Lust For Stories

Cover Reveal/Giveaway: Born of Deception by Teri Brown

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Title: Born of Illusion
Author: Teri Brown
Publication Date: June 11, 2013

Anna Van Housen has a secret.

A gifted illusionist, Anna assists her mother, the renowned medium Marguerite Van Housen, in her stage show and séances, easily navigating the underground world of magicians, mediums, and mentalists in 1920’s New York. As the illegitimate daughter of Harry Houdini—or so Marguerite claims—sleight of hand illusions have never been a challenge for Anna. The real trick is keeping her own gifts secret from her opportunistic mother. Because while Marguerite’s own powers may be a sham, Anna possesses a true ability to sense people’s feelings and foretell the future.

But as Anna’s powers intensify, she begins to experience frightening visions of her mother in peril, which leads her to explore the powers she’s tried so long to hide. And when a mysterious young man named Cole moves into the flat downstairs, introducing Anna to a secret society that studies people with gifts like hers, she is forced to confront her past and rethink everything she’s ever known. Is her mother truly in danger, or are Anna’s visions merely illusion? And could the great Houdini really be her father, or is it just another of Marguerite’s tricks?

From Teri Brown comes a world bursting with magic, with romance, and the temptations of Jazz Age New York—and the story of a girl about to become the mistress of her own destiny.

Title: Born of Deception
Author: Teri Brown
Expected Publication Date: 2014

Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself—or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim—or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Set in Jazz-Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.

Teri Brown
I’m not sure who to tell you about here because I’m actually two people rolled into one. As a responsible mother of teens, I show one persona to the world. That person is driven, conservative and level headed. But the other part of me just never grew up. She is rebellious, impulsive and curious.

It’s hard being both these people. They’re often at odds.

The mother part of me knows I should put a cap on how many animals we take in. The teen part of me wants to save them all. We have five cats and two dogs. Who do you think is winning?

Even now. The mother part wants to make a meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a tossed salad. The teen part wants to order a pizza, work on my website and check my Facebook.

Luckily, though my two halves don’t always agree, both of us live happily in Portland, Oregon, with a husband and too many animals. And we both love to write and write and write. . .

Find Teri Brown: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Buy Born of Deception: Amazon

What do you think of this cover? Leave your answer below in the comments!
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Blogging, my life, and a sincere farewell

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 05 Aug 2013 00:32:00 +0000

To my faithful readers,

I started blogging about one of my greatest loves, books, on a whim last year in mid-June. I did have some less than desirable ulterior motives, such as expecting books to magically fall into my lap, but those ideas were quickly erased as I became immersed in the gigantic, chaotic, unimaginable community of book lovers. I wanted to become a huge blogger whose name rang through others' blog posts like a legend, one that didn't have to worry about how many pageviews and visitors she got because she knew that there would be a bunch of readers looking forward to each and every word she wrote. I have not achieved neither of those aspirations, and the me right now does not intend to.

Right now, I still have no idea how to get everything together, so I'll just summarize what has been going around blogging and me from the beginning.

In June, last year, I didn't really have an idea where to go with blogging. All I really felt in June and through summer was Wow, there's people reading this! I just did it like it was just a simple hobby, nevertheless one that was a bit nerdy and must be kept a secret at all costs. God forbid if my classmates found out about my weirdness and had me alienated even more than I was. I stuck with mostly memes to fill up my posts, and did a review once in a while. Was it awfully routine? Yes. But I was still extremely excited about being able to do something so amazing for once.

How I felt when I first began blogging

Then school started in September and my stats and number of posts dropped, which is to be expected as I genuinely did not know how to juggle both school and blogging at the same time. (My respect goes to the girl at IB Book Blogging who not only blogs about books but also takes IB classes, which are pretty damn hard.) Life went on.

Back around December to March, I got really into blogging. I consistently put posts up, read like crazy in order to keep up. My blog stats jumped, and I watched as I got just a little bit closer to my initial dream of being a successful blogger. Perhaps if I somehow stuck with my spartan (to me at least) blogging schedule from that time I may have become a serious book blogger. Unfortunately, that couldn't happen as I kind of burnt out and just couldn't go on with the blogging anymore.

That time, I realized how much blogging was a part of my life. I'd come home from school, worried about the posts I had to write up and then when I finally finish the posts go on and do other stuff, like homework and perhaps a bit of family time. My grades didn't plummet, but they didn't shine the way they used to. All I had to talk about with friends were books which they don't mind but it does get quite tedious after a while. I was a bit confused, after all, I managed to come this far, it definitely can't hold a candle to my education and social life. Because of this, I began to think, a lot, about where this blog should go from now.

As you can see, for the last few months, there have been less and less posts, even with all the promotional stuff I cram onto this site. But after months of pondering, I came to a few conclusions.

I didn't love blogging as I did before. I didn't mind not having as many pageviews and visitors as others, but if it's gone to the extent when I'm tired whenever I try to write, I don't love it as I did before.
Though I still love books, there are other things more important to me (hanging out with friends, my grades etc.). I want to start reacquainting myself with the things I've been neglecting for the past year.
Most importantly, I do not regret choosing this hobby to stick with for the last year. I'm notorious in my family for never being able to stick with what I started, so I'm very proud to have been able to do this for so long. As well, I learned so many things during this time period. I now know just a little bit more about technology, as well as gained experience in professional relationships with authors and the such. I learned to not be afraid to state my opinions, such as when a book that everyone loves didn't really meet my standards. I now know what I find important, and while books will always be somewhere on my mind, I have discovered that there are other things I'd sacrifice my reading for.

Now, a year later, I understand myself and my priorities a bit more. I am older than the thirteen-year-old starting out with her first blog post a year ago. I am a little bit more mature. I am more confident and have the guts to talk with people I don't know. I'm more emotionally stable than the extremely moody girl last year. I've made more mistakes, but I've learned how to forgive myself for them and how to apologize to others for my mistakes. If the me right now walked up to the me a year ago, I wouldn't have recognized myself. I've changed, much more than I would have without blogging.

But I've said it a couple of times in this blog post: there are some things more important to me than blogging. I've taken breaks before from blogging, but I think I should make this my last, final goodbye. There may come a time when I throw a few posts up here for fun, or maybe a few years down the row I might decide to rekindle my love of blogging, but right now I think it's time I part with this blog.

To everyone, from those who've been with me since the very beginning to those who've just stumbled across this post just now, thank you for the journey, and I wish you all the best. May life, and its obstacles never deter you from your final destination.

Blog Tour/Spotlight/Giveaway: SYLO by D.J. MacHale

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 25 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: SYLO
Author: D.J. MacHale
Series: The SYLO Chronicles #1
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: July 2, 2013
ISBN13: 9781595146656
Format: Hardcover, 407 pages
Genre: YA, dystopia, sci-fi, fantasy

Paradise? Or prison? The game has begun.Does Tucker Pierce have what it takes to be a hero when the U.S. military quarantines his island?

Fourteen-year-old Tucker Pierce prefers to fly under the radar. He’s used to navigating around summer tourists in his hometown on idyllic Pemberwick Island, Maine. He’s content to sit on the sidelines as a backup player on the high school football team. And though his best friend Quinn tells him to “go for it,” he’s too chicken to ask Tori Sleeper on a date. There’s always tomorrow, he figures. Then Pemberwick Island is invaded by a mysterious branch of the U.S. military called SYLO. And sitting on the sidelines is no longer an option for Tucker, because tomorrow may never come.

It’s up to Tucker, Quinn, and Tori to uncover the truth about the singing aircraft that appears only at night—and the stranger named Feit who’s pushing a red crystal he calls the Ruby that brings unique powers to all who take it. Tucker and his friends must rescue not just Pemberwick Island, but the fate of the world—and all before tomorrow is too late.

#1 New York Times bestselling author D.J. MacHale brings his brilliant plotting and breathless pacing to SYLO, the first in this ultimate end-of-the-world adventure trilogy.

As a kid I've always loved the Pendragon series by D.J. MacHale, so I'm super excited to have the opportunity to help promote his book through a blog tour spotlight today!

D.J. MacHale
D.J. MacHale is a writer, director, executive producer and creator of several popular television series and movies. As an author, his ten-volume book series: PENDRAGON – JOURNAL OF AN ADVENTURE THROUGH TIME AND SPACE became a New York Times #1 bestseller. He was raised in Greenwich, CT and graduated from Greenwich High School. While in school, he had several jobs including collecting eggs at a poultry farm, engraving trophies and washing dishes in a steakhouse…in between playing football and running track. D.J. attended New York University where he received a BFA in film production.

His filmmaking career began in New York where he worked as a freelance writer/director making corporate videos and television commercials. He also taught photography and film production.

D.J. broke into the entertainment business by writing several ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIALS. As co-creator of the popular Nickelodeon series: ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?, he produced all 91 episodes over 8 years. D.J. also wrote and directed the movieTOWER OF TERROR for ABC’s WONDERFUL WORLD OF DISNEY which starred Kirsten Dunst and Steve

Guttenberg. The Showtime series CHRIS CROSS was co-created, written and produced by D.J. It received the CableAce award for Best Youth Series.

D.J. co-created and produced the Discovery Kids/NBC television series FLIGHT 29 DOWN. He wrote every episode and directed several. His work on FLIGHT 29 DOWN earned him the Writers Guild of America award for “Outstanding Children’s Script” and a Directors Guild of America award nomination.

Other notable writing credits include the ABC AFTERSCHOOL SPECIAL titled SEASONAL DIFFERENCES; the pilot for the long-running PBS/CBS series GHOSTWRITER; and the HBO series ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN, BOY DETECTIVE for which he received a CableAce nomination for writing.

In print, D.J. has co-written the book THE TALE OF THE NIGHTLY NEIGHBORS, based on his own teleplay and penned the poetic adaptation of the classic Norwegian folk tale EAST OF THE SUN AND WEST OF THE MOON. His most current work is the spooky MORPHEUS ROAD trilogy; and a whimsical picture book THE MONSTER PRINCESS.

D.J. lives in Southern California with his wife Evangeline and daughter Keaton. They are avid backpackers, scuba divers and skiers. Rounding out the household are two elderly goldfish and a Kitten, Kaboodle.

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Tour info right over here!
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Book Blitz/Guest Post/Giveaway: Nomad by J.L. Bryan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 24 Jul 2013 04:21:00 +0000

Title: Nomad
Author: J.L. Bryan
Publication Date: July 26, 2013

A new dystopian novel from the author of Jenny Pox - coming July 26.

They took everything: her family, her home, her childhood.

By the age of nineteen, Raven has spent most of her life in the sprawling slums of America, fighting as a rebel against the dictatorship. When the rebellion steals an experimental time-travel device, she travels back five decades to the year 2013. Her plan: assassinate the future dictator when he is still young and vulnerable, long before he comes to power. She must move fast to reshape history, because agents from her own time are on her trail, ready to execute her on sight.

J.L. Bryan
J.L. Bryan studied English literature at the University of Georgia and at Oxford, with a focus on English Renaissance and Romantic literature. He also studied screenwriting at UCLA. He lives in the metro Atlanta sprawl with his wife Christina, where he spends most of his day servings the toddler and animal community inside his house. He is the author of the Paranormals series and the Songs of Magic series.

His novel Jenny Pox is currently free on Kindle, Smashwords, Apple, Sony, Kobo, and Nook!

Find J.L. Bryan: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Now we have a super awesome guest post from J.L. Bryan, which is not only a resource that would come in handy if your government goes bonkers, but also made me grin at a couple of places. Enjoy!

Diagnose Your Dystopia by J.L. Bryan

Something’s not right with the world. You know it, you can feel it, and you’re probably going to die because of it. Congratulations, you’ve just discovered that you live in a nightmarish dystopian future!

The next question: what kind of dystopia? If you’re going to live, you’ll need to know this stuff. Fortunately, we’ve assembled a handy checklist to help you diagnose your dystopia.

Total Surveillance State: If they’re watching your every move, including your facial expressions and body language so they can read your thoughts, and eavesdropping on all your conversations...hey, you’re not paranoid, you just live in an Orwellian total surveillance state! Odds are, they’re trying to control all media and information, including changing past records to suit their ever-changing lies. There may be no escape, so your best bet is try and hook up with that hottie from work before the oppressors destroy your mind and soul. Good luck!

Game Show-ocracy: If you find yourself cast into a game-show-to-the-death with a name like “The Running Man” or “The Hunger Games,” then you’ve entered a world where game shows keep the public complacent. If you play the game right, you might just topple the evil rulers of your society, but you’ll have to break a few rules to succeed. If you’re trapped in a game show-ocracy, my best advice is to contact Alex Trebek from Jeopardy! That guy has all the answers.

Happy Dystopia: Hey, maybe things aren’t so bad. Maybe in this Brave New World society, the rulers encourage sex, drugs, and other completely harmless entertainments to keep the population busy and content. You can try to whip up a rebellion if you want, right after you take your happy pills, eat your chocolate, get a pedicure and a massage...maybe have a nap...is this really a dystopia?

The State of Weird Ideas: Is everyone forced to wear pink bunny hats at all times? Or perhaps the letter “Q” is forbidden by law? Sounds like you live in a world where a completely loopy-fruits dictator has come to power! Your best bet is to play along while it lasts, but if you really want to shake things up, try being even weirder than the law requires.

We hope that this short pamphlet has somewhat enhanced your chances of surviving through this unfortunate dystopian period, and living onto into the even more miserable dark age to come!

In the comments below, you could tell us what kind of dystopia you would prefer, or which kind you would most want to avoid.

Blog Tour/Excerpt/Giveaway: Baby Doll by Heidi Acosta

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Barbie Girl
Author: Heidi Acosta
Series: Baby Doll #1
Release Date: November 3, 2012
ASIN: B00A1GHSCG
Format: Kindle Edition, 189 pages
Genre: YA, romance, contemporary

The only thing that 17 year old Barbie Starr wants to do is graduate high school so she and her little brother, Everett, can get out of Alabama. She doesn’t care about the rumors that are spread around about her like wild fire. Rumors are nothing new to her. Sure, maybe she could change her reputation, but why bother. She is leaving Alabama as soon as she can. That is, if she can pass algebra and graduate.

The only thing Dylan Knight would like to do is go through high school unnoticed; he has had enough of the drama that is high school. He took the whole of last summer to bulk-up, finally he is not being called names or being shoved into lockers. He wants to remain on the outside of the circle of constant rumors that surround the so-called popular kids who get all the attention. He would not, however, mind if his long time crush Katie took notice of him.

But it is Barbie, who notices Dylan and she offers him a deal he can’t pass up, if he helps her pass algebra, she’ll help him get the girl of his dreams. Dylan agrees, but, as it turns out, nothing is simple when it comes to Barbie. Somehow, she can’t help but draw attention to herself — and to him. Soon Dylan finds himself tossed into the whirlwind of rumors that seem to follow Barbie everywhere. Can he save his reputation and still get the girl of his dreams? Or will Barbie be the one to break through his carefully-built facade?

Title: Barbie World
Author: Heidi Acosta
Series: Baby Doll #2
Release Date: 2013
Format: Kindle Edition
Genre: YA, romance, contemporary

“One Night is all it took to change everything between Barbie and me. One night to potentially lose the girl of my dreams forever. How do I prove to her that she can trust me? That all I want to do is protect her carefully guarded heart. I need to prove to her that I want to be a part of her world. But how?”

Dylan lost Barbie once before, now he is determined more than ever to win her heart and trust back. Easier said than done, especially with the new hot guy in town who is in a rock band and is the complete opposite of Dylan.

Barbie has been hurt beyond repair or so she thinks. It would be easier for heart to decide if she didn’t have to protect her little brother. And if Dylan would just put on a shirt! Dylan is not making this easy on her. It helps to have the distraction of the new guy in town cute bad boy Kai. But even though her heart is damaged it still knows what it wants.

When Barbie learns she has a family and with the help of Roxie and Kai, oh and Third and Dylan. They embark on a journey to help bring Barbie closer to a past she never knew existed. Heidi Acosta brings you the heart felt story of friendship, love and heartbreak in the second book in of the Baby doll series Barbie World.

Heidi Acosta
Heidi Acosta was born on Long Island, New York. Moving around a lot when she was younger, she has lived in New York, Arizona, New York (again), Washington, Georgia, and Florida, in that order. Each place offered her something special, but she will always consider New York her home.

Heidi started writing as soon as she could spell. When she was three, Heidi’s mother gave her a copy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods; thus beginning her lifelong love affair with literature.

Writing soon also became a form of therapy for Heidi, when she realized that no matter what was happening in her life, she could find emotional escape while writing. Some of her earliest stories featured her as a princess who explored new worlds with her horse Buttercup. If it sounds romantic, it wasn’t, there was no prince charming in those fairy lands (boys where yucky).

Heidi now resides in Florida with her husband, very active daughter, one hyper Chihuahua, two sweet cats, and one very fat moody cat.

Excerpt from Barbie Girl

Barbie starts to walk in my direction; her green, plaid mini skirt is so short that I am not even sure it can be still classified as a skirt. She has on a tight, black tank top that exposes a gold belly button ring, torn fishnet stockings with knee-high combat boots completes her look. That cannot be dress code. Her big, freaky blue eyes are lined in heavy black liner, and they are looking right at me. I am frozen in my seat. A predator holding its prey, and I am the prey. Crap. She walks up the aisle in front of me, flipping her long, bleached blond hair with one hot pink strip over her shoulder. “Dylan Knight?” her voice is a knife cutting through me. I nod too stunned to talk.

“Dude she knows your name! Get her number and you are my hero,” Third chirps in my ear.

“Umm…yeah…that’s me,” I choke out. My heart felt like it was about to take flight leaving a gaping hole in my chest as I watched her with an anxious stare.

She smiles at me, but that smile reads more like she is the Greek goddess Ishtar. She is either going to step over the seat and start making out with me or strangle me. I hope for the second and make it quick. “Well today is your lucky day,” she leans over and grips the back of the chair with her black-chipped finger nails, giving me a full view of her cleavage.

“Dude this is so hot, I have a movie that starts out like this. If she steps over that chair and rips off your clothes I am going to film it.” Third is defiantly drooling; actually the whole theater has fallen silent. I don’t look but I know all eyes are on us or maybe they are on Barbie’s ass.

“You can totally see down her shirt, what color is her bra?” Third begs.

“Red,” I say.

She glares at me. “What?”

I shake my head clearing my thoughts and make eye contact with her again. “Why is today my lucky day?” I change the subject crossing my arms across my chest glaring back at her.

“You get to tutor me in Math,” she holds out her arms like she has just given me the best gift ever.

“Holy crow dude, you got to do it. For all things virgin you got to do it. She totally is going to screw your brains out; and you have to videotape it for me.” I shake my head trying to rid Third’s annoying voice in my head.

“No,” I say with more conviction then I feel.

“No?” her eyes narrow into tiny slits.

“Dylan bro you are killing me,” Third groans. “Listen man you are not thinking with the right head. Listen to the little man down below, you have to tutor her, and report every dirty detail back to me.” Third is back to begging.

“Well are you a tutor or not?” she snaps. The room is so silent that you can hear a pin drop. I glance at the stage, big mistake, Katie is sending death rays in my direction or maybe they are meant for Barbie. I cannot tell. Could she be jealous? We don’t speak much even though we are in all the same classes together. Girls, I never will get them.

“Yes I am…but I am not taking any more clients.” Actually I have not tutored anyone in a while. I am sure as hell not tutoring crazy.

“Idiot! Do you get what could happen with your reputation if you let her de-virgin you.” Third says to me. Yeah she can ruin whatever little social life I happen to have. “Katie might finally know your name,” Third says. Katie knew my name. Right? I glance back at the stage to where Katie is talking to that douche bag Tyler.

“Fine I will tutor you.” I know I will end up regretting this, but if there is a chance that Katie will recognize me. Her face softens and her freaky alien eyes go back to their normal size. I rip out a piece of the cue paper and jot down my address and phone number on it.

“Thanks, hot stuff.” She takes the paper out of my hand and folds it in a messy square before stuffing it into her bra. She stands straight and looks up at the box and says, “It is red with black hearts.” She winks and saunters out of the auditorium. There is silence, the whole room in a state of shock. I think Third might have keeled over and died.

“Dylan read the cues,” Mrs. Rita snaps. She is wearing the same look of astonishment on her face that I feel. I cannot read the cues because they are in Barbie’s red bra with black hearts. What just happened? Did I just agree to tutor Barbie?

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Cover Reveal: Creatura by Nely Cab

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 18 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Creatura
Author: Nely Cab
Expected Publication Date: August 6, 2013

Isis can control her dreams. Or she could-until recently. The creature in her nightmares has been haunting her for months. As if being dumped wasn’t bad enough, now she dreads going to sleep. She decides to confront the creature and win back some of her peace; only, she finds that he’s not a monster and he’s not a dream.

A sacrifice for love, a shocking discovery and a jealous ex-boyfriend blur the lines between reality and dreams, making it hard to tell who the real monsters are.

Who would’ve known…that sometimes love is lethal?

Nely Cab
Nely Cab was born on December 9, 1974, in Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. She has lived and resided in a small, quiet South Texas town most of her life. Putting her Computer Accounting skills to use, Nely worked in banking for several years. In 2001, the author relocated to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico, where she dedicated time to the study of culinary arts and the art of oil painting. After her return to the U.S., Nely resumed her employment in banking and later transitioned to the field of Social Work.

Today, Nely Cab writes from the comfort of her home, where she lives with her husband and son. Her life goal is to check-off Bucket List Item No. 95,623,351: To conquer the world. While she aspires world domination, Nely continues to work on her debut series Creatura.

Find Nely Cab: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

This cover is brought to you by Phatpuppy Art.

What do you think of this cover? Leave your answer below in the comments!

Blog Tour/Excerpt/Giveaway: An Endless Summer by C.J. Duggan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 16 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: The Boys of Summer
Author: C.J. Duggan
Series: Summer #1
Release Date: December 17, 2012
ASIN: B00AOA4VMO
Format: eBook, 291 pages
Genre: YA, romance, contemporary, chick lit

It seemed only natural to nickname them the ‘Onslow Boys’. Every time they swaggered in the front door of the Onslow Hotel after a hard week’s work, their laughter was loud and genuine as they settled onto their bar stools. I peeked through the restaurant partition, a flimsy divider between my world and theirs. I couldn’t help but smile whenever I saw them, saw him ... Toby Morrison.

Quiet seventeen-year-old Tess doesn’t relish the thought of a summertime job. She wants nothing more than to forget the past haunts of high school and have fun with her best friends before the dreaded Year Twelve begins.

To Tess, summer is when everything happens: riding bikes down to the lake, watching the fireworks at the Onslow Show and water bomb fights at the sweltering Sunday markets.

How did she let her friends talk her into working?

After first-shift disasters, rude, wealthy tourists and a taunting ex-boyfriend, Tess is convinced nothing good can come of working her summer away. However, Tess finds unlikely allies in a group of locals dubbed ‘The Onslow Boys’, who are old enough to drive cars, drink beer and not worry about curfews. Tess’s summer of working expands her world with a series of first times with new friends, forbidden love and heartbreaking chaos.

All with the one boy she has never been able to forget.

It will be a summer she will always remember.

Warning: sexual references, and occasional coarse language.

In my opinion, The Boys of Summer is a fabulous book everyone should read, so I'm super excited to help host An Endless Summer! You can check out my TBoS review right here!

Title: An Endless Summer
Author: C.J. Duggan
Series: Summer #2
Release Date: July 11, 2013
Format: 311 pages
Genre: YA, romance, contemporary, chick lit

Sean looked out over the lake, squinting against the sunlight. He turned to me, his expression sobering as his eyes flicked over my face in a silent study.

“Come on Amy, I saved you once, I’ll save you again.”

I met his stare unflinchingly. “I don’t need saving.”

A wicked grin formed slowly. “Don’t you?”

After a rebellious summer night that almost claimed her life, Amy Henderson – the Onslow publican’s only daughter – is sent away to suffer a fate far worse than any other punishment:

Boarding School.

Three years on, a now nineteen-year-old Amy returns to Onslow for the summer. What once was a cauldron of activity with live bands, hot meals and cold beers, the Onslow Hotel now lies dark, deserted and depressing. All fond childhood memories of loitering on the hotel stairs and eavesdropping on customers’ colourful conversations are in the distant past.

How had her dad let it come to this?

With the new threat of putting the Onslow up for sale, Amy reluctantly turns to a local tradesman for help: Sean Murphy, the very same Onslow boy who saved her life all those years ago. With his help and that of some old friends, the task is clear: spend the summer building the hotel back up to its former glory or lose it for good.

In an endless summer, Amy soon realises that sometimes in order to save your future, you have to face your past, even if it’s in the form of a smug, gorgeous Onslow boy.

C.J. Duggan
C.J Duggan is an Australian author who lives with her husband in a rural border town of New South Wales, Australia.

The Boys of Summer is Book One in her Mature Young Adult Romance Series.

Purchace The Boys of Summer: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CAN | The Book Depository | Kobo

Excerpt from An Endless Summer

“Can you take me away from this place?” I whispered.

Sean swept his hand lightly along my dampened cheek. “Of course I can.” And without another word, his hand slid down the line of my arm and laced his fingers into mine, a small sad smile spreading over his lips.

“Come on, let’s get you out of here.”

And just like Sean, without even knowing the reasons why, he just did. Without a word or worry he saved me.

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Book Blitz/Excerpt/Giveaway: Rush by Eve Silver

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 11 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Rush
Author: Eve Silver
Publication Date: June 11, 2013

So what’s the game now? This, or the life I used to know?

When Miki Jones is pulled from her life, pulled through time and space into some kind of game—her carefully controlled life spirals into chaos. In the game, she and a team of other teens are sent on missions to eliminate the Drau, terrifying and beautiful alien creatures. There are no practice runs, no training, and no way out. Miki has only the guidance of secretive but maddeningly attractive team leader Jackson Tate, who says the game isn’t really a game, that what Miki and her new teammates do now determines their survival, and the survival of every other person on this planet. She laughs. He doesn’t. And then the game takes a deadly and terrifying turn.

Eve Silver
Eve Silver lives with her gamer husband and sons, sometimes in Canada, but often in worlds she dreams up. She loves kayaking and sunshine, dogs and desserts, and books, lots and lots of books. Watch for the first book in Eve’s new teen series, THE GAME: RUSH, coming from Katherine Tegen Books, June 2013. She also writes books for adults.

Excerpt from Rush

There’s a flash of light, blindingly bright. Colored haloes obscure my vision. They dance and flicker and then disappear, leaving only a rectangle of light boxed in by the dark doorframe.

I see then that the door’s gone and in front of me are people. No…they aren’t people. They have limbs, hair, faces, but they aren’t human. After the first glance, they don’t look even remotely human. They’re pure, painful white, so bright they throw off a glare. They look like they’ve been dipped in glass, smooth and polished, but fluid. And their eyes…they’re a silvery color, like the mercury in the antique thermometer that my mom used to have at the side of the front porch.

When I was ten, I knocked that thermometer off with my wooden kendo sword, shattering the glass. The little blobs of mercury went all over the porch. I was a kid. I didn’t know better. I touched them, prodding the little balls until they joined the bigger blob. My mom swooped down on me and snatched me away, telling me it was poison. It could kill me.

I stare at the things in front of me: the Drau. I can’t look away.

Somewhere in the back of my mind, I remember Jackson talking about Medusa.

Don’t look at their eyes.

Their mercury eyes.

They’re poison.

They will kill me.

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Blog Tour/Spotlight/Giveaway: Since You Asked by Maurene Goo

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 09 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Since You Asked
Author: Maurene Goo
Series: N/A
Publisher: Scholastic
Release Date: June 25, 2013
ISBN13: 9780545448215
Format: Hardcover, 262 pages
Genre: YA, contemporary, humour

High school. So funny I forgot to laugh.

A humorous, debut novel about a Korean-American teenager who accidentally lands her own column in her high school newspaper, and proceeds to rant her way through the school year while struggling to reconcile the traditional Korean values of her parents with contemporary American culture.

Today I'm very glad to be given a chance to shine a spotlight on a wonderful debut that definitely relates to myself. I, like the protagonist, have to somehow balance my Chinese heritage with my very Canadian upbringing. Which is definitely not easy. I have to pick up Since You Asked ASAP! Read on for a super awesome giveaway below!

Maureen Goo
Maurene Goo was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where she navigated her childhood by practicing extreme bossy Lord-dom over her many cousins. She studied communication at the University of California, San Diego, and received a master's degree in publishing and writing at Emerson College. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and a very old cat. You can visit her online at www.maurenegoo.com.

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Cover Reveal: Pendomus by Carissa Andrews

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Pendomus
Author: Carissa Andrews
Expected Publication Date: October 10, 2013

Love bites.
Probation sucks.

Humanity has colonized on a tidally locked planet known as Pendomus, a planet of extremes. Half eternal scorching desert and half perpetual arctic night. Surviving along the temperate band between the two, we've set up home in a complex known as the Helix. Within the Helix lies a highly sophisticated, highly technological society that seems to function solely on humans fulfilling their life's purpose. That purpose is determined and nurtured through a person's natural aptitudes, as read by their daily brain scans. Eating, sleeping, even procreation is handled by professionals. These basic concepts, no longer a part of society's every day norm. Seventeen-year-old Runa Cophem longs to be more than part of the Helix machine. Her life inside is anything but fulfilling. She feels disconnected, and longs to be more than society dictates. Inside, no one socializes, no one interacts in a meaningful way. It's never set right with Runa. She would love nothing more than to reach out to her family, but not even her own mother can show any semblance of love for her. Instead, Runa has found solace in the ancient woods nearby, despite being strictly forbidden.

Seventeen-year-old Runa Cophem longs to be more than part of the Helix machine. Her life inside is anything but fulfilling. She feels disconnected, and longs to be more than society dictates. Inside, no one socializes, no one interacts in a meaningful way. It's never set right with Runa. She would love nothing more than to reach out to her family, but not even her own mother can show any semblance of love for her. Instead, Runa has found solace in the ancient woods nearby, despite being strictly forbidden.

Runa's life takes an unforeseen turn when she's brutally attacked, and left for dead in those woods near the Helix. Rescued by a stranger with blue hair, she's immersed into a surprising way humanity has survived. Fueled by a yearning to belong, and an attraction she didn't even know was possible, Runa wants desperately to make a new life. Yet, there's much she doesn't know about herself, about the planet and the forces controlling her from afar.

What she needs is some answers.

Carissa Andrews
Born and raised in central MN, Carissa Andrews has always loved books. She started her career at 15 in a bookstore, just to be able to afford her book fetish. By 19, she worked for a magazine publisher. At 22, she was working for printers to learn their trade. At 27, she went back to school for graphic design, and became an award winning designer. Little did she know all of her experiences would lead her to becoming a self-publishing power house.

At 31, a magical world on a planet far away, invaded her mind.

At 34, she's learned what she needs to make her work successful.

Pendomus (Book 1 of the Pendomus Chronicles) will be released OCTOBER 10, 2013.

Find Carissa Andrews: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

This cover is brought to you by the author herself!

What do you think of this cover? Leave your answer below in the comments!

Review: Anna 2026 by Lucas Morgan

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 06 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Anna 2026
Author: Lucas Morgan
Series: N/A
Release Date: July 21, 2012
Publisher: Somnium Books
ISBN13: 9780987369338
Format: Paperback, 176 pages
Genre: Adult, sci-fi, dystopia, post-apocalyptic
Source: accepted pitch from author

"They say there is no hope in the Zone; death the only escape for the addicted."

Riley and Anna know the city is getting worse, that the country and the world are headed towards ruin. But like everyone around them, they're content to let the Steadfast Act protect their way of life. They trust the government knows best, that Steadfast will shield them.

When Anna is arrested and deported to a sealed off area of the city, everyone accepts her fate—except Riley. Nothing will stop him from finding his wife; not the machine of a prison he's locked in, not the psychotic gang members, not even the desperate residents of the exclusion zone. Riley will see it through to the end . . . even if he has to pay the highest price imaginable to save the life of his beloved Anna.

Anna 2026 is the story of a man, Riley, and his journey to rescue his wife, who was arrested and deported. While this is considered the norm for those around Riley, he just couldn't let the government take the love of his life away, so he can do nothing except go out and save her himself.

In my opinion, Anna 2026 wasn't as exciting or gripping as I'd like. It didn't have anything that truly stuck out to me to make me stop and think "I really want to go back to reading that instead of doing this." Honestly, I think it has a bit to do with the lack of background information and just how it made me very confused from time to time. While it was a fairly short read, coming in at less than 200 pages, it took me a while to get through it because often I'd have to flip back a few pages to try and run it through my head.

As for Riley's flashbacks, I still have mixed feelings. Sometimes, it wasn't executed as flawlessly as I'd like, making the story only more difficult to piece together, but other times I felt like it was when the author's writing ability truly shone through with emotion. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough to make me thoroughly enjoy the story.

I won't say that Anna 2026 is a bad book. If you go onto Goodreads, you'd see that the majority of the readers of Anna 2026 enjoyed the book much more than I did, but this just wasn't the book for me. I was really looking forward to reading another dystopian at the time, coupled with the added factor that it wasn't just a mainstream YA dystopian but one aimed towards an older audience, but it just didn't meet my whole expectation of a read that I particularly liked. Though the debut of Lucas Morgan was less than delightful for me, don't pass it by just on my account. As I (sometimes) say, don't knock it til' you try it.

Blog Tour/Guest Post/Giveaway: Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton - Longing

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 04 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Some Quiet Place
Author: Kelsey Sutton
Series: N/A
Publisher: Flux
Release Date: July 8, 2013
ISBN13: 9780738736433
Format: Paperback, 350 pages
Genre: YA, supernatural, romance, fantasy

I can’t weep. I can’t fear. I’ve grown talented at pretending.

Elizabeth Caldwell doesn’t feel emotions . . . she sees them. Longing, Shame, and Courage materialize around her classmates. Fury and Resentment appear in her dysfunctional home. They’ve all given up on Elizabeth because she doesn’t succumb to their touch. All, that is, save one—Fear. He’s intrigued by her, as desperate to understand the accident that changed Elizabeth’s life as she is herself.

Elizabeth and Fear both sense that the key to her past is hidden in the dream paintings she hides in the family barn. But a shadowy menace has begun to stalk her, and try as she might, Elizabeth can barely avoid the brutality of her life long enough to uncover the truth about herself. When it matters most, will she be able to rely on Fear to save her?

To be honest, the cover and me didn't have a spark, but that synopsis! Isn't it just fascinating? I want to know more, like who - or what - Fear is!

Kelsey Sutton
Kelsey Sutton has done everything from training dogs, making cheeseburgers, selling yellow page ads, and cleaning hotel rooms. Now she divides her time between her college classes and her writing, though she can also sometimes be found pounding out horrible renditions of Beethoven on the piano and trying bizarre drinks at her local coffee shop. Kelsey lives in northern Minnesota with her dog and cat, Lewis and Clark. Visit her on her blog at www.kelseysutton.blogspot.com.

Kelsey Sutton: Website | Goodreads | Twitter

Buy Some Quiet Place: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Guest Post

Name: Longing

A Typical Summons: “What’s the project?” one of my classmates asks. Susie Yank, the tiny girl everyone has labeled nerdy and know-it-all. She’s really just lonely, taking solace in knowledge rather than drowning in her friendless existence. I see Longing standing beside her, touching Susie’s shoulder as the girl glances at Sophia, probably imagining what it would be like to be her best friend.

Physical Traits: Longing is a beautiful Emotion, with long sleek hair and slanted, exotic eyes.

A Little Known Fact (if applicable): Longing enjoys toying with humans.

It seems that Longing is fickle today; instead of touching Joshua’s shoulder, she leans down and presses a long kiss onto his lips.

Quote from SQP: “Poor baby,” she croons to Joshua, addressing me. “You torment him so, dear. Why not give him a chance? I bet he’s delicious.”

To get a glimpse into how Elizabeth may view emotions is utterly captivating. Personally, it's such a mind-boggling thing to wrap my head around, with emotions being personified in this way. Can't wait to pick Some Quiet Place up!

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Some Quiet Place
by Kelsey Sutton
July 1st-August 4th

1st: Fear & Interview @ Icey Books
2nd: Fog @ Novel Idea Reviews
3rd: Moss @ The Book Hook-Up
4th: Longing @ Lust For Stories
5th: Greed @ Eater Of Books
6th: Joy @ Who R U Blog
7th: Winter @ Winter Haven Books

8th: Anger @ Books Beside My Bed
9th: Sorrow @ Fae Books
10th: Courage & Author Interview @ A Dream Within A Dream
11th: Guilt @ Falling 4 YA
12th: Love @ Chapter By Chapter
13th: Apprehension @ Library Haunt
14th: Relief @ Book Briefs

15th: Fall @ Little Library Muse
16th: Envy @ Best Books Ever
17th: Confusion @ Over Yonder Lit
18th: Death & Author Interview @ Reading Teen
19th: Loneliness @ Kelsey Dickson
20th: Elizabeth @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf
21st: Worry @ Book Whirl Wind

22nd Desperation @ Jessabella Reads
23rd: Joshua & Author Interview @ Hobbitsies
24th: Hope @ Reading Nook
25th: Rain @ Bookish Things And More
26th: Resentment @ Book Galaxy
27th: Curiosity @ Book Haven Extraordinaire
28th The Girl in the Woods @ Two Chicks On Books

29th: Grief @ In the Best Worlds
30th: Disbelief @ Leanna
31st Regret @ Paperback Princess
1st: Grief @ Movies In My Head
2nd: Compassion @ Curling Up With A Good Book
3rd: Life & Author Interview @ Fire & Ice
4th: Villain @ The Mod Podge Bookshelf

Tour info right over here!
Have fun following the rest of the tour!

Blog Tour/Character Interview/Giveaway: Addicted to You by Krista & Becca Ritchie

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 02 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Addicted to You
Author: Krista & Becca Ritchie
Series: Addicted #1
Release Date: July 1, 2013
ASIN: B00DE5EBZ8
Format: Kindle Edition, 324 pages
Genre: NA, contemporary, romance
Source: blog tour

No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.

Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.

But when they go on a family boat trip, surrounded by open seas and limited male bodies in sight, Lily’s confronted with a big fear. Only one guy onboard can fill her addiction, and she’s sworn off going there with Loren Hale ever again.

Now the only person who can truly help her can barely help himself.

**This is a New Adult book recommended for readers 18 and up**

Just a bit of randomness from me, but is it just my deluded mind or does the cover model actually look like Emma Watson?

Krista & Becca Ritchie
Becca Ritchie is a carnivore of pop culture, television, film and of course YA and NA books. While in college, she worked at The CW television network and put her vampiric knowledge to good use, blogging about hit series and swooning over actors’ abs. When she’s not blogging, she writes novels and has teamed up with her twin sister for their New Adult novel ADDICTED TO YOU. Available July of 2013.

Krista Ritchie is the mind behind popular trading website YA Book Exchange and created Nawanda Files, a book blog that also features books into movies news. When not pouring over entertainment news and the newest releases, she spends her time conducting research in a genetics lab. She’s happy to join forces with her sister, harnessing their twin powers to produce the first in a New Adult series.

Character Interview

1) How did the two of you meet? And your first impressions of each other?

Lo: At a play date. Not in a sandbox, unfortunately. We skipped that cliché and met at a country club salad bar.

Lily: We were six.

Lo: Yeah, but I didn’t really notice you until a school play of Wizard of Oz. You were a fantastic tree. You really made those twigs look real.

Lily: Those were my actual arms.

Lo: *grinning* I know.

Lily: First impression of Lo? He didn’t run away from me like I had cooties, so that was nice.

Lo: Ditto.

2) Were there times when you felt helpless to your addictions?

Lo: Nope.

Lily: *cringes* We don’t like to talk about it.

3) Were there times when you were terrified of each other's addictions and how they bound themselves to the other?

Lo: *slouches in chair* Well you certainly can’t drink and have sex at the same time, so one of us is going to lose, aren’t we? *turns to Lily with a bitter smile* You got this one, love.

Lily: Uh…I think you could probably figure out how to drink and screw at the same time. *tilts her head in thought* Yeah, that’s doable, right?

Lo: Should we consult Kama Sutra or should we invent our own—call it the Whisky Tango.

Lily: That sounds ridiculous, and I think we’ve properly avoided this question.

4) Most hilarious moment together?

Lo: I have one. *straightens up and turns to Lily* The time you slept with Chewbacca at Comic-Con.

Lily: Says the guy who got roofied by Captain America.

Lo: *laughs* Good times.

5) Where do you imagine your lives would be without each other?

Lo: *wraps his arm around the back of Lily’s chair* It’s impossible to see a future without a person that you’ve been with all your life.

Lily: I can’t imagine where we’d be…who I’d be at all.

Lo: *clears his throat* Well, thanks for the interview. It’s been enlightening.

Lily: Be nice.

Lo: *grins at her* Aren’t I always, love? *kisses her cheek*

Lily: *pushes him off and flushes bright red* Thanks, we gotta go. *rushes out of the room, tugging Lo’s shirt and dragging him behind her*

I don't know about you, but to me that was absolutely adorable. It's probably one of the many charms of a cute couple . . .

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Blog Tour/Review/Giveaway: Need by Stephanie Lawton

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 07:05:00 +0000

Title: Want
Author: Stephanie Lawton
Series: Want #1
Release Date: June 7, 2012
Publisher: InkSpell Publishing
ISBN13: 9780985011574
Format: Paperback, 318 pages
Genre: NA, contemporary, romance
Source: blog tour

Julianne counts the days until she can pack her bags and leave her old-money, tradition-bound Southern town where appearance is everything and secrecy is a way of life. A piano virtuoso, she dreams of attending a prestigious music school in Boston. Failure is not an option, so she enlists the help of New England Conservatory graduate Isaac Laroche to help her.

She can’t understand why he suddenly gave up Boston’s music scene to return to the South. He doesn’t know her life depends on escaping it. Julianne must face down madness from without, just as it threatens from within. Isaac must resist an inappropriate attraction, but an indiscretion at a Mardi Gras ball-the pinnacle event for Mobile’s elite-forces their present wants and needs to collide with sins of the past.

Will Julianne accept the help she’s offered and get everything she ever wanted, or will she self-destruct and take Isaac down with her?

Title: Need
Author: Stephanie Lawton
Series: Want #2
Release Date: May 17, 2013
Publisher: InkSpell Publishing
ISBN13: 9781939590077
Format: Paperback, 328 pages
Genre: NA, contemporary, romance
Source: blog tour

Isaac Laroche is cursed. All he wants to do is hide out and feel sorry for himself. Never mind that he got caught sleeping with his seventeen-year-old piano student, or that he abandoned her when the truth was exposed.

Isaac’s feisty high school sweetheart has different plans. Heather Swann has returned to their hometown of Mobile, Alabama, to regroup after breaking up with her troll of a fiancé. She’s restless and looking for a diversion, but she bites off more than she can chew when she sets her sights on rehabilitating Isaac with her unorthodox sexual, mental, and physical plans.

The two quickly reconnect, but their happiness is threatened by family secrets, old vendettas and the death of a beloved father-figure.

Can Heather handle Isaac’s baggage, or will her own come back to haunt them both?

Stephanie Lawton
After collecting a couple English degrees in the Midwest, Stephanie Lawton suddenly awoke in the deepest reaches of the Deep South. Culture shock inspired her to write about Mobile, Alabama, her adopted city, and all the ways Southern culture, history and attitudes seduce the unsuspecting.

A lover of all things gothic, she can often be spotted photographing old cemeteries, historic buildings and, ironically, the beautiful beaches of the Gulf Coast. She also has a tendency to psychoanalyze people, which comes in handy when creating character profiles.

Warning: This book is not intended for younger audiences. It contains many mature elements and subjects that is not suitable for certain audiences.

Another Warning: This review contains spoilers of Want, the predecessor to Need. Read at your own risk.

I, ever since I saw the cover of Want, wanted to read Stephanie Lawton's work. I mean, it's just gorgeous. Unfortunately, that was put off until even after I saw Need drifting around the blogosphere and Goodreads. My first impression of Need? I really didn't want to read it, not because the cover was ugly or anything, but because all I felt inside was a mass of disapproval towards Issac and how he just left Julianne. But until I finished Want, I didn't realize exactly how much information was packed into the story, which would make Need very difficult to read without knowing what happened in the first book. Unexpectedly, though I didn't particularly enjoy Want, Need was far more entertaining of a story.

While Want was from the PoV of Julianne, the young student of Issac, Need tells the story from Issac's PoV. Personally, I enjoyed Issac's narration much more than I did Julianne's. Firstly, he was so much more realistic, and frankly, with a less flightier mind. In comparison, Julianne sounded extremely immature and self-indulgent. Secondly, he wasn't as pampered and protected as Julianne was. This was not just because of Issac's age, but also the many experiences he went through to carve him into an adult instead of a teenager with a crush on her music teacher. That's not to say that there weren't times when I disapproved of his actions, but Issac definitely made Need much more enjoyable compared to Want.

Read my full review here
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Review: Need by Stephanie Lawton

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Mon, 01 Jul 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Isaac Laroche is cursed. All he wants to do is hide out and feel sorry for himself. Never mind that he got caught sleeping with his seventeen-year-old piano student, or that he abandoned her when the truth was exposed.

Isaac’s feisty high school sweetheart has different plans. Heather Swann has returned to their hometown of Mobile, Alabama, to regroup after breaking up with her troll of a fiancé. She’s restless and looking for a diversion, but she bites off more than she can chew when she sets her sights on rehabilitating Isaac with her unorthodox sexual, mental, and physical plans.

The two quickly reconnect, but their happiness is threatened by family secrets, old vendettas and the death of a beloved father-figure.

Can Heather handle Isaac’s baggage, or will her own come back to haunt them both?

Blog Tour/Review/Giveaway: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend by Louise Rozett

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:05:00 +0000

Title: Confessions of an Angry Girl
Author: Louise Rozett
Series: Confessions #1
Release Date: August 28, 2012
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
ISBN13: 9780373210480
Format: Paperback, 266 pages
Genre: YA, contemporary, romance, chick lit
Source: blog tour

Rose Zarelli, self-proclaimed word geek and angry girl, has some confessions to make

1. I'm livid all the time. Why? My dad died. My mom barely talks. My brother abandoned us. I think I'm allowed to be irate, don't you?

2. I make people furious regularly. Want an example? I kissed Jamie Forta, a badass guy who might be dating a cheerleader. She is now enraged and out for blood. Mine.

3. High school might as well be Mars. My best friend has been replaced by an alien, and I see red all the time. (Mars is red and "seeing red" means being angry—get it?)

Here are some other vocab words that describe my life: Inadequate. Insufferable. Intolerable.

(Don't know what they mean? Look them up yourself.)

(Sorry. That was rude.)

Title: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend
Author: Louise Rozett
Series: Confessions #2
Release Date: June 18, 2013
Publisher: Harlequin
ISBN13: 9780373210657
Format: Paperback, 288 pages
Genre: YA, contemporary, romance, chick lit
Source: blog tour

Rose Zarelli has big plans for sophomore year—everything is going to be different. This year, she’s going to be the talented singer with the killer voice, the fabulous girl with the fashionista best friend, the brainiac who refuses to let Jamie Forta jerk her around...

...but if she’s not careful, she’s also going to be the sister who misses the signals, the daughter who can only think about her own pain, the “good girl” who finds herself in mid-scandal again (because no good deed goes unpunished) and possibly worst of all...the almost-girlfriend.

When all else fails, stop looking for love and go find yourself.

Louise Rozett
Louise Rozett is an author, a playwright, and a recovering performer. She made her YA debut with Confessions of an Angry Girl, published by Harlequin Teen. The next book in the series, Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend, is due out June 2013. She lives with her 120-pound Bernese Mountain dog Lester (named after Lester Freamon from THE WIRE, of course) in one of the world's greatest literary meccas, Brooklyn...and also in sunny Los Angeles. (Being bi-coastal is fun!) Visit www.Louiserozett.com for more info.

Read my full review here
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Review: Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend by Louise Rozett

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 25 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Rose Zarelli has big plans for sophomore year—everything is going to be different. This year, she’s going to be the talented singer with the killer voice, the fabulous girl with the fashionista best friend, the brainiac who refuses to let Jamie Forta jerk her around...

...but if she’s not careful, she’s also going to be the sister who misses the signals, the daughter who can only think about her own pain, the “good girl” who finds herself in mid-scandal again (because no good deed goes unpunished) and possibly worst of all...the almost-girlfriend.

When all else fails, stop looking for love and go find yourself.

Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend follows up to its predecessor, Confessions of an Angry Girl, very easily. It clearly explains the story at the beginning of the book for readers to understand what has already happened so it is easy for the reader to catch on if they don't quite remember what went on in Angry Girl or hasn't had the chance to read it yet. Rose is in the midst of reinventing herself to become a newer, better, perfect version to the her from a year ago, but who says it'd be easy?

What I really love about Rose is exactly what I love about many other female protagonists such as Janelle from Unraveling or Alex from Ashes; her clear mind. She, while having her own personal baggage and issues, her mind didn't try to disguise those problems as something like a "phase". She sees things as-is, and made realistic observations which really let myself as a reader understand her environment and get to know the other characters very well.

Another thing I enjoyed was Rozett's style of writing, not telling but showing. It wasn't just apparent in how Rose saw people, but also throughout the story, from Caron, her therapist picking out questions to give the audience more of a perspective on the story, to the littlest things that each character does to show their characteristics, Rozett made sure that not a single opportunity to give her readers more background information was lost.

There's probably a million things I can tell you why this book was so great, whether it's how cool the covers are, or how amazingly Rozett paints out a theme to go along with this beautiful story of hers, but what I can definitely tell you is that I'd be going to the bookstore to drop some cash on her books. Confessions of an Almost-Girlfriend is not one to be missed!

Blog Tour/Excerpt/Giveaway: Dance of the Red Death by Bethany Griffin

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Masque of the Red Death
Author: Bethany Griffin
Series: Masque of the Red Death #1
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
ISBN13: 9780062107794
Format: Hardcover, 319 pages
Genre: YA, romance, dystopia, steampunk, post-apocalyptic
Source: blog tour

Desire is contagious

Everything is in ruins.

A devastating plague has decimated the population, and those who are left live in fear of catching it as the city crumbles around them.

So what does Araby Worth have to live for?

Nights in the Debauchery Club, beautiful dresses, glittery makeup . . . and tantalizing ways to forget it all.

But in the depths of the club—in the depths of her own despair—Araby will find more than oblivion. She will find Will, the terribly handsome proprietor of the club, and Elliott, the wickedly smart aristocrat. Neither is what he seems. Both have secrets. Everyone does.

And Araby may find not just something to live for, but something to fight for—no matter what it costs her.

Title: Dance of the Red Death
Author: Bethany Griffin
Series: Masque of the Red Death #2
Release Date: June 11th, 2013
Publisher: Greenwillow Books
ISBN13: 9780062107824
Format: Hardcover, 336 pages
Genre: YA, romance, dystopia, steampunk, post-apocalyptic
Source: blog tour

Rebellion is contagious

Bethany Griffin continues the journey of Araby Worth in Dance of the Red Death—the sequel to her teen novel Masque of the Red Death.

In Dance of the Red Death, Araby’s world is in shambles—betrayal, death, disease, and evil forces surround her. She has no one to trust. But she finds herself and discovers that she will fight for the people she loves, and for her city.

Her revenge will take place at the menacing masked ball, though it could destroy her and everyone she loves…or it could turn her into a hero.

With a nod to Edgar Allan Poe, Bethany Griffin concludes her tragic and mysterious Red Death series with a heroine that young adult readers will never forget.

Bethany Griffin
Bethany Griffin is a high school English teacher who prides herself on attracting creative misfits to elective classes like Young Adult Literature, Creative Writing, and Speculative Literature. She is the author of Handcuffs & MASQUE OF THE RED DEATH (April 2012). She lives with her family in Kentucky.

Brooklyn Skye: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Buy Dance of the Red Death: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

If you've been around me long enough, you'd know how much I raved over Masque of the Red Death in my review (which you can pop over an read right now; it'd totally make my day). Once you know how absolutely obsessed with Bethany Griffin's works, you can begin to see how ecstatic I am to be part of this blog tour. Today, I share with you, my readers, not one, not two, but three little snippets from Dance of the Red Death!

Excerpt 1

My father is a murderer. My brother is dead, and my best friend is dying of the disease that my father may have created. It's a refrain that's repeated over and over in my mind, through feverish dreams, and even now. And yet . . . my father is the gentlest man I know. He saved us from the contagion. I put my hand to the porcelain mask covering my face--my father's greatest invention.

Excerpt 2

Will's voice is soft. "Lie on your stomach, sweetheart. I want to get a good look at the stitches."

The throwaway endearment takes me back to the Debauchery Club. A simpler time when I didn't know dark secrets and wasn't trying to help save the world. But it doesn't wipe away his betrayal. He touches my good shoulder to try to help me, and I brush him off.

Elliott sits up, scooting down to the foot of the bed. He doesn't even try to hide his smirk from Will.

Excerpt 3

Elliott reappears in the doorway alone.

"I'd like to give you a reason to live." He tosses something to me, and I catch it without thinking. And then he's gone again, and I'm holding a diamond ring in my fist.
Br /> Is this some sort of diversion? Is he trying too keep me from my overwhelming guilt? Was he afraid for my sanity? Or was it more?

Giveaway
Grand Prize - Poe Nail Decals, Masque of The Red Death inspired bracelet, Hardcover of Masque of the Red Death, bracelet, and a bookmark!

3 - Hardcover of Masque of the Red Death, bracelet, and a bookmark!

US/CAN only
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow the rest of the tour here!

Dance of the Red Death Blog Tour Schedule

6/3/2012 - Fiktshun - Guest Post

6/4/2012 - Two Chicks On Books - Guest Post

6/5/2012 - Katie's Book Blog - Interview

6/6/2012 - The Starry-Eyed Revue - Review

6/7/2012 - Burning Impossibly Bright - Character Interview

6/10/2012 - Coffee, Books and Me - Guest Post

6/11/2012 - Shelfspace Needed - Review

6/12/2012 - Shortie Says - Character Interview

6/13/2012 - Lust For Stories - Excerpt

6/14/2012 - The Bookish Brunette - Review

Have fun following the rest of the tour!

Book Blitz/Excerpt/Giveaway: PODs by Michelle K. Pickett

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: PODs
Author: Michelle K. Pickett
Expected Publication Date: June 4, 2013

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure

Michelle K. Pickett
I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order. I write young adult urban fantasies, science/fiction and paranormal romances and have recently started dabbling in young adult contemporary romance. Reading was one of my earliest passions, writing soon followed. I began writing seriously during college where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a career that frowns on creativity remains a mystery.

I’m addicted to Reese’s peanut butter cups and eat way too many while I write, have an abnormal obsession with hoodies and can’t write without one, and I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows on television. An unabashed romantic, I love a swoon-worthy ending that will give me butterflies for days.

I wrote my debut young adult novel, PODs, in 2011. PODs, a science/fiction, post-apocalyptic romance, will be released June 4, 2013 through the amazing Spencer Hill Press. My second young adult title, Milayna, a paranormal romance, will release through Spencer Hill Press beginning in March 2014. Milayna is a standalone, with series potential. It’s meant to be a trilogy. The Infected, a PODs novel, will release November 2014. It is the second, and last, book in the PODs series.

I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan. I now reside in a small community outside Houston, Texas with my incredibly supportive, not to mention gorgeous, husband, three amazing school-aged children, a 125-pound lap dog, and a snooty cat.

Keep up-to-date with my current, future projects, appearances, and fun giveaways at www.michelle-pickett.com.

Excerpt from PODs

The bus ride to the quarantine facility took more than ten hours. I was shoved against the window by my seatmate who slept almost the entire trip. He was a big guy, taking up most of the seat, and when he slept his body lolled to the side, wedging me against the metal side of the bus.

As we traveled, the air turned hot and dry, different than the humid, sticky climate of my coastal Texas hometown. The old school bus didn’t have air conditioning and the small windows didn’t let much air in. My seatmate’s body heat didn’t help. I was hot, thirsty, and had to pee in the worst way.

Wondering how much longer I’d be drooled on by the guy next to me, I strained my face against the window, looking for anything on the flat landscape.

That’s when I saw them.

I don’t know why I was surprised. I should’ve expected it after what had happened at the high school, but I hadn’t. It was worse than at the school—rioters everywhere. They waved anti-raffle signs and signs cursing the “Chosen.”

The land around the quarantine area was flat, dry, and dusty. The people lining the road sat under makeshift tents to keep out of the sun. Some stood on top of their RVs waving their handmade signs; one burned an American flag.

I watched women holding their small children toward the bus, begging with tear-stained faces for us to take them. I wanted to reach out and snatch them out of their mothers’ hands as we drove past. Several of the other people on the bus reached up and pushed their windows shut.

The National Guard at the quarantine site didn’t allow people to get close enough to touch the bus. They were shot with rubber bullets or Tasered if they tried to cross the police line. Every time I heard the shot of the riot guns I jumped. My muscles ached from tensing them—waiting for the inevitable sound.

“Why are you crying?” A boy sitting in front of me looked at me like I’d grown another head. “They’d probably kill you and steal your place in the PODs if given the chance.”

I shook my head, remembering what my dad had told me. “They’re just scared,” I said. After all, they were, essentially, the walking dead.

The rioters screamed and cursed us. They threw rocks and eggs as we drove by. An egg hit the window next to me, the slimy insides plopping against my head, matting my hair.

“Gross,” the boy sitting next to me said.

I just looked at him and rolled my eyes.

Yeah, the egg is gross. And the drool coming out of your mouth and dripping on my leg while you slept, leaning on me, was glorious.

The bus stopped in a fenced area like the one at the high school. The crowd screamed and banged the fence posts with their crude, homemade picket signs. Some climbed on the fence, pulling at it like chimpanzees at the zoo.

“Stay seated until your name is called,” a soldier yelled. “When you are called, grab your belongings and wait to be escorted into the building.”

Oh please, call this guy’s name. He needs to move before I shove him off the seat. I’m tired of being pinned against the side of the bus. I need some room.

Thankfully, my name was called soon after we stopped. I stood, stretched the kinks out of my muscles, and plowed through the massive body blocking me. Clambering over the other luggage that filled the aisle, I grabbed my two suitcases and stood in front of the bus.

The one-story brick building was large but had no windows, only a single green door. I couldn’t see the other sides, but I had a feeling there’d be no windows there, either—no glass for rioters to break through.

The soldier walked up from behind me, tapping my suitcase with his clipboard. “Follow me.”

I shuffled into the brick building, guided by the same guardsman who’d ripped me away from my parents hours earlier…

“I love you,” my mom said through her tears, her voice thick and trembling.

“I want to stay with you,” I pleaded.

“Come here, kiddo.” My dad, his face distorted with grief, folded me in a tight hug. He kissed the top of my head and told me he loved me and how proud he was of me. “I know, when this is over, you are going to do great things, Eva. you’re a fighter. I love you so much.”

A rough hand grabbed my arm, pulling me away from my dad. “Get on the bus,” the male voice ordered, yelling to be heard over the crying of parents and children saying their final goodbyes.

“I’m not done saying goodbye…” He didn’t let go, pulling me with him. My heels digging into the dirt, I tried to pull away. I needed one more hug, to hear them tell me they loved me and to tell them I loved them, too.

“MOM!” I screamed. “DAD!” Tears stained my face. The man thrust me toward the steps of the old, yellow school bus. I screamed one more time for my parents, telling them I loved them, reaching my arms out to them.

I could see my mom’s body rock with the force of her cries. Tears ran down my father’s face. “We love you, Evangelina,” I heard them call just before the bus door closed.

It was the last thing I’d hear my parents say. It was the last image I’d have of them. I pressed my hand to the window of the bus, my head bowed as I sobbed. I didn’t try to hide my tears. Everyone on the bus was crying for their families. We knew what awaited them.

Death.

I shook my head, trying to erase the horrible memory. I wanted to remember the good things about them, not saying goodbye.

Goodbyes are hard, but this one had been different. This wasn’t a goodbye, I’ll see you in a month. It was a permanent goodbye. I’d never see my parents again. The overwhelming sadness took over, like a black hole sucking me in. Fat, salty tears ran down my face, and I could feel my nose running. I wiped my arm across it. My eyes were swollen, my throat sore, and my chest tight.

I was alone. My parents were gone. No brothers or sisters. Just me—an orphan of the virus.

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Cover Reveal: Disassemble & Disrupt by Imran Siddiq

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 07 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Disconnect
Author: Imran Siddiq
Publication Date: February 22, 2013

In space, love has boundaries.

Dirtying fingernails in sewers is fast approaching worthlessness for Zachary, a 16-year old Underworld scavenger. When footage of an Overworld girl, Rosa, is discovered, his intrigue heightens at why she expresses sadness with a lavish lifestyle.

In meeting Rosa, Zachary is scorned by her opinion of the deprived. She pities him and provides a means for them to communicate. With time, friendship and something he’s never felt grows; love for another human. Knowing Rosa calls him when it suits her isn’t enough; he wants to meet her, but how? Relationships in Underworld are few, let alone the impossibility with those above the ceiling.

Underworld will suffer when plans to conquer Jupiter’s moon, Europa move ahead. Worse is Rosa’s father, a disgraced Overworld ambassador, approving the plan.

Zachary must defeat the prejudice of the worlds, sneak within opposing forces, lose friends and challenge Rosa’s sadness. In doing so, a twisted secret is uncovered that may devour the reason he lives; Rosa.

Title: Disassemble
Author: Imran Siddiq
Expected Publication Date: July, 2013

Connections will be torn.

Zachary is a scavenger, and he’ll do anything to survive. With Rosa by his side, nothing will break him.

After the Galilei Research Base is plunged into darkness, an unexpected threat emerges.

Where Zachary was the hero before, he will become the enemy.

It’s not just about surviving anymore. It’s about saving everyone before they destroy one another, especially Rosa.

Title: Disrupt
Author: Imran Siddiq
Expected Publication Date: July, 2013

Divisions must be shattered

Everything that Zachary lived for has changed. There are no rewards to come from scavenging. Just memories. But even they are not enough to remove thoughts of a worthless life.

In the midst of death, a purpose to live appears.

It wills Zachary to break the divide that has destroyed many.

This fight will be on his terms.

Today we've got something a little bit special . . . a double cover reveal! I have the honour of sharing with my readers the covers of book two and three of the Divided Worlds Trilogy, Disassemble and Disrupt! Read on to check out the covers!

Imran Siddiq
Imran Siddiq is a Law Graduate employed as a Senior Manager in the NHS. After an operation to remove a brain tumour, he decided to make his dreams real. Now, he sacrifices time to write and serve his two cats.

He’s a veteran of writing festivals, a constant on Twitter, and gobbles up all forms of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. Living in Leicester, he is passionate about creating images in digital art.

Young Adult Science Fiction is his preferred genre, and he will throw a droid into every novel – literally throw.

Find Imran Siddiq: Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Cool, eh? The three covers are so matchy-matchy!

What do you think of this cover? Leave your answer below in the comments!

Blog Tour/Review/Giveaway: Reconnaissance by Aubrie Dionne

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 07:05:00 +0000

Title: Reconnaissance
Author: Aubrie Dionne
Series: Paradise Reclaimed #2
Release Date: April 5, 2013
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
ISBN13: 9781939590060
Format: Paperback, 262 pages
Genre: YA, dystopia, sci-fi
Source: blog tour

Nova Williams has lost her one shot at Lieutenant hood and at love. Lieutenant Crophaven has promoted her rival, Andromeda, all because her lifemate, Sirius, sacrificed their mission to win back Andromeda’s love.

While sneaking out to prove Andromeda is a fake, Nova finds an alien ship hovering over their colony. Lieutenant Crophaven assigns her to a reconnaissance mission, giving her a second chance to redeem herself. Sirius must fly her and a research team to the vessel to decide if they are a threat. Thrown together with the lifemate that betrayed her, she battles with her own jealousy while her team battles for their lives.

Can she forgive Sirius in order to save her team and warn her colony?

Aubrie Dionne
Aubrie Dionne writes science fiction fantasy with romantic elements. Her writings have appeared in Mindflights, Niteblade, Silver Blade, Emerald Tales, Hazard Cat, Moon Drenched Fables, A Fly in Amber, and Aurora Wolf. Her books are published by Inkspell Publishing, Entangled Publishing, Lyrical Press, and Gypsy Shadow Publishing. She’s also a professional flutist in New England.

Find Aubrie Dionne: Website | Blog | Goodreads | Twitter

Buy Reconnaissance: Inkspell Publishing

Firstly, before we get started on anything is a huge apology from me to you. You as in my readers, those participating in the blog tour, the author, and many more people. I was actually supposed to post this for June 4th, but somehow it just skipped my mind so I only found that I had missed my post date when I got home from school. Again, I'm very sorry for failing to do my task, and hope that I would not only receive your forgiveness but also to not have something like this happen again.

Read my full review here
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Have fun following the rest of the tour!

Review: Reconnaissance by Aubrie Dionne

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Nova Williams has lost her one shot at Lieutenant hood and at love. Lieutenant Crophaven has promoted her rival, Andromeda, all because her lifemate, Sirius, sacrificed their mission to win back Andromeda’s love.

While sneaking out to prove Andromeda is a fake, Nova finds an alien ship hovering over their colony. Lieutenant Crophaven assigns her to a reconnaissance mission, giving her a second chance to redeem herself. Sirius must fly her and a research team to the vessel to decide if they are a threat. Thrown together with the lifemate that betrayed her, she battles with her own jealousy while her team battles for their lives.

Can she forgive Sirius in order to save her team and warn her colony?

Reconnaissance easily picks up from where the previous book, Colonization left off. Nova's at the bottom of the pit of dispair. Her goal, which she had worked towards in every moment of her life, plus the affection of her lifemate were both taken away by a girl she absolutely couldn't stand. When an alien ship that doesn't seem too friendly with her planet arrives, she has to not only tolerate her lifemate, but also somehow work out how to save her people.

In the beginning, I was very comfortable with how the story was put together. It was very well laid out, so even if I didn't read the first book, I'd have no problem with the second. The characters and general background information was pretty self-explanatory, or at the very least not too difficult to figure out later on in the story. As well, I could see exactly what kind of person Nova was just by reading the first couple of pages, and piece together some other characters' personalities.

The first thing I noticed about the characters were their galactic names. Nova, Solar, Sirius, Andromeda. While not all characters were named after stars and the such, it was still interesting to see how those names reflected upon the setting, and even the culture of those living on Paradise 21. Nova, while sounding quite different than Andromeda in the first book, I felt could've had her bitterness and grudging attitude toned down a bit. I looked forward to her character development, but somewhere in the middle of the book she became all nice to Sirius, without really any build-up to that change in her character. To describe it frankly, it was . . . sudden. Another thing I was a little miffed about was her immediately condemning Andromeda in her mind without much to back herself up with. In the end, I didn't mind Nova as a protagonist, but felt like there were still some things to be improved upon.

Final verdict? Enjoyable, but somehow not very risky. I feel like the novel could've used a bit more of a plunge into the unknown, a little less formula. Frankly speaking, it was too easy to read. Nothing to wrench my heart out or make my mind go haywire. But either way, Aubrie Dionne is a wonderful writer whom I'd like to see progress in the future.

Read the tour post and enter a giveaway here!

Guest Post: Bad Blood by Nicky Peacock

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 02 Jun 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Bad Blood
Author: Nicky Peacock
Publication Date: May 10, 2013

“I am Britannia. I am your protector. I will fend off the hungry hordes of undead hands that reach toward you. I am your steadfast defender. I will stand between you and the zombie masses as they try to taste your flesh. I am strong, unyielding, and dedicated to your survival. All I ask from you… is your blood.”

A five-hundred-year-old bloody game of vengeance will need to be put on hold if vampires are to survive the zombie uprising. Britannia and Nicholas, bitter enemies and the only two surviving vampires left in London,have to work together to save un-infected humans and deliver them safely to a vampire stronghold in the Scottish Highlands. Unable to drink the zombie"bad blood," the remaining vampires need the humans to stay alive.But will the vampires tell the survivors who they are and what they want from them? Will Britannia be able to hold back her vengeance for the greater good?Is survivor Josh the reincarnation of Britannia's murdered true love? And can she bring herself to deliver him to the "safe" hold?

Survival instincts run deep, but bad blood can run deeper.

Nicky Peacock
Nicky is an English author living in the UK. She writes both YA and adult horror and paranormal Romance. In her spare time she runs a local writers’ group and can be found online through the links below.

Today I'm very glad to be presenting to my readers a guest post about the leading lady of Bad Blood from our lovely author, Nicky Peacock!

Rule Britannia – examining the main character of Bad Blood

Bad Blood is a vampires VS zombies horror set in England. Told first person from a vampire’s point of view, I knew as the writer, I needed a certain type of character who could tell the story, engage with the reader, and survive the zombie hordes as they drag their rotten asses through the burning streets of London.

Britannia is over 4 hundred years old and was born Brianna. Daughter of a wealthy merchant she lived like a princess and was set to marry the love of her life… when Nicholas the vampire saw her. He kidnapped her, made her a vampire against her will, murdered her fiancé then kept her captive for 20 years in a crazy attempt to woe her. When she was finally free she swore a vendetta on Nicholas and evolved from spoilt little Brianna to the blood guzzling, ass-kicking, England protecting, Britannia.

Her lost love was a soldier in his majesty’s service so Britannia declared herself a secret protector of the realm, fighting in every war and falling ever deeper in love with the memory of her dead solider. That love is reinforced on an almost nightly basis with her day dreams. She might be lying in wait on the roof of a West End Theatre to kill Nicholas’ newest vampire, but be imagining herself inside with her fiancé, enjoying a show. The mirror of a violent vampire dreaming she’s a bored housewife is held up throughout the book and is both an endearing and dangerous quality for a character to have.

She’s spent centuries learning to fight, to use her strengths and weakness as assets. Her favorite book is the Art of War and she prides herself on winning every battle. She’s competitive, stubborn and amazingly loyal – but all that comes with a price. She still needs to drink human blood to survive and when she does, she considers it the natural order – she certainly isn’t the guilty type. The vampires in Bad Blood have no glamour abilities. They cannot read people’s minds and they certainly cannot make a bite in the neck painless. Usually when they feed they kill, but now zombies are fighting with them to be top of the food chain, they’re on a more ‘little and often’ diet and have to change their behavior to survive.

Bad Blood is fast paced and both humans and vampires get a lot of horrific problems thrown at them – I had to make sure Britannia was equipped to deal with these problems, to cut them up with her trusty scythes, and shoot them right back to where they came from.

So why not order a copy of Bad Blood today and let Britannia take you by the hand and give you a tour of the zombie-ridden streets of London and beyond. Don’t worry about the undead clawing to touch your pretty flesh, she’ll protect you. There’s only one thing that she asks in return…your blood.

Your thoughts on the guest post? How badly do you want to pick up Bad Blood now?

Blog Tour/Interview/Giveaway: 'Til Death Do Us Part by T. Michelle Nelson

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 28 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: 'Til Death Do Us Part
Author: T. Michelle Nelson
Series: Lily Drake #2
Release Date: April 24, 2013
Publisher: Inkspell Publishing
ISBN13: 9781939590046
Format: Paperback, 200 pages
Genre: Adult, paranormal, urban fantasy, romance
Source: blog tour

With a doting husband and a new job training a vampire military, Lily Drake was living up to the prophecies of being the best. Her life was seemingly perfect, until tragedy strikes bringing her a loss she's not sure she can endure.

The hard-working super mom / vampire slayer, Lily Drake, has just learned problems still exist even after you become immortal.

As everyone knows, even if you find your soul mate, you don't always get a happily-ever-after. Lily may have found temporary happiness being a newlywed, but the honeymoon is over. When she finds her husband going out for late night bites with another woman, Lily has to fight to try and regain what she wants most, love and a happy family.

If Lily thought being a single mom was hard, she’ll find being married can be a bloody mess.

T. Michelle Nelson
T. Michelle Nelson is a native of Benton, Kentucky and a graduate of Murray State University holding a degree in Education. Currently she resides in picturesque Mount Vernon, Ohio, which is also the setting of her Lily Drake series. The first book in the series, Life and Death of Lily Drake, is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Kobo, and your other favorite online bookstores in paperback as well as e-reader formats. The second book, 'Til Death Do Us Part, is being released by Inkspell Publishing in April of 2013 and currently, T. is working hard to finish her third book.

When she isn’t writing, you can usually find her singing out of key while playing Rock Band with her husband and son, watching B-Horror movies or wrestling with her two ill-behaved fur babies, Buddy Perro and Bunchie.

Interview

1) When was the moment when you decided that writing would be your gig for life?

I’m still not sure I’ve decided that. I love to write, and I probably always will, but there are so many things I want to try. I know that the Lily Drake series probably won’t be my last, and there are still several novels left that I’d like to write about Lily. So now that I think of it, I guess it is a lifetime gig, because it will take at least that long to write everything that I have in my head! To answer your question . . . this moment, right now.

2) Do you like to plan your story out or write by the seat of your pants?

I’m a total pantser. I’ll be lying in bed and an idea will come to me, and I’ll jot it down, but then when I start writing, things always take a different turn.

3) What inspired the Lily Drake series?

I love the whole vampire genre, but I felt there was a need for a heroine that was more relatable to people like me. Not a peppy eighteen year old, but a mother with responsibilities, a job, a mortgage and a little bitterness. Lily isn’t your typical main character. She has quirks and flaws.

4) Are there bits and pieces of Lily's character that you could totally relate to, or other parts that are your polar opposites?

I totally relate to Lily. In every situation I still the poor girl in, she reacts in the exact way I would. It’s not always the best way, or the most rational one, which I think makes it sometimes funny and more realistic.

5) Was there a particular message you wanted to impart from the Lily Drake series to readers?

Actually yes. In so many romance novels, the female main character waits around for the hero to come save her. Lily, of course, is human in the first book and our male heroes are vampires who have the abilities to fight and extra strength, yet Lily doesn’t wait around for a man to come to her rescue. She’s tough on her own, and I wanted to write about a woman who was inspiring in that right.

6) Can you tell us a bit about your next project, or is it top secret? (Plays ominous music in the background)

Well, it’s no secret I’m working on Book Three of the Lily series. I will give you a bit of an inside peek though! Part of the book will be taking place in Western Kentucky. Lily is on the run with Keaton and has found refuge in a small town. The entire book won’t be set in Kentucky, however. Lily will be forced to return to New Orleans and take care of some unfinished business.

7) What are you reading right now?

Actually, I hardly have time to read, but currently I’m rereading Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Within the next few years I’m hoping to travel to Scotland and this book really began my fascination with that area.

8) What are some of your biggest bookish influences?

This will probably make no sense, but Edith Wharton and Margaret Mitchell are my two favorites… ever. I love the sense of vulnerability Wharton wrote into her main characters, yet didn’t portray them as weak. And Scarlett O’Hara? Come on, best character ever. I literally laughed throughout that entire book at her antics. I’d never read about a protagonist who had such flaws as Scarlett, but still made you root for her on every page.

9) What are three things that one may not necessarily know about you? (Could be as mundane or as crazy as possible.)

1. I sleep every night with Vicks Vaporub under my nose. It’s an addiction.
2. I’ve been a vegetarian for almost 27 years.
3. I never listen to Motley Crue on the radio in my car. I’ve had three accidents, all to Motley Crue songs.

10) What advice would you give to a budding writer?

Don’t give up. You most likely will get criticism, bad reviews and rejections. Assume it is because your work isn’t for everyone (or it helps me to think that some people are just plain stupid). Write because you love it and throw yourself into your story. It will show, and it will be worth writing.

11) Oh, no! A fire in your house! What are the three things you'd immediately grab? (Kids, don't do this at home. Follow the stop, drop and roll rule.)

Besides my family (which includes my dogs) . . . 1. My plastic fish my dad bought me for my first Christmas.
2. My purse, because my life is in it, including a flash drive with all my work.
3. My makeup bag. No one needs to see what I look like when I chisel this stuff off.

And because Ms. Nelson is so awesome for saying my interview is fun, she gets all my fangirly feels. *hands all fangirly feels over*

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour info right over here!
Have fun following the rest of the tour!

Cover Reveal/Giveaway: Love Like Fireworks by Lauren Melinda

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 18 May 2013 07:00:00 +0000

Title: Love Like Fireworks
Author: Lauren Melinda
Expected Publication Date: June, 2013

Kendall Hartley first kissed Logan Jordan when she was eighteen. As an up-and-coming player at her father’s tennis academy, his explosive talent on court and sexy blue eyes were like fireworks to her soul. But when their love for each other met its first test, it crashed and burned. Devastated, Kendall fled to college, vowing to forget the boy who once set her heart ablaze.

Four years later, Kendall returns home to find her father’s academy in the process of foreclosure. Unless he can find a way to pay off his debts, he will lose everything he’s worked for. Kendall would do anything to save her father’s dream – even if it means breaking her promise and seeing Logan again. For Logan is now an international tennis icon – and the only person with enough starpower to raise funds for the academy.

But Logan is no longer the boy Kendall fell in love with. He’s hot, he’s arrogant and he’s used to getting what he wants. And when Kendall walks back into his life, it’s clear he wants one thing.

He wants Kendall.

And he’ll do anything to reclaim her.

I don't read a lot of adult romances, but hey, don't knock it before you try it! I'll be keeping an eye out for this . . .

Lauren Melinda
Lauren Melinda lives in sunny California with her boyfriend. She loves romantic plots, scorching sexual tension, gorgeous first kisses and smexy love interests.

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Hmm . . . Defintely not YA, which is what I usually read. What do you think of this cover? Leave your answer below in the comments!

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