BLOG TOUR: Ashes in the Sky (Fire in the Woods #2) by Jennifer M. Eaton - Playlist + GIVEAWAY!

Happy Tuesday! Ashes in the Sky, the second book in Jennifer M. Eaton's Fire in the Woods series is out soon, and we're helping celebrate today by sharing Jennifer's playlist for the book! We've also got a great giveaway for you, so be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post.

Don't forget to stop by all of the other fantastic blogs on this tour as well! You can find the tour schedule by clicking the banner above.

Before we get to the playlist, here's a little bit more about Ashes and the Sky and its fabulous author!

About the Book

Title: Ashes In The Sky (Fire in The Woods #2)
Author: Jennifer M. Eaton

Publication date: March 15, 2016

Publisher: Month9Books

Synopsis: After inadvertently saving the world, eighteen-year-old Jessica Martinez is ready to put adventure behind her and settle back into the familiar routine of high school.

Though when she's offered an opportunity to photograph the inside of an alien space ship, Jess jumps at the chance. After all, she'd be crazy to turn something like that down, right?

Spending time with David on the ship has definite advantages and the two seem to pick up right where they left off. But when Jess discovers a plot to sabotage David's efforts to establish a new home for his people on another planet, neither David's advanced tech nor Jess's smarts will be able to save them.

Ashes in the Sky is an action-packed, romantic Sci Fi adventure that will leave readers screaming for more.

 

Purchase Links:

BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD

About the Author

Corporate Team Leader by day, and Ranting Writer by night. Jennifer M. Eaton calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.

Jennifer hosts an informational blog “A Reference of Writing Rants for Writers (or Learn from My Mistakes)” aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be.

Beyond writing and motivating others, she also enjoys teaching her dog to jump through hoops—literally.

Jennifer’s perfect day includes long hikes in the woods, bicycling, swimming, snorkeling, and snuggling up by the fire with a great book; but her greatest joy is using her over-active imagination constructively… creating new worlds for everyone to enjoy.

Connect with the Author: 
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest | Tumblr | Goodreads | Instagram | YouTube

Jennifer's Ashes in the Sky Playlist!

Oooo! Music! What fun! Music is something that is usually hard for me because, to be honest, I don’t listen to music when I read. But when I saw you wanted a playlist, I started listening to song lyrics, and really having fun picking out some songs that I think are a great fit for Ashes in the Sky.

So, here you have it. My official playlist for Ashes in the Sky: Book 2 of Fire in the Woods.

Adventure of a Lifetime by Coldplay

Specific Lyrics:

"You make me feel like I’m alive again"

"Everything you want’s a dream away"

"Under this pressure under this weight, we are diamonds taking shape"

"If we’ve only got this life, you get me through"

"If we’ve only got this life, this adventure of then I want to share it with you"

Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls

Specific Lyrics:

“I’d give up forever to touch you, cause I know that you feel me somehow. You’re the closest to heaven that I’ll ever be… ”

“I don’t want the world to see me, because I don’t think that they’d understand”

Gah! Almost the entire lyric is perfect for all of Jess and David’s relationship.

This Means War by Marianas Trench

Specific Lyrics:

"So nice to see ya here …

It's been what? A half a year … 

Like nothing ever happened in-between us

Fill me in on how you've been, 

And I would tell you anything, 

You'd like to hear now. 

And we can laugh some, 

Reminisce some, 

From the same old stories to the new ones"

I See Fire by Ed Sheeran

Specific Lyrics:

"And if we should die tonight 

Then we should all die together 

Raise a glass of wine 

for the last time"

I like the entire feel of this song… 

Going on an impossible journey and you know you will probably die. 

It’s so powerful.

Wow, this was such great fun. Thanks for hosting me, and I hope you enjoyed this Ashes in the Sky -inspired playlist!

The Giveaway!

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Ashes in the Sky (INT)!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by and supporting Jennifer! 

--Ashley & Paul

BLOG TOUR: Up for Forever (Up for Grabs #2) by Heather Young-Nichols - Playlist + GIVEAWAY!

Happy Friday! Today, we're so excited to be participating in the blog tour for Up for Forever by Heather Young-Nichols, presented by Chapter-by-Chapter & Swoon Romance! We've got Heather's book playlist for you, as well as a giveaway, so be sure to win your very own copy of Up for Forever by completing the Rafflecopter form below! 

Also, make sure you visit all of the other incredible tour stops by clicking the banner above. There are all kinds of fun guest stops and great excerpts waiting for you, so don't miss them! 

About the Book

Title: Up for Forever (Up for Grabs #2)
Author: Heather Young-Nichols
Publisher: Swoon Romance
Publication Date: September 1, 2015

Synopsis: For Kendra Roberts, love is for fairy tale princesses who don’t live in the real world. Mr. Right? What a joke. It’s more like Mr. Right Now.

But imagine her surprise when she realizes it’s been two whole years, and Mr. Right Now has become something more. How the hell did that happen?

Panic sets in when Kendra finds out that Adam Burger might be planning a future for them and making her his “Mrs.” Mrs. Burger.
Not. So. Fast.
Kendra ends things with Adam, feeling bad for letting things go this far.

After months of trying to convince herself she made the right decision, a mutual friend’s wedding throws them back together again.

In one mind-blowing moment, Kendra comes to the crushing realization that she’s been in love with Adam all along.
But when Adam seems to have already moved on, will Kendra fight for their forever after? Or will she let her once Mr. Right Now go and become someone else’s Mr. Right?

Purchase Links (Up for Forever): Amazon

Purchase Links (Up for Grabs): BAM | Chapters | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

About the Author

Heather Young-Nichols was born and raised in Saginaw, Michigan and graduated from nearby Saginaw Valley State University with a degree in sociology. The only thing that rivals her love of reading is her love of baseball. When not with her husband and three kids or the cat that likes to bite, she is working to bring the characters in her head to life.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Heather's Up for Forever Playlist

I don’t listen to music while I write most of the time. Too distracting. But I have songs for each book that I listen to when preparing to write. And if it’s a tough scene or something that I need to push myself through, then I will put one song on repeat until it becomes background noise.

1. Irreplaceable by Beyonce

2. Glitter in the Air by Pink

3. With a Little Help From My Friends by The Beatles

4. 1, 2, 3, 4 by Plain White T’s

5. Therapy by All Time Low

6. Young Volcanoes by Fall Out Boy

7. Don’t Speak by No Doubt

8. Blank Space by Taylor Swift

9. I Don’t Care by Fall Out Boy

10. We Are Broken by Paramore

11. Home by Phillip Phillips

The Giveaway!

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BLOG TOUR: Vessel by Lisa T. Cresswell - Guest Post + GIVEAWAY!

We're really happy to be a part of the blog tour for Lisa T. Cresswell's latest book, Vessel, out now from Month9Books, LLC! Lisa is here today to share her book playlist and her dream cast, and we love all of her choices.

There's also a giveaway for you, so be sure to enter via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post. And don't forget to check out all of the other amazing stops on this tour by clicking the banner above!

About the Book

Title: Vessel
Publication date: May 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Lisa T. Cresswell

Synopsis: The sun exploded on April 18, 2112. It exploded in a Class X solar storm the likes of which humankind had never seen.

They had nineteen minutes.

Nineteen minutes until the geomagnetic wave washed over the Earth, frying every electrical device created by humans, blacking out entire continents, every satellite in their sky.

Nineteen minutes to say goodbye to the world they knew, forever, and to prepare for a new Earth, a new Sun.

Generations after solar storms have destroyed nearly all human technology on Earth and humans have reverted to a middle ages like existence, all knowledge of the remaining technology is kept hidden by a privileged few called the Reticents and books are burned as heresy.

Alana, a disfigured slave girl, and Recks, a traveling minstrel and sometimes-thief, join forces to bring knowledge and books back to the human race. But when Alana is chosen against her will to be the Vessel, the living repository for all human knowledge, she must find the strength to be what the world needs.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iBooks

About the Author

Lisa, like most writers, began scribbling silly notes, stories, and poems at a very young age. Born in
North Carolina, the South proved fertile ground to her imagination with its beautiful white sand beaches and red earth. In fifth grade, she wrote, directed and starred in a play “The Queen of the Nile” at school, despite the fact that she is decidedly un-Egyptian looking. Perhaps that’s why she went on to become a real life archaeologist?

Unexpectedly transplanted to Idaho as a teenager, Lisa learned to love the desert and the wide open skies out West. This is where her interest in cultures, both ancient and living, really took root, and she became a Great Basin archaeologist. However, the itch to write never did leave for long. Her first books became the middle grade fantasy trilogy, The Storyteller Series. Her first traditionally published work, Hush Puppy, is now available from Featherweight Press.

Lisa still lives in Idaho with her family and a menagerie of furry critters that includes way too many llamas!

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Lisa's Vessel Playlist

Because Vessel is a dark, dystopian the playlist is rather on the dark side. If you’ve ever listened to Linkin Park’s album A Thousand Suns, you’ll know what I’m talking about. Two early tracks on the album, The Requiem, and Burning in the Skies, fit the novel perfectly. It’s just the right amount of creepy, eerie oppression. Here’s a sample of lyrics from The Requiem: 

God save us everyone

When we burn inside the fires of a thousand suns

For the sins of our hand

Sins of our tongue

The sins of our fathers

The sins of our young

The song wasn’t the inspiration for the Reticent religion in Vessel, but it hits the mark pretty darn close. In Vessel, the oppressive Reticents convince most common folks that Mother Sun will burn them if they commit any further sins against her.

Burning in the Skies has the same mournful feel and fits the story well.

But Alana’s theme is more hopeful. It’s a piece by Yo-Yo Ma, the famous cellist, and the Silk Road Ensemble called Distant Green Valley.

It’s a beautiful string instrumental piece that evokes Alana’s Asian background and reminds me of her longing to return to her homeland in the novel.  I also love Enchantment by Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble, but it’s terribly short. I guess I just love that Eastern sounding music for this book. Think Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon sound track. :)

The Evanescence song Bring Me to Life evokes the love between Alana and Recks perfectly, as he awakens hopes and passions in her she’s never dared feel before and brings her back to life with his love. 

So there you have it! My Vessel playlist is all over the place! I hope readers let me know what songs they think should be added too.

Lisa's Vessel Dream Cast

I guess I’m kind of unusual, but I don’t really imagine actor’s faces when I write my characters. They come from my imagination, so they don’t always look like anyone I’ve ever seen. 

Alana is about seventeen, of unknown Asian descent, with half her face severely burned. Here in America, we just don’t have that many Asian teen actresses that I’m familiar with. The actresses that do come to mind are too mature for the role. 

I asked my KPop loving daughter to help me out. She recommends BoA Kwan for Alana. She’s a South Korean singer and very lovely. 

Recks is also an Asian teen. He’s attractive and entertaining. South Korean singer/actor Taecyeon really fits the part.

Kinder is kind of a crazy old European man with long, wild hair. I’m sure a longer, grayer- haired Daniel Day Lewis could handle it and do a fabulous job. He always does.

Anders, the villain, I always imagined as very British and rather terrifying. Someone like Bill Nighy

or Christopher Lee.  Yikes!

You should visit my Vessel Pinterest page if you’d like to see my inspiration pics. Enjoy!

The Giveaway!

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Thanks to Lisa for her great posts, and thanks to you for stopping by! 

--Ashley & Paul

BLOG TOUR: The Artisans by Julie Reece - Playlist + GIVEAWAY

Hello! Today, we've got Julie Reece on the blog as part of the blog tour for her recently released book, The Artisans, out now from Month9Books! Julie took the time to put together a playlist for it, and we can't stop listening to it. We hope you love it as much as we do!

There's also a giveaway, which you can enter by filling out the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post. And don't forget to stop by all of the other awesome hosts to see their posts - you can find the tour schedule by clicking the banner above.

About The Book

Title: The Artisans
Author: Julie Reece
Publication Date: May 12, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books
Pages: 300

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Synopsis: They say death can be beautiful. But after the death of her mother, seventeen-year-old Raven Weathersby gives up her dream of becoming a fashion designer, barely surviving life in the South Carolina lowlands.

To make ends meet, Raven works after school as a seamstress creating stunning works of fashion that often rival the great names of the day.

Instead of making things easier on the high school senior, her stepdad's drinking leads to a run in with the highly reclusive heir to the Maddox family fortune, Gideon Maddox.

But Raven's stepdad's drying out and in no condition to attend the meeting with Maddox. So Raven volunteers to take his place and offers to repay the debt in order to keep the only father she's ever known out of jail, or worse.

Gideon Maddox agrees, outlining an outrageous demand: Raven must live in his home for a year while she designs for Maddox Industries' clothing line, signing over her creative rights.

Her handsome young captor is arrogant and infuriating to the nth degree, and Raven can't imagine working for him, let alone sharing the same space for more than five minutes.

But nothing is ever as it seems. Is Gideon Maddox the monster the world believes him to be? And can he stand to let the young seamstress see him as he really is?

About the Author

Born in Ohio, I lived next to my grandfather’s horse farm until the fourth grade. Summers were about riding, fishing and make-believe, while winter brought sledding and ice-skating on frozen ponds. Most of life was magical, but not all.

I struggled with multiple learning disabilities, did not excel in school. I spent much of my time looking out windows and daydreaming. In the fourth grade (with the help of one very nice teacher) I fought dyslexia for my right to read, like a prince fights a dragon in order to free the princess locked in a tower, and I won.

Afterwards, I read like a fiend. I invented stories where I could be the princess… or a gifted heroine from another world who kicked bad guy butt to win the heart of a charismatic hero. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that? Later, I moved to Florida where I continued to fantasize about superpowers and monsters, fabricating stories (my mother called it lying) and sharing them with my friends.

Then I thought I’d write one down…

Hooked, I’ve been writing ever since. I write historical, contemporary, urban fantasy, adventure, and young adult romances.

I love strong heroines, sweeping tales of mystery and epic adventure… which must include a really
hot guy. My writing is proof you can work hard to overcome any obstacle. Don’t give up. I say, if you write, write on!

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

The Artisans Playlist!

Hi! I’m so excited to be here today.  When I was asked to share The Artisans playlist with you, I was ecstatic.  Music is such a big deal in my house. My husband is a talented musician. My daughters are forever finding new music and it’s, “Mom! Oh my gosh, listen to this!” and “Mom! He’s/she’s/they’re so amazing, you have to listen to this song ...”

I don’t find new music. Without these other people in my house bringing me new songs, I’m usually listening to old school Seattle Grunge. Which is awesome, but I’m thankful for the new stuff, too. It’s fun falling in love with new talent. When a song gets under my skin, I associate it with where I am or what’s going on. Do ya’ll do that, too? First romance, bad breakup, summer camp, road trip, spring break, best friends ...

I’d love to hear about the music that most affects you. Where you were when you first heard a favorite song, and what it means to you now?

In my head, I’m always attaching songs to different scenes in my book as though I’m filming a movie. I hope you enjoy the list. If not, I blame my daughters.

And let me just break here a minute and give up a huge thanks to the always awesome Ashley and Paul for having me today! *waves*

Rock on, people.

XOXOXO

Julie

~The Artisans Playlist~

Tame Impala – Elephant
Freedy Johnston – Bad Reputation
Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglova - Falling Slowly
Kill It Kid – Heart Rested With You 
Bon Iver – Skinny Love
Kill It Kid – I'll Be The First
You+Me – No Ordinary Love
Milo Greene – 1957
Bombay Bicycle Club – Always Like This
Kill It Kid – Caroline
Rogue Wave – Eyes
Reignwolf – Are You Satisfied?
Mark Ronson feat. Bruno Mars – Uptown Funk
Toad the Wet Sprocket – Something's Always Wrong
Hudson Taylor – Battles
Vancouver Sleep Clinic – Vapour
Kill It Kid – Let My Feet Fall Heavy
The Mowgli's – San Francisco
Gary Numan – I Am Dust
Right Away, Great Captain! – Barely Bit Me
Churchill – Change
Kill It Kid – Lord Hear Me Now
Rayland Baxter – Bad Things
Active Child – Hanging On
J. Roddy Walston & The Business – Heavy Bells
The Swell Season – The Moon
City and Colour – The Girl
Matthew Perryman Jones – Save You
Foster The People – Fire Escape
Active Child – Johnny Belinda
Other Lives – Black Tables
Augustines – Chapel Song
Sigur Rós – Hoppípolla
Fink – If Only

The Giveaway!

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What's your favorite song on Julie's playlist? Let us know in the comments! 

--Ashley & Paul

BLOG TOUR: Chasing Ravens by Jessica E. Paige - Top Five, Playlist, + GIVEAWAY!

Title: Chasing Ravens (Chasing Ravens # 1)
Author: Jessica E. Paige
Genre: YA Fairy Tale/Folklore

Synopsis: Orphaned at a young age, 15-year old Anouk’s punishment for being too outspoken is an arranged marriage worse than any she could imagine. Fleeing on horseback, yet without a sense of where to turn, she stumbles upon an idyllic village where she finds safe haven. Could this be home?

Ultimately, it will lead her to confront the very face of death, yet amidst the danger and darkness, she meets a handsome woodsman and finds a glowing blue flower with power beyond her wildest dreams.

Inspired by Russian fairy tales and steeped in ancient folklore, Paige’s novel is ripe with fantasy, love, and courage.

   

About the Author

Jessica Paige hails from the Seattle area where she lives with her husband and two dogs. Though she was raised in the Pacific Northwest, Jessica has long been intrigued by the ancient folklore of her Slavic and Lithuanian roots. Her love of horses and the outdoors led her to a career in environmental outreach, and her studies in herbalism. When she’s not working or writing, you’ll find her digging in the garden, creating herbal remedies, or walking in the woods with her dogs. You can visit her at www. jessicaepaige.com.

Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

Jessica's Top Five Movies

Pan’s Labyrinth 

Chocolat

Sound of Music

Star Wars (The original, episode IV)

Bottle Rocket

Jessica's Chasing Ravens Playlist

Yael Naim, Yael Naim

J. Tillman, Year in the Kingdom

Ingrid Michaelson, Be OK

Natalie Merchant, Leave Your Sleep

The Giveaway!

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BLOG TOUR: A Hole in the Ice by McCallum J. Morgan - Playlist + TOP 5 + GIVEAWAY!

Happy Thursday! Today, we're really excited to be participating in the blog tour for McCallum J. Morgan's debut novel, A Hole in the Ice! We've got McCallum's playlist for the book, as well as his top five steampunk novels, and there's even a giveaway full of chances to win awesome swag, books, and a handmade Kindle cover. So make sure to enter for your chance to win via the Rafflecopter form at the end of this post!

But before we get to all of that, how about a little information about A Hole in the Ice and its fabulous author?

About the Book

 Title: A Hole in the Ice
Author: McCallum J. Morgan
Publication Date: September 20, 2014
Publisher: Little Bird Publishing

Synopsis: Parsifal is a young man with an incredible secret – only, he isn’t quite sure what that secret is. All he does know is that it is something to do with a mysterious object that looks like a compass, but behaves like something from a different Realm.

As he sets off on a rich and decadent adventure across Europe with his eccentric, explorer uncle, Parsifal comes to learn one more thing about the mysterious object – there are people prepared to kill him to get their hands on it.

Accompanying on their epic quest for a mythical city inhabited by mermaids, is the bewitching Lady Vasille, unlike any woman, Parsifal has ever come across. Eloquent, beautiful and pistol toting, the Lady Vasille casts a spell over Parsifal that is both enchanting and destructive.

The question is, who can you really trust when the real world starts to slide into a fairytale?

A high epic Edwardian fantasy adventure, including Mermaids and other supernatural and fantasy creatures

Purchase Links: Little Bird Publishing | Amazon | Amazon UK 

About the Author

As a child, McCallum always wanted to write a book. He scribbled in notebooks, drew pictures, and lived largely in a world of make-believe. Into this fertile field a seed was planted. Notebooks began to fill and they didn’t stop. It was a soaring waltz with words among the silvery clouds and he loved it. He was thirteen. 

McCallum discovered the Institute of Children’s Literature and enrolled in their writing course, Writing for Children and Teenagers. For their second, advanced, course, he rewrote those bursting notebooks. Now McCallum is eighteen and working on the sequel, and enjoying every minute of it knowing that finally, it’s real. It’s not just a pile of notebooks anymore, it’s ‘A Hole in the Ice.’ 

McCallum still draws and occasionally attacks an unfortunate piece of fabric with a sewing machine. He may be spotted around his home town of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, sporting his collection of bizarre clothing items, singing ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ in French, or at the bakery near his home, drinking a caramel macchiato. His day job is log home finishing. He lives with his parents in a house perched on the hillside twenty miles south of the Canadian border and takes his tea with milk and sugar in a cup and saucer.

McCallum's A Hole in the Ice Playlist!

The first song is On the Beautiful Blue Danube by Johann Strauss Jr. Parsifal mentions the song several times and he dances to it with Lady Vasille in Budapest. I love Strauss’s music, my favorite is actually The Emperor Waltz. I imagined a slower waltz, however, and Danube has some fairly rambunctious sections so I was looking for a slower version. I found a gorgeous 2001 recording by Robert Van Horne that fit the bill perfectly. I found it on Amazon (Album title Moonlight Piano) but it’s not on Spotify. Fortunately, Katie from Little Bird found this very similar version (thanks Katie!). 

The second song, Postcards from Far Away by Coldplay, sounds almost like something you’d hear in a Jane Austen film, which is how I imagined the society and some of the clothing in “A Hole in the Ice.” This song could describe the sleepy, sunlit Greisley. It could also be the sweet side of Lady Vasille.

Ruled by Secrecy by Muse. The title says it all. Each character has a secret, each’s actions is ruled by that secret and the importance of keeping it secret. Plus I love Muse. Worship might be a better verb.

Made for You by OneRepublic. Probably my favorite song by OneRepublic. I listened to this when I was writing. It also has associations with Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare because I bought the album and book around the same time and listened and read simultaneously, but that has nothing to do with its inclusion here. An added note: doesn’t the beat sound just a bit like a train chugging along? This can be the train travel theme song. 

The Scientist by Coldplay. I LOVE THIS SONG. And I listened to it while writing. :)

Now for the mermaids twinkling tune…drumroll. I have two options here. First I’ll steal one from the 1985 movie LEGEND. This cover version of the Tangerine Dream score by Brandon K. Verrett is piano (kisses thrown into the air) so we can imagine it’s sort of tinkly. Thus: The Dance. This is a magical, seductive song and so could also be Lady Vasille’s zeppelin waltz theme.

Option Two for the mermaids is Muse! The Gallery is creepy and that definitely fits the mermaids (okay, so The Dance is creepy, too). It sounds kind of tinkly!

Now, what I really want is for a movie to be made of “A Hole in the Ice” with score by Danny Elfman. He would write the most gorgeous mermaid theme. I love Danny Elfman’s music and I found this beautiful symphony he wrote called Serenada Schizophrana. I listened to it while I went through final edits for the book. It fits exceedingly well and was great mood music. Especially the sixth song, Bells and Whistles, I played that one every time I went through an action sequence. Along with number five, I Forget. This album is not available on amazon (You can get the physical CD there, which is what I did, but no download) and it’s not on Spotify and I don’t think iTunes has it either. So here’s a YouTube link so you can check it out, it’s gorgeous.

McCallum's TOP FIVE Steampunk Books!

1. The Matt Cruse Trilogy: Airborn, Skybreaker, and Starclimber by Kenneth Oppel. The setting are characters are so vivid. I just love these books. The story grabbed me and had me on the edge of my seat all the way through. Lots of airships, too.

2. The Golden Compass by Phillip Pullman. Pullman is one of the best story tellers I have ever read. This book is excellently written and gripping.

3. The Keys to the Kingdom series by Garth Nix. The wild settings and super colorful characters are delicious. Nix’s characters are always brought to life vividly.

4. Mortal Engines by Phillip Reeve. Bizarre settings, great (and extremely interesting) characters are the highlight of this imaginative book. It has the best first line I have ever read: “It was a dark, blustery afternoon in spring, and the city of London was chasing a small mining town across the dried-out bed of the old North Sea.”

5. Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare. I ordered it for market research and was excited by the cool cover. The first line was a big disappointment, killing demons indeed. Not my cup of tea (apparently I did not know what the book was about :( ). But it turned out alright. Beautiful Victorian setting. The characters are really really great. It got a bit too raunchy for me, especially in the later books, but it’s a great read.

I hope my definition of Steampunk isn’t too loose. I think all of these books are listed under Steampunk on Goodreads…Airborn and Clockwork Angel are maybe more “traditional” Steampunk. The Golden Compass is full of alternate worlds and strange technology and Lyra’s world definitely seems older. The movie certainly makes it look Steampunk. Mortal Engines is a futuristic Steampunk and The Keys to the Kingdom books are just plain weird, but I think with all the old fashioned stuff it fits the bill. Steampunk is, after all, a variable genre. 

A big THANK YOU to Ashley and Paul for featuring me, Merci Beaucoup!

-----McCallum J. Morgan

The Giveaway!

So many awesome prizes here! Don't miss the opportunity to win! 

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Thank you to McCallum for taking the time to stop by, and thanks to you for supporting him! Also, be sure to come back in a couple of days for some more exciting A Hole in the Ice content!

--Ashley & Paul

BLOG TOUR: Life AD 2: M.I.A.: Missing in Atman by Michelle E. Reed - Playlist + GIVEAWAY!

Hello! Today, we're happy to be a part of the blog tour for Michelle E. Reed's newest book in the Atman series, Life AD 2: M.I.A.: Missing in Atman! We have Michelle's Atman series playlist for you, as well as a giveaway! 

Life AD 2: M.I.A.: Missing in Atman is out TODAY, so go grab your copy ASAP! And don't forget to fill out the Rafflecopter form below for your chance to win one of five digital copies (open internationally!) You can also visit the rest of the tops on this tour by clicking on the banner above.

About the Book

Title: Life AD 2: M.I.A.: Missing in Atman

Publication date: December 16, 2014

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Michelle E. Reed

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | IndieBound | iBooks | Goodreads

Synopsis: Dez is finally hitting her afterlife stride. She hasn’t missed a meeting or session in forty-two days, and she’s put the adventures and danger of her first days at Atman behind her. Life after death is becoming tolerable, yet nothing is quite what she’d hoped. Confusion over her feelings for Charlie, residual resentment over losing Hannah, and a continuous stream of unwanted assignments leave Dez restless and argumentative.

In a missed encounter with Crosby, her prying gaze lands upon a single entry in the datebook on his unoccupied desk. These few, hastily scribbled words reveal an enormous secret he’s keeping from her. Possessed by a painful sense of betrayal, she once again sneaks off to Atman City, determined to find answers to an unresolved piece of her life.

It begins as all their adventures do, but as light falls into darkness, a stop in an unfamiliar neighborhood sets forth a chaotic series of events. Dez will have to fight for her very existence, and will face painful, irreparable loss in an afterlife teeming with demons wielding ancient powers.

In M.I.A.: Missing in Atman, the second book in the Atman City series, Michelle E. Reed continues the story of Dez Donnelly, pushing her to her limits and surprising readers at every twist and turn of the vast world that is Atman.

Death was only the beginning.

About the Author

Michelle was born in a small Midwestern town, to which she has returned to raise her own family. Her imagination and love of literature were fueled by a childhood of late nights, hidden under the covers and reading by flashlight. She is a passionate adoption advocate who lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and their yellow lab, Sully.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Michelle's Playlist!

Thanks so much for hosting me during the M.I.A.: Missing in Atman blog tour, and thanks for the great topic!

There are a lot of songs that really speak to the theme and mood of M.I.A., the second installment in my Atman City series. For my playlist, I’ve selected songs that would serve as a great soundtrack for M.I.A., most of which were on my writing inspiration playlist.

Leave- Barenaked Ladies: This song is the one I was listening to during a flight to L.A. in 2006 when the first spark of what would become the Atman City series came to me.

Sirens- Pearl Jam: This song wasn’t out yet when I was writing M.I.A., but it is a perfect anthem for the book.

Nothing Lasts Forever- Maroon 5

Some Nights- Fun

Fix You- Coldplay

The Wind- Cat Stevens

All of Me- John Legend: Again, this song wasn’t out yet, but is very fitting.

You will be Waiting- Barenaked Ladies

Lean on Me- Bill Withers

Fall to Pieces-Velvet Revolver

Just Breathe- Pearl Jam

Sympathy for the Devil- The Rolling Stones

Lovers in a Dangerous Time- Bruce Cockburn: This song could really be the anthem for the entire series. “Nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight. Gotta kick at the darkness ‘til it bleeds daylight.”

Sea of no Cares- Great Big Sea

Just Like Heaven- The Cure

The Space Between- Dave Matthews Band

Tell Me Baby- Red Hot Chili Peppers                                      

F***in’ Perfect- Pink

With or Without You- U2

Everything- Alanis Morissette

The Giveaway!

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