Disney Villains Book Series ~ Feature & Giveaway

Thanks to @DisneyBooks, Val has an awesome #DisneyVillainsBooks giveaway!

Disney Villains

Series by Serena Valentino

Recommended for ages 9+

DISNEY, BUT DARK

THE VILLAINS SERIES by Serena Valentino

Where most Disney Classic titles appeal to younger readers, Serena Valentino’s darkly twisted Villains series is perfect for upper middle-grade, YA, and even adult audiences. Readers who crave twisted origins will love these wickedly dark tales about classic Disney villains.

 

Series Order:

1. Fairest of All: A Tale of the Wicked Queen
2. The Beast Within: A Tale of Beauty’s Prince
3. Poor Unfortunate Soul: A Tale of the Sea Witch
4. Mistress of all Evil: A Tale of the Dark Fairy
5. Mother Knows Best: A Tale of the Old Witch
6. The Odd Sisters: A Tale of the Three Witches
7. Evil Thing: newest release coming July 7, 2020!

 

Coming July 7th

The darkly captivating seventh novel in the popular Villains series follows the rise and fall of the deranged and glamorous fan favorite, Cruella De Vil. If it doesn't scare you, no evil thing will...

 

Never before have we gotten Cruella’s perspective on the story of 101 Dalmatians. Evil Thing reframes the classic tale from her point of view, as a darkly funny, maniacally mean memoir. Readers who crave twisted origins will love this wickedly dark tale, and new readers will find this novel an enticing entry point to the rest of the series.

Cruella De Vil is the perfect villain: stylish, witty, relentless...and possibly cursed.

From her lonely childhood, to her iconic fashion choices, to that fateful car crash (you know the one), Cruella tells all in this marvelous memoir of a woman doomed. Even the cruelest villains have best friends, true loves, and daring dreams. Now it's Cruella's turn to share hers.

This latest novel by the author of the wildly popular and darkly fascinating Villains series brings readers a tale told by the Evil Thing herself-a tale of the complicated bonds of female friendship, of mothers and daughters, and of burning, destructive desire.

After all, nothing is as simple as black and white. 

Goodreads

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Serena Valentino has been weaving tales that combine mythos and guile for the past decade. She has earned critical acclaim in both the comic and horror domains, where she is known for her unique style of storytelling, bringing her readers into exquisitely frightening worlds filled with terror, beauty, and extraordinary protagonists. The books in her best-selling Villains series are best enjoyed when read in the following order: Fairest of All, The Beast Within, Poor Unfortunate Soul, Mistress of All Evil, Mother Knows Best, Odd Sisters, and Evil Thing.

A CRUEL SUMMER

This summer, find out Cruella’s backstory in the bestselling Disney VILLAINS series! Can’t wait? Enter NOW for a chance to win a NARS “Cruella” lipstick plus the two most recent VILLAINS releases: The Odd Sisters and Mother Knows Best.

 

Giveaway open to US addresses only.

Prizing and samples provided by Disney Book Group.

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All Our Broken Pieces by L.D. Crichton ~ Review

Source: ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.

All Our Broken Pieces by L.D. Crichton

"You can’t keep two people who are meant to be together apart for long...”

Lennon Davis doesn’t believe in much, but she does believe in the security of the number five. If she flicks the bedroom light switch five times, maybe her new L.A. school won’t suck. But that doesn’t feel right, so she flicks the switch again. And again. Ten more flicks of the switch and maybe her new step family will accept her. Twenty-five more flicks and maybe she won’t cause any more of her loved ones to die. Fifty times more and then she can finally go to sleep.

Kyler Benton witnesses this pattern of lights from the safety of his treehouse in the yard next door. It is only there, hidden from the unwanted stares of his peers, that Kyler can fill his notebooks with lyrics that reveal the true scars of the boy behind the oversized hoodies and caustic humor. But Kyler finds that descriptions of blonde hair, sad eyes, and tapping fingers are beginning to fill the pages of his notebooks. Lennon, the lonely girl next door his father has warned him about, infiltrates his mind. Even though he has enough to deal with without Lennon’s rumored tragic past in his life, Kyler can’t help but want to know the truth about his new muse.

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | IndieBound

After reading (and LOVING) Every Other Weekend by Abigail Johnson, I was in a bit of a mood for YA contemporary. Which hasn't happened in so long, I was excited to go with it and jump into another book right away. All Our Broken Pieces has been on my shelf since late June, and I'd been eyeing it since then. So I picked it up. And I'm so glad I did!

I started the book in mid-November, and was so into it. I always get excited when a book has me enjoying it from the very beginning--because my attention span at the beginning of books is terrible and I get bored easily. I read the first ~80 pages, then life happened (aka, finishing my graduating semester of college and finding a job in the field of my soon-to-be degree) so I went a few weeks without picking it up.

Normally, when things like this happen and I have to step away from a book because of Reasons, it takes some effort to get myself to pick the book back up. Like I said before, my attention span can be terrible. But all those days I didn't have time to read, I had this book on my mind. And then when I saw my opening last weekend I jumped on it and finished the rest of the book in one sitting. And it was so good.

I'm so in love with these two main characters. Kyler is snarky and smart and I was a fan of his sense of humor. Lennon is sweet and down to earth and matched Kyler's humor all the way. Both individually and together, I enjoyed these protagonists. They each had their own issues and struggles, and seeing them work through them gradually throughout the story was awesome.

The romance was 100% my cup of tea. They gave me so many warm fuzzies and I smiled so much while reading. I also appreciated the slight parallels at Romeo & Juliet, for the sake of linking to their project. That said, I kind of wish they hadn't been QUITE so dependent on one another. Like, I'm here for a good, solid, strong bonded relationship. I WANT them to be together all the time too. But they were a little unreasonable at times. But THAT said, I realize that they are teenagers and that probably has a lot to do with the way this aspect was handled.

Another big, favorite aspect of this book for me was the friendships and sibling relationships. Kyler with his friends was great. They were conscientious of his struggles with performing and while they definitely pushed for him to bend on his resolve, it was more of a For the Best thing and not a selfish thing. Kyler was also so nice with his sister--in an older brother-tending-to-pick-on-his-little-sister way, but then when needed he gets so sweet. Lennon also had the cutest relationship with her little brother. She's so kind to him and patient, and I adored that kid.

I also want to say that I appreciated Lennon's relationship with her dad and stepmom. They are by no means perfect, but they clearly care a whole bunch. Honestly, on Lennon's side of the family situation the only real flaw was Andrea--and I think this is in part because that aspect wasn't developed to its full potential.

A few more things I enjoyed/appreciated about the book:
- Kyler's lyrics
- the OCD rep
- the band name suggestions ("Think about it.")
- man oh man this book made me so happy!

Overall, I loved All Our Broken Pieces. It wasn't quite a perfect read, but I'm thinking it's a new fav. Definitely one I would recommend!

4 stars - A new fav YA contemporary romance!

The Trials of Apollo by Rick Riordan ~ Spotlight & Giveaway

Stuck In Books is pleased to partner with Disney-Hyperion to bring you this giveaway!

THE TYRANT’S TOMB

The Trials of Apollo #4

By Rick Riordan

Now Available

Published by Disney-Hyperion

In his penultimate adventure, a devastated but determined Apollo travels to Camp Jupiter, where he must learn what it is to be a hero, or die trying.

It's not easy being Apollo, especially when you've been turned into a human and banished from Olympus. On his path to restoring five ancient oracles and reclaiming his godly powers, Apollo (aka Lester Papadopoulos) has faced both triumphs and tragedies. Now his journey takes him to Camp Jupiter in the San Francisco Bay Area, where the Roman demigods are preparing for a desperate last stand against the evil Triumvirate of Roman emperors. Hazel, Reyna, Frank, Tyson, Ella, and many other old friends will need Apollo's aid to survive the onslaught. Unfortunately, the answer to their salvation lies in the forgotten tomb of a Roman ruler… someone even worse than the emperors Apollo has already faced.

Goodreads

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About The Trials of Apollo series

After angering his father Zeus, the god Apollo is cast down from Olympus. He lands in New York City as a mortal teenage boy. Now, without his godly powers, the deity must learn to survive in the modern world until he can somehow find a way to regain Zeus’s favor.

Book 1: The Hidden Oracle

Book 2: The Dark Prophecy

Book 3: The Burning Maze

Book 4: The Tyrant’s Tomb – Releases September 24^th, 2019

About the Author

Rick Riordan, dubbed “storyteller of the gods” by Publishers Weekly, is the author of five #1 New York Times best-selling middle grade series with millions of copies sold throughout the world: Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Heroes of Olympus, and the Trials of Apollo, based on Greek and Roman mythology; the Kane Chronicles, based on Ancient Egyptian mythology; and Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asgard, based on Norse mythology. Rick collaborated with illustrator John Rocco on two #1 New York Times best-selling collections of Greek myths for the whole family: Percy Jackson’s Greek Gods and Percy Jackson’s Greek Heroes. Rick is also the publisher of an imprint at Disney-Hyperion, Rick Riordan Presents, dedicated to finding other authors of highly entertaining fiction based on world cultures and mythologies. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts with his wife and two sons. Follow him on Twitter at @camphalfblood.

Visit ReadRiordan.com

Follow Read Riordan on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook

#TyrantsTomb

Return to Camp Jupiter

One (1) winner receives:

The Trials of Apollo #4, The Tyrant’s Tomb,

plus branded goodies: a puzzle, pencil, and Camp Jupiter t-shirt!

US addresses only

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The Adventurers Guild book 1 & 2 by Zack Loran Clark and Nick Eliopulos ~ Review & Giveaway

Few ever asked to join the Adventurers Guild. . . . Their members often died young.

In one of the last cities standing after the world fell to monsters, best friends Zed Kagari and Brock Dunderfel have high hopes for the future. Zed desperately wishes to join the ranks of the Mages Guild, where his status as Freestone's only half elf might finally be an asset. Brock, the roguishly handsome son of merchants, is confident he'll be welcomed into the ranks of the Merchants Guild.

But just as it seems the boys' dreams have come true, their lives take a startling turn . . . and they find themselves members of the perilous Adventurers Guild.

Led by the fearsome Alabasel Frond, the guild acts as the last line of defense against the Dangers-hungry, unnatural beasts from otherworldly planes. And when the boys uncover a conspiracy that threatens all of Freestone, Zed, Brock, and their new allies-Liza, a fierce noble, and Jett, a brave dwarf-must prove their worth once and for all.

This start of a thrilling new series is sure to be a hit with readers who like their fantasies clever and action-packed, with tons of humor and heart.

Amazon | B&N

I should probably start at the beginning, Zed wrote, when things first went wrong?.

Zed, Brock, and their friends may have saved Freestone from destruction, but the fight against the Dangers is far from over. No one knows what to expect next from the dark power that forced the elves to abandon their city. And the influx of elf refugees in Freestone strains resources and brews resentment among the townspeople. Things have shifted between best friends Zed and Brock, as well, with their friendship crumbling under the weight

of the secrets they're keeping from each other.

When tensions reach an all-time high, Queen Me'Shala, leader of the elves, approaches the Adventurers Guild with a mission. She wants a small group of adventurers to go behind the king's back on a covert mission to save her city, and Zed, Brock, Liza, Jett, Micah, and their elven friend Fel join the quest. To face a powerful form of magic thought to be extinct, the adventurers will have to learn how to rely on each other and fight harder than ever before.

Don't miss this second installment of Zack Loran Clark and Nicholas Eliopulos's Adventurers Guild trilogy, where the stakes are raised, the action is breathless, and the dangers will stop even the bravest of hearts.

Amazon | B&N

Disney was kind enough to send me both of these books for review.  

I love this series.  It's a great middle grade read.  You have a world that's been overtaken by monsters.  Only a few cities have survived.  Freestone is one of them.  Their wall and The Adventurers Guild keep them safe.  As for Freestone itself, it's isolated to the walls of it's city.  It's become a city with guilds.  Those who belong to a noble guild are almost always assured to continue in that guild when the choosing day rolls around.  Those is lower guilds or no guild don't have a lot of options.

This story is about two friends who have developed a friendship despite the differing guilds.  Zed is half elf (and that's not a good thing).  His mother belongs to the servants guild.  She hopes her son will have more.  He wants to be in the magic guild (he has a little after all).  Brock's family belongs to the merchants guild.  He's worked hard to gain a place in it too.  Their friendship is genuine.  And when the choosing doesn't really go as planned, they are thrown in with two new friends trying to survive in a guild where most people die young.

I love how this story takes someone considered "lower" and someone considered "higher" and has them the best of friends.  I love how they team-up with others that they may never have had any contact with to survive an adventure they never would have chosen themselves.  But they band together and become strong friends.  

As with the first book, the second book in this series is a great middle grade read.  It combines normal things that kids will relate to like brushing their teeth with fighting monsters and magic.   It creates a place where kids can see how hard making choices are.  NOT whether or not to brush your teeth but things like how discrimination and race make people funny.  And whether or not you just do what everyone wants you to or do what's right in your heart.  

The relationships between the four main characters and the added new one is this book will keep kids interested, I know it did me.  The characters are complex and interesting.  They aren't perfect but they are easy to like.  These guys do have you thinking and that's an important quality for a middle grade book.  It's not predictable and it holds the reader in this world that has lots of issues.  I loved that even kids could make an impact on this world.

The story moves quickly, again holding you in the story.    There is a lot of fighting with monsters, action that will draw in the boys and strong girls that will draw in the girls. 

Certainly can't wait for book three!

                                        

Val is giving away her review copies of these two books.

Hardback of book 1

Paperback ARC of book 2

US addresses only

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Stuck In Books Featured Releases & Giveaway

From Disney-Hyperion Books...

I should probably start at the beginning, Zed wrote, when things first went wrong?.

Zed, Brock, and their friends may have saved Freestone from destruction, but the fight against the Dangers is far from over. No one knows what to expect next from the dark power that forced the elves to abandon their city. And the influx of elf refugees in Freestone strains resources and brews resentment among the townspeople. Things have shifted between best friends Zed and Brock, as well, with their friendship crumbling under the weight

of the secrets they're keeping from each other.

When tensions reach an all-time high, Queen Me'Shala, leader of the elves, approaches the Adventurers Guild with a mission. She wants a small group of adventurers to go behind the king's back on a covert mission to save her city, and Zed, Brock, Liza, Jett, Micah, and their elven friend Fel join the quest. To face a powerful form of magic thought to be extinct, the adventurers will have to learn how to rely on each other and fight harder than ever before.

Don't miss this second installment of Zack Loran Clark and Nicholas Eliopulos's Adventurers Guild trilogy, where the stakes are raised, the action is breathless, and the dangers will stop even the bravest of hearts.

Amazon | B&N

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Stuck In Books Featured Releases & Giveaway

From Disney-Hyperion...

1 grumpy bear
2 uninvited skunks
3 mice throwing a party

. . . and it only gets worse from there.


Long-suffering Bruce once again contends with an increasingly crowded household, this time in an original board book where young ones can count the never-ending party guests. Full of fun characters and humor, 1 Grumpy Bruce is just right for our littlest readers. 

Amazon | B&N

Val's Review

This is one adorable counting book.  I read it to my 2 year old grandson and he giggled the whole way.  He was counting with me and loved the silly geese.  It's a great book and a wonderful addition to any child's library.

                                             

This one came out 10/9

Bruce is a lot of things. He is a bear. He is a grump. He is a pretty decent cook. And he is a mother.
One thing Bruce is not?
Santa Claus.
But that doesn't stop the whole forest from lining up to give him their Christmas wishes when he becomes the victim of mistaken identity - again.

Amazon | B&N

Val's Review

I loved this story. I know the feeling of being grumpy at the holidays and wanting to hibernate like Bruce wants to. Hehe. It's was also so much fun to see the geese and mice making Christmas special. I read this one to my 6 year old grandson and he giggled the whole way through. When I asked him what he liked best, he told me the pictures specially the geese and mice. It's the perfect addition to any child's Christmas library! Enjoy this one for the holidays.

                                             

From Piatkus...

A series of chance encounters leads to a sizzling new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series.

The universe is conspiring against Ava Breevort. As if flying back to Phoenix to bury a childhood friend wasn't hell enough, a cloud of volcanic ash traveling from overseas delayed her flight back home to Boston. Her last ditch attempt to salvage the trip was thwarted by an arrogant Scotsman, Caleb Scott, who steals a first class seat out from under her. Then over the course of their journey home, their antagonism somehow lands them in bed for the steamiest layover Ava's ever had. And that's all it was--until Caleb shows up on her doorstep.

When pure chance pulls Ava back into Caleb's orbit, he proposes they enjoy their physical connection while he's stranded in Boston. Ava agrees, knowing her heart's in no danger since a) she barely likes Caleb and b) his existence in her life is temporary. Not long thereafter Ava realizes she's made a terrible error because as it turns out Caleb Scott isn't quite so unlikeable after all. When his stay in Boston becomes permanent, Ava must decide whether to fight her feelings for him or give into them. But even if she does decide to risk her heart on Caleb, there is no guarantee her stubborn Scot will want to risk his heart on her....

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From Evil Eye Concepts...

New York Times bestselling author Donna Grant brings you another sizzling Dark Kings novella.

Governed by honor and ruled by desire

There has never been a hunt that Dorian has lost. With his sights sent on a relic the Dragon Kings need to battle an ancient foe, he won’t let anything stand in his way – especially not the beautiful owner. Alexandra is smart and cautious. Yet the attraction between them is impossible to deny – or ignore. But is it a road Dorian dares to travel down again?

With her vast family fortune, Alexandra Sheridan is never without suitors. No one is more surprised than she when the charming, devilish Scotsman snags her attention. But the secrets Dorian holds is like a wall between them until one fateful night when he shares everything. In his arms she finds passion like no other – and a love that will transcend time. But can she give her heart to a dragon??

**Every 1001 Dark Nights novella is a standalone story. For new readers, it’s an introduction to an author’s world. And for fans, it’s a bonus book in the author’s series. We hope you'll enjoy each one as much as we do.**

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INT as long as you can accept a gift card from Amazon.

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