Friday, July 29, 2011

Without Mercy giveaway blitz!




I'm excited to help Belinda promote her debut book! She is a wonderful person, and a wonderful writer! If you didn't already know, Belinda is the woman behind The Bookish Snob. She does so much promoting for other authors, lets show her some love! Stay tuned for a giveaway at the bottom of this post! You can find my review of this book HERE.

What would you do if a simple errand takes a deadly twist, turning you from cautious prey to dangerous predator?

When Darcy’s outing takes a turn for the worst and tests her to the point of breaking, she struggles to maintain her humanity. Where loyalty and pack mean everything, she surrenders to the inevitable and only an act of complete trust can touch her. When all is said and done, with memories flooding her mind, Darcy holds tightly to the only thing that makes sense – it was all a dream. Or was it?

******************************************


About the author:

A homesick Aussie living amongst the cactus and mountains of Arizona, Belinda Boring is a self proclaimed addict of romance and all things swoon worthy. When she's not devouring her latest read, you can find her celebrating her passion for books on her blog The Bookish Snob.

With all that excitement, it wasn’t long before she began writing, pouring her imagination and creativity into the stories she dreams. Whether urban fantasy, paranormal romance or romance in general, Belinda strives to share great plots with heart and characters that you can’t help but connect with. Of course, she wouldn’t be Belinda without adding heroes she hopes will curl your toes.

Surrounded by a supportive cast of family, friends and the man she gives her heart and soul to, Belinda is living the good life. Happy reading!







Without Mercy is available at the following places:
Amazon (kindle)
Barnes & Noble (nook)
Smashwords (all formats)


******************************************

Giveaway time!
Belinda is giving away 2 ecopies of Without Mercy to EACH blog on the tour. How generous is that? Make sure you visit all the blogs to increase your chances of winning! To enter, just leave your name and email address in the comments section so we can contact you if you're a winner! This contest will open through August 4th. Good luck!



Here are all of the blogs participating in this tour:

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Winnemucca giveaway!



How would you like to win a copy of Winnemucca or a $15 Amazon
gift certificate??? Keep reading to find out more!





One mistake changes her life forever. One answer will set her free.
Once upon a time Ginny’s road blood ripened, the day she got wise to love. Engaged to the high school quarterback, his quarter-carat ring and enchanting smile should have been enough for her. But, she stands him up and takes a walk where every step questions her happily ever after gone-bad and the fate of the mother she never knew. The mother her father refuses to talk about. Ginny fights to untangle her big, fat, lie-of-a-life on an enchanted road trip to Winnemucca, where she believes all her answers lie, no matter who or what tries to stop her.






Winnemucca, YA Author’s Debut Paranormal Coming-Of-Age Novel, Explores Freedom & Forgiveness To Benefit Wounded Warriors

Monterey Peninsula, CA, July 15, 2011 – Laura A. H. Elliott releases her young-adult debut novel, Winnemucca, for the Kindle on Amazon.com. Winnemucca is a small-town fairy tale about a teenage girl’s enchanted road trip to her true self no matter who or what tries to stop her. One of two digital editions includes Laura’s digital signature with a donation to the Wounded Warrior project, in her nephew’s honor. Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qa9n1KIpaWw

“The story is told in poetic prose that I have not read since the writers of an older age. The tone of the story is set through the voice of the girl runaway before she has even realized her own talents, and is spoken with ‘the sound truth makes being said,’ as Ray Bradbury once coined the term. Emerging from a sea of derivative and formulaic novels, WINNEMUCCA is a fresh view of a world that is at once savage and beautiful, crushing and hopeful, and above all, brings magic back to ancient storytelling by bringing our attention back to the little things that matter, and the shifting nature of perception and reality alike.” -Rachel Coles, YA Book Reviewer and Author of 5 Young Adult Paranormal Fiction Novels

“The voice is distinct and the world she creates is both magical and mundane. As I read the book it reminded me of Neil Gaiman’s AMERICAN GODS.” -Matthew Hill, editor

“The themes in my work are always the same: freedom and forgiveness. I am fascinated how the footprints of our ancestors can follow us into the future. I enjoy illuminating these ideas in my fiction. In this novel, I explore courage and the cost of freedom. I’m hoping WINNEMUCCA will get generations of people talking to each other about the role of freedom and forgiveness in their lives.” - Laura A. H. Elliott. Her favorite quote from the book: “Fear’s as blind as love.”

Laura’s travel and personal essays have been published in The Los Angeles Times and other Southern California newspapers and magazines. She honed her storytelling skills as a multimedia designer at The Los Angeles Times and E! Entertainment Television but learns the most around dinner tables. She has two grown daughters and currently resides on the Monterey Peninsula, with her husband, Joe, and their Aussie shepherd, Oso.

For more information contact:
www.authorlaura.com
elliwrite@yahoo.com
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B004KFSC92
http://www.facebook.com/Laura.A.H.Elliott
@Laurawriting

Laura In The News:
Author Interview with YA Author Abbi Glines http://www.abbiglines.com/2011/07/meet-author-of-todays-new-ya-release.html
For news coverage about our nephew, Cody:
http://www.ksby.com/videos/local-marine-recovering-from-severe-injuries-he-received-in-afghanistan/


************************************

During this giveaway blitz, the author will be giving away five copies of Winnemucca (digitally signed, Wounded Warriors Edition) and one $15 Amazon gift certificate. To enter in the giveaway, you need to post a comment in this post and tell us about one of your road trip stories. Don't forget to leave your email address in case you are a winner! You must enter before July 28th, 10pm PST.

Also, you need to “like” Laura Elliott's facebook fan page:
http://www.facebook.com/Laura.A.H.Elliott

Winners :)

ecopy of The Paris Secret:

Diana (artgiote)


ecopy of The Demon Kiss:

Jennifer_After_Dark


ecopy of Delicate Freakn' Flower:

jackie b


Congrats!!!

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Review: Without Mercy by Belinda Boring

Title: Without Mercy
Author: Belinda Boring
Source: Received from author in exchange for honest review


Synopsis:

What would you do if a simple errand takes a deadly twist, turning you from cautious prey to dangerous predator?

When Darcy’s outing takes a turn for the worst and tests her to the point of breaking, she struggles to maintain her humanity. Where loyalty and pack mean everything, she surrenders to the inevitable and only an act of complete trust can touch her. When all is said and done, with memories flooding her mind, Darcy holds tightly to the only thing that makes sense – it was all a dream. Or was it?




Review:






Without Mercy is a very short novella-length book. It goes by very quickly without a dull moment. The story centers around a werewolf named Darcy and the awful predicament she is in. All it takes is a trip to the store, and her life is in danger. It reminds you that things can happen to anyone at any time. Darcy is a wonderful person, and wants to settle things in the least violent way possible. This decision, however, turns tragic.

Darcy is a strong female lead character. She is very brave and un-selfish. We are introduced to Mason in this story – the pack leader, and Darcy's future mate. Even with what little we see of him, it is obvious that this guy is amazing. He is a very swoonworthy character, and a perfect pack leader. I can't wait to read more about him in future books.

One word that describes this story is “smooth”. It flows wonderfully and has great pacing. I love how novellas are quicker paced, so you don't have all the boring descriptions to wade through. This novella is Belinda Boring's debut, and I was quite impressed. She is a wonderful writer and I'm looking forward to reading much more from her.

You can purchase this book at the following places:
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)
Smashwords (all formats)

Find out more about the author on her blog:
http://belindaboring.blogspot.com/

Review: Consequences by Nicki J. Markus

Title: Consequences (Time Keepers #3)
Author: Nicki J. Markus
Source: Received from author in exchange for honest review



Synopsis:

Nick and Ellie are cornered as the net of the Time Keepers closes in around them. Can Nick find a way to keep Ellie safe or will she succumb to the will of the Governor?



Review:




Consequences is the 3rd in the Time Keepers series. This series is a total of 4 short stories – very short, each are 10 pages at most. Because of this, the pacing is fast but it leaves you wanting more. In this installment, Nick and Ellie are still trying to avoid being captured. The Governor knows who and what they are, and will stop at nothing to capture them. This particular story didn't have much together time for Nick and Ellie. I'd like to see more between these two, but things are happening so fast there isn't time for that. As with the other installments, this one goes by extremely quickly, is well written, and ends with a cliff-hangar. I'm looking forward to the last installment to see how this story plays out!


You can find my review of book #2 HERE and book #1 HERE.

You can find out more about the author at her website:
http://www.nickijmarkus.com/

Review: Vampire Bites by Katie Salidas

Title: Vampire Bites
Author: Katie Salidas
Source: For review through blog tour


Synopsis:

Enjoy three novella-length stories of love, lust, and vampire bites.

House of Immortal Pleasures:
Blindfolded, and kidnapped by her friends, Daphne is whisked away to the famed, House of Immortal Pleasures, a Vampire-run Brothel in Pahrump, Nevada.

Sometimes the only way to mend a broken heart is to get back in the saddle. At least that is how Daphne's friends see it. And since Daphne isn't showing any signs of letting that happen, they take it into their own hands. With a few shots of liquid courage, a pat on the ass, and a donated gold card, Daphne is unwillingly sent to meet her creature of the night, Connor.

Karma & Melodies:
Ten years after she was stolen from the mortal world, Kendra runs into the man she had always loved. But she's not longer a human and he's a popular musician on tour with his band. Can they find a way to make love work?

Halloween Fantasies:
Touted as the sexiest party of the year, the annual Halloween Fantasy Ball is the one place a girl can let loose and succumb to her wildest fantasies. Disguised as a sexy vampire huntress, Sasha captures the attention of Dante, a real life creature of the night. And this sexy vampire has a few fantasies to share.

These stories contain consensual sexual situations and strong language. Adult readers only.




Review:




Vampire Bites is a novella consisting of 3 short, hot vampire stories.

House of Immortal Pleasures was my favorite of the three. Not only was this story steamy, it was sweet too. Daphne is a woman who has been cheated on, and it has completely broken her. After months of being alone, Daphne's friends decide she needs to get out of the house, have some fun, and be with a man. She's not happy at all when her friends take her to a vampire brothel – she's not that kind of girl. Turns out that Connor isn't in his profession of choice. He doesn't like what he does, but he is forced into it. Daphne is the first woman that Connor really feels attracted to since he was turned into a vampire and forced into this job. He was really sweet with Daphne, and it was more than just sex. I felt like I could relate to Daphne, I really liked her character.

The second story was called Karma & Melodies. Kendra has been a vampire for 10 years now. Before she was turned, she had her sight set on Marcus – a musician who sang at the coffee house she hung out at. In this story, they are reunited but it's a life and death situation. Kendra must save Marcus' life, but because of that he isn't himself. I almost felt like he wasn't in charge of himself throughout this whole story, so I didn't feel like any of the feeling were real. It's hard to explain without giving things away, but because of this I didn't really connect with this story as much. Also, there surprisingly wasn't any sex in this story.

Last but not least, is Halloween Fantasies. This was a fun, quick read. Sasha attends the annual Halloween Fantasy Ball dressed as a vampire huntress. Ironically, the man she runs into at the party is a vampire – a real vampire. This is an erotic story – not really any romance involved. Actually, it was a bit on the kinky side. Sasha is pretty outgoing, and is up for pretty much anything.

These 3 stories all had a vampire connection, but they were all really different from each other. I'd recommend this to adult paranormal lovers, who don't shy away from vivid sex scenes.


Find the book at the following places:

Amazon (Kindle)

Barnes & Noble (Nook)

Smashwords (all formats)


Find the author at her website:

http://www.katiesalidas.com/

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Vampire Bites blog tour and Giveaway!!


Welcome to the Vampire Bites Blog Tour! I'm really excited to be a part of the tour, Katie Salidas is an author who rocks! I'm reading this book now, and I'm loving it! I will have a review up soon! It's very, ummm, steamy :) I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing Katie, and she is generously giving away one ecopy of her book! Keep reading for more:

*********************************


Where are you from?

Originally I came from a small town in Texas, but about the time I hit Highschool, my parents moved me to Sin City, Las Vegas, Nevada. Beyond the obvious, Las Vegas is a really interesting place to live, and it is for that reason that I chose to use it as a recurring setting for many of my stories. House of Immortal Pleasures is about a Brothel just outside the county limits. Little known fact, there is no legal prostitution in Las Vegas, but in nearby Parhump (about 45 minutes away) its allowed. Halloween Fantasies is also inspired by a recurring event, the annual Halloween Fetish and Fantasy ball. Living here has provided me lots of great inspiration for my stories.

When did you begin writing?

I spent a lot of my teenage years reading books and writing down my own silly stories. I never expected them to become a career. It was always just a fun hobby. As I got older, I really wanted to share them with others. That’s when I started seriously considering publishing.

How many books have you written?

To date, I have three full-length novels, the Immortalis series, and three novellas (all of which are included in Vampire Bites.)

Which book or character of yours is your favorite? (I know – that's a mean question :)

I’m going to go unexpected for a moment and talk about Mikey. He’s not one of the main characters in any of the three stories, but he was just so much fun to write about. He’s my male diva in Karma & Melodies. He’s the guitarist in the band Normal Paradox and he has a slight prejudice against supernatural creatures.

What made him fun to write about was the conflict between him and Kendra (a vampire) and also his love for his band. He needed to keep Kendra around for Marcus’s sake but he hated every minute of it. Kendra creeped him out, he worried that she was going to use him for a midnight snack, and also didn’t appreciate the effect she was having on his lead singer, Marcus. However, even with all of that anger, he couldn’t tell her to take a hike, or drive a stake through her heart because ultimately she was a necessary evil.

The temper tantrums he threw and the names he called her along the way were just so much fun to write. I have to admit, I love writing argumentative characters.

What drew you to the paranormal genre?

I’ve loved vampires since I was little. I will always love vampires. It’s because of that love that I write about them. Whenever I think of a story to write, somehow a vampire always becomes the MC. I love to explore different genres with them. I love to flip perspectives on their end and make the vampire the most human of all the characters in a story. They are just so versatile and fun.

What do you love most about being an author?

The best part, for me, is sharing my imagination with others. I love it when I hear back from readers. It puts a smile on my face to know that someone else was entertained by my often wacky imagination. That drives me to create more!
What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

I’ve always been attracted to the written word. Before I took on writing as a career, I was a legal assistant. I loved how words could be used to trap people. Ok, that sounds mean but it’s true. How many of you can honestly say you read every word of those “Terms and Conditions” things you sign off on? If that’s not a trap, I don’t know what is.

Words are fun. My ideal career wouldn’t be trapping people with them, but something related. Editor would be interesting. I’d really have to go back to school for that one though. How many grammatical mistakes and punctuation errors have you counted in this interview? LoL. Maybe something along the lines of a professional proofreader or something like that. Bottom line, I would have to work with words in some fashion.

What do you do in your spare time?

Since it would be cliché to say I read in my spare time, I’ll go with hiking. I love to get out to Red Rock and hike. It’s just too bad my family isn’t onboard with it. I’ve been trying to get my 7 year old daughter into it but she’s just not enthusiastic about “walking” as I am. Maybe someday.

Do you have any advice for other writers?

Don’t just write something to please the masses, write a story you truly love. Trust me, that love will translate to the page and your readers will feel it.

What are you currently working on?

Right now I am between a few different projects. I’m in the first draft stage of the 4th book in my Immortalis series, and I have a non-fiction project that I’ve been playing with for a while. It’s very typical for me to have multiple project though. It helps keep writer’s block at bay. When I get stumped on one, I can move on to the other.

If you’d like to check out my latest work, Karma & Melodies stop by www.katiesalidas.com and read a sample or two. If you like what you see, all of my novels and novellas are available in every ebook format!
Search for me on any of your favorite ebook retailer’s website.
Amazon.com
Amazon UK
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords



About the Author
Katie Salidas is a Super Woman! Endowed with special powers and abilities, beyond those of mortal women, She can get the munchkin off to gymnastics, cheerleading, Girl Scouts, and swim lessons. She can put hot food on the table for dinner while assisting with homework, baths, and bedtime… And, She still finds the time to keep the hubby happy (nudge nudge wink wink). She can do all of this and still have time to write.
And if you can believe all of those lies, there is some beautiful swamp land in Florida for sale…
Katie Salidas resides in Las Vegas, Nevada. Mother, wife, and author, she does try to do it all, often causing sleep deprivation and many nights passed out at the computer. Writing books is her passion, and she hopes that her passion will bring you hours of entertainment.

http://www.katiesalidas.com/

Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Salidas-Author/214780936916


LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/profile?viewProfile=&key=58814031&trk=tab_pro

Twitter
http://twitter.com/QuixoticKatie


Synopsis
Enjoy three novella-length stories of love, lust, and vampire bites.

House of Immortal Pleasures:
Blindfolded, and kidnapped by her friends, Daphne is whisked away to the famed, House of Immortal Pleasures, a Vampire-run Brothel in Pahrump, Nevada.

Sometimes the only way to mend a broken heart is to get back in the saddle. At least that is how Daphne's friends see it. And since Daphne isn't showing any signs of letting that happen, they take it into their own hands. With a few shots of liquid courage, a pat on the ass, and a donated
gold card, Daphne is unwillingly sent to meet her creature of the night, Connor.

Karma & Melodies:
Ten years after she was stolen from the mortal world, Kendra runs into the man she had always loved. But she's not longer a human and he's a popular musician on tour with his band. Can they find a way to make love work?

Halloween Fantasies:
Touted as the sexiest party of the year, the annual Halloween Fantasy Ball is the one place a girl can let loose and succumb to her wildest fantasies. Disguised as a sexy vampire huntress, Sasha captures the attention of Dante, a real life creature of the night. And this sexy vampire has a few
fantasies to share.

These stories contain consensual sexual situations and strong language. Adult readers only.


Find this book at the following places:
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)
Smashwords (all formats)

*********************************

Now for the giveaway! Katie is giving away 1 ecopy of Vampire Bites to one lucky winner! What do you need to do to enter? Just leave a comment on this blog post with your email address so we can get ahold of you if you are the winner. Good luck!!!

Here's the next stop on this tour
:

July 24 –Book Lover’s Hideaway http://booklovershideaway.blogspot.com

To view a list of all stops, visit The Bookish Snob Promotions

Keep following the tour for this giveaway at the final stop:


Friday, July 22, 2011

Menage a Blog - Final Flirt and Giveaway!


This is round 2 of the Menage a Blog event - and author Lacey Weatherford had made it to the second round! I'm really excited for her and I want to help her out!! We want her to win, right??? You all have gone to her blog and gotten your FREE copy of The Trouble With Spells, right??? If not, you're not too late! Well, what I'm going to do is give one lucky winner an ecopy of the second book in the series, The Demon Kiss!


Link
What do you need to do? Leave a comment on Lacey Weatherford's blog post HERE, and tell her about your most memorable kiss! And, comment here with your email address if you want to be entered to win The Demon Kiss! Lacey has an awesome Grand Prize gift basket up for grabs so don't forget to head over there!!! Also, every comment left on Lacey's blog will be in a drawing for a Kindle!


http://www.laceyweatherfordbooks.com/

Beautifully Broken Blog Tour


I'm honored to be part of the Beautifully Broken blog tour. I loved the book and am now a Sherry Soule fan! I also had a chance to interview the author. You can read my review HERE. Keep reading for more :)

I see that you write in a variety of different genres, which one is your favorite?

Well, paranormal and horror are closely related in my humble opinion. So I like to blend them both and add a dash of romance. But romance is NEVER the focus of the story. It is the journey the main character takes throughout the storyline that is the most compelling. My endings are sometimes bittersweet.


You have beautiful book covers. Did you design them yourself?

Nope. The creative genius of Parajunkee Designs.


How many books have you written?

Seven or eight? Well, completed books anyway.


Did anything specific inspire you to become a writer?

I’ve had a love affair with the written word since I held my first book in my hands.


What would you be doing if you couldn't be a writer?

I’d be sad. Can’t imagine my life without writing.


Do you have any hobbies?

Uh, not really. I play the Sims 2 on my PC. LOL Oh!—I love to go to the movies. Scary movies are my favorite. And watching my recorded TV shows: SUPERNATURAL, Vampire Diaries, TrueBlood, Game of Thrones, and I can’t wait for CW’s new series “The Secret Circle” about witches. Yay!

What do you like/dislike most about being an author?

Like being able to stay home in my PJs all day. Dislike? Nothing!


Who are some of your favorite authors?

Once a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough. Falling Under by Gwen Hayes. Revealers by Amanda Marrone. There are just too many to name.


What are you currently working on?

The next segment in the spellbound Series; BEAUTIFULLY HAUNTED. Whispering Pines isn’t out of danger yet and only a teen witch can find a solution! Shiloh decides it's her duty and Destiny (Yes, with a capital “D”) to find out what is causing the unexplained phenomena in her town.

******************

Thanks so much for answering my questions Sherry!


Sherry Soule has won awards for her short stories and writes full-time. She has been writing seriously for twelve years, during which time she has completed seven romantic suspense and supernatural-style manuscripts. She was a Creative writing Major and because of her love of reading and her dedication to the craft of writing fiction, she also did some freelance work as an Acquisitions Editor for Crescent Moon Press.
She is an active member of the SCBWI, RWA, and YACHATLIT.

Sherry writes young adult, horror, and paranormal, but no matter what genre she's writing, there has to be an element of romance. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her black cat, Charm. And her cat would like you to know that she’s not a morning person, rarely cooks, and loves all things supernatural.

Her debut novel, Beautifully Broken was released June 30, 2011

Sherry currently writes both adult and young adult tales of magick, ghosts, romance and demon slaying.

Please visit her on the web www.sherrysoule.com




You can buy Beautifully Broken at the following places:
Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (paperback)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)

Review: Beautifully Broken by Sherry Soule


Synopsis:

Thirteenth daughter. Heritage witch. Demon slayer.

They say every town has its secrets, but that doesn’t even begin to describe Whispering Pines. The townsfolk are a superstitious lot and the mystical disappearance of a local teen has everyone murmuring about a centuries old witch’s curse.

Sixteen-year-old Shiloh Ravenwolf is a heritage witch from the Broussard family, a family both destined and cursed. When she takes a summer job at Ravenhurst Manor, she discovers a ghost with an agenda. That’s where she meets the new town hottie, Trent Donovan, and immediately becomes spellbound by his charms. Yet she is determined to discover the connection between them before it’s too late.

Finally, Shiloh's met someone who is supercute and totally into her, but Trent may be the next victim on the supernatural hit list. And Shiloh is the only person with the power to save him. Complicated much?

It sucks to have a destiny, especially since Shiloh would rather spend her summer being a normal girl who worries about clothes and boys, not the supernatural. But she’s never been
normal and the stranger things become the more her own magical senses awaken.

With cryptic messages from a pesky wraith, she will begin to understand the mysterious significance of the strange mark branded on her wrist, and decide how much she's willing to sacrifice to protect the other teenagers in town.

Unfortunately, for Shiloh, not all ghosts want help crossing over. Some want vengeance.



Review:


This is a wonderful YA book! Beautifully Broken is the first book in Sherry Soule's Spellbound series. The story follows Shiloh, a 16 year-old witch who is just learning about her powers. Not only is she dealing with that, but she also has the unfortunate ability to see ghosts and demons. She lives in the very creepy town of Whispering Pines, where people just mysteriously vanish.

My favorite thing about this book was the romance that develops between Shiloh and Trent. They just have this connection, and they were instantly attracted to each other. That passion was definitely sizzling. I think the relationship was realistic though. There were awkward moments, sweet moments, passionate moments, and there were also times where they would argue. Their relationship felt very natural and not forced at all.

I really liked Shiloh, she's had a hard life. A lot of things happen in this book that most teenagers wouldn't be able to handle. She troops through it all though. She is brave, selfless, and snarky. She's a character that I think a lot of teens can look up to.

I thought the writing in this book was great. The book kept me hooked, I didn't want to put it down. There were so many events and emotions going on. The book was very mysterious, and definitely had a creepy factor going on. It might be something you won't want to read right before bed if you have an overactive imagination when the lights go out like I do. There were some very sad moments as well, but the sweet romance gave the book good balance. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in ghosts, witchcraft, paranormal, etc... Sherry Soule has an enthusiastic new fan and I'm dying to read the next book in this series!

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Review: Drowning in the Dark by Allison Karras

Title: Drowning in the Dark
Author: Allison Karras
Source: Received from author in exchange for honest review

Synopsis:

There’s a demon walking the streets of Freeport. And only teenager Samantha Carver can stop it.

It’s hard to outrun your past. But that’s what Sam thought she could do. After moving to a sleepy town on the Oregon coast to live with relatives, she thought she was safe. She thought she could be someone different. She thought she could be a normal teenage girl.

However, the quiet coastal town of Freeport is no refuge. After a girl at the high school is brutally murdered, the police believe Samantha’s cousin and best friend, Terry, is responsible.

But Samantha knows what her friends, teachers, and the police don’t. The murderer isn’t human. Samantha has seen this before. Too many times. She has witnessed the dead rise from their graves and do unspeakable things. She carries the scars on her skin and the sorrow in her soul to prove it.

The evil that she thought she had left behind in the rotting graveyards of her past is still stalking her.

Will Samantha be able to save Terry, Freeport, and herself from the malevolent power that threatens to rip her world apart? Or will she succumb under a surging tide of evil and drown in the growing darkness that surrounds her?



Review:





I'll have to say that I was surprised at how well I enjoyed this story. Drowning in the Dark is about a 15 year old girl named Samantha. There is something special about her, she is a rare survivor of a zombie/demon attack. The awful scar that she receives from the attack somehow lets her know when another dead human body is about to be possessed. It is now her mission to kill these zombies before they are able to hurt anyone else.

Samantha has had an awful life. She is such a young girl to have seen so much horror, and to have lived with so many traumatic experiences. She is so strong and brave though. The book has flashbacks to her past experiences. This is definitely a creepy story. It takes place on the Oregon coast, and there is just something creepy about the setting. There's not really a love story in this book, but the potential is there and I see it happening in the next book in this trilogy. I'm hoping to see it happen, though to some it might seem like an odd pairing.

I thought this book was really well written, especially for a debut author. It's full of mystery and intrigue that keeps you interested throughout. Because the book is novella length, it is fairly fast paced. I think the one thing that I would change is the cover. I'm really not wanting to hurt any feelings here, but I was a bit disinterested by seeing the cover. This really is a great story, and I think a different cover to give it a different vibe would help this story sell. Of course, since I have started designing covers, I think I have been more critical than most people would be. I'm constantly thinking about what I would do differently. In this case, I think it needs a more young adult feel. Overall though, I would definitely recommend this book and author to paranormal fans. I think Allison Karras has a lot of talent and I'm really looking forward to reading the next book – especially after that cliffhanger!

You can buy the book at the following places:
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)
Smashwords (all formats)


Find the author here at her blog:
http://allisonkarras.blogspot.com/

Monday, July 18, 2011

Review: Demonspawn by Glenn Bullion

Title: Demonspawn
Author: Glenn Bullion
Source: Received from author in exchange for an honest review



Synopsis:

Alex Teague tried to live a normal life. He was a normal high school senior . . . until he talked to his first ghost, exorcised his first demon, and cleansed his first haunted house.

If only it ended there.

Now a young man in his twenties, Alex makes a horrifying discovery.

He is part demon. And the supernatural world won't leave him alone.



Review:






I was pleasantly surprised by Demonspawn. It's about a guy named Alex who, after many years, realizes that he is part demon. Not only does he have to deal with all these changes that keep happening to him, he also tries to deal with his feelings for his best friend Cindy. The story starts out with Alex and Cindy meeting in elementary school, and takes them throughout high school to adulthood. I liked seeing these two grow up together, and the many instances that resulted in sexual tension. I also liked the fact that Alex's younger sister Alicia grew up with them and they had a close friendship. This trio was fun to read about, and these characters were all very likeable.

I haven't read many books from a male's point of view, so that was one of the things that made this book interesting to me. I'll have to admit, that I had the wrong impression of this book. After seeing the cover, and knowing that it was written by a male – about a male – I was expecting a “man” book. I know that is awful of me to say, but I was expecting lots of blood, gore, violence, etc... I will admit that I was completely wrong. There was a large amount of female interaction in this book, including a nice romance.

The plot was unique and intriguing, the characters were well developed, and the pacing was great. I would recommend this book to a variety of adult audiences. It has a lot of different elements to it, including paranormal, romance, friendship, horror, and mystery. The book had a well rounded ending, but it sounds like another book could follow.


You can find this book at the following places:
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)
Smashwords (all formats)

Find the author at his website:
http://www.glennbullion.com/

Menage a Blog GIVEAWAY!!!





Have you heard about the Menage A Blog??? It's like a blog tour - but EVERYONE wins!!!! Here's some official info:


"3 authors per day for 5 days will compete in a flirt to the finish blog hop. They will be wooing readers with free ebooks at each stop, as well as a chance to win a Kindle and special author prizes!


Readers start at one blog then click along the daisy chain. All of the authors are connected in a loop. You can move forward or backward. #easypeasy


Here is our line up of #rockin authors:




Deena Remiel, "Brethren Beginnings Vol. I"

Jacquie Rogers, "Much Ado About Marshals"

Terri Giuliano Long, "In Leah's Wake"

Carolyn McCray, "7 Folds of Winter"

Rachel Thompson, "Dollars & Sense"

Judith Gaines, "Perfect Copy"

Regan Black, "Tracking Shadows"

Xavier Leret, "Heaven Sent"

Theresa Ragan, "Finding Kate Huntley"

Eden Baylee, "Fall Into Winter"

Amber Scott, "Soul Search"

Lacey Weatherford,"The Trouble With Spells"



All the participating blogs will be linked to and listed at http://indiebookcollective.wordpress.com.


Be sure you tell your family and friends about our upcoming blog tour, because it's not like any blog tour they've been on. Where else can you get free ebooks just for commenting?

Mark your calendar! July 18th - 25th are the days to remember!"






July 19th – TODAY – is my day to host author Lacey Weatherford! For this tour, Lacey is featuring her book The Trouble With Spells (book #1 in the Of Witches and Warlocks series). EVERYONE WHO COMMENTS ON LACEY'S WEBSITE WILL GET A FREE COPY OF THIS EBOOK!

I reviewed this book back in April, and this series has come to be one of my favorites! Here's a look at my review:

"This book was a nice surprise. Being almost 30 myself, I often feel that I am too old to read books in the Young Adult genre. I love them anyway though! This particular book had me hooked from the beginning. Portia finds out that she is a witch on her 16th birthday. Vance, who is a warlock, has fought an attraction to Portia for 2 whole years - waiting until she found out about her heritage before even approaching her. Poor Vance had such a tough childhood, and is such a lonely person. There is just something about him that makes your heart melt - he is perfect boyfriend material. Portia and Vance are both really mature for their age and are waiting for marriage to become intimate.They fall in love very quickly though, and there are plenty of romantic and passionate scenes in this book. There is also plenty of danger lurking around to make things exciting. The ending has left me almost heartbroken. I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book in this series! I'm dying to know what happens next!!!"


Now RUN over to Lacey's website to not only win a copy of the ebook - but find out more about the GRAND prize!!!

http://www.laceyweatherfordbooks.com/

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Delicate Freakn' Flowers Giveaway!


Author Eve Langlais has joined up with The Bookish Snob Promotions to bring you a huge giveaway blitz! Over 20 blogs have an ecopy of Delicate Freakn' Flowers to give away!



Synopsis:

Dammit , just how many toes was she going to have to stomp on before people realized she was a delicate freakin’ flower?

Naomi doesn’t want to follow tradition and settle down with a violence-loving, chest thumping shapeshifter. She grew up in a household with five, testosterone laden brothers where none of the dishes ever matched, the ugly-as-sin furniture could withstand any catastrophe, and where crazy glue was bought by the case.

When fate—with a snicker—makes her meet not one, but two mates, Naomi digs her heels in and refuses to do what her wolf—and her body—demands. No way is she voluntarily allowing herself to get hitched to a pair of dumbass—totally hot and muscled—lacrosse players.

Can Ethan, the towering Kodiak bear, and Javier, the sexy, tanned jaguar convince this she-wolf that life with them won’t be all chaos? And can this delicate freakn’ flower unbend her prejudices enough to recognize she needs a pair of men who can handle her thorns—and her passion?

*Note - this is an erotic paranormal romance with M/F/M theme.


Find the book at the following places:
Amazon
Smashwords
All Romance

Visit Eve at her website:
http://evelanglais.com/


Visit The Bookish Snob Promotions for other participating blogs!


To enter, leave a comment here with your email address so we can contact you if you're the lucky winner. The contest will be open through July 23rd.

Friday, July 15, 2011

Ted Saves the World Blog Tour and Giveaway

Please welcome Bryan Cohen to my blog for the Ted Saves the World Blog Tour! Keep reading for a guest post from Bryan, a description of the book, and to find out how you can win a $25 Amazon gift card!

TedSavestheWorldBlogTour



A New Type of Hero

In the earliest incarnations of superheroes, the idea of the secret identity was firmly established. Superman had “the glasses” and Clark Kent, Batman had the bat suit and Bruce Wayne, and Spiderman had those blue and red pajamas and Peter Parker. Later heroes like Buffy from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” didn’t have a secret identity but still kept the fact that she was “the Slayer” secret from as many people as she could. Other heroes like Kick-Ass from the recent comic book and movie, kept a secret identity but became worldwide sensations through the advent of social media.

When I created Ted Saves the World, I wanted to see what would happen if a mask-less, secret-less hero became the new savior of the free world. In the book, high-school sophomore Ted gains supernatural powers from another dimension by accident by being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Before he even knows what is going on, his name, face and powers are broadcast on every major news network.

How can Ted stop the bad guys when the paparazzi are hot on his tail and his weaknesses are boldly displayed on a fan page? Will Ted be able to concentrate on high school calculus when he’s called on to stop the world from collapsing on itself? How can Ted protect those closest to him when everybody literally knows where he lives? These are some of the questions I’m having a blast answering as I work on book #2 in the series.

In this first taste of the series, we see how Ted’s classmates, teachers, friends and relatives react with a little bit of the outside world sprinkled in. As the series goes on, I can’t wait to delve into the opinion of the town, the state and the world in more detail.






Description of Ted Saves the World (Available for just $0.99):

A possessed cheerleader. A cursed gang of criminals. Mysterious telekinetic powers. An angry ex-girlfriend in gym class? One second, sophomore in high school Ted endures his first breakup in his favorite place in town. The next, a mysterious blue light turns him into a worldwide superhero sensation for taking down a posse of grisly murderers. As his views on YouTube increase and his friend Dhiraj tries to capitalize on the marketing potential, his dangers increase as well when a presumed-dead cheerleader begins taking a personal interest. Can Ted survive his first week as a superhero in the public eye? This novella is the first taste in a series of full-length novels about the adventures of Ted Finley and Erica LaPlante. The book is also available on Barnes & Noble and Smashwords for $0.99.



Giveaway:

Bryan Cohen is giving away four $25 Amazon gift cards, one for each week of his month long blog tour. To enter, simply comment with your e-mail address (feel free to substitute @ with (at) or other tricks to stop spammers from getting it). Bryan will draw the four names at the end of the tour, picking one entrant at random from each week’s set of blog posts. Entries will be counted through Monday, August 15th, 2011. Enter on as many sites as you want, follow the tour at Build Creative Writing Ideas. If Ted reaches the Top 100 on Amazon at any point during the tour, a fifth $25 card will be added to the giveaway.



Biography:

Bryan Cohen is a writer, actor and comedian from Dresher, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 with degrees in English and Dramatic Art and a minor in Creative Writing. He has written seven books including 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More. Contact Bryan through his Ted Saves the World blog, his Build Creative Writing Ideas site or Twitter.

A few winners!

The winner of an ecopy of The Heart of War:

The Jeep Diva


************

The winner of an ecopy of Through the Rabbit Hole:

christined22


************

The winner of 2 Vampire Beach books:

Lindsay @ Everyday is an Adventure


I have sent an email to the winners. Congrats girls!

Review: The Dark Rising by Lacey Weatherford

Title: The Dark Rising (Of Witches and Warlocks #4)
Author: Lacey Weatherford
Source: Received from author in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis:

When Portia Mullins discovers the love of her life is still alive her heart soars. But reality sets in immediately causing it to plummet when she realizes he doesn’t remember his past life with her. Unwilling to give up, she embarks on a loving quest to restore his life to him.
Vance Mangum sees the beautiful girl claiming to be his wife, and while he can’t remember her, he can’t deny the intense pull he feels between them. Not knowing where else to turn, he agrees to give her the time she’s asked for and to assist her in the effort to recover his memories.
The two quickly reconnect, but dark surprises are lurking in the wings when Vance discovers a desperate longing for something he feels he can’t withstand. Will he be able to resist? Or will evil raise its head in a new form, leaving Portia as the prey of the very man her heart desires?
Darkness reigns supreme in this haunting tale of love and desperation, Of Witches and Warlocks, The Dark Rising.



Review:


*Note – if you haven't read the previous books in this series, you may not want to read this review

Wow, what a trip this book was! This was totally unexpected for me. For some reason, I was thinking that this was the last book in the series – therefore, I thought everything would be nicely wrapped up with a bow on top! Toward the last 10 pages, I was starting to get worried. When I got to the last page, I couldn't decide if I should go into full panic mode or if I should relax because surely this can't be the LAST book can it? In my moment of panic, I emailed Lacey – and no, phew, it is not the last book in the series. Now, I can take my chill pill and finish my review...

Imagine this: The love of your life dies tragically in front of your eyes. You bury your new husband days later and can't image spending the rest of your life alone. Then miraculously, you find out that your husband is alive! This is what happens to Portia Mullens. Moments later, elation turns to despair when she realizes that he has no memories of his past life.

Poor Portia, she has gone through so much heartache – and you feel it all along with her. Vance agrees to spend some time with Portia to see how things go, day by day. Portia desperately wants him to get his memories back. Vance quickly feels this strong pull toward Portia, and he can't stay away. I was blown away at the passion they still have for each other, even with Vance not being himself . It was really sweet to see them start to fall for each other all over again. Just when things are looking up, evil comes back into the picture and takes it all away again.

Portia is just so in love and so desperate to be with Vance in any way that she can. It is sad to see the pain she endures just to be by his side. All this evil and power seem to be such a big temptation to Vance, it seems as if it is more important than Portia. Some women would walk away, but not Portia. She has such love for Vance, along with blind optimism – that she is determined to have him back.

This is such a heartbreaking book with a roller coaster ride of emotions. The Dark Rising turns out to be Vance and Portia's biggest challenge yet. There are so many twists and turns in this book, you will not be able to put in down! I'm not sure how much longer I can wait until I read the 5th, and final, book in this series!

Get this book at the following places:
Amazon (Kindle)
Amazon (paperback - pre-order)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)
Smashwords (all formats)

Find the author at her website:
http://www.ofwitchesandwarlocks.com/

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Review: Bleeder

Make sure you check out the post HERE for the Bleeder blog tour and a chance to win a $100 gift card!


Synopsis:

The King of Garrick wants to kill her.
The King of Allel wants to love her.
And shapeshifters stole her baby's soul!


It's been a hundred years since sea-level rise and global nuclear war wiped out most of humanity. Mallory is a chalice, one of the world's rare fertile females who contract with the kings of the Concord Cities to provide natural-born heirs.

It was supposed to be a pampered and uneventful life, but Mal becomes caught between King Garrick's scheme for world domination and the goddess Asherah's desperate plays for another god's attention.

In her struggle to survive, Mal must confront the most terrifying threat of all -- the truth of her past and the inevitability of her destiny.



Review:





Bleeder is the 3rd book in the Apocalypto series. It's a deep, complex story about a girl named Mallory (Mal) who is a chalice. In this world, there are very few fertile women. If you are lucky enough to have your period, then you are considered a Bleeder and must live in Red City. Here, the girls are well cared for – these are the women that will keep the world population from dying out. Once they reach a certain age, the become a chalice and they are basically sold to the highest bidder to have sex with until they become pregnant. The men who bid on the chalices are princes who are wanting to produce heirs.

It is an honor to these women to become a chalice. It is their duty to keep the human race going. To them, having sex with a prince is just a business transaction. They are trained to not have emotions. They are not supposed to fall in love with a prince. Of course, a person can't fully turned off their feelings, no matter how hard they try.

I had to keep reminding myself that the world is completely different at this point in time. Their way of life is just bizarre to me. For example, these chalices don't have any contact with the children they have – and they don't want to. They are raised to believe it is wrong to have a relationship with the children they produce. They are like machines – they do the deed, produce a child, and move on to the next bidder.

I thought that the first 1/3 or so of the book was a bit slow. It starts off with Mal at age 13, the age where she starts getting her period. She lives on a settlement, and is very filthy and poor. Her whole world changes when she is taken to Red City. There, it is like living in luxury. A romance doesn't blossom until much later in the book. As I've said before, I'm a romance addict. When Mal meets Prince Edmund for the first time, she automatically feels a connection. Later, when she has sex with him, it lacks passion. Besides trying to conceive a baby, they rarely spend any time together. It really was a nice love story in this book, I just wanted more from them.

I found myself confused a lot during this book. There was just a lot of confusing phrases, rules, etc... I also thought there were too many characters to keep straight. The writing was wonderful though, and the author was very imaginative at building this world that is so unlike our own.


You can find Bleeder at the following places:
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords