Sunday, December 30, 2012

The Book of Broken Hearts by Sarah Ockler: A Review




When all signs point to heartbreak, can love still be a rule of the road? A poignant and romantic novel from the author of Bittersweet and Twenty Boy Summer.


Jude has learned a lot from her older sisters, but the most important thing is this: The Vargas brothers are notorious heartbreakers. She’s seen the tears and disasters that dating a Vargas boy can cause, and she swore an oath—with candles and a contract and everything—to never have anything to do with one.



Now Jude is the only sister still living at home, and she’s spending the summer helping her ailing father restore his vintage motorcycle—which means hiring a mechanic to help out. Is it Jude’s fault he happens to be cute? And surprisingly sweet? And a Vargas?



Jude tells herself it’s strictly bike business with Emilio. Her sisters will never find out, and Jude can spot those flirty little Vargas tricks a mile away—no way would she fall for them. But Jude’s defenses are crumbling, and if history is destined to repeat itself, she’s speeding toward some serious heartbreak…unless her sisters were wrong?



Jude may have taken an oath, but she’s beginning to think that when it comes to love, some promises might be worth breaking.

(From Edelweiss)


My Review:


I had never read anything by this author before, but I've heard of her and the other books she's written. Now I wonder why I haven't read her yet. This book, simply put, was amazing.

I wasn't sure, at first, if it was going to be lighthearted fare or not. Given the premise, it could easily go either way. Though there are some amusing moments, it definitely doesn't fall under lighthearted. It's kind of a serious book, but not morbidly so. There are many ways that the author keeps it from being a totally depressing endeavor, which is quite a feat, considering the serious tone of the story's underlying subplot. It's something I didn't expect, but it was handled with such care and beauty, it only served to enhance the story of Jude and how she comes to discover who she really is and where she fits in within her family's framework.

This was just such a beautiful story of how one girl grows up, falls in love, and discovers what she will do for that love - and what she's willing to give up for it. This is just a stunning book and I would highly recommend it. Fans of the author will be very pleased with this book.

Saturday, December 22, 2012

Blood, She Read by Sara Hubbard: A Review





Whatever you think this book is going to be about, you are probably wrong. It's that and so much more. When I first read the blurb, I thought 'Teen psychic helps the police on a murder investigation. Haven't I read this somewhere before?' Oh, no. That little portion might have sounded familiar, but what evolves from that is anything but. This is a unique story in and unto itself and it has so many twists and turns, you will almost feel your head spin. But that's a good thing because it keeps you guessing from beginning to end and if there's one thing I desire in my books, it's that I have no idea what's going to happen from one page to the next. Which is quite a feat as I am a writer myself and I often find myself figuring out what's happening or who did what long before the reveal. Well, this one kept me guessing and I loved it!

Aside from a simply amazing plot and twisty-turny storyline, there are the characters. They are so well drawn, they are like real people - with all of their flaws and foibles. I found myself loving some and loathing others, learning to like ones I originally loathed and hating ones I originally liked. That is quite a feat! Usually, if I don't like a character from the beginning, it's almost a given that I won't like them at the end and vice versa for the ones I like. But this book turned that philosophy on its head. For instance, I couldn't stand Petra's mother for most of the book - she was just so un-mother-like and mean to Petra that I had to wonder why Petra didn't run away from her. I won't give away what happens, but you do see a different side of her elsewhere in the book. Same goes for Tommy. In the beginning, I didn't like him very much, but he has his moments later in the story. I won't reveal what character is a flipside of that because it might spoil the plot, and you definitely should discover it for yourself. The two characters who I always liked from beginning to end, however, are Petra and Finn. They are just so sweet together, even when they're keeping secrets from each other.

In short, this is a little gem of a book and I have a new author to add to my favorites list. Can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Release Party and Giveaway: Something Darker by S.A. Price

SOMETHING DARKER 

by S.A. Price 

Release Party! Giveaway!


Welcome!

Today we have a special guest post by authors S.A. Price! They are here to share an epic giveaway with everyone that you will not want to miss out on!

And now over to S.A. Price!




Happy release day to us!

So Audra and I have a new book out today called SOMETHING DARKER, and we are really excited about starting this new, sexy series!

The one thing Syrus Alcot, the God of Death Osiris in the Egyptian Pantheon, wants in all the worlds is the woman he loved and lost returned to him. When he gave up his powers, and freedom for a life of service he was promised her return. That was over one thousand years ago. A member of a team of dark gods charged with keeping humanity safe, he leads a loveless existence in New York City, searching for the one thing that could bring his wife back to him, a lapis scarab that was lost to him ages before.

Gwen Stapleton, a mild mannered librarian, is unaware that she holds the key to not only Syrus’ happiness, but her own. Seemingly stuck in a hopeless relationship with a man she doesn’t love, she has no idea that a chance meeting in Alphabet City will start a landslide to her heart’s content. Because Gwen is the keeper of the scarab, and is everything Syrus has ever wanted… and he’s not the only one.

An Ancient evil is waking, and its servants will stop at nothing to see it seize its rightful place as the new pantheon of earth. And in order for Syrus and his team to save the world, Gwen is going to have to accept him, and show that love does make all the difference.

Sexy right? What’s not to like about strong gods and sassy librarians? Exactly!

So to celebrate this momentous occasion, we are having a HUGE contest, as we want YOU to enter!

$2.99 really CAN change a person’s life, and kick a career into high gear…

Want to win something awesome? What’s awesome? How about this: Registration to AAD (2013 or 2014 if you are already registered for 2013), a VIP package including VIP early seating and entry badge, and welcome goodies from the hotel, a gift basket fulla goodies and our backlist books and Breakfast with us on Tuesday morning.  Awesome right? We thought so.

So how do you win? Simple.

We have a new book available called Something Darker, the first in our Inferi Dii series. You can pick it up at Amazon on kindle and in print. Simply buy the book, and send us the receipt from Amazon. That will get you entered for the big prize.

What’s that you say? You want more entries? 

We have other ways of adding to your entries…
  • Going to Authorgraph.com and requesting we digitally sign your book will get you 3 extra entries.
  • Tweeting the contest will get you 2 more entries
  • Facebooking the contest will get you 2 more entries
  • Liking the Book on Amazon will get you 3 more entries
  • Liking our other books on Amazon will get you 2 more entries per BOOK (and yes we are counting both print and e book likes!)
  • Posting a review before the end of the contest (a real review) will get you 5 entries per place you post (max of 10 entries for posting on Goodreads and Amazon.com)
  • Buying other books in our backlist will get you 10 entries PER BOOK you send a receipt for (sorry guys, has to be bought between December 18 and the end of the event and MUST NOT be returned! We will know if it has been!)

Now here is the kicker…. We have to hit a minimum of 200 sales before the big contest prize goes into play. Why? Because it’s a VERY expensive prize, and we cannot offer it and make it worth our while without a minimum of 200 receipts!

And if we get this book in the top 100 at Amazon, I will throw in the coup de grace, your hotel room for AAD from Tuesday-Sunday FREE OF CHARGE! This prize is already worth $1000! Add in the room and its worth almost $2000! Isn’t that worth paying for a $2.99 book?

So you ready to win baby? Send your receipts to: everversestella@gmail.com with “SOMETHING DARKER CONTEST ENTRY” in the subject. (For other books put: SOMETHING DARKER CONTEST ENTRY---(NAME OF THE BOOK). Contest runs from December 18 to January 15th. Winner will be announced on January 18rd 2013!

Wanna join in on the release day fun? Join the Release day group at Facebook and hangout!

Kindle Link:http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AOT77GW

Book Blurb:
The one thing Syrus Alcot, the God of Death Osiris in the Egyptian Pantheon, wants in all the worlds is the woman he loved and lost returned to him. When he gave up his powers, and freedom for a life of service he was promised her return. That was over one thousand years ago. A member of a team of dark gods charged with keeping humanity safe, he leads a loveless existence in New York City, searching for the one thing that could bring his wife back to him, a lapis scarab that was lost to him ages before.

Gwen Stapleton, a mild mannered librarian, is unaware that she holds the key to not only Syrus’ happiness, but her own. Seemingly stuck in a hopeless relationship with a man she doesn’t love, she has no idea that a chance meeting in Alphabet City will start a landslide to her heart’s content. Because Gwen is the keeper of the scarab, and is everything Syrus has ever wanted… and hes not the only one.

An Ancient evil is waking, and its servants will stop at nothing to see it seize its rightful place as the new pantheon of earth. And in order for Syrus and his team to save the world, Gwen is going to have to accept him, and show that love does make all the difference.


*** Please note that borrowing the book from the kindle lending library will not be accepted as a “Buy Receipt”. In order to be entered to win the grand prize, you must purchase the book.***

a Rafflecopter giveaway
 

Monday, December 17, 2012

Book Blast and Giveaway: A Christmas Kindness by C.C. Gevry



Eight-year-old Robert is eager to share his wish list with Santa at the mall on Christmas Eve. When he meets Glenn, who has only one request for Santa, Robert is confused over what he should do. Can he cast aside what he wants and ask Santa to bring his new friend a special gift?

 Inspiration Behind A Christmas Kindness

How is it that children have the ability to reach out and help others in ways adults don't always think to do? One year, our oldest daughter--then only eight--went door-to-door in our neighborhood collecting money for Toys for Tots. Coordinated by the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve, this program collects new, unwrapped toys each year and distributes them as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children in our communities. This summer, my girls ran a lemonade stand so they could bring money to a local animal shelter. Why don't I think of doing such things? I guess it's easier to write a check and send it in the mail. But what effort is involved in that? My children make it personal, and much more meaningful, by giving something of themselves.
With A Christmas Kindness, I hope to capture the generosity of a child's heart--the way they look at the world as a place of endless opportunities to make a difference.
May you be blessed this holiday season. Cheryl Malandrinos, writing as C. C. Gevry, is a children’s author and editor. She is a member of SCBWI. A Christmas Kindness is her first book with 4RV Publishing. Visit her online at http://ccgevry.com.

Pump Up Your Book and C. C. Gevry are teaming up to give you a chance to win some fabulous prizes!

 $25 AMAZON GIFT CARD

 1 COPY OF A CHRISTMAS KINDNESS

 +

1 COPY OF LITTLE SHEPHERD

ENTER TO WIN!
Each person will enter this giveaway by liking, following, subscribing and tweeting about this giveaway through the Rafflecopter form placed on blogs throughout the tour. If your blog isn’t set up to accept the form, then after they visit your blog, they are directed to where they can fill out the form to gain more entries. This promotion will run from December 17th - December 21st. The winner will be chosen randomly by Rafflecopter, contacted by email, and announced on December 24th. Each blogger who participates is eligible to enter and win. Visit each blog stop below to gain more entries as the Rafflecopter widget will be placed on each blog for the duration of the tour. What a great way to not only win these fabulous prizes, but to gain followers and comments too! Good luck everyone!

A Christmas Kindness Book Blast Schedule

Monday, December 17th
a Rafflecopter giveaway

If the form doesn't work, you can enter at: http://www.pumpupyourbook.com/2012/12/13/pump-up-your-book-presents-a-christmas-kindness-book-blast-25-amazon-gc-free-books/

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Mistletoe Madness Blog Hop - Win Sloane Wolf



It's that time of year again! Christmas! And what's a holiday without a chance to win some great prizes? For my giveaway, I'm offering an e-copy of my book Sloane Wolf for one lucky reader, so please be sure to leave a comment with your email address for a chance to win. Extra entries for following the blog or twitter/facebook. Leave a separate comment for each.

Now on to the rest of the hop! You can find a list of all the participating blogs here: http://www.inlinkz.com/wpview.php?id=211362

And go here for a chance to win the grand prize of a brand new Kindle Fire!

Good luck and Happy Hopping!

Book Blast and Giveaway: A Hard Act to Follow by Henry Bushkin


A Hard Act to Follow by Henry Bushkin

"A Hard Act to Follow," is a non-fiction literary account of Henry Bushkin's tenure as Johnny Carson's lawyer, business partner, and friend.  The book gives genuine insight into the 'Carson behind Johnny' with candid personal vignettes about the two, during the rollicking years when Johnny was the undisputed king of television.  This is an engaging, eye-opening, anecdote-packed story about a young lawyer and his client, one of the biggest celebrities in the country.  This funny, unfiltered account gives readers a look at the Johnny Carson that none but a select few really knew.






“A Hard Act to Follow” by Henry Bushkin provides a stirring account into Johnny Carson’s world—as told by Carson’s closest confidant.
The New Yorker article by Kenneth Tynan from 1978, included the following question and answer:
Tynan: When you’re at home, whom do you entertain?
Carson: My lawyer, Henry Bushkin, who’s probably my best friend.






Praise for the Book

"I loved the book." ~Wayne Newton

"Henry was Johnny's closest friend for many years which becomes clear through many of the wonderful chapters of the book." ~Bob Trapenberg

"The book is full of tough love, humor, cultural history, sadness, humor, love, loss, well I guess I am saying it is full of life." ~Rupert Garcia


" Henry's portrayal of Johnny was spot on. I highly recommend this book which is the closest the reader will ever get to know the real Carson." ~ Ed Weinberger, former Tonight Show writer and Producer for Carson Productions

"A beautifully easy read that pulls you in to an effortless journey through Johnny Carson’s effortful life. The glamour  the fellow celebrities behind the curtain, the loyalties, and the betrayals. It certainly provides new insight on decisions and the lives that are behind the scenes." ~Kathy Davis, Kathy Takes on Books

""I have read this book and it is FAB! If you love reading about celebrities, this is awesome. It is also a great memoir as well. I am a huge memoir fan so this one was a real treat and one of the best I have read in this genre in a long time" ~Mary,  Bookhounds Blog

"Bushkin's easy, unpretentious style allows the reader to be a fly on the wall as this inside story plays out in the rarified air on which Johnny thrived. "A HARD ACT TO FOLLOW" is a must read whether you grew up on Johnny or never heard of him. And then there are the supporting characters -- from the Rat Pack to Johnny's Ice Queen mother ranging around the pages disturbing the peace. I read it straight through in 90 minutes and was left wanting more."  ~Sandy Ignon, Screenwriter (RANSOM).

"The tales are epic in nature and stretch from the first page to the last. “A Hard Act to Follow” is an honest appraisal of Carson and shows his dark side. In this, Bushkin strikes the right blend of salacious detail with an appropriate dose of discretion. Sure, you’ll learn more detail about Carson’s marriages-- in a tasteful way.  Bushkin will leave you wanting more. Great books will do that." ~Barry Mordis, Senior VP at Merryl-Lynch

"No one would describe Johnny as easy going-there was an edge to him that Bushkin always managed to soften. He continues to do that in this book. There was that challenging side of Johnny which is also captured in the book. Henry was Johnny's closest friend for many years which becomes clear through many of the wonderful chapters of the book. All in all a great book to read." ~Bob Trapenberg, Johnny's former Tennis Pro.




Author Henry Bushkin

Henry Bushkin is an experienced lawyer who practices in both California and New York. He currently lives in Los Angeles where his children also reside.









Blog Tour Now Through January 11th
Tour Schedule




Book Blast Giveaway
$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 12/26/12
Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday, December 10, 2012

Blog Barrage and Giveaway: Text Appeal by Lexi Ryan


Text Appeal
by Lexi Ryan






Blurb:

Charlie 'The Devil' Singleton is the face of professional poker. Notorious for playing cards and women, Charlie's ready to change his ways, and the surprisingly sexy texts he's getting from Riley are making him bet everything...on her.

Riley Carter is nothing like the hotel heiresses who make the news. A girl who's determined to run her father's hotel empire can't share many traits with women who fill the gossip rags. But 'The Devil' has a way of tempting even the best behaved girls.

When Riley discovers the naughty messages on her cell have been coming from Charlie, not her would-be fiancé, she falls into a hot affair with the last man she expected. But consorting with the notorious bad boy puts her hard-won reputation on the line. Is Charlie worth more to her than a little TEXT APPEAL?

Reviews:
“Text Appeal is smart, sexy, filled with great writing and memorable dialogue, and features characters you won't easily forget.”--Barnes & Noble’s LOVE ROCKS Indie Review column

Readers will find themselves cheering for Riley and Charlie both. Lexi Ryan writes her dialogue with wit, humor, a bit of sarcasm, and throws in some wonderful chemistry! --InD’Tale Magazine

“Ms. Ryan's story is fun and flirty. Text Appeal won't disappoint!”--Storm Goddess Book Reviews

About the Author:


Author of both contemporary and paranormal romance, Lexi Ryan writes smart, spunky stories that sizzle. She enjoys reading, sunshine, a good glass of wine, and rare trips to the beach with her husband and children.
Lexi lives in Indiana where she divides her time between her family, her writing, and her job as an English professor. You can find her at her website: lexiryan.com

Visit Lexi online at:
Website – http://lexiryan.com
Blog – http://lexiryan.blogspot.com
Facebook – http://facebook.com/lexiryan
Twitter – @writerlexiryan
E-mail – writerlexiryan@gmail.com
Newsletter – http://eepurl.com/qymaH 




Excerpt:

“I’m not jealous of Paris Hilton. I’m jealous of girls who don’t have a potential multi-million dollar inheritance. Because they can be whoever they want to be without having cameras trained on them.”


“I’m pretty sure you can indulge in a little luxury without making a sex tape.”

Jaws licked Riley’s face and she grinned. “I already have a sex tape.”

Lacey punched Riley’s arm. “Get out!”

Riley winced, rubbing her triceps. “Sure, just last Christmas I caught Jaws on tape humping Santa’s leg at the company Christmas party.”

Lacey gave a dramatic eye roll. “Right. Well, girl, if that’s the most scandalous thing you have going on in your life, I suggest to kick it up a notch.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice,” Riley said with a sigh.

Furrowing her brow, Lacey grabbed the remote and clicked off the TV. She turned on the couch so she was facing Riley. “But you can still be a little scandalous in private. People aren’t watching you all the time.”

No, thanks to years of good behavior, it was rare to find paparazzo following her these days. Sure, there was the occasional story about how simply she lived or how hard she worked, facts that had her dubbed early on as “Vegas’ Good Daughter,” but those stories only sold papers if they were accompanied by fall from grace stories. As long as she was boring, they’d leave her alone.

She stood, pulling out her hair tie. She only had thirty minutes before Charlie would be here. “I’m going to jump in the shower,” she told her roommate as she stood.

Lacey raised a brow, watching Riley over the back of the couch. “Another date with Chaz?”

A smile curved Riley’s lips at the mention of her boyfriend’s name. Lacey might not be Team Chaz now, but if Riley told her about the text messages he’d started sending her, maybe she’d see the light. “Not tonight,” she answered. The talk about the latest developments in her relationship with Chaz would have to wait for another time. “Your brother’s taking me out tonight.” That also made her smile. Dear God, she was a mess. Thoughts of spending an evening with Charlie shouldn’t make her giddy.

Lacey pushed herself to her knees and propped her elbows on the back of the couch. “My brother? Maybe you are being a little scandalous in private, and you’re just not telling me about it.”

Riley bit her lip as she remembered why she’d agreed to dinner with Charlie. She couldn’t tell Lacey he wanted to talk about her birthday—Charlie might be planning a surprise. Instead she just shrugged. “He promised to keep it platonic.”

Lacey snorted. “Have you met my brother?”

My Thoughts:

I was supposed to provide a review of this book to go along with this post, but as I couldn't get beyond the pages and pages of descriptions of the character's lingerie fetish, I feel I cannot provide an adequate review. Instead, I would rather have the excerpts, etc., stand on their own.





Giveaway Info: Prize is a $25 GC for Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Contest is tour-wide and open internationally. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Ends Dec 15.



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Link to Schedule: http://cblspromotions.blogspot.com/2012/12/blog-barrage-text-appeal-by-lexi-ryan.html

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Christmas Wishes Blog Hop






Hello and Welcome to the Christmas Wishes Blog Hop!! We are so excited to be joining forces with 2 other wonderful blog touring companies, which are Full Moon Bites and CBLS!! We are giving away 3 wonderful prizes on here, plus the opportunity to win on over 150+ blogs. You have the chance to win A Nook Glow, A Kindle Paperwhite, and a choice $90 giftcard from either Barnes and Noble or Amazon. We hope to make some of your Christmas wishes come true! These prizes were made possible by the generous donations of the fellow authors and bloggers that are joining us on this hop today! I would like to say thank you to:
Regan Black
Marie Iglesias-Cardinale
Jennifer Hart
Jessica Brown
Vicki Batman
Carolyn Matcowsky
Kristine Weekley
Sela Specht
Gracen Miller
Laxmi Haraharan
Jodi Redford
Swallowtail Productions
Cindy Bennett
Marisette Burgess
Crysmsym Heart
Full Moon Bites
Susan Griscom
Kristine Cheney
TC Archer
Tara Scott
Kelly Gendron
Jessica Subject
Patricia Green
Laura Kaye
Ronda Tutt
Alexandra Christian
VS Morgan
Cara Marsi
Gillian Pemberton
Kris Morton
Nora Weston
Dani Harper
Gracen Miller
Laxi Mar
Massimo Marino
Jamie Marchant
Anna Patterson
Jorja Lovett
Natalie G Owens
Aria Kane
Ann Montclair
Elaine Raco Chase
Tonya Kinzer
Taryn Kincaid
Meg Mims
If I have forgotten your name, I am sorry! Please know that we appreciate each and every donation!!! And now for the books included in the book bundles that come with the tablets!!
Justice Incarnate
The Matchmaker’s Mark both by Regan Black
Love’s Captive
Heart of a Dragon both by Myra Nour
Men of the Caves by Marisette Burgess
Jingle Balls by Crysmsym Heart
Print copies of Whisper Cape and Reflections by Regan Black (Susan Griscom)
Spartan Heart Part 1 and 2
Secret Santa which are all by Kristine Cheney
Labyrinth by Tara Scott
Sin Incarnate and Trouble at the Hotel Baba Ghanoush by TC Archer
Sanguine Kiss by Alexandra Christian
The Gift by VS Morgan
Storm of Desire Cara Marsi
Guardian 2632
The 12th Paladin both by Nora Weston
Pandora’s Box by Gracen Miller
The Destiny of Shaitan by Laxi Mar
Damiones by Massimo Marino
The Goddess’ Choice by Jamie Marchant
Into the Wild by Jorja Lovett
Something to Live For (Moonlight Dating) by Natalie G Owens
A Titan for Christmas by Aria Kane
Well-Stacked Trio by Elaine Raco Chase
The Boss’s Pet: The Contract by Tonya Kinzer
Santa Paws by Meg Mims
And we maybe adding more!!!
So are you excited yet? We thought you might be!! To enter, simply fill out the rafflecopter below! Don’t forget to hop onto the rest of these great blogs for more great prizes!!! Merry Christmas!!!



a Rafflecopter giveaway

Friday, December 7, 2012

Losing It by Cora Carmack: A Review


There is a new wave of fiction sweeping the web called new adult fiction - usually involving early-twenty-somethings - and Losing It is leading the way in this new category. It has received an incredible amount of buzz around the web and everyone who reads it seems to be totally in love with it. So of course I had to read it to see what all the buzz was about.

First, let me say that I really enjoyed this book. It was a good read with an interesting premise, but there were some places where it just left me flat. The build-up was great: Bliss, a college senior, is determined to lose her virginity before she graduates and the guy she chooses to do the deed - but ultimately skips out on - turns out to be her new professor. This alone should provide a great deal of tension, not to mention the - sometimes taxing - friendships she maintains with some of her classmates and fellow thespians-in-training. But this is where it falls a little flat for me.

After that great build-up, it sort of evened off and then nothing spectacular really happened. The threat of being caught in a relationship and the possible repercussions - he could lose his job, she could be expelled - was down-played to the point of nonexistance and the story kind of inched along until she inevitably graduated, at which point, there could no longer be any objection to their being together. So although I think the author missed out on a chance to really ramp up the tension - and therefore the excitement - of the story with this scenario, I still enjoyed reading this book, would definitely recommend it to others, and look forward to what comes next in this author's portfolio.

Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Book Blast and Giveaway: After Dark by Emi Gayle


After Dark (Book One of the 19th Year)
By Emi Gayle

What eighteen year old Mac Thorne doesn’t know will probably kill her.

In exactly eight months, five days, three hours and thirteen minutes, Mac has to choose what she’ll be for the rest of her life.

She has no choice but to pick. As a Changeling, it’s her birthright. To Mac, it’s a birthchore. Like going to school with humans, interacting with humans, and pretending to be human during the pesky daylight hours.

Once darkness descends, Mac can change into any supernatural form that exists—which makes her as happy as she can be. That is, until Winn Thomas, the biggest geek in her senior class figures out there’s more to what hides in the dark than most are willing to acknowledge.

In this first of the 19th Year Trilogy, Winn might know more about Mac than even she does, and that knowledge could end their lives, unless Mac ensures the powers-that-be have no choice but to keep him around.


Links



Praise


“Winn and Mac were perfect for each other in every way possible. It was like two magnets finally finding each other and connecting.”
— Good Choice Reading

“Awesome beyond awesome! For lovers of YA Paranormal, this is a MUST READ!!!”
— Romancing the Book

“Talk about can't put down...I accidentally opened this one instead of the book I was scheduled to read. Made the mistake of reading the first paragraph -- and I have not been able to put my iPad down since!”
— Parajunkee



Excerpt

Endless screams. Maniacal laughter. The scent of prey.

Chills raced up my spine.

I wanted to run. To hide. To bury my head in the grave beneath me.

Instead, I balanced on top of Samuel L. Wilson, someone’s ‘beloved father and son resting in peace,’ craving solitude and stressing like a vampire on a blood fast.

Good ole ‘Sam’ decomposed underneath the largest oak in Primrose Cemetery—a spot no human would visit at night except on Halloween. A night that should have been mine.

Mine alone.

A gust of wind pushed my sketchpad to my knees, flung hair against my cheeks and sent my colored pencils tumbling. Wind, I could deal with. Humans? I’d rather not have had to. A swipe of my hand through the air brought the drawing tools back up. I yanked my hair into a tail, twisted the strands around a Cerulean blue pencil and stabbed random colors into the knot for safe keeping.

My frustration with human-kind had reached its pinnacle hours before but ratcheted even higher as someone rattled the gates, girls giggled and dares to enter the cemetery from crackly-voiced, chicken boys reached me.

I slapped my pencil to my papers, my forehead to my palm. “All I wanted was an hour of uninterrupted—”

The sharp end of something way larger than a pencil pierced my neck.

I straightened with one intake of breath, dropping the yellow, number-two from my fingertips. My hand reached toward the uninvited object as I seethed between clenched teeth.

“Hello, Mackenzie.” His deep bass resonated with the confidence of his kind: the not-human variety.

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Whatever the tool, it pressed deeper into my flesh, and I itched to free myself from its penetrating hold.

“And once again, I have won the game before it began.”

“Only because you came up behind me.” A small orb of sunlight formed in the palm of my hand as I kept my neck as still as possible. With one toss, it zipped into the air above my head.

A pierced squeal emanated from behind me, and the point slid away.

Holy hell, that hurt! I jumped to the ground, somersaulted between Matilda Jane, Johann Rowe and the plastic flowers that lay between them. With another roll, James Peak’s extra large headstone concealed my entire form.

“Come out, come out, wherever you are.” The crunch of branches under footsteps gave his position away.

With a deep inhale, my body began its shift into a new form. My incisors elongated. Heart stopped. Eyes burned. On the exhale, strength, cunning and innate wit filled me, matching that of my attacker.

I stood with James as a shield. “Bring it on, old man.”



Book Trailer





Author Emi Gayle

Emi Gayle just wants to be young again. She lives vicariously through her youthful characters, while simultaneously acting as chief-Mom to her teenaged son and searching for a way to keep her two daughters from ever reaching the dreaded teen years.

Ironically, those years were some of Emi's favorite times. She met the man of her dreams at 14, was engaged to him at 19, married him at 20 and she's still in love with him to this day. She'll never forget what it was like to fall in love at such a young age — emotions she wants everyone to feel.



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