Blog Tour/Review: The Colony by Cami Checketts

Tour Schedule

The Colony by Cami Checketts

To protect her sons from the mistakes of her past, Brinlee Trapper escapes to a secluded mountain home. But there are dangers lurking in the mountains she has never encountered. The little family is saved from injury by Jed, a mysterious hunter. Brinlee is drawn to him, but she worries about his involvement with a peaceful commune hidden deep in the mountains behind her property.

Lance, Brinlee’s attentive neighbor, has his own troubled history. Between his obvious attraction to Brinlee and his developing love for her children, Brinlee finds it more than difficult to guard her heart against this tender intrusion.

While Jed offers a life of excitement and freedom, Lance holds the key to the family Brinlee always wanted. When it comes time to choose, she learns that both men have secrets that could shatter her fledgling trust in men and the wrong decision could leave more than her heart exposed to danger.

This book starts off with a bang! Brinlee is a single mother with two young boys, Trevor, 6, and Michael, 11 months old. She has just moved to a new home and is in the mountains with her children. They come across a mountain lion and are saved by Jed. He's a bit mysterious and definitely attracted to her but she's not sure how she feels about getting involved with him.

She also has a handsome neighbor, Lance, that helps her out, and doesn't like the fact that Jed starts coming around. We find out there's a little more to Lance and that he's more than just the friendly, helpful neighbor. 

Jed belongs to a free society that lives in the mountains and wants Brinlee to join his group. She's perfect except for the fact that she has children. The leader of their society is not interested in involving children but Jed wants to change that. He's a decent guy that also has a creepy side.

Lance is definitely the love interest I was rooting for. As I learned more about Lance and Jed, I was firmly in the Lance camp. Yes, he has a secret, too, but it's one that's easier for Brinlee to deal with. 

I liked Brinlee and rooted for her as she is someone that made some mistakes and was trying to turn her life around. Her parents were gone all the time so I felt sympathetic to her as she really could have used their guidance and felt that they cared enough about her to stick around for a while.

This is a book that had me hooked from the first page and I was anxious to learn all the secrets that were revealed along the way. It's a great romantic suspense! Clean, with some kissing.

My Rating=4 Stars

Praise

“Cami Checketts is a genius! She writes about topics that aren’t widely discussed, in and out of books, and she does such a brilliant job of crafting these things into wonderful stories that touch your heart and remain with you for days afterwards.”  ~Myra, Reviewer, Pieces of Whimsy

Grab your copy for just $2.99!

Author Cami Checketts

Cami Checketts is married and the proud mother of four future WWF champions. Sometimes between being a human horse, cleaning up magic potions, and reading Bernstein Bears, she gets the chance to write fiction.

Cami graduated from Utah State University with a degree in Exercise Science. Cami teaches strength training classes at her local rec and shares healthy living tips on her fitness blog: http://fitnessformom.blogspot.com.

Cami and her family live in the beautiful Cache Valley of Northern Utah. During the two months of the year it isn’t snowing, she enjoys swimming, biking, running, and water-skiing.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Fitness Blog

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/6/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

New Feature: Brooke's Reviews

My daughter, Brooke, will be 10 soon and has done a couple of reviews on my blog in the past. She has recently started reading a lot again and thinks a blog looks like a lot of fun! Since she's too young to have her own blog, I'm going to start featuring her more on mine. Every Friday she will put up a review. She has calendared it out and almost has the entire year covered.

It was hard to say no since her Judy Moody review is one of my highest viewed posts. If you haven't read that one yet, you can read it here.

To keep a good thing going, she's going to start her reviews with another Judy Moody book.

Judy Moody Goes to College, by Megan McDonald
2010, 144p
Brooke's Rating=5 Stars


It's her funniest adventure yet! A few sessions with a college-age math tutor turn Judy into a jargon-spouting polygon princess. Crucial!

Judy Moody is in a mood. Not a good mood. And definitely NOT a math mood. The substitute teacher in Class 3T thinks Judy's math skills need improving. So Judy has to start meeting with a math tutor. Does this mean flash cards? Does this mean baby games? Does this mean school on weekends? But when Judy meets her tutor — a sick-awesome college student with an uber-funky sense of style — and gets a glimpse of college life, Judy's bad math-i-tude turns into a radical glad-i-tude. Pretty soon, Judy's not only acing her math class; she's owning it. Time to say good-bye to Judy Moody, old skool third-grader, and say hello to Miss College! Small-tall upside-down backward non-fat capp with extra whip, anyone?

Judy Moody is one of my favorite books to read. She has adventures and makes me laugh. She also gives me good ideas on what to do when I'm bored.

In Judy Moody Goes to College, Judy falls behind in school, and needs to get her grades up, so her parents decide to get her a tutor. To top that she has a substitute teacher at school that she doesn’t like. Judy thinks that having a tutor means flash cards and baby stuff, and when Judy arrives she sees that her tutor is at a college. Judy gets super excited that she's at college, and Judy loves her tutor. She has fun and wants to go back.

When she goes to school she starts telling everybody about college. At recess no one wants to play with her anymore. Judy starts to let the college life take over her real life. She starts dressing different and starts using different words.

I loved this book and highly recommend it. She is funny and I love Judy Moody.

Amazon

"Sometimes I think I am Judy Moody," says Megan McDonald, author of the Judy Moody series, the Stink series, and THE SISTERS CLUB. "I'm certainly moody, like she is. Judy has a strong voice and always speaks up for herself. I like that."

For Megan McDonald, being able to speak up for herself wasn't always easy. She grew up as the youngest of five sisters in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her father, an ironworker, was known to his coworkers as "Little Johnny the Storyteller." Every evening at dinner the McDonalds would gather to talk and tell stories, but Megan McDonald was barely able to get a word in edgewise. "I'm told I began to stutter," she says, leading her mother to give her a notebook so she could start "writing things down."

Critically acclaimed, the Judy Moody books have won numerous awards, ranging from a PUBLISHERS WEEKLY Best Book of the Year to an International Reading Association Children's Choice. "Judy has taken on a life of her own," the author notes, with nearly 3 million Judy Moody books in print. Interestingly, the feisty third-grader is highly popular with boys and girls, making for a strong base of fans who are among Megan McDonald's strongest incentives to keep writing, along with "too many ideas and a little chocolate." And now -- by popular demand -- Judy Moody's little brother, Stink, gets his chance to star in his own adventures! Beginning with STINK: THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING KID, three more stories, and his own encyclopedia, STINK-O-PEDIA, Stink's special style comes through loud and strong -- enhanced by a series of comic strips, drawn by Stink himself, which are sprinkled throughout the first book. About the need for a book all about Stink, Megan McDonald says, "Once, while I was visiting a class full of Judy Moody readers, the kids, many with spiked hair à la Judy's little brother, chanted, 'Stink! Stink! Stink! Stink! Stink!' as I entered the room. In that moment, I knew that Stink had to have a book all his own."

More recently, Megan McDonald has recalled some of her own childhood with the warmth, humor -- and squabbles -- of three spunky sisters in THE SISTERS CLUB.

Megan McDonald and her husband live in Sebastopol, California, with two dogs, two adopted horses, and fifteen wild turkeys that like to hang out on their back porch. 

Website 

Cover Reveal: Sacrifice by Jennifer Quintenz

For fans of Braedyn Murphy, the wait is almost over. “Sacrifice,” the third book in the Daughters of Lilith series, will be released on January 31, 2014.

"Sacrifice" (Daughters of Lilith: Book 3)

Just when Braedyn Murphy thought she understood the danger descending on Puerto Escondido, a new threat arrives. A cult devoted to Lilith has taken up residence in the little town, and when Cassie gets tangled up its intrigue, Braedyn realizes she might have to chose between protecting her friends and stopping Lilith from reclaiming this earth.

With her duties to the Guard wearing on her, Braedyn turns to Lucas for solace. Together they wonder if now is the time to claim their one night together—knowing that one night is all they may ever have.

Darker forces have their own plans for Braedyn and the Guard. Braedyn knew this fight could be brutal—but how much can one girl be asked to sacrifice in order to save the world?

Check out the previous books in the series:

Praise for "Thrall" (Daughters of Lilith: Book 1)

"Before you even start this review, put down anything you are doing and go read Thrall. It's AMAZING! BREATHTAKING! Engaging and smart, Thrall leaves you speechless!"
- Savannah, Books With Bite

"The writing style is so smooth, yet gripping. Add some good characters, well-paced story and you have something that I like. No, not like. Love... No surprise that “Thrall” gets full five stars and the highest recommendations I can give."
- Linda, The Fantasy Librarian

"How do I even begin to put all the crazy, gushy, ramblings in my brain about this book onto paper?!? Where to even begin?....This book is a MUST read!"
- Hooked In A Book review on Amazon

Praise for “Incubus” (Daughters of Lilith: Book 2)

"If you like gutsy fantasy of the urban variety this should definitely be on your 'must read' list. Don't let the YA label put you off either, like all the best YA fiction, this can be enjoyed by adults as well. I give it an unreserved 5 stars."
- Tahlia, Awesome Indies, http://awesomeindies.net/2013/10/01/hard-book-put-review-incubus-jennifer-quintenz/

"This is one of those books that I have been looking forward to since June of last year... I loved this book and I'm so happy I finally got to read it. I recommend the entire series for the fully developed characters, the impressive mythology, and the fight scenes. I am dreading waiting for the next book."
- David, David-Reviews.com

"Great reading. LOVE IT. Jennifer Quintenz is a special writer who can be very riveting... Spent several sleepless nights in a crazy rush to see how it ends. Can't wait for the next books."
- Terri, review on Amazon

 About the author:

Jennifer Quintenz is an award-winning film and television writer, author, and graphic novelist. She has written for Twentieth Television, Intrepid Pictures, and Archaia Studios Press. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and son.

JenniferQuintenz.com
Jenn on Facebook
Jenn on Twitter
Jenn on Goodreads

Book Blast: Indie Authors Naked by Loren Kleinman and Amy Edelman

Indie Authors Naked

Indie Authors Naked explores and defines the world of independent publishing.

Comprised of a series of essays and interviews by indie authors, booksellers and publishers, readers will get a look at the many aspects of the indie community, where publishing professionals of all types come together with the simple goal of creating something unique; something that speaks directly to the reader, no middleman necessary.

Contributors include: James Franco, Hugh Howey, McNally Jackson Books, Sarah Gerard, OHWOW Books, Raine Miller, David Vinjamuri, Toby Neal, Rachel Thompson, Eden Baylee, Christoph Paul, Jessica Redmerski, Dan Holloway, Orna Ross and more.

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Smashwords

About the Authors

Loren Kleinman is a writer and poet with roots in New Jersey. She has a B.A. in English Literature from Drew University and an M.A. in Creative and Critical Writing from the University of Sussex. Kleinman is a columnist for IndieReader.com (IR) where she interviews New York Times and USA Today bestselling indie authors. Some of those interviews in IR reappeared in USA Today and The Huffington Post.

Her poetry has appeared in literary journals such as Nimrod, Journal of New Jersey Poets, Paterson Literary Review, Wilderness House Literary Review, Writer’s Bloc, Resurgence (UK), HerCircleEzine and Aesthetica Annual. She was the recipient of the Spire Press Poetry Prize (2003), was a 2000 and 2003 Pushcart Prize nominee, and a 2004 Nimrod/Pablo Neruda Poetry Prize finalist. In 2003, Spire Press published her first collection of poetry Flamenco Sketches, which explored the relationship between love and jazz.

Her second collection of poetry, The Dark Cave Between My Ribs, is due to release with Winter Goose Publishing in March 2014. She is currently working on a New Adult romance, This Way to Forever.

Website * Facebook * Twitter

Amy Holman Edelman launched IndieReader, the essential consumer guide to self-published books and the people who write them, way back in 2007. Since then, indie authors have stormed the bestseller lists, been courted by trad publishers and (after all that), finally gained a modicum of respect.

Amy self-published her first book, The Fashion Resource Directory, back in the 80s, long before POD and Amazon and e-readers roamed the land. Her second and third books (The Little Black Dress and Manless in Montclair), were traditionally published (by Simon & Schuster and Shaye Areheart Books, an imprint of Crown).

As an author and a publicist with over 20 years’ experience, Amy’s goal for IndieReader is no less than to make indie a respected and desirable category within the publishing world. This book is just one step in that direction.

Website  * Twitter * Facebook * Twitter

Excerpt

From the Introduction of Indie Authors Naked by Amy Edelman:

IndieReader was launched in ‘07, otherwise known as the dark days of self-publishing. Back then, every book was considered a vanity publication, every author a failed writer. Denial ran so high that when the self-pubbed book, Her Last Letter by Nancy C. Johnson hit The New York Times bestseller list, the good folks at the NYT were still saying that they’d never include one! And then there was The Shack, another indie that snuck through the gauntlet to appear on the NYTimes list for an astounding 172 weeks between June 2008 to early 2010 (52 of those weeks at #1).

Flash forward to 2012-2013. With the advent of ebooks, the publishing landscape has completely and irrevocably changed. Bowker, the ISBN people, recently reported that the number of self-published books in 2012 rose 59% over 2011, growing to over 391,000 titles in 2012. That’s a lot of indie.

But it’s not just availability that has changed the notion of what a self-pubbed book can be. Either the whole “vanity” thing was propaganda on the part of trad publishing—after all, Virginia Woolf famously did it with Hogarth Press—or publishing ebooks makes it easier for talented writers to get their work seen. Either way, over the last couple of years—beginning with the high-profile snagging of Amanda Hocking—at least 50 indie authors (many of them interviewed in this very book) have been courted and won by traditional publishers.

Did these authors’ books change from when they were self-pubbed to when they became trads? Or did their appearance on the bonafide bestseller lists (The New York Times, USA Today) just make it easier for the Big 5 to spot them? Not that getting picked up by a traditional publisher is always an indie author’s end-game. In fact, a recent survey conducted by The Bookseller noted that only about one-third of the self-published authors surveyed stated that they would consider a traditional book deal. That’s a lot of authors who aren’t willing to trade the freedom of creation for the chance to have their works packaged by committee.

So whether an author decides to sell their work to a trad publisher or not—it is clear that indies are here to stay. Their books resonate with readers who really couldn’t give a damn if they came through the hallowed halls of a traditional publisher or just via their ereaders. The indie writing community is strong and getting stronger, as are the options for placing their books (been to your local bookstore lately? You may be surprised at the titles you find on the shelves).

Yes, dear readers, this time—thanks to technology and changing perceptions—self-publishing is clearly here to stay. And via interviews and essays, Indie Authors Naked aims to highlight the best of the best.

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/10/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Blog Tour/Review: Sun and Moon by Lee Strauss

Sun & Moon by Lee Strauss

(Book One in the Minstrel Series)

Coming January 26th!

If you’re a fan of the movie Inside, Llewyn Davis, ABC television’s Nashville or Colleen Hoover’s upcoming novel, "Maybe Someday", the Minstrel Series is for you!

The Minstrel Series is a collection of contemporary romance novels set in the singer/songwriter world. The books are companion novels, with shared settings and characters, but each are complete standalone stories with a HEA (happily ever after) and no cliffhangers!

Katja Stoltz is a risk-taking singer-songwriter hoping to make it in the indie music scene in Dresden, Germany. Micah Sturm's a brooding uptown banker on a quest.

Driven to the streets, Katja is picked up by Micah - but he doesn't want what she thinks he does. There’s an undeniable attraction between them, a gravitational pull they both struggle to resist. Katja knows she mustn’t fall in love with this handsome enigma. There’s something dark lurking beneath the surface. He could be dangerous.

And even if her life isn’t on the line, her heart most definitely is.

*not erotica - no explicit sex or coarse language

Katja is a singer/songwriter and she starts out down on her luck. She needs rent money by tomorrow and one of her roommates told her if she didn't want to be out on the streets, she better put her shapely legs and the rest of her youthful body to work. We learn what's happened to her in the past three days to bring her to the point she's at now and some of her background with her family to show why she moved. While she's flashing her legs, she keeps reminding herself why she needs to do this, even though she's also arguing hard against it. 

A car stops for her, so she gets in and is pleased to see he's young and good-looking. She had the impression this was his first time picking someone like her up. She introduces herself and learns that his name is Micah and he's half-American, half-German. Micah takes Katja back to his place and feeds her dinner. He then pulls out his sofa bed, tells her he'll still pay her but wants her to sleep there. She's relieved but still a little wary.

She finds herself drawn to Micah, but leaves and then ends up back at his place. They're attracted to each other but he keeps her at arm's length. One of the bedrooms in his apartment is always locked and Katja really wants to learn what's on the other side of that door. Will his secret tear them apart or bring them closer together?

When I first started reading, I had to check to make sure this wasn't going to go down a road I didn't want to travel. I was relieved when Katja met Micah and he was a gentleman. I LOVED their story! There was just enough revealed to keep me guessing and Micah's secret was a surprise to me. Katja and Micah's relationship grew over time which I liked and made me fall in love with them as a couple. I enjoyed their conversations and I totally fell in love with Micah. There were definitely obstacles for them to overcome and my heart broke for them at one point. 

There are some great side characters that add a lot to the story as well. This book is billed as an HEA (happily ever after) so the ending didn't come as a surprise, but I enjoyed the journey to get to that point. I recommend this to anyone that would enjoy romance between two unlikely people--an indie singer/songwriter and a banker. This book was hard for me to put down. I look forward to reading more in this series and hope there's more Katja and Micah to come!

My Rating=5 Stars

Content: Passionate kissing; they do live in the same apartment but sleep in different rooms. There might be mild swearing, but I honestly don't remember.

This series is an exciting collaboration between Lee Strauss as an Indie Author and several very talented Indie Singer-Songwriters. Four original songs produced by Norm Strauss are featured in Sun & Moon and are performed by award-winning Canadian singer-songwriter Kim McMechan. MP3 links are included at the end.

Check out the music video!


All the songs from the Minstrel Series can be found at Bandcamp.

The Minstrel Series also has its own Facebook page. Go Like it to follow all the upcoming Minstrel Series news!

Pre- orders now available at the pre-release price of 2.99! 

(Price goes up after launch)

Amazon | iTunes | Kobo | Barnes & Noble

Lee is giving away prizes to celebrate the upcoming launch of Sun & Moon. 

Enter to win a $50 Amazon gift card, MP3s of all four songs featured on Sun & Moon, and a 12 month calendar from Dresden, Germany featuring many of the settings found in Sun & Moon.

Dresden, Germany

About Lee Strauss: Lee Strauss writes romantic mixed genres set in the past, present and future for YA and adult readers. She also writes light and fun stuff as Elle Strauss. She divides her time between BC, Canada and Dresden, Germany, and enjoys drinking coffee and eating chocolate in both places. Find out more at www.ellestraussbooks.com.

Social Media Links:
The Minstrel Series Facebook page

Lee Strauss Facebook author page

Twitter: @elle_strauss

Pinterest

Blog: www.ellestraussbooks.com

YouTube channel

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Blog Tour/Review: Podium Finish by Beth Pond

Tour Schedule

Podium Finish

With six months until the Olympic Games, seventeen-year-old Harper’s life is pretty much perfect. She’s fighting for the starting spot on Team USA Women’s Hockey, and for the first time ever, she has a crush on a guy who likes her back. She feels like the luckiest girl in the world, until she runs a risky play at practice and breaks her knee, thereby sentencing herself to six weeks in a cast and possibly ending her Olympic dream before it even starts.

For seventeen-year-old Alex, being anything less than the best is unacceptable. That’s why, after a miserable debut season at the senior level, the former junior national singles champion switches to ice dance. Her skating partner, Ace, is an “all skating all the time” type of guy, which would be fine, if he’d stop keeping secrets about the real reason he and his former partner broke up. Now is not the time for second thoughts, but how can Alex skate her best if she can’t trust her partner…or herself?

As the pressure to make the Olympic team builds, the girls must rely on each other, because if there’s one thing they both know, it’s that the only thing harder than skating to the top is staying there.

 Amazon * Barnes & Noble

I love the Olympics! And I think Olympians are amazing! When I saw this book come up for review so close to the Winter Olympics, I knew I had to read it. Harper and Alex have been roommates at the Colorado Springs Olympic Training Center for the past year. They've also become friends who support and rely on each other to get them through the tough days.

The book switches POV between Harper and Alex. Harper is working hard to gain a starting spot on the women's hockey team and the competition is fierce. She has some friends and she has a nemesis named Jess. They have a hard time working together because they each want to shine separately. She breaks her knee one day and has to work extra hard to come back in time to play in the Olympics.

Alex was a singles skater doing well until she had a bad year. Her dad wanted her to switch to ice dancing so she'd have a chance to be in the Olympics. She did, and she's now partners with Ace. Ace is a champion skater who recently split up with his dance partner, Sophie. Alex and her dad want Ace to do more interviews and be more involved in social media, but he's not interested in the fame at all. Alex does a video chat with her parents once a week and when things aren't going well, her relationship with her father is strained.

This was fun to read as each girl worked hard to make it into the Olympics. There were challenges and setbacks for each of them. Harper got her first boyfriend, Rye, and she needed to figure out how to balance that relationship as well. Alex wanted to know what happened to break up Ace and Sophie's skating partnership and kept pushing him for answers. I enjoyed reading about Harper's games and Alex's competitions and the discipline they each had to continue to do their best. I felt bad when things didn't go their way and cheered them on when they were in the midst of competing. It was hard to put this book down because I wanted to know what was going to happen next!

I enjoyed this book and look forward to more from Beth Pond in the future! And I am now officially in the mood to watch the Olympics (too bad they don't start tomorrow)!

My Rating=5 Stars


Author Beth Pond

Beth Pond graduated summa cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa from Hendrix College in 2012. In 2013, she taught in South Africa for 9 months as part of a Fulbright English Teaching Assistantship Grant. Pond is currently completing her coursework at the University of British Columbia’s Creative Writing MFA program. Her debut novel, Podium Finish, was released from Astraea Press in November 2013. When she’s not writing, Pond enjoys martial arts (she’s a black belt) and serving as a volunteer coach for her brother’s special needs baseball team.

 Blog * Twitter

Praise for Podium Finish

Podium Finish is unlike any other book I have read, period. It is amazing that Ms. Pond could take two very different characters who are pursuing two completely different sports and tie them together as roommates at the Olympic Training Center. ~Crystal, Books are Sanity

This is a great, fun book! This story is really 2 stories in one – bonus!  ~Shelley Walker, Goodreads

This book was truly enjoyable to read. ~Michele, Amazon Review

Podium Finish is one of the best books I have read in a very long time. I couldn’t put it down once I started reading it. ~Ana, Amazon Reviewer

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/9/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Blog Tour/Review: Dragon Defender by J.A. Blackburn

About the Book

Title: Dragon Defender (Dragon Defense League, Book #1)

Author: J.A. Blackburn

Publication Date: October 19, 2013

Publisher: Pip & Grey

Number of pages: 242

Recommended age: 10+

Summary (Amazon):

For over a thousand years dragons have existed in secret . . .

Peter Clark can build a robot from scratch and pick a lock in two minutes or less. But he can't figure out why his mother left or why his grandma refuses to talk about her. When Uncle Dominick shows up on Peter's twelfth birthday with a letter that hints at answers and an incredible story about dragons, Peter follows him, determined to find out the truth about his mother's disappearance.

What he finds is a reality far different from what he ever could have imagined - where dragons live in hiding, hunted by poachers for their magical parts, and a small group of men and women work tirelessly to protect them. These are the Dragon Defenders. Peter's uncle is one. So was his mother. Now it's Peter's turn.

* Finalist in the Pacific Northwest Writers Association 2013 Literary Contest *

Peter lives with his grandmother ever since his mother dropped him off and never came back. One night, during a thunderstorm, his Uncle Dominick shows up. He's only heard about Dominick before so he's surprised when his uncle gives him a letter from his mother and a necklace. The letter hints at secrets, danger and training but Dominick takes off when his mother shows up because she won't approve of him being there. Peter tracks Dominick down and he starts to explain but has to leave so tells Peter he'll come back to see him. Dominick comes back and explains to Peter that their family's destiny is linked with dragons and they belong to the DDL--Dragon Defense League. Peter's surprised that they protect dragons rather than fight them. Peter's grandmother comes home and is upset to see Dominick there especially when she realizes he wants to take Peter away. She sends Peter to his room and makes Dominick leave. Peter is upset that his grandmother isn't allowing him the chance to do something important and exciting and possibly learn what happened to his mother, so he sneaks out his window, flags Dominick down and takes off with him.

During his adventures, Peter makes two friends along the way, Xana, a girl who's staying at an eco-lodge with her dad, and Mario, who starts out stealing something from Peter but they end up becoming friends. Peter needs to decide if he can really trust them. He also tries to figure out what exactly is going on and what happened to his mother.

This was a fun book to read! It starts strong and doesn't let up the entire time. Every time they would get out of one scrape and I would start to breathe easier for them, they were immediately involved in something else. I read this book quickly because it was hard to put down.

One thing I did find frustrating is that there were a few times that Peter would have a bad feeling about something he was doing, but go ahead and do it anyway. The first time, nothing bad really seemed to happen, but the other times, something bad definitely did happen. He is young so I did expect him to make some not so smart choices and it does show that he has room for growth as the series progresses. Hopefully, he'll learn and make some better choices, but his poor choices did make for a more interesting and heart pounding read. 

Peter is likable and starts off as a loner so it was good to see him develop friendships as the story progressed. We also get to meet some dragons and I enjoyed his interactions with them as well. There are also some very bad people that he comes in contact with and one of them puts doubt and more questions into Peter's head with the claims he makes. This fast-paced adventure is the start of a fun middle-grade series and I'm looking forward to reading more!

My Rating=5 Stars

More Buzz About the Book

"We read an advance copy of this book on kindle earlier this year and our 5th grade son read it twice and is anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. Great adventure, really kept our interest reading it together at night. This was one of the kids books I most enjoyed reading myself as well. The characters and the plot are well developed, and appealing to a wide range of kids (both genders). The writing is sophisticated but easy to understand, not 'dumbed down' like many kids books. The subject of dragons was so well crafted that it's easy believe that dragons just might exist, after all." ~ 5 Star Review, Leigh A., Amazon

"Reminiscent of the Fablehaven series (with just the right touch of Harry P.) this middle grade book is both an adventure and a pleasure...Fast-paced and full of wonder, this book takes middle grade readers on a vivid journey from the southwestern U.S. to Mexico; where jungles, ancient ruins and local folklore add to the enchantment that Peter finds when he discovers that dragons are in fact, real. As a former elementary school teacher, my strong feeling is that kids will eat this book whole, and then turn to searching for dragon eggs in their own backyards!" ~ 5 Star Review, Grace W., Amazon

"Dragon Defender was an absorbing action packed read! The author pulls you in from the first page and I'm not sorry to say I read it all in the first day. I'm 33 but still! This is a fun book for a chapter a night with your 5 year old (my son is loving it so far) or for yourself. The characters are well developed so you feel like you're really there, and the dragon is so believable. I'd venture so far as to say I had to remind myself that dragons don't really exist.... or do they?" ~ 5 Star Review, MGC, Amazon

Purchase

Amazon (Print) Amazon (Kindle)

About the Author: J.A. Blackburn

 

J. A. Blackburn lives in Seattle, Washington in a small white house overlooking the sea with her husband, Jason, her son, Camden, and their dog, Bella. Dragon Defender is her first novel.

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Dragon Defender Blog Tour Schedule (2014)

January 6

Mother Daughter Book Reviews (Launch & Review)

Victoria Simcox (Interview)

January 7

The Dragyn's Lair (Dual Reviews)

Cherry Mischievous (Guest Post)

January 8

Reading and Sharing (Book Review)

January 9

Brooke Blogs (Review)

Carpinello's Writing Pages (Author Interview)

January 10

The World of ContestPatti (Author Interview)

Bound 4 Escape (Review)

January 11

Deal Sharing Aunt (Review)

January 12

Mythical Books (Guest Post)

Book Room Reviews (Review)

January 13

The Hippie Bookworm (Review)

Books Direct (Author Interview)

January 14

BeachBoundBooks (Review)

January 15

A Year of Jubilee Reviews (Review)

January 16

Reviews By Karen (Review)

Stitch Says (Author Interview)

January 17

We are the Noisy DinoFamily (Review)

Musings by Jay Faulkner (Guest Post)

January 18

Kay LaLone I Love Books (Review)

January 19

Lakshmi Gosyne (Guest Post & Review)

January 20

Sher A. Hart: Written Art (Review)

WS Momma Readers Nook (Guest Post/Excerpt)

January 21

Mel's Shelves (Review)

January 22

Cassandra Lost in Books (Review)

Word Magic: Articles & Tips for Authors (Review)

January 23

Tales of a Bookworm (Review)

January 24

Dawn's Disaster (Review)

Identity Discovery (Guest Post)

January 25

Jemima Pett, Princelings Author (Review)

January 26

When I Grow Up I Wanna Write a Kids Book (Review)

Heart of a Philanthropist (Review)

* $50 Blog Tour Giveaway *

Prize: $50 Amazon Gift Card or PayPal cash (winner’s choice)

Contest runs: January 6th to January 31, 11:59 pm, 2014

Open: Internationally

How to enter: Please enter using the Rafflecopter widget below.

Terms and Conditions: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. A winner will be randomly drawn through the Rafflecopter widget and will be contacted by email within 48 hours after the giveaway ends. The winner will then have 72 hours to respond. If the winner does not respond within 72 hours, a new draw will take place for a new winner. Odds of winning will vary depending on the number of eligible entries received. This contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook. This giveaway is sponsored by the author, J.A. Blackburn and is hosted and managed by Renee from Mother Daughter Book Reviews. If you have any additional questions – feel free to send and email to Renee(at)MotherDaughterBookReviews(dot)com.

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