Voting For My .... Soul Mate Read! #amreading

In the new year, I am starting something new that I'm really excited about. But right now, I need votes on what to read for February. Please share/tweet etc this post so we can get plenty of votes. As a thank you, one of my ebooks will be given to a voter of the winning book.
Check out the reviews for my previous vote winners August (other Tate installments here) and September, and keep an eye out for my review for October's read; Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief... which I am yet to read haha!

So, here we go!

Souls Entwined by Ann

Rescued by Larynn Ford

Cursed be the Wicked by J.R. Richardson

Promises to Keep by Char Chaffin

Mountain Hero by Cheryl Yeko

Forever After by Alexa Night

Dangerous Works by Caroline Warfield

And VOTE!

The Last Stored Blog Tour - Ten's List

Sonia Poynter grew up traipsing through the thick woods of Kentucky. The magic of the forest made her want to write. Currently, she lives in the sleepy community of Pittsboro, Indiana, with the love of her life and God has blessed them both with three amazing kids.

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

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8343589.Sonia_Poynter

Blog:  http://twowillowswriter.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoniaPoy

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

Thank you Katie for hosting me today.  I don’t think it’s by chance that writers happen to be the most caring and helpful people.  I think it is because we’ve been put through the proverbial wringer and come out the other side.  I am truly blessed!

Top Ten Travel Destinations and Why?

1.      Somerset, Kentucky. Why? It’s where I spent my summers. My grandparents owned a farm and I would help them milk the cows in the wee morning hours. Mamaw named the cows after my school mates. After we were done we would go back to their house and have breakfast.  Paul Harvey would be on the radio, and Papa would sit and talk with me for hours. I’d take that over any beach vacation any day.

2.      Gatlinburg, Tennessee. Why? I vacationed there as a child with my family, and my husband and I have kept up the tradition with our own kids. We love to hike the trails, then at night take in the sights and sounds of downtown.  Being in the hills gives me peace.

3.      Wyoming. Why? We went there when the kids were little.  We even took our family dog.  All of us loaded into a small SUV.  The memories of tornadoes on the plains and snow in the pass will always stay etched in my mind.

4.      Appalachian Mountains. Why? I went there a few years ago with our teen youth group. It was in the upper 90’s and the nearest bathroom at the work site was ten miles away. We were attacked by hornets, mice scurried over our feet, and we had to carry in drinking water. But I absolutely loved being there helping people.  The woman that ran the mission was an angel in disguise.  Never have I been so blessed.

5.      Ireland.  Why? I’ve never been, but I’ve always wanted to go.  It seems so magical. I’m pretty sure I could get swept away in that land. Just the green grass and rolling hills remind me of my home in Kentucky a place that is near and dear to my heart.

6.      Israel. Why? To walk the same land of the Bible would be amazing, from the Dead Sea to the Mt. Of Olives. History marks its time by it, that in and of its self is astounding. 

7.      Harry Potter World, Orlando, Florida. Why? As a writer, to see something you wrote come to life up would be a dream. I can’t even imagine.  We went there this past summer with my brother-in-law’s family.  Just seeing Hogwarts was pretty incredible, then to eat at Hogsmeade, WOW! (But I would like it more if it was a tad bit chillier.)

8.      Alaska. Why? I guess you can tell by now I’m not a hot weather gal.  Put me on the beach and I melt, but stick me in the cold and I come alive.  I’ve never been to Alaska, but the wide-open space, mountains, and dense forests call to me.  I would love to go dog sledding, and cross-country skiing. 

9.      British Colombia. Why? Probably the same reason as Alaska. It is wide open, and one of my favorite moves took place there. A low budget movie called The Mother Lode, nobody saw it, and if I watched it today I would most likely laugh, but when I first saw it I thought the scenery was stunning.  I could totally see myself in a shack writing, while my hub’s cooked up some bacon, ‘cause bacon is what mountain people eat, right?

10.   The Forest of Outerrat. Why?  Where might you ask is the Outerrat?  In the world of Tali of course, a place I created for my book, The Last Stored.  It is the home of Dartlin and Fink, two little old men who I’d love for you to meet.  The air is fresh and clean, with water as pure as you have ever drank. Outerrat is a dense woodland and at the center is Fej’s keep. Fej protects the Outerrat, but he has grown old.  If the Outerrat falls, Tali is lost.

Blurb for THE LAST STORED:

After the sudden death of her parents, making it through the day is a struggle for Amber Megan Peel. In the midst of her grief, an exquisite bird perches on her garden fence and shows her visions of a vivid landscape and a dark lord slouching upon a throne.  She thinks the visions are tied to her sorrow. But when a boy flies through her kitchen window to tell her she’s the Last Stored, she wonders if she’s just lost her mind.

Cree of Din is tasked with one job: Bring Amber home. For seven years, Cree has trained as her protector and it is the ultimate responsibility. Failure means Amber’s certain death, and that’s not an option for Cree – especially since he’s falling in love with her.

The Returning has begun. Now all Amber and Cree have to do is enter Tali, a world of unimaginable splendor and equally unimaginable horror, and defeat Lorthis. If they can’t, not only will Tali plunge into darkness, but so will Earth.

Available January 6^th 2015

You can find The Last Stored here:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Last-Stored-Sonia-Poynter-ebook/dp/B00QUD6CGC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1418932052&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Last+Stored

https://anaiahpress.wordpress.com/

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Lifer by Beck Nicholas Blog Tour @chapterxchapter @BeckNicholas @month9books

Title: LIFER

Publication date: December 16, 2014

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Beck Nicholas

Asher is a Lifer, a slave aboard the spaceship Pelican. A member of the lowest rung of society, she must serve the ship’s Officials and Astronauts as punishment for her grandparents’ crimes back on Earth. The one thing that made life bearable was her illicit relationship with Samuai, a Fishie boy, but he died alongside her brother in a freak training accident.

Still grieving for the loss of her loved ones, Asher is summoned to the upper levels to wait on Lady, the head Official’s wife and Samuai’s mother. It is the perfect opportunity to gather intel for the Lifer’s brewing rebellion. There’s just one problem—the last girl who went to the upper levels never came back.

On the other side of the universe, an alien attack has left Earth in shambles and a group called The Company has taken control. Blank wakes up in a pond completely naked and with no memory, not even his real name. So when a hot girl named Megs invites him to a black-market gaming warehouse where winning means information, he doesn’t think twice about playing. But sometimes the past is better left buried.

As Asher and Blank’s worlds collide, the truth comes out—everyone has been lied to. Bourne Identity meets Under the Never Sky in this intergalactic tale of love and deception from debut novelist Beck Nicholas.

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Thanks for having me here to talk about the world of Lifer.

The first and most important part of creating the Lifer world was creating the characters and telling their story. Yes it takes place in a world changed from this one but I didn’t want to spend time creating details for the sake of details. I wanted to tell these characters’ stories.

There are two distinct settings for Lifer because of the two entwined stories. One takes place on a post-apocalyptic earth and the other on a generation starship.

For the earth setting I needed a place to transform by the Upheaval (a catastrophic even that happened well before Lifer begins). While I didn’t want to name the city I needed a base to keep it consistent in my head. I researched the land and climate and flora and fauna and then wrecked them and tried to work out what might happen.  I knew there was new technology following the Upheaval and a new order created by those left behind. I spent considerable time working out who would have power and what they might do with it and why. The development of the Q weapon came from my own research at university on selectively breaking a particular chemical/molecular bond.

In order to create the spaceship where Asher is serving her sentence I read a lot about generational ships. Without giving anything away, there were a couple of unique factors I needed to take into account when designing the ship and I didn’t want to get too technical (because this isn’t my area of expertise).

There were many pages of sketches to determine the layout and be able to follow the characters as they moved throughout the ship. I’m a terrible drawer so these will never see the light of day but they helped me see the inside of the ship.

I had to consider how the two classes of people would interact and what could be in place to stop the servants from rebelling – or at least to foil their attempts. These made for flow on effects in the way the characters from the different classes acted and their own traditions/expectations.

I really enjoyed creating the world of Lifer and so far my readers have enjoyed reading about it.

Thank you for having me.

I always wanted to write.  I’ve worked as a lab assistant, a pizza delivery driver and a high school teacher but I always pursued my first dream of creating stories. Now, I live with my family near Adelaide, halfway between the city and the sea, and am lucky to spend my days (and nights) writing young adult fiction.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

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My Favorite Books of 2014

I've read quite a few books this year, so I've picked my top five to share here with you. It wasn't easy, as there's a few I loved that I didn't include on this list. But anyway, these are books I hope you all get a chance to read, especially since most of them have sequels or the first in a series.

5.

Destruction by Sharon Bayliss

My Review

4.

How to Date a Nerd by Cassie Mae

My Review

3.

The Artful by Wilbert Stanton

My Review

2.

How to Date Dead Guys by Ann M. Noser

My Review

1.

Kick by John L. Monk

My Review

There you have it! It's been a fun and eventful year, and I'm looking forward to even more reading and writing opportunities next year.

Life A.D.: MIA by Michelle E. Reed Blog Tour

Thank you for hosting me during the M.I.A.: Missing in Atman blog tour!

The idea for my Atman City series came to me first as the station itself, and second with Dez and her final living moments. It was around these two things that I began to build the afterlife world that is Atman.

From the moment the idea of the station came to me, the image of it was vivid in my mind. I knew this would be the crossroads of the afterlife, where unprepared souls would find themselves “flagged,” and unable to move on.

When Dez came to me, I knew the story would be YA, and centered around her journey. I had to get her to the station, so the details of the train began to take shape. What would she see? Who would she meet? Would she have the train to herself, or would there be other passengers?

When she arrived at Atman Station, I began to focus on the physical landscape, and the layout of buildings and grounds that would be needed to run this kind of existence. What kind of staff would there be? What services would be needed for those unable to move on?

I populated the world with those who would help Dez and many who would challenge her. I knew she wasn’t going to take this well—from the very idea of an afterlife, to the regimented existence she would be thrust into—and it started immediately upon arrival.

I am very much a details girl, and I think part of what makes a great story is expanding on what is true. If you have real-life facts woven into the world you create, it makes the fantasy elements more believable. I researched world death statistics (a bit gruesome, I know) in order to work out how big a world this was going to be. How many people die every day? How large a staff would be needed to handle the station’s traffic? How big would the dorms and support buildings be? I was able to make a good guess (by the world’s rules) as to how many underage souls are flagged on a daily basis, and how many adults.

I came up with the daily schedule and level system to reinforce the regimented nature of Atman. Naturally, consequences for violations followed suit.

I knew I would need to segregate the underage from the adult transitional souls, which is when the city came to me. A beautiful, sprawling, off-limits metropolis; a temptation far too great.

I like to let worlds develop organically, and tend to do a lot of brainstorming to find any inconsistencies. Dez is a girl who questions everything, which I think helped make the world’s rules stronger.

I can’t wait to share the expanded world with readers in book two: M.I.A.: Missing in Atman!

Thanks again for having me!

Title: Life AD 2: M.I.A.: Missing in Atman

Publication date: December 16, 2014

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC.

Author: Michelle E. Reed

Dez is finally hitting her afterlife stride. She hasn’t missed a meeting or session in forty-two days, and she’s put the adventures and danger of her first days at Atman behind her. Life after death is becoming tolerable, yet nothing is quite what she’d hoped. Confusion over her feelings for Charlie, residual resentment over losing Hannah, and a continuous stream of unwanted assignments leave Dez restless and argumentative.

In a missed encounter with Crosby, her prying gaze lands upon a single entry in the datebook on his unoccupied desk. These few, hastily scribbled words reveal an enormous secret he’s keeping from her. Possessed by a painful sense of betrayal, she once again sneaks off to Atman City, determined to find answers to an unresolved piece of her life.

It begins as all their adventures do, but as light falls into darkness, a stop in an unfamiliar neighborhood sets forth a chaotic series of events. Dez will have to fight for her very existence, and will face painful, irreparable loss in an afterlife teeming with demons wielding ancient powers.

In M.I.A.: Missing in Atman, the second book in the Atman City series, Michelle E. Reed continues the story of Dez Donnelly, pushing her to her limits and surprising readers at every twist and turn of the vast world that is Atman.

Death was only the beginning.

Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Chapters Indigo! | TBD | IndieBound | iBooks

About the Author:

Michelle was born in a small Midwestern town, to which she has returned to raise her own family. Her imagination and love of literature were fueled by a childhood of late nights, hidden under the covers and reading by flashlight. She is a passionate adoption advocate who lives in Wisconsin with her husband, son, and their yellow lab, Sully.

Connect with the Author:  Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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The Shadow of Loss by Josefina Gutierrez

The Shadow of Loss

by Josefina Gutierrez 

Release Date: 09/31/14

Summary from Goodreads:

Evelyn Gonzalez keeps losing people, which is always hard, but has she lost something much more? Has she lost her soul? Evelyn has a nervous breakdown and is institutionalized, after months of sorrow and pain she is thrust back into the world. The world of teenage angst and Calculus.

Can she trust people again? Especially after hurtful assumptions and judgments made her miss her junior year of high school. Evelyn is just trying to heal what she lost and graduate from high school.

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Buy Links:

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Excerpt:

I leave my spot and slip through the halls to art, but I stop in my tracks when I notice Amber is standing by the corner to class.  Great.  I'm sure she's looking to torment me one more time before the day is over. Goodie.  I put my head down and walk to class, like I would rather look at my boots than what’s in front of me.

Amber trips me, “Watch it freak,” she spurts out and I fall hard on the ground skinning my wrist.  Everyone in the hall is pointing and laughing while I gather up my books.  I stand up keeping my head down and try to walk around her, but she runs up beside me, “Brody is too good for someone like you. You really should, like leave him alone. Especially since you don't look as good as me,” she snaps her fingers and her two friends block my way.

“Answer her beaner,” her friends nudge my shoulder.

“I wasn't aware she asked a question,” I deadpanned.

“Are you like going to leave him alone or not?!” Amber slaps my books onto the floor.

About the Author:

Josefina Gutierrez is a Young Adult eBook author and a forever student currently working towards a Masters in Bicultural-Bilingual Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio.  Josefina writes Young Adult Multicultural, Sci-fi, and Fantasy literature in her free time when she’s not embarking on adventures with her son and gnomes Fitzgerald and Bartholomew.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Facebook

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Cover Reveal: Breaking Series

Breaking Free (The Breaking Series, #1)

(Previously titled BREAKING THE REINS)

Genre: NA contemporary romance
Warning: strong language, domestic violence, sex scene
Word Count: 110,000
Release date: August/2013
Cover: Najla Qamber Designs 

Horses, mansions, tea parties, and lies are twenty-year-old Hannah Taylor’s life. To others, her family and her relationship with Eric is perfect. But she knows the truth. She lives it.

After a fire takes her grandma’s life and kills her horse, Hannah’s immaculate life spirals out of control. Her father disapproves of her decision to run her grandma’s ranch instead of focusing solely on learning the family business; Animal Control brings her Argus, a mistreated horse that she can’t turn away even though she’s not ready for another horse; and her boyfriend, Eric Bennett, a world famous polo player, becomes possessive and authoritarian. Despite her best efforts to disguise it, Hannah grows wary of him.

Then, Leonardo Fernandes struts onto the polo scene. A cocky rookie with a messy life of his own, he’s drawn to Hannah and isn’t afraid of showing it, even when Eric makes it clear she is his and he’ll do whatever it takes to keep it that way. Hannah suffers for Eric’s jealousy. The abuse only gets worse when Leo steals the title of best polo player in the world from Eric.

But the title isn’t enough for Leo. He wants Hannah too, and she can’t deny her attraction to him either. Somehow, she must find a way to break free from abusive Eric before he breaks every bone in her body.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17730510-breaking-free

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Breaking-the-Reins-ebook/dp/B00EH5UC3E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1376430818&sr=1-1

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breaking-free-juliana-haygert/1120851990?

_____________________

Breaking Away (The Breaking Series, #2)

(Previously titled BREAKING FENCES)

Genre: NA contemporary romance
Warning: strong language, bullying, sex scenes
Word Count: 95,000
Release date: June/2014
Cover: Najla Qamber Designs

All Beatriz “Bia” Fernandes wants is to prove herself—to her family and friends—though it’s hard to prove anything with an overbearing father and three famous polo-playing older brothers. After her acceptance into college results in a heated family argument, the Brazilian girl leaves everything behind to find her own American dream.

College life away from home is perfect until the people she believes to be her friends turn on her. With lies and rumors threatening to suffocate her, Bia turns to her only freedom. Riding. But one thing gets in the way of her escape. Garrett Blackwell and his bad cowboy attitude. Working at the ranch is his obligation, bugging Bia is his newfound hobby. His thick skin and easy grin don't hide what Bia already knows—this misunderstood and lonely cowboy fights his own demons. Brushing horses’ coats and mucking out stalls shouldn't be this sexy, and it isn’t long before he becomes a part of her distraction.

However, escaping won’t solve her problems, and it’s up to Bia to break down the fences around her and prove her strength—not to her family and friends, but to herself … and for Garrett. Because standing on her own doesn't have to mean standing alone.

** Companion novel of Breaking Free. Can be read out of order.**

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20482754-breaking-away

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KXEP22E

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/breaking-away-juliana-haygert/1120852102?ean=2940149360185&isbn=2940149360185

_____________________

Breaking Through (The Breaking Series, #3)

Genre: NA contemporary romance
Warning: strong language, sex scene, mentions of rape and domestic violence
Word Count: tbd
Release date: June/2015
Cover: Najla Qamber Designs

From the outside, Hilary Taylor has it all—beauty, money, a caring family, good friends—but inside she’s struggling, full of fears. Events from the past forever changed her, and though years of therapy have helped, she still has a long way to go…. No matter how much progress she’s made, Hil isn’t sure she’ll ever be able to trust men again. Especially one who sees her as nothing more than a pretty face. But Hil knows it's time to face her fears, and the best way to do that is to start small.

To Guilherme Fernandes life is about three things: polo, parties and pretty girls—only one of which he takes seriously. Gui is too focused on his polo career to waste time on relationships, however he can’t help but be intrigued by the beautiful yet troubled Hil. So when she decides she'd like to learn more about horses, Gui is happy to find himself in the right place at the right time. But what was supposed to be a one time thing, soon turns into a weekly date.

As Gui helps her discover a new found love for horses, Hil’s guard begins to crumble. The more support Gui offers, the more she wants to accept...and the more the lines of friendship blur. Despite knowing better, Hil can’t help it as Gui slowly breaks through the walls she’s built. Now she has to decide if she’ll stop him there, or if she’ll finally let her fear go and allow Gui to reach for her heart.

** Companion novel of Breaking Free and Breaking Away. Can be read out of order.**

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23549341-breaking-through

AUTHOR BIO:

While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting--but equally gratifying--life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.

Co-founder and contributor at NA Alley (www.naalley.com)
Subscribe to Juliana's newsletter to stay up-to-date with new releases: http://eepurl.com/CKsmX

Author links:

http://www.julianahaygert.com/

https://www.facebook.com/juhaygert

https://twitter.com/Juliana_Haygert
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6609948.Juliana_Haygert

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The Letting by Cathrine Goldstein Blog Tour

An interview with Cathrine Goldstein, author of THE LETTING, published by The Wild Rose Press, release date, December 15, 2014, and the main character of THE LETTING, Veronica “Ronnie” Billings.

First up, Veronica.

Or do you prefer Ronnie? I do prefer Ronnie—as long as you’re a friend. It’s warmer, I think. But there are…people in my life who call me only Veronica, and it’s better that way.

You must be referring to Principal Leader Farnsworth? Yes. But if it’s okay with you, I’d prefer not to talk about him.

Of course. So, where are you from? I was born in the city, but I’ve lived at camp for seven years now.

What’s camp like? We live in small cabins in the deep woods. I work with another Leader, Gretchen, my best friend, and together we prep young girls for the Lettings.

What are the Lettings I’ve heard so much about? The time the young girls in our care are brought in for their mandatory blood donations.

Tell us a bit about The Letting. It’s the story of my journey and my realization about… well, about a lot of things…but most importantly, my discovery that I’ve been working unknowingly for the wrong cause for many years. I also discover love… and, surprising to both of us, I fall in love with my enemy.

You fall in love with your enemy? Oh, yes. Of course I never knew he was my enemy. But I was his.

What did you think the first time you saw him? He was the leader of the dangerous band of rebels who had kidnapped me and tortured me. He was different from the two men who physically hurt me—Gunnar and Buzzcut. I could tell Phoenix was kind, his eyes had intelligence and compassion in them, but I also knew I stood for everything he hated.

Anything else?

To be completely honest, I was struck by how incredibly handsome he was. Dark tousled hair, a slight scruff on his chin which grew in black as night, and eyes…well I described them as “…his eyes are the color of a moment. That fleeting moment when the summer sky is so perfectly blue you know everything must be right in the world.”

What was your next thought? I want to be with him.  I want to stand for whatever he stands for. I want to go wherever he goes.  

The Letting

by Cathrine Goldstein 

Release Date: 12/15/14

335 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

What if the Devil doesn’t know he’s the Devil?

This is the question Veronica “Ronnie” Billings poses to Phoenix, her sworn enemy, the leader of the Peaceful Revolution, and the one she loves.

Kidnapped by Phoenix’s rebels, Ronnie learns how wrong she has been. She had no idea that her patriotism was wasted on a corrupt government. Ronnie was proud to be a Leader; taking hundreds of harvested girls to the Letting facility. After all, she was saving them from future Couplings and bringing them to the safety of the New World. Or so she thought…

Confused, Ronnie realizes the only way to discover the truth is to trust her heart. Together, Phoenix and Ronnie devise a plan to stop their corrupt government and preempt the dangerous rebel coup which is approaching. But when their plan goes awry, will Ronnie be strong enough to save Phoenix, her country, and herself?

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About the Author
Given my love for cities and all that is gritty, my new obsession with trees really has me stumped. (Sorry.) Maybe it's because trees are the inspiration behind my new YA/NA novel, theLETTING.

Whatever the reason for my new infatuation, some things remain constant -- like my love for: coffee (although sadly, it's now decaf); yoga; Luna bars (I am petitioning for them to bring back Chocolate Raspberry!); running in my neighborhood; Hemingway; Bukowski... and, above all, my husband and my girls.

I am the author of the bestselling novel, Sleeping With Mortals: The Story of a New York Mistress, and I'm also a playwright. I have my B.A. in English and my M.A. in Theatre. 

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