Debut of the Month - The Murmurings + Giveaway

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Book Profile

Name - The Murmurings (Goodreads)
Author - Carly Anne West
Genre - Psychological Thriller/ Paranormal/ Horror
Release Date - March 5th 2013

Everyone thinks Sophie’s sister, Nell, went crazy. After all, she heard strange voices that drove her to commit suicide. But Sophie doesn’t believe that Nell would take her own life, and she’s convinced that Nell’s doctor knows more than he’s letting on.

As Sophie starts to piece together Nell’s last days, every lead ends in a web of lies. And the deeper Sophie digs, the more danger she’s in—because now she’s hearing the same haunting whispers. Sophie’s starting to think she’s going crazy too. Or worse, that maybe she’s not….

Available - The Book Depository | Fishpond | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

The Insider's Scoop

A little backstory on THE MURMURINGS:

Okay, so here's a little insight into some of the inspiration behind THE MURMURINGS. My husband and I had just moved to the bay area in preparation for me to start grad school. He and I were living in different shifts at that point; he worked nights, I went to school during the day. At the time, I was toying with some ideas for a new story that involved themes around what was more frightening - perceived danger or actual danger. On the one hand, real danger is, well, dangerous. On the other hand, it's in many ways just as frightening to not be able to trust your own senses to tell you whether or not you should be afraid. 

On this particular night, my husband was asleep in the other room, and I was unpacking a box of books in the living room near the only closet that the apartment boasted. It was a great little apartment, by the way. Built in the 1920's, really prime location on a corner near lots of public transportation, coffee shops, all the good stuff. Well, typically, I'd hear buses going by outside or activity at the bar across the street. And on this night, I did hear all of that, except when I didn't. Because all at once, sound just sort of drained from the entire room, and the air got really heavy, and I heard a very distinct murmuring sound in my right ear. I spun around to see who was there, thinking at the time it had to have been my husband playing a joke on me or something. But there was nothing, of course, and he was sound asleep in the bedroom. 

The next morning, I'd completely forgotten about the incident, and I was unpacking dishes in the kitchen. My husband was around the corner unpacking the same box of books I'd been working on the night before when I heard him say, "What?" I came around the corner and he repeated his question. "I didn't hear what you were saying; you were mumbling," he said. So I told him I hadn't said anything, but then remembered to tell him what'd happened to me the night before in that very same spot. We lived in that apartment for three more years, and strange things would happen periodically. That same heavy feeling in the room would reoccur, as though someone else was there with me, and then all at once, it would dissappate, and I'd be on my own again. Our cats, normally playful and ever-present, were really skittish the entire time we lived there, and they would rarely step foot in that living room closet. A few times, they'd even look up in a corner of the closet, lay their ears down, and back away from the closet slowly before tearing around the corner to hide for the rest of the day. 

When we finally moved out, we brought it up in a very general way with the property manager. She just nodded and said, "Yes, other people have heard what they described as a sort of low voice in that area of the room." Might have been nice insight before renting that apartment. That's my one and only real haunting experience, but it was a good one!

~Giveaway~

Carly is giving away a copy of The Murmurings!

Rule of Entry -

- US ONLY

- Ends 30th of April

- Must be 13 or older

- Optional Entries :

   * Leaving comment on either of Carly's posts +1 each

   * Follow Me on Twitter +1

   * Follow Carly on Twitter +1

   * Tweeting Giveaway +1

   * Follow Badass Bookie via GFC/Linky or any other way +2

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Badass Bookie xx

Debut of the Month - Carly Anne West ( The Murmurings)

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Debutante Profile

Name – Carly Anne West

Debut – The Murmurings

Genre – Psychological Thriller/ Paranormal/ Horror

Website– HERE

Facebook -  HERE

Twitter - HERE

Anne West is a freelance writer with an MFA in English and Writing from Mills College. She lives with her husband and son in Seattle, Washington. Visit her at carlyannewest.com.

Dream Debutante Dress -  You know, I lived in Nashville for three years. You'd think that in that amount of time, I would have had some sort of debutante moment. Alas, I worked instead at the local newspaper selling help wanted ads during a recession. So let's make up for that obvious gap in my life by designing a slightly absurd dress. I'm thinking it has to be very 60s-era. I don't know why it has to be, but it does. Green, with white polka dots. I actually own a little clutch with that same design, and to have an entire dress of it would be magical. And, you know, I already own the purse, so accessorizing just became much easier. And for reasons unknown to even me, I want tulle in the skirt. White tulle. It should rustle when I walk. It should scratch my legs a little.


I've attached a picture of the style. I'd just swap in my own design if given the choice. :-) Very, very Mad Men.

Notes from a YA Debutante

This feels like a great opportunity for a Top Ten List of "No, I swear, this really happened" Moments:

10.) When I was little, my mom was reading Stephen King's IT. I had no idea what the book was about and had never heard the story. But one night, I had a dream about a very specific scene in the book. I told my mom about it the next morning, and she gave me a funny look but didn't say much. For the next two nights, I had horrible nightmares of a similar variety, along the same story line. I told my mom each night, and by the third night, she told me not to worry, that I wouldn't have those dreams anymore. Later on, she shared with me that I'd actually been dreaming about what she had read the night before. So she stopped reading the book, and sure enough, I stopped having the nightmares. No, I swear, it really happened!

9.) In high school, for reasons far too complex to share in a post this short, I spent an entire day dressed as a shark. No, I swear, it really happened!

8.) I once almost fainted on BART (it's sort of like a subway in San Francisco), and nobody asked me if I needed help! They just watched me slide down the wall and hit the floor. Yeah, it happened just like that.

7.) The cat I grew up with lived to be 19 years old. Really! It happened.

6.) When I was learning how to drive, I drove my parents' car through our garage door. Seriously, that happened.

5.) When I was in college, I conducted a sociological experiment for extra credit that involved me standing in a crowded elevator, yelling "ding!" as we hit every floor, and noting people's reactions to my behavior. Yup, that happened.

4.) Just two weeks ago, I had an incredibly vivid dream about donuts (don't laugh ... you know you want to have a dream about donuts, too). The next morning, my husband bought two dozen donuts for his coworkers, just because it sounded good to him for some reason (I'd told him nothing about my dream). Yes, it totally happened!

3.) It would get so hot in Phoenix (where I grew up) that during the summer, if I stood too long in one spot on the street and I was wearing cheap shoes, they would begin to melt to the asphalt. Yes ma'am, that happened.

2.) Did you know it's possible to dislocate your pinky toe? It is. Because I did that.

1.) I got into the writing program at Mills College even though I was number seven on the waiting list. Yes! It happened. Dreams really do come true, kids!

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Bookie's Note: Carly, you are probably one of the most dedicated debutantes I've had on the blog. To the point of actually imagining your dream debutante dress? That's brilliant! Carly I think you're some kind of physic or something along the lines. Two incidents of creepy dreaming? Coincidence? I think not! I can't believe your shoes actually melted and here I thought I had it bad! So hot on the coast in Summers! Thank-you for sharing all this with us Carly, you've certainly had a very interesting list of facts! :P Haha

Remember to come back tomorrow to see the second half of Carly's feature and for a giveaway! :)

Badass Bookie xx

Debut of the Month - All About Pretty Girl-13 +Giveaway

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Book Profile

Name - Pretty Girl -13 (Goodreads)
Author - Liz Coley
Genre - Psychological Thriller
Release Date - March 19th 2013

Angie Chapman was thirteen years old when she ventured into the woods alone on a Girl Scouts camping trip. Now she's returned home…only to find that it's three years later and she's sixteen-or at least that's what everyone tells her.

What happened to the past three years of her life?

Angie doesn't know.

But there are people who do — people who could tell Angie every detail of her forgotten time, if only they weren't locked inside her mind. With a tremendous amount of courage, Angie embarks on a journey to discover the fragments of her personality, otherwise known as her "alters." As she unearths more and more about her past, she discovers a terrifying secret and must decide: When you remember things you wish you could forget, do you destroy the parts of yourself that are responsible?

Available - The Book Depository | Fishpond | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

The Insider's Scoop

Angie’s alters told me their individual stories on a seven-hour car ride from Washington DC through the mountains of West Virginia heading home to Ohio in late January, 2009. I didn’t write the first word of the book until November 1, 2009. That’s how vividly they stuck with me.

Pretty Girl-13 was my Nanowrimo 2009 novel. When I started writing, I had no idea how it would end. In fact, I thought all the alters would share the same fate. The characters took me on their journey.

My first trusted readers told me my initial shot at the ending was lacking drama after all that had gone before. They were right. So then I wrote a real Act III with much more conflict and climax. I suspect that people who haven’t researched DID aren’t as familiar with the intense symbolic level on which the alters interact, but the metaphors really spoke to me.

I’d actually like someone with DID to review the book. Any takers?

I wrote all of the novel sitting on the floor in front of a gas fire with my laptop up on a footstool. Maybe that’s why the fire motif is so prominent in the story. If I had to write an English paper about the novel, I think fire would be my topic.

Many people characterize Pretty Girl-13 as an issue book about Dissociative Identity Disorder or about abuse. To me, at heart it is a story about memory and identity. DID is the vehicle that carries the story.

~Giveaway~

Liz is giving away a personalised copy of Pretty Girl - 13!

Rule of Entry -

- International 

- Ends 27th of April

- Must be 13 or older

- Optional Entries :

   * Leaving comment on either of Liz's posts +1 each

   * Follow Me on Twitter +1

   * Follow Liz on Twitter +1

   * Tweeting Giveaway +1

   * Follow Badass Bookie via GFC/Linky or any other way +2

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Badass Bookie xx

Debut of the Month - All About Liz Coley ( Pretty Girl-13)

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Debutante Profile

Name – Liz Coley 

Debut – Pretty Girl-13

Genre – Psychological Thrillers

Website– HERE

Facebook -  HERE

Twitter - HERE

As a preteen, Liz Coley was hooked on science fiction thanks to alien Tripods, space-time warping tesseracts, and a Martian maid named Thuvia. Her science fiction short stories appear in Cosmos Magazine and several print anthologies. While self-publishing the time travel/alternate history/Mayan end of the world novel OUT OF XIBALBA, Liz received “The Call” that all aspiring novelists dream of.

PRETTY GIRL-13, her debut novel, will be published in ten languages on five continents in print, Kindle, and audio editions.

Liz lives in Cincinnati, OH with her husband, her teenaged daughter, and an elderly orange tabby by the fire. The older two boys have moved on to college and graduate school. When she isn't writing, Liz enjoys singing, photography, tennis, and cooking.

Dream Debutante Dress - Liz's has sent in two debutante dresses (we're spicing March up, it's a really fancy month so we have dress changes in between the days). The dress on top is a dress that matches the cover of Pretty Girl-13 and the dress on the bottom is something that Liz would probably actually wear! 

Notes from a YA Debutante

Like all other authors in the universe, I love reading. Like many kidlit authors, I began writing for my own children. Like most authors, it took a long time from the wish to its fulfillment.

People seem to like the ten things you might not know about me format, so here goes:

1. I love cold Brussels sprouts. I know, right? But they’re a zero guilt snack.

2. I used to sneeze in pairs. Now it’s just one incredibly loud and uninhibited explosion.

3. I sing soprano solos at church from time to time. My favorite is Fauré’s Pie Jesu.

4. I’m allergic to chocolate, but that’s not going to stop me!

5. My daughter is vegetarian, so I cook 99.999% vegetarian at home. Happy to share recipes if anyone is struggling to feed a teenager who has turned veggie.

6. My recipe folder is 85% desserts 15% main dishes. I think that’s about the right ratio, don’t you?

7. I could eat pizza every day, forever.

8. I’m posting a multi-year photo blog of 1000 of my images that strike a special chord with me. I’m up to about 600. www.phlography.blogspot.com

9. The person I would most like to have tea with is my mom.

10. I want my ashes to be scattered on Mars.

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Bookie's Note: I do apologize for the late March feature but better a late debut then no debut right? Everyone meet Liz! Liz, it's an absolute pleasure to have you on the blog! I always tell myself that I should go vegetarian but I think I like meat too much. BACON < 3 Nothing stands between you and chocolate! Don't let your body tell you otherwise! I think the photo blog idea is really cool! I feel inspired to start my own! Thank-you for sharing Liz!

Remember to come back tomorrow to see the second half of Liz's feature and for a giveaway! :)

Badass Bookie xx

Unravel Me

Review Time! The sequel to very well received 2011 YA debut, Shatter Me. Tahereh Mafi is back with the highly anticipated sequel, Unravel Me! This is one of my favourite YA dystopians and I think Mafi is a wonderfully talented writer! You can purchase a copy of Unravel Me from The Book Depository | The Nile | Fishpond | Bookworld. Thanks to Allen and Unwin for the review copy!

(Goodreads) Our lips touch and I know I'm going to split at the seams. He kisses me softly then strongly like he's lost me and he's found me and I'm slipping away and he's never going to let me go.

Juliette has escaped to Omega Point. A place for people like her - people with gifts - and it is also the headquarters of the rebel resistance.

She's finally free from the Reestablishment, free from their plan to use her as a weapon, and free to love Adam. But Juliette will never be free from her lethal touch. Or from Warner, who wants Juliette more than she ever thought possible.

Haunted by her past, terrified of her future, Juliette knows that in her present, she will have to make some life-changing choices.

Choices that may include choosing between her heart - and Adam's life.

The Short Story? - Unputdownable. I hate Mafi for making this so deliciously brilliant because I am without doubt going to fail midterms since I didn't study however it was totally worth it because Unravel Me was nothing less than perfect. I didn't think the series could get any better after Shatter Me but Mafi has proved me wrong with her beautifully written sequel. A roller coaster of emotions, a romance that has torn me in half and characters that bring out all the feelings, Unravel Me definitely has my approval.

The Long Story? - You have your novels that are brilliant and then you get these novels that just take your breath away. Unravel Me was one of them, literally unputdownable, I read nonstop from nine in the morning to five in the afternoon. Essentially Unravel Me is marketed as a dystopian YA however romance is really the focus of the whole series. I'm not going to lie - in this case, I prefer it that way because the romance is actually well written. It's not just two characters thrown together with some random tagging along for the ride. This is a very detailed and well planned love triangle that will legitimately leave you torn. More than that, there actually IS a plot even if it's a little overshadowed by the beautiful romance. There is a X-Men like element where the characters have superpowers, there's a corrupt government, a wasteland habitat and some rebellion. It's got everything that a great novel needs.

Warner really made the characterisation for me in Unravel Me. Without that beautiful inside into Warner's character, the characterisation would have been pretty meh. I'm not saying that there wasn't development for Juliette and Adam because there was. Juliette newfound confidence was a huge plus for me because I don't like whiny characters that feel sorry for themselves which was Juliette in a nutshell. I'm glad that Kenji have got her to come out of her shell and embrace her powers! Adam was still cute but he was so mopey and angry throughout the novel which wasn't like Adam at all, I mean, I know he has a reason to be mopey but still. The building of Warner's character was really what intrigued me, in Shatter Me we only saw a glimpse of the man he was under the hard exterior and in Unravel Me, it was like "unravelling" the mystery. So beautiful. I love you Warner. < 3

Everyone and their mothers should have a copy of this book because there aren't enough kind words to describe the epicness of this book, it's just amazing! I don't know how Mafi is going to top this book but she better do it and do it fast because I don't think I can wait another year for book #3. Two words - CHAPTER 62. That's enough of a reason to read Unravel Me. Perfection in 480 pages. Bravo Mafi. Well written.

What's it Worth? - Priceless.

Badass Bookie xx

Etiquette and Espionage

Review Time! Etiquette and Espionage is the YA debut of bestselling author Gail Carriger. I've read most of Gail's adult steampunk series, Parasol Protectorate (which are amazing) so I had this one on my radar for some time. I'm excited to review this for you guys today because I can't even put my excitement for this book into words! You can purchase a copy of this book from The Book Depository | The Nile | Bookworld | Fishpond. Thanks to Hachette for the review copy! 

(Goodreads) It's one thing to learn to curtsy properly. It's quite another to learn to curtsy and throw a knife at the same time. Welcome to Finishing School.

Fourteen-year-old Sophronia is a great trial to her poor mother. Sophronia is more interested in dismantling clocks and climbing trees than proper manners—and the family can only hope that company never sees her atrocious curtsy. Mrs. Temminick is desperate for her daughter to become a proper lady. So she enrolls Sophronia in Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality.

But Sophronia soon realizes the school is not quite what her mother might have hoped. At Mademoiselle Geraldine's, young ladies learn to finish...everything. Certainly, they learn the fine arts of dance, dress, and etiquette, but they also learn to deal out death, diversion, and espionage—in the politest possible ways, of course. Sophronia and her friends are in for a rousing first year's education.

The Short Story? - Set in the same world as Carriger's Parasol Protectorate series, Etiquette and Espionage follows the adventures of Sophronia Temminick as she attends her first year at Mademoiselle Geraldine's Finishing Academy for Young Ladies of Quality. The perfect combination of adventure, the supernatural and Garriger's signature "posh" humour, Etiquette and Espionage is high quality reading for the YA audience! Filled with mystery, friendship and the unpredictable, Carriger's YA debut is nothing less than impressive! 

The Long Story? - I've been waiting so long to read this novel and now that I've finished reading it, I regret nothing! It was an absolutely delight to read, beautifully written, rich language and very witty humour, I expected nothing less from Carriger. Etiquette and Espionage is probably aimed at a younger audience since the characters are essentially fourteen however the plot suggests that it's a story that can be enjoyed by all. I was sold on the idea of a "finishing" school where the proper ladies of society learn everything from high fashion to poisoning husbands ( tell me that doesn't sound good! I DARE YOU!) and Carriger definitely delivered. I loved the mystery element of the whole novel, I loved the steampunk and I loved the supernatural. It's not a very action-packed novel and it would have been nice to see a little more "finishing" but I have no doubt that book one is just a learning curve for Sophronia and her friends! I'm a little disappointed at the lack of romance since Carriger writes it so well but the seeds have been planted and I'm sure something will blossom in book two! In other words, bring it on! 

The characterisation was great, I've got a good grasp on Sophronia's character from Etiquette and Espionage, she's unpredictable, quirky and trouble in the form of a fourteen year girl. However she's also quick on her feet and fiercely loyal to her friends, she's good at solving mysteries and although she's far from finishing, she's a lady in the making! Dimity is so lovely, if I could have a partner in crime, I would pick Dimity, she's probably not the most reliable or the best pupil but she's funny and girly and the complete opposite of Sophronia. I was also quite taken by little Vieve who I thought was such an adorable character, not to mention that Vieve's a genius! I thoroughly liked Soap's character throughout the novel, he's charming and sweet and incredibly helpful! Overall, not a bad cast of characters at all! 

If I'm certain about anything, it's that Carriger knows how to write a wonderful historical YA. There is something for everyone to enjoy in Etiquette and Espionage, humour, steampunk, the supernatural, mystery and adventure! Dangerous, exciting and just a little fancy, Etiquette and Espionage is a remarkable debut that brings just as many thrills as laughs! Get your teacups out, slip on your gloves - we're going to finishing school!

What's it Worth? - Hand Over The Paycheck

Badass Bookie xx

The Goddess Inheritance

Review Time! So you probably noticed the lack of posts lately and I'm SO sorry but I've had midterms and it's all been really stressful! Things are settling down a little so today I have a review of The Goddess Inheritance by Aimee Carter, the final book in the Goddess Test trilogy! I've followed this series from the start and it's brilliant, you can purchase a copy of The Goddess Test from The Nile | The Book Depository | Bookworld | Fishpond. Thanks to HarlequinTeen for the review copy!

(Goodreads) During nine months of captivity, Kate Winters has survived a jealous goddess, a vengeful Titan and a pregnancy she never asked for. Now the Queen of the Gods wants her unborn child, and Kate can't stop her — until Cronus offers a deal.

In exchange for her loyalty and devotion, the King of the Titans will spare humanity and let Kate keep her child. Yet even if Kate agrees, he'll destroy Henry, her mother and the rest of council. And if she refuses, Cronus will tear the world apart until every last god and mortal is dead.

With the fate of everyone she loves resting on her shoulders, Kate must do the impossible: find a way to defeat the most powerful being in existence, even if it costs her everything.

Even if it costs her eternity…

The Short Story? - What a fantastic end to a trilogy! I'm sad to see these characters go but I'm glad that I've been on this epic journey with them. The Goddess Inheritance was definitely a very strong addition to the trilogy. There was action, romance, drama and all that good stuff! It was a roller coaster ride of a novel, everything tied up nicely and I liked how it was a little bit bittersweet. Some of the writing was a little patchy but in the grand scheme of things, I really thought The Goddess Inheritance very well done!

The Long Story? - I'm very happy with the way this trilogy ended, it wasn't perfect but plot wise, this was definitely a worthy ending to a brilliant trilogy. I'm a huge fan of greek mythology and the premise of the series is fantastic. I'm especially taken by the war between the olympians and the titans that Carter has incorporated into the plot of The Goddess Inheritance. It's jam-packed with action, it's edgy and it's fast-paced. The problem with such an ambitious plot is that it can get a little choppy which, unfortunately, it did in parts. Some parts were very rushed and confusing and that made it uncomfortable to read. This choppy writing style is present throughout the trilogy but once you get used to it, it's really not a huge problem and I honestly think nothing could make this plot less appealing. I loved everything about it, the romance, the action, the tension, the loss and the sacrifice, definitely one I would recommend to YA readers of paranormal romance!

Since it is a trilogy, I have grown close to the characters over the course of the books and I love them. Kate continues to surprise me, I sympathised with her throughout the novel. She's torn between the two people she loves the most in the world - her husband and her child. She's also got the weight of the world resting on her shoulders yet everyone else just wants her to stay out of the fight because they think she's weak. It's frustrating to see everyone dismiss Kate and I feel like I connected with her through her helplessness. It was satisfying to see her in the epic final battle and I think she deserved that bittersweet ending. Henry, there is something so appealing about a guy of few words and who is unable to show his emotions. It must be frustrating for Kate but OMG, it's so sexy! He's like the broody, mysterious immortal. EVERYONE'S TYPE! Surprisingly I also really liked Cronus as a character, even though he was portrayed as the antagonist, I feel like all the characters really forced him to play the bad guy! Overall a great cast of characters, I'm going to be sorry to leave them behind!

If you haven't read this series, I sincerely hope you find the time to do it because *I* personally think it's a great trilogy to read and now that all three books are out, you can buy them all and read them one after another! Carter has truly outdone herself with this final instalment, I'm very impressed and I can't wait to see what she has planned for us next! The perfect balance between romance and action, The Goddess Inheritance ended the trilogy on a high note!

What's it Worth? - Hand Over the Paycheck

Badass Bookie xx