In the Book Blogging world–Wednesday is considered WOW day–Waiting on Wednesday! This is when book enthusiasts talk about up and coming reads they covet. But today it’s a little different on my blog. I’m going to share a book that I recently finished that is just plain WOW!!! As in–you are going to want to put this one on your Waiting on Wednesday list ASAP! Okay…stop tapping your foot impatiently. I’ll let you know what the book is before I get carried away talking about it…

PIVOT POINT by Kasie West

Coming February 12, 2013

I bet you’re wondering how I got to read it so early. Lucky me–Kasie is part of Michelle Wolfson’s Wolf Pack!!! When I found out my agent had copies of PIVOT POINT, I bullied and threatened her to put me first on the ARC Tour!!! Soooo glad I did that! *grin* Here’s a little bit a about PIVOT POINT…

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if?” As a Searcher, whenever Addie is faced with a choice, she can look into the future and see both outcomes. It’s the ultimate insurance plan against disaster. Or so she thought. When Addie’s parents ambush her with the news of their divorce, she has to pick who she wants to live with–her father, who is leaving the paranormal compound to live among the “Norms,” or her mother, who is staying in the life Addie has always known. Addie loves her life just as it is, so her answer should be easy. One Search six weeks into the future proves it’s not.
In one potential future, Addie is adjusting to life outside the Compound as the new girl in a Norm high school where she meets Trevor, a cute, sensitive artist who understands her. In the other path, Addie is being pursued by the hottest guy in school–but she never wanted to be a quarterback’s girlfriend. When Addie’s father is asked to consult on a murder in the compound, she’s unwittingly drawn into a drawn into a dangerous game that threatens everything she holds dear. With love and loss in both lives, it all comes down to which reality she’s willing to live through…and who she can’t live without.

“Kasie West is a master of suspense. The unique structure–seeing two alternate realities playing out at once–leaves you pleading with the characters, don’t answer that phone, don’t go to that house, don’t talk to that person. PIVOT POINT is at once tense and romantic, challenging and engaging. It’s a truly remarkable debut.” (Robison Wells, Author of VARIANT)

“West’s debut is an expertly plotted, delightfully clever story. Addie’s dual realities pull the reader along to a startling—and devastatingly unavoidable—finale. I can’t wait for the next book!” (Kiersten White, New York TimesBestselling Author of PARANORMALCY)

“With superb storytelling, a masterful blend of paranormal and normal, a helping of wit and humor, and a mouth-watering romance, PIVOT POINT is one of the most delicious books I’ve read.” (Elana Johnson, Author of POSSESSION)

You can Pre-order PIVOT POINT here…

*Barnes & Noble

*Amazon

*IndieBound

Kimberly Sabatini’s Review of PIVOT POINT

I’ll be honest. Most of the time I know what’s going to happen in a book. Maybe not the smallest details, but the big picture is usually there–I’m a good predictor. If the writing is really good–and most of the time it is–it doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of the story. But from time to time, I like it when I’m stumped, frantic and half-crazed, wondering where this novel is going to end. PIVOT POINT by Kasie West took me there and I loved it!!!

Addison Coleman’s life is one big “What if” and I was immediately fascinated by this and what it meant for the story line, but also because it is a life concept that has always intrigued me. Have you ever had that urge to take one road and found a way to talk yourself out of it, only to end up stuck in traffic wishing you had listened to your instinct? Addie has the ability to look down both of those roads and decide which one has the better outcome. BUT…knowing both paths doesn’t necessarily make choosing any easier. In fact, sometimes being cognizant is even harder. PIVOT POINT had me on the edge of my seat trying figure out how it was going to end. Without giving any spoilers–I’ll tell you it ended perfectly–with the proper balance of satisfaction and anticipation for the next book. I LOVED this book and it still has me thinking!!!

Kasie West

I love to write–too much. It’s a sickness really. My debut novel, PIVOT POINT, will be published by HarperTeen Feb. 12, 2013. (Followed by its sequel a year later.)

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN US, my comtemporary YA novel, will be published in the Fall of 2013 (HarperTeen).

My agent is the talented, funny, and sometimes crazy, Michelle Wolfson.

You can find out more about Kasie West and PIVOT POINT here…

*Website/Blog

*Twitter

*The Lucky 13s

*Goodreads

So, what do you think about PIVOT POINT? What about the concept intrigues you the most? Have you ever had one of those moments where you made that pivotal choice? Was it a good one or a bad one?

Tags: Book Review, Kasie West, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Michelle Wolfson, Pivot Point, Wolf Pack, Wolfson Literary

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Thanks to the lovely and generous Daisy Whitney, author of THE MOCKING BIRDS and THE RIVALS, I was able to read an ARC of SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL by my fellow Apocalypsie–Trish Dollar. And because I *love* you, I’m going to have a contest and give someone else a chance to read it too. Before I explain how you can win this amazing book, let me tell you a little bit about the SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL, Trish and my response to her debut YA novel.

SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL by Trish Doller

When Travis returns home from a stint in Afghanistan, his parents are splitting up, his brother’s stolen his girlfriend and his car, and he’s haunted by nightmares of his best friend’s death. It’s not until Travis runs into Harper, a girl he’s had a rocky relationship with since middle school, that life actually starts looking up. And as he and Harper see more of each other, he begins to pick his way through the minefield of family problems and post-traumatic stress to the possibility of a life that might resemble normal again. Travis’s dry sense of humor, and incredible sense of honor, make him an irresistible and eminently lovable hero.

You can Pre-order SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL here…

*Barnes & Noble

*Amazon

*IndieBound

Kimberly’s Review of SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL…

It seems like every writer’s conference I attend, someone is always trying to pin down what is meant by that wonderful, but hard to define thing called VOICE. In my opinion, the best way to explain the magic of voice is to have a list of books that contain a distinct and powerful one. Trish Doller’s SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL would absolutely go on my “voice list.” I’m in awe of what she did here.

I’m not sure where to start, because this book has endless depth and layers, but what I do know is that it’s going to be one successful debut. Doller’s knowledge of the military, the amazing nuanced relationships between all the characters, the internal and external struggles, the friendships and the love–It’s all here and I adored every minute of it. There are certain books that I read, where I connect very deeply to the story and the characters because the author has stripped down to his or her vulnerable parts and risked a lot to put a kind of truth down on the page. This is one of those books and Trish Dollar is one of those authors. I am officially a fan-girl for life.

About Trish Doller…

I’ve been a writer as long as I’ve been able to write, but I didn’t make a conscious decision to “be” a writer until fairly recently. For that you should probably be thankful.

I was born in Germany, grew up in Ohio, went to college at Ohio State University, got married to someone really great, bounced from Maine to Michigan and back to Ohio for awhile. Now I live in Florida with my two mostly grown kids, two dogs, and a pirate. For real.

I’ve worked as a morning radio personality, a newspaper reporter, and spent all my summers in college working at an amusement park. There I gained valuable life skills, including counting money really fast, directing traffic, jumping off a moving train, and making cheese-on-a-stick. Also, I can still welcome you to Frontier Town. Ask me sometime.

These days I work as a bookseller at a Very Big Bookstore. And I write.

You can find out more about Trish Doller and SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL here…

*Website

*The Apocalypsies

*Blog

*Facebook

*Twitter

*Goodreads

Now that I’ve got your interest, I bet you’re wondering how to win this ARC. Easy-peasy! In the comments section, please tell me something about yourself that makes you feel less than normal. Don’t be shy, I’ve got a list of things as long as my right arm. Feel free to share them all or just tell me one. And remember… “like normal” is the new normal–so you’re in good company. Don’t forget to leave your contact information in your comment. You can’t win this amazing book if you I can’t reach you. And trust me, you want to win this book. Yup.

Tags: Apocalypsies, Book Review, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Something Like Normal, Trish Doller, YA Author, YA Book, YA Novel, YA Writer

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I have another Class of 2k12 preview for you!!!! INNOCENT DARKNESS by Suzanne Lazear is a Steampunk Faerie Tale, but if you’re anything like me, you might not really know exactly what steampunk is. To help you out, I’ve grabbed Lazear’s explanation straight from her website to get us started.

What is Steampunk?

INNOCENT DARKNESS
Flux
8-8-12
ISBN-10: 0738732486
ISBN-13: 978-0738732480
Wish. Love. Desire. Live.

Sixteen-year-old Noli Braddock’s hoyden ways land her in an abusive reform school far from home. On mid-summer’s eve she wishes to be anyplace but that dreadful school. A mysterious man from the Realm of Faerie rescues her and brings her to the Otherworld, only to reveal that she must be sacrificed, otherwise, the entire Otherworld civilization will perish.

INNOCENT DARKNESS is available for Pre-order here…

*Amazon

*Barnes & Noble 

*Indie Bound

*The Book Depository

KIMBERLY SABATINI’S REVIEW

Recently I went to a writer’s conference where everyone was debating what the “next big thing” in YA literature was going to be. Some people argued that contemporary is on the rise and it was also suggested that steampunk has yet to see it’s day. But what everyone seemed to think was the most probable was a mash-up of some of our perennial favorite genres–a blending of some of our best loved reads. The first thing that came to mind when I heard this was INNOCENT DARKNESS–a steampunk faerie tale. Now, I have to admit that this was my first foray into steampunk and I found it to be very interesting, but what I loved the most was how creative Lazear got with this story. It was very clear that she has her finger on the pulse of this new type hybrid. It is also obvious that INNOCENT DARKNESS is a mix of topics that Lazear really loves and feels passionately about. Steampunk meets the fae is just fun. I can’t wait for the next installment to see what happens. Oh–and Dollymop is my new favorite word!

Suzanne Lazear’s young adult steampunk dark fairytale, INNOCENT DARKNESS, book 1 of The Aether Chronicles, will be released from Flux in August of 2012. Suzanne lives in Southern California with her daughter, the hubby, and a hermit crab, where she’s currently attempting to make a raygun to match her ballgown. She’s also part of the Steampunk group blog Steamed.

You can find out more about Suzanne Lazear and INNOCENT DARKNESS here…

*Website

*Twitter

*Goodreads

*Facebook–the Aether Chronicles

*Facebook–Suzanne Lazear

*Tumblr–Runs with Bustles

*Class of 2k12

*Apocalypsies

So, are you familiar with Steampunk? What’s your favorite steampunk book, movie, related site?

Tags: Apocalypsies, Book Review, Innocent Darkness, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Suzanne Lazear, The Class of 2k12

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My friend Ida is hating me right now. She’s a heavy duty book lover and a writer. This is the Facebook post I received from her after posting all of the Class of 2k12 and Apocalypsies Tuesday Book Birthdays…

Kim… I don’t know how to say this… but I don’t know if I can be your friend anymore… it’s just… all the books you post about… I can’t take it anymore Kim… my reading list is starting to cause me anxiety attacks… I don’t leave the house… I pretend those kids that keep calling me mommy are just visitors… I’ve started to ignore my personal hygiene…it’s turning into a real problem… sigh

Ida, I love you and I’m very sorry to do this to you…

IF I LIE by Corrine Jackson–Coming August 28, 2012

A powerful debut novel about the gray space between truth and perception.

Quinn’s done the unthinkable: she kissed a guy who is not Carey, her boyfriend. And she got caught. Being branded a cheater would be bad enough, but Quinn is deemed a traitor, and shunned by all of her friends. Because Carey’s not just any guy—he’s serving in Afghanistan and revered by everyone in their small, military town.

Quinn could clear her name, but that would mean revealing secrets that she’s vowed to keep—secrets that aren’t hers to share. And when Carey goes MIA, Quinn must decide how far she’ll go to protect her boyfriend…and her promise.

If I Lie is available for Pre-order here…

*Barnes & Noble

*Amazon

*IndieBound

*Additional Book Sellers

Kimberly Sabatini’s Review of IF I LIE:

When I was in high school, I became fascinated with POW’s from Vietnam. I was haunted by the idea that these guys had never come home. Who were they? Where were they? And what had they left behind? I “adopted” a missing soldier and wore my MIA bracelet until it wore out and broke in half.

When I was in college, I was a girlfriend of a guy who was in the army. Then I married him–making me a military wife. I fell in love with this fierce, dedicated, kind, bigger-than-life community. And sometimes I hated being just another piece in a finely tuned machine–even it it was made up of some very wonderful people. Sometimes I felt a little lost. I didn’t always like who I was supposed to be and what was expected of me. I didn’t know it then, but I was a girl who had things to say–weird, slightly off center things to say–and not speaking them was a bit unhealthy. So, I related to Quinn–having lived that life with my own kind of secrets pushed down inside me.

I’m sharing this information with you because I want you to know, that in my opinion, Corrine Jackson got it right. As I read her words, it took me back…

I’m a huge fan of authors who create people with depth. I like to see the characters have faults AND triumphs. Not only did Jackson do this seamlessly, but she also accomplished this with her presentation of the military. I both loved and hated the institution and it’s affect on those involved in it–just like I did in real life. She didn’t use hero worship and she didn’t demonize either. She simply acknowledged that like all of us, it is made up of the good and the bad.

I was also grateful to see her humorous and touching relationship with an elderly veteran, George. I have always had a soft spot for the older generation. I think they are gifts that we often let pass us by. Jackson brought me to tears with her gentle reminder that it takes only one person to make a difference in someone else’s life.

IF I LIE is a well written, beautifully balanced, heart-wrenching book that is about so much more than a snapshot of people in a small military town. I hope it moves you as much as it did me.

Corrine Jackson (pronounced Cor-een) believes flip flops are appropriate footwear for any occasion, but concedes the need for boots since moving to damp and foggy San Francisco. She loves collecting degrees, including a BA and MA in English, and very soon, an MFA in Creative Writing. Aside from her longing to live in Anthropologie, she claims a seven-year career at a marketing agency and, before that, she graphically designed things. Her YA contemporary book, IF I LIE, will be published by Simon Pulse on August 28, 2012 and her YA paranormal romance, TOUCHED, will be published by KTeen in December 2012.

You can find out more about Corrine Jackson and IF I LIE here…

*Website

*Facebook

*Twitter

*Blog

*Goodreads

*The Bookanistas

*The YA Rebels

*The Class of 2k12

*The Apocalypsies

So, I’m wondering if you know anyone who is on active duty? Do you have a veteran in the family? Any thoughts for those who serve? I’d love to hear.

Tags: Apocalypsies, Book Review, Class of 2k12, Corrine Jackson, If I Lie, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Simon and Schuster, Simon Pulse, The Class of 2k12

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“Hi, my name is Ty. I’m 9 years old and writing this blog post for my mom today.

Even though I like a lot of books, I think TOUCHING THE SURFACE is my favorite cause it has so much funny characters and emotions in it. Trevor is my favorite character because he has these funny T-shirts and he is always interesting. I think you should read it because it stands out from other books and if you’re interested in the afterlife and coming back and stuff you’ll like this book a lot. There is also a lot of good cliff hangers and you can’t go to bed wondering what happened–so you might have to stay up late to read it. I think my mom is a really good writer and even though I like TOUCHING THE SURFACE I think her next one is going to be even better.”

*This blog post was dictated by Ty’s mom. When she was done she spent the rest of the day feeling warm and fuzzy.

**I swear I did not double his allowance to say that–he never gets allowance anyway–his room is too messy.

Have you shared your writing with someone special in your life? What did they think? Will you do it again? More boys to come at a later date. <3

Tags: Book Review, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Touching the Surface

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Oh, dear readers–you can thank me later–for turning your attention to another AMAZING book. The Class of 2k12 ARC Tour is still in effect and this week I had the chance to read THE WICKED AND THE JUST by J. Anderson Coats. I shall begin my gushing immediately after I give you a synopsis of the book.

In thirteenth-century Wales, ten years into English rule, two girls at cross purposes are caught up in ethnic strife, institutionalized corruption and impending rebellion.
1293. North Wales. Ten years into English rule.
Cecily would give anything to leave Caernarvon and go home. Gwenhwyfar would give anything to see all the English leave.
Neither one is going to get her wish.
Behind the city walls, English burgesses govern with impunity. Outside the walls, the Welsh are confined by custom and bear the burden of taxation, and the burgesses plan to keep it that way.
Cecily can’t be bothered with boring things like the steep new tax or the military draft that requires Welshmen to serve in the king’s army overseas. She has her hands full trying to fit in with the town’s privileged elite, and they don’t want company.
Gwenhwyfar can’t avoid these things. She counts herself lucky to get through one more day, and service in Cecily’s house is just salt in the wound.
But the Welsh are not as conquered as they seem, and the suffering in the countryside is rapidly turning to discontent. The murmurs of revolt may be Gwenhwyfar’s only hope for survival – and the last thing Cecily ever hears.

THE WICKED AND THE JUST goes on sale TOMORROW!!!! You can order it here…

*Amazon

*Barnes & Noble

*IndieBound

*Additional Booksellers

Kimberly Sabatini’s Review of THE WICKED AND THE JUST

The blurb on the front of THE WICKED AND THE JUST goes like this…

“I am gobsmacked by this astonishing story. A remarkable achievement.” –Karen Cushman

I’m here to tell you that GOBSMACKED is the only word that adequately sums up this tale of both cruelty and generosity of spirit.

I am always amazed at how truth can be so much harder to wrap your mind around than fiction. Combine that with the imagination of a very talented author, and you come up with a book that just blows me away. THE WICKED AND THE JUST did exactly that.

I may have mentioned before that I don’t tend to gravitate towards historical fiction, but when it finds me, it’s usually for a reason. I am so happy that this book made it’s way into my hands.

I want to sit here and wax poetic about what life was like in Caernarvon in 1294 but I’d just be blathering on and on about the meaning of life and change, history and evolution, humanity and inhumanity. It would just be easier if you read the book and then we talked. And I hope we do. I love to discuss books that are this good.

But I can’t pass up the opportunity to talk about the characters in this story. I have NEVER loved and hated two characters as much as Cecily and Gwenhwyfar. I was so vested in the lives of these two girls that it was painful at moments. J. Anderson Coats has a gift for writing characters that leave a mark on you–that change who you are and how you see the world. She does this with out preaching or manipulation. It is her mastery of the nuances of people and their behavior that makes this story exquisite.

I am proud of the company I keep in the Class of 2k12 and without a doubt, I will be reading this amazing book to my boys.

J. Anderson Coats has dug for crystals, held Lewis and Clark’s original hand-written journal and been a mile underground. She has a cool surgery scar unrelated to childbirth, she reads Latin, and she’s been given the curse of Cromwell on a back-road in Connemara. On a clear day, she can see the Olympic mountains from her front window. On the foggy ones, she can smell the Puget Sound.
She writes historical fiction set in the middle ages that routinely includes too much violence, name-calling and petty vandalism perpetrated by badly-behaved young people. Her work is represented by Ammi-Joan Paquette of the Erin Murphy Literary Agency.
The Wicked and the Just, J’s debut novel, is forthcoming from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in spring 2012.

You can find out more about J. Anderson Coats and THE WICKED AND THE JUST here…

 *Website

*The Class of 2k12

*The Apocalypsies

*EMU’s Debut

*Facebook

*Goodreads

*LiveJournal

*Skype and Author

*Twitter

I also wanted to announce the winner of a pre-order of TOUCHING THE SURFACE. *drum roll please*

The winner is…Ashley of Ashley Loves Books!!!!! Congratulations to Ashley.

So…I’m wondering if there is a genre of books in which you find yourself being a reluctant reader, but are often pleasantly surprised when you do read that type of book? What’s you’re favorite genre to read in? Do you have a type of book you don’t usually tell people that you like to read, but you’re going to quietly whisper it in my ear now? Come on–spill the beans.

Tags: Apocalypsies, Book Review, Contes Winner, J. Anderson Coats, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, The Class of 2k12, The Wicked and The Just

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I just found out yesterday that TOUCHING THE SURFACE is now available for pre-order at Barnes & Noble and I’m crazy excited!!!! I thought that I’d celebrate by giving one lucky winner a pre-order of the book. I know–you won’t get your prize until October 30th, but I will send ahead some SURFACE swag along with your preorder confirmation.

What do you have to do to win?

1. Please check out my the book on Barnes & Nobel and click on the section that says… Nook Books: Want to read this on your NOOK? Request as NOOK Book from the publisher. And while you’re there feel free to hit any LIKE buttons that you come across.

2. Second, leave a comment telling me what has captured your attention about TOUCHING THE SURFACE. Is it the cover? Synopsis? Is it because we know each other? There’s no wrong answer–I’m just curious to know what has drawn you to the book.

*Please make sure that you leave a contact email address in your comment so I can get in touch with you if you are a winner.

And how about a bonus? Stop by my Amazon page and hit the LIKE button and I’ll throw in a couple extra swag bag winners too!!!! Or if you have a Kindle and would like an ebook you can exercise your finger here.

Want to find out what people are saying about TOUCHING THE SURFACE? I have one of my very first early reviews…Check it out!

Tags: Book Review, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Pre-order at Barnes & Nobel, Pre-order on Amazon, Touching the Surface, YA Author, YA Book, YA Novel, YA Writer

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Another winner from the Class of 2k12 ARC Tour–BREAKING BEAUTIFUL by Jennifer Shaw Wolf!!! And the best news is that you don’t have to wait too long to get your hands on this one. It will be out on April 24th. To get you excited, here’s a little bit about BREAKING BEAUTIFUL…

Does time heal all wounds?

Allie lost everything the night her boyfriend, Trip, died in a tragic car accident—including her memory of the event. All she has left are the scars and a sneaking suspicion that the crash wasn’t an accident after all. When the police reopen the investigation, it quickly turns on Allie and her best friend, Blake, especially as their budding romance raises eyebrows around their small town. As the threats begin and the survivor’s guilt sets in, Allie’s memories collide with a dark secret about Trip she’s kept for too long. Caught somewhere between her past and her future, Allie knows she must tell the truth. Can she reach deep enough to remember that night so she can finally break free?

You can pre-order BREAKING BEAUTIFUL here…

*Amazon

*Barnes & Nobel

*The Book Depository

*Indie Bound

*Powell’s Books

Kimberly’s Review of BREAKING BEAUTIFUL…

Breaking Beautiful gave me sweaty palms and warm fuzzies–all in the same book. This story is a creeper of a murder mystery, while also being a coming of age story. I loved that this book brought so much to the table in one little package.

Allie and Blake were well written, likable, interesting people, but I found myself particularly captivated by Andrew, Caitlyn and Detective Weeks. They were such unique characters, I couldn’t get enough of them. They were the feather in Wolf’s cap.

Without giving away any spoilers, I’d also like to add that the role of voice in this book was extremely well done. The way that Allie loses hers and then comes to find it again is important and I’m so happy to see Allie’s journey shared with the world.

If you loved WHAT SHE LEFT BEHIND by Tracy Bilen then you’ll love BREAKING BEAUTIFUL by Jennifer Shaw Wolf.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Jennifer Shaw Wolf grew up on a farm in the tiny town of St. Anthony, Idaho. She spent cold Idaho mornings milking cows in the dark and attended a school where Hunter’s Education was part of the sixth grade curriculum. She’s always been a writer, whether it was sewing together books to read to her little brothers or starting an underground newspaper in sixth grade. She met the love of her life at Ricks College, (now BYU Idaho), after he dropped her on her head. She graduated from Ricks and then Brigham Young University, Provo with a degree in Broadcast Communications. Now she lives in beautiful, green, (rainy) Lacey, Washington with her husband and four kids. She loves to produce videos, ski, ride horses, and read, but really all she has time for is chasing kids and writing.

You can find out more about Jennifer Shaw Wolf and BREAKING BEAUTIFUL here…

*Website

*Blog

*Facebook

*Twitter

*Goodreads

*The Class of 2k12

*The Apocalypsies

Tags: Apocalypsies, ARC Tour, Book Review, Breaking Beautiful, Class of 2k12, Jennifer Shaw Wolf, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Touching the Surface

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In a weird coincidence, I’d just cracked the spine on my very own copy of THE GATHERING STORM by my Class of 2k12 sib Robin Bridges, when the ARC Tour copy showed up in my mailbox. Guess I was reading the right book at the right time. I love it  when the universe sends me cosmic confirmation signals.  Here’s a little bit about THE GATHERING STORM in case you have had the chance to drool over it yet…

In superstitious 1880’s Russia, Katerina of Oldenburg hides a dangerous secret: she can raise the dead.

St. Petersburg, Russia, 1888.  As she attends a whirl of glittering balls, royal debutante Katerina Alexandrovna, Duchess of Oldenburg, tries to hide a dark secret: she can raise the dead.  But when she uses her special skill to protect a member of the Imperial Family, she finds herself caught in a web of intrigue.

An evil presence is growing within Europe’s royal bloodlines—and those aligned with the darkness threaten to topple the tsar. Suddenly Katerina’s strength as a necromancer attracts attention from unwelcome sources . . . including two young men—George Alexandrovich, the tsar’s standoffish middle son, who needs Katerina’s help to safeguard Russia, even if he’s repelled by her secret, and the dashing Prince Danilo, heir to the throne of Montenegro, to whom Katerina feels inexplicably drawn.

The time has come for Katerina to embrace her power, but which side will she choose—and to whom will she give her heart?

THE GATHERING STORM can be purchased at…

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Click HERE for a list of other available booksellers

Kimberly’s Review of THE GATHERING STORM

The absolute coolest thing about this book was the melding of paranormal and historical. And what really intrigued me most was that this wasn’t your “typical” historical era that we so often read about–this was Russia!!! The story was filled with all kinds of new and unique things that I’d never read about in a YA book before. Obviously, there was a mind boggling amount of research that must have gone into THE GATHERING STORM and that’s what I loved about it. It felt authentic–which meant that when Bridges introduced her paranormal elements into the story–the lines between reality and fiction were often blurred, making for fantastic story telling.I also really loved Katerina’s drive to be a doctor and her own person and more importantly, I adored her father. He only wanted the best thing for his daughter, even if it defies convention.The Gathering Storm had love, intrigue, history, magic and all of my attention. I can’t wait until the next installment of the Katerina Trilogy!!!

 

By day, Robin is a mild-mannered writer of fantasy and paranormal fiction for young adults. By night, she is a pediatric nurse. Robin lives on the Gulf Coast with her husband, one soon-to-be teenager, and two slobbery mastiffs. THE GATHERING STORM is her first novel.

You also want to check this out. Here’s the creepy cool book trailer for THE GATHERING STORM…

And if I haven’t already sold you on Book One of the Katerina Trilogy, check out Book Two…

THE UNFAILING LIGHT is now available for Pre-order!!!!

Barnes & Noble, Amazon and Indie Bound 

Available October 9, 2012

Tags: Apocalypsies, Book Review, Class of 2k12, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Robin Bridges, The Gathering Storm, The Unfailing Light, YA Author, YA Book, YA Novel, YA Writer

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Sometimes I get to review a book and I’m so excited to share it with you, but you have to wait weeks or months for it to hit the shelves. Not today!!!  SCARLET by AC Gaughen had it’s very happy Book Birthday yesterday.  So, once I convince you that you must read this book immediately–you can go right out and buy it. Or even have it sent to your house. Or if you just can’t wait another minute–you can click on that eBook right now. While you decide, I’ll tell you all about the book.

SCARLET by AC Gaughen

Many readers know the tale of Robin Hood, but they will be swept away by this new version full of action, secrets, and romance.

Posing as one of Robin Hood’s thieves to avoid the wrath of the evil Thief Taker Lord Gisbourne, Scarlet has kept her identity secret from all of Nottinghamshire. Only the Hood and his band know the truth: the agile thief posing as a whip of a boy is actually a fearless young woman with a secret past. Helping the people of Nottingham outwit the corrupt Sheriff of Nottingham could cost Scarlet her life as Gisbourne closes in.

It’s only her fierce loyalty to Robin—whose quick smiles and sharp temper have the rare power to unsettle her—that keeps Scarlet going and makes this fight worth dying for.

CHECK OUT THE SCARLET BOOK TRAILER.

Want to order SCARLET?

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Kimberly Sabatini’s Review of SCARLET

OMG!!!! I loved this book. I’m going to start this review by announcing something that I NEVER expected to say (John–if you’re reading this you should close your eyes and skip ahead) ROBIN HOOD IS MY NEW BOYFRIEND!!!! There, it’s out in the open. Phew–I feel better now. I know that once you read this–you’re going to want him too–but just remember I said it first and this post is time-stamped. But don’t worry, you don’t have to be turned away empty handed–Rob’s band of Merry Men are pretty darn lovable too.

Then there’s Scarlet, who is the only one that I’ll let date my new boyfriend–because I like her that much. You are going to adore her journey as you read along. It starts with Scarlet, but you’ll find it woven through the whole story– AC Gaughen is a master of writing perfectly balanced characters. I give her my “Friday Night Lights Award” for making me find something redeemable and maybe even likable in ALMOST everyone.

Hang on, there’s more to love about this book.

Lets take a minute to examine the unique plot twists and the creative take on a story that has been done a million times.There was nothing stale about this tale. THIS IS THE ROBIN HOOD THAT I’VE ALWAYS WANTED! I love when I walk away from a great book knowing that that even though the story is fiction, the characters and their journey have become real. But even though I’m girlie gushing–make no mistakes–I’m picking up my own copy to read to my three boys because they are going to love it!!! There is palm-sweating, boy-loving, action and adventure too. This book is going to capture the attention of a broad audience and deservedly so.

So proud to be in the Class of 2k12 with AC Gaughen and SCARLET. <3 What are you waiting for–GO READ SCARLET!!!!

A.C. Gaughen has been a concierge, a personal shopper, a handbag saleswoman, a wrapper (often and understandably confused with the homonym without a “w”), a call center phone-line answerer, a tour guide for the Commonwealth, a blogger, a writer of research articles like “How to Grind with a Boy”, and, most memorably, someone who couldn’t hang a shirt on a hanger correctly.  Through all of these, however, she’s also been a young adult author, and is thrilled to be publishing her debut novel, Scarlet, with Bloomsbury/Walker.

You can find out more about A. C. Gaughen and SCARLET here…

*A. C. Gaughen’s Website

*Facebook

*Twitter

*YouTube

*Goodreads

*Class of 2k12

*The Apocalypsies

****Don’t forget there is still time to sign up for my contest!!!  You can win an ARC of STARTERS, a signed bookmark, swag for TOUCHING THE SURFACE and you get to see my amazing blurb from Daisy Whitney author of THE MOCKINGBIRDS and THE RIVALS.****

What’s your favorite character from the tales of Robin Hood?? Anything you’re waiting on this Wednesday?? Happy Hump Day!!!

Tags: AC Gaughen, Apocalypsies, Book Review, Class of 2k12, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Scarlet, Touching the Surface

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