THE SILVER SIREN: Kindle Paperwhite Giveaway

The Silver Siren (Iron Butterfly Series #3) by Chanda Hahn

Every journey has an end.

Unable to find the answers she sought in Skyfell, Thalia, Joss, and Kael travel to Haven with a prisoner in tow. An attack on the road waylays their plans, and Thalia finds herself traveling alone with Kael to the hidden sanctuary of the SwordBrothers.

But war is on the horizon and the Raven is amassing his army. This time, the target is not Calandry, but the Sirens of Sinnedor. When family ties are revealed, Thalia must choose sides. Desperate to break the final seal on her power and save those she loves, will Thalia willingly taste the bitter pain of the iron butterfly machine one final time?

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EXCERPT

The barn burst into flames, the Septori burst into flames, and Talbot screamed as he beat at his clothes to stop the fire. The fire shot across the beams of the barn.

The Septori in a panic, tried to drag me out of the barn.

The shriek of a horse made me glance to Faraway, and I saw him outside of the barn screaming in terror.

He was going to try and run in to save me. With a wave of power, I slammed the barn door closed on him, keeping him out. I was going to end this once and for all. I had a glimpse of what I was becoming and I didn’t like it.

“Burn,” I whispered and watched as the flames licked higher. Energy flowed through my body, and I could hear something just beyond my consciousness. Like a sigh being released. My body became warm, tingling. And then more pain.

“Her eyes. Look at her eyes!” One of my captors backed away from me and ran out the side door.

“Don’t look at her, just grab her!” Talbot screamed.

I felt more hands grasp me and I hated it. I hated them. Looking up along the beams of the barn, I saw the main support beam.

It was time to end this for everyone. I gave in to the pain and anger, reached for a smaller support beam, and pulled at it. Half of the burning roof came down on a large group of the Septori. They screamed and tried to cover their heads as it fell. Too late.

“Stop her! She’s going to kill us all,” Talbot cried waving his hands at me.

I smirked. I was.

AUTHOR

Chanda is a bestselling and award winning author of the UnEnchanted: An Unfortunate Fairy Tale series and the Iron Butterfly series. She’s been a bestseller in five countries and was named one of Amazon’s top 100 customer favorite author. She uses her experience as a children’s pastor, children’s librarian and bookseller to write compelling and popular fiction for teens. She was born in Seattle, WA, grew up in Nebraska and currently resides in Portland, Oregon with her husband and their twin children.

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GIVEAWAYS

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One (1) e-book copy of THE SILVER SIREN

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Giveaway is open to US/Canada

One (1) Kindle Paperwhite

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Snark Attack: Book Snerds #SnarkWeek

MONDAY Snark Attack: Tell us how you really feel about a particular blogging subject, and get it off your chest. This is your chance to EXPLODE!

You asked for it, so here goes...

Image courtesy of BustedTees

Are you a book snerd?

I'm not talking about sexy nerds or super nerds. This post is about snobby nerds!

Bookworms were the first social outcasts before being a geek went mainstream and suddenly became cool. We would rather have our nose in a book than interact with real people. So why does it seem like I am constantly reading about some sort of division within the geek subculture on the Interwebs? Yes, this includes the book blogging world as well (although the information is always secretive and vague). Personally, I believe that we all have a responsibility to positively interact with our readers as well as other bloggers within the community.

Do you respond to comments on your blog?
If not, you might be book snerd.

Do you host a blog hop that requires participants to follow and comment but don't actually lead by example?
You might be a book snerd.

Do you bash authors and/or other bloggers publicly (or at all, for that matter)?
You might be a book snerd.

Do you spout snide remarks about those that do not read at your pace or prefer a certain genre that you deem unfavorable?
You might be a book snerd.

Do you consider yourself an online celebrity, diva, expert, guru or maven?
You might be book snerd.

Do you frequently recommend that other bloggers redesign their blog?
You might be a book snerd.

Do you favorite or retweet the tweets of others but don't actually follow them back or even say thank you (especially when said tweets are sharing your promotional content)?
You might be a book snerd.

Do you follow authors and/or other blogs as part of a giveaway and then promptly unfollow?
You might be a book snerd.

Are you constantly arguing about what is and what is NOT literature?
You might be a book snerd.

Are you more focused on fame and profit than on your love for books and reading?
You might be a book snerd.

Are you a veteran blogger or just another new kid on the block that obsesses over your number of comments, followers or subscribers (or lack thereof)?
You might be a book snerd.

It's time for us to look outward instead of inward. Unfortunately, we live in self-indulgent society bombarded by incessant social media sharing and selfies fueled by overinflated egos. Admittedly, many book bloggers are outgoing introverts, a walking, talking (and blogging) oxymoron. Our online personality usually differs greatly from our offline one. We are all busy with real life, and choosing to be socially responsible is obviously much more time consuming than just being a blogger (which is pretty damn time consuming already).

How are you actively engaging with other book bloggers? Are you proud of your interaction with the book blogging community? Does the positive outweigh the negative? Do you feel that you have a social responsibility to your audience? Do you feel supported by other bloggers or do you often feel alone and ostracized?

I hope that this post encourages everyone to reevaluate their role as a blogger, because honestly...
nobody really wants to be a pretentious book snerd! Do they?

*This post is in homage to all of the you might be a redneck jokes. By definition, snarky is sarcastic, impertinent, or irreverent in tone or manner. If you were offended by reading this, I hope that you eventually understand that the concept was to shed light on what's really important versus piss off a bunch of book bloggers. Therefore, go forth and blog dear book nerds for your voice deserves to be heard (even if everyone else completely disagrees with you)!

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
 

SHARE THIS POST TO GET MORE BOOK BLOGGERS ON BOARD.
Schedule your snarky posts for each day, Monday-Friday, during #SnarkWeek.

Head on over to Parajunkee every day to link up your post.
Visit participating blogs to read their snarkiness!

VACATION: Lake Life

Image courtesy of Etsy

We are packing up this morning and headed to the lake for a few days with friends and family. The kiddos need one last hurrah before school starts, and the big kids need a couple days of rest and relaxation! Don't worry, I will respond to all comments upon my return.

My goal is to read Fool's Assassin whilst sipping a cold one in the sun (if it doesn't rain the whole time). Summer is fading fast and so is my tan! Hopefully, I can also catch up on The Silmarillion for #NerdistBookClub as well as finish Joss Whedon: The Biography for #ARCAugust.

What are you reading this week?

REVIEW: Guy in Real Life

Guy in Real Life by Steve Brezenoff

From the acclaimed author of Brooklyn, Burning comes Guy in Real Life, an achingly real and profoundly moving love story about two Minnesota teens whose lives become intertwined through school, role-playing games, and a chance two-a.m. bike accident.

It is Labor Day weekend in Saint Paul, Minnesota, and boy and girl collide on a dark street at two thirty in the morning: Lesh, who wears black, listens to metal, and plays MMOs; Svetlana, who embroiders her skirts, listens to Björk and Berlioz, and dungeon masters her own RPG. They should pick themselves up, continue on their way, and never talk to each other again.

But they don't.

This is a story of two people who do not belong in each other's lives, who find each other at a time when they desperately need someone who doesn't belong in their lives. A story of those moments when we act like people we aren't in order to figure out who we are. A story of the roles we all play-at school, at home, with our friends, and without our friends-and the one person who might show us what lies underneath it all.

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Above all else, this book is about role-playing. We are all expected to play certain roles for various reasons IRL. Okay, so you've never gamed online or via pen and paper? That doesn't matter. We are all role-players, and it's never simple... especially in high school.

As a gamer (console, PC and table top), this book personally resonated with me. It is pretty tame YA but definitely not lame. Come on now, who doesn't adore pseudo cursing? Sh...ark attack! This book made me snortle more than just a few times.

Lesh and Svetlana are on the cusp of adulthood but still figuring out the details. The characters are genuine and raw, and the awkwardness is consistently palpable. Metal heads and hippies alike should enjoy this one! I sure did.

REVIEW: Shadows of Asphodel

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Shadows of Asphodel by Karen Kincy

When Ardis discovers a man bleeding to death on the battlefield, she knows she has to walk away.

1913. In her work as a mercenary for Austria-Hungary, Ardis has killed many men without hesitation. One more man shouldn't matter, even if he manages to be a charming bastard while he stands dying in the snow.

But when he raises the dead to fight for him, she realizes she must save his life.

If a necromancer like Wendel dies, he will return as a monster--or so the rumors say. Ardis decides to play it safe and rescues him. What she doesn't expect is Wendel falling to one knee and swearing fealty. Ardis never asked for the undying loyalty of a necromancer, but it's too late now.

Ardis and Wendel forge an uneasy alliance underscored with sexual tension. Together, they confront rebels, assassins, and a conspiracy involving a military secret: robotically-enhanced soldiers for a world on the brink of war. But as Ardis starts to fall for Wendel, she realizes the scars from his past run more deeply than she ever imagined. Can Ardis stop Wendel before his thirst for revenge destroys him and everyone else around him?
 
Dieselpunk romance. Because Steampunk wasn't dirty enough.
Recommended for ages 17 & up.

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As my first attempt at Dieselpunk, this book certainly does not disappoint. I am not a huge fan of romance, but it managed to capture just the right amount of bitter versus sweet with a huge dollop of snark. The pages are filled with assassins and archmages bound by a truce that is centuries old but on the brink of complete collapse. War rages under the guise of peace, magic prevents the use of gunpowder and enchanted blades swarm the battlefield with a far more sinister conflict looming on the horizon. I am now completely infatuated with necromancy, technomancy and automatons! Throwing myself headfirst into the next book, Storms of Lazarus.

AUTHOR

Karen Kincy (Redmond, Washington) can be found lurking in her writing cave, though sunshine will lure her outside. When not writing, she stays busy gardening, tinkering with aquariums, or running just one more mile. Karen has a BA in Linguistics and Literature from The Evergreen State College.

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*I received this copy from the author in return for an honest review, and opinions are mine alone.

REVIEW: The Seed & Other Fairy Tales

The Seed & Other Fairy Tales by Joseph Hillenbrand

How do you measure yourself? By family, friends, enemies? By what you fight for? Or what you fight against? Follow the tales of those struggling to find an identity of their own. A little girl with a ghost as a best friend. A woman who hates wishes. A man lost in the secret kingdom of frog people. A girl at war with her god. And a pair of soldiers on a deadly mission of peace. The seeds have been sown. The storm is coming. Who will grow and who will drown?

Amazon • B&N • Kobo
Also available from the iTunes store.

REVIEW

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

If you are a fan of dark fiction, this is a fun and original collection. Some stories contain strong language, so not recommended for young readers. Overall, these tales were likable... some more so than others.

The Seed: A happy ending that's gross, too? Creepy.

Unwished: Silly and disturbing.

The Girl in the Forest: Tragically romantic.

Two and One: Short and sweet.

Calimire: This one is my favorite!

My All: What? Startling.

Hunger Pangs: A pinch of snark with a dash of clever.

Applebite: Wonderfully weird.

Sand Castles: Soldiers, dragons and ghosts. Oh, my!

AUTHOR

I was born, raised and still live in the outskirts of Chicago. Every few years a move a little further west. Slowly inching my way to California. I love the big sky, the vast plains, the harvest moons of the Midwest. I grew up reading comic books and playing G.I. Joe. Watching wrestling and listening to Led Zeppelin. I drew, I wrote, I strummed. I learned Stone Temple Pilots and I read Beckett. I grew and I withered. I have spent the majority of my time in software - from support to development to management. And with my first book out now, I'm trying to get back to my roots: telling stories.

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