Slayers 2: Friends and Traitors by C.J. Hill

Slayers 2: Friends and Traitors

Author: C.J. Hill

Publisher: Feiwel and Friends

Published: October 15th, 2013

ISBN13: 9781250024619

Genre: YA Fantasy

Hardcover: 400 pages

Goodreads Summary

The Slayers – teens who have powers to fight dragons—are back by popular demand in this high-octane sequel, now with a new cover package!

Tori is at a White House dinner party when she hears a horrifying sound: dragon eggs hatching. It means in less than a year, the dragons will be mature and dangerous. The Slayers are well-trained, but their group is not yet complete, and Tori is determined to track down Ryker Davis, the mysterious Slayer who has yet to surface.

What Tori doesn’t bargain for, however, is the surprising truth about her powers: she isn’t a Slayer after all, but a Dragon Lord, with a built-in predisposition to protect dragons, not kill them.
How will she overcome this to save the lives of her friends?

My Review

Wow!  I was blown away by this book.  I loved how the author was able to catch me up quickly on what was going on.  (It had been awhile since I had read the first book.)  Right away I was pulled into this high-action, entertaining story.  I loved the little triangle between Tori, Jesse, and Dirk.  But what I loved most was that it wasn't the primary focus of the story.  I did think what I enjoyed most was the lessons these kids had to learn.  Many of them broke rules, which lead to some devastating events.  They knew they shouldn't have broken these rules, but didn't realize the effect it had on so many others.  This book definitely kept me on my toes, but I have to say I had a favorite chapter.  Chapter 32 was so cool.  I loved seeing the Slayers in action and being in Jesse's mind while he tried to work his way out of trouble.  Tori was also a favorite.  She has a lot of decisions to make.  Janette did a fabulous job with point of view changes.  I love a book with POV changes.  It makes the story more exciting.  Not only was chapter 32 amazing, but the last 150 pages are so intense, you won't be able to stop reading.   

5 out of 5 stars.  Even though many the author does a fabulous job of "back story", you will want to start your adventure with the first book. 

About the author: CJ Hill is a pen name for a YA author who is best known for writing romantic comedies. (Slayers will be her 18th published book.)  Her writing has shifted away from the romantic comedy genre, so her editor thought a pen name would be a good idea. (New books will include: dangerous dragons, time travel to dystopian worlds, and flesh-eating beetles.)   Since the publisher refused to let her have the pseudonym : The Artist Formerly Referred to as Princess, she chose a name to honor her mother.  CJ Hill was her mother’s pen name, or at least it would have been if her mother had published.  Her mother wrote a few children’s books and a middle grade novel but was taken by cancer before she had fully learned the craft.

(Most writers’ first novels aren’t publishable.  CJ Junior’s first novel wasn’t, but somehow was published anyway.  Now, even though it is out of print, it remains forever available on Amazon, where it taunts her with its badness.  This was another good reason to use a pen name.)

CJ Hill has five children, three of whom like her on any given day depending on who is in trouble.  She has lived in Arizona for the last half of her life, but is still in desert denial and hopes that one day her garden will grow silver bells and cockle shells or maybe just tomatoes.

Author Links 

website / blog / goodreads / macmillan / twitter

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

arbitrate & daynight by Megan Thomason -- Book Blast

arbitrate:

It's one year later. And everything has changed.

Remember The Second Chance Institute (SCI).

Earth’s benevolent non-profit by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. They’ve stepped up their game on Earth and on Thera—infiltrating political parties, preying on the downtrodden, and planning offensive maneuvers. The SCI’s abuse of their charter leads to Arbiter oversight and bitter consequences.

Remember Kira Donovan. Broken, burdened, and evading those who wish her harm, Kira enlists the Arbiters’ help when forced to return to the clutches of the SCI and her angry, estranged love.

Remember Blake Sundry. Exiled, determined, and packing an agenda, Blake seeks assistance on Earth and Thera to use his newfound knowledge to bring down the SCI.

Remember Ethan Darcton. Overworked, emotional, and holding a grudge, Ethan hunts down his stolen property, but finds himself in awkward territory, stuck between the Arbiters and the SCI.

Full of action, competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, arbitrate is Megan Thomason’s third installment in the award-winningdaynight series after daynight and clean slate complex (a daynight story).

 

Amazon

Praise for arbitrate: "There are a lot of books I finish and feel happy, this one I finished and my head is swirling, in a totally awesome way! Not only does it have a great story with characters that you like (and some you just hate as they are the enemy) but the book also gets you thinking, thinking about the implication of effects of different actions and courses in life. This story has action, fighting, plots and plans, romance, love triangles, family, betrayal - has it all." --Emily Barton, Emmy Mom One Day at a Time blog, 5 stars

"You have hit this one out of the park." --ARC Reviewer

"For the record, I LOVED Kira's choice!! And the whole thing just blew me away! Very, very well done!! Now when can I get my hands on generate?! Can't wait " --ARC Reviewer

"Read my ARC of Arbitrate and consider my mind blown! I started it the minute it was sent and couldn't put it down." --ARC Reviewer

daynight

Meet The Second Chance Institute (SCI): Earth's benevolent non-profit by day, Thera's totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because Everyone Deserves a Second Chance at Life(TM). Reality: the SCI subjects Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science experiments like Cleaving--forced lifetime union between two people who have sex. Punishment for disobeying SCI edicts? Immediate Exile or death.

Meet Kira Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that left her boyfriend and friends dead.

Meet Blake Sundry. Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother's death, Blake's been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to success? His Recruit partner--Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan.

Meet Ethan Darcton. Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex, Ethan's forced to do his SCI elite family's bidding. Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs.

Full of competing agendas, romantic entanglements, humor, twists and turns, daynight is an award-winning, bestselling novel and first in thedaynight series.  

Download a FREE copy of daynight

Available for FREE on Amazon

October 29th, 30th & 31st

Praise for daynight: 2012 Book of the Year Award Finalist-Young Adult Fiction, ForeWord Reviews "Sure to win over YA readers looking for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story" —Kirkus Reviews 

"Gripping young adult dystopian novel; compelling conflicts; high stakes; powerful narrative; surprises keep coming; strong writing; page-turner; engaging characters; Readers will be hungry for the sequels.”—BlueInk Review (starred review)

"Thomason's description of Thera's totalitarianism will make fans of Brave New World shiver... SCI, her fantasy corporation, has disturbing parallels to actual companies and regimes that claim to do good while harming people... The author deftly appeals to both romance-loving teens as well as those intrigued by young adults fighting the establishment.”—ForeWord Clarion Review, 4 stars  

arbitrate Excerpt:

“I’m angry at all of them. Every SCI leader. In fact Joshua gave me a list of those who are Earth-side. It makes for a great to-do list.”

They all deserve to pay.

I’m done talking. It’s time for some action. One thousand one. One thousand two. One thousand three. That’s all it takes to even out my breathing and steady my hand. I shift the crosshairs on my target ever so slightly—from his heart to his hand—and pull the trigger. My father would be proud that all his training paid off. Oh, who am I kidding? He’d find something to criticize about my work here. Sad that even though he’s gone I can hear him saying,

“If you’d hit a little to the left you’d have taken out a higher concentration of nerves.”

Tour Schedule

Author Megan Thomason Bestselling, award-winning author Megan Thomason lives in paradise aka San Diego, CA with her husband and five children. A former software manager, Megan vastly prefers writing twisted tales to business, product, and marketing plans. When she isn't typing away on her laptop, she's reading books on her phone--over 600 in the last year--or attending to the needs of her family. Megan's fluent in sarcasm, could potentially benefit from a 12-step program for road rage, struggles with a Hot Tamales addiction, loves world travel & fast cars and hates paperwork & being an insomniac.  

Website * Facebook * Goodreads * Twitter

BookBlast Giveaway $50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/18/13 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 http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

Order of the Seers by Cerece Rennie Murphy -- Book Blast

To post this Bookblast (html) and add your Social Media to the Rafflecopter, email Laura at BurgandyIce(at)Live.com with "Flash Bookblast" in the subject line!

  

Order of the Seers FLASH Bookblast!!  

Win $25 Amazon Gift Card below

What would you do if you held
infinite power
in the palm of your hand?

Order of the Seers begins with the journey of Liam and Lilith Knight, a brother and sister who are hunted by The Guild, a ruthless world organization that seeks to capture and exploit Lilith's unique ability as a Seer to envision the future. Soon after they are forced to leave their home, Lilith and Liam discover that she is not alone. Other Seers like Lilith are routinely kidnapped and enslaved by the Guild for the purpose of consolidating wealth and power around the world... see more on Goodreads

In The Red Order, Book II in the Order of the Seers Trilogy:

The Lost Seers embark upon a world-wide mission to save their kind from the tyranny of the Guild and unveil their greatest weapon -  Developed in secret, The Restoration Project has the potential to awaken the supernatural ability within every man, woman, and child on earth and bring down the very foundation of the Guild’s power and authority.

But the Guild has other plans. Driven by the necessity for control, Crane Le Dieu creates The Red Order... see more on Goodreads.

Buy: Direct from Author * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Order of the Seers

Chapter 1: The End

Sunday, June 22, 2008 

Liam was losing his patience. “Aw, come on! Are you serious? You can’t
want to ride this thing again!”

Instead of answering her older brother, Lilli remained in her seat as
the Ferris wheel conductor looked on expectantly, hand outstretched and
waiting for another two tokens.

The way Lilli’s skinny arms hugged her book bag while she stared
blankly at the pressed metal floor of their “Fairy Land Caboose” made it
hard for Liam to stay angry. The sight of her looking so dejected softened
him enough to give the conductor his fifth set of tokens in less than 45
minutes. Liam settled back into his seat just as the lap bar clamped down
uncomfortably against his thighs.

“Lilli, say something. Why’d you drag me out here if you were just gonna
sulk? I hate the carnival, you know that.”

“I know something… okay? Just… trust me. We have to stay here.” Her
voice was so low he could barely hear her over the wind-up music that was
blaring from the overhead speakers.

“Did Mom say something to you?”

Lilli responded to his question with silence and a barely discernable
shake of her head back and forth. He tried again.

“Lilli! Did Mom…?”

“Yes,” she snapped.

They both fell silent again as Liam took in the latest weird thing of the
day. Lilith Knight, or Lilli as she preferred to be called, had always been
strange. Even when she was five, she could beat Liam at chess lazily, without
even thinking about it. She would find things and give them to you before
you asked for them. Before you, or even she, knew why. Up until recently,
he thought she was just a freak. No biggie. All little sisters are like that, he told
himself.

It was only in the past few months that his perception of her began
to shift, after her prediction that he would catch his new girlfriend, Krista,
kissing his teammate Lance in the locker room after their championship
game. At the time, he’d brushed off her premonition as meddling. Krista
wasn’t even his girlfriend and his team was 1-1 with the whole basketball
season ahead of them.

He’d forgotten her warning completely until two months later when he
ran back into the locker room after winning the championship to get the
jacket he’d left behind and immediately smelled Krista’s perfume. When he
found them, two thoughts overshadowed the scene unfolding in front of
him. The first was that what they were doing wasn’t really “kissing,” though
he could see how a sheltered thirteen-year-old would describe it that way.
His second thought was that Lilli was right; she was exactly right. He was so
stunned by Lilli’s accuracy that he didn’t even bother to disturb them, leaving
his new ex-girlfriend and her new boyfriend to their business. From that
moment, Liam understood that Lilli wasn’t just a freak, or more accurately,
that she wasn’t a freak at all. She was special…gifted.

The sound of Lilli’s sniffling followed by the trembling of her body
as she began to cry uncontrollably broke the long silence that had fallen
between them. What the…, Liam half-mumbled as his mind swung from
irritation to absolute bewilderment. Slowly and deliberately, Liam moved his
palms down the front of his face as he fought the urge to shake the truth
right out of her and end whatever this was. But he couldn’t. She’s so brittle
already, he thought, without any idea as to why. So instead, he reached out
to envelop his sister in his arms, trying to soothe her and comfort her from
some unknown force.

“Lilli, it’s all right. I’m sorry, okay? Don’t cry. Just… tell me what’s going
on. Why are we here?”

Continue Chapter 1 of Order of the Seers HERE.  Read Chapter 1-2 of The Red Order HERE.

My name is Cerece Rennie Murphy, but, among my 5 siblings, I am known and teased by my superhero name, Wonder Worry, (and yes, I am a little worried about your reaction to what I just said). While in my youth, I used my superpower to whip minor setbacks into epic tragedies in 60 seconds flat, I no longer have the time to hone the skills I once possessed, which were handed down to me VERY CAREFULLY by my mother and her mother before. 

Instead of spending my days imagining worst case scenarios, I am now on the front lines of true disaster prevention – treading the fine line between boo-boos and permanent brain damage, fighting crimes of curiosity, omission, absent-mindedness and sleep deprivation. I carry others down the winding, bumpy road of youth that starts out at the nexus of unique and brilliant but intersects with narcissistic serial killer at some distant point I hope fervently to avoid. As you might have guessed, I am a wife and mother of 2 small children. Luckily, my family lights up the sky so I never stumble too hard or lose my way.

I would lament the luxury of needless worry, but alas, I don’t have the energy. As I write this, I am losing a battle fought between my trusty sponge and a hardened glob of half-eaten cheese that traveled from the kitchen to the living room rug in the palm of a very small, but mischievous hand. Its stronghold on the fibers suggests occupancy of at least 2 days, but I’ll never know for sure. Rather than despair, I’ve chosen to retreat to my keyboard, noting that I have won the war - most of the rug is un-cheesed. 

Before I worried. Now, I write. 

I look forward to slowly, quietly, in my own shy way, becoming a part of this community. If you would like to get to know me and my work a bit better, you can visit me... 

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Blog * Google + * LinkedIn * Pinterest * Goodreads

Join The Ominous Tour December 10 - 25 with Prism Book Tours

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Giveaway:
October 27 - November 10

Re-Usable Bag

1 Winner - Gift Package: Re-Usable Bag, Bookmark and signed print copies of Order of the Seers & The Red Order (US only)
1 Winner -  $25 Gift Card
5 Winners - eCopy of Order of the Seers
5 Winners - eCopy of The Red Order

International Giveaway (except "Gift Package"), must be able to receive winnings, must be 18 or older to enter. See additional restrictions in Rafflecopter.

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Consider the Blessings by President Thomas S. Monson -- Blog Tour

Consider the Blessings: True Account of God's Hand in Our Lives

President Thomas S. Monson

Publisher: Deseret Book

Published: September 24th, 2013

ISBN13: 9781609077167

Genre: Religious non-fiction

Hardcover: 160 pages

FTC FYI: Received a hardcover copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.


Summary

If you ask people what they love most about President Thomas S. Monson’s teaching style, chances are they’ll say something about the personal experiences he relates. The accounts President Monson shares are always true, taken from his own life or the real lives of other people. Those warm, memorable accounts have truly become a hallmark of his messages.

Who can forget the woman who saved one of the two sticks of gum Elder Monson passed out to youth in postwar Germany? Or the neighbor who returned a box of baseballs to young Tommy as a thank-you for his kindness to her? Or the father who declined to attend a “Mormon” meeting with his family but had his heart softened by a message he heard on a radio that was actually broken?

In celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of his call as an Apostle, Consider the Blessings presents fifty of the true accounts President Thomas S. Monson has shared over the years. With beautiful photographs and heart-touching content, this is a book to treasure with the whole family.

My Review

This book is so beautiful.  The pictures and the layout are gorgeous.  It is a treasure.  I loved this book.  I loved reading the stories of President Monson's that I have enjoyed throughout the years and reading some I wasn't familiar with.  I did know most of them though.  President Monson is a gifted storyteller. I had his voice in my mind while I reading.  I imagined his sweet voice and sense of humor throughout.

I never cease to be amazed by now the Lord can motivate and direct the length of breadth of His kingdom and yet have time to provide inspiration concerning one individual.  

~Thomas S. Monson

5 out of 5 stars.  I will be sharing these beloved stories again with my family during Family Home Evening.

Author Links

LDS.org

Purchase Links

Deseret Book / Amazon / Seagull Book 

Mormon Origami by Todd Huisken

Mormon Origami

Author: Todd Huisken

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Published: October 8th, 2013

ISBN: 9781462113392

Paperback: 85 pages

FTC FYI: Received a paperback copy from the publisher for an honest review.

Backcover Summary

There are more things to make from Sunday meeting programs than airplanes and fortune tellers:  now your kids can fold CTR shields, pioneer handcarts or the Salt Lake Temple.

Mormon Origami provide 25 simple to intermediate origami designs from the Book of Mormon and Church history.  These designs can be sued by teachers and parents as lesson handouts or family night activities to help children be reverent.  This unique skill will entertain and help illustrate principles as you include these gospel-oriented designs in  your lesson, activities, and everyday fun.

My Review

I jumped at the chance to review this book.  When it arrived, my middle daughter went straight to it.  She was definitely able to do some of the Level 1 examples, but had a harder time with the higher levels.  We did not use origami paper, but did cut her paper the way the book told her.  She thought it was a little challenging, but said that is what she enjoyed most about it.  I failed miserably at it the origami the first time I tried, but I will prevail!  What I loved most though, was the "Did you Know" questions and trivia in the book.

This book is a great idea for Family Home Evening projects and something fun to do anytime.  Little ones will need help, but it will be a great way to spend time together.

Purchase Links

Amazon / Cedar Fort / Deseret Book 

A Light in Dark Places by Emily Gray Clawson & Jennifer Graves -- Book Blast

A Light in Dark Places

In December, 2009, Susan Cox Powell was reported missing from her home in West Valley City, Utah. As law enforcement tried to piece together what had happened to Susan, her husband, Josh Powell, became the only person of interest in the case. For Jennifer Graves, Josh’s sister, the nightmare started long before Susan’s disappearance. From her experiences growing up in the Powell family to the terrifying moment when she first started to believe her brother was a killer, she relied on her faith to stay strong. She devoted herself to the safety of Susan’s boys, Charlie and Braden, whom she hoped to be able to raise as her own. When the boys were murdered by their father in February, 2012, Jennifer was more than devastated, but she had to believe there was a reason for it all—including the deaths of her beloved nephews. In A Light In Dark Places, Jennifer shares her struggles and her triumphs. In coming to terms with such tragedy she finally was able to embrace the truth that we all have the power to choose our own path—and there is always hope, no matter how dark things may seem.

Website * Amazon * Barnes & Noble

Praise for A Light in Dark Places

I just finished reading "A Light in Dark Places" By Jennifer Graves and Emily Gray Clawson. I was impressed with how well written the book was. The descriptions are such that I felt I was part of the story. I was grateful that the message was one of hope and peace in tragedy. The book does tell the tale of Susan Powell, her boys and their demise but doesn't dwell on it. It was nice to see inside the life experiences of someone so close to them and to see things from Jennifer's perspective rather than what you see on the media. I highly recommend this book. It doesn't disappoint!

~T. Hyde I love true accounts of people overcoming challenges and helping others with the lessons learned from them. This story of Jennifer's experiences throughout her abusive childhood, and later the disappearance of Susan and the murder of her two sweet nephews is just that. She shares how she felt God's hand in her life, guiding her to make better choices than the rest of her family did. Though the book had so many sad details, it ended with hope, courage and love.

~D. Raymond I had followed the story of Susan Powell very closely so I wasn't sure if the book was going to tell me something I didn't already know...but it sure did. Jennifer was very brave in writing this book and all she had done in support for Susan. I highly recommend the book it sheds a light on the whole situation that helps make things more clear.

~ Carolyn This was a very informative read. I lived in Utah at the time of Susan's disappearance and followed the news every day. This book answered many questions that the news did not. Although it was very sad and I already knew the outcome it was a good read. I admire Jennifer for her part in the whole story and I am glad she had the fortitude to write this book to honor her sister in law. 


~Katie O. To finally read about details that were never shared brought closure for me about this insidious crime. While the book was an easy read, the message shared about breaking the cycle of abusive relationships is invaluable. It truly does take someone removing themselves from their abusive family's presence to stop the cycle. Praises to the author for sharing her perspectives. ~Arlene     Jennifer Graves is the mother of 5 beautiful children, 2 girls and 3 boys. She and her husband have been happily married for 19 years and together have been active in their community and church. Jennifer is the sister of Josh Powell who killed his 2 sons, Charlie and Braden, as well as himself in February of 2012, and is also believed to have killed his wife, Susan Cox Powell, in December of 2009. She is the recipient of the 2013 ChainBreaker of the year Award, given for breaking the chain of abuse and violence in her family. She enjoys homeschooling their children and mentoring in classes for the commonwealth school they attend. She also loves reading, playing card and board games, and learning new things. Most of all she loves to spend time with her husband and children. They currently reside in West Jordan, UT.

Blog * Facebook

♦ ♦ ♦

Emily Clawson is an author, a mother and a mentor. She traditionally writes inspirational fiction. This book has been a life changing experience for her and she is grateful to have been a part of telling this story. She resides in Taylorsville with her husband and four children where they run their leadership mentoring programs for youth.

Facebook * Twitter * Website

 

Tour Schedule

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 11/15/13 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

A Portrait for Toni by Annette Lyon

A Portrait for Toni

Author: Annette Lyon

Published: September 4, 2013

ebook: 279 pages

ASIN: B00EZFOM7S

FTC FYI: Received a Kindle copy in exchange for an honest review.

Goodreads Summary

Toni has no idea what she’d do without her best friend, Carter. Who else would she be able to vent to about her parents, her job at the dance studio, or her latest relationship woes? When Toni’s father lands in the hospital, Carter, as always, is there for her.

That is, until he starts questioning Toni, saying he thinks she has an eating disorder. Then she starts dating Clint, the hot new guy at the studio, and somehow that puts a deeper wedge between her and Carter. When she’s hospitalized after an on-stage collapse, and Carter stupidly starts in with advice about food and weight, she sends him away—then instantly regrets it.

One night after a performance, Toni tries to mend the hurt between them. She goes to visit Carter at work, in his art classroom at the high school. She doesn’t see him there, and instead, she stumbles onto proof that he has feelings for her that go way beyond those of a friend. Toni is left with the very real prospect of losing Carter forever, unless somehow she can return his feelings—but that’s impossible.

My Review

I really enjoyed this book.  I loved the way the story was told.  The point of view would change from Toni's and Carter's and I loved seeing their side of all that goes on in this book.  Toni is a character that has been through a lot emotionally through her life.  That is why, I feel, she turned to anorexia and bulimia.  She feels unloved by her father, as he has been overly critical of every aspect of her life.  She felt control by starving herself or binging.  Carter has been hiding his feelings for Toni for many years.  He stetches, paints and create portraits of Toni to help him with his feelings for her.  Every time he works up the courage to tell her how he feels, something always stops him.  He tries to move on, dating someone else, but Toni is always on his mind.  Can Toni forgive Carter?  Can Carter just forget about Toni and move on with his life?  You will enjoy the journey these two take to find each other.

4 out 5 stars.  Annette is the author of many awesome books.  Band of Sisters: Coming Home has been nominated for a 2013 Whitney Award, and A Portrait for Toni has as well.  I can tell when I'm reading Annette's books, she is very smart and knows exactly what she is doing in this writing field.  She is also one of the authors in the Newport Ladies Book Club series.  Her newest installment in that wonderful series, Ilana's Wish, will be out next year.  Annette also contributes to the Timeless Romance Anthologies.  These are very enjoyable novellas with different themes:  Winter Romance, Spring Vacation, Summer Wedding, Autumn Collection, and coming soon is the European Collection.

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

From Gods by Mary Ting -- Book Blast

From Gods by Mary Ting

Did you just see a flash of lightning across the sky on a clear sunny day? It’s not from Mother Nature. It is most likely from Mason Grand, swoon-worthy demigod, one of Zeus’s descendants.

Skylar Rome is supposed to be having the best summer ever before she heads off to college. Little did she know, her whole life was about to change while visiting her cousin. Nearly drowning at the beach due to unknown forces, one of the Grand brothers she’d just met, Mason, saves her life. Cool, collected, mysterious, and dangerously good-looking, Skylar is drawn to him from the start. Though she knows he is the type of guy good girls stayed away from, it seems he is always saving her life, and the attraction was inevitable.
Upon meeting the brothers, strange things begin to happen. When she accidentally kills one of the brothers, it throws her life into turmoil, as they search to find the answers. Implausibly, she gets caught up in a world of the decedents of ancient gods, all who have super powers. Not only is her discovery difficult to accept, evil beings are after her. Running out of time and running for her life, she must unravel a mystery. What do they want from her? Forced into a battle set into motion long before she was born, will she find the answers, or will she die trying?

  

Teaser 1:

“You’re wet. You should take off your clothes.”

What a way to avoid a question! Skylar blinked her eyes in disbelief. Did she hear him correctly? “Excuse me?” Not wanting to assume he was really asking her to strip off her clothes, she didn’t move a muscle, but the way his piercing eyes laid on her, she might as well have already been naked. Then she inwardly gasped when he started to unbutton his shirt. Her eyes shot to the floor, then back to him, and then to the floor, wondering what she was supposed to do in this awkward moment.

“Here. Go change in the restroom. You don’t want to catch a cold.” He placed his shirt in front of her.

She looked up to see him shirtless for the very first time. With all the right curves and tightness, he looked like a statue of a god. He was beautiful and perfectly toned, with satin-like skin, which looked like it would be smooth to the touch. And there was a small tattoo shaped like a lightning bolt on his upper right arm, toward his shoulder. Way too sexy!

As warmth flushed her face, she tried not to stare, but there was no way around it. “Umm…you won’t have a shirt,” Skylar said, thinking that was the most idiotic thing she had said so far, but she couldn’t think when he was half-naked in front of her.

“I’m not cold, but you will be.”

Mason was right. Skylar didn’t realize she was shivering until she placed her hand out to take his shirt. The adrenaline from the initial shock had kept her warm, and now it was wearing away. The blasting air conditioner didn’t help either. “Thanks.”

Just as she pivoted right toward the restroom, even though she was deathly scared to go back, Mason gripped her arm. “Wait. Don’t go in there without me.”

His sudden protectiveness surprised Skylar, but then again, he had saved her.

Teaser 2:

“Mason, Mason, Mason,” Skylar panicked.

“I know. Skylar, hold on tight. I’m going to brake.”

“But…but there are cars behind us.”

“We have no choice. Don’t worry. I got this.” Pushing down on the brake pedal forcefully, the car hydroplaned to the right. “Hold on,” Mason yelled. Skylar gripped the first thing she could place her hand on tightly. The water from the road jetted up into the air like a water show, but the car kept gliding sideways, until finally it spun a full circle and stopped. With no time to waste, Mason turned the car toward the right and accelerated, hoping to dodge what was coming toward them.

Out of nowhere, a long piece of ice, taking the form of a spear-like shape, darted through the trucks’ tires and punctured some of them. More ice spears came soaring out of the rain, but this time, ten or more sphere like ice balls followed, denting the sides of the trucks, and one went through a windshield. With flat tires, the trucks now glided as if on ice, maneuvering from side to side.

“Did you do that?” Skylar asked excitedly.

“No…must be Poseidon’s kids. Where the hell are they?” Mason spread his right arm in front of Skylar, as if to protect her. “Bend down, Sky.”

One of the trucks hit another and swirled, hitting the other adjacent to it. The crash caused the trucks to flip and tumble, heading straight for Mason’s car. With a look of shock, Skylar held her breath. With no time to move, think, or get out of the car, she closed her eyes and prepared for the crash.

Just seconds before the impact, Mason’s car flew up into the air, over the trucks. Somehow, magically, the water created a liquid bridge, guiding the car safely over, and then it thumped hard on the ground on the other side. Without looking back, Mason sped away as the sound of screeching brakes and metal impacting on metal blasted behind them.

Praise for From Gods

“A fast paced adventure full of mystery, action, magic and romance! Readers won’t be able to put this book down!” ~InD’tale Magazine

“From Gods takes mythology to a whole new level of imagination with its incredible plot and amazing characters. It’s full of hotness that you never want to end!” ~Michele, Insane About Books

“From Gods by the AMAZING AUTHOR Mary Ting is OMGods good!! If you even LIKE Greek Mythology, set aside some time because you will DEVOUR Mary Ting’s Demi Gods and Vultures!!!” ~Mindy, Books Complete Me

“This book is “electric” as it blends paranormal romance, mythology (which I love), action and suspense together for an amazing read. Mary Ting, you’ve done it again! This book exceeded my expectations and I was literally blown away as if I were struck by lightning!” ~Vanessa, Fairiechick’s Fantasy Book Reader

Author Mary Ting
Bestselling/award-winning author Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.

     

BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 11/8/13

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.

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Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen -- Blog Tour

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Just Ella by Annette K. Larsen

Publisher: Hidden Falls Publishing

Published: August 13th, 2013

ebook: 300 pages

FTC FYI: Received an ePub copy for an honest review.

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."

My Review

I absolutely loved this book.  Everything about it is perfect.  I loved Ella, I loved Gavin, I loved the king and queen, Ell'a sisters, even the not-so-nice guy.  Each character was so well-written and important.  I can tell that a lot of time was taken in writing this book.  What I loved most is the person that Ella became and the person I can only imagine she will become.  I loved reading her adventure.  I was pleasantly surprised with how the book turned out.  I was crying at the end, and found myself skipping back over pages to read my favorite parts again.  This book had a few twists that I thought were brilliant on the author's part, and brought so much to this already enjoyable story.  

5 out of 5 stars!  I will be eagerly waiting for more to read from Annette Larsen.  

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!

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.  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.

Website * Twitter * Facebook

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.

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Excerpt

I changed behind a couple of close-growing trees at the base of the hill, then squeezed the water from my hair and tried to restore it to some semblance of order. I wrung out my clothes before wrapping them in a shawl and putting them in my bag. I decided against putting on my shoes, instead walking barefoot back to the maze, enjoying the feel of the earth under my feet. A lightness filled me; whether from knowing the secret of the waterfall or from abandoning propriety and tromping around barefoot, it didn’t really matter. New life had been breathed into me. The looks thrown my way while entering the palace with bare feet and disheveled hair made me smile. I couldn’t find it in myself to be ashamed.

I bounded up the stairs to my room with no poise at all, and had to suppress a grin when I hurried past Lorraina, who stopped suddenly upon seeing me and didn’t recover before I passed her by. I slipped into my room and shut the door firmly, unable to keep a broad smile from my face as I considered my excursion. It was liberating.