Sunday, June 30, 2013

BLOG TOUR AND GIVEAWAY: Rourk by Julia Crane





ROURK


By: Julia Crane




Book Description:


Rourk Kavanagh is an elite elfin warrior, and a member of a human
Special Forces team. During a routine mission in Afghanistan, he
crosses paths with a dark supernatural creature—a d'jinn.



His world gets turned upside down when the unthinkable happens:
Keegan, his one true love, is kidnapped by an evil d'jinn. The d'jinn
is seeking revenge for the death of his brother at Rourk's hands.



Fueled by fear over the potential loss of his wife, Rourk has only one
thought—embrace the rage.





Purchase Links:

Amazon 

KOBO 

B&N 




Author Bio:





Julia crane is the author of the Coexist: Keegan’s Chronicles. She has
a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Julia has believed in magical
creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale.
Growing up her mother greatly encouraged reading and using your
imagination. Although she’s spent most of her life on the US east
coast, she currently lives in Dubai with her husband and three
children.



Stalker Links:







BLOG 



GOODREADS 

MY REVIEW:

I don't think I can thank Mrs. Potter's enough for this amazing tour!! 

I have been a fan of Julia's for a long time and I love the Keegan Chronicles so much.

When I found out about this book I was jumping with joy.

WHAT I LIKED:

I love Rourk and Keegan's relationship and the development of it since their marriage.
I also love that Rourk is still in the military (I love an Elf in uniform). 

I can't get over the twist and turns in this short book. Now, I will tell you that life is not easy for
the newlyweds. I am just not talking about relationship stuff either. There is more
happenings in the Elf world that become revealed throughout.

I love that Julia brought back some characters! HELLO THADDEUS!! 

WHAT I DID NOT LIKE:

There is one complaint for this book .......... wasn't long enough!!



GIVEAWAY


Prizes=


$50 amazon.com Gift Card


Signed paperback of “Rourk


4 eCopies of “Rourk


4 “Rourk” bookmarks


4 “Rourk” mirrors








Saturday, June 29, 2013

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks

Galen is the prince of the Syrena, sent to land to find a girl he's heard can communicate with fish. Emma is on vacation at the beach. When she runs into Galen—literally, ouch!—both teens sense a connection. But it will take several encounters, including a deadly one with a shark, for Galen to be convinced of Emma's gifts. Now, if he can only convince Emma that she holds the key to his kingdom...

Told from both Emma and Galen's points of view, here is a fish-out-of-water story that sparkles with intrigue, humor, and waves of romance. (from Goodreads)

Flo's Review
Happenstancely (I think I just made this word up, but I like it), a few days before I was planning to go to the Fierce Reads author event featuring Anna Banks, the audiobook of Of Poseidon was Sync's Free Download of the Week. It was pretty neat getting to tell Anna that I was listening to her audiobook when I met her that night. 

I listen to a lot of audiobooks and generally love them. With this one, however, I think I might have stumbled upon an audiobook flaw. From what I can tell by listening to the story, Anna Banks writes a lot of short sentences. I think this would probably be okay when you're reading something. (Thoughts?) But, unfortunately, when you are listening to short sentences piled on top of each other, it just sounds a little...choppy? My plan is to read the sequel Of Triton, and then I think I'll be able to tell whether I had a little problem with the writing style in general or the writing style as it translates to audio.

And I do mean a "little" problem. This was a cute story. I wanted to shake Rayna several times, but I think everyone does. I thought Toraf was just adorable. Galen and Emma are both dramatic types, so they are perfect for each other. And the twist at the end...I should have seen that coming, but I totally didn't! 

I'm eager to see how this all plays out in Of Triton!

Monday, June 24, 2013

BLOG TOUR: Love, Exactly by Cassandra Giovanni



Book Info-
Title- Love, Exactly
By-Cassandra Giovanni
Genre-New Adult
Publication Date-June 20, 2013



Blurb-
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?

Links-

Review-

You all know the saying, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Well, I totally did that with 
this book. I LOVE the cover and I knew that I had to read this book.

Well, can I just say that THIS BOOK IS SO GOOD! I am so glad that I judge it!

I related to Emma so much! She was so real to me. There were times that I almost thoughts
Cassandra was talking about me. 

Then there was Evan! WOW! HOT HOT HOT!!!! What an amazing character...I mean
ROCK GOD!!!!!!!! He was an outstanding person and I've added him 
to my Book Boyfriend List

This is a must read!



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 than 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, Love, Exactly , 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 her associates 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.


Links-

Facebook Event for Release Day Event- https://www.facebook.com/events/117936041710168/


Release Day Giveaway- 

Sunday, June 23, 2013

BLOG TOUR: Call Me Crazy by Quinn Loftis REVIEW AND INTERVIEW

Call Me Crazy

by Quinn Loftis



Synopsis
“I’m looking out from inside the chaos. It must be a one-way mirror because no one seems to be able to see back inside to where I am. The looks on their faces, the judgment in their eyes, tells me everything I need to know. The most frustrating part about the whole messed up situation is that even though I’m the one that they stare at in shock, I am just as shocked as they are. I know no more than they do of why I lose control. What they don’t know is that I am more scared of myself than they could ever be.” ~ Tally Baker

After a devastating turn of events, seventeen year old Tally Baker is admitted to Mercy Psychiatric Facility where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. She has come to a place where she honestly believes that her life is over. Her mind tells her that she will never smile or laugh again, that she will never be normal again. It is in this unlikely place that she meets two people, different in every way, yet both critical to helping her realize that she has so much more living to do.
Candy, a cantankerous sixty year old Mercy Psychiatric patient, is hell bent on driving everyone as crazy as she is. Candy shows Tally that, regardless of her diagnosis, the ability to push on and live her life to the fullest is her choice and hers alone. In the midst of Tally’s oftentimes humorous, sometimes heart-wrenching, escapades with Candy, a new patient is admitted to Mercy—a Native American woman named Lolotea. Along with this new patient comes a daily visitor, her son, Trey Swift. At first glance, it is obvious to Tally that he is incredibly handsome and unbelievably caring. But what she learns through her second glance, and many thereafter, is that there is much more to Trey than he ever lets on. It is during these daily visits that Trey and Tally build a friendship far deeper than either of them truly realize. With Trey, Tally feels for the first time since being admitted that someone is looking at her as a person and not as a disease. Trey begins to make it clear that he wants more than friendship, but she knows that she can never give him more. How can she, when she won’t even give him the truth?  Tally doesn’t tell Trey that she is a patient at Mercy, and she doesn’t ever plan to. Her plans go up in flames when she finds out that Trey is a new student at her school, the school where her brokenness was found out in the floor of the girl’s bathroom in a pool of her own blood.

Call Me Crazy Trailer

Excerpt 1
“Crap Candy,” I growl at my snickering companion as I rub my side and glare at her. “What was that for?”
“A better question would be why were you hunkered down under the table drooling over Kemosabe?”
I frown at her. “That’s tacky don’t you think?”
“I’m sixty years old and crazy; I can do tacky if I want,” she snorts at me.
I can’t really argue with her there. Like pregnant women, old, crazy ladies pretty much get a free pass on crassness and eccentricity.
“So come on,” she pats the chair that I had so quickly vacated, “tell Candy all about it.”
I roll my eyes. “He just took me off guard, that’s all,” I lie smoothly.
Candy isn’t buying it. “He was hot, just admit it. Hot and he got you bothered.”
I cringe. “Candy, you calling a guy young enough to be your grandson hot is just not right.”
“Psht,” she flips her hand at me. “I’m old, not blind or dead. Besides, I didn’t say I wanted to jump his exotic bones.”
I groan as I bang my head against the table. “Where do you learn these terms? I mean it’s not normal for someone your age to blurt out crap like that.”
“Did you just use the term normal in a sentence describing me?” She raises her brow surprisingly at me.
I laugh. “Good point.”

Excerpt 2

“I may be in a mental hospital, but I am not dense. So please, un-complicate it for me.”
This was not my plan for tonight and I fight the urge to stomp my foot and tell her how I was supposed to be curled up in a ball on my bed freaking out. But I won’t say that, not to Trey’s mother.
“I have bipolar disorder. Everyone knows it: my parents, my friends, the entire freaking school. The fact that I am in a mental hospital is the gossip of the century. People whisper around me and refuse to look me in the eyes, like at any second I’ll snap and start screaming that the voices won’t shut up.” I’m crying again and it pisses me off. I wipe my eyes, frantically trying to clear them, to remove the evidence of how badly all of it has hurt me, is still hurting me.
“Trey treated you normally.” Her voice is softer, gentler, and when I look at her through the wetness in my eyes, I see understanding in them, not the condemnation from minutes ago. “He saw you, not the disease.”
My knees shake with the effort to hold my body up and I reach to the wall for support.
“He loves you.”

Author Interview


Quinn, this not your typical book, why this book and this topic?
I was diagnosed with Bipolar disorder (BD) when I was 21, after 3 years of being miss diagnosed with depression. It was 3 years of hell, and a hell that only I lived in because no one else could see what was reality to me. I guess I just wanted people to get to see into the mind of a person with mental health issues and to show them that they are still people. They aren't to be feared, but to be loved and though there will be times you can't understand what they are doing or thinking just remember that it's the disease not the person and they need you to remind them that they will get through it, they will make it. 


How did you come up with the characters and their personalities?
Tally was a slight representation of myself, though not identical. I wanted her to be strong, but able to show weakness and fear. Candy, oh sweet Candy, I needed Tally to have someone who would help her cope but in an unconventional way. Tally needed laughter in her life, she needed to know that it was okay to laugh at herself and she needed someone older and wiser but able to understand where Tally was mentally. As for Trey, I decided to make him Native American because I felt like having that rich culture as his background would be unique. I needed him to have strong family values and commitment, to be a leader and from what I read about Native American tribes, they instill those qualities in their boys as they grow into men. I didn't want him to be perfect, hence the sometimes temper and possessiveness, but I wanted him to love her through her crap. I'm married to an amazing man who has loved me through miles of crap and continues to love me.


This is an odd question, but there are a lot of emotions in this book with Tally, Trey, and other characters. Was it hard for you to write certain scenes?
This book has been the hardest thing I have ever written in my life. I actually became very depressed while writing it and had to have my psychiatrist adjust my meds. Yes, I said my psychiatrist LOL, it is what it is. I cried a lot, and wrote at night a lot when every one else was a sleep. I didn't want my little boy walking into my office while I was bawling my eyes out and typing away on the lap top.


You know I love Decebel, your Grey Wolves Series and Elfin series. Do you have another more books like, Call Me Crazy (or something similar) planned in your future?
At this moment I don't have any contemporary books planned right now. I'm focusing on Book 7 of the GWS and book 2 of Elfin.


Do you think that you have grown, as an author, with this book? In my opinion I think you get better and better with each book.
I def feel like I have grown. I feel like I understand a lot more about the writing process. I find myself really excited about the story and characters. ;(:

Review

If you have seen my reviews of Quinn's then you know I adore her. I have to say that when she announced this book, I was a little scared. I admit it, I was. There are no wolves, no elfs, and NO DECEBEL.

But, I kept an open mind when I received the book. Quinn is pure talent and I knew I shouldn't worry.

I read this book in one sitting. I laughed, I cried, and above all, I couldn't stop reading. Quinn opened up a whole new world to me. It was a world that I knew nothing about and I was completely enlightened.

Tally is such a strong character in this book. She was diagnosed with  BiPolar Disorder and then admitted into a Psych Hospital. It is there that we are introduced to Trey. He is not a patient, but through his visits him and Tally build a friendship.

Okay, I can't really go into the details of everything because I would really hate to spoil this book, but please read this. Quinn Loftis has created a masterpiece. !!!!!! I should have never doubted her.


Author Bio
Quinn lives in beautiful NW Arkansas with her husband, son, Doberman and cat (who thinks she is a ninja in disguise). She is beyond thankful that she has been blessed to be able to write full time and hopes the readers know how much all of their support means to her. Some of her hobbies include reading, exercising, crochet, and spending time with family and friends. She gives all credit of her success to God because he gave her the creative spirit and vivid imagination it takes to write.



Quinn's links:

Website
Facebook
Twitter
GoodReads

Thursday, June 20, 2013

DOUBLE COVER REVEAL: Sweet Oblivion and Sweet Escape by Bailey Ardisone



-About the Author-

Bailey Ardisone is a collaboration between two sisters who were born and raised outside of Chicago, Illinois. They combined their creative forces to write the first book in their series, called Sweet Oblivion. Though the name Bailey Ardisone applies to both of them, for the sake of answering questions they will each take on one of the names to make things easier.

The older sister of the two in Bailey Ardisone, has always loved getting lost in books, movies, music, and art. Fantasy is her favorite genre. She gets her love of words from their grandmother who together used to write poems, short stories and even greeting cards. Her biggest goal would be to travel and explore the world. She loves going to the beach, enjoys football sundays, and spending time with friends and family.


The younger sister of the two in Bailey Ardisone, has always held a strong love for anything art related. Whether it be drawing, music, or constantly day-dreaming, her mind never stops imagining wonderful stories and possibilities. She finally got to put some of those ideas to use with her new found love of writing novels. Some other things she is forever obsessed with are Japanese Anime and Manga, animals, traveling, her home city of Chicago and anything in miniature form. One thing she can never get enough of is sleeping/taking naps and sour skittles.


-About Sweet Oblivion-

Sweet Oblivion received a MAKEOVER! We truly hope you enjoy the new cover art!




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.

-Excerpt-


~Nari~

I suddenly felt anxious, excited even, at the prospect of laying eyes on Mycah again. On being enveloped in his woodsy scent. The way my soul felt complete and whole again only his presence alone could accomplish. ...Were we really just friends?
And then there he was.
As I took the last stair, his eyes found mine from the "Greeting Room" he quietly sat in, drinking from an antique teacup.
He watched me carefully as he slowly put the cup to his alluring lips and took a sip. My heart danced wildly in my chest with every step I took, drawing closer and closer.
I waved at him, not able to speak just yet.
“Morning, beautiful,” he whispered. His English accent made the words sound musical. Or maybe it was his silky voice that did it. Or it could have been the combination of the two, I really didn’t know. Either way, my stomach did a flip.
And then I thought, it must have been the way he was looking at me, not even trying to hide the desire that flooded his aqua eyes as soon as they locked onto mine.
The sun played with his eyes, bringing out the unique colors and making them more vivid. Even though he was lit up by the streaming sun that shone brightly through the large bay window, he never looked more dangerous.
And he never looked more sexy.
Well, that could be debatable.
I mean, if you wanted to count the time he was dripping wet and practically naked, well then, one really couldn’t say.
But this moment was definitely a top contender for first place.

He stood up, keeping perfect posture and foreign demeanor exquisitely intact, and came over to me.
“You alright?” he asked, lips pulling up in a side smile. I nodded, half hating the spell he always put me under, half totally loving it.

He reached out and slowly slid his hand into mine, intertwining our fingers together and pulling me toward the front door. He chuckled and slightly shook his head at the ground.


Published: December 30, 2012
The Sweet Series, Book One


Fan art provided by Megan Elliott


Grab your copy everywhere ebooks are sold! Also available in paperback through Amazon.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iTunes


And now....for the second book in the Sweet Series, we present: Sweet Escape!

-About Sweet Escape-


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. She has no idea who she is. She has no idea where she came from.
She once thought her biggest problems were ones brought on by the mysterious man she had 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, Naminé gets thrown right into the lion's den - the false King's chambers. Forced to do his bidding, can she prevent the downfall of the only hope she worked so hard to bring home?

...Can any of them Escape?

-Excerpt-


~Nari~

I laid mesmerized from the position on my back, staring up at the cloudless sky. It was as blue as a Robin’s egg. If not more blue. The sun shown extremely bright, but the rays did not scorch my skin. The air was comfortable. Very comfortable. It was the perfect temperature. Warm, without being too warm, and no humidity.
I did not move.
I was afraid to move in case this was all just a dream and any slight stir would make it vanish, throwing me back into tormented reality. It must be a dream, right? Clearly, I had busted my head against the tree trunk and knocked myself out...And I was only imagining this while Zaylie, I was sure, was worried and trying to wake me up.
Right?
I could feel the grass beneath me. Soft, lush, exquisite. As if I laid against the perfect bed made just for me. I was Goldilocks and it was just right.
A colorful bird soared above me. But as it descended closer, obscuring my view of the sky, I realized it was not actually a bird at all. It was the strangest butterfly I had ever seen. Its wings were a rainbow of colors - and it was huge. Bird-like huge.
But I didn’t feel frightened or grossed out like I usually did by insects. This was different. It felt different here. The butterfly flapped its wings so gently and effortlessly. I numbly reached up while it landed weightlessly on my fingers.

The moment it touched me and started cleaning its antennae, even though I could barely feel it on me, I got the striking feeling that this was real. Very real. I quickly sat up, causing the vivid butterfly to take flight again and gazed around the beauteous expanse encircling me.

Coming July 25th, 2013!

In celebration of the new cover and the up-coming release of Sweet Escape, FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY: Sweet Oblivion is now on SALE! Get started on The Sweet Series by reading the first book, Sweet Oblivion, now only 99¢!