Month: December 2013
ROMANCE THROUGH THE AGES – JUST 99 CENTS + $25 GIVEAWAY
Coming February 1, 2014
Romance through the Ages brings you SEVEN NOVELS from 7 bestselling authors (including New York Times, USA Today, and Amazon bestsellers). Join us for a fabulous collection.
*7 Romance Novels, 7 Bestselling Authors, 1 Amazing Price*
99 cent Romance Boxed Set for a limited time only!
Running Barefoot by NY Times & USA Today bestselling author Amy Harmon!— Deeply romantic and poignant, Running Barefoot is the story of a small town girl and a Native American boy, the ties that bind them to their homes and families, and the love that gives them wings.
Masquerade by Janette Rallison, who has sold more than 1 million books!— It’s hard for a woman to keep up the masquerade when her boss is as handsome as Slade Jacobson and the job takes her to Hawaii with him. In between handling his whirlwind four-year-old daughter and dealing with a whole cast of Hollywood personalities, Clarissa has to keep a tight hold on her heart.
The Reluctant Bachelorette by Rachael Anderson, Amazon Bestseller!—Unknowingly cast as the bachelorette for her town’s charity event, Shelter’s Bachelorette, Taycee Emerson is in for the ride of her life. Especially when she discovers her old teenage crush, Luke Carney, is one of the bachelors and it’s up to the viewers—not her—to decide which bachelors stay or go.
Pride and Precipitation by Heather Horrocks, Amazon Bestseller!— Breezy Jones is crazy about the weather, rain or shine, which makes her job as the local television station’s meteorologist perfect. That’s before she meets the attractive new general manager, Noah Drake, who is determined to repackage everything—including Breezy’s down-home delivery.
My Own Mr. Darcy by Karey White, Amazon Bestseller!— Lizzie falls hard for Matthew Macfadyen’s Mr. Darcy character and makes a promise to herself that she will settle for nothing less than her own Mr. Darcy. When she meets two men, Chad—a science teacher, and Matt Dawson—who looks and acts like Mr. Darcy, she’s forced to re-evaluate what it was she loved about Mr. Darcy in the first place.
She Owns the Knight by Diane Darcy, Amazon Bestseller!— Why does Gillian Corbett have to travel seven hundred years through time to find a decent guy?… Why can’t Sir Kellen Marshall find a lady who is obedient, submissive… or at least not trying to kill him?
Heart of the Ocean by Heather B. Moore, Amazon Bestseller!— A dark secret . . . a grieving ghost . . . a handsome stranger . . . What more could Eliza Robinson want? Except for maybe her life. When Eliza discovers that Jonathan Porter’s dark secrets may be the link between the dead woman who haunts her and her aunt’s murderer, Eliza realizes that Jonathan is the one man she should never trust.
Giveaway Details
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 2/1/14
Bloggers who put up a spotlight post about these books on their blog can enter to win an additional $25 gift card or paypal cash. See details in the Rafflecopter.
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 and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Thanks for stopping by,
To Kiss a Werewolf Review + Excerpt
To Kiss a Werewolf
Molly Snow
Genre: YA Paranormal Romantic Comedy
Release Date: September 28, 2013
Publisher: Breezy Reads
ISBN: 978-1938327100
ASIN: B00EDQ5UF2
Pages: 288
Goodreads Rating: 4.14
My Rating: 3.5
Book Description:
As president of Paranormal Addicts Anonymous, Stella’s got no time for popular guys. Especially the surfers who hang at Shoreline’s beach—they think flashing a sand-sprinkled, tanned chest is enough to get any girl. But when surfer-hunk Damien Capernalli crashes Stella’s PAA fieldtrip to a haunted bed and breakfast, it may be time to rethink her priorities.
…And what’s with that wolfish gleam in Damien’s eye?
My Take On The Book:
What a cute read. I really laughed… I’m not sure what I expected when I chose to read and review this title, but I can say it was this. (Not really a bad thing) It was a really cute story with some squeal moments but it also felt like it was missing something even with everything that was already going on. Regardless, I did enjoy it.
The Great (Pros):
- Werewolves. I love werewolves! So this story was no different. The werewolves in this book were very teen wolf and their background, sweet. It added to the cute factor and I loved the pack dynamic.
- Stella. Lol this girl is just too much. I liked her attitude. Great lead. I also loved her style.
- Damien. A pretty sweet dude when you look past the egotistical attitude he sometimes shows.
- Kit. She is by far the best character. Who cares if she’s not the main character, she was my favorite.
- Romance. It was cute and funny and innocent. No steam but perfect as is.
- PAA. Paranormal Addicts Anonymous. Genius. I wish I’d have thought of that while in high school. My friends and I loved the read and watch anything Paranormal. Plus the whole group was pretty awesome and their interactions where hilarious.
The Not So Great (Cons):
- Minor Inconsistencies. There were some point that didn’t add up. It kind of felt like the author might have forgotten about them then added some explanation together in a last ditch effort.
- Too much going on. As I said before, there is a lot going on in this story. A lot of paranormal things that I think might actually be the deterrent of this story. I felt bombarded and overwhelmed.
- Speed. It wasn’t fast and it wasn’t slow but matched with everything that was going on it could have done with some speed.
3.5 Quills
It’s a great read, so don’t let the 3.5 scare you off. It’s cute and funny and not to be taken seriously in any way. It’s a unique and intriguing story littered with supes. But it has the cutest ending by far.
An Excerpt From The Book:
Sea salt wafted in the humid sky, the full moon hidden by dark, puffy clouds. Normally, Damien would be feeling on top of the world. A night at the beach, with a pack of friends and girls—one in particular basically throwing herself at him. The typical blonde bombshell cheerleader. Piece of cake. But things weren’t feeling quite right.
Tina wrapped an arm around his, as she sat with him beside the crackling bonfire. She endlessly giggled, even when he wasn’t joking. It was way overboard. She was trying too hard, and suddenly she wasn’t as attractive. Man, why be so serious? he told himself. Just go with it. She’s hot. You like her. She obviously likes you.
But it was hard to let loose when he kept thinking about that girl at his uncle’s pizzeria. She must have known him from school. She had called him by name. So, why couldn’t he put a finger on who she was, what class they may have taken together? He not only knocked her to the ground like a fool, he did something else to anger her. If only he knew what that was… What made it worst of all, he was actually going to accept her request for a date. It’s just that tonight he already had plans with Tina.
A half hour later, Damien was making out with the blonde in his jeep. He was going through the motions, but his head still wasn’t clear. Why was he going to let some random girl from earlier that night ruin his mood? It was so, so irritating. He wished she never walked into his workplace. Whoever she was. Whatever her name was. Tonight could have been so much easier, not being confused over some dark and depressed Goth girl.
As he kissed Tina’s neck, the scent of her floral perfume quickly morphed from soft and seductive to strong and sickening. As if he had licked a bar of soap, he could taste the smell. He pulled back and shook his head, wiping his nose with a shoulder.
Tina’s hands were around his neck the next second. Her fake fingernails lightly pressed into his skin as she pulled him back down. Not wanting to totally ruin the moment, he surrendered, and told himself to get a grip. He moved away from her neck and back to her mouth. Soap. He could still taste her perfume. Nostrils flared and he pulled back again, cringing.
“Come here,” Tina breathed. “Don’t play hard to get now.”
He opened his mouth and panted, hoping to release the flavor. Looking up to the half-moon that peeked through a cluster of dark clouds, he suddenly felt like gagging. In the next moment, he leapt off the girl and ran to the center of some fir trees that bordered the beach.
“What’s the matter?!” Her voice trailed after him.
Damien hunched over and grabbed his knees. Something was wrong. Horribly wrong. He was sure he was going to vomit whatever stomach flu suddenly overtook him, but instead he felt possessed to howl hoarsely into the night: “Owoooo!”
About The Author
Molly Snow is a Top 10 Idaho Fiction Author, awarded by The Idaho Book Extravaganza. Her works include quirky teen romances BeSwitched and Fallen Angel. Also a speaker on writing, her school assemblies have been featured in The Contra Costa Times and The Brentwood Press. Snow is married to her high school crush, has a set of silly twin boys and a bobtail cat named Meow-Meow. Molly Snow also co-writes mysteries under her pseudonym Claire Kane.
Author Links:
Thanks for stopping by,
“I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.”
Ominous Tour: Order of the Seers Book 1 & 2 Review + Giveaway and Never Before Seen Content
On Tour with Prism Book Tours
What would you do if you held
infinite power in the palm of your hand?
Order of The Seers
(Order of The Seers #1)
Cerece Rennie Murphy
Order of the Seers begins with the journey of Liam and Lilith Knight, a brother and sister who are hunted by The Guild, a ruthless world organization that seeks to capture and exploit Lilith s unique ability as a Seer to envision the future. Soon after they are forced to leave their home, Lilith and Liam discover that she is not alone. Other Seers like Lilith are routinely kidnapped and enslaved by the Guild for the purpose of consolidating wealth and power around the world…
The Red Order
(Order of The Seers #2)
Cerece Rennie Murphy
The Quest to Control the Power of the Seers Continues…
‘
see the future, honing their skills to become the ultimate threat against the Lost Seers. But the question remains – will the power of The Red Order be enough to defeat them?
The Red Order continues the epic battle for freedom which began in Order of the Seers, revealing the secret motives behind an organization that exists to exploit and a renegade movement that seeks to usher in the next phase in human evolution.
Cerece Rennie Murphy lives and writes just outside of her hometown of Washington, DC. In addition to completing the Order of the Seers trilogy, Ms. Murphy is also developing a children’s book series titled Enchanted: 5 Tales of Magic in the Everyday, and a 2-part science fiction series set in outer space.
Enter The Giveaways Here:
1 free ebook of Order of the Seers to giveaway at each blog post
(That’s alot of chances to win!)
Raffle 1
Tour-wide Giveaway:
Raffle 2
Thanks for stopping by,
Tour Organized by,
The Skinwalker’s Apprentice Cover Reveal
The Skinwalker’s Apprentice
Claribel Ortega
Release Date: February 24, 2014
Summary:
New York City 1984: It’s Emerald Kipp’s sixteenth birthday, and nothing has changed. She’s still the biggest loser in school, she’s still trying to find a place for herself and yeah, she’s still a witch. Her last year of high school is turning out to be the worst yet, and Emerald thinks it can’t possibly get any worse. Unfortunately for her, she’s dead wrong.
East Hampton, NY 1658: The Pennyfeathers are the black sheep of their small English settlement. As hard as they try to keep the family secrets just that, the magical bunch just can’t seem to fit in. But when a High Priestess witch chooses 16-year-old Margo Pennyfeather as an apprentice, Margo’s luck finally begins to change. What she doesn’t know, is there’s a lot more to her apprenticeship, and to being a witch, than she could ever imagine
Discover the mysterious beginnings of The Empire Witch Series in “The Skinwalker’s Apprentice: An Emerald Kipp Novella.”
About the Author
Claribel Ortega is a graduate of the SUNY Purchase journalism program, and got her start writing for the school’s Independent Newspaper. There, she quickly rose the ranks from editing the student’s often times hilarious ads and ramblings on the back page of the paper to staff and feature writer.
After graduation, Claribel worked as a reporter for The Rivertowns Enterprise, a local paper in lower Westchester County, New York. As a reporter, she enjoyed going to board of education meetings and texting the town mayors about the line at Starbucks.
Today, Claribel works for The Combined Book Exhibit, a book marketing company in Westchester NY.
She lives in New York with her really awesome boyfriend, her suspiciously intelligent yorkie Pancho Villa and is surrounded by an impenetrable fort of books she gets from her job.
“The Skinwalker’s Apprentice” is her first book, and cheese is her favorite food.
Twisted Release Day Blitz
Today is the release day of Twisted (Deathwind Triolgy #1) by Holly Hook!
Twisted
Deathwind Trilogy
Book #1
Holly Hook
Summary:
Sixteen-year-old Allie isn’t like other girls. Instead of spending her summer break sitting around on the beach, she takes the epic vacation of a lifetime.
Tornado chasing.
And she’s not disappointed. Just a few miles from the town of Evansburg, Nebraska, Allie meets her dream of seeing a tornado. In person. She can’t wait to tell her friends back home. Never mind that her parents are going to kill her.
But her dream soon turns into a nightmare, and a strange event leaves her shocked. Confused. When she returns home to Wisconsin, something’s…different. Allie now bears a curse so awful, it could destroy everyone and everything she’s ever known.
With her best friend, Tommy, Allie must return to the plains to find a way to reverse it. She enters a world that she had never imagined, where she becomes a pawn in a fight to save the people of Evansburg from her fate…or to destroy them.
Purchase on Amazon Purchase on B&N Purchase on Smashwords
Teaser
My very first tornado touches the grass of the plains.
I stand next to the van, mouth dropping open, heart pounding. It’s the moment I’ve been waiting for, saved money for, begged my uncle to book us for the Wild Weather Storm Chasing Tours for.
Uncle Cassius swears next to me, equally in awe. It barely cuts over the wind rushing towards the distant funnel. Waves of grass bow down to the twister, whipped down by the surrounding air flying in to feed it. The perfect white cone stands out against the coal sky, slim and graceful. A skirt of dust spins around its base, signaling its dance through a field a few miles away.
“Beautiful!” Kyle, our storm chaser guide, snaps a photo for his website. He steals a glance at me and smiles. He’s all enthusiasm, joy that we’ve found our prey. “Don’t worry. We’re safe. It’s heading to the east. It’ll pass no closer than a couple of miles to our north.”
I want his job someday.
“I’m not scared,” I said, but my shaky voice betrays me. Who am I kidding? Kyle’s an experienced chaser–twenty years–but this is a real tornado. In person. Live. I never realized it would be this intense, this breathtaking. A hollow feeling fills my stomach like I’m plunging down the first hill of a roller coaster.
The tornado curves, almost like it’s leaning to the side for a better look at something. At us? It’s a silly thought, one that makes me laugh. The thunderstorm spins slowly above it, low and menacing. Thunder claps. It’s enough to remind me that the storm in front of me isn’t just beautiful. It’s a predator, entrancing like a cobra and ready to strike.
Good thing there’s no houses or buildings in its way. Only farmland stretches from horizon to horizon.
“Allie. Forget your camera?” Uncle Cassius slaps me on the arm, smiling. It’s a tense smile. So I’m not the only one with some nerves going.
Camera.
Yes. Duh.
I pull it out of my pocket and fumble with the slim case, fingers hunting for the button. The camera zings to life. Behind it, the tornado looms a bit larger, gaining strength and racing across the ground. More dust kicks up around the perfect white of the twister.
“Now I can really prove to everyone at school how crazy I am.” I give Uncle Cassius a nervous chuckle. The camera trembles in my hands as I catch the tornado in my view, click, and seal it in my memory forever.
I’m having the most insane summer vacation of my entire high school.
I lift the camera for another shot, backing up to squeeze the tornado into the viewport. I click another picture and lowered the camera again for another look.
My heart jumps.
The tornado looms larger, taller. Kyle holds his hand up to his face, squinting for a better view. Even Uncle Cassius goes quiet, stiffening and taking a step back towards the tour van.
All at once I understand.
The tornado has changed course.
Kyle turns. Real fear widens his features.
“Get in the van,” he shouts.
* * * * *
The one big thing I can recall from those first ten seconds is the roar, like a distant train growing closer. The wind whips my hair back, trying to pull me back out of the van. It feels like the twister’s right behind me already, coming down for the kill.
I slam the door on it. The funnel’s much bigger behind the glass, so much that I can’t see the top of it anymore.
Uncle Cassius snaps on his seat belt next to me. Kyle starts it up, punches the gas, and gets us back on the road to nowhere.
I toss my camera to the floor. My hands fumble with the seat belt. The van speeds up, slamming me into the seat. The specter of the tornado closes in, whipping across the field towards us. I’ve heard of tornadoes making sudden turns like this but I never realized it could happen this fast. It rips across the field, coming straight at us. My heart beats on a runaway course. My mind locks into overdrive. I feel like that news crew they always have on tornado shows, that one that survived by hiding under that overpass. Will Kyle make us get out and climb under one? They’re actually bad places to hide. That news crew got off lucky. Kyle knows better. He’s been chasing storms longer than I’ve been alive.
Only green and yellow spreads out ahead. No shelter for miles. Worse, no ditches. The radar on Kyle’s laptop is covered in ugly red and orange blotches like Nebraska has sores.
A hole of panic opens up inside me and for the first time, I regret coming on this vacation.
“Can’t you go faster?” Uncle Cassius leans forward in his seat, gaze hard, arms trembling.
Uncle Cassius never loses his cool.
Ever.
Not even when I accidentally set his Persian rug on fire when I was seven and broke my arm at the age of nine.
Outside, the tornado grows so close that I could only see the bottom half of the funnel. The van bounces along every speed bump on the highway, every uneven spot. My stomach heaves. I’m going to be sick right here. It’s my stupid fault we’re in this mess.
“I don’t understand.” Kyle punches the gas harder, making the van jump. He turns his head like Linda Blair in the Exorcist, eyes widening. “The tornado should not be moving this way.”
He’s right. It shouldn’t. But it is.
The funnel reaches the road behind us, twisting harder, kicking up earth higher and higher. We’ve gotten out in front of it. I breathe a sigh of relief. Kyle and Uncle Cassius do the same. It’ll cross the road and forget all about us.
Kyle lets off the gas a little and the whine of the engine calms some. “We’re safe now. That was highly unusual. I’ve never seen a tornado turn like that in my career.” There’s a hint of an apology in his voice.
“Well, that was a close one, wasn’t it, Allie?” Uncle Cassius hugs me from the side.
“Yeah,” I say, willing my heart to slow down. At least I can think straight now. Can I even do another two days of this?
Wow, what a dumb idea this was.
But I still can’t resist another look at the storm. I turn as far as my seat belt allows.
My guts fall out of me all over again.
The tornado’s still on the road, bigger than ever. It can’t be.
The twister has turned again. It’s coming right up behind us. Rolling dust eats the entire highway. There’s tornado taking up the whole view of the back window. Dust rips to the sides. The bottom of its funnel spins with fury, big enough to swallow a house whole. Its roar screams against the outside of the van, shaking the seat, pushing the whole van to the side.
It’s no longer beautiful.
“Ohmigod,” I say, sucking in a breath. “Um…Kyle? Stomp on the gas. Just saying.”
“I know!” he snaps. His knuckles turn white on the steering wheel. The van lurches again but he maintains control.
“Allie, get down!” Uncle Cassius puts his huge hand on my back and pushes me towards the floor. The seat belt cuts into my throat.
What good is it going to do? If the tornado lifts the car–
I’m going to die.
I begged to go on this trip and now Uncle Cassius is going to die too.
The windows shatter with a deafening boom and the wind screams in my ears. AllieAllieAllieAllie…
I can’t breathe.
We’re floating.
Uncle Cassius shouts something. Kyle yells. If I’m screaming, I can’t tell. The storm’s sucking it right out of me. Windy hands seize my arms, my legs.
They pull.
My safety belt snaps, whipping against my leg. I cry out with the sting. The seat disappears under me.
I’m flying.
The tornado’s ripping me right out of the van.
The world turns to a white and brown roar. The van’s gone. I have no time to cry out to Uncle Cassius before the world snaps to black and silence takes the place of all.
About Holly Hook
Holly Hook is the author of the Destroyers Series, which consists of five young adult books about teens who are walking disasters…literally. She is also the author of the Rita Morse series, a young adult fantasy series still in progress, and After These Messages, a short ya comedy. Currently she is writing Twisted, a spin-off of the Destroyers Series due out in December. When not writing, she enjoys reading books for teens, especially ya fantasy and paranormal series with a unique twist.
Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads
Thanks for stopping by,
Class of ’98 Review + Giveaway
Class of ’98
A.L. Player
Genre: YA Romance
Release Date: November 26, 2013
Publisher: Swoon Romance
ASIN: B00GXOOVIO
Pages: 238
Goodreads Rating: 4.17
My Rating: 4
Follow The Tour HERE
Summary:
Jackie Dunn and Matt Stewart barely knew each other in high school, back when she was a blue-haired alterna-kid and he was a preppy jock. High school rules dictated they’d never hang out, or sit at the same lunch table, or God forbid, date.
But when a weird storm transports them from their ten-year reunion back to senior year, they have to work together to figure out a way to get back to 2008.
Stuck in high school, Jackie and Matt agree to tough it out. They agree to do everything exactly as they remember, even though that means staying with the boyfriend Jackie knows will betray her, or playing nice with the girl that will someday be Matt’s ex-wife. Soon, they come to rely on one other, even become friends.
Jackie’s just starting to get used to curfews and term papers again, when Matt hits her with the biggest surprise of all: he’s fallen in love with her. He’ll change the past however he has to if it means a future with Jackie. But Jackie’s terrified they’ll not only alter their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.
Back to the Future meets She’s All That, Class of ’98 is a young adult/adult crossover that will appeal to teens and adults.
My Take On The Book:
With a tagline like “She’s All That” meets “Back To The Future”, how could I possibly pass up the opportunity to review this title? A.L. Player did an amazing job creating this world. It was really easy to get sucked in and refuse to put my kindle down. I genuinely enjoyed this read with all it intricacies and romance.
The storyline was right out of a movie but written in a way that was completely literary. The characters were strongly developed, there wasn’t a moment that you feel the action was unexpected.
Not only did I fully enjoy reading this book but I would love, love, LOVE to see this translated to film.
Before wwe hit those notes, as requested by the author since this is a reunion time travel book here are pictures of yours trully in higschool. Oye Vey! Don’t laugh too hard 😉 I didn’t have a picture from my freshman year, but lets just say I experamented with my hair and I had red bangs and short brown hair, so you’ll have to make due with senior year.
  |
| Sophmore Year, closet raid. Junior Year, shopping spree. Senior Year, yearbook class |
My Notes:
For this story I decided to forgo the normal Pros and Cons list because it just won’t work here due to some of my conflicting emotions on more than one bullet. Trust me I tried… and failed miserably lol. It ended up looking like a slew of contradictions. So you’ll still get the normal bullet format but with my thoughts both negative and positive in one bullet.
- Jackie. Blue haired alterna-girl. Beautiful and spirited, witty and fun. She’s the epitome of a leading lady and a bit stereotypical in the sense that she wasn’t in the “it” crowd. There was so much to like about her, but I’ll admit to the occasional itch to B-Slap her. Her fear is all consuming and after a while, seriously borders on annoying. She constantly second guessed herself and it was exasperating.
- Matt. I really, really liked this guy but he too had his moments of what I call dumbfuckery. He was ridiculously sweet and romantic and utterly daft at times it was frustrating to say the least. Both characters had a case of the yo-yo emotions. Regardless of that, I loved the chemistry between him and Jackie, it was sweet, almost innocent. Fitting better with their high school versions and not quite with their adult versions. I also wish we got a bit more on that and the development of their romance. They were few and in between and while I loved the interactions of other characters, there wasn’t enough of Jackie and Matt together. That on its own made the ‘I love yous’ fall flat to me.
- Allison. Lapse of judgment aside, she seemed like a solid best friend who genuinely loved Jackie.
- Tommy “9 Lives”. Can he get his own book please? Lol, he was hilariously cute even as an adult. Though he was not a main character or an important sub character, his appearance brightened the page!
- The story. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I would love to see this on film. It was very ABC Family, Freaky Friday. With all the element you love about the 90s high school romance flicks. I just wish we got more action and interaction instead of the reflective inner monologue sequences.
4 Quills
Like I said, it was a great romantic high school drama with a splash of comedy. It even had a touch of science fiction (with the whole back in time bit). After reading it, I had to hit up Netflix to watch ‘She’s All That’ and chick-flick it away. A definite giddy page turner that will leave you bummed out that it’s done!
About the Author 
A. L. Player teaches middle and high school English in Atlanta, GA. She lives with her guitar-playing, English-teaching husband and their three crazy rescue dogs. Her last name gets about the reaction you’d expect.
CLASS OF ’98 is A.L.’s first novel.
Author Links:
***GIVEAWAY***
4 – ebooks of Class of 98’ + $10 iTunes gift card (INT)
Thanks for stopping by,
“I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.”
Blog Tour Hosted by:
Taken Book Review & Music Playlist + Giveaway!
class=”MsoNormal” style=”text-align: center;”>
Title: TAKEN (Breaking the Darkness, #1)Author: Felicia StarrExpected Release Date: November 11, 2013Genre: Fiction | YA | Paranormal
Opening her eyes to an imposing prison of complete darkness, Kasha is accused of possessing powers and abilities she had no previous knowledge of until the moment she comes face to face with herself while meditating. Haunted by memories strung together by lies and deceit, she soon discovers that maybe her beloved grandmother kept a few secrets she had not been aware of.
Secrets that could be her salvation… or her undoing.As she struggles to control her newfound powers, only time will tell if they will be enough to help her decipher who has imprisoned her or what they want from her. She must search for the answers and the freedom she so desperately desires. Could a handsome guy whom vows to help her get away prove to be the man of her dreams… or perhaps her worst nightmare?
NOT KNOWING WHO TO TRUST, SHE MUST FIND A WAY TO ESCAPE BEFORE SHE PAYS THE ULTIMATE PRICE AND FINDS HERSELF TAKEN BY THE DARKNESS.
You must betray your heart and walk amongst the darkness in order to find the truest light.
My Review
A Note from the Author:
I did not listen to a specific play list while I wrote Taken. Sometimes I needed to write in the dark and be with the silence or what we think of as silence. I had to really heighten my hearing and tune in to what the darkness sounded like.
When I had to write or edit during the day, I would often plug in and listen to Pandora. This is a playlist of a hand full of songs that I either found myself listening to or that resinated with time and the story.
distinguish how many nights or days had passed. The darkness was different from any I had experienced before. My eyes could not quite adjust.
prepaid a year’s rent for a studio-sized house on a small side street. Santa Fe was appealing because it was close to the last place Gram lived, La Cienega, just outside the city limits. The sad thing is, without employment and friends or family in the new city, no one would miss me.
Author Felicia Starr lives five miles from her favorite Jersey Shore destination with her amazingly supportive family. She loves to spend time creating special memories with her husband and two young boys.
Everyone expected her first publication to be a cookbook, but her love for writing has surpassed her love for cooking.
Felicia graduated magna cum laude from Kean University with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and a post baccalaureate in elementary education.
She is a licensed real estate sales person, a certified yoga instructor, and most importantly, a stay-at-home mom.
Shifting Fate Book Blast
by Melissa Wright
YA/NA Paranormal Romance
Summary
According to prophecy, Brianna Drake was born to save the world. The trouble is, she doesn’t have the slightest idea how. Her visions should have given her the answer, but they’re beginning to shift, making the danger too unpredictable, even for a prophet.
If she can just help her sister restore their hidden powers, she might be able to stop what’s coming. But an old enemy returns, and he’s got plans for Brianna and her visions.
What neither of them knows is that fate has given a stranger one chance to find her. He was trained to protect the chosen—but if he fails, the future will crumble.
Shifting Fate is the second book in the Descendants Series (following Bound by Prophecy) and focuses on Brianna and Logan.
There is a teaser posted here and the first chapter posted here, but beware, it’s full of spoilers from the first book.
Purchase from Amazon. Will soon be release to to iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and most other eBook vendors.
I stayed there for a long while, staring at the dark marble countertop, the tiles inlaid with gold, until all of the voices quieted. When I finally came out, Brendan was waiting for me in the bedroom.
“I’m sorry about this,” he said, indicating the windowless walls around us. “As soon as the security updates are finished, we’ll be moving you to Council.” I could see the idea bothered him more than it should, and the rest of his explanation seemed to be more to convince himself than me. “It’s the best place for you. To keep you safe.”
I nodded.
“I had them bring up some lunch. It’s in the sitting room.”
My stomach turned. “Thanks. I’m not really hungry.”
He didn’t shift; he hadn’t taken his eyes off me at all. “If you’d like to sleep for a—”
“No,” I interrupted. “No, I’m not tired.” I was exhausted—my muscles ached, and my hands still shook—but I didn’t want to be alone.
He held out a hand. “Sit with me then?”
I walked past him toward the sitting room, and his hand fell to the small of my back. I could have sat in the reading chair, but I didn’t. Instead, I took the center of a small sofa where Brendan could settle beside me. His arm came around me, and I curled my legs up, letting him tuck my back against his side.
I shouldn’t have. I knew that. But Brendan cared about me, and it felt good to have someone there.
I stared at the wall across from us, a beautiful Wyeth painting centered over a narrow table. It was probably an original. And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to appreciate it. They had been attacking Council ever since Morgan was taken. We had thought it was in retaliation. We had thought they meant to rescue Morgan. But we were wrong … because they were after me.
I closed my eyes, trying to force a vision to come. It didn’t work that way, but I wanted so badly to finally have this over with, to save my sister and myself. To save everyone. I just needed a clue. One small indicator of how, of what I was searching for in Emily, of what to do.
Brendan’s hand slid down my arm, and I became suddenly aware I’d sunk into him. My elbow rested on his leg, my back against his chest. His cheek brushed my hair, and I went rigid.
“Brianna,” he started, and I was on my feet, nowhere to go but the table across from us.
I could almost feel his presence behind me. I picked up a vase, examining the etched glass, and internally cringed. Nice, Brianna, run over to look at glass.
“Brianna,” he said again, and the hurt in his tone was clear. I had to say something. Do something.
I turned to face him. “I’m sorry.” He was too close. I sat the vase back on the table, stepped one leg behind me. Two would have been too much. Two would have injured him more. I looked into his eyes, so dark they were nearly black, and said, “I like you, Brendan. I do.” Before I could finish, before I could add, “but …” his phone rang.
He answered it. In the middle of our conversation.
After a brief exchange, he slid the cell phone back into his pocket. His gaze found me. “I’m sorry, Brianna, but I have to take care of something.” He glanced at his watch. “I hate to leave you alone, but Aern will be here shortly. There are two men at the door, and the alarms are always on.” He reached up to touch my shoulder. “We will talk soon.”
And then he smiled, clearly only taking the “I like you” from our conversation, before walking out the door.
I stared at it for several minutes, open as it was, before finally falling onto the couch and throwing an arm over my eyes.
I had bigger problems, I knew, so I started populating a list in my head for when Aern arrived. I would do everything I could to resolve our issue. I had a lot of work to do before I could figure out where to start.
by Melissa Wright
YA/NA Paranormal Romance
April 15th 2013
Summary
Twenty-two-year-old Aern is done watching his brother destroy the only thing that matters. He never wanted to take Morgan’s place among council, never wanted to rule their hidden world. But when the key to the prophecy is found, a young girl named Brianna whom Morgan will destroy, Aern knows he has to take action.
What he really wants, is for things to go back to normal. But now he’s kidnapped a girl, and his brother’s men are after him. His only hope is to join with the Division, but they have plans of their own, and it’s the last thing Aern is willing to do.
Emily just wants her sister back. She doesn’t care about the prophecy, or realize what’s at stake. But when she goes after Aern, the truth of the matter uncoils, and Brianna isn’t the only one who’s in danger.
Suddenly, they’re at the center of a secret war, and unless they can work together, they’ll both have a sacrifice too big to make.
You can read an excerpt of Bound by Prophecy here.
Purchase ebook for FREE on Nook and Kindle. Can also purchase from the Book Depository, and in audio at Amazon, iTunes, and Audible.com.
Melissa Wright is the author of the Frey Saga and the new Descendants series. Melissa spends her time working on novels, but when not writing she can be found on Goodreads and Pinterest.
3 – ebook of Shifting Fate (US & INT)
Ends December 15th. Enter via the Rafflecopter below.
Dragon Fire Review + Giveaway
Dragon Fire
(Book #1)
Dina von Lowenkraft
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: August 5, 2013 (ebook)
December 15, 2013 (paperback)
Publisher: Twilight Times Books
ISBN: 978-1606192917
ASIN: B00ECNEZ6G
Pages: 353
Goodreads Rating: 4.29
My Rating: 4.5
Follow the tour HERE
Book Description:
Some choices are hard to live with.
But some choices will kill you.
When seventeen-year-old Anna first meets Rakan in her hometown north of the Arctic Circle, she is attracted to the pulsing energy that surrounds him. Unaware that he is a shapeshifting dragon, Anna is drawn into a murderous cycle of revenge that pits Rakan and his clan against her best friend June.
Torn between his forbidden relationship with Anna, punishable by death, and restoring his family’s honor by killing June, Rakan must decide what is right. And what is worth living – or dying – for.
My Take On The Book:
Wow! I really enjoyed this book, more than I expected to. To be honest, I was a bit lost at first while reading this, there is a lot of back story and I got lost in translation. I felt like there was more to the story and we as readers might have just been plopped into it. The writing style was also different, between the abrupt POV changes and the lingo you can find yourself confused if you don’t slow down.
But fear not, once you get into the swing of things, it’s easy to follow and all is answered with time and patience. And this intriguing book is worth the wait! It’s a beautiful story of love, loss and betrayal.
The Great (Pros):
- Mythology. I loved the lavish descriptions, the dragon mythology and the different types of dragons. They were woven together so perfectly and serve to place you into the beautiful a mysterious world. I also happened to love the non-dragon beings (I can’t delve into that, it would totally ruin the mystery)
- Romance. While it was there and helped to drive the story onwards, it was written in a way that wasn’t overbearing or overindulgent. I loved Anna and Rakan/Pemba! They were well matched I also loved the romance between Dvara/Dawa and T’eng Sten/Torsten there was a lot of unbridled passion there.
- Mystery and Intrigue. One of the reasons I kept turning the page was my need to know what the hell was going on.
- The Cover.It’s just so darn beautiful. It’s exactly how I pictured Anna as I read this.
- The Ending.While it falls a bit on the predictable side, it was done well and it answers most of your questions.
The Not So Great (Cons):
- The Ending. Lol I know I have this as a pro but it is also a con. While many answers were given at the end of this story…You get a whole new lot of questions and a few lingering ones. This book also ends in an open ended fashion. It’s set up with the intent of a sequel BUT nowhere does it say this is a series, a duology or a trilogy.
- Ingrid. Anna’s mom. She just rubbed me the wrong way. I hated reading about her, and more to the point I hate writing about her. I didn’t like how she treated Anna or how she revered her slimy boyfriend Ulf. She doesn’t come off as a loving mother, only an insecure woman who nags and whines. I was literally left feeling as if Anna was some sort of nuisance to her.
- Descriptions. While most of the story is beautifully and intricately woven, there are a couple of moments where that all gets muddled up.
4.5 Quills
All in all this story was beautiful and sensual and very intriguing. Chapter by chapter you’re sucked into this magical world of dragons and mythical creatures. It’s a lovely and enthralling book that I would recommend to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance, fantasy and dragons.
About The Author
Born in the US, Dina von Lowenkraft has lived on 4 continents, worked as a graphic artist for television and as a consultant in the fashion industry. Somewhere between New York and Paris she picked up an MBA and a black belt. Dina is currently the Regional Advisor for SCBWI Belgium, where she lives with her husband, two children and three horses.
http://www.dinavonlowenkraft.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dina-von-Lowenkraft/551209381555837
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7123641.Dina_von_Lowenkraft
https://twitter.com/vonlowenkraft
http://pinterest.com/vonlowenkraft/
Enter The Giveaway Here
10 E-book Copies (INT)
2 Print Copies (US Only)
Thanks for stopping by,
“I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.”
Mine to Tarnish Book Blitz Giveaway + Excerpt
Mine to Tarnish
(Mine .5)
Synopsis:
Katherine’s place is the same as any woman’s—on the shelf next to the dresses and bolts of cloth. When she’s sold to a warlock, life grows even bleaker. Her new owner is as old and rancid as he is cruel, driving her to do the unthinkable: run.
Nothing prepared her for being on her own. And she’s definitely unprepared for the warlocks hunting her down. But she must stay one step ahead because if caught, the best she can hope for is death.
Available from:
Advance Praise:
Although this novella is a little over a hundred pages, it packs a big punch. When you are as excellent at stringing words together as Janeal Falor is, the emotion and action are concise and clear. ~ Terrie a Librarian
Excerpt From The Book
“Where’s your owner?” a male asks. Probably a tarnished by the looks of his drab trousers, but I don’t dare look up. Now would be the worst possible time to be caught breaking a rule.
“He’s…” Where? Where? Think of a good lie. Think! “Not here.”
That was not a lie.
The male lowers his voice. “Is that so?”
I nod. Of all the times to not find a lie worth believing, it has to been when I depend upon it the most.
“Do you have a delivery?”
“No.”
“Then why are you here?” he sounds exasperated. I can’t blame him. I’m being rather unhelpful, but this is all so new and what if it is wrong? What if he won’t help, but instead, takes me back to my owner?
“I’m sorry. I believe this is the wrong house.”
As I move to go, I finally chance glancing at him through my lashes. My breath catches. It is a tarnished. Bald with ink slashed across his nose, cheeks, and forehead. Most definitely a male, his muscles visible even beneath loose clothes. With a very stern look on his ink chiseled face.
“Are you certain? You seem like you could use help.”
I could use help. I need help. I wish so desperately that he could help.
About the Author
Janeal Falor lives in Utah where she’s finally managed to live in the same house for more than five years without moving. In her spare time she reads books like they’re nuts covered in caramel and chocolate, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and enjoys the outdoors. Her husband and three children try to keep up with her overactive imagination. Usually they settle for having dinner on the table, even if she’s still going on about the voices in her head.
Author Links:
Enter The Giveaway Here
Adventures in Ink (Reviews) 