Friday, May 30, 2014

#Giveaway ~ Dark Promise by M.L. Guida (Underworld #2) ~ #Review



Dark Promise (Underworld #1)
By M.L. Guida

Genre: Contemporary Paranormal

Publisher: Kensington
Date of Publication:  March 4, 2014

ISBN: 978-1-61650-537-1
ASIN: B00IPQWZWW

Number of pages:  146
Word Count:  36000

Amazon    iTunes    BN    ARe

Book Description:

Love can unlock the secret to saving two worlds.

As the Golden Aspen Tree withers, darkness consumes the Dragon Demons of the Underworld, turning them feral. Prince Eric Wyvern must keep his darkness at bay and woo the silver-haired human tainted with angel blood whose touch is prophesied to save the Golden Tree and restore light to the Underworld.
Cassandra Wright, a gifted psychic, has dreamed of Eric her whole life. When her dream lover joins her on a ski vacation, he plunges her into a nightmare.

Imprisoned in a dying world filled with abuse and torture, she must become the Demon Prince’s mate or remain trapped forever. If she fails to fulfill the prophecy, the darkness will spread to her world. But how can she give herself to this dark and frightening version of the man of her dreams?



About the Author:

M.L. Guida has been in love with the paranormal since she was a little girl. Vampires, demons and witches oh my! She has always been fascinated by these supernatural beings and weaves these creatures into her novels. But the love story is the center of every novel. Strong heroes and heroines are what drive her stories and their ability to overcome conflict and live happily ever after.  She lives in beautiful Colorado and many of her stories are based in the mountains.

Besides writing, she enjoys taking her dog for walks and cheering her nephews and nieces on at their games. When on vacation, she’s always up for a good ghost tour and has gone on tours in London, Edinburgh, Rome and Key West. Her favorite being London’s Jack the Ripper tour.  

Author Links






I gave this book 4 stars, but would have done 3 ½ if it was an option at all the review sites. I guess my biggest problem with this book, it that I hated Cassandra in a big way. I really tried to like her, I really did, but she rubbed me the wrong way from the start and it just got worse when she finally meets the guy she has dreamed about for so long. She was such a bitch in the beginning. Seemed she was nervous and I guess she got brave enough to be extremely rude. She did the exact opposite of what she really wanted. I mean she dreamed of this man for years ,very sexual dreams too, and she is a virgin, which makes her even more unbelievable to me.

I was confused a bit at why so much time was devoted to Cassies best friend, Lilly, as well as her ex as they really didn’t contribute much to the story. It was short enough as it was, so to me could have done without it. It just wasn’t relevant in my opinion.

Cassie has always felt like an outcast because of her abilities, and I found it nuts that when someone comes along and actually has explanations for her, she blows them off, I just found her very unlikable.

Loved Eric though, he is too good for Cassie in my opinion. So thank goodness for him, or it would have been harder to like this at all, But I did like the story overall. The best parts for me where when Cassie and Eric were on Earth, not the Underworld. I found the torture scenes very disturbing too. I do not recommend this for any younger readers, only adults due to the explicit sex scenes and the gory torture scenes.

Overall it’s gripping and you won’t want to put it down. I still do recommend it to the mature crowd who doesn’t mind the disturbing gore of torture and sex scenes that are pretty graphic.

4 out of 5 stars.

Cover: I think the cover is really well done, it’s actually what drew me to the book. Very cool. 5 out of 5 on the cover alone.

I was provided a copy of this book for my honest review.

This review is also at Goodreads and Amazon




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Friday, May 23, 2014

Cover Reveal ~ Madly, Deeply by Erica Crouch


Cover Reveal

Madly, Deeply
by Erica Crouch
Published 2014 by Patchwork Press

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Synopsis
It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea...

Annaleigh Wells and William Calloway had a love even the angels envied. It was as if the universe spun them toward one another, like the stars crafted their souls to fit perfectly together.

With a wedding on the horizon, fate had a change of heart. Whispered warnings from phantoms and morbid nightmares darkened every night—but even visions of the future couldn’t save Annaleigh.

Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s poem Annabel Lee, Crouch’s period romance Madly, Deeply tells the tale of love so great, it cannot be contained in just one life.


Bio
Erica Crouch is a young adult author from the colorful city of Baltimore, Maryland. Currently, she is studying English and Creative Writing with a specialization in Fiction at Southern New Hampshire University. She is the cofounder and head of editorial services and design at Patchwork Press.
Erica’s debut novel, Ignite, was published June 2013. The e-novella sequel, Entice, was released Nov. 2013. The final book in the series, Incite, is expected spring 2014.
Along with the series Ignite, she is working on a new adult series — titled the Undying series, with the first installment, Cut, due 2014 – and a Robin Hood gender-swap retelling — titled the Feathered series, a duology (Robin, Hood) due 2015. When Erica isn’t writing, she’s reading an overwhelming stack of books, watching an obscene amount of Netflix, and procrastinating.


Author Links


Wednesday, May 21, 2014

#Giveaway ~ Taking Angels (The Angel Crusades #1) by C.S. Yelle ~ #Review #Excerpt ~ #Paranormal




Taking Angels by C.S. Yelle
(The Angel Crusades #1)

Publication date: March 26th 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Book 1 in The Angel Crusades Series by CS Yelle

Britt Anderson went along with everything the doctors said for nearly four years, but she was still dying at eighteen. The cancer had won leaving her without a future, without any options, and without control. No control, except for how she would leave this world. As Britt tries to end her life by going into the frigid waters she realizes her mistake. She struggles to get back to shore, to cry out for help, but her atrophied muscles are useless and the frigid water steals the breath from her chemo-scarred lungs. Despite her father’s attempts to reach her, she flies over the waterfall.

When Allister Parks finds Britt’s fragile body on the riverbank something calls out to him. Ignoring the warnings of his sister, Allister brings Britt back from the edge of death. The only problem is that an Eternal like Allister isn’t allowed to touch those who have already passed from this world. It is forbidden; an infraction punishable by death.

As Britt relishes her new cancer-free life and senior year of high school, her very existence threatens Allister’s place in this world. Allister struggles to keep Britt a secret from the Eternal Council and out of the hands of the only Eternal who already knows the truth: the one who stole her guardian angel.

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Purchase Links

AUTHOR BIO:

C.S. Yelle was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MN, the “almost” middle child of six.  He attended Grand Rapids Senior High School where he enjoyed music and sports.  He received his BS in Chemistry from Mayville State University, Mayville, ND in 1987.  He taught 7-12 Science and coached for six years in several North Dakota schools and currently works as an Executive Account Manager in the Water Treatment Industry where he has been for nearly seventeen years.  He is the father of four and grandfather of one.  He writes novels, screenplays, and an occasional short story.  He has been writing seriously for over ten years and plans to continue until his fingers are unable, maybe longer.  He currently resides in a Minneapolis, MN suburb with his wife Jennifer and their rat terrier, Holly.

Author Links:


Wow, this book was absolutely amazing! I mean, amazing in a big way. I never read a book quite like this, I did not really know what to expect, and am so glad I read it. I was hooked from the first few chapters, and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout the whole book. I was neglecting my family and animals, as I could not tear myself away from this book.

I loved the main character Britt, she is such a strong girl, and she grew so much in this book. I love all the revelations we find out about her. I also just love Allister, he is the ultimate male there is, that is until Gabe came along about halfway, and there is some major tear-jerker moments, I mean big time. Right now after finishing the book I am still reeling from that last few chapters.

We are not left with a huge cliffhanger, but a bit of one. I am so upset at what happens with Gabe, I have no idea of his fate. I can’t tell you too much about him as it could spoil it for you.
I love the concept of the Eternals, it was a new one to me, and really loved it. We still have the angels around, and the Eternal who is killing innocent people by stealing their guardian angel (which lives inside a person in this) and kills them.

I liked the mystery around Britt, on why she seems to draw people to her, and how they just feel the pureness in her and come to care for her fast. Even the one who tried to kill her is drawn to her, as is Gabe.

I love Britt’s 3 best friends; they are a great support for her. Her parents really impressed me on the understanding they have on the changes with Britt and why she needs to do the things she does.

I can’t stress enough how awesome this book is. One of the best I have read in a long time, It was written so well too, and just the right amount of questions at the end to make you want the 2nd book now, but not enough of a cliffhanger to make you mad, lol.

I highly recommend this book, and give it 5 huge stars out of 5.

Cover review: I give the cover 5 out of 5 stars too. It’s done well, and fits the book. It attracted me some, but more important it didn’t turn me away like some covers will.

I was given a copy of this book by the author for my honest review.

This review is also at Goodreads and Amazon. ( likes are appreciated )



Excerpt of part of Chapter One


A rush of fear gripped me. What was I thinking? I wanted to live, I wasn’t a quitter. I wanted to fight until I couldn’t fight anymore. But the realization that my choice in the matter was gone hit me as I slid into the current, my head above water for a split second before the sounds went muffled. My silly hat with the big brim pulled away from my hairless head.
I expected them to try and reach me, hoping they would be too late. Now, I prayed that they would come. Paddling with all the strength in my atrophied muscles, I fought the current. It tugged, hard, and carried me away. Mom screamed and Dad shouted right as a loud splash hit the water upstream.
I opened my eyes in the hazy water as a dark shape darted past, too late to catch me. I hit something hard and was airborne, the sound of the falls rumbling in my ears. The feeling was like nothing I’d experienced before. The air and the water mixed to frothy foam and then I plunged underwater again, the sounds going muffled. My body hit the rocks and debris at the bottom of the falls, jarring me and forcing the warm air from my lungs to be replaced by cold, crisp lake water. Spinning over and over I lost my sense of up and down as the churning water kept me lurching from side to side. My head throbbed and my lungs bucked. The water pulled me along and soon black spots filled my vision. The spots spread until the blackness enveloped everything. Then, the pain was over and the next stage of my existence, if any, began.


I heard a voice. Melodic and sweet; female I thought, but couldn’t tell for certain. The words indiscernible, the voice sounded urgent then stern; something I didn’t want to hear upon my arrival in heaven. I cringed.
Then another voice came, deeper but no less sweet. Calm and soothing it flowed on, pulling me with it. I longed for it to keep speaking, to fill my ears with its infectious happiness and joy. The voice I needed to hear in heaven. A much better welcome, I concluded.
I pried my eyes open but my vision blurred, showing me nothing but light and shadows. Blinking to clear them only made it worse. The voice touched my ears again, the deeper one. I took a deep breath, surprised by the wonderful odors of pine and lilac, the enveloping happiness consuming me.
I blinked again, beginning to see them as more than just shapes. Halos of blonde hair against the sun and a faint glow about them. They were angels, both of them. Even though my sight remained cloudy I could discern one female and one male as they stood before me; the collage of green starting to take the shapes of trees behind them. The familiar sound of the waterfalls and a rushing river drifted to my ears and mist wet my skin. How could that be?
“What have you done?” the female’s voice accused, her words finally clear.
“I don’t know,” the deeper voice said.
“You did something different,” she pointed out.
I frowned. What did he do?
“I touched her, but it didn’t work the same.”
“This is not good,” the female warned. “You touched her too late.”
“What are we going to do?” he asked.
“We? There is no ‘we.’ You touched her, I didn’t.”
Both faces turned to me again. The shapes became clearer as the two heads of hair came into focus.
“Don’t tell anyone, you have to promise,” the deeper voice pleaded.
“Fine, but if they find out, you’re on your own.”
I closed my eyes and everything began to jerk and twist as sirens sounded in my ears and the smell of antiseptic filled my nose, pulling me out of my peaceful dream. Opening my eyes, my parent’s faces lurched into my field of vision.
“She’s awake,” Dad shouted.
“Oh my God,” Mom cried. “Britt, can you hear us? Britt?”
I tried to sit up, but found my body strapped down making it impossible to move.
My parents vanished. A woman and a man stuck their heads over mine, one with a light attached to his head shining in my eyes, blinding everything else.
“Britt, you’re okay, but we’ve got you on a backboard so you won’t be able to move,” the man said, definitely not the musical voice from earlier.
“You’re in an ambulance in route to the Ely Hospital,” the woman explained.
“Can you remember what happened?” the man asked, lifting an eyelid and looking at my pupil.
“I drowned?”
“You nearly drowned,” the man corrected.
“Do you know where you nearly drowned?” the woman asked.
“The BWCA?”
“Good, good Britt.” The man smiled down at me.
I heard my mother crying and wished I hadn’t. Tears welled up and began to spill from the corners of my eyes.
“Britt, it’ll be okay.” Dad squeezed my hand lightly. “Everything will be okay.”
I’d survived but now the cancer would win, taking away my choice. My one chance to take control back and I’d chickened out.
“Don’t cry, Britt.” Mom comforted me. “You’re going to make it.”
I cried harder; the thought of lying in a hospital bed, nothing more than a husk of myself and withering to nothingness filled my mind.
We pulled into the emergency room entrance, the automatic doors whirring open as they wheeled me in. The two paramedics were on either side with Mom and Dad following close behind. The fluorescent lights beat down from overhead as we sped past.
“Oh great,” I sighed. “I’m home.”
We went into a room with two nurses and a doctor rushing in behind us, calling out directions to the paramedics. The doctor examined me while the nurses put an IV in one arm and a blood pressure cuff on the other. They attached electrodes to my chest and began switching on all the standard equipment until the room beeped and chirped, just like old times.
The doctor straightened from listening to my heart and lungs, his brows furrowed.
I looked up at him and he smiled.
Noticing my inquiring look, he nodded. “Sounds fine. Lungs clear, heart strong. Do you feel pain anywhere?” He continued to press his hands along my body, searching for breaks along my rib cage and then moving to my arms and legs. He pulled back the warm blankets the ambulance crew wrapped me in.
“No, I feel …” the thought trailed off. I didn’t feel any pain. None. Not the continuous aching of my muscles, joints, and bones from the cancer. Even more surprising, nothing hurt from the trip over the falls and the landing on the rocks below. I had to be in shock.
“She’s stable. Let’s get her to x-ray and see if anything is broken,” the doctor ordered. “If those come back clear, we can take you off the backboard and check you out further.”
They wheeled me out of the room with the monitors and IVs attached to hooks on the bed, the cords and tubes tapping against the side rails of the bed. I lay under the x-ray machine as it hummed above me, taking pictures and possibly reducing my chances of having children in the future, although the cancer would pretty much have seen to that already.
We returned to the room, passing the concerned faces of my parents as we rolled in. Seeing them reminded me of the worst part: the pain they continued to endure every day my future hung in the balance.
The bed jerked to a stop and the nurse clicked the brake on the wheels. The doctor stood over the top of me before the bed stilled and unbuckled the straps fastening me to the back board. With the help of the nurses they slid the device out from beneath me and eased me onto the soft mattress.
“Nothing’s broken,” he said with a smile. “How you managed that one is a miracle.” He stepped away to write something in my charts.
I lifted my head and looked at my body for the first time since going over the falls. My arms and legs, stomach and chest, looked … normal.
My mouth and eyes shot open. My body lookednormal. Not sickly, not post chemo, post radiation, but normal, not in the process of dying. My muscles were full and firm. My bones didn’t stick out like before, but were covered smoothly by healthy looking skin, not the pale white, almost yellow skin I’d come to expect.
“Mom, Dad,” I shouted, my voice on the edge of hysteria.
They rushed in from just outside the door, their eyes on mine, searching for my anguish, my fear. Their concern turned to confusion.
“Look at me,” I cried.
“We are,” Dad said, still concentrating on my eyes and face as his mind tried to justify what he saw and what he should see.
“Mary,” he said. “Look at Britt.” He placed a hand on her chin, moving it to look at my body.
Mom’s face first went white and then flushed red.
“Oh, Britt,” she gasped, rushing to me, sending one of the nurses sprawling. She put a hand to my head as she pulled me to her chest.
“I think your hair is growing.” She leaned back, her eyes wide, looking at my head.
I raised a hand to my scalp and, sure enough, the beginnings of new growth tickled my fingertips. Closing my eyes to my parents and their joy, the fading vision of the two angels floated in my thoughts. Why did they send me back? Was I not worthy? The way the angels discussed “touching” me made me feel uneasy, uncertain.
What did they do to me?




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Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Bound (The Guardians #1) by M.J. Stevens ~YA Paranormal/Fantasy~ Review~ Excerpt

Bound (The Guardians #1)

by M.J. Stevens
Published January 21st 2014 by M.J. Stevens 
(first published January 20th 2014)
ISBN13 9780992407407
Cover design by KILA Designs

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‘No good deed ever goes unpunished, Mellea…’

Mellea Wendorn hasn’t exactly had a normal life. Misfortune seems to follow her, and her family, wherever she goes. 
However, when Mellea stops to assist a mysterious young man suddenly her prior hardships seem trivial.

His name is Leo. He is a Successor, a child of the Guardians of Selestia. 

He is royalty. 
He is handsome. 
And he wants Mellea completely to himself. 

Unable to escape the Guardian's laws, Mellea must learn the ways of the royals. She is convinced her life can’t get much worse. But when a timeworn Guardian enemy arises from the shadows, Mellea must make a choice that will change her destiny forever.


I loved this book, except the major cliffhanger ending, so fair warning there, lol. I hate cliffhangers so much, especially if I do not have the 2nd book, and especially when I have no idea when the next will be out.

Anyway, this book sure took me on a ride. I loved the dystopian/high tech/sci-fi/paranormal feel to this book. It was great. I was hooked pretty fast too.

I really like Mellea after I got to know her more, at first she just seemed pretty immature for her age, but she grew fast and overall just grew on me I guess. She is strong, and doesn't give in easily, she is a fighter. She is claimed by a Guardian Prince, Leo, and he wants her as his bride, and she has no choice, this is after she helped him when he got injured too,  Well this doesn't sit well with her, as she was coached by her dad, who detests the Guardians. There is a lot more to why on that, but that isn’t really revealed till the end.

Anyway, Mellea is whisked off to the Guardian tower and prepped to be Leo’s bride. She doesn't give up on trying to find a way out of this.

Now for Leo, he was a complete jerk, at the beginning anyway, he was conceited, rude, pompous, and spoiled.  He really got on my nerves at first. But as the story progressed the really Leo comes out, and he is great. So no worries, she isn’t stuck with a complete jerk, it was more of a act, how he felt he is supposed to act. Poor Leo has not had much socialization; so really, he is pretty lost when it comes to interactions with others his age. After the real Leo came out, I really came to like him a lot, and found him to be a great guy.

I hated Mellea’s dad, he is a jerk, and I just knew something was really off about him. I won’t say more on that, as you will have to discover that when you read this, if you hadn’t yet, you sure need too.

I loved the world-building of Selestia, it was so vivid that I was able to picture it in my head with no trouble. The author did a great job with that. The way the enemies are were well described, and creepy too. I could picture it so easy. Great villains.

The 2nd half of this book was the best. It was a bit slow for me the first part, maybe slow is not the word, just not as intense I guess. But overall just loved the idea of this fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal book. That’s how I would describe it, and thought the mix was great.

I guess the only negative in my mind is the ending, I really detest cliffhangers that are right in the middle of an intense scene, just feels so cut off I guess. I know authors do this to make us want more, but sometimes is just pisses us off. Lol. But I will want to read book 2, if it’s out soon enough, as if it’s too long, then I would have to re-read this one to remember everything. Hope it is soon. Its called Divided, and shows to be out December 2014, I sure hope so.

Oh, and I dislike the name, it doesn’t fit for me, also if you go to search Bound at any book retailer, you get a ton of erotic type books come up, and also with this name, that is the first thing you think when hearing the title.

Give this book a try, it was a great ride. I give it 5 out of 5 stars.
I received this book from the author for my honest review.

C over review: I liked the cover, but not loved it. It fits for the most part, but what fits about it isn’t even discovered till the very end, so really think it could have been done a different way. The cover itself is very well done, so just meaning on as a fit for this story is all. But like I said, I like it ok, and it does show it should be paranormal at least some. 

I say 4 out of 5 stars on the cover alone. (as anyone who has read my reviews, the covers are super important to me, it’s what will get a reader interested enough to read the description at least.


Note to Readers. This Author is Australian, so the grammar and spelling differs from ours in the U.S

This review is also at Amazon, and Goodreads (likes are appreciated )

Buy Link


Excerpt (part of Chapter Three)
I end the call and unfold my scooter. I step on and hover out of Poridos. I travel down a long concrete path, taking the fastest route to Absotras. Eventually it turns into a dirt road alongside the lake hidden by trees. I prefer this way rather than having to go through the surrounding suburbs. Most of the directly outer housing groups aren’t much better than Pekkin, scum wise. They’re filled with people who can’t afford to live directly in Poridos, but they still want to be close. Residents there have to beg and scrape to be able to survive when they could easily afford a nicer place somewhere further away. But they don’t want to.
I putt along the dirt road. My mind is a million miles away. Until, that is, I hear a popping sound. At first I’m concerned it’s my scooter again. I slow down a bit. But the noise doesn’t stop, in fact it gets louder. I tilt my head upwards to follow it.
Above me, but a short distance to my right, flies a man on a blue flight board. He’s blond, wearing a grey bodysuit over his clothes and a pair of yellow goggles over his eyes. His mouth and nose are covered by a flap from the suit. He powers through the sky and does a few flips.
My eyes narrow. ‘What a show off,’ I mumble.
I start to turn away when I unexpectedly hear yelling. Two men on black flight boards are trailing after him. They wear dark bodysuits and black glasses. Both have a silver pistol in their hands. One of the men shoots at the blond guy. He flies up higher, but appears to be having trouble balancing.
He’s hurt.
The other man fires a shot that connects as with the blond man’s leg. He and his flight board lose altitude and strike the ground with a loud crash.
Both attackers stop for a moment. They hover above to observe the scene. One looks at the other, signals to him, and they both fly away. Without hesitation I jump off my scooter and fold it up. I run from the path and through the trees. I find the clearing where the man has landed and rush over to him.
I fall to my knees and begin to panic. He’s on his back, lying flat, not moving at all. I reach over, carefully. I want to pull the mask down to see if he’s breathing, I really believe he might be dead. Unexpectedly, he groans. I pull back. One of the man’s arms twitches and he cringes as he drags himself up. The mask covering his mouth gets pulled down by his left hand. He takes two deep breaths in and out. Carefully, but with a pained look, he tugs the yellow flying glasses off his face.
I’m stunned. He’s a lot younger than I’d first thought. Guessing I’d say nineteen or twenty years old tops. His face is soft creamy colour but pale from the attack. His eyes are a stunning and vibrant blue. I’ve never seen anything like them. He’s gorgeous.
Gradually he tilts his head towards me. ‘Who…are you?’ he asks huskily.
It takes me a moment to stop staring at this stunning specimen and answer. ‘Oh…I was travelling past and I saw you get shot. I came over to see if you were alive.’
Glancing towards the young man’s long legs, I gasp. The area where he’d been shot is bleeding. Blood drips from his boot onto the grass. He glances at his foot as well, but he’s surprisingly calm as if it has happened before. Jerking forward he unclips his feet from the flight board. Once free, he pulls himself backwards along the ground with a painful moan.
‘I should get you some help,’ I cry, fishing fiercely around my bag for my phone.
‘No. I do not need help. I am fine.’ The stubborn boy tries to stand and stumbles. I quickly leap up and grab him as he topples forward. He regains balance and glances down at me.
My eyes widen. Wow…He’s tall, really tall! I’m only in line with the middle of his ribs.
‘Why are you trying to assist me?’ he asks strongly.
‘You’re hurt. I can’t leave you here. Besides what if those people come back? Who were they anyway? I can’t believe they would shoot at you like that and in a public area as well.’
‘You talk too much.’ He groans, pulling away.
The young man starts to stumble through the trees towards the dirt road. I turn my head and notice he’s left his flight board behind. I try to pick it up, managing only to lift one side. It’s the first time I’ve held a board before. They’re surprisingly heavy.
I take the opportunity to study it quickly. It’s an advanced model with high powered levitation jets on the base. It’s also stunning in design. It’s long and almost stands as tall as me.
The board is painted in sparkling shades of blue with a yellow lightning bolt across the middle. The foot straps are black and I can see the directional peddles used to drive it. It’s an amazing piece of machinery, to say the least.
‘Hey, you forgot this,’ I yell, trying to keep up with the board dragging behind me. For someone who’s hurt, he’s managed to get rather far in a short amount of time.
‘I do not need it,’ he calls.
I frown, annoyed. I couldn’t save up for one if I wanted to and here’s this guy abandoning such a beautiful device like it’s nothing. He’s probably a rich boy from Poridos, no sense of value because his parents pay for everything.
‘You need to stop moving around!’
The boy pauses… to yell at me. ‘Listen to my words: put the board down and go away!’ He then keeps moving.
‘No…no… you listen to me!’ The board’s weight is dragging me down. I have to let it go. Running in front the young man I stick my arms out at shoulder height and scrunch my face. He stops. ‘I’m not going to turn you into the local Concords or anything. Obviously I understand that being shot at means you’re involved in something shady and that’s why you’re reluctant for help. But if you give me your address I will help you get home, then maybe you can call your own doctor or something.’
The young man slowly twists his head to the side. His blue eyes study me curiously. ‘Are you being serious…?’
I nod once.
He walks around me and steps onto the path I was travelling down when he crashed. Sluggishly, he lifts his arm and points back towards Poridos.
‘Do you see up on that hill?’ the young man asks. ‘I live there.’
I follow the line he’s drawing with his arm. I glance to the north and a shiver runs up my spine. He’s pointing at Guardian’s Tower. I stand staring at it glimmering away in the afternoon sun. I frown at him, then back, then at the guy again.
‘Please… tell me that you’re joking…’







About the Author

M.J.Stevens was born in Newcastle, Australia and moved to Brisbane when she was 8. Her love for English, writing and general story telling didn't evolve until she was 16 and she was looking for a constructive way to funnel her creativity.
Fun Facts -
Star Sign: Pisces Loves: Movies, her dog, ice-cream and Japanese sub-culture Hates: Onion, people with B.O and hardstyle ganster rap.
"I wish I could say that I was one of those kids that read insane amounts of books and that's why I was inspired to write, like a lot of authors. But I actually found the joy on people's faces [when they talk about stories they love] more inspiring and wanted to create something of my own that will give young readers that same excited expression." M.J.

Author Links

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Chrysoprase by B. Kristin McMichael ~Cover Reveal ~ Chalcedony Chronicles #2

Chrysoprase by B. Kristin McMichael
(Chalcedony Chronicles #2)
Published by: Lexia Press
Publication date: February 1st 2014
Genres: Time-Travel, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Mari’s return to the present was not exactly what she expected. As the goddess predicted, there are always consequences to going into the past. Now, with the help of her friend Ty, Mari must find a way to get her loved ones back. Unfortunately, it may require the assistance of an ex-boyfriend whom she never wished to see again. He just might be the key to learn how to time travel on her own, or he might have another motive. Mari is left to decide, can he be trusted to help?

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AUTHOR BIO:


Originally from Wisconsin, B. Kristin currently resides in Ohio with her husband, two small children, and three cats. When not doing the mom thing of chasing kids, baking cookies, and playing outside, she is using her PhD in biology as a scientist. In her free time she is currently hard at work on multiple novels. Every day is a new writing adventure. She is a fan of all YA/NA fantasy and science fiction.




Author Links:





Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Dark Incidence (Dark Incidence #1) by A.G. Liam ~ #Paranormal #Vampire #Book ~ Excerpt ~ #Review ~ #Giveaway


Dark Incidence (Dark Incidence #1)
By A.G. Liam

Genre: Vampire, paranormal, NA

Date of Publication: March 18, 2014

ISBN: 978-1494978051
ASIN:

Number of pages: 314
Word Count: 78,691

Cover Artist: Addy Banks Graphics

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Book Description:

Dani is determined to change. Trodden down by her abusive stepdad, neglectful mother, and nonexistent social life, Dani decides to leave it all behind—she flees into the night and finds herself in a dark, and strangely wondrous, new world. A world unknown to most humans.

However, destiny is an unpredictable force. Through a peculiar turn of events, she unknowingly gets entangled in a brutal war waging between two factions of vampires.

The Ruemisuds are a technologically advanced, elite vampire society that wants absolute control. They will stop at nothing to get it, including experimenting on unsuspecting humans and decimating the Rhowels, a clandestine, rebel clan of vampires. This clan possesses a key to survival that the Ruemisuds desperately want, and they will protect it until the bitter end.

Dani's riveting journey has just begun in this beautiful tale of love, hate, betrayal, and, above all, survival. The war is escalating quickly and Dani is determined to survive. Who will help her? Who will win the war?



Excerpt:

Someone bangs against the mailbox behind us. I feel a knot in my throat as my adrenaline kicks in. My heart starts to race, pounding in my chest. We sprint as fast as we can with our hands clutched together. Dani keeps glancing back to make sure we aren’t being followed. She then looks at me with a sly half-smile. Only the left side of her lip stretches and reveals a little bit of her teeth. I recall that used to turn me on at school every time I saw it as she walked past me . . . and it still does. My left shoe becomes untied and I clumsily trip. I totally feel stupid and awkward.
I look at Dani and she gives me a concerned look. She then continues to look back and to the sides. We both look at Bushing Park up ahead and nod in agreement.
There might be a place to hide there. “Let’s chill in Bushing for a bit,” I suggest, breathing heavily.
“OK, but you have to listen to me, please! This thing wants to kill you!” Dani blurts out hastily.
“What? Are you serious?” I stop on a dime. “Dani, what the hell? What’s going on?” I smoked a little pot earlier, but my high is wearing off. My cloudy mind becomes alert. I finally notice Dani’s clothes are stained and she is a mess. A light goes off in my head. Dani is in some serious trouble, and so am I. Dammit. What are we going to do?
I should’ve taken that martial arts class that I’ve been meaning to take for some time now. How am I going to protect her? Dammit. I can’t stop cursing at myself. We continue to run side by side, staying low and trying not to make any noise.
Dani notices I’m out of breath and starts to slow down until she comes to a halt under a tree. I’m badly in need of a break from all the running. How the heck does this girl have so much stamina and energy? She’s hardly tired.
“Matt, there’s this thing—it’s coming for you because you are human!” She grabs my arm tighter and ready to take off again.
“What! Because I’m human? What the heck are you then?” I barely deliver those words as I exhale heavily. This is absurd. She must be high or something. I throw Dani’s grip away and point at her with authority. “You need to calm the hell down! I’m calling 9-1-1!” I reach for my cell phone but Dani forcibly holds my hand to not let me pull it out.
She grabs my face with her hands and pulls my face close to hers. “Matt, please trust me! Just hide with me for a bit. I can explain everything!”
A deep rumbling sweeps through the park, like one of those cars with heavy bass. Is someone driving their low-rider into the park? That can’t be right. I try to make sense of my surroundings as I begin to hear clashing metal on metal clanking near the kids’ playground. It sounds like chain mail going across the monkey bars. Shit. Dani might be onto something.
I can hear rapid huffs and puffs of air. The last time I heard deep breathing like that was when we had a giant bull at my family’s ranch. Whatever this thing is that’s out there, I can tell it’s very large.



About the Author:

A.G. grew up in a gloomy and quaint suburb near London, England, and now lives in sunny southern California with her family. She has been an avid horror and paranormal fan since she can remember, reading Goosebumps when she was a child, to watching twilight zone as a teenager with her grandpa.

She earned her B.A. in psychology, but decided to follow her passion of storytelling instead. Dark Incidence is her first full length novel, a unique vampire science fiction told through the eyes of two siblings. A.G. also has directed numerous shorts and written children’s books.

Her favorite pastime is watching paranormal and horror movies, painting landscapes and seascapes, and reading fiction novels. She can never turn down an invite to eat something home cooked.

Author Links





Tour Giveaway Details

Winner 1 gets
Dark Incidence signed paperback + bookmark & magnet (US only)

Winner 2 gets
Michael Seimsen's ebook copy of A Warm Place to Call Home (a demon's story)

Winner 3 gets
Amazon $10 gift card (electronic) + Dark Incidence kindle ebook copy

Winner 4 gets
Dark Incidence ebook copy, magnet+bookmark, Elle Bright bookmarks


a Rafflecopter giveaway



I enjoyed this book a lot, it wasn’t exactly what I expected though, but still liked it. I think the author did a great job at telling this story, and liked the duel point of views from Dani and her older brother Paul. Though the prologue is from Matt’s point of view. I wish there was more of Matt in this, and hated that his part was so short. I didn’t feel what happened was necessary at all, and actually made the story fall flat at that point for me. I did finish the book, but my enthusiasm was not there as much.

I felt that Mat and Dani’s relationship could have been a bit more in-depth though, I had a bit of trouble relating to their emotions and actions towards each other, I guess mainly because it happened super fast.

I think one flaw that just didn’t sit well with me, is Matt’s reactions to the situation they are in, just took to what happened too easy, and it was unrealistic as was that fast relationship. I was glad that Dani found someone who accepted her and he made her feel like she was loved.

I will say this book is not for the weak of the stomach. Some scenes are downright horrid in a torture kind of way. Just awful, what was described was described too well, where I could see it, and gave me chills. So even though the scenes were disturbing, they showed how great this author is.

I do highly recommend this to the paranormal lovers who do not mind some gore in their books. The romance is short, and only takes place in a very small part of the book, so people looking for romance will not be satisfied I  do not think.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I do recommend it, and would read any future books for sure.

I was provided a copy of this book for my honest review.