Saturday, September 28, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - PAST THIS POINT by Nicole Mabry


Past This Point
Nicole Mabry
Publication date: September 3rd 2019
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Thriller, Women’s Fiction
Karis Hylen has been through the New York City dating wringer. After years of failed relationships, she abandons her social life and whittles her days down to work and spending time with her dog, Zeke. Her self-imposed exile ends up saving her life when an untreatable virus sweeps the east coast, killing millions.
Alone in her apartment building, Karis survives with only Zeke, phone calls to her mom, and conversations with two young girls living across the courtyard. With the city in a state of martial law, violence and the smell of rotting corpses surround her every day. But her biggest enemy is her own mind. As cabin fever sets in, vivid hallucinations make her question her sanity.
In addition to her dwindling food and water stash, Karis must now struggle to keep her mind in check. When a mysterious man enters the scene, she hopes she can convince him to help her make it to the quarantine border. With the world crumbling around her, Karis discovers her inner strength but may find that she needs people after all.
EXCERPT:
I started at Kirk’s apartment since it was across the hall from mine. In spite of the proximity of our apartments, I rarely saw Kirk. He was a quiet man who usually just nodded to me and only became garrulous when talking about renovations to his apartment. I pulled the collar of my sweatshirt up over my face and knocked softly. After a few seconds, I knocked again, louder. I pressed my ear to the door, but all I heard was a vehicle racing down our street.
I walked down one flight and knocked on the door of apartment four, which was directly beneath mine. I often speculated about the resident, middle-aged Tom, who had an impressive handlebar mustache, and his mysterious movements. I only saw him once every other month or so, and a few times, he had been with younger women. He always wore a suit, so I imagined he was a traveling salesman. But I also thought he could be married and using the small apartment as his love nest. I knocked and listened. No answer. I wondered if he was away on a sales trip and had managed to avoid the whole debacle.
I walked the few feet to apartment five, where a gay couple lived. Out of everyone, I’d chatted with Terrence and Eric the most over the years, but I hadn’t seen either of them in at least a month because they had a condo in Florida where they spent most of the winter months. I knocked four separate times, waiting for an answer and hoping I wasn’t completely alone. But my knocks went unanswered.
I ran down to the second floor and knocked at apartment two, where a single woman named Barb lived. When there was no answer, I put my ear against the door. The low sounds of a TV resonated through the door. Barb coughed, and I jumped back quickly, my back hitting the door of apartment three. My heart was beating as quickly as a bird caged in my chest. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. Turning around, I knocked loudly on Kelly’s door, not expecting an answer. After my expectations proved correct, I went down to the solitary first-floor apartment, which belonged to Mr. Tablock. He was over eighty years old and had lived in the building for forty years. I’d seen his live-in Haitian nurse, Regine, in the hallway from time to time, taking out the trash. I used to ask her how he was doing, but her response was always the same: “He’s getting old, but he’s got spunk.” I stopped asking and just said hello. I pounded on the door, praying Regine and Mr. Tablock were still there and not sick. But all was quiet. Besides infected Barb, I was alone.


Author Bio:
Nicole Mabry spends her days at NBCUniversal as the Senior Manager of Photography Post Production. Her nights are reserved for writing novels. At the age of seven, she read The Boxcar Children, sparking a passion for reading and writing early on. Nicole grew up in the Bay Area in Northern California and went to college at UCLA for Art History. During a vacation, she fell in love with New York City and has lived in Queens for the past sixteen years. On weekends you can find her with a camera in hand and her dog, Jackson, by her side. Nicole is an animal lover and horror movie junkie.

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Thursday, September 26, 2019

Book Review & Giveaway - TO KILL A FAE (The Dragon Portal Series, Book 1) by Jamie A. Waters


To Kill a Fae
Jamie A. Waters
(The Dragon Portal Series, #1)
Publication date: September 26th 2019
Genres: Adult, Fantasy
The darkness holds more than just secrets…

Marked for death, Sabine escaped from her home and fled to a human city.
But the Wild Hunt will never give up.
For more than a decade, she’s kept her head down and avoided talking about her past.
Even the best-laid plans eventually fall apart…

When a charismatic stranger arrives, Sabine is unwittingly drawn to him and his power. Keeping her distance is nearly impossible, especially after a life debt is called due and she’s tasked with helping him steal a rare artifact.
In order to break the magical barriers protecting the item and save her companions, Sabine will be forced to drop her glamour and reveal her true identity.
The Fae aren’t the only ones hunting her.
And the most dangerous monsters aren’t always confined to the dark.
EXCERPT:
Sabine tensed, scanning the dead-end alleyway for a place to hide. If they climbed the trellis again, they’d be spotted. It was too risky to try to use her magic to shroud them from view, but if the guards turned around, they’d be in clear view. It was unlikely the guards would trouble her too much, but Dax would kill Malek if he found out he’d accompanied her. Not even her mark on Malek’s wrist would stop him.
Yanking off her heavy cloak, she tied it around her waist to cover her weapons and give the appearance she wore a dress. With her hair unbraided and covering her ears, it might be enough for the guards to overlook them. At the very least, they might not recognize her right away and would assume they were two lovers engaging in a quick tryst in the alley. Malek’s expression became quizzical, but she ignored him and gripped his shirt tightly.
“Kiss me,” she whispered urgently, aware they only had seconds to pull off this ruse.
“What?”
She pulled him toward her just as footsteps rapidly approached. Awareness filled his eyes, and he lowered his head, pressing his lips against hers. She put her arms around his neck, listening for the guards.
Malek wrapped his arms around her, drawing her even closer. Focus was critical, but his nearness affected all of her senses. Oh, this was a very bad idea. The taste of his lips and the scent of his skin were heady, threatening to overwhelm her from pure sensation. Despite the danger of the approaching guards, he took his time, tasting and exploring her mouth. Malek did have magic, but she couldn’t tell how much because it was tightly controlled and suppressed.
She whimpered and softened against his body, unable to resist him. Part of her was tempted to claim she was merely playing a part, but she wanted this. She wanted him. Unlocking his magic wouldn’t be difficult, but she wasn’t willing to force him into revealing his secrets before he was ready. This kiss was only a hint of what could be between them, and she suspected this brief taste of him was never going to be enough.


My Review:

Awesome beginning to what looks like an amazing series. I am really looking forward to more adventures with these fabulous characters!

I've read other books by author Jamie A. Waters, and have thoroughly enjoyed them. This seems to be a bit different from the Omni Towers series, but from the very first page I was hooked. Whew! So much intrigue and excitement starting with the first few lines. I absolutely loved the vast assortment of characters, especially Sabine with her kick-ass attitude, but with a soft side as well. No one... I mean NO ONE messes with Sabine and gets away with it. Add in the handsome and charismatic captain of a smuggler's ship, with secrets of his own, and you have a dynamic duo that you seriously hope will get together. So much chemistry! There are demons, witches, pixie's, a goblin and more. All have very unique characteristics set in a world that only Ms. Waters could have created.  It was like watching a movie playing in my head as I read! At times, I was sitting on the edge of my seat and cringing and at other times I was smiling and out-right laughing.

Who is trying to have Sabine killed? And what is her connection to Dax and Bane, the two demon brothers? As much as I want to, I can't give away any spoilers. So you'll just have to pick up the book yourself and read it. 

This could almost be read as a stand-alone, but I'm so glad to hear that there is more to come in the Dragon Portal series!  

My Rating:



Author Bio:
Jamie A. Waters is an award-winning, fantasy and science-fiction writer. Her first novel was a winner of the Readers' Favorite Award in Science-Fiction/Fantasy Romance and the CIPA EVVY Award in Science-Fiction.
Jamie currently resides in Florida with two neurotic dogs who enjoy stealing socks. When she's not pursuing her passion of writing, she's usually trying to learn new and interesting random things (like how to pick locks or use the self-cleaning feature of the oven without setting off the fire alarm). In her downtime, she enjoys reading on her Kindle, playing computer games, painting, or acting as a referee between the dragons and fairies currently at war inside her closet.
You can learn more by visiting: www.jamieawaters.com

Reading Order for Jamie A. Waters's The Dragon Portal Series: 
  • To Kill a Fae (The Dragon Portal, Book 1) 
  • By Blood and Magic (The Dragon Portal, Book 2)
  • Facets of Power (The Dragon Portal, Book 3)
  • Shadows and Twilight (The Dragon Portal, Book 4)
  • Dance of Wings (The Dragon Portal, Book 5)

Other books by Jamie A. Waters
  • Ruins of Fate (The Omni Towers, Prequel) 
  • Beneath the Fallen City (The Omni Towers, Book 1)
  • Shadow of the Coalition (The Omni Towers, Book 2)
  • Tremors of the Past (The Omni Towers, Book 3)
  • Drop of Hope (The Omni Towers, Book 4)
  • Flames of Redemption (The Omni Towers, Book 5)
  • Spirit of the Towers (The Omni Towers, Book 6)
Want more of Jamie A. Waters?
Website: JamieAWaters.com
Facebook: facebook.com/booksbyjamieawaters

Follow Jamie A. Waters on Amazon

amzn.to/2wXZj1E

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Tuesday, September 24, 2019

Book Review - COMING HOME FOR CHRISTMAS by RaeAnne Thayne

Title: Coming Home for Christmas (Haven Point Book 10)
Author: RaeAnne Thayne
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Women's Fiction, Holiday
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Release Date: September 24, 2019


About the Book:

Hearts are lighter and wishes burn a little brighter at Christmas…

Elizabeth Hamilton has been lost. Trapped in a tangle of postpartum depression and grief after the death of her beloved parents, she couldn’t quite see the way back to her husband and their two beautiful kids…until a car accident stole away her memories and changed her life. And when she finally remembered the sound of little Cassie’s laugh, the baby powder smell of Bridger and the feel of her husband’s hand in hers, Elizabeth worried that they’d moved on without her. That she’d missed too much. That perhaps she wasn’t the right mother for her kids or wife for Luke, no matter how much she loved them.

But now, seven years later, Luke finds her in a nearby town and brings Elizabeth back home to the family she loves, just in time for Christmas. And being reunited with Luke and her children is better than anything Elizabeth could have imagined. As they all trim the tree and bake cookies, making new holiday memories, Elizabeth and Luke are drawn ever closer. Can the hurt of the past seven years be healed over the course of one Christmas season and bring the Hamiltons the gift of a new beginning?
Buy Links: Amazon 
New Release!  Now Available!

My Review:

Each of the books in the Haven Point series can be read as a stand-alone, but when you read it as a series, you can truly connect with the characters.  Coming Home for Christmas is Book #10 in this series and we finally get to find out what happened to Elizabeth Hamilton, Luke's wife. 

Depression is a subject that is very difficult to cover in a novel, but RaeAnne Thayne handled it with compassion and sincerity. This was a true Christmas story, showing the love and hope for a family and the people in the town of Haven's Point. This may be my favorite of all of RaeAnne Thayne's books.  I smiled and I cried. Actually, I cried a lot. And the characters... ohmigosh!  I loved the characters! Luke's children, especially his son, will warm your heart.

This is a must-read for the holidays.

Disclosure:  An Advance Reading Copy was provided by the Publisher and NetGalley. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

My Rating:

About the Author:
I'm not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer.

Life took a different turn for me, though, when my mother made me take a journalism elective in high school (thanks, Mom!). I knew the first day that this was where I belonged.

After I graduated from college in journalism, I took a job at the local daily newspaper and I reveled in the challenge and the diversity of it. One day I could be interviewing the latest country music star, the next day I was writing about local motorcycle gangs or interviewing an award-winning scientist.

Through it all -- through the natural progression of my career from reporter to editor -- I wrote stories in my head. Not just any stories, either, but romances, the kind of books I have devoured since junior high school, with tales about real people going through the trials and tribulations of life until they find deep and lasting love.

I had no idea how to put these people on paper, but knew I had to try -- their stories were too compelling for me to ignore. I sold my first book in 1995 and now, more than 30 books later, I've come to love everything about writing, from the click of the computer keys under my fingers to the "that's-it!" feeling I get when a story is flowing.

I write full-time now (well, as full-time as I can manage juggling my kids!) amid the raw beauty of the northern Utah mountains.

Even though I might not have dreamed of being a writer when I was younger, now I simply can't imagine my life any other way.

I love to hear from readers. You can reach me at my email address, raeannethayne@gmail.com


Tuesday, September 17, 2019

Book Blitz - MERGED by Jim Korepfl and Stephanie Kroepfl


Merged
Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl
Published by: Month9Books
Publication date: September 17th 2019
Genres: Romance, Science Fiction, Young Adult
Seven of our country’s most gifted teens will become Nobels, hosts for the implantation of brilliant Mentor minds, in an effort to accelerate human progress.
But as the line between what’s possible and what’s right, draws ever blurrier, the teens discover everything has a cost.
Scientists have created an evolved form of living known as Merged Consciousness, and sixteen-year-old Lake finds herself unable to merge with her Mentor.
Lake, the Nobel for Chemistry and Orfyn, the Nobel for Art, are two from among the inaugural class of Nobels, and with the best intent and motivation. But when Stryker, the Nobel for Peace, makes them question the motivation of the scientists behind the program, their world begins to unravel.
As the Nobels work to uncover the dark secrets of the program’s origins, everyone’s a suspect and no one can be trusted, not even the other Nobels.
As the Mentors begin to take over the bodies and minds of the Nobels, Lake and Orfyn must find a way to regain control before they lose all semblance or memory of their former selves.
EXCERPT:
Depending on your point of view, I’m either famous or infamous. I’m called by many names: Ward of the State, Orphaned, Foofool (only by Sister Mo), and Kevin. That last one makes me feel like I’m wearing someone else’s clothes. Tight and loose in all the wrong places. So, I came up with my own name, though no one has ever connected it to me. The identity of street artists should never be revealed.
I flick turpentine at a rat that’s getting a little too curious about my brushes. The alley smells like something died, making me wonder if there’s a body in the dumpster. Michelangelo cut up dead people to better understand how we’re built. If he was willing to do that for his art, I can endure this stink for one night. I breathe through my mouth and get back to work.
After four straight hours, the painting is coming along great, and I know I can finish it before people start heading out for their nine-to-five jobs. I paint madly, getting lost in the scene, moving from figure to figure, jersey to jersey. It’s my best work yet, and I want this one to last.
At least, for a few days.


Author Bio:
Jim and Stephanie Kroepfl are a husband-and-wife team who write YA novels and stories of mystery and adventure from their cabin in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. Their debut novel, Merged, will be released by Month9Books on September 17, 2019.


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Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Book Blitz & Giveaway - SHADOW CASTER by Debbie Cassidy


Shadow Caster
Debbie Cassidy
(The Nightwatch Academy #1)
Publication date: September 10th 2019
Genres: New Adult, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Murdering humans is a huge no-no and comes with an off-with-your-head sentence. Doesn’t matter if you don’t remember doing the crime.
I killed a human, and no, it wasn’t on purpose, but that shit doesn’t matter to the council. I’m facing death. So, when I’m offered a deal to avoid execution, I’d be a fool not to take it, even if it means leaving the human world and urban life behind to enroll in the Nightwatch Academy – a gothic monstrosity hidden from human eyes, located way too close to the largest tear in the fabric of our reality.
It would be fun if I had any inclination of becoming a member of the Watch or supporting the shadow knights at keeping the Formorian threat at bay. But heck, the monsters beyond the mist aren’t my problem. I have personal demons to deal with.
Once I’m out, the Watch can shove it.
But one sip from the ceremonial goblet and my plans to coast are out of the window as my powers spark to life.
I’m an anomaly, one the Watch won’t be letting walk any time soon.
My only comfort is a man who prides himself on his ability to harness pain. Battle scarred and formidable, he’s my tutor, my mentor, and the object of some super saucy dreams. He’s completely off limits and my only hope of surviving my first test.
I’ll need to harness my powers fast.
There can be no distractions.
But when my fellow cadets start going missing then returning with no memory of who they used to be and my best friend is taken, turning a blind eye is no longer an option.
Allies are limited when you’re a freak. Luckily, I don’t need a cheer squad to get shit done. Whoever is responsible better watch out. I’m coming for them, and I’ll be bringing the pain.
The Vampire Academy meets Game of Thrones in this kick-ass, supernatural academy, Urban Fantasy Romance.
EXCERPT:
“Wake up, Indie.”
A hand landed on my shoulder and had the audacity to give it a shake.
Fuck off was the desired response, but the word that came out was harrumph.
“Indie, come on. You promised you wouldn’t miss today.”
Today? Oh, yeah, the team exercise, as in there is no I in team, as in I didn’t give a shit. But the exam was the last lesson of the evening, and my bio clock told me the sun had only just set.
Still, Minnie’s shadow loomed over me, and the heat of her gorgon glare burned holes in the back of my head.
“The whole day, Indie. You promised to do a whole day.” She reminded me with that stern edge to her tone, which told me that ten-inch-thick steel would break before she would.
Me and my big mouth. Maybe if I faked sickness, she’d piss off and leave me be. Going to shitty classes was the last thing I wanted to do tonight.
I coughed and made a gagging sound.
“Nah-uh,” she said. “The whole frickin’ day and the exam. You skip the test, and we all get a fail. And you don’t want me to fail, do you?”
Urgh. Emotional blackmail, which coming from anyone else I’d be immune to. I rolled onto my back and stared at the pixie-cute woman looking down at me. Her crimson bob grazed her delicate jaw as she leaned over me, and her wide jade eyes were hard with determination.
Over the last two months, I’d learned three things about Minnie Faraday. First, that she wasn’t a stuck-up arsehole like the rest of the Faraday family. Second, she had a soft spot for kittens, and anything small and furry, and third—the most important—that she did not take no for an answer.
Trust me, I’d tried to keep her at a distance. I mean, sharing a room with her didn’t mean we had to be friends. I didn’t need or want any friends here. But Minnie had decided that’s exactly what we were going to be, and she’d pursued me unrelentingly until she’d worn me down.
So, here we were. Two friends in a glare off. One I knew I was about to lose, because yeah, I’d promised not to skip out on the simulation today. Team exercises were graded based on team performance, if one member was a no show, the whole team suffered.
I closed my eyes and blew out a breath. “Fine. Give me five minutes, and I’ll meet you in the lobby.
“Five.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’ll be back to get you if you don’t show.”
I flashed my teeth at her. “Have I ever let you down, pixie -boo?”
“Do not call me that.” She crossed her arms. “You know I hate it.” She sniffed.
“Riiight. So, you just wrote it in the back of your notebook and decorated it with tiny flowers for no reason then?”
She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times and then took a deep breath. “Five minutes.”
She grabbed her book bag and headed out of the room.
The door didn’t slam behind her.
Not too pissed off then.


Author Bio:
Debbie Cassidy lives in England, Bedfordshire, with her three kids and very supportive husband. Coffee and chocolate biscuits are her writing fuels of choice, and she is still working on getting that perfect tower of solitude built in her back garden. Obsessed with building new worlds and reading about them, she spends her spare time daydreaming and conversing with the characters in her head - in a totally non psychotic way of course. She writes Urban Fantasy, Fantasy and Reverse Harem Fantasy. All her books contain plenty of action, romance and twisty plots.

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