Monday, July 22, 2013

Charmed-by Cambria Hebert ebooksm

 

Charmed-wrap

 

Isn't is absolutely stunning and also absolutely Lickable??? I agree. It is. :)

Charmed

 

Life or Death? Not many people would choose death. But what if death chooses you? What if death doesn’t mean the end of your life, but the beginning?

For a Death Escort, death is life. Death is your paycheck. Death is your job.

And Charming is the best Escort the Grim Reaper has ever had.

But when you piss off the Reaper, being the best doesn’t matter. So Charming is assigned a Target who is practically impossible to kill. He knows the Reaper hopes he fails—that he’s counting on it. So Charming vows to prove him wrong. He vows to make the kill.

But someone else vows to get in his way. Someone with a big mouth, a sugar habit, and blond hair. Someone who makes his heart start beating again.

And so Charming is left holding more than one person’s fate in the palm of his hand. He thought the choice would be easy, that there really wasn’t a question at all.

He was wrong.

Life or Death?

Book Details!

Title: Charmed

Series: Death Escorts - Note: You DO NOT have to read Recalled (Death Escorts #1) to understand Charmed

Author: Cambria Hebert

Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance - Note: This book is recommended for ages 17+ due to sexual content and language.

Cover Designer: Regina Wamba

Format: Available in Print and Ebook

Release Date: July 22, 2013

Book Trailer!



So who is excited for July 22nd? I know I am!!! :)

 

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Author Takeover - James Fuller


Tonight we had the pleasure, and I do mean pleasure, of being taken over by James Fuller.

Here are some highlights of the feature.

James Fuller is a man who’s devoted to many things in life, his loving wife and three year old son, his love of the outdoors and outdoor activities and also his passion for writing. 
During his early teens while living in his hometown of Golden BC James found that he had an amazing ability for creating unique plot lines and great character development when it came to writing stories for his English assignments. Wanting to see her student grow and thrive his English teacher Mrs Cartrell would challenge him with larger and more complicated assignments in which James excelled in time after time as his love for writing grew. Not only did James have a love for creating short stories but also has a large collection of poetry which he wrote in his teen years. 
James left Golden BC in 2004 to live his dreams in Kelowna and be with his sweetheart Nicolette. He continued on his venture of creating the basis for his first fantasy fiction novel “Fall Of A King: The False Prince” after marrying the love of his life. The road ahead for the new author wasn’t an easy one as James went through the process of finding editors, artists and a possible publisher for his series. Determined to get his series out to the public James decided to strive ahead and be an Indie author which is when the world of writing opened up to him. Through social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter James was able to create a large fan base which seemed to grow overnight (and is still growing.) With his first release James kept up his momentum with new ideas for plots and characters and within the first two years of officially starting his venture he was able to come out with 6 different titles.

Now with book 7 near completion and coming onto Kindle at the end of July James isn’t stopping anytime soon. James’ titles have ventured from everything from Fantasy Fiction to Horror, to even Erotica’s. Even as he’s changes his genres the reviews have stayed the same as they boast that James has incredible plot lines and unforgettable characters, that his works are intense and page turning right until the last word. 

James is in the works already of 7 new books which will include sequels, a zombie book, a post apocalyptical title, as well as a few more erotica’s up his sleeve.


I stole this from James' Facebook page ;)






Fall of a King: The False Prince
An epic journey of deceit, betrayal, magic and  a treasonous love sets sail as Meath, a young apprentice to the formidable wizard, Ursa, escapes certain death while a freshly united Kingdom is held captive by a false Prince.  In hope of relaying the truth of the usurper who now threatens the throne, Meath embarks on a dangerous journey with the true heiress, Nicolette, in an attempt to reach her Uncle before they too are entangled in the lie that has wound itself deep into the lands.  Amidst the soldiers dispatched to return the princess and capture Meath and his friends, they must avoid the barbarian clans who have begun a savage war on the Kingdom of Draco; evading what seems like fate has become a perilous game they may not be able to win…

Book Trailer - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBtwGzJgMlY

Purchase Link - http://www.amazon.com/dp/B006TKFHAI


Fall of a King: Brothers of Blood
Everything changes when Meath finds himself in the magically veiled village of Salvas. News of the death of his friends leaves him teetering on the verge of emotional ruin and bitter loathing. Yet an enthralling new life connected to his past presents itself within the quintessence that is Salvas.
The true nature of the False Prince is revealed, shedding a whole new light on the devastation Draco Kingdom faces. Meath sets himself to the task of avenging his broken life the only way he can - by killing Astaroth…

Captured Zehava, Dahak, Nicolette and Shania struggle to stay alive when they find themselves now slaves. Zehava and Dahak are thrown into the Pit where blood and coin come at the forfeit of life. In a desperate attempt to keep their group together they must suppress their humanity to keep the identity of Draco’s heir hidden and safe while they plot a daring and daunting escape.





Unforgivable 1
Rising from the ashes of his home in Ever-Dale, Jamus Willms carves a brutal path of vengeance through the lands powerful nobility. His quest for justice seems to defy even death, as hatred fuels his journey - to the ruthless Lord that took everything from him as a simple reminder of the status quo. With the fires of that fateful night still burning in his mind, each step that takes him closer to reclaiming his daughter from the clutches of a psychopath blurs the line between man and monster - Jamus struggles to keep the flames that had disfigured his flesh from twisting his very soul forever.




Unforgivable 2

Half a lifetime of running comes to a dead stop when Sofia stands as the last of her line. Her father and her innocence lie cold in the ground as she embarks on a crusade of treason, blood and justice.
Haunted by her dreams, Sofia inherits more than her father’s thirst for vengeance with the discovery of a miraculous herb among his possessions. However, she finds the peace offered by this infamous root comes at a crippling cost: an addiction that leaves her owing more than life is worth in the kingdom of Faer- Tri.
Indebted to gypsies, she enters a war in the capital city of Delmar where every shadow promises death by friend or foe alike. In the chaos, Sofia fights to separate reality from fantasy while only one thing remains certain... she will not rest until the king lies dead at her feet...





Broken Shards of a Masterpiece
 Anthology

"From the fractured mind of Unforgivable comes ten new stories that explore the fragility of perfection in Broken Shards of a Masterpiece.

Each tale welcomes you to a world shattered by obsession, intrigue and desire where the remnants of reality and illusion meet at a razor edge."



Luxuria
Erotic

A fable, dripping with gold and uttered from the lips of a dying man sets four friends off on the adventure of a lifetime.
The last remnant of an age lost to myth calls from the very cusp of Hell as the dangers rise with the heat of the tropics and they are plunged into the unfathomable depths of the Amazon where they will struggle for survival in an ancient city born of blood, lust and betrayal.
With the whispers of a dead man echoing promises of power, wealth and desire, their path to paradise is laid out in the bones of those who learned too late what is waiting beyond the mist of time.




Until Death Do Us Part can be found here.

Future Projects

Coming soon: Until Death Do Us Part (paranormal erotica) 2013 August 1

Luxuria 2 (erotica) 2014
A Slave to Love (erotica) 2014
After Death (erotica, sequel to Until Death Do Us Part) 2013
The Bastard King: Birthright 2014
Dead End (zombie horror) 2014
What Remains (post apocalyptical) 2013

I Heart Books exclusive; First chapter of Unforgivable III can be found here!

Stalker links - 
Twitter- @AuthorJFuller






Friday, July 12, 2013

Blog Tour/Promo/Review - A Love Like This by Kahlen Aymes

 

 

The Future of Our Past (Book 1)

 

Julia Abbot and Ryan Matthews have been inseparable best friends since the moment they met. Each of them fight an internal battle unwilling to risk their incredible friendship but unable to quell their deep longing for the other. On the verge of his departure to medical school and to her new job on the opposite coast, Ryan and Julia are forced to face the undeniable truth of their deeper feelings.

Review by Fiona Wilson

Ryan has dreamt of becoming a doctor for years. Following in his fathers footsteps is all he wants. Finally he has been accepted to Harvard medical school. He should be happy, over the moon. But he's not. Instead all he can think about is leaving behind his best friend, Julia.

Over the years Julia has grown to love Ryan, but she has never found the courage to tell him for fear of losing their friendship. What she doesn't know is that Ryan is in love with her too, and for the same reason he hasn't told her.

They agree to try and turn their friendship into something more, but via a long distance relationship. At first it works. Ryan is immersed in his studying, Julia finds a job in journalism, a fashion magazine. But as time goes on they realise the distance is too much. So Julia moves closer to Ryan, and they continue to work at their relationship.

When these 2 get together boy is it hot! They are so totally and utterly in love with each other they physically hurt when the other one isn't near. We can all dream about having a relationship as intense as theirs, but I don't believe many of us will actually ever find it.

Both of them go through various decisions within their lives which could change the future of their relationship. Both of them also have jealous tendencies which lead to them having more than a few arguments. Wait maybe arguments is too strong a word. Disagreements. But the making up makes those worth it in the end.

The author has written a story which draws the reader in so quickly, it will have you willing Ryan and Julia to admit their feelings to each other and work things out. You will feel Julia's pain, Ryan's frustrations, and the depth of love they have for each other. And I dare you not to cry when you read the words they write to each other during the story.

The ending was a surprise to me as I didn't see it coming. It shocked me and I know it will also shock a lot of readers. Luckily I had the second book waiting and I went through that in one sitting! Review for that will follow next!


Don't Forget to Remember Me (Book 2)

 

Ryan Matthews has everything he ever wanted. Close to graduation from Harvard Medical School and on the verge of marrying his gorgeous and accomplished girlfriend, Julia Abbott, his dreams are about to come true.

Julia is on the fast track as a fashion editor for a big New York magazine. Ryan plans to join her there to complete his residency at a major trauma center and all of their sacrifice is finally at it's end.

When tragedy strikes, their relationship is hurled into turmoil that leaves Ryan devastated as sorrow drives him to keep his distance, while Julia reaches out to find him again.

The second book of The Remembrance Trilogy follows Ryan and Julia's quest to rebuild their stunning past; an incredibly beautiful and heart-breaking romance, full of passion, intensity and truly immeasurable love. You'll be left spellbound, breathless and aching for more...

 

Review by Fiona Wilson

This book starts where the first book, The Future of Our Past, ended. You really need to have read the first story before moving on to this one.

Ryan is in pieces. Julia is in hospital following a car accident. He can't believe that just as they are finally working things out, and he is finishing his medical training, something like this has happened.

Julia comes round, after several days when Ryan wouldn't leave her bedside. To his horror she has suffered memory loss. She can remember most things but not meeting, or being in love, with him.

This story covers a lot of ground in a relatively short period of time, unlike the first which covered several years. Julia has to learn to live with having no memory of the last 8 years. Ryan has to learn to live with Julia not remembering him, or their life together. He also has to struggle to cope with his feelings in the aftermath of the accident, and he has to do this while trying to support Julia in her recovery.

This story is a sweet one as the reader sees Julia starting to feel things for Ryan. It is as if we are seeing the story from years before, when they first met. Ryan wants to do things the way the doctors suggest, by allowing Julia to slowly gain her memory back, rather than trying to force it by talking about things she has forgotten. She does start to remember some little things, and she feels things towards Ryan which at times she can't explain. But can she trust Ryan, and her own growing feelings, enough to risk the 'friendship' she has been told they had?

Again, as in the first story, both Ryan and Julia have trust issues towards each other. This leads to more disagreements between them.

I'm not going to give anything away as to what happens, or if Julia gains her memory back again. But suffice to say things are never boring between them! There are physical moments between them, which are quite intense.

Again the author has written a story which will have you begging for more. I cannot wait to read book 3 of this trilogy to find out if Ryan and Julia finally get their happy ever after, or if they have to go through further trauma instead.


A Love Like This (Book 3)

 

Settled in New York City, Ryan and Julia Matthews seek to enjoy their idyllic newlywed life together. Julia’s high-profile job at Vogue and Ryan’s promising career in medicine will surely set them up for everything they could ever want. Their only obstacle seems to be finding enough time to spend together.

When a scuffle at Ryan’s hospital puts his life in danger, a colleague steps in to save him but is critically injured in the process. In a heroic and unwavering effort, Ryan manages to save her life, but her injuries irrevocably change her future forever.

What happens next will push Ryan beyond human endurance, when he is forced to decide how much he will pay for his new friendship and Julia, what she is willing to sacrifice in order to spare herself the unspeakable pain of watching someone else try to replace her in Ryan’s heart.

Join Ryan and Julia in the heart-wrenching conclusion to the unforgettable story of an incredible love, worth every single sacrifice…

For there is nothing more sacred than… A Love Like This…

 

Review by Fiona Wilson

This is the final book in the series and is the most heartbreaking at times.

Having finally got their happy ever after at the end of book 2 the author throws the characters into a spin by trying to take that away from them.

Ryan and Julia are living happily in New York. Ryan is working in a local hospital while Julia is continuing her career at Vogue.

An incident occurs at the hospital leading to Ryan's life being saved by a colleague. He feels indebted to her but she takes things too far. She starts to find excuses to contact Ryan, even when he is on days off with Julia. Understandably Julia starts to get extremely annoyed at the constant interruptions.

On Christmas Eve what should be a special time for the couple is ruined, again, by Ryan's colleague. Julia reacts in the only way she can think of,by running away.

Ryan is understandably overwrought. He doesn't cope very well on his own. Julia has been his life and soul for so long that when she isn't there he just falls apart. Even his brother can't bring him out of the hell he is going through.

Can Ryan and Julia get through this huge obstacle, or are they going to have to learn to live without the loves of their lives? I highly recommend reading this series. The author has written it so well you will be drawn in from book one, and keep reading to the end of book 3 just to find out what happens to them.

 

About the Author:

Kahlen is an award-winning author of sizzling hot, deeply moving contemporary romance. Her stories are filled with intense love, passion, angst and emotion that breathes life into her characters and leaves her readers captivated. Her books have gone all the way to #2 on Amazon’s Top 100 in the Paid Store and she spent many weeks on Smashwords bestseller lists.

She lives near Omaha, Nebraska with her daughter, Olivia and their three dogs. Kahlen has a BSBA in Marketing, Business Administration and MIS. Creative by nature, she enjoys the arts, music and theater.... But the love of her life is writing! She enjoys meeting and talking with her readers on a regular basis!

Represented by Elizabeth Winick-Rubinstein of McIntosh & Otis Literary Agency, the first two books in her series; The Remembrance Trilogy are available now, and the final installment, A Love Like This, published June 24, 2013!

 

Excerpt - A Love Like This

 

Julia padded softly around the bedroom and bathroom as we both brushed our teeth and got ready for bed. She silently rubbed my bare back and kissed my shoulder, standing there, watching me in the mirror with her soulful eyes. My chest filled. I’d never been so happy to see anyone in my life as I was when she walked through that door in the ER.

I put down the toothbrush and gingerly slid an arm around her waist and tugged her close to my side. The familiar scent of her, the warmth and love I found in her face when she looked at me, was as life-giving as a bonfire in Antarctica. My lips found her forehead and then moved down the side of her face. Her skin was warm beneath my mouth; alive. I breathed in deeply, sucking in her life-giving breath for my own.

Julia’s arms wound around my waist and she kissed my jaw before our lips met in a gentle kiss. I could feel the remnants of her fear and sensed the ache in her heart at the prospect of losing me. It was a feeling I remembered all too well.

She drew a shuddering breath as I forced my arms to wrap around her despite the pain that knifed through me with the movement. “I was so scared. I couldn’t bear to lose you. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

My hands framed her face as she looked up at me, her features gentled by sadness and love, my thumbs brushing along her cheekbones. She seemed so small, so fragile… so luminous. Emotion flooded through me and my heart constricted. It was so real—the possibility of the end of everything—and losing just one second with her was something I couldn’t contemplate. Even these quiet moments were so precious. It would’ve been easier being the one who died, rather than the one left behind. My brow knitted and I closed my eyes, nodding, pulling her little body closer into mine. “You won’t lose me, baby, but I know what you mean.”

 

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Blog Tour/Review - Emerge by S.E. Hall

 

Title: Emerge (Evolve series #1)

Author: S.E. Hall

Genre: New Adult Romance

Goodreads link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18136448-emerge

 

Book Trailer Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAvxL3VgQC8

 

 

Book Description:

 

Laney Walker is a quick witted, athletic, southern tomboy who lets few get too close, using her sarcastic zingers to deflect. She also has no idea how others view her, Evan having protected and coveted her since they were children. But college puts a gap between Laney and Evan that neither of them were prepared for- old relationships are tested, new ones are formed and nothing will ever be the same.

Especially when in walks one Dane Kendrick, not at all the familiar, southern charmer of home, but an animal all his own.

More than, and not just, a love triangle; a story of growing up, friendship, loyalty, first love, primal love...and life.

 

Buy Link:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Emerge-Evolve-Series-ebook/dp/B00CTYIWGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372644529&sr=8-1&keywords=emerge

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Emerge-Evolve-Series-ebook/dp/B00CTYIWGO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372644492&sr=8-1&keywords=emerge

 

Please note that Emerge will be available on Barnes and Noble on or around August 20th.

 

Giveaway Link:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the author:

 

S.E.Hall resides in Arkansas with her husband of 17 years and 3 beautiful daughters. When not in the stands watching her ladies play softball, she enjoys reading YA and NA romance.

Watch my facebook page for contests and BOOK TWO TEASERS!!!!

 

Author Social Media Links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/S.E.HallAuthorEmerge?fref=ts

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7087549.S_E_Hall

Twitter: https://twitter.com/emer

Review by Mary Beth Witkop

 

Do you ever get that shaky feeling, you know the mix of excitement, anticipation and nerves all rolled into one when you read a good book? Well neither do I, but I do get those feelings when I read an extraordinary book and this is one of them!

Laney is your average tomboy with some major trust and self-esteem issues from her mom leaving when she was young. What she doesn't realize is that she is the only one who sees her as average. Everyone else sees a gorgeous, intelligent girl who isn't afraid to be real and herself. She has no idea the effect she has on people especially the opposite sex.

Evan is your hunky All American boy next door who just happens to play football as well and just happens to be Laney's BFF. He has loved Laney with everything thing he is since they were 10 but his timing is atrocious. He decides to tell her how he feels towards the end of their senior year. When they realize they have to separate and go to different schools their perfect world starts to fall apart. Evan makes some horrible decisions at school and Laney is well all alone. In comes Dane.

Ah Dane, how to describe him. I guess you could say he is the rich bad boy because he is dark, handsome and mysterious, but man he treats Laney like a queen from the get go. He keeps everything close to the vest but sees something different about Laney and winds up watching his sturdy walls of defense come down brick by brick. He tries to give her the time she needs to choose him but a man like that can only wait so long.

I hate to love, love triangles but I guess it is a guilty pleasure of mine. I didn't know who to root for because I loved both Evan and Dane. I totally understand why Laney had such a difficult time choosing between the two. Usually the girl ends up looking selfish and just ugh, but not in this story. Laney was honest and kind and made everyone fall in love with her. Honestly, this book made me want to kick Evan when he did something stupid, shake Dane for not being completely open with her, but mostly I wanted to grab Laney into a big hug and cry with her because she is exactly the kind of girl I want as my friend. (BTW I am not going to give it away but I wanted to so smack a certain someone across the face. Man she made me angry.) Who will she choose Evan or Dane? Read it to find out trust me its worth it and I can excitedly say I can not wait to see what happens next.

 

Monday, July 8, 2013

Blog Tour/Review/Giveaway - Wolf Fever by Milly Taiden

Wolf Fever

Blurb

 

When Raine Bowe volunteers for a sleep study for the extra cash, she didn't expect to wake in a lab or to be victimized by a mad scientist. She escapes with one objective--to find someone strong enough to wage war with the evil growing inside her.

 

Ryder Storm is a man with a reputation--the bad boy of his own universe. He doesn't take prisoners, won't give into a sweet smile, and doesn't cut his pack an inch of slack. He knows the desperate woman in his bar is his the moment he lays eyes on her. He'll give her anything she wants, except the one thing she's begging for. Death.

Raine enlists Ryder’s help to unravel the mystery surrounding the hours she lost in the lab and to help tame the beast inside her. In their search for answers, the road will lead them to a twisted experiment involving shifters, humans, and the creation of the ultimate Alpha. He's ready for the adventure and she's ready for her answers. Neither are ready for the lust that calls down from the mating moon. But a wolf knows its mate, and an alpha will not stop until he or she gets what they want.

 

 

 

Excerpt

Run!

The loud hammering of Raine’s heart drowned out the single word bouncing around her mind—and the dogs barking at her back. Their angry growls faded the faster she ran. A little further. Just a little more, and she’d be home free.

Trees swooshed past her with every step she took away from the small isolated facility. She ignored the hospital gown swinging against her legs and the blood dripping down her arms from the torn IVs. Barefoot, the rocks bit into the soles of her feet. None of that mattered. She had to survive. Her life depended on getting as far away from that place as possible.

Inhaling the comforting scent of mud, trees, and the wild, she barely heard the barking over the breeze rustling through the willows with each step she put between them. At any other time, she’d have dissected her reaction to the forest. Not now. And she didn’t stop. No way was she getting captured again without a fight.

Air beat in and out of her lungs in tandem with the pounding of her feet on the rocky ground. Moonlight filtered through the branches overhead, highlighting her path. Her hair caught on the tree limbs, snatching at the loose strands. Some of the hanging vines prodded her arms and stabbed her sides. Her breath hitched, and she missed a step, lurching forward. Something inside her tightened. Her arms swayed and her core muscles flexed. Before she face planted, everything balanced out. She blinked. More scared now than she’d ever been in her life. Something controlled her body and it had reflexes far superior to a normal human.

Moisture gathered in her eyes, blurring her vision. She blinked it away. Panic would only get her caught.

Raine glanced at the moon. It had shifted twice—now in front of her, rather than behind. She stilled. The trees rustled with the wind. An owl hooted. But she still didn’t hear the annoying bay of the dogs.

Ragged breaths beat hard in her ears. A horn’s blare sounded in the distance. Fear and excitement gave her a burst of energy. Cars meant help. She urged her body faster.

Street lights peeked through the trees. Air panted out of her chest. A second car honked, speeding past another. She was almost there. So close. Thank god. She was going to make it.

Slowing down at the edge of a hill, she darted glances around the now quiet street. No people milled about or walked around. Nothing. A big store, one she recognized from the one time she’d gotten lost in the shadier side of town, sat a block to her right. The sudden quiet made sense now. Nothing good happened this far south of Tempting Eats. It was known as the dead side. The thought alone gave her chills. Women went missing…all the time. That had been enough to keep her uptown in suburbia-peace-nation.

She glanced around, searching for anyone who might be waiting for her or even any of the dangerous men her neighbors said roamed the streets, but there was nothing, not a single being. Her feet hit the pavement in a rush. Once across the street, she hid inside a dark alley. The stench of rotting food and piss coated the air with a thick blanket of disease and chaos. Her throat convulsed, and the acidic taste of bile hit the back of her tongue.

Retreating, she took several steps toward the end of the street to a small motel. Its yellow, neon Vacancy sign blinked on and off with a buzz. A man’s yell pushed her to slink into the dark. The sound came from the shadows in front of the motel.

 

Buy Links

 

Amazon: http://amzn.to/11qnss7

ARe: http://bit.ly/10BTK55

B&N: http://bit.ly/19mU4VF

 

 

Book Trailer:

 

Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Author Bio:

Want to know about me? Milly Taiden (aka April Angel) was born in the prettiest part of the Caribbean known as the Dominican Republic. She grew up between New York, Florida and Massachusetts. Currently, she resides in New York City with her husband, bossy young son and their little dog Speedy.

She’s addicted to shopping for shoes, chocolate (but who isn’t?) and Dunkin Donuts coffee.

 

Contact Milly

Website: http://www.millytaiden.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/fansofmillytaidenaprilangel

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/millytaiden

 

Review by Theresa Esterline

5 out of 5 stars

Loved this story! It was like I was transported into the book and was watching the story unfold before my eyes! Milly has done it again ... Gotten me hooked on another HOT shifter series! There is suspense, comedy, and hot shifter sex! And now a little about the story ...

Imagine waking up in an unknown facility naked under a hospital gown with IVs hooked up to you. This is what happened to Raine in our story. After pulling all the restraints holding her down and the IV connections out she makes her way past the guards and starts to run. She manages to get to a phone to call her best friend. Feeling uneasy about changes she feels in her body, especially aggression, she is not sure what to do. Once she is alone she starts to shift and decides she is a beast that needs to be put down. She finds the one hired gun she knows of Ryder Storm. He takes her down, but not how she had planned. Find out what happened to Raine and watch the sparks fly between her and Ryder until they ignite!

Favorite passage: Damn but the man was sexy. Not just the body, or the award-winning tongue, it was the way he carried himself. What he'd said was true. He was definitely the alpha. No other animal had that type of commanding presence.

 

Books:

As Milly Taiden

Wolf Protector – Federal Paranormal Unit – Book 1

Wynter’s Captive

Halloween Heat III – Mate Event

Fate’s Wish

Sharp Change – Black Meadow – Book 1

Caged Heat – Black Meadow – Book 2

 

Coming Soon

Wolf Fever

Scent of a Mate

 

As April Angel

A Hero’s Pride

Party Crasher

Wicked Valentine – Sizzling Encounters – Book 2

Stranded Temptation

Mr. Buff – Sizzling Encounters – Book 1

 

Coming Soon

Lucky Break – Sizzling Encounters – Book 3

 

Sunday, July 7, 2013

Blog Tour/Review/Guest Post - Mountain Charm by Sydney Logan

 

 

Guest Post

Tell us about your book trailer video? How did you come up with the ideas about putting it together? (Link to the trailer)

 

Both of my book trailers were created by one of my readers, Rebekah Moss. She is a film & media student, so designing my book trailers gives her some editing experience and offers her the chance to beef up her resumé.

 

For us, the first step in creating the book trailer is me writing the script. I take snippets from the book blurb and create 15-20 PowerPoint text slides. Next come the images, which can sometimes be the toughest part. Typically, it takes weeks for me to find the perfect pictures to complement the text. I search for pictures on Deposit Photos and royalty-free sites. Once I finally find the pictures and insert them into the slideshow, I then ship it off to Rebekah for her to work her magic.

 

In the past, I’ve used royalty-free music for my book trailers. For Mountain Charm, I decided to ask my readers if any of them were musicians and would be interested in having their music featured in my book trailer. Sarah Cowart, a singer-songwriter from Louisiana, contacted me and pointed me toward her Soundcloud. I fell in love with her music, and we finally settled on an instrumental of her song “Charlotte.” You can listen to Sarah’s music here: http://www.reverbnation.com/sarahcowart

 

I take zero credit for my book trailers. Yes, I write the script and find the pictures, but Rebekah puts it all together. She’s lost a lot of sleep for me over the past two years. Sarah’s musical contribution to the trailer made it perfect, and I love that my readers are willing to share their talents with me.

 

Here is the finished product. We hope you enjoy it.

 

 

~~~~~~~~

Summary of Mountain Charm:

“True love and sweet whispers, till death do us part;

Send someone to love my Appalachian heart.”

 

At the age of thirteen, Angelina Clark followed in the footsteps of her ancestors by casting an Appalachian love spell, which promised she would blossom into a beautiful and gifted woman who would find her true love. A young Angelina had been thrilled to participate in the sacred ritual, but through the years, her father’s untimely death and her mother’s failing health have shaken Angelina’s magical faith to its core. As her twenty-first birthday approaches, she refuses to practice her supernatural gifts and no longer believes in the love charm.

That is, until Dylan Thomas arrives on her front porch.

Dylan, a Nashville writer, travels to the mountain town of Maple Ridge to unearth the family’s supernatural secrets. While her clairvoyant mother is convinced that Dylan is her daughter’s soul mate, Angelina refuses to see the nosy reporter as anything more than a nuisance.

Despite their constant bickering, sparks fly.

Dylan admits he feels strangely drawn to Angelina and is in no hurry to leave Maple Ridge or publish his magazine article. Fearful that his emotions are being influenced by the spell, a stubborn Angelina struggles to fight her own budding attraction to the reporter.

The two inevitably grow closer just as her mother’s health begins to deteriorate, and Angelina is faced with the possibility of selling the family’s music shop to pay the mounting medical expenses. Desperate to help the woman he loves, Dylan explores his own family tree and finds support from an unlikely source. Can he finally prove his love is real—spell or no spell?

A story filled with love, friendship, family, and just a hint of Appalachian magic, Mountain Charm will leave you spellbound.

 

Author Bio:

Sydney Logan is an Amazon bestselling author and holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education. With the 2012 release of her first novel, Lessons Learned, she made the transition from bookworm to author. Sydney has a very unhealthy obsession with music, and her iPod is filled with everything from Johnny Cash to Eminem. She is also the author of two short stories: “Mistletoe Magic,” available exclusively on Amazon Kindle, and “Stupid Cupid,” which is featured in the Romantic Interludescompilation. When she isn't reading or writing, she enjoys playing piano and relaxing on her front porch at her home in East Tennessee with her wonderful husband and their very spoiled cat.

 

Visit Sydney’s website at www.sydneylogan.com.

 

Buying link: http://ph.thewriterscoffeeshop.com/books/detail/91

 

Review by Fiona Wilson

 

Angelina Clark comes from a long line of females with magical powers. When she reaches the age of thirteen she performs a ritual carried down the line from her ancestors. This involves reciting a spell calling for her true love to find her when she is 21. As a thirteen year old Angelina wholeheartedly believes in the spell, and her gifts.

However by the time she turns 21 that belief has died, along with her father. Her mother is also ill, further convincing Angelina that the supernatural powers her family is known for mean nothing. Seriously disillusioned with it all she gets on with her life, and her work.

Angelina runs the family's music shop and is happily going about her day to day routine when a reporter arrives, looking to do a story into her family. She is suspicious at first, but her mother appears to get on with him, inviting him for supper most nights and allowing him to ask questions of the locals. Slowly Angelina begins to find herself drawn to the reporter, Dylan Thomas. But she fears he is becoming attracted to her only because of the spell.

Can Angelina put aside her doubts and allow Dylan into her life? Or will she push him away for fear that it is only the spell which draws him to her?

With her mothers illness, Dylan's apparent growing attraction, and Angelina's own doubts, Mountain Charm is a story which will draw you in. It is so nice to read a story without supernatural creatures, death and destruction. It is simply a lovely story, with a bit of magic thrown in, which will make you smile and hope for love to win through!

 

Friday, July 5, 2013

Blog Tour/Review - Branded by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki

 

Title: Branded (Sinners #1) by Abi Ketner & Missy Kalicicki

Genre: YA Dystopian Romance

Goodreads Link: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17402117-branded

Book Trailer:http://video214.com/play/PlssJogkXB4H85hKKomnOA/s/dark




Summary:

Twenty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadliest sins were the downfall of our society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I’ve been accused of a crime I didn’t commit and now the Hole is my new home.

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.

Now, every day is a fight for survival. But I won’t die. I won’t let them win.
The Hole can’t keep me. The Hole can’t break me.
I am more than my brand. I’m a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.




Author Bio:

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.


Links:

Website: http://www.abiandmissy.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AbiandMissy

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AbiandMissy



Excerpt:

Chapter One

I’m buried six feet under, and no one hears my screams.

The rope chafes as I loop it around my neck. I pull down on it, making sure the knot is secure. It seems sturdy enough.

My legs shake. My heart beats heavy in my throat. Sweat pours down my back.

Death and I glare at each other through my tears.

I take one last look at the crystal chandelier, the foyer outlined with mirrors, and the flawless decorations. No photographs adorn the walls. No happy memories here.

I’m ready to go. On the count of three.

I inhale, preparing myself for the finality of it all. Dropping my hands, a glimmer catches my eye. It’s my ring, the last precious gift my father gave me. I twist it around to read the inscription. Picturing his face forces me to reconsider my choice. He’d be heartbroken if he could see me now.

A door slams in the hallway, almost causing me to lose my balance. My thoughts already muddled, I stand, waiting with the rope around my neck. Voices I don’t recognize creep through the walls.

Curiosity overshadows my current thoughts. It’s late at night, and this is a secure building in High Society. No one disturbs the peace here—ever. I tug on the noose and pull it back over my head.

Peering through the eyehole in our doorway, I see a large group of armed guards banging on my neighbors’ door. A heated conversation ensues, and my neighbors point toward my family’s home.

It hits me. I’ve been accused and they’re here to arrest me.

My father would want me to run, and in that split second, I decide to listen to his voice within me. Flinging myself forward in fear, I scramble up the marble staircase and into my brother’s old bedroom. The door is partially covered, but it exists. Pushing his dresser aside, my fingers claw at the opening. Breathing hard, I lodge myself against it. Nothing. I step back and kick it with all my strength. The wood splinters open, and my foot gets caught. I wrench it backward, scraping my calf, but adrenaline pushes me forward. The voices at the front door shout my name.

On hands and knees, I squeeze through the jagged opening. My brother left through this passage, and now it’s my escape too. Cobwebs entangle my face, hands, and hair. At the end, I feel for the knob, twisting it clockwise. It swings open, creaking from disuse. I sprint into the hallway and smash through the large fire escape doors at the end. A burst of cool air strikes me in the face as I jump down the ladder.

Reaching the fifth floor, I knock on a friend’s window. The lights flicker on, and I see the curtains move, but no one answers. I bang on the window harder.

“Let me in! Please!” I say, but the lights darken. They know I’ve been accused and refuse to help me. Fear and adrenaline rush through my veins as I keep running, knocking on more windows along the way. No one has mercy. They all know what happens to sinners.

Another flight of stairs passes in a blur when I hear the guards’ heavy footfalls from above. I can’t hide, but I don’t want to go without trying.

Help me, Daddy. I need your strength now.

My previous desolation evolves into a will to survive. I have to keep running, but I tremble and gasp for air. I steel my nerves and force my body to keep moving. In a matter of minutes, my legs cramp and my chest burns. I plunge to the ground, scraping my knee and elbow. A moan escapes from my chest.

Gotta keep going.

“Stop!” Their voices bounce off the buildings. “Lexi Hamilton, surrender yourself,” they command. They’re gaining on me.

I resist the urge to glance back, running into what I assume is an alley. I’m far from our high-rise in High Society as I plunge into a poorer section of the city where the streets all look the same and the darkness prevents me from recognizing anything. I’m lost.

My first instinct is to leap into a dumpster, but I retain enough sense to stay still. I crouch and peek around it, watching them dash by. The abhorrent smell soon leaves me vomiting until nothing remains in my stomach. Desperation overtakes me, as I know my retching was anything but silent. My last few seconds tick away before they find me. Everyone knows about their special means of tracking sinners.

I push myself to my feet and look left, right, and left again. Their batons click against their black, leather belts, and their boots stomp the cement on both sides of me. I shrink into myself. Their heavy steps mock my fear, growing closer and closer until I know I’m trapped.

Never did I imagine they’d come for me. Never did I imagine all those nights I heard them dragging someone else away that I’d join them.

“You’re a sinner,” they say. “Time to leave our society.”

I stand defiant. I refuse to bend or break before them even as I shiver with fear.

“There’s no reason to make this difficult. The more you cooperate, the smoother this will be for everyone,” a guard says.

I cringe into the blackness along the wall. I’m innocent, but they won’t believe me or care.

The next instant, my face slams into the pavement as one guard plants a knee in my back and another handcuffs me. A warm liquid trails into my mouth. Blood. Their fingers grip my arms like steel traps as they peel me off the cement. The tops of my shoes scrape along the ground as I’m dragged behind them until they discard me into the back of a black vehicle. The doors slam in unison with one guard stationed on each side of me, my shoulders digging into their arms. The handcuffs dig into my wrists, so I clasp them together hard behind me and press my back into the seat, unwilling to admit how much it hurts. My dignity is all I have left.

Swallowing hard, I stare ahead to avoid their eyes.

Did they need so many guards to capture me?

I’m not carrying any weapons, nor do I own any. I don’t even know self-defense. High Society frowns on activities like that.

The driver jerks the vehicle around and I try to keep my bearings, but it’s dark and the scenery changes too fast. Hours pass and the air grows warmer, more humid, the farther we drive. The landscape mutates from city to rolling hills. They don’t bother blindfolding me because they escort all the sinners to the same place—the Hole. Twenty-foot cement walls encase the chaos within. There’s no way out and no way in unless they transport you. They say the Hole is a prison with no rules. We learned about it last year in twelfth grade.

To the outside, I’m filth now. I’ll never be allowed to return to the life I knew. No one ever does.

“All sinners go through a transformation,” one of the guards says to me. His smirk infuriates me. “I’m sure you’ve heard all kinds of stories.” I don’t respond. I don’t want to think about the things I’ve been told.

“You won’t last too long, though. Young girls like you get eaten alive.” He pulls a strand of my hair up to his face.

Get your hands off me, you pig. I want to lash out, but resist. The punishment for disobeying authority is severe, and I’m not positioned to defy him.

They’re the Guards of the Commander. They’re chosen from a young age and trained in combat. They keep the order of society by using violent methods of intimidation. No one befriends a guard. Relationships with them are forbidden inside the Hole.

Few have seen the commander. His identity stays under lock and key. His own paranoia and desire to stay pure drove him to live this way. He controls our depraved society and believes sinners make the human race unforgivable. His power is a crushing fist, rendering all beneath him helpless. So much so, even family members turn on each other when an accusation surfaces. Just an accusation. No trial, no evidence, nothing but an accusation.

I lose myself in thoughts of my father.

“Never show fear, Lexi,” my father said to me before he was taken. “They’ll use it against you.” His compassionate eyes filled with warning as he commanded me to be strong. That was many years ago, but I remember it clearly. My father. My rock. The one person in my life who provided unconditional love.

The vehicle stops, and I’m jerked back to reality. “Get out,” the guard orders while pulling me to my feet. The doors slide open and the two guards lift me up and out into the night. A windowless cement building looms in front of us, looking barren in the darkness.

The coolness of the air sends a shiver up my spine. This is really happening. I’ve been labeled a sinner. My lip starts to quiver, but I bite it before anyone sees. They shove me in line and I realize I’m not alone. Women and men stand with faces frozen white in fear. A guard grabs my finger, pricks it, and dabs my blood on a tiny microchip.

I follow the man in front of me into the next room where we’re lined up facing the wall. Glancing right, I see one of the men crying.

“Spread your legs,” one of the guards says.

They remove my outer layers and their hands roam up and down my body.

What do they think I could possibly be hiding? I press my head into the wall, trying to block out what they’re doing to me.

“MOVE!” a guard commands. So I shuffle across the room, trying to cover up.

One.

Two.

Three.

Four.

Five of us sit in the holding room. One by one, they pull people into the next room, forcing the rest of us to wonder what torture we’ll endure. An agonizing amount of time passes. I lean my head back and try to imagine a place far away. The door opens.

“Lexi Hamilton.”

A guard escorts me out of the room, and I don’t have time to look back. As soon as the door closes, they pick me up and place me on a table. It’s cold and my skin sticks to it slightly, like wet fingers on an ice cube. Then, they exit in procession, and I lie on the table with a doctor standing over me. His hands are busy as he speaks.

“Don’t move. This will only take a few minutes. It’s time for you to be branded.”

A wet cloth that smells like rubbing alcohol is used to clean my skin. Then he places a metal collar around my neck.

Click. Click. Click.

The collar locks into place, and I struggle to breathe. The doctor loosens it some as I focus on the painted black words above me.

The Seven Deadly Sins:

Lust - Blue

Gluttony - Orange

Greed - Yellow

Sloth - Light Blue

Wrath - Red

Envy - Green

Pride - Purple

“Memorize it. Might keep you alive longer if you know who to stay away from.” He opens my mouth, placing a bit inside. “Bite this.”

Within seconds, the collar heats from hot to scorching. The smell of flesh sizzling makes my head spin. I bite down so hard a tooth cracks.

“GRRRRRRRRR,” escapes from deep within my chest. Just when I’m about to pass out, the temperature drops, and the doctor loosens the collar.

He removes it and sits me up. Excruciating pain rips through me and I’m on the verge of a mental and physical breakdown. Focus. Don’t pass out.

Stainless steel counters and boring white walls press in on me. A guard laughs at me from an observation room above and yells, “Blue. It’s a great color for a pretty young thing like yourself.” His eyes dance with suggestion. The others meander around like it’s business as usual.

I finally find my voice and turn to the doctor.

“Are you going to give me clothes?” A burning pain spreads like fire from my neck to my jaw, making me wince.

He points to a set of folded grey scrubs on a chair. I cover myself as much as I can and scurry sideways. Grabbing my new clothes, I pull the shirt over my head and try to avoid the raw meat around my throat. I quickly knot the cord of my pants around my waist and slide my feet into the hospital-issue slippers as the doctor observes. He hands me a bag labeled with my name.

“Nothing is allowed through the door but what we’ve given you,” he says.

I hide my right hand behind me, hoping no one notices. A guard scans my body and opens his hand.

“Give it to me,” he says. “Don’t make me rip off your finger.” He crouches down and I turn to stone. I don’t know what to do, so I beg.

“My father gave this to me. Please, let me keep it.” I smash my eyes shut and think of the moment my father handed the golden ring to me.

“It was my mother’s ring,” he’d said. “She’s the strongest woman I ever knew.” With tears in his eyes, he reached for my hand. “Lexi, you’re exactly like her. She’d want you to wear this. No matter how this world changes, you can survive.” I turned the gold band over in my palm and read the engraving.

You can overcome anything… short of death.

“You’re going to take the one thing that matters the most to me?” I say, glaring into the guard’s emotionless eyes. “Isn’t it enough taking my life, dignity, and respect?”

A hard blow falls upon my back. As I fall, my hands shoot out to stop me from smashing into the wall in front of me. The guard bends down and grabs my chin with his meaty fist.

“Look at me,” he commands. I look up and he smiles with arrogance.

“What the hell?” He staggers a step backward. “What’s wrong with you? What’s wrong with your eyes?”

“Nothing,” I respond, confused.

“What color are they?”

“Turquoise.” I glower at him.

“Interesting,” he says, regaining his composure. “Now those’ll get you in trouble.”

Reality slaps me across the face. I have my father’s eyes. They can’t take them from me. I twist the ring off my finger and drop it in his hand.

“Take the damn ring,” I say. I walk to the door. He swipes a card and the massive door slides open to the outside.

“You have to wear your hair back at all times, so everyone knows what you are.” He hands me a tie, so I pull my frizzy hair away from my face and secure it into a ponytail. My neck burns and itches as my hand traces the scabs that have already begun to form. Squinting ahead into the darkness, I almost run into a guard standing on the sidewalk.

“Watch where you’re going,” he says, shoving me backward. His stiff figure stands tall and I cringe at the sharpness of his voice.

“Cole, this is your new assignment, Lexi Hamilton. See to it she feels welcome in her new home.” The guard departs with a salute.

“Let’s move,” Cole says.

I take two steps and collapse, my knees giving out. The unforgiving pavement reopens the scrapes from earlier and I struggle to stand. A powerful arm snatches me up, and I see his face for the first time.

 

 

My Review of Branded

Lexi Hamilton is a sinner. She is forcibly removed from her home and taken to the Hole. She is branded, on her neck, in blue, to show her sin is Lust. She is then given to a guard to orientate her to the new surroundings and circumstances she finds herself in. This is her life now, and she has to get on with it.

At least that is how it appears when you start reading the story. It is a bit confusing finding the main character thrown into somewhere like the Hole. But I believe that is deliberate on the part of the authors. As Lexi finds out about her surroundings so does the reader. We are learning about things at the same time as Lexi, and once you get into the story it does start to make sense. It took me a little while to get into the story I must admit, but once I did I loved it.

Many years before it was decided, by the Commander, that in order to retain some sort of semblance and order to the community, all sins were to be banned, and those who partake in any of the seven sins will be punished by being branded and thrown in the Hole. The sins are -

Lust - Blue

Gluttony - Orange

Greed - Yellow

Sloth - Light Blue

Wrath - Red

Envy - Green

Pride - Purple

The branding is done to allow everyone to instantly recognise the sins if others. But it also allows the other sinners to recognise those they believe could be of use to them, whether that is by stealing from them, raping them, or killing them.

Lexi finds herself in a daily battle to get to work - in the hospital under the wing of Dr Sutton - and back again while managing to stay alive and out of trouble. She doesn't tend to do very well though as trouble seems to seek her out.

The guard she is assigned to is Cole, who appears to be going outwith his remit in order to keep her safe, but why? Is there an ulterior motive behind his actions? Is someone else pulling the strings? What would happen to them both if they decide they don't want to be just guard and sinner? And who is the Commander?

These questions and more are answered as you get into the story. There are some really sweet moments within its pages, mainly to do with Lexi's job in the hospital. There are also some very violent moments as the sinners begin to fight, not only amongst themselves, but also against the guards and what they stand for.

Lexi's story comes out, and the truth behind her situation, which changes the way some people view her. And when we finally find out the identity of the Commander it is a shock, at least it was to me as I honestly didn't see it coming. The ending promises a sequel which should expand the story much further. A good read which I would recommend for readers over 17/18 due to some of the violent scenes within it.