Phantasmic Reads

Saturday, April 6, 2013

[Blog Tour] Review & Giveaway: Deadly Kisses by Kerri Cuevas

Aiden Grant has a killer kiss. Literally. And it’s not every reaper who gets to work with the Sixteenth President. Sure, Honest Abe likes to throw out history lessons with reaping assignments, but when you’re favored by the ancients, grim reaper life is pretty sweet for a newly dead seventeen-year-old.

Then things get messy.

Aiden is assigned to reap the soul of Bee, the only girl he has ever loved. When Aiden’s kiss of death fails, intertwining their souls, she is still very much alive and they are both in trouble. The ancients want Bee, who has special powers of her own, and they’ll do anything to get her.

Some rules are meant to be broken, even if that means Aiden must bargain with his own soul to save Bee. Who knew the afterlife could get so complicated?

Amazon | WiDo Publishing | Goodreads

Kerri Cuevas was born and raised in Rhode Island. She moved to New Hampshire with her husband, three kids, cats and a rabbit named Hercules in 2005. When she's not writing, she's chasing chickens on her small farm or searching for the ultimate mac-a-cheese recipe.

Kerri went to college for Early Childhood Education but now writes books for young adults full-time. Her storytelling stems from watching too many horror flicks as a teen, but she no longer needs to sleep with the lights on.

Where to find Kerri:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

I looked at my assignment's personal information. The picture stared back at me. I hadn't seen her in two years, but she looked the same. My scythe fell to the wooden bottom of the gondola, and I dropped to my knees. "This can't be happening."

I gathered up courage because I had a job to do. It wasn't in me to quit.

"For the record, you complicated your own life by making me a target, but enlighten me with why I'm to blame."

"Death politics. It's worse than presidential debates."

I found the premise of Deadly Kisses interesting. Aiden Grant is a seventeen-year-old Grim Reaper. When he died, he continued to hold on to his regrets, which caused him to become a Reaper. And he's fine with it - he doesn't want to ascend.

It's good to see that even Grim Reapers have embraced modern technology. Aiden receives all his assignments via text message, complete with a countdown app. Reapers have seven days to complete an assignment once received. Failure to reap a soul in the allotted time has a nasty consequence.

Aiden is all ready for his next assignment, right up to the point he finds out who he must reap - Bee, the only girl he's ever loved. Once he finds that out, he just wants to get it over with. His plan is simple: wait until she's asleep, kiss her, and reap her. Sadly, things don't quite go as planned.

Bee has a few tricks of her own. Instead of dying peacefully with Aiden's kiss, their souls become twisted together instead. Yeah. Not good for Aiden at all, since the seven day timer is still counting down.

Ms. Cuevas has written a wonderful tale about life, love, death and devotion. Aiden, Bee, and Bee's brother Jaleb are likeable characters that had me rooting for them all. Having Honest Abe as Aiden's boss is loads of fun. I would ascend just to get away from the history lessons. :)

There is a tour-wide giveaway, and two winners will receive a signed copy of Deadly Kisses along with a bookmark. See the Rafflecopter below & good luck!

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Thanks to Kerri Cuevas and Xpresso Book Tours for the review copy of Deadly Kisses.

Friday, April 5, 2013

Book Blast & Giveaway - Sprung by Kelbian Noel

Sprung (Book 2 of the Witchbound Series):

Since she discovered magic, seventeen-year-old Skye Jackson's life is almost perfect. Almost. Even perfect has its glitches.

What happens when the one with all the power makes the biggest mistakes? Welcome to my life.

Four months ago, I couldn’t have been happier. When my parents got divorced, I wasn’t exactly thrilled. Especially when Mom married a guy half her age. But then I found out I wasn’t the average Joana. Discovering magic existed and, best of all, I could use it, made everything easier to deal with. That is until I got a little too spell happy. But what girl wouldn't defend her best friend against a world-class creep? Now I’m stuck in a nightmare, forced to make life and death decisions I never dreamed I’d face.

Love the magic, hate the responsibility.

Amazon | Goodreads

Book Trailer

Roots
Seventeen-year-old Baltimore Land just wants to be normal, but magic has other plans.

I don’t consider myself a witch, that's my parents' thing. I've never really believed in magic either. Sure, I tried it a few times. Fell for the whole “magic happens” thing. But it didn’t happen to me. No amount of rhyming stopped my parents from moving me halfway across the country. Not one spell stopped me from being labeled the town freak.

And worst of all, no matter how many times I begged the Universe to bring my twin back, I was ignored. Until now.

He’s back all right. And in a magical bind of his own. Not the magic-won’t-work-for-me kind either. In fact, it’s working a little too well. Too dark. Too deep.

It turns out our entire family’s magical roots run just as deep and my brother didn’t end up where he is by accident. So I’m going to help him. But magic isn’t really on my side. Nope. Once I finally get the craft under control, I’m expected to abandon the one person in the world who’s closest to me, just to save myself

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Goodreads

Praise for Roots (Book 1):

"I truly enjoyed this story." Jessica, Goodreads

"...a great start to a promising series." Kaylee, Goodreads

"I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. Sprung is already on my "to read" list now!" Stacy, Goodreads

"...the first novel I've read by Kelbian Noel but it sure won't be the last." BellaReadz, Goodreads

"This book was great. It showed a different view of witches." Kristy, Amazon

"A refreshing take on a classic theme." looks and literature, Amazon

Author Kelbian Noel

Kelbian Noel is the author of the Witchbound Series and a blogger at Diverse Pages. She lives in Toronto, Ontario with her two children.

Where to find Kelbian:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Book Blast Giveaway
$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/21/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Thursday, April 4, 2013

April Kindle Fire Giveaway!

Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)

Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)

Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)

Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors

Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7" HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International). Ends 4/30/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. Prize value $199 US.

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Spotlight & Giveaway - Rising Calm by Haley Fisher

Rising Calm

by Haley Fisher

About The Author:

I'm Haley Fisher, a college student in Kansas, and I've just signed a contract with a company called Silver Tongue Press to publish my first book!

For as long as I can remember I've been an avid reader and an aspiring writer, but the step toward actually getting a book published is an enormous one for me. This is a big deal. And, as I've been told, the next step to being successful is getting the word out that my book exists.

So, though it's not in print yet—it's coming out February 14th—I'd love for people to keep an eye out for Rising Calm. It'll be the first in a series of books about a young girl who finds out her life and her fate are far bigger than she ever realized. At the risk of giving too much away, the most I can tell you for now is that there is magic, prophecy, new worlds, and a cast of characters who I love to write.

I'll keep this updated as Rising Calm gets farther and farther along on the path to being published. Until then, I don't have much else to say but thanks for reading!

Website

Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Silver Tongue Press
Release Date: February 14, 2013
Book Description:

On Cara Weaver’s first day at her new high school—merely the next in a long line of new schools—she meets two senior boys: James Sable and Crispin Calaway. They’re new too; they’ve been at the school just longer than she has, and they’ve never made an effort to reach out to anyone. Until she comes. When her friends find out, they’re awed. But Cara can't shake the feeling that there’s more to James and Crispin than the two are telling.

As the days go on, everything at her new home seems to be going better than it has in any of the previous cities she’s lived in. She loves her friends, gets a job at a bookstore, and even starts to spend more time with Crispin and James. She’s happy. But all that begins to change when she comes to realize that the two boys she’s becoming close to are hiding something. It’s then that she knows her unexplainable wariness of them has been justified all along. But she keeps it a secret.

Days later, when a stranger accosts her outside a small shopping center, Crispin and James arrive just in time to help her. But they seem know the attacker. And instead of running him off, Crispin and James take Cara away, for her own protection.

With little explanation, Cara is told that she’s important and that she can’t go home until the boys have sorted some things out. In the meantime, Cara’s world is being turned upside down as she finds out that there is more to her life than she possibly imagined.

Giveaway:

5 Copies of Rising Calm – US/Canada have choice of ebook or paperback, International Winners will receive an ebook.

Follow The Tour Here

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Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Spotlight, Excerpt, & Giveaways: Twisted Tales Series by Stephanie Fowers

With A Kiss
Stephanie Fowers
Series: Twisted Tales, #1
Publication: April 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal (Faeries)

There are seven rules of the faery kingdom that Halley Starr must never break:

1. No trespassing sacred faery territory
2. Don't ever say thank you
3. Using a faery’s given name is a no-no
4. Never break a promise to a faery
5. Faery music is forbidden
6. Resist all faery food
7. And never, never fall in love with a faery

But Halley is cursed. Yeah. No joke. She can barely survive Omak High with that shard of ice in her heart. How could she possibly be a proper godmother and stop Rumpelstiltskin from taking the heir of the faery kingdom? And let’s be honest, there is no way she’ll go with Goldilocks (some hot faery guy) who won’t bother telling Halley his name or that she looks like she’s talking to herself when he’s around. Not a chance.

And really, who can blame her?

If Halley wants her heart back again, she can’t worry about the rules…

Amazon | Goodreads

Only $.99 for a limited time!

Excerpt:

The door opened in the kitchen and a green mist oozed into the room. Daphne coughed on it, but Hobs was right. It wasn’t after her. It sped after us. “How do we stop them?” I cried.

“Are you kidding? They’re immortal! They’re cursed never to die!”

How did you fight something that couldn’t die, whose very touch was death? I chanced a look behind us to see flaming red eyes stare at us through the dark mist filling the air. The grandfather clock began its first strike to nine. Hobs dragged us behind it just as we spied five not-quite women searching us out with jerky movements. At this close range, I could see they couldn’t stop crying. That’s why their eyes were so red. If they were so sad about taking us, then they should go back to where they came from.

Their maws gaped open at an unnatural angle, and they chanted through it—their tongues slithering around their teeth. I couldn’t make the words out, but I could definitely hear them. It sounded like a death rattle. They ducked around the living room furniture, their bodies cutting in and out of the air, howling as they went.

“Get as much distance between us as possible,” Hobs shouted. One of them reached out for me. I shrieked, feeling the cold emanating from the gray, decaying finger. Before it could get to me, Hobs knocked a candlestick against it. The silver warped at the Banshee’s touch and bent to the ground like melted wax.

“Lost, lost, lost,” it sobbed. At such close proximity, I could hear the words, but they didn’t make sense.
“Our treasures, our queen, the child. All lost!”

Hobs picked up a picture of me from the mantle and got ready to smash the Banshee’s face with it. The creature stilled to stare at it. “You like this?” Hobs held up a staying hand at me to keep me back, then advanced on it, holding the picture up like a shield. “Does she look familiar?”

“Honey? What are you doing?” My lovely mother sat in front of the TV in her workout clothes, calmly eating popcorn. I scrambled further back before she could see me hiding behind her grandfather clock. I didn’t want to be thrown into a mental institution. Actually, I might prefer that than to this being real.

“Honey?” a Banshee breathed, mocking my mom’s voice from behind the couch where she sat. I saw the rusting crown resting over hair that once was beautiful; she was their leader. “Stay . . . stay still. Don’t be scared . . . honey.” Her voice deepened into a vicious growl.

“Thief. Thief. Thief.
The rule of Ratis defiled.
For a thief.”

The others chanted the words in a drumming rhythm as the Banshee queen floated over my mother’s head and past the fireplace. Her fingers scraped past the walls in dead silence—like they weren’t really there. The grandfather clock stopped ringing. The face on it cracked as she passed. Tears streamed down her mottled face. My heart lurched—the Banshee queen had killed my mom’s favorite clock. I was dead in more ways than one.

At Midnight
Stephanie Fowers
Series: Twisted Tales, #2
Publication: April 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal (Faeries)
    Stop the clock from striking twelve
     Who is Bridgette anyway?
     1. Loser of Omak High
    2. Girl who rubs her fingers raw working fast food
    3. Victim of the evil stepmother who runs the group home
    4. Not-so-proud owner of a hearth where fire-starting goblins live
    5. Asylum wannabe with occasional schizophrenic episodes
     Not even Bridgette knows. Not that she can do anything about it. Besides, her godmother is supposed to save her, not the other way around! But Halley Starr is a little busy fighting Rumpelstiltskin flunkies and his beanstalk, so her godmother sends some rude faery guy to help Bridgette instead. It’s up to him to make sure she gets that true love’s kiss that will undo the banishment curse, except he seriously knows nothing about love or faery hunters, red riding hood, spindles…or high school!
     Excuse me?
     Even if he did, how is Bridgette supposed to find true love if everyone she loves disappears?

Amazon | Goodreads

As the Sun Sets
Stephanie Fowers
Series: Twisted Tales, #3
Publication: April 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal (Faeries)
     Will it be happily ever after or the end?
     Daphne’s sister and stepsister are in big BIG trouble!
     1. It’s the third and final day
    2. Rumpelstiltskin plans to suck their powers dry
    3. The queen wants them dead
    4. The wolves switched sides
    5. The world is about to end
    6. And did they seriously expect to keep this all from Daphne?
     Oh yeah, A LOT of trouble! Daphne Starr pricks her finger on a spindle and it awakens the power that was always within her. That’s a big time no no! Now Rumpelstiltskin and some evil queen are after her. Even more annoying, the biggest player at Omak High is a shapeshifter and he goes beast on her, dragging her into a beanstalk and getting them stuck in a time-warp. He won’t stop asking her to marry him to get to her powers. I mean, give up already! Sure, it’s cool when she scores matching boots with the weirdo cat, and some cute faery guy accidentally tags along for the ride, but…
     Enough is enough already!
     Halley and Bridgette had better get her out of this—especially since she only has until the battery runs out of her cell phone before she loses…to a beast.

Amazon | Goodreads

Stephanie Fowers loves bringing stories to life, and depending on her latest madcap ideas will do it through written word, song, and/ or film. She absolutely adores Bollywood and bonnet movies; i.e., BBC (which she supposes includes non-bonnet movies Sherlock and Dr. Who). Presently, she lives in Salt Lake where she's living the life of the starving artist. Stephanie plans to share more of her novels, films, and even a musical in the near future. May the adventures begin.

Where to find Stephanie:

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

There are two giveaways for you to enter! The first is for an ebook copy of With a Kiss (INT):

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The second giveaway is tour-wide (US/Canada only), and you could win all three books in paperback!

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Tuesday, April 2, 2013

[Blog Tour] Spotlight & Author Interview - An Affair to Dismember by Elise Sax

Click on the banner to see all the tour stops!

An Affair to Dismember
The Matchmaker Series, Book One
Elise Sax

Genre: Comedic romantic mystery
Publisher: Ballantine (Random House)
ISBN: 978-0345532220
Number of pages: 320
Word Count: About 80,000

Book Description:

Certain to appeal to fans of Janet Evanovich, Jennifer Crusie, and Katie MacAlister, Elise Sax’s hilarious series debut introduces matchmaker-in-training Gladie Burger, who stumbles into a dangerous quagmire of murder and red-hot romance.

Three months has been Gladie Burger’s limit when it comes to staying in one place. That’s why Gladie is more than a little skeptical when her eccentric Grandma Zelda recruits her to the family’s matchmaking business in the quaint small town of Cannes, California. What’s more, Gladie is also highly unqualified, having a terrible track record with romance. Still, Zelda is convinced that her granddaughter has “the gift.” But when the going gets tough, Gladie wonders if this gift has a return policy.

When Zelda’s neighbor drops dead in his kitchen, Gladie is swept into his bizarre family’s drama. Despite warnings from the (distractingly gorgeous) chief of police to steer clear of his investigation, Gladie is out to prove that her neighbor’s death was murder. It’s not too long before she’s in way over her head—with the hunky police chief, a dysfunctional family full of possible killers, and yet another mysterious and handsome man, whose attentions she’s unable to ignore. Gladie is clearly being pursued—either by true love or by a murderer. Who will catch her first?

Book Trailer: http://youtu.be/sox1nLfSEmY

Amazon | BN | Wal-Mart | BooksAMillion | Goodreads

Praise for An Affair to Dismember:

“Elise Sax’s new Matchmaker series is off to a rousing start! . . . Sax gives the comic mystery genre a new spin. . . . A fun read sure to entertain.”—RT Book Reviews

“Fans of laugh-out-loud romantic suspense will enjoy this new author as she joins the ranks of Janet Evanovich, Katie MacAllister, and Jennifer Crusie.”—Booklist

“Elise Sax will win your heart.”—New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis

“In the tradition of Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series, Elise Sax’s new novel is a funny, sexy ride.”—Valerie Frankel, author of Four of a Kind

“What a fun book! It will leave readers begging for more.”—Kim Gruenenfelder, author of There’s Cake in My Future

Elise Sax worked as a journalist for fifteen years, mostly in Paris, France. She took a detour from journalism and became a private investigator before trying her hand at writing fiction. She lives in Southern California with her two sons. An Affair to Dismember, the first in the Matchmaker mystery series, is her first novel.

Where to find Elise:

Welcome to Phantasmic Reads, Elise! It's nice to have you here today!

Thank you so much for having me here!

You've had some interesting careers. What type of journalism were you doing in Paris?

--I mostly did television and radio, based at UNESCO, which is the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. In other words, I interviewed loads of people on all kinds of topics, from the war in Bosnia to fashion shows to the Human Genome Project to genocide in Rwanda.

How did you go from journalism to private investigator?

--I wanted to make more money! And I thought…I can do research, I can interview people. So, I started working for an investigation firm in New York.

Did you have any really strange or interesting cases as a PI?

--Yes! But if I tell you, I would have to kill you.

You mention in your bio that you're taking dance. Is there a specific type you're learning, or is it all different types?

--All different types, but my favorites are swing and salsa. I wanted to learn to dance my whole life and finally one day I walked into Arthur Murray and said, “Give me a good-looking young man to dance with.” And they did!

Where and when do you prefer to do your writing?

--All right. This is just between you and me… I love to write in bed while I watch TV. I doubt Nora Roberts writes that way.

What would you say is your interesting writing quirk?

--Besides writing in bed while I watch TV?

What are your pet peeves?

--Computers losing my work. I have all kinds of backup programs, but it still happens on occasion.

What's your guilty pleasure?

--Oh, that’s a no brainer. CHOCOLATE. Any kind, but See’s is my favorite.

What do you like to do when you're not writing?

--Don’t tell my editor because I’m supposed to always be writing, but I love to read, play the piano, dance, and travel.

Do you have any unique talents or hobbies?

--Yes, but I don’t kiss and tell.

Do you prefer ebooks, paperbacks or hardcover?

--I’ve never read an ebook. I bought a Kindle, but I’m afraid of it. However, I’m sure once I get over the fear, I will love it. For now, my favorite is a big, thick hardcover. A hardcover always feels like a real treat for me.

What are you currently reading, or what did you recently finish?

--I finally read Eat, Pray, Love.

Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?

--I have a duvet. So, making the bed just means straightening out the duvet in the morning. That way, I can be lazy yet relatively tidy.

What are three things you never leave the house without?

--My keys, my sunglasses, my sense of humor.

Is anything in your book based on real life experiences or purely all imagination?

--I get a lot of inspiration from real life weird news stories. And I had a Grandma Zelda, but she wasn’t psychic or a matchmaker.

Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

--The tea shop owner Ruth Fletcher. She says it like she sees it.

How about your least favorite character? What makes them less appealing to you?

--Oh, that’s a hard one! I mean, they are all my creations so it would be like not liking one of my children. Besides, if I don’t like a character, I kill him/her.

Which character speaks the loudest, to you? Do any of them clamor to be heard over the others?

--The series is written in the first person, in Gladie’s point of view. So, it’s her voice that I hear telling the story.

What are some of your favorite books? Do you still have much time to read?

--No, I don’t read nearly as much as I would like to, but I still buy piles of books. I love all genres, from romance and mystery and science fiction to classic literature.

If a fairy godmother told you could be put into the world of your favorite book for 24 hours, which book would you pick and why?

--Oh, I would so love to have a fairy godmother! I would ask her to put me in Outlander before Jamie Fraser meets Claire. Why? To deflower him!

If you could have dinner with any three authors, who would you choose and why?

--Shakespeare (just to hear him speak), JK Rowling (because she is my idol), and God (I mean, he wrote a hell of a bestseller).

How do you get past writer’s block or distractions like the internet?

--I’ll let you know when I figure it out.

Favorite book from childhood?

--The Hotel New Hampshire (I was precocious.)

Do you ever write in your PJ’s?

--Do I ever NOT write in my PJ’s?

Do you have any pets? Would you like to share pictures?

--We adopted a black lab “Dolly” from Labrador Rescuers last year.

Name a place you'd love to visit someday?

--I’ve never been to Bora Bora, but it looks amazing.

Do you have any advice to give to aspiring writers?

--Keep writing. Nobody got published by giving up.

Is there anything that you would like to say to your readers and fans?

--Yes! Thank you so much for reading. I hope you enjoy the Matchmaker series. It’s like a little miracle that the story I write (in my bed while watching TV) can give pleasure to others. I’m very grateful.

Have you ever gone out in public with your shirt on backwards, or your slippers on, and when realizing it, just said screw it?

--Or forgot to wear my bra and my shirt was actually see-through? Or there was food on my face, stains on my clothes? Or my skirt was tucked into my underpants? Uh…Yes.

Speed Round:

The Twitter version: tell us about your book in 140 characters or less:

--An Affair to Dismember is a funny story about Gladie, her psychic matchmaker grandma, sexy love interests, and murder.

Pen or pencil?

--Pen

Milk, white, or dark chocolate?

--Milk

Dogs or cats?

--Dogs

Pie or cake?

--Oh, can I pick both?

Plotter or pantser?

--Plotter

Coffee or tea?

--Coffee with my cake; Tea with my pie

If you could have any superpower what would you choose?

--The power to heal. Oh, that would be a lovely superpower.

Thanks so much for spending time with us today, Elise. It was a pleasure!

Reverse Author Interview - Kristen-Paige Madonia

I'm so excited to be participating in the Reverse Author Interviews, an event that the ladies over at Book Munchies came up with. The tables are turned - authors get to interview bloggers for a change!

This feature will be running Tuesdays and Fridays from now until May 7th. Several authors have provided some great questions for us bloggers. You can still join in, so check out the sign-up post HERE!

Today's questions are courtesy of Kristen-Paige Madonia.

Do you feel more inclined to read a stand-alone novel or a book series when picking your next read?
I enjoy stand-alone novels, but for me nothing beats a great series. If it's a new series to me and I really enjoy it, I end up putting aside whatever my next read would be so I can catch up (or finish) the series. That's part of the reason my TBR list is so long - I get sidetracked!

Another advantage with a series is once you get through the first book where you learn all about the world and get to know the characters, you don't have to learn everything all over again in the next books. With stand-alones, every one you pick up has different characters in a different world. Sometimes that can be a little frustrating as a reader. Or maybe that's just me. :)

Do you have any insight as to why certain books are chosen for book-clubs, and others are passed over? What specific attributes do you look for in a novel when deciding to use it for a group-read?
I'm not sure I'd call it insight, but from what I've seen most books chosen for book clubs or read-alongs are books that are very popular. I've never seen anything chosen that was off the wall, or from some unknown, untested author. I'm no expert on the subject, though. :)

How important is the cover? When it comes down to it, how often do you chose a book to read/review based on the cover art?
The cover is important, but not the only factor in my book-reading decision. There have been many times over the years where I'd see a fantastic cover on a book and grab it immediately. If the blurb is as enticing as the cover, I'll definitely read it (or at least add it to my TBR list!).

I'm not saying if a cover is blah I won't read the book. It's just that, yes, a cover will draw me to a novel. If the synopsis piques my interest, I'll check it out. I've read books with covers and blurbs that were fantastic, and those were the best things about the book. On the flip side, there have been covers that did nothing for me, but the book rocked.

I guess the bottom line here is the cover is important, but it's what's inside that counts. :)

Endings: tied up neatly, or a more realistic ambiguous open-ended conclusion?
With series, I enjoy open-ended conclusions between books. There are some authors who really know how to write a cliffhanger, though. Many times, I read the last page, and then frantically flip pages to see if there's more. If the next book in the series is available, I'll pounce on it.

The ones where the next book isn't so available are ones that have almost gone flying across a room. I have also been known to scream, sob, curse, pout, and rant when a book has 'too good' of a cliffhanger.

Do you feel a YA novel must have some kind of love-interest plot-line (or subplot) to engage readers?
I don't believe any book has to have a love-interest plotline. There are lots of books where romance never enters into it, and that's not a bad thing.

I enjoy romance in a story, but only if it works with the story. There have been times I've wondered if the author just tossed in a romance subplot so they could classify the book as 'romance'. And sometimes I feel the romantic subplots actually detract from the main part of the story.