Cover Reveal & Giveaway: A Face Like Glass by Frances Hardinge

As you know, I'm not in the habit of doing too many promotional posts. When I began blogging, I would join cover reveals and accept the requests of every other who contacted me, simply because I didn't know any better. Now, though, I endeavor to only participate in blog tours I actually think are worthwhile and in promotional posts that I can honestly admit to wanting to promote; today's is one of those.

Frances Hardinge is an author I read the moment her debut came out, quite a long time ago. I don't remember much of Fly By Night except the actual feelings that its cover evokes within me - excitement, awe, and surprise. After having gone through a phase in my life where I staunchly refused to read Middle Grade because I was so much more "mature" than that, I recently went back to Frances Hardinge and picked up what is probably her most famous novel, A Face Like Glass.

I use the word 'famous' very lightly for, despite her obvious talent, Frances Hardinge is not very well-known. Which is a shame. If there is any author the world deserves to know about, it is her. Not only can she write rich and imaginative fantasy worlds that any reader can get lost in, but her stories transcend time and age. As a young teenager, first reading her work, I was struck by her imagination and writing technique, but now, much older, I am struck by her sheer genius. Hardinge is a masterful weaver of plot twists, her characters are three-dimensional and full of depth, and, best of all, her story lines contain hidden depths that younger readers may not be able to see. Thus, although older readers are, technically, reading a middle grade novel, they are able to gain an unexpected amount of knowledge from it as Hardinge cleverly incorporates darker themes and politics into a seemingly fun-filled fantasy realm.

And, today, I am extremely pleased and delighted to reveal the UK Cover of A Face Like Glass. If you're read my review of A Face Like Glass (You can read it HERE), you've undoubtedly seen the gorgeous American cover of it. As is expected, though, the UK Cover is gorgeous in its own right. I am so excited to be sharing it with you all today, along with an opportunity to win a copy of this book! :)

In Caverna, lies are an art - and everyone's an artist... In the underground city of Caverna the world's most skilled craftsmen toil in the darkness to create delicacies beyond compare - wines that can remove memories, cheeses that can make you hallucinate and perfumes that convince you to trust the wearer, even as they slit your throat. The people of Caverna are more ordinary, but for one thing: their faces are as blank as untouched snow. Expressions must be learned, and only the famous Facesmiths can teach a person to show (or fake) joy, despair or fear - at a price. Into this dark and distrustful world comes Neverfell, a little girl with no memory of her past and a face so terrifying to those around her that she must wear a mask at all times. For Neverfell's emotions are as obvious on her face as those of the most skilled Facesmiths, though entirely genuine. And that makes her very dangerous indeed...

Frances Hardinge grew up in a huge old house that inspired her to write stories from an early age. She read English at Oxford University before a persistent friend encouraged her to send a few chapters of her book, Fly By Night, to a publisher. Macmillan made her an immediate offer and the book went on to be published to huge critical acclaim, winning the Branford Boase First Novel award. A Face Like Glass is Frances’ fifth novel which has elicited widespread praise. Talking about where the idea for the book came from Frances had the following to say, “The core concept of A Face Like Glass has been nestling in my mind for a long time - a girl whose thoughts show in her face, and who thus becomes the ultimate luxury item in a decadent realm of perfect liars.” 

International Giveaway! 
One winner will win a paperback copy of the new UK edition of A Face Like Glass.

To Enter: 
Fill out Rafflecopter below
Must be 13 years or older
Giveaway ends March 7th, 2013
Open Internationally

a Rafflecopter giveaway

While you wait to win the giveaway, do check out an exclusive excerpt of the first chapter that can be found HERE. Also, to find out more about the novel, just read my review of it HERE. :)

Cover Reveal: Just For Now by Abbi Glines

Title: Just for Now (Sea Breeze, #4)

Age Group/Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance 

Expected Release: October 23, 2012 

Cover Design: Mooney Designs 

Book Trailer Created By: Hellion Works 

Cover Reveal Organized By: AToMR Tours
 

The day Preston Drake figured out that wealthy women paid well for a set of tight abs and a pretty face his life turned around.  
The run down rat-infested trailer he had shared with his alcoholic mother and three younger siblings was now only a place he visited to pay the bills and stock the pantry with food.  
He no longer worried about his family starving or living without electricity. The money he made entertaining rich older women more than covered his family’s needs and his own. He had it all figured out. Except… 
There was this girl.  
She was as innocent as he was tainted. 
Amanda Hardy wished her knees didn’t get weak when Preston walked into a room. She hated the fact her heart raced when he flashed his smile in her direction. He had a different girl in his bed every night. He was the kind of boy a smart girl ran from. So, why was she coming up with ways to get close to him? Even when it was obvious he wanted to keep her at a distance.  
Maybe her heart knew something the world didn’t. Maybe Preston Drake was more than just a pretty face.

Is it just me or does Abbi Glines always get some of the hottest cover models? *fans self*
Book Trailer: 

 

  Is anyone else dying to go to the beach right now? Or was anyone else rocking out to that background music? I know I totally was! ;)

Bio: Abbi Glines can be found hanging out with rockstars, taking out her yacht on weekends for a party cruise, sky diving, or surfing in Maui. Okay maybe she needs to keep her imagination focused on her writing only. In the real world, Abbi can be found hauling kids (several who seem to show up that don’t belong to her) to all their social events, hiding under the covers with her MacBook in hopes her husband won’t catch her watching Buffy on Netflix again, and sneaking off to Barnes and Noble to spend hours lost in the yummy goodness of books. If you want to find her then check Twitter first because she has a severe addiction to tweeting @abbiglines. Facebook is also somewhere she visits a little too often. She blogs regularly but rarely about anything life changing. She also really enjoys talking about herself in third person.  

Abbi Glines| Facebook| Twitter  

Well...what do you think? I'm not a huge fan of Abbi Glines, but I love the covers of her novels and she really does know how to write captivating and addictive romance novels. I know a LOT of my friends are huge fans of this series and just looking at that gorgeous cover, scintillating synopsis, and beautiful book trailer makes me want to pick this book up as well! :) If you're interested in being part of the blog tour for this book, check out AToMR Tours. Their book blog tour is scheduled for Nov. 26-Dec.1 and tour sign-up information will be available after the cover reveal, so sign-up if you're interested! :)

Cover Reveal and Excerpt of Perception by Lee Strauss!

I am so excited to be participating in the cover feature of Lee Strauss' latest novel, Perception, the first book in a new Young Adult Science Fiction Series! So, without further ado, behold the gorgeous cover and scintillating synopsis of this new novel! :)

Title: Perception (Perception, #1)
Author: Lee Strauss
Release Date: September 12th, 2012

Seventeen year old Zoe Vanderveen is a GAP—a genetically altered person. She lives in the security of a walled city on prime water-front property along side other equally beautiful people with extended life spans. Her brother Liam is missing. Noah Brody is a natural who lives on the outside. He leads protests against the GAPs and detests the widening chasm they’ve created between those who have and those who don’t. He doesn’t like girls like Zoe and he has good reason not to like her specifically. Zoe’s carefree life takes a traumatic turn.  She’s in trouble and it turns out that Noah, the last guy on earth she should trust, is the only one who can help her.  Perception is a Science Fiction, Mystery, and Romance Young Adult Novel that takes place in the not-too-distant future in a world changed by climate extremes, natural disasters and impending wars, and where scientific breakthroughs cause class divisions - both financially and philosophically. It explores the clash between faith and science and how differences can separate us as enemies or alliance us together. And in some cases, even in the midst of betrayal and personal crisis, there’s room to fall in love. Perception is the first book in a planned three book series. 

Wow! If that cover didn't already catch your eye, then the synopsis surely must have! I love science fiction and while the idea of a genetically altered person isn't anything new, I find that Strauss' political and philosophical take on it through class divisions definitely is. Plus, I love the type of romance that starts out as hatred and progresses into something much deeper. Perception is a novel that I can't wait to see on shelves - especially with that eye-popping cover - and that I am looking forward to reading myself. Want a taste of this novel for yourself? I was lucky enough to receive an excerpt of Chapter 1 of this remarkable story and am allowed to share it with you all, so enjoy! :) 

PART ONE

ZOE

Chapter 1

      I balanced on my surfboard, right thigh burning and salt water stinging my eyes, while the best wave of the early morning carried me like a goddess on a pedestal to shore. My older brother Liam and I shared a friendly competition, and it gave me a certain, blissful satisfaction to catch the same wave and to get to shore first.

      “Beat ya!” I shouted over the noise of the crashing surf.

      Seagulls flocked and circled over us, squawking loudly, adding to the cacophony.

      The sun glistened off Liam’s damp blond curls as he shook them out. His eyes sparkled as his lips tugged up into a grin. “I let you win.”

      “Did not!” I smacked him playfully on the arm. “One more ride?”

      Liam unzipped his wetsuit letting the top half fall down past his waist. He was in fine form, and I understood why all the girls raved about him. He was responsible for a long list of broken hearts.

      “I gotta get going,” he said, lifting his board.

      I fell into stride beside him, my feet sinking into the cold, wet sand. “So soon?”

      He nodded, the glint leaving his eyes. My lips tightened into a frown “You’re taking off with Jackson again?”

      Jackson was my boyfriend but lately he’d been spending more time with my brother than he had with me. It was starting to tick me off.

      Liam stared straight ahead. “Lab stuff.”

      “What are you working on?” I rushed to keep up with my brother’s long, strong strides. He flicked his head, tossing the hair out of his eyes but didn’t answer.

      “Come on,” I knocked into him sideways. “Tell me!”

      “It’s just stuff.”

      “Just stuff? Like what? Top CIA stuff? I know you’re smart but I think the government has been doing a good job without your help.”

      I meant it as a joke, but Liam huffed. “It’s just stuff, okay? So leave it.”

      I stopped short shocked that he’d snapped at me.

      He turned around and exhaled, “Zoe, I’m sorry.”

      “Fine. If you can’t tell me, you can’t tell me.”

      We resumed our trek along the beach, and I pushed back my frustration. Liam used to include me in everything. It was always him and me against everyone else. Him and me against Alison and Paul, aka our mom and dad. Him and me against the surf. We were a team. When did we start keeping secrets from each other? Rather, when did he start keeping secrets from me?

      I re-adjusted my board under my arm. Maybe I could get Jackson to unzip his lips. Especially if I helped him. He could be easily persuaded if I poured on the charm. I hated to go behind my brother’s back for information, but something about all this--this, whatever it was that Liam was doing--made me uneasy. I couldn’t pinpoint why, it just did.

      We reached our home, a massive glass box with two floors of windows facing the Pacific Ocean. It was built after the San Andreas Fault shifted and triggered the Big Quake that, along with the subsequent tsunami, wiped out ten miles of shoreline.

      A nearby white-stucco storage shed housed all our water toys. We stopped there to hang up our wetsuits to dry.

      “Thanks for surfing with me today.” Liam said, smiling at me, back to his jovial self. “I know it was a sacrifice for you to get up so early.”

I smiled in return. “No problem. It was fun.” Surfing with Liam was one of my most favorite things to do.

      “You’re back for dinner?” I asked.

      Liam didn’t know it, but once he left, I’d be spending the rest of the day preparing for his surprise birthday party. He’d turned twenty-one yesterday and had celebrated at a bar with his friends. I couldn’t go because I was underage, and it irked me that Jackson went and that he and Liam had once again shared a significant moment without me. I took consolation in the fact that Alison and Paul gave me free reign to plan this party. My heart beat with excitement, and I couldn’t wait to see his face when he got home and found the house full of his friends.

      “Yeah, I’ll be there,” he answered.

      I bit my cheek to keep my voice even. “Good.We’ll see you, then.”

      Our property tiered twice before connecting with the sandy beach. Three glass doors slid open disappearing into the corner and creating a wall-less view of the stone patio that encased an eternity pool. Its waters slipped over the far edge into a waterfall that was collected again on the second tier.

      Liam strode into the house, through the living room and down the hall to his bedroom at the back, his wet shorts dripping on the glossy white tiles.

      I tightened the towel around my waist and climbed the open-slat staircase to my room.

      As I passed the maid, Saundra something, her brown face blanched. She stumbled slightly before grabbing the rail and catching herself.

      “Excuse me,” she said softly at my astonished look.

      The woman really didn’t look well, and I was thankful for my enhanced immunization. I was glad I didn’t have to worry about diseases brought in from the outside.

      “Are you okay?” I asked.

      She nodded weakly, and proceeded to clean the rails.

      A trill of anticipation reclaimed my thoughts. I couldn’t wait for tonight.

      The door beside my bathroom opened into a second room, a walk-in closet big enough to house another bedroom set. Racks of clothes and shoes lined the walls, a well-lit mirror station was located near the sky light and a cushioned leather bench was placed in the middle for sitting. I stood in my closet and stared at the rows of sundresses, blouses and shorts.

      What to wear?

      I settled on a lace blouse and cotton shorts, then went to take a luxurious shower, rinsing the sea water out of my long, blond hair. I leaned into the built-in seat that was designed specifically for my body height and shape. Laser lights mapped my head and twenty-eight silicon fingers reached out to massage my scalp while shampooing and conditioning my hair.      Most days I had to watch or I’d doze off, but today I was excited. I commanded the water to turn off as soon as the rinse was done.

      When I was dressed and my hair combed out and tied back, I slipped my platinum Communication Ring onto my left middle finger. I tapped it which produced a holographic image of my phone apps on my palm. I touched the clock icon and holographic digital numbers appeared in the air.

      Ten already? Where did the time go? That was the thing with summer holidays; every hour ran languidly into the next.

      I imagined the cook and her crew were busy preparing for the party in the kitchen. I’d requested fresh sea food and simulated roast, fresh fruit and vegetables, an assortment of fancy chocolates and baked items plus a three-tiered, surfer-themed birthday cake.

I skipped down the stairs to check on the progress, but in my hurry to the kitchen, I slammed into a body.

      “Sorry,” a male voice said.

      I stepped back agitated. I recognized the dark-haired boy wearing the white tunic my mother made the male staff wear. He was the maid’s son.

      He held a wet mop in his hand, and I figured he’d been cleaning up Liam’s spotty water trail.

      He stepped politely out of the way, but the expression on his face was stoic. Even though he was clearly from the outside and the help, I still expected some small sign that what he saw when he viewed me was pleasing. A twinkle in the eye, a slight upturning of the lips. These were the responses I got from all the boys. The straight ones, anyway.

      He wasn't especially attractive but I didn't see people with his appearance very often. He had eyes the color of imported coffee beans and skin like caramel candy. His nose was wide and his jaw-line sharp. I was suddenly intrigued by him and surprised myself by thinking he looked exotic.

      “Excuse me, what was your name again?” I asked.

      “Noah.”

      Right. I remembered now. I waited for him to say something, but he stayed quiet.

      Footsteps echoed from the hall above. My parents spoke together, their muffled voices floating across the high ceilings.

      “Do other maids send their sons to do their work?” Alison's voice had a brassy tone that carried through the cavernous space.

      I felt a flare of red creep up my neck when I realized Alison was talking about Noah. My eyes darted to his, but he kept his averted.

      “He does a good job,” Paul responded. “That's the main thing. Besides you know they need the money.”

      “So we're charity now?”

      “What's wrong with a little charity? Besides, they're not just anybody.”

      “I don't care. I still don't trust him.”

      I was mortified. My feet felt cemented to the floor and I didn’t know what to say. Anything would come off as trite since nothing I could say could undo what Noah had heard.

      “Did you know the Pikes have a household robot now?” Alison, again. “Apparently it’s very efficient, and at least Mary doesn’t have to worry about things going missing.”

      Noah’s jaw tightened and he turned his back to me. He attacked Liam’s dried and dusty water spots aggressively and soon had disappeared around the corner.

      “Zoe?” Alison click-clacked down the wooden stairs. She wore a pale yellow pant suit and high heels even though it was Saturday. She was in-between careers now, having spent the last fifteen years in law. She barely looked thirty years old and with lots of time ahead of her, she could do anything. Probably several things.

      “Mom! You have to keep your voice down. How many times do I have to tell you your voice travels in this glass box?

      “Oh.” She looked mildly shaken. “No matter. Is everything coming together to your satisfaction?”

      “I’m just checking in on things now.”

      “Your father and I are meeting people for lunch. What time is the party again?”

      I blew a frustrated breath. She could at least pretend she cared enough to remember details I’d told her a dozen times already.

      “Seven.”

      “Right. We’ll see you at seven.”

      Things proceeded throughout the day as planned and I was pleased with my ability to pull off an event like this on my own.

      The decorators showed up at 1:00 as promised.

      The band arrived to set up at 3:00.

      I got dressed at 4:30, having bought a thigh-length mini-dress that sparkled with tiny crystals just for the occasion.

      My hair and makeup girl arrived at 5:00.

      I tapped my ring and called Jackson at 5:30.

      “Where are you?” I said to the three-inch holographic image of him that popped up above my palm. “You said you’d help.”

      “Sorry, Zo. Got tied up at home.”

      “Are you okay? You don’t sound so good.”

      It was odd. No one in Sol City ever got really sick, but it wasn’t unheard of to get run down if you pushed yourself too hard. Jackson had been working a lot lately.

      “I didn’t sleep well last night. Uh, spent most of the day in bed.”

      I felt a little panicky. “You’re still coming, aren’t you?”

      “Of course. I’ll be there soon.”

      Alison and Paul arrived at 6:30 along with all of mine and Liam’s friends.

      I hushed everyone at 6:55, giving instructions on when to shout “Surprise!”

      It was all a wasted effort.

      Liam never showed.

What do you think? I'm quite intrigued by this story already and think the class differences between Noah and Zoe make for an interesting relationship. Plus, aren't you just dying to know about what Liam is working on and where he went?

If you're interested in this novel, be sure to add it on GoodReads here and check out Lee Strauss' Website, Facebook Page, and GoodReads for more information about her upcoming novel!