Blog Tour: The Fireproof Girl

The Fireproof Girl
Loretta Lost
(Sophie Shields, #1)
Publication date: September 29th 2016
Genres: Mystery, New Adult, Romance

Abandoned at birth, Sophie Shields grew up in abusive foster homes, escaping into books and computers for solace. When the constant danger became too much to bear, she ran away, thinking she could survive on her hacking skills alone.
That was until she met Cole Hunter. He became the only person she could trust: her family, her friend, her partner-in-crime. Her everything. After struggling through college and starting their lives together, she believed that nothing could ever tear them apart.
Until it did.
And she'll do everything in her power to fix what is broken. If it isn't too late…
---
When Cole was nine years old, he watched his whole family burn to death in a house fire. Fueled by years of obsession, he started one of the world's leading architectural firms, with a mission to design homes resistant to fire, earthquakes, floods, and every threat known to man.
Sophie was his secret weapon. She was his purpose. Since they were teenagers, he was determined to build a better life for her, so she could finally be safe, and they could be together.
But disaster has always followed Cole around, ripping away everything he loves. This time, if he isn't careful…
His enemies might just take him down.

Excerpt 

“Why?” she demands to know, jutting her chin out defiantly. “Why on earth shouldn’t I die? Give me a reason. Give me one good fucking reason.” 

Those eyes of hers. Heaven help me. My hand lifts from her elbow to rest on her cheek, and I hold my palm there for a second before letting my fingers drift down to get tangled up in her hair. I brush my thumb over her ear as I stare down into her angry, but innocent eyes. They pierce directly into me, seeking. They pull me closer. Her lips part slightly and soften, and my pulse quickens. My heart begins to pound so loudly that I can feel it in my ears. Every part of my body feels awake and alive and tingling with sensation. 

She wants me to kiss her. 

She is so close that our breath mingles. I can already taste her. She is challenging me, daring me, and asking me all at the same time. It’s impossible to refuse. 

Our lips barely brush, so barely that it might not even have happened. But I summon a bit of inhuman strength so that I can pull away. 

“Because,” I tell her through my heavy breathing. “Because things are going to get better now.”

“Cole,” she whispers brokenly, gripping a handful of my shirt to pull me closer. 

She arches her body a little to press against mine, and I groan at the sensation of her softness and warmth against me. My head falls a little, until our noses are touching. 

I need to kiss her. I nearly do. 

Her eyelids flutter closed halfway in anticipation, and I grow dizzy with how much I want this. I want to kiss her until she knows how I feel—how much I care. I want to wrap my arms around her body and hold her close, and promise her everything. I want to promise her the world. I want to promise her forever. 

But then I see it all going up in flames. I see the whirlwind romance. I see us making love, and I see how passionately and desperately we would cling to each other. I see me getting lost inside her. I see me growing addicted to her. I see her begging me for more, until I become her escape, and I become her death. 

She did not seem to care much for heroin, but no one is immune to the simultaneous opiate, narcotic, and stimulant that is love. 

I see us bleeding each other dry. I see us both sacrificing our goals for one more moment together. One more mind-numbing and soul-crushing moment of bliss. We will erase each other. We will blend into each other until we forget who we used to be. Who we could have been. 

I see how broken she is, how afraid and insecure, and I see me wanting to do anything to make her whole. I see my own brokenness, and the way I would use her body to try and forget my own pain and loss. I see me expecting her to nurture me enough to replace my mother and father; I see me endlessly asking her for more, and more, and more. I see me leaning on her a little too much every time it becomes difficult to stand on my own two feet and become a man out there in the real world. 

I see us drowning in a love of overwhelming power, and both of us unable to breathe or come up for air. I see us being consumed, and eventually incinerated.

This love is a dangerous one. I can feel it now, as I teeter on the edge of falling in. It is a flame that burns so white-hot it could only destroy everything it touches. It would destroy us. 

We’re not strong enough yet.

We are just two frightened kids who have nothing, and no one. If we had each other, we would tear each other to shreds. We would devour each other, looking for all the things that we’re missing, and all the things that we were supposed to find in ourselves first. 

I see it all so clearly, and it gives me the courage to pull away from her—even though it feels like I am ripping off my own flesh. It gives me the courage to stop before I can kiss her—because once I do, there’s no going back. 

“Scarlett,” I say as tenderly as I can. “No.”

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Author Bio:
USA Today bestselling author Loretta Lost writes to experience all the love and excitement that can often be lacking from real life. She finds it therapeutic to explore her issues through the eyes of a different person. She hopes to have a family someday, but until then her characters will do nicely.
Follow @loretta.lost on Instagram for cute photos of her cat reading books. He refuses to cooperate unless they are really good books.
You can also subscribe to Loretta's mailing list for updates: www.eepurl.com/O0WTL
You will receive a FREE book as a gift for signing up!

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Book Blitz: Royal Attraction

Royal Attraction
Tiffany Truitt
Published by: Entangled Embrace
Publication date: September 18th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

Alexandra Ryans's life has been anything but normal. Some might even call it a fairy tale. As the daughter of the former U.S. ambassador to England, she grew up within the palace walls, best friends with the three young princes. Adored by the press and the British people. What more could a girl want?
If only the press knew the real story behind her relationships with the Dudley boys. Then, they'd really sell some papers.
Oliver Dudley, youngest son and third in line for the throne, loves everything about his life. The fame. The parties. The women. The utter lack of expectations and responsibilities that come with being last in the line of succession. But while the world thinks he has everything he wants, there's one thing he was never able to call his own-the beautiful and spunky American Aly Ryans. But how can he convince her when she hates everything about his life? And what is he willing to give up to get her?

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EXCERPT:

"I'll only be here a little while longer, Ollie," I manage in between breaths. "Then everything can go back to the way it was. Like I never returned."
The lines in his forehead deepen. "You think that's what I want? To go back? Tell me your life has been better since you left," he challenges, raising an eyebrow.
I place my hand against his chest and attempt to push him out of my way, but he doesn't budge. Not even an inch. Instead, he places a hand against my cheek. I inhale sharply, caught off guard by the sudden gentleness of the action. "You tell me right now that since leaving here your life has been better, that you're happy, and I'll walk out of this greenhouse. I'll pretend that seeing you here doesn't drive me wild. I'll ignore all the things my body wants to do to yours. I'll forget the fact that you leaving without a goodbye wrecked me."
I open my mouth to argue, but he cuts me off. "You wrecked me, Ryans," he reiterates, his voice desperate.
I prepare to tell him that I'm happier. That life has been easier without being caught between him and Aiden. That I enjoy not having to worry the press is lurking around every corner. That I prefer being a normal girl. That the day we shared together was just that-a day. It didn't mean anything. It didn't define me.
But the words refuse to come out of my mouth. Instead, a small gasp breaks free, and I know that if I don't bolt soon, my resolve will shatter. Ollie's hand slowly trails down my cheek and across the length of my neck, stopping on the delicate skin above my collarbone. My breathing picks up.
Tell him to stop, Alexandra.
He tugs at the collar of my jersey, bringing my face dangerously close to his. I bite down hard on my bottom lip. Ollie's eyes travel down to my lips. My body gravitates toward his till it's nearly pressing against the length of him.
When did it become this? This need? Because need is coursing through me like wildfire.
"You said it, Ryans. You won," he reminds me, his voice all throaty and hoarse and incredibly sexy. "You want me to spend the rest of your time here ignoring all that's left unanswered between us? Say it. If you desire to go back to that emptiness, that life that you seem so anxious to return to, I won't stop you. Just say it's what you want. 'Cause I can't stand the indecision anymore, the what-ifs. I've lived three years of that. Wondering what could have happened if things had been different. "

Author Bio:
Tiffany Truitt was born in Peoria, Illinois. A self-proclaimed Navy brat, Tiffany spent most of her childhood living in Virginia, but don't call her a Southerner. She also spent a few years living in Cuba. Since her time on the island of one McDonalds and Banana Rats (don't ask), she has been obsessed with traveling. Tiffany recently added China to her list of travels (hello inspiration for a new book).
Besides traveling, Tiffany has always been an avid reader. The earliest books she remembers reading belong to The Little House on the Prairie Series. First book she read in one day? Little Woman (5th grade). First author she fell in love with? Jane Austen in middle school. Tiffany spent most of her high school and college career as a literary snob. She refused to read anything considered "low brow" or outside the "classics."
Tiffany began teaching middle school in 2006. Her students introduced her to the wide, wonderful world of Young Adult literature. Today, Tiffany embraces popular Young Adult literature and uses it in her classroom.

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Book Blitz: Fierce

Fierce
L.G. Kelso
(A Whatever It Takes Novel)
Publication date: April 3rd 2018 (re-release)
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Sports

Three years ago, Tori beat the wrong man. Her MMA training partner, nursing a bruised ego, snapped-shattering her trust and confidence.
Now, she's putting herself through college, avoiding all things fight related, and keeping her fists to herself. That is, until her uncle's failing health draws her back to his gym and her old pounding grounds. With her demons still haunting the cage, she's determined to keep up the wall she's so carefully constructed between the past and present.
Until pro-fighter Max Estrada saunters into her life.
The temptation to go glove-to-glove with the sexy Columbian is too much, drawing her back into the world of MMA-a world where her ex-partner reigns as current Middleweight Champion. The secret they share is a liability to his career, and he'll do anything to keep her quiet. If she wants her old life back, and a future with the fighter she's fallen for, she'll have to do more than just survive. With her life on the ropes, she'll have to face her past and fight like she's never fought before.

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EXCERPT:

The alcohol probably wasn't helping. The side of the bathtub, cool against the back of my legs, felt as if it would fall out from under me as I stared at the water pouring from the bathtub's faucet and over the cuts on my leg.
I went to scrub the soap into the cuts, but my wet shirt kept getting in the way. Every time I moved, it stuck to my skin.
Wrapping the hem of my long shirt around my fingers, I lifted the shirt up, over my head-
"Woah, there, Tori. What are you doing?"
"It's in the way!"
"No, it's not," Max said as he yanked my shirt back down.
"It's wet."
"Well, yes, it is. You can go change in a second. Tori, put your shirt down."
"Why?"
He sighed. "Because you're drunk."
"You've seen me in a sports bra."
"Which you are definitely not wearing right now."
His reaction was making my skin burn again, but this time, I couldn't figure out why. Was it because he so didn't want to see me without a shirt? Was it that bad? I mean, compared to Cheyenne sure, but still.
"The idea of seeing me shirtless is that awful, huh?"
He tugged. I rolled forward, giving up the shirt.
"That's-no."
"I know I don't look like your lingerie model of a girlfriend, but jeez."
"Tori." The conviction in his voice made me stop blabbering like a damn idiot. His fingers found my chin and tilted my head. He was so close. The brown of his eyes were darker in this light, making his eyes look like black pools.
"Should you ever wish to yank your shirt off in front of me when you're sober, I definitely will not stop you. It would be the opposite of awful."
Had he gotten closer? And what did he mean by opposite of awful?
His lips were swollen; he must have taken one hit to the mouth before knocking the other guy out.
The alcohol didn't do as much to my brain as being around Max did. Everything about him teased me in some way. His adrenaline teased out my own. I wanted to pull him against me. I wanted to find someone to fight in an octagon. I wanted to be me again, whoever that was, and I wanted to be it with Max.
"Tori," he said again, and I tore my gaze away from his mouth and back to his eyes. A wave of shivers started at the top of my spine, my skin prickling as it passed through the rest of my body. The look in his eyes…it was quite possibly the best thing I had ever seen.
He continued a moment later. "But right now, you are drunk. So your clothes are staying on."

Author Bio:
L.G. Kelso writes authentic sports fiction about characters falling in love with combat sports and also each other. She's a fan of anything that bashes gender stereotypes, and she can be found in her MMA gym when not writing.
Visit her website at http://www.lgkelso.com for more information about her and upcoming projects, including another book in the Whatever It Takes universe.

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Review: Dream Eater

Title: Dream Eater (A Portland Hafu novel)
Author: K. Bird Lincoln
Page Count: 219
My Rating: 3.5 TURTLES: A very enjoyable read, I recommend you check it out.
*I got this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
Amazon

Description:
Koi Pierce dreams other peoples' dreams.

Her whole life she's avoided other people. Any skin-to-skin contact--a hug from her sister, the hand of a barista at Stumptown coffee--transfers flashes of that person's most intense dreams. It's enough to make anyone a hermit.

But Koi's getting her act together. No matter what, this time she's going to finish her degree at Portland Community College and get a real life. Of course it's not going to be that easy. Her father, increasingly disturbed from Altzheimer's disease, a dream fragment of a dead girl from the casual brush of a creepy PCC professor's hand, and a mysterious stranger who speaks the same rare Northern Japanese dialect as Koi's father will force Koi to learn to trust in the help of others, as well as face the truth about herself.

Review:

I got an advanced copy of this book from Netgalley a while back, and now that it has been out a while I have finally gotten to reviewing it. I got pretty far behind in reviewing this semester, but my winter break has given me some time to slowly get caught up. I became aware of Dream Eater through the publisher’s newsletter, which I have been on for a while, and the premise really grabbed me. I love fantasy books that use real mythology as its starting point (Rick Riordan remains one of my favorite authors) and it is set in my hometown of Portland, so I was intrigued by the setting too. Also, the cover is gorgeous and badass.

I really liked how the mythology was used in the book. Most of it that is in the book is Japanese and Native American with some Middle Eastern mythology woven in, but I got the feeling that the myths in this world go far beyond that. I loved how the different powers of the different creatures manifested and how well thought out the politics of the “Kind” were. I’m not sure if this is going to be a series, but there certainly feels like there is a lot more to explore here.

Another thing I really appreciated about the book was its diverse cast of characters. The main character, Koi, and her sister, for example, are of Japanese and Hawaiian descent and the two other most important characters are also Japanese. I checked my Goodreads page just now, and out of the 62 books I read this year, only one other book had its main character be of Asian descent and just a few more had important secondary characters or authors of Asian descent, and while I don’t have exact numbers, I know my sample of books is indicative of a larger pattern in publishing. As many of you likely know, there is a huge lack of non-white main characters in Young Adult/New Adult novels. Thankfully, this has been changing somewhat recently, but many groups like Asian-Americans are still very underrepresented. As someone who knows how important being able to see aspects of one’s identity in media is, I really appreciated the representation going on in this book, particularly since the novel highlights Koi’s cultural heritage and makes it important to who she is as a character. I hope to read many more books like Dream Eater in that sense in the future.

Another thing I really liked about the book was how well thought out the setting was. I knew the author really had a map of the city in her head (or in front of her on Google Maps) as she was writing. It was especially engaging since, as a native Portlander, I have been to and could picture many of the places in the book.

Having said that, there were some aspects of how the setting was portrayed that I wasn’t a huge fan of. In a way, it felt like the book really wanted us to know how well it knew Portland, so there is a lot of namedropping of places in Portland. A lot. And while I might know that Uwajimaya is a super awesome Asian superstore, the vast majority of people reading this book will not and might be confused when Koi mentioned that she goes there sometimes and gives no context for what it is. This odd specific namedropping didn’t just happen with places. Koi mentions several times that she is craving chocolate or that chocolate will improve her mood, but instead of saying “chocolate,” each time she says a different specific bar from a specific brand. Sometimes the bar name would be five or six words long, and it felt like more specificity than I needed for a hypothetical candy the character thinks in passing she is in the mood for.

There were a few other instances where the novel went a little overboard with making sure we knew it took place in Portland. For one, it kept telling us. The weather wasn’t just the weather, it was the “Portland weather” which, to some extent could have made sense since many Portlanders do think of rainy/misty weather as “Portland weather,” but there were other things labelled as “Portland” that didn’t make sense. For example if Koi falls, she lands on “Portland moss.” There is no such thing, there is moss that is in Portland, but at this point in the story, we already know where we are, and the repeated reminders felt like overkill.

Also, on top of the namedropping and the unnecessary labelling of things as “Portland”, Koi apparently can’t even think metaphorically in a way that isn’t Portland related. Instead of saying “I was so tired I felt like I had run a marathon” or something else more general or widely used, she said “I felt like I had swum the length of the Willamette” (which is a river that runs through Portland, though I don’t think the book ever mentions that) or “I felt like I had just run the Portland Hood to Coast marathon.” First of all, it isn’t even a marathon, it’s a 200 mile relay race from Mt. Hood to the Oregon coast, second of all, it isn’t the “Portland” Hood to Coast, it’s just Hood to Coast. I think the route might go through Portland, but again – 200 miles, Portland is just a stop along the way. Also, the only two TV shows that are mentioned in the book are Leverage and Grimm – both of which are filmed in, you guessed it, Portland.

So while to some extent I really enjoyed being able to completely picture where every place in the story was, at times I also felt a bit like rolling my eyes at the overkill of it sometimes. I’d be curious to see if it is as obvious to someone who does not know the city as well or if it was just me.

While this book had its ups and downs for me, overall I did like it and would likely read the sequel should one come out. If you are a fan of New Adult, mythology, or urban fantasy, I suggest you give it a go.


Disclosure: this post contains links to an affiliate program (Amazon), for which I receive a few cents if you make purchases.

Blog Tour: Beautifully Unnatural Collection

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Beautifully Unnatural Book Info:

Box Set Title: Beautifully Unnatural: A Young Adult Paranormal Boxed Set

Book Titles: Forbidden, Shaken, My Wolf’s Bane, Rise From Darkness

Author Names: Amy Miles, Susan Hatler, Veronica Blade, Ciara Knight

Publication Date: September 8^th, 2014

Format: Ebook

Genres: Young Adult Paranormal

Amy Miles

Forbidden Prologue

Romania, 1689

Roseline Dragomir peeks out from her hiding place behind the altar, searching for the man who led her wedding guests to slaughter. From the moment she had been presented to him, she saw evil in her suitor's eyes. His stance was firm, overbearing, and far too possessive for a casual introduction. His skin was frightfully pale, his smile leering, as if she were a meal to savor. She'd tried to warn her father against Vladimir Enescue's marriage proposal, but he was blinded by Vladimir's vast wealth, a castle, and a bloodline to rival any in Romania.     All her father got, in return, was a sword through his chest.     Roseline's gaze darts about the room, flitting high over the lifeless faces that stare at the ceiling. She dares not focus on any of them for fear of her nerve crumbling entirely.     Her fourteen-year-old sister, Adela, trembles in her arms. Tight straw-blonde curls quiver against her face; pink bows sit askew in her hair. Blood and soot smudge the freckles from her heart-shaped face. Roseline must remain strong for her.     Vladimir's older brother, Lucien, blocks their only exit. His maniacal gaze sweeps the aisles, searching for survivors.     The rectory at the front of the church was set ablaze during the massacre and acrid smoke now hangs thick in the air. It coils into Roseline's lungs, grating against her throat. Small wisps of smoke rise from the tips of her loosely curled bronze hair. She beats the embers against her white corset, wincing at the blood that clings to her narrow waist and trails down to bare feet. This blood came from her father.     There is nowhere to go and no one left to help them. She and Adela are the only ones left alive. Roseline's chest rises and falls rapidly, her pulse thumping in her ears as she fights back tears. Her parents are gone. Her beloved brother and friends too. Her new husband has murdered everyone she has ever cared for…except Adela. Roseline vows to do whatever it takes to save her sister.     The wailing cries of the dying faded away a few minutes ago, only to be replaced by an odd slurping noise. Vladimir's giddy laughter ricochets off the church walls as he celebrates with his brother.     Roseline cradles her sister, lifting desperate prayers for protection heavenward. Fear seeps into the marrow of her bones, rooting her in place. Where is Vladimir? Why has he not finished them off yet?     Wide baby-blue eyes stare up at Roseline. Adela's delicate fingers claw at her arms, pleading with Roseline to flee. To make the bad men disappear. Oh, how she wishes this was all just a terrible dream.

SHAKEN

By Susan Hatler

If someone told me twenty-four hours ago that I’d be reading a suspected kidnapper’s mind, I

would’ve told them to stop sniffing glue. But, here Blondie Cop and I were, entering some dinky

room at the police station where a super cute guy was seated in a foldout chair.

What was I so worried about? I mean, if this was the suspect, I couldn’t wait to hold his

hand—er, get the 411 from him. He had deep green eyes, short brown hair spiked up in front,

and looked to be about thirty. He was dressed in a suit and tie. Out of my league, but a girl can

dream, can’t she?

Blondie gestured to the hottie. “Kylie, this is Sam Williams. He’s the detective on the case.”

Ah, so he’s not doing time. Guess that would account for the lack of a striped jumpsuit.

The detective glanced at me, then his face grew hard. “You’ve got to be kidding me, Collins.

This is the psychic you told me about? Some kid?”

I sucked in an outraged breath. “Kid? I just turned sixteen, thank you.” If we were in grade

school, Julie would’ve totally punched him out for me.

“The kid’s a minor. Or did you miss that fact?” He gestured to me even though we’d just

established I wasn’t a kid. “We could get in serious trouble for this.”

“It’s all under the radar, Sam. Nobody will find out. Besides, she’s the daughter of my—of a

trusted friend. If he thinks she can do this, then she can.”

Blondie didn’t look too sure, if you ask me.

It was irritating, them talking about me like I wasn’t there and him doubting what I could do.

Why else would I be here? Certainly not for my health. I’d almost rather be in school. Almost.

“It might help you to know that I used my mental telepathy,” figured it sounded better than peek-

a-boo brain, “four times yesterday and it worked like a charm.”

“Gee, now I’m convinced,” he said, flatly.

Blondie gave him an impatient look. “We have nothing else to go on, Sam. What’s it hurt to

try?”

I turned to Blondie, confused. “Aren’t you the one calling the shots here?”

Blondie shook her head. “Sam’s the detective on this case. When your dad contacted me

about your special capabilities,” she cleared her throat, “he made me promise to stay with you

the entire time you were helping on the case.”

So, she was my babysitter. Great.

The detective stood up and shook his head, obviously still skeptical. “I can’t believe I let you

talk me into this.”

“It’ll be fine. I promise.” She drew in an audible breath. “I’ll sneak the suspect in now.”

Suspect? My mind jolted back to the here, now, and danger of the situation. Actually, an

armed babysitter didn’t sound like the worst idea.

My Wolf’s Bane

By Veronica Blade

Excerpt:

I tossed the makeup bag into my backpack, slung it over my shoulder and whipped open the door. Barreling out of the bathroom, I slammed into what felt like a walking boulder. I ricocheted off the human rock and my backpack hit the wall behind me, throwing me off balance and pitching me forward into the hard, linoleum tile.

My palms cushioned my fall, but I winced as pain spiked up my wrists. On all fours, I lifted my chin and peeked through my curtain of dark hair.

He wore a black tee that molded to his wide, muscular shoulders and jeans that fit over powerful legs. Wow. I’d thought my soon-to-be-ex-boyfriend was cute, but this guy…

“You okay?” the hottie asked in a sexy, gravelly voice, stretching a hand toward me. His hand wrapped around mine and effortlessly pulled me up, as if I weighed no more than my calculus book. Maybe it was the throbbing in my limbs or the warmth of his hands on my elbows. Or maybe it was his earthy scent invading my senses, but a wave of dizziness hit me and I tipped forward.

His hands shot to my hips to steady me. “Easy there.”

I stared into his deep, green eyes as my palms rested on his hard biceps for support. Lord, he smelled good, like the forest after rain.

My breath hitched. 

Rise From Darkness

by

Ciara Knight

Chapter One

Seagulls squawked above the endless blue sea and skimmed over the ocean, before landing on the empty beach. Gabby sighed and returned to her work. With her already stained finger, she smudged the gritty edge of the blue charcoal blob on her paper, mixing it with white in an attempt to create the crest of a wave. Nothing helped. It still looked more like a dark alley than a serene ocean. The picture lacked flare. She glanced down at her castoffs, fluttering in the sand around her feet. All the pictures did. Everything she’d created in the last year was flat, devoid of energy or life.     Dejected, she stared down the beach, searching, hoping he’d be there today. She’d only spotted him a few times. The image of his heavenly blue eye winking at her as he jogged by, his light hair framing an arched brow, made the twinge of loneliness disappear. He appeared around her age, sixteen, or maybe seventeen.     Funny, she’d never had much time for boys since they moved so often, but there was something different about him, a little ray of sunshine to brighten her dull day. But hope as she might, the beach remained empty, except for the seagulls.     Curling her toes in the coarse sand, she inhaled salty air. Heat pulsed along her skin and instinctively she rubbed the jagged edges of the circular scar above her knee, a constant reminder of the fatal car accident that had robbed her of her mother when she was only fifteen.     Her father once referred to the scar as her Mitsubishi branding—three diamonds joined at their points. Somehow, the car’s logo had branded her skin, yet to this day, she couldn’t figure out how. Everything had happened so fast, like a blur. But she remembered the pain, and the haunting smell of gasoline and burning rubber. While her injuries had healed, the loss tugging at her heart was still raw.     A tremor shot through. She closed her eyes as a dull burn coursed beneath her skin.     She wouldn’t allow the visions back into her head. She’d already been locked up for telling the doctors strange dark creatures caused their car accident, and she wasn’t going back to a psych ward.     Taking a deep breath, she tossed the charcoal stick into her art box and slammed it shut. Hearing the little green happy pills she stashed amongst her art supplies rattle in their bottle, she reached for the latch then shook her head and pulled away. They didn’t make the world a better place. They only suppressed the sadness, leaving her feeling hollow and empty. She was tired of avoidance. As sad and scary as it was, she had to start facing her past.

Author bios:

Amy Miles is the author of Forbidden, Reckoning, Redemption, Defiance Rising and Captivate. When she's not writing, Amy can be found traveling, cuddled up with a good book or beating her husband at Scrabble. 

Email: Amy@AmyMilesBooks.com Twitter: @AmyMilesBooks Facebook: Amy Miles, Author

 

SUSAN HATLER is a New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author, who writes humorous and emotional contemporary romance and young adult novels. Many of Susan's books have been translated into German, Spanish, and Italian. A natural optimist, she believes life is amazing, people are fascinating, and imagination is endless. She loves spending time with her characters and hopes you do, too.

You can reach Susan here:

Facebook: facebook.com/authorsusanhatler
Twitter: twitter.com/susanhatler
Website: susanhatler.com
Blog: susanhatler.com/category/susans-blog

Veronica Blade lives in Southern California with her husband and children. By day she runs the family business, but each night she slips away to spin her tales. She writes stories about young adults to relive her own childhood and to live vicariously through her characters. Except her heroes and heroines lead far more interesting lives — and they are always way hotter.

Author/Buy links:

Thrown to the Wolves buy link:  http://amzn.com/B00B6WUM9U

VeronicaBlade.com   

My Wolf's Bane book trailer

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Ciara Knight writes to 'Defy the Dark' with her young adult speculative fiction books. Her most recent Amazon best-seller, Escapement, book I of The Neuamrian Chronicles, released to acclaimed reviews securing a Night Owl Top Pick and five stars from InD'Tale Magazine.

When not writing, she enjoys reading all types of fiction. Some great literary influences in her life include Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, Francine Rivers and J K Rowling.

Her first love, besides her family, reading, and writing, is travel. She's backpacked through Europe, visited orphanages in China, and landed in a helicopter on a glacier in Alaska.

Ciara is extremely sociable and can be found at Facebook @ciaraknightwrites, Twitter @ciaratknight, Goodreads, Pinterest, and her website ciaraknight.com.