Thursday, March 26, 2015

The Warhol Incident by G.K. Parks

A Brief Summary:
Alexis's trip to Paris is supposed to be a simple secure and deliver job. However things get complicated when her ex-Interpol acquaintance is killed in a car bomb, and she gets a very strong suggestion to stop investigating. Add in a budding romance with a man she was once hired to protect and you get a fast paced emotionally charged novel that you just can't put down.

My Review: 
I really loved Alexis, she is a strong no nonsense character. Yes she has a tendency towards profanity, but I feel it helps define her she has been through hell and back, more then once so if she feels the need to cuss go right ahead.

Her relationship with Martin was another highlight for me. True the progression of it is extremely slow, but he's still technically her boss and she has issues letting people in. Her issues are due to the reason she left the OIO, and the fact that she doesn't want anyone to get injured or killed from being in her life. That being said I really like them as a pair, and I can't wait to see it develop in later books.

For the story itself, I love the fact that it keeps you guessing. Even once the main villain was revealed you still have surprises coming. I truly enjoyed this series and I hope to read more of the series soon.

This is technically the second book in a series but it can easily be read as a stand alone. There are references to the previous book, but not enough  to hinder understanding.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

The Legend of the Light Keeper by Kelly Hall

A Brief Summary:
Moving to the middle of nowhere when you're a teenager is never fun, add in blending two families and a spectral light and things can't help but get interesting. The light that so many come to see only a few can truly understand. Lilly is one of those few, and she, Talon and they're new friends need to figure out what happened that causes the light.

My Review:

  • I really enjoyed this book. Lilly is a wonderful protagonist that goes after what she wants. Be it love or information that she needs,  she won't stop until she has it.
Another thing I enjoyed was the dynamic between Lilly and her mom's boyfriend. It's a bit tentative but then again he's the first real father figure she's ever had. 

I also really liked her and Talon's relationship. It progresses very naturally and it's extremely easy to root for them despite their circumstances.


I received this book courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for my free and honest review.

Legend of the Light Keeper: Blog Tour, Guest Post and Giveaway!!!!!!!!








Author: Kelly Hall
Title: The Legend of the Light Keeper
Series: The Light Keeper Series
Publication Date: March 25, 2015
Publisher: Booktrope

After a hurricane destroys her home, Lily Jordan is ready for life to get back to normal. That would be easy if her mother’s recent engagement hadn't landed her in a house along Southeast Texas’ most haunted ghost road.

The secluded scenic road is steeped in rich history and legends, but when Lily is given an old diary on her birthday, will she find that those legends hold more for her future than she’s bargained for?
With the help of new friends, Hunter and Owen, and forbidden love, Talon, will she uncover dark secrets from the past and find the key to her own gifts?
Is it fate or circumstance that brought her to her new home?
Normal gives way to the paranormal in book one of the Light Keeper series where mystery and suspense will keep you guessing until the very last page.

Get this awesome book today from these fine retailers:
Kelly Pic


Author Bio:
Kelly Hall was born and raised in Southeast Texas, and lives in a small town just a stone’s throw from the ghost road where her Light Keeper series is based. When she’s not busy writing, or spending time with her husband and two sons, this self-proclaimed creative junkie dabbles in many different forms of art, including cake decorating and mixed media.
Author Links:


I'm extraordinarily pleased to bring you a guest post by Kelly Hall about how she creates her strong female protagonist:

When I set out to write my book, I knew that my main character, Lily Jordan, needed to be strong. I wanted her to be a little independent, at least as independent as a 16 year old girl can be, but I also needed to leave her room to grow.
I’d read many harsh comments about weak female leads in YA books that I knew if I was going to write my own, I needed to give her a backbone and not make her just another damsel in distress.
I could have went the route where Lily is a tough girl, strong-minded, stubborn, and completely content without needing any help from any of the other characters, but quite honestly, how boring is that? As a writer, if I don’t make Lily a little vulnerable where she needs some assistance, there would be no room for her to grow and no need for the other characters. I chose to make Lily a strong girl, but that’s just it, she’s a girl. She’s young, impressionable, in a new place, meeting new people, and then there’s this whole ghost thing too. It would be a little silly if Lily started out kicking butts and taking names without the need for anyone. She’d come across as cold, shallow, and probably a little egotistical if she didn’t need anyone else for anything.
I wanted people to admire, respect, and desire her enough to actually follow her through the adventure or heck, maybe even want to be her.  I wanted her relatable. If you allow your female protagonist to be overbearing and treat her male counterparts as weak minded and useless, then what is there to endear the reader to your characters? Writing and creating characters is a balancing act. We are all flawed. I’ve always liked to consider us perfectly imperfect people. Give your character some strength but remember without the weaknesses there is nothing to strengthen. Does she need to be a bubble-head that cares only about her boyfriend’s good looks and muscles? No, but make something about her endearing and common enough that she seems real and give her room to grow and progress along with the plot. You’ll create a character that people will admire.


Don't forget to enter to win a copy of The Legend of the Light Keeper!

GIVEAWAY



This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

The Soul Keeper series box set by L.A. Starkey

A Brief Summary:
Two soul mates, one prophecy, and a whole lot of complications. Join Marcus and Nick as they try and understand the prophecy binding them and how to deal with sharing a soul mate. As Sam tries to understand the craziness of the world she's been thrown into.

My Review: 
I absolutely loved this series. It's fast paced with characters that you fall in love with. Sam is an incredibly strong willed girl who takes everything that happens pretty well. Only one major freak out in the entire series and you cant really blame her for it considering the circumstances.

Nick and Marcus are two sides of the same coin. I favored Nick, but I also really liked Marcus. They compliment each other extraordinarily well.

Also you get another perspective on most of the Greek Pantheon of Gods. Personally I loved how Hades was portrayed. I'd love to know more about him. Some of the Greek mythos was reworked but I really enjoyed it and it truly added to the story.

The first two books end in major emotionally charged cliffhangers so having the full box set is incredibly convenient.

This is a series that is defiantly worth a read! Don't forget to check out my last post to get in on a giveaway for the box set!!!! Click here to get in on this amazing opportunity!

The Soul Keeper Series by L.A. Starkey, Blog Tour and Giveaway!!!




Title: Deceived, Destroyed & Descent (Full Series)
Series: The Soul Keeper Series
Author: L.A. Starkey
Publication Date: March 16, 2015
They say a soul is the immaterial essence, the animating principle, the actuating cause of an individual life.
But what if you had to share yours with the one person you hated the most?
The soul mate principle states that for every one soul there is another that will recognize its match, hence creating the perfect union.
But what if you had two soul mates, which would you choose?
What if your choices had eternal ramification?

Buy No Button Amazon  

Author Bio:

L.A. Starkey is the author of the upcoming Soul Keeper Series, a supernatural young adult series, and The Liarus Detective Series, a supernatural middle grade series.
She is a CPA by trade, a church planter and entrepreneur at heart; however, writing and reading are passions she just can't help but indulge in. With more ideas than one person should be allowed, she is blessed to have a muse that doesn't seem to take a vacation and more energy that one might consider healthy.

She writes under the following pen names:

L.A Starkey - YA/MG Paranormal
Kate Thomas - NA/Adult Paranormal
Isabella James - Sci-fi/Fantasy
Lauren Elizabeth - Adult Contemporary Romance


Author Links:



This is a series I fell in love with, you can read my full review in my next post, and I'm extremely happy to be able to give you a chance to win an Ebook copy of the entire series. Trust me it's an amazing read!

GIVEAWAY




This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.



Tuesday, March 17, 2015

Clash of Eagles by Alan Smale

A Brief Summary:
What if Rome had never fallen? What if they had conquered all of Europe and set their eyes on the land beyond the ocean? Gaius Marcellinius and his legions were sent to explore, annex, and find gold in this new land. However the natives fighting skills were woefully underestimated and the Fighting 33 falls. Now Gaius must find a place in this new world. But will the advances he wishes to make help or harm his new kinsmen?

My Review:
My first foray into military fiction, and I loved it. The battles were more tactically explained, then descriptions of gore which I appreciated. You really get inside the mind of a Roman solider. The natives also have a multitude of tricks up their sleeves.

I also enjoy the inter-tribal relationships particularity the rivalry between the Cahokia *Gaius's adopted tribe* and the Iroqua . It's one of the main reasons for Gaius's continued survival, as the war chief thinks that he can help them win the Mourning War.

I also like the changes that are wrought by Roman technology, weapons for the most part. The way that the battles are fought between the natives have been drastically changed because of it.

As with any book that's historically based I look for accuracy and research, and this book delivers. Painstakingly researched, and beautifully portrayed, giving life to a city where the history has been forgotten. Granted a few technologies were added to the natives stash were created by the author but they fit in wonderfully.

I hope there will be more books in this universe, maybe with a native narrating next time. Either way I hope for more from this extremely talented author.

I received this book courtesy of NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group in exchange for my free and honest review.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Dark Hope by H.D. Smith

A Brief Summary:
Claire hates her job, but I really can't blame her considering she's the devil's assistant. Where devil means devil as in Lord of help, so you really can't blame her. Her life takes a turn for the worse when she's implicated in the murder of Junior, the oldest hellspawn. Now she has to contact four of the most deadly hellspawn to save Junior's life, and her own. If that wasn't enough to deal with she's been claimed by Queen Mab, and threatened by the Druid Kings mafia. Life is never boring when you work for the devil.


My Review:
I absolutely loved the premise of this book, and the execution exquisite. The heroine is strong, without being ridiculously stubborn something that is rarer then it should be. Along with Claire you have several other well developed characters. Such as Mab, The Druid King, and the Devil, aka the big three. And the quads, the four extremely powerful hellspawn, we're some of my favorite characters. Powerful, dynamic, and unique from each other.

The world building is incredible. You have three distinct kingdoms, hell, purgatory, and the Paradise. Each ruled by one of "the big three".  Claire is also desired by all three, because she is the center of several prophecies.

This was a great introduction to an incredible series that I highly recommend!

Friday, March 13, 2015

Blog Tour and Giveaway for The Concealing by D.E.L. Connor!






The Concealing by D. E. L Connors
Series: Spirit Warriors #1
Genre(s): Fantasy, Adventure, & Young Adult
Pages: 191
Published: November 24th, 2013 by BookTrope


Blurb:


Sixteen-year-old Emme Belrose has it all: four best friends, a horse of her own, a hidden tepee hangout, and a blossoming romance with tall and handsome Charlie. These friends also have a secret. They can move their spirits into animal bodies: an osprey, a mustang, a grizzly, a mountain lion and a coyote. But when Charlie, who has a gift for seeing the future, has a vision of Emme drowning in the icy Yellowstone River, the Spirit Warriors must train their animal bodies to kill an enemy they know is coming… but know nothing about. Suspenseful, romantic, and awash in Native American magic, Spirit Warriors captures the tragic enchantment of the American West—and confirms the power of friendship.

















EXCERPT from The Concealing by D.E.L Connor


We all talked about the prom and decided that I would ask Mr. Martin “theoretically” if same-sex couples could attend the prom, since I was the only one who had him for a class, and he was the teacher in charge of the prom. The next day, Mr. Martin was talking about the plans for the prom and I raised my hand and asked him if a same-sex couple could attend the prom. Mr. Martin looked at me. “No same-sex students may come together as a date. They can come stag, but not together.”                   
Lizzie snickered behind me. “Always knew you were a lesbo,” she mocked. I ignored her then, and later, I ignored her and Lilly’s bully brother Joe when they came behind me and laughed about me being a “fag.”
“Hey, is Lilly your dyke girlfriend?” Joe taunted. I kept walking.

That night in Bets’s basement, we talked about how to handle the prom. Ollie and Raymond were devastated that they couldn’t attend the prom together. Lilly looked up and said, “I have an idea, a brilliant idea at that! What if all seven of us wore tuxes to the prom? We could each wear a different color of shirt and that way Ollie and Raymond could be together and no one would know.” We all joined in telling Lilly it was a wonderful idea. Bets was initially sad that she couldn’t wear a dress, but we reminded her that we had next year to wear a dress.
                   
We talked to our parents about wanting to wear tuxes, and while they weren’t excited about it, they said it was okay. We didn’t tell them about Ollie and Raymond.
                   
Ollie told his parents. His mother gave him the standard talk about how this is a hard thing to see your son being different from what they had planned for him. But while they weren’t crazy about it, and his Dad felt he would “grow out of it,” they weren’t wildly angry or bitter. We were all thankful for that. Ollie was our friend and we didn’t care who he dated.
                   
We planned the colors and flowers we would wear. Lilly chose a pink shirt, Ollie would wear a red shirt, and Raymond would be in black. Bets would be in green, Jack would be in turquoise, I would be in navy, and Charlie would be in white. We all planned to wear white lilies.
                   
The people who worked at the tuxedo shop thought we were all crazy. They charged us extra to fit the suits for us girls. I told them that was asinine, but they were the only business in town, and we were forced to do business with them. Nana paid for our lilies. We were excited about prom, and as May loomed, prom was only a week away.
                   
The day of prom, Lilly, Bets and I went to have our hair done. Nana came with us and we all had a manicure and pedicure. We laughed over the smallest of things. Lilly’s wild choice of “smoking hot red” nails. Bets’s choice of leopard print toenails. Go figure on that one. Me, I liked the plain simple just pink. Boring, but me.
                   
Nana joked that the only reason I agreed to wear a tux was so I could wear a sports bra. We all laughed at that. “So true, Nana,” I said. Bets didn’t think I needed to wear a bra at all and we all started giggling again.
                   
“Well, you and Lilly definitely need one, and I don’t need them, they would just get in my way!” I smiled.
                   
Lilly impishly looked at me. “Well, Charlie seems to like that you are a member of the tiny titty committee.”   
“Lilly! Stop.”
“Just saying,” she chirped. I looked down, knowing my ears and face were bright red.
Nana laughed the hardest. “It’s not what’s on the outside that matters, girls, although I must admit it helps.”
                   
That night Uncle Zach rented us a limousine. We had never seen one before, and he seemed proud to show us what all the limousine has to offer. We went to each house and took pictures with each set of parents, except for Lilly’s. She took pictures with each family, and her smile was infectious. My dad was upset that his daughter “dressed like a boy.” He got over it, though, and we took a picture with us and Ben and Lilly.
                   
When we arrived at prom, the limo driver opened the door and we got out one at a time. Everyone stopped to look at us. Before long, we had a crowd looking at the limo and talking to us about our tuxes. We walked hand in hand into the prom. I was between Charlie and Jack, Bets was on the other side of Charlie, and Lilly was on the other side of Jack next to Ollie and Raymond. We stopped and took pictures, all of us together, arms draped over each other. For that one moment in time with our arms all intertwined, I felt truly happy. I didn’t care about the future or what would happen. It was just all of us, with Charlie’s arm around my waist drawing me close to him. I looked over at Lilly and she winked at me. I didn’t want this night to ever end.
                   
The seven of us danced as a group and then individually with each other. As the night wore on, someone yelled for Jack to come play guitar. Jack and Charlie decided to play Ben’s “Friends” song with Raymond singing the words Lilly wrote. While they played it acoustically and Raymond sang, the other kids just swayed to the music with their arms up in the air. We yelled encore, but they were through for the evening.
                   
Charlie came to me and wrapped his arms around me, and we danced off. I loved everything about him: his smell, his strength, and his kindness. He breathed in my ear and I whispered in his ear, “Charlie, when will we ever be together?” I blushed when I said it.
                   
“We are together now, Em.”
I swatted him. “You know what I mean.”
“Patience, my beauty, patience,” Charlie breathed. “Everything must happen as it is destined.” I stopped dancing.
“Seriously, we have to ask the spirits if we can be together?”
“Not exactly like that, Em, but something similar.” He looked in my eyes. “Em, you have to trust me. My whole and only purpose in life is to protect you. I cannot screw that up.” I looked into his eyes, and I finally realized how it must feel to be put on this earth only to protect someone else. Charlie would never have a destiny that was different from mine. He would never have a life that was centered on what he wanted to do. He would never live his life with abandon or freedom. As if sensing my thoughts, Charlie smiled and drew me closer and swayed to the music. He whispered in my ear, “My sweet flower, long after this life is over, I will still love you and protect you.”
                   
Lilly floated by with Ollie and Raymond and demanded a cut. As Lilly and Charlie danced off, I heard her asking Charlie if we were ever going to have sex or if I was going to die a virgin. Leave it to Lilly!
                   
Jack wandered up and we started dancing. “You smell nice,” I said, and then cringed. What a weird thing to say, as if he didn’t always smell nice.
                   
He laughed. “Just good old soap and deodorant. What do you think Charlie and Lilly are talking about?”
                   
“Beats me,” I answered, blushing. Jack looked at me strangely and then changed the subject and pointed to Ollie and Raymond. “I’m glad we did this for them,” he said.
                   

“Me too,” I whispered.





Author Bio:






Della was born in South Dakota and raised in the vastness and beauty of Montana on a farm. When she longed for the big city life, she moved to Texas, where she attended college and received a PhD in nursing. When not nursing people back to health you can find Della huddled over her Mac writing the stories that have occupied her mind for so many years, or traveling with her best friends, the NOLA’s, riding bikes across the Golden Gate bridge or exploring botanical gardens. She is the proud mother of a champion triathlete, two aging dogs and one grand-cat. Della has admittedly confessed to her coffee addiction and swears that her two hour coffee crawl while on vacation in Seattle was the best two hours of her life!





Author Links: 


Goodreads | Twitter  | Website


Don't miss out on a chance to win a signed copy of The Concealing and some swag from The Scarring!!!!
















This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours. 




Thursday, March 12, 2015

Release Day Blitz for Scroll by DB Nielsen!




Title: SCROLL
Series: Keeper of Genesis II
Author: DB Nielsen
Release Date: March 12, 2015

Seventeen-year-old Saffron Woods is haunted by strange voices as if from a distant past. With the SEED’s sentience awakened, these mystical voices intensify, forcing Saffron to acknowledge that she has also inherited its legacy of dark secrets, intrigue and death. Venturing out alone, Saffron is driven to locate an ancient manuscript charting the location of the only undiscovered Wonder of the Ancient World, the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, gateway to the Garden of Eden. But last seen in the Library of Alexandria, the SCROLL is long thought to be lost.

Saffron meets Finn, the compelling caretaker of Satis House who appears to know more than he is willing to reveal. Knowing she cannot trust him, Saffron is drawn to this rebellious figure who seems to both threaten and protect her. But her feelings for Finn are complicated by the charming yet inscrutable Anakim, Gabriel Chevalier, who offers her his invaluable assistance in locating the elusive manuscript.

Torn between competing passions and facing an increasingly implacable enemy, the Grigori, Saffron struggles to find the SCROLL which holds the secrets to the past and the key to the future…


This book comes out today go check it out now!!!!


Author Bio:
db nielsen was born in British Hong Kong and immigrated to Australia in childhood. db likes to travel the world with family; dividing time between residing in Sydney and visits to the cathedrals, crypts and museums the world over, doing research for new projects. The author is a university lecturer in Linguistics and Semiotics, and continues to teach English Literature and Language whilst writing fiction.


Author Links: 



This tour was organized by Good Tales Book Tours.