THE SOUND OF US Blog Tour: Guest Post by Ashley Poston + Giveaway

by Ashley Poton

Hello! Thank you so much for letting me chill on your blog today! There’s an entire virus-infested computer full of songs that inspired The Sound of Us—so picking out only a handful was like trying to pick the juiciest set of abs out of Magic Mike. Songs play a huge part in the book (and not just because it has a rock—I mean pop—star in it), so I’ll dutifully do my best to pick out the most rockalicious, poptastic, jazzified music you’ll ever hear.

That is to say, hold onto your earphones ‘cause we’re going for a ride.

Junie

Junie’d rather jam out to Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen than every song post-1995 ever recorded. She’s the classic rock kind of girl. Pink hair, band t-shirts, frayed shorts, and Converses. She’s a hodgepodge of Springsteen, Van Morrison, Guns ’N Roses, Journey, Bon Jovi, and Def Leopard, but most of all? She’s this song, and it’s not even classic rock:

Save Rock and Roll - Fall Out Boy / Elton John

Roman

Roman’s got some issues. He’s not sexy (in person—magazines say differently). He’s not cool and collective (like in all his interviews). He enjoys weekend marathoning of Game of Thrones and Firefly. Oh, and his best friend is dead. So. There’s that.

Some Nights - Fun.

Boaz

Roman’s best friend is the exact opposite. He wears a kilt. Has a blue mohawk. He has some pretty swift fingers as the pianist for their band, Roman Holiday. He single-handedly coined the term “brohaho”. And he used to be an Elvis impersonator, which has made him very wise in the hips.

Bossa Nova Baby - Elvis Presley

Holly

Roman’s deceased best friend. She was the person he went to when his world faded to black and the crowd left to go home. The lead singer (and lyrical mastermind) behind the band Roman Holiday, she left a gaping hole in the lives of Roman and Boaz—and most of America—when she died. And there’s really one song that inspired her—only one that could.

Only The Good Die Young - Billy Joel

Maggie

She’s probably the biggest fan of the band Roman Holidayi, like, ever. And when I say ever, I mean she has an entire shrine of Roman Holiday posters, magazine cut-outs, PEZ dispensers… it’s an obsession. But under the avid Holidayer there is a smidgen of genuine music prowess.

Feel Good Inc - Gorillaz

Caspian

Junie’s boyfriend. Lacrosse player. Ab-licious. Has non-scented battery-operated candles in his bedroom. His parents are extremely wealthy, but him? Not so much. He’s your (a)typical “Hey, my parents are out of town, let’s have a kegger!” sort of guy… Or is he?

We Are Golden - MIKA

Roman Holiday (the band)

When I created the band, I didn’t think I actually needed to create a sound for the band. At first I was like “I’ll do Fun! Because I love their sound! And the sound of the Format! So yeah!” but then I realized that’s not exact pop. So I thought. And listened. And thought some more. And then found Marianas Trench, and although they are certifiably pop rock, this is way, way pop. And it’s pretty much the personification of Roman Holiday.

Stutter - Marianas Trench

There are definitely more songs that inspired The Sound of Us! Take a listen to the Spotify playlist!

Thank you so much for letting me have fun on your blog! 

The Sound of Us
by Ashley Poston

Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark

Release Date: December 19, 2013

Blurb:

America's favorite pop band, Roman Holiday, is done, dead, and so totally last year. For eighteen-year-old rockoholic Junie Baltimore, this is music to her ears. But when she discovers their sexy ex-lead singer hiding out on the boardwalk, her summer vacation becomes the cover story of the year.

She's willing to keep him a secret, but when a sleazy paparazzo offers her the cash she needs to save the bar her father left behind, could she sell out for the chance to save her future? Who is she kidding? That's a no-brainer...but she never planned on falling head over heels for the lead singer.

You can purchase The Sound of Us at the following Retailers:

  

  

About the Author 

Having graduated from the University of South Carolina, Ashley Poston interned at Random House Publishers under Kodansha USA, where she edited the Sailor Moon manga and that was really, really, really cool. She wrote a play that won some award, and can quote every Motion City Soundtrack lyric by heart. She currently lives in South Carolina with her cat (aka her soul mate) and a plethora of books. When she's not writing, she's going to the movies (her second favorite past time) or taking extravagant road trips (her third favorite past time).

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Louder Than Words Excerpt + Giveaway

"A Painful Game of UNO"

A game of Uno is the perfect antidote to pent-up frustration, and soon I have three other children gathered around a card table in a take-no-prisoners game, which is shockingly cutthroat for six-year-olds. We're loud and boisterous, and my mood lightens. Soon, we've attracted a few observers. I offer my hand and seat to Carlton, taking a spot behind him to offer a few strategy tips.

That's when I first notice the bruises rising slightly above the neckline of his shirt. My eyes drop to his arms where a set of older bruises would have been invisible had I not been alert for them. I make a mental note to check his legs when we go outside. A litany of reasons for those bruises present themselves as I try to avoid the one I don't want the answer to be.

We've been coached on the signs to watch for. Many of the children who come to the rec center are here because they've no place else to go. They come from families that can't afford daycare or other types of camps. Some of those families rest on nests of dynamite.

Carlton must sense something because he turns to look at me over his shoulder. In doing so, he hitches his shirt a little higher and the bruises slip out of sight. The deep sadness in his big brown eyes, however, can't be hidden under a T-shirt. I recognize it for what it is because sometimes I see it in my own eyes when I catch my reflection in the mirror.

His head back in the game, he levels an accusatory finger at Monica. "You didn't say Uno. Draw five cards, sucka!"

"Nuh-uh," Monica protests.

"He's right. You didn't say Uno." Mikaela jumps into the fray. "Draw five, draw five."

Monica, stubborn to the end, insists she said Uno, but the other children pick up the scent and begin to circle. "Miss Ellen. Tell them I said Uno," she says.

"I'm sorry, sweetie, but I didn't hear you say it, so I'm afraid you're going to have to draw the five cards."

With a loud groan and sidelong glare at Carlton, she takes her penalty cards. Carlton plays his card and the game continues drama-free for the next ten minutes.

"Uno!" Carlton yells in unison with Mikaela as he slaps down his second to last card.

"Draw five cards!" Mikaela says.

"Nope. I called it." Carlton wears a smug grin on his face.

"You were too late."

"Was not."

"Was too."

After a few more volleys in the was-not, was-too game, Carlton launches to his feet, breathing heavily. He growls out “was too,” draws back his fist, and punches Mikaela in the face.

"Carlton!" I rush in to separate them, but not before Mikaela unleashes a banshee-like howl that nearly has the windowpanes vibrating.

I pull the boy away. Procedure requires us to split up any fighting children and put the aggressor in a solitary activity away from the other child for the rest of the session.

"No! I wanna play Uno! I wanna play Uno! I was winning. Not fair!" He jumps up and down, stomping his feet onto the industrial carpet atop cement. His face turns an ugly shade, and as I take a firm hold of his skinny arm, he winces then kicks me in the shin.

I run limping after him. He breaks away, angling toward the exit.

"Somebody block the door!"

______________________________________________________________________________________

Louder Than Words
by Iris St. Clair 

Release Date: 09/16/14

Publisher:Swoon Romance

Blurb:

Disappointment has been on speed dial in Ellen Grayson's life lately. Her dad died, her mom numbs the grief with drugs and alcohol, and her so-called friends have slowly abandoned her. 

Trusting a popular teacher with her troubles should have been safe and should NOT have led to an unwelcome seduction attempt that made her desperate to escape the final moments of Junior year. Lesson learned. Best to keep all the sordid details to herself and trust no one.

Enter Rex Jacobi, a cocky boy, recently transplanted from New York City and fellow summer camp employee. Though his quick wit and confidence draws her in, she can't let him get too close. And summer is just long enough and hot enough to keep a boy like that at arm's length.

But by the time Rex's charm wears down her resistance, it's too late. He's put Ellen on the "just friends" shelf and has shifted his romantic attentions to the impossibly annoying and perky anti-Ellen. Even worse, the teacher who tried to get her to sleep with him is still at it, preying on other girls while Ellen struggles to come to terms with what happened.

With her ability to trust as shaky as a chastity vow on prom night, Ellen must decide if she has enough remaining courage to speak up about the well-liked teacher and risk retribution, tell Rex how she really feels about him and risk heartbreak, or hold all her secrets inside. After all, it's the only safe place she knows when the only thing louder than words is the fear of being rejected.

Get your copy:

About the Author 

About the Author

Iris St. Clair is the pen name for a long-suffering cubicle worker by day, a Walter Mitty-like dreamer by night. (Her alter ego Tatiana Ivanadance also choreographs gravity-defying routines in those fantasies, but that's another bio.)

No matter what genre she writes, she prefers witty, insecure heroines and kind, persistent heroes able to break through to the gooey heart inside.

In high school she was voted most likely to win at Monopoly and Clue, but least likely to throw a ball anywhere near a target. Thank goodness writing requires less hand-eye coordination, punctuation errors notwithstanding.

Iris believes in the two-year "fish or cut bait" dating rule and has a 20+ year marriage and two teenaged sons as proof of concept. She lives, writes, dreams and dances in the rainy Portland, OR area.

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Cover Reveal for Jennifer L. Armentrout's WICKED!

Holy cow, y'all! We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for Jennifer L. Armentrout's WICKED! WICKED is a New Adult Paranormal Romance and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Wicked Trilogy. It is being released on December 8^th, 2014. So make sure you pre-order it today!!

Here's the cover:

Wicked(A Wicked Saga#1)

by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Release Date: December 8th, 2014

Blurb:

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans. 

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

 Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her. 

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.  

You can purchase Wicked at the following Retailer:

    

About the Author

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. 

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. 

She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

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So, what do you think of the cover, isn't gorgeous? Are you excited as I am for her new series?!
Tell on the comment section below. Happy Monday everyone!

September Debut: LARK RISING by Sandra Waugh + Giveaway!

 Here's a little tidbit about us, we absolutely love fantasy as much as we do Contemporary. We may not review them often here on the blog but our shelves are lined with a lot of amazing books in the genre. The three of us are also always on the lookout for new Fantasy series to delve into, and Sandra Waugh's debut novel, Lark Rising, was an automatic addition to our anticipated-titles list.

Today, we are so excited and honored to have Sandra on the blog to kick off this month's debut feature AND present to you one thing that you won't be seeing on the finish copy of her debut. Read on for Sandra Waugh's exclusive reveal of the original prologue to Lark Rising below!

The weeks leading to a book’s launch are riddled with blog posts, interviews, giveaways, and all sorts of lovely attention. (And, in the case of reviews, mostly lovely attention!) Like every author, I am very grateful for the interest! But I imagine that if anyone reads again that I MUST have a cup of hot tea on the table when I sit down to write, then I’ve answered that question far too many times already.

So I thought that I would share instead a short bit that was left ‘on the cutting room floor’, shall we say, before the story went on submission. Only a few people have read this before today, though I was quite partial to it. I’m very glad it gets to be read! It highlights a crucial moment of something that happens before the actual story begins.

Without further ado, I offer you the original prologue to LARK RISING:

No explosion. No shattering of walls; no blinding light. No clash of sword and last gasp of strength. This was but a touch of wine to lips—

And the queen fell.

            Screams began then, shuddering sounds of horror and despair.  A hall full of people now frantically swarming—noise and color muddling into a mass, converging to aid, to assist, to share the burden of tragedy—all of them… all but two.

            He was frozen with shock, hardly breathing, eyes searching the empty place at the table. And she—she was there still, briefly.  The stranger he’d invited. No longer sitting as she had moments ago in sweet-faced pretense, but standing just back a little in the shadows where the candlelight ceased. She was smiling at him.  Strange—he’d thought her smile exquisite. Now it gleamed and widened in display of sickening emptiness and chasm-like depth.  Thief that she was, she melted into the dark, though the smile hung gaping black long after she disappeared, mocking his pathetic heartbreak, this terrible mistake.  And he stared, unable to move, to help, to stop the inevitable.  Even when the king returned to the hall with sober step and drawn face to say, “The amulets are taken. The Balance is disturbed.” Even when those remaining lifted tear-stained faces to murmur then in a single, hopeful chant, “The Guardians, the Guardians, the Guardians…” he could not move.

         He had damned them all.

Lark Rising
by Sandra Waugh

Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Random House

Release Date: September 23rd, 2014

Blurb:

Full of romance and nature magic, this debut fantasy is perfect for fans of Shannon Hale, Juliet Marillier, and Kristin Cashore.

Lark has foreseen two things—she will fall for a young man with sage green eyes,and he will kill her.

Sixteen-year-old Lark Carew is happiest close to home, tending her garden and gathering herbs for medicines. But when her Sight warns her that monsters called Troths will soon invade her village, Lark is summoned on a journey to seek help from the legendary Riders of Tarnec. Little does she suspect that one of the Riders, Gharain, is the very man who has haunted her visions. Or that the people of Tarnec have called her there for another reason: Lark is the Guardian of Life, the first of four Guardians who must awaken their powers to recover four stolen amulets. Together, the amulets—Life, Death, Dark, and Light—keep the world in Balance. To take back the Life amulet, Lark will have to discover her true inner strength and give in to a love that she swears will be her downfall.

You can purchase Lark Rising at the following Retailers:

    

  

About the Author 

Sandra grew up in an old house full of crowded bookshelves, in walking distance of an old library that allowed her to drag home a sack of six books at a time. It goes without saying, then, that she fell in love with the old house in Litchfield County, CT, because of its many bookshelves, and she lives there now with her husband, two sons, and a dog who snores. Loudly.

LARK RISING is her first novel and the first in the GUARDIANS OF TARNEC series. SILVER EVE follows in 2015.

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What do you guys think of Lark Rising? Which of you are counting down the days 'til it comes out on September 23rd? I hope the prologue made you as excited as we are to read it! And before you head out, don't forget to enter this fabulous giveaway for one of our readers courtesy of Sandra herself :)

One reader will win a SIGNED hardcopy of Lark Rising by Sandra Waugh + postcard & bookmark

Open INTERNATIONALLY

Must be at least 13 years old to enter

Ends 9/23

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