Friday, May 29, 2015

REVIEW: "Let's Eat Ramen and Other Doujinshi Short Stories" by Nagumo and Aji-Ichi

Disclaimer: I received a free, advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. Thanks Netgalley!

Type: Graphic Novel, Manga, Short Stories, Doujinshi, Ramen!

About the Book: Doujinshi, otherwise known as independent manga in Japan, is rarely published in English. In fact, it's considered underground and quite exclusive in its home country of Japan as well. Let's Eat Ramen and Other Doujinshi Short Stories finally gives western readers an exclusive look at the elusive world of contemporary Japanese doujinshi manga. Let's East Ramen is a three-part tale of Saeki, a girl who loves ramen noodles. At last, she thinks that she has finally found the perfect ramen shop, but the problem is the shop is completely full of old regulars and she can't get in. Will the timid Saeki ever summon the willpower to reach out and get the ramen that she desperately wants? [Summary provided by Goodreads.com]

My Review: This is my first foray into what's considered "underground" manga - also known as manga that hasn't made it to the USA before now. Most of what is popular in the US is very formulaic - almost like the same thing over and over. But there is manga of all different types available in Japan, and it's great that this is getting a chance to shine in the US. 

It was fascinating to read what is essentially a book of manga short stories. A graphic novel can take multiple volumes to equal what we know as one book. So to make it even shorter? Amazing! It was so cool to see how much information and story that got packed into such a few pages. Each story for original and interesting. The culture difference is pretty obvious - some things happen way faster than it may in the states, and Ramen is a whole different experience in Japan, - but it's a great into into a different culture. 

Overall, I'm giving this three stars. It was good, a fun and fast read for sure. But essentially, my love of this is more of the concept and culture than of the stories themselves.

Cover Lovin': Since "Let's Eat Ramen" is the main story of this collection, the cover image is fitting. And it will definitely appeal to its intended audience (manga fans).

Recommendation: For fans of manga and Japanese culture.

Final Rating: THREE out of FIVE stars (3/5). Good, interesting, and different. Something to look into if you're a manga fan.

Happy Reading!
~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Guest post and promotion: KAT MARTIN talks AGAINST THE TIDE!



Author Kat Martin is once again visiting Novel Addiction, this time to promote her newest book AGAINST THE TIDE! Be sure to read all the goodies, and there are buy links at the bottom. Even better, Kat will be providing an excerpt from "Against the Tide" on June 12, 2015!
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GUEST POST:
At the end of May, AGAINST THE TIDE, the twelfth novel 

in my AGAINST series is being released.  This is the last of 

three books about the rugged Brodie brothers of Alaska.  

Being plot-oriented, I usually work through a story in 

my head then figure out the best place for the story to take 

place.  Sometimes, as happened with the Alaska Trilogy, 

AGAINST THE WILD, AGAINST THE SKY, and AGAINST THE TIDE, the 

setting was an essential part of the stories before they were 

even conceived.  

The concept for the trilogy began with a month-long trip 

my husband and I took to Alaska--a place that has fascinated 

me since childhood.  Even before we set out, I knew I wanted 

to write an Alaskan trilogy, but had no story concepts until 

we set out on the five thousand mile journey north.  

It was my second long trip, both of which involved 

traveling cross-country, staying in a tiny pickup camper.  

Every day and night spent out in the open filled my head with 

story ideas.  By the time we got home, I had rough outlines 

for three high-action romantic suspense novels about the 

rugged Brodie brothers, Dylan, Nick, and Rafe, and the women 

who loved them.

In AGAINST THE TIDE, Rafe Brodie is the owner of a 

charter boat fishing company in remote Valdez.  Liv Chandler, 

the beautiful new owner of the Pelican Café, has fled to 

Valdez, fearing for her life.  Liv can’t trust anyone, not 

even Rafe, the one man who makes her feel safe. 

Rafe finds Olivia an intriguing mystery.  He's 

determined to uncover her secrets, but the woman has a past 

more dangerous than Rafe can guess.  When murder strikes in 

the tiny town, he begins to believe something terrible is 

coming.  And even in remote Valdez, Alaska, Rafe may not be 

able to protect the woman he loves.

Though I was comfortable writing Alaska from the months 

I spent up there and was familiar with the wildlife and 

mountainous terrain, since I live in Montana, the trip added 

vistas, sounds, smells, and ideas for some of the interesting 

characters who appear in the novels.  

Setting is always important to a story, in some books 

more than in others.  To help me with the different locales, 

I use Google Maps extensively.  They have street maps, street 

cameras, satellite views, terrain maps, and still photos, all 

of which help me see what an area looks like.  What an 

amazing writers' tool! 

Going to the location, of course, is the best way to 

chose a setting.  There are places I couldn't write about 

without having been there.  Alaska was one of them.

Driving all the way from Montana through Canada, over 

the Top of the World road, we took a side trip to Valdez.  It 

was raining there, but the scenery was still spectacular.  

Valdez is the shipping terminal for the great Alaska 

pipeline, which gave me the plot line for AGAINST THE TIDE. 

I try to choose locals that are fun for readers, enhance 

the suspense, and give insight into the characters.  

I hope you enjoy my Alaskan he-man, Rafe Brodie, along 

with the mysterious Olivia Chandler in AGAINST THE TIDE. 

Till then, very best wishes and happy reading, Kat  

When Lane and Dylan work to solve the mystery, they 

discover a legacy of injustice and murder.  With danger 

stalking their every move, Dylan must risk everything to save 

Lane and his daughter and uncover the truth--before it’s too 

late.

Displaying Kat - Ventura Star (500x350 (150dpi).jpg 
AGAINST THE TIDE
By Kat Martin
Release date: 5/26/15

BACK COVER COPY

Secrets—and safety—melt under a midnight sun…

Liv Chandler is running for her life, and the cops haven’t been able to do a thing to help. But there’s one man who makes her feel safe, no matter what…rugged charter boat captain Rafe Brodie.

To Rafe, Liv is a beautiful mystery, one he can’t ignore. He means to unearth her secrets, and in the process, if luck is on his side, maybe the spark between them will ignite.

But Liv’s past is more dangerous than Rafe could guess, and when his first mate turns up dead, she fears that she’s next. That there’s something else coming she can’t see. That even Rafe and the remote village of Valdez, Alaska can’t protect her forever…

SHORT BLURB
Secrets and Danger Threaten in the Land of the Midnight Sun…
Liv Chandler is running for her life.  She can’t trust anyone, not even the one man who makes her feel saferugged charter boat captain, Rafe Brodie.
Rafe is determined to uncover Liv's secrets,  but the beautiful café owner has a past more dangerous than Rafe can guess.  Something terrible is coming…and even in remote Valdez, Alaska, Rafe can’t protect her forever.

REVIEW QUOTES
“Martin’s latest novel leaves readers breathless with the absorbing combination of mystery and romance.” —RTBookReviews

“This book is action packed. It has plenty of suspense and I love that the story wasn't just given away. It all evolved into something fabulous. It will have you looking for the other Brodie books.” —Crystal’s Reviews

What are readers saying about AGAINST THE TIDE?
“A sexy romantic thriller I didn't want to stop reading.” —Paige, Mertztown, PA
“Thrilling, suspenseful and keeps you hanging on till the very end! And...delicious romance!” — Misty, Galt, CA
 “This book was a great read!  Characters were intriguing.  Story was easy to get swept away with.” —Elissa, Collegeville, PA
“Awesome book from start to finish. I was hooked right away & couldn't put it down!” —Amy, Las Cruces, NM
“Sexy and Intriguing read. A must read if you love to get caught up in love and romance and danger.” —Kristen, Oklahoma City, OK
“I loved it! Kat martin describes the scenes with such detail it feels as if you're right there in the story. Loved the characters and the whole plot.” —Lisa, Slippery Rock, PA

LINKS



BUY LINKS




SOCIAL MEDIA


Twitter: @katbooks https://twitter.com/katbooks

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/luvromance/
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kat-Martin/e/B000AQ0OJQ/

IDENTIFIERS

ASIN: B00ONTR60Q
ISBN: 9781420133868
ISBN-10: 1420133861
ISBN-13: 978-1420133868

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Release Week Blitz: Katie McGarry's "NOWHERE BUT HERE!!"

Nowhere But Here RDL Banner  

We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Day Launch for Katie McGarry's NOWHERE BUT HERE! NOWHERE BUT HERE is a Young Adult Contemporary Romance and is a part of Katie McGarry’sThunder Road Series, published by Harlequin Teen. Grab your copy today!!

Nowhere But Here - cover

Amazon ** Kobo ** BAM ** Barnes & Noble ** iBooks ** IndieBound

Add it to your Goodreads Now!

  About NOWHERE BUT HERE: An unforgettable new series from acclaimed author Katie McGarry about taking risks, opening your heart and ending up in a place you never imagined possible Seventeen-year-old Emily likes her life the way it is: doting parents, good friends, good school in a safe neighborhood. Sure, she's curious about her biological father—the one who chose life in a motorcycle club, the Reign of Terror, over being a parent—but that doesn't mean she wants to be a part of his world. But when a reluctant visit turns to an extended summer vacation among relatives she never knew she had, one thing becomes clear: nothing is what it seems. Not the club, not her secret-keeping father and not Oz, a guy with suck-me-in blue eyes who can help her understand them both. Oz wants one thing: to join the Reign of Terror. They're the good guys. They protect people. They're…family. And while Emily—the gorgeous and sheltered daughter of the club's most respected member—is in town, he's gonna prove it to her. So when her father asks him to keep her safe from a rival club with a score to settle, Oz knows it's his shot at his dream. What he doesn't count on is that Emily just might turn that dream upside down. No one wants them to be together. But sometimes the right person is the one you least expect, and the road you fear the most is the one that leads you home.   Hand rider on handlebars, close-up   NOWHERE BUT HERE Trailer:
  Katie McGarry Author PhotoAbout Katie McGarry: Katie McGarry was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan. Katie is the author of full length YA novels, PUSHING THE LIMITS, DARE YOU TO, CRASH INTO YOU, TAKE ME ON, BREAKING THE RULES, and NOWHERE BUT HERE and the e-novellas, CROSSING THE LINE and RED AT NIGHT. Her debut YA novel, PUSHING THE LIMITS was a 2012 Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction, a RT Magazine's 2012 Reviewer's Choice Awards Nominee for Young Adult Contemporary Novel, a double Rita Finalist, and a 2013 YALSA Top Ten Teen Pick. DARE YOU TO was also a Goodreads Choice Finalist for YA Fiction and won RT Magazine’s Reviewer’s Choice Best Book Award for Young Adult Contemporary fiction in 2013.  

Website ** Twitter ** Facebook ** Goodreads ** Pinterest ** Tumblr ** Instagram

  Nowhere But Here - Teaser 1       InkSlinger PR Blogger Banner - New

  RELEASE WEEK SPECIAL EXCERPT:
From Oz's Point of View. Set up: Emily has been separated from her parents and after a long night of worrying, her emotions and exhaustion catch up to her and it causes Oz to have his first fluttering of emotion for Emily. 

WIND BLOWS IN FROM THE NORTH AND A FEW pieces of Emily’s dark hair sweep across her face. One min­ute Emily’s a bright flame, then a gust snuffs out her light. Her body sways like a top at the tail end of a spin and I lunge forward.
Emily’s knees give out and her eyes roll back into her head. I catch her inches before she crashes onto the porch. She’s light as I swing her into my arms and her head circles onto my shoulder, reminding me of one of those rag dolls Violet used to play with when we were kids.
“Emily!” Eli’s on top of me, attempting to yank her out of my arms. “Open your eyes.”
Her eyelids flutter, but remain closed as her hand limply clutches my shirt. Eli rams his arms underneath mine and he makes Emily a rope in a tug-of-war. I should let her go. I should want to let her go, but then Emily goes and screws it up for me. “Oz.” 
It was a damn whisper, but I heard my name on her lips and so did Eli. His eyes flash to mine and Cyrus’s words repeat in my mind. That girl trusts you. And screw us both for that.
“She’s exhausted,” I say. “Hasn’t slept at all tonight.”
Eli’s expression hardens as he glares at me. I’ve seen Eli throw a coma-inducing punch for less defiance and I readjust the sleeping girl in my arms. A reminder if he decks me now, he’ll be putting his daughter at risk.
Temporarily surrendering, Eli cups Emily’s face in his hands and angles her toward him. “Emily, please open your eyes.”
She does. It’s barely a crack and they’re completely glazed.
“Everything’s going to be okay,” Eli affirms.
“I want my mom and dad,” she mumbles.
“You’ll see them tomorrow.” Eli pushes a strand of hair from her cheek. “You’re safe here. I promise.”
She rejects Eli by curling into me. Her head fits perfectly in the crook of my neck and I loathe the wave of protective­ness that rumbles through my body. Emily’s fingers tighten their grip near my shoulders and the impulse is to shield her from the guys gawking at this intimate scene. Yeah, this is club business, but Emily never asked for any of this.

Happy Reading!

~!~ Amanda, Novel Addiction ~!~