Showing posts with label Elle Casey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elle Casey. Show all posts

June 6, 2016

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Rebel by Elle Casey


Rebel (Rebel Wheels #1)
Author: Elle Casey
Genre: New Adult Romance
Publication Date: October 29. 2013


Description:


NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 1 of 3 in the New Adult Romance Series, REBEL WHEELS.

Description:

With close to 3,000 5-star ratings on Goodreads for Book 1, readers love the Rebel Wheels series!

Teagan Cross, college senior, rebel, and wiseass extraordinaire, goes from princess to pauper in a single phone call. Overnight, her life of privilege becomes one of survival, and no matter where she turns, it seems like the world is out to get her. She’s not going to fall apart, though. She’s a rebel and she’s strong … determined to live life on her own terms … and nothing’s going to stop her from getting things done and making things right. But when a twist of fate brings her to the doorstep of a different kind of Rebel, she’s forced to figure out when something’s worth fighting for and when something’s worth letting go.

Content Warning: Contains sexy adult situations, creative foul language, and some mild violence. May not be appropriate for younger readers.

Rebel Wheels Series Reading Order:
Rebel (Rebel Wheels Book 1)
Hellion (Rebel Wheels Book 2)
Trouble (Rebel Wheels Book 3)


FREE! For a limited time only!
My name’s Teagan. I know, I know … the name. Twenty-two years ago, my mother thought a Welsh name for her only child would be beautiful. Teagan means pretty, so it should have fit perfectly. Who has an ugly baby, right? I guess I did okay in the looks department. I’m not too short, not too tall. Eating chips and gummy bears every day has no effect on my somewhat athletic frame, and I’ve been told my green eyes compliment my pale complexion. The problem with the name Teagan is my mom never considered the creative names kids would morph it into.

“Yo, Teabag, what’s up?”

I flip Perry Spitler off, but he just laughs as he passes on by.

He and I have an understanding; when we see each other on campus, he insults me, I flip him off, and we never actually talk. It suits us both just fine. Making out with him and then ralphing on his shoes in freshman year was one of the best moves I’ve ever made in my climb up the social ladder at UCLA.

“Why do you even talk to that douche canoe?” asks my friend Quin as she brushes out her long, black hair. Quinlan is her real name, but she refuses to answer to it. We both have a thing with names, which is only one of the many reasons we get along so well. “I hear he puts toy cars in dark places on weekends.” She puts away her brush and takes a bite of an energy bar, chewing it like a cow and waiting for my reaction.

I’m both intrigued and disgusted. “And by toy cars and dark places we mean…” I twist my longish, wavy brown hair up into a bun and stick a pencil in it to keep it from falling to my shoulders again. It’s frigging hot out here in the student union today. Dry heat, my butt.

“Literally. Like that movie Jackass. He put a toy car in his asshole at a party the other night.”

I snort in disbelief and disgust. “He did not.”

Quin puts up her hand like a girl scout. “Swear. Guy’s an asscar driver.”

I’m really happy I barfed on him now. Really, really happy. The kiss we shared? Well, we’ll just tally that up to a serious lapse in judgment on my part. In my defense, there were copious amounts of beer involved.

I can’t help but stare at his butt as he goes by. “Remind me not to accept any rides from him in the future.”

We collapse in immature giggles that have Perry turning around and frowning. Watching his face and imagining that I can see he’s walking with a slight limp only makes it worse. By the time I can see clearly again, he’s gone.

“Man, I totally needed that.” I can feel the good mood drugs floating around in my brain. Now the upcoming Summer of Doom doesn’t seem quite so bleak.

“You ready for summer break?” Quin asks, crumpling up the wrapper to her energy bar and throwing it on the ground.

I lean down and pick it up, sighing as I stick it in my bag. This is her thing. This is my thing. This is how we roll, with her being a pain in the ass and me picking up after her. “No. I’m not ready. I want to stay here and hang out with you and all the cool people.”

“No, you don’t. Do you know how hot it gets here in the summer? Ugh.” She brushes crumbs off her lap. “I am going to literally cook in my own skin, like a poached egg.”

“You forget, I’ve lived here for almost four years now, and No Cal isn’t that different.”

“But you always leave in the summer, and No Cal is different, so that doesn’t count. By the time you get back this September for your very last semester – by the way, you completely suck for graduating before me – all the poaching will be done.”

“You should come with me. Silicon Valley’s got a drier heat than LA.” I’m lying, but she’ll never know.

She faces me, not smiling. That’s a rare expression for her, as Quin-grins come frequently and often without provocation. We’re not much alike in that way; my smiles are rationed for only truly happy moments.

“You should invite me, and maybe I would,” she says.

“I always invite you.”

“No, you don’t. You just say, ‘You should come.’ That’s not the same thing.”

“What do you want, an engraved invitation?” A tiny spark of hope glimmers in my chest. Summer would only suck half as much if Quin were with me back at my father’s place.

“Yes. That would work.” She sniffs and looks off into the distance.

“I’ll seriously do it, if that’s what it would take to finally get you up there.”

“No, don’t bother. I can’t go.”

“Why? Because LA’s social scene would never survive without you?”

“No.” She stands, brushing off her legs. “Come on, we’re going to be late.”

“Late for what? My classes were all done as of twenty minutes ago.”

“I have an appointment with a milkshake over at McDonald’s House of Horrors. Come on. Your treat.”

We begin the long walk across campus. “I’ll pay for your ticket,” I say, testing the waters. I don’t know why I bother, though.

“Nope. I pay my own way.”

“Do you have the money?”

“No. You know I’m broke.” Quin is always broke. She lives off the kindness of others and a scholarship. I’m not even sure what the scholarship is for. Do they give scholarships for being a smartass? Because if they do, she qualifies for a full ride.

“Then let me pay,” I say.

“No.”

“You can pay me back.”

“No.”

I try a different tack. “It’s because you don’t like me, I know. Admit it.”

“No, that’s not it, and if you try and guilt me into doing it, we won’t be friends anymore.”

“That’s a lie.”

“Yes, it is, but still … I won’t let you pay.”

I give her my puppy dog eyes. “I’m going to be desperately lonely.”

“No, you won’t be. You’ll have a bodyguard babysitter.”

I sigh. “They always suck.”

“That last one didn’t.”

“The last one was like forty years old!”

“So? What do you want to do? Fuck them or just have them take a bullet for you?”

“Can’t I do both?”

We laugh, knowing I’m full of crap. I actually liked the last guy assigned to babysit me, the guy being paid to assuage my father’s paranoia. He actually believes there are people in silicon valley trolling the neighborhoods for executives’ kids, since according to him they’d make really excellent kidnapping targets.

Jim was the name of my last babysitter. Maybe I’ll get him again and we can play chess all summer like we did last year. I’ve never slept with one of my dad’s employees. They’re always married, ugly, old, or a trifecta of all three. Besides, my dad would kill us both if I did something that stupid. We don’t fraternize with the help.

That’s what my uber arrogant step-mother says, anyway, although I’m not so sure she hasn’t put that rule to the side from time to time with the pool boy. Seriously … I’m not kidding. 

The pool boy.

“What are you thinking about right now?” Quin asks me. “I.O.U. for your thoughts.”

“I’m thinking how much I hate The Heinous One for being such a bag of dicks.”

Quin smiles. “I’m really looking forward to meeting your step-mother at graduation, you know that? I’m totally going to call her that to her face.”

I smile back. “Me too. Some day.” When I find a way to support myself and don’t have to worry about my father cutting me off.


Elle Casey, a former attorney and teacher, is a NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American author who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and a number of furry friends. She has written books in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.














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January 18, 2016

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Kahayatle by Elle Casey


 

Kahayatle (Apocalypsis #1)
Author: Elle Casey
Genre: YA Post-Apocalyptic/Science Fiction

Publication Date: June 22, 2012


Description:

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR, ELLE CASEY, brings readers Book 1 of 4 in the YA Dystopian APOCALYPSIS Series, suitable for older teens and adults.

KAHAYATLE. My name’s Bryn Mathis. I’m seventeen years old, and I live in a neighborhood outside of Orlando, Florida. I live alone because my dad died almost a year ago, along with all the other adults in the world. I’m almost out of food and the gangs of kids that roam around my town are getting more vicious by the day. It’s time for me to leave and find another place to live … a place where I can find food and shelter … a place where they won’t be able to find me. Alone, it might have been possible, but now I’ve got company. I’m worried that I don’t have what it takes to get from here to my final destination, and I have no idea what might be waiting for me when I get there.

Content Warning: Mild violence and some foul language. Meant for older Young Adult readers (age 15+). This book is in the Dark Science Fiction / Horror / Post-Apocalyptic genres, featuring teen characters only.

APOCALYPSIS SERIES READING ORDER:
Kahayatle (Apocalypsis Book 1) **Special introductory ebook price**
Warpaint (Apocalypsis Book 2)
Exodus (Apocalypsis Book 3)
Haven (Apocalypsis Book 4)


This series is dedicated to the amazing, wonderful Native Americans who populate our nation, continuing their traditions and reminding the rest of us that sometimes, progress isn’t always the best thing for our people. I invite you to learn more about the Miccosukee tribe, their history, culture, and lifestyle by visiting this website: http://www.miccosukee.com/indian-village/

Currently available for FREE!
Prologue

I STUFFED THE SLEEPING BAG down into my backpack with angry, punching motions, sick and tired of having to be here and having to do the same thing over and over again. I hated camping, I hated being organized, and more than anything, I hated what this exercise stood for.
 

“Don’t do it like that. I told you – you have to conserve the room as best you can. You have to travel as efficiently as possible. Take it out and start over.”

“I don’t see what difference it makes.”

“Trust me, it’s going to be a really big deal to you in the not so distant future.” His voice sounded hollow.

“Says who?” I was being ornery. I knew the answer to the question already.

“Says me, Bryn. And the news. Look around, would you?” He sounded like he was pleading now. “Stop defaulting back to the rebellious young teen act, and get serious. We don’t have enough time to play those games anymore.”

“They’re not games, Dad. I am a teenager. I don’t care what the news jerks and the government say.” I threw my backpack down on the ground. “And it’s not rebellious to not want to play friggin’ survivor in the backyard every day.”

My dad looked at me with a sad expression and sighed, reaching over to pull me into a tight hug. He dropped his nose to my head and inhaled deeply.

My face was pressed up against his shirt, and I could smell his sweat mixed with the sweet scent of his aftershave. My dad always said he was the last of a dying breed, using that stuff. He couldn’t have been more right.

“Maybe it’s not going to happen here...to us.” I said it just to hear the words, but I knew it was only wishful thinking.

I could tell he was getting choked up again when he started talking, his voice now hoarse.

“I wish, more than anything else in this world, that you didn’t have to be standing here with me in this backyard playing survivor.” His whole body started to shake with silent sobs. “Oh, God, Bryn. If I could do anything to change this, anything at all, I would. I swear to God I would. But it’s happening. No one can stop it.”

I put my arms around his waist, letting go of my earlier stubborn anger, now choking back my own tears. “I know, Dad. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”

“Yes, you did,” he said, sniffing hard and clearing his throat, shifting to hold me at arm’s length. He was staring at me while he smiled through his tears, giving me that look. The one that always made me confess.

“Okay, so maybe I did mean it. But I’ll shut up about it for a little while.”

“Not for too long, though. You wouldn’t be my daughter if you weren’t complaining about something.”

I tried to slap him playfully but he moved too fast for me. My dad is light on his feet, an expert level-one practitioner of krav maga – a certified badass. He’d only recently taken up camping.

“Pick it up,” he ordered, now back in control of his emotions. “Do it again. Only this time, get the air out of that bag first, condense it down...”

I cut him off. “I know, I know...‘down into the smallest footprint possible.’ Geez, Dad, I’m not an idiot.”

I shook the sleeping bag out and started rolling it up quickly, using the moves I’d been practicing for four months straight to squeeze it down into a lump the size of a small loaf of bread. I folded the whole thing in half, pushed it to the bottom of the backpack, and then let it unfold itself one time, before putting the other items in on top of it: unbreakable water bottle, half-liter of bleach, square of plastic, cup, hunting knife, and various other tools my father was quite certain I would need...once all the adults in the world had died off, leaving us kids alone to fend for ourselves.


Elle Casey is a prolific, NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling American writer who lives in Southern France with her husband, three kids, and several furry friends. She writes in several genres and publishes an average of one full-length novel per month.











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February 26, 2014

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Shattered Worlds Boxed Set

 



Shattered Worlds Boxed Set
Authors: Various Authors
Genre: YA Dystopia

Release Date: February 26, 2014

Description:

Read these bestselling tales of survival against the odds, dark worlds, dystopian regimes and heroic rebels.

Shattered Worlds features six full-length novels from bestselling authors. Immerse yourself in post-apocalyptic civilizations and bleak near-futures where hope still lives.

Featured authors and books are:

Elle Casey: Apocalypsis
Shalini Boland: Outside
Zoe Cannon: The Torturer’s Daughter
Scott Cramer: Night of the Purple Moon
Sarah Dalton: The Blemished
Katie French: The Breeders 


Limited Time only!
Special sale price of only $0.99! Together these books have over 650 five star reviews!

Read these bestselling tales of survival against the odds, dark worlds, dystopian regimes and heroic rebels.

Shattered Worlds features six full-length novels from bestselling authors. Immerse yourself in post-apocalyptic civilizations and bleak near-futures where hope still lives.


Books:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Elle Casey – Apocalypsis Book 1: Kahayatle

My name's Bryn Mathis. I'm seventeen years old, and I live in a neighborhood outside of Orlando, Florida. I live alone because my dad died almost a year ago, along with all the other adults in the world. I'm almost out of food and the gangs of kids that roam around my town are getting more vicious by the day.

It's time for me to leave and find another place to live ... a place where I can find food and shelter ... a place where they won't be able to find me.

Alone, it might have been possible; but now I've got company. I'm worried that I don't have what it takes to get from here to my final destination.

And I have no idea what might be waiting for me when I get there.

**May not be suitable for younger, middle grade readers.**

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Shalini Boland – Outside

A post-apocalyptic romance thriller.

The world of the future is divided by Perimeters: high-security gated communities where life goes on as normal. If you’re inside you’re lucky, if you’re outside life expectancy takes a nose dive.

Riley is fortunate to have been born on the right side of the fence. But her life of privilege comes crashing down when someone breaks through the Perimeter and murders her sister. She forsakes her own safety to go in search of the killer. Luc decides to go with her otherwise she’ll be dead before she’s past the security gate. But what awaits her outside is more unbelievable than she ever expected.

Cut to the present day where Eleanor's world is falling apart. This time next year, civilisation won't be quite so civilised . . .

*Suitable for adults and teens aged 13+*

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zoe Cannon – The Torturer’s Daughter 

When her best friend Heather calls in the middle of the night, Becca Dalcourt assumes it's the usual drama. Wrong. Heather's parents have been arrested as dissidents - and Becca's mother, the dystopian regime's most infamous torturer, has already executed them for their crimes against the state.

To stop Heather from getting herself killed trying to prove her parents' innocence, Becca hunts for proof of their guilt. She doesn't expect to find evidence that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about the dissidents... and about her mother.

When she risks her life to save a dissident, she learns her mother isn't the only one with secrets - and the plot she uncovers will threaten the lives of the people she loves most. For Becca, it's no longer just a choice between risking execution and ignoring the regime's crimes; she has to decide whose life to save and whose to sacrifice.

It's easy to be a hero when you can save the world, but what about when all you can do is choose how you live in it? An Amazon dystopian bestseller, The Torturer's Daughter is a story about ordinary life amidst the realities of living under an oppressive regime... and the extraordinary courage it takes to do what's right in a world gone wrong.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Scott Cramer – Night of the Purple Moon

Abby, 13, is looking forward to watching the moon turn purple, unaware that deadly bacteria from a passing comet will soon kill off older teens and adults. She must help her brother and baby sister survive in this new world, but all the while she has a ticking time bomb inside of her--adolescence.

*Parental discretion advised for readers 13 and under*






----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sarah Dalton – The Blemished

A beautiful world comes at a price...

In a world filled with stunning clones Mina Hart is Blemished. Her genes are worthless and that takes away her rights: her right to an Education, her right to a normal life and her right to have a child.

Mina keeps a dangerous secret which she never thought she could share until she meets Angela on her first day at St Jude's School. But their friendship is soon complicated by Angela’s adoptive brother Daniel. Mina finds herself drawn to his mysterious powers and impulsive nature. Then there is the gorgeous clone Sebastian who Mina is forbidden from even speaking to…

The Blemished is a frightening take on a fractured future where the Genetic Enhancement Ministry have taken control of Britain. It will take you on a ride filled with adventure, romance and rebellion.

Book one in the popular YA dystopia series 'Blemished'.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Katie French – The Breeders

“When the Breeders come for ya, there ain't no escape. They strap ya to a bed and all ya hear is the thud of your heart and the cries of your friends as they wheel ya down to hell. Then the doctors come. You squeeze your eyes shut and pray you can forget. But ya never do.”

Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world's last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches-- moving from one desolate farm after another to escape the Breeders' long reach. The Breeders control everything- the local war lords, the remaining factories, the fuel. They have unchecked power in this lawless society. And they're hunting Riley.

When the local Sheriff abducts the adult members of her family and hands her mother over to the Breeders, Riley and her eight-year-old brother, Ethan, hiding in a shelter, are left to starve. Then Clay arrives, the handsome gunslinger who seems determined to help to make up for past sins. The problem is Clay thinks Riley is a bender-- a genderless mutation, neither male nor female. As Riley's affection for Clay grows she wonders can she trust Clay with her secret and risk her freedom?

The three embark on a journey across the scarred remains of New Mexico-- escaping the Riders who use human sacrifice to appease their Good Mother, various men scrambling for luck, and a deranged lone survivor of a plague. When Riley is forced into the Breeder's hospital, she learns the horrible fate of her mother—a fate she'll share unless she can find a way out.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20662080-shattered-worlds
Sarah Dalton – The Blemished 

Once, my mum told me a story about a princess, and it began with her stuck in a castle. My story begins with my head stuck in the toilet.
It was my first day in Area 14 and my first opportunity to make a good impression at the school appropriately named St Jude’s. Any school with the Blemished as pupils deserved the saint of lost causes as their patron. I’d approached the old Victorian building with a hopeful feeling; this was a new start, a chance to finally make friends. But it was the same hopeful feeling which was beaten away within the hour. An hour was all it took for a GEM to push my head down the toilet and flush.
Her bony hand squeezed my skull. Water pulled my skin. It flooded my nose. I choked and my fingernails scraped the porcelain. I thought ¬– this is how I am going to die, with my face being sucked down a drain. Then, I almost did it again. In the twitch of my fingers I felt the urge to do the one thing my father told me I could never do. The thing which would get us both killed.
“Now you know your place, Blem,” said the girl. She released me and I gasped for air. “Next time I won’t let you go.”
Her heels sounded against the tiles and the girl and her group ran off in giggles. I dragged myself up from the floor with shaking legs. At the sink, I took a deep breath and tried to calm my pounding heart and quell the rising disappointment. This was supposed to be my fresh start away from Area 10. I removed my headscarf and laughed. Moving here was supposed to keep me safe. Like my dad said – out of the frying pan and into the fire.
“If you can’t stand the heat…” I mumbled to myself.
“Are you all right?”
I jumped. When I turned there was a dark skinned girl staring at me sheepishly with a charming gap-toothed smile. On her black tunic she wore the Symbol of the Blemished – a circle containing a simple cross to remind us how we are the cross that society has to bear. Just like me. She was slightly plump and I estimated her age at fourteen, perhaps a tall thirteen, with pretty brown eyes.
“I’m sorry I didn’t step in…” she trailed off and stared down at her hands which never stopped worrying the long sleeves of her tunic.
“Don’t worry,” I said. “There’s no point both of us getting a beating.” I forced a smile to show no hard feelings. After all, I needed at least one ally in this awful school. I turned back to the sink and squeezed at my soaked headscarf.
“It’s just that, well, these toilets are GEM only and I only popped in because I was desperate,” the girl rambled. “Elena Darcey is a total cow. She thinks she owns the school because she might have a shot at London.”
A jolt ran down my spine. I had to remind my hands to keep going.
“Are you sure you’re all right?” the girl asked, her face scrunched with concern.
“Perfectly,” I lied.
“I’m Angela by the way.” She stepped towards me but I didn’t turn around, just watched her in the bathroom mirror. “You must be Mina Hart, the new girl.” She laughed quietly. “We don’t get many new girls at St Jude’s. Well, at least none that are Blemished. Here, let me help. It’s the least I can do.”
Angela pulled the scarf from my fingers and stretched it out underneath the hand dryer. The dark fabric billowed out, reminding me of the Resistance flag. I’d seen photos of them protesting once, my dad showed me. But then I thought of her and I had to close my eyes to regain composure.
“Is it always like this here?” I asked to break the drone of the hand dryer, raising my voice above the noise.
“Elena is nothing compared to the teachers,” Angela replied with a sigh. “Don’t talk back to the GEMs or Murder-Troll will put all Blemished on cleaning duty after class.”
“Murder-Troll?”
“That’s what we call her – Mrs Murgatroyd. You’ll know why when you meet her.” Angela’s eyes widened to address her point, the whites bulged from her dark skin. She handed me back my headscarf. It was warm and soft. I pinned it into place, fingers working quickly through the folds, and Angela nodded as if in approval. “There you look like nothing ever happened! Come on, I’ll take you to kitchen duty. You’ll be fine with me.”
She led me through the echoing corridors of the old-fashioned school. It turned out I’d wandered into the GEM section, a place where Blemished were not allowed. The Ministry were strict on segregation – at least in schools – the Blemished had their place and the Children of the GEM, or GEMs as we called them, had everything else.
St. Jude’s made the most of its Victorian design which, at one time, separated boys from the girls. There were even two entrances and the School Council used these to ensure GEM and Blemished never had to mix. As she pulled me through corridors and swing doors it was quite clear from dingy grey, paint peeled walls that we had moved into the Blemished quarters. I noted our symbol painted neatly onto a classroom door, the only spot of fresh paint.
“What are your classes like?” I asked.
“The usual,” she said with a shrug. “Kitchen duties, needlework, cleaning class and sex Ed. Gardening in the spring.”
I nodded. The same as Area 10. With a sinking feeling I realised that despite fleeing my old home everything would remain the same. They would figure out my secret and then we’d have to run away again, leaving my friends and home behind.
“Excuse me. I think I’m lost.”
The sound of a male voice in the Blemished corridors startled us both, and we spun around in unison. Our heads would have collided if my headscarf hadn’t caught on a protruding nail from the wall to the right. It yanked me backwards ripping the scarf away and letting my damp hair tumble around my face. I shrieked and tugged, but it was stuck.
“Can I help you with that?” said the boy.
He was a GEM, he had to be. There were no Blemished people with skin as perfect. He was around my age – fifteen – with black eyes and brown hair. He had the chiselled look to his face that GEMs usually prefer; high-cheekbones and a strong jaw which often made them seem cruel. But this time the enhancements had stopped at just the right moment to achieve balance in his good-looks.
“No,” I said sharply. “You can’t help me.” I placed a warning hand between us, palm up. The boy should know the boundaries between Blemished and GEMs. I wondered why he was acting so friendly.
Angela helped me with my headscarf, our fingers working together in the tangle.
“You need to go down the corridor, turn left and through the swing doors to get to the GEM side of the school,” Angela said hurriedly, her eyes never meeting his. “You shouldn’t be talking to us.”
“I’m sorry,” he said. “It’s just that it’s my first day here and I don’t know…”
I finally pulled the scarf from the nail and hastily covered my hair. “We’re Blemished and you are GEM.”
“My name is Sebastian,” he said, ignoring my warning. He held out a hand for me to shake. “What’s yours?”
Whether it was the surprise of a GEM wanting to know my name or the way Sebastian’s eyes seemed to search my own – I don’t know. But I found myself putting my hand in his,
feeling the instant warmth of his skin. It sent tingles of heat through my fingertips and along my arms.
“My name is Mina,” I breathed. “Mina Hart.”
“What a beautiful name,” he said.
I couldn’t control it any longer. My fingers twitched again and the door behind us swung open, almost knocking Angela over. Sebastian and I broke our contact and I backed away self-consciously, aware of my red cheeks and disorganised headscarf. Sebastian smiled and walked away leaving us alone in the corridor. At least, I’d thought we were alone. As I turned towards the entrance to the kitchen I was aware of someone watching us.
A middle-aged woman, thin to the extreme and sour faced, stood in the kitchen doorway with her arms folded tightly across a bulging chest. She was exactly like the kind of woman I had seen in the rich part of Area 10, the mothers of the first generation of clones who are desperate to be as beautiful as their genetically modified daughters. They could never be GEM so rely on the surgeon for nips and tucks and silicone and Botox until their faces concaved and protruded almost comically.
There was nothing comic about this woman; the look on her face chilled me bone-deep. The collagen in her lips made her mouth baggy and shiny, like slugs inside loose skin. Her cheekbones were too high and puffed outwards and upwards before disappearing into gaunt cheeks. Her forehead had the kind of shiny quality of a cheap plastic doll or stretched cellophane. Bright red tumbling curls sprouted from her head in an unruly and fierce fashion making me think of Boudicca, the warrior woman from ancient times. She didn’t say a word to us, only beckoned with a finger and disappeared through the doorway. Angela looked at me and I heard the “gulp” in her throat.
I suppressed a shudder. I knew instantly that this woman was not to be crossed. I knew instantly that this woman would not approve of a Blemished girl touching a GEM boy and it was at this moment that I realised just how dire my first day at St. Jude’s had turned out.
Well at least things can’t get any worse, I thought to myself.
About the Authors:

Elle Casey


Elle Casey is a full-time writer of New Adult and Young Adult titles in several genres, including romance, urban fantasy, sci-fi dystopian, and action-adventure. She's an American girl who's been living in southern France with her husband and three children since 2010. She loves chatting with her readers, so feel free to drop her a line.

You can find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ellecaseytheauthor or on her website: www.ElleCasey.com.


Shalini Boland

Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband and two noisy boys. Before children, she was signed to Universal Music as a singer songwriter. Now, writing novels has hijacked her life and she is usually to be found with a laptop welded to her fingers and the house in a permanent state of neglect. Find Shalini at: http://www.shaliniboland.co.uk


Zoe Cannon

Zoe Cannon writes about the things that fascinate her: outsiders, societies no sane person would want to live in, questions with no easy answers, and the inner workings of the mind. If she couldn't be a writer, she would probably be a psychologist, a penniless philosopher, or a hermit in a cave somewhere. While she'll read anything that isn't nailed down, she considers herself a YA reader and writer at heart. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and a giant teddy bear of a dog, and spends entirely too much time on the internet. Find Zoe at: http://www.zoecannon.com


Scott Cramer 

Scott Cramer has written feature articles for national magazines, covered school committee meetings for a local newspaper, published haiku and poetry, optioned a screenplay, and worked in high-tech marketing communications. His pursuit of a good story has put him behind the stick of an F-18, flying a Navy Blue Angels' fighter jet, and he has trekked through the Peruvian mountains in search of an ancient Quechua festival featuring a condor. Scott and his wife have two daughters and reside outside Lowell, Massachusetts (birthplace of Jack Kerouac) in an empty nest/zoo/suburban farm/art studio with too many surfboards in the garage. Find Scott at: http://www.facebook.com/authorscottcramer


Sarah Dalton 

Sarah grew up in the middle of nowhere in the countryside of Derbyshire and as a result has an over-active imagination. She has been an avid reader for most of her life, taking inspiration from the stories she read as a child, and the novels she devoured as an adult.

She is the author of the popular YA dystopia series 'Blemished' and the gothic novella 'My Daylight Monsters'. She is currently working on a YA Fantasy series titled 'White Hart'. Find Sarah at: http://sarahdaltonbooks.com/


Katie French 

Katie French imagined herself an author when her poem caught the eye of her second grade teacher. In middle school she spent her free time locked in her room, writing her first young adult novel. Though her social life suffered, her love for literature thrived. She studied English at Eastern Michigan University, where she veered from writing and earned an education degree. She spent nine years teaching high school English. Currently she is a school counselor, doing a job that is both one of the hardest things she's ever done and the most rewarding. In her free time she writes, reads great books and takes care of her two beautiful and crazy children. She is a contributor and co-creator of Underground Book Reviews, a website dedicated to erasing the boundaries between traditional and non-traditional publishing. She lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. You can find her at www.katiefrenchbooks.com. 
Blitz Wide Giveaway: (3) Prizes - Open INT:





-60$ Amazon card + ebooks from all the authors
-eBooks from all the authors
-Sequels of the books featured in Shattered Worlds









 

November 7, 2013

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Supernatural Six

 

This pack includes 6 novels by 6 authors at a special sale price of only $0.99, regular price for all these stories is $16.79, you save $15.80. Grab your copy today!!


Supernatural Six
Authors: Allie Burton, Brenda Pandos, Elle Casey, Juli Alexander, L.G. Castillo, Tawny Stokes 
Genre: YA Supernatural
Release Date: November 1, 2013

Buy Links: Amazon / Barnes and Noble 




Description:

Secret powers, genies, mermaids, angels, vampires and demons. There’s something for every paranormal enthusiast. Supernatural Six brings you six novels from six authors who know how to raise the stakes and tame the darkness.

____

Duality by Elle Casey (New York Times Bestselling Author) – Malcolm’s had a problem for as long as he can remember. No matter where he goes or what he does, he leaves misery in his wake. But then Rae shows up in his life, and everything changes. Darkness cleaves to light. Anger yields to joy. The question is whether she’ll be his salvation or his destruction.

Three Wishes by Juli Alexander – Not every seventeen-year-old girl works part time granting wishes, but when you’re a genie, you have obligations. Jen finally gets a shot as a drummer in her brother’s band.  Just when it’s looking good for her, Leo Fuller shows up, and this bad boy genie’ s after more than just her drummer gig.

Atlantis Riptide by Allie Burton – Teen runaway Pearl craves anonymity, but when she saves a toddler from drowning she draws attention to her special water skills. Unknown to her, a war rages under the ocean and each side wants to use her powers for their cause. Pearl must choose her own destiny—ignore the churning seas or swim into battle.

Lash by L.G. Castillo – Banished angel Lash seeks to redeem himself by protecting Naomi, a woman who has lost her faith. But when danger threatens — and his passion for her swells — will he choose his cherished home or his heart?

The Emerald Talisman by Brenda Pandos – Julia Parker would trade her ability to feel others emotions in a heartbeat, especially half the boys in school. When a vampire hunter rescues her before she’s devoured by a bloodthirsty stalker, Julia discovers no one is safe. Unsure how to help, she seeks the advice of a psychic, only to find out she alone is the key to stopping the madness, problem is it’ll require her rescuer’s life.

Static by Tawny Stokes – Salem, a teenage groupie for the punk band Malice, gets more than she bargained for after a night of partying with the band–a headache, a stomachache and a sickness that’s turning her into something inhuman. Only Trevor, the roadie, can help her navigate her new world of danger, darkness, and love. 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18740351-supernatural-six?ac=1

Goodreads links for each author:
Grand Prize Giveaway: (1) $50 gift card to Amazon, B&N, or iTunes - Open Internationally!
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September 13, 2013

Don't Make Me Beautiful Blog Tour: Excerpt + Giveaway

 

Welcome to my stop on the Don't Make Me Beautiful blog tour! Today I have an excerpt from the book to share with you and don't forget to scroll to the bottom of the post to enter the tour wide giveaway!


Don't Make Me Beautiful
Author: Elle Casey
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: September 2013
Self-Published

Buy Link: Amazon 

Description:
**This story was inspired by true events. If you liked the movie "Sleeping With the Enemy", then you might like this story too. CONTENT WARNING: Violence, foul language, and adult situations. Not meant for younger readers.**


A ROMANTIC SUSPENSE NOVEL. No one knew a woman lived there or that she even existed. A monster, living in darkness...

At twenty-six, Nicole doesn't even look human anymore. The beast made sure of that. So she hides. A monster consigned to a life of fear and solitude. This is all she deserves, she is quite sure of that.
And then one day out of the blue, the autographed baseball caught by Brian Jensen at the latest Marlins game enters her prison and manages to turn her world completely upside down.
Temptation comes in the form of pity at first, and then perhaps something more.
Does she dare to believe the things she's told, that this is not the life she was meant to live? That being a monster is not her forever-fate? And will she be willing to risk everything, to reach out and accept the helping hands around her? She knows only too well that hands can hurt. Finding out whether they can also heal is a risky proposition, especially when the beast is still out there. Looking for her.
  
Chapter Fifteen 

BRIAN SITS AT THE SIDE of her bed, staring at her face.   He’s never seen anything like it in all his twenty-eight years of life.   Now he knows why his son called her a monster.   His heart breaks for her, and for the life of him, he can’t let go of her hand.   He has this idea that his touch is what’s keeping her alive. “Brian?”   A nurse is standing in the doorway to the ICU room. “Yeah?”   He looks at her only briefly before going back to staring at his pretend-sister.   Briana. “The doctor would like to speak with you.   Do you have a moment?   I’m going to clean her up a little while you’re in the consultation room.” Brian stands, loathe to let go of Briana’s hand.   “Can’t he come in here?” “He said he’d rather talk outside the room.   He’ll explain when you talk to him.”   Her voice is soft.   Caring.   Brian can’t refuse her.   He wants to know what the doctor has to say, anyway, and Briana hasn’t woken up yet from whatever drugs they’ve given her. “Okay.” He very carefully slides his hand away from Briana’s.   He watches as she frowns.   The slightest whimper comes from her lips and it breaks his heart all over again.   “I’ll be back in just a few minutes,” he says.   He takes her hand without thinking and kisses the back of it.   Her expression smooths out, like she’s just fallen back to sleep. Leaving the room, his head is swimming with all the horrible things he’s experienced in the last several hours.   He hasn’t had time to process any of it, and it’s just sitting there like a nightmare he’s trapped in and can’t get out of.   He pushes open the door the nurse pointed him to. “Brian Jensen?”   A man wearing a polo shirt and khaki pants holds out his hand.   “I’m Doctor Bruce.” “Hi, Doctor Bruce, nice to meet you.” “Have a seat.” The doctor gestures to one of the chairs around a small, round table.   He takes the one on the opposite side.   “I’d like to talk to you about your sister.” As Brian’s sitting, the door opens and a woman walks in carrying a stack of folders.   She’s wearing a black and yellow pantsuit, reminding Brian of a giant bumblebee.   The doctor looks up and nods at her. “Mr. Jensen?”   The bumblebee holds out her hand.   “I’m Betty-Lou Grimble with the Family Outreach Domestic Violence Center.   I’m a liaison here at the hospital for patients who come in as victims of domestic violence.” Brian stands and shakes her hand, pulling out a chair next to him for her to take. “Thank you, that’s very kind,” she says, putting her folders down and sitting.   She slides the top one over to Doctor Bruce and he puts it with the one he already has in front of him. Brian sits and waits for them to speak.   He’s playing this by ear, knowing that it’s probably a really bad thing to lie to the hospital about who he is and who the girl is, but in too deep now to stop.   And he doesn’t want to stop.   He knows if they find out he’s not related to her, they’ll kick him out.   Something about her makes him take this risk.   Maybe it’s because of his son’s interaction with her or just because she’s a broken human being needing a friend, but he can’t just walk away.   Now that he’s seen her face and heard her cry, he could never just leave her behind.   Not until he knows she’s safe. “We understand you’re the one who called the ambulance,” says the doctor. Brian nods.   “That’s right.   I went over to her house and saw her through the window.   She was lying on the floor.” “She’s your sister, right?” asks Betty-Lou. One of her eyebrows is up and she’s definitely using a tone that says she’s not quite sure she believes his story.   She looks down at his hands. Brian follows her gaze and sees the cut on his knuckle.   He puts his palms flat on the table.   “I restore furniture for a living.   I don’t hit women.” The doctor and Betty-Lou exchange glances. “Where’d you cut yourself?” asks the doctor. “On the window.   That’s how I found her.   There was a hole in the front window of the house and I put my hand through it to pull the curtains out of the way and I cut my hand on the glass.” Doctor Bruce takes Brian’s hand and pulls it closer, examining it.   “It isn’t from hitting anyone.   The edges are too clean.   And with the injuries to her face, I’d expect him to have more injuries on his knuckles.” “Seriously? You guys think I did that to her?   You’re nuts.”   Brian pulls his hands away and sits back.   “I have a son.   I’m a father to an eight-year-old boy I’ve never even spanked.   I would no sooner hit a woman than I’d hit … the Pope.” Betty-Lou’s eyes widen.   “Are you catholic?” “Yes. I was raised to be, anyway.   Not that I’m the best catholic out there, but I still wouldn’t hit the Pope.” She purses her lips before responding, looking like she’s just bitten into a slice of lemon.   “Good to know.   I guess.” “Why did you call me in here?   To accuse me of hurting her?   Because if that’s the case, you’re wasting your time.”   Brian stands, but he’s halted by the doctor waving his hands in a calming gesture. “Sit, sit … no one’s accusing you of anything.   The police were already out at the house and they say the place is owned by a guy named John Arnold.   That’s not you, I assume?” “No. I already told all the nurses and the guys in the ambulance.   I’m Brian Jensen.”   He reaches behind him and pulls his wallet out of his back pocket, putting it down on the table open so they can see his driver’s license inside the plastic sleeve.   “See?   Brian Jensen.” “And our patient is your … sister?” asks Doctor Bruce. Brian looks from the social worker to the doctor, weighing his options. “Because if you’re not her brother, we can’t share information with you,” says the woman. 
“And we’d have to ask you to leave her room as well,” says the doctor. They’re staring at him intently.   Everyone seems to be holding their breath. Brian lets out a long sigh.   “Then I guess it’s a good thing I am her brother, huh?” Both the doctor and the social worker smile. “Good. That’s good news,” says Betty-Lou.   “Because she’s going to need someone to stand by her.   Things are about to get ugly.” “Looks to me like they already are,” Brian says, his heart squeezing a little at the memory of her face.   He sits down, ready to listen again, now that he knows they’re not accusing him of being the Devil incarnate. “Let’s discuss her injuries,” says Doctor Bruce, flipping open a folder in front of him. He scratches his head absently as his eyes scan the page.   “She has multiple contusions on her face, neck, back and hands.   Bruising on … well, almost every square inch of her body.”   He shakes his head, marking something on the page with a pen he takes from the table.   “We haven’t done a full body CT scan, but I’m willing to bet from what I’ve already seen that she has a history of broken bones from ankle to neck.   We won’t be doing any more tests until she’s awake, but for now, let’s just say that she’s in really, really bad shape.” “Is she … is she going to live?” Brian asks, his voice barely coming out. “Yes.   She had some swelling of her brain, but we’ve gotten that under control.   But we need to keep a close eye on her until she’s out of the woods, so that’s why she’s here in ICU.   I think if all goes well, we’ll be able to move her downstairs in a couple days.” “What about her face?” Brian asks.   He knows his ex-wife would worry about that most of all.   Women tie up so much of their self-worth into their looks. He’s hoping Briana, or whoever she is, is the exception to this rule; otherwise, she won’t want to live when she wakes up and looks in the mirror. “The swelling around her eyes should go down in a couple days and the bruising will fade out after a couple weeks.   But her nose, her jaw, her orbital bones … those aren’t going to change.   Those are permanent.”
Brian swallows with difficulty.   “Permanent?   What do you mean by permanent?” The doctor looks at the social worker as she takes over the conversation. “What you’re looking at when you see Briana is the result of years of physical abuse.   She’s been someone’s punching bag for a long time.   The human face can only take so much.   Maybe if she’d had medical treatment after her injuries it would be a different story, but my guess is, she’s been kept inside that house without any doctor ever taking care of her.” “Betty-Lou is correct,” says the doctor.   “Her ears show signs of repeated blows to the side of the head, the same kind of injuries you’d see on a professional fighter who works without ear protection.   Her nasal passages and sinuses are crushed.   Her jaw has been broken and set itself in a misaligned fashion.   Same with the orbital bone under her left eye.” “The hair will grow in, but her teeth? She’s going to need dentures or some other kind of work, I don’t know,” says Betty-Lou.   Her expression mirrors the sadness clouding Brian’s heart. “How could anyone do this to another person?” Brian says, the sorrow making his throat tight and his words come out rough.   “Why didn’t she just leave him?” Betty-Lou frowns and shakes her head. Her voice belies her anger at the man who caused all this pain.   “He’s sick.   That’s the only explanation.   We see it every day, but it doesn’t make it any easier and it never makes sense to people like you and me.   And why she didn’t leave? It’s a classic case of battered person syndrome.   Fear.   Helplessness.   Maybe a type of hostage response.   Ultimately, she got brainwashed.   Men like whoever did this … they’re masters at it.   They somehow convince women over time that the abuse is their fault, that they deserve it or bring it on themselves, that it’s hopeless to try and leave because the batterer is like God almost - always able to find her, to know what she’s doing, there to control her life.   She gave up somewhere along the way out of a sense of survival.   Maybe she tried to escape once and was returned, which would only prove to her that there was no escape. After a violent episode, the abusers apologize, they promise to change.   These women fall in love with the men they want them to be, not the one they really are.   They’re hope-junkies.   It could be all those reasons, just some of them, or others I haven’t mentioned.   No one knows the full explanation. Maybe someday she’ll tell you herself.” “So you’re saying she has to live like this?   Look like this … monster for the rest of her life?   Always feel like she needs to be with him?”   Tears spring to Brian’s eyes out of pity for her.   No woman should have to look at herself in the mirror and see that horror, the physical proof bringing back memories of all she’s suffered.   “Is she ever going to be able to have a normal life?” The doctor frowns, thinking.   “Psychologically speaking, she’ll need counseling.   Lots of it.   And support from her family.   As far as the physical aspects, she might have some luck with plastic surgery.   It’ll be extensive … and expensive for sure. But I don’t see any reason why she wouldn’t be a candidate.   I can give you a couple of referrals if you’d like.” “I’d appreciate that,” says Brian, knowing that he’s taking on a giant responsibility, maybe even on par with becoming a father, but unable to stop himself.   He has no idea how he’s going to keep up the charade of being her brother and take care of her beyond staying by her side while she’s here in the hospital, but he’ll be damned if he’s going to walk away and leave her to the demon who tried to destroy her, body and soul.

New York Times Best-Selling author Elle Casey is an American girl living in southern France with her husband, three children, and several furry creatures. She writes in a variety of genre including YA Fantasy, YA Action/Adventure, New Adult Romance, and Adult Contemporary Romance. She's a little on the wild side, usually busy making people laugh, and always in the mood for adventure. There's not much in this world that she loves more than reader interaction, so feel free to drop her a line.



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