Monday, September 30, 2013

October giveaway!

This month I'm giving away an ebook of Essenced by Connie Smith (who has graciously included a swag pack as well), and a signed ARC of Unthinkable by Nancy Werlin.


a Rafflecopter giveaway





Years ago, demons were forced out of the earth’s realm by a band of supernatural fighters, banished from the place and its people in the aftermath of a horrific war. It should’ve ended there – would’ve – if not for the final demon’s claw snagging on the open portal. What felt like victory became only a reprieve, the winning warriors understanding that the tear would spread, and the demons eventually would escape exile. It was only a matter of time, and a need for future defense – a question of genetics and essences, magic and power. 

Now centuries later, a new army must bind together – one of teenagers with inhuman potentials and abilities… 


AJ went to bed Sunday night an average teenage girl, clumsy to a fault and athletically lacking. So when she wakes up Monday morning with super-strength, she does what any rational person would do: She goes into denial. When a smoking hot guy in a suit shows up, rambling about the end of the war and demons spilling through some kind of rift, she refuses to listen, telling herself he’s insane. Except weird things just won’t quit happening, and the guy keeps popping up in her life, trying to explain the changes suddenly happening within her. Is she crazy, or is this guy… not so crazy after all?


Buy this book on Amazon





This much anticipated sequel to the New York Times Bestseller Impossible – a fantasy full of suspense, mystery, and romance – will appeal to fans of Beautiful Creatures, Raven Boys,and Wicked Lovely. 


Fenella was the first Scarborough girl to be cursed, hundreds of years ago, and she has been trapped in the faerie realm ever since, forced to watch generations of daughters try to break this same faerie curse that has enslaved them all. But now Fenella’s descendant, Lucy, has accomplished the impossible and broken the curse, so why is Fenella still trapped in Faerie?

In her desperation, Fenella makes a deal with the faerie queen: If she can accomplish three acts of destruction, she will be free, at last, to die. What she doesn't realize is that these acts must be aimed at her own family – and if she fails, the consequences will be dire, for all of the Scarborough girls.

How can she possibly choose to hurt her own cherished family – not to mention the new man whom she’s surprised to find herself falling in love with? But if she doesn’t go through with the tasks, how will she manage to save her dear ones? 

Monday, September 23, 2013

Review: The Burning Sky


Title: The Burning Sky (The Elemental Trilogy #1) ARC
Author: Sherry Thomas
Page Count: 464
Release Date: September 17th, 2013
My Rating: 4 TURTLES: A great read, I definitely recommend.
Publisher: Balzer + Bray

Description:

Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's being told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of The Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the greatest mage tyrant the world has ever known. A suicide task for anyone let alone a sixteen-year-old girl with no training, facing a prophecy that foretells a fiery clash to the death.

Prince Titus of Elberon has sworn to protect Iolanthe at all costs but he's also a powerful mage committed to obliterating the Bane to avenge the death of his family—even if he must sacrifice both Iolanthe and himself to achieve his goal.

But Titus makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the Bane closing in, he must choose between his mission and her life.

Review:
Fun Fact: Gilbert and Sullivan’s Operetta, Iolanthe, premiered one year before this book takes place. Coincidence?

I picked this one up at ALA this summer, and I am sure glad I did! As soon as I knew there would be a good chunk of the book set in Victorian England I knew I would be set. Add in a lonely prince and a girl who has to pretend to be a boy, and those pages just kept a-turnin’.

I really liked both of the MC’s. Both Iolanthe and Titus were strong and I loved the banter that went on between them. Titus has a book called the Crucible that is more or less a virtual world for learning and practicing magic. I really liked how it played into the story, and how the Crucible contained both familiar fairy tales and made up one’s from Titus’ world.

As you can see from the synopsis, the plot is similar to ones we’ve all seen before, but I thought that Sherry Thomas added her own twist to it, so the fact that it wasn’t the most original story in the world didn’t bother me all that much. One thing I would have liked to see more was the development of Titus’ and Iolanthe’s relationship. Not to spoil anything, but it did follow some formulaic patterns, and I wasn’t really sure how things stood between them at the end of the book. I guess that’s what sequel’s are for, right?

Taking all that into consideration, it was one of the better fantasy books that I have read in a while and I am super excited for the sequel! It may be 450+ pages, but it is a fast read. It is a perfect escapist read for a sick day (I should know), or any other type of day. I highly recommend it!




Book Blitz: Deadly to Love


















Deadly to Love (Elemental Killers #1)
by Mia Hoddell
Release Date: February 2013


Genre: YA/Romance/Paranormal/Fantasy
ASIN: B00BDQ3QGA
ISBN: 978-1-291-41025-9





Blurb:
The world is dangerous – but love will kill you.


Little did Serena Jackson know that one simple, flirty remark to an anonymous guy online would lead to her world being changed forever.

She doesn’t know him, but inexplicably, is drawn. She knows it is wrong but she agrees to meet.

His real name is Kai. He is beautiful. And immediately Serena feels herself blindly falling for him even though she senses a lie. She knows he is hiding something and it terrifies her.

What she doesn’t realise is that her entire life has been built on secrets and lies. The people she loved left her in the dark for a reason.

She trusted them. She trusts Kai. But as he pulls her straight into the heart of the danger the lies and deadly secrets are revealed. They overwhelm her, and the person she once was no longer exists as she is thrown into a ruthless world of elemental forces. The price of truth is her life—and now the world wants her dead.





















Available from:


Amazon (Kindle) | Amazon (Paperback) | Lulu
and only 99c / 77p on Kindle for September!


Praise:


“I couldn't put it down. So I finished it last
night and all I can say is WOW! This book was amazing and different.” Brianna (Book Blogger)





I loved how the author took a different
approach to writing a love story in modern times with the paranormal element present.
I thought it was absolutely wonderful and refreshing. Marvelous!” Kathy H (Amazon Reviewer)






I will admit I scoffed at the way it
started but in the end I had fallen in love with this story…completely
untraditional it was a very original idea, not to mention modern.
This story had
such a good plot and the story structure was sound. Kacii – The Kooky Bookworm (Book Blogger)
















About the Author





Mia Hoddell lives in the UK with her family and two cats. She spends most of her time writing or reading and loves anything paranormal. Mia always had a love of writing but never reading. She was more interested in sports and hated sitting still - despite getting three poems published before the age of sixteen. Finally though, she found some novels that captured her interest and developed a love of reading which is now one of her favourite hobbies.





Mia began with poems before moving on to short stories. Although she enjoyed this, Mia found she had too much to tell with too little space, so later on she created her first series 'The Wanderer Trilogy' and from there other ideas have emerged. With a total of nine books planned at this moment, she is busy working on her second series 'Elemental Killers' before moving onto the next idea on her ever growing list.












Author

Blog |Twitter @MiaHoddell | Facebook Page |Goodreads




***Excerpt***





Happy with the amount of photos I had collected I started to head back out of the forest, still flicking through my shots. As well as close ups, I had taken a few landscapes and as I was almost at the edge of the forest I noticed something in one of the photographs that made me stop.


In the left hand corner was a figure that looked mostly human, but was blurred as if they were moving on the spot.


A cold shudder shot through me.


Looking over my shoulder I became slightly panicked and felt as if someone was following me.


My eyes flicked and searched the shadows. Even though there was no sign that anything had ever been behind me, the forest looked different now - dark and threatening.


Instinctively I broke away and ran, still clutching the camera that was displaying the freaky image. Surrounded by trees I didn’t stop until I was free of the forest and back in the open light and sight of my house.


Throwing open my door, I slumped against the inside of it, regaining my breath from the short sprint. Once I had recovered I looked down at the photo once more, just to make sure that I hadn’t been seeing things. The old saying “the camera never lies,” came into my mind and for the first time I wished it not to be true. Sure enough though, as I looked down at the screen, the figure was still there and this time I noticed a red and orange glow around where its feet should have been. The image almost looked like the person was on fire but I thought I would have surely noticed if there had been a burning man in front of me.




***GIVEAWAY***





Mia Hoddell is giving away an Amazon gift card this month only there is a slight twist: the more entries she receives the more money she will put on the gift card to giveaway! For example:








No matter what = $5


100 entries = $10


150 entries = $15


200 entries = $20


and so forth...


So if she gets 1000 entries she will give away $100, there’s no limit!



To enter all you have to do is buy or have bought Deadly to Love. It's only $0.99 or £0.79 on Amazon for the duration of the giveaway! This will also unlock extra entries for you so you can earn more points by sharing the giveaway. Remember the more entries she gets the bigger the prize for you so share!





















Saturday, September 21, 2013

Spotlight: Through Glass


ThroughGlass-BN-KoboEveryone remembered the day the sky went black. The day the sun was wiped from the sky. They remember the wind as it brought in the darkness; the way the earth shook and everything changed.

Everyone remembered the screams as the darkness ate those who were out in the open, those who had surrounded themselves by light, and those who made noise.

Everyone remembered the voice from the sky and the way food disappeared.

At least, that’s what I hoped. I hoped that there was an ‘everyone’ that would remember because I am not sure how many are left, how many survived. Or if anyone did.

I hoped that I wasn’t alone.

I remembered that day.

I remembered because it was the day I became alone.

It was the day that everything was perfect until the monsters took it away. Then the house went silent and the birds stopped singing. It was the day when everyone disappeared, everyone except the boy, the only person I have seen in two years.
The boy I talk to through the glass.


Through Glass
By Rebecca Ethington
Genre:  Young Adult / New Adult Romantic Thriller with Paranormal, SciFi, and Dystopian Elements
Publisher:  Imdalind Press
Release Date:  September 19,2013


PURCHASE LINKS
Amazon   Only $0.99!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
rebecca
ethingtonRebecca Ethington has been telling stories since she was small. First, with writing crude scripts, and then on stage with years of theatrical performances. The Imdalind Series is her first stint into the world of literary writing. Rebecca is a mother to two, and wife to her best friend of 14 years. She was born and raised in the mountains of Salt Lake City, and hasn’t found the desire to leave yet. Her days are spent writing, running, and enjoying life with her amazing family.

AUTHOR LINKS
Website/Blog   |   Facebook   |   Twitter   |   Goodreads