Showing posts with label Jen McConnel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jen McConnel. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Red Magic Read-A-Long


You may have heard me go on about the awesomeness that is Jen McConnel. The final book in her Red Magic series, Triumph of Chaos, comes out soon, and we decided to do a read-a-long to get everyone ready! We'll start with reading Daughter of Chaos. We will wrap up Daughter of Chaos on February 16. We'll start Gods of Chaos immediately after and wrap that up on March 8, when Triumph releases!

Throughout the read-a-long you can tweet your progress with the hashtag #RedMagicReadAlong! Make sure to let us know if you're reading it again or for the first time! Feel free to tag me (@Tween2TeenBooks) and/or Jen (@Jen_McConnel) in your tweets! The chats will start at 8:30 pm eastern time!

Here's a message from Jen to get you pumped:

With Triumph of Chaos releasing on March 8, the Red Magic trilogy will be complete. I'm alternately excited and sad to see the series end, so I asked Isabel at Tween2Teen to help me celebrate by hosting a read-along of Daughter of Chaos and Gods of Chaos. There will be prizes, trivia, Q&A, and more as we count down to the release of Triumph. I'd love it if you'd join us!

Doesn't this sound so exciting? I know I'll be participating, and I hope see you guys reading too! There will be a giveaway for an eBook set of the trilogy! I am seriously excited about this, and I hope you guys are too!

Synopsis:

Daughter of Chaos

Witches must choose the path they will follow, and Darlena Agara is no exception. She’s been putting it off long enough, and in her case, ignoring it has not made it go away. In a moment of frustration, Darlena chooses to follow Red Magic, figuring she had outsmarted the powers that be, since there’s no such thing as Red Magic. But alas, Darlena’s wrong (again) and she becomes a newly declared Red Witch.

Her friends are shocked and her parents horrified by the choice Darlena has made. As a Red Witch, she now governs one third of the world’s chaos. She is the walking personification of pandemonium, turmoil, and bedlam, just as the patrons of Red Magic would have it to be.

But Darlena believes there must be more to Red Magic than chaos and destruction, and she sets out on a journey to achieve balance. Only doing so puts her at odds with the dark goddess Hecate, who simply will not allow Darlena to quit. She encourages Darlena to embrace who and what she is and to leave good magic to the good witches. If only Darlena could, life would be simple, and she would not be the Daughter of Chaos.

DAUGHTER OF CHAOS is the first in a YA paranormal trilogy.

You Can Find it At:
Indie Bound
iBooks


Gods of Chaos


The gods of chaos cannot be trusted.

Since battling her best friend, Darlena’s grip on Red Magic has been shaky. She heads to Scotland after the Winter Solstice in search of another Red Witch.

On a sightseeing excursion with girls from her hostel, Darlena arrives at The Vaults, a mysterious underground city beneath Edinburgh. But there is something there that make Darlena’s instincts go haywire, as she lets loose a defensive burst of Red Magic, putting everyone around her in danger.

If there was ever a time when Darlena needed the help of another Red witch, it was now. But beware the witch who wields Red Magic.

You Can Find it At:
iBooks

Triumph of Chaos

After the disaster in Europe, Darlena’s starting to get desperate. She knows the only way to
defeat Hecate and the other crazy Red Gods is by banding together with other Witches, but is it any wonder she has a hard time trusting them?

With Izzy’s support, Darlena begins making fragile strides toward repairing the mess she made,
but she just can’t catch a break. As chaos runs rampant around her, Darlena begins to think that things would be better if she’d never become a Red Witch in the first place. But there’s no way to change the past…is there?

The final book in the Red Magic series brings Darlena face to face with impossible odds, and a terrifying choice.

You Can Find it At:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Author Bio:


Jen McConnel is an award winning author. She writes Young Adult and New Adult fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. When she isn’t writing, she can be found on her yoga mat, teaching, or wandering off on another adventure. She grew up in mid-Michigan, attending Western Michigan University, and now lives with her family in North Carolina. She holds a MS in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania, and she is currently working on her MFA in Children’s Literature at Hollins University.

Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.

You Can Find Her At:
Twitter

Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Top Ten Books on My Spring To-Be-Read List


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

1. Gods of Chaos by Jen McConnel

2. The Wicked Will Rise by Danielle Paige

3. The Death Code by Lindsay Cummings

4. The Heir by Kiera Cass

5. Seriously Wicked by Tina Connolly

6. Nowhere But Here by Katie McGarry

7. Ice Kissed by Amanda Hocking

8. Cold Burn of Magic by Jennifer Estep

9. Spelled by Betsy Schow

10. Crimson Bound by Rosamund Hodge

Wednesday, September 24, 2014

Cover Reveal: Beautiful Curse by Jen McConnel



Title: Beautiful Curse
Author: Jen McConnel
Release: December 2014
Publisher: Swoon Romance

Synopsis:

Sixteen-year-old Mya Jones is cursed.

She is, hands down, the most beautiful creature on earth. But beauty can wound, and Mya finds herself reviled and shunned by her peers. If there is even a chance that she could start over, Mya longs to take it, no matter the risks.

So when the strange Mr. Merk offers her a new life away from home, Mya is hesitant but hopeful. Only she didn't count on the mysterious Ross, or her feelings for him.

BEAUTIFUL CURSE is a contemporary retelling of the myth of Psyche and Cupid.


You Can Find it At:

Author Bio:

Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. Since then, her words have appeared in a variety of magazines and journals, including Sagewoman, PanGaia, and The Storyteller (where she won the people’s choice 3rd place award for her poem, “Luna”).

She is also a former reviewer for Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA), and proud member of SCBWINCWN, and SCWW.

A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she also holds a MS in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga.

Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.

You Can Find Her At:

Cover Reveal Organized by:

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Ten Authors I've Only Read One Book Buy, But Must Read More Of


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish!

I have decided to participate in Top Ten Tuesday. I just couldn't help myself. I love making lists, and this is a fun way of doing it!

1. Laurie Halse Anderson: I've only read her novel Speak, but I MUST read everything else!

2. Ryan Graudin: All That Glows is SO amazing, and I need the author's next book NOW!

3. C. J. Redwine: I really enjoyed Defiance and I must know how the trilogy ends.

4. Jen McConnel: Along with her amazing YA novel, Jen also has a set of eBook-only NA novels that look FANTASTIC!

5. Laini Taylor: I really loved Daughter of Smoke and Bone, and couldn't really get into the second one, but I am determined to try again!

6. Holly Black: I've read Tithe, and after the wonderfulness that was that book, the others better keep coming!

7. Kelly Hashway: I got Touch of Death on New Year's Eve at 8 o'clock at night, which was pretty fun. I really enjoyed it, but haven't managed to pick up the other two yet.

8. Chloe Jacobs: Greta and the Goblin King was FANTABULOUS! I need Greta and the Glass Kingdom right this very instant!

9. Rosamund Hodge: Cruel Beauty was one of the first few ARCs I got, and I absolutely adored it. I can't wait to read anything else she publishes!

10. Sara Raasch: I got an ARC of Snow Like Ashes this summer and dear god that was amazing!

So basically, I want all the books! *grabby hands*

What are some authors you want to read more of?

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Books That NEED More Attention

Yes, I've been making a lot of lists lately, but I'm lazy and it's easier to make lists than to write reviews while I'm adjusting to high school. So there.

Anyways, here's a list of books that I think aren't getting enough attention!

The Archived by Victoria Schwab-After the end of the second book, I need to know what happens next. Currently, there's no info on the third book, except that it *might* happen.


Greta and the Goblin King by Chloe Jacobs-Basically, if it's published by Entangled, you must read it, this one more than most. I mean, come on, there's GOBLINS in it!


The Girl Who Never Was by Skylar Dorset-For all I know, this might be some widely read phenomenon, but I only just heard of it this summer, and it's AMAZING!


Boneseeker by Brynn Chapman-Another publisher you must read everything they publish! Month9Books is not only amazing, but local for me. Boneseeker is perfection in every way imaginable!


Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel-I've met Jen on multiple occasions, and she just rocks. Daughter of Chaos combines witches and all the gods, which is insanely cool!


Cleopatra's Daughter by Michelle Moran-This book is more adult, but everyone must read it. A fictitious telling of what happened over the five years Cleopatra Selene VIII was in Rome that blows my socks off every time.


Carrier of the Mark by Leigh Fallon-Here's the thing. These books rock. Yet not enough people are reading them, so the third book hasn't been picked up, and I NEED it! So let's gather the troops and do this thing!


Sweet Evil by Wendy Higgins-Just read it. Kai is the son of the demon of lust. 'Nuff said.


Vivian Divine is Dead by Lauren Sabel-This is amazing and wonderful and all around perfect. You never know who's evil and who's good or what's going to happen next!

Tuesday, August 12, 2014

Blogoversary Day 12: Interview With Jen McConnel


Hello everyone! I have decided to do something a little different this year for the blog's second blogoversary! This year, each day I will have a post or two from authors and bloggers that I ADORE! Many of them will have giveaways specific to the post, as well as the overall giveaway! The big giveaway has tons of prizes, from swag to signed copies of books!

Please welcome the godly Jen McConnel!

Interview:

1. What's your daily writing schedule like?

Kind of a mess, actually! It depends on my teaching schedule; if I’m on campus all day, I tend to sneak in some brainstorming while my students are writing, but if I’m home for the day, I’ve got a bit more of a rhythm. I like to write in sprints, and I work best between 10 am and 3 pm, so depending on where I am in a project, I’ll probably spend an hour or two sprinting, and then maybe two hours revising something else. I also play on the Internet A LOT, and I’m trying to break that habit. It’s so hard, though!

2. What's your favorite writing snack?

Chocolate, disguised by nuts as trail mix. :) Oh, and coffee. Lots and lots of coffee!

3. Describe Daughter of Chaos in five words.

Dark, witchy, headstrong, chaotic, and myth-y!

4. If you weren't a writer, what would you be doing?

I’m lucky enough to be able to work at both my passions; I’m a teacher, and I love it. I used to teach middle school (so awesome), and now I teach community college (equally awesome)! Someday, I’d like to teach literature or creative writing classes, either for the community, or maybe at a university level.

5. What fall releases are you looking forward to?

I can’t wait for Kristen Lippert-Martin's TABULA RASA , Sara Raasch's SNOW LIKE ASHES, and, even though it’s a December book, so not really fall, my amazing CP Jaye Robin Brown’s debut NO PLACE TO FALL will be out soon, too! There are SO many awesome books coming out, and my TBR is HUGE!

6. What helped to inspire Daughter of Chaos, as well as the merging of mythology and witches?

I’ve always loved mythology and magic, but the idea for DAUGHTER actually came at me from nowhere. I was still teaching middle school when I started the book, and I would occasionally schedule creative writing days. My students and I were using prompts, and the prompt that popped Hecate and Darlena onto the page was “she was a funny looking old woman, but...”When I looked up, I’d written pages and pages of this story about a snarky witch confronting a goddess, and the ideas just kept coming from there!

7. Will there be a sequel to Daughter of Chaos, and if so, do you have any release info?

Yes! DAUGHTER is the first in a trilogy, and GODS OF CHAOS, the second book, is scheduled for release in March 2015 from Month9Books. (I’m actually editing this one as we speak, and I can’t wait for you to meet some of the new characters!)

8. What do you do when you're not writing?

This summer, I went back to school for my MFA in Children’s Literature, so I’ve been re-learning how to be a student. It’s tough! :) I also love to be outside (unless it’s raining), and I practice and teach yoga, too. It’s a busy, blissful life!

9. What's your biggest goal in life?

To be happy. So far, so good!

10. Any advice to aspiring authors?

I’ve said it before, but I still believe it: drop the aspiring, and write. You’re the only one who can tell your stories, and if that’s what you’re burning to do, do it! Take classes, make friends, share your work, but above all, WRITE!

Happy blogoversary, lady! Thanks so much for inviting me to celebrate with you!

Author Bio:


Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. Since then, her words have appeared in a variety of magazines and journals, including Sagewoman, PanGaia, and The Storyteller (where she won the people’s choice 3rd place award for her poem, “Luna”).

She is also a former reviewer for Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA), and proud member of SCBWINCWN, and SCWW.

A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she also holds a MS in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga.

Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time.

You Can Find Her At:

Synopsis:

Nothing is more terrifying than the witch who wields red magic.

There comes a time in every witch's life when she must choose her path. Darlena's friends have already chosen, so why is it so hard for her to make up her mind? Now, Darlena is out of time. Under pressure from Hecate, the Queen of all witches, Darlena makes a rash decision to choose Red magic, a path no witch in her right mind would dare take. As a Red witch, she will be responsible for chaos and mayhem, drawing her deep into darkness. Will the power of Red magic prove too much for Darlena, or will she learn to control it before it's too late?

You Can Find it At:
Month9Books
iBooks

Giveaway:

1 eCopy of Daughter of Chaos (US)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Second blogoversary giveaway extravaganza!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Book Blitz: Her Secret Inheritance by Jen McConnel


Welcome to the release day blitz for Her Secret Inheritance by Jen McConnel! An author who I've had the pleasure of meeting!

Title: THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY
Author: Jen McConnel
Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark

Synopsis:

Lou is in the middle of a quarter-life crisis. Fresh out of college, she’s unemployed and unsure of herself. But when she gets the chance to escape to Scotland with her best friend, it could be the answer to her quest for self-discovery. The trip is not at all what she expected, especially when her tour guide turns out to be the dreamy historian Brian, and together they embark on a hunt for information about Isobel Key, a woman accused of witchcraft in the seventeenth century.

They set out to learn the truth of the condemned witch, but Lou isn’t prepared for the knowledge that awaits her. She must face her own demons if she has any hope of righting the wrongs of the past.

Flashing between seventeenth century Scotland and a contemporary romance, THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY is a mystery that will please readers of all ages.

You Can Find it At:
Bloomsbury
Audible

Title: HER SECRET INHERITANCE
Author: Jen McConnel
Release: June 12, 2014
Publisher: Bloomsbury Spark

Synopsis:

Five years after the trip to Scotland that changed her life, Lou is back in the misty, magical country. But this time, she’s not on vacation.

When Brian, her old Highland fling, turns up at the scene of some depressing family business, tension mounts between the former lovers. But dealing with Brian is only part of the problem; something wicked is stirring in Scotland. Lou must use all her strength to handle the increasingly desperate situation, but will she be strong enough to battle both a vengeful ghost and her heart?

Lou may have thought that she was finished with the witch Isobel Key, but some secrets can’t stay buried forever.

You Can Find it At:
Bloomsbury
Audible

Excerpt:

Excerpt #1

No one could have guessed that the old house was haunted. The unexpected drafts, the doors left inexplicably open, the missing silver candlesticks from the den; these were all easily explained away. The wind had always been sharp in St. Andrews, sharp enough to trick unlatched doors into swaying in the breeze, and as for the silver, well, it was likely that someone along the generations had simply misplaced them, that was all.

Families came and went, but the house guarded its secrets. The University grew in prestige, but still the ghost lingered, unsatisfied. It did not matter how beautiful the town of St. Andrews was, nor did it matter that the past had been beautifully preserved in many spots around the town; the truth of the murders of 1667 had been ignored, and the restless spirit waited, knowing nothing but a desire for revenge.

As the old house passed from one owner to the next, it fell into the hands of a particular family, and it was one man, a historian, who drew the ghost’s notice. Nothing of note happened right away, and the old man, for all his knowledge, somehow ignored the telling signs that there was a malignant spirit sharing his roof.

But no ghost can remain buried forever.


Excerpt #2

Glancing at the clock on the nightstand, she quickly calculated the time back home. Her family wasn’t likely to be up for a few more hours, but it was possible that Tammy might not have gone to bed yet. Lou crossed her fingers and dug her cell phone out of the small pocket inside her purse.

She punched in the numbers by memory, and after five rings, a groggy voice said, “Hello?”

“Oh, shit, Tammy. Did I wake you?” Lou frowned at the phone, flooded with guilt.

“It’s three o’clock in the morning. What do you think?” Tammy’s voice was terse, but Lou couldn’t tell if she were just tired, or cranky, too.

“I’m sorry. It’s morning here. I didn’t figure the time difference right.” Lou lied quickly, hoping Tammy wouldn’t call her on it.

She didn’t. “Okay. Fine. I’m up: what did you need?”

Lou hesitated. “It’s just—I’m in Scotland.”

Suddenly, Tammy sounded wide awake. “Oh, God. I’m so sorry. I forgot that you were flying yesterday.” She paused. “Is everything all right?”

Relief washed over Lou as she leaned back against the headboard. “I don’t know. It’s just, weird, you know?”

Tammy was quiet for a minute, and Lou pictured her nodding. “Lots of memories?”

Tears threatened Lou again, so she forced a bright note into her voice. “Some. It’s just strange to be here after so long.”

The line was still. Tammy knew better.

Lou sighed and admitted, “It hurts. Not just knowing that the he’s gone, but knowing that—“

“You missed your chance.”

Lou exhaled sharply. She knew who Tammy was talking about. “Yes.”

“Did you think about looking him up while you’re there?”

“No!” Lou spoke too quickly. “I’ll be too busy.”

“I’m sure Brian would help you, if you asked him.”

Hearing his name caused a sharp pain in her chest, but Lou shook her head. “That was a long time ago.”

Author Bio:

Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she also holds a MS in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time. Her debut NA novel, THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY, is out now from Bloomsbury Spark. She also writes YA and nonfiction.

You Can Find Her Art:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, May 12, 2014

Cover Reveal: Her Secret Inheritance by Jen McConnel

What would you risk for a second chance?

HER SECRET INHERITANCE_FINAL_300DPI

Synopsis:

Five years after the trip to Scotland that changed her life, Lou is back in the misty, magical country. But this time, she’s not on vacation.

When Brian, her old Highland fling, turns up at the scene of some depressing family business, tension mounts between the former lovers. But dealing with Brian is only part of the problem; something wicked is stirring in Scotland. Lou must use all her strength to handle the increasingly desperate situation, but will she be strong enough to battle both a vengeful ghost and her heart?
Lou may have thought that she was finished with the witch Isobel Key, but some secrets can't stay buried forever. Coming June 12, 2014, HER SECRET INHERITANCE is a story of risk, second chances, and magic.

Visit Bloomsbury Spark for more information.

The Secret of Isobel Key Comps_FINAL_RBGWant to find out where it all began? Check out THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY now!

You Can Find it At:
Bloomsbury
Website
Goodreads
Bloomsbury Spark
Amazon
B&N
Google
iTunes
Kobo
Audible






Author Bio:

Jen McConnel-0034About Jen McConnel Jen McConnel first began writing poetry as a child. A Michigander by birth, she now lives and writes in the beautiful state of North Carolina. A graduate of Western Michigan University, she also holds a MS in Library Science from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. When she isn't crafting worlds of fiction, she teaches college writing composition and yoga. Once upon a time, she was a middle school teacher, a librarian, and a bookseller, but those are stories for another time. Her debut NA novel, THE SECRET OF ISOBEL KEY, is out now from Bloomsbury Spark, and the sequel is coming in June. She also writes YA and nonfiction. Visit http://www.jenmcconnel.com to learn more.

You Can Find Her At:
Twitter
Goodreads
Pinterest
Facebook
Blog
Website



Giveaway:

To celebrate the cover reveal, Jen's got three fabulous giveaway prize packs up for grabs. US only, please. Each prize pack includes an eARC of HER SECRET INHERITANCE, and you might also win the "Naughty Celt" candle, graciously donated by BookScents Candles.

What are you waiting for?

a Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win!

Friday, May 2, 2014

Blog Hop: May I Suggest


Welcome to the May I Suggest blog hop hosted by Stuck in Books! Each stop is giving away a book that they recommend!

Today, I am giving away a copy of Daughter of Chaos by Jen McConnel! And guess what, it's signed! I had so much fun meeting the author, who actually lives in the same area as me! If you have the chance, make sure to go out and meet her!


As proof, here's a picture from the event, which, by the way, was hosted at The Regulator Bookshop, only the bestest indie bookstore in the area!


So what are you waiting for? Go forth and enter for one of the best books ever! Daughter of Chaos is the first in a series!