Tag: Mira Ink

Sunday Spotlight: Night Study by Maria V. Snyder

Posted March 6, 2016 by Holly in Features, Giveaways | 8 Comments

Sunday Spotlight is a new feature we’re running in 2016. Each week, we will spotlight a release that we’re excited about. We’ll be posting exclusive excerpts and being total fangirls. You’ve been warned. šŸ™‚

Sunday Spotlight

When I read Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder back in 2008, I swept away by the story and characters. The plot was so fresh and the mystery so intriguing, I anguished over waiting for the next books to be released. That first trilogy has stayed with me over the years, and I often go back and think of it fondly.

Now, Snyder has returned to the story of Yelena and Valek with another trilogy, and I’m thrilled.

Night Study jacket
Night Study by Maria V. Snyder
Releases on January 26 by MIRA INK

Order the Book:

AMAZON UK || AMAZON US || WATERSTONES || KOBO || BARNES AND NOBLE

New York Times bestselling author Maria V. Snyder transports readers back to the realms of Sitia and Ixia in an exciting new Study novel full of magic, danger and intrigue.

Ever since being kidnapped from the Illiais Jungle as a child, Yelena Zaltana’s life has been fraught with peril. But the recent loss of her Soulfinding abilities has endangered her more than ever before. As she desperately searches for a way to reclaim her magic, her enemies are closing in, and neither Ixia nor Sitia is safe for her anymore. Especially since the growing discord between the two countries and the possibility of a war threatens everything Yelena holds dear.

Valek is determined to protect Yelena, but he’s quickly running out of options. The Commander suspects that his loyalties are divided, and he’s been keeping secrets from Valekā€¦secrets that put him, Yelena and all their friends in terrible danger. As they uncover the various layers of the Commander’s mysterious plans, they realize it’s far more sinister than they could have ever imagined.

Excerpt

Extract from Night Study by Maria V Snyder

My lips still burned from Valekā€™s kiss. The intensity of it seared into my soul like a red-hot iron branding his name right on my heart. The idea of being locked in a tower with him no longer sounded so terrible. If my magic never returned, what else would I do aside from raising our child? I might be contentā€¦for about a week.

Valek mounted Onyx. He met my gaze, and his smile promised a reunion worth waiting for. Then he was gone, leaving behind a cloud of dust. The rest of the world returned, appearing duller.

ā€œYelena,ā€ Onora said.

I focused on her. ā€œYes?ā€

She held out a roll of parchment. ā€œI drew this for you.ā€

Suppressing my surprise, I took it and unrolled the sheet, revealing a picture of a tree drawn with charcoal. Each oval leaf had been carefully detailed, along with the precise lines and shading of the bark. I half expected it to sway in the breeze.

Why would sheā€” I gasped. ā€œItā€™s the Harman tree, isnā€™t it?ā€

ā€œYes.ā€ Onoraā€™s tone was matter-of-fact.

Sheā€™d gone into Owenā€™s suite and sketched one of the saplings, despite the danger. Impressive and brave. ā€œWhen?ā€

ā€œThis morning. Right after I talked to you.ā€

ā€œDid anyone see you?ā€

ā€œNo. And I didnā€™t touch the trees or go near them, just in case there was a magical alarm.ā€

ā€œSmart. I want to admonish you for taking such a risk, butā€¦ā€ I waved the picture. ā€œThis is perfect. You are a talented artist.ā€

She shrugged away the compliment. ā€œWill it help your father identify the tree?ā€

ā€œYes. Heā€™ll be ecstatic. And then heā€™ll bug me to invite you to the jungle to go on an expedition with him and draw plants. To him, thatā€™s the ultimate experience, and he doesnā€™t understand why others arenā€™t jumping up and down at the prospect.ā€

Onora laughed. It was a small burst of sound as it escaped her tight self-control. ā€œI might actually like that.ā€

ā€œWhen all this mess with Owen is resolved, consider yourself invited.ā€

ā€œThank you.ā€

I tucked the picture into my saddlebags. Ari and Janco finished readying their horses.

The Stable Master gave Ariā€™s horse a pat on the neck. ā€œHis nameā€™s Diamond Whiskey, `cause of that diamond-shaped blaze on his forehead. But we all call him Whiskey for short. Take good care of him and make sure he returns with you. The Commanderā€™s partial to him.ā€

Ari paused in midmount. ā€œWhy did you pick him then? I can take another.ā€

ā€œHeā€™s the strongest of my lot.ā€

ā€œThatā€™s a polite way of saying youā€™re fat, Ari,ā€ Janco said.

Ari and the Stable Master ignored him.

The Master pointed to Kiki and The Madam. ā€œI also picked him `cause he gets along well with the girls.ā€

ā€œBeing able to get along is a good quality to have,ā€ I said, giving Janco a pointed look.
He batted his eyelashes at meā€”Mr. Innocent. ā€œHey, Iā€™m the epitome of a team player.ā€

I suppressed a sigh as I swung into my saddle. Janco in high spirits meant more high jinks. However, no matter how hard I tried, I really couldnā€™t consider that a bad thing.

ā€œCome on, Epitome,ā€ I said. ā€œMount up. Iā€™d like to cross the border before dark.ā€

Night Study by Maria V Snyder is out 25th February in the UK (Ā£7.99, MIRA INK)

ARI AND JANCO! VALEK! ::DIES::

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via giphy

Study Series

Night Study Blog Tour Banner

Giveaway: We’re giving one lucky winner their choice of one of our Sunday Spotlight books. Use the Rafflecopter widget below to enter for one of February’s features.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Are you as excited for this release as we are? Let us know how excited you are and what other books you’re excited for this year!

Maria1

Maria lives with her family and a black cat name Valek (a.k.a. the bug assassin!) in Pennsylvania where she is at work on another book and/or a short story (yes this is purposely vague – as you can see, Maria is very busy and updating her website takes time that she just doesn’t have. Oh, all right, but if this information is out of date, don’t blame Maria :). Actually, Maria is hard at work…well not at this very second…on NIGHT STUDY, the second book of the NEW set of three Study books with Yelena and Valek! The first of the new set, SHADOW STUDY will be out March 2015!


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Hannah Harrington Blog Tour

Posted February 16, 2013 by Holly in Promotions | 1 Comment

Everyone knows that Chelsea Knot can’t keep a secret

Until now. Because the last secret she shared turned her into a social outcastā€”and nearly got someone killed.

Now Chelsea has taken a vow of silenceā€”to learn to keep her mouth shut, and to stop hurting anyone else. And if she thinks keeping secrets is hard, not speaking up when she’s ignored, ridiculed and even attacked is worse.

But there’s strength in silence, and in the new friends who are, shockingly, coming her wayā€”people she never noticed before; a boy she might even fall for. If only her new friends can forgive what she’s done. If only she can forgive herself.

Today we have a special treat for you.Ā Hannah HarringtonĀ has answered a few questions about writing for us today. Hannah’s latest release,Ā Speechless, is available now fromĀ Mira Ink.

What is your favourite thing about being a writer? Are there any cons?Ā 

My favourite thing is hearing from readers. I try to respond to everyone who contacts me, because it really blows my mind and flatters me beyond reason that anyone would take their own time to let me know they enjoyed my writing. Itā€™s really such a compliment, especially when I hear from teenage girls who tell me they can relate to my characters. It just means a lot to me, and itā€™s still a little jarring to realize that my story isnā€™t just in some little bubble, itā€™s really out there in the world!

I think to complain would be a little crass since I am extremely fortunate and lucky for the opportunities Iā€™ve been given with my writing. If I had to say, Iā€™d maybe say that there is a certain pressure that comes along with being published. I still love writing, but I donā€™t really view it the way I used to, when it was for me and me alone. There used to be a very pure feeling when I wrote, and now thereā€™s more of a feeling of, this is a job, and I have to treat it as one. And itā€™s a wonderful job, but itā€™s just a little different for me now.

Do you ever base your characters on people you know in real life?Ā 

I donā€™t base any of them on specific people. Certain dynamics Iā€™ve had with family and friends sometimes inform the way my characters interact with each other. But whenever my family or friends plan to read, I have to reassure them that no, itā€™s not based on them! My sister still hasnā€™t read Saving Juneā€”I think sheā€™s worried itā€™s about her, when it really isnā€™t!

What you are working on now/next…

I am working on a third novel. Itā€™s too early to go into detail about it, but it will be another contemporary young adult!

Check out the book trailer:

Hannah Harringtonā€™s debut novel Saving June was published in 2012 by Mira Ink, and her second novel, Speechless, is out now! Visit www.hannahharrington.com for more.

Be sure to visit the other sites participating in the blog tour!

Keep up with Mira Ink on Facebook and Twitter:
http://www.facebook.com/miraink
https://twitter.com/MIRAInk

Speechless is available from Mira Ink. You can buy it here or here in e-format.


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Review: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

Posted October 2, 2012 by Rowena in Reviews | 4 Comments

Review: Dash and Lily’s Book of Dares by Rachel Cohn and David LevithanReviewer: Rowena
Dash & Lily's Book of Dares (Dash & Lily, #1) by Rachel Cohn, David Levithan
Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers
Publication Date: October 26th 2010
Pages: 260
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars

ā€œIā€™ve left some clues for you.If you want them, turn the page.If you donā€™t, put the book back on the shelf, please.ā€

So begins the latest whirlwind romance from the bestselling authors of Nick & Norahā€™s Infinite Playlist. Lily has left a red notebook full of challenges on a favorite bookstore shelf, waiting for just the right guy to come along and accept its dares. But is Dash that right guy? Or are Dash and Lily only destined to trade dares, dreams, and desires in the notebook they pass back and forth at locations across New York? Could their in-person selves possibly connect as well as their notebook versions? Or will they be a comic mismatch of disastrous proportions?

Rachel Cohn and David Levithan have written a love story that will have readers perusing bookstore shelves, looking and longing for a love (and a red notebook) of their own.

What a short read this book turned out to be and an enjoyable short read, too.

I really enjoyed this book because the concept behind the whole book of dares thing was just too cute for words.Ā  This book made it onto my radar because Ames read and liked it.Ā  I can almost always tell that I’m going to like a book that Ames has liked because I haven’t disliked a book that she’s recommended me.

This book follows young Dash and Lily as they get to know each other through a red notebook with clues to their next adventures.Ā  They get to know each other through these clues and they grow closer over their Christmas holidays spent without their parents.Ā  Dash found Lily’s red notebook at the Strand bookstore in NYC and followed the clues set forth in the book and the back and forth between the two of them began.Ā  The way that these two “meet” was too cute for words.Ā  I loved the clues, I loved the notebook and I loved seeing these two come together because really, they were too adorable for words.

Dash is loner type of guy who’s been through a tough custody battle between his parent so he’s a lot wiser than his young years and he’s tricks his parents into leaving him alone for the Christmas holiday.Ā  Lily is kind of the opposite as Dash where she loves Christmas and is not happy that her parents took their 25 year anniversary trip over the Christmas holiday.

The two of them made quite the pair and I really thought that Cohn and Levithan wrote a great story with two characters that I came to love over the course of the book.Ā  I’m really looking forward to reading more by these two (I haven’t read Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist but I will now).Ā  This book was enjoyable but as much as I enjoyed it, I wanted more to the ending.Ā  The way that it ended, I hope that there’s another story to follow.Ā  I’m totally crossing my fingers for another book featuring these two.Ā  I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys stories by either author or really, to anyone who enjoys contemporary YA.Ā  This book doesn’t disappoint.

…and that’s your scoop!

This book is available from Mira Ink. This book was received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Buy the book: B&N|Amazon|Book Depository
Book cover and blurb credit: http://goodreads.com

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four-stars


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