Tuesday, July 30, 2013

The Island Book Blast!



Book Info-
Title-The Island
By- Jen Minkman
Publication Date-June 1, 2013
*Novella* (80 pages)
Genre- YA Dystopian


Blurb-
‘I walk toward the sea. The endless surface of the water extends to the horizon, whichever way I look.


Our world is small. We are on our own, and we only have ourselves to depend on. We rely on the Force deep within us, as taught to us by our forefathers.


If I were to walk westward from here, I would come across a barrier – the Wall.
Behind it, there are Fools. At least, that’s what everyone says.
I have never seen one.’


Leia lives on the Island, a world in which children leave their parents to take care of themselves when they are ten years old. Across this Island runs a wall that no one has ever crossed. The Fools living behind it are not amenable to reason – they believe in illusions. That’s what The Book says, the only thing left to the Eastern Islanders by their ancestors.
But when a strange man washes ashore and Leia meets a Fool face to face, her life will never be the same. Is what she and her friends believe about the Island really true?

Or is everyone in their world, in fact, a Fool?

Monday, July 29, 2013

Surrender by Rhiannon Paille Book Blast!


Title: Surrender
Series: The Ferryman + The Flame #1
By: Rhiannon Paille
Published: October 2nd, 2012 by Createspace
Genre-New Adult Fantasy/Romance


How far would you go to save everything you ever loved?


Kaliel was warned about her love for the Ferryman. One day he will marry the land and leave Avristar forever. She doesn't listen, and because of what she is-- a Flame-- one of nine apocalyptic weapons, she sparks a war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her love, Kaliel tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.


Links-
Smashwords- http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/311741


Saturday, July 27, 2013

Sand, Sun & Seduction Blog Tour! With Giveaway!


 Mrs. Potter’s Book Publicity Services Presents:
“Sand, Sun & Seduction” Blog Tour
for
NOBODY HAS TO KNOW
By: Frank Nappi


Book Description:

Nobody Has To Know, Frank Nappi's dark and daring new thriller, tells the story of Cameron Baldridge, a popular high school teacher whose relationship with one of his students leads him down an unfortunate and self-destructive path. Stalked through text-messages, Baldridge fights for his life against a terrifying extortion plot and the forces that threaten to expose him. NHTK is a sobering look into a world of secrets, lies, and shocking revelations, and will leave the reader wondering many things, including whether or not you can ever really know the person you love.



"A haunting, briskly-paced page turner that explores the darkest recesses of the human psyche while propelling the reader through an intricate series of hair-raising twists and turns. Nobody Has to Know is a masterfully written tale that is expertly told. Frank Nappi knows how to entertain the reader from start to finish."
-- #1 New York Times Bestselling Author Nelson DeMille

Book Trailer:


About the Author:
Frank Nappi has taught high school English and Creative Writing for over twenty years. His debut novel, Echoes From The Infantry, received national attention, including MWSA's silver medal for outstanding fiction. His follow-up novel, The Legend of Mickey Tussler, garnered rave reviews as well, including a movie adaptation of the touching story "A Mile in His Shoes" starring Dean Cain and Luke Schroder. Frank continues to produce quality work, including Sophomore Campaign, the intriguing sequel to the much heralded original story and the just released thriller, NOBODY HAS TO KNOW, which received an endorsement from #1 New York Times bestselling author Nelson DeMille. Frank is presently at work on a third installment of his Mickey Tussler series and his next thriller. He lives on Long Island with his wife Julia and their two sons, Nicholas and Anthony.



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Friday, July 26, 2013

Armored Hearts Blog Tour!!


DELUXE Blog Tour
July 1, 2013 – July 31, 2013
For
Armored Hearts
By: Melissa Turner Lee & Pauline Creeden

Cover art by Marcy Rachel Designs
Model Photographer: WinterWolf Studios


Book Description
When a crippled young lord rescues a girl falling from a tree, it reveals a secret about himself and his mother's side of the family that could put him at the center of a war with beings he thought only existed in fairy tales.
Tristan Gareth Smyth lived his entire life stuck at home at Waverly Park and left behind while his Grandfather makes trips to London, all because of his blasted wheelchair.
Then an American heiress falls in his lap, literally, and he must find a way to keep her at a distance to protect not only his secret, but everyone around him from an assassin sent to kill him.

*This is an exciting collaboration between a Steampunk writer and a Paranormal Romance author. Together we are blending the two cultures as seamlessly as possible so that fans of both genre will love what we’ve come up with.*

Review:
I have read only one other steampunk book before now, and I absolutely loved it! So when I was asked to review this one, I jumped at the chance. It sounded like something that I would enjoy!
I mean, seriously, the mix of faeries and steampunk?!? Yeah, odd mixture, but WOW! These authors deserve a pat on the back for this one! They were able to mix two worlds in a way that I’ve never seen done before!
While there were elements of steampunk, I think the focus was more on the fae, which keeps the reader from being overwhelmed with a genre that they might not have read before.
There were twists and turns galore. I’ve read a lot of books that have tried to capture the true essence of a plot twist, but have fallen flat. Not this one. It works! It REALLY works!
I think my only gripe would be that it was too short! LOL I wanted more, but I guess I’ll have to wait and *stalk* the authors to see what’s next!
Seriously, give it a shot. Even if you have never even heard of Steampunk, pick this one up. You might be surprised!

So, grab a copy, settle in, ‘cause you’re in for a ride! Oh…and if you find out about a second book…let me know, k? 
Authors:
Melissa Turner Lee holds a BA in Communications with a concentration in Journalism from the University of South Carolina. She has studied fiction writing since 2008, attending various writing conferences and workshops, along with guidance from professional writing coaches. She resides in Spartanburg, SC with her husband and 3 sons.




Pauline Creeden is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy. In her fiction, she creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.





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Saturday, July 20, 2013

M.A. George's Vitality Book Blast Blog Tour


Vitality
Series-Proximity Book # 3
By-M.A. George
Publication Date-July 16th, 2013


Palta learned long ago not to expect a “normal” life.  She’d settle for one free of close encounters with supernaturally-gifted homicidal maniacs.


Apparently that’s too much to ask.


Join your favorite Onontian royal family, as they settle into life at the palace...only don’t get too comfortable, because things are about to take a hair-raising turn.


Vitality is the gripping third installment in the Proximity series.




Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Cover Reveal of Skeleton & Dust by Rhiannon Paille


Skeleton & Dust
Series: The Ferryman + The Flame #3.5
By: Rhiannon Paille
Expected Publication: October 1st, 2013

In the First Era, before Kaliel and Krishani fell in love, Tor runs. He escapes the Land of Kings and the tyrannical Valtanyana. In the depths of Tempia he forges weapons-- The Flames-- strong enough to oppose the Kings he betrayed.

Aria, The Amethyst Flame, cannot touch the living or the dead and her kin are silent ghosts. Hidden in a cairn deep in the haunted forest, Aria becomes obsessed with the Ferryman, the only boy who can feel her touch.

Before Aria knows it, The Flames, The Ferryman and Tor are swept up in the first war against the Valtanyana.

Monday, July 15, 2013

Devoted, by Katherine Polillo Blog Tour!


*Devoted Blog Tour*
Blurb:
Can love conqueror all?
Michelle has managed to survive high school against all odds, but now she finds herself floating adrift in “the real world”. With two horsemen defeated, there are still two unaccounted for, and surely they are plotting her immediate demise. Michelle leaves her small New Jersey town behind to venture off west. Barely able to comprehend her role as humanity’s savior, she now has to grapple with some new roles and identities. With her Watcher, Gabriel, by her side she must again face the evils of Hell and attempt to keep her family safe. Will love conquer all or will till death do us part come too soon?

Review can be found on Goodreads
Top Ten List: 
My Top Ten Favorite Hotties
Why? Because I believe in equal rights for men and women, so I must do my part by objectifying men for their bodies and looks and completely ignoring their minds.  You’re welcome society. 
  
Hottie #10

Robert Downy Jr.

Never has a man made being a member of the “Brat Pack” and hitting rock bottom look so good.  We all wrote you off RDJ, sad but true, thanks for proving us wrong. 

 Hottie # 9

Clay Mathews

I’m a sucker for an athlete and look at that hair!  I said hair… look up… ladies away from the abs! Although they don’t hurt either. 

 Hottie # 8

Travis Fimmel

I mean we’ve all seen Vikings, excellent casting History Channel, well played.  Not to mention in his younger years he’s a dead ringer for Abbi Glines character Preston from Just for Now.

 Hottie #7



Jensen Ackles

Son of a Bitch!
 (I know you read that with Dean inflection.)
The car, the attitude, the sense of humor, those amazing green eyes, and a mutual love of pie, perhaps he should be higher on the list.

 Hottie #6

Ian Somerhalder

Confession time, I’ve never watched an episode of The Vampire Diaries, but I can still appreciate beauty when I see it.  Those eyes seem to stare directly into my soul and read my inner most thoughts and secrets… Why yes Ian I did shop lift that lipstick when I was 12.  Yes I still feel bad about it.  Kiss me and tell me you understand.

 Hottie #5

Kit Harrington or Jon Snow

Bastard, turn coat, liar, and under estimator of a woman’s wrath, but who doesn’t want to tangle their hands into that amazing hair? 
You know nothing Jon Snow, except how to rock a mop top. 

 Hottie #4

Jared Padelecki

I mean you knew this was coming.  You can’t have Dean without Sam, and let’s be honest we all like Dean because he’s damaged with Daddy issues we want to fix, but we love Sam.  Sam is the brains and the brawn and the check bones all wrapped up into one.  Yes ladies he has check bones, if you can make it past his abs. 

 Hottie #3

Henry Cavill- Superman

If you haven’t seen the scene where he exists the water get with the program!  You must see Man of Steel, yes the final battle sequence is a little much, but seriously ladies you get to stare at Henry here for 143 minutes.  Oh and he can actually act too!

 Hottie #2

Richard Madden- Robb Stark

Because HBO not only didn’t spare us a moment of The Red Wedding, but they had to cast this looker as The Young Wolf.  His eyes are obviously the ice that told us Winter was Coming, and Destine fans he would make a great Gabriel too. 

 Hottie # 1

Joe Manganiello- Alcide Herveaux

Again, well played HBO.  It’s obvious at this point none of us are watching True Blood for the plot, get it together writers, so at least we’ve got this eye candy to pass the time.  This werewolf’s body leaves us growling and occasionally purring like a confused shifter.  The gray in his beard only makes him sexier and that smile literally makes my knees weak.  Sure he showed us that he couldn’t dance in Magic Mike, but if he wants to dress up like a firefighter and take off his clothes who am I to kill dreams.  


Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Cover Reveal: Trust Me by Kristin Mayer


Mrs. Potter’s Book Publicity Services Presents a Cover Reveal:
Trust Me
By: Kristin Mayer


Book Description:
After the loss of her parents, Allison Scott spent the past year of her life being emotionally disconnected, and afraid of the loss that comes from loving someone.
Allison is finally ready to find the person she used to be when she embarks on her getaway vacation to Miami. In Miami, she meets Damien Wales—a man who will stop at nothing to make Allison his—in every way possible.
Being heavily pursued by Damien, forces Allison to decide whether or not to open herself up again. Her attraction to him is undeniable, and she finds herself being brought back to life by the mere presence of him. But does she truly know enough about Damien to let herself be open for that kind of pain again?
Damien's tragic past has left him a cold and distant person. However, the moment he sees Allison, he's inexplicably drawn to her. She brings out a side in him that he thought was lost forever.
Damien’s dark past starts to collide with the present in a way he never thought possible. He's now forced to do everything he can to keep Allison in his life as she learns about his past.
Will both Damien and Allison be able to put aside their pasts and learn to trust each other?
*Contemporary Romance Book to be released: FALL 2013*



Add “Trust Me” to your Goodreads TBR list: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18074919-trust-me


Author Bio:
Kristin Mayer is a wife, a proud mother, and a full-time Analyst and Import Manager. Since an early age, she has always enjoyed reading and writing. While visiting her father one weekend, he suggested that she should take up writing again. With family and a career, she didn’t give it a lot of thought, until a story entered her mind and wouldn’t leave. It just kept forming and developing over a couple of months.
             At the beginning of 2013, she decided to sit down and write it all down, but she kept it to herself. One sentence developed into two, and before she knew it, she had the makings of a novel.
             Kristin tries to live life to the fullest during every moment. She loves to travel and meet new people. She holds a degree in International Business and uses it daily in her job. Kristin now adds “author” on her list of jobs, and feels very blessed and thankful.
Author Links:

Monday, July 8, 2013

Knotted Roots Blog Tour: Review and Guest Post


Today R&M is a part of the Knotted Roots blog tour!  Ruthi has so graciously shared some of the things that she has learned since embarking on her writing career, and balance is the topic for today!  Before we get to her guest post, I am both proud and pleased to announce that the newest addition to the Knotted Roots series is now live on Amazon!  Hidden Falls, a novella, is a story that readers of the first novel begged for.  This is Katy and Brian's story, and if you want to know what's going on when the second full length novel releases later this year, you need to read the novella, or else you could very well find yourself lost and confused as to the events that have transpired from one novel to the next.  But, I digress!  Please check out Knotted Roots and Hidden Falls in the links section at the end of this post!  And I hope you take Ruthi's advice to heart!


Balancing Life: PUH-Lease!

Throughout life, people will tell you that anything is possible. All you have to do is go for it!
*Cue inspirational music*
What they don’t tell you is that with each dream you chase, you end up leaving others behind. It’s not intentional. And it’s never malicious. It’s just a fact of life: you will outgrow things/people/places in your life.
“But where do I find the time to chase these dreams?”
Funny you should ask! ‘Cause the answer will usually be You have to find a balance in your life and make it happen.
Easier said than done.
I’m a believer in following your dreams and making things happen that you never thought would. I chased my biggest dream this year and so far, it has been a wild ride! Scary as hell, but wild!
When I wrote Knotted Roots, I was mentally locked away from everything for that entire month. I LIVED that book. With that determination, I was able to get it done. But at what cost?
I spent less time with my family. I spent less time doing the other things that I enjoy, like reading. I lost track of myself in the world of Perry Point.
While I don’t exactly regret focusing on the book, I do regret the extent to which I did. I didn’t find the balance.
The balance is key. Sure, it now takes me a little bit longer than a month to write a book (come on, that’s still pretty dang good) but now I get to enjoy my days even more.
No one is ignored. The house stays clean...ish. And my family isn’t afraid of the crazy woman on the couch whose eyes are glazed over and blood shot.
...Well...they may still see that regardless.
What’s the point in all of this, you ask?
It’s to remind everyone, writers, readers, bloggers, etc., that sometimes we need to live outside the computer & book world. And that’s okay!
A lot of us get so caught up in the relationships we have online, that we forget the ones right in front of our faces.
Or sometimes...and heaven forbid...we fall off the web altogether. (Been there, done that...it was a nice break, but still...no balance)
So find your balance. Find that happy zone that allows you to enjoy every aspect of your existence. And make the most out of each day.
‘Cause before you know it, the day is over, the kids are in bed, and you’re left wondering where the time went.
Don’t wonder. Live!

Thank you for reading my guest post! It’s my first one...EVER! I hope I didn’t ramble too much...I have a tendency to do that...especially when...oh look! Squirrel!




Book Blurb:
Partying with friends and scoring a
flawless tan is about all Roxie has on her list of things to make her Hampton's summer perfect.
Her parents, however, have other plans and
Grandma Betty's farm is just one of them.
Just as her life is in shambles and the
quaint town is suffocating her, she meets Chase.
Somewhere in the mix of bummer summer and
small town doldrums, he becomes the boy she can't seem to avoid falling for. Just adding him to the picture, her stay starts to get better, even if she knows it has to end with the summer holidays. 
 That is until Betty drops a life-shattering bomb.
 Roxie must make a choice that will change her life forever. What happens when a spoiled brat from New York learns the true meaning of love, loss, and forgiveness?
Can Chase and Roxie find a way to be
together or is this just another summer romance?


Review:

Well, I finally get to review my friend’s book, and let me tell you it is a fantastic debut, even in my slightly biased opinion.  I was impressed by the way that she nailed teenage angst, something that we all experience to some degree from today’s youth.  Roxie truly is the epitome of a spoiled, rotten brat, and it shows in everything that she says and does.  The only thing that seems to concern her is how her parents are screwing up her perfect summer, not the fact that there are major changes coming in all of their lives.  

 I enjoyed reading about her changing though, through the help of some of the other characters.  The supporting characters in the novel help illustrate the transition that Roxie goes through.  Grandma Betty conjured to mind a strong southern woman, what I would term to be a Steel Magnolia.  Despite everything that has occurred in her life, she continues to move forward, never letting pain show until she is alone.  She reminded me of my own grandmother, a woman that I admire and look up to, someone who has taught me the finer points of being a lady, and a southern lady at that.
  
 Katy is a lovely girl that seems to have more depth to her than I originally anticipated in the beginning.  At first she seemed to be nothing more than the southern equivalent of one of Roxie's New York friends, but as the story continues I found the hidden depths of love and friendship that make the character of Katy heartwarming.  And while Katy does come across as a very sweet character, she too embodies the southern lady core of steel, as when it comes time to get Roxie’s attention, she does so in characteristic southern fashion, not mincing words, but telling it exactly how it is.


And, saving the best for last, I loved Chase.  He is not a perfect pretty boy, which I found to be more endearing and true to life.  He has his imperfections and carries his fair share of scars and flaws.  The perfect man has been done to death, and to find a male lead character with insecurities and a palpable pain, well, I found it quite refreshing.  So, even as he helps Roxie to change, she helps him to heal and change as well.  The two are a fantastic couple, with enough similarities to give them something in common, but with enough differences to keep the relationship fresh and interesting.

On the whole, for a debut novel, this was a really good one.  I am honestly anxious to see what Ruthi  will do next, as her story is a wonderful one, and I would love to know more about the characters, including where they ultimately end up.  My only complaint is that if there is going to be a follow up to this novel, could you please hurry it on up!!!!  I hope that you give Knotted Roots a try and enjoy a coming of age novel and young adult romance that has more substance than most novels written for this particular age group!  Props on a job well done Ruthi!  I am super proud of you and can’t wait to see what you do next!  Happy Reading everyone!



Links for Book:

About the Author:

If you had asked 6 year old Ruthi what she wanted to be when she grew up, she would have told you a Rock Star. Those dreams faded to the background when she found out who the true Rock Stars are: Authors. 
She has always had a fascination with books, losing herself completely in numerous books, enjoying the worlds she found that were so unlike her own. They were her escape, and eventually became her passion.
Her family has been putting up with her and her incoherent ramblings while she worked on her debut novel, Knotted Roots. Her five year old and Fiance have suffered through many “fend for yourself” nights, but somehow still manage to love her anyway.
She is now attending the Southern New Hampshire University, working on her Bachelor’s in Creative Writing/Fiction so that she can create her own worlds for others to fall in love with.
Okay, now that I’m done talking in the third person, let me just say that I love connecting with people via Facebook, Goodreads, my blog, etc. If you would like to chat, you can usually find me online at any given time. I also want to say thank you to each and every person who reads my book. It was a labor of love and I truly hope that you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

Stalker Links:



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