Blog Tour: Creatures of Myth and Reality by @AKMorgen

Today I have A.K Morgan stopping by for her Fall Blog tour. This is the second book in her series, and I wish her the best of luck for it! So now to A.K's post.

In one of my favorite mythical tales, Odysseus and his crew faced extraordinary odds on their journey to their homeland (Ithaca) after defeating the Trojan monarchy and laying waste to Troy. Odysseus and company were captured by Calypso (who wanted to marry Odysseus), forced to battle a Cyclops, contend with angry gods, and required to sail their way through the horrors of Scylla and Charybdis.

If you're familiar with the Odyssey, you know Charybdis was a sea monster who sucked unsuspecting ships into the depths of the ocean via a frightfully powerful whirlpool. Across the strait from this sea monster stood Scylla, a beast with many heads who legend says was no kinder to seafarers than Charybdis. Forced to choose between the two, Odysseus chose to face Scylla, and promptly lost six of his men.

Most believe Scylla and Charybdis were mythical beasts cooked up in Homer's mind, but that's not quite true. In reality, such a dangerous passage exists in the Straits of Messina. On one side sits Charybdis, a whirlpool. On the other sits Scylla, a large grouping of dangerous, rocky shoals. Neither are sea monsters, obviously, but it's not hard to see why Homer thought they were.

And Scylla and Charybdis aren't the only mythical monsters that aren't quite as imaginary as we believed. The world is full of mysterious creatures we've been told don't really exist, but actually kind of do.

Here are some of my favorites:

1. Hobbits - Remember when you first realized Hobbits weren't real? If you're like me, you were beyond disappointed. But don't count the hobbits out just yet! Several years ago, researchers discovered the bones of a group of tiny people in a cave in the Indonesian island of Flores. These little people stood three feet tall and had skulls one third the size of a modern person. Yes! Hobbitses were real!

2. The Kraken - In addition to being an ominous sounding monster to release, the Kraken was pretty terrifying to behold, according to those who wrote about this sea creature. In reality, the Kraken myth didn't quite hold up until a Japanese crew filmed a Colossal Squid not long ago, at which point we learned the Kraken might not be so mythical after all. The Colossal Squid can grow to fifty and sixty feet. They also have wickedly sharp hooks up and down their tentacles. Kinda creepy, right?

3. Dire Wolf - These video game characters are much larger and stronger than their gray wolf counterparts. They're excellent hunters. They're also rather terrifying, but they don't exist. Anymore, that is. Dire wolves were real once upon a time, but they went extinct over 16,000 years ago.

4. Berserkers - According to Norse myth, the Berserkers were skilled warriors who possessed superhuman strength and prowess on the battlefield. They were hard to kill, and some even turned into frightful wolves in the heat of battle. These bad boys were one of the greatest weapons the Norse people possessed. We've always assumed this was just a myth, but turns out we were wrong. Sort of. The Berserkers didn't turn into wolves, but they did take a powerful hallucinogen that made them the lean, mean, crazy fighting machines history remembers.

About the Author:

A.K. Morgen lives in Little Rock, Arkansas with her husband, three dogs, and demonic cat. She has a graduate degree in Criminal Justice and Law, and plans to save the world some day. When she’s not writing, she spends her time teaching her niece and nephews how to cause mischief. You can also find her dancing in the grocery store, building a spork army, and fundraising for nonprofits close to her heart.

You can learn more about Ayden at http://akmorgen.com or by following her on Twitter, Goodreads, or Facebook.

FALL - The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two (summary)

How do you save someone who doesn't want to be saved?

Those called to stand guard against the end are broken, and Sköll and Hati run free. Now Arionna Jacobs and Dace Matthews face a threat unlike any before. Ragnarök is coming and they aren't strong enough to stop it.

Arionna thought she understood sacrifice, but she never counted on her destiny tearing Dace apart. Ever since she nearly died, he has been consumed with guilt. Now it threatens to turn him into the monster he always feared.

It's up to Arionna to stop him before it's too late, but the path to hell is paved with good intentions, and Dace is hurtling toward self destruction. This time, Arionna isn't sure she can save him from himself. Can she convince him to let the past go, or is her true destiny to sacrifice her heart in exchange for the lives of the people she loves?

You can read the official prologue to FALL here.

FALL – The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book Two will be available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble on October 5, 2013 from Curiosity Quills Press.  FADE – The Ragnarök Prophesies: Book One is available now at Amazon US, Barnes and Noble, and Kobo.

Blog Tour Giveaway:

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Review: Stern by Brenda Jackson

From Goodreads:
From New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson, comes a new trilogy starring three Westmorelands who are impossible to resist: Zane, Canyon and Stern.
Stern Westmoreland never makes mistakes; until he helps his best friend Jovonnie "JoJo" Jones with a makeover for another man. Now Stern wants JoJo for himself. Their attraction is undeniable and there's only one way to test it: one long, steamy night together as much more than friends!

This was a fun read. I enjoyed both Stern and JoJo as characters. Their chemistry is unmistakable, and it's a nice sweet romance with two best friends realizing their feelings for one another. I'd definitely look into the rest of the Westmoreland series to get to know all the character better and understand some of the back story I missed out on in this book.

I'd recommend this for people who like sweet romances, with some steamy scenes thrown in.

Kiya Pre-Release Tour

The Kiya review tour has begun! There is also interviews with me and a few characters, guests posts, and a giveaway. Find the list and links on the Curiosity Quills website: http://curiosityquills.com/kiya-hope-pharaoh-blog-tour/

And here's the Giveaway!


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Cover Reveal: A Late Thaw by Ana Blaze

Title: A LATE THAW

Author: Ana Blaze

Publisher: Entranced Publishing

Imprint: Kissed

Genre: Contemporary romance

Release Date: November 11^th 2013

Blurb:

The town’s too small for Kiley St. Claire’s reappearance to be a surprise, still seeing her hits Cole Thomas like a punch to the gut. She ripped his heart apart when she turned to ice and ran away all those years ago. Now that she’s back, Cole’s going to say his piece and move on.

Even if she does look damn good in that uniform.

Kiley St. Claire is back in the small town of Barrett, Vermont, for one reason and one reason only: to earn some cash so she can survive her final semester of grad school. She’s not there for the sexy Christmas tree farmers.

Even the one who once held her heart.

Add to Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17830852-a-late-thaw

Giveaway:

Ana Blaze is giving away a $15 Amazon or Barnes & Noble gift card (winner’s choice) and an e-copy of her contemporary romance novella THE BEST MAN.

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About the Author:

Ana lives just outside Washington DC with her very supportive husband and three rather demanding cats. She loves the ocean, Indian food, Ikea, and cooking. Ana admits to watching too much television and she swears that someday she’s going to learn how to play the guitar resting on the bookshelf in her office.

Author Social Media Links:

Blog: http://anablaze.blogspot.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ana_blaze

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnaBlazeLove

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/anablaze/

Heirs of War Blog Tour: Character Interview

Heirs of War

Book One

New Adult/Upper Young Adult Fantasy

October 13, 2013

Seventeen-year-old Zelene doesn't believe in magic or prophecies. When she's told she is part of the prophecy foretelling five powerful girls bringing peace to the war-torn worlds, she scoffs. The idea of other dimensions layered on top of the world she lives in is almost as ludicrous as the idea that she might be able to save them. After she is attacked by magic-wielding assassins, she finds she can't argue with reality.

As their enemies strike, the girls are taken back to their world and discover the ties binding them together. Rhaya has always had an uncanny knack for reading people, but can’t seem to unravel the mystery tying her to Isauria, the new friend she bonded with instantly. For years, Isauria has been dreaming of Terrena, a girl living her life on the run in a magical world ripped apart by the tragedies of war, completely unaware that she is psychically linked to the world she was born in.

Zelene views them all with a distrustful eye, familial bonds or no, and can think of a place or two she’d like to shove the crown she supposedly inherited. When she learns that her long-lost twin Ariana has been captured by the rebels, Zelene’s attitude changes. She doesn’t know how she is supposed to go against an army of magic-wielding rebels when her own ability to manipulate the elements is still locked within her. But can she trust the elders to rescue Ariana when it seems their medieval politics are what brought about the war in the first place? With all that is at stake, the answer becomes clear to Zelene.

Screw the worlds. She’s getting her sister back.

Today I have a character interview with Nandalia from Heirs of War by my good friend Mara Valderran. I'm excited for Mara because she's been working her butt off for this. So here we are, meet Nandalia!

Why don’t we start by letting you introduce yourself?

Nandalia: My name is Nandalia of the Duillaine. I represent the element Fire.

Tell us more about the Duillaine.

Nandalia: The Duillaine are the most powerful people in all the worlds, with the strongest ties to the elements. Our power is passed from generation to generation, to the daughters born on our sacred days.

This generation is a bit different, isn’t it?

Nandalia: Yes. There is a prophecy that states that there will be a fifth born to the Duillaine, and together, the five of this generation will have the power to unite the worlds and save us all from the war that threatens us. My three girls are part of the five.

But you sent the five of them away, didn’t you? How can they unite us now?

Nandalia: We sent them away for their own protection. There was an incident not long after my twins were born. We realized that Anscombe was no longer safe for them.

That must have been a tough decision, to send your own children away.

Nandalia: It wasn’t our idea. It was Sylvanna’s, the eldest Duillaine. The night after Solanna’s child was taken, Sylvanna came to us with her plan. She wasted no time in sending the girls away with their Cynewards.

You sound surprised by this.

Nandalia: Truthfully, we were. Sylvanna is very…strict in her views. People have their places, and we must adhere to the rules society puts before us or there will be chaos. One of those rules is that Cynewards have no place beside the Duillaine, only behind them or in the shadows. They are warriors and seen as barbarians, so to place them in the role of parenting our children…Well, it breaks more than one of Sylvanna’s precious societal rules.

Desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose.

Nandalia: I suppose, yes.

Tell us what is ahead for you.

Nandalia: Hopefully, seeing my girls again. The twins will be turning eighteen soon, which means their abilities will be much stronger. I look forward to guiding them in the journeys ahead. Mostly, I just look forward to holding all three of my girls again. 

Links:

Goodreads  Amazon: Not Available Yet  Barnes & Noble: Link TBA  Smashwords

Mara Valderran has been coming up with stories pretty almost since she could talk, often commandeering her brother's G.I. Joes to play out her fictional tales alongside her Barbies. Once she hit adolescence and realized playing with dolls wasn't cool anymore, she started putting her ideas to paper. And she hasn’t stopped since.

Mara has worn many different artistic hats throughout her life. She has dabbled in screenwriting, plucked guitars and basses, toyed with singing, retired from acting, and drawn some pretty mean stick figures in her time. However, writing books seems to fit her best as she finds nothing more fulfilling than creating worlds and characters she can lose herself in.

Mara is more than just a madwoman with a writing box. She lives in the south with her husband and demanding cat. She hopes to one day meet Daniel Jackson from SG1, or at least the actor who played him. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading, playing video games, or spending time at her favorite local coffee shop.

Website  Facebook  Twitter

THE Anthologies from Curiosity Quills Cover Reveals!

Curiosity Quills has put together two Anthologies featuring several of their authors. I'm not in it because I'm not very good with the spooky and paranormal, but I am backing it 100%. I love all these authors and know all the hard work everyone at CQ puts in to help one another. And as a bonus, it's for charity!

So, here are he covers for the anthologies.

Curiosity Quills Press brings some of their bestselling authors together to create a spine-tingling, mind-blowing, quirky collection of short stories in their first ever, annual PRIMETIME Anthology, scheduled for release 7th October, 2013. Available in digital and paperback formats, with an IndieGoGo campaign launching after release to fund the hardback version.

The anthology is not limited to one specific genre, but all of our novels are guaranteed to be quirky and paranormal, in some way or another. We also guarantee 10% of every purchase will go straight to animals in need. The CQ team has selected humane societies on both the East and West coast that spend well and do not stray from the “no-kill” policies of their strays.

Featuring:

J.R. Rain, Tony Healey, A.W. Exley, Vicki Keire, A.E. Propher, Eliza Tilton, Gerilyn Marin, Grace Eyre, James Wymore, K.H. Koehler, Matthew Graybosch, Michael Panush, Michael Shean, Mike Robinson, Nathan Yocum, Nina Post, Rand B. Lee, Randy Attwood, Sharon Bayliss, William Vitka.

Official Primetime Page | Primetime on Goodreads

Curiosity Quills Press brings some of their bestselling authors together in PRIME TIME’s steamier, sexier counterpart, AFTER DARK.  Scheduled for release 7th October, 2013. Available in digital and paperback formats, with an IndieGoGo campaign launching after release to fund the hardback version.

The anthology is not limited to one specific genre, but all of our novels are guaranteed to be quirky and paranormal, in some way or another.  We also guarantee 10% of every purchase will go straight to animals in need. The CQ team has selected humane societies on both the East and West coast that spend well and do not stray from the “no-kill” policies of their strays.

Featuring:

A.W. Exley, Jose Prendes, Nathan Yocum, Jade Hart , Gerilyn Marin, A.E. Propher.

Official After Dark Page | After Dark on Goodreads

----

About Curiosity Quills Press

 Curiosity Quills launched in 2011 by writers, for writers, presenting uniformly top-notch quality, tastefully curated, hard-hitting storylines. We know it’s hard to stand out from the crowd when it’s millions large, but Curiosity Quills Press helps level the playing field through its members’ innovative social media approach, a transparent culture, and a deeply passionate team.

  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Google Plus |Tumblr | Pinterest

The Latest

What my stories are doing.

Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh - It's been sitting the the top ten (mostly top five) on Historical Romance: Ancient World for almost a month. Curiosity Quills is currently compiling auditions for the audio book. A review tour is on its way to precede the release of book 2.

Kiya: Mother of a King - I am now in edits. The cover is on it's way. It's currently being refined, ready for the cover reveal. The release is lined up for Oct 25th.

Branded - My stand alone with Soul Mate Publishing now has a mock up cover! I will do a reveal after Kiya 2's cover reveal.

So that's it right now.

Thanks for following along on this journey.

Because of Lucy Blog Tour and Giveaway

*Recommended 17+ due to strong language and sexual content*

Ness’s parents are shocked when she turns down her place at Leeds University and takes on a full-time job in a call center. Determined to begin her adult life the way she wants, Ness moves to Leeds to live with her best friend Abby.

One night she meets Evan, who is everything she hates about guys. He may be hot but he’s also drunken, arrogant, and on top of that, he apparently has sex with girls and forgets about it. But Evan isn't what he seems and Ness soon discovers they have more in common than she thought.

Evan is struggling to escape from his past too, and when Lucy appears she threatens his new relationship with Ness. Unsure if she can deal with the effect Lucy has on Evan, Ness makes a decision about her future which pulls them apart.

When their new lives don't go as planned, Ness and Evan are both faced with difficult choices. All because of Lucy...

Lisa is originally from the UK but now lives in Perth, Western Australia. She splits her time between writing, raising a family and running a business. She even leaves the house occasionally.

Lisa writes romance and is currently working on a series of new adult paranormal romance novels, the first book, Soul Ties, was published in July 2013. She also writes new adult contemporary - Because of Lucy was released August 2013.

Find Lisa on:

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Buy it on:

Amazon

Lisa is giving away a copy of Because of Lucy, and to sweeten the deal, I'm throwing in a copy of Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh!

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Release: Fade into the Woodwork by Kristina Circelli

Join author Kristina Circelli today in the release of her new book, Fade into the Woodwork! This nail-biting novella is now available on the Kindle and Nook.

Synopsis:

Abducted in broad daylight, locked away in a basement cage, starved for food and light - how would you escape your prison?

Valentina Murdoch finds herself asking that same question after she is attacked and kidnapped one ordinary morning. Brought to a secluded hideaway in the middle of the woods to await her fate at the hands of "the boss," she has but days to survive.

Utilizing her love of action movies to create a plan, Valentina plots her escape while battling a crippling fear of the dark - for the dark is where her childhood nightmare lurks, waiting for her one moment of weakness. But as the clock winds down and her husband's search for her threatens his own life, Valentina realizes that her true fight lies within herself.

Will she have the strength to survive, or will the dark - and all the figures that haunt it - finally win?

Meet the Author:

Night owl, Dorito lover, and quiet eccentric - Kristina Circelli is the author of several fiction novels, including The Helping Hands series, The Whisper Legacy, The Never, and The Sour Orange Derby.

A descendent of the Cherokee nation and niece of a Cherokee elder, Circelli holds both a Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts in English from the University of North Florida, where she teaches creative writing. She also heads Red Road Editing, a full-service editing company for independent authors and commercial clients.

She currently resides in Jacksonville, Florida with her husband, Seth, and cats, Lord Finnegin the Fierce and Mr. Malachi the Mighty.

Connect with Kristina:

Twitter: @KCircelli

Website

Blog

Facebook

Cover Reveal: A Zebra Like Me by Amy Maurer Jones

Thanks so much, Katie, for hosting me today. I'm excited to announce that I have a new YA book coming out this winter! It's a stand alone YA contemporary entitled, A Zebra Like Me. It's my first stab at contemporary and the subject matter hits close to home so I am more than a little nervous about it. 

The cover art is by Kelsey Keeton of KKeeton Designs and it is gorgeous but you don't have to take my word for it, see for yourself! 

Here's the blurb on the back of the cover.

Maybelle Dawson longs for normalcy and belonging. Often misunderstood, she struggles with a rare disorder, labeling her a Medical Zebra.

Maybelle’s happiness and well-being threaten to slip through her fingers as she battles to take control of her life. She faces a never-ending battle on her journey to find love, courage and friendship in a world lacking acceptance.

With the guidance of her guardian angel, Maybelle finds her way out of emotional and physical isolation to discover lasting love and amazing friendships.


A Zebra Like Me is the story of one teenager’s battle with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a disorder affecting one in five thousand people. 

Sneak Peak - Here's a glimpse into Maybelle's world in pre-edited form. Please forgive my typos. It will be edited professionally prior to publication.

Maybelle

I sat on the soft, green grass staring out at the lake behind my house. The breeze was cool and soothing against my sun kissed skin. Tomorrow is the first day of school. A sour feeling invades my stomach. I barely passed last year. The pressure of my reality is consuming. Now, in the waning heat of August, after a summer filled with rest and relaxation, it’s easy to pretend this year will be better, but I know the truth. Soon, a daily routine of torture will overwhelm me. Pain-filled days spent trudging up and down concrete floors and flights of stares. Agonizing hours of stillness trapped in the unforgiving frames of wooden desks. Neck-breaking, never ending minutes straining to see what my teacher wrote on the board and overhead projector. And, the paralyzing stress of knowing it’s getting worse and I can’t handle it. I feel helpless and defeated and have yet to step through the school’s front doors.

            “I’m a zebra. No one understands me.” I whisper to myself.

            I take a deep breath as the air stirs. My focus is distracted by a shimmering glint of light. A silvery, white slip of paper floats down from the clear, blue sky. I stretch out my open palm and clasp my fingers around it. It’s folded neatly into quadrants. I unfold the square of paper to find out what is written inside.

            You’re not alone, Maybelle.

            I search the empty space around me and find nothing out of place. Everything is the same. My grandmother’s ferns dangle from their baskets on the back porch. The heavy, faded wooden rocking chairs are still, immune to the feeble breeze. The vegetable garden and the locked shed beyond it are undisturbed. An occasional boater drifts by on the lake but otherwise all is quiet. I am alone.

I reach for my backpack and retrieve my make-shift diary, a simple spiral-bound notebook. I tear out a piece of paper.

“Prove it.” I say the words as I scrawl them onto the slip of paper, fold it into a square, and toss it toward the heavens.

If you'd like to learn more about me or my books you can find me here:

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Character Interview: Disciple Part III by L. Blankenship

L. Blankenship: My character interviews are usually with one of my main characters. This time, I asked the mentor figure in Disciple, Parselev, for his perspective on how we got to Disciple, Part III.

Disciple, Part III

Kate fought for her place as a healer in the war’s front lines. Serving her homeland has been her goal since her magical gifts earned her a coveted apprenticeship with the kingdom’s greatest healer. She believes she’s prepared.

But nothing’s simple when defending a besieged capital city — or her heart.

She loves the prince, who means to protect her even though his duties as a knight keep him on the battlements, fighting the enemy’s monstrous army.

Kate’s husband is the one who checks on her, lingers over dinner, and slowly but surely charms her. She’s all too aware that her beloved prince threatened to kill him if he touches her.

As the enemy thunders against the city walls, the kingdom needs more from Kate than just her healing magic. All disciples must put aside their tangled feelings and stand in the homeland’s defense.

Kate believed she's ready for a war. She isn't.

L: What was your motivation in taking Kate on as your student, when others were more qualified?

Parselev: Kate's gift with kir was what brought her to my attention. It's true that as a peasant girl there was much she needed to learn when she first arrived, but reading came easily to her and the rest followed. 

L: The rest being -- writing? math?

Parselev: (nodding) In truth, finding her confidence was more important. Leadership. She was timid, at first, and easily bullied by the older students. I could not be a mother hen to her, when I have so many other duties, but I saw to it that she had her chances to prove herself.

L: The experience she earned during the secret mission (in Disciple, Part I) greatly improved her confidence?

Parselev: Yes. It gave her a taste of what she could do. She's improved steadily, despite a few setbacks, and now that the war is on our doorstep… (he stares into the distance, pursing his mouth.)

L: You worry for her.

Parselev: Of course. She's young. Anything might happen.

L: Why not send her north when the city was evacuated, then?

Parselev: Her gift is needed here. Serving in a battlefield surgery is -- hard, but she needs the discipline of it. It will strengthen her.

True, there are three more parts of Disciple yet to come. Kate will need to be strong.

On sale now! See the list of retailers

Read a sample of Disciple, Part III • sample Part II • sample Part I

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Review: Chameleon: The Awakening by Maggie Faire

Here's another NetGalley. I've had this one waiting for a while... sorry about that. Having a Kindle makes life so much easier.

From Goodreads:

No identity. That’s what it’s like to be a human chameleon, and sixteen-year-old Camryn Painter wonders if she'll ever figure out who the real Camryn is—or should be. Just looking at someone else will cause her body to change into that person. Her parents called it her gift. She calls it her curse.

Then Ohar, a man with impossibly good looks and an ethereal manner offers her a way to claim her birthright by joining the Mazikeen as part of the Forest People. He says she is “the chosen” of the Forest People. The prophecy indicates her powers are beyond any others and she will save their world.

Camryn had always loved the Redwoods at her back door. The stories her mother spun of its inhabitants kept her entertained for much of her childhood. The problem is the stories are real. The forest people are real, human yet not human. They are faery and beasts, evil and angels, mutations of humans and animals over thousands of years. Then there's Dagger, a young man who distrusts the Mazikeen and Ohar, but admits to being a thief and only interested in his own pleasure. All of them want the Chameleon for their own agenda.

With the help of Ohar and Dagger, Camryn learns to control her identity so that she can walk among more than one world. Yet the more Camryn learns, the more she suspects there are too many secrets — dangerous secrets. There are no easy answers, and every decision she makes puts someone’s life in danger.


My thoughts:

I wanted to like this more than I did. The concept, plot, and scenes were very good. The first few chapters I enjoyed, but the deeper in I went, I found myself skipping the excessive and repetitive internal dialogue and descriptions of body language. I felt like they were distracting me from the moment of the plot, where I wanted to throw myself into a tension riddled scene I was getting frustrated at the broken conversations and too much thought from Camryn.
I didn't like Ohar from the very first encouter, and I mean this in a good way. His character made me mad, that he loved someone else but still wanted to "mate" with Camryn. Garg. I'm really glad Dagger came along, and I want to see her open to him because her closed off attitude toward him when he's so honest and nice to her, even though he says over and over he is bad, kind of frustrated me.
All in all, I think it just needs a good edit down and I'd enjoy the next book thoroughly.

The Tempering Tour

Something weird happened and this didn't post right! Sorry everyone! Here is the tour stop for The Tempering by Adrianne James.

The Mythology department at prestigious Harvard University is tiny—and Mackenzie Duncan has just been selected as one of the lucky few. Her love for myths and legends is strong, but she never thought any of it could be real.

After being attacked by a large wolf while walking home alone, Mackenzie realizes something is not right. She heals quickly, is suddenly super strong, and is experiencing mood swings that can't possibly be normal. The myths she's studying aren't myths at all. Werewolves are real and she's one of them. Fear of what she is, and who she might hurt sends Mackenzie running from the life she’s worked hard to build–and straight into the arms of a handsome Were named Geoff and into the home of his pack. Living with her new pack takes the edge off her confusion and self-loathing, but the arrival of new pack members changes the dynamic, and tests Geoff and Mackenzie’s growing relationship.

The hardest part of being a werewolf is having no control and no memory of her time as a blood thirsty beast. When a moon cycle passes and she actually remembers bits and pieces of the night, she starts to ask questions, and the more questions she asks, the more she realizes she doesn't like the answers. Can she set aside her own sense of morals to belong to a pack that is like a family or will she leave everything behind yet again in search of a life she can be proud of?

Add it on Goodreads

Author bio: Growing up, Adrianne couldn't get her hands on enough books to satisfy her need for the make believe. If she finished a novel and didn't have a new one ready and waiting for her, she began to create her own tales of magic and wonder. Now, as an adult, books still make up majority of her free time, and now her tales get written down to be shared with the world.

During the day, Adrianne uses her camera to capture life's stories for clients of all ages and at night, after her two children are tucked in bed; she devotes herself to her written work. Adrianne is living the life she always wanted, surrounded by art and beauty, the written word and a loving family.

As a young adult and new adult author, Adrianne James has plans to bring stories of growing characters, a little romance, and perhaps a little magic and mythology down the line for her readers to enjoy.

Find Adrianne on:

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The Tempering releases September 13, 2013!

Kiya: Mother of a King.... cover?

So I got my first mock up cover for Kiya 2! This means I'll need some cover reveal volunteers soon! If your interested, just leave me a comment with your email below.

The Typelings: The Summer We Were Sixteen: Part IV - Ozz

The Typelings: The Summer We Were Sixteen: Part IV - Ozz: In Australia, summer is Dec-Feb, so my 16th birthday was right before the end of the school year. I remember it clearly because as a 10th gr...

Cover Reveal - Olympia Heights: The Cult of Kronos (Book 4) by Amy Leigh Strickland

So I jumped on another cover reveal! I just think they are fun. So here is the cover for the forth book of the Olympia Heights series by Amy Leigh Strickland. Visit the series' website for details: www.olympia-heights.com

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Review: Secret Sisters by Emelle Gamble

I've had this one sitting waiting for me for a while from NetGalley and I've finally got to it!

From Goodreads:

What if everything about you changed in an instant...
Nick & Cathy and Roxanne. Two best friends. One husband. An extraordinary twist of fate.

How much do you really know about your husband? Your best friend? Yourself? Cathy Chance knows she loves her husband, Nick, with the same passion she had when she married him seven years ago, and he adores her. She also knows that she and her best friend, Roxanne, are closer than most sisters. But on a sunny summer day, these three are hurled into an astounding new reality which forces each to reconsider everything they thought was true about themselves, and one another.






The first couple of chapters are great. They had me really interested and curious to see what happens next. But then while Roxanne couldn't remember anything it started to drag a bit while I wanted it to get to the point. When it finally did, the pace picked up again and I couldn't put it down.
The ending is not what I expected and definitely made the story go out with a bang.
The characters were all messed up in completely understandable ways. The things that happened definitely would mess with someone's head. I didn't like Roxanne one bit from the beginning, and although I did like Cathy, I couldn't understand her loyalty to Roxanne. But Nick was so human and so real and his love for Cathy was beautiful, despite his flaws.

Re-Release: Ever by Jessa Russo

I know I'm late for this, but I was away for the long weekend and just barely got back! But, here's the details for Jessa Russo's re-release of Ever, including purchase links, a first chapter sample and a giveaway! Yay!

Happy Release Day, EVER! 

To celebrate EVER's rebirth, and Jessa Russo’s first step into the indie self-publishing world, she is giving you the first chapter of EVER for FREE! Yup! FREE! You can read along, decide if you want more, then click on one of the buy links below to grab a copy for yourself! *Paperbacks available soon!

Check out the FREE first chapter HERE. 

We're also having some fun on Twitter (details below), and Jessa has also compiled TWO prize packs of super awesome stuff! There will be one (1) lucky winner in the US, and one (1) lucky winner Internationally! Want to know what we’re giving away? 

***GIVEAWAY FUN!***

The winner(s) will receive the following items:

US ONLY Prize Pack (ONE winner):
Set of 4: custom Frankie4Ever / Toby4Ever Coasters (2 of each) + Signed EVER bookmarks +
Signed paperback copy of EVER by Jessa Russo (YA)
Complete set* of The Darkness Falls Trilogy e-books from Krystal Wade (YA)
*Includes WILDE'S FIRE, WILDE'S ARMY and WILDE'S MEADOW
Signed paperback copy of EYRE HOUSE by Cait Greer (NA, adult content)
Paperback copy of THE CHARGE by Sharon Bayliss (YA)
Paperback copy of SEALED WITH A CURSE by Cecy Robson (A, mature content)

INTERNATIONAL Prize Pack (ONE winner):
E-book of EVER by Jessa Russo (YA)
Complete set* of The Darkness Falls Trilogy e-books from Krystal Wade (YA)
*Includes WILDE'S FIRE, WILDE'S ARMY and WILDE'S MEADOW
E-book of THE CHARGE by Sharon Bayliss (YA)
E-book of BROKEN FOREST by Eliza Tilton (YA)
E-book of THE VALENTINE CHALLENGE by Marisa Cleveland (A, mature content)
E-book of THE GATHERING DARKNESS by Lisa Collicutt (YA)
E-book of 1,000 SLEEPLESS NIGHTS by Connie Michael

ENTER HERE:
a Rafflecopter giveaway | a Rafflecopter giveaway

***TWITTER FUN!***

We're also going to be tweeting a bit today, to celebrate not just EVER's re-release (hashtag: #EVERTrilogy), but also playing up a major theme of the book--Ever's love for her deceased best friend. We'll be tweeting the theme with the hashtag #IfICouldBringBack and then sharing who we would bring back and why, or what we'd do with them, etc.

So, sticking with EVER as my example, the main female character of the series may tweet something like this:

#IfICouldBringBack Frankie, I'd finally tell him the truth. That I've loved him since we were in diapers. #EVERTrilogy 

Who would you want to bring back? An old flame? A relative? Maybe a famous author or dignitary? Think about it and join in the fun on Sunday, 9/1/13! We'll see you on Twitter!

***BOOK DETAILS!***

EVER

The EVER Trilogy, Book One 

By Jessa Russo

September 1, 2013

Seventeen-year-old Ever’s love life has been on hold for the past two years. She’s secretly in love with her best friend Frankie, and he’s completely oblivious. Of course, it doesn't help that he’s dead, and waking up to his ghost every day has made moving on nearly impossible. 

Frustrated and desperate for something real, Ever finds herself falling for her hot new neighbor Toby. His relaxed confidence is irresistible, and not just Ever knows it. But falling for Toby comes with a price that throws Ever’s life into a whirlwind of chaos and drama. More than hearts are on the line, and more than Ever will suffer.

Some girls lose their hearts to love. 
Some girls lose their minds.

Ever Van Ruysdael could lose her soul.

Purchase Links:

Amazon | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads | Facebook (The EVER Trilogy)

Jessa Russo's Links:

Website | Twitter | Facebook (Friend) | Facebook (Follow/Like)

Stay tuned for the second book in the trilogy, EVADE, set to release on October 1st, 2013! 
You can now add EVADE on Goodreads!

Remember to follow EVER's 9/1/13 re-release day FUN on Twitter with these hashtags: 

#EVERTrilogy

and 

#IfICouldBringBack