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Release Day Blitz: The Glass Butterfly by A.G. Howard

 
I am so excited that THE GLASS BUTTERFLY by A.G. Howard is available now and that I get to share the news! I’m reading it right now and it’s definitely my favorite in the series so far!!! If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author A.G. Howard, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for some amazing prizes courtesy of A.G. and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

Title: THE GLASS BUTTERFLY (Haunted Hearts Legacy #3)
Author: A.G. Howard
Pub. Date: August 15, 2018
Publisher: Golden Orb Press
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Pages: 278
Find it: Goodreads | Amazon
All other formats and vendors will be available on the official launch date: August 15, 2018

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For close to a decade, twenty-five-year-old Felicity Lonsdale has masqueraded as a dowager almost twice her age—selling caterpillars to butterfly consortiums—enabling her to hide an ill-fated past while raising her late brother’s daughters. Together, the three live on an isolated Irish estate bequeathed by a dying earl. When the earl’s estranged son arrives to claim his inheritance by threatening to expose Felicity’s true identity, she longs to pack up her nieces and run. But a ghostly secret within the castle’s turret holds her captive.

Nick Thornton—a Roma viscount’s heir—is also captive. After a tryst with an investor’s wife nearly destroyed his family’s holiday resort, Nick forsook everything to elope with her. However, a tragic mistake at his hand led to her and his baby’s deaths. Refusing to turn to the family he shamed, Nick travels to seek the countess who once co-wrote a romance with his sister. There’s rumor of a special butterfly in her keep—a transparent-winged species with ties to the afterlife. Nick hopes to contact his dead wife and child, for only their forgiveness can free him.

Upon his arrival to Felicity’s estate, Nick offers to help her defeat the earl’s son, on the condition she allow Nick to investigate her glass butterflies. Felicity agrees, though fears the closer he gets to the ghosts of his past, the closer he’ll come to uncovering her own. As Nick spends time with Felicity and her nieces, he realizes the mystery enshrouding this fragile countess and her castle is more intriguing than the ghosts he originally came to find. And perhaps putting his dead to rest and helping her do the same will be his true path to redemption.

And don’t forget to check out THE ARCHITECT OF SONG (book one) and THE HUMMINGBIRD HEART (book two). Details for both are below!

Title: THE ARCHITECT OF SONG
Author: A.G. Howard
Pub. Date: August 15, 2016
Publisher: Golden Orb Press
Pages: 425
Formats: Paperback | eBook
Find it: Amazon | Goodreads

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A lady imprisoned by deafness, an architect imprisoned by his past, and a ghost imprisoned within the petals of a flower – intertwine in this love story that transcends life and death.

For most of her life, nineteen-year-old Juliet Emerline has subsisted – isolated by deafness – making hats in the solitude of her home. Now, she’s at risk to lose her sanctuary to Lord Nicolas Thornton, a twenty-seven-year-old mysterious and eccentric architect with designs on her humble estate. When she secretly witnesses him raging beside a grave, Juliet investigates, finding the name “Hawk” on the headstone and an unusual flower at the base. The moment Juliet touches the petals, a young English nobleman appears in ghostly form, singing a song only her deaf ears can hear. The ghost remembers nothing of his identity or death, other than the one name that haunts his afterlife: Thornton.

To avenge her ghostly companion and save her estate, Juliet pushes aside her fear of society and travels to Lord Thornton’s secluded holiday resort, posing as a hat maker in one of his boutiques. There, she finds herself questioning who to trust: the architect of flesh and bones who can relate to her through romantic gestures, heartfelt notes, and sensual touches … or the specter who serenades her with beautiful songs and ardent words, touching her mind and soul like no other man ever can. As sinister truths behind Lord Thornton’s interest in her estate and his tie to Hawk come to light, Juliet is lured into a web of secrets. But it’s too late for escape, and the tragic love taking seed in her heart will alter her silent world forever.

International and NYT bestselling author, A.G. Howard, brings her darkly magical and visual/visceral storytelling to Victorian England. The Architect of Song is the first installment in her lush and romantic Haunted Hearts Legacy series, a four book gothic saga following the generations of one family as – haunted by both literal and figurative ghosts – they search for self-acceptance, love, and happiness.

New Adult: Recommended for ages 17+.

Title: THE HUMMINGBIRD HEART
Author: A.G. Howard
Pub. Date: August 15, 2017
Publisher: Golden Orb Press
Pages: 339
Formats: Paperback | eBook
Find it: Golden Orb Press | Goodreads

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Set 19 years after The Architect of Song.

Shortly after escaping a circus tragedy, young Italian orphan, Willow Antoniette, seeks refuge at The Manor of Diversions—a holiday resort in England born of a ghost story. For eleven years, she’s raised alongside the children of the resort’s owners: Julian, his twin brother, Nick, and their younger sister Emilia. Now that Willow is of marriable age, she’s determined to escape finishing school along with everyone’s efforts to make her a proper lady. The only man she wants to spend her life with is Julian, after all. Yet how can she tell him, when he thinks of her as nothing
but a friend?

As a machinist and engineer, Julian Thornton prefers a governable life. He can’t allow his ever-deepening attraction for Willow to distract from his amusement park plans to lure a younger, wealthier clientele to their family’s resort. In hopes to escape Willow and find investors, Julian sets off on a transatlantic ocean liner headed for the St. Louis World’s Fair, unaware Willow has secretly stowed away on the same ship.

A tiny, mute orphan named Newton and a pair of haunted Italian shoes bring Willow and Julian face to face on deck. Forced to work together to solve the mystery of Newton and his vindictive, ghostly companion, Julian and Willow can no longer fight their untapped passions. However, time to admit their true feelings is running out, for the ghost and her murderer have enlisted them as unsuspecting pawns in a karmic game of cat-and-mouse that could cost all of them their lives.

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

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

Website | Blog | Twitter

Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads

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Giveaway Details: All International. There are four prize packs up for grabs. The image below shows what each one contains.

 
To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Blog Tour Schedule:

Week One:
8/6/2018 – A Dream Within A Dream – Review
8/7/2018 – Smada’s Book Smack – Review
8/8/2018 – YA SH3LF – Review
8/9/2018 – Book-Keeping – Review
8/10/2018 – Omg Books and More Books – Review

Week Two:
8/13/2018 – Literary Dust – Review
8/14/2018 – History from a Woman’s Perspective – Review
8/15/2018 – Lisa Loves Literature – Review
8/16/2018 – Pandora’s Books – Review
8/17/2018 – BookHounds YA – Review

Release Week Blitz: The Hummingbird Heart by A.G. Howard

 
I’m so excited that The Hummingbird Heart (Haunted Hearts Legacy #2) by A.G. Howard releases today and that I get to share the news! I’m currently reading and LOVING this book, just as much – if not more – than the first book, The Architect of Song! If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by the fabulous A.G. Howard, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a 5 AMAZING Prizes courtesy of A.G. and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

First here’s more about the book!

Title: THE HUMMINGBIRD HEART
Author: A.G. Howard
Pub Date: August 15, 2017
Publisher: Golden Orb Press
Pages: 339
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Find it: Golden Orb Press, Goodreads

~*~*~

Set 19 years after The Architect of Song.

Shortly after escaping a circus tragedy, young Italian orphan, Willow Antoniette, seeks refuge at The Manor of Diversions—a holiday resort in England born of a ghost story. For eleven years, she’s raised alongside the children of the resort’s owners: Julian, his twin brother, Nick, and their younger sister Emilia. Now that Willow is of marriable age, she’s determined to escape finishing school along with everyone’s efforts to make her a proper lady. The only man she wants to spend her life with is Julian, after all. Yet how can she tell him, when he thinks of her as nothing but a friend?

As a machinist and engineer, Julian Thornton prefers a governable life. He can’t allow his ever-deepening attraction for Willow to distract from his amusement park plans to lure a younger, wealthier clientele to their family’s resort. In hopes to escape Willow and find investors, Julian sets off on a transatlantic ocean liner headed for the St. Louis World’s Fair, unaware Willow has secretly stowed away on the same ship.

A tiny, mute orphan named Newton and a pair of haunted Italian shoes bring Willow and Julian face to face on deck. Forced to work together to solve the mystery of Newton and his vindictive, ghostly companion, Julian and Willow can no longer fight their untapped passions. However, time to admit their true feelings is running out, for the ghost and her murderer have enlisted them as unsuspecting pawns in a karmic game of cat-and-mouse that could cost all of them their lives.

Grab Book One!

Architect of Song A lady imprisoned by deafness, an architect imprisoned by his past, and a ghost imprisoned within the petals of a flower – intertwine in this love story that transcends life and death.

For most of her life, nineteen-year-old Juliet Emerline has subsisted – isolated by deafness – making hats in the solitude of her home. Now, she’s at risk to lose her sanctuary to Lord Nicolas Thornton, a twenty-seven-year-old mysterious and eccentric architect with designs on her humble estate. When she secretly witnesses him raging beside a grave, Juliet investigates, finding the name “Hawk” on the headstone and an unusual flower at the base. The moment Juliet touches the petals, a young English nobleman appears in ghostly form, singing a song only her deaf ears can hear. The ghost remembers nothing of his identity or death, other than the one name that haunts his afterlife: Thornton.

To avenge her ghostly companion and save her estate, Juliet pushes aside her fear of society and travels to Lord Thornton’s secluded holiday resort, posing as a hat maker in one of his boutiques. There, she finds herself questioning who to trust: the architect of flesh and bones who can relate to her through romantic gestures, heartfelt notes, and sensual touches … or the specter who serenades her with beautiful songs and ardent words, touching her mind and soul like no other man ever can. As sinister truths behind Lord Thornton’s interest in her estate and his tie to Hawk come to light, Juliet is lured into a web of secrets. But it’s too late for escape, and the tragic love taking seed in her heart will alter her silent world forever.

International and NYT bestselling author, A.G. Howard, brings her darkly magical and visual/visceral storytelling to Victorian England. The Architect of Song is the first installment in her lush and romantic Haunted Hearts Legacy series, a four book gothic saga following the generations of one family as – haunted by both literal and figurative ghosts – they search for self-acceptance, love, and happiness.

New Adult: Recommended for ages 17+.

Goodreads | Amazon

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And now here’s an excerpt from The Hummingbird Heart! Enjoy!

In the dream, Willow was a child again. With each barefooted step around the stacks of baggage in steerage, she found them taking on new shapes: pyramids of clowns, bears, horses and feathered performers, all balanced atop one another. She was back at the circus, albeit a much hazier and dimmer rendition than she remembered. She skipped along the center ring, excited to be home at last. Grit and discarded trash snagged between her little toes. A spotlight clicked on to illuminate a trunk. From within came a thumping sound, and girlish giggles.

“Tildey!” Willow cried out, racing across the distance to find her doll, her pigtails slapping her face and neck upon each bounding step. The creak of abandoned trapezes swung overhead, cutting intermittently through a thick cloud of fog. Yet it wasn’t fog. It was tobacco—a stench that seeped into her leotard, her tights, her very pores, until she could taste it coating her tongue like bile.

The spotlight shifted from the trunk to a trapeze just above her where a shape took form in the light: a graceful silhouette in a shimmery leotard and glistening tutu.

“Mama?” Willow whispered in the dream, forgetting Tildey for the chance to see her mother perform once more.

The trapeze vanished into thin air but the aerialist continued a controlled descent toward her, held in place by harnesses attached to the center pole. A face came into view, painted white like a clown, with bloody eyes and a hollow of a mouth—stretched wide on a perpetual scream. Willow yelped and squeezed her lashes shut, willing away the creature … for it was not Mama.

When she opened them again, the freakish performer exploded into a flock of hummingbirds made of ink. They skittered around Willow, buzzing wings scraping her skin and hair, imprinting tattoos everywhere they touched. She screamed and stumbled backwards, bumping into the trunk which was somehow right behind her. A tinkly, off-key lullaby drifted from inside the giant box. The lid shook and shuddered, as if something wanted out.

Whimpering, Willow tried to back away, but her feet grew heavy. She looked down and ballet shoes, covered in steel spikes, swallowed them up. The empty harness that had held the ghastly aerialist slithered toward her like a snake, coiling itself around her legs and arms to hold her in place.

On the final haunting strains of music, the trunk’s lid popped open, and out from the midst rose a hunched old man, holding Nadia’s haunted shoes upside down. Blood and water gushed out of them—a stench of copper and stagnancy—and the man laughed with a voice that gnawed into her bones like a thousand snarling wolves.

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

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

Website | Blog | Twitter

Facebook | Tumblr | Pinterest | Goodreads

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Giveaway Details: All International. Ends on August 22nd at Midnight EST!

(1) Grand prize: Signed set of The Architect of Song & The Hummingbird Heart PB
(1) First Place prize: Signed The Hummingbird Heart PB
(1) Second Place prize: Signed The Hummingbird Heart poster
(3) Third – Fifth Place prizes: Signed The Architect of Song & The Hummingbird Heart swag pack sets

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Spotlight Post: Hello, Sunshine by Laura Dave (Book Birthday)

Happy Book Birthday to Laura Dave and Hello, Sunshine!!!

From Laura Dave—the author of the “addictive” (Us Weekly), “winning” (Publishers Weekly) and critically acclaimed bestseller Eight Hundred Grapes—comes a new novel about the secrets we keep…even from ourselves.

Sunshine Mackenzie truly is living the dream. A lifestyle guru for the modern age, Sunshine is beloved by millions of people who tune into her YouTube cooking show, and millions more scour her website for recipes, wisdom, and her enticing suggestions for how to curate a perfect life. She boasts a series of #1 New York Times bestselling cookbooks, a devoted architect husband, and a reputation for sincerity and kindness—Sunshine seems to have it all. But she’s hiding who she really is. And when her secret is revealed, her fall from grace is catastrophic. What Sunshine does in the ashes of destruction will save her in more ways than she can imagine.

In our modern world, where celebrity is a careful construct, Laura Dave’s compelling, enticing novel explores the devastating effect of the secrets we keep in public…and in private. Hello, Sunshine is a fresh, provocative look at a woman teetering between a scrupulously assembled life and the redemptive power of revealing the truth.

Goodreads | Amazon

Book Depository | IndieBound | Kobo

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About the Author:
 
Laura Dave is the author of the critically acclaimed novels The First Husband, The Divorce Party, London Is The Best City In America, and the forthcoming Eight Hundred Grapes. Dave’s fiction and essays have been published in The New York Times, ESPN, Redbook, Glamour and Ladies Home Journal.

Dubbed “a wry observer of modern love” (USA Today), Dave has appeared on CBS’s The Early Show, Fox News Channel’s Fox & Friends and NPR’s All Things Considered. Cosmopolitan Magazine recently named her a “Fun and Fearless Phenom of the Year.”

Three of her novels have been optioned for the big screen with Dave adapting Eight Hundred Grapes for Fox2000.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Release Day Launch: Wildman by J.C. Geiger

Happy Book Birthday to J.C. Geiger and Wildman!

“How can a complete stranger know you better than the people you’ve known your entire life?”

Lance Hendricks is homeward bound, four hundred highway miles from the best night of his life. There’s an epic graduation party brewing, his girlfriend will be there, and they’ve got a private bedroom with their names on it. When his ’93 Buick breaks down in the middle of nowhere, Lance is sure he’ll be back on the road in no time. After all, he’s the high school valedictorian. First chair trumpet player. Scholarship winner. Nothing can stop Lance Hendricks.

But afternoon turns to night, and Lance ends up stranded at the Trainsong Motel. The place feels ominous, even before there’s a terrible car wreck outside his room. When Lance rushes out to help, the townies take notice. They call him Wildman, and an intriguing local girl asks him to join in their nighttime adventures. He begins to live up to his new name. As one day blurs into the next, Lance finds himself in a bar fight, jumping a train, avoiding the police. Drifting farther from home and closer to a girl who makes him feel a way he’s never felt before—like himself.

This debut novel by a remarkable new talent explores the relationship between identity and place, the power of being seen, and the speed at which a well-planned life can change forever.

Goodreads | Amazon

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J. C. Geiger has eaten the beating heart of a snake, been deported from a full-moon party, and spent a short time locked in a Bolivian prison. He also writes fiction. His short works have appeared in the pages of Murky Depths and Horror Garage, and onstage at The Second City in Chicago. His debut novel WILDMAN will be released by Disney-Hyperion in May, 2017.

In addition to writing, J.C. is the Artistic Director of No Shame Eugene Theatre and the proud owner of a legendary 1968 Gerstenslager bookmobile which will undoubtedly lead to ill-advised exploits and cross-country adventures. To stay in the loop, embark here.

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Spotlight Post: Lord of Monsters by John Claude Bemis (Giveaway)

Happy Book Birthday to Lord of Monsters (Out of Abaton #2) by John Claude Bemis!! To celebrate, thanks to Disney Hyperion, I have a giveaway to share with you! First, here’s more about the book:

Pinocchio can’t believe the Moonlit Court is his home! With royal banquets, a regal wardrobe, and a whole new set of rules, Pinocchio has a lot to adjust to in his new life as prester alongside Princess Lazuli.

But before they can get comfortable in their thrones, a fancy dinner at the palace is interrupted by an unwelcome guest-a monster! And this isn’t just any monster; it’s a manticore, a beast that was imprisoned centuries earlier. Desperate to locate the prison and make sure none of its other monsters were able to escape, Lazuli, Pinocchio, and their Celestial Brigade set out to save Abaton from these ancient beings.

Their journey requires intelligence, strength, and a dash of the magic only presters control. But when Pinocchio tries to use his powers, they have an unintended effect: he is turning back into a wooden automa. And if he’s not careful, he may lose his human form forever.

The second book in the Out of Abaton series continues John Claude Bemis’s reimagining of Pinocchio in an action-packed adventure that celebrates friendship, tolerance, and the power of being yourself.

Praise for The Wooden Prince: “Wow! John Claude Bemis hides new magic in old stories.” -Tom Angleberger, New York Times best-selling author of the Origami Yoda series

Goodreads | Amazon | Book Depository

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Time for the giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a finished copy of Lord of Monsters (US only)! To enter the giveaway, fill out the rafflecopter below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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J. C. Geiger has eaten the beating heart of a snake, been deported from a full-moon party, and spent a short time locked in a Bolivian prison. He also writes fiction. His short works have appeared in the pages of Murky Depths and Horror Garage, and onstage at The Second City in Chicago. His debut novel WILDMAN will be released by Disney-Hyperion in May, 2017.

In addition to writing, J.C. is the Artistic Director of No Shame Eugene Theatre and the proud owner of a legendary 1968 Gerstenslager bookmobile which will undoubtedly lead to ill-advised exploits and cross-country adventures. To stay in the loop, embark here.

Website | Twitter | Instagram

Release Day Launch: Golden by K.M. Robinson (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Happy Book Birthday to K.M. Robinson and Golden (March 28, 2017, Snowy Wings Publishing)!! Today, I’ve got an excerpt and an epic giveaway for you! First, here’s more about the book:

When the girl with the golden hair betrays everyone, not even she has hope of surviving.

The stories say that Goldilocks was a naïve girl who wandered into a house one day. Those stories were wrong. She was never naïve. It was all a perfectly executed plan to get her into the Baers’ group to destroy them.

Trained by her cousin, Lowell, and handler, Shadoe, Auluria’s mission is to destroy the Baers by getting close to the youngest brother, Dov, his brother and sister-in-law and the leaders of the Baers’ group. When she realizes Dov isn’t as evil as her cousin led her to believe, she must figure out how to play both sides or her deception will cause everyone in her world to burn.

If her allegiances are discovered, either side could destroy her…if the Society doesn’t get her first.

Amazon

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And now for the excerpt! Enjoy!!!

Preface

The condensed version of my story is this:

The girl with the long golden hair, or Goldilocks, as they would eventually call me, was awakened by one of the three bears. She had no memory of how she got there. She sat on their furniture, ate their food and slept in their home. They found her, talked to her, and ultimately chased her away. That is the story they tell.

But there are things they didn’t tell you. The stories never mention that I had been intentionally sent there to find the Baer family’s weaknesses and use them to then destroy their group. No one ever said that I would fall for the youngest. Nobody talked about how he would try to save me, even when I couldn’t be save. And they never said my entire world would come crashing down around me as I tried to save him and betray the only family I had left.

I am Auluria, and this is my real story.

~*~*~

Chapter 1

The first thing I smelled was sweet spices. A wave of warmth washed over me, coaxing me out of my sleep.

Someone was breathing on me.

When I opened my eyes, all I saw was blue. Blue so deep and so intense I had to blink to bring it into focus. Dark fringe fell over the blue color as it sparked and flashed, awakening me fully. Those were eyes. The most brilliant blue eyes I’d ever seen.

Then it hit me…and I panicked.

“Who are you?” I snapped, sitting up so quickly I nearly collided with the boy next to me. No, not a boy; a man.

I clutched at my collar and backed away from the figure next to me. His face fell as I scrambled away. He reached for me, but not in time to save me from falling off the far side of the small bed and landing squarely on the ground. My flailing hand slammed into a small table near the cot and sent its contents crashing to the floor beside me.

“Auluria, stop,” Blue Eyes said.

“How do you know my name?” I sputtered.

“You don’t remember?” he asked, concerned. He stepped quickly around the bed and stood at the foot of it, unsure if I’d accept his help. He reached out his hand but pulled it back looking disappointed as I recoiled.

“Are you alright?” he asked gently. He knelt to the floor submissively, trying to soothe my terror.

I looked around. I had made a mess, but I hadn’t broken anything. Still, I was confused…I had no idea what was going on.

“Who are you?” I asked again, softer this time.

“I’m Dov,” He placed his hand over his heart as he spoke. “You know me.”

Breathing heavily, I tried to calm my gasping.

“Why am I here?”

“You came here. You came with me. You don’t remember?”

“No,” I didn’t remember anything about him.

“We only just met yesterday. You’ve had quite an experience,” he spoke softly to me, as if trying to calm a child. “It’s okay that you don’t remember. You will.”

He couldn’t have been much older than me, maybe a year or two. The man was tall when he was standing, I could tell even from down on the floor. He had long, strong arms. Something about the way he brushed the hair back out of his eyes set me at ease.

I started to stand and he rose with me. He never took his eyes off me.

“And just how did we meet, Dov?”

“Come. Sit down and I’ll tell you. Would you like something to drink? Water perhaps?”

I slowly made my way to the table at the far end of the room. I started to sink into one of the mismatched chairs.

“Actually, maybe not that one,” Dov said, skirting around me and pulling out another chair. “This one is much more comfortable.”

I obliged, though I didn’t know why.

“Here,” He said handing me a glass of cool water. “Are you hungry? I can make you something.”

Without waiting for me to respond he walked over and started the stove. He reached for a pan and busied himself making food.

“So, why am I here?” I prompted after a few minutes of watching him cook. Once I was convinced he wasn’t going to hurt me, I relaxed back into the seat and watched him work. It calmed my nerves to see him methodically creating breakfast.

“You are here, Auluria, for a great many reasons,” he said dramatically, his grin making his eyes sparkle again, “One of which happens to be…”

The door flew open, interrupting him. I jumped as it crashed against the wall. Turning to look at the noise, I sent my hair cascading over the back of the chair and around to my shoulder where it hit me in the face before falling into my lap.

“Well, look who’s up,” a woman said, scoffing, “Sleeping Beauty.”

“I can’t believe you brought her back here, Dov. She’s nothing but trouble,” the man said. He was an older, darker version of Dov. He seemed to be plagued by something heavy. Even his steps were weighted as he moved about the room, as if dragged down by some invisible chain.

“Are you hungry?” Dov asked ignoring their comments.

I watched as the woman glanced around the room. Her eyes fell on the bed. Its sheets were tangled from my fall. The man followed her gaze. They both cast Dov looks, raising their eyebrows at him. No one said anything. Suddenly, I was extremely self-conscious.

“Well, well, baby brother. Looks like you have a story to tell,” the man howled with laughter. My cheeks burned and I ducked my head.

“Enough, Berwyn.” The woman said quietly. She looked aside as he cast her a disparaging glance.

“Auluria doesn’t remember us,” Dov sounded annoyed.

“Oh, but we remember her.” Berwyn said, making it sound like a bad thing.

I couldn’t figure out what I had done to these people to make them so vicious toward me. Well, not all of them, but it was clear the man and woman were not pleased to find me there.

“I thought we told you to get rid of her,” he said seriously, making my stomach jump into my throat. He slammed his fist against a table, Dov ducked as though he had been hit.

“I won’t and you know why. She won’t hurt us; she’s more likely to help us than anything else.”

“Let her stay, Berwyn. I think it would be nice to have another girl around, and besides Dove’s been alone for so long, it’s nice he has someone,” I couldn’t tell if she was being helpful or mocking.

“It is kind of a pain that he’s always a third wheel I guess.” The big man relented.

“See? I knew it would work out.” The girl said, her mid-length blond curls bouncing as she strode toward
him.

I opened my mouth to speak, but Dov caught my attention and signaled me to stay quiet with a quick shake of his head.

“Come on,” the man finally said, leading the woman away.

I looked back to the stove where Dov was, but he was already at my side setting down a plate.

“That’s my brother, Berwyn, and his wife, Eden,” he said as a matter of fact.

“They’re married?” I said shocked. “He can’t be more than twenty-five.”

“Twenty-four, actually.”

“How old is she?”

“Eden’s twenty-three,” he replied. “Do you want more water?”

“Dov, why am I here?” I asked again, trying to get him to focus. I needed answers.

“Do you remember being in the forest yesterday?” he asked me.

I shook my head.

“Well, I don’t know why you were in the woods, but that’s where I met you. You were running through the forest and you jumped over a small stream.

“I saw you flying through the air and thought ‘what must this crazy girl be doing to be running so quickly through such a dense part of the forest?’ When you landed, you took three whole steps before you came face to face with me.

“I’d never seen a more panicked look in all my life. You clutched your skirts in your hand and whipped your head from side to side. I’d never seen such long hair on a girl; when it finally settled, it ran past your waist,” he said as if I didn’t know how long my hair was.

“And when you looked back to me, you whispered ‘help.’ I could see in your eyes that you were in trouble.” He said with grandeur, illustrating his story with his hands, “So I took you by the waist and spun you into the trees. We ducked behind some large rocks and hid among the vines. You were breathing so loudly I thought you were going to give us away.

I wondered how the story would sound if he dropped his dramatic tone. I assumed he was using it to try to keep me engaged.

“What was I running from?” I interrupted.

“Men. There were men chasing you. You refused to tell me why,” he grinned as if it were all a game. I was in no mood for games.

“Once the first group of men chasing you were gone you started off again, barely throwing a ‘thank you’ over your shoulder. But I couldn’t let you go alone, not after what I had seen, so I walked with you.”

I hoped he would get to the point, but he had more to describe in detail.

“You only tolerated me for so long until you started throwing things at me. An apple. A tree branch. Some small pebbles. I admit, it hurt my feelings a bit.”

He frowned playfully, but his eyes sparked to life from under his dark hair.

But… persist I did, and I followed you for the better part of an hour, talking at you the whole time. That is, until I was attacked. In my blind disregard for my own safety,” he waved his hand to the side, as if I should be impressed, “I hadn’t realized where we had wandered. I was taken completely by surprise when those guys jumped out of the trees and landed on top of me.”

He laughed, his eyes lighting up. “But you, for as surprised as you were, ran right at us and tackled Jake to the ground. He hit the dirt so hard that it knocked the wind right out of him. I’m sure he couldn’t ever believe a girl would ever consider dating him, much less throwing herself at him like you did.”

I felt my eyes grow wide at his teasing words. He was only joking, a play on words, but still, I would never throw myself at a man in that context. It vexed me that he would insinuate that I might.

“Once I took out Marty, we found ourselves in the clear. That didn’t stop us from trying to make a fast getaway though. We almost made it too, but somehow Jake struggled to his feet and he went after you. Just as I subdued Marty and placed him on the ground, I lifted my head and saw Jake barreling toward you.

“I couldn’t make it to you in time. The sound it made when he hit you…it was almost as if I could feel it from as far away as I was,” He offered me a sad look, his eyes clouding.

“If it’s any consolation, I slammed his face into a tree and messed him up pretty bad. You insisted that you were fine, but you could barely stand. I scooped you up and carried you.

“We talked all the way back here. Well, mostly I did,” I refrained from rolling my eyes. Of course, he had been the talkative one. “You told me your name and then you asked a few questions before deciding to stay quiet. So as of right now, all I know is that your name is Auluria. You have long hair. You’re running from something and you are being chased. And you’re looking for a place to belong-though I added that last part on my own.”

He counted his points off on his fingers for me as he summarized what had occurred yesterday.

“And what did you tell me about yourself?”

“Well, as you know, my name is Dov. Baer is my last name. You’ve met my brother and his wife yesterday briefly, and again today. As you can see, my brother doesn’t trust you, but don’t take offense, he doesn’t trust anyone.

“You can’t really blame him with all that’s going on,” he continued, “it’s hard to trust anyone these days.”

“I suppose.”

I looked down to my dress, covered with dirt and mud at the bottom. There were a few small holes that I assumed occurred during my fall. That’s when I remembered.

I had been running. I just couldn’t remember why.

I remembered meeting him though. As the men gained on me, I leapt over a river, almost directly into Dov’s arms. He hid me until the men passed. I never told him of the danger I must have surely been in and he was in for being with me.

“You remember,” Dov voice changed, snapping back to the conversation.

“I remember,” I nodded. “Thank you for your help yesterday.”

“Anything for a pretty lady,” he half bowed to me from his seat next to mine.

“Now, tell me Auluria, why were you running from those men yesterday?” he grew serious again, wanting more information from me.

“They were chasing me,” I said simply.

He chuckled. “But why?”

I swallowed hard. “I don’t know.”

“You don’t remember?”

“It picks up from where I ran into you,” his eyes narrowed intently, but soft enough to know he was concerned, not angry.

“Where do you belong, Auluria? We have to get you back to where it’s safe.” He took my hand in his own hands, the gesture so sudden that it shocked me into stillness. I let him hold my hand in his while his eyes searched me for answers.

“I…I don’t belong anywhere.” That was the truth. I never belonged there. “And do you really think going back is safe, since that’s where I was coming from in the first place?”

Little flashes of memory floated through my mind. Not enough to blend together and form a picture, but pieces all the same.

“You will tell me eventually, Auluria,” he said withdrawing his hand. He looked genuinely hurt that I wouldn’t divulge any new information.

I didn’t like that he thought I knew more than I was saying.

“You can stay here until you’re ready,” he added quietly, almost to himself.

I looked at him and it was as if he read my mind.

“You’ll be safe here. They won’t find you and Berwyn won’t hurt you. I’ll make sure of it.”

That thought scared me. If this man was telling me I’d be safe from his brother, then what was so bad about his brother that made it potentially unsafe?

“Finished?” he interrupted my thoughts. Lifting my plate, he turned to the sink.

I watched as he washed the dishes, his shoulder rising and falling as he worked. His muscles looked stiff at times, seizing with pain. My gaze lingered on them as he worked. I watched his chest expand and shrink as he breathed.

When he turned, it startled me. Dov only raised an eyebrow and smirked. He nodded his head for me to join him in the makeshift living room, walking away from the kitchen.

Just as we started to sit, I blurted out, “What did you mean? ‘Protect me from Berwyn’?”

“Oh. I see you don’t remember all of yesterday after your rescue.” He added apologetically, “Berwyn, is just a lot to handle at times. Sometimes he gets a little too upset. At times, he says or does things without thinking. It’s nothing to worry about, he won’t hurt you, he’s just… loud sometimes.”

As if emphasizing his brother’s point, at that very moment Berwyn crashed into the room and slammed the door behind him. He glared at us before stomping through the kitchen and marching out the door.

Eden appeared, rolling her eyes. She looked over to her young brother-in-law and gestured around the room.

Baby, you need to get this taken care of,” she turned on her heels and retreated the way she came.

I looked to Dov. “Baby?” I giggled.

“Oh, be quiet,” he said, throwing a pillow at me as he stood, careful to avoid my face.

“Let me help you,” I responded, rising to follow him, knowing that I owed him for his help the day before.

We started cleaning up the mess around the room. Bottles lay strewn about the floor. Unfolded laundry sat in a pile on a chair. It looked like there had been a celebration that someone forgot to clean up after.

“How’s your head feeling?” he asked as we worked.

“It’s okay,” I said, feeling more secure about being alone with him. “What happened in here anyway?”

“Berwyn and Eden had a fight yesterday. It’s best to get out of the house when that happens.” He stooped to sweep up pieces of broken glass. “They never hurt each other, but they sure do know how to make it sound good.”

“Was it about me?” I asked.

“It started out about you, but most of this is from after.”

I helped him straighten the room. His eyes flitted over to me every so often, making sure I wasn’t going to pass out from my injury the previous day.

The quiet that stretched between us was almost comforting. I’ve always liked the silence. It means that you are comfortable enough with a person that you don’t feel the need to fill up the space with words. You can just exist together.

****

Berwyn and Eden didn’t make another appearance until that evening. Dov had suggested I take a nap to help regain my strength, so after lunch I lay on the couch under a light blanket. It really was too warm for a blanket, but I liked the protection it offered me.

I never truly drifted off to sleep. While I felt safe in that house, I knew I didn’t really know these people very well and I didn’t want to trust them too quickly.

“She’s still here.” Berwyn grumbled.

“I told you, we’re not sending her back out there. She’s being hunted and she can’t remember by whom or why. We have to protect her.”

“Stop it, Berwyn.” Eden interrupted before he could say anything. “I don’t like it either, but he’s right. We’re not sending her back out there until we have some answers. Your father started this whole thing to help people, so you need to help people. And start with her.” I heard the edge in her voice when she talked about me. Maybe she hadn’t been sincere about letting me stay.

“Fine,” He huffed. “For now.”

I kept my eyes closed, feigning sleep, and waited for them to leave. I heard their steps creak across the floorboards as they walked out of the room. A moment later I felt the couch arm dip slightly as someone leaned on it.

“You heard that, didn’t you?” his gentle voice asked.

I opened my eyes. “Yeah.” I acknowledged.

He took a deep breath and sighed. “At least he’s letting you stay.”

“For now,” I added.

“For now,” He said, worry slightly edging into his voice.

That probably wasn’t their best choice.

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Check out a longer excerpt here

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And now for the giveaway! One winner will receive an eBook copy of Golden! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

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About the Author:
 
K.M. Robinson is a storyteller who creates new worlds both in her writing and in her fine arts conceptual photography. She is a marketing, branding and social media strategy educator who is recognized at first sight by her very long hair. She is a creative who focuses on photography, videography, couture dress making, and writing to express the stories she needs to tell. She almost always has a camera within reach.

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Snapchat: @kmrobinson

Release Day Blitz: To Catch a Killer by Sheryl Scarborough (Giveaway)

 
Happy Book Birthday to Sheryl Scarborough and To Catch a Killer (Tor Teen)! I’m reading this right now and I’m totally intrigued! Thanks to Tor Teen, I have a copy of To Catch a Killer to give away! First, here’s more about the book:

Erin Blake has one of those names. A name that, like Natalee Holloway or Elizabeth Smart, is inextricably linked to a grisly crime. As a toddler, Erin survived for three days alongside the corpse of her murdered mother, and the case—which remains unsolved—fascinated a nation. Her father’s identity unknown, Erin was taken in by her mother’s best friend and has become a relatively normal teen in spite of the looming questions about her past.

Fourteen years later, Erin is once again at the center of a brutal homicide when she finds the body of her biology teacher. When questioned by the police, Erin tells almost the whole truth, but never voices her suspicions that her mother’s killer has struck again in order to protect the casework she’s secretly doing on her own.

Inspired by her uncle, an FBI agent, Erin has ramped up her forensic hobby into a full-blown cold-case investigation. This new murder makes her certain she’s close to the truth, but when all the evidence starts to point the authorities straight to Erin, she turns to her longtime crush (and fellow suspect) Journey Michaels to help her crack the case before it’s too late.

Goodreads | Amazon | IndieBound

Find More Buy Links Here.

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And now for the giveaway! One lucky winner will receive a hardcover copy of the book, US/CAN only.

-Giveaway is US/Canada only

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

*The above giveaway rules were borrowed and modified from Jessica @ Just a Book Lover.

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

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About the Author:
 
Sheryl Scarborough worked as a story writer and series developer in children’s television before receiving her MFA in Writing for Children & Young Adults from Vermont College, where she studied under Rita Williams-Garcia, Tom Birdseye, and Susan Fletcher, among others. She currently lives and works in Kalama, Washington. To Catch a Killer is her debut.
 
 

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Release Day Blitz: RoseBlood by A.G. Howard

 
I am so excited that ROSEBLOOD by A.G. Howard releases today and that I get to share the news! If you haven’t yet heard about this wonderful book by Author A.G. Howard, be sure to check out all the details below.

This blitz also includes a giveaway for a signed ROSEBLOOD poster and a mask courtesy of A.G. and Rockstar Book Tours. So if you’d like a chance to win, enter in the Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post.

First here’s more about the book!

Title: ROSEBLOOD
Author: A.G. Howard
Pub. Date: January 10, 2016
Publisher: Amulet Books
Pages: 432
Formats: Hardcover, paperback, eBook

Find it: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Audible | Goodreads

In this modern day spin on Leroux’s gothic tale of unrequited love turned to madness, seventeen-year-old Rune Germain has a mysterious affliction linked to her operatic talent, and a horrifying mistake she’s trying to hide. Hoping creative direction will help her, Rune’s mother sends her to a French arts conservatory for her senior year, located in an opera house rumored to have ties to The Phantom of the Opera.

At RoseBlood, Rune secretly befriends the masked Thorn—an elusive violinist who not only guides her musical transformation through dreams that seem more real than reality itself, but somehow knows who she is behind her own masks. As the two discover an otherworldly connection and a soul-deep romance blossoms, Thorn’s dark agenda comes to light and he’s forced to make a deadly choice: lead Rune to her destruction, or face the wrath of the phantom who has haunted the opera house for a century, and is the only father he’s ever known.

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

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

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Giveaway Details: 1 winner will receive a signed ROSEBLOOD poster and a Mask. US Only. Ends on January 17th at Midnight EST!
 

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Release Day Blitz: My Rogue, My Ruin by Amalie Howard and Angie Morgan

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MY ROGUE, MY RUIN is available now! Sexy and fun with a bit of Robin Hood and a badass heroine, you do not want to miss the first book from writing duo Amalie Howard and Angie Morgan. Find out more about it below and enter to win some seriously awesome prizes!

mrmr_1600“Smart and fast-paced with plenty of steam! This writing duo is a powerhouse of talent!” – New York Times bestselling author Sophie Jordan

He stole their riches, she stole his heart

The Marquess of Hawksfield’s lineage is impeccable and his title coveted, but Archer Croft is as far from his indulgent peers as he can get. His loathing for the beau monde has driven him to don a secret identity and risk everything in order to steal their riches and distribute them to the less fortunate.

Lady Briannon Findlay embraces her encounter with the Masked Marauder, a gentleman thief waylaying carriages from London to Essex. The marauder has stirred Brynn’s craving for adventure, and she discovers an attraction deeper than the charming thief’s mask.

Brynn is a revelation, matching Archer in intelligence, wit, and passion. Stubborn and sensuous in equal measure, she astonishes him at every turn, but when someone sinister impersonates Archer’s secret personality, and a murder is committed, Archer begins to think he doesn’t stand a fighting chance without her.

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Add MY ROGUE, MY RUIN to your Goodreads list here!

Get your hands on MY ROGUE, MY RUIN now:

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Get a sneak peek of MY ROGUE, MY RUIN:

“Why are you out here at this ungodly hour?” he asked.

“I could ask you the same thing,” she replied. “As well as why you are trespassing on private property.”

Archer smiled at her tone and leaned against a nearby tree, easing the weight of his injured ankle for the moment. There it was—the brief glimpse of the woman he’d met in Dinsmore’s carriage, not the quiet mouse he’d waltzed with. “Ah, but I believe this tree, right here,”—he slapped the trunk with a rakish grin—“marks the dividing line between my estate and yours. So technically, I’m on my property and you are on yours.”

Her eyes narrowed at his teasing before plucking up the tweed cap from where it lay on the ground and tugging it back into place upon her head. She then picked up the spent pistol and tucked it into the narrow, single holster gun belt looped around her waist. “No matter. It’s hardly any of your concern why I am out on my own land. Go on your way, and I’ll be on mine.”

His jaw dropped as she wound her fist into the horse’s bridle, loosely slung around its neck, and pulled herself deftly up onto the horse’s back. She sat astride in a way that made his pulse shorten. “Where is your saddle?” he managed.

She eyed him imperiously. “I don’t like them, not that it’s any of your business.”

“It isn’t safe,” he ground out, surprised by his sudden irritation.

“I’ve been riding without a saddle since I was a child,” she shot back. “I’m safer without one than I am with one.”

“As you were before you got thrown into the river?” Archer couldn’t resist taunting.

Her jaw jutted forward, a mutinous look in her eyes. She pressed her lips together, likely to stop herself from uttering something completely inappropriate. Perhaps one of the colorful words she’d been using while attempting to climb out of the gulch.

“And what if you were attacked by the masked bandit—again?” he continued. “Or haven’t you had enough danger for the time being?”

“I can protect myself,” she said.

“What with?” he asked before he thought of the clean hole in the boar’s forehead.

Briannon sighed dramatically. “Why, with my knitting needles, of course.”

Struck again by her lightning-quick wit, the short bark of laughter left his lips before he could contain it. “Pray, where was your pistol the other night when you were robbed?”

“In my knitting reticule, of course, where all ladies’ pistols are kept,” came her tart response. “I assure you, if I had my pistol, the outcome of that robbery would have been quite different.”

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Want to Win?

Amalie Howard and Angie Morgan have a couple of awesome items to giveaway! Check out the details on the rafflecopter below.

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About the Authors:

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About Amalie Howard

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or being a tomboy running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.

She is the award-winning author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller, and the sequel, Bloodcraft, was a national silver IPPY medalist. She is also the co-author of the adult historical romance series, THE LORDS OF ESSEX. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children.

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About Angie Morgan

Angie is the author of several critically acclaimed young adult and middle grade books written under two other names (Page Morgan and Angie Frazier), and is now thrilled to be taking a much-anticipated leap into the world of adult romance. My Rogue, My Ruin is the first of three books in her new Lords of Essex series, co-written with good friend and fellow author, Amalie Howard. Angie lives in New Hampshire with her husband, their three daughters, and a menagerie of pets.

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Release Day Blitz: The Lost Codex by Heather Lyons

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Today we are celebrating the release of THE LOST CODEX by Heather Lyons. This is the 4th, and final, book in The Collectors’ Society series. Be sure to check out the buy links below for it and the previous books in the series.

Lost CodexAllies, once inseparable, splinter until they break apart.

An insidiousness carves its way through Wonderland, challenging the land’s very existence.
Battle lines will be drawn as pages, long languishing in darkness, are finally illuminated.
Swords will clash, blood will be spilled, and lives will be lost.

For what is written can still be erased.
 
 

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks

 

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PURCHASE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES

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THE COLLECTORS’ SOCIETY Buy Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | Kobo

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THE HIDDEN LIBRARY Buy Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | iBooks | Kobo | Nook

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THE FORGOTTEN MOUNTAIN Buy Links:

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | Nook

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

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Heather Lyons is known for writing epic, heartfelt love stories often with a fantastical twist. From Young Adult to New Adult to Adult novels—one commonality in all her books is the touching, and sometimes heart-wrenching, romance. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.

AUTHOR LINKS:

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