Rachel A. Olson's Blog, page 71

Wanted Blog Tour @author_kknight #giveaway

[image error] From the moment she first saw him running on the treadmill next to her, Spencer Marshall had fallen head over heels in love with Brandon Montgomery. After Spencer has a near-death experience she would rather forget, they do their best to move on with their lives, leaving their past behind them.

Thankful for a fresh start and eager to move on with her life, Spencer focuses on helping her best friend Ryan Kennedy plan her wedding. Everything seems to be going as planned when someone from Brandon's past reappears. Can Spencer and Brandon survive the coming days as they struggle to deal with ghosts from the past?
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  Office Manager/Paralegal by day, Author by night. Oh who am I kidding, I write at work too!

What would you like to know? Send me an email at authorkknight@gmail.com
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Tour Schedule: April 1sthttp://www.thebookhookers.comwww.LoveNBooks.com
April 2ndhttp://www.bookaddictmumma.wordpress.comhttp://www.bookreaderchronicles.comwww.asseenthroughmyspecs.com
April 3rdhttp://shhmomsreading.comhttp://bookboyfriendreview.blogspot.com/http://parasupernormalism.blogspot.com
April 4thiloveladyporn.blogspot.comhttp://allromancereviews.comhttp://confessionsofabookheaux.com/
April 5thhttp://www.readlovelust.comhttp://bookaholics2.blogspot.co.uk/
April 6thhttp://firstclassbooksfb.blogspot.co.uk/http://www.upallnightbookblog.comhttp://tammyandkimreviews.blogspot.com
April 7thhttp://www.wolfelsworldofbooks.com/bloghttp://thebookenthusiast.nethttp://avasmith.org
April 8thwww.SeductiveRomanceReviews.comwww.dirtydramas.com
April 9thhttp://www.flirtyanddirtybookblog.comhttp://bookaddictedaa.blogspot.comhttp://www.angiesdreamyreads.com
April 10thhttp://bookcrushbookreviews.comhttp://www.ravishingromances.com/http://www.readingismytimeout.blogspot.com

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Alice's Sacrifice (Alice Clark, 2) Blog Tour @andreadigiglio

Title: Alice's Sacrifice (Alice Clark, 2)Author: Andrea DiGiglioGenre: Paranormal Young AdultTour Host: Lady Amber's Tours
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After the fight of a lifetime, Alice and Cole return home to live a life they were never meant to live. Fallen Angel father's choose to stay, protect and get to know their nephilim children. Now that everyone knows where to find Alice, the real question is who is that information pertinent to? One single traumatic event sets Alice's true destiny into motion. How each of those she cares for reacts to this event; has enormous consequences for her.

What will Alice have to sacrifice and for whom?







EXCERPT ALICE The breeze caressed Alice’s face from the open window as they flew through the winding roads that led them back to their home. She felt Cole’s hand clutch hers, loosening only to brush his fingers gently along her arm. They had won this unfathomable fight against God’s Angels for now, but for how long, only time would tell. She felt him lift her hand to his mouth, giving it a tender kiss before returning it to her lap.
            “How is your back?” Cole asked.
            “Sore. I knew it would be painful, but this is more than I could ever have imagined.” She flinched slightly from the memory of her new-found wings collapsing into her back. “I’m sure it’s worse than child birth.”
            He chuckled, “Well, that is something I will never be able to know.” His laugh faded as they made eye contact.
Alice twisted uncomfortably, having never really considered having children herself. She sat torturing herself, conflicted between comparing whether she even wanted to have kids and how much worse she’d feel if he did.
“I think that is something we can talk about down the road. We’ve had quite a night,” he said.
He was right.  The last few months had changed her life in every way possible. She now knew what real love was every time she looked into his beautiful amber eyes as they reached deep into her soul. She had finally known the truth of why such bizarre things had happened to her in her life when she met her biological Fallen Angel father, Penemue, or Paul, as she liked to call him. It was then she was brought face to face with her destiny. The topic of children was not something she was even remotely up for talking about, though a part of her couldn’t help imagining what their children would be like. She leaned over to rest her head on Cole’s shoulder. As she did, he lifted his arm, holding her tightly to his chest. We really did make it,she thought. He kissed the top of her head, Yes we did,he said. She would never tire of hearing his voice in her head or knowing he could hear her voice in his.
            After arriving home she looked back at the flood of cars that trailed behind them, letting a smile crawl up her face. Everyone was camped outside around a victorious campfire except Cole and Alice, who had excused themselves and ventured back to their home to shower and relax. The overwhelming emotions that had run through her were gone and all that was left was adrenaline and passion. Cole barely shut the door behind them when she jumped into his arms and pressed her lips to his, slamming his back into the door. He wrapped his arms tighter around her, returning her kiss with the same raw passion. She needed this, and she knew he did too.


 
Born and raised in Michigan, Andrea has always been a writer at heart. She currently resides in Michigan with her son, "her world". Over the last decade she has written, starred and directed in many screenplays. In the last few years she decided to return to writing novels and hasn't looked back since, giving her work my full attention. "I am very excited to share the worlds I create, with all of you dreamers."
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Wombstone: A Vampireland Novel - Blog Tour and Review @Jessica__Roscoe

[image error] Title: Wombstone: A Vampireland Novel Author: Jessica Roscoe Genre: YA Paranormal (Warning - Mature Readers only 15+. Book includes violence, swearing and sex scenes) Publisher: Indiana Ink Publishing Release Date: March 1st, 2013 Edition/Formats available: Ebook

My Review: 5***** HELLZ YEA!   I have to confess, Jessica Roscoe was completely new to me prior to reading Wombstone. If it weren't for my book blog, I probably never would've even heard of it. However, the blurb for this book was a HUGE selling point for me, and OMFG (yes, I actually said the letters in my head instead of what they represent), I am SO happy I read this book. Although devastated by the ending, I'm happy that it's not a standalone. Jessica Roscoe, you've joined my top 10 favorite authors with this work!
Mia, spunky high school rich girl, has the kind of snarky, kickass attitude that just grabs your attention and runs with it. Then, when she trips, falls, rolls down the precarious and rock infested decline, she takes you with her. At least that's how I felt throughout this entire book. Never a single dull moment in general, definitely never a moment that I didn't feel what she felt. 
Then there's Ryan. Bad vamp. End of story. But wait, was that worry actually real? There's more to him; I can feel it. He intrigues me. He's definitely old and crusty, but I want to peel away his stinky onion layers and cry those ripe onion tears that only a freezer or fresh air can cure, just because on the inside, deep at his core, Ryan has a true heart that's simply been hidden under layers upon layers of gross, stinky, tainted years of undead life.
Yea, it's another vampire story. But it's got a fresh perspective, and it's really not your traditional bloodsucking concept. I like vamps, traditional or not. I REALLY like these life sucking vampies. I'm seriously stoked for the next book, but it doesn't look like it comes out 'til next year! Depressing. Jessica Roscoe, I, Rachel A Olson, book blogger and Indie author in my own right, am so going to cyber stalk you. (I don't bite, I promise.) 

 If my review didn't convince you to read...


[image error] Mia Blake wasn’t the first girl to be taken by the vampires.She is kidnapped and held prisoner by Caleb, the world’s oldest and most powerful vampire. Turned against her will, Mia must find a way to free herself from Caleb’s grip and get back to those she loves. But defeating the world’s most powerful vampire isn't going to be easy…
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Excerpt 1
“What do you want?” I kept throwing questions at him. “Who are you?”
“You are here,” he answered. “If you keep asking questions, I’ll kill you.”
“You broke my nose,” I said accusingly, narrowing my eyes.
He raised his eyebrows, coming closer, peering at my nose. “I could punch you again, straighten it up?”
I pulled my head back, just out of his reach. “I’ll be fine, thanks.”
“Do you need anything? More blankets?”
I stared incredulously at this teetering Jekyll and Hyde who wanted to punch me and get me a blankie in the same conversation. “I need to get home,” I said slowly, as if I were speaking to a moron. “I have my geometry final in two days.”
His tone was dry. “Somehow, I don’t think that’s going to be a problem anymore.”
Fear shot up my spine again. “Look” - I started.
“No, you look,” he said dangerously, putting a hot hand around my throat and squeezing. “I didn’t come in here to make casual conversation.”
I gasped and choked for air.
“Just do what you’re told. Cooperate. It will be over soon enough.”
I nodded, still choking. He released his grip and I fell to my knees, holding my throat with both hands. He waited, staring at me blankly, as I found the air to speak.
As I asked the question I wasn’t sure I wanted answered.
“Are you going to kill me?”
He laughed, but his mask slipped a little, because he faltered. “Of course not.”
“Well then you’re pretty stupid,” I shot. “Letting me see your face. Your license plate. Your tattoo.” I pointed to the black, luminous symbol etched onto his wrist that looked like a pair of eagle’s wings.
“Are you trying to talk me into it?” he asked with a smirk.
I glared at him.
“I know what you’re doing, sweetie. You’re trying to provoke me.”
“How am I doing so far?”
He grinned like the smug bastard he was. “Terribly.”


Excerpt 2
Once upon a time, I was just a girl. My name was Mia. I lived a long way away from here. I had a mother and a best friend and a boyfriend I was pretty sure I had fallen completely in love with. I lived most of the time in my dorm room at my high school, because despite any other excuse, I didn’t like to be alone.
I wasn’t the first girl that was taken.
Sure, I had heard all about the girls who were missing, and even though they were only ‘missing’ I knew in my heart that those girls were dead. And my heart scrunched up in agony for them, for their families, just for a moment. Until the thought was replaced by something else, something different, because I couldn’t bear to think about those poor dead girls any longer.
I felt sad for them. But more than that, I felt glad that they had been strangers – not someone I knew, and certainly not me. Things like that didn’t happen to girls like me.
They always happened to someone else, and that’s why I barely blinked as I made my way across an empty football field, through a snow–laden parking lot, to meet a fate I had arrogantly assumed was reserved for other people.
I was a stupid girl.
I paid for it.


Excerpt 3
Wake up.
Those were the first words I ever heard.
I opened my eyes. Naked save for a bloodied white sheet, my tender skin covered in sticky red blood. My broken body somehow – impossibly – repairing itself.
I tried to turn my head to the side, to see where I was, and groaned in pain. Staying still felt better. I was sticky and bruised. My body was fighting hard to mend all the deep gashes and crushed bones. I lifted an arm and gently felt my eye where I had taken the impact of the unforgiving ground. It was excruciatingly painful to the touch – but it wasn't shattered anymore. It was in one unbroken piece, as if my fall had been a terrible dream. The oddly comforting metallic taste in my mouth told me otherwise, though.
I reached out with my hands, touching stiff sheets. I was hot, but I was shivering, goosebumps lining my arms.
It was so hard to keep my eyes open, but I fought to stay awake. I wasn't dead. I still had something left inside of me. I couldn't give up yet.
A face appeared above me. Something warm and coppery touched my lips.
“Drink.”
I did.
Time passed – how much, I have no idea – and I stayed in the same spot, and I slept off death.


Excerpt 4
“Mia!” Ryan snapped, grabbing my shoulder and shaking me out of my thoughts.
“What?” I yelled. Tears filled my eyes but I refused to let them spill over.
He let go of my shoulder and spoke in a softer voice. “I know this is hard for you. There are things happening right now that you can’t even begin to understand. Just remember this: You’re not dead. It was close – you were almost dead. You can see them again,” he gestured to the photo strip in my hand, “but first I need to make sure you’re safe. The people who were after you in Mexico still want you back.”
I glared at him. “Is this supposed to make me happy?” I asked coldly. “Because it doesn’t. At all.”
He looked genuinely confused. “I saved your life after you jumped out of a window. You nearly bled to death. You should be happy.”
“I never asked you to save me,” I snapped, feeling sick for the thousandth time. “I asked you to leave me there to die, remember?”
He shook his head, got up and left the room. I slammed the door behind him with a satisfying crash.
I took a deep breath and looked around my new cage. It sure was pretty, but it was still essentially a cage. The only things missing were a length of chain hanging from the ceiling and a dead girl in the corner.
You know, I like you. I might just keep you after Caleb’s finished.
I pressed my palms to my burning cheeks and wondered what the hell could possibly happen next.


Excerpt 5
Sam stood in the doorway that led from the bedroom to the bathroom, but I could tell he didn’t want to come any closer. I had the distinct feeling it was because I was a girl, and that made me wonder. Ryan didn’t care about my personal space. I was surprised he cared for me at all, after the things he’d said and done back in Mexico.
Sam frowned. “How long since you Turned?”
“Since I was Turned,” I corrected him. “You’re implying that I did this to myself. Quite the opposite. I expressly asked that this not be done.” As I heard myself talking, I realized that I sounded like an entitled little bitch, but I was beyond caring.
Sam blinked. “Right. How long since you were Turned?”
“I don’t know,” I answered quietly. “A few days? Less than a week. I don’t remember a lot of it.”
“Well, the good news is you’re not going insane,” Sam said, obviously trying to lighten the mood. “Vampirity is caused by a virus. It attaches itself to your DNA, makes its way into every cell in your body, and takes over. Vampires can heal from a wound in a matter of minutes. Have you attacked anyone yet?”
“What?” I looked at him incredulously. “No. Ew! Why?”
He shook his head, seemingly pleased. “It’s just ... you seem remarkably lucid for a newly infected vampire.”
“Remarkably lucid?” I echoed. “All I’ve done for the past few days is throw up, cry and bleed.”
“Thank God for that,” Sam replied. “Usually, vampires spend their first few weeks – or months – attacking everyone and everything they can.”
I cast a sidelong glance at the broken lamp and overturned bedside table in the corner and tried to appear calm and generally non–violent. “Is that what you did when you were Turned?”
He paled. He looked like an injured puppy dog.
“Sorry,” I apologized. “It’s none of my business.”
He just searched my face, as if looking for the answer to a question I didn’t know.
This is awkward.
“That’s what all vampires do,” he said quietly. “The bloodlust, it’s quite horrific.”
“Bloodlust?” I echoed. “Like being hungry?”
He stared at me like I was a freak. I shifted uncomfortably under the weight of his eyes.
“Like being a homicidal maniac,” he said, “with zero impulse control.”
“Oh,” was all I could think to say.

Jessica Roscoe is the author of Wombstone, a Young Adult paranormal novel. From a young age, she delighted in the written word and would often scare her poor parents with outlandish stories filled with the supernatural and macabre. Jessica studied film and screenwriting at university before deciding that novels were her calling. The setting for Wombstone was inspired by a six-month stint in the U.S. where she worked as a lifeguard at a summer camp in Mt Freedom, New Jersey. She is currently working on the next book in the Vampireland series. Her other loves in life include good quality tea, delicious wine, reading and hanging out with her husband and baby girl.


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Reaper's Novice Book Blitz @CeCeMR #giveaway

Title: Reaper's Novice (Soul Collector #1)Author: Cecilia Roberts Genre: Urban Fantasy, Young AdultBlitz Host: Lady Amber's Tours
[image error] 17-year-old Ana Maria Tei’s life has always been perfect: loving parents, good grades, and a future so bright it outshone the sun. But now words like “separation” and “divorce” are sending her world plummeting to hell. Determined to keep her family intact, Ana plans a family-bonding trip from Vienna to Tuscany. Except fate has other plans. Ana’s parents and siblings are killed in a car accident on their way to pick Ana up from school.

Enter Grim, aka Ernest. He promises to relinquish the four souls if Ana agrees to trade her soul for theirs and serve a lifetime as his novice. In order for Ana to graduate from her Reaper’s Novice station to a Soul Collector graduate, Grim puts her to test. To her horror, she finds out becoming a Reaper’s Novice didn’t happen by chance. It was preordained, and she is forced to make a choice: save her family’s souls or come to terms with who she really is and complete the task set for her.

BUY REAPER'S NOVICE



EXCERPT 1Zig and I settle ourselves opposite Grim. Doors burst open as servers roll out carts full of food. A man—I think—scuttles past me, hind legs trying to catch up with the front as he places plates, which look like they are made of gold, in front of the guests. A ghost sails above, humming and dropping what looks like rolls on plates with impressive accuracy. Across the table, a man with hypnotic dark eyes and mussed up hair winks at me. How does he look behind that Charm? Does he have big teeth? Bulging eyes? For a moment, Rikar’s image flashes through my mind. I shudder.I nudge Zig with my elbow. “Who are all these—” Not certain what to call them, I gesture with a sweep of my hand. “Are they from the Afterworld?” Before I wrench my eyes from the veiled faces to Zig, I catch the man from across the table staring at me with glowing eyes. He smiles—or what I think is a smile. For a second, his Charm slips and I catch a glimpse of an old tree trunk with vines and grass, which look like tentacles covering his face. The Charm falls back into place like a curtain, barring my eyes from that hideous face.“The Forest Lord,” Zig says.I turn to Zig. “The what?”“Leshy, the protector of forests.” He leans closer to me. “Rumour has it he lovesto haul pretty women to his lair.” He wiggles his eyebrows. I clutch the table. “Really?” Zig nods, his face serious. “And I hear he is really good to the women. In fact,” he says as he starts to rise to his feet, “I was thinking of getting some tips from him.”“Really?” Zig’s mouth widens into a grin. He slumps back on his seat laughing. “Gods, you should have seen your face. Priceless.” I exhale, trying to slow my racing heart. “Gosh, Zig, you’re a horrible person.”“No, I’m not.” He wipes tears from his eyes. “Besides, you love my wicked humour, lovely.”Unable to resist, I chuckle. I amsort of getting used to his humour. His laughter fades. “You have to be careful, though. Most of the creatures here might be friendly inside the castle, but outside the gates, you are fair game. Grim enjoys playing host and invites anyone who can listen, and they flock in droves. Who can refuse a good, free dinner, right? One other thing, lovely.” His gaze is so intense fear buries itself in every crevice of my body. “Never ever get anywhere close to the partition we saw outside. It separates the two Realms. Shadow and Light.”I swallow, unable to breathe. “I’ve seen that wall suck people in, and believe me…” He blows out a breath. “…it’s not fun.”Oh, I’m not in a hurry to go exploring anytime soon.Something nudges my right arm. I turn and a well-toned hand places soup in front of me. As he withdraws his hand, it brushes along my exposed skin and I shiver. I look up and wish I hadn’t.Black eyes, framed by equally dark lashes on a golden-skin face. And his lips. Sweet baby Jesus! Full lips curl into a smile, promising unimaginable things I’ve only read in those hot romances I usually “borrow” from Mom.“Cut it out, Levi,” Zig growls. Levi’s eyes lazily drift over to Zig, then back at me. He bows and leaves without a word. I breathe out, brushing a hand over my face. Are there more Levis hanging around? Because this place could easily resemble Sodom and Gomorrah. “Who is he?” My voice sounds breathless, and my body’s still trying to bottle some wild emotions raging through me.“The resident chef and a Selkie to boot. Their powers of seduction are legendary.” He places a hand on mine. “Are you all right?”“As long as he doesn’t come near me again,” I mutter. “A Selkie?” Before Zig can answer, the cacophony in the hall shrinks. Then snatches of conversation fade to coughs and throat clearing. I look around. Every head is turned to Grim, who leans forwards, his elbows on the table, with fingers steepled. His eyes sweep the hall. Silence shrouds the dining hall.“Thank you for attending my Novice’s Unveiling. I hope you will extend your respect to her, as you do me. And Zig.” Everyone seems to be holding their breath. Was it like this with Zig as well, when he was introduced to this world?Not sure what I’m supposed to do exactly, I wave and nod, trying to maintain eye contact with the sea of eyes. Grim tilts his body to face a woman on his right. I’ve been so distracted I didn’t notice the women bracketing him. “Ana, meet Verdandi, Skuld, and Wyrd.” From the way Grim emphasizes their names, and of course the fact that they’re sitting on his immediate right and left, they are worth taking note of. Zig shifts in his chair, leans towards me, and whispers, “Fates. Very unpredictable and not to be trifled with. Nod. More details later. Chin up.” I nod, my mind reeling. Fates?The ones Grim mentioned during my family’s accident? Zaynab also mentioned them. I wipe my hands on my dress and lick my dry lips. “It is a pleasure to meet you…” I freeze, unable to remember their names. They watch me with sky-blue eyes. Their blond hair cascades behind their backs. One has what seems to be a perpetual smile on her lips, another a pout, and the other a sneer. Talk about different expressions sitting at the same table. It’s scary. Zig squeezes my hand in encouragement. I lift my chin, returning their scrutiny.Right after the Fates is a man Grim introduces as Sinteler, and before my mind can process the intensity of the eyes studying me and where I heard his name before today, I’m introduced to the next guest. My heart leaps, excited and anxious, as he announces the Soul Collectors—Erik, Andrei, Sam, and another handful of names my mind fails to remember. Before I can catch which part of the world they are stationed, Grim has already moved to the next bunch of guests.I’m overwhelmed. I wish he would slow down. I give up any hope of catching names and follow him with my eyes, not wanting to appear rude. Does he mean to introduce every single one of his guests? Seriously? I glance at the rows of tables and back at him, smiling as he does the introductions.I glimpse a flash of teeth. Shark Teeth, and beside him Rikar. Why am I not surprised? I pick up the glass of some fruity smelling liquid, bring it to my parched lips, then halt. My eyes widen at the next guest. Isn’t that Accordion Guy? He waves gaily as if I’m a long lost friend.Two seats down, my breath stops altogether. The glass slips from my fingers.

EXCERPT 2Zig was right about one thing: Grim is about to push me off the nest’s edge. Last night he told me he’ll assign me a client for collection. I hope my wings will be strong enough to fly solo. My parents and I cancel brunch and visit Anton in the hospital. He’s due for release tomorrow. I glance at Mom, her arm hooked with Dad’s. When we arrive home from the hospital, I power on my computer and scroll down my messages. I emailed Rolf yesterday, he hasn’t replied yet. I scroll down to read Lea’s email. She arrived safely and is looking forward to beginning her summer job at the museum on Monday. She reminds me to keep an eye on Reiner for her. I plan to call him tomorrow. Maybe go out. He might let me in on what’s happening.I spend most of the afternoon with Lucy at the playground, skating a thin line between anxiety about the lone collection Grim intends to send me on and relief that it’s almost evening and he hasn’t contacted me. After coming back home, I immerse myself in tidying everywhere and everything to occupy my mind. Mom seems pleased about my sudden urge to clean.As I finish wiping the kitchen sink clean, something ‘dings’ and I rush to check the microwave. Nothing. Words flash like neon in my mind, and I yelp at the sudden intrusion. Mom looks up from her interior design magazines. I murmur “cramps” and dash to the bathroom and turn the lock. Is this how Grim alerts about collection instructions? Why didn’t I think to ask? Why didn’t anyone warn me? I steady my breaths, and read the instructions.Assignment: Soul collection19thDistrict, Georges Hospital, Room 302Age: Ninety-three yearsSoul Colour: RedNo name, just the soul colour. This one seems to have lived a vibrant life.I grab my soul collection trench coat, shove it inside my rucksack, and dash downstairs, heart pounding in my chest. Mom looks up, and so does Dad, working on one of his carvings at the kitchen table. Keep cool, Ana. I clear my throat and try to keep from fidgeting. “I’m just going out for a little while. I’ll be back before dinner.” “Are you are meeting Rolf?”I shake my head. “He travelled to Japan with his father. I’m going for a stroll along the Danube. Then catch up on my reading.” I tap the rucksack. My chest twists painfully. Dad lowers his tools on the table. “I could join you if you like.” “Maybe next time?” I force myself to walk slowly out the front door, even though my feet want to run.Outside, I dash under the low hanging branches of the walnut tree, glad for its leafy limbs, which hide me from sight.Breathe. Concentrate. Conceal. Focus on my destination. Shift.And smack straight into a wall. Rubbing my nose, I scan my surroundings and head for the hospital’s entrance while digging out the trench from my rucksack and putting it on. I shift to room 302 and freeze.Eight people surround the bed obstructing my view, speaking in low voices. I scoot around them. On the bed lies a tiny woman, her hands clasped together as if in prayer. She says something, stops, and takes a jagged breath. The red of her soul flickers on her skin. Seconds later, she smiles, deep lines creasing her pale cheeks. A little girl with blond curly hair sitting on the bed next to my client whimpers. She wraps her small fingers around my client’s.My number one mission: know the names. The souls deserve respect. I peek at the nametag stuck on the metal rail at the foot of her bed: Frau Elfriede Hofer.I wait as Frau Hofer’s family pays their last respects. I shove my hands inside my pockets and shift my blurry gaze out the window. Once her family leaves, I wipe my face. Although I have collected souls with Grim the past weeks, it still gets to me every time. Frau Hofer opens her eyes and smiles. I wrap my hands around hers, gazing into her green eyes. And our conversation begins. She’s had a wonderful life. She met her husband at the beginning of the second World War and fell in love. At eighteen, he was drafted. It took her three years before she saw him again. They got married before he went back to war. I see images of him coming back when the war was over, and life after the war, struggling to make ends meet. Her six children were her dream and life. Her husband passed away fifteen years ago. She adores her three daughters-in-law and three grandchildren, but she’s worried what will happen when she leaves. From her memories, I see how she’s kept her family glued together. Nothing can break that bond. I tell her exactly that. She nods, and I know she’s ready. She closes her eyes and, with a smile, she draws her last breath. Once Elfriede’s soul dances its way inside the vial, I replace the cap, mark it, and slip it carefully inside the padded pockets of my trench. Outside the room, I slump on the wall, cover my face with my hands, and take deep breaths. I did it. All I need are a few more steps to deliver the vial to the soul chamber. I climb to my feet and hurry down the bustling hallway. With my head low, I head for the stairwell. I could shift, but I need to savour this feeling. My first solo collection success. A male nurse dashes past me, pushing a patient on a stretcher. I brush past a group of nurses waiting at the elevator. As I’m about to push the door leading to the stairwell, a familiar scent swathes my senses, freezing me on the spot.“Ana?”

MEET THE AUTHOR:       Cecilia Robert lives in Vienna with her two children, has an incurable obsession with books, anything romantic, TV and medieval architecture. When not working in her full time job, catching up with her two children, writing or reading, she can be found, knitting or crocheting, taking photos of old buildings. 
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GIVEAWAY TIME!!! 

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Bound to You Cover Reveal

[image error] A girl with nothing else to lose.
A life that’s brought nothing but pain.
A tattoo that’s more than what it seems.

Eighteen-year old Veronica has had enough. Her alcoholic mother has only delivered a slew of abusive step-fathers and life is only getting harder. What was to be a simple tattoo for her birthday brings more than she ever imagined.
Liam is a shape-shifting dragon. He lives on her shoulder, watching her, helping her. Having the dragon come to life and teaching her courage becomes a new lifeline for Veronica. But Liam will eventually become a permanent tattoo on her skin – never to take the shape of the protector she became attached to.
Will she embrace her life or will a broken heart shatter her soul forever?


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The Promise Blog Tour @kimcarmichael4

Title: The Promise
Author: Kim Carmichael
Genre: Erotica
Publisher: Hot Ink Press
Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours

   Demon Dolan Ciar exists on three simple words: desire, denial, and destruction. Every four years, he is allowed one night of earthly passion to punish a deserving female. By the time he is finished, his victims are left as willing receptacles for demons yet to come.    Since she was four, a demon has been the only constant in Leora Desmond's life. He taught her how to seize control, to never give up, and to take whatever she wanted. At twenty-four, her self-centered existence is focused on one thing. She wants Dolan, and she won't be dissuaded.   A mistake brought Dolan to Leora. A promise bound him to her. Returning once again to ask for his freedom, he is faced with Leora demanding to be his next conquest. The ultimate retribution would be to take from her the ultimate symbol of her selfishness.    Now, Dolan must decide if he can doom her to life in living hell or face his own set of unearthly consequences, while Leora must choose between her pleasure and her heart.    The Promise blurs the line between good and evil, desire and love, and promises and commitment.


Excerpt
He tilted his head. "You look older."She forced herself to blink and to remember her goal. "Then I assume I am at last old enough to be a fit for a demon." She stepped forward, stopping less than a foot away from him. The back of her throat dried out, and she swallowed.He put his hand to his chin, his gaze taking her in. "This old song and dance. When will you use the brains you have and leave it alone?"His words hit her, but rather than retreating, she moved closer. The energy, the tingle, the wafts of spice encompassed her and lured her toward him. "Never.""You were smart last time. Why don't you release me so I can do what I came here for." He glanced down at her and then shifted his focus beyond her. "I have needs as well.""Tonight I am the one you came here for." The mention of his last visit stung, but she willed herself to keep going. She ran her fingers up the buttons of his shirt. "You always told me to take control."He shook his head. "A lesson you learned well."She reached up and clenched his collar in her fist. "I let you go last time, but tonight I am the one you need."He grabbed her wrist. "I spared you before. Never forget that."She stared right into his eyes. No weakness was allowed tonight. "It's me, Dolan. Me, or you can be celibate until the decade I do you the favor of dying. I don't care about your pain." She tensed, preparing herself for his retaliation."I thought I taught you better than to make demands of a demon." He pressed his palm to the side of her face.Heat radiated through her body, sending a warning to every one of her nerve endings. "A demon who comforts a child is a failure of a demon in my book."His jaw tightened. "That was a mistake. An oversight."

Kim Carmichael began writing eight years ago when her need for graphic sex scenes and love of happy endings inspired her to create her own. She has a weakness for bad boys and techno geeks, and married her own computer whiz after he proved he could keep her all her gadgets running. When not writing, she can usually be found slathered in sunscreen trolling Los Angeles and helping top doctors build their practices.


Website || Twitter || Facebook || Amazon 

Restaurants and Inspiration
Every aspect of Los Angeles shows up in my writing, and that is especially true when it comes to our restaurants. It seems as if everyone in LA is either on a diet, going on a diet or finishing a diet. It is an actual art form to pick a restaurant that will fit an entire groups dietary needs. For every vegan, we have someone who is only eating meat, and forget carbs!
Here is a list of my top five Los Angeles Restaurants and their inspiration to me:
5. Boa Steakhouse – There is more than one location, but I have only been to the one on Sunset. Paparazzi literally sits outside the restaurant at night hoping to get a glimpse of the famous and infamous. I actually think they were disappointed when the saw me – I wanted to say "Hey I'm a romance author!" But I don’t' think they would be impressed. While the food is not memorable, the crowd and the atmosphere is one never to be forgotten.
4. Cantor's Deli – One of the most famous delis in Los Angeles. It has been around for over sixty years. It is old, and the waitresses are old. The service is fast, and you leave stuffed. This is where you get a huge sandwich that you don't think you can eat all of it, but somehow it's so good that you do. The matzo ball soup cannot be beat and I crave it when I don't feel well.
2. Lawry's Prime Rib – If you actually want to eat in the city, this is the place to do it. Known for their traditional prime rib and spinning salad, if you leave hungry there is something wrong. Yum – I am going here this weekend!
1. Spago – Yes that Spago. I love this restaurant. Not only is the food amazing, but it is a show in itself. Last time I was there not only did Wolfgang Puck wish me and my husband a happy anniversary but Sidney Poitier was in the table next to us!
All of these restaurants show up in my stories in one incarnation or another. Yes, I change the names, but the vibes are something unforgettable!



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Textual Encounters Blog Tour

Title: Textual Encounters
Author: Morgan Parker
Genre: Romance
Tour Host: Lady Amber's Tours

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Katie discovers an unlocked iPhone in the back seat of a taxi. But instead of turning it in to the driver as lost, she decides to keep it for herself. Outside of the usual clutter you would expect to find on a smartphone, what captures Katie's interest is the single conversation she finds on the phone's secure text messaging service, a three-month dialogue between a woman with an uncertain past named Christine and a single, eligible man named Jake. What starts out as a message intended for someone else ends up being the beginning of a relationship more powerful than anything Christine or Jake have ever experienced.





Excerpt

1) 
I’m sore, Jake. You’re an amazing lover, and not only because you can please me physically. The way you whisper my name in my ear, the way you kiss my neck while you’re on top of me and my legs are wrapped around your waist, the way you smile and trace your finger from the inside of my knee down to my butt (I love that!), and then seeing you when I wake up…!!! I’m smiling just thinking about it!!!


2)
8:03pm: Did Melissa tell you that Peter was abusive?
8:04pm: Of course she didn’t, because she never knew that part of him.
8:05pm: I bet she didn’t tell you that he doesn’t even know that I live in the same city as he does. Of course she didn’t, because she never asked me about Peter when I texted her two weeks ago.
11:38pm: I’m curious, Jake. How did Peter come up in your conversation with Melissa? Were you asking, or did she volunteer. Because if you were asking, then I have to wonder why you never asked *me*.
11:40pm: Because if you had asked me, this is what I would have told you:
11:43pm: Peter and I met in high school. He was the greatest guy I’d ever met. Smart, handsome, extremely charming. He was a year younger than me and all of the girls in the school wanted to be with him. So to have him to myself, to have “won” him, I felt pretty special.
11:45pm: Anyway, Peter and I were together eight years. We tolerated each other through my last year in high school and my four years of college. By the time I finished my CPA, he hit me five times. He threatened to kill me six *thousand* times. I guess it depends on who you ask, but that is either five times too many, or six thousand times too many, but for me it was both.
11:48pm: I moved to New York with him for two reasons. The first is that he proposed to me once he was offered a job at Arthur Andersen and I was afraid to say no, and the second is because I saw New York as my last and only opportunity for a fresh start. In Chicago, I didn’t think I could break free the same way. He had so many friends to keep an eye on me, he knew where to find me, etc.. So I tagged along.
11:52pm: Our first week in NYC, I had six interviews, three in one day, two the next and the last one on Friday. I didn’t make the Friday interview because I was in the hospital. When I showed up for the second round of interviews the following week, I never heard back from two of them. I’m sure you can figure out why.
11:55pm: When I met Melissa, I was still with Peter. It was optics by then, Jake. Of course we were high school sweethearts. Of course I *loved* him more than anything. Of course we were planning a huge wedding on Long Island, my dream wedding that was *fit for a princess.* Of course we were trying to have children. And of course Melissa saw two people madly in love with each other.
11:57pm: That’s how these kinds of relationships work – all about what it *looked* like. I didn’t want to make another trip to the hospital!
11:59pm: When Andersen promoted Peter to Toronto, I promised him I would follow. Would you have told him anything different?
12:01am: I packed all of our stuff and shipped it out with him. Even my stuff because I was allegedly on the verge of getting transferred myself. It was easier to have it there waiting for me because then he knew I was serious about making the move, right? And if he knew I was serious, he would give me the space I needed to find my next job without telling him anything about it.
12:03am: I had to take these kinds of steps because if Peter ever returned to NYC to hunt me down, I couldn’t risk him walking down whatever street I decided to move to and recognizing an old lampshade or anything else that I might put out for the trash. Call me paranoid, but would you have taken that chance?
12:05am: So to address your comment about following him to Toronto, are you smoking fucking crack? Moving here is not *following him*, it’s either being dragged or tiptoeing delicately around a sleeping bear.
12:06am: I love you Jake, I really do, but next time it might make better sense to ask me directly.

 3)
For a brief moment in time while sitting in the cab, the stars align. I realize just how rare these moments are and decide to take advantage of it. I make a quick, mental shopping list of all of those >otherbigthings my parents never gave me – the Spring Break trip to Miami Beach for my senior year in high school, the congratulatory BMW for getting accepted to Columbia, the hot boyfriend who was supposed to propose after fourth year and help me avoid the hectic life that typically follows med school. Okay, maybe I couldn’t blame my parents for not getting me that last item, but if the Universe could deliver an iPhone, it sure as hell can find me a husband.
With my wish list ready and the iPhone in my lap, I close my eyes and channel all my energy, every last ounce of it, at the Universe. And that’s when it happens. The phone actually starts vibrating. My eyes shoot open and I look down in shock.


Morgan Parker is the pen name of someone who thinks he is more important than he really is. At 38 years old, Morgan has two young children and is married to a woman who puts up with his self-diagnosed hypochondria and literary obsessions.

Texual Encounters || Amazon

 


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Bound (Eternal Guardian Series, Book 6) @ElisNaughton #EternalGuardians #BoundEG

[image error] BOUNDElisabeth Naughton
TITUS—To most his gift seems like a blessing, but for him it’s a curse the other Eternal Guardians—those who protect the mortal realm from threats of the Underworld—seek to exploit. One he would gladly trade for the chance to be free…
 
Obsessed. Her touch is like a drug. From the moment he met her, Titus knew she was different. Even dangerous. Yet though his guardian brethren are convinced Natasa is working for Hades, Titus can’t stop thinking about her. Can’t stop fantasizing about her. Can’t stop craving the one thing he knows could lead to the downfall of his world.

Possessed. Faced with stopping Natasa or joining in her quest, Titus falls to temptation and is thrust into a world of lust, deception, and deadly treachery designed by the gods. Her touch—only hers—frees him from his bonds, but desire may just condemn him. Because before the end he’ll have to decide which is more important: duty and honor to those he took an oath to defend, or a woman who could very well be the biggest curse to them all.


Amazon || Barnes & Noble


Sexy Excerpt
     “A garrison,” Ilithyia whispered in a harsh tone. “Spread out.”     The Amazons moved with lightning speed, disappearing into the forest as if they’d never been there. Natasa tugged on the rope bound to Titus’s wrists and quickly pulled him into a dense copse of trees.     Darkness surrounded him. He tripped over a downed limb, bumped into Natasa again, only this time she didn’t seem to mind. She grasped him by the shoulders, whipped him around and shoved him up against the trunk of a tree the size of a house. Then she plastered her body to his and whispered, “Sh.”     Titus’s adrenaline surge. This close he could smell the lemon scent of her skin. Could feel the heat radiating from beneath her clothes. Blood rushed to his groin, messed with his thoughts. Focus. Control. To try to keep his brain on line so he wouldn’t give away their location, he looked over her head at the trees around them.     The small area was more like a cave than a forest. The spruce so densely clustered, their limbs were void of needles. The packed groundcover told him some kind of animal had recently bedded down in here, and the foliage on the outside of the circle of trees was thick enough to block whatever lay beyond.     Footsteps pounded in the forest. Muffled voices reached their ears. Titus tried to focus on the words and thoughts of those around them, but Natasa’s rapid breath drew his attention. And the way she gripped his sleeves tighter in her fingers, the way her pulse raced next to his drown out all other sound.     Instinct overcame reason. He lifted his bound wrists over her head, slid them down her back so his arms were tight around her. She didn’t protest. If anything, she moved closer into the strength of his body. And yeah, she was warm—like he expected—but the tremble that rushed through her told him she wasn’t quite as confident as she’d seemed earlier.     He leaned close to her ear, only just missed brushing her lobe with the tip of his nose. “Whatever’s out there…I’ll protect you.”     She stilled against him, slowly tilted her head back to look up. Heat radiated from her hands pressing into his sides, from her breasts resting against the leather chest plate he wore. He wished he’d taken off the formal gear earlier in the forest. Wished right now they were naked, skin to skin, so he could see if she felt as good against him in other places. Wanted, more than anything, for her to rise up on her toes and press those plump, tender lips against his so he could know what it was like to be kissed again.     He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been kissed. Couldn’t remember what it felt like to press his mouth to someone else’s, to taste their essence on his tongue. Couldn’t remember how good it must feel to get lost in nothing but warm, blissful wetness.     She’d be all three, he bet. Not just in her mouth, but between her legs, where he ached to touch her, skin to skin.     “You can’t protect me,” she whispered. “No one can.”     The finality to her words slowed his racing heart, brought his focus up to her eyes. They were so green, so fathomless, he wondered if he could see her soul. But they were also haunted. By a fear he sensed was the root of who she really was.     Her panic attack back at the colony whipped through his mind. Followed by the way she’d run from him in Argolea. He had no doubt whoever or whatever was out there was here because of her.     “Who’s hunting you?”     Her gaze slid from his eyes to his lips, where it hovered, jacking his already overheated body temperature up another five degrees. What was she thinking? For the first time in his life, he wanted to know the thoughts of another. Then she licked her lips, like she wanted to take her own sinful taste, and all that curiosity and supreme control he’d mastered during his lifetime flew right through the trees. His cock swelled beneath his fly until need consumed him.     Kiss me. Gods, just kiss me.     “Natasa?” Ilithyia’s voice echoed through the trees.     “Shit.”     Natasa lurched back at the sound, her one, panicked thought breaking the sexual haze. But Titus’s arms were still bound around her, and she didn’t get far.     A wicked smile spread across his face while she struggled. He might not be able to read her thoughts clearly, he might wrestle with her expressions, but he recognized body language. She wanted him. Maybe not as much as he wanted her, but enough.She jerked out from under his arms and smoothed her hair. Then held up a finger and shot him a look. “Not a word.”     His smile widened. Yeah, he’d discover who she was for Theron. He’d uncover what she was running from and figure out a way to protect her for her. But he was going to have her for himself. Screw the consequences and whatever was keeping him from feeling her emotions or hearing her voice. For the first time in over a hundred years he wanted something just for him. And he wasn’t going to walk away until he had his fill. No matter what happened next.     “They’re gone,” Ilithyia called. “We move on.”     Natasa’s chest rose and fell with her deep breaths. Color stained her cheeks. Heat all but rolled off her in waves. “Come on,” she snapped. “And stay quiet. Don’t make me hurt you.”     “Hurt me, ligos Vesuvius. I want you to.”     She narrowed her eyes. “You’re playing with fire, Argonaut.”     Warmth flooded every single vein in his body. This was about to get a whole lot more interesting. “I can’t wait to get burned.”
Keep reading to find the giveaway.
[image error]      I was never one of those people who knew they wanted to be an author at the age of six. I didn’t have imaginary friends. I didn’t write stories in my journal or entertain my relatives by firelight after Thanksgiving dinner. For the most part, I was just a normal, everyday kid. I liked to read, but I wasn’t exceptional at it. And when my teachers complimented me on my writing abilities, I brushed them off. I did, however, always have a penchant for the unique and absurd. And as my mother told me all throughout my childhood, I should have been an actress—I was a drama queen before my time.      Years ago, my husband bought me Scarlett: The Sequel to Gone With The Wind. If you ever saw the book, you know it’s a long one. I sat and read that thing from cover to cover, and dreamed of one day being a writer. But I didn’t actually try my hand at writing until years later when I quit my teaching job to stay home with my kids. And my husband? After that week of reading where I neglected him and everything else until I finished Scarlett, he vowed never to buy me another book again. Little did he know I’d one day end up sitting at a keyboard all day drafting my own stories.      My writing journey has not been easy. I didn’t just sit down one day, decide I was going to write a book and voila! sell my very first attempt. As most authors will probably agree, the path to publication is filled with hours of work, pulling all-nighters I thought I’d given up in college, sacrifices, rejections, but a love I discovered along the way I just can’t live without. Instead of a big, thick book to read by lamplight (I do read much smaller ones when I get the chance), I’ve traded in my reading obsession for a laptop. And I’ve never been happier.      I’m one of the lucky ones. I have a wonderful family and fabulous husband who put up with my writing—and obsessive personality—even when life is chaotic. More than once my kids have been late to swimming or baseball because I needed just five more minutes to finish a scene. Their support and encouragement mean the world to me. I also have amazing friends and a support network I couldn’t survive without. So to all of you out there who have encouraged me along the way, sent me emails and fan letters, phone calls and congratulations, I just want to say, thank you. You make this whole writing gig that much more enjoyable. I truly wouldn’t be here without you.
Website/Blog || Twitter || Facebook Author Page 
Eternal Guardians Facebook || Goodreads
[image error] YOU COULD WIN:
1 ebook copy of "Bound"
Character Trading Cards
 1 Eternal Guardian Bookmarker
1 Eternal Guardian Drink Coaster
1 Eternal Guardian logo Temporary Tattoo
1 Bound Car Charm
1 Bound Keychaina Rafflecopter giveaway


Be sure to follow the entire tour and leave a comment at each stop. The more you comment, the better your chances are at winning!
Find the tour schedule here.


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Chasing the Witch Cover Reveal @jessicajgibson

Title: Chasing the Witch (Book 2 in the Boston Witches Series)Author: Jessica Gibson Genre: Paranormal RomanceReveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours
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After the events of Mark of the Witch, Jilly at last begins to breathe easier though her powers are still growing. But can she harness them in time to confront a new chain of events that threatens to change everything?


Caroline has finally accepted her life as a witch, but when a stranger comes into her life she's forced to question her family loyalty.


The sisters are thrown together to protect a young girl from the enemy determined to hunt her down. Can they save her -- and themselves?






Jessica Gibson is a recovering bookaholic, she's down from four books a week to a more reasonable one. It was that love of words and creativity that made her dream about writing her first book. That dream was hidden for years, always put on the back burner, filed away in the "someday" section, until her husband Matt gave her the kick in the pants she needed to actually get off her butt and write. Jessica and Matt live in Southern California and have a serious addiction to reality tv shows like Pawn Stars and American Restoration. They have one son and hope to add to the family in the near future. Aside from writing, she runs an online event planning business called the Release Day Diva. In addition to novels, Jessica writes and maintains the blog Book on the Bright Side. Keep up with Jessica and her latest releases and events on her blog.

Website || Blog || Book Blog || Facebook || Twitter



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Review: Wanted

Wanted by Kimberly Knight

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I have a confession. I read this before I read book 1. I have a signed copy of Where I Need to Be sitting on my bookshelf at home, but I haven't had a chance to pick it up.

That being said, I was happily impressed with Wanted, and the fact that I could follow it fairly easily without knowing exactly what had gone on in book 1. I have full intentions of backtracking so I get the full picture, and I look forward to book 3.

I did intentionally rate this book with only four stars. As much as I like to leave a full five stars, it's rare that I come across an author who's capable of cracking out a book that doesn't leave any room for improvement. I enjoyed how easy it was to read this book, but there were moments where I felt that some information was simply thrown in because the author felt it needed to be in the story, but didn't want to take the time to really enhance on the point. I was also a bit disappointed by the big suspense peak. It started, the author ran through it at full force, and then it was over. It was just too quick.

Despite the few minor disappointments, I did enjoy Wanted. There were things that came up that were never fully explained in this book, and it really gave me a good reason to want to continue reading this series. I NEED to know what is really going on!

To the author, the Knight herself, keep up the good work!



View all my reviews