Perfect, by Ellen Hopkins

  5 stars out of 5

Perfect is a perfectly woven tale of four teenagers who struggle every day to meet what their families and friends see as perfect, and connect those views with their own.  Cara (Conner’s twin sister from Impulse) struggles to understand and accept her own sexuality while also dealing with the issues surrounding her brother.  Kendra, the up and coming model, is anorexic and believes this is the only way to achieve her dreams of becoming a run-way model. Sean is an up and coming baseball player.  In order to achieve his dream, Sean takes steroids to give him an extra edge.  Unfortunately, the steroids cause Sean to get into trouble on and off the baseball field.  Andre, the dancer, feels pressure from his parents to figure out what he wants to do with his life.  As much as Andre wants to dance his parents believe this is not an acceptable future.

Banned Book Giveaway

In honor of banned book week I am giving away your choice of two books that have been banned over the years. This is a international giveaway of your choice of books in print format. Both books were written by the great Ray Bradbury that passed away this past year.

Fahrenheit 451 which deals with the subject of censorship was ironically itself a banned book.

OR

THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES, by Ray Bradbury.
Profanity and the use of God's name in vain sparked opposition to this novel.
Challenged by Haines City (Florida) High School, 1982.

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Interview With James Hutchings

I would like to introduce author James Hutchings and thank him for stopping by The Cotton Patch and letting me interview him. Hutchings is the author of a story with an interesting title: The Case of the Syphilitic Sister. This first chapter can now be found on JukePopSerials

No problem. Thanks for having me.

Please tell us a bit about yourself?

I fight crime as Poetic Justice, but my day job is acting. You might know me by my

stage-name 'Brad Pitt.'

How long have you been writing and have you always been interesting in writing mysteries?

Apart from writing for school, I wrote a YA novel back around the turn of the century which, thankfully, few people ever saw. I started seriously writing again in 2010.

Tuck

Tuck by Stephen R. Lawhead

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This is the third and final installment in Lawhead's retelling of the Robin Hood story. I enjoyed this one just as much as the first two. I love the way Lawhead puts this in a historical context and brings it to life in a way that it could have happened.

Happy Hobbit Day

Today being Bilbo and Frodo's birthday and yestarday being the 75th anniversary of the Hobbit, I thought I would wish everyone a Happy Hobbit Day! I hope everyone takes the time to celebrate in their own way. Its always good to have 2nd breakfasts, elevensies, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper followed by a bit of dessert or a pint.

The Hobbit was the first of Tolkein's books of Middle Earth that I was intrduced to. I didn't find this one as a child, I first read it as a freshman in college and was immediately hooked. Afterwards, I devoured The Lord of the Rings trilogy and then read the other books of Middle Earth. Its a series that I have always treasured and revisit often. Life wouldn't be the same without it. HAPPY BIRTHDAY HOBBITS!!!!

Haunted House Virtual Tour

Continuing the Haunted House Virtual Tour promoting our ghost novellas Blind and Ungentle Sleep (by V.R.Christensen and B.Lloyd respectively), here is a quick peek into one of the famous houses in ‘mock’ gothic literature (we’re not saying which one it is – you can either guess from reading, or from working out the anagram at the end!) – and with many thanks to Flora Bateman for kindly hosting us today !

Diary of a Ghost Hunter

June, anno domini 1785

Took the mail coach from London to Humdon, there to meet Mr Threadfull at the King’s Inn; was there for close on an hour before a dishevelled fellow appeared: in down at heel shoes, out at elbows coat and dusty hat with broken feather trailing over the brim. He called for ale, settled himself down in the opposite corner of the parlour, took out his watch and enquired after the next mail coach.

Stuck In A Good Book Hop

Author Monica LaPorta is giving away 2 sets of her Ginecean Chronicles. This series has been one of my very favorites this year. The author will be providing coupons for Amazon kindle for both books. Check out my interview with this author here.

Mauricio is a slave. Like any man born on Ginecea, he is but a number for the pure breed women who rule over him with cruel hands. Imprisoned inside the Temple since birth, Mauricio has never been outside, never felt the warmth of the sun on his skin. He lives a life devoid of hopes and desires. Then one day, he hears Rosie sing. He risks everything for one look at her and his life is changed, forever. An impossible friendship blossoms into affection deemed sinful and perverted in a society where the only rightful union is between women. Love is born where only hate has roots and leads Mauricio to uncover a truth that could destroy Ginecea.

My review can be found here

Love doesn’t obey preordained rules. Sometimes, social status and gender mean nothing. The purest of affections can be born between two people living in different worlds. In a society where women rule over an enslaved race of men and love between a woman and man is considered a perversion, Pax’s and Prince’s union is destined for a tragic end. Coming from an existence of privilege, Pax has never endured harshness. She has never had any reason to doubt the rules Ginecea was built on. Everything changes when she is sent to spend her summer on a desolate farm and is exposed to the ongoing brutalities against defenseless men. A wrong turn leads her to witness Prince’s thrashing at the hands of the guards. One look from him and Pax’s perfect life is shattered, the memory of his dark eyes haunting her night and day. As a pure breed, born to one of the most prestigious family in Ginecea, she would have never thought it possible to fall in love with a man. Marked as a sinner, Pax abjures her ancestry to save Prince’s life. She hopes they can disappear into the desert, but social prejudice and political schemes give them no respite. The Priestess, the ruler of all Ginecea, has other plans for Pax Layan and her family.

My review can be found here.

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Valley of Dust

Valley of Dust by Karoleen Vry Brucks

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I received a free copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

When I first started reading this book I had my doubts about whether or not I would like it. But by the time I was done I did like it. I would even probably stretch this up to 3.5 stars because the underlying story definitely has an original twist to it and I liked the direction it was taking by the end.

The Little Mermaid of Death

The Little Mermaid of Death by Kevin Richey

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received a free copy for my honest review.

I must say this is the most bizarre out of the collection so far but I don't think this story could have been told any other way. Kevin Richey did an excellent job of taking the elements from this beloved fairytale and adding a large helping of Zombie.

Ariel is a swamp zombie wanting to remember what its like to be human. The witch Ursula offers to help in exchange for Ariel changing her brother Eric so that Ursula would then be queen. As so often happens, things don't go as planned and Ariel must face who she really is.

Overall, this was a fun zomie read even though its a bit twisted. There were spots of humor amidst the gore that helped the fairytale shine through. If you enjoy zombies you should check this one out as well as the others in this series.



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Adventures In Funeral Crashing

Adventures in Funeral Crashing by Milda Harris

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received a free copy of this in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this one! It was such a fun read, a wonderful YA mystery that that was quite an adventure.

Interview With Author Monica LaPorta

I would like to thank author Monica LaPorta for agreeing to be interviewed. She is the author of The Ginecean Chronicles which starts with The Priest and continues with Pax in the Land of Women. This is my favorite new series so far this year. Come back in a few days when we will be giving away 2 sets of this series in the Lost In a Good Book Blog Hop.

Please tell us a bit about yourself.
Hi, Flora. First of all, thank you for having me on your blog. I follow your reviews

with great interest—I discovered we have similar tastes in reading material—and it’s an honor for me being interviewed by you. Regarding me… well, let’s see, I’m an Italian who moved to the States twelve years ago. It was the summer of 2000 and even though my life wasn’t defined by that single moment, it sure was changed by it. I didn’t speak English, I could read it, but my conversational skills were pitiful, and so there I was a frustrated thirty-something who couldn’t go to my kids’ teachers conferences without needing a translator. It wasn’t funny, but I did get through it and one day I realized I was thinking in English. And was then when I remembered my English teacher in middle school telling me languages weren’t my forte. It felt great. Having to reinvent myself as an adult made me understand I was capable to do much more than I suspected and when the Muse called I decided to follow my heart.

Snow

I would like to thank author Kathyrn Hewitt for sending us this excerpt post and providing this great giveaway.Following the excerpt enter for your chance to win one of 2 print copies being given away. This is a US only giveaway. The author is also giving a 15% off coupon to anyone that would like to purchase an authographed copy from her website. Just use the code Blog15 on her purchase site listed below.

Synopsis

Snow is a fiction novel, based on true events, about the struggles of a teenage girl and the consequences of a devastating mistake. Whether readers are young adults, exploring their sexuality for the first time, or an older adult, struggling to understand their teenage daughter, everyone will have a character in which to relate.
Young adults will be gripped by the reality and bluntness of it's characters. Parents will appreciate the censorship of otherwise “uncomfortable” topics. With sexuality among young adults beginning at an early age, "family values" are now being pushed back into the forefront of parental teaching. Snow influences people with Christian values, such as sexual abstinence, pro-life advocacy, and prayer, without pushing God as the subject of the book. Biblically based information is strategically scattered throughout the novel with dialect and personal thoughts.
The protagonist's quest to discover the path she needs to take unearths findings of a secret life, lead by her boyfriend. With two lives at stake, readers will eagerly anticipate the outcome only to find themselves with lessons and warnings about the consequences of making detrimental mistakes. Comfort will be found in understanding that God is bigger than any situation and He catches ever tear. Miracles so often go unnoticed, yet powerfully affect those they touch. Snow will set the stage for future novels reflective of countless miracles and divine intervention.

Chronicles of M

Chronicles of M - Book 1 by Nicholas Forristal

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, this was such a fun read! It definitely had a little bit of everything espionage, secret operations, science fiction, super heroes and a touch of mystery.

Excerpt From Within the Shadows

I would like to thank author Julian Lynch for sending us an excerpt from her book Within The Shadows.

Within the Shadows
By J.A. Lynch
Published July 18th 2012
Vamptasy
ASIN: B008MZJB3W
“Living on the razors edge, Giselle Burgman's life is torn apart by her cheating boyfriend. Little does she realise that he is the least of her worries when her long term friend Alex introduces her to his family and a new, darker world. A world of lies, deceit and corruption. Thrown from one problem straight into another, the razors edge gets thinner and sharper, testing Giselle's sanity and vitality. Not even she can hide when living within the shadows.”

About the Author

Fiery Librian Julieanne Lynch is an author of urban fantasy books for both adults and teens. Julieanne lives in Northern Ireland, where she works on her Shadows Trilogy and other series full-time. Before becoming a writer, she considered a few different

career paths, a rock star being one of them. She studied English Literature and Creative Writing at The Open University, and considered journalism as a career path. However, she decided writing was the way for her and believes all of her education and reading prepared her for it.

An avid reader, Julieanne has always had an encompassing fascination with folklore. When not writing, she enjoys crime series such as Criminal Minds, CSI, NCIS and Cold Case, and loves anything with Vampires, listening to metal, meeting new people, drinking lots of green tea, and sharing her dreams with her children. She is a self-professed goth wanna-be, and is happy when left to write into the early hours of the morning.
Julieanne's YA series, The Shadows Trilogy, is published by Vamptasy Publishing and thus far contains In the Shadows. It follows the war between vampires and shadow creatures. Giselle Bergman, an 18-year old human girl, falls victim to a scheme by one of her closest childhood friends, and embarks on a journey that sees her become the centre of a battle between good and evil.

No Crying For Elena

No Crying For Elena by N. Meridian

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was an awesome read! It is one of those books that I found very hard to put down once I opened its pages.

No Crying for Elena tells the story of the life of a woman who was raised within the confines of the Nation of Yaweh cult in Florida. Seperated, along with her siblings, from her parents she is raised with other cult children and given Hebrew names as well as given little food and given strict discipline. When the cult begins to break apart amidst legal turmoil she finds herself in the real world as a teen and has to learn not only how to live but also to help raise her many younger siblings.

As the story is told you feel as though you are sitting on a porch somewhere listening to the story of her life. You feel her pain and shame as she survives rape and molestation. You see life from her point of view as a woman looking back on her childhood and teen years. Its amazing how she not only survives but grows to be a strong woman that makes a life for her and her child. A woman that has to make hard decisions and is better for it.

Women so often feel as if rape is their fault. And in this book we really understand the why behind this. Its not only men that make women feel this way, its society as a whole. Meridian tells her story in such a way as not to lay blame for this fact but just to state that it is. And through this we see how much of a horror and a crime it is for a family to turn a blind eye to the victem of rape as it is for the actual crime that was committed.

But there is so much more to this book than just these aspects. Its a very powerful, honest journey through the life of a remarkable woman. This is a book that everyone should read.



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Freelance Writing Guide: What to Expect in Your First Year as a Freelance Writer:

I’m Christine Rice, the author of Freelance Writing Guide, which is a helpful career guide that will inform you of the experiences I had, and what I learned, during my first year as a freelance writer. The purpose of the book is to educate you - someone who is considering becoming a freelance writer - on what you can expect in the beginning of your freelance writing career, so that you will have no questions or fear of the unknown.

The book is straightforward and realistic. It covers ghostwriting, article writing, book reviewing, book writing, self-publishing, traditional publishing (of books and magazine articles), business and finance topics, the lifestyle of a writer, income and types of pay, and many other topics. This is a resourceful book from an experienced freelance writer, written for writers who wish to develop a freelance writing career.

Here is an excerpt from Freelance Writing Guide: What to Expect in Your First Year as a Freelance Writer:

Chapter 8 - Manage a Website, Blog, or Both!

As a freelance writer in the 21st century, you will need a website, blog, or both. There are free ways to have a website or blog, so there is no reason not to. Generally speaking, websites are a way to market your product (your writing, or yourself—as a freelance writer). Blogs are a way to connect—share your thoughts and knowledge—with your readers. You can also have a website that has a blog as one of its pages if you prefer to be efficient. Let’s review aspects about websites and blogs separately.

First Year Blogiversary!!!

My first year Blogiversary is coming up in less than a week on September 18. It has been a wonderful year. Even though this has been a lot of work, I have enjoyed reading and reviewing so many new books as well as meeting many new friends. As a sign of thanks I am giving away a $20 Gift Certificate from Amazon.  This giveaway is open to all of my followers.

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Sword of Time

Sword of Time by A.M. Sawyer

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


I received a free copy of this book for my honest review.

Overall, I found this to be a good read with a lot of potential. Its a story that will be more appreciated by a young adult crowd, especially boys, than older adults. Its a story full of magic and action as 4 teens that have just graduated high school embark on a trip to the Outback and find themselves on an adventure to save the world.

Is My Subtly Showing?

I want to thank author Terri Bruce for stopping by on her tour and giving us this wonderful blog post and giveaway. Enter for your chance to win a copy of her book Hereafter in your choice of formats, including print, and a wonderful swag pack to be given away internationally.

Warning: some mild spoilers ahead!

When Flora and I were arranging this guest spot, I knew that I wanted to talk about bullying and teenage depression/suicide because, indirectly, these are two of the main themes of Hereafter. I had seen her daughter’s review of Twisted and was happy that she had broken the ice on talking about bullying on her blog. However, in trying to sit down and write this post, I’ve gone around in circles in my head about exactly what I want to say. Certainly, many, many other people have weighed in on both youth bullying of the kind that kids experience at the hands of their peers and adult bullying, such as that which goes on between authors and bloggers in the bookish community, and most of them have done it much more thoroughly and eloquently than I could.

I’ve talked on other blogs throughout this tour of the pressure I faced to make big changes to Hereafter—to make Jonah older (or in some cases younger) or to introduce a romance element to the story. So I finally decided that what I want to talk about today is why I resisted giving Jonah a horrific back story.

Tangi's Teardrops

The Cotton Patch would like to say thank you to Liz Grace Davis for sending us this excerpt post and giving you a chance to win a copy of her book. This is an international giveaway in your choice of kindle or epub formats.

When Tangi's father dies, he leaves her nothing but three empty bottles. A kind uncle takes the poverty-stricken girl and her stepsisters in, and for a time life gets better on his farm. But Tangi remains a lonely outsider; her stepsisters tease her for her crippled leg, and the housekeepers use her like a servant.

Just before her thirteenth birthday, Tangi learns the truth about her father's strange legacy: the three bottles aren't empty any more. They're filled with all the tears she's cried since her father died, and her tears are enchanted. She must use them to travel to Rosevine, the world of her dead mother. Tangi not only belongs there but is necessary to keep Rosevine alive.

Tangi's tears will save Rosevine, and Rosevine will save Tangi from a cruelty-filled life, except for one thing: Tangi's lost the bottles.

Interview With Rae Gee

I would like to thank Rae Gee author of Mars on the Rise for this wonderful interview and giveaway. Following the interview enter for your chance to win one of two copies being given away of her wonderful book. I recently read Mars on the Rise and loved it. My interview can be found here

Please tell us a bit about yourself.

Hi! My name's Rae. I currently live in a small town in the heart of England. When I'm not writing, I enjoy photography, film-making and teasing the cat.

How long have you been writing? Have you always written this genre?

I've been writing since I was young and wrote right through to my late teens. I gave up (unintentionally) due to a dark period in my life. Back in 2007 I was tempted back into writing and it went from there! Mars on the Rise is the first full length novel I've written in this genre and I love it! It's such a beautiful world to visit and I'm so glad I found it.

What authors have influenced you?

So, so many! My favourite book is “War of the Worlds” by H.G.Wells and some inspiration for the book came from there. Other authors include Sarah Waters, Jules Verne, Stephen King, Mary Shelley and Bram Stoker.

Libyrinth

Libyrinth by Pearl North

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


This was an interesting idea about three different societies living at odds in the far future on a different planet. The Libyrarians and the Singers are at odds with each other with the Librarians embracing the written word and the Singers only following the oral traditions with religious zeal. Based on the premises of Fahrenheit 451 with the burning of books and the belief that written words corrupt the people, the Singers (also known as Eradicants by the Libyrarians) go about burning books to liberate the murdered word. Haly is a clerk with a unique ability to hear books without ever opening them. Fearing ridicule and persecution she keeps her ability hidden, but in her quest with her friends Selene and Clauda this ability is discovered and she is named Redeemer.

A Haunting Obsession

Rating: 4 stars

Wow, this book is definitely creepy-licious! Daryl is you're typical computer geek who just happens to be obsessed with Maxine Marie, who is obviously based on Marilyn Monroe. Daryl soon finds himself in trouble with his long time girlfriend Loretta after he buys a piece of Maxine Marie memorabilia instead of her birthday present. Soon after the purchase, and subsequent fight with Loretta, Daryl is confronted with the ghost of Maxine Marie who seems very much alive. Agent Rebecca Burton is soon called in to deal with the matter.

This was such a fun read! It was not only super creepy but it was based on an icon that is familiar to everyone. The characters of Daryl and Loretta are your typical young couple dealing with one's obsession with a star that is thought to be out of reach. Its easy to see how Loretta would be hurt by Daryl's choice but she tries to reason that a dead and gone starlett can't compare to flesh and blood. Little does she know how things can change. I love the tactics of Agent Burton. She doesn't do their work for them, only assists and points them in the right direction to fix the problem.

Overall, I loved this read! It was a fun ghost story with a sprinkle of adult fun, making it a not for kids story. But one most adults will enjoy. Its perfect for Halloween.

Labor Day Hop

Thanks for stopping by on this Labor Day Hop. Enter below for your chance to win some great prizes.



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Deadly Eyes Giveaway

I'd like to thank author Mike Meyer for this guest post and great giveaway. Following the blog post is your chance to win a copy of Deadly Eyes being given away internationally in your choice of Kindle or PDF formats.

I was a professor of writing for four years at the University of the Virgin Islands, St. Croix campus. I fell in love with the Caribbean. It truly is American paradise. I

have always loved a good mystery, especially one with never-ending twists, turns, and surprises. Local color is important to me, so I saw that placing a mystery on the romantic island of St. Croix was a win-win situation for me, since I am like a reader when I write, never quite knowing what will happen next.
I thoroughly enjoyed every second of writing DEADLY EYES. The varying elements all seemed to fit together so perfectly. Reggae, calypso, swaying palms and sandy beaches provide such a terrifying contrast to the fact that a romantically linked couple is so brazenly stalked in such an idyllic setting, which sets the perfect tone for what I wanted to achieve in this mystery. Romance, beauty, and mystery are all intermingled in DEADLY EYES.
Since I know the island of St. Croix so well, having lived there, the setting posed no real writing problems at all for me. In fact, the setting actually enhanced everything I was attempting to achieve. The local color is authentic, but the plot is my own creation, the bits and pieces falling into place as I dug deeper into the story.