Thursday, January 30, 2014

The Deep End of the Sea excerpt blast

We are thrilled to share an excerpt for Heather Lyons' THE DEEP END OF THE SEA! THE DEEP END OF THE SEA is a New Adult Fantasy set for release February 13, 2014 and definitely one you need to add to your TBR pile!



The Deep End Of The Sea - Front Cover



About THE DEEP END OF THE SEA:

What if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.



Excerpt:

I let it happen again.

The temple settles into that stagnant silence I’ve long learned to loathe, and these are the most cohesive series of words I can string together for many long, desolate minutes. I let it happen again. Resolutions apparently mean nothing, even if crafted under the best of intentions. Had I not, just this very morning, recited a daily pledge held dear to my heart: I shall not let myself be used for death?

And yet, a man is dead, and I was the weapon that slayed him.

I move closer to where he now stands, forever frozen in terror, and press my shaking hand against his outstretched stone one. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, though he cannot and never will be able to hear my words. “So, so sorry.”

His eyes, wide and mercifully detail free, offer me nothing in return. Once I commit his features to memory, I construct a life history with a name worthy of his sacrifice. Walt was single (I can’t bear the thought of spouses and children, thus my collection of singletons) and a bit of a daredevil when he wasn’t volunteering to teach literacy to adults in poverty stricken urban areas. He’d gone spelunking at least a half-dozen times, sky diving twice, and bungee cord diving off some crazy bridge in Colorado just once, on his thirtieth birthday. Walt liked to write poetry; how could he not, when his now-deceased parents had named him after one of the greats?

Walt liked to talk about poetry, too, which means he needs to be with others like him. I strip off my flannel work shirt, down to a tank top, and get to work. Shoving stones around when half of one’s body is reptilian isn’t the easiest of tasks, requiring a great deal of precision and care.

As I always tend to do when placing a new statue, I can’t help but flash back to the one and only time I’d broken one of my victims. I’d been tired—he’d snuck upon me when I’d been sleeping—and an overestimated shove sent poor Nikolaos face first against the temple floor. I’d spent most of that night collecting the pieces which once made a whole man, blubbering in misery. As penance, his head, missing an ear and part of his nose, still sits on a shelf in my bedroom. Treat us gently, I like to imagine him telling me nightly before I sleep. We deserve your care.

I have not failed Nikolaos since. Over the ages, I’ve developed a routine to transfer the statues around the island that includes wrapping the bodies in a thick quilt before putting them up on casters. It takes a painstaking amount of time to shift them short or long distances, but each person deserves nothing less from me.

Walt’s group sits just outside the temple. They are the philosophers of our island; it only seems natural they would find much to appreciate in both the sun and the stars. I struggle with his body over the stairs—they are tricky to maneuver for me even without hauling a two hundred pound statue—but eventually, I get him exactly where he’ll fit in best.

“Ladies and gentlemen, this is Walt,” I tell the still faces forming a cluster near a non-functioning fountain. “His poetry is as beautiful as his namesake’s.”

I angle Walt so his eyes face theirs. It’s late afternoon, and there is soft orange light filtering down upon their features. It’s a beautiful sight, which only saddens me, because all of that talk about death and beauty being intertwined is one of the biggest loads of crap I’ve ever heard. Death isn’t beautiful. Too often than not, it’s messy and brutal; even when done in sleep, there’s still that theft of breath, that failure of a heart. Death is an act of violence.

I should know. I am one of the most prolific murderers in history. And I think about death constantly.

I often wonder what my own death will be like, if I am ever blessed to embrace it. I’m not too picky in my imaginings; I’ll take any sort by this point. Logically, I’d prefer a less painful exit, but, knowing my luck, it’ll be as ruthless as once reported and still widely believed.

It ought to be noted I have some of the most wretched luck to ever be doled out, so there is that.

The sound of waves crashing against the shore sends my eyes to the horizon. I’ve tried to drown myself in those waters more times than I ought to admit over the years, but the sea always spits me back out. I’ve also tried overdosing on pharmaceuticals, stabbing myself in the chest and eyes (which was just as painful as you’d imagine), and throwing myself off a cliff. Melodramatic, yes, and all ineffective for an immortal cursed with impenetrable skin and a digestive system apparently filled with acid.

Death is not my friend. At least, not yet.





About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.




Links:

Website: http://www.heatherlyons.net

Author Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/heatherlyons

THE DEEP END OF THE SEA Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18844839-the-deep-end-of-the-sea?ac=1

Twitter: https://twitter.com/hymheather

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heatherlyonsbooks?fref=ts



Lost Soul by T.G. Ayer release day!

Happy Release Day!



Lost Soul
(DarkWorld #2)
by
T.G. Ayer



With her sister missing and her mother and Anjelo stuck in the Wraith World, Kai must find a way to save them all. But the Wraith poison has brought her to her knees and only Logan's fire can help ease her pain.



Uncertain who to rescue first, Kai's decision is made for her when she discovers her sister Greer is stuck in the Greylands and slowly going insane. Desperate to save her, Kai will go to incredible lengths to obtain a portal key to the land of the dead - and maybe, she’ll go one step too far.



From deathtalkers to demons, trackers to ghosts, Kai must fight against betrayal and evade the clutches of danger to set her sister free. Can she save Greer from a horrific death - and will she ever be able to forgive herself if she can’t?



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Purchase links to come


Teasers




My
ears lifted, pointed, flared out. My eyes burned, the particular
sensation of my panther eyes coming forth. Another growl and my jaw
lengthened, hardened, my nose now picking up every odor surrounding me,
including the sickly odor of the poison flowing thick and strong beneath
my skin.
My hands transitioned smoothly into paws, my fingernails
curving into deadly-sharp claws. I stretched out, lengthened my back,
and let the panther take control.




~~~~~



The lab was cold and silent as Logan breathed deep, drawing the fire
through his body and centering the molten energy within his mind. The
mouse shivered in his hand, its sickly green eyes staring up at him, its
expression sad and seemingly pleading. The little, large-eyed
white-furred creature had been shaved to reveal its bare skin, enabling
Logan and the lab-techs to assess how well the fire was progressing in
killing the poison.



~~~~~



As the glass hit the ground, water burst from it like a geyser, spraying droplets all over the kitchen. And all over me.

Good job, Odel. Now who's going to clean up this mess?

Lying where I fell, my face rested close to my poison-wreathed arm. I
stared at it as it throbbed and pulsed, as if the poison had taken on a
life of its own and was just waiting for the next moment to advance
farther into my flesh.

Who knew a tiny piece of Wraith-sword could be this deadly?



~~~~~



Meet the Author



I have been a writer from the time I was old enough to recognise that reading was a doorway into my imagination. Poetry was my first foray into the art of the written word. Books were my best friends, my escape, my haven. I am essentially a recluse but this part of my personality is impossible to practise given I have two teenage daughters, who are actually my friends, my tea-makers, my confidantes… I am blessed with a husband who has left me for golf. It’s a fair trade as I have left him for writing. We are both passionate supporters of each other's loves – it works wonderfully…



My heart is currently broken in two. One half resides in South Africa where my old roots still remain, and my heart still longs for the endless beaches and the smell of moist soil after a summer downpour. My love for Ma Afrika will never fade. The other half of me has been transplanted to the Land of the Long White Cloud. The land of the Taniwha, beautiful Maraes, and volcanoes. The land of green, pure beauty that truly inspires. And because I am so torn between these two lands – I shall forever remain cross-eyed.



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~~~~~

 

New release alert: Never Let You Go by Michele G Miller


Title: Never Let You Go, Prophecy of Tyalbrook series, book two

Genre: YA Fantasy Romance

Author: Michele G Miller

Publisher: Enchanted Ink Press (Self Published)

Release Date: Janury 30, 2014

Available on: Amazon and Barnes & Noble



Blurb: 

Two souls desperate to discover the truth about the past and determined to save their future…



SKYE

The usual warmth I felt deep in my soul when Xander was near me was beginning to dull. Yet I still remembered the warning: “Be careful, my Princess…you will lose all you love before you can win what you want.”



XANDER

I could feel it; she hadn’t been here. Two days of hell, riding as fast as we could and only taking small breaks, and yet she had outrun us. How?



A PRINCESS set on regaining her Kingdom and protecting those she loves…

A GUARDIAN who will stop at nothing to find the woman who stole his heart…

An EVIL FORCE who will destroy everything they know in order to have power over all…



The journey continues in Never Let You Go, book two in The Prophecy of Tyalbrook Series.



Add to Goodreads


 Excerpt:

Nickoli’s arms were laden with weapons when
he came back into view. He stepped in, uninvited, and opened his arms; allowing
each deadly piece to drop to the ground with an ear-splitting clang. I jumped
back as the items ricocheted across the floor, and a club rolled to a stop by
my feet.
Nickoli bent over and picked up a sword. He
approached me, a menacing look on his face, and a flash of terror tore through
me. The temptation to scream was strong, however I knew it wouldn’t do me any
good. If his intention was to kill me, the deed would be long done before my
cries for help would be answered. If they were
ever answered. I kept my focus on the sharp tip of the sword as he advanced on
me.
“If you choose not to trust me, you will
have to protect yourself.”
He raised the sword, gripped the hilt in
his fist, and hurled it into the floor at my feet. The tip embedded into the
wood with a thud. I yelped in
surprise and jumped back. With an angry glare, he turned to storm out of the
room; leaving the pile of weapons scattered about the floor.
“I don’t know how to fight with a sword,” I
called out, my voice void of the angry bluster it carried earlier.
He didn’t stop, but instead replied over his
shoulder as his long strides carried him out the door. “Then Princess, you best learn how.”


The slam of his door signaled the end to
our conversation.




Never Let You Fall, book one
Only $0.99 available on 
Amazon (E-book & paperback)


About the Author:


Michele is the author of the Coming of Age Fantasy Series The Prophecy
of Tyalbrook - Never Let You Fall, book one (May 2013) and Never Let You Go,
book two (Jan 2014) as well as the New Adult Romantic Suspense, Last Call (Oct
2013). She is currently working on the third book in The Prophecy of Tyalbrook
Series, a Last Call novel and a YA Realistic Fiction that has her super
excited!

Having grown up in
both the cold, quiet town of Topsham, Maine and the steamy, southern
hospitality of
Mobile, Alabama, Michele is something of a enigma.  She is an avid Yankees fan, loves New
England, being outdoors and misses snow.
However she thinks southern boys are hotter, Alabama football is the
only REAL football out there and sweet tea is the best thing this side of
heaven and her children’s laughter! 

Her family, an
amazing husband and three awesome kids, have planted their roots in the middle
of Michele’s two childhood homes in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

Email:
authormichelegmiller@gmail.com
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/c/michele-g-miller





Release of Someone Like You by Addison Moore!





Title: Someone Like You

Series: Someone to Love #2

Author: Addison Moore

Publisher: Skyscape

Publication Date: January 28, 2014

Summary: A sexy, romantic read from the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Someone to Love. When coed Ally Monroe literally falls into the arms of a tattooed bad-boy one summer night, she can't seem to let go. Morgan Jordan is everything Ally doesn't want—he's a playboy from a blue collar background, and Ally's looking for upper-class stability. Though their relationship starts off as a one-night stand, once Ally learns Morgan is her best friend's brother, there's no escaping him . . . or the growing fire between them. As Ally and Morgan become closer, they confront bitter enemies, his sister's disapproval, and paths pulling them in different directions at summer's end. The second book in the bestselling Someone to Love series proves that in love and passion, sometimes two wrongs do make a right.







About AddisonAddison Moore is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author who writes contemporary and paranormal romance. Previously she worked as a therapist on a locked psychiatric unit for nearly a decade. She resides on the West Coast with her husband, four wonderful children and two dogs where she eats too much chocolate and stays up way too late. When she's not writing, she's reading.






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Wednesday, January 29, 2014

Top Ten Tuesdays #45


Top Ten Tuesdays where I share with you some of my favorite books with a different theme each week!

This weeks theme: Contemporary New Adult books sitting in my TBR pile I need to read!


1. Pulled by Danielle Bannister











2. 3:AM Kisses by Addison Moore











3. Searching for Someday by Jennifer Probst











4. Selling Scarlet by Ella James











5. Deeper We Fall by Chelsea Cameron











6. Stealing Harper by Molly McAdams











7. A Beautiful Wedding by Jamie McGuire











8. Bet in the Dark by Rachel Higginson











9. Foreplay by Sophie Jordan











10. Finding It by Cora Carmack

















WIshlist Wednesday #66


Wishlist Wednesday is a book blog hop where we will post about one book per week that has been on our wishlist for some time, or just added (it's entirely up to you), that we can't wait to get off the wishlist and onto our wonderful shelves.  This meme is hosted by Pen to Paper.

Book: Better Homes and Hauntings

Author: Molly Harper

Release Date: June 24, 2014




Author of the beloved Half Moon Hollow series of vampire romances (Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs), Molly Harper has created a standalone paranormal romance in which a dilapidated haunted house could bring star-crossed lovers together—if it doesn’t kill them first!

When Nina Linden is hired to landscape a private island off the New England coast, she sees it as her chance to rebuild her failing business after being cheated by her unscrupulous ex. She never expects that her new client, software mogul Deacon Whitney, would see more in her than just a talented gardener. Deacon has paid top dollar to the crews he’s hired to renovate the desolate Whitney estate—he had to, because the bumps, thumps, and unexplained sightings of ghostly figures in nineteenth-century dress are driving workers away faster than he can say “Boo.”

But Nina shows no signs of being scared away, even as she experiences some unnerving apparitions herself. And as the two of them work closely together to restore the mansion’s faded glory, Deacon realizes that he’s found someone who doesn’t seem to like his fortune more than himself—while Nina may have finally found the one man she can trust with her bruised and battered heart.

But something on the island doesn’t believe in true love…and if Nina and Deacon can’t figure out how to put these angry spirits to rest, their own love doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance.






Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Release day for Seeking Her by Cora Carmack

We are so excited to share in the Release Day Launch and giveaway for Cora Carmack's SEEKING HER!! SEEKING HER is a novella in Cora’s bestselling Finding It Series, published by William Morrow (an imprint of HarperCollins)! Go out and grab your copy today!



Seeking Her



About SEEKING HER:

Jackson Hunt gets his turn in this Finding It prequel novella …

Jackson Hunt hasn't been out of the military for long, but he needs to get a job and find a sense of normalcy if he is going to keep his demons at bay. The job that falls into his lap, though, is anything but normal.

Becoming bodyguard (and babysitter) to spoiled rich girl Kelsey Summers isn't exactly what he had in mind, but it's a chance to travel, to get away. The catch: Kelsey's father doesn't want her to know she's being followed.

She's vibrant and infuriating, exciting and reckless, mysterious and familiar. When Jackson sees her falling into the same patterns he suffered years ago, he decides it's time to stop watching and help her instead. But getting to know Kelsey is more difficult than he thought, especially because the more he knows her, the more he wants her.



Excerpt:

I was going to have to find some way to cope with this. If not, I was better off calling Mr. Summers and suggesting he find someone else to take over his daughter-watch.

I felt a pang of something at that thought. It was a general kind of discomfort, and I wasn’t sure whether it was the thought of returning home or something else that made that thought so unappealing.

After the cooling walk earlier, and now standing under the cool, calming rush of water, it was easier to think that I could control myself, but I knew better. It always seemed easier in my head than it really was.

I wiped the water from my eyes, and tried to think of some other way to deal. There was always the hope that Kelsey would get bored. That she would mellow out. If she only partied a couple nights a week, I should be able to resist. But that seemed unlikely.

All that restless energy; the way she’d soaked up the attention from the people around her. I couldn’t see her giving that up. And it was working for her. She was still in the phase where partying made her feel good. That was the one thing that helped me stay clean. The few times I’d slipped up since I started the program had left me miserable and angry, and even more frustrated than when I started. I’d found new ways to chase the high. And maybe that wasn’t any healthier, not when one way involved being in the midst of flying bullets.

It wasn’t the same kind of rush, but it did the trick. I pictured Kelsey again, laughing with her head thrown back, her shirt falling off her shoulder and displaying the gentle curve of her neck. It reminded me of the way she’d tossed her head back that first day out in the woods.

The memory of that caused a different kind of rush in me, and I groaned, pressing my forehead into the tile. Before I could help myself, I pictured her long legs straddling that guy in the gardens. The bright green material of her bra, and the way it conformed to her perfect chest. She leaned back, her fingertips trailing from the bark of the tree to his shoulders.

In an instant, the memory shifted into fantasy, and those were my shoulders she clung to, not his.

That was my undoing. There was only so much resisting I could do in one night.



Buy Links:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble



Seeking Her Release Day Launch Banner





HeadshotAbout Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a twenty-something writer who likes to write about twenty-something characters. She's done a multitude of things in her life-- boring jobs (like working retail), Fun jobs (like working in a theatre), stressful jobs (like teaching), and dream jobs (like writing). She enjoys placing her characters in the most awkward situations possible, and then trying to help them get a boyfriend out of it. Awkward people need love, too. Her first book, LOSING IT, was a New York Times and USA Today bestseller.




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Links:

Website

Twitter

Facebook

Author Goodreads

SEEKING HER Goodreads

Fire and Shadows by Rochelle Maya Callen



Fire and Shadows is the SEQUEL to Ashes and Ice.
Join today's Online Facebook Release Bash!

Book Description:

Secrets. Silence. Sacrifice.

Jade is only beginning to unravel her own secrets. Facing fate, a murky past and a brutal inner battle, Jade must become what she fears without giving into the darkness.


If she doesn't, the world will be devoured by Fire and Shadows.













Author Bio:
Rochelle grew up dreaming up stories. When she entered high school, she tucked away her creative side and jumped head-first into academics, work, and service projects. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in Political Science and Communication when she was twenty years old. After years away from her writing, Rochelle picked up a pen and started fleshing out a character sketch that she outlined when she was twelve. That sketch was the start of the Ashes and Ice story. Rochelle lives in the DC metro area with her husband and daughter. Fire and Shadows is her second novel.
Www.RochelleMayaCallen.comfacebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rochelle-Maya-Callen-Author/478176392210312twitter: rockyiswriting




Haven't read Ashes and Ice yet?

ASHES AND ICE (BOOK 1) is on SALE for only .99!
Ashes and Ice, a Dark YA fantasy, debuted on the charts as a #1 AMAZON Hot New Release! Grab your copy before you pick up the sequel, FIRE AND SHADOWS!

THE STORY...
She is desperate to remember.
He is aching to forget.
Together, they are not broken.
But together, one may not survive.
Jade wakes up with no memory of her past and blood on her hands.
Plagued by wicked thoughts, she searches for answers. Instead, she finds a boy who doesn't offer her answers, but hope. But sometimes, when nightmares turn into reality and death follows you everywhere, hope is not enough.
LUST. LOVE. LOSS. Sometimes, all that is left are Ashes and Ice.
Praise for Ashes and Ice:
"For me, Ashes and Ice was a work of art. Rochelle Maya Callen wove a very intricate tale. A love story of sorts. Dark and sinister yet full of hope and light. Callen painted her world brilliantly. This story was intoxicating and electric. I was captivated to the very end."
-Shelley Bunnell, TSK TSK What to Read
"Dark and Wicked." -- The Book Diaries
"Dreamy and Poetic." -- L.L. Hunter, Author
"A stunning debut." -- Owlnestly Reviews
"This story will rock you to your core." -- The Shadow Realm

“Fans of Anna Dressed in Blood and Beautiful Creatures will love Ashes and Ice!”




Monday, January 27, 2014

Cover reveal for Evil Red Novella by Nikki Jefford



Evil Red by Nikki Jefford
(An Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Novelette)
Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Publication Date: February 2014
Synopsis:

L.A. is one tough city, especially while sharing a trailer with four thieving sisters.

Valerie’s plans for a better life and Hollywood grandeur are interrupted after a fateful stabbing lands her in Anchorage, Alaska where government agents expect her to play the role of a vampire hunting La Femme Nikita.

The redheaded vixen is back in her own Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter novelette.

**Novella is approximately 18,000 words**

Add to Goodreads


Excerpt from “Evil Red”
As the door closed behind the agents, Valerie snatched a knife off the table and stuffed it into her back pocket. She picked the handgun back up, opened the chamber, and checked for bullets. It was fully loaded. She snapped the chamber into place and unlocked the safety. With that she walked over to the far wall of the room, spread her legs shoulder width apart, and aimed at the door.
Valerie glanced at the mirror.
“Ready.”
There was no reply.
She kept her arms steady. The gun weighed on her arms as she waited, but she didn’t waver. There was a sudden knock right before the metal door screeched open. A twenty-something man stumbled in as the door slammed shut. The dude was skinny and a bit pale, but who wouldn’t be in a place like Alaska? He righted himself and faced the door. And there he remained standing, staring at the door as though it would open if he waited long enough.
Some vampire. Valerie lowered the gun slightly as her arms relaxed.
“Hey, you,” she called out.
The man turned more suddenly than she’d expected. His eyes sparked to life when he saw her.
Blut,” he said. “Ich brauche Blut.
“I don’t speak vampire,” Valerie retorted.
The man started walking toward her.
Valerie raised her gun.
“Stop! Stay where you are.”
The man kept advancing.
“I said stay where you are!”
Ich brauche Blut,” the man said back.
When he was three feet away from her, he reached for her neck.
Not again. Valerie wouldn’t be a victim a second time.
She pulled the trigger.
 




Author Bio & Links:

Nikki is the author of the bestselling SPELLBOUND trilogy and AURORA SKY:VAMPIRE HUNTER. She's a third generation Alaskan who now lives in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands (WA) where she is, once more, neighbors with Canada in a town without a single traffic light.
Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter

http://www.nikkijefford.com/
https://www.facebook.com/authornikkijefford
https://twitter.com/NikkiJefford