Where I share my love of books with reviews, features, giveaways and memes. Family and needlepoint are thrown in from time to time.

Wednesday, July 31, 2013

Summer Giveaway Hop 2013!

Welcome to the Summer Giveaway Hop 2013 - hosted my Mary at Bookhounds and Kathy at I am a Reader, Not a Writer.


I am going to be giving away a surprise box of at least 4 books but probably more.  I will put as many in the box as I can.  Some will be arcs, some will be duplicates that I have picked up over the years.   So good luck!

Sorry folks - but I have two kids starting college this month, so this giveaway is for U.S. only.  It will end at midnight on Aug 7th.  Be sure and enter all the other giveaways as well!



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Book Blitz: Summer Love by Marysue G. Hobika (with giveaways!)


Summer Love by Marysue G. Hobika touring July 27th to August 4th through Xpresso Book Tours.  Be sure to check out the giveaways at the bottom of the post.


Summer Love
(Senior Year, Book 1)
by Marysue G. Hobika
Publication Date: June 2013
NA Contemporary

Carly and her best friend Becca are ready to drop a nuclear bomb on summer. It’s the last one before reality sets in and they’re off on their own. Carly is ready to break the mold and stop being known as a goody-two-shoes. In order to get the ball rolling, she agrees to a double date with Gavin – her good-looking, yet moody, lab partner.

Gavin doesn’t have summer plans except to work at his two jobs and hang out in his room drawing. He likes to keep to himself, but lets his brother Nate talk him into going on a double date. Carly isn’t like the rest of the girls at school that drive him crazy. She doesn’t ask a lot of questions and seems to know when to give him the space he craves. Gavin always thought that she was beautiful, but he believes that relationships and love are a lost cause.

Will their date prove that summer love is right around the corner or will it be a dead end?

This book is intended for audiences 17+.

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Purchase Links





Please enjoy this excerpt from Summer Love:
The band played and I held my breath, waiting to hear Carly’s voice. I thought maybe she’d lost her nerve. I was ready to rush in and rescue her, even if she didn’t want me to, when, like magic, she began to sing. The notes that came out of her mouth were full and sensuous, changing the band’s sound completely. It was harmonious, free flowing, and full.

I’d heard the band last summer, and even though they were good, something had always been missing. That something was Carly. Her voice fit and molded perfectly with Nate’s, and I felt another tinge of jealousy. Their sound filtered through the cracks and walls of the garage and into the night air. For a second, I forgot how to breathe. I found myself slinking back into the garage as the song came to an end. I felt empty and lost when she hit the last note, and every cell in my body craved more. I’d been wrong. So very wrong.

Everyone in the garage was silent, as if the music had cast a spell on them. All of a sudden, led by Ed, claps and cheers echoed. Carly looked elated until her gaze landed on me. I read in her eyes that she thought I was a jerk for not believing in her, and I couldn’t blame her. I was a jerk.

“Damn!” shouted Ed. “That gave me goose bumps.” He hugged himself, rubbing his hands over his arms.

“I told you Carly could sing,” Becca said, directing her words toward Nate.


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Cover Reveal: Tone Deaf by Olivia Rivers


Tone Deaf
by Olivia Rivers
(Cover designed by Olivia Rivers)
Publication Date: Nov 4, 2013
NA Romance

His world is music…

…Her world is silent.

Ali Blinde was a prodigy destined to become one of the greatest musicians of the 21st century.

Until the brain tumor struck.

Now seventeen, Ali lives in a soundless world where she gets by with ASL and lip-reading. So when she meets Jace Beckett, she thinks he’s her worst nightmare come true. Jace is the lead singer in the wildly-popular band, Tone Deaf, and he’s exactly the kind of success-story Ali hates and resents. 

Nineteen-year-old Jace has it all: fame, money, and any girl he wants. Every night on tour brings a new performance and a new girl, which is just what he needs to avoid the pain of relationships. 

But when Jace learns Ali is being abused, he reluctantly proposes a solution: Run away with him and his band as they tour the country. With freedom in sight, Ali takes the offer. Immediately, she’s swept into a world filled with wild punk music, wilder musicians, and maybe—just maybe—love. 

About the author: Olivia Rivers is the author of six novels, ranging in genres from Epic Fantasy to Contemporary Romance. Along with being a writer, she’s a freelance digital artist, a literary agent assistant, and a high school student.  She’s a nerd at heart, and is a hopeless fan-girl for Doctor Who and Arrested Development. Olivia lives in California with a dog who thinks he’s a cat, a cat who thinks he’s a dog, and a kitten who is just generally confused.

Author links:



Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Cover Reveal: Fearless by Eve Carter


Fearless
(Book Two of Jesse)
by Eve Carter
Publication Date: Aug 28, 2013
New Adult Contemporary
Cover designed by Primrose Book Design

I am strong, because I’ve been weak. I’m fearless, because I’ve been afraid. I’m wise, because I’ve been foolish.

Life is looking up for Jesse. With expert help from Chase, his injuries are healing and he makes preparations to enter the Pro motocross circuit again. A decision that could force Niki to make a difficult choice.

Kenny starts chemotherapy treatments but his bar, Rookies, is hurting from the lack of attention and lack of customers. As Jesse and Niki work to find a way to keep the bar from going under, life throws other obstacles in their way. From a manipulative dad and flirtatious step mom, to news from home about Jesse’s mother, that lands them in New York state in search of answers from the past. Dark secrets that were never meant to be revealed.

Add to Goodreads 


About the author:  am a true romantic at heart and with a modern contemporary erotic twist to my romance novels, you had better fasten your seat belt, as the ride is always fun, exciting and fiery.

Living in Southern California, but a mid-westerner at heart, I find plenty of inspiration for my books in my own exciting life. I have always loved the arts and as a young girl, I took dance classes and spent the summers reading books from the local library. Fascinated with the written word and its power to guide the imagination, I started writing short stories and later took Creative Writing classes in college. I graduated from The University of Iowa with a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Higher Education. I also have a Teaching Credential from Chapman University in Southern California.

Author links:
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter



Monday, July 29, 2013

Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe by Jenny Colgan - Giveaway!

The Meet Me at the Cupcake Café Sugary Sweet Spotlight!

It is no wonder that the flirty and frothy food-themed novel, Meet Me at the Cupcake Café by Jenny Colgan is an international success: with relatable characters and scrumptious recipes at the start of each chapter, Meet Me at the Cupcake Café is pure delight to women’s fiction readers everywhere. This summer, Colgan is bringing her hilarious and heartfelt stories—with a dash of deliciousness—to the United States! To celebrate, Sourcebooks is giving away copies of this book ALL MONTH LONG!


Each day this month, look for opportunities to win a print copy of Meet Me at the Cupcake Café with bloggers all over the book blogging community. Additionally, there will be a few guest blogs and interviews with Jenny sprinkled throughout—a great way to get to know a new author! 



Meet Me at the Cupcake Cafe
by Jenny Colgan

Baking is in Issy Randall’s blood. Growing up above her grandfather’s bakery taught Issy that a delicious pastry could make any day better. So when she’s laid off from her desk job—by the man she thought was her boyfriend, no less—Issy knows now is the time to start her own little café.

Armed with her grandfather’s tried and true recipes, as well as her own new dishes, Issy’s new dream job should be a piece-of-cake, right? But managing a café, delivering products on time and trying to have a new love life aren’t exactly going as Issy planned. And when her ex comes back into the picture, perhaps with his own motives, Issy’s search for the perfect pastry and a groundbreaking idea to save her café are much more than she bargained for… 


ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jenny Colgan was a fussy eater as a child and didn’t even begin to learn to cook until she was 21, when her then boyfriend tried to teach her a few basics purely out of exasperation. While she is now able to make a variety of good, wholesome food for her family, she still can’t make scones. A former columnist for The Guardian, Jenny contributes regularly to national BBC radio and is the bestselling author of more than eleven novels, including The Loveliest Chocolate Shop in Paris (coming out in the US in early 2014). She is married with three children and lives in London and France. For more information, please visit http://www.jennycolgan.com/ and follow her on Twitter, @JennyColgan.





Follow along all month long for a chance to win a copy of this highly-anticipated and deliciously delightful new novel!

7/1         Book Girl of Mur-y-Castell
7/2         Celtic Lady’s Reviews
7/3         Books-N-Kisses
7/3         Chick Lit Central INTERVIEW
7/4         A Bookworm's World
7/5         Delighted Reader
Weekend            
7/8         Beth Fish Reads
7/9         Booking Mama
7/9         The Bookish Dame INTERVIEW
7/10       The Book Binge
7/11       Simply Ali
7/12       Debbie's Book Bag
Weekend            
7/15       The Bookish Babe
7/16       The Reading Café
7/17       Book Hounds
7/17       Cocktails and Books INTERVIEW
7/18       Peeking Between the Pages
7/18       Fresh Fiction GUEST BLOG
7/19       Jenny Loves to Read
Weekend            
7/22       Anna's Book Blog
7/23       Ramblings from This Chick
7/24       Books and Quilts
7/24       A Bookish Affair
7/25       Broken TeePee
7/26       Thoughts in Progress
Weekend            
7/29       Books and Needlepoint
7/30       The Reading Reviewer
7/31       Reading Between the Wines

BONUS GIVEAWAYS IN AUGUST!!!
8/1         Book of Secrets
8/2         Luxury Reading
Weekend            
8/5         Radiant Light
8/6         Ruby’s Reads
8/7         Caffeinated Book Review
8/8         The Romance Dish
8/9         My Book Addiction and More 


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Sunday, July 28, 2013

Spotlight: End of the World Playlist by Dan O'Brien (Giveaway)



Welcome to the fourth day of the The End of the World Playlist blog tour. It will run until August 1st and will feature excerpts and new author interviews each day. But first, here is the obligatory blurb about the novel to settle you into this dystopian world:

The world as we knew it had ended. Deep in the mountains of the west coast, six men survived. In the town of River’s Bend, these six friends continued on with their lives as zombies inherited the Earth. As they navigated the world that had been left behind, the soundtrack of life played on.



A few questions for the author:


How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are? 

I feel much older than I appear. Though I am very active and have youthful features, I often feel as though I am at the end of my life as opposed to in my early thirties. My wife finds the whole idea quite silly.


Which is worse, failing or never trying? 

Definitely never trying. You won’t know what you are made of without going as far as you can and pushing your limits beyond everything you have ever known. Failure is simply a learning experience.


If life is so short, why do we do so many things we don’t like and like so many things we don’t do? 

I imagine it is because it is simpler to do those things that we are more comfortable with, even if we don’t like them, then taking the chance and failing at something we love.




Here be an excerpt for your enjoyment:


Track 4
Three Little Birds


Dan reclined on his bed, arms behind his head. He was already dressed, and the sun had barely risen. His room was barren except for a mattress: no box spring, no frame. There was simply a mattress on the ground. His weapons were stacked neatly against the wall with their respective rounds laid out before them. 

On the floor sat a single photograph of a woman, of his wife. She was beautiful with a fair complexion and wide brown eyes. His blue eyes watched the ceiling, his mind calm. 

Blam.

Blam. 

The sound of gunfire filled his senses. He was up from his mattress in one quick movement. Grabbing the automatic rifle, it hit against his shoulder. He looked down the sight with a grim fix of his lips. Moving into the hallway, he peered around at the other doors. They opened slowly, sleepy faces looking back at him. 

Blam. 

Blam. 

The gunfire erupted again. 

Dan moved down the hallway with the practiced ease of someone who is well versed in the hunt. He could hear Kenny’s voice from his room. “You motherfucker! Fucking fuck motherfucker, fuck. I’m gonna fucking…”

Dan kicked the door to Kenny’s room open with a quick motion. Kenny stood, wearing only his boxers––Simpsons’ boxers with Duff written in yellow letters all across it. 

There was blood all over his bed. And a severed zombie head. In addition, a plethora of bullet holes riddled the child-sized bed in which he chose to sleep. And let us not forget the two stiff, severed zombie arms that were laid very near where Kenny would have been sleeping. 

“What the fuck is this?” demanded Dan.

Kenny looked up. “I woke up with this motherfucker in my bed. I shot it, shot fucking holes in my bed.”

Dan lowered the rifle and looked at Kenny inquisitively. “Why would there be a deadhead in your bed?”

“That rhymed.” Will stood just outside the door with a big smile painted across his face from ear to ear. 

Kenny looked at him. Rage covered his face. Pointing a heavy finger, he started forward. “You think this is funny? You did this, didn’t you? You little shit.”

Dan interceded, flashing Kenny a cold look. Turning to Will, he addressed the prankster. “Did you do this?”

Will shrugged. “Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe, fuck him for giving me shit.”

Kenny lunged forward again, but Dan pushed him back. “What the fuck is wrong with you two?”

“Gotta pass the time somehow,” reasoned Will. 

Dan shook his head and moved past Will, bumping him slightly. Pointing a thumb at Dan, he continued. “What’s his deal?”

Kenny moved in close, towering over Will, and pointed an accusing finger at him. “You fucking owe me sheets, man.”

Will made a funny face at him. 

“The fuck I do. You owe me weed.”

Kenny bumped him. “Sheets and new fucking socks, and boxers and shit, man. How the fuck am I supposed to get murky zombie goo out of everything? I want a new bedroom set and clothes, motherfucker.”

Will stood on his tiptoes to address the challenge. “They are gonna be Smurf sheets and baby tees with that kind of attitude.”

“If you are gonna go gay, then at least get Hello Kitty. I wouldn’t mind having those around.”

Will made a face like he was touched by Kenny’s words. “I wasn’t sure until now, but I am fairly certain that you are a full-blown homosexual. There is nothing wrong with that of course, but I am glad that you finally have the courage to admit it.”

Kenny pushed Will over, knocking him through the open door frame. 

“I get it, still a little sensitive about being outed and all. We’ll talk later,” continued Will.

Kenny threw up his hands and kicked the zombie head across the room, splattering brains against the far wall. He groaned as the smear oozed on to the floor. 

*

A Ford Econoline Van with heavy tires sat next to the Bronco. The glass was heavily tinted, and little sharpened ridges ran along the base, above the wheels. Allen loaded weapons into the back of the van as Brandon carried a .50 caliber assault rifle, its stand, and an enormous spool to the back of the van. Jesse moved around the side of the van with a box of dusty books. 

“What the fuck are you doing with those?” asked Will.

Jesse looked at him coolly. 

Will was the youngest of the group. 

The two men rarely spoke. 

“I have finished these and plan on returning them for some new reading material.”

“Why the fuck would you do that?”

“I imagine I do it for the illusion of order in all of this chaos, or perhaps the ability to create structure in an unstructured world.”

“That is a little weird, man.”

Jesse shrugged and continued on to the front of the van. Will ran forward. He wore a survival vest of sorts, but it was tagged all over with graffiti. Canisters of paint hung like weapons all about his person, leaving little room at his side for the sheathed bat wrapped in barbwire and covered in a hundred or so bent and unevenly placed nails. On his back his assault rifle was adorned with various bright stickers. The red bandanna he wore made him look more like John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever than Stallone in Rambo.

Kenny loaded the Bronco. He laid a chainsaw on the seat along with his assault rifle. He carried two shotguns, crossed along his back. 

“Looks like I’m riding with you today, Gigantor,” quipped Will.

Kenny groaned mockingly. “Seriously?”

Dan walked by, nodding at Kenny. There was a glimpse of a smile on his face. “Figured you’d want to be there to pick out the sheets,” chided Dan.

Kenny shrugged his shoulders. “Fine. Keep the shit to a minimum, half-pint.”

“Whatever you say.”

Will stepped away, feigning fear. “Gojira! Gojira!”

Kenny stepped forward, waving the smaller man away.






Bio: A psychologist, author, editor, philosopher, martial artist, and skeptic, he has published several novels and currently has many in print, including: The End of the World Playlist, Bitten, The Journey, The Ocean and the Hourglass, The Path of the Fallen, The Portent, and Cerulean Dreams. Follow him on Twitter (@AuthorDanOBrien) or visit his blog http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com. He recently started a consultation business. You can find more information about it here: http://www.amalgamconsulting.com/.









Would you like to win a copy of The End of the World Playlist?

All you have to do is comment on a post during the tour. Two randomly drawn commenters will be awarded either a physical or digital copy of The End of the World Playlist.


Visit http://thedanobrienproject.blogspot.com/ and follow the blog for a chance to win a Kindle Fire!




Thursday, July 25, 2013

Book Blitz: Radiant by Christina Daley (Excerpt and Giveaway)


Radiant by Christina Daley  
Publication date: February 12th 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance







Mary is part Vietnamese. Carter is a complete jerk. Normally, they don't talk much.

But when Mary's in an accident on the way to school one morning, Carter nearly dies saving her life. The doctors say his chances of living are slim, and Mary's feeling the full weight of survivor's guilt.

However, Carter's back at school in a matter of days, as if nothing had happened. Although, he is a little "glitchy," and he's developed a sudden and intense interest in Mary. She thinks he's suffering from major brain trauma from the accident. Or that he's been possessed.

As it so happens, Carter really is possessed. And the thing controlling him is having the time of its life learning to be human.

Featuring a diverse cast of characters, RADIANT is a funny "paranormal-lite" story about being human, being in love, and being healed.


Add to Goodreads.

Purchase Links

A voice called to her. It seemed close, and it was getting louder as the pain got sharper. "Hey? Hey! Are you all right?" it asked.
Mary blinked several times before she could finally see again. She was in the middle of the street. The cars had stopped and people on the sidewalk were staring.
"Are you all right?" the voice asked again. It was coming from a man wearing some type of uniform.
"What…?" Mary tried to say more, but her voice suddenly stopped working.
"Careful," he said as he helped her up. "Looks like you can move all right. Here, let's get you out of the street."
He helped her over to the sidewalk. "Stay here. Someone's calling the paramedics." And then he was gone.
Mary sat there, still in a daze. She started noticing familiar stuff all over the ground—an open book bag, books, folders, unused tampons, a shoe, and an apple with one bite mark. Her eyes followed the trail of debris to a brilliant red sports car, half of which was smashed in by a city bus.
What had happened? Mary studied the whole scene, trying to puzzle together the pieces. Then it dawned on her. The car had hit her. Not intentionally. She had run in front of the bus without knowing it. It was about to hit her, but the car had gotten in the way first. It had saved her life.
Mary thought about looking in the car. Then her feet sorta moved without her meaning them to, and she made her way to the passenger door. She recognized the person inside. Carter. She knew his last name, but she couldn't think of what it was. He was slumped over the seat with blood oozing all over his face. His eyes were shut.
Mary knocked on the window. The tears in her hand stung.
No response.
She beat the window with her fist.
Still nothing.
Mary stared. She couldn't believe it. On any other day, she wouldn't exchange two words with this guy. Just yesterday, he nearly mowed down an elderly couple while driving out of the school lot. Mary had secretly wished he'd be taught a lesson. But she didn't mean this.
She tried the door handle, but it was still locked. Suddenly, Carter's eyes flickered opened. He looked straight at her.
Mary gasped and pressed her face against the window.
Carter's eyes closed.
She stared at him, waiting for him to open them again. Waiting for any sign of life. But he was still like he was before.
Hands suddenly took hold of Mary, pulling her away from the car. Her feet moved on their own again. Someone was yelling "Miss" a lot. Parts of her brain found other noises too, like sirens, voices, beeping, and other things. The hands directed her to sit on something hard and cold.
"Miss? Can you hear me? Can you tell me your name?"
Mary didn't answer. She still hadn't found her voice, and her mind was fuzzy, too.
"Is that her bag there? Does she have a driver's license?"
A different person spoke. "No license, but I found a student ID. Her name's Mary Phan. She's seventeen and a junior here at Lewis Prep."
Mary heard a third voice. "I just talked with some of the kids on the sidewalk. One of them said her mom's a nurse at the memorial hospital."
"Find out how to contact the mom. Anyone see what happened?"
"Cops are questioning witnesses right now. Looks like she ran in front of the bus. It would've nailed her if that sportster hadn't gotten in the way."
"Anything on the bus or the driver of the car?"
"Everyone on the bus looks fine. The car belongs to a kid named Carter Maxwell. Also a junior." A sigh. "I wouldn't hold my breath. He looks really bad in there."

Mary tuned out everything else. All sights. All sounds. The only thing she could see in her mind was Carter staring at her.




About the author: Christina Daley made her first book with neighborhood friends when she was four years old. They "wrote" out some semblance of lettering with crayons, cut up a cardboard box for the cover, and bound it all together with clear adhesive tape. It was brilliant.

Quite a few years later, Christina is trying her hand at writing "real" books. She lives in Dallas, Texas, with a pet plant named Herb.

Author Links:


The author is sponsoring a tourwide giveaway for in which five winners will each receive a paperback copy of Radiant and a bookmark. (US/Can)


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Virtual Book Tour: Relentless by Molly M. Hall (Reviews)







Title: Relentless (Dark Prophecy, Book 2)
Author: Molly M. Hall
Genre: YA Paranormal

About the book: "Out of the darkness and into the fire. The truth changes everything."


The discovery of who and what she is changed Kat Matheson's life forever, revealing a world she never knew existed. A world filled with ominous spirits, mystical beings and dark magic. And a powerful ruler who will stop at nothing to achieve his ultimate goal: her death. Now, in her fight to stay alive, and to protect those she loves, Kat begins the battle to take back what's hers.

Teaming with the enigmatic Lovell, Kat searches for the clues that hold the secret to her destiny. Clues that take her to places she never imagined, exposing her life—and her heart—to dangers she never saw coming…

Purchase Links


My thoughts: This is the second book in the Dark Prophecy series and I would recommend reading them in order.  I read Reckoning yesterday(review is below) and was so happy that I had Relentless to start right afterwards.  It was a seamless transition between the two books.  

I really like Kat and Lovell.  You know there is some history there somewhere - a past life or something.  Lovell seems to be aware of a deeper relationship between them and while Kat feels the chemistry, she doesn't understand it.  She is in a relationship with Rick and so tries to keep her distance from Lovell.  He makes a great trainer for her though and she has learned a lot both physically and about her powers from him. 

This book deals a lot with Kat's training and the search for some magical items that were hidden by her great-grandmother (or was it great-great grandmother?) Katriona, who is also her namesake.  Along with the magical items, there are glowing orbs, portals, and visits from sylphs!  

I don't know when the next book is due out, but I really can't wait to read what happens!

~I received complimentary eCopies of Reckoning and Relentless from Reading Addicted Blog Tours in exchange for my unbiased review.~




Excerpt from Relentless:

Using a poker, Lovell shifts the remnants of blackened logs, adding two fresh ones to the top. Stepping back, he lowers his head and stares into the firebox. Two small flames appear, slowly working their way up from the bottom of the pile. Growing larger, they sweep up and around the logs, the wood popping and snapping as it ignites.
I look at him in astonishment. "How did you do that?"
"I'm a man of many talents," he says, pouring water into a mug. He takes a sip. "You can do it, too."
"What?" I shake my head. "There's no way…"
"Yes, you can."
I cross my arms, one hip thrusting out. "How?"
"Come here." Lovell gestures me forward, positioning me in front of the hearth. He sweeps his hand through the air and the fire goes out.
I look at him, a comment on the tip of my tongue. He returns the look, one eyebrow raised. I swallow the comment and exhale through my nose. Standing behind me, he places his hands on the side of my head.
"Clear your mind and concentrate," he says. "Don't think about anything but the fire. Picture the flame where you want it to appear."
I take a deep breath, exhaling slowly. Closing my eyes, I try to empty my mind. But it's impossible. Too many thoughts, too many images flash in a Technicolor stream.
"Concentrate, Kat," Lovell whispers. "Nothing but the flame."
I can't help but wonder if he can actually read my thoughts. I hope not because the feel of him behind me is conjuring images I don't want to think about. Or him to know.
"Just the flame," he repeats.
I force myself to think of nothing but a blank wall. Black and empty. When I've succeeded, I picture a flame, small and hot, working it's way through the wood.
"Keep focusing, Kat. Don't let it go."
I picture it building and building, growing larger as it consumes the logs. I hear Rick gasp behind me. But I keep the image in my head, holding onto the flame until the logs are ablaze with fire. The logs begin to shift, morphing into twisted, fiery shapes. They pop and sizzle as sap bleeds out of them. And, then, they aren't logs anymore. They've melted and burned, realigning themselves into a shape that becomes slowly human. A head and shoulders and torso emerge. It grows taller and taller. The flames part to reveal a face.
Aratus.
He smiles, his silver-blue eyes challenging me. I will the flames higher and hotter and he throws his head back and laughs. I can feel the heat washing over me, the sweat accumulating on my forehead, my neck. I push my energy forward again, and the flames engulf him, igniting his hair, his flesh. His face begins to melt and I feel a surge of power, so energizing, so invigorating, it's intoxicating. I revel in it, thrilling to the force pouring through my blood.
"Kat!" Lovell's voice is far away, a distant echo on the wind. "Kat!" It comes again, louder this time. "Stop!" He pulls me away from the fireplace, swiping his hand through the air.
I gasp and stare at the hearth. At the logs, now no more than ashes. At the black scorch marks, reaching towards the mantle. Rick is looking at me with a mixture of shock and awe. "What happened?" I stammer.
"You almost turned this place into an inferno," Rick says.
I look at Lovell.
"That is not what I expected," he says. "At this stage in your training, you should not be able to do that."


About the author: I’ve spent most of my life in Colorado and currently live just outside of Denver. I write my books on a laptop perched atop a rather creaky desk, surrounded by two crazy and loving cats. I love to travel and have visited 27 of the 50 states, as well as Canada, Ireland and England. And there are still a lot of places I want to go.

I spent entirely too many years in the gray dullness of the corporate world, imagining something more exciting as I punched numbers on a keyboard. During that time, I worked on a degree in English Literature, but never quite managed to complete it. Mostly because I was too busy reading and creating fantasy worlds in my head. It’s actually my love of reading and imagining that led me to take up writing full time. I thought I should finally give all the characters in my head a voice.

Music is a huge part of my life and plays a big role in the creation of my books. Although I listen to everything from Johann Sebastian Bach and Dvorak, to Glen Miller and Bobby Darin, to Rihanna and Nox Arcana, as well as movie and video game soundtracks, there are two bands whose music is practically my lifeblood: Daughtry and Linkin Park. I will listen to or see them live anytime, anywhere.
I’m a fan of British television, Doctor Who (favorite doctor? David Tennant. Let the debate begin!), The Vampire Diaries, Japanese animé, Ghost Hunters, MI-5 and Eureka. And anything featuring James McAvoy. And I probably would never be able to unwind without That 70′s Show.

When I’m not reading and writing, you'll probably find me listening to music, practicing yoga, working on my very inadequate French, playing piano, enjoying a lovely glass of red wine or champagne, or looking for inspiring landscapes to photograph.

Author Links:

Don't forget to check out Book 1 - Reckoning

"They say the truth can set you free. I found out it can kill you."

Seventeen-year-old Kat Matheson has never revealed the dark secret that sets her apart from everyone else: She can see and hear the dead. Until now, she has been able to ignore the strange apparitions and whispering voices. But it may not be that simple anymore. Haunted by eerie visions and increasingly frightening nightmares, Kat begins to fear she may be the target of a dark and ominous force from beyond the grave. Complicating matters is the arrival of her new neighbor, a young man she instinctively distrusts but is inexplicably drawn to. Gorgeous and mysterious, he seems to hold a disturbing knowledge of her long-held secrets.

As she desperately tries to maintain control, events take an unexpected and violent turn. Discovering that nothing is what it seems and that her psychic abilities may involve far more than just communing with the dead, Kat may be forced to confront her worst fears and the powerful curse that controls her destiny.

My thoughts: This book starts the Dark Prophecy series off with a bang.  You are introduced to Kat, her best friend Rachel, her "hot" neighbor Lovell, and her "crush" Rick.   Kat hasn't had a lot of friends through school as she has been busy trying to "not" see the visions that distract her. She is able to keep them away for long stretches of time, but lately they are becoming more persistent.  She doesn't think she can share them with Rachel and certainly not with Rick, as he has finally asked her out on a date!

Her new neighbor, Lovell, moves in and he seems to know more about Kat than he should.  He slowly starts dropping hints as to her powers and that there is more to the world than meets the eye.

There is a hint of mystery and romance along with the paranormal aspects of this book.  It was a quick read and ended with the perfect transition for book 2.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Cover Reveal: Melted Tears by Annabelle Blume


Melted Tears
Outlier Chronicles Book 2
by Annabelle Blume
Genre: Sci-Fi Romance
Release Date: August 2013


Two lovers face off against a government determined to keep them apart. It’s only brave if it’s hard.    

After a decade of being alone in the wilderness, Cressenda is still adjusting to life with the man of her dreams. When Beckett hatches a plan to break her parents out of The Affinity prison work camps, Cressenda must make the biggest sacrifice of her life; trading her freedom for her parents’. Cressenda’s fortitude is tested at every turn, from surviving the conditions of West Fallen work camp to believing in Beckett’s dedication to their plan and their love, even when it looks like all hope is lost. With the help of a unlikely ally, Cressenda learns to stop fighting against her fears and embrace the power of fighting for her dreams.

Will trusting Beckett to take down The Affinity be the ultimate show of faith or a fatal mistake? 


About the author: Annabelle is a Science Fiction and Urban Fantasy Romance author, that is, when she's not checking homework or begrudgingly cooking dinner.  Wife, mother, and creator of alternate worlds, Annabelle has a penchant for that which is outside the norm.

Her Sociology degree has given her the ability to construct worlds that exist only in her head and translate them passionately to the page.  The time spent studying individuals, interpersonal relationships, and particularly, women, within the constraints of our society led to Annabelle's unabashed ability to talk about sex as it fits into our modern lives. 

She's also the author/personality of The Bombshell Mommy at Vitacost.com, where she expounds her knowledge of being a vixen clad in sweatpants.

A serial book monogamist, Annabelle is deeply devoted to the literary love of her life until the next amazing book falls into her clutches and she obsesses anew. 

You can read Annabelle at her official author page, Twitter and stay up-to-date via her author Facebook page.


Don’t forget to check out the first book
A decade surviving on her own. 
Three days with the enemy. 
Can love conquer all?


Cressenda knows how to survive. With her sled dogs as her only companions, she’s spent the past ten years hiding in the snow covered wilderness from the oppressive regime of the Affinity. When a routine trip to civilization takes a turn for the worst, Cressenda is forced to take refuge with the enemy or lose her life to the frozen countryside.

But Beckett, a Guard of the Affinity, is more than a man in uniform. His desperate need to help Cressenda escape both- the blizzard and the Affinity- makes her feelings for him all the more troubling. Will Beckett be true to his word and set Cressenda free? Will her heart let her leave after all they’ve shared?





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