"To find out what a story's really about,' the Librarian said,

'you don't ask the writer. You ask the reader."


- SNOW & ROSE by Emily Winfield Martin


Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Book Outlet's NEW 50/50 Sale Starts Now!!!


Bumbles and Fairy-Tales has teamed up with Book Outlet
to bring you the latest updates and sales that Book Outlet has to offer!


Book Outlet's current 50/50 is... 



50% off Biography and Autobiography!!!

The 50/50 sale is where 50 books are marked down 50% - 
this sale changes every Monday and runs throughout the week! 
Be sure to check the link every Monday for new books at 50% off! items!!!

This sale starts today, August 5th and will end on August 11th at midnight.

Book Outlet U.S. / Book Outlet Canada

Bumbles and Fairy-Tales is not responsible for any products, items, sales, etc. made by Book Outlet. 
We are just offering an easier way to promote a great online bookstore for a small compensation. 


Happy shopping!!!

Waiting On Wednesday #95: PRINCESS OF THORNS by Stacey Jay (YA)


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

This is were 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 all pretty too :)



What I'm waiting for...


by Stacey Jay
Expected release date: December 9th, 2014
Published by: Delacorte Press (Random House)
Genre: Young Adult Fairytale/Fantasy
Format: Hardcover, eBook


SUMMARY

Game of Thrones meets the Grimm's fairy tales in this twisted, fast-paced romantic fantasy-adventure about Sleeping Beauty's daughter, a warrior princess who must fight to reclaim her throne.

Though she looks like a mere mortal, Princess Aurora is a fairy blessed with enhanced strength, bravery, and mercy yet cursed to destroy the free will of any male who kisses her. Disguised as a boy, she enlists the help of the handsome but also cursed Prince Niklaas to fight legions of evil and free her brother from the ogre queen who stole Aurora's throne ten years ago.

Will Aurora triumph over evil and reach her brother before it's too late? 
Can Aurora and Niklaas break the curses that will otherwise forever keep them from finding their one true love?





Why I'm waiting for PRINCESS OF THORNS...

Let me say these two things first... 
1) I am not a Game of Thrones fan, sorry! I have never read the books nor have I watched it and I kind of don't really know what it's about, lol! 
2) And I am definitely NOT a fan of this bookcover! Why do they always insist on putting a girl on all of these fantasy covers? SO much potential with this story, could have gone really creative on so many fairytale levels and this is what they do.... sigh... 

BUT!!! As a fairytale-lover, I am SO in love with the premise of the story! Especially since the main character is Sleeping Beauty's daughter and her kisses are cursed! Disney has always made "the kiss" the thing that saves them all, (especially for Sleeping Beauty - the prince's kiss is what wakes her up), how funny to go against that concept! 

And, I'm such a huge fan of Juliet Immortal! I just received Of Beast and Beauty and cannot wait to dive into this one too! I'm happy to see this author take on more fairytale-ish stories...

I cannot wait to get my hands on this! Ugly cover and all, lol!


SO, what are you waiting for this week???

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Book Blast and GIVEAWAY: GATES OF THREAD AND STONE by Lori M. Lee (YA)



by Lori M. Lee
Expected release date: August 5th, 2014
Published by: Skyscape
Genre: Young Adult
Format: Hardback, Paperback, eBook, Audiobook 


SUMMARY

In the Labyrinth, we had a saying: 
keep silent, keep still, keep safe.

In a city of walls and secrets, where only one man is supposed to possess magic, seventeen-year-old Kai struggles to keep hidden her own secret—she can manipulate the threads of time. When Kai was eight, she was found by Reev on the riverbank, and her “brother” has taken care of her ever since. Kai doesn’t know where her ability comes from—or where she came from. All that matters is that she and Reev stay together, and maybe one day move out of the freight container they call home, away from the metal walls of the Labyrinth. Kai’s only friend is Avan, the shopkeeper’s son with the scandalous reputation that both frightens and intrigues her.

Then Reev disappears. When keeping silent and safe means losing him forever, Kai vows to do whatever it takes to find him. She will leave the only home she’s ever known and risk getting caught up in a revolution centuries in the making. But to save Reev, Kai must unravel the threads of her past and face shocking truths about her brother, her friendship with Avan, and her unique power.


BUY LINKS

Amazon / Barnes and Noble / The Book Depository / IndieBound


PRAISE FOR Gates of Thread and Stone

“Lori M. Lee excels in building a world of intrigue, oppression, and magic amidst a Labyrinth setting as twisted and winding as the secrets hidden inside her characters’ hearts. Fans of strong heroines who don’t need a boy to hold their hands, action-packed fighting scenes, and whispers of steampunk and mythology, will find themselves wishing they, too, could manipulate the threads of time, if only to stay inside the story a little longer.” ~ 
A.G. Howard, the SPLINTERED series


“Inventive, romantic, and gripping. I was hooked from the first page!”
~ Amy Tintera, REBOOT and REBEL




GIVEAWAY

Prize: ONE winner will receive a $25.00 Amazon gift certificate and a swag pack!

*Bumbles and Fairy-Tales is not to be held responsible for prize being lost, damaged, unsent, etc. 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Lori M. Lee

Lori is the author of young adult fantasy Gates of Thread and Stone, coming August 5, 2014 from Skyscape. 

She has a borderline obsessive fascination with unicorns, is fond of talking in capslock, and loves to write about magic, manipulation, and family. 

She lives in Wisconsin with her husband, kids, and a friendly pitbull.

Goodreads / Website / Facebook / Twitter / Tumblr / Pinterest

Release Day Launch (Excerpt and GIVEAWAY): OPPOSITION (Lux #5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (YA)


Daemon Black is back!!!

The fifth and final book to the LUX series has finally been released!
I cannot wait to dive into this and see how it will all end!!!

In the meantime, here's a sneak peek excerpt and an amazing giveaway :)


Lux #5
by Jennifer L. Armentrout
Release date: August 5th, 2014
Published by: Entangled Teen
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Format: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook


SUMMARY 

Katy knows the world changed the night the Luxen came.

She can't believe Daemon welcomed his race or stood by as his kind threatened to obliterate every last human and hybrid on Earth. But the lines between good and bad have blurred, and love has become an emotion that could destroy her—could destroy them all.

Daemon will do anything to save those he loves, even if it means betrayal.

They must team with an unlikely enemy if there is any chance of surviving the invasion. But when it quickly becomes impossible to tell friend from foe, and the world is crumbling around them, they may lose everything— even what they cherish most—to ensure the survival of their friends…and mankind.

War has come to Earth. And no matter the outcome, the future will never be the same for those left standing.


BUY LINKS



EXCERPT

Katy
I still stared at Daemon, completely aware that everyone else except him was watching me. Closely. But why wouldn’t he look at me? A razor-sharp panic clawed at my insides. No. This couldn’t be happening. No way.
 My body was moving before I even knew what I was doing.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Dee shake her head and one of the Luxen males step forward, but I was propelled by an inherent need to prove that my worst fears were not coming true.
After all, he’d healed me, but then I thought of what Dee had said, of how Dee had behaved with me. What if Daemon was like her? Turned into something so foreign and cold? He would’ve healed me just to make sure he was okay.
I still didn’t stop.
 Please, I thought over and over again. Please. Please. Please. On shaky legs, I crossed the long room, and even though Daemon hadn’t seemed to even acknowledge my existence, I walked right up to him, my hands trembling as I placed them on his chest.
 “Daemon?” I whispered, voice thick.

His head whipped around, and he was suddenly staring down at me. Our gazes collided once more, and for a second I saw something so raw, so painful in those beautiful eyes. And then his large hands wrapped around my upper arms. The contact seared through the shirt I wore, branding my skin, and I thought—I expected—that he would pull me against him, that he would embrace me, and even though nothing would be all right, it would be better.
Daemon’s hands spasmed around my arms, and I sucked in an unsteady breath.
His eyes flashed an intense green as he physically lifted me away from him, setting me back down a good foot back.
I stared at him, something deep in my chest cracking. “Daemon?”
He said nothing as he let go, one finger at a time, it seemed, and his hands slid off my arms. He stepped back, returning his attention to the man behind the desk.
“So . . . awkward,” murmured the redhead, smirking.
I was rooted to the spot in which I stood, the sting of rejection burning through my skin, shredding my insides like I was nothing more than papier-mâché.
“I think someone was expecting more of a reunion,” the Luxen male behind the desk said, his voice ringing with amusement. “What do you think, Daemon?”
One shoulder rose in a negligent shrug. “I don’t think anything.”
My mouth opened, but there were no words. His voice, his tone, wasn’t like his sister’s, but like it had been when we first met. He used to speak to me with barely leashed annoyance, where a thin veil of tolerance dripped from every word. The rift in my chest deepened.
 For the hundredth time since the Luxen arrived, Sergeant Dasher’s warning came back to me. What side would Daemon and his family stand on? A shudder worked its way down my spine. I wrapped my arms around myself, unable to truly process what had just happened.
“And you?” the man asked. When no one answered, he tried again. “Katy?”
I was forced to look at him, and I wanted to shrink back from his stare. “What?” I was beyond caring that my voice broke on that one word.
The man smiled as he walked around the desk. My gaze flickered over to Daemon as he shifted, drawing the attention of the beautiful redhead. “Were you expecting a more personal greeting?” he asked. “Perhaps something more intimate?”
I had no idea how to answer. I felt like I’d fallen into the rabbit hole, and warnings were firing off left and right. Something primal inside me recognized that I was surrounded by predators.
Completely.
***********************


GIVEAWAY


Prize: Lux Series Basket with Lux themed jewelry, 
a signed set of the Lux Series and 
a $50 gift card to a retailer of the winner’s choice 
(Amazon, Barnes&Noble, or Indiebound).


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


ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Jennifer L. Armentrout

 # 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.




Monday, August 4, 2014

Part THREE of the RUN TO YOU read-along starts today!!!


Part Three of the #readRunToYou starts today!!! 
Join Harlequin Teen, author Clara Kensie, and a whole bunch of bloggers for the continuation of thea RUN TO YOU read-along!!! 
LIKE Clara Kensie's Facebook page to join in!!!


Here's the schedule:

FIRST SIGHT, Part 1, is FREE on Amazon and 
Barnes & Noble right now!!!

Catch up and join in ;) 


There will be lots of chatting, questions and more!
A GIVEAWAY too!!!

*TEN winners will receive a set of RUN TO YOU postcards!!!

*10 winners will receive a set of bookmarks and a necklace with a RUN TO YOU quote!!!

*FIVE winners will get to choose a Harlequin Teen book of their choice!!!

*GRAND PRIZE WINNER - will receive a set of signed RUN TO YOU postcards, a custom necklace, a $25 gift card to Amazon AND the ENTIRE RUN TO YOU series!!!

In order to enter the giveaways, you must participate!!!
The more you comment, the higher your chances of winning :) 


Prefer Twitter? We will also post the discussions on Twitter, and you can participate by using the hashtag#readRunToYou. Follow @ClaraKensie and @HarlequinTEEN or save the #readRunToYou hashtag as a search for updates.
The following bloggers are helping with the read-along. They are made of awesome, and so are their blogs. Be sure to visit and subscribe!
I hope to see you all at the RUN TO YOU read-along! 

We’re going to have a blast!

*************************************************




ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Clara Kensie

Clara Kensie grew up near Chicago, reading every book she could find and using her diary to write stories about a girl with psychic powers who solved mysteries. She purposely did not hide her diary, hoping someone would read it and assume she was writing about herself. Since then, she's swapped her diary for a computer and admits her characters are fictional, but otherwise she hasn't changed one bit.

Today Clara is the author of super-romantic psychic thrillers for young adults. RUN TO YOU, the first serialized novel from HarlequinTEEN, begins February 1 2014 with weekly releases. The sequel, also a three-part serial, begins June 1 2014.

Her favorite foods are guacamole and cookie dough. But not together. That would be gross.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

Stacking the Shelves #68 (July Book Haul Part 2)


Happy August!!!
Holy moly, can you believe that it's August already!
One more month before school starts around here, and we're dreading it already, lol!
Lots of yummy bookish things going on, and I've been on cloud nine over it all...

First, I've teamed up with Book Outlet to help spread the word on their latest sales and promos!
Right now, don't miss out on their 25% off YA sale!!!

Next, a few really unique blog tours are coming up soon -
some DIY stuff and recipes will be done! Along with another tour where I'll be sharing my unique encounter with the main character! AND, another where I get to share my creative side with a very unique journal! Fun stuff!!!

And lastly, I've finally caught up with a lot of my reviews and such, hoping to get ahead now and attack my huge TBR for August and September sooner than I planned :)


I'm participating in Tynga's Reviews STACKING THE SHELVES today!!!


*What I received for review...
From Harper Teen: 
- ILLUSIONS OF FATE (ARC) by Kiersten White
- A NEW DARKNESS (The Starblade Chronicles #1) (ARC) by Joseph Delaney
- THE JEWEL (The Lone City #1) (ARC) by Amy Ewing
- ECHOES OF US (The Hybrid Chronicles #3) (ARC) by Kat Zhang
- THE PERILOUS SEA (The Elemental Trilogy #2) (ARC) by Sherry Thomas

From Soho Teen: 
- THE UNFINISHED LIFE OF ADDISON STONE (ARC) by Adele Griffin

From Zest Books/HMH: 
- STICKY FINGERS: DIY Duct Tape Projects by Sophie Maletsky
- THE GREEN TEEN COOKBOOK by Laurane Marchive and Pam McElroy

From Blogging for Books: 
- REASONS MY KID IS CRYING (PB) by Greg Pembroke (A)
- JUST MY TYPO (PB) by Drummond Moir (A)

*What I received in book-trades...
- A LITTLE SOMETHING DIFFERENT (ARC) by Sandy Hall (YA)
- OF BEAST AND BEAUTY (HB) by Stacey Jay (YA)


*What I purchased...
- SOME BOYS (PB) by Patty Blount
- TMI (PB) by Patty Blount
- SEND (PB) by Patty Blount
- THORNHILL (Hemlock #2) (HB) by Kathleen Peacock
- THE BONE SEASON (HB) by Samantha Shannon (A)
- THROUGH THE WOODS (PB Graphic Novel) by Emily Carroll (YA)

What's been distracting me from reading: 

Our impromptu family trip to Barnes and Noble :) 
The family that reads together buys more books!!! 

My boys!!!
(Big Boy, Baby Nephew, Baby Boy, Boy #2)
 Book signing at the Book Revue for Patty Blount!!!
Author of SEND, TMI and SOME BOYS!

I hope you've had a marvelous week in books too :) 
xoxo

Friday, August 1, 2014

BOOK OUTLET's New Sunny Weekend Sale!!!


Bumbles and Fairy-Tales has teamed up with Book Outlet
to bring you the latest updates and sales that Book Outlet has to offer!


Book Outlet's current SUNNY WEEKEND SALE is... 


25% off ALL Young Adult Fiction and Non-Fiction!!!

Over 4,000 titles to choose from, including ALL the TOP SELLERS!
(This sale does EXCLUDE "Scratch & Dent" product.)

This sale starts today, August 1st and will end on Tuesday, August 5th at noon.

Book Outlet U.S. / Book Outlet Canada

Bumbles and Fairy-Tales is not responsible for any products, items, sales, etc. made by Book Outlet. 
We are just offering an easier way to promote a great online bookstore for a small compensation. 




Happy shopping!!!

Review: LET'S GET LOST by Adi Alsaid (YA)


by Adi Alsaid
Release date: July 29th, 2014
Published by: Harlequin Teen
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary
Format: Hardback, eBook
Format read: ARC from the publisher.


SUMMARY

Five strangers. Countless adventures. One epic way to get lost. 

Four teens across the country have only one thing in common: a girl named LEILA. She crashes into their lives in her absurdly red car at the moment they need someone the most. 

There's HUDSON, a small-town mechanic who is willing to throw away his dreams for true love. And BREE, a runaway who seizes every Tuesday—and a few stolen goods along the way. ELLIOT believes in happy endings…until his own life goes off-script. And SONIA worries that when she lost her boyfriend, she also lost the ability to love. 

Hudson, Bree, Elliot and Sonia find a friend in Leila. And when Leila leaves them, their lives are forever changed. But it is during Leila's own 4,268-mile journey that she discovers the most important truth— sometimes, what you need most is right where you started. And maybe the only way to find what you're looking for is to get lost along the way.


BOOK TRAILER



MY REVIEW

There are very few authors that can capture the true feeling of wanderlust - that deep desire to roam freely and find oneself. Adi Alsaid has not only captured the true essence of a self-journey, but he's also managed to bring five unforgettable main characters that .

Through multiple points-of-view, we learn that Leila is a girl on a mission, she is heading to Alaska to see the Northern Lights. Why is this tiny girl traveling across the States all alone, no one is really sure. Each time someone asks, she's very vague and changes the topic. However, Leila doesn't mind getting sidetracked a few times, and it's during these times that we meet four people during the most pivotal moments of their lives.
First we meet Hunter, sweet Hunter who is doing his best to stay out of trouble and get a scholarship to go to college. However, upon meeting Leila, he is smitten with her and after doing some maintenance work on her car offers to show her around town just so he can have as much time with her before she continues on. And then, it only takes one night to turn his life upside down, and Leila just happens to be there right beside him. Will he follow his heart? Or will he do what he thinks he's suppose to do?
Next, we meet Bree, a runaway who has lost both her parents to illnesses and couldn't stand to be mothered by her sister anymore. Being on the road for months has made Bree a pro at choosing who to trust, and how to survive on pure adrenaline. Until she hits the ultimate high and finds herself in a very bad predicament, and poor Leila is right beside her. Is this the end of the road, for both Bree and Leila? There's only one option, and the percentage of that one thing working out is too close to 0.
And then we meet Elliot, the boy who wears his heart on his sleeve and doesn't know it. The boy who is so crazy in love and needs to create a magical movie moment in order to claim it. However, even though we all know how those movies from the 80's go and end, Elliot is far off script. Leila is now the unforeseen twist to his plot... and every time everyone thinks things couldn't get worse, they do...
And lastly, we meet Sonia who is grieving lost love in the throes of new love. Is it possible to love two people at the same time? Leila doesn't know the answer to that but is willing to help Sonia sort it out, even if it includes crossing the border illegally.

Just like Leila, we briefly encounter each character during the most pivotal moments of their lives. Just like life, you never know who or what you'll come across. Leila's experiences will make you question yourself... can you really make a friend, find true love, forgive and figure out the most questionable things in life within hours of meeting the right person?

The writing is poetic, imaginative but realistic, and heartwarming. I felt like I was in the backseat of Leila's car for every single second of her trip and experienced every single drop of each of the characters blood, sweat and tears.  For me, the ending was unexpected and melted my heart, it was exactly what I had hoped for.
I hope to see these characters again in the near future, perhaps in a novella or short story? I do wish to see how they're all doing now...

Lovers of contemporaries, especially about books that include road trips and matters of the heart, will overly enjoy this and reread many, many times... again and again! I am really looking forward to seeing more from this author soon! He's already on my insta-buy list for sure!!! 


An ARC was provided to me from the publisher.
All thoughts are mine and not influenced by any other.





ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Adi Alsaid


Adi Alsaid was born and raised in Mexico City, then studied at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While in class, he mostly read fiction and continuously failed to fill out crossword puzzles, so it's no surprise that after graduating, he did not go into business world but rather packed up his apartment into his car and escaped to the California coastline to become a writer. 
He's now back in his hometown, where he writes, coaches high school and elementary basketball, and has perfected the art of making every dish he eats or cooks as spicy as possible. In addition to Mexico, he's lived in Tel Aviv, Las Vegas, and Monterey, California. A tingly feeling in his feet tells him more places will eventually be added to the list. 
Let's Get Lost is his YA debut.


Cover Reveal: DATE WITH A ROCKSTAR by Sarah Gagnon (YA)


by Sara Gagnon
Expected release date: June 2015
Published by: Spencer Hill Contemporary
Genre: Young Adult Contemporary Romance
Format: Paperback, eBook


SUMMARY

Only one girl will win the cash prize...
and a chance at love with Jeremy Bane.

Monet isn’t just another lust-struck teenager trying to win the heart of Rock God Jeremy Bane - she needs the prize money from his new reality show to cure her illness. 

Monet has Fluxem, a contagious disease that's spread through saliva. It's completely curable if you have enough money, which she and her single mother don't. Now that she's on the show, Monet has to work harder to keep her Fluxem hidden. She only has to keep the secret long enough to woo Jeremy Bane so he picks her as the winner. She doesn't even care about the love part; the prize alone will change her life.

But the real Jeremy Bane is nothing like she imagined. Monet finds herself fighting against feelings that make her want to give in to her attraction and Jeremy's attempts for a kiss. The further she goes in the competition, the more impossible it becomes to resist him - and when the producers turn the tables and start digging up dirt on the contestants, Monet fears her secret will be revealed before she's ready and ruin everything.

The only way to win Jeremy's heart is to tell him the truth, but confessing her disease could cost her the competition, the prize money, and him.



ABOUT THE AUTHOR - Sarah Gagnon

Sarah Gagnon grew up in the frigid woods of Maine amidst snow and animal skins. As a small child she wrote ship-wrecked romances all while being stared down by a taxidermied duck. She has a BFA in photography and a minor in writing from the University of Southern Maine. She's the mother of two tiny, feral children and two ill-behaved dogs. For fun she’s taken up kickboxing workouts and fancy cooking. She currently resides with her computer-genius husband in Delaware, the home of tax-free shopping.


 
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Images by LabyrinthofDreams