Victoria Simcox's Blog, page 61

Seneca Rebel blitz & giveaway

Seneca Rebel
by Rayya Deeb
Genre: YA
Release Date: June 1st 2016
ATM Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

What if your one chance to change the world means you have to leave everything you love behind?

In the not-too-distant future, math genius Doro Campbell is introduced to the Seneca Society: a secretive, technologically-advanced subterranean utopia dedicated to inventing and perfecting the most effective ways to benefit our planet.

But there’s a hitch. Like all that have come before her, Doro is given the ultimatum: Stay in Seneca forever, or leave now with no memory of the place, its goals, and its inhabitants.

She stays.

Her ideals are shattered when, together with biotechnology whiz, Dominic Ambrosia, Doro uncovers profound deceptions beneath the surface of this all too-perfect community.

Will one teenage girl have what it takes to go up against swarms of drones, psychological manipulation and biological attacks, to uncover the truth and change the trajectory of the world?




Buy Links:Amazon
Explore Seneca: www.SenecaSociety.com
Read the first few chapters for FREE:Chapters 1-3, Chapters 4-6, Chapters 7-12, Chapters 13-18


"Seneca Rebel by Rayya Deeb is one of those rare books where all the elements come together to form a work of near perfection." Elisha Jachetti, YA Books Central


About the Author
Rayya Deeb is a Virginia Tech Hokie, born in London, England and raised in Northern Virginia. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two daughters. She has worked in television production and film development, but her true passion is writing. She has spent over a decade screenwriting, collaborating with some seriously incredible, world-renowned directors, actors and top-notch producers. Most recently she wrote her first novel, Seneca Rebel.
Rayya grew up on fresh Mediterranean food and an eclectic palette of music. 90’s hip-hop will always hold a special place in her heart, and her parents’ LP collection that includes the Stones, Beatles and Dylan is one of her most valued possessions. She loves exploring the world, breaking bread with family and friends, and binge-watching shows like “House of Cards” and “The Leftovers.” Rayya spends an absurd amount of time thinking about all things culinary, but considers it well worth it.
Author Links:  
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Victoria Simcox's ~The Shard ~ Book 2 ~ In The Bernovem Chronicles ~FREE~

Victoria Simcox’s fast-paced, intricately woven sequel to The Warble, takes Kristina Kingsly and her schoolmates back to Bernovem … and into a thrilling, often dangerous adventure.
Kristina’s stay at summer horse camp is horrible to say the least, and it’s all because Hester and Davina are there as well, making her life miserable. When Hester’s cruel prank goes terribly wrong, it’s actually what sends the three girls back to the magical land of Bernovem. In Bernovem, Kristina is very excited to see her former friend, Prince Werrien. When he invites her to sail with him on his ship to his homeland Tezerel, putting it simply, Kristina can’t refuse. 


5 Star Review 
 I posted a blog review of a wonderful children's fantasy chapter book entitled The Warble, written by local Seattle author Victoria Simcox. Since then my daughters and I have anxiously awaited the arrival of The Warble's sequel, The Shard. I am happy to announce that the wait is finally over... and it was well worth it!

Being a fan of all things concerning faerie and otherworldly realms, I was pulled into the story of The Shard instantly. What I really love is how the author combines realistic teen issues with fairy tale fantasy. For example, the book's heroine Kristina who is from our world, experiences her first budding romance with a handsome teenage Prince from a fantasy world, all the while dealing with the very real insecurities young teen girls are feeling.

I was so taken with The Shard that I read it almost constantly until I was finished! The author has a delightful writing style that is engaging for all ages, yet not to difficult for children to understand. I truly look forward to the sequel to the Shard - the cliff hanger at the end is intense!

I highly recommend The Shard for all lovers of fantasy chapter books, which I feel that tween and teen girls will especially enjoy and relate to. 

The Freebie Fairy
 
Reunited with her gnome, dwarf, animal, fairy friends … and best of all, Werrien, things seem like they couldn’t get any better for Kristina. But when Werrien becomes fascinated with an unusual seeing stone, the “Shard” Kristina is haunted by a ghostlike old hag. Struggling against suspicion, guilt, illness, and ultimately the one who wants to possess her soul, Kristina will see it’s in her weakest moment that she will encounter more strength than she has ever known.
 

 Bio
Victoria was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. She now resides in Western Washington with her husband and 3 children. Her other family members are, a Chihuahua, named Pipsy and 2 cats, named Frodo and Fritz. For the past 12 years, she has home-schooled her children. Besides being an author, Victoria is also an elementary school art teacher. Victoria enjoys writing, reading, painting watercolors, hiking, good movies, and hanging out with her family and friends. Victoria is the author of The Warble.
Blog: victoriasimcox.blogspot.com
Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shard/264063053622412
Twitter:http://twitter.com/#!/VictoriaSimcox 
  Available at Amazon:http://tinyurl.com/mmzpbqz

Victoria Simcox's ~The Shard ~ Book 2 ~ In The Bernovem Chronicles

Victoria Simcox’s fast-paced, intricately woven sequel to The Warble, takes Kristina Kingsly and her schoolmates back to Bernovem … and into a thrilling, often dangerous adventure.
Kristina’s stay at summer horse camp is horrible to say the least, and it’s all because Hester and Davina are there as well, making her life miserable. When Hester’s cruel prank goes terribly wrong, it’s actually what sends the three girls back to the magical land of Bernovem. In Bernovem, Kristina is very excited to see her former friend, Prince Werrien. When he invites her to sail with him on his ship to his homeland Tezerel, putting it simply, Kristina can’t refuse. 


5 Star Review 
 I posted a blog review of a wonderful children's fantasy chapter book entitled The Warble, written by local Seattle author Victoria Simcox. Since then my daughters and I have anxiously awaited the arrival of The Warble's sequel, The Shard. I am happy to announce that the wait is finally over... and it was well worth it!

Being a fan of all things concerning faerie and otherworldly realms, I was pulled into the story of The Shard instantly. What I really love is how the author combines realistic teen issues with fairy tale fantasy. For example, the book's heroine Kristina who is from our world, experiences her first budding romance with a handsome teenage Prince from a fantasy world, all the while dealing with the very real insecurities young teen girls are feeling.

I was so taken with The Shard that I read it almost constantly until I was finished! The author has a delightful writing style that is engaging for all ages, yet not to difficult for children to understand. I truly look forward to the sequel to the Shard - the cliff hanger at the end is intense!

I highly recommend The Shard for all lovers of fantasy chapter books, which I feel that tween and teen girls will especially enjoy and relate to. 

The Freebie Fairy
 
Reunited with her gnome, dwarf, animal, fairy friends … and best of all, Werrien, things seem like they couldn’t get any better for Kristina. But when Werrien becomes fascinated with an unusual seeing stone, the “Shard” Kristina is haunted by a ghostlike old hag. Struggling against suspicion, guilt, illness, and ultimately the one who wants to possess her soul, Kristina will see it’s in her weakest moment that she will encounter more strength than she has ever known.
 

 Bio
Victoria was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. She now resides in Western Washington with her husband and 3 children. Her other family members are, a Chihuahua, named Pipsy and 2 cats, named Frodo and Fritz. For the past 12 years, she has home-schooled her children. Besides being an author, Victoria is also an elementary school art teacher. Victoria enjoys writing, reading, painting watercolors, hiking, good movies, and hanging out with her family and friends. Victoria is the author of The Warble.
Blog: victoriasimcox.blogspot.com
Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Shard/264063053622412
Twitter:http://twitter.com/#!/VictoriaSimcox 
  Available at Amazon:http://tinyurl.com/mmzpbqz

In the Eyes of Madness Blitz & Giveaway

In the Eyes of Madness
by Michael Pang
Genre: YA Paranormal Fantasy
Release Date: March 1st 2016
SolaFide Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

A near tragic incident at the hands of his psychotic mother left Declan Peters alone and with so many questions. 

Years later, Declan is determined to find a way to be closer to his mother and takes a job at the institution where she's being held. That fateful decision will be the impetus for a chain of events so terrifying that Declan will question his own grasp on reality. 

What he finds will be more horrifying than anything he's ever experienced and more dangerous than anything he's yet known. In a place, rife with demonic possession and sadistic beings, will Declan finally be able to find the answers he's longed for before its too late or will he succumb to the evil forces that inhabit the institution and all who live there?  


Buy Links: Amazon│Barnes & Noble

About the AuthorProject manager by profession but modern Renaissance man by nature, Michael Pang has dabbled in many different areas in his career. From working with steam turbines to eventually switching into the world of IT, his plethora of experience highlights his personality – he’s a person always searching for more knowledge.

Michael was born in Hong Kong in 1983. His family immigrated to San Francisco when he was three and eventually landed in Florida. After graduating from high school, Michael gained his degree in Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. Despite his currently demanding work schedule, Michael is very involved in activities at his local Project Management Institute Chapter where he fulfills his passion for teaching as the Vice President of Education. But, his desire to serve and help others doesn’t end there, he’s an avid Christian and very active in his local church. He loves kids, with two daughters of his own with his lovely wife, and volunteers at children’s church in his ministry.

He speaks fluent Cantonese and Mandarin and in his free time enjoys reading, writing, eating, cooking, playing music, dancing, singing, and watching musicals. One of his mottos is “Everyday that he hasn’t learned something new is a day wasted.”Author Links:      
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mythical cover reveal

Mythical (Mystical #2)
by Michael Weekly
Genre: YA/NA Urban Fantasy
Limitless Publishing
Summary:
When you’re a witch in a kingdom of Elves, there’s bound to be conflict…Eliza Rose finds herself in a world full of Elves—the very creatures she is sworn to kill. To make matters worse, she is forced to slay her own mother. But one question remains. Why was her mother in such a horrid place to begin with? Eliza and Donovan cannot face the dangers of Ellevil alone…When the Elf, Christian, meets Eliza for the first time, he knows he must have her. As a master of manipulation, he will do anything he can to get his way. Donovan has left his old gang life behind. In his journeys with Eliza, he has seen her talents as an assassin bloom. He wants what is best for her, and he is certain that Christian is anything but.In a land of pure beings called Mystics, not all of them are what they seem…When Eliza falls in love with Christian, only Donovan knows the Elf can’t be trusted. Christian manipulates the myth within her to come forth, and Eliza’s hidden power is unleashed, bringing her true nature to light. Answers might be found in the fairy and mermaid kingdoms… To discover why Eliza’s mother was in Ellevil, Eliza and Christian must embark on a journey to the fairy and mermaid kingdoms. As challenges continue to unfold, Eliza is forced to choose between her hidden power and the witch she truly is.Eliza Rose must unlock her hidden power in order to survive, but time is running out. Corruption may overcome her—the same way it consumed her mother.
In a race against time, Eliza Rose must discover her true power, or risk becoming corrupted.
Pre-order Link: Amazon

Book One (click on image for Goodreads link):

About the Author
Michael Weekly is a professional writer known for his ability to construct detailed, believable worlds and then to inject them with captivating stories and relatable characters. His big break came three years ago when he started writing on a site called Wattpad. Prior to that, he had written mainly as a hobby and as an exercise in relaxation and meditation, using writing as an escape out of the world and into his own mind.

Writing in the genres of Urban Fantasy, Dystopian YA, and NA, Michael is the author of Mystical, which has earned a ton of positive feedback. Mystical was picked up by Limitless Publishing in 2015, and since then, Michael has been working on additional entries to the series.

When he is not writing, Michael also enjoys playing video games such as League of Legends and World of Warcraft. He enjoys being a shopaholic and a professional foodie. He lives in Virginia with his imaginary fury companion CoCo, where the two live happily.
Author Links:      

Cover Reveal Organized by:

Caught in the Ripples cover/trailer reveal

Caught in the Ripples (The Water Rushes #2)by S. McPhersonGenre: YA FantasyRelease Date: July 31st 2016


Summary:

When the Exlathars escaped the battle that night, their silhouetted figures merged with the sky, their wings swatted at stars and the Coltis people were too busy celebrating their victory to realise that there wasn’t one.
Now the Exlathars are back. And they bring with them remnants of everybody’s past.
Back in England, Dezaray discovers just how deep Coldivor’s connection to Earth really goes. But she cannot change their past and she cannot see how to alter their future. So it seems the ripples that shake the surface are only a glimpse of what’s brewing beneath.
'Caught in the Ripples' delves deeper into the Water Rushes saga, answers questions the first book raised and plunges you into an ocean of intrigue and magic. 
They thought the Elenfar was the end…turns out it was only the beginning.
Book One (click on image for Goodreads link):
Book Trailer:
About the Author
S. McPherson is a young British expat living in Dubai and working as a kindergarten teacher. When she is not at work immersed in a world of imagination and fantasy created by the children, she is immersed in her own worlds of imagination and fantasy at home, dreaming up tales and writing them down. 'At Water’s Edge' is S. McPherson’s debut novel and the first in the romantic, fantasy series, 'The Water Rushes'.Author Links:    


Cover Reveal Organized by:

Under My Skin blitz & giveaway

Under My Skin
by Laura Diamond
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 12th 2016
Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:


Bookish Brit Adam Gibson is one wonky heartbeat away from a fatal arrhythmia. He's torn between wanting to live and knowing that someone else must die in order for him to do so. He needs a new heart.
Adam stops talking to his friends, refuses to meet kids at his new school, and shuts his parents out entirely. His days are spent wondering if can cope with having a dead man's heart beating inside his chest, or if he should surrender to the thoughts of suicide swirling around in his head.
And then a donor is found.
Outspoken artist Darby Fox rarely lets anything stand in her way of achieving her goals. She also happens to be the twin sister to a perfect brother with good looks, good grades, manners, and the approval of their parents - something Darby has never had.
Darby's always had bad timing. She picks the worst time to argue with her brother Daniel. In a car with bald tires, on an icy road in the freezing cold, the unthinkable happens. In a split-second, everything changes forever.
When life forces Adam and Darby together, undeniable sparks fly, and a deep connection is made. But the secret inside of Adam may be the thing that pushes them apart forever.



Buy Links:Amazon│Barnes & Noble│iTunes│Kobo
Excerpts:ADAM:I clutch my well-worn paperback of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein close to my heart. The doctor robbed graves, stealing body parts to create his monster. I suppress a shiver. In a way, the transplant surgeon does the same thing by harvesting a donor’s organs when they’re on the brink of death. If I get prioritized on the list, I’ll be waiting for that poor victim to arrive. Then I’ll steal his or her heart and with it, their life.Then I’ll be the monster.

DARBY:Images blur on a merry-go-round from Hell that spins faster with each turn. Sleet pounding the windshield. Daniel fighting with the clutch and brake. The truck’s headlights impaling us. Crunching steel. Daniel’s bloody face. Pain stretches from my head, dragging its dirty talons down my neck and across my shoulders, ending in cold numbness at my chest. Something presses my body down. I can’t move. I can’t escape it. 
About the AuthorLaura Diamond is a board certified psychiatrist currently specializing in emergency psychiatry. She is also an author of all things young adult—both contemporary and paranormal. An avid fan of sci-fi, fantasy, and anything magical, she thrives on quirk, her lucid dreams, and coffee. When she’s not working or writing, she can be found sniffing books and drinking a latte at the bookstore or at home pondering renovations on her 225 year old fixer upper, all while obeying her feline overlords, of course.
If you’re interested in reading more about Laura, or interacting with her on the web, check out the following links:

Author Links:
             
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

***Readers Giveaway***
Want to review UNDER MY SKIN? The author will send swag (bookmark, etc) to those who review the book. All you have to do is message her via Facebook or send an email to authorlauradiamond@gmail.com. 

The Forgotten Cover Reveal

The Forgotten (Zola Flash #2)
by T. Marie Alexander
Genre: YA Sci-fi
Release Date: June 7th 2016
Summary from Goodreads:
ZOLA HAS LOST SO MUCH.Her familyHer home.Her sense of self.
BUT SHE HAS ALSO GAINED.Friends.Another home.And Pin, the Payohlini she loves above all else.
With Renz gone and no one to command the Payohlini army, Zola assumed everything would go back to normal. Well, as normal as life could be for someone like her. The war should be over and her planet and people should be safe. Having accomplished what she set out to do—getting revenge for her family’s murder, she even dares to dream of days spent as a normal girl, of dates with Pin without them looking over their shoulders for flying swords. No more hiding, but living the kind of life she always thought she’d have.
With new responsibilities come new problems, though—as well as a Flash from her past that she didn’t see coming. 
One that threatens to change everything.
Zola thought she had nothing else to lose. Unfortunately, she’s about to get a galactic awakening.
No one ever said being a princess would be easy.


Book One (click on image for Goodreads link):
About the AuthorHi! I’m La’Teaikia, and I write YA Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Romance. I’ve been an avid reader since ninth grade when I first discovered Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight. I know, I know. Most people think sparkly vampires are just wrong. I am NOT one of those people.Even though I’ve only been reading for a short time, unlike most authors, I’ve been writing since I was seven. And before you ask, that was fifteen years ago.To me, everything have to be perfect, which is why it has taken me so long to publish my debut novel, Zola Flash. I tend to plan out and list everything. My husband think it’s excessive.So with that being said, here are a few things you should know about me, other than what I’ve already said.I live in the lonely state of Arkansas. I plan to move as soon as I complete my graduate degree, preferably someplace where Taylor Swift tours.If you didn’t get the hint from my first point, I’m a HUGE Taylor Swift fan.When I’m not reading or writing, I’m designing clothes and handbags and watching Doctor Who.I’m a kid at heart. I love Barbie Movies. I love watching Disney Channel. However, them thinking that every movie they come out with needs to be a musical is a bit much.Chocolate is my life. I’ll eat anything with chocolate . . . well, maybe not anything.
Author Links:      

The Fairest Poison Blitz & Giveaway

The Fairest Poison
by Lauren Skidmore
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: May 10th 2016

Summary from Goodreads:

Princess Bianca returns to her court to find it poisoned from the inside out. Faced with mysterious sicknesses, power disputes, and whispers of impending death, Bianca turns to an unlikely ally—a former assassin—to find the antidote that will save her kingdom. But Bianca quickly realizes that she might not even be able to save her own life in this Snow White story.






Buy Links: Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Book Depository│Signed copy @ The King's English
Book Trailer:

Chapter One 

My parents were sick.

That was the first news I received when I returned to the palace after nearly six months away. I was Venesia’s princess, and so its ambassador. I was happy to serve . . . but not if it meant coming home to this.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, shedding my cloak and shaking it out before handing it to a servant. It was still damp with seawater from the journey. It hadn’t exactly been a peaceful trip.

“Are they up to visitors now?”

The two handmaidens that had greeted me exchanged glances. “You should rest from your journey first, princess. It’s late, and the details can wait until the morning.”

I frowned. “No. You cannot welcome me back by saying my return may aid my parents’ recovery and then refuse to tell me what’s wrong.”

“We don’t want to worry you, princess,” the other one said, throwing a nervous glance at her companion. She’d been with the palace longer and knew I would not be easily dissuaded from getting what I wanted.

“It’s too late for that.” I sighed. “Where is my brother?”

“Prince Aiden went to speak to the Guard about the successful capture of that Chameleon. He was eager to see the killer in person.”

I braced myself. Aiden was in for a surprise on that front. “Maybe I will go rest after all,” I said, brushing a dark curl behind my ear and adjusting the purple mask I wore across the upper half of my face. I would miss the freedom of not wearing my full Venesian mask while I was away from court. “But don’t think it’s because you dissuaded me from seeing the king and queen tonight. Surely, if they were seriously ill, they’d have ordered you to take me to them right away. I won’t disturb their sleep.”

“Of course, princess.” They both curtseyed.

“Bianca!”

I cringed. Aiden.

“You’re dismissed,” I said quickly to my handmaidens. I didn’t need spectators for this.

They scurried away—though I’m sure to only just around the corner so they could eavesdrop—and I turned to face my elder brother. He came barreling down the dimly lit corridor, his half-cloak billowing out behind him. He wore the emerald green mask he favored when he was out of the palace so no one would bother him as the prince. The pure white masks of the royal family tend to stand out in a sea of blues and green.

“Where is he?” he demanded. The head guard and a young woman in a green mask were just a few steps behind him. Looks like we were going to have an audience after all.

I was tempted to play dumb but knew that would only make him even more upset. And he had good reason to be upset; I couldn’t deny him that.

“Please hear me out,” I began slowly, my voice even and calm.

“You set him free, didn’t you?” He shook his head in disbelief. “Bianca, he killed Evie’s father.” He gestured to the woman behind him, who shifted her weight from foot to foot uncomfortably, a medium-sized brown dog with a fluffy, curled tail at her heels. “He tried to kill me.”

“I know that, but—”

“There is no excuse here! He killed and was willing to kill again. He stole masks and identities. He betrayed the trust of a kingdom who took him in. He is a criminal who needs to pay for his crimes.”

“He saved my life. I owe him,” I explained simply.

That made Aiden pause, but only for the length of a breath before retorting, “One good act does not make up for all the evil he’s done.”

“But it proves there is good in him.”

“Or he is just trying to save his own skin by having you in his debt.”

“He’s not as terrible as you think he is.”

“But you admit he is terrible.”

“Aiden.” I started to truly feel the late hour now and my shoulders drooped. “He deserves a fair trial at the very least.”

“I can’t give him a trial if he is mysteriously set free in the middle of the night.”

“You’re being dramatic.”

“I think I’m being understandably upset. I went from news of my baby sister returning home with the scum I’ve been hunting for the past three months—to finding out that the scum has vanished and has said sister to thank for it! With everything that’s been going on in court, and now with Mother and Father ill—”

“Do you know what’s wrong with them?” I interrupted, both wanting to know and hoping to change the subject. I’d bristled slightly at being called his “baby sister”—there were only two years between us, after all—but was willing to overlook it in the name of the greater good of the moment. His accusations weren’t untrue; he just didn’t know the Chameleon like I did.

I might have been part of the reason he’d been captured, but we had a history. And that history meant that I owed him his freedom.

It seemed Aiden was as tired of arguing as I was. He answered, “The doctors aren’t

sure. It’s not an illness they’re familiar with. Mother and Father are on bed rest now until a cure can be found. They can barely eat and are very weak, and they both have a pink rash all over their bodies. It happened so suddenly, but no one else in court has the same symptoms, so we don’t know where it came from.”

“How long have they been like this? Why did no one tell me?”

“They only just felt sick enough to admit it and seek a doctor, though Father mentioned to me he’d been feeling poorly for several days.”

I sighed. It was just like them to overlook any health problems until they got too serious to ignore. They didn’t want to appear weak in front of the kingdom, and to appear human was to appear weak. In the king’s eyes, at least.

“I’ll go see them first thing in the morning. We all need our rest.” I gave Aiden a meaningful look. “That means you as well.” I was sure his mask hid dark circles under his eyes, one benefit of our country’s tradition. I knew my brother, and he’d been pushing himself too hard. I’d gotten snippets of the unrest that had crept into our court from his letters while I was away, but it was another matter to see him in person.

From what I understood, the court was reluctant to accept him as their next ruler. He had no respect for tradition, they claimed. For generations, the royal family protected themselves behind pure white masks, fine clothes, and strict rules. Aiden wanted to make changes that gave him more personal freedom as well as control over the country.

“We’ll all of us go to sleep, and discuss things again after breakfast.”

“Fine,” he begrudged as he turned, offering his arm to the woman beside him, who looked as tired as I felt, plus awkward after witnessing a royal argument. Evie, he said her name was. He’d written about her. He had proposed marriage to her, and she’d said no.

I was very curious about her.

“I am glad you’re home, though. I missed you,” he said.

I smiled. “I missed you too.” My gaze shifted to Evie, and I opened my mouth to greet her properly.

“Let’s save introductions for a less unconventional time,” he interrupted before I could say anything. He reached for her hand, tucking it in the crook of his arm. “I’d rather your official meeting be a more pleasant one. Or at least one where we’re not arguing.”

She rolled her eyes at him but offered me a shy smile.

“If you insist,” I replied with a smile for her and a raised eyebrow for him. Its effect was somewhat lessened thanks to my mask, but he knew my expressions well enough to spot it.

He chuckled and shook his head with affection in his eyes. “Until tomorrow,” he said, and we parted ways.

The halls were dim and quiet, but I could have found my way to my chambers in the dark. I rarely left the palace growing up, and walking through these halls now felt like slipping into a warm bath. I loved the palace.

Servants had already brought my trunk to my parlor. Normally, I would need help dressing for bed, thanks to the complex finery of the clothing that comes with royalty, but since I was still dressed in a simple traveling dress, I didn’t bother ringing for a handmaiden.

I’d missed my rooms. It had been a long time since I’d been alone, and my rooms were the one place I was granted my privacy.

For six months, I’d been acting as ambassador to Nishima, a neighboring country we had strong ties with. That meant that for nearly six months, I’d been constantly surrounded by people—if not by the dignitaries I was there to see, then by my own guards who never left my side. Even on the journey home, when we’d been sidetracked by the hunt for the Chameleon, I’d never been left on my own.

But in my own palace, in my own rooms, I was alone. And I felt safe.

I fell asleep almost as soon as my head touched my pillow.

—

The next morning, I’d barely dressed before I heard insistent knocks at the doors to my suite. I knew it was Aiden even before my handmaiden opened the door to reveal him.

“I said after breakfast, Aiden. I’m still—”

“They’ve gotten worse,” he interrupted me, his eyes grim. “Mother and Father. And another doctor, a specialist from Nishima, has examined them.”

He opened and closed his mouth several times, searching for the right words.

“Just say it. What is it?”

“Bianca . . . they’ve been poisoned.”


About the AuthorLauren Skidmore grew up in Kansas, with stints in Ohio and New York, and currently lives in Utah. She attended Brigham Young University where she earned a BA in English Teaching with an emphasis in Teaching English as a Second Language and Japanese. She then spent a year in Japan teaching and travelling. She hasn’t made it to Europe yet, but it’s on the list and has been to 30 states in the U.S. so far. When she’s not exploring new places, you can probably find her on the internet with fifteen windows open and looking at just one more thing before actually getting something done.
Author Links:
     
GIVEAWAY:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Stolen Heart Cover Reveal

The Stolen Heart (The Hidden Lands #2)by Jaclyn DolamoreGenre: YA FantasyRelease Date: June 10th 2016
Summary:
The daughter of a wealthy and corrupt businessman, Thessia lived a pampered life. But she has fallen for the one boy she can’t have: Lester Alamont, a talented young sorcerer…and a Fanarlem. Fanarlem, a highly realistic race of ‘doll people’ created by magic, were considered only fit to be a slave race for centuries, and to Thessia’s father, that’s still the only thing they’re good for.
Alfred Brawder, Thessia’s former fiance and the son of an organized crime boss, is trying to go straight by attending Thessia’s school—and he still wants to see her find happiness, befriending Lester and encouraging the clandestine relationship. But in the traditional world of Atlantis, forbidden allegiances quickly lead to violence, and for Alfred, keeping his hands clean proves harder than expected…


Book One (click on image for Goodreads link):

About the Author
Jaclyn Dolamore has a passion for history, thrift stores, vintage dresses, David Bowie, drawing, and organic food. She is the author of six YA novels, including Magic Under Glass and Dark Metropolis. She lives in western Maryland with her partner and plot strategist, Dade, and three weird cats. To keep abreast of new releases, sales, and extras, please join her mailing list! http://tinyurl.com/JaclynDolamoreAuthor Links:      
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