Poison Tour

Poison by Lan Chan
(Wind Dancer #1)
Publication date: September 1st 2015
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

Synopsis: Since the night her mother was murdered, sixteen-year-old Rory Gray has known one truth: There are no good Seeders.
In post-apocalyptic Australia, the scientists known as Seeders have built a Citadel surrounded by food-producing regions and populated with refugees from the wars and famine. To maintain their control, the Seeders poisoned the land and outlawed the saving of seeds.
It’s been six years since Rory graced the Seeders’ circus stage as the Wind Dancer and still the scars on her body haven’t healed. Even worse are the scars on her heart, left by a Seeder boy who promised to protect her.
Now the Seeders are withholding supplies from Rory’s region for perceived disobedience. Utilising the Wanderer knowledge she received from her mother, Rory must journey to the Citadel through uninhabitable terrain to plead for mercy.
However, the Citadel isn’t as Rory remembered. The chief plant geneticist is dying and rumours fly that the store of viable seed is dwindling. The Seeders are desperate to find a seed bank they believe Rory can locate, and they will stop at nothing to get it.
To defy the Seeders means death. But Rory has been close to death before–this time she’s learned the value of poison.
Recommended for fans of The Hunger Games, Divergent, strong protagonists, minority characters, circuses and nature!

AUTHOR BIO:
Lan Chan is a writer, gardener and professional procrastinator based in Melbourne, Australia. She is still waiting for her super powers to manifest but until then she writes young adult novels featuring strong female protagonists, minority characters and has a particular interest in dystopias and urban fantasy. Lan’s debut novel POISON, the first in her WIND DANCER series is due for release in September 2015.
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

This is a unique dystopian, I loved that the focus was on seeds and genetic modifications to plants. I also really liked that it was set in Australia.

This book takes off at a fast pace that does not let up. There were a few graphic/violent scenes that were a bit much for me. While the plot moved at an exiting pace, there were times when I felt like Aurora lost her focus on her journey. But there were plenty of plot twists that kept me on my toes. The world building was OK, but could have used more details. A few details seemed unrelated, but later in the book they came together. I felt like this could have been executed a little better. Unfortunately, the book lacked character development. I did, however like that there was not a heavy focus on romance. I was a little let down by the ending because the story felt unfinished. All that being said, I did enjoy reading the book, it was exciting and I am really interested in reading the next book in the series.

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Shifter: City of Wolves - Blog Tour & Giveaway

Book & Author Details:
Shifter: City of Wolves by Avery Burch
Publication date: August 3rd 2015
Genres: Adult, Paranormal Romance

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Synopsis: He'll risk anything to be inside me. I'm his fated mate.
Lyla:
What the hell am I thinking? I can't fall for a wolf. He's a criminal and an outcast. I'm an elite. If we get caught, they'll destroy us. I'll be disgraced. He'll be tortured and killed. But his wolf instinct has locked on me. He says I'm his fated mate. And every time we're alone together, he melts my heart ... and makes me so wet I'll risk anything to feel him throb inside me.
Zac:
Everything they told me about fated mates is true. And that means I'm in a lot of trouble. I'm risking everything. As a shifter, I'm used to living on the edge. The regime wants me dead. But now it's so much more complicated. I'm obsessed with this girl. I can't get her out of my mind. I need to devour her, body and soul. I know I should resist, for her sake as much as my own, but I physically can't. My wolf lust has locked onto her. There's no way we get out of this alive, but one night inside her will be worth any punishment.

Author Bio
Avery Burch is a hot new paranormal romance author and her series, Shifter: City of Wolves is going to have a huge impact. She writes chilling tales of shifters and heart-wrenching stories of love and lust. If you like your romance spicy, your shifters sexy, your love stories intense, and your heroines passionate, then her books are for you.
She lives in Toronto, Canada.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

Prologue

My namE is shay cartEr and i am a shiftEr.
I am no longer afraid to say it. That fear is gone. Years on the road, hunted by police, reviled by my people, tortured by enforcers, those things change a man. Make him hard. A darkness comes over him that even kids on the street notice. They stop smiling, look away, avoid eye contact. The small things hurt the most.
That’s why I was so taken by Zac. He didn’t look at me the way others did. He was just a boy, a young kid alone in the world, but he saw me for the man I could have been. He saw the good in me. He saw me as a father. And he saved my life. I’d spent so many years hunted as an animal, I no longer remembered what it was like to be a man. I was a beast, a monster. I killed. I maimed. I knew the taste of blood. I never surrendered, never turned myself in, and I paid the price.

But this isn’t my story. This is the story of the boy, my son, for I truly think of him as such. Zac is my heart, my soul, and I gave my all to raise and protect him. Now that my life is drawing to an end, I realize how fragile it is. I put my hopes 11 for the future in Zac, my own boy, and trust he will find the happiness I could only pray for.

Yes, pray.
I may be a monster, but I am a pious monster. God speaks through the strangest of creatures, and if He doesn’t speak through Zac, then damn Him, He never spoke at all.
So go, my son. Go to the city. Find who you are. Find where you came from. Find the bone that lies beneath the flesh, and the marrow deep within it. Test your mettle against the crooked old world.

And one day, many years from now, under the glassy spires of the greatest city on God’s green earth, find your sister. Find her and cling to her, hold her and protect her, love her as your own flesh and blood. I could never be the father to her that I was to you. She was taken before she ever knew me.

I imagine she never even knew my name, but I have not for- gotten hers. Years have passed, decades, and every single night as my watery eyes stare into the flames of the fire, her name rests on my lips—Lyla. My daughter. What was taken can never be returned.

Her name lies on my lips, as does her mother’s—the only woman I ever loved—the only person I ever cursed—Edith. Edith Caledon.

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10 e-book copies of Shifter

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Spelled Spotlight Tour

Spelled  By Betsy Schow
Sourcebooks Fire
June 2, 2015

Advance Praise for Spelled

“A cute adventure with romance set in a world full of fairy-tale mash-ups. Readers will love Dorthea’s evolution from spoiled princess to strong, confident heroine… For Oz fans, this work is a great clean-read alternative to Danielle Paige’s Dorothy Must Die.” -School Library Journal

“This wickedly funny, fast-paced adventure has it all: brains, courage, and heart. (Plus a kickin’ pair of heels.) .” --Jen Calonita, author of The Secrets of My Hollywood Life and Fairy Tale Reform School series

“Fairy tale survival rule #1, do NOT read this book late at night. You will wake up your entire family with loud laughter. Fairy tale survival rule #2, if you love the Wizard of Oz, clever fairy tale mash-ups, and enough twists and turns to keep you guessing what will happen until the very end, you MUST read Spelled.” --J Scott Savage, award winning author of Farworld, Case File 13, and the Mysteries of Cove series.

“A hilarious and snarky reimagining of the world of Oz, along with many other fairy tales injected throughout, "Spelled" is one fabulous read…Kick off those silver slippers and tuck in with this wonderful tale!” —Senator Sipes, Lil Book Bug (Palmdale, CA)

Book Info:Talk about unhappily ever after. Dorthea is completely princed out. Sure being the crown princess of Emerald has its perks—like Glenda Original ball gowns and Hans Christian Louboutin heels. But a forced marriage to the not-so-charming prince Kato is so not what Dorthea had in mind for her enchanted future.
Trying to fix her prince problem by wishing on a (cursed) star royally backfires, leaving Dorthea with hair made up of emerald flames and the kingdom in chaos. Her parents and everyone she loves are stuck in some place called “Kansas.” Now it’s up to Dorthea and her pixed-off prince to find the mysterious Wizard of Oz and undo the curse…before it releases the wickedest witch of all and spells The End for the world of Story.

Amazon | B&N | BAM | !ndigo | IndieBound | Kindle | Nook

Betsy Schow:
Betsy Schow is the author of the memoir Finished Being Fat, and has been featured on The Today Show and in The Wall Street Journal. She lives in Utah, but travels the country with Color Me Rad 5k, and partners with nonprofits to teach kids creative thinking and how to reach their goals.

Website| Twitter



Excerpt from Spelled:

Most of the crowd had dispersed. The final few stragglers looked at me with the all­too-common look of fear mixed with trepidation. Pix ’em. They were just servants. It wasn’t like their opinion mattered.

Only one remained, watching me with open curiosity. He looked to be in his late teens or was magically enhanced to appear so. He could have been a hundred for all I knew. I’d never seen him before in my life. He was handsome enough, for a commoner, even in his worn leather pants and cracked work boots. A foreigner, his hair was unruly and dark auburn, which complemented his tanned but dirt-smudged complexion, though the tall, dark stranger vibe was ruined by his piercing pale blue eyes.

Well, I’d had enough of being a sideshow for the day. “If you’re the new gardener, the hedges are overgrown and in need of a trim.” I pointed in the direction of my father. “While you’re there, you can help the king with the wisps.”

The young man’s expression clouded over, but he didn’t move.

I stamped my foot and pointed more forcefully. “Off with you. Courtyard’s that way. Be sure to clean those awful boots before coming back in.”

“Someone told me I’d find a princess of great worth here. One with the strength to be the hero this realm needs.” He stared at me with those unsettling blue eyes. They were cold, like ice water—made me shiver from head to toe. Then his gaze seemed to search even deeper. Finally, he looked through me, like I was nothing.

In brisk steps, he strode across the marble to the courtyard. But before crossing the threshold, he turned back to glare at me with his lip curled ever so slightly. “It seems she was mistaken.”

Just like that, I had been sifted, weighed, and found wanting.

I felt my own lip curl in response. How rude! Who the Grimm was this peasant to judge me? I was wearing a Glenda original. Original! Not some fairy-godmother knockoff worn by those servant girls turned royal. I was a crown princess, for the love of fairy, and no one dismissed me.

Before I could put the boy in his place—down in the dirt, where he belonged—a clatter came from behind, making me nearly jump out of my shoes. I checked and was relieved that Sterling had simply dropped his sword. By the time I looked back, the gardener was gone.

After stowing his blade, Sterling held up his shield, not in defense of the entrance but so he could look at his reflection. “Clearly he’s blind and doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”

I didn’t ask for Sterling’s opinion, but it made me feel better.

Until he opened his mouth again.

“Worth, pffft. I mean, look around at all the jewels. Your palace has everything you could ever want. Honestly, I don’t know what you’re fussing about. Why would anyone want to leave?”

Because a cage is still a cage, no matter how big or glittering the bars are.

And I would find a way free, no matter the cost.

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The Legend of the Light Keeper (Guest Post, Giveaway, Blog Tour)

Author: Kelly Hall
Title: The Legend of the Light Keeper
Series: The Light Keeper Series
Publication Date: March 25, 2015
Publisher: Booktrope
Tour Schedule

Summary: After a hurricane destroys her home, Lily Jordan is ready for life to get back to normal. That would be easy if her mother’s recent engagement hadn’t landed her in a house along Southeast Texas’ most haunted ghost road.
The secluded scenic road is steeped in rich history and legends, but when Lily is given an old diary on her birthday, will she find that those legends hold more for her future than she’s bargained for?
With the help of new friends, Hunter and Owen, and forbidden love, Talon, will she uncover dark secrets from the past and find the key to her own gifts? Is it fate or circumstance that brought her to her new home?
Normal gives way to the paranormal in book one of the Light Keeper series where mystery and suspense will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Guest Post

Tips for Choosing the Right Names for Your Characters

One of my favorite parts of writing is choosing my character’s names. I love creating characters with strong, distinct personalities who are memorable. I love the names I chose for my characters in The Legend of the Light Keeper, but I will admit, those choices taught me a thing or two. So here are some things to consider when naming your characters.

Spell Check: My first issue was spell check. I had chosen names like Lily, Hunter, and Talon that would not pick up on spell check since lily, hunter, and talon are nouns and perfectly acceptable not capitalized. I had to keep a close eye on those words. What I finally did was use my Find feature in Word to go through and double check and make the corrections. I’m glad I kept the names I did, because after writing four more books using those character names, they’ve kind of grown on me. I couldn’t imagine them named anything else, but choosing differently from the start would have saved me a ton of trouble.

Spelling: Choose common spellings. Throwing in a ton of extra letters, changing the common Y to EE or adding in a strange Z and a silent G, H, or X is only going to create more work for you and your reader. I’ve read so many books that had some really memorable names that were spelled ten kinds of crazy, and I didn’t ever, not once think they were awesome names or that the author was extra clever or creative. I thought it was unnecessary and too much of that in one book makes me give up and move on to another. Consider your readers. Give your characters that beautiful name that suits them, but keep it simple.

Avoid confusion: One thing I did with The Legend of the Light Keeper, that didn’t survive past the editing process, was name Lily’s grandmother Grammy. That alone would have been great, but with Owen and Hunter’s grandmother being named Granny, it kind of made for confusion, not only for me, but for my readers. So in the end I changed Grammy to Gram. Make sure that your readers can distinguish who you are talking about with ease. Having to pause to figure it out only slows a reader down.

In closing, I’ll remind you to write what you want. These are only suggestions to help you make easier decisions. The most important advice I can give you is to simply write.

About the AuthorKelly Hall was born and raised in Southeast Texas, and lives in a small town just a stone’s throw from the ghost road where her Light Keeper series is based. When she’s not busy writing, or spending time with her husband and two sons, this self-proclaimed creative junkie dabbles in many different forms of art, including cake decorating and mixed media.

Author Links:
Pinterest | Website | Facebook | Twitter

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Bright Fire (Blog Tour, Review, Interview)

Author: MJ Austin
Published: January 17, 2015
Source: Author in exchange for an honest review
Amazon

Summary from Goodreads: Delfia thought she was a normal girl about to turn sixteen until her adoptive parents are murdered by creatures from the underworld. Her life gets thrown into chaos as she teams up with her best friend, a strange guy, and a prophetess. She soon discovers her biological father, Hades, ordered the attack on her and her family because a prophecy names her as the one to take him down. She must first complete a set of tasks to free Persephone, her mother, from the underworld and defeat Hades. Will she be reunited with her mother or will she get sucked into the underworld?

*Book is geared towards readers that liked Percy Jackson Series, Need Series, etc.*

Interview

Who is your favorite Greek Mythology character and why?

This is a very hard one. I would say right now my favorite greek mythology character is Hephaestus. Strange I know, but I love how he was given hardships and still became someone very important. Monster wise, I would say Gorgons (Medusa) because that's what my family calls me when I wake up. HaHa!

I love Greek Mythology and find the story of Hades and Persephone to be one of the most interesting ones. What made you to choose them as Delfia's parents?
When you are trying to write a novel, your biggest asset is the 'what makes you different' factor. I saw a bunch of books with Zeus and Poseidon as parents and i thought, what about Hades? Plus I love Persephone's story and thought writing around that would be fun, and it is. 

Is Delfia's name inspired by the city of Delphi? Where does her last name come from?
Wow I didn't even think of the angle with Delphi, that would have been interesting. I actually really liked the title Bright Fire and decided to look up names that matched it. I wanted to bring something that represented both Persephone and Hades. 

Terentia means guardian is Greek, how much research went into including details like that in the story?
This I did research for that purpose. I knew there had to be greek versions of everyday american things. It took hours upon hours, but it is totally worth it. I am still researching all the time. I loved mythology in school and now that I can appreciate it even more, it is so much fun to learn. I remembered the basics, but every time I research, something else in my writing just falls into place. It's amazing. 

What is the most interesting thing you learned while researching? 

Hmm. I am an education junkie so this is hard for me to answer. The most interesting thing would probably be that Zeus was kind of a floozy. I had no idea just how many offspring the guy had. It makes it hard to correlate people into the story without screwing up facts. I know fiction is subjective, but still. 

Lyla seems like a really great best friend, how did you go about writing and developing her character?
I wrote Lyla in the image of my best friend Jen Jen. Every author pulls from their life, after all that's where most of your experience comes from. You can't write it, if you don't know it. We did actually have Binge Nights as kids. And she is one of those perky blondes everyone takes for ditzy until she wows you with a smart comment and they are put in their place.

Rating: êê

Review

I love this unique spin on the story of Persephone and Hades. It's clear that the author did a great deal of research prior to writing this story with the way she wove together small details. The story is written from the perspective of the main character Delfia, but the voice does not sound like a 16 year old girl, it sounds more like someone pretending to be a 16 year old. Delfia is not a well developed or likable character. I had two major issues with Delfia: insta-trust and insta-love. It also felt like the author was trying to overcompensate for the insta-love by drawing attention to and having Dell say things like she doesn't want to be the girl who falls for the savior, over and over again. The most consistent character is Lyla, she seems like a great friend. The plot moves at an OK pace, but there were a couple events that didn't really make sense and felt like they were included simply to move the story forward. The climax was resolved quickly and the resolution felt too easy. Overall, the book was OK - it has an awesome concept, but there is room for improvement.

About The  Auhor
M.J. Austin is the author of the Bright Fire series and NaNoWriMo 2014 winner. She has always found the world of fantasy preferable to the real world. She channels this love of mystical worlds and creatures into her writing. She is an avid reader and proud bookworm. She has a Master's Degree in Project Management, but her true passion is writing.
When she isn't working or writing she is diving into random projects as often as possible. She lives in Tennessee with three children, husband, and three dogs.

Author Links
Blog | Facebook |Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

A Wizard Rises - Blog Tour

Thursday, January 29th marks the release of

Book III in The Golden Key Legacy...


A Wizard Rises

by

AJ Nuest

The homecoming celebration held in honor of Princess Faedrah is fraught with perilous frustration. Her nightmares have returned thricefold and, to her horror, a horrendous blight has spread like a plague throughout the kingdom. Compounding her worries, Rhys’ arrival in her world has been welcomed with the exact horror-filled reaction she expected. Her beloved has been cast into the dungeons, and no amount of arguing with the king and queen will prove he’s her fated love.

Magical powers were supposed to be a gift, or so Rhys McEleod had always believed. Too bad the second he landed in Faedrah’s world the legacy he inherited slammed into his body like a weight. He’s got zero control and his constant visions of Faedrah fighting an evil entity aren’t helping. At least her parents made the right decision and stuck him away someplace safe. Until he can figure out his next move, prove himself an ally and uncover the clues to stopping Faedrah’s nightmares, he’s got no choice but to wait…and learn exactly what he’s become.

It's a $0.99 SALE!!!

The entire The Golden Key Legacy

is sale priced!!!

A Furious Muse, Book I...

Since the day of her birth, Princess Faedrah Austiere has been defined by her place within the kingdom. As the single heir to the half-blood gypsy king and his prophesied white queen, she is fiercely protected, shuttered inside an ivory castle and well-trained in the art of war. Yet neither her obligations as future queen nor the black infestation threatening her kingdom fail to hinder the mysterious pull of the antique armoire hidden in her parents’ bedchamber. And stealing the golden key for a leap through time is the only way to confront the dark lord haunting her dreams.
One face. The image of one defiant, relentless woman has been stuck in Rhys McEleod’s head ever since he was old enough paint her luscious curves on the canvas. But the day she walks into his life off the street—sexier than hell and itching for a fight—he’s not convinced she’s the same women he’s envisioned since childhood. That is, not until he spots the golden key around her neck—an object he’d never fully shown in any of his paintings.

Now if he could just persuade his lovely muse he’s not the enemy. Unless the elusive Faedrah Austiere learns to trust him, he’ll never have her in his bed—the one place he’s convinced she belongs.

~ * ~

The Sacrifice, Book II...

The second Faedrah Austiere walked into his life off the canvas, everything in Rhys McEleod’s world stopped making sense. Not only does her story sound like a Grimm’s fairy tale, evidently he’s been cast as the villain. If that isn’t enough, the mirror inside that old, beat up armoire at her uncle’s condo is supposedly a doorway to another world. Ever since the pathway opened, something inside him has seemed…off. If what his muse says is true, they are headed for an epic showdown, but he isn’t about to let her go. Nothing is more important than Faedrah’s protection, even if her parents refuse to accept him.

Though certain their fates are bound by more than the golden key Princess Faedrah wears around her neck, it is paramount Rhys’ true identity be kept secret. Should news of his bloodline ever reach her kingdom, their entire quest to save her people could be lost. Their only hope to prove his loyalty is to steal the map to the dark lord’s Crystal Crypt. Yet her a plan endangers her beloved more than the accusations he faces in her kingdom and, to escape evil’s grasp, she and Rhys must take a leap of faith beyond her wildest imagination. 

Pre-Order the Final Installment in this epic time travel fantasy romance!

A Time of Reckoning

Releases February 26th!

 

Rhys had one job to do. One measly errand that shouldn’t have been a problem, given the nature of his powers. But when an old enemy reappears, detailing the result of his actions, Rhys is forced to make a choice between a future with Faedrah or dying before his time. Frustrated and out of options, he agrees to her suggestion they to leap forward in time to the future…even though a good chance exists his powers will be nothing but a memory in his world. Flying blind on a wing and a prayer, they prepare to fight for everything they love against a wizard of insurmountable power.

Faedrah does her best to gather their closest allies. The sides are squared in a war to control the future of both worlds. With the stakes so high, only one advantage has been cast in their favor. The sigil of utmost protection inherent in Rhys’ signature. If not enough to thwart the evil awaiting at the Austiere gates, she could find herself imprisoned in the future, while her kingdom and all those she has sworn to protect are lost to the mists of time.

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On Thursday January 29th, we'll be celebrating the release of

A Wizard Rises on Facebook!

Prizes, Contest, Author Giveaways!

Don't miss out! Click HERE to join in the fun!!!

Chandrea: Review, Tour, Giveaway

Author: Marlene Wynn
Publication: September 22, 2014
Source: Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for honest review
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Summary from Goodreads: Chandrea Averill thinks she’s just like any other normal young woman. But, on the day of her 23rd birthday, her life changes forever.
Surrounded by magical creatures, dangerous sorcery, and insidious political intrigue, Chandrea desperately wants to return to Earth and the only life she’s ever known. But, the longer she stays, the more she realizes that she may be the only one with the power – both magical and political – to save the people of Lyrunia. Will she find the courage to remain and fight for her home world?

Rating: êêêê

Review

I really enjoyed this book and found myself looking forward to reading it every night even if it was only for a chapter or two. The book was well written,  the author really took the time to make sure the reader understands the background story. She did an excellent job of keeping the reader informed throughout the book. The book has a sense of adventure to it, that kept me interested while reading and moved the plot at a good pace. Overall, I liked the characters, but it would have been nice for them to be a tiny bit flawed. The villain is perfectly hateable. The ending was fitting, it felt like a solid close, however there is clearly an open-ness to continue the story. All in all it had all the elements needed to successfully tell an epic fantasy story.

Warning: There may be spoilers ahead!

Now, one of the things that stood out to me was that the first half(ish) of the book reminded me of The Wizard of Oz. There is a girl who is transported from the US to Oz Lyrunia, there is a wicked witch evil queen who wants something that her sister has, the leading lady gathers a group to travel with, poppies golden mist that puts the travelers to sleep in nightmares, and a crystal ball mirror that allows Dorothy Chandrea to see the people she left behind in her old world. Just a few things that stuck out to me, obviously I like The Wizard of Oz and didn't have a problem with any of these small details.

About The  Auhor
Marlene Wynn is a Utah native – fondly referred to as “Utonian” by a friend. She transplanted herself in 1992 from the majestic Rocky Mountains to the beachy shores of sunny Virginia Beach, Virginia and has been there ever since. Though she has worked in the Benefits field for several years, she finally worked up the courage to chase her dream as an author.
Author links:http://www.marlenewynn.com/https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8343236.Marlene_Wynnhttps://www.facebook.com/MarleneWynn.Authorhttps://twitter.com/MWynnAuthor

Giveaway

Tour-wide giveaway (US and Canada)

A print copy of Chandrea – The Return of the Avatar Queen, 

A handmade fairy, 

A set of character trading cards.

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Inner Fire

Inner Fire by R.L. Stedman
Release Date: 11/30/14
Source: YA Book Tours in exchange for an honest review

Amazon

Tour Schedule

Summary from Goodreads:
‘‘Maybe it would be better if I started at the beginning.’ Gran watched me carefully. ‘This ability we have; my mother, me. You. We draw heat along our bodies; anger makes us flame.’
When her friend is assaulted, Corrine Peterson can’t help reacting. But she didn’t think and now her hands are burnt, Gran is coming to look after her and, scariest of all, strange men are watching her house. Could they be terrorists? Secret agents?
It seems that Gran’s idea of a solution is to introduce Corrine to Rowan. Okay, sure, maybe eighteen year old Rowan is gorgeous – but he has his own troubles. And right now, Corrine doesn’t need complications in her life.
But in a world of surveillance and secrecy, complexity is inevitable. And as the tension mounts Corrine realizes - maybe Gran can help her, after all.

Rating: êêê

Review

I was really intrigued by the fact the this book centered around a girl who could create fire "in a world of surveillance and secrecy", so I was excited when I received this book in exchange for an honest review.

The beginning was interesting, however I was really confused. The book was fast paced which made it easy to read. The characters were OK, the only one who stood out was Gran. She was the most well developed character in the book. While all of the characters had a clearly developed back story, I think the delivery of those back stories could have been written in a better way. I really wasn't a fan of Rowan and the development of their friendship and relationship.

This book had A LOT of different (underdeveloped) elements/details going on that it all felt a bit mangled to me, which is the primary thing that lowered my star rating. Overall, it was a great concept that moved at a good pace, but it was an OK read.

About the AuthorMy name is Rachel Stedman. I’m a physiotherapist (physical therapist) by background, but now I work as a freelance contractor. I live in the wild and windy place of Dunedin, New Zealand, with my husband and two kids.
I write mostly for children and young adults. In 2012 I won the Tessa Duder Award for an unpublished YA work and my first novel, A Necklace of Souls, was published by HarperCollins in 2013 (available in the United Kingdom and on Book Depository from June 2015). This year, A Necklace of Souls was awarded Best First Book at the 2014 New Zealand Post Book Awards and won a Notable Book Award from Storylines. Inner Fire is my second novel. Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Book Tour Organized by:

YA Bound Book Tours

Play of Light Book Tour

Author: Debra Doxer

Publication: December 8, 2014

Source: Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review
Tour Schedule
Amazon

Summary from Goodreads: I lived in paradise, and I loved Spencer Pierce.
At fourteen, my life was perfect. The beach was my playground, and the boy who stole my heart lived just around the corner. But perfect never lasts. In one horrifying moment, I lost it all. My family was destroyed, and the boy I believed in turned his back on me. Paradise became a nightmare.
That was five years ago. Everything changed when we moved from our home by the sea. I’ve changed, and I don’t like who I’ve become. I miss the smiling, carefree beach girl who disappeared that terrible night. I want to find her again. I want to face the people we ran from so long ago. Most of all, I have to face Spencer. So I can prove that when he broke my heart, he didn’t break me.
But when I see him again, Spencer Pierce is no longer the boy from my memories. He’s now a man who could devastate me if I let him. He watches me when he thinks I’m not looking. There’s regret written on his face when he’s near. Each time I see him, my heart aches for what might have been, and I think his does too. How can I convince myself I’m over him when I suspect he never got over me?

Rating: êêê

Review

This book took me a little while to get into it. There is quite a bit of heavy material and tragedy in this book.

The pacing of the book was a bit difficult for me. The book jumps between 5 years ago and the present. Once we finally had all of the details from 5 years ago, the book mostly stays in the present and was easier to get into.

I found the tension between Sarah and Spencer to be heart-wrenching and thrilling at the same time. This book is an emotional ride. You can't help but empathize with the characters. I cried at least once. The author did an excellent job of keeping the reader informed and answering questions I didn't know I had.

The romance scenes were well written.

The ending isn't a perfect happily ever after, but it is satisfying.





WARNING: SPOILER-ISH SIDE NOTE
I was very happy to see that the characters do the right thing and that they discuss the need for professional help to deal with the tragedies that they have survived.

AUTHOR BIO
Debra Doxer was born in Boston, and other than a few lost years in the California sunshine, she has always resided in the Boston area. She writes fiction, technical software documents, illegible scribbles on sticky notes, and texts that get mangled by AutoCorrect. She writes for a living, and she writes for fun. When her daughter asks when she’ll run out of words, her response always is, “When I run out of time.”

Connect with Debra. She loves hearing from readers.



Author links:
http://debradoxer.blogspot.ca/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6876249.Debra_Doxer
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorDebraDoxer
https://twitter.com/DebraDoxer

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Unrequited: Blog Tour

Unrequited by Emily Shaffer
Release Date: 09/23/14
Swoon Romance

Other Stops on Tour
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Summary from Goodreads:
In the town of Belle Ridge there are doctors, lawyers and teachers... but there is only one vampire. Will Leighton has become an expert in making a life for himself amongst the unsuspecting small-town inhabitants, as the high school history teacher. He has spent hundreds of years crafting an identity and routine that make him feel almost human, but he is always missing that important final element, love.
Ashton Wallace is beautiful, smart, and angry. She was forced into an eternal existence, and now her family has moved her away from everything and everyone she knows. In Belle Ridge she is supposed to finish high school and start her life again, but how do you make plans for the next several centuries?
Will has never met another of his kind, and is immediately intrigued by Ashton. He longs to show her that the perceived vampire lifestyle, so popular in storybooks, is far from reality...but will she let him be a friend and guide in this new existence? Can Ashton accept Will into her life, or will she be led astray by a dark stranger with whom she shares an unknown connection?

Excerpt

“Ashton, I think you'll be very happy here at Belle Ridge.” The principal was talking, but Ashton wasn't paying attention to him. Instead, she slumped in her seat, glaring at her parents.

She couldn’t think of a worse moment than sitting in this man's office. Well, there was one worse moment, the moment that brought her here, but she tried to never ever think of it. So instead, she would dwell on this one.

Ashton had begged her parents to let her get her high school equivalency degree. She was already nineteen years old. Her friends had all graduated last year. It had been painful to miss out on her senior year with the people she'd known since childhood. Instead of football games and prom dress shopping, Ashton had spent her senior year at home, feeling confused and alone. Her parents decided to move Ashton and her little brother to Belle Ridge. It was supposed to be a fresh start and a chance for Ashton to finish high school and figure out some way to move forward with her life.

Her parents felt the only way to deal with the uncertain future was to cut ties with the past. Ashton wasn't stupid; she knew she could never go back to the life she used to have. But the thought of letting go of her old hopes and dreams was almost more than she could bear. Even worse, she was sitting in a high school in Belle Ridge, just a few months shy of what should be her twentieth birthday. A twenty year old high school senior? Ashton felt like a joke.

“Nobody has to know anything about you that you don't want them to know,” her mother had told her more times than she could count. She had said it again in the car just before they arrived here today. Maybe she needed to embrace being a blank page. From her current position, a life of anonymity seemed like the best course.

About The  Auhor Whether writing stories to entertain her younger siblings, or typing up an essay for a class, Emily Shaffer has been a writer for as long as she can remember. Her stories may have changed from talking cartoon frogs to angsty young adults, but her goal to write a compelling story remains the same. When not writing, she lives in Nashville and enjoys all the music, food, and excitement that city has to offer. Her first novel, the well-received chick-lit title That Time of the Month was self-published on Amazon in 2012. Her latest novel, as the others before, are fueled by diet soda and pie.

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Captivate : Blog Tour, Giveaway + Excerpt

Captivate Me by SJ Pierce
Publication date: April 1st 2014
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult
Tour Schedule

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Synopsis:“My mom had always told me – when you meet “the one”, you’ll know; they’ll captivate your heart the moment you lay eyes on them. I had always wondered, though, if my mom’s words of wisdom were finite – if they applied to everyone. Maybe those who had found their one great love were the lucky few, and maybe the rest of us would have to settle for less than earth-shattering.”
Seventeen-year-old Kat Walsh is a Gifted – a human with paranormal abilities. With her mom a former Angel and her dad a dream prophet, it’s always been in her genetic make-up to be extraordinary. But, unfortunately for her, the world can’t handle the strange or unusual. So when she slips up and uses her powers at her high school in Ireland, the entire student body treats her like a freak – even the ones she thought were her closest friends.
Broken, but hopeful for a fresh start, she allows her parents to enroll her in a boarding school buried deep within the forests of a small Colorado town. At Midland Pines, School for the Gifted, she feels as though she can finally be herself; she makes new friends and even has the attention of the most popular guy in school – Levi. Everything feels normal again… or does it?
Not long after her arrival, weird dreams of an alluring boy whom she’s never met surface during the night, and the eerie, shadowy trees encircling their school seem to call to her. As these disturbing, yet enticing developments intensify, other bizarre occurrences happen – students and staff turn up missing, and mystery visitors leave gifts while she sleeps. With all of these other things fighting for her attention, a desperate Levi has to fight even harder to keep her interest. But with the dreams of the attractive boy slowly captivating her heart, Kat has to make a choice – will she settle for ‘great’ Levi, or will she search for her elusive dream visitor, possibly stumbling across ‘amazing’?
From the author of the Alyx Rayer Chronicles, comes a refreshingly different Young Adult series with plenty of love, suspense, and a new take on the Paranormal.
Recommended for readers 16 and up due to mature content.

Excerpt

Once I had arrived back at our room, shaking but exhilarated, I stripped down to my shorts and tank top and slid into bed.

I laid there, gnawing my lip, twirling the flower between my fingers and thinking of the invisible boy who had given it to me. I moved to lie on my side. Would he bring me another tonight? I should still be thoroughly horrified at the thought of someone sneaking in while Anna and I had slept, but I couldn’t bring myself to feel the same repulsion. If it was, in fact, the boy from the woods, I knew he wouldn’t harm me. And in all truth, if he came again I hoped I would wake so I could feel his presence – his warm, soul-stirring presence. The kind of presence that kept me there with him when any normal person would have run screaming for the school.

With a longing sigh, I closed my eyes.

Despite my excitement, sleep came swift and sweet, scooping me into its arms and carrying me back into the darkness of the woods. I stood in the same spot as before – the open space with flowery bushes. Another form materialized, and I jumped. Black shirt, fair skin – the silhouette from the woods. My invisible admirer.

Except this time, he didn’t run from tree to tree; he stood exposed, allowing me to soak in his beauty, saturating my spirit. He towered over me, which didn’t happen often at five feet, nine inches tall; I wasn’t a short girl. His eyes twinkled icy blue, the angular attractive lines of his face a divine masterpiece. His chestnut hair had been cropped close on the sides but left longer on top, reminding me of a trendy rock star haircut, but flattering and oh-so-complementary to his porcelain features. And his lips, his supple lips drew into a knowing, heart-stopping smile as he plucked another flower from the bush and placed it into my waiting palm.

Honestly, I could have cared less about the flower this time, I wanted to feel him – his flawless skin. I reached out for his face with my other hand, and he stepped back, his smile wavering. Persistent, I tried again, and he took a bigger step back. Why couldn’t I touch him? I could see him, feel his presence... but I wanted to experience more of him.

I searched his eyes with a scowl, and his own expression melted into a frown. He didn’t like the distance, either. “What’s your name?” I asked. If I couldn’t touch him, perhaps I could hear him as a consolation.

He only stared back at me, sad and apologetic.

My eyes welled with tears. So not fair.

I looked down to my flower and held it to my chest. When I looked back up at him, he’d disappeared, and a foreign ache pierced my heart in agony. I’d only seen him, really seen him for a matter of a short moment, and he’d left me.

About The  Auhor
Susan James Pierce has a degree in Marketing Management, works for a Fortune 500 company in Atlanta, Georgia, and devotes her precious, spare time to writing Fantasy, Paranormal and Sci-fi novels.

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