The Best Reader [Search results for forgiven

  • Tour: Interview & Giveaway: Forgiven by Janet Fox

    Tour: Interview & Giveaway: Forgiven by Janet Fox

    Janet Fox is here today to talk about her newest book, Forgiven. It was released earlier this month.

    Janet has answered some questions for me and one lucky winner will receive a copy of her book.

    1. You have accomplished so many amazing things already. Including diving to the bottom of the ocean! Do you like to bring in any of those experiences into your writing?

    Thank you! All of my experiences feed my writing, even when I haven’t used or shown the specific experiences. My ocean diving experience, for example – and I should let readers know that I was in the submersible ALVIN and working on my MS, diving to the bottom of the Cayman Trough – does not yet appear in any of my stories. But my geology experience and knowledge of geology certainly do, in both Faithful and Forgiven. In Faithful, my knowledge of the geology of the Yellowstone region informs my descriptions. And in Forgiven, I focus in part on the earthquake of 1906 in San Francisco, and I had lots of geologic material to examine as I wrote.

    I should also add that, in the case of diving in the ALVIN, there’s a certain emotional factor involved: fear of the deep, of the darkness, of enclosed spaces; excitement at exploring the unknown, at seeing what no one else has ever seen. Those emotions do indeed feed my work.

    2. You've written a variety of stories and poetry that include a wide range of topics. Can you tell us a little about what other types of stories you would love to tackle?

    What a wonderful question! I’m working on a story right now that is my dream story. It’s a middle grade fantasy that involves angels and demons, talking animals, death and what happens in death, love and desperation – in short, I’m hoping to tackle subjects that enthrall me through the lens of fantasy. Can I succeed? I can only hope. I feel that as a writer my job is to challenge myself to write what I think is impossible to express. Art is all about expressing the otherwise inexpressible. I’ll let you know how it goes.

    3. Can you tell us how Faithful and Forgiven are connected?

    Faithful is the story of Maggie Bennet, a society girl who longs to fulfill her dream of a society debut, a society marriage, a predictable life. Forgiven is the story of Kula Baker, a girl raised in poverty who desires to raise herself up to be a respectable lady. Maggie’s dream is withdrawn, and she’s forced to face the false promise of her expectations and to recognize who she really is inside and to recognize her abilities aside from those expectations. Kula’s dream is thwarted, and she’s forced to face her fears and the true desires of her heart. If I say too much more I might add spoilers.

    4. If you had to describe Kula in 3 words, how would you describe her?

    Stubborn, feisty, courageous.

    5. What are you currently working on that you can share with us?

    I’m working on the third book in what I hope will become a quartet. This third novel is titled Moll and takes place in 1925 in New York City. It features a girl trying to save her family, her brother’s ghostly presence, a gangster and his moll (who becomes my protagonist’s friend), lies, secrets, illegal doings, flappers, romance, and a noir mystery. I’m planting seeds so that characters from Faithful, Forgiven and Moll can meet in book 4, tentatively titled Paradise. I’m excited to be able to give these stories resonance in what I’m thinking of as an American saga. Fingers crossed.

    Janet Fox will donate a portion of the proceeds from FORGIVEN to The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. To learn more about what you can do to help agencies that actively fight the exploitation and trafficking of children, visit the following websites:
    The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children

    Unicef

    Stop Child Trafficking

    Forgiven by Janet Fox
    Publisher: Speak (June 2nd, 2011)
    Reading Level: Young Adult
    Paperback: 288 pages
    Series: Faithful #2
    Kula Baker never expected to find herself on the streets of San Francisco, alone but for a letter of introduction. Though she has come to the city to save her father from a cruel fate, Kula soon finds herself swept up in a world of art and elegance — a world she hardly dared dream of back in Montana, where she was no more than the daughter of an outlaw. And then there is the handsome David Wong, whose smiling eyes and soft-spoken manner have an uncanny way of breaking through Kula's carefully crafted reserve. Yet when disaster strikes and the wreckage threatens all she holds dear, Kula realizes that only by unlocking her heart can she begin to carve a new future for herself.

    Prize:

    • 1 winner will receive a copy of Forgiven by Janet Fox.

    Rules:
    • You must be at least 13 to enter.
    • Name and email must be provided and counts as 1 entry.
    • Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
    • Contest is US Only and ends June 30th.
    • Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
    • The form must be filled out to enter.

    Find Janet Fox
    Website | Goodreads | Blog | Twitter | Facebook

    Purchase Forgiven
    Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

  • Giveaway: Forgiven by Jana Oliver

    Giveaway: Forgiven by Jana Oliver

    I adore Jana Oliver and yesterday the third book in her Demon Trapper's series was released. St. Martin's Griffin has been kind enough to offer up a copy of Forgiven to one lucky reader!

    Forgiven by Jana Oliver
    Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (March 27th, 2012)
    Reading Level: Young Adult
    Paperback: 368 pages
    Series: The Demon Trapper's #3
    The days are growing darker for 17-year-old demon trapper Riley Blackthorne. With her father’s reanimated body back safely, Beck barely speaking to her because of a certain hunky Fallen angel, and a freshly-made deal with Lucifer, she has enough on her hands to last a normal teenage lifetime. Though she bargained with Heaven to save his life, her ex-boyfriend Simon has told the Vatican’s Demon Hunters that she’s working with Hell. So now she’s in hiding, at the top of everyone’s most-wanted list.
    But it’s becoming clear that this is bigger than Riley, and rapidly getting out of control: something sinister is happening in Atlanta… or someone. The demons are working together for the first time ever and refusing to die, putting civilians in harm’s way. Riley thinks she might know who’s behind it all, but who’s going to believe her? Caught between her bargain with Heaven and her promise to Lucifer, Riley fears the final war is coming – and it may be closer than anyone thinks…

    Prize:

    • 1 winner will receive a copy of Forgiven.
    Rules:
    • You must be at least 13 (or have permission) to enter.
    • Name and email must be provided.
    • Extra entries are possible and links must be provided.
    • Contest is US only and ends April 16th.
    • Once contacted, the winner will have 48 hours to respond.
    • The form must be filled out to enter.

    Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

    Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

  • In My Mailbox (46-51)

    In My Mailbox (46-51)

    It has, literally, been forever since I have done an IMM. I've been swamped with homework and last week we took my daughter to her first concert (post on that to come later). It was a blast! Here are the books I have received over the past month. Special thanks to Random House, HarperTeen, Bloomsbury, Simon & Schuster, Penguin/Speak, Shelley Workinger, Janenifer Echols, and Ednah Walters.

    Review
    Every Little Thing in the World by Nina de Gramont
    She's So Dead to Us by Kieran Scott
    Promises to Keep by Charles De Lint
    The Forever Crush (Pink Locker Society) by Debra Moffitt
    Dark Eden (ARC) by Patrick Carman
    Flawless (ARC) by Lara Chapman
    Tighter (ARC) by Adele Griffin
    Wake Unto Me (ARC) by Lisa Cach
    Moonglass by Jessi Kirby
    Bitter End by Janenifer Brown
    The Lucky Kind (ARC) by Alyssa B. Sheinmel
    Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) (ARC) by Sarah Mlynowski
    Wildefire (ARC) by Karsten Knight
    The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer (ARC) by Michelle Hodkins
    We'll Always Have Summer by Janeny Han
    Where Things Come Back by John Corey Whaley
    Getting Revenge on Lauren Wood by Eileen Cook
    Bite Club by Rachel Caine
    Ordinary Beauty by Laura Weiss (2 copies- one for giveaway)
    Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky (2 copies- one for giveaway)
    Forgiven (ARC) by Janet Fox
    Nocturne (ARC) by Christine Johnson
    Just Like Heaven by Julia Quinn
    Betrayed (signed) by Ednah Walters
    Everfound by Neil Shusterman
    Kiss of Death by Lauren Henderson
    Tighter by Adele Griffin (2nd copy)
    The Education of Hailey Kendrick by Eileen Cook
    Passion by Lauren Kate

    Swag
    Betrayed by Ednah Walters(signed) bookmarks
    Sabine and Kisri by Moira Rogers (signed) bookplates
    Bitter End by Janenifer Brown (signed) bookplate and bookmark, plus bracelet (not pictured)

    Gift
    Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon

    Signed
    Love Story by Janenifer Echols
    Settling by Shelley Workinger (NOTE: I'm blurbed!!)

    Other Goodies
    The Sisters Brothers by Patrick Dewitt (book and signed poster)
    A giveaway is going on now for a poster just like this one!

    Starcrossed Book Trailer

    And I just had to share a brand new book trailer I saw yesterday. I just read Starcrossed by Josephine Angelini and it was beyond amazing!! If you haven't added this book to your goodreads list, do it NOW! This book just jumped into my top 3 of this year so far. Check out the UK book trailer!

    What did you get in your mailbox this week?

    *IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

  • Crossroads Tour Begins Today!

    Crossroads Tour Begins Today!

    For the third year in a row I am participating in the Crossroads blog tour! This tour will feature 13 outstanding authors and people who follow along with the tour will have a chance to win a KINDLE. The kindle will be preloaded with a title from each author!

    To be entered, your readers MUST complete all the research questions (a new one will be posted each day) and email their answers to judithgraveswrites@gmail.com by midnight on October 30th — correct entries will go into a draw for the grand prize.

    You can find more details here.

    Twitter chat will be: Monday the 29th from 8-9 CST / 9-10 EST. Hosted by Mundie Moms
    PARTICIPATING AUTHORS
    Judith Graves – Leap Books – Under My Skin, Second Skin, Skin of My Teeth, Killer’s Instinct

    Joy Preble – Sourcebooks – Dreaming Anastasia, Haunted, Anastasia Forever. Soho Press (forthcoming May 2013) – The Sweet Dead Life

    Stacey Kade – Hyperion – The Ghost and the Goth, Queen of the Dead, Body & Soul

    Amanda Ashby – Speak – You Had Me at Halo, Zombie Queen of Newbury High, Fairy Bad Day, Demonosity

    Lucienne Diver – Flux – Vamped, Revamped, Fangtasic, Fangtabulous

    Kiki Hamilton – Teen / Macmillian – The Faerie Ring, The Torn Wing

    Jackie Morse Kessler – Harcourt Graphia – Hunger, Rage, Loss

    Christine Fonseca – Compass Press – Transcend, Libera Me

    Carrie Harris – Delacorte Books for Young Readers -Taste In Boys, Bad Hair Day

    Dawn Dalton – Leap Books — SPIRITED Anthology, Killer’s Instinct

    Leanna Renee Hieber — Sourcebooks – Darker Still (Magic Most Foul, #1), The Twisted Tragedy of Miss Natalie Stewart (Magic Most Foul, #2)

    Ty Drago — Sourcebooks – The Undertakers: Rise of the Corpses, The Undertakers: Queen of the Dead

    Janet Fox – Speak – Faithful, Forgiven, Sirens
    ______

    PARTICIPATING BOOK BLOGGERS: Late Bloomer Online
    A Simple Love of Reading
    Scribing Shadows
    For What It’s Worth
    Confessions of a Bookaholic
    Mundie Moms Book Reviews
    Most-Wanted Monsters
    A Life Bound by Books

    The tour Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crossroads-Blog-Tour/218310244897337?ref=hl And Twitter account: @TheCrossroadsBT

  • In My Mailbox (94-101)

    In My Mailbox (94-101)

    It's been a while since I've done an IMM. Here are pictures of most of the books I've received over the past 8 weeks or so.

    Review
    When You Were Mine (ARC) by Rebecca Serle
    Black Dawn by Rachel Caine
    Last Breath (SIGNED) by Rachel Caine
    Wrecked (ARC) by Anna Davies
    One Breath Away (ARC) by Heather Gudenkauf
    Black Dawn (SIGNED) by Rachel Caine
    The Calling by Kelley Armstrong
    The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong
    Forgiven by Jana Oliver
    Pushing the Limits (ARC) by Katie McGarry
    Lost Voices by Sara Porter
    Such a Rush (SIGNED ARC) by Janenifer Echols
    The Selection by Kiera Cass
    Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin
    The Last Echo by Kimberly Derting
    Slide by Jill Hathaway
    The Secret Circle: The Divide by L.J. Smith
    The Vampire Diaries: Moonsong by L.J. Smith
    The Vampire Diaries: The Compelled by L.J. Smith
    The Vampire Diaries: The Return by L.J. Smith
    Invisible Sun by David Macinnis Gill
    Blackwatch (ARC) by Janena Burtenshaw
    So Close to You (ARC) by Rachel Carter
    Once (ARC) by Anna Carey
    Drain You (ARC) by M.B Brown
    Insignia (ARC) by S.J. Kincaid
    Tiger Lily (ARC) by Jodi Lynn Anderson
    Endlessly (ARC) by Kiersten White
    Team Human (ARC) by Justine Larbalestier
    Destiny (ARC) by Gillian Shields
    Defiance (ARC) by C.J. Redwine
    Erasing Time (ARC) by C.J. Hill
    The Lost Girl (ARC) by Sangu Mandanna
    Starling (ARC) by Lesley Livingston
    Two or Three Things I Forgot to Tell You (ARC) by Joyce Carol Oates
    Over You (ARC) by Emma McLaughlin
    Life Happens Next (ARC) by Terry Truman
    Don't Turn Around (ARC) by Michelle Gagnon

    Purchased (Not Pictured)
    How to Ruin My Boyfriend's Reputation by Simone Elkeles
    Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowen Boys by Kate Brian
    Snitch by Allison van Diepen
    Winter's Kiss by Janenifer Echols and Catherine Hapka
    The List by Siobhan Vivian
    Spell Bound by Rachel Hawkins

    What did you get in your mailbox this week?

    *IMM is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren and it was inspired by Alea at Pop Culture Junkie.

  • Going Into the Wild: Exploring New YA (June 1st-13th)

    Going Into the Wild: Exploring New YA (June 1st-13th)

    The Eternal Sea (Everlasting #2) by Angie Frazier (Scholastic Press 6/1/2011) Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari (Scholastic 6/1/2011) Stupid Fast by Geoff Herback (Sourcebooks Fire 6/1/2011)

    The Vampire Stalker by Allison van Diepen (Point 6/1/2011) The Ivy: Secrets (The Ivy #2) by Lauren Kunze and Rina Onur (Greenwillow 6/1/2011) Forgiven (Faithful #2) by Janet Fox (Speak 6/2/2011)

    He's So Not Worth It (He's So/She's So Trilogy #2) by Kieran Scott (Simon and Schuster 6/7/2011) The Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn't Have) by Sarah Mlynowski (HarperTeen 6/7/2011) Nyx in the House of Night (House of Night) by P.C. Cast and others (Smart Pop 6/7/2011)

    Everlasting (The Immortals #6) by Alyson Noel (St. Martin's Griffin 6/7/2011) My Life Undecided by Jessica Brody (Farrar, Straus, and Giroux (6/7/2011) Chicks Kick Butt (Shifters) by Various Authors (Tor Books 6/7/2011)

    Crush Control by Janenifer Jabaley (Razorbill 6/9/2011)

    Possession (Possession #1) by Elana Johnson (Simon & Schuster 6/7/2011) Hereafter (Hereafter #1) by Tara Hudson (HarperCollins 6/7/2011) Forgotten by Cat Patrick (Little, Brown Books for Young Readers 6/7/2011)

    If you know of any other new releases for June 1st-13th feel free to add them in the comments so others will know about them!

  • Review: The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram

    Review: The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram

    The Avery Shaw Experiment by Kelly Oram
    Published: Bluefields (May 4th, 2013)
    Reading Level: Young Adult
    ebook: 278 pages
    Rating: 5 of 5 stars
    Summary:
    When Avery Shaw’s heart is shattered by her life-long best friend, she chooses to deal with it the only way she knows how—scientifically.

    The state science fair is coming up and Avery decides to use her broken heart as the topic of her experiment. She’s going to find the cure. By forcing herself to experience the seven stages of grief through a series of social tests, she believes she will be able to get over Aiden Kennedy and make herself ready to love again. But she can’t do this experiment alone, and her partner (ex partner!) is the one who broke her heart.

    Avery finds the solution to her troubles in the form of Aiden’s older brother Grayson. The gorgeous womanizer is about to be kicked off the school basketball team for failing physics. He’s in need of a good tutor and some serious extra credit. But when Avery recruits the lovable Grayson to be her “objective outside observer,” she gets a whole lot more than she bargained for, because Grayson has a theory of his own: Avery doesn’t need to grieve. She needs to live. And if there’s one thing Grayson Kennedy is good at, it’s living life to the fullest.

    Review:


    When this book came along I was looking for a cute, funny story to make me smile. This was exactly what I needed. The entire story is so adorable! The Avery Shaw Experiment takes first love, first heartbreak, and puts a scientific spin on it, which equals the perfect combination for this book!

    Avery has been friends with Aiden and Grayson forever. They all grew up together and recently Avery has felt her feelings for Aiden are more in the"love" category. Well, unfortunately, Aiden doesn't feel the same way. He breaks her heart by turning her down and, low and behold, Grayson (the older brother) is there to catch Avery.

    From page 1 I loved Grayson. He's cute, funny, a jock, and hot. What's not to love about that? He's also a complete sweetheart. Even when he's being a bit flirtatious and getting on Avery's nerves, I couldn't help but swoon a little at his actions.

    Poor Avery went through a lot in this story but I loved how Grayson really introduced her to a whole new world. While Avery was hoping to make her heartbreak into a scientific experiment, all Grayson wanted to do was make her feel better and realize she didn't need Aiden.

    Aiden was a jerk. I had a hard time liking any part of him after what he did to Avery. I'm not sure I could have forgiven him. Boo, Aiden!

    However, one of the first scenes with Grayson had me wishing I had a friend in high school just like him. He wasn't afraid to tell people off. There were times I just wanted to shake Avery and say"Get over it!!". But, at the same time, I realize what young love and heartbreak can be like and I understood why she wasn't able to let go of those feelings so easily.

    If you are looking for a cute story with a fantastic male swoon-worthy character, pick this one up! I hope Kelly writes more of these stories because it was one of my favorite books from this year!

    Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

    Amazon | Barnes & Noble

  • Winners!

    Winners!

    Lots of winners to announce today! Thanks to everyone for entering. The Stand Up Against Abuse contest ends TONIGHT! 3 winners will be picked. More giveaways will be starting soon.

    The winner of Forgiven is…
    Tiffany D.

    The 2 winners of Ordinary Beauty are…
    Kelsey F. and Thao H.

    The winner of a signed copy of Settling is…
    Jel

    The winner of a signed Hourglass poster is…
    brookea_2006

    The winner of the Freedom Giveaway Hop is…
    Diana (artgiote@… ) who picked a copy of Wolfsbane

    Congrats to everyone! I have emailed you all and if you have gmail please check your junk folder. Winners must email me back with their addresses within 48 hours.

    Jordan from Sleep. Eat. Read is trying to raise money to go to the Austin Teen Book Festival in October and she's also working for a great cause to help do it. She is helping sell merchandise (hoodies, t-shirts, and jogging pants) for Down Syndrome Awareness.

    If you are interested in purchasing one of these items, or finding out more information about the cause, you can email jj20030@yahoo.com or go to her blog here.

  • Crossroads Tour: Janet Fox

    Crossroads Tour: Janet Fox

    1. What is one if your favorite lines from Sirens?

    I have to give you two lines, two sentences, just because they go together (kind of like my two voices, Josephine and Louise): “We were mirrors, reflections, like in a Coney Island funhouse. One of us would levitate, and one of us would disappear, if you get my drift, and the twist was which of us would do what.”

    2. What is the hardest part of writing a historical novel?

    The hardest part of writing any novel for me is the first draft. That’s because I’m a “seat of the pants” writer. I don’t outline or plan – I just get it out on paper the best way I can. Now, historical novels require a lot of research, and that actually helps, because I feel the time period and the voice so clearly as I research.

    But if I had to say what is the hardest thing about writing historicals? It would have to be making sure that I get it right. I hope I never have to apologize for making an historical mistake – getting a fact wrong.

    3. Do you ever have certain “playlists” you listen to while writing?

    Actually, not while writing. I need pretty much complete silence while I write. That’s not to say I need to close my doors and windows or anything; but I can’t listen even to music while I’m at the computer. Otherwise I just end up sitting back and singing along. Or standing up and dancing.

    However, I often have songs in my head and listen to stuff between stints of writing. Sometimes it’s music of the period and sometimes it’s contemporary stuff that just fits the mood. And I love making up playlists to go with the story as I’m puzzling out pieces while I’m walking.

    4. Do you have any strange writing habits?

    I alluded to the walking thing – I take a walk every day. If I’m trying to sort out a part of a novel that’s giving me fits I take it with me on the walk. And I find that at about the same place on the walk, each and every day, the answer comes to me, or at least I have a new clue. It’s quite rewarding.

    Plus, I get my exercise.

    Forgiven by Janet Fox
    Published: Speak (June 2nd, 2011)
    Reading Level: Young Adult
    Series: Faithful, #2
    Kula Baker never expected to find herself on the streets of San Francisco, alone but for a letter of introduction. Though she has come to the city to save her father from a cruel fate, Kula soon finds herself swept up in a world of art and elegance — a world she hardly dared dream of back in Montana, where she was no more than the daughter of an outlaw. And then there is the handsome David Wong, whose smiling eyes and soft-spoken manner have an uncanny way of breaking through Kula's carefully crafted reserve. Yet when disaster strikes and the wreckage threatens all she holds dear, Kula realizes that only by unlocking her heart can she begin to carve a new future for herself.

    Siren s by Janet Fox Published: Speak (November 8th) Reading Level: Young Adult Series: Faithful, #3 When Jo Winter’s parents send her off to live with her rich cousin on the glittering island of Manhattan, it’s to find a husband and forget about her brother Teddy’s death. But all that glitters is not gold,. Caught up in the swirl of her cousin’s bobbed-hair set—and the men that court them—Jo soon realizes that the talk of marriage never stops, and behind the seemingly boundless gains are illicit business endeavors, gangsters, and their molls. Jo would much rather spend time the handsome but quiet Charles, a waiter at the Algonquin Hotel, than drape herself
    over a bootlegger. But when she befriends a moll to one of the most powerful men in town, Jo begins to uncover secrets—secrets that threaten an empire and could secure Jo’s freedom from her family. Can her newfound power buy her love? Or will it to ruin Jo, and everyone around her?

    Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

    Amazon | Barnes & Noble

    HOW THE TOUR WORKS Each day of The Crossroads Blog Tour, a new research question will be revealed on The Crossroad Blog Tour main page: http://judithgraves.com/events/the-crossroads-tour/crossroads-2012/ and each day the answer to that question will be found within one of the different blog posts by Crossroads Tour authors. Your job is to get the question, read the blog posts, and collect all answers by the end of the tour.
    Answers are to be emailed to judithgraves @ ymail dot com by October 28th at MIDNIGHT. Winner of the grand prize will be announced on OCTOBER 31st – HALLOWEEN.
    The GRAND PRIZE you’re vying for? A brand new KINDLE, preloaded with a title from each of the participating Crossroads Blog Tour Authors. That’s right folks, a free KINDLE and 13 free EBOOKS!

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