Waiting on Wednesday: REIGN OF SHADOWS (Reign of Shadows #1) by Sophie Jordan

“Waiting on” Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill from Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating. This week I am excited about the upcoming release of Reign of Shadows by Sophie Jordan!

I am falling in love with Young Adult stories lately and this one if high on my TBR list. Sophie Jordan has such a wide range of books and genres under her belt and I am slowly working through them all! This new book and beginning to a new series sounds like a very interesting story I might just love! Reign of Shadows is LIVE on February 9, 2016! So mark your calendars and add it to your TBR list.

Destiny and darkness collide in this romantic, sweeping new fantasy series from New York Timesbestselling author Sophie Jordan.

Seventeen years ago, an eclipse cloaked the kingdom of Relhok in perpetual darkness. In the chaos, an evil chancellor murdered the king and queen and seized their throne. Luna, Relhok’s lost princess, has been hiding in a tower ever since. Luna’s survival depends on the world believing she is dead.

But that doesn’t stop Luna from wanting more. When she meets Fowler, a mysterious archer braving the woods outside her tower, Luna is drawn to him despite the risk. When the tower is attacked, Luna and Fowler escape together. But this world of darkness is more treacherous than Luna ever realized.

With every threat stacked against them, Luna and Fowler find solace in each other. But with secrets still unspoken between them, falling in love might be their most dangerous journey yet.

Blitz + Excerpt + Giveaway: INSANITY (Books 1-3) Boxed Set by Cameron Jace

Insanity
Cameron Jace
(The Complete Books 1-3)
Publication date: October 28, 2015
Genres: New Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal

A Top 100 Bestseller!

Amazon readers love it – over 500 reviews of 5* and 4* for the first book in the series.

‘Most absorbing fantasy read in years!’ W. McNaughton.

‘Insanity is A Summer Hit!!!’ Kindle Gram

‘An insane page turner’ – Kindle reviewer

‘Engrossingly fun!’ Rhonda Miller.

‘A truly twisted tale….fantastic!’ Sheri A. Wilkinsonon

Hannibal Meets Alice in Wonderland in this fantasy page-turning thriller.

After accidentally killing everyone in her class, Alice Wonder becomes a patient in the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum. No one doubts her insanity. All but a hookah-smoking professor named Carter Pillar who believes he can prove her sanity by decoding Lewis Carroll’s paintings, photographs, and finding Wonderland’s real whereabouts.

Professor Caterpillar persuades the asylum that Alice can save lives and catch the Wonderland Monsters now reincarnated in modern day criminals. In order to do so, Alice leads a double life: an Oxford university student by day, a mad girl in an asylum by night. The line between sanity and insanity thins when she meets Jack Diamond, an arrogant college student who believes that nonsense is an actual science.

Larger than life characters, intricate mysteries, engrossing fun, and intriguing historical locations. Insanity will thrill you, makes turns pages, and stay with you forever.
Warning: intended for insane audience only.

You can purchase your copy of this boxed set today on Amazon! 

Underground Ward, the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum, Oxford

The writing on the wall says it’s January 14. I am not sure what year. I haven’t been sure of many things lately, but I’m wondering if it’s my handwriting I’m looking at.

There is an exquisite-looking key drawn underneath the date. It’s carved with a sharp instrument, probably a broken mirror. I couldn’t have written this. I’m terrified of mirrors. They love to call it Catoptrophobia around here.

Unlike those of the regular patients in the asylum, my room is windowless, stripped down to a single mattress in the middle, a sink, and bucket for peeing—or puking—when necessary. The tiles on the floor are black and white squares, like a chessboard. I never step on black. Always white. Again, I’m not sure why.

The walls are smeared with a greasy, pale green everywhere. I wonder if it’s the previous patient’s brains spattered all over from shock therapy.
In the Radcliffe Lunatic Asylum, politely known as the Warneford Hospital, the doctors have a fondness for shock therapy. They love watching patients with bulging eyes and shivering limbs begging for relief from the electricity. It makes me question who is really mad here.

It’s been a while since I was sent to shock therapy myself. Dr. Tom Truckle, my supervising physician, said I don’t need it anymore, particularly after I stopped mentioning Wonderland. He told me that I used to talk about it all the time; a dangerous place I claim I had been whisked away to, when my elder sister lost me when I was seven.

Truth is, I don’t remember this Wonderland they are talking about. I don’t even know why I am here. My oldest vivid memory is from a week ago. Before that, it’s all a purple haze.

I have only one friend in this asylum. It’s not a doctor or a nurse. And it’s not a human. It doesn’t hate, envy, or point a finger at you. My friend is an orange flower I keep in a pot—a Tiger Lily I can’t live without. I keep it safe next to a small crack in the wall, where a single ray of sun sneaks through for only ten minutes a day. It might not be enough light to grow a flower, but my Tiger Lily is a tough girl.

Each day I save half of the water they give me for my flower. As for me, better thirsty than mad. My orange flower is also my personal rain check for my sanity. If I talk to her and she doesn’t reply, I know I am not hallucinating. If she talks back to me, all kinds of nonsense starts to happen. Insanity prevails. There must be a reason why I am here. It doesn’t mean I will easily give in to such a fate.

“Alice Pleasance Wonder. Are you ready?” The nurse knocks with her electric prod on my steel door. Her name is Waltraud Wagner. She is German. Everything she says sounds like a threat, and she smells like smoke. My fellow mad people say she is a Nazi—that she used to kill her own patients back in Germany. “Get avay vrom za dor. I’m coming in,” she demands.

As I listen to the rattling of her large keychain, my heart pounds in my chest. The turn of the key makes me want to swallow. When the door opens, all I can think of is choking her before she begins to hurt me. Sadly, her neck is too thick for my nimble hands. I stare at her almost-square figure for a moment. Everything about her is four sizes too big. All except her feet, which are as small as mine. My sympathies, little feet.

“Time for your daily ten-minute break upstairs.” She approaches me with a straitjacket, a devilish grin on her face. I never get out. My ward is underground, and I’m only allowed to take my break in another empty ward upstairs where patients love to play soccer.

A big, muscled warden stands behind Waltraud. Thomas Ogier. He is bald, and has an angry-red face and a silver tooth he likes to flash whenever he sees me. His biceps are the size of my head. I have a hard time believing he was ever a four-pound baby.

“Slide your arms into the jacket,” Waltraud demands in her German accent, a cigarette puckered between her lips. “Slow and easy, Alice.” She nods at Warden Ogier, in case I misbehave.

I comply obediently and stretch out my arms for her to do whatever she wants. Waltraud twists my right arm slightly and checks the tattoo on my arm. It’s the only tattoo I have. It’s a handwritten sentence that looks like a thick armband from afar. Waltraud feels the need to read it aloud: “‘I can’t go back to yesterday, because I was a different person then.’” I was told I had written it while still believing in Wonderland. “That Alice in Wonderland has really messed with your head,” she says as she puffs smoke into my face.

The tattoo and Waltraud’s mocking is the least of my concerns right now. I let her tie me up, and while she does, I close my eyes. I imagine I am a sixteenth-century princess, some kind of lucky Cinderella, being squeezed into a corset by my chain-smoking servant in a fairy tale castle above ground, just about to go meet my prince charming. Such imagery always helps me breathe. I once thought that it was hope that saved the day, not sanity. I need to cool down before I begin my grand escape.

To celebrate the blitz for the INSANITY box set, Cameron Jace is hosting an awesoem giveaway! Enter this Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win a paperback copy of the INSANITY Series boxed set. Simply follow the instructions listed and you will be entered for your chance to win. Don’t miss out on all the fun. Good luck!

Cameron Jace is the bestselling author of the Grimm Diaries and Insanity series. A graduate of the college of Architecture, collector of out-of-print books, he is obsessed with the origins of folk tales and the mysterious storytellers who spread them. Three of his books made Amazon’s Top 100 Customer Favorites in Kindle 2013 & Amazon’s Top 100 kindle list. Cameron lives in California with his girlfriend. When he isn’t writing or collecting books, he is playing music.

Sign up for his mailing list here: http://bit.ly/1sxp3p1

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REVIEW: Emerge (The Awakening #1) by Melissa A Craven

Emerge
The Awakening #1
Melissa A. Craven
Publication date: April 1, 2015
Genres: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Allie Carmichael has always believed life is simple.

You’re born. You live. You die.
She has no cause to believe that equation works differently for her, but there has to be a reason the world treats her like a pariah.

When an unexpected move to Kelleys Island brings Aidan McBrien crashing into her life, Allie is thrown by his reaction. He doesn’t shrink from her touch. He doesn’t stutter or make a quick exit. He smiles and welcomes her into his circle of friends, who aren’t exactly comfortable with Allie, but they seem to get her in a way most people don’t.

Finally, Allie has a real shot at normal and rides that high right up to her sixteenth birthday when she wakes in agony—an experience Aidan insists they have all faced. She struggles in ignorance, uncertain of what is real and what isn’t. When she emerges, Allie is different. She has always been different, but even among her extraordinary friends, she and Aidan are special.

As Allie struggles to maintain her tenuous grasp on the power that threatens to overwhelm her, she worries she will lose herself in this strange new world. A dangerous world where she will have to fight tooth and nail to defend the power and freedom that is her birthright.

…only Allie hates to fight.

 Emerge takes the reader into a fantastic world full of old tales mixed with new interpretations and ideas. This Young Adult story couples the fantasy with modern day life so well. There is intrigue and mystery about what is happening to Allie and these new people who are in her filtering into her life. It was fascinating to learn about the new world she was a part of and to see the way it had filtered through with the history we know today. Allie is such a feisty heroine in this book. She is attempting to learn the purpose of who she is and what exactly she is, all while balancing normal teenage girl things. I loved that when you read this story, you learn with her side by side. This story is told in her POV and that allows for us to see what she experiencing and how she is handling everything. Allie is a sixteen year old girl and the story balances her teenager angst with a supernatural story very well.

One of the primary characters that is close to Allie is Aiden. He is such an important character, someone who is her equal in power and her confidant throughout the transition. He understands what she is going through on a deeper level than anyone else. It allows them to be linked in an important way. Watching them become best friends is sweet, and seeing Aiden fall in love with her is bittersweet. I am interested to see where that plot line leads. I have some theories and I cannot wait to see what happens between these two dominant characters.

I loved the new family that Allie is surrounded by. There are so many unique personalities and people that have brought her into the world she is now a part of. After moving to Kelleys Island, each person we meet in this story has a role to fill and many have an incredible story to tell. That was one of my favorite parts of what I read. Many of the  adults share their story of life and love with Allie, allowing her to see where they have come from and what they have endured in the centuries before. Mixing real life historical timelines with the story lines of the charters we meet in this book was an incredible idea, one that gives the paranormal realm a sense of authenticity. The history buff in me loved that thread and I was enraptured the more I learned about each person in Allie’s life.

This story has a good amount of mystery and adventure. There are things happening that you can feel as you read. Unknown forces are brewing and there is something big coming soon. Allie learns to tap into her power after her Awakening and watching her learn to fight, defend, and use her magic was a magical ideal brought to life. There is action in past experiences Allie witnesses and so much training in the present. The book flows constantly from one thing to another and it feels like it is gearing up to something great and dangerous. The story was well paced and the characters were perfect for the Young Adult genre. The story primarily focuses in Allie and her newfound power but there is so much more, giving the story a very broad spectrum with Allie in the middle. I am excited to see where the series leads and to see how the prophecies and story unfold.

Virtual Tour + Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: PIRATE PRINCESS by Catherine Banks

Pirate Princess
Pirate Princess #1
Catherine Banks
Release Date: November 2, 2015
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

As the daughter of the Pirate King, Tilia Swanson has an unusual upbringing learning skills that aren’t often available for women. As the heir apparent for the Kingdom of Crilan, her skills set her apart as she is trained by the best in the land and taught to harness her magic. However, piracy is in her blood, and draws danger to Tilia in the way that treasure draws pirates. Some treasures are more valuable than others. Will this lesson be learned in time or will the betrayal of those around her be her undoing?

You can purchase your copy today at the retailers listed below!

 Amazon US | Amazon UK |  B&N | iTunes | Kobo 

Sometimes a girl just needs to read a book with a strong female character and a fun fantasy twist that is both exciting and daring. Pirate Princess is a fantastic young adult story that will appeal to readers both young and old. This story has a fantastic set of people and exciting adventures that will take you on a ride that you did not see coming.

This book has everything I expected and more. Tilia is a fantastic young adult heroine. She is smart, resourceful, and kind. She is a young woman who embraces who she is and learns to be true to herself, no matter the cost. Tilia has a strong female role that is a great example of a fierce warrior and beautiful princess. I loved how she pushed against the stereotypical norms of society in her world and was loved and supported by those around her. Tilia’s character is what makes this story so great. She is a girl seeking adventure and learning to step into her role in life. I loved watching her experience life and grow into a young woman. In this book we see her fall in love and embrace her magical abilities and fighting skills. We see her learn to balance every part of who she is and learn to thrive in that role.

I loved the excitement of the pirate realm and the world this book presents in general. There is danger, intrigue, and magic. When you roll all those aspects into one, you are bound to have an exciting tale of adventure. This book took several twists and turns I did not anticipate, giving the reader more than they expected. I loved how Catherine takes the world we dive into and makes it tangible. You see the realities of a girl growing up and her excitement for what is next. When that is coupled with magic and pirates, you know that there is going to be some exciting themes to enjoy.

Another aspect I loved of this story is the community around Tilia. Every person that we meet in this story is significant. They all weave in and out of Tilia’s story, enlightening the reader on more of her who she is and explaining the way that she reacts. I loved her Aunt and Uncle and Faxon. These three are so important in her life and to see them interact and have fun was heartwarming. I love getting to meet the different pirates and friends Tilia comes into contact with. Each encounter adds depth to the story and many times allows for a new direction in the story. There are plot twists you expect and some that you will not see coming.

Pirate Princess is a daring young adult story of a young woman who is growing into her rightful place in the world. Tilia is fierce and lovable, surrounding herself with characters that enhance her life. This story is not short on exciting destinations and stories of old, all of which create a book that will grab your attention. I am excited to see more of Tilia, Finn, Captain Rocco, and all the royalty of the land in future stories from Catherine Banks!

“You aren’t going to force me into an arranged marriage, are you?” I asked them.

Esmeralda looked like I had smacked her. “Of course not!”

“We haven’t done arranged marriages in a century,” Jared said.

I exhaled. “Well, my dad wasn’t sure and told me to be prepared just in case.”

“Does your dad do arranged marriages?” Esmeralda asked.

I shook my head. “No.”

“Well you don’t have to worry about that,” Jared said, “We aren’t going to force you to do anything.”

“Except not be a pirate,” I fake pouted.

Esmeralda laughed. “Except that.”

“Well, I guess I’m okay with that. Most pirates don’t have very long careers anyways,” I said.

“Speaking of marriage,” Esmeralda said, moving her horse closer to mine. “Technically we are supposed to have a ball for your seventeenth birthday so that all of the available men can come so you can start looking for a suitor.”

“WHAT?” I asked in an almost scream.

“You don’t want a boyfriend?” Faxon asked.

I blushed and said, “I just didn’t know it was a formal thing and, uh, hadn’t really thought about it yet.” That was a lie. I thought about boys like every teenage girl did, but my options were slim at the Capitol.

“Well, it’s a tradition and I thought I would let you know now that we’ll be having it while we are in Markleville,” Esmeralda said.

“I don’t have a dress,” I said, hoping that would cancel the plans until we returned home, “I didn’t bring one.”

“That’s fine. I will have one made for you,” Jared offered.

How generous. Ugh. “But if I find a guy I like in Markleville, I won’t even be able to see him when we return to the Capitol,” I said.

“That is where the true romance is supposed to begin,” Esmeralda said with a smile. “They have to try to keep you interested with letters and poems and gifts.”

“It’s very tedious,” Jared said.

“Only because you had to find others to write poems for you,” Faxon said.

“I knew you didn’t write that poem!” Esmeralda said with a triumphant shout.

“I’m going to skin you, Faxon,” Jared growled.

“It’s time she learned the truth,” Faxon said.

“I already knew,” Esmeralda said, “I just never had confirmation.”

“How did you know?” Jared asked.

“You haven’t written me a poem once since then. Every other guy who wrote me a poem continued to write them, not just one,” she said honestly.

“Who else wrote you poems?” Jared asked with crossed arms jealously.

“Yes, I’m really looking forward to this,” I muttered.

Griffin laughed.

“Not every man is like him,” Faxon said defensively.

“I can’t believe you helped him,” Esmeralda said.

“I’m a good friend,” he said with a shrug, “it’s a curse.”

To celebrate the virtual tour for the Pirate Princess, Catherine and Tasty Tours are hosting a giveaway! Enter this RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY for your chance to win one of two $10 Amazon GiftCards! Simply follow the instructions listed and you will be entered for your chance to win. Don’t miss out. Good luck!

Catherine Banks is the author of the Artemis Lupine Series, Little Death Bringer Series, Ciara Steele Novella Series, and the novel Daughter of Lions. She began writing fiction stories when she was only four years old and finished her first full length novel at the age of fifteen.

Catherine is a Northern California native and has lived within a twenty mile radius her entire life. She plans to travel to as many places as possible in her thirties to make up for her lack of traveling experience. She is married to her soulmate and best friend, Avery, who blessed her with two amazing children. After her full time job she reads books, plays video games, and watches a lot of anime shows and movies with her family to relax.

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New Release + Excerpt + Giveaway: HOOKAH (Insanity #4) by Cameron Jace

There is more! I am loving this series with a very interesting twist on the Alice in Wonderland story! Today is the release day for the fourth book in the Insanity Series! I cannot wait to read Hookah and see what Jace has in store for us. Check out more about the book, read an excerpt, and enter the giveaway for your chance to win books 1-4 in this series! If you haven’t started this series yet, Insanity, the first in the series is currently free on Amazon and B&N! Make sure to check it out.

Hookah
(Insanity #4)

Cameron Jace

Genre: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Young Adult
Publication date: September 28, 2015

A Plague Scarier than Death
Alice and the Pillar have to stop a Wonderland Monster who’d lashed out an incurable disease onto the world. Their biggest challenge is that the world loves this monster so much.

A Cure Larger than Life
The only way to save the world is to travel to the other side of the globe, and peek into one of Lewis Carroll and the Pillar’s darker pasts.

A Truth Madder Than Fiction
This time, the price of saving the world is too high. Alice will have to live with the consequences of the maddest logic of the world surrounding her.

Will Alice find who the Pillar really is? What he wants? Is she brave enough to handle the one Wonderland Monster she’d thought was a good friends? And even so, is the world ready the truth?

You can purchase your copy today at the retailers listed below!

Amazon | Barnes&Noble

“She’s not my daughter.” The Pillar purses his lips. He’s pissed at me. I know it. But you know what? I love the mushrooms’ effect. Because I don’t freakin’ care. “Don’t pay attention to her.”

“I’m beginning to lose my patience,” the machine gun man says. “You don’t know the password, and your daughter is a lunatic.”

“I told you she isn’t my daughter,” I hear the Pillar say while I’m trying to catch a diamond from the sky. “And I don’t know the answer to your puzzle. Divide a loaf by a knife? What kind of mathematical question is that?”

“Wrong answer.” The man is about to shoot the Pillar while I’m chasing stars.

This is when I find myself standing before the Pillar to protect him. “You will not shoot my father!” I have no idea what I am saying, or why I am saying it. It’s strange that in the middle of my hallucination I care for the Pillar.

“Tell her to move, or I will shoot you both,” the machine gun man warns.

Then another totally bonkers thing happens. This time it’s too insane to swallow.

“Tell you what? You look like you’re itching to shoot someone today,” the Pillar says, pushing me away toward the man. “Why not shoot her, and let me pass?”

Suddenly, I am two feet away from the machine gun itself, unable to determine if what I just heard was part of my hallucination or for real.

My attempt to turn back and confront the Pillar goes out the window when the machine gun man decides he’s had it with me.

He shoots me straight in the chest.

To celebrate this new release, Cameron Jace is hosting an awesome giveaway! For your chance to win a eBook set of first four books in the Insanity series, enter this RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY! Follow the instructions listed and you will be entered for your chance to win! Don’t miss out. Good luck!

Cameron Jace is the bestselling author of the Grimm Diaries and Insanity series. A graduate of the college of Architecture, collector of out-of-print books, he is obsessed with the origins of folk tales and the mysterious storytellers who spread them. Three of his books made Amazon’s Top 100 Customer Favorites in Kindle 2013 & Amazon’s Top 100 kindle list. Cameron lives in California with his girlfriend. When he isn’t writing or collecting books, he is playing music.Sign up for his mailing list here: http://bit.ly/1sxp3p1

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Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway : THE AFFILIATE (The Ascension #1) by K.A. Linde

Escape into a world of excitement and intrigue! This Young Adult Fantasy is something you will not want to miss. Check out The Affiliate and read more about this book, Tina’s Thoughts, watch the book trailer and enter the awesome giveaway! K.A. Linde sets up a world you will want to lose yourself in.

The Affiliate
The Ascension #1
K.A. Linde
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Release Date: September 15, 2015

On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm’s lifelong plans come to fruition when she’s chosen as an Affiliate to the Queen.

Or so she thinks. When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene’s position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have…

King Edric himself.

Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde’s new Ascension series.

You can purchase your copy today at the retailers listed below!

Goodreads | Amazon | iBooks

I have found myself sucked into the world of NA and YA Fantasy lately and find that I never want to leave. There is something about a new world created with elements you recognize and ones that are unique that allows for something magical to happen. The Affiliate is one of those. This book is the first in a new series from Linde and it creates a world that is both fascinating and beautiful, heading in the direction of intriguing and slightly dangerous. There are new ideas and realities woven together into a realm that you will never want to leave.  I have mixed feelings about some of the plotlines (just personal preferences about relationships and whatnot) but overall I loved it and am excited for more.

The Affiliate is a story of a young heroine who is learning her place in the world and trying to keep her head above water in the crazy world of politics, monarchy, and love. Cyrene is thrust into a new life  of organized chaos. A world where things take a turn for the sinister and trust is not something to given lightly. Seeing the events unfold from Cyrene’s POV was perfect. Linde does a great job of balancing the reality of the world we dive into with the mystical. Things begin to change from the norm as Cyrene steps into her new role in life. Her life as she knows it transforms but so does the world as a whole. There are mysteries to be solved and lives to be saved. The buildup is a bit slow but it is something I understood. Linde lays the groundwork very well, letting the reader explore and understand the history of this realm and where they are now.

The cast of characters in this story is spot on. There are so many different people moving in and out of Cyrene’s life. She has a great family and a good life ahead of her, making friends and enemies alongs the way. She is in the spotlight due to her attention from the royals, something that will be interesting in development later on in the series, and her life seems to be spiraling out of control. Her role is set but her dreams take her to something else. If you feel like I am being vague, I am. I just enjoyed how the story unfolds and I do not want to ruin it for anyone.

Our young heroine grows so much in this book. She learns to think for herself and be an individual in a world where it is rare. She is kind and compassionate. She is strong and willful. She fights for what she wants and will find truth no matter the obstacles ahead. Cyrene is a girl to be admired as she transitions into womanhood. I am excited to see what happens when she begins to understand what is happening to her. Her reaction is paramount and I feel like it could take the story take off in any number of different directions. The romance is age appropriate but I am a bit hesitant about where a relationship with Edric would end up. My hesitancy is a personal preferences that many may not care about but I feel like too much crazy drama might unfold and I don’t like the other woman scenario, despite the chemistry they obviously have and fact I want them to be together. However, this will probably not deter me from reading more and I am excited to read how Linde unfolds that plotline.

If you love fantasy and Young Adult, this book is a great story to read and gear up for what is going to be a well written and developed series. I am excited to see what Cyrene discovers in her search for answers. I am excited to see more development of the secondary characters and their role in her life. I am curious about her blooming relationship and what will become of it.

To celebrate the new release and blog tour of The Affiliate, KA Linde is hosting an awesome giveaway! For your chance to win a $100 Amazon GiftCard (that’s right, $100), enter this Rafflecopter giveaway! Just follow the instructions listed for your chance to win! Don’t miss out. Good luck!

USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde is the author of The Affiliate, the first book in the Ascension Series. As a military brat, she traveled the world with her family, imaginary friends, and ever-increasing supply of books. She has spent much of her life dreaming up new worlds and characters and forcing them into uncomfortable, usually life-threatening scenarios. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a masters degree in political science, she began spending every waking hour putting those characters onto paper.

When not writing, she spends her time dancing, collecting paperbacks in the hopes of filling a Beauty and the Beast style library one day, traveling to visit her friends who live all over the country, and still reading anything she can get her hands on. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and two puppies, Lucy and Riker, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

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New Release + Excerpt + Giveaway: THE AFFILIATE (The Ascension #1) by KA Linde

Today is release day for K.A. Linde’s The Affiliate. I am so excited about this new young adult fantasy! If you are looking for a new fantasy series to dive into, check this one out! Grab your copy and check out the excerpt and giveaway K.A. is sharing with us. You will not want to miss out! 

The Affiliate
The Ascension #1
K.A. Linde
Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy
Release Date: September 15, 2015

On the day of her Presenting, in front of the entire Byern Court, seventeen-year-old Cyrene Strohm’s lifelong plans come to fruition when she’s chosen as an Affiliate to the Queen.

Or so she thinks. When Cyrene receives a mysterious letter and an unreadable book, she finds nothing is as it seems. Thrust into a world of dangerous political intrigue and deadly magic, Cyrene’s position only grows more treacherous when she finds herself drawn to the one man she can never have…

King Edric himself.

Cyrene must decide if love is truly worth the price of freedom. Find out in this first book in USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde’s new Ascension series.

You can purchase your copy today at the retailers listed below!

Goodreads | Amazon | iBooks

“I see the way you look at her, Edric. Your eyes follow her, you dance the longest dances with her, and now, you’re sending her presents. I’ve known you too long not to know that this is unlike you. You’re not Kael. You don’t fraternize with the Affiliates who parade themselves in front of you, hoping for a scrap of your time. Yet here you are with this Cyrene. What is she to you?” Daufina asked.

At her question, Edric paced the long room. She watched him through the silence and wondered what he was thinking.

“You told me once that you would inform me if you wanted to take a mistress—”

“I do not want to take a mistress,” Edric snapped.

Daufina straightened in surprise. He never raised his voice with her.

“I apologize,” he said with a sigh. “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

“Just talk to me.”

“Would you believe me if I said that I didn’t want anything to do with her?” His eyes were pleading.

“No,” Daufina admitted.

“No,” he agreed. “No, I wouldn’t either. I keep telling myself that I’m acting like a fool, Daufina, but then I see her again.” He stroked his chin as he tried to find the words. “She has this pull. When I’m with her, the throne slips away, and I’m just a man with a beautiful woman. It both intrigues and terrifies me.” He splayed his hands before him. “I can never be anything but the king…but when I’m with her, I want to be.”

To celebrate the new release of The Affiliate, KA Linde is hosting an awesome giveaway! For your chance to win a $100 Amazon GiftCard (that’s right, $100), enter this Rafflecopter giveaway! Just follow the instructions listed for your chance to win! Don’t miss out. Good luck!

USA Today bestselling author K.A. Linde is the author of The Affiliate, the first book in the Ascension Series. As a military brat, she traveled the world with her family, imaginary friends, and ever-increasing supply of books. She has spent much of her life dreaming up new worlds and characters and forcing them into uncomfortable, usually life-threatening scenarios. After graduating from the University of Georgia with a masters degree in political science, she began spending every waking hour putting those characters onto paper.

When not writing, she spends her time dancing, collecting paperbacks in the hopes of filling a Beauty and the Beast style library one day, traveling to visit her friends who live all over the country, and still reading anything she can get her hands on. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband and two puppies, Lucy and Riker, where she is hard at work on her next novel.

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Blog Tour + Review + Excerpt + Giveaway: FLUKES by Nichole Chase

FLUKES
Nichole Chase
Genre: New Adult, Fantasy
Release Date:October 6, 2012

Meena has a secret guarded closely by her family—a secret as dangerous as the sea and buried just as deep. When court-appointed community-service workers are assigned to Flukes, the family-owned animal sanctuary, everyone is on high alert. It doesn’t help that Meena finds herself attracted to sexy-as-sin Blake Weathering, one of the new workers. If he wasn’t so distracting, she might be able to land Flukes a much-needed cruise-line contract.

Blake Weathering, the first in his family to attend public school, has developed a tough image. Unfortunately, it lands him in trouble. Now banned from his high school graduation ceremony, getting his diploma is dependent upon a community-service gig cleaning up fish crap. No diploma, no trust fund fortune—and no way to escape his overbearing father. The last thing he needs is the distraction of a mysterious girl with teal eyes who pulls at his heartstrings.

When Blake discovers Meena’s secret, they are both thrown into a desperate search for information about her past. Two worlds pull them in opposite directions, and they will have to fight to hold on to all that really matters.

You can purchase your copy today at the retailers listed below.

 Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Sometimes a girl just needs a story about mermaids. Nichole Chase has given the girl in my a book to squee about, a love story between a mermaid and a boy, learning to find their place in the world both as individuals and together. FLUKES is a wonderful and sweet New Adult story about acceptance, love, and choices. It takes a step further from the stories about mermaids I was told as a child and made me fall in love with the sea, mermaids, and fantasy all over again! I have been reading so many emotional and heavy stories lately and this book was just the break I needed. FLUKES is a refreshing story filled with imagination and heart, a story that made me smile and long for a fun adventure to find a mermaid in the sea!

FLUKES is a light, fun, and sweet read that will appeal to the young girl who once hoped and believed in mermaids and a whole world under the sea. I loved reading this story and seeing how Nichole took what we know and added something more. I loved learning about the mermaids of the world the author created and seeing how a young woman, living in two separate worlds, was able to embrace them both and learn who she was in the process.

This story is not just a sweet romance or a cute fantasy story. It is a tale about Meena and her life. She is a strong woman who must learn to fight for what she wants and to embrace life in every form and aspect. Her family is such a major theme in this story and that makes it heartfelt! Her parents love her and support her. Vi, her best friend, is like a sister, encouraging her to follow her heart and her dreams. These secondary characters add a certain flair and emotion to the story, allowing the reader to better understand Meena by seeing who she is surrounded by and the love she has grown up in.

Blake is the hero of the story, the quintessential bad boy with a golden heart. Learning more about Blake throughout the story solidifies that Meena and Blake are meant to be. They are drawn to one another but more importantly they understand each other. The connection and emotion that grows between these two is sweet, well-paced, and all consuming. I loved their banter, interactions, and how they challenged each other. It was a perfect story of new young love in the New Adult genre.

Reading this book made me wish to read a million more mermaid stories from Nichole Chase. I love that Nichole took something that we all know and made it something more. FLUKES is a beautiful story of finding who you are and learning how to be who you are unapologetically. I am excited for more from this series and to see more of these characters one day!

It felt like forever before I heard the splashing that announced she was back. I sat forward and smiled when I heard her make a shocked choking sound. I picked up her shorts and held them up for her to see.

“You forgot a towel!” I didn’t get up. I wanted to watch her walk out of the water.

She sputtered some and thrashed around a bit more. I stood up, worried that she had managed to get attacked by a shark in three feet of water.

“Are you okay?” I started to walk down the beach. I didn’t want to be the asshole that sat under a palm tree while some girl was eaten alive in front of him.

“Stay where you are! I’m fine!” Meena’s voice was sharp and breathless.

“What’s wrong?” I froze in place, still worried she might need help.

“Nothing. I have to put my bottoms back on.”

My brain fritzed for a minute before my mouth tugged up in a grin. “Need some help?”

“No!” She pushed the wet hair out of her eyes and glared at me.

“Were you skinny-dipping? It’s a lot more fun when you have someone else with you.” Please ask me to go, please.

“Yeah, I bet you’d know.” Her voice drifted to my ears and made my smile grow even more.

“What was that?” I took a couple of steps forward, a laugh bubbling in my chest. “You want me to come help?”

“Nothing! No! I don’t need any help, thank you very much.” She stood up in the water and I felt my blood pressure rise. “I was not skinny-dipping. I just had sand in my bathing suit.”

She stomped angrily up the beach before coming to stand in front of me. Her teal eyes glowed in the moonlight as she glared holes in my chest and yanked her shorts out of my hand, before pulling them up over her long legs. Pushing the wet hair out of her face she stood back up but didn’t move away. My left hand tingled and I fought the urge to pull her against my chest.

“Are you a creeper?”

Her words pulled me out of my thoughts and I blinked my eyes. “What?”

“Are you a creeper? Following me around?” She put her hands on her hips and I fought the urge to smile. “I can have your job detail cancelled, you know.”

“You wouldn’t do that.” I reached out and brushed some of the hair from her cheek and watched her eyes grow bigger. She was going to call me a creeper? Well, I was staring at her like a boy that just had his first wet dream. I loved her spitfire attitude, but it was time to give her some of her own medicine.

“Why not?” Even in the dark I could see the blush spreading out under my fingers.

“Because you like having me around.” I shifted closer and heard her breathing pick up.

“What makes you think that? You’re a jerk. No one likes a jerk.”

“Because you watch me when you don’t think I notice.” Yep, she was blushing. When she bit her lip it made my body parts down south jump.

“I do not.” Her voice was a little less sure and I knew I was right.

“And because…” I leaned closer to her.

“Because why?” Her head tilted up, her mouth opening slightly in invitation. The smell of the ocean on her skin was intoxicating. Damn it if I didn’t want to taste her.

“You wouldn’t want me to have to do time just because I was waiting for you to unlock the shed so I could get my helmet.” Her eyes snapped up from my mouth and she glared at me. “I could have driven home without it, but if I died, you never would have forgiven yourself. And I didn’t want to burden you like that.”

“You could’ve just said that.” She jerked away from me and grabbed her shirt out of the sand. She pulled it on before digging in her pocket to find her keys. She slipped her feet back into her flip-flops after brushing the sand off and marched back up the trail. I didn’t mind following her angry footsteps. It gave me a great view of her ass.

“It was a lot more fun my way.” She grunted and I smiled some more. She might not want to admit it, but she had been just as excited as I was.

She undid the lock and opened the shed. I leaned in over her shoulder so that she was trapped between me and the door while she grabbed my helmet from the shelf. I shifted closer and moved my mouth down to her ear. This close, I had to fight my desire to bury my face in all that gorgeous brown hair.

“Good night, Meena.” She shivered against me and my hand clenched on the strap of my helmet. I wanted to touch her so badly but knowing her, she’d try to kick me in the nuts.

She turned her face and raised an eyebrow. From my vantage point, I could see all the bright blues and greens in her eyes. It was like staring into the Caribbean waters. Her eyes darted down to my mouth and she licked her lips quickly. She leaned closer and I felt my heartbeat pick up. Maybe she wouldn’t have kicked me in the balls if I touched her. Just as I was about to pull her against me, she moved the door just enough that the hinge pinched my finger.

“Shit!” I stuck my right pointer finger in my mouth. “You did that on purpose!” I stepped back and she closed the door and redid the lock.

“Good night, Blake.” She laughed as she sauntered away. And damn it, I still stared, even though I was seriously considering tackling her and finishing what she had started. Okay, I started it, but I still wanted to finish it. She looked over her shoulder once and I could see that she was laughing. She knew exactly what she had done and thought it was funny.

To celebrate the blog tour for FLUKES, Nichole Chase is hosting this awesome giveaway! For your chance to win, enter this RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY and follow the instructions listed. You will be entered for a chance to win a $50 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card. Don’t miss out on this fun giveaway! Good luck!

Nichole Chase is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Suddenly Royal, The Accidental Assassin, Flukes, The Dark Betrayal Trilogy, and several short stories.

Nichole lives in Georgia with her husband, energetic daughter, superhero dog, Sulcata tortoise, and two cats. When not writing, you may find her reading, painting, crafting, or chasing her daughter around the house while making monster noises.   

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Review: THE SECRET (Irin Chronicles #3) by Elizabeth Hunter

THE SECRET
Irin Chronicles #3
Elizabeth Hunter
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Release Date: March 19, 2015

Only when the darkness falls can you see the light of the stars.

For thousands of years, the scribes and singers of the Irin race have existed to protect humanity and guard the gifts of the Forgiven. They have lived in the shadows. They have kept their secrets.

But the Irin aren’t the only race with secrets.

Ava and Malachi have found each other, but wounds as deep as theirs don’t heal overnight. While the Irin world struggles to correct the power imbalance left by the Rending of the Irina, Malachi and Ava struggle to connect their past with their present.

The Fallen may scheme, but Ava has found her power and refuses to be an angel’s pawn. And while Malachi may have forgotten his history, the scribe’s relentless search for answers leads both him and his mate to the heart of the Irin power structure in Vienna, where knowledge is guarded more closely than gold and those with power will do anything to keep it.

Malachi and Ava have survived the darkness, but will they ever discover its secrets? A powerful cabal of the Fallen may hold the answers, but to surrender them, it wants the Irin race to finally face their enemies. Both those coming from the outside, and those raging within.

THE SECRET is the third book in the contemporary fantasy series, the Irin Chronicles, and the conclusion of Ava and Malachi’s journey.

You can purchase your copy at the retailers listed below!

Amazon    iBooks   Barnes&Noble   Smashwords 

How do you even begin to describe a book that you have longed to read for so long and then you do and it exceeds all your hoped it would be? Well, let’s see if I can describe what I loved and how much I loved everything about this book! THE SECRET is the perfect ending to my one of my all time favorite series! Elizabeth Hunter has brought all the mysterious loose ends together in an incredible, adrenaline laced story of passion, truth, and new beginnings. Ava and Mal are so brilliantly written that they leap off the page, causing you to connect with them in a real way and want to fight along side the cause.

Watching Ava develop throughout the series has been one of my favorite things to watch. She is a beautiful soul and to watch her embrace her destiny and become a vibrant beacon of hope- that is one of my favorite themes. She is full of life and her growing confidence is something that is inspiring. Ava has always been strong to live with the voices and pressure of who she was without even knowing what that is. When she starts to find answers, her world is forever changed. In this book, we see a woman with still so many questions but a determination to protect those she loves and the life she wants. As she learns the stunning truth, she embraces her destiny and fights for what needs to be.

The relationship between Mal and Ava is intense and passionate. At the end of THE SINGER, the old Mal is starting to come back but there are so many gaps from his past and his time with Ava that is was a bit disheartening. Their relationship is so well developed in their undeniable connection and support of each other. I loved watching them fight for what they wanted and the love that continued to grow. They are reshon (soul mates) but that original connection is the foundation that keeps them going and a falling in love on an even deeper level, When the defining moment of their relationship happens and the mating ritual is completed, it is absolutely perfect and emotional. I loved their commitment to each other and the lengths they will go to be together and provide for one another. Their reshon relationship is the perfect give and take, which makes them stronger together than they would ever be apart.

In THE SCRIBE and THE SINGER, we see small glimpses of The Fallen Angels and in THE SECRET their plans are brought to light as they interact more with Ava, Mal, and the Irin. This books takes everything we know of the Irin race and the Grigori race, turning it on it’s head and setting the reader on an unforeseen adventure. I loved how the reader is on the same level as the Irin. The reader learns the truth and experiences new revelations in what the Irin know at the same moment of truth, which adds more mystery and excitement to the story. All I knew was that I wanted answers but I never expected what Elizabeth Hunter had in store. This story is full of twists and turns, taking everything we knew about this world and turning it on it’s head, while blowing up with new information in order to tie up all the loose ends and answer all our questions. It was never what I expected to happen but made perfect sense in the end.

THE SECRET is the best possible ending to the Irin Chronicles. As much as I loved Giovanni, Beatrice, Murphy, Tenzin, and the gang from the Elemental Series, the Irin Chronicles is by far my favorite from Elizabeth Hunter. She takes us on an adventure that draws the reader into a world of mystery, passion, ancient history, and excitement. I loved being able to explore the world of Irin while being whisked away to some of my favorite physical places in the world. The rich historical culture of the world around them coupled with the Irin race created a world that you will never want to leave.

Want to see more of where Malachi and Ava met? More about the Irin race? See incredible places and detailed histories? Then make sure to check out THE SCRIBE and THE SINGER. Check out the series on GOODREADS! This is one series you will not want to miss!

Elizabeth Hunter is a contemporary fantasy, paranormal romance, and contemporary romance writer. She is a graduate of the University of Houston Honors College and a former English teacher. She once substitute taught a kindergarten class, but decided that middle school was far less frightening. Thankfully, people now pay her to write books and eighth-graders everywhere rejoice.

She currently lives in Central California with her son, two dogs, many plants, and a sadly dwindling fish tank. She is the author of the Elemental Mysteries and Elemental World series, the Cambio Springs series, the Irin Chronicles, and other works of fiction.

Want to know more about Elizabeth Hunter and what she is up to? Check out her social media links listed below!

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Blog Tour, Review, and Giveaway: Arcana by Jessica Leake

Arcana
by Jessica Leake
Adult Historical Fantasy
Hardcover, 288 pages
November 18th 2014 by Talos

Amid the sumptuous backdrop of the London season in 1905, headstrong Katherine Sinclair must join the ranks of debutantes vying for suitors. Unfortunately for Katherine, she cannot imagine anything more loathsome—or dangerous. To help ease her entrance into society, Katherine’s family has elicited the assistance of the Earl of Thornewood, a friend and London’s most eligible bachelor, to be her constant companion at the endless fetes and balls. But upon her arrival in London, Katherine realizes there will be more to this season than just white gowns and husband hunting.

Through her late mother’s enchanted diary, Katherine receives warning to keep hidden her otherworldly ability to perform arcana, a magic fueled by the power of the sun. Any misstep could mean ruin—and not just for her family name. The Order of the Eternal Sun is everywhere—hunting for those like her, able to feed on arcana with only a touch of the hand.

But society intrigue can be just as perilous as the Order. The machinations of the fashionable elite are a constant threat, and those who covet Katherine’s arcana, seeking the power of her birthright, could be hiding behind the façade of every suitor—even the darkly handsome Earl of Thornewood.

With so much danger and suspicion, can she give her heart to the one who captivates her, or is he just another after her power?

You can purchase your copy today at the retailers listed below!

Amazon – Barnes & Noble – Book Depository†- Indie Bound

If would you like a copy of Arcana signed by Jessica Leake, you can purchase one from Fiction Addiction.

Where do I even begin? If Jessica Leake had a library full of books I would go and purchase every one! Arcana is a fabulous story and I was hooked! This book begins with the presentation of our heroine, Katherine. We are immediately introduced to her special abilities and proceed to embark on a whirlwind fantasy adventure. This book is set in England in 1905, so naturally we are taken on an adventure through high society London and debutant balls. Katherine is forced to London where she is spending the season with her Grandmother and makes her debut into society, hoping to make it out alive. She is accompanied by the devastatingly handsome Lord Thornewood, the sons of her father’s friend, to help her ease into the ranks and create a place for herself. He is a man with a reputation in London’s society circles, yet he is one of the few people that Katherine is able to be more open and free with. As the season progresses, advences are made towards Katherine that are at first welcomed and then greatly distrusted. There are people who seek to use her power and destroy her life. Secrecy is of the upmost importance, yet this sweet woman will not stand by as people are hurt. She saves a boys life and suspicions arise, cause her to be the focus of the Order. She must fight to keep her secret and when she has no other option but to save another life, she is outed for all the world to see. She attempts to find her solid footing yet life continues to throw so much chaos at her.

I have never read a historical romance before but now I am thinking I need to rethink this notion. This book was set in a world that was full of life. I loved the blending of the fantasy and supernatural element with London in 1905. The backdrop of the bustling city was vibrant, full of life and excitement. Jessica’s writing and descriptions of the world Katherine resides in allows the reader to see the world in technicolor. It is so descriptive yet never overwhelming in it’s description. I loved the “season” of ladies coming out and each girl introduced has a personality that was full of life and character. The sweet girls, like Penelope, were kind and generous. The catty girls, like Eliza, live to climb the social ladder. The secondary characters added a depth to the story that made it well rounded and great!

Katherine was an incredible heroine. She was independent, loving, kind, thoughtful, and cautious. She has lived with her special abilities her whole life and she is constantly battling the push and pull of her arcana and her duty to the human world. She is torn between the life she knows and the one she desires to know. Her sense of humor and banter with Lord Thornewood was so refreshing. She was witty and clever. Her relationship with her siblings is one that was deep and loving. She loved her Father and he loved her. Their immediate family was a tight knot group, a home full of life and love. Lord Thornewood is the handsome devil that is intrigued by Katherine’s independence and spunk. He finds something deep within her that changes his views on many things in life and he needs to know more. The romance between the two is so sweet. It is deep and loving! Their chemistry and connection is on fire, and their stolen moments and kisses are passionate. I loved their relationship.

The fantasy theme is one that I am usually hesitant about since it can change a good story into something cheesy and far fetched. That is not the case here. Arcana is able to couple the fantasy with romance and history in such a way that it creates greater depth. As the reader you cannot help but be drawn into the world of the London high society and irresistible magic. This story left me smiling. Jessica Leake has raised the bar for historical fantasy fiction and I am excited to see what she has in store for us next. Arcana is an incredibly written and fascinating debut that has put Jessica on the list of authors you need to know!

Want a chance to win some awesome prizes? Check out this Rafflecopter giveaway for your chance to win some of the prizes listed below! Don’t miss out. This giveaway ends November 23, 2014.

– $25 Amazon gift card & personalized hardcover of Arcana (INT)
– Two personalized hardcovers of Arcana + swag (US only)
– One ebook of Arcana (INT – Mobi or Epub)

I’m a stay-at-home mom of three beautiful children (two toddlers and a newborn, in fact, so I think you can begin to see why my blog may be a bit neglected) and author of Arcana: A Novel (Skyhorse/Talos, November 4, 2014), my debut historical fantasy with a heavy dose of romance. I have a particular obsession with blending different genres, but almost everything I write has an element of fantasy and romance. I’ve been in love with historical England ever since my first literary crush: Mr. Darcy (I can’t even count the number of times I watched Pride & Prejudice the A&E version, of course!!) I’m represented by the fabulous Brianne Johnson of Writers House, and I live in Greenville, SC.

Before I was a writer, I worked as a psychotherapist. I spent several years working at a psychiatric hospital in Birmingham, AL, but after my husband graduated as a pharmacist, we moved back to Greenville. I claim Greenville as my hometown now since I spent most of my childhood here, and I’m a proud alumna of St. Joseph’s Catholic School and Winthrop University.

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