Thinks Books: giveaway

Astrid constantly worries about her place in the village of Guell. She loves being the apprentice of Guell’s blacksmith, Temple. But Temple bought her from a childseller many years ago, which means Astrid has no blood kin in Guell. If anything should happen to Temple she’s likely to lose her home, her work, and her sweetheart, DiStephan, the dragonslayer’s son.

One day Astrid’s worst fear comes true when Temple and DiStephan fail to return from a short journey to a nearby village. A teenage boy named Finehurst arrives in Guell, claiming to be Temple’s nephew and rightful heir – and insisting that he saw Temple and DiStephan killed by a dragon. The villagers are divided in their opinion of Finehurst, but Astrid is soon thrown out of her own home, desperate to find a way to regain it. Before the dragonslayer goes in search of his missing son DiStephan and Astrid’s mentor Temple, he sets forth a challenge for Finehurst and Astrid to prove their blacksmithing skills by forging a dagger. Normally, Astrid would be confident, but the village’s iron supplies are so low that she doesn’t know how she can possibly make a dagger that can prove her worth.

Astrid, The Dragonslayer’s Blacksmith is an all new mini novel that takes place in Resa Nelson’s Dragonslayer world (the 4-book series includes The Dragonslayer’s Sword, The Iron Maiden, The Stone of Darkness, and The Dragon’s Egg). Appropriate for adults and teens, ages 14 and up.

Contact the Author:

Website: www.ResaNelson.com

Email: ContactResa@aol.com

Twitter: @ResaNelson

GoodReads

Friday, November 1, 2013

Giveaway! Dystopian Hop Nov 1-7!

Hello all!

Welcome to the

Dystopian Giveaway Hop!

It is hosted by

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

and

My Shelf Confessions.

The theme of this giveaway is Dystopian books.

I have been pondering on which book I would offer.

Since, I am very indecisive and there are sooooo

many fantastic books...

I am giving away a

$5.00 Amazon/Barnes and Noble Giftcard!!

Just enter on the Rafflecopter below

and don't forget to check

out the other hops!

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Monday, September 9, 2013

Giveaway: Off to Oz Hop!

Hello all!

Welcome to the

OFF to OZ Giveaway Hop!

It is hosted by

Angela's Anxious Life

and

I am a Reader, Not a Writer.

For this giveaway, we are to

giveaway either a classic story, a re-telling

or one that involves time travel!!

Since there are so many amazing books that fall under

those categories, I have decided to give away a

$5.00 Gift Card

through Amazon OR Barnes and Noble!

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Good Luck!

Monday, August 19, 2013

Giveaway! Clear Your Shelf 2013!

Hello all!

Welcome to the Clear Your Shelf

Giveaway Hop!

It is hosted by Bookhounds and

I Am a Reader, Not a Writer!

This hop is for print books only

and is a way to pass on your previously read books.

So, you are probably wondering what my giveaway is for...

Well, I have a ton of books that need new homes.

That's why I have decided that the winner can

pick 2 of the books below!

This is a US only Giveaway!

[Click image to go to Goodreads page]

1. The Book of Lost Things by John Connelly
2. The Unseen - It Begins and Rest in Peace by Richie Tankersley Cusick
3. Nasty by Simon Doonan
4. When You Are Engulfed in Flames by David Sedaris

[Click image to go to Goodreads page]

5. Gonzo: The Life of Hunter S. Thompson by Jann S. Wenner and Corey Seymour
6. Hell by Robert Olen Butler
7. Plum Lucky by Janet Evanovich
8. Swipe (Swipe #1) by Evan Angler

[Click image to go to Goodreads page]

9. The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin
10. Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs by Chuck Klosterman
11. Gods Behaving Badly by Marie Phillips
12. The Year of the Great Seventh by Teresa Orts

13. Winter Garden by Kristin Hannah
14. By Cunning and Craft by Peter Selgin

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Wednesday, July 31, 2013

2013 Summer Giveaway Hop! $5 Amazon GC

Welcome to the

2013 Summer Giveaway Hop!

It is hosted by

I am a Reader, Not a Writer

and BookHounds!

This is a giveaway hop with tons of people.

Be sure to click on all the links under the rafflecopter to check

out the other blogs on the hop!

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Friday, July 26, 2013

Giveaway! Kindle Fire HD

This is a joint AUTHOR and BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT!

Bloggers and Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HD 7".

Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

Sponsoring Bloggers and Authors

Giveaway Details

1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7" HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).

There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire.

Sponsor a future Kindle Fire Giveaway by signing up HERE.

Ends 8/15/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Sunday, June 30, 2013

Free! The Moon Dwellers by David Estes Birthday Bash

Today, The Moon Dwellers by David Estes turns 1 year old! It was 1 year ago today (June 30th) that David Estes first published the first book in his first ever YA dystopian series, The Dwellers Saga, and changed his life forever. Since then, The Moon Dwellers has outsold and drawn more hype than any other of his 13 published books, and has risen to the top 10 of many YA dystopian lists on Listopia, finding a place amongst bestselling books such as The Hunger Games, Delirium and Divergent. The birth of The Moon Dwellers also changed David’s life forever. As he’s gone from struggling Indie author to fulltime writer, he’s watched in amazement as his Goodreads fan group has swelled from 300 members to over 1,300. Since writing The Moon Dwellers, David has gone on to write and publish two sequels, The Star Dwellers and The Sun Dwellers, as well as three books in a sister series, The Country Saga (Fire Country, Ice Country, and Water & Storm Country). He plans to release the 7th and final book, The Earth Dwellers, in the combined series on September 5th later this year.

So what did David Estes want to do to celebrate The Moon Dwellers book birthday? His answer: “Give away as many free ebooks of The Moon Dwellers as possible!” So if you’re like so many others who are obsessed with YA dystopian novels like The Hunger Games, Delirium, and Divergent, and haven’t yet read the growing phenomenon that is The Moon Dwellers, now’s your chance to do so FOR FREE.

You can grab your free ebook of The Moon Dwellers from Smashwords.com using the coupon code below. And please feel free to share with your family and friends and pets, the more ebooks are given away the happier David will be. The only thing David asks for in return is that if you enjoy the read and continue on with the series, to please leave a positive review on Amazon.com for each of his books that you read.

Where you can find The Moon Dwellers: SMASHWORDS

Coupon Code: AQ92E

Please note, this code expires on July 31, 2013

a Rafflecopter giveaway

And for those of you planning on reading The Dwellers and/or The Country Saga, here’s a special note from the author, David Estes:

The Earth Dwellers will cap off an eighteen month journey that has taken me from unknown Indie author to still-mostly-unknown fulltime Indie author. The change is a subtle one for most people, but for me it’s a dream come true. To the hundreds (and now maybe even thousands!) of readers who have come along for the ride with me, either by reading the Dwellers Saga, the Country Saga, or both, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Now down to business. There may be some of you who have only read the three books in the Country Saga or only the three books in the Dwellers Saga, and are now thinking you’ll read The Earth Dwellers, which is supposedly the 4th book in BOTH the Country Saga and the Dwellers Saga. Well, that’s awesome! However, I must highly recommend that before reading The Earth Dwellers that you read the three books in BOTH series. Trust me, doing so will greatly enhance your experience, as The Earth Dwellers will be taking significant characters from both series and crashing them together (yes, like a water country wave) into an action-packed tale of struggle and loss and hope and friendship…and maybe a little love, too.

Anyway, that’s my advice, it’s up to you what to do with it. In any case, thanks for being a part of my own adventure, I’m a better person for having written stories for you!

Recommended Reading prior to The Earth Dwellers

Fire Country

Ice Country

Water & Storm Country

The Moon Dwellers

The Star Dwellers

The Sun Dwellers

Other YA Books by David Estes!

The Evolution Trilogy:

Book 1- Angel Evolution

Book 2- Demon Evolution

Book 3- Archangel Evolution

Children’s Books by David Estes

The Nikki Powergloves Adventures:

Nikki Powergloves- A Hero is Born

Nikki Powergloves and the Power Council

Nikki Powergloves and the Power Trappers

Nikki Powergloves and the Great Adventure

Nikki Powergloves vs. the Power Outlaws (Coming soon!)

A reader all his life, David began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and has completed 13 novels, 11 of which have been published. In June of 2012, David became a fulltime writer and is now travelling the world with his wife while he writes books, and she writes and takes photographs.

David gleans inspiration from all sorts of crazy places, like watching random people do entertaining things, dreams (which he jots copious notes about immediately after waking up), and even from thin air sometimes! Recently he’s been inspired by some of his favorite authors, like Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, and Maggie Stiefvater.

David’s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, an obsessive Goodreads group member, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table. He loves responding to e-mails, Facebook messages, Tweets, blog comments, and Goodreads comments from his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends.

Where you can find David Estes hanging out:
David Estes Fans and YA Book Lovers Unite

Blog/website

Facebook page

Goodreads author page

Twitter

Saturday, June 8, 2013

Review and Giveaway: Water and Storm Country by David Estes

"Water and Storm Country"
(Country Saga #3)

by David Estes

The book is suitable for all audiences.

Book Synopsis

Huck Jones, the son of the admiral of the Soaker fleet, has a legacy to live up to. Haunted by the distorted memories of his mother's untimely death, he must face his demons and the man who raised him as he strives to take the courageous step forward into manhood. When he's transferred to the worst-performing ship in the fleet, everything he believes is called into question when he meets a lowly brown-skinned bilge rat girl. Huck walks a deadly rope...

Meanwhile, Sadie, destined to be a Rider in the Stormer army, seeks to avenge her brother's death at the hands of the Soakers. Trained hard by her mother, an experienced Rider, Sadie knows strength and determination more than most. Her father, a Man of Wisdom, has shown his cowardice more times than she can count. As her world and family fall apart, she must cast aside her anger and focus on the wisdom she's always brushed off as foolishness.

Amidst everything, a Plague ravages all, discriminating against no one.

When four worlds collide, lines will be drawn, sides will be chosen, victory will be sought. Death will be wrought. The mysteries of the Cure for the deadly Plague will be uncovered. Who will survive? And what will those who do learn about themselves and the ones they love?

REVIEW:

What else is there to say? I think I have used every adjective I can think of that is worthy of a David Estes novel! Oh well, I will still give it a go...

Every time David has a new book that I get my hands on, I know deep in my gut that it will be a wild ride. I also know that an Estes book will reignite my love for reading. I know that may sound odd to you, but it seems like right when I am burned out David delivers another brilliant work to light a fire under my ass and remind me how amazing books are to me!

Anyways, you probably want to know about the book, right? Water and Storm Country was a fantastic addition to the Country Saga. I still love how Estes shows different character points of view throughout the novel. And to me, the story always flows. It doesn't matter that these characters are all so different, because when we see from any of their points of view, we realize they all have the same feelings and emotions. This is what makes us human, makes us one. Fear, anger, love, hatred, all of these emotions bring the characters together. David Estes writing is a reflection upon our current society as much as it is a dystopian fiction. If we could recognize that our fighting is what makes us weak and that together we could be invincible, well maybe the world would have a happier ending.

Let's talk about the characters... newly introduced in Water and Storm Country are Huck, the Admiral's son aboard the ships of Water Country and Sadie, a Rider of Storm Country. Both characters have constant inner turmoil that is riveting to read. And of course, we welcome back the previous characters from Fire and Ice Country. I was so happy when they showed up!

Let's talk about the plot... BLEW MY MIND. Estes weaved it all so well. I never expected the ending. I am thrilled about it. I cannot wait for Earth Dwellers! Earth Dwellers will be the 4th and final book for both The Dwellers Saga and the Country Saga. Is that not bad ass?!? How do you make one book tie two series together. Well, if anyone can do it, it will be Estes.

Loved it, loved it, loved it.

5 stars for Water and Storm Country!

BUY!!
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Excerpt

When the weight of Gard’s heavy hands lifts from the crown of my head, I look up and the war leader nods. I stand to cheers and thunder from stomping feet, stride toward the stables, invincible, where a horse is being led toward me.

With a sleek, black hide, long, black mane, and fierce brown eyes, she’s everything I always imagined she would be. Stamping her feet, pulling at the ropes, snorting heavy plumes of breath out of her flaring nostrils, she’s unbroken.

It takes four strong men, Riders, to control her, and even then, she’s uncontrollable. Wild. Hungry. Mine.

As I approach, I notice a mar on the complete darkness of her coloring: A single patch of white sits high on her nose, almost between her ears, shaped like a butterfly. White wings.

Can she fly?

I’m still admiring her wild and untamed perfection, wondering where she was found, how hard it was for the Horse Whisperers to lure her close enough to capture her, whether she put up a fight, when one of the ropes are thrust into my hands.

Thankfully, I have enough sense to grab it firmly, to hold on, to remember the words my mother taught me, let them flow freely through my mind. I am yours, you are mine, we are one. A warrior and a steed become a Rider. Fight with me even as I fight with you. Separate, our strength is breakable, matched by many; combined, our power is above all, unstoppable.

The words roll over and over in my mind as I take the second rope, walking my hands up the thick strands, feeling them burn my palms as the horse bucks and strains against the bonds that are so foreign to a creature that has known only complete freedom while roaming wild on the plains.

Freedom is an illusion. I’m surprised to hear my father’s words in my head while I’m so focused on approaching my horse. I shake my head and resume my chant, this time out loud, first as a whisper and then louder and louder as I get closer and closer. The horse isn’t calmed by my words, but I know she hears them, because she’s completely focused on me now, and I’m oblivious to the ceremony that continues behind me.

Passion. The name occurs to me just like my mother said it would, right when one of the Riders are thrown down when the horse charges sharply to one side.
“Passion,” I say, and she stands perfectly still, matching the intensity of my gaze. “Sadie.” She snorts, as if my name is but a cricket under the stomp of her grand feet. And so it is.

I shouldn’t be this close, not at the first meeting. My mother told me, but it takes Passion to teach me.

She seems calm since I spoke her name. Her head even bows a little, and my mother said a wild horse will never do that. Already, our bond is special.
I reach forward to rub the white butterfly on her nose.

Her drooping eyes suddenly flash with anger and her head bucks as she leaps forward, butting me, throwing me backward, nearly stomping on my leg as I skid across the grass.

Passion.

The Author

David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife and soul mate, Adele, who he’s now been happily married to for more than two years.
A reader all his life, David began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and has completed 14 novels, 12 of which have been published. In June of 2012, David became a fulltime writer and is now travelling the world with Adele while he writes books, and she writes and takes photographs.
David gleans inspiration from all sorts of crazy places, like watching random people do entertaining things, dreams (which he jots copious notes about immediately after waking up), and even from thin air sometimes!
David’s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, an obsessive Goodreads group member, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table. He loves responding to e-mails, Facebook messages, Tweets, blog comments, and Goodreads comments from his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends.

Learn more about the author:

BLOG

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

GOODREADS

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PREVIOUS ESTES REVIEWS:

The Dwellers Saga

The Moon Dwellers (#1) and The Star Dwellers (#2)

The Sun Dwellers (Dwellers #3)

The Country Saga

Fire Country (#1)