Itching For Books Book Blast & Giveaway: The Right Song (Shane Morgan)

Check out Shane Morgan's The Right Song promo event, hosted by Itching for Books Blog Tours. Continue below for an excerpt and the international giveaway.

Genre: YA Contemporary
Release date: July 31st
Publisher: TSW Books
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Synopsis via Goodreads:

Pain never truly goes away, until you find something deeper and meaningful that cures the heart and fills it with love.That is what Aurora desperately wants to believe. That somehow her music can save her, or even touch the unreachable heart of the guy she has liked for years.
Rora yearns for his attention and wants to experience this so-called love that could possibly end her long suffering and inspire her to chase after her dreams.
In deeply understanding the feelings of others and herself, will Aurora give up on ever finding true happiness, or will an intriguing soul teach her about the greatest song ever written?

 

About the Author

Shane Morgan is a twenty-something bestselling author of Young Adult and New Adult Fiction. She currently resides in the beautiful town of Narragansett, Rhode Island with her amazing partner and best friend. Shane spends her days blogging, reading, and escaping in her stories.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | GOODREADS

EXCERPT

============================

“The First Performance”

Daegan mouths to me that I’m next. An onset of nervousness engulfs me. I say a silent prayer that I don’t screw this up and embarrass myself.

Walking over to the side of the stage, I smile at the singer as she makes her way off. She doesn’t look too pleased by her performance. She sounded okay to me.

The MC hops up to the microphone in a jolly manner. He asks everyone how they’re doing so far and then after a little chit-chat and some failed jokes, he finally looks at his cue card.

“All right, put your hands together for Aurora Law!”

Huh? He chopped off the rest of my last name.

I swallow the stiffness in my throat, clutch my guitar, and head up the steps.

Everyone claps as I make my way to centerstage. Daegan’s right—you can’t really see the faces of the audience with all the light focusing on the stage.

I glance behind at the band and ask if they know Kelly Clarkson’s ‘Walk Away’. The drummer is the only one familiar with the song, so I tell the others to let me lead with my guitar and just fall in with the beat.

It’s an up-tempo song. I figure it’ll give the energetic crowd something to rock to. Hopefully, I can pull this off.

Edging back to the microphone stand, I inhale a soft breath and try to spot his face for motivation. I didn’t think I’d be able to make him out in this dark room, but somehow I do. Daegan’s on his feet behind the audience. His eyes lock with mine, eagerly waiting for me to deliver something great.

I don’t want to let him down. I don’t want to disappoint myself. My chest relaxes. Melodies float around in my head. I hear the harmonies. I can do this.

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IFB Blog Tours, Interview, & Giveaway: The Lost Kingdom (Stephanie Beerden)

Click here for Tour Page and Schedule!!!

Series: The Elements #1
Release date: April 28th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

A Prophecy made long ago, announced the arrival of the new Ladies of Elements.
And now almost a millennia later, it finally came true …
All her life Arima thought she knew who and what she was. That is until the day of her sixteenth birthday came and her world is turned upside down, when she’s told she’s not a White Witch but Lady Spirit. And that she is the one that has been foretold, will unite the Five Ladies of Elements once again and save Ilendia and the Other Lands from Ahriman, the Demon King.
At first Arima refuses to accept her new fate, but when Shanums come and destroy her village and kill her loved ones, she has no choice but to flee and fall right into the destiny she never wanted.
As she grudgingly starts her journey into the unknown, she is accompanied by her unicorn familiar Sirrim, Blythe, a Vampire with a dark past and Myrddin, a mysterious Ljosalfar.
And the longer her journey lasts, the more Arima begins to realise that she can’t escape her own destiny and she must learn to control her powers and learn to be a Lady for the sake of the Sisters she doesn’t know and the people of Ilendia and the Other Lands.
However, things get more complicated when Arima comes into the possession of a key. Her instincts compel her to go towards danger when she discovers that the key she holds, can unlock the legendary kingdom of Eléssima, the home of the Ladies of Elements.
She will have to make the choice to follow her instincts …
…or stay on the path that has been laid out for her.

Stephanie Beerden was born on Friday the 13th (no joke, she really was) in a small city called Genk in Belgium. She has always been fascinated with the occult, magic and books. Her childhood and teen years were filled with reading lots and lots of books and imagining what life would be like as a vampire. Until one day she decided that she wanted to try her hand at writing her own books and that was the beginning of her writing adventure.

www.stephaniebeerden.com | @SBeerden | facebook.com/stephaniebeerdenauthor

What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

My love for the Wiccan view of the Five Elements and my love for High Fantasy books.

Who is your favorite character in the book?

Sabre Clawdent, hands down.

Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel, the title came later, much later.

What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

The battle scene between Arima and her battalion against General Myoni and her legion. Because I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be able to write it well enough in English, but I did and I’m proud of it.

Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

Always, always keep editing. No matter how many times you’ve edited (even when your book is published) just keep editing. Just like I’m doing right now with The Lost Kingdom again, I’m very busy editing it again, and correcting any mistakes me or my editor or beta readers might have missed, that I notice now that I look over my Publish-Ready Draft for the umpteenth time.

What do you like most about the cover of the book?

The colour, I love, love, love purple.

What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2014?

Talon by Julie Kagawa.

What was your favorite book in 2013?

Dangerous Depths by Karen Amanda Hooper.

What’s up next for you?

Well, I’m translating the sequel to The Lost Kingdom, which is called Archandir, I’m hoping to publish it this year and I also hope to publish my novella called Dark Romance. And I also have a Summer Reading Challenge going on, it’s sort of a bet between me and my best friend Bieke from Istyria Book Blog.

Is there anything that you would like to add?

I hope readers will enjoy The Lost Kingdom as much as I loved writing it. 

Thanks for participating!

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Itching For Books Blog Tour, Interview, & Giveaway: Extraction (Stephanie Diaz)

Click here for Tour Page and Schedule!!

Series: Extraction #1
Release date: July 22nd 2014
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin
Purchase: Amazon

"Welcome to Extraction testing."
Clementine has spent her whole life preparing for her sixteenth birthday, when she’ll be tested for Extraction in the hopes of being sent from the planet Kiel’s toxic Surface to the much safer Core, where people live without fear or starvation. When she proves promising enough to be “Extracted,” she must leave without Logan, the boy she loves. Torn apart from her only sense of family, Clem promises to come back and save him from brutal Surface life.
What she finds initially in the Core is a utopia compared to the Surface—it’s free of hard labor, gun-wielding officials, and the moon's lethal acid. But life is anything but safe, and Clementine learns that the planet's leaders are planning to exterminate Surface dwellers—and that means Logan, too.

Trapped by the steel walls of the underground and the lies that keep her safe, Clementine must find a way to escape and rescue Logan and the rest of the planet. But the planet leaders don't want her running—they want her subdued.
With intense action scenes and a cast of unforgettable characters,Extraction is a page-turning, gripping read, sure to entertain lovers of Hunger Games and Ender's Game and leave them breathless for more.

Twenty-one-year-old Stephanie Diaz wrote her debut novel, Extraction, when she should've been making short films and listening to college lectures at San Diego State University. When she isn't lost in books, she can be found singing, marveling at the night sky, or fan-girling over TV shows.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK

1.What gave you the inspiration to write this book?

 The story of EXTRACTION came about in answer to a question that popped into my head one day, pretty much out of nowhere: how would the world be different if the moon were a threat to human life? From there I created the poisonous moon that looms over the planet Kiel, and put my protagonist, Clementine, on the planet to deal with all kinds of trouble.

2. Who is your favorite character in the book?

Clementine is my favorite character, maybe because I've been inside her head more than any of the others. Also because I admire her strength and bravery, and how much more of a badass she is than me.

3. Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel came before the title. For the longest time, I was calling the book "Moonshine," which is a term in the story, but people quickly pointed out it was also a term for alcohol...so I scrapped that title and came up with a better one. "Extraction" fit the bill.

4. What scene in the book are you most proud of, and why?

 I'm especially proud of a progression of scenes near the end of the book that took me forever to write. Unfortunately I can't say anything about them without giving away spoilers. :-)

5. Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

 The most important thing I've learned over the years and years I've spent writing and trying to get published is to fall crazy in love with whatever book I'm writing, since I'll have to read it over and over. Also, I've learned it's okay to let go of certain stories, even if they were once incredibly special to me. The next stories will always be better.

6. What do you like most about the cover of the book?

I'm SO pleased with the cover design for the book (and just wait until you see the cover for the sequel). I love the details in the girl's face, her freckles especially, since Clementine is a redhead. I love the cool swirls of color that give the whole cover a sci-fi feel and make Clementine seem trapped. I'm also a huge fan of the stars in the background. :-)

7.What new release book are you looking most forward to in 2014?

 I'm looking forward to so many 2014 books! But if I have to pick one, I'll go with ISLA AND THE HAPPILY EVER AFTER by Stephanie Perkins, since I've been waiting forever to devour it.

8.What was your favorite book in 2013?

 My favorite book I read in 2013 was WANDERLOVE by Kirsten Hubbard. My favorite book that came out last year was SIEGE AND STORM by Leigh Bardugo.

9. What’s up next for you?

I'm currently drafting book 3 of the Extraction trilogy, which will be out late next year after book 2, REBELLION, releases in February. I also have some other fun projects I'm tinkering with, here and there.

10. Is there anything that you would like to add?

 I hope everyone who picks up my book will find something to take away from it. And hopefully stick around for the sequels, since I can promise things will get even more intense and awesome. (Did someone say aliens?)

~Stephanie

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Itching For Books Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway: Stubborn (Jeanne Arnold)

Click here for Tour Page and Schedule!!

ebook
Published January 6th 2014 by Champagne Books
Purchase: Amazon

With a train ticket, a bad attitude, and an unfortunate scribbling of obscenities across her forehead, seventeen-year-old Avery Ross is tossed out of the frying pan and into the fire when she’s sent from New York to the vast oil field region of North Dakota. When a green-eyed boy with a sultry Texan accent comes to her defense, Avery has no clue that his actions will lead her into a passion-charged summer, full of temptation and loss.

Defiant and relegated to work at her aunt’s boarding house, Avery discovers a connection between her aunt and the striking boy. He and his brothers are seeking revenge for the wrongful death of their sibling, and Avery becomes entangled in their battle over oil rights, loyalty, and love. Avery falls for the brooding, younger brother, Gabriel Halden, against her aunt’s forewarnings and creates more tribulations than any of them could anticipate. 

Jeanne Arnold is the author of STUBBORN and other young adult romances. At a young age she found her creative outlet in art, and for years her fictional characters came to life in drawings and paintings, until they demanded a voice. Now they grace the pages of her stories. Jeanne shares her time with her fictional teenage counterparts and her human family in Central New York.

www.jeannearnoldbooks.com | http://twitter.com/jeannesbooks

The title of this one really says it all...Stubborn. Many times people can be so stubborn that they do not realize how much it can make them miss in life. Avery was so mad at her parents for sending her off to the middle of nowhere North Dakota for the summer that she was not open to having a good time. That quickly changed when she started running into these 3 brothers that all had amazing good looks and killer hazel eyes!!!!

 Avery has trouble telling them apart and it takes her a while to figure them out. Gabe is the one she WANTS but will he let her into his life?! His brother Caleb is definitely willing....he freaked me out a little with his willingness! This story really goes deep and I loved the way the author gave little hints along the way. I would recommend this book if you like young love mixed with lots of family DRAMA!

 I give it 4 stars!

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Itching For Books Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway: Nantucket Red ( Leila Howland)

Series: Nantucket #2
Release date: May 13th 2014
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Purchase: Amazon | B&N

Cricket Thompson's lifetime of overachieving has paid off: she's headed to Brown University in the fall, with a spot on the lacrosse team and a scholarship that covers almost everything. Who knew living in the dorm cost money? An Ivy League education seems to mean living at home for the next four years.

When Cricket is offered the chance to earn enough cash to afford a real college experience, she heads back to Nantucket for the summer. But the faraway island challenges Cricket in ways she hadn't anticipated. It's hard to focus on earning money for next year, when she finds her world opening up in entirely new ways-to art, to travel, and, most unexpectedly, to a future completely different from the one she has been working toward her whole life. A friendship blossoms with Ben, the gorgeous surfer and bartender who encourages Cricket to be free, even as she smarts at the pain of seeing Zack, her first love, falling for her worst enemy.

But one night, when Cricket finally lets herself break all her own rules, she realizes she may have ruined her carefully constructed future with one impulsive decision. Cricket must dig deep to fight for her future, discovering that success isn't just about reaching goals, but also about listening to what she's been trying to ignore-her own heart. 

LEILA HOWLAND loves to read, explore L.A., and engage in funny and meaningful conversations with her friends and family, especially her brother who calls from Washington D.C. whenever he’s waiting for the bus. A lot gets discussed in those phone calls, but they tend to end abruptly when the bus shows up. She can really cut the rug, but wishes she could sing without people covering their ears. A graduate of Georgetown University, Leila spent five years acting in New York where she was a company member of the award-winning Flea Theater in Tribeca. It was a lot of fun and she often talks about “getting back into it.” The closest she has come was a stint as an extra on The Young and the Restless in 2010. Leila now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two dogs. She teaches high school English and blogs for HelloGiggles.

www.leilahowland.tumblr.com | twitter.com/leilahowland

At first I was not sure I was going to like the book but WOW...I really loved it once the characters got back to Nantucket. I have always wanted to visit that area and I loved reading about the experiences these young characters had there! Cricket is graduating high school and has been accepted to Brown University to play lacrosse. It is what she has always dreamed of...along with her parents. The only problem is now that she is actually accepted Cricket starts to question if this is what she really wants. She decides to spend the summer in Nantucket to try to make enough money to live in the dorms at Brown. But she ends up having a summer that would change her life! Will Cricket decide to attend Brown...Will she find new love or rekindle an old love?!!!! I would recommend adding this to your summer reading list!   

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Itching For Books Blog Tour, Review, & Giveaway: Justice Buried (Hilary Thompson)

Click here for Tour Page and Schedule!!!

Series: Starbright #1
Release date: January 15th 2014
Purchase: Amazon

The people need Justice, but she's not listening. One hundred years before, the Great Sickness reduced the world to three cities. Now the community of Asphodel is trapped underground, waiting for the prophesied maiden of Justice to return and save them from their Fates.


Sixteen-year-old Astrea is supposed to be this savior - too bad for them she isn't a believer. Trea fights against her false destiny: she rebels against her family and friends, then refuses her arranged marriage to the charming but deceitful Lexan. Learning her life is in danger, Trea is forced to trust Lexan - until she discovers a power she never knew she had, and one he already knew he did.


As betrayal closes every door, Trea decides she must submit to her stars and accept her fate. Then a handsome stranger offers her an unexpected escape and the chance to create her own destiny.

Hilary Thompson is an independently-published author who released her debut Young Adult novel, Justice Buried, in January, 2014. Justice Buried is the first in a dystopian fantasy series incorporating mythology and astrology, with the second full-length title due later in 2014.

She also teaches high school English, which gives her some insight into her target audience, and helps her maintain a thick skin.

Blog * Twitter * Facebook 

Next big series right here!!!!! LOVED this book! If you liked The Hunger Games and Divergent then you HAVE to add this book to your reading list!! Let me go ahead and say I am team Lexan. I could not decide at first if we could trust him but by the end he had me! This story has it all....a secret underground world, evil rulers, star-crossed lovers (literally)! The ultimate good verses evil but with so many twist...who is good...who is evil?! I absolutely can NOT wait until I can get my hands on the next book Balance Broken. I also want to read the Lexan's Pledge novella...need to know all I can about my main man Lex;)!!! I give it 5 stars!

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