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Review: The Deep End of the Sea by Heather Lyons (Blog Tour + Giveaway)

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Deep End of the Sea by Heather Lyons (Blog Tour + Giveaway)The Deep End of the Sea by Heather Lyons
Published by Cerulean Books on February 13, 2014
Pages: 288
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars

What if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.

Blog Tour Banner 
Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on The Deep End of the Sea blog tour! I’m very excited to be a part of this blog tour! Heather is amazing and I absolutely loved The Deep End of the Sea!!! I hope you enjoy my review!

So many feels!!! Words cannot express how much I loved this book. I’m warning you now: my review won’t be coherent. It will be filled with feels, swooning, incoherent thoughts and so much fangirling, it’ll be contagious!

I’m a huge, huge, HUGE fan of Heather Lyons. I have been since day one, when I first read A Matter of Fate, the first in her Fate series. She’s an amazing writer, a great world-builder and an AMAZING character creator. Her Fate series has one of my all-time favorite love triangles.

And then she went and wrote a book about Medusa (like you’ve NEVER seen her before) and the Greek Gods. You guys should know by now that Greek Mythology is one of my FAVORITE things to read about. So one of my favorite authors writing Greek Mythology? YESSS. A hundred times YESSSS. Very early on, I knew I was going to fall in love with this book.

First of all, I love Medusa (or Dusa, as she is fondly nick-named by a certain someone – I’ll get more into that soon). She is an amazing, amazing character. In the original Greek Myth, she is painted as the villain. She turns people to stone. She’s a murderer. And then you read The Deep End of the Sea… And suddenly, you question every single thought you ever had regarding Medusa. All your opinions are called into question. You feel bad for Medusa and you begin to see her in a different light. Suddenly, she’s the victim. She was betrayed and cursed. Yet, Medusa does NOT play the victim card. She is strong and she fights back. She is willing to put her life at risk to save others. Bottom line, I absolutely loved Medusa almost immediately. My heart broke for her! But her story was an amazing one and the growth she experienced from beginning to end was epic.

Hermes is just… SWOON. I don’t know how else to describe him. He’s amazing, kind, gentle, sweet – the complete opposite of what Medusa expects from the Greek Gods. He stands up for what he believes in and he is extremely loyal to those who earn his friendship. Despite the fact that he has become Medusa’s friend over the last 2,000 years, he is still a God and she still distrusts the Gods because of everything that happened to her. She still tends to be wary of him at times, but her trust and love in him grow throughout the book. Overall, I love their relationship. It builds from something small into something big. And I’ll leave it at that, least I spoil you!

One of my favorite characters (aside from Medusa, of course) was Persephone. The Greek Myth of Persephone is one of my favorites! I love reading about it and I love retellings and modern takes on the Persephone myth. So seeing her in this book made me incredibly happy and excited! The Greek Gods were always depicted as cruel and brutal, so to see Persephone’s kindness and caring was in stark contract to that cruelty and brutality. The same goes for Hades – he’s the mighty, feared Lord of the Underworld and yet his character in this book is kind, though formidable when need be. And especially after what we learn later in the book… Well, let’s just say I absolutely LOVED Persephone and Hades and the direction their stories went in.

Least favorite characters? I think this is obvious, but Athena and Poseidon. I’m still not sure which one was crazier! They were both insane! I almost think Poseidon was crazier, for the fact that he felt justified in his actions. He was a true psychopath. But again, the revelations we learn near the end? Hah!

There were many important themes/concepts in this book, one of which revolved around victim-blaming and the notion that the victim is NOT at fault, that the victim was taken advantage of and hurt against their will and they are not to be blamed, though they may sometimes blame themselves. Another concept centered around the idea that all people in a specific group are the same – that if one person acts out, all are evil and should be feared or persecuted. We see in The Deep End of the Sea that that is NOT the case – Poseidon acted out, Athena acted out. They were cruel and hateful. Because of that, Medusa feared all the Gods. Yet Persephone, Hades, Hermes, Aphrodite – they were all kind to Medusa and she needed to learn to trust them, to not let her fears of some make her fearful of all. I found these themes to be incredibly powerful and touching. Finally, there was the concept that “violence is not picky when it comes to its victims.” Medusa realizes this and I think it’s an incredibly important realization for her. For those who have been a victim of any kind of crime and/or abuve (mental, emotional, physical or sexual, etc), ALL of these concepts are important for them to know and understand.

The revelations in the third part of the book were insane and I did NOT see them coming. I just.. I can’t… *Dies!!* Seriously, there’s no way to explain this without spoilers but I WILL say that I LOVED it so much!!! Like, my nerdy, Greek-loving self went crazy with the revelations we were given! It made me view so many characters in different ways and made me want to re-read the entire book right away so I could see everyone in their true light.

And that ending was… holy crap! I don’t even have words for how good it was! I’m really, seriously hoping we get to see a second book in this series or a companion in this world or, at the very least, I hope Heather writes more books with Greek Myths!!

I don’t think it needs to be said, but I would ABSOLUTELY recommend this book to everyone!!

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HeatherBW2About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Heather’s Website | Heather’s Twitter

Heather’s Facebook | Heather’s Goodreads

Heather’s Pinterest

Thanks to Inkslinger PR and Heather Lyons, we have an amazing giveaway set up for you guys! Please enter by using the Rafflecopter below:

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five-stars

Blog Tour: Balancing Act by Heather Smith

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on the Balancing Act blog tour! Today, I’m pleased to share an excerpt from the book with you. But first, here’s the cover and synopsis:

Balancing ActOne year ago, Callie Harding was the star of the Redwood High gymnastics team. Now, she’s just trying to forget that her Olympic dreams were stolen from her in one failed landing. Most of all, she wants to forget her first love, Ty. That part of her life is over and she’s sure she has got something good with Scott… even if he doesn’t exactly understand her passion for sports.

But when Callie is persuaded to take on the position of assistant coach of the gymnastics team, Ty and Callie are thrown together almost nightly, and she’s forced to confront her memories of the night everything changed. As things get tense on and off the balancing beam, Callie must find a way to stay strong. But is forgetting her accident – and forgetting Ty – the best way to do that?

Now, here’s the excerpt. Enjoy!

I entered the building just as the first bell rang. A few stragglers were in the halls, chatting with friends. I ran for the closest flight of stairs. I had five minutes to get to class, and calculus was on the other side of the building. If I didn’t have any trouble, I could be in my seat with a minute to spare.

But my ankle had other plans. Unable to bend as well in the stiff brace, my foot slipped halfway up the stairs. I fell, my ankle hitting what felt like every step until I came to rest near the bottom of the stairs. I stifled a sob. I was so getting detention.
Just then a hand entered my field of vision. It was toughened by a few callouses, at odds with the long, gentle fingers. I looked up into the eyes of my would-be helper. My stomach sunk. The hand was attached to a tall boy with close-cropped dark hair, broad shoulders, and the kind of muscles only achieved by constant work. He looked like any girl’s dream come true in this situation.

But the tears just welled even faster in my eyes.

“Are you okay?” Ty’s voice was soft and deep, like liquid caramel on the ears. And he seemed genuinely concerned.

“I’m fine,” I muttered.

“Callie, you just fell, you might be hurt. Is it your…” His voice trailed away, and he looked down.

“My ankle? Of course it is.” I became aware that I was still sitting on the dusty floor, and seconds were ticking away until the final bell.

Ty’s hand reached further toward me, and his eyes beseeched me to let him help. But I couldn’t look to Ty for help anymore. Just seeing him made me remember. As if it could sense his presence too, my ankle gave a throb. I bit my lip against the pain.

“Please, Callie.” There was desperation in his voice. His shoulders were tight, and there were lines around his mouth.

“No. Please just go.” Of course, I couldn’t avoid him. We were going to the same class. But we didn’t have to walk together, make polite chitchat, and pretend there weren’t volumes of unsaid words between us.

The hand dropped to his side. “Fine.” Ty bowed his head and continued up the stairs.

I gave him a few seconds head start. A couple people around me snickered as I pulled myself to my feet and began hobbling up the stairs, clinging to the rail like an old lady.

AuthorPhoto About Heather:
 
Heather Smith is a student of English and History at University of Washington in Seattle. She works as a senior editor at Entranced Publishing, with the Kissed and Entranced imprints. In her free time, Heather loves to ride horses and watch Disney movies. She would like to travel the world one day, and Europe would be her first stop.

Heather’s first book “Balancing Act” will be published in 2014 by Entranced Publishing. You can find out more about Heather and what the future holds at the links below.

Blog | Twitter | Facebook

You can learn more about Balancing Act on Goodreads and you can buy it on Amazon

And now for an awesome giveaway! To enter, follow the Rafflecopter prompts below. May the odds be ever in your favor!

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Release Day Launch: The Deep End of the Sea by Heather Lyons

Heather Lyons RDL Banner 
Happy, happy release day to Heather Lyons and her AMAZING new novel The Deep End of the Sea!!! We have some fun things for you guys today: An excerpt, a GIVEAWAY! But first, here’s a peak at the cover and the synopsis:

DEOTS_Cover 04_frontWhat if all the legends you’ve learned were wrong?

Brutally attacked by one god and unfairly cursed by another she faithfully served, Medusa has spent the last two thousand years living out her punishment on an enchanted isle in the Aegean Sea. A far cry from the monster legends depict, she’s spent her time educating herself, gardening, and desperately trying to frighten away adventure seekers who occasionally end up, much to her dismay, as statues when they manage to catch her off guard. As time marches on without her, Medusa wishes for nothing more than to be given a second chance at a life stolen away at far too young an age.

But then comes a day when Hermes, one of the few friends she still has and the only deity she trusts, petitions the rest of the gods and goddesses to reverse the curse. Thus begins a journey toward healing and redemption, of reclaiming a life after tragedy, and of just how powerful friendship and love can be—because sometimes, you have to sink in the deep end of the sea before you can rise back up again.

Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

For today’s Release Day Launch, we have an awesome excerpt for you guys! Hope you enjoy it!

“Where are Hades and Persephone?” I ask, glancing around the empty living room. They are nowhere to be seen tonight; neither are any of the Automatons.

The corner of Hermes’ mouth quirks. “Out. Possibly in the Underworld. One never knows with those two.”

Relief unfurls in the muscles in my shoulders. Still, I can’t help but ask, “Without saying goodbye?”

He’s definitely amused. “Shall I fetch them for you?”

“No!” My answer is too quick, which I fear broadcasts just how ecstatic I am at the thought of being along with Hermes right now. And that realization causes me to blush for the millionth time around him in the last month, so I clarify, “Of course not. I was just curious.”

“Curiosity killed the cat, you know.” To my delight, his hand finds mine and our fingers intertwine. It is a delicious sensation: his hand, warm and worn in mine in just such a way that feels like it’s an extension of my body.

It must be criminal to adore touching someone so much.

“Did it, though?” I ask, and he laughs a burst of exasperated air.

“Possibly, but then again, who am I to judge, when I am often struck by curiosity that I cannot help but sate?” He gives me that dazzling grin of his and pulls me through the house. “Case in point: you.”

“Me?” I squeak unattractively. There are lights ahead through the French doors leading to the patio, and I am curious myself enough to wonder what they are, but not nearly as much as I am for what he might mean.

“Yes, you.” He glances back at me. “I’ve never told you that I was overcome with curiosity when I heard Athena cursed some girl from one of her temples. It wasn’t like it was the first time she’d gone vindictively bonkers, but she was really put out over you. I mean . . . one of her followers? Even that was low for her.” His fingers squeeze mine gently and we stop about twenty feet from the doors. “When I first showed up on your island . . .”

I am helpless at looking anywhere but in his eyes. Tonight, they’re green. Vivid, beautiful, clear green. “Yes?”

“I’d been warned that you were a monster and that I best keep my distance. That you would slay me at the slightest provocation, and naturally, I believed it, as I could not blame anyone’s hatred toward my family after what my sister and uncle had done to you. But once Death handed me that first soul and departed, I heard you crying. My curiosity inflamed tenfold. What kind of so-called monster weeps like her heart had shattered and never would form whole again?”

Like clockwork, my cheeks burn. His fingers brush my reddened skin ever so gently before I turn my face to rest in his hand. The butterflies in my chest swarm frantically. “My sister misjudged you. I knew that the very second I heard your anguish. I’m afraid I was lost to you from that moment on. I had to discover all that made you you, even if I would suffer the same fate as the proverbial cat. And I never cared about the risks, as long as my curiosity about you was sated first.”

“Truly?” The word barely escapes my lips.

His eyes are so intense. “Truly.”

keep_calm_medusa

HeatherBW2About Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

Heather’s Website | Heather’s Twitter

Heather’s Facebook | Heather’s Goodreads

Heather’s Pinterest

And now….. The giveaway!! To enter, fill out the rafflecopter below! And may the odds be ever in your favor!

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Waiting on Wednesday #12: Alpha Goddess by Amalie Howard

Hey everyone. Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Breaking the Spine. Its purpose is to highlight upcoming releases we’re dying to get our hands on.

Alpha Goddess
In Serjana Caelum’s world, gods exist. So do goddesses. Sera knows this because she is one of them. A secret long concealed by her parents, Sera is Lakshmi reborn, the human avatar of an immortal Indian goddess rumored to control all the planes of existence. Marked by the sigils of both heaven and hell, Sera’s avatar is meant to bring balance to the mortal world, but all she creates is chaos. A chaos that Azrath, the Asura Lord of Death, hopes to use to unleash hell on earth.

Torn between reconciling her past and present, Sera must figure out how to stop Azrath before the Mortal Realm is destroyed. But trust doesn’t come easy in a world fissured by lies and betrayal. Her best friend Kyle is hiding his own dark secrets, and her mysterious new neighbor, Devendra, seems to know a lot more than he’s telling. Struggling between her opposing halves and her attraction to the boys tied to each of them, Sera must become the goddess she was meant to be, or risk failing, which means sacrificing the world she was born to protect.

Amalie Howard is amazing. Hands down. So there’s no question that I MUST get my hands on Alpha Goddess! It sounds really, really good and it has an original plot. I can’t wait to read it!

Alpha Goddess will release on March 4, 2012. You can learn more about it on Goodreads and you can pre-order it on Amazon.

On Meredith’s Mind (#2): Binging a Book Series

OMM Image
 
Hey everyone! It has been a LONG time since I last did a discussion post – since November, in fact! So I thought it was time for another one!

With the start of a new year, there have been a lot of reading challenges popping up. I joined a couple, like the Goodreads Challenge. But mostly, I have a crazy busy hectic schedule and I can’t tie myself down with too many official challenges – I’d always be behind and I’d always be pulling my hair out while sobbing in a corner.

BUT (There’s always a “but” right?) I’ve sort of started an unofficial mini-challenge for myself. I’ve discovered a lot of amazing books thanks to book blogging. A lot of them are duologies, trilogies and.. whatever a 4-book series is called (quadrologies?). Most of them are very well-known/highly-anticipated/incredibly beloved. I feel like such a bad book nerd for not reading these books sooner!

So in the next few months, in between review books, I plan on binge-reading some of these amazing series’. Most of them are trilogies and completed now, though the one still has a final book coming out in 2015. And technically, I started this in January. So the first trilogy I mention? I’ve already binged it.

So, without further adieu, let’s get this show on the road! Here are the trilogies/series I have read/plan on reading in the months to come:

January: The Under the Never Sky trilogy by Veronica Rossi

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So, I’ve already read this trilogy. I had heard so many amazing things about it, but unfortunately, I was the black sheep and I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had hoped I would. I loved the world-building, the plot, the technology, the science/genetics. But I didn’t love the characters. I mean, I LOVED Roar. And Brooke and Liv. But that was it. It was still an enjoyable trilogy, it just wasn’t completely for me.

Reviews: Under the Never Sky | Through the Ever Night | Into the Still Blue

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February: The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer

Lunar Chronicles
I’ve read Cinder and I’m about 100 pages into Scarlet now. I absolutely LOVE this series so far! Marissa Meyer is a gorgeous storyteller. I love the concept/plot, the characters, the writing. These books are just amazing. I’m already dying for Winter and I’m not even onto Cress yet!

Reviews: Cinder

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March: Shatter Me trilogy by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me
Team Warner! Team Adam! Kenji! Chapter 62! Chapter 55! These are the things I currently know about this series. People LOVE it and people FLIP OUT over it and I’m DYING to read it! I’m actually going to meet Tahereh Mafi at the Dark Days signing in NYC and I’m sad I don’t have time to read at least Shatter Me before I go, but since it’s my March Binge, I guess I’ll just have to be patient!

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April: Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson

Rae Carson
I’ve tentatively scheduled this trilogy for April. I’ve heard it’s epic and amazing, but I’ve also heard a few not-so-cool things about it. But I own them all and I don’t really read a lot of high fantasy, so I’m game!

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So, that’s it for now! Like I said, April’s binge read is penciled in and I’m not sure beyond that. But for now, those are the series’ I’ve either read already (Under the Never Sky), am in the middle of (Lunar Chronicles) or plan to read in the next few months (Shatter Me, Fire and Thorns). Again, this is an unofficial challenge I set for myself. But if anyone is interesting in doing it with me, let me know in the comments! Maybe I’ll make it more official and create a button, etc!

And if you’re interested in learning more about book binging, check out this awesome post from Book Rock Betty!

Now, my lovelies, tell me: Have you binge-read a series? Do you plan to? Which series have you/will you binge(d)?

Review: The Star Thief by Jamie Grey (Blog tour + Giveaway)

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: The Star Thief by Jamie Grey (Blog tour + Giveaway)The Star Thief by Jamie Grey
Series: Star Thief Chronicles #1
Published by CreateSpace on January 31, 2014
Pages: 400
Source: the author
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-stars

She might only be twenty-three, but Renna Carrizal is the most notorious thief in the galaxy. There’s just one problem – all she wants is to get the frak out of the business.

But when Renna rescues an injured boy from the warehouse she’s casing, she finds herself on the run from the mob instead of enjoying retirement on a garden world. Turns out, the kid was a plant to lead her to MYTH, a top-secret galactic protection agency.

MYTH needs Renna’s special skills, and they make her an offer she can’t refuse – unless she'd like to spend the rest of her life on a prison ship. To make sure she does her job they shackle her with a MYTH watchdog, the handsome but arrogant Captain Finn.

A former mercenary-turned-galactic-hero, Finn happens to have his own dirty secrets. Secrets that Renna wouldn’t mind uncovering for herself. Together, they discover an experiment to develop illegal cybernetics that will create an unstoppable army. The intended target? The human star fleet.

Now Renna must use her skills as the Star Thief to pull off the biggest job of her career – saving the galaxy. And herself.

Recommended for 17+ due to mature themes and sexual content.

 
Star Thief blog tour banner_edited-1
 

Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on The Star Thief blog tour! I’m very excited to be a part of this blog tour! Jamie is amazing and I absolutely loved The Star Thief!! I hope you enjoy my review!

Jamie Grey has done it again! The Star Thief had an intriguing plot, amazing world-building, interesting technology/science and amusing, likable characters.

First of all, Jamie Grey is an amazing writer! She really knows how to take a concept and make it her own, make it unique. Like with her young adult novel, Ultraviolet Catastrophe, Grey built a stunning world that is realistic and complex, brimming with incredible science and technology. It felt very realistic, and I had very little trouble keeping the technology/world straight. I only got a little confused a few times, but I was easily able to work out my confusion.

Renna is an AMAZING MC. She’s confident, strong and a kick-ass spy who can hold her own. She definitely isn’t the type to sit in a corner and tremble, waiting for her “hero” to rescue her. She knows how to handle a weapon and how to get herself out of even the most impossible situations. She was also funny and sarcastic. She grows a lot from the beginning of the book to the end. In the beginning, she was a solitary spy, eager to wrap up one final job and move on. By the end, she was doing everything in her power to protect those she loved, even if it meant giving up her hope of freedom. Her back-story was so sad, though, and I felt so bad for her!

Finn was such an asshole in the beginning, I just wanted to bitch slap him!! He definitely grows on you, though, and – just like with Renna – he really grows and matures as the book goes on. There’s this one moment where I could completely feel the shift in his and Renna’s relationship. I absolutely adored him and Renna together, too. There was SO MUCH sexual tension and snarkiness. Their chemistry was undeniable.

We meet so many characters in this book, yet it wasn’t difficult to keep track of who was who at all – Sometimes, when a book has too many characters, I have to write them down in my notes just to remember who everyone is and I didn’t have to do that at all with this book. Each character had such a distinct personality, I never forgot who they were or their significance to their story. Some notable characters that I really loved were Myka (how could you NOT love him??), Gheewala (she was a little bit strange.. But I LOVED her ability and she definitely grew on me), Keva (well.. It took awhile for her to grow on me, but I did like her a lot) and Viktis (I’m not sure what this says about me.. But I REALLY hope we see a LOT MORE of him in the next book!!!)

There was one character I didn’t trust, and that person ended up being very trustworthy, which was a nice surprise! And there was another character who, after just half a page, I didn’t trust at all – and I was completely right on that one!! I love when that happens and a hunch is correct! It’s so fun!

This book is going to be a part of a series, and the title – Athena’s Ashes – is very ominous! (Read the book… You’ll see why!). I’m super excited to see where the next book takes the characters, especially considering where everyone left off at the end of The Star Thief!

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Jamie Grey Author photo About the Author:

Jamie Grey spent most of her childhood writing stories about princesses who saved the day and pretending to be a daring explorer. It wasn’t until much later that she realized she should combine the two. Now, as a tech-obsessed gamer geek, her novels mix amazing scientific developments, future worlds, and the remarkable characters that live in them.

Jamie lives in Michigan with her significant other and their pets, who luckily tolerate her overspending on tea, books, and video games.
 
 

Twitter | Facebook

Blog | Goodreads

You can learn more about The Star Thief on Goodreads or you can buy it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Smashwords.

Thanks to Jamie, we also have a giveaway going on for this blog tour! Please enter by using the Rafflecopter below:

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four-stars

Blog Tour: The Angelites by Richard Moran

The Angelites BOOK TOUR BANNER-1
 
Hey everyone! Welcome to my stop on The Angelites Blog Tour! Today, I’m pleased to share an excerpt from the book with you. First, here’s the cover and synopsis:

Angelites Cover
 
 
NYPD Detective, Gina Vasquez, who’s life went completely off track after making one near-fatal mistake. After serving prison time, she relocates to New Mexico to start her life over as a county sheriff. After arresting vandals who stole from an artifacts shop, Gina is suddenly thrown into a battle of good vs evil – angels vs demons, where the fate of humanity and all ways of life hangs in the balance. Now Gina must decide whether to stay exiled or lead a new band of warrior angels known as The Angelites.
 
 
 

And here’s the excerpt!

Gina was standing barefoot in the middle of what seemed to be nowhere, wearing black silk pajamas. Fog covered the darkness like a huge wool blanket. Towering above her were the tallest of buildings and 6-foot billboards. She fanned away the fog in an attempt to see what was on the other side.

What she saw was a total contrast to the usual New York City nightlife. The streets were deserted. Electricity was sucked out from every structure like there was a citywide blackout. Human activity was nonexistent. She was alone.
What the hell is going on here, she thought. Resting in her hand was a badge, shining bright in the dense darkness, pure platinum gold with a custom-made design of wings behind a cross. Gazing at it, Gina thought it should be on display in a museum.

Suddenly, glowing pulses surrounded the shield and a warm sensation slipped into her fingertips, expanding throughout her hand. She felt less of the ground under her feet, as if her veins had been pumped with helium. Her body began to glow as bright as the badge, and she felt a strong power pump in her heart. In fear she threw the badge to the floor and the glow had diminished.

This can’t be real, she thought. I must be dreaming. But the feeling was so real that she truly couldn’t tell. She looked around the urban wasteland, wondering if she even alive.
Gina picked up the badge and put it in her pajama pocket. Her mind returned to where she was and how was she getting home; if there was a home to get back to.

After passing a few dismal blocks, she heard spine-rattling echoes shriek through her eardrums. Horrid shapes were emerging from the fog bank, and they rapidly drew closer. Her heart jumped into her throat when she noticed what they were. Demonic-looking zombies exploded onto the street with an appetite to kill.

Their blood-colored eyes widened on their disfigured faces. Volumes of yellow venom bubbled on the sides of their mouths. Slabs of molten matter decorated their physiques and they were clothed in ripped-up police uniforms.
Frantically, Gina ran through the dark streets, not knowing which direction was safe. An abandoned building was coming up. She thought it might be a good place to hide, but it was also perfect for an ambush, as more zombies rushed out. She ran as fast as she could, but not enough to lose them. Buildings were locked and manhole covers were sealed tight. No place was safe.

Gina ran around a corner and spotted a church down the middle of the block. Beams of light were shining from the ceiling windows, and the front doors were wide open. She ran toward the holy fortress, hoping to find someone there who could enlighten her as to what was happening.

With the zombies quickly approaching, she leaped up the stairs like a frog on a hotplate, and then barricaded the front doors with pews. The loud pounding against the wood crept under her skin.

Strands of her auburn hair were stuck to the sides of her sweaty face. Uneasy and exhausted, Gina looked around, astonished at the size of the church. It was like an ancient Greek cathedral, with stained-glass windows and enormous statues that stood against the walls.

She collapsed on a bench and took a few deep breaths, trying to get a hold of herself. Where did those things come from? Why were they after her? Was she in purgatory?

“This must be a dream,” she said. “Please, let this be a dream.”

Then she heard panting nearby, as if someone else was in the church with her. “Who’s there?” she shouted, but nobody answered. She realized then that someone had to have let her in, the church had been practically begging her to come in with its welcoming bright lights.

The panting grew louder, and she looked out a window and saw a woman standing under a spotlight, holding a large wooden staff. There wasn’t a drop of rain in the sky, but her long brown hair and navy blue sleep shirt were soaked. She was swinging the staff wildly around her, with full force.

“Hey!” yelled Gina. “Over here! Come inside! Do you hear me?”

Gina pounded on the glass to get her attention, but she couldn’t hear anything except terrifying snarls, which must have been coming from the zombies. The woman hopelessly looked up at the sky, and as she did Gina recognized the face under the thin-rimmed glasses.

“Alex!” Gina yelled, banging on the glass. “Get the hell out of there! It’s me, Gina! Do you hear me?”

Desperately, Gina looked around the church for something to break the window. On the altar she found large candleholders, and she lifted one onto her shoulder like a javelin and swung it into the glass. But the window was undamaged. Repeatedly, she swung the rod with the same result. From the other windows came more cries for help from behind the colored glass. Some were scared to death and running for their lives, some were hiding in cocoons of despair. Was she looking into the future?

“I can’t save them!” Gina said helplessly.

The pounding against the doors grew louder and heavier. Pieces of wood were starting to shatter, bloodcurdling screams from the hungry zombies sneaking through the cracks. Gina felt fear swell through her body like heat. Her mind was breaking down; she was running out of ideas.

Splinters and woodchips rained inside of the church, and as the doors shredded away into nothing, the howls became clearer. Zombies ransacked one another to get inside. Gina’s heart pounded faster, drowning in a flood of emotions. Stress raced in her veins like a bad drug.

She found herself staring at dozens of glowing red eyes. Their hideous faces were coming closer. She was reaching the breaking point. From inside her pocket, the badge started to throb. Not knowing what else to do, feeling like all hope was lost, she released everything in her with the loudest scream she could muster. The volume of her voice multiplied through the church, sounding like the cry of a wailing banshee.

As the sound waves rumbled through the deserted metropolis like an earthquake, the zombies began to shatter. Bones exploded and crumbled into piles of dust. Buildings came crashing down like a demolition project. Clouds of debris blanketed the city. Updrafts had shot out from beneath Gina’s feet with enough strength to make the church walls shake. Stained glass showered down like candy from a piñata. Dead remains were violently blown through the air, winds gushing through the roof like a geyser and out into the twilight. Gina looked up and saw the moon shimmering like a giant searchlight. The regurgitated screams faded away as the last of the clerestory fell down around her.

Gray ashes flew through like leaves in the fall. She couldn’t believe what she had done. This church, once so beautiful, was now in ruins. Tears flowed down from her brown eyes, and as she was relieved that the chaos had ceased, she whispered, “Thank you.”

The victory was short-lived, however, as vociferous thunder roared from the heavens. The black sky morphed into a firmament of flaming red with lightning striking across. Hideous flying creatures, with wings of a vulture and red fur covering their scaly skin, swarmed over the wrecked church. They could smell the terror pouring from her flesh. Black nails stuck out of their tree-twig fingers.

Gina was ready to make a run for it when sandy hands arose from the dusty remains and clutched onto her ankles. The harder she tried to break free, the more hands latched onto her. She looked up and saw the razor-tipped nails coming moments away from shredding into her face. Before she tasted their pain, she woke to a fight with her blankets, screaming in absolute terror.

Her nerves took some time to settle before she realized she was in the confines of her bedroom. The alarm clock on the night table read 1:11 a.m. It was pin-drop quiet outside in the suburban streets of Eagle Nest, New Mexico, where she’d been living for the past four years.

She sat on the edge of the bed and flicked on the nightlight, wiping sweat from her hairline as clips of the terrible dream played in her head like a horror movie. She pulled out her wallet and examined her Silver Star badge. Eagle Nest Town Sheriff was engraved in the middle. It looked nothing like the one she had in her dream.

What just happened? she thought. What made her have such a horrible dream all of a sudden? She took a few hours and a bottle of vodka trying to figure it out.

It was now 7:25 a.m. and peeking sunrays pulled open Gina’s reluctant eyelids. She had thirty-five minutes to get to work. Luckily, the station wasn’t too long of a drive. Deputy Silverblaze had left three messages on her cell phone, which was set to silent.

Rolling out of her bed and knocking over the empty bottle, Gina wasn’t sure who she was anymore. Looking in the mirror, she saw what she’d seen every day for years since being released from jail: guilt. Every day she wished that night had never happened. Leaving New York made it easier to deal with the past, but it hadn’t made her forget.

Richard Moran author photo About the Author:

I was the born in the Bronx, N.Y; the youngest of two children. I have a loving and supportive wife who has given me two precious boys. I’m a firm believer of God and prayer and devote my life to him. My biggest joys, besides watching movies and TV dramas, are drawing, making music and writing. I have a wild imagination and it’s helped me come up with some creative works over the years. I started writing about ten years ago and The Angelites was the first story I started. But, so many things had gone in my life that I had to put it back on the shelf several times. Now I finally had momentum on my side and completed the first of two introductory stories to this series. I hope you enjoy it, because if you don’t, then I have plenty of other stories coming your way that I know you’ll fall in love with at least one of them. I’ll just be happy with that.

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You can find out more about The Angelites on Goodreads or you can purchase it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Review + Audiobook Clip)

Review: Cinder by Marissa Meyer (Review + Audiobook Clip)Cinder by Marissa Meyer
Series: Lunar Chronicles #1
Published by Feiwel & Friends on January 3, 2012
Pages: 387
Format: Paperback
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
four-half-stars

Humans and androids crowd the raucous streets of New Beijing. A deadly plague ravages the population. From space, a ruthless lunar people watch, waiting to make their move. No one knows that Earth’s fate hinges on one girl.

Cinder, a gifted mechanic, is a cyborg. She’s a second-class citizen with a mysterious past, reviled by her stepmother and blamed for her stepsister’s illness. But when her life becomes intertwined with the handsome Prince Kai’s, she suddenly finds herself at the center of an intergalactic struggle, and a forbidden attraction. Caught between duty and freedom, loyalty and betrayal, she must uncover secrets about her past in order to protect her world’s future.

Cinder was such an amazing book! I’m kicking myself for not reading it sooner! When it first released in 2012, I wasn’t a blogger. I didn’t use Goodreads (well, not as often as I do now, at least). Yet, I had heard all the hype about this series and I was eager to check it out. I remember picking it up in Barnes & Noble and reading the book jacket… And discovering it was about androids and cyborgs and such. At the time, I couldn’t get past that. I had no interest in that type of book and no blogger friends to encourage me to read it, to urge me to look past the cyborg and android part of it. And, boy, was I stupid back then!

First of all, I LOVE Cinder. She’s sarcastic, snarky, strong. She doesn’t sit idle; she asks questions and she fights. Her situation isn’t great and she has a nasty step-mother. Her step-sisters vary from the original fairy tale, however, in that her one step-sister, Peony, is actually nice to her. I loved that. It meant that Cinder had at least one person who cared for her. I really loved that part of it. Of course, I hated her step-mother, Adri and her other step-sister, Pearl. But Peony was an amazing character and her fate made me so sad! One thing I did find interesting? In the original fairy tale, Cinderella’s step-mother is pure evil. But I actually found myself feeling bad for Adri at certain points. I always feel like a great villian is one you feel bad for, at least once in the book. So there’s that.

Iko was… A very STRANGE character for me. I was so, so confused. Because I had gone to a Fierce Reads signing and I met Marissa Meyer there. She had buttons and one of them said “Team Iko” or “I Heart Iko.” So going into Cinder, I assumed Iko was a guy – maybe he made up a love triangle with Cinder and Kai. And then I found out Iko was a girl! And an android, to boot. So… I was kind of mind-blown and confused, but once that confusion cleared up, I really enjoyed Iko as a character and I was sad we didn’t see a lot of her in the second half of the book.

In the beginning of the book, Prince Kai was great! He’s definitely NOT like the silly Prince Charming from the Disney versions. He’s strong, yet not always sure of himself. He’s kind and understanding and he had me laughing out loud several times. He stood up for himself, against Torin, against Queen Levana. But near the end, something happened and Kai’s reaction… He definitely lost some major brownie points with me. However, I’m hoping he’ll redeem himself in Scarlet and Cress. Plus, I still think he and Cinder made an adorable couple!

I don’t think I need to say much about Queen Levana… She was horrible and mean – the stereotypical “evil queen” from every fairy tale. So.. moving on. Dr. Erland was frustrating. But for good reasons, I guess. He was very cryptic and he had that “mad scientist” air to him. His revelations to Cinder near the end of the book were not shocking at all, though. I had all sorts of suspicions and theories starting only 65 pages in and going from there. They built with each new “hint.” Despite the predictable “revelations” in Cinder, I still truly enjoyed it. Whenever I sat down to read, I read at least 100 pages (or more) without taking a break. I just couldn’t put it down!

I especially loved all the sneak-peaks of future characters we got. I’m sure, for those who read Cinder when it first came out, these peaks didn’t mean much (at the time). But knowing what I know about Scarlet, Cress and Winter, I recognized Princess Winter’s name immediately, and I knew exactly who Cress was when Cinder first communicated with her. I love when authors turn minor characters from one book into major characters in subsequent books. It’s so fun to meet a character, then get to see the character more fully developed in either later books in the series, or their own book. Not sure if this method has a name, but I’ve seen it down in Harry Potter and in Katie McGarry’s books and maybe I’m easily amused, but I love it!

Overall, Cinder was so amazing, I basically read it in a little over two days (with big breaks in-between, because I had company over this weekend, but still!). I’m DYING to read Scarlet and I’m hoping to start it later on next week!

For those who love Fairy Tale retellings, I HIGHLY recommend this book. And if you AREN’T a fan of Fairy Tales and/or Fairy Tale retellings, then this book just might change your mind!

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Thanks to the wonderful people at Macmillan, I have a clip from the Cinder audiobook to share with you guys!

four-half-stars

Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge

I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Review: Cruel Beauty by Rosamund HodgeCruel Beauty by Rosamund Hodge
Published by Balzer + Bray on January 28, 2014
Pages: 352
Source: the publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
three-half-stars

Graceling meets Beauty and the Beast in this sweeping fantasy about one girl's journey to fulfill her destiny and the monster who gets in her way-by stealing her heart.

Based on the classic fairy tale Beauty and the Beast, Cruel Beauty is a dazzling love story about our deepest desires and their power to change our destiny.

Since birth, Nyx has been betrothed to the evil ruler of her kingdom-all because of a foolish bargain struck by her father. And since birth, she has been in training to kill him.

With no choice but to fulfill her duty, Nyx resents her family for never trying to save her and hates herself for wanting to escape her fate. Still, on her seventeenth birthday, Nyx abandons everything she's ever known to marry the all-powerful, immortal Ignifex. Her plan? Seduce him, destroy his enchanted castle, and break the nine-hundred-year-old curse he put on her people.

But Ignifex is not at all what Nyx expected. The strangely charming lord beguiles her, and his castle-a shifting maze of magical rooms-enthralls her.

As Nyx searches for a way to free her homeland by uncovering Ignifex's secrets, she finds herself unwillingly drawn to him. Even if she could bring herself to love her sworn enemy, how can she refuse her duty to kill him? With time running out, Nyx must decide what is more important: the future of her kingdom, or the man she was never supposed to love.

With a plot that is Beauty & The Beast meets Greek Mythology, I went into Cruel Beauty assuming I would love it. Unfortunately, I was very on the fence with this book and, even now that I’ve finished it, I’m still on the fence with it. I didn’t love it but I didn’t hate it. I found it fascinating and intriguing, yet it was repetitive, boring and slow. Almost everything in this book had a love it/hate it contradiction.

Let’s start with Nyx. I liked her in the beginning because of her name. Right off the bat, we get a connection to Greek Mythology. She had a spunky attitude and was pretty hilarious. She didn’t fully accept her fate, but she also didn’t turn and run from it. Her banter with Ignifex was pretty hysterical and she was constantly hitting him and throwing things at him, trying to kill him – I was laughing out loud at several points throughout the book. On the other hand, Nyx was very whiny and bratty. She had a LOT of inner monologue going on and it got very repetitive – obnoxiously repetitive. Sometimes she played the victim, other times she seemed brainwashed. I just couldn’t follow her. I didn’t connect with her and I felt very distanced from her.

Ignifex was hilarious. I think he was my favorite character. His humor, his personality, his attitude. I just loved him. I don’t think we were supposed to love him, especially in the beginning. But, nevertheless, I did. Shade though… I think we WERE supposed to love Shade. He was supposed to be seen as the “Good Guy,” but I just never trusted him completely. And then the end of the book was… Well.. Whoa. This never felt like a love triangle, but if it HAD been, it would have been one twisted love triangle! Because.. Well.. Read it and you’ll see. I can’t explain without a spoiler.

The middle section of Cruel Beauty definitely picked up speed. The first 8-11 chapters are slow, boring, repetitive – as I mentioned earlier. But the middle picked up and I found it to be very interesting, with some great revelations. The ending was just.. Really confusing and weird and I still don’t know how I feel about it. It had me distrusting so many characters that I really couldn’t make any sense of it. I definitely feel like this book is one that needs to be read twice so that you can catch things you missed the first time around. I feel like a second read would make a LOT of things easier to understand.

There were some other characters that I should mention, but I also feel it’s hard to mention them without getting spoiler-ish – like Nyx’s sister, father and aunt. And a certain character we meet at the absolute end – I can’t even name that character cause.. Well, total spoiler. But, mostly, we’re only made to really care about Nyx, Ignifex and Shade – And of those three, really, we learn the most about Nyx and Ignifex, so there isn’t much to say about the other character’s anyway.

Overall, I’m completely torn on how I feel about this book. I didn’t hate it but I didn’t love it. I’d still recommend it to those who love Fairy Tale retellings or Greek Mythology, but it’s not something I would pick up again.

three-half-stars

Cover Reveal: Fire of Stars and Dragons by Melissa A. Petreshock

Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be a part of the cover reveal for Fire of Stars and Dragons! This cover is so incredibly gorgeous!

So, are you ready to see the cover??

Are you sure?

It’s gorgeous!

Okay, ready?

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Here it is!

Fire of Stars and Dragons
 
Is that cover AMAZINGLY GORGEOUS, or what?? The colors, the font, the fire. I just adore everything about this cover. If I saw it on a shelf in the store, I’d grab it. It completely pulls me in and makes me want to know more about it.

Here’s the official synopsis for Fire of Stars and Dragons:

Following the death of her vampire uncle, twenty-one-year-old CAITRIONA HAYDEN finds herself in the midst of a trio of quintessential alpha male suitors in 22nd century sovereign America where human females should be seen and not heard.

Theo Pendragon claims her as his ward, ordained to guard her through to a long-awaited destiny unbeknownst to Cait, but finds more than he expected when passion ignites within the dragon for the first time. Always drawn to the pursuit of knowledge rather than the heat of desire, powerful demigod Dante cannot deny everything his future holds in Caitriona. America’s monarch, ancient vampire Corrin, has no interest in the frivolity of love, yet marrying Cait could be the answer to his continued survival.

Soon, Cait goes from studying for college exams to choosing a husband in seven days, knowing the consequences are eternal, the love undying, and the bond timeless.

FIRE OF STARS AND DRAGONS is a New Adult Fantasy Romance set in a world filled with shapeshifting dragons, a powerful demigod, an ancient vampire monarch, and a sassy human chick keeping them all on their alpha male toes.

Fire of Stars and Dragons will release on April 29, 2014 from Swoon Romance in e-first format. To learn more, visit Goodreads.

Melissa Author Photo About Melissa A. Petreshock:
 
Melissa A. Petreshock is a full-time writer and member of the Romance Writers of America with past experience in the medical and educational fields, though she has primarily devoted her adult life to raising a family. Born and raised in Kentucky, Melissa spent a number of years in Massachusetts, living outside Boston and in Springfield before returning to her home state where she now resides on a small farm. She enjoys quiet married life and the silliness of her three children, indulging hobbies of music, Zumba, and a minor television addiction in what little free time she finds. Melissa’s interests include causes demanding social change such as mental health awareness and teen suicide prevention. FIRE OF STARS AND DRAGONS is her debut NA Fantasy Romance novel.
 

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