Thursday, February 28, 2013

Outside Series {review+giveaway}

Outside (Outside #1)
The future is divided by Perimeters: high-security gated communities where life goes on as normal. If you’re inside you’re lucky. If you’re outside, life expectancy takes a nose dive. Riley is fortunate to have been born on the right side of the fence. But her life of privilege comes crashing down when someone breaks through and murders her sister. She forsakes her own safety to go in search of the killer. Luc decides to go with her otherwise she’ll be dead before she’s past the security gate. But what awaits her outside is more unbelievable that she ever imagined. Cut to the present day where Eleanor's world is falling apart. This time next year, civilisation won't be quite so civilised..
                                                                Book trailer | Amazon  | Goodreads


The Clearing (Outside #2)
In the ravaged future, children are disappearing. Riley lives safely behind her Perimeter Fence, but soon she’ll have to confront the terrible truth of what’s happening outside. An old enemy is approaching. Threatening to extinguish her way of life. To save herself, Riley must fight to save another. She must put herself in the last place she ever wanted to be. 





Review (Outside)
This story takes place in a post apocalyptic England after civilization had been destroyed by "timed and worldwide" terrorist attacks.
When I started reading the story, I was suprised to find there were actually two different stories being told at the same time in alternating chapters. At first, I was kind of defiant. I am not really used to that kind of thing. I like reading in alternating  viewpoints between the two main characters, but the two books that I have read with POV switches with completely different people were not my cup of tea. The second story was confusing at first because it was so different from the first one. Everything seemed so normal. But I caught on pretty fast. .. The second story is about a completely different broad... and it takes place pre-apocalypse. I had already started to enjoy both stories, but once I caught onto this, I was all in. 

I was all: YES. LETS DO THIS. 

The main story follows Riley, a 16 year old  girl who was born shortly afte the world fell apart. She has never known anything other than the sanctuary her parents built in order to protect the "decent" people from the "nutters" (Have I mentioned that I love the terminology in this book?) She has a fantastic, loving family and a care- free life. But all that changes when her little sister is murdered within the border of hteir sanctuary. 

Heartbroken and out for revenge, she enlists the aid of her close friend Luc. The plan? Traverse across post- apocalyptic Englad to track down her sister's killer. All they have to go on is his name, his photograph, and the suspicion that he is escaping justice a little too easily. 2 teenagers out for revenge in a world Riley knows absolutely nothing about? No problem. 

I found the outside world to be pretty believable for the most part. I enjoyed the romances in both parts of the book <3.

The characters were OK. For some reason I found myself looking forward to the side story almost as much as Riley's story. 
The guys were totally sweet!
The villians were... strange. lol. I liked them, too. One of them freaked me out and I have a feeling I have not seen the last of him....

[side note: um... who were the people that we refer to as terrorists in the book. I mean, who ended civilization and why.. it could be anybody. I would like a bit more explanation on that part.. O.O Whodoneit?]

[side note: I am sincerely hoping a character that was introduced briefly in this book will make a reappearance in the next book. He kind of grew on me. ]

Finally: I am completely torn on how this story ended. I mean.....it can't just.....that just can't............She just can't end it like that! D:

Review (The Clearing)
Definitely, definitely, definitely definitely read the first book or you will not have any idea what is going on. (okay, maybe you just wont understand a good chunk of it) Plus, you know, the first one is awesome! We start off a little bit after the first book ended. Riley is no longer as sheltered. In fact, she has become sort of a bad ass!<3 I love it! 

After the first book, I welcomed the addition of another story running parallel to this one! Liss is such a sweet girl and I thoroughly enjoyed her story along with the continuation of Riley's! Ah, I love how the author has the two stories going. Which is strange because I started off wary of it.

I do not want to put too much in here, because I think I overdid it in the review of book one. O.O I will just say. Characters: awesome. Post apocalyptic world: fascinating and scary and still getting better. Romance: MORE. GIVE ME MORE. Also, there are some messed up people in this book.... :D I'm okay with that. 

MUST YOU ALWAYS LEAVE ME WITH CLIFFHANGERS, WOMAN?!  *exasperation+awe*
I cannot wait to see what happens to our characters next.. and that twist at the end.. the woman can really write a book to keep you turning pages and leave you a little bit angry when you reach the end. [It's okay though. I forgive you. Just write another book.]

Some stuff from the first book was not addressed. I was a bit disappointed, but maybe it will sneak its way into the next book? Who knows! :D
[I will most definitely be reading the third installment when it comes out. I may even check out Mrs. Boland's other series. I think it is about vampires, which is right down my alley!]


Giveaway
I was told we were allowed to host a giveaway for ecopies of the books. I would definitely get in on this if i was you. These books are gooood. So leave a comment below and don't forget to share the the giveaway with your book buddies on Facebook and the twitter (haha. the twitter. yes, I'm immature). Let them know about this new YA post apocalyptic adventure you found. They may just be all.... omg Jane (wth... jane? lol) thank you for telling me about this book. It is right up my alley. I LOVE this genre. Jane..you, my dear, get a cookie. You never know. The possibilities are endless! I am..... going to shut up now. (: Don't forget to leave a comment for the lovely Shalini Boland! oh, yeah. Here is her contact info:
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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Summer Break Blues (Spotlight+Giveaway)



Meg managed to survive her senior year of high school as a vampire, and now she’s looking forward to a relaxing summer with her friends before trying to tackle college. Unfortunately, some unfinished business from the previous year rears its ugly head. Meg is forced to deal with the Sidhe who are distinctly unhappy that she killed one of their kind last winter. Then Ann’s parents vanish while on their annual summer vacation in Maine and it’s up to Meg and the rest of the gang to come to the rescue. Though she is still trying to figure out who and what she has become, Meg feels she and her friends are up to the challenge. That is, until things really start to fall apart.

 Bono Books | Amazon | B&N
Excerpt: 
       I ran, almost flew over the sand. Alexander’s sheer panic drove me to move faster than I ever had before. I didn’t have much time to take in the scene, but he struggled with someone. Not having a better idea, or time to plan, I tackled them. We all tumbled to the ground, and I managed to keep hold of his attacker long enough to get him away from Alexander. We rolled, and I tried to come up on top, but the stranger was strong and pinned me before we even stopped moving. 
       “Aww, and here I’d thought you brought me dinner.” I had a brief impression of black eyes and gleaming fangs before he grabbed my shoulders and lifted me up, then slammed me back into the sand. 
       Pain lanced through my head. I groaned and tried to fight back, but before I’d even formulated a plan, the assailant’s weight was gone. Alexander cried out again. 
       “Damn it, why do I have to keep saving you!” I jumped up and plowed into them again. This time I dug claws into his ribcage and jerked him away. I thought I had a good grip, but he twisted free. The smell of blood was overpowering. Some of it was Alexander’s, but much of it was my opponent’s. He backed up, still smiling at me. He didn’t look at all concerned I’d just buried claws into his ribcage. He wasn’t much taller than me, and his dark hair and almond eyes made me think he was Asian. But the fangs he bared were all Vampire. 
       Terror lanced through me, making me weak. I wanted to run. The fear I’d felt when I’d faced the Unseelie last winter was nothing compared to my fear now. Vampires were real monsters, and I was certain I was about to die. 
       “Well, you do have a little bite to you.” His smile wasn’t friendly.  He wasn’t much bigger than me, but he was a lot faster, and I lost sight of him until he stood right in front of me. 
      “But you’re young. And dumb. I told you to be more careful.” 
       I tried to block his next move, but he caught my arm and twisted me around, trapping me against his chest. I felt strangely exposed and panic turned my limbs, 
and my brain, to jelly. I shrieked and tried to pull away. 
       The Vampire laughed. 
       “Meg!” 
       “Run! Get out of here!” I thought that’s what I said, but in my panicked state I could have been shouting the periodic table. I kicked backward, and my heel connected with the Vampire’s shin. His grip never loosened. 
       Duck!
       I wasn’t sure if I actually heard the words or not, but they punched through my panicked fog, and I did the best I could. The Vampire still had hold of me so I twisted my face against his blood-covered Gi. 
       Light flared and the Vampire screamed. I pulled away from him, small pinpricks of heat searing along my shoulder and back. He was still yelling as I ran away from him. 

J.A. Campbell
Julie writes fantasy novels. When she’s not out riding her horse, she can usually be found sitting in front of her computer with a cat on her lap and her dog at her side. You can find out more about her and her writing at www.writerjacampbell.com


Giveaway
giveaway it is tour wide for a eBook copy of Summer Break Blues by J.A. Campbell Ends 03/07/2013
Please use the Rafflecopter HTML below


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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

The Summoner's Tale {Excerpt+Giveaway}


The Summoner's Tale
The Order of the Black Swan #3
[Reading The Series In Order Highly Recommended.]
                                                                      A secret society, a witch, a psychic, vampires, modern day knights, heroes, elves, fae, assassins from another dimension, and fairytales come together where emotions intersect. Two souls, joined by a mystical bond, separated by distance, must simultaneously struggle through pain and darkness in an ultimate confrontation with character and an ultimate struggle for life proving that true love waits patiently through lifetimes and finds courage to survive. Even in the strangest places. Even when you're least expecting it. Even when you're far, far from home.

CHAPTER ONE:
 BLACK SWAN FIELD TRAINING MANUAL Section I: Chapter 1, #1
The plural of vampire is vampire.

       When the rush of activity subsided, he found himself alone with his own thoughts; a condition that was more than familiar since he had spent hundreds of years that way. Without the distraction of his friends' banter, since his proposed staff had left Edinburgh, he had begun to see his task not just as a job, but as a mission, one immersed in the duality of joy and gravity.
       He had never considered himself to be impatient. Quite the contrary, everything he had ever pursued in earnest, from painting to music to writing, had depended upon patience. But, his cognizance of the enormity of the burden he had accepted had grown over the past months and he had turned to brooding about the time that was passing.
       Every day that nothing was accomplished was a day when more people had their humanity taken from them, another day when vampire remained imprisoned in bodies infected with the foulest disease imaginable, and, also, another day when people died.
       The project was moving painfully slowly. Everyone who had originally been assigned to work with Baka was gone: married, retired, whatever. Everyone except Heaven - who had turned out to be anything but.
       The large work space, intended for several people, seemed deserted with him alone most of the time. He worked from early in the morning till late at night, challenging both the hours in the day and the fact that he was one excruciatingly short-handed task force leader.
       When Heaven was present, her moods ran the range of a shallow bell curve from disagreeable to surly to sullen. He admitted that he had provoked her on their first meeting, for reasons that were a mystery to him. Something about her instantly put him on edge and made him feel anxious.
       Even though that feeling persisted, he had attempted to make amends so that they could work together amicably. To no avail. She was prickly to the core, spurning every effort on his part to develop a rudimentary standard of civility. She behaved as if simple courtesy was more than she could manage which meant that "nice" was a goal way too distant.
       He not only had to work with a person who detested his very presence, but, adding insult to injury, it seemed he couldn't shake an inexplicably strong attraction to her. He found himself staring at the curve of her cheek with her head bowed over work. Or the shine of her chestnut hair when she walked through a ray of light. Or the way her lips pursed whenever he gave her something to do. It was damned aggravating.
       To make matters worse, he seemed to have lost interest in pursuing other women.
       At exactly fifteen after five she double checked her wristwatch, closed an open folder, rose, pushed her arms into her sweater jacket, put her purse on her shoulder and, like every other day, walked out of the office without saying goodnight.
       He perpetually struggled to concentrate because the space seemed to vibrate with a low level, but annoying irritation when she was there. It was stand to reason that he would be glad to see her gather her things and go, but, in fact, he hated it even more when she left. He heaved a big sigh. Fuck me.
       Baka had been a person with a well-developed sense of morality, and a well-functioning conscience before he became a vampire. During the last hundred years of life as a vampire, having survived long enough to blessedly recover his understanding of right and wrong, he had voluntarily turned himself into The Order and served as "consultant" voluntarily consuming only artificial sustenance.
       No. He had never been short on conscience. And that conscience was rubbing a hole in his brain telling him that it would be wrong to simply sit at a desk and plan a strategy on paper while, at the same time, doing nothing. So, keeping his own counsel, for better or worse, he determined that he would continue to work as a bureaucrat during the day, but would spend his nights - at least part of them - looking for others he might help back to the light.
He had worked with Monq at Jefferson Unit labs to develop a delivery solution. Taking a page from the methodology of the late Gautier Nibelung, they had decided that the safest and most effective approach would be dart gun. Each dart was outfitted with a tiny canister that would puncture on impact releasing a formula that was part stun and part cure. The proper dose of stun solution had been determined by tests on Baka himself. So he knew it worked. First hand. Obviously vampire must be incapacitated while the viral antidote works. As medicinal remedies go, it is fast working, but not instant. There is a delay of two to four hours between introduction to the system and complete reversal of the disease, depending upon the age and constitution of the individual.
       His plan wasn't perfect. It depended on encountering one vampire at a time and extracting him, while paralyzed, without engaging other vampire. Tricky, but the alternative was waiting for a task force to be vetted, assembled, and trained. And waiting was the one thing he couldn't manage. Maybe it wasn't the smartest thing he'd ever done, but, hell, he'd had a long life.
       To his advantage, he still had certain attributes that were extra human. Not like comic book heroes. More like human plus. No one knew if these benefits would fade away over time, but, for now, he was a little stronger, a little faster, and could see in the dark a little better than most people. All traits very useful for vampire hunting.
       It just so happened that he found his assigned base of operations in prime territory that qualified as a vampire magnet on all counts. In Edinburgh's Old Town there was a large pedestrian population that came out at night and it was built on top of an underground system that was not utilized to any extent that would interfere with the needs of vampire. All this was literally in sight of his office - five minutes' walk away.
        In a darkly poetic way, it was fitting that vampire would thrive in Edinburgh's underground city which consisted of a system of tunnels, caverns, and cells cut into the much softer sandstone under the rock that the above-ground Old Town is built upon. It's a place with grisly history where thousands of hapless poor lived in darkness, packed together without sanitation and with the vilest of criminals. Plague victims were not removed and buried or burned, but just sealed in their cells.
       Modern day Ghost Tours offer a shallow excursion - shallow because individuals don't want to stay in the underground very long. Words like "creepy" are frequently used even by hard-core insensitives. That leaves miles of maze for a vampire haven.
        Baka had been a vampire long enough to know all about how they think. He knew that the days of the Beltane festival would be a gorge fest for vampire. The Royal Mile, just over the heads of vampire living in the Underground, would be crowded with visitors to the city, visitors intent on celebration and revelry, danger being the last thing on their minds. It would be a blessing to vampire in the original sense of the word which was bloodletting; when, as a rite of passage, young pagans would stand in a pit under a grate where a bull was sacrificed and bathe in the blood that fell.
       So Baka finished his day, went to dinner alone, and slowly savored every bite of his of actual food. Afterward, driven by a heartfelt desire to do some good in the world, he pulled on a pair of cargo pants and equipped the dozen pockets with two dart guns and as many canisters as he could carry without being slowed down. He descended the stairs to the main foyer wondering if, even partial redemption for a long life of misdeeds, is possible. The fact that he was not accountable for that infamous history should have given him some peace of absolution. But didn't. He said good evening to the doorman and headed out into the night.  
Victoria Danann
Though works of fiction are a departure for me, I have had this series simmering on the back burner of my mind for years, but time is at a premium. In addition to authoring and illustrating Seasons of the Witch and writing course work for Seasons in Avalon, I play Classic Rock music and manage Houston’s premier variety and R&B band.

This series will include some of my education in the paranormal and fictionalized anecdotes from my journals during the years when I was a practicing “metaphysician”, but most of the material is fantasy – of course.


Giveaway
The giveaway is tour wide for 10 eBook copies of My Familiar Stranger and 2 eBook copies of The Witch's Dream by Victoria Danann Ends 03/08/2013



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Monday, February 25, 2013

Wolf Sirens by Tina Smith {Interview+Giveaway+Excerpt}

&
Today, on the blog, we have an Interview, an Excerpt and a Giveaway!
Tour Stops

Tina Smith Interview

1) Do you have a favorite place where you love to write at? 

My desk (which is in my office/spare room/wardrobe) at night.

2) If you were writing a book about your life, what would you title it? 

I would try and make it catchy how ‘bout: Adjusting to Life on Earth. The autobiography of a fish out of water.

3) When you were creating the love interest, were you remembering your crush from high school, or is he purely fictional?

Definitely (and embarrassingly) the crush.  I will not specify.

4) Was there a certain author or book that influenced you into writing paranormal? 

Paul Jennings and Twilight, fairy tales and movies like The Never Ending story inspired me. 

5) The dog in your author photo is adorable! What's his name? (Sorry, I love dogs.) 

Don’t be sorry, he is flattered but I tell him he is cute all the time (by now he is a bit vain). Billey is a cavalier cross cocker spaniel. He is nearly four and he likes chasing birds, food and walkies and pats. He didn’t like the makeup on his mums face, hence the lick.

6) Is there a character in your book that may have been influenced by said dog. (Maybe looks like him/her) 

No. But I use him for wolf inspiration as he is the closest thing at hand. Also he is good stress relief and very good company. He either sleeps nearby or comes in to say hello when I write. 

7) Do you have a favorite character in your series? If so, can you tell me who it is? 

Cres would have to be a favorite. She’s the friend you wish you had, caring, loyal and honest. And she is damn cool. 

8) I read on your goodreads that you are from Australia. (which is awesome) Are there any wolves in Australia? I would look it up on the internet, but who knows how reliable the internet is these days. 

Definitely not, though as you may have heard we have dingoes, but I haven’t seen one outside of a zoo. As a kid I loved Call of the Wild and White Fang. 

9) I would like to end off the interview with something fun. Can you tell me something fun/random/wonky/crazy about yourself or your writing habits?

I’m one of those people who think they are normal until I meet someone who hasn’t had the Tina experience before. I’m a first decant Piscean, so that makes me a bit of an enigma to most. I find it works best if you don’t try to work me out. Many have tried and failed. My best friends have given up. I think you have to be a little bit nuts to be a writer. I love those crazy quotes on pinterest about writers. There’s one I saw the other day that said something like “I’m a writer because it’s illegal to kidnap people and make them act out my imaginary world.”  

Her Books & Excerpt (Fever)

 See my review of Forbidden HERE

We all have a path to follow. When darkness falls in the town of Shade the trees are haunted by the unnerving cry of wolves. Myths about them have been told for centuries until one thing has bled into another. The elusive creatures which lurk in the valley are said to be created in revenge for the death of a goddess by the blood of a God, raining down upon the townsmen who murdered her. The truth lies somewhere in between.

The secret hidden behind the crystal eyes of the pack is as bright as day and dark as the shadow of night. Any human who is attacked by a wolf is ravaged by a venom passed down through the ages by a wolf’s kiss, that breaks the skin. Only those strong enough to sustain its fury survive. The reborn fever under the infection as it rapidly turns back the ravages of time, or ages the very young to their prime – to live evermore frozen in eternal youth.

The bitten burn a constant temperature, which heightens before they phase at will. Under the height of a full moon they are awakened and devoured by the fire within, forever unable to free themselves from its grasp. The infected metamorphose to resemble a wolf, which stalks the woods at night, giving rise to the legends.

They are cursed to live between two irreconcilable worlds, one enigmatic existence in the forest and another in the town among us. Werewolves are strong, forsaken to live perpetually as man and beast. Their kind never feel the cold and can heal fast but the chill of death can still strike them. Like all Demi Gods they are not immortal. The greatest rate of mortality amongst them is caused by the hunters – the chosen few, selected by the goddess to protect the town from the monsters - the wolves that had kept me close but refused to change me. I had a different path, not yet clear to me. I understand now why they didn’t make me one of them. I couldn’t ignore the calling of the crescent moon.


Giveaway
Tina will be awarding jewelry in theme of her book (wolf charms, charm bracelets etc), 3D book marks in shifter themes (Wolves, tigers, panthers etc) and Sun catchers (beaded glass and crystal) to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour, and a free eBook version of each of her novels

Later, Gator! (yes,I did just say that!)
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Byzantine Gold {Review+Giveaway}

Hello! I am excited to be today's stop for the Byzantine Gold Review Tour! I read the first book and LOVED IT. My review of the first book can be found Here.

Chris Karlsen

Chris is a retired police detective. She spent twenty-five years in the law enforcement with two different agencies. The daughter of a history professor and a voracious reader, she grew up with a love for history and books. She has traveled extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and Northern Africa satisfying her passion for seeing the places she read about. A Chicago native, Chris has lived in Paris, Los Angeles, and now resides with her husband, and five rescue dogs in the Pacific Northwest.

Byzantine Gold
A sunken warship from the Byzantine Era carrying an unusual cargo of gold has been found off the coast of Northern Cyprus. News of the valuable cache has attracted the attention of a terrorist cell. They plan to attack the recovery team’s campsite and steal the artifacts. On the Black Market, the sale of the relics will buy them additional weapons. 

Charlotte Dashiell, an American archaeologist, and her lover, Atakan Vadim, a Turkish government agent, are scheduled to be part of the recovery team that brings up the artifacts. While en route to Cyprus, they find themselves caught in the crosshairs of Maksym Tischenko, a Ukrainian contract killer bent on revenge. Charlotte, Atakan and Tischenko share a grim history. As a result, Tischenko is a man who will stop at nothing to achieve his goal—seeing them both dead.


Excerpt
Charlotte answered on the fourth ring. Caller I.D. showed “restricted.”

“Hello.”

“They are called, Angelique tulips. You admired them in the hospital garden in Paris.”

Charlotte froze, holding her breath as she listened to the nightmare voice, remembering how his Eastern European accent rounded certain sounds and how he stressed the last syllables in his words. Called became cawl-d.

Tischenko.

“Everything in time,” he said and hung up.

Charlotte dropped the phone on the table. She turned to Atakan.

The shock must’ve shown on her face. “What is wrong?”

“That was Tischenko,” she said, finding her voice. “The flowers are from him. He was watching me in Paris when I was at the hospital. He—”

Atakan didn’t wait for her to finish. He rushed into the living room, grabbed his gun from the bookshelf, and ran out of the apartment. 

Charlotte followed as he flew down the four flights of stairs to the street.

“Stop.” Catching up to him on the sidewalk, she hooked his elbow with her hand. Fearful an armed Tischenko hid nearby, she positioned herself in front of Atakan, thinking to shield him. “We can’t stand here. He could be anywhere taking aim at you right now.”

“Go back inside.”

“Not without you.” She tugged on his shirt, pulling him toward their building. “Atakan please, let’s leave. Call the Director.”

Atakan shoved her behind him. Silent, his eyes searched the dark doorways of neighboring apartment buildings and parked cars. 

“Atakan please.”

“Get inside.”

She stepped in front of him again. “We stay here together or we leave together.”

An eternity of seconds passed. Neither moved or blinked.

They both jumped and turned at the bellow from the horn of a passing truck. Thankfully, the driver was waving to another coming the opposite direction. He never saw the man in the sling pointing a gun at him.

“Please,” she repeated.

Atakan nodded. He stopped at the building’s entry door and took a last look, surveying the street. “He moves us around like pawns in a private game.”

Review
As expected, this book did not disappoint. We still have the same lovely archaeological awesomeness we encountered in Golden Chariot. I accidentally learned stuff and I wasn't bored. ;) There is still the lovely romance going on between Charlotte and Atakan. It is still progressing and I still love the mess out of these two characters. They are from different cultures and they clash but I love their banter and Charlotte's teasing. They are so great together. One of my complaints from the last book was that we could not get into Atakan's head. (: I am proud to announce that that cannot be said about this book! I was so excited to continue the hunt for the bad guy from the first book. There was some unresolved conflict and it was tackled head on in this sequel. We still get our different POVs from the main characters and the "villians". When it comes to murder mysteries and bad guys, that is a MUST for getting both sides of the story and getting to know the bad guy as well. hehe. The underwater dives and communications between the two main characters was one of my favorite aspects from the first book, so it was great to see more of that. I love love love how they friendship is still evolving! (: Gah, those two. And Atakan has this kind of hot macho man vibe. *wiggles eyebrows* And Charlotte is no simpering weakling either, as we learned in the first book. You know you love that in your badass Suspense/Action heroes!
This sequel definitely did not disappoint. (: I love romantic suspense and Golden Chariot definitely fits the bill for a great Book filled with action, adventure, romance.. and suspense!! Also... the covers for both of these books are fantastic. I could not even fathom another cover for this series. 

Giveaway

Chris will award one randomly drawn commenter at every stop an eBook copy of Golden Chariot (the first book in the series), and one randomly drawn commenter will be awarded a $50 Amazon gift card during the tour. 


Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning. The tour dates can be found HERE or by clicking the banner at the top of the page. Ends March 1st.

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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Cover Characteristic – Kissing

This is a new meme hosted by Sugar & Snark. Each week they will post a characteristic and we'll choose 5 of our favorite cover’s with that characteristic.


This week's theme is Kissing on the cover. We has fun looking at all the covers with kissing on them. ;) Here is out top 5 picks.

(TIFFANY)


 5. Pushing the Limits by Katie McGarry 

I loved this book and the cover is sweet.


4. Something Like Normal by Trish Doller 

What makes me like this ons is the chain that they are both holding and the leaning in for a kiss. *SWOON*


3. The Secret of Ella and Micha by Jessica Sorensen

THE LIP RING!!!!!!!!!!! THAT IS ALL ;)


2. The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

This cover is just hot. Look at that KISS! *MEOW*





AND MY FAVORITE KISS ON THE COVER IS...................

1. Wrecked by Alyssa Rose Ivy 

This cover just makes my heart skip a beat. It is the sweetest kiss ever and that's why it is my favorite. :D


(RYAN)



1. Dare You To by Katie McGarry

I loved Pushing The Limits SO MUCH. So I am super excited about this book. (:
And I love the whole kissing in the rain thing they have going on. ;)


2. Tamed By You by Kate Perry

I have read one book by Kate Perry that was free on Amazon a while back and from what I can remember it was really cute and sexy. Most of her covers are cute, but this one is so adorable!


3. Take Me There by Carolee Dean

Aside form this fabulous cover where they are all up on each other in the middle of a road.....zing!... I want to read this book. I mean boy who loves a girl, but the boy is on the run! WANT! Sounds good. 


4. Unfinished Business by Nora Roberts

I absolutely love this cover. It is so cute and sweet and I can just imagine a little puppy on there. Ah, It is too pretty. I love the little rope he has wrapped around her. It is a nice touch. I have read this book, but it was a while back and I did not review it. I know it was not as good as her murder mysteries like High noon and Angels Fall.


5. Veer by Alyssa Rose Ivy

This cover is just so HOT! Ah, it is my favorite in my Kisses Covers. She is just all... take me, Gavin! Added bonus? It's a decent book, too. (: 


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Friday, February 22, 2013

Disconnect {Giveaway + Excerpt} YA & Sci-Fi Novel

In space, love has boundaries.

Disconnect 
Imran Siddiq
 Divided Worlds Trilogy, #1
Available Today! YA Sci-Fi
@Goodreads | @Amazon | @Barnes & Nobles | Trailer@Youtube
Dirtying fingernails in sewers is fast approaching worthlessness for Zachary, a 16-year old Underworld scavenger. When footage of an Overworld girl, Rosa, is discovered, his intrigue heightens at why she expresses sadness with a lavish lifestyle.

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

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

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

Imran Siddiq
Imran Siddiq may have tried to leave Leicester a few times, but its become his place to wake up to two cats, freeze when the heating’s off and most of all, get down to writing. At a young age, his primary school teacher commented on his creativity and ability to tell stories.  At the age of 29, during a night in the jungle, the bug inside awakened, and for the last 5 years he’s been sacrificing every second that he can to write. A veteran of writing festivals, a presence on Twitter and gobbling up all forms of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, he hopes he can bring a smile to others in the same way that he had, aged 5, reading with a torch under his duvet. Imran’s preferred genre  is YA Sci Fi, and he has a tendency to throw a droid in every novel.

Excerpt

Chapter 1 - Worthless
Zachary stopped at the clunk under his boot.
How had nobody seen the box? With a glance into the darkness of the
Wastelands, he licked his chapped lips.
Taking the box, Zachary darted past heaps of tottering metallic sheets. So far today, he’d scavenged nothing that was worth shoving into the pockets of his knee- length coat. If there was one thing to beat today, it was the pride-crashing kick to the guts of returning empty-handed for a fourth day. As the shortest scavenger of the stall at five foot six, a barren run made him the easiest target for teasing.
The stall’s heckles from the day before still chilled him. The quickest rat with the hunting skill of a slug.
But thoughts of leaving the vast Wastelands with only a handful of screws and two-inch nails drowned in his anticipation that the jingling in the box would be ratchets, fuses and battery cells.
Zachary sprinted along the ledge of the bay to an overhanging bank. Not even the sick rested amongst the rusty vehicles deserted here. Using his trusted titanium screwdriver, he teased off the knot of wires beneath the mesh. Why would anyone take trouble to wrap and then to discard this box?
Whatever, thought Zachary freeing the last clasp of the lid. Inside there was a folded note, a silver Intercom-transmitter, and an orange-tinted bracelet. Result! Twiddling his long, brown hair, he scrutinised the box for hidden compartments within the padded interior. The smooth texture couldn’t have started life in Underworld, could it?
Locked away from light, Underworld was a murky pit in comparison to the rich nature of Overworld that few had seen, and finds such as these were rare here. Luck placed Zachary within easy access of the clutter that lay on the west side of Underworld, the Wastelands. Spending most of his day amongst the sewer pipes didn’t bother him for it was far better than the dull lanes of District Two. No day was the same amongst junk. Every gush from the pipes revealed a new surprise.
Nobody knew how thick the ceiling was or why its creation blocked Underworld from the world above. Often Zachary pondered what exactly sat above the ceiling. He guessed unlimited power, droids with abilities that dwarfed the functions of humans, and a life that didn’t require working in muck. Short hours. Free time.
An eerie chill climbed his spine at imagining the scattered giant steel support pillars dropping aside? Would Overworld add to the mess of Underworld? Could the two worlds of the Galilei Research Base co-exist? No chance.
What did it matter? Underworld’s builders had left it to rot.
Zachary squinted in the darkness at the unbroken chain links on the bracelet and the deep dent in its centre. Components of music-playing Harmon bracelets weren’t difficult to locate, though one as complete as this? He clicked his teeth thinking of when a working bracelet had last been handed to the stall. Longer than five years at least. There was a harsh rattle as he shook the bracelet. If he fixed this, it could be enough to save him another day of shame.
More than that, he could show his dad that scavenging wasn’t a deadbeat job by putting some good food on the table.
The Intercom-transmitter, a communication device he’d often see in the hands of a ruthless looter, felt light in his palm. If this find functioned – he held his breath – then mushrooms for supper would become a memory. Zachary squirmed. Adjusting to the slimy, vomit-wrenching taste of mushrooms that thrived in abundance was at the bottom of his to-do list.
He rubbed his back against the carcass of a vehicle, his heart thumping. Maybe the Master of the stall would let him look behind the curtain?
Zachary’s hazel eyes reflected off the Intercom’s shiny shell. He rubbed the recognition pad underneath, not sure what to expect. Dull lights clicked along the screen’s circular pattern. Blue tinted static formed in the air a foot above the Intercom.
“What in Europa!” Zachary swiped the image. Signs of energy were a signal to the greedy. If any of the gangs roaming the dry deluge saw this, they’d seize the Intercom and snap his skinny limbs apart.
Coat over the Intercom, Zachary sunk deeper into the bank. He paused before returning his thumb to the pad. The blue static burst out again, accompanied by a disturbing cackle. A human head with long hair formed in front of him. The image rotated, showing blurs where the eyes and mouth should have been. An incomplete android? Or an Overworlder?
Zachary’s curiosity peaked. He’d never seen an Overworlder before and it wasn’t like he had a choice in that matter. Galilei’s distinct division prevented any
mixing. There was no doorway, window or ladder to allow sight or sound between the worlds. Yet, he held a gateway to one in his hand. Were Overworlders as perfectly skinned as he imagined them to be? Did they wash every day without scrounging for water under steam-filled pipes?
“Fourth of August 2340, 15:16,” said a young girl.
Shut up!
Zachary crammed the Intercom to his waist. A spark erupted in the centre of the device, and then it switched off. He gasped open-mouthed. Eyes closed, he bugged his memory to repeat her soft words. It was gone. Zachary rubbed the pad. Nothing. Inactive. Dead. Worthless. No – the Intercom could be salvaged. It could be worth ... something.
His eyes narrowed at the unfolded note. “Initial surveillance confirms the location. Continue with Project Centurion.” There was nothing on the reverse.
The word surveillance bothered him. It was what scavengers said when watching a lucrative drop point in the Wastelands. Did the girl write the note? Was she after someone?
Zachary tapped the Intercom. It didn’t make sense for anybody to write on paper if they were going to place it with a messaging device, unless they knew the Intercom to be faulty.
He shrugged, putting all three items into his pocket. The box weighed little, but it was valuable. Hooking a wire from the box to an inner seam of his coat to aid its hidden transport, Zachary smirked. The mushrooms looked closer to being history.
After snaking around the vehicles, he jumped onto a protruding sewer pipe to reach the upper level. Whirring sounds halted him. Eastwards, embedded turbines spun clockwise like a volatile drill within the high ceiling.
A drop was coming. Normally, Zachary would’ve dashed over bust circuit boards to reach the drop point. Instead he watched a triangular section of the ceiling, secured by hydraulic arms, eject downwards. Wind spurted ahead of blazing light before rock-like objects rushed out, followed by a rainstorm of particles in pursuit. Discarded rubbish of Overworld had entered his world.
Zachary’s eyes tightened upon other Underworlders swarming to the falling treasure. It was a good one-minute run away, and by the time they reached it, the Wasteland gangs would have fought one another for the glory. If the wired-box had
been part of that drop, there’d be steel cutting through bodies to get it. He shivered with thoughts of the carnage if they’d found the Intercom.
Emitters within the ceiling dimmed, ending the artificial day. Turning on his heels, Zachary took the southern route to the bartering camps of District Two.
He manoeuvred to the steep ladder against the gigantic heated pipe. Halfway up on the forty-fifth rung, Zachary gazed over the irregular horizon of the Wastelands scanning for a girl running between the swamps, searching for her box. Who was she?
On reaching the platforms jutting from a mountain of metal, Zachary moved into the bartering camp, avoiding locking eyes with the near-naked hut occupiers begging with their scrawny fingers. Drooped faces, similar in every way, shared cracked bowls of sludge. He considered them to be a clever scheme, detracting from the pick-pocketers groping his coat.
If anybody here owned an Intercom, they wouldn’t place it in a box, even for safekeeping. No – they’d solder it to their belts and some to their piercings. That wired-box had to have come from Overworld.
Zachary licked his lips. The Intercom wasn’t totally broken; some life inside remained, and that gave it a chance to be repaired. There was someone who could repair it, but he’d have to be quick. If Zachary’s dad found out that he’d messed around with a device rather than exchanging it for money, then he’d be in for a kicking.
Recessed between the huts of the rat seller and the cockroach grinder sat Zachary’s employer’s stall. A bullish man nodded, allowing him entry into the candlelit foyer. He spoke little to the other scavengers lining the room’s edge. Either their goods had been delivered, or they had nothing spectacular to show. He continued, descending to the symmetrically carved area underground.
At the front of a corridor, a middle-aged man mumbled at his desk as he scribbled into a paperbound book. Shekhar peeked over cracked spectacles, showing no amusement at Zachary’s tentative loosening of his fingers.
The Harmon bracelet glittered in the candlelight.
Shekhar bit the lid off his red pen. “He already has many.”
“This works.” Zachary yanked the bracelet away from the attempted snatch. “Whereabouts?”
“The drop.”
“A working Harmon, Mister Connor? Why would anybody throw it away?”
Zachary gulped. The stall’s beady-eyed Secretary wasn’t a man to irritate. “Why does anyone throw away anything?”
Shekhar murmured. Pushing his spectacles up onto the bridge of his nose, he led Zachary to the wooden door with depictions of men carrying building blocks and guiding barrows. Shekhar knocked three times.
Zachary exhaled upon entry into the Master of the stall’s five-cornered room. Air swept from Shekhar’s slam of the door didn’t detract from the heart thumps Zachary felt. He was seconds away from the padded curtain that hung behind the Master’s chair. Desperation at wanting to peek behind the curtain accompanied the slide of his heel. No – wait, there wasn’t time for the curtain, no matter how long it’d been since he’d gazed beyond it. Priority stormed his mind. Get home. Repair the Intercom.
Cobwebs pinned inside picture frames decorated the walls above stacked items and metallic gadgetry. Dust floated between the generous glows of the corner- mounted tubes of energy. Zachary passed the human skeleton standing there with sharpened pencils crammed into the holes and notches of its skull. It was a symbol of man stripped of protection whose purpose was to hold objects of use. Maybe that was the Master’s interpretation of Galilei; Underworld lived as the skeleton holding up Overworld.
A strange smell hooked Zachary’s nostrils. Of all the sewers he’d stepped in, this was by far the most rancid. Had something died here?
He drew near to the long, polished table in the centre of the room where Master Salvador “Biro” Burton sat observing him. The rear curtain skewered in place by copper rods tempted a grin.
Then, the thump of Zachary’s heart tightened.
On the table lay a male torso. No arms or anything below the waist. Splatters of blood and jagged cuts ran along its light brown skin. Charred muscles overlapped where the neck should have been. Zachary’s eyes swept the floor for dismembered limbs and the head. The rotting smell filled his lungs. A dead body? Here? Whose?
For a man who’d hoarded enough coins to build his own town, the Master’s scrawny state drew pity. Going on seventy years, Biro had entered beyond the final phase of life. Blemishes littered his sunken skin. He looked ill. Diseased. Almost like the skeleton in his room. But what the heck was the Master doing with a corpse? Glaring at the torso, Zachary rubbed his sweaty palms.
Biro twitched with a never-ending shake of his left leg. “Quite extraordinary, isn’t it? They’re now creating them to look like us.” His tone hummed between tainted teeth.
Zachary almost cried out. The corpse was an android! Impossible. It looked – too – perfect. Lines of blood-carrying veins could be made out above the region of the collar bone. Zachary shivered. Androids were pale, almost ghost-like. Where was the streaming-port that every android had on its abdomen? And why the blood, and the muscles?
“I suspect Overworlders are trying to integrate them deeper into their extravagant lifestyle,” continued Biro. “It’s rather artistic, isn’t it?”
“Did you find this?” Zachary gulped. It wasn’t his place to ask a question.
Biro’s smirk lasted a second. “Found in the most intriguing manner. Something almost flawless and no doubt expensive, yet, it came to rest here. Enough of that. Your find?”
Zachary handed over the bracelet. His eyes focussed on the padded curtain which was coloured black to prevent the sneakiest glimpse of the reward behind it. Zachary’s palms moistened as he clenched his anxious stomach. His thoughts stopped lingering on the torso.
After loosening the slim compartment on the bracelet’s edge, the aged Master directed a charged-stylus onto teeny cogs inside. The bracelet illuminated. Frozen in mid-twitch, Biro shuddered at the melody’s beginning. Soft strings gave way to a slowly building drumbeat.
An intensifying harp played, swaying Biro’s pleased face. “Shekhar will give you enough to treat yourself for this find.”
Zachary unhooked the box from his coat.
Biro’s gaze sharpened. “What’s inside?”
“I found it ... empty.” He looked at the curtain, knowing the Master would
interpret it without asking.
“Going behind will forfeit any reward for the box,” Biro went on, seeing
Zachary’s furrowed brow. “Tell me. Why love something so far away?”
“It lets me without asking,” replied Zachary.
Spinning the bracelet twice to prolong the melody, Biro waved for Zachary to
continue. “You need to find yourself a girl”.
There was no point in Zachary fighting the urge. His breathing accelerated. Hands trembling under his chin, he went around the table, and then behind the curtain. Lights sparkled outside the awaiting window with greater strength than a thousand diodes. His heart raced quicker. The melody, behind him, peaked to a thunderous fanfare.
Remnants of Zachary’s breath frosted the glass as his eyes soaked up the atmospheric dense bands of the gas giant of space.
Jupiter.
He’d always thought that there was nothing more intriguing than this planet. Except now. Something new seeped into his mind; something that reduced the gas giant to a ball. Eyes closed, Zachary took a deep breath. He visualised the blurred face of a girl without eyes.
Who was she?

Giveaway
[I have decided to make the first entry where you put your info so I don't have to wait for you to email be back before I send off for your prize. GENIUS. (haha. sure.) I will still let you know if you won. (: I just won't have to wait on your response with the eBook format.]
Well, If you liked the excerpt, the trailer, or even the blurb, you can try your hand at winning an eBook copy of Imran's Novel! I am running this giveaway until the 12a.m. on March 13th.  The Rafflecopter Ninja shall decide the winner. Let The Games Begin! 



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