DYSTOPIAN GIVEAWAY HOP #Win Altered by Jennifer Rush

Welcome to the DYSTOPIAN Giveaway Hop

This hop is hosted by 

I Am A Reader 
My Shelf Confessions


There are around 90 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts November 1st and ends on November 7th,  midnight. 


HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

 

(click on the cover for more information.

Want to win this  book?

Ends 11/7/12
US only,  PO Boxes OK!  

Open only to those who can legally enter

Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary.

You must be 18 or older to enter .

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 BookHounds and sponsored by me.

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

$25 Giveaway Review JUST ELLA by ANNETTE LARSEN @AnnetteKLarsen @toobusyreading

Tour Schedule

Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen Book 

Summary: A Proper Romance Ariella was only looking for a distraction, something to break up the monotony of palace life. What she found was a young man willing to overlook her title and show her a new and vibrant way of life. But when her growing feelings for Gavin spiral out of control and clash with the expectations of her station, she will discover that the consequences of her curiosity are far more severe than she’d imagined. I watched in helpless horror as two guards hauled Gavin to his feet and dragged him from the room. My voice was frozen, unable to protest as another guard took hold of my arm, leading me upstairs. From the confines of my room, I stared into the darkness beyond my window, hoping to catch one more glimpse of Gavin. He was gone, and I wondered if he would have been better off if he had never met me. I write clean romance. Why? Because that’s what I love to read, but over the years I’ve discovered it’s quite a challenge to find good clean romance. I believe it’s a genre that many people are looking for and too few authors are writing. My first novel, Just Ella, took me many years to write because I wanted it to be more than just a cutesy love story. I wanted it to have depth, to feel genuine. Hopefully I succeeded, but you’ll have to be the judge.

Amazon Paperback * Amazon Kindle

Praise for Just Ella

"I fell in love with this book. Treat yourself to something wonderful. You can't go wrong with Just Ella!" ~Inspired Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

 "By far one of the best romance novels I've ever read. Pulls you in with great, likable characters and keeps you going with a sweet and exciting love story--plus a good plot to give it even more substance. Full of those tender moments you want to go back and read again, plus exciting moments, clever humor, and some suspense as well." ~Jana Miller

 "Annette Larsen writes a love story that takes time, is complicated, and yet still sweeps you up in the romance (without the cheese, thank you). It's compelling and emotional and sweet and you will love every page." ~Kimi  

Book Blast/Blog Tour Special

Grab your copy of Just Ella for just $4.99!

Buy it now since the special ends on October 31.

  Author Annette K. Larsen I

 was born in Utah, but grew up in Flagstaff Arizona and St. Louis Missouri, the fifth of seven children. I attended college at Southern Virginia University and Brigham Young University where I studied English and Theater. I now live in Idaho with my husband and four children. I have Charlotte Bronte to thank for the courage to write novels. After being bombarded with assigned reading about women who justified abandoning either their families or their principles in the name of love, I had the great fortune of reading Jane Eyre. And that was it: finally a heroine who understood that being moral and making the right choice was hard, and sometimes it hurt, but it was still worth it. After rereading it several years later, I realized that if I wanted more books to exist with the kinds of heroines I admired, then I might as well write a few myself. My books are about women who face hard choices, who face pain and rejection and often have to sacrifice what they want for what is right. The consequences are often difficult or unpleasant, but it the end, doing what’s right will always be worth it. I believe there is no substitute for good writing or good chocolate. Fortunately, one often leads to the other.  

Website * Twitter * Facebook

SOURCE:  AUTHOR

MY THOUGHTS

ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT

Ella isn't a typical princess, she doesn't want to do as she is told and behave in a manor becoming to the throne.  She is intensely curious and that curiosity tends to get her in trouble. While spying on people in the garden maze, she decides to climb a tree in order to get a better view and gets stuck.  One of the gardeners helps her down and befriends her.  Gavin seems to find her amusing and although she lies to him about her background, he sees right through it and calls her out on it.  Their interactions are sweet, romantic and quite often humorous.  

Of course, like all good fairy tales, there has to be something evil and that appears in her betrothed, Prince Jeshua.  Ella finds that she is to be married off to him after her sixteenth birthday and quickly enlists Gavin on various adventures.  When the king realizes that Gavin is becoming a fixture in his daughter's life, he sends him away.  Like all fairy tales, this one has a very happily ever after.  I really enjoyed the author's style and this book is what all teens (and parents) are looking for:  a fun and satisfying romance.  

Blog Tour Giveaway


 $25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

 Ends 11/5/13

 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, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


  a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spotlight & Excerpt RELIC by HEATHER TERRELL @soho_teen

Book Description

Publication Date: October 29, 2013

For fans of Game of Thrones and The Hunger Games: high fantasy and dystopia meet in this high-stakes tale of a civilization built on lies and the girl who single-handedly brings it down.When Eva’s twin brother, Eamon, falls to his death just a few months before he is due to participate in The Testing, no one expects Eva to take his place. She’s a Maiden, slated for embroidery classes, curtseys, and soon a prestigious marriage befitting the daughter of an Aerie ruler. But Eva insists on honoring her brother by becoming a Testor. After all, she wouldn’t be the first Maiden to Test, just the first in 150 years.

Eva knows the Testing is no dance class. Gallant Testors train for their entire lives to search icy wastelands for Relics: artifacts of the corrupt civilization that existed before The Healing drowned the world. Out in the Boundary Lands, Eva must rely on every moment of the lightning-quick training she received from Lukas—her servant, a Boundary native, and her closest friend now that Eamon is gone.

But there are threats in The Testing beyond what Lukas could have prepared her for. And no one could have imagined the danger Eva unleashes when she discovers a Relic that shakes the Aerie to its core.

http://www.relicthebook.com/

Prologue

          Eamon throws his axe into the ice above his head.  He hits a perfect depression in the wall, and the ice grips his axe.  Pulling up hard, he kicks the bear-claw toes of his climbing boots into the ice a few feet higher up.  Like some kind of arctic cat, he scales the frozen Ring. 
          He repeats the practiced motion, over and over.  Each time, Eamon makes sure to insert an ice screw level with his waist and secure his rope to it.  Just a precaution should he fall.  Not that he ever has.
          Bit by painstaking bit, the top of the Ring nears.  Although he knows he shouldn’t, that it goes against the primary rule of ice climbing, Eamon can’t resist: He looks down at the hundreds of feet of sheer ice below him. 
          Even in the dim moonlight, the site amazes him.  The Ring is a near-perfect, mountainous circle of ice at the center of this last remaining land above the seas, New North.  The view makes the risk of climbing -- punishable by exile into the Boundary-lands -- worthwhile, he thinks.  That, and the edge it will provide him in the Tests. 
          Eamon looks back up.  Despite the cramps in his hands and calves, he smiles a little.  Only a few feet left to the summit.  Just one more swing of his axe, and he’ll be standing on the peak, staring down at New North.   
          He drives his axe hard into a concavity in the ice.   But Eamon is too hasty.  For the first time in his life, he misreads the ice.  The axe doesn’t hold.  It slips out of the giant wall of ice.  
          Sliding backwards, he plummets twelve feet.  He bounces off sharp outcroppings that lacerate his skin.  His descent is stopped only by an ice screw, his rope, and his harness.  Dangling upside down in the frigid midnight air, hundreds of feet from the ground, he starts to pull himself upright on his rope.  Just as he manages to right himself, he sees that his rope is frayed.
          How, Eamon can’t imagine.  He had made the rope himself with sealskin, and was certain of its strength.  But really, the reason doesn’t matter.  All that matters is how he’ll climb the remaining twenty feet with an injured body and a worthless rope.
          He begins to unhook himself from his harness, and the slight pressure makes the rope unravel further.  Just before it snaps and yanks him down with it, he swings his axe into the ice.  Shaking and bleeding, he clings to the face of the ice wall with only his axes and his bear-claw boots.  He has no choice but to climb back up, this time creeping inch by inch.  
          Stupid.  He should never have risked the Ring, no matter the advantage gained for the Tests.  He needs to win the Archon spot, to make sure he can act on what he’s learned, but he didn’t need to try the Ring.  Because of his cockiness and thirst for glory, he now stands to lose everything, whether by death or exile.  The Tests are not worth his life.  And this is not worth what it will do to Eva. 
          He sees the summit.  As he plans out how he’ll hoist his damaged body over the lip, a silhouette of a figure appears against the backdrop of the moon.  Instinct tells him to scale back down; he doesn’t want to face the Ring-guards and certain exile.  But he knows his only chance of survival is surrender.
          “Over here,” he calls out.
          The figure moves toward him, leans toward the edge, and stretches out a hand.
          Eamon leaves one of his axes in the ice so he can reach out his hand.  “Thank the Gods, you’re here.”
          As the figure clasps Eamon’s hand, his face becomes clear.  
          “What are you doing out here?”  Eamon asks, too confused to be scared.        
          “I’m so sorry, Eamon.  You were never meant to make it this far.”
          The figure lets go.  And Eamon falls from the Ring into the darkness.

About the Author
HEATHER TERRELL worked as a commercial litigator in New York City for over ten years before trying her hand at writing. After publishing three historical novels -- The Chrysalis, The Map Thief, and Brigid of Kildare -- she turned her attention to the realm of young adults. Terrell is also the author of the acclaimed 'Fallen Angel' series. She lives in Pittsburgh with her family.

Goodreads * Website * Facebook *  

Review BANG by Lisa McMann @SimonPulse @Lisa_McMann

Bang by Lisa McMann

Book Description

Publication Date: October 8, 2013

Series: Visions Book #2

• 
  

What Sawyer’s seeing might mean murder. The second book in a series from the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy.

Jules should be happy. She saved a lot of people’s lives and she’s finally with Sawyer, pretty much the guy of her dreams. But the nightmare’s not over, because she somehow managed to pass the psycho vision stuff to Sawyer. Excellent.

Feeling responsible for what he’s going through and knowing that people’s lives are at stake, Jules is determined to help him figure it all out. But Sawyer’s vision is so awful he can barely describe it, much less make sense of it. All he can tell her is there’s a gun, and eleven ear-splitting shots. Bang.

Jules and Sawyer have to work out the details fast, because the visions are getting worse and that means only one thing: time is running out. But every clue they see takes them down the wrong path. If they can’t prevent the vision from happening, lives will be lost. And they may be among the casualties…

About the Author

Lisa McMann is the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake trilogy, Cryer’s Cross, Dead to You, the Visions series, and the middle grade dystopian fantasy series The Unwanteds. She lives with her family in the Phoenix area. Read more about Lisa and find her blog through her website at LisaMcMann.com or, better yet, find her on Facebook (Facebook.com/McMannFan) or follow her on Twitter (@Lisa_McMann).





Source:  Publisher

My THOUGHTS
LOVED IT

Bang picks up a few weeks after Crash and Jules is no longer seeing horrendous visions of death except now Sawyer has the sight.  Instead of seeing the death, he hears eleven shots and vaguely describes a school shooting to Jules.  Of course, Jules is on restriction after crashing the Meat Ball (food truck), and no longer has a cell phone, so their connections have to take place at school.  Sawyer does manage to get a prepaid cell phone to Jules so the pair can talk and text when they need to without their parents knowing.

Jules enlists the help of her siblings, Trey and Rowan, to figure out where Sawyer's vision takes place, but the vision is coming more often which means time is running out.   Sawyer sees certain trees in the background which helps them narrow down the location to a college. This is fast paced and will have your heart racing as they try to figure out the locations and see if they can save the potential eleven victims.

I really enjoyed this story and centered around a school shooting that seems ripped out of the headlines and with an undercurrent of social commentary that is going on today.  The whole theme is so true that it seems it happened someplace recently.  The ending left open another installment and I really can't wait to see where this takes these kids.  I can't explain too much of it since it would give away a lot of the plot.

Disclosure  I received this book from the publisher at no charge and in no way influenced my review.  If you are considering purchasing this book or anything else from Amazon, please use my link above since I earn a very small percentage of the sale which helps pay for shipping my giveaways!  

Giveaway UNHINGED by AG HOWARD BLOG TOUR STOP 6 @aghowardwrites @RockstarBkTours

WELCOME TO TOUR STOP #6

THERE IS AN EXTRA GIVEAWAY 

 BE SURE TO ENTER BOTH!

Alyssa Gardner has been down the rabbit hole and faced the bandersnatch. She saved the life of Jeb, the guy she loves, and escaped the machinations of the disturbingly seductive Morpheus and the vindictive Queen Red. Now all she has to do is graduate high school and make it through prom so she can attend the prestigious art school in London she's always dreamed of.

That would be easier without her mother, freshly released from an asylum, acting overly protective and suspicious. And it would be much simpler if the mysterious Morpheus didn’t show up for school one day to tempt her with another dangerous quest in the dark, challenging Wonderland—where she (partly) belongs.

As prom and graduation creep closer, Alyssa juggles Morpheus’s unsettling presence in her real world with trying to tell Jeb the truth about a past he’s forgotten. Glimpses of Wonderland start to bleed through her art and into her world in very disturbing ways, and Morpheus warns that Queen Red won’t be far behind.

If Alyssa stays in the human realm, she could endanger Jeb, her parents, and everyone she loves. But if she steps through the rabbit hole again, she'll face a deadly battle that could cost more than just her head.

Links:

Goodreads/Amazon/Barnes & Noble

About A.G. Howard

A.G. Howard was inspired to write SPLINTERED while working at a school library. She always wondered what would've happened had the subtle creepiness of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland taken center stage, and she hopes her darker and funkier tribute to Carroll will inspire readers to seek out the stories that won her heart as a child.

When she's not writing, A.G.'s pastimes are reading, rollerblading, gardening, and family vacations which often include impromptu side trips to 18th century graveyards or condemned schoolhouses to appease her overactive muse.

Website/Blog/Twitter/Facebook/Tumblr/Pinterest/Goodreads

Tour Schedule:

10/21/2013         Pages From My Thoughts            

10/22/2013         Fiction Freak      

10/23/2013         The White Unicorn

10/24/2013         Icey Books- Character Naming Contest          

10/25/2013         The Cover Contessa        

10/26/2013         Book Hounds      Extra Giveaway

10/28/2013         Reading Teen     

10/29/2013         Book Haven Extraordaire   Extra Giveaway

10/30/2013         The Lifelong Bookworm                

10/31/2013         Two Chicks on Books       Extra Giveaway

11/1/2013            Fiktshun               

11/2/2013            I am a Reader     Extra Giveaway

Giveaway Details:

12 ARC’s of UNHINGED Domestic Only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Welcome to stop #6…

Graveyards are creepy, anyway you look at it. Here in the human realm, tombs can be anywhere from disturbingly beautiful, to gruesome and eccentric:

Even strolling through a typical cemetery can leave you unsettled…

Probably because there’s nothing typical about death. Which is an interesting paradox, since it’s in fact universal, inevitable, and always nipping at our heels.

One would think, in an atypical, magical place like Wonderland, you could escape death. But not so. The difference is, there’s no “resting in peace” there, unless you happen to land in Sister One’s crystallized rose garden. Just make sure you’re an agreeable spirit, otherwise this is what you have to look forward to:

Stuffed inside a threadbare, worm-eaten toy for all eternity, and tended by an ill-tempered eight-legged dictator named Sister Two.

Believe me you don’t want to know what’s under that glove on her left hand … or her right one, for that matter. Then again, you’ll find out soon enough, once you read Unhinged. If you’re squeamish, be prepared to squirm.

(Picture attributions: Sleep Eternal by roujo; Capuchin Tomb by Adam Comerford; Tombs by Guillen Perez; Arachne By Daniel Rocal; Creepy Dummy by Owen Lin; Doll by ryanophilly; Decayed teddy bear by Scorpions and Centaurs)

In honor of Wonderland’s Garden of Souls and its haunted toys, we’re giving away this morbidly lovely jack-in-the-box print:

Claustrophobia by Tanya Mayers; Size: 8.3" x 11. 7"

For a chance to win, you can either leave a comment below about what toy creeps you out the most, or send us some cool, decaying and eerie toy pictures via pinterest using @SPLINTERED by A.G. Howard as the recipient.

 If you do both, you get extra entries. Use the rafflecopter below, and we’ll choose a winner randomly out of everyone.

Good luck, and can’t wait to see what you come up with!

We’re taking Sunday off, but be sure to hang out with us on Monday when we give you a sneak peek into the creepy “sounds” of Unhinged.

Also, if you haven’t yet, take time to enter the other rafflecopter below for a chance to win one of 12 UNHINGED ARCs.

Have a great rest of the weekend!

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Giveaway Interview EGYPT RISING by STAN SCHATT @StanSchatt @toobusyreading #BlogTour

Tour Schedule

Egypt Rising Some ancient secrets should remain buried. An American teenager in Cairo finds herself in the middle of the Egyptian revolution fleeing militant Islamic extremists. She leads her worst enemy and the boy she thinks about much too often on the adventure of a lifetime. When she discovers an ancient artifact that was buried for thousands of years, she learns that very powerful people will stop at nothing, including murder, to learn the secrets of a long-dead civilization.  

Amazon

Praise for Egypt Rising

From the first page, and quite possibly the first sentence, I was hooked on this refreshingly different YA read that is suitable and enjoyable for all ages! ~Dii




  Author Stan Schatt

 Stan Schatt has written thirty books on a wide variety of topics including a chapter book for children, a YA novel, biographies of Michael Connelly and Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., and books on technology and career changing. His love for teaching is reflected in outstanding teaching awards he received from the University of Southern California and DeVry Institute of Technology. Rather than having one career, Schatt has had several. He has worked as an autopsy assistant, an English professor, a software trainer, a law enforcement administrator, a market research executive, and a sales manager.

Website * Twitter * Goodreads

PLEASE WELCOME STAN TO BOOKHOUNDS ya 

1. What is the first book you remember reading by yourself as a child?

I'm sure I read plenty of Dick and Jane books, but one book that I distinctly remember was Brother from the Stars, a book about an alien who becomes close friends with a boy.


2. What are you reading right now?

I just started reading Nelson DeMille's The Quest.


3. How does your garden grow?

Actually I'm lucky enough to live in San Diego, so my garden grows very well. We live near the coast, so the moisture keeps plants well watered and boy do the bloom!



4. What is the last thing you Googled?

I Googled one of my favorite quotes from Sir Francis Bacon to make sure I got it right. I like his idea that Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed , and some few to be chewed and digested.



5. What makes you cringe?


Hypocritical politicians, particularly "talking heads" who spout talking points that you know are wrong. I feel like shouting at the TV, but it wouldn't do any good.

  Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/4/13


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, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

HAUNTED OPEN HOUSE GIVEAWAY BLOG HOP

Welcome to the HAUNTED OPEN HOUSE Giveaway Hop

This hop is hosted by 

Nancy Gideon (HERE)


  There are around 50 blogs participating and each has their own entry rules and geographic limits, so be sure to read the rules for each one.  This hop starts October 23rd and ends on October 30th,  midnight. 

HERE IS WHAT I HAVE FOR ONE LUCKY WINNER:

Want to win this  book?

Ends 10/30/13

US only,  PO Boxes OK!  

Open only to those who can legally enter

Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary.

You must be 18 or older to enter .

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 BookHounds and sponsored by me.

VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giveaway Excerpt THE TEMPTATION OF LILA AND ETHAN by JESSICA SORENSEN @ForeverRomance @jessFallenStar

The Temptation of Lila and Ethan  by Jessica Sorensen


On the surface, Lila Summers is flawless: good looks, expensive clothes, and a big, beautiful smile. But a dark past and even darker secrets are threatening to bubble over her perfect façade. She'll do anything to keep the emptiness inside hidden-which leads her into situations that always end badly. Whenever she hits bottom, there's only one person who's there to pull her out: Ethan Gregory.

Ethan set the rules a long time ago: he and Lila are just friends. He doesn't do relationships. Although his tattooed, bad boy exterior is a far cry from Lila's pretty princess image, Ethan can't deny they have a deeper connection than he's used to. If he's not careful, he could be in serious danger of becoming attached-and he's learned the hard way that attachment only leads to heartbreak.

When Lila falls farther than she ever has before, can Ethan continue to help as a friend? Or is he also getting close to falling . . . for her

Buy links:

Barnes & Noble  * Amazon 

EXCERPT 

“Why is this bothering you so much?”

“It’s not,” she snaps, turning her back to me. “I was just wondering why. That’s all.”

I stare at the back of her head as she rests her chin on her knees, staring out at the desert land. “It seems like you’re bothered,” I point out.

Her shoulders lift and descend as she shrugs. “If you leave, then I’ll be alone.” She mutters it so quietly I can barely hear her.

I’m silent for a while, unsure what to say or if there’s anything I can say—want to say. “You can come with me.” It slips out and I want to smack myself on the head. Taking her with me would defeat the purpose of escaping the noise and people, yet at the same time I know I’d miss her if I left her behind.

She glances over her shoulder with skepticism on her face. “Could you imagine me living in your truck, because I sure as heck can’t.”

“Why not?” Again, what the hell is wrong with my mouth? Why can’t I just let it go? She’s giving me such an easy out to a huge commitment I shouldn’t be taking.

“Because.”

“That’s the silliest reason I’ve ever heard.”

“Because I don’t understand why anyone would want to take off from a city where you have everything at hand and live in a truck where you have nothing but a backseat. It’s pretty much like being homeless.”

I kneel behind her, inching close to her, then hesitantly place my hand on her shoulder. “Shut your eyes.”

She leans away, like I’m scaring her. “Why? ”

“Because I’m going to prove what’s so awesome about my idea.” I wait for her to do what I ask and she stubbornly drags it on for longer than necessary, then finally surrenders and turns

around.

“Fine.” Her voice softens a little. “Show me what’s so great about a backseat.”

“There’s a lot of great things about a backseat,” I joke in a low voice, and then dip my lips toward her ear and whisper, “Now shut your eyes.”

I expect her to argue, but she very willingly obeys, shutting her eyes the second I utter the words. I shut mine, too, but only because being so close to her, breathing in her scent, feeling the warmth emitting from her body is driving my body into a frenzy.

“Now picture nothing but mountains,” I say softly, picturing it myself. “No city. No noise. No crazy-ass parents who act like children and treat their children like shit. No nothing. Just the quiet.”

“It seems like an awfully lonely place, if you ask me,” she tells me. “Just me and the dirt and the quiet. Although I wouldn’t mind the being without the parents part.”

“You wouldn’t be completely alone.” I sweep her head to the side and rest my chin on her shoulder. “You’d be with me.”

She pauses for an eternity and her breathing is ragged. Or maybe it’s mine. “What would we do at this mountain place together?” she says.

“Anything we wanted.”

“Hike?” There’s disdain in her voice.

“Maybe,” I say. “Or maybe we’d just sit and enjoy each other’s company in the quiet.”

She shifts her weight and situates her hands underneath her legs, leaning back against my chest. “That kind of sounds nice.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

As strange as it is, and as much of a pain in the ass asLila can be, I can actually picture us sitting together up on the mountains in the noiselessness, living in my truck, driving anywhere and everywhere. Together. And the comfort in the idea is kind of frightening because it means I’m thinking about

our future. Together. Shit.

I think about moving away from her, putting a little space between us because obviously I’m heading down a road I shouldn’t be headed down. The dream of living on the road has always been one I’d planned to live out alone and now suddenly I’m telling Lila she should come with me. God knows

what would happen between us if we lived in a truck with one another. We’d either grow really close or end up hating each other. Or maybe both. But I can’t bring myself to move and break the peaceful moment. So instead I sit down and wrap my legs and arms around her and we just sit there in the sun, enjoying each other in the quiet.

Author Bio:

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jessica Sorensen, lives in the snowy mountains of Wyoming. When she's not writing, she spends her time reading and hanging out with her family.

Blog *  Twitter * Facebook * Goodreads

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Giveaway Guest Post MICHAEL PIERCE author of SUSY ASYLUM & PROVEX CITY @MrPierceBooks @candacemom2two

Tour Schedule

SUSY ASYLUM (book #2) 

In SUSY Asylum, there is no release. There is no escape. No hope.

Oliver and Desiree are introduced to the writings of a mysterious blogger, Commodore Chaos, when they return to Provex City to indulge in what the sublime city has to offer. The blogger claims the Lornes are collecting people venturing between the higher planes of awareness and locking them away in a mythical asylum. But are these legitimate concerns for inter-plane travelers or just the ramblings of an anonymous conspiracy blogger?


Oliver looks to Provex City as his only connection to his father while Desiree looks to the city as an escape from the torment of losing her best friend again. Provex City is a wonder of beautiful treasures, entrancing them to continue returning. But behind the beauty, wolves have continued hunting Oliver, a boy who is still unaware of his importance in the rebellion.
Oliver's belief is waning. Desiree will not always be by his side. Mr. Gordon will not always come to his aid. Oliver finds himself alone, forced to confront his biggest fears, fight his inner demons, and face the very cold reality that no one is coming to save him.
Welcome to SUSY Asylum.

Find the book: Goodreads

Provex City (book #1)

Fifteen-year-old Oliver Grain begins his school year fighting off bullies, learning about the boy who committed suicide in his room, and trying to understand why his history teacher, Mr. Gordon, has taken such a personal interest in him.

Do you believe in ghosts? Do you believe you can make bullies simply disappear? Do you believe you can walk through walls?

Mr. Gordon tells Oliver: "When you truly believe anything is possible, you will be able to open doors where there were only walls." And one of those doors leads Oliver to Provex City, which puts him in far greater danger than he can possibly fathom.

Find it on Goodreads.

About Michael Pierce:

I believe in a future where I will be able to write full-time, a picture I already hold vividly in my mind. It all starts with my debut young adult novel, Provex City. I love Harry Potter & The Marbury Lens, Tool & Elliott Smith, Dexter & Donnie Darko, bold coffee & amber ale. I also love dabbling with writing music and recording, with no illusions of ever making it a career. I am ecstatically married and the lucky father to a beautiful baby girl.

Find the author: Website/Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

PLEASE WELCOME MICHAEL TO BOOKHOUNDS ya 

I graduated for California State University, Fullerton, with a business management degree. I picked that because I didn’t know what else to do. I didn’t really feel like I had a calling yet. I’d written many short stories up through high school, but I didn’t honestly consider creative writing for a profession. I took almost every introductory course the school offered, figuring that if I dabbled in enough subjects, then something would strike a chord. What I found was I loved creative writing and music, but neither one would land me a job when I graduated (or so I thought at the time). Going into business management seemed like a safe and logical thing to do, so that’s what I did.

CSUF had a good business program and I enjoyed my time there, but it didn’t feel like the true college experience I saw in shows and movies. It was nothing like an Ivy League school filled with history, grand traditions, and gothic buildings. It was mostly a commuter school with little to no striking architecture. To get more involved I rushed Sigma Nu Fraternity, joined the ranks, and attended the parties. The colorful interactions, conflicting personalities, brotherhood obligations, and inter-Greek System drama gave me a plethora of experience and material for writing YA, many of the teen interactions that I missed out on in high school. If I could go back and redo my college years, I’d definitely pick a different major (like creative writing!), but I’d rush all over again.

I know I can’t leave here without mentioning my two spastic Chiweenies: Bugsy and Violet. So for those of you who don’t know, Chiweenies are Dachshund/Chihuahua mixes. Bugsy is the tan one—has the ears and long body of a Dachshund—and is afraid of his own shadow. Violet is the black one—has the ears and skittish temperament of a Chihuahua—and is ready to wrestle coyotes. Bugsy shakes; Violet strikes. Bugsy is extremely selective of whom he’ll tolerate; Violet loves anyone who feeds her. They are complete opposites and make quite the entertaining team. One day I’d like to write a picture book series entitled The Amazing Misadventures of Bugsy & Violet. They can fight crime!

Thank you so much, Mary, for having me on your blog today.

LOOK!  ADORABLE CHIWEENIES!  

Also, I graduated from the same school, Cal State Fullerton, just like Michael, although I am sure I did so before he was born.

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$50 Giveaway THE BATTLE FOR ARCANON MAJOR by ALEXANDRA MAY @alexmayauthor @toobusyreading

The Battle for Arcanon Major “As daughter of our ruler I grew up in the crossfire of an ongoing war... All I’d ever wanted to be was a great warrior and ultimately lead my people into victorious battles." With only a small army at her command Halíka Dacomé, a skilled warrior and daughter of the Elemental King, is ready to lead one final battle to save her planet. A battle against the savage, bloodthirsty Primords who want to extinguish the diminished race of Elementals once and for all. But before battle commences her father is given an ultimatum from the enemy leader, Arfron Uhnok. If the king agrees, Halíka Dacomé must marry Arfron Uhnok to prevent further bloodshed. If the king disagrees they, as a race, will all perish. Horrified by her fathers decision Halíka Dacomé leads her army onward regardless of the consequences. Because her heart belongs to another. A love that blossomed many years ago. A love that her father has forbidden. Halíka faces her toughest battle yet and learns that not all battles are those fought with a sword... The Battle for Arcanon Major is an epic love story set against the backdrop of war and is the first Prequel to Elemental: The First.



Excerpt

“When you’re out there on the battlefield with your captains and your soldiers, when you fight, you are the strongest, toughest, fiercest woman I know. Sometimes you scare me at how hardened you are.” “But that’s just—” “No, I know what you’re going to say. I know it’s who you really are and I love that person. She’s someone I admire so much.” “What are you trying to say?” “I’m saying that I feel honoured that I get to see the real you. When you’re with me, you turn into this soft, beautiful, lighthearted woman whom I adore. That woman who stirs something inside me to a point that I can’t bear to be without her. I never see that woman with anyone else. Not Cary, not her brother, no one. Halíka, I think I know how you feel about me but—” He looked down at our hands, somewhat crestfallen. “But what?” “You never say it, Hal. I’ve never, ever heard you say the word. Not even with those closest to you.” “What word?” “Love,” he sighed and rested his hand on my cheek, cupping my face. “The word is love. Is Halíka Dacomé capable of such a thing?”


  Praise: "Excellent story. Plot line is great, definitely 2 thumbs up. Couldn't put it down, easy read, excellent prequel to the elemental. Would definitely recommend Alexandra May!!" 
"Amazing story had my attention the entire story it is hard to find a book like this, I definitely give it 5 stars."

 "Excellent short story. Plot line is great, definitely 2 thumbs up. Couldn't put it down, an easy read. Would definitely recommend Alexandra May!!"






   Alexandra May Alexandra May is an English author of three books, bringing together the epic saga of Halíka Dacomé and her modern day equivalent, Rose Frost. Elemental: The First, Elemental: Origin and The Battle for Arcanon Major draw in Alexandra's love of strong women characters, sci-fi, history, romance and a little warmongering on the side!










 

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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, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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