Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Thoeba Book Blitz

Title: Thoeba


Author: Donna Milward


Genre: Adult, Paranormal





Blurb:


Thoeba is a creature of light. As all things must be in balance, when the Energy created her kind it also created the darkness. Theoba’s world fell to darkness forcing her to flee. She came to Earth to protect the Energy, losing everything in the process. Darkness has found a way to follow her and threatens to take this world as well. With only humans as allies, can she succeed?





Author Bio:


Donna Milward lives in Edmonton, Alberta in a tiny house with a huge yard. She’s been writing all her life, but decided to put writing on hold to get ‘a real job’ as a meatcutter and build a future with her beloved troll, Dan and her cat Freya. Twelve years later, an invitation to a Romance Writer’s Conference in Washington D.C. led not only to new friends and new knowledge, but to the inspiration to write again. Thoeba was completed the following year. Donna likes to mix her fascination with reincarnation and all things paranormal with her love of mythology in her work, and has even written her own myth ‘The Sacred Truth” (on earthtothoeba.blogspot.com) as the lore behind Thoeba and future novels to come. Donna enjoys fishing, gardening and canning. Despite these hobbies, she much prefers city life.



Links:


Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5065526.Donna_Milward


Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnaMilward


Web: http://earthtothoeba.blogspot.com/


Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DonnaMilwardAuthor?fref=ts



Buy Links:


B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/thoeba-donna-milward/1105874230?ean=9780983934127


Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Thoeba-ebook/dp/B008BAKW04/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1367088277&sr=1-1


Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/171512


Cover Reveal: Broken Prince by Jen Wylie

Title: Broken Prince (Book 2 of The Broken Ones)


Author: Jen Wylie


Genre: New Adult, Fantasy





Synopsis:


Sometimes, when you're broken, you can heal on your own. Sometimes, you need the help of your friends, your family, and the people you love. Keeping those pieces together when the world seems intent on ripping you apart is the greatest challenge of all. Especially when the ones you love, the ones who hold you together, start falling apart themselves.


Arowyn and her family continue on their journey to return the Elven Prince, Shael, to his homeland before he fades and dies. A journey full of triumph and horror, love and sorrow, rips them apart with every fighting moment, and yet brings them together as a family. They don’t allow the prophecy to rule their lives. Some don’t believe, some don’t care.  Prophecies aren’t written in stone. Events can change. People can change. They are only words. From besieged cites, to the elusive Were and wild Fey, nothing quite prepares them to face their deadliest of enemies, one they didn't know existed.




Author Bio:


Jen Wylie resides in rural Ontario, Canada with her  two boys, Australian shepherd and a disagreeable amount of wildlife. In a cosmic twist of fate she dislikes the snow and cold.


Before settling down to raise a family, she attained a BA from Queens University and worked in retail and sales.


Thanks to her mother she acquired a love of books at an early age and began writing in public school. She constantly has stories floating around in her head, and finds it amazing most people don’t. Jennifer writes various forms of fantasy, both novels and short stories.


Links:


My website: www.jenwylie.com


My blog: http://jlwylie.wordpress.com/


Twitter: @jen_wylie


Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4499919.Jen_Wylie


Facebook fan page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jennifer-Wylie/151266004895266


Amazon Author page: http://www.amazon.com/Jen-Wylie/e/B004HQ9XD8/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1


Excerpt:


Damon knelt before them.


"Will she get better? Will she…" Prince’s voice trailed off.


Her eyes locked on Damon’s face as he regarded her thoughtfully. His hand came up and she flinched as it rested on the top of her head. No pain came. She felt…nothing. If he tried to speak to her, she couldn’t hear him.


"No," he said finally. "There has been damage to the brain. There is bleeding and swelling inside."


Prince’s cry startled her, almost as much as the sudden clutching of his arms around her. "Can you do anything," he choked out. "Please, I am responsible. I can not…I will pay–"


Damon chuckled. "It is not your life that needs saving." He stared at Prince for a long moment. "I see." He shook his head. "Perhaps I was wrong and she isn’t the one. I read so few pages of the book." He turned to Kei.


"No," the Fey said. "I don’t remember."


"Pity."


"Dragos, I beg of you," Prince began again.


"The Elven prince begs, and for a human. How very far you have fallen." He looked down at her again.


Blinking up at him, she tried to get her scattered thoughts to work. She’d barely comprehended what he’d said past the inference she was dying. The words sent an icy chill through her body. Terror crawled through her, speeding her heart. Sweat broke out on her forehead and all she could hear was her increasingly frantic breathing.


Kei startled her, leaning forward over her to press a kiss to her forehead. She tilted her head back, trying to see him.


"I’m with you."


Damon’s fingers brushes her cheek, drawing her attention back to him. "Do you wish to live, young Arowyn?"


Words refused to pass her lips. Somehow she managed to nod. She didn’t know what the cost would be, certainly there would be one. Right then, she didn’t care. Rot it all, she wanted to live!


"Very well." He regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. "Dragos rarely heal others. I do know the magic, but it is difficult. Your story has barely begun. I find I would actually attempt it, just to see what you might become and how it will unfold."


He sat back and gestured to the pile of furs next to him. "Lay her down. This will take some time and I’ll need no distractions."


Prince carefully set her amongst the furs, arranging her arms so her hands rested on her chest, tucking stray locks of hair behind her ears. Leaning forward, he rested his forehead for a moment against hers.


"Get well, Arowyn."


Bo appeared next, smoothing the hair back on the top of her head and squeezing one of her hands. "You can do this, pup."


Garen pressed his wet nose against her temple. If he spoke, she didn’t hear him.


Kei pushed the wolf aside and took her face in his hands. His eyes glowed with that strange orange inner light. Tears streaked down his cheeks. Despite the awkward position he leaned down and held her close for a moment. "Remember our promises," he whispered in her. "I’m always with you." He choked on a sob and squeezed her tightly again. "I love you," he whispered fiercely before quickly pulling away.


She wished she could speak. More than anything, she wanted to tell him she loved him, too. She wanted to tell all of them she did. Tears filled her eyes and slid down her face.


Damon knelt beside her and turned her head to look at him. "I will do what I can," he said. "However I can’t guarantee it will work. I have never tried to heal a human before. Understand?"


She managed a faint nod and pressed her quivering lips together.


He glanced up and gestured the others away. "Stand back and be silent." His eyes found hers again. "Don’t fight me this time, little one. Fall into my eyes…"


Blinking once more to clear the tears away, she tried to do as he asked. Damon’s eyes were strange enough she found it not difficult to stare. They had vertical slits and no whites at all. The iridescent color was a wash of blue-green with streaks of gold and red. The colors began to swirl, making her dizzy as she tried to watch them. A comforting thrum emanated from his chest, soothing her as his power wrapped around her. Her thoughts drifted into nothing.






Spring Fling Giveaway Hop






Up for grabs in this weeks giveaway hop is a book that definitely reminds me of spring:  Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen. This is a wonderful book, as are all those I've read by this author. The winner of this giveaway will have this book shipped to them from the Book Depository.




The women of the Waverley family -- whether they like it or not -- are heirs to an unusual legacy, one that grows in a fenced plot behind their Queen Anne home on Pendland Street in Bascom, North Carolina. There, an apple tree bearing fruit of magical properties looms over a garden filled with herbs and edible flowers that possess the power to affect in curious ways anyone who eats them.


a Rafflecopter giveaway




Monday, April 29, 2013

Cover Reveal: In Spades by K. Pinson

Book description:

Avalynn has been running from her past for a couple of years now....never very far but always extremely fast. With an alcoholic father, a void of a mother and a town full of gossip, she struggles to find her place in the world.The only thing that saved her on her path of self destruction is her beautiful little sister, her miracle. Desperately trying to save Abby from a life that Avalynn has been trying so hard to escape from, she plots to take Abby away.The plan going dangerously astray, leaving Avalynn beaten and broken in what once was the hallway mirror in her childhood home. Avalynn finally comes to in the hospital after nearly being beaten to death. Father-Dead, Mother-Missing, Abby-In foster care--Everything changing in the blink of an eye.

Avalynn immediately sets to work to get her life in order , receive custody of precious Abby and focusing every ounce of attention, giving Abby the the life she deserves. Avalynn, now a 22 year old Elementary School Teacher and New Mommy, struggling to raise a beautiful and feisty five year old whom was just diagnosed with Mild Autism Disorder. Lots of challenges for her to face in the midst. Avalynn is ready to go at them all head on if it means Abby is raised in a happy and healthy home. Abby is the only thing she cares about...not even caring about herself or her life...that is...until she meets him. The man that can shatter her entire world with one glance. Their relationship a roller coaster ride from start to finish. One that Avalynn never wants to get off of..but she may not have a choice. Her happily ever after coming to a screeching halt yet again. Heartbreak, love, loss and hope--This story has it all, In Spades

Author Facebook

Cover done by Melissa Gill MGBookCovers

Strangely Normal

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000037_00025]

Title: Strangely Normal

Author: Tess Oliver

Book Description:

A unique summer job lands eighteen-year-old Eden Saxon into a lifestyle completely different than her own. She becomes a companion for nineteen-year-old Finley King, the daughter of a rock legend. Finley suffers from severe anxiety, and her father fears her being alone. Eden leaves her loving, but wildly dysfunctional, parents and dreary apartment and enters a world where no luxury is overlooked. She instantly adores Finley and her charming, quirky personality. The whole situation has only one flaw– Finley’s older brother, Jude. Jude King is cocky, arrogant and irritating. Unfortunately, he’s also completely irresistible.


Eden realizes she’s underestimated the depth of Finley’s problems, and suddenly her dream job turns out to be a lot more than she’d expected. Eden soon finds herself in over her head . . . and her heart.


Teaser:

He placed down his pencil and walked across the floor toward me. The crackling energy I’d felt between us the night before when he’d stood over my bed returned now and grew with hot intensity as the space between us disappeared. I was not the only one noticing the sudden charge in the atmosphere between us. He stopped directly in front of me, and even with loud music bouncing off the walls, I could hear the unnaturally fast rhythm of his breathing.
He hesitated a moment and then his hand came up slowly and brushed the hair off my face. His fingertips had only grazed my cheek, but I felt the sensation of his touch through my entire body. He looked back at me as if he’d smoothed his hands over every inch of my skin. The air between us heated and what had started out as a casual session between an artist and his subject had somehow erupted into something completely


About Tess Oliver
4178161



Tess Oliver is a teacher and writer who lives in California with her husband, kids, a small pack of pampered dogs, and the recent addition of three ridiculously cute pygmy goats. She loves horses, chocolate and Jane Austen books. She has a BS of Nutrition Science, and a MA in Curriculum and Instruction. She is also an author published by Barron's Educational Publisher.

Website

Blog

Facebook

Goodreads

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Blood Hex




Two girls. Four centuries. One curse. Isabella started it—all because a boy fell in love with her—but it ends with Sarah. Isabella and Thomas meet in secret during the witching hours while the rest of the villagers hide behind locked doors. And even though Isabella's scared, she wants Thomas more. He'll protect her from the night, from his father who'll decide her future, and from the paranoia-fueled hunting parties taking away innocents. Centuries later, seventeen-year old Sarah runs away to an aunt she never knew she had. Her dad? Dead. Her mother? A liar. She wants the memories of a father she never got, but instead, discovers her father's death wasn’t innocent. Everyone—the Wiccans, the townies, even her quasi-boyfriend—are hiding something. The secret the history-rich town will kill to keep entangles Sarah into a centuries old witch curse.






About the author:
Erin Butler lives in upstate New York where winter is her arch nemesis. She prefers to spend her time indoors reading and writing, but ventures out for chocolate, sunshine, and to perform her librarian duties at a local library. She lives with her very understanding husband, a stepson, and doggie BFF, Maxie. Erin’s dreams of becoming an author started in Kindergarten when she wrote her first story about witches, the eloquently titled, six-sentence page-turner, “The Three Witches”. Now, she likes to write longer works for teens in many different genres.



The Journey of A Thousand Eyes - Garriques

innovera tour
 




Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes

Innovera Yakov – The Journey of A Thousand Eyes takes you into a world of excitement and danger where thoughts and feelings are overheard and minds can travel to other worlds.

Be prepared to immerse yourself in a world where falling in love could cost you your life and nothing is as it seems. Innovera Yakov – The Journey of A Thousand Eyes is the first book in an action-packed fantasy drama series where characters with powers of healing and destruction live, love, compete and disappear without a trace while they are being prepared for the Journey.







Audio Link
 
Read the First Chapter

 
 

Author Kia Garriques
Kia Garriques studied writing and English literature at University and has been a published short story writer since 2009. Her first story “The Invisible Alien Watcher” was published by Micro Horror in 2009 and reprinted by Pill Hill Press in 2011. Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes – is her first novel in the ‘Worlds’ series.














Excerpt

Blu Tara stared her sister in the face. ‘Let me tell you what you don't know about love, Gamma. It is a curse. You will scoop out your core and abandon it just to have the Being that you love. You will steal another person's life force if it makes it easier to get it. You will abandon the world you have been cradled in, betray everything and everyone you care for. You’ll give up your name for it.’

Blu Tara's voice went soft and dreamy. ‘You will gladly close your eyes and embrace the world of darkness. You will kill or die for it. And you will hate yourself for the weakness that it brings on you. So don’t talk to me about love.’

Gamma shook her head. ‘You're not making sense,’ Blu Tara. ‘You talk as if... I’m the one who should be upset about all this.’

Blu Tara lifted her hand dismissively. She pointed a hot finger at Gamma. ‘Anyway don’t forget what we are.’

'And what are we?’ Gamma glared at her..

'Different. Strange. Something to be frightened of. Two Beings that can fuse and burn everything to ashes. That's the way they all see us down there. That's what the Stardog wants from you - the powers you possess.

‘I hate them all. With their suspicious, shiny faces and their empty games. I hate that Voice which drones on and on at us in the Learning Dome as soon as we've finished resting.

Innoverans! All those perfect, pretty Beings; they remember nothing — it’s the curse of this shallow, shining world. Tell me, Gamma - what do you remember of the world we come from before your Odors Apeno dumped us here?’

Gamma swung around to face her sister fully. ‘Blu Tara! What's got into you? Where’s all that coming from? I've never heard you speak like that before. This is about Krave and I- not you!’

Krave and you - don't make me laugh. And, oh! Here’s a big difference — between you and I this time, Twin Sister. It’s the answer to your question that you brought me up here to ask.’ Blu Tara mimicked Gamma's soft and musical voice, Why do you want to kill Krave?

Here's the answer, Gamma. I will do whatever I have to do to save myself. I'm the half of you that's not like you. I don't have a weeping heart. Now I'm out of here. I need my Rest.

Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/5/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway


 

Saturday, April 27, 2013

COVER REVEAL: More Presents from T.H. Dillon

Title: More Presents from T.H. Dillon Author: T.H. Dillon (Thomas Hunter Dillon) Genre: Erotica Expected Release Date: August, 2013 Notes: The first solo erotica title from author Thomas Hunter Dillon

BLURB: After creating the erotica title “The Little Purple Book of Passions”, and its paranormal romance sister-title “The Little Black Book of Paranormal Passions”, author Thomas Hunter Dillon has gone his separate ways. He now returns to his specialty: erotica! After writing erotic scenarios privately for women for nearly a decade, T.H. Dillon has now entered the publishing world in hopes of bringing his unique and erotica voice in literature to a much broader audience.

SYNOPSIS: If the introductory chapter from LPBP (Your Present) struck a chord with you….then you’re in for a treat with “More Presents”. Thomas Hunter Dillon is hard at work for you once more. With his unique voice and style, he strives to bring you, the reader, to edge of ecstasy and back again with a combination of sexy, erotic, narratives, directives, and short story scenarios. Whether you fall into a fantasy scenario and feel the chill-inducing sensations of lust……or whether you sit back and listen to the directives of a man whose only desire is to make you tremble and whimper for more…….there is sure to be something for everyone in “More Presents from T.H. Dillon”. Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend…but T.H. Dillon will keep you cumming back for more!

AUTHOR BIO: Thomas Hunter Dillon is the typical All-American male, having grown up in his Midwestern home of Madison, Wisconsin. At 6’4” and just over 300lbs….you wouldn’t expect to find such a man writing erotica. Throughout his 20’s, T.H. Dillon mostly wrote erotica privately for various women. Publically he never began writing until a college professor encouraged him to apply his talents to the school newspaper. After doing well for himself on a nationally recognized student newspaper, he remained hesitant to really branch out with his abilities. Now, at the age of 34, he has finally embraced his desire to write and tell entertaining stories. Though he writes in other genres as well, he strives to be a fresh, entertaining, male voice in the world of erotic literature.

Author Links: ★ FacebookTwitterBlogAmazonGoodreads

The Darke Toad

The Darke Toad (Septimus Heap, #1.5)The Darke Toad by Angie Sage

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I really liked this little story. Set between Magyk and Flyte, this takes place during a festival in the Port that compares to our Halloween. Dom Daniel is seeking the help of the Port Coven Witches to clothe his bones and they have an agenda of their own.

This is a short fun read that goes nicely with the rest of the series. Marcia and Septimus are the main characters in this little adventure and they handle this little adventure just fine. The Darke Toad that was introduced is a nice addition and it was fun to see more of the witches.

Overall I really liked this fun little read. And if you enjoy this series you should add this one to it. Its not necessary to the series but it does add a bit of fun.



View all my reviews

January Black



January Black



Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.



More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.



What was January Black?

Friday, April 26, 2013

Family Ever After

 
 
 
Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Perfect Happiness in an Imperfect Family

Women frustrated with their marriage and their family will find the help they need to achieve greater happiness and success in their family in the new book, Family Ever After: Simple Ways to Achieve Extraordinary Happiness with Your Ordinary Family by stay-at-home mom, blogger, and ordinary family leader Michelle H. Packard.

Family Ever After uses the fairytale concept that once you find your prince charming life is happily ever after. Michelle H. Packard knows this concept, while romantic, is not realistic, and she provides a practical, poignant, funny, and moving exploration of the simple ways you can help find greater happiness and satisfaction in your marriage and family. Packard says, “While the idea of happy ever after is distorted, you can, in fact, achieve a Family Ever After.”

Family Ever After brings time-tested and well-researched principles to family life to help you learn specific ways to improve your marriage and your family, whether that family is ordinary or extraordinary.
Using real-world examples of best practices and helping woman readjust their media-driven perception of what happily ever after means, Family Ever After gives readers a pragmatic, helpful, and entertaining exploration of:
  • How happiness in marriage and family life requires a more educated, real-world perspective
  • How proper prioritization and defining what’s important in marriage and family is key to success;
  • Why conflict is part of an ordinary family experience and how to peacefully resolve it;
  • How to cultivate a sense of humor;
  • How to develop a thoughtful and sincere habit of complimenting each member of your family;
  • How to improve family relationships with extended family members; and
  • Learning how to love a family member in the way they understand and accept that love
More than another how-to-have-a-perfect-family book, Family Ever After helps you gain the understanding and the practical skills of what makes ordinary families successful. Family Ever After is an essential and beautiful resource for all women who want to put more happiness in theirs and their family’s life.




Praise

"Family Ever After is a must-read for every happily married Cinderella who wonders why she’s still holding the broom."

--Rachelle J. Christensen, award-winning author of Wrong Number and Caller ID

"Michelle is open enough to have given readers an intimate look into her life and those close to her, allowing us to learn from both painful and sweet experiences. Her self-reflective style and meaningful insights, if applied, would clearly make a profound impact in the lives of readers."

--Shawn Edgington Ph.D.



Author Michelle Packard

michelleMichelle Packard is a mother to her four very human and totally fabulous kids. Her oldest, Ella is always in charge and leads the pack with creativity and curiosity, Daniel follows with loyalty and loves tenderly, Julia is a doll and always buzzing over something beautiful, and Jackson could hunt down the last sharpie on earth to create art on your bathroom wall. She has been married ten years and is quite taken with her guy. Date night is her favorite and she dreams of weekend getaways with her man. She loves creating beauty through floral design, but apparently has no gift with living flowers (They end of upside down and pressed in books). She finds parties alluring. They beckon her to invite people over, spend way too much time preparing food for murder mystery dinners, and totally enjoy friends and family. Michelle holds a bachelors degree in Home and Family Science from Brigham Young University. She has spent a great deal of time working with children and young adults and finds her greatest joy is happy families.







Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/15/13



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Belonging to Heaven

 

 


Belonging to Heaven

Descended from the Hawaiian royal line, Jonathan Napela became one of the first—and most influential—converts to the Church in Hawaii. A man of intelligence, social status, and wealth, he used his considerable position to further the gospel in his native land. He developed a lifelong bond of brotherhood with Elder George Q. Cannon, helping to translate the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian and establish a gathering place for the Hawaiian saints in Laie, Oahu. But when his beloved wife, Kitty, was stricken with leprosy, Jonathan made the defining decision of his life. He would leave his life of privilege to become her caretaker and spend the rest of his life on Molokai, the island of lepers. To those who suffered similar heartbreak and banishment, Jonathan's self-sacrifice became their lifeline. Based on true story, this is an extraordinary novel of a man who chose love in the face of death.







Author Gale Sears

Gale Sears is an award-winning author, known for her historical accuracy and intensive research. Gale received a BA in playwriting from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree in theater arts from the University of Minnesota. She is the author of the bestselling The Silence of God and several other novels, including The Route, Christmas for a Dollar, Autumn Sky, Until the Dawn, and Upon the Mountains. She and her husband, George, are the parents of two children and reside in Salt Lake City, Utah.





Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/5/13

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Wednesday, April 24, 2013

The Big Debate Book Blast



The Big Debate (Literary Loom #1)

A bizarre corpse . . .
A strange girl . . .
A creepy teacher . . .
A cool invention . . .
Combine these with an old school and a new student anxious to fit in—and the adventure begins.
Fifteen-year-old Josh’s big mouth gets him in trouble at first. But after walking in the shoes of great men of history in the Literary Loom, he uses that mouth to bring down the bad guy and ultimately solve the mystery behind the murder—and the strange girl.


 
 
 
 
 

Book Trailer




Author Carolyn Twede Frank

Carolyn has always liked to create. There were always gardens full of beautiful plants in her life, plenty of frilly, homemade dresses for her daughters—and don’t leave out the puppets. Ever since third grade, Carolyn also liked to write. She is the author of Promises, a teen historical fiction novel, and the author/illustrator of two children’s picture books. Carolyn lives in Utah with her husband and teenage daughter, where she runs her puppet-related business in between family time and writing time.
 
 
 

literary loom tour
 
 
 
 

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/8/13



 a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tuesday, April 23, 2013

Ashes & Ice Blitz



Synopsis:


She is desperate to remember. He is aching to forget. Together, they are not broken. But together, one may not survive. ​Jade wakes up with no memory of her past and blood on her hands. Plagued by wicked thoughts, she searches for answers. Instead, she finds a boy who doesn't offer her answers, but hope. But sometimes, when nightmares turn into reality and death follows you everywhere, hope is not enough. LUST. LOVE. LOSS. Sometimes, all that is left are Ashes and Ice





Autrhor Bio:


Rochelle grew up dreaming up stories. When she entered high school, she tucked away her creative side and jumped head-first into academics, work, and service projects. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Political Science and Communication when she was twenty years old. After years away from her writing, Rochelle picked up a pen and started fleshing out a character sketch that she outlined when she was twelve. That sketch was the start of the Ashes and Ice story. Rochelle lives in the DC metro area with her husband and daughter. By day she works as a behavioral therapist. By night, she is a dreamer and is busy tapping out new stories on her keyboard.



Links:


Web/Blog: http://www.rochellemayacallen.com/


Twitter: rockyiswriting


Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15864513-ashes-and-ice


Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Rochelle-Maya-Callen-Author/478176392210312


Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Rochelle-Maya-Callen/e/B00C3YE28C/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1



Buy Links:


Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Ice-Rochelle-Maya-Callen/dp/0988204215/ref=la_B00C3YE28C_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1366718898&sr=1-1


B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/ashes-and-ice-rochelle-maya-callen/1114308388?ean=2940016192550





Excerpt #1


Jade


            The girl’s glassy, dead eyes stare into me, through me, pierce me with a fierce urgency, with a wicked accusation. The blood is still on my hands.


            Red hair, blue eyes, a constellation of freckles on pale skin. She was fragile and innocent, a lovely thing. That is what I think until I see the gashes on her wrists and throat. With her blood spilling out, she looks delicious. She’s mine. Possessiveness shocks me, stabs into me. I run, tearing away from a craving I don't understand.


            Breathless, I grit my teeth and run harder, faster.


             


            My feet pound against the earth, away from the lifeless body and toward the lights of the city lingering on the horizon. Rot and death linger in my nostrils. Unscarred skin stretches taut over my freezing bones. Echoes of an empty memory reverberate in my mind, taunting me. The ice chases me, clutches me, and bites at my heels, sending shivers up my spine. The ice wants me back, but I run forward, toward the lights, toward the heat, toward a world that burns me, because I have no other choice.


            The lights are so close. Heat scalds my skin.


            Images race through my mind, paralyzing me. I skid to a stop, my boots digging into the mud. The vision’s blurred edges materialize into solid shapes.


             I gasp.


            A new horror rakes my insides. Desperation propels me forward; the pictures nagging at my seams threaten to tear me apart.


            Scorching fire licks over my skin. In my vision, I contort like a vile, ugly creature, eyes as black as decay. My frame hunches over the small, dead girl, like a demon looming over a defenseless child. Her blood drips from my mouth.


            I lick my lips and taste only salty sweat.


            I run, desperate to trample the vision under my feet, to crush it deep into the ground.


            I refuse to believe the image, refuse to acknowledge the monster within me demanding to be unleashed—and the possibility it has already been unbound. An unrelenting tide of fear washes over me. Past the denial, the fear, and the hope, I think I can still taste her.


            The cold stillness inside me cracks open just as the lights of the city slam into me.


 


Excerpt #2


 


Connor


            Tears burn. I never realized it before, but they do. Tears reach down my throat and settle in my gut until the pain cripples me. I clutch my stomach as I look into the casket. His face doesn’t even look the same. Bloated like a Mardi Gras float, discolored like a mannequin. This isn’t my father.


            But it is.


            If I have learned anything in my short life, it is this: funerals are bullshit. People dress in carefully pressed black suits. Parents give me “meaningful” nods as if that could ease the grief. It doesn’t.


            Then there are the kids from school, the ones dragged along by their parents. People drag their kids along as if filling the church was a necessary thing. As if the more pews filled somehow expedite the dead’s trip to heaven. I doubt it does. Maybe some of the girls went shopping to buy just the right outfit so their cleavage to respectability ratio was just right, or  their ass to waist ratio was cinched properly.


            People sit in the pews dressed in their finest let’s-go-pay-our-respects-to-the-dead-guy-we-never-knew wear, smacking the gum in their mouths, cupping cellphones so they can LOL any comment  buzzing in, and drumming their fingers because the pastor is going on too long.  All they want to do is go home, sneak in a make-out session with their girlfriends, eat their dinners, and maybe catch a 7 o’clock movie.


            I hate these kids. The ones who stare at me, roll their eyes, and yawn. The ones who trip me at school and slam me into lockers. The ones who sit in a pew, contributing to the headcount, while I sit up here in front, holding back the tears fighting to make their appearance. I swallow them down. I won’t cry. Not here. Not with these people.


            Dad’s funeral should be an empty church with mom, his three brothers, and me. It should be the five of us having a messy, sloppy, sobbing affair where we cling to each other because we are all we have left. The marble floors should be slick with our tears. It isn’t. We sit here, straight backed, completely composed as if death is just a passing expiration date and our small, insignificant world has not been split open and left gaping.


***


            I’m in my room, staring at the ceiling. The funeral service was hours ago.


            The house feels empty and cold. I hear a stifled whimper from down the hall.


            Mom.


            Probably crying into a pillow so the house can’t hear, but it can. It seems unfair she can’t wail aloud, so loud  the house’s hundred-year-old studs tremble.


            She doesn’t. I don’t either. We cry in our own rooms, remembering a man who will never be here again.


            The house creaks. Maybe it feels the weight of our grief, maybe the floorboards are buckling because the burden is too heavy.


            I ache, desperate to forget the long battle with cancer, the blood sputtering out of his mouth with his last words—what where they? I can’t remember because the fear in his eyes overshadowed anything he said. Now the loss. I don’t want to feel this loss. Some divine entity has taken dull scissors and cut out a piece of my life and now I have jagged scars to remind me I lost too much. Too much.


            I want to forget, because it hurts to remember.


            I bury my head in the pillow, hoping to suffocate the memories, to choke out the pain.


 


Excerpt #3


 


“Have you ever been in love?”


            I spill my popcorn on my lap. “I, uh, what?” I say, swiping off the kernels. The question catches me off guard.


            “You know, in love.”


            “No. No, I haven’t.” I shift on the couch, needing more space between us. “What about you?”


            “Nah.” She flicks her hand toward me as if she is brushing away nonsense, but the hard look in her eyes says something different.


            “Why?”


            She points to the TV screen and the couple making out there. “Figured if you had been, then you could explain that to me.”


            The guy sweeps the girl up and carries her into bed before they… you know. “Uh, sex?”


            She bursts out laughing. “That too. But I was talking about what  it feels like to be, you know, in love. Totally, without question. Like, does that,” she points to the screen again, “exist?”


            “Yeah, I think it exists.” I think of mom and dad—the way they kissed every morning, hugged a few moments longer than anyone else, laughed so hard they cried, and cuddled, shutting out the world, looking more content than these fakers on the screen. “It exists. And in real life, it’s better than that crap.” I say, suddenly uncomfortable by the moaning coming from the TV.


            “I thought you said you’ve never been in love?”


            “I haven’t. But I’ve seen it. And I haven’t ever seen anything come close to th

See the Light

See the LightSee the Light by Cassandra Carr

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.


This is a VERY HOT M/M erotica that mixes sports and erotica. I'm not one for reading about sports but the erotica side of this was so good its easy to overlook.

Patrick is older than Jason and is also an adviser to the hockey team that he plays for. Jason is on the Olympic team when he meets Patrick and both and not only instantly attracted to each other but very much in the closet. Unable to fight against their attraction they find that their relationship is going farther than they had anticipated.

Not only is this book full of hot steamy scenes, but it has a more serious side as well. Its not full of bigotry and small mindedness, but shows the internal struggles that the characters have over their situation. Patrick feels conflicted because he is in a position of Jason's adviser on the team. Both know that coming out could seriously damage their career.

Overall, I LOVED this read. If you enjoy a good, steamy M/M then you should read this one. Its a short read but full of all the good stuff. I can't wait to read more from this author.



View all my reviews

Best Selling Solstice by Bryan W. Dull Blog Tour


Currently living in Cincinnati, OH with his wife (and fellow author Brandy Michelle) and their daughter. Bryan W. Dull goes leaps and bounds to get away from the norm and be his own person; with himself and his writing.  Since middle school he has always known what he was good at: entertaining and telling stories.  He has been consistently writing and coming up with plots for the last twenty years, but just recently decided to share one with the world.  His first novel, “Solstice” is a vampire book inspired by his daughter and noir literature.  Born in Anderson, IN, Bryan has also lived in Ohio, Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina (where “Solstice” is based). 


Being a lover of all things art and pop culture “nerdism”; his interests lie in film, television, comics, games, anime, and books.  For a short while, Bryan dabbled in voice acting work only to shift his focus to his family and writing.  His favorite authors include; Chuck Palahniuk, Robert Kirkman, Clive Barker, Ernest Cline, and Neil Gaiman


Author photo


Jpeg of book covers


Blurb for book/books


In Gavin Moxley's world, there is no thin line between right and wrong. In a personal crusade to help sever a line of disease carried by a clan of vampires; Gavin has no choice to be ruthless. The Vampires are purposely infecting the human population…waiting for humans to actively pass it on to each other. Gavin takes no chances and executes them one by one. Not strong or powerful, finding humans before they turn into full vampires is ideal and Gavin’s best bet.


Yes, this is Gavin’s life…


…And nothing ever changes it until a young half breed vampire with special abilities, Solstice, attaches and makes herself a fixture in his life when she asks for his help and protection and when a reluctant Gavin agrees he joins a dangerous game of cat and mouse. There is no safe place and the pair are constantly watching their backs. Torn between his hate and his love for Solstice Gavin is thrown into a moral dilemma that only he can figure out but two things are clear…


His faith and Humanity are being tested and the past is not always forgotten.


Links to books and Amazon author page


http://www.amazon.com/Solstice-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00B27KUG4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1364859214&sr=1-1&keywords=solstice+bryan+w.+dull


Book copy- http://www.amazon.com/Solstice-Chronicles-Bryan-W-Dull/dp/061575712X/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1364859214&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=solstice+bryan+w.+dull



Contact info (blog, webpage, facebook, Twitter, pinterest, goodreads, and google+) Give everyone something to follow.


Blog- bryandull.blogspot.com


Webpage- www.bryanwdull.com


Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/Solstice.Chronicles


Twitter-BWDull


Goodreads- http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5829383.Bryan_W_Dull


Google + : Bryan Dull



Showers of Books Giveaway Hop





Showers of Books Giveaway Hop

April 24th to 30th



Co-hosted by Books à la Mode
 
 
So many books so little time and its so hard to choose just one. Therefore, up for grabs in this giveaway hop is your choice, up to $15, any book from the Book Depository as long as they ship to you.
 
 


 
 
 





a Rafflecopter giveaway






Monday, April 22, 2013

Hypothesis of Giants

Book Cover Image- Hypothesis of Giants

Title: The Hypothesis of Giants (Book One: The Assumption)

Author: Melissa Kuch

Book Description:

For the past fifteen years no one questioned the Sacred Hour in the town of Candlewick. Until one night a mysterious conch shell sounds throughout the Sacred Hour, only to be heard by two young teenagers. Aurora Alvarez is a misfit amongst her peers, desperately trying to fit in but failing to live up to the expectations of her parents and society. She unexpectedly discovers she is fated to ally herself with none other than rebellious Boreas Stockington, who allegedly escaped from the impenetrable Candlewick Prison. These two young teenagers must embark on a perilous adventure where they need to help Otus, a thirty-foot giant, prevent a cataclysmic event from occurring—the Geometric Storm. The journey will take them far from the safety of Wishbone Avenue and into the depths of the unknown and the secrets of the past. However, nothing could prepare these unlikely heroes for facing their own inner demons and the realization that Aurora and Boreas are on this quest together, whether they want to be or not.


Social Media Links:

Website

Twitter: @kuchmelissa

Facebook

Purchase on Amazon
Author Bio
Melissa Kuch Picture for Author Bio
Melissa Kuch first realized her passion for writing after her first story was read before her third grade class. That childhood passion never diminished and instead cultivated with each passing year. Today, Melissa’s stories and plays continue to inspire and entertain readers from all walks of life. Melissa’s short stories Cloud Pictures in the Sky, To Secure a Husband and Name Change can be found on Amazon.com. The Assumption is the first book in The Hypothesis of Giants series. Book Two, The Change Agent, will be available by 2014. The IDEAL has spoken. For more updates about this series and other works by Melissa Kuch, please visit her website at www.Melissakuch.com You can also follow her on Twitter @kuchmelissa

David's Song Book Blast

davids tour
 

 


David's Song

Taken from the book cover: Annie only ever really loved two men in her life. One broke her heart, the other married her. Four children and fifteen years later, Annie’s marriage is in jeopardy. Money is tight and her husband questions the very foundation of their relationship. When Annie is unexpectedly given the opportunity to see the young man who broke her heart — a man who is now a megastar in the music industry — Annie is faced with choices. Choices that will determine what is of more value — a second chance at lost love and unfulfilled dreams or commitment, trust, and love built on years of experience.

A psychologically subtle, yet compelling tale about how the instinct and need for love overcomes self-doubt and personal inadequacy.






Intrepid





Intrepid
 
Daniel Weckerly



What parent of a ten-year-old daughter can resist her fervent pleas for a dog? Especially when her young life has been marked by the pain of a horrible car accident that took her mother when she was a toddler. Jay McAllister, single parent for the past eight years, heeds the call of a neighbor in need of placing a newborn puppy and welcomes Intrepid - a Lab-mix orphan - into his family. Intrepid gains the nickname "Tepid", but her fit into the McAllister household is anything but lukewarm. She helps the family heal from wounds they thought they had left behind years ago, integrating herself into their lives and burrowing into their hearts. She instills belief in Jay, knowledge that hurts can be healed, family can be strengthened, and joy can return even when it has been absent for quite a while.
She also opens his mind to something otherworldly. Together, Jay and Tepid experience the reality that a promise made - between a wife and a husband, between a public servant and his community - can transcend even death itself.

 
Buy Links: Amazon / Smashwords

About the Author:

Daniel Weckerly resides in Pennsylvania and shares his life with his wife and kids and his wonderful Labrador Retriever, Parker. He has been writing in a business context for the past 25 years, with "Intrepid" being his first novel. He credits a long-term love of Labradors with his ability to capture in words the humor, honor, and heart of these magnificent dogs, the only breed he has ever owned. You can follow Daniel on Facebook www.facebook.com/daniel.weckerly or www.facebook.com/intrepid or http://www.facebook.com/pages/Intrepid-By-Daniel-Weckerly/392251177526031



Saturday, April 20, 2013

The Madman's Tale

The Madman's TaleThe Madman's Tale by John Katzenbach

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Hands down 5 stars! I absolutely loved this mystery. There is nothing typical about this read from the POV to the characters to the setting all are original.

Francis Petrel is an aging schizophrenic living on his own when a visit to his former mental hospital that is being renovated brought back memories. Upon returning home Francis "C-bird" Petrel begins to write his story, having no, he writes upon the walls. Spiraling back down into madness, C-bird relives a harrowing time at the hospital. Told from his point of view we see life as it was in the hospital as well as how it felt to be Francis. To hear the whispers of the voices as they directed him. How he fought to be sane.

This book is in no way condescending of the mentally ill. Quite the contrary. Francis was not only brave in the face of evil but also in relation to his own inner struggles. Its also no quick read. Although its only 450 pages it took me quite a while to get through it as every word is important. I love the way the story is woven in the past and the present. And how threads of different aspects and characters are woven together to create stories within the story.

This is an awesome read for so many reasons. I would recommend this to anyone that loves a good mystery or anyone that wants something more than a YA drama that tends to be so popular these days. (not that there's anything wrong with those, its just that sometimes you want more).



View all my reviews

Friday, April 19, 2013

Splintered

SplinteredSplintered by A.G. Howard

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


If you enjoy all things Alice in Wonderland then this is one for you. If you love new twists on old fairytales, then you will definitely like this one. Author AG Howard gives an updated twist on a much loved fairy tale and she does an awesome job.

Alyssa's life is turmoil: her mom is in a psychiatric instituion soon to get shock, she herself hears the whisperings of bugs and flowers, and her secret crush has another girlfriend. Finding herself pulled through the looking glass she inadvertently brings her love with her and they find themselves in Wonderland.

Wonderland is a dark and magical place, full of talking plants as well as animals. And things here are never as they seem. Just when you think you have things figured out there is another twist in the story. As with most YA books, there is the ever prevalent love triangle. And I can see why Alyssa would be pulled in two different directions even if I don't always like her choices. I had a hard time deciding if this truly is a YA because it leans more toward New Adult. Although there are no sex scenes there are some pretty steamy parts.

I definitely enjoyed this read even though it really didn't end the way I would have wanted it to. I love new twists on fairytales and this one definitely fit the bill. Not to mention, the cover alone is enough to make you want to pick this one up.



View all my reviews

SMASHWORDS PROMOTION: Light-Bearer Series, Charmeine, for FREE!! on April 19

Goodreads  

Free Smashwords Coupon 

HB94P



Can romance develop between a Heavenly Light-Bearer and a Hellish Vampire Blood-Hunter? Tabbruis is an extremely attractive Blood-Hunter who has reconciled himself to be alone forever. Over millennia Tabbruis has wandered the Earth alone, aimlessly living through many historical events. Charleen (aka Charmeine) was found in 1997 as a teenager, unable to remember where she was from or where her family was. She was sent to an orphanage where she met her best friend, Shane. With determination, she works hard and becomes a school teacher. Tabbruis comes to her aid when she is attacked by a Blood-Hunter. Charmeine’s power as a Light-Bearer, one who throws lightning, is triggered when she meets Tabbruis, and it grows exponentially. When they meet, the attraction is immediate, romantic and passionate. They are polar opposites and clash together in a dramatic way. Will Charmeine and Tabbruis fulfill their destinies? Will they realize their importance in both the Blood-Hunter and Light-Bearer world?





RAVE REVIEWS for “Charmeine” by Author Emily Guido
Romance between a Vampire and a light bearer is something so new, I had to read this book to find out what the buzz and feel is all about …
All I can say is that book didn't disappoint at all! A must read!”
Fathima Amiruddin
This is a great read, and a terrific debut novel!”
Susan Ashcraft
The author's story got me hooked. I think the readers will feel the same.”
Carol Fitzpatrick
This story is a fantastically tender, romantic one of timeless love.
This story is well worth a read!”
Melanie Adkins
The scenes were beautifully described and the plot is creative and intriguing.
The Light-Bearer Series is sure to be the next fabulous Angel series on your
To-Read” shelf!”
Cassie
Well done Emily, this is a great debut novel!”
Samantha Adams  

Emily Guido is a new Paranormal Romance Author. She was inspired to start writing "Charmeine" because one day she got an idea of two characters that needed to have their story told. Not ever dreaming a week later she would have over a 100,000 words written. When Emily writes, it is similar to you or I watching a movie. She pictures the characters in her head going through vivid descriptions of each scene. There are so many nuances going through her mind that she cannot type fast enough. The novels “Mactus,” “Accendo,” “Seditious,” and “Ransom,” are the continuation of the wonderful adventures of the inhabitants of The Castle Charmeine! Emily is currently writing “Conundrum” the Sixth Novel in “The Light-Bearer Series” She works at a College full time, and pursuing her Master of Business Administration. YA, PNR, Paranormal Romance, Vampire, Angels, Action and Adventure, Historical
Links: Website Goodreads Twitter Facebook
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