Recent Reads Review: Zom-B by Darren Shan

Zom-B (Zom-B #1) by Darren Shan
Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Available: Now!

 

Format: Hardback
Source: Bought, My Library

My Rating:

Background: Zombies have attacked a small town in Ireland and around the world populations are trying to determine if the outbreak is real or just a hoax of some to promote a new movie. Zom-B follows young protagonist B, through the time of the first outbreak to later attacks on London.

Review: Zom-B is an interesting book, while geared for horror and zombie lovers, it is also considered Young Adult.  The only issues I have with this classification are the complex topics that the book brings to light. So now you are wondering about those issues right?  Zom-B is wracked full of awkward racism, bullying, abusive parents, and then there are the zombies to boot. I know that a lot of contemporary YA deals with these issues but Shan uses them in almost a nonchalant fashion. B is racist, because B’s dad is racist…that is just how it is. I am not even sure if I liked or disliked the protagonist, one chapter was fine the next I wanted to pummel the character. I do admit it was thought-provoking the whole time.

The plot was a bit of a disappointment. After the first chapter I thought I was going to enjoy bloody, violent, zombies eating brains descriptions and mass terror – like your normal zombie apocalypse story – but no, I got to follow around a character that sometimes is/ sometimes isn’t racist and kind of a jerk. Let me just say that, if you are looking for zombies, skip to after the half way mark. 

I did have some redeeming qualities, there is a major twist in the last few chapters, you learn some interesting things about B (my husband read this book first and so I knew the twist  and I think it made me read the whole book more closely than he did—just sayin’).  It was also short and had awesome pictures. 

Review first published at The Nerd Cave 

Blog Tour: Review + Excerpt -- The Ifs by JD Pooker

The Ifs  by J.D. Pooker

Genre: Middle Grade Fantasy
Publisher: Little Devil Books
Date of Publication: April 23, 2013

Number of pages: 146
Cover Artist: Frank Walls

About the Book

Landon and Broden are brothers. Some days they DO NOT get along very well. They spend most of their time fighting, arguing and plotting ways to get revenge on each other.

Then, strange things start happening…
Noises in their room that are not the cat.
Homework is mysteriously finished.
A broken shoelace repairs all by itself.
Clothes are put in the hamper on their own.

The brothers want to share their weird experiences, but they don’t know if they can trust each other. But when they find out who’s behind all the strange things around the house, they are called to battle.

Battle? Whoa! Right there in the forest by their house! A battle with the most unusual creatures and wildest of beasts. And when the battle turns more dangerous than they imagined, Landon and Broden must face their fears, put their grudges aside and learn how to work together.

My Rating:

The Ifs is a tale about strange little men that live in the woods and about siblings and how great they really can be. Pooker did a very good job at keeping the plot imaginative and interesting for middle grade readers. I found the sentences to be a little short and choppy in the beginning but as the story got underway it either became less noticeable or improved. Landon and Broden are typical fighting brothers, having to share space and time and instigating one another throughout the days. The plot follows them as they find out about the Ifs, a race of small men that live in the woods, and need the boys' help. 

At only 150 pages this was a short interesting read, the creatures and animals were marvelous elements that had me reading as fast as I could to find out what happened. The copy I received for review was a PDF and there were a few minor errors, like 'to' instead of 'do' but those could be easily overlooked for the descriptive, interesting characters and story.

Recently I have been reading a lot of middle grade books, this was a good one but not one of my favorites of the month, thus the 'liked it' rating. I would recommend it for young readers and siblings.

Chapter 1

“Good night, boys. I love you.” Mom smiled slightly as she blew each of the boys a kiss.

“Love you, too, Mom,” the brothers said in unison.

She clicked out the light and closed the door.

Landon settled into bed and closed his eyes.

He dreamt that he ran through the forest. His breath came in pants, his legs were heavy and hard to move. Something stomped behind him, breathing on his neck. When he glanced over his shoulder, there was nothing but trees. He turned back just in time to see a branch in front of his face. He ducked just before hitting it, but the movement shifted his weight and threw him off balance. He fell forward, rolling through dirt and leaves. As soon as he stopped, he held his breath and listened. The footsteps still sounded behind him. He tried to push himself up, but he couldn’t move. A puddle of mud surrounded him, and he sank into it. He grabbed at the tree roots in an attempt to save himself. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped. Landon quit struggling and glanced around. The forest grew darker, and someone laughed—a low, menacing laugh, like a villain in cartoons. The renewed desire to pull himself out overwhelmed him, but his movements caused him to sink faster. When the mud was about to cover his face, he jerked awake.

His foot connected with something on his bed, and it thumped onto the floor before scurrying across the room. Landon wiped the sweat from his forehead and rubbed his eyes. Cautiously, he glanced over the edge.

“Tiki?” he whispered. “Tiki is that you?”

He waited for the meow, but it never came. He shrugged and hopped off the bed, walking to the bathroom to get a drink of water. As he came back to his room, something clinked. What was that? He squinted in the darkness, hoping the gesture would allow him to see what made that sound.

“Tiki?” He walked to his bookshelves. He was sure the sound came from that area. “You know you’re not supposed to be up there.”

He stood in front of the shelves, patting each shelf with his hand, looking for the cat. A meow sounded behind him. Tiki stood in the doorway. Something thumped in the closet to his right. His heart began to beat rapidly, and he jumped back into bed, throwing the covers over his head. It was a zombie, he knew it. Mom and Dad told him they didn’t exist, but he was sure they did. What else would have made that sound? It was going to come out of the closest, its eyes glowing red and teeth dripping with spit, and eat him. The only protection he had was the force field created by his blankets. Hopefully, they kept him safe.

Landon listened intently, waiting for another sound to permeate the darkness, but nothing sounded. He relaxed. The zombie must have moved on. It knew it couldn’t get through his shields. His heart rate slowed; he took a deep breath. Eventually, he fell back asleep.

His alarm woke him the next morning. He poked his head out of the covers and glanced at the clock. 7:00. He folded the covers to his waist and rubbed his eyes. He didn’t feel very rested. In fact, he was incredibly tired. He wanted nothing more than to roll over and go back to sleep. Landon finished rubbing his eyes and glanced down. Tiki lay at the end of his bed, staring at him and blinking slowly. Landon huffed. Dumb cat caused a lot of issues during the night, and she looked at him like she was innocent and did nothing wrong. It was her fault he was so tired. But what could he do? He had to go to school, and Mom would be mad if he hurt the cat. The only thing he had to look forward to was that it was Friday. He jumped onto the floor and turned to Broden.

“Hey.” He shook Broden’s shoulder. “It’s time to get up. We have to get ready for school.”

Broden rolled over and swatted at his brother but missed. Landon backed out of the way.

“I’m up, I’m up,” he said.

Landon felt ornery and punched him in the arm before running down the hall. Broden yelled at him from the bedroom. It wasn’t the nicest thing to do, but Broden needed some motivation to get up. As he turned to go downstairs, he heard Broden right behind him. Landon glanced over his shoulder, smiling. He took the stairs two at a time and went into the kitchen. Mom sat at the table, checking her email and eating a bowl of cereal. Phew! Landon was safe.

“Good morning,” she said between bites.

Landon was about to answer when Broden burst into the room. He tried to smack Landon on the head, but Landon blocked it, and the two started a slap fight. Broden must not have noticed Mom at the table, or maybe he didn’t care. With her there, Broden could get into a lot of trouble for starting a fight. After all, Mom didn’t see Landon hit Broden in the bedroom, so she couldn’t punish him for that.

“Boys,” Mom called over the melee. “It’s too early for that. Knock it off.”

“He hit me,” Broden whined.

“No I didn’t,” Landon protested.

“I don’t care who did what. Knock it off before I hit you both.”

The two settled down and grabbed a bowl and a box of cereal out of the cupboard. As they sat at the table, they kicked at each other. Landon tried to whack his brother good, but he missed and hit the table leg. He jammed his toe and yelped in pain. Broden laughed. Mom just stared at him, her lips pursed.

“I hope that teaches you a lesson,” she said and stood, taking her bowl to the sink. She walked out of the room without saying another word.

Landon put his foot on the chair and examined his toe. It was red and throbbing, but there was no blood, so he would be fine. Still, it upset him that Mom didn’t get Broden in trouble. She was there, she saw him start the fight. Landon didn’t know why he wanted Broden to get in trouble. He was tired and grumpy, so it sounded like a good idea. Maybe he wanted Broden to feel as bad as he did. Either way, it didn’t work out, and that made him angry. He wouldn’t have hurt his toe if it weren’t for Broden. That made him even madder.

“See, that’s what happens when you mess with me.” Broden smiled.

Landon flipped milk at him. There was no other way to retaliate. Plus, he knew it would upset Broden. He’d be sticky and dirty for school.

“Mom! Landon’s throwing food!”

“No I’m not!”

“Boys,” Mom called from downstairs, “you don’t have time for this. Did everyone finish their homework?”

Landon’s eyes grew wide. “Oh, yeah. My math.” He scarfed down the rest of his cereal and ran upstairs.

The night before, he’d been having a hard time solving a math problem. He agonized over it and tried several way to find the answer, but he never did. The paper was stained gray from him erasing his work so many times. He was determined to finish it, but he never got the chance. It was bedtime. His only hope was that when he went upstairs, a new idea would come to him and he would be able to solve it.

Once in his room, he pulled on his clothes, ran into the bathroom to brush his teeth, then sat at his desk. The anger and frustration from the morning faded away, replaced with determination to finish his assignment. He opened his math book and pulled out the paper. He grabbed his pencil and scanned down the paper, stopping on the problem he had been working on before bed. Determination was replaced with confusion. He was sure he hadn’t finished the problem, but as he stared at the paper, there were numbers filled in on the page. The writing was crooked and light, as if whoever had written it had a hard time holding the pencil. He scrutinized it for a long time.

Broden came into the room and pulled him out of his stupor. Landon placed the paper back into his book. He looked at his brother.

“Did you do my homework?”

Broden stopped getting dressed and looked at him. “Why would I do your homework?”

“I don’t know. To mess with me. The writing is all sloppy.”

Broden cocked his head to the right. “Landon, if I wanted to mess with you, I wouldn’t do your homework for you. I’d flush it down the toilet.”

Landon shrugged. “Well, someone did it.”

Broden pulled on his pants. “Maybe it was Mom.”

Landon nodded. “Maybe.” He placed his book in his backpack.

“Boys,” Mom called from down the hall, “are you getting ready?”

“Yes,” they answered.

“Mom,” Landon yelled, “did you do my homework?”

“What?”

“Did you do my homework?”

Mom poked her head into their room. “Why would I do your homework for you?”

Landon shrugged. “I don’t know. ‘Cause you felt sorry for me?”

Mom rolled her eyes. “First of all, sweetie, I didn’t even know you were having trouble with your homework. Secondly, I’m busy sleeping at night, not sneaking around in the dark finishing people’s homework. Maybe it was the homework fairy.”

Landon chuckled. “Mom! You know there’s no such thing.”

“There is if you believe.” She knocked on the wall. “Now, c’mon, we’ve got to get to school.” She left the room.

After the boys were dressed and ready to go, they met their mom in the living room. They piled into the car and backed down the driveway. The ride to school was silent. Mom pulled in front of the building and turned to face the boys.

“Have a good day, angels.” She smiled. “Go straight home after school. Your dad will be waiting for you.”

“Okay, Mom,” they said as the climbed out of the car. “Love you!”

“Love you, too!”

Landon turned and waved as he walked toward school, but Broden was already half way to the playground. They played until the bell rang, then headed into their classrooms.

The first thing Landon’s teacher asked for that morning was the math homework. Landon turned it in, feeling pretty proud of himself that he had finished all of it, even if he had a little help. He came to the conclusion that he must have gotten up in the middle of the night and finished it in his sleep. It was the only way to explain it. Surely, the zombie in his closet didn’t do it, so who could have? And it would explain why he was so exhausted.

He went through the rest of his day without giving it a second thought. By the time lunch rolled around, the only thing he thought about was getting onto the playground and playing kickball. He ate his turkey and noodles as fast as he could, then ran outside. On his way, his shoe came untied. While retying it, the shoelace broke. He held the string in his hand and stared at it.

“Oh, man.”

“Landon, c’mon!” his friends called.

He put the lace in his pocket and headed onto the field. He’d have plenty of time to worry about it later. Right then, the most important thing was the game.

Landon’s team was up by two points, and it was his turn to kick. He was easily one of the best kickers in his class. The game would be won by the bell. There was a runner on second, and Landon was sure he could get him home. He lined himself up at the plate and eyed the pitcher. The boy watched him for a few seconds, his eyes narrowed to slits, before winding up his arm and tossing the ball. Landon steadied himself and watched the ball approach. He took one step forward and kicked. His foot connected with the ball with a thump, sending it sailing over the other player’s heads, along with his shoe.

At first he didn’t notice, the excitement of the great kick overwhelmed him, but when he started running, the gravel dug into the bottom of his foot. Still, he wasn’t going to let it slow him down. The runner on second base took off; Landon had to get to first. He would, even if he had to limp. He was half way there when he turned to see where the ball was. The shortstop was crouched down with his arms out. The ball bounced and he scooped it up, shifting it quickly to his right hand to throw. Landon quickened his pace. If he didn’t hurry, he would be out. As his shoeless foot came down, he stepped on a rock. Pain started in his heel and traveled up his calf, causing him to almost lose his balance. He wanted to yell, but the pain took his breath away. That, and he had to get to first base. There wasn’t time to yell. The shortstop cocked his arm back. Landon braced for the blow. Before it could come, the bell rang. Landon stopped in his tracks, and he and the other kids groaned with disappointment. He turned to get his shoe, then headed back into the building.

Landon was thankful to be able to sit down. The heel he hit on the rock was on the same foot he jammed his toe. His whole foot felt like it was pulsating. He lifted his foot to his chair and slid his sock down. The heel was already bruised. A black circle surrounded by red covered part of his foot. That was going to be sore for a while. He was a little thankful that he couldn’t tie his shoe. The pressure might have made his foot explode. He replaced his sock and put his foot on the floor as the teacher handed back their homework from the night before. Landon looked at his grade. B. He shrugged. Not bad. He glanced down the page to see which problems he missed. The first one that caught his eye was the one he didn’t finish. Not only was it checked, but the teacher had written a little note beside the problem. It read: “Please make sure I can read your writing. This is a mess.” Landon shook his head and stuffed the paper in his desk.

After school, Landon met Broden at the monkey bars, as usual, and they headed home. They only lived a few blocks from school, but their mom liked to drop them off on her way to work. They didn’t mind because that meant they got to sleep in a little bit longer. They didn’t say anything the whole way home. Landon’s foot was sore from the rock, although it didn’t hurt as bad as it had earlier in the day, and he had to concentrate on walking so he didn’t lose his shoe. Broden was busy kicking a plastic bottle cap down the sidewalk.

When they got close to the house, Broden turned and kicked the cap at Landon. It hit Landon in the hand, and even though it wasn’t going fast enough to cause real damage, it still stung. Landon’s gaze flicked up from the ground. Broden smiled, then took off running. How dare he! He would pay for that! Landon tried to follow him, but his shoe kept falling off, preventing him from running. He would have taken it off, but that would make his foot hurt even more. It didn’t really matter. There would be plenty of time to get revenge. Broden didn’t have anywhere to hide.

Landon walked into the house and noticed Broden hugging Dad around the waist. He would have to wait to get back at his brother.

“Hey, sport,” Dad said. “How was your day?”

Landon set his backpack by the couch. “Good.”

Dad smiled. “We’re going to go play some football in the backyard. Do you want to come?”

He nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah. Let me change my shoes real quick.”

He ran upstairs and kicked his shoe into the room. Sitting on Broden’s bed, he took off the other one and pulled on a pair of old sneakers. He ran back downstairs and joined his dad and brother outside.

Playing with Dad was always fun, but Landon’s foot still hurt, so he wasn’t overly excited. Still, he tried his best. Broden caught the first throw, so Landon promptly tackled him. The second one was his, and Broden whacked him hard. Broden’s shoulder dug into his back, which hurt, then when he hit the ground, the air got knocked out of him. That was painful, too. It took him a few moments to get to his feet. When he did, his arm was around his waist to help with the pain. He thought about quitting and going inside, but then Broden would tease him. He could stick it out for a little longer.

Mom got home a few hours later, and the family ate dinner and watched a little TV. Broden didn’t tackle him hard again, and Landon was thankful. By the time they sat on the couch to watch cartoons, Landon was so tired, he forgot about getting revenge on his brother. Landon and Broden went to bed at 9:00. All night, Landon kept dreaming that someone was poking his foot, right where he stepped on the rock, with a small stick. At one point, they poked it so hard, pain radiated through his leg, causing Landon to jerk awake. His foot throbbed again. He rubbed his heel for a moment, barely able to keep his eyes open. Right before falling asleep, he couldn’t help but think something weird was going on.

About the Author

J.D. Pooker lives in wonderful Wyoming with her husband and two sons, along with a black lab named Ryder and a sweet kitty named Alia. J.D. likes to spend time with her family and go camping, fishing, and snowmobiling.

Her sons are the inspiration for writing children's stories. She wants to encourage them to be readers and show them how powerful and exciting the imagination can be. She wants them to see that countless worlds exist, and all it takes to get there is a good book. 

Find her at http://jdpooker.blogspot.com/

Trailer Reveal: Touching Melody by RaShelle Workman

Touching Melody by RaShelle Workman
Series: Forever First #1
Publication date:  June 2013
Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Goodreads

About the Book

Maddie Martin's first weekend at college is nothing like she's used to. It's wild, like the wilderness on which the University of Bellam Springs sits. Roped into going to a frat party, she literally runs into Kyle Hadley. The boy she's loved since she was nine. The boy she promised all of her firsts to. But that was before his father killed her parents.

Determined to stay away from him, she throws herself into her music. Practicing piano eases her heavy heart, calms the sadness, and pushes away images of Kyle's face.

Until it doesn't.

Her music professor asks her to play a duet for their annual Graduation Gala. Doing so means she'll be assured another full ride scholarship. It's an opportunity she can't pass up.

But Kyle is the other half of the duet. And that means hours and hours of practicing.

Days and months of seclusion - just the two of them. And it's more than just music. It's passion like Maddie never believed was possible.

The inevitable happens. She falls in love with him all over again.

But, will loving him be enough to erase all the hate in her heart for his father? Can she look at him, and not see the evil in his family tree?

And maybe it's all a set up. Maybe Kyle is only pretending to care so he can finish what his father started, and kill her too.

About the Author

RASHELLE WORKMAN lives on a mountain with her husband, three children, and three dogs. From her back porch she can see the city lights and imagine... She's the bestselling author of the Dead Roses series (Sleeping Roses is being translated into Turkish, and will be available in print wherever Turkish books are sold in 2014), the Immortal Essence series, and the Blood and Snow series. 

Find the Author

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

 

 

Blog Tour: The Trickster's Totem Review, Giveaway, and H.B. Bolton's Top Ten MG Book Picks

About the Book

Life has returned to normal for fourteen-year-old Evan and his older sister, Claire. That is until Dunkle, a clever but stinky little imp, pays an unexpected visit to their school. He has come to take the siblings back to Sagaas, the mythical realm of the gods. Once again, a Relic from the ancient Mysticus Orb has fallen into the wrong hands. Only Evan and Claire, with their unique mystical abilities, can help find it.

Through the power of the Trickster’s Totem, a coyote trickster has escaped. His laughter echoes throughout the realm, as he spreads mischief and mayhem. He burns an entire crop of popcorn, carves his grinning image into sacred artifacts, and things really get interesting when he shape-shifts into Evan’s friends.

Claire and Evan must capture the Trickster, retrieve the Totem, and be careful not to become sidetracked by robotic Steampunk animals, “sweet” pixie-like Pains, and a problematic mermaid … all while dodging Mothman-like aces. Most surprising, Evan discovers the true reason dragons exist in the Native American Spirit World.

Book Links

Amazon | GoodReads | Barnes & Noble

My Rating:

Background: Evan and Clare are at it again, only this time the adventure was not because of their mistake. The Trickster's Totem was stolen and they have been summoned to help get it back and put Mica the Trickster back in his prison. In this installment, the siblings are in the land of the Native Americans and must find Mica before he tricks his way through all of the villages in the spirit world.

Review: I would like to start this review by saying that if you have not read book 1, that is perfectly fine, you may be a little confused about the siblings at first but the story jumps right in ad you are enveloped in their journey.  

Just like The Serpent's Ring, The Trickster's Totem is a fast paced enticing adventure following the Jones siblings. I found that Evan, since the first book, has become cocky and a bit of a jerk; knowing he has powers that no one else possesses but cannot share his awesomeness has made him a bit bitter at home and fro a while in the beginning of the book. Clare on the other hand has seemingly taken a turn, a little less flirty and obsessed with looks (a little... not much though) and focuses herself on the task at hand. 

I found that The Trickster's Totem did have more character development than book one, because the characters really are growing up and finding themselves, and since they are in this spirit world the people there are helping them with this. 

The story was again very captivating in this book, the Trickster is both entertaining as well as a menace and the twist and turns kept me reading and wanting to find out what happened next. I felt this plot moved a lot faster than the first book, but then again it may just be that I know the characters and the obstacles they are bound to face. Another great MG read for everyone. 

I found this series to be similar to the Percy Jackson series - gods, goddesses, myth, journeying troops - all that jazz.

About Book 1: The Serpent's Ring

 The Serpent's Ring is FREE for Kindle May 28th through June 1st. 

Evan and Claire Jones are typical teenagers, forced to go with their parents to yet another boring museum ... that is, until something extraordinary happens to make their day a little more than interesting. After following a strange little creature into a closed exhibit, Evan and his older sister, Claire, discover the Serpent’s Ring, one of the magical relics formed from the shattered Mysticus Orb. Purely by accident, they have awakened its powers and opened a portal to Sagaas, land of ancient gods. Before the siblings can comprehend what has happened, the Serpent’s Ring is wrenched from Evan’s hand by an enormous fish and flown back to Aegir, the Norse god of the sea. Evan and Claire, accompanied by a band of unlikely heroes, must retrieve the Serpent’s Ring before Aegir uses its immense powers to flood all the lands on Earth.

Book Links

Amazon | GoodReads | Barnes & Noble

 

My Rating:

Background: During a normal Family Fun Day with their parents, Evan and Clare are sucked into the world of all the gods and goddesses ever known to exist. They are fated with the task of retrieving the Serpent's Ring from a sea god before he uses it to destroy Earth. Gifted with incredible powers from the Ring, they set out on the adventure of a lifetime.

Review: Bolton has a wonderful way of pulling in a reader. The Serpent's Ring is geared for a middle grade audience but can be enjoyed by all ages and even read as a family. Evan is fourteen and his sister only a few years older and each of them have their quarks. Evan is young and still very self doubting, and the adventure they take allows him to find himself as a teenage boy, even if it is in a supernatural world. Clare, his sister, if your typical stereotype of a teenage girl, she is flirty and preoccupied with clothing and style, but also determined and strong, helping her brother throughout their journey. Strong characters like these are great for young readers, they allow them role models in a sense but also a grand adventure. 

The plot was also very entertaining. I really liked the author's ability to intertwine the roles of various mystical creatures and myths into one tale, and left a great opening for many tales to come. I can say that it was informative as well as captivating. It left me eager to read the next installment. 

Top Ten Middle Grade Book as chosen by HB Bolton

seriykotik1970 via photopin cc

Call me “old school,” but I tend to gravitate toward classic stories, where characters embark on enthralling adventures and travel to magical lands. The truth is, we’re never too old to go on a fantastical quest. Here are my Top 10 Middle-Grade Books:

The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien ~ Middle-Earth—it’s a real place, right?

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Caroll ~ One day, when I finally stumble upon a white rabbit with a waistcoat and pocket watch, I will eagerly follow him down the rabbit hole.

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie ~ Who wouldn’t want to fly with sassy Tinker Bell, swim with temperamental mermaids, dance with powerful Indians, and tease meddling pirates?

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum ~ Follow the yellow-brick road in between never-ending cornfields with talking scarecrows, through enchanted forests with angry apple trees, and into the spell-binding Emerald City.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis ~ I can’t stand when I open my closet and all I see are clothes.

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling ~ Yes, I’m still waiting for my letter from Hogwarts.

MistoAcrilico via photopin cc

Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan ~ Ancient Greek gods, mythical creatures, and a camp for demigods to play hero, all can be found integrated seamlessly in a modern world.

The Spiderwick Chronicles by Holly Black ~ Siblings on a quest to keep the balance between nature and magic — of course I’m enchanted by these tales. And when first imagining my illustrated chapter headers, I looked to Tony DiTerlizzi’s black-ink drawings in The Spiderwick Chronicles for inspiration.

Coraline by Neil Gaiman ~ Creepy antagonist and plot? Yes. Imaginative idea and world building? Definitely!

Choose Your Own Adventure ~ I haven’t read one of these books for a long, long time, but I remember the feeling I had when I could actually help steer the main character down the “best” path or in many cases the “completely wrong” path. Either way, I was a part of the story and enjoyed every minute.

Tour wide GIVEAWAYOne person wins $25 Amazon Gift Card (INT)
2 people win paperback sets of both books (US)
10 people win ebooks of both books. (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the Author

A magical part of H.B. Bolton’s childhood was being swept into worlds of enchanting characters, fantastical creatures and extraordinary powers—simply by picking up a book. As a mother and a teacher, she was compelled to create imaginary worlds of her own in order to share them, not just with her children, but with all children. H.B. Bolton lives in Florida with her supportive husband and two highly spirited children. Shh, can you keep a secret? Not only does she write books for the young-at-heart, adventurous sort who yearn to dive into a good young-adult fantasy story, she also writes spellbinding, heart pounding women's fiction. These particular books are written under the name Barbara Brooke, but that's another story, altogether.

Books by H.B. Bolton:
The Serpent's Ring (Relics of Mysticus, Book One)
Breaking Down (a short story)
Hungry (a short story)
The Trickster's Totem (Relics of Mysticus, Book Two)

Author links:
Website | Facebook | Twitter  | Goodreads | Pinterest | Amazon Author's Link 

 

Building the Book Pile #52

Welcome to Building the Book Pile! 
A Weekly meme inspired by Stacking the Shelves

Happy Saturday Readers, Bloggers, and Awesome people!
 

Giveaways Going on NOW!

May Kindle Fire Giveaway
Mother Turtle Giveaway
  Others linked on the right sidebar :)
Aberrant Giveaway 
Paranormal Properties Giveaway

Distraction Giveaway
Plastic Hearts Giveaway

  

Coming up on the Blog...

Blog Tour: Review -- Trickster's Totem by HB Bolton

Trailer Reveal: Touching Melody by RaShelle Workman

Blog Tour: Review -- The Ifs by JD Pooker 

Recent Reads Review: Zom-B by Darren Shan

Recent Reads Review: Zom-B Underground by Darren Shan

 

What I got this week...

Ebooks for Review

Sacrifice (Fall For Me Prequel) by KA Last for Blog Tour & review
Arrow of the Mist by Christina Mercer for Blog Tour and review

Bought

The Mad Scientist's Guide to World Domination edited by John Joseph Adams
Zom-B City (Zom-B #3) by Darren Shan

Won 
 
  Manicpixiedreamgirl by Tom Leveen from RandomBuzzers

Borrowed from Playing Jokers

  
The Iron Due by L Ron Hubbard
Trouble on His Wings by L Ron Hubbard
   Insurgent by Veronica Roth

 

Have you missed anything lately?

Mother Turtle Giveaway/ Post
Review/ Blog Tour: Paranormal Properties by Tracy Lane
Cover Reveal: Barbie World
Review: Doll Bones by Holly Black
Book Blitz: Excerpt & Giveaway -- Plastic Hearts

Link me up to your piles! Happy Reading!