Life of a Blogger [7]

Life of a Blogger is a weekly feature that I found through the amazing Rebecca at Vicariously! ,  hosted by the lovely Novel Heartbeat. Each week a subject will be chosen and we get to talk about it. The topics will be non-bookish so that you can get to know each other on a more personal level! Make sure to add your link on the linky list! 

This week's topic is: Halloween 
I've never really been a Halloween fanatic. Halloween was kinda always just a night. I didn't even have that cool of costumes, like ever. I just remember I loved my neighbourhood because they gave out king sized candy bars. And we would all trick or treat together with a pizza party to finish it off. Hasn't happened in a few years, but apparently this year, Kelsey and I are going to have a super awesometastic Halloween movie party. So, that's a thing. I don't know. I guess in my head, Halloween is just an excuse to buy candy (which I really really don't need) and watch movies with friends, which is pretty cool I suppose. 
- Kristen

I used to work a haunted forest for the three weeks before Halloween. I liked doing that a lot. a few years ago I have a full on meltdown because I realized that I was an adult and that I couldn't go out for Halloween and I didn't want to go to any parties (that isn't really my thing) and that I couldn't even dress up and hand out candy (not that we get any more than three kids at our house) because I had to be in school and I cried and I was very upset. It was awful...just like that sentence. So, for the last three years, I've had night classes on Halloween. This is the first year I haven't and I'm happy about it but I'm even more of an adult now. I'll probably watch a few fake scary movies (Young Frankenstein, for the win) and wear one of my pretty masquerade masks.

-- Kelsey

Top Ten Tuesday [7]

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list and everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

October 28: Top Ten Books/Movies To Read Or Watch To Get In The Halloween Spirit OR Top Ten Characters Who I Would Totally Want To Be For Halloween

Kristen: 
I'm not very Halloween-y homeslices, so I'm going to say that I'd like to dress up as Katniss Everdeen. Also, horror movies are so not my thing, so there's that. 

Kelsey: (I shall answer all of the above questions)
1. Dracula by Bram Stoker 
2. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
3. Sister's Red by Jackson Pearce (I don't know this came to my mind but since it did it's going on this list)
4. Elphaba from Wicked
5. Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz
6. Sherlock Holmes
7. Alyssa from Splintered although few will know you you are...
8. Young Frankenstein (movie)
9. Read some Grimm's fairytales, they are terrifying.
10. Oompa Loompas

Review: Archer's Voice

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: Mia Sheridan
Format: eBook
Pages: 345
Rating: 8 out of 10

Summary (from Goodread's voice); When Bree Prescott arrives in the sleepy, lakeside town of Pelion, Maine, she hopes against hope that this is the place where she will finally find the peace she so desperately seeks. On her first day there, her life collides with Archer Hale, an isolated man who holds a secret agony of his own. A man no one else sees.

Archer's Voice is the story of a woman chained to the memory of one horrifying night and the man whose love is the key to her freedom. It is the story of a silent man who lives with an excruciating wound and the woman who helps him find his voice. It is the story of suffering, fate, and the transformative power of love.

My Thoughts: I'll start with the obvious. I really enjoyed this novel. This was my first Mia Sheridan novel and I already know that it won't be the last. I have a bunch more on my to-read list and I'm very excited for them. 

One thing I really didn't like about this novel, basically the only thing I didn't like about this novel, was how child-like Archer was. He wasn't emotionally stunted or anything. The abuse was bad. His pain was immense, yes. The guy was hurt but he was start. He was strong. A lot of the interactions with Bree (mostly the romantic parts, I won't lie to you) were awkward because suddenly he was written like a person who'd never interacted with anyone before. The guy read! It's not like he was born and raised in a cave with not a single other human being. I didn't like that he was so....young. He wasn't. These parts of the novel became evident to me very quickly and were horribly uncomfortable for me. This was the worst part about the novel. THEN onto of this, he changes from it so quickly. People with the problems he supposedly had don't just bounce back like that. I did like what he did to change. However, it made the novel stall and it got slow real past. I hate the pining. I hate the waiting and moping. Just get on with it, Bella! Gosh!

I'm not sure how much I believed about the stuff with her dad and who was out to get them. I don't want to spoil but it should have been better explained, I think.

Now, onto the good stuff. I fell in love with the characters. I fell in love with the neighbors and the friends. I fell in love with the town and the area and the whole atmosphere. I really think the author did a good job of putting the reader right where the action was. 

Plus, I really felt for these characters. I went from happy to crying to embarrassed. Everything. It was wonderful. This impressed me a lot. 

This novel was pretty great.

In Closing: I really enjoyed this novel. Kristen tortured me by giving it to me but then not reading it herself so that I have to suffer alone and suffer I did. I cried just a little bit. I would recommend this novel to practically everyone. It made me very happy...especially the ending. [Insert smiley face here]

Review: Monster High: Hopes and Screams

So, I asked my cousin to review a book for me while we were on vacation, just for fun. I'm not sure how much you'll learn as the insights from a nine year old come off a little vague but here it is nonetheless. Enjoy the change of pace and Halloweenish theme.
-- Kelsey

Reviewer: A sometimes cute nine year old who shall remain anonymous
Author: Heather Nuhfer, Josh Howard (illustrations)
Format: Paperback, Graphic novel
Pages: 112
Rating: 7 out of 10 (I think that's what she said...)

Summary (Screams Goodreads): Brand-new stories about all your favorite Monster High characters come to life in this gorgeous full-color graphic novel.

...Yeah that was informative.
Her Thoughts (edited): "My favourite thing about the book is when Robecca and the team had a bake sale to raise money for ... [spoiler]. My favourite character is Operetta. I like how she helps the team, and she is really pretty. I think the author, Heather Nuhfer, did a good job with the book. [It was a really good] idea to put six stories into one book. [I think it was really cool that it was] a graphic novel. The behind the screams (scenes) was a really good idea too. The author described the book really well because she told the reader [all the important details] like why they needed something really badly or why they became mad at each other during certain parts of the story. [She also always made it clear] why someone was in a hurry. 

The story really caught my interest because I love Monster High and the author did a good job [writing the story]. I didn't have a least favourite part at all. The book was all good. I think kids that like or love Monster High would like this novel too. If you don't like Monster High than this isn't the novel for you."

I guess: This would be a good novel for younger girls to read. I know that my cousin has seen all the movies or episodes or...whatever. She has about three or four of these novels and really enjoys them. When I asked her to review she wasn't certain what book to do. I said, your favourite or something you are excited to read. She picked this novel and I think that counts for something.

Enjoy your Halloween week!

Follow Friday

Characters, sometimes are favourites, die during books. If you'd get to choose, who would you bring back?

Ok... my answer is all kinds of spoilery for those of you who haven't finished The Hunger Games trilogy yet...

Are you ready? If you haven't read, ADVERT YOUR EYES NOW!

...

...

...

ALL I NEED FOR A HAPPY AND FULFILLING LIFE IS FOR FINNICK ODAIR TO NOT BE DEAD AND FOR FINNICK ODAIR TO BE A FATHER. IT'S BEEN FOUR YEARS AND I'M STILL NOT OVER IT AND I CAN'T SEE THAT CHANGING ANYTIME SOON. 

So whose death are you not over? 

- Kristen 

Literally, same as Kristen. I was trying to think if deaths that were important to me in novels. I came up with one from The Taker but he was kinda self-absorbed. There was one in The Infernal Devices series but I mean, he was old and lived a good life. I can't really come up with a death that affected me that much. The fact that I can't remember deaths is bad, right? I would think it would be easy. 

 - Kelsey

 

Life of a Blogger [6]

Life of a Blogger is a weekly feature that I found through the amazing Rebecca at Vicariously! ,  hosted by the lovely Novel Heartbeat. Each week a subject will be chosen and we get to talk about it. The topics will be non-bookish so that you can get to know each other on a more personal level! Make sure to add your link on the linky list! 

This week's topic is: Origin of your Name
My parental units liked my name (fun fact: my parents almost named me all of my best friends names... so that's weird. And ya, Kelsey was on that list)
babynames.com says that Kristen means: 

The meaning of the name Kristen is Christian
The origin of the name Kristen is German
Alternate spellings: Krystyn, Christin, Christan, Christen

Here's another fun fact. In school we we're getting our novels signed by Alistair MacLeod, and he was asking for our names. So I was talking to Kelsey and said watch me spell my name wrong... and I did. I spelt it Krystyn which is NOTHING like Kristen. I don't know how my brain works, folks. 

 My mom liked it and my dad didn't get any say. I really don't know. 
Wanna know what babynames.com says about it?

The meaning of the name Kelsey is From Ceol's Island
The origin of the name Kelsey is English

-- Kelsey

Review: Crown of Midnight (Throne of Glass, 2)

Reviewer: Kristen 
Author: Sarah J. Maas 
Pages: 418 
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 10 out of 10 

SPOILER ALERT: Second in the series, friends! 

Summary (via Goodreads): Celaena Sardothien is the king's Champion—yet she is far from loyal to the crown, for the man she serves is bent on evil. But working against her master in secret is no easy task. As Celaena tries to untangle the mysteries buried within the glass castle, she can trust no one, not even her supposed allies Crown Prince Dorian, Captain of the Guard Chaol, and foreign princess Nehemia.

Then, an unspeakable tragedy shatters Celaena's world. She must decide once and for all where her loyalties lie . . . and whom she will fight for. 

An action-packed and romantic adventure that readers “will never want to leave” (Kirkus Reviews), the next chapter in this smash hit New York Times best-selling series is sure to please Sarah Maas's enormous and ever-growing fan-base–and to set the stage for an explosive third book.

My Thoughts: I'm so mad at all of you for not warning me about the HEARTBREAK I would endure. Seriously - y'all are supposed to look out for me! Kidding... kind of. 

So when I started this, I had that all to familiar feeling that all readers get - that the sequel would suffer from the dreaded sequelism. You know, the obvious middle book, with no big plot lines and basically just a set up for the next instalment. I am so, so, so excited that this didn't happen, and I'm even more excited that this sequel surpassed the first one. That hasn't happened since like... Catching Fire. 

The author was definitely not scared to take risks. She took some big ones, but they allllll paid off. The characters are changing in ways that seem natural to their storylines, and each and everyone of them are coming into their own larger picture. I'm so excited to see where Dorian is heading, and what happens of Chaol, and of course, Celaena. SPEAKING OF CELAENA: THAT ENDING WAS NOT FAIR AND DID UNNECESSARY THINGS TO MY HEART AND I NEED EVERYONE TO READ THIS SO THEY TOO CAN EXPERIENCE IT AND DISCUSS IT WITH ME. 

On that note, I seriously have to go start Heir of Fire. Seriously... it's sitting right beside me. See ya on the flipside! 

Final Thoughts: I can say with all the confidence in the world that this is - and will be - the best series I have read this year. Hell, it may be the best series I've read in the past 3 years. 

Top Ten Tuesdays [6]

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list and everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

October 21: Top New Series I Want To Start (New..let's say within the last year or two)


Kristen's List 
1. The Darkest Minds by Alexandra Bracken (I've had this on my shelf for forever and a day) 
2. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey 
3. Igniting Lies by Rebecca Donovan 
4. White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L Armentrout (I totally dropped the ball on this one)
5. The Return by Jennifer L Armentrout (Fingers crossed for a series, here. Seth is my boo) 
6. Fire and Flood by Victoria Scott
7. Dorothy Must Die by Danielle Paige 
8. Before You by Amber Hart 
9. Archer's Voice by Mia Sheridan 
10. Apolonia by Jamie McGuire 

Kelsey: (I don't really know people)

1. Confess by Colleen Hoover

2. The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

3. Dark Inside by Jeyn Roberts

4. The Hundred by Cass Morgan

5. Ballad...or is Lament that goes first? Maggie Stiefvater

6. The Program by Suzzanne Young

7. Covenant Series by Jennifer Armentrout (love her)

8. White Hot Kiss by Jennifer Armentrout

9. My Blood Approves Series by Amanda Hocking

10. Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Review: Opposition (Lux #5)

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 534
Rating: 6 out of 10 (oh that's so sad)

** SPOILER ALERT: This is number five in the Lux series. Check out Obsidian HERE **

Summary (Lookx at Goodreads (Lame, sorry)): Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.

My Thoughts: I'm still upset that this cover is different than that of the rest of the series and I don't even own the series, I borrowed it from Kristen. I promise that she is just as upset as I am, if not more upset. It's just so different and such a let down. 

But enough about unimportant things! In the beginning of this series, I loved it. I was 100% into the story line and the characters. By this novel, I was so bored. I don't know. Maybe it's that I think that most often trilogies are too long. Five books is nearly twice as long as that! It was just too much. I still cared a lot about the characters but so much about this series seemed like a useless filler. Get to the point. Don't add a million characters that aren't necessary or plot lines that don't matter to the main element of the story. I want to get right to it. I want to know that they will end up happy but I also want to be able to trust that the story will eventually end. This novel started to drag almost. Part of the problem may have been that I read the first four novels back to back and had to wait for this one to come out. I must have lost momentum. I usually love Jennifer Armentrout's novels. I'm starting to worry that she is pulling herself too thin.

I was content with the ending even though it was a bit of a pain to get there. Everything was wrapped up. I'm not really perfectly sure how they managed to wrap up the main plot point. Like, you just scared them away? Hey, whatever. Whatever works. I don't believe it 100% but that's fine. She's the author. She's the boss.

What I'm gathering from my slightly delayed review of this novel is that I liked the series as a whole but didn't really enjoy this novel on it's own.

This is a bad review, I am so sorry.

So: Don't let this review stop you from reading this series. This novel has informed my writing, if you would believe that. I also have an unnatural attachment to Jennifer Armentrout. This series was pretty wonderful in the beginning and I was excited to find out how the whole thing would end. I wasn't too let down by the ending.

Follow Friday

Share the song you can't stop listening to.

So, I've been on a big old country kick lately and I have been binnnnnnnnge listening to Dirt by Florida Georgia Line. 

Also, I'm in love with Sam Smith's album (especially I'm Not The Only One). So, that's what has been on my playlist, what about you??

- Kristen

Life of a Blogger [5]

Life of a Blogger is a weekly feature that I found through the amazing Rebecca at Vicariously! ,  hosted by the lovely Novel Heartbeat. Each week a subject will be chosen and we get to talk about it. The topics will be non-bookish so that you can get to know each other on a more personal level! Make sure to add your link on the linky list! 

This week's topic is: Favourite Toys 

Probably barbies. I loved me some barbies. Especially the S Club 7 barbies. You don't even know, Rachel was my home girl. 
- Kristen

Legos. Always Legos...well, unless you step on them.
Growing up I always had Legos. I started out with those big toddler ones and moved on to normal kid Legos. I loved those things because I could use my imagination and I had a lot of that. I didn't mind playing with myself if I had Legos though I often found that my father and brother would get in on the action when I pulled out the huge grey tupperware bin we kept the bricks in. I still have a crazy amount of Legos. I want to keep them for my kids. I would still use them today with my younger cousins (they ask to play with them a lot) but taking them out and putting them away is a pain. It's a huge plus that now there are Legos video games and movies. I love all that stuff. I have a few Lego books too.

-- Kelsey

Review: Throne of Glass (Throne of Glass, 1)

Reviewer: Kristen 
Author: Sarah J. Maas 
Pages: 404 
Format: Paperback
My Rating: 9 out of 10 

Summary (thanks Goodreads): In a land without magic, where the king rules with an iron hand, an assassin is summoned to the castle. She comes not to kill the king, but to win her freedom. If she defeats twenty-three killers, thieves, and warriors in a competition, she is released from prison to serve as the king's champion. Her name is Celaena Sardothien. 

The Crown Prince will provoke her. The Captain of the Guard will protect her. But something evil dwells in the castle of glass--and it's there to kill. When her competitors start dying one by one, Celaena's fight for freedom becomes a fight for survival, and a desperate quest to root out the evil before it destroys her world.

My Thoughts: Holy hot moly, I don't even know how to start this review. I loved this book. Some serious "oh my God, how did I function before this book was brought into my life" love. This review is going to be quick and dirty because I need to get back to reading. The sequel is just sitting there taunting me. This book was essentially The Hunger Games, Game of Thrones (according to the cover, because I'm one of the last people in the world who haven't read/watched it) and The Selection added into one nice bundle. Add yourself a secure and confident main character, who kicks ass and knows it, and you've got yourself a winner. There's a love triangle (isn't there always nowadays) - and I'm on the fence about that. My love for Dorian and Chaol knows no bounds, so I feel like this series is going to be nothing but painful. I say, bring on the pain! The plot was fast paced, the action was amazing and the story just grabbed my attention and would not let go. Seriously, I need all of you to read it so we can fangirl and discuss it! You won't regret it, I promise.  

Final Thoughts: Suffice it to say, before I even finished this one, I went to Chapters (because I couldn't even fathom waiting for Amazon to ship it - especially since it was a holiday this past weekend) and got the next two. So, yeah, go get. 

Top Ten Tuesday [5]

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

Each week we will post a new Top Ten list and everyone is welcome to join. All we ask is that you link back to The Broke and the Bookish on your own Top Ten Tuesday post AND add your name to the Linky widget so that everyone can check out other bloggers lists! If you don't have a blog, just post your answers as a comment. Have fun with it! It's a fun way to get to know your fellow bloggers.

October 14: Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit (whether fictional or real)

I read a lot of dystopia's friends, so this is going to be an interesting list. Please don't judge me too hard. 

Kristen's List: 

1. France because Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins has made me seriously want to go back

2. The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare realm minus the war. Magic would be cool. 

3. Just One Year by Gayle Forman because of wanderlust

4. I'm cheating and saying Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare because of the magic :D 

5. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson because who doesn't want to go on epic roadtrips?  I'd love to see and explore more of the USA. All I've seen is Michigan, Ohio and Florida. 

6. Thoughtless by S.C Stephens because I want Kellan Kyle in my life

7. Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi because the technology is cool, the end of the world isn't

8. Okay this is the judge me answer: Panem in The Hunger Games  by Suzanne Collins. If I could just be a fly on the wall in the lives of the Capitol people and then see the difference between that and the District's, that'd be kinda cool I think. 

9.Angelfall by Susan Ee only if I can be an angel and the war isn't, ya know, happening

10. Hogwarts (just because I can't think of a single other place right now)

Kelsey:

1. France because Anna and the French Kiss.

2. Hogwarts and

3. City of Bones world because magic is sweet.

4. Fiction worlds from Between the Lines.

5. The town that Sarah Dessen always writes about.

6. Shadow Falls Camp

7. The underwater world in Florence.

8. A world where As You Wish is possible.

9. The beach cause The Last Song

10. Inside the Inkheart world.

Review: Ugly Love

Reviewer: Kelsey
Author: Colleen Hoover
Format: Paperback (I think? I can't remember)
Pages: 337
Rating: 8.75 out of 10

Summary (I love not ugly Goodreads): When Tate Collins meets airline pilot Miles Archer, she knows it isn’t love at first sight. They wouldn’t even go so far as to consider themselves friends. The only thing Tate and Miles have in common is an undeniable mutual attraction. Once their desires are out in the open, they realize they have the perfect set-up. He doesn’t want love, she doesn’t have time for love, so that just leaves the sex. Their arrangement could be surprisingly seamless, as long as Tate can stick to the only two rules Miles has for her.

Never ask about the past.
Don’t expect a future.

They think they can handle it, but realize almost immediately they can’t handle it at all.

Hearts get infiltrated.
Promises get broken.
Rules get shattered.
Love gets ugly.

My Very Personal Opinion: Firstly, the word 'opinion' looks like the word onion and that always throws me off. Alas, I've already gone off track with this review. To get myself quickly back on track I will share with you my love of Colleen Hoover. It is a love that cannot be denied and probably wouldn't change if her novels began to suck but, of course, that could never happen because she is Colleen Hoover. She's my hero. Go follow her on facebook if you question her awesomeness. She makes me extremely happy and, to this day, when I go to combat classes and am punching at nothing, I have flashbacks to reading the part of Maybe Someday where there are some much deserved punches thrown. 

Now onto the book, which is what you are really reading this for. Don't worry, I have no delusions that you read this blog because I am wonderfully intelligent or being I am astoundingly hilarious and witty. I know the truth.

Okay, so it wasn't better than Maybe Someday but I'm beginning to think that nothing is. This novel starts out strong and it holds true. Even when you think you have it figured out, you don't. I knew something big was going to happen in Miles backstory but I didn't know exactly what it would be. It was sufficiently devastating. 

Tate and Miles had an interesting relationship right from the get go. There was some second hand embarrassment and some first hand anger. What I don't understand is why she put up with this crap for so long. She's wonderful and deserved so much more from him. My heart was breaking for her during a great deal of this novel.

Miles' point of view was the most bizarre thing I've maybe ever read. It took a little while to get used to but I understood why it was written the way it was. I didn't grudge it anything. It was simply unique. I liked what it did at the ending, switching back.

The author has this wonderful way of making you connect to her characters and really feel for them. It's both wonderful and awful. It's a talent that is shown in most of her novels. She also makes very unique stories. Pilots? That's new for me. I liked the change. Plus, the sunset from the sky thing was beautiful, I thought. 

This novel was a fast finish but even if it wasn't, it would be well worth any time spent reading it.

Basically: Read it. Read all of Colleen Hoover's novels. Do it. Just listen to be and do as I say. I'm so easy to please, go now. Honestly, I think it's already time for a reread of this one.

P.S. Colleen Hoover, if you happen to stumble upon this for whatever reason. You are a wonderful human being and I will meet you one day if I have to fly across Canada and the United States to do so. Kristen feels the same. Keep up the outstanding work. Also, your pig is adorable and I am jealous.

Life of a Blogger [4]

Life of a Blogger is a weekly feature that I found through the amazing Rebecca at Vicariously! ,  hosted by the lovely Novel Heartbeat. Each week a subject will be chosen and we get to talk about it. The topics will be non-bookish so that you can get to know each other on a more personal level! Make sure to add your link on the linky list! 

This week's topic is: Scents (what you like, what you don't) 

Good question. I don't know. That's not true, yes I do. I like citrus-y smelling things. Anything orange and I promise you I'll probably like the smell. I'm not a fan of, what I call them, "winter scents". So anything vanilla-y, or cinnamon-y I'm just not a fan of. I blame my mom because that's all she likes. 
- Kristen

This is a very weird question. I don't like incense (my mom is weird). Oh, you know what's the worst? When you sit in a coffee shop for a long time (as Kristen and I are right now) and when you get home the smell is in your clothes. You didn't notice it at the time but suddenly it's all you can smell and you have to change right away. The smell stays in your hair until you shower. That's the worst. I like the smell of cinnamon buns and fresh bread. Who doesn't right? Right now, I'm trying to be healthy and most food smells make me really sick to my stomach.

-- Kelsey

COVER REVEAL: Gears of Brass

Gear up for GEARS OF BRASS! 

 A world like ours, but filled with gears of brass, where the beating heart is fuelled by steam and the simplest creation is a complex clockwork device.  

Within this tome, you’ll find steampunk fairy tale re-tellings, as well as original stories that will send your gears turning.  

Welcome to the steampunk realm, with eleven authors guiding your path. 

GEARS OF BRASS is a steampunk anthology published through Curiosity Quills.  It will be available for purchase on November 10, 2014.  Within the pages, you’ll come across clockwork inventions and steampunk-ified fairy tale retellings.  Eleven authors will guide you through worlds filled with airships, top hats, and corsets. 

Meet the authors:

Jordan Elizabeth writes young adult fantasy for Curiosity Quills, including ESCAPE FROM WITCHWOOD HOLLOW which was published in October and the upcoming TREASURE DARKLY; she’s represented by the Belcastro Agency.

J. Million is the author of Last of the Giants and can always be found reading or writing.

Lorna MacDonald Czarnota is a professional storyteller and author of several books including, Medieval Tales That Kids Can Read and Tell, Breadline Blue, Legends Lore and Secrets of Western New York, Wicked Niagara, Native American and Pioneer Sites of Upstate New York, and Dancing at the Crossroads: Stories and Activities for At-Risk Youth Programming.

SA Larsen is represented by Paula Munier of Talcott Notch Literary and is the author of published short stories, community-interest stories, and magazine articles focused on children. 

Grant Eagar is an Engineer who would take the tales he told his children at bed time, and transform them into fantasy stories. 

Clare Weze is the author of The House of Ash (forthcoming) and the co-author and editor of Cloudscapes over the Lune.

Eliza Tilton: gamer, writer and lover of dark chocolate; author of the YA Fantasy, BROKEN FOREST, published by Curiosity Quills Press.

Heather Talty's stories have been featured in Enchanted Conversation, as well as her own fractured fairy tale site, Mythopoetical (www.Beatrixcottonpants.com).

W.K. Pomeroy is a third generation writer who has published more than 70 short stories/articles/poems across many genres and styles, which now includes Steampunk.

Christine Baker is the author of Lana's End, The Guild of Dagda, and many more. 

Natalia Darcy: a bookilicious reader, tea drinker and Zumba aficionado who enjoys playing cards against humanity and washing her hair with ice cold water. 

You can get your steampunk fix before GEARS OF BRASS is released in November.  To enter for your chance to win a copy of GEARS OF BRASS, you will need to share the cover.  This can be on your blog, Facebook, Twitter… Each time you share the cover image, log it into Rafflecoper (click here!! ) to record it.  It will give you more chances to win.  The drawing for the winner will be held on October 27^th. 

<a id="rc-dcedff6d3" class="rafl" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/dcedff6d3/" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>

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