Two for Thursday Blitz + Giveaway: King of the Mutants + Super Freak

  Welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!

Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy, and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!

You just might find your next read!

This week, #T4T presents to you:

King of the Mutants by Samantha Verant and Super Freak by Vanessa Barger!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

 

Can one boy stop a nefarious plot to turn kids into super-mutants?

Maverick Mercury enjoys his life as the sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Side show.

His freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry. But life as a mutant is about to get worse, as Maverick uncovers a plot to kidnap kids, turns them into super-mutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder.

Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him and destroy his sinister plans!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD |IndieBound | Google Play | BAM | iBooks

 

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

 

“It was fun, witty, and all sorts of crazy.” – Leanne, The Reading Slump

 

“Overall, this is a fun read and a story any one can enjoy. If you like the idea of crazy circus people/mutants/scientists and adventure then I recommend that you pick this story up!” – Aisazia, Originique Quanimity

 

“…there aren't enough boys with tails in contemporary literature.” – Carrie, Author

 

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously expensive Bengal cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

Connect with the Author: Website | Book Site | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

Thirteen-year-old Caroline is a freak. Her parents have uprooted her to a town full of Supernaturals. You’d think she’d be thrilled. But, with someone without a magical bone in her body, this daughter of tree sprites feels like even more of an outcast than she has ever before.

To make matters worse, her new home is cursed. But when Caroline takes to investigating the mysterious and strange happenings of Harridan House, her BFF goes missing. Seems someone doesn’t want Caroline sticking her non-magical nose where it most certainly does not belong. Determined to prove herself, Caroline uncovers a plot to destroy her new hometown.

Undeterred, Caroline can’t give up. But what’s a human without magical powers to do? Caroline better figure it out fast, before she loses everything she has ever loved and the whispers she’s heard all her life prove true: Caroline is a useless superfreak.

BAM | Chapters | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks | Google Play

 

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

 

“I highly recommend it! It is a wonderful middle grade mystery!” – Stephanie, Reading is Better with Cupcakes

 

“Utterly charming! This was like Nancy Drew meets the Munsters.” – Jami, Goodreads Reviewer

 

“I just wanted to jump into this book and join the adventure with Caroline and her friends.” – K.L Hallam, Author

 

Vanessa Barger was born in West Virginia, and through several moves ended up spending the majority of her life in Virginia Beach, Virginia. She is a graduate of George Mason University and Old Dominion University, and has degrees in Graphic Design, a minor in Medieval and Renaissance Literature, and a Masters in Technology Education. She has had articles published in Altered Arts Magazine, has had some artwork displayed in galleries in Ohio and online, and currently teaches engineering, practical physics, drafting and other technological things to high school students in the Hampton Roads area of Virginia. She is a member of the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), the Virginia Writer’s Club, and the Hampton Roads Writers. When not writing or teaching, she’s a bookaholic, movie fanatic, and loves to travel. She is married to a fabulous man, and has one cat, who believes Vanessa lives only to open cat food cans, and can often be found baking when she should be editing.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest |YouTube

 

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

 

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MG Rewind Week + Giveaway: Author Samantha Verant

  Welcome to Day 3 of #MGRewind week!

Celebrate Middle Grade reads with Tantrum Books/Month9books.

Sharing her memories as an MG reader, we welcome

SAMANTHA VERANT, author of the

KING OF THE MUTANTS.

Come back everyday this week where we'll feature another author, and

be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

 

 
Can one boy stop a nefarious plot to turn kids into super-mutants?

Maverick Mercury enjoys his life as the sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow.

His freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry. But life as a mutant is about to get worse, as Maverick uncovers a plot to kidnap kids, turns them into super-mutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder.

Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him and destroy his sinister plans! 

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD |IndieBound | Google Play | BAM | iBooks

 

Samantha Verant

 

As a middle grader, my answer to the above questioned varied daily, depending on whatever book I was reading at the time. Books fueled my dreams and I could be anything I wanted to be – a ballerina, a cowgirl, or a tightrope walker. I could be a pig farmer, the idea inspired by Fern in Charlotte’s Web. Or I could set off on a wild adventure, carried off into the blue sky by seagulls, thanks to James and the Giant Peach. Reading transported me into other worlds, opening up my mind to the possible and, sometimes, the impossible. I imagined myself in stories. Back then, if somebody asked me if I thought I’d work at a window-less office in advertising, I would have given them the stink eye and said, “No, I’m going to work in Oz or Wonderland or Wonka.”

An early reader, I tackled my first picture book on my own at the age of three. It was The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein, and I loved it so much that I climbed (and hugged) many a tree to find one that would love me back, just like the boy. By middle grade, I was hooked on books – the more fantastical, the better. I remember when the teachers passed out the Scholastic Book Catalogues. It was like Christmas and I always ordered as many books my parents would allow. Ghosts stories and adventures and joke books – who could choose just one or two? The school librarian always shook her head when she saw me coming with a stack of books piled high to the sky. “Are you going to read all those in two weeks?” she’d ask.
Indeed, I did. Some I even read twice.

Don’t get me wrong. I was like all of the other kids, too. I played foursquare or double dutch with my friends until the sun went down. I watched TV and went to movies. I took ballet classes and gymnastics. I dove off mailboxes and roofs, neither of which were very good ideas. But I was also a book omnivore. Lights out? Give me ten more minutes, Mom! I’m reading. Mom, of course, always agreed. 
Today, writing lets me live out my childhood dreams and fantasies, oftentimes transporting me back in time. On the page, I can be anything I want to be. I can create wild worlds. I can let my imagination run wild. Sorry, I have to go now. An evil scientist is turning kids into super mutants and I need to thwart his plans...because I can.

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously expensive Bengal cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

 

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Friday Reveal + Giveaway: Horror/Halloween - MG Edition

 

Welcome to this week’s M9B Friday Reveal!

This week, we present to you the

Horror/Halloween – MG Edition

presented by Tantrum Books/Month9Books!

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

 

Dead Jed is Shaun of the Dead meets Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Jed's not your typical junior high geek. He is, to use the politically-correct term, cardiovascularly-challenged. And while his parents have attempted to shield him from the implications of being 'different' for as long as they could (Jed was 8 and at a friend's sister's birthday party when he blew his lips off onto the cake in front of everyone, finally prompting the “Big Talk” from his parents and an emergency SuperGlue repair by his dad), 7th grade at Pine Hollow Middle School as a target of Robbie the supreme school bully and his pack of moronic toadies is rapidly becoming unbearable.

From being stuffed in a filled trash can as “dead meat” and into a trophy case as the bully's “prize,” to literally having his hand pulled off in the boys' room (Jed's always losing body parts. Luckily, a good stapler and some duct tape and he's back in the action) and a cigarette put in it and try to frame him for the recent reports of smoking in the school, Jed's had enough and is ready to plan his revenge. Besides, it's awesome what you can do when you're already dead!

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | IndieBound | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

 

The first part of seventh grade was rough on Jed, but things are looking up now that Christmas is almost here. As with past Christmases, Jed asks for the one thing he’s always wanted–a dog–and again, his parents tell him they’re not ready. But fate has a different plan when Jed sees a dog get run over by a car. Then, it happens. Jed suddenly has a pet, Tread, a zombie dog bearing his namesake–a tire tread down his back. Jed may have gained a dog, but he loses his best friend Luke, who fears the way Jed created his undead pet.

When Jed returns to school, he finds a mysterious group called the No Zombies Now Network spreading rumors of the dangers the undead pose to normal people. Forced to disprove Hollywood stereotypes, Jed has his work cut out for him as stories of a zombie dog begin to circulate. Jed could be expelled if he can’t expose the NZN Network as a fraud. Jed needs help from his kind of girlfriend Anna, especially after he discovers Luke has joined the shadowy group.

Once again navigating the treacherous waters of middle school, Jed does his best to stay in one piece. Only this time he’ll need even more duct tape and staples than usual.

Google Play | BAM | Chapters | IndieBound | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

 

Proud graduate of Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo, have one son who will turn 18 in March 2013, now a features writer for The Arizona Republic.

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter

 

The Corpses are up to something.

U.S. Senator Lindsay Micha has been kidnapped and replaced with a “dead” ringer, the sister to Lilith Cavanaugh, the Queen of the Dead. Now Will Ritter must go undercover in our nation’s capitol to ferret out the truth and try to stop this ambitious deader. But his mission becomes even more dangerous when he learns of a mysterious ten-legged monster that prowls the halls of the Capitol Building — a lethal monster with a taste for Corpse flesh.

The Undertakers: Secret of the Corpse Eater is book three in the wildly popular The Undertakers series from Ty Drago.

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Chapters | TBD | IndieBound | Google Play | BAM | iBooks

 

While away on an undercover mission, Undertaker Will Ritter has made an unthinkable alliance...with a Corpse! But though Robert Dillin (aka 'The Zombie Prince') is indeed one of those alien invaders who animate and possess the bodies of the dead -- unlike the rest of his kind, Dillin isn't evil. In fact, he wants to help. And Will needs that help, because the Queen of the Dead has learned the location of Haven, the Undertakers' secret HQ, and is planning a massive and deadly assault.

With the last day of the Corpse War finally upon them, Will and his friends find themselves in a desperate race to close the Rift between worlds and forever kill the Corpses. But can they do before Haven is overrun?

For that matter, can they do it at all?

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Chapters | TBD | iBooks | Google Play | BAM | Indiebound

 

Ty Drago does his writing just across the river from Philadelphia, where the Undertakers novels take place. In addition to The Undertakers: Rise of the Corpses,The Undertakers: Queen of the Dead, and The Undertakers: Secret of the Corpse Eater, he is the author of The Franklin Affair and Phobos, as well as short stories and articles that have appeared in numerous publications, including Writer’s Digest. He currently lives in southern New Jersey with his wife and best friend, the real Helene Drago née Boettcher.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

Lucas Mackenzie has got the best job of any 10 year old boy. He travels from city-to-city as part of the London Midnight Ghost Show, scaring unsuspecting show-goers year round. Performing comes naturally to Lucas and the rest of the troupe, who’ve been doing it for as long as Lucas can remember.

But there’s something Lucas doesn’t know.

Like the rest of Luca’s friends, he’s dead. And for some reason, Lucas can’t remember his former life, his parents or friends. Did he go to school? Have a dog? Brothers and sisters?

If only he could recall his former life, maybe even reach out to his parents, haunt them.

When a ghost hunter determines to shut the show down, Lucas realizes the life he has might soon be over. And without a connection to his family, he will have nothing. There’s little time and Lucas has much to do. Can he win the love of Columbine, the show’s enchanting fifteen-year-old mystic? Can he outwit the forces of life and death that thwart his efforts to find his family?

Keep the lights on! Lucas Mackenzie’s coming to town.

Chapters | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | Indiebound | BAM | Google Play

 

Steve Bryant is a new novelist, but a veteran author of books of card tricks. He founded a 40+ page monthly internet magazine for magicians containing news, reviews, magic tricks, humor, and fiction; and he frequently contributes biographical cover articles to the country’s two leading magic journals (his most recent article was about the séance at Hollywood’s Magic Castle).

Connect with the Author: Website | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Can one boy stop a nefarious plot to turn kids into super-mutants?

Maverick Mercury enjoys his life as the sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Sideshow.

His freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry. But life as a mutant is about to get worse, as Maverick uncovers a plot to kidnap kids, turns them into super-mutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder.

Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him and destroy his sinister plans!

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Chapters | TBD |IndieBound | Google Play | BAM | iBooks

 

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously expensive Bengal cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

Connect with the Author: Website | Book Site | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

 

Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

Two for Thursday Blitz + Giveaway: Curse of the Granville Fortune + King of the Mutants

Welcome to this week’s Two for Thursday Book Blitz #T4T
presented by Month9books/Tantrum Books!

Today, we will be showcasing two titles that may tickle your fancy,
and we’ll share what readers have to say about these titles!

You just might find your next read!

This week, #T4T presents to you:

Curse of the Granville Fortune by Kelly Hashway and
King of the Mutants by Samantha Verant

Be sure to enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!

Description:

Find the fortune, break the curse!

The hunt is on for an ancient treasure tied to nine-year-old J.B.’s family history. He’s been having visions that make him sweaty, lightheaded, and certain he’s turning into some kind of freak—or worse, going insane. But things are worse than he imagined. The visions stem from a family curse. An ancient ancestor was accused of stealing the massive Granville fortune, and now J.B.’s entirely family will suffer.

To break the curse, J.B. must find and return the Granville’s stolen property. But he’s not the only one searching for the treasure. As he sets out on his journey through a dark and foreboding forest, he’ll battle his worst fears and fight terrifying creatures along the way. And when he meets two others who share the missing pieces of his visions and suffer from the same curse, the three soon realize they need to work together to break the curse before it’s too late.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | iBooks | Google Play | BAM | IndieBound

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

“The perils in the forest and a fast-paced storyline make this a great middle grade read.” – Medeia, Author

“There’s plenty of action for young readers.” – Beverly, Author

“Definitely pick this one up for your youngster and give them something awesome to read” – Erika, WS Momma Readers Nook

Kelly Hashway grew up reading R.L. Stein’s Fear Street novels and writing stories of her own, so it was no surprise to her family when she majored in English and later obtained a masters degree in English Secondary Education from East Stroudsburg University. After teaching middle school language arts for seven years, Hashway went back to school and focused specifically on writing. She is now the author of three young adult series, one middle grade series, and several picture books. She also writes contemporary romance under the pen name Ashelyn Drake. When she isn’t writing, Hashway works as a freelance editor for small presses as well as for her own list of clients. In her spare time, she enjoys running, traveling, and volunteering with the PTO. Hashway currently resides in Pennsylvania with her husband, daughter, and two pets.

Author Links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Description:

Can one boy stop a nefarious plot to turn kids into super-mutants?

Maverick Mercury enjoys his life as the sideshow attraction known as “Gator Boy” at Grumbling’s Traveling Circus and Side show.

His freakish mutations are the result of some billionaire geneticist’s experiments gone awry. But life as a mutant is about to get worse, as Maverick uncovers a plot to kidnap kids, turns them into super-mutants, and sells their powers to the highest bidder.

Now, Maverick is on a mission to find the mad scientist who may have created him and destroy his sinister plans!

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD |IndieBound | Google Play | BAM | iBooks

WHAT READERS ARE SAYING:

“It was fun, witty, and all sorts of crazy.” – Leanne, The Reading Slump

“Overall, this is a fun read and a story any one can enjoy. If you like the idea of crazy circus people/mutants/scientists and adventure then I recommend that you pick this story up!” – Aisazia, Originique Quanimity

“…there aren't enough boys with tails in contemporary literature.” – Carrie, Author

Samantha Vérant is a travel addict, a self-professed oenophile, and a determined, if occasionally unconventional, French chef. Over the years, she’s visited many different countries, lived in many places, and worked many jobs— always on the search for the one thing that truly excited her. Then, one day, she found everything she’s been looking for: a passion for the written word and true love. Writing not only enabled her to open her heart, it led her to southwestern France, where she’s now married to a sexy French rocket scientist she met over twenty years ago, a stepmom to two incredible kids, and the adoptive mother to one ridiculously expensive Bengal cat. When she’s not trekking from Provence to the Pyrénées, tasting wine in American-sized glasses, or embracing her inner Julia Child while deliberating what constitutes the perfect boeuf bourguignon, Samantha is making her best effort to relearn those dreaded conjugations.

Author Links: Website | Book Site | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Complete the Rafflecopter for your chance to win!

a Rafflecopter giveaway