Attack the Geek

Title:  Attack the Geek: A Ree Reyes Side-Quest
Author:  Michael R. Underwood
Genre:  Sci Fi & Fantasy
Publisher:  Pocket Star
Publish Date:  April 7th, 2014
Pages:  (kindle edition) 142
ISBN:  B00DPM7QCA
Obtained:  Free review copy from Netgalley.
Synopsis: ( From Amazon) “A side quest novella in the bestselling Geekomancy urban fantasy series--when D&D style adventures go from the tabletop to real life, look out!

Ree Reyes, urban fantasy heroine of Geekomancy, is working her regular barista/drink-slinger shift at Grognard's when it all goes wrong. Everything. “

Pretty in Ink

Title: Pretty in Ink Author: Lindsey Palmer
Genre: Woman’s fiction Publisher: Kensington Books Publish Date: March 25, 2014 Pages: Kindle version: 305 pages ISBN: 0758294336 Obtained: Free review copy from Netgalley Synopsis: “For years, Hers magazine has been a fixture on newsstands--relatable, reliable, and ever-so-slightly frumpy. But with sales slumping, Hers' editor-in-chief soon finds a pink slip in her inbox. And her ruthless, blisteringly high-heeled replacement may not be finished cleaning house yet. . . Leah Brenner suspects she won't be on the payroll much longer either. A telecommuting, breast milk-pumping mom of three doesn't mesh with her new boss Mimi's vision of a sleeker, younger-skewingHers. Not content with nabbing Leah's office, Mimi's protégée, Victoria, is itching to take over Leah's duties too--and she's not alone. As the summer rolls out, and staffers are asked to give up even their sexiest secrets to save the brand, everyone at Hers--the sycophantic new assistant; the photo editor who's sleeping with her boss; the Ivy League intern with oversized aspirations--will fight to keep her career, and some shred of dignity, intact. Smart, perceptive, and hilarious, Lindsey Palmer's debut delivers an all too true-to-life tale of very different women faced with high-stakes choices in a rapidly changing--yet utterly familiar--world. . .”

Indie Love Blog Hop: Tangled Tides

Title: Tangled Tides (The Sea Monsters Memoirs #1)

Author: Karen Amanda Hooper

Genre:  YA, fantasy 

Publisher:  Starry Sky Publishing 

Publish Date:  October 14th 2013

Pages:  kindle: 290 

ISBN:  0985589965 

Obtained:  Bought from Amazon

Synopsis: (obtained from goodreads)

Yara Jones doesn't believe in sea monsters--until she becomes one.

When a hurricane hits her island home and she wakes up with fins, Yara finds herself tangled up in an underwater world of mysterious merfolk and secretive selkies. Both sides believe Yara can save them by fulfilling a broken promise and opening the sealed gateway to their realm, but they are battling over how it should be done. The selkies want to take her life. The merfolk want something far more precious.

Treygan, the stormy-eyed merman who turned Yara mer, will stop at nothing and sacrifice everything to protect his people--until he falls for Yara. The tides turn as Yara fights to save herself, hundreds of sea creatures, and the merman who has her heart. She could lose her soul in the process--or she might open the gateway to a love that's deeper than the oceans 

The Handmade Marketplace, 2nd edition,

Title: The Handmade Market Place, 2nd Edition : How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally and Online.
Author:  Kari Chapin
Genre:  Crafts and Hobbies
Publisher:  Storey Publishing LLC
Publish Date:  June 11th, 2014
Pages:  Paperback:  256
ISBN:  9781612123356
Obtained:  Free review copy from Netgalley
Synopsis: Since its original publication in 2010, Kari Chapin's The Handmade Marketplace has inspired thousands of crafters around the world to find the courage and know-how they need to make money -- and even to make a full-time living -- from doing what they love best. Now, this best-selling guide has been completely revised and updated to include solid information on the latest on-line and social media opportunities for sales and marketing, as well as fresh advice and invaluable tips from successful crafters and artists. With Kari Chapin at your side, you can live a more creative life and enjoy a lucrative career at the same time.

Queen of Hearts, volume one: The Crown

Title: Queen of Hearts, volume one: The Crown
Author: Colleen Oakes
Genre: Teens and YA
Publisher: Sparkpress
Publish Date:  February 14th, 2014
Pages:  kindle edition: N/A
ISBN:  9781940716022
Obtained:  Free review copy from Netgalley
Synopsis: As Princess of Wonderland Palace and the future Queen of Hearts, Dinah’s days are an endless monotony of tea, tarts, and a stream of vicious humiliations at the hands of her father, the King of Hearts. The only highlight of her days is visiting Wardley, her childhood best friend, the future Knave of Hearts — and the love of her life.
When an enchanting stranger arrives at the Palace, Dinah watches as everything she’s ever wanted threatens to crumble. As her coronation date approaches, a series of suspicious and bloody events suggests that something sinister stirs in the whimsical halls of Wonderland. It’s up to Dinah to unravel the mysteries that lurk both inside and under the Palace before she loses her own head to a clever and faceless foe.
Part epic fantasy, part twisted fairy tale, this dazzling saga will have readers shivering as Dinah’s furious nature sweeps Wonderland up in the maelstrom of her wrath. Familiar characters such as Cheshire, the White Rabbit, and the Mad Hatter make their appearance, enchanting readers with this new, dark take on Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland.

Serpent's Storm

Title: Serpent's Storm
Author: Amber Benson
Genre: Fantasy, Urban Fantasy
Publisher:  Ace
Publish Date:  February 22, 2011
Pages:  Paperback:  320
ISBN:  978-0441020096
Obtained:  Bought from local bookstore.
Synopsis: Calliope just wants to make it big in the Big Apple like any other working girl. But Callie is also Death's Daughter, no matter how much she tries to stay out of the family business. And now her older sister has made a deal with the Devil himself to engage in a hostile takeover of both Death Inc. and Heaven-once they get Callie out of the way.

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader: Attack of the Factoids

Title: Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Attack of the Factoids
Author:  Bathroom Readers' Institute
Genre:  Entertainment, reference
Publisher:  Portable Press
Publish Date: March 1st 2014
Pages:  Paperback:  416
ISBN:  9781626860407
Obtained:  Free review copy from Netgalley.
Synopsis: Packed with more than 400 pages, Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Attack of the Factiodsis a fact-a-palooza of obscure information. Like what, you ask? Here are just a few extraordinary examples:
* Bats always turn left when they exit a cave.
* In the 1960s, astronauts trained for moon voyages by walking on Hawaiian lava fields.
* Lloyd's of London insured Bruce Springsteen's voice for 3.5 million English pounds.
* Physician Amynthas of Alexandria, Greece, performed the first known nose job in the Third Century B.C.
* Military toilet paper is printed in a camouflage design, since white could attract enemy fire.
* Elvis Presley always wore a helmet when watching football on TV.
* King Henry VIII's ladies at court had a ration of one gallon of beer per day.
* It takes the energy from 50 leaves on an apple tree to produce one ripe fruit.
* The only country to host the Summer Olympics but not win a single gold medal was Canada, in 1976.
And that's just the beginning! So what are you waiting for? Attack!

Kiss That Frog: A Modern Fairy Tale

Title: Kiss That Frog: A Modern Fairy Tale
Author:  Cate Rowan
Genre:  Romance, Sci Fi and Fantasy
Publisher:  Cate Rowan
Publish Date:  July 5th 2012
Pages:  Kindle edition:  45 pages
ISBN:  9781452455716
Obtained:  Free review copy from Netgalley
Synopsis: In this romantic fairy tale remix, a cynical Los Angeles artist reluctantly pet-sits for her young niece's frog and discovers magic in the terrarium--in the form of a sexy enchanted prince.

Screaming Divas

Title: Screaming Divas
Author:  Suzanna Kamata
Genre:  Teens and YA
Publisher:  Merit Press
Publish Date:  May 18th, 2014
Pages:  Hardcover:  208
ISBN:  9781440572791
Obtained:  Free review copy from Netgalley
Synopsis: Screaming Divas takes four talented girls through the dizzy, dangerous world of rock music, where their friendship breaks up and makes up amid the temptations and triumphs of love, rivalry, success, and rejection. They couldn't be more different from each other, but all of them are talented musicians. Trudy, Cassie, Harumi, and Esther form Screaming Divas, a rock band that unites the girls in sisterhood, even as their relationships, differences, and desires threaten to tear them apart. A measure of early success is about to change their lives. But what comes next? Is the tradeoff for the dream worth the price the girls will have to pay, and what might happen to them as a result?

Celebromancy

Title: Celebromancy
Author:  Michael R. Underwood
Genre:  Sci Fi and Fantasy
Publisher:  Pocket Star
Publish Date:  July 15, 2013
Pages:  Kindle edition: 310
ISBN:  9781451698145
Obtained:  Free review copy and bought on Amazon (a bit of a mix up on my part. Though I'm not sorry as I'm only too glad to give this author my finical support.)
Synopsis: Fame has a magic all its own in the no-gossip-barred follow-up to Geekomancy. Ree Reyes gets her big screenwriting break, only to discover just how broken Hollywood actually is.

Things are looking up for urban fantasista Ree Reyes. She’s using her love of pop culture to fight monsters and protect her hometown as a Geekomancer, and now a real-live production company is shooting her television pilot script.

But nothing is easy in show business. When an invisible figure attacks the leading lady of the show, former child-star-turned-current-hot-mess Jane Konrad, Ree begins a school-of-hard-knocks education in the power of Celebromancy.

Attempting to help Jane Geekomancy-style with Jedi mind tricks and X-Men infiltration techniques, Ree learns more about movie magic than she ever intended. She also learns that real life has the craziest plots: not only must she lift a Hollywood-strength curse, but she needs to save her pilot, negotiate a bizarre love rhombus, and fight monsters straight out of the silver screen. All this without anyone getting killed or, worse, banished to the D-List.

Fic: Why Fanfiction is Taking Over the World

Title:  Fic: Why Fanfiction is Taking Over the World
Author:  Anne Jamison
Genre:  Nonfiction
Publisher:  Smart Pop
Publish Date: December 3, 2013
Pages:  kindle edtion : 434
ISBN:  9781939529190
Obtained:  Free copy from Netgalley
Synopsis: What is fanfiction, and what is it not? Why does fanfiction matter? And what makes it so important to the future of literature?

“Fic” is a groundbreaking exploration of the history and culture of fan writing and what it means for the way we think about reading, writing, and authorship. It’s a story about literature, community, and technology—about what stories are being told, who’s telling them, how, and why.

With provocative discussions from both professional and fan writers, on subjects from “Star Trek toThe X-Files and Buffy the Vampire Slayer to Harry Potter, Twilight, and beyond, Fic sheds light on the widely misunderstood world(s) of fanfiction—not only how fanfiction is transforming the literary landscape, but how it already has.

Ever After High: Storybook of Legends

Title: Ever After High: The Storybook of Legends
Author:  Shannon Hale
Genre:  YA
Publisher:  Little, Brown and Company
Publish Date:  October 8, 2013
Pages:  hardcover, 305 pages.
ISBN:  0316401226
Obtained:  Bought from Amazon
Synopsis: At Ever After High, an enchanting boarding school, the children of fairytale legends prepare themselves to fulfill their destinies as the next generation of Snow Whites, Prince Charmings and Evil Queens...whether they want to or not. Each year on Legacy Day, students sign the Storybook of Legends to seal their scripted fates. For generations, the Village of Book End has whispered that refusing to sign means The End-both for a story and for a life.

As the daughter of the Evil Queen, Raven Queen's destiny is to follow in her mother's wicked footsteps, but evil is so not Raven's style. She's starting to wonder, what if she rewrote her own story? The royal Apple White, daughter of the Fairest of Them All, has a happy ever after planned for herself, but it depends upon Raven feeding her a poison apple in their future.


What if Raven doesn't sign the Storybook of Legends? It could mean a happily never after for them both.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel

Title: The Ocean at the End of the Lane: A Novel
Author: Neil Gaiman
Genre:  Fantasy
Publisher:  HarperCollins Publishers
Publish Date:  June 18, 2013
Pages:  Kindle edition, 259
ISBN:  0062278592
Obtained:  Bought at bookstore.
Synopsis: ( obtained from amazon) A brilliantly imaginative and poignant fairy tale from the modern master of wonder and terror, The Ocean at the End of the Lane is Neil Gaiman’s first new novel for adults since his #1New York Times bestseller Anansi Boys.

This bewitching and harrowing tale of mystery and survival, and memory and magic, makes the impossible all too real...

I am Pusheen the cat

Title: I am Pusheen the cat
Author:  Claire Belton
Genre:  Comics and Graphics
Publisher:  Touchstone
Publish Date:  October 29th, 2013
Pages:  192 pages (Kindle edition)
ISBN:  9781476747019
Obtained:  Review copy from Netgallery
Synopsis:  *Obtained from Netgallery*
Who is Pusheen? This collection of oh-so-cute kitty comics—featuring the chubby, tubby tabby who has taken the Internet by storm—will fill you in on all the basics.

Things you should know about Pusheen.

Birthday: February 18

Sex: Female

Where she lives: In the house, on the couch, underfoot

Her favorite pastime: Blogging, sleeping

Her best feature: Her toe beans

Her favorite food: All of them

Pusheen is a pleasantly plump cat who has warmed hearts and tickled funny bones of millions worldwide with her signature GIF animated bops, bounces, and tail wiggles. Now, Pusheen is ready to make the leap from digital to print in her first comic collection! Learn what makes her purr and find out why millions of people have already fallen in love with this naughty, adorable kitty. Featuring some of the most popular stories from Pusheen’s Tumblr and Facebook pages (plus a healthy serving of never-before-seen material), I Am Pusheen the Cat is a treat for cat lovers and comics fans alike.

The Legend of Korra: The Art of the Animated Series Book One: Air

Title: The Legend of Korra: The Art of the Animated Series Book One: Air
Author: Micheal Dante Dimartino and Bryan Konietzko
Genre:  Comics and Grahpics
Publisher:  Dark horse Comics
Publish Date:  August 1, 2013
Pages: (Kindle Edition) 144 pages
ISBN:  B00D9DCSKU
Obtained:  Obtained from Netgalley
Synopsis: (obtained from Netgalley) Go behind the scenes of the animated series The Legend of Korra — created by Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko — the smash-hit sequel to their blockbuster show Avatar: The Last Airbender!
This handsome hardcover contains hundreds of pieces of never-before-seen artwork created during the development of Season 1 of the show.
With captions from Michael and Bryan throughout, this is an intimate look inside the creative process that brought the mystical world of bending and a new generation of heroes to life!

It's a Catastrophe

Title:  It’s a Catastrophe
Author:  Sibel Hodge
Genre:  Teens and YA
Publisher:  Wonder Women Publishing Limited
Publish Date:  November 9, 2012
Pages:  *kindle edition* 296 pages
ISBN:  1480289035
Obtained:  Review copy from Netgallery
Synopsis: *obtained from Netgallery*
For Disney story lovers everywhere!

Think Cats & Dogs meets Toy Story...

Warning! Contains fur-raising adventure, wacky characters, laugh out loud comedy, and heart-warming drama.

The cats at Briarswood Cottage are lucky. After being rescued from the local Cats' Home by Ma Katz, they live out their days in luxury under the watchful eye of Buster, the mogfather. But all that's about to change...

When the local mayor announces that the cat population is spreading a deadly disease, their lives are in mortal danger. There's no time to paws! Somehow, Ma's moggies have to organize all the neighbourhood cats to unite as one, getting their claws stuck in to prove their innocence and save each other from certain death.

Can they put aside jealous rivalry and tomcat turf wars to work together as a team and save catkind from extinction?

The How-to Handbook

Title:  The How- To Handbook
Author:  Martin Oliver and Alexandra Johnson
Genre:  non fiction
Publisher:  Zest Books
Publish Date:  April 23, 2013
Pages: physical book:  128 pages
ISBN:  193697634X
Obtained:  review copy from Librarything
Synopsis: (Obtained from Amazon.) Whether you plan on spending your life playing sports, serving clients, running businesses, or flying to the moon, there are certain things that everyone just has to know how to do: unjamming a jar, for instance, fixing a flat tire, and removing a particularly embarrassing stain. They may seem simple in retrospect, but you don’t have to turn all your laundry pink more than once before you learn that it’s best just to get things right the first time. The How-To Handbook packs over 50 essential life skills into one handy reference book, and uses dozens of illustrations to show readers the very best ways to:
Thread a needle
Pitch a tent
Tie a tie
Treat a bee sting
Chop an onion…and much, much more!

The Woken Gods

Title:  The Woken Gods
Author:  Gwenda Bond
Genre:  Sci Fi & Fantasy
Publisher:  Angry Robot
Publish Date:  September 3, 2013
Pages:  Kindle edition:  384 pages
ISBN:  9781908844262
Obtained:  Review copy from Netgallery
Synopsis: *obtained from Netgallery*
Five years ago, the gods of ancient mythology awoke around the world.

This morning, Kyra Locke is late for school.

Seventeen-year-old Kyra lives in a transformed Washington, D.C., home to the embassies of divine pantheons and the mysterious Society of the Sun. But when rebellious Kyra encounters two trickster gods on her way back from school, one offering a threat and the other a warning, it turns out her life isn’t what it seems. She escapes with the aid of Osborne “Oz” Spencer, an intriguing Society field operative, only to discover that her scholar father has disappeared with a dangerous relic. The Society needs it, and they don’t care that she knows nothing about her father’s secrets.

Now Kyra must depend on her wits and the suspect help of scary gods, her estranged oracle mother, and, of course, Oz–whose first allegiance is to the Society. She has no choice if she’s going to recover the missing relic and save her father. And if she doesn’t? Well, that may just mean the end of the world as she knows it.

From the author of Blackwood comes a fresh, thrilling urban fantasy that will appeal to fans of Neil Gaiman, Cassandra Clare, and Rick Riordan.

Marvel 1602: Spider-Man

Title: Marvel 1602: Spider-Man
Author:  Jeff Parker
Illustrator: Ramon Rosanas
Genre:  Comics and Graphics
Publisher:  Marvel
Publish Date:  May 26 2010
Pages:  Hardcover:  120
ISBN:  978-0785146032
Obtained:  Bought from Newbury Comics
Synopsis:  *Obtained from Amazon* A return to the acclaimed universe created by Neil Gaiman and Andy Kubert kicks off as The Spider has reached manhood in the New World! The young nation has grown peacefully, but Norman Osbourne's treachery finds a way to spoil the peace and put Peter's life on a new course - back to Europe. Jeff Parker [Agents of Atlas] joins artist Ramon Rosanas to begin the final story of the 1602 saga! Collects Spider-Man 1602 #1-5.

Live To Write Another Day: A Survival Guide for Screenwriters and Creative Storytellers

Title:  Live To Write Another Day: A Survival Guide for Screenwriters and Creative Storytellers

Author:  Dean Orion

Genre:  Nonfiction

Publisher:  Sky Father Media

Publish Date:  April 11 2013

Pages:  Kindle edition: 204

ISBN:  9780989059312

Obtained:  Review copy from Netgallery

Synopsis: *Obtained from Netgallery*

Crafting a well-written story has always been a monumental task, even for the most talented of writers, and enduring the many harsh realities of doing it for a living can be equally painful.  Using a mix of practical techniques and common sense, “Live To Write Another Day, A Survival Guide for Screenwriters and Creative Storytellers,” demonstrates how writers can solve creative problems in their work and at the same time reduce the stress and anxiety that often comes along with the job.

The author, Dean Orion, draws on his more than 20 years as a “writer in the trenches” of the entertainment industry to explain how he has created original stories for theater, television, videogames and theme park experiences.  The book features a step-by-step walk thru of the process of creating original stories, both “on spec” and “for hire,” as well as helpful hands-on checklists at the end of each chapter, and an intriguing afterword about the future of storytelling.

Written in a conversational style, “Live To Write Another Day, A Survival Guide for Screenwriters and Creative Storytellers,” is both a tell-it-like-it-is approach to demystifying the nuts-and-bolts mechanics of storytelling and an inspirational, heartfelt primer on what it takes to be a professional creative writer.