Release Week Blast + Giveaway: Invaded (Alienated #2) by Melissa Landers

Yay! I'm so happy and excited to get to help Melissa Landers spread the word about awesome release week launch party for INVADED!  Oh, and you should totally make sure you enter the giveaway, because you do not want to miss out on this one if you love swoon-worthy, cute, and adorable alien/human romances!

Like, I even with this series, because it's so darn adorable and lots of fun to read, plus it's bright and all kinds of imaginative. I absolutely fell IN LOVE with the Alienated (check out my review for it on Goodreads), the first book in this series, and I recently read the little novella Until Midnight and got sucked back into that world. So naturally, I'm all grabby-hands flailing all over the freakin' place, itching to get my hands on a copy of Invaded now. 

And it's like BOOM! She's freaking amazing enough to share an awesome little note with you guys! Check it out! 

Hey, fiction lovers. I’m Melissa Landers, author of the Alienated series (YA sci-fi from Disney-Hyperion), and today I’m bouncing with excitement because THE SEQUEL IS FINALLY HERE!

It’s been a year since we left Aelyx and Cara onboard the intergalactic transport, and INVADED begins with an emotional goodbye as they part ways—Aelyx returning to Earth to salvage the alliance, and Cara continuing to L’eihr to serve out her part of the student exchange. While they’re apart, our star-crossed lovers will face assassination attempts, betrayal, crippling self-doubt, and a sadistic alien Phys Ed class. (Because there’s no escaping PE, even in another galaxy.) When Aelyx and Cara finally reunite…well, let’s just say it’s combustive. ;-)

What do reviewers think? I’m glad you asked!

“Readers will love the seamless blend of suspense, humor, and romance set against an interstellar landscape. Dual narratives and a tightly plotted mystery keep the suspense running high, and the chemistry between Aelyx and Cara smolders.” –Booklist

“Excellent character development and integration between modern reality and science fiction. Teens will be rooting for the galactic couple while enjoying the action and suspense that runs through the two volumes.” –School Library Journal

“The protagonists' forced separation gives greater depth to their romance. Each learns to turn a critical eye upon the flaws of their native societies while confronting genuine obstacles to a future together. These complications only underscore the growing sense of menace that propels the narrative to an action-packed climax.” –Kirkus

I hope you’ll make tracks to the nearest bookstore and pick up a copy of INVADED! 

If you’re snowed in, here are some easy links to bring the sequel right to you!

Amazon * B&N * iBooks * Book Depository 

Indie Bound * Indigo * Books-A-Million

To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble and an autographed swag pack, complete with mini posters of BOTH books! This giveaway is open internationally, and due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate.

Best of luck, and happy reading!

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About the Author

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Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of  Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” 

For more information, or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.

Wishful Wednesday featuring This Shattered World (Starbound #2) by Aime Kaufman and Megan Spooner

Wishful Wednesday was inspired by Waiting on Wednesday and Desperately Wanting Wednesday by Breaking the Spine and Parajunkee.

Wishful Wednesday is my own little version of "Waiting On Wednesday". Every week, I'll pick an upcoming book that I'm anticipating the release for and showcase it here on the blog. This week, that book is going to be This Shattered World (the second book in the Starbound trilogy) by the amazingly talented dynamic duo Aime Kaufman and Megan Spooner. 

Holy Crap! Words cannot even begin to express how freakin' excited I am for this book. GIVE ME THIS NOW, PLEASE! I really, really, really need it in my life. M'kay. I just...I don't know if I can hold out until December. I just want this in my hands so bad, so that I can see what happens next in this beautifully written world, what new characters pop up, and just ALL OF THE FEELS.

If you haven't read These Broken Stars yet, then check out my review here on Goodreads and add it to your list of must read now books.

This Shattered World by Aime Kaufman and Megan Spooner

Expected Publication: December 263 2014

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Age Demographic: YA Sci-Fi Romance
Pages: 390

The second installment in the epic Starbound trilogy introduces a new pair of star-crossed lovers on two sides of a bloody war.

Jubilee Chase and Flynn Cormac should never have met.

Lee is captain of the forces sent to Avon to crush the terraformed planet's rebellious colonists, but she has her own reasons for hating the insurgents.

Rebellion is in Flynn's blood. Terraforming corporations make their fortune by recruiting colonists to make the inhospitable planets livable, with the promise of a better life for their children. But they never fulfilled their promise on Avon, and decades later, Flynn is leading the rebellion.

Desperate for any advantage in a bloody and unrelentingly war, Flynn does the only thing that makes sense when he and Lee cross paths: he returns to base with her as prisoner. But as his fellow rebels prepare to execute this tough-talking girl with nerves of steel, Flynn makes another choice that will change him forever. He and Lee escape the rebel base together, caught between two sides of a senseless war.

The stunning second novel in the Starbound trilogy is an unforgettable story of love and forgiveness in a world torn apart by war.

To PreOrder a copy of This Shattered World by Aime Kaufman and Megan Spooner visit Amazon & Barnes&Noble!

Website Twitter Facebook 

Amie Kaufman is the co-author of These Broken Stars, the first in the Starbound trilogy, and Illuminae, the first in a new series starting in 2015. She writes science fiction and fantasy for teens, and her favourite procrastination techniques involve chocolate, baking, sailing, excellent books and TV, plotting and executing overseas travel, and napping. 

She lives in Melbourne, Australia with her husband, their rescue dog, and her considerable library. She is represented by Tracey Adams of Adams Literary. 

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Meagan Spooner grew up reading and writing every spare moment of the day, while dreaming about life as an archaeologist, a marine biologist, an astronaut. She graduated from Hamilton College in New York with a degree in playwriting, and has spent several years since then living in Australia. She's traveled with her family all over the world to places like Egypt, South Africa, the Arctic, Greece, Antarctica, and the Galapagos, and there's a bit of every trip in every story she writes.

She currently lives and writes in Northern Virginia, but the siren call of travel is hard to resist, and there's no telling how long she'll stay there. 

In her spare time she plays guitar, plays video games, plays with her cat, and reads.

Book Review: These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Aime Kaufman and Megan Spooner

These Broken Stars (Starbound #1)
Aime Kaufman & Megan Spooner

Published: December 10, 2013

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Age Demographic: YA Sci-Fi Romance

Pages: 384

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

To Purchase These Broken Stars (Starbound #1) by Aime Kaufman and Megan Spooner visit: Amazon & B&N

Note: I received a beautiful finished copy of These Broken Stars from Disney-Hyperion, in exchange for an honest review. 

These Broken Stars is a timeless and beautifully written story of romance, adventure, and imagination that will absolutely captivate you from beginning til' end. Incredibly heart stopping, you'll find yourself flying through the pages in no time at all. Aime Kaufman and Megan Spooner have definitely outdone themselves, with this shining wonder of splendor and beauty. The romance is just as timeless and gorgeous, as the characters and the many adventures they find themselves embarking on are. Readers will find themselves falling for them the instant they are introduced.

Action packed and filled with danger and wonder, These Broken Stars, encapsulates everything that I love about a science fiction book with a timeless romantic twist involved. All of the elements come together so realistically and blend so brilliantly well together, it's hard not to fall in love with the gorgeous world that these two extremely talented authors have created. The adventure and romance between Tarver and Lilac is the best part of the book, in my opinion. I fell madly and gloriously in love with the gorgeous chemistry between the two of them, the sheer intensity of them coming together and building slowly, only to be ripped apart again made it even more incredible, heartaching, and splendidly written well. The world building alone, is absolutely phenomenal! It's rife with danger, filled with amazing action, and heart stopping moments that will have readers on the edge of their seats.

Kaufman and Spooner have done a brilliant job at penning such an originally stunning and gorgeous novel. The complexity of this story alone, is enough to rouse interest and keep you reading until the last page. If you are a fan of science fiction novels such as the amazing Across the Universe, then this is the book that you'll want to pick up and read. It is, without a doubt, one of my favorite books that I've read this year. The characters, the story, the romance...it's everything that I was expecting it to be and so much more.This is a book that is definitely not to be missed out on.

Aime Kaufman & Megan Spooner
Website Twitter Goodreads

Website Twitter Goodreads

Amie Kaufman is the co-author of These Broken Stars, the first in the Starbound trilogy, and Illuminae, the first in a new series starting in 2015. She writes science fiction and fantasy for teens, and her favourite procrastination techniques involve chocolate, baking, sailing, excellent books and TV, plotting and executing overseas travel, and napping.

Meagan Spooner grew up reading and writing every spare moment of the day, while dreaming about life as an archaeologist, a marine biologist, an astronaut. She graduated from Hamilton College in New York with a degree in playwriting, and has spent several years since then living in Australia. She's traveled with her family all over the world to places like Egypt, South Africa, the Arctic, Greece, Antarctica, and the Galapagos, and there's a bit of every trip in every story she writes.

She is best known for having written the Skylark series.

Book Review: The Rules (Project Paper Doll #1) by Stacey Kade

The Rules (Project Paper Doll #1)
By Stacey Kade

Published: April 23, 2013

Publisher: Disney-Hyperion

Age Demographic: YA Contemp/Sci-Fi

Pages: 416

1. Never trust anyone.
2. Remember they are always searching.
3. Don’t get involved.
4. Keep your head down.
5. Don’t fall in love.

Five simple rules. Ariane Tucker has followed them since the night she escaped from the genetics lab where she was created, the result of combining human and extraterrestrial DNA. Ariane’s survival—and that of her adoptive father—depends on her ability to blend in among the full-blooded humans in a small Wisconsin town, to hide in plain sight at her high school from those who seek to recover their lost (and expensive) “project.”

But when a cruel prank at school goes awry, it puts her in the path of Zane Bradshaw, the police chief’s son and someone who sees too much. Someone who really sees her. After years of trying to be invisible, Ariane finds the attention frightening—and utterly intoxicating. Suddenly, nothing is simple anymore, especially not the rules.

To Purchase The Rules visit: 

Amazon & Barnes&Noble

The Rules, is a fantastic sci-fi contemporary young adult novel that managed to hit all of the right spots with me. It came at a time when I was craving something that was a little more than contemporary and less fantasy, so it sort of became the "it" book for me. There's a wonderful blend of realism, teen angst, and suspenseful action to keep you on the edge of your seat. The characters are enjoyable, the story is heart wrenching and touching in various moments of the book, and the writing will pull you into the story. It's just a really great read!

It's incredibly easy to like all of the characters in this book. Ariane, is just all around awesome and totally kickass! Full of amazing strength, she has a bit of a stubborn streak half a mile wide. I loved the fact that she doesn't let other's pick on those weaker than them. She's just incredibly fierce and spirited! Although smart and witty, she doesn't come without flaws that frustrated me here and there, throughout the story. Some of her choices or decisions felt a bit redundant in some areas, but for the most she was definitely enjoyable.

Zane is charmingly sweet and incredibly super protective of Ariane. Their relationship was beautiful to watch unfold in such a slow progressive, realistic way. I love that it was just straight forward and honest, without involving insta-love. A lot of times, that can ruin a really good book for me, in so many ways. I'm was glad that Kade didn't incorporate that into this novel.

The Rules, is a cleverly written, captivating young adult contemporary with a fantastic blend of sci-fi that will definitely pull you into its world. You won't want to miss out on this book or the story it has to tell. There's a lot of action, tension, and wonderful build up going on in these pages. Definitely never a dull moment, with twists and surprises that you won't be expecting. The ending will definitely leave you clamoring for more.

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As an award-winning corporate copywriter, Stacey Kade has written about everything from backhoe loaders to breast pumps. But she prefers to make things up instead.
She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, Greg, and three retired racing greyhounds, Joezooka (Joe), Tall Walker (Walker) and SheWearsThePants (Pansy). When she’s not reading or writing, you’ll likely find her parked in front of the television with her Roswell DVDs, staring rapturously at Jason Behr.
The Ghost and the Goth is her first YA novel.