Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Released: October 2012

Age Group: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Source: As part of a TLC Book Tour I was sent a review copy in exchange for my honest opinion of the book.

Recommend: Julie says, “I do recommend and I don’t. Basically, you have to read it and decide for yourself. I think it’s a love or hate kind of book.”

Review by Julie

Taking Chances is a hard one to review and get across how captivated I was in the story, yet overall, I told a friend I wanted to stab it with a pen once I finished. Yep, I think this is a love or hate kind of book.

I don’t rehash plots as you can read that in the book description. So let’s cut to the chase. Make no mistake, I was 100% invested in this book, the characters, the outcome until about 70% or so through. There is a big ‘ol thing that happens which changes the direction of the story and in my opinion, either makes this book for you or breaks this book for you. For me, it broke it. I skimmed the rest and went straight for the end because I didn’t care the details of the inevitable outcome. Harsh? Maybe, but it was either skim and get the gist, or quit the book for me. Now, not everyone will feel this way. There are some that love the book and are OK with the outcome. That’s great, so I for sure do not want this review to discourage anyone from reading Taking Chances. I mean, the title itself is apropos. Take a chance…read this book. You may love, love, love it.

The writing style made it easy for me to slip into this story. While I questioned how much the main character Harper changes from how she is portrayed before college and her immediate about face upon meeting her new roommate and all that ensues, I went with it. The love triangle between Brandon and Chase is one that would tear at a young girl’s conscious knowing one is bad for you, yet that attraction is still there and the good guy that will offer stability. Harper gives the reader some foreshadowing as we go along with how she can see herself with Brandon long term and can’t see it with Chase, but how that actually plays out is what gave me issue with this book overall.

Dramatic things happen for Harper, my heart was so sad for Chase, I ended up being blasé about Brandon at no fault of his own, just that I am Team Chase and all for reform. I really wanted things to work for Chase just like his parents did. All in all, my complaint with this book is my personal preference only. It has nothing to do with McAdams’ writing or how she wove a story because I truly was invested up to a certain point. I just wasn’t able or willing to look past a scene and decided I was out. Granted, that’s me and my hard headed ways, but I would still tell anyone that asked me to give the book a chance and decide for yourself. I must point out how invested I had been if changing one scenario made me that upset.

Title: Off the Record

Author: Sawyer Bennett

Expected release date: June 11, 2013

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Group: New Adult

Cover designed by: Vitalink

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

The sparks of dislike burn hot, but the sparks of mutual attraction burn even hotter.

Ever Montgomery suffered the ultimate betrayal by the one man who she should have been able to count on for anything. It has left her hurt, jaded and incapable of forming relationships, but it also means that she can spot a liar a mile away.  These traits are earning her a reputation as a reporter with a keen nose for a good story and a complete understanding of the extreme power of the written word.

Lincoln Caldwell, is the hot goalie for the New York Rangers. At twenty-four and a rising star, he works hard and he plays even harder. He’s gorgeous and carefree—the ultimate charmer.  Ladies fall at his feet and the single life has never been lived the way Linc Caldwell does it.

When Ever publishes an article about Linc containing information that she received off the record, she finds herself on the receiving end of the athelete’s fury.  Rather than basking in the glory of exposing Linc as a shameless user of women, she finds herself at his mercy when he demands and receives retribution.  Required by her editor to trail Linc for six weeks, Ever is forced to look at the real Linc Caldwell.

And she just might find that she has misjudged him.

The author interviewed the cover model for Off the Record if you would like to check it out.

About the Author

Sawyer Bennett is the pen name for a snarky southern woman and reformed trial lawyer who decided to finally start putting on paper all of the stories that were floating in her head. She is married to a mobster (well, a market researcher) and they have two big, furry dogs who hog the bed. Sawyer would like to report she doesn’t have many weakness but can be bribed with a nominal amount of milk chocolate.

Sawyer Bennett | Facebook | Twitter

Title: Smash Into You

Author: Shelly Crane

Expected release date: Summer 2013

Genre: Contemporary

Age Group: Young Adult

Cover Designed by: Okay Creations

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

Jude has spent the whole twenty three years of his life running. From what, he wasn’t quite sure. His mother tried to keep him safe; a low profile, a constant move on the horizon, a week’s pay always stashed away. She tried to instill in him that he was special somehow, though would never elaborate. He never felt different. He was so completely normal and vanilla that he wondered if it had all been in her head. But then she was murdered and all he saw was a running silhouette of a man as his mother said three final words to him. Three words that changed his whole being.

Never stop running…

Now he’s semi-settled into a big town. The college is huge and easy to blend into. It’s been three months since he had to move because ‘Biloxi’, as he calls the man who killed his mother, found him once more.

Then Marley, an eighteen year old girl who is as infuriating as she is blissfully ignorant of her gorgeousness, smashes into his car with hers. Then smashes into his life as he realizes that whatever it is he has that Biloxi wants, she has it, too. And now, they’re after them both.

About the Author

Shelly is a New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author from a small town in Georgia and loves everything about the south. She is wife to a fantastical husband and stay at home mom to two boisterous and mischievous boys who keep her on her toes. They currently reside in everywhere USA as they happily travel all over with her husband’s job. She loves to spend time with her family, binge on candy corn, go out to eat at new restaurants, buy paperbacks at little bookstores, site see in the new areas they travel to, listen to music everywhere and also LOVES to read.
Her own books happen by accident and she revels in the writing and imagination process. She doesn’t go anywhere without her notepad for fear of an idea creeping up and not being able to write it down immediately, even in the middle of the night, where her best ideas are born.

Shelly Crane | Facebook | Twitter

Released: May 2013
Publisher: Limitless Publishing

I reviewed an advanced reader copy.

Review by Julie

Wanted is a book that I should have felt bad about liking, but honestly, I really didn’t. The concept of someone falling for their kidnapper sends all kinds of ‘ick’ factor thoughts, but this story pulls at you until the reader has a case of Stockholm Syndrome themselves.

I admit I decided to read this book because I was very interested in the taboo of kidnapper gaining the love of the girl he kidnapped. We first meet Charlie in line at a convenience store already capturing the eye of his soon to be captive Addie.  We know there is already an attraction from their first meeting, so that, I’m sure, makes it even easier for Addie to let her emotions move toward caring for Charlie as she begins to learn more about him. It also helps to know Charlie wasn’t aiming to kidnap Addie, it’s an odd situation how that plays out.

As Charlie goes from kidnapper to protector, he displays some things that would alarm me, but Addie seems to find endearing.  For example, Charlie and Addie have grown closer and Addie decides to take a walk on the ship they are on. When she observes Charlie is visibly affected by not knowing where she is, she says she can’t stand to see him upset anymore and approaches him.  I actually thought his reaction looked unstable, but quickly had to remind myself he probably is on some levels. The guy is a criminal, has had very little in the way of role models, and kidnapped a girl he is now protecting.  So, yes, this story line does have messed up concepts and somehow it still works to make the reader want things to work out for Addie and Charlie. I’m guessing it’s the whole bad boy on the road to redemption that comes into play here. I think the author did a nice job of weaving elements into Charlie that help the reader go beyond the criminal to the person behind the crimes. He’s an excellent artist with a tender side he demonstrates with Addie.

There are parts to the story that truly should make someone step back and say, “Whoa”, but I glossed over it because I wanted things to work out for Charlie. For example, he flat out tells Addie he has killed people, but never a woman, that I guess, is the line he draws for murder. haha  See? That’s messed up, yet Addie moves on and finds a way to rationalize in her head. Addie does refer to possibly having Stockholm Syndrome a few times, but I’m gathering she really thinks her interest is genuine and that there is more to Charlie. I rooted for things to work out for them, but I still think the whole situation is messed up if this were outside a fiction novel. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed reading the story, I am glad this is a work of fiction. If this showed up on Dateline NBC everyone would be ready to put Addie in psych treatment and Charlie in jail.

This book is a crazy ride of liking the story but knowing there are some really ‘off’ elements here and not a healthy relationship for young Ms. Addie. But gosh darn it if I don’t want a happily ever after for Charlie! Have to say, the plot and how things unfold intrigued me.

 Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!

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(Original cover)

Title: Rock and a Hard Place (The Jamieson Collection #1)

Author: Angie Stanton

Release date: May 3, 2011

Genre: Contemporary

Age Group: Young Adult

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

(New cover by HarperCollins)

EXCERPT

“I have something for you.” He had moved heaven and earth to pull this together.

“You do?” Her eyes glittered in surprise.

“Yup. Close your eyes and hold out your hands.” He couldn’t wait to see what she thought. Libby obeyed. Her dark eyelashes lay against her rosy cheeks. His heart beat in anticipation. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a white plastic bag, then glanced up. Her closed eyes changed to little slits.

“Hey, stop peeking!”

Libby squeezed her eyes closed and laughed. She held out her hands and waited. Peter pulled the slim item out of the bag and placed it in her hands.

“Okay, look.”

She peered at the shiny device and then back at him in disbelief. “You gave me a cell phone?” She stared at the gift. “You gave me a cell phone!” This time she yelled it.

Her excitement touched him. “It seemed like a good idea. You didn’t have a phone number to give me, and I really missed you. It’s gonna get harder to see you. I thought this way we could stay in touch and actually talk whenever we want.”

She closed her hand around the precious phone and turned pensive.

“Is something wrong?” He wondered what could have upset her.

“I don’t know if I should accept this.” She gazed up at him with large doe eyes. He couldn’t believe this. She needed to take the phone.

“We barely know each other, and, well…” Mischief lit her face, and he wondered what she was up to. “We’ve never even kissed.”

Peter paused and took a good look at her. He’d been wondering how to sneak a kiss; she just made it simple.

He tossed the umbrella aside and pulled her close. He let his fingers tangle in her wet hair and lowered his mouth to hers. He kissed her long and slow, taking his sweet time. Cold rain trickled down his neck as he savored each moment. Startled at first, Libby now matched his kiss. He enjoyed each touch of her tender lips.

He slowly pulled away.

“Now can you take the phone?” His forehead rested against hers.

“Yeah, I think so,” she answered in a breathy voice.

“I’d better be sure.” Empowered by their perfect chemistry, he leaned in for more. Her body melted against him. He wrapped his other arm around her and pulled her close.

“Wow,” she whispered, her eyes dark and smoky.

“Haven’t you ever been kissed before?” His eyes searched hers.

“Not like that.”

~Angie Stanton-Rock and a Hard Place

About the Author

Angie Stanton never planned on writing books, she wanted to be a Rockette. However, growing up in a rural setting with her brothers’ 4-H pigs as pets, dance didn’t work out. Instead she became an avid daydreamer. After years of perfecting stories in her head she began to write them down and the rest is history.

She loves dipping french fries in chocolate shakes, all natural disaster movies and Broadway Musicals. When not writing, Angie is concocting ways to make more dreams come true, whether it be tickets to a Broadway show or convincing her family they should rent an RV and travel the country. She’s still working on that one.

Angie is a proud double finalist of the 2011 National Readers Choice Awards for Love ‘em or Leave ‘em, as well as a finalist for the Golden Quill Awards.

Angie’s blog | Facebook | Twitter

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Title: 1816 Candles

Author: Amanda Brice

Genre: Time Travel Romance

Age Group: Young Adult

Cover Designer: Keith Draws

Expected release date: September 2013

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

High school senior Lauren is attending a costume ball at Old Town Alexandria’s famous Gadsby’s Tavern. But when she gets bored by the repetitious historical dances, she goes off to explore in the building and something odd catches her eye.
Is it a woman?

When Lauren follows the mysterious person and picks up a snow globe in the room she’s led to, she somehow ends up in 1816, experiencing the actual events of the “Legend of the Female Stranger” she’s heard her whole life growing up. Now Lauren has to solve the mystery of this ghost, find her way back home…and deal with her own emotions when she falls in love with a guy who lived 200 years before her.

About the Author

As a little girl, Amanda Brice dreamed of being either a ballerina or the author of a mystery series featuring a cool crime-solving chick named Nancy Flew, but her father urged her to “do something practical,” so she went to law school and spent her days writing briefs and pleadings instead of fiction.

But dance and writing have remained a part of her life. Amanda was a member of the ballroom dance team at Duke University, and continues this interest by her obsession with Dancing with the Stars, so it was only natural for her to set a teen mystery series at a dance school.

Amanda is the President of Washington Romance Writers, and is a two-time finalist for Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Golden Heart® Award. She blogs once a month or so with the Ruby-Slippered Sisterhood. She is also a popular conference presenter, speaking on basic copyright and trademark law for writers.

In her spare time, Amanda enjoys dancing, reading, cooking, traveling, and obsessing over whether Duke will beat Carolina in basketball. Go Devils!

Website | Facebook

Title: Lost and Found

Author: Nicole Williams

Release date: May 7, 2013

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

Goodreads

I couldn’t find buy links on Amazon or B&N as of this post. Sorry!

Julie: We have an excerpt for you today, but I just have to say, I’m about 80% into Lost and Found and LOOOOVE it!

Excerpt from Lost and Found

“You came,” I said, stepping back because being so close to Jesse made my head light. Logical thought process became next to impossible to attain.

He lifted a shoulder, but that was the only response he gave me. Was Jesse Walker giving me the silent treatment?

“Are you having a good time?” I tried next, taking another half step back because I could still smell that soapy, shampooy scent of him, and that was messing with my head, too.

He lifted the other shoulder.

So yeah. Jesse Walker was giving me the silent treatment. I was probably the only person who could claim that honor.

“Are you going to talk to me, Jesse? Or are you going to communicate with me with shrugs the rest of the summer?” Might as well get down to business. I didn’t know how long Josie would be gone, and I needed to talk to Jesse. I had to clear the thick air between us.

He caught himself in the middle of another shrug. With a sigh, he pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. “What do you want me to say, Rowen?” he asked, his voice tight. “I’ve been racking my head all damn week trying to figure out what to say to you when I saw you again, but I couldn’t think of anything. Obviously.” He wiggled his shoulder and gave me a small smile.

A small smile was a start. And he was communicating with me, real words and all. I’d take it. His gaze shifted, just over my shoulder, and those sky blue eyes went as black as they could go.

I didn’t need to look behind me. I knew a black felt hat was back there somewhere.

Jesse lifted his chin. “Garth’s over there if you want to dance with him.” I stepped back again from the ice in his tone.

“And what if I want to dance with you?” I said, managing to sound braver than I felt.      “What if you do?” Still the ice, but I wouldn’t back down. I wouldn’t let him push me away so easily. I owed him an explanation, and I wasn’t leaving until he had it.

“Would you want to?” I asked. There was so much between the lines in that question, I almost winced just anticipating his answer.

“That depends.” His eyes continued to glare holes into the back or front of Garth. I wasn’t sure, and I wouldn’t look over my shoulder to find out. “Are you planning on having a little campout at Garth Black’s trailer tonight after you dance with me now?”

Bitter? Jealous? Those weren’t words I’d use to describe Jesse, but tonight, he seemed to be a little of both.

“Jesse. I’m sorry,” I said. “I let Garth get into my head. I let him remind me of all my fears and insecurities. I let him tell me what I deserved and what I didn’t deserve.” Shit. If I got any more vulnerable, I would turn into one gaping, bloody wound.

“Well, sorry, but I don’t let Garth Black decide what I do and don’t deserve. And you shouldn’t either.”

“I know,” I replied quietly. I could have gone into all the reasons I had. Why it was so easy to believe the Garth Blacks of the world. Why the bad was so much easier to believe than the good. Man, I could have gone into a day-long lecture on the special brand of screwed-up I was, but my apology wasn’t about me. It was about Jesse. It was about me hurting him and needing to make amends.

Jesse studied my face, like he was trying to remain objective about the whole thing but he failed. A long sigh followed. “What were you doing at Garth’s place that night anyways, Rowen? Why were you kissing the hell out of me that afternoon and snuggled into his lounge chair later that night?”

I could have cried from the pain in Jesse’s voice alone. From knowing that my actions had caused that level of hurt in him. Everything inside of me wanted to edit the truth. Everything inside of me wanted to appease him with a surface answer. Everything inside of me wanted to protect myself.

I flipped everything inside of myself off and sucked in a deep breath. “Because Garth Black isn’t able to break my heart.” I bit my lip and pressed on. “You are.” The ice in Jesse’s expression melted. His eyes softened. The wrinkles in his forehead smoothed. “I never have to worry about Garth hurting me, because I know he will. I know what to expect with him. I know he’ll screw up and leave me if I don’t leave him first. I don’t give him every piece of myself because I know what I’m getting into. I don’t know what I’m getting into with you, and if I give all of myself to you, you could break everything.” Was I really spilling my guts in a honky tonk with hundreds of people around? I took a quick scan of the area. Yeah. I sure was. “You make me feel too much, Jesse.” I crossed those few steps I’d put between us. “It freaks me out.”

There was almost a full minute of silence between us. Nothing but him studying me and me just letting him. A minute of silence after you drop that kind of deep stuff on a guy is basically an eternity.

Finally, Jesse’s mouth parted. “When you open yourself up to people, you let the bad in with the good. I can’t promise I won’t ever hurt you, Rowen. But it won’t be on purpose. I will never hurt you intentionally. I can promise you that.” Jesse’s hand dropped to my waist, but he didn’t draw me to him. He drew himself to me. “But if this is something we’re going to give a go, I need you to promise me the same. I need you to promise me you won’t go out of your way to push me away, or hurt me, or fall asleep on Garth Black’s lounge chair, when—not if—things get scary. I can tell you don’t want to let people in, that it scares you, but you need to let me in if we’re going to have a fighting chance. You can’t shove me away the moment you let me inside, as much as I know you’ll want to.” His fingers curved into my waist, and the warmth and strength in them made my eyelids heavy. “Don’t hurt me, Rowen,” he whispered in a way that tugged at any and every feeling I had for Jesse.

I knew letting him in would be like going against a strong current. I knew it wouldn’t feel natural, or be my first, second, or even third instinct, and I knew it would be a daily struggle to keep from running from Jesse when things got serious, when things got . . . scary, as he’d said.

But when I looked into those eyes of his that saw everything, those eyes that saw me, I knew the fight would be worth it. The struggle to let him in when I wanted to barricade the windows and lower the gates would be a battle I’d never regret fighting.

I inhaled. I exhaled. I wove my fingers through his where his hand still rested on my waist. I locked my gaze to his. “I won’t.”

About the Author

I’m a wife, a mom, a writer. I started writing because I loved it and I’m still writing because I love it. I write young adult because I still believe in true love, kindred spirits, and happy endings. Here’s to staying young at heart *raises champagne glass* . . . care to join me?

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Title: After Math (Off the Subject, #1)

Author: Denise Grover Swank

Release date: March 12, 2013

Publisher: Self-Published

Age Group: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads

Review by Jennifer

I like this title.  It made me think of two things.  The first thing was the idea that in the aftermath of an event lives can be torn apart or put back together.  The second thing was that the heroine of the story is a math major.  What happens when she lets her love of math turn into a love for another person?  Both of these ideas are true about this book.  Scarlett loves math because it makes sense.  It has rules and rules calm her.  Tucker doesn’t live by rules and he definitely doesn’t calm Scarlett.  Scarlett knows that if she lets Tucker in she may have to worry about the aftermath because she knows he will break her heart.

At first I didn’t connect with Scarlett.  I understood her background was less than stellar.  She came from a home where she didn’t feel loved.  She had a mother who liked to drink and was looking for love in all the wrong places.  Her sister followed in the mother’s footprints by becoming a teenage mom living in a trailer park.  Scarlett wanted better.  I get that but I just didn’t connect with her until later in the book.  Maybe because I’m not a math lover.  Math frustrates me but for Scarlett it saves her.  It calms her anxiety.  I thought of her as weak at first but as the story moved along I started to see her strength.  She ended up being a very likeable character.

Tucker had me from the beginning.  With his first line “I know I make girls swoon, but this is a first.”  I knew that Tucker and I were going to get along fabulously.  He was cocky and self-assured.  His reputation was that of a person who was unfocused, irresponsible, and dangerous to the female heart.  However, that was just his cover story because he had vulnerability about him.  His childhood was also less than stellar.  He was the “bad boy” that always captures my heart in these types of books.  The ones who you want to take away every bad thing that ever happened to them and wrap them up in nonstop hugs and kisses.  This is why Scarlett redeemed herself with me.  She recognized the hurt in Tucker and gave him a chance.  It wasn’t all roses for them.  It is tough to overcome a lifetime of hurts when walls have been built but the two of them were worth it.  When those walls came down the aftermath was priceless.

I read this book twice.  I loved seeing the two characters taking their walls down little by little.  After Math is definitely worth reading.  You get a well written story, two likeable characters, and some math talk.

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Title: Spirit: Book Five in the Elemental Series

Author: Shauna Granger

Publisher: Self-Published

Release date: April 30, 2013

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Age Group: Young Adult/New Adult

About the book:

Always careful to watch out for others, Shayna put too much trust her abilities to keep herself safe and has been cut down by crazed man. Now she is trapped in the land of the dead, watching as her two best friends suffer the consequences of her death; their powers are fading and soon they will too. Shayna is desperate to return to the land of the living to save them from a similar, cold fate. To save her friends Shayna must turn away from the Light and, in doing so, sacrifice her wings.

But the longer Shayna stays among the dead, the further she slips from sanity. If Shayna cannot find her way back she will be condemned and lost forever among the restless souls of the dead. With nothing left to lose, she will do whatever it takes to fight her way back, with or without her wings.

Excerpt

On the night I died, when Liam had walked me away from my friends and the wreckage of the house, the tips of my wings had dragged along the ground. I thought maybe that, though dead, I was still an earthbound angel. I thought I would get to stay, and I just had to wait for someone, like my guardian angel, to show up and tell me what I was supposed to do.

But that’s not exactly what happened. My guardian angel did show, in a burst of blinding light, glorious in his power with his wings spread behind him as he floated. I felt warmth radiating from him and the tunnel of light, trust and some form of relief rushing through me, making me believe I hadn’t been abandoned while falling through the crumbling house. He held out a hand for me as he came close to the ground, his feet landing silently. I started to lift my hand to take his, I always took his hand when he reached for me, but the closer he came, the closer the Light came. I felt the pull of the Light somewhere in my center. I suddenly knew if I touched him, took his hand, let that Light envelope me, I would leave this world and my friends behind.

“Wait,” I said, snatching my hand back and taking a number of steps backward, nearly tripping over my wings.

“Shayna, what are you doing?” he asked.

“What happens now?” I curled my hands into fists and kept them close to my chest.

“What happens now?” he repeated. By the look on his face, it was obvious no one had thought to question him before. “We go into the Light, you join our ranks, and you become the guardian angel you were meant to be.”

“And Jodi and Steven?” I asked. “What happens to them?”

“They are alive and well.” He shook his head and started to take a few steps toward me. For every step he took forward, I took one backward, keeping my distance.

“No,” I said, “what’s going to happen to them? Are they going to be all right?”

“Shayna, that’s not our concern,” my angel said, making the bottom of my stomach drop out. I felt as if the world had turned on its side, and I thought I was going to fall over. “You were my charge; they are not your charges, so you cannot concern yourself with their fates.”

“But something is going to happen, isn’t it?” I pressed. “My dying, that is going to do something to them, isn’t it?”

“Shayna, just come with me.”

“Why won’t you answer me?”

“Shayna!” He rushed forward, his hands outstretched. I dodged, hitting the ground and rolling in a mass of limbs and wings. He tumbled forward, losing his balance when I suddenly wasn’t there. Getting to my feet was difficult, but when I finally did, I ran, flexing my wings behind me, working them desperately, lifting and bobbing awkwardly in the air. I heard him yelling for me, still tangled where he had fallen since he didn’t have the same desperate need fueling him. The Light sliced through the air and trees easily. My back warmed as it touched me, and the sensation to turn toward it pulled at me.

“No!” I screamed, willing myself to go faster, farther, just get the hell away from it. That’s when the burning began.

About the Author

Like so many other writers, Shauna grew up as an avid reader, but it was in high school that she realized she wanted to be a writer. Five years ago, Shauna started work on her Elemental Series. She released the first installment, Earth, on May 1, 2011 and has since released four sequels, with the series coming to an end with Spirit. She is currently hard at work on a new Urban Fantasy series, staring a spunky witch with a smush-faced cat named Artemis.

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