Saturday, May 31, 2014

COVER REVEAL: Better Left Forgotten by Lisa Helen Gray


We are totally enthused to be revealing the cover for Better Left Forgotten, the first book of the Forgotten series, by Lisa Helen Gray!

Genre:
New Adult Contemporary Romance
Series:
Forgotten Series
Publish Date:
July 28, 2014

Synopsis:
How far would you go to protect the ones you love?

Some things are better left forgotten, but for Caitlyn Michelson forgetting is not something that she cann do. After the brutal death of her sister, she packs up her four year old daughter Carrie and moves across the country, all in an attempt to get away from her sister's killer, Robin Quinton.

After blackmailing Robin she believes that she will finally be free to live her life. However, Caitlyn was naive to think her threats would work against the man who brutally murdered her sister. It's only when she meets gorgeous bad boy biker Cage Carter that she finally begins to feel like she is living again.

Will lady luck finally be on her side? Or will everything she has be torn away from her?



~~~~~

**About the Author**
Lisa Helen Gray (1987) born in Birmingham, England. All Lisa has ever wanted to do in life, apart from be a mother, is to read and write, and at a certain age she wanted to be a princess.

We can all dream, right?

Serious note though, she has bee a passionate reader ever since her Nan first handed her The Three Gollywogs by Enid Blyton. After that she lived in a land of fantasy. First came Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then Angel, and it went on to Twilight and The Hunger Games. Some would say she is a daydreamer, but she is just a firm believer that they're is a happily ever after. Hence, her huge love of romance novels. She got into reviewing other authors' novels, then decided to publish her own work. Bringing us to her first novel, If I Could I'd Wish It All Away (2014).

She always has her head stuck in a romance novel and is often (too often) reminded of this. When she hasn't got her head stuck in a book or writing her next novel, she is glued to the TV series Pretty Little Liars, The Walking Dead, The Originals, The Vampire Diaries and, of course, Veronica Mars.

Just an ordinary girl surrounded by extraordinary books.

Stay connected with Lisa Helen Gray
 


JASMINE's THOUGHTS on The Kiss of Deception (ARC) by Mary E. Pearson

Genre:
Young Adult High Fantasy Romance
Series:
The Remnant Chronicles, #1
Publish Date:
July 8, 2014
Publisher:
Henry Holt and Company

Synopsis:
In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.

In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia's life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight--but she doesn't--and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to secure an alliance with a neighboring kingdom--to a prince she has never met.

On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. She settles into a new life, hopeful when two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive--and unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her. Deception abounds, and Lia finds herself on the brink of unlocking perilous secrets--even as she finds herself falling in love.


Pre-order
     

*Excerpt*

Chapter One

Today was the day a thousand dreams would die and a single dream would be born.
The wind knew. It was the first of June, but cold gusts bit at the hilltop citadelle as fiercely as deepest winter, shaking the windows with curses and winding through drafty halls with warning whispers. There was no escaping what was to come.
For good or bad, the hours were closing in. I closed my eyes against the thought, knowing that soon the day would cleave in two, forever creating the before and after of my life, and it would happen in one swift act that I could no more alter than the color of my eyes.
I pushed away from the window, fogged with my own breath, and left the endless hills of Morrighan to their own wor- ries. It was time for me to meet my day.
The prescribed liturgies passed as they were ordained, the rituals and rites as each had been precisely laid out, all a testament to the greatness of Morrighan and the Remnant from which it was born. I didn’t protest. By this point, numbness had over- taken me, but then midday approached, and my heart galloped again as I faced the last of the steps that kept here from there.
I lay naked, facedown on a stone-hard table, my eyes focused on the floor beneath me while strangers scraped my back with dull knives. I remained perfectly still, even though I knew the knives brushing my skin were held with cautious breaths. The bearers were well aware that their lives depended on their skill. Perfect stillness helped me hide the humiliation of my naked- ness as strange hands touched me.

~~~~~

**About the Author**
Mary E. Pearson is the author of bestselling, award-winning novels for teens. The Miles Between was named a Kirkus Best Book of the Year, and The Adoration of Jenna Fox was listed as a Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year, an IRA Young Adult Choice, NYPL Stuff for the Teen Age, and a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year. She is also the author of A Room on Lorelei Street, David v. God, and Scribbler of Dreams. Pearson studied art at Long Beach State University, and worked as an artist before earning her teaching credential at San Diego State University. She writes full-time from her home in Carlsbad, California, where she lives with her husband and two dogs.

Stay connected with Mary E. Pearson
    

Receive updates on The Remnants Chronicles, HERE!

Books by Mary E. Pearson

The Jenna Fox Chronicles:
  

~~~~~

I was give an Advance Reader's Copy by Mary E. Pearson herself when I met her at Ontario's 4th Annual Teen Book Fest 2014. And what a fun day that was. When she described what this book was about, I was intrigued and eager to read it, so I accepted this ARC in return for an honest review. I am so glad that I did accept. In addition to Mary signing my books and this ARC, I even got a couple of signed bookmarks that I will giveaway at the end of this review.

~~~

*My Thoughts*

Note: This review contains no spoilers

I was absolutely blown away with the story! I was taken on a journey through a world dictated by duty and tradition. Sometimes, conformity can be suffocating which seems to be the case for our main character Lia. Growing up sheltered, Lia has no idea what awaits her when she flees her home on her wedding day. But with her strong will and determination, Lia starts a new life for herself. Truth be told, that was not going to stay simple too long when in comes two strangers, the prince and the assassin. All kinds of deceptions and secrets abound as we find our characters learning that their tasks at hand are not as simple as they thought it would be.

I loved the well developed and descriptive characters that she created in this story. I even thought it clever that the identity of the prince and assassin was kept hidden until it was too late. Wow! I was thrown for a loop there...hahaha! I had my suspicions, but wasn't sure. Told in three points of view...yes, three! We have Lia, the prince and the assassin's points of view throughout the novel. The clincher that gets you is when the prince and the assassin is named, but you just don't know who's who. It was absolutely gripping to think I figured it out, then later I didn't. The moment it was revealed who were the prince and the assassin, my reaction was...WHOA! Really!!??!! Wow! Yup! That was my reaction...hahaha! Mary definitely kept me in the dark with her incredible writing!

I also enjoyed that Mary took the time to create a descriptive setting allowing me to imagine this world that Lia is running from and living in. I especially enjoyed that, with each turn of the page, I got to know these three characters...and other characters. Each of Mary's characters had individual and distinct personalities that definitely stood out. There's a lot more to these characters than what is on the surface. Just like in the title, this journey/plight Lia is on is filled with deceptions, secrets and mysteries that she only has begun to unravel. I seriously couldn't put the book down...if I could help it.

The Kiss of Deception is filled with action, adventure, mystery, suspense, and romance that left me breathless and eager for more. I would even have to say that it could even be a coming-of-age story, since as Lia creates a new life away from from royalty, she comes to learn a great deal throughout the book. But, the end...really! I caught my breath at the end...and maybe a sigh of relief. We are left with a cliffhanger! I was left hungry for more...Now, it's going to be an excruciating wait for Book two...hahaha!

My Rating:

~~~~~

***The Giveaway***
2 Winners will receive a Bookmark signed by Mary E. Pearson




Friday, May 30, 2014

RELEASE DAY BLITZ: At Your Beck & Call by Jane Harvey-Berrick


Today we are celebrating the release of Jane Harvey-Berrick's latest novel, At Your Beck & Call!

At Your Back and Call Cover
Genre:
Romance
Publish Date:
May 30, 2014

Synopsis:
Hallen Jansen has it all. At 28, he has a flashy car, a great apartment, and a job he’s good at and that he loves – as an escort – working at your beck and call.

His life is easy, with no emotions or attachments slowing him down – choosing to keep moving, always running from the past. But when a new client awakens unfamiliar feelings, all bets are off. Can he convince a recently divorced woman twenty years older to trust men again – to trust him? Can Hallen trust himself not to screw things up?

Surrounded by people who choose to judge them, will they make their relationship a reality, or is it heartbreak for both?

Not all services are professional.


 

~~~~~

*Excerpt*
“Seriously, Eloise? A high school dance. Balloon arches and spiked punch?”

She laughed, although there was an edge to her voice.

“I would have thought it would make a nice change from older women, Hallen, and for once you can a knock a couple of years off your age.”

I frowned.

“Besides, the money is the same so what difference does it make?” Eloise said, brusquely. “Look, have you got any idea how brutal high school is for plain girls?”

Sometimes she made it sound like working as an escort was a mission, not … well, what it was.

“Melissa’s mother says she is very shy and a little overweight. She doesn’t want all her daughter’s memories of high school to be ghastly. And, frankly, there are very few reputable escort services offering anything to girls of her age. You’re only three years older and when you shave you’ll look younger. Look on it as an act of charity.”

“Oh, I’m sure Melissa would love to hear that,” I snarkedback.

“I told you to look her age, not act it,” Eloise replied, sharply. “Sweep her off her feet, but don’t sleep with her. Understand?”

“Yes, boss.



~~~~~


~~~~~

**About the Author**
MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERA
I started writing contemporary romance two years ago. Before that, I didn’t think I could write a sex scene. Turns out I can!

My lucky number is 13 because I was born on the 13th and live near a haunted castle by the ocean. My number one past-time is watching hot surfers get changed into (and out of) their wetsuits. My husband doesn’t read my books. My mother does.

Writing is my love, my hobby, my total addiction. All my characters are important to me and whisper their stories, even when I’ve finished writing their books. That’s why you’ll often find bonus chapters/out-takes from various books, because those voices just won’t be quiet.

Stay connected with Jane Harvey-Berrick
Website
EDUCATION FAN PAGE / EDUCATION SCRAPBOOK
   

~~~~~

***The Giveaway***




Release Day Blitz Organized by
EJ Button

Thursday, May 29, 2014

BLOG TOUR: Black Abaddon by Sasha Hibbs


Welcome to the Official Black Abaddon, book 2 of The Vulcan Legacies, by Sasha Hibbs!

Genre:
Young Adult Paranormal Romance
Series:
The Vulcan Legacies Series
Publish Date:
February 20, 2014
Publisher:
Evernight Teen

Summary from Goodreads:
Ally Watson struggles to live with the choices she made, the worst of which resulted in her soul mate's death. Michael’s sacrifice to save the girl he loved may have reversed the Apocalypse, but not the permanent damage inflicted by living with his loss.

Ally begins a journey where she soon discovers that death is not always the end, but sometimes the very beginning. With old friends, she journeys to the Nosferatu Nation where she meets with new alliances willing to help her in her quest to defeat the Devourer. At every turn, Ally unearths secrets that threaten to destroy those she loves.

The second installment of The Vulcan Legacies series will put Ally to the ultimate test, forcing her to face her fears and the true destiny she will fulfill as Azrael, the Seraph of Death.


 

~~~

*Excerpt*
Ally rubbed her hands in circular motions over the blanket. It was like if she rubbed the blanket enough times, Michael would appear in the doorway, smiling at her. He would be alive. Her chest throbbed and ached, like there was a cavity in her heart, the tissue slowly eroding, exposing something that was meant to stay protected because otherwise the bareness was too painful.

Ally eased herself back, laying her head down on Michael’s pillow. The Ravenscraft sisters must have slept in the other bedrooms because Ally could still smell his cologne. Tears migrated to the corners of her eyes, their warmth spilling over her lids and traveling down her cheeks. Her tears fell on his pillow. Through the haze in her eyes, she caught a shimmer on his nightstand, the glass in a picture frame gleaming in the moonlight stealing through Michael’s curtain. Ally wiped at her eyes and sat up. She took the frame in her hands and her heart sank in agony. The picture of her former self
staring back at her from within the frame was cruel. He had kept a picture of her close to him, right where he slept. The photo was black and white, a close-up of Ally, eyes cast down, a hand reaching up to tuck a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

Agony soon turned to anger as Ally grasped the wooden frame in her fingers. She began rocking herself back and forth, her pain and anger swelling so high she finally threw the picture against the adjacent wall. Glass shattered and rained down, the frame broken. Ally stood up, but quickly sank to her knees, shards of glass cutting into her. She sobbed and cried until there was nothing left. She picked up the broken frame and brushed off the remaining slivers of glass. As her fingers moved over the picture, she could feel carvings on the side of the frame. Removing her photo and setting it off to the side, she turned the frame over.

“Please, if anyone is listening, if anyone can hear me, let me die,” Ally whispered through trembling lips as she rubbed her fingers over the letters carved undoubtedly with Michael’s pocket knife that said, “Ally Watson Blackwell.” He had cared deeply enough for her that he secretly gave her his name. She set the broken frame down and
jumped a little at the feel of something downy brushing against her fingertips.

Ally picked up a black feather, the tip between her fingers. Suddenly she heard the soft tune of a harmonica. Her flesh erupted in goosebumps. With one hand clutching the black feather and her other hand on the floor, she pushed herself up. Navigating her way through Michael’s house quietly, Ally followed the music. She had heard the
tune before.

She halted at the front door. Whoever was playing the harmonica was outside on the porch. The music stopped. She froze. The door swung open as a familiar voice said, “Come on out, child.”

That voice. It triggered a memory. That tune. A mix of Southern soul drifting through metal reeds. She recognized it. Stepping out onto the porch, she glanced over at the man relaxing in Grandma Blackwell’s rocking chair.

“You….” Ally said in a whisper as she stared at the old man, the same one from Lou’s House of Blues.

At once Miss Elma came running up the stairs, skidding to a stop at the old man’s feet.

“Miss Elma! It’s good to see you again, girl,” he said, his fingers gliding through her black fur. “Guards from the Gates, such loyal beings.”

“Who are you?” Ally asked.

“I am what I am,’ he said, his gaze sliding over and resting directly on Ally.

Ally jumped. There were no irises, only pools of blazing white fire where eyes should have been. “You were the man from Brunswick, at the bar. Why are you here? What are you?” A torrent of questions spilled from her mouth. She looked at the old man, his aged features covering up what lay under his skin.

“His blood cried out to me. The balance has shifted,” he said, his voice now a deep baritone.

Ally fell, her face down, nose to the porch. She trembled. “Are you the Authority?”

“My dear child, lift your eyes to mine. Do not be afraid,” he said.

Ally lifted her head. She felt a warm wet trickle at the corner of her mouth. She brushed her finger over her bottom lip. She stared down at her finger, its tip smeared with a trace of blood.

“I’m dying,” Ally said, slowly standing erect.

~~~~~

Book one in the series:


 

~~~~~

**About the Author**
By age 5, Sasha Hibbs' favorite movie was Gone With the Wind. By age 12, she completed her 7th grade book report on the sequel, Scarlett. By 18, she met and married her very own Mr. Rhett Butler and as it turns out, she never had to worry about going back to Tara to win the love of her life back. Fortunately, he stuck with her.  

With a love of all things paranormal, the ambiance of the South with its gigantic antebellum mansions and canopies of Spanish moss, and a love for her husband’s rich storytelling of blacksmiths and the mythology surrounding their origins, it wasn’t long until the world of her debut novel, Black Amaranth, was born.

When not working her day job as a nurse, you can find Sasha dreaming of her next beach trip, reading the latest YA novel, and drinking more white chocolate mocha than she should.  

Sasha lives in mountainous West Virginia with her husband, Tim, and their two daughters, Aeliza and Ava. She is currently hard at work on book two in The Vulcan Legacies series.

Stay connected with Sasha Hibbs
  

~~~~~

***The Giveaway***





Blog Tour Organized by