Happy Book Birthday Destiny's Fire!

* Throws Confetti *

l have been waiting for this day for my good friend/agency sister/blog partner/amazing CP Trisha Wolfe for over a year, and it is FINALLY here!!!

  

DESTINY'S FIRE

Trisha Wolfe

Add to Goodreads HERE

Buy From Amazon HERE  

It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.

“Destiny's Fire is addictive! Trisha Wolfe knows how to create a compelling cast of fearless young characters who breathe life into a fresh and imaginative fantasy world. Trisha is a new star on the horizon of Young Adult fiction!” ~Jordan Dane, Critically Acclaimed Author of On A Dark Wing, Harlequin Teen

What I love the most about DESTINY'S FIRE is that even though Trisha is my home girl, that has absolutely nothing to do with how much I love this book! And here's another secret: I'm not one to read a lot of steam punk. Nothing against the genre at all, but we all have our preferences and mine tend to lean more Contemporary. But again, I freaking LOVE this story!! Fast-paced, action out the wazoo, STEAMY chemistry, awesome friendships, humor, emotion . . . and of course, there are a few other reasons.

Here's one:

Oh, and here's another:

But really, it all boils down to mad love for these two chicks:

And of course:

So, where can YOU get a copy of this awesome sauce book? Check out THIS post on her site, and while you are there, go ahead and follow her if you aren't already :-)

Then come celebrate at Winter Haven Books blog and enter a contest for amazing prizes! Be sure to follow the fun and come be one of the Fans of Trish over at Facebook (and give her a little love while you are there!)  

And finally, hop on the Bloggy Tour (stops and links listed here) where you can learn all about DESTINY'S FIRE, Trisha herself, a little about me and how we do our crazy critiques, and enter to win even more prizes, including a gorgeous DF Egyptian Steampunk necklace!

WOOT!!!!!

Congrats again, Trisha! You deserve so much happiness and I'm stinking THRILLED to be a part of your special day! Enjoy today, eat lots of chocolate, drink lots of Coke, and just for one day, try to relax =)

Love you girl!

Waiting On Wednesday (6): Destiny's Fire, Ditched, and Perigee Moo

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that shines a spotlight on upcoming releases we're eagerly anticipating. As a self-diagnosed book-a-holic, I obviously adore this MEME, so I'm here today to salivate over books in my 'to-read' account over at Goodreads.   

This week, my first "can't-wait-to-read" pre-publication selection that comes out in January is: 

Destiny's Fire 

Trisha Wolfe, January 10th, OMNIFIC Publishing

Sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—a part of a nearly extinct race of Kythan descended from ancient guardians who protected the pharaohs of Egypt. As Shythe, they must keep their shape-shifting ability and electric power hidden from the humans of their steam-powered world.

It’s the year 2040 and the Shythe Council has lowered their barrier, allowing the Narcolym—the dominant race of Kythan whose Flame ushered in the steam era—to enter their haven. As the Narcolym airships get closer, Dez secretly trains for an attack that her best friend Jace believes is coming despite the Treaty Act. Not only is Dez wary of war, and her growing affection for Jace, but she fears the change her fast-approaching birthday will bring.

When her power rockets out of control, Dez knows she’ll never attend the Shythe Academy with her friends, and worse, her mother’s planning to run. But a Narco named Reese could change her fate . . . if she can trust him. After Dez discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, her guarded world crumbles. She’s forced to choose between the race who’s raised her and the enemy she’s feared her whole life.

DESTINY'S FIRE is an emotional journey of Dez’s struggle to overcome her fear and embrace her power—her destiny.    

Okay, this is a bit of a cheat because I'm blessed to be Trisha's CP so I've read this already. But honestly, it will be SUCH a different experience holding the paperback in my hands, looking at the beautiful cover, and drooling all over Reese and Jace "officially." EEP! I'm so excited :-)

• Normally, I'd now share a later-in-2012 "can't-wait-to-read" pre-publication selection, but there are TWO more books coming out in January that I just HAVE to have, so I thought I'd shout them all out here. So up next:  

DITCHED: A Love Story     

Robin Mellom, January 10th 2012, DISNEY-HYPERION  

High school senior Justina Griffith was never the girl who dreamed of going to prom. Designer dresses and strappy heels? Not her thing. So she never expected her best friend, Ian Clark, to ask her.

Ian, who always passed her the baseball bat handle first.

Ian, who knew exactly when she needed red licorice.

Ian, who promised her the most amazing night at prom.

And then ditched her.

Now, as the sun rises over her small town, and with only the help of some opinionated ladies at the 7-Eleven, Justina must piece together — stain by stain on her thrift-store dress — exactly how she ended up dateless. A three-legged Chihuahua was involved. Along with a demolition derby-ready Cadillac. And there was that incident at the tattoo parlor. Plus the flying leap from Brian Sontag's moving car...

But to get the whole story, Justina will have to face the boy who ditched her. And discover if losing out at prom can ultimately lead to true love.

Filled with humor, charm, and romance, Ditched: A Love Story by debut novelist Robin Mellom will have readers dreaming of love on their own prom nights.

What is not to love about this book? A 3-legged Chihuahua? Standing in a 7-Eleven in a thrift-store dress? Tattoo parlors? And somehow it all leads to true love? This book sounds like it is so up my alley with a romantic comedy feel and a cover that just screams READ ME. All I can say is "Come on January!"   

• And last, but certainly not least, I have:  

Perigee Moon

Tara Fuller, January 2012, CRESCENT MOON PRESS  

After a horrific fire claims the life of her mother, seventeen year old Rowan Bliss finds herself in the miniscule town of Ipswich, Massachusetts. It’s here that she meets Alex, a deliciously mysterious boy who holds the key to unlocking her family’s dark secret.

As Rowan falls helplessly over the edge for Alex, the secrets that he insists on keeping refuse to be contained, and the truth that she uncovers challenges everything she has ever believed. Alex is a witch. And now he’s awakened something within her she never even knew existed. But out of all of this, the one thing Rowan won’t accept is the fact that Alex is destined to die.

Now Rowan must unearth the buried power she harbors within to escape a deadly prophecy, defy the very laws of time, and prevent the hands of fate from taking yet another person she loves.    

First, this book has an awesomesauce title--Perigee Moon. I have no freaking clue what it means, but it makes me want to read it all the more so I can figure it out. Second, dude, the cover? Eerily beautiful. And if that wasn't enough to hook ya, you got a sexy, swoony, suspense-y fun blurb to finish the job. I'm telling y'all, January is gonna rock!

YOUR TURN: I know you have books you're dying to read. Maybe they've already been released but you haven't gotten to them yet. Maybe they are coming out later this month, or early next year . . . or maybe they aren't coming out for months but you're still DYING to talk about it. PLEASE, let me know! I'm always looking for books to add to my to-read shelf :-)

Books That Have Made Me SWOON

So, I realized something. While I've been taking a bit of a bloggy break from Ending Unplanned and gearing up for some BIG ANNOUNCEMENTS TO COME, I've still been participating over at YA Bound and totally dropping the ball on sharing the links here. I know, epic fail. But, I'm here now to rectify the situation for anyone who's been anxious with worry, wondering where I've been or what I've been up to lately. Hey, it could happen, and if so, the snippets below might give you a clue. . .

(And because I'm impatient, here's the answer: lots and lots of reading!)

First up, I have links to all the reviews I've posted the past few months. The good news is that by waiting for some to share the links here, almost all of the books are available for purchase. Yeah, I totally did that on purpose. . . . Anyway, check them out and then go do some Trick-or-Treating of your own, filling up a cart at Amazon or a bag at Barnes and Noble. Treat Yo Self!

• VANISH by Sophie Jordan

 Sophie Jordan’s FIRELIGHT was one of my favorite YA reads last year. The draki paranormal take was fresh, the writing was HOT, and the protagonist Jacinda was beautifully crafted—tough but vulnerable, beautiful but slightly insecure. I’ve been chomping at the bit for the sequel to come out and when given the chance to review the ARC of VANISH, I jumped at it. . . to read the rest of the review, click here

• A BEAUTIFUL DARK by Jocelyn Davies

A BEAUTIFUL DARK has my favorite paranormal creatures of all time—Angels. Oh, how a hot angel boy can make me swoon. And while the three—count ‘em, three—potential love interests in this book kept me slightly unsure of who to root for, Jocelyn Davies provides a plethora of swoon-worthy quotes that just made me happy. . . to read the rest of the review, click here.

• REMEMBRANCE by Michelle Madow

When Michelle Madow approached us to review her debut novel REMEMBRANCE, and then pitched it as Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” music video meets Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, I literally squealed. I am ALL about Regency inspired historicals, romance, and magical realism, and this book proved to have it all. . . to read the rest of the review, click here.

• STARSTRUCK  by Cyn Balog

Cyn Balog is one of my favorite young adult authors. Her stories always have the perfect blend of magical realism/supernatural, romance, and wit. The unique spin she puts on paranormal stereotypes and expectations constantly amazes me. I adored FAIRY TALE and swooned at SLEEPLESS, so while I wasn't sure what to expect with STARSTRUCK, I knew that I was in great hands. . . to read the rest of the review, click here.

• THE JULIET SPELL by Douglas Rees

I love Romeo and Juliet. Like, uber-love. I was obsessed with the play in high school, could recite the old 1970s movie version with the characters verbatim, and went opening night to see the Leonardo Dicaprio version when it hit theaters. So when THE JULIET SPELL became available for review, I jumped on it. And for the most part, I was very happy with the outcome. . . to read the rest of the review, click here.

• VIRTUOSITY by Jessica Martinez

Gayle Forman’s world-of-music based IF I STAY and its sequel WHERE SHE WENT are two of my top five favorite young adult books of all time, so the moment I learned about Jessica Martinez’s VIRTUOSITY, I was twitching to get a copy. But I have to admit, going in I was nervous. Was I was putting too much pressure on this debut, wanting to recreate the feelings and sweeping obsession those other two books inspired? Could this possibly live up to the hype and my admittedly high expectations? Well, I’m very happy to say that all my anxiety was a total wasted effort. . . to read the rest of the review, click here.

• CRAVE by Melissa Darnell

Secrets, lies, hot guys, and forbidden love . . . yep, Melissa Darnell’s CRAVE has all the essential elements of an addicting YA para-romance. It takes one part vampire mythology, throws in equal parts witches and magic, and creates a unique Romeo and Juliet-style, fan-yourself premise. The two main characters, Tristan and Savannah, practically jump off the page, and Tristan’s dual point of view had me melting into a pool of drool. Being inside his head, seeing his reaction to Savannah and learning how he truly felt about her just made me want to curl inside the pages and snag him for myself. Even better, Savannah is a completely lovable and relatable protagonist. . . to read the rest of the review, click here.

• DESTINED by Jessie Harrell

As soon as I saw the gorgeous cover for DESTINED months ago, I emailed Jessie Harrell and practically begged her to move up her publication date. Unfortunately, she couldn’t do that . . . but I was quick to pounce on her offer to review an ARC. See, I have a semi-obsession with Greek Mythology retellings and what I loved so much about DESTINED is the fresh new couple, Psyche and Eros. Not knowing much about their original myth, I was ready to be swept away by their love story and eagerly dove in. . . to read the rest of the review, click here.

Also during my hiatus here, I've been collecting swoon worthy quotes from my favorite weekly reads and posting them both on Twitter and at YABound. I love this Meme, and I love seeing the other sexy quotes readers share. Below are the ones I've shared the past few months, and be sure to check in every Thursday for the newest ones, sure to have your heart and tummy fluttering.

• I couldn't stop touching him, couldn't rip my hands or my mouth away from his skin.--SHUT OUT, SWOON #YABound
• His kiss isn't even remotely innocent. There's passion, but there's also an urgency verging on panic-Lola & the Boy Next Door SWOON #YABOUND
• He wanted to worship her, consume her & make her part of him so that he would never have to be without her.—Sebastian, Ember SWOON #YABound 
• He wanted to taste her skin and explore her mind and body to the point they would both be left used up, sated, and unable to think of anything besides each other.—Sebastian, EMBER SWOON #YABound
• A shower of fire and light exploded inside me and I closed my eyes and let the pleasure consume me. -To Kill An Angel SWOON #YABound
• He cups the back of my head & rolls on top of me, his kiss deepening as the weight of him presses me into the ground-UNVEILED SWOON #YABound
• His free hand tangled in my hair as he slid the strap away, grazing my shoulder with his teeth.--The Willows: Haven SWOON #YABound
• But do not ye see how much above me ye are? . . .Ye are an enchantress, a spirit. Almost a goddess, ye seem.-The Juliet Spell SWOON #YABound
• And suddenly he was everywhere; his knee trapping my leg, his lips grazing warm, rough, sensuous -SILENCE (and Patch!) SWOON #YABound
• Beau buried both his hands in my hair and sighed. "Good because I want you too. Now. Forever. Just you."-The Vincent Boys SWOON #YABound
• The thought of time away from you is torture. I haven't even left your room and I already miss you. Tonight we'll talk, and I'll tell you a story of exactly what I plan to do to you in three weeks--Where You Are (Between the Lines #2) SWOON #YABound

Now it's your turn. What have YOU been reading lately?

SWOON Thursdays!

Just a fun reminder to hop over to YA Bound today for the fun new MEME we got going on, SWOON #YABound!

(Isn't the button freaking adorable??)

Here's how to play:

From the book you’re currently reading, or one you just finished, tell us what made you SWOON. What got your heart pounding, your skin tingling, and your stomach fluttering. Post it over there in the comments, tweet it with the hashtag #YABound, or do both! We want to know!

Here's mine for today:

RACHEL: "Daniel lunged for her, swooping her up and laying her sideways across his lap to cradle her in his arms. "--PASSION SWOON #YABound

Q4U: So what's made YOU Swoon this week?

Got The Call and GIVEAWAYS Galore!

Whew!

The past few weeks have been CRAZY! There are so many changes and things happening and really, it's been a complete whirlwind. But things are finally getting back to normal and in some form of a routine, and I'm so happy to be back!

I normally don't post on Wednesdays, but I couldn't wait until tomorrow--I just had to come and shout out all my exciting news today. (I can be impatient that way). Really, there's THREE things I wanted to let all of you wonderful readers know about, so I thought I'd do it quick and fast bullet style.

• First, the biggest news that I never thought I'd get to say: I got the call!! Actually, I first got the email two Fridays ago, then a marathon three hour phone call last Monday, followed by a week of talking to a lot of other agents and pulling all nighters to finish my revision. But I can now PROUDLY say that I have an agent!! Lauren Hammond of ADA Management, the agent of awesome, believes in me and my writing, and is such an enthusiastic, passionate advocate that I honestly couldn't be happier. From the very first email, she made me feel so comfortable and it was like we've known each other for years. Equally exciting is that my CP and writing sister Trish Wolfe is also now my agency sister!

• Along with sharing an AGENT OF AWESOME, Trish and I have also now joined forces on YA Bound. Trish started that blog almost a year ago to review YA books, and over the last few months has been kicking it up a notch. Now we've decided to really focus our attention on spreading the YA love with LIVE Author chats, a fun new hashtag/meme on Thursdays (be sure to hop over there tomorrow!), interviews and tons of giveaways! Today is our kick off post and we interviewed each other random question style, so come hop over to discover which YA author I'd love to be for a day and all about Trish's favorite YA bad boy.

• And finally, the GIVEAWAY news! Over at YA Bound we're gonna have a ton of giveaways each month, but to CELEBRATE our new agented status and kick off the new phase of the blog, we're having FOUR giveaways this month alone! Come back every week for a chance to win a different ARC of a book coming out this month, and if you follow us over there and snag our snazzy button above for your blog (and let us know about it) you'll be automatically entered into all four! So excited about this :-)

Q4U: So that is what I've been up to--what about you? What has kept YOU busy and crazy this summer? Do YOU have any exciting news to share? If so, please leave them below! I'd love to celebrate with you!