Showing posts with label J. Taylor Publishing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label J. Taylor Publishing. Show all posts

May 21, 2013

Day After Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway



Day After (The 19th Year #2)
Author: Emi Gayle
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Release Date: May 6, 2013
Publisher: J. Taylor Publishing

Description:

Demon crypts. Vampire lairs. Glowing angels. Sexy sirens. The stuff of fiction.

Or so Winn Thomas always thought.

Since being accepted into the fold of the supernatural, he knows better. None of what he imagined is true, but everything he feared is, and binding himself to his Changeling girlfriend until her nineteenth birthday will give him an education far beyond what he’d get at his human high school.

Luckily, Winn’s not giving up, he won’t back down, and he definitely isn’t going to run away with his tail between his legs. After all, only werewolves have tails. Right?

In this, the second of the 19th Year trilogy, Winn’s facing the challenge of one lifetime. If he doesn’t learn the truth about mythological creatures, his girlfriend Mac Thorne won’t either. That means, in six months, when she chooses her final form, she won’t know what to pick.

Winn, though, has his own ideas about Mac’s final selection—plans she knows nothing of.

He intends to have her pick human.

Whether she can or not.
  




Demon crypts. Vampire lairs. Glowing angels. Sexy sirens. The stuff of fiction.

Or so Winn Thomas always thought.

Since being accepted into the fold of the supernatural, he knows better. None of what he imagined is true, but everything he feared is, and binding himself to his Changeling girlfriend until her nineteenth birthday will give him an education far beyond what he'd get at his human high school.

Luckily, Winn's not giving up, he won't back down, and he definitely isn't going to run away with his tail between his legs. After all, only werewolves have tails. Right?

In this, the second of the 19th Year trilogy, Winn's facing the challenge of one lifetime. If he doesn't learn the truth about mythological creatures, his girlfriend Mac Thorne won't either. That means, in six months, when she chooses her final form, she won't know what to pick.

Winn, though, has his own ideas about Mac's final selection; plans she knows nothing of.

He intends to have her pick human.

Whether she can or not.
Sitting in front of the twelve most powerful non-humans on the earth would have shaken a lesser guy. In my case, I'd almost thrown up. Twice.

"Don't worry," Mackenzie Thorne, my girlfriend, had said. "It's just a formality."

She hadn't known I'd have to go alone.

Only the intake and exhalation of air in the room made any sound. Eerie light flickered from the tips of candles mounted along dark, oak-paneled walls.

I refused to look anywhere but ahead of me. To the long, wooden, medieval-length table.

Waiting.

Watching.

Holding my own breath.

For a moment, it seemed the walls began to close in on me.

At almost midnight on the first day of the year, I prepared to accept a fate no other human had ever taken on, been given or even offered. In response, sweat pooled under my armpits as alternating cold and hot ran through me.

The scratch of wood against wood had heads turning. Mine included.

Nahir, the oldest of the twelve, rose from his chair. "Winford Richmond Thomas, please rise." His voice had a gravelly, hoarse sound.

I did as requested, my knees pressing against each other.

Nahir moved closer to me, his grandfatherly, human form disappearing under protruding scales of deep green. His arms lengthened into dinosaur-like paws and hit the rock floor, making the room around us shake. Thick wings extended from his body, and a tail lashed out against the wall behind him, rattling the candles.

A dragon, in the color of tropical ocean water, stood before me, huffing air from horse-sized nostrils.

Oh. God. I'm going to die.

Not going to die. It's part of the test. Remember, you have to see them all. Mac's words flowed through my mind.

Keep breathing.

"Master Thomas." Josie, a siren and one of the most beautiful women I'd ever met, rose, her long flowing gown matching the color of her reddish-gold hair. I couldn't help but stare at her. "You've been asked by our current changeling, Miss Maya Mackenzie Thorne, to be her teacher. Have you willingly agreed to take on this duty?" As Josie talked, she stalked forward, shimmering, shifting, the already-pretty woman becoming deadly man-hunting female - according to the legends I'd read.

Vibes ebbed from her like the rocking tide. If she sang, throwing up would be the least of my worries. I'd be dead by sexual self-implosion.

With a rough cough, I gathered my wits. "Yes. I have accepted. Willingly." Every nerve ending in my body urged me to go to Josie, to let her take me and do with me whatever she wanted. A groan built in my throat, tension straining my limbs, most particularly, my crotch. Not now! The need to shift what grew sent heat to my cheeks even as Mac's words played through again. Force yourself not to react to any of them. They'll think you're stronger than you are since you're only human.

Only human. Problem number one.


Day After is the second book in a fantastic young adult paranormal romance series that switches gears to follow the new main character Winn Thomas as he deals with his newfound knowledge of the supernatural world that simmers below the human realm. Alongside his girlfriend, Mac, Winn must learn all he can about mythological creatures so Mac can decide on her final form in six months. If Winn doesn't learn about them, Mac won't either, and she won't be able to make a decision. Winn has a secret card up his sleeve about Mac's final form - one that even she doesn't know about yet. He plans on having her choose a human final form, whether it's possible or not. Will he be able to convince her in time?

This is a fun and unique second book that continues to prove to be an addicting paranormal series. The character of Mac is witty, sarcastic, and very accessible to the reader. She's realistic and believable, which makes it easy to side with her throughout the novel. I really enjoyed the backstory and details of the Changelings and the other paranormal beings, as well as their culture and politics. It gave an intriguing depth to the book that definitely sets it apart from others in the genre. Winn is the narrator in this installment, which makes things interesting - seeing the supernatural world through his eyes and mind gives fresh insight into the world the author has built and the other characters in the series - including Mac. The plot itself was very well written with a great flow and a fast pace. I got sucked into the story on the first page and didn't stop reading until I was finished. There's something for everyone in this book - paranormal, action, mystery, adventure, and romance. Overall, this second installment proves that this series is one that I highly recommend and one that you won't want to miss!

Emi Gayle just wants to be young again. She lives vicariously through her youthful characters, while simultaneously acting as chief-Mom to her teenaged son and searching for a way to keep her two daughters from ever reaching the dreaded teen years.

Ironically, those years were some of Emi's favorite times. She met the man of her dreams at 14, was engaged to him at 19, married him at 20 and she's still in love with him to this day. She'll never forget what it was like to fall in love at such a young age — emotions she wants everyone to feel.


http://www.emigayle.com  


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February 25, 2013

Cover Reveal: Tied by Laney McMann


TIED (Fire Born #1)
Author: Laney McMann
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Expected Release Date: September 9, 2013
Publisher: J. Taylor Publishing



From the Back of the Book:

Normal people don't believe their nightmares stalk them. They don’t fall in love with boys who don’t exist, either. 
 
Seventeen-year-old Layla Labelle, though, is far from normal. Her delusions walk the earth. Her hallucinations hunt her, and her skin heats to a burn every time her anger flares. 
 
Or is that all in her head?
 
Layla doesn't know what to believe any more because if none of that’s true, Max MacLarnon must be an illusion, and her heart must still be broken.
 
No matter how much she wants to believe Max is real, doing so would mean everything else is, too. How, then, is that possible?
 
The answers lie in an age-old legend the supernatural aren’t prepared to reveal, and with a curse that could tear Layla and Max apart forever—if it doesn’t kill them both first. 
 
In TIED, book one in the Fire Born trilogy, learning the truth will mean fighting an arsenal  of demons, and being with Max will put Layla on a path toward her own destruction.
 
Just how far will Layla go to protect the one she loves?
 
The answer may never be far enough ... away.
  



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


  

January 12, 2013

Reaper Blog Tour: Review & Giveaway

Reaper
Author: L.S. Murphy
Genre: YA Fantasy/Paranormal
Release Date: January 7, 2013
Publisher: J. Taylor Publishing

Description:

There's no way sixteen year old Quincy Amarante will become the fifth grim reaper. None. Not over her shiny blue Mustang. Her Jimmy Choos. Or her dead body.

She’s supposed to enjoy her sophomore year, not learn about some freaky future Destiny says she has no choice but to fulfill.

It doesn’t take long for Quincy to realize the only way out of the game is to play along especially since Death can find her anyway, anywhere, anytime. And does.

Like when she’s reassuring her friends she wants nothing to do with former best friend Ben Moorland, who’s returned from god-knows-where, and fails. Miserably.

Instead of maintaining her coveted popularity status, Quincy’s goes down like the Titanic.

Maybe ... just maybe ... that’s okay.

It seems, perhaps, becoming a grim reaper isn’t just about the dead but more about a much needed shift in Quincy’s priorities—from who she thinks she wants to be to who she really is.
  




A spitball stops in mid-air less than an inch from my nose.
It hangs there. I assume everyone else notices the wet wad of paper too, but when I turn to my bestie Jordan, her mouth is stuck open with her eyes half closed.
She was just laughing. Now she’s ... frozen?
The sudden silence is louder than a room full of gossiping teenagers.
Mini-quakes creep up my spine like a centipede hurrying toward my hair.
I’m not entirely sure my heart is beating. I wave my shaking hand in front of Jordan, hoping this will break her free of whatever happened.
No reaction.
Why am I moving?
So many times, I wished Jordan would stop talking. Now is the one time I need her high-pitched voice to pierce my ears.
Quin, relax. It’s okay. No way this is real. I pinch my arm hard, but it doesn’t change anything.
A loud pop makes me spin around in my seat. A man stands in front of the chalkboard in a bluish-white robe staring at me through blizzard white eyes. He holds a staff in front of him that looks like melting glass.
“Hello, Quincy,” he says in a deep velvet voice. “How would you like to see your future?”
I stand and stumble toward the back of the room. “Who are you supposed to be? Gandalf?” I’m unable to keep the tremor out of my voice.
“One person dresses up like me in a movie, and that’s all I hear.” He leans back on Mr. Spragg’s desk. “I’m far more attractive than him and so much more fun.” He winks and lifts his robe, revealing a pair of yellow and red striped Bermuda shorts and orange flip-flops.
My eyes pop wider at the mismatched mess, but I keep my thoughts about his sense of fashion to myself. “Who are you?”
His sigh echoes off the walls. “I’m Destiny.”
“Who?”
Rolling his eyes, he raises the staff high to his left. Like a swordsman, he stabs and swooshes it down in an arch. The air ripples as a dark slit opens. A man in a deep brown pinstripe suit steps through. His cheap sneakers don’t match the formality of the tan fedora and horn-rimmed glasses.
A pony-sized white German shepherd saunters in behind him, and I take an automatic step back. The dog turns his head, black orbs where its eyes should be. Pinstripe man glances my way before turning toward the person who calls himself Destiny. His features contort and a maroon tint creeps over his face.
“What the f—”
Destiny flips his finger and the new guy shuts up. After a moment, he does another finger move.
“We said when she was eighteen, Des.”
“I’m aware of that, Forsyth.”
“She’s not eighteen.”
“Really? I never would have guessed.” Sarcasm fills each word as Destiny raises his eyebrows like a flag on the Fourth of July.
Forsyth glares. “Then why am I here?”
“I let you pick the date, but I never agreed to honor it.” Destiny pats the dog on the head with sneer and wipes his hands on his robe. “Now is the time. Teach her.” 



Reaper is a young adult fantasy novel that follows future reaper Quincy Amarante as she learns about her fate and tries to deal with reaper training alongside her normal teenage life. After securing her spot in the popular crowd by saying the right things, being the right weight, wearing the right clothes - Quincy realizes that the person she's become isn't the real her. After her childhood best friend Ben moves back to town, Quincy finds herself at a crossroads - she must choose between her popular life or what her heart is telling her is what she really wants. She also has to deal with Destiny, Fate, and her reaper mentor popping in to show her the realities of life and death  - and the ropes of being a reaper.

This was a really interesting and moving story. The majority of the book deals with Quincy's normal life as a teen - cliques in school, family issues, boyfriends, fake friends, bullies, etc. as well as her trying to deal with the fact that she's going to become a reaper after she dies. The scenes when she is learning about reaping are very sobering for her and for the reader - it shows the harsh realities of life and just how short and unfair it can be. Problems in Quincy's normal life are realistic and easy to identify with - a pushy boyfriend, a back-stabbing best friend, feelings for the "wrong" guy, striving for popularity - and also deeper issues like family, friendship, and being true to oneself. I had a real issue with the ending of the book. I cried really hard. Twice. I didn't like how it ended, but I see how it fit with the book. It doesn't mean that I have to like it. That part of the book shows a lot as well - a whole new depth that I didn't know the book was going to take on. It was sad, sobering, and very emotional. I think it added a new layer to the story, which makes it all the more captivating. The characters - especially Quincy and Ben - were well done and realistic. I was easily identifying with Quincy from the beginning and definitely rooting her Ben and her throughout the novel. It's rare when I get crushes on guys from books, but all I can say is that it's impossible not to love Ben. *sigh*  The writing was very well done and had a great pace to it. It was light-hearted and fun but definitely talked about serious issues and had some really deep issues for the reader to think about even after they're done reading. Overall, this is a fantastic YA fantasy about reapers and a sarcastic main character - but it is so very much more than that if you look just a little bit closer. Highly recommended!






L.S. Murphy lives in the Greater St. Louis area where she watches Cardinals baseball, reads every book she can find, and weaves tales for teens and adults. When not doing all of the above, she tends to The Bean (aka her daughter), her husband and a menagerie of pets. “A Reason to Stay”, a contemporary romance novella, is available as of November 2, 2012. Reaper is her debut young adult novel and will be released on January 7th, 2013.

She is a co-rep for the Southern Illinois region of Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a member of the St. Louis Writer’s Guild.


Links:
Blog 



 Giveaway: (1) ebook copy of Reaper - Open Internationally!


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October 22, 2012

Cover Reveal: Day After by Emi Gayle

 

Day After (The 19th Year #2)
Author: Emi Gayle
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Expected Release Date: May 6, 2013


Description:

Demon crypts. Vampire lairs. Glowing angels. Sexy sirens. The stuff of fiction.
 
Or so Winn Thomas always thought.
 
Since being accepted into the fold of the supernatural, he knows better. None of what he imagined is true, but everything he feared is, and binding himself to his changeling girlfriend until her nineteenth birthday will give him an education far beyond what he’d get at his human high school.
 
Luckily, Winn’s not giving up, he won’t back down, and he definitely isn’t going to run away with his tail between his legs. After all, only werewolves have tails. Right?
 
In this, the second of the 19th Year trilogy, Winn’s facing the challenge of one lifetime. If he doesn’t learn the truth about mythological creatures, his girlfriend Mac Thorne won’t either. That means, in six months, when she chooses her final form, she won’t know what to pick. 
 
Winn, though, has his own ideas about Mac’s final selection—plans she knows nothing of. 
 
He intends to have her pick human. 
 
Whether she can or not.
 
 
URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/20

Other Books in this series include:
After Dark (Book 1)



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

September 24, 2012

Cover Reveal: Resonance by J.A. Belfield

 

Resonance: A Holloway Pack Story #2.5

Author: J.A. Belfield

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Expected Release Date: April 2, 2013



Back Cover Blurb:

Guilt is a heavy burden for the one carrying it. 
 
Jem Stonehouse is no exception to this rule.
 
What if she’d acted sooner? What if she’d fully recognised the threat? What if she hadn’t allowed the male pack members to head into the witches’ ambush?
 
For one, youngest pack member Josh Larsen wouldn’t be trapped in the sleep of the dead.
 
Now, Jem is convinced it’s her job to bring him back to life no matter what it takes— learning more about her heritage, risking pack exposure, or travelling to places she couldn’t have imagined possible.
 
Even if the journey endangers her soul.
 
URL: http://www.jtaylorpublishing.com/books/27
 
Other Books in this series include:
Instinct (#0)

Eternal (#.5)

Darkness & Light (#1)

Blue Moon (#2)
 (Coming December 3, 2012)



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