Sunday 31 January 2016

Book Blitz: Marked by Amy Saunders!

Marked
by Amy Saunders
(The Birthright, #2)
Publication date: January 31st 2016
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Starting over for Rosamund Brandt is more complicated than it sounds. Especially when the past keeps coming back to haunt her. As she and her mom and brother try to pick up the pieces in a new home, the universe seems determined to tear them apart even more as secrets multiply, and distrust grows.
While new threats and unknowns emerge, Rosamund struggles with her own inner battle. Her new powers are growing whether she wants them or not, and their origins and nature are sketchy at best. The more that’s revealed to her, the more uncertain she feels.
Choosing allies and facing new and old enemies alike may not be their biggest problems. Not if Rosamund’s worst fears come true. Could she be the one they should fear the most?
Sequel to:
25799251
EXCERPT:
   Xavier turned his back to me, disappearing among the students walking in all directions. I gulped down the lump in my throat, and headed toward my locker on autopilot. I walked straight down the middle of the hallway, students veering around me one way or the other. Each step was like the last, until gravel crunched beneath my boot.
   I stopped walking and glanced down. Instead of tile, I saw charred black gravel. When I looked back up, I was standing in a virtual field of the stuff. There was nothing else around me except some hills the same color. The sky was gray and wind blew strands of my hair across my face. When I brushed the hair away, I saw something glint among the rocks near my feet.
I bent down, brushing the blackened dirt away, revealing something silver. I grazed the edge of it with my fingertips, then plunged my fingers into the gravel, pulling out the object. I stood again, my hand wrapped around it. When I glanced up, I was back in the hallway, students parting around me.
Another memory. Each one seemed to get more vivid and real.
   But then I felt something cold in my hand.
   I slowly unwrapped my fingers, and charcoaled dirt sifted between them onto the floor, leaving behind a 3-D silver serpentine object the size of my palm. My hand shook. That wasn’t just a memory. I’d physically done something. Or, more to the point, I’d gone somewhere. And I was pretty sure it wasn’t on Earth.
   I covered the object in my hand again. I took a step forward, totally ready to skip class to go have a meltdown in the bathroom, when someone grabbed my arm, dragging me across the hall into an empty classroom. I wrenched away, facing the guy from detention–who didn’t exist in school records.
   “What are you doing?” he hissed. “Didn’t you grow up like this? I thought you’d know better.”


Author Bio:
Amy is a sci-fi/mystery addict with a soft spot for humor and romance. She lives in Massachusetts, and loves to bake and watch movies. Learn more about Amy and her books at http://amysaundersauthor.com.




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Friday 29 January 2016

Ash (Hive Trilogy #1) by Jaymin Eve and Leia Stone (Review)

   In a world of vampires and humans, the Ash arrive. The Ash are a vampire and human hybrid children, and they are always all male. Well, at least until Charlie Bennet comes around. She is the first female Ash ever, but that does not make her life any easier. The Ash are culled and have to fight to the death, and now Charlie is in the culling. In a world full of action, romance, danger and adventure Charlie fights for her life while uncovering the mystery of her existence.
    I very much enjoyed Ash. Charlie is a cool witty character that was very interesting and fun to read about. I was worried about the story because vampires felt a little overdone, but I was pleasantly surprised by how different from the usual vampire stories Ash felt. Romance wise, Ash was pretty good. I really enjoyed the tension between the romantic lead and Charlie. The character developement in this story was also very well done, which did not surprise me because I have read Jaymin Eve's works in the past and each are chock full of unique and awesome characters. I totally recommend Ash and give it the rating of FOUR AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Wednesday 27 January 2016

Book Blitz - Thirst by R. P. Channing!

Thirst 
by R.P. Channing
Genres:
Young Adult Romance, Paranormal Romance, High School, Vampires, Demons, Witches, Dark, Fantasy, Horror.
240+ Pages
WITH BEAUTIFUL PHOTOGRAPHS
Synopsis: 
~ Kira Sutherland ~
    After a near fatal accident (and getting cheated on by her 'boyfriend'), and beating up the lead cheerleader (with whom the boyfriend cheated...), and being labeled as having 'issues' in her school because she, uhm, sees ghosts, Kira is left with two choices:
    1. Continue her 'therapy' (where she's told the ghost is a hallucination and also gets her legs ogled too often...)
    Or
    2. Go to Starkfield Academy, a boarding school for "Crazies and Convicts" (as the social media sites call them.)
   She chooses the latter...
~ Cory Rand ~
    Cory Rand has not had an easy life. His mother died in a car accident when he was twelve, and so did his mother's best friend...sort of. You see, Janice made a promise to take care of Cory just before she died, and so she lingers. Undead. A ghost that watches out for him.
    Brought up in an abusive home, Cory quickly falls into a life of disreputable behavior. After his third offense (which was prompted by a girl, as usual - he has a weakness) he's left with two choices:
    1. Be tried as an adult and share a cell with a guy named Bubba (he thinks...)
    Or
    2. Go to Starkfield Academy, which Cory is pretty sure is run by vampires. But, hey, at least he'll get an education.
    He chooses the latter...
    It's at Starkfield that Kira meets Cory Rand, a boy with an insatiable Rage who sees ghosts, too. As well as other things, other things from his past, things that confuse him, things like fire and witches and demons.
    Things he's always ignored.
    Until now.
Buy Links:
Amazon US
Amazon UK
Kindle Unlimited

Except:
PROLOGUE
     My life was perfect.
     I had the perfect shoes and the perfect friends and I lived in the perfect house. My nails were perfect and my hair was perfect (except on Sundays, it was always windy on Sundays) and I had the perfect clothes. My lips were a perfect red and my hair perfectly straight. My eyeshadow was perfect, my hips were...okay, and my waist...well...also okay. Nothing was wrong in my life.
But then there was Jack.
    Jack was a problem.
    He needed to go. I mean, when you’re dead, you’re dead! I had told him this endlessly. Somehow, Jack didn’t get it. I mean, I felt sorry for the guy. Sure. Being stuck between this life and the next. But just because I found him, does that mean I needed to keep him?
     I think not!
     Sadly, when Jack got that look in his eyes, that weary, almost teary (if his tear-ducts worked) look, I melted. I just couldn’t send him away. Not even Jack knew where he would go after he died.
Would he, like, die? As in — dead, nada, kaput, finito, gone, no more? Bye bye, sayonara, ciao, hasta la vista baby and all that?
     I couldn’t have that on my conscience. No way.
     I lay on my bed, wondering what to do about him. “Jaaaaaaack,” I hollered.
     “Jaaaaaaack!”
     Still no answer.
     “Jack!”
      Jack...materialized.
     His eyes rolled down to the ground. He was making those puppy eyes again. “Jack, I told you not to do that. I told you not to play on my sympathies.”
    His puppy eyes became worse.
    His skin was gray and, well, dead.
    “Oh, brother,” I said. “I have to do something about you. If mom finds out I have another ‘imaginary friend’ — at my age — well, I’d die of embarrassment. But, like, really die. Not like you.” I wondered about this. Would I die? Was Jack a freak accident, or did all people live on like him? Think of the cemeteries...
    The idea excited me somewhat.
    “What would you have me do, Miss Kira?”
    “Knock off the Miss Kira crap. I told you it’s just Kira.”
    “Yes, Miss Kira.”
    The dead. There’s just no reasoning.
    “Fine, Miss Kira it is then.” Rover barked like a lunatic in the garden. No one else might be able to see Jack, but I was sure my dog could.
    “I have to do something about this,” I mumbled.The Puppy Eyes

Voucher Giveaway!
$20 Amazon Gift Voucher Giveaway
At the back of the book there is a giveaway link. Once the book hits fifty reviews on Amazon, one of those reviewers will win a $20 (US Dollars) Amazon Gift Voucher!

Author Bio:
    R.P. Channing started writing three years ago, but never published anything even after churning out over a million words of fiction. Thirst: Blood of my Blood is the first book he dared to publish. When asked why, he said, “Because it’s the first thing I wrote that my wife actually enjoyed reading.” When not hammering away (most literally) at his keyboard, he can be found buried in a book, reading anything from romance to horror to young adult to non-fiction to comedy.
Author Links:
Website
Twitter
@rpchanning
Amazon

Tuesday 26 January 2016

Book Blitz: The Prophecy of Shadows by Michelle Madow!

The Prophecy of Shadows
Michelle Madow
(Elementals #1)
Published by: Dreamscape Publishing
Publication date: January 26th 2016
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
   Filled with magic, thrilling adventure, and sweet romance, Elementals is the first in a new series that fans of Percy Jackson and The Secret Circle will love!
   When Nicole Cassidy moves from sunny Georgia to gloomy New England, the last thing she expects is to learn that her homeroom is a cover for a secret coven of witches. Even more surprisingly … she’s apparently a witch herself. Despite doubts about her newfound abilities, Nicole is welcomed into this ancient circle of witches and is bedazzled by their powers–and, to her dismay, by Blake–the school’s notorious bad-boy.
    Girls who get close to Blake wind up hurt. His girlfriend Danielle will do anything to keep them away, even if she must resort to using dark magic. But the chemistry between Blake and Nicole is undeniable, and despite wanting to protect Nicole from Danielle’s wrath, he finds it impossible to keep his distance.
    When the Olympian Comet shoots through the sky for the first time in three thousand years, Nicole, Blake, Danielle, and two others in their homeroom are gifted with mysterious powers. But the comet has another effect–it opens the portal to the prison world that has contained the Titans for centuries. After an ancient monster escapes and attacks Nicole and Blake, it’s up to them and the others to follow the clues from a cryptic prophecy so that they can save their town … and possibly the world.
“Elementals is going to blow your mind!”
-Crossroad Reviews, ★★★★★
“Five glittery stars for being such a compelling read!”
-Andrea Heltsley, Goodreads Reviewer ★★★★★
“A perfect mixture of magic and mythology. An entrancing story of trust, friendship and well naughty boys. WITCHES are not the only thing walking the earth!”
– BenjaminOfTomes, BookTuber ★★★★★
EXCERPT:
    Everyone stared at me, and I looked to the front of the room, where a tall, lanky man in a tweed suit stood next to a blackboard covered with the morning announcements. His gray hair shined under the light, and his wrinkled skin and warm smile reminded me more of a grandfather than a teacher.
He cleared his throat and rolled a piece of chalk in his palm. “You must be Nicole Cassidy,” he said.
“Yeah.” I nodded and looked around at the other students. There were about thirty of them, and there seemed to be an invisible line going down the middle of the room, dividing them in half. The students near the door wore jeans and sweatshirts, but the ones closer to the wall looked like they were dressed for a fashion show instead of school.
    “It’s nice to meet you Nicole.” The teacher sounded sincere, like he was meeting a new friend instead of a student. “Welcome to our homeroom. I’m Mr. Faulkner, but please call me Darius.” He turned to the chalkboard, lifted his hand, and waved it from one side to the other. “You probably weren’t expecting everything to look so normal, but we have to be careful. As I’m sure you know, we can’t risk letting anyone else know what goes on in here.”
    Then the board shimmered—like sunlight glimmering off the ocean—and the morning announcements changed into different letters right in front of my eyes.

Author Bio:
Michelle Madow grew up in Baltimore, graduated Rollins College in Orlando, and now lives in Boca Raton, Florida. She wrote her first book in her junior year of college, and has been writing novels since. Some of her favorite things are: reading, pizza, traveling, shopping, time travel, Broadway musicals, and spending time with friends and family. Michelle has toured across America to promote her books and to encourage high school students to embrace reading and writing. Someday, she hopes to travel the world for a year on a cruise ship.
Visit Michelle online at www.michellemadow.com, and be sure to sign up for her newsletter and follow her on Amazon to get instant updates on her books!

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Friday 22 January 2016

Sparked (Metal Bones #1) by Sheena Snow (Review)

    In a world where robots are being introduced into everyday households, Vienna suspects something sinister is up. Distrustful of the new life-like machinery, Vienna starts to research these machines when she is interrupted by killer robots, only to be saved by more robots. Thrust into this new world of danger and love, Vienna is on the run for her life.
    I was pleasantly surprised by Sparked. I did not know what to expect, but the story was actually pretty good. I enjoyed the romance between Vienna and Alec. The romantic tension held my attention while the story unfolded. I loved the adventure in this literary universe, it was engaging and fascinating. The characters were mostly all perfectly developed, and were enjoyably to read about. I do have a couple complaints about the novel though. I found some of the internal dialogue to be a little strange, making it hard to connect to as a reader. I also found that there was a moment at the end in which I found there to be some discontinuity in the plot. It bugged me a bit when I noticed, taking some of the enjoyment out of the reading. I give Sparked the honest review of THREE AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Cover Reveal: Clara's Return by Suzanna J. Linton!

Clara’s Return
Suzanna J. Linton
Publication date: May 13th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult
     Clara, lost and disillusioned from a hard-fought war, hopes to discover some answers about her lineage and abilities in the quiet village of Bluebell, where she once lived before being sold into slavery. However, as she and the Captain of the Royal Guard make their journey, a new threat to the kingdom arises in the form of a traitor.
This new threat has been patiently brewing since the fall of the sorceror-king Marduk and careful plans are now coming to fruition. Emmerich’s struggles with his new role as king and his ever-present nightmares leave him feeling inadequate to the task. What he needs most is Clara.
But how can she help from so far away? And how can she help if she does not even know who she is? 
Sequel to:
25444355

Author Bio:
    I began writing when I was a little girl, feeling as if I was filling up with worlds and ideas. I needed to share them before they poured out of my eyes and ears.
    At first, I wrote poetry before moving to fiction. Growing up in rural South Carolina meant I had to find my own ways of entertaining myself. I could often be found either reading or scribbling away in a notebook. Not much has changed since then.
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Monday 18 January 2016

Book Blitz: Kahayatle by Elle Casey!

Kahayatle
by Elle Casey
(Apocalypsis #1)
Publication date: June 22nd 2012
Genres: Horror, Post-Apocalyptic, Science Fiction, Young Adult
    NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 1 of 4 in the YA Dystopian APOCALYPSIS Series, suitable for older teens and adults.
    After a wedding filled with werewolves, fay, and vampires, Vicky is lookia KAHAYATLE. My name’s Bryn Mathis. I’m seventeen years old, and I live in a neighborhood outside of Orlando, Florida. I live alone because my dad died almost a year ago, along with all the other adults in the world. I’m almost out of food and the gangs of kids that roam around my town are getting more vicious by the day. It’s time for me to leave and find another place to live … a place where I can find food and shelter … a place where they won’t be able to find me. Alone, it might have been possible, but now I’ve got company. I’m worried that I don’t have what it takes to get from here to my final destination, and I have no idea what might be waiting for me when I get there.
Content Warning: Mild violence and some foul language. Meant for older Young Adult readers (age 15+). This book is in the Dark Science Fiction / Horror / Post-Apocalyptic genres, featuring teen characters only.
 APOCALYPSIS SERIES READING ORDER 
Kahayatle (Apocalypsis Book 1) **Special introductory ebook price**
Warpaint (Apocalypsis Book 2)
Exodus (Apocalypsis Book 3)
Haven (Apocalypsis Book 4)
This series is dedicated to the amazing, wonderful Native Americans who populate our nation, continuing their traditions and reminding the rest of us that sometimes, progress isn’t always the best thing for our people. I invite you to learn more about the Miccosukee tribe, their history, culture, and lifestyle by visiting this website: http://www.miccosukee.com/indian-village/
Currently available for FREE!
EXCERPT:
Prologue
I STUFFED THE SLEEPING BAG down into my backpack with angry, punching motions, sick and tired of having to be here and having to do the same thing over and over again. I hated camping, I hated being organized, and more than anything, I hated what this exercise stood for.
“Don’t do it like that. I told you – you have to conserve the room as best you can. You have to travel as efficiently as possible. Take it out and start over.”
“I don’t see what difference it makes.”
“Trust me, it’s going to be a really big deal to you in the not so distant future.” His voice sounded hollow.
“Says who?” I was being ornery. I knew the answer to the question already.
“Says me, Bryn. And the news. Look around, would you?” He sounded like he was pleading now. “Stop defaulting back to the rebellious young teen act, and get serious. We don’t have enough time to play those games anymore.”
“They’re not games, Dad. I am a teenager. I don’t care what the news jerks and the government say.” I threw my backpack down on the ground. “And it’s not rebellious to not want to play friggin’ survivor in the backyard every day.”
My dad looked at me with a sad expression and sighed, reaching over to pull me into a tight hug. He dropped his nose to my head and inhaled deeply.
My face was pressed up against his shirt, and I could smell his sweat mixed with the sweet scent of his aftershave. My dad always said he was the last of a dying breed, using that stuff. He couldn’t have been more right.
“Maybe it’s not going to happen here … to us.” I said it just to hear the words, but I knew it was only wishful thinking.
I could tell he was getting choked up again when he started talking, his voice now hoarse.
“I wish, more than anything else in this world, that you didn’t have to be standing here with me in this backyard playing survivor.” His whole body started to shake with silent sobs. “Oh, God, Bryn. If I could do anything to change this, anything at all, I would. I swear to God I would. But it’s happening. No one can stop it.”
I put my arms around his waist, letting go of my earlier stubborn anger, now choking back my own tears. “I know, Dad. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
“Yes, you did,” he said, sniffing hard and clearing his throat, shifting to hold me at arm’s length. He was staring at me while he smiled through his tears, giving me that look. The one that always made me confess.
“Okay, so maybe I did mean it. But I’ll shut up about it for a little while.”
“Not for too long, though. You wouldn’t be my daughter if you weren’t complaining about something.”
I tried to slap him playfully but he moved too fast for me. My dad is light on his feet, an expert level-one practitioner of krav maga – a certified badass. He’d only recently taken up camping.
“Pick it up,” he ordered, now back in control of his emotions. “Do it again. Only this time, get the air out of that bag first, condense it down …”
I cut him off. “I know, I know … ‘down into the smallest footprint possible.’ Geez, Dad, I’m not an idiot.”
I shook the sleeping bag out and started rolling it up quickly, using the moves I’d been practicing for four months straight to squeeze it down into a lump the size of a small loaf of bread. I folded the whole thing in half, pushed it to the bottom of the backpack, and then let it unfold itself one time, before putting the other items in on top of it: unbreakable water bottle, half-liter of bleach, square of plastic, cup, hunting knife, and various other tools my father was quite certain I would need … once all the adults in the world had died off, leaving us kids alone to fend for ourselves.

Author Bio:
     Elle Casey is a prolific, NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American writer who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and several furry friends. She writes in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.



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Saturday 16 January 2016

Annabeth Neverending by Leyla Kader Dahm (Review)

    In a world of past lives and magic, Annabeth has found her past, as in her past lives's memories. Using an ancient necklace Annabeth find out she was a girl named Ana, the daughter of the most powerful Egyptian pharaoh in history. Torn between that past and the present, Annabeth has to decided between two brothers who loved her in the past and now in the present. One is her soulmate and the other is a dark sorcerer hell bent on getting her to love him.
   I was pretty disappointed by Annabeth Neverending. The concept of the plot sounded so interesting and had a lot to offer. In reality though, the storytelling of Annabeth Neverending was weak at best. There were moments in the novel that suddenly was clearly missing descriptions or necessary details. I also found it hard to connect to characters in this novel. They romantic leads were pretty all over the place, and the romantic tension was odd and did nothing good for the story. The story only truly got good within the last three or four pages, which kind of sucked. I honestly can't recommend this novel and I give it the rating of TWO OUT OF FIVE STARS!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Friday 15 January 2016

Book Blitz: The Lost Heir by Allison Whitmore (with Erin Virginia & Grace Arden)!

The Lost Heir
Allison Whitmore (with Erin Virginia & Grace Arden)
Published by: Booktrope Publishing
Publication date: December 8th 2015
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
     Isabella Foxworthy was just another girl…until she learned she was an empath, able to read the energy of others. A secret world known as the Violet City lies beneath her family’s hotel in Los Angeles. Through this discovery, Isabella is catapulted into a whirlwind of magic, adventure, and danger. The Violet City holds the key to protecting her stability; her family hotel, her friends, and her very sanity.
With morphlings, empaths, and fair folk also comes a powerful entity that twists her mind into knots, threatening everything she loves. Now, Isabella and her new friends—a guitar-playing jock, his gifted but neurotic brother, and a set of over-indulged twins—have until her 16th birthday to save her world with the help of someone who’s been lost for a very long time…the lost Foxworthy heir. But will they find him in time? And will he be a friend or foe?
99 cents for a limited time only!
EXCERPT:
The sun was beginning to set and the bright day had begun to dissipate as dusk slowly fell over the Culver Hills village center, if one could really call it a village in the middle of Los Angeles. The air grew dense and musty. All the street lamps were off except one, which flickered in a slow, steady beat. Only a small number of cars cruised the road as the kids walked down Main Street toward where the Foxworthy Hotel was perched at the top of the hill. This dark stillness was not usual for this time of day. Something was off.
“Get off me!” The voice filled Isabella’s ear a block away from the hotel trolley stop. Her gut tore in two with fear. ”Give that back.”
Isabella slowed down to see Cleo marching back toward the same two bullies she’d rescued Pythian from the other day, one of whom had Xander by the shirt collar as the other was rummaging through Xander’s backpack. Cleo’s shoes lay in a clump.
“There are so many goodies in here. Gum drops. Chocolate snatches. Debbie cakes. And my personal favorite—this camcorder. Oh, wait… no. There’s a little digital camera, too. Looks like Christmas came early for us. Isn’t that right, Sloane?”
“Put my brother down, or you’ll be sorry,” Cleo shouted.
As requested, the boy shoved Xander, sending him tumbling into a nearby thorn bush. “Ahhrrk!” Cleo went straight to his side.
It looked like the kid with Xander’s backpack might consider going for Cleo’s purse, but before that could happen, the other boy, Sloane, said, “Dude, let’s get outta here.” Seth, who was bigger and taller than both of them, and Isabella, whose nostrils flared like a lion, hustled after them.
“I know those guys,” Isabella told Seth.
“Go back and stay with Cleo,” he said.
“Watch me, Superman.”
They looped around the corner as the bullies flew up the service road that led to the back of the hotel. Before they could get too far, four figures in black appeared; from where, Isabella could not tell. Two grabbed the boys. Another took Xander’s backpack. Seth and Isabella both stopped. Cold licked Isabella’s heart. Not an eerie cold, but like a soothing glass of cold lemonade on a scorching day in July.
“What do we do?” Isabella whispered.
“I would tell you to go back, but you’d just make too much noise arguing with me, so I say just shut up.”
“If you tell me to shut up one more time…”
“Not now.”
“Right.”
The two figures holding the boys seemed to melt into the darkness of the trees.
“Where the hell did they go?” Seth asked, protectively pushing Isabella behind him.
She did not fight it. She was starting to become frightened, less of the situation and more of herself. Things had been off more than usual today. For the first time since her parents’ death, she’d felt completely protected, and she wasn’t sure it was all due to the necklace she had been wearing. It was so bizarre.
She was attuned to Cleo and Xander, who were usually never around at the holidays because, like her friend Lana, their parents traveled at that time. She’d felt everything from them: Xander’s exhaustion; Cleo’s boredom and overprotectiveness of her brother. The Logan brothers, however, were different. One minute, she felt Micah’s agitation with Xander, but the next, it would grow cold. And Seth—that boy, she couldn’t get a handle on at all. The only thing she got a sense of was fierce protection, particularly for Micah, but for her as well. She really did not know why.
That was never part of it; she had never felt the direction of a person’s emotions until now. She’d never felt so hot and cold about it. The five of them, connected by a string. It made no sense. Why would she be connected to these random kids?
The two figures in black who had stayed behind whispered to each other. Seth stepped to the side, taking Isabella with him. ”We should go back.”
But he was too late. The men had spotted them and were heading their way. Neither Seth nor Isabella dared to move. In an instant, the tallest of the figures, a young man of about twenty, stood before them. His skin was a beautiful caramel color, his eyes a startling green, and his hair—Isabella saw, as he pushed the hood off his head, he had a nest of shiny curls. He wore a goatee, and his eyes drooped with intellect.
“Declan Timothy. This is Max.” He thumbed at the guy behind him. “Just wanted to give this back to the kid.”
He pushed the backpack into Isabella’s arms. Her vocal cords decided to twist into a knot, so she was unable to say thank you.
“And to tell you to be careful. Tonight is going to change things for you.”
That did it. No more evil cats holding her tongue hostage. “What the heck does that mean?”
“You’ll see. If you need us, ask Theophilus where to find us.”
“Wait a minute,” Seth said, pinning Declan with a heated gaze. “Who are you guys?”
“The Midnight Brotherhood. Be careful, Isabella. And you—make sure she listens.”
“Sure,” Seth replied.
Then they, too, faded into the night.
Seth and Isabella looked at each other, not saying a word. For some reason, words did not seem appropriate at that moment.
When they returned to their friends, Seth spoke quietly as Isabella returned Xander’s backpack to him. “Let’s go home.”
The trolley was nowhere in sight, which was more evidence to Isabella that something was not right. From the bottom of the hill, the hotel was as dim and desolate as it had appeared from the center of the village. With heavy legs, they began up the hill. They climbed the front steps and walked into the lobby. Candlelight dotted the room. Elyse was the first person to approach them; her waitress apron was undone, her hair out of place.
“Thank God you’re all right.”
“What’s going on?” Isabella asked.
“I…” Elyse burst into tears.
“Elyse, tell us now! What happened?”
Elyse wiped her face. “I don’t really know. Everything blacked out for a while. It went cold, and I got really tired. It almost felt like I fell asleep for a while, but then when I woke up, I was standing in the same place I had been before. Right inside the Lily Field ballroom. And then—”


Author Bio:
Allison Whitmore was born in Los Angeles and loves to tell good coming-of-age stories with a hint of romance. You will find her characters going on an adventure or two as well. Outside of writing, Whitmore enjoys classic films, hiking and spending time with family and friends. She loves it when fans reach out to her. You can reach her at allisonwhitmoreauthor@gmail.com, follow her on Twitter: @alli_whitmore or join her on Instagram @allisonwhitmoreauthor.


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Tuesday 12 January 2016

Snow Globe by Jeanne Skartsiaris (Review)

    Snow Globe is a story of a troubled young woman who is trying to figure out her life and keep her job, all the while eluding her creepy stalker. A dark and serious tone is found throughout the novel as Aja Harmon lives in constant mistreatment from the school boards, the police and her boss. They all treat her like she is a no good juvenile delinquent, and in treating her as such makes it hard for her not to be a delinquent they call her.
    There was a lot of serious topics in this novel, making the overall feel of the novel darker. Story wise, Snow Globe was okay. It had some truly heart warming moments that made the characters more interesting. The best romance in this novel was not in between Aja and her love interest, but between an old married couple whose love truly lasted the ages. Plot wise, Snow Globe was a slower read. I did find it difficult to engage into certain parts of the novel. There were definitely moments that I would describe as boring to read. All in all, Snow Globe was a mediocre read and I give it the rating of  TWO AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*

Monday 11 January 2016

Sacrifice (Elemental #5) by Brigid Kemmerer (Review)

    The fifth installment of the Elemental series, Sacrifice is the story of the oldest and most responsible of the Merrick brothers, Michael. After a tragic and malicious arson of an entire neighborhood, the Merrick brothers are out of house and home and are in grave danger. Being a family of powerful elemental, the brothers are hated and hunted by many. Michael is being stalked by an unknown killer and he will do anything to protect his family and the family of his girlfriend, Hannah.
      The story was good, just not amazing. I enjoyed moments in the novel but ultimately it was hard to love the overall plot. There were things left to be desired in the romance and in the conclusion. I was expecting a large romance to enfold between Hannah and Michael, since portions of the story are told in her perspective, but minus a couple seconds at the end of the novel there was little to no romance whatsoever. The lack of romance was quite disappointing. Action wise, the novel was full of it, from shootings to fighting with elements. Overall the novel was okay. I give sacrifice THREE AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!

Thursday 7 January 2016

Elementals: The Prophecy of Shadows (Elementals #1) by Michelle Madow (Review)

     In a world of magic and mythology, Nicole Cassidy the heroine is faced with mysteries and monsters. Elements mixes witches and demigods into a hodgepodge of magic fantasy. After discovering that there is a hidden world of witches, mythological gods and magic; Nicole's world starts to drastically change. Suddenly she has powers she never even dreamed about and she is thrust into a dangerous mystery involving ancient monsters and prophesies.
      I found this novel to be a little slow and boring. The plot itself felt disorganized and was not the best. There was some pretty good moments in the novel, but the was definitely moments in which I found it hard to connect to the characters or enjoy the story. The romance in this novel was minimal, but what was there was lack luster. Also, the magic and powers were very vague as to what they can do and what they cannot do. Ultimately, the novel was mediocre. Not very good, but not terrible either. I give Elements the rating of TWO AND A HALF STARS OUT OF FIVE!!!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*


Monday 4 January 2016

Oblivion (Lux #1.5) by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Review)

    A large grouping of stories together, Oblivion takes the first couple of novels in the Lux series and retells them in Daemon Black's perspective. Daemon is an Luxen, an alien race that are pretty much made of light and that hide among humans, and Kat is a human who moves into s community of these aliens, right next to Daemon's house. From there, romance blossoms and danger rises as Kat and Daemon are thrown into the middle of a deadly position that will change not only them, but the entire world.
    I actually quite enjoyed Oblivion. It was a bit of a long read, but that is mainly because it contains multiple books within it. I found Daemon and Kat to be interesting characters that were very well developed throughout the story. Daemon struck me as very moody and rash, but he was also very adorably loyal to his family and the people he cares about. I really liked the character Kat because she was very similar to me. She is a nerdy blogger and book reviewer who is simply in love with reading. I can definitely relate. Plot wise, the story was very fluid and there were only a few moments throughout in which I found myself becoming bored. I give Oblivion the honest rating of FOUR OUT OF FIVE STARS!!!
*Advanced Readers Copy Review*