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All posts for the month April, 2016

Trailer Reveal: Ariel Rising

Posted by cat2002116 on April 29, 2016
Posted in: Promotion. Tagged: . 1 Comment
Title: Ariel Rising
Author: Aj & CS Sparber
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Cover Designer: Regina Wamba at Mae I Design & Photography
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
My dreams were simple. College, a career, and let’s see what happens from there. But things don’t always go according to plan.
My name is Ari Worthington and I’ve had a very eventful week. A life-changing week. The kind of week that would make the average person whimper.
It started when my ex-boyfriend Luke accosted me in the woods.
How badly was I injured? Not a scratch. And Luke? Not so lucky. Nope, I whupped him good. It surprised the heck out of me. And it probably surprised him, too—once he woke up.
And then I met Davin. Handsome, witty, amazing Davin. Perfect in every way, unless you think being an alien, from a planet called Olympus, might be a liability.
When it comes to being a husband and wife (or wife and husband) writing team, there are advantages, or benefits. Chief among them is that you get to practice the love scenes. He writes, she steers, and…well, it’s fun. He is a software designer and she is a doctor of education. AJ and CS Sparber live in the lovely town of Hudson, Ohio, with their son Ryan, their daughter Melanie, and the spirit of an Aussie shepherd named Hunter.

Author Links:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJ_Sparber
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14550075.A_J_Sparber
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Young-Adult-Books-by-AJ-CS-Sparber-166558160353513/?fref=ts
Website: http://www.ajsparber.com/
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1VVk6KU
Buy Links: 
I don’t want to be alone in the guest suite. It’s not that I’m afraid. I just want Davin close to me. I need the comfort only he can provide.
“I’d rather not sleep alone tonight.”
“Ari, your mother—I promised her.”
“I don’t intend for us to do anything that would cause that promise to be broken. Please?”
He moves to my side and places his hand on my shoulder. “Are you sure?”
I stand up and wrap my arms around his neck. “I’m very sure,” I whisper, speaking directly to his heart. “I want you near me.”
“I know you do. But…”
“No buts,” I say softly. “I’m an angel. And I happen to be in love with you.”
He looks startled. He looks as if he wants to speak, but he can’t find his voice.
“Do you not want me to love you, Davin?”
He arches his brow and stares.
I’m getting worried. Did I just make a complete fool of myself? “Davin?”
His poise seems to return and he smiles. “It happened the night we slept on your sofa—”
“What? What happened?” Did I miss something? Something important?
His smile widens and lights up his eyes. They’re sparkling like jewels.
“I fell in love with you that night.”
My heart flutters and I feel warm all over. “You did?”
He nods slowly. “I did.”
“You didn’t tell me.”
“I wasn’t sure how you felt. Love between two angels is a very powerful force. It is…”
“Forever,” I say, completing his thought. “Are you afraid I don’t understand that? Do you think my human side makes me prone to frivolous fits of infatuation? Because if you do, please allow me to set you straight.” I take a long breath and gaze into his eyes. “I am in love with you, there will never be anyone else, and that’s all there is to it.”
He shakes his head and chuckles.
“What?”
“This is why I love you.”
“It is? What is?”
“I believe the term is moxie. You are bold and fearless. You are spunky.”
“You love me because I’m spunky?”
“Well, that…and because you are kind, and selfless, and brilliant, and very beautiful?”
“You think I’m all that?”
He loses his voice again and just stares.
“Davin?”
“Come here, my Padawan.”
Before I can respond, he laces his fingers through my hair and pulls me tight to his chest. “You are the most extraordinary angel ever born and I…I am the most fortunate.”
He kisses the top of my head, as he whispers, “Forever and never ending.”
His words and his touch make me shudder with ecstasy. “Kiss me, Davin. Kiss me like your life depends on it.”
“It does,” he says, as he captures my upper lip softly between his teeth.
Our kiss deepens and I smile inside, because I realize that each kiss we share seems to be better than the ones before, and we have eons of time and kisses to look forward to.
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Blog Tour: Demigods and Monsters

Posted by cat2002116 on April 29, 2016
Posted in: Blog Tour, Books, Reviews. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Book Banner 15 - Raye Wagner (Demigods & Monsters Blitz)
Demigods & Monsters

Blurb: Can Apollo’s curse be broken?

Seventeen-year-old Hope Nicholas is done running. Apollo’s curse has ruled her entire life, limiting her choices and robbing her of the things that matter most. But she refuses to live in fear any longer. In fact, she’s ready to do whatever it takes to break the god’s power over her existence.

When the goddess Artemis instructs Hope to impersonate a demigod and infiltrate a conservatory to get access to the Olympian library, she doesn’t hesitate. As she sees it, there’s nothing left to lose.

But once inside, Hope discovers the only way to get what she needs is to work with her sworn enemies. As the lines between demigod and monster are crossed again and again, Hope has to dig deep for the courage to accept her fate or fight for the freedom to save herself.

Demigods and Monsters is the second book in the Sphinx series.

AddtoGoodreads

DM Teaser 4

Review

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

I can’t really give this book any more than 3 stars. I liked Hope well enough, even though I was irritated by the constant references to how beautiful she was. Since beauty is in the eye of the beholder, it seemed to be a lazy form of description.

It was interesting to see glimpses of the other gods and I found it intriguing that there seemed to be so much cover-up about some of the gods having had children. I was a bit confused about why Hope was so insistent that Hera had to have had an affair, though.

I thought it was interesting to learn about the historical demigods, though that knowledge just made it even more confusing in regards to the world itself. It seemed more like modern day Earth than the previous book had been, but considering the primary religion/s seemed to focus on the ancient Greek gods, how would a historical figure like Hitler have fit in?

One interesting aspect was the stance on monsters. I would have liked to see Hope act more strongly on what she believed and actually involved herself more with the other characters.

I was a bit disappointed that most of the demigods seemed to come across as cardboard cutouts, falling on one side or the other on whether they liked Hope or hated her… or were obsessed with her. Apollo’s sons, in particular, were nearly impossible to differentiate from each other. I couldn’t have named all four of them five minutes after finishing this book.

To be honest… the love triangle was so cliched, I was rolling my eyes when Xan was first introduced. I saw where it was going immediately… but it wasn’t helped by Hope’s hypocritical behaviour. She wasn’t loyal. She didn’t stick to her guns. By about halfway through the book, I’d forgotten what she was there for.

Xan was an interesting character, but the potential conflict between him, his cousin and Priska fell flat.

I felt there was a lot of potential in this book, but it wasn’t as good as it could have been. Hope’s character was fairly bland and I found quite a bit of this book boring to read. While there were some intriguing moments, the creepy scene with Apollo at the end strongly reminded me of why I don’t read immortal/teenager romances.

Author-Bio

Raye Wagner

Raye Wagner grew up in an urban fantasy just outside of Seattle, Washington. As the second of eight children, she was surrounded by monsters, demons, and her sometimes mortal parents. She read heaps of fantasy while locked away in the upstairs room of the family cottage.

Raye studied the art of medicine long before she had an interest in the Gods on Mount Olympus.

One sunny afternoon, the history of Apollo’s ancient curse and the myth of the Sphinx dropped into her consciousness, and she’s been scribbling and typing stories in her spare time ever since.

Raye writes young adult fiction for teens and adults.

Author Links:

Website: www.rayewagner.com
FB: https://www.facebook.com/Raye-Wagner-173068689524889/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RayeWagner
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rayewagnerauthor
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Nn1UGI

Buy Links: Curse of the Sphinx (book 1): AMAZON
Demigods and Monsters (book 2): AMAZON
Origin of the Sphinx: (prequel novella): AMAZON
Excerpt

Hope went into the sparse guest room and closed the door behind her. She let out a long, slow exhale and leaned against the door.

“How long have you been at the conservatory?”

Hope yelped. Turning around, she noticed Athan sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Sorry.” He was quickly at her side. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Then what the Hades are you doing in my room with the light off?” Hope flicked the light on and glared at him.

“Right.” He took a step back. “Sorry. I wanted to talk to you, and you left abruptly.”

Hope clenched her teeth. “Oh. Well then, it’s all okay. Come on in.” Sarcasm dripped with the words. “What do you need to say?”

Athan frowned. “What’s with the hostility? Did I do something to you?”

She sputtered in her attempt to say anything, but words formed and disappeared before she could get them out. Finally, she said, “I trusted you.” She knew she was being irrational, but all the pent-up emotion erupted, blasting into the air between them. “I don’t even know what to believe anymore.”

Athan reached his hand out to touch her face, but something in her expression made him hesitate before contact. He dropped his hand to his side. “I never lied to you, Hope.”

 

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Blog Tour: In All My Years

Posted by cat2002116 on April 28, 2016
Posted in: Blog Tour, Promotion. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
Title: In All My Years
Author: Ciara Knight
Genre: Sweet Contemporary Romance
Cover Designer: Robin Ludwig Design Inc.
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
Kathleen Baker fled Riverbend, TN in the middle of the night to escape her mafia, drug running husband. She also left behind the man she loved. Now, ten years later, Kathleen returns to Riverbend, the one place she’d ever felt at home. After a letter arrives, Kathleen realizes her husband is still alive. With her past now in the present, Kathleen’s future is in jeopardy.
Colum Harrow kicked his nephew out of his home so that he’d move on with his life and stop moping around the house over a lost love. Unfortunately, he was unable to follow his own advice, and has lived in isolation for years with the guilt he had failed to protect the woman he loved from an abusive husband. Now, she returns to his hometown to see the birth of her granddaughter, and he must face his failures and the woman who owns his heart.

Interview

What originally inspired you to get into writing?

When my boys were born we discovered they had some unique learning needs, so I had to stay home to tutor and take care of them. Unfortunately, I needed more mental stimulation. I struggled with the housewife choice after working in corporate America. One day, my husband handed me a laptop and told me to, “write the damn book.” J I’d been talking about it for years, but too scared to try due to my own learning disability.

Where did the idea for In All My Years come from?

The series Riverbend evolved from my USA Today bestselling series, Sweetwater County. I wanted to write something that offered readers a chance to see their favorite characters in cameo roles, so I came up with a town less than an hour away from Creekside.
In All My years are secondary characters from book II, Kate and Colum. They’ve been separated by a decade of lies, and now they have a second chance at love.

Was there any particular character that you liked or felt able to relate to?

I find that I relate to all my characters in some way. Anna for her ambition. Liam for his integrity. Colum for his devotion and loyalty. Kate for her survivor mentality. I think that’s what speaks to readers. They enjoy each of the characters for their unique, but realistic strengths and flaws.

Was there any particular character that you disliked?

No. Well, of course the villain is always someone I love to hate. Don’t we all. 😉

Were there any scenes in particular that were particularly challenging or easy to write?

Yes. For some reason this series took on a more romantic suspense quality. It’s still sweet contemporary romance, but with a little edge. I found some of the suspense scenes challenging since they require just the right amount of clues without giving away the ending.

Have any of your characters been inspired by real people?

I’m writing a character now that is based somewhat on a real person. Helen Simpson won a walk on character role in one of my books. Of course, only small traits are used. The story is complete fiction.

Are there any particular authors or books that have inspired you?

Yes, I’m an avid reader. From Edgar Allen Poe to Francine Rivers. From Suzanne Collins to Sylvia Day. There are too many to name!

Do you have any advice/pearls of wisdom for budding writers?

Be willing to work harder than you’ve ever worked in your life. Do not listen to negativity, concentrate on craft and writing the best story you can.

Ciara Knight writes with a ‘Little Edge and a Lot of Heart’ with her contemporary and paranormal romance books. Her most recent #1 Amazon bestselling series, Sweetwater County, has topped the charts and received acclaimed reviews. Her international best-seller, Pendulum scored 4 stars from RT Book Reviews, accolades from InD’Tale Magazine and Night Owl Top Pick. Her young adult paranormal series, Battle for Souls, received 5 stars from Paranormal Romance Guild and Night Owl’s Top Pick, among other praises.
Author Links:
Website: http://www.ciaraknight.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ciaraknightwrites
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/ciaratknight
Instagram: https://instagram.com/ciaratknight/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5127753.Ciara_Knight
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1Jc5ASN
Buy Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1PhSvB1

Cover Reveal: Will of Fire

Posted by cat2002116 on April 28, 2016
Posted in: Cover Reveal, Promotion. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
Title: Will of Fire
Author: Yasmin Fazli
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Expected Release Day: May 24th, 2016
Cover Designer: Aurelia Fray
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
Elle knew that unraveling the secrets on Acryen would be difficult, but she didn’t know that it would be deadly. She knew this from the scars on her body and the heat in her eyes.
Three months have passed and what was meant to be an easy journey across the ocean has turned perilous as she’s come to realize that they’ve boarded the wrong ship—a slaver’s ship run by a cunning and devious man known only as Captain Red. Elle can’t help but find herself drawn to him and repelled at the same time. Yet, when a powerful hurricane hits the ship and Elle’s life is in danger, Peter’s hidden powers awaken, and now, they’re in trouble. The stakes are much higher than before, and Elle’s afraid that the only way out is with blood.
Elle must find the necklace awaiting in Gyoar before an elf meets her end, a quaid falls prey, a mother commits treason, and a king masks his mistake.
But above all, she must find it before her fate is sealed in ashes.
Because where hope lies, fire breathes.



Yasmin Fazli was born and raised in Southern California, changing schools her whole life. Now, she is an undergraduate college student studying biology to satisfy her love for the sciences. Yet, another part of her started to show more and more: her love for writing. She often dreams of mystical places and the perfect bad boy/prince charming who will come sweep her away. Until those happen, she continues to write away, living her fantasies through typed words with all kinds of sweets in one hand and a cup of chai tea in the other hopeful that one day her words could inspire even just one person.
Author Links:
facebook – www.facebook.com/yasminfazli.author
Instagram – @Yasmin_fazli
Twitter – @YasminFazli
Website – www.yasminfazli.com
YouTube – @YasminFazli
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1UhuATf
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/10686063.Yasmin_Fazli
Buy Links:
Will of Hope (Acryen Series, Book One)
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1TefBV1
#Free with #KindleUnlimited

Blog Tour: Trial By Charm

Posted by cat2002116 on April 28, 2016
Posted in: Blog Tour, Promotion. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
Title: Trial By Charm
Author: Jolene Buchheit
Genre: Young Adult Greek-Inspired Urban Fantasy
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
Seventeen-year-old Julia Wright doesn’t understand her friends’ obsession
with boys. She proudly maintains her composure no matter who is in her
presence – though some annoying and rude boys still manage to grate her
last nerve. Then she is blackmailed into being the manager of the men’s
swim team, and finds herself face to face with the worst of them all.Team Captain Vander Thelxinoe is the typical self-assured jock. He has the
ability to change people’s minds at will, only his charms don’t work on
Julia. Now he’s anxious to figure out why, and the closer he tries to get,
the more desperate she is to stay away – especially when he somehow
awakens a side of her she never knew existed.

Their unexpected friendship puts Julia in the middle of a quest she
doesn’t quite understand. As her familiar world begins to unravel around
her, Julia must partner with the one person who knows how to push her
buttons – and, in doing so, discovers the unbelievable truth about who she
really is.

Can Julia and Vander survive the trial set before them, or will they face
the extreme consequences of failure?


As a substitute teacher, Jolene spends her days in high school classrooms harvesting material for her Young Adult novels. She also uses it as an outlet for fangirling by showing upcoming book-to-movie trailers at the end of class, or discussing vital issues like whether Katniss should have picked Gale or Peeta.She is committed to helping Special Education teenagers become independent adults and helping them find a way to focus on the positive especially when life gets hard. At home, Jolene loves to cuddle with her husband, two kids, and three cats—sometimes all at once—while reading Young Adult books or repeatedly watching movies based on them.

Author Links:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2346BqP
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Jolene-Buchheit-Author-274326362776106/?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BeeJolene
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13855435.Jolene_Buchheit
Site: http://jolenebuchheit.com/
Buy Links:
Amazon US http://amzn.to/2346KdK
iBooks https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1094129293
Kobo https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/trial-by-charm

I study his profile. His chiseled jaw and dark, floppy hair are like something out of a magazine advertisement. His eyes, too—they aren’t dark to match his hair, like mine—they are parts of green and blue, much like the painting of the sea in the other room.
“Who painted that piece above the couch in there?”
He shrugs, not answering me in any concrete way. Then he shifts his weight from one foot to the other and his awkwardness makes it clear to me.
“You did it, didn’t you? You’re a painter.”
He shrugs again. I hop down from my stool to go take another look at the painting. The artist must have signed it, and I will get my answer that way.
I go down the hall, past the bathroom, the stairs, and the front door until I’m standing in the parlor, looking at Vander, who is blocking the painting from my view. He must have gone through the dining room next to the kitchen to end up in here before me. He’s staring at me and chewing on his lip while flexing and balling his hands. He’s more nervous than I have ever seen him—not before a swim meet, not in class when he didn’t know an answer, not when he told me how he felt in the bathroom a little bit ago. This is where his heart lies, in this painting of this island.
I try to look around him, and he leans over.
“Don’t.” He is stern, but gentle. He clears his throat. “Please don’t touch it. You will want to, but don’t.”
He’s right. I do want to touch it; I want to climb inside of it. I’m seeing it, and somehow it’s seeing me, and it’s making me feel pulled apart. I want to dive into the waters, to swim to that far-off land, and I also want to turn the boat around and sail as far and as quickly as I can in the opposite direction. Meanwhile, the light from the sun is dimming, laughing at me for thinking I can have any control here.
I want in!
Vander grabs both of my arms, which are currently outstretched toward the painting. My knees are on the seat of the couch, and I don’t even remember moving forward. His voice startles me. “You can’t.”
I blink hard and turn to look him fully in the face. “I can’t what?”
“You can’t go there, and you can’t go away from there. It’s just a painting.” Was I talking out loud, or can he read my mind? How does he know what I was thinking? I let him lead me through the dining room, back into the kitchen, where the timer is going off. I shake my head to let loose the feelings that painting stirred in me.
“It’s more than that, and you know it. How?” I don’t even have to finish the sentence. He knows exactly what I’m asking.
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Blog Tour: Last Light

Posted by cat2002116 on April 28, 2016
Posted in: Blog Tour, Books, Reviews. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

Welcome to another exciting tour with Novel Publicity. Today, I’m excited to share with you, my review of Last Light, by CJ Lyons! Also, make sure you check out the rafflecopter, because Novel Publicity & CJ are giving away scented candles, signed hardbacks. . . AND a KINDLE PAPERWHITE!
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My Review

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

While not completely familiar with the characters in this book, I did find this really easy to read… though I felt that quite a few of the secondary characters weren’t given much in the way of depth.

The very first scene did a really good job of establishing tension, but as the book went on, I felt it became more disjointed when it came to switching between POV characters.

I liked Lucy’s character, but I felt that her wounded leg didn’t really slow her down all that much. Especially towards the end of the book, I would have liked to see her having to struggle a bit more.

I liked being able to learn bits and pieces of TK’s past as the book progressed, though I felt there were some elements of allowing the other characters to make her into a big deal. I felt that the knowledge of how she won her medal didn’t actually add anything to the story… and although she was capable and a strong character, I felt she made a lot of mistakes that I thought she wouldn’t have done so with the history and experience she probably had.

I would have liked to see more of the other characters involved in the plot. I didn’t get the chance to get to know them and I thought they could have played a bigger part than they actually did.

I did think this book was much shorter than I was expecting it to be. I did figure out who the murderer was very quickly and I felt that, although there was some tension, it didn’t really carry all the way through the book. It would have been good to see more of the minor characters in the small town… and to see more variety in what people thought of the auctions, especially considering the legal grey area.

It was good to see Alan with Drew and I felt a lot of sympathy for Alan’s character. I liked seeing him interacting with Lucy and TK… and it was also good to see Lucy calling her husband and getting advice from him, although I would have liked to see more of her interactions with her daughter.

I’d probably be interested in reading more books in this series in the future… hopefully with more development of secondary characters.

 

About the Books

From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author CJ Lyons. For fans of Lisa Gardner, Tami Hoag, and Jeffery Deaver:
“Everything a great thriller should be–action packed, authentic, and intense.” ~#1 New York Times bestselling author Lee Child
After leaving the FBI, life should be easy, right? Wrong–not if you’re Lucy Guardino.
Lucy has always seen herself as a normal Pittsburgh soccer mom who happened to have a job chasing the worst of the worst. But after a violent predator targets her family and she’s injured, Lucy sacrifices her career with the FBI in order to keep her family safe.

What is she now that she’s no longer a FBI Special Agent? she wonders as she begins her new job with the Beacon Group, a private consulting firm that specializes in cold cases and bringing justice to forgotten victims.Lucy fears she’s traded being a kick-ass law enforcement officer for being a civilian mother hen shepherding a team of amateurs.

What is she now that she’s no longer a FBI Special Agent? she wonders as she begins her new job with the Beacon Group, a private consulting firm that specializes in cold cases and bringing justice to forgotten victims.Lucy fears she’s traded being a kick-ass law enforcement officer for being a civilian mother hen shepherding a team of amateurs.

Her fears appear justified when she’s partnered with TK O’Connor, a former Marine MP struggling with her transition to life back home, and sent to rural Texas to investigate a case that’s more than cold, it’s already been closed with the killers behind bars for the past twenty-nine years.

But…who really killed Lily Martin, her infant daughter, and husband? Why was an entire family targeted for annihilation?

What price will Lucy pay when she fights to expose a truth people will kill to keep buried?

LAST LIGHT is the seventh Lucy Guardino novel, but they can be read out of order. If you enjoy captivating suspense, intelligent storytelling,strong and vulnerable characters, and a freight-train pace, then you’ll love this adrenaline rush of a heart-pounding thriller.

Join the millions of readers who’ve fallen for CJ’s Thrillers with Heart and grab your copy of LAST LIGHT today!

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Pediatric ER doctor turned New York Times bestselling thriller writer CJ Lyons has been a storyteller all her life—something that landed her in many time-outs as a kid. She writes her Thrillers with Heart for the same reason that she became a doctor: because she believes we all have the power to change our world.

In the ER she witnessed many acts of courage by her patients and their families, learning that heroes truly are born every day. When not writing, she can be found walking the beaches near her Lowcountry home, listening to the voices in her head and plotting new and devious ways to create mayhem for her characters.

To learn more about her Thrillers with Heart go to www.CJLyons.net
Connect with CJ on her website, Facebook, or Twitter.
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Blog Tour: Keeper of the Mist

Posted by cat2002116 on April 27, 2016
Posted in: Blog Tour, Interviews. Tagged: , . Leave a comment
The Keeper of the Mist

by Rachel Neumeier

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Release Date: March 8th 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Fiction

Synopsis:
A lush new fantasy about finding the will to lead against all odds, perfect for fans of Shadow and Bone.
Keri has been struggling to run her family bakery since her mother passed away. Now the father she barely knew—the Lord of Nimmira—has died, and ancient magic has decreed that she will take his place as the new Lady. The position has never been so dangerous: the mists that hide Nimmira from its vicious, land-hungry neighbors have failed, and Keri’s people are visible to strangers for the first time since the mists were put in place generations ago. At the same time, three half-brothers will their own eyes on the crown make life within the House just as dangerous as the world outside.
But Keri has three people to guide her: her mysterious Timekeeper, clever Bookkeeper, and steadfast Doorkeeper. Together they must find a way to repair the boundary before her neighbors realize just how vulnerable Nimmira is.
With a spunky main character, lyrical storytelling, and hidden romance, The Keeper of the Mist is an engrossing story that is full of adventure. 

 

Thanks for inviting me over to Ink of Blood!  It’s a pleasure to be here.

1) What originally inspired you to get into writing?

I had just read a fantasy novel where the protagonist’s selfishness and stupidity drove me absolutely up the wall.  I thought, as many writers apparently do, that I could do it better.  So, since I needed to improve my typing speed anyway, I just started writing.  I had a character in mind, the complete opposite of the protagonist from the book I’d been reading, but nothing like a plot. 

 I working on that on and off for a couple of years and eventually finished it.  It was a massive fantasy trilogy.  It wasn’t anything like good enough to publish, but it taught me to write.  I’m actually cannibalizing large chunks of it now in two different works-in-progress. 


2) Where did the idea for The Keeper of The Mist come from?

Directly from Robin McKinley’s Chalice.  I wanted a small land cut off from the rest of the world, and a similar fairy-tale tone.  I liked one of her minor characters and was going to make him a protagonist and take him in a completely different direction . . . well, that didn’t happen.  Needless to say, nearly every idea I had about where I was going got lost between inspiration and final product.  (This always seems to happen.)  The only remnant of my original intention is that Nimmira really is pretty much separate from the rest of that world.  And there is a fairy-tale tone. 

3) Was there any particular character that you liked or felt able to relate to? Conversely, was there any particular character that you disliked?

Grand, sweeping villains who are EVIL are not that hard to write.  Small, petty bad guys who are mostly stumbling into evil through selfishness and small-mindedness are much harder for me.  I’m pretty sure you’ll be able to tell who I have in mind when you read the book.  Yeah, him.  He was hard to write.

 I absolutely can’t relate to Lucas, who is totally a different kind of person from me.  But I love him. I’ve always had a weakness for clever trickster types.  He’d be fun to have around – as long as he was playing practical jokes on someone else!

4) Were there any scenes in particular that were particularly challenging or easy to write?

The first 100 pages or so were a piece of cake.  Pun intended.  But the beginning of a new manuscript is usually easy for me.

 As we get close to the climactic scenes, there was this bit that just did not work for my editor.  I rewrote that several times, and a couple related scenes in that part of the manuscript, and finally, after going back and forth about four times, I said to myself, Fine, this is NEVER going to work for my editor.  So I threw those scenes away, completely removed some tidbits I really quite liked, and rewrote that section.

 It turned out fine in the end.  She was probably right.  But it was tough at the time.


5) Are there any particular authors or books that have inspired you?

I think Patricia McKillip writes the most beautiful fantasy novels ever.  I always think of her first when I think about inspirations.

6) Do you have any advice/pearls of wisdom for budding writers?

Sure, like so:

 Ignore all writing advice that doesn’t feel right to you.  It’s not true that all successful writers write every day.  It’s not true that you need a notebook full of maps and details about your world.  Nothing’s true of every writer. 

There are a bunch of things that are mostly true for most of us.  Like:  you would probably do best to learn about writing by reading a whole lot in a bunch of different genres.  And:  you probably shouldn’t try to take the publishing world by storm with a 200,000 word contemporary YA manuscript as your debut novel.  And:  adverbs are fine if they’re used properly, but it’s probably not a good idea to toss an adverb into every line of dialogue you write.

But basically, it’s better not to take writing advice too seriously.

Well, okay, there IS one piece of advice that’s true for ALL successful writers.  Just one.  It is this: in order to succeed as a writer, you must finish at least some of the projects you start.

Other than that, I don’t think there are any absolutes. 

 

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Rachel Neumeier started writing fiction to relax when she was a graduate student and needed a hobby unrelated to her research. Prior to selling her first fantasy novel, she had published only a few articles in venues such as The American Journal of Botany. However, finding that her interests did not lie in research, Rachel left academia and began to let her hobbies take over her life instead.
She now raises and shows dogs, gardens, cooks, and occasionally finds time to read. She works part-time for a tutoring program, though she tutors far more students in Math and Chemistry than in English Composition. 

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Friend Request

Posted by cat2002116 on April 27, 2016
Posted in: Movies, Reviews. Tagged: , . Leave a comment

Friend Request

(This review may contain spoilers).

Given how important technology is to people nowadays, I thought this film looked like it might be quite an interesting one to watch. While there was a bit of detail about the characters beforehand, I did feel that not all of the characters who died were developed as well as they could have been.

There were quite a few jump scares, but I found some of the imagery to be really amazingly done… especially with the animations Marina did about her dreams. Not so much with the creepy images further down on her profile.

I  did feel a lot of sympathy for Marina’s character the more I learned about her history and personality. While it was good to see Laura did try to befriend her, I felt that she didn’t really come across as nearly as sympathetic as Marina did.

There were some particularly creepy aspects in this movie… especially with the wasps that kept appearing. There were some things that were explained during the course of the movie and it was good to have some answers to the questions I had.

There were also quite a few gory scenes in this. It was interesting to see the problems Laura had with the videos being uploaded through her account. I thought it was good to see how the characters were attached to their phones/Facebook… but it was very scary that they couldn’t delete their accounts or unfriend Marina.

I wasn’t especially keen on the love triangle. I felt it detracted from the characters… and it would have been good to see less of the romance and more focus on the friendships. I wasn’t sure what kind of family situations the other characters had.

There were some good elements of anticipation in this movie and I did think that the actors who played Laura and Marina did good jobs. I wouldn’t watch this film again… but although it does contain potentially triggering material, there’s good use made of visual effects and it did get very jumpy at times.

Blog Tour: Bright Blaze of Magic

Posted by cat2002116 on April 26, 2016
Posted in: Blog Tour, Books, Reviews. Tagged: , , . Leave a comment

 

Bright Blaze of Magic (Black Blade #3)

by Jennifer Estep

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date: April 26th 2016

Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Paranormal, Magic, Supernatural

Rate: 4 out of 5 stars

Synopsis:
Bad Things Always Come In Threes…
As a thief, I’m good at three things: hiding in the shadows, getting in and out unseen, and uncovering secrets. I put these skills to work for the Sinclair Family, one of the magical mobs that run the tourist town of Cloudburst Falls.
Everyone knows Victor Draconi wants to take over all the other Families–and kill every last Sinclair. What they don’t know is that I’m on to him, and no way will I let the man who murdered my mom get away with hurting all the other people I care about. Especially when I’ve got places to break into, stuff to steal, and Devon Sinclair fighting right by my side… 

(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).

(This review may contain spoilers).

After having read the previous books in this series, I was really happy to be able to read this one and see Lila and the other characters once more.

It was good to see that this book started in with the action straight away. I enjoyed seeing Felix and Deah’s relationship, but I especially liked seeing how conflicted Deah was in regards to her father and brother. Even though she was trying to do the right thing, I felt her reactions came across as quite realistic and I especially liked seeing the elements of her and Lila’s relationship.

I thought it was good to see some of the monsters that made their home in the city and in particular how Lila usedd her soulsight to ‘communicate’ with the lochness monster, who I couldn’t help but feel sorry for.

Even though there was romance in this book, I did like that it didn’t completely overwhelm the plot. It was good to see that there were other priorities as well.

It was also good to see something of the politics in this, though I would have liked a bit more expansion of the heads of the other Families. Towards the end of the book, I felt that those who had allied with the Sinclairs were grouped together, rather than individual members explored.

There was a lot of action in this book and I thought it was good it didn’t really seem to let up. I did find myself constantly on edge while reading, but I was glad to see that Lila wasn’t perfect. It was an interesting weakness that her transference power only kicked in after someone used their power and I felt it was much more realistic to have her need to flee and regroup at times.

I did care about what happened to the characters and it did feel like they were in real danger. While there weren’t really any new characters introduced, it was really good to see the ones I knew already once more, even though I didn’t get to see as many of them as much as I would have liked.

I did appreciate that there was some attempt to give Blake more depth, but it was far too little and far too late. Plus, I didn’t see much of that depth outside of Lila’s ‘instinct’.

I found this book easy to read and it engaged me really well. I’d like to see more of this world in future books.

 

Devon and I caught up with Felix, and the three of us headed deeper into the woods. The summer sun had set while Devon and I had been kissing, and darkness was quickly creeping over the land. We didn’t dare use a flashlight, and Devon and Felix fell back, letting me take the lead, since I could still see everything around me as clearly as if it were noon. Not only could I use my rare soulsight magic to look into people and feel what they were feeling, but I also had the much more common and mundane sight Talent of being able to see everything around me in crystal clarity, no matter how dark it was.

And the place we were going was definitely dark—the Draconi Family compound, home of Victor Draconi, the most powerful person in Cloudburst Falls, the sworn enemy of the Sinclair Family.

And the monster who’d murdered my mom.

The longer we hiked, the darker it got, and the quieter the three of us became. Even Felix stopped talking, dropped his hand to his sword, and scanned the trees around us, even though he couldn’t see through the thick fog that was slowly sliding down from the top of Cloudburst Mountain to invade the forests below. Every once in a while, I could hear the faint rush of water in the distance from one of the many waterfalls that tumbled down the mountain. The resulting clouds of mist from the falls always cloaked the top of the rugged peak, even during the brightest, hottest part of the day, but at night, after the sun had set, the fog grew thicker and thicker and sank lower and lower on the mountain.

But the white clouds did little to hide the eyes that stared at us.

Sapphire-blue, ruby-red, emerald-green. The colors were the same as all the jewels I’d stolen over the years, but these were the bright, glowing orbs of the monsters that called the mountain home—tree trolls, rockmunks, copper crushers, and the like. Some more dangerous than others, but there were plenty of monsters lurking in the trees with enough teeth and claws to make meals out of all three of us.

But I didn’t mind the cool clouds of mist, the watching monsters, or the soft, shimmering sheen of dew that covered everything. It made for better cover for us.

Because if we were caught, we’d be executed on the spot.

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Jennifer Estep is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of urban fantasy and paranormal romance.
Her Elemental Assassin series follows the life and times of Gin “the Spider” Blanco, a barbecue restaurant owner who also happens to be an assassin with magical control over the elements of Ice and Stone.
The Mythos Academy series focuses on Gwen Frost, a 17-year-old Gypsy girl who has the ability to know an object’s history just by touching it. She studies at Mythos Academy, a school for the descendants of ancient warriors.
Her Bigtime paranormal romance books feature sexy superheroes, evil ubervillains, and smart, sassy gals looking for love.
Estep’s new Black Blade series is about 17-year-old thief Lila Merriweather, who has a Talent for sight, along with the ability to take magic others used against her to boost her own powers. She tries not to get involved with the Families who control much of the town, but ends up in the middle of a potential turf war. 

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Release Party: Ain’t She Sweet

Posted by cat2002116 on April 26, 2016
Posted in: Promotion. Tagged: . 1 Comment

Ain’t She Sweet Release Party

With Author Marie Force

Welcome to an exclusive interview with Author Marie Force, for the launch of Ain’t She Sweet, Book 6 in the Green Mountain Series. Since All You Need Is Love was released in 2014, the Green Mountain Series has stolen the hearts of readers, and Fred the Moose has earned himself a cult following. We’re excited to share this launch with Marie, and we hope you love Marie’s answers as much as we did!

aint she sweet

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  • Your own set of signed copies of each book in the Green Mountain Series
  • A Green Mountain bracelet
  • Fred the Moose
  • A gift card for $25
  • Maple Syrup

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First we’ll start off with a fun one, who is Fred the moose, and who are his loyal followers?
Marie: Green Mountain readers met Fred in chapter one of book one, All You Need Is Love, when city girl Cameron Murphy ran her brand new Mini Cooper into Fred on a dark mountain road. When Will Abbott came upon the scene, he was far more concerned about the health of the town moose than he was about the city girl’s brand new car with the crushed front end. It was the start of a beautiful romance between Will and Cameron—and Cameron and Fred, who shows up with enough regularity that Will’s dad surmises Fred has a crush on Cameron. Much hilarity ensues any time Fred pops in for a visit, which is why the readers eagerly look forward to his appearances in each of the Green Mountain books.

The Green Mountain Series features the Abbott, Stillman, and Coleman families. Where are Charley and Tyler in the Green Mountain family tree?
Marie: Charley falls square in the middle of the Abbott family at number five out of ten siblings. She’s a self-proclaimed pain the rear, and you won’t hear her siblings deny that she’s one prickly, pushy, pain the butt. But they love her anyway, and so does Tyler, who’s been trying to get her to go out with him for ages. He doesn’t stand a chance with her until she falls off a mountain, and he sees his opportunity to come to her rescue—in more ways than one!

This book follows the story of Charley and Tyler, can we expect everything to go smoothly for them, or will they hit a few road bumps along the way?
Marie: This is a romance novel! The course of true love never runs smooth, and Charley and Tyler are in for a wild ride before they find their happily ever after. Their story has all the things readers have come to expect from this series—meddling family members, sibling bickering, hot, steamy love scenes and a visit from Fred the moose!

Ain’t She Sweet is set in picturesque Vermont, how do you use this landscape to pull out the stories of your characters?
Marie: The mountain tapestry offers up a lot of opportunities for story, such as when Cameron arrives in the midst of mud season (and yes, mud has a season in Vermont), or when Charley falls off the side of a mountain during a snowy run. The characters love to ski and snow-mobile, among other activities that require toasty fires in the wood stove and down comforters to keep them warm. 😉

Time for another fun one! What are Charley and Tyler’s favorite food, color, car and sport?
Marie: They prefer cars with four-wheel drive, such as Tyler’s Range Rover, to get them around in the mountains during the winter. They both love to run, as you’ll see in the opening chapters of Ain’t She Sweet. As for the rest, well, you’ll have to read the book and decide for yourselves! Thanks for joining us today, and for giving us the opportunity to learn a little more about your latest book!

 

About the Book

aint she sweetCharlotte “Charley” Abbott has gone out with every guy under thirty-five in Butler, Vermont—except for one. Tyler Westcott’s attempts to date her may be determined, and frequent, but Charley can’t stand how he acts like he knows her better than she knows herself. So when Tyler turns up at the running club Charley joined to train for a marathon, she’s almost ready to quit before she even gets started. Tyler knows that behind Charley’s prickly personality and dismissive attitude is a sweet woman he wants in his life. And when Charley suffers an injury while training, Tyler is ready to prove that the perfect man for her has been right there all along…

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About the Author

marie force

Marie Force is the New York Times bestselling author of 50 contemporary romances, including the Gansett Island Series, which has sold more than 2.3 million books, and the Fatal Series from Harlequin Books, which has sold more than 1.2 million books. In addition, she is the author of the Green Mountain Series as well as the new erotic romance Quantum Series, written under the slightly modified name of M.S. Force. All together, her books have sold more than 5 million copies worldwide!
Her goals in life are simple—to finish raising two happy, healthy, productive young adults, to keep writing books for as long as she possibly can and to never be on a flight that makes the news.
Join Marie’s mailing list for news about new books and upcoming appearances in your area.Follow her on Facebook, Twitter @marieforce and on Instagram. Join one of Marie’s many reader groups. Contact Marie at marie@marieforce.com.

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