Summer in Japan - Guest Post by Amanda Sun

Today there's a guest post by Amanda Sun, author of Ink.
She will tell you about Summer Festivals in Japan.



Summer is one of the best times to visit Japan. I mean sure, the weather is so hot and humid that you’re constantly dabbing your face with a towel and sweating the minute you step out of the shower, but it’s not so bad if you remind yourself what winter back home is like. And anyway, summer in Japan means festivals. Fireworks, vendors selling kakigori (shaved ice), hot sweet potatoes, barbecued corn, sweets…and lots of fun festival games like catching goldfish and yo-yo tsuri (balloons you have to “fish” for in a plastic kiddie pool).

So much fun! And that’s why, as you’ll know if you’ve read the sneak peek at the back of INK, I decided to start RAIN at a Japanese festival. I wanted to share the sights, sounds, and smells of a Japanese festival with readers through Katie’s first experience of one. The music, the crowds, the beautiful yukata (summer kimonos) the girls wear…and the fireworks when it’s dark. There are even special little fireworks you can light and hold. Sort of like sparklers, but in more variety than we have here.


The first Japanese festival I attended was Gion Matsuri in Kyoto. Oh, the crowds! I could barely move through them to reach my waiting friends. But what a happy gathering of people! The music and chatter around me as the floats loaded with gleaming paper lanterns rolled along the street…I’ll never forget being a part of the ebb and flow of the crowd, with the old traditions alongside the new, the sound of the old instruments and the smell of the bonito flakes sizzling on top of the takoyaki (breaded octopus).

It’s into a similar swirl of sounds and activity that Katie starts Book 2 of The Paper Gods. What can I tell you about RAIN? Well, it’s another mini-vacation to Shizuoka, Japan. Wearing a yukata, tasting festival foods (plenty of food in RAIN in general!), looking at the items for sale in the market stalls. And it’s about seeing that mix of old and new culture that make up Japanese life. And just like that mix of new and old, RAIN will look into Katie and Tomo’s origins, and what makes them who they are. There will be more of Jun too, and some of the answers you may be looking for after reading INK.

I hope you enjoy this look into the summer festivals of Japan! If you can’t wait until April 2014, check out the first chapter at the back of INK to experience it for yourself. And I hope you all look forward to the next book in The Paper Gods.

May your summer be full of fireworks, games, happiness, and good food!



About Ink:
On the heels of a family tragedy, the last thing Katie Greene wants to do is move halfway across the world. Stuck with her aunt in Shizuoka, Japan, Katie feels lost. Alone. She doesn’t know the language, she can barely hold a pair of chopsticks, and she can’t seem to get the hang of taking her shoes off whenever she enters a building.

Then there’s gorgeous but aloof Tomohiro, star of the school’s kendo team. How did he really get the scar on his arm? Katie isn’t prepared for the answer. But when she sees the things he draws start moving, there’s no denying the truth: Tomo has a connection to the ancient gods of Japan, and being near Katie is causing his abilities to spiral out of control. If the wrong people notice, they'll both be targets.

Katie never wanted to move to Japan—now she may not make it out of the country alive.



Don't forget to leave a comment:
I decided to have an event wide giveaway on my blog for commenters.
At the end of this event I'll pick one commenter on any author post of this event at random and that person will win a book of his/her choice as long as bookdepository ships to where you live, you're legally allowed to enter, and the book costs no more than 10$

And drop by Between Dreams and Reality as well for more great author posts.

In The After - Book Review

In the After (In the After #1)
by Demitria Lunetta

What is it about:
They hear the most silent of footsteps.
They are faster than anything you've ever seen.
And They won't stop chasing you...until you are dead.

Amy is watching TV when it happens, when the world is attacked by Them. These vile creatures are rapidly devouring mankind. Most of the population is overtaken, but Amy manages to escape—and even rescue “Baby,” a toddler left behind in the chaos. Marooned in Amy’s house, the girls do everything they can to survive—and avoid Them at all costs.

After years of hiding, they are miraculously rescued and taken to New Hope, a colony of survivors living in a former government research compound. While at first the colony seems like a dream with plenty of food, safety, and shelter, New Hope slowly reveals that it is far from ideal. And Amy soon realizes that unless things change, she’ll lose Baby—and much more.

What did I think of it:
I wasn't too sure about this book I'll confess.

It did sounds intriguing, but I'm no fan of toddlers in my fiction, so I started this book while feeling apprehensive.

And just a few chapters in I thought I would totally hate this book. Not because of the toddler though, I must say I actually liked Baby. It was both Amy and the aliens I had trouble with.

Amy is one of the least likeable heroine's I've come across in YA. If there's something about her that's likeable I at least haven't been able to discover it.

And the aliens...

They're so brainless I could only wonder how they ever made it off their planet, let alone made it to earth.

I'll confess that at one point I only kept reading to see if there would be an explanation for the behavior of the aliens.

And then Amy and Baby got taken to New Hope and the story started to look up!

I actually started to enjoy the story from there on out and when I finished the book I still didn't like Amy, but In The After as a whole did manage to redeem itself.

I'm not sure if I will read other books in this series, but apart from the first few chapters this is a cool and intriguing read.

Why should you read it:
It's a cool Post Apocalyptic YA read

An Interview with Kerry Schafer + giveaway

Yesterday was the start of the big blog event I'm organising together with the ladies of Between Dreams and Reality. If you haven't visited their blog yet, make sure you do, because half of the amazing authors who agreed to drop by for this event will be visiting Between Dreams and Reality.

My first guest is Kerry Schafer, author of Between and owner of the Random Penguin. She is the first of many authors who kindly agreed to an interview.


Kerry, welcome back to Pearls Cast Before A McPig
Could you tell a bit about yourself for those people who don’t know you yet?

Hi, my name is Kerry and I'm a bookaholic. I live with my Viking on forty acres of forested land, where we feed the deer and the wild turkeys, and thus, inadvertently, the coyotes. (And the mosquitoes. But we try not to think about that). Up until two weeks ago my day job was in mental health, but I just switched to working an an RN in a medical clinic. (Hint – I like to shake things up now and then.)

How many books will there be in the The Between series?

The plan is for a trilogy. But there's this old adage about mice and men that could always apply. One never knows.

Have you ever used people you know as characters in your books?

I have. During the time I was writing Between it's possible that I got mad enough at a certain person to want to wreak vengeance. I'm not a vengeful kind of person though, so I wrote this individual into the book and made bad things happen. Later I had to go back and change everything to protect the innocent. I also once modeled a hero on someone I knew, but that didn't work out very well either. I seem to be better off just making people up as I go.

Are there any other projects you’re working on or thinking about starting in the near future?

The second of the Books of the Between will be out in April. Aside from that, I'm working on a novella trilogy that I plan to e-publish in November. Dreams are a major component again, but this time the story is set firmly in the real world and has more of a thriller feel.

Where can you be found when you’re not at your desk writing?

Pretty much either at the day job, or in bed, asleep. I need a time turner so I can do more things.



What did you do to celebrate the release of your first book?

We had a book launch party at a nice restaurant. No book sales – just friends and family. It was lovely.

What is the best thing about being a published author?

Hearing from readers. Every time somebody tweets or emails me, or finds me on Facebook to say, "Hey, I loved the book," it puts a big goofy grin on my face. I also love the opportunity to meet and engage with other writers.

What authors have been an influence to you? And have you read any books lately that you want to share with us or have you been too busy with writing to read?

My influences include Dickens, L'Engle, Lewis, Tolkien, Koontz, Kellerman, and Guy Gavriel Kay, among many others. As for reading – that's like breathing. I've been busy, but I always manage to squeeze in at least a few pages every day. Here's the short list of recent loves: Written in Red, by Anne Bishop. Both The Hum and the Shiver and A Wisp Of A Thing, by Alex Bledsoe. Claws of the Cat, by Susan Spann. The Thing About Weres, by Leigh Evans. Oh – and the Mindspace Investigations books by Alex Hughes.

Will there be any zombies or pigs in any of your future books?

You will be delighted to know that there are, indeed, zombies in Wakeworld. They were unintentional and I have suspicions that a certain pig slipped into my dreams and planted suggestions in my head.

I am innocent *whistles innocently*

And lastly: What has Random Penguin been up to lately?

Random Penguin spent some time recently studying to be a ninja penguin. I caught him looking at maps the other day, and I suspect he's contemplating some more travel. As for where – he's been a little secretive.

Thanks so much for inviting me! I had fun with the interview.

Thank you for dropping by!


Kerry kindly offered some bookmarks to one reader of my blog.

A winner for the bookmarks has been selected: Elodie

Open internationally to everyone who's legally allowed to enter this giveaway.

And don't forget to leave a comment:
I decided to have an event wide giveaway on my blog for commenters.
At the end of this event I'll pick one commenter on any author post of this event at random and that person will win a book of his/her choice as long as bookdepository ships to where you live, you're legally allowed to enter, and the book costs no more than 10$


About Between:
Vivian Maylor can't sleep. Maybe it's because she just broke up with her boyfriend and moved to a new town, or it could be the stress of her new job at the hospital. But perhaps it's because her dreams have started to bleed through into her waking hours.

All of her life Vivian has rejected her mother's insane ramblings about Dreamworlds for concrete science and fact, until an emergency room patient ranting about dragons spontaneously combusts before her eyes--forcing Viv to consider the idea that her visions of mythical beasts might be real.

And when a chance encounter leads her to a man she knows only from her dreams, Vivian finds herself falling into a world that seems strange and familiar all at once--a world where the line between dream and reality is hard to determine, and hard to control...

Death and the Girl Next Door - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Death and the Girl Next Door (Darklight #1)
by Darynda Jones

What is it about:
Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace. Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home. For Lorelei, life goes on.

High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be. Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it, standing outside her house in the dark, night after night. Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school. Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity. What does Jared know about her parents? Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei? And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real?

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
This is an enjoyable read.

Lorelei and her friends are cool characters, I really liked how they interact with each other, it felt real.

I had a bit of trouble with both Cameron and Jared though. They're more busy with fighting each other than anything else at first, but luckily at some point they start doing more than beating each other up and I started to like them, especially Jared.

The story is suspenseful and confusing at times, but while more information is revealed things fall into place. I really enjoyed Jones' witty and easy writing style, it fit the story and characters nicely.

Overall this is a really nice Paranormal YA read and it made me eager to read the next book and to continue reading Jones' Charley Davidson series. I'll have to dig up Second Grave on the Left and start on it one of these days.

Why should you read it:
It's an enjoyable Paranormal YA read

Vengeance Born - Book Review by Voodoo Bride

Vengeance Born (The Light Blade #1)
by Kylie Griffin

What is it about:
Annika, half-blood daughter of the Na'Reish king, longs for more than a tormented life among her father's people. Conceived in hatred and bred as a tool of retribution, she's gifted with a special talent that can heal as well as destroy...

With the Na'Reish vastly outnumbering them, Kalan, a Light Blade warrior, knows the future of humankind depends on him alone. Incursions into human territory and raids for blood-slaves by the Na'Reish horde have increased. As chosen leader, he faces the task of stopping the demons—and convincing the Council of aging Light Blade warriors that change is necessary for survival.

When Annika learns Kalan is a prisoner in her father's dungeon, her dream of escape seems within reach. She agrees to free him in exchange for his protection once they reach human territory. Now, marked for death for helping him, Annika must learn to trust Kalan as they face not only the perilous journey to the border but enemies within the Council—and discover a shocking truth that could throw the human race into a civil war...

What did Voodoo Bride think of it:
I read the third book in this series first, but I liked that book so much I just had to read the other books as well, so that's why I picked up Vengeance Born.

And luckily this book doesn't disappoint and is just as enjoyable as Allegiance Sworn.

I loved the character development and the pacing of the romance. When Kalan and Annika meet there's lots of distrust and unease between the two of them and I was happy that Griffin chose to make both of them work to overcome their initial feelings. This made the romance believable and very satisfying.

I already told you how much I liked the world building in my review of Allegiance Sworn, but I have to say once again: the setting and world in this series is really cool. I grow to love this world more with each book that I read.

The action storyline is well woven in with the romantic storyline and is very suspenseful. There's danger, betrayal and secrets to be uncovered. Although this book can be read as a standalone romance the overall world storyline isn't finshed yet and is intriguing enough to make me want to read the next book as soon as possible. That I met the lead characters of the next book in Vengeance Born and am very eager to read their story helped in bumping Alliance Forged to the top of my wishlist.

All in all this is a very enjoyable read and I already got my hands on book 2, so expect a review of Alliance Forged soon.

Why should you read it:
It's very enjoyable Fantasy Romance with a great setting.

The Rising - Book Rant

The Rising (Darkness Rising #3)
by Kelley Armstrong

What is it about:
Things are getting desperate for Maya and her friends. Hunted by the powerful St. Clouds and now a rival Cabal as well, they're quickly running out of places to hide. And with the whole world thinking they died in a helicopter crash, it's not like they can just go to the authorities for help.

All they have is the name and number of someone who might be able to give them a few answers. Answers to why they're so valuable, and why their supernatural powers are getting more and more out of control.

But Maya is unprepared for the truths that await her. And now, like it or not, she'll have to face down some demons from her past if she ever hopes to move on with her life. Because Maya can't keep running forever.

What did I think of it:
*spoilery about the romance*

This is the last book in the Darkness Rising trilogy and it was my least favorite.

Remember how I predicted a huge love triangle fight in this last book?

Well, there wasn't a huge fight, but once again it turned out I had been rooting for the wrong guy and our heroine Maya settles for the love interest that I really, really disliked. And although it happens late in the story, there were vomit inducing clues to how things would turn out throughout this book.

On top of that Maya blames the other love interest for telling her something that she didn't want to know. Well... the thing she didn't want to know is so obvious that only by being ignorant she didn't know it yet.

So yes: Maya was annoying and the romance was annoying.
And yes, this is very personal, so most everyone else will probably be happy with how the romance turns out.

Luckily one new character gets introduced who I really liked and that saved a lot of this book for me. The other cool thing was the return of characters from The Darkest Powers trilogy.

Overall I was disappointed by the conclusion of this trilogy and I feel like rereading The Darkest Powers trilogy to get rid of the bad taste this book left me with.

Why should you read it:
Most probably you'll approve of the love interest Maya picks, so in that case this is a cool Paranormal YA read.

Rory - Release Day Alert

Releasing in ebook format tomorrow (August 10) and in paperback in September is Rory by Ciye Cho.

I will admit Rory sounds very intriguing and this is yet another book that will be piled onto my tbr-pile to be read once I find the time.


Rory (The Ghosts of Palladino, #1)
by Ciye Cho

Far beyond heaven, earth and hell is a city known as Palladino, a place ruled by ghosts and filled with demons, magic, and all sorts of darkly beautiful things. A city where no one can ever escape.

Eighteen-year-old Rory is a cake decorator who makes stunning confections. But no amount of frosting or miracles can save her when a demon kidnaps her—and carries her to Palladino. Here, Rory ends up in a deadly charm school where young women are forced to become companions for the Ghost Lords. And for her to survive, Rory must become everything that she isn’t: graceful, elegant... and perfect.

But nothing is what it seems in Palladino. Not the magic. Not the ghosts. And definitely not Martin Marius, the bizarre Ghost Lord-slash-inventor who is drawn to Rory. For amid a thousand machines and a hundred cats, Martin holds a secret that could change everything. A secret that could either free Rory... or destroy her.

Check for buy links here