I am thrilled to be hosting a spot
on the DISCOVERY OF THE FIVE SENSES by K.N. Smith Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out
my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
DISCOVERY OF THE FIVE SENSES (The Urban Boys #1)
Author: K.N. Smith
Release Date: September 29, 2015
Publisher: Two Petals Publishing
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 341
Find it: Goodreads, Books2read
Description:
Welcome or
unwelcome. Fate has arrived.
"A captivating and poetic tale of mystery, fantasy, and reality tied
together by action!" 5-stars, Lars Jackson, Amazon Customer
A suspenseful incident in a forbidden preserve heightens the senses of five
friends. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become super-gifts that forever
change the world. But furious battles confront the boys as they try to
understand their sensory super powers in a race to save mankind. With light
beings and mysterious strangers complicating their plight, can the boys defeat
the evil Druth before it’s too late? Get prepared for the twisting and grinding
of this award-winning, action-adventure story — an edge-of-your-seat narrative
for young and mature readers alike.
Reviews:
"Brilliantly
crafted and written!" - Megan King, Indie Book Reviewers
"An energetic adventure debut with stellar action sequences. Smith's
writing is intelligent and often lyrical. Her exuberant prose never fails to
dazzle." - Kirkus Media
"Author K.N. Smith uses her mastery of the written word to weave an
entrancing, yet powerful tale of adventure that keeps you turning pages in an
unquenchable desire to find out what happens next." - Publishers
Daily Reviews
"Well written and very creative, 'Discovery of the Five Senses' is an
absolute must-read for fans of novels such as Percy Jackson, Harry Potter,
etc." - Anabella Johnson, Indie Book Reviewers
"K.N. Smith has an incredible way with words; her descriptions are vivid;
you see what the characters are seeing, you feel what they are feeling; you
feel like you are there." - Cody Brighton, Indie Book
Reviewers
"A wonderful and deeply written emotional adventure." - Self
Publishing Review
"K.N. Smith's articulate word imagery is all that is needed to transport
readers to a mysterious world. Make the time to connect with this piece of
literary prowess. You will not regret it." - V. McDermott,
Educator, English Teachers Association of Queensland, Australia
Prologue
AN ALLURING MIDNIGHT seeped through the preserve,
where huge, wavy leaves danced beneath the moonlight. The setting was
suited for a late night encounter between two friends. But almost
immediately, their conversation went awry. “Everything’s alright, I
guess.” Ross Dawson weighed his words. His eyes roamed away from his
friend. “But you’ve changed.”
An imposing Joaquin Grayson
grabbed Ross’s arm, squeezing it to the point of pain. “You don’t think
I’m capable of leading us in the right direction, do you? We can’t
stay here going nowhere. I chose you to go with me. We need to stick
together!”
His long nails dug into Ross’s skin, the piercing,
half moon impressions nearly bursting through. His flaming hand absorbed
Ross’s fear, the constricted flow of blood beating against his palm.
Ross bore the numbness of his arm. “Look at you. It’s like I don’t even know you anymore!”
“We’ve been doing fine for almost a year.” A blush wine color flooded Joaquin’s cheeks. “Why do you want to cut out now?”
For
the first time, Ross trusted himself to speak up, to question the
mounting dissension clouding their friendship. “Man! Why do you need so
much power?”
He remembered when a youthful adventure had first
brought them to these forbidden woods. A place with tales of strange
happenings, mysterious noises, and unsolved disappearances… or so it
was said.
During that youthful adventure, they’d all changed.
Then, he’d changed. And somehow, the misunderstood, glowing energy that
had dripped from the huge leaves awakened a solo ambition fueled by
wrought emotions.
Regardless, the two friends stood firm in the dark night.
Joaquin
breathed deeply. As a result of Ross’s questions, and while wondering
what would happen to Ross’s gift, he set his intention. He let go of
Ross’s arm and ran his fingers through his long, thick hair.
He
stilled his lean, muscular frame, restraining the rising tension in his
body, hiding any indication of his next move. Still clutching his
hair, Joaquin closed his eyes, listening for Ross’s movements. He knew
he would not be able to turn back. It’s on me. I’m the only one who
can build a new way of life.
And in the absence of even a hint
of an exchange, Joaquin spun around and lunged at Ross. He grabbed him
by the throat, knocking him down.
With brittle leaves and
debris thrust upward, the two were enveloped in a dark, hazy hell as
they engaged in a violent struggle for what seemed like an eternity.
Ross flared up. “Get the hell off of me!”
Joaquin persisted. “What are you going to do, Ross? Where are you going to go?”
Ross
scrambled to his feet, fighting back with a blow to Joaquin’s head,
followed by several body punches. Joaquin stumbled and fell, giving
Ross those precious few seconds required for his escape.
Fueled
by a rush of pulsating adrenaline, Ross ran frantically, stretching
his quivering legs. His rich brown skin tightened as he pounded through
the forest. He tried to ignore his thunderous heartbeat while scanning
the pathways, searching for possible escape routes.
With his
baseball cap lost to the wind, his short, curly hair had exposed to the
open air. Ross grasped the moment, one littered with deep panic and a
singular appreciation for survival.
This turn of events
stemmed from countless episodes in which Joaquin, only nineteen yet
extremely demanding, had tried to control those around him.
The
violent exchange was the smoky glow at the end of a dark tunnel, and
they had ventured across the breaking point inside this lush landscape.
🙟
At the same moment, on the other side of the
preserve, Della Sato and Juson Yamada examined the stars on this warm
summer night. Although disturbing tales had contributed to the mystery
of the forest for generations, it offered privacy unavailable in their
everyday lives.
Juson stood beneath trees adorned with apple-green moss. “I know we’re not supposed to be in here, but look at this place.”
“I
heard people got lost in here and they never came out,” Della said,
pulling back. “Do you think that’s true?” “No way,” Juson convinced
himself, unsure of the validity of the tale. “If someone gets hungry
enough, they’ll find their way out.”
“Our neighbor said there were weird noises coming out of here one night,” Della recalled, as she clutched her purse.
“That’s
not true. It looks safe in here.” Juson took her by the hand. “Maybe
their TV was up too loud. C’mon.” Della grasped Juson’s bicep as she
began to move her feet. Tiny lights greeted the couple. They set foot
in the forest, walking and talking, looking for the perfect place to
nestle. It was quiet, peaceful, and visually unlike what they had
imagined.
🙟
With his feet tearing across the forest
floor, Ross’s vision blurred, and he became lost in the darkness.
Surrounded by a blackness offering no hope, layers of greenery
swallowed him, slowing him down. But when the sharpness returned, a
kaleidoscope of hues filled his eyes, and he tore through the brush.
Joaquin’s
labored breathing grew louder with each passing moment. He pressed his
hands into the earth, feeling for the warmth of Ross’s steps. He
lifted his hands into the air, distinguishing wind patterns offering
clues as to Ross’s direction, validated by swaying leaves in the
trees. Powerful nerve receptors in his fingertips quivered with the
weight of his desires.
Forging ahead, he caught up with Ross.
He
slammed Ross to the ground, wrapping his arm tightly around his neck.
Joaquin’s long hair whipped and swung, practically covering them both,
stinging Ross’s sensitive eyes.
Ross struggled against
Joaquin’s grip but was unable to break free. He finally managed to
drive an elbow into Joaquin’s ribs.
Joaquin gasped for air,
loosening his hold long enough for Ross to wrench away and stagger to
his feet. They exchanged a flurry of punches, jabs, and kicks, setting
the bruising process in motion.
Despite fatigue setting in,
Ross found the strength to circle behind Joaquin. He landed a ferocious
blow to Joaquin’s back, knocking him down yet again.
Catching his breath, Ross resumed his search for a way out of the preserve. His eyes cut across the landscape sharply.
But
Joaquin took only moments to compose himself, his face returning to
its expressionless state. His pursuit of Ross had resumed, and with
furious determination.
🙟
Beneath the glow of the
moonlight, the appeal of the curvaceous foliage mesmerized Della and
Juson. Resting among fallen leaves deeper inside the preserve, Juson
looked into Della’s almond eyes and stroked her hair. “We’ll be married
someday. It’s in the cards, you know. I really love you.”
Della smiled softly. “I love you, too.”
“You’re
smart, beautiful… creative.” Juson caressed Della’s slender waist. “I’m
pretty sure all the guys are jealous of me right about now.”
Della
brushed Juson’s face with her fingers. “Well, look who’s talking… the
handsome prince.” “We could make a nice home here and raise some kids.”
Juson tried to maintain a serious expression.
“We’ll have one to wash dishes and one to clean the house.”
“Oh,
really?” Della wrapped her leg around Juson. “Well, that means you’ll
be mowing the yard, mister.” His solid, athletic frame meshed with her
delicate figure. Hidden behind a massive leaf, their passion spilled
over. They drew in close and kissed with animated fervor, but the
sickening sounds of a brawl interrupted. “What the heck was that?” Juson
whispered. Trying to determine the direction of the commotion, he
pressed his hand over Della’s mouth. The look in his eyes signaled the
need for silence. They peeked out briefly and saw the brutal fight.
Della
began to shake. Shocked at the sight, she looked for an exit in the
thick brush. Sensing she might dart away, Juson held her close.
As
the fight continued, Joaquin landed multiple blows on Ross’s head and
took a few in return. He charged forward, pushing Ross into a tree
where a low, protruding branch punctured his torso.
“Aargh!”
Ross grasped the wound, screaming. His torn shirt absorbed the blood
spilling out of the gash. Branches cracked and fell around them, one
whipping the leaf covering Della and Juson, but it quickly snapped
back into place.
Ross stumbled over a branch and fell, landing
just inches from Della and Juson, his body pressing against the leaf
sheltering the two.
Fear silenced Della’s panicked desire to cry out, as Juson protected her with his body.
Joaquin
pounced on Ross, striking him in the face. He wrapped his hands tightly
around Ross’s neck, pressing his full weight into the evil act.
Ross’s contorted face began to relax.
Saliva dripped from Joaquin’s mouth as he squeezed tighter.
Ross’s legs stopped twitching.
Joaquin waited for the end to arrive. The forest fell silent apart from his strained breathing.
It was over.
Joaquin collapsed beside the body.
Ross’s empty, wide-open eyes expressed the sheer horror of his fate.
Exhausted,
Joaquin stayed there for a few minutes while the forest absorbed the
intentional, malicious act. Pained moans escaped him as he stood
rubbing his eyes, which were suddenly burning.
Unable to see
clearly, he stumbled out of the forest, going anywhere the night would
take him. His eyes burned a furious, deep red. He would remain in an
agonized condition for three long days.
Terrified, Della and
Juson guessed at what had just happened. Afraid to move, they had no
choice but to show more patience than they had thought possible in
their lifetimes. The scared couple clung to each other, wondering what
new horror awaited them.
The minutes seemed like hours, but
they remained still, even as a bright light swept through the preserve.
The light was sharp, electric against the blanket of darkness. It
brought with it a clicking noise, which drove its way into their ears
with a musical rhythm.
As the light zoomed in closer to Ross, it pounced against the leaf covering the two, then went dark as the clicks faded.
As
the night progressed, Della and Juson found the courage to make their
move. In disbelief, they ran home, holding a frightening secret in
their hearts. A secret of murder, committed under a striking, glowing
moonlight on the most fateful night of their young lives.
Copyright © 2021 by K.N. Smith
K.N. Smith, winner of the “Best of” in the category of
“Outstanding Young Adult Novel” at the Jessie Redmon Fauset Book Awards, is an author and passionate
advocate of literacy and arts programs throughout the world. Her lyrical flair sweeps
across pages that twist and grind through action-adventure and urban fantasy in edge-of-your-seat
narratives. K.N. has over twenty-five years’ experience in communications and creative
design as an award-winning consultant. Reading is still her foremost hobby. K.N.
inspires people of all ages to reach their highest potential in their creative, educational, and life
pursuits. Visit K.N. Smith at www.knsmith.com.
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(4) winners
will receive $25.00 VISA eGift Cards
Ends October
1st, midnight EST.
Tour Schedule:
Week One:
Week Two:
Week Three:
Week Four:
Week Five:
Discovery of the Five Senses
