Monday, October 26, 2015

Blog Tour: All I've Ever Wanted by Ana Huang






About the Book

Title: All I’ve Never Wanted

Author: Ana Huang

Genre: YA

The Scions were the four richest, most powerful guys at Valesca Academy, and they ruled the school with iron fists. Everyone wanted to date them or be them...everyone, that is, except Maya Lindberg, who just wanted to avoid them until she could graduate.

She almost succeeded, until an ill-advised outburst on her part put her right in the Scions' path. Just like that, one became her fake boyfriend, one her unwanted matchmaker, one her guardian angel, and the one she couldn't stand the most? Yeah, he's her new housemate. 


Author Bio

Ana Huang, better known as ACRL37 on Wattpad, primarily writes Young Adult and Romance. She started writing her first novel, All I've Never Wanted, when she was sixteen; it was originally inspired by the Asian manga Hana Yori Dango. Her second novel, If We Ever Meet Again, was loosely based on her own study abroad experiences in college. Her stories currently have a combined view of over 20 million on Wattpad.

Besides reading and writing, she also enjoys shopping, brunch, and traveling.

Links




 



 
 

Friday, October 23, 2015

Red Hot Heroes: Wounded Warrior Project Release


Red Hot Heroes
Donating to the Wounded Warrior Project

Starting Over
by Magen McMinimy
Genre: Military Romance




After running from the one man who could have mended her heart, Callie Sullivan has been finding comfort in her best friend, D. When heartbreaking news about D’s deployed husband, Adam, makes its way to the states, Callie focuses on helping her friend learn to survive after tragedy strikes.
Recently returned from Iraq, Luke Merrick learns about the attack on his former sergeant and best friend, Adam. Knowing D will need all the support she can get, Merrick finds himself back where he lost the one woman he thought could be his future.
With D’s heartache fresh and raw, now is hardly the time for Callie’s past to resurface, bringing new danger to those whom she wishes to protect and help heal. But life rarely gives Callie what she needs.



Magen started writing as a hobby. Having been one of those people obsessed with the world of the paranormal for as long as she can remember, she loves creating her own worlds for readers to get lost in. She see’s life as a constant balance of what we want and what we need. A balance  that we all have to create in our own way.
“Life is a constant balance of what we want and what that balance in her love of writing and cherishes every minute she’s fortunate enough chase her dreams. We need. It's also a lot like a Battle. A battle that we all have to fight our own way. I choose to try and love and cherish every minute that I get to chase my crazy dreams and create a world and characters to get lost in.”

Author Media Links:
Magen@MagenMcMinimy.com


Report for Booty
by Jodi Redford 



Mason Gamble and Nash Vincent are pros at making people sweat. As former Army Rangers who run the toughest, ball-busting fitness boot camp in Michigan, they take great pride in that fact. But thanks to the knockout brunette housesitting next door, suddenly they’re the ones experiencing excess perspiration. Fortunately, the perfect opportunity to be neighborly presents itself courtesy of a package delivery snafu.
Regan Wallace has trust issues. Specifically, trusting that her best friend won’t make good on her threat to send a Strip-O-Gram for Regan’s birthday. Is it any wonder she’d jump to the wrong conclusion when two gorgeous, camo-garbed hunks land on her front doorstep? Woops. The crazy part? They don’t seem the least bit scandalized or offended by her boneheaded blunder. Judging by the sinful heat in their eyes, they’re all too happy to provide her with a little two-on-one dirty dancing. For a woman recovering from a bad breakup, fielding the interest of two sex-on-a-stick men is both surreal and exhilarating. Indulging a three-way fling? Completely out of her comfort zone. But with her stay limited to a week, some no-strings-attached sex might be precisely what she needs to get her confidence back in stride.
None of them are prepared for the consequences of a sexy fling feeling like so much more. As Regan’s stay draws closer to an end, Mason and Nash realize there’s no way in hell they’re letting the perfect woman slip through their fingers. And when it comes to fighting for her love, there are no fitter warriors for the ultimate battle to her heart.
This Veteran's Day, find home in the heart of our heroes with Report For Booty, part of the Red Hot Heroes multi-author series and stands alone for reading enjoyment.



At the ripe age of seven, Jodi Redford penned her first epic, complete with stick figure illustrations. Sadly, her drawing skills haven’t improved much, but her love of fantasy worlds never went away. These days she writes about fairies, ghosts, and other supernatural creatures, only with considerably more heat.

She has won numerous contests, including The Golden Pen and Launching a Star. When not writing or working the day job, she enjoys gardening and way too many reality television shows.

You can find all of Jodi’s books on her author page at Amazon. You can also sign up for her newsletter at this link: http://eepurl.com/btQSlL She loves to hear from readers. You can email her at jodiredford@jodiredford.com and visit her online at www.jodiredford.com and her blog www.jodiredford.blogspot.com and Lust With a Laugh. You can also find her on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.



Promise You
by Rene Folsom 



Danielle never realized just how much her brother meant to her until reality slapped her in the face, forcing her to wake up and pay attention. After a shattering tour overseas, Dylan returned home to live with Danielle. Knowing he needed more care than his sister could provide, Dylan invites his battle buddy, Travis, to come live with them.

After a rather unorthodox meeting, sparks begin to fly between Danielle and Travis. However, both of them know just how difficult it will be for their relationship to blossom without Dylan’s blessing, leaving them conflicted about how far they want to take it.  Travis wants nothing more than to earn Dylan’s approval—to promise that he will cherish her—always.

Once Travis realizes he can no longer keep his affection for Danielle a secret, things become complicated and the boundaries between friendship and love cloud his future.

This Veteran's Day, find home in the heart of our heroes with Promise You, part of the Red Hot Heroes multi-author series and stands alone for reading enjoyment.



Rene Folsom, author of paranormal romance and erotica, lives in Florida with her husband and three kids. She has officially diagnosed herself with creative ADD and often has a million and one writing projects going at once. In addition to writing, she is also a graphic artist who enjoys creating custom book covers for indie authors. She is definitely an artist at heart and would love nothing more than to be elbow deep in clay during her waking hours.

Rene believes that all fiction is based on some form of reality—otherwise we would never have the inspiration or knowledge to dream up the realistic situations we portray with our words. She is proud to say that her personal experiences have been inspirational, though perhaps not always identical to that of her fictional characters. Where reality and fantasy diverge, however, must remain her little secret…


Author Links













Blog Tour: Something Wicked This Way comes by Jenika Snow

Something Wicked This Way Comes
Jenika Snow

A Wicked Tale
ARe Books

Genre: M/F, Werewolves, Vampires, PNR

About the Book

Being wicked never felt so good.

Born from hate and violence, Lathan knows all too well what darkness feels like. He’s centuries old, and an abomination to the supernatural world. With a vampire father who forcibly took Lathan’s werewolf mother as his own, Lathan’s hybrid genetics make him feared by all.

Abbi has no one, nothing of importance in her life, but that doesn’t stop her from living. When Lathan feeds on her and tries to use compulsion to make her forget, she realizes he isn’t just a vampire, but something altogether different. He’s also her mate.

Can Abbi accept Lathan for who and what he is? Can she allow herself to be mated to a man who is half vampire and half werewolf, one feared amongst human and immortal alike? She knows he won’t stop until he has her.


Available at ARe

Excerpt:

Lathan was born of this world in blood, hatred…violence. He took his first breath with his mother’s arms around him, her tears of sadness, hurt, disgust, filling him. It was the only world, the only emotions he’d ever known. And it was that memory, even as he lay there vulnerable—unable to speak, barely able to breathe—that he watched his mother pass. It was a curse being able to remember every single memory of his life, a “gift” because of his hybrid breed, his dual species genetics.

He stood in the shadows, his hunger insatiable. He watched the humans, knew their blood—the sustenance that gave him life, gave him strength and power—was also the same viscous fluid that disgusted him.

He was half vampire, half werewolf, a demon among his kind, an abomination because of the two bloodlines running through his veins and of how he came into this world. His werewolf mother was kidnapped and raped by his vampire father, a male that claimed she was his mate. But Lathan’s father hadn’t cared about anyone but himself. He’d defiled the one woman that was claimed to be his mate, took her from Lathan because he was a selfish bastard.

It was because of his father he didn’t have a memory that wasn’t tainted with violence and degradation. It was because of his father, Karloff, that Lathan couldn’t show his face in the paranormal community without fear and disgust following him, because everyone knew who he was. The stench of his father’s blood ran through his veins, tainting him, marking him as evil. Karloff’s reputation was by far the most sinister of their kind, was tainted with the horror of the life he himself led, and of the lives he took.

Maybe Lathan should have had more empathy for the man that sired him, the man that forced his seed upon Lathan’s unwilling mother. But the truth was after three hundred years of living in this world alone, Lathan had no empathy for anyone or anything. He had no emotions, no expectations, or even hope that he’d find a mate, if one even existed.

But he’d killed his father a century ago—ripped open his throat, bathed in his blood—sand knew that killing the man that had raped Lathan’s mother, took from her everything she knew and loved, was a small act of vengeance on his part. It wouldn’t solve anything, wouldn’t make anyone see him as anything more than a monster, but it made Lathan feel a little less dark inside.

He moved back into the shadows even further when a young, beautiful, and unsuspecting woman started walking toward him. She was human, with long reddish brown hair, and eyes the color of the greenest emerald. She was slender, couldn’t be more than in her twenties, and the animal in him—the wolf, the demon he was—rose up. He wanted to taste her, wanted her blood to coat his tongue and move along the back of his throat. He’d never been this thirsty before.

But it could be because he’d held off feeding for the last couple weeks, hating to taste the metallic flavor of the substance that gave him life. Lathan wanted her blood, wanted it covering his mouth and dripping down his chin.
His vampire side felt the call of the blood, felt the power move through him, strengthening his muscles, making his body coil tight, ready to snatch her body to his, tilt her neck to the side, and expose the creamy expanse of her throat.

And then she was right here, the wind picking up and blowing her hair around her shoulders, having her scent slam into him. His dick got hard, his claws emerged, and his fangs punched forward. He hadn’t been this excited, hadn’t been this aroused in his entire existence.


About the Author:

Jenika Snow is a USA Today bestselling author, a mother, wife, and nurse.  She lives in northeast with her husband and their two daughters.

Jenika started writing at a very young age. Her first story consisted of a young girl who traveled to an exotic island and found a magical doll. That story as long since disappeared, but others have taken its place.

She loves to hear from readers, and encourages them to contact her and give their feedback.

For more information on other books by Jenika, visit her website: www.jenikasnow.com

Giveaway 2 ARe Imprints (ebook copies)

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Thursday, October 22, 2015

Blog Tour: Blue horizons by Kathryn Andrews

Title: Blue Horizons
Author: Kathryn Andrews
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Published: October 19, 2015

Will Ashton

Music is my motivation. I’ve always believed that, because of it, I would be somebody. Somebody to someone, and something to myself.

At age four, I picked up my grandfather’s acoustic guitar and, up until three weeks ago, I’ve never put it down. From a single chord to a full arrangement, music fed my soul. I craved it with every fiber of my being, but now, I just don’t know. That driving force that’s always pushed me has somehow stalled, along with the thrill, the passion, and the familiarity . . . it’s all gone. I’m beginning to worry that my love for music just isn’t enough.

As the summer tour finally comes to an end, I head to the Blue Ridge Mountains instead of returning to Nashville. It’s here that I’ve always been able to lose myself amongst the solitude and the lake, but what I didn’t expect to find was her.

Wild blonde hair, light blue eyes, and a laugh I find myself trying to coax from her has me completely enamored. She’s quiet, incredibly poised, and driven by secrets as big as the mountains around us. They’re what’s made her untouchable, and left me wanting to know more. Maybe that’s what I need. Maybe I need more. Maybe I need her.



Ava Layne

They say that life isn’t about how many breaths we take, but how many moments take our breath away. But what if those moments aren’t filled with happiness and love, but something dark and haunting? For me, it’s those moments that’ve shaped and taken over my life. I can’t change who I am, God knows I’ve tried, and, because of this, I’ve accepted the silver lining . . . I’m alive.

Fifty-two white keys, thirty-six black keys, ten fingers, seven notes, two friends, and one stage. At the piano, on the stage, with my two best friends, I finally found myself, and I live for those moments. One by one, I collect them, cherish them, patiently waiting for the next, until it arrives and changes everything. That’s the moment I meet him.

OVER TEN YEARS ago my husband and I were driving from Chicago to Tampa and somewhere in Kentucky I remember seeing a billboard that was all black with five white words, “I do, therefore I am!” I’m certain that it was a Nike ad, but for me I found this to be completely profound.

Take running for example. Most will say that a runner is someone who runs five days a week and runs under a ten minute mile pace. Well, I can tell you that I never run five days a week and on my best days my pace is an eleven minute mile. I have run quite a few half marathons and one full marathon. No matter what anyone says . . . I run, therefore I am a runner.

I’ve taken this same thought and applied it to so many areas of my life: cooking, gardening, quilting, and yes . . . writing.

I may not be culinary trained, but I love to cook and my family and friends loves to eat my food. I cook, therefore I am a chef!

My thumb is not black. I love to grow herbs, tomatoes, roses, and lavender. I garden, therefore I am a gardener!

I love beautiful fabrics and I can follow a pattern. My triangles may not line up perfectly . . . but who cares, my quilts are still beautiful when they are finished. I quilt, therefore I am a quilter.

I have been writing my entire life. It is my husband who finally said, “Who cares if people like your books or not? If you enjoy writing them and you love your stories…then write them.” He has always been my biggest fan and he was right. Being a writer has always been my dream and what I said I wanted to be when I grew up.

So, I’ve told you who I am and what I love to do . . . now I’m going to tell you the why. I have two boys that are three years a part. My husband and I want to instill in them adventure, courage, and passion. We don’t expect them to be perfect at things, we just want them to try and do. It’s not about winning the race; it’s about showing up in the first place. We don’t want them to be discouraged by society stereotypes, we want them to embrace who they are and what they love. After all, we only get one life.

In the end, they won’t care how many books I actually sell . . . all that matters to them is that I said I was going to do it, I did it, and I have loved every minute of it. Find something that you love and tell yourself, “I do, therefore I am.”

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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Group Review: Heaven in the Dark by Tina Wright



Their meeting was chance. 
Their love was fate. 
Their future was…dangerous. 

Orphaned at 14. Kidnapped at 20. American college student Allie Miller has known more than her share of heartache and terror. But when Italian industrialist David Swift inadvertently interrupts her captors, rescues her and whisks her off to his villa to recover, Allie’s future finally looks bright. She and David embark on a passionate love affair, but soon Allie must battle two new obstacles to her happily ever after: David’s past, including the mysterious American father he will not discuss; and one of her kidnappers, a sociopath with a vendetta against the couple and an affinity for abduction. 

Now, the couple’s love…and their very lives…are on the line. Can Allie and David keep history from repeating itself? Can they stop a madman bent on revenge? Or will their pasts destroy any chance of a future? 

HEAVEN IN THE DARK contains explicit sexual content and is intended for mature audiences. While it is the first of two planned books in a series, it is a stand-alone novel.



Heaven in the Dark by Tina Wright is a sweet yet predictable romance between Allie and her rescuer, David. Twenty year old Allie was kidnapped and about to be sold to the highest bidder when David walks in on the illegal transaction. Pays for her and brings her home to care for her. You can see traces of Cinderella, Pretty Woman, and Fifty Shades all wrapped up in this novel.  The premise of this, and all these stories, is a young girl wishes for a new life and a handsome, rich man falls in love with her and changes her life forever, which some girls hope for. 

For them, this is your kind of love story. The sex scenes were dramatically tamer than Fifty Shades and the story line of older, rich man teaching the young, inexperienced girl about sex is highlighted throughout the story. Other than being predictable there were a few flaws that really stood out to me. The male love interest, David, lives in Milan and speaks several languages yet only says a few words in Italian and the rest in perfect English. Also his housekeeper who we are told has a Scottish accent, you never really hear when she talks. Only one or two words pop up sporadically.  On the flip side of that, the bad Russian guy, you hear his accent when he talks. The other is that the authors tells the reader so much of the information instead of letting the characters share or show us until closer to the end of the story where there were more conversations.

I did like the interruptions in the story to flashback to David’s parents and their love story. It gave some insight in to David’s life and about why he had been closed off to love. For me, I read it. It was a sweet quick read but I didn’t feel any strong connections to the characters to want to continue about their lives in a sequel.  Like Cinderella I am happy to leave it at “and they lived happily ever after.”




Heaven in the Dark by Tina Wright is a decent romance. The writing is pretty good, except for places where the author tells us the emotions and actions and thoughts, rather than showing us or exposing through dialogue. I felt there were a lot of missed opportunities there. I also felt the main characters got together too quickly. It was another missed chance to create a bond of trust and tension (regarding their attraction to one another) between Allie and David, thus giving the reader the ability to bond with them as well. The fact that Allie had just been through a massively traumatic experience and has no idea who David is, then they are suddenly together gave me room to pause. 

In addition, Allie is described as being a middle class daughter of collegiate professors, yet she seems to know extremely high end furniture and home decor, which was lost on me personally. I also had a hard time with David's dialogue. I had a hard time hearing his accent, which was obvious when it came to Mrs. Hopkins and the Russians. I also saw the influence of several other popular novels, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but I felt it led to a lot of predictability. There were a few grammatical errors, but nothing overwhelming or horrible. Also, at times, I felt there were words used that took me out of the story, as I felt they wouldn't use those words, based on their history or nationality. These are my pet peeves of course, and may not bother many people.

Having said that, Ms. Wright is an adept writer, and there is a good story. For those of you looking for a romance adventure, with some sweet characters and some intrigue, this book may be well up your alley. Despite my issues, this was a good book and Ms. Wright definitely did her research in regards to locations, European terminology and major plot points. All in all, I would give heaven in the Dark 3.5 stars. 



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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Blog Tour: Rise of Sidenah by C. M. Story




Title: Rise of the Sidenah

Author: C.M. Story

Genre: YA Fantasy

Adrienna Vedica longs to build the creatures living in her imagination. One day, she hopes to sculpt them out of stone, creating great statues like those that guard the Celany village.

She doesn’t understand why everyone seems to disapprove.

It’s only when Tishaan, a powerful man in the high council, agrees to help her sculpt that Adrienna is finally able to pursue her passion. She dives into her work, but creates with such energy she collapses from exhaustion before seeing the final results, giving Tishaan time to hide her masterpieces away.

Her mentor, Sreng—the man she secretly loves—tries to convince her that Tishaan is using her, but she can’t abandon her art. Only when people start showing up dead does she think again. There’s something off about Tishaan…and then Sreng shows her one of her early works.

But something is wrong.

It’s alive. And it’s digging a grave.
 
Author Bio
C. M. Story has always been a fan of fantasy in all its many forms, including the kind she frequently indulged in during boring lectures in school. She didn't try her hand at penning her own stories, however, until long after she'd gotten her Bachelor's degree in music.

Once she sold her first short story, she got a writing job and never looked back. Today she runs a successful freelance writing and editing business out of her home in Idaho, and frequently travels to other inspiring places with her trusty laptop in tow. And yes, despite rumors to the contrary, "Story" is her real last name.

"Rise of the Sidenah" was inspired by gothic architecture, a tune by "The Calling," and the idea that following the heart may cause pain, but is the only way to truly fulfill one's purpose in life.

Find more at cmstorybook.com.
 
Links
 
 
EXCERPT
A narrow ravine stretched before them, echoing the path of an ancient tributary. Sheer rock enclosed both sides, the ground only about fifteen paces wide. Tishaan slid down the hill and trotted ahead, arms out. Sreng followed, placing his feet carefully as he made his way down. Adrienna started after him, her gaze glued to the ground, but when she looked up again, she stopped.
Pressed from the opposite cliff like pudding from a pastry was the purest white rock she had ever seen. Covered in a dazzling array of crystals, it rippled its way to the ground and then flowed outward in a shelf-like formation. She walked toward it. Chill bumps dotted her arms. When she reached level ground, she glanced at the boys, but they stood at opposite sides of a small pond some distance away.
Just as well. She wished to examine the stone alone.
Where the shelf met the corner of the ravine, broken pieces lay on top of one another in a pile. She tucked one of the larger ones into the folds of her skirt and tiptoed to where the formation extended far enough to cast shade. On her hands and knees, she scrambled underneath. With her back to the cliff, she looked at the stone. Already its shape spoke of something to come, a neck here, a head, the tail there. A burning energy rose inside her chest and pressed on her lungs. Using a smaller, pointed rock, she began to carve. When the dust fell, she tasted it. Gritty powder tingled the tip of her tongue. She worked faster, chipping off chunks and digging crevices into the stone flesh. As the pieces littered her skirt, she told herself she must remember to brush it off before returning home.
Her mother wouldn’t approve.
The sun drifted behind her and still she carved, hands moving at a feverish pace, shaping the stone while Sreng and Tishaan fashioned fishing poles out of branches nearby. She didn’t stop to think about what she was doing. Time danced around her in a dream. When she got to the eyes and mouth she slowed, her nose a breath away from the rock. With her fingernails she etched careful details. She didn’t remember when she stopped, or when her eyes closed in exhaustion. Only that when she opened them, he was there.
His shoes appeared first, laced and short on his ankle, and then the mud-spattered legs, bare chest, and blue jewel. “So, Adrienna. You found the white stone.”
Adrienna followed his gaze. The rock had changed. There was a flattened head, four short legs, a fat body, curved tail, and sharp teeth under wide lips. She gazed into the gouged eyes and felt her chest contract around her heart.
Nuana. The creature’s name was Nuana.
 
 
 
 
 
 

 


Monday, October 19, 2015

Cover Reveal: Never Fall by Anne Carol

Title: Never Fall
Series: Faithfully Yours #2
Author: Anne Carol
Genre: Adult, Contemporary Romance
Coming: November 17, 2015
“Your fairytale is about to begin.”

The whirlwind romance of Beth Johnson and David Somers has survived a year of long-distance dating, and now they’re eager to move into the next chapter of their lives—together. Following graduation in the spring of 1980, Beth leaves sunny California to join David in London. While Beth keeps busy with her university courses, David focuses on building his music career by recording and touring with his band, Vinyl Fog. Life seems perfect: they’re young and in love, with the world at their feet. But it doesn’t take long before they encounter a series of unforeseen challenges that will take them to the near-breaking point. How will Beth and David cope with one battle after another, and ultimately hold each other up while life keeps knocking them down?
Don’t cry, don’t cry, don’t cry…
“You’ll be fine, angel,” David said as held me so tight I almost couldn’t breathe. “Spend time with your cousin, listen to your disco records, read, write. Whatever you want.”
I snickered at the disco comment. He was not a fan of the genre and had cringed when he saw my record collection. “Please take care of yourself, brown eyes,” I said with a wavering voice, not wanting to think about the crappy diet and sleep habits he’d have while on the road.  
As if to soothe my worries away, he planted kisses all over my face, ending with a deep, knee-buckling kiss on the mouth. Too soon he left my embrace—headed to the van to load up his bags as I watched him from the porch. Thankfully, his mom and dad had already gone back inside to give us a few moments alone.  Just as I lifted my hand to wave, sniffing back more tears, he sprinted up the steps towards me.
He took me in his arms, practically lifting me off the ground, and whispered, “I love you, Beth,” before gifting me with another spine-tingling kiss.
“I love you, too David.” I stroked the back of his hair. “So much.”
“Come on, Davy!” Pete hollered out.
“You’d better go, baby.” I kissed his cheek. “I’ll be fine.”  I hope.

And then he was gone.
Really gone.

Anne Carol grew up reading, writing, and listening to English rock bands, obsessing over one in particular. Continuing her fascination with rock stars, she married a bass player and they now have two sons, also budding musicians. Besides reading, writing, and music, she also loves traveling, going to dance class, watching teen dramas, and exploring social media websites. Anne lives in Northern California, where she enjoys wine and chocolate every night as she works on her next novel.

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