Thursday, December 29, 2016

Light in my Dark by Jean Gilbert & William Dresden



Light in My Dark
by Jean Gilbert & William Dresden

YA Fantasy
October 21st 2016
Rogue House Publishing

Two boys love her. Two worlds need her. Only she can save them both.

Sixteen-year-old Harper Deveraux has longed for an adventure ever since her mother died of cancer four years ago. Much to her dismay, she is stuck in Glen Eden, a small mountain town in upstate New York that does little to fuel her hopes and dreams.

Another year of high school has begun, and with the Moon Dance only a few weeks away, Harper suddenly finds herself torn between the affections of two boys: her best friend Jack, and a new boy from the City named Knes who might not be from this world.

Strange things begin to happen in Glen Eden when Harper uncovers a mystery that involved her mother and a realm shrouded in darkness that lies beyond the wall... A realm that Knes intends to take her to. Only Jack stands in his way.

Light In My Dark, is an action-packed modern YA fantasy, filled with dark forces, love, and self-discovery.



About the Authors

William Dresden is an author and award-winning screenwriting. He spent several years as a script doctor and pursued the dream of writing hollywood blockbusters. Now he mostly writes fiction and enjoys spending time with his family and friends. William currently lives in Virginia with his wife and two children.

Jean Gilbert is an award winning speculative fiction writer from New Zealand. She is a Core member of SpecFicNZ, and is also the coordinator for SpecFicNZ Central. Jean's novels include the Vault Agency Series: Shifters, Ardus, and The Vault. You can find her short stories Blonde Obsession in Baby Teeth: Bite Size Tales of Terror, and Pride in the Contact Light Anthology. 

Authors Twitter:  https://twitter.com/WilliamDresden,  https://twitter.com/jean_gilbert
Authors Facebook www.facebook.com/william.dresden.31, www.facebook.com/jean.gilbert.7370

Publishers Twitter:  https://twitter.com/readroguehouse


Tuesday, December 27, 2016

The Operator by Kim Harrison




 The Operator

Kim Harrison

Thriller
Pocket Books
November 22, 2016

Amazon


THE OPERATOR is the second installment in the brand-new suspense trilogy from Kim Harrison, known as The Peri Reed Chronicles. Following the success of the first book in the series, The Drafter, Peri Reed returns bigger and bolder than ever in this highly anticipated thriller. 

Peri Reed’s job eats her mind, but for a special task agent in hiding, forgetting the past can be a blessing.  

Betrayed by the man she thought she loved and the agency who turned her into the very thing she fought against, Peri abandoned the wealth and privilege of Opri for anonymity riddled with memory gaps and self-doubt. But when a highly addictive drug promises to end her dependency on those who’d use her as a tool for their own success, she must choose to either remain broken and vulnerable, or return to the above-the-law power and prestige she once had: strong but without will—for whoever holds her next fix will hodl her loyalty.

Yet even now as then, a love based on lies of omission might still save her life. 


Excerpt
CHAPTER
ONE
“Ah, ma’am? Please don’t touch the car,” the man with the glass tablet said, and Peri flicked her eyes to him, acknowledging his words as she lifted the handle of the hundred- thousand-dollar car. Immediately it opened, the door making a soft hush of sound that meant money well spent as she slipped inside and let the leather seats enfold her.
“Ma’am?”
It smelled new, and her eyes closed for a moment as she almost reverently set her hands on the wheel, smiling as her shoulders eased and an odd relaxed tension filled her. It was sleek, sexy without being over-the-top as if confident in its power and comfortable under the spotlight. Its red color went deep, showing shadowed layers that only an off-the-assembly-line paint could deliver. A two-seater, it looked fast, with wide tires that had ample turning radius in the wheel wells and an antenna array panel to plug in just about anything now or in the future. The sound system was adequate at best, but the onboard computer display was big enough to be useful and glass compatible. Much of it was plastic, though, and Peri’s nose wrinkled.
“It looks as if it was made for you,” the man said, the annoyed slant to his brow belying his smile as he stood just outside and held his tablet like a fig leaf.
Peri tossed her straight black hair out of her eyes, her smile real as she looked up at him. “I bet you say that to everyone.”
He rocked closer. “No. Only those who look like they belong in it.” He cleared his tablet, and the car’s logo ghosted into existence on the clear glass. “Well?”
Angling her slim form, she smoothly got out before he had a coronary. Immediately the chaos of Detroit’s auto show beat anew upon her, the air smelling of ozone and popcorn, and the rhythmic thump of ambient electronic dance music from the live stage pounding into her. Content, she sent her gaze up to the multitude of cameras set to record and identify, secure in the knowledge that the swirls of black smut she’d painted on her face would keep her anonymous.
She wasn’t alone wearing it—face paint had become to Detroit’s auto show what big hats and mint juleps were to Churchill Downs. Both men and women sported well-placed dots and swirls to disguise themselves as they checked out the competition or just avoided being tagged and sent literature. As she was dressed in black leather pants and a cropped jacket with a silk shell and six-inch black boots, the paint made her feel especially flirty and powerful. Sexy.
She turned back to the coup, thinking it was cheating to show it in a paint job that you couldn’t get from the factory. “How do you get around the weight issue of the batteries? You’ve got them in the front, but the drive tram is in the back. The weight isn’t over the wheels, and it’s going to turn as if it was on pudding.”
His interest sharpened. “It’s not an issue at posted speeds.”
Peri nodded, and he winced as she ran a hand caressingly over the car’s sleek lines—all the way from the front to the back. “Over posted speeds is when you need the control, though. Acceleration?”
“Zero to sixty in four-point-two seconds,” he said, tapping his tablet awake.
“Battery only, or warming engine assist?” she asked, and he smiled as he brought up the literature. Ten steps away, a printer came alive with the stats.
“Engine assist. You can’t break four seconds on just battery.”
“A Mantis can.”
The man looked up. “I mean a real car.”
Peri eyed him from under a lowered brow. “You’re saying a Mantis isn’t a real car?”
“I mean,” he tried again, flustered, “a car you can actually have. If you’re looking for speed, have you considered—”
“Sorry. No thanks.” Peri stepped out from under the hot spotlights and into the milling crowd, snagging a tiny flute of champagne in passing. Her dress and attitude parted the way, and her warm feeling of satisfaction grew as the tingle of alcohol slipped into her. It was nice to know she still had the best. Ahh, life is good.
“Why do you tease them like that?” a voice said at her elbow, and she spun, hand fisted.
But the man had dropped back as if expecting it, mirth crinkling the corners of his brown eyes. The brief protest of the surrounding people subsided as they pushed past and around them—and were forgotten.
“Silas?” she questioned, her gaze flicking to the messenger drones at the ceiling, worried a high-Q might be hiding among them. Then her eyes dropped to his tall, body-building form. His cashmere coat across his wide shoulders made him even more bulky, but his waist was trim and his face clean-shaven. The white of salt from the street rimed his John Lobb shoes, and he grimaced when she noticed. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?” she said, shifting into the lee his body made when someone jostled her.
Taking her empty flute and setting it aside, he pointed to a nearby communal area set up with tall tables and rentable connections to get a message outside the no-Internet-zone needed for security. “I’ve never known you to miss the opening of the Detroit auto show,” he said as they walked. His low voice at her ear slipped through her like smoke, staining the folds of her mind and bringing a thousand unremembered moments with him to hover just beyond recollection. “I like your hair that length.”
It was quieter among the tables, and Peri touched the tips of her jet-black hair just brushing her shoulders. She’d let it grow. No need to cut it. Slowly she levered herself up on one of the high stools. He’d been watching her. That was probably where her itchy feeling had been coming from, not that she’d had to close her store on a Monday to hit opening day.
The hot-spot connection found her phone and chimed for her attention, and she turned the rentable link facedown. Silas looked tired. There was a familiar pinch of worry in his eyes as he levered himself onto the seat across from her. He laced his thick hands together, setting them innocently on the table, but she could smell the hint of gunpowder on him; he’d been to the range recently. A black haze shadowed his jawline, and a memory surfaced of how it would feel if she ran her hand over it, delighting in the prickly sensation on her fingertips. Behind him, people in extravagant dress and having enough technology to run a small country mingled and played. She’d come to lose herself among them, to pretend that it was hers again for the day. She missed the feeling of being in control so surely that the rest of the world seemed a fantasy.
I shouldn’t have come here. I made a mistake.
A misplaced anger seeped into her, pushing out the doubt. She’d made a place for herself, a new life, found a new security that didn’t hinge on anyone but herself. “Are you alone? Is Allen with you? Damn it, you do realize you might have blown my cover?”
“It’s nice to see you, too. Yes, I’m fine,” Silas said dryly, and she slumped, looking past him and into the crowd for anyone watching without watching. Sighing, Silas scratched the side of his bent nose, his focus blurring as if remembering a past argument. “I might not have been the best agent, but I know better than to go to your coffee shop. As for Allen, I don’t particularly care where he is. I’ve not been in contact with him since”—he hesitated, lip twitching—“you quit.”
She had left, and he’d found her. So not good. “Stay away from my coffee shop.” Heart pounding, she slid off the stool.
“Peri. Wait,” he said, voice weary. “I only came to give you your book back,” he said, reaching past his coat to put one of her journals on the table.
Her breath caught, and she stopped, recognizing the leather-bound tome. It had been painstakingly pieced back together, the damage pressed out as best as possible, but it was still obvious where the bullet had torn into it. Kind of like her life.
It was from her last year in Opti training, an entire twelve months of memories intentionally erased from her mind so she could successfully bring down the corrupt Opti from the inside. The United States’ clandestine special ops program was gone, and the diary was her only link to why she had done it. Her pulse quickened at the answers that might lie in the pages. Why she hated blue sheets, why silver Mustangs made the scar on her pinky itch, why the scent of chocolate chip cookies left her melancholy. There were answers in the pages, guarded by demons she feared would tear apart what little self she’d managed to pull back. Her ignorance made her vulnerable, but it also made her safe.
Hand to her cold face, she backed up, her footing unsure on the thick carpet. “I’m not that person anymore,” she whispered. Damn it, she was going to have to rabbit. If Silas had found her, anyone could.
“Peri.”
He pulled her to a stop. Anyone else would have gotten her heel through his instep, but she hesitated, letting him draw her back. Breath held, she looked up at him, her soul crying out for what she’d left behind. She’d liked who she’d been, and the wrongness of that still woke her in the night when all was quiet. Silas had been a big part of that, not the worst, but a part nevertheless.
“I’m not asking you to return to the person you were, just understand her,” he said. “It’s been almost a year. You have to stop hiding from this. You won’t ever be free of it if you don’t come to grips with what you’ve done, the good and bad.”
“Is that your professional opinion, Doctor?” she said, yanking out of his grip. Her wrist stung, but she refused to look at it.
Silas’s jaw clenched as unknown thoughts flitted behind his eyes. Her chin lifted, daring him, and with a frustrated grimace, he turned away. “Never mind. I made a mistake. I shouldn’t have come. You take care of yourself, Peri.”
“You, too,” she said as he walked away, hunched and unseeing. His tall frame and wide shoulders were tight under his coat as he wove through the lights, bare skin, and beautiful people. With a feeling of having won, she watched the crowd take him, but it shifted to worry as her fingers traced over the book in indecision, until finally she picked it up.
A business card from the Georgia Aquarium slipped out, falling to the floor. It wasn’t Silas’s name on it, but he’d likely be using an alias. Next to it was a hand-printed phone number. She stared at the card for a moment before turning and walking away, leaving it to be lost in the clutter.
To know what she had done might destroy everything she had made for herself. It was easier to ignore it, keep pretending she was happy and hope the lure to return to the power and prestige would never be stronger than the loathing of what she’d turned herself into to get there.
But she wasn’t sure she could do that anymore.


About the Author

Kim Harrison, author of the #1 New York Times bestselling Hollows series, was born in Detroit and, after gaining her bachelor’s degree in the sciences, she moved to South Carolina, where she remained until recently returning to Michigan because she missed the snow. When not at her desk, Kim is most likely to be found landscaping her new/old Victorian home, in the garden, or out on the links.


Thursday, December 22, 2016

Midnight Fire Series by Kaitlyn Davis


The Complete Midnight Fire Series
Kaitlyn Davis
(Midnight Fire #1-4)

Publication date: October 31st 2013
Genres: Paranormal, Romance, Young Adult
**Over 200,000 Copies of the Midnight Fire Series Sold!**
**Over 5000 5-Star Reviews on Goodreads!**
LIMITED TIME OFFER: Get the entire five book series for only 99cents!
Kira Dawson has the power to burn vampires to a crisp. The problem is, she doesn’t know it yet. The even bigger problem is, she’s dating one.
When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they’re keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan’s lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heartbreaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.
From bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis comes a paranormal romance perfect for fans of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer.
Books included in this bundle:
Ignite – Book One
Simmer – Book Two
Blaze – Book Three
Scorch – Book Four
Burn – An Anniversary Novella

Only 99¢ for a limited time!


EXCERPT:
Ignite (Midnight Fire Book One)

Tristan finished reading his lines. “Hey, Juliet, it’s your turn.” He smirked.

“Oh, right.” She looked down at her book. “‘O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art though Romeo.'” She tried to copy his apathetic style of reading and was secretly overjoyed when he laughed at her.

“I get it, I sounded like an idiot.” She just continued giving him the same silent treatment he had given her. “Okay, here’s the truth, Kira. We can’t talk here, and we shouldn’t even be talking now, or maybe ever.”

“You told me that already.” She stopped reading.

“Yet, you seem to have trouble understanding it. English is your first language, right?” She rolled her eyes at the joke. “Like I said before, we just can’t ever be.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but I also know you don’t mean it.” She leaned closer to him to prevent from being overheard.

“I do,” he said, forcing the point.

“Oh really?” she tried to push him now. “It didn’t seem that way when you kissed me.”

“Kira, forget that ever happened, okay?”

“Or what? You don’t scare me.”

“I should,” he said and shot Kira a lethal look.

His eyes changed color to the lightest blue she could imagine, and they held her captive. Not in the romantic way, but as though she were a prisoner held paralyzed. His eyes were ice cold, making her shiver as though she had been dropped in an arctic pool, and slowly his pupils began to expand, overtaking his irises.

Kira was scared, but more than that, she felt like he knew it and didn’t care. Try as she might, she couldn’t look away—completely stuck. Slowly, a feeling of warmth spread to her hands, burning hot, a sense of power that fought the fear tightening her stomach in knots.

Whipping her gaze to the floor, Kira breathed heavy as she finally broke his stare. Her fingertips still tingled with the heat that had coursed through her, allowing her to break his gaze. Kira leaned back against her chair, away from him, and touched her fingers to her cheek.

They burned into her skin.

“What the hell was that?” she asked unsteadily, still not looking up. The heat emanating from her hand absorbed all of Kira’s thoughts.

“Me,” he said with the venom gone from his voice. She looked at him again and caught the unbearably sad expression in his eyes before he looked away.

Or me? she thought, feeling the warmth finally ebb.


Author Bio:
Bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis writes young adult fantasy novels under the name Kaitlyn Davis and contemporary romance novels under the name Kay Marie.
Always blessed with an overactive imagination, Kaitlyn has been writing ever since she picked up her first crayon and is overjoyed to share her work with the world. When she's not daydreaming, typing stories, or getting lost in fictional worlds, Kaitlyn can be found indulging in some puppy videos, watching a little too much television, or spending time with her family. If you have any questions for her--about her books, about scheduling an event, or just in general--you may contact her at: KaitlynDavisBooks@gmail.com
To stay up-to-date with all of Kaitlyn's new releases, sign up for her new release newsletter here: TinyLetter.com/KaitlynDavisBooks

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Wednesday, December 21, 2016



Character Interview with Zeb!

Welcome, Zeb!

Thanks for having me. (Glances at cookies on table) Are those free?

Of course. Help yourself.

Just a nibble. (Grabs a handful and shoves an entire cookie into his mouth) It’s for my anxiety.

No worries. You’ve been through a lot recently, haven’t you?

So you’ve heard about my choir rejection? (inhales sharply) I’m still bitter about that. Very bitter. Our director is a moron. I can only assume that he is intimidated by my raw vocal powers. Either that or he doesn’t want me to outshine the rest of the choir. Which is understandable.

I was referring to the virus that’s killing elves in Santa’s Village.

I mean, that’s been difficult too.

Any idea who’s behind the virus?

We suspect it’s Jack Frost.

Why is that?

Well, he sort of bombed our village recently.

Wow. Safe to say it’s him then.

Yep.

On the bright side, you have lots of guards protecting Santa’s Village.

You seen those Russians?

I did.

They’re pretty scary, huh?

(Nods and chuckles nervously)

Santa hired those thugs. Ugh. It’s like watching The Godfather but with Russian dubbing. Us worker elves stay away from them. They’re not exactly social. But I guess that’s the kind of security we need to deal with a psychopath like Jack Frost.

How long have you worked here?
A couple of years. I couldn’t afford college and I didn’t get any scholarships so I applied for work here. Had I known what would happen…I might have stuck to flipping burgers. No elf-killing viruses at McDonald’s. And their chicken nuggets are dope.

And how’s your roommate doing? I understand he couldn’t make it today.

Yes, he sends his apologies. Lucian’s just been through a lot. Way more than me. He lost both his parents three months ago.

Oh my goodness. I’m so sorry to hear that. Was it due to the virus?

That’s right. All because of Jack Frost. But he’s not going to get away with this. We’re going to catch him, and when we do, he’s going to pay.

Let’s hope that day arrives soon. Well, thank you for spending time with us today, Zeb. Is there anything else you’d like to say before we end this interview?

Just one thing. Follow me on Twitter. @Zebdropsitlikeitshot



The Elf
Max Dune


Publication date: October 18th 2016
Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult

This Christmas…it’s war. Grab your weapon and join the fight in this modern Santa Claus retelling with a dark twist. Fans of Guardians of the Galaxy and Avatar will be riveted by The Elf‘s action, humor and romance!
Elves are dying in the North Pole, and none of their scientists can find a cure. They believe it’s a virus, unleashed by a powerful enemy. All signs point to Jack Frost, who’s been biding his time from afar. Watching. Waiting. Plotting. One brave elf, to save his kind, will venture out to meet evil in the eye. But he uncovers a mystery more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Now Lucian must join a group of warriors and fight. Fuego; a flame-wielding pyro. Tiktok; a brilliant bomb expert, Yuriko; a deadly ninja assassin. And Bullets; a hot-headed gun aficionado. These unlikely heroes must learn to work together and defeat the rising evil. Or Christmas will soon be lost…forever.





EXCERPT:

“Where are you going?” I taunt. “There’s nowhere to hide.”

Jack Frost doesn’t answer. Under the canopy of winter-crystallized trees, he crawls across the snow. His tall, muscular body leaves a trail of berry-red blood behind him. He looks desperate to put distance between us.

I begin to whistle softly and draw closer to admire my handiwork. Broken nose. Swollen eye. An arrow buried deep in his leg. Ah, such a beautiful sight to behold. I turn to Blitzen, my most loyal of companions, and smile. “Thank you, friend. Without you, I wouldn’t have made it.”

Blitzen gives an affirmative snort, staying close to our sleigh and supplies. His strong legs and zesty spirit had kept me alive for the last two weeks. The Artic is a cold house for the unwary. Nothing in it ever stirs. Nothing moves. Nothing sings. Yet he had guided me through it, his hooves detonating like muffled grenades as they crunched the powdery snow. We’d traveled over timeworn mountains, through tomblike valleys and flash-frozen rivers. I plan on rewarding Blitzen with his favorite food once we’re back in Santa’s Village. It’ll be agaric mushrooms for life. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
First things first though: I cock my crossbow.

Clink.

Upon hearing that sound, Frost forces his knees and elbows to move faster. He fights for his life like a desperate wild animal at death’s door. The expression of terror on his face is absolutely priceless. I wonder if he’ll start begging soon. Even if he does, it won’t do him any good. I won’t hesitate to pull the trigger and send one final bolt into his black heart.

For my friends…for my parents…

“Mmm,” I utter, savoring the moment. “This is even better than I imagined.” As I loom over him, a sudden wave of fury grips me. I violently plant my boot in his shoulder, prompting a muffled groan from him. Through gritted teeth I hiss, “And I’ve imagined this a lot.”

I remove my foot. Frost rolls over onto his back and gazes up at me in defeat. “Don’t do this, Lucian. Please.”

Ah, finally.

“Do you think begging is going to help? It didn’t help my parents or the other elves. They died just the same, all shaking, bleeding, and crying…and all because of you.” I point the loaded crossbow at his chest. “Now it’s your turn to die.”

“Wait!” He lifts up a trembling hand. “I can grant you great powers, unimaginable abilities, even immortality! Y-you could be the most powerful elf who’s ever lived!”

“Power?” I scoff. “I don’t want power. This is all I want.”

“Revenge won’t bring your parents back.”

I consider his words for a moment and do see the truth in them, but the rage inside pushes me on.

“No, but it’s going to feel pretty good.” My finger slides the safety off.

Frost’s eyes widen.

Bzzz-bzzz-bzzz…

Suddenly a deep, loud sound echoes all about us, seemingly coming from every direction. They disturb the serene beauty of this frozen, crystal paradise where Frost is meant to meet his doom. Puzzled, I lower my crossbow and search for the source. My eyes scan through the tall, gray trees, their skeletal wooden arms knocking against one another in the slight breeze, but I catch nothing in my gaze except the clear, blue skies beyond. What the heck’s going on? Confused, I dart my eyes in every direction. And why is that annoying buzzing getting louder?

Beep! Beep! Beep!

A sense of déjà vu hits me.

Wait! That sound… Isn’t that…?

The beeping continues to assault my ears for several more moments, muddling my senses.

“No!” I wail when I finally remember. “No! Not yet!”

My desperate cries prove futile, though, as my crossbow melts in my hands. Its liquefied remnants splash at my feet. It doesn’t take long for the surrounding trees to follow suit, forming charcoal-gray puddles on the ground. Blitzen, too, begins to disintegrate where he stands. His fur, flesh, and bones dissolves into a paste and seep into the ground

“No!” Without wasting time, I jump on Frost, wrap my hands around his cold neck, and begin to viciously choke him. “I’ll kill you with my bare hands!”

Rather than panicking or pleading for mercy, he only laughs in my face, knowing full well it’s too late. His flesh quickly melts like hot wax until my fingers are kneading the remaining mess.
I punch the ground with my fists again and again, even as they start melting away. “Come on! I just needed another minute!”

As I beg for more time, I feel my bones softening, becoming more pliable, like iron morphing into licorice. Soon I am unable to hold my weight, and I topple over, falling to the icy ground.






Author Bio:
Max Dune is a Southern writer who spent most his childhood watching TV, devouring comic books and weaving magical worlds in his head. In his mid-twenties, he decided to follow his true passion. He has since created a number of short stories, novels, screenplays and TV pilots. To be alerted to future books and giveaways, please sign up for his newsletter at http://eepurl.com/b5Is91
Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter


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Tuesday, December 20, 2016

Trailer Reveal: Revelations by T. Marie Alexander


Revelations
T. Marie Alexander

Publication date: January 27th 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Have you ever craved something so badly that all reason was just an excuse getting in your way?
Have you needed something so desperately that you didn’t care how you got it or who you hurt in the process?
I have—and not that long ago.
Acceptance.
Acceptance… from family and friends…
Acceptance of the person I am inside and not outright rejection.
It didn’t come easily for me, and now I believe the world needs to know just how ruthless life can be. How that overwhelming yearning for acceptance can mold you into someone you don’t recognize when you look in the mirror. I’m through hiding behind one façade after another—it’s time for the world to meet the real me.
~Antoinette Justice






Author Bio:
T. Marie Alexander lives in Arkansas. She can be found sitting at a computer on any given day, usually writing or looking up something to do with fashion. When she is not doing either of those things, she’s reading on her Kindle or binge watching Roswell on Netflix time and time again. She shares her apartment with her husband and some annoying ghost that like to take her belongings. Her dream of becoming an author started around the age of seven when she would glue small pages together and write about her favorite thing at the time, boy band crushes. T. Marie writes Young Adult Science Fiction and Paranormal Fiction.

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Monday, December 19, 2016

Water & Blood by B. Kristin McMichael



Water & Blood
by B. Kristin McMichael

Genre: YA Paranormal
Release Date: November 20th 2016
Lexia Press

Summary from Goodreads:

Beaches, sun, and swimming was what Whitney thought she’d get when she moved all the way across the country to the Atlantic Coast. It was a chance to start over, a fresh start outside the paranormal night human world she grew up in. She was ready to be a normal human; one who didn’t have to worry about drinking blood or all the fighting that went on in that world.

Perfectionist Sam did everything well. He protected his family and friends as he swore he would. He had jobs to help everyone survive while they hid in plain sight. He even taught swimming lessons. His life was perfect, at least until Whitney showed up in his town. Without thinking of the consequences, Sam makes a choice to follow his heart for a change. That choice changes everything, maybe for better or for worse.

After one year of getting used to her new reality, Whitney discovers that maybe she was never meant to leave the night human world after all. Deciding to take swimming lessons, she is paired with high school hottie, Prince Sam as her friends called him. That one decision changes her life, and she’s quickly thrown right back into the night human world she thought she was getting away from. The only question is: Can she survive going back?


Buy Link: Amazon 

Excerpt:

Tipping his head back, Sam stared at the clouds. Life would have been much easier if the other night humans knew about the sirens. They would be free to stay on land as much as they wanted, and he would have access to blood banks and not have to trick day humans into swimming lessons to feed himself. And his job of keeping the land sirens safe would be so much easier if they weren’t running around hungry all the time. He hated the way everything had turned out. He understood it, but that didn’t mean he had to agree.

The splashing in the pool had stopped. Sam looked down to see whether his student was taking a break or she was done for the day. She wasn’t at her twentieth lap yet. By his calculations, she was only at fourteen.

Jumping up from his seat, Sam dove effortlessly into the pool and across the width of the lanes without surfacing for breath. Yes, some wandering day human too close to the pool could have seen, but it was an emergency. Whitney was floating face down in the pool, and she wasn’t just holding her breath.

In one swift motion, Sam lifted Whitney’s lifeless body out of the water as he emerged from below her. He immediately jumped out beside her. Without hesitating, Sam began to breathe into her mouth. Her heartbeat was slowing. He didn’t need to feel for a pulse; his senses told him that much. Sam blew into her mouth again, trying to get air to her body.

With her blonde hair matted to her, Whitney lay there limp and unresponsive. Sam stared at her. Even on the verge of death, he was pulled to her, but now his siren instincts were taking over. He had seen his share of people dying from drowning, and they all looked as appetizing as she did when she swam. Now as she was dying Sam realized he didn’t want to feed on her, he wanted to keep her alive.


About the Author

B. Kristin McMichael is the author of YA and clean NA paranormal fiction. Her vampiric "Night Human World" includes the YA coming of age series "The Blue Eyes Trilogy" and the spin-off adventure series "The Day Human Trilogy" and “The Skinwalkers Witchling”. She's also the author of the NA time travel romance series "The Chalcedony Chronicles".

B. Kristin graduated with her PhD in biology at Ohio State where she worked as a scientist before taking her passion of writing full-time. Besides writing, she enjoys chasing her kids, playing outside, and baking cookies.

B. Kristin McMichael lives in Ohio with her husband and three children. If you don’t find her writing, then she probably has a book in her hand. Make sure to stop by and say hi on her social media.
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Friday, December 16, 2016

Grail by Realm Lovejoy


Grail (Le Fay #3)
by Realm Lovejoy

Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: December 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

A hero has fallen, and darkness threatens a splintered Camelot. In the midst of turmoil, the last hope for the kingdom is Morgan le Fay. Morgan is both feared and revered . . . and currently in prison for treason.

In the wake of King Uther’s tragic death, the wicked Mordred is closing in on young King Arthur, and the boy king turns to Morgan for help. Freed from her imprisonment through his order, Morgan searches for a way to protect him. But she is still an outcast, and no one believes her suspicions about Mordred.

To save King Arthur, Morgan must reach the greatest Royal Relic in the world—the Grail—before Mordred does. It’s a journey that will challenge her in ways she’s never been challenged before. Traveling deep into a land of darkness, she will need to overcome the ghosts of her past to find her true power.

Can Morgan defeat Mordred and save King Arthur? And this time, can she defend Camelot without destroying herself? In this third book in the Le Fay series, author Realm Lovejoy reveals secrets from the past as Morgan’s epic journey unfolds.

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Praise for Le Fay Series, book 1: "Camelot meets Hogwarts meets Panem in this intriguing, well-written beginning to a planned YA series."--Kirkus Reviews

Previous books in the series (click on images for Goodreads links):
 

Most of Realm Lovejoy's books are on sale this week from 12/12-12/16 for 99 cents! HENGE, the first book in the Le Fay series, is free for a limited time!
Buy Link:  Amazon   


Excerpt:
Footsteps sound across the marble. I swallow and get back to mopping, watching the marble and wood patterns beneath become shiny with the cleanser. It’s a small relief to be surrounded by beauty after being locked in my closet room. I study the depth of the wood grains, the slices of gold and sparkling black marbles.
The steps stop in front of me. A clearing of the throat.
I grab the handle of the bucket, preparing my leave. “I will be out of your way,” I say briskly.
“Morgan?” the voice says.
I halt, meeting eyes with Lancelot.
He looks a bit older too. The grays in his eyes more somber like the ancient temple rocks I saw in Avalon, stained with mist and forgotten by man. There’s a welt over his left brow that wasn’t there earlier.
The space between us seems defined as the light rays slice past me, toward him. We stand there with dust glinting in front of us for what seems like minutes.
“Sir Lancelot,” I say, straightening. “I’m in your way. Excuse me.”
“Morgan,” he repeats.
I tighten my grasp on the handle, worried as to where this is going. I push away the memories of him.
“I’m sorry,” he says, not taking his eyes off mine. “I didn’t know what to do. I saw you in the cafeteria serving the food and I… well, I froze up with shock. I heard about the parole thing. I didn’t know you’d be… doing work like this.” He shakes his head. “What am I saying? I’m glad you’re alive.”
“Thank you,” I reply stiffly.
“I wanted to see how you’re doing.”
Having someone want to “see” me seems worse than being invisible.
“This is how I’m doing,” I say, motioning to the mop and my work—the shiny floor.
The glossiness ends at the halfway point between us, like a dividing line. He moves his foot, the boot coming a smidgen closer.
“This is… not acceptable,” he says.
I tense even more, afraid to know what he means.
“This,” he says again, pointing to the mop, the bands, and my terrible jumpsuit. “You are so much more than this. The Cabinet is crazy to have someone so gifted waste away.”
“Lancelot,” I blurt out, terrified by his care and where it has led to before. “Don’t pity me. Just move on. Forget about everything—about me. That’s what everyone else is doing.”
“Nobody will ever forget about you. Right now everyone is desperate to feel safe and normal. I admit even I’m desperate and tempted to jump into denial. And you. I’ve never seen you like this, not even in prison.”
I snort. “Jumpsuits weren’t my thing, exactly.”
He points at my face. “I mean, your eyes. You have dead eyes. It’s not like you to meekly mop and serve food quietly while keeping your head down. What happened to your inner fire?”
I open my palm to observe my burn wounds with a bitter smile. “I’m a little burnt out, I guess.”
“At least you still have your morbid sense of humor,” Lancelot comments.



About the Author

Realm Lovejoy is an American writer and an artist. She grew up in both Washington State and the Japanese Alps of Nagano, Japan. Currently she lives in Seattle and works as an artist in the video game industry. CLAN is her first book. You can find out more about her and her books at realmlovejoy.com

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