July 31, 2012

Summer Giveaway Hop!

 

Welcome to the Summer Giveaway Hop! This hop is being hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and Bookhounds. It will run from August 1st to August 7th. There are tons of other blogs participating, so make sure you check out the linky at the end of my post!

Now, for my stop on the hop, I will be giving away one (1) paperback ARC of Miss Me When I'm Gone by Emily Arsenault to one (1) lucky winner!



Summary:
 
MISS ME WHEN I'M GONE is the story of the sudden death of Eliza, the author of Tammyland, a "honky-tonk" Eat, Pray, Love, and Jamie, the friend who finds in Eliza's next, unpublished manuscript a mystery that could lead to a killer.

A William Morrow Paperback Original
 

A brand new mystery from the author of the critically acclaimed Broken Teaglass and In Search of the Rose Notes

Gretchen Waters is most famous for her book Tammyland-a "honky-tonk Eat, Pray, Love," a memoir about her divorce and her admiration for Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton. When Gretchen dies falling on a set of stone steps outside of a library, everyone thinks it was an accident or a botched mugging. Jamie, Gretchen's best friend from college, certainly has no reason to suspect foul play. That is, until she becomes Gretchen's literary executor. Gretchen's latest manuscript is much darker than Tammyland-ostensibly about her favorite classic male country singers, it's really about a murder in her family that haunted her childhood. From beyond the grave, Gretchen's writing opens up a sinister new world, and suddenly, Gretchen's death seems suspicious-and then Jamie finds herself in danger as well...
  

Rules:
1. Must be from the US/CAN only.
2. Must be a follower of my blog. All other entries are optional.
3. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to my email or I will select a different winner.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal: Options by Abbli Glines

 

Options
Author: Abbi Glines
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Expected Release Date: February 5, 2013

Description:

Two paths.
Two completely different roads.
Each one standing before me.
Each one holding a different destiny.
 
In life you're just supposed to choose one path.  
In life you're not given the chance at choosing one specific future.
 
Until now.
Until me. 
 
Why am I different? I don't know. But I'm going to see those roads and walk down each one. When it's over I'll know which one to choose because I'll know my - options.
Options is the first book in a new trilogy!
Links:
  
Cover design by Stephanie Mooney from Mooney Designs.


What do you think of the cover? Leave a comment! 

Cover Reveal: Rua by Miranda Kavi

 

Rua
Author: Miranda Kavi
Genre: YA Paranormal
Expected Release Date: September 3, 2012






Description:

A girl with an unknown destiny.

A boy from a hidden world.

When Celeste starts at a new school in a small, Kansas town, she hears whispering voices, has vivid nightmares, and swarms of blackbirds follow her every move. She is oddly drawn to aloof Rylan, the other new student who has his own secrets.

The exact moment she turns seventeen, she wakes to a bedroom full of strange creatures, purple light emanating from her hands, and Rylan breaking in through her bedroom window.

He knows what she is . . .

Intriguing and deeply romantic, RUA is page-turning YA novel with a supernatural twist.
 


About the Author:
Miranda Kavi is a YA and Urban Fantasy author. She has worked as an attorney, an executive recruiter, and an assistant in a biological anthropology lab. She loves scary movies, museums, and is hopelessly addicted to chocolate. She lives in the Houston area with her husband and daughter.



Author Links:




What do you think about the cover? Leave a comment!

Darklands Release Day Blitz!


DARKLANDS
Author: Nancy Holzner
Series: Deadtown Series Book #4
Genre: Urban fantasy
Publisher: Ace 
Release Date: July 31, 2012

Buy Links:        Amazon               B&N              Powells               Book Depository 

Blurb:

They call it Deadtown: the city’s quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its border—but Victory Vaughn, Boston’s only professional demon slayer, isn’t exactly human… Boston’s demons have been disappearing, and Vicky’s clients are canceling left and right. While fewer demons might seem like a good thing, Vicky suspects foul play. A missing Celtic cauldron from Harvard’s Peabody museum leads her to an unwelcome conclusion: Pryce, her demi-demon cousin and bitter enemy, is trying to regain his full powers. But Pryce isn’t alone. He’s conjured another, darker villain from Vicky’s past. To stop them from destroying everything she loves, she’ll have to face her own worst fear—in the realm of the dead itself. 





BLOODSTONE
Author: Nancy Holzner
Series: Deadtown Series Book #3
Publisher: Ace
Release date: September 27, 2011


Blurb:

Boston’s diverse South End is known for its architecture and great restaurants, not its body count. So when mutilated human corpses begin turning up in the area, the entire city takes notice. The killer—dubbed the South End Reaper—uses a curved blade for his grisly work. And even though there’s no real evidence pointing to a paranormal culprit, the deaths are straining the already-tense relations between Boston’s human and inhuman residents.
As the bodies pile up, Vicky, her formidable aunt Mab, and her werewolf boyfriend Kane investigate, only to find that the creature behind the carnage is after something much more than blood… 




HELLFORGED
Author: Nancy Holzner
Series: Deadtown Series Book #2
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: December 28, 2010


Blurb:

After Vicky banished her demon nemesis to the fiery depths of Hell, she thought life would return to normal. But considering she has a werewolf lawyer boyfriend, a zombie apprentice who’s angling to become a pop star, and an eccentric vampire roommate, what is normal, anyway?

Then the supposedly banished Hellion starts to trespass in Vicky’s dreams—just as several of Deadtown’s zombies are viciously attacked and become really dead. When Vicky realizes she’s the only connection between the victims, she suspects that the demon is somehow working through her dreams to become Deadtown’s living nightmare.
What she doesn’t know is that her old enemy brings with it a force more terrifying—and deadly—than anything she’s battled before. 


Reviews: 

Gripping the reader from its highly entertaining opening scene, the terrific Hellforged, the second installment in the Deadtown series, maintains that hold until the very end.

“For demon-slayer Victory Vaughn, intensity and intrigue are revved way up as she is faced with a possible trap of destiny. The thrills are nonstop in Holzner’s latest Deadtown novel as the action races from continent to continent and into the reaches of hell itself. Even better than the first book, this series is becoming highly addictive!” 
~RT Book Reviews, 4.5 stars




DEADTOWN
Series: Deadtown Series Book #1
Author: Nancy Holzner
Publisher: Ace
Release Date: December 29, 2009


Blurb:

They call it Deadtown: the city’s quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its borders — but Victory Vaughn, Boston’s only professional demon slayer, isn’t exactly human…

Vicky’s demanding job keeping the city safe from all manner of monsters is one reason her relationship with workaholic lawyer (and werewolf) Alexander Kane is in constant limbo. Throw in a foolhardy zombie apprentice, a mysterious demon-plagued client, and a suspicious research facility that’s taken an unwelcome interest in her family, and Vicky’s love life has as much of a pulse as Deadtown’s citizens.

But now Vicky’s got bigger things to worry about. The Hellion who murdered her father ten years ago has somehow broken through Boston’s magical protections. The Hellion is a ruthless force of destruction with a personal grudge against Vicky, and she’s the only one who can stop the demon before it destroys the city and everyone in it. 

Reviews:
“Ms. Holzner truly delivers with this incredibly solid debut UF novel. Deadtown is told with an authoritative voice starring a great new heroine, and puts an imaginative spin on the usual paranormal suspects; the plotting and worldbuilding are compelling and undeniably fresh. “In short – I absolutely loved Deadtown.” 
 ~Reviewed by Thea at The Book Smugglers 

Part demon-busting tale, part political thriller, Holzner's take on urban fantasy is exciting and fresh. Here's to the future adventures of Vicky Vaughn! 

Deadtown is a welcome addition to the urban fantasy landscape. Nancy imbues an emotional aspect into her debut that resonates with our own past prejudices and fears and forces us to evaluate our beliefs about this unreal world in a very real way. There is a lot of great action, social commentary, and a dash of romance in Deadtown. The world building, borrowing heavily from Welsh mythology, is fresh and complex. Vicky is instantly likable and realistically tough yet vulnerable. And I can't wait to read more. 

Deadtown was one of the most unique books I have read and I spent an hour gushing to my husband about the world. I am so glad that Nancy brought her monsters out of the closet in Deadtown!
 ~ Reviewed by Robin at Intense Whisper



About the Author:
Nancy Holzner grew up in western Massachusetts with her nose stuck in a book. This meant that she tended to walk into things, wore glasses before she was out of elementary school, and forced her parents to institute a “no reading at the dinner table” rule. It was probably inevitable that she majored in English in college and then, because there were still a lot of books she wanted to read, continued her studies long enough to earn a master’s degree and a PhD. She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, she’s worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer. As Nancy Conner, she writes how-to and reference books on topics ranging from classical mythology to using Office 2010. Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve, where they both work from home without getting on each other’s nerves. She enjoys visiting local wineries and listening obsessively to opera. There are still a lot of books she wants to read.

Connect with Nancy:
 

Be sure to check back on August 4th for my review of Darklands!

The Alchemical Detective Tour



The Alchemical Detective 
Author: Kirsten Weiss
Series: Riga Hayworth Series Book #2
Genre: Paranormal Mystery
Date of Publication: May 31, 2012

Purchase Link: Kindle

Book Description:
 
A psychic has been murdered in an occult ceremony and the police pay a visit to Riga Hayworth, metaphysical detective. But this time, she’s not a consultant on the case, she’s a suspect.

There’s a storm on the horizon. Riga’s lost her magic, and has come to Lake Tahoe to recover and spend quality time with her new love. But life for Riga is never that simple. A psychic’s been murdered, and the police believe Riga has a connection to the crime. 
They’re right. And if that’s not enough, Riga is drafted as the host of a reality TV show about the local lake monster, and her niece is rejecting her metaphysical abilities. Juggling demons, daimons, and angry tarot card readers, Riga must catch a killer before she becomes the next target.

The Alchemical Detective is a paranormal mystery that explores a world of alchemy and the imagination.



 The egg quivered, then rolled, seemingly of its own accord, to the edge of the counter.
Riga stared at it, her violet-colored eyes narrowed in concentration. Magic, she reminded herself, was a matter of will and she had that in spades. However, it was also a matter of focus and in this area, she was lacking.
The egg trembled, then slowly rose into the air; one inch, two inches, five.
“Yes,” Brigitte said encouragingly, her voice a French-accented Lauren Bacall. Her stone claws tensed, gouging tracks in the linoleum countertop.
The egg exploded, splattering the gargoyle with shell and yolk.
Brigitte shrieked, the sound of rocks scraping against each together. “Faugh! Water! Bring ze water!”
Riga hurried to the sink and turned on the tap, frustration wrinkling her brow. She grabbed a dishtowel and soaked it in warm water. Her hands trembled and Riga swore under her breath. Two months ago, this would have been easy.
At first she’d thought her magic was gone. Now Riga knew it had gone haywire and her rehab attempts weren’t working. If anything, her magic had become more unpredictable, more dangerous. She only dared practice with Brigitte because the centuries-old gargoyle was made of stone. But even Brigitte wasn’t indestructible.
Someone beat upon the front door and Riga whipped around, startled. She should have sensed whoever was coming up the steps. Another small failure. More pounding; the cheap wooden door vibrated beneath the blows.
“Police! Open the door!”
Gargoyle and woman looked at each other. Woman acted first. Riga tossed the towel in the sink. “Don’t move,” she said to Brigitte.
“But ze egg. It dries like cement,” Brigitte wailed.
“Later.” Riga hurried to the door and flung it open. A chilly blast of pine-scented air swept inside, tossing Riga’s auburn hair and stinging her skin.
Two sheriffs stood before her in wide brimmed hats and heavy dark brown parkas. Riga might have taken them for rangers had it not been for their belts, strapped with weapons, slung low on their hips. The older one had his fist raised for another round of door pummeling. He lowered it with what looked like regret. He was bulky, bearlike, with steel blue eyes, and she imagined he enjoyed making the door shiver beneath his fist. The tag under his badge read: Sheriff John King. The badge itself: El Dorado County.
“I heard a woman scream,” King said.
“I banged my shin on the coffee table,” Riga said.
“Are you alone?” He peered over Riga’s shoulder. It wasn’t hard – Riga was five foot six, and he stood well over six feet tall, imposing in every direction.
“Yes. Can I help you?” Riga didn’t budge, unwilling to let them in. It wasn’t that Riga didn’t like cops; she was friends with plenty of them, when they were out of uniform.
“It was quite a scream,” he said.
She quirked her lips. “Now you’re just embarrassing me.”
The Sheriff looked at her. She returned his gaze. The silence stretched between them.
The Deputy coughed. “Are you Ms. Hayworth?” he asked. Riga figured him for his early thirties, which meant she had a decade on him. He was well built, and between the startling pale blue of his eyes and the chiseled planes of his face, would have looked at home on a magazine cover. But Riga’s gaze was drawn to the Sheriff. The Deputy had youth, the Sheriff had presence.
“I’m Riga Hayworth.”
“My name is Night, Deputy Night. May we come in? Please?” He smiled ruefully, exposing dimples and gleaming white teeth. “It’s kind of cold out here.”
Riga hesitated. But she wasn’t wearing a coat and was freezing in the doorway. She could feel the heat from the cabin oozing past her, out the door. “Okay.” Reluctantly, she stepped back, and allowed them past her.
Hands resting on the butts of their guns, they prowled the room as if they owned the place. They could have it, for all Riga cared. It was one of the lower-end tourist cabins, crammed with a mis-matched jumble of seventies era furniture. A giant picture window looked out upon a forest scene: pines, and patches of snow wetting the ground. The afternoon sun slanted low in the sky, sending beams of light glittering through damp tree branches.
Brigitte, still covered in egg, had shifted to face the cabin’s small living room. The deputy stared at the gargoyle, walked to Brigitte, and ran his hands across her stony feathers as if in a caress. Brigitte would love that, Riga thought.
“Cool harpy,” he said. “Where’d you find it?”
“Garage sale.”
Night tucked his hat under one arm, and ruffled his blond hair with his free hand. “Do you know it’s got egg on it?”
“Forget the statue,” the Sheriff barked. Turning, he stumbled over a cheap American-Indian themed rug. “Miss Hayworth, may we sit down?”
She indicated the lumpy sofa, a cruel gesture given the state of its springs, but she didn’t want them to linger. 




About the Author:
Kirsten Weiss is the author of two paranormal mysteries available on the Kindle: the urban fantasy, The Metaphysical Detective, and The Alchemical Detective. She is hard at work on the sequel, The Shamanic Detective.

Kirsten worked overseas for nearly fourteen years, in the fringes of the former USSR and deep in the Afghan war zone. Her experiences abroad not only gave her glimpses into the darker side of human nature, but also sparked an interest in the effects of mysticism and mythology, and how both are woven into our daily lives.

Now based in San Mateo, CA, she writes paranormal mysteries, blending her experiences and imagination to create a vivid world of magic and mayhem.

Kirsten has never met a dessert she didn’t like, and her guilty pleasures are watching True Blood and drinking good wine. 

Connect with Kirsten:

July 30, 2012

Arson Tour: Review & Giveaway


Arson
Author: Estevan Vega
Genre: YA Paranormal

Purchase Links:            Amazon                 Barnes and Noble


Summary:

ARSON is the first book in a Young Adult Paranormal series. Book two, ASHES, is also available now.

ARSON GABLE FEELS LIKE A FREAK. HE CAN CREATE FIRE. HE NEVER ASKED FOR IT. HE NEVER WANTED IT. BUT HE CAN'T SHUT IT OFF.

Before now, three things were true: he both loved and despised his grandmother; his life was going nowhere; and he was alone. But when a strange girl--who feels more normal behind a mask than inside her own skin--moves in next door, Arson hopes to find something he's never had: purpose. After years of living in fear, he will be forced to confront his haunting past and embrace the unknown as he walks the fine line between boy and monster. Edgy, realistic, and breathtaking, Arson, the chilling chronicle of an isolated teenager with unimaginable ability, is set to ignite the hearts and minds of a new generation.
 

Review:

Arson is a really interesting book that focuses on the idea of a person being able to create fire. The teenage hero has a confusing and hard life which is made all the more difficult by his unique ability to make fire. He has to deal with the truth of his past all while trying to understand what is happening to him. Adding to the story of Arson is the strange new neighbor who seems to have secrets of her own. What is she hiding from and what will become of them both?

The storyline of Arson is unique and gives new life to the YA paranormal genre. The characters are all likeable and realistic, and we get to see Arson grow into his role in the world as well as confronting his dark past. There are normal teenage issues to deal with - high school, cruel classmates, crushes on cute girls - all intertwined with the much bigger plot of dealing with his ability of creating fire and what he believes he must now do. 

Vega does a great job of creating a realistic scenario for his novel; one that doesn't seem quite so unbelievable. The narrative is very well-written and flows easily, making this a great page turner that I ended up flying through in one day. Arson is a great YA novel that explores how far someone will go to fulfill their destiny and save themselves. 



Connect with the Author:







Be sure to follow the rest of the tour! Check out the linky below to visit the other stops!





  


Light Series Tour: Reviews & Giveaway


Seers of Light (Light Series Book #1)
Author: Jennifer DeLucy
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
Release Date: February 16, 2010

Summary:

Lillian Hunt has never truly lived. Always sensing more to the world than is easily perceived, she fears that her instincts are stubborn flights of fancy, or worse, mental instability. But some things-disappearing strangers, tangible dreams, and visits from malevolent creatures-cannot be ignored. Before it's too late, Lillian is ripped from the only existence she's ever known and thrust into a reality that she always suspected, but could scarcely believe. She must learn the truth about who she is, the powerful beings that wish to destroy her, and the two men who would die to protect her. 

Jennifer DeLucy has created a unique, enchanting tale of destiny and the ageless power of love in her debut novel, Seers of Light. DeLucy's novel charms readers with quirky characters, while sketching a haunting portrait of one woman's journey on the path of the supernaturally gifted. But be prepared. Once you've entered the world of Seers, you will never be the same.  


Review:

Seers of Light is a wonderfully charming novel about a young woman who is taken from her normal life and is suddenly brought into a world that she always thought may have existed, but never had proof. Now she's trying to avoid being killed while figuring out who she really is and what she's capable of - not to mention the two guys who are willing to die in order to protect her.
I thought that this story was very well written and had a great flow. I found myself intrigued from the very beginning of the story and couldn't stop reading until the last sentence. The setting that the book is set in was a perfect choice for the story - it added the right amount of fantasy and supernatural aspects to make the story feel more ominous and magical. The characters were interesting and had many facets to them, which I found made me more involved in the novel and eager to see their outcomes.
This was a great first novel in the series and will have readers eagerly coming back for the next book in the series.










Whisper of Light (Light Series Book #2)
Author: Jennifer DeLucy
Genre: YA Paranormal/Fantasy
Release Date:  October 26, 2010

Summary:

The saying goes that all men are created equal... but Nicole Abbot knows better. Lacking the supernatural gifts of the Sentients she has known all her life, Nicole has lived with her nose pressed to the glass, withering beneath the guilt of her own inadequacies and the disapproving glare of her father. It's easy to believe that the universe has forgotten all about her, but things are not always as they seem. With the arrival of Christian Wright, a handsome but complex Combatant with a troubled history, Nicole is forced to question everything she has ever believed about herself, proving that sometimes, our most flawed perceptions are those reflected in a mirror. Jennifer DeLucy again plunges us into the world of lingering spirits, dark apparitions, and malicious vampires. But this time she takes us to the California coast where we get to know a new ensemble of gifted souls that are just as vibrant and endearing as the Sentients we came to love in Seers of Light. In Whisper of Light, DeLucy delivers exciting supernatural encounters as well as very human interactions that will both break your heart and make it soar.  


Review:

Whispers of Light is the second novel in a great paranormal fantasy series that follows a young woman who is taken from her normal life and is suddenly brought into a world that she always thought may have existed, but never had proof. Now she's trying to avoid being killed while figuring out who she really is and what she's capable of - not to mention the two guys who are willing to die in order to protect her.

I thought that this story, which was the second in the series, was just as well written as the first book and had a good flow as well. I found myself once again sucked into the story from the very first chapter and I didn't stop reading until I finished the book - which only took one day. Again, I found that the setting of the book was a perfect choice for the story - it continued to contain a great mix of the fantastical and magical aspects that made the story of the first book feel realistic and supernatural. The characters and their problems continued to be interesting and had lots of complexities, which I thought made  the storyline of the novel believable and makes the reader more invested in the narrative. The second book in the series continues along the interesting story and will keep readers coming back for more.






About the Author:
Jennifer DeLucy is the author of The Light Series, as well as a free-lance editor. Jennifer grew up in the valley city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, where she developed an obsession with all things literary and musical thanks to the influence of an extroverted and creative family. Currently living in the Midwest, Jennifer continues to pursue opportunities as an author, editor and musician. She is determined to put her love of the arts, nature and spirit to good use, broadening minds and opening hearts in every way she can. (Author bio taken from Goodreads.)


 



 


Be sure to stop by the other stops on the tour - check out the linky below for participating blogs!
 

July 29, 2012

CIN Tour: Review & Excerpt



CIN
Author: Christina Leigh Pritchard
Genre: YA

Blurb: 

Seventeen year old Lisa Brown’s life is falling apart. First, her mother and father divorce, then their house forecloses and now, her mother has decided to commit herself to a psychiatric hospital.

If that weren’t enough, she must leave sunny south Florida to attend a boarding school full of geniuses in cold, Lynn, Massachusetts. The city where the locals chant “Lynn, Lynn, city of sin; you never come out the way you went in.”

And, they aren’t kidding. Lisa must live in a tiny shack with two strange teenagers, a dog named Pig who growls when you look at him and a cat named Rat. “Mind the cat,” everyone says. What the heck is wrong with this place?

Lisa thinks she’s landed in her own house of horrors with the anti-social Alex and his facetious sister Ally. But, the real drama begins the day she is struck by lightning… 


“Lisa, if you don’t finish packing your things, I swear you’ll go with nothing.” My mother, Amber, threatened. She wrapped duct tape around a medium sized box and carried it out to the car.
Our home foreclosed and it was eviction day. My mother couldn’t keep a job; no matter how simple or easy it was. She was beautiful with long blond hair and bright green eyes that sparkled when she spoke. She landed every job she applied for but several weeks later and her new employer realized all Amber really was; was a pretty face.
I looked nothing like my mom. I was seventeen but still didn’t fit into my body. My hips were too big, my boobs too small and I had Dumbo ears which of course meant that I had to wear my hair down—always. I had long bangs that helped cover up my oddly round, black eyes and I could never find shoes that fit my big feet.
“Lisa, I’m not going to tell you again, we leave in twenty minutes. I can’t afford to miss your train.”
“Yeah well you could try to hide your enthusiasm.” I rolled my eyes and grabbed an empty box. I surveyed my room. What could I possibly take? I lived in Florida, the sunshine state. I was going to Lynn, Massachusetts. The old saying, “Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin” played over and over inside my mind. How could my mother just drop me off in such a place? Lynn was filled with high crime rates, lack of good paying jobs and supported virtually on nothing more than fish markets and the GE factories. At least it was by the water. I couldn’t imagine life without the ocean and sand between my toes. I could do without the sun tans, I guess, or the
hot skaters who practiced on the benches but not the salty water and my toes buried in the warm sand.
“LISA! Get in the car.”
I evaluated the few things I had. I grabbed two pairs of jeans and anything with sleeves. I picked up my sneakers and my Adidas jacket from off the floor and I tossed my book bag over my shoulder. Inside the box, I put the only family heirloom I had; a picture of my mother and father; before I was born. …When they still loved each other, still laughed, still hoped. That must’ve been something to see. The only time my mother smiled or laughed was during an interview. It was never real and when her eyes set on me, she only frowned.
I placed the few articles of clothing on top of my picture and carried the box out to the trunk. My mom had an old 1993 Mitsubishi Mirage with hardly any paint left. The worst part—the air didn’t work; complete suicide in a place where the temperature stayed around ‘90 degrees.
“Just take your sweet, precious time there Lisa.” She tapped her fingers on the steering wheel. “I hope you don’t act up with your Aunt Millie. She would be just devastated and when she falls over with a stroke or heart attack from your disrespectful behavior you will have to carry her twenty miles to the nearest town.”
“A little dramatic, don’t you think?” I snapped, tossing my book bag into the back. The seat belt automatically locked me in when I closed the door. (The air conditioning didn’t work, there was hardly any paint left on the vehicle but, hey, at least the automatic seat belts still worked!) “Roll the windows down, mom, it’s hot in here.” I leaned my head out the window to catch the last, hot Florida breeze I’d probably ever feel.
“Aunt Millie said you could help her out with her chickens and she’d pay you so that you could buy some warmer clothes while you’re there. I’m sorry I am such a bad mother.”
“Why are you leaving me with some woman I don’t know? That’s bad parenting. Mom, you’ve never met this lady. What if she’s a serial killer or a chicken thief or some kind of lunatic?”
“I have to do this.” Her eyes stayed glued to the road, “I need to figure out what is wrong with me. I ran off your father with my emotional problems and I don’t want to drag you down with me too.”
“Mom, I don’t want to go stay with some stranger.” She couldn’t hear me. She blasted the radio and sang loudly, bouncing her head from left to right. She slapped me in the shoulder. “Stah—op!”
“Sing with me, Lisa, it may be a long time before we get to do this again. I may be in that loony bin for a while.”
I didn’t think it was funny at all. Who wanted a mother that was crazy? What would I tell people when school started? So, Lisa, where is your mother? Oh, new potential friend, she’s probably in her padded cell wearing a strait jacket. How about your mom? I’ll be miss popularity for sure. 

Review:

Cin is a great young adult paranormal story that has fresh concepts and ideas. The characters are unique and have their own personalities, which makes them seem like real flawed teens. It's easy to identify with Lisa because she's dealing with so many issues - the normal teen problems, trying to help her mentally ill mom, crushes on cute guys, going to a weird boarding school, etc. On top of these problems, she gets struck by lightning and begins a whole new life that she never even thought possible. She has to learn how to adjust to this new existence and just how she fits into her new life. 

I thought that the story was really interesting, but the dialogue of most of the characters didn't seem natural. That put me off a bit and pulled me out of the world the author was trying to create - I just kept noting in my mind that the dialogue and word usage felt scripted and forced. Otherwise, I enjoyed the story and it flowed well. There were some romantic parts in the book that I felt were cliched and pretty sappy, but it didn't hinder my reading or enjoyment of the story too much - it probably would appeal to most readers. I really love reading paranormal young adult books and I think that the author brought something new and different to the genre with this series. I'm excited to continue reading the series to see how things will go for the different characters and to see how things will turn out.

 



About the Author:
Christina Leigh Pritchard was born and raised in South Florida. Her first stories were written at the age of nine in $0.15 wide ruled, spiral notebooks (which were supposed to be used for class), and in the various diaries she kept. Stories she wrote from age nine to twelve fill about four storage boxes!
Since she's upgraded to a computer, she's completed over fifty books and still going strong. Her genre's include dark fantasy, young adult, drama, suspense, historical romance, multicultural, comedy, poetry and many more. 

Web and Social Media Links:

July 28, 2012

Unguarded Tour: Review & Giveaway!


Unguarded
Author: Ashley Robertson
Genre: YA Paranormal
Release Date: July 1, 2012

Summary:
 
Guardian angel Selene was so close to becoming an archangel—the supreme of all beings—until she fell in love with Cole, a forbidden dark one. Once she discovers her vampire lover has been kidnapped and the only way to save him is by abandoning her number one priority—Caitlyn, her human charge—there really is only one answer in Selene’s mind, even though leaving Caitlyn unguarded will most likely cause Selene to fall from grace.

But her choice to save Cole doesn’t come without a price…and now Selene is racing against time to not only save her dark lover, but find a way to keep Caitlyn alive as well.

With the help of a new vampire ally, Luke, Selene will push her diminishing angel abilities to the point where her very existence lies in the balance. Now threatened with the chance of becoming a fallen angel or even dying, Selene can only pray she’ll have enough time—and good grace—to save the ones she loves.

Cover design by www.phatpuppyart.com 

 
The night covered my surroundings like a velvety black blanket. Trees were everywhere, providing an excellent cover for the one I was chasing. A few animals scurried away, fearful of my presence. My feet scrambled to keep up so I used a little angel magic to float over the ground, enabling me to speed up. “Cole?” I sensed he wasn’t far, but I still couldn’t physically see him.

“This way,” a deep voice called from up ahead.

I shimmered a little closer, but then he sped up, stretching the distance between us. “Quit doing that!” I snapped as I made another attempt to reach him.

Laughter rumbled through the silence. “Am I that much better than you?”

His taunting was starting to piss me off. I closed my eyes and orbed, trying to land on top of him. Only I didn’t end up where I’d planned. 

Review:

Angels and fallen angels are a hot topic in the young adult genre right now. What I really liked about Unguarded was how the author blended other paranormal beings into the mix. Instead of being a book about fallen angels being in love with a human, she brings demons and vampires along for the ride. The main character, Selene, who just happens to be an angel, falls in love with Cole - a vampire. I liked how the normal storyline was spiced up with the added supernatural creatures - I felt that it gave it a refreshing twist on the concept and made it stand out from the rest.

The storyline is an interesting one and I really enjoyed reading it. The thought of a snarky and somewhat pissy angel was fun. I really liked Selene's character and it was easy to identify with her. The other characters in the story were quite likeable as well, which I thought made the story that much better. I loved the forbidden romance between Selene and Cole. They had to face a ton of hardships in their relationship, which is something that most couples have to do as well. It was hard not to root for them. The narrative was very well written and had a great flow to it - which made this a really fast read for me. The only real negative thing (if you could call it that) was that I didn't want the book to end. It was a page-turner that had me hooked from the beginning and I'm really looking forward to reading more of Ashley's books. Highly recommended for paranormal YA fans - especially those who love angels and vampires!

 




About the Author:
 
Ashley Robertson resides in sunny Orlando, Florida and loves reading and writing about everything urban fantasy and paranormal romance. When she isn’t writing you’ll find her spending time with family and friends, training in her home gym, traveling and exploring new places, drinking fine red wines, and making gourmet coffees with her Nespresso machine. Visit her website to learn about her upcoming releases, guest blog posts, and featured giveaways at: www.AshleyRobertsonBooks.com 

Connect with Ashley:



Ashley has generously offered to giveaway one (1) ebook copy of Unguarded and a $10 Amazon gift card. There will be two (2) winners - one for the ebook and one for the Amazon gift card. Enter in the Rafflecopter!


a Rafflecopter giveaway