Invisible by Jeanne Bannon - Pump Up Your Books Tour - Review

About Invisible

Lola’s not pretty. Lola’s not popular. Lola wishes she could disappear … and then one day she does just that…
For seventeen-year-old Lola Savullo, life is a struggle. Born to funky parents who are more in than she could ever be, Lola’s dream of becoming a writer makes her an outsider even in her own home. Bullied and despised, Lola still has the support of her best pal Charlie and Grandma Rose.
Not only is she freakishly tall, Lola’s a big girl and when forced to wear a bathing suit at her summer job as a camp counselor, Lola’s only escape from deep embarrassment seems to be to literally vanish. Soon after, she discovers the roots of her new “ability”.
Slowly, with Charlie’s help, Lola learns to control the new super power. The possibilities are endless. Yet power can be abused, too…
Then, when tragedy strikes, Lola must summon her inner strength, both at home and at school. She has to stand up for herself, despite the temptations and possibilities of her newfound super power.
A coming-of-age story that will warm the heart.

About Jeanne Bannon

Jeanne Bannon has worked in the publishing industry for over twenty years. She began her career as a freelance journalist, then worked as an in-house editor for LexisNexis Canada. Jeanne currently works as a freelance editor and writer.
Jeanne’s had several short stories published and won first place in the Writes of Caledon Short Story Contest. Her novels, The Barely Boy and Dark Angel were finalists in the 2010 and 2011 Strongest Start Contests. Another of her short stories “Thom’s Journey” is part of an Anthology entitled A Visitor to Sandahl and is available at Amazon.com.
Invisible, Jeanne’s debut novel, is about a teenage girl who isn’t happy with herself and wishes she could disappear. And one day she does. Invisible is available on Amazon, Smashwords, and the Solstice Publishing website.
When not reading or writing, Jeanne enjoy being with her daughters, Nina and Sara and her husband, David. She’s also the proud mother of two fur babies, a sweet Miniature Schnauzer named Emily and Spencer, a rambunctious tabby, who can be a very bad boy.
To learn more about Jeanne, visit her at her website www.jeannebannon.com
You can also find her on Facebook and Twitter

My Thoughts:
Pros: I fell in love with the characters from page one.  Lola and her friend Charlie have bonded throughout the years and have become best friends.  They have helped each other survive school through bullying and poor family situations.  Lola is large - very tall and slightly overweight, making her a prime target for bullies at her high school.  Her family doesn't understand her and the only people she feels comfortable around are Charlie and her Grandma Rose.  The relationships between all the characters may sound simple, but they are very complicated and beautifully written.  As Lola and Charlie find a way to deal with bullies at school using her ability to disappear, I was a bit disappointed but the after a couple twists and turns it was much better.

Cons:  Too short.  There were some places that seemed to get glossed over that I wanted to know more about.  I wanted to seemore involving Grandma Rose and and definitely more about Charlie.  While Charlie seemed to play such a large part in Lola's life, I felt like I never really got to know her.

Overall:  It needed a little filling in, but a great story about growing up and learning to love yourself for who you are.

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

In celebration of Jeanne Bannon’s new release, she will be appearing at Pump Up Your Book’s 1st Annual Holiday Extravaganza Facebook Party on December 16. More than 50 books, gifts and cash awards will be given away including an one paperback and one e- copy of Invisible! Visit the official party page here!

 

Invisible Tour Schedule

 

Monday, December 5th
Spotlight at The Plot

Tuesday, December 6th
Character Interview at The Plot

Wednesday, December 7th
Review at Reviews From the Heart

Thursday, December 8th
Guest Post at InkyBlots

Friday, December 9th
Review at In-Interest
Review at Live to Read

Monday, December 12th
Review at WV Stitcher

Tuesday, December 13th
Interview at Pump Up Your Book

Wednesday, December 14th
Review at Review From Here

Thursday, December 15th
Review at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Friday, December 16th
Review at Mad Moose Mama

The 58th Keeper by R. G. Bullet - Pump Up Your Book Tour - Review



The 58th Keeper is the story of a boy called Archy Bass, who stumbles upon a mysterious and powerful relic. The moment he touches it, two warring forces race to find his whereabouts. One side thinks he’s simply too young and too inexperienced to keep it, and the other just want him dead. The 58th Keeper is a roaring trip that takes the reader on the most wonderful and hair-raising scenes imaginable. R. G. Bullet pulls out all stops in hisdebut novel to deliver an incredible journey with unforgettable characters. This book will resonate with you for ages past the last line.

About R.G. Bullet

R. G. Bullet was born in Berkshire, UK. After living in nine different countries he has finally settled in Miami Beach, USA. He is addicted to tea, reading, writing, motorbikes and shamefully, Call of Duty. His middle grade debut novel: The 58th Keeper has just been released.
To learn more go to: http://www.rgbullet.com/
Follow him on Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/RGBullet58
and join the fan page for the latest updates and fun competitions
https://www.facebook.com/rgbullet#!/profile.php?id=100002401835900




My Review:
Archy Bass has found himself in an unusual situation.  On a trip with a friend from school, he thinks he's just buying a souvenir, but ends up becoming the 58th Keeper of the Shroud.  Now the shroud has quite a few very special abilities, including making the user invisible and flying.  At first Archy doesn't realize what he has, and when the Kurul, the bad guys, send their best after him he wonders if it's all worth it.  He finds out that in order to keep the shroud and the title of Keeper, he must pass a series of tests, none of which will be very easy.  But he just might be able to do it with the help of a couple friends.

Pros: The action in The 58th Keeper was fantastic.  I had a very hard time putting it down without finishing it.  There always seemed to be something just about to happen.  Archy is a fantastic main character with just the right mix of good intentions with adolescent mischief.  Throughout the story he grows and develops into a young man that is willing to take on a great responsibility.  My favorite part of the story was the Time Quest.  I don't want to say to much and give away too many details, but it was the meat and potatoes of Archy's development.

Cons:  There wasn't much about this story that I didn't like.  I wish I had seen a little more development in Archy's friends and learned more about the history and purpose of SOTS, the keeper's helpers.  I would have liked to see a little more descriptive of the places Archy visited.  Now, since this is young adult story, I don't exactly expect to see an abundance of scenery, but it still seemed a little light in that area.

Overall:  A great story that I hope ends up being turned in to a series.  I loved Archy and reading about his adventures with the shroud.  The perfect story to get wrapped up in.

The 58th Keeper Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Monday, December 5^th
Book spotlighted Broowaha
Book reviewed at D’Ambrosia Arts
Tuesday, December 6^th
Book spotlighted at Books, Products and More!
Wednesday, December 7^th
Book spotlighted American Chronicle
Thursday, December 8^th
Book reviewed at Joel Andre’s Blog
Friday, December 9^th
Interviewed at Blogcritics
Tuesday, December 13^th
Interviewed at The Children’s and Teens’ Book Connection
Wednesday, December 14^th
Book reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews
Thursday, December 15^th
Book reviewed at Mad Moose Mama
Book reviewed at The Road to Here
Friday, December 16^th
Book reviewed at Community Bookstop
Guest blogging at Lori’s Reading Corner
Saturday, December 17^th
Book reviewed at Everyday is an Adventure

Black and Orange by Banjamin Kane Ethridge - Pump Up Your Book Tour Review

About the book:


Forget everything you know about Halloween. The stories are distortions. They were created to keep the Church of Midnight hidden from the world. Every October 31st a gateway opens to a hostile land of sacrificial magic and chaos. Since the beginning of civilization the Church of Midnight has attempted to open the gateway and unite with its other half, the Church of Morning. Each year they’ve come closer, waiting for the ideal sacrifice to open the gateway permanently. This year that sacrifice has come. And only two can protect it.

Martin and Teresa are the nomads, battle-hardened people who lack identity and are forever road-bound on an endless mission to guard the sacrifice. Their only direction is from notes left from a mysterious person called the Messenger. Endowed with a strange telekinetic power, the nomads will use everything at their disposal to make it through the night alive.

But matters have become even more complicated this year. Teresa has quickly lost ground battling cancer, while Martin has spiraled into a panic over being left alone. His mind may no longer be on the fight when it matters most… because ever on their heels is the insidious physical representation of a united church: Chaplain Cloth.

My Thoughts:
Martin and Teresa have had a bad year.  They lost the previous Heart and it was sacrificed, opening the gaeway for the Church of Midnight and Morning to enter the world, allowing one of their Priestesses to slip through.  The Churches are determined that this year will be the year the gateway will finally open, letting chaos rule over Earth.  To top it all off Teresa's cancer is quickly becoming worse and Martin doubts if he will make it though another Halloween.

Pros:  I loved Martin and Teresa.  Their relationship was so perfectly written.  They were almost too close to each other, having travelled together for so long they know everything about each other.  Martin can't stand to watch as Teresa slowly deteriorates and gets weaker.  While Teresa wonders how Martin will manage without her.  On the other hand, the Church of Midnight has a new bishop that is determined to find the Heart this year and use it to blast the gateway wide open.  The Heart is extremely powerful this year, so the hunt is on. 

The plot was very fast paced and instantly had me caught up in it.  It jumps back and forth between the nomads, Martin and Teresa and their preparations for defending the heart, and the Church of Midnight and thir search to get a head start on finding the Heart before the nomads can prepare to defend it.

Cons:  There's not too much to mention as a con on this one.  The big thing that may turn some people off is that there are parts that are a bit graphic.  There are a couple sexual scenes and a few very graphic scenes of violence.  Also, I did not always understand the motivation behind the Church of Midnight.  It was never really explained why they wanted the gateway open to the other side, they just did.

The tour for Black and Orange will be going on through Dec 16th.  Check out the other stops on the list below.

Black & Orange Tour Schedule

Monday, December 5th
Review at Must Read Faster
Guest Post at Sweeping Me

Tuesday, December 6th
Review at Sweeping Me

Wednesday, December 7th
Interview at The Plot Thickens

Thursday, December 8th
Guest Post and Review at Family Reads

Friday, December 9th
Review at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Monday, December 12th
Interview at Laurie’s Thoughts and Reviews
Review at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark

Tuesday, December 13th
Guest Post at Emeraldfire’s Bookmark

Wednesday, December 14th
Review at Working for the Mandroid

Thursday, December 15th
Interview at Beyond the Books

Friday, December 16th
Review at Booksie’s Blog

Revengeful Heart by Chrys Phillips - Pump Up Your Book Tours - Review

About Chrys Phillips

Chrys Phillips debut book series, Magic Wars Books is available worldwide. She is a successful playwright with many of her plays being performed in full scale theater and musical productions. When not creating her books, screenplays and theatre scripts, she can be found shopping for her favorite accessories, spending time at Australian beaches and/or traveling the globe to attend her public speaking & writing events. She’s a self-proclaimed chocolate and movie addict.
Her latest book is the YA urban fantasy, Revengeful Heart.
You can visit her website at www.magicwarsbooks.com. Visit her at Twitter at www.twitter.com/magicwarsbooks and Facebook at www.facebook.com/magicwarsbooks.
You can visit Chrys Phillips author/public speaking web www.neversaycant.yolasite.com

About Revengeful Heart

ITS A WICKED RUN OF LOVE ~ SECRETS ~ REVENGE ~ HEARTBREAK AND FEAR…ONE TASTE AND YOU’LL BE BEGGING FOR MORE!
Can a broken heart be mended? Are soul mates destined to be together no matter what forces try to keep them apart?
Lakeview exists…it’s a humble pleasant place to live…but amongst its scenic surrounds immortals are dwelling some are evil enough to haunt and horrify you for eternity and others are loving and full of heroic actions. Would you befriend them? How would you know who’s who?
Teens Rick, Miki & CJ attend Lakeview High and live their teen lives with their secret loves and school hassles…evil is arriving and their lives are never going to be the same! Who wins? Who cries? Be warned its a wicked ride…of hope, tears, strength, power, love and dangerous choices filled with deception, betrayal and tenderness!
AMAZON http://www.amazon.com/Revengeful-Heart-Chrys-Phillips/dp/1935670522/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318743583&sr=8-1
BARNES AND NOBLE
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/revengeful-heart-chrys-phillips/1102407147?ean=9781935670520&itm=1&usri=revengeful%2bheart
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/48889
ITUNES
http://itunes.apple.com/au/book/revengeful-heart/id443151936?mt=11


My Thoughts:
Pros:  Revengeful hearts has a great storyline.  Three teenagers, gifted with special powers, are given the task of saving their small town - and possibly the world - from evil from beyond the Universe.  The three have a very realistic relationship with other that reminded me of my time in high school (minus the evil beings out to ruin everything).

The story was split into parts with each one telling the tale of potential disaster that the three must fight.  Each story features a new enemy and familiar friends that help in their own ways.  The concept of revenge and love scorned runs throughout the entire book and helps to hold the stories together.

Cons:  I thought long and hard before writing this part.  There were things that I just had a hard time with in the book that really had nothing to do with the actual story.  There were quite a few places that I hard a time reading because the punctuation and grammer wasn't correct.  This made it a difficult to read through parts without having to go over them to make sense of the section.  I think that if this story was given another editting job that it could really take off.  Each part of the book gets better and easier to read.

Overall:  Revengeful Heart is definately worth the read if you can adapt or ignore the errors.  Once I got into the right frame of mind to skip over them I really enjoyed it.

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

In celebration of her new release, Chrys will be attending Pump Up Your Book’s 1st Annual Holiday Extravaganza Facebook Party on December 16. More than 50 books, gifts and cash awards will be given away including an e-copy of Revengeful Heart! Visit the official party page here!



Better Off Dead - Pump Up Your Book Tours

About the book:

They say dead men tell no tales, but that’s just because they’ve never worked as a Grim Reaper.
Grim Reapers are real. They are governed by the Council of Reapers. Reapers are responsible for the capture and containment of dead souls that refuse to or cannot move on to the afterlife.
Lori Standford’s mother died six months ago. Now she’s back, haunting Lori out of her home. Lori turns to her close friend, Emma Grym, mother of Thane and Mort Grym, for help.
Now Thane and Mort find themselves embroiled in a mystery of dead men that stretches all the way to the top.

Jason Krumbine is the author behind the pulse pounding, wisecracking Alex Cheradon Series, the dead soul hunting Grym Brothers Series (including Two and a Half Dead Men, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead), and the tongue-in-cheek paranormal romance “A Graveyard Romance.”
You can visit his website at www.jasonkrumbine.com or visit him at Twitter at www.twitter.com/jasonkrumbine and Facebook at www.facebook.com/jmkwriter.
You can also email him at onestrayword@gmail.com.







My Review:

Mort and Thane have a rather unusual case this time.  It isn't an official reaping, but rather a favor to a friend of their's mother.  Lori's mother died six months ago and for some reason seems to have not moved on.  Now, there's no reason for her to  not move on, and it should be a fairly easy reaping.  But of course nothing goes as planned.  It would appear that Lori's mother may have had some very serious unresolved issues...or that perhaps something is not quite right.

The best mystery of the series so far, this one involves family, friends, and poltergiests.  As Mort and Thane argue their way through things while still trying to find out what happened to their father.  The brothers are starting to make some progress that is quite surprising (I won't give it away).  This was my favorite of the series so far.

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

Join Jason Krumbine at the Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat / Book Giveaway Party on Friday, November 18 starting at 8 p.m. eastern!

Jason will be giving away three e-copies of his books in The Grym Brothers Series! You could win a copy of Two and a Half Dead, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead simply by attending the chat and asking Jason a question. All there is to it!

For details on chat, visit the official chat page for the November authors at Pump Up Your Book Live!

The Grym Brothers Series Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Tuesday, November 1

Guest blogging at The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, November 2

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 3

Guest blogging at Bookin’ It Up

Friday, November 4

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Monday, November 7

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Tuesday, November 8

Guest blogging at Mad Moose Mama

Wednesday, November 9

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 10

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 11

Guest blogging at Curling Up By the Fire

Monday, November 14

Book reviewed at Curing Up By the Fire

Tuesday, November 15

Interviewed at Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

Thursday, November 17

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 18

Chat with Jason at Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat/Book Giveaway Party!

Monday, November 21

Guest blogging at Carol’s Notebook

Tuesday, November 22

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Carol’s Notebook

Wednesday, November 23

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at From the TBR Pile

The Dead Couple by Jason Krumbine - Pump Up Your Book Tour

The Dead Couple by Jason Krumbine


About the book:

Jack and Cindy were a happily married couple. She was an elementary school teacher. He was an aspiring children’s book author. They had the perfect life together, until the day they decided to kill themselves.
Suicides, by their very nature, tend to head directly into the afterlife.
Jack and Cindy’s souls never arrived.
Grim Reapers are real. They are governed by the Council of Reapers. Reapers are responsible for the capture and containment of dead souls that refuse to or cannot move on to the afterlife.
Thane and Mort Grym are two such reapers.

My Review:
Thane and Mort, the Grym brothers and Grim Reapers for souls that did not find their way to the afterlife, have a new assignment.  There are two souls that should have crossed easily, but for some reason they didn't.  Jack and Cindy are happily married, but something pushed them over the edge and they became suicides.  Now usually suicides are the easy one, they wanted to die and move on, but something didn't seem to work that way in this case.  Meanwhile, Thane and Mort are still trying to find time to figure out what happened to their father who disappeared two years ago and figure out what the new Grim Reaping company that just moved into time is really up to. 

Not quite as entertaining as the first in the seris, The Dead Couple still had my attention throughout the entire story.  Mort and Thane are still at the brotherly bickering and both still have their bad habits.  Thane is constantly trying to do the good deeds and help the lost souls really find peace, but it only seems to get them into more trouble.  And with Mort's love life and gambling debts thrown into the  mix there's a lot going on.  Somehow, they manage to handle it all and still keep on track trying to find the souls of Jack and Cindy. 

Jason Krumbine is the author behind the pulse pounding, wisecracking Alex Cheradon Series, the dead soul hunting Grym Brothers Series (including Two and a Half Dead Men, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead), and the tongue-in-cheek paranormal romance “A Graveyard Romance.”
You can visit his website at www.jasonkrumbine.com or visit him at Twitter at www.twitter.com/jasonkrumbine and Facebook at www.facebook.com/jmkwriter.
You can also email him at onestrayword@gmail.com

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

Join Jason Krumbine at the Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat / Book Giveaway Party on Friday, November 18 starting at 8 p.m. eastern!

Jason will be giving away three e-copies of his books in The Grym Brothers Series! You could win a copy of Two and a Half Dead, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead simply by attending the chat and asking Jason a question. All there is to it!

For details on chat, visit the official chat page for the November authors at Pump Up Your Book Live!

The Grym Brothers Series Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

Tuesday, November 1

Guest blogging at The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, November 2

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 3

Guest blogging at Bookin’ It Up

Friday, November 4

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Monday, November 7

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Tuesday, November 8

Guest blogging at Mad Moose Mama

Wednesday, November 9

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 10

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 11

Guest blogging at Curling Up By the Fire

Monday, November 14

Book reviewed at Curing Up By the Fire

Tuesday, November 15

Interviewed at Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

Thursday, November 17

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 18

Chat with Jason at Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat/Book Giveaway Party!

Monday, November 21

Guest blogging at Carol’s Notebook

Tuesday, November 22

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Carol’s Notebook

Wednesday, November 23

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at From the TBR Pile

Two and a Half Dead men - Pump Up Your Book Tours

Two and a Half Dead Men by Jason Krumbine

About the book:
People die every day. But not all of the souls can or want to move onto the afterlife.
That’s where the brothers Thane and Mort Grym come in.
Thane and Mort are bounty hunters for dead souls. They inherited the job from their father and they’re two of the best in town.
But when there’s a double homicide at the Kirkland Motel the Grym brothers end up with more than they bargained for. In a world without vampires, zombies or the undead, one of their bounties might not be as dead as he’s supposed to be.

My Review:
First off I have to say that I absolutely loved Thane and Mort.  As lead characters and brothers, their interactions steal the show and kept me wanting to see what they were going to find themselves into next.  In the first book of this series we are introduced to the Grym brothers and learn a little about their odd occupation, Grim Reapers.  They are issued bounties on souls that are lost or have refused to move on to the Afterlife.  This time they are given a rather unique request.  Not only have two souls not shown up when they should have, but there is another person out there that should be dead, but might not be.  Well, I don't want to give too much away so I'll leave you hanging on that one.  To throw even more twists into the story, the two souls that were sent to find seem to have disappeared and the brothers won't get paid until they are found.

A very clever mix of humor and supernatural I flew through this book in one day, one sitting, without even realizing how long I had been reading.  The story is interesting and involving enough to draw you in, but light and easy to read at the same time.  As supporting characters come and go throughout the book, they only make the brothers more interesting.  A fantastic start to a series and I'm very glad that I have the chance to review the second book for you next week on Nov 7, as part of this great tour.

Giveaways, Contests & Prizes!

 

Join Jason Krumbine at the Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat / Book Giveaway Party on Friday, November 18 starting at 8 p.m. eastern!

Jason will be giving away three e-copies of his books in The Grym Brothers Series!  You could win a copy of Two and a Half Dead, The Dead Couple and Better Off Dead simply by attending the  chat and asking Jason a question.  All there is to it!

For details on chat, visit the official chat page for the November authors at Pump Up Your Book Live!

The Grym Brothers Series Virtual Book Publicity Tour Schedule

 

Tuesday, November 1

Guest blogging at The Book Faery Reviews

Wednesday, November 2

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 3

Guest blogging at Bookin’ It Up

Friday, November 4

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Monday, November 7

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Tuesday, November 8

Guest blogging at Mad Moose Mama

Wednesday, November 9

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at Jasmyn’s Reviews

Thursday, November 10

The Dead Couple Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 11

Guest blogging at Curling Up By the Fire

Monday, November 14

Book reviewed at Curing Up By the Fire

Tuesday, November 15

Interviewed at Laurie’s Thoughts & Reviews

Thursday, November 17

Better Off Dead Book Reviewed at The Book Faery Reviews

Friday, November 18

Chat with Jason at Pump Up Your Book Live! November Author Chat/Book Giveaway Party!

Monday, November 21

Guest blogging at Carol’s Notebook

Tuesday, November 22

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at Carol’s Notebook

Wednesday, November 23

Two and a Half Dead Men Book Reviewed at From the TBR Pile