Emma Michaels's Blog, page 40
March 28, 2013
Featured Book Trailers 2
March 26, 2013
A Minor in Magic!
Over the course of a single night, mystical fires tore through the sky and reduced most of Earth to ash. Ten years later magical fire burns again, but this time it’s in the hands of a young girl named Skylar. Exiled from her adoptive home, Skylar must now struggle through ruined lands and religious zealots who believe she’s an agent of the Devil. An even greater threat exists in the form of shadowy sorcerers from another world who covet her blood. Along her journey, she meets a motley band of outcasts who not only know the secret of what happened to Earth, but also of Skylar’s true origin. Will Skylar be able to accept this fantastical truth? But more importantly, can her powers and raging heart be tamed in time to stop those who once burned the world and now seek total domination?
Justin R. Macumber is the author of HAYWIRE and A MINOR MAGIC. When not hard at work on his next story he hosts the popular Dead Robots' Society podcast, which is a podcast made by writers for writers. He and his lovely wife live in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex along with a rampaging pack of dogs and cats that they think of as their children. He is also a co-host on The Hollywood Outsider, a weekly podcast about movies and television. Currently he is working on two novels - the horror story STILL WATER, and the sequel to A MINOR MAGIC entitled A BROKEN MAGIC.
Links
http://www.justinmacumber.com/
http://amzn.to/WTZjrR
http://www.facebook.com/JustinRMacumber
http://twitter.com/JustinMacumber
http://deadrobotssociety.com/
http://www.thehollywoodoutsider.com/
Kindle buy link - http://amzn.to/TTof0x
Print book buy link - http://amzn.to/Yk8eyp
B&N buy link - http://bit.ly/138JTPl
Skylar's eyes filled with a flickering blue light as ghostly flames jetted from her palms, and her screams were lost over the roaring of the blaze. Instinctively, she shook her hands, slapped them against her legs, and then clapped them together to try and extinguish the fire. As her hands touched, the flames vanished. To her astonishment her skin wasn't burned. It wasn't even warm. Sadly, the same couldn't be said for Buster. The dog was a smoking ruin at her feet, one more pile of burnt remains in a world already covered in ash. Her heart broke as she stared down at him. Oh god, she thought. What's happened? What have I done?
"Oh my Lord, girl," a man said behind her. "What did you do?"
Skylar whirled around, her eyes widening in guilt even though she didn't understand what had happened, or how. "Henry, he jumped at me! I don't know why he did it, and I tried to stop him, but..." She fell silent, her thoughts too scrambled to know what more to say. Buster was a dog she'd loved and cared for ever since coming to live on the farm years ago, and without warning, he had attacked her. When she'd held her hands up to ward him off, blue fire had erupted from them and consumed him as though it was a living, ravenous thing. Nothing like that had ever happened to her before, and she couldn't rightly explain what she didn't understand.
March 25, 2013
Cover Reveal: Tragic by J. A. Huss
Rook Walsh is TRAGIC
Because life so far – just sucks. Some girls get parents. Rook got the foster care system. Some girls get Prince Charming. Rook got an abusive frog. Some girls get lucky…
Rook got a second chance.
And she took it. Because when fate throws you a bone – you grab it with both hands and run.
Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she’s got The Look. The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.
Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he’s everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn’t. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy! He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine’s portfolio.
Rook’s luck changes in an instant and suddenly she’s the darling of the modeling world. It’s a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there’s always a price to pay – and Rook is about to get the bill.
TRAGIC is a new adult contemporary romance.
AUTHOR BIOJ. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).
She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers.
Author links:Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter
March 22, 2013
Cover Love Affair Week 5
I am in an emotive covers kind of mood this week. So time for the cover artist to become the cover fangirl.
Here are my current cover love affairs!
What covers are you currently having cover love affairs with?
March 21, 2013
Book Recommendation: If I Stay
‘In a single moment, everything changes. Seventeen-year-old Mia has no memory of the accident; she can only recall riding along the snow-wet Oregon road with her family. Then, in a blink, she finds herself watching as her own damaged body is taken from the wreck...’
If I Stay
The novels and movies I enjoy most tend to have a bittersweet feel to them. Like that first time after you have lost someone when you think of a beautiful or happy memory and while it hurts, it also heals. This book has a bit of that mixed with an amazing story and heartfelt romance. Ultimately this novel is about extraordinary choices and the ability love has to change absolutely everything.
Which is probably part of why I enjoyed it so much.
This is also one of those rare novels where while books are always better when read, the audiobook is absolutely wonderful. I would suggest either, both are amazing.The entire novel is so lyrically written and full of emotion.
Simply beautiful.
Definitely a worthwhile read.
March 19, 2013
Double Cover Reveal - Rhiannon Paille
Both books are FREE for today only!
Grab your copies using the links below!
SURRENDER (The Ferryman + The Flame #1)Author: Rhiannon PailleCover Design: Regina Wamba of Mae I DesignExclusively on Amazon / Kindle (don't forget to get your copy!)
How far would you go to save everything you ever loved?
Kaliel was warned about her love for the Ferryman. One day he will marry the land and leave Avristar forever. She doesn't listen, and because of what she is-- a Flame-- one of nine apocalyptic weapons, she sparks a war. In a desperate attempt to save her home and her love, Kaliel tries to awaken Avred, not knowing she may have to make the ultimate sacrifice.
AUTHOR BIOJUSTICE (The Ferryman + The Flame #2)Author: Rhiannon PailleCover Design: Regina Wamba of Mae I DesignExclusively available at Amazon / Kindle
How far would you go to destroy yourself?
Krishani always knew he would have to go to the Lands of Men, but he never thought it would be like this. Enemies everywhere, an ancestor he can't respect, elders he can't trust, a curse he can't stop and friends he can't help but hate. Desperate to end the pain, he sets out on a quest to find the other Flames and face the enemy that took everything from him.
Rhiannon Paille
Rhi was never a normal girl. Her life was an urban fantasy wrapped in a paranormal romance and served with a side of horror. To escape her everyday weirdness she began writing fantasy. She studied at U of Sedona and MIMT, obtaining a PhD in Metaphysical Science and Parapsychology. She's married to a chef/comic book shop owner and has a fondness for architecture. She frequents twitter and facebook, but if you really want to get to know her you should visit her site:
Website: http://www.yafantasyauthor.com/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4653530.Rhiannon_Paille
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RhiannonPaille
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rhiannonpaille
March 18, 2013
Featured Book Trailers
March 15, 2013
Cover Love Affair Week 4
In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love these covers!
What are some of your current cover love affairs?
March 14, 2013
Book Recommendation: Poison by Bridget Zinn
I am enamored with ‘Poison’.
I haven’t felt so wonderful reading a novel in ages. Finally twists I don’t see coming, adventure that swept me off my feet and a girl as stubborn and pig headed as I am. How could I not fall in love? Plus, did I mention there is a pig in this, poison throwing darts, crazy witches and royalty? I kid you not, no matter what is released later this year, this book will be my most beloved novel of 2013. 
Have you ever read a book that brings back that first sense of adventure you had when you started reading? This did that for me. I was swept off my feet and by the time I looked back up again hours had passed. I am a huge fan of ‘literary Easter eggs’ as plot tools and this book was bubbling to the brim with them, Bridget Zinn really knows how to write.
Yes, to all of you readers who are fed up with series-
This is a stand alone novel.
One that actually ties up all of the lose ends into a magnificent bow at the end leaving you feeling like you just just read the most fulfilling novel and adventure you can imagine. I absolutely fell in love with this novel.
You know those review that say, everything you want in a book you will find in __________.
Yeah, in this case it is actually true.
Adventure, romance, humor, fantastic characters who show real growth, excellent pacing, non-stop action but with attention to details and world building and a story you won’t forget.
I may be addicted to e-books but I am definitely going out and getting a hardback copy of this book to keep on my desk right next to ‘The Fault in our Stars’ to remind me why I write.
Poison is simply prefect.
March 13, 2013
For the love of Poison
As part of spreading the word about the amazing novel
Poison by Bridget Zinn
here is a little story of a girl and her books.
Bridget Zinn was a librarian and while I never had a librarian who helped me, I did have a library and the books that made everything in my life suddenly vibrant and better than it had been.
I was a sad little girl, not the kind that bounces around and giggles and plays with dolls. I was the kind who asked hard questions and took a few hours out of my day to stare at flowers or ripples in water and read poems by Langston Hughes who I felt was the only person on the planet who understood me. Of course, he just happened to be dead but I didn’t mind, it wasn’t like that was his fault.
Some things had happened that kept me from being a care free child and as time went on it was like I was living two lives. One with half of my family that made life seem like some wonderful fairytale and another half that seemed like a series of unfortunate events, a never ending stream of things that continued to push me away from who I wanted to become but more than that, pushed me away from being someone who understood what it meant to be happy.
Then one day when I was sick (I am a life long asthmatic with a number of other health issues so tended to get sick or stuck in a hospital fairly often) my grandmother swooped in like the guardian angel she is and gave me a book that was different than the others had read. A book filled with adventure and a courageous red head with violet eyes (In the Hand of the Goddess by Tamora Pierce) and from there suddenly I had an interest and found my escape.
My local library came to know me by name but instead of going to the text book section to fill my head with facts, the adult fantasy section my father loved or the poetry section to try and find another kindred spirit I started visiting the young adult section. I devoured shelf after shelf so quickly I kept accidentally maxing out the amount of books I was able to have out at one time or within the span of one month.
Here is the thing about finding an escape, it gives you time and a chance to look at things differently long enough that you can find your way again in your own life. It took my a long time and by the time I found my way out of my own strange version of a series of unfortunate events I was no longer a teen but what got me through it all was books.
Books taught me to be happy.
They taught me that as long as you can endure you can find a way to get out of any bad situation if you are clever enough.
Books taught me to live again when I didn’t understand what that meant.
As I have grown and started writing my own novels, books have continued to teach me so much more but throughout my life they have always been a type of foundation for me. When I think of home I think of any library, bookstore or room filled with books, not a location.
Books can change everything.
and now, books can help Bridget Zinn live on and give that same inspiration to others who desperately need it.
I did not know Bridget but I would like to think that every time someone reads her novel it brings a part of her to life again.
Let’s bring a part of her back and go on our own adventure with her.
Grab your copy of Poison today:
