Review of The 5th Wave by Rick Yancey

The 5th Wave (The Fifth Wave # 1)  by Rick Yancey

Publication Date: May 7, 2013 / 480 pgs.

Genres: YA, Dystopian, Science Fiction

After the 1st wave, only darkness remains. After the 2nd, only the lucky escape. And after the 3rd, only the unlucky survive. After the 4th wave, only one rule applies: trust no one.

Now, it’s the dawn of the 5th wave, and on a lonely stretch of highway, Cassie runs from Them. The beings who only look human, who roam the countryside killing anyone they see. Who have scattered Earth’s last survivors. To stay alone is to stay alive, Cassie believes, until she meets Evan Walker.

Beguiling and mysterious, Evan Walker may be Cassie’s only hope for rescuing her brother—or even saving herself. But Cassie must choose: between trust and despair, between defiance and surrender, between life and death. To give up or to get up.

Sunday Series Spotlight: The Division Chronicles & Author Interview

Today, I am pleased to spotlight author Connie L. Smith and her YA urban fantasy/paranormal romance trilogy, The Division Chronicles.  Today’s post features an interview with Ms. Smith and an excerpt from the third book, Enscrolled, which was just released in  mid- October.

Essenced (book 1)

Publication Date:  July 2013

Years ago, demons were forced out of the earth’s realm by a band of supernatural fighters, banished from the place and its people in the aftermath of a horrific war. It should’ve ended there – would’ve – if not for the final demon’s claw snagging on the open portal. What felt like victory became only a reprieve, the winning warriors understanding that the tear would spread, and the demons eventually would escape exile. It was only a matter of time, and a need for future defense – a question of genetics and essences, magic and power.

Now, centuries later, a new army must bind together – one of teenagers with inhuman potentials and abilities…

AJ went to bed Sunday night an average teenage girl, clumsy and athletically lacking. So when she wakes up Monday morning with super-strength, she does what any rational person would do: She goes into denial. When a smoking hot guy in a suit shows up, rambling about the end of the war and demons spilling through some kind of rift, she refuses to listen, telling herself he’s insane. Except weird things just won’t quit happening, and the guy keeps popping up in her life, trying to explain the changes suddenly happening within her. Is she crazy, or is this guy… not so crazy after all?

Available from Amazon: Essenced: The Division Chronicles: Book One (Volume 1)

Book Blitz for Day Zero (The Zero Trilogy # 1) + Author Guest Post & Giveaway

If you’re a fan of Summer Day’s post-apocalyptic Collapse series, then you don’t want to miss her new novella companion series called The Zero Trilogy. The first installment was just released and features Elle who also appears in the Collapse series. Today, Ms. Lane is guest blogging with me,  so read on as she explains the factors that went into the creation and shaping of Elle’s character. The blitz-wide giveaway includes lots free books, so be sure to enter for your chance to win!

Day Zero (The Zero Trilogy # 1)  by Summer Lane

Publication Date: October 10, 2014

Genre: YA,  Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopia Fiction

Elle is a survivor.
Since the collapse of modern society, she’s been living in the remains of downtown Hollywood, California, foraging for food and fighting for her life.
And then everything changes.
After she is forced out of her home, she heads north. What she finds is a group of bunker survivors, unlikely comrades, and the hope of a safe haven. Together, they journey toward the dregs of civilization, facing starvation, imprisonment and death.
They are alone, but they are ready.
Day Zero begins today.

Day Zero is a novella, the first installment in The Zero Trilogy, a novella series complementing the international bestselling Collapse Series.

Summer Lane is the author of the international bestselling Collapse Series, which includes State of Emergency, State of Chaos, State of Rebellion and State of Pursuit. The fifth installment, State of Alliance, is releasing January 2015. Summer is also the author of The Zero Trilogy and an upcoming survivalist/science fantasy series coming in 2015. She owns WB Publishing, Writing Belle Magazine, and is an accomplished creative writing teacher and journalist.

Summer lives in the Central Valley of California, where she spends her time writing, teaching, and writing some more. When she is not writing, she enjoys leisurely visits with friends at coffee shops, dates to the movies, hiking in the mountains and strolling on the beach.

Author Links.

http://www.summerlaneauthor.com/

https://twitter.com/SummerEllenLane

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5823376.Summer_Lane

 “Creating Elle” 

One of the joys of being a writer is that you get to create new and exciting characters entirely from scratch. Of course, fictional characters are simply made up of bits and pieces of realistic people and personalities, but combining them to make a single, unique protagonist is an awesome task.

Elle is the fifteen year-old protagonist of Day Zero, and will be the starring player in the entire Zero Trilogy. When I began writing the story, I had a very clear picture in my head of who this girl was, and where she came from. I find it helpful to create intricate character backstories – regardless of whether or not those stories make it into the novel. Knowing your characters as well as you know yourself makes them real to the readers.

I built Elle’s appearance and personality around the fact that she had been through serious trouble and tribulation before we get into her head in Day Zero. This is what shaped her character for the book, and it is what carries her through many of her adventurous survival scenarios. I can’t wait to see where Elle’s journey ends up taking her!

*****

Purchase Links

Amazon: Day Zero (The Zero Trilogy Book 1)

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/day-zero-summer-lane/1120437045?ean=2940150405714

Createspace: https://www.createspace.com/5025612

Blitz-wide Giveaway (INTL)

Dead Girl Walking, by Ruth Silver 

Fractured Dream, by K.M. Randall 

Spirit Warriors: The Scarring by DEL Connor 

Eyes of the Enemy by Kelly Hess 

Jacob, King of Portalia by Casey Club 

Destiny Gift by Juliana Haygert 

Aftershock by Roberta Trahan 

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Related Posts

Release Day: Review & Giveaway for State of Rebellion (Collapse Series # 3) 

Book Blitz for State of Pursuit (Collapse Series # 4) + Author Guest Post & Giveaway

Blog Tour ~ The Rebel Series + Author Guest Post & Giveaway

Today, I’m part of the blog tour for Lance Erlick’s YA Rebels series which features sixteen-year-old Annabelle and her struggle to find her way in a dystopic world ruled by a female-dominated government. Learn more about Annabelle’s character from Mr. Erlick in the featured guest post and enter the giveaway for your chance to win one of two Amazon gift cards!

Genre: YA, Dystopian Fiction

The Rebel Within (Rebel # 1) 

Annabelle (16) faces adult dilemmas and a fight for her life. Orphaned at age three when the military took her parents, she’s a tomboy who rebels against her conformist society, which pushes her to become a cop intern to catch escaped boys. Then she’s forced to choose between joining the elite military that took her parents or being torn from her beloved sister and adoptive mom.

The Rebel Within turns our male dominated world upside down. After the Second American Civil War, the Federal Union pursues a utopian society without men by rounding up the remaining males, and enforcing Harmony. Central to their plan is EggFusion Fertilization and Female Mechanized Warriors.

In this world, Annabelle faces a cop intern boss who hates her, a military commander who demands too much, and an amazon bully who won’t leave her alone. She meets a handsome boy who escapes prison. As she tries to survive rigorous military training and hunt for her imprisoned birth mother, Annabelle must choose between capturing the boy and helping him escape, while she wrestles with the consequences of her actions.

Goodreads | Amazon:  The Rebel Within (Rebels Book 1)

*****

The Rebel Trap (Rebel # 2)

Voices in 16-year-old Annabelle’s head aren’t God or signs she’s going mad—yet.

The Rebel Trap sweeps readers into a haunting world with no privacy. Written as a standalone story, it also follows Annabelle’s adventures from The Rebel Within.

Auditory implants and contact cams allow her military commander from the unit that took her parents to watch her 24-7. A boy she helped to escape hacks her implants to plead for her help. She’s forced to be a cop and military spy investigating her police captain as well as capturing escaped boys. Observed constantly, Annabelle has to dance between helping the escaped boy she likes free his brother from a heavily guarded geek institute, her job to capture him, and the feud between her military commander and the police chief she’s expected to spy on.

A pawn in a bigger game, no one believes she can handle this, which may be her greatest asset.

Goodreads | Amazon:  The Rebel Trap (Rebels Book 2)

*****

Rebels Divided (Rebel # 3) 

Rebels Divided is a fun thrill ride written as a standalone action story, but also part of the Rebel series, three years later.

The first time Geo sees Annabelle, they meet as enemies and she doesn’t kill him. That’s worth something. Geo (19) is a rugged frontiersman who hungers to see more of the world than the impoverished Outland glen where he and his pa hide from local Rangers. Annabelle (19) is a tough yet fragile tomboy who lost her parents at age three to the Mech Warriors. Then she’s forced to become a Mech.

After the Second American Civil War, the nation divides into two ‘utopias’. The Federal Union enforces Harmony and an all-female society protected by Mechanized Warriors. The Outland promotes rugged individualism, but Thane Edwards holds a monopoly of power with his Rangers. The Union’s Tenn-tucky governor and the Outland warlord conclude a secret deal, pledging Annabelle to the warlord to provide heirs, and putting a bounty on Geo and his pa.

Hunted by military from both sides, Geo and Annabelle struggle to overcome mutual distrust in order to work together to rescue her sister and gain justice for the murder of his father.

 Goodreads | Amazon: Rebels Divided

“Don’t be alarmed,” a muted bass voice said directly into my skull.

You know how when someone says think fast, you can’t? My brain scrambled to make sense of this male voice deep inside my head, given that I’d never heard a masculine tone until six weeks ago.

Sandy tugged me forward. “Don’t keep the commander waiting.”

I pulled back. Morgan, what are you doing in my head? It felt like the mech com-link that allowed you to hear another’s projected thoughts. I couldn’t imagine how to turn the blasted thing off, or how to talk to him without Sandy overhearing. I couldn’t let her or the commander think I was crazy on top of everything else. I considered that possibility.

“I haven’t much time,” Morgan said. “My brother hacked your com-link’s auditory implant. Your escape plan failed. Mechs are rounding up the other boys. Your mom’s in danger.”

I froze. I wanted to see Morgan’s face. Yet I didn’t trust all this craziness inside me, as if I wanted more than just to see him. His tone did sound comforting, though, the only really friendly voice since I ran the gauntlet.

Sandy yanked me forward.

“Sorry for being such a bother. I need your help,” Morgan said somewhere inside my skull.

I followed Sandy, shook my head, and mouthed, “No.” As if somehow, he could see that. I’d done my bit. I’d tried to help him escape.

The gravity of my situation sank in. Had Commander Hernandez caught the nurse helping the boys, or connected the escape to Mom? The entire idea had been stupid, a rushed effort because I really liked Morgan, despite having to fight him. I should have had a better plan, but I was not a planner.

Lance Erlick grew up in various parts of the United States and Europe. He took to stories as his anchor and was inspired by his father’s engineering work on cutting-edge aerospace projects to look to the future. He studied creative writing at Northwestern University and University of Iowa.

He writes science fiction, dystopian and young adult stories and likes to explore the future implications of social and technological trends. He is the author of The Rebel Within, The Rebel Trap, and Rebels Divided, three books in the Rebel series. In those stories, he flips traditional exploitation to explore the effects of a world that discriminates against males and the consequences of following conscience for those coming of age. Erlick lives in the Chicago area with his family.

Author Links

Website | Twitter | Facebook

 

Character Profile of Annabelle

How would you feel if you were watched constantly with annoying voices in your head, and they’re real? What would you do if your beliefs were at odds with your restrictive society, and you couldn’t share your innermost fears with anyone? How would you react to an injustice against others, where your involvement will put your life and your family in danger?

These are some of the dilemmas facing sixteen-year-old Annabelle, who rattled around in my head until I wrote her story.

While The Rebel Trap is the second book in the Rebel series, it was written as a standalone story as well, narrated mostly by Annabelle.

She lives in a world where men are exiled, quarantined or forced to fight to the death to train the military elite. She was forced to be a cop intern and when she fought to protect her younger sister, Janine, from a bully, she was arrested, kicked out of high school, and coerced to join the elite Mech Corps that took her parents when she was three. To say she’s a rebel doesn’t begin to cover her angst.

Now, her Mech Corps commander has given her auditory implants and contact cameras so she can watch Annabelle 24/7, and have her spy on her previous police captain. Morgan hacks into her new connections to plead for her help. She could scream, but she didn’t need the added pressure of competing voices in her head, trying to talk her off the ledge.

She’s a pawn in a bigger game, in over her head. The price of failure will be exile from her beloved adoptive family, or death. The fact no one believes she can handle this may be her greatest asset. Can she pull it off?

(2) $25 Amazon Gift Cards (INT)

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Blog Tour~ Aegis Rising (Aegis League Series # 1)

Today’s spotlight is on teen author, Shirin Segran and  Aegis Rising, the first book in her action/adventure series. I have lots of goodies to share with you in this post: You can watch the book trailer, read the author’s Top Ten Reasons for writing this series, plus enter a giveaway for a chance to win a book store gift card. I’ve also included some YouTube videos featuring interviews with Segran about Aegis Rising and the non-profit organization that she supports. Part of the proceeds from the sale of the book go toward providing teens with life-skills and opportunities for growth.

Aegis Rising (Aegis League Series # 1)  by S.S. Segran

Publication Date: November 15, 2013

Genre: YA, Sci-Fi, Action/Adventure

Over a remote northern forest, a small plane carrying five teenage friends flies into a freak storm. Struck by lightning, the aircraft crashes and the passengers find themselves cast into a life-changing adventure.

In a hidden valley, a mysterious people gaze at the stormy sky as a glowing object with fiery wings disappears behind a mountain ridge. The astonishing sight reignites an ancient prophecy foretelling the arrival of five chosen ones destined to become bearers of light against a dark storm gathering on humanity’s horizon.

In a distant city, a secretive organization led by a shadowy figure initiates a sequence of cataclysmic events designed to wreak havoc across the planet, beginning with a remote mining site in northern Canada.

As the three worlds collide, unlikely heroes arise. Armed with powers entrusted to them by the ancient prophecy and the resilience of their life-long bond, the five teens take a stand against a malevolent foe.

Book Tour ~ Deviation (The Sophisticates # 1)

Dystopian fiction is one of my favorite genres, so I was excited to learn of Christine Manzari’s new YA series. Deviation looks like a book where the protagonist, Cleo, faces a number of adversities as she learns to control her unusual super-power, which she tries to keep secret. The book adds an element of the paranormal and perhaps a touch of romance to an imaginary dystopia. Read on to learn more and read an excerpt from the book.

Deviation (The Sophisticates # 1)  by Christine Manzari

Publication Date: August 2013

Genre: YA Dystopian, Paranormal

Being a Sophisticate of the Program seems like it’d be a pretty sweet deal: a little genetic alteration and anyone can be smarter, faster, and stronger. It’s a dream come true. All you have to give up is your freedom. 

Cleo is a Sophisticate and she has a bright future in the Program. But she has a secret. When she gets upset, bad things happen. Explosive things. Things she can’t control. 

When her secret is discovered, she’s sent to the Academy to train in the military branch of the Program. She’s destined to be a human weapon in the war that’s been going on since Wormwood occurred nearly 30 years ago. She soon learns that although her ability is unique, there are others like her — other Sophisticates with lethal skills and odd code names like Archerfish and Mimic Octopus. 

Immersed in a dangerous game of supernatural powers and dubious motives, Cleo doesn’t know who to trust. Ozzy, the annoyingly attractive cadet who has perfect aim in weapons class and deviant lips behind closed doors, begs her not to use her powers. He’s the golden boy of the Program, but can she trust him? Or will she find herself a target, caught in his crosshairs?

Cover Reveal for Jennifer L. Armentrout’s new Wicked Trilogy

Jennifer L. Armentrout has a new urban fantasy trilogy coming out, and the first book, Wicked, is set to be released this December. What do you think of the cover?

Wicked (A Wicked Saga # 1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Things are about to get Wicked in New Orleans.

Twenty-two year old Ivy Morgan isn’t your average college student. She, and others like her, know humans aren’t the only thing trolling the French Quarter for fun… and for food. Her duty to the Order is her life. After all, four years ago, she lost everything at the hands of the creatures she’d sworn to hunt, tearing her world and her heart apart.

Ren Owens is the last person Ivy expected to enter her rigidly controlled life. He’s six feet and three inches of temptation and swoon-inducing charm. With forest-green eyes and a smile that’s surely left a stream of broken hearts in its wake, he has an uncanny, almost unnatural ability to make her yearn for everything he has to offer. But letting him in is as dangerous as hunting the cold-blooded killers stalking the streets. Losing the boy she loved once before had nearly destroyed her, but the sparking tension that grows between them becomes impossible for Ivy to deny. Deep down, she wants… she needs more than what her duty demands of her, what her past has shaped for her.

But as Ivy grows closer to Ren, she realizes she’s not the only one carrying secrets that could shatter the frail bond between them. There’s something he’s not telling her, and one thing is for certain. She’s no longer sure what is more dangerous to her—the ancient beings threatening to take over the town or the man demanding to lay claim to her heart and her soul.

Publication Date: December 8, 2014

Genre: Urban Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Connect with the Author

Website ** Facebook ** Twitter ** Novel Goodreads ** Author Goodreads

 

 

Pre-Order Wicked from Amazon:  Wicked (A Wicked Trilogy Book 1)

Book Tour for Bad Blood (Battle of the Undead # 1)

Vampires + Zombies = wickedly savory ingredients for a great YA paranormal series

London is under attack by hordes of zombies and it’s up to two vampires, who also happen to be arch enemies to protect the humans. This is a plot I won’t be able to resist. Check out Nicky Peacock’s debut of Bad Blood, the first installment in her Battle of the Undead series.

Bad Blood (Battle of the Undead # 1)  by Nicky Peacock

Publication Date: September 5, 2014

Publisher: Evernight Teen Publishing (113 pgs.)

Genre: YA, Paranormal, Horror

“I am Britannia. I am your protector. I will fend off the hungry hordes of undead hands that reach toward you. I am your steadfast defender. I will stand between you and the zombie masses as they try to taste your flesh. I am strong, unyielding, and dedicated to your survival. All I ask from you… is your blood.” 

A five-hundred-year-old bloody game of vengeance will need to be put on hold if vampires are to survive the zombie uprising. Britannia and Nicholas, bitter enemies and the only two surviving vampires left in London, have to work together to save un-infected humans and deliver them safely to a vampire stronghold in the Scottish Highlands. Unable to drink the zombie ‘bad blood’, the remaining vampires need the humans to stay alive. But will the vampires tell the survivors who they are and what they want from them? Will Britannia be able to hold back her vengeance for the greater good? Is survivor Josh the reincarnation of Britannia’s murdered true love? And can she bring herself to deliver him to the ‘safe’ hold? Survival instincts run deep, but bad blood can run deeper.

Book Spotlight: The Winter People

This week, Rebeekah L. Purdy’s The Winter People, a young adult fantasy was released from Entangled Publising’s Teen line. Both the book cover and its tag line “This winter the nights are about to get much darker…” promise danger and intrigue. This is one I’ll be checking out sometime soon.

The Winter People by Rebekah L. Purdy

Publication Date: September 2, 2014

Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance

Salome Montgomery fears winter—the cold, the snow, the ice, but most of all, the frozen pond she fell through as a child. Haunted by the voices and images of the strange beings that pulled her to safety, she hasn’t forgotten their warning to “stay away.” For eleven years, she has avoided the winter woods, the pond, and the darkness that lurks nearby. But when failing health takes her grandparents to Arizona, she is left in charge of maintaining their estate. This includes the “special gifts” that must be left at the back of the property.


Salome discovers she’s a key player in a world she’s tried for years to avoid. At the center of this world is the strange and beautiful Nevin, who she finds trespassing on her family’s property. Cursed with dark secrets and knowledge of the creatures in the woods, he takes Salome’s life in a new direction. A direction where she’ll have to decide between her longtime crush, Colton, who could cure her fear of winter. Or Nevin, who, along with an appointed bodyguard, Gareth, protects her from the darkness that swirls in the snowy backdrop.

An evil that, given the chance, will kill her.

Sunday Series Spotlight: Night Sky

Suzanne Brockmann is a best selling author, well-known for her military romances and romantic suspense, and now, she has branched into the young adult genre with her upcoming debut paranormal novel, Night Sky, co-authored with her daughter, Melanie Brockmann.  Night Sky isn’t set for release until October, but she has a FREE prequel to the series,  Dangerous Destiny, available now to whet your appetite.  I had a chance to download the prequel and have included my reaction below.

Night Sky (Night Sky # 1) by Suzanne Brockmann and Melanie Brockmann

Release Date: October 7, 2014/ Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire

Genres: Young Adult, Paranormal

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Suzanne Brockmann and her daughter Melanie Brockmann have written a pulse-pounding novel of paranormal suspense set in a near future both fantastic and frightening.

Sixteen-year-old Skylar Reid is thrown into a strange world when she discovers that she has unique telekinetic and telepathic powers.  After Sasha, the child she babysits, is kidnapped and believed to be murdered, Sky and her best friend Calvin are approached by Dana, a mysterious girl who has super-abilities similar to Sky’s.  With the help of Dana and her sidekick Milo, the four teens embark on a quest to discover who killed Sasha, and to bring the killers to justice.

With Dana as Skylar’s surly and life-toughened mentor, Sky attempts to harness her powers to aid them in their quest. Complicating an already complex relationship with the older girl, Sky starts to fall for the dangerously handsome and enigmatic Milo – and begins to suspect that the attraction is mutual. But then Sky realizes that Sasha might still be alive, and the unlikely foursome’s mission becomes one of search and rescue, pitting the heroic teens against a very deadly enemy.

Double Cover Reveals: Souls (Grimnirs # 2) & Witches (Runes # 4)

Ednah Walters is gearing up for the upcoming release of the fourth book in her YA Runes series, Witches, and the second installment to its companion Grimnirs series with Souls.  Today, she is releasing the covers for both books set to be released later this year.  I’ve been following this series since the beginning and have really enjoyed it.  If the series is new to you, consider reading my reviews of her past books. You can find the review links at the end of this post.

SOULS

Releasing late September 2014

WARNING: This is CORA’S story: This book may be considered NA (new adult) because it contains some swearing, violence and sex scenes: Suitable for ages 17 and up. A Clean Version is available on Amazon.

Eighteen-year-old Cora Jemison knows what it’s like to date a soul reaper. There are no Friday night movies, no school dances, and no stolen kisses between classes. It totally sucks! What makes it even worse, souls pop up when she least expects it. The last one is not her fault, but it all adds up to zero quality time with her super hot, scythe-carrying boyfriend, Echo.

 

Since Cora was etched with special runes by an evil Immortal, she understands why souls are drawn to her. She makes the best of it by helping souls find closure while Echo escorts them to the realm of the dead. Perfect partners, until a dark soul visits Cora in the dead of the night and Echo decides her soul-helping days are over.

 

Cora can either listen to Echo or follow her instincts. To make matters worse, other reapers start stalking her, demanding she hand over the soul. Even her Valkyrie friends think she’s gone too far. But something sinister is coming their way, and the soul is the key to saving her town, her friends, and her relationship with Echo. Can she convince Echo to see things her way before it’s too late?

Free Book: Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Since I’m a frequent reader of Entangled Publishing’s books, I signed up for their Steals and Deals newsletter a few months back and in their latest email newsletter, I  discovered they are offering Obsidian by Jennifer L. Armentrout for free right now.  If interested, you can sign up for the Steals and Deals newsletter here: http://bit.ly/stealsdealsnews  It’s a great opportunity to get a heads up on their book sales from all of their publishing lines, such as Covets, Indulgences, Bliss, Brazen and Entangled Teen.

Obsidian (Lux # 1) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Publication Date: May 2012 

Genre: Young Adult, Romance, Paranormal

Length: 400 pgs.

Starting over sucks.

When we moved to West Virginia right before my senior year, I’d pretty much resigned myself to thick accents, dodgy internet access, and a whole lot of boring…. until I spotted my hot neighbor, with his looming height and eerie green eyes. Things were looking up.

And then he opened his mouth.

Daemon is infuriating. Arrogant. Stab-worthy. We do not get along. At all. But when a stranger attacks me and Daemon literally freezes time with a wave of his hand, well, something…unexpected happens.

The hot alien living next door marks me.

You heard me. Alien. Turns out Daemon and his sister have a galaxy of enemies wanting to steal their abilities, and Daemon’s touch has me lit up like the Vegas Strip. The only way I’m getting out of this alive is by sticking close to Daemon until my alien mojo fades.

If I don’t kill him first, that is.

Book Blitz & Giveaway for Challenging Destiny

Challenging Destiny by Cherie Colver

Publication Date: March 27, 2014 / 255 pgs.

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Logan Ragsdale and his younger sister, Ariana, have been marked, chosen to be unwilling participants in a war between angels and demons.

Logan can sense something’s not quite right. Like an unexpected chill on a summer’s day, he can feel the unseen closing in. He’s had these feelings before and, each time, someone close to him died. He’s afraid this time it might just be Ariana.

Logan’s fears are soon confirmed when he discovers their new friends aren’t human, but rather representatives from Heaven and Hell sent to Earth to ensure he and Ariana accept their roles in an ancient prophecy. Demons want Logan to open the gates of Hell. Ariana has the power to stop them, but if she chooses to side with Heaven to spare the lives of thousands of innocent people, she’ll damn her brother for eternity.

Together, they must derail the biblical event if they hope to save themselves and the future of mankind…but what price are they willing to pay to keep the other safe?

Book Blitz~Sale & Giveaway for Tortured Souls (The Orion Circle # 1)

If you are looking for a new YA book to read, take a look at Tortured Souls, the first book in this recently released paranormal series:

 Tortured Souls by Amazon Bestselling Author, Kimber Leigh Wheaton is on sale for  only $0.99 through July 20th

Tortured Souls (The Orion Circle #1) by Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Publication Date: June 29th 2014 by Sea Dragon Press

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Kindle Edition, 227 pages

Sometimes Rest in Peace isn’t an option

Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it’s ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can’t keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.

When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie’s longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.

But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he’s never seen before—a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.

Kacie can’t ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster.

Book Tour for Guardians of the Angels Series

Today’s spotlight is on Anyta Sunday’s Young Adult Paranormal Romance series, Guardians of the Angels. The first two books are available, and you can read on to learn more about and read an excerpt from each book. In addition, the author explains to readers her writing process, which I always find fascinating since every writer has an individual method for crafting a story.  If this series catches your interest, be sure to enter the tour-wide giveaway for your chance to win a copy of both books or an Amazon gift card.

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Cover Artist: Caroline Wimmer Streiflicht Fotografie

Veined (Book I)

 Publication Date: Second Edition: January 2014

 446 pages (85,000 words) / ASIN: B005J1L41Y

It could be worse for Sylva Lark. She could be dead. A coma was nothing to that. Or her family moving across country for the treatment, leaving her with a big blue mark on her back.

 She can handle it. 

Mostly.

Except the mark glows and tingles, especially whenever transition helper Atticus Plot (Attic) is close by. She suspects he’s hiding something, and when she stumbles across a torn body bearing the same spiral marking as her own, that suspicion is confirmed.

 After a few shaves with death, the truth finally comes out and the battles begin.

 But not all her fights are external; her biggest one is the decision she has to make between doing the right thing for the world and giving up her beloved family for good. 

***

I had the opportunity to read Veined over a year ago, and I really enjoyed the fantastical Guardian world the author has created. The plot kept me engaged from beginning to end, and I especially liked the character personalities of  Sylvia and Atticus. Their relationship blossoms as Sylvia becomes immersed a a new, unfamiliar world she never knew existed. My favorite part of the book is the ending, which was both surprising and angsty. Now that the second book, Lethed, has been published, I’m looking forward to picking up the story to find out what’s next for our heroine.  After seeing the book cover for Lethed, I have a feeling Sylvia will have a harrowing journey ahead. (Source: purchased)

Book Blitz for The Artful (Shadows of the City # 1)

Today, I’m spotlighting another post-apocalyptic novel geared toward young adults by Wilbert Stanton. After reading the suspenseful excerpt and the amusing interview with the main characters, Dodger and Twist below, I’ve definitely added this one to my future reads list.  If this book appeals to your reading interests, be sure to enter the giveaway to win a signed copy of The Artful and feel free to let me know what you think about this new series.

The Artful (Shadows of the City # 1)  by Wilbert Stanton

Publication Date: May 27, 2014 / Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press

Genres: YA, Post-Apocalyptic Fiction

New York City, 2025: Everything is changed. The city that never sleeps is now a land of death and decay. A rampant virus has taken over and the survivors have become carriers, quarantined from the rest of the world.

Twist and Dodger grew up in the streets, the sewers and underground tunnels – their playground. They aren’t heroes. They just like attention; and stealing meds from the rich and giving them to the poor is their golden ticket.

On their latest raid, they unknowingly steal a cure that puts them square between the ailing Emperor of Manhattan and the war hungry Governor of Brooklyn and forces them on a quest into the darkest shadows of their putrefying world.

Blog Tour & Giveaway for Heart Song (Heart Song #1)

It’s here! Heart Song has officially been released!  To celebrate the book’s publication, Desiree is offering another giveaway for readers, and she has provided an excerpt for you to enjoy.

 Heart Song by Desiree Williams

Publication Date: June 2014

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Christian

In Aldonnia, the evil of Varkadon overflows its borders. War ravages the lands…

For as long as eighteen year-old Alanna can remember she’s lived in hiding, sealed off from the outside world. Despite a future built around a steadfast rule of seclusion, Alanna dreams of the impossible. Of a life outside of her parents’ cabin. A life with more for company than just birds and woodland creatures. A life she knows deep down is impossible for someone with gifts like hers.

That all changes the day Alanna finds a man floating face down in a stream. Despite her parents’ warnings, Alanna pulls the injured man out of the water and heals him with her elemental talents. Just another good deed. Until the man wakes and Alanna realizes so much more has happened than simply a life saved. The healing she performed on the stranger bound her soul to Jerric, the prince of Aldonnia.

Alanna’s heart wants to keep the prince, but duty and destiny intervene. Alanna’s world is rocked as her parents are lost. Left in the care of family she didn’t know, Alanna learns more than she wanted to about the evil threatening the lands. There is much more behind her parents’ drive to protect. Alanna learns her gifts were bestowed in order to fulfill a greater purpose. A greater calling. One her enemies seek to destroy at all cost.

Alanna’s choice is clear. To either ignore her destiny and remain hidden, or boldly fight to keep what sings to her heart.

Spotlight & Author Guest Post for How I Dumped My Demon

How I Dumped My Demon by Elizabeth M. Darcy

Publication Date: May 8, 2014 / 83 pgs

Genre: YA, Paranormal Romance

Abandoned by her mother at a police station, Megan Stonebridge has no idea who she is or why a demon haunts her nightmares. When the dreams become a frightening reality, she questions her sanity.

Putting her faith in a locket inscribed with ancient runes left with her by her mother, Megan must unlock the meaning of the runes before the demon drags her into the underworld. In fear for her life, Megan unknowingly casts a spell that summons a handsome warlock to help her dump her demon.

Cover Reveal for Time of Ruin (Ash and Ruin # 2)

As a fan of post-apocalyptic fiction, I’m so glad I’ve discovered this new trilogy by Shauna Granger. The author has just released the cover for her upcoming sequel to World of Ash, and based on the creative cover, I have a feeling this will be an intense read. So,  I’m looking forward to starting this YA series, hopefully before the second installment releases in July.  It’s definitely on my BTR list!

Time of Ruin (Ash and Ruin # 2) by Shauna Granger

Release Date: July 22, 2014

Genres: YA, Science Fiction, Post-Apocalyptic

The world has ended, and hope is the most dangerous thing left.

Battered and bruised after barely escaping San Francisco with their lives, Kat, Dylan, and Blue press north – desperate to reach the possibility of a new home.

But strange, monstrous ravens are tracking the remaining survivors, food is becoming scarce, gasoline is running short, and people are becoming suicidal, making survival almost impossible.

And the Pestas are growing bolder. Somehow, their numbers are growing.

The further north they go, the harder it becomes to ignore the signs that they’ve made a fatal mistake. Kat must face the impossible truth that there is no escape, there is no safe haven, and their worst nightmares don’t come close to their new reality.

Cover Reveal & Giveaway for Heartsong (Heart Song Trilogy # 1)

Desiree Williams has released the cover for the first book in her new YA Christian Fantasy trilogy, Heart Song. Check out the beautiful cover and take a moment to enter the giveaway!

 Heart Song by Desiree Williams

Publication Date: June 2014

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Christian

In Aldonnia, the evil of Varkadon overflows its borders. War ravages the lands…

For as long as eighteen year-old Alanna can remember she’s lived in hiding, sealed off from the outside world. Despite a future built around a steadfast rule of seclusion, Alanna dreams of the impossible. Of a life outside of her parents’ cabin. A life with more for company than just birds and woodland creatures. A life she knows deep down is impossible for someone with gifts like hers.

That all changes the day Alanna finds a man floating face down in a stream. Despite her parents’ warnings, Alanna pulls the injured man out of the water and heals him with her elemental talents. Just another good deed. Until the man wakes and Alanna realizes so much more has happened than simply a life saved. The healing she performed on the stranger bound her soul to Jerric, the prince of Aldonnia.

Alanna’s heart wants to keep the prince, but duty and destiny intervene. Alanna’s world is rocked as her parents are lost. Left in the care of family she didn’t know, Alanna learns more than she wanted to about the evil threatening the lands. There is much more behind her parents’ drive to protect. Alanna learns her gifts were bestowed in order to fulfill a greater purpose. A greater calling. One her enemies seek to destroy at all cost.

Alanna’s choice is clear. To either ignore her destiny and remain hidden, or boldly fight to keep what sings to her heart.