Mara Valderran's Blog, page 28

Cover Reveal & Giveaway: White Heart of Justice by Jill Archer

White Heart of JusticeNoon Onyx book #3Jill Archer

Genre: FantasyPublisher: AceDate of Publication: May 27, 2014Cover Artist: Jason Chan
Amazon    IndieBound    Goodreads

Book description:
Since Lucifer claimed victory at Armageddon, demons, angels, and humans have coexisted in uneasy harmony. Those with waning magic are trained to maintain peace and order. But hostilities are never far from erupting…
After years of denying her abilities, Noon Onyx, the first woman in history to wield waning magic, has embraced her power. She’s won the right to compete in the prestigious Laurel Crown Race—an event that will not only earn her the respect of her peers but also, if she wins, the right to control her future.                           However, Noon’s task is nearly impossible: retrieve the White Heart of Justice, a mythical sword that disappeared hundreds of years ago. The sword is rumored to be hidden in a dangerous region of Halja that she is unlikely to return from. But Noon’s life isn’t the only thing hanging in the balance. The sword holds an awesome power that, in the wrong hands, could reboot the apocalypse—and Noon is the only one who can prevent Armageddon from starting again…
Praise for
Fiery Edge of Steel
“Archer delves deeper into the enticing and magical world of Dark Light of Day in this original and clever urban fantasy… Excitement and action leap from the pages as Archer’s skill with description pulls readers fully into her magical world.”—Publishers Weekly
“An astounding adventure tale. Archer’s unique world, where Lucifer’s army triumphed at Armageddon, is filled with adherence to strict laws that keep an uneasy peace between races…A really fresh and fascinating series!”—RT Book Reviews
Dark Light of Day
“There is a fresh new voice in urban fantasy, and she has a unique take on Armageddon…With her unusual heroine, Noon Onyx, Archer has created a brilliant character who struggles against fate to find her place in the world. Set against the backdrop of university life, there is an abundance of adventure, mystery, and passion!”—RT Book Reviews


About the Author:
Jill Archer is the author of the Noon Onyx series, genre-bending fantasy novels about a post-grad magic user and her off-campus adventures. DARK LIGHT OF DAY and FIERY EDGE OF STEEL, the first two books in the series are available now from Penguin/Ace. The third book, WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE, will be released May 27, 2014. Jill lives in Maryland with her husband and two children.
www.jillarcher.comTwitter: @archer_jillhttps://www.facebook.com/jillarcherauthorhttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5782149.Jill_Archer



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New Adult Author Spotlight & Giveaway: JC Emery

Death comes in Armani. Salvation comes in leather.

Principessa to the Mancuso crime family, Alexandra knows a thing or two about living outside the bounds of the law. Suffocated by the future her father has laid out for her, she makes a choice she can't take back, changing the entire trajectory of her life.

Thrust into the dark and dangerous world of the Forsaken Motorcycle Club for her own protection, Alex finds herself faced with the last thing she needs right now: the man of her dreams. He’s sex in leather, the devil incarnate, and one hell of a kisser. But he’s also off-limits. Ryan Stone can be her friend, but he’s forbidden to be her lover.

Third-generation Forsaken, Ryan knows nothing other than life on two wheels, and he wouldn’t have it any other way. He enjoys the many privileges that come with the patch, and the only laws he recognizes are the ones set-forth by his club. That is, until who he wants more than anything isn’t allowed on the back of his bike —or in his bed. Balancing his desire for her body, and need to keep her safe, Ryan tries to keep Alex at a distance. Finally having made a choice for herself, she’s done hearing the word “no” and will push boundaries even Ryan himself doesn’t dare cross.

Love is never more tempting than when it’s forbidden.

Thrash (Bayonet Scars, No. 2) comes out 1/9/14.



JC EMERY BIO:

As a child, JC was fascinated by things that went bump in the night. As they say, some things never change. Now, as an adult, she divides her time between the sexy law men, mythical creatures, bad-ass bikers, and kick-ass heroines that live inside her head and her Netflix addiction. JC is a San Francisco Bay Area native, but has also called both Texas and Louisiana home. These days she rocks her flip flops year-round in Northern California and can't imagine a climate more beautiful. Her dream is to own her own Harley and she feels compelled to tell you that she is Team Peeta all the way.

JC is the author of the Men with Badges series, The Birthright Series, and the Bayonet Scars series.





To enter the giveaway, go to each blog and enter the corresponding code into the rafflecopter.

This is Blog #5 and the code is JCMARABlog #1: www.dawnpendleton.comBlog #2: www.StephanieLawton.comBlog #3: www.chasingemptypavements.comBlog #4: http://lisaswallow.netBlog #5: http://maravalderran.blogspot.comBlog #6: http://www.lgcastillo.comBlog #7: http://naughtylittlekisses.blogspot.comBlog #8: http://danielelanzarotta.blogspot.com/Blog #9: http://authoryolandaallen.blogspot.com/Blog #10: http://dawnaraver.com/Blog #11: http://tawdrakandle.comBlog #12: http://midtown-underground.comBlog #13: http://tyffanickemp.comBlog #14: www.KristieCook.comBlog #15: www.jlfynn.comBlog #16: www.lisasanchezromanceauthor.comBlog #17: www.adriannejames.comBlog #18: http://jadenwilkes.blogspot.ca/


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Release Day Giveaway: Torn Souls by Lisa Swallow

Lisa Swallow is at it again! Today is the release day for Torn Souls, the next book in the Soul Ties series. Be sure to pick it up on Amazon and look for the giveaway below! Congratulations, Lisa!


SYNOPSIS:

Jack spends his life plugged into a fantasy online world he shares with his friends. Now he faces his hardest quest yet: leave home for college and live in the real world…Jack’s fantasy crosses into reality when he discovers his new girlfriend is better at killing demons than he is. Only the ones she kills are real. And he’s not 100% sure she’s human.Soul-hunter Dahlia’s role in the human world is to retrieve stolen souls from demons and return them to her superiors. Mixing with humans is an annoying necessity… However, when she meets Jack, she can’t avoid her attraction to him, or explain the strange connection they share. She is drawn away from her world into Jack’s, and makes a choice which ties her to his world forever. But leaving her world behind isn’t as easy as Dahlia thought. When her old life catches up with them, Dahlia and Jack are left facing a future they never imagined.**Torn Souls is the second book in the Soul Ties series and is the story of Jack and Dahlia. The book begins a year before Soul Ties and also covers some events in Soul Ties from Jack’s and Dahlia’s point of view. The continuation of the Soul Ties story will be in the third book of the series.**

Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B00GD0JPV6Links for Soul Ties (Soul Ties #1): http://www.amazon.com/Soul-Ties-Book-ebook/dp/B00E3KE86U

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18264287-torn-souls


ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Lisa is an author of new adult romance and writes both paranormal and contemporary, often with a side of snark. In between running a business, looking after her family and writing, Lisa sometimes finds spare time to do other things. This often involves swapping her book worlds for gaming worlds. She even leaves the house occasionally. Lisa loves all things from the Whedonverse and preferred vampires before they sparkled. She is currently working on a number of projects including the remaining books in the Soul Ties series and a sequel to her new adult contemporary romance. Lisa is originally from the UK but moved to Australia in 2001 and now lives in Perth in Western Australia with her husband, three children and dog.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/lisaswallowbooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/lisa_swallow_au

Website: www.lisaswallow.net
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/7091632.Lisa_Swallow


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Excerpt: The Black Parade by Kyoka M

The Black ParadeThe Black Parade SeriesBook One
Kyoko M
Genre: Urban fantasy/Paranormal/Supernatural Cover Artist: Gunjan Kumar
Amazon   Smashwords
Book Description:
One bullet is all it took to transform eighteen-year-old New Yorker Jordan Amador into the last hope for souls of the dead. However, it also transformed her into a cantankerous asocial waitress with a drinking problem.

Jordan accidentally shot and killed a Seer: a person who can communicate with ghosts, angels, and demons. Worse still, she did so on the eve of her own awakening, making her the last Seer on Earth with no one to guide her. As penance, God gives her two years to help one hundred souls with unfinished business cross over from Earth to the afterlife or she will go to Hell. Just as she approaches the deadline, Jordan finds her hundredth soul: a smart-mouthed poltergeist named Michael whose ability to physically touch things makes him distinct from her usual encounters with the dead. However, the deeper she delves solving his sudden death, the more she realizes something sinister is on the horizon. 

With time running short, Jordan stumbles across a plot that may unravel the fragile balance among Heaven, Hell, and Earth. Her life is plunged into chaos as she is hunted by demons that want to use her valuable Seer blood to bring about the end of the world and discovers that these creatures have a frightening connection to her family bloodline. Plus, the budding romance between Jordan and Michael makes it harder for them to let go of each other so he can become part of the eternal black parade.

About the Author:
Kyoko M is an author, a fangirl, and an avid book reader.
Her debut novel, The Black Parade, made it through the first round of Amazon's 2013 Breakthrough Novel Contest. She participated and completed the 2011 National Novel Writing Month competition. She has a Bachelor of Arts in English Lit degree from the University of Georgia, which gave her every valid excuse to devour book after book with a concentration in Greek mythology and Christian mythology.
When not working feverishly on a manuscript (or two), she can be found buried under her Dashboard on Tumblr, or chatting with fellow nerds on Twitter, or curled up with a good Harry Dresden novel on a warm central Florida night. Like any author, she wants nothing more than to contribute something great to the best profession in the world, no matter how small.
Website: http://www.shewhowritesmonsters.com
Blog: http://www.shewhowritesmonsters.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/misskyokom
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/She-Who-Writes-Monsters/161227150647087
GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7189997.Kyoko_M_

Excerpt:
Crazed teeth gnashed inches away from my face. The eyes rolled back until only the whites showed. Spider-like fingers strained for my throat. I screamed and ran towards the bedroom.I slammed the door shut and dove for the nightstand, hands shaking as I checked the chambers to make sure the gun was loaded. The door flew open with a bang. A second bang followed. Then all was silent. The phantom was gone, but in its place stood a man in a suit beneath his dark grey duster. His hair was black and his face was growing paler by the second. He reached out his hand. My panicked eyes spotted the scarlet speckled across the palm. The room had gone silent because the gun had deafened me. The barrel was still smoking and now I could see the hole I had put through the man’s chest. I couldn’t breathe, but somehow I could still talk, and my lips were whispering one word over and over. “No, no, no, no…”The man said nothing as he fell to his knees in front of me, his azure eyes locked on mine as if he were trying to tell me something, but the strength was ebbing from him in crimson rivulets. I dropped the gun and fell to my knees as well. My fingertips grazed his face as if I could bring him back to life with one touch, but we both knew it was too late. He laid a rough, scarred hand to the side of my cheek where hot tears had fallen, his lips parting to whisper in a soothing voice.“Don’t be afraid. They’re going to come for you, but please don’t be afraid.”“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, please…” I managed to gasp out in between sobs. The man merely smiled and closed his eyes. “Don’t be. I’m ready.”He swayed forward and I caught his heavy body, feeling his blood soak my shirt. He slid down until his face rested in my lap, drawing in a few more shallow breaths before going completely still, empty, lifeless. I sat there with my coated hands stroking his hair, still whispering over and over for him to forgive me. Golden light poured in from all angles, nearly blinding me, and I could just barely see the outline of a man with wings. When the light dimmed, a blond man stood in front of me with white-gold wings that stretched nearly from wall to wall of my small bedroom. His tanned body was wrapped in white linen and his skin seemed to possess an ethereal quality, glowing like he had some unique source of inner radiance. Blue eyes like twin suns shone down on me with kindness and empathy. A new feeling of shock and reverence gave me enough strength to speak.“W-Who are you?”“My name is Gabriel. I am the archangel of the Lord God.” His voice had an echo to it that seemed to soothe and agitate me at the same time. The angel folded his wings into his back and knelt beside the dead man in my lap. His fingers hovered over the wound the bullet had left through the man’s back.“As I thought…he is dead.”More tears poured as I tried to explain. “I-I didn’t know it was him. There was a monster chasing me. I got scared. I’m so sorry.”Gabriel’s face fell into that of a pitying expression. “You are human. It was only natural for you to be afraid. However, the Father cannot overlook what you have done. The man before you is a Seer—one of the few humans in this world who can see angels, demons, and spirits. He was hunting the demon you saw a moment ago.”“Please, I don’t want to die. I’ll do anything to make this better,” I whispered, bowing to the angel. He touched the crown of my head in comfort. “There is something you can do to make amends, my child. You must take his place.”I looked up in shock. “What?”“You are a Seer, Jordan. Your abilities had not awakened until just now. That is why the demon was drawn to you. Your time to serve the Lord is now. In order to pay for the crime of taking this man’s life, you must help one hundred wandering souls cross from this world to the next. If you do not finish this task two years from this day, I am afraid your soul shall be sent to hell.”“H-How? How do I even know which people are spirits?” I stammered in protest. “The dead have no feet to walk upon because they are no longer tied to the Earth. Your task is to discover how they died and help them fulfill their final wish. Do not fear, for I will teach you how to free their souls. After this is done, the soul will go to the next world and I will write down the name in the Book of Penance.”He held out his hand and a red leather book materialized, spelling out my name in gold cursive across the front. It managed to be both beautiful and macabre. Gabriel placed it by my side and carefully rolled the man over onto his back. He plucked a feather from his wings and pressed it over the man’s heart.“Rest in peace. The gates of Heaven are waiting.”I watched with wonderment as the feather dissipated into tiny flecks of light and felt warmth as something nearly transparent rose from the body. I realized with shock that it was the man’s soul. He hung in the air between Gabriel and me for a moment before floating upward and out of sight. His body faded seconds later, leaving only the bloodstained clothes behind. My fingers closed over the grey duster, which was still salvageable in comparison to the shirt and pants. “I shall be watching over you always, Jordan Amador...”

Excerpt & Giveaway: Uprising by Imogen Rose

Uprising
Bonfire Chronicles Book Two
Imogen Rose 
Genre: YA/Paranormal
Publisher: Wild Thorn Publishing
Date of Publication:  10-10-2013
Cover Artist: Phatpuppyart

Book Description:

The global infrastructure that allows humans and supernaturals to coexist is under threat. A breakdown of this carefully maintained system erupts into worldwide chaos and could eventually lead to Armageddon.

Code Uprising is activated.

The power of the supernatural world shifts from the city councils to Bonfire Academy and the other elite paranormal preps. Now, the staff and students must follow the code, however deadly the ramifications, to return power to the city sovereigns in order to prevent an apocalypse. 
Kindle Kindle (UK) Kindle (Germany) iBook KOBO NOOK Paperback
 About the Author:
Imogen Rose is the author of the bestselling series, the Portal Chronicles, which has attained cult status within indie literature and become a favorite among teens and adults alike. An immunologist by profession, Dr. Rose published her first work of fiction in 2010. She now writes full time and is currently working on her second teen series, the Bonfire Chronicles. Imogen was born in Sweden and has lived in several places, counting London among her favorites. She moved to New Jersey in 2001. A self-confessed Hermès addict, Imogen freely admits to being obsessed with Kurt Cobain. She enjoys shopping, traveling, watching movies, and hanging out with her family, friends, and Chihuahua.

Web: http://www.imogenrose.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ImogenRosePage 
Twitter: ImogenRoseTweet
Instagram: ImogenRoseGram
blog: http://imogenroseblog.blogspot.com/

Excerpt:
He felt as dead as she looked. With each blow to her lifeless body, he felt his sanity ooze, drop after drop, into the pool of her blood. She was dead. Her only hope now was the guy who had stolen her from him.The knock on the door filled Quinn with loathsome fury. Had he not already been in his demon form, he’d have transformed because the person on the other side of the door deserved what he had unwillingly subjected Cordelia to.He flung the door open, growling at the winter faery who was keeping Cordelia’s heart beating. Jagger swept past Quinn to the corner of the room, kneeling down beside Cordelia’s torn-up body. His pale winter hue darkened. He shot to his feet, bringing up his leg and slammed his foot into Quinn’s stomach.Quinn fell back in surprise, his demon exterior not so much as reddening as a result, but he felt on the verge of losing it and tearing Jagger’s head right off of his fey neck. But he checked himself. If Jagger’s heart stopped, so would Cordelia’s, and Quinn couldn’t allow that to happen.“What the fuck, Quinn? What did you do to her?” Jagger’s voice was barely audible; his mood had turned from anger to desperation as he looked at the body on the floor again.Quinn transformed back into his human form, revealing a mess of injuries and broken bones. “I had no choice. It was this or death.”“Or death? She is dead, you moron!” “No, she isn’t. Her heart is still beating.”“Only because I’m beating it for her,” Jagger muttered.“Only because I’m letting you beat it for her,” Quinn said quietly. “She needs a healer.”“Wander her back to the Academy. But hurry. Potomal’s team is on their way and will be here soon to collect her.”“Potomal?”“A Wanderer working with Katerina.” Quinn winced at the stabs of pain his human body was unable to dampen.“What about you? What happened?”“Cordelia didn’t go down without a fight, but never mind that. I’ll heal. I need you to beat me to within an inch of my life. Here, use this.” He handed Jagger a tire iron.“Much as I would love to beat the hell out of you, why? If you’re afraid of what they’ll do to you when they find out you let Cordelia escape, why not just come back to the Academy?”“No time. Plus, the best way for me to protect Cordelia is from the inside. Hurry.”Jagger glanced down at Cordelia and then raised the iron bar.


Imogen Rose Books-Reading Order:  If you are reading both series:
1. Portal
2. Equilibrium
3. Quantum
4. Faustine
5. Momentum
6. Initiation
7. Integration
8. Fusion
Portal Chronicles only:
PortalEquilibriumQuantumMomentumFusion (to be published) Bonfire Chronicles only:
FaustineInitiationIntegration
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New Adult Author Spotlight & Giveaway: Magan Vernon

THE ONLY ONE BLURB: Honor student, manager at the campus coffee shop, owner of an impressive sweater collection – Melanie Wilder has it all together. Then John “John Boy” Walden strolls into her life wearing nothing more than an impish grin and all-too-revealing loin cloth.

Soon, make-out sessions replace homework, lust triumphs over work. And to further crumble her perfect world, an unexpected phone call threatens to take away everything she’s worked for.

Now, as Melanie struggles to pick up the pieces, she realizes that John may be the only one to put her life back together…unless he shatters it first.

**This is not a sequel to The Only Exception. It's a companion novel with two characters from the first book. You don't need to read The Only Exception to understand this book.** AUTHOR BIO:Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the insurance capital of the world. She is in a very serious, fake relationship with Adam Lambert and constantly asks her husband to wear guyliner. He still refuses. She also believes her husband is secretly an alien, disguised as a southern gentleman.To enter the giveaway, please go to each blog and enter the corresponding code into the Rafflecopter. This is Blog #5 and the code is MAGANMARABlog #1: www.dawnpendleton.com Blog #2: www.StephanieLawton.comBlog #3: www.chasingemptypavements.comBlog #4: http://lisaswallow.netBlog #5: http://maravalderran.blogspot.comBlog #6: http://www.lgcastillo.comBlog #7: http://naughtylittlekisses.blogspot.comBlog #8: http://danielelanzarotta.blogspot.com/Blog #9: http://authoryolandaallen.blogspot.com/Blog #10: http://dawnaraver.com/Blog #11: http://tawdrakandle.comBlog #12: http://midtown-underground.comBlog #13: http://tyffanickemp.comBlog #14: www.KristieCook.comBlog #15: www.jlfynn.comBlog #16: www.lisasanchezromanceauthor.comBlog #17: www.adriannejames.comBlog #18: http://jadenwilkes.blogspot.ca/
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Guest Post: Broken Dolls Author B.R. Kingsolver Talks Travel

Today, B.R. Kingsolver is stopping by to talk about the settings of her book, and how her own personal travels have helped her make those descriptions come alive in her writing. For more from B.R. Kingsolver, follow B.R. on Twitter, Facebook, or Goodreads and be sure to check out B.R.'s website and blog. Here's a bit about B.R.'s book, Broken Dolls, and then I will be turning the blog over to B.R.

About the Book:


Private investigator RB Kendrick makes her living nailing cheating spouses, digging up other dirt to help in a divorce, finding long-lost relatives, and occasionally sniffing out criminal activity and fraud.
When she takes a job to find a missing girl, she has no idea she is headed for the most dangerous case of her career. Usually, her ability to read minds gives her an edge. But when the people she’s hunting are also telepaths, that advantage is limited.
The search takes her into the dark underbelly of telepathic society, where anything, and anyone, is for sale. She discovers that telepathic women and girls are being trafficked as the ultimate sex slaves.
With people trying to kill her, she’s on the run, not knowing who she can trust. Will she find the missing girl, or become a victim herself?
Available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.   






 

From the Author:

I’ve always had a wanderlust. I love to travel and see new and exotic places. This tends to come out in my writing, as my characters seem to do a lot of traveling. 
Most of my books have been set in the Baltimore-Washington-West Virginia area, which I know fairly well. But the main character in Broken Dolls lives in London and the setting for a short story that was recently published in an anthology, Here, Kitty Kitty , is set in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Broken Dolls starts in London, where RB Kendrick, the private investigator who is the main character, lives. It moves to Dublin, Ireland, then back to London, on to Paris, Munich, Zurich, London, Ireland ... the girl moves around. 
One of the things that bothers me, and I assume most readers, is when an author makes a jarring error in place. Recently I read a novel set in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I lived for a long time. The author made a reference to “mesquite”. There aren’t any mesquite trees within hundreds of miles of Albuquerque. So I try to be very careful to research and be accurate about the places I put my characters.
Of course, that’s much easier when I’ve been to that place, but some of my settings are places I’d like to go, not places I’ve been. It’s not that I try to write detailed, vivid descriptions of the settings in my books, but it’s so much easier to visualize the action if I have a firm idea of what the place looks like, and I think it makes it easier for the reader as well.
I  remember the contrast the gleaming, modern office buildings on the south bank of the Thames River make with the ancient Tower of London on the north bank. In Broken Dolls , I set the Gordon Building on the south bank. If the reader has been to London, or lives there, she shouldn’t have much difficulty visualizing the setting, and it should seem natural.
Likewise, I have a neighborhood in west London in mind when I write about where RB Kendrick lives. I don’t describe it in any detail, but it shouldn’t cause a London reader any problems with place.
This past summer, I had finished the first round of edits and revisions for Broken Dolls when I went on vacation to Paris. Since I was writing the book at the same time I was researching my trip, I had looked at lots of pictures and maps and felt fairly secure that my descriptions of the places in the book were accurate. But I eagerly looked forward to seeing those places in person.
As it turned out, I didn’t have to change any of what I’d written, but being there allowed me to add more detail to the descriptions in the book. It also gave me the opportunity to make the travel times between places more accurate.
There’s a scene in the book where RB is being chased by the bad guys. Before my trip, I was rather vague about the area where the chase occurs. Afterward, I was able to map her route from the Latin Quarter southeast of Notre Dame to the Military Academy just to the west of the Eiffel Tower and feel secure that the distance and surroundings fit in with the story.
Paris is an incredible city, with beautiful buildings and neighborhoods, palaces and architectural marvels such as the Arc de Triomphe and the Eiffel Tower. But there are also places that are very seedy and dangerous. Part of the book takes RB into the Pigalle red-light district, and I didn’t visit that area. The French police strongly discourage tourists from going there. Even in the pursuit of accuracy, some research topics are better imagined than experienced.

Kiya: Mother of a King Release Day!

Today is the day that the second book in the Kiya Trilogy releases; Kiya: Mother of a King.
You can find book one, Kiya: Hope of a Pharaoh HERE
To celebrate, Katie has opened up the comments on her blog for you to ask what you want to know about the series. And yes, book 3 is written and contracted so you will be seeing the final installment before you know it.
So, here are the details for Kiya book 2:

Amazon Kobo B&N Goodreads

Nefertiti has forced Naomi to flee Amarna with Malachi and the three children. But even under the protection of Naomi’s family in Thebes, Nefertiti still hunts her and Tut. Nefertiti sends assassins to kill them, and while Naomi fights to protect the children, Malachi fights to keep her safe.

With three children in tow, one of which isn’t her own, she is labeled the harlot outcast wife of the pharaoh and is shunned. She isn’t safe among her own people, and flees from being stoned to death. Although her family protects her, she must find a way to survive.

While Naomi struggles to keep herself and Tut alive, old adversaries return as Smenkhkare takes advantage of Akhenaten’s ailing health. Naomi must rely on Horemheb’s promise to protect Tut’s birthright, but her feelings for Malachi could cause more problems with Horemheb than she expects.






 
CQ is also hosting a giveaway for Kiya: Mother of a King on Goodreads! So jump in!

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Goodreads Book Giveaway KIYA by Katie Hamstead Giveaway ends November 20, 2013.
See the giveaway details at Goodreads. Enter to win

Cover Reveal: Natural Harmony by Kate Roth

I think I will hereby deem Fridays as "Feature Fridays" because I absolutely love featuring new books just in time for the weekend. Today's feature is a cover reveal for Natural Harmony by Kate Roth, and though it won't be available until December 30th, you will definitely want to add it to your list. 

Natural Harmony is a stand-alone romance and the first in the Confession Records collection. Cover art by Jennifer Streif. Check out the rafflecopter for a chance to win an advanced copy of the book!
Blurb: Suddenly named the acting president of her uncle’s record label, former pop princess Sabrina Walker is finally ready to grow up. While her professional life moves forward, she still clings to the last fragment of her past life in the form of an uncertain relationship with her manager, Beau.When Sabrina hires handsome, young assistant, Wade Lawson, he awakens in her the hidden confidence she’s always desired. What starts as a casual affair quickly intensifies to something much more. Sabrina must decide—return to the familiar life of an insecure one-hit-wonder, or embrace Wade and the woman his passion has helped reveal.About the author:In 2008, Kate Roth decided to get real about her love of writing. She signed up for a course after-hours at the local high school called 'So You Want To Write A Book?'. Indeed, she did! For years Kate had been dreaming up love stories in her head and she'd even managed to write a few of them down but it was that class that gave her the drive to finally do something more with her ideas.

Kate Roth's first two novels, new adult romance The Low Notes and new adult paranormal romance Reckless Radiance were released by Rebel Ink Press. Natural Harmony is her third novel and her first venture into independent publishing. She is hard at work on the next two novels in the Confession Records collection, as well as her first erotic romance, Last Resort.

Kate is inspired by music, film, art and of course other authors as well as the wealth of stories she has heard through her years as a professional hair stylist. She is a small business owner and lives in Indiana with her husband, Adam and their dog, Sampson.You can find more on Kate’s website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, & Goodreads. 
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Review for Kiya: Hope of the Pharaoh by Katie Hamstead

Blurb:

When Naomi’s sisters are snatched up to be taken to be wives of the erratic Pharaoh, Akhenaten, she knows they won’t survive the palace, so she offers herself in their place. The fearsome Commander Horemheb sees her courage, and knows she is exactly what he is looking for…

The Great Queen Nefertiti despises Naomi instantly, and strips her of her Hebrew lineage, including her name, which is changed to Kiya. Kiya allies herself with Horemheb, who pushes her to greatness and encourages her to make the Pharaoh fall in love with her. When Akhenaten declares Kiya will be the mother of his heir, Nefertiti, furious with jealousy, schemes to destroy Kiya.

Kiya must play the deadly game carefully. She is in a silent battle of wills, and a struggle for who will one day inherit the crown. If she does bear an heir, she knows she will need to fight to protect him, as well as herself, from Nefertiti who is out for blood.




KIYA: Hope of the Pharaoh by Katie Hamstead
My rating: 5 of 5 stars


I've never been one to jump at historical fiction, but this book was beyond amazing. I suddenly find myself enthralled by Egyptian culture. Katie Hamstead did an amazing job of teaching the reader about ancient Egypt through Naomi's eyes and not making it feel like a lesson. There was never a dull moment of world-building or history lessons. It was all contextual.

Naomi is a believable heroine. She is brave, strong, true to her beliefs, but also stubborn, and she can be a bit naive. She wears her heart on her sleeve, which I suspect is going to bite her in the ass later on in the series. I love that in Kiya, Nefertiti has met her match. Nefertiti is believably cunning and vile, but her motivations are always clear. And just when you think she is done, she strikes like a snake.

The love triangle in this book came out of nowhere for me. I don't want to say too much because of spoilers, but I love how, because we see everything through Naomi's eyes, we were just as surprised as she was.

On a more technical note, I think Katie's style is wonderful. Naomi's voice is solid throughout the entire book, never wavering. We feel everything she feels, and see everyone else just as she sees them. Not once did I feel like the language was dumbed down (which I've seen in other first person novels--it drives me crazy.) or like Katie was trying to force information through Naomi.

The ending felt abrupt to me, but I have a feeling that is more to do with how I was not ready for the book to end. Luckily, the sequel comes out soon. =) I can't wait!

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About the Author: 

Born and raised in Australia, Katie’s early years of day dreaming in the “bush”, and having her father tell her wild bedtime stories, inspired her passion for writing.

After graduating High School, she became a foreign exchange student where she met a young man who several years later she married. Now she lives in Arizona with her husband, daughter and their dog.
 
She has a diploma in travel and tourism which helps inspire her writing. She is currently at school studying English and Creative Writing.
 
Katie loves to out sing her friends and family, play sports and be a good wife and mother. She now works as a Clerk with a lien company in Arizona to help support her family and her schooling. She loves to write, and takes the few spare moments in her day to work on her novels.

You can follow Katie on:
Twitter - https://twitter.com/KatieTeller1FB page - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Katie-Hamsteads-Stories/247238178656484Blog - http://kjhstories.blogspot.com/Goodreads - http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18169048-kiya