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Last Sacrifice
My Soul to Take
My Soul to Save
My Soul to Keep
My Soul to Steal
Wings
Spells
Illusions
Sing Me to Sleep
Girl Stays in the Picture
The Eternal Ones
Beastly
Ash
Huntress
Secret Society
The Trust
Ascendant
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0.4
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Monday 30 December 2013

Promo and GIVEAWAY: The Forgotten Ones- Laura Howard


Title: The Forgotten Ones

Author: Laura Howard

Genre: New Adult Fantasy

Series: The Danaan Trilogy #1

Published: April 28, 2013


Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.


What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.










Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.








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Review #198: Asylum- Madeleine Roux


Title: Asylum
Author: Madeleine Roux
Pages: 310
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Summary: Asylum is a thrilling and creepy photo-novel perfect for fans of the New York Times bestseller Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children.

For sixteen-year-old Dan Crawford, New Hampshire College Prep is more than a summer program—it's a lifeline. An outcast at his high school, Dan is excited to finally make some friends in his last summer before college. But when he arrives at the program, Dan learns that his dorm for the summer used to be a sanatorium, more commonly known as an asylum. And not just any asylum—a last resort for the criminally insane.

As Dan and his new friends, Abby and Jordan, explore the hidden recesses of their creepy summer home, they soon discover it's no coincidence that the three of them ended up here. Because the asylum holds the key to a terrifying past. And there are some secrets that refuse to stay buried.

Featuring found photos of unsettling history and real abandoned asylums and filled with chilling mystery and page-turning suspense, Madeleine Roux's teen debut, Asylum, is a horror story that treads the line between genius and insanity.
Review: I have been hearing a lot about this novel (more so around Halloween) and I thought it sounded really cool plus had creepy as shit photos in it. I feel like the premise of this novel was better than the actual book. There weren’t really any scary parts and I don’t feel like the photos added anything to the story because they didn’t really match up. I still don’t understand if the characters relation to the patients is important at all. Also, the Daniel Crawford mystery was never really solved, leading me to believe that this will be a series. 
I didn’t like these characters. Dan was like a nothing character. There were no greats, he was just there. Abby was thorn in just to be a love interest which, by the way, was not very believable. And Justin was so bipolar I wanted to smack him! They just became instant friends but continually fought. The only interesting character was Felix and now I know why.
This story was very “meh” for me. There was nothing special about it. It was a quick and easy read but the ending left me very frustrated and confused. I will probably read the next book just to see what will happen, but I am not sure if I would recommend this one to others.



About this author


Author of Allison Hewitt Is Trapped, Sadie Walker Is Stranded and the upcoming ASYLUM.

MADELEINE ROUX received her BA in Creative Writing and Acting from Beloit College in 2008. In the spring of 2009, Madeleine completed an Honors Term at Beloit College, proposing, writing and presenting a full-length historical fiction novel. Shortly after, she began the experimental fiction blog Allison Hewitt Is Trapped. Allison Hewitt Is Trapped quickly spread throughout the blogosphere, bringing a unique serial fiction experience to readers.

Born in Minnesota, she now lives and works in Louisiana.

Review #197: Looking for Alaska- John Green


Title: Looking for Alaska
Author: John Green
Pages: 221
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Summary: BEFORE. Miles "Pudge" Halter is done with his safe life at home. His whole existence has been one big nonevent, and his obsession with famous last words has only made him crave the "Great Perhaps" (François Rabelais, poet) even more. he heads off to the sometimes crazy, possibly unstable, and anything-but-boring world of Culver Creek Boarding School, and his life becomes the opposite of safe. Because down the hall is Alaska Young. The gorgeous, clever, funny, sexy, self-destructive, screwed-up, and utterly fascinating Alaska Young, who is an event unto herself. She pulls Pudge into her world, launches him into the Great Perhaps, and steals his heart.

AFTER. Nothing is ever the same.
Review: So I have been hearing a lot about John Green and how awesome he is, but honestly, I wasn’t impressed. I really had to push myself to get into this book and to finish it. I couldn’t connect with the characters or the story. Well, if you could even call that a story. I wasn’t really sure what the point of the book was. Basically I found the boys to be big pansies who were controlled by a bitchy teenage girl. Alaska was a “party” girl who thought she was Queen Shit and I guess everyone else did too. She didn’t really think of the consequences to her actions, and in the end it was her undoing. For my sake, I hope John Green’s others books are better because I have a few of them. I would still recommend this book to others just because I don’t want my opinion to affect whether they read it or not.



About this author





John Green's first novel, Looking for Alaska, won the 2006 Michael L. Printz Award presented by the American Library Association. His second novel, An Abundance of Katherines, was a 2007 Michael L. Printz Award Honor Book and a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Prize. His next novel, Paper Towns, is a New York Times bestseller and won the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best YA Mystery. In January 2012, his most recent novel, The Fault in Our Stars, was met with wide critical acclaim, unprecedented in Green's career. The praise included rave reviews in Time Magazine and The New York Times, on NPR, and from award-winning author Markus Zusak. The book also topped the New York Times Children's Paperback Bestseller list for several weeks. Green has also coauthored a book with David Levithan called Will Grayson, Will Grayson, published in 2010. The film rights for all his books, with the exception of Will Grayson Will Grayson, have been optioned to major Hollywood Studios.

In 2007, John and his brother Hank were the hosts of a popular internet blog, "Brotherhood 2.0," where they discussed their lives, books and current events every day for a year except for weekends and holidays. They still keep a video blog, now called "The Vlog Brothers," which can be found on the Nerdfighters website, or a direct link here.

Review #196: Truth- Julia Karr


Title: Truth
Author: Julia Karr
Pages: 299
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: An exciting dystopian thriller, and sequel to XVI

Nina Oberon's life has changed enormously in the last few months. When her mother was killed, Nina discovered the truth about her father, the leader of the Resistance. And now she sports the same Governing Council�ordered tattoo of XVI on her wrist that all sixteen-year-old girls have. The one that announces to the world that she is easy prey to predators. But Nina won't be anyone's stereotype. And when she joins an organization of girls working within the Resistance, she knows that they can put an end to one of the most terrifying secret programs the GC has ever conceived. Because the truth always comes out . . . and the consequences can be deadly.

Review: I recently purchased this book excited to read it after having read XVI and really enjoying it. It was okay. Nothing really happens until the last, maybe, 50 pages and then everything happens at once. And the worst part is the book just ends without telling you anything. Everyone disappears to different places, but where? What will happen to the “Media” now that the leader was exposed? Why didn’t Nina and her sister just live with their dad from the start? Will they ever tell Dee that he is her father? Gah! SO many unanswered questions, it’s driving me nuts!
So besides all of the unanswered questions, the book was okay. There were a couple of intense parts. So I really hope that there is another book so I can find out what will happen to everyone. Also, who will Nina choose?

Review #193, 194 & 195: The Hunt Trilogy- Andrew Fukuda


Title: The Hunt
Pages: 293
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Summary: Don't Sweat. Don't Laugh. Don't draw attention to yourself. And most of all, whatever you do, do not fall in love with one of them.
Gene is different from everyone else around him. He can't run with lightning speed, sunlight doesn't hurt him and he doesn't have an unquenchable lust for blood. Gene is a human, and he knows the rules. Keep the truth a secret. It's the only way to stay alive in a world of night-a world where humans are considered a delicacy and hunted for their blood.
When he's chosen for a once in a lifetime opportunity to hunt the last remaining humans, Gene's carefully constructed life begins to crumble around him. He's thrust into the path of a girl who makes him feel things he never thought possible-and into a ruthless pack of hunters whose suspicions about his true nature are growing. Now that Gene has finally found something worth fighting for, his need to survive is stronger than ever-but is it worth the cost of his humanity?
For the first time in paperback,Andrew Fukuda's The Hunt is the opening book in a stunning, standout YA series that's perfect for fans of The Hunger Games.
Review: Okay, so I won this book, book two & book three from Goodreads First Reads and I had the perfect opportunity to read them when I joined the Christmas Book-Tube-a-thon on Youtube, twitter, etc.
OMFG!! What did I just read? My mind is blown!! This book is so friggin intense! Like heart pounding, nail biting, sitting on the edge of my seat, I want to pee my pants kind of book! There is action on every page! This book had twists and turns around every corner and I was forever being surprised.
These characters were awesome! Gene never gave up, even when his future looked black. When he met other humans he always put them above himself and would try to help them no matter what. Ashley Jean was also an interesting character. I’m surprised she actually lasted as long as she did. LOL I just don’t know how they didn’t know about each other sooner.
I can’t wait to read the rest of the trilogy to see where their store goes. What a rude way to end a book! LOL. Like a giant secret was exposed!! Just craziness! I would recommend this novel to lovers of both paranormal/sci-fi and dystopian.




Title: The Prey
Pages: 304
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: For Gene and the remaining humans—or hepers—death is just a heartbeat away. On the run and hunted by society, they must find a way to survive in The Vast... and avoid the hungry predators tracking them in the dark. But they’re not the only things following Gene. He’s haunted by the girl he left behind and his burgeoning feelings for Sissy, the human girl at his side.

When they discover a refuge of exiled humans living high in the mountains, Gene and his friends think they’re finally safe. Led by a group of intensely secretive elders, the civilisation begins to raise more questions than answers. A strict code of behaviour is the rule, harsh punishments are meted out, young men are nowhere to be found—and Gene begins to wonder if the world they’ve entered is just as evil as the one they left behind. As life at the refuge grows more perilous, he and Sissy only grow closer. In an increasingly violent world, all they have is each other... if they can only stay alive.
Review: I received this book free from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review. This was the second book that I chose to read for the Christmas Book-tube-a-thon. The Prey is also the second book I have gotten to enjoy by the amazing Andrew Fukuda. Now, I have to admit, I didn’t find this installment as good as book one. I just didn’t find it had as much action, it was more giving the background story which would have been okay if book one hadn’t been so amazing. In this book I noticed Gene cared about himself and his safety more. Obviously you would have yourself survive but really? At least pretend you want to help them. Sissy is more concerned about others safety. I like her better. LOL. Another great book from Andrew Fukuda. I would recommend this book to dystopian and paranormal readers.



Title: The Trap
Pages: 320
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: From author Andrew Fukuda comes The Trap, the explosive finale to The Hunt trilogy—perfect for fans of The Hunger Games!

After barely escaping the Mission alive, Gene and Sissy face an impossible task: staying alive long enough to stop an entire world bent on their destruction. Bound on a train heading into the unknown with the surviving Mission girls, Gene, Sissy, David, and Epap must stick together and use everything they have to protect each other and their only hope: the cure that will turn the blood-thirsty creatures around them into humans again. Now that they know how to reverse the virus, Gene and Sissy have one final chance to save those they love and create a better life for themselves. But as they struggle to get there, Gene's mission sets him on a crash course with Ashley June, his first love . . . and his deadliest enemy.
Review: I won this book from Goodreads First Reads in exchange for an honest review. This is also my third read in the Christmas Booktube-a-thon challenge. 
Again this novel carried on from where the second book left off. And again, this book wasn’t as good as the first. The biggest reason for me was “WTF was that ending?!?”. Is it just me, or does it feel like Andrew Fukuda got bored and wrote a shit ending? Like there was so much potential and then “LAME”. I feel like it was a huge cop out on his part. I still had so many questions. Like what happened to Gene’s father, for real? Where did Ben go? Did they ever meet up? Did they repopulate? Gah!! So frustrating! But despite this, The Hunt was a good read and I would recommend it to other dystopian and paranormal lovers. But I would stop after the first book lol. Maybe he will have a spin, no HOPEFULLY he will make a spin off so then I will know what the hell happened to them.



About this author

Born in Manhattan and raised in Hong Kong, Andrew Fukuda is half-Chinese, half-Japanese. After earning a bachelor's degree in history from Cornell University, Fukuda worked in Manhattan's Chinatown with the immigrant teen community. That experience led to the writing of Crossing, his debut novel that was selected by ALA Booklist as an Editor's Choice, Top Ten First Novel, and Top Ten Crime Novel in 2010. His second novel, The Hunt, the first in a new series, was bought at auction by St. Martin's Press and will be published in May 2012. Before becoming a full time writer, Fukuda was a criminal prosecutor for seven years. He currently resides on Long Island, New York, with his family.

From the author's website.

Review #192: Silent Orchids- Morgan Wylie


Title: Silent Orchids
Author: Morgan Wylie
Pages: 238
Series: The Age of Alandria
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Summary: A dying realm.

The ancient evil of the Droch-Shúil has been unleashed.

The Orchids have been silenced… but for how long?

Daegan, elite of the Ferrishyn warrior tribe of Faeries, is charged with a mission to find the Sol-lumieth, a mysterious new power that could change the fate of all in the realm of Alandria. But he is conflicted by his purpose, and he cannot trust the motives of those he serves. He has too many questions and they must be answered.

Kaeleigh, a girl abandoned as a small child just outside Missoula, Montana, is now 18. She is trying to discover who she is and where she belongs. In her heart, she feels she has family out there… somewhere. Desperate to unravel the mysteries of her past, she embarks on a journey that will forever change her along with her two best friends, Finn and Chel—who have secrets of their own.
Review: I grabbed this book on Amazon when it was free because it sounded interested and I really liked the cover. Also it was picked for this weeks book of the week in our book review group.At the beginning of this novel I had no idea what was going on and how the two “worlds” would collide, but when they did it blended perfectly. Although I didn’t like being strung along. I want to know everything right now! I hate waiting. LOL. Morgan Wylie definitely created a word that I could get lost in and I can’t wait to see what happens next in this epic read. And talk about a cliffhanger! Like, what was that?!? How could she be so cruel to end the story there?I really enjoyed all of the characters but I can tell they are all keeping secrets and I don’t know who I can trust. I am very excited to learn more about Kaeleigh. What/Who is she? Daegaen is a hottie, but I feel like he has a dark past. Finn is a strange character because he is very open with Kaeleigh but is also super mysterious. Chel is such a sweet girl and wears her heart on her sleeve and you can tell she really loves Kaeleigh as a friend. I’m predicting some sort of love triangle in the future. And HELLO bombshell new character at the ending! I need an explanation like yesterday! This was a great start to the series. It blended two worlds seamlessly and had the perfect amount of mystery to have me keep on reading. I literally will be reading the second book very soon! I NEED to know what will happen! I would recommend this novel to fantasy lovers.

About this author


Morgan Wylie, originally from the Pacific Northwest, now resides near Nashville, TN with her husband and daughter. She and her husband work everyday at their individual and combined creative pursuits while she learns to balance being “Mama”, wife, and mediator to the many voices and muses constantly chattering in her head.

You can find her and news on her books at the following:

MorganWylie.net
MorganWylieBooks on Facebook
@MWylieBooks on Twitter
Info@MorganWylie.net Email

If you are interested in requesting an ARC, please contact my publicist at Kpsimmon@gmail.com

Review #191: A Broken Fate- Cat Mann

Title:  A Broken Fate
Author: Cat Mann
Series: A Beautiful Fate
Rating: 4/5 Stars

















Summary: Coping with the traumatic experiences Ava endured with the Kakos is more challenging than she ever imagined it to be. She finds herself struggling to remember the details of her time kept away with Damien Kakos and when the memories assault her mind, she is plagued with crippling fear. There is something in the back of Ava’s thoughts screaming at her, telling her that the fight with the devil’s brood has not yet ended.

Newly married, Ava and Ari deal with issues involving trust, honesty and faith in one another and as they plot their course for a new life together, they discover that their individual wants and needs don’t exactly match. Ari’s promises to Ava begin to break. Some of the Alexander’s family secrets are revealed and Ava realizes that she needs to keep her friends close, and her enemies even closer.

A Broken Fate, the second novel in The Beautiful Fate Series, dives further into Ava and Ari’s nail-bitter of a story and adds even more suspense, mystery, romance and thrills. This series is impossible for any reader to resist.

Review: I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
This is the second novel in the Beautiful Fate series by Cat Mann that I have been lucky enough to read and review. A Broken Fate starts right where book one, A Beautiful Fate, ended. I’m still loving the mythology aspect of the story and how it’s not the “standard” Greek mythology characters. I didn’t like this book as much as book one because I didn’t feel that there was as much action but it was still an awesome read.
I loved the little spats that Ava and Avi had, although sometimes they seemed a bit silly. This might sound bad, but I enjoyed watching Ava struggle with what had happened to her, but I was glad when she was coming to terms with everything. I can’t wait to watch Max and “others” grow up. I did find that I had known who the “bad guy” was and it didn’t shock me.
I can’t wait to read more books by this talented author. I would absolutely recommend this novel to mythology lovers.


About this author


Cat Mann is an Illinois author who writes teen and adult romance. She is happily married to a genius of a man and together they are raising two beautiful daughters.
With her dog at her side, Cat obsessives over French music, witty films and lengthy novels.
Cat’s books have been listed on numerous Amazon bestseller lists, including the Amazon Top 100, Literature & Fiction Fantasy Based Novels, as well as being a top contender in Mythology & Fairy Tales.

To find out more about Cat’s projects and get dates on upcoming releases, find her on Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/authorcat.mann and follow her blog, http://authorcatmannblog.blogspot.com/.

Sunday 29 December 2013

Review 189-190: The Inferno Unleasehd series- Jake Bonsignore


Summary: Fourteen-year-old Breena Taljain’s dreary existence in the slums of Purgaire comes to a sudden end when a chance encounter with a criminal mastermind known as the Patriarch goes horridly wrong. His assault on her for refusing to pay for her mother’s addiction leaves her comatose and teetering on the edge of life and death.

Galbrecht Atalir is a washed-up doctor struggling to overcome his inner demons through alcohol and aggression. He never quite recovered from the unsolved murder of his family seven years prior. When he discovers Breena as his newest patient, he knows at once that the Patriarch is the one who eluded him for almost a decade.

The medicine Galbrecht gives Breena draws her into a heavenly paradise. When it ebbs away, though, the recurring trauma plunges her into treacherous hinterlands. There, Breena must learn to find power in courage, hope, and love to overcome fiends of hatred bent on permanently ending her existence.

With justice burning in his heart, Galbrecht begins a race against time to seek out the Patriarch in the underworld before Breena loses her struggle against the ever-darkening terrors of her mind….
Title: Empyreal Illusions
Author: Jake Bonsignore
Pages: 279
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review: This book was another read in my review book group. Unlike a lot of other reviewers, I loved the beginning of this book. I fell right into the world. The part that I had trouble with was once Breena arrived in Araboth. I couldn't tell what was real or not, even though it was flashing back and forth. I did enjoy the world that Jake Bonsignore created and all of the different creatures he described. I do wish we had gotten more information on Purgaire and more background on Breena's mother and father, like how they met. Also I. Feel like there were a lot of loose ends and hopefully they get tied up in the next book.
I really liked Breena at the beginning of the book, I feel like she is very matured or her age and she was very brave. I feel bad that her life was so crappy and that her mom was such a loser. I want to know how and why her mom got addicted. Also why did Galbrecht fall off the face of the earth? He disappears and we don't hear about him again. Hopefully he will make an appearance in book two. Verku was my favourite character, I just felt drawn to him and his protector ways. I kind of hope he shows up in the "real world" so him and Breena can hook up haha.
I really enjoyed this epic fantasy read and I am excited to get started on book two. I have quite a few unanswered questions that I want answered. I would recommend this novel to fantasy lovers.


Summary: Breena Taljain’s idyllic days in Araboth came to a skidding halt when circumstances forced her into the dangerous hinterlands. The dire sacrifice she made to protect her comrades tainted her heart with hatred and despair. To cleanse herself she must outrun Death’s relentless pursuit and venture into the bleak unknown. With the odds stacked against her, stumbling into love when she least expects it may very well be her saving grace.

Meanwhile, succumbing to the Patriarch’s devious traps has Galbrecht Atalir questioning his motives. The folly of his recklessness has left him physical scarred and mentally traumatized. Now he must overcome more adversity as the wrath of the Sin Ministry bears down upon him. He will need more than wits and quick fists to find the truth he has sought for seven years.

Alas, every second Breena is apart from Galbrecht draws her further into strife. With her world rapidly crumbling inwards, she puts everything on the line for a last stand against the ruthless force that threatens to destroy all she holds dear….
Title: Awakening The Fire
Author: Jake Bonsignore
Rating: 4/5 Stars
Review: This is the second novel in The Inferno Unleshed series by Jake Bonsignore and it was week 10's read in my book a week review group. I had the privilege of reading. Book one, Empyreal illusions last week and I loved how this book continued seamlessly from the first. I feel like I could connect o this book better than the first one because I "knew" the difference between the two worlds and I wasn't as confused. Everything was finally making sense haha. I just found it to flow so much better than the first. But I still found that I. Had some unanswered questions.
Breena really stepped up her "bad ass" in this novel. She didn't take shit for anyone. She grew up so fast over these two novels. Also she came into her own, power wise. Il iked learning about Galbrecht's family, it was some of the information that I had been craving. I do feel like his story to the back burner to Breena's and I liked it that way. I just really want to now how Breena's parents meet and how her mom became addicted. Maybe someday, fingers crossed.
This was a great ending to the series , it really wrapped up the loose ends. I can't wait to read more books by Jake. I would recommend this novel to fantasy lovers.

About this author
Jake Bonsignore is the author of multiple novels, including Empyreal Illusions, Awakening the Fire, and The Lioness. He is a graduate of the University of South Florida with magna cum laude honors. Outside of his literary pursuits, he enjoys playing sports and is a fitness enthusiast. He is currently working on his next book.

Tuesday 24 December 2013

Release Day Blitz: Fractured Innocence- Julia Crane


Fractured Innocence
(IFICS #2Freak of Nature)
By Julia Crane
Release Date: December 24, 2013


Blurb/Synopsis

*Warning 17+ due to sexual gritty topic and language. 

Kaitlyn and Erik are sent on a mission to track down Vance Dasvoik, a ruthless monster. His latest thrill—abducting and selling young women.

Vance's current victim: Aaliyah, a seventeen-year-old who never imagined walking her brother home from school one evening would change her life forever.

The mission quickly turns personal for Kaitlyn when she finds Aaliyah beaten, her mind and soul fractured from abuse of the worst kind. Kaitlyn knows firsthand what it's like to be haunted by the past and resolves to bring justice to the elusive Dasvoik.



Excerpt
#1
This couldn’t be reality. Had they really been abducted? No! No! No! Please let this be a dream. A nightmare. Please let me wake up and find myself in my own bed. Things like this didn’t happen, not to her. Not to her brother! Certainly not in America. 
Her family didn’t have money, so she knew this wasn’t about ransom. 
Without moving she scanned the room trying to gain her bearings. She was curled up on the floor in the corner of a small room, that much was obvious. Her body ached. She tried to straighten her legs out but they remained bent. She couldn’t even push herself up to sitting.
The walls were white and metal filing cabinets lined the walls. A large wooden desk sat off to the left with a computer. No windows. No pictures or paintings on the wall. Nothing personal whatsoever.   
Her eyes continued to dart around the room, finally settling on the men. They were large, wore dark suits and looked scary. One was tall with a hook nose and curly blond hair, the other was short but muscular with a bald head. They were not the same men from the car. 
Desperately she tried to fight the panic that rose in her chest once she realized her brother was not in the room with them. Where was he? At least she knew he was alive from their comments. Too young? For what? So many questions and no answers. Maybe if she could figure out where they were they could escape. 

Book Link:
Goodreads


Author Bio

Julia crane is the author of the Coexist: Keegan’s Chronicles. She has a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Julia has believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Growing up her mother greatly encouraged reading and using your imagination. Although she’s spent most of her life on the US east coast, she currently lives in Dubai with her husband and three children.

Author Links:
Amazon
Facebook Author Page
Goodreads
Blog/Website
Twitter

To follow the Release click below

Giveaway

For your chance to win an ecopy of Fractured Innocence by Julia Crane, please leave a comment on each Blog Page participating in the Release.

Thursday 19 December 2013

Book blitz: Mabe's Burden- Kelly Abell







Blurb

Hot tempered, Mabe O'Banyon will do whatever it takes to keep the family's Irish pub, Shenanigans, out of the mob's dirty hands. She quickly learns, though, their attorney and the bank will offer no help. So, she calls in the reinforcements--Mara and Meg. She hasn't seen her two sisters for years, but her desperate message brings them running.
Commercial real estate developer, Aaron Shaw has a secret. He arrives in Monticello, FL, expecting to purchase a quaint Irish pub and move on to his next conquest. But the transaction doesn't take place as planned--in fact, it doesn't take place at all. The hardheaded owner--a stunning redhead with curves that don't quit--isn't selling. 
With time running out and the mob on their heels, Aaron wants nothing more than to save the woman he's fallen for from impending danger. Mabe is torn between a man she loves but can't trust and the need to hold on to her family's pub. Their choices lead them down a path neither could have guessed.

One-liner if you need it
While being threatened by the mob, a hot-headed barkeep goes toe-to-toe with a real estate developer who wants to save her and falls head-over-heels...until she learns he's been keeping a horrible secret. 

My links
website
www.kellyabellbooks.com
Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Kelly-Abell/83527376788?ref=hl
Twitter
www.twitter.com/kellyabellbooks

Buy Links
http://www.amazon.com/Mabes-Burden-Saving-Shenanigans-Kelly-ebook/dp/B00H1UXFWC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1386069369&sr=1-1&keywords=Mabe%27s+Burden

Smashwords Buy Link
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/383851

Excerpt - When Mabe meets Aaron Shaw for the first time
The door to the pub swung open for a tall, ebony haired man wearing an expensive tan suit. Mabe straightened. Riveted, she stared at his strikingly angular face. His chin, grooved by a slight dimple, struck her as sexy.
His gaze roamed the bar, settling on her. Warmth radiated through her entire body. Never had she felt such an intense attraction to a man. Who the hell is he? She didn’t recall ever seeing him in the pub. Her nerves tingled. Resembling a panther, he wove his way through the crowd. Slightly ashamed of her attraction to a strange man at her father’s wake, she turned her back, resuming her position behind the bar. She spoke to several patrons, mentally noting their drink orders on her way.
“No one could pull a pint like your da,” an old grizzled man at the end of the mahogany counter stated. “Smooth like silk he was.”
Mabe smiled. “He was, Angus. We’ll miss him.” She handed a frothy mug to the man. “Here you go. Enjoy that.”
“I will,” Angus declared, raising his glass to her. “To many years.”
She picked up a glass of Coke, clinked it against Angus’s mug. “And to you.”
“I’ll have one of those if you don’t mind,” a deep voice spoke from behind her.
Turning, ready with a flirty response on her tongue, she came face to face with her handsome stranger. His eyes matched the deep rich mahogany of the bar. His smile, while slightly crooked, seemed genuine and swept the words right out of her brain.
“Uh…sure. Name your poison.”
“Guinness?”
Mabe nodded, pulled the beer, scraping the foam from the top. “I’ve never seen you here before. What’s your name, and how did you know my dad?”
His gaze caught hers, sympathy reflected in his eyes. She tried to look away, but she couldn’t. The man was a god.
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Thanks. He will be missed for sure.”
“I just realized…this is his wake, isn’t it? A private party?”
She nodded. “It is.”
The man smiled gently. “I’m sorry. I’m afraid I’m intruding. I should go.”
She set the beer in front of him. “Nah, we’re all friends here. It is a private party, but stay if you’d like.” She gestured. “Those are my sisters Meg and Mara. We own the place now.”
“It’ll be hard to run it without your father, won’t it?”
Mabe sighed, leaning on her elbows. “It won’t be the same, for sure, but we’ll do okay. It’ll take some work….” She glanced lovingly around the pub with all its Irish paraphernalia adorning he walls. “Da, loved this place. I grew up here. It’s our place. We’ll make it work.”
She shivered, feeling his intense stare. Her skin burned under the laser scan of his eyes. Her pulse jumped. If the room were empty except for the two of them, he’d be in some serious trouble. He took a sip of the Guinness, still staring at her over the mug.
She licked her lips then broke the gaze. She swiped at the glossy mahogany top with a rag. “What brings you to town?”
“Business,” was his response.
“Ooh, cryptic, are we?” She flirted.
“Suits me for now.”
A man at the end of the counter signaled for her. She held up a finger then approached her guest. She served a few more beers, all the while being extremely aware of his gaze. His allure was more powerful than any she’d ever experienced. Monticello wasn’t full of dashing men in expensive suits, but it had its fair share of good lookers. Lord knew she’d flirted with some from time to time, even dated a few, but none of them stirred in her what this man did.
No longer needed, she returned to him, eyeing his empty mug. “Another?”
He nodded, offered her a smile.
Her knees weakened. She steadied herself by grasping the smooth wood. What the hell is wrong with me? She pulled his beer, but before she handed it to him she asked, “What did you say your name was?”
He chuckled. “I didn’t.”
She set the mug down in front of him. “Oh, come on. You’re not going to waltz into my pub during my daddy’s wake and not tell me who you are. It’s not polite.”
One dark eyebrow rose. “Not polite, huh?”
“Not at all,” she declared, leaning on the bar, offering him her most dazzling smile.
“Okay then…if you insist.
“I do.”
He held out his hand. Mabe reached out, taking his warm palm in hers. The air between them practically crackled with tension. “Aaron Shaw.”
Her previously heated blood froze. In one swift moment, all the allure she’d experienced earlier evaporated. This is the shark trying to buy my pub. The nerve of this man, waltzing in here, flirting with me, when all the while he’s casing the joint for a future purchase. She grabbed his beer unceremoniously dumping it on his head. The dark brew dripped from his hair all over his tan suit.
“What the hell?” he shouted, jumping off the stool.
“Get out of my pub,” she yelled at him.




Bio
I can't remember a time when I didn't want to write.  From the time I was learned enough to string sentences together I liked writing stories.  In high school I was the literary editor of our school magazine Sketches and had a series of short stories that I'd written even then.  I'm published with two wonderful publishers, World Castle and Solstice Publishing, and on my own as an Indie.  

I live in Florida with my two adult children and my husband of 30+ years.  I have a wonderful dog named Snickers that can even open her own Christmas presents! (don't believe me?  Look below) When I'm not working full time in the insurance industry, I write.  I believe any writer should write because they love the craft. The rest will come in time.  I hope you enjoy reading my stories as much as I've enjoyed writing them

Tuesday 17 December 2013

Release Day Blitz: That one Summer- C .J. Duggan


Title: That One Summer (Summer, #3)
Author: CJ Duggan
Genre: New Adult Romance
Release Day: December 17th, 2013
Blitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Book Description:
Loving Chris Henderson would be wrong. Diabolically disastrous. I mean, what is there about him to love? He’s moody, bossy, brooding, a control freak, and that’s on a good day … but there was one achingly obvious fact that haunted my every thought, every minute of every day …

He sure could kiss.

As the countdown to the new millennium begins, there is one thing everyone agrees on: no one wants to be in Onslow for New Year’s Eve.

So that can only mean one thing: road trip!

No longer the mousey, invisible, shy girl from years ago, Tammy Maskala is finally making up for all those lost summers. A new year with new friends, which astoundingly includes the bossy boy behind the bar, Chris Henderson.

She likes her new friends (at least most of them), so why does she secretly feel so out of place?

After chickening out on the trip, a last-minute change of heart sees Tammy racing to the Onslow Hotel, fearing she’s missed her chance for a ride. The last thing she expected to meet was a less-than-happy Onslow Boy leaning against his black panel van.

Now the countdown begins to reach the others at Point Shank before the party is over and the new year has begun. Alone in a car with only the infuriating Chris Henderson, Tammy can’t help but feel this is a disastrous start to what could have been a great adventure. But when the awkward road trip takes an unexpected turn, Tammy soon discovers that the way her traitorous heart feels about Chris is the biggest disaster of all.

Fogged up windows, moonlight swimming, bad karaoke and unearthed secrets; after this one summer nothing will ever be the same again.


Author Bio:
C.J Duggan is an Australian author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia.
The Boys of Summer is Book One in her Mature Young Adult Romance Series.
For more on C.J and ‘The Summer Series’, visit www.cjdugganbooks.com
Buy Links:
Amazon U.S: http://www.amazon.com/That-One-Summer-The-Series-ebook/dp/B00HBRNRXM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1387146835&sr=8-1&keywords=that+one+summer+c.j+duggan








Thursday 12 December 2013

Review #187: Denial- Jessica Stern


Summary: 
"I have listened and I have been quiet all my life. But now I will speak."

One of the world's foremost experts on terrorism and post-traumatic stress disorder investigates her own unsolved adolescent sexual assault at the hands of a serial rapist, and in so doing, examines the horrors of trauma and denial.
Alone in an unlocked house in a safe neighborhood in the suburban town of Concord, Massachusetts, two good, obedient girls, Jessica Stern, fifteen, and her sister, fourteen, were raped on the night of October 1, 1973. The girls had just come back from ballet lessons and were doing their homework when a strange man armed with a gun entered their home. Afterward, when they reported the crime, the police were skeptical.

The rapist was never caught. For over thirty years, Stern denied the pain and the trauma of the assault. Following the example of her family, Stern—who lost her mother at the age of three, and whose father was a Holocaust survivor—focused on her work instead of her terror. She became a world-class expert on terrorism, a lauded academic and writer who interviewed terrorists around the globe. But while her career took off, her success hinged on her symptoms. After her ordeal she could not feel fear in normally frightening situations.

Stern believed she'd disassociated from the trauma altogether, until a devoted police lieutenant reopened the sisters' rape case and brought her back to that harrowing night more than three decades past. With the help of the lieutenant, Stern began her own investigation—bringing to bear all her skills as a researcher—to uncover the truth about the town of Concord, her family, and her own mind. The result is Denial, a candid, courageous, and ultimately hopeful look at a trauma and its aftermath.
Title: Denial
Author: Jessica Stern
Pages: 300
Rating: 3/5 Stars
Review: I was really disappointed in this book. I don't really know how to put what I am feeling about it into words. I think this book was too all over the place and it seems like the author still hasn't came to terms with what happened to her. Also I was confused because to me it seems like her grandfather molested her but she never really comes out and admits it, it is just assumed. And she keeps saying her sister got raped but I thought that she begged him not too and he didn't? I don't even know. I feel like so much could have been let out of the book because it didn't pertain to her actual story and it took away from the severity of the situation. Like what exactly is this book about? Her rape? Soldiers and their PTSD or terrorism? Who knows. I wish that the story was just about her rape and her trying to comes to terms with it and finding the perpetrator. I did enjoy that there was different accounts from some of the other victims. And that's about all I have to say. Not sure if I would recommend this read to anyone or not.





About this author


Jessica Stern is a Lecturer in Public Policy and a faculty affiliate of the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. From 1994-95, she served as Director for Russian, Ukrainian, and Eurasian Affairs at the National Security Council, where she was responsible for national security policy toward Russia and the former Soviet states and for policies to reduce the threat of nuclear smuggling and terrorism. In 1998-99, she was the superterrorism Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, and in 1995-96, she was a national Fellow at Hoover Institution at Stanford University. She also worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Stern received a bachelor's degree from Barnard College in chemistry, a master of science degree from MIT, and a doctorate in public policy from Harvard. She is the author of the New York Times Notable Book, Terror in the Name of God and The Ultimate Terrorists, as well as numerous articles on terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. She lives in Cambridge, MA.

Review #186: Prismatic- Sarah Elle Emm


Summary: Rare glimpses of birds are the only reminder of the freedoms Rain Hawkins once had. Now segregated into a mixed-race zone within the United Zones of the Authority, under tyrannical rule of President Nicks, Rain is forced to endure the bleak conditions set upon her. The possibility of a way out arises when Rain discovers an organized resistance called The Freedom Front, and learns that she, along with many other multi-racial people, has special abilities. Determined to overcome her situation, Rain sets out on a mission with the resistance that will fill her life with wonder, romance, and the undying hope for a better world.
Title: Prismatic
Author: Sarah Elle Emm
Pages: 250 pages
Rating: 5/5 stars
Review: I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I didn't really have a clear idea what this book was going to be about but once I started I was sucked into the dystopian world that Sarah Elle Emm created and I didn't wait to leave. I loved how the author took such a major event such as the holocaust and used it in her book as the second coming of Hitler. I also liked that she used mixed races as the "unpure" ones, it made things interesting. I think she took a of that from her real life so it made it easier to connect with the story and the characters. I also found the romance heartwarming due to the situation that the characters were in was so dire.
I loved Rain! I feel like she was a heroine that anyone could look up to. I also loved that she had a bit of a rebellious side. She is definitely a girl who knows what she wants and won't stop until she gets it. Jabari seems like he could be a great new book boyfriend *wink*. He is so caring and not pushy with Rain. He too, won't stop until he gets what he wants. Elizabeth Nicks sucks! I really despise her and I want to know what her deal is and who she thinks she is. She needs a good kick to the face that's for sure.
I flew through this book and I can't wait to get started on book two Opalescent. I need to know how they acquired their abilities and if they will be successful in freeing the mixed races from that tyrant of a president. I would recommend this novel to all dystopian lovers and even those who aren't. It is that good that everyone should pick this book up.





About this author

Sarah Elle Emm is the author of the Young-adult fantasy, HARMONY RUN SERIES, published by Winter Goose Publishing. (PRISMATIC, May 2012,OPALESCENT, February 2013, CHATOYANT due February 2014, NACREOUS, TBD.) Her debut fiction novel, MARRYING MISSY, was published by Bird Brain Publishing in October 2011. Sarah shares her island photo blog, "Sarah's View from the Bottom," at SarahsViewfromtheBottom.com. Sarah is a graduate of The University of Evansville, she has lived and worked in Mexico, Germany, England, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and has traveled extensively beyond. Her love of journal writing, travel, and multicultural experience have all influenced her novels. Sarah lives in Naples, Florida. When she's not walking the plank on her daughters' imaginary pirate ship, she is working on her latest book.
Official website: SarahElleEmm.com
Facebook.com/SarahElleEmm
Facebook.com/HarmonyRunSeries
Twitter @SarahElleEmm

Release Day Blitz: Backward Compatible- Sarah Daltry and Pete Clark


Title: Backward Compatible
Author: Sarah Daltry and Pete Clark
Genre: Geek Romance


Blurb:

Not too long ago,
in a town that,
depending on your current location,
is either not super far
or actually quite close…

It is a time of chaotic hormones.
Two nerdy gents
home for winter break
have discovered a female gamer
at a midnight release.

During the break,
the gamer trio manages
to reveal the game’s secret boss,
a hidden enemy
with enough power to destroy
anything in its path.

Pursued by other gamers
who want to be the first
to beat this boss,
George and Katie race to level up,
and, in so doing, restore decency

and sexual activity to their personal galaxy…



Trailer:
Embed Code: <iframe width="853" height="480" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/Q-0qwqxUYTw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>


Excerpt:

“These graphics suck,” George says and I look back at the screen. We’re standing in the middle of the Estate, colorful orbs quivering ahead of us. We each have to choose our starting advantage. Waterfalls shimmer in the distance and the sunlight streams over multicolored stones in the courtyard.
“Amateurs,” Lanyon concurs. “I mean, they couldn’t have fivewaterfalls?”
“Your ironic wit is mind blowing, but choose your damn orbs,” I tell them. I consider. Magic, defense, offense, stealth, and charisma. I always go for magic as a black mage, but I wonder if a druid needs something else. Screw it. I need charisma in real life, too.
“Charisma?” Lanyon asks. “No one ever picks charisma.”
“We’re a party of a thief, druid, and a bard. We’re screwed regardless.”
“You two underestimate the mighty power of my lute,” George argues.
“Did you start with charisma?” Lanyon asks.
“Hell, no. I have charisma in spades. I started with stealth.”
“Great. A stealthy bard,” I sigh.
“She’s right,” Lanyon concedes. “We’re screwed.”
However, it actually isn’t bad at all at first. We power through the Estate and make it to the Yobanaria Dale with no resurrections and all at level ten. I’m impressed. George hasn’t actually fought anything, but he has some pretty awe-inspiring charm mastery already. I think I might have a serious crush. He seals the deal when he buffs my hailstorm spell without even being asked.
“Can you guys watch El Thiefelo? My mom wants me to eat supper,” Lanyon says.
“Yeah, we’ve got it,” I tell him. “The first boss is in the elven ruins anyway, so we should grind a bit. I think he’s a twelve.”
George and I explore the Dale, taking out bats and Jobaspores. It’s fairly quiet, except for when we combo with his charms and my spells and he yells out, “Eat lute, bitch,” but it’s nice. We work well, almost inherently understanding each other. I’ve never been able to play this effectively with anyone. I try not to think about his eyes. Stupid boys, being cute and stuff.
By the time Lanyon comes back, we’re all at level 12, although Lanyon leveled up just by standing by a door while we played. Still, we are ready to take on Balsa the Proud. As a black mage, it took me about nine seconds. Trees don’t like fire. However, druids don’t have the same level of black magic and all elemental magic is weakened by the need to draw from the elements nearby. Sadly, trees seem to avoid storing fire runes in their villages. I expect this to be a little more challenging. It might even take fifteen seconds.
“First boss. Also known as the freebie bitch to sucker the young folks into a false sense of security,” Lanyon announces as he runs into the center of Balsa’s lair. The cinema plays and then, in a moment of pure absurdity, El Thiefelo is squished as Balsa steps on him.
“Can someone revive me?” Lanyon whines.


About the Authors:

Sarah Daltry:

Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She's written works in various genres - romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn't as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she's been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships - romantic, familial, friendly - because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn't matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future - human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah's stories.

Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun.

When Sarah isn't writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.
She has written several books, most notably Bitter Fruits, an urban fantasy in the Eden’s Fall series, and the Flowering series, including Forget Me Not, Lily of the Valley, and Star of Bethlehem.

Pete Clark:

Pete Clark likes writing, animals, potato chips, and cheese. Midnight Riders is his first published novel, although he can also proudly say he finally finished Helix Crashing, the fantasy novel he has been working on for over a decade. In addition, he has written Across the Barren Landscape, a collection of linked Western short stories. He also writes plays, both dramatic and comedic.
When he is not writing, Pete tends to ignore everyone around him and obsess over sports.


Social Media Links:

Sarah’s Website: http://sarahdaltry.com
Pete’s Website: http://punchmyselfintheface.wordpress.com
Sarah’s Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SarahDaltryAuthor
Pete’s Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PeteClarkAuthor
Sarah’s Twitter: http://twitter.com/SarahDaltry
Pete’s Twitter: http://twitter.com/PeteClarkBooks


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