PYR presents... I AM GANDHI by Brad Meltzer

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining forces with Penguin Young Readers to bring you the first stop along the blog tour for the latest from author Brad Meltzer.  As you may already know, he's expanded his Ordinary People Change the World series to many well known individuals who have affected our lives and our country in a variety of ways.  I myself have enjoyed quite a few of these amazing reads with their fun and colorful illustrations that bring the stories to life for wee ones and beyond. 

This time around, the series is growing in a new direction...something that will appeal to teens and beyond who love Graphic Novels and/or Biographies...and the first figure featured is a memorable choice indeed.  Ladies and gents, readers of all ages, please join me as we shine the spotlight on today's blog tour guest and book of choice...

I Am Gandhi

A Graphic Biography of  a Hero

by

Brad Meltzer

Illustrated by

25 Acclaimed Artists

9780525552727

Dial Books

About the book...

Twenty-five exceptional comic book creators join forces to share the heroic story of Gandhi in this inspiring graphic novel biography.

As a young man in India, Gandhi saw firsthand how people were treated unfairly. Refusing to accept injustice, he came up with a brilliant way to fight back through quiet, peaceful protest. He used his methods in South Africa and India, where he led a nonviolent revolution that freed his country from British rule. Through his calm, steady heroism, Gandhi changed the lives of millions and inspired civil rights movements all over the world, proving that the smallest of us can be the most powerful.

Galvanized by Gandhi's example of gentle, peaceful activism, New York Times bestselling author Brad Meltzer asked his friends in the comic book world to help him make a difference by creating this philanthropic graphic novel. Twenty-four illustrators--including many of the most acclaimed artists in comics today--enthusiastically joined the project, agreeing to donate their work so that their royalties can go to Seeds of Peace, a non-profit organization that inspires and cultivates new generations of global leaders. This extraordinary biography is a glorious team effort that truly exemplifies Gandhi's selflessness and love for humanity.

The illustrators included are: Art Adams, John Cassaday, Jim Cheung, Amanda Connor, Carlos D'Anda, Michael Gaydos, Gene Ha, Stephanie Hans, Bryan Hitch, Phil Jimenez, Siddharth Kotian, David LaFuente, David Mack, Alex Maleev, Francis Manapul, David Marquez, Steve McNiven, Rags Morales, Saumin Patel, Nate Powell, Stephane Roux, Marco Rudy, Kamome Shirahama, Bill Sienkiewicz, and Abhishek Singh.

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A graphic novel version of the author's "I Am..." series, we take a look at the great Gandhi's life and times complete with brilliantly illustrated artwork to capture the heart and mind. His "war" against injustice carried out through non-violent means was truly inspired, as was the helping hand he willingly extended to those in need.  Here, a select group of artists had the chance to portray the man and his life in their own unique way.  Each panel is completely different and completely brilliant, depicting the harsh times, difficult matters, and yet quiet strength that prevailed.  Though I've read books on this man's life previously, including the "I Am" series, it doesn't feel like old hat and I believe it will find readers well outside the intended audience for the artwork alone.

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About the author...

Brad Meltzer is the New York Times bestselling author of Heroes for My Son, Heroes for My Daughter, and a number of suspense novels like The House of Secrets. He is also the host of the History Channel television shows Brad Meltzer's Decoded and Brad Meltzer's Lost History. He lives in Florida with his wife and their three children.

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Special thanks to Friya at Penguin Young Readers for the change to bring this tour to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is set to release May 8th, 2018 via Dial Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House, so mark your calendar or pre-order your copy today! 

BE SURE TO CHECK OUT THE REST OF THE TOUR FOR MORE EXCITING INFORMATION, REVIEWS, AND BOOKISH FUN!

WEEK ONE

April 30 – Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers

May 1 – Pink Polka Dots Books

May 2 – Four Violet Reviews

May 3 – Coquette Maman

May 4 – Gravity Bread

 

WEEK TWO

May 7 – Pirates and Pixie Dust

May 8 – InRandom

May 9 – How Useful It Is

May 10 – Payne Lover Reviews

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Booksparks #PopUpBlogTour: WHO ARE YOU, TRUDY HERMAN? by B.E. Beck

HI there!
Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.
Booksparks is at it again with another....




#PopUpBlogTour!


That's right!
It's time for another FABULOUS #PopUpBlogTour thanks to the wonderful folks at Booksparks who are eager to put YOU right there with the best of the best of recently released titles. Take today's for example...it's a story of a young girl made to grow up too fast, experiencing prejudice and racism you might find unbelievable.  While the story IS Fiction, it doesn't stop the truth of the inspiration behind it because internment of this nature actually DID happen on our own soil to people seeking a new life in these United States and receiving far less than what they worked for.  Ready for a dose of reality with your fiction escape?  Ready or not, here comes today's #PopUpBlogTour featured title...

Who Are You, Trudy Herman?

by

B.E.Beck

9781631523779

She Writes Press

About the book...

As a little girl, Trudy Herman is taught to stand up for truth by her much-loved grandfather. Then in 1943, Trudy’s childhood drastically changes when her family is sent to a German-American Internment Camp in Texas. On the journey to the camp, Trudy meets Ruth, who tells her and her friend Eddie the legend of the Paladins—knights of Emperor Charlemagne who used magic gifted to them by the heavens to stand up for virtue and truth. Ruth insists both Trudy and Eddie will become modern-day Paladins—defenders of truth and justice—but Trudy’s experiences inside the camp soon convince her that she doesn’t have what it takes to be a knight.

After two years, her family is released from the camp and they move to Mississippi. Here, Trudy struggles to deal with injustice when she comes face to face with the ingrained bigotries of the local white residents and the abject poverty of the black citizens of Willow Bay. Then their black housekeeper—a woman Trudy has come to care for—finds herself in crisis, and Trudy faces a choice: look the other way, or become the person her grandfather and Ruth believed she could be?

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What a curious read! It really makes you wonder how fine a line the story walks between reality and fiction...I mean, WERE those in the US put in internment camps because of their heritage or continued familial connections with those from their homeland? I couldn't help but wonder...and though my Google searches rendered that questioned possibility as a truth, it still struck me as absurd. On one hand, I get it...some might have been in cahoots and passing information, but the majority?  Did it really warrant the basic imprisonment of a people to weed out who was who?  *shakes head*  Anywho...

Throughout my reading journey, I came to one conclusion time and again.  Trudy was such a resilient little girl...not so little by experience now though, as sad as that may be, nor age wise by book's end.  True, she held the secrets of others when perhaps it might have been better to expose them to the light of day, but she was carrying out their wishes and in truth, they weren't hers to share.  My heart broke when her Grandfather visited her for the last time, and again when she witnessed what she witnessed at the camp, and yet again when she felt so incredibly helpless to come to the aid of her new "friend".  She had come such a long way and though the fence was gone she could still see the forest for the trees. She realized that not all cages have bars and sometimes those are the hardest of all to break free from.  Trudy met her match as the world kept trying to knock her back and allow the fear to take control, but in the end, she found the strength she needed to knock down at least one wall...and I've no doubt if we followed her story further, she'd continue to wow us all.

As I reached the end, I couldn't help but think that it's truly more of a beginning...and I was completely wrecked.  No really, tear filled eyes overflowing and all. It's not a pretty story and if you're looking for a happily ever after, think again. It's gritty, raw, and filled with the dark side of humanity...but even in those darkest moments, there is hope...if only we're strong enough, have faith enough to reach for it.  Trudy truly was the Paladin Ruth recognized her to be, so I guess the REAL question now is...WHO ARE YOU?

Recommended for Young Adult fans as well as Historical Fiction fans from teen-dom years and beyond.

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About the author...

B. E. Beck is an educator and writer. She taught at the University of Minnesota, Duluth, before moving to the Seattle College District. She and her husband live in the Seattle area. Her work has appeared in journals and anthologies.

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Special thanks to Leila at Booksparks and the She Writes Press team for the chance to bring this title to you as well as the ARC for review! (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, the publisher, or the promotion team, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is set to release May 8th, 2018, so mark your calendar or pre-order your copy today.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Silver Dagger Book Tours presents... CALIFORNIA CAN WAIT by Marci Boudreaux - SPOTLIGHT + GIVEAWAY!

Today, we're joining Silver Dagger Book Tours to shine a spotlight on a Contemporary Romance title all about second chances, life changing experiences, and how running from your past (no matter if you claim to be or not) is never really a good idea...somehow it always catches up to you.  Ready or not, fair readers, here comes today's title in the spotlight...

California Can Wait

by
Marci Boudreaux

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Reporter Andrea Davidson isn't running from her mistakes. There's no escaping the career-ending mess she fell into back home. But she is moving forward, and is halfway to a new life in California when someone breaks into her motel room. She's lost her computer and her dignity, but that's only the beginning of her newest problem: local news editor Graham Bradley.

Graham Bradley doesn't know a thing about the newspaper business. A widow with a promise to keep, he's got more than just his own personal welfare riding on this small-town paper. The last thing he needs is a pushy woman with a secret in her past and a vicious red pen throwing all his mistakes and insecurities front and center on his desk. Faced with an impossible choice, Graham hires Andi, but hopes she's not just the last-and maybe worst-in a long line of bad decisions. Saving the small-town Gazette is the second chance both Andi and Graham need.

But with bill collectors calling, Andi's past catching up fast, and the chemistry between them making work next to impossible, will Andi and Graham get the second chance they both desperately need? Or will their demise be the next big headline?

Add to Goodreads

Amazon * Apple * B&N * Kobo

As a teen, Marci Boudreaux skipped over young adult books and jumped right into the world of romance novels. She’s never left. Marci lives with her husband, two kiddos, and their numerous pets. She is a freelance writer appearing monthly in a variety of local magazines as well as a content editor. 

Romance is her preferred reading and writing genre because nothing feels better than falling in love with someone new and her husband doesn't like when she does that in real life.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for exclusive excerpts, guest posts and a giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special thanks to Silver Dagger Book Tours for the chance to bring this promotion to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Barclay Publicity presents... LONE STAR BLUES by Delores Fossen - EXCERPT + GIVEAWAY!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Today, we're joining Barclay Publicity for a stop along their current tour featuring the latest release by none other than Delores Fossen.  Recognize the name?  Well, you most certainly should as I've featured her work previously here on the site and seeing as this new addition is to the Wrangler's Creek series, you can bet your best bonnet it's on my wish list for a purchase and a read!  😉  Alas, my current schedule didn't allow it's inclusion for that enjoyable venture, but the hounds of you-know-where couldn't keep me from shining the spotlight on it...at the very least (as in, there is MORE bookish fun here than a simple spotlight)!  Ladies and gents, but mostly ladies, let's give a warm welcome to today's title in the spotlight...

Lone Star Blues

Wrangler Creek series

by

Delores Fossen

Print: 9781335631992

Digital:  B075JH8W58

HQN

About the book...

Wrangler’s Creek’s most eligible bad boy has just become its most eligible single dad.

Dylan Granger could always count on his rebellious-cowboy charm to get his way—until the day his wife, Jordan, left him and joined the military. The realization that during a wild night he got her cousin pregnant is shocking enough. But the news that Jordan has come home to Texas to help raise the baby is the last thing he expects.

Raising a baby with Dylan in Wrangler’s Creek is a life Jordan might’ve had years ago, but she doesn’t want regrets. She wants what’s best for the child—and to find out if there’s something deeper between her and her ex than blazing-hot chemistry. Getting closer means letting down her guard to Dylan again, but will he be able to accept the emotional scars on her heart?



Add to your TBR list: Goodreads
Available at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | iTunes

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~~~ EXCERPT ~~~

Copyright© 2018 Lone Star Blues

Delores Fossen

Downing some more coffee, Dylan headed off the porch and toward the large detached garage for another vehicle. However, before he could even make it there, he saw something sparkly on the stone path. A silver purse that was smaller and flatter than the palm of his hand. It had some chew marks on it and was wet, possibly from dog slobber.

Since this likely belonged to the naked woman, he opened it to see if he could find her ID. And there it was—her driver’s license along with a credit card and some lipstick. There was also one of those stupid Dylan Granger Sex Bingo cards folded up inside.

Thankfully, it was blank.

He pulled out the license and looked at her birth date first. She was twenty-six. Way too young for him but at least she was legal. Then he read the name, and his stomach went to his ankles. Because it was Misty Turley, the same last name as the judge who was pissed at him. And with the way his morning was going, Dylan seriously doubted that was a coincidence. No, this was likely another of his daughters. One younger than Melanie.

Maybe he could send Walter Ray a whole case of scotch.

Dylan didn’t know exactly how many daughters the judge actually had. Walter Ray had gotten divorced years ago, and when his ex-wife had moved away, the girls only visited Wrangler’s Creek every now and then. Or at least that had been the case until Melanie had moved back after she’d finished college.

He picked up the purse so he could take it back inside and add it to the pile of clothes. Since the identity of the naked woman was bad news number five, that had to mean he was good to go at least for the rest of the day.

Or not.

Dylan heard the sound of an engine right before he saw the cop car pull up in front of the house. It wasn’t the local cops, either. The cruiser had San Antonio Police on the door.

A tall, lanky man in uniform stepped out. “I’m looking for Dylan Granger,” he said, and he flashed his badge.

Hell. What now? Had Walter Ray sent someone to look for his daughter?

“I’m Dylan Granger.” He tucked the purse in his back pocket and walked toward the cop. “Is there a problem?”

The cop didn’t answer. He just motioned to someone inside the cruiser, and a moment later, a gray-haired woman stepped out. She wasn’t alone. She was gripping the hand of a little boy who couldn’t have been more than two or three years old.

Dylan silently repeated that—hell, what now?

“You need to sign for him,” the woman said. She had some papers in her left hand, and she started toward Dylan, pulling the little boy with her.

Dylan shook his head. “Why do I need to sign? And who is he?”

The woman smiled as if there was something to smile about. “Well, Mr. Granger, according to this paper, this precious little boy is your son.”



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~~~ GIVEAWAY~~~

Harlequin is offering one (1) lucky winner a $25 Amazon Gift Card and three (3) Runner-ups an eCopy of a Delores Fossen Backlist Title (Winner's Choice)!

To enter, simply CLICK HERE to fill out the Rafflecopter form!

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About the author...

USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, is an Air Force veteran who has sold over 100 novels. She's received the Booksellers' Best Award for romantic suspense, the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. Her books have been featured in Woman's Day and Woman’s World. In addition, she's had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines.

 Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Amazon  |  BookBub

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Special thanks to Cameron at Barclay Publicity for the chance to bring this promotion to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, the series, the publisher, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.  This title is available now via HQN, so be on the lookout for it on a bookstore shelf or virtual retailer of your choosing.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!

Lady Amber's Reviews & PR presents... OUTCAST by Denise Jaden - SPOTLIGHT + EXCERPT!

Hi there!

Welcome back to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers.

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s Reivews & PR

Today, we're playing host to a stop along Lady Amber's Reviews & PR tour featuring a newly published Young Adult Contemporary title that sounds promising indeed.  Don't believe me?  Well then, take a gander and THEN tell me what you think....

Outcast

by
Denise Jaden

Genre: YA Contemporary (with romantic suspense elements)

Publication Date: April 20^th, 2018

 

She’s not crazy.

Kass Bateman may be a lot of things, but she swears she's not crazy—even when she wakes up strapped to a wheelchair in a psychiatric hospital and can't remember how she got there.

When Kass's family members go missing one by one, she enlists the smartest guy she knows to help find them. Unfortunately for her, underneath his brains and indifference are some dark secrets and a whole lot of distracting sexy.

Can Kass keep her head together long enough to rescue her family members from their captors—the truly dangerous and crazy ones?

Gritty, steamy, and rife with secrecy, Outcast is the first book in a new upper YA/NA crossover series for fans of Gayle Forman and Rainbow Rowell.

Denise Jaden’s novels have been shortlisted or received awards through the Romance Writers of America, Inspy, and SCBWI. The first draft of her debut novel, Losing Faith, was written in 21 days during NaNoWriMo 2007 and she loves talking with writers and students alike about her Just-Get-To-The-End fast-drafting process. Jaden’s other young adult novels include Never Enough, Foreign Exchange, A Christmas Kerril,  and Avalanche. Her non-fiction books for writers include, Writing with a Heavy Heart, Fast Fiction, and Story Sparks. In her spare time, she homeschools her son, acts with the Vancouver film industry, and dances with a Polynesian dance troupe. Find out more at denisejaden.com.

Amazon  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |  Site

His lips kiss me back, angrily. He’s so forceful, it hurts my mouth, but I won’t stop, and I slide my tongue through his lips to shock him. His mouth opens and his tongue reaches for mine, reaches past mine, and I don’t know if it’s angry or…hungry.

I fight for my balance. My hand is still on the back of his head and I grip the ends of his short hair. He moves toward me until I’m backed into the trunk of the nearest tree. The bark scratches through my cotton shirt, but I can barely feel it. The heat of his chest against mine is extraordinary—his hips shift against mine, his lips and tongue and whole face devour my mouth, my face, my ear, my neck.

And the worst part? I don’t want him to stop. I desperately don’t want him to stop.

But I need control here.

My free hand slides around his waist, gripping his shirt. Both of his hands reach into my hair. He grasps it at the roots and lets out a breathy groan as he turns his face to a new angle on my neck. He’s done this before. He’s probably done this many times before. The whole length of his body pushes me harder against the bark of the tree. It’s all I can do to keep breathing, to not slide my hands all over him. I ball my fist behind his head and notice how totally still I’ve become. He’s devouring me and I can’t stop him. I’m his paralyzed prey, and it freaks the shit out of me.

All at once, I pull back, put all my power behind my right arm, and knock my fist into the side of his jaw. Being so close, I hardly have any force behind it, but it still hurts like hell and I shake out my hand angrily.

“What the hell was that?” he says, stumbling back from me, and then leaning forward and cupping his jaw. He clears his throat harshly.

In that second one thing is clear: He still has complete control over himself. He’s not caught up in this at all, though, by the looks of things, I at least put him in a little bit of pain.

He tilts his head up so we can look at each other. Except he doesn’t look at me, and I wonder if that’s another power move. He scowls, looking into the distance like he’s thinking it over and his hand moves from his jaw to his lips. He clears his throat again. It occurs to me maybe that wasn’t his first beer. Maybe he’s messed up. Did he even know what he was doing or how he was talking to me? What do they call it—liquid courage?

Welcome back, Control. Sorry I let you go for a few minutes there, but it won’t happen again.

Eli’s eyes widen, and at first I think I’ve said the words out loud. But his hand moves down to his throat, grips around it, and something looks wrong.

“I didn’t hit you that hard,” I say.

He clears his throat yet again and grips harder like he’s choking.

“Are you…OK?” It’s not like I’ve done a whole lot of drinking or drugs, and I’ve certainly never OD’d or anything, but the dude wasn’t even slurring. I look from side to side, and no one is within yelling distance, especially over the loud music.

Eli’s free hand fumbles to his belt, to that navy blue pencil case. I stand there looking at it. If he wants to show me what kind of drugs he’s on, I still won’t know how to help him.

He fumbles with the zipper, and finally it rips open and a cylinder of some sort springs out into the overgrown grass and oak leaves. He falls to his knees and rummages frantically with his hands.

“What? What do you need?” I yell at him.

He whimpers and says something I can’t hear. I drop down to get closer. “Nuts. Peanuts,” he chokes out, and I can still taste the remnant of my peanut butter cup in the back of my teeth.

I stare at him and all of a sudden the pieces click into place.

No way. Nobody’s this allergic to peanuts. Are they?

Special thanks to Lady Amber's Reviews & PR for the chance to bring this promotion to you.  (THANKS!)  For more information on this title, the author, this tour, or those on the horizon, feel free to click through the links provided above.

Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!