Bookish Treasures is currently closed for review requests and is not doing any new posts at this time.

Cover Reveal - The Wicked We Have Done (UK Version)

10 Feb 2014
So you may remember that back in September I helped reveal the US cover for one of my most anticipated 2014 releases - NA dystopian novel The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian. Today I am excited to be revealing the cover for the UK version and having read this book a few weeks ago I can say that it is as utterly amazing as the cover would have you expect and 100% worth reading.

The Wicked We Have Done releases March 18th from Headline in the UK and InterMix (Penguin) in the US.

The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian



Synopsis

With elements of horror, thriller and romance THE WICKED WE HAVE DONE is perfect for readers who enjoyed Suzanne Collins and are looking for the next big thing...

Once a sinner, always a sinner...

Twenty-two-year-old Evalyn Ibarra had taken the normality of her life for granted, until the moment everything changed. Now, convicted of a horrifying crime, she will be one of the first to experience a new kind of punishment.

In the darkness of the Compass Room - an experimental prison - the morality of convicts will be tested, and they will be punished according to their performance. In order to stay alive, Evalyn must relive the events of the fateful day that has brought her here.

Consumed by her own struggle, she never expects to make friends amongst her fellow inmates, let alone fall in love. But in this new and terrifying world, such allegiances are dangerous - because no one will escape unharmed.

Pre-order it now! Amazon UK | Amazon

Add it to goodreads

About the Author


Sarah grew up in the foothills of Yosemite, where she learned to fish, hike, and climb trees. She also had a soft spot for video games and fantasy novels, rounding her out to be perfectly equal parts of wilderness princess and super nerd.

Inspired by Carolyn Keene, Tolkien, and J.K.Rowling, she wanted to be a writer since she was eight. Her first attempted book was about twins who found a secret portal to another world in their basement. Between this creation and her first finished novel twelve years later, she dabbled in fanfiction and horror stories.

Sarah worked as a barista at Starbucks while studying at Fresno State, receiving her B.A. in English Education in 2010 and her M.F.A. in Creative Writing in 2013. She was lucky enough to score a TAship during graduate school and teach fiction for a semester.

Now, Sarah is working on the sequel to her new adult speculative thriller, THE WICKED WE HAVE DONE. She’s liberal, queer, Christian, and madly in love with her husband. Contrary to popular belief, it is possible to be all of those things at once.

Her works are represented by Kathleen Rushall of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency. 

Twitter | Goodreads | Website | Facebook

Review of What's Left Of Me

8 Feb 2014

Synopsis

Life works in mysterious ways.

Four years ago I became known as the girl with cancer.

I refuse to cry.

And I refuse to give in.

A relationship with a man is the last thing I’m looking for right now, but one night with Parker changes everything. He is persistent, and he knows what he wants. Me.

He doesn’t treat me like I’m fragile.

But he doesn’t know, and I’m not ready to tell him.

What if it changes everything?

Tragedy found me when I was seventeen.

Love found me when I was twenty-one.

My name is Aundrea McCall, and this is my journey.


Review

The ENDING! (well I mean the epilogue). I just… there are no words. This is a book that really pulls at your heart strings. The emotions you feel from Aundrea as she works to come to terms with everything going on in her life, breaks your heart at times. She really struggles as she attempts to live as normal of a life as she possibly can, while dealing with her every changing diagnosis.

Aundrea is dealing with her cancer coming back for a second time, and a move to live with her older sister Genna and her husband Jason. She feels trapped and heads out to a bar for a night out on the town with her friend Jean.  She meets a hot man and decides that a steamy one night stand is just what she need in her life.

Little does she know, the hot man that she spent the night with, happens to be her brother in law's new partner at his veterinary clinic. Enter Parker and his oh so dreamy self. He makes it clear from the beginning that he wants Aundrea in any way shape or form she will allow him.
Slowly their relationship evolves and Aundrea struggles with her own insecurities as the two grow closer. She doesn’t want him to begin looking at her differently. She doesn’t want their relationship to involve another person worrying about everything she does. Ultimately she keeps the fact that she has cancer to herself.

Aundrea has so much going for her. She cares so much for those around her, but she works to fight a disease that could kill her at any moment. I understand where he reluctance to let Parker in and learn about her diagnosis. I understand the feelings of helplessness and the struggle she feels to keep on living some sort of life.
This is an excellently developed book. You can’t help but feel like you know the characters personally. You can’t help but root for them, wanting them to overcome their struggles. You become so invested in their lives and their problems that the ending is crushing.

I didn’t bawl my eyes out throughout this book, although I could have. The story worms its way into your heart and you can’t help but love the characters.
 
Try it for yourself! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Amanda

Feature Friday - Interview with Kirsten Everett

7 Feb 2014
Feature Friday is a feature on Bookish Treasures that spotlights an author and their latest release. Every Friday I will be featuring an author through either an interview or a guest post. If you are interested in taking part please send me an email.

This week I am featuring 15 year old South African author Kirsten Everett.

Eclipse Child by Kirsten Everett



Synopsis

Bethany Clark is special. Not because of her passion for rhinos or her captured parents but because of what she is. An Eclipse Child.
Being able to turn invisible, have glowing hair and the ability to regenerate cells means she is the perfect weapon.


Tricked into a new world filled with merciless greed can she do what is right? Even when the odds are piled against her.


Try it for yourself! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

 

Interview with Kirsten Everett


Why did you decide to become an author?

Ever since I became a bookworm at the age of nine I dreamed of being able to create my own stories. I used to practice during the holidays and when I came back to school I would show my teacher my half page “masterpieces”. From then on I made the decision to be an author by the age of sixteen.
How do you balance writing with other things in your life?

I’m currently fifteen which means I’m at school for at least seven hours a day from Monday to Friday. Even when I get home there always seems to be something I have to do yet I manage to squeeze in one hour of writing before I go to sleep.
What is your favourite thing about being an author?

Being an author at my age isn’t that common which means I love that it makes me even more unique. I love the words that spill out from my brain weaving together intricate plots. But the thing I love most about being an author is the fact that I can escape the rules of reality and express my creativity in a way that makes my senses hum with excitement.
What are your favourite books?

My favourite books range from Nancy Drew when I was younger, to The Hunger Games, to the Divergent trilogy and to The Selection Trilogy.  I can’t wait to discover more books to add to my list.
Describe your book in one sentence.

Rescuing a species from extinction is not easy; but if you’re the only one who seems to care you have to try.
Where did you get the idea for Eclipse Child, did anything inspire you to write it?

The idea for Eclipse Child started on a five am game drive in the bush where we encountered a mother and a child rhino. They seemed to be so relaxed obviously not understanding that their species was dying. With the characters and plot forming in my brain I decided to start blogging for Nikela (a wildlife organisation) and started spreading the story of these animals. Yet writing Eclipse Child  was something I wanted to do as well as I felt I had to do because most of the youth of the world didn’t seem to know much about their species. Through my book I could share the news about their situation whilst creating a fun new world for readers to enjoy.
What made you decide to write a Young Adult novel?

Considering I am a Young Adult it made sense for me to write in this genre because I already had a connection with my readers. I was able to create a story that they would enjoy because I knew their interests and many of their thoughts.
Is there any specific message you wanted to convey in the book?

I wanted to let the youth of the world know what was going on with the rhinos as well as showing them that they had the power to make a difference.
What are your plans for future books?

Good question. Unfortunately the answer will remain a mystery, though I do intend to carry on writing Young Adult genres I’m not sure what the next one will be about. But I know that I’ll enjoy writing it.
Do you have any hobbies and Interests unrelated to books?

Though much of my life revolves around reading and writing I enjoy many water sports. I spend many hours windsurfing, canoeing and boogie boarding whenever I can. During the holidays I love to go hiking and spending time with my family and friends.
Would you ever consider putting these (answer to above) into any of your books?

Maybe; maybe not. They probably will come into my stories at some point because they are things that feed my imagination but I can’t promise anything.

FUN STUFF
If you could meet any one author (dead or alive) who would it be and why?

Kiera Cass. Ever since I read The Selection I’ve dreamed of meeting her. The first book in her trilogy had me captivated from the first word until the very end. I hope by meeting her she would tell me some of her writing secrets which would help me through future manuscripts.
Tell us one interesting fact about yourself.

When I was only eleven I became a member of the Junior Editing Team (JET) for a South African children’s magazine called Minimag.
What is your favourite food?

Definitely pizza.
What is the most adventurous thing you have ever done?

At the end of last year I hiked for five days through the Tsitsikama Forest. It was an amazing and gruelling experience that gave me a new perspective on life and taught me to appreciate the warm showers I took for granted.
If you could be any supernatural creature which would you choose?

I would be a fairy. What is better than flying through the air and filling the dreams of girls everywhere?

About the Author



I am a a South African schoolgirl who has a passion for writing, reading and a very wild imagination. (this means I see inspiration everywhere and spend ages writing ideas down in one of my many notebooks).

In 2013 I published two books on Amazon, they are 'Eclipse Child' and 'Escaping Extinction'

The Minaldi Legacy Excerpt and Giveaway

6 Feb 2014

Synopsis

“I’m a monster, Eva.  There’s no saving a monster.  But I love that you want to try.”
 
Luca Minaldi is rich, powerful and mesmerizing.  He’s also a reclusive enigma.  He lives in Malta, a fairy-tale place filled with sunshine and sea, beauty and secrets.  And Luca’s darkest of secrets is the best-kept of them all. 
 
Eva Talbot moves to Malta to finish her doctoral dissertation in Psychiatry.  When she meets Luca, there is a very real and instant attraction that she has never felt before. But even still, she senses the darkness that lives within him.   
 
Eva is hired to care for Luca’s mother, a woman who suffers from dementia.  It is Luca, however, that Eva will eventually risk everything to save… as the legacy that plagues him continues.  
 
As the darkness swirls ever more tightly around her, Eva realizes that no matter how hard she tries, she might not be able to save Luca without losing herself. 
 
Eva and Luca are thrust into a world where their love is tested and darkness reigns.  Amid chaos and treachery, love and hate, Luca and Eva learn one important thing.
 
Love is dangerous. 
 
But it also might be the one thing that can save them all. 
 
********
The Minaldi Legacy consists of two parts, part one:  Of Blood and Bone and part two:  Of Darkness and Demons.  It contains adult themes and content.  
 
Try it for yourself! Goodreads |
 

Excerpt

 
“Miss, is everything alright?”
A deep voice is calling from outside of my house.  And before I can think about it and remember that I don’t know anyone here and that a stranger really shouldn’t be outside of my house, particularly in the middle of the night, I answer.
“No.  I’m not.”
In a scant moment, a man bursts into my bedroom. 
He looks startled to see that I am alone. 
And I am startled because he’s alarmingly handsome. 
So it appears that we are both startled as we stare at each other.
He’s dark haired, tanned, and has dark eyes.  His bangs are hanging artfully in his eyes, although the hair on the back of his head is a little shorter.  It’s a style that works for him. He’s got broad shoulders, slim hips, chiseled yet graceful features and Sweet Merciful Mary, he’s beautiful.  He’s dressed in jogging shorts and running shoes and a bead of sweat trickles down his temple.  I don’t even have time to wonder why he’s out for a run in the middle of the night before I notice that he’s also got that sexy, day-old stubble that I so love on a man.
I swallow and realize that my mouth has gone dry. 
“Are you alright?” he asks, his eyes skimming over me, assessing the situation.  It’s a valid question.  I had been screaming bloody hell, after all. 
I nod.  Then shake my head. 
“Spider,” I whisper.
His dark eyes widen and he follows my pointing finger with his gaze.
Then he laughs, husky and rich.
“Spider,” he confirms with a nod, his dark eyes sparkling in amusement.  “It looks like you’ve got yourself a perfect specimen of the Writing Spider.”
“Writing Spider?” I repeat, watching it nervously, making sure it doesn’t try to run across the bedroom floor and up my leg. “Is it poisonous?”
Handsome Running Guy nods solemnly.
“Oh, it’s a known killer, alright.”
I gasp and lurch even further away from the hairy creature on my bed and Handsome Running Guy laughs. 
“I’m sorry.  I’m only joking.  I couldn’t resist. It’s not poisonous. I think its scientific name is Black and Yellow Argiope, or something like that.  They are all over here.  But you wouldn’t know that because you’re not from here, are you?”
I shake my head again, trying not to be overly enthralled with his charming accent.
“Is it that obvious?”
He smiles and suddenly it seems like all natural sources of light are pouring into my room, originating from this man.  He’s got such a strong presence that it makes my spine tingle.  And my stomach is fluttering in a way that it hasn’t fluttered since high school.  Interesting.
He shakes his head and then holds out his hand.
“Luca Minaldi,” he tells me and his fingers are cool as he shakes my hand.
“Evangeline Talbot,” I answer.  “But my friends call me Eva.”
“It’s nice to meet you,” and his eyes agree with him as he stares at me.  “The question now is would you like for me to kill your uninvited guest or should I release him into the wilds?”
“Kill it,” I say firmly.  Slight disapproval passes over Luca’s face like a shadow. 
“Are you certain?” he asks.  “It’s an amazing specimen and they do eat bugs.  Bugs can get pesky here in Malta, Evangeline.”
“You can call me Eva,” I answer.  “And if we release it into the outdoors, he might come back in.”
I shudder again at that thought.
“True,” Luca agrees.  “And so might anyone else.  Your door wasn’t locked.  And I can’t call you Eva.  We’re not yet friends.”
 

About the Author

 
 
Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people.
Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.
 

Giveaway

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be With Me Release Day Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway

4 Feb 2014
Today is the release day of Be With Me by the wonderful J.Lynn (Jennifer L. Armentrout) and I have an excerpt and giveaway to share in celebration :D

Be With Me by J. Lynn



Synopsis

From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wait for You
Do Teresa and Jase have a real shot at getting together or will life get in the way?
 
Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she's in love with her big brother's best friend, but he hasn't spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, life-changing kiss. Then she got out of a terrible relationship. Now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It's time for plan B: college. And maybe she'll have a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.
 
Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he's not telling anyone—especially not his best friend's incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn't have time for a relationship. But it doesn't help that all he can think about is kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.
 
As they're thrown together more and more, Jase and Teresa can't keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they're willing to risk to be together and what they're willing to lose if they're not. . . .
 
 

Excerpt

 

“You got a visitor, Tess.” He rested his chin atop my head, which caused my pulse to try
to outrun my heart. “Two of them to be exact.”
“Okay.”
There was a pause. “Are your eyes closed?”
“No.”
His chin slid off my head and then his chest rumbled as he laughed. “Your eyes are
closed.” He laughed again. “Open them up.”  
Cursing under my breath, I pried one eye open and then jerked against him. His arm
tightened. “Oh wow …”
The black-and-white horse was the closest, standing mere feet away from me. The brown
one wasn’t too far, shaking its head and making soft snorts. My eyes were wide as they bounced
between the two creatures. “They’re not carnivorous, right? Because at their size, they could eat
me.”
Jase laughed deeply as his hand shifted up, resting in the center of my stomach, just
below my breasts. “Horses do not eat people, you little idiot.”
I started, eyes narrowing. “There’s always a first.”
The lips pulled back on the black-and-white horse as if it was smirking at me. 
            “This one right here? Mr. Friendly? Jack calls him Bubba One,” he said in a quiet,
calming voice. But air hitched in my throat when his thumb moved in a slow circle over the thin
material of my tank top, hitting against the wire in my bra. “And the brown one is Bubba Two.”
Mouth dry, I wetted my lips. “That’s good for remembering names.”
He chuckled as his pinkie and forefinger started to move up and down, reaching my belly
button and then sliding back up. It was almost as if he was unaware of what he was doing, or the
electrifying response the tiny motions were dragging out of me. “I think so too, but his real name
is Lightning.”
Said horse shook his head, tossing the shaggy mane.
“Lightning seems to be a more suitable name,” I admitted, relaxing as the seconds
passed. Maybe that was his intention. Distract me with the soft, almost innocent touches. It was
working. “What about Bubba Two?  
“Ah, the one who is staring at the pail like it’s the holy mecca of grain?” His cheek
grazed mine as I laughed. “That’s Thunder. And we’re going to feed them. Together.”
The friction his fingers created with my shirt sent tiny shivers up and down my back.
“With our hands?”
His answering laugh tipped the corners of my lips up. “Yes. With our hands.”
“After checking out the choppers on them, I’m not so sure about that.”
“You’ll be okay.” He slid his hand off my stomach and wrapped it around my wrist.
Slowly, he lifted my hand out in front of me. “Hold still.”
My heart lurched. “Jase—”
Lightning trotted forward and pressed his wet nose against my hand. I cringed, waiting
for him to eat my poor fingers. The horse didn’t. Nope. It nudged my hand as it whinnied softly. 
He guided my hand up over Lightning’s jaw, all the way to the pointy, twitchy ears.
“See?” he murmured. “That’s not too bad, is it?”
I shook my head as my fingers curled along the soft coat. Lightning seemed to anticipate
the direction of the petting, pressing his long head against my hand as my fingers tangled in his
mane. It wasn’t bad at all. 
Jase shifted behind me, and in an instant all thoughts of the horses evaporated. His hips
lined up against my backside, and I bit down on my lower lip as I focused on the white splotch
covering Lightning’s muzzle. 
I could feel him—feel Jase. And there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that he was
affected by how close we were standing. That knowledge and the hard length of him left me
dizzy, just like it had done that Saturday night. An all too warm flush spread down my neck. In
the back of my head, I was rationalizing his physical reaction. He was a guy. Our bodies were pressed
together. If a wind blew on a guy’s private area, they got hard. So I should just ignore it,
but my body was so not on board with my head. My body was operating on a different playing
field. An ache centered low in my stomach. A sharp and sweet yearning raced through my veins. 
“Not so scary, right?” His voice was deeper, richer. “They’re like dogs. Well, like a dog
that can carry around two hundred pounds, if not more.” Hand sliding off mine, he stepped back,
and the sudden emptiness of his body was like a cold shock. “Trust me.”
Then he smacked my ass.

 

About the Author

 
 
# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.
 
Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.
 
She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.
 
 

Giveaway

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway