*Nerd* Book Blast: Reunited by Colleen Houck + Giveaway: win SIGNED copies of the entire REAWAKENED series !

Hello everyone and welcome to the NERD BOOK BLAST for 

REUNITED by Colleen Houck!

Today you can learn about Colleen's new book and even enter a giveaway to win a  copy of every book in the Reawakened series!

Enjoy!

REUNITED by Colleen Houck
Series: Reawakened
Hardcover: 464 pages
Publisher: Delacorte Press (August 8, 2017)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0399555684
ISBN-13: 978-0399555688

After surviving her otherworldly adventure, Lily wakes up on her nana’s farm having forgotten everything. Her sun prince, her travels to Egypt, and her journey to the Afterlife are all distant memories.

But Lily is not the girl she once was. Her body is now part human, part lion, and part fairy. And if that isn’t bad enough, she must now harness this power of three and become Wasret: a goddess destined to defeat the evil god Seth once and for all.

With the help of her old friend Dr. Hassan, Lily departs on her final voyage through the cosmos and across the plains of Egypt. On the journey, she will transform into the being she is destined to become.

Reunited is the heart-pounding conclusion to the Reawakened series. 

It is time for Lily to find her sunset.

Praise for REAWAKENED Series

"[A] must-read for thrill-seekers and fans of alternate worlds."—RT Book Reviews

"Rick Riordan fans who are looking for another series will delight in this fantasy."—SLJ

"Littered with Egyptian mythology and snappy dialogue, this romantic adventure is a good choice for graduates of Rick Riordan or fans of Houck’s Tiger’s Curse series."—Booklist

"Fans of paranormal romance will love the Egyptian spin on this story of devotion and sacrifice, and Lily’s humor, combined with plentiful dangerous escapades, will keep readers engaged."—VOYA

"The author weaves her story out of Egyptian lore, cinematic magic, selfless love, and . . . is clever enough to remain surprising even to the last sentence."—Kirkus Reviews

“Houck’s moving depiction of the love between Lily and Amon is memorable."—Publishers Weekly

"Wonderfully written and…the heart-pounding adventures are topped only by the heart-melting romance."—The Deseret News

"A sparkling new novel with a fully imagined world and mythos, and crackling romance! Egyptian mythology has never been this riveting!"—Aprilynne Pike, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Wings series, on Reawakened, book one in the series

There’s no help for one such as me. My nature makes me what I am. And what I am, is hungry. His eyes changed. The very countenance of his face blackened even darker than his shiny skin.

Come to me, young one, he said silkily, his voice making all the noise of the ship and the churning water around me disappear. You are the tincture that will soothe my parched throat. Come into my mouth and I will cover you like a storm covers the sea. You will drown in me but it will be a peaceful death, like lying on a carpet of moss as the pale moonbeams slowly drain the life from your body.

 I obeyed. I climbed up onto the mossy hill and lay down, cushioning my head on the spongy bed. It was peaceful. The voice was right. This was my path, my purpose. My body would feed the hunger of the cosmos. There was a horrible sting, a pressure on my leg. But soon I forgot about it and rested again. My mouth tasted funny, like I’d bitten into a rotten peach. The bitter, swollen taste turned into a burning that licked my veins with fire. I whimpered.

Then a great explosion rocked me violently from my bed. It was dark. Just a strip of light at the base of the door. My leg was pinned to the bed and it hurt, badly. Suddenly, the door flew open but it opened the wrong way. The thing poking my leg wrenched away and I realized exactly where I was. In the mouth of the snake.

Copyright © 2017 by Colleen

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New York Times Bestselling author Colleen Houck is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, paranormal, science fiction, and romance. When she’s not busy writing, she likes to spend time chatting on the phone with one of her six siblings, watching plays, and shopping online. Colleen has lived in Arizona, Idaho, Utah, California, and North Carolina and is now permanently settled in Salem, Oregon with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers.

Photo Content from Colleen Houck

--Giveaway is open to International. | Must be 13+ to Enter

- 1 Winner will receive the entire Signed REAWAKENED series (four books in total) 

by Colleen Houck.

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Review + Giveaway: Never Missing Never Found by Amanda Panitch

Title: Never Missing Never Found
Author: Amanda Panitch
Hardcover, 306 pages
Published: June 28th 2016 by Random House Books for Young Readers
Genre: YA - Thriller, mystery
Source: ARC from publisher

A juicy thriller about a girl who returned from the missing. . . . Hand to fans of We Were Liars, Bone Gap, and Vanishing Girls.

  

Some choices change everything. Scarlett chose to run. And the consequences will be deadly.

Stolen from her family as a young girl, Scarlett was lucky enough to eventually escape her captor. Now a teen, she's starting a summer job at an amusement park. There are cute boys, new friends, and the chance to finally have a normal life.

Her first day on the job, Scarlett is shocked to discover that a girl from the park has gone missing. Old memories come rushing back. And now as she meets her new coworkers, one of the girls seems strangely familiar. When Scarlett chose to run all those years ago, what did she set into motion? And when push comes to shove, how far will she go to uncover the truth . . . before it's too late? 

Purchase at: Amazon / B&N / Kobo / TBD / Indiebound

Thrillers/Mysteries are one of my favorite genres of books. Put it in a YA setting and BINGO! We have a winner! So when the opportunity came along to read and review Never Missing, Never found on my blog, I jumped at the chance to sink my teeth into this story. 

The book is about a girl named Scarlett. When she was just a young child, Scarlett was kidnapped and imprisoned at a home only to finally escape her captor many years later. 

Happily back with her family after years of being away, Scarlett decides she wants to try and move on with her life by getting a job and maybe making some friends for some normalcy. She ends up getting hired at a local amusement park but on the very first day of work she finds out that the girl who hired her has gone missing. This news hitting all too close to home begins to worry her that what happen to her may be happing all over again to another innocent girl. With constant flash backs, Scarlett recalls or relives what happen to her from the day she was taken, from the day she escapes her kidnappers once and for all. But what if those memories are not always what they seem.... sometimes the mind decides to block out or even change even the smallest of details of what tragic events happened to us. Scarlett will need to find a way to remember what really happen to her, in turn being the key to finding the missing girl. Of course, nothing is at it seems and the kidnapper may be closer than Scarlett she realizes....so much so maybe even one of her new co-workers or friends. Finding the truth may cost Scarlett her life....but is it worth it? You'll have to read the book for yourself.

What I really loved about Never Missing Never Found is the story is being told from a past and present time-line. One chapter goes into what is happening present day and the next focuses on her time while being held hostage for all those years. The reader will learn all the horrifying details of what really happen to Scarlett while being locked away. Until the end where both story-lines meet for the thrilling and shocking reveal, I personally did not see coming... The ending had me thinking, Oh. My. God! What did I just read?! 

I've read some amazing thrillers in my time but this one was a doozy!  For me, the ending can either make or break a YA thriller and in this case, it totally made it, awesome! 

A few more things i enjoyed about the book were: number 1 - Scarlett's character devolvement from when she was kidnapped/working and making friends up until the ending of the book. As the book begun I knew right away I liked her. She was strong-willed, edging, and but sweet-natured. She held her family and friends close but her memories even closer. You wanted to feel bad for her but at the same time, you knew she would find a way to fight even if it took her a while to do so. I wasn't all that thrilled by the secondary characters besides her love interest and her little sister but that didn't hinder my overall opinion about the book. Another thing I look for when reading any thriller/mystery is if the story keeps me interested throughout the entire book or just select chapters. In this case, I was enthralled the almost whole time. I couldn't wait to find out what happen next, what new memory Scarlet would relive order to help find her missing co-worker. 

I did have a couple areas of the book that I did happen some trouble with, one being towards the ending. I was confused about what happen at a certain point. I feel the author didn't thoroughly describe what happen. Of course, you wouldn't understand what I'm talking about unless you knew the ending but for me, this point in time could have been explained better. Also while most of the book had me completely engross in it there were a few chapters I feel dragged on and on... Other than that it was definitely a solid YA thriller that i really enjoy reading. 

As I've never read anything but the author Amanda Panitch, I was happy to have found I now have another new author to add to my favorites. I definitely will be reading more by her in the very near future but until then I so recommend to you all to check out this book. You so will not be disappointed. 

Totally Awesome! I loved it, would read again.

Enter to win a hardcopy of the Never Missing Never Found by Amanda Panitch below using the rafflecopter form. Open to US residents only!

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Review: I Love My Hair: A Coloring Book of Braids, Coils, and Doodle Dos by Andrea Pippins

Hello, book-nerds! 

I'm starting something new on my blog and that is reviewing coloring books! I've had a lot of requests to review them lately ever since "adult" coloring book popped onto the scene. I don't know about you but I absolutely love to color, even as a kid. It's always been such a fun and relaxing activity. 

Today I will be reviewing, I love my Hair by Andrea Pippins.

Hope you enjoy my first ever coloring book review. :)

I Love My Hair: A Coloring Book of Braids, Coils, and Doodle Dos

by Andrea Pippins

Paperback, 84 pages

Published November 10th 2015 by Schwartz & Wade

For fans of Johanna Basford’s Secret Garden and Enchanted Forest comes a hip, gorgeous doodle coloring book about all things hair. Unlike other adult coloring books, which depict nature scenes and cityscapes, this title celebrates strong, confident women with a passion for style, design, and fashion.

Revel in the mesmerizing patterns and intricate details of Andrea Pippins’s delicate pen-and-ink illustrations, ready for you to color, complete, and embellish. Lose yourself in page after page of bold hairstyles and accessories, from rows of braids, to Mohawks, to sweeping updos, to cascades of ribbons and beads. Be transported to another world as you ink in Medusa’s slithering coiffure, Cleopatra’s elaborate headdress, and Marie Antoinette’s towering bouffant.

Perfect for experienced color-inners and newcomers alike. Coloring enthusiasts of all ages will love this empowering and stylish book. So go ahead—let your hair down, grab some pens or pencils, and add some color to your life.

Purchase at: Amazon / B&N / Publisher / Indiebound

Let me first talk about the overall designs featured in the book. 

After receiving the book I went through it page by page checking out what types of things I would be coloring and I must say I was blown away by how remarkably gorgeous the art work truly is. There was so much detail and time that went into designing these pages. I can't begin to image how much work goes into designing one of these for others to enjoy coloring in. Author and Illustrator Andrea Pippins did such a beautiful job capturing the essence of beauty through the use of hair in all cultures and points in time, like the one above of Marie Antoinette. 

Take a look at this page with butterflies and flowers as hair. I used Prismacolor colored pencils to make use of shading and to add some contrast to make it stand out. The curves (lines) were easy to color in and heavy enough to be able to standout around the color. Just those few butterflies I colored took about 20 minutes because of the attention to detail.

I love how unique this page is too. She looks like she is peeking out beneath her hair, but also blending into herself. Almost like she's hiding a secret only her hair butterflies know.

The page below I colored with my best friend, Courtney. I colored the left side and she colored the right. This one was taking a lonngggg time to color. There are so many small spaces to color in that it took a while to each one. While although we did not finish, it looks stunning so far. Don't you think? Once again the usage of flowers is added to give it a special touch. 

Throughout the book, there is also a lot of words and sayings about hair and self-image. All of which are positive for young girls and adults, saying not only to love your hair you were born with but to love yourself. 

I used markers on this page. I was pleasantly surprised by how awesome the colors came out. Even more so I was happy to see the colors did not bleed through the pages. The book has nice and thick paper used with is great for coloring with markers, which can normally run through page onto the other side.

Here is one I finished coloring. Yes, it's a mermaid. Her hair is luxuriously full of sea-life and seashells. I used colored pencils again for this page. I went with purple and blue for the base colors of her hair. Some light shading was scattered throughout. The attention to detail is outstanding. There's so much going on on this page but it all ties together beautifully to create this mysterious mermaid who rules the seas.

 

A closer look

I love my hair coloring book is full of richly designed art work but easy to color with your tool of choice. I preferred the colored pencils because I can shade with them but markers work perfectly too for a nice bright pop of color. I highly recommend this coloring book to everyone who enjoys coloring or for those who haven't colored since they were kids. It's a definite time killer and a great way to express your creativity. All of the pages are exquisitely illustrated with such detail right down to the smallest of curls to the largest of hair brushes. 

I had so much fun coloring in I Love My Hair and I think you will too! 

Let your imagination take you into a world of hairbow and clips, pigtails and perms, words of love and motivation, and of course HAIR!! 

Totally EPIC! One of the best coloring books I have colored in.

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Book Trailer Release Blast: ARROWS by Melissa Gorzelanczyk + Giveaway!

Welcome to the book trailer release day blast for ARROWS by Melissa Gorzelanczyk! Enjoy watching and be sure to enter the giveaway below for some amazing prizes! 

Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk 
Publisher: Delacorte Press 
Release Date: January 26th 2016 
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Fantasy, Mythology, Retellings, Romance

A modern cupid story set in present-day Wisconsin combining the fantastical elements of Greek mythology with the contemporary drama of MTV's Teen Mom.

People don’t understand love. If they did, they’d get why dance prodigy Karma Clark just can’t say goodbye to her boyfriend, Danny. No matter what he says or does or how he hurts her, she can’t stay angry with him . . . and can’t stop loving him. But there’s a reason why Karma is helpless to break things off: she’s been shot with a love arrow. 
Aaryn, son of Cupid, was supposed to shoot both Karma and Danny but found out too late that the other arrow in his pack was useless. And with that, Karma’s life changed forever. One pregnancy confirmed. One ballet scholarship lost. And dream after dream tossed to the wind.

A clueless Karma doesn’t know that her toxic relationship is Aaryn’s fault . . . but he’s going to get a chance to make things right. He’s here to convince Danny to man up and be there for Karma. But what if this god from Mount Olympus finds himself falling in love with a beautiful dancer from Wisconsin who can never love him in return?

This fast-paced debut novel explores the internal & external conflicts of a girl who finds herself inexplicably drawn to a boy who seemingly doesn't reciprocate her  feelings, touching on the issues of love, sex and responsibility, with a heroine struggling to control her destiny--perfect for fans of Katie McGarry's novels and MTV’s 16 and Pregnant. 

Purchase at: Amazon | B&N | Penguin Random House

“This tale of Cupid meets teen mom is unique . . . for fans of fantasy fiction and mythology, such as Aimee Carter’s ‘The Goddess Test’ series or Rick Riordan.”—SLJ

“A sweet high-school twist on Greek mythology with added substance about teen parenting and breaking out of a bad relationship."—Booklist

"A great mythological take on love, heartache, and teen pregnancy."—VOYA

Here's the book trailer...

Melissa Gorzelanczyk is a former magazine editor and columnist who believes love is everything. She is a proud member of the SCBWI, The Sweet Sixteens and the Class of 2k16. Her young adult novel ARROWS is available now from Delacorte Press, a division of Penguin Random House. She is represented by agent Carrie Howland of Donadio & Olson. She lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with her husband and family. 

Must be 13+ To Enter | Ships in US only.

Please see terms and conditions for full contest rules. Some restrictions apply.

1 Winner will get an amazing Arrows Valentine includes:

- Signed hardcover of the book

- Stella & Dot arrow wishing bracelet - "Adventure awaits. This Arrow bracelet is the perfect reminder to fulfill your dreams."

- The official Arrows makeup bag by Gracie Designs

- A Valentine from the author

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