Posts Categorized: Giveaway

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Black City Cover Reveal + Giveaway (INTL)

Posted by 340 Comments

Black City
Elizabeth Richards 
Release date: November 13th, 2012
by G.P. Putnam’s Sons BYR

Add it to your Goodreads

Deep in the heartland of the United Sentry States are the burning ruins of the Black City, a melting pot simmering with hostility as humans and Darklings struggle to rebuild their lives in the aftermath of a brutal and bloody war. A wall now divides the city separating the two races. Trapped on the wrong side of the wall is sixteen-year-old hustler Ash Fisher, a half-blood Darkling who’ll do whatever it takes to survive, including selling his addictive venom ‘Haze’ to help support his dying mother.

Then there’s Natalie Buchanan, the daughter of the Sentry Emissary, who feels imprisoned by her life of privilege and fame. When their paths cross, they instantly detest each other but Ash is shocked when his once still heart starts to beat. Bonded by a mysterious connection, Ash and Natalie first deny and then struggle to fight their forbidden feelings for each other, knowing if they’re caught, they’ll be executed. Then Haze users start dying all over the city and Ash discovers the terrible truth behind his and Natalie’s mystical connection. Suddenly, city walls and the threat of execution become the least of their problems.

Elizabeth Richards is an award-winning journalist and debut author, who spent her early career writing for videogame publications such as CUBE, P2 and GamesTM,and now works as a website editor. Previously, she ran a successful lifestyle website aimed at teenage girls. She won the Jane Hayward Young Journalist of the Year award for her feature on girls in the games industry, and was named ‘Editor’s Choice’ in the industry trade magazine, MCV.

Wow! This cover is absolutely amazing. I love the colors, I love the details. It’s all really awesome! Plus, the cover totally matches my blog! The synopsis is pretty cool too you have to admit! If you agree, keep reading for a look at the first chapter and a chance to win!


1st Chapter of Black City
ASH
    An air raid siren wails in the distance, alerting Black City citizens to lock their doors and turn out the lights. They don’t want to be out in the dark alone. They might meet something dangerous. Something like me.
    I head under the canal bridge and wait for the girl, taking a packet of Sentry-regulation smokes from my back pocket and sparking up. The nicotine courses through my veins, making them throb with adrenaline; the sensation is almost like a pulse . . . almost.
    Footsteps approach the bridge, and a short girl with straggly black hair appears from the shadows, dressed in men’s work boots, tight black trousers and a tailcoat made from a patchwork of clashing fabrics. Her hazel eyes gaze up into mine. She’s brave. Not many cherry-poppers have the courage to look me in the eyes. She hands me an old playing card with two hearts on it, one red, one black. It’s my calling card. It seemed an appropriate choice; that’s what I’m selling her after all, an illusion of love. I slip it into the pocket of my dark green military jacket.
    “You’re late,” I say. “Last thing I need is to be caught out here after curfew by a Tracker. They’re just begging for a reason to throw me in jail.”
    “Sorry, they’ve put up extra checkpoints, stopping everyone. There’s tanks everywhere!” she babbles. “I guess they can’t be too careful with the Sentry Emissary back in the city, what with the boundary negotiations with the Legion and—”
    “You paid Beetle?” I interrupt.
    The girl nods.
    “Terms and conditions,” I say. “No refunds. You don’t enjoy it, you puke, you freak—not my problem, okay?”
    She nods again.
    “You pregnant?” She blushes furiously. “I’ll take that as a no. It may cause drowsiness, so don’t drive or operate any heavy machinery.” She smiles at this, and I grin. They always like that. “And no repeats for at least two weeks, all right? I mean it.”
    “That all?”
    “No kissing. Strictly business, okay?”
    She seems a little disappointed by this, but I don’t like to mix business with pleasure. She shyly unbuttons the collar of her coat, revealing her slim, pale neck. Hunger grips my stomach at the sight.
    “What do I do?” she asks.
    “Lean back,” I say.
    She obeys like a good girl. I place a hand against the wall and slip my other hand between her thighs, gently easing her legs apart. Touching her doesn’t turn me on, but I groan like it does, knowing she’ll enjoy that. They all do, even the guys—it’s why they come to me instead of the Haze dens. I slide my body between her thighs so we’re face-to-face. Her shallow breaths are warm against my cool skin.
    “Relax, okay? It’s more enjoyable if you relax.”
    “My heart’s pounding a mile a minute.” She gives a nervous laugh.
    “Can’t say I know how that feels,” I admit.
    She tentatively presses a hand against my chest, and her eyes widen. “So it’s true, then? You don’t have a heart?”
    “I have a heart,” I growl, shoving her hard against the wall. It just doesn’t beat.
    A small tear snakes down her cheek, her thin lips trembling.
    “Sshhh, it’s okay, sweetheart. I didn’t mean to frighten you.” I gently wipe her tear away. “Forgive me?”
    She nods, then tilts her head to one side, exposing the smooth whiteness of her neck. The poison sacs behind my fangs swell with venom.
    Focus, Ash. Don’t blow your load.
    I lean toward her, pressing my lips against the soft flesh on her neck, just below her ear. Her pulse flutters under my lips, and I nearly lose it. I begin to nibble on the flesh, tickling the tiny hairs on her neck with my tongue, making them wet with my saliva.
    “Do it,” she whispers.
    So much for foreplay. I sink my fangs into her jugular. Hot blood spills over my tongue, making my taste buds burst with its sticky sweetness. Man, I love the newbies; they always taste the best. She sighs as my venom enters her bloodstream. I wait for the Haze to take effect before I start to drink from her. That’s the bonus of Haze; my clients get high from me, and I get high from them by drinking their drugged blood. It’s win-win.
    A sour, bitter flavor suddenly floods my mouth, and I gag, leaping back.
    “What the—” I spit up blood.
    The girl stares at me with glazed eyes, blood trickling down the two puncture wounds in her neck.
    “Everything’s sparkling,” she says dreamily.
    “Didn’t Beetle tell you I don’t take clients on meds?”
    She lurches toward me, and I grab her before she falls into the water.
    “I love you,” she slurs, trying to kiss me.
    I shove her, hard. She falls back against the wall and slides to the floor. Her eyes roll back into her head, and she begins to spasm, white foam bubbling out the corners of her mouth.
    “No, no, no! Wake up.” I kneel down and shake her, panic rushing through me.
    The girl jerks, her boots leaving black scuff marks on the cobblestones. Fragg! This is why I don’t take clients on meds. You can never tell how they’re going to react to the Haze. I shrug off my jacket and place it under her head.
    A Sentry tank rolls over the bridge, and I shut my eyes and wait for it to pass. Even though the war is officially over, I still get chills at that sound. Wherever they went, Death followed. I had a few close scrapes during the war. During those days, the fact that I was a legal citizen and half human didn’t mean much to them. If you weren’t 100 percent human, you were the enemy. Every day was a fight for survival. Not much has improved since then; I’m still the enemy in most people’s eyes. All they can see is the Darkling in me. The tank turns down Bleak Street toward the Sentry Emissary’s headquarters.
    The girl groans. It’s too dangerous here; I have to go. I could just leave her . . . No, that’s not an option, but I can’t take her to the hospital. I’d get in so much trouble.
    Beetle!
    I peer down the canal. A yellow barge is moored about one hundred feet away. The lights are off. Where is he? He’s meant to be my wingman; that’s why I came to the bridge in the first place. Can this get any wor—
    An explosion of pain bursts inside my chest, and I clutch a hand over my lifeless heart. I sense someone behind me and turn.
    A girl stands by the entranceway, lit by the headlamps of a passing truck. In the fleeting light, I catch a glimpse of cornflower-blue eyes flicking between me and the Hazer writhing on the ground.
    Her gaze finally fixes on me.
    I fall back, struck down, as the pain in my chest blooms again.
    Shivers run through my body, rushing toward a single point in my chest. There’s a spark of electricity and then:
    A flutter.

Giveaway
Big thanks to Penguin Books for Young Readers who is very generously offering an ARC (physical) of Black City for giveaway to one of my readers.

PLUS
The winner of this ARC will be added to a draw to win one of 5 exclusive and personalized drawings of the main characters—Ash and Natalie—drawn and autographed by the author.

Below is a sketch of the drawing. The finished drawing will be more polished and each one will be just a bit different, so each winner will receive an original and unique image. Winners of the drawings will be chosen at random by the author.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS
One advanced copy of Black City
Open internationally
Giveaway ends March 21st, 2012
Use the Rafflecopter below to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway<a href=”http://rafl.es/enable-js”>You need javascript enabled to see this giveaway</a>.

The Weeping Tour Stop

Posted by on 02/28/2012 • 34 Comments

Today I’m thrilled to have The Weeping blog tour visiting Xpresso Reads for a super fun post. First I’ll be showing you my thoughts on this book so you all get to see what it’s about. Then I’ll be showing you O’Dell’s dream cast – which actors he’d love to see playing the roles of his characters. There is also a fabulous giveaway at the end! I’m telling you, this is one awesome day!

Review

The WeepingO’Dell Hutchison Release date: March 6th, 2012by  H, C & B Publishing

Goodreads / Purchase

Twenty years ago, Catherine Whitley was the victim of a horrible crime. Betrayed by her friends, including the boy she loved, she was left to die when the Rock Harbor Opera House caught fire, taking a disturbing secret…

Miss World Tour Stop

Posted by on 02/16/2012 • 26 Comments

I’m part of the Miss World blog tour and today I’ve got Randi here for an interview to learn more about herself and her book. There’s also a chance to win so stick around! Never heard of Miss World? Here’s the lowdown:

Miss WorldRandi BlackRelease date: August 30th, 2011by Fire Spirit

Goodreads / Purchase

It’s 1993. Kim Ho wishes she were Courtney Love, instead of the chubby 16-year-old who clashes with her traditional Chinese parents. Her very own Kurt Cobain arrives in the form of Kevin, a 26-year-old failed musician. But Kevin uses Kim’s rock-star dreams to exploit her, and those dreams die along with the real Kurt Cobain.Too scared to tell anyone, Kim conjures up a cross-dressing imaginary friend and dates Walter Riordan, the cute boy from…

Giveaway: Starters by Lissa Price (CAN)

Posted by on 02/15/2012 • 25 Comments

StartersLissa PriceRelease date: March 13th, 2012by Delacorte Books for Young Readers

Goodreads / Purchase

HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie’s only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in…

Guest post & Giveaway with Sean Page

Posted by on 02/15/2012 • 12 Comments

War Against the Walking DeadSean PageRelease date: August 31st, 2011by Severed Press

Goodreads / Purchase

More than 63% of people now believe that there will be a global zombie apocalypse before 2050…

So, you’ve got your survival guide, you’ve lived through the first chaotic months of the crisis, what next?

Employing real science and pioneering field work, War against the Walking Dead provides a complete blueprint for taking back your country from the rotting clutches of the dead after a zombie apocalypse.

This giveaway was made possible by Kat from The Aussie Zombie. See what she thought of War Against the Walking Dead. Click here for her review.

As part of Zombies vs Unicorns month, I asked Sean to tell us how zombies would reign in a…

Guest post & Giveaway with Suz Korb

Posted by on 02/14/2012 • 21 Comments

As part of Zombies vs Unicorns month, Suz Korb, author of Eve Eden vs. the Zombie Horde is here today to educate us further on how to survive a zombie apocalypse. In particular, what NOT to do if you want to remain un-zombified. Oh and, there’s a giveaway too! Let’s first have a look at her book:

Eve Eden vs. the Zombie Horde (Bedeviled, # 1)Suz KorbRelease date: November 20th, 2011

Goodreads / Purchase

Kidnapped by a vampire, epically farted on by a pug and dragged through the pits of Hell. Welcome to Eve Eden’s world in the small and strange town of Twin Forest.

Eve has goals. She has dreams and ambitions that don’t involve staying in this weird, podunk town. When supernatural forces collide and drop her into…

All’s Fair in Vanities War Tour Stop

Posted by on 02/09/2012 • 23 Comments

As part of the All’s Fair in Vanities War blog tour, Elizabeth Marx is coming over to Xpresso Reads to list her top ten Celtic Goddesses. There is also a giveaway… or 2… or none… I guess you’ll have to check! 🙂If you haven’t heard of Elizabeth’s book before, here’s the deal:

All’s Fair in Vanities WarElizabeth MarxRelease date: October 24th, 2011

Add it to your Goodreads

Salem’s always held sinister secrets. No one understands this better than a sixteen-year-old girl who dies on Halloween night and is reborn a Seer. The Seer can’t imagine anything worse than being an invisible teenager with enormous black wings. Until she finds out she’s been sacrificed to watch over Locke’s new flame.

Locke Cavanaugh is a Druid, and part of the…

Follower Love Giveaway Hop – Zombie Love

Posted by on 02/06/2012 • 17 Comments

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Rachael Renee Anderson.

There are over 300 blogs linked together to give you lots of winnings! As part of Zombies Vs. Unicorns month, one blog on each team has decided to participate in this giveaway to give you some zombies and unicorn goodness! The team Unicorn blog is Haley over at YA-Aholic. So let’s see what Team Zombie has to give!

Since this is Zombies vs Unicorns month, I felt it suitable to giveaway a copy of the book that inspired us to organize this event: OR  you can pick instead, a pre-order of my most anticipated zombie book coming out in June: Have you missed any Zombies vs Unicorns posts? Click here for all the event posts so far….