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Thursday, April 16, 2015

Book Tour & Giveaway: Wind Catcher by Jeff Altabef and Erynn Altabef!

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Title:   Wind Catcher
Author:  Jeff Altabef and Erynn Altabef
Published:  March 23rd, 2015
Publisher:  Evolved Publishing
Genre:  YA, Native American, Fantasy

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Juliet Wildfire Stone hears voices and sees visions, but she can’t make out what they mean. Her eccentric grandfather tells her stories about the Great Wind Spirit and Coyote, but he might as well be speaking another language. None of it makes any sense.
When she stumbles upon a series of murders she can’t help but worry her grandfather might be involved. To discover the truth, Juliet must choose between her new life at an elite private school and her Native American heritage. Once she uncovers an ancient secret society formed over two hundred years ago to keep her safe, she starts to wonder whether there’s some truth to those old stories her grandfather has been telling her.
All she wants is to be an average sixteen-year-old girl, but she has never been average—could never be average.
Betrayed by those she loves, she must decide whether to run or risk everything by fulfilling her destiny as the Chosen.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads


Everything about me is a lie.
My entire life is a leaning tower of lies that threatens to collapse at any moment and bury me so deep I may never climb out from under the rubble.
I slam the bathroom door and my hand trembles as the old-fashioned steel bolt slides into place.
Click.
The locked door offers no real safety. Locked doors can be broken, but it does give me a moment of privacy and a chance to breathe. So much has happened over the past few days. It’s like I’ve become a totally different person, someone unrecognizable.
The adrenaline that had been pumping through my veins has completely melted away now as I lean against the wooden door. My breath comes fast and ragged. My body feels heavy and weary and my legs weaken. Gravity pulls me down. Too tired to resist, I slide down the length of the door until the white marble floor rushes up to meet me.
I work hard to steady my breath and focus on taking in fresh air, expelling the old. It’s a simple process, yet it takes all of my concentration. When air starts to flow, my eyes close. Time slows and drifts by erratically.
Images flash through my mind—an eclectic group of memories: childhood birthdays, second place in a spelling bee, hanging out with Troy, rock climbing with Sicheii. Most are happy, but they’re all tainted now. The lies spoil them. They were never true. They were just part of a story, one that’s changed forever.
My weary mind reaches for sleep, but I resist. Too much time would be wasted. There’s too much for me to do. Too many loose ends need to be tied, so I open moist eyes and wipe away tears I don’t recall crying.
When my vision clears, crimson-streaked fingers flutter near my face as if directed by someone else. I thought blood looked like ketchup, but it’s darker and thicker than you would think. My hands spin in tight circles. Each finger is stained with thick, mud-colored smears.
Whose blood is on them?
A cold sweat coats my back and my chest tightens. This blood must be scrubbed away immediately. It starts to burn as if it’s alive, as if possessed by dark spirits, spirits that want to harm me. It freaks me out. I have got to wash them clean now, this second, immediately, before....
I turn the faucet and hot water tumbles over my skin. I frantically rub my fingers together and hope friction and water alone will make the blood disappear. The water in the sink turns red and then pink, but traces of blood stubbornly stay behind. A bar of soap rests on the edge of the porcelain sink. 
Lather squishes between my fingers—twisting and turning, scrubbing and rinsing. My skin turns raw from the rubbing, and when the water has lost all its warmth, I turn the faucet off.
Hard to find specks of blood cling to my flesh, but I still see them and feel them.
Will they ever wipe clean? I don’t think so.
A silent scream builds deep within me, which so desperately wants to be released it practically hurts, but no sound slips past my lips. I’m too tired to scream.
A square mirror hangs over the sink, but it’s an enemy. I don’t want to see who I’ve become, so my gaze stays fixed down toward the sink. Unfortunately, the blood-smeared faucet is shiny, stainless, and reflects back an image of myself anyway. I glare deep into my eyes, leaning close to the faucet to study them. They look familiar, but as I pierce them more deeply, a hollowness appears that has never been there before. It scares me.
People change. Sometimes they change over the course of a lifetime, and other times change happens swiftly because of a single momentous event. I’m not the same person I was just a few days ago. Too much has happened, too many lies revealed. Truths, solid and real, have crumbled away before me and left behind falsehoods, shadows, and a future as uncertain as a prisoner on death row waiting for a pardon.
The pendant Sicheii gave me flops out from underneath my shirt. It was supposed to protect me. I grip it until my knuckles turn white.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“Juliet, we’ve got to talk, Love. We need to come up with a story for the police.”
Just a few days ago, I was an average teenaged girl who looked forward to her sixteenth birthday, hoping for a little freedom and a chance to get a driver’s license.
Being average is a joke. I will never be average. I was never average....


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Jeff Altabef lives in New York with his wife, two daughters, and Charlie the dog. He spends time volunteering at the writing center in the local community college. After years of being accused of “telling stories,” he thought he would make it official. He writes in both the thriller and young adult genres. Fourteenth Colony, a political thriller from Tate Publishing, was his debut novel. Evolved Publishing released his second novel, the thriller Shatter Point, in 2014, and will release his young adult fantasy series Chosen, co-written with his daughter Erynn, starting in the spring of 2015.
Jeff has a column on The Examiner focused on writing, and a blog designed to encourage writing by those that like telling stories. You can find his blog, The Accidental Writers’ Workshop, on The Chappaqua-MountKisco Patch, via the link under the “Contact” tab above. You’ll also find under that tab ways to join with Jeff in various social media venues.
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Erynn Altabef is an avid reader, dancer, and community activist. When she’s not in High School, she loves Starbucks, performing in school musicals, baking, and watching movies with her friends.
Some of her favorite authors are Veronica Roth, Joelle Charbonneau, and her dad! (That would be Jeff Altabef.)








There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
Signed print copy of Wind Catcher & Bracelet
Giveaway is US only.



a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Friday, April 10, 2015

Book Blitz & Giveaway: Blood of Shadows by Marina Thorn!

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Title:   Blood of Shadows
Author:   Mariana Thorn
Published:  February 13th, 2015
Publisher:   Crushing Hearts and Black Butterfly Publishing
Genre:  Fantasy
Content Warning:  Mild Violence

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War is coming to the Three Kingdoms, Malna, Zockii and Tirllyn.
Attacks along the borders are growing more frequent. Innocent people are dying. Princess Malayna and the rest of the elite fighters known as the Shadows are tasked with investigating and relocating the people, and rumors of a traitor among the Shadows has Layna stretched to her limits.
When she is paired with Kester, a partner she never wanted, she finds herself learning to trust and survive in more ways than she even knew existed. With lives at stake, Malayna must find a way to catch the traitor, protect her people and guard her heart, because someone she loves may not live to see tomorrow…


Amazon | GoodReads


The morning had passed into early midday when Onyx's ear flickered and his stride faltered. It wasn't long before I heard what he was hearing. Hoof beats, coming fast and hard behind us. The first horse sounded like one of the light fast messenger horses. There were at least two other horses giving chase.
I signaled Onyx to move into the forest and pulled out my bow. I had an arrow notched by the time the messenger passed me. Hot on his heels were three brigand. I let the arrow fly and was surprised that it actually hit the lead rider in the throat. He fell in front of one of the other horses which didn't have time to miss him. The horse went down tripping over the body. The rider went flying, he would be easy to catch.
Now I just had to chase down the third rider. I pushed Onyx into a gallop, pulling my sword out at the same time. He glanced back and saw me, almost falling off his horse on his own. I would have laughed, but I was about to either take his life or capture him. Both options would not bode well for him. He pulled a sword. I could not risk getting injured or having my horse injured. He would have to die.
I rode up next to him, knocked his sword up leaving his side open. I thrust my sword up under his arm aiming for his heart. When I pulled it out blood spouted from the wound. He fell from the horse dead. I cringed a little when his foot got stuck in the stirrup. The horse took off dragging the body with him. That could be dealt with later. There was a cavalier outpost not far from here. They could clean up that mess.


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If you look in the local coffee shop or bookstore you might just find Mariana Thorn. She can usually be found with headphones in and deep into the worlds she has created. There is this thing about her pens, if you touch them you might receive a smack to the hand and the well-known glare of destruction. Besides writing, Mariana enjoys reading, photography, and playing with her dog. She lives in Western Washington, but loves to travel to Florida to sit on the beach to write. She is the author of Fantasy and Mystery stories. She currently has two titles in her Fur, Fangs, and Fairies series. There are three short stories available in her Skylar Wolfe Mysteries. There are many more books and series to come.


Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
  • An ebook set of the Skylar Wolfe Series (3 short ebooks)
  • An ebook of Seizing Darkness
  • 3 sets of bookmarks
Giveaway is International.

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Cover Reveal: Genesis Queen by Gracen Miller!

Do you remember this cover to Genesis Queen (Road to Hell #3)?


I own the rights to the print book, and it's been re-wrapped with a brand new cover to match the other two covers in the series.
Wanna know what the new cover looks like?


SCROLL DOWN...

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SCROLL FURTHER DOWN...
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HERE IS THE REVEAL...


     

THEN
Open for a terrifying and sexy ride on the Road to Hell...

NOW


Victory is hollow when fate maneuvers one as a pawn.
Madison’s mission is complete. Nis is rescued from Hell and her son safe from his dark destiny. But in the safe harbor of Nix’s love, her demonic husband warns of a murderous plot. Can she trust that it’s the truth and not another scheme to claim her for Hell’s throne?
Sometimes internal struggles can house our biggest demons.
With allies divided and prophecy heralding defeat, Madison gambles on Micah’s tenuous honor to keep their son protected. Torn between her heart’s desires and her dark requirements, Madison worries her hellish fate cannot be avoided. When betrayal comes from an unlikely direction, all their futures may be damned. In the darkest hour of Madison’s life, an undeniable providence will transpire. Who can she trust? And how far will she fall to defeat her foes? Amid the rubble of defeat will Hell’s Genesis Queen dawn?


   


“I like the way you move, kitten.”
She took a deep breath, like she needed the extra oxygen to deal with him. “Did you square away the angels in Hell?”
“Yes.” Details weren’t necessary when they both knew he’d instituted a brutal torture regimen for all of them. “Dance with me?”
“To this music?”
“You didn’t appear to be having any problem.” He held his hand out toward her.
She stared at his palm. Her expression was reminiscent of an individual confident selling their soul was a reckless choice but entering the deal anyway.
“I don’t bite.”
Her gaze felt like an impact against his. “You did in Hell.”
He wrangled the grin under control. “Then I won’t bite.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Micah.”
“Why?”
A casual shrug when nothing about her body language suggested she felt relaxed. She crossed her arms beneath her breasts. “Nix says my idea of dancing is sex with clothes on. He couldn’t tolerate it and if he couldn’t….” She trailed off and gaped at him as if she’d just realized she’d been about to insult him.
Micah grinned. “I haven’t lived as long as I have without executing restraint.” He stepped closer to her. “I’ve controlled myself with you more than any other.” Because she is my woman and deserves my respect.
Madison allowed him to pull her arms free of their defensive fold. Holding her gaze, Micah coaxed her into his embrace…left hip to left hip, his leg thrusting between her knees, gliding upward and parting her thighs.
She bit her bottom lip. Her breathing grew shallow. The heavy beat of the music thumped around them. His pulse throbbed faster.
Hell’s delights, she felt fantastic against him.
“Relax,” he said when she remained inflexible. A soft wind would break one of her bones. “I only want to dance with you.” Like when they’d been married, just a different manner of movement. This one more intimate than what they normally partook.
Her focus locked on his jaw, and she sharply inhaled when he slid his palm down her back and settled on her hips. He executed the first moves and she followed. As if magnetized, they gyrated in perfect synchronicity.
     


Gracen is a hopeless daydreamer masquerading as a “normal” person in southern society. When not writing, she’s a full-time basketball/lacrosse/guitar mom for her two sons and a devoted wife to her real-life hero-husband of over twenty years. She has an unusual relationship with her muse, Dom, but credits all her creative success to his brilliant mind. She’s addicted to writing, paranormal romance novels and movies, Alabama football, and coffee...addictions are not necessarily in order of priority. She’s convinced coffee is nectar from the gods and when blending coffee and writing together it generates the perfect creative merger. Many of her creative worlds are spawned from coffee highs and Dom’s aggressive demands. Gracen writes is multiple genres—paranormal romance, paranormal erotic romance, and contemporary romance. To learn more about Gracen or to leave her a comment, visit her website at www.gracen-miller.com.    

TWITTER: @GracenMiller
You must read the first 2 book in the series, Pandora's Box and Hell's Phoenix, before reading Genesis Queen, as the series builds upon itself.
     






Thursday, April 9, 2015

Cover reveal: Shattered Frost by Liz DeJesus!



Shattered Frost
Frost Series # 3
By- Liz DeJesus
Publication Date- August 15th, 2015

Bianca Frost and her BFF Ming Lee return to Everafter to attend the Winter Ball with their boyfriends, Terrance and Prince Ferdinand. They were looking forward to a short vacation, especially Bianca, who is being bullied at school. She is looking forward to the day when she can finally graduate from high school. But all is not cute hair and fancy shoes as a mysterious count sets his sights on Bianca at the ball. When Count Jonathan Bleu kidnaps Bianca and Ming, the pair must do everything in their power to escape his clutches. In this amazing adventure, Bianca and Ming find themselves traveling down a rabbit hole, where they have to survive the madness of Wonderland in order to make it back home to the men they love.
Bianca and Ming must travel to the Queen of Hearts’ labyrinth, find Bluebeard’s key and save Jack of Hearts before Bianca loses everything she holds dear.




Liz DeJesus was born on the tiny island of Puerto Rico.  She is a novelist and a poet. She has been writing for as long as she was capable of holding a pen. She is the author of the novel Nina (Blu Phi'er Publishing, October 2007), The Jackets (Arte Publico Press, March 2011) First Frost (Re-realeased through Indie Gypsy Summer 2015), Glass Frost (Re-released through Indie Gypsy Summer 2015), Shattered Frost (Indie Gypsy, Summer 2015) and Morgan (Indie Gypsy, July 2014). Her work has also appeared in Night Gypsy: Journey Into Darkness (Indie Gypsy, October 2012), Twice Upon a Time (Bearded Scribe Press, Winter 2015) and Someone Wicked (Smart Rhino Publications, Winter 2013).
Liz is currently working on a new novel and a comic book series titled Zombie Ever After (Emerald Star Comics, Fall 2014).

Social Media Links-


Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Cover Reveal: Every Last Breath by Jennifer L. Armentrout!

We are so excited to bring you the Cover Reveal for EVERY LAST BREATH, the hotly anticipated conclusion to the Dark Elements trilogy from #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout!! EVERY LAST BREATH is a Young Adult Paranormal being published by Harlequin Teen and is a part of Jennifer L. Armentrout’s The Dark Elements Series. It is being released on July 28th, 2015. Pre-order EVERY LAST BREATH and then be sure to read the first books in this amazing series before its release!

Every Last Breath - Cover
 Some loves will last 'til your dying breath Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust. Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction. Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…
“Armentrout is a major talent…I just can’t stop reading!” --New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter “Armentrout works her magic with swoon-worthy guys and a twist you never see coming.” --#1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines on White Hot Kiss

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** IndieBound ** Kobo ** BAM

And we have a surprise for you! The first books in the series have been given a new look too!!

Don't miss the previous titles in The Dark Elements Series-now with new covers! Readers interested in downloading the new cover jackets for their previously purchased Dark Elements Series titles, can download them HERE!
downloadhere

For best results when downloading the new cover jackets:

  • Print on 8.5x14" (Legal paper)
  • Use landscape or horizontal setting = 8.5" tall x 14" wide
  • Print at 100% scale or "actual size"
  • Print with the image centered on page
  • Fold and trim to fit
White Hot Kiss - New Cover
  One kiss could be the last. Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses. Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever. Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul. But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** BAM ** iBooks ** IndieBound ** Kobo ** Walmart

Stone Cold Touch - New Cover
Every touch has its price Layla Shaw is trying to pick up the pieces of her shattered life—no easy task for a seventeen-year-old who’s pretty sure things can’t get worse. Her impossibly gorgeous best friend, Zayne, is forever off-limits thanks to the mysterious powers of her soul-stealing kiss. The Warden clan that has always protected her is suddenly keeping dangerous secrets. And she can barely think about Roth, the wickedly hot demon prince who understood her in ways no one else could. But sometimes rock bottom is only the beginning. Because suddenly Layla’s powers begin to evolve, and she’s offered a tantalizing taste of what has always been forbidden. Then, when she least expects it, Roth returns, bringing news that could change her world forever. She’s finally getting what she always wanted, but with hell literally breaking loose and the body count adding up, the price may be higher than Layla is willing to pay… 
"Constantly entertaining...the narrative sizzles with as much tension as romance."Kirkus Reviews on White Hot Kiss

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** IndieBound ** Kobo ** BAM

And the Prequel Novella, BITTER SWEET LOVE...

Bitter Sweet Love - New Cover

In a sizzling prequel novella to her new series The Dark Elements, #1 New York Times bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout draws readers into the extraordinary, irresistible world of Wardens and demons. Dez wasn't just Jasmine's crush. A gargoyle Warden like Jas, he helped her come to terms with her destiny—fending off demons and maintaining the balance between good and evil. He was her everything…right until the moment he disappeared without a trace. It didn't help that Jas's father had just announced that she and Dez would one day be mated. Hard not to take that personally. And now he's back, three years older, ten times hotter, ready to pick up exactly where they left off. But Jas isn't taking that risk again. Dez has seven days to meet all her conditions and earn back her trust. Seven days filled with terrifying danger and sweet temptation. Seven days to win her heart—or shatter it all over again… 
"With her signature flare for combining humor, romance and action, Armentrout weaves a fast-paced read that will have readers' hearts racing in more ways than one. Like Armentrout's previous heroines, Jasmine is fun and full of attitude, while Dez is as snarky as he is sexy. This is a must read for new and old fans alike!" -RT Book Reviews  

Amazon ** Barnes and Noble ** iBooks ** BAM ** Kobo


Author Photo

  Jennifer L. Armentrout/J.Lynn Bio: # 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki. Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Jennifer L. Armentrout Goodreads | EVERY LAST BREATH Goodreads | STONE COLD TOUCH Goodreads | WHITE HOT KISS Goodreads | BITTER SWEET LOVE Goodreads