Laurisa White Reyes's Blog, page 69

GIVEAWAY: THE DRAGON IN THE GARDEN by Erika Gardner

The Dragon in the GardenThe Watcher Rising Series #1by Erika GardnerGenre: Epic Urban Fantasy
There is magic beneath the mundane and in The Dragon in the Garden, Siobhan Orsini witnesses it all. No lie can fool her, no glamour or illusion can cloud her Sight. She sees through them all and wishes she could close her eyes. Returning to face her past, Siobhan inherits her grandparents’ house in California’s wine country. She encounters a talking dragon, a hot fallen angel, a demon lord, a Valkyrie, and, oh yes, her ex-boyfriend. And that is just in the first twenty-four hours.

It’s time to find out why she has this power.
Siobhan seeks out the Oracle and learns that only her Sight can help mankind navigate the travails of an ancient war. Our world is the prize in a battle between the dragons, who would defend us, and Lucifer’s fallen angels, who seek to take the Earth for themselves. Using her gift, she will have to make a choice that will decide humanity’s future.

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Erika is a sixth generation San Franciscan of Irish descent. She attended the University of California at Davis and completed degrees in Medieval History and Biological Sciences. A lifelong lover of books and a scribbler of many tales from a young age (her first story was completed at age five) she turned to writing full-time in 2011.

On a personal level she loves spicy food, twilight, dark chocolate (with sea salt-yum!) and nickel slots at Vegas. Erika lives for time with friends, a nice glass of red wine, “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” & “Doctor Who” and good conversation. Her favorite things to do are running, cooking, reading, needlework, gardening… and of course, writing. Erika's music of choice is heavy metal. To pick her out in a lineup you should know that she is very short, fairly loud, and has dark eyebrows. The rest, as her hero Anne McCaffrey once said in her bio, “is subject to change without notice”.
Erika resides in Northern California with her incredibly hot husband, their three amazing kids, and their chocolate Labrador named Selkie. To reach Erika regarding her books, wine recommendations, or to debate which Iron Maiden album is the best (clearly, it’s Brave New World)

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GIVEAWAY: LOVE IS DEATH by L.P. Masters

Love Is DeathThe Afterdeath Book 1by L.P. MastersGenre: YA Paranormal  
Gina’s plan for her afterlife is simple: survive as long as possible. The afterlife is a ghost-kill-ghost kind of place. When she meets newly-dead Alec, she can’t help her desire to protect him. Before she knows it, she finds herself falling for him, despite the little voice in her head telling her it’s a bad idea. Alec’s goals don’t mesh well with Gina’s plans. Determined to save his living sister from a murderer, he’s willing to disobey the laws of a well-established cult in the afterlife. If the cult finds out, they’ll kill him. Again. He’s hesitant to accept Gina’s help and threaten her afterlife, but he’s guaranteed to fail without her. Together they embark on a perilous mission, but the most dangerous aspect of all is the threat of falling in love. Because in the afterlife... love is death.
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Born and raised in the rainy streets of the Seattle Area, L.P. Masters spent her fair share of time staring out rain-streaked windows and writing books. Masters has always had extremely vivid dreams, which often spark inspiration for her novels. In 1999, after one such dream, Masters began her first writing project. She has participated in National Novel Writer's Month every November since 2010. Writing isn't the only thing she can do with a pen in her hand, she also enjoys sketching and drawing—with varying degrees of success. Masters now lives in the slightly-less-dreary city of Spokane Washington with her husband and two wonderful daughters.
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GIVEAWAY: THE CHRONICLES OF MIDWAY by Kevin Fleming

The Storyteller's BookThe Chronicles of Midway Book 1by Kevin FlemingGenre: SciFi Fantasy
“ … you must realise and accept, neither me, your mum, nor either of you are human.”

Nick and Mel are 14 year old twins living normal lives with their parents. When they discover an ancient book in their attic and read from it, strange events begin to happen around them. Something has been awakened which prompts their parents to take them away to a town called Midway where they reveal to the twins that they are not human. They had been hidden on Earth, brought up as though they were human, awaiting the right moment for the truth to be told. 
When their parents mysteriously disappear on their first night away, they are forced to discover for themselves what their roles are in the new lives they’ve been thrown into. They struggle alone as they try to understand and balance their past human lives with their alien destiny. When the book they discovered at their home is stolen, it falls on the twins to recover it. The book has a lot more power than they realised, and if they fail, it will not be they who suffer, but the whole human race. 
Along the way, they meet an array of characters, some will become friends, some will become enemies, who can they trust? For now, they can trust only each other.

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The Mines of KothkishThe Chronicles of Midway Book 2
When Sebastian, the brother of their friend Celeste is abducted by the rogue faction known as The Malum-Atra, twins Nicholas and Melandra Wigg are first in the queue to help the Shreen Angels in their quest to find and rescue the unfortunate victim.

As the situation escalates and the full extent of the danger to Midway and the whole human race is revealed, Nick and Mel face a race against time to locate where Sebastian is held. 
Do the Mines of Kothkish with their glowing caverns of billions of precious stones hold the answer to the mystery of Sebastian’s location? What role does Elaine, the human girl with the unusual gifts have to do with finding the abducted Shreen Angel? And what is the secret that has been hidden in Little Meesden for two hundred years?
Find out as we meet friends and foe, old and new, as once again Nick and Mel fight for the survival of the human universe. 
From facing evil snow creatures to diving into lakes of fire, share in the exciting adventures of Nick and Mel in the second of the Chronicles of Midway series, The Mines of Kothkish.

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The Warlords of ShreenThe Chronicles of Midway Book 3
Nicholas and Melandra Wigg have already met Hadad, the only warlord still at large, but now they are faced with a plot to release the other three warlords trapped within collectors. 

When Nick and Mel enter the dream room, a story of great tragedy, loss and regret is revealed as they discover Malvern, once a colleague of Rufus, is behind the terror that is the Malum-Atra. Insane with fear and hatred of the human race, he is searching for a way to open the collectors, thus unleashing the warlords upon the world. 
What does the secret of Meesden House and the tragic history of the old railway house have to do with preventing Malvern’s evil plans? 
Join Nick and Mel in this story of redemption and second chances as they continue their quest to fulfil their destiny in The Warlords of Shreen, the third book of The Chronicles of Midway series.

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Carnival of the OtherworldThe Chronicles of Midway Book 4
Join Nicholas and Melandra Wigg in one more exciting adventure as they come up against Natasha Moon, Malvern’s evil accomplice, who together lead the Malum-Atra’s desperate final attempt to destroy the human universe.

How would the humans react if Midway was revealed to them?
How would Midway’s lethal automated defence system respond to an Earth attack?
Nick and Mel are faced with these frightening questions and even more horrifying answers as they do battle with sea spiders, Shreen demons and the ancient Defender of Midway.
What were the startling events of several years earlier that unknowingly affected the lives of many humans in Little Meesden? What was the tragedy that befell Celeste’s mother? Will Nick and Mel finally come face to face with their destiny?
Find out, as these and many more secrets are revealed in Carnival of the Otherworld, the final book of the series, The Chronicles of Midway.

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Kevin Fleming was born and still lives in Liverpool. He worked for a large telecoms company for over twenty years before leaving to run his own business for a further fifteen years. 

Having written short or incomplete stories on and off all his life, he believes now is the time to put his full commitment into writing more seriously. Since 2012, he has devoted his time to writing and has completed a four part sci/fi, fantasy series aimed at ages from 11 years old and upwards, called ‘The Chronicles of Midway’. 
He is mainly interested in writing supernatural, science fiction and fantasy novels that would appeal to young and old alike. Currently he is working on another series that would combine all these genres.

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GIVEAWAY: BRAINRUSH SERIES by Richard Bard

An "international thriller with soul."  Features a broad cast of characters with kids playing significant roles. Ideal reading for fans of Michael Crichton, Clive Cussler, James Rollins, Brad Thor, Dan Brown, Matthew Reilly, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and Vince Flynn. 
Brainrush Series SummaryGet the first three books in a box set!! https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JB6XIV6


BrainrushBrainrush Series Book 1by Richard BardGenre: Action/Adventure Thriller, Romantic Suspense
Publishers Weekly heralded the first book in Richard Bard's Brainrush thriller series as "terrifically entertaining" and "inventive and compelling." It went on to earn The Wall Street Journal's #1 Action/Adventure slot in the Guide to Self-Published Big Sellers list.

Before he slid into the MRI machine, Jake Bronson was just an ordinary guy with terminal cancer. But when an earthquake hits during the procedure, Jake staggers from the wreckage a profoundly changed man, now endowed with uncanny mental abilities.

An ocean away, Luciano Battista wants a piece of Jake's talent. Posing as a pioneering scientist, the terrorist leader has been conducting cerebral-implant experiments in a sinister quest to create a breed of super jihadist agents...and Jake's altered brain may be the key to his success. But Jake refuses to play the pawn in an unholy war--and when an innocent woman and autistic child are taken hostage to force his cooperation, he embarks on a jihad of his own. Jake and his band of loyal friends are thrust into a deadly chase that leads from the canals of Venice through Monte Carlo and finally to an ancient cavern in the Hindu Kush mountains of Afghanistan--where Jake discovers that his newfound talents carry a hidden price that threatens the entire human race.

An "international thriller with soul." Ideal reading for fans of Michael Crichton, Clive Cussler, James Rollins, Brad Thor, Dan Brown, Matthew Reilly, Tom Clancy, Robert Ludlum, and Vince Flynn.
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The Enemy of My EnemyBrainrush Series Book 2
The Enemy of My Enemy (Brainrush 2) became the Amazon #1 Top Rated (best reviewed) Mystery/Thriller, AND the #1 Top Rated Action/Adventure within one month of its release. It maintained the #1 or #2 slots for 10 straight months.

Bestselling author Richard Bard returns with his highly rated Brainrush thriller series, pitting hero Jake Bronson against his jihadist nemesis--and a new bioweapon that threatens the soul of every mother in America.

When a freak accident gave Jake Bronson near-superhuman mental powers and landed his loved ones in the crosshairs of an Islamic terrorist, the only way out was with guns blazing. But Jake was unable to put a stop to his nightmares or his murderous nemesis, Luciano Battista, in that ferocious Afghan mountains showdown. Now the terror czar and his minions have brought the fight to American soil--along with the most terrifying bioweapon that has ever threatened the free world. They demand vengeance, and Jake's family and friends are caught in the crossfire.

From California's beaches and Mexico's deserts to the depths of a raging underground river and the treacherous Venezuelan jungle, Jake and his unlikely alliance of combat veterans and gangsters wage a rolling war of wits, weapons, and indomitable will--to rescue those they love, to save America from extinction, and to stop a madman's bid for global conquest dead in its tracks.
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Beyond JudgmentBrainrush Series Book 3
With Publishers Weekly heralding the first book in his Brainrush thriller series as "terrifically entertaining" and "inventive and compelling," and Book-2 holding a death grip on the #1 or #2 slots of the Amazon Top-Rated (best reviewed) Mystery/Thriller and Action/Adventure lists for 10 straight months, Beyond Judgment, the third in the series, sees hero Jake Bronson at the mercy of his hidden past.

After waking up with amnesia from a six-year coma, Jake Bronson's past is lost to him. But that doesn't mean the past hasn't been looking for him--or that it will let him live when it finally catches up.

Jake's placid, anonymous life in Italy is shattered by the arrival of an assassination squad hell-bent on eliminating him--and he has no idea why he's in their crosshairs. He's saved only when an American scientist intervenes, wielding strange technology that briefly reactivates Jake's dormant memories and deadly skills. As unknown enemies continue to hound Jake's every step, the scientist helps him reconnect with lost friends and loved ones who believed him long dead.

Any happy reunion is forfeit, though, as Jake's murky history and mysterious talents conceal a terrible secret that--should it fall into the wrong hands--could trigger the extinction of the human race. Averting this apocalypse means Jake must risk everything to reawaken his true self and stop an ancient order from unleashing humanity's ultimate judgment. 
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BrainchildBrainrush Series Book 4
The first three books in #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Richard Bard's Brainrush series garnered over 2,000 Amazon 5-Star reviews, setting the stage for the continuing story spanning three continents and two more books. With Brainchild (Brainrush 4) called "a high-speed thriller that ignites pages with scenes of action and suspense" by Kirkus Reviews, and Smoke & Mirrors (Brainrush 5) named "best book of the year" by IndieReader.com, this mind-gripping adventure is sure to capture the imagination long after the final heart-stopping chapter.

A gifted boy forced to grow up too fast... A father who will do anything to protect him... A madman bent on destroying them both.

In Amsterdam, a visionary scientist is laying the groundwork for a cybernetic life-extension project that will transfer individual consciousness to a personalized avatar. Halfway around the world, his brilliant grandson is secretly planning to use the same technology to infiltrate the world's most secure networks. But the scientific advances necessary to perfect the brain-to-computer interface are slow in coming, too slow for the aging founder of the Everlast foundation--who may die before realizing his dream of immortality--and too slow for his ruthless grandson, who will stop at nothing to attain the recognition that is his birthright.

Caught in the middle are Jake Bronson and his seven-year-old son, Alex, whose combined mental gifts might provide the key to leapfrogging the impasse.
When Jake's family and closest friends are simultaneously abducted in a globally coordinated kidnapping scheme, he races across two continents before uncovering the first clue to their whereabouts, unaware that his hostage son and teenage siblings crash-landed in the jungles of South China, where they must find every ounce of their courage and wits to survive the wilds and escape the ruthless drug lord who is hot on their heels. Can a seven-year-old boy learn to kill to save his family?
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Smoke & MirrorsBrainrush Series Book 5
Named "Best Book of the Year!" by  IndieReader.com  

Smoke & Mirrors (Brainrush 5) is the exciting conclusion to Brainchild, Book-4 of the Brainrush series. 

A gifted boy forced to grow up too fast... A father who will do anything to protect him... A madman bent on destroying them both.

Jake Bronson and his seven-year-old son, Alex, possess mental gifts that could provide the missing link to a cybernetic life-extension project that will transfer individual consciousness to a personalized avatar. But those same gifts are sought by a Chinese underworld mastermind who will use them to infiltrate the world's most secure networks.

As the story continues from Book-4 of the Brainrush series, Alex and his brother and his sister are lost, and Jake's wife and best friends have been taken hostage. Jake will risk everything to save them, and he is thrust into a frantic race that takes him from the back alleys of Hong Kong to the depths of the South China jungles, where he must lever every scrap of his failing abilities to rescue his loved ones and crush a madman's plans to bring the world to its knees.
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No RefugeBrainrush Series Book 6
#1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Richard Bard, who entertained fans with his wildly successful Brainrush thriller series, now unleashes the heart-pounding series finale in a two-book ride that will take your breath away.

Jake Bronson's family and friends are mourning him. They'd watched as he sacrificed himself so their lives could return to normal. But normal wasn't to be. The megalomaniac whom Jake had killed during his suicide assault left a legacy of videos that damn Jake and everyone associated with him, leading to a price being put on their heads, dead or alive. They go to ground, unaware their every move is being tracked by a new breed of young, tech-savvy jihadists about to unleash vengeance on America's homeland--with Jake's family and the unsuspecting citizens of Los Angeles in their crosshairs.

As the jaws of the terrorist trap begin to close, Jake's eight-year-old son, Alex, faces a threat of his own. He carries a deadly secret that endangers the world, and now that his father is dead, Alex is the only one who can deal with it. He slips away to heed the call of unearthly visions that demand his presence, and his journey draws him to the back alleys of Bogota, Columbia, where he encounters a group of terminally ill orphans. One of their siblings has been abducted by child traffickers. Alex can't ignore their cry for help, and the unlikely alliance plans a nothing-to-lose rescue mission that has little chance of success.

But the bloodthirsty outcry against Alex's family and friends reaches beyond those who wish them harm, as do the visions that reveal their dark secrets to Alex. Help is on the way...
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Against All OddsBrainrush Series Book 7
The highly anticipated series finale to the #1 Wall Street Journal bestseller Publishers Weekly called "a terrifically entertaining thriller!"

In this conclusion to Richard Bard's popular Brainrush series, Jake Bronson's family and friends face their biggest threat ever. The startling challenges revealed in No Refuge (book 6) are coming to a head, and the team must wrest every resource available to them in hopes of preventing a terror-driven cataclysm unlike anything America has seen.

But the menace from within America's borders pales by comparison to the global threat revealed to 8-year-old Alex Bronson in a series of otherworldly visions. And Alex isn't the only one targeted by the mind-bending revelations.

The stakes are higher than ever. The fates of America and the world hang in the balance, and Jake Bronson's family and friends must risk everything to tip the scales against evil.
Releases September 12th!!
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GiftedA Brainrush Novella
From #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Richard Bard comes a heart-pounding adventure of love, loyalty, and survival - as a gifted child faces the ultimate question of whether or not he can kill in order to save his loved ones.

A gifted 7-year-old boy and his teen siblings are ripped from their peaceful lives--kidnapped by a sinister organization determined to get back at their father. But when their plane crashes an ocean away in the bear-infested jungles of South China, the mysterious motive behind their abduction is the least of their problems, and they must lever every ounce of their courage and wits to survive the wilds and escape the ruthless drug lord who is hot on their heels.

Important Note: Gifted is a compilation novella taken from the Brainrush thriller novels Brainchild and Smoke & Mirrors, which are books four and five of the series. If you've read those full-length novels, then you've already read most of the contents of this novella. If you'd prefer to read the entire series from start to finish, then you'll be happy to learn that Brainrush (Book-1) is currently available FREE. FREE on Amazon!
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Richard Bard draws on his own experiences as a former USAF pilot and cancer survivor to craft compelling characters who risk it all for love and loyalty. Born in Munich, Germany, to American parents, he joined the United States Air Force like his father. But he left the service when he was diagnosed with cancer and learned he had only months to live. He earned a management degree from the University of Notre Dame and ran three successful companies involving advanced security products used by US embassies and governments worldwide. Now a full-time writer, he lives in Redondo Beach, California, with his wife and remains in excellent health.
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BOOK BLITZ: PINK LOCK PICKS AND SEQUINED WITCH HATS

Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hats
by Carla Rehse
Genre: YA
Release Date: July 24th 2017

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old homecoming queen, Gracie Mason, is a budding burglar.

While attempting her inaugural break-in, Gracie blacks out and wakes up far away from the scene. It turns out she accidentally intruded on a male witch’s “circle of power,” and now she’s bonded to him for life. 

Gracie quickly learns that dissolving the bond with Asher, admittedly a very handsome and charming witch, is more complicated than she initially thought. To break the bond, Gracie must delve deeper into a society of witches that involves a secret club, a shadowy council, and all sorts of magical mischief. And right when it seems things can’t get any worse, witches start turning up dead. 

It’s clear that Gracie is out of her depth as her quest to sever the bond magically turns into a murder investigation. But if Gracie and Asher don’t quickly uncover the killer, they might be next on the list.


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Excerpt:
~One~New Hobbies

Daddy told me years ago that to succeed in life I need a strong plan, the right tools, and the gumption to follow through. His words of wisdom helped me get elected homecoming queen, become co-captain of the cheerleading squad, and voted on the student council. Now I plan to use them to help me pull off my first burglary. My plan is solid. I’ve also never backed down from a challenge, not even last year when Brittany Thomas became overly friendly with the entire football team in a sad attempt to deprive me of my crown. People say I started the rumor about the rash of STD cases spreading through the boys’ locker room faster than a brush fire. I didn’t, of course. Why start gossip when the squad of doctors from the local Health Department did it for me?I take a deep breath as I enter the Trinity Building. At almost four o’clock on a Friday before a three-day weekend, the place is deader than a PTA meeting. It helps that today is the hottest July first on record for Central Texas and the air conditioning in this building is dismally subpar. The Trinity Corporation may claim to have the most upscale rental space in town, but one look at the gold leopard granite floor paired with peach-painted walls shows that’s a downright fib.The only guard on duty leans back in his chair and sucks down a Sonic Route 44 Coke like his life depends on it. I wave as I pass the security desk, wearing a megawatt smile and fully confident in the strength of my lavender-scented Lavanila deodorant—vegan, of course. Deputy Dawg gives me his usual perv stare before returning to the comic book balanced on his knee.Centex Therapy, LPC occupies most of the first floor office space. A small bell tinkles when I open the frosted glass door. What decorum the overall building lacks, the waiting room has in spades. Brown leather chairs sit on a bamboo rug and pastel paintings from local artists brighten the walls. A tall grandfather clock in the corner softly chimes four times. This late on a Friday means the room is empty of other patients. Perfect.Jane, the receptionist, fans herself with a copy of Country Living. “Cutting it awfully close, Gracie. Go on in.”Dr. McDozzle gives me a pained smile as I enter the room.“Good afternoon, Miss Mason. Have a seat.” For a head shrinker, he’s incredibly formal. And a non-Texan, who hates football and sweet tea. I haven’t learned much more about him in the last month, but that’s enough to get him tarred and feathered if word got out. The leather recliner squeaks when I sit down. “Thanks for seeing me on a Friday, Doc.” I twirl a strand of newly highlighted platinum hair around my finger. It goes wonderful with my bubblegum pink manicure. “Mr. Anderson, Daddy’s new lawyer, is now insisting I have two sessions a month with you. Of course, Mama’s lawyer says once a month is just fine, seeing how I’m such a well-adjusted high school senior and all. Almost a senior, I guess, since school’s not started.”     Dr. McDozzle straightens his glasses. “Yes, well, your parents do seem to have quite the barrage of attorneys involved in their divorce. Have you worked on the homework I gave you during our last session?”This is such a waste of time. My parents have spent the last five years embroiled in a divorce dirtier than a greased pig-wrestling contest. Both sides of the family have more money than sense, much to the delight of every lawyer in the tri-county area. Not that I want my parents to get back together. Anytime they’re within spitting distance of each other, the tension between them gives me a migraine. Besides, if they hadn’t split up, I never would’ve met Ben. Ben’s the son of Daddy’s ex-girlfriend. Until four months ago, they all lived together in Daddy’s condo. Ben is a sophomore at the local college and is truly hot, in a geeky, stud muffin, save-the-world, kinda way. Crushing on my almost stepbrother might seem a bit sketchy, but it’s legal—I Googled it twice. Which means it’s time to start step one in my Get Ben Plan.I toss my hair over my shoulder before pulling out a pink glitter notebook from my Eiffel Tower-shaped mini-purse. “You wanted me to write down my feelings about my parents’ shared custody thing. Honestly, I don’t understand why the lawyers are so panty twisted about me spending a week with Mama and the next with Daddy. It means I get double the wardrobe. Hello? What girl would say no to that? It’s way better than Heather’s situation. I told you about her last time, I think. The girl with the hideous frizzed-out curls but drives a cute BMW Z4 roadster? Anyway, her parents are insane.” I continue a steady stream of babble until Dr. McDozzle’s eyes glaze over.    There’s no clocks in the room, but Dr. McDozzle keeps checking his watch. I’m sure the poor man created a nice therapy plan for me, but I’ve completely derailed it. Mama always says a girl has many tools to choose from in her arsenal—perfectly curled hair, well-placed boobs, and endless chatter are my faves. Besides, Daddy’s been paying therapists a fortune for years to show the divorce court how concerned he is about me. Dr. McDozzle’s earning his car payment today.I snap my notebook shut and sit up straight. “Thanks, Doc. I feel so much better. Maybe I should go to the reflection bench for a spell?”He nearly trips over himself to hustle me out to the courtyard in the center of the building. The concrete patio surrounded by four walls radiates enough heat to grill a steak, not that I eat meat anymore. Ben’s a founding member of the Texas Animal Army Movement, which preaches a vegan lifestyle and the rescue of abused animals.Dr. McDozzle wipes at the sweat running down his reddening face. “You have fifteen minutes until the doors are locked for the weekend. We’ll continue our, uh … conversation next time. Jane will email you with an appointment date.”I sit down on the edge of the bench. My hot pink and black-checked miniskirt is mucho cute, but doesn’t offer my thighs much protection from blistering plastic. “Will do, Doc. Enjoy your holiday.”He leaves with a quiet sigh. During our first session, I blathered for a solid forty minutes while barely taking a breath. Daddy says I’d make a natural politician. In desperation, Dr. McDozzle hit on the idea of the “reflection bench” out here. He’s not really a bad therapist, but I only chose him ‘cause his practice is in the Trinity Building.My iPhone beeps a two-minute warning. I head inside. The lights appear off at Centex Therapy. I hotfoot it to the Ladies’ room across the hall. It’s not the most sanitary place to wait until the coast is clear, but I brought santi-wipes.I scroll through my photo album to pass the time. Ben has an entire folder dedicated to him. When he and his mom first moved in with Daddy, I thought he was an obnoxious douche with his constant sermons about how humans are destroying the environment and enslaving animals.After a few stormy months, I shut my trap and listened to him. Ben knows what he wants out of his life and is determined to get it. I’ve never met anyone so brave and determined.So, I gave up meat, and threw out my makeup in favor of vegan-only skincare lines. Now, I can’t live without my fuchsia metallic lip tar from Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics. I even got Barksie, my cream-colored, toy Yorkiedoodle, on an all-natural diet. I haven’t gone all cray cray and converted Barksie to a vegetarian, but it is my responsibility as a pet parent to ensure he gets the least processed food available.Fate is a true bitch, though. Just as I realized Ben was The One, Daddy decided his mom wasn’t. Now, Ben and his mom live across the city in a tiny apartment and Daddy is dating Whitney, who really knows how to put the “w” into witch.Ben’s gone through a lot of turmoil lately. Not only did he move to a new zip code, but also his girlfriend of two years dumped him. Sad for him, but perfect for me. I now have the chance to catch his attention.My plan? Simple. To get information that really means something to Ben. He’s too soulful to be distracted by short skirts and tight shirts; trust me I’ve tried. No, I need to prove I’m a true partner in his cause—rescuing abused animals.The mission: break into the office on the fifth floor of this building.Labpartners, Inc. sounds like an innocent enough company. In truth, their office owns two huge warehouses that supply care products for lab animals. All I need to do is break in, riffle through their files until I find their mailing list. And then I can hand over a list of every animal broker they sell to. Ben will be so stoked. Not only will we know who’s raising the poor bunnies to be tortured, we’ll also know where their labs are.Footsteps ring in the hall. I duck into the last stall with my heart hammering against my ribs. As expected, the security officer cracks open the door. “Anyone in here?” He waits a few seconds before turning off the light and shutting the door.Too bad my bestie is on vacation, ‘cause no one’s better at creating a diversion than Abigail. And my usual wheelwoman, Seraphina, is also out of the country. Without my girls, I had no choice but to recon the building last Friday in my cheerleading outfit under the guise of seeking new sponsors for the school’s booster club. The Lanier Day Spa actually agreed. I need to remember to tell Coach Sanders. Mr. Smith, the accountant, offered me his cell phone number so we could discuss my college plans, as long as I don’t call on the weekend when his wife is home.Five video games later and my phone buzzes a warning. It’s six o’clock, time to get started. Conventional wisdom might say a burglar needs to dress in black and wait until midnight to do the deed, but screw that. If I get caught, all I need is a few tears about getting locked in and a weak cell signal. Besides, who’s gonna believe I’m a thief in Michael Kors wedges and pearls?Time for step two.Most of the security cameras I’ve seen are focused around the elevators. I head toward the stairs next to my therapist’s office. None of the doors to the stairs have alarms, or at least the SWAT team has never jumped me for using them before. After climbing three flights, with two more to go, I’m seriously rethinking my choice of footwear. And what the heck is the smell in here? The Trinity Corporation really needs to change janitorial services.At the fifth floor, I’m forced to take a breather for a few minutes. My heart is pounding and my knees shake. Thanks to my daily kickboxing routine, I know it’s not due to poor fitness. Once I leave this stairwell, I’m committed. Should I really do this? Then I think of Ben in his cute glasses and cargo shorts.Hells yeah, I’m doing this.I edge open the door, cringing at the squeak. The hall is dim with security lights mounted on the walls offering the only illumination. Four quick steps and I enter a dark breakroom. The Coke machine chooses this moment to kick in, startling me into swallowing my gum. Too gross.The room has a well-used appearance to it. I scanned it last week under the pretense of a desperate PMS need for a Snickers. The soda and candy machines are crammed along one wall. Across from them is a small table holding an icky microwave splattered with the Ghost of TV Dinners Past and a coffee pot missing its carafe.Businesses have come and gone in the building. This wasn’t always a breakroom, since the microwave table blocks a door leading into Labpartners, Inc. When the nice receptionist let me in last week, I spied the other side of this door. A potted palm tree tried to hide it.I shove the table to the side. My knees are still shaking, but my hands are steady as I retrieve the hot pink lock picking kit I bought online for $12.99. It even came with a brochure, though it warned its customers not to use the product for criminal deeds. After watching a few online videos, I spent a week roaming around Mama’s house, practicing my skills. The front door gave me some fits at first, but I opened the cupboard in the hallway where she hides her erotic novels and European chocolates without a hitch.Daddy gave me a faux diamond encrusted pocket light for Christmas three years ago. I balance it in my mouth, while I bend down to work on the door lock.Footsteps sound in the hall. The flashlight tumbles from my mouth, and I freeze rabbit still. Ringing in my ears makes it hard to determine if the footsteps are coming toward me or moving away. Should I replace the table and bluff my way out or quickly open the door? Is it the security officer or some dimwitted, no-life office worker?Damn it. Make a decision.Opening the door, it is.It’s a simple generic lock. I can do this. The footsteps stop and then start again. I balance the flashlight on the microwave table and aim it at the lock before inserting a tension wrench into the keyhole. I turn the wrench, then insert the pick, hoping I can rake the lock pins up. I try the handle. It doesn’t move. Freaking fantastic.Sweat dots my forehead as I listen for footsteps. Someone’s close by, muttering something in a singsong fashion. Italian, maybe? I use a wider pick on the lock to try again, though a voice in my head loudly tells me to stop. The door still won’t open, and I want to throw the tension wrench across the room.Why won’t it work? I can tell the pins in the lock are moving. It should freaking work. The Italian singing in the hall gets louder, more like chanting. Stomach acid burns a strip up my throat. I’m failing, and I don’t do failure.I stare at my kit, unsure of which pick to use, before acquiescing defeat. My concentration is blown due to the idiot outside. Ben’s adulation will have to wait for another day. I edge my way to the door and peek outside. Some guy in a dark hoodie is kneeling and sprinkling something on the floor. If he’s the cleaning crew, no wonder this place is a mess.His back is to me, giving me the opportunity to sneak across the hall to the stairway. I step outside and my shoe skids across chalky powder. I flail my arms, eyes going wide.
A bright blue flash blinds me and then there’s nothing.
About the AuthorAlthough not a native Texan, Carla prides herself on having mastered the correct usage of “y’all” and “bless your heart.”

Carla is owned by a persnickety kitty, who rules the computer keyboard and only allows Carla to write when demands for cat treats are met.Author Links:    
Carla Rehse Interview
Tell us a little about your main character.
Gracie is rather complicated. She’s trying to figure out what she wants in life, like a lot of seventeen-year olds. She also has a strong sense of loyalty and a fuzzy moral compass. Gracie is the person you’d want in the foxhole with you, as she’d do anything to get everyone out alive.
What actors/actresses do you envision for a Hollywood adaption of your book?
Gracie:  Griffin ArnlundAsher:   Dylan SprayberryWillow: India EisleyUncle Jonah: Matt Bonner
Are you a plotter or a pantser?
I’m very much a plotter. I have a “storyboard” wall in my office with three chalkboards for outlines, plot threads, and characters. It helps me to be visual.
How many books have you written? Published?
I’ve written 5 books, but Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hatsis the first to be published.
What are you currently working on?
I’m working on a sequel: Pink Duct Tape and Glittery Broomsticks
And a fun question, what crazy thing do you want to do?
I want to touch a penguin. I have no idea why, but they fascinate me.
Lastly, where can readers find you?
I’m on twitter at @CRehse. You can also find updates on my website: carlarehse.comFrom 9-3-17 to 9-9-17, Pink Lock Picks and Sequined Witch Hatswill be on sale for $.99. 
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BOOK REVIEW: THE LIST by Patricia Forde

THE LIST
Patricia Forde
Sourcebooks
Ages 10 - 14

You are The Wordsmith now. Are you ready for the challenge?

The city of Ark is the last safe place on Earth. To make sure humans are able to survive, everyone in Ark must speak List, a language of only 500 words.

Everyone that is, except Letta.

As apprentice to the Wordsmith, Letta can read all the words that have ever existed. Forbidden words like freedom, music, and even pineapple tell her about a world she's never known.

One day her master disappears and the leaders of Ark tell Letta she is the new Wordsmith and must shorten List to fewer and fewer words. Then Letta meets a teenage boy who somehow knows all the words that have been banned. Letta's faced with a dangerous choice: sit idly by and watch language slowly slip away or follow a stranger on a path to freedom . . . or banishment.

MY REVIEW:

Imagine a world without words. Noa rescued the people of Ark after the melting, but he blames humans and the deceptive way they used words for the disaster. The only way to heal the world is to limit people's ability to communicate with each other. But Letta, the apprentice wordsmith, discovers the truth behind Noa's efforts.

Patricia Forde's post-apocalyptic tale is reminiscent of so many dystopian stories that came before it, like Lois Lowry's The Giver and Margaret Peterson Haddix's Among the Hidden, but Forde's concept is unique in that is explores the role language plays in human society, both in a positive and negative light. Perhaps what is so compelling about Letta's story is that there is so much truth behind her dilemma. Words are indeed used to manipulate and control, but they are also used to love and to create.

The List promises to hold its own among others in its genre and is a good book for prompting discussions about communication and language.



CONTENT REVIEW:

Profanity: None
Sexuality: None
Violence: Moderate

GIVEAWAY: THE WEST WOODS by Suzy Vadori

The West WoodsThe Fountain Series Book 2by Suzy VadoriGenre: YA Fantasy
Courtney Wallis wants nothing more than to escape St. Augustus boarding school. After uncovering a well-kept secret about the school’s founder, Isaac Young, Courtney turns to the school’s magic to convince her dad to let her leave. Things take a turn when she meets Cole, who lives in the nearby town of Evergreen. He gives her hope that things might not be so bad. However, the fountain has other ideas, and binds Courtney to her ambition, no matter the cost.

As Courtney struggles to keep the magic from taking over, she and her friends get drawn into the mystery woven into the school’s fabric. Everything seems to lead back to the forbidden West Woods. Together, she and her friends seek out the spirits of the past to ask for help, and find themselves in much deeper than they’d bargained for. If they succeed, Courtney could be free of the magic. If they fail, she may never be the same.

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The FountainThe Fountain Series Book 1
Careful what you wish for. It just might come true. 
Ava Marshall, driven by a desire to learn more about her mother's past, moved across the country to attend St. Augustus. But her mom’s secrets will have to wait, because she finds herself instantly hated for her family’s connection to her new school and is forced to fight alone against a classmate who is setting Ava up to be expelled.
Fleeing campus, she takes a shortcut to her Gran’s house through the forbidden West Woods and discovers a mysterious fountain that has the power to grant a wish and change it all. But can she live with the consequences? Or will she end up breaking every school rule and risking the love of her life to make it right…

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Suzy Vadori is an Operations executive by day, Writer by night. The Fountain is her debut novel for Young Adults. Suzy is an involved member of the Calgary Writers' community, service as Program Manager for Young Adult at When Words Collide (a Calgary festival for readers and Writers) since 2013. Suzy lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with her husband and three kids.
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BLOG TOUR: MASKED by J.D. Wright

MASKED
by J.D. Wright
Genre: Upper YA Paranormal/Superheroes
Release Date: August 15th 2017
Limitless Publishing

Summary:

Vada’s To-Do List:
- Turn 18 (check!)- Register super name- Order supersuit- Attend superhero indoctrination- Graduate high school- Start kicking criminal tail
Vada Lawson can’t wait to be a superhero. Born into a family with special powers, she’s been training to fight criminals and villains her whole life. But her indoctrination into the underground super community is derailed when normals start breaking out in superpowers themselves.
Not trained to control their new abilities, the normals are frightened and vulnerable. Then their mutilated corpses begin turning up all over town. What the heck?
Somehow, with the help—and hindrance—of an annoying newly-minted super named Orion, Vada has to stop the chaos before it destroys her and everything she holds dear…and ruins her superhero debut.
No one ever said that being a superhero was easy…  

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Buy Links:Amazon - http://a.co/9P0AvL8Barnes & Noble - https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/masked-jd-wright/1126934525?ean=9781640341791

About the Author
J.D. Wright is a military wife, mother of four, and author of paranormal and fantasy romance books filled with strong-willed heroines, swoon-worthy heroes, and sprinkled with humor and adventure. J.D. creates artistry in many ways, as a baker and cake artist by day and author by night. You can usually find her typing away at the computer or covered in frosting.
Since discovering she has a knack for writing, J.D. has so far written and self-published eight books of the Everealm and Songs of Everealm Series and is now venturing into the world of paranormal with her new superhero-themed series. She is an avid reader and lover of all things romance so she always includes a good love story in her paranormal and fantasy novels.

Author Links:Website – http://www.authorjdwright.com/Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/authorjdwright/Twitter – https://twitter.com/everealmbyjdwInstagram – https://www.instagram.com/authorjdwright/Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9327703.J_D_W_Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/everealmbyjdw/Google+ – https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JDWrightAuthor

EXCERPT:

Nick couldn’t take it anymore.
The entire morning had been one shock to his system after another. The nice long weekend in his giant but silent house had made him all but forget about the weird run-in with Janet. He’d spent the entire time working on his homework and enjoying the peace and quiet.
But after only five minutes at school, he was rudely reminded that he must be losing his mind. The voices came like a whirlwind into his head, one after another. So many that he couldn’t decipher whose thoughts belonged to who. He couldn’t even separate his own thoughts from the others. There were so many, and every one of them was as loud as the other, washing over him like waves of pounding noise.
Being in class gave no relief, either. The other students may not have been talking aloud, but every one of them was thinking, loudly. Nick heard too many things that he never wanted to hear and a lot of mundane thoughts that no one cares about.
…I wonder if I forgot to lock the door this morning… …Oh, man. I’m not sure if I’m ready to do this. What if I get pregnant? But Luke is so cute, though… …Mrs. Yates has such nice tits…
Nick actually agreed with that last sentiment, but he couldn’t be sure who had said it.
…Only thirty minutes left. I really need to pee… …Nick is too good for Scarlet. What does he see in her? She’s such a bitch… …This class is about as useless as my stepmother…
There was just so much noise. Nick pulled his hood up, but it did nothing to block the sounds. Every single thought that crossed someone else’s mind entered his. He didn’t give a damn about someone’s new pet lizard. And while he appreciated the girl across from him’s glances and thoughts of admiration—at least, he was pretty sure those belonged to her from the way she watched him—he didn’t want to know what other people were thinking.
What had caused this? Was it some sort of mental illness? Was he imagining these things? He couldn’t be sure he was even hearing real thoughts. He considered quizzing someone, but he was almost too afraid to confirm what he suspected.
He was reading people’s minds. Hearing their thoughts. Without even trying.
And it was excruciating.

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GIVEAWAY: BETRAYED by Joy Spraycar

BetrayedET Book Oneby Joy SpraycarGenre: YA SciFi
If Valcor Sentorum can bring back more girls than his predecessor, General Labaam, he’ll have set himself up to become the next President of Dactilt. That’ll put an end to those meddling Ventician women for good! Of course, only if no one finds out where he’s been or what he’s found. But once he lands on Earth, someone changes all his aspirations.

Loreen Baccarin would give anything to go back and undo the last year and a half. Never trust a man, especially not a Dactiltian! Now she’s been banished from Venticia until she can redeem herself, spending the last eight months stuck on Earth and waiting for a Dactiltian ship to land. When one does, all the hatred she’d been holding inside boils to the surface, and she’s determined to unleash it on the poor sap who’s arrived outside of town. But when she reaches the ship, she comes face to face with the person she thought she’d never see again…Her husband!

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Joy Spraycar lives in Utah at the base of the Rocky Mountains. She has always had a vivid imagination and told stories, not always to the amusement of those around her. Since she was young, she enjoyed bringing stories to life and sharing them with others. 

However, her decided career lead her down many paths before finally setting her back where she began, putting pen to paper.
She enjoys writing about life the way she wishes it was, men who aren't afraid to show their feelings (What girl doesn't want that?) and romance in many different settings. She also loves her characters to have adventures, and face peril. 
She hopes that you enjoy her Young Adult and New Adult Romances.

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Winner of the CLEAR YOUR SHELF GIVEAWAY HOP announced!

Congratulations to Courtney W. for winning my case of books in the Clear Your Shelves Giveaway Hop!



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