Blog Tour (Excerpt/Giveaway): KEEPER OF THE BEES by Meg Kassel (YA)

Hosted by YA Bound Book Tours

KEEPER OF THE BEES

Black Bird of the Gallows #2
by Meg Kassel

Release date: September 4th, 2018

Published by Entangled Teen

Genre: Young Adult - Paranormal/Fantasy

Format: Hardcover, eBook

SUMMARY

*PLEASE NOTE: 
Keeper of the Bees is the second book in the companion series to BLACK BIRD OF THE GALLOWS. However, as per the publisher, you do not need to read BLACK BIRD OF THE GALLOWS before KEEPER OF THE BEES in order to enjoy them both.

"Beauty and the Beast like you've never imagined!"
- New York Times bestselling author Pintip Dunn

KEEPER OF THE BEES is a tale of two teens who are both beautiful and beastly, and whose pasts are entangled in surprising and heartbreaking ways.

Dresden is cursed.
His chest houses a hive of bees that he can't stop from stinging people with psychosis-inducing venom. His face is a shifting montage of all the people who have died because of those stings. And he has been this way for centuries - since he was eighteen and magic flowed through his homeland, corrupting its people. 

He follows harbingers of death, so at least his curse only affects those about to die anyway. But when he arrives in a Midwest town marked for death, he encounters Essie, a seventeen-year-old girl who suffers from debilitating delusions and hallucinations. His bees want to sting her on sight. But Essie doesn't see a monster when she looks at Dresden.

Essie is fascinated and delighted by his changing features. Risking his own life, he holds back his bees and spares her. What starts out as a simple act of mercy ends up unraveling Dresden's solitary life and Essie's tormented one.

Their impossible romance might even be powerful enough to unravel a centuries-old curse. 

ORDER LINKS can be found HERE!

EXCERPT from KEEPER OF THE BEES

     She closes her eyes. Her breath hitches. Then, she does the improbable and throws herself against me, wrapping her arms around my waist.

     I am paralyzed. Motionless, breathless in my first embrace in a millennium. To be touched... my eyes close as I tremble from head to toe. The pain is glorious, excruciating.

     "Thank you," she breathes against my chest. "You calm my mind. Why is that?"

     "I don't know." Speech takes an unbearable effort. I'm overwhelmed in every single possible way - destroyed on a level she can't begin to comprehend. My arms hover, uncertain how to return her embrace and unsure if I should. Unable to push her away. I feel as though I will shatter if I move, but my arms slowly close around her. One of my hands falls on her hair, where the elastic has loosened. The thin band slips from her hair and falls into my hand. My fingers close around it. 

READ the first book to the companion series NOW!!!

BLACK BIRD OF THE GALLOWS
by Meg Kassel
Release date: September 5th, 2017
Published by: Entangled Teen

SUMMARY to BLACK BIRD OF THE GALLOWS

A simple but forgotten truth:

Where harbingers of death appear, the morgues will soon be full.

Angie Dovage can tell there's more to Reece Fernandez than just the tall, brooding athlete who has her classmates swooning, but she can't imagine his presence signals a tragedy that will devastate her small town. When something supernatural tries to attack her, Angie is thrown into a battle between good and evil she never saw coming. Right in the center of it is Reece - and he's not human.

What's more, she knows something most don't.

That the secrets her town holds could kill them all.

But that's only half as dangerous as falling in love with a harbinger of death.

*GIVEAWAY*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Bumbles and Fairy-Tales is not responsible for any lost, damaged, unclaimed, etc. prizes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Meg Kassel


Meg Kassel is an author of fantasy and speculative books for young adults. 

A graduate of Parson's School of Design, she’s been creating stories, whether with visuals or words, since childhood. 

Meg is a New Jersey native who lives in a log house in the Maine woods with her husband and daughter. 

As a fan of ’80s cartoons, Netflix series, and ancient mythology, she has always been fascinated and inspired by the fantastic, the creepy, and the futuristic. 

She is the 2016 RWA Golden Heart® winner in YA and a double 2018 RITA® finalist for her debut novel, Black Bird of the Gallows.

GOODREADS / WEBSITE / TWITTER / INSTAGRAM / FACEBOOK / AMAZON 

YA BOUND BOOK TOURS

Waiting On Wednesday: SEA WITCH by Sarah Henning (YA)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme that used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. I've missed posting these on a weekly basis and have decided to start doing them again. 

Waiting On Wednesday is where I/we get to "spotlight" the books that we are most looking forward to reading soon! 

Today's pick is... 

SEA WITCH

by Sarah Henning

Expected release date: July 31st, 2018

Published by: Katherine Tegen Books (Harper Collins)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy - Fairytale Retelling

Format: Hardcover, eBook

SUMMARY

Everyone knows what happens in the end.

A mermaid, a prince, a true love's kiss.

But before that young siren's tale, there were three friends.

One feared, one royal, and one already dead.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ever since her best friend, Anna, drowned, Evie has been an outcast in her small fishing town. A freak. A curse. A witch.

A girl with an uncanny resemblance to Anna appears offshore and, thought the girl denies it, Evie is convinced that her best friend actually survived. That her own magic wasn't so powerless after all. And, as the two girls catch the eyes - and hearts - of two charming princes, Evie believes that she might finally have a chance at her own happily ever after.

But her new friend has secrets of her own. She can't stay in Havenestad, or on two legs, unless Evie finds a way to help her. Now Evie will do anything to save her friend's humanity, along with her prince's heart - harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love until she discovers, too late, the truth of her bargain.

The rise of Hans Christian Andersen's iconic villainess is a heart-wrenching story of friendship, betrayal, and a girl pushed beyond her limits - to become a monster.

MY THOUGHTS

It's a sort of retelling of the Little Mermaid; more like a prequel - Ursula's story before she became an evil witch!!! You all must know by now that I will pretty much read anything fairytale and/or retelling of a fairytale, especially if it's about a villain!

Catchy key phrases from the summary are...

- "She can't stay... on two legs..."

- "... save her friend's humanity, along with her prince's heart..."

- "...harnessing the power of her magic, her ocean, and her love..."

Can't. Wait!!!

What are you excited about reading soon??? 

Waiting On Wednesday: BLANCA & ROJA by Anna-Marie McLemore (YA)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme that used to be hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. I've missed posting these on a weekly basis and have decided to start doing them again. 

Waiting On Wednesday is where I/we get to "spotlight" the books that we are most looking forward to reading soon! 

Today's pick is... 

BLANCA & ROJA

by Anna-Marie McLemore

Expected release date: October 9th, 2018

Published by: Feiwel & Friends (Macmillan)

Genre: Young Adult Fairytale Retellings/Magical Realism

Format: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

SUMMARY

The biggest lie of all is the story you think you already know.

The del Cisne girls have never just been sisters; they're also rivals, Blanca as obedient and graceful as Roja is vicious and manipulative. They know that, because of a generations-old spell, their family is bound to a bevy of swans deep in the woods. They know that, one day, the swans will pull them into a dangerous game that will leave one of them a girl, and trap the other in the body of a swan.

But when two local boys become drawn into the game, the swans' spell intertwines with the strange and unpredictable magic lacing the woods, and all four of their fates depend on facing truths that could either save or destroy them.

Blanca & Roja is the captivating story of sisters, friendship, love, hatred, and the price we pay to protect our hearts.

MY THOUGHTS

First of all, it's another Anna-Marie McLemore book.

Do I really need to convince you as to why I need this book ASAP?!?!?

Okay then...

It's a SNOW WHITE AND ROSE RED and SWAN LAKE retelling!!!

You all know how I feel about fairy tales, retellings, and magical realism!

Key phrases that are making me all jumpy and SO excited to read this:

- "... generations-old spell..."

- "... a dangerous game that will leave one of them a girl, and trap the other in the body of a swan."

- "... magic lacing the woods..."

- "... the price we pay to protect our hearts."

Just rip my heart out now and give me this book!!!

Is this book on your list too???

What are you currently waiting for???

Blog Tour (Review): NO GOOD DEED by Kara Connolly (YA)

NO GOOD DEED

by Kara Connolly

Release date: July 18th, 2017

Published by: Delacorte Press (Random House)

Genre: Young Adult Contemporary w/magical realism (12yo+)

Format available: Hardcover, eBook

Format read: ARC from the publisher

SUMMARY

Fans of Dorothy Must Die will love this reimagining of the legend of Robin Hood.

Girl power rules supreme when a modern girl finds herself in the middle of a medieval mess with only her smart mouth and her Olympic-archer aim to get her home. 

Ellie Hudson is the front-runner on the road to gold for the U.S. Olympic archery team. All she has to do is qualify at the trials in jolly old England. When Ellie makes some kind of crazy wrong turn in the caverns under Nottingham Castle - yes, that Nottingham - she ends up in medieval England.

Ellie doesn't care how she got to the Middle Ages; she just wants to go home before she gets the plague. But people are suffering in Nottingham, and Ellie has the skills to make it better. What's an ace archer to do while she's stuck in Sherwood Forest but make like Robin Hood?

Pulled into a past life as an outlaw, Ellie feels her present fading away next to daring do-gooding and a devilishly handsome knight. Only, Ellie is on the brink of rewriting history, and when she picks up her bow and arrow, her next shot could save her past - or doom civilization's future.

MY REVIEW

There's never a dull moment in NO GOOD DEED - an adventure behind every tree in Nottingham's forest...

If you know Robin Hood's story, then you can already guess what Ellie's story is... 
Ellie is in is just one trial away from being on the U.S. Olympic archery team, but the stress of her missing brother is starting to wear on her and she doesn't know what to do about it.
After her last round of competition, with only one more to go, she goes on a walk and decides to take a quick tour of Nottingham Castle... lost in the castle's underground caverns, she emerges to find that things are not the same and things get interesting really quick.

The story unfolds and follows very closely to Robin Hood's - it's quite obvious that Ellie takes on Robin Hood's role and that she is making history with every move she makes and every person she meets. Her 'Maid Marion' is a handsome knight turned 'Friar Tuck'. We also get to meet 'Alan Dale', 'Will Scarlet' and 'Little John'; and let's not forget the 'Sherriff of Nottingham'! All played their roles expectantly... the Sherriff was a bit darker than I thought he would be, with a twist, and it was wonderful!

For me, the 'time travel' element to the story was almost forgotten and only remembered when Ellie would remind herself that she had to be careful not to do anything too rash so she wouldn't change history too much. Considering that everything had happened already, the only 'tricky part' to her story was making sure she made the right decisions to stay true to the Robin Hood story which didn't seem too far fetched to accomplish. Although the fear of being executed at any given moment did feel real - one must remember that Robin Hood is folklore, and it supposedly took place in the 15th or 16th century! 

What really made this book amazing - two things...
First, it's the first time that I read a retelling where the character is more than aware that she is living through a story that has already been told and tries her best to stick to the history of it.
The next best thing, it's ending!!!
The ending was so unexpected and wonderfully original! I am always skeptical with retelling stories, especially those that have to carry on with the time travel element - and this ending tied up everything perfectly!

Definitely recommend this book for anyone that loves a quick, predictable read with a happily ever after!

*I received this book as part of the blog tour from the publisher for an honest review. All thoughts are my own. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Kara Connolly

LINK - Goodreads 

Blog Tour (Q&A and Giveaway): BECAUSE YOU LOVE TO HATE ME w/Ameriie and Tina Burke (YA)

I am so very happy to be a part of the BECAUSE YOU LOVE TO HATE ME: 13 TALES OF VILLAINY blog tour!!! Today, I get to share with you my Q&A with author and editor, Ameriie, and bookblogger/booktuber, Tina Burke... 

Be sure to read through to the bottom of the post and enter the giveaway that is being hosted by the publisher!

BECAUSE YOU LOVE TO HATE ME
edited by Ameriie
Release date: July 11th, 2017
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Genre: Fairy Tale/Fantasy - Anthology/Short Stories
Format: Hardcover, eBook

SUMMARY

Leave it to the heroes to save the world - villains just want to rule the world.

In this unique anthology, thirteen acclaimed, bestselling authors team up with thirteen influential booktubers to reimagine the origin stories of the villains we love to hate - infamous foes from fairy tales, mythology, and brand-new worlds. 

Based on comic book-inspired enemies in pop culture and classics such as Medusa from Greek mythology, Moriarty from Sherlock Holmes, and the giant from "Jack and the Beanstalk," these fractured, unconventional spins retell each character's story in an original, unexpected way. This behind-the-curtain look at villains explores the pain, heartbreak, and sorrow that set them on the road to bad and questions whether or not anyone is truly born evil. 

No fairy tale will ever seem quite the same again... 

Featuring writing from... 

Authors: Renee Ahdieh, Ameriie, Soman Chainani, Susan Dennard, Sarah Enni, Marissa Meyer, Cindy Pon, Victoria Schwab, Samantha Shannon, Adam Silvera, Andrew Smith, April Genevieve Tucholke and Nicola Yoon. 

Booktubers: Benjamin Alderson (Benjaminoftomes), Sasha Alsberg (abookutopia), Whitney Atkinson (WhittyNovels), Tina Burke (ChristinaReadsYA blog and TheLushables), Catriona Feeney (LittleBookOwl), Jesse George (JessetheReader), Zoe Herdt (readbyzoe), Samantha Lane (Thoughts on Tomes), Sophia Lee (thebookbasement), Raeleen Lemay (padfootandprongs07), Regan Perusse (PeruseProject), Christine Riccio (polandbananasBOOKS), and Steph Sinclair & Kat Kennedy (Cuddlebuggery blog and channel). 

MY Q&A with author and editor, AMERIIE

1. BECAUSE YOU LOVE TO HATE ME are fairy tale retellings that are told from villain's point-of-view, why give them the spotlight when they are purposefully callous and unforgiving?

"Even when I was a kid, I felt sorry for the villain. There was something sad about them, I felt they were misunderstood. I wanted to understand them, and not only that, I wanted everyone else to understand them, too. I wanted the villains, the so-called evil-doers, to get a chance to tell their own stories so that we could get the "full truth" of their situations." 

2. Fairy tales are said to be 'fictititious short stories that usually teach a moral lesson' - do you believe that in this day that fairy tales and their retellings can still have an impact on readers? If so, what you you like to see readers learn from BECAUSE YOU LOVE TO HATE ME?

"It's harder to teach lessons these day s because I think we're, in general, a lot more aware that ther are no easy answers, that often times there are no easy delineations of right and wrong. If anything, I'd just like the anthology to make readers question themselves when they are quick to judge. I'd like the book to help create empathy, though I read somewhere that reading tends to do that, anyway. In any case, an increase in empathy would do us all a world of good, especially now, when we're all closer yet further apart than ever." 

3. How did it feel to have to work with someone else's idea rather than come up with your own? Do you feel that the prompts influenced you away from something else that you may have written?

"It was a scary prospect because of course, I was concerned that I wouldn't be able to deliver. But I'm really happy with the resulting story. The funny thing is that although you might think it'd be harder to be creative when writing under constraints, I believe it forces you to be more creative. You have a nutshell, and now you have to figure out what to do with it. you can't fall on easy answers, easy story paths. Now that I think of it, it reminds me of one of those competitive chef shows, where everyone gets the same ingredients and they have to make something special." 

4. Favorite fairy tale? Favorite villain? 

"Hmmm. I have too many, so I think the Brother's Grimm version of Cinderella. 

My favorite villain is Michael Corleone of the Godfather, though I've never seen him as a villain." 

MY Q&A with booktuber, TINA BURKE

1. What were some of the prompts that you provided to Ameriie, and what sort of research did you do to come up with them? 

"I had five prompt sections: Serial Killers, Fairy Tales, Mobsters, Historical Figures, and Mash It All Up. I was most worried about creating a prompt that was too restrictive; part of the cool thin in fairy tale retellings, for instance, is that you can choose which plot points you want to reinvent, not include, etc. So I didn't want to create a prompt that actually specified plot points. As Ameriie hinted in our google hangout, one of the prompts was related to Countess Elizabeth Bathory, who could fit under many of these categories. Having multiple categories also meant that Ameriie could mash up the prompts in whatever way she wanted.

As for research I did, I looked up serial killers, mobsters, and historical figures. I looked at the books that I read and considered why I did and didn't like the villain in that particular book. I read various articles about what made a good villain. I took these things into consideration." 

2. What villain do you think is the most misunderstood and deserves a chance to be sought out, listened to an, perhaps, be understood/forgiven? 

"I don't think there is any one villain who deserves this more than another. Villainy is often a matter of perspective - you can be the hero of your story and the villain in someone else's. But in general, I would like to read more stories about morally grey characters who blur the line of heroism and villainy."

3. What is your favorite fairy tale and/or who is your favorite villain, and why? 

"I have a confession to make: I don't really like fairy tales. But that's also somewhat of a fallacy, because that's like saying I don't like Story. Ursula Le Guin, in "the Wilderness Within: The Sleeping Beauty and 'The Poacher'" (The Wave in the Mind), wrote about how she hates being asked about what inspired her and how few writers could ever pinpoint all the little things that take root in their brains - and hey, go back to the original stories, fairy tales inspire us all, etc. And Vladimir Propp, in "Morphology of the Folktale" (The Classic Fairy Tales), writes about the different functions of various phenomena within fairy tales, most of which are in regular stories anyway. But I guess I just don't like the simplicity of fairy tales, which have those functions but without the added context and richness in a regular story, the "Big Idea" so to speak. 

I don't really have one favorite villain (see #2), but there are quite a few I like. Recently I was listening to the audiobook 2015 version of Dracula, and OMG, the first two parts of the audiobook are a.m.a.z.i.n.g. The atmosphere, the build-up, the slow discovery of what Dracula is doing, the facade he is building - and contrasted against my dislike of Jonathan Harker, who's supposed to be the hero, I guess - I'm engrossed. 

Grendel is a pretty great villain retelling from Beowulf (and another example of how giants are always viewed evil!). 

Dolores Umbridge is a pretty great villain to hate - certainly not one I'd fangirl over, but one who felt realistic, a character who we've met in our lives at some point.

And, of course, there's the villain crushes I identified in another post; they're pretty cool characters, too. That's without getting into media beyond books." 

GIVEAWAY

Giveaway is sponsored by Bloomsbury.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

*Bumbles and Fairy-Tales will not be held responsible for any lost, unclaimed, damaged, etc. giveaway items.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR AND EDITOR - Ameriie

Ameriie is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter, producer, and lifestyle bon vivant.

The daughter of a Korean artist and an American military officer, she was born in Massachusetts, raised all over the world, and graduated from Georgetown University with a bachelor's in English. 

She began writing at the age of seven, stories of fairies and piraes and witches and phantoms.

She lives mostly in her imagination, but also on Earth with her husband, her parents and sister, and about seven billion other people. 

When she isn't writing or creating music, she talks books, beauty, and more on her YouTube channel, Books Beauty Ameriie.

Links: Goodreads / Website / YouTube / Twitter / Instagram / Facebook / Tumblr

ABOUT THE BOOKTUBER - Tina Burke aka ChristinaReadsYA and The Lushables

Tina was raised in Southern California by a boisterous Lebanese family, whose favorite words ("let me tell you a story") spurred a lifelong love of storytelling. 

After earning a BA in neuroscience, she moved to the East Coast for her PhD program. 

When she's not reading or thinking about her next research story, she can be found writing fictional stories. 

Links: YouTube / Blog / Goodreads / Instagram / Twitter  

Don't forget to follow the blog tour... 
ends on July 27th... 

BLOG TOUR SCHEDULE

July 11: The Candid Cover

July 12: Once Upon a Twilight

July 13: Bumbles and Fairy-Tales

July 14: Lost in Literature

July 17: Nicole’s Novel Reads

July 18: curlyhairbibliophile

July 19: Page Turners Blog

July 20: A Page with a View

July 21: Novel Novice

July 24: Peace Love Books

July 25: The Plot Bunny

July 26: The Eater of Books!

July 27: Read.Sleep.Repeat

Waiting on Wednesday#150: BRIGHT SMOKE, COLD FIRE by Rosamund Hodge (YA)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This is where we get to 'spotlight' the books that we are anxiously waiting to be released!!! The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night!!!

BRIGHT SMOKE, COLD FIRE

by Rosamund Hodge

Expected release date: September 27th, 2016

Published by Balzer + Bray (HarperCollins)

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Re-telling

Format: Hardcover, eBook, Audiobook

SUMMARY

When the mysterious fog of the Ruining crept over the world, the living died and the dead rose. Only the walled city of Viyara was left untouched.

The heirs of the city's most powerful - and warring - families, Mahyanai Romeo and Juliet Catresou share a love deeper than duty, honor, even life itself. But the magic laid on Juliet at birth compels her to punish the enemies of her clan - and Romeo has just killed her cousin Tybalt. Which means he must die. 

Paris Catresou has always wanted to serve his family by guarding Juliet. But when his ward tries to escape her fate, magic goes terribly wrong - killing her and leaving Paris bound to Romeo. If he wants to discover the truth of what happened, Paris must delve deep into the city, ally with his worst enemy... and perhaps turn against his own clan. 

Mahyanai Runajo just wants to protect her city - but she's the only one who believes it's in peril. In her desperate hunt for information, she accidentally pulls Juliet from the mouth of death - and finds herself bound to the bitter, angry girl. Runajo quickly discovers Juliet might be the one person who can help her recover the secret to saving Viyara. 

Both pairs will find friendship where they least expect it. Both will find that Viyara holds more secrets and dangers than anyone ever expected. And outside the walls, death is waiting. 

Why I'm waiting on BRIGHT SMOKE, COLD FIRE... 

First! It is a Romeo and Juliet retelling!!!

Yes, I'm one of those girls! But, I'm more into the whole tragedy of their story than the "romance" of it...

Next - I'm not sure, but rumor has it that their are necromancers? Reapers? Not zombies, but people are being brought back to the dead somehow... I am not a zombie person! I do NOT like the Walking Dead or anything zombie-like; but for some odd reason, this book intrigues me... 

And, lastly - I'm in love with Rosamund Hodge's writing!

Have you read Cruel Beauty??? A Beauty and the Beast fantasy retelling!

Have you read Crimson Bound??? An amazing rendition of Little Red Riding Hood!!!

You MUST!!!

SOOO, what are you waiting for???

Waiting On Wednesday #146: THE FORBIDDEN WISH by Jessica Khoury (YA)

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly meme hosted by Breaking the Spine.

This is where we get to 'spotlight' books that we are anxiously waiting to be released!!! The ones that we are dying to get our hands on and read into the wee hours of the night!!!

And, quite possibly, to make our shelves look pretty too :) 

What I'm currently waiting for... 

THE FORBIDDEN WISH

by Jessica Khoury

Expected release date: February 23rd, 2016

Published by Razorbill (Penguin)

Genre: Young Adult Fairytale Retelling

SUMMARY

She is the most powerful Jinni of all. 

He is a boy from the streets.

Their love will shake the world... 

When Aladdin discovers Zahra's jinni lamp, Zahra is thrust back into a world she hasn't seen in hundreds of years - a world where magic is forbidden and Zahra's very existence is illegal. She must disguise herself to stay alive, using ancient shape-shifting magic, until her new master has selected his three wishes. 

But when the King of the Jinn offers Zahra a chance to be free of her lamp forever, she seizes the opportunity - only to discover she is falling in love with Aladdin. When saving herself means betraying him, Zahra must decide once and for all: is winning her freedom worth losing her heart? 

As time unravels and her enemies close in Zahra finds herself suspended between danger and desire in this dazzling retelling of Aladdin. 

Why I'm waiting on THE FORBIDDEN WISH???

Yes, it's another Aladdin retelling!

BUT, the twist - the jinni falls in love with Aladdin!

And, of course, there are going to be complications... 

I can't wait!!!

What are you waiting for???