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Book Tour for CLOD MAKES A FRIEND by David J. Pedersen + Guest Post & Giveaway! [Ends 4/21/18]

3/31/2018

2 Comments

 
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Book Details:
Book Title: Clod Makes a Friend by David J. Pedersen
Category: Middle-Grade Fiction, 174 pages
Genre: Fantasy
Publisher: Odysia Press  |  Release date: March 2018
Tour dates: March 26 to April 13, 2018
Content Rating: PG (There is no bad language, but there is one "boss fight" scene.)
Book Description:
Best Friend Ever?
Bullies love to hate Clod. Not just because he’s bigger, clumsier, and uglier than his classmates - he’s also the only student in his school without magic. In a world where all magic is possible and everyone else is born with great gifts to do amazing things, Clod is alone.

Living with his mum in a broken-down cottage on barely enough, the only thing Clod has to play with is the clay she occasionally brings him. Bleak is an understatement. More than anything, Clod wants a friend. The only way that’s going to happen, is to make one himself.
After an angry visit from the worst of the bullies, his teacher Learned Yugen, Clod’s clay sculpture of a little girl comes to life and introduces herself as Ada. For a clay girl barely the size of his hand, she has more confidence and courage than he knows what to do with. Every adventure she leads him on gets Clod into trouble. She may be the friend he wants, but is she the friend he needs?
After many years, and too many pranks, Yugen becomes convinced that Clod is tainted by the evil slowly infiltrating the Kingdom of Pag. Especially when Ada isn’t the only one Clod can bring to life.
Clod Makes A Friend is a bittersweet fairy tale for all ages from David J. Pedersen, author of the Angst series of fantasy novels.
To read reviews, please visit David J. Pedersen's page on iRead Book Tours.

Buy the Book:  Amazon ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Google Play ~ iTunes ~ Kobo
Add to Goodreads

MY REVIEW:( LAWonder10)
[First, I want to apologize to those at iReads and to you for this delay. I was away from home at a hotel where the Internet shut down and I was unable to even get on gmail to send to Angie who did this posting. I am the only one who did the Review.]

Clod is a story addressing bullying, and cruelty from not only peers but an adult, also. 

Clod lived in a place of magic. If one did not exhibit some form of acceptable magic, he/she was sent to places of hard, physical labor. However, if one showed signs of "black Magic" he/she was banned from the kingdom. 

The instructor at the school was professed to have special skills in detecting a gift for magic. He discovered none at all in Clod and eventually suggested he leave school to do hard labor, to which Clod's mother strongly objected. What would Clod's fate be?

Clod was very lonely and had no playthings. His mother worked in the mines so was able to bring him some of the clay. Clod created a tiny girl named Ada. Ada cane to life for a short period of time and they had much fun. Clod's mother made him keep Ada a secret, so he would not be accused of "Black Magic.

The story was very good,but the main points of the story content was unclear. 

The Book Cover and Title were well-chosen.
I offer a Three and a Half Stars rating for this novel.
*This was gifted me with no requirement for a positive review. This is my honest review.
GUEST POST:
How my passion for reading became a passion for writing

In grade school, it was the Xanth series and Infinity Adept by Piers Anthony. When I was 7, I read Ogre, Ogre in a day. After that, I devoured the Dragonlance Chronicles by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman. In high school, I read the Belgariad series by David Eddings no less than five times. I was voracious.


The one thing all of these books held in common for me were characters I loved. The heroes, and even the villains, were relatable. They drew me in, and were far more interesting than school. I realized that my favorite books had characters I missed when I was done. It was as if a friend had moved to another city!

Throughout grade school, and high school, I also wrote stories. Most of them heroic fantasy tales with some sci-fi sprinkled in. I had an English teacher my senior year of high school who wasn’t a fan of me, my writing, and even went so far as to call me immature. (An immature high school student, weird.) We had an assignment to write a story that would be graded by the class. Stories with top marks would be read by the teacher to all of the other classes. Challenge accepted. In short, my fantasy about all of the ways I would save a fair maiden at a local museum went over very well. Grudgingly, the teacher read it to all of her students. I realized how much I enjoyed writing to my audience.

I soon came to realize that, more than anything, I wanted to write stories that people enjoyed as much as the books I used to read. They didn’t have to be impossibly complex, just fun, engaging escapism with relatable characters. My first series of books, Angst, is about a man who is going through a midlife crisis and wants to be a knight in shining armor. A lot of people understand how it feels to believe they were meant for something else.

While I’m always excited when people read my books, but my thrill comes from the emails or reviews:

“I would meet these characters for drinks at a bar.”
“I’m a fifty-year-old woman, and I wanted to be a hero too.”
“I was so frustrated with the ending; I almost threw my Kindle across the room.”
When readers are drawn into my books, just like I have been, it makes all the effort worthwhile. I don’t get to read like I used to, but I’m so grateful for that time spent because those books gave me my passion for writing.
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About the Author:

​David J. Pedersen is a native of Racine, WI who resides in his home town Kansas City, MO. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He has worked in sales, management, retail, video and film production, and IT. David has run 2 marathons, climbed several 14,000 foot mountains and marched in Thee University of Wisconsin Marching Band and written 4 fantasy novels. He is a geek and a fanboy that enjoys carousing, picking on his wife and kids, playing video games, and slowly muddling through his next novel.

Connect with the author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ​

Giveaway:​
Grand Prize: Clod & Ada Gift Package, which includes: 1) an Ada Amigurumi Doll (book character) 2) a hardcover copy of Clod Makes A Friend 3) a $20 Amazon Gift Card (open to USA and Canada / 1 winner)
2nd place prizes of a hardcover copy of Clod Makes A Friend with a $10 Amazon Gift Card (open to USA & Canada / 2 winners)
3rd place prizes: 5 winners will get a paperback copy of Clod Makes A Friend and 5 winners will get an ebook copy (Open to USA & Canada / 10 winners total)
(ends April 21)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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2 Comments

Spotlight Tour, Guest Post & Giveaway (U.S.A.) for The Progeny by Tosca Lee! Ends 4/21/18]

3/30/2018

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Book Details:
Book Title: The Progeny: A Novel by Tosca Lee
Series: Descendants of the House of Bathory (Book #1)

Category: YA Fiction, 352 pages  | Content Rating: PG
Genre: Thriller, (YA-leaning), Slight paranormal
Publisher: Howard Books  |  Release date: May 2016
Tour dates: March 26 to April 13, 2018

Book Description:
   From New York Times bestselling author Tosca Lee comes a story of love, ancient secrets, and survival. Book 1 in the House of Bathory duology.
    When you wake up, you remember nothing. Not your name, or where you were born, or the faces of the people you knew. Just a single warning written to yourself before you forgot it all:
"Emily, it’s me. You.
      Don’t ask about the last two years… Don’t try to remember and don’t go digging. Your life depends on it. Other lives depend on it.
        By the way, Emily isn’t your real name. You died in an accident. You paid extra for that.
​       
You start over in a remote place with a new name, a fresh life. Until the day a stranger tells you you’re being hunted for the sins of a royal ancestor who died centuries before you were born.
        You don’t believe him, until they come for you. Now you’re on the run.
       Every answer you need lies in a past you chose to erase. The only thing you know for sure is that others are about to die and you need those memories back.
        But first, you have to stay alive.


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Praise for The Progeny:
"Be warned: once you start this book, it’s impossible to put down!”
- Maria V. Snyder, New York Times bestselling author of Poison Study

“Intriguing and romantic, I literally couldn’t put it down.”
- Jennifer L. Armentrout # 1 New York Times bestselling author

"Irresistible..."
- Publishers Weekly



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"[A] complex thriller with various turns and twists...A great choice for readers who enjoy their psychological thrillers with a historical twist."
- Library Journal

"Exciting...action-packed…intriguing.”
- Romantic Times Book Reviews

"Filled with intrigue, romance, and reversals fans are sure to love."
- Family Fiction

"The Progeny has risen to the top of my favorites list…I devoured every word of it.”
- Book Reporter

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EXCERPT:  The Center
        No one speaks when you enter the Center for the last time. There’s no need. You’ve gone through the counseling, tests, and a checklist of preparations to get the plastic bracelet you wear the day of treatment. The one that saves a life. They don’t need to know why you’re doing it any more. Or that you lied about it all. Just the scratch of the stylus as you sign your name on the screen one last time.
       A nurse takes me into a room and I lie down on the table. I give her the sealed packet—the only thing I brought with me. There’s cash, meds, and an address inside, the one for “after.” It’s a thousand miles away. She’ll pass it to the companion assigned to me. No point meeting her now.
      I’m 21 years old and my name doesn’t matter because it’s about to be erased forever. I’m choosing to forget the ones I love, and myself, in the process.
       They say your life flashes before your eyes when you die. But they don’t tell you that every detail comes screaming back to life. That you taste each bite of every meal you savored, feel the shower of every rain you walked in… smell the hair against your cheek before that last, parting kiss. That you will fight to hold on to every memory like a drowning person gasping for poisoned air.
        Then everything you knew is gone. And you are still alive....For now.

Continue reading the first four chapters FREE.

GUEST POST
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Hungarian Countess Elizabeth Bathory (1560–1614) is alleged to be the most notorious female serial killer of all time. The exact number of her victims is unknown, though one witness testified at trial to an incredible total of 650, as detailed in the countess’s private diary.

Her accomplices were burned at the stake, but Bathory herself—a noblewoman and widow of a national hero—was spared execution. Instead, she was walled up in a set of rooms in Cachtice Castle (in present-day Slovakia) “as though she had never been,” where she remained for four years until her death in 1614.

Known to be exceptionally educated, wealthier than the Habsburg king (in debt to her until her incarceration), and a doting mother to her children, the private life and sins of Elizabeth Bathory remain a mystery. History calls her a monster. Others, a victim of conspiracy and greed.

Legend knows her as the Blood Countess.

Here is the tour schedule
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Tosca Lee is the award-winning, New York Times bestselling author of the House of Bathory Duology (The Progeny and Firstborn, currently in development for television),Iscariot, The Legend of Sheba, Demon: A Memoir, Havah: The Story of Eve, and the Books of Mortals series with New York Times bestseller Ted Dekker (Forbidden, Mortal, Sovereign). A notorious night-owl, she loves watching TV, eating bacon, playing video games and football with her kids, and sending cheesy texts to her husband.

You can find Tosca at ToscaLee.com, on social media, or hanging around the snack table. (And be sure to check out Ismeni, the free e-short prequel to The Legend of Sheba!)

Get your copy of The Progeny here: http://toscalee.com/product/the-progeny/ (Kindle readers: now you can enjoy special insights in the author’s highlighted comments!)

Connect with the Author: Website ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Instagram ~ Pinterest

  • The GIVEAWAY!
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Prizes:
​​
Win 1 of 15 Progeny Swag Packages (open to USA only / 15 winners total)

​Each swag package includes: Set of Progeny Character Cards; Progeny necklace; Progeny bookmark; and a Progeny button

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a Rafflecopter giveaway
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THE TRAIL RULES By Melanie Hooyenga, Guest Post, Blog Tour & Giveaway! [Ends 4/6/18]

3/30/2018

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      Junior year’s looking up for sixteen-year old Mike. Her new BFF isn’t a sadistic control freak, her boyfriend adores her, and she’s learning to bike in the mountains without decapitating herself on a tree.
       Well, almost.
     When she meets a group of riders who welcome her into their pack, she feels like she’s finally found where she belongs. One particular rider—a boy with an amazing smile and an even more amazing ability to see what she’s truly capable of—gives her the confidence to go after what she wants: her own life with her own rules.
        There’s only one problem—he’s not her boyfriend.
    Just as things seem to be falling into place, her parents put on the pressure to figure out her future—one that doesn’t include riding. Mike soon realizes that having everything isn’t that great when she’s not the one choosing it. She needs to decide if she’s going to continue to be a follower or step out of the shadows and find her own trail.


Link to Goodreads  | Purchase Links: | BAM | Chapters | Indies | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks
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The Trail Rules   - Melanie Hooyenga                        
An excellent story!  It's a perfect story for young adults.  I wish I had a lot of the insight that is in the story when I was a teenager.  That is such a hard time in life.
I love the characters.  They are well-developed and I liked that they each had very unique personalities.  I was able to feel their emotions really well.
The setting is described very well and easy to visualize.
The story flowed well from chapter to chapter.
I would highly recommend this book to others especially young adults.
Great work Melanie!

I give this book a literary rating of  5/5
written by vickie


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GUEST POST:
If there was something you could do over in connection with your writing career, what would it be? How would you correct it?
​
I’ve been writing novels for about eleven years, and if I had to go back and change anything, I wish I would’ve started sooner. I first started writing as a kid, mostly short stories and poems, but I stopped when I got to college and started studying graphic design. Every time I read about a person in their 20s who’s already written half a dozen novels I kick myself for giving up on my passion.

When I was applying to college, I thought that my only career options as a writer were to be a journalist or an English teacher, and while English teachers are very important, that’s not what I wanted to do. I did take a journalism class my freshman year and that’s when I discovered I hate interviewing people — at least when you’re pressing them for information they don’t want to give up — so I threw myself into design.

During my 20s, I had an urge to write a novel and even got so far as outlining an idea, but it wasn’t until I moved to Mexico with my ex-husband and I couldn’t work that I started writing again. I wrote my first full-length manuscript (a memoir that will stay forever locked in my computer) at age 32, and my first novel a year later. To date, I’ve written eight novels, and I have concrete ideas for the next two.

Now, when I speak to aspiring writers, I emphasize how many options are out there if you want to write for a living because I wish I’d had someone tell me that. It may not be easy and it’s unlikely you’ll ever make a ton of money, but it is possible to do it.

I feel very fortunate to have a day job where I get to be both a designer and a writer (I’m the Director of Marketing & Communications for a non-profit). People often ask when I’ll be able to quit to write full-time, and honestly, it may never happen. But I’m happy with the balance I have and am glad I’ve found my way back to writing.

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Link to Tour Schedule.

ABOUT the AUTHOR

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Multi-award winning young adult author Melanie Hooyenga first started writing as a teenager and finds she still relates best to that age group. She has lived in Washington DC, Chicago, and Mexico, but has finally settled down in her home state of Michigan. When not at her day job as a Communications Director at a nonprofit, you can find Melanie attempting to wrangle her Miniature Schnauzer Owen and playing every sport imaginable with her husband Jeremy.
​Website • Twitter • Facebook • Instagram • Goodreads

Giveaway Details:
  • One (1) winner will receive a physical copy of The Trail Rules (US Only)
  • One (1) winner will receive a digital copy of The Trail Rules (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Blog Tour, Giveaway & Review for At Woods Edge by E.M. Fitch! [Ends 4/13/18]

3/29/2018

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At Woods Edge (Of the Trees #2)  Author:  E.M. Fitch
​Release Date: March 27, 2018
Synopsis:
​It’s only a matter of time before he gets what he’s come for.


Cassie Harris has turned her back on best friend Laney Blake. She had no other choice. Laney is one of them now, a creature of the trees. As Cassie’s senior year wears on, the woods grow quiet, snow blankets the ground, and the murderous beings who once taunted her have drifted away like the brittle leaves of Fall. Though the woods no longer stir with rushed whispers and wind-blown laughter, the fear remains.

No one understands this fear better than Cassie. She wishes she could tell them not to worry. After all, the shape-shifting men of the trees and the women who travel with them, seeking out girls to abduct from carnivals, are gone. And the one that stayed behind? He isn’t interested in anyone but her.

Now, Aidan’s interest in Cassie is a chilling reminder of the what lurks at woods edge. He stalks her home, her school, her bedroom. He won’t stop until he can find a way to lure Cassie into the forest to become one with him forever.

Link to Goodreads | ~ Purchase Links: ~ Google Play | Chapters | Amazon | B&N | iBooks

Vickie's Review of BOTH Books :


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At Woods Edge    - E. M. Fitch                                                  
Again, as with Of The Trees, I enjoyed the friendships in this book and liked the way they worked through difficult issues and found their way back to each other by working through their problems and seeing what is really important in life.
As I said in the first book, the characters and setting are well-developed and easy to like.  The story flows well from chapter to chapter and the characters emotions are easy to feel.
I highly recommend this book to others.  It's a great love story, great friends story, and  interesting fantasy filled story.
I give it a literary rating of  5/5


written by vickie

Of The Trees - E. M. Fitch                                  

​I felt the feelings of true friendship as I read this story.  The fantasy integrated into the real world story was written very well.  I loved the characters and could grasp each of their individual personalities .  They were well-developed and it was easy to feel their emotions.

The setting is well-defined and easily visualized.
The story flows well from chapter to chapter making it hard to put down.

I would highly recommend this book to others.  It shows true friendship, love and some interesting fantasy mingled with reality.
I give this book a literary rating of  5/5
written by vickie

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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OTHER BOOKS IN THE SERIES
Goodreads | ​                                                              

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E. M. Fitch is an author who loves scary stories, chocolate, and tall trees. Her latest novel, OF THE TREES, is a Young Adult horror/fantasy inspired by haunted cemeteries and the darker musings of W.B. Yeats. Its sequel, AT WOODS EDGE, will be released in the coming year from Month9Books. She is the author of the Young Adult zombie trilogy: THE BREAK FREE SERIES. Her story, BETWEEN SHADOWS, was recently featured in the Fragments of Darkness anthology; and her new collection of short stories entitled THE VEIL: GHOSTS, GOBLINS, GHOULS is coming soon! She has been published in Pulp Metal Magazine, Under the Bed Magazine, and her short stories RELEASE and THE CREEP were featured respectively in CHBB’s Lurking in the Shadows and Lurking in the Mind anthologies. When not dreaming up new ways to torture characters, she is usually corralling her four children, or thinking of ways to tire them out so she can get an hour of peace at night.
Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads 

​Book Tour SCHEDULE


Giveaway Details:
One (1) winner will receive a $25 Amazon gift card and a digital copy of At Woods Edge by E.M. Fitch

a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Going Places blog tour, Review & Giveaway! [Ends 4/5/18]

3/27/2018

2 Comments

 
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Book details:
Going Places  by Kathryn Berla 
Published by: Amberjack Publishing
Publication date: March 20th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Everyone had high expectations for Hudson Wheeler. His fourth grade teacher even wrote to his parents that Hudson was “going places.” But everything went downhill after his father died on the battlefield of Iraq one year later. Now facing his senior year of high school without his two best friends by his side and with his teacher’s letter still haunting him, Hudson seizes homeschooling as an opportunity to retreat from the world.
What happens during this year will prove to be anything but a retreat, as Hudson experiences love and rejection for the first time and solves the painful mystery of the “girl in the window”—an apparition seen only by the WWII vet whose poignant plight forces Hudson out of the comfort zone of boyhood.
Going Places is a peek into what male adolescence looks like today for those who don’t follow traditional paths as they strive to find themselves.
Goodreads |~ Purchase: ~Amazon | B&N |

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Going Places     - Kathryn Berla                                

This is a well written story.  It is fun to follow a young man through his daily life. It is interesting to see how differently guys think about things than how girls do.

I feel like the characters are well-developed and each had their own distinct personality traits.

There is romance, friendship, suspense and much more in the story.  I really enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it to others. I like the cover of the book and the title fits the story perfectly.


I give this book a literary rating of  5/5
written by vickie


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AUTHOR BIO:
Kathryn Berla likes to write in a variety of genres including light fantasy, contemporary literary fiction, and even horror. She is the author of the young adult novels: 12 Hours in Paradise, Dream Me, The House at 758, and Going Places. The Kitty Committee is her first novel written for adult readers.
Kathryn grew up in India, Syria, Europe, and Africa. Her love for experiencing new cultures runs deep, and she gives into it whenever she can. She has been an avid movie buff since childhood, and often sees the movie in her head before she writes the book.
Kathryn graduated from the University of California in Berkeley with a degree in English. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Author links: Facebook | Twitter | Goodrreads |

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway
  • Prize will be listed on the Rafflecopter shortly
Thise grand prize giveaway - ends April 5th:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Can Dreams Come True? by Krysten Lindsay Hager blitz & Giveaway! [Ends 4/5/18]

3/27/2018

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Book & Author Details:
Can Dreams Come True? by Krysten Lindsay Hager 
Publication date: March 20th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Cecily has always had a huge crush on singer Andrew Holiday and she wants to be an actress, so she tags along when her friend auditions for his new video. However, the director isn’t looking for an actress, but rather the girl next door—and so is Andrew. Cecily gets a part in the video and all of Andrew’s attention on the set. Her friend begins to see red and Cecily’s boyfriend is seeing green—as in major jealousy. A misunderstanding leaves Cecily and her boyfriend on the outs and Andrew hopes to pick up the pieces as he’s looking for someone more stable in his life than the models he’s dated. Soon Cecily begins to realize Andrew understands her more than her small-town boyfriend—but can her perfect love match really be her favorite rock star?
Goodreads |  ~ Purchase: ~ Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon IN | Amazon Germany | Amazon Canada | Amazon AUS | 
​Barnes and Noble |

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Excerpt 1:
I started to feel anxious after lunch. After all, I had been an Andrew fan for a long time, and even though I had seen him in person, this was a huge deal to get to meet him. What if he wasn’t what I had imagined? I didn’t expect him to fawn over me or anything, but what if he was rude or ignored me? It would kill my fantasy of him as being this sweet, quiet, sensitive songwriter who wore his heart on his sleeve while also being kind of a loner/rebel with just a touch of bad boy in him. Oh man, I would be crushed if he didn’t notice me or worse—if he ended up flirting with Harlow.  
In all his magazine interviews Andrew always said looks weren’t important to him, and what he noticed in a girl was if she was true to herself. He said he went for “bright girls who were sweet and easy to be with.” Now that I thought about it, that was the kind of fake crap magazines put out about all the teen celebrities. It was like when I saw Lawrence Claibourne, my favorite actor who claimed to be Mr. I’m-just-looking-for-a-sweetgirl-to-read-poetry-to on a red carpet with a model whose boobs were falling out of her dress and had overdone the lip fillers—I mean, you just knew he wasn’t into her for her personality. But Andrew wasn’t like Lawrence. Andrew seemed so sincere and deep. Lawrence had a smirk and you could tell he was a player, but Andrew seemed like he had been hurt and needed to find the right girl who he could open up to and learn to trust again. . .or at least that’s what he said in his last interview.
The final bell rang and my heart shot up to my throat. This was it. I was on my way to meet my crush. From now on, any dreams of him would be marred by the reality I was about to face.
Was it better to keep wondering what if and keep the fantasy alive or to go and actually meet him?
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Excerpt 2:I felt disloyal sharing my problems with Zach with another guy, but in some weird way it was like no one got me like Andrew did. Even though we had only known each other for a little over twenty-four hours, it was as if I had known him for ages. Although I guess it made sense seeing as it always seemed like he understood what I was going through whenever I listened to his music.
I ended up pouring out the whole gross story about how insecure I felt about Tanna and how I didn’t want to seem jealous, but I didn’t feel comfortable with Zach hanging out with her.
“I know you’re probably thinking, well, obviously her first serious boyfriend, how insecure and jealous can she be?” I said wishing I hadn’t opened my mouth.
“Nope, not at all. In fact, I was thinking this crap is why I don’t date more. What is it with our generation being so casual about stuff? Again, people call me old-fashioned, but I don’t think you and I are wrong to expect people not to hang out with their exes anymore. And if I’m old-fashioned, then why are my songs about this exact thing so popular? I can’t be that out of touch if people are relating to the lyrics, right?”
“Yeah, I think a lot of people want commitment deep down,” I said. “Or maybe I’m wrong. Maybe guys just want to date as many girls as possible and not settle down.”
“The media says I come off as this wounded guy as an act to get more female fans.”
I bit my lip. I had heard those rumors, too. In fact, at my old school, people made fun of me for falling for his fake image and said I was too naive to see he was a player.
“Why are people so cynical?” he asked. “There was this article about me called, ‘Vulnerable or Vulgar: Is Holiday for Real?’”
I had read the article five times and then went online to read the outtakes from it, but all I said to him was, “Oh?”
“Yeah,” he said. “The journalist who interviewed me had an edge to him. The whole time I could tell he didn’t like me, and I almost wanted to call him out on it. I gave short answers and he labeled me, ‘moody and reclusive.’ Actually, I’d like to be reclusive, but I can’t get enough time off to do it,” he said laughing. “Being a recluse is just a dream at this point.”
I giggled. “It’s annoying how people just make snap judgments about you and they can put it out there.”
“I know, right? And if I’m having a bad day because I don’t feel good, nobody writes, ‘He had a sore throat and doesn’t feel like talking.’ No, they make it sound like I was being stuck up when all I wanted to do was go to bed and not die from the flu.”
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What people are saying about Can Dreams Come True?
"It's a great story of romance, and pursuing dreams, but also finding out who you truly are."- Amy's Bookshelf Reviews
"Most teenage girls I know of develop a crush on a pop star or two. This book is perfect in bringing to fruition the imagination of millions. The book was really well done."-- Writing Pearls
"I just loved the story and the love that built between Andrew and Cecily. I was hooked to the book from the start to the end." -Hasanthi's Book Blog – totalbooklover
"I absolutely loved it and the love that grew between Cecily and Andrew was really pivotal and truly romantic. I think a lot of young girls will be able to relate to Cecily." -Janet Greaves

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Krysten Lindsay Hager writes about friendship, self-esteem, fitting in, frenemies, crushes, fame, first loves, and values. She is the author of True Colors, Best Friends...Forever?, Next Door to a Star,  Landry in Like, Competing with the Star (The Star Series: Book 2) and Dating the It Guy. True Colors, won the Readers Favorite award for best preteen book and the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for childen/teens. Competing with the Star is a Readers' Favorite Book Award Finalist.
Krysten's work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on the talk show Living Dayton.
​WEBSITE |INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | PINTEREST | AMAZON BIO |
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Grown Ups’ Crusade by Audrey Greathouse blitz & Giveaway! [Ends 4/4/18]

3/26/2018

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Book Details:
The Grown Ups’ Crusade (The Neverland Wars #3) 
by Audrey Greathouse 

Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: March 27th 2018
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Gwen has returned to Neverland with Peter Pan and the lost children, but this time, the adults are following close behind.The Anomalous Activity Department has plans to finally conquer Neverland by bringing the final battle to the vulnerable island. The children will have to rally fairies, mermaids, and allies from other magical realms to stand a chance against the shadow-casting army of grown-ups heading for them.
The black-coat soldiers are far from their only problem. Lasiandra is missing. No one has seen her since Gwen left her at the lakeside with Jay, and the mermaids searching have found only grave omens in the stars. With the island on the cusp of a war that threatens to strip the land of its magic, the last thing Peter and Gwen need is the ancient flagship that appears on their horizon, sailing pirates straight for their shores.
When the battle begins amid old and new enemies, Gwen’s maturity will be a double-edged sword. She will either grow stronger or grow up… maybe both.

Goodreads | ~Purchase:  ~ Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo |

Excerpt 2: The Ship on the Horizon
     Peter! Peter!” Rosemary screamed as she burst into the grove, Gwen and Twill fast behind her.
    Peter didn’t seem interrupted. He’d been whittling a pipe at Oat’s request. When he set the project aside, it seemed he set it aside entirely of his own accord. He looked up, but could not distinguish between this frightened tone and the joyful excitement that children so often screamed his name with.
    “What nonsense are you about, Rosemary?” he asked, playful and chipper. He had forgotten he’d even sent the three of them on scouting duty.
    “Tell him, Gwen! Tell him!”
    Gwen was in no condition to do so. She panted, out of breath. The sight of the ship had given her such anxiety that her flight had faltered in spurts all the way back. She’d done plenty of running to keep pace with her frantic sister and poor, confused Twill.
    Hollyhock zipped over with unabashed interest in Gwen’s drama. The lost children in earshot came, creeping with curiosity, toward Gwen and away from their play-work. Her eyes darted between them and back to Peter, before she had breath enough to say, “A ship. On the horizon.”
    “A ship?” Peter repeated, the word tasting like excitement to him. “A pirate ship?”
    Gwen shook her head, lest her weak voice fail her, “No.”
    Peter gave her a distrustful gaze. “What kind of ship then? No one sails to Neverland but pirates. It must be pirates!”
    “It didn’t look like any pirate ship I’ve ever seen, Peter,” Rosemary told him, and Bracken and Thistle chattered over each other, their red and pink glows jittering as they elaborated, in language far too fast and colorful for Gwen to follow. Hollyhock, however, comprehended it all and launched into a trilling tizzy.
    “It was a huge, metal ship. Nothing like a pirate ship. It looked modern. It looked like the military,” Gwen explained. She tried not to let the wide-eyed expressions of the lost children unnerve her as she told him, “It looked like a warship.”
    Peter became deadly serious. “From what direction?”
    “Uhh…”
    “Sort of the curvy bit from like if they were heading round the beachy part before Cannibal’s Cove,” Rosemary explained, motioning with her hands.
    Peter seemed to understand this direction better than he would have precise degrees or standard directions. He looked to the lost children. “Get the others. Let’s go.”
    Rosemary fetched Sal, Newt, and the other tunnel diggers. Twill and Yam shot into the trees and made noises like whip-o-whirls in distress, a noise which echoed halfway across the island and brought everyone else back in a hurry. Peter ducked into the underground home just long enough to fetch an ancient sword from the precarious rack he kept it mounted on.
    Together, they hiked through the jungle like a herd of skittish horses. Given the somber situation, it seemed improper to fly. The children scream-whispered their speculations to each other, and the more proactive boys and girls began working on their war chants and battle cries. As they went, they gathered a train of fairies who followed them in reverent apprehension.
    Neverland seemed imbued with the essence of their collective energy. The draping vines and slimy ground covers hung thicker and slimier than usual. It slowed their pilgrimage down, but benevolent Neverland scrunched its land like a paper map and let them cover the distance faster.
    As they broke the tree line, the twittering children forgot themselves and leapt into the air, zooming down the grassy, hilly slope that hid Cannibal’s Cove from view and led from rocky shore to sandy beach.
    A dark smudge of a large vessel soiled the horizon, and now everyone saw it.
    “Who is it?”
    “Why are they coming?”
    “Tell them to go away!”
    Peter demanded his spyglass from Gwen, and she handed it over. With a little extra twisting and tugging, he expanded it to almost twice the length anyone else had ever extended it.
    “Can you see the people on board?”
    “What do they look like?”
    Questions burbled from the children like a geyser streaming into the sky. They fell quiet as Peter told them, “There’s three ships, at least, and I’d wager not a single pirate sails aboard any of those ugly metal boats.”
    “Then who?” Jam demanded, rather upset with this development.
    “It’ll be the black coats,” Peter replied. “The grown-ups have found us.”
    “How!” howled Spurt, terrified by the thought.
    “Stars and bones only know,” Peter answered, dismayed. “But they’re coming now.”
    “They’re still so far off,” Twill remarked.
    “Maybe they’ll get lost before they get here,” Rosemary suggested.
    Peter shook his head, staring at the fateful ships without the aid of the spyglass. The other children passed his pocket telescope around, but could hardly hold the fully extended shaft.
    “How long do we have?” Gwen asked.
    “Neverland will slow them down,” Peter assured her. “It takes a long time to reach Neverland on sea for those who have never been before. We’ll have four days, five at most.”
    Newt turned to Sal. “How long is five days?”
    “Not long enough,” Blink answered.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Audrey Greathouse is a lost child in a perpetual quest for her own post-adolescent Neverland. Originally from Seattle, she earned her English B.A. from Southern New Hampshire University's online program while backpacking around the west coast and pretending to be a student at Stanford. A pianist, circus artist, fire-eater, street mime, swing dancer, and novelist, Audrey wears many hats wherever she is. She has grand hopes for the future which include publishing more books and owning a crockpot. You can find her at
Author links: Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads |


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My Sister's Intended Release Day Blitz & $50. Giveaway! [Ends 4/13/18]

3/26/2018

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​My Sister’s Intended by Rachael Anderson
For as long as Prudence can remember, it has been understood that her sister will one day wed the eldest son of their nearest neighbor. Such an alliance will benefit both families and bring a great deal of joy to all parents involved.
Unfortunately, Prudence has never been able to feel as joyful. She believes her sister is mad to consider marrying a man she hardly knows, even if he will one day make her a countess. Titles and wealth shouldn’t factor into matters of the heart, and as an aspiring romance novelist, Prudence cannot fathom how anyone could even think of settling for less than love. She certainly wouldn’t, and she doesn’t want her sister to either.
Unable to stand by and do nothing, Prudence sets out to help the awkward couple discover the best in each other with the hope that they will eventually find love. What she neglected to foresee, however, was the possibility that she might fall in love with Lord Knave herself.

Purchase on Amazon |

Excerpt
 

When Prudence lifted her eyes to his again, they sparkled with a challenge. “I was going to save this question until later so as not to shock you from the get-go, but I really do need to know . . . What does it feel like to kiss a woman?”
A large lump formed in Brand’s throat, and his mouth went dry. What the deuce? She had promised not to ask questions that would make him uncomfortable, but already he wanted to flee like a frightened kitten. How could he possibly explain how it felt to kiss a woman?
Brand searched his mind for a way to avoid answering until he heard a snicker escape her lips. She was laughing at him. Him! Hildebrand Ethan Cannon, Viscount Knave—a man at least eight years her senior and a great deal higher in social standing.
Unbelievable.
 “You are teasing me,” he said, hoping it was true. If she’d posed the question to make him squirm—and perhaps make him more inclined to answer her other questions—then she wouldn’t be expecting an answer.
She shook her head, still smiling. “I’m afraid not, my lord, although I did find the look of terror on your face vastly amusing.”
“I’m glad I could entertain you.”
“I hope you will be equally glad to instruct me on a few things as well. The first scene in my book will include a kiss, and I have no idea how to describe the experience. Do a woman’s lips feel warm or soft or even moist? Would your pulse quicken? Aside from touch, what other senses are engaged? How would it make you feel and what would you notice when you held a woman in your arms?”
If she thought he’d appeared terror-stricken before, there would be no word for how he looked now. Did she earnestly expect him to answer such questions? Surely even she knew how inappropriate it would be to discuss such things, her being an innocent.
“I cannot say,” he finally muttered.
Her brow puckered in confusion. “Have you never kissed a woman, my lord?”
Brand was sorely tempted to lie and say he had not, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. Any man of six-and-twenty who had never experienced a kiss would be laughed out of his manhood. Women were expected to remain innocent until married. Men were not.
“Yes, I have kissed a woman,” he finally admitted, “but I have no intention of discussing any of the details with you.”
“Why not?” she asked, her large brown eyes blinking at him curiously. “Would you rather I invent the information?”
“Yes.”
She obviously didn’t appreciate his retort because she scowled. “Can you not tell me at least a little?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because a kiss could never be described with any sort of accuracy, at least not by me. It involves too many feelings and sensations and complexities of thought. If you wish to know what a kiss feels like, you’ll have to experience it for yourself.”
Too late, Brand realized his mistake. Her expression became contemplative, as though she was actually considering doing just that. Good gads, had he really just encouraged an innocent young woman to go hunting for a kiss? Who would she ask? A groom? Stablehand? The next peddler that came to town?
“I think you are right,” she said at last. “I really must experience a kiss for myself if I am to describe it with any sort of accuracy.” She blinked up at him with that innocent expression again. “Will you kiss me Lord Knave? No, how silly of me. You are to marry my sister, so that would never do.” She pursed her lips for a moment before musing, “Perhaps one of the footmen would be kind enough to show me how it’s done.”
Kind enough? Brand could think of a great many reasons a footman would comply with such a request, and kindness did not factor into any of them. Brand would kiss her himself before he allowed a footman near her.
He rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling a headache coming on. “Perhaps I can try to explain what it feels like after all.” Better that than having her chase after a footman.
“But you only just said you couldn’t do it justice,” she pointed out. “I realize I sound dreadfully forward, but I really must know, and experience is the best teacher, is it not?”
“No, it isn’t,” he lied. “And you are not going to kiss a footman.”
“Then who? Felix or Lionel, perhaps? I’m fairly certain I can convince one of them to do it, if given the opportunity. The question is how to go about it?”
It was plain to see by the firm set of her jaw that she would not rest until she had experienced a kiss of her own. She didn’t seem to care who did the deed, only that the man did a thorough job of it. A quick peck on the lips wouldn’t satisfy her curiosities.
“Perhaps I could send a note to Felix and ask him to call on me,” she continued to muse. “We could take a stroll through the maze in the gardens. There is a hidden alcove on the south side, which could be quite perfect. We would have to evade Ruth, obviously, but—”
“Devil take it,” Brand growled as he pulled her to him. Her quick intake of breath was the only sound she made before his mouth covered hers. 
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Author Rachael Anderson
A USA Today bestselling author, Rachael Anderson is the mother of four and is pretty good at breaking up fights, or at least sending guilty parties to their rooms. She can’t sing, doesn’t dance, and despises tragedies. But she recently figured out how yeast works and can now make homemade bread, which she is really good at eating.
Website * Facebook * Twitter

Release Day Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Code or $50 in Paypal Cash Ends 4/13/18 
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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. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Looking for Dei by David A. Willson blitz & Giveaway! [Ends 3/29/18]

3/24/2018

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Book & Author Details:
 Looking for Dei by David A. Willson 
Publication date: March 23rd 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:
Fifteen-year-old Nara Dall has never liked secrets. Yet it seems that her life has been filled with them, from the ugly scar on her back to the strange powers she possesses. Her mysterious father refuses to say anything about her origins, and soon, she and her best friend must attend the announcement ceremony, in which youths are tested for a magical gift.
A gifted youth has not been announced in the poor village of Dimmitt for decades. When Nara uncovers the reason, she uses her own powers to make things right. The decision sets her on a path of danger, discovery, and a search for the divine. In the process, she learns the truth about herself and uncovers the biggest secret of all: the power of broken people.
Goodreads ~ Purchase ~ Amazon |B&N | iBooks |Kobo |Smashwords |

PROLOGUE
Southside Orphanage
Fairmont – Capital of the Great Land 652PB (Post-Breshi)

The toddler blew at the dandelion bloom until its seeds broke free and floated away on a breeze that gusted past the man watching her from the bushes. His breath hitched as his burdens were lifted and briefly forgotten.
It had taken ten years to locate her. A life of study, prayer, and service to Dei in a monastery had not prepared him for so many years on the run, hiding under false names while he searched for the one he feared he might never find. His grizzled, greying goatee and unkempt hair might have labeled him a beggar or a desperate criminal, but the hope in his eyes told a different story.
Oblivious to the nearby threat, the girl dropped the crumpled dandelion stem and stumbled clumsily near a pile of stones. No more than two years old, she waddled across the overgrown orphanage courtyard, her cloth diaper askew. She plucked more flowers, her red hair dancing as she hopped after the seeds. She seemed to favor the world as her playmate, ignoring the twenty other children in the courtyard. She bumped into a small boy, fell down, and hopped back up with a baby-tooth grin before trotting off.
When she fell, a glimpse of her back jolted the man to his task. It was the blemish that beckoned him here—an ugly red scar stretching from upper back to waist, announcing her identity as the prophetic treasure he had sought for so long. The weight of the manuscript in his backpack grounded his thoughts, and he glanced around the area. There were no fences, plenty of bushes for cover, and a single matron leisurely surveying the yard. The woman sat on the aging building's back steps, watching the little ones as they ran about. She wore a dress and would be unable to chase him. How long would it take for her to alert the authorities?
As he surveyed the grounds to plan his escape, the girl waggled her hand at a passing butterfly and giggled as it flew away. Fortune favored his plans when she ran to a group of dandelions just a few feet from his hiding place. Squatting, she grabbed several stems, preparing to blow and release the seeds.
The man looked over to the matron, who had turned away to manage a quarrel between two other children. Knowing this might be his only chance, he burst forward and scooped the babe up in one arm, then raced back through the bushes behind the orphanage. He ran as fast as he could, unable to avoid jostling the child in his arms. She began to cry at the shock of her abduction, still gripping the dandelion stems in one tiny fist.
Back at the orphanage, the matron in the dress looked toward the back of the yard. The only evidence of a disturbance was a cloud of dandelion seeds that drifted upon the air, scattering in the light breeze. She turned to the many children she cared for, oblivious to the crime that had just been perpetrated under her watch.
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AUTHOR BIO:
David A. Willson has worked as a restauranteur, peace officer, and now, author. Taught by his mother to read at a young age, he spent his childhood exploring magic, spaceships, and other dimensions. In his writing, he strives to bring those worlds to his readers.Much of his material is inspired by the “Great Land” of Alaska, which he has called home for over 30 years. He lives there with his wife, five children, and 2 dogs. He is passionate about technology, faith, and fiction—not necessarily in that order.
Looking for Dei is Willson’s debut novel, set in a land where many more adventures will take place. Stay up to date with his ongoing efforts through the Looking for Dei Facebook page or visiting the website at davidawillson.com.
Author links: Facebook |Goodreads |


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The Forest Beyond the Earth by Matthew S. Cox blitz, Excerpt & Giveaway! [Ends 3/29/18]

3/22/2018

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Book Details:
 The Forest Beyond the Earth by Matthew S. Cox 
Publication date: February 6th 2018
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult

Synopsis:Under the watchful eye of the Mother Shrine, twelve-year-old Wisp ekes out a simple, but challenging life with Dad, foraging for food and losing herself in old books from the world that came before. She loves the Endless Forest ― except when the Tree Walkers come for her.
In ages past, the great rain of fire and ash destroyed the Earth, wiping out the ancients and everything they had made. Nature has reclaimed much since then, spreading out in a vast forest full of wonder and dread. Ever in fear of being taken away, she follows Dad’s rules without question while learning to survive off the land.
No longer a small child, she accompanies Dad on one of his treks, her first time more than a few steps away from the cabin. A day exploring with him is the happiest time of her life, but joy is short-lived.
A monster follows them home.
Safe in her Haven, she hides while Dad goes outside to confront the beast. She wakes alone the next morning, and waits. Alas, her hope of his return fades with the daylight. Desperate, she breaks his strictest rule and goes outside alone. Not far from the cabin, she discovers his rifle abandoned next to the monster’s strange footprints.
Afraid but determined, Wisp sets off on her own into the Endless Forest to find Dad ― before the Tree Walkers catch her.
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Sale - the sale price differs depending which day you post on: .99 on March 22-23, 1.99 on March 24-25, 2.99 on March 26-27, then back to regular 4.99.

EXCERPT:
Wisp stood in the middle of the cabin, arms slightly raised to either side as Dad walked around her rubbing his chin. She lifted and lowered her toes, twisting her head to watch him. He stopped, tapped his foot for a moment, then disappeared into his room, the metal door banging shut behind him.
When he returned, he took a knee in front of her and held a slab of leather up to her right thigh, the top about touching the hem of her skirt. He fidgeted at it for a few seconds before smiling. Wisp waited while he tinkered at the worktable for a little while, then carried the leather thing back over, now with a bunch of thin black strands hanging from it. Again, he pressed it to her thigh.
“Hold it.”
She put a hand on it, examining a narrow pouch on the outside.
“These will clip in place. It’s probably going to feel strange at first, but you’ll get used to it. They need to be tight enough to hold it on, but not so tight your leg feels funny.”
“Okay.”
Dad pulled the thin nylon straps around her leg and clipped plastic parts together with a sharp, but quiet snap. He repeated it for the lower set, but neither one had any real grip on her leg. It took him a bit of fiddling with another section where the straps twisted around metal clips, but he snugged both loops smaller and smaller until they squeezed into her skin. He tried to get his fingertip under one, couldn’t do it, then loosened it a little bit.
“Does that hurt?”
“No.”
“Let go, see if it stays there.”
She removed her hand, and the leather object remained stuck to her leg. Dad nodded, crossed the room to the shelf long enough to retrieve a knife similar to the cooking-and-hair-cutting one, but somewhat smaller. He slipped it into the leather sheath and closed a small loop over the handle to keep it in place.
“Jump up and down a bit. Try to make it fall.”
Wisp examined the knife hanging on her leg, unable to figure out if she liked or disliked the sensation of having something tied to her thigh. Eventually, she decided she had no opinion either way. She bounced on her toes a few times, then jumped a couple inches off the ground and came down hard on her heels. The sheath slipped straight down her leg to the floor.
Dad chuckled and brushed a finger at a faint mark where the strap had been. “Well, I suppose that’s good for now. It’ll get a bit easier on you once you have some shape.”
“Huh?” She peered up at him.
“You still have kid legs.” He made a double-chopping motion in the air. “Like asparagus stalks. No shape.”
She raspberried him.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Born in a little town known as South Amboy NJ in 1973, Matthew has been creating science fiction and fantasy worlds for most of his reasoning life. Somewhere between fifteen to eighteen of them spent developing the world in which Division Zero, Virtual Immortality, and The Awakened Series take place. He has several other projects in the works as well as a collaborative science fiction endeavor with author Tony Healey.

Hobbies and Interests:

Matthew is an avid gamer, a recovered WoW addict, Gamemaster for two custom systems (Chronicles of Eldrinaath [Fantasy] and Divergent Fates [Sci Fi], and a fan of anime, British humour (<- deliberate), and intellectual science fiction that questions the nature of reality, life, and what happens after it.

He is also fond of cats.


Author links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

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Going Places blog tour, Review & Giveaway! [Ends 4/5/18]

3/21/2018

0 Comments

 
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Book details:
Going Places by Kathryn Berla 
Published by: Amberjack Publishing
Publication date: March 20th 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Synopsis:
Everyone had high expectations for Hudson Wheeler. His fourth grade teacher even wrote to his parents that Hudson was “going places.” But everything went downhill after his father died on the battlefield of Iraq one year later. Now facing his senior year of high school without his two best friends by his side and with his teacher’s letter still haunting him, Hudson seizes homeschooling as an opportunity to retreat from the world.
What happens during this year will prove to be anything but a retreat, as Hudson experiences love and rejection for the first time and solves the painful mystery of the “girl in the window”—an apparition seen only by the WWII vet whose poignant plight forces Hudson out of the comfort zone of boyhood.
Going Places is a peek into what male adolescence looks like today for those who don’t follow traditional paths as they strive to find themselves.
Goodreads | ~ Purchase:~ Amazon | B&N |

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Going Places     - Kathryn Berla                                

This is a well written story.  It is fun to follow a young man through his daily life. It is interesting to see how differently guys think about things than how girls do.

I feel like the characters are well-developed and each had their own distinct personality traits.

There is romance, friendship, suspense and much more in the story.  I really enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it to others. I like the cover of the book and the title fits the story perfectly.

I give this book a literary rating of  5/5
written by vickie

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​AUTHOR BIO:
Kathryn Berla likes to write in a variety of genres including light fantasy, contemporary literary fiction, and even horror. She is the author of the young adult novels: 12 Hours in Paradise, Dream Me, The House at 758, and Going Places. The Kitty Committee is her first novel written for adult readers.
Kathryn grew up in India, Syria, Europe, and Africa. Her love for experiencing new cultures runs deep, and she gives into it whenever she can. She has been an avid movie buff since childhood, and often sees the movie in her head before she writes the book.
Kathryn graduated from the University of California in Berkeley with a degree in English. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Author links: Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

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Nocturne by Heather McKenzie blitz, Review, & Giveaway! [Ends 3/29/18]

3/21/2018

1 Comment

 
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Book Details:
 Nocturne (Nightmusic Trilogy, #2) by Heather McKenzie 
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: March 20th 2018 
Genres: Mystery, Suspense, Young Adult


Synopsis:
I am hunted.
A pawn in a vicious game.
The only way I can protect the ones I love…
…is to disappear.

Finally free of her father, Kaya has the one thing that keeps her heart beating—Luke.
Blissfully content in his arms, everything seems perfect…until their world is shattered by a deadly invasion. When an old ally comes to the rescue, Kaya wants none of it. She is devastated to learn the identity of her attacker, and that she must do something truly heartbreaking if she wants to save the ones she loves. Sacrificing everything and sinking into bottomless sorrow, Kaya finds solace in an unlikely friend—one who shows her a different kind of love, and helps her discover an inner strength she never thought possible.
A heart-pounding journey of self-discovery, Nocturne is the transformative second installment of The Nightmusic Trilogy by Heather McKenzie.

Goodreads | ~Purchase: | Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo

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Nocturne       

This is a really good story full of romance, fantasy and lots of elemental magic.

This book is very captivating.  It is easy to follow and flows well from chapter to chapter.

The characters are well-developed and interesting to get to know.

I find it fascinating to see how many different magical powers that are woven into the story.

I would highly recommend this book to the readers who love magic, fantasy and romance.


I give this book a literary rating of  5/5
written by vickie

Excerpt from NOCTURNE
      I flew out the door into the cool night, took four steps, then stopped—the latest enlightening news about my father had sent me over the edge. Tears burst from my eyes. The last shred of hope I’d been hanging onto that Henry wasn’t all bad had been completely obliterated; he was an actual monster.   
    I dropped to the curb and put my head in my hands. The rain started falling, lightly dusting my shoulders at first, then becoming a downpour just to add to my misery. I became soaked head to toe, but I didn’t care. I stayed where I was, wishing the rain would melt me into a puddle that would drain into the gutter and then just disappear into the earth…
    “You left something in my truck,” said a voice from out of nowhere.
    At the edge of my vision was Ben, rain coming down even harder now and pouring off his cowboy hat in rivers. He was holding out a paper bag, which was now soaked. It was the muffin I hadn’t eaten.
    “I didn’t want it to go to waste,” he added, eyeing me with concern, then glancing at the café window where I could feel many sets of eyes on my back.
    I dropped my gaze back to the gutter. My body didn’t want to move, and I still held out hope that the rain might just wash me away. Ben said something, and then he hauled me up and turned me to face him. He lifted my chin, and I had no choice but to meet his eyes. The rain plastered my hair to my face, mixing with the tears that were spilling out of me with blinding force.
    He gave me a weak smile. “I tried to leave. Got in my truck and was ten minutes out of town, but then I realized…” He paused, fumbling for the right words. “I could really use some help at my ranch. Now, the job doesn’t pay much, but you’ll have your own room and all the food you can eat. You’ll be dry.”
    He waited patiently for an answer, but I was so grateful that all my words caught in my throat. He tossed the paper bag with the muffin into the garbage. After a quick glance at the internet café and the white-haired waiter watching from the doorway, his hand firmly latched onto mine. I had the sense I wasn’t being given a choice, I was going wherever this cowboy wanted me to.
    “I’m taking you home now,” he said over the downpour.
    Home. Home was in Luke’s arms….
    The rain was falling in sheets. Since I wasn’t about to turn into a puddle and dissolve, I let the cowboy lead the way.

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Grab book 1 - Serenade - for FREE:
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AUTHOR BIO:
Heather McKenzie is the Canadian author of The Nightmusic Trilogy. Also a professional singer/songwriter with five albums to date, she told stories through music for years before falling in love with novel writing. Heather pulls from her extraordinary experiences as a musician to fuel her passion for creating Young Adult fiction. She is a rocker at heart, a mom of three and an aspiring painter.
Author links:
Twitter |Website | Facebook | Goodreads |

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
  • Clean Teen Publishing Mystery Box (Intl winner would get eBook prizes)
This grand prize giveaway - ends March 29th:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Dominion by Julie Hall blitz & Giveaway! [Ends 3/29/18]

3/20/2018

1 Comment

 
For a limited time, only,  the first book for free ! Amazon | 
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​Book & Author Details:
 Dominion (Life After, #3) by Julie Hall 
Publication date: March 19th 2018
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:
After defeating the red dragon’s legion of bloodthirsty demons, Audrey can finally settle into the afterlife with the knowledge her family is safe. But her quest for a perfect existence shatters the moment Logan is kidnapped in an attempt to bend her to Satan’s will.
Audrey must now travel to the one place no hunter has ever ventured to save the man she loves . . . Hell.
Savage demons, desiccated corpses, life sucking zombie trees, and a land of death and rot await Audrey and her friends as they battle through the fiery realm.
But Logan’s freedom comes with a price . . . the destruction of Audrey’s happily ever after.
As Satan schemes for dominion over all the realms, Audrey learns that some acts may be beyond redemption.
Add to your Goodreads' shelf Goodreads   ~ Purchase:~ Amazon |

EXCERPT:
We sat on his bed, tucked up against the headboard, Logan sitting with one knee
bent and an outstretched leg, and me curled into a ball against his chest, practically
cuddled on his lap.
When my tears were spent, I let out a shaky breath of air.
“Audrey, I can’t—” Logan’s voice caught on something. His head rested on top
of mine. When he continued, his voice dropped an octave, thickened with emotion. “I
can’t imagine what you went through down there. I’m so very sorry. I should never
have bonded with you.”
I savored the warm thud of his heartbeat on my cheek for several seconds
before what he’d said sunk in. The leakage from my eyes along with a bad case of the
feels must have dulled my reactions.
I jerked to a sitting position to stare at him in disbelief—and anger. My face
was crusted with the salt of dried tears. There was no doubt I was a hot mess and a
half. But that was nothing compared to the mess he’d just spewed.
He reached for me again, but I put a hand up to ward off his movements and
curled my upper lip.
Where to even start?
“What I went through? Are you insane?” His gaze jumped around my face as
if he couldn’t decide on a safe place to land. “Logan, I actually felt an echo of what
you went through. I even experienced some of it in a dream or a weird out of body
experience where I was you. What I went through was nothing.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but I slashed a hand through the air to stop
him. “Nothing compared to what had been done to you. You were torn to shreds.
Literally, in some spots.”
His face paled. I shouldn’t have gone there and instantly regretted bringing it
up—but I couldn’t handle his concern for me when he had been tortured. We’d get
to the “should never have bonded with you” comment next.
“You experienced some of . . . of what I went through?” he asked.
Shoot, I gave him another reason to beat himself up. Rookie mistake. “Never
mind about that. And what’s this business about regretting bonding with me?
Frankly, that’s kind of—hey!”
He grabbed my upper arms and held me still as I tried to push away even
farther. His blue eyes flashed, and his face was hard as stone. “If bonding with you
caused you to feel even a second of what I endured in that place, then yes, it’s
something I deeply regret and would do anything to take back.”
Buried under the caveman response was something sweet, but I wasn’t
feeling it.
“Argh. You . . .” I pointed a finger at his face. “You just . . .”
As I sputtered to find the right words, the corners of Logan’s lips just barely
tipped up. I stopped talking when I spotted his involuntary reaction. Of course I’d
find a guy who thought it was cute when I got mad. Actually, that was probably
pretty lucky considering I did tend to have a short fuse.
I pressed my lips together and narrowed my eyelids before performing
another visual sweep of his body.

Yep, he looked to be relatively healthy.
I launched myself at him and grabbed the sides of his face, and then I planted
my lips right over his. Just like the first time I’d surprised him with a kiss, he was
momentarily stunned.
I gently but firmly bit down on his full bottom lip in a silent demand for him
to get with the program. Then I pulled back a fraction, just far enough that my lips
grazed his when I spoke. “Less talking, more kissing.”
I’d gone to Hell and back for this guy. I wanted to collect my reward . . . with
interest.
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AUTHOR BIO:
Julie Hall is a USA Today bestselling YA fantasy author and 1st place winner of the 2012 Women of Faith national writing contest. She was also was awarded "Best Debut Author" at the 2017 Ozarks Indie Book Festival. 

Before writing her first novel Julie worked as a film publicist and rubbed elbows with the rich and famous . . . as in she would gently nudge them to let them know their meal had arrived during press interviews.

She now spends most of her "office hours" with her two furry writing buddies. Her daughter thinks that mommy's superpower is “sleeping all day,” but that’s because she’s often awake until the wee hours of the morning weaving tales of adventure in worlds of her own creation. When asked in an interview what she wanted to be when she grew up, she’s quoted to have answered, “to never have to grow up.” 

She currently lives in Portland, Oregon with her four favorite people--her husband, daughter, and two doodles (because dogs are people too).

Author links: Twitter |  Website | Facebook | Goodreads |

GIVEAWAY
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
  • A signed paperback of HUNTRESS (Book 1 in the LIFE AFTER series), series SWAG (Character Cards, Bookmarks, Magnets, & Stickers), + a $15 Amazon gift card
This grand prize giveaway - ends March 29th:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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Galatine’s Curse by T.J. Green blitz & Awesome Giveaway! [Ends 3/29/18]

3/19/2018

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Galatine’s Curse (Tom’s Arthurian Legacy, #3)  T.J. Green
Publication date: March 20th 2018 
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

An ancient sword. A dark secret. A new enemy.
In the third book in the series, Tom has established a new life in the Otherworld, a life he loves. He lives with Arthur in New Camelot, and Arthur is hosting a tournament. Eager to test his sword-fighting skills, Tom’s competing. But while the games are being played, his friends are attacked and everything he loves is threatened. Tom has to find the intruder before anyone else gets hurt.

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​Tom’s sword, Galatine, seems to be the focus of these attacks. Their investigations uncover Galatine’s dark history and a terrible betrayal that a family has kept secret for generations. But this secret now puts others at risk, including Tom, and he realises that he could lose everything unless he can solve the mystery of his sword’s past.
Galatine’s Curse is the third book in the YA Arthurian fantasy series, Tom’s Arthurian Legacy. If you enjoy magic and mystery, a strong group of characters and Arthurian fantasy, then you’ll love this action-filled adventure.

Buy Galatine’s Curse for your thrilling new fantasy adventure today!
Goodreads / Amazon


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EXCERPT:

They shuffled towards the light, and Tom gasped. The passage had opened out, and they were on a narrow shelf, looking out across a large cave that twinkled with a faint blue glow. Far below them was a lake lit from beneath, reminding Tom of Ceridwen’s Cauldron.

“Where’s the light coming from?” Tom asked, as he craned round to look at the cave. It was almost circular, and although the lake was a long way down, the roof seemed far above them too.

“Great Goddess!” Nimue murmured. “It must be coming from daystar sapphires.” She pointed. “There are hundreds set into the cavern walls.”

“What are those? I’ve never heard of them,” Brenna said.

“Very rare stones with strong magical properties,” Nimue replied. “Only those who practise magic use them, and they’re very hard to get.” She gazed around with wonder.

“And yet Raghnall seems to have had his own enormous supply,” Arthur said.

“I wonder,” Merlin said, “could they have been used in Filtiarn’s spell?”

A narrow walkway ran off to their right before petering out, and Merlin felt his way along, heading towards where a smattering of stones came within reach.

“Maybe,” Nimue murmured, deep in thought. “They have the ability to enhance any spell, but the power actually makes them dangerous. I have never used them, even when I had some. If they’re used incorrectly, they can cause what I can only describe as a magical explosion.”

“That’s a long way down,” Bloodmoon said, peering over the edge. He picked up a stone and dropped it. It was several seconds before they heard a faint splash. “I think there’s something down there.”

“Like what?” Tom said, alarmed.

Beansprout dropped to her knees, better to look over the edge. “Can you see that black shape against the blue? It looks like it’s circling around.”

“It’s getting bigger,” Woodsmoke said. “Is that because it’s getting closer?” He looked at Bloodmoon, annoyed. “Have you woken something?”

“I only dropped a stone in!” he said, indignant. “Whatever it is, it’s a long way down. You worry too much, Woodsmoke!”

Before anyone else could comment there was an enormous splash and the black shape emerged from the water, silhouetted against the blue. The shape kept coming, and then a spurt of fire emerged from the blackness, followed by the familiar roar of a dragon.

“It’s a bloody great dragon,” Arthur yelled, pulling Excalibur free with a hiss. “Run!”

But Merlin was still at the end of the ledge, examining the stones.

“Merlin, get a bloody move on!” Arthur yelled, preparing to fight as they stood mesmerised by the dragon’s approach.

And suddenly Tom was aware of Galatine, trembling, its hilt warm to the touch. “How can it live in water?” he shouted as he pulled Galatine free, its opals now swirling furiously.

“Water dragon,” Nimue yelled above the roar, “very vicious, and territorial.”

A blinding white light emitted from her hands, held palms forward, forming a wall in front of them just as the dragon drew level and released another stream of fire.

They instinctively ducked, but the shield held, turning into a wall of flame as the fire hit it. Beyond, the dragon flapped its enormous wings and fixed them with a vicious stare before flying round to circle back, its huge wing span creating a rush of air.

“Wow!” Tom said, rising to his feet and looking with new appreciation at Nimue.

Merlin stumbled, and Arthur ran to him, helping him to his feet. Woodsmoke and Bloodmoon had already drawn their arrows in case the shield failed.
“Get a move on, Merlin,” Nimue commanded icily. She turned to Beansprout. “Join your hand to mine, and hold your other hand out, like me.”

Without hesitating, Beansprout did as she asked, and Tom saw her stiffen as a wave of power travelled through her, strengthening the shield.

Tom watched the dragon turn back towards them, dripping with phosphorescent water, like a sheen of blue fire racing along its wings and dripping down its jaw. It was magnificent and terrifying all at the same time.

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​Author Bio:
T J Green was born in England, but moved to New Zealand 10 years ago. She currently lives near Wellington with her partner and her cats Sacha and Leia. When not writing she does lots of reading, gardening and yoga.
In a previous life she's been a singer in a band, and has done some acting with a theatre company - both of which were lots of fun. On occasions she and a few friends make short films, which begs the question, where are the book trailers? Thinking on it ...
Tom's Inheritance is TJ Green's first book in the series Tom’s Arthurian Legacy, the sequel Twice Born was released in February 2017. Galatine’s Curse, book 3, will be released in March 2018. She is also working on a few short stories which further expand the world of Tom in the Other.
Her new project is an urban fantasy series about witches.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Pinterest / Instagram / Amazon

GIVEAWAY!
Blitz-wide giveaway (INTL)
  • 3 signed paperbacks & $25 Amazon gift card!
This grand prize giveaway (this giveaway is set up and managed by author, not Xpresso Book Tours)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Blog Tour & Guest Post for Girl Vs by X. Culletto!

3/15/2018

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Girl Vs (Sinister Skies#1) by X. Culletto
Publication Date:  November 4, 2017 
​
Synopsis:
Before the Vela invasion, Rhyan's biggest concern was getting through a day of school. But when she is thrust into the madness of a kill-or-be-killed world, her true strength emerges and a deadly warrior is unleashed. Stumbling through the new morals of a post-apocalyptic world, she learns to depend only on herself. As she gets closer to discovering what the aliens actually want, her lethality becomes unmatched, and she soon learns the extent she'll go to in order to survive.

Link to Goodreads|  ~ Purchase Links:  Amazon

GUEST POST:
List your all time favorite literary characters and why you like them.

A few of my all-time favorite literary characters would be Elizabeth and Darcy from Pride and Prejudice. I never get tired of reading those two dance around each other, and they’re stellar examples of organic character growth. You’ll also find me on the Harry Potter bandwagon. Harry is such a great character because he embodies courage, which is a trait I admire in anyone, fictional or not. Finally, I have to add Ender Wiggin to the list, because Card did such a masterful job creating a true leader that not only inspires the other characters in his story, but living, breathing readers also. 
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Xela Culletto loves all genres, but especially loves to geek out to sci-fi and fantasy. She currently lives in Utah with her husband and three children.
Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

​The Tour Schedule Linl:
http://www.chapter-by-chapter.com/tour-schedule-girl-vs-by-x-culletto/  ​

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