A Tale of the Other Kind Blog Tour: Author Interview with Leandi Cameron

Welcome everyone to my stop of A Tale of the Other Kind blog tour, hosted by Orangeberry Book Tours! I've got an author interview with Leandi Cameron coming up, but firstly, here's the 411 on the book:

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 270
Publication Date: Sep 18, 2012
Website: Leandi Cameron | A Tale of the Other Kind: A Therian Novel on Goodreads

Synopsis via Goodreads:


Kai Emery likes to be indiscernible; however, his infatuation for his classmate, Sienna Fynn, has made his invisibility status all the more impossible to upkeep. His world spirals out of control when he discovers that he is a shape-shifting were-leopard, and finds himself unable to control his new-found anatomy.

An unpredictable vampire enters his life, leading him down a path that soon reveals his destiny, and discloses another world, filled with magic and terrifying darkness. When he finds himself in danger from the god of magic and darkness for disobeying a curse bestowed upon his kind, forbidding him from falling in love with a human, he has to fight for survival, and protect everyone that he loves.

To tell the truth, I think I've got something against stories like this - maybe because they all sound similar to Twilight (which in my opinion is the worst story ever told). But I think this book deserves a chance - especially after reading the reviews on Goodreads. The synopsis also shows no appearance of a Bella-like character, which makes it even better!

Let's chat a bit with our author, Leandi Cameron!

What inspired you to want to become a writer? 
It probably sounds like the world’s biggest cliché, but I was born to be creative. I was born to write and sketch. My veins are filled with ink and my hands itch to put pen to paper. I am drawn to books like addicts are drawn to their drugs and alcohol. When I write, or draw, I feel liberated; I am exported to another world that I create for myself – one I wish I could live in. I become my protagonist, and I become my characters. And for those periods when I indulge, I am nothing but my characters. They are who I am.

Book Spotlight and Giveaway! Breathe by Suzanne Cox

Welcome everyone, to yet another promo! As I've told you in the last post, I've just moved to Singapore on a scholarship and have been settling in, so I'm not posting anything much right now. But promise: I'll be back in December at full steam!

Anyway, today, I'm spotlighting Breathe, the first book in the Atlantic series by Suzanne Cox. This promo is hosted by The Bookish Brunette!

Genre: Dystopian, Young Adult
Pages: 268
Publication Date: Oct 22th, 2012
Website: Suzanne Cox | Breathe on Goodreads

Synopsis via Goodreads:

17 year old science prodigy, Laney Brookes, is looking for two things: a cure for the flu virus that’s ravaging the world and the truth about what happened to her father. Using clues from her father’s secret journals, she and her two friends Kate and Carter follow what she thinks is the path to the answers.

It’s a path that lands them in the lost world of Atlantis, a world struggling to survive. Laney finds more than just answers in Atlantis. She finds love. To get her friends and herself home, Laney will have to travel into enemy territory, led by Andrew a young Atlantean determined to return his people to power. In the process she’ll even unravel the mystery of her missing father. But first, she’ll have to figure out who the real enemy is.

I'M MOVING!

Hey guys!

I know it's been a while since I last posted, but I'm back again! And here's a recap of what's been happening since then (yes, it's the same event I've been hinting at):

I'M MOVING! (in case you missed the title :P)

I received a scholarship to Singapore in May, and this whole week has been one of preparing, saying goodbye, and settling down in the dorm. Not to mention that there was something wrong with my laptop and I couldn't connect to the Internet (I'm actually using my friend's laptop right now). As a result, I haven't been able to post much, and there'll only be a few small posts for 2 weeks, but I'll be back in December at full steam! (I hope my computer has been fixed by then.)

Anyway, here's what I brought to my new place (in terms of books, of course):

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary and Oxford Collocations Dictionary and Oxford Learner's Thesaurus - All for my studying, of course!
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald - In preparation for the Baz Luhrmann film :)
A Game of Thrones (A Song of Ice and Fire, #1) by George R.R. Martin - I couldn't finish this at home, so I just have to bring it with me.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak - I think I missed a few things the first time, so I'm waiting for a reread!
The Science of Harry Potter: How Magic Really Works by Roger Highfield - This one is in my mother tongue, and a gift of a friend.
The Ultimate Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - Borrowed from a friend. It contains all 5 books by Douglas Adams!
The Casual Vacancy by J.K. Rowling - Another gift, and one I can't wait to start reading!

You can also see a copy of The Interpretation of Dreams by Sigmund Freud - I've always wanted to read it, and I'm so glad I could borrow it from my seniors :)

There are only a few because I had to save space for other things, and I'm going home for Christmas. But I'm pretty sure this will double by the end of the year - it's definitely going to be easier to find books in Singapore than in my country!

I'll start posting regularly again when my laptop get fixed, and at most the start of December! Until then, best wishes and thank you for bearing with me :)

Book News Night #5: Goodreads Choice Awards 2012 (and MY Choices)

Every week, on a random night, I will report the latest newsworthy items in the world of books with some thoughts from myself.

It's been 3 weeks from the last Book News Night, but I'm back to reporting all the latest and greatest in the world of publishing! For tonight, there is just one item, though...

If you've been on Goodreads lately, you'll find a link to the Goodreads Choice Awards! It's an annual book awards, decided by votes from readers. There are 3 rounds, the first of which is closed by now, and the voting ends on November 27. You can read more about the schedule and the rules here!

Now, without further ado, here are the categories, and who I'm voting for picking in each of them. I'm not voting, because I haven't read any of the nominees, and I don't think it would be fair if I voted in that case. So basically, my picks are based on the cover/synopsis/reviews I've read :)

1. Best Fiction

My pick: This is a hard one - I've heard of all the books, and most of them have been well received. I wish I could split my vote between The Casual Vacancy and Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore!

But my final pick is Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan. I haven't read neither, but The Casual Vacancy's reviews have been too mixed.

2. Best Mystery & Thriller

My pick: A hard one again. But my pick is Defending Jacob by William Landay after reading the synopsis :)

The Duchess of the Shallows Blog Tour: Excerpt

I'm excited to bring you the blog tour of The Duchess of the Shallows, by Neil McGarry and Daniel Ravipinto. This tour is hosted by ABG Reads Book Tours - thank you!

Initially, I was going to review this book, but life gets busier than I'd expected and I couldn't finish it on time (yes, it's that special event again) :( What a shame, the book has been so enjoyable as far as I've read! 

But thanks to Colette from ABG Reads Book Tours (who has been as helpful as can be!), I've got an excerpt here for you today!

Minette sat at a small table, a pattern of white and black tiles shimmering in the lamplight before her. Although Duchess was no expert at tiles, she played well enough to see why Minette was in a good mood: from the pile of coins before her she'd handily beaten her last opponent. Minette's office was decorated in more soothing shades than the front parlor: there was a lavender settee, its pillows upholstered in cream, and thick rugs of purple and light blue. Duchess knew from long experience to slip off her shoes before setting foot on those rugs. The walls were whitewashed, and the lintel, baseboards and rafters were cedar, giving the room a comfortable feel and an aromatic scent. The desk that dominated the opposite wall, currently unoccupied, was real walnut. 

                Minette was running one red-gloved finger over her winnings when she lifted her eyes, and without smiling gestured imperiously for Duchess to approach. Duchess slipped across the room to Minette's side to kiss a powdered cheek. ”Don't smear my makeup, dear,” Minette murmured. “Can't have the riff-raff think I'm dabbling with dirty-faced urchins.” She tweaked Duchess on the cheek and began clearing the tiles. 

Stacking the Shelves/Showcase Sunday #6

Stacking the Shelves and Showcase Sunday are weekly memes hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Books, Biscuits, and Tea respectively.

Welcome, to another Stacking the Shelves/Showcase Sunday!
I'm still on my request break, but I've got a few books from blog tours, and some gifts from my friends... for a special event I'm sharing with you soon!

In the (e)mail:

The Thief of Auschwitz by Jon Clinch - I actually got this book last week, but forgot to add it into the list! Anyway, I adore books with World War II as the main setting, and this one should be interesting because it's alternating between WWII's Auschwitz and modern day New York City!

Normalish by Margaret Lesh - I'm joining the tour for this book on January 16th! Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours for the review copy!

X-It by Jane George - This one is for Book Club Bash, an event hosted by Novel Publicity! I've heard about this book before, in a very positive light at that, and I can't wait to dive in! I'm also hosting a Read-a-thon of X-It for the Bash - I'll update the schedule once I work it out, as I've been busy with that special event I've mentioned! (I'm feeling like such a tease right now :))

Cover Reveal: Destiny by P.T. Michelle

I'm treating you guys to another cover reveal! Yay!

This time it's for Destiny, the 3rd book in the Brightest Kind of Darkness series by P.T. Michelle! Here we go!

Personally, I think this book is totally swoon-worthy! Though the colors are different from the other books of the series, I guess it could still work :)

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Young Adult

Expected Publication Date: Mar 31, 2013

Website: P.T. Michelle | Destiny on Goodreads

Synopsis via Goodreads:

When destiny is on the line, will love be enough to light the way?

In order to save Ethan, Nara gets pulled deeper into his dark world, where everything she thought she knew about Ethan and herself turns on its head.

Ethan and Nara turn up the heat with bone-melting seduction and heart-rending moments, but surprising revelations, lies, treachery, betrayal, and unimaginable evil will challenge their relationship and their future together.

As the stakes rise, encompassing more than just her relationship with Ethan, will Nara make the ultimate sacrifice?

You can also check out the other books in the Brightest Kind of Darkness series on Goodreads!

Brightest Kind of Darkness (#1) (currently FREE!)
Lucid (#2)

About P.T. Michelle

P.T. Michelle is author of the young adult series Brightest Kind of Darkness. She keeps a spiral notepad with her at all times, even on her nightstand. When P.T. isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading or taking pictures of landscapes, sunsets and anything beautiful or odd in nature.

You can find her at: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest | Newsletter

Want to help spread the word about Destiny's upcoming release? Click this link and get the countdown widget script to put on your website or on your blog's side bar!

What do you think about the cover for Destiny? Comment!

Book Spotlight: The Witch Avenue by Karice Bolton

It's been a low week here at the blog - I've been busy with life and everything. But now I'm back, I'm glad to present you a spotlight on The Witch Avenue series by Karice Bolton!

This promo is hosted by The Bookish Brunette - thank you!

There are 2 books in the series: Lonely Souls and Altered Souls, and here's the 411 on both of them:

Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
Pages: 290
Publication Date: Jun 29th, 2012
Website: Karice Bolton | Lonely Souls on Goodreads

Synopsis via Goodreads:

It’s two weeks before Triss turns 18, and her world is about to change into the most magical one imaginable as she readies herself to enter The Witch Avenue Order... that is until her mother’s disappearance. Instead of celebrating her transformation, she finds herself spreading rose petals into her mother’s empty grave.

Follow Friday #5: Books with Similar Ideas

This post will be linked to Feature & Follow, a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

So last week was a wild ride with Follow Friday! Thank you so much to our awesome hosts, Rachel and Alison, and all of you guys who have participated (and followed me :P)!

Now, as usual, before the Question of the Week, here's a recap of the rules:

The rules: 

To join the Feature & Follow blog hop, what you need to do is follow Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read, who are the two awesome hosts; and the two featured blogs on their sites (chosen by random). For this week, they are Ramblings of a Coffee Addicted Writer and Paranormal Romance.

Then you create a post (like this one), where friends from the blog hop can comment and say hi, link your blog on the Linky Tools (you can do this on the two host sites, or any blogs on the hop that links to it).  

After that, you follow, follow, and follow any blogs you feel like! Don't forget to comment and let them know you are a new follower!

And here's this week's question!

Q: Do you mind books with similar ideas to other books? Similar concepts, backgrounds, retellings or pulled-to-publish fanfic?

A: Yes. Yes I do! I'm all for originality :)
That said, sometimes I don't mind such books that much, especially if the book in question is well written, or the author has put some of his/her own twists on it. I mean, there is only so much you can write about! There's also the case where an author or a book has made such an impact on a genre that others can't help but take inspiration from them.
However, taking inspiration doesn't mean copying every ideas! (Ah hem, Christopher Paolini, I'm looking at you.) Because why should we read these books if we can read another one just like that, from a better writer?
This is also why I don't like the idea of pulled-to-publish fanfics. I'm a fanfic addict myself, and some of the fanfics I've read were amazing. However, good fanfics don't always make good books. Good fanfics help the characters and the plots you've already loved live on. But good books need to be able to create these characters and plots. Basically, the very definition of fanfic challenges their ability to become original books!

That was more of a rant than an answer - maybe I should make a post on this!

What about you? Do you mind books that are similar to others?

And if you've followed me, don't forget to leave a comment so I can return the favor!

Cover Reveal: Pieces by Michelle Davidson Argyle

Welcome to the cover reveal of Pieces by Michelle Davidson Argyle! This reveal is hosted by Xpresso Book Tours - thank you!
Now, without further ado, here's the cover!

I love how the cover looks so simple, yet so deep! And the color pallette is rather fitting with the theme of the book, too!

Keep reading for a synopsis, a book trailer, and author links!

Stacking the Shelves/Showcase Sunday #5

Stacking the Shelves and Showcase Sunday are weekly memes hosted by Tynga's Reviews and Books, Biscuits, and Tea respectively.

I know I haven't been able to post in a few days, but I'm still replying to comments for the last Follow Friday! I think my followers have doubled since then - huge thanks to Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read!

I'm still on a break from review copies, so it's going to be a short list for this week:

From Library Thing:
I just recently joined Library Thing to find out more about their Early Reviewers program (some of my blogging friends have great things to say about it), and I got First to Find by Morgan C. Talbot - thank you!

I'M FEATURED! Follow Friday #4: Deal Breakers

This post will be linked to Feature & Follow, a weekly blog hop hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read.

This is an early post for Follow Friday, but guess what...

Thanks so much to the awesome Rachel from Parajunkee's View for featuring me!

But first, a recap for the rules:

The rules: 

To join the Feature & Follow blog hop, what you need to do is follow Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read, who are the two awesome hosts; and the two featured blogs on their sites (chosen by random). For this week, they are Love, Literature, Art, and Reason and Fiction Predictions (that's me!)

Then you create a post (like this one), where friends from the blog hop can comment and say hi, link your blog on the Linky Tools (you can do this on the two host sites, or any blogs on the hop that links to it).  

After that, you follow, follow, and follow any blogs you feel like! Don't forget to comment and let them know you are a new follower!

My featured questions!