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Friday, August 16, 2013

Excerpt and Giveaway Sweet Series by Bailey Ardisone

Description:

When two worlds collide, nightmares become reality. And some secrets...are best kept in Oblivion.
...Until there is hope.

Have you ever wanted to forget? Nariella Woodlinn has. Many times. Especially when her already frustrating life gets turned upside down by a mysterious boy who randomly shows up in her small town. And she can't seem to understand anything about him, despite how much she tries.
​Nari hates everything about her life, except for her best friend Rydan, but now that they've been separated during their senior year of high school, she has to learn to make new friends without him. When strange, unexplainable phenomena start becoming an every day part of her life, Nari struggles to come to grips with reality. And with love.
~
Naminé has responsibilities. Duties. It is her obligation to fulfill all that is asked of her by their King. But when a glimmer of hope is introduced to her by a prisoner she tends to, it means life or death for her and her people. She does all that she can to turn that hope into reality, and finally end the vicious war that has been ensuing since she was born. Even if that means keeping it secret from her King. Even if it means carrying out the biggest betrayal against the King ever seen during her time.

She has hope. She will fulfill her duty. She will not let her people down.


Book #2
Description:
Published July 25th, 2013

Sometimes the hardest war to fight is the one raging within yourself…

Life will never be the same for Nariella Woodlinn. Just when she thought she had it all figured out, her world comes crumbling down around her-yet again. With no idea who she is or even where she came from, how can she save herself?
She once thought her biggest problems were the ones brought on by the mysterious man she refused to fall in love with—Mycah. But she quickly discovers none of that compares to what she is about to encounter next.
This time, it isn’t because of who Mycah is.
This time, it’s because of who she is.
~
Naminé risked everything to save her people. Her goal was to bring their only hope back to their Kingdom. As the war rages on around her, Naminé gets thrown into the lion’s den—the false King’s chambers. Can she fool a King who can’t be deceived on his playing field? Forced to do his bidding, can she prevent the downfall of the only hope she worked so hard to bring home? Will she be able to escape with her life and mind intact?

With everyone’s world falling apart and deceit around every corner…can any of them truly Escape?


EXCERPTs:




Sweet Oblivion

~Naminé~

I could feel a huge grin on my face from the memory, but as I approached my usual desk in the back, it quickly disappeared. I had no idea what look took the grin’s place, believing it must be something similar to a deer caught in headlights or the look a child has from just coming face to face with a ghost. Regardless, I had no doubt whatever it was perfectly demonstrated the word "shocked."

There, in my seat not to mention, was the sexiest guy I had ever seen. Oh, and by the way, as if my life couldn’t get any crazier, it was the boy I ran across, twice, within the last week.

It faintly registered to me that I was staring, but what captured me and kept me firm in one spot is that he was staring right back.

I reluctantly pulled my eyes away from his, realizing I could have seriously drown in their exquisite ocean blue color that seemed to want to pull me under, to quickly take the rest of him in. He leaned all the way back in his chair, no, my chair, wearing dark jeans and a plain white undershirt, with his right leg stretched out.

I unconsciously started walking toward him. He had his right hand in his pocket, and his black hair was in a layered mess, resembling a rock star, with just a few strands falling over his eyes. I glanced at his tattoo for just a second before meeting his gaze again.

But now that I was here, standing in front of him, my mind went blank. I wanted to tell him to get out of my seat, but just looking at him was making me nervous.

“It’s you again. Hello,” he said in a velvety English accent.

I could feel my mouth gaping open like a fish, but no words were coming out. Pull it together would you?!

“H-h-hi. Hello,” I spat out, but barely. “You’re in my seat.”

“Oh, am I? I’m sorry,” he said with a grin.

“Yes, so, could you maybe move?” I didn’t know why I was being so rude; I was just frustrated that I couldn’t figure out this strange mystery that all of a sudden plagued my life.

“But I like this desk. I can see why you chose it. You get to sit back here and observe the whole room, taking in everything that is discussed 'bout literature and it’s right by the windows. Please, can I stay?” he said to me while batting his eyelashes. “With a cherry on top?” Each word was perfectly clipped. Why were accents so darn sexy?

His entire presence and foreign charm completely caught me off guard. I easily conceded to him.

“Okay,” was all I could say. I slowly walked to the last empty desk in the room and just as slowly, sat down. I was being completely ridiculous, I knew that. But why did he-

Hold on – why was he staring at me? Why was I looking at him?! I quickly looked to the front of the room, my cheeks burning.



Sweet Escape


~Naminé~

My heart instantly dropped into my stomach. I quickly took a few deep breaths and tried to conceal the horrendous feeling spreading through my body. I did not want to give them the satisfaction of knowing I was terrified out of my mind. I took a quick glance at Námoman, and noticed his bright yellow eyes were fixed on mine.

“Dhaeraow, lle desiel?” the King said while still glaring my way. Tears threatened to surface as I listened to him call me a traitor, but I desperately tried to hold them in.

Answering his question, I slightly shook my head—no, I certainly was not ready for whatever was in store for me.

Suddenly, the King jumped up from the divan and stormed over to me.

“Lle desiel?!” he shouted in my face.

I had not meant the shake of my head as defiance, but I did not know what else to do. I could not possibly answer with how I truly felt. I could not say that no, I was not ready. I bowed my head and responded with a lie.

“Amin naa tualle.” I was ready.

“And do not ever forget, Dhaeraow, you are my servant,” he harshly spat out. He strode back over to the divan, but did not sit down.

Tension and aggression hung thickly in the air—it was almost suffocating. I briefly wondered if I would ever breathe normally again. Whatever this was, I wanted to quickly get through with it. The only thing keeping my body upright was that I was firmly pasted to the cold wall behind me. My body was deeply striving to mold into the solid material—trying to disappear—unfortunately without much success.

The King turned to me saying, “Do not lie to me. Have you been connecting with my hunters?”

Without meeting his evil gaze, I nodded and said, “Yes.” I did not want to suffer through his wrath by only using head movements, so I barely squeaked the affirmative response.

Ohtar turned to look at Námoman, whom immediately went to the window across the room and whistled. We waited in silence for what seemed to be days, when suddenly I heard a very loud “hoot.” I felt a slight breeze as something flew around the room, swooshing past me, only to end up landing on Námoman’s shoulder. As he strode back over to stand between the King and me, I noticed that a white owl with grey spots was comfortably perched there, now diligently focused on cleaning his left wing.

Rapidly I understood what it was the King was trying to accomplish, and with that thought all the air from my lungs was suddenly strangling me. I deeply gasped for air, but I could no longer seem to breathe.

About the authors:
Bailey Ardisone is a collaboration by two sisters born and raised outside Chicago, Illinois. They took the last names of their two grandmothers and combined them together to form their pen name. They both married the love of their lives and spend their days submerged in books, movies, music, or art and love traveling. Fantasy books and movies have been a huge part of their lives and are obsessed with Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien.
Sweet Oblivion is their first novel and is the first installment of a series.


Authors' Giveaway
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Event organized by Girls Heart Book Tours 

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