Reader Girls

E Van Lowe Valentine Giveaway Tour

2012-02-10T00:30:00.000-05:00

Fall in Love with the Falling Angels Series

Valentine’s Giveaway

E Van Lowe is giving away a signed set of his books:

Never Slow Dance With A Zombie, Boyfriend From Hell and Earth Angel

Along with a fun Valentine theme YA Gift Basket containing a plush puppy, a heart mug, an ARC of Wintertow by Stephen Emond, devil socks, devil and angel duckies, RockStar Sweethearts, Red Hots Lip Balm, Bath and Body Works pocket bac, and travel size Pink Chiffon lotion, pencils and a Bewitching Book Tours bookmark

The giveaway is open to US Shipping. Enter the contest here

Earth Angel (Book 2)
Genre: Paranormal YA

Heaven Can Wait!

Just because Megan Barnett recently defeated Satan, has a fantastic new best friend, and has won the love of deliciously handsome, Guy Matson, doesn’t mean her troubles are over. Far from it. For Megan doesn’t realize it, but in her possession is a powerful weapon, a weapon sought after by both angels and demons and everything in between. They will do ANYTHING to get it.

In E. Van Lowe’s humorous, romantic and thrilling sequel to Boyfriend From Hell, Megan winds up in a gripping life or death battle to save herself, the boy she loves, and all of mankind from unthinkable evil.

Megan Barnett has recently defeated Satan, found a fantastic new best friend, and has won the heart of deliciously handsome, Guy Matson. But that doesn’t mean her troubles are over. Far from it. For Megan doesn’t realize that she is in possession of a powerful paranormal weapon, a weapon sought after by both angels, demons and everything in between.

In E. Van Lowe’s romantic yet thrilling sequel to Boyfriend From Hell, Megan finds herself in a gripping life or death battle to save the boy she loves, and all of mankind from unthinkable evil.

Boyfriend from Hell (Book 1)
Genre: Paranormal YA

Aww, Hell No!

Fifteen year-old Megan Barnett and her single mom, Suze, have a special relationship—they are friends, close friends, who do almost everything together.

“But come on, guys, she’s my mother… Can I really tell her that while we’re snuggled up on the sofa watching Spider Man Three, I’m secretly undressing James Franco with my eyes? Of course not…”

The special bond takes a turn for the worse when Suze decides to start dating again. She hasn’t had a man in her life since Megan’s father left ten years ago.

Enter two mysterious young men, Megan’s new classmate, sinfully attractive bad boy, Guy Matson, and the dangerously handsome art dealer, Armando. Before long Megan and Suze both wind up in steamy relationships. But neither of the handsome guys is quite what he seems. In fact, one of them is Satan, with his sights set on a new bride. Megan has precious little time to figure out how to stop him. If she doesn’t, either Megan or Suze are quite literally going to HELL.

Boyfriend From Hell is the first book in the Falling Angels Saga from the author of the gruesomely hilarious, Never Slow Dance With A Zombie

www.whitewhiskerbooks.com|YouTube Trailer

Never Slow Dance With a Zombie

On the night of her middle school graduation, Margot Jean Johnson wrote a high school manifesto detailing her goals for what she was sure would be a most excellent high school career. She and her best friend, Sybil, would be popular and, most important, have boyfriends. Three years later they haven’t accomplished a thing! Then Margot and Sybil arrive at school one day to find that most of the student body has been turned into flesh-eating zombies. When kooky principal Taft asks the girls to coexist with the zombies until the end of the semester, they realize this could be the perfect opportunity to live out their high school dreams. Now all they have to do is stay alive…

Guest Post: Writing A Series

Writing the Falling Angels Saga is new ground for me because I have never written a series before. When I worked in day-to-day television (The Cosby Show, Even Stevens, Knight Rider) my job was to write episodes of all sorts of TV series. I did this my entire career, yet as an author I had only written one-offs.

Boyfriend From Hell started out as a one-off, but as I learned more about the fans of the genre, I realized I needed to write a series. As you all probably know, fans love series. Just like in TV series where we enjoyed coming back to Lost each week to see what happened next, fans of book series like forming an ongoing relationship with the author’s characters.

I wasn’t contemplating a series when I began doing my research on angels for Boyfriend From Hell. Yet before long I had all these characters in my head, and all these different storylines. Without realizing it, I had created a series.

One of the joys in writing a series is seeing what happens next. Series allows authors to delve deeper into characters and to watch them change and grow before our eyes. Just like real life. That definitely happened with Boyfriend From Hell and Earth Angel. Megan is pretty self-centered at the beginning of Boyfriend From Hell. By the end, however, she’s grown into a pretty terrific heroine. In Earth Angel we get to see a more grown up Megan deal with a new set of problems.

Writing a series is exciting for me, and I hope reading Boyfriend From Hell and Earth Angel will be exciting for you. I’ve already outlined the third book in the series. It’s a doozie.

You can check out both books on my website http://evanlowe.com/ There’s even a free sample of Boyfriend From Hell on the home page so you can try it before you buy it. While you’re there please click on the buttons to follow me on Twitter and like my Facebook Fan Page.

Website|Blog|Facebook

About the author: E. Van Lowe is an author, television writer, screenwriter, Playwright and Producer who has written and produced such shows as The Cosby Show, Even Stevens, and Homeboys In Outer Space. He has been nominated for both an Emmy and an Academy Award. Van Lowe recently stepped into the young adult fiction genre with his comedic novel, Never Slow Dance With A Zombie. It was a selection of the Scholastic Book Club, and a nominee for an ALA Award. Boyfriend From Hell is Van Lowe’s second YA novel.

The Firelight of Maalda Book Tour + Giveaway

2012-02-09T08:10:00.002-05:00

Presented by Premier Virtual Author Book Tours

We are hosting The Firelight of Maalda tour today. Written by Melissa Douthit, it is the second in her YA series, The Legend of the Raie’Chaelia (pronounced rye-kale-ya).

Publisher: Lucky Bat Books (February, 2012)
Format: eBook
Series: The Legend of the Raie’Chaelia #2
Genre: YA Fantasy

Summary: Chalice and her group leave Barenthren to travel to Portalis. There she and her friends discover the beautiful city, its people, its history, and its secret that has been kept hidden for thousands of years. During their stay, they learn that Dar’Maalda has the firestone and that he plans to use it.

What is the firestone and what does Dar’Maalda plan to do with it? What are the Naezzi? What does the title, TheFirelight of Maalda, really mean? And … what is the secret of Portalis, the secret that has been guarded so jealously for so long – so jealously, that many have given their lives to protect it?

In The Firelight of Maalda, the second novel of the trilogy, The Legend of the Raie’Chaelia, you find out. It is a tale of intrigue and wonder where two opposite worlds collide in an explosive journey that leads Chalice and her friends to the dark islands lurking just beyond the horizon of Ielieria, where the Firelight of Maalda sits … and waits.

Purchase: Kindle/Nook

Publisher:Lucky Bat Book (May 27, 201)
Format: eBook
Series: The Legend of the Raie’Chaelia #1
Genre: YA Fantasy

Summary: When Chalice sets off for Branbury in the middle of the night with her grandfather’s instructions, she has no idea of the dangers that await her. The King’s men have destroyed her home village of Canton and she is suddenly thrown into a Terravailian world that she does not know. Lost and alone, she is hard pressed to evade the iron grasp of the madman who rules the land. With the help of a friendly Chinuk, an old man, and a book that she discovers along the way, not only does she find true friends and true love, but she also finds her true self and what it means to be the Raie’Chaelia.

The story of Chalice, a young girl quickly becoming a woman as she leads her people in a battle for their lives and their world. Along the way, we are all enchanted by the domed cities, the wise little furry creatures and the wisdom of these people whose lives are both ancient and post-modern.

Purchase links: Amazon/Nook
Book One and the Prequels are free on Smashwords and Amazon:
Book One: Amazon|Smashwords
Prequels: The Vanishing: Amazon|Smashwords
The Journey Begins: Amazon|Smashwords

Praise for Raie’Chaelia:

"The Raie'Chaelia (pronounced rye-kale-ya) is an original fantasy adventure story that provides thereader with a gripping tale, a wonderful and unique setting, and interesting, not to mention engaging characters. The Raie'Chaelia is a book to be read by fantasy enthusiasts. It's an enjoyable journey."- Irena, This Miss Loves To Read

"The Raie'Chaelia has a brilliant storyline. I tried to savor each and every word that came off thepage. The characters were so easy to love. Chalice quickly earned my respect, with her amazing skill to swiftly take down enemies. My eyes didn't even close to blink. Excuse me as I let them rest for a moment."-Suzanne, Cup of Tea Reviews

"Melissa Douthit reveals all in her debut tale of one special girl in an amazing new world in, The Raie’Chaelia! Thecharacters are all full of life, and you can’t help but smile along with their crazy antics. The characters each had a lot of heart, and so many of them I would love to meet. Full of adventure, deceit, and strange lands, this book has something for everyone."-Tessa, From the Book Shelf of T.B.

"Douthit’s love of words is apparent and her use of language highly inventive. She has a firm grip on believable dialogue."-Kirkus Reviews

"Lively, fast-paced and satisfyingly complex! Can’t wait for the second in the trilogy!"- Diane Donovan, eBook Reviewer, Midwest Book Review

"What a great story! I really enjoyed reading this adventure. It definitely kept me on my toes."- Annell Schmerfeld, Dragonflowers and Books

About Melissa Doughit: Melissa Douthit grew up in North County of San Diego, California. After graduating with a Computer Science degree in Southern California, and working for a summer at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in New Mexico, she moved to the Bay Area to work at NASA Ames Research Center for a year and then at Lawrence Livermore National Lab for another four years.

From there, she moved to Monterey, California, to work at the Naval Postgraduate School on a government project for two years. She currently lives in Salt Lake City, Utah, working with the Army Corps of Engineers on another government project. Since high school, she has been a voracious reader of books of all genres, with an emphasis in fantasy and science fiction. Her literary work is strongly influenced by her professional experience and includes many elements of her scientific background. You can find out more about Melissa on her website.

Author links:
Amazon page|Tumblr|Goodreads|Twitter|Facebook

For the rest of the tour, go here

Our review: When high fantasy is well done you close the book feeling exhilarated for taking a trip with the main character through a new, fully realized world you never knew about. With Melissa Doughit's The Legend of the Raie’Chaelia, not only did I feel I knew the heroine, Chalice, well, I regarded her as a friend. Both books, as well as the prequel story I read, The Journey Begins, showcase a young woman who feels like an outcast in her hometown of Canton (there is also another prequel, The Vanishing, which features Chalice's friend, Jeremiah). Since both prequels were so short, I couldn't help but wonder why they weren't included or worked into the first book. It's important to learn about both Chalice and Jeremiah so why not include this as either prologues or Part I and Part II?

Chalice, an orphan, doesn't look like the rest of the darker haired and skinned residents with her blond curls and blue eyes, but her guardian grandparents and two best friends do their best to make her feel wanted and loved. Until the night she is awakened by screams and told she has to flee--by herself. Confused, Chalice does as she is told and gets onto her horse, Sunny. At the edge of the woods she stops her mare and looks back, not to say goodbye but to see what is happening to her beloved town before a friend yells at her to leave. This little touches really made Chalice come alive to me since that's a move so many of us at 17 would do.

We travel with Chalice, a thoughtful yet impulsive young woman who can fight exceptionally well, through book one, The Legend of the Raie’Chaelia. Here she traverses across the Terravailian land as she tries to figure out the mystery behind their false king, a madman on the throne. Along the way she meets new people as she gets closer to figuring out who she really is and what the birthmark on her shoulder means. There were times I thought there was more telling then showing and some long passages needed dialogue to break it up for the reader but the author does a good job creating a fantastical world of kingdoms, magic users and regular people. I was surprised to see modern day words like geez or man! and learned from a summary these stories take place after modern day but contain a lot of olden day history and customs so this mix was new to me and kind of interesting. Also, I questioned some of the wording in the summaries--I'm not crazy when I'm 'told' what the story is about (or the question-and-answer tactic). Just give me a description and I'll make my own assumptions (I only mention this because I have seen this with other books and it's become a pet peeve of mine).

Chalice may have seemed like the typical beautiful girl and as her story progresses I saw she was much more than that. I liked how she was an exceptional fighter but contained herself so she wouldn't come across like a showoff. I liked her friends, especially Jeremiah. As a childhood friend and romantic prospect, it was refreshing to see a regular guy with no super powers charm the readers (he registers high on my swoon-meter).

Fans of high fantasy may want to check this series out. Action, thought provoking characters, magic, romance and more await within the pages of this engaging YA series. The cover art for these books is beautiful too. When I am done with the second book, I will post my review.

Giveaway: The author will be giving one reader one ebook copy of The Firelight of Maalda (open internationally). All you have to do is comment and leave your email to be entered. This giveaway will close on Feb. 27th.

Pride's Run Book Tour + 2 Giveaways

2012-02-06T07:43:00.000-05:00

A Bewitching Book Tours Virtual Book Tour

Pride’s Run By Cat Kalen
Genre: Paranormal YA
Blurb: Seventeen year old Pride is a tracker—a werewolf with a hunger for blood. Taught to trick and to lure, she is the perfect killing machine.

Kept leashed in the cellar by a master who is as ruthless as he is powerful, Pride dreams of freedom, of living a normal life, but escape from the compound is near impossible and disobedience comes with a price.

When she learns her master intends to breed her she knows she has to run.

But Pride soon learns that if she is to survive in the wild, she must trust in the boy who promises her freedom, the same boy she was sent to hunt.

With life and death hanging in the balance the two find themselves on the run from the Paranormal Task Force—officers who shoot first and ask questions later—as well as her master’s handlers.

Can Pride flee the man who has held her captive since birth and find sanctuary in the arms of a boy who has captured her heart? Or will her master find her first?

Purchase Links:

Amazon|Smashwords|Barnes and Noble: Coming Soon|All Romance Ebooks

An excerpt from Pride's Run:

California Wine Country
August 23rd, six days until full moon

The click of the lock at the top of the stairwell is my only indication that morning is upon me. My ears perk up and I listen for the coming footfalls. The weight on the stairs combined with the creaking of each wooden step will let me know which handler has come for us this time, which unlucky puppet has drawn the short end of the straw and is stuck with letting the dogs out, or in this case, the werewolves.

Sure, he’ll come sauntering down the stairs sporting a brave face and looking at me with cold, dark eyes meant to intimidate. But the wolf inside me can smell his inner fear. Despite the fact that I’m the one caged, underneath the handler’s cool, superficial shell he’s the one who’s truly afraid.

A long column of light filters down the stairs and I blink my eyes into focus as the bright rays infiltrate the pitch black cellar. I don’t really need to blink. Not with my exceptional vision. But I do it anyway because sometimes I simply like to pretend I’m a normal seventeen year old girl, one who can’t see in the dark. It’s nonsense, I know. I’m not fooling anyone. Least of all myself.

The door yawns wider and before the first heavy boot, soiled with old blood that he’ll pass off as wine stains, hits the top step, my senses go on high alert. I never know what morning will bring—or who will bring it.

A breeze rushes down the stairs ahead of the handler, carrying the aroma of the grand estate with it. I push past the metallic scent of dried blood to catch traces of grape juice in the air, a common smell on the majestic vineyard—that and illegal drugs, the estate’s real source of income. Going beyond those familiar fragrances, I breathe deeper and get hints of fresh bread baking in the upstairs kitchen. It must be Thursday. Mica, the estate’s cook, always bakes on Thursday.

In my human form I roll onto my side and lean toward the smell. Wistfully, my tongue darts out and brushes over my bottom lip. There is something about that scent that always entices me and before I can help it I envision myself eating a warm slice covered in rich creamy butter, crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside.

My nostrils widen, but I know the bread isn’t meant for me and not even one delicious crumb will pass over my dry lips. Not unless Mica sneaks it to me. As much as I’d love to taste her offerings I don’t like it when she takes chances for me. Disobedience is far too risky for the aging housekeeper. Despite that, my stomach growls in response to the aroma and I fight off the cravings. I can’t hope for bread when it’s unlikely that I’ll even be given a scrap of food today, especially if I can’t please him.

My master.

A boot hits the second step—the handlers always descend slowly—and as I stretch my legs out on my dusty mattress I hear the waking groans of Jace and Clover stirring in their own cages beside me. I glance their way, and that’s when my attention falls on the one empty cage in the cellar. My mother’s den. I breathe deep and fight off a pang of sadness that I cannot afford to feel.

I turn away from the empty cage and stare at the gray cement walls. I can’t bear to look at her den any longer. It only reminds me of how they killed her and how all the pups were forced to watch—to learn that disobedience comes with a price. Guilt and sorrow eat at me to think that she’d died trying to free me.

When step number five creaks, I diligently try to shake off the memories. The handler is close which means I can’t think about my mother right now. I push all thoughts of her aside, knowing that right now I have to think about my father and what he taught me before the master killed him. Never let them see your fear.

I harden myself.

Prepare.

Before my master’s puppet even reaches the bottom step, I know it’s the one they call Lawrence, the handler I hate the most. The one with a weak mind, strong back, teeth like baked beans and beady eyes that fit his ugly rat face.

He likes to call me kitten. I have a few choice names that I’d like to call him in return, but I always bite the inside of my cheek to resist the urge. Partly because I’d be whipped and partly because Miss Kara educated me and taught me all about manners. I realize that an educated wolf with manners might sound laughable. In my line of work, however, education and manners are as lethal as a bear trap to those I hunt. That’s how I lure my marks, how I bait my prey. A pretty face and good grace go a long way for a trained killer like me.

My glance wanders to my leg, the one peeking out from beneath my ratty blanket, and my eyes are drawn to the long jagged scar tracking the length of my calf. I grimace. Even with my education and manners, I never forget what I really am. I’m never allowed to.

“Hey kitten,” Lawrence says. Most would think the nickname is a play on my birth name, Pride. But I know it’s the handler’s way of cutting me down, to find control where he feels none. My parents called me Pride because I was their pride and joy. Lions live in a pride and since lions are cats…

He tosses a collar and chain into my cage. “Leash up.”

I take note of the gun in his holster before my glance locks on his. As I give him a good hard stare, he flinches. The movement is slight, but I notice it. Dressed in my knee length nightgown, long hair loose around my shoulders, I might look like an average seventeen year old girl—harmless and innocent—but we all know I’m not.

Even though Lawrence keeps his face blank and stares down at me with those dark eyes of his, he reeks of terror. The scent is like a mixture of hot sweat and rotting compost. Oh, it’s not pretty by any means. Nevertheless, the werewolf slumbering restlessly inside me feeds off his fear, thrives on it, so I inhale and draw it deep into my lungs.

Without taking my eyes off his, I take my time to leash up. My movements are slow and deliberate as I position the collar. Metal grinds metal and the sound cuts the silence as I secure it around my neck. The handler winces. So do the older, more obedient wolves that I bunk with.

Jace cuts me a glance, chocolate eyes now milky from old age warn me to behave. I realize he’s doing it for my own good, but this morning I’m cold and hungry and in no mood for Lawrence’s insults. Clover makes a noise to draw the handler’s attention away from me, and all sets of eyes shift to her.

As Clover tries to pacify Lawrence, averting her gaze in a show of respect and making small talk about the weather, Lawrence opens my mother’s former cage and pulls out her cot. He gives it a good hard shake and the breeze stirs the dust on the unfinished boards masquerading as our ceiling. The particles dance in the stairwell light before falling to the cold, cement floor.

When Lawrence tosses the cot into a corner I stiffen. It can only mean one thing. My mother has been gone for a little over a year now, and I know the master rarely keeps a cell empty for long, which makes me wonder when and how he’s going to fill it?

Who will he breed?

I cringe at the thought of bringing puppies into this world, but know it’s not something I have to worry about. The master would never breed a wolf like me. My mother always said I was a survivor, the only pup in a litter of three to make it, but hey, a runt is a runt. Thanks to Darwin and his theory of ‘natural selection’ a runt is a heritable trait that a pack can do without. When it comes to canine reproduction, only one motto dictates: runts need not apply.

Deep in the bowels of the estate’s basement, the master keeps other wolves, separating the strong and young from one another. I’m smart enough to understand that he distances us so we can’t conspire against him or speak telepathically. Wolves can only use telepathy when in animal form, however. Well, most wolves that is. Oddly enough, I along with Stone, an alpha wolf two years my senior are able to communicate while in our human forms.

Sometimes the master does in-house breeding, sometimes he sends us out to one of his associates—other drug-lords who also harbor werewolves. It’s like he’s running a regular old puppy mill in here. Except his puppies kill for him. Which begs the question, what does my master have in store for me today?

Author Website|YA Beyond|Twitter|Facebook

About the author: Cat Kalen is a multi published author in the romance genre under two pen names, Cat is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie) pizza and watermelon. She has two teenagers who keep her busy with their never ending activities, and a husband who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. Cat can never find balance in her life, is always trying to find time to go to the gym, can never keep up with emails, Facebook or Twitter and tries to write page-turning books that her readers will love.

A maritime native and former financial officer, Cat has lived all over Canada but has finally settled down in her childhood hometown with her family.

GIVEAWAYS: There are TWO giveaways for this tour. The first is ONE ebook copy of Pride’s Run that Reader Girls will give away to one person (open internationally) who comments below (leave your email address). The second giveaway is a tour wide giveaway of TWO print copies (open to US and Canada only). To enter that one, fill out the form below.

The Curse of Gremdon Book Tour + Giveaway

2012-02-06T06:51:00.003-05:00

A Bewitching Book Tours Virtual Book Tour

We read and really liked Ciara Knight's YA novella, Love's Long Shadow (our review), so when the opportunity to host a tour for her new adult novel arose, we jumped at the chance.

Blurb: In a world where marriage is forbidden, sex is only granted to male warriors, and the outer realm is full of murderous creatures, Arianna fights to protect the life of her only living relative, her brother.

Tardon, an elite warrior, is granted anything he desires by the Elders, but finds little joy in the voluptuous women presented to him. Born for the bloodlust found only in battle, complicated emotions emerge when he discovers his equal in the alluring warrior, Arianna.

Charged by the Elders with saving the castle from attack, Tardon and Arianna risk the curse when they traverse the vast outer realm to retrieve serum from the Tree of Life. If successful, the Elders have promised Tardon the right to marry and Arianna the cure for her brother's death fever. Will their love carry them through or will the discovery of a great deception be their ultimate demise?

Magic. Lust. Love. Sacrifice. Intensely gripping from the opening scene, this riveting tale of destiny and desire will have the reader hungering for more, page after page, all the way through the ending. ~ Night Owl Reviews (Top Pick)

An excerpt from The Curse of Gremdon:

Three guards pinned Tardon to the floor. He clawed at the damp stone but with so little space in the dungeon hall he could not free himself.

Tardon’s heart nearly burst from his chest at the sound of Arianna’s voice. Ten men wouldn’t be enough to keep him away.

A guard lashed him with his whip but Tardon continued to fight.

“Restrain yourself or the whip will be taken to Arianna’s cell.” The man in the Elder’s cape stepped in the direction he had heard Arianna’s voice.

Tardon’s back stiffened with concern. Yes, the whip stung and caused him to stumble, but the thought of it touching Arianna’s soft skin brought him to his knees. “I will obey.”

Screams rang from a nearby room and he instinctively tensed. Staring at the wall, he wondered what sort of torture occurred on the other side. And if, perhaps, a similar fate awaited him. Or Arianna

One of the guards cracked the whip in the air to regain Tardon’s undivided attention. “He is being punished for unspeakable crimes, so have no pity for the wailing of a madman when he brought it upon himself.”

He stopped fighting and allowed the guards, each holding one of his arms, to pull him down the hall.

“I am Saldor, an Elder advisor. On my honor, I assure you, there is no reason for you to worry. She will confess, and you will be free to return to your prior status.”

Tardon shouldered the guards in each of their ribs, sending both into the stone walls. Dirt and dust grew thick in the air.

Even if he had been chained like a beast he still could have snapped their worthless necks. Fire erupted inside him as he stood, his nose almost touching the man who had threatened Arianna, yet Saldor did not flinch.

The guards hit him from behind and he fell to his knees again. Heavy walls closed in on him. Iron cuffs snapped around his wrists.

“I see this does not please you. Every warrior wishes to maintain his status. You would risk your honor for mere pleasure?”

Tardon’s blood boiled. “She is not pleasure granted by the Elders—”

“You are right. She was a warrior that bewitched you.”

He shook off the swirling in his head and tried to stand, but the guards kept him on his knees.

“No magic,” Tardon said. “I am to blame for what the Elders thought they witnessed—”

“Thought? They found her almost naked in your chamber, yet you speak of no pleasure?” Saldor motioned for the guards to drag Tardon into a cell.

They dropped him on his side and the door clanked shut. He rose to his feet, smacking his head on a wooden beam. Still, he charged the iron bars and pressed his throbbing head against the cool metal.

Saldor still watched him, his lined face unreadable. “The Elders will not accept your explanation—”

“We are innocent.”

“You are not innocent.”

Tardon’s mind raced at Saldor’s accusations. He had done nothing to betray the laws he fought to protect. Yes, he had come close to breaking the law, but he had not committed the act. “You make false accusations about a warrior. You could be put to death for such lies. I have broken no laws!”

“You still profess your innocence?” Saldor’s brows lowered.

“Yes.”

“Here is the Elder’s proof.” Saldor summoned a guard; he took a large object from the man then tossed it at Tardon’s feet.

Tardon swallowed, staring in horror at the old book he’d hidden so carefully all these seasons.

The book, his grandfather’s book, the book of dreams, rested on the dirty ground as proof he had betrayed the Elders. Tardon fell to his knees and stroked the fading cover. The Elders would never listen to the truth now.

“Tell them I forced her.” He could barely choke the words out. He quivered inside at the notion of harming Arianna. Still, a confession would release her from a place no woman should find herself. If she stayed in the dungeon, it wouldn’t be long before one of the guards disobeyed and forced themselves on her. He swallowed down the rise of bile and impending doom. At least destroying his honor to save her life would allow him to die with purpose.

“You seal not only your own fate, but all of your family with a confession of such disgrace.”

“I have no family.” Arianna’s delicate features played in his mind. “I confess, I—”

Saldor clutched the hilt of his sword and studied Tardon for a moment. “The Elders will never allow this. People of the castle will demand the woman be put to death and the true male warrior returned to his calling.”

“I will confess in front of all the inhabitants. Take me now. No reason to prolong my fate or Arianna’s suffering.”

Saldor stroked his chin. “I will take this to the Elders if you answer a question for me.”

Tardon nodded.

“Do you love her?” Saldor’s words hung in the air for a long, breathless moment.

“Love is forbidden.” Tardon shifted his weight between his knees.

“No, sex and marriage with a female warrior are forbidden. That is all the written law states.”

Tardon’s mind reeled, wondering what possible tricks this man played, but nothing fit. Saldor spoke the truth.

“Yes, I love her.” Tardon cleared his throat and spoke with pride. “Yes, I love her, and if that is a crime it will be one more reason to throw me to the fires and spare the true warrior, Arianna.”

“Not when she loves you, too.” Saldor turned and walked up the steps to the castle, suddenly leaving Tardon to his writhing emotions.

The man spoke falsehoods. Arianna knew nothing of love or marriage. She’d only caught a glimpse of his book, and her parents died seasons ago when she was still a child. He dragged his fingers through his matted hair, trying to steady his mind. Chain links clanked as he sat on the hard floor, resting his arms on his lap. Dirt and dry blood covered his hands, the same hands that had caressed every inch of Arianna’s body mere hours before.

Light from the low morning sun seeped through the bar-covered hole at the top of the cell wall. Merchants’ slippered feet brushed the pavement outside, scurrying to open their shops.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Website |Facebook Fan Page|Twitter
About The Author: Ciara Knight always had a passion for storytelling. At an early age, she wrote several short stories and poems, and in college she started work on her first novel. It wasn’t until late 2008 that she returned to her true passion of writing. Over the past few years she has penned five novels and joined several professional writing organizations to better her craft.

When not writing, she enjoys reading all types of fiction. Some great literary influences in her life include Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Francine Rivers and J K Rowling.

Ciara is happily married and enjoys family time. She has learned to embrace chaos, which is a requirement when raising three boys, and utilizes the insanity to create stories not of this world including, Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, and Young Adult Dystopian.

Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She’s backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.

GIVEAWAY: The author is giving away one free e-book of The Curse of Gremdon at each stop. To enter, simply leave a comment below with your name and email. This giveaway is open internationally.

Our review will be posted soon. We thank Ciara Knight and Bewitching Book Tours.

Don’t Breathe a Word Trailer Unveiled

2012-02-03T11:09:00.001-05:00

I loved Holly Cupala's debut novel, Tell Me A Secret (read my review) and now I'm thrilled to be able to participate in the unveiling of the trailer for her second novel, Don't Breathe A Word. We're also posting the summary and sharing exciting news from Holly Cupala herself about the special activities and giveaways she has planned. Read on!

Book blurb: Joy Delamere is suffocating...

From asthma, which has nearly claimed her life. From her parents, who will do anything to keep that from happening. From delectably dangerous Asher, who is smothering her from the inside out.

Joy can take his words - tender words, cruel words - until the night they go too far.

Now, Joy will leave everything behind to find the one who has offered his help, a homeless boy called Creed. She will become someone else. She will learn to survive. She will breathe... if only she can get to Creed before it’s too late.

Set against the gritty backdrop of Seattle’s streets and a cast of characters with secrets of their own, Holly Cupala’s powerful new novel explores the subtleties of abuse, the meaning of love, and how far a girl will go to discover her own strength.

And here is the trailer:
Even though the official date for the Don’t Breathe a Word Trailer Launch Party is next Tuesday, February 7th, as part of the street team helping to get the word out, we are thrilled to post it today.

The trailer will be OFFICIALLY unveiled next Tuesday on YouTube along with a huge party finale swag giveaway, including five grand prize packs and ten runner-up prizes, taking place at blogs everywhere. So how do you get in on the festivities? Participation is super simple.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE:

DBAW TRAILER CODE: Link: http://youtu.be/uP61zlerel8

PRIZES:
Five Grand Prizes:

Signed copies of Don’t Breathe a Word, Tell Me a Secret, the Tell Me A Secret special edition audiobook, bookmarks, stickers, and other swag*

Ten Runner-Up Prizes:
Don’t Breathe a Word flyers, bookmarks, stickers, and a Tell Me A Secret button*

Plus the first forty people who buy the book at this link between now and Valentine’s Day get Don't Breathe A Word bookmarks, stickers, and undying book love from author Holly Cupala!*

*Must include mailing address with entry. (US + up to 20% international winners)

HOW TO ENTER:
1. Click here to go to the DBAW trailer link, then click the Share button to send to your Facebook, Twitter, Google+,MySpace, blog, or other social network. 5 pts each

2. Buy the book at this link for more chances to win!

3. Click here to tell us where you posted and to enter!

Book review: On the Rim of Love by Marie Astor

2012-02-01T21:46:00.001-05:00

Format: Kindle Edition
File Size: 391 KB
Print Length: 235 pages
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services

Book summary: Maggie Robin has been dating the irresistibly good-looking, successful Jeffrey Preston for two years. But when Jeffrey proposes marriage a week after Maggie’s college graduation, she is no longer sure if she wants to marry a workaholic TV producer.

Her doubts culminate when during a ski trip to British Columbia, Maggie meets Taylor Denton, a handsome, free-spirited big mountain skier who is the complete opposite of Jeffrey. It does not take Maggie long to realize that she has fallen in love with Taylor and she decides to break off her engagement with Jeffrey. But just when she thinks she has found the love of her life, an ill-fated misunderstanding tears Maggie and Taylor apart.

A week later, Maggie is told that Taylor has died in a tragic ski accident; yet, her heart refuses to believe in Taylor’s death. When Maggie returns to Taylor’s native town, she learns that Taylor is indeed alive, but has been seriously injured. Resolved to bring her lover back to life Maggie stands by Taylor’s side, convincing him to embrace life again.

My review: I believe that as we age, we tend to pay more attention to that little voice inside our head. When you think about it, the concept of "intuition" is really amazing. Main character Maggie Robin finds this out too. Maggie, 22, has graduated college and an acceptance packet from Yale Law school sits on a desk inside her house, awaiting her reply. Only Maggie has discovered she doesn't want a career in law--her true passion is photography, something her parents (especially her mother) regards as a "hobby." But for Maggie, it is truly something else.

Her fiance, Jeffrey, is like her mother and doesn't embrace her desire to chase after her dream. It seems Maggie has let the forceful people in her life dictate and make decisions for her. So when she spots a skier in an orange vest skiing with such graceful fluidity and freedom while on her engagement trip with Jeffrey, she longs for that same freedom as she captures him in digitized photos. On this trip Maggie finally sees she has to be in charge of her life if she is to be truly happy in both career and love. When she meets local skiing celebrity Taylor, an instant chemistry is shared between the two, despite her betrothed being there, working to film a documentary on Taylor.

On The Rim Of Love was a sweet, fast paced romance. Maggie was instantly likable and relatable. Sometimes the shy ones have to voice themselves loudly in order for the boisterous to hear. Maggie realizes that Jeffrey is not the man for her--playboys don't change over night no matter what they promise. And when she's photographing, she's in her element, so why not pursue something she has a natural flair for? Taylor instantly recognizes her talent and supports her even though they've just met. I liked his character as well, the laid back, easy going athlete, a dedicated and faithful young man who sees his soulmate in the pretty Maggie.

Told in third person through the viewpoints of Maggie, Taylor, and Jeffrey, and later on from a couple of other secondary characters not really needed (they seemed tacked on), helped give perspective of each individual's place and motives. I did think some dialogue sounded a bit too formal and wordy in spots, and there were some occasions where long paragraphs of exposition did more telling than showing. Still, I read my way through the novel like a skiier advancing down a mountaintop. Towards the end I felt disjointed at times with Taylor's hospital scene (which I won't spoil), but it was still entertaining. The author peppered the story with lovely bursts of prose throughout, really capturing the essence of a snow town like Eagleville. As a true romance fan, I enjoyed On The Rim of Love and believe other fans will like it too.

Rating: I liked it.

Favorite excerpt: "She met Taylor her life was in black and white, and now, her senses were flooded with the brightest of colors. It did not matter that she had only known Taylor for a mere handful of days - the powerful, sweeping sensation that took hold of her from her first encounter with him refused to subside, growing stronger with each day.

But was it really possible to fall in love at first sight? A few days ago she would have laughed at the notion,and now, she was a firm believer."

Cover comment: Not liking this cover at all. Something with snow capped mountains would have been nice.

Book source: From the author for my honest opinion during a book tour.

On The Rim of Love Book Tour

2012-02-01T00:30:00.000-05:00

Presented by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Ah, February 1st, the beginning of a new month and a month we've decided to dedicate to love stories. What better way to kick off this special month than with a romance? We host today's stop for the On The Rim of Love Virtual Book Tour. Author Marie Astor has written an insightful guest post on writing contemporary romance and is also sharing an excerpt from her love story. Don't forget to enter the fabulous giveaway the author is running (jewelry!!!).

Book summary: Maggie Robin has been dating the irresistibly good-looking, successful Jeffrey Preston for two years. But when Jeffrey proposes marriage a week after Maggie’s college graduation, she is no longer sure if she wants to marry a workaholic TV producer.

Her doubts culminate when during a ski trip to British Columbia, Maggie meets Taylor Denton, a handsome, free-spirited big mountain skier who is the complete opposite of Jeffrey. It does not take Maggie long to realize that she has fallen in love with Taylor and she decides to break off her engagement with Jeffrey. But just when she thinks she has found the love of her life, an ill-fated misunderstanding tears Maggie and Taylor apart.

A week later, Maggie is told that Taylor has died in a tragic ski accident; yet, her heart refuses to believe in Taylor’s death. When Maggie returns to Taylor’s native town, she learns that Taylor is indeed alive, but has been seriously injured. Resolved to bring her lover back to life Maggie stands by Taylor’s side, convincing him to embrace life again.

Guest Post: Writing Contemporary Romance
Before I started writing contemporary romance novels, I was (and still am) an avid reader of romance. One of my favorite things about this genre is that it allows the reader a diversion from everyday life, but that does not mean that contemporary romance cannot undertake serious matters and approach them from a lighter angle.

Let’s face it, romance makes for a big part of women’s lives – whether looking for one’s soul mate or searching for ways to maintain sparks in an existing relationship, women spend a lot of time worrying about this part of their lives. Hence, comes the dilemma for a contemporary romance author to create an entertaining, uplifting work of fiction that readers can enjoy.

In my contemporary romance novel, On the Rim of Love, Maggie has just gotten engaged to her incredibly good-looking and successful TV producer boyfriend. Life should be perfect, but something in her heart is telling her otherwise. When Maggie meets big mountain skier, Taylor, she is instantly drawn to him, but refuses to admit her attraction because of her engagement. And yet, she can’t get Taylor out of her mind, posed with a dilemma whether to follow her heart or play it safe. Ultimately, Maggie chooses to follow her heart.

Now, before you start screaming at me that things like that do not happen in real life, I will be the first to admit that, yes - usually, they do not (although, sometimes they do!). I could have set the story in Boston or New York instead of a ski town and made Taylor an accountant or an engineer, but what fun would that be? I am, after all, a contemporary romance author, and I write fiction that is uplifting and at times a little bit fantastic, but in a good way.

The other day I was having drinks with one of my friends whom I have not seen for a long time. I was sad to find out that she had just broken up with her boyfriend of five years – the boyfriend she thought was the one and expected to get engaged to. Needless to say, my friend was in broken spirits, carrying on about how impossible it is to meet ‘the right guy’; meanwhile, she was completely oblivious to the cute guy on the other side of the bar who was casting glances in her direction. When I pointed out this fact, my friend dismissed me at first, but when I insisted, she did smile back at the guy. Long story short, he came over and asked to buy her a drink. Now, they did not go on to live happily ever after – she never even gave him her number, but after this encounter, my friend’s confidence was considerably higher, and a few weeks later she did go on her first date, albeit with a different guy.

I was very glad to hear that my best friend was finding her bearings in the wobbly world of dating and could not help by note a similarity between her story and Maggie’s – both women had to learn to step out of their comfort zones and take a chance on love again - a task that is just as difficult to accomplish during an exotic ski vacation as it is right in your own home.

Excerpt from On The Rim of Love:
“Taylor, look. Isn’t he beautiful?” Maggie pointed at the regal bird that was circling in vast, sweeping loops, oblivious to their presence.

Taylor looked up. “He does look magnificent.”

“Doesn’t he look free, as though nothing could ever touch him?” Maggie murmured wistfully.

“You think that eagle doesn’t have anything to worry about?” Taylor looked at her with his piercing green eyes. “He’s probably circling there like that because he is searching for food.”

As if in testament to Taylor’s words, the eagle surged downward in a swift, sharp dive and soared back up several moments later, clasping his catch in his claws, beating his wings hastily as he made his way into the sky.

“I guess you’re right,” Maggie conceded, her voice ringing with disappointment. “It’s just that for a moment he seemed so free up there.”

“I know what you mean, but birds are anything but free,” said Taylor, “try hunting for food all the time, not knowing when you are going to eat next, being cold, watching out for predators. Humans, on the other hand, are free.” Taylor paused, looking at Maggie intently. “We can do anything we want – the sky is the limit and there’s no one here to stop us.”

“You really believe that?” asked Maggie.

“Of course I believe it. Don’t you?”

“I’d like to,” said Maggie quietly, and then, meeting Taylor’s gaze, added more assertively, “After today anything seems possible.”

Purchase link: Kindle

Website|Facebook|Twitter

About the author: Marie Astor is a die-hard romantic who wholeheartedly believes in true love, which is why she writes in the contemporary romance genre.

Marie is the author of contemporary romance novels, On the Rim of Love, Lucky Charm, and a short story collection, A Chance Encounter and Other Stories.

In addition to being a writer, Marie is an avid hiker, an excellent swimmer, a good skier, and a capable badminton player.

Currently, Marie is working on her next novel - stay tuned for details! If you would like to receive updates about book releases and events, please visit Marie’s website or visit Marie at her Facebook page.

GIVEAWAY: Marie will be awarding a custom made jewelry set (necklace and earrings) to one randomly chosen commenter and to the host with the most comments (excluding the host's and Marie's) --US/Canada only, please.

Increase your chances of winning by following this tour and commenting! The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. Tour dates: here.

We thank Marie Astor and Goddess Fish Promotions.

The Moreno Brothers Book Tour

2012-01-30T14:06:00.001-05:00

Presented by Bewitching Book Tours

Forever Mine (Book #1)

Mature YA - Aprx 87k words

Summary: Seventeen-year old Sarah’s life is turned upside down when her single mom is sent to jail. She’s forced to move, leaving behind everything she’s ever known, including her best friend Sydney. Lost and bitter in a new school, her one goal is to save money and move back home. Then she meets Angel Moreno.

Enigmatic but gorgeous, Angel is almost too good to be true. Except for one thing, his archaic belief that guys and girls can never be “just friends”. The problem? Sarah’s best friend Sydney is not a girl.

With their unexpected romance intensifying to places neither ever experienced, how long can Sarah keep Angel in the dark about the guy waiting for her back home?

Available now on Amazon US, UK, Germany , France B&N Nook & Smashwords

Always Been Mine (Book #2)

Adult Contemporary - Aprx 98k words

Summary: After one heartache too many, Valerie Zuniga vows to never let Alex Moreno hurt her again. A year later, she is forced to reunite with him at a party where one unexpected sizzling kiss tells her she’s far from over him. No way will she allow herself to get sucked back into that torment. She’ll resist him even if that means using the one thing that’ll stop Alex dead in his tracks: another man.

Alex is coming off one of the worst years of his life. He spent so much time wallowing in self-pity, he never realized how much he’d missed Valerie. That is, until that kiss. Now, he’s determined to get her back one way or another, and no other man will stand in his way. Especially after discovering that Valerie may be in danger, a danger he blames himself for.

Available now on Amazon US, UK, Germany, France, B&N Nook, and Smashwords

Sweet Sofie (Book #3)

Mature YA - Aprx 58k words

Summary: Her entire life, Sofia Moreno has dealt with overprotective brothers. With her three older brothers always lurking, no boy would dare reach out to her. Luckily for Sofia, the one boy she's got her heart set on has always been within reach: her brother's best friend Eric, even though his loyalty to her brothers runs deep. Sofia knows there is only so much he can do before giving in to her.

Two years older than her, Eric Diego has always known there would be hell to pay if he messed with his best friend's kid sister, Sofia. Through the years, he watches as she blooms into a beautiful young lady right before his eyes. With teenage hormones raging and Sofia more than willing, Eric agrees to the unthinkable: a forbidden secret romance. Feeling emotions and a feverish passion that's new to them both, neither is ready for how quickly their romance spins out of control.

Available on Amazon US, UK Germany , France, B&N Nook, Smashwords

Romero (Book #4)

Adult Contemporary - Aprx 89k words

Summary: Prim and proper middle school teacher Isabel Montenegro always runs the opposite direction from men like Ramon Romero. A foul-mouthed, uneducated, loose cannon has no place in her careful plans. But instead of running away, Isabel is completely captivated. The intensity of his nature, while a bit daunting, mesmerizes her in ways she can’t begin to understand. She’s unwilling to walk away—even when her instincts are screaming at her to run.

Romero has no idea what he's getting himself into when he first kisses Isabel. Shocked at the passion she invokes in him, he believes he can keep his usual short fuse under wraps. Falling fast and hard for someone so flawlessly sweet only makes him more aware that he’s far from perfect. If she is ever witness to his biggest imperfection, he’s sure she’ll bail. But when her meddling sister does the worst thing imaginable—bring other men between him and his Izzy—that fuse is lit and all bets are off.

Available on Amazon US UK Germany, France B&N Nook, Smashwords

Making You Mine (Book #5)

Summary: Sal's Story coming end of December 2012.

Blurb to come for a short excerpt teaser click here. Exact word count to be determined still in rewrite stages but at first draft 118k words

List of characters in series:

Main characters in order of how they are introduced in books. (I'm sure someone will correct me if I get the order wrong. LOL

Sarah Fierro: Moves to La Jolla at 17 when mom is sent to jail meets Angel and falls head over heels.

Sydney Maricopa: Sarah's (male) childhood best friend back in Arizona and cause of much angst in FM.

Angel Moreno: Youngest of the brothers, part owner of Moreno's restaurant in love with Sarah.

Valerie Zuniga: Sarah's cousin who first tells Sarah about the Moreno brothers and has been crushing on Alex since grade school.

Eric Diego: One of the Moreno Brothers childhood best friend and has been in love with their sister Sofia since they were kids.

Ramon (Moe) Romero: Their other childhood best friend who goes by his last name and falls hard for Valerie's roommate Isabel (Izzy).

Sofia Moreno: The Moreno Brother's overprotected baby sister. Involved with the family restaurant(s) but has her own writing thing going and in love with Eric ever since she can remember.

Alex Moreno: Middle brother but physically the biggest. Hot head of the three part owner of Moreno's and in love with Valerie.

Sal Moreno: Oldest of the brothers, stayed in school longest to earn his master degree and perfectionist of the three. Overseer of all the Moreno restaurants and in love with...? ; )

Isabel Montenegro (Izzy): Valerie's college dorm roommate who later becomes her apartment roommate. Middle school teacher who falls in love with Romero.

Blog|Twitter|Facebook

About The Author: I was born and raised and continue to live in sunny southern California. I'm married and have two wonderful teens. My love for writing began when I was just a kid though, I never really had any dreams or aspirations of doing it for a living. Then along came the age of eReaders and I saw an opportunity to get my writing out for the world to read without jumping through hoops and getting past the red tape of trying to get traditionally published.

The Moreno Brothers series has literally changed my life. I now wake up to go to work a few yards from my bed. Forever Mine is the first in the series and is currently still free on Amazon but I anticipate that changing real soon. Always Been Mine is the second in the series, then Sweet Sofie and recently released Romero is the fourth. Making You Mine is the fifth in the series and will be available tentatively this December 2011. I already have another series in mind that will immediately follow this one. (No I won't be taking any vacations from writing!) I will have more info sneak and peeks of that series which will be out in 2012. But I have so many other stories screaming to be told I only wish I could write faster!

I love hearing from my readers and try to always respond as soon as I can, so feel free to reach out!

Mishap and Chaos Book Tour

2012-01-30T00:30:00.000-05:00

Presented by Bewitching Book Tours

Hello everyone! I’m M.M. Shelley and I would like to give a BIG thanks to Reader Girls, for inviting me onto their blog today so that I can share my latest book with you!

Mishap & Chaos

It’s about twin Latina girls, Grasiella & Tatiana who are hated and feared by the magical race to which they belong.

Here is an excerpt from my book:

“What happened here?” Pele asked him concerned. The heat of the gun was strong from recent use. She took notice of the shattered window.

Kye turned away from her as he lowered the gun to his side. “Nothing,” he said.

“No, something happened in this room. What was it?” A worried look was etched into the features of her face. “Kye?”

“I went to see the island witch and do you know what she told me? Who she thinks I am?”

Pele placed a hand on his shoulder and turned him to face her. “I have heard her words once before. I know what she told Nohea. She despises us for who we are. Give her words no credence.” She softly placed her hands on either side of his face almost like he was a small child who needed consoling.

Kye took two swift steps away from her as he pinned her with an unforgiving look.

She watched his retreat with guarded eyes. “She is just some old woman who does not like our kind. She fears us because of what we can do. She has been using Nohea against us for years.”

“What do you mean? How has she been using Nohea against us?”

“That witch has no true power of her own. She fears us.”

“You said that already, what did you mean when you said that she had been using Nohea against us?”

Pele closed the distance between herself and Kye. “You know how he feels about you?”

Kye nodded his head, yeah he knew.

“She filled his head with lies about you. There is no truth in the witch’s claims.” She spoke softly to reassure him of her words. “Every night she goes out to the sea with her chants and her spells playing with things that she should not,” she said. Her eyes moved past Kye to the shattered window and back to him. “Do not worry about her, she is only human, her time draws near to an end.”

“What does that mean? Are you going to do something to her?”

Within seconds Pele stood before the shattered window and she was just as quick with her answer. “No, I will let the natural order of things prevail.” Her coy smile hinted otherwise.

“You don’t believe what she says about me? Why not? After everything…”

The amber color of Pele’s eyes was intense as she said, “You descend from a powerful line, one that does not corrupt.” The amber in her eyes began to shine as if there were lava swirling in them. “Why should I fear you? You are one of mine; you have done nothing that I have not done before.”

Thanks again to Reader Girls, for hosting this stop on my Mishap & Chaos tour! You can find me over at my blog or on Twitter.

About Mishap & Chaos

Twins Grasiella & Tatiana are hated and feared by the magical race to which they belong.

Deep within the Hawaiian Islands is a hidden danger an island witch who wants nothing more then to end the line of Pele, the fire goddess. Her influence has breached Pele’s inner circle.

The twins must face the consequences of a freed Mnemosyne who no longer stands alone and wants nothing more than to destroy them. Others from Mnemosyne’s world have traveled to earth with unclear intentions.

Grasiella and Tatiana’s only focus is to find their missing grandmother. Risking everything, not knowing if she is dead or alive...

About the Author:

M.M. Shelley is a storyteller, word smith and dreamer. MISHAP AND MAYHEM, a captivating story of faerie's and magic, is her debut novel. She has traveled the world extensively in search of the magic which is often overlooked in everyday life. M.M. Shelley is a native of southern California, and a student of mythology from which she gets much inspiration.

Visit M.M. Shelley at her blog: www.mmshelley.blogspot.com

Embrace Book Tour

2012-01-27T00:30:00.000-05:00

We are hosting the Embrace tour today. Welcome! For our post we are running our review of this engaging paranormal YA novel.

Summary: Sometimes you end up hurting the ones you love.
You find you can't save them or yourself.

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.

Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.

Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.

Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.

Our review: First off, I love it when a summary doesn't reveal much about what the story is about. I don't like it when I already know too much going into a story, just as I don't like seeing some movie trailers that show the best parts of a movie before I've even seen it. Author Cherie Coyler has written an engaging paranormal YA, part mystery, part coming-of-age and a whole lot of other things making this a fabulous read.

I don't want to reveal any spoilers but I will say the author made her main character, Madison, a normal teen with a developing attraction to the new guy, the mysterious Issac. It was nice to see Madison remark about her quick feelings for this guy she hardly knows (as I was thinking it), but she doesn't fight her feelings either. I've been in a similar situation and could really understand her point of view and her actions.

Embrace was a novel I certainly embraced and did not want to stop reading. Entertaining, realistic and filled with surprising twists, I highly recommend this title to fans of YA paranormal romance.

Purchase links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Omnific Publishing

Blog|Facebook|Twitter

About the author:

A little about myself: I write young adult and middle grade novels. I love finding new stories that keep me up late reading. While my favorite genre is fantasy, if the book is beautifully written with characters that come alive I’m all over it.

My debut novel EMBRACE is now available from Omnific Publishing.

Relic Book Tour

2012-01-26T00:10:00.001-05:00

A Sizzling PR Virtual Book Tour

We host the Relic Book Tour today. We were able to interview author Deena Remiel and she shares an excerpt from this exciting angel series, the second in her Brethren series. Laurie is reading this book and will post her review soon.

Summary: Raphael, a Brethren Savior, an angel with a forgotten past, has lost his power to heal and is on a self-imposed guilt trip to get it back. If he can’t, his tour of eternal duty as Brethren Savior will be revoked. On his journey, he winds up enmeshed in a web of attempted murder and resurrection all thanks to a woman he’s only seen in a photograph and by chance on an Arizona desert hiking trail.

Serena Sikes is a wanted woman. Desired by “undesirables” for a gift her brother gave her- a stolen relic with suspected healing powers. Hunted down in the Arizona desert and left for dead, she is found by none other than the angel who cannot heal.

Raphael and Serena are inexorably bound together, for locked deep within the relic’s heart had lived the soul of his long lost wife. Now, it resides inside Serena. Evil lurks around every corner as Raphael tries to keep both Serena and his dead wife’s soul alive and lustful temptation at bay.

Three souls bound together by an ancient relic, bound by a timeless gift, and bound by a love that is eternal.

An interview with Deena Remiel

Why choose angels for your Brethren series?

When the concept for the Brethren first came to me, I wanted to showcase a group of otherwordly beings that hadn't been widely examined as of yet. I also wanted this group to have the ability to walk beside humans without them even knowing, to live parallel lives. We all knkow about guardian angels, and I wanted to have a group of "superheroes", if you will, champion the good people of the world.

What is it about the battle between good and evil that attracts so many writers?

For me, it's the sense of urgency and a winner-takes-all scenario that draws me. The battles between Good and Evil are fights to the finish, and both sides are "all in". There's nothing quite like an apocalyptic war to raise emotional tension and send it soaring to the heavens.

Do you have a favorite character in your series?

I adore them all, but I just might favor Raphael just a little bit more! He is so sensual and strong, and okay, he's also a bit on the tortured side. I can tell you, fans of the Brethren sure have their favorites. The girls go crazy over Gabriel, Cassiel, and Nathanael. Come join a rousing game of Virtual Brethren Twister some time on my fan page and you'll see what I'm talking about! LOL

Were any characters particularly challenging to create? Were any easy?

Serena was very difficult to create because of the nature of her story. She's basically two souls in one, harboring Raphael's long-lost wife's soul within her. Writing dual personalities is tricky business! Hannah, from Trinity, was easy because I based her mannerisms and personality on a combination of my two daughters and me when I was a child.

Tell us about your worldbuilding.

First, I had to decide what the nature of my group would be. Then, I had to decide whether they would coexist with the humans or flit in and out like gods. I created a character sketch for each Brethren including body features and special skills. I explained the way of things in the prologue of Trinity, and continue to reveal more and more throughout the stories. I keep everything about them in one file so I can refer back and be consistent with my rules.

What inspires you and how do you call about your muse?

Until recently, I hadn't thought I had a muse. But apparently, after having a psychic reading, I do! She's an angel muse who has spurred me to write about angels. Initially though, it was the Superstition Mountains by my home that swept me away and opened my mind to infinite worlds and stories to be told. I still feel it is the land that speaks to me, whispering little nuggets of ideas through the breeze.

An excerpt from Relic:

Serena lay asleep in her hospital bed, a small, seemingly fragile wisp of a woman. The way the setting sun cast a glow about her face, she looked enchanting and more like a delicate flower. He could almost smell the sweet scent of a Lily of the Valley in the air. He shook himself free of his musings as he moved into her room and quietly took a seat next to her.

Glancing around the room, he found the sweet-smelling culprit that had captivated him—a small bottle of perfume. Returning to gaze upon his enchantress, he noticed the bruising along her jaw line much more pronounced since he’d first come upon her. A cold, steel anger welled within him. His eyes trailed down to her slender arm outfitted with an IV, and to all the machines with their bells and beeps.

“I’m sorry, Serena,” he whispered. “You wouldn’t have needed all of this if I could’ve done my job properly.” He bristled in frustration and leaned his head against his arms resting on the bedrail. He noticed her stirring in her sleep. She seemed agitated and surprised him by blindly reaching out to grab hold of his hand.

“Mmm…I cannot die. I am immortal. An feidir le heinne cuidiu liom? Can anyone help me? Graim thu, Raphael, anam chara. I love you, my soul mate.” Serena whimpered and fell silent once again.

The chair screeched across the floor as Raphael sprung out of it like a Jack-in-the-box. Her hand stayed firmly gripped around his, and a flood of memories—well-hidden for centuries—came crashing through unbidden. Sirona, Goddess of Healing—the love of his immortal life, his wife—smiled at him as they walked in the mountains. She bathed him in the hot roman baths. She made love with him under the stars. She was lifeless in his arms as he carried her to her temple. He was asking E.L. to wipe his memory clean of all remembrances of her and to harden his heart.

Raphael wrenched his hand away from Serena’s tight grasp, involuntarily backing up to the door. He clutched his chest over his racing heart, now filled with centuries of unresolved anguish, his mind buzzed with too many questions.

Serena’s eyes fluttered open. He must have had a look of utter horror on his face because she raised her hand to her face shielding the bruise. “It appears worse than it feels,” she stated quietly. “Really. Have you come to fix the TV? They told me someone would be coming by this afternoon to fix it.”

“Uh…no,” Raphael croaked. “I, uh…I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable. I’ll be on my way.” I have to get out of here. Who the hell is she, some kind of witch? Why is this happening now? And where do I begin to process what I just experienced?

“But wait. Who are you? Why did you come to my room?”

Now she doesn’t know who I am? What gives? “I’m the one who found you and brought you here to the hospital, actually. I was checking to see how you were doing. Now I see you’re doing much better, so I’m going to leave you to your rest.” Raphael headed to the exit.

“Wait! Please, before you go I’d like to say something.” He turned around slowly and stood transfixed by her glittering emerald eyes. “Thank you. You saved my life, and I’m forever grateful.” She smiled, and her eyes brimmed with unshed tears.

“Make no mistake,” he grumbled. “I didn’t save you. The doctors did. But you’re welcome for bringing you here. Now, I really must go.”

“Hey,” Serena shouted as he walked out the door, “what did you say your name was?”

He stopped but couldn’t face her again. “I didn’t.”

About the author: It was the mystique of Arizona’s history and landscape that called to Deena and catapulted her career as an author. When she’s not writing romance novels and poetry in the wee, small hours of the morning or in the deep, dark of night, Deena teaches language arts to middle school students.

She currently lives in Gilbert with her husband and two children, but New Jersey will always tug at her heartstrings. She loves connecting with her fans, so find her at deenaremiel.com.

Website / Blog / Facebook / Twitter

We thank Deena Remiel and Sizzling PR.

Crash Into You Book Tour

2012-01-25T00:30:00.000-05:00

A Goddess Fish Virtual Book Tour

Buy book links

Welcome to Reader Girls! Our mom is thrilled to be hosting today's tour for author Roni Loren's debut erotic romance novel, Crash Into You. You can read her review here. Roni Loren is sharing a guest post and excerpt with everyone and don't forget to enter her fabulous giveaway (details can be found below).

Summary: Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women incrisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where itwould take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from copsand criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat—a place where the eliteescape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. To find her Brynn mustgo undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitationonly. And the one Master who can get her in is from the darkest corner ofBrynn’s past.

Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once strippedof his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only tohave him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he’s alltoo willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed,the sexual games escalate—and so does the danger. Their hearts aren’t the only things at risk.Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could bemurder.

GUEST POST: On Balancing Writing andFamily Life

One of the toughest things I’ve had to tackle since I decided topursue a writing career is finding the balance between my writing life and myfamily life. Before I had my son, I always had a full time day job. So I wasused to having a quitting time. Except for the one position I had where I wason call, when five o’clock came, I was done for the day. I could go home andenjoy my time with my husband.

But after I had my son and decided to stay at home, things got alittle less structured. Then I decided to pursue writing and it all became morecomplicated. Suddenly, I was sneaking in some writing while kidlet watchedBarney or after he went to bed at night. My down time became writing time. Andthough I adore writing, it’s still work and time away from my family, so canwear you down if you don’t build in time to recharge.

And now that I’ve achieved my dream of being published, theresponsibilities have grown. There are deadlines to be met on new books, blogposts to write, promo to do, and emails to answer. If I let myself, I couldliterally work sixteen hours a day and still have things to do. And I’m aperfectionist, so I want to get it all done and get it all done right. But if Ido that, then my family would never see me.

So, I won’t pretend that I have it all figured it out yet becauseI’m still learning as I go, but I have had to make an effort to keep a morestructured schedule. My kidlet goes to preschool in the afternoon, so I reservethat time for writing. In the mornings, I spend time with him and then blog andsuch if he gets occupied. In the evenings, I spend time with my family and thencatch up on work things while hubs puts kidlet to sleep. I’m still trying tofind where I stick in my reading for pleasure time, but I’ll get there.

How do you find thebalance in your life? Do you prefer a structured day or a more flexibleschedule? What time do you set aside for yourself or for your family?

CRASH INTO YOU - EXCERPT:

Brynn’s response lodged in her throat, the all-too-familiarname ringing in her ears. No, couldn’t be. But a sinking feeling settled in hergut. She’d only met one Reid in her life, and that Reid was a lawyer. Sheclosed her eyes and took a steadying breath before she turned around to faceher new co-worker.

Reid’s blue-eyed gaze met her head-on, hitting her like anairbag to the chest. She sucked in a breath and fought the old instinct tolower her eyes in deference. Son of a bitch, where had that urge come from? Sheticked up her chin and gave him her bestI-hate-you-but-will-be-polite-because-I’m-the-bigger-person glare. “Hello.”

Cooper walked around Brynn and clapped Reid on theshoulder. “Reid, I’d like you to meet our other social worker, Brynn LeBreck.”

Reid nodded, his expression annoyingly unreadable. “Brynn,pleasure to see you again. It’s been a while.”

Notlong enough. Three years had passed since she’d last seen him.His inky hair was longer on top and a few lines creased the corners of hiseyes, but time hadn’t softened her warring responses to him. The urges topummel his face and strip naked before him held almost equal weight. Luckily,the venue was too public to give in to either. She feigned an air ofindifference. “It has.”

“Still as beautiful as ever, though.”

The warm notes of his voice stirred the dark recesses ofher memory, further inciting the old longing. She shifted in her heels as hottingles crept from deep in her belly and moved downward to settle between herlegs. Un-f**king- believable.Her body was a whoring traitor.

Melody stepped next to Brynn as if sensing her need forsupport, and Cooper’s eyebrows rose. “You two know each other?”

Boy, did they—in just about every way a man and womancould. She searched Reid’s face, and he tipped his head infinitesimally, as ifgiving her permission to answer the question. Her eyes narrowed. “Used to. Longtime ago.”

Cooper smiled, either oblivious or unperturbed by thetension zipping through the air between her and Reid. “Great. Guessintroductions weren’t needed then.”

Nope. Not needed. Brynn knew exactly who Reid Jamison was.A first-class bastard.

(Full version of chapter one can be read here)

About the author: Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when shediscovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them.Since then, her flirting skills haven’t improved, but she likes to think herstorytelling ability has. Though she’ll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart,she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son. If she’s not working on herlatest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, orindulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah,that's it. Her debut novel, CRASH INTO YOU, was published by Berkley HeatJanuary 3, 2012.

Website/Blogs | Twitter | Tumblr (where Roni posts mancandy photos) |Facebook

GIVE AWAY!!!! Roni Loren is having a give away. Here are the prizes she's offering:

* One signed set of Romance Trading Cards for "Crash Into You" to a random commenter at every stop.* A $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour. * A signed set of Romance Trading Cards for "Crash Into You" AND a basket of romance novels (approx. $50 value) to the host with the most comments (excluding the author's and their own) including: Switch by Megan Hart, Big Jack by J.D. Robb, Enemy Lover by Karin Harlow, Beyond the Night by Joss Ware, and The Fallen: Raziel by Kristina Douglas.

To enter the giveaway follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here.

We thank Roni Loren and Goddess Fish Promotions.

Adult book review: Crash Into You by Roni Loren

2012-01-25T00:00:00.000-05:00

Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade; 1 edition (January 3, 2012)

Summary: Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat-a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. To find her, Brynn must go undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the one master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn's past.

Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he's all too willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate-and so does the danger. Their hearts aren't the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder.

My review: As an adult with a family and lots of responsibilities, I sometimes forget I'm also a woman and there are times I want some "me" time, like picking up a sexy romantic novel to get lost in. When I saw the cover for Crash Into You I knew I had to read it (luv that cover!) and as a follower of author Roni Loren's writing blog, I wanted to read her debut novel after hearing about it from her. All I can say is "Wow!" Am I ever glad I had an opportunity to sink into this story.

And sink I did. Or should I say engulfed? There are some erotic novels I can't finish, either because there's too much emphasis on the sex and not enough story development or it's poorly written. Crash Into You was everything I want in a novel in this genre: an in-depth story with believable characters and dialogue, conflict, and, of course, chemistry and lots of romance. Loren's debut took me into a world I knew nothing about--the world of Doms and servants or BDSM while sharing with the reader Brynn and Reid's tumultuous relationship. But the book was more than depicting a couple's alternative lifestyle. Both main characters had issues to deal with and were able to help each other out along the way (and reconnect after a ten year break). The writing was smooth, had moments of humor, heart and warmth, and the romantic scenes were so realistic, natural and intense, I never experienced one moment of being uncomfortable or rolling my eyes.

An important component of my complete enjoyment with Crash Into You was reading the dual perspectives of Brynn and Reid, told in present and past chapters. Not only did I gain a thorough knowledge of who these people are, I saw where they came from and that enabled me to understand them well. Even the secondary characters were fleshed out and the story kept me glued to every page. Nothing seemed gratuitous and the mystery aspect of this tale reached a satisfying conclusion.

I kept hearing Dave Matthews' incredibly sexy song, the same as the book title, as I read and they were a perfect match--both slow, sensual and addictive (like a freshly brewed tall glass of sweet tea on a sweltering August day)! If you enjoy erotica with a wonderful story and oodles of romantic moments, Crash Into You is definitely worth picking up. I congratulate Roni Loren on creating such a thrilling novel, the first in what promises to be an exciting series.

Rating: Thoroughly engaging!

Favorite excerpt: Too many and too hot to mention.

Cover comment: HOT and SEXY all in caps. That pose, their hands, and the water all depict what will be found inside--sheer escapism into one steamy thrill ride of a story. I haven't seen such a perfect cover in quite some time.

Book source: From publisher for use during a book tour for which I have given my completely honest opinion.

Teaser Tuesday (January 24, 2012)

2012-01-24T11:04:00.001-05:00

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by Miz B at ShouldBeReading where you randomly take two lines from your current read (spoiler-free please) and highlight them in a post. This week our choices run the gamut from electrifying adult romance to paranormal YA to another exciting romance featuring angels. All three share romance, intriguing storylines and covers we just love.

Our first tease is from Crash Into You by Roni Loren.

Brynn's head swam and sweat beaded her skin. She dug her nails into her palms and started counting backward from one hundred in her head, a habit she had picked up as a child when she'd wake up from nightmares in an empty house.

Book summary: Brynn LeBreck has dedicated herself to helping women in crisis, but she never imagined how personal her work would get, or where it would take her. Her younger sister is missing, suspected to be hiding from cops and criminals alike at a highly secretive BDSM retreat-a place where the elite escape to play out their most extreme sexual fantasies. To find her, Brynn must go undercover as a sexual submissive. Unfortunately, The Ranch is invitation only. And the one master who can get her in is from the darkest corner of Brynn's past.

Brynn knows what attorney Reid Jamison is like once stripped of his conservative suit and tie. Years ago she left herself vulnerable only to have him crush her heart. Now she needs him again. Back on top. And he's all too willing to engage. But as their primal desires and old wounds are exposed, the sexual games escalate-and so does the danger. Their hearts aren't the only things at risk. Someone else is watching, playing by his own rules. And his game could be murder.

The second is from Embrace by Cherie Colyer.

Isaac had just lifted the bar in place when a large black spider spun down from the ceiling and landed on my shoulder. I screamed and, forgetting I was on a ladder, jumped backward.

Book summary: Sometimes you end up hurting the ones you love.

You find you can't save them or yourself.

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.

Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.

Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.

Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.

And the third is from Relic by Deena Remiel.

“Alive,” she whispered. “I’m alive.”

Book summary: Raphael, an immortal Brethren Savior, an angel with a forgotten past, has lost his power to heal and is on a self-imposed guilt trip trying to get it back. Powers be damned, he winds up enmeshed in a web of attempted murder and resurrection all thanks to a woman he’s only seen in a photograph and by chance on his hiking trail.

Serena, a young woman with a promising future, yet presently with unfulfilled dreams, is a wanted woman. Wanted for a stolen relic and its suspected healing powers, she is hunted down in the Arizona desert and left for dead. Raphael and Serena are inexorably bound together, for locked deep within the relic’s heart is the soul of Raphael’s long, lost wife.

Danger lurks around every corner, as Raphael is determined to keep both Serena and his dead wife’s soul alive and lustful temptation at bay. Three souls bound together by an ancient relic, bound by a timeless gift, and bound by a love that is eternal.

Those are our picks. We'd love to see what everyone is reading. Want to share yours? Just post a link or tell us in your comment. Thanks for sharing!

Fallenwood Book Tour

2012-01-23T00:30:00.000-05:00

A Goddess Fish Promotions Virtual Book Tour

Reader Girls hosts the Fallenwood Book Tour today. Author Leslie D. Soule shares a guest post with us as well as an excerpt. Keep reading to find out about the giveaway too!

Book blurb: Fallenwood—a land where magic is the life force, dragons are sages, and wizards good and evil battle for supremacy. When 23-year-old Ash is thrust into the middle of Fallenwood’s power struggles, she is also forced to face her own inner battles. Life on Earth was hard enough on Ash, who is locked in grief for her stepfather.

Now, the fate of Fallenwood rests on her shoulders. She must destroy the Great Crystal—the catalyst for all the land’s magic. As the kingdoms prepare for war, Ash must look inside to find the power to save the world, and herself.

Guest Post by Leslie D. Soule: Creating A Unique Fantasy World

How do you make your fantasy world stand out among others?
Well, I suppose that’s always the big challenge with writing fantasy, really – to do something that hasn’t been done before or isn’t just a rip off of a fantasy world that’s already been done. This idea is such a challenge that on the “Fantasy Novelist’s Exam” on rinkworks.com/fnovel, listing all the things you shouldn’t do as a fantasy writer, the creator asks, “Is your book basically a rip-off of The Lord of the Rings?” as question 74, and then follows it up with number 75 – “Read that question again and answer truthfully.”

One of the things you have to figure out as an author is how much you want your fantasy world to be like the real world. With Tolkien, he chose to create a whole bunch of flora for his fantasy world of Middle Earth, from Mallorn trees to Kingsfoil, and yet he seems to also have understood that you need some mundane items thrown into the mix as well – like when he mentions carrots or stew. Creating a unique fantasy world relies on your ability to blend the mundane and the surreal in a way that readers can connect to, and finding that balance between bland and overly strange.

I think it might have been C.S. Lewis that I was reading, who explains that fantasy is a combination of elements that do not normally go together, and then you blend them. He explained that gold and trees are both “ordinary” things, but fantasy happens when you combine them and get a gold tree.

Then, of course, you have to figure out how magic works in the fantasy world you’ve created. This is like the keystone that holds things together. Orson Scott Card writes about how there has to be a “price” for magic, every single time it’s used in a fantasy novel, otherwise your characters become too powerful.

That being said, I believe that your fantasy world becomes your own when you combine elements in a unique way or when you’re able to explain the workings of your fantasy world so well that the story begins to write itself and the characters take over. It is difficult, but well worth it when you can look back and say, “No one else could have created that.”

Best of luck to you aspiring writers out there!!!

An excerpt from Fallenwood:
The dragon’s eyes glowed, for a flickering moment, with white light.

“Ash,” the dragon continued, “Welcome to Terra Illumina…or as it is more commonly known, Fallenwood.” Then a fierce roaring laugh erupted from the stone, as though the dragon thought the new name a joke. “A dark, difficult, dangerous path lies before you, Ash Kensington.”

Ash’s heart grew heavy. In truth, she knew that she was destined to some terrible, dark fate. For so long, her life was filled with sadness and doubt, and one horrible thing after another. What else can I hope for?

“But Ash, you must not lose hope. Our world needs you..."

About the author: Leslie Soule lives in Sacramento, California. Fallenwood is her first fantasy novel. She has received her B.A. in English from Sacramento State University and is currently working on her Master’s degree in English at National University.

Website | Blog

Giveaway: Leslie will be giving away a $25 Barnes and Noble GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour as well as to the host with the most comments (excluding Leslie's and their own). Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here.

We thank Leslie D. Soule and Goddess Fish Promotions. Our review will be up soon.

Joel Andre Virtual Tour

2012-01-20T00:30:00.000-05:00

Guest Post:
When I first started writing, I thought all I had to do to gain exposure was to post my book to Amazon. Over the years, I have found out it is a little more complex than that. If people don’t know your books are out there, they won’t pick them up. But getting noticed can be difficult. It took a few years for stories like A Death at the North Pole, Autopsy and Brutal to pick up in sales and get noticed. This can be attributed to a few things.

Let’s start off with the fact the running ads is expensive. I dropped about $10,000 in advertising through online book tours and advertising on various websites. This proved to be effective to a point, but once the ads went down, sales dropped as well. But I have found there are things you can do to keep sales up and most of them won’t cost you a fortune.

Now, it is likely that, even if you think your sales are doing okay, you want to see an increase in your sales. You can do this. You need to make sure that people find your books easier by building a good online presence. Among the best tools you can have to help build your presence online and give your sales a boost is knowing keyword use and LSI.

Most people are familiar with keywords to some extent. They are basically the search terms people type into a search engine when they are looking for something. When publishing a book, especially in digital format, many publishers provide a field to enter keywords you want used so your book will be among the results when someone uses one of them on the site the book is sold on or in a search engine. But this is just the beginning if you want your sales to increase.

You want to create an online presence to make people aware of who you are and what you offer. You can do this with a blog related to the genre in which you write. Here you definitely need to use keywords so people find your blog. Each post should have at least one main keyword and maybe a secondary keyword relevant to the topic of the post.

The days of using a lot of keywords numerous times each are gone and search engines will penalize content that is 'keyword stuffed' as it is considered keyword spamming. Now, the trend is toward solid content that offers value to the reader so keywords should not be crammed in so much the content is unreadable. About once per hundred words for the main keyword is as much as you want to use it. It can be used even less if the placement is optimal. A good example would be in the title of the post, the first sentence, somewhere in the last paragraph and once in the middle of 400 to 500-word post.

Keyword use alone can be fairly effective but to be even more effective, adding in some LSI terms is essential. LSI, or Latent Semantic Indexing, seem somewhat mysterious but it is really rather simple. The idea is to say the same thing as the keyword without repeating the exact keyword over and over. You talk about the same thing in different wording so it reads more naturally. If you think about the way to talk to someone about something, you don't refer to it in exactly the same words all the time. For example, if you talk about dog training, you may refer to it in other ways as well, such as training a dog, pet training, teaching your dog, etc. These are examples of LSI terms and it is easy to see that using them ensures your post will read better than if the keyword 'dog training' were used every time.

When both keywords and LSI are used, search engines will find you and your readers will get to know you and look for your books, resulting in more sales. Websites like www.needanarticle.com have the ability to help you with that. Since I work there when I am not writing my own stories, you can actually hire me on to help you build your online presence.

website

About Joel: Joel M. Andre was born January 13, 1981. At a young age he was fascinated with the written word. It was at fourteen that Poe blew his mind, and Andre began to dabble with darker poetry.

Between the years of 1999 and 2007 Joel was featured in various poetry anthologies and publications. In 2008 he released his first collection,Pray the Rain Never Ends.

Knowing there was something deeper and darker inside of his soul, Joel decided to take a stab at commercialism. Releasing the dark tongue in cheek, A Death at the North Pole, created a dark world among the death of Kris Kringle. Ultimately providing a tale of redemption.

October of 2008 saw Joel release his second book, Kill 4 Me. A tale in which a woman is haunted by a vengeful spirit through text messages and instant messaging.

Taking some time off and doing a lot of soul searching, Joel took things in a new direction and dabbled in the Fantasy Genre with, The Pentacle of Light. The tale dealing with five major races battling for control of Earth, and the acceptance of their God.

Finally, after missing his detective Lauren Bruni, he released the book The Return in October 2009, this time moving the action from the North Pole and placing it in the small Arizona community he was raised in.
Andre’s latest book is The Black Chronicles: Cry of the Fallen about a dead man who seeks revenge on the woman that tormented him in peaceful Northern Arizona.

Currently, he resides in Chandler, AZ.

The Fever and the Fury Book Tour

2012-01-18T00:30:00.000-05:00

A Sizzling PR Book Spotlight

Book summary: Revenge is a dish best served hot!

Phaedra, a fury, is bound to make Lieutenant Luke Lazaros atone for his supposed crime, but her usual method of inflicting pain doesn’t work very well on a phoenix with the power to be reborn every time he dies. However, each rebirth leaves him with an overwhelming need for sex. Phaedra’s new plan: to drive Luke mad with desire.

But Phaedra has never touched anyone—even herself—except to cause pain. She’s an innocent when it comes to pleasure…but Luke isn’t. His touch is a revelation, arousing a passion in Phaedra that is as delicious as it is terrifying. For no matter how much she wants Luke, giving herself to a man risks awakening her goddess’s wrath.

Excerpt:

She'd already killed him twice this week.

Monday, the harpy bitch grabbed the wheel just as he was making a tight turn on a cliff-side highway. The car jumped the barrier and exploded in a fiery crash of glass and twisted metal at the bottom of Moraca Canyon.

On Wednesday morning, he'd chanced taking a shower and she dropped a hair dryer in with him, sending a deadly shock through his wet body.

It wasn't even the weekend and she was already trying to kill him a third time.

Luke had awakened to the sinuous slide of her body atop his and, for one groggy moment, he'd enjoyed the carnal sensation of a woman in bed with him.

Then her knee came crushing down on his windpipe.

Now Luke thrashed upon the mattress, grabbing at her supple thighs, trying to throw her off. The curve of her breast brushed his arm, her moist lips parted and she clutched at his face as if she were going to draw him into an intimate embrace…just before fingernails like talons cut his flesh to bloody ribbons.

Or at least that's what it felt like.

With the lightest touch, she could put an ordinary mortal man in complete agony. But he wasn't an ordinary mortal man and she should have known better than to touch him.

"Atone," the fury demanded, her voice driving needles of agony into his spine. “Atone!”

Luke was desperate enough to consider it. Anything to get rid of her. Anything to make the pain stop. Anything that might relieve him of the memories that haunted him. The blood in the sand and all the lies…

Take the money, Luke. There'll be more where that came from.

His traitorous lips parted in surrender, ready to tell the fury whatever she wanted to hear, but then he felt his square jaw clench tight in stubborn refusal.

No. Screw atonement and regret. Luke would rather die again.

Her lithe legs wrapped around his waist like a vise. They were locked together as tightly as lovers and in blind suffering he banged the back of his skull on the headboard. It started like a fever, a sexual rush of heat that seared its way through his veins, pulsing through his hammering heart, racing to his groin.

Damn it. He liked this villa, but he'd burn the place down to get free of her if he had to. Sparks leaped from his fingertips to the bedsheets and the scent of scorched linen rose to his nostrils. The fire would obey him—it was the one goddamned thing in his life he still had any control over—so Luke made the fire rise higher, engulfing them both in a flash of flames and searing pain.

His bones went white-hot, molten beneath his skin, and he screamed. He was turning to ash. He was burning her too, burning her alive. He could have held onto her. He could have forced her to share his torment to the bitter end, but he flung her away. And her tumbling body was the last thing he saw before he died….

Phaedra was accustomed to inflicting pain, not suffering it. But now every cell in her body screamed in protest as her burned skin rose up in blisters. She was immortal. She could never die. That didn't mean she couldn't feel pain, and making this man miserable had somehow become her own personal torment.

She lay dazed in agony on the floor, smoke filling her lungs while Lieutenant Luke Lazaros burned alive before her very eyes. Gods of Olympus, he was stubborn. He should have broken by now, but he was only getting more unmanageable. None of the men she'd been sent to torture had ever been so obstinate. Then again, she'd never been unleashed upon a phoenix before.

In the light of the crackling blaze, Phaedra's blistered body healed, new pink flesh knitting over the old with miraculous speed, and it occurred to her that the fire alarm wasn't shrieking. A quick glance up at the scorched ceiling told her that he'd disabled it. That he'd planned for this exact circumstance. He was handy that way. Good with modern gadgets. And a born strategist. He'd started anticipating her. Adapting…

All at once, the conflagration on the bed extinguished itself and a burst of air dusted her with Luke's charred human remains. A bit of stagecraft on his part.

Of course, she'd seen him do this before—rise from the ashes as a new man, his dark curly hair cut in sharp military style, his name and blood type displayed upon frayed patches on his desert fatigues. A backpack full of cash in his right hand.

This was how he looked the moment he was war-forged. The instant he stopped being an ordinary mortal man and became a monster. But as many times as she watched him die, she couldn't enjoy it. Watching him now, she took no satisfaction in his shudder of revulsion at the feel of a new body that wasn't his own. Nor did it encourage her to see the half hostile, half haunted look in his eyes as he tried to remember himself. Shaking his head as if to fasten upon his old memories, he caught her look of dismay and gave a dark smile-that-was-not-a-smile.

"What's the matter?” Luke asked. “Didn't expect me to be so hot in bed?"

Given that she was clutching the burned and blackened remains of her clothing against her body, Phaedra didn't appreciate the sexual innuendo. It didn't surprise her though. Every time the lieutenant was reborn, he battled overwhelming hunger. He'd be ravenous now, for food, drink…sex.

Still, he grabbed one of his white dress shirts from a drawer and tossed it to her. "Here. You can wear this."

The gallant gesture was starkly out of place considering their situation. Phaedra eyed her nemesis as she fastened the buttons, disconcerted by his scent on the shirt and how it mingled with the perfume of her newly healed skin. "Does this mean you're ready to be redeemed, Luke Lazaros?"

"Just means I was brought up right," Luke said through his teeth. "And that an officer falls back on his training in a crisis. Or maybe I've just always fantasized about a leggy woman wearing nothing but my shirt. Until I get rid of you, I might as well improve the scenery."

"How many times must we go through this?" Phaedra asked, ignoring the predatory glare in his eyes. She rose to her feet. She was tall, but he was taller. She was hard-bodied and imposing; even before they felt the torture of her touch, most men had the sense to cower. But not this man. "There is no getting rid of me, Lieutenant. Once a fury is unleashed upon a criminal, she's unbreakably bound to him until he atones or is driven to insanity."

"I'm not a criminal," Luke snapped. "And I will find a way to be rid of you."

I hope you do find a way, Phaedra thought. Because she was every bit as stuck with him as he was with her.

About the author: A multi-published award-nominated author of paranormal romance. Stephanie’s critically acclaimed Mythica series asks: What if the monsters of ancient mythology still walked the earth...and what if you found out that you were one of them?

Currently a denizen of Baltimore, Stephanie lives with her favorite nocturnal creatures–three scheming cats and a deliciously wicked husband. And when she is not busy with dark domestic rituals, she writes her books.

Website / Facebook / Twitter

Stories to Enjoy Book Tour

2012-01-17T00:30:00.000-05:00

This unique collection of 16 short stories written by prize-winner Tom Mach includes stories such as "Real Characters," which is about a writer who gets his wish--that his characters come alive.... "Breakfast, Over Easy" makes you wonder about loyalty in the face of temptation.... "When Kansas Women Were Not Free" takes you to a time when women were less free than former males slaves.... "Son" make you think differently about compassion. One novelist describes STORIES TO ENJOY as "memorable and intriguing, with O. Henry twists that are sure to surprise and entertain."

Guest Post by Tom Mach

My Thoughts on the Short Story Format & Increase in
Short Stories/Novellas/Flash Fiction eBooks

I’ve witnessed this phenomenal interest in eBook short fiction myself, having sold over 1,300 copies of A Belt Buckle for Camilla with little effort on my part. I’m also seeing a rise in readership of my collection of stories, Stories to Enjoy, as well. I’ve asked myself the same questions others are asking: What is going on? Why are eBook short stories selling better than my eBook novels?

I think a couple of things are happening to explain it. On the one hand, the reading public is trending toward reading shorter works of fiction. I think that’s because of our faced-paced life style. People are more accustomed to writing emails because they’re faster than handwriting letters. The same thing happens with 140-character tweets on Twitter because it takes just seconds to jot something down and send it. We want to eat faster (look at the boom in fast-food restaurants) or we want quick-to-prepare foods if we eat at home. We want drive-through car washes, ATM machines and internet banking rather than stopping at brick-and-mortar banks, and we want cell phones so we can drive and talk.

On the other hand, more and more writers are leaning toward writing shorter pieces, be they short stories, novellas, or flash fiction books. These are viewed as being easier and less time-consuming than full-length novels. I should probably digress here and explain the differences of these three types of story-telling. A short story typically contains about 2,000 words or more and is like a photograph that captures an important moment in time. Some change takes place or is about to and this change is either subtle or obvious. It covers a short expanse of time in the life of a character. Flash fiction is a much shorter story, under 1,000 words. It is face-paced with minimal description of character or scene. A novella is a much longer story, in the range of 20,000 to 50,000 words and may involve several scenes while focusing on one major theme.

Since I have written both short stories and novels, I can say this: both kinds of fiction require good writing but a novel is a far deeper commitment by the author. I think this is why many writers shy away from doing a novel. When I wrote my first novel Sissy!, a historical novel set in 1862 Kansas, I found it took two years of my life—and it involved a considerable amount of research of that time period—including not only the events, but what towns looked like, how people dressed, what they ate, and how they spoke. I had to double-check and triple-check my facts. And I not only had to write the full novel, I had to rewrite major sections of it as many as ten times over.

While each short story in my book, Stories to Enjoy, did not take as much commitment from me as any on my novels, I did have to spend time thinking through the situation involved and the characters described in each of my short stories. For example, in “Frozen History,” I have two characters, Dante Lamprey and his wife Helen. They have just received news that America’s East Coast will be struck by nuclear missiles from Iran. Dante inherited a special ring from father, who had claimed it possessed magical powers. While I knew that I wanted it to be possible for Dante to “freeze” the world and stop the missiles, I had to spend considerable time weaving a credible plot and two distinct personalities (Dante and Helen) that would put them in conflict with each other. My point is that even though it is a short story, considerable thought has to be put into it and much rewriting has to be done to polish it to make it a great story rather than just a good story.

Like many others, I don’t know when the eBook explosion will stop, nor do I know why the vast majority of eBook readers prefer fiction over nonfiction and short stories over novels. I just know that some authors are tempted to believe that easy money lies in writing eBooks. Not true. Only good writing that pleases readers can ultimately grow a writer’s reputation in the long run.

Excerpt from Stories to Enjoy:

Detective Pulaski agonized over the challenge. This one was tougher to solve than the other three. When she finished the upper portion of the puzzle, adrenaline again pumped through her body. She felt a pain in her chest as if she were about to have a heart attack. Aggie blinked twice as she stared at the answers to today’s puzzle:

“Agatha Pulaski,” she said aloud, her voice quivering. “Policewoman, Sib, Twelve.”

That’s crazy. My own brother wouldn’t rape and kill me, would he?

About the author: Tom Mach wrote two successful historical novels, Sissy! and All Parts Together, both of which have won rave reviews and were listed among the 150 best Kansas books in 2011. Sissy! won the J. Donald Coffin Memorial Book Award while All Parts Together was a viable entrant for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize Award. He also wrote a collection of short stories entitled Stories To Enjoy which received positive reviews. Tom’s other novels include: An Innocent Murdered, Advent, and Homer the Roamer.

His poetry collection, The Uni Verse, won the Nelson Poetry Book Award. In addition to several awards for his poetry, Writer’s Digest awarded him ninth place in a field of 3,000 entrants. His website is: www.TomMach.com He also has a popular blog for writers of both prose and verse at http://tommach.tumblr.com

Twitter | Facebook | Linkedin | Tumblr

Giveaway: Tom Mach will be giving away a $50 Amazon gift card to one randomly drawn commenter and we encourage everyone to follow the tour and comment. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here.

2012-01-16T00:30:00.000-05:00

Book spotlight hosted by Sizzling Promotions

Book summary: Sarah Westfall is on a mission. Living the mundane life of a near spinster school teacher and sick of her parents throwing eligible men at her, she is determined to get over her crush on her best friend’s brother. She wants a prince and wouldn’t settle for less. What better way than a 1Night Stand?

Evan Hunt needs to figure out his enemy’s game plan. Chasing his nemesis to Las Vegas and signing up for Madame Eve’s service and masquerade, he never expected the woman he’s desired for years to appear before him…as his princess.

When their attraction fires the night, the inevitable happens. Her prince isn’t as charming as she’s hoped, but he does save her from trouble. Would he be willing to fulfill her fantasies also?

TEMPTING A PRINCE Excerpt:

Ryder nudged Evan in the arm. “Yo.”

“What?” He couldn’t keep the annoyance out of his tone. He’d searched the room and no McCormick. Was this a joke? Had his informant lied to him?

“Think I spot your date.”

Evan turned to where Ryder pointed. His breath hitched at the sight before him. No more than twenty feet away, his princess stood with her back turned. Her shimmery white gown hugged her curves like a glove. The chandelier above formed a golden hue around her lush figure. Her smooth, milky skin glowed in the light and his mouth watered as his gaze trailed from the bottom up to her slim hips to the bare expanse of her back. He took in the thick blonde curls on top of her head and the sparkle of her crown. Definitely his princess.

Heat rushed through him. Desire struck.

“You lucky bastard. My date better be as hot as her.”

He barely heard Ryder. All thoughts flew out of his mind. He couldn’t draw his attention from the woman. His feet involuntarily moved forward. His pulse sped as he got closer. When he stood right behind her, he studied her closely. She looked out into the crowd as if searching for someone. He noted the smoothness of her skin, the delicate curve of her earlobe, the gracefulness of her neck. His fingers itched to touch her. He smelled peaches and drew in a deeper breath, her perfume permeating his senses. An alarm sounded in his head. Something familiar about her, but he couldn’t pin it down. He didn’t care. One thing was for sure: he wanted her.

“Princess.”

His date whipped around. Her mouth fell open and her violet eyes widened in shock.

Recognition struck like a fist pummeling his chest.

“Sarah?” His voice actually squeaked.

Author links: Website / Facebook / Twitter

Heart of Flame Book Tour

2012-01-13T00:30:00.000-05:00

A Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour

Book Blurb: And on the One-Thousand-and-Second night, Scheherazade told this story…

By day, Taqla uses her forbidden sorcery to move freely about the city of Damascus in the guise of an old sage. Her true identity known only by her faithful servant woman, Taqla is content with the comfortable, if restrictive, life that keeps her safe from the control of any man. Until she lays eyes on a handsome merchant-traveler. Suddenly her magical disguise doesn’t rest so easily on her shoulders.

When long-time widower, Rafiq, hears that the Amir’s beautiful daughter has been kidnapped by a scheming djinni—and that she will be given in marriage to her rescuer—he seeks the help of “Umar the Wise” to ensure he will be that man. Yet as he and the disguised Taqla set off, he senses that his prickly male companion is hiding something.

In a moment of dire peril, all of Taqla’s secrets are stripped bare—her fears, her sorcery and, worst of all, her love for Rafiq. Yet the princess’s life hangs in the balance, and there is no running away or turning back. Even though passion may yet betray them all...

Warning: Scary monsters and creepy ruins in the desert—check. Pagan gods that demand blood-sacrifices—double check. A handsome hero who looks good in a robe and even better out of it—oh yeah. Check, check and check. That’s worth a heroine dropping a veil or two.

Guest post: The Allure of Fantasy

“And as you turned away from the window you suddenly caught sight of that sea or that valley, all over again, in that looking glass. And the sea in the mirror, or the valley in the mirror, were in one sense just the same as the real ones: yet at the same time they were somehow different – deeper, more wonderful ... every rock and flower and blade of grass looked as if it meant more.” - C.S. Lewis: The Last Battle

Fantasy – sword and sorcery – has a huge appeal. In every literate society, in various guises, people want to read about heroes and heroines on perilous quests, about magic and monsters and the intrusion of gods into the mortal world, about some Ultimate Evil that must be withstood and about ancient secrets reawakening. And about magic swords.

The appeal, I suppose, has to do with the way it paints its imaginative pictures larger and brighter than life. Fantasy deals with universal experiences and problems. Good and bad, and how to define them. Love, and how it messes with your mind and your life. Gender relationships. Loyalty. Responsibility. Betrayal. Justice and revenge. The desire for wider horizons. Our instinct for the numinous. The search for purpose in an arbitrary world. Perhaps above all - Power: its abuse, how to get it, the pitfalls and the cost of getting it.

All this stuff crops up in the real world, but in fantasy worlds it's brighter, sharper, clearer. It's in High Definition 3D. It’s Game of Thrones instead of the real Wars of the Roses. The stakes are immediate and vertiginously high. Why should I read about the humdrum detail of corporate politicking when I can read about people who will literally cut each other's throats for advancement? Why should I read about the dramatic struggle of some underdog baseball team against a higher-ranked team (Sorry, but I'm British. We don't play baseball), when I could read about the heroic last defence of a fort by a tiny handful of warriors in the face of a whole army? I don't know the rules of baseball, and I don't see why I should care who wins a match one way or another, but I sure as hell understand the fear of being killed, or seeing my friends die. That's universal.

Um ... I'll leave it to Freud to explain the bit about the magic swords.

In Heart of Flame my heroine, Taqla, has a lot of emotional baggage and plays for high stakes. She has many secrets. She's a sorceress, and if that came to the notice of the authorities she could be executed. She's female, but in public life she pretends to be male. She's fallen in love, but she doesn't know whether that man can be trusted. When she was very small, she unwittingly betrayed her mother's marital infidelity, and saw her father take a truly cruel revenge. In consequence, she is terrified of allowing any man power over her. She pays for her independence with loneliness and isolation and sexual frustration. And now she's doing all sorts of reckless things out of passion for a man who doesn't even know she wants him, and can't be allowed to guess...

How does she work that lot out?

Well, against a background of ruined temples, magical horses, battling djinn, crazed mystics, desert sandstorms, undead kings, towering palaces, mythical beasts, cannibalistic ghouls, bloodthirsty pagan idols, avenging angels and wicked viziers. Of course!

xxx
Janine Ashbless

An excerpt from Heart of Flame
Belatedly she plucked the jabbayah headscarf she wore around her shoulders and pulled it over her head, wrapping it to veil her lower face. Because, of course, the word that had revealed the true form of the ghouls had torn her magical disguise to shreds too.

Rafiq uttered a harsh laugh. “Why bother with that?”

“Don’t look at me.” She averted her face.

“Not a man at all then. A witch.”

Taqla clenched her teeth.

He laughed. “I knew, you realize. I’ve known—I’ve guessed—for a couple of days.”

“What?”

“You talk in your sleep, you know. With a woman’s voice.”

Taqla’s jaw dropped. How was she supposed to have guessed she did that? “What did I say?” she stammered.

He gave her a guarded look. “Nothing clear enough to make out. But your voice is female. And once I noticed that…well, there were other things that catch the attention. You don’t make eye-contact when you talk, you don’t like to stand too close—and no offense, but you fight very dirty, like a woman does.” His eyes were as hard as a sword-edge. “I took you to the bath-house to make sure, but after that I thought that if it’s a disguise, it’s a very good one. Magic.” He said the word like it stained his mouth.

Taqla bit her lip.

“You’re the girl from the empty house, aren’t you? The watchman’s trull. I recognize that glare.”

Author Bio: Janine Ashbless is a multi-published author of erotic romance and erotica. Her first book was published in 2000 by Black Lace and she currently writes for Samhain and Ellora's Cave among others. She’s always used elements of fantasy, mythology and folklore in her writing, with occasional forays into horror.

Janine loves goatee beards, ancient ruins, minotaurs, trees, mummies, having her cake and eating it, holidaying in countries with really bad public sewerage, and any movie or TV series featuring men in very few clothes beating hell out of each other. She’s a roleplaying geek and can still sometimes be found running round in the woods hitting other geeks with a rubber sword. It is unlikely she will grow up anytime soon.

Janine lives in Yorkshire, England, with her husband and two rescued greyhounds, and is trying hard to overcome her addiction to semicolons.

Blog | Website | Facebook | E-mail | Samhain book page

Giveaway: Janine will be giving away a PDF copy of her previous fantasy/erotic romance novella, "The King's Viper" to one randomly drawn commenter and a special sweet treat to the tour host with the most comments.

Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found here.

We thank Janine Ashbless and Goddess Fish Promotions. My review will be posted soon.

Yesterday's Daughter Book Tour

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

A Tribute Books Mini Blog Tour - Official Stop

Yesterday's Daughter by Sallie Lundy-Frommer
Paperback
Price: $12.99
ISBN: 9781460925232
Pages: 250

Release: January 24, 2011

Book Summary: An emotionally laden paranormal vampire romance novel woven with layers of betrayal, love and loss.

Grace Stone, who later learns her true identity is Sapphira, is a loner who survives abuse in the foster care system after being abandoned as a child. A brilliant student, she escapes from her brutal foster parents as a teenager and creates a life for herself. But, her life is little more than existence; plagued with questions about what she really is, a family that she has never known and the never-ending need to keep her differences hidden.

She is alone and lonely, believing it will always remain so until Malachi appears in her life. Malachi, a Guardian of the vampire communities, has searched for his life mate, Sapphira, for decades. He refuses to cease searching for Sapphira even though she is believed dead by all. Conflict arises over the decades between Malachi and his family because of his refusals to accept another mate. But his very soul drives him on to continue his search, knowing that he could not exist if Sapphira were not in the world, somewhere.

Yesterday'sDaughter: Web site | Facebook | Blog toursite

Guest Post: Soulmates

“I wish I’d never met you!”

“You make me sick!”

“It’s not you, it’s me!”

“How did we go so wrong?”

“We just drifted apart.”

“I’m sorry, but it’s over.”

Most of us have been on the receiving end or were the initiators of ending a relationship. We have been hurt or hurt someone because of a love that no longer exists or was never there in the first place. Why are vampires and soulmates a timeless pairing, because they will never be the recipients of these types of farewells or any other dissolution of their bond because of a loss of love.

Let’s take a look at some of the most common characterizations for soulmates: destined, everlasting, lovers, defenders, other half, better half, and eternal love, to name a few. The word, soulmate, in and of itself conjures up and denotes an individual with whom you’re meant to spend your life and every incarnation of yourself. When you couple this notion of soulmates with these immortal beings, vampires, you have the perfect romantic brew.

If you look at famous couples like Romeo and Juliet, Cleopatra and Mark Antony, Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy, and imagine what their stories could have been if they’d gone beyond the life spans allowed them, the answer resounds clearly. Vampires, because of their immortality and soulmates because of their perfect never-ending love go hand and hand. The pairing is both literal and emotional, creating a timeless allure. Who among us isn’t just a little intrigued with the idea of loving someone and having them reciprocate so completely that you would follow them to the next life. For vampires and soulmates, time isn’t an issue. They will be together for all time.

In Yesterday’s Daughter, Malachi never stops searching for Sapphira even when everyone tells him to give up. He continues to search. Why? Because his soul drives him to search for her, he must find his other half. He must find the one person who will complete him. He must find his soulmate. That is a powerful image.

An immortal being and soulmate to share the passage of the ages, that’s just timeless.

Purchase Yesterday's Daughter: Amazon | Kindle | Nook | Smashwords

About the author: I can’t remember a time when vampires have gotten more attention. With shows like True Blood, The Vampire Diariesand Being Human and popular books like the Twilight and Dark Series, it’s seems like they’re everywhere. Vampires have always been my favorite supernatural characters. But why? Why am I fascinated with these fantasy beings? Why are you? My interest drove me to write a book, Yesterday’s Daughter. But I could have written about anything, werewolves, cat people or some other paranormal beings, but I chose vampires. Why, I wrote about vampires? I’m not sure I can fully explain why. Maybe I chose vampires because they exude prowess and majesty. But, that would be an all too simple answer. And when I think about it, I know it’s not a complete answer. But it’s a start. What do you think? Why are so many people so interested in these mythical creatures.

As for me, I was born on a farm in the rural South to a family of migrant farm workers. At an early age,my family moved to the urban North-East. Now I live in the suburban North-East with my husband and a large assortment of plants. I hold bachelors and masters degrees in Human Resource Management and currently work in the health care industry. Author's blog | Facebook | Twitter

Blog Tour Schedule:

January 2: Sapphyria's Book Reviews

January 3: UnabridgedBookshelf

January 4: BookChowDown

January 5: The InkPuddle

January 6: ParanormalIndulgence

January 7: TheWriter's Voice

January 9: Addictedto Romance

January 10: TheCharacter Connection

January 10: Mom in Love with Fiction

January 11: The PlotThickens

January 11: Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance

January 12: Books-n-Kisses

January 13: I Just Wanna Sit Here andRead!

January 13: ReaderGirls

January 16: City GirlWho Loves to Read

January 17: Xpresso Reads

January 17: The Wormhole

January 18: Lisa'sWorld of Books

January 20: Mrs.Papillion The Book Worm

January 24: vvb32reads

January 30: From theTBR Pile

Tribute Books Blog Tours Facebook

The Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop

2012-01-12T20:48:00.001-05:00

Thanks for stopping by. The Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop has begun. This hop is hosted by Kathy of I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Martha of Reviews By Martha's Bookshelf. There are over 200 blogs participating so have fun hopping!

Reader Girls are offering two prizes this time: one adult and one YA. Here they are:

Prize #1: For the Adults

Your choice of one ebook copy of:

Darker After Midnight is a pre-order. It will be released on January 24th.

Prize #2: For the YA readers

Your choice of one ebook copy of:

To enter, all you need to do is be a follower and fill out the entry form below. This contest runs from January 13-18 and is open to US residents. For a list of all of the participating blogs, go here.

Contest has ended

Destiny's Fire ARC Tour (A Tale of Many Reviews)

2012-01-12T06:48:00.000-05:00

Book summary: It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life.

Our review: Steampunk is a genre I have really wanted to delve into and I'm glad I began with Destiny's Fire. The story was certainly a trip worth taking. Trisha Wolfe painted a futuristic world complete with airships, varying mechanical contraptions and magic. Except the magic here is created by a different race, the Shythe, and they keep it a secret from the humans. The Narcolyms, another group of magical beings, detest the Shythe and there is a long history of warring between them. When their airships fill the sky our feisty heroine, Dez, along with her triplet best friends (isn't that a cool idea?) hate the idea. I liked Dez a lot, she was tough and caring, anxiously awaiting her birthday for her powers to kick in so she could become a complete kick ass. Jace was another favorite character of mine and Reese too. Actually, I wound up liking all of the characters and their new world and conflicts.

I did feel a bit lost in the beginning and the author pulled me in with her vivid descriptions and realistic dialogue. Destiny's Fire is an impressive debut novel and Tricia Wolfe is an author to certainly take note of. A cool steampunk world, an unconventional love triangle, true friendships, and tons of action are just some of the things you'll find in this fast-paced, well plotted YA fantasy even adults would enjoy.

About the author: Trisha Wolfe is an avid reader and writer of Young Adult fiction. Her debut novel DESTINY'S FIRE will be published by Omnific Publishing in early 2012. Her short stories have appeared in Young Adult literary journals and fantasy magazines.

She's a proud member and co-founder of Kappa Delta Writer for up and coming YA authors, and a member of the SCWW and YALITCHAT.ORG

Interested in following what comes next for Jace, Reese, and Dez in the second book?

Join the Fans of Trisha Wolfe on Facebook.

Final Stop and Grand Prize Giveaway

There will be a Grand Prize Giveaway of an Egyptian/steampunk necklace and Destiny's Fire goodies (print copy, bookmark, and a signed bookplate) at the tour's final stop at A Tale of Many Reviews.

Destiny's Fire tour: Here is the linky of participating blogs.

Dark Lullaby Blitz Giveaway (Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-01-12T00:30:00.000-05:00

Dark Lullaby
By Mayra Calvani
Genre: Adult paranormal

Blurb: At a trendy Turkish tavern one Friday night, astrophysicist Gabriel Diaz meets a mysterious young woman. Captivated by her beauty as well as her views on good and evil, he spends the next several days with her. Soon, however, he begins to notice a strangeness in her–her skin’s abnormally high temperature, her obsession with milk products, her child-like and bizarre behavior as she seems to take pleasure in toying with his conscience.

The young woman, Kamilah, invites him to Rize, Turkey, where she claims her family owns a cottage in the woods. In spite of his heavy workload and the disturbing visions and nightmares about his sister’s baby that is due to be born soon, Gabriel agrees to go with her.

But nothing, not even the stunning splendor of the Black Sea, can disguise the horror of her nature. In a place where death dwells and illusion and reality seem as one, Gabriel must now come to terms with his own demons in order to save his sister’s unborn child, and ultimately, his own soul…

*Dream Realm Awards Finalist!

What readers are saying…

“Mayra Calvani is a masterful storyteller… Dark Lullaby is complex and compelling…” –Habitual Reader

“Dark Lullaby is an atmospheric paranormal horror that grips you from page one and refuses to let go until you’ve raced, breathless, to the end.” –ePinions

“Dark Lullaby is a page-turner. A horror story from the top shelf! You’ll love it.” –5 stars from Euro-Reviews

“This is a terrific horror…” –Harriet Klausner

“Dark Lullaby will capture you with its rich descriptions, its exotic location, and the need to uncover the dark secrets hidden within its pages.” –Cheryl Malandrinos, The Book Connection

Notes From the author...

"Dark Lullaby is about a young astrophysicist who is lured into the Turkish countryside by a mysterious young woman, of course, she ends up being something totally unexpected. In the end, he has to face his own demons in order to save his twin sister’s unborn child.

I’ve always been very interested in moral dilemmas and in the concept of a higher good. For instance, is it okay for a man to steal in order to have money to save his little girl, who is dying? In the case of Dark Lullaby, I went a step further: is it okay for a man to kill for the higher good? More than horror, it is a bizarre, suspenseful tale. It is based on Turkish lore. I lived in Turkey for five years and the culture, the people, the stories I heard there had a big influence on my writing."

*****

Why I decided to use Turkey as my setting...

"The first part of Dark Lullaby takes place in Baltimore, but it was inevitable for the setting to move to Turkey. This has to do with the nature of the anti-heroine which I will not reveal here, of course. J I also wanted to add a primitive, exotic flavor to the story, and what could be more primitive and exotic than a small village in the Black Sea coast, a place surrounded by woods and influenced by strange lore? I don’t think there are many scary stories out there connected to Turkish lore, so I thought: hey, this is something different, something readers may find unusual and original. So for this novel, I felt the setting was very important for the plot."

*****

What appeals to me about the supernatural...

"I detest gore. What appeals to me are the unknown, the unexplainable, and a good story with good characterization and a lot of dark atmosphere. Paranormal is probably my favorite of all genres, but I hesitate to say I like horror because horror has turned to trash these days. I like the classic, traditional ‘horror’ ala Edgar Allan Poe, very different from the average horror being written these days. I can think of a novel I read a couple of years ago, a ghost story with stunning writing: The Ghost Writer, by John Hartwood. I guess what I like falls more under paranormal or supernatural suspense, but the lines are so thin between genres and subgenres these days, sometimes it’s hard to categorize a book."

Dark Lullaby Excerpt

Who’s that woman? ” Gabriel demanded.

“I don’t know.”

“Don‘t tell me you don’t know. I saw the way she looked at you the way you looked at her.”

“She’s just an old woman, a silly superstitious old woman.”

Gabriel was sure Kamilah lied. He grasped her by the shoulders and turned her to him. “Why was she afraid of you? ”

Kamilah laughed, her cheeks flushed. “Listen to what you’re saying. Why would she be afraid of me? ”

“I don’t know. But it’s a fact that she gasped when she saw you, that she was afraid.”

She shrugged. “She must have mistaken me for somebody else.”

“But why did you look at her like that? I saw your face.”

She scowled. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. Obviously you misread my face.” She wrestled away from his grip. “I want to go home.”

“Home? ”

“Yes, home. To the forest. To the cottage.” She stomped her foot and kept going, leaving him behind.

Craning his neck, Gabriel looked back toward the scarf stand but the old woman was gone. “Damn! ” he muttered.

He trotted after Kamilah.

Kamilah started running, her shrill, childish laugh defying him. Never stopping, she ran all the way to the mountain trail. With the heavy backpack and his sore leg muscles, Gabriel had a hard time keeping up with her. People turned to stare at them. Desperate to catch up with Kamilah, Gabriel crashed into a man as he crossed the street.

Gabriel muttered a curse. He felt like strangling Kamilah. Her erratic behavior was wearing thin.

“Wait! ” he shouted when he saw her going up the trail.

She glanced back over her shoulder and flashed him a feral grin, her flushed cheeks contrasting with her brilliant eyes. “You cannot catch me, you cannot catch me! ” She sang loudly in monotone, between gasps. “You cannot catch me, you cannot catch me! ”

Gabriel ran after her, and the dull pain on the right side of his ribcage came back. He halted, panting. He leaned forward, his hands on his slightly bent knees, and his eyes shut to concentrate on the ache.

Massaging the painful area, he made an effort to regain his breath. When he looked towards the trail, Kamilah had vanished into the woods.

The hell with her. If she thought he would run after her and play her little hunting games, she was mistaken. He would very calmly find his own way back to the cottage. He reached into his backpack for the bottle of water and took a big gulp. After resting for several minutes, the pain lessened and he felt better. In the deep chambers of his brain an alarm went off for the first time the pain in his torso began to seriously worry him. He didn’t think it had anything to do with indigestion or any exotic virus or bacteria. Words like tumor and cancer flashed through his mind, but he tried to shove them away. He couldn’t think about this now. Once back in Baltimore, he would go to a doctor and have a complete examination.

He had been hiking for about an hour when a sound came from deep within the woods.

Gabriel stopped, his head turning to the source.

The sound was familiar the distant shrill murmur of children playing.

As suddenly as the sound had appeared, it vanished.

Goose bumps rose on his arms. Had he imagined it? He massaged the sides of his head while drops of sweat trickled down his back. The burning sun and the humidity didn’t help clear his mind.

After taking a few deep breaths, he continued his way up the trail.

About a quarter of an hour later he heard the sound again. This time it appeared closer.

Gabriel stopped and peered into the woods. He closed his eyes and concentrated on identifying the sound. Yes the shrill murmur of small children playing. Ridiculous, but true.

Gabriel decided to investigate.

Once under the canopy of the trees, moist coolness and shadows enveloped him. He welcomed the feeling and continued deeper into the woods, the ground soft and mushy under his boots.

After a few minutes, it struck him the sound wasn’t getting closer or farther. Even though it was distant, it seemed to be all around him.

Tilting back his head, he stared at the dense canopy of trees. Soft beams of light filtered down. He turned around slowly, light-headed and somewhat dizzy. For an instant he felt himself floating as the distant murmur of children caressed his mind.

“Kamilah! ” he shouted. “Kamilah! ”

He stopped turning and stood immobile, listening to his own heavy breathing and his thudding heart.

“Kamilah, I know you’re here somewhere! Stop playing games! ”

He scanned the surroundings. Something about the tree trunks caught his eye. Their surface wasn’t smooth as normal tree trunks. Lines marred the surface, natural lines, which appeared to come from within the bark itself.

The lines, as if carved by a human hand, appeared to be forming something.

Realization dawned on Gabriel. He gasped and stumbled back, almost falling on the ground. Terrified, he forced himself to look closer. Every tree trunk portrayed a different baby’s face, each one crying, its mouth wide open in anguished misery.

The shrill murmur of children grew louder than ever.

Gabriel understood it then, heard the message clearly. This wasn’t the murmur of children playing. This was the sorrowful crying of infants.

He ran back toward the trail as fast as his legs would allow him.

Purchase info: The book will be $.99 on Kindle until January 15th. Then it will go up to $2.99.

About the author: Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults and has authored over a dozen books, some of which have won awards. Her stories, reviews, interviews and articles have appeared on numerous publications such as The Writer, Writer’s Journal, Multicultural Review, and Bloomsbury Review, among many others. A reviewer for over a decade, she now offers online reviewing workshops. When she’s not writing, reading, editing or reviewing, she enjoys walking her dog, traveling, and spending time with her family.

Visit her website. Join her mailing list and receive the first two lessons of her book reviewing workshop, as well as her free ebook, Reviewers Talk About Their Craft.

Twitter /Facebook Fan Page

Giveaway: The author is offering one ebook copy of the story collection, The Cat Cellar. This giveaway is open internationally. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment along with your email address. The winner be announced on Tuesday, January 17.

Bound Book Tour (Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-01-11T00:30:00.000-05:00

We've read a lot of paranormal YA but voodoo is one subject we haven't really come across before. Author Kira Saito has changed that with Bound, the first novel in her series. Our review will be up soon. We welcome Kira Saito and you to our blog today.

Bound
By Kira Saito
Genre: Paranormal YA

Book summary: Sixteen year old Arelia LaRue lives in New Orleans where the music is loud, voodoo queens inhabit every street corner, and the ghosts are alive and well. Despite her surroundings, all she wants is to help her Grand-mere Bea pay the rent and save up for college.

When her best friend Sabrina convinces her to take a well-paying summer job at the infamous Darkwood plantation, owned by the wealthy LaPlante family, Arelia agrees.

However, at Darkwood strange things start to happen, and gorgeous Lucus LaPlante insists that he needs her help. Soon, the powers that Arelia has been denying all her life, come out to play and she discovers mysteries about herself that she could have never imagined.

A note from Kira Saito: The Arelia LaRue Series
First I just want to say thank you to everyone who bought a copy of Bound, I truly appreciate it, even if you ended up hating the book.

Second, I want to let readers who actually liked Bound where the series is going and why I chose to write it the way I have.

I didn't choose the concept of voodoo because I thought, hey it's never been done before, I chose it because I am fascinated by it and really find it so rich and complex, I think it deserves to be explored a bit more especially in books. However, I didn't want it to become a boring history lesson or anything so I decided to make the series a bit humorous, threw in the Dumptys and gave the spirits their own personalities. But, I did spend a lot of time researching the spirits, yes, in voodoo Erzulie, Bade and Brise all do exist, in the book they stay true to their real functions with a bit more personality.

I made the book light but still wanted to touch on real themes that are historically important to New Orleans like slavery , racial/class differences/amazing food!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I wrote Bound, I wanted the book to be about Arelia, the Arelia show. I wanted it to be about her struggle to accept her destiny and all the confusion that it brings.

I didn't want her to just walk into Darkwood and say "Cool I'm a voodoo queen! Yay Lucus is so hot, I'm in love with him." Instead, I tried to put myself in her shoes and tried to see what I would have done at 16. Basically, I would have been emotional, irrational and very confused. If someone told me I was destined to be a great voodoo queen today, I would still be irrational, confused and emotional.

The relationship Sabrina and Arelia have is realistic in my opinion because it's the one I have with my best friend. she's not rich or anything, but we fight and argue and bicker, but in the end we still love one another. I don't think I would be best friends with her if it were a fairy tale type relationship.

So in the first book we find out that Lucus is well, you know....cursed.

In Punished the focus will be more on Arelia's powers and the spirits, a lot more about Lucus, Ivan and Louis Beau and their complex history as well as more focus on Arelia/Lucus.

Finally I don't want readers to think I am insulting their intelligence because I chose to make the series a bit light rather than dark and dreary.

Excerpt from Bound:

It had to work. It just had to. After repeating the chant at least six times, it still didn’t work. “Fine you greedy spirits!” I yelled. It was clear that they wanted more blood. In a rage, I drew more blood, this time slashing my palm. I brought my dripping palm up to Ben’s neck and repeated the chant. After a few minutes, I felt a distinct energy. It was a force within me so incredibly strong that I was convinced that I was able to move a mountain if I wanted to or even get Sabrina to stop talking about boys.

“Arelia what are you doing?” Ben’s voice forced me to open my eyes.

“You’re strangling me.”

I realized my hands were gripped a bit too tightly around his neck. I unwrapped them to find that his wound had completely healed, and his fever was gone. “Ben, you’re okay!” I exclaimed. I gave him an enormous hug.

“Of course, I’m okay,” he said. “I’m just sleepy it was a long night. Tell the alligators and ghosts that I’ll see them tomorrow.” He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

In my excitement, I leapt up, and by sheer impulse gave formerly-shirtless guy a hug. As my body touched his, I could smell him and felt my skin tingle.

Delicious chills overtook my body. He wasn’t wearing any cologne, but he smelt lovely. Warm and familiar mingled with a dash of sadness and danger. I caught myself clinging to him and took a step back in embarrassment. My moment of conquest had quickly passed, and I realized that I was standing next to a swamp, in front of a stranger in a corset and petticoat which basically translated to a bra and underwear. I was horrified.

Formerly-shirtless guy looked at me like the existence of Santa Claus had just been proven before taking off his jacket and wrapping it around me. “You must be cold,” he observed. “Your hand is bleeding.” He ripped a sleeve off of his shirt and covered my palm.

In my state of absolute exhilaration, I had failed to acknowledge the fact that the night had gotten a bit chilly. My entire body was covered in goose bumps, and my hand was leaking blood everywhere. “Why did you follow me?” I wrapped his jacket around me realizing that I was standing in the middle of nowhere with someone who could be a psychopathic, serial killer.

His lips broke out in an amused smile. “Do you think I’m stalking you?” He asked hovering over me. It really sucked being short sometimes. Standing at a measly five foot three inches made me feel as if I lived in a world full of giants. At this moment, formerly-shirtless guy looked like a giant even though he wasn’t freakishly tall or anything, maybe slightly over six feet.

“Well, how else can you explain being here?” I stated what I thought was the obvious. I tried to stand on my toes, hoping to make myself appear taller.

Purchase links: Amazon /Smashwords

Author Bio: Kira is a magic junkie and loves writing YA paranormal romances. Some of her heroes include: Jack the Pumpkin King, Willy Wonka, Larry David, Princess Tiana, the vampire Lestat, Andy and her Maltese Costanza.

Author blog / Twitter / Facebook /Goodreads

Blood Veins Book Tour (Goddess Fish Promotions)

2012-01-10T11:05:00.002-05:00

Book blurb: A black wave has passed over the thriving kingdom of Larista. Mysterious invaders calling themselves the Dolus have swept over the land laying waste to everything in their paths and leaving ghost towns in their wake. No one knows where they came from and no one knows what their purpose is. Tasting nothing but defeat after defeat the light of hope is fading in the kingdom; but the guerrilla forces resisting the Dolus invasion have received new information. This news has provided a small glimmer that could possibly spark into something more. Captain Maximus Rex leads a daring rescue mission deep in the Laristan forests to save the lone surviving member of the royal family.

Once freed Prince Alexander Novelle along with his friends and comrades face a perilous journey deep behind enemy lines. Their destination is Castle Varanasi. The once proud Laristan capital, gateway to heaven and salvation, lies in ruins under Dolus occupation. Mysterious assassins, underworld savages and renegade Dolus survivors stand between them the answers they seek. What they find there will shatter their perceptions and lead to unknown perils none of them are ready to face.

Guest Post: What do you find easy/hard about worldbuilding in fantasy stories? Can you share how Larista came about?

When I started writing Blood Veins I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to create my own world or not. Eventually I decided making my own was more fun. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been angered at authors because of how a story ended or what happened to a certain character and told myself I would have done it that way. Of course as a writer you realize that not everybody can have a happy ending or the story would be predictable and unrealistic. A large part of my story is based on the fact that Larista has been cut off from the rest of the world and they in fact believe that there is nothing beyond the frozen sea and the Maker’s Mountain. This type of terrain just doesn’t fit anywhere in the real world so I had to create my own that would satisfy my plot points.

I think the easiest thing in creating your own world is that everything comes from your mind. I can make the terrain and people look and act however I want to meet my story telling needs. The idea of creating my own world was a bit daunting at first and naming everything is very difficult. There were so many times when I just wanted to through my hands up and call everybody Bob, but that really wouldn’t work.

The hardest part however is making sure you stay consistent and everything fits together. I ended up with a very long list of places and people, still growing, that I referred to constantly. Also, keeping control of the story is difficult. As I write I am always thinking of new places and people that I want to explore. At some point I realized the story was getting away from me and I had to break it up. I originally intended it to be a standalone novel but it just was too long. The story was originally intended to solely focus on Alexander but the lead female character, Briah, grew much more than I expected and really became almost as equally important. A few other characters became more important and I felt they were important enough to explore more in depth.

So the construction of Larista and the novel in general has been a very fluid process. I enjoy this much more than meticulously planning the novel. I am sure it will continue to grow as I write in the established world.

Excerpt from Blood Veins: "We will not survive this march. It will soon be freezing and we are not equipped for it," whined the prisoner walking besides Briah. "It is a sign from God. First, he releases these Conquerors from the foot of the mountain. Then, he brings the snow and ice while we are homeless without shelter and fire."

Briah looked at the man for the first time and immediately recognized him as a priest. His name was Brother Mable. Briah narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously.

"You should not speak of such things. This is not of God's doing, and you will scare the other people here."

His tone transformed instantly from one of shrill despondency to authoritative strength.

"Don't talk to me that way, poor girl. You are misguided; it is of God's doing. He is upset at us for embracing technologies. It is forbidden! I recognize you. You are one of the sisters that dwell in the mountain. You think you have the right to live closer to God, and you think you have the right to dig under his mountain. It is placed there for a reason. We dug too deep. It is you and your kinds' fault for influencing the King and angering the Creator! The city has fallen to the soulless heathen invaders and our gateway to the afterlife has been taken!"

The priest was raising his voice and other prisoners were beginning to take interest in their conversation.

Briah glanced around at the other prisoners and realized she might need protection from the guards based on some of the looks she was receiving.

"Be quiet you fool." She snapped at the priest. "You will draw the attention of the guards and they do not care what your status is. Neither do I."

About the author: Brian is a graduate of the University of Oregon. He works as a banker and an editor for Rogue Phoenix Press. He currently resides in Oregon with his wife and daughter.

Find Brian on Facebook

Taken Book Tour: Excerpt & Giveaways (Bookish Snob Promotions)

2012-01-10T00:26:00.000-05:00

We are hosting the Taken Book Tour today. I participated in the Shades of Gray book tour last year and became an instant L.M. Pruitt fangirl. I loved Jude Magdalyn's first story and eagerly jumped upon this tour to read another work by this author. My review for Taken will be posted in a few days.

Book summary: Cheating spouse? Stolen jewelry? Missing person?

Call Frances--Frankie--Post. A private detective with a trick of two up her sleeve and a few skeletons of her own.

What starts out as a simple missing person's case dumps Frankie and her lover Jack right in the crosshairs of a dangerous human trafficking organization. With lives on the line, bad blood and old wounds finally see the light of day. And Frankie and Jack are forced to realize: The past always catches up with you.

Always.

Excerpt from Taken:

Remember what I said earlier in the tour about stakeouts and how boring they can be? Yeah, I wasn't lying to you. Most people don't get lucky enough to have great reading material with them (yes, I'm totally plugging my friends in the book--karma, pay it forward, etc). They also don't get lucky enough to have an interesting companion with them. Frankie got both.

“What hour are we on?”
I didn’t look up from my book. “Hour three. Stop whining.”
“I’m not whining. Men don’t whine.” Ian shifted restlessly, tapping his fingers on the armrest. “We complain.”
“Which sound the same when you’re on the receiving end of the noise.” My soda had gone flat somewhere around hour two, but it was still wet and held something of the original Coke taste. “I told you to bring a book. Or two.”
“Do you really expect me to concentrate when I’m so close to Audrey?” He shoved his fingers through his hair, tugging at the ends. His next move would either be cracking his knuckles or uncrossing and recrossing his ankles. “How do you manage to sit there and read?”
“Well, I like reading. And Belinda Boring writes really good stories.” I turned another page, waited a beat. “If you want, you can borrow the one I finished yesterday. Dragon Warrior.”
“Yes, because my first choice of reading material is women’s fiction.” He cracked his knuckles and I shook my head. The ankle crossing ritual came next. “And really, her last name is Boring?”
“No, Shéa MacLeod wrote Dragon Warrior. Belinda Boring wrote Broken Promises.” Glancing up from my book, I arched an eyebrow. “And the book is far from boring. But since I’m still reading it, your only choice is Dragon Warrior. Or you can go back to playing on your phone.”
“The battery on my phone is almost dead since I’ve spent so much time on it.” He scowled at the case on the dashboard, sending it an evil glare. “I forgot my charger.”
“Doesn’t matter. Without the car on, it wouldn’t do you any good. And I’m not wasting my gas and my battery so you can play Angry Birds on your phone.” Although it was really the NYPD’s, not mine.
“You could bill me for the damn gas.”
“Or you can sit there, take a few deep breaths, and get yourself under control.” Taking pity on him, I marked my page and shut my book. “Tell me a story. Something happy.”
“What?” Ian scrubbed his hands over his face then pressed the heels of his palms to his eyes. “Tell you a story?”
“Sure. You tell me one, I’ll tell you one.”
“A story of my choice?”
I took a moment, weighing the consequences of giving him free reign to ask questions. “A story of your choice. But for that little privilege, I get to pick a story for you to tell.”
“Fine. Ask away.”
“The picture you gave me of your cousin—the one of the two of you on a dock near a lake. Tell me about that day.”
He sighed, leaning his head back against the headrest. “It was just a day. Nothing special.”
“You live long enough, you learn every day is something special.”
“Fortune cookie advice, Ms. Post?” He laughed, a tired, worn sound. “Forgive me. It’s been a long week.”
“Who all was with you? Just you and Audrey? Your aunt, your uncle, your parents? Friends, girlfriends, boyfriends?” I reached over, giving him a friendly punch on the arm. “Tell me a story, Ian, or you don’t get to hear mine.”
“God, you’re persistent.” He laughed again, and I smiled. “Middle of July, four years ago. We were celebrating, all of us. I’d just gotten the job at the DA’s office. Audrey and her friends were getting ready to start their senior year of school at NYU. The lake house was in constant flux, people coming and going.”
“Summer of partying.” I could picture it, the young, beautiful, elite crowd, drinking and swimming and slumming their days and nights away. “So, the lake house. Not the Hamptons?”
“We have a house in the Hamptons. We spend a few weekends there during the season. But all in all, too stuffy. For fun, we go to the lake.” His smile was quick, a brief flash, but sincere. “When I graduated from Harvard, my friends and I spent a good month there, drunk off our ass, before hunkering down to take the Bar.”
“You mentioned friends, boyfriends, girlfriends. I’ll assume Shelly and Samantha were there?” Across the street, a light flashed on in one of the lower windows of the old meatpacking plant then winked back out. None of the other cars on surveillance seemed to care, so I turned my attention back to Ian. “Who brought their boyfriends?”
“They all did.” He settled back into the seat, closing his eyes as he drifted away on memories. “Well, they did. Audrey wasn’t seeing anyone.”
I refrained from pointing out you didn’t need to see someone to sleep with them. “That must have sucked, playing fifth wheel.”
“She’d just gotten out of a relationship. Serious one, I think. The guy actually met my aunt and uncle.” He drummed his fingers on his knee until I reached over and closed my hand over his. His hand stiffened for a moment before going lax. “Which was probably the kiss of doom. No guy has ever been good enough for Audrey.”
“The princess of the family?”
“Something like that. Something about this guy rubbed my aunt and uncle the wrong way. The three of them had some screaming matches the month before we all went down to the lake house.” Ian frowned and opened his eyes. “You’re digging for something.”
“I like knowing all the nuances of a story. You tell me how she isn’t really happy, how she’s getting over a break-up, fighting with her parents. And yet for one moment, you can see she actually is happy.” I squeezed his hand, holding tight for a moment. “You know what it tells me? She’s a fighter. She’ll fight for what she wants; she’ll fight to be happy.”
He stared at me, eyes narrowed. Seconds ticked by and I began to wonder if I’d laid things on too thick. Finally, he closed his eyes, sighed, and I drew a deep breath of my own. “She is. She’s always been a fighter. When she interviewed for the job at Messer and Briggs, she used my aunt’s maiden name. She didn’t want to go in to the interview with anyone having pre-conceived ideas about her work. She wanted her portfolio to speak for itself.”
“People like that, they always win in the end.” I just wanted to know what game Audrey Clark was playing.

“Your turn.” An hour later, Ian shifted, resting his back against the car door. “I think we’ve exhausted my day at the lake house.”
“Well, I’m sure we could squeeze out a few more details. But then you may start making stuff up.” And since he’d given me more names to run, I was willing to let the conversation change course. “Fair’s fair. Any story you want.”
“The necklace you’re wearing.” I glanced down and cursed inwardly when I caught the glint of gold against the dark green of my shirt. When I looked up, I met Ian’s gaze. “Tell me about the day he gave it to you.”
“What makes you so sure Jack gave it to me?”
“If he didn’t, tell me who did. And tell me why you’d still wear another man’s jewelry.”
I bit my lip, juggling scenarios in my mind. I could lie. I could tell the truth. Or I could do both.
“A boy, Matthew McKammey. We were both sixteen.” My throat threatened to close up and I took a sip from the water bottle Jack had brought over sometime in the last thirty minutes. “Nobody wanted us to be together. We didn’t care.”
“What happened?”
“We grew up. We changed. Matthew McKammey wouldn’t recognize the woman I am.” I was stunned by the truth in the statement. The Matthew of Glen Hollow wouldn’t know what to make of Frankie Post. Kitty would be scared to death of Jack Waters. “Somewhere along the way we became different people.”
“No, Frankie. What happened the day he gave you the necklace?” Ian reached over to lift the chain gently. The four-leaf clover dangled in mid-air, catching what little light came from the broken and busted streetlamps. “Something happened, or you wouldn’t keep it.”
“He told me he loved me. I told him I felt the same way.” Hot summer air, even after the sun went down. The bubbling of the creek, the drone of the frogs and crickets, sweeter than any music I knew at sixteen. “And we laid down next to each other and spent the night in the reeds and woke up with the sunrise.”
“You’re holding back.” He tapped a finger on my nose, smiling playfully. The expression didn’t detract from the determined look in his eyes. “Something else happened.”
“You’re pressing your luck.” Memories, raw and rough around the edges over a dozen years later, pressed against the back of my eyes. “Take what you can get.”
“What else happened, Frankie?”
“Is this how you win in court? Asking the same question again and again until the witness breaks?”
“They tend to frown on that in court unless you do it correctly.” He tapped my nose again, firmer this time. “What else happened?”
“We made a baby. And by the end of the summer, I was gone, he was gone, and the baby was gone.” Exhaustion swamped me and I closed my eyes, leaning back on the door. “Happy?”
“No.” The necklace fell flat on my shirt and I breathed a sigh of relief. When he took my hand, squeezing once, I swallowed back the knot in my throat. “Why do you still wear his necklace?”
“To remember the boy who gave it to me.” I spared a thought for Matthew McKammey—shy and stuttering on the banks of the creek. “And to remember I make my own luck. Always have. Always will.”
“What does Detective Waters think?”
“Jack understands.” In the middle of one of my cleaning sprees I’d found a lace handkerchief Kitty—myself—had given him, twenty years and three lifetimes ago. “He has his own ghosts.”
“Is that why you work so well together?” I opened my eyes to find Ian staring at me intently, studying my face. “You both have ghosts?”
“It’s not the ghosts. It’s owning them.” Across the street, Jack got out of his car and glanced in our direction. Heaving a sigh of relief, I sat up straight, then rolled my shoulders. “And right now, it’s about using them.”

Find Taken at: Amazon/Kindle, Barnes & Noble/Nook and Smashwords

About the author: L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She is the author of the Jude Magdalyn Series as well as New Moon Rising, featuring Cari Gravier, and Taken, featuring Frankie Post. She is currently at work on the next book in the Moon Rising series, Harvest Moon Rising, due out April 2012. Ms. Pruitt makes her home in Florida with two cats--one smart, the other not so much.

Author blog/Goodreads page/Facebook/Twitter

Giveaway: L.M. Pruitt is hosting a Final Stop Giveaway and we are also giving away one ecopy of TAKEN to one lucky winner. All you need to do to enter is leave a comment along with your email address.

The next blog stop: Hesperia Loves Books

When Copper Suns Fall Book Tour: Review (Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-01-09T06:30:00.001-05:00

When Copper Suns Fall by KaSonndra Leigh
YA Dark Urban Fantasy

Blurb: In fifteen-year-old Chela Prizeon’s city, alchemy is forbidden, and angels hide among the mortal. With a deadly virus ravaging the globe, Chela’s nightmarish memories compels her to experience a past riddled with gloom, and now her brother is infected.

Chela’s only hope is the Caduceans, slayers sworn to protect the last seven Light Keepers and the ancient memories they share. A group led by the sometimes elusive, sometimes infuriating boy who intrigues Chela. But can she trust this boy with the mysterious past, someone who can influence her memories?

With the Caduceans aid, Chela races to defeat her rivals, to unearth dark family secrets, desperate to find a cure…only to discover the glutovirus is far more than a simple disease.

In this haunting debut, KaSonndra Leigh offers an escape into a world as intriguing as The Mortal Instruments and a story as chilling as Enclave. Full of celestial creatures, fascinating villainy, high-stake choices, and a secret romance, When Copper Suns Fall, is a fresh and original urban fantasy—with a dystopian twist—that will take readers on an unforgettable adventure.

Our review: I began this book with little knowledge about it besides having read the opening paragraph and being an admirer of the cover art. I'm glad I did this. When Copper Suns Fall is a complex YA urban fantasy set in a dystopian world which includes some paranormal-type characters and a beguiling fantastical storyline with mysteries to solve and rich twists and turns. I was surprised at how quickly Chela's tale drew me in. I was tempted to plow right through this one but didn't and I would advise not to. There is a lot to draw in and comprehend as Chela narrates her tale.

KaSonndra Leigh has quite the imagination and it shows throughout. Traveling with Chela as she tries to unravel what exactly happened to her twin brother, Micah, now comatose, is an intense journey in her futuristic world where kids are classified into specific classes and a military force is always present. The robo-crows were cool and the amusement park setting added to the intensity.

The author's style was fluid and there were lovely passages and lines throughout that I simply loved. The pacing flowed so well I felt like I was on a boat ride, grabbing onto the railings at times when the waves got too rocky until I was able to settle back and begin the ride all over again. Chela's voice was age appropriate and drew me in. There was plenty of action (fencing!) as she deals with family secrets and very mysterious boys who pop up and then disappear. One of the strongest attributes this story has is the murkiness/blurring of lines of who exactly is good or bad and I liked how the author did this. Did I say there were angels? Yes, there is and that's all I will say since I don't want to divulge too much of this novel.

On the critical side there were some occasions I thought called for more description and a romance which developed quickly. Occasional typos and some places could be tighter but neither certainly didn't deter from my reading enjoyment. Also, the beginning did pack a lot of info of this new world which could be confusing but slowing my reading did help me understand this new version of our world.

A testament to an author's skill is how fully invested a reader becomes with your characters. I was fully invested with Chela, Faris and Seth. As a debut novelist I was certainly impressed with When Copper Suns Fall and will be watching out for KaSonndra Leigh's next installment in Chela's thrilling story. She has created an intense YA fantasy with unique characters and situations in an unsettling futuristic world, a world I want to know more about.

Rating: I really liked it.

(Received from the author for my honest review.)

About the Author: KaSonndra Leigh lives in the City of Alchemy and Medicine, North Carolina. She likes to write about teens doing fantastical things in magical worlds. Her two sons have made her promise to write a boy book next.

She holds the MFA in creative writing, and loves to play CLUE, Monopoly (the Indiana Jones version), and Pandora’s Box (good writer’s block therapy). She lives in an L-shaped house with a garden dedicated to her grandmother. It has a secret library complete with fairies, Venetian plastered walls, and a desk made out of clear blue glass.

When Copper Suns Fall is her debut novel.

Author links: Website Facebook Twitter Goodreads

The Midget's House Blitz + Excerpt & Giveaway (Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-01-07T00:30:00.000-05:00

The Midget’s House
By Anita Bartholomew

Blurb: The Midget's House is a tale of two women (one alive, and the other long dead), each mourning lost love and struggling for control of the one place that feels like home.

Marisa Delano is thrilled when she unexpectedly inherits the fairy-tale like cottage on the bay—until she learns that Lucinda Lacey, a sideshow midget who died on the property in 1924, still inhabits it. As Marisa searches for answers about the unwelcome presence in her new home, all the clues lead to one conclusion: on the day Lucinda died, she murdered her lover, circus owner Cyrus Parker.

Alternating between Lucinda's and Marisa's perspectives, The Midget's House takes readers from the carnivals, circuses, and freak shows of the early twentieth century, to the boom-and-bust of today's Florida.

Haunting in every sense of the word, this genre-blending tale will stay with you long after you turn the last page.

Excerpt: Prologue

March 2004

The Height of the Last Florida Real Estate Boom

A faded gray Buick clunker idled in the winding drive. Palm trees whipped by the wind blowing off Sarasota Bay cast tentacle-like shadows across its chassis.

The plump young night nurse slipped out of the house by the side door. She hadn't dared leave until she was certain her patient was asleep but, having heard the deep, even snores, she felt confident that the amply medicated old lady would be unconscious at least until daybreak.

Enid Parker's bones had gone brittle and her muscles had atrophied, making it impossible for her to do much beyond lie in her bed if she did awaken. Her hair, long since leached of all color, had thinned to baby fine strands. As senile and infirm as she was though, Enid could still make a ruckus when she felt ignored. The nurse had earned several screeches of complaint over the past three evenings, which was how long she'd been employed as Enid Parker's caregiver. She was glad for the work and accustomed to difficult patients so she didn't consider turning down the assignment even after learning that an earlier nurse had walked off the job in the middle of the night, blithering incomprehensibly. Some other nurses simply couldn't hack it, she knew, but she didn't have much sympathy for them. Handling the job, where crotchety old folks were concerned, meant sucking it up when they heaved verbal abuse, not just parceling out the pills at the appropriate hours or cleaning up the messes from their saggy bottoms to their soiled linens.

But now that the old woman slept, she saw no reason to lurk in the creaky old house through the night.

She darted to the car, swung her wide hips onto the passenger seat, and quietly pulled the door closed behind her. The young man at the wheel put his sputtering vehicle in gear, drove it past the decorative iron gate and on toward the outside world. She'd be back in plenty of time with no one the wiser.

*

Despite enough medication to sedate a Clydesdale horse, Enid Parker did not rest easily. Moments after her nurse's departure, her creped eyelids fluttered open.

"Papa?" she murmured. "Are we going to the circus? Can I ride the elephant? You promised."

Not getting an answer, she reached out tentatively with one arthritic hand, as if attempting to see through her fingertips. Wispy white eyebrows bunched together as clouded pupils strained to focus.

Then anger sparked in those dull eyes.

"Lucinda!" she shrieked. "You get out of here. Get out. GET OUT OF MY HOUSE. My house ..." Her heart accelerated, pumping blood through tired veins and arteries, tingling her desiccated skin to an almost healthy pink.

Forgetting her infirmity, Enid forced herself upright, determined to eject the intruder.

The effort exhausted what little life was left in her.

About the Author: Anita Bartholomew is a former long-time contributing editor to Reader’s Digest whose articles have also appeared in numerous other major periodicals. She is the co-author of Dr. Yvonne Thornton’s award-winning memoir, Something To Prove (Kaplan 2010), and has acted as an editorial consultant to a great many other authors, including some whose books have appeared on US and international bestseller lists.
Website/Book website/Twitter

About the House: There are many legends about the house in the Indian Beach neighborhood of Sarasota, Florida:

That it was built for Ringling Circus midgets... that there is a treasure hidden inside its walls... that it is haunted.

Its true history may never be known, but Anita Bartholomew's imaginings about what that history might have been form the basis of this novel.

Giveaway:

The author is giving away 2 Print Copies of The Midget's House which is open to US Shipping only.
The author is also giving away 2 ebook copies--winner's choice of format--and this is open internationally.

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Angry Robot announces new YA imprint, Strange Chemistry

2012-01-06T23:34:00.001-05:00

Angry Robot announces new YA imprint,

Strange Chemistry

*We believe here at Reader Girls that pertinent information about our favorite shared interests (YA and fantasy) should be shared, we are running this press release sent to us since we think this is important news. It's always great to see more companies publishing YA titles!

Angry Robot, the award-winning publisher of SF, F and WTF are pleased to announce their newest venture – a sister imprint, Strange Chemistry, which will publish Young Adult genre fiction.

The imprint will launch in September 2012, with five titles appearing before the end of that year, before settling down to one book each month. Strange Chemistry will follow AR’s strategy of co-publishing its books simultaneously in the US and UK, in both eBook and paperback formats. Subject matter will include fantasy, science fiction, supernatural and horror, and as with Angry Robot the lines between those genres are likely to be very blurry at times.

Running the imprint will be Amanda Rutter, until recently best known as the tireless blogger behind genre review site, Floor-to-Ceiling Books. She takes up her position in Angry Robot’s headquarters in Nottingham on December 12th.

Angry Robot’s managing director Marc Gascoigne said: “The key to any truly successful genre imprint is the personality of its editors. In Amanda we’ve found the perfect mix of editing skills and wild, wild enthusiasm for the subject. Her first signings are already making us jump up and down in excitement. We’re beyond delighted to welcome her to the team.”

Amanda Rutter commented, “Angry Robot have quickly become one of the most exciting and challenging genre publishers around, and I have so much admiration for the types of novels that the guys are bringing to the world of speculative fiction. I’m absolutely thrilled that I have the opportunity to join the team, and create a list full of Young Adult novels that share the same sharpness and passion as those in the AR list.”
:::
More information can be found at strangechemistrybooks.com and angryrobotbooks.com

Angry Robot is a new genre publisher, bringing readers the best in new SF, F and WTF?! All titles are released as paperbacks and in all major eBook formats. Distribution is through Random House (North America) and GBS (UK). Angry Robot is part of the Osprey Group.

Blood Rites Book Tour

2012-01-06T00:30:00.000-05:00

Bewitching Book Tours

Blood Rites
By Quinn Loftis
eBook, 223 pages
Published November 19th 2011
Genre: Paranormal YA

Summary: With the challenge complete and the corrupt Alpha of Coldspring defeated Fane is now free to complete the mate bond with Jacque and perform the Blood Rites. Although the challenge is done, the affects are far reaching. Once it is known that Vasile, one of the strongest Alphas in the world, is in America, specifically Coldspring, TX, there is one Alpha who cannot over look the significance of this.

An Alpha who happens to share Jacque's DNA, but is this the one she needs to fear?

With her mom driving and her two best friends, Jen and Sally in tow, Jacque set off for her happily ever after. She will soon realize a plan has been put in motion that will change her course and possibly tear her from Fane's grasp forever. It will take a wolf pack, her mother's love, her two best friend's unrelenting determination, her own will to survive and the undying love of her mate to bring her home. The question remains, if she fights, if she endures, who will she be, what will be left once she is back in her mates arms?

Guest post: Why Werewolves?

I'm a 31 year old wife and mother, and yet I write young adult paranormal romance. I'm not shy about it. Everyone who knows me knows that I've written Prince of Wolves, and most of them have gotten it; out of love, sympathy or because they are genuinely interested in the genre'. I do get asked on a regular basis, why werewolves?

My usual response is just- it's what I'm interested in, what I like to read. That of course is a pretty generic answer so here I will try to clarify, add a little color if you will.

Werewolves are the "bad boys" of the paranormal world. Not to say that vampires don't play their wicked part. But werewolves are the muscle, the outsiders with attitude. They never walk away from a fight, they always finish what they start and they have a forever kind of love. They have a presence when they walk into the room that makes people want to step back and take notice. They are aggressive, brave, dominant, protective, faithful and loyal to their family. I'm fascinated with the pack dynamics that can be incorporated into their stories. I think that often their characters are very redeemable because of their animal nature and I love the ability to stretch a character's boundaries with that animal nature.

Another concept that appeals to me and I think others tend to enjoy is the whole "true mate" concept, which in any werewolf book is a huge selling factor. The little girl in all of us wants to meet "the one", wants to fall madly in love and live happily ever after. There is something so romantic and inspiring about the idea of their being a perfect soul mate for you. The great thing about writing about werewolves is I get to shape that love, give life to the partnership and idea of soul mates.

For any of these ideas to work there has to be on simple ingredient...Magic. The reason I think a paranormal love story is picked over the non-paranormal is because of the magic and intrigue that is behind the paranormal world. Consider Disney, would they be near as successful had they not appealed to the imagination and curiosity of their viewers by incorporating magic into their movies? And believe it or not werewolves are the embodiment of magic. How else but through magic could a human's complete DNA change in order to make him also a wolf, a completely different species...magic.

All that said, there is still one more aspect that appeals to me and that's the ladies who love them. I think it takes a special female character to win the role of the mate. She has to be strong but vulnerable, beautiful but flawed. She has to be able to stand on her own two feet as a person, but not be complete without her werewolf mate. She needs to be able to understand his struggles and accept his alpha ways, but not be a door mat. It's a high calling. I think the female lead is one of the hardest to write. Usually she doesn't start out with many of these qualities but grows into them as the story unfolds. If she's too bold readers find her obnoxious if she isn't bold enough she is seen as weak and not worthy of a strong male. She definitely has big shoes to fill, but when you find a book with a female lead with those characteristics it's such a fun and exciting thing to watch.

So that's why werewolves. Maybe to all those who asked me before and received my polite short answer, this gives them a little more insight into me as an author.

An Excerpt from Fane Lupei from Blood Rites
(Book 2 in the Grey Wolves Series Journal)
August 24, 2010

I killed a man yesterday. A man, but also an animal. I wish I could say that I feel remorse but my wolf would have had me shred him because he dared to touch what is ours. I want to feel something about Lucas Steele's death, but I don't.

Today is the Blood Rites ceremony with Jacquelyn, and I'm more nervous about this than I was about a life and death challenge. My father says that I am blessed to have found my mate so young. Honestly, now that I know Jacquelyn, now that I have felt her, have her scent in my lungs know her, I can't imagine waiting a century or longer for her. She amazes me, captivates me, inspires me and makes me want. My wolf have never felt such peace as he does when we are with her. Her touch alone is like a cool breeze across my skin on the hottest of days. I expressed my fears to my mother about making Jacquelyn happy, about the depth of the love I feel for her when I have only known her for such a short time. But she assured me that as her true mate I alone can complete Jacquelyn's soul. Just as only she can complete mine. I can say that at no other time in my life have I been happier to be a Canis Lupis, to have one perfect match that shines light into the darkest part of me. Have you ever just wanted to scream at the top of your lungs because there was so much emotion filling you that it had nowhere else to go but out? I want nothing more than to have my mate in my arms this moment, but she wants to spend the day with her friends. I am happy she has them, but I'm jealous of my time with her, especially after fearing I could lose her to another. My mother says like all male Canis Lupis I am bound for barbarism. Tonight I will show my Luna just how much of my heart she owns. Tonight I will finally make her mine. God help any who stand in my way.

About the Author: Quinn is a 31 year old wife, mother, nurse, and writer, not necessarily in that order. She lives in beautiful North West Arkansas with her husband, son and Nora their Doberman pinscher. She loves writing, reading, and crocheting. Her favorite holiday is Christmas, favorite book(s) is Pride and Prejudice, The Alpha and Omega Series by Patricia Briggs, and the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. She loves to be silly and have fun, loves music and thinks there is no greater sound than the sound in the world than that of her little boy's laughter.

Blog Web site Facebook Goodreads Twitter

Young Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop

2012-01-06T00:00:00.000-05:00

Isn't Friday a great day to begin a giveaway hop? We think so and we're so glad to be a part of the Young Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop hosted by Kathy at I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and vvb32reads.

If you're familiar with out blog you'll know we LOVE fantasy, especially YA fantasy. Fairies, werewolves, vampires, angels, any type of paranormal fantastical creature and world excites us. When we signed up for this giveaway we decided to give away which represents our tastes. Which author has the power to completely blow us away? The list was long but there was only one name in the top spot. So this is what we decided to offer:

One copy of Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

Summary: In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has at last found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when rogue forces in the Clave plot to see her protector, Charlotte, replaced as head of the Institute. If Charlotte loses her position, Tessa will be out on the street and easy prey for the mysterious Magister, who wants to use Tessa's powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, self-destructive Will and the fiercely devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister's war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal. He blames them for a long-ago tragedy that shattered his life. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors, from the slums of London to an enchanted ballroom where Tessa discovers that the truth of her parentage is more sinister than she had imagined. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister himself knows their every move and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will; the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers about who she is and what she was born to do?

As their dangerous search for the Magister and the truth leads the friends into peril, Tessa learns that when love and lies are mixed, they can corrupt even the purest heart.

Reader Girls will order through Amazon one hardcover copy of Clockwork Prince which will be sent to the winner. In order to enter you must be a follower and have a US address. This giveaway ends on January 13th at 12:01 AM. For the complete list of participating blogs, please go to Kathy's site.

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The Gilder Book Tour: Review

2012-01-05T07:39:00.003-05:00

Reader Girls is the first stop on The Gilder Book Tour hosted by Crazy Book Tours. Welcome and read on to learn more about what makes The Gilder such an absorbing novel.

Publication Date: January 2012
Kensington Books

Summary: Set against the exquisite backdrop of Florence, Italy, The Gilder is a compelling and beautifully wrought novel of secrets, friendship, betrayal, and the simple choices that change us forever. . .

In Marina Nesmith's skilled hands, even the most tarnished picture frame or objet d'art can be made perfect once again. Her life, too, seems flawless, at least on the surface. But more and more, Marina is conscious of what she lacks--someone to share her joys and sorrows with, confidence in the decisions she's made, and the courage to tell her teenage daughter, Zoe, the truth about her father.

Then Marina is invited to return to Florence, where she lived years before while learning her trade as a gilder. In those heady days, she wandered the city's picturesque streets, marveling at the masterpieces in the Duomo and the Pitti Palace. In the church of Santa Croce, she met Thomas, an American photographer who, along with his wife Sarah, introduced Marina to a thrilling, bohemian world of art and beauty. Through them, she also learned about love, lies, and the way one mistake can multiply into many. Now, as her past and present collide, Marina will finally have to move beyond the intricate veneer she's crafted around herself, and find the life that she--and Zoe--have been looking for.

About the author: I was born in 1953 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, the third of six children and eldest daughter of an international businessman, and homemaker. Just before my fourth birthday we moved to England where I became a proper little British girl in my gray Macintosh and black Wellington boots. Although we moved a number of times in those early years between England, Germany, and the States, I have always considered England to be my childhood home. While the frequent moves nurtured a sense of adventure and independence, the social and educational ramifications were often challenging, and to this day I’m a little wistful when I meet people who’ve had the experience of spending their childhood in one place.

When I was a freshman in high school, we returned to the U.S. where I attended high school and University. Following three, somewhat aimless, years at the University of Wisconsin and many courses in history and literature, I returned to Europe and settled in Florence, Italy. There, I enrolled in a course of study in antiques restoration, ultimately specializing in 15th Century inlay, and enjoyed an expat, bohemian life style. I remained in Florence for five years during which time I made an unexpected visit to a little island off Cape Cod called, Nantucket… I was captivated.

Following the birth of my daughter in Florence, my then husband and I moved to Nantucket and made it our home. Over the ensuing fifteen years I became a single parent, woodworker, basket maker, caterer, decorative painter, and antiques dealer.

At the age of forty, I resumed my studies, which is by far the best thing I’ve done in my adult life, and received a BA in liberal arts from Lesley College in 1996. Encouraged to pursue my writing, I eventually went on to a graduate program at Vermont College where I completed my MFA in writing in 2004. During this time I founded the Nantucket Writers Studio, where it gives me immense pleasure to lead creative writing workshops for women.

Author website

My review: Where do I start with my review for a book I simply didn't want to put down? The Gilder kept me late one night, absorbed in Marina's new life in Florence, Italy. She is a recent college graduate pursuing her dream of gilding in a country she fell in love with as a child. Precocious is one way to describe this American kid born to artist parents who developed her own talent for art, in particular, gilding. While living her dream she meets a couple, Sophia and Thomas, she wanted to be a sculptor until she met and fell in love with a photographer at the beginning of his career. They befriend Marina and from then on this young woman's life blossoms both on the job front and in love.

Kathyry Kay's writing is so descriptive and alluring, my eyes begrudgingly left the pages to do something necessary, like take a bathroom break or get water, before I could settle back into Marina's journey. And what a journey it is! She is a wonderful character, real and fully imagined, from her fall onto the face of a Medici inside a chapel, to finally seeing herself as beautiful through the lenses of Thomas' numerous cameras. How she can get up and leave the comfort and security of her home and homeland to travel to another country where she knows only a handful of words is admirable and I might guess, enviable, to those who only wish they could do the same in their own lives. She is a vulnerable, curious woman at 22, a poster girl for wanderlust, and learns that things are not always what they appear to be in love and friendship.

The author made Florence come alive in my eyes and I was floored by the intricate art of gilding. With the loving ways the town and the art is skillfully portrayed, it is so obvious the author must treasure these things since her fondness is evident in every passage. I liked how the book was split into two sections, the 'before' and 'after' as we witness a young girl become a woman. The Gilder is a thoroughly absorbing read and its characters, lush scenery and classic art will remain with you long after its final paragraph.

Rating: Very good!

Favorite excerpt: "The sun was just beginning its slide up over the rooftops as Marina entered Via Luna for the second time. In another hour, it would tumble into the little street, evaporating the puddles she now skirted. When she reached the end of the alley, she noticed, for the first time, a white tile with a blue number twenty-eight just to the left of the door. She stared at it, key in hand, and wondered if she could get her money back. It had only been a few minutes. The money wouldn't be in the bank yet. She would say she'd changed her mind. It wasn't too late to apply for graduate school in the fall, and she could live at home for a while, then find an apartment with friends. In two years, she'd be teaching art history and maybe a woodcarving class in some cushy prep school in New England. She looked back down the street for a moment, then inserted the key, and stepped inside."

Cover comment: I like it, the vibrant red of the doors, the foliage winding itself around the front of the building and the closed door. We never know what goes on behind closed doors, do we? And not until we open this book and begin Marina's story, do we learn about hers.

Book source: From the publisher for my honest review during a book tour.

Bewitching Book Tours: Blood of Anteros Book Tour + Giveaway

2012-01-04T00:30:00.000-05:00

Reader Girls hosts a Bewitching Book Tours tour today for a paranormal YA novel.

Book Spotlight: Blood of Anteros by Georgia Cates

Book Description: Cruel circumstances turned Curry Brennan into the wretched monster he hates and refuses to accept, but when an expected turn of events releases him from the bond of his obsessive maker, he returns to the home he knew 161 years earlier and finds the return of happiness and joy in something he didn’t know existed.

Puzzled by his growing attraction to Chansey Leclaire, a human, he is unable to resist the captivating relationship that threatens to reveal his existence as a vampire. He eventually discovers the reason he was destined to find what he didn’t know he searched for and is faced with the cruel realization that the living and the immortal undead will always be separated by one thing. Eternity.

Brief Excerpt:

I was tantalized by mystery of her. The leech inside me came out to find prey, but found none in this enigmatic girl. The close proximity of her essence didn’t entice the monster within, so what did that make her? I had more questions than answers, but one thing was unmistakable; although she released me from her embrace, her hold on me remained.

Find Blood of Anteros: Amazon / Smashwords

About the Author: Website / Facebook / Twitter

In addition to being an author Georgia is a wife, mother of two daughters and a labor and delivery nurse.

She recently added Paranormal Romance Writer to her list of things that keep her busy, but she is ecstatic to release her debut novel, Blood of Anteros, the first book in The Vampire Agápe Series.

Like others that enjoy a great story of paranormal romance, she is easily bored by the tale of an obtainable, ordinary romance and was inspired to create The Vampire Agápe Series. When not tied up with family or delivering babies, she is working feverishly on the second book in The Vampire Agápe Series.
Giveaway: We are offering an ebook copy of Blood of Anteros via Smashwords code so the winner can download the format of their choice. All you need to do is comment below and leave your email to enter.

We thank Georgia Cates and Bewitching Book Tours.

Bewitching Book Tours: Damian's Oracle Book Tour

2012-01-04T00:00:00.000-05:00

Damian’s Oracle
By Lizzy Ford

Genre: sweet paranormal romance

Summary: Inspired by Slavic mythology, Damian’s Oracle is the entree into the ongoing battle between good and evil over the fate of humanity. The White God, Damian, and his Guardians protect the world from the Black God and his monsters while rescuing Naturals – humans with extraordinary paranormal gifts – from the Black God, who would kill or convert them.

Caught in the middle is cool-headed Sofia, a Natural whose gift will tip the scales in the war. Sofia begins her transformation from human into oracle, the first in thousands of years. Damian rescues her from the Black God in time to complete a ceremony that will bind her to him for eternity. Sofia struggles with her new world and her role as an oracle and Damian’s mate while haunted by a mysterious man from Damian’s past who’s supposed to be dead. Unbeknownst to her, her link to the dead man may be all that saves Damian, his Guardians, and the fate of humanity.

While he wants nothing more than for the petite beauty to take her place at his side like the oracles of legend did his White God forefathers, Damian can’t quite rationalize having to win her over instead of command her. Further complicating his life is the sobering realization that there are spies in his organization who are helping the Black God take out his Guardians. Damian must help Sofia reach her potential fast, especially when a threat from his past returns.

Damian’s Oracle links:

· Barnes & Noble

· iTunes

· Goodreads

· Amazon

An excerpt from Damian's Oracle:

Sofia froze as the scene straight out of her vision—the little boy, Cody, spread-eagled in the street near the storm drain—materialized before her. They boy’s mother was hysterical, screaming at once at the driver and her dead son. Coldness seeped through Sofia as she watched the familiar scene before her. In the distance, she heard her cell phone ring. It ceased and began to ring again. As if in a dream, she pulled it free and answered.

“Ms. Fast?” The deep baritone voice pierced her thoughts. “This is Damian Bylun. You left a message with my receptionist?”

Her world was beginning to spin as she realized her vision had come true. Her legs felt weak, and she sat heavily on the curb, struggling to control her breathing so she didn’t pass out.

God, what’s wrong with me? I saw him die …

“Pardon?”

Realizing she clenched the phone in her hand, she locked the screen and sat staring at the asphalt. Someone touched her, and visions flared across her mind. A pretty brunette, mugged in a back alley, raped and killed.

“Hey, are you all right?” someone else asked. As the man took her arm to help her stand, his haggard face appeared in yet another vision. An older man with dementia left to rot and finally die in an old folks’ home.

“Get away from me!” she cried, tearing her arm away. She fled, staggering as she bumped into more people and more visions flashed. She ran until the cold air burned her lungs and the people were far behind her. She retreated to her apartment, breathing raggedly, with cold tears stiffening her cheeks.

She closed and locked the door behind her. She froze when she saw the disaster that was her apartment. Everything was overturned or shredded, from the furniture to the bookshelves to the TV lying on its face. The windows were open and the apartment cold.

Her headache was now a migraine, and she shielded her eyes against the light from the street that filtered past her honeycomb blinds. She all but staggered into her bathroom. She wrenched open the medicine cabinet for the most powerful of the drugs Dr. Mallard prescribed for her and slammed the cabinet shut.

Her eyes were fully silver, swirling and glowing in the dark bathroom. Whatever she was, she wasn’t a normal human.

“What is wrong with me?” she screamed, slamming her fists against the mirror.

Her blood spattered on the wall, and buzzing filled her ears. She sank to the floor. Her phone began to ring again as she slid into a dead faint.

Toren The Teller's Tale Book Tour (Bewitching Book Tours)

2012-01-02T00:30:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year everyone. This is the first tour we're hosting for 2012. We welcome you to the book tour for Toren: The Teller’s Tale by Shevi Arnold.

Summary: Have you ever been swept away by a story? If you have, you know the magic of the storyteller--and you know that magic is real. That is seventeen-year-old Toren's magic . . . but is she brave enough to accept the power that lies within her?

When Toren returns home, her little sister, Noa, is full of questions. Noa demands to know why Toren wakes only at night; what causes her almost constant pain; and above all, why, after completing her apprenticeship, she has decided not to become a wizard. To answer, Toren weaves a tale about a journey that leads her to discover the greatest source of magic in her world--herself. It is a revelation that comes at a high price. Through her darkest years, Toren finds solace and strength in the stories she tells. But her greatest tale is not yet finished. Together with Noa, she sets out on a new adventure. And in the end, she must choose: will she continue to cling to her dream of an ordinary life, or will she dare to let her own magic shine?

TOREN: THE TELLER’S TALE is more than an inspirational fantasy. It is a philosophical tale about the enchantment of literature, because in Toren's parallel world there is no greater power than the magic of storytelling.

TOREN: THE TELLER’S TALE is intended to be the first book in the Toren the Teller series.

The Night I Discovered the Magic of the Storyteller
(The introduction to Toren the Teller’s Tale and previously published on the author’s blog)

Toren changed my life.

I don’t know how old I was when I first became a storyteller, but I do know I was quite young. I remember telling my youngest cousins and my older cousins’ children stories when I was about ten. I loved the excited look on their faces, how my stories drew them in and captured their imaginations and their hearts. I also remember telling stories to the younger children on the van ride to school. I particularly remember one little girl who would ask over and over, “What happened next?” It was such a delightful question to answer.

As I was growing up, I read anything and everything I could get my hands on. I read encyclopedias and science magazines, because I was very curious, and couldn’t read enough about this world. I also read a ton of comic books, particular collections of Peanuts strips. My favorite books were funny, fantasy or science fiction. I loved the works of Peter S. Beagle, Ursula Le Guin, Anne McCaffrey, J.R.R. Tolkien, Gene Wolfe, Harlan Ellison, Douglas Adams, Isaac Asimov, Orson Scott Card, John Barth, Thomas Pynchon, and so many others.

But while I enjoyed these books, I kept looking for one about a girl like me, a girl who loved stories and loved telling them. I knew stories were magical, perhaps even the most magical thing we can experience. I couldn’t possibly be the only one who felt like this, could I? And who better to write about this particular magic than a storyteller? But the more I looked, the more I realized the book I so desperately wanted to read did not exist. No one had written it yet.

When I was seventeen, my family had moved to Jerusalem, and I had just started college. That first year I studied Hebrew and a variety of other subjects, like Advanced Algebra, Political Science, and Computer Programming. My plan was to eventually study filmmaking, because I wanted to be a director.

You see, I didn’t just love storytelling on paper: I loved it in all its forms, and I thought that movies were the best way to tell a story, because they brought so many of those forms together: with and without words, visually, and through music. I studied the movies I enjoyed, and I tried to figure out how they worked. I still read books, but I read them mostly for entertainment. These were books of my choosing, books that made me laugh and cry, think and feel.

This one night, a book had kept me up late. It was sometime after midnight that my head felt heavy, and I laid it down on the open pages. I looked out of the window of my room. The moon was big and full, far above the horizon. I stood up and walked to the window. I leaned on the windowsill and thought again about that book that didn’t exist, the one about a storytelling girl like me. I closed my eyes and made a wish.

When I turned around, a young woman was standing behind me in my room.

Although she was short, there was something about her that seemed larger than life. She was amazingly beautiful, with her long, dark, curly hair, and her olive-colored, almond-shaped eyes. She was wearing a garment the likes of which I had never seen before.
I asked her for her name.

She said something, but it wasn’t in English. I didn’t understand.

I shook my head.

She slowly reached up and touched my forehead with the tips of her fingers. She closed her eyes, and for a moment, she gave off a golden glow. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen.

“Thank you,” she said, with a voice that reminded me of honey. “You have taught me your language. Both of them, in fact.”

I felt like I should apologize. “I’m still learning Hebrew.”

“And now so am I.” She smiled. “I understand you wanted to meet me.”

“I did?”

“A girl like you who understands the magic of stories?”

I was so stunned and happy and excited I couldn’t speak.

“You have taught me your language and about your world,” she said. “How should I repay you?”

Of course, there could only be one answer to that question. “Tell me your story.”

“I can do better than that.”

Again she touched my forehead. She closed her eyes, and I closed mine. Her name was Toren, and her story flashed inside my mind. I saw, heard, smelled, tasted, and felt all of it. When she pulled her hand away, I was laughing and crying.

I was in awe.

She smiled at me and bowed her head. She looked out the window, and I followed her gaze. A part of me expected to see something magical on the other side. When I turned around again, however, she was gone.

Her story remained with me, and I treasured it. I re-experienced it whenever I was lonely or bored and wanted to be reminded of the magic of stories.

But, like everyone else, I had my life to live. I couldn’t study film, because the university only offered that as an M.A., so I studied English Literature and Theater instead. By the time I had graduated, I realized I didn’t really want to direct movies. I earned a teacher’s certificate, but I didn’t enjoy teaching. Instead I first became an editorial cartoonist, and a comic-strip magazine editor; and then I became an arts-and-entertainment writer, and a consumer columnist. I got married and had two children. I was very happy.

Unfortunately, I had to leave my job and my old life behind when my family moved to New Jersey in search of a better education for my autistic son. I didn’t know what to do. If I couldn’t write, edit, or illustrate for a newspaper or magazine, who was I? What was I?

A few months passed before I realized the answers to those questions. I was still the little girl who loved telling stories to the other children in the van on the way to school. Toren’s story had given me so much joy over the years. And I had been selfish. Somewhere in the world there had to be someone just like the girl I had been, someone who desperately needed a story about the greatest magic of all. It wasn’t just Toren’s story. It was my story, too, and the story of every storyteller who’s ever lived.

Perhaps it’s your story too.

Excerpt :

Toren closed her eyes. “So, you want to know who I am,” she said. “It seems a simple question: ‘Who are you?’ And we always give it such simple answers. ‘Who am I? I’m Toren. I’m Noa. I’m the eldest daughter of Omri the vintner. I’m the youngest. . . .’ Of course, these answers aren’t true. They are simple, quick and easy, while the truth is none of those things. Even a mouse has a story as grand as the sky.
“You want to know why I’m not a wizard. The simple answer is I do not wish to be. But you want the truth: you want to hear my tale. Where should I begin?"

About the author: Shevi Arnold is the magical writer of Toren the Teller’s Tale, which is available from Amazon as an e-book in two parts: book one, Toren the Apprentice’s Tale and book two, Toren the Teller’s Flight. Editions for Barnes and Noble Nook and the Apple iBookstores, as well as a print version, are in the works. The book is suitable for teens and tweens.

If you’d like to learn more about Shevi Arnold’s wizardry, check out her blog or her website.

You can also follow her on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook.

YA book review: Radiance By Alyson Noël

2012-01-01T17:28:00.002-05:00

Reading level: Ages 9 and up

Paperback: 192 pages

Publisher: Square Fish; First Edition edition (August 31, 2010)

Summary: Riley has crossed the bridge into theafterlife—a place called Here, where time is always Now. She has picked uplife where she left off when she was alive, living with her parents and dog ina nice house in a nice neighborhood. When she’s summoned before TheCouncil, she learns that the afterlife isn’t just an eternity of leisure.She’s been assigned a job, Soul Catcher, and a teacher, Bodhi, a possiblycute, seemingly nerdy boy who’s definitely hiding something. They return toearth together for Riley’s first assignment, a Radiant Boy who’s been hauntinga castle in England for centuries. Many Soul Catchers have tried to get him tocross the bridge and failed. But all of that was before he met Riley . . .

MyReview: Whilethere may be Love at first sight Ialso believe that there’s such thing as Loveat first read, which happened to me after reading my first Alyson Noël novel. I really like Alyson’s writing style--shewrites with such description yet she can still make her stories sound like they’rebeing told from the point of view of a 12 year old which is the case withRadiance. Riley Brown died almost a year ago during an unexpected car crash where she along with her mother, father, and dog Buttercup died. Riley’s older sister, Ever, was the only survivor. Now Riley is at Here, a realm in the afterlife. It feelslike she has her old life back, except for a few small changes:
1.) there’s no time, it’s always Now
2.) she’sattending a new “school” and
3.) she canwalk through walls!

At School, Riley’s assigned a duty to be a SoulCatcher after having her entire life assessed by the headmasters. Her jobincludes helping lost souls cross the bridge into the afterlife which entailsher going back to the earth plane. Too bad she’ll be in spirit form. Bodhi(a.k.a. “dork guy”) becomes her guide and will assist her on all of hermissions. Riley’s first assignment is to get Radiant Boy to leave his castlewhich he’s been roaming for years. Radiant Boy is a mystery—little is knownabout him besides that he’s only 10 years old. Will Riley be able to accomplishher first mission—one that others have failed?

Radiance By Alyson Noël is cute, fresh and at times humorous story suitable for allages.

Rating: Adored it. A total keeper.

Favorite excerpt: “The weirdest thing about dying is that nothing really changed.
I mean, you’d expect a really big change, right? Because dying— let’s face it, it’s prettydramatic stuff. They write songs about it, books and screenplays too. Heck, it’s even a major theme on Saturday morning cartoons. But the thing is, it’s nothing like you see on TV.
Nothing at all.
Take me for instance. I’m living, er, make that dead proof that it really isn’t so different. Or at least not at first. And at least not in a bad way like you probably think.”

Cover comment: The cover is so beautiful and mysterious and although it’s not exactly how I picture Riley to be, I think it still portrays the theme of the story well.

Book source: From publisher for my honest review.

YA Book review: Last Dance By Lurlene McDaniel

2012-01-01T16:25:00.006-05:00

Reading level: Ages 11 and up
Paperback: 128 pages
Publisher: Darby Creek Publishing (February 2006)

Summary: Rachel Deering has her eyes on her toes, in becoming a world-class ballerina. As a 14-year-old, she is already one of the best dancers in the country. Just as she prepares for an audition for an opening with a prestigious dance troupe, Rachel starts having some very disturbing symptoms. After collapsing at school, she has many tests and her doctor tells her the news: She has diabetes. Now her world consists of blood tests, insulin shots, a controlled diet, and constant fear that she will have a reaction and end up unable to dance, or worse.

My Review: Last Dance by Lurlene McDaniel is a short, sweet and to the point kind of story. It tells the tale of Rachel, a 14 year old ballerina and her learning to live with diabetes while still achieving her dream of becoming a professional dancer. I found many aspects of this story to be true which made it more enjoyable to read. Madame Pershoff, Rachel’s ballet instructor came across so real to me, and at times even reminded me of my own ballet teacher. Shawn McLaughlin was by far one of my favorite characters in this entire story. He’s your average sweet, kind, and goofy kind of guy. He too has diabetes and becomes a major part of Rachel’s life. At first Rachel is reluctant to befriend Shawn and tries to pretend that she is diabetes free. She wonders why life is so unfair and if she’s ever going to become a ballerina. But as time goes on, will Rachel’s perspective change?

This story is incredibly heartwarming. The cute message “Don’t let anything interfere with your dreams” seems to stand out and practically jump off the pages. I like it. I can tell this story’s message will stay with me for awhile.

There’s a sense of competition between Rachel and another ballet dancer, Melanie, especially with the regional audition for the New York City Ballet Company coming up. Will Rachel make it? Or will her diabetes get in the way of her lifelong dream? Read this inspiring adventure to find out!

Rating: I really liked it.

Favorite excerpt: ""I'm Shawn McLaughlin. Dr. Malar sent me."
He eased into the room and pulled up a chair next to her bed. "He told me you were pretty. He's right."
Rachel blushed and looked away from his steady gaze. “What do you want?”
“Just thought I’d like to meet you. Thought you might like to meet someone who lives with diabetes everyday.”
“You have it, too?” She examined him openly. He seemed so . . .well. So healthy.
“Sure. Since I was three. I’m fourteen now. That’s eleven years.”
“Yep. And I hate having it as much as you do. But I’ve learned to live with it . . . around it . . . in spite of it,” he said as he grinned broadly at her.
His smile was infectious. She smiled back."

Cover comment: The cover shows Rachel's pointe shoes and a rose. It's tinted a light pink. It's pretty.

Book source: Gift.

YA Book review: Chain Reaction by Simone Elkeles

2012-01-01T14:49:00.000-05:00

Reading level: Ages 14 and up
Hardcover: 320 pages
Publisher: Walker Childrens (August 16, 2011)

Summary: Luis Fuentes has always been sheltered from the gang violence that nearly destroyed his brothers’ lives. But that didn’t stop him from taking risks—whether he’s scaling a mountain in the Rockies or dreaming of a future as an astronaut, Luis can’t stop looking for the next thrill.

Nikki Cruz lives her life by three rules—boys lie to get their way, don’t trust a boy who says “I love you,” and never date a boy from the south side of Fairfield. Her parents may be from Mexico, but as a doctor’s daughter, she has more in common with her north-side neighbors than the Latino Blood at her school. Then she meets Luis at Alex’s wedding, and suddenly, she’s tempted to break all her rules.

Getting Nikki to take a chance on a southsider is Luis’s biggest challenge, until he finds himself targeted by Chuy Soto, the new head of the Latino Blood. When Chuy reveals a disturbing secret about Luis’s family, the youngest Fuentes finds himself questioning everything he’s ever believed to be true. Will his feelings for Nikki be enough to stop Luis from entering a dark and violent world and permanently living on the edge?

My review: As sad as I was to say bid adieu to the Fuentes brothers, the final novel of the trilogy didn't fare as well as the first two did for me. I can't put my finger on but baby brother Luis's story didn't share the same qualities which made Perfect Chemistry and Rules of Attraction such addictive reads and it lacked that magical moment--the intense scene depicted on the covers which make this readers' heart (still) race simply thinking about them. Carlos and Kiara kissing in the rain? There go the goosebumps! Luis and Nikki in the chemistry classroom shower? Nada.

This is not to say I didn't like the story. I did. Luis is incredibly likable with his appealing combination of charm, wit and 'tude. He's a good guy with a slightly tough exterior, accustomed to getting the girls with a sweep of his long lashes. Nikki was also a good girl but her heart had been crushed by her first love, Marco, who not only scarred her heart but also her body. Life "AM" (after Marco) has her erecting stone walls to any prospects of love. While her best friend enjoys the ups and downs of a relationship, Nikki is the voice of negative reasoning. Until Luis. She meets him at Alex and Brittany's wedding and there's an unspeakable connection--an instant chemistry--between them. But she slams her blinders down and instead knees him in the privates on a packed dance floor.

Love at first kick? I'd say Louis was gone at first glance but it takes a while for both to succumb to fate. Their story is complex and touching and spans over three years. Louis and his mother leave Colorado to return home as does Alex and Brittany (she had the best line in their wedding scene!). I loved seeing Alex and Carlos back in the Fuentes household in their hometown of Chicago. Their familial alliance has always been one of their most admirable traits. They back Luis, even when he becomes a LB. The story held some surprising twists (even though I still wonder what went down with Luis' mom, but I won't spoil it) and it was so cute to see Luis interact with his nephew, Paco. Nikki was an interesting character, born to Mexican parents but raised in an affluent American town lacking a foundation in her heritage. After Marco, she refuses to get hurt. Seeing Louis in her high school years later quickly causes her memories to resurface of her immediate attraction to him. Bad boys are not for her until a certain transfer student changes her mind.

Well written and emotional, Chain Reaction concludes the Fuentes brothers saga and after numerous trials and tribulations, all three settle down with their soulmates to live happily ever after. Is there anything else to ask for?

Rating: Liked it.

Favorite excerpt: ""What happened to the boy who said he loved me?" I ask.
"He died," he says dryly.
"I wanted to push you away," I tell him. "It's my defense mechanism."
"Congratulations, Nikki," he says. "You win."
He jerks his head away from me, but I make him face me while I clean off his chin and a nasty cut on his cheek. When I move to clean the wound on his bicep, the angry letters gouged out of his skin that'll leave permanent scars stare back at me.
He holds my wrist with his strong fingers and stills my hand, which is about to wipe off blood still oozing from the wound. "Don't help me," he says. "I need you to go.""

Cover comment: Like the other two covers, this one is great.

Book source: From library.