Saturday 30 November 2013

Book Blitz & Giveaway ~ Sworn to Conflict & the Courtlight series by Terah Edun.

Sworn to Conflict, the third book in Terah Edun’s young adult fantasy Courtlight series, will be released on December 6! Not familiar with the series? Check out all three books here and get a chance to win awesome prizes!

Title: Sworn to Conflict (Courtlight #3).
Author: Terah Edun.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy.
Publication Date: December 6, 2013.


Ciardis Weathervane fought for the living dead and won. But worse than taking on a mass murderer, was her discovery that she had been deceived by her friends. Now she needs to not only fight a war in the North and survive, but also decide where she stands in the midst of competing sides.

A threat to all she holds dear lies in the North and her heart is not the only thing she might lose. A massive army awaits in the mountain pass, surging closer to the gates of the southern lands. Nothing the Algardis army has done so far has dissuaded their march forward and Ciardis finds out that her powers to enhance are needed now more than ever.

As she faces her greatest fears on the battlefields and her heart is torn between her love of Sebastian and loyalty to her family, Ciardis must choose her fate carefully. For in her path, lies the destiny of the empire.

This third novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Transfer.




For those of you who are new to the series (you can catch up now!), here are the blurbs for the first two books.

Title: Sworn to Raise (Courtlight #1).
Author: Terah Edun.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy.
Publication Date: April 10, 2013.

Purchase Links: Amazon ; B&N

Seventeen-year-old Ciardis has grown up in poverty, a cleaner in a small vale on the outskirts of the empire. But beneath her empire’s seemingly idyllic surface lies a hidden secret. Whispers of an inept crown Prince are growing ever louder—intensified by the five year anniversary of the soulbond initiations.

Amidst scandalous whispers, Ciardis finds herself chosen to train for the Companion’s Guild. She leaves her home and sets off on a personal journey to become a Court Companion. A position she’d never thought possible for a lowly servant to obtain, she must prove that she has the skills to attract a Patron.

But she must master those skills quickly. If the legends are true, only Ciardis can harness the power to raise a Prince in an Imperial Court sworn to bring him down.

This sensational series debut melds intricate storylines with remarkable characters and unforgettable magic. Sworn To Raise is ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore, Michelle Sagara, and Maria Snyder.




Title: Sworn to Transfer (Courtlight #2).
Author: Terah Edun.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy.
Publication Date: September 17, 2013.

Purchase Links: Amazon ; B&N

Eighteen-year-old companion trainee Ciardis Weathervane has won the friendship of the royal heir and saved his claim to the throne. Yet her interference in the inheritance rights leaves more harm done than good. The Ameles Forest lies unprotected and its inhabitants are dying.

As humans begin to die in gruesome deaths, the Emperor dispatches the royal heir to the forests with the solution to the kith concerns.

With enemies closing ranks in Sandrin, Ciardis can little afford to leave the city’s nest of vipers to take on a new task. But she’s given no choice when her loyalty to the crown and courts are called into question.

To keep the Companions’ Guild happy and the favor of the Imperial Court, Ciardis will be tested in frightening new ways, especially when she’s faced with an obstacle that could risk the lives of her friends and the family she never thought she had.

This second novel continues the story of Ciardis Weathervane from Sworn To Raise.




About the Author:

Terah Edun is a young adult fantasy writer born and raised in the Atlanta metropolitan area, who transplanted to the Northeast region for college, and has spent years living abroad in South Sudan and Morocco. She writes the stories that she always loved to read as a young girl.

She prefers tales of adventure, magic, fellowship and courtship – in other words high fantasy. But she’s not adverse to the occasional contemporary fantasy coming her way. Sometimes you’ll see cloaks, daggers, independent and strong girls, independent and strong guys, sweet and soft spoken girls, sweet and soft spoken guys, sparkly magic and irritatingly know-it-all boys. The book she’s currently working on is SWORN TO SECRECY, the fourth in the Courtlight series.

Outside of writing, she’s a international development professional with a penchant for Starbucks.

Connect with Terah: Website ; Twitter ; Facebook

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday 29 November 2013

Review, Excerpt and Giveaway ~ Mutilate My Heart by Emily Godwin.


Today is my tour stop for Mutilate My Heart by Emily Godwin. This post will include a review, excerpt and tour-wide giveaway. To follow the rest of the tour, click the banner above to take you to the schedule.

Title: Mutilate My Heart (Mutilate #1).
Author: Emily Godwin.
Genre: Contemporary YA Romance (with paranormal elements).
Publication Date: July 9, 2013.

Purchase Links: Amazon ; B&N

Punk rock band Mutilated Arteries has been seventeen-year-old Becca's world (aka obsession) for the last year. When the band schedules a concert in her hometown, she and her best friend Carli are the first ones in line to buy tickets. The night is everything she expects it to be and more, especially after making friends with the new super-cute bassist, Sketch.

Becca's mom warns her not to fall for a rock star because rock stars are always on the road - or they die in a plane crash, like her mom's favorite band did twenty-something years ago. But after the band's tour bus breaks down and they're stuck hanging out in Roizen Hills for a week, it's hard for Becca not to fall for Sketch and his caricature drawings and toxic green eyes.

Becca knows Sketch is leaving as soon as the bus is fixed, and she can't be his fan-turned-girlfriend anyway because of the lead singer's "No Girlfriends" rule. Plus, there's something strange about the guys that Becca can't quite decipher... like how they won't reveal their real names, their always-changing odd appearances, and the guitarist's obsession with blood and zombies. Still, Becca wants nothing more than for Sketch to mutilate her heart...but it just might not be in a way she expects.




Excerpt:

Once we’re firmly planted in the sand, I tell him of the man named Benjamin Bell and the married woman he fell in love with.

They would secretly meet at night in a small area near the lighthouse that was inaccessible unless you knew the way. She knew better than to try to get there by boat. The current was strongest near the rocks, and the waves were monstrous, but their secret path was being guarded by her suspicious, abusive husband and her husband’s drunken friends.

“A storm caused the fog to grow thick that night,” I tell him. “So Benjamin turned the light on in the tower of the lighthouse. The last thing he saw was the waves crashing her boat against the rocks. He stumbled back in shock and fell over the stair railing in the lighthouse. He died on impact.”

“Did the woman die too? Or was it just her boat that crashed?” he asks, never taking his eyes away from mine.

I lie back in the sand and stare at the grey sky.

“I like to believe she crashed with it. If he is a ghost, I hope she’s lurking around here too, so they can finally be together,” I say.

He digs a hole in the sand and places his paintbrush to rest before burying it.

“Maybe years from now, some random person will come to this very spot, and they’ll find that paintbrush, and we can be legends too,” he says and falls back beside me.

My heart beats roughly against my sternum at his words. I don’t know how anyone could seem so perfect, but he does. We lie motionless in the sand until his breathing becomes one with the sound of the ocean.

“Becca?” he says, rolling onto his side to look at me.

“Yeah?” I mirror his image.

He brushes my hair out of my face and places his hand on my neck. I breathe in deeply and say a prayer that the ghosts won’t interrupt this moment like Corpse did last night. Sketch leans forward and rests his forehead against mine.

“Don’t crash,” he whispers.

Review:

I loved the blurb of Mutilate My Heart. I mean, how could I complain about the idea of dating a rockstar in my favourite band?! It was definitely the kind of book that I like to read.

Emily Godwin’s writing was a winner for me. The main story was about Becca and Sketch, and on the side Carli and Corpse. Yet Emily made sure all the other characters like Ink, Nightmare, Banshee and Maddie were never forgotten and even more so, we learnt a lot about them and their personalities too. All the characters meant it could have been quite easy to get confused between them, but Emily made sure that didn’t happen.

Whilst I was hooked throughout the whole book, I kinda felt like more could have happened in the first half of the book. I mean, it was all fun to read but maybe a couple of small twists could have livened the story up even more.

However, there was plenty to love about Mutilate My Heart. From a personal perspective, having read American Girl on Saturn, which was written by Emily’s sister Nikki, I really liked the mention of Spaceships Around Saturn and Sebastian’s Shadow, the bands featured in Nikki’s book.

I also loved Becca’s character in that she was a total fangirl like me but also because she seemed a caring, loyal friend. I wasn’t a massive fan of Sketch. For some reason, I didn’t feel connected to his character like I expected I would. However, I liked his relationship with Becca. I was probably more interested in Carli and Corpse’s kind of relationship as I thought Corpse was awesome.

The paranormal elements of Mutilate My Heart were great. I felt they really made this book stand out and added to the intrigue of the book for people who perhaps don’t just want romance.

Finally, I loved the ending. Like, really loved it. It was the kind of dramatic stuff I felt this book had been crying out for, and it was well worth the wait. Obviously, I can’t talk about it. But you need to read it. You need to read the whole book, even if you’re not a fangirl like me, but then at the end of it, you may well be one.

Rating:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review also posted on Goodreads ; Amazon UK ; Amazon



About the Author:

Emily Godwin is a Young Adult author. She enjoys writing, painting, and sewing her own line of non-evil voodoo dolls. She's a Slytherin, trying to disguise herself as a Hufflepuff, and wishes she could read herself into books.

Connect with Emily: Twitter ; Facebook ; Blog ; Goodreads




Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tuesday 26 November 2013

Book Blitz ~ Silent Echo by Elisa Freilich.


Title: Silent Echo.
Author: Elisa Freilich.
Publisher: Diversion Books.
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy/Paranormal.
Publication Date: September 2013.

Purchase: Audiobook ; Kindle ; Kobo ; Nook ; Amazon Paperback ; B&N ; Apple ; Sony

Silence was Portia Griffin’s nemesis. In a world where teens never cease to speak their minds, the sixteen year old Portia, rendered mysteriously mute at birth, has opted out of the mainstream conversation. Instead, this silent sophomore at Ridgewood Preparatory Academy finds solace in her keen love of music and bizarre obsession with birds. And it doesn’t hurt that her best friend, Felix Fein, deaf at the age of eight, couldn’t care less whether or not she is able to execute the spoken word.

But Portia’s world is about to change – and not necessarily for the better.

After sixteen silent years, Portia is suddenly gifted with a voice unparalleled in its purity and powers. Her new ability to persuade, to seduce and to destroy with her voice alone sends Portia on a search for answers she never imagined she’d have to accept.



Monday 25 November 2013

Review & Giveaways ~ Second Chance Summer by Emma Hart.



Title: Second Chance Summer.
Author: Emma Hart.
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance.
Year: 2013.

Purchase: Amazon UK ; Amazon US ; B&N ; Apple ; Kobo

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of The Love Game and Playing for Keeps is a story of hope and the beauty of getting a second chance at the kind of love that comes once in a lifetime…

“You don’t get a love like ours and get to leave it behind.”

Kia James was never meant to return to her hometown of Harlan Grove, Alabama… But she has.

And Reese Pembleton was definitely not supposed to still be in love with her the way she is him… But he is.

Last summer was the summer to end all summers. It was the summer they both fell in too deep to get out, and try as she might, Kia can’t deny that whatever was there between them a year ago is still there. If she’s honest with herself, there’s so much more there than there ever was, but the way her dad walked out six years ago has shattered her belief of that fairytale love every girl craves.

Reese isn’t giving up so easily. His biggest mistake was not chasing after Kia the way he wanted to when she upped and left him without a word. Despite what she says, he knows her better than anyone, and he knows she still wants him the way he wants her. And this time, nothing will stop him from getting – and keeping – his girl.

But nothing is that easy. When Kia’s dad arrives back in town, family secrets come tumbling out she never realized existed. Everything her mom has ever told her about the reason he left is a lie – but how can she trust the man who, by his own admission, didn’t fight for her as hard as he could have?

With her past and present wants and needs colliding, Kia is thrown into the turmoil of the biggest decisions of her life. And she realizes, sometimes a second chance is all you need.




Excerpt:

“Shit! Kia!” Reese calls after me. “I didn’t mean it like that!”

I ignore him and keep walking. Step, step, step. Keep going, Kia, don’t stop for him. His hand grabs my arm, and I turn, yanking my arm back as I near where his truck is parked.

“What, Reese? You’ve made it clear last summer was a mistake. You’re right. It was. It was just a whirlwind mess between two people who had no idea what they wanted from life.”

“I didn’t mean it like it came out. I just meant I didn’t want you to hate this place because of me.”

“I don’t hate it because of you.” I look at him and laugh bitterly. Shadows play across his face in the darkness. “I hate this place because of what it means to me.”

“What does it mean, Kia? Tell me.” He loosens his grip on my arm; his thumb gently stroking my skin.

“It means nothing,” I say quietly, stepping back. “Nothing.”

“You’re lying,” Reese steps closer and holds my other arm. “If it meant nothin’, you wouldn’t be running from me.”

“I’m not running from you! Why would I be? One summer, that’s all we had.”

“Is it?” he asks quietly. “One summer? Is that really all we had? Do you think my feelings disappeared the way you did? Do you think they upped and went in the middle of the night just like you?”

“I never said that-”

“‘Cause they damn well didn’t!”

“Rumor has it you’re seein’ someone, or have you forgotten that?” I throw back at him.

“Maybe I don’t care about her. The person I care about is front of me.”

“After eleven months? Why don’t I believe you?”

“Let me show you. Make you believe me.”

I shake my head. “You’re so fucking funny.” I pull myself from his grip and move toward my car, passing his truck.

“Am I?” he growls, grabbing my hand and pulling me toward him. My back hits the door of his truck, and he stops in front of me. He places his hands either side of my head, his face bent into mine. “Am I funny, Kia? Really?”

My heart is pounding furiously at his nearness, and I push at his arm. My blood is thundering through my body, my breathing coming hard and fast. I can feel the warmth emanating from his body. I want more. I need more. I want to feel his body pressed against mine, even if it’s just for a second. I need to feel it.

His hazel eyes collide with mine, and I can see he feels the same. It’s been a year. He still feels it. I still feel it.

“Jokes usually are funny,” I retort, trying to move away from him in an attempt to regain control of my body.

His mouth crashes into mine, his lips molding to mine. One of his hands cups the side of my head, the other resting on my waist. I grab his shirt when he nips my bottom lip. My mouth opens, and his tongue meets mine, stroking it in a gentle caress. Our bodies push together, and I drink him in, kissing him greedily.

Now, I remember. I remember why I can’t fight it. Why I’m powerless. Why, at nineteen, he is all there is.

I open my eyes as our mouths part. His lips are hovering over mine, close enough they could touch mine again, but they don’t. In the small gap between us all,I feel is the chilling night air where, just seconds ago, there was nothing but heat.

“Am I funny now, Kia?” he breathes, still holding my face.

“Yep,” I whisper, my voice slightly shaky. “You’re fucking hilarious.”

Reese’s hand leaves my waist and tugs the door open. “Then you better get in the truck so you can find out exactly how not funny I am.”

“I’m not...”

“Get in,” he growls, his eyes promising me a fight.

“No,” I say, pushing him back. I shake my head. “No.”

“What?”

I walk around him and away from him, walking backward. I shake my head, everything warring inside me. “I… No, Reese. I can’t.”

“Kia?” he calls.

“That…” I take a deep breath and stop at my car. “That shouldn’t have happened.”

Review:

Before this review turns into a long-winded fangirling ramble, I have to say that other than Second Chance Summer, I’ve never read an Emma Hart book before. I had heard a lot about the author and liked the sound of her other books but none of the plots drew me in as much as Second Chance Summer did.

I don’t know yet what other readers have thought about this book, and I don’t know how it compares to other books by the same author. But as soon as I started reading Second Chance Summer, I knew my reaction to this book would be different to other readers/reviewers/bloggers because it felt like I was reading a story written about my summer of a few years ago.

Luckily for me, unlike Kia, my mum’s not an alcoholic and my dad is still around. Yet the relationship between her and Reese, the kind of relationship between her best friend and Reese’s best friend and even down to the mention of (one of my favourite songs ever) Stay by Black Stone Cherry was just so relatable to me. Only, I really loved how Emma Hart told it.

The writing really drew me in. Straight away, we’re thrown into the story but to keep us up to speed, we have perfectly placed flashbacks of what had happened the summer where so much went right and wrong for Kia.

As for Reese, yep I swooned. The whole way through. And even when it was finished and the book was over and I was just counting down the days till Spring 2014 when the next instalment is released.

But aside from Kia and Reese, there were just so many other characters and their stories which were developed well enough to make me care. Kia’s parents, Luce, Adam, Patty, Eric, Jay and even Luce’s crazy brothers were all characters I was interested in learning about. Adam and Luce could have had a book on their own (and maybe they will).

I think it’s pretty clear to say I loved this book. It was heartfelt and had sweet moments, moments to make you laugh and cry and a few things to tie up in a story I just didn’t want to end.

There was also some, ahem, slightly hot scenes which made me swoon even more but just like the flashbacks, they didn’t feel thrown in just to add to the word count. They fit really well with the story and enhanced it too.

Maybe other people will cover some negative things about this book. After all, we all have different opinions and even I wasn’t expecting to become such a fangirl after reading this. However, I did and for me, Second Chance Summer was the perfect book.

Rating:

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review also posted on Goodreads ; Amazon UK ; Amazon




About the Author:

By day, New York Times and USA Today bestselling New Adult author Emma Hart dons a cape and calls herself Super Mum to two beautiful little monsters. By night, she drops the cape, pours a glass of whatever she fancies – usually wine – and writes books.

Emma is working on Top Secret projects she will share with her followers and fans at every available opportunity. Naturally, all Top Secret projects involve a dashingly hot guy who likes to forget to wear a shirt, a sprinkling (or several) of hold-onto-your-panties hot scenes, and a whole lotta love.

She likes to be busy - unless busy involves doing the dishes, but that seems to be when all the ideas come to life.

Connect with Emma: Blog ; Facebook ; Twitter ; Goodreads

Giveaway:

Check out these three international giveaways!

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Sunday 24 November 2013

Book Blitz ~ PSS Chronicles by Ripley Patton.

PSS Chronicles book blitz banner2

Today is my post during the book blitz for the PSS Chronicles series by Ripley Patton.This blog tour is organized by Lola's Blog Tours .

The PSS Chronicles consist of 2 books so far: Ghost Hand (PSS Chronicles #1) and Ghost Hold (PSS Chronicles #2). To celebrate the one year anniversary of Ghost Hand, Ghost Hand will be free during this book blitz and Ghost Hold will be for sale for $0.99. Also, don't forget to stop by the Facebook anniversary event.

ghost hand Title: Ghost Hand (PSS Chronicles #1).
Author: Ripley Patton.
Age: Young Adult.
Genre: Paranormal Thriller.

Download Ghost Hand for free: Amazon ; Kobo

Seventeen-year-old Olivia Black has a rare birth defect known as Psyche Sans Soma, or PSS. Instead of a right hand made of flesh and blood, she was born with a hand made of ethereal energy.

How does Olivia handle being the girl with the ghost hand? Well, she's a little bit morbid and a whole lot snarky.

Her mother thinks her obsession with death, black clothing, and the local cemetery is a bid for attention. But when Marcus, the new guy in Olivia's calculus class, stares at her like she's a freak, Olivia doesn't like it. And when her hand goes rogue, doing things she never imagined possible, Olivia finds herself running for her life with Marcus from a group of men bent on taking the power of her hand for their own nefarious purposes.



Excerpt:

Five minutes into my Calc test, I glanced up and caught the new guy staring.

I looked down, following his gaze, and saw that my fingers were shimmering around the edges.

I yanked my hand into my lap and my pencil flew out of it, clattering to the floor.

It landed in the aisle and rolled toward New Guy’s desk. He put out a foot, trapping it, and kicked it back my direction, his glance following its progress as it came back to me, bumping up against the thick sole of my boot. His eyes rose up my multi-buckled calf to my thigh, then to my lap, stopping at the spot where I was doing my best to hide my hand under my desk. But we could both see the pool of blue PSS energy, shapeless and pulsing, writhing at the end of my wrist stump.

I looked up again, locking eyes with him.

His expression was unreadable. He didn’t look surprised, or afraid, or alarmed. He just looked, his eyes fixed on my wacked-out hand, as if curious to see what it would do next.

I gritted my teeth and tried to focus my PSS back into shape. I was not going to be this guy’s personal freak show. I could fix this. It was just mind over matter.

But it didn’t work. If anything, the more I tried, the worse it got, expanding and losing even more definition. The burning sensation grew so intense I squeezed my eyes shut against it. All around me, I could hear the scrape and shuffle of students getting up and handing in their tests. I bent over my desk, trying to block my hand from view. For a moment, I thought about getting up and running out of class, but someone would see my hand for sure if I did that. Maybe if I took a deep breath, and calmed down, it would go back to normal on its own.

As if in response to that thought, the pain suddenly eased off.

I opened my eyes.

New Guy was leaning over the edge of his desk, and there seemed to be something wrong with his neck. He kept jerking his head toward Passion Wainwright, the girl who sat in front of me. What did he want? An introduction? If so, his timing was utter crap. “Leave me alone,” I mouthed past clenched lips.

He shook his head and gave an exaggerated nod toward Passion again, rolling his eyes in her direction.

This time, I turned and looked.

Something was crawling up Passion’s back.

Not just one something. Five somethings. Five elongated, wisp-thin tendrils, winding their way up Passion’s chair, climbing her back, fluttering at the strands of hair that had escaped from her ponytail, making a moving, barely-perceptible pattern of bluish light on the back of her white turtleneck so faint I could almost convince myself it was an optical illusion.

Except it wasn’t.

It was my hand, my five fingers stretching impossibly and rising from under the front of my desk, groping the back of Passion Wainwright.

I yanked my wrist in toward my body, but it made no difference. I couldn’t feel my hand, couldn’t control those fingers or call them back.

Passion shivered, as if she felt a draft, and absently brushed an undulating tendril away from her neck.

The thickest finger, the one in the middle, rose up along her spine, stopping at a spot right between her shoulder blades. It held level for a moment, weaving back and forth like some ghostly snake dancing to the tune of an invisible flute. Then it dipped forward, slipping silently through the thin cotton fabric of Passion’s shirt and straight into her back.

She didn’t make a sound as she went limp, her torso gently slanting toward her desk; the tendril of PSS embedded in her back the only thing holding her up.

I didn’t make a sound either, didn’t move, didn’t dare. What if moving made it worse? Oh my God, a voice yammered in my head, you think this could get worse?

I could feel New Guy’s eyes boring into the side of my head. Obviously, he could see my PSS skewering Passion. Why didn’t he jump up and scream and point? How could he just be sitting there so calmly?

I had to get away. From Passion. From everyone. But if I bolted, would my PSS come with me or stretch between my wrist and Passion like some horrible, incriminating rubber band? What would that do to my hand? What would it do to Passion?

I had no idea.

And before I could figure it out, the bell rang.


ghost hold Title: Ghost Hold (PSS Chronicles #2).
Author: Ripley Patton.
Age: Young Adult.
Genre: Paranormal Thriller.

Purchase: Amazon

Olivia Black is back.

Only this time she's not the one in need of rescue.

Samantha James, rich, popular, and an award-winning composer at age seventeen, is the next target on the CAMFers' list. In order to convince Samantha to come with them, Olivia and Passion must pose as cousins, blend into the most affluent high school in Indianapolis, and infiltrate a mysterious cult known as The Hold.

Olivia doesn't expect it to be easy, even with the PSS guys backing them up. But what she discovers over the course of the mission will call into question everything she ever believed about herself, her family, and especially about Marcus, the guy she is undoubtedly falling in love with.




Excerpt:

Marcus crossed back to the faucet of the now-full tub and turned it off. He bent over and turned on the jets, which kicked up a lot more steam and a lot more noise. I was starting to melt inside my own clothes, and he must have been too, because when he turned back to me he was slipping his t-shirt over his head.

"What are you doing?" I asked, my voice coming out a little strangled.

"You and I need to talk," he said, letting the shirt drop to the floor.

"Yes," I said, trying not to gawk at his chest and the way the steam swirled into it, his PSS shining back and coloring the mist a soft blue hue. "But can't we do that with our clothes on?"

"We need to talk where I'm sure no one can hear us," he said, his hands going to the snap of his jeans. The zipper was next. He had on red tartan boxers. He slid the jeans down his legs, turned, slipped off the boxers, and stepped into the tub, sinking down into it with an audible moan.

I stood there stunned. I had just seen Marcus naked. He'd just stripped to his beautiful bare ass right in front of me as if it were nothing. Yes, we'd been sleeping in a tent together for weeks, and making out, but when one of us changed clothes, the other still looked away. Marcus and I had not gotten naked together. We hadn't even come close, because I always held back. I couldn’t even bring myself to reach my hands inside his shirt. What if my flesh hand accidentally went into his chest and disrupted his PSS? Even worse, what if my ghost hand reached into him and pulled something horrible out? I was pretty sure either of those scenarios would be a serious buzz kill to our intimacy.

"Do you have any idea how long it's been since I've had a bath?" he said, almost a purr, laying his head back on the edge of the tub and closing his eyes.

"I—no—I haven't had one for like a month," I stammered, looking down at the tile floor, completely flustered.

"Olivia," he said softly, and I looked up to find his eyes boring into me, dewy drops captured on those thick dark lashes. "Come here."

I crossed obediently to the side of the bath, both relieved and a bit disappointed to find that the burbling of the jets obscured most of what was in it. Except his PSS chest. It glowed and pulsed like some half-submerged, cerulean, underwater treasure.

Marcus put his hand out for mine. The invitation was obvious.

This was crazy. There was no way we were going to be able to talk, coherently, in a bathtub together.

"It's a big tub," he said, nodding at the other end, "and I promise to be good."

Yeah, but it wasn't just him I was worried about. If I got in the tub with Marcus, I would be in the tub with Marcus. "But I—" I looked down at myself. I had on my sleeping tank with no bra underneath, my sweatpants, and underwear.

"You have no idea how relaxing this is," he said, slipping his hand back into the water and closing his eyes. Either he was taunting me, or giving me a chance to undress without him watching. Probably both.

"You bastard," I muttered under my breath. I slipped off my shoes and sweatpants and padding barefoot to the far end of the tub. I was not going in completely naked. I wasn’t that much of a fool. I kept my tank and underwear on and stepped into the hot swirling water. As I slid down into it, jets pounding my butt and back, the wet heat rising up and swallowing all my aches and pains in its pure liquid magic, I couldn't keep the moan from escaping my lips either.

And I didn't miss the effect that sound had on my bath mate.

One of his lean, muscular legs brushed mine, trembling. And his eyes widened. And his breath came a little faster across the water, far less relaxed then it had been only a moment before.



About the Author:

Ripley Patton lives in Portland, Oregon with one cat, two teenagers, and a man who wants to live on a boat. She is an award-winning short story writer and author of The PSS Chronicles, a young adult paranormal thriller series.

Ripley doesn't smoke, or drink, or cuss as much as her characters. Her only real vices are writing, eating M&Ms, and watching reality television.

Connect with Ripley: Website ; Facebook ; Twitter ; Goodreads ; Google+

Tens List:

Top ten favourite movies:

1. Stranger than Fiction
2. Little Big Man
3. Much Ado About Nothing (or almost any Shakespeare-based movie)
4. Howl's Moving Castle (or anything by Hayao Miyasaki)
5. The Alien Movies
6. The Princess Bride
7. District 9
8. Planet of the Apes (in all its manifestations)
9. Great Indie movies like Trollhunter, Monsters, and Safety Not Guaranteed
10. The PSS Chronicles Trilogy (which only exists in my head- so far)

Top ten favourite books:

1. Too many to name. My brain always short circuits on this one.

Top ten favourite foods:

1. Chocolate
2. Steak
3. Pizza
4. Ice Cream (almost any flavor but Cookies and Cream)
5. Beef Stroganoff
6. Blueberry Pie
7. Root beer Float
8. Macaroni and Cheese
9. A good burger and fries
10. Almost anything Mexican or Italian

Top five favourite drinks (I'm not much of a drinker):

1. Water
2. Root Beer
3. Honey Mead
4. Vodka and Coke
5. Hot Chocolate

What are 10 items on your bucket list?

1. Hike the Oregon section of the Pacific Crest Trail
2. Sail around the world with my husband
3. Get on the New York Times Best Seller List
4. Go to the premier of Ghost Hand The Movie in Hollywood or New York.
5. Travel the world (especially Europe and the Mediterranean).
6. Take my daughter on an African Safari Tour (NOT the hunting kind).
7. Be the Guest of Honor at a Con
8. Make it back to New Zealand someday.
9. Write and live in a secluded cabin in Alaska
10. Help out on the set of Survivor, or be on the show with my son.

Friday 22 November 2013

Book Blitz ~ Shaggy Maggie by Tyffani Clark Kemp.


Title: Shaggy Maggie.
Author: Tyffani Clark Kemp.
Publisher: CreateSpace.
Publication Date: July 25, 2013.

Purchase: Amazon Kindle

Harvey Young, rock star lead of the Scottish band Shaggy Maggie, has dreamed his whole life about the red-haired girl from the school bus that he bullied until she ran away. He's resigned himself to groupie fill-ins. There's no way he'll ever see her again. Why torture himself pining for his lost youth?

Magda Canady may be on the unlucky side, but her life is starting to work itself out. She's an editor for a New York Publishing company and her long-time lawyer boyfriend is taking her home to Scotland to meet the parents and his younger brother. But the trip holds more danger than she could have imagined. Between a psycho stalker and the boy who tortured her through high school, she might lose her mind - and her life - before it's all said and done.

When a chance encounter brings them together once more, it's the past, the present, and a little psychosis that may get in the way of the future that was always meant to be.




Wednesday 20 November 2013

Guest Post & Review ~ The Girl On The Bus by Raven McAllan.


Today is my tour stop for The Girl On The Bus by Raven McAllan, hosted by Love Bites and Silk. Raven will be stopping by for a guest post and I'll be reviewing The Girl On The Bus.


Title: The Girl On The Bus.
Author: Raven McAllan.
Publisher: Evernight Publishing.
Release Date: October 11, 2013.

Purchase Links: Evernight Publishing ; Amazon UK ; Amazon US ; All Romance eBooks ; Bookstrand

Julia ran out on Tay five years ago, so she can't be the woman he sees on the bus. However, when she ends up being the one taking notes at his meeting, he knows he will move heaven and earth to make her his once more.

Will she agree, or will she run again?

Be Warned: BDSM, public exhibition, spanking




Guest Post:

So what does my hero look like?

You tell me.

Many books ago, I deliberately described my hero to the nth degree. Everyone said I should have someone I based my characters on, describe him or her, and then tell everyone who they were based on.

Oh dear! Did I get hauled over the coals by a friend. I'd explained the story to her, and she did not see the hero like the person I'd described. It turned her right off the book. I sat and thought about it. I could see where she was coming from. We all have likes and dislikes, and that's how it should be. It would be a boring old world if we all liked the same things. But then, I also thought that by being so specific, I'd lost at least one reader. One who, until she'd read that detailed description, had loved the premise of the story. And when I thought about it, when I'm reading I'd rather put my own ideas on whom looked like whom.

I chatted with her. Would she have liked the story better if she had been able to use her imagination? If I'd just given a very brief description, of the short dark hair, almost black eyes and a body to die for sort of thing. Her answer was a big resounding yes.

So that's what I tend to do.

Does it work? It seems to. So if I say short dark hair that curls over his ears, deep blue eyes, and tall and slim ( or whatever) you can decide who you imagine as you read the book.

Review:

The Girl On The Bus is a short story delving into the theme of BDSM, which from my non-author perspective seems like a hard theme to fit into a small word limit. However, Raven McAllan has written a book which had everything I was looking for.

As much as I like hot books like this, I’m always wanting to find a plot mixed in too because some authors tend to miss this out so I feel like I’m reading porn and not a book. However, this wasn’t the case with The Girl On The Bus and I really liked the actual story.

I also kind of felt myself falling a little bit in love with Tay! The way Raven wrote Julia’s description of him really made me love his character.

So I enjoyed the plot and the hot scenes, and I liked the characters. The way Raven McAllan so easily drew me in to the book is why I will read more from her.

However, I did feel like The Girl On The Bus could have been helped by being read over again before it was published, as at the beginning especially, there were a few grammar mishaps which might have helped it flow a little better if they’d been corrected.

Putting the grammar aside, I thought the book was really enjoyable and as much as I’m not a great fan of short stories, I thought the length of The Girl On The Bus worked well. Overall, this is a quick read which will keep you enthralled throughout and probably leave you wanting more.

Rating:
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review also posted on Goodreads ; Amazon UK ; Amazon


About the Author:

Raven lives in Scotland, along with her husband and their two cats—their children having flown the nest—surrounded by beautiful scenery, which inspires a lot of the settings in her books.

She is used to sharing her life with the occasional deer, red squirrel, and lost tourist, to say nothing of the scourge of Scotland—the midge.

Her very understanding, and long-suffering DH, is used to his questions unanswered, the dust bunnies greeting him as he walks through the door, and rescuing burned offerings from the Aga. (And passing her a glass of wine as she types furiously.)

Connect with Raven: Website ; Blog

Cover Reveal ~ M-Day by D.T. Dyllin.

Tuesday 19 November 2013

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ The Unknown by Lara Henley.


Title: The Unknown.
Author: Lara Henley.
Genre: Romance.
Publication Date: November 7, 2013.


Misty found out early in life that things just don't come easy. She has learned to trust no one, and that you can't depend on anyone but yourself when the chips fall. Finally free of the states clutches she sets out on a whirlwind adventure called LIFE...

But she never expected Drake...

Drake... is used to being in the limelight just graduated from college. Wondering what's next? Misty is a welcome surprise. So different from his everyday mundane experiences...

Can two completely different people share a journey that could change both of their lives forever? Or will they end up destroying each other in the process?

Escape to The UnKnown.




Check out the book trailer here!


Excerpt:

We walked inside the restaurant of the very small Angelo’s. It was busy because it was a Saturday night. The walls were painted a very dark red and each table was outfitted with a matching red table cloth with a lit candle sitting on top of it.

“Very romantic, Mr. Mitchell.”

“I try my best, Miss Scott.” The waitress walked over and took us to a very small, quiet booth in the back of the restaurant. When we reached it there were a dozen white roses sitting there. I was confused, had he planned this?

“Drake, you have already given me flowers. This is too much.”

“I can never give you enough. I want to give you the world. Do you know what the white rose signifies?” He pulled me down into the booth with him.

“I don’t, but they are just as beautiful as the red ones you gave me.”

“The white rose signifies purity and innocence. The red rose signifies love, beauty, courage, and respect. And together they signify unity. Baby, you are those things to me. You are my heart.” He kissed the back of my hand. “You are as pure as the driven snow.” He kissed it again. “And you are as beautiful as an angel descending from heaven.” Drake’s eyes danced with hope and love. I could see that he truly loved me. Where did this man come from? Tears were beginning to form in my eyes.

“And together,” he pulled out a single white rose and a single red one and laced the stems together. “We are strong. We can’t be broken.” By the time he finished I was a blubbering fool. I was so happy in that exact moment.

“I love you with all my heart,” he whispered lovingly. I closed my eyes and savored his every word. I hadn’t ever known love like this. I never wanted to let it go. “Baby, you ok?”

“Yes. I love you so much. I can’t believe you did this. My makeup is probably running.” I wiped the tears from my eyes. Who knows what I look like right now, but I couldn’t help it. This was just all too wonderful not to cry.



Review:

I had really been looking forward to reading The Unknown, and it didn’t take me long to feel like this was a heartfelt book for Lara Henley. It was an easy read which took me just one sitting to finish but whilst I liked the premise of this book, at times I struggled to connect and probably didn’t enjoy The Unknown as much as I thought I would.

I guess my issue with the book was the pacing. It all felt too rushed. Okay, I know it was meant to feel like Misty and Drake’s feelings were rushed but to me, the whole story seemed too quick and I found it hard to really root for either of the main characters.

Most of the characters were written well, so I can’t criticise Lara Henley’s character development for that. We learn quite a bit about Misty and Drake in phases progressing throughout the book, and the bits we didn’t learn all helped in the way The Unknown panned out.

However, I felt like I should have liked them more. At times, I knew as the reader I should have been more sympathetic over some of the things which had and were happening to Misty, yet that just wasn’t happening to me. Drake was also built up to be sweet in the way he felt about Misty but I couldn’t connect.

Despite this, I really did get to enjoy The Unknown a lot more over the half-way mark. With all the minor little teasers during the book, I sensed that it would lead up to a strong finish and the ending did not disappoint.

I also liked how the whole story all seemed to connect to the title of the book. The Unknown was a theme throughout in both Misty and Drake’s lives as they learnt and experienced things so new to them.

The Unknown ended with a flourish which told me that I was right to stick with it. I had grown to root for Misty and Drake a little bit more but for me, it was characters like Aunt Silvia, Lizzy and Carla that helped me enjoy the book. The conclusion to this book won me over and I’m intrigued with how the follow up book will turn out.

Rating:
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review also posted on Goodreads ; Amazon UK ; Amazon


About the Author:


Lara Henley was born in the Midwest. She holds a degree in Fashion Marketing and loves all things creative. She enjoys spending time with family and friends. Her first love is writing and hopes to make it her full-time career. She first began her career as a writer with children's books and has since transitioned into writing young adult and adult romance.

Connect with Lara: Goodreads ; Blog ; Twitter ; Facebook




Giveaway:

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Sunday 17 November 2013

Review, Excerpt & Giveaway ~ The Child of Denys by Nicole Gillette.


Today I'm taking part in the blog tour for The Child of Denys, hosted by The Avid Reader book tours. To follow the rest of the tour, click the banner above to take you to the schedule.

Title: The Child of Denys.
Author: Nicole Gillette.
Genre: Young Adult/Middle Grade Fantasy Fiction.
Publication Date: October 31, 2012.

Purchase Links: Paperback ; Kindle ; Nook ; Google Books ; iBook

When Katie finds a cat hiding in her mother's garden, she has no idea the kinds of adventure that await her.

A new kid appears in school at the same time Katie's friends and family begin having nightmares, and she begins to have amazingly vivid dreams. In her dreams this new cat speaks to her, telling of darkness that has invaded the Dream Realm and encouraging her to begin a journey to help save not only the Dream Realm but the real world as well.

Max, the new kid in school, has a dog that seemed to adopt him. Just as the cat had claimed Katie. Max's mom recently died in a car accident and his father had a very difficult time dealing with her death. That left Max alone and without any friends other than his new dog.

Katie, her family and her friends learn that a simple, caring gesture is sometimes all it takes to change the course of the world. Join Katie and Max as they learn the true power of our dreams and the importance of our friendships.




Excerpts:

Back in the classroom, Mrs. Daily had us work on writing. “I’d like you all to try writing a creative story. We will work on the stories for the next few weeks. Today I’d like you to write down some ideas for your stories.” Mrs. Daily explained. “You don’t have to actually write the story, just jot down some ideas and you can begin to weave the ideas together as your story develops.”As I began to write down ideas, I recalled the dream I had the night before. I wrote about the horses, the palace and the book. I also wrote about Dennis, and how she could talk. Next to me, Max was writing as quickly as I was. I could hear his pencil as he scratched words in dark slashes across his paper. I tried to read what he was writing, but his slouching shoulder blocked my view of his paper.

Later on the bus, Tasha and I talked about the stories we were writing. I told her about the dream I had the night before, about the cat I had found and about how my dad was making me look for her owner. “Maybe he is right.” Tasha said. “If she is that special of a cat she probably does have someone looking for her.” Frustrated with Tasha, I asked “Didn’t you hear what I was telling you? She TALKS to me. She told me she doesn’t have an owner.” Tasha didn’t believe me.

---


Almost as if she was reading my mind, Phoebe said “Go child, eat this and nothing will harm you.” She handed me what looked like a small stone.“This is just a rock!” I argued. “We do not have time for arguing.” Phoebe said impatiently. “Eat and you will be fine.” Fine? How could I be fine? Feeling like I had no other choice I began to wade into the water. As I entered the water I put the small stone in my mouth. On first taste it was as sour as a lemon. I felt my tongue dry in response to the acidic flavor.

I began to chew the stone, and the sour taste began to change into a delicate, fruity flavor. It was a flavor I had never tasted before, yet seemed so familiar. It was like everything good I had ever eaten was combined into one momentary taste. As I swallowed the last bit of the stone I felt an odd warm sensation in my head. I braced myself for the cold I expected, but found the water was actually warm. Not quite as warm as the water I run for my bath, but certainly not cold.

Wading deeper into the water I felt strange creatures brushing up against my legs. “Do not fear, Child.” Phoebe yelled from the shore. “If you are not afraid they will not harm you.” ‘Don’t be afraid’ I thought, ‘Yeah right; they aren’t the ones in the water.’


Review:

The Child of Denys was a fun book, leading younger readers into an enchanting world where your cat actually talks to you (and let’s face it, what cat-owner hasn’t imagined what it would be like if their cat actually spoke to them!?).

The premise of this book was good. Nicole Gillette wrote a short, fast paced story with an interesting fantasy element as the main character Katie is The Child needed to save the Dream Realm.

My issue with The Child of Denys wasn’t really related to the actual story itself. I thought the book was very enjoyable, and the story was a fresh idea which would appeal to the young people it’s aimed at.

However, there were a lot of problems with grammar and the odd spelling that affected the flow of the book for me. Had this had a bit of a rework, I feel it would have strengthened the book in what was an entertaining story formatted not very well.

Also, for me personally, I was a little bit torn on the length of the book. Whilst I did love that the pacing was fast, as the anticipation and adventure was made all the more entertaining, I felt it was harder to connect with characters like Katie’s family and her best friend because we find out so little about them.

Despite this, these are probably only the type of things someone a little older than the targeted readership would pick up on. The Child of Denys, overall, was a sweet book with likeable characters. The fantasy element added some intrigue to the plot and the main themes presented, trust and friendship, resulted in a book which Nicole Gillette has made worthwhile and inspiring for young readers.

Rating:
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review also posted on Goodreads ; Amazon UK ; Amazon


About the Author:

Nicole Gillette (or Nikki to her friends and family) describes herself as a wife, mother, crafter, gardener, chef and whatever else is needed. She stays busy following her two children around to sporting events, creating amazing art pieces, writing, and running her online business "Creating Amidst Chaos".

Growing up in Northern Michigan Nikki learned to appreciate spending time outdoors. She enjoys camping, hiking and fishing and collects memories and mementos on her trips to use in scrapbooks, crafts, art projects and writing. Nothing is off limits to use!

As she began to explore different art techniques her friends and family encouraged her to teach lessons on scrapbooking and mixed media art. As a result she developed a series of written tutorials that are now available in e-book format.

In addition to the crafting tutorials she has written children's books that are engaging and entertaining for children and adults as well. Most of the inspiration for her writing come from the wonder she sees in the eyes of her children as they explore our world.

Nikki ensures us that as a 'Jack-of-all-Trades' you can be sure of only one thing. As time goes by she will develop and change so you can expect her projects and writings to do the same.

Giveaway:

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Thursday 14 November 2013

Review & Giveaway ~ 1000 Sleepless Nights by Connie Ann Michael.



Title: 1000 Sleepless Nights.
Author: Connie Ann Michael.
Genre: Contemporary Military Romance.
Release Date: August 26, 2013.

Purchase Links: Amazon ; B&N ; Kobo ; Smashwords

Can you choose between fighting for your life and fighting for your heart?

Twenty-two year old Corpsman Emme Sawyer doesn’t follow rules. She’s always been the best and no one will die if she has anything to say about it.

Emme refuses to hang around the hospital waiting for the wounded to come to her and joins a Marine unit heading into Helmand Providence, the largest opium producer in Afghanistan. Shutting off her emotions, Emme focuses on what she does best…keeping her men safe.

When her best friend is obliterated by a roadside bomb, Emme begins to realize she can’t save everyone. Seeking comfort from Raven, her commanding officer, Emme develops feelings that don’t belong in a combat zone where each step could be your last. As Raven reciprocates, Emme learns you can’t choose when and where love finds you.


Entranced Publishing


Review:

Before I started, I wasn’t really convinced 1000 Sleepless Nights would be my kind of book. Not that I don’t like a romance but I didn’t think I was going to overly enjoy it. However, I was really pleasantly surprised and found myself enthralled.

I loved Connie Ann Michael’s writing; the way the characters were written, the way she drew me right into a story I wasn’t convinced I’d like and the way she wrote such a heart-wrenchingly good book.

The characters won me over. I was so rooting for Emme and Raven and I loved poor Tahk too! I really enjoyed reading the friendship between Emme and Tahk as well. 1000 Sleepless Nights was full of moving relationships and events.

Connie Ann Michael has a brilliant way with words which just draws you in and makes you feel the emotions of the story. I can’t imagine many people will read 1000 Sleepless Nights and not be moved by some of the things which happened and the way the characters feel.

I did find it took me a little while to get into this book. At the beginning, I wasn’t overly entertained but I was intrigued enough by the plot to carry on reading and it got a lot better.

Overall, I’d really recommend 1000 Sleepless Nights as I think it’s quite different from a lot of other books in this genre and has a very absorbing plot with some great characters. I’m looking forward to reading more from the author.

Rating:
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Review also posted on Goodreads ; Amazon UK ; Amazon


About the Author:

Connie Ann Michael was raised a city girl, but was converted to a country girl after college and now resides in a speck of a town in Central Washington State. She is married to her former boss as she worked at the local Pizza place and has two college age boys that provide endless material for her books. She loves the outdoors and can be found mountain biking, kayaking, or camping with her family. Being a busy family, she can be found working on her newest novel while on long road trips.

Connect with Connie: Website ; Facebook ; Twitter ; Google+ ; Goodreads

Giveaway:



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