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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, April 30, 2013

Spring Fling Giveaway Hop International

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Eve’s Fan Garden
Click here to see the list of blogs participating to this hop.

The winner will choose one of these books:

You can come up with other proposals and maybe we'll add them to the list

The Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL as long as The Book Depository ships to you for free OR you want ebooks from Smashwords or Amazon 
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Excerpt and Giveaway The Iron Locket (Risen King) by Samantha Warren

Published April 13th, 2013
Description:

She was raised to hunt faeries. He was raised from the dead.

***

Aiofe Callaghan comes from a long line of faery hunters. Hired by one of the faery queens, they protect the human world from chaos and destruction. But when Aiofe stumbles through an open door into the land of Faery, she discovers the job isn't as simple as it seems, nor is she.

Arthur Pendragon spent centuries in blissful nothingness, until the day the four queens banded together to raise him from the dead. Along with his twelve most talented knights, he leads the warring armies of Faery against the greatest enemy they have ever known: one of their own.

Can they overcome their differences to confront the greatest challenges either of them have ever faced?

Excerpt:

Turning his horse around to face the throng of bodies behind him, Arthur addressed the armies, hoping his voice would carry enough to be heard by at least half of them. "Down below us lies a fierce battle, one beyond anything many of you have ever seen. Do not fear. For while the enemy may be strong, we have fate on our side, and she will not abandon us. The vile witch Leanansidhe has taken your lands, killed one of your kings. She would enslave you if she could. Fight for your queens, fight for your freedom. Fight to the death!"

He pumped his sword on the last word to emphasize his point and his knights roared. A few cheers went out through the rest of the crowd, but most of the faeries simply looked at him with a mixture of amusement and annoyance.

Arthur's shoulders slumped as his eyes darted over the crowd. He was used to his speeches being met with a resounding rumble of excitement, soldiers cheering and stomping their approval, weapons being drawn as the adrenal began to build. Compared to the armies he was used to, the creatures before him were somber and emotionless. He feared they did not carry the same drive to win that they needed.

"Humans and their speeches." Eden snorted beside him, having steered her mount in between him and Deklen. She gave him a wry smirk and a shake of the head before kicking her horse hard in the flanks. As it plunged over the edge of the precipice, the telltale shnink of a blade being drawn echoed back to him, followed by a battle cry. That was all the faeries needed. Following her lead, cries ululated around the valley, far surpassing the rumble he had hoped for. He and his knights followed Eden down into the valley, not so much by choice but because the mere surge of bodies behind them forced them forward. They reached the edge of battle much quicker than Arthur anticipated. As he plunged into the fray, he sent up a quick prayer, hoping that some god somewhere would hear him.


About the author:
Samantha Warren is a fantasy and science fiction author who spends her days immersed in dragons, spaceships, and vampires. With her pet dragon, Anethesis, she ventured to the ends of the universe, but the cost of space travel cut into her sock fetish fund, so she sold her ship and returned home. When she isn’t writing, she’s milking cows or trying to feed them Pop-Tarts. She spends a lot of time in her weed patch (aka: garden), watching any show featuring Gordon Ramsay, or posting random things on her blog (http://www.samantha-warren.com).


Author's Giveaway:
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Excerpt Undercover by Maria Hammarblad

Description:

When Jenny Moore meets Alexei Roshenko, it's love at first sight. The tall, dark, and handsome stranger appears to be the answer to every romantic fantasy any woman ever had. There is however more to him than meets the eye, and a dark and violent past is catching up with him. When Jenny decides to follow him back to Russia, she gets entangled in a web of deceit and secrets beyond her wildest imagination.


 Excerpt:

When the wheels finally touched American soil, Jenny was both relieved and nervous. She was so happy to be home she could cry, at the same time as she fretted over his papers. They looked good but could hardly be real. Alex didn't seem worried at all; he was the epitome of calm as they stood in the long line to the passport checkpoint.

Her own passport had been unused before this trip, and she opened it to look at the stamps. Alex bent over to kiss her on the cheek. He knew her well enough already to know what was on her mind. "Don't worry, I do this all the time."

The comment distracted her, and she thought he probably did it on purpose. She wanted to ask a million or so questions, but didn't even lift an eyebrow. "I can't wait to be home."

Once they reached the counter, the woman sitting there hardly even looked at the photos. She threw one glance at their documents, gave them back, and yelled, "Next!"

They waited for the luggage for an eternity, and Jenny was nervous all the way through customs. She relaxed a little once they were well into the large airport, surrounded by Americans hurrying in all directions. The protection of being in the country was more imagined than real, but she was still happier. They walked slowly hand in hand with the suitcases rolling behind them like obedient dogs, and just seeing the crowds made her heart lighter.

She wondered if her lover would miss seeing and hearing his own language, and if he would miss his own people. He was stranded in a foreign country and culture with nothing but her, with an axe hovering over his head, and all this after knowing her for just a couple of months. Thinking about it made her feel incredibly guilty, and telling herself she couldn't have done anything about it didn't help at all.

Eventually, Alex stopped and pulled their bags up next to a wall. "Are you up for the drive home, or do you want to stay in a hotel tonight?"

She kept going because he did, but now when he said it, she was very tired. "I don't know. It would be good to be home, but it seems so far away. What do you think?"

"Oh, I want to go somewhere and take all your clothes off, but what I want is not important. Your wish is my command, my sweet."

It made her laugh. "So, a hotel it is."

When they walked towards the exit, past one of the cafés, she saw a familiar face turn towards them. A smile played on the man's lips. She had seen him not all that long ago, on the other side of the world, in Alex's apartment. He met her eyes, and she said, "Ignore him."

They walked right past the old man. "They've been with us all the way. One would think people would have something better to do." She hadn't seen anyone else, but if he said they had been there, they were there.


About the author:
Born in Sweden in the early 1970's, Maria showed a large interest for books at an early age. Even before she was able to read or write, she made her mom staple papers together into booklets she filled with drawings of suns and planets. She proudly declared them, "The Sun Book." They were all about the sun. She also claimed, to her mother's horror, that her being on Earth was a big mistake and that her alien family would come and bring her home at any moment. This never happened, but both the interest in space and the passion for bookmaking stayed with her.

As an adult Maria's creativity got an outlet through playing bass in a number of rock bands, and through writing technical manuals and making web pages for various companies and organizations. She did write drafts for a few novels, but the storytelling muse was mostly satisfied through role playing online on Myspace. It was here, while writing stories together with people from around the globe, she stumbled onto Mike. They started talking out of character, and she moved over to Florida to him late 2008. Today the two are married and live in the Tampa Bay area with three rescue dogs.

Besides writing and playing bass, Maria enjoys driving off-road, archery, and Tameshigiri.

Upcoming releases

Flashback, to be released by Desert Breeze Publishing June 2013
Operation Earth, to be released by Desert Breeze Publishing August 2013
Borealis XII, to be released by Desert Breeze Publishing November 2013

Fun Facts

Favorite color: Blue
Favorite food: Chicken with cashew nuts
Doesn't eat: Mammals
Favorite TV Show: Star Trek TNG and Leverage
Favorite animal: Border Collie
Quotes: "Full Speed Ahead" and "Caffeine is good for you"

Website ** Facebook **  Blog ** Twitter ** Goodreads ** Publisher's Website

Event organized by Bewitching Book Tours

Cover reveal Unbreak Me by Lexi Ryan

Expected publication date: May 27th, 2013

Description:

“If you’re broken, I’ll fix you…”

I’m only twenty-one and already damaged goods. A slut. A failure. A disappointment to my picture-perfect family as long as I can remember. I called off my wedding to William Bailey, the only man who thought I was worth fixing. A year later, he’s marrying my sister. Unless I ask him not to…

“If you shatter, I’ll find you…”

But now there’s Asher Logan, a broken man who sees the fractures in my façade and doesn’t want to fix me at all. Asher wants me to stop hiding, to stop pretending. Asher wants to break down my walls. But that means letting him see my ugly secrets and forgiving him for his.

With my past weighing down on me, do I want the man who holds me together or the man who gives me permission to break?



About the author:
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lexi Ryan writes romances with humor, heat, and heart. Her books are described as fun, flirty, and wickedly sexy. A lover of learning, Lexi has been in the classroom all her life and currently holds the title of assistant professor of English at her local community college. Lexi is a proud member of Romance Writers of America. She lives in rural Indiana with her husband and two children.
 
 
Cover Reveal organized by Xpresso Book Tours

Cover Reveal Just One Cup by Cassandra Giovanni

Publication Date: June 20, 2013

Description:

Emma Walker was a writer who'd lost herself to someone else's anger--who had given up on ever feeling like herself again.
Evan Levesque was a rock-god--the one all the woman wanted, but he'd never gotten used to the loneliness between the stage and real life.
With just one cup of coffee they'll begin a journey of self-discovery at each others sides, but can Emma handle Evan's fame while dealing with her own demons? Emma's checkered personal past, a bad relationship that haunts the edges of her memories, threatens to make everything implode on them when Evan takes matters into his own hands.
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but your words...they'll destroy my soul--Can Emma handle being put back together and facing who she's become because of it? 


About the author:
Cassandra doesn't remember a time when she wasn't writing. In fact, the first time she was published was when she was seven years old and won a contest to be published in an American Girl Doll novel. Since then Cassandra has written more novels than she can count and put just as many in the circular bin. Her personal goal with her writing is to show the reader the character's stories through their dialogue and actions instead of just telling the reader what is happening. In 2012 she became a published Young Adult author, releasing In Between Seasons (The Fall, #1) and Walking in the Shadows. In 2013 she branched out by using her artistic illustrating talents to publish her first Children's novel, The Adventures of Skippy Von Flippy: Tales of Friendship (Skippy Tales, #1). Cassandra will also release her first New Adult novel, Just One Cup, in the Spring of 2013.

Cassandra is a freelance professional photographer known for her automotive, nature and architectural shots. She is the owner of Gio Design Studios, a photography and publication marketing company that designs covers and marketing materials for authors utilizing the company's photography. She is currently studying to receive a degree in Marketing. Cassandra is happily married to the man of her dreams and they live in the rolling hills of New England with the other loves of her life their dogs, Bubski and Kanga.


Cover Reveal organized by Girls *Heart* Books Tour

Monday, April 29, 2013

Winners Silver Moon: The Complete Saga (Silver Moon 0.5-3) by Rebecca A. Rogers

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Amber Hall
Sherry Johnson
You have 7 days to send us your book option, full name and your address.

Raffle form here

Our email is: mythicalbooks@ymail.com

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Email-ul este: mythicalbooks@ymail.com

Excerpt and Giveaway The Big Debate (Literary Loom, #1) by Carolyn Twede Frank Book Tour

  Description:
 
 A bizarre corpse . . . A strange girl . . . A creepy teacher . . . A cool invention . . . Combine these with an old school and a new student anxious to fit in—and the adventure begins. Fifteen-year-old Josh’s big mouth gets him in trouble at first. But after walking in the shoes of great men of history in the Literary Loom, he uses that mouth to bring down the bad guy and ultimately solve the mystery behind the murder—and the strange girl.  

   
Excerpt:
 
Josh didn’t have a clue what to do if all the troops were not off the island by daybreak—neither did his character. Then he felt his head bow and his eyes close. A simple, but powerful plea parted from his lips. “Please, dear God, help us. Our cause is just, our hearts true. We have nowhere to turn but to Thee.”
Feelings surfaced that spoke of his character’s spiritual side. No specific religion had its claims on Washington’s devotion, but it was unmistakably clear that his belief in a divine creator was as solid as his commitment to this new nation’s cause. And for some unexplained, but undeniable reason, the two were connected.
Josh looked up into the early-morning sky. Darkness faded to shades of yellow-gray in the east. Dawn loomed near. He moved his gaze to the bustling makeshift docks that continued to load men like cattle onto barges. As far as his eye could discern in the murky light, soldier after soldier awaited their turn, wearing the faces of trapped animals. No way were they all going to make it.
The light in the eastern sky continued to increase. But as it grew, so did something else. It rolled in like a thick blanket from off the water, covering the exposed soldiers that were losing fast their cloak of darkness: fog . . . on a summer morning. Unheard of that time of year.
“General Washington,” the officer supervising the docks yelled. Josh rode over to where he believed the dock to be, dodging soldiers as they grappled through the fog.
“Yes, Captain,” Josh said when finally in view of the officer—six feet away.
“Do we continue the retreat, General?”
“Yes.”
“But this fog is worse than navigating in the night.”
“Precisely,” responded Josh with a lift in Washington’s spirits. “If we can’t see each other past six feet, neither can the enemy. Continue until all the men are safely off the island—or the fog lets up. Whichever comes first.”
 
literary loom tour


Author Carolyn Twede Frank Carolyn has always liked to create. There were always gardens full of beautiful plants in her life, plenty of frilly, homemade dresses for her daughters—and don’t leave out the puppets. Ever since third grade, Carolyn also liked to write. She is the author of Promises, a teen historical fiction novel, and the author/illustrator of two children’s picture books. Carolyn lives in Utah with her husband and teenage daughter, where she runs her puppet-related business in between family time and writing time. 

 

 Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/9/13 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Review and Giveaway Innovera Yakov: The Journey of A Thousand Eyes by Kia Garriques Book Tour

Innovera Yakov – The Journey of A Thousand Eyes takes you into a world of excitement and danger where thoughts and feelings are overheard and minds can travel to other worlds. Be prepared to immerse yourself in a world where falling in love could cost you your life and nothing is as it seems. Innovera Yakov – The Journey of A Thousand Eyes is the first book in an action-packed fantasy drama series where characters with powers of healing and destruction live, love, compete and disappear without a trace while they are being prepared for the Journey.

My Review:
Sometimes you hear me calling. Sometimes I think you don't want to see me anymore. You hardly ever listen. You hardly come now when I call. What have I done? What have I not done for you! What won't I do? For you!

It's a book that will captivate the reader from the first page. A book in which the struggle between good and evil, between light and darkness takes on a new look.

The author skillfully builds a world of light. Everything is color and beauty and everything should be goodness and purity. But things are not so. There are things and beings (very) bad and boundaries are constantly under threat of darkness and its inhabitants. And if that were all, it would still be good. That because on the story’s way Innovera’s world develops Purgatory characteristic. But here nobody is judged, all that matter is just the facts, faith and hope of success. It's an intermediary world where the innoverians prepare themselves for the great journey that will follow, for their development. Nobody knows where they come from, but each will decide where will go.
"Every Innoveran has a reason for being here; even the ones you believe are bad. Your purpose is to heal and not to judge."
Then the characters will impress. They are special and many will be cherished by readers. The author outlines different characters and skills. It will be difficult for the reader to not personally involved, not suffer or rejoice with them. Good or bad (at least so far) each character has his important place and participates in the success or in the ruin of the group that passage to perfection.
"Many amongst you wish to live in no other world but this one. But you must move on. It is the great law that governs every world there is: all life must move on and be replaced by other lives."
To stay behind is not possible. The journey is not an easy one, not everybody will reach the destination. This trip (an initiation one) will provide the opportunity for spectacular and deadly confrontations. Neither the main characters are exempt from the danger that comes in many different and unexpected ways.

Of course there are love stories also. There are not some trivial ones, but deep and sad. Beautiful stories with an uncertain end, forgotten love, found again, reclaimed or lost perhaps forever. Shared or not, they influence the course of events and determine choices and sacrifices. Definitely will steal the reader sighs.
‘You don't have to be with her to stay with her. It's two different things. If what you feel for her is any good or real then not having her will not stop you caring.
In addition to the trip they make together, each character goes through its own journey to discover itself. Who or what it is and where it is going. It’s not easy and the mysteries does not seem to be solve.

The book's pace follows the story. If the beginning is smooth, slowly, as events occur it becomes more alert and goes to flow like a mountain river full of rapids and unexpected bends.

The end comes too soon and maybe that's my only "criticism", especially that it’s coming right after one of my favorite character looks (I don’t want to accept "is") lost. This ending brings no resolution, no closure and will certainly leave the readers longing for the next volume.
«„There is the world that awaits us. [...]

„You can come with me, or remain here and die.”»
 I received the book for review as part of Book Tour - Thank you!

Romanian:
Sometimes you hear me calling. Sometimes I think you don't want to see me anymore. You hardly ever listen. You hardly come now when I call. What have I done? What have I not done for you! What won't I do? For you!

E o carte care va captiva cititorul de la prima pagină. O carte în care lupta dintre bine şi rău, dintre lumină şi întuneric capătă o înfățişare nouă.

Autoarea construieşte cu talent o lume a luminii. Totul e culoare şi frumusețe şi totul ar trebui să fie bunătate şi puritate. Dar lucrurile nu stau chiar aşa. Există lucruri şi ființe (foarte) rele, iar granițele sunt mereu sub amenințarea întunericului şi a locuitorilor lui. Şi dacă asta ar fi totul, ar fi încă bine. Pentru că pe parcurs lumea Innoverei prinde caractere similare Purgatoriului. Aici însă nu este nimeni judecat, aici contează doar faptele, credința şi speranța reuşitei. Este o lume intermediară în care innoverienii se pregătesc pentru marea călătorie ce va urma, pentru evoluția lor. Nimeni nu ştie de unde vine, dar fiecare va decide unde se va îndrepta.
"Every Innoveran has a reason for being here; even the ones you believe are bad. Your purpose is to heal and not to judge."
Apoi vor impresiona personajele. Sunt deosebite şi multe vor fi îndrăgite de către cititori. Autoarea conturează caractere şi aptitudini diferite. Va fi dificil pentru cititor să nu se implice personal, să nu sufere şi să se bucure alături de ele. Bun sau rău (cel puțin până acum) fiecare personaj are locul lui important şi participă la reuşita sau ruina grupului de călători spre desăvârşire.
"Many amongst you wish to live in no other world but this one. But you must move on. It is the great law that governs every world there is: all life must move on and be replaced by other lives."
A rămâne în urmă nu e posibil. Călătoria nu este una uşoară, nu toți care vor pleca vor ajunge la destinație. Această călătorie (inițiatică deopotrivă) va oferi ocazia unor confruntări spectaculoase şi letale. Personajele principale nu sunt scutite nici ele de pericolul ce vine sub cele mai diferite şi neaşteptate forme.

Bineînțeles că există şi poveşti de dragoste. Nu sunt unele banale, ci unele profunde, triste. Poveşti frumoase al căror final este incert, iubiri uitate, iubiri regăsite sau pierdute poate pentru totdeauna. Împărtăşite sau nu, ele influențează cursul evenimentelor şi determină alegeri şi sacrificii. Cu siguranță vor fura suspinele cititorului.
"You don't have to be with her to stay with her. It's two different things. If what you feel for her is any good or real then not having her will not stop you caring."
În afară de călătoria pe care o fac împreună, fiecare personaj duce propria călătorie prin care trebuie să se descopere pe sine. Cine sau ce este şi unde se îndreaptă. Nu este uşor şi misterele par să nu se dezlege.

Ritmul cărții urmăreşte povestea. Dacă la început este unul lin, domol, pe măsură ce evenimentele au loc el devine din ce în ce mai alert ajungând să curgă ca un râu de munte plin de praguri şi coturi neprevăzute.

Finalul vine prea repede şi poate asta e singura mea”critică”, mai ales că vine imediat după ce unul dintre personajele mele preferate pare (nu vreau să cred că „este”) pierdut. Acest final nu aduce nicio rezoluție, nu încheie nicio etapă şi cu siguranță va lăsa în urmă cititorii tânjind după următorul volum.
«„There is the world that awaits us. [...]

„You can come with me, or remain here and die.”»
Audio Link

Kia Garriques studied writing and English literature at University and has been a published short story writer since 2009. Her first story “The Invisible Alien Watcher” was published by Micro Horror in 2009 and reprinted by Pill Hill Press in 2011. Innovera Yakov: The Journey of a Thousand Eyes – is her first novel in the ‘Worlds’ series. 


Excerpt

Blu Tara stared her sister in the face.

‘Let me tell you what you don't know about love, Gamma. It is a curse. You will scoop out your core and abandon it just to have the Being that you love. You will steal another person's life force if it makes it easier to get it. You will abandon the world you have been cradled in, betray everything and everyone you care for. You’ll give up your name for it.’

Blu Tara's voice went soft and dreamy. ‘You will gladly close your eyes and embrace the world of darkness. You will kill or die for it. And you will hate yourself for the weakness that it brings on you. So don’t talk to me about love.’ 
Gamma shook her head. ‘You're not making sense,’ Blu Tara. ‘You talk as if... I’m the one who should be upset about all this.’ 
Blu Tara lifted her hand dismissively. She pointed a hot finger at Gamma. 
‘Anyway don’t forget what we are.’
 'And what are we?’ Gamma glared at her.. 'Different. Strange. Something to be frightened of. Two Beings that can fuse and burn everything to ashes. That's the way they all see us down there. That's what the Stardog wants from you - the powers you possess. ‘I hate them all. With their suspicious, shiny faces and their empty games. I hate that Voice which drones on and on at us in the Learning Dome as soon as we've finished resting. Innoverans! All those perfect, pretty Beings; they remember nothing — it’s the curse of this shallow, shining world. Tell me, Gamma - what do you remember of the world we come from before your Odors Apeno dumped us here?’
Gamma swung around to face her sister fully. ‘Blu Tara! What's got into you? Where’s all that coming from? I've never heard you speak like that before. This is about Krave and I- not you!’ 
'Krave and you - don't make me laugh. And, oh! Here’s a big difference — between you and I this time, Twin Sister. It’s the answer to your question that you brought me up here to ask.’ Blu Tara mimicked Gamma's soft and musical voice, Why do you want to kill Krave? Here's the answer, Gamma. I will do whatever I have to do to save myself. I'm the half of you that's not like you. I don't have a weeping heart. Now I'm out of here. I need my Rest.

Tour Giveaway 
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/5/13
The Book Tour and Giveaway were organized by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer a Rafflecopter giveaway  

Giveaway Demon A La Mode (The Book Waitress #3) by Deena Remiel Book Tour

Description:

Camille Dutton thinks she can save the world. But a rogue ice demon has no intention of letting her. At least not the way she’s planned. Forced to hide out from Satan, they find much in common even though they couldn’t be more different. Sparks fly as an undeniable force draws them together and they find out just how necessary he is to Camille’s life.

Complications abound as they return to her home. Derek and friends are none too pleased with the new addition to their group. With Hell’s portal opened, and beasties passing through every day, there isn’t time to soothe emotions. Can the ice demon be trusted? Will this fragile group of vigilantes fall to pieces, allowing Satan to gain control over the world? Or will they rise up stronger and with new resolve?

Amazon ** Smashwords ** Barnes&Noble ** iTunes
TOUR SCHEDULE

About the author:
It was the mystique of Arizona’s history and landscape that called to Deena and catapulted her career as an author. When she’s not writing romance and urban fantasy in the wee small hours of the morning or in the deep, dark of night, Deena teaches language arts to middle school students. She currently lives in Gilbert, Arizona with her husband and two children, but New Jersey will always tug at her heartstrings. She believes in angels and loves connecting with her fans, so find her at deenaremiel.com.


Author's Giveaway
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Alexander Drake by Elizabeth Parkinson Bellows Book Blast

Alexander Drake's Extraordinary Pursuit

Meet Alexander Drake, a curious young man living in a drab, oversized mansion with his secretive father. He spent his days playing alone. In the back of his mind he wondered what happened to his mother, and why his father was tight-lipped about the past; but secrets have a way of getting out. It all started with a stay at his grandmother’s cottage. Alexander found strange clues tucked away in his father’s old bedroom. With a mysterious key and several maps in his pack he set off on an innocent search for answers about his family. When he discovered a secret passageway the search took a dramatic turn. He suddenly worried about what was searching for him. Alexander was being hunted by a sorcerer from his father’s past. Answers lead to more questions and the journey of his life. Join Alexander for a thrilling adventure in Azra’s Pith, a place of beauty and magic… but beware—something evil lurks in the shadows.  

Amazon

 

The Return of General Drake

When Alexander arrived in Verhonia, something went terribly wrong. A dark spell delivered from the mountains of Acadia sent him on a dangerous journey in the middle of the night. As he marched into the mountains, the great city of Verhonia was ambushed and burned to the ground by Roman's army of vicious giant murks. With the safety of the realm in jeopardy, General John William Drake was asked to come back to Azra's Pith. He swore he would never return. But after discovering his son was under a spell and in the grips of a dark sorcerer, he had no choice. Things take a wild turn in the mountains, with runaways, a hungry wolf and a mysterious, young empyrean wizard thrown into the adventure. A tight race against time and evil is in full swing. With faith and a little magic, they just might come out on top.

Publisher

Tour Schedule 

Author Elizabeth Parkinson-Bellows

Being the frizzy-haired tomboy with buck teeth gave me a slight case of shyness as a kid. A colorful imagination meant escape and adventure at the drop of a hat. Over the years I learned that the insecurities I carried around were a waste of time. I still prefer a football game to a manicure any day of the week. That indispensable imagination has found its way into my writing providing a sense of joy and a true purpose.   

Website * Twitter * Facebook  

 

Book Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 5/15/13
Event and Giveaway were organized by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Cover Reveal Hope's Reign (Memory's Wake Trilogy #2) by Selina Fenech


Date Published: May 10, 2013

Description:

Everything is slipping away from Memory. The bond of friendship between her, Eloryn, Roen, and Will, that was formed while running for their lives is tearing. In a world that doesn’t feel like home, with a mind filled with nothing but questions, Memory struggles to be true to herself… whoever that is. When her past self starts haunting her, she knows her sanity could be the next thing she will lose.

 
Book #1

Lost in a world of magic and monstrous fairies, a troubled sixteen year old girl with no memories must discover who she is, before she is discovered by those who want her dead.



About the author:
Born in 1981 to Australian and Maltese parents, Selina lives in Australia with her husband, daughter, and an unnamed cat. During her life Selina has found ancient Roman treasure, survived cancer, had knights joust at her wedding, been mugged for doughnuts, made a living as a visual artist, and shared her imaginary worlds in paintings and now in her novels.



   

Sunday, April 28, 2013

Review - Mohawk Moon by N. Kuhn

Description:

Janelle hasn't been home in ten years. All of a sudden, she has to deal with her mothers death, her broken relationship with her sister, and some sexy stranger following her. She doesn't know whether to be scared, or excited.

Damien needs to restore his families honor. He needs to use Janelle to do it, there's one problem. There's someone standing in the way. He's vowed that no one will stand in the way or getting what's his.

Together they must save what's left of both their families, and along the way, deal with what's going on between them. Join them on the beginning of their journey, under the Mohawk Moon.

My Review:

I was curious since I saw the title and I wanted to read the book without to care too much about its description.

The action begins quickly, but not abruptly. From the first steps occurs the thrill of danger and of the predestined attraction (or love?). Readers will feel it in full because the story is told alternately by Janelle and Damien. United by what they feel, they are separated from their family history. A history with ancient roots in which there are found trust and betrayal, murder, seeking of redemption and fulfillment of a sacred mission.
„I known my destiny since I was a child. Janelle will led me there, one way or another [...]. Will I have to kill her to get it?”
The relationship between Janelle and Damien is not the only one with problems. Personal decisions or the ones of others hang heavily between the main characters and influence the course of events. They must deal with the past to have a future and that it's not so easy when, even now, someone’s betrayal and anger threaten exactly what they get to cherish most. The resignation and sacrifice bring extra tension.
„I know the man they call father [...]. They may be beautiful, but that can’t save them.”
And in all this whirling the undeniable attraction between Janelle and Damien burns. This attraction is the one who provides sometimes funny moments or exciting ones.

Although predictable, the ending did not spoil the journey.
„I remember I always felt like the eagle was watching me. [...] She was out there, watching, waiting. But for what?” „The eagle has always been with our family. Since my great ancestors. To lead us, warn us, protect us. It was a sign. She will show up.”
I liked that the author has introduced elements of Native American and I wanted even more details and legends. Of course it was not the place or book’s genre, but this is what I would have liked ... However there are references that make you dream at past worlds, but also to think about lost moral values.

Without insisting on them, using them only to offer some explanation, the author draws attention to some important issues like: abuse, rape, misunderstanding of your debt, accepting of what you are or seeking justice at any cost. With regard to justice at any cost the author is playing on the edge. Classic cop - even when quitting - will always ultimately do what is right and bring the criminal to justice. In our case the gray is not clarify completely, reality’s shadows enveloping even more people than you initially expected.

There are some things I liked and some things I would have liked more detailed, polished, but if I say that I didn’t read the book in one breath and with pleasure it will be a lie.
„I look up at the moon through the trees. It’s a new moon. That’s not good. My mother always told me it’s bad luck to see a new moon through the trees.”

 I received the book for review as part of Book Tour - Thank you!
 
Romanian:
Am fost curioasă încă de când am văzut titlul şi am dorit să citesc cartea fără să mă intereseze prea mult descrierea ei..

Acțiunea începe repede, dar nu brusc. De la primii paşi apar atât fiorii pericolului, cât şi a atracției (sau dragostei?) predestinate. Cititorii îi vor simți din plin pentru că povestea este spusă alternativ de Janelle şi Damien. Uniți de ceea ce simt, ei sunt despărțiți de istoria familiilor lor. O istorie cu rădăcini vechi în care se regăsesc încrederea şi trădarea, crima, căutarea izbăvirii şi îndeplinirii unei misiuni sacre.
„I known my destiny since I was a child. Janelle will led me there, one way or another [...]. Will I have to kill her to get it?”
Relația dintre Janelle şi Damien nu este singura relație cu probleme. Decizii personale sau ale altora atârnă greu între personajele principale şi influențează cursul evenimentelor. Ei trebuie să rezolve cu trecutul pentru a avea un viitor şi asta nu e chiar atât de uşor atunci când, chiar şi în prezent, trădarea şi furia unora pun în primejdie exact ceea ce ajungi să prețuieşti mai mult. Resemnarea şi sacrificiul aduc un plus de tensiune.
„I know the man they call father [...]. They may be beautiful, but that can’t save them.”
Şi în toată această învolburare se manifestă atracția incontestabilă dintre Janelle şi Damine, care este şi cea care oferă scurte momente pe cât de hazlii uneori, pe atât de incitante alteori.

Deşi previzibil, finalul nu strică plăcerea călătoriei spre el.
„I remember I always felt like the eagle was watching me. [...] She was out there, watching, waiting. But for what?”
„The eagle has always been with our family. Since my great ancestors. To lead us, warn us, protect us. It was a sign. She will show up.”
Mi-a plăcut mult faptul că autoarea a introdus elemente ale nativilor americani (nu ştiu care e termenul political correct) şi aş fi vrut şi mai multe detalii şi eventual legende. Normal că nu era locul şi nici tipul de carte, dar aşa mi-ar fi plăcut mie... Oricum sunt trimiteri care te fac pe de o parte să visezi la lumi trecute, dar şi să te gândeşti la valori morale pierdute.

Fără a insista asupra lor, folosindu-le doar pentru a oferi unele explicații, autoarea atrage atenția asupra unor probleme importante: abuz, viol, înțelegerea greşită a datoriei, acceptarea a ceea ce eşti sau căutarea dreptății cu orice preț. Cu privire la dreptatea cu orice preț autoarea se joacă pe muchie de cuțit. Clasic, polițistul – chiar şi atunci când renunță la funcția sa - va face întotdeauna în final ceea ce este corect şi va preda criminalul legii. În cazul nostru nuanțele de gri nu se limpezesc în totalitate, umbrele realității învăluind chiar mai multe persoane decât te-ai fi aşteptat inițial.

Sunt câteva lucruri care mi-au plăcut şi câteva lucruri pe care le-aş fi vrut mai detaliate, mai şlefuite, dar dacă aş spune că nu am citit cartea pe nerăsuflate şi cu plăcere aş minți.
„I look up at the moon through the trees. It’s a new moon. That’s not good. My mother always told me it’s bad luck to see a new moon through the trees.
About the author:
The N in N. Kuhn is actually Nicole. She was born and raised in western New York. She grew up with a love of books, and a passion for writing. She was always found with her nose in a book. She finally decided to take the steps to embark into self publishing at the urging of her Grandmother. Mrs. Kuhn has dedicated her second book to Janet Starr, as she passed just days after being published.

Nicole survives on coffee alone. Mostly Tim Hortons. (It’s a NY thing.) A fan of drinking it from the time she gets up, until she finally rests. When not writing, she crochets and spends time with her beautiful daughter and her husband. Her friends call her Octo-Mom because she multi-tasks so well. Between her full time job, family, crochet and writing, it’s a wonder she ever sleeps.

Mrs. Kuhn feels that reading in our youth is a very important trait to instill. She reads with her young daughter as much as she can. “It’s the most important thing a parent can ever do with a child. Read, teach them to read. Don’t buy them toys, buy them books,” She says
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Book Tour organized by Lady Amber's Book Tours