SeQuence - Lorraine M.L.M Publication Day

Happy publication day to Lorraine M.L.M!  SeQuence, the first book in her new fantasy young adult series 'The Heart of the Ocean' is out now!

 

The Blurb

From chaotic voices on Earth…

Haunted by voices inside her head, seventeen-year-old Alessia Appleton is incarcerated in a mental asylum. In her flight to sanctuary, she’s transported to Zeneshia, a breathtaking world under the sea filled with colourful forests and gigantic glowing moons. Here, she discovers the unique power of her mind—and how an entire kingdom’s survival is dependent on it. As she finds her true self, she falls irrevocably in love with Dante Erajion.

To the tranquillity of the Kingdom under the Moons…

Determined to avenge his mother’s murder, Dante isn’t looking for love until he meets Alessia. Together they unravel the past, inevitably kindling the Foretold Sequence of Hearts. In a world where Sequence takes precedence over chance, powerful forces manipulate the future and redesign Sequences, using Alessia as an unwitting cat’s paw in the Four Kingdoms’ Game of Sequence.

Love might not be enough to save them…

With Alessia and Dante’s destinies intertwined, their love is under threat…and so is the future of their people. As players of the Game make their first move, can young love survive the ordeals of a shifting Sequence to Life, Love, and Death?

SeQuence is AVAILABLE NOW in paperback and E-book from all AMAZON stores

Paperback

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1539189422

E-book

Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LXOQU5H

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/sequence-8

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/669199

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sequence-lorrai…/1124742819…

 

Youtube SeQuence Book Trailer

https://youtu.be/LrzfW9q6mHs

And the cover for the second book in the series is also being revealed today - SeQuence Aligned is coming soon.

 

Changers - Book One - Drew - T Cooper and Allison Glock-Cooper

The Blurb

Some teenagers worry about who they'll wake up next to. Others worry about who they'll wake up as...

Ethan Miller is about to start high school in a brand-new town. He's finally sporting a haircut he doesn't hate, has grown two inches since middle school, and can't wait to try out for the soccer team. At last, everything is looking up in life.

Until the next morning. When Ethan awakens as a girl.

Welcome to the world of Changers.

The Review

I don't read much in the way of sci-fi and fantasy but Changers sounded like such an ingenious concept that I couldn't resist giving it a try.  And I'm so glad I did.  I've not read anything like this before.

Ethan is a normal guy about to start a new school.  Then when he wakes up the next morning, he finds he's no longer Ethan, he's Drew.  And what's more, Drew's a girl. 

Drew's parents explain that Ethan was born as a 'Changer', and will become four different people before getting to choose which he wants to be for life.  However, although there are many changers out there, society mustn't know.  It's a bit like how in Harry Potter the wizarding world are right under the muggle's noses but they're none the wiser of the subcommunity within their midst. Drew's not helped by how her parents, particularly Dad who was also a changer, seem to have no sympathy for the enormity of the situation.  This was the bit I didn't really understand - why weren't they more empathetic to the fact she's changed school, city, gender, and to some degree personality if they have experience of it? 

In many ways, not much happens.  Drew finds out about Changers, going along to secret meetings with other teens going through the same process.  Drew develops a crush on one of her fellow Changers, something that's strictly forbidden.  Drew is confused about her relationship with her best friend Audrey.  She realises there are people out there who are suspicious about Changers and their intentions.

It's difficult to summarise as although there are some elements which fit with sexuality/gender, because of the way the story is it's difficult to really draw on those themes.  Drew isn't sure who she is or how she should feel - male/female, straight/gay - but it's almost irrelevant because she'll be changing again before long, and will most likely be and feel completely different in her next incarnation.

This is the first book in a series and the snappy dialogue and interesting concept has made me interested enough to continue reading on.  A lot of the themes such as friendship and lust are those found in more mainstream YA novels, and this probably added to the appeal of Changers for me, as someone who doesn't regularly read this type of book.  I'm looking forward to finding out who Drew changes into next when the second book is released this summer.

Changers - Drew is out now, published by Atom (Little, Brown).

With thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Q and A with Journey to Rainbow Island author Christie Hsaio including GIVEAWAY!

Today I am delighted to welcome Christie Hsaio to Books with Bunny.  Christie is the author of Journey to Rainbow Island, a fantasy adventure book for children.

How long did it take you to write Journey to Rainbow Island? 

-It took me 8 months to write Journey to Rainbow Island book one. Whenever I felt a block, I would go out into nature- I love going to the beach and hiking and it always seems to help.

Do you find it easy to visualise as you write?

-Yes, it was easy to visualize as I write. I had a clear vision of Rainbow Island from the start, including the Rainbow children, animals and dragon, and all the magical beings and dark creatures featured in the book.

What are your own favourite reads?

-I like fantasy books and romantic comedies; I’m a fan of stories with a positive and uplifting message.  I've been hugely influenced by Asian culture and Asian animated storybooks, which were a big part of my childhood- they all tend to be based in magical and fantastical worlds. I also love historical books, as I'm fascinated by different cultures and the history behind them. 

Which other authors would you compare your writing style to?

-I don’t really like to compare, as I think every writer is wholly unique and has very specific attributes. But in terms of writers that inspire me, I’d have to say CS Lewis and The Chronicles of Narnia.

What is next in the pipeline for you?

-I’m writing the second instalment of Journey to Rainbow Island, and developing the second Journey to Rainbow Island video game app. I was really thrilled at the feedback the first one received after it went on the Apple App store and Facebook, so it made sense to develop a second.

There’s also a film based on the book in the works, and I’m currently doing book signings and events in the US, Europe and Asia- it’s all very hectic, but in the best way!

Hope to see you all at my next events!

www.JourneytoRainbowIsland.com

The Blurb
New York Times Bestseller Yu-ning thinks her perfect life on Rainbow Island will never end--until a nasty dragon called the Obsidigon returns from beyond the grave. Now her beloved island is in flames, her best friend has been kidnapped, and the island's Sacred Crystals have been stolen. To make matters worse, she must venture into the dark corners of the world to uncover secrets best ignored, find a weapon thought long destroyed, and recapture seven sacred stones--without being burned to a crisp by a very angry dragon. With the help of her master teacher, Metatron, Yu-ning embarks on a dangerous journey to overcome not only the darkness attacking her home, but also the scars of sadness that mark her own heart. And while most people just see a normal kid, Metatron--and a few other unlikely allies--pledge their lives to the dark-eyed little girl with a magic bow and a crooked grin.

Books with Bunny is delighted to be able to have a copy of Journey to Rainbow Island to give away to one lucky winner!  Enter below...and good luck! (UK only)


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Follow Your Fantasy- Nicola Jane

Follow Your Fantasy is the most fantastic idea!  Taking inspiration from the 'Choose your Own Adventure' books popular with children in the 80s and 90s, Follow Your Fantasy is a risqué version of this.  At different points in the story you get given options of what you want to happen next, offering different opportunities every time you read.

Follow Your Fantasy was great fun, and I can imagine it would be popular with the new adult /erotica audience.  Whilst I loved having the chance to 'mix and match' a story of my own, there were times I thought the writing could have been more engaging.  I appreciate it is hard to do that when the story could leap about in any permutation, but it did cause there to be some distance between the characters and the reader which I think are particularly important in erotic fiction.

It will be interesting to see what readers make of it-the press are very excited about it!  Find out more by clicking on the banner below.

Follow Your Fantasy is out on February 13th, published by Harper Impulse.

7/10

With thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in return for my honest opinion.

Rowena's Key- AJ Nuest

Author AJ Nuest

I'm not going to lie, I really wasn't sure what to expect when I was approached to review Rowena's Key by AJ Nuest.  Described as fantasy romance, a genre I'd never considered reading before, I didn't think it would be my cup of tea (which is Earl Grey as it comes, incase you're wondering).  AJ Nuest is a passionate advocate of the genre (read the guest post she wrote for me here where she compares never experiencing romantic fantasy to never experiencing chocolate!)

The first book in the Golden Key Chronicles introduces us to Rowena, a restorer of antiques who discovers a hidden key and a magic mirror which draws her to another time and place. Handsome prince Caedmon is waiting to capture her heart, a vision in tight pants wielding swords and spears.  What's not to love?

I was completely out of my comfort zone reading Rowena's Key.  I love a good romance, but this was total escapism, completely other-worldly and different to anything else I have read.  I've read some mild fantasy before (think along the lines of Narnia and Harry Potter), but this was different- passion and longing wrapped up in the surprise combination of a bygone era and the cynical modern-day.  I loved being able to immerse myself in something entirely fictional, with no echoes of news stories or other books I have read.  I suppose this is one of the real strengths of the fantasy genre!

The characters were amusing (particularly Rowena's marvellous friend Ollie) and reeled me in from the start, and I would love to find out more about Ollie and his theatrical lifestyle.  I found myself chuckling at the language Caedmon used throughout and Rowena's responses to it, and the book has a lot of dry humour which kept me entertained. 

It did take me a while to adapt to reading a book so different to my usual reading material, but I found myself swept away by Rowena's Key.  If you haven't read fantasy romance before, give it a whirl-you might be surprised.

Rowena's Key is out now, published by Harper Impulse.  You can find out more by clicking on the link below.



8/10

With thanks to Harper Impulse and AJ Nuest for providing me with a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Chocolate? No, never heard of it- a guest post on fantasy romance by AJ Nuest

Author AJ Nuest is amazed by just how many readers have never experienced fantasy romance.  Here is her fabulous guest post, and a review Rowena's Key will be coming tomorrow on Books with Bunny!

Chocolate? No, never heard of it.

I’m a geek girl. And while, over the years, some could argue being a geek girl has become the quintessential standard in coolness (insert shameless plug for Big Bang Theory), being a card toting member of the Star Trek fan club hasn’t always worked in my favor. For example, like the time I called in sick to work so I could commemorate Gene Roddenberry’s death by getting a Star Trek insignia tattoo, and my boss found out and docked my wages. Yep. True story.

*After disclosing the above, if any doubts remain about my geekness, I invite you to come over and take a look at the powder-blue Star Trek uniform and matching tricorder hanging in my closet. I even have the black go-go boots. No, really.*

As a young girl, I devoured the works of Theodore Sturgeon, C. S. Lewis, R. A. Salvatore, J. R. R. Tolkien…you get the picture…and can honestly say that, to date, my fascination with all thing fantasy has served me well (insert shameless plug for Chris Hemsworth as Thor). I mean, what girl wouldn’t swoon watching Viggo Mortensen portray Aragorn in high definition on a theatre-sized screen, a box of Raisinets and a gallon-sized soda in hand? To me, three hours of Lord of the Rings is the ultimate in geekdom bliss!

But, even better, not only has the genius of Stan Lee finally, thankfully, seen the light of day (insert shameless plug for Ironman one, two and three), prime time television has also recently taken a foray into the fantasy genre. Whoot! Sleepy Hollow, Once Upon A Time, Game of Thrones, Supernatural—the list of fantasy programming is endless, and I have the backlog of recorded shows to prove it.

So, you can imagine my complete and utter joy when not only was I granted the exciting opportunity to write my first fantasy series, I was blessed with the fulfillment of a lifelong dream by having it published by the amazing folks at HarperImpulseUK. Whoo Hoo! I inked that contract with fervor, dove headfirst into editing my prose, and anxiously awaited the release of the first installment in my four book fantasy romances (insert shameless plug for Rowena’s Key, Book One, The Golden Key Chronicles). Huzzah!

Aaaand that’s where things got tricky…

Since I’ve been a writer for about six years now—during which time I spent three years working as an editor for several romance publishers, landed an agent and saw three books through to publication—I like to think I have a good grasp of marketing and promotion. Utilizing this experience, I went about the task of contacting book bloggers, tweeting, FB partying and all around raising a hullabaloo about my latest release. However, what I didn’t count on was the small percentage of folks who held an interest in reading the fantasy romance genre.

Huh? Wait, what? You mean you don’t like guys with swords who charge into save the day? What do you mean, you haven’t read any fantasy romance? What about Disney movies? Have you seen Tangled or Beauty at the Beast (insert shameless plug for Flynn Ryder)?

To an avid fantasy fan like me, hearing someone had never read a fantasy romance was like discovering they’d never tried chocolate. Or wine. Or coffee.

*Danger, Will Robinson. Unknown life force detected.*

For days afterward, I stumbled along, trying to wrap my head around such an astounding revelation. But in the end, I realized I was left with few choices. Thankfully, I am surrounded by some of the most giving, wonderful, supportive readers in this or any known galaxy. I contacted these lovely folks, asked them to take a read and let me know what they thought of my story (shameless plug for those ladies, some of whom had already gone out and purchased their very own copy).

Here are some of the responses I got:

AJ, why do you have to write the most wonderful heroes? Aaaahhhh!!! Now I'm hooked and begrudgingly wait for Book 2. I can't believe this is happening! Thanks AJ for the enlightenment!

This is an awesome read, AJ! I don't normally read romance fantasy, but I devoured this book in one sitting. I was hooked from the first page.

Ok so for a non-fantasy reader, I really liked this book. I was struck by the originality but that's probably something more common to the genre than your typical romance and maybe I've been missing out all these years!

I haven't read any fantasy books for the longest time, but this author AJ Nuest has re-introduced me to a genre that I had forgotten I loved!

 I'm a first time-reader of this genre but I have to say I was hooked from the start. The story is rocking and gathers you in.

So, for those of you who, like me, have always enjoyed an epic fantasy romance fraught with swashbuckling heroes emerging victorious against insurmountable odds…as well as those of you who have not yet dipped your toe into the magical world of fantasy romance…I invite you to check out Rowena’s Key, Book One of The Golden Key Chronicles, available now from HarperImpulse UK.

*End transmission*