Thursday, September 5, 2013

The Earth Dwellers Release Day Book Blast!

 
Your favorite Dwellers and Country Saga characters come together in this epic seventh book!
As President Borg Lecter threatens to annihilate the Country tribes in order to expand his glass-domed empire, Adele ventures into the belly of the beast. Her only hope of survival is the consolidation of Dwellers and Country power before it’s too late. Former demagogue President Nailin is eliminated, yet civil unrest infects every alliance. To save Adele, President Tristan faces his greatest challenge yet: unifying unfriendly Dwellers in the Tri-Realms to raise an army against Lecter. Meanwhile, Dazz must convince the Ice Country leaders to march with Siena and the Tri-Tribes on the gates of the Glass City. The world sits on the edge of a knife. Will Adele, Tristan, Dazz, and Siena defeat Lecter and his army of killers before the Glassies wipe them off the face of the Earth?

See where it all begun with The Moon Dwellers and Fire Country
To celebrate the release of The Earth Dwellers by David Estes, the fourth book in both The Dwellers series and Country Saga, David is giving away UNLIMITED free eCopies of Fire Country, book one in the post apocalyptic, dystopian, Country Saga. A little over a year ago, David published his first young adult dystopian series, The Dwellers, and it has changed his life forever. Since then, he’s gone from struggling Indie author to fulltime writer, he’s watched in amazement as his Goodreads fan group has swelled from 300 members to over 1,600, and growing. He's been featured on Buzzfeed, as one of the '15 Book Series To Read If You Enjoyed The Hunger Games', and has just signed on to Andrea Hurst and Associates literary agency. Andrea will we working with David to expand both the Dwellers and Country Saga, taking David's career to a whole new level.
So before the two series collide in The Earth Dwellers, grab the coupon code below and download your eCopy of Fire Country from Smashwords. Share the code with your family, friends and literary inclined pets. The only thing David asks for in return is that if you enjoy the read and continue on with the series, to please leave a positive review on Amazon.com, Goodreads and blogs for each of his books that you read.

 
 
Visit: Smashwords
Simply use the coupon code: WM49N and download your FREE eCopy.
Expiration Date: September 15, 2013
 
 
The Earth Dwellers will cap off an eighteen month journey that has taken me from unknown Indie author to still-mostly-unknown fulltime Indie author. The change is a subtle one for most people, but for me it’s a dream come true. To the hundreds (and now maybe even thousands!) of readers who have come along for the ride with me, either by reading the Dwellers Saga, the Country Saga, or both, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

Now down to business. There may be some of you who have only read the three books in the Country Saga or only the three books in the Dwellers Saga, and are now thinking you’ll read The Earth Dwellers, which is supposedly the 4th book in BOTH the Country Saga and the Dwellers Saga. Well, that’s awesome! However, I must highly recommend that before reading The Earth Dwellers that you read the three books in BOTH series. Trust me, doing so will greatly enhance your experience, as The Earth Dwellers will be taking significant characters from both series and crashing them together (yes, like a water country wave) into an action-packed tale of struggle and loss and hope and friendship… And maybe a little love, too.
The Country Saga
 

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David Estes was born in El Paso, Texas but moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania when he was very young. He grew up in Pittsburgh and then went to Penn State for college. Eventually he moved to Sydney, Australia where he met his wife and soul mate, Adele, who he’s now been happily married to for more than two years.
 
A reader all his life, David began writing novels for the children's and YA markets in 2010, and has completed 13 novels, 11 of which have been published.  In June of 2012, David became a fulltime writer and is now travelling the world with his wife while he writes books, and she writes and takes photographs.
David gleans inspiration from all sorts of crazy places, like watching random people do entertaining things, dreams (which he jots copious notes about immediately after waking up), and even from thin air sometimes! Recently he’s been inspired by some of his favorite authors, like Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, and Maggie Stiefvater.
David’s a writer with OCD, a love of dancing and singing (but only when no one is looking or listening), a mad-skilled ping-pong player, an obsessive Goodreads group member, and prefers writing at the swimming pool to writing at a table.  He loves responding to e-mails, Facebook messages, Tweets, blog comments, and Goodreads comments from his readers, all of whom he considers to be his friends.
Where you can find David Estes hanging out:
 
Blog/website Facebook page Goodreads author page Twitter


Other Young Adult Books by David Estes:
 
Children’s Books by David Estes:
The Nikki Powergloves Adventures: Nikki Powergloves- A Hero is Born    Nikki Powergloves and the Power Council    Nikki Powergloves and the Power Trappers    Nikki Powergloves and the Great Adventure   Nikki Powergloves vs. the Power Outlaws (Coming soon!)

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Breaking Nova Release Week Blitz + Giveaway!



BREAKING NOVA
by Jessica Sorensen
Publication Date: September 3, 2103
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult
ISBN: 9781455582723


Summary:
Nova Reed used to have dreams-of becoming a famous drummer, of marrying her true love. But all of that was taken away in an instant. Now she's getting by as best she can, though sometimes that means doing things the old Nova would never do. Things that are slowly eating away at her spirit. Every day blends into the next ... until she meets Quinton Carter. His intense, honey brown eyes instantly draw her in, and he looks just about as broken as she feels inside.

Quinton once got a second chance at life — too bad he doesn't want it. The tattoos on his chest are a constant reminder of what he's done, what he's lost. He's sworn to never allow happiness into his life ... but then beautiful, sweet Nova makes him smile. He knows he's too damaged to get close to her, yet she's the only one who can make him feel alive again. Quinton will have to decide: does he deserve to start over? Or should he pay for his past forever?

Buy Links:

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/17WazX5

Author Bio:

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jessica Sorensen, lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she's not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

Author’s Social Networking links:


Book Excerpt

I get caught up in it all—in her—and suddenly I’m pressing my lips against hers. I’ve done this a lot before, as a way to distract myself from my life. But this isn’t the same. This means something, but I’m still trying to figure out what and if I want it or even deserve to get it.
At first she stiffens, but then she hooks her arms around the back of my neck and inches closer, opening her mouth to me as she spreads her legs open and my hands travel higher toward the bottom of her shorts. She tastes like beer and smells like pot. Tristan’s gone but he could come back at any moment. I should stop this. I should care enough to stop Tristan from seeing this, but my will to care about doing the right thing at this moment has died. My thoughts are blurred by the lingering high and the scent and feel of Nova. All I seem to care about is caressing her tongue with mine and feeling her skin because it’s soft and soothing and in another life I’d touch it all the time.
I’m about to pull away, because emotions are prickling inside me, when she swings her leg over me so she’s straddling my lap, then she grips the sides of my neck and pulls me closer. She kisses me fiercely, to the point where it feels like my lips are going to bruise, then she’s crushing her chest against mine as she gently rocks her hips. I dig my fingers into her waist, bringing her even closer, before I push her back, breaking the connection of our lips.
She’s panting, wild-eyed, her hair falling out of the braid. She glances to the side at Tristan’s empty chair and then looks back at me.
“We should stop,” I say, but it sounds like a lame attempt, my voice drifting off at the end.
“W-why?” She stutters a protest and I have to admit that it’s nice there are no tears in her eyes. “I don’t want to.”
I brush her hair back from her eyes and let my fingers linger on the bruise on her cheek. “You don’t even know me, Nova. I’m no good for you… you deserve so much better.” Please run away. Because I can’t seem to do it myself.
Her jaw tenses, like I struck a nerve. “I think I should get to decide that.”
“Whether I’m good enough for you?” I ask.
“Yeah, which I can only decide if I get to know you,” she says.
I motion my hand in front of myself, pressing the point. “This is pretty much it. What you see is what you get.”
“That’s never the case,” she disagrees, flattening her palms onto my bare chest right over the scar and my body goes rigid. “In fact, most of the time people hide who they really are.” Her throat bobs up and down as she swallows hard. “Most of the time you think you know someone, but you really have no clue.”
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Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Shudder Grand Finale (... But far from Over!)


The Highlight Tour with Prism Book Tours
and Samantha's Summer Tour

Shudder
348 pages
Published June 15, 2013

It's only been three days, and already everything is different.

Paragon is behind her, but somehow Alessa's life may actually have gotten worse. In a wrenching twist of fate, she traded the safety and companionship of her sister for that of her true love, losing a vital partner she'd counted on for the ordeal ahead. Her comfortable university life is but a distant memory, as she faces the prospect of surviving a bleak winter on the meager remains of a ravaged world. And if she'd thought she'd tasted fear upon seeing a ghost, she was wrong; now she's discovering new depths of terror while being hunted by a deadly virus and a terrifying pack of superhuman creatures thirsting for blood.

And then there are the visions.

The memory-altering "stitch" unlocked something in Alessa's mind, and now she can't shake the constant flood of alien feelings ransacking her emotions. Haunting memories of an old flame are driving a deep and painful rift into her once-secure relationship. And a series of staggering revelations about the treacherous Engineers - and the bone-chilling deceit shrouding her world's sorry history - will soon leave Alessa reeling...

Be sure to check out MY review of Shudder!

The Highlight Tour
8/24 - 9/1
Sharing some of the best of the summer-long tour

Shudder by Samanth Durante Blog Tour - June 15th to Sept 1st

24 - The Reading Diaries - The Mystery!

 Why does Alessa keep feeling something following them through the woods? - Review at Here's the Story
Shudder is filled with surprises around every corner, keeping me guessing till the very end.

- The (Mis)Adventures of a Twenty-Something Year Old Girl - Raving Fans!
Can I just freaking say how much I LOVE this series?! Stitch was good. Shudder? AMAZINGLY AMAZING!!! I can't even express how much I just LOVE LOVE LOVED this book. Everything about it was perfection. - Review at Literary Meanderings 
- Rose and Beps Blog - Crushing on Side Characters!
Lizzie: I’ll support whoever can deliver that future, whether it’s the rebels or even the leaders of Paragon, if they were willing to change. I do believe in second chances. - Character Interview  at Mousehead & Tales
25 - Chapter Break - Vile Villainy!
Samantha: …the Engineers(the bad guys) are based on a variety of people I’ve met and disliked over the years for their general arrogance and lack of ability to connect with people (though I’m not naming names, haha). - Interview at Joanna In the Sky With Books:
Review:
 I enjoyed the merging of genre and thought it was a unique twist on sci-fi and dystopia, with a little paranormal aspect until we learn otherwise. 
- Wonderings of One Person - Review
Shudder by Samantha Durante is a deeply touching and sensational story of discovery and freedom laden with heavy doubts and uncomfortable choices. I was swept away...
- Mortal Moments - Crushing on Characters!
Do YOU have any favourite fiction crushes or book boyfriends? Care to share them... so we can all swoon together! :)
Issac is one to add to the list of "book boyfriends". - Review at A Thousand Lives

26 - A Tiffyfit's Reading Corner - Review
...what an ENDING! This story is keeping my head bent to my kindle. Ms Durante has IT, ladies and gentlemen. That thing that some authors have that just keep you turning the pages...
27 - Kindred Dreamhart - Catch some STYLE!


look 2

- The Bookish Daydreamer - OMG Endings!
Samantha: My favorite scene to write in Shudder was definitely the big revelation in the very last chapter. Heart-wrenching. - Interview at Lovely Reads
- Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf - Developing Deep Characters

Things get even more complicated when Alessa discovers something new about herself, a twist that I sure never saw coming. Again kudos Samantha for a great job well done. ~Review at Total Book Nerds
 28 YA Book Addict - Review

The one constant thought that kept coming at me while I was reading Shudder was the originality of it. I remember feeling the exact same way while I was reading Stitch. Personally, I have never read anything like it before and I have to give huge applause to an author who can create such a fantastically original, well written, engaging piece of writing.
- Library of a Book Witch - POV Perfection!
...the transitions between character to character are smooth and never feel unnatural or jarring, each character’s situation has a different aura to it, I could immediately tell which character I was currently reading about... Review at Book Adoration.
- Mommasez... - Writerly Wisdom
Do what you love. - Guest Post “Celebrating the Stitch 1 Year Anniversary” at Head Stuck in a Book
Imagine the world ended tomorrow. - Guest Post “Family & Relationships in a Dying World” at My World in Words and Pages 
Review

Samantha teases us with two girls, one stoned by an angry mob, the other in a prison cell. We don’t know who is who. And it’s deliciously mysterious!!
29 - Mel's Shelves - Praise for Pacing!
Fast paced with not a single dull moment, this book will have you turning pages until the end. - Review at Little Hyuts
Review
Oh, my! Dystopia at its finest! A quick word on Stitch (book 1): It had been a while since I'd read what it was about so I just started reading. It seemed like a nice time travel romance with a hint of something else and then BAM!, in came the dystopia element. At that point, I couldn't put it down...
- Fundinmental - Painstakingly Plotted World
The complexity of the plot and the dynamics have you wondering what exactly Samantha has in her mind to be able to imagine this complex world. I never one time imagined that what happens in the book could actually happen but now the idea is planted firmly in my mind. It is a little freaky.Review at Cynthia Shepp Book Reviews and Editing
Review:
 Shudder... has so many things going on that, at times, I was torn about where I wanted the story to go. 

30 - Literary Meanderings - Top Ten Raving Fan Moments!
Shudder is one of the best dystopians I've read so far! It's so intense, so captivating. There's a lot in it, and it's so well written. The action, the suspense, the thrill... All of it will leave you begging for more. I know I am! Samantha, you've really set the bar with this one. I enjoyed every second of it. ~ Review at City of Books
31 - My Devotional Thoughts - More Crushing On Characters! 


Isaac Sttich Trilogy
Interview with Isaac at Always YA at Heart

Green Mountain Couple - More Vile Villainy!
“The memory alteration research mentioned some, well, unfortunate side effects…”Guest Post at Crys Book Reviews
Review
I absolutely LOVE LOVED this book. It was one of those books that I picked up and didn't want to set back down even after it was finished.
Sept. 1 - The Book Rogue - Review
Some things were not that unusual for a Dystopian, but there were also some shocking aspects -- in the regard that I don't find them too absurd to actually happen, like right now. Genius and insanity are utterly and truly a very fine line that tends to blur a lot.
Quote:

"What we haven't told you yet--"
He paused, searching her eyes before he dropped his bombshell.


"-- is that the outbreak wasn't exactly a mistake."


See what you're missing... read Stitch and Shudder now!!

Stitch (Stitch Trilogy, #1)  Shudder (Stitch Trilogy #2)

Also available in the iTunes store, Kobo, and wherever e-books are sold!

Samantha Durante, Author of the Stitch Trilogy

Samantha Durante


Tour-Wide Giveaway:

5 Winners. August 24 - September 16, 2013

* Signed print copy of Stitch and Shudder for you and two friends (USA only)
* Signed (via Authorgraph) e-book copies of Stitch and Shudder for you and two friends (Int'l)
* Signed Stitch and Shudder bookmarks + e-book copies of Stitch and Shudder (Int'l)
* $10 Amazon Gift Card (Int'l)
* $5 Amazon Gift Card (Int'l)

Enter the Giveaway HERE!!!


Thursday, August 29, 2013

Lunacy Blog Tour ~ Shift of Reality


 
I couldn't help but get drawn in by just the cover alone...


Lunacy blurb:

 "The glance at the clock on my night stand told me I had half an hour to get ready and be on my way to school. Senior year. The last big hurrah before the veil of childhood was burned away to nothing and the real world could sneak up and bite a huge chunk out of your ass. Unless you grabbed it and got a bloody mouthful of flesh first, that is."

All Kacea Meade wants is to finish her senior year of high school and get out of the little backwoods town of Elm Valley. But she's distracted by the social pariah, Jynxx Davison. Drawn to him in a way that she can't explain, and can't resist.

Jynxx is Ulven, a werewolf, and the last of his pack to discover his heritage. His awakening stirs something in Kacea, a key much sought after by ancient beings faded into legends. Can she
sacrifice everything she holds dear to keep it from them?  Filled with werewolves, vampires, Norse gods, and a touch of romance, the first book in the Ragnarok Legacy is sure to satisfy any lover of the paranormal/urban fantasy genre.


Links to books and Amazon author page

Lunacy

Author page


Bio

Mainly a writer of supernatural/urban fantasy fiction, Randi's been seriously writing since she was 13, honing her craft to have a blade of storytelling as sharp as her rapier wit. Inspired by a childhood full of action and horror films, as well as a more-than-healthy dose of comics (both American and not), her writing style has often been described thus: "It felt like I was watching a movie, not reading a book." With a style heavy on both visuals and plot, she hopes to enrapture many with her prose.  She began what has now become known as The Ragnarok Legacy when she was a junior in high school. The first book "Lunacy" is now available, after being revised and in the works for nearly a decade. She's working on the sequel "Sanguinarium" to be released sometime in the fall/winter of 2013.

Randi (Miss R.A.) currently lives near (but not in) the thriving metropolis of Baltimore, Maryland. She shares her home with her two cats, Chester and Nergal, a dog rescued from Afghanistan who goes by the name Renegade, her son Hunter, and her husband Adam, who proudly serves in the United States Military.

Contact Info

Blog

Website

facebook

twitter

pinterest

goodreads

google+ 


Lunacy (Ragnarok Legacy, #1)Lunacy by R.A. Sears


I have to admit, I was on the fence. It was a sharp pointy fence, too. The best way I can think of it is 'before' and 'after'. There is a significant event, a climax of sorts, about halfway through the book that is the pivotal moment. I really want to give a spoiler-free review, so I'm trying to not give away anything...

'Before'
I. Loved. This. Adored. I was smitten and happy as a clam. Kacea is snarky and funky and a touch geeky. She was a rebellious teen that chose to blaze her own path; she was SO my kind of gal! I enjoyed hearing her thoughts and really it was almost like watching a movie or TV show in book form (in a good way). Like Friday Night Lights meets Supernatural or maybe even Being Human. There were awkward moments, it was almost cute. But then running amok through all that happiness, the 'Moment'.

*Sigh*

'After'
I have to be honest here... I didn't 'get' it. There was this major reveal of sorts at the end (pretty much cliffhanger city- bring a parachute) and I just don't understand. I got lost somewhere along the way. The 'Moment' went so long unexplained, and I swear it seemed like body snatchers were involved. Like, the movie Inception. Is it a dream within a dream? This book warped my noodle but in a frustrating way. Looking at the reviews from other readers, they must have 'got' it. They had to. Maybe I'm just missing something.

Beyond Kacea, there are several other characters that are an absolute treat. While Jynxx does have the panty-dropping rocker next door skillz, Conner really intrigues me. I almost wondered if the romance was going to swing his was a few times. We seem to get a larger peek into Connor that I wish we saw in Jynxx. My mistrust of actions in the 'After' portion of the book made me question motivations and wonder. Additionally, there were so many side characters (of varying degrees of importance) that it was difficult at times to keep everything straight (well, 'pack' and especially 'clan' doesn't sound small, does it?)

This was a really, really hard book to rate. I had to weigh everything, and I think the tipping point was the vivid, unapologetic descriptions won me over. Chunks were flying, gore got in hair, leather sofas had to be wiped down... it was messy and real. I liked that; so much so, that it can overcome my frustration with 'missing' what the story is trying to tell me. Maybe I can ponder it out, maybe not; either way I am totally down with checking out more in this series. It is rather original, I have to give it props. I would recommend it... but if you read it and 'get' it- PLEASE clue me in!

I received a free eBook in exchange for an unbiased review as part of a Nevermore PR blog tour.



Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Caged Blog Tour ~ A Holloway Pack Story + Giveaway



If the meek can become deadly, the strongest can be weak.
For Ethan Holloway, his mission to find a missing werewolf should be simple. Crack a few heads, bust a few chops and the solution always reveals itself. Always.
Not this time.
Ethan’s reputation precedes him, and because it does, someone is ready. Waiting. Unbeknownst to Ethan, he’s about to go down. Hard. Against a foe he never suspected and in a world he never imagined could be real.
What awaits Ethan is a fight not only for his reputation, but also his pack, his female, and his life. If he survives, damage control will become priority number one.
If he survives.
Because even Ethan’s not sure he’s strong enough to take on an entire race all by himself.
Especially one hell bent on exposing who and what he is in the name of sport.

Check Out the Rest of the Tour!

Aug 28th - Keri Lake
Aug 30th -Emi Gayle
Aug 31st - Cloud Nine Girl
Sept 3rd - The Stabby Pen

BlueMoon: Holloway Pack 2

During the Caged Tour, Blue Moon: Holloway Pack 2 is on SALE!

Grab YOUR copy for only $.99 at the following stores:

Barnes and Noble

Check out my previous Interview with J.A. Belfield from the Blue Moon Blog Tour!

Interview with J.A. Belfield

So, J.A., I'm figuring that after... how many blogs tours now? and no telling how many have interviewed you, and have probably asked all the hard hitting questions, so we're going to shake it up, take a walk on the wild side, and have some fun! I hope you're game!
I can’t wait.  Bring it on.

What color is your toothbrush?
Ha! Pink and purple, baby.

Why did the werewolf cross the road (why should the chicken have all the fun?)
Why, to get to the smell on the other side, of course. ;)

White meat or dark meat? Or no meat?
ANY meat. I love chicken for its simplicity, and I love steak for its juiciness, and lamb for its AMAZING flavour. Yum. (sorry, vegetarians).

Mayonnaise or Miracle Whip?
What on earth is Miracle Whip? LMAO. Mayonnaise, I guess. ;)

Do you think androids dream of electric sheep?
Nope, I think they dream of electric bleeps.

Monty Python or Mel Brooks?
Ach, will I get shot and shunted to the ‘NEVER READ AGAIN’ pile if I say neither? *cringes*

If you could have dinner with any 3 people/characters (living or dead, fictional or real) who would you choose?
Aimee Laine, Keri Lake, and Brigid Kemmerer. Yup, those three, for sure (though I’d try sneaking in a whole bunch of other folk—like all my blogger buddies, and L.S. Murphy, Julie Reece, Rebecca Hart, Alex Nader … my list really is endless—we’d need to hire a hall).

What would we find in your refrigerator right now?
Ha! Lemme go check ………………………… 
Pepsi, milk, squash, prawn salad, Clover, coleslaw, salad cream, mozzarella, mint sauce, soft cheese, pure set honey, cranberry juice, and apples. Makes me sound a lot healthier than I actually am, eh? In truth, I just haven’t been shopping yet—ha!

Cape or not to cape? (For a superhero)
Depends on whether he’s going to let me under there with him. ;)

Be honest, do you press harder on the buttons of the remote control when the batteries are dead as if the more intense pressure will bring it back to life?
OMG, YES! I even grit my teeth like more bodily strain and mental energy can help, too!

What if the Hokey Pokey really IS what it's all about?
Then we’d all be spinning intermittently, around disjointedly walking like we haven’t quite figured out how to perform a cartwheel. ;)

and finally....
Why isn't Chocolate considered a vegetable if it comes from Cocoa Beans?
Ach, GOOD QUESTION!

I'm hoping these will be easy to answer, and fun. 
100% Ha! This was the funnest (it’s a word!) interview EVER! :D

 

 



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Monday, August 26, 2013

(Don't Fear the) Reaper ~ Making Connections Blog Tours


Well I'm not sure if anyone would remember, but a LONG time ago (or it seems that way, anyhow) I did a cover reveal for this book from J. Taylor Publishing... I fell in LOVE with that cover and was so eager to read it, but somehow missed it when the email containing ARCs went out to the bloggers.  I was so very, very bummed when I realized I was a day late and a dollar short.  Then *cue angelic harp music* imagine my surprise when  L.S. Murphy popped up on my Making Connections Blog Tours!  *WooHoo*  There was MUCH rejoicing!

There's no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.

She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.

It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.

Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.

Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.

Maybe ... just maybe ... that’s okay.

It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.


About L.S. Murphy


Bio:


L.S. Murphy lives in the Greater St. Louis area where she watches Cardinals baseball, reads every book she can find, and weaves tales for teens and adults. When not doing all of the above,she tends to The Bean (aka her daughter), her husband and a menagerie of pets. “A Reason to Stay”, a contemporary romance novella, is available as of November 2, 2012. Reaper is her debut young adult novel and will be released on January 7th, 2013.

She is a co-rep for the Southern Illinois region of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a member of the St. Louis Writer’s Guild.

Links:


Blog 


Twitter 


Facebook 


Goodreads

Publisher: J. Taylor Publishing


My Thoughts:

As you can probably tell from the beginning paragraph on this post, I was eager to read this book.  YA is right up my alley, and a new 'retelling' of the grim reaper always interests me.  I will admit my initial enthusiasm was tested a little.

My biggest hurdle in this book was Quincy herself.  As I said before, I adore YA, and this IS a very YA story overall, but 'Q-tip' was a special 'breed' (at least initially in the story) of teen: popular.  Maybe it's because I'm now 'old and jaded' and not in that mind-set of a teen willing to do near anything for peer approval... this may be harsh, but she was selfish.  Horribly selfish.  Especially the early on romance issues- just wanted to SMACK her... HARD.  But at the same time, that is totally true (character and age wise) for Quincy.  While I may not have been overly fond of Quincy, for a large part of the book, I still felt it was well written and honest for the genre and YA category.  

The trials... finding out the reasons and goals behind what she was shown, and her change through the book to being unselfish, and maturing, and ultimately learning about death firsthand- they won me over in the end.  It hit me like a ton of bricks, in fact; misty-eyed, and a lump in my throat through the last chapter in the book.  It's not fully a surprise, I knew it was coming... someday.  But the 'how' of it all just gripped my heart.

By the end of it all, it earned a solid 4♥ rating from me.  If you like paranormal YA stories, this is one to pick up.
 
I receive a free eBook from J. Taylor Publishing via the Making Connections Blog Tours in exchange for an unbiased review.


Crimson Darkness ~ Are You Ready for the Reveal?



Crimson Darkness Blurb:

London is in the grip of an unnatural darkness. Rose is in the grasp of an unrelenting power and Raven and Thistle, along with their supernatural allies, are battling to survive and find a way to restore their home city.

For the fey, the song remains the same. They must return the power to Faerie or die.  Unfortunately for them, the task has been superseded by an even more important one - help save Earth or perish along with it!  For Rose, the stakes are even higher as she is forced to make a terrible deal that will damn her if she does and damn her if she doesn’t.

Now enemies must work together as allies if they are to save their worlds from an ancient threat…

Take a job down memory lane to a previous stop here at Dark Obsession for Amos and Cassidy...


Author Bio:

Amos Cassidy - a team of two. Amos is a 29 year old Diva and Cassidy a 36 year old mum of three.

Aside from a passion for writing and a love of reading they also share an addiction to coffee, love anything Joss Whedon and are constantly playing tug of war over Jensen Ackles.

They have been writing together for four years and are currently working on the third book in their Crimson Series.


Social Media links:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Amos-Cassidy-World/172592816124684

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amoscassidy

Blogs:

http://amoscassidy.wordpress.com/

http://crimsonseries.wordpress.com/ 


Hello, Alana and all you fabulous people! Amos Cassidy here.

Crimson Darkness (Book 2 in the Crimson Series) is on its way – coming August 30, 2013

To celebrate, we’ve come to visit Alana on her awesome blog and share with you the hot cover and an excerpt from the book.

So kick back, relax, pour yourselves a cocktail or two (or a nice cuppa as an alternative) and take a glimpse into the Crimson World…


CRIMSON DARKNESS EXCERPT

Rose lay back in her sun-lounger, dark glasses shielding her eyes from the sun’s bright rays. Her body, clad only in a two-piece bikini and slick with sun block, felt warm and lazy.  She closed her eyes and visualised the beach around her; its sands almost as white as snow, the sea like millions of droplets of aqua crystals.  This was perfect.

“We should have done this a long time ago.” The playful voice pulled her out of her reverie and she sat up pushing her glasses to the top of her head to regard the speaker.
Roman shrugged his broad tanned shoulders and leaned back onto his sun-lounger. 
“Just saying, we shouldn’t have waited so long.”

“Well we’re here now, so let’s just enjoy it.” Her lips curved in a nostalgic smile as she took in his solid lithe form sprawled out beside her.  His hair was bleached blonde by the sun, his eyes hidden behind shades of his own.  He was beautiful and she would never tire of caressing him with her eyes.

“You want to go for a swim?” he asked.
To swim with Roman, to feel his arms around her, his body wet, slick, and hot against her own, she sighed. “Maybe later.”
“Plenty of time.”
“Yep.”

“You look really hot in that bikini by the way.” She felt his breath warm on her cheek and cracked open her lids to find his face intimately close to hers. His smile was playful, sensual, desire darkening his emerald eyes. He leaned closer, his lips brushing the corner of her mouth.  She closed her eyes and allowed herself to revel in the sensation for a moment. Her eyes burnt hot in her head and she blinked against the sting of angry tears.  She pushed him away.

“No.  No touching.  Please.  Let’s just…sit. Okay?”  She looked up into the face she loved, her eyes pleading.
Roman sat back on his hunches, regarding her with an unfathomable look. 
“Whatever you want, Rose.”

Rose closed her eyes.
When Rose opened her eyes the sun was gone, instead she found herself under a blanket of stars twinkling fiercely in a clear night sky.  No smog, no clouds, no obstruction.

“It’s something else isn’t it?” Roman asked from his spot beside her on the picnic blanket. The beach was gone and they were now in a moonlit park. “I’m glad we did this.”
“Me too.” Rose whispered softly.  The night was balmy and warm and the sundress she wore was soft and slinky against her skin. As she lay on the picnic blanket, one arm thrown across her forehead, the other by her side, she realised she may be losing the battle. It was a night for passion; she could feel the heat emanating from Roman. 

All she needed to do was reach out and touch him, to say the word and he could be hers forever. As if hearing her thoughts he shifted closer; a soft rustle of fabric, heat caressing her bare arm, her legs.  She closed her eyes and felt him leaning over her. 
“Look at me, Rose.”
She opened her eyes and stared at perfection, drank him in, allowed herself to believe. 
“Yes, Rose.  I am all that you need.”

She wanted to believe, wanted to forget, wanted to accept.  It would be so easy to give in, to stay, and to be happy.  She must have made some sound, maybe a tilt of her chin, a look, something that screamed acquiesce because his lips were suddenly descending towards hers.  She closed her eyes and opened herself to her fate.

A blinding light split the night sky and Roman stilled above her, his face a mask of fury, every muscle poised to flee or fight.  Pain blossomed in her shoulder, sudden and white hot.  She gasped and struggled to push Roman away, he was, however, unmoveable, impervious to her discomfort.  His eyes were on her but his attention already diverted.

“You are not welcome here.” He spat out through gritted teeth. 
Rose tried to slip from Roman’s grasp but his hands gripped her tightly, his fingers digging painfully into her shoulders.
“Leave now,” he said.

The light pulsed and then dimmed.  Rose craned her head to look over Roman’s shoulder and gasped.
“None of this is real, honey.” A familiar woman smiled at her from the edge of the picnic blanket.  Her gaze raked over Roman.  “Except him of course.” A look of sorrow flitted across her face, but was quickly covered by one of determination. “You have no claim here,” she addressed Roman and suddenly Rose was free and Roman was standing a few yards away in the shade of a maple tree.

The woman held out her hand to Rose. “I think its time we had a chat don’t you? Mother to daughter.”


I give the series a to-date a rating of: