BLAST and GIVEAWAY: The Grower's Gift by Vanna Smythe

The Spring of 2102 only brought false hope...

Series: Progeny of Time #1
Publication Date: May 15, 2014

Genre: YA Dystopian

The future is bleak in the year 2102. The planet is in chaos and the weather patterns have completely shifted, turning most of the world into an uninhabited wasteland.

The rich and powerful of North America have pulled back into the six remaining megacities, erasing all trace of a central government and leaving millions displaced by the environmental crisis to fend for themselves in the dying world. Sixteen-year-old Maya has a gift, a power she thinks can heal the earth and make it habitable again. A gift that she must learn to harness. The school for the gifted in Neo York is the only place where she can learn to control her power and reach her potential.

Yet the school is not what it seems. Ran by the ruthless head of the city of Neo York, the school’s only objective is to extract the powers of the gifted and then discard them. Only Ty, heir to the city, can keep Maya from being destroyed there.

But Ty has a secret and his loyalty to his family has never wavered. Will his growing love for Maya be strong enough to save them both?

Purchase today on Amazon!

Vanna Smythe is the author of the Anniversary of the Veil fantasy trilogy and The Grower's Gift, the first book in a new YA dystopian series. She has been writing creatively since her early teens, though one could say her creative writing efforts started long before that. While still in kindergarten, she once tore up a library book to make alphabet soup, and has been fascinated with what words can do, the pictures and worlds they can create, ever since.

The Progeny of Time YA Dystopian series was inspired by the bleak future presented in The Hunger Games, the fight between good and evil played out in Harry Potter, and the TV show Heroes, but with a totally unique story and twist. The story is equally fun for teens as well as adults. The second book in the series will be released in Summer 2014.

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REVIEW and GIVEAWAY: Black Orchid by Abigail Owen

Title: Black Orchid

Series: Svatura, Book Four

Author: Abigail Owen

Publication Date: May 23, 2014

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Synopsis

Heartbroken...

Adelaide Jenner feels nothing... she is completely numb inside. Her te'sorthene, her fated love, abandoned her and joined their enemy. On that day her sister turned off all Adelaide's emotions in order to save her from a heartbreak that could push her over the edge of sanity. But great power wielded without compassion or love can only lead to pain.

Deceived...

Nate Pierce believes Adelaide used her extraordinary powers to deceive him all these years. So he destroyed a relationship he thought to be false and hungers for revenge. Now, Nate serves Maddox. He is unaware that his new leader is using him as a pawn in a bid to enslave all Svatura.

Unraveling...

The only hope of finally defeating Maddox is for Adelaide and her sisters to combine their growing powers against him. But the the key to a Svatura's power is the heart, and Adelaide's is still missing.

RATING: 4 stars

Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I am always leery of reading a book that is part of a series I haven't read before. This is one of the few books that can ALMOST be read as a stand-alone. There was a bunch of things, especially in the beginning of the book that I couldn't grasp. However, the author described the world and abilities so well, that I could read the book without being completely lost.
I found the author wrote so well, that not only was I not lost in the end of a series, but that I truly felt for Adelaide and Nate from the very beginning. I may not have understood the term te'sorthene, but I could certainly feel the love and heartbreak between them.
Now, even though I know the end of the series, I still need to read the first 3 books of the series to get the background and truly immerse myself in what has become a spectacular world.

Buy Links

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository  |  iBooks  |  Kobo  |  Goodreads

Author Bio

Award-winning author, Abigail Owen was born in Greeley, Colorado and raised in Austin, Texas. She now resides in Northern California with her husband and two adorable children who are the center of her universe. 

Abigail grew up consuming books and exploring the world through her writing. A fourth generation graduate of Texas A&M University, she attempted to find a practical career related to her favorite pastime by obtaining a degree in English Rhetoric/Technical Writing. However, she swiftly discovered that writing without imagination is not nearly as fun as writing with it.

Social Media Links

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest

Giveaway: There is a giveaway for this tour. A $40 Amazon/B&N Giftcard or a Book Depository shopping spree of the same value, plus the first three books of the Svatura series will be given away as digital copies. 

Open Internationally. Ends 7/7. Void where prohibited.

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REVIEW: Women of the Word by Jen Wilkin

Title: Women of the Word: How to Study the Bible with Both Our Hearts and Our Minds
Series: none
Author: Jen Wilkin
Published Date: expected July 31st, 2014
Publisher: Crossway
Format: ebook
Pages: 192
ISBN: 9781433541766
Copy provided by: publisher
Genre: Bible study
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon
Rating: 4 stars

Synopsis: Many Christian women find great encouragement and joy in and through women’s Bible studies. However, popular Bible teacher Jen Wilkin is concerned that sometimes we let our emotions rule our study of Scripture and forget that the Bible is primarily about God, not us. Challenging hungry women to go deeper in their study of Scripture, this book will help you refocus your efforts on feeding your mind first and foremost. Whether you’re young or old, married or single, this accessible volume will energize and equip you for Bible study aimed at transforming both the heart and mind.

My Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from the publisher.
I want to preface this by saying that I've never done any Bible study in my life and I'm working right now thorough a yearly daily reading of the Bible this year. Reading through this book, the author mentions methods of reading and studying the Bible that apparently people do that are the "wrong way", and then she gives methods to do it the "correct way".
Since I've never done either, I suppose its easier to teach me her correct way and move on. I found her methods to be logical and thoughtful. I can understand how re-reading a passage multiple times would lend to remembering it, not necessarily memorizing it verse for verse. The author leads you in ways of understanding the Bible in ways that work for you, not necessarily parroting others' viewpoints. I've always been a fan of independent thinking.
The only question I have for the author would be, if I've never done this before, how would I know the good commentators from the bad commentators?

BLITZ and GIVEAWAY: Flame by Alicia Michaels

Title:  Flame

Series: The Bionics #5

Author:  Alicia Michaels

Published: June 27th, 2014 by Crimson Tree Publishing

Word Count: 39,000

Genre:  NA Sci- Fi Romance

Content Warning: Minor violence, coarse language, and mild sexual content

Recommended Age: 16+

Synopsis:

War has come to the United States. It’s been brewing for years as the government and Military Police wage war on the outcasts known as the Bionics. It’s spilling out into the streets as the militant Rejects continue to wage war against the ‘inferior’ humans, the M.P.s are raiding neighborhoods and putting Bionics to death, and I am fighting alongside the Resistance to save our kind from extinction. To top it all off, the president has now declared martial law, and the rights of American citizens are being stripped away one by one.

Together, with the vigilante known as The Patriot, and my Resistance family, I am prepared to fight the impossible fight, to stand up for what’s right. From a single spark, our little rebellion has grown into a revolution, a roaring fire that will envelop the nation. At the same time, things in my personal life are finally turning around. I’m in love with a beautiful girl who loves me back, and we might have a shot at a real future ... unless the enemy manages to snatch away from me everything that I hold dear.

Goodreads

Excerpt:

A weapon’s muzzle suddenly comes up to the back of my head and I freeze, lifting my hands and the CBX with it. An M.P. in white, fiberglass armor circles around me, the gun now focused on my forehead. I can see just by looking that he has it on the kill setting.“Look, man,” I say calmly. “I’m not one of them. I’m on your side here.”He raises the face shield of his helmet, and I’m face to face with a fresh recruit. He can’t be any older than eighteen and skinny as a rail, shaking like a leaf. “Don’t come any closer,” he says, his high-pitched voice trembling with the force of his fear. Around us, the fight rages on. “You’re all the same, just a bunch of freaks.”I shrug. “Come on, dude. We both know I could have killed you by now. But I’m not here to fight you. We just want justice. Look around you and you’ll see the real killers, the real freaks. Turn your gun on them, and I’ll do the same.”He frowns. “Fight with you?”“With me, next to me, behind me, whatever. What’s your name, kid?”He swallows noisily, his Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “Ethan.”I nod. “Okay, Ethan, I’m Dax. You got a girl, Ethan?”Ethan lowers the gun. “Yeah... I mean, kind of. She doesn’t really know I like her.”I smile. “Been there, man, done that. I got a girl too, back home. I kind of told her I loved her a few days ago.”Ethan’s eyebrows shot up. “Whoa, that’s huge.”“Right? Big stuff. Plus, I promised her I’d try to make it back alive. The way I see it, I stand a better chance of that if we can try to fight together, even if it’s just for today. What do you think? Let’s end this shit so we can get home. You have a girl to win over, and I’d rather not piss mine off by coming home in a body bag.”Ethan nods. “Yeah. Yeah, okay, sure.”My hand grasps his shoulder just as a flying metal disc comes whizzing at his head. He cries out as I take him to the ground, just barely saving him from being decapitated. I’m not quite as lucky. The metal disc slices into my cheek as it flies by, laying it open. Pain explodes along the left side of my face, leaving a trail of fire that goes from my jaw to just beneath my eye. Another inch and I’d be sporting a falsie like Blythe. Behind Ethan, one of the Rejects has some sort of makeshift gun mounted on his shoulder. It’s the size of a small cannon, and it is shooting another disc at me. Dropping for cover and avoiding another gash, I grab Ethan’s shoulder again.
“You good?”He stares at me with wide eyes and nods. “Yeah.”“Cool. Stay down while I kill this dickhead.”This time when he fires at me, I’m ready. The pistons in my leg joints fire rapidly and I jump, my boot connecting with the disc and kicking it back the way it came. I give Ethan a hand up as the Reject’s head slides from his shoulders, taken off by his own disc.
“Can dish it out but can’t take it,” I grumble as I help Ethan to his feet.He smiles at me appreciatively. “You saved my life, man. Thanks.”“No need to thank me. Now, let’s go save some others.”

Be sure to grab your copy of book one, The Bionics, on Amazon for FREE!!

About the Author:

Ever since she first read books like Chronicles of Narnia or Goosebumps, Alicia has been a lover of mind-bending fiction. Wherever imagination takes her, she is more than happy to call that place her home. The mother of two and wife to an Army sergeant loves chocolate, coffee, and of course good books. When not writing, you can usually find her with her nose in a book, shopping for shoes and fabulous jewelry, or spending time with her loving family.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Website

 

Crimson Tree Publishing Links:

(An adult division of Clean Teen)

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Giveaway Details:

There is an international tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

• Reader's choice of Clean Teen Publishing eBook and bookmark swag pack. 

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BOOK BLAST and CONTEST: Unleashed by Emily Kimelman

The Sydney Rye series of mysteries feature a strong female protagonist and her rescue dog, Blue. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don't mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

UNLEASHED is the first book in Emily Kimelman's best selling Sydney Rye series of mysteries. When the series begins Sydney Rye is named Joy Humbolt. She does not like people telling her what to do, so it comes as no surprise that she was just fired from her last job. When she buys Charlene Miller's dog-walking business on Manhattan's exclusive upper east side, it seems like the perfect fit: Quiet environment, minimal contact with people. But then one of her clients turns up dead, and Charlene disappears. Rumors say Charlene was having an affair with the victim--and of course, everyone assumes Joy must know where she is. Joy begins to look into the crime, first out of curiosity then out of anger when there is another murder and threats start to come her way. When police detective Mulberry is assigned to the case, Joy finds a kindred spirit--cynical and none-too-fond of the human race. As they dig deep into the secrets of Manhattan's elite, they not only get closer to the killer but also to a point of no return. One last murder sends Joy Humbolt hurtling over the edge. Her only chance of survival is to become Sydney Rye.

Help the author choose the intro to the Unleashed Audio Books!

Click here to listen to the 3 different tracks and then enter your choice in the Rafflecopter Form in the bottom of the post.

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Catch up in the series: SYDNEY RYE Books **Book 1 is free** on Amazon.

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Check out Emily on Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Newsletter

Emily Kimelman is the author of the Sydney Rye Series including UNLEASHED, DEATH IN THE DARK, INSATIABLE, STRINGS OF GLASS, and THE DEVIL'S BREATH.

Emily splits her time living on a boat in the Hudson River and traveling the world with her husband and dog, Kinsey (named after Sue Grafton's Kinsey Milhone), researching exciting locations for the Sydney Rye Series. You can follow along on their adventures through instagram, Facebook, and on Emily's blog.

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COVER REVEAL and GIVEAWAY: Diviner's Fate by Nicolette Andrews

Designed by: Nadica Boskovska 
Series: The Diviner's Trilogy #3
Genre: Epic/Historical Fantasy

The man Maea loved is gone. Johai has been possessed both body and soul by the specter. The newly possessed Johai has not wasted time as Maea discovers through the link they seem to share. Johai is plotting with the Biski to start war against the kingdoms. In order to prevent the coming war, Maea goes south to the wilds where the Biski tribes reign in order to search out the Oracle, the only person who seems to know how to help Maea perfect her powers.

The prophecy has awoken and the prophesized day is fast approaching. Everything Maea has learned in her journey will guide her to the final meeting between Johai and herself. The age old battle between the diviners and the specter will end with her. Only one may live. Is Maea ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for love?

Other books in the series designed by Nadica Boskovska

   

Diviner's Prophecy, Book One, is FREE on Amazon and B&N!

Nicolette Andrews lives in beautiful Southern California with her husband and two daughters. She is the author of the Diviner's Trilogy and other works of fantasy. She's been know to often escape into world of fantasy and has happily been playing make-believe her entire life. When she is not writing, she enjoys gardening, spending time with her family and numerous outdoor activities, including hiking and camping. 

Website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Goodreads  |  Pinterest

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BLAST and GIVEAWAY: Butterflies Wake by Arlene Lagos

Title:  Butterflies Wake

Author:   Arlene Lagos
Published:  June 24th, 2014
Word Count:  51,000
Genre:  Women’s Fiction
Recommended Age:  13+

Synopsis:

An underground female mafia rights the wrongs of an unjust society in this gripping story of everyday women taking matters into their own hands where the justice system has failed. For many years they have worked quietly and gone unnoticed by the world in which they live, until one of them goes missing. The wrong people start asking questions and before they know it, they are in danger of being exposed. How will they save one of their own without putting their organization in danger? Will they be able to remain a secret?

Smashwords | GoodReads

 Excerpt:

“Fairytales always start with once upon a time and end with happily ever after. Somewhere in the middle there's a prince, an evil queen and a distressed maiden, a victim of her own beauty. Gallantly, the prince rides in, saving his true love, proving his manhood and once again restoring balance to the universe. My fairytale was not like that at all.
Let’s take for example my ex-husband Ron. In my fairy tale, Ron was no prince. Don’t get me wrong; I truly believe he started off with good intentions. But, then he lost his job and started drinking, and I became his personal punching bag. After the third miscarriage I was told I could never have children. At that point, I really didn't care if I died.
But, on one particular evening back in 1977, something happened that would change my life forever. I came home from the grocery store to find Ron sitting on the front steps of our house with his usual can of beer suctioned to his left hand as if it were an extension of his fingers. I could tell he had been drinking all day and was itching for a fight, so I didn’t even bother asking for help with the groceries. I still had to walk up the steps and past him to get to the front door. I prayed he didn’t attack me until I had at least put the food away. I walked at a slow pace, avoiding eye contact and carefully slinked passed him hoping not to hit the back of him with the screen door as I squeezed through. I made it into the kitchen and managed to at least put away the frozen food, eggs and milk before he threw the first punch.
When it was finally over, I was lying on my back on the front lawn, covered in blood. I thought for sure I would be dead any minute, judging from the amount of blood pouring out of my nose and the severity of the pain coursing through my body. But then something happened. I saw out of the corner of my eye a little boy, Patrick, standing in the street staring at Ron as he sat on the front steps drinking his beer and watching me die. Patrick lived in our neighborhood. He stood there holding his baseball glove and ball and just stared at Ron for almost two whole minutes. I wanted to scream for him to run away but no sound would come out of my mouth. Then, as if he heard my thoughts, he turned and ran as fast as he could towards his house. I was happy he was safe, I didn’t want Ron to hurt him and I didn’t want that poor boy to be the witness to my death.
I blacked out again for a while and waited for death to take me.
But it never came. Instead, two women from the neighborhood came running towards me and picked me up off the front lawn. I don’t recall much at the time but I do remember some words being exchanged between Priscilla and Ron. I didn’t know Priscilla that well, other than that she was a nurse at the local hospital and that she was Patrick’s mother. He must have run to her for help. I feared Ron might hurt them too, but I couldn’t speak or move. I was a ragdoll, lifeless in their arms as they carried me back to their house. That was the last time I ever saw Ron. I don’t know what happened and I didn’t ask questions. I was just grateful that they found me when they did because not only did they save my life, but they changed the course of it forever.
My name is Camille Waters and a lot has changed since 1977. On the surface I appear as an ordinary southern woman in her 50's, sitting on a porch swing sipping sweet tea or reading trashy romance novels down by the pier. But much like a fairytale, nothing is ever what it seems. The year is 2014 and I’m not that same woman anymore. Now I work for an underground society of women with one purpose- to right the wrongs of society where the justice system has failed.
If someone in the neighborhood was having a problem, we'd find a way to introduce ourselves, let her know that she wasn’t alone.
Some folks think we ought to just mind our own business and let the authorities do their job. Well guess what? We did that already. Women have been sitting in silence for centuries, and it sure as hell didn’t get us anywhere. Men beat their wives, girls get date raped, family members molest their young and the burden of proof lies on the shoulders of the victims, every time. Statistics show that women are more likely to leave a bad situation if they have a strong support group to turn too and that’s exactly what we strive to provide. Life is hard enough without having to constantly watch good people get hurt. Some call us modern day Iron Jawed Angels, others call us extremists, but we like to call ourselves, The Butterflies.
It’s time for a change, time to wake-up and smell the revolution; time for us to close the door on the old way of doing things; time to find a system that works for everyone involved. It’s time for the Butterflies Wake.”- Camille Waters

About the Author:

Within the past year, Lagos has published a Young Adult Science-Fiction Fantasy series called Beyond Earth Series made up of three books, “Beyond Earth”, “Beyond Planets” and “Beyond Time”. She also has had 12 of her short stories published this past year in three separate anthologies called “Giant Tales Beyond The Mystic Doors”, “Giant Tales From The Misty Swamp” and “Giant Tales: Down in the World of Pirates”. Her latest novel is, “Butterflies Wake”. Lagos resides in Massachusetts with her husband and her daughter.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Blog

Giveaway Details:

There is an International tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

• $10 Amazon Gift Card
• 5 eBook copies of Butterflies Wake
• 10 Flashlight Butterflies Wake Keychains
• 10 Butterflies Wake Keychains

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RELEASE DAY BLITZ: Project Lexi by Lisa Survillas

Lexi Crandall’s world is turned upside down her junior year of high school. Her confession tears her family apart and leaves them broken. Looking for an escape after graduation, she heads out of town for college.  Wracked with guilt and shame, she keeps to herself, befriending only her roommate, Paige.

Derek Fressen experiences one tragedy after another. After learning to cope with being raised by a single mom, he and his sister, Tiffany, become closer than ever. When Tiffany escapes for college, Derek takes the opportunity to leave his past behind as well.

San Francisco State University is where Lexi and Derek find themselves junior year, thrown into the most uncomfortable situation possible, a group project that requires each to open up about their past. Their grade depends upon the ability to prove to the professor through a class presentation that they truly learned about one another.

 Painful memories and terrifying tests of courage propel Lexi to learn how to take baby steps in the healing process, and give hope of one day feeling normal. Although he feels he’s pretty well healed from the horrible events of his past, Derek is lonely and longing for a life of more.

Will Lexi and Derek be able to share enough of their lives with each other to pass the class? How much will Lexi let Derek help her in the process? Are their tragic pasts too much to overcome, or will love be in their future?

Buy the book! Amazon ~ KOBO


About Lisa

 Lisa lives in SUNNY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA with her wonderful husband and two teenage children. 

Lisa lives in Sunny Southern California and has all her life. Her husband is a high school PE teacher and coaches three different high school sports.
With two kids in high school and involved in activities both in and out of school, she has a lot to juggle.  When home, she locks herself inside the office to write. She's always loved to write, but life always seemed to be too busy.  When inspiration finally hit, she made the most of the time her husband and kids were busy and published her first book in February 2014. It's a teen/young adult book and the first in a series. 
She's just released her first book in her New Adult/Contemporary Romance series. She is hoping to get two more books out before the end of 2014.

PROMO and GIVEAWAY: Felix Faust by Dexter Morgenstern

The Arcane Insurrection: Felix Faust

Blurb: “Felix Faust is a nineteen-year-old semi-genius who has just been accepted into a prestigious college. He discovered telekinesis at an early age and has used it discreetly for his own entertainment. Felix finds himself displeased and malcontent with everything he encounters in the school, except for one student. This other student shares Felix’s gift, and is much stronger, capable of abilities Felix never thought possible. Now a new door opens for Felix as he is mentored and develops his psychic abilities, but this door also brings danger as malevolent forces set their eyes upon him. Tragedy and destruction follow Felix, leaving him no choice but to continue growing and fight back, but danger follows him every step of the way, and failure means death...”

Website: http://dextermorgenstern.com/books/felix-faust/

Amazon: http://amazon.com/gp/product/B00896N19E/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15958171-felix-faust

Dexter Morgenstern has already received numerous positive feedbacks for his debut novel.

One reader said: “From tragedies, deaths, kidnappings, daring rescues, powerful enemies and allies the book keeps you reading eager to know what is going to happen next.

I can't wait to find out more about the other characters and just see where the story will lead in the next book.

Another said: “...Morgenstern has a great handle of plot and keeping the pace going, and you'll hardly ever encounter a dull moment in this book. His magic system is well thought out and is very in depth, and he does a great job explaining the intricacies instead of just walking over it, which makes the battles -- when everything finally comes together -- feel all the more real.

About Dexter Morgenstern

Dexter is a writer and game-enthusiast from North Carolina. He was home-schooled by his 

parents after being diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. Being a creative, highly-motivated 

individual, Dexter officially began writing books at the age of fifteen, and published his first 

novel "Felix Faust" at seventeen. When he is not writing, Dexter spends much of his time

gaming, studying, or contemplating new plot details and stories in his head. Dexter's ultimate 

goal is to get a degree in Robotics and contribute to the subjugation of humanity by artificial intelligence.

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REVIEW: Rescuing Her Honor by Johnny Ray

New Book Release!

Noella thought they had stopped the stalkers, and several corrupt governmental factions who wanted her to step down from being a judge. That is until the treats reappeared. Vance, her bodyguard turned fiancée also thought so. But then again, many secrets are still hidden deep inside a safety deposit box in Switzerland. While going to receive Vance’s inheritance in Zurich could be a dream vacation for this now engaged couple, who only want to work out some serious conflicts in their wedding and careers, sinister politicians and crooked cops have other plans waiting for them in Europe. This is the much anticipated follow up novel to HER HONOR'S BODYGUARD. Since the reviews were great, and the fans were demanding more, it was a great novel to work on, including a trip to Zurich where the novel unfolds. Rescuing Her Honor, follow up to Her Honor's Body Guard is releasing May 15th 2014!

RATING: 4 Stars

Review: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Rescuing Her Honor was probably the first international romantic thriller that I have read in a long while. It's not one of my favorite genres, however this was a great, suspenseful book that kept me reading till late into the night.
The author has a wonderful way of writing that keeps the reader engaged and wanting more. The scenes are all well-written and descriptive enough that I could see them in my mind's eye.
Since I didn't read the first book in the series, I wasn't really captured by the romance between Vance and Noella. It was just a given that I accepted and moved on with. Despite this, the author wrote well-enough that even if I didn't have the background to understand the relationship, I could feel the love that Vance had for Noella. That kept the storyline going very well.
Overall, though its not my favorite genre, this was a very well-written, suspenseful and intriguing book.

Buy on Amazon

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Johnny Ray won the Royal Palm Literary Award for best thriller, and he is often interviewed on various literary blogs, as well as TV and radio shows. His blog, located at sirjohn.us, has a large following from around the world, and this is his central hub to his other social media activity. There you can find his links to other social media sites, such as twitter (sirjohn_writer) where he has over 165,000 followers. He also would love for you to join Sir John's Army, his fan club, which is located on his blog. Johnny Ray belongs to the Romance Writers of America and the Mystery Writers of America. He loves attending various national and international writer conventions, like the Frankfurt Book Fair, throughout the year. As an avid traveler and international businessman conducting business worldwide for years he has made many interesting contacts and received numerous awards for top sales production. He loves radio and TV talk shows, as well as speaking in front of various audiences. Feel free to contact him if you need a guest speaker. When it comes time to play, he is very active in many sports including dancing, swimming, tennis, biking, and skiing. While he loves a life full of action and adventures that are new, interesting and challenging, making friends that share his passions is a special gift. Johnny was born in Texas, raised in Alabama, but now loves living in Clearwater, Florida where he works full time as a writer. He can be often found in one of the hundreds of coffee shops along the beach working on his next international thriller, murder mystery, or perhaps a contemporary romance novel that is guaranteed to be full of action and adventure you should expect from a romantic suspense novel. His signature combination, however, is international romantic thrillers.

Find Johnny on:

Pinterest | FaceBook | Amazon | Twitter | Google | Literary Addicts | Goodreads Join him at his Blog | Fan Club SIR JOHN’S ARMY | Kindle Boards

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REVIEW: Transformation by John O'Riley

 

Emily Winters was kidnapped as a teenager by Psi-Tech, a corrupt and power-hungry corporation that learned of her precognitive ability. Imprisoned for years and forced to use her talent to help a company thrive, she now reaches a point where she must escape or die. A natural disaster will cause chaos, death, and destruction throughout the entire world while transforming most of the survivors into psychics. After this happens, Psi-Tech will kill all of their prisoners to hide the evidence of their horrific crimes. Knowing how the disaster will affect her captors gives Emily one slim chance to escape. She must seize this opportunity to save not only herself but her brother as well who will die without a medical treatment that doesn't yet exist.
Buy on Amazon | B&N

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Author Bio for John O’Riley:

John O'Riley has been writing as far back as he can remember. He is an author of novels and an award winning writer of screenplays in the category of urban fantasy, comedy, science fiction and young adult. His movie feature screenplay, Cursed, is an Honorable Mention Winner for the 2012 Screenplay Festival. His most recent accomplishments include the screenplays New Earth, Pinky Swear, and Mutant Wizards in the 2014 Filmmakers International Screenplay Awards which made it to Quarter-Finalist status. Other recognition includes the screenplays Cursed, Project Pandora, Pinky Swear, Incipio, and Bad Sister which have been listed as Quarter Finalists, Semi Finalists, and Top Finalists in the 2013 Filmmakers International Screenplay Awards, 2012 Screenplay Festival, 2012 Filmmakers International Screenplay Awards, 2012 StoryPros International Awards, 2012 Pulsar Sci Fi Screenplay Contest, and the 2012 Reel Authors International Breakout. He was born in California then raised in Washington state. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish and French and worked in a variety of bookstores including Borders and was the manager for one of the bookstores in Florida that was actually owned by Goodwill. He loves reading fantasy, science fiction, and humorous fiction. Some of his favorite authors include Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, S.J. Viehl, Kat Richardson, J.K. Rowling, Angie Sage, Jayne Krentz, and Janet Evanovich. He currently resides in Washington state and owns a parakeet named Amy who sings like a canary to help encourage and inspire him.

Follow John:

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Read the Reviews

RATING: 4 stars

REVIEW: I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

Starting the book, I felt like I was jumping into the second book of a series. It definitely felt like the beginning of a scene from a previous cliffhanger. However, once I got past that feeling, and could truly feel the characters, the book was so enjoyable.I may have liked a little more detail on the natural disaster, it seemed as if that part was kind of glossed over to get more to the storyline.

The writing was well-done, but I felt the conversational parts had some choppiness in it. Smoother writing of the personal scenes would help with this. There was enough action that kept the book moving very quickly.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. The change in the cover definitely improved, but there's so much more possibility with it. I'm really hoping to see more of the Winters' family with Emily, Kate, Skylar, and Jeremy.

BOOK BLITZ: A Magic Within by Sara V Zook

Title:  A Magic Within

Author:  Sara V. Zook

Published:  June 18^th, 2014

Genre:  YA Paranormal

Synopsis:

Normalcy. I need to get back to a state of normalcy. What’s happened to me? Why am I here in this orphanage, and why am I forbidden to leave? Everyone is so very cruel here. I can’t eat. I can’t sleep. It’s the paranoia getting to me. It’s like someone’s always watching, always listening. There’s a general fear around here, and for some reason, it seems fueled by my arrival, but why are they afraid of me? I didn’t ask for this. I don’t even know how I got here. I need to go home. My parents must be worried sick. There has to be someone here who can help me, who can give me answers and lead me in the right direction so I can get out of here. There is this one boy, Lydic. Could he be my key to getting out? I can see it in his eyes he feels sorry for me. He seems to know more than he’s letting on. These people aren’t like anyone I’ve ever met before.

| Goodreads |

Excerpt from A Magic Within:

“What is that sound?” I asked in a whisper.  It was still far away but growing louder and closer by the minute.            Lydic put his arm behind his back and opened his hand for me to take it.  I slid my fingers into his and waited for him to let me know what to do next.  My heart was pounding out of my chest.  Another second passed and then Lydic turned, his eyes locked on mine as he nodded his head.  We took off to try to outrun whatever it was that was coming for us.  We had only gotten two steps in before I felt Lydic’s grasp on my hand slip away.  I turned around to see what was happening.  I screamed out in horror as Lydic was frozen in place.  He was still on his feet, but his head was drawn back and his eyes rolling into his head as if in extreme pain.            “Lydic!” I cried out.            The old woman was behind him.  She had that stick, the same one I had tripped over, held up in the air and aimed at Lydic’s head.  There were bright colors, green and yellow, pouring out from the end of the stick and going directly into his skull.  The woman’s expression was one of determination.  Her eyes were closed and her lips pressed together as she mumbled something I couldn’t understand.            What are you going to do?  Panic seized me.  Lydic was supposed to help me, not the other way around.  I didn’t know what to do.  I had to stop this, but how?            The high-pitched whistling grew louder and more intense.  It was starting to hurt my ears.  My gut told me that if I didn’t make a move now, it was going to be too late.            I took a step toward the stick and reached out and grabbed it with my hand.  I used all the strength I had to yank it from the grasp of the old woman.  Lydic fell to his knees.  The woman glared at me, a low growl escaping from her throat.  She lunged toward me.  Without having time to think, I instinctively swung the large stick at her, using it as a bat and she was the ball.  It collided with her head making a grotesque sound.  She collapsed to the ground.  Lydic looked up at me.  I was breathing hard, trying to understand what had just happened.
            “What do we do?” I asked.  The whistling noise was almost to us, but I still couldn’t see anything.            Lydic glanced over his shoulder at the woman.  “Run!” 

About the Author:

Sara V. Zook is a paranormal/fantasy writer. She is the author of the Strange in Skin Trilogy, Clipped and Evanescent, Book 1 in The Sempiternal Series. She lives in Pennsylvania with her 3 small children and husband.

Amazon Author Page | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads | Website | Blog

  

Book Trailer:  http://youtu.be/aw49DFleZxQ

 

Facebook Event Page:  https://www.facebook.com/events/1443420465906146/1443426789238847/?notif_t=like

Giveaway Details:

There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

Two Custom Bookmarks, an eBook copy of A Magic Within, and a print copy of A Magic Within

Giveaway is US only, except for eBook. a Rafflecopter giveaway