 1933, when two twelve-year-olds, Benny and Nick, hop the turnstile at the Chicago World’s Fair. While enjoying some of the fair’s legendary amusements, Nick has a “love at first sight” encounter with Stella, a young girl who unintentionally causes a lasting rift between the two boyhood pals. Deftly winding its way through past and present day, this modern take on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet has much to do with hate — but more with love.

It makes me oh so happy to be a part of the cover reveal for the newest Twisted Lit novel, Anyone But You! I first fell in love with Kim and Amy as a writing duo when I read book numero uno of the Twisted Lit series, Tempestuous. It was such a funny, charming novel and even though I never read the original story it was based on, I still appreciated it for what it was: an entertaining novel full of quirky characters who just so happened to remind me of a cross between Paul Blart: Mall Cop and The Breakfast Club. I haven’t had the pleasure of reading book #2 in the series, Exposure, but when I learned that this newest book is going to be based off of Romeo & Juliet, I will have to kick it to the top of my reading list.

Alright, moving on to the part you have all been waiting for, the cover! *drumroll please*

So what do you think? First off I LOVE that it has the restaurant influence with  the checkered table cloth-looking ribbon and the silverware. I also love that a fork and a knife were used. The Monte’s and the Caputo’s likely view themselves as opposites but in reality they are more alike than they probably want to admit. Sort of like a fork and knife: they seem like different utensils but we use them both to eat. Please be sure to let us know what you think about the cover in the comments section!

WHERE TO FIND THE AUTHORS:

Website

Amy’s Twitter

Kim’s Twitter

Amy’s Goodreads

Kim’s Goodreads

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads

Pre-Order on Amazon

Pre-Order on Barnes & Noble

GIVEAWAY:

Kim and Amy are proving their awesomeness yet again by allowing me to host a giveaway. One lucky winner (U.S. only!) will win an autographed copy of Exposure, book #2 in the Twisted Lit series. All you have to do is fill out the Rafflecopter form below! Best of luck :)

Enter the giveaway here!

Tune In Tuesday (118)

Tune In Tuesday is a weekly feature in which bloggers get to showcase another one of their loves, music! This feature was originally created by Ginger over at GReads! but you can now find it here at Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands. If you would like to participate in this weekly feature, make a blog post showcasing a song (or a few!) and link up at the bottom of this post by clicking the cute blue guy! While you’re here make sure to check out all the other awesome blogs that have decided to participate!

This week has been a bit of a crazy one for me. I have been working non-stop since last Monday *grumbles* which means my only free time has been late at night and as you know, there is NOTHING to watch on TV late at night. It was on one of these nights where nothing interesting seemed to be on and I finally just landed on Catfish. Now the show interests me to a point but I found myself enjoying something else about it entirely: the music! They featured a whole slew of artists that I have never heard of and great songs but the ones that I had. I am going to be featuring a few of the new-to-me ones today. Hope you enjoy!

She Lit A Fire by Lord Huron

I cannot get enough of this song! It was one of those songs that made me an insta-fan of Lord Huron. How could you not dance around to it? Oh and the lyrics…just don’t even get me started!

Hold On by Brad Fillatre

This was my first time hearing Brad’s music. I was a sucker to the almost-raspiness to his voice.

Charade by Belle Mare

I know this one isn’t going to be a favorite of everyone. It is sort of one of those “acquired taste” songs but I love how sort of haunting it is.

Islands by Hey Ocean!

I absolutely LOVE me some Hey Ocean! so when I saw one of their songs on the show, I did a happy dance. This song is absolutely lovely and I just adore the music video!

Happy Friday And Oh Yeah, It’s My Blog’s 3rd Birthday!

Where the frick has the time gone? I cannot believe that it has been three years since Kate’s Tales of Books and Bands has come to be! The past three years have been nothing short of crazy. The blog has seen many changes, some good and some bad (I’m looking at you year of the cheesy background and the even cheesier blog name), my bookish tastes have changed and evolved, music, as if it were even possible, has become an even bigger part of my life, and my real life has been chop full of ups, down, curly q’s, whackiness, randomness, awkwardness, and everything in between.

I really tried to come up with a fun way to celebrate the blog turning three but my mind drew a blank. Really I spent too time looking up pictures of cats eating cake and not enough time brainstorming but we’re going to go ahead and ignore that right now. Anyways, getting back on track, in lieu of being crafty, creative, and oh so unique, I decided I would just do a recap post and you know, host a giveaway of awesomeness because really, what’s a party without presents?

BLOGGING AND BOOKISH AWESOMENESS:

This year, and really over the course of the past three years, this blog has held a lot of awesome memories and reached some pretty incredible milestones. I tried to pull out my favorite memories from the past year!

First and foremost was the 2nd Annual Book Blogger Love-A-Thon. This year I enlisted the help of my good blogger friend and awkward twin Alexa. The event turned out to be such an incredibly awesome time and I cannot imagine it going any better. We trended on FREAKING TWITTER. Seriously. There were no words (and that’s not only because I went a full 35 hours without sleep).

Second up is BEA! You guys, it was probably my favorite part of the year. I was able to meet so many INCREDIBLE authors and even more AMAZING bloggers! I was blown away by how fun it was to see people I haven’t seen in forever, meet people I have only talked to online, and interact with bloggers/bookish people who were totally new to me. Even though it was a little nerve-wrecking taking on New York all by myself, I would do it over again in a heartbeat.

 

Two events I was able to attend while in New York also made the list because well, they were beyond awesome! I co-hosted the 2013 BEA Book Blogger Picnic with Andrea from The Overstuffed Bookcase , Alexa from Alexa Loves Books, and Jen from YA Romantics. The event turned out to be such a blast. Over 30 bloggers who were in or around the city at that time showed up to Central Park and we talked all things books, blogging, music, and whatever else popped into the conversation. It was so great to meet everyone! I was also able to attend the Rooftop Party. Holy Amazeballs! There were bloggers, authors, and awesome bookish people galore. I tried to contain the fangirlness over what was going on but really it was just no use.

I also hosted Jennifer Echols Week here on the blog a few weeks ago. I had so much fun spreading the love of all things Jennifer Echols with fellow bloggers. The week was full of book reviews, book playlists, hot guys, and so much fan-girling.

   

The worlds of New Adult + Adult books have taken over my life the past year. I still love my YA books hardcore but with New Adults in particular, I feel like I have finally found my place in the book loving community. I have read some pretty spectacular New Adult and Adult novels over the course of the past year and I just know there will be more to come!

By far, the most incredible and squeal-worthy event to occur to me (or at least in my bookish life) is that I got to meet the incredible, amazing, gorgeous, and super sweet Sarah Dessen. I arrived at BEA 3 hours early to ensure I got a ticket to her signing. I then stood in line for her signing for over an hour. I was a bundle of nerves that entire time because I was finally going to meet my reason for reading and for loving YA books. The moment flew by, I was only able to compliment Sarah Dessen three times, and I wasn’t able to take a picture with her but it was still so fantastic. If I ever get the chance to meet her again, I vow to be less creepy and DEFINITELY get a picture with her.

LIFE’S RANDOM CRAZINESS:

I left my teen years behind as of last November. Finally turning 20 was actually sort of heart breaking…well at first. I just had so much fun as a teenager so it was really hard for me to adjust to being a non-teen. It was also really awkward for me to read that first YA book after my birthday and realizing that I was old compared to that character. Regardless of how being 20 started off as, I have actually had a lot of fun. Plus I still tell people I’m 18 (totally on accident, I swear) and 90% of the people I meet think I am 17 or younger so it’s almost like I never left teenagerdom behind!

Another exciting part of this last year was getting Lola, my crazy, psychotic, sometimes cuddly, sometimes wacky, but always super adorable cat. My instagram has become overrun by her and I can already see myself as a future crazy cat lady (that is, if I am not one already.)

I also became an aunt! My older sister, Jennifer, gave birth to Henrik last February. I do not get to see them very often but I always look forward to the absolutely adorable and super sweet pictures she sends me of him!

Last but not least was saying goodbye to my younger sister and best friend. She got married a bit unexpectedly in December and by May she had moved to Hawaii with her husband. In early June I received a phone call saying that I was going to be an aunt again. I miss the girl like crazy and everything that has happened with her the past year has been a whirlwind of madness but I couldn’t be happier for her.

TOP 3 FOR YEAR 3:

My top three blog posts for the past year are: It’s my birthday, For Fans of Sarah Dessen, Book Review: The Truth About Forever. I am never surprised that Sarah Dessen-related posts made it to the top. I talk about the woman all of the time!

The three most visited pages for the last year were my Review Policy page, my About Me page, and my Bloggers To Check Out page. I was really kind of surprised that my review policy page was on the list because seriously, that’s kind of boring!

I love that WordPress started keeping stats of what countries were visiting! Not that this is going to be shocking or anything but the top 3 countries that visited the blog were the US, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

The top three search terms used to find my blog have been Birthday Cat, Unicorns & Rainbows, and Authors Like Sarah Dessen. I totally understand the last one but how the heck is Birthday Cat the most common search term used? You people are weird.

GIVEAWAY TIME:

In honor of my blog turning three I am going to have a big giveaway of randomness. I am not quite sure what the winner will receive but there will be books, music, swag, and much, much more! Since I am broke as a joke, the giveaway is U.S. only (I am so sorry to all the international people. If money weren’t and issue, you’d totally be included in this!) All you have to do to enter is fill out the rafflecopter form below! Best of luck to all of you and thank you so much for making this last year a memorable one for me!

p.s. You will have some chances to gain extra points by following & liking Lady Reader’s Bookstuff. Be sure to stop by Amy’s blog because she is celebrating her 3-year birthday this week as well!

Enter the giveaway here!

Blog Tour + Guest Post + Book Playlist + Sneak Peek + Giveaway: Steel Lily by Megan Curd

Title: Steel Lily (The Periodic Series #1)

Author: Megan Curd

AVERY PIKE is a commodity. No, more than a commodity. Her existence is guarded at all costs.

She’s a water Elementalist, the strongest of her dwindling kind. She creates steam to provide energy to fuel Dome Four: the only thing standing between humanity and an earth ravaged by World War III. No steam, no Dome. No Dome, no life.

Or so she thinks.

That is, until a mysterious man offers her a way out of having to donate steam. A way to escape the corrupt government of Dome Four. While the offer seems too good to be true, Avery is intrigued. But when she arrives to her new home, she realizes the grass isn’t any less dead on this side of the fence. Instead, the lies are just hidden better.

…Which means digging deeper.

When Avery enlists the help of her friends to uncover the truth, she learns that while some secrets are better left concealed, humankind was never meant to live in a cage. And when you can control the most sought after resource, you can learn to control anything…including the fate of your world.

I am so, so, SO excited to have the absolutely LOVELY Megan Curd on the blog today! I haven’t had the pleasure of reading her recently released book yet but I am excited for it regardless. I have had a blast working with Megan to put this stop on the blog tour together and I hope you guys enjoy it just as much as I did. We’ve got an awesome little guest post and INCREDIBLE playlist  for you to check out. Seriously, Megan outdid herself with all of the awesome music. I found it hard to contrl my inner musical fan-girl. And then, there are not one, not two, not even three, but FOUR sneak peeks of Steel Lily down below and I just know you will all love them. And because, we needed to make this post even more fun, you also have the chance to enter an incredible giveaway down below. So visit all the fun pit stops on this post here and let us know what you think about it all in the comments section!

GUEST POST + BOOK PLAYLIST:

Hey Kate! First off and most importantly, I want to thank you for having me on your blog today! I’m honored!

Secondly, I want you to know that I absolutely love that you asked me to share Steel Lily’s playlist. Music is a HUGE HUGE part of my life. There’s always music playing in our house. My personal favorite bands are Muse, The Civil Wars, Bon Iver, The Black Keys, and Florence + The Machine. My 2-year-old son is a big fan of Bob Marley, as well. Oh yes, I’ve succeeded as a parent. He’s a rasta-kid. J

Anyway, each book I write really takes on a life of its own with music. Steel Lily was written practically to Muse’s The 2 Law album, but I figured people might was some diversity, so this is the playlist that I feel best conveys what I was feeling as I wrote the book. The funny thing is, I’m currently writing the sequel, Iron Pendulum, and its playlist is soooo different, mood-wise. Funny how that works out. I hope you guys enjoy the songs, and please let me know if you think of a different song that makes you think of Steel Lily! I love finding new bands to check out.

1.)    “Exogenesis: Symphony, Part 1” – Muse

2.)    “The 2^nd Law: Unsustainable” – Muse

3.)    “Seasick” – Silversun Pickups

4.)    “Supremacy” – Muse

5.)    “A Beautiful Lie” – 30 Seconds to Mars

6.)    “Simple Life” – Carolina Liar

7.)    “Everybody Lies” – Jason Walker

8.)    “Distance” – Christina Perri

9.)    “Highway of Fallen Kings” – Civil Twilight

10.) “Ruled by Secrecy” – Muse

11.) “Letters from the Sky” – Civil Twilight

12.) “Unnatural Selection” – Muse

13.) “I Will Follow You Into the Dark” – Death Cab for Cutie

14.) “Secrets” – OneRepublic

15.) “Thistle & Weeds” – Mumford & Sons

16.) “A Rush of Blood to the Head” – Coldplay

17.) “Madness” – Muse

18.) “Shouldn’t Be A Good in Goodbye” – Jason Walker

19.) “All Fall Down” – OneRepublic

20.) “Where We Belong” – Thriving Ivory

21.) “True Love” – Pink

Yeah, the list is a little long, but I love all of those songs and I think it really conveys the feel of Steel Lily. I hope if you haven’t heard some of the songs that you’ll check them out! And, as always, let me know what you think! Thanks again for having me today, and keep the music playing. <3

SNEAK PEEKS:

#1:

The Polatzi woman’s broad body blocked the view of my intended hallway. Her hands were on her hips, and her piercing gaze felt as if it might actually impale me.

Do they teach that death stare to every Polatzi, or is this woman particularly nasty?

“Avery Pike?”

I jutted my chin in the air. “Who’s asking?”

“You were off the grid last night.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I pushed past her before she could say more and felt the smooth fabric of her cape slap my legs as I passed. Fiery anger consumed me, but I kept my expression neutral. Damn Polatzi. They gave me nothing but unanswered questions and a lice-ridden bed at an overcapacity orphanage, yet expected me to revere them. Providing steam–being an asset they couldn’t get rid of–gave me immunity to the Polatzi as long as I didn’t do anything stupid.

Like skipping class and going to see Alice during a night of sweeps.

Yeah, that would fall under the category of life-threateningly stupid, which was a couple notches above incredibly stupid.

#2:

I’d never seen anyone like him in Dome Four. His jawbone was strong, his cheekbones set high. His nose was regal and straight and when my gaze reached his eyes, my breath caught. Stormy blue-grey eyes that reminded me of shale returned my gaze with seemingly genuine curiosity, if not a bit of humor. Strips of colored fabric were woven into his dreadlocked hair, giving it a wildly unique appearance that suited him. His smug expression made me realize he was enjoying this.

“Are you finished checking me out? If you’re not, that’s okay; I allow every new woman I meet a free five-minute gawking period. After that, it’ll cost you.”

Blood rushed to my face. I tore my eyes from his magnetic gaze and watched as he took a worn leather strap off his wrist. He pulled back his dreadlocks–deep brown streaked with blonde–into the strap. His devilish grin pulled his eyes tight at the corners. He was trouble incarnate. Trouble I may very well want to get into, given the right circumstances.

“You’re at five minutes and thirty seconds now,” he said in a purr as he leaned in toward me. I felt his breath against my cheek, and my heart raced. “I’m going to start taking payment, and I choose how that payment is issued.”

Before I could respond, Alice stirred groggily beside me. She rubbed her eyes as she sat up. “Where are we?”

“Good question,” piped Jaxon. “One that your friend here failed to ask, but it could have been because I rendered her speechless with my good looks.”

Alice moved to get a better look at him, but he emphatically covered his face, as though he were a vampire trying to block the sun. “Don’t look at me!” he cried, then grinned as he winked at me. “I don’t want to make two ladies swoon in such a short period of time. How would I entertain myself tonight?”

“You’re not that handsome,” I argued mulishly.

“There’s drool on your chin. Either you’re physically unable to keep your mouth shut, or I caused you to forget how. Since when I found you, you were drool free, I’m going with the assumption that it was me.” He fished in his pocket and offered me a piece of white silk. “Here, a handkerchief for your trouble.”

#3:

I was moving double time to keep up with his long strides. He seemed so sure of himself, so in control of his destiny, even in this place, where he claimed we were imprisoned. I didn’t have a shred of doubt that what Jaxon wanted, Jaxon got. He owned his life. I so desperately wanted to own mine as well. Could he help me take control of it, or would he cause it to crash around my feet? For some reason, it felt like either option would be exhilarating if he were involved.

Exhilarating and dangerous.

The back of his shirt was soaked. The small “v” of muscles at the base of his spine flexed as he craned his neck to make sure I was still behind him. Why did that give me butterflies?

He turned and smiled. “Are you even listening to me? You’re way past your ogling allotment.”

“I’m not ogling you.”

“Trust me, I’ve experienced enough ogling to know it when I see it. If you’d prefer to ogle in peace, I’ll turn around again. There have been contests where my ass took first place in squeezability.”

“You must have been the only person in the running.”

He grinned mischievously. “And the only one to vote, but a win is still a win, right?”

#4:

Out of nowhere, his breath ran like warm water over the back of my neck. I closed my eyes for a moment, then forced them back open. No. Not Jaxon. Nothing for Jaxon.

“Now it’s Mr. Pierce, eh?” He put one of his large hands at the small of my back to lead me toward Xander’s office. “I think I’m going backwards.”

“You are backwards, Jaxon.”

He laughed and muscled around me, sliding far too much of his toned body against me as he moved past. His chiseled chest pressed against mine as he leaned in, inches from my mouth. I sucked in a breath to avoid his scent. No dice. It still overpowered me. His smile was evident even in the low light, and I bit my lip to keep from sighing. His hand brushed my cheek, and he ran a finger down the side of my neck, sending shivers through me. “If I were backwards, I’d be Noxaj,” he whispered huskily. “What kind of name is that? It’s not sexy at all.”

“I never said you were sexy,” I whispered as his hands roved through my hair at the base of my neck.

“No, no you didn’t…” His lips were on my neck. His hands worked down my back.

I stood there like a wet noodle, incapable of responding.

Do something! Touch him back! my brain screamed, but my body felt detached. Do something, or he’s going to think you’re on the relationship short bus.

He pulled away to search my eyes, but for what, I didn’t know.

I willed myself to give him something. Anything. An awkward grin, accompanied by a cough was all I could muster. Really, Avery? Seriously? I knew later replays of this moment in my mind, no matter how awful, wouldn’t compare to the actual event.

GIVEAWAY:

In honor of this awesome blog tour and the release of Steel Lily, there is an awesome giveaway for you guys to enter! You have the chance to win some awesome prizes that include a Steel Lily t-shirt, a signed book, and some swag. You can enter the giveaway by following this link here!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Megan Curd is a graduate of Northwestern College in St. Paul, Minnesota. While having always enjoyed reading any books she could get her hands on, Megan didn’t begin writing until a friend encouraged her to do so while in college.

When not writing, Megan enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She loves to snowboard and travel to new places, and doesn’t turn down the opportunity to play xBox with her brother and friends when it presents itself.

Megan currently resides in Stanton, Kentucky with her husband, son, and Great Dane named Dozer.

OFFICIAL WEBSITE

TWITTER

FACEBOOK

AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Cover Reveal + Sneak Peek: Loving Cara by Kristen Proby

TItle: Loving Cara (Love Under The Big Sky #1)

Author: Kristen Proby

Release Date: January 2014

In her sizzling new series, USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby sets the stage for a passionate reunion under the breathtaking Montana sky.

Cara Donovan’s summer tutoring job is turning out to be a challenge—and not just because of her troubled twelve-year-old student. It’s his uncle Josh who’s the real problem. If problem is the word for an irresistibly cocky, muscle-bound rancher with a taste for tight Levi’s and shameless flirtation. . . .

Cara is nothing like the wallflower Josh King remembers good-naturedly teasing in high school. This Cara is gorgeous, confident, fun. From the moment the fiery teacher steps foot on his family’s Lazy K Ranch, the stubborn playboy is determined to corral her. So what happens when his luscious lover takes over the reins?

The first in a steamy trilogy, Kristen Proby’s enthralling novel is filled to the brim with one hardworking family’s triumphs and challenges, all the wild adventure of the modern West, and a whole lot of titillating fun.

I was so excited to be part of this cover reveal…and then I went ahead and messed up my schedule. BUT the good news is, the cover reveal is up now and I am so excited to share it with you guys. I read a lot of young adult books and recently, even more new adult books. But one thing you may not know about me is that I read my fair share of adult books as well. When I first heard about this upcoming book, I was instantly interested. Take a look at the cover below and the sneak peek and let me know what you think!

EXCERPT:

“Where are your jeans?” Josh asks as he meets me at my car the following morning.

“These are jeans.” I pull my tote bag out of the car and walk toward the front door of his house. “Is Seth here yet?”

“No, he’ll be a few minutes. I have him feeding the dogs at the big house.”

“Okay.”

“Those are not jeans.” He’s scowling down at my denim shorts like they’re the devil incarnate.

“They’re denim.”

He narrows his chocolate eyes at me, but I see the humor there, and the butterflies take up residence in my belly again.

I love riling this guy up.

“Fine, they’ll have to do. Go ahead and get settled, Seth will be here in a minute. I have to ride out with a few of the guys to repair a fence, so I’ll see you at lunch time.” He pulls on some gloves and settles his green baseball cap on his head backwards again.

“You don’t wear cowboy hats?” I ask without thinking.

“Not usually. I have one, if you’d rather I wear it.” He smirks.

“No, just curious,” I mumble and head toward the house.

“Don’t leave before I get back. I have plans for you.”

He grins wide, winks, and saunters off toward the massive barn that sits between his house and the big house.

Well, isn’t that view nice? His Levi’s hug his ass perfectly and sit low on his hips, and as he walks I can see his buttocks and thighs flex.

Dear God, I’m lusting after a rancher.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

KRISTEN PROBY is the USA Today bestselling author of the popular With Me in Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type—fiercely protective and a bit bossy—and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, and sunshine. And naps. Visit her at KristenProby.com.

Website: http://www.kristenproby.com/

Twitter: @handbagjunkie

Facebook: www.facebook.com/booksbykristenproby

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/kristenproby

WHERE TO FIND THE BOOK:

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18115028-loving-cara?ac=1

Amazon Pre-Order: http://www.amazon.com/Loving-Cara-ebook/dp/B00DX0F2Y8/ref=sr_1_1_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1376330939&sr=8-1&keywords=loving+cara+kristen+proby

Barnes and Noble Pre-Order: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/loving-cara-kristen-proby/1116055719?ean=9781476758992&itm=1&usri=loving+cara+kristen+proby