Cherie Colyer's Blog, page 50

Feature Friday: Sinziana from Cafebiblioart

Welcome to Feature Friday. Today, I have Sinziana from Cafabiblioart with me.


Cherie: How did you get started in blogging about books?Sinziana: Most of my book lover friends started one and I realized that it was an easier way to keep up with the publishing world so that is why I created my own blog. It was quite strange of me to do so because I am not a natural writer nor do I tend to do what other people do. I have to say that it was the best decision I ever made.
Cherie: I’m glad you did. I enjoy stopping by your blog. How did you come up with the name for your blog?Sinziana: I had trouble finding the right name, I tried so many and then I remembered my business plan from 11th grade and I decided that I should use the same name I came up with years ago. I thought it was fitting since I planned to post about art, books and tea.
Cherie: What’s your favorite part about blogging?Sinziana: My favorite part about blogging is that I get to meet new people who love the same thing that I do and also that give me feedback on my writing and advice on other matters that I post about.
Cherie: That’s one of my favorite parts, too. Do you have any pet peeves that make you want to put down the book your reading?Sinziana: Sadly no.
Cherie: What type of books do you enjoy?Sinziana: I enjoy reading mostly New Adult, Contemporary romance and Erotica.
Cherie: Do you mind books with similar ideas to other books? Similar concepts, backgrounds, or retellings?Sinziana: Honestly no. I imagine each book as real story so it makes sense that out there are many people/couples that have similar stories but their personalities make their romance unique. I love reading similar books because I get to compare the characters that come from a similar background and go through something similar. I get to learn their reaction and which is the best approach. 
Cherie: That’s a great way of looking at similar concepts. Do you like when your favorite books are made into movies, and why? Sinziana: In a way yes, In a way no. I love seeing how another person interprets the story I loved so much, but on the other hand he or she might ruin my image. I like it better when the director makes some changes and the movies is not identical to the book. Please, don’t shoot me!
Cherie: It’s your birthday, and your friends got you a giant cake. What character do you hope pops out of your cake and what book is he/her from? Sinziana: Ava from This Man as she probably worked with one of my neighbors and I want to her to introduce me J
Cherie: If you could choose to be any character from a book, who would it be and why? Sinziana: I would choose Julia from Gabriel’s Inferno. I am very much like her, but she is also want I aspire to be some dayCherie: Try to answer the following questions in five words or less.
If you start a book that isn’t grabbing your attention, how far into the book will you read before you put it down? Last page.
Who’s your favorite book mom? Rebecca Bloomwood Brandon (Shopaholic series)
Who’s your favorite book dad? Carlisle Cullen
Secret crush? (It can be anyone real or fictional.) Jessie Ward
Do you believe in love at first sight? Yes
Have you ever experienced that head-over-heels, tingly, have-to-get-to-know-someone feeling yourself? Sadly no.
Are you drawn to the good guy or the bad guy? Unable to answer.
What’s the first thing you notice about a guy? His smile.
If you had all the money and time in the world, where would your dream vacation be? Home
Are you a morning person or an evening person? Both
Favorite author? Jodi Ellen Malpas and/or Nina Lane
Favorite place to read? Bed
Favorite classic? The Lady of the Camellias
What book are you the most excited to read? Sequels in my favorite series.
Are there any types of books you don’t read? Non-fiction. (I wish) Sadly I have to read them for school. Now seriously, I don’t read horror or science fiction.
Do you have any hobbies? Shopping, does it count? Well, I love making jewelry from beads and I also love inter design.
What movie would make a great book? I think that all the movies I liked are in fact based on books or comic books. I have no idea.
What’s the worst cover to a book that you loved? The ones from the Archers of Avalon series by Chelsea Fine.
Connect with Sinziana Cafebiblioart Blog | Twitter Facebook|Pinterest |Goodreads

Is Your Font Easy on the Eyes?

If you're like me, a lot of thought goes into the font you use for email, your blog, on your website, etc. Marian Manseau shared this tip with me. It's one her website designer shared with her. I wanted to share it with you.

Typography (fonts)

   Serif fonts: A serif is a terminating mark at the end of a letter stroke.
   Sans-Serif fonts: Fonts without terminating marks.


Studies in perception indicate that when blocks of text are used, serif fonts work best for the printed page and sans-serif are best for computer monitors and projection.

You can bet I rushed off to my blog and my website to see if I followed this rule. I'm good on my blog and will be making a few changes on my website.

Tell the truth, will you be checking your sites?


I interviewed Marian a couple of years ago, when her book Merely Dee was released. You can read the interview by clicking here.

The Research Behind the Embrace Series

Even in fantasy there’s research to be done. Since my novels are set in the modern world, I first had to research the setting. The climate, landmarks, high schools, population, all the way down to which beaches are good for collecting seashells and how often the light on Annisquam Lighthouse flashes (every 7.5 seconds for those curious). It was important to me that these details were as accurate as I could make them so that the reader would feel like he or she was in Gloucester, Massachusetts, right next to Madison.
My research didn’t stop with getting to know Gloucester. I wanted the surnames of my characters to have meaning too, so the characters whose families have lived in Massachusetts for generations have last names of one of the families that had settled in that area back in the 1600s. This is something most readers will never know, but it’s the type of detail I like to include in my stories. 
I did an equal amount of research on the paranormal elements. Since I don’t want to give away any spoilers, and since my publisher and I purposely don’t say what it is in the synopsis for Embrace (book 1) I’ll simply say that I dug into the known lore to see how I could weave it into the world I was creating. I studied the different myths, their believed weaknesses, why people feared them, and how people protected themselves from the unknown. I then put my own spin on them. Ones I hope a reader will enjoy.

Read EMBRACE today: Amazon | Barnes & NobleRead HOLD TIGHT today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Feature Friday: Leisha O. from ROLOPOLOBOOKBLOG

Feature Friday is a place for readers to meet and find new book bloggers. 

Today I have Leisha O. from ROLOPOLOBOOKBLOG with me. Her blog is a great place to visit to find your next book. If you’re an author, be sure to check out SpotlightSaturday and Sunday.
Please help me welcome Leisha!
Cherie: How did you get started in blogging about books? Leisha: I was contacted by my oldest friend (Julie from AToMR Tours) about writing reviews for her blog.  After a couple of years of writing reviews and helping Julie with tour organizing, I decided to try it for myself. 
Cherie: How did you come up with the name for your blog? Leisha: The name is very personal for me and one that my husband came up with when we were newly married.   It is a combination of my initials (LO) mixed with my husband’s (RO) and my daughter’s (PO); we started out as ROLO and added the POLO seven years later. J 
Cherie: I love it! What’s your favorite part about blogging?  Leisha: The books!!  I can’t believe how many new and exciting authors I have been exposed to since I began this journey.
Cherie: Do you have any pet peeves that make you want to put down the book your reading? Leisha: Oh, yes!!  I can’t take weak characters and lousy dialogue!!  I firmly believe strong and interesting characters who are funny, witty, sarcastic, and intelligent (the list goes on and on) can carry a book with a weakish plot. I also like my books to move forward through dialogue and character interaction.  As you may have already guessed, I am totally and completely a character-driven reader.   
Cherie: I’m with you on that! What type of books do you enjoy? Leisha: Nearly anything that is well-written and character/dialogue-driven.  I am particularly partial to paranormals (vamps and witches are faves!), urban fantasy, historical fiction (British royalty and art and artists are faves!), erotica (with a real plot and not just sex!), YA/MG and, on-going series.  I just can’t give up some characters J 
Cherie: Do you mind books with similar ideas to other books? Similar concepts, backgrounds, or retellings?  Leisha: Yes, I have a tendency to read books with similar concepts but there has to be some new twist or take to really keep me interested.  I need an author to give me a reason to keep reading their book if it is similar to another book/series I have read.
Cherie: Do you like when your favorite books are made into movies, and why? Leisha: Only when it’s done well and/or the author is involved.  For example, Jurassic Park - such a good adaptation and, of course, the Harry Potter series.  Epic fails??  Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire and Queen of the Damned– both were so terribly disappointing for me.
Cherie: Jurassic Park and Harry Potter were done right. I loved both the books and movies. On the next questions, try to answer in five words or less:
If you start a book that isn’t grabbing your attention, how far into the book will you read before you put it down? 20% - 40%
Secret crush? All of the Black Dagger Brotherhood
Do you believe in love at first sight? Absolutely!!
Have you ever experienced that head-over-heels, tingly, have-to-get-to-know-someone feeling yourself? Yep, with Mr. RoloPoloBookBlog
Are you drawn to the good guy or the bad guy? Both, for different reasons.
What’s the first thing you notice about a guy? Weirdly, tattoos and hair.
If you had all the money and time in the world, where would your dream vacation be? On my own paid-for island!
Are you a morning person or an evening person? Total night owl – mornings suck!!
Favorite author?  ppfftt –trick question!
Favorite place to read? In bed!
Favorite classic? To Kill a Mockingbird
What book are you the most excited to read? This answer changes daily J
Are there any types of books you don’t read? Poetry and Non-fiction
Do you have any hobbies? Check out Postcrossing.com – I’m arthistorychick
If you could choose to be any character from a book, who would it be and why?  Any character with immortality, a sharp tongue, wicked smart mind and, cool powers.  DUH!Me too!!!
Thanks for being on my blog!
Connect with Leisha from ROLOPOLOBOOKBLOGBlog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads Amazon | Shelfari | Library Thing

IWSG: Kicking of the New Year Right

The first Wednesday of the month is here, which means it's time for IWSG. If you're not familiar with this meme, it was started by Alex Cavanaugh. It's a group of writers who share their insecurities, encouraging words, and support with each other and our followers. If you'd like to join us, great! Click here for more information.
First, I'd like to mention I'm participating in the YA Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop hosted by I Am A Reader. There's lots of great prizes to be had so be sure to check it out.
I’m starting 2014 on a positive note, so I have to admit I’m not feeling insecure. I’m feeling thankful and inspired and ready to jump into my writing with sleeves rolled up and fingers pecking happily away at the keys on my keyboard.  My excitement has everything to do with selling my new adult novel Challenging Destiny to The Wild Rose Press, Black Rose Imprint. It’s an upper teen novel about a brother and sister who must outsmart both Heaven and Hell if they hope to remain human and avoid being pawns in a coming war. I know that’s a pretty vague recap of the book, but I just signed with them late December I’m not sure how much I can share at this time.
Since I’m feeling good, I decided to jot down a few goals for 2014. Last year was a hectic year for me. There was so much going on that I slacked when it came to meeting new writers, commenting on blog posts, and tackling my TBR list. I hope to change that in 2014. So here are my goals for this year:
Networking goals:           Visit as many blogs as I can the first Wednesday each month. Yes, it’s because of IWSG. When I first join this group I was good at hopping around and reading at least thirty posts. I want to get back to that.The rest of the month, visit at least seven blogs a week. That’s one a day. No matter how busy life gets, I should be able to do that.

Reading goals: Last spring/summer I really slacked off on reading for pleasure, and I missed it. I don’t want that to happen again this year so I’m setting a goal to read two books a month. More if they’re quick reads.

Writing Goals:Revise the middle grade fantasy that I’ve been working on for years. This story always gets pushed to the side and I think it’s time I put it center stage. Write the contemporary YA novel that has been on my mind a lot the last two months. It’s a story I started a couple years ago, but never finished. I had a wow moment last month when I realized what was missing.If time permits, I’d love to write the NA novel I started last year. On that one, I had a scene stuck in my head that I just had to get on paper, which I did. But I never had time to hash out the characters and the plot. Right now, I have a scene I love just waiting to be inserted into a story. I’ve had enough time to figure out the plot and to get to know the characters (who like to remind me often that they are waiting for me to revisit them).
Hermione is so lucky!

I might have to get Madison and her friends from Embrace to make me a time turner. I bet Isaac could find the spell in his handy grimoire.


That’s it for me today.  Have you set goals? Any good news?

Young Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway Hop

Welcome to the 3rd AnnualYoung Adult Faeries & Fantasy Giveaway HopHosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer


How to summon a faerie from the Seelie Court:

    - bowl (preferable ceramic but your kid brother’s plastic cereal bowl will do in a pinch)    - water from nature’s spring     - three rose petals (I prefer pink myself)    - three acorns    - spell from the Book of Fae  (found in Hold Tight, bk2)
Cast with extreme caution as these faeries have not been Disney-fied.

I'm giving away an autographed copy of a book from my Embrace Series — winner's choice:EMBRACE, bk 1, or HOLD TIGHT, bk 2Plus, three lucky winners will get an Embrace Swag Package.

        Click on the cover to read the synopsis.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit the rest of the stops in the hop:

Spotlight: Kym Brunner, author of Wanted: Dead or in Love

I'm thrilled to be able to tell you about this book. Kym Brunner is not only a talented author, she's a good friend and a valued critique partners. I've had the pleasure of seeing this book take form, and I can't wait to hold a copy in my hands. 



WANTED: Dead or in LoveComing this May from Merit Press
About the book:Impulsive high school senior Monroe Baker is on probation for a recent crime, but strives to stay out of trouble by working as a flapper at her father’s Roaring 20’s dinner show theater. When she cuts herself on one of the spent bullets from her father’s gangster memorabilia collection, she unwittingly awakens Bonnie Parker’s spirit, who begins speaking to Monroe from inside her head. Later that evening, Monroe shows the slugs to Jack, a boy she meets at a party. He unknowingly becomes infected by Clyde, who soon commits a crime using Jack’s body. The teens learn that they have less than twenty-four hours to ditch the criminals or they’ll share their bodies with the deadly outlaws indefinitely. But when romantic feelings develop between unlikely characters, everyone is left scrambling to figure out exactly where allegiances lie and who will be sent back to the deathly realm forever.

And today we're lucky to have Monroe Baker, star of this fun and witty young adult novel, with us.

Being impulsive, I act first, think later. I don’t recommend it. Now I’m on probation for something stupid I did at school. If I get arrested again, the judge will give me jail time. To keep out of trouble, I work as a waitress at my dad’s Roaring 20’s restaurant, dressed like a flapper. Didn’t take long for me to screw up again. Here’s what happened: Dad showed me the spent bullets that they pulled out of famous criminal lovebirds, Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow’s dead bodies––items he bought at a gangster memorabilia show. Who would have known that Bonnie and Clyde’s spirits were locked inside that container, waiting to be freed? Not me certainly, or I wouldn’t have done it. Opening the container wasn’t enough to make Bonnie’s spirit search for a new body to inhabit, but given my lousy luck, I cut my finger on the stupid thing, opening the door for the whiny, love-starved Bonnie Parker to enter my body.
Course, at first I didn’t really believe that she was inside of me (who would, right?) so later that night, after I met this cute but dull guy named Jack, I showed him the slugs. Bad move. Turns out Clyde hadn’t lost an ounce of his slyness, easily infecting poor Jack and quickly committing a crime. Luckily, Jack finds a way to get back in charge, but after doing some investigation, we find out we have only 36 hours to ditch these outlaws or we’ll share our bodies with them indefinitely. See what I mean about bad luck?
Take it from me––spontaneity’s not all that it’s cracked up to be.
Pre-order WANTED: Dead or in Love today: Amazon
About the author:
Bio:
Kym Brunner's method of creating a manuscript: write, procrastinate, sleep, repeat. She's addicted to Tazo chai tea latte, going to the movies, and reality TV. When she's not reading or writing, Kym teaches 7th grade full time. She lives in Arlington Heights with her family and two baby bunny-eating monsters, a pair of Shih Tzus named Sophie and Kahlua. She's repped by Eric Myers of The Spieler Agency.

Find KymWebsite | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads 

Feed Your eReader with Great YA

Curl up with today's hottest YA novels!

One of the things I love about winter is I have more time to read, and with my eReader, I know new books are just a click away. So this winter pour yourself a warm beverage, snuggle up with your favorite eReader, and get lost in a new story. 
 .99 cents



Read EMBRACE today: Amazon | Barnes&NobleHow for would you go to save the people you love? 

Madison is familiar enough with change, and she hates everything about it. Change took her long-term boyfriend away from her. It caused one of her friends to suddenly hate her. It’s responsible for the death of a local along with a host of other mysterious happenings. But when Madison meets a hot new guy, she thinks her luck is about to improve.

Madison is instantly drawn to the handsome and intriguing Isaac Addington. She quickly realizes he’s a guy harboring a secret, but she’s willing to risk the unknown to be with him.

Her world really spins out of control, however, when her best friend becomes delusional, seeing things that aren’t there and desperately trying to escape their evil. When the doctors can’t find the answers, Madison seeks her own.

Nothing can prepare her for what she is about to discover.


Read REAPING ME SOFTLY today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?



 $2.99

Read A SHIMMER OF ANGELS today: Amazon | Barnes & NobleSixteen-year-old Rayna sees angels, and has the medication and weekly therapy sessions to prove it. Now, in remission, Rayna starts fresh at a new school, lands a new job, and desperately tries for normalcy. She ignores signs that she may be slipping into the world she has tried so hard to climb out of. But these days, it’s more than just hallucinations that keep Rayna up at night. Students are dying, and she may be the only one who can stop it. Can she keep her job, her sanity, and her friends from dying at the hands of angels she can't admit to seeing?



Read EMBER today: Amazon | Barnes & NobleWhen Candra Ember wakes up in hospital after a dangerous encounter with a red-haired woman, she is shocked to discover that seeing a winged boy wasn't her imagination. Candra is exposed to a world of rivalry and sacrifice she never knew existed, and the aftermath of a war to save humanity thousands of years ago. Soon she finds herself relentlessly stalked by Sebastian, a beautiful and arrogant Watcher Angel and romantically pursued by his darkly seductive rival, Draven. Ultimately, dubious about her own goodness, Candra’s very existence compromises a tentative peace in the city of Acheron.



Read HOLD TIGHT today: Amazon | Barnes&Noble
What’s one little spell?

When you’re new to magic, one spell can be the difference between getting what you want...and ruining the lives of everyone you love.

Sixteen-year-old Madison has just embraced her magical powers. The trick now is learning how to control them. She and her boyfriend -and fellow witch- can’t even enjoy a simple kiss without getting shocked when their powers collide. Instead of mastering her new skills, though, Madison is stuck watching her kid brother and doing chores.

But being a witch does have its benefits. With a simple spell, Madison instantly conjures the help she needs around the house. Or so she thinks. Her idea of “help” invites trouble of its own as a pair of dangerous yet enticing beings enter her life. When a classmate disappears soon afterwards, Madison discovers she's the next victim of a threat she's powerless to resist...and there’s nothing it won’t kill to make her surrender.

Caught in the crossfire between two dashing but deadly creatures, Madison must figure out which one to trust and how to rid her world of the other—before one of them destroys her and everyone she cares about.
Read IRIDESCENT (Ember Bk 2) today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Candra Ember used to dream of saving the world one person at a time. She never expected to become an angelic weapon and the last hope in the battle against ultimate darkness.

Falling for a Nephilim wasn’t part of Sebastian’s plan. Distraction is something he can’t afford when his rival, Draven, wants what Sebastian has.

Lies, manipulation, and corruption are twisting the lives of the citizens in Acheron. The Arch is missing from Heaven, and a demon is intent on claiming the city. At a time they should be growing closer, grief and paranoia is driving Candra and Sebastian apart.

If the price of restoring the Watchers to Heaven is a human soul, who deserves to be saved?

Read JANUARY BLACK today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Sixteen-year-old genius Matty Ducayn has never fit in on The Hill, an ordered place seriously lacking a sense of humor. After his school’s headmaster expels him for a small act of mischief, Matty’s future looks grim until King Hadrian comes to his rescue with a challenge: answer a question for a master’s diploma.

More than a second chance, this means freedom. Masters can choose where they work, a rarity among Regents, and the question is simple.

What was January Black?

It’s a ship. Everyone knows that. Hadrian rejects that answer, though, and Matty becomes compelled by curiosity and pride to solve the puzzle. When his search for an answer turns up long-buried state secrets, Matty’s journey becomes a collision course with a deadly royal decree. He’s been set up to fail, which forces him to choose. Run for his life with the challenge lost…or call the king’s bluff.

Read MY SISTER'S REAPER today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Sixteen-year-old Zadie’s first mistake was telling the boy she liked she could bring her dead sister back to life. Her second mistake was actually doing it.

When Zadie accidentally messes with the Reaper’s Rite that should have claimed her sister Mara, things go horribly wrong. Mara isn’t the same anymore—Zadie isn’t even sure she’s completely human. To top it off, a Reaper is determined to collect Mara's soul. Now Zadie must figure out how to defeat her sister’s Reaper or let Mara die … this time for good.



Read OPPRESSION today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Elyse knows what it means to keep a secret. She's been keeping secrets her whole life. Two, actually. First, that she ages five times slower than average people, so that while she looks eighteen years old, she's well over eighty. Second, that her blood has a mysterious power to heal. For Elyse, these things don't make her special. They make life dangerous. After the death of her parents, she's been careful to keep her secret as closely guarded as possible. Now, only one other person in the world knows about her age and ability. Or so she thinks. Elyse is not the only one keeping secrets. There are others like her all over the world, descendants of the very people the Greeks considered gods. She is one of them, and they have been waiting for her for a long time. Some are waiting for her to put an end to centuries of traditions that have oppressed their people under the guise of safeguarding them. Others are determined to keep her from doing just that. But for Elyse, the game is just beginning-and she's not entirely willing to play by their rules.

Read PRETTY DARK NOTHING today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
It’s time to choose: Love or lies, faith or fear, darkness or destiny.

Seventeen-year-old Quinn hasn’t slept a full night in twenty-three days. She’s terrified of the demons that stalk her dreams, pull her into a deep dark nothingness and whisper hauntingly of her death. Exhausted, Quinn dozes off in the school hallway, and Aaron, an amnesiac with a psychic ability, accidentally enters her nightmare. If Quinn can learn to trust her heart, and Aaron can discover the secret locked away in his fragile memory, their combined power could banish the darkness back to the underworld for good. That is, unless the demons kill them first.

Read SHADES OF ATLANTIS today: Amazon | Barnes & NobleSince the death of their parents, Triona Pryor and her brother, Ben, have lived with their aunt and uncle in Camden, Maine. Now in her senior year of high school, Triona loves her family and friends, but she has always felt that she didn't quite fit in...in Camden, or anywhere else. Enter Caleb Wallace, the devilishly handsome man who has recently moved to Triona's small town. While their attraction to each other is instantaneous, it also proves to be dangerous...and deadly. When tragedy strikes, Triona flees to London for solace and to start her life anew. It's there she discovers from an unlikely source that her family has been keeping secrets from her - secrets about not only her birthright, but her ultimate destiny as well. Armed with this knowledge, Triona finds herself thrown into a whole new world and into a battle to save the lives of everyone she loves.
Read TASTE today: Amazon | Barnes & NobleAt Barinkoff Academy, there's only one rule: no students on campus after curfew. Phoenix McKay soon finds out why when she is left behind at sunset. A group calling themselves night students threaten to taste her flesh until she is saved by a mysterious, alluring boy. With his pale skin, dark eyes, and mesmerizing voice, Demitri is both irresistible and impenetrable. He warns her to stay away from his dangerous world of flesh eaters. Unfortunately, the gorgeous and playful Luka has other plans.

When Phoenix is caught between her physical and her emotional attraction, she becomes the keeper of a deadly secret that will rock the foundations of an ancient civilization living beneath Barinkoff Academy. Phoenix doesn’t realize until it is too late that the closer she gets to both Demitri and Luka the more she is plunging them all into a centuries old feud.


Read UNREAP MY HEART today: Kindle | AmazonOnly a villain can save the day.
During his thousand year banishment in the Nethers, Balthazar thought of nothing but taking over the Crossroads from Death.

On the day he puts his plans into action, Balthazar finds the Crossroads on lockdown. Death has been stabbed by Brianne’s Bitterness, a blade that slowly leaches him of his powers. In order to challenge Death for his seat and prevent utter chaos, Balthazar is forced into a mission to find the Redeemer, the only being capable of pulling out the blade from Death’s chest. The only person who can identify the Redeemer is a human girl in the Crossroads whose soul is still attached to her body.
Meeting Arianne Wilson pushes Balthazar’s patience to the limit. In a deal he makes with Death, he must protect Arianne during their journey through the Underverse using all the resources available to him. He soon realizes the one he needs to protect is himself. For as much harm as it inflicts on Balthazar's body, trekking through the Underverse with Arianne is proving more dangerous for his heart and soul.

Can the villain remain a villain when love gets in the way? 
Read UPRISING (Children of the Gods #2)  today: 
Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Elyse has done everything she can to protect her friends from The Council's reach. As long as they believe she's dead, she has time to rest and train for war. And war is inevitable.

When Kara arrives with the news that Anna and Chloe have been captured, Elyse is faced with the realization that no one is safe until The Council is stopped and Christoph is destroyed. She doesn't need a prophecy to tell her to lead an army. Christoph has done the one thing that ensures she'll fight to the death. He's threatened the people she loves.

It will take more than the words of an oracle to help them fight against the most powerful Descendant alive. To break The Council's oppression and rise up against a plot so many years in the making, Elyse will need to get dangerously close to her enemy. So close, in fact, she may not survive.


More great deals!
Read ASCENDANT today: Amazon | Barnes and Noble
When I was twelve, my mother disappeared. I was the first person to never find her. I’m sixteen now and she has never been found, alive or dead. I’m not the girl I should have been.

When Charlotte Stevens, bright but failing, is sent to stay at her mother’s childhood home in Somerset England her life is changed forever. While exploring the lavish family manor, Gaersum Aern, Charlotte discovers a stone puzzle box that contains a pentagram necklace and a note from her mother—clues to her family’s strange past and her mother’s disappearance. Charlotte must try to solve the puzzle box, decipher her mother’s old journals, and figure out who is working to derail her efforts—and why. The family manor contains many secrets and hidden histories, keys to the elegant mystery Charlotte called mom and hopefully, a trail to finding her.

Read PHANTOM TOUCH today: Kindle | Barnes & Noble
Bridget White just wants to be an average girl, but the car accident that killed her sister took away everything normal in Bridget’s life. Now she spends her days talking to unhappy ghosts and helping them move on to the afterlife. But dealing with death on a daily basis is too much for one girl to handle, so when she finds a way to get rid of her supernatural sight, she jumps at the chance.

There’s just one more job standing between her and normal. When a missing local girl turns up as a freshly murdered ghost, Bridget realizes she’s the only one who can find the killer. Worse still, he’s not done killing. Now Bridget may have to sacrifice her only chance at being normal to stop him from taking another innocent life.

Read SPEAK OF THE DEVIL today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
What happens when falling in love and falling from grace collide?

High school junior Lily Tyler dies along with her two best friends in a car accident, but miraculously she comes back to life several minutes later. Unable to deal with her loss and her survivor’s guilt, she moves to her dad’s. While there trying to heal from this tragedy and come to terms with the event, she meets some people at her new school who are all too eager to help her. Struggling to fight her feelings for two of these strange new acquaintances, Luc and Mo, she finds out their true identities.

Lily must move on from the past, reconcile her feelings for Luc, and find a way to stop a divine war with the fallen angels, all while trying to pass the eleventh grade.

Read SON OF A MERMAID today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Shea MacNamara’s life just got complicated.

After a freak tornado devastates his Oklahoma farm, the fifteen-year-old orphan is whisked away to Cape Cod. Struggling to make sense of his new surroundings, he’s trying hard to deal with feelings of abandonment… and the emotions stirred by a girl he meets along the shore.

Kae belongs to an undersea world hidden from drylanders. The daughter of royal servants, she knows the planned marriage of her Princess to the foreign King should put an end to the war between the clans. But two things stand in the way of lasting peace: the ambitions of the foreign King’s regent, and rumors of the Princess’s bastard child.

Sparks fly when she meets Shea, but could the cute drylander really be the Son of a Mermaid?

Read STALKED BY DEATH (Bk2) today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Jodi knows that any slip-ups made by the Ophi--a special group of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac--will fall on her shoulders... and that Hades is just waiting for them to screw up so he can wipe out the Ophi line.

Unfortunately, Jodi has only convinced one Ophi to join her school: A hot guy named Chase who jeopardizes her relationship with Alex. Jodi loves Alex, but Chase can enhance her powers with just a touch—making her stronger than any Ophi has ever been.

Her mixed emotions send her powers surging out of control, and the dead start rising without her conscious summoning—exactly what Hades doesn't want! If she chooses Alex over Chase, she may lose the battle to Hades, leading the Ophi race to extinction. If she chooses Chase, she might be able to stop Hades for good… but lose everything else.

Jodi needs to figure things out fast--because death is stalking her at every turn.

Read TOUCH OF DEATH today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
Jodi Marshall isn’t sure how she went from normal teenager to walking disaster. One minute she’s in her junior year of high school, spending time with her amazing boyfriend and her best friend. The next she’s being stalked by some guy no one seems to know.

After the stranger, Alex, reveals himself, Jodi learns he’s not a normal teenager and neither is she. With a kiss that kills and a touch that brings the dead back to life, Jodi discovers she’s part of a branch of necromancers born under the 13th sign of the zodiac, Ophiuchus. A branch of necromancers that are descendents of Medusa. A branch of necromancers with poisoned blood writhing in their veins.

Jodi’s deadly to the living and even more deadly to the deceased. She has to leave her old, normal life behind before she hurts the people she loves. As if that isn’t difficult enough, Jodi discovers she’s the chosen one who has to save the rest of her kind from perishing at the hands of Hades. If she can’t figure out how to control her power, history will repeat itself, and her race will become extinct.


Keep them coming, pre-order today:

Pre-order BURN OUT today: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
A futuristic blend of Beth Revis's Across the Universe and Lenore Appelhans's Level 2, Burn Out will satisfy the growing desire for science fiction with a thrilling story of survival, intrigue, and adventure.

Most people want to save the world; seventeen-year-old Tora Reynolds just wants to get the hell off of it. One of the last survivors in Earth's final years, Tora yearns to escape the wasteland her planet has become after the sun turns "red giant," but discovers her fellow survivors are even deadlier than the hostile environment.


Holed up in an underground shelter, Tora is alone--her brilliant scientist father murdered, her mother and sister burned to death. She dreams of living on a planet with oceans, plants, and animals. Unfortunately, the oceans dried out ages ago, the only plants are giant cacti with deadly spines, and her pet, Trigger, is a gun--one of the bio-energetic weapons her father created for the government before his conscience kicked in.


When family friend, Markus, arrives with mercenaries to take the weapons by force, Tora's fury turns to fear when government ships descend in an attempt to kill them all. She forges an unlikely alliance with Markus and his rag-tag group of raiders, including a smart but quiet soldier named James. Tora must quickly figure out who she can trust, as she must choose between saving herself by giving up the guns or honoring her father's request to save humanity from the most lethal weapons in existence.

Pre-order WANTED:  DEAD OR IN LOVE:  Amazon
Impulsive high school senior Monroe Baker is on probation for a recent crime, but strives to stay out of trouble by working as a flapper at her father’s Roaring 20’s dinner show theater. When she cuts herself on one of the spent bullets from her father’s gangster memorabilia collection, she unwittingly awakens Bonnie Parker’s spirit, who begins speaking to Monroe from inside her head. 
Later that evening, Monroe shows the slugs to Jack, a boy she meets at a party. He unknowingly becomes infected by Clyde, who soon commits a crime using Jack’s body. The teens learn that they have less than twenty-four hours to ditch the criminals or they’ll share their bodies with the deadly outlaws indefinitely. 

Happy Holiday's from Isaac & Madison of The Embrace Series

Before I hand my blog over to my main characters, I'd like to congratulate Samantha D., Amy V., and Diane V., winners of the autographed copies of HOLD TIGHT in the Free Book Friday Giveaway hosted by FBF earlier this month. I'll have another copy up for grab in January so be sure to stop by then!


Hold Tight ends before Christmas Day, so we don't get to share the holidays with Isaac and Madison. With today being Christmas Eve, I thought it would be a perfect time to drop in on them. We're joining them as Isaac shares one of his holiday traditions with Madison.


     “My grandfather used to bring me here on Christmas Eve.” Isaac Addington held his arms out wide to indicate Ipswich Bay and Annisquam Lighthouse. “My parents would have killed us if they knew.”

     “Isaac, it’s freezing.” Madison held onto the hood of her pink ski jacket to keep it from blowing off and tried unsuccessfully to share his enthusiasm about being out at midnight on the most blustery night of winter.

     “Trust me. You’re going to want to see this.” Isaac paused, his hand near the heavy wooden door of the lighthouse.

     A faint click whispered through the night as his powers unlocked the door. A moment later they ascended the winding staircase to the top. Knowing the break from the cold would only last a few minutes, Madison reveled in it. Too soon they were through the trap door and out onto the balcony. Isaac wrapped his arms around Madison. At the same time the breeze stilled and the air warmed to a bearable forty degrees.

    “My grandfather taught me this,” he said.

     As if his words turned on a radio, the song Frosty the Snowman rang out around them. The images of half a dozen elves dressed in colorful jackets, hats and mittens appeared out of nowhere. They rolled a low hanging cloud into three large balls as if it were a blanket of snow. Madison giggled as a mischievous elf whipped a snowball at the back of his friend’s head.

     “He does that every year,” Isaac said.

     “Your grandfather used to bring you here to watch Santa’s Little Helpers make a snowman?”

     Isaac shrugged. “I was eight the first time. It was way off the cool charts back then.”

     “Still is,” Madison confirmed. She glanced back at the parking lot. Isaac’s Jeep was still the only vehicle there. “Can anyone see this?”

     “It’s only visible for about a hundred yards, but yeah. That’s why we had to come so late at night.”

     “No wonder you and your grandfather had to sneak out. Using magic in the open like this,” she said with mocked horror.

     Three elves climb onto each other’s shoulders and place a black top hat on the snowman’s head. It shimmered, then shook its body and said, “Happy Birthday!”

     Madison outright laughed this time. “That’s from the movie.”

     Isaac gave her a squeeze. “Frosty was my favorite holiday cartoon when I was little.”

     The scene in front of them faded, leaving the sky a midnight blue canvas flecked with bright white stars. The faint sound of jingle bells could be heard as a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer pranced across the moon. Madison could have watched the sky all night, protected from the cold in Isaac’s magic bubble, but he turned her to face him and slid an arm around her lower back. Silver Bells now serenaded them as they swayed to the music.

    “Merry Christmas, Madison.”

    “Merry Christmas,” she echoed against his lips, enjoying being in his arms in such a magical place.


I hope there's a little magic in your Christmas this year!

Merry Christmas!
  Cherie

ROLOPOLOBookBlog is Giving Away Lots of Books!

Hi everyone!  ROLOPOLOBookBlog is celebrating her one year anniversary by giving away lots of great books, including a copy of Embrace and Hold Tight!

Enter for your chance to win a copy of Embrace or Hold Tight (I pasted the Rafflecopter below), then hop over to ROLOPOLOBookBlog and check out the other giveaways!


a Rafflecopter giveaway