Blog Tour- SALT & STORM by Kendall Kulper and a Giveaway!

Hey y'all! I'm super excited to have Kendra Kulper here here today as a part of the SALT & STORM blog tour! I asked Kendall for a playlist for the book I'll add videos for my favorites and links for the others! I was so happy that she'd share this with us! Make sure to stick around to win a copy of the book!
Haven't heard of SALT & STORM? Check it out!

Title: SALT & STORM

Author: Kendall Kulper

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Pub. Date: September 23, 2014

Find it: Goodreads|Amazon|Barnes& Noble

A sweeping historical romance about a witch who foresees her own murder--and the one boy who can help change her future.

Sixteen-year-old Avery Roe wants only to take her rightful place as the witch of Prince Island, making the charms that keep the island's whalers safe at sea, but her mother has forced her into a magic-free world of proper manners and respectability. When Avery dreams she's to be murdered, she knows time is running out to unlock her magic and save herself.

Avery finds an unexpected ally in a tattooed harpoon boy named Tane--a sailor with magic of his own, who moves Avery in ways she never expected. Becoming a witch might stop her murder and save her island from ruin, but Avery discovers her magic requires a sacrifice she never prepared for.

Now on to the post!

SALT & STORM Playlist

Music was a huge inspiration to me while writing SALT & STORM. Whenever I had trouble capturing the feel of the book, I just turned on my “Island Songs” playlist and let it bring me back to SALT & STORM’s world. Here are a few of my favorite inspiring songs:

The Ghost On the Shore – Lord Huron

So pretty, so haunting, gorgeous instrumentals backing up beautifully stripped-down vocals.

Whirlpool – Sea Wolf
 Sea Wolf was another huge inspiration writing the book. I found them while I was editing SALT & STORM, so they’re forever linked in my head with huge packets of notes and colored pencils. This song tells about a darkness that pulls at the singer as powerfully as a whirlpool and his hopes that one day he’ll emerge a cleaner, better person, but what I really love is how the circular, repeating lyrics evoke the never-ending spinning of a whirlpool.

Dear Avery – The Decemberists

This is the song that helped give Avery, my main character, her name. It’s the song of a parent singing to their child about wanting to always keep them safe, even when they have to head off into danger. Parent-child relationships are a huge part of SALT & STORM, and this song beautifully captures that complexity.

       

Serpentine – Chris Bathgate

This is one of those pretty songs designed to stick in your head from the first time you hear it. It’s a melody as catchy as it is gorgeous, and it has a lovely gloominess to it without being a total downer.

A Girl, a Boy, and a Graveyard – Jeremy Messersmith

This is one of those songs with lyrics that seem tailor-made for Tumblrs (and it has an awesome animated music video to match). It’s also the kind of song I would have adored as a teen.

The Mariner’s Revenge Song – The Decemberists

I could probably make up a whole playlist of songs that inspired SALT & STORM just out of songs by The Decemberists. They’re the closest musical cousins to the feel I got writing the book—historical with a dark twist and a little humor. This song, about a boy confronting the no-good sailor who betrayed his mother while both are inside the belly of a whale, is absurd without being silly (and is really, really fun to sing along to).

When the Ship Comes In – The Decemberists with The Chieftains (OMG Kendall I loveeee The Chieftans!!)

SALT & STORM combines traditional whaling histories with a modern flair, and this fun, jumping song combines traditional Celtic music with The Decemberists’ modern take on pop and rock.

The Violet Hour – The Civil Wars

The Civil Wars are another modern band with roots in history, this time American folk. The Violet Hour doesn’t have any lyrics, but it does have beautiful instrumentals. It was my go-to song to listen to when I needed a sort of mental palate cleanser.

Of Angels and Angles – TheDecemberists

So sweet and so lovely, this is one of my favorite romantic songs for its effortless simplicity. Like the romance in SALT & STORM, it’s a love song that’s more about touch, closeness, and comfort being with the person you love than big, romantic gestures.

The Water’s Wide – Sea Wolf

Another lovely Sea Wolf track, this time from their new, stripped-down album, Song Spells, No. 1. What I really love about Sea Wolf is how they’re able to take these forms of water—whether whirlpool, rain, or river—and weave them beautifully into moments in a person’s life.

Thanks for stopping by Kendall I loved this!!!!

About Kendall:

Kendall Kulper writes historical fiction with a fantasy twist for teen readers and knows more about nineteenth century whaling than she ever imagined. Her debut YA novel, SALT & STORM will be published by Little, Brown September 23, 2014. She graduated from Harvard University with a degree in history and literature in 2008 and spent several years as a journalist before deciding to write full-time. She grew up in the wilds of New Jersey and now lives in Boston with her husband and chronically-anxious Australian Shepherd mix, Abby.

Website/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads/Tumblr

Giveaway Details:

2 Hardcovers of SALT & STORM US Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

9/15/2014- Novel Novice- Interview

9/15/2014- The Infinite To-Read Shelf- Review

9/16/2014- All Things Urban Fantasy- Guest Post

9/16/2014- No BS Book Reviews- Review

9/17/2014- Such a Novel Idea- Interview

9/17/2014- Katie's Book Blog- Review

9/18/2014- IceyBooks- Interview

9/18/2014- Reading YA Rocks- Excerpt

9/19/2014- Wishful Endings- Guest Post

9/19/2014- Casual Readers- Review

Week Two:

9/22/2014- Supernatural Snark- Interview

9/22/2014- About to Read- Review

9/23/2014- The Cover Contessa- Guest Post

9/23/2014- Imaginary Reads- Review

9/24/2014- Fire and Ice- Guest Post

9/24/2014- Once Upon a Twilight- Review

9/25/2014- Tales of the Ravenous Reader- Interview

9/25/2014- The Best Books Ever- Review

9/26/2014- Two Chicks on Books- Guest Post

9/26/2014- Tynga's Reviews- Review

Cover Reveal- REBELLION by J.A. Souders and a Giveaway!

Today J.A. Souders and Rockstar Book Tours are revealing the cover for REBELLION, book 3 in the Elysium Chronicles releasing in June 9, 2015! Check out the gorgeous cover and enter to win the books!

On to the reveal! 

Title: REBELLION

Author: J.A. Souders

Publisher: TOR Teen

Pub. Date: June 9, 2015

Find it: Goodreads

About J.A. Souders 

J.A. SOUDERS is the author of the Elysium Chronicles and lives in the land of sunshine and palm trees with her husband and two children where she spends her time writing about the monsters under the bed, day dreaming about living in an underwater colony, and failing miserably at playing video games.

Website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Goodreads/Pinterest

Giveaway Details:

1 winner will receive physical copies of RENEGADE AND REVELATIONS plus the eNovellas. And ASK AGAIN LATER by Liz Czukas. If you have J.A.s books already, she will do an amazon or book depository gift card of the same value. International.

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Dying to Read (72)- THE EMPTY THRONE by Cayla Kluver

Hey y’all thanks for stopping by to see my Dying to Read post and of course as always I have to give credit to the lovely Jill over at Breaking the Spine for the Waiting on Wednesday Meme!

Oh it has a cover and a synopsis and I need this book so bad after how THE QUEEN'S CHOICE ended I need more Zabriel!

THE EMPTY THRONE
Cayla Kluver

Release Date: January 27, 2015

Hardcover: 304 pages

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

ISBN: 978-0373211036

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

How do you find the strength to save your kingdom when you've lost everything? 

Anya has failed in her mission to bring Prince Zabriel back to the Faerie realm of Chrior so that he can ascend his rightful throne. Instead, Zabriel, her prince, cousin and dear friend, is standing trial for crimes committed under the false name William Wolfram Pyrite. Worst of all, the last possible heir to the Faerie throne is Illumina—the cousin Anya suspects of the foulest betrayal possible. 

In a desperate last attempt to put things right, Anya must partner with the unlikeliest of allies and venture into ever more dangerous situations if there is to be any hope of peace for her people.

So what do you think? Will you be adding this to your pile? What are you dying to read this week?

Blog Tour- FIRE IN THE WOODS by Jennifer M. Eaton and a Giveaway!

Hey y'all! I think you all know by now Sci-Fi is a favorite genre of mine and I love a good Alien book or TV series. Hello Lux series by Jennifer L. Armentrout, Alienated by Melissa Landers, Roswell, Starcrossed and The Host! And Jennifer M. Eaton's FIRE IN THE WOODS is up there in my favorites you all are going to love David!! So I asked Jennifer for a deleted scene from the book and she was happy to oblige! Ooh and keep reading there's an awesome giveaway at the end! 
Haven't heard of FIRE IN THE WOODS? Check it out!

Title: FIRE IN THE WOODS

Author: Jennifer M. Eaton

Pub. Date: September 23, 2014

Publisher: Month9Books

Pages: 331

Formats: Paperback (release date October 28th), eBook (release date September 23rd)

Find it: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Google Play, Kobo, Books A Million, Indiebound, Goodreads

When a plane crashes in the woods near Jess’s home, the boy of her dreams falls out of the sky—literally. But David’s not here to find a girlfriend. He’s from another planet, and if Jess can’t help him get back to his ship, he’ll be stuck on Earth with nothing to look forward to but the pointy end of a dissection scalpel.

But her father runs their house like an army barracks, and with an alien on the loose, Major Dad isn’t too keen on the idea of Jess going anywhere. Ever. So how the heck is she supposed to help the sweetest, strangest, and cutest guy she’s ever met?

Hiding him in her room probably isn’t the best idea. Especially since her Dad is in charge of the squadron searching for David. That doesn’t mean she won’t do it. It just means she can’t get caught.

Helping David get home while protecting her heart—that’s gonna be the hard part. After all, she can’t really fall for a guy who’s not exactly from here.

As they race through the woods with Major Dad and most of the U.S. military one breath behind them, Jess and David grow closer than either of them anticipated. But all is not what it seems. David has a genocide-sized secret, and one betrayal later, they are both in handcuffs as alien warships are positioning themselves around the globe. Time is ticking down to Armageddon, and Jess must think fast if she’s to save the boy she cares about without sacrificing Earth—and everyone on it.

Now on to the scene!

FIRE IN THE WOODS is written in first person from Jess’s point of view, so it doesn’t surprise me that people would be interested in what David was thinking at different points in the story.

Here is one scene that came to mind: The scene where Jess kisses David. Just what would you think if someone kissed you, if you had no idea what a kiss was?

*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^ 
“We could have died yesterday. You know that, don’t you?” Her shaking hands and the desperation in her voice cut a hole through my heart.

“But we didn’t. We’re okay.” 

Tears pooled in her lashes. “Are we?”

I pushed down a shiver, the last of the morning chill. “Now that it’s getting warmer, yes, we are.” The sincerity in my words didn’t make it any more true. Not to me, anyway. She was right. We could have died last night. This was all my fault, and she shouldn’t have been involved. 

Her gaze drifted to the endless woods around us. “This is so not how I expected to spend my last week of summer vacation.”

I lowered my eyes, her words cutting me in ways I never would have expected. “You wanted to be with him, didn’t you?”

“Him? Who him?”

“Jared Linden, the boy you were thinking about when we first met.” I touched my cheek. “The boy with this face.”

A giggle burst from her lips. “I don’t know him. He’s an actor. I’ve never even met him. I just think he’s cute.”

“Cute?”

“Yeah, like, attractive, you know?”

A smile burst free, despite my trying to conceal it. “So, you find me attractive?”

“Maybe—when you’re not ripping off your fingers or freezing to death.” 

She shifted her weight. It was more than that. I wasn’t good enough for her. No matter what she’d done to bring us here, she didn’t really care about me. Maybe she wasn’t even capable of it. But it felt like she did, and it was killing me inside. 

I glanced up, and her eyes seemed to look through me, sorting out my inadequacies and lining them up, just like every other girl I’d known. But she stepped closer, placing her fingers on my chest. Closeness, contact—things I wasn’t used to, at least with a girl.
Her eyes bore through me, deeper, searching. What was she looking for? She licked her lips, leaving a glisten behind that reminded me of the sparkle of the moons outside the purple planet in the system we passed through with three suns. Beautiful.

I tensed as she leaned toward me. Confusing, humans. They value closeness, touch, when there is no chance she could… Her mouth covered mine, and my breath hitched. A strange sensation, the touch of another’s lips. Was this… normal?

She moved away, a touch of uncertainty tainting her eyes.

“Why’d you do that?” I asked.

She backed against a tree, holding her stomach. “I’m sorry, I thought you wanted me to.”

“Why would I want that?”

She burst into tears. “I thought you liked me.”

“I do. What’s wrong?” 

Tears flowed from her eyes. She covered her face with her hands. 

“Jess. I’m sorry. Geeze, I don’t even know what I did.”

“I kissed you, and you, you …” She began sobbing again.

“I don’t even know what a kiss is.” I clawed at my temples. “Jess, please, I have no idea what just happened.”

She gulped down a sob. “Didn’t you feel anything? Anything at all?”

Every emotion inside me evaporated. What had I done? This wonderful, sweet girl had done nothing but help me. How had I made her so unhappy?  “Jess, please. I don’t understand. It was nice, I guess—the kiss thing. But it took me by surprise. I didn’t know what to say. I do like you.”

She uncovered her face and wiped her cheek on her sleeve. “You do?”

“Of course. Here …” I leaned down and plastered my lips against hers. I didn’t 
understand, but if this is what she wanted, I’d do it. I owed her that much, no matter how odd it seemed.

She laughed, but for some reason, I didn’t think that was a good thing.

“I’m sorry.” I sat back on the ground, my shoulders slumped. “I’ve never done that before. I really didn’t mean to hurt your feelings.” What an idiot I was. I snatched a rock and chucked it at a tree. Hit it dead on. “I am screwing everything up!”

Her eyes widened. “You’re not screwing everything up.” 

I shook my head. Of course I was. That’s what I did. I screwed things up. Always. That was why I was stuck alone on this planet. 

She shifted her weight. “I can’t believe you’ve never kissed a girl before. I mean—look at you.”

I held out my arms and checked my human exterior. “Is there something wrong with me?”

Jess snorted a laugh. “No, your gorgeou … I mean, I think a lotta girls would be interested in you.”

Little did she know. She must be younger than I thought. 

I tapped my chest. “Remember, this is Jared Linden. This isn’t what I really look like. Besides, girls don’t really care about your appearance where I come from.”

She settled more closely beside me. “No? Then what do they look for?”

“Accomplishment. Someone they can brag about.” I pursed my lips. “I’m the one who downed his plane on a simple communications mission. I’m the complete and utter failure.”

“I don’t think you’re a failure. I mean, you’re nice. You care, and you … I don’t know … you’re brave.”

“Brave? When was I brave?”

“Well, you saved me twice last night. You could have jumped out the window and left me in the hotel, and you could have left me in the car when you broke free. I’d probably be under hot lights being questioned by now.”

“You’d probably have been better off. Instead, you’re out here, hungry and freezing to death.”

She ran her fingers through my hair, and a sweet smile crossed her angelic, human face.
“David, there is nowhere else I want to be. If I wasn’t here last night, you might actually have frozen to death.” 

She moved closer. My instincts screamed to move away, but I couldn’t. I didn’t really want to.

“I owe you a lot, you know.” I shifted my shoulders, uncomfortable so close to a female who wasn’t ordered to stand next to me. I didn’t really understand human ritual, but I liked touching. The warmth was comforting in a way. “If you want, you can do that kiss thing again.”

She smiled. “You don’t have to. I’m sorry I even tried it. I feel like an idiot.”

“Actually I kind of liked it. It was … warm. Nice.”

“You’re all about being warm, aren’t you?” 

“You’d be too if you spent most of your night shaking in a frozen dementia.” I smiled and rubbed my cheek gently against hers. Would she understand what this meant? 
Could she feel my need to be closer to her? “I liked it, Jess. I just didn’t understand what you were doing. My people don’t … kiss.”

She cleared my throat. “Okay. We can try it again.”

I forced down a childlike giggle. She actually wanted to be close to me. How was this possible? I firmed up my lips and pressed them against hers.

She laughed and pushed me away. “Stop.”

“What? Did I do it wrong again?”

Jess held back a laugh, I was sure of it. What did I expect?

“Tell you what,” she said. “Relax. Don’t be so stiff. Concentrate on the way if feels, and when I open my mouth, you open yours. Follow my lead.”

I don’t think I’ve ever been so frightened in my entire life. “Umm, okay.”

She licked her lips and eased closer. My lips brushed against hers, and she gently closed her mouth over mine. For a brief second, I forgot who I was, and who she was, and released the part of me I should have concealed. Something about her, the touch, the way she felt, it was like nothing I’d ever experienced. My lips parted, and she slid her tongue between them. The slight chill was nearly maddening, a sensation so wrong, yet so fulfilling, so right. I slid my hands behind her back and drew her closer. She didn’t push me away. Instead, she slid her palms under my sweatshirt and trailed her fingers down my back. A chill ran up my spine beneath her touch. I drank it in and feared it at the same time. She was cold. Human. Wrong, but so right at the same time. Everything about this embrace was strange, but it still took every ounce of my willpower to pull away. I looked down, struggling for a breath that wouldn’t come.

“Was that okay?” she asked.

I nodded without raising my eyes. “It was nice. Really nice. It’s, well, we’re alone, and it didn’t seem right. You don’t really know me, and that felt kind of … intimate.”

“That’s what a kiss is. It’s intimate.”

For the grace of the Caretakers! She felt it too. Did she want this? With me? “Why would you want to be intimate?”

The sweetness in her eyes dropped to despair

I leaned away. “I said something wrong again, didn’t I?” 

Thanks for stopping by Jennifer I loved this!!!!

About Jennifer:

Jennifer M. Eaton is a contemporary blender of Science Fiction, Dystopian, and Romance. Her work ranges from the sweet contemporary romances of PAPER WISHES, to the high-paced science fiction adventures of FIRE IN THE WOODS and ASHES IN THE SKY.

While not off visiting other worlds, Jennifer calls the East Coast of the USA home, where she lives with her wonderfully supportive husband, three energetic boys, and a pepped up poodle.

Full time team leader, full time mom, and full time novelist... what more can you ask for? Writing help did you say? Well, sure! Jennifer hosts an informational blog aimed at helping all writers be the best they can be. Stop on by and chat. She loves to hear from fans! http://www.jennifermeaton.com/

Author Links:  Website  | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Instagram

Giveaway Details: 

Giveaway Information:  Winner will be drawn October 25, 2014

One (1) custom made necklace (used as inspiration for the necklace in Fire in the Woods).  Adjustable chain from 10 to 12 inches. T (US ONLY)

Five (5) winners will receive a digital copy of Fire in the Woods by Jennifer M. Eaton (INT)

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Tour Schedule:

Go over to Chapter by Chapter to see the rest of the schedule and read more awesome posts from Jennifer!

Cover Reveal- I HEART ROBOT by Suzanne van Rooyen and a Giveaway!

Welcome to the Cover Reveal for

I Heart Robot by Suzanne van Rooyen

presented by Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

I HEART ROBOT Cover Art from Suzanne van Rooyen

I'm not the most artistically inclined. While I do love art and have been known to bust out the pencils and paints myself, it's not an area where I'd consider myself particularly talented. In short, I knew that cover design was something best left to the professional and I had every confidence in Month9Books.

I am so grateful to Georgia McBride for allowing me to have the amount of input I did when it came to cover creation for I Heart Robot. This is a novel that is as much about a civil rights struggle in a futuristic, post-war city as it is about romance, and we wanted a cover that reflected both elements. Finding the right balance between romance and science fiction was a tall order, but Month9Books delivered in spades by presenting me with two stylistically different covers. I loved elements of both, and by working closely with the cover artist and with Georgia we managed to combine all the best parts of both original covers into what we have today: a cover that reflects the gritty world my characters live in while emphasizing the fact that this is above all, a love story.

Sixteen-year-old Tyri wants to be a musician and wants to be with someone who won't belittle her musical aspirations.

Q-I-99 aka 'Quinn' lives in a scrap metal sanctuary with other rogue droids. While some use violence to make their voices heard, demanding equal rights for AI enhanced robots, Quinn just wants a moment on stage with his violin to show the humans that androids like him have more to offer than their processing power.

Tyri and Quinn's worlds collide when they're accepted by the Baldur Junior Philharmonic Orchestra. As the rift between robots and humans deepens, Tyri and Quinn's love of music brings them closer together, making Tyri question where her loyalties lie and Quinn question his place in the world. With the city on the brink of civil war, Tyri and Quinn make a shocking discovery that turns their world inside out. Will their passion for music be enough to hold them together while everything else crumbles down around them, or will the truth of who they are tear them apart?

Title: I Heart Robot
Publication date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.
Author: Suzanne van Rooyen

Suzanne is a tattooed storyteller from South Africa. She currently lives in Finland and finds the cold, dark forests nothing if not inspiring. Although she has a Master’s degree in music, Suzanne prefers conjuring strange worlds and creating quirky characters. When not writing, she teaches dance and music to middle schoolers and entertains her shiba inu, Lego. Suzanne is represented by Jordy Albert of the Booker Albert Agency.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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(Winners will receive their book on release day)

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