Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Taking a break!!
Hi everyone! I kinda over did myself when I started this blog so I am having to slow down for a while. Next year I am gonads be spending my time trying to catch up on my reviews. Hope you all have a Marry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Kasadya Hellhound Awakened
Kasadya Series
Book One
Karen Swart
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal
Audience:
YA/NA - 14 years and up
ISBN:
978-1311699121
Date
Published: 21 August 2012
Pages: 342 pages
Book Description:
In
a constant battle between good and evil, evil is dominating the battlefield and
leading mankind to its destruction. With our Creator's intervention, a creature
destined to conquer and destroy is created. He gives mankind hellhounds to
fight back and reclaim freedom.
Join
seventeen year old Kasadya Levourne as she fights against evil to protect us.
With each step, she faces destruction, and yet she has the talent to give it
back tenfold. Stubborn and hard-headed she makes her mark in the Fallen world
and starts a battle none can escape. Not even her trainer, the very attractive
Chax de Luca, was prepared for her presence.
Will
evil prevail? Or will Kas and her Fallen friends succeed in protecting us
against it? Hold on to your seats, this is going to be one hell of a ride.
Special
Note:
The
Kasadya Series should be read back to back,
books
1- 3 each end with a cliff hanger.
Excerpt Kasadya Hellhound Awakened
Prologue
There was a time when heaven was filled with peace and
serenity. God, Jesus Christ, and all the Angels lived in harmony; no evil and
no sin existed. Until one fateful day...
With all gathered to hear their Sire speak, God rose and
addressed his Angels. Before all, he proclaimed His Son, Jesus Christ, was
equal to Him. That Christ’s words should be obeyed as if they were His own.
Christ would command the heavens, with the same authority as Him. All the
Angels bowed down before Christ and accepted their Sire’s proclamation, all
except for one…
An Archangel was furious with this proclamation. He was his
Sire’s right hand, the deliverer of justice, the commander of many legions. He
had served his Sire for centuries, and never failed him. It should be to him
that God bestow power, not a Son whom had never even seen battle.
With his heart filled with hatred and jealousy, he gathered
all the angels in secret. He told them that their days of sweet liberty were at
an end. That God has now placed Christ as their ruler and that they should now
obey his wishes. Many angels were angered at such a false statement, but many
also agreed with the Archangel. He had led them for many years; why should they
now question his leadership?
The faithful Angels fled to God and told Him what was
happening, and together they prepared for war. With the sun rising on a new
day, God and his Angels stood ready for battle against the Archangel and his
followers. The battle only lasted a day, the Archangel and his followers
defeated before the sun set for the night.
Seeing the angels on their knees before Him, He gave them one
final chance… “Repent and declare your loyalty, and I will forgive you, my
children.” He told his beautiful angels, tears falling with each word. This was
His family. This was His love. How could they betray Him? Some of the Angels
cried their penance, begging Him to forgive them for their deceit. They claimed
that the Archangel deceived them, and they followed him into battle, as they
have done for centuries.
God took pity on them, but still believed that their deceit
must not go unpunished. He had spoken many times about the importance of
punishment, that lessons learned must be earned... “I herewith grant you mercy,
but as punishment you will be sentenced to an earthly realm. I will take your
beauty as payment for my children lost today. In the place of your beauty, I
will give you purpose. In mercy, and because I love you still, I give you life
in this realm. Let this be known, that I was merciful this day,” God finished.
He placed them in an earthly realm, and called it Exsilium.
In this realm they would carry their deceit, and earn their place with him. He
took their beauty and replaced them with elements of his earth. Half would be
of animal and element, and would resemble punishment. The other, in a humanoid
form, and would resemble mercy. He called them his Fallen.
The Archangel, and those whom did not repent, were not that
lucky. God looked into the eyes of His once faithful angels and only saw
destruction, hatred, jealousy, and heartache. He knew that His beloved ones had
died this day, and that others needed to be protected. But how could you
destroy one you loved? He placed the Archangel, and his followers, in another
earthly realm, but where Exsilium was above the earth, this one was in the
center. With one wave of His hand, their beautiful forms were replaced with
forms as ugly as their hatred and deceit. Using His word and blood, He sealed
this realm from any other.
As He looked into the many eyes of hatred, He spoke his final
word... “This realm will be called Hell, and you will be called demons. You, my
once faithful Archangel, you will be called the Devil. Your angel name will be
erased from the past, present, and future. You will be forgotten,” He
proclaimed and left them to their demise.
Many years have passed since that day. God created mankind
and cherished his new children. The male and female were his new hope; in them
he would find peace again. But the Devil had grown strong through the years,
and somehow managed to enter God’s garden. Here, he found the female God
created, using her to strike back. He whispered words of deceit in her ears,
and watched as God’s new children stepped into sin. With her first bite, a
crack appeared in the seal around Hell, and demons escaped to earth.
From that day onward, the Devil and his demons created chaos
amongst God’s new children, leading one after the other into sin. God looked
upon this and decided to fight for his loved ones. He went to Exsilium and
spoke to the Fallen... “You, my children, have proven your loyalty in the years
that have passed, and so I came to offer you another chance at Heaven. If you
slay the Devil and his demons to protect mankind, I will give you a place in my
Heaven once again. With your last breath on this earth, you will join me and
your brethren in Heaven,” He finished. The Fallen agreed and God gave them the
power to move in and out of Exsilium to battle the demons. The war between Good
and Evil began.
But as mankind spread over the earth, sin became their
followers. And with each sin, the demons grew stronger and created more demons
to torture mankind. The Fallen were now fighting against millions; they needed
assistance to ensure victory. God had watched the battle from Heaven and saw
that they were failing because of their numbers. He also saw that the demons
grew stronger than the Fallen. He intervened and created a new creature. This
creature would have features encompassing the best of both worlds. One half was
as strong and loyal as the Fallen, while the other was as hard and enduring as
a demon. This was His ultimate weapon. This would be His greatest creation. To
ensure that these creatures could not be swayed, He placed Heaven’s soul into
them. He called them His hellhounds.
The hellhounds delivered justice swiftly, as strong and just
as the Fallen. Yet hard and durable like the demons, they conquered the earthly
realm and the demons retreated. Not one hellhound could be swayed. All stayed
true to their calling. God, knowing that the Devil and many more demons had
retreated, gave His hellhounds life, and offered them a place among the Fallen.
Until this day they still watch over mankind, protecting them
from evil. Will we be worth it?
About Author
I am a complete
book addict, and really proud of it. My entire world is made of books. From
reading to writing to blogging to helping other authors. A day without my world
of books would be impossible. I am a mother of three, two boys and a little
princess. Happily married for 8 years with my high school sweetheart. I live in
South Africa, just on the rims of the Kalahari Desert in a small town with one
shop and friendly faces.
Media
Links
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Friday, October 24, 2014
The Fall: Blog Tour
THE FALL
By: Stephen Cost
Pages: 314
Genre: Thriller/Fiction/Mystery
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For
thousands of years, Death walked behind the dark veil of the living, waiting to
ferry the dead. That is, until the day that Death took a life for pleasure
rather than duty. On that day, the first Reaper fell to Earth. Now,
Reapers live among us, craving the taste of death, forcing them to kill to
satisfy their immortal hunger.
Giles
Reid fell more than 300 years ago starving for the taste of death, only to find
himself drowning in a sea of the living and blinded by a hunger that forces him
to kill. In the centuries since his fall he has tried to be more human,
desperate to live a life that makes up for what he is and the wrong he has
done. Driven by his guilt over killing, he has chosen to feed only on
evil; humans that have never been a threat to him but who are always a danger
to others. That is, until the day he tries to feed on a human as strong, fast
and cunning as himself; a human who, it turns out, has been hunting him. Now he
is being pursued by the very evil he has fed on for centuries, embroiled in a
deadly cat-and-mouse game, where friends and other Reapers connected to him are
simply pawns on a chessboard waiting to be sacrificed. Giles is left with a choice,
save the life of the women he loves, the daughter of his mentor, or betrays her
for his own survival.
To
save the woman he loves, Giles will have to be the monster he is.
About Author:
Stephen Cost was born in Wexford Ireland and raised in
a small seaside town not far from Dublin. From a young age he would spin
dark tales and write them down for his own amusement. At the age of 13 he
moved from his home in Ireland to America and his love of dark American cinema
took root.
He passes his free time, when not writing, by reading
horror and fantasy genre novels in addition to watching science fiction and
horror movies.
He graduated from University with a degree in
Psychology and a minor in Sociology. A computer engineer by trade, he
specializes in integrated system services and uses the knowledge gained from
his degree to write emotionally captivating urban fiction.
Character Interview with Giles:
1.
What is your favorite scene in the book?
Giles: That is really a tough question to answer because I do so enjoy my playtime.
Certainly my time at Stars was memorable, but killing the rapist, well, what
could be more fun on Tuesday night.
2.
What's your favorite word?
Giles: Coffee. Has there ever been a more beautiful word. I get the chills just
thinking about having a cup.
3.
Harry Potter or Twilight?
Giles: A much as the world needs more daylight disco balls walking around, I’m
going to have to go with Harry Potter.
4.
Truth or Dare?
Giles: Dare, please!
5.
Night owl or early bird?
Giles: I’m very much a night owl. I catch my best snacks at night.
6. Craziest thing you ever
ate?
Giles: Jack the Ripper. That guy was a raving loon. Everyone kept speculating
he was some serial killer mastermind, but in reality, he was just Polish whack
job. He was like a walking cartoon character with bulging eyes and a really
pronounced limp.
7.
Favorite smell?
Giles: There are two that come immediately to mind, death of course, but the
other, coffee. I love the smell of coffee. Flavored, unflavored, bitter, sweet,
it doesn’t matter.
Giveaway:
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Thursday, October 2, 2014
Blog Tour: Review: Violet Storm
Violet Storm by Anna Soliveres
(Modi #1)
Publication date: March 28th 2014
Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Several hundred years into the future, The Cleansing, known to some as the End of Days, forced the government to create Arks to shelter its people. When Earth became habitable again, new territories rose up from the ashes: Agria, the City of Light, and the Outer Boundaries. For a while, they lived in peace.
A brilliant surgeon known for his invention of Modi’s—the only cure for the deadly disease, vaincre—has gone rogue with his experiments, and the Monarchy is desperate to shut him down. That’s where Aeva Storm comes in, a champion athlete with an ego to match. Aeva is the surgeon’s secret weapon against the Monarchy. And they’ll never know what hit them. After reconstructing her body to become a Modi unlike any he’s ever created, Aeva is forced into a fight against all odds. She’ll have to break loyalties, hurt family, and turn her back on newly awakened love. Thousands of lives hang in the balance in a battle that will set forth a new era.
Join Aeva on her quest to see whether she’s got what it takes to go up against the most powerful humans ever created.
My Thoughts:
4 Stars
This book is action packed. The way the author describes the characters and there surrounding brings everything to life. The main character Aeva is so brave and strong. She is the epitome of a great female fighter.
My Thoughts:
4 Stars
This book is action packed. The way the author describes the characters and there surrounding brings everything to life. The main character Aeva is so brave and strong. She is the epitome of a great female fighter.
AUTHOR BIO:
Anna Soliveres has always been a storyteller but it wasn’t until her early twenties when she began writing novel length works. The result was an enthusiasm to get better at the craft until her work could be shared with the world. Releasing in March 2014, VIOLET STORM is her debut novel. Anna is currently working on another young adult sci-fi series, titled SNOW DOLLS, set to release in late 2014. To learn more, please visit her at www.annasoliveres.com.
Author links:
Giveaway:
Monday, September 29, 2014
Blog Tour : The Haunting of Secrets!!!
The
Haunting of Secrets
Secrets
Series
Book
One
Shelley
R. Pickens
Genre: YA paranormal
Publisher: Fire
and Ice
Date of Publication: July 24th,
2014
ISBN: 978-1-61235-929-8
ASIN: B00M2E3IVK
Number of pages:171 pages
Word Count: 60,643
Cover Artist: Caroline Andrus
Book Description:
Are some secrets worth dying for?
Sixteen-year-old Aimee doesn't
like to touch people. One touch and she sees their past. One graze over her
skin and she can see all the good and bad deeds a person has ever done. It
isn't until a bomb explodes during lunch that she realizes exactly how many
dirty secrets the students in her school harbor-or exactly how far one of them
would go to keep his secrets safe.
In the aftermath of that fateful
day of the bombing Aimee is brushed by a fellow student as they are caught in
the mob running for their lives. Images of tortured and murdered young girls
rise up to choke her. The problem is, Aimee doesn't know who touched her.
Somewhere in this school a fellow student is a killer, and Aimee is the only
one that can find him before he murders again.
With the help of her friends
Aimee must sift through her stolen memories to determine clues. The quest to
find a killer unravels the very fabric of her carefully woven life. He won't
stop until he silences her- for only she knows all his secrets.
She will have to summon all of
her inner strength to decide what she must do: hunt or be hunted.
Are some secrets worth dying for?
Book Trailer
Are some secrets worth dying for?
Book Trailer
Excerpt
Chapter Two
~ Everyone That Says School is Hell Isn’t Kidding ~
It’s a normal Wednesday in October when the
world around me is thrown into chaos. Homecoming posters litter the halls of
the school. Outside, leaves scatter and fly about the campus, blanketing
everything in a sheet of crispy brown. There is nothing unusual in the air.
Inside, students fill the halls, chatting with friends and making their way to
their classes. As usual, I am off by myself, sitting in the corner of a hall
studying for a chemistry exam, invisible to everyone else. Well, almost
everyone else.
“Can you please
explain to me why I need to learn what a mole is, when I know it has absolutely
nothing to do with my dream of becoming Zac Efron’s wife?” asked a tall, dark
haired, brown eyed girl from above me, her figure blocking the light.
Looking up at
her, I sigh. I want to feel annoyed by the intrusion, but I just don’t have it
in me to get mad at the only friend I have in my life; the friend who not only
knows my secret but, for some unfathomable reason, doesn’t seem to care. “Well,
Dejana, if you actually understood how a mole works, then you would be able to
see how the molecules interact to make Zac Efron so incredibly hot that it
renders him unattainable for the normal teenage girl. Conversely, that same
molecular reasoning would not allow good old Zac to give you the time of day.”
“Posh,” spit out
Dejana, ignoring every word I just said. “That is simply a piece of science I
am more than willing to overcome.”
I shake my head
at her, yet say nothing, since I truly do wish her dreams would come true for
her. Everyone should have a dream, no matter how unattainable it may be. Dreams
are what keep us moving forward; what gives us hope for the future, no matter
how silly or impractical those dreams may be. I envy Dejana. At least she has
dreams. I have never been able to afford that luxury. I spend way too much time
in the past.
Shaking off the
impending melancholy, I turn my blue eyes to Dejana and say, “Isn’t he dating
someone right now?”
Dejana’s silence
tells me everything I need to know.
“Well, if anyone
can turn him on, it would be you Dejana. And if you need help, I can take care
of Zac for ya, kidnap him even and keep him busy so that he doesn’t go
anywhere. I can tie him up, if that’s what it takes. I would do that for you,
my friend. It would be a hardship, but I’d do it. ”
“That’s my
girl,” says Dejana with a smile. “Now quit sulking and let’s go to math. If
we’re late, Mr. Herring will have our heads.” As usual, Dejana is right.
After enduring a
very long morning of math and chemistry, I am extremely grateful that it’s
finally time for lunch. After grabbing my lunch bag out of my locker, I make my
way down to the cafeteria. I’m late as usual, but I do this on purpose and for
a very good reason. Slowly, I make my way to the doubly long rectangular table
by the attendance office in the corner of the large common area. The cafeteria
is filled with the usual lunch crowd doing their usual things, which involves
more talking and texting rather than eating. No one had any inkling that their
lives were about to change. Or even worse, about to end. There were no signs of
impending doom, no masked man walking around with a detonator. It is just a
normal day with kids eating their lunch. And just like in the movies, it
happens in an instant.
One minute I am
quietly eating my pizza and breadsticks, when suddenly a loud roar fills my
ears and an invisible hand lifts me up out of my seat and flings me into the
air. It is disorienting, but not really scary at first. It feels like I am
floating, looking down upon the wreckage as if experiencing it second hand. I
am confused at first, thinking maybe this was some kind of joke; that some mean
kid had picked up my seat and hurled me across the cafeteria. They tended to do
that to me, since I never fight back; never dare to get within ten feet of
them. They think it is out of cowardice. I know better.
The whole world
around me is moving in slow motion. It isn’t until I am hit in the face with a
bloody hand wrenched completely off at the wrist that I realize the roar I had
heard was a bomb. I begin my descent to the hard floor; my body constantly
hitting pieces of table, metal mixed with plastic from chairs, and chunks of
things stained red that I don’t even want to know where they came from. I hit
the ground on my right side and the contact sends a painful jolt through my
shoulder that travels the length of my body. My gloved hands cover my face to
ward off the feet trampling all around me. The images of body parts flying
through the air and blood spattering on the walls and floor are seared into my
brain. In another life, it could have been art, a pretty mosaic depicting the
tragedies of life. My first instinct is to avoid, at all possible costs, the
touches of the hordes of people that come my way in a desperate attempt to flee
the carnage. I have no idea where I am in the cafeteria anymore. All I know is
that I have to get out, get away from all those people and from all of their
secrets.
About Author
Shelley Pickens is a Spanish
teacher by day and a novelist by night. She’s been in love with everything
paranormal since she can remember. After
years of teaching high school students, she decided to take her firsthand
knowledge of young adults and apply it to her passion for creative writing and
fantasy.
When not teaching or writing,
Shelley likes to spend time with her husband and two beautiful children in
Atlanta, Ga.
Her escape from reality is her
love of complex thriller and science fiction TV series like Supernatural and
Sleepy Hollow. In her spare time she is
an avid watcher of little league baseball.
THE HAUNTING OF SECRETS is her
debut novel.
Publisher: http://www.fireandiceya.com/
Website: www.shelleypickens.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/shelleypickens
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Review Tour: The Neumarian Chronicles: Escapement
Escapement
Book 1: The Neumarian Chronicles
By: Ciara Knight
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Synopsys
Ten years after the great war of 2185 the queen’s reign is threatened by uprisings and fear. In celebration of my sixteenth birthday it is my duty as princess to sacrifice a slave to be initiated into the ruling council, solidifying my mother’s empire. When my own erratic powers surface I’m captured and tried for treason. Slaves hate me, my mother wants me executed, and my only chance of survival rests in the hands of a young man, Ryder Arteres, whose sister I sentenced to death.
My Thoughts
5 Amazing Stars
All I can say is this book is amazing. The powers that the characters have are fascinating. The connection the main character has to Ryder is like nothing I can ever imagine. I absolutely can not wait to read the next book in this amazing series.
Purchase:
About Author
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.
Giveaway
Saturday, September 6, 2014
The Lilith Scroll : Review and Interview
Title: The Lilith
Scroll
Author: B.L.
Marsh
Genre: Urban
Fantasy / New Adult
Tour
Organizer: N K Author Services
What
if you discovered there was time before time began? What if everything you
thought was true, was not? What if there was a beginning before, “In the
beginning”? What if another story was unfolding within our time? A story
steeped in loss, love, betrayal, and secrets?
On
her twenty-third celebrated birthday, Lilith arrived in Scotland, following
clues she had secretly collected about her past. Little did she know that
her arrival at the Rosslyn Chapel would reignite one of the oldest wars of all time- The
Fall. Sides will be chosen, lives will be lost, and the secret kept all
this time by the Illuminati will be exposed.
Welcome
to Eden. The place where magic was born, trees are gateways to other realms,
and Angels aren’t what you think they are. Meet Lilith. A young woman with an
incredible story; one she isn’t supposed to know, much less tell. Meet Sam. A
man with an unknown past and powers that rival Lilith’s.
Go
back in time. Back to the garden. Experience the magic of creation, the
wonder of nature, and the betrayal that destroyed it all.
“Did you sense the pain from within the child?” Declan asked.
“It was greater than anything I have ever experienced. What was done to
her is unforgivable. Her strength in not giving into the Shade is unfathomable.
Normally, I would say the child has much to learn, but in this case, I fear we
have much to learn from her.” Alaric answered with reverence.
Turning toward the pool Declan responded, “Emzara will know what to do. I will
call for her as well.”
Looking into the water, he saw the fair-skinned child lying at Adela’s feet,
her long copper locks strewn across a perfectly round face. Declan, the great
black unicorn, whispered, “Happy birthday, little one. We will find out who or
what has awoken you. You will be safe. No harm shall befall you. This is my
solemn vow.”
“It is time dear friend.” A voice shook him from his thoughts.
The Dragon and Unicorn Knights cast spell after spell into the pool.
Runes in ancient languages long since forgotten began to glow on her skin
weaving a glowing web of magic around the sleeping girl. A faint orange light
caught the Unicorn Knight’s eye. Amongst the glowing runes on her body, a faint
symbol appeared on her wrist. Adela watched as the sleeping girl accepted the
magic from the knights -- and strengthened it.
“She bears the mark of the Great Sacrifice. The myths are true. I knew she
someone important when she came to the cave, but never in all these millennia
did I think she was the Taken.” The Knights looked at one another as the
reality of who the young girl’s identity became clear.
My Thoughts:
5 Stars
This has got to be one of the best love stories I have ever read. This story talks about the creation of these two powerful immortals. They now nothing about who they are they are all they know is that they are searching for each other. This book shows how powerful love and heartbreak is. The author has a way of bringing everything to life. I can not wait to get my hands on more of her works.
B. L. Marsh has been
writing and telling stories her entire life. She is a music teacher,
guest lecturer and runs Master Classes. Her academic research is focused
on the L’homme arme tradition, the Dead Sea Scrolls, chant transmission in the
Medieval and Renaissance, and Gnostic and Kabbalah history. Her passion
for spirituality, mythology and developing her relationship with God are parts
of her Rule of Life. In her reading of the Bible and other extra-biblical
texts however, she began to daydream about the characters, about how life was
back then, and how cool it would have been to walk in the Garden with
God. Her stories weave a new mythology revolving around Genesis.
When she is not
writing or teaching, she spends her days hanging out with five of the coolest
boys on the planet and at night can be found doing completely ridiculous things
like reading Joseph Campbell and Jane Austin and watching the same 3 movies on
TV.
Interview:
1. Tell us a little
about yourself. I am a musicologist/historian/theologian turned writer.
I teach and play the clarinet and piano and love telling stories.
2. What was the first book you wrote?
The first book I wrote was called Sasha’s
world. It is a children’s book that I wrote and illustrated. No one will ever
see that book.
3. Who or what motivates you to write?
I am motivated by the story, but
my kids push me to write and tell them stories about the worlds I have created.
4. Who are your top 3 go to authors?
CS Lewis, JRR Tolkein, and Jane Austen
5. What are you currently working on?
I am currently working on three projects
and bounce back and forth depending on my mood. I’m writing the second volume
of The Lilith Scroll, the spinoff series called The Sanctuary, and a romance
series called If You Seek Amy.
6. If you could write a book with any author in the world dead or a live, who
would they be, and why? Joseph Campbell. Because his Hero with a Thousand Faces
changed and solidified a way of thinking and writing. I would probably
pass out if we were to have met before he died.
7. Who is your favorite character out of your book Lilith Scroll, and why?
I
think it has to be Raz, but you haven’t met my favorite character yet. He’s
introduced in book 2 and he is a hot mess.
8. If your book were made into a movie, who would play Lilith?
Bryce Dallas Howard
hands down.
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