I have been listening to the Rolling Stones for my entire life, and I am a dyed-in-the-wool fan. But I have only seen them in concert one time, for a very specific reason. Not the money, but because the Stones tend to play the hits. As much as I love these guys I really don’t need to hear “Jumping Jack Flash” one more time. Generally speaking, I like to hear artists play something new, rather than stick to tried and true favorites. I know that a lot of people feel differently, but there you go. Whatever sinks your sub. Now this website usually exists to bring you the new stuff, but I ‘ve decided, for a change of pace, that I am going to play some hits. My version of the hits. Basically, now and again, I am going to review books that I have read in the past, and have enjoyed so much that I feel like passing them on, to you, free of charge. So, Dear Reader, get ready for the hits.
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Editorial by: Mark Palm One of the questions I have been asked about the Bookend Family is about bad reviews; specifically, why aren’t there more of them? There are two very specific reasons for that. First, I will tell you a story. A few years back, after reviewing a non-fiction book I looked at my Goodreads review and read a few of the comments. The one that intrigued me the most said that they liked my review but felt that I inserted myself too much into the review and that I was too personal in my opinions and not objective enough, which is certainly a valid point. If I was a reporter, I would probably agree. Then again one of my journalistic heroes is Hunter S. Thompson. And not for his Gonzo antics, but because that he realized, that for him, objectivity was impossible. He believed that his participation in covering a story made it impossible to be objective, so he chose not only to write about whatever story he was covering but to write about him covering the story. By doing so, he created a new form of journalism. Now it would be the height of hubris to compare myself to Hunter, even for someone as vain as I can be, so I will not go there. I will, however, reveal the first reason why there are so few negative reviews on this site: I am not a professional reviewer. If an editor assigned me books to review, and I was being paid to do so, I would write a lot of bad reviews. There a ton of bad books out there, and a lot of them are on best-seller lists. If I had to plow through Danielle Steele and Bill O’Reilly you can bet that I would be spewing venom like a pissed-off rattler. And I would certainly be less happy that I am now, working in my own little niche.
Which brings me to the second reason why there are so few bad reviews on this site. The Bookend Family is a labor of love. We are doing this because we love books, and we love to read. I want people to share my love of reading, and of good books. So when I come across a book that I do not like, I just put it aside and reach for the next one. And I keep reaching until I find a book that I like. Then I read it, and I share it with you.
Mama's kisses have long been magic, but have you ever wondered from where their magic originated? Long ago, a boy named Monkey McGhee was born in the far off village of Wyld Isle. From the start, Monkey was very different - he was quite hairy and his toes were squished full of stinky cheese. All of the villagers made fun of Monkey and called him some not-so-nice-names. Monkey’s Mama decided enough was enough and found the power of her magic kisses deep down inside of her heart. A power that was so strong, it transformed her little Monkey from stinky to swanky.
Shannon Ivey is “Mama” to three children, two of whom hail from Texas' foster system. Her middle son is an abuse victim who suffers from PTSD, OCD, and ADHD. As much as Shannon has tried to kiss away his hurt, his scars still remain. In an effort to pay for his psychiatric treatment, Ms. Ivey has decided to publish her book, Mama's Kisses Are Magic - which was originally written in private for her eldest son, Isaac Wyld. Mama’s Kisses Are Magic is dedicated to her brilliant children Isaac, Calvin, and Megan. Welcome to the World of Steel & Stone
Visit the World of the Steel & Stone Series by Annette Marie in the Highly Anticipated Finale, UNLEASH THE STORM
Piper started out as a magic-less apprentice only to become the wielder of the most powerful weapon in existence, but the cost of that power has been blood and pain. As she and Ash retreat into the Underworld to escape the coming daemon war, he’s all she has left – but if she can’t find her strength, she’ll soon lose him to dangers in his world that even he can’t fight. Read the exhilarating conclusion to the Amazon best-selling YA urban fantasy series in UNLEASH THE STORM by Annette Marie… People are raving about the Steel & Stone series and so are we at The Bookend Family! "...a get in your face, let's rock and roll, with a kick butt heroine, action packed ride. This story is seriously unique in it's approach...." - The Bookend Family I could not put it down! It had everything I want to read in a UF – action, great characters, awesome world building, diverse species, secrets and lies, twists and turns and a smidge of romance…. Now I want more! – Book Passion For Life Get to Know Annette Marie...
The Bookend Family has been following and reading Annette Marie since we first discovered her shortly after the release of book one of the Steel & Stone Series, Chase the Dark. I'm delighted to have the opportunity to participate in this Blog Tour and even more excited to introduce Annette Marie as a Blog Guest today who took the time to answer our question on this Blog Tour.
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Synopsis:
Piper thought she could handle the Sahar, the most powerful magical weapon in existence. She thought she could protect her loved ones and stop a war. She thought she could make a difference. She was wrong, and her mistakes were paid for in blood. Leaving her world—and her failures—behind, she retreats to the Underworld with Ash and the other draconians. They forge deep into long abandoned mountains, the first draconians to fly the valleys and passes in centuries—or so they thought. Until now, Ash’s mysterious heritage has been nothing but a name, but his presence does not go unnoticed. A new danger stalks him, one that may be even greater than what they escaped. Cut off from the power she’d come to rely on and lost in a world where she doesn’t belong, Piper has never felt so hopeless. But she must find her strength, and find it quickly, before she loses Ash to an ancient power he can’t fight, before her home is devastated by the daemon war, and before her mind, body, and soul are consumed by the Sahar’s insidious magic. On Sale in Digital: March 4, 2016 Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Goodreads Excerpt from Unleash the Storm: Piper crouched behind the boulder, her heart beating fast against her ribs. Stretching her neck, she peeked over the top of the rock and squinted at the shallow gorge ahead, cloaked in shadows. She flexed her fingers as she scanned for signs of movement. Beyond the gorge, towering mountains pressed close on all sides. The bold, jagged peaks cut at the sky like stone blades, leaning over her no matter which way she turned. She was starting to get used it, but the feeling of claustrophobic insignificance still caught her in unguarded moments. High above the mountain ridges, the sun glared brightly, casting harsh shadows over the dark rocks. Her skin prickled, an instinctual warning. She spun around. Black wings flashed wide as a draconian dropped off the cliff wall behind her. Swearing, Piper sprang onto the boulder and leaped off it as the draconian slammed into the ground where she’d been standing. She dropped into a roll and came out of it in a full sprint, charging down the gorge. She risked a glance over her shoulder and saw her adversary lift a hand, a spell already forming. She dove to the side. The spell hit the rocky ground and exploded in a shower of pebbles. Her right hand connected with the ground as she spun in a one-handed cartwheel and landed on her feet, running again. She dashed into the gloom of the gorge. The ground grew steeper and the rocky walls closed in one either side. She slid on the loose rocks underfoot, struggling to maintain her speed and balance as she dodged boulders. A flash of movement from her left. She sprang right and spun, skidding as pebbles cascaded down the gorge. The second draconian launched out of the shadows barely three feet from her, and icy terror washed through her. She threw her hands up and caught his forearms as she was bowled over. She hit the rocky ground on one shoulder and yanked her feet up. She planted her boots in his stomach and snapped her legs straight. He flipped over her head and landed hard, wings splayed over the rocks. Piper rolled to her feet, leaped over him, and bolted down the gorge. The end beckoned. Sunlight sparkled on the burbling stream as the water rushed by perpendicular to her path. Fluttering in the breeze, a strip of red cloth was tied to a tree branch sticking out of the stream bank. Anticipation surged. She was almost there. A body slammed into her back. She crashed down on the pebbly slope, her arms pinned to her sides and a pokey pair of knees digging into her back. “Do you surrender?” her assailant growled from above her. “Ugh,” Piper panted. “Fine. I surrender.” Her attacker laughed, her high, bubbly voice echoing off the gorge walls. The weight left Piper’s back and she rolled over, chest heaving as she caught her breath. The draconian stood over her, hands on hips, wings half-spread and tail whipping side to side with delight as she surveyed her victim with a grin. Check out the entire Series!!!
CHASE THE DARK (Steel & Stone Book 1)
Order this title at these online retailers: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Goodreads Check out this highlight from CHASE THE DARK (Steel & Stone Book 1) Every gun was pointed at her. This time she knew they meant business. The prefects she hadn’t permanently downed took a few steps back, getting out of the potential crossfire. “Hit one more of my men and we’ll open fire,” the man at the back called. “Lie on the floor with your hands on the back of your head. Now!” Before she could obey and get arrested, or disobey and get shot, the air rippled. Electricity filled the atmosphere, crackling like lightning about to strike. She heard a weird rushing sound, then there was harsh breathing right behind her; someone stood at her back. “Are you going to shoot me?” The voice that asked the question was deep and guttural, sepulchral and alien in a way that froze everyone in the vicinity. Every gun was now aimed at a point just over Piper’s right shoulder. She tried to keep her breathing steady as fear tightened every prefect’s face. Men who had faced the ten-foot minotaur without batting an eyelid, trained and seasoned fighters, were staring over her shoulder with shaking hands and pale faces. She slowly licked her lips. “Ash?” she whispered. He shifted closer until he brushed against her back. “Do you have what we need?” he breathed. The heat of his body made her shiver. “Yes,” she breathed back. He huffed in relief, sounding almost normal for a second. Then he slid one arm around her waist, delicately as though he were afraid of accidentally crushing her. “Don’t move or we’ll shoot,” the prefect leader yelled. “That,” Ash said as he extended one hand in front of Piper, “would only make me angry.” Piper stared at his hand, too shocked to move or to think. His outspread fingers were black with a dull gleam like leather, the tips smoothly forming long claws. Large black scales covered the back of his hand and ran up the top of his arm like an armguard. The scales gave way to human skin, leaving the underside of his arm disconcertingly normal. Somehow, that was even freakier. The air grew hot around them. It sizzled. The lead prefect jerked like he was about to yell the word that would riddle Piper and Ash with bullets, then light flashed in Ash’s palm and everything exploded for a second time.
BIND THE SOUL (Steel & Stone Book 2)
Order this title at these online retailers: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Goodreads Check out this highlight from BIND THE SOUL (Steel & Stone Book 2) “Piper!” he roared. She bolted, arms flailing for balance as she ran for the waiting car. The back door opened. She caught a glimpse of Miysis before he moved back to make room for her. “Piper, get back in here right now!” She dove into the darkness of the car. Miysis reached across her and pulled the door closed as the car began moving. Piper glanced out the window in time to see Quinn running across the lawn after her, fear stamped across his face. Her insides squirmed with guilt. He couldn’t know who owned the black car and he couldn’t have seen Miysis in the shadowy interior. All he’d seen was his daughter, wearing a dress for the first time in years, sneaking out to a mysterious car with unknown occupants one night after he’d found out she was possibly participating in illegal activities. She hoped he didn’t think she’d just been picked up by a pimp. Miysis eased back into his seat as the car sped up. She pulled her skirt down to where it belonged and gave him a quick once over. Her heart sank. He looked like a million bucks in a smoky gray tux with a silvery vest and a fancy-collared shirt. His honey blond hair was tousled in a perfect mix of messy and deliberate and his golden-green eyes almost glowed in the dark interior of the car. Sitting next to him, she looked ridiculously cheap and underdressed. His gaze flicked over her stupid little dress. He opened his mouth to speak. “I didn’t have anything to wear,” she wailed before he could complain. “I didn’t have anything.” “I know,” he said with a hint of a smile. “That’s why I brought you something.” He pointed to a long garment bag hanging beside him. She blinked. “You bought me a dress?” He smiled, by all appearances totally serene. “You didn’t think I would let my date go in rags, did you?” “Your—your date?” She gaped at him. “I’m going as your date? I—I thought you were making me one of your attendants or something.” Daemon royalty always had a gaggle of advisors, attendants, and bodyguards following them around. “Really, Piper. How would I explain the daughter of the Head Consul waiting on me? You should be glad I didn’t have a date already.” “But—but—” She goggled. Miysis was one of the top-ranking Overworld daemons. Going as his date was like going to a coronation with a member of a royal family. She’d never imagined he would go out on a limb like that for her. The entire political community would be gossiping about it for months. She might be the Head Consul’s daughter, but compared to Miysis, she was a dirt-poor commoner. “But aren’t you worried what people will think?” she asked. “I’m looking forward to seeing the looks on their faces,” he said with satisfaction. “The confusion and alarm will be priceless. They won’t know what to make of it.” She thought about it then shrugged. “I guess if you don’t mind …” He canted one eye toward her. “Do you?”
YIELD THE NIGHT (Steel & Stone Book 3)
Order this title at these online retailers: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Goodreads Check out this highlight from YIELD THE NIGHT (Steel & Stone Book 3) “Kindra, no—” The daemon rose to her feet, shedding her glamour in the same movement. Her wild red hair drifted outward, suddenly immune to gravity. Her ears were now pointed, cheeks hollow beneath dramatically sharp cheekbones. Her eyes were huge and black as coal. Her body, more willowy and lightweight than ever, coiled in readiness. Narrow red things—scales? feathers?—rose in lines on her arms like a cat’s hair standing on end. Before Piper could even finish her protest, Kindra sprang out of the trees. With impossible speed, she flashed across the expanse of lawn. Piper swore under her breath and ran out after her, keeping low. Kindra was on the first man before he could turn. Piper didn’t see what Kindra did but the man screamed as he fell. The others spun toward the daemon. She dashed away, almost too fast for the eye to follow, then reappeared, making a grab for a second one. The third got his gun up and fired but Kindra abandoned her target and flashed away, a dark blur. His gun flipped up, hitting him in the face, struck by an invisible blow from the daemon. He staggered, brandishing his rifle and wildly looking around for Kindra. Between the darkness, the haze of rain, and the lethal daemon, none of them noticed Piper coming.
FEED THE FLAMES (Steel & Stone Book 3.5)
In this short story addition to the Steel & Stone series, discover the fate of Seiya and Lyre following the conclusion of YIELD THE NIGHT (Steel & Stone #3). Order this title at these online retailers: Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Goodreads Check out this highlight from the short story FEED THE FLAMES (Steel & Stone Book 3.5) “So your spell will disable the collar for . . . how long?” “Maybe five minutes.” She masked her shock. Most daemons performed magic through on-the-spot spell-casting. Magic could also be woven into materials such as metals and gemstones, but that was far more complex. Creating weavings that could interact with other weavings was high-level magic. She couldn’t do anything like that, and neither could Ash. Sure, they’d learned how to set a spell in a piece of stone or metal, but they weren’t inventing intricate, interactive weavings. Developing new magic was the life’s work of the most gifted daemon minds. The only daemons she knew with that kind of talent worked at Chrysalis, Samael’s most sinister business. They’d developed some of the most complex magic she’d ever heard of, like the collar that had nearly killed Ash. She studied Lyre, swallowing the touch of suspicion trying to creep into her voice. Spell weaving wasn’t something a daemon picked up on the fly. “Where did you learn to make stuff like that?” He rolled his eyes. “You’re right. This is the perfect time to share my life’s story.”
REAP THE SHADOWS (Steel & Stone Book 4)
Order this title at these online retailers: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | Goodreads Check out this highlight from REAP THE SHADOWS (Steel & Stone Book 4) An animal snarl ripped through the silence as the beast dove for them like a half-ton missile. She threw her hands up and cast a shield. Black fire exploded outward when the creature slammed into her spell. The dragon rebounded into the air, great wings beating as it roared. Piper spun to see that all the apprentices were on the ground, having thrown themselves down when the monster had charged them. “Get up and run!” she yelled. Lexa yanked Lee up by his arm. “Go!” The apprentices scrambled to their feet and bolted down the alley. Lexa ran after them, but Piper’s eyes were locked on the second shadow. It held still, standing on the rooftop with partially spread wings. She could feel the burn of the draconian’s gaze on her. He was here for her. With a frantic glance toward the fleeing apprentices, she turned and ran between two buildings. Just before her line of sight was cut off, she saw the dragon swoop over the heads of its prey, letting out a terrifying roar even as it deliberately missed them by several feet. It must be herding them away. Fighting for calm, Piper sprinted down the narrow passageway between buildings—too narrow for a draconian’s wingspan. Darkness enclosed her but she didn’t dare create any light. She ran on, stumbling over cracks and garbage. She could feel the press of the draconian’s stare and knew he was following her, not the others. Ahead of her, the passageway opened up into a wide street faintly illuminated by a single streetlamp. She skidded to a stop just short of the sidewalk, lifted her gun, and waited. Author Bio...
Annette Marie is the author of the Amazon best-selling YA urban fantasy series Steel & Stone, which includes the 2015 Goodreads Choice Award nominee Yield the Night. Her first love is fantasy, a limitless realm of creativity where she can break all the boring rules of real life, but fast-paced urban fantasy, bold heroines, and tantalizing forbidden romances are her guilty pleasures. She proudly admits she has a thing for dragons, and her editor has politely inquired as to whether she intends to include them in every book.
Annette lives in the frozen winter wasteland of northern Alberta, Canada (okay, it’s not quite that bad). She shares her life with her remarkably patient, comparatively sensible husband and their furry minion of darkness—sorry, cat—Caesar. When not writing, she can be found elbow-deep in one art project or another while blissfully ignoring all adult responsibilities. Find Annette Marie: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads MER-CHARMER, by Amy Bearce Genre: middle-grade fantasy Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press Date of Release: May 9, 2016 Cover Artist: Amalia Chitulescu Find Online: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads Description: Fourteen-year-old Phoebe Quinn is surrounded by magic, but she can’t muster any of her own. Her sister is a fairy keeper. Her best friends are merfolk. And all she does is dishes and housework. When Phoebe finds out a terrible sea creature is awakening that preys upon the peace-loving merfolk, she becomes determined to help them, even though it means going with Tristan and Mina to their home deep in the sea. Beneath the waves, Phoebe learns she’s more like her sister than she realized. The merfolk are drawn to her, and she can sense the magic of the sea all around her. Magic is finally at her fingertips, but that’s precisely why the stirring dark power under the waters decides it wants her most of all. Now she must not only help the peaceful merfolk escape this ancient enemy, she must master her out-of-control powers. If she fails, she will die and darkness will rise and enslave the merfolk once more. But embracing her full power could cost her the very people she loves the most.
Curiosity Quills Press (CQ) is a small hybrid publishing company specializing in genre fiction of the highest quality. With 150+ titles in our catalog already and approximately 6 new books coming out each month, there’s never a dull moment at CQ. We work with major retailers such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Audible to ensure that you, the reader, can find whatever you are looking for at your convenience.
Founded in 2011 by Eugene Teplitsky and Lisa Gus, CQ was initially a resource portal for writing and publishing, created in an effort to help writers, like themselves, survive the publishing industry. After rapid success, CQ morphed into publishing press that over time has solidified its share in the market. Now we spend our days searching for the next great escape! Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
This Christmas, as with most Christmases, we all received many games, and I thought it time that we shared and recommended some of our favorites that have brought us many hours of fun and family enjoyment. We upgraded the xBox 360 to the xBox One, and as a result added some new video games to our library. Our reviewer and son, Brennan, is very excited about bringing you electronic gaming reviews. My personal favorite has always been role-playing games, which we regularly participate in and have even added a new element, www.roll20.net, that allows us to have tabletop role-playing with other family members in different states. (It's very cool and if you don't know about it I can't wait to get you the information!) Our reviewer and daughter, Avalon, is a super board game fanatic and has many new games which you may have not heard of before.
We hope to introduce your family to some of our favorites, and maybe even open the doors to gaming you never experienced before. So I hope you enjoy the expansion of our site with a our new "Game Review" section, and I would love to hear comments from you about your own gaming experiences. We will start reviewing some of the games we recently received like Steampark, Sheriff of Nottingham, and Survive Escape from Atlantis later this month. We hope to not only provide a solid review, but some helpful hints and instructions on how to improve your game play. We will provide links to purchase the games via Amazon as well. Let's get ready to play!
We would also like to congratulate all of the authors who were finalists and made the long-list. Now, I don’t know about you, but whenever there is an award ceremony like this, I always think of my favorite works that I have read during the year, and remember the joy that they gave me, regardless of awards that they may or may not have won. So I wonder, would you like to share with us some of your favorite books that you have read in the past year? We aren’t going to have a vetting process or any serious criteria, but try to just limit yourself to books published during this year. Or not, if you feel like it. Just give us your favorites. I don’t have any categories; to be honest, and much to my chagrin, I did not read any poetry this year, sad to say. So I am just going to give you my favorites straight up.
The Bookend Family's TOP PICKs 2015
My favorite book read this past year was The Fair Fight by Anna Freeman, without a doubt.
After that and in no particular order it’s:
My wife and fellow reviewer, Stacy Palm had to add her favorites, as well:
Favorite book of the year would be one I recently reviewed, These Shallow Graves by Jennifer Donnelly. After that my top five (in no particular order) would be:
And since this is a family affair, the teens jumped in with their favorites:
Brennan’s favorite was The Last American Vampire by Seth Grahame-Smith Avalon’s favorite was Followed by Frost by Charlie Homberg
The giveaway ends on December 2nd, so don’t hesitate – enter the DEAD RINGER CALI-STYLE SWAG BAG GIVEAWAY today!
Curious about Laura Rivers and her story? Read an excerpt from DEAD RINGER and find out more about author Jessie Rosen on fullfathomfive.com. A big thanks to the sponsors for providing the prizes: Maybelline New York, Nasty Gal, Billabong, First Aid Beauty, Starling Jewelry, Skin Authority, Wade & Belle, and Hearts & Hashtags! |
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