Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Blog Tour: Forty Years in a Day


Historical Fiction
Date Published: 2/19/2013

Confession is good for the soul even after the soul has been claimed...
The story begins in Italy, 1900. After years of torment and neglect, Victoria and her four small children immigrate to Hell's Kitchen, New York, to escape her alcoholic, abusive husband. On the day they leave, he tragically dies, but she does not learn of his death for several years—a secret that puts many lives on hold.
Quickly, they realize America's streets are not paved with gold, and the limits of human faith and stamina are tested time and time again. Poverty, illness, death, kidnapping, and the reign of organized crime are just some of the crosses they bear.
Victoria's eldest son, Vincenzo, is the sole surviving member of the family and shares a gut-wrenching account of their lives with his daughter during a visit to Ellis Island on his ninetieth birthday. He explains how the lives of he and his siblings have been secretly intertwined with an infamous Irish mob boss and ends his unsettling disclosure with a monumental request that leaves Clare speechless.​
Forty Years in a Day is layered with the struggles and successes of each family member and defines the character of an era. Follow the Montanaro family through several decades, and stand in the shoes of a past generation.

My Review:
I wasn't sure what to expect from this one, but I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I connected to the story and the themes. I love reading about history and learning about a different time and how different life was, but how certain things always stay the same. 

The imagery and detail really took me back to the time (1900's). The Authors did a great job with that! 

Usually historical fiction for me is more about that time than the characters and I can get lost in the time, but I really did find myself connected to the characters and everything that happened to them.


BUY LINKS
Amazon
Tate Publishing Bookstore
Barnes & Noble

   


Mona Rodriguez and Dianne Vigorito

Mona Rodriguez and Dianne Vigorito are cousins. Throughout their lives, they had heard many stories from family members that were fascinating, sometimes even unbelievable, and decided to piece together the puzzle of tales. Through research and interviews, their goal was to create a fictional story that follows a family through several decades, providing the reader an opportunity to stand in the shoes of a past generation and walk in search of their hopes and dreams. What they realize in the process is that human emotions have been the same throughout generations - the difference is how people are molded and maneuvered by the times and their situations. Mona and Dianne live with their husbands in New Jersey and they each have two grown sons. This is their first novel together.

Website: http://www.fortyyearsinaday.com
Twitter: @monarodriguez22
Trailer: http://youtu.be/AfJ5p4qCzmM





Monday, June 17, 2013

PROMO: Warlord's Concubine by J.E. & M. Keep



The Warlords Concubine - PROMO Blitz
By J.E. & M. Keep
Paranormal Romance (Explicit Sex)
Date Published: 6/1/2013


Mirella often wonders what her life would've been like had she been born a princess, rather than the property of one.

When a dark warlord from the north conquers her princess' kingdom, however, he has plans for the dainty young future-queen. It makes the question all the more poignant, because now, more is at stake than just her rough treatment, but love and lust as well.

As an indentured servant and handmaiden to the princess for much of her life, the middle-aged Mirella sees the conquest of the land as an opportunity to elevate herself. Though as she earns the trust of their conquerors, she finds her own nature challenged as well. A life of callous disregard has made her hard, but as she battles the princess' will for the first time and finds new allies and friends, does she have what it takes to win the love and favour of the brutal warlord? Will love and friendship be her downfall? Or will her station in life yet again be her undoing?

Caution: The Warlord's Concubine is a dark fantasy novel that contains explicit scenes, and a twisted romance between a handmaiden and a God.


EXCERPT

A great table filled the center of the tent, and upon it was heaped food. A mix of the rich pantry of the palace with the flavours of the harsh tundra, making for the oddest banquet Mirella had ever seen.
But at the heart of it stood a statue, carved from obsidian stone. It was unmistakable though the craftsmanship was not as refined as that of the courtly artists who decorated the millennia old palace. The presence of the mighty man, albeit nude and holding a great scimitar that was lodged into the spine of some defeated foe, inspired all the other women, even the guards, to fear. Mirella could tell they—unlike her—knew much greater terror of the God-King, even in his lifeless representation.

It was curious to her why the man of such taste would be so destructive, but it didn’t matter. She barely glanced to the other women. The evening prior she might have been a handmaiden, but now she was on equal footing with all of them, and it filled her with a strange sense of righteousness. Her eyes worked over the statue as she left the princess to recover on top of some pillows, her gaze one of wonderment and a lingering, heated desire.

His power radiated from the stone and she briefly wondered at what the more skilled artisans could do for him.

She couldn’t recall at how long she might’ve been staring at that statue when she was disturbed, her gaze lost on that harsh stone depiction, entranced by the generous proportions of his muscles and loins. It was, as far as she could tell, true to form, but lacking in the expert subtleties a court artisan would bring to it.

“Most don’t even dare to look at it,” came that otherworldly voice, so richly masculine, irradiating such strength and command in a manner she’d never heard before.

In the torchlight of the tent she could make him out all the clearer. His charcoal skin was smooth and flawless. His face so chiselled and handsome. Hair long and perfectly shiny. Her first guess only seemed all the more right; a god. Though the dark clothes he wore, looking a blend of velvet and leather, mixed with his piercing dark gaze and skin, it didn’t take much guessing to place as what kind of deity he might be.

J.E. & M. Keep

J.E. and M. Keep have a passion for all things sci fi/fantasy, and a desire to see what characters do when others fade to black. They set out to explore the most sexual, titillating and sometimes terrifying encounters. The plots are contemporary, fantasy, or science fiction, but they all have one thing in common: they’re hot.
From dark and taboo smut to coming-of-ages lust, from twisted love stories to tragic tales of self-destructive needs, they explore the fact that not all ‘Ever Afters’ are happy, and not everyone’s idea of happy is the same.

Come explore the limits of erotica and discover new desires from the smutty minds of J.E. & M. Keep. They can be found on their website at http://www.darkfantasyerotica.com/.


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Friday, June 14, 2013

PROMO: To Bewitch a Highlander



To Bewitch a Highlander - PROMO Blitz
By Lily Baldwin
Historical Romance
Date Published: 4/10/2013


She will protect her identity with her very life if necessary. Who will protect her from herself?

Shoney's lightning speed with a bow captures Ronan by surprise, and their chance meeting ends with him lying unconscious at the bottom of a ravine.

When he awakens, he cannot rid his mind of her startling beauty, her valor, or the secret fear he glimpsed in her steel eyes.
He vows to find her, but as the mysteries of her identity unfold, his courage and heart are tested as never before.

Audio Book Sample




EXCERPT

Shoney gripped a large rock with one hand to keep from rising to the surface and was hurriedly scooping handfuls of Dulse with the other, putting the slimy clusters into the sack hanging about her neck. Dulse was her favorite seaweed. Its translucent pink color was hard to spot, but it grew in bushels at the bottom of her pool. If infused in a bath, it soothed sore limbs, and its oil cleansed the skin, clearing away unsightly dry patches. Satisfied she had gathered enough, she released the stone and swooshed her arms, swirling in a circle. Her hair fanned out, covering her face and wrapping around her waist.

The sting from the icy water subsided so that she could truly enjoy the feel of being submersed. The bottom of the deep pool gleamed with smooth white rocks, which seemed to light the murky water. She was enclosed inside rocks directly below her home where she knew none of the clansfolk would ever dare to venture, allowing her to leave behind the Witch’s cloak and every other stitch of clothing for that matter. Nothing delighted her more than to feel the rush of cold water over her bare limbs. Nothing made her feel more alive, but she was running out of breath and knew she had to surface.

Her feet touched down on the bottom, and she bent her knees, pushing against the white stones to hasten her swim to the surface, but she did not surge through the water as expected. Large hands grabbed her from above, blocking her momentum. She seized with panic as she flailed against her captor’s grip. The water churned, bubbling from her efforts, but she was powerless against the strong arms that wrapped around her from behind and pulled her against the unyielding hardness of a man’s chest. Every corded ridge of muscle pressing against her naked back shifted as he pushed off the bottom, propelling them both toward the surface.

They emerged from the depths, and he pulled them to the edge of the pool. Shoney sucked air into her lungs. Too long had she been submersed and now felt dizzy. Despite her reeling head, she lunged to escape the hands still grasping her shoulders, but his hold only tightened. Then, for the first time, she tilted her head back to look upon her captor.

“You”, she exclaimed. “What are you doing here?”

“What am I doing here?” he said. “This is my island. What are you doing here?”

“Taking a bath”, she gritted.

She could not believe the giant, the one called Ronan, was in her pool. How dare he invade her rightful territory. Fury consumed her but also terror. Not only was she unarmed, but he was even larger than she first realized.

“I am finished now”, she said. “So release your grip, and I will be on my way.”

“A bath she says.”

He turned her around in his arms so she faced him. Then he wrenched the sack from around her neck and threw it into the water. Shoney watched as it sunk beneath the surface. “I have been searching the whole island for you for a fortnight only to find you nigh drowning, leaving me no choice but to dive in to save you.”

“Save me? Is that what you thought? That I was drowning.” She could not help laughing, but stopped when his hand slid down the curve of back.

Shoney was suddenly very aware of her state of undress. Her curves were concealed from his eyes by the water, but what he could not see surely he could feel as his arms pressed her close. She gasped as she felt the contours of his muscles shift against her skin. The heat of his body provided warmth against the frigid water, and his arms seemed to touch more than just her waist. They reached beyond her physical form, satisfying a craving for contact, which solitude had entrenched deep within her heart. He was powerful and intoxicating, and her response to him was shocking. She never imagined a man would feel so good, so strong, but she knew it had to be wrong. Shouldn’t she be outraged? She had to escape his hold. Her hands pressed against his wide chest as she thrust away from him, but he wouldn’t budge.

“Let me go, this is indecent”, she snapped.

“No more indecent than leaving me to die, lass. I was only trying to save you.”

“The only saving I need is from you”, she hissed through gritted teeth. “Release me. You have no claim over me or my body as I am neither your wife nor your whore.” She renewed her struggles and shrieked, “Let go of me.”

His grip loosened slightly, and she felt the warmth of his breath as his head dipped close to hers. His hand swept the length of her torso and then gently caressed her cheek.

“I know I need to let go of you,” he whispered. “I know that I am disgracing you as well as myself, but I cannot bring myself to do so.”

She met his smoldering gaze. His lips were but a whisper away from hers. Try as she might, she could not take a deep breath. Her quick, shallow breathing was unnerving. And then as he pressed her body into his, her breathing was forgotten completely as was the cold water that encircled them, the crash of the waves, and the call of the birds. All she was aware of was his eyes, the closeness of his mouth, and the racing of her heart. He slowly lowered his lips, taking possession of the soft skin just below her ear. She closed her eyes, feeling a strange heat at the place where his lips had been. His hot kisses trailed down the length of her neck. The heat spread like languid fire throughout her body.

She had never felt the strength of a man’s hands on her skin. Nor had she ever known the tenderness of a kiss. Her breathing quickened. Her body felt like it was swelling, preparing to burst, and she liked it. She pressed herself closer and felt the crushing strength of his muscles as her fingers explored his form. Her hands swept down his powerful arms, sliding over muscled ridges. And then they traveled down past his lean waist to stroke the length of his hard thigh, but instead of smooth, wet skin, her fingers touched something cold and sharp.

Her eyes snapped open, and her senses returned with a strength that would have knocked her over had it not been for the water and the support of his caressing hands.

Mother of all, what spell was this?

He was even more dangerous than she first imagined, for he could control her thoughts and her body. She had to break away from his embrace. Her hand returned to his thigh, only this time she had no intention of stroking his skin. She seized his dirk from its sheath and with a practiced hand she thrust the pointed end of the blade beneath his chin. She smiled ruefully at the small droplet of blood that appeared beneath the dagger’s point.

“You keep your blade sharp. I thank you for this kindness.”


Lily Baldwin

Writing historical romance has been Lily's lifelong dream. She lives a quiet life in New England, surrounded by family.

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Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Reading This Week

What am I Reading and What Reviews Can You Expect Soon?

New Adult

YA Paranormal

Romance

New Adult




Monday, June 10, 2013

Cover Reveal: Dark Night of the Soul


E.M. Havens - Dark Night of the Soul - COVER REVEAL
FANTASY
Date to be Published: 7/1/2013


What comes after life? Jayden Schroeder is about to find out. At the end of the road of despair, she ends it all, and finds out that living might not have been so bad.  Thrust into a strange and disparate world, Jayden joins a team of warriors from all places and time. Together they battle demons to save the souls of the living, all the while on the run from the end of all things - The Judgment.

Will she fight for a second chance to spare those she loves? Or surrender?

Dark Night of the Soul is a fantastical journey, both literally and figuratively for Jayden’s soul. If you are looking for a quick, quirky read with vivid characters and scenery, a touch of dark humor, and healthy dose of romance, look no further.


EXCERPT

My senses snapped back with sharp clarity.  I laid on my back staring at dappled sunlight through a canopy of green leaves.  My fingers curled around the soft dirt and twigs beneath them.  I was afraid to move, unsure of where I was or what had happened.  Hadn’t I just killed myself?

I turned my head enough to see forest to my right.  The same on the left.  I chanced sitting up a bit and propped myself up on elbows. Forest in front. My gaze fell to my legs.

“What the hell??

I wore camo.  Ugh. But I wasn’t fat. I looked at my hands.  They seemed older. My boobs! They were perfect, though covered in more khaki and brown camouflage. I pulled a strand of hair in front of me.  Blonde. 
Now my heart was pumping. 

I scurried to my feet trying to take in more of myself and my surroundings. I wore full military garb with a hand gun strapped to my hip.  A really big gun lay on the ground next to where I woke up at the edge of a camp with a fire and tents, and everything.

And me.  From what I could see, my body looked perfect, just like Becky Greenwood, the cheer captain.  I bet my face was too.  I bet I even had blue eyes. I must be in heaven. But why camo?

“Damn it!  Who ordered the newbie?”

I spun to face the gruff male voice behind me. There at the edge of the camp stood a group of five people that my mind struggled to assimilate.  A knight in shining armor, a female samurai, and another man dressed in a gold foil jumpsuit stared at me.

The man upfront, who had spoken, wore camo pants like mine and a black shirt. A woman next to him eyed me.  She looked like a druid or monk and carried a staff. In a thick Irish accent she snarled.

“Welcome ta hell, brat.”


About the Author
E.M. Havens

Who is E.M. Havens? I’m a lot of things. The word that seems to define me most at the moment is mom. It can be all consuming. Not only am I a mom of three (one of them is a teenager…pity me), but I also home-school (pity me more). I share this awesome responsibility with the love of my life, best friend, and soul-mate husband.

Add to that, the twenty-five chickens, twelve turkeys, ten guineas, nine pigs, three barn cats, two Great Pyrenees guardian dogs, a Chihuahua, a house cat, and a goose, it makes for one crazy, full, and certainly entertaining life.

Somewhere in there I find the time to write.  I started out young writing poems, then moved on to songs. I actually have a Bachelor in Music with a secondary in Science because I can’t stand English. Yes, the writer hates English.  I like to read the story for the experience of reading the story, not to nitpick each letter and comma. But I digress.

I eventually found blogging and really enjoyed sharing my life that way. When an unfortunate turn of events separated me from my music equipment, I decided to use my overactive imagination, my love of reading, and my new found hobby, prose writing, to release some of my creative energy.  I wrote my first novel and loved the experience. Fate War: Alliance is actually the second novel I wrote and the first to be published.  Now I’m working on my third and several sequels to Fate War!

So that’s pretty much me, sitting in the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma, reading, writing, collecting eggs from the coop, and being a schoolmarm. It’s a pretty great life.

Author Links


Friday, June 7, 2013

RELEASE DAY: Vampire Elite


Vampire Elite
RELEASE DAY Blitz

Paranormal Romance
Date Published: 6/7/13

Join the release party:


THIS BOOK IS ON SALE FOR $.99 TODAY FOR ITS RELEASE!

GET IT @ AMAZON

Vampire Elite is a new vampire series
The first two parts are released in one volume

Vampire Elite
Part 1. Prophecy
Part 2. Keepers of the Key
         
What will he do if saving his people means destroying the woman he loves?

A millennia-long war between two immortal races is about to come to an end. Long ago, the Vampire Elite began capturing the immortals called the Amiti, attracted by their unique blood properties. Now most Amiti live in underground cells, forced to serve as vampires’ bloodstock. The few surviving free Amiti, preparing a final strike, have declared their Queen a traitor. Her execution makes possible the rise of a new Queen, her young daughter Arianna, who will inherit her mother's mystical powers. Working with the Keepers of the Key, Arianna may be able to eliminate the vampires, once and for all, from the face of the earth.

The new Queen is the last hope to save her dying race and she's ready to fight to the last drop of her blood.
 But the King of the Vampires has other plans.
 What neither expects is the passion that erupts between them.

Vampire Elite is an epic story of a bitter conflict between two immortal races, and the effect of that conflict on everyone living in its grip. The characters are driven to love and betrayal, vengeance and sacrifice in a world without easy black-and-white answers.
            Based on an ancient Egyptian legend, packed with action and intrigue, Vampire Elite will pull you into the entrancing world of immortals and open new portals into their hidden universe.

Readers’ Favorite reviewers on Vampire Elite:
You’ve managed to restore my hope in the future of vampire books ...
... a fascinating read and definitely a book for anyone who loves fantasy, romance and of course vampires.
… a spellbinding novel of action, suspense, romance, and conscience ...  character development is superb ... the type of book that will make you read all day until you get to the end! It is deliciously addictive!


For more info please visit
Twitter: @TheVampireElite



Meet VE Character: Arianna, Queen of the Amiti and Keeper of the Mystery of Balance

Arianna becomes the Amiti Queen as an infant, following the execution of her mother. Along with the title, she also inherits all of the Queen’s powers, including the role of Keeper of the Mystery of Balance as well as the Gift of Ra, a power bestowed by the Sun God himself to help her protect herself and her people. Sheltered by her father as a child, Arianna finds herself thrust into a world of danger and intrigue when he is murdered and she must confront the fact that her race’s destiny depends on her. Despite how overwhelming it can be, Arianna ultimately embraces her life’s mission: to free her people from their enslavement by the Vampire Elite by any means necessary. But along the way she encounters an unexpected and seemingly unmanageable challenge—the charismatic and powerful vampire King Tor, who takes her on an emotional and sensual journey that makes her question her very destiny. Will the young Queen have the willpower and inner strength to fulfill her purpose and save her people, even if it means destroying the man she loves?













Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Book review: The Colour Wielders

New Adult/Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy Romance
Date Published: 4/19/2013

Behind the Faerying Mysts, hidden from Mortal eyes, is a land where gods and creatures of myth and legend dwell. And in the Mortal Realm, their Princess is hidden away.
Quinn Sinclair lives an ordinary life with her less-than-loving mother in Conifer, Colorado, clueless of her true nature. On the night of her birthday, a staggering betrayal sends her life spinning out-of-control. As she struggles to pick up the pieces, a vision of a man with haunting tourmaline-blue eyes begs her for help, and she is transported into a Magykal battle-forever changing her life.
Arik Morgaine-Demigod bad boy and outcast of the Magykal Realm-tried to avoid contact with Princess Quinn for eighteen years, not wanting to make good on an old threat. But the fates have other plans. Arik can no longer deny his growing desire for Quinn, or the need to protect her from those wanting to control her burgeoning powers. Can the two of them come together and save the Magykal Realm from being destroyed by the Darkest of Magyks?


My Review:
My first thoughts were ooooooo mythology! Mythology in fantasy novels done right is wonderful to read. I think Dawna Raver did a great job of incorporating it into this story. At times I did feel like there was a bit of an information overload, but it all worked in the end.

New Adult in the Paranormal/Urban Fantasy world is something that has not been done as much yet, so this was nice to read since I am on a huge New Adult kick lately!

I like that this had similar themes of those in Contemporary New Adult books, ex. reforming the bad boy.

One thing that was definitely not lacking was the action. I felt like this one was action packed from the beginning and most definitely kept me flipping pages! 

Tuesday, June 4, 2013

Blog Tour: Colour Wielders by Dawna Raver


New Adult/Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy Romance
Date Published: 4/19/2013

Behind the Faerying Mysts, hidden from Mortal eyes, is a land where gods and creatures of myth and legend dwell. And in the Mortal Realm, their Princess is hidden away.
Quinn Sinclair lives an ordinary life with her less-than-loving mother in Conifer, Colorado, clueless of her true nature. On the night of her birthday, a staggering betrayal sends her life spinning out-of-control. As she struggles to pick up the pieces, a vision of a man with haunting tourmaline-blue eyes begs her for help, and she is transported into a Magykal battle-forever changing her life.
Arik Morgaine-Demigod bad boy and outcast of the Magykal Realm-tried to avoid contact with Princess Quinn for eighteen years, not wanting to make good on an old threat. But the fates have other plans. Arik can no longer deny his growing desire for Quinn, or the need to protect her from those wanting to control her burgeoning powers. Can the two of them come together and save the Magykal Realm from being destroyed by the Darkest of Magyks?


My Review:
Will be posted later today.

LINKS TO BUY 




Dawna Raver is an author of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Colour Wielders, book one of the Heirs of the Magykal Realm series, is her debut novel. When she's not spending time in her fantasy world, Dawna loves football, reading, and pretending she's a top chef in the kitchen. Oh, and fawning over her dogs and husband, sometimes in that order.
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Twitter - @DawnaRaver
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