Chasing Invisible Book Blast, Review & Giveaway

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BLURB:

Could you handle life in the spotlight?

Julia Alexander is a quite girl from a small town. Content to spend her days with her small group of friends and a pile of books, Julia thinks her future is set. When she unexpectedly meets Chase, a fellow college student and budding musician, she is unaware of just how drastically things are about to change.

Suddenly thrown into the limelight, her life is no longer her own. Relentlessly followed by the paparazzi, Julia is forced to make tough decisions about fame, love, family and relationships. But just how much will Julia have to sacrifice to become invisible...

BIO:

Karen Pokras Toz, recently discovered her love for writing. Karen writes middle grade and adult contemporary fiction. Her middle grade children's novels have won several awards including the Grand Prize in the 2012 Purple Dragonfly Book Awards and First Place for a Global E-Book Award for Pre-Teen Literature. Karen is a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCWBI). A native of Connecticut, Karen now lives outside of Philadelphia with her family. For more information visit her website.




Have you ever attend a twitter party? While they can very fast paced and hectic at times, they are always so much fun. Be sure to stop by tonight at 8 pm EST to help Karen celebrate the release of Chasing Invisible, and be sure to tell us HI! (@MariettaHSzoo). You can follow along using Twubs. 

TOUR SCHEDULE:

June 18th - In the Land of Dreams - Excerpt
June 19th - Tyrneathem - Top Ten List
June 20th - Cu's e-Book Giveaways - Character Guest Post
June 21st - Muddying the Waters - Review and Author Interview
June 22nd - Rayborn Rambles - Review
June 23rd - The Journey Continues - Review and Author Guest Post
June 24th - The Book Connection - Review
June 25th - Pavarti K Tyler - Excerpt
June 26th - Library Girl Reads and Reviews - Author Guest Post
June 27th - Lubs Book Chatter - Character Guest Post
June 28th - Fiona's Book Review Blog - Interview
June 29th - Kats Read - Author Guest Post
June 30th - From the Bootheel Cotton Patch - Book Promo
July 1st - fuonlyknew - Excerpt
July 2nd - Fresh Pot of Tea - Excerpt
July 3rd - Lindsay and Janes Views and Reviews - Review and Character Guest Post
July 4th - Girl Who Reads - Tips on Thursday
July 5th - The Avid Reader - Book Promo
July 6th - Lissette E. Manning - Review and Author Guest Post
July 7th - Ohana Day Academy - Review
July 8th - Ali's Bookshelf - Review

BOOK TRAILER:

LINKS:

 BLOG ♦ WEBSITE ♦ FACEBOOK ♦ TWITTER  

AMAZON ♦ SMASHWORDS ♦ GOODREADS

    

REVIEW:

I was given an advance copy of Chasing Invisible before we left for our camping trip 2 weeks ago for the purpose of this review. I am a member of Karen's Street Team, and therefore I have been aware of Chasing Invisible for sometime now. I've been extremely eager to read Chasing Invisible so I was beyond stoked when it finally arrived in my inbox. I completed Chasing Invisible on the last night of our trip as I sat around the campfire with the girls. I tried to playing my crying off at the end as smoke in my eyes, but I don't think anyone bought it! 

Although this is a new genre for Karen, you certainly could not tell. Karen has a way with words that pulls you in and never lets you go. One of the biggest things that I loved about Chasing Invisible was that I could see Karen in Julia in certain ways. Her love for books and desire to help get books out to everyone. For me, it just connected me to Julia all the more. 

I have to admit that at first I did not care for the back and forth in the timeline. It wasn't until all the pieces of the puzzle started to fall into place that I understood the back and forth in time. Of course had Karen written every detail of Julia's life, not only would have taken forever to read, I'm sure it would have just been to much and likely boring. However, Karen was able to add just enough details of Julia's past to make us understand why Julia was so hesitant to date, as well as an understanding of her relationship with her parents.

All Julia's life she has poured herself into books and her studies. Her Mother doesn't seem to understand her, and is always telling her how she should be living her life. Her Father on the other hand always has the right words for her. 

When Julia comes home from college for Christmas break her friends, Mother and Father all have words of advise on how she should be enjoying college. Julia tells them she is enjoying college and goes on about how she loves all her classes. Her Father tells her there is more to studying all the time. That she needs to get out, make friends and have fun.

When Julia's friend Robyn, who she meet in her junior year of college, invites her out to listen to a band, she is hesitant.  After some begging she finally gives in but just for a few hours, or so she thinks. Robyn drags her to an after party so she can hang out with one of the band members that she has a crush on. When Julia steps outside to get some fresh air she runs into another band member Chase. 

The weeks following Chase is outside almost everyone of Julia's classes, always asking her out. After several failed attempts Julia finally gives in. It isn't long after Chase and Julia are in a serious relationship when his friend sends a tape of his song to a producer. Chase quickly climbs the ladder to stardom and Julia's private life is no longer so private. Will she be able to handle to paparazzi constantly hounding her every move? Can she accept that they will do anything to get a picture of her children? Can she protect them? Will she ever be able to be invisible again? If so, to what length must she go to get out of the limelight?

WARNING: The end is a real tear jerker so have the tissues on hand!

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DISCLAIMER: A GWR Publicity event paid for by the author. Giveaway is sponsored by the author and is responsible for prize fulfillment. Marietta Homeschooling Zoo received no compensation for this post.

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June 17 to July 12

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Disclosure:  Marietta Homeschooling Zoo is not responsible for prize.  If you have any questions about this giveaway please send an email to nysavingspecials@gmail.com.  All entries are optional, if you do any of the tasks you can collect the entries, even if you do one entry it will be counted on the giveaways as you did all of the tasks on that group, but if the winner tasks is a tasks you did not complete, a second winner will be chosen.  If the winner tasks is the one you did you will be the winner.

Bloggers Wanted - 'I'm Not Crazy, I'm On Lupron; A Journey Through Infertility' Book Blast & Giveaway - June 30th

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You may know Stacey Rourke from her wonderfully witty Gryphon Series. In I'm Not Crazy, I'm on Lupron; A Journey Through Infertility, Stacey uses her humor to break through the perils of infertility as she gives the lowdown on all the strange, embarrassing, and heartbreaking aspects. Stacey guides us through an unforgettable path that ends with a beautiful baby on each hip and hope for all those suffering with infertility.

Each participating blogger will receive an HTML formatted announcement to post on their blog on June 30th, along with the Rafflecopter for the sponsored prize pack of a $25 amazon gift card, signed paperback and rack card.  

SIGN UP TODAY

Be sure to come back on June 30th and enter to win, along with a date for my review.

A Camping We Will Go & Hearts At Home Curriculum Giveaway

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While the weather certainly says that it is summer, there are still a few more weeks until it is officially summer. Due to hubby's heath issues we needed to beat the heat and go camping now, and what better time than fee free weekend! We've spent the last 5 days camping in the beautiful Wayne National Forest. We are very fortunate to have such a beautiful and historical park so close to us. In 1833 the Vesuvius Iron Furnace was built, and by 1875 southeastern Ohio led the nation in iron production. So of course as a homes educating Mother of 3 we not only enjoy the beauty of the forest, get in tune with nature, we also look at all the history around us everyday.

                                               
                                               
Packing for 6 people for 5 days and 4 nights not only takes lots of planning, but it also LOTS of space. I ended up having to make 2 trips to fit everything. Luckily, it's not far from home. There is not a lot of room for Yang to ride her 4-Wheeler at the house (or at least that I am comfortable with letting her ride) so her Power Wheel 4-Wheeler and Poppy's bike took up a lot of space on the second trip. It was so worth it though. She had that thing such a muddy mess by the time we left that I had to lay plastic down in the back of my van!!

Our first night around the campfire was eventful! As the girls and I sat there laughing and chatting we heard a growl. Of course everyone gets super quiet as I shine the flashlight towards the woods, I see 2 little eyes peaking out from behind their black mask. I quietly tell the girls to slowly get up and walk behind me. See, earlier in the day it had started to rain and in our mad dash to get into the tents the dog food bowl got spilled. I did my best to pick it up but since it was water logged it was not possible to get it all. Of course the coons were very happy about it but were not happy about sharing what little bit was there with the each other! Needless to say they are a little to fearless for my liking, as they where less than 10 feet from us, so we all headed to bed.

A few days before we left I began going through the different pages I had pinned on my Pinterest Camping Board for meal ideas. Since we were planning on being there for 5 days I knew hot dogs would get old, and quick! Luckily there is so much more than hot dogs and s'mores that can be made over a camp fire! Our first morning we had sausage and egg bowls. I bought a 1.5 - 2lb package of fresh ground pork the day before and Yang fried it up in one of my cast iron pans. While she cooked the sausage I scrambled the eggs in a bowl and got everything out. Once the sausage was done we added the eggs to the pan and mixed everything together. You could easily add onions and/or bell peppers before adding the eggs, my kids just don't like them. Just dice them up at home and store them in a Ziploc bag or a small Tupperware container.

Poppy has been hosting a flat traveler from Texas so we hit the trails to show her all the beauty southern Ohio has to hold.

  

All in all, despite rain off and on for 2 days, one chilly day, 3 teens and a sensory kiddo, we had an excellent time. Can't wait to do it all over again in 2 weeks with my sister-in-law and her two girls!
                                             

Ends 6/15/13

Bird Seed Paper, Gummy Bears & More

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It is that time of year again when things get crazy hectic for us and we don't stop for months. With free movies at the theater, discounted days at one of the local public pools, summer fun with our local homeschooling group, camping, fair for 4-H & more, it is hard to stay on track some days with school work. Luckily we homeschooling and there are many learning opportunities in all that we do. We've even had some life experiences recently. In late May we had an electrical fire in our outside breaker box and then in early June we had a hot water tank leak. Needless to say, things are never dull around here!

A few weeks ago we made Bird Seed Paper from our Green Kids Crafts kit. We started by taking several sheets of scrap paper and ripping it up into smaller pieces. We then added the paper to our blender and filled it with water just above the paper, and blended it. After it was mixed we poured it into a 10 x 13 baking sheet that had water covering the bottom and sprinkled our bird seed (included in the kit) over the top. Yang then used her hands, for a second, to mix everything together. There was a small screen, about 5 x 7, included in our kit, that we dipped into the mixture. We then held it over the baking dish while the water drained out.

Blending water with shredded paper.

Straining the water through the screen.

Once the water had stopped pouring out we placed the screen on a folder dish towel, and then used another dish towel to squeeze out an excess water. We removed the screen and placed then 'paper' between a piece of felt to dry for 24 hours.

So a few weeks ago I posted this picture on our facebook page, and asked if anyone knew what we would be making. We had one good guess of Jello Gigglers. It was a close guess but we where actually making gummies. We bought a mold online and watched several videos on YouTube to find the perfect recipe. 

At the end of the summer last year we discovered a local spray park. We didn't get a chance to visit it last year but it has been a huge hit this year. Yang wakes each morning and ask how many lessons she has to do before we can go to the spray park. I love seeing this motivation in her as she has not complained once about having to do school. Now, to figure out how to keep that momentum going once the park closes at the end of summer. What keeps your kids inspired to do structured learning without complaining? 

Erin by Monnette Pangan ~ GIVEAWAY

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It's Pub Day! 

Congratulations to Monette Pangan on the release of her children's book

SUMMARY:
It's great to be part of a large family but sometimes, when you're the smallest, it's not always fun.
Erin is a screamer! She is the youngest child in a large family and it’s the only way she knows to get herself heard. See what happens when the screaming no longer works and Erin decides it’s time to try something new!

AUTHOR BIO:

Born and raised in the Philippines, Monette Pangan came to the United States in October, 2009. In another lifetime, she was a dance teacher, a Literature teacher, and even a stuffed toy designer. But her passion for art and writing kept calling her back and after working with a design company, she went freelance full-time as an illustrator and is inching her way towards becoming a writer as well. She completed the course on writing for children and teens with The Institute of Children's Literature. She is a member of the SCBWI, loves children, dogs, musicals, poetry, and chocolate. She is married and has two sons. Her first children's book, Erin, is releasing in May, 2013.

Prize Pack:
To celebrate, Monette is offering one lucky winner a prize pack that includes a signed copy of Erin, $25 Amazon gift card, Book tote, Bearallina keychain, mini collage album, printables.









ONLINE LINKS:
WEBSITE ♦ FACEBOOK ♦ BLOG  
 

BUY NOW: 

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A GWR Publicity promotional event paid for by Anchor Group Publishing. Giveaway is sponsored by the author.

Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective by Christine Amsden ~ YA Book Review

BLURB:

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

BIO:

Award-winning author Christine Amsden has written stories since she was eight, always with a touch of the strange or unusual. She became a “serious” writer in 2003, after attending a boot camp with Orson Scott Card. She finished Touch of Fate shortly afterward, then penned The Immortality Virus, which won two awards. Expect many more titles by this up-and-coming author.

ONLINE LINKS:

·         Website   ◈   Facebook   ◈   Twitter   ◈   Goodreads  

Chapter 1 Excerpt:

My parents think the longer the name, the more powerful the sorcerer, so they named me Cassandra Morgan Ursula Margaret Scot. You can call me Cassie.

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life: normal, ordinary, and even a disappointment. After the Harry Potter books came out, a couple of people called me a squib. Since I haven’t read them, I have to assume it’s a compliment.

Personally, I prefer normal, which is why the sign on my office door reads: Cassie Scot, Normal Detective.

You have to understand that around here, when your last name is Scot, people are easily confused. Not only are my parents’ powerful practitioners, but I have six talented brothers and sisters. Plus, my family hasn’t always been known for its subtlety. When weird stuff happens around here, the people who are willing to believe in magic are prone to suspect the Scots.

The day I opened for business I got a call from an old woman who swore her cat was possessed by the devil. She also swore she’d read my web site, which clearly stated the types of work I did and did not do. Exorcisms were on the No list, and while I hadn’t specified pet exorcisms, I would have thought it was implicit.

After that auspicious beginning, things went downhill. It seemed people weren’t entirely convinced an associates’ degree and six months as a deputy with the local sheriff’s department was quite enough to fly solo. I did receive three calls from people asking me to cast spells to look for lost items, two from people in search of love potions, and two from a pair of neighbors who each wanted me to curse the other. I thought I’d hit bottom, when a ten-year-old boy wandered into my office one afternoon and asked me to help him summon Cthulhu.

It was a near thing, but I managed to rein in my sarcasm long enough to explain the difference between the real world and horror worlds created by early 20th century authors. He seemed more or less convinced until my brother, Nicolas, came in and started juggling fireballs. Kind of walked all over my point there. He’s a terrible showoff; thinks it helps him with women. For some reason, it does.

Sheriff David Adams, my old boss, stopped by once every couple of weeks to “check in on me” and offer me my old job back, but I always turned him down. It’s not that I disliked working for him. In fact, he was a great boss and a good person, albeit in a little over his head. Eagle Rock, Missouri and the surrounding areas have more than their fair share of strange and unexplained cases. I would even say that I took the job hoping to use my better-than-average knowledge of the paranormal to help protect the innocent, but in the end, those cases only served to remind me that despite my magical connections, I, too, was in over my head.

So I quit. I got my private license, rented an office, and installed a frosted-glass door like in the old movies, then I furnished it with the sort of busted up furniture that costs an arm and a leg to make look just right. The old wooden filing cabinets behind the desk and the office chairs in front came from estate sales, but I finished the desk myself. It was a beautiful piece of lacquered mahogany before my hammer and screwdriver got through with it. I did that just after the cat exorcism call. It was rather therapeutic.

By the door stood an old wooden hat and coat rack, while a nearby table held a coffee maker, compliments of my father. I don’t actually drink coffee, but Dad told me to have some for my customers, so I brewed a pot every morning while I waited for my tea to steep.

It was June seventh, a Monday. I’d spent six months in that office, going in to work at eight o’clock, breaking for lunch at noon, then going home at five. That day started like all the others. I updated my Facebook page to say that I was at work and feeling happy, though that last was a lie. I checked a few of my favorite blogs, posted a couple of comments that I’m sure were witty and insightful (though I suspect no one read them), and twittered that I’d just posted the comments to the blogs. After that, I picked up my kindle and buried myself in some mystery novel I’d already solved by page thirty seven.

When the door opened, I was sure it would be Sheriff Adams, in for his bi-weekly chat. As the months wore on with no sign of a client, it was becoming harder to politely turn him away. In recent weeks, my replies had become more blunt, bordering on rude. I’d really hoped he wouldn’t come around that day, on my half year anniversary, but just in case he did, I had come up with a story about a statewide convention I was sure would help me find work. The convention part was true–the certainty less so.

All I can say is, it was a good thing my parents were rich.

I lowered my kindle and raised my eyes to the door. The words, “Hi, Sheriff,” started to spill from my mouth when I realized it wasn’t the sheriff at all. It was Frank Lloyd, from Lloyd and Lyons, a man I knew more by name and reputation than anything else. My boyfriend had a summer internship with his firm, and a good friend of mine worked there as a receptionist. Lloyd and Lyons specialized in family law, especially divorces, and the gist of the reputation was that if your marriage was over, you’d better get to Frank Lloyd before your soon-to-be-ex did.

He looked impressive. His head nearly touched the top of the door frame, while his broad shoulders aimed for the sides. He wore an expensive dark gray suit that had been tailored to fit his athletic frame. His face was long and handsome, featuring deep, dark eyes and a wide, curving mouth that formed into a friendly smile. It was the sort of face that commanded trust.

Lightning flashed outside, brightening the room for the space of a few seconds, and I couldn’t help but smile. All the best stories started in a thunderstorm, didn’t they? I had no idea what the day would bring, but one thing was for certain–Frank Lloyd was not there to ask me to exorcise his cat.

He laid a long, black umbrella carefully against the wall near my coat rack, and strode confidently inside. “Hello, Ms. Scot.”

“Cassie, please.” I wound my way out from behind my desk and offered him my hand. He took it, his grip firm and self-assured.

“Cassie, I’m Frank Lloyd.” He released my hand but held my gaze as if he could take the measure of me by looking through them to my soul. Some practitioners can do that, actually, but I’ve never met one.

“Yes, I know.” I did not lower my eyes. Something told me that would be a sign of weakness. “What can I do for you?”

“I’ve got a small job for you, if you have the time.” It was very diplomatic of him to say it like that, since I’m sure he knew I had plenty of time.

“What’s the job?”

“Serving a subpoena,”

Ok, so it wasn’t sexy, but it was a job, and it had nothing whatsoever to do with magic–or so I thought. In any case, at that precise moment, I couldn’t have been more excited if he’d dropped some line out of a movie about someone trying to kill him.

“I can do that,” I said in a calm, measured tone. “Who am I serving?”

Frank broke eye contact and stepped around me to the desk, where he laid his black briefcase down and opened it. On top of a large sheaf of papers lay a plain white envelope with the name, “Belinda Hewitt” written on it in a long, slanted handwriting.

Hewitt was another name that many people in town associated with magic, though few were diplomatic where the Hewitts were concerned. Even my mom called them witches, and she normally wouldn’t call a woman a sorceress. (She thinks it’s sexist.)

Belinda was a gifted herbalist and an expert potion maker. A gift is, well, it’s a special power tied to the soul in such a way that it can be performed almost without thought, and it has a strong influence over the bearer’s personality. Most sorcerers possess a gift, as well some seemingly ordinary people, though in the latter case you can usually find magic in their family tree. Belinda’s gift was growing things, but to say she had a green thumb would be like saying a diva could sing. Belinda could grow things, anything, anywhere, and under conditions that would starve farmers out of business.

She sold a lot of her plants and herbs to local practitioners, though my parents refused to buy from her because of the other thing she liked to do–brew potions, especially love potions. At any given time, she would have two or three men under the influence of powerful love potions that made them hopelessly devoted to her. She would play with them for a few months or a few years, depending upon how interesting they were, and then cast them aside. She’d torn families apart.

It was mind magic. My dad liked to say that magic itself is never black; only the uses to which it is put, but mind magic is already tinted a deep, dark gray.

As far as I knew, though, Belinda had never been married, so I wasn’t sure what Frank Lloyd would want with her.

“Belinda Hewitt?” I raised an eyebrow at Frank in question.

“My firm is filing a class action lawsuit against her on behalf of a number of men who feel her love potions have caused them irreparable harm.”

“Gutsy move.” I approved. I whole-heartedly approved, but going head to head against a practitioner could be dangerous, to say the least. For the most part, they did what they wanted to do and suffered no interference, not from other practitioners and certainly not from the law.

I wasn’t entirely sure what Belinda would do to me if I showed up on her doorstep with a subpoena. Probably, nothing, since she’d have to answer to my parents for anything she did to me. That may even have been why Frank chose me, but I wasn’t too proud to take advantage of my connections when it suited me, as long as the job itself was normal.

“Belinda is going to curse you for this,” I said as I took the envelope from Frank.

He just smiled. “I appreciate your concern, but it’s about time the sorcerers living in our community learn they are not above the law.”

What a beautiful sentiment. I used to think that way, back when I’d first dreamed of becoming a cop. Fat chance, though. The sorcerers in our community owned this town, whatever most of the regular folks thought. Everyone else was tolerated, and that included me.

For a minute, I wondered if I should try to talk him out of it. As much as I loved the idea of putting an evil witch in her place, Belinda wasn’t someone to mess with. That either meant he didn’t believe in magic, didn’t understand it, or he had an ace up his sleeve.

I lifted my eyes to his and saw the confident, calculating expression there. He was still sizing me up, and in that moment I took the measure of him as well. He wasn’t insanely successful because he walked into anything blindly.

“You have an ace,” I said. It wasn’t a question.

Frank just smiled.

“I’ll run this over to Belinda’s this morning,” I said. “I’ll give you a call when it’s done.”

Frank reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card. “If this works out, we may have some more work for you.”

I took the card from him, letting a genuine smile touch my lips. Lightning struck again and thunder rumbled. “Thank you.”

He packed up his briefcase and left without another word.

 

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My Review ~ 5 Stars

I gotta start out by saying WOW! Christine immediately captured me with Cassie's story and held me all the way to the end, leaving me yearning to find out what happens with Cassie and Ethan. Had I not been sick while I had been reading this book I could have easily read it in one sitting!

You immediately get sucked into Cassie's world. She is the oldest of 7 living in a small town full of scorers & witches. The town is aware that there is something magical about it but for the most part people keep hushed, turn the other cheek or just plain pretend it doesn't exist. Cassie's parents are well to do and she doesn't have to work or want for anything. For a time she worked for the sheriff, until she left to open her own paranormal detective agency. Now he stops by regularly to try and convince her to come back to work for him. Cassie left because she doesn't want to deal with the paranormal anymore. Everyone in her family has a special ability, all expect her.

Cassie is sitting in her office as she does everyday when a well known and successful lawyer walks in to offer her a very simple job - deliver a subpoena to a known herbalist & potion maker in the area. That is when things take a change right into the paranormal world. Cassie ends up reuniting with a long time friend that her family has always forbidden her to hangout with due to a family feud.

I loved watching the relationship evolve between Cassie & Ethan, and would have to say I was somewhat like a giddy teenager anticipating it to happen! I can not wait to see what becomes of Cassie and Evan, as well as the relationship with Cassie and her family/parents.