Rae Lori's Blog, page 28

Cover Reveal & Giveaway! Till Death Do Us Part - Lily Drake #2 by T. Michelle Nelson

Blurb:




With
a doting husband and a new job training a vampire military, Lily Drake was
living up to the prophecies of being the best.  Her life was
seemingly perfect, until tragedy strikes bringing her a loss she's not sure she
can endure.




The
hard-working super mom / vampire slayer, Lily Drake, has just learned
problems still exist even after you become immortal.



As everyone knows, even if you find your soul mate, you don't always get a
happily-ever-after.  Lily may have found temporary happiness being a
newlywed, but the honeymoon is over.  When she finds her husband going out
for late night bites with another woman, Lily has to fight to try and
regain what she wants most, love and a happy family.



If Lily thought being a single mom was hard, she’ll find being married can be a
bloody mess.










Life and Death of Lily
Drake – Have you read
the first book yet? You wouldn’t want to miss Lily Drake kicking some serious
vampire butt. J




Check
out more about this series here! – Life and Death of Lily Drake




About the author:




T. Michelle Nelson is a native of Benton, Kentucky
and a graduate of Murray State University holding a degree in Education. 
Currently she resides in picturesque Mount Vernon, Ohio, which 

is also the setting of her Lily Drake
series.  The first book in the series, Life and Death of Lily
Drake, is available at Barnes & Noble, Amazon, Kobo, and your
other favorite online book stores in paperback as well as e-reader formats.
 The second book, 'Til Death Do Us Part, is being released by
Inkspell Publishing in April of 2013 and currently, T. is working hard to
finish her third book.



When she isn’t writing, you can usually
find her singing out of key while playing Rock Band with her husband and son, watching
B-Horror movies or wrestling with her two ill-behaved fur babies, Buddy Perro
and Bunchie. 






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Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop - February 8th to 14th

Romance is in the Air Giveaway Hop



Featuring Young Adult & Clean Adult Romance




February 8th to 14th 

Cohosted by Rachael Anderson





Romance is definitely in the air as lovey dovey month kicks off! 



My Nook is filled with a ton of romance related books and I've been eyeing some new reads for both YA and Clean romance but for this giveaway I wanted to do a little something different for my fellow readers out there. 



For this hop, I'm turning the reigns on over to you guys! Is there a paperback clean adult romance novel you've been eyeing? A hardcover YA romance that just came out that you've been dying to read? Here is your pick! The winner will win their choice of one book from either genre. Just leave a post below telling me your fave clean romance and/or YA romance book and any that you would recommend to your fellow readers.



Off to grab some chocolate covered cherries!



Giveaway Details:

To enter giveaway please leave a comment with your email addy telling me your fave clean romance and/or YA romance book pick and any that you would recommend to your fellow readers!



Last Day to Enter is 2/14/13



Optional Extra Entries:

+1 Follow this Blog

+1 Be or become my friend on Goodreads

+1 Follow me on Twitter

+1 Friend me on Facebook

Silver-White $100 Book Blast

Silver-White by Shawn Underhill



“The woods are lovely, dark, and deep,

But I have promises to keep,

And miles to go before I sleep.”

~ Robert Frost



*Evie’s family has been holding out on her …



Big time.



On an unexpected visit to her grandparents’ house in New Hampshire’s secluded North Woods, the sixteen-year-old literally runs into the truth of the long-hidden family secrets, and finds herself thrust without warning into the clandestine world of the Great North Pack—a wild and exhilarating world of rugged beauty, heart-pounding adventures, and long nights running under a sea of stars … but as she’s set to discover, a world also fraught with potential dangers lurking in the shadows.






Praise
 "Simply put, this book was amazing. I've read more fantasy novels than than I can count, but this one is certainly one of the best. The heroine isn't some wishy-washy pansy that screams at everything, and the focus of the story isn't on some unbelievably beautiful teenage girl who suddenly becomes the biggest, baddest member of her species falling in love with some big, bad, sexy member of her newfound species. It's about a girl becoming something she never knew existed, finding her place within the pack family she values more than ever before, and an age-old feud that threatens everything she loves." ~Morgan






Purchase ~ just .99 cents

Amazon Kindle








Author Shawn Underhill



Shawn is a part-time writer from New Hampshire, where he spends his free time hiking in the mountains, camping, racing dirt bikes, or anything else that keeps him outdoors. Dogs are his very favorite people. He is also the author of the novel All Things Different.














Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter












BookBlast $100 Giveaway

$100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 2/13/13


Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.





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The Fallen Stars (The Star Child #2) by Stephanie Keyes: Cover Reveal

"Imaginative and fast-paced. Couldn't put it down!" -
E.G. Foley, New York Times Bestselling author of The Gryphon Chronicles




"This well-written and
intriguing fantasy was a delight to read. I can't wait to read the second novel
in this series!" -
Linn B. Halton, author Never
Alone on The Star
Child by Stephanie Keyes















When all is lost, he will have to
make the ultimate decision.




Kellen St. James was just your average
seventeen-year-old prodigy, until he eighty-sixed the Lord of Faerie and
proposed to a Celtic goddess. Now everything in Kellen’s life gets turned
upside-down when Calienta, Kellen, and friend, Gabriel Stewart, find themselves
on the run from a seriously irritated group of faeries. The worst part? They
have zero idea why.




Suddenly, Kellen finds himself stuck in the
middle of another prophecy that questions everything about him including where
his loyalties lie. Plus, Calienta’s more than a bit different; she’s making
choices that he doesn’t understand. And Gabe, his best friend? He’s started
doing all sorts of freaky things that make Kellen question who he really is.

Kellen and Calienta
will fight to stay together and keep the hidden part of the prophecy from
becoming reality.






When the ultimate power is within
reach, which side will he choose?






Release Date: April 12, 2013, 

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance




Sounds good? If you
liked Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, Need by Carrie Jones, or Fallen by Lauren
Kate, you will love this book!









About the author:

Stephanie Keyes has been addicted to Fantasy
since she discovered T.H. White as a child and started drumming up incredible
journeys in her head. Today, she’s still doing the same thing, except now she
puts those ideas down on paper.




When she’s not writing Stephanie is also a
graphic designer, presenter, teacher, musician, avid reader, and Mom to two
little boys who constantly keep her on her toes. In addition, she’s best friend
to her incredible husband of eleven years.

Keyes is the author
of The Star Child YA Fantasy series, which currently includes The Star Child and The Fallen Stars. She is currently hard at work on the third book
in the trilogy.







Interested in joining
the blog tour from April 6th? Click here to register!




Blog Tour
Registration Link







Giveaway (Open to US, UK and Canada)

1
wired star bookmark, 3 Star Child (Book 1) ebooks and 5 The Fallen Stars eBooks






Rafflecopter Link


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Starflower Blog Tour Book Review

Starflower Review
Blurb: When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps the lovely Lady Gleamdren, Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission...and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.



But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?



When I saw the cover for Starflower, I had to jump on this book. I loved that it featured what looked like a woman of color (reminding me of the actress Rosario Dawson) and the beautifully painted style just accentuated the focus of the character. I was a bit worried that this was the fourth in a series but I soon got over that as I dove into the wonderful worldbuilding and lyrical narrative of the story.



Starflower is a fast paced story filled with princess, dragons, bards and a beautiful fantasy setting with various worlds within its own world. Although the story seems like a simple one, it is anything but traditional. On the surface it is a tale of a princess with two suitors interested in her hand (one of which is our hero) and the dragon that kidnaps her. I don't want to give too much away because much of what made this a fun experience for me was going in knowing as little as possible. I will say that this is a great read suitable for both adult and young adult readers alike and for those looking for something a little different with their fantasy (say, a sprinkle of inspirational/Christian fiction) this will certainly be a treat. As mentioned before, I was not aware of Ms. Stengl's previous books in the series and starting with this one didn't make me feel as if I was missing anything. The one thing it may do is make you want to pick up the other books to read the backstory on the characters!



All in all, a fun book that was a pleasure to read. In a book world of increasing violence and sex (which is especially creeping up in modern fantasy fiction), I hope to see more fantasy books like this in the near future that puts the story and characters first and leaves the shock value at the door.



A recommended read!

Starflower Blog Tour Guest Post

Starflower Blog Tour Guest Post
Welcome to the AWD stop on the Starflower blog tour! I had the pleasure of not only reading an ARC of Starflower (review to follow shortly) but also to have the author Anne Elisabeth Stengl stop by to post a little bit about her writing inspiration for the book. So relax and take a journey behind the scenes of Starflower! Feel free to leave a comment after the post! :-)








The Maiden
and the Wolf:

Creating a
New Fairy Tale




By: Anne Elisabeth Stengl







My
initial inspiration for my fourth novel, Starflower,
was a simple love of fairy tales. I have always had a soft spot for fairy tales
above epic fantasy. I love the balance of simplicity and complexity within the
classic themes. I love the recurring tropes and archetypes, the familiar
characters facing unusual circumstances. How many times have we seen the Beauty and the Beast story played out?
Its ancestor might easily have been the legend of Cupid and Psyche . . . and
its descendants can be traced to such famous works as The Hunchback of Notre Dame or the more recent Phantom of the Opera. And we readers never tire of that story but
will encounter it again and again with the same excitement as when we first
read Mlle. Barbot de Villeneuve's
famous version of the tale.




When I began writing the Tales of Goldstone Wood it
was with the hope of adding my own variations on these classic themes. And in Starflower, the tale at the very heart
of the novel is "The Maiden and the Wolf."




The
theme here--best known in the children's version of "Little Red Riding
Hood"--is one of innocence pitted against evil cunning. The contrast is so
stark that even when we encountered it first in the childhood tale, we were
struck to the core. Who among you does not know the story of "Little Red
Riding Hood" and the evil wolf who, in many versions (though not all),
succeeds in deceiving our heroine to the point of devouring her alive?




But
there are other versions of the same tale, darker versions. Some of them do not
have happy endings. In some, Red Riding Hood depends on the woodcutter to
rescue her from her foe; in others, she uses her own wits to escape the cunning
of the wolf. Either way, the theme is strong, one of the strongest in all the
realm of fairy tales.




So
when I first began developing the ideas for Starflower,
it was with the intention of creating my own take on this classic story. My
hope for each of my novels is that they will strike a familiar chord in the
hearts of my readers. I want each reader to walk away thinking, "This is a
story I know, though I don't know how I know it."




This,
of course, does not mean I want any reader to be able to predict how the plot
will play out! Indeed, I believe the twists and turns of Starflower are enough to keep most readers guessing to the very
end. Nevertheless, the familiarity of centuries--the links to old tales, old
legends--should touch readers on a heart level that they scarcely knew existed.




That
is the point and purpose of fairy tales. A new fairy tale is not something
completely original. What would be the point of that? A new fairy tale is
something as familiar as our childhood memories, as near to us as those stories
we learned before we knew we learned them.




There
are many fairy tale themes to be found in the pages of Starflower. The maiden locked in a high tower . . . the enchanted
sleep . . . the transformation caused by a prince or princess's kiss . . . But
at its core, this is a story about the Maiden and the Wolf. The battle of Love
against Hate. It is a simple story, but oh, so complex in its simplicity!






About the Author
Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of HEARTLESS, VEILED ROSE, MOONBLOOD, and STARFLOWER, with DRAGONWITCH due to release in 2013. HEARTLESS and VEILED ROSE have each been honored with a Christy Award.

Starflower Book Blast

Starflower



When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps the lovely Lady Gleamdren, Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission...and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.



But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?








Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Christian Book








Excerpt








The Kiss by
the River:








The girl did not stir when Eanrin lifted her
into his arms; her sleep was profound indeed. Her head lolled over his arm, and
he was obliged to part her thick hair to uncover her face. It was an uncommonly
beautiful face for a mortal.



However, this girl’s beauty was
different from any he had ever before seen. For one thing, her skin was rich
dark brown, and her hair glossy black. For another, she was imperfect. Her
teeth, visible between gently parted lips, were a little crooked. Mud stained
her skin, making it darker still, and her brow, even in sleep, was puckered
with anxiety or fear. Her dreams must be wicked indeed.



Eanrin grimaced at the sight and
almost put her down again. After all, a princess with dreams like those
probably had a tale of woe to match. She would certainly wake with expectations
of a handsome hero to aid her. As far as Eanrin was concerned, a dash of
heroism was one thing, but commitment to a cause? Never. Rushing off to the
rescue of Lady Gleamdren was different, for he had determined that she must be
his wife and the sole inspiration to his life’s work. Besides, he loved her.



This creature meant nothing to him.



But blood oozed from the abrasions
on her wrists. And her body, mortal and vulnerable, lay in his arms. Eanrin
rolled his eyes heavenward as though to seek some holy aid. Then he braced
himself and wiped the mud off her lips with the edge of his cloak. She frowned
in her sleep and stirred, but did not wake.



“Nothing for it,” he muttered.
Closing his eyes and trying not to smell her any more than he must, he leaned
in and kissed her . . .













Author Anne Elisabeth Stengl



Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of HEARTLESS, VEILED ROSE, MOONBLOOD, and STARFLOWER, with DRAGONWITCH due to release in 2013. HEARTLESS and VEILED ROSE have each been honored with a Christy Award.














Facebook * Twitter * Website * Goodreads








Blog Tour Schedule













BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/31/13



Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.







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Bewitched Cover Reveal & Giveaway

Inkspell has released their first cover reveal for 2013 and this one is a goodie for all you YA paranormal romance fans out there!














"Bewitched is
spell-binding! A highly-unique page-turner that hooks you from the first
paragraph. With complex characters and unexpected twists and turns, Harris
delivers and leaves you hoping for more!" - Stephanie Keyes, author, The
Star Child series







Blurb:




Is it love or is it
witchcraft? He’ll never find out if he kills her first.




The first time Darren saw Samantha, she was floating above
his high school gymnasium during a basketball game, invisible to everyone but
him. Next time he sees her, she's sitting in front of him in class, wowing his
friends and causing unexplainable things to happen that only he seems to
notice. But things really get strange (and complicated) when his dying
grandfather tells him that he is part of an ancient order, the “Pessum Ire,”
whose duty is to destroy witches. What does he do now, since he’s almost
positive Samantha is a witch…and he’s crushing on her pretty hard?









About the Author:




Mark Harris lives in Smithfield Utah, a small town located
in a beautiful valley in Northern Utah. His wife, Shaundale, and he have four
terrific children, two girls and two boys and a fifth one due to arrive in
November of 2012. Mark has taught English and Special Education and currently
works from home teaching English to people from all over the world. Writing has
always been his true passion since he was a grade schooler writing about
mushrooms. "Bewitched" will be his debut novel. He has two others
underway and will soon start on the sequel to "Bewitched," called "The
Return of the Familiar." He hopes you enjoy his work because he is working
on several series geared toward younger audiences.




You can find Mark on: www.markjayharrisauthor.com





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Starflower Blog Tour - January 2013

Tour Schedule











Author Anne Elisabeth Stengl



Anne Elisabeth Stengl makes her home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she lives with her husband, Rohan, a passel of cats, and one long-suffering dog. When she's not writing, she enjoys Shakespeare, opera, and tea, and studies piano, painting, and pastry baking. She studied illustration at Grace College and English literature at Campbell University. She is the author of HEARTLESS, VEILED ROSE, MOONBLOOD, and STARFLOWER, with DRAGONWITCH due to release in 2013. HEARTLESS and VEILED ROSE have each been honored with a Christy Award.














Facebook * Twitter * Website * Goodreads










Starflower



When a cursed dragon-witch kidnaps the lovely Lady Gleamdren, Eanrin sets boldly forth on a rescue mission...and a race against his rival for Gleamdren's favor. Intent upon his quest, the last thing the immortal Faerie needs is to become mixed up with the troubles of an insignificant mortal.



But when he stumbles upon a maiden trapped in an enchanted sleep, he cannot leave her alone in the dangerous Wood Between. One waking kiss later, Eanrin suddenly finds his story entangled with that of young Starflower. A strange link exists between this mortal girl and the dragon-witch. Will Starflower prove the key to Lady Gleamdren's rescue? Or will the dark power from which she flees destroy both her and her rescuer?








Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Christian Book

New Year 2013 Giveaway Hop Winner

We got ourselves a winner for the New Year Giveaway Hop! Thanks to all who entered and posted their fave books and for the follows!




Our winner for the $30 Gift Certificate is: 




Kamla L.







Woo hoo! Thanks again to all who entered and stay tuned for more giveaways and hops coming up for chances to grab some goodies! :-D