The Beauty of Bloggers and a New Review of Ghostly

In the last few days I have been reminded of the single, largest marketing tool an author has in her arsenal right now.....Bloggers!  I want to take a quick moment to let you know how grateful I am that you exist.  I sent out a casual request for a review of Ghostly, to see if I can get the sales to match those of Spellbound.  The reviewer replied that she was regrettably booked (haha, a pun!) until June, but with my permission she would farm out my request to 20 (!) of her contributing reviewers to see if anyone might like to tackle one or the other of my books.

The response has been nothing short of amazing!

I have received, in the expanse of barely one full day, more than seven responses.  And they keep coming.  In fact, as I write this, two more have popped up.  I am so excited.  And the best thing of all, they all want to read BOTH of my books and review them for all the regular review sites: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Goodreads and my very own facebook page.  I am overwhelmed with delight.

So, it's important to take this time to fully and thoroughly thank Angie from Books4tomorrow.  I am eternally grateful that bloggers exist and that they share their talent for reviewing with the world.  I am also grateful to Mera Sampson from Meras's YA Book List.  She wrote the following review, for which I am still glowing:

Ghostly by Samantha Combs Review

I have been a fan of Samantha Combs’ work since reading her debut novel, Spellbound. So it suffices to say that I had high expectations for her second published work, Ghostly. Ghostly is the tale of a high school freshman, lovingly nicknamed Juice by her small group of friends. After meeting Shane, a teenage ghost stuck in our world, her life completely changes. But only the story can tell whether the changes in Juice’s life are for better or for worse.

              

           I think it is safe to say that I loved Ghostly just as much as I loved Spellbound, if not more. Samantha Combs’ writing style is somewhat indescribable, but it would be wrong of me not to try. I could see her sitting at the kitchen table or on a comfortable sofa, slowly thinking up and telling her romantic paranormal tales for teens with a captivated audience soaking in her every word. The way she writes is recognizable and refreshing. She seems to have created a niche for herself and she is solid with the way she chooses to portray her characters. During the time I spent reading the galley Samantha so graciously provided to me, I was torn between who was right for Juice. But as I delved further into the story, the right person for her became evident to me.

                The addition of her unique group of friends was awesome. The story slowly progressed and Samantha managed to put the climax closer to the end, which ultimately worked brilliantly. As I read of the events occurring, my heart leaped out of my chest. At one point, I was holding back tears, and as I finished reading I felt that tingly sensation that only occurs in me in three instances. The first instance being after I try a ride at an amusement park, which is not often due to my fear of heights. The second being after I’ve gone through a tidal wave of different emotions. And finally, the third occurs after I’ve read an amazing and emotional book. I have to applaud Miss Combs on her ability to entrance me with her writing and her characters. I would love to have friends like Jett, Sixx, Creepshow, and even Shane, and the story had an absolutely powerful and perfect ending.

Point blank: Samantha Combs is an author that you should definitely look out for. Ghostly, as well as her first book Spellbound (which is to be the first in a trilogy), is a great read I would recommend to anyone, but especially to tweens, teens, and young adults.

You won’t regret reading it. Her stories are like a refreshing walk in the park. Even if you’re tired or sleepy, you wish her words would go on. 

If you haven't done so yet, check out my interview with the fabulous author just a few posts below!

Also, look out for the sequel to Spellbound entitled Everspell in January, and her fourth work Waterdancer at the end of summer 2012!

So, to all the bloggers out there, and I am certain I speak for at least every author I know, THANK YOU!  You make getting out there easy and we appreciate you more than you can know.


Here are the links to the two bloggers I have highlighted here:
http://merasyabooklist.blogspot.com/
http://www.bookstomorrow.blogspot.com/

New Review for Spellbound is in - 4 STARS

Hey everyone, pleased to post a new review from Mera's YA Book List, an excellent blogger on the web, I'll post her site at the end of the review.  Check out what she had to say about SPELLBOUND:

Chamera's Reviews > Spellbound

My rating:

edit my review

shelf: read

Spellbound 
by Samantha Combs (Goodreads Author), Elaina Lee (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator) 

Chamera's review

Aug 11, 11

Read from July 19 to August 11, 2011

Logan Daniels has had an acceptably ordinary life. In fact, if you were to ask him, he'd say his family and his town were in all regards normal. This all changes when Serena Starr and her two siblings move into the quiet town of Lancaster. Upon sight of Serena, Logan is instantly smitten, and with perfect reason. Serena, with long honey colored hair and shimmering green eyes, as she is described by Logan, is absolutely stunning. Besides her looks, Serena is perfectly sweet and pure of heart.

But there are many things that the dark haired cutie, Logan, doesn't know about Serena. In fact, there are several things he doesn't know about his town, his family, and most importantly himself.
Samantha Combs' telling of this beautiful tale is spectacular. One thing I admire most in an author is the ability to make the events, and especially, the characters, of a novel realistic, and Miss Combs does not fail in that regard. The characters remind me of people I know from high school, and I can see qualities of average teenagers reflected in each person she has spun into creation.

Serena and Logan are perfect for each other, and other relationships in the story will make you smile. The story tests most of these relationships, and the characters struggle to work through the problems that occur. But don't let the love in this story fool you. This is far more than an average teen love story. Things take an ominous and dangerous turn, not just for Logan and Serena, but for their families, their friends, and everyone in the town of Lancaster.

Because the things Logan doesn't know about Serena and her mysterious sisters, and the thing he learns about his entire family is that they are spectacularly... witch-y. As dark forces cast their eyes on the couple and everyone they hold dear, it becomes obvious that it is up to Logan to help save the day. I love a story with both a hero and a heroine and Spellbound is definitely that. Also, with interchanging view points throughout the book, the thoughts of everyone is made known, which only makes this book even more perfect.

I love the language used, the diverse characters, the love connections, the conflicts, and the familial like ties the characters strengthen with one another. The dialogue was perfect and the chapters melded together splendidly. Samantha Combs' Spellbound had me biting my lip, tapping my leg, and anticipating the next act in the chain of events that occur. At times I smiled like a dork and screamed like a lunatic (and trust me, when you scream out loud in a room that's not particularly empty, you get lots of strange looks). This book is at times both fun and somber, and you feel what the characters feel. One thing this book is not is predictable, and I love that. This is one YA novel that will keep you on your feet and the ending will have you wishing for more Samantha Combs. It has an completely stunning cover that captures the eye, and was what first drew me to the book. Both the author and her mystically delicious characters are absolutely... bewitching. Samantha Combs is a force to be reckoned with in the writing world. The last time I delved into a story so easily and completely was when reading P.C. + Kristin Cast's House of Night series and trust me, this is a very magnificent accomplishment. I highly recommend it... and not just because Logan Daniels is entirely drool worthy

http://merasyabooklist.blogspot.com/?spref=fb


Don't miss it, it's awesome!

Received a "Lovely Rose" From Romancing the Book" Review for Spellbound

I hope you'll allow me a little bit of horn-tooting right now.  I submitted my book, Spellbound, for review to the highly influential review site, Romancing the Book, and the responded right away with a nice reply that they didn't normally do Young Adult reviews but that they would certainly see if they had a reviewer who was interested and get back to me if I didn't mind waiting.  I was grateful for the response and replied I appreciated waiting.  I didn't hold out much hope.  There are soooo many talented writers out there and a veritable plethora of books to read.

My muse went on a field trip it seems, because not more than a week or so later I received a followup email notifying me that one of their reviewers WAS interested and with my permission, they would send my book to her straight away.  I said yes, yes, YES!  That was a couple weeks ago and the review came in today. GUESS WHAT?  I was bestowed a Lovely Rose.  In their rating system, that is only one lower than their highest rating, and when it was transferred to Goodreads, it became 4 out of 5 stars.  Good on me!

So here it is, because I am quite proud of it, and because I quite like how the reviewer did her job (thanks to you, Shyla!)  I am loving the review but I am so pleased that the reviewer was entertained by my book.  As an author, that's really all I want to do.  And the fact that this reviewer thinks I have done that is AWESOME!

Romancing the Book's Reviews > Spellbound

My rating:

edit my review

shelf: read

Spellbound 
by Samantha Combs (Goodreads Author), Elaina Lee (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator) 

Romancing the Book's review 

Jul 21, 11

bookshelves: fantasy, paranormal, ya

Read in July, 2011

Reviewed by Shyla
Book provided by author for review

Spellbound starts off and places you into the thick of action. Demons, witches destiny and young love explode across the screen. I wasn’t even a page in, and I had a list of questions I wanted answered. This was a smart move expertly executed by the clever Ms. Combs. As we move on from the prologue we meet our Hero. Logan is a dark haired cutie who’s breezing his way through his senior year of high school. Nothing much happens in the tiny town of Lancaster, New Hampshire. So when he see’s three new girls in the office he stops to say hi, and his heart skips a beat.

Our heroine Serena star has arrived on the scene. Her honey colored hair is a mass of spirals that Logan wants to touch and I can picture vividly. Samantha has a real gift for imagery. She manipulated the words like a pro, and I have no problem envisioning the characters and their setting. From the first day she arrived we get the sense there’ something strange about Serena Starr. She appears and disappears in the blink of an eye and abnormal activity occurs around her.

Logan witnesses it , but remains quiet because to him all that matters is he likes her. Serena is sweet, intelligent and beautiful. She’s the perfect match for well mannered and romantic Logan, except she’s a teen witch, better known as a twitch. Twitches are watched by the council that governs them, and her eldest sister makes it clear they would not approve of her dalliance with a ‘normal’.

I developed a girlish crush on Logan. This is high-school sweethearts at its best. The joyous burst of emotions felt when you meet that special someone is contagious as it jumps off the page. Samantha does an excellent job of staying true to the teenage experience while inserting action, suspense and romance. The twists and turns of the plot kept me off kilter, and I was stunned when the Starr family came clean with Logan. His love interest is a future member of a the council, and it’s no coincidence they landed in Lancaster. There are dark forces at work.

Serena has chosen Logan, and this means he has an important role to play too. But we won’t know how important until further in to the book. The conflict with the council escalates, and the story takes a deliciously dark turn. Once the tiny town of Lancaster is over run by demons, all bets are off.

This story has it all; romance, adventure, myth and a well thought out plot. I loved how Samantha linked the lives of the characters together and gave each one their own time to shine.

The descriptions are magnificent as she breathes life to this strange new world she’s created.

With witches who fly on broom sticks, have the gift of site, transform, and so much more. I would describe it as a Harry Potter for the modern, edgier teen. My one complaint was at times the scenes felt a bit long. I’d have liked to see some of them shortened. I would highly recommend this to YA and paranormal fans

My First Review

Hi everyone.  I'm excited and pleased to tell you my first review is in for Spellbound......AND IT GOT 4 OUT OF 5 STARS!  How about that?  I was super lucky that the reviewer really seemed to tap into the inner struggle of Serena and Logan and understand the coming-of-age aspect of their journey.  While it is great to get a high mark in my review, I think my greater joy was my dawning recognition that I have written something that someone "GETS", do you know what I mean?  That, for me, was the greater astonishment, even greater, truly, than the great marks.  Even though it was stellar to get those, don't get me wrong.  So here, for your reading pleasure, is my first blogger review.  Thanks to Sherry Gloag, author in her own right, of Duty Calls, available now at all the usual suspects.  Thank you Sherry, for an insightful and thoughtfully written review!

Sherry Gloag's Reviews > Spellbound

my rating:

edit my review

shelf: read

Spellbound
bySamantha Combs, Elaina Lee (Goodreads Author) (Illustrator)

Sherry Gloag's review

Jul 13, 11

Read in July, 2011

Review:
Writing in the 1st person can be restricting, but Ms Combs overcomes both this, and head-hopping, in Spellbound with her masterly use of giving various characters their own sections in the story. Not only does the reader see the events from multiple viewpoints, but each one segues neatly into the next without slowing the pace of the story.
There is a large cast of characters, but the author’s technique ensures the reader never loses track of her main players. I did find keeping track of what the different coven members specialised in a bit hard, but once again Ms Combs kept prompting me as the story progressed.
Logan and Serena’s meeting is the catalyst for change in their lives. For Logan, it is about discovering a whole new aspect of life and coming to terms with it when he discovers the girl he is falling in love with is a twitch – teenage witch – then his widowed mother reveals secrets which tilt his new and topsy-turvy life upside down. That he adjusts copes so well with each revelation and its consequences might have the author turning him into some sort of super-human, but no, under Ms Combs influence Logan grows and matures with a compassion and understanding that never becomes mawkish or unrealistic.
While Serena seems to have her future mapped out for her and her elder and younger sisters around for support, encouragement and sharing, it soon becomes clear that that any reader pre-conceptions soon go up in a puff of demonic smoke. Her new boyfriend is not the only one who finds his life tilting on its axis as revelations aplenty are thrown at her. Serena’s strength of character matches that of her boyfriend, Logan and together with the support of some fun and entertaining characters face their biggest challenge knowing the cost of losing would be death for at least one of them.
The secondary characters all play their parts in moving the story forward and come from different arenas and yet all come together at the end of this fluently written and fast-paced story in such a manner this reader was sad to part company with them at the end of their tale.
For those who enjoy YA, paranormal and romance all wrapped up together, then Ms Combs is an author to watch out for.

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