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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Tuesday, January 15, 2019

her fate had always been controlled by others - The Giver of Life Trilogy by Kristy Centeno

Leah must confront her past, before she and her daughter are erased from her family line. She must get over her guilt and rely on Brandon to ensure her daughter’s survival. But will the pain from their past destroy their friendship forever? Or will their old bond hold them together and carry them through what’s ahead?


Description:

Prodigy (#3)

Leah Parker’s fate had always been controlled by others—who she loved and who she lost. Five years after the tragic murder of her daughter’s father, she’s done everything in her power to protect her little girl from the outside world. But she’s rebelled against fate in the past and no act of defiance goes unpunished in the Enchanter community.

The ultimate power wants to correct the damage done by Jae and the only way they can do that is by getting rid of her special child—a child destined to replace all branches of Enchanter magic one day.

But, Leah isn’t willing to go down without a fight. She will do anything to save what Jae died to protect, even if she must turn against the Circle of Elders. But when her first love, Brandon Morris walks back into her life, Leah knows nothing will ever be the same again.

Leah must confront her past, before she and her daughter are erased from her family line. She must get over her guilt and rely on Brandon to ensure her daughter’s survival. But will the pain from their past destroy their friendship forever? Or will their old bond hold them together and carry them through what’s ahead?

EXCERPT

“Brandon?” I blurted out the word, catching his attention. He glanced up at me and our gazes met. 

He hadn’t changed at all. If anything, his dark hair was longer now, hanging loose mid-back. Clad in black from head to toes, his clothing contrasted to his pale skin and blue eyes, making them stand out even more. Everything was the same— even the way he looked at me. 

“Leah.” His smile faded as he rose to his full height. There it was again. The palpable tension that always seem to emerge when we were together. Years and distance between then and now hadn’t gotten rid of it. 

“Mommy, I found a new friend. Enchanter. Like us.” 

I forced myself to look away from him. There were so many unspoken emotions between us. Unsaid truths. So much hurt. Guilt. Shame. Confusion. Misunderstandings. 

“Lily.” I marched toward her, knelt, and grabbed hold of her hands firmly in mine. “I’ve told you before never to run off on me. You could’ve gotten hurt. Or worse. You were supposed to stay indoors,” I admonished, glad she was okay but still furious that she hadn’t listened.

Enchantress (#2)

Fate brought them together. Will evil break them apart?

Leah Parker’s visit to her hometown is supposed to bring her closer to the truth behind her identity. What she doesn’t anticipate is the handsome stranger with almond eyes claiming to be her Pair.

Her world once again upturned with the arrival of the man chosen to be her life partner, Leah is pulled between the feelings she’s always had for the friend she left behind, and those for the compelling stranger determined to save her from certain death—at whatever the cost. 

With an ancient evil out to finish what it started twenty-one years before, will Leah find peace within her troubled mind and heart to fight back and win? Or will her disconnection with her newfound powers hinder her only chance at survival?

His sacrifice…is her salvation.

EXCERPT

A pair of hands grabbed me from behind, lifted me clean off my feet, and tossed me to the other side of what was once a spacious living room. I landed on my left side, the impact sucking the air right out of my lungs. White flashed before my eyes. Sharp pain speared through me as my head, shoulder, and knee connected with the hardwood floor. I was temporarily disoriented, confused, and scared. 

Doubts resurfaced with a vengeance as realization hit me like a slap to the face. If I didn’t try to fight back, this nightmare on legs would suck my soul out and I’d be trapped in its grotesque body for eternity. Not how I expected to spend the rest of my life. 

I detected its presence nearby, skulking closer. It growled with menace, as if to taunt me. I glanced up quickly and locked eyes with the man-beast. 

“There you are,” I whispered. 

It took me a second to focus my eyes on the approaching peril, scarcely identifying its emaciated form ambling in my direction. I scrambled to my feet, ignoring all discomfort for the sake of survival. I waved my enflamed arm from side to side, hoping it would deter him from pouncing. He gazed at me with wide eyes, a sinister smirk on his ashen face, but he didn’t get closer. 

Enchanter (#1)

They have a past. But will they have a future?

Leah Parker is resilient and hardworking. She’d always prided herself in maintaining a level head, even under pressure. Everything changes when she begins to see strange apparitions and hear ghostly voices on the morning of her birthday.

In a blink of the eyes, Leah’s life takes a drastic turn that spirals her into the unknown. Something is out to get her, but she’s unsure if she’s losing her mind, or the faces and demands of the dead are real. Unable to find the answers she needs, she has no choice but to rely on ex-best friend, Brandon Morris, for help.

But as she will soon discover, Brandon has his own secrets. Some of which defy logic and only add to the mystery surrounding Leah. And mix feelings between the two complicate matters by getting in the way of what they really want, and what they must do.

Can Brandon lighten the load on her by figuring out what or who wants her dead? Or will their past history get in the way of the storm brewing just beyond Leah’s grasp?

EXCERPT

“Are you scared of me? Is that it?” As if to make a point, he covered the distance between us in three short steps, and backed me off into the landing to the stairwell behind me, stopping only when our bodies were a few inches from coming into physical contact. The invigorating scent of his cologne invaded my nostrils, causing my mind to go into total and complete turmoil. 

I shut down, unsure how to react. I hadn’t anticipated being cornered in a vulnerable spot where we were shielded from view. Normally, I was a sucker for guys who smelled as good as he did, but this was Brandon Morris. I couldn’t decide whether to lean closer and inhale slowly, or scream and push him away. 

“Are you?” 

I wanted to deny his accusation, but he could see the truth in my eyes. It was pointless to pretend as if he hadn’t just sent my heart into a race. By then he could see how badly I shook. I could not disguise it fast enough for him not to notice. 

“Should I be?” I asked softly, fear forcing my voice to quake.

About the author: 
Kristy Centeno loves to spin tales of creatures that go bump in the night, with a sprinkle of romance to top them off. Her passion for writing stems from a lifelong enjoyment of reading and the pleasure derived from the magical worlds created by authors like her. She prefers her female leads strong, independent, and stubborn who will stop at nothing to save their loved ones and protect those they care for. 

Kristy currently resides in Pennsylvania with her five kids and a trio of noisy parakeets. When she’s not working or writing, she juggles her free time between raising a handful of minions and pursuing other career goals. 


Author's Giveaway

8 comments:

KrissyGirl said...

Thank you so much for hosting!

Audrey Stewart said...

Wow! 5 kids and you have time to write? I am so impressed! Please consider me a fan! (jozywails@gmail.com)

Bernie Wallace said...

I like the cover of the book. Not seeing the girls face on the cover adds a little bit of mystery. Bernie Wallace BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com

Amy Friedentag said...

Love the cover design. The story sounds really good!

Kelly Simpson said...

Very intriguing story line and a fabulous cover.

Heather D said...

I like the cover with the butterflies.

Anna Josefin Bergman said...

Sounds great.

Bea LaRocca said...

This looks like a great series.