Saturday 30 March 2013

Reaper's Novice Book Blast +Free Download

Hello friends! Hope your Easter weekend is going well. I'm giving away one signed paperback of my YA urban fantasy, 2 Reaper's Novice Magnets and book of choice from Book Depository. Reaper's Novice ebook is free for download today, 30th March 2013 on Amazon


 Magnets


 Paperbacks - These arrived yesterday and they are sooo pretty. My girl, my inspiration to create part of Ana's character in Reaper's Novice - playing the violin.

 For a chance to win the above, here is the rafflecopter.  Good luck and have fun everyone! :) Happy Easter!

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Sunday 24 March 2013

Angela Brown's Frailities of the Bond Book Blitz





Happy Sunday, friends! Today I have a good friend of mine, an author I met during A-Z challenge 2012. Very talented and über-cool. :)  Maybe I present to you her novella...





Short blurb - In Frailties of the Bond, it only takes one bite to change a life.

Two teens...
Two lies...
Their paths collide...
When one bite changes a life.

Longer description – 

NEO – Network of Extraordinaires and Otherworldlies:
Those who answer the call from NEO play their part in maintaining balance in our ever-changing times. With power-hungry malcontents, jealous gods, and even those with misguided good intentions, the fate of our world has oft been held in the hands of unsung heroes such as those that are members of NEO.
But before NEO, these heroes and heroines had lives, loves, issues and interests that didn’t involve saving mankind.
In Frailties of the Bond, it only takes one bite to change a life
After a hiking trip gone wrong, sixteen-year-old Luca should have been dead. Since then, he’s drifted from one school day to the next, annoyed by the looks of suspicion. When a vampire attack claimed his mother and forced his first shift into animal form, Luca set out for Texas, vengeance bound, only to discover so much more when Aimee crossed his path.
Flesh-born of vampire parents sixteen years ago, Aimee shouldn’t exist. Magic, though, made dreams come true for an undead couple desperate for a child all their own. But this magic came with a price, a cost Aimee discovered after one forbidden bite.

Excerpt



Luca veered into the woods for his normal scenic route home. Broad tree trunks stood tall, a legion of nature’s soldiers deeply rooted and strong. He closed his eyes briefly, skin tingling. He sensed another presence. He’d felt it before, but it felt almost tangible this night.
The setting sun crept from its throne in the sky leaving a trail of golden fingers splayed out over the familiar cliff side in the distance. For a moment, Luca smelled the scent of apricots. His heart skipped a beat. His mind wandered back to the red letter…then further back to that fateful day.
A twig snapped nearby. His ears perked and he paused mid step. Glancing around, he spotted a raccoon shaking itself free of a small heap of fallen leaves. He let go of a breath he hadn’t realized he held. Whoa, maybe I’m thinking about Vivie a little too much.
He turned his mind to other things, like the trouble he’d face when he got home. He forgot to call his mom and tell her he was going to the gym. No telling how pissed she was.
Arriving home, he took the steps two at a time, focused on digging his keys from inside his bag. He reached one hand out, grasping for the door knob.
Instead, nothing but air.
He finally looked up, startled at the sight before him. The door didn’t stand ajar or slightly open.
It. Was. Gone.


My Thoughts:

Frailities of the Bond is wonderfully a wonderfully written book. We enter Luca's word, see him suffer after losing a friend. Leaving school he comes home to find his mom being sucked dry by a vampire. Revenge and anger rule Luca's emotions. It was really great to follow him on his journey of finding out who he really is. Was great fun meeting the other characters as well. 
This is a wonderful beginning to the introduction to the NEO, and I look forward to reading the next novella in the series. 

Rating: 4/5






About the Author:


Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Angela now calls Central Texas home.

Reading and writing have been lifelong passions. It was around the time she gave birth to her forever-love, nicknamed Chipmunk, that she really took writing seriously. After all, how could she teach her child to follow her dreams if she hadn't tried herself?

As a YA fantasy/sci-fi reader and author, she favors the magical, mysterious, the darker side of life...even harbors a secret fright for things that go bump in the night.

NEVERLOVE is a special project spawned from a blog-challenge-turned-blog-opera, the Abby and Basil affair. It is the first in the Shadow Jumpers series.

FRAILTIES OF THE BOND is the first in a series of novellas and short stories introducing heroes and heroines of the secret organization, NEO – Network of Extraordinaires and Otherwordlies.


Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6476148.Angela_Brown

Angela Brown in the Pursuit of Publishness blog: http://publishness.blogspot.com/

Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Angela-Brown/e/B009JJEX60

Partners in ParanormYA (with Gwen Gardner): http://partnersinparanormya.blogspot.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/neostateofmind

PIP Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Partners-in-ParanormYA/462052430493091








Friday 22 March 2013

Fallen Stars Trailer reveal

Happy Friday, Friends! :)  Today I have a trailer reveal for Stephanie's seconc book in The Star Child Series, and I LOVE it! For a chance to win Author Swag Pack, the rafflecopter is located at the end of this post.



The Fallen Stars by Stephanie Keyes

Series: The Star Child #2

Publication date: April 12th 2013
by Inkspell Publishing

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:
Kellen St. James was just your average seventeen-year-old prodigy, until he eighty-sixed the Lord of Faerie and proposed to the Celtic Goddess, Calienta. But then everything in Kellen’s life gets turned upside-down when he and Cali end up on the run from a seriously irritated group of faeries. The worst part? They have zero idea why they’re being hunted.

Suddenly, Kellen is stuck in the middle of another prophecy that foresees him turning away from Calienta and embracing the dark. He’ll be forced to take sides in a struggle to claim his birthright, while discovering secrets about his father’s past. Meanwhile, his passion for Cali grows stronger, even as the prophecy threatens to tear them apart.

In the end, will Kellen and Cali survive the fates? When the ultimate power is within reach, which side will he choose?



 
AUTHOR BIO
Stephanie Keyes has been addicted to Fantasy since she discovered T.H. White as a child and started drumming up incredible journeys in her head. Today, she's still doing the same thing, except now she gets to share those ideas with readers!

When she's not writing, Stephanie is also a graphic designer, international speaker, teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she's best friend to her incredible husband of eleven years.

Mrs. Keyes holds an undergraduate degree in Business and Management Information Systems from Robert Morris University and a M.Ed. from Duquesne University. She is a member of the Society For Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), as well as a featured author in the global group of writers, Love a Happy Ending.com.

Keyes is the author of the YA Fantasy series, The Star Child, which currently includes The Star Child (September 2012) and The Fallen Stars (April 2013), both released by Inkspell Publishing. She is currently hard at work on the third book in the trilogy, The Star Catcher.

Author links:
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Wednesday 20 March 2013

Official Release Day - Debt Collector by Susan Kaye Quinn

The Debt Collector by Susan Kaye Quinn
From the author of the bestselling Mindjack series comes a new future-noir serial, The Debt Collector. The first episode, Delirium, launches today (3/20).
What’s your life worth on the open market?
A debt collector can tell you precisely.
Lirium plays the part of the grim reaper well, with his dark trenchcoat, jackboots, and the black marks on his soul that every debt collector carries. He’s just in it for his cut, the ten percent of the life energy he collects before he transfers it on to the high potentials, the people who will make the world a better place with their brains, their work, and their lives. That hit of life energy, a bottle of vodka, and a visit from one of Madam Anastazja’s sex workers keep him alive, stable, and mostly sane… until he collects again. But when his recovery ritual is disrupted by a sex worker who isn’t what she seems, he has to choose between doing an illegal hit for a girl whose story has more holes than his soul or facing the bottle alone—a dark pit he’s not sure he’ll be able to climb out of again.
Contains mature content and themes. For YA-appropriate thrills, see Susan’s Mindjack series.
Delirium is approximately 12,000 words or 48 pages and is one of nine episodes in the first season of The Debt Collector serial. This dark and gritty future-noir is about a world where your life-worth is tabulated on the open market and going into debt risks a lot more than your credit rating. You can find out more about the series at the Debt Collector website and facebook page. The Debt Collector newsletter is a special list just for episode releases.
Early Praise
 “The street-smart science of LOOPER meets the cold, just-the-facts voice of DOUBLE INDEMNITY in this edgy, future-noir thriller that will have you holding your breath, looking over your shoulder, and begging for more.” —Leigh Talbert Moore, author of The Truth About Faking, The Truth About Letting Go, and Rouge
“Do you owe more than your life is worth? No worries. A more deserving person than you can benefit from that excess life—and someone else will get paid with it. Enter the Debt Collector.” —Dianne Salerni, author of We Hear the Dead, The Caged Graves, and The Eighth Day (HarperCollins 2014)
The first three episodes of Debt Collector will be released a week apart, starting Wednesday 3/20. The remaining episodes will release every two weeks. Delirium can be found on Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iTunes, Kobo. Or add it to your TBR on Goodreads.
Susan Kaye Quinn is the author of the bestselling YA SF Mindjack series. Debt Collector is her more grown-up SF. Her steampunk fantasy romance is temporarily on hold while she madly writes episodes to keep Lirium happy. Plus she needs to leave time to play on Facebook. Susan has a lot of degrees in engineering, which come in handy when dreaming up dangerous mind powers, future dystopias, and slightly plausible steampunk inventions. Mostly she sits around in her pajamas in awe that she gets make stuff up full-time. 

Monday 18 March 2013

Book Review: The Star Child by Stephanie Keyes



The world is about to be cloaked in darkness. Only one can stop the night. Kellen St. James has spent his entire life being overlooked as an unwanted, ordinary, slightly geeky kid. That is until a beautiful girl, one who has haunted his dreams for the past eleven years of his life, shows up spinning tales of a prophecy. Not just any old prophecy either, but one in which Kellen plays a key role. Suddenly, Kellen finds himself on the run through a Celtic underworld of faeries and demons, angels and gods, not to mention a really ticked off pack of hellhounds, all in order to save the world from darkness. But will they make it in time?

My thoughts:

The Star Child is a fantastic story YA urban fantasy that delves into the world of Celtic Myths and faeries,.

Kellen St. James life has never been easy, but he hasn't let the events control his life either. Right after graduation he leaves the US for Ireland, and things take flight from there when he finally meets, Calienta, the girl who's been a regular feature in his dreams while growing up.

Through Kellen, we get to know the reason she appeared in his life, join him as he finds his true purpose, his calling.

The Star Child a wonderful read. Ms Keyes descriptions are vivid, the story very well written and fell in love with Kellen and Calienta. It was good to see Kellen finally accepted his purpose, didn't back down, and followed his heart. His love for Calienta. Looking for a story filled with adventure, action and romance? I highly recommend this book! I look forward to reading The Fallen Stars.


Overall: 5 stars 

Monday Music featuring Michael Bublé

Happy Monday!!! Hope you had a wonderful weekend.
So today I wanted to share with you one of my all time favourite singers. Who else than the man himself...





Christmas 9Image from http://www.michaelbuble.com/


Michael is one of those artists I adore. His cover songs are deliciously good. At times I find myself enjoying his versions more that the original ones. Maybe it's his voice, or the kind of magic he infuses in the songs... there is something intangible about it, which is why most of his songs are on my play list for A Need so Insatiable - my contemporary romance. It will be released in Winter 2013.

Call me a romantic, but I LOVE this video, and the words of this song. *swoon*


 Any Bublé fans out there? What's your favourite song? Or any other favourite song from any other artist, band....?

Friday 15 March 2013

H.D. Gordon's Shooting Stars Release Day Blitz

Happy Friday, friends! I am really excited to be part of H.D. Gordon's new book release blitz , Shooting Stars, the first book in the A Surah Stormsong Novel. For a chance to win a copy of Shooting Stars, the rafflecopter can be found at the end of this post. May I present to you..




Title: Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel #1)
Author: H.D. Gordon
Publisher: ShareAread
Release Date: March 15th, 2013
Formats:  E-book
Goodreads TBR: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17453446-shooting-stars
Cover Artist: Regina Wamba







Shooting Stars Synopsis

Once upon a time, a common boy fell in love with a princess. It was a hopeless, forbidden love, grown in a world where sorcery and magic rule over all. Now, dark times are brewing, and destiny will bring them together, while fate works to keep them apart. Extraordinary battles will be fought, and extraordinary choices made. Join the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga for the beginning of a tale of star-crossed lovers and magic, of hope and love and loss, of desperate wishes made on stars.




Early praise for the author

“From the very first sentence the author has you hooked and wanting to read more.”
Tt ~Goodreads

“This debut novel from H.D. Gordon has everything what I love in ya. Romance, suspense, action, kick ass heroine and of course smokin hot Kayden. I loved every moment of this book and I found it extremely difficult to put down. “
Patrycja ~ Goodreads

“She keeps the reader's attention throughout the novel with unique twists in the ever unfolding plot.”
Tiffany {A Purrfect Read} ~Goodreads

Blood Warrior has one of the best Chapter One opening and ending I’ve ever read.
Cecilia Robert ~ Goodreads

Excerpt


Surah spun around on her heel, the smile gone from her face, her voice flat. Her princess-etiquette momentarily discarded. “The Black Stone is missing, Shaman. A Highborn lady is dead. Demons just flew out of my father’s fireplace and tried to kill him. How is it you think I should be acting?”
Bassil clasped his hands together in front of him and smiled humbly. “Ah, a real reaction from the princess. You are getting better at showing your emotions, my lady.”
Surah’s head tilted back, a mischievous glint in her eye, and flung a bottle of purple potion at the shaman with her Magic. Bassil laughed and his hand shot up, halting the bottle mid-flight. He moved his hand to the side and the vial settled on Surah’s dresser. Surah relaxed a little, taking comfort in the interaction. She had grown up with Bassil. He had been her mentor since she was a little girl, and this was a normal exchange between them.
“You still throw like a princess I see,” he said.
Surah rolled her eyes and continued picking out bottles for the spell. “I thought you were here to help me,” she said. “Isn’t there something you should be setting up? What do we pay you for?”
Bassil laughed again. “My wise council, of course, and you seem to be doing a fair job of it yourself, my lady.”
Surah inventoried her selections so far, turning her back to Bassil and replacing the unneeded bottles. “Maybe I should tell Samson to bite you,” she said. Her head turned to the side again. “He likes dark meat, you know.”
Bassil looked down to see the tiger looking at him with those golden eyes, and took a step away from the window where Samson was perched. He knew Surah wasn’t serious, but the tiger had been listening, and now he could practically see the idea playing out in the beast’s head. “Very funny, my lady,” he said.




About the Author

H. D. Gordon is the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga. Blood Warrior, the first book of the Alexa series was her debut novel and has held a spot in the top 100 fantasy bestsellers for over a month. Half Black Soul is the second book in this series and H. D. plans to complete Alexa's tales by the end of 2012. In June of 2012, Joe, a fantasy novel about a young clairvoyant, was released as well. H. D. is a lifelong reader and writer, a true lover of words. When she is not reading or writing she is raising her two daughters, playing a little guitar, and spending time with her family. She is twenty three years old and lives in the northeastern United States.
You can follow H.D. Gordon at:


 
The Alexa Montgomery Saga 

Blood Warrior (The Alexa Montgomery Saga, #1)
Blood Warrior:
When her home is attacked by murderous vampires, 17-year-old Alexa is forced to leave her mother for dead in order to save her sister. She soon learns that she is the last known member of an elite race of supernatural Warriors, and is thrust into a world full of vampires and werewolves who all seem to regard her as some sort of savior. Meanwhile, Alexa battles a monster within herself that seeks to gain control; a monster that seeks blood.

The hidden city she finds herself in appears perfect, but Alexa's instincts tell her that all is not right within its walls. When she is asked to attend a school of fighters, whose exams consist of gladiator-style competitions, she must decide who she can trust among the smiling faces. And, when she meets Kayden, a vampire she feels undeniably drawn to, she must decide if she can trust herself.
Buying Links


The Alexa Montgomery Saga

Half Black Soul (The Alexa Montgomery Saga, #2)




Half Black Soul



In the past few weeks Alexa Montgomery has had her entire world flipped upside down. She's gone from living a semi-normal teenage life to a life full of vampires and werewolves who all expect her to deliver them from the control of an evil dictator.

Alexa is the last of her kind; a Sun Warrior, and now she has left the safety of Two Rivers to search for her mother, but she's left her sister behind to do so, and Nelly is the one person that she was told that she must always protect. Kayden, a vampire who is Alexa's other half, has followed her on her journey. But, secrets are about to come out, relationships will break and danger lies just up ahead. Will Alexa be able to get through all of this and make it out alive? And, will she be able to protect Nelly from danger when she is so far away?
Buying Links
The Alexa Montgomery Saga
 


The Rise (The Alexa Montgomery Saga, #3)
The Rise:

The supernatural world in which Alexa Montgomery has found herself is on the brink of war. She is charged with the task of raising an army, defeating an evil dictator, and struggling to contain the bloodthirsty monster that lives within her.

These are things Alexa can handle, but when the person she loves most in the world takes a turn for the worst, Alexa's loyalty and determination will be tested in the most horrifying of ways. Will she be able to rise to the challenge, or will her love for her sister kill her once and for all?(
The Dwellers Saga books are now available everywhere eBooks and paperbacks are sold via Amazon.com. Also, David pledged when he started writing to always respond to his readers, and he loves getting comments and questions, so please contact him using one of his favorite social networking sites below.  He loves to get in contact with readers.
Buying Links


The Alexa Montgomery Saga 

Redemption (The Alexa Montgomery Saga, #4)
Redemption:


The final test is here. The war is no longer a worry of tomorrow, but a reality of today. Turning back is no longer an option. Maybe it never was. It is time for Alexa Montgomery to look fate in the eyes. Death waits there for certain. The only question is... for who?

Buying Links

Amazon Kindle  Kobo  Barnes & Noble


Other books by H.D. Gordon

Joe
Joe:


From the author of the Alexa Montgomery Saga, comes a book that will take you into the mind of a genuine psychopath, the lives of six ordinary people, and the world of a very special girl named Joe.

Joe is seemingly an ordinary college student. She works, studies and reads. But in between these activities Joe has a gift that promises to add a dose of color to her life at any given moment. Joe sees things before they happen. Bad things, and the worst thing she has ever faced is just around the corner. Someone is planning a massacre at the college university that Joe attends, and the only person with a hope of stopping the psychopath is her.

Oh, the beauty of foresight. More like a curse. Joe has four days to figure out the mystery, make plans to take down the psycho, and save the lives of people. People like you and me. Ordinary people.


Buying Links
Praise for this Title
Literary Vixen

A Goddess of Literature

Vanya Petkova
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