Wednesday, February 28, 2018

BOOK BLITZ for "The History of Hilary Hambrushina" by Marnie Lamb

The History of Hilary Hambrushina 
by Marnie Lamb
Publication date: May 31st, 2017
Genres: Contemporary, Young Adult
Hilary has one goal for her first year in junior high: to become popular. But her plans are turned upside down when her best friend leaves for the summer and a quirky girl named Kallie moves in next door. Kallie paints constellations on her ceiling, sleeps in a hammock, and enacts fantastical plays in front of cute boys on the beach. Yet despite Kallie’s lack of interest in being cool – Hilary and Kallie find themselves becoming friends. That summer friendship, however, is put to the test when school begins, reigniting Hilary’s obsession with climbing the social ladder. As Hilary discovers the dark side to popularity, she must decide who she wants to be before she loses everything.

Excerpt:

I put on a sweatband and sneakers and brought down a water bottle. My plan was to pedal non-stop for an hour. I figured I could do it, since I was used to riding my own bike, and how different could this bike be? I should lose at least one pound that way, I told myself. So if I use the bike every day, in fifteen days I’ll have lost the weight I want to lose.
I stepped over boxes and piles of books to reach the bike, which sat in a dark corner. This corner had a musty smell, like an old church that hadn’t been dusted since Queen Victoria was my age. A fake raccoon-fur hat someone had given my dad as a joke hung on the wall nearby.
The bike seat was too high for me, but I couldn’t move it because it was screwed in place. Gripping the handlebars for support, I tried to heave my leg over the seat several times without success. I was becoming angry and sweaty, so I started breathing deeply, like I was having a baby, to calm myself down. “Hoo hoo hoo.”
“Hilary!” shouted my mom. “Why are you making monkey noises?”
I froze. I knew that if I said, “It’s nothing,” she’d come down, and I didn’t want her to think I needed help getting on a stationary bicycle. So I called, “I’m just playing a game.”
I managed to lift myself on to the bike. I had to stretch to reach the pedals, but I finally did and started pumping. It was O.K. at first, but soon, my muscles felt like some psycho was using them as rubber bands. And some people actually do this for fun! What’s wrong with them, I thought. I reached for the water bottle and tried to squirt some water in my mouth. Nothing but air came out. I’d forgotten to fill the bottle! I threw it away and continued to pump furiously. Objects on the wall began rattling, and I was making so many strange noises my mother must have thought a whole pack of monkeys was performing a conga line in the basement. I began to have visions of monkeys in spangly pink bikinis kicking up their heels (did monkeys have heels, I wondered) on stage at the Princess of Wales Theatre.
Suddenly my sweatband fell over my eyes. I didn’t stop to fix it, though. You’re going to pump for the full hour, not for fifty-nine minutes, I ordered myself. Instead, I tried nodding vigorously to get the sweatband to fall under my chin. It fell over my nose and I couldn’t breathe. Then something dark and furry leapt on my head, covering my eyes and tickling my face like a bunch of feathers. I screamed, batting at the thing with one hand and pumping frantically, as if I could escape that way. I soon realized it was only my dad’s hat, but I still couldn’t get it off. Finally I stumbled off the bike and yanked the hat’s tail away from my eyes.
I had no energy left to remove the hat, so I left it on and trudged upstairs. I passed my mom, who took one look at me and started to snicker. Ignoring her, I went into the kitchen to check the clock. I’d been on the bike five minutes.
So that was the end of my experiment with exercising.


Author Bio:
A Journey Prize nominee, Marnie Lamb earned a master’s degree in creative writing from the University of Windsor. Her short stories have appeared in various Canadian literary journals. Her first novel, a YA book named The History of Hilary Hambrushina, is forthcoming from Iguana Books. When she is not writing fiction or running her freelance editing business, she can be found cooking recipes with eggplant or scouting out colourful fashions at the One of a Kind Show. 

XBTBanner1

COVER REVEAL for "The Rules of Rebellion" by Amity Hope

The Rules of Rebellion 
by Amity Hope
Published by: Entangled Crush
Publication date: April 2nd, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance, Young Adult
The Rules of Rebellion

1. Skinny dip (her idea)

2. Stargaze (his idea)

3. Prank someone (her idea)

4. Go on a date (his idea)
 
Leo Zimmerman has had a crush on his curvy friend Kylie Jenkins since forever, so when he discovers the girl with a flair for candy making has a newfound plan to rebel against her overbearing parents, he’s determined to be the one to help her carry it out. Who better than himself to show her the ropes of letting loose? 
Sure, taking her to her first high school party, helping her sneak out of the house, or watching a sunset together isn’t exactly a hardship, but much harder is masking his feelings the more time they spend together. And when he suggests adding “a first date” to Kylie’s plan and she accepts… suddenly all his dreams seem to be coming true. 
But Leo’s got a secret that could change everything between them, and it’s only a matter of time before it comes to the surface.

Author Bio:
Amity lives in beautiful northern Minnesota with her two sons, two cats and their Rottweiler. 
She has a degree in elementary education and worked in that field for ten years before deciding to self-publish. 
Her first self-published novel, Twisted, was listed by Amazon as a Top 100 Kids & Teens Kindle Book of 2012. It hit Amazon's Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance Best Sellers List in several countries. Truths and Dares held the #1 position on Amazon's Best Sellers in Teen & Young Adult Contemporary Romance eBooks in the UK.
If she's not writing, or spending time with her boys, she's most likely reading. 
XBTBanner1

Tuesday, February 27, 2018

BOOK BLITZ for "Accidental Tryst" by Natasha Boyd

Accidental Tryst
by Natasha Boyd
Publication date: March 6th, 2018
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance
A new standalone seriously (steamy) romantic comedy! Meet Trystan Montgomery. Suit monkey, commitment-phobic serial dater. No more than three dates, unless he hasn’t… you know. 
Emmy:

What a disaster! I only just made my flight to New York to help my uncle, and the phone I’m holding is not mine! It seems to belong to some commitment-phobic serial dater who’s never made it past four dates (according to the constant notifications he’s getting from his fake dating profile…). And worse? I have a sinking feeling it’s that hot suit-monkey with the arctic grey eyes I just had a run-in with at the airport. Somehow I have to persuade him not to get a new phone until I get back. My whole life is on that phone. It’s only a few days. Surely we can handle it. 
Trystan :

This is a joke, right? My life could not get more f*cked up. I’m in the middle of selling my company and on my way to a funeral and that hot mess hippie-chick stole my freaking phone. I’m not sure how she convinced me not to immediately walk into a smart phone store and get a new one, but now she’s going to have to play stand in and distract me while I deal with my long-avoided and estranged family. I don’t have my dating apps after all, and frankly she’s pretty funny. And sexy. And why can’t I stop texting her? And now we’re talking. And… look, I’ll admit that I usually run for the hills the morning after, but the morning after phone sex? That’s not really real, right?

Excerpt:

Emmy: I hate my boss.
Suit Monkey: What happened?
Emmy: Pitch was cancelled. He knew that but still made me call in. I’m feeling … stabby.
Suit Monkey: Stabby?
Emmy: Murderous!
Suit Monkey: So you texted ME? Great.
Emmy: Sorry.
I found myself grinning.
Suit Monkey: No it’s fine really. It’s nice to know I spring to mind when you’re stirred to great heights of passion. Was just hoping they’d be less murderous and more amorous.
Emmy: In the middle of the day?
Suit Monkey: A noon delight? Why not?
I gasped dramatically in the empty break room and typed double exclamation points of shock and hit send.
Suit Monkey: I’m kidding. Kind of. Not really. But I bet you’re smiling now. Or at least rolling your eyes.
Emmy: I am
Trystan: I’m in a car with my uncle and my cousin going to visit some of the properties I now own. But if I weren’t …
Emmy: Stop.
Suit Monkey: Okay.
Emmy: Is this what we are now?
Suit Monkey: What?
Emmy: Phone sex buddies.
Suit Monkey: Do we have to label it?
Emmy: You can’t even commit to phone sex? You’re worse off than I thought.


Author Bio:
Natasha Boyd is an internationally bestselling and award-winning author of historical fiction and contemporary romantic Southern fiction. She has a background in marketing and public relations and her debut novel Eversea was a finalist in the 2013 Winter Rose Contest for Contemporary Romance and won the 2014 Digital Book Award for Adult Fiction. Her book "Deep Blue Eternity" won a "best book" Chatelaine Award for Romantic Fiction. She is a member of Romance Writers of America, Georgia Romance Writers, Novelists Inc., and Island Writer's Network in coastal South Carolina. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and lives with her husband, two sons and the cast of characters in her head. Her books have been translated into Italian, German, French, Turkish and Indonesian. 
XBTBanner1

COVER REVEAL for "Captive" by Jenny Lynn

Captive 
by Jenny Lynn
Publication date: March 2018
Genres: Adult, Romance, Suspense
In the city of sin, who will be saved? 
Beckett Carter is the last of his family; the head of Carter Enterprises and a reclusive billionaire living in a luxurious Las Vegas penthouse. Since his parents murder his obsession with justice has steadily grown stronger, leading him to become the masked vigilante known to criminals as the Phantom. When he’s not out playing the part of a filthy rich playboy he trains his body hard, and in his disguise he brings the criminal underworld to its knees. 
Crime reporter Ella James keeps everyone at arm’s length, throwing herself into her work and her quest to find out what happened to her missing sister. She doesn’t let anyone get close enough to her to see how damaged she really is and afraid to trust anyone fully, she has never let a man touch her. While going undercover she puts her life in danger and discovers the secret identity of the Phantom as he ruthlessly eliminates a room full of criminals. This one night sets off a chain of events neither of them expected. 
Faced with the threat of being exposed, Beckett is left with only one choice. He takes Ella captive, keeping her in a secret room until he can complete his mission. In Ella, Beckett finds an opponent unlike any he’s met before – she’s smart, resourceful, and worst of all, innocent. The untouched woman locked away in his penthouse is the greatest temptation he has ever faced. 
A tense rivalry between the two grows into something so much more than either could have imagined. When Beckett gives in and shows Ella how dark he can be, can she succeed and show him the light?

Author Bio:
Jenny Lynn writes contemporary romance novels about charismatic billionaires, cocky bad boys and dominant alpha males. She loves to throw in exciting plot twists and plenty of steamy scenes that will keep you up at night. She writes men worth falling in love with, and definitely worth lusting after. Jenny has won awards for her writing but there is nothing that makes her happier than when people discover and enjoy her books. When she’s not writing Jenny is spending time with her family and trying not to burn dinner. 

XBTBanner1

Sunday, February 25, 2018

BOOK BLITZ & BOOK REVIEW for "Grayghost (Olive Kennedy, Fairy World MD, #7)" by Tamara Grantham

Grayghost 
(Fairy World MD, #7)
by Tamara Grantham
Published by: Crimson Tree Publishing
Publication date: February 26th, 2018
Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance
The final installment in the epic Fairy World MD series by Tamara Grantham. 
It’s been four years since Olive Kennedy sealed the portals between Earth and Faythander. Four years that she’s been living on Earth, working as a consultant to the Houston PD. It helps keep her mind off other things — like being separated from her husband and her dragon king stepfather.
Her ex, Brent Sanchez, works with her on the police force and helps her solve crimes. His friendship is a comfort — but also a reminder of what she’s missing. Everything changes when Olive discovers a broken mirror at a murder scene. It contains magic, and although it shouldn’t exist, it could be used as a portal to Faythander. Dark forces are at work, and the one person she wants by her side to help her is literally a world away. Olive will stop at nothing to solve the murder and return to the only place she calls home. 
New from award-winning author Tamara Grantham, Grayghost is the thrilling conclusion to the best-selling fantasy series Fairy World MD.
Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo


****(4) out of 5 stars!

REVIEW:

The Fairy World MD series, about the elf-human Olive Kennedy, is a masterpiece of Fantasy story-telling.  The greatest indication of this for me is how much I care about the characters in this world created by Tamara Grantham.  Throughout the course of the seven book series, I found myself continually caught up in their joys and trials, love and tears. 

Book six ended in such a way that I thought I might never recover from it.  Kull and Olive were separated, apparently forever.  Somehow against all odds, a way is discovered for Olive to return to Faythander, but so much time has passed and so many things have happened, that it is no longer the same world she remembers.  And, even having returned, she is still separated from Kull.  Her journey through the land, and attempts to set things right, is utterly depressing and almost completely without hope.  This is not a bright and happy tale. 

 There are enemies galore here, with changing allegiances and unknown motives; even former allies are not necessarily so anymore, and even many prior friends are less than such now.  There is an awful lot of intrigue and mystery, which leads to a lot of action and peril.  Everyone is definitely kept on their toes.

Despite all odds, our heroes eventually do prevail, but several trials must be overcome beforehand, many secrets are revealed, and even some associates are lost.  It is definitely a dramatic conclusion to this very eventful series. 
~
I received a free eBook copy of this title from the author 
while acting as a Beta reader for the book,
and I have willingly provided an honest review.  


Excerpt:

Kull walked in front of me, and my father behind. We didn’t speak. It seemed as if even the sound of our voices would break the fragile spell shrouding the room. I wasn’t sure what sort of creature would have been held prisoner here. I studied the lines of runes covering the sand, realizing the spell might have been more complicated than I’d first thought. A few of the symbols I recognized, but most spells were never written. Still, some of the characters were familiar. The Ó¾-shaped symbol meant light.
“The runes,” I murmured. “Can you read them, Kull?”
“Yes, a few.”
“What do they mean?”
He pointed to a symbol near the center. “That arrow-shaped symbol means serpent. It’s been repeated quite a few times.”
I wasn’t getting a good feeling about this. I hated snakes.
“Wait,” Kull said, holding out his hand to stop me. “Look there.”
In front of him, an onyx statue carved to look like a snake lay across our path. Kull took a step forward, and held up his lantern. As the light touched the scales, the snake transformed, and flaming blue eyes opened.
The snake hissed, revealing its fangs. Kull removed his sword in one swift motion as the snake coiled, preparing to strike. He swung at the head, but the snake darted back, then slithered toward the center of the room.
Its lithe body slid over the sand, destroying the runes as it went. The room rumbled, and the floor sank in the center as a hole opened. The sand drained through it, emptying like an hourglass. The snake disappeared through the hole. We stood with our weapons ready.
“There go the runes,” Rolf said.
“And the snake. You think it will be back?” Heidel asked.
“Maybe Kull scared it off?” I said.
“Not likely,” he answered.
“What was it doing here?” Rolf asked. “You’d think if a snake lived down here, it would’ve disrupted the sand and all those runes before now, wouldn’t it?”
“It wasn’t an ordinary snake,” my father said. “I believe it was a basilisk.”
“Those are real?”
“They’re real, but they’re not going to turn you to stone, thankfully. Still, they’re extremely dangerous. I believe our light must’ve woken the beast. It had most likely been in this tomb for centuries, protected by the runes that kept it asleep. However, the spells to keep it unconscious are very sensitive, even light disrupts their balance.”
Kull cursed. “So, we’ve unleashed a basilisk?”
“Yes, but the question is—what sort of basilisk is it?”
“There are different types?”
“Yes, let’s hope it’s not a shape changer. Then we might be in some trouble.”
The sand continued pouring through the hole, its sound like waves moving through water.
“Let’s not wait around and find out,” Kull said. “Follow me.” He moved swiftly across the chamber toward the doorway on the opposite side. As I followed, I glanced at the hole. Most of the sand had drained, leaving only patches on the floor, the tiny crystals turning blue under the fey light.
When we approached the doorway, a stone slid over the opening, booming shut. We turned, but the entrance we’d come through also sealed. At the center above the hole, an image in the shape of a female appeared. Her form was translucent at first, with metallic skin, almost as if she were made of bronze. She was hairless and nude, though she had no features, like a mannequin. Slits replaced her eyes, but as her head swiveled and she focused on us, they opened and burned blue, like the snake.
My father cursed, catching me off guard. “It’s a Medusa Basilisk. Have your weapons ready.”

Author Bio:
Tamara Grantham is the award-winning author of more than half a dozen books and novellas, including the Olive Kennedy: Fairy World MD series and the Shine novellas. Dreamthief, the first book of her Fairy World MD series, won first place for fantasy in INDIEFAB’S Book of the Year Awards, a RONE award for best New Adult Romance of 2016, and is a #1 bestseller on Amazon in both the Mythology and Fairy Tales categories with over 100 reviews.
Tamara holds a Bachelor’s degree in English. She has been a featured speaker at the Rose State Writing Conference and has been a panelist at Comic Con Wizard World speaking on the topic of female leads. For her first published project, she collaborated with New York-Times bestselling author, William Bernhardt, in writing the Shine series.
Born and raised in Texas, Tamara now lives with her husband and five children in Wichita, Kansas. She rarely has any free time, but when the stars align and she gets a moment to relax, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, taking nature walks, which fuel her inspiration for creating fantastical worlds, and watching every Star Wars or Star Trek movie ever made. You can find her online at www.TamaraGranthamBooks.com. 
XBTBanner1

Saturday, February 24, 2018

BOOK BLITZ for "The Devil Inside (Hell’s Gate, #2)" by Jane Hinchey

The Devil Inside 
(Hell’s Gate, #2)
by Jane Hinchey
Publication date: February 24th, 2018
Genres: Adult, Paranormal, Romance
God is missing…  And Heaven is dying. 
And if that weren’t bad enough, I’m in a showdown with my brothers. I don’t care if they’re family — they pissed off the wrong sister. Those Arch Angels are going to pay the price for getting my lover, Levi Forrester dragged into another dimension by a vicious soul stealer. 
Retrieving Levi won’t be easy, but I’m Hellbent on taking back what’s mine. After all, when you play with fire, you’re going to get burned. 
Now, with God disappearing, lost souls multiplying, and a new threat on the loose, it’s up to me to make things right. 
I’m Lucy, the CEO of Hell, and come Hell or high water, I will get my way.

Sequel to:

Excerpt:

I woke to the sensation of heat. A lot of it. Rolling onto my back, I checked that I hadn’t inadvertently set the room on fire, but there were no flames in sight. Just Levi asleep next to me, radiating an enormous amount of heat. Worried, I placed my palm on his forehead. Shit, he was burning up.
“What is it?” He mumbled, cracking open one eye to peer at me.
“You’ve got a fever. How do you feel?” Worry tinged my voice. Had he brought back an infection from Xoelax?
“What? No way! I’m fine.” He bounced out of bed, gloriously naked, and strode into the bathroom. I watched the magnificence of his muscled back, tight ass, and long lean legs before letting my hand drop to where he’d been laying on the bed only moments earlier. Definitely hot. What was up with him if he wasn’t ill?
His head appeared around the door frame and he crooked his finger. “Coming?”
The promise in his voice had me leaping from the bed and into his arms in record time. Our naked flesh collided, and I reveled in it, in the way every nerve ending sprang to life, from the tips of my toes to the top of my head. Threading his fingers through my hair, he angled my head the way he wanted it and kissed me. He kissed me like I’d wanted to be kissed my entire life—with everything he had. That kiss told me he was mine and I was his. That kiss touched my very soul. It branded me. My head swam with it, my knees buckled, and I sagged against him, consumed by him.
“You’re so hot,” I whispered when his lips left mine to explore across my jaw and down my neck.
“So are you, babe.” He nipped, then soothed the sting with his tongue. He was doing crazy things to me, things that made my blood heat in my veins.
“No, seriously. You’re fucking hot.” I placed my palms on his chest and pushed, putting some distance between us. “As in, you have a temperature. Your skin feels feverish.”



Author Bio:
Aussie Author Jane Hinchey writes sexy, snarky, badass, paranormal romances and urban fantasy novels. 
Living in the City of Churches (aka Adelaide, South Australia) with her man, two cats, and turtle, she spends her days writing fantastical stories full of dark sexy vampires, hot shifters, sexy aliens, jaw dropping demons, sinful angels, and magical witches – and while they can be snarky and swear a lot, they mean well and you’ll grow to love them. Honestly. 
When she’s not in her writing cave she’s usually playing the Sims, Civilizations or something similar, binge watching Netflix or upping the ante in the crazy cat lady stakes. She loves to hear from her readers, so swing on by her website at www.janehinchey.com and say hi. 
XBTBanner1

Thursday, February 22, 2018

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Amanda McKinney for "Devil's Gold"

Devil’s Gold 
by Amanda McKinney
Publication date: February 13th, 2018
Genres: Adult, Mystery, Thriller
Despite being chronically late, occasionally disheveled and a tad disorganized, Dixie Knight is one of the top private investigators in the country, and when a young woman goes missing in the small, Southern town of Devil’s Den, Dixie takes the case. She expected it to be another ordinary missing person case — until Lizzie Meyers is found naked and beaten to death at a local, seedy motel. 
While visiting relatives on his two-week leave, Marine Liam Cash bumps into Dixie at the local bar, and his attraction to her is immediate. When Liam connects Dixie’s current case to two unsolved murders in his hometown, he steps in to help find the killer, and keep her safe, whether Dixie wants him to or not. 
After another woman is found brutally beaten, Dixie turns the town upside down trying to solve the mystery — could it be the rumored witch that lives in the mountains; the rich, neurotic doctor’s wife; or the perky, blonde receptionist at the local medical clinic? 
Time is running out and Dixie knows she has to put the pieces of the puzzle together before another body turns cold in Devil’s Den.

~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Amanda McKinney~

1.    What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?

I’m a sucker for a good murder mystery, steamy romance, and I love badass female sleuths—so I put the three together! Throw in a creepy small-town, a haunting witch, and a few super sexy alpha males, and the Black Rose Mystery series came to life! When I write a book, my number one goal is to make the reader feel a mix of emotions—fear, anticipation, surprise, lust; you name it. If he, or she, goes to bed thinking about my book, or stays up all night just to finish it, I’ve done my job. And I really think Devil’s Gold hits on all of those emotions.

2) Are there any hidden themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?

The primary themes in Devil’s Gold are Good vs. Evil/Light vs. Dark, and Love/Lust. A theme that is also prevalent, and perhaps most important, is Courage. Each of the sisters of Black Rose Investigations are smart, courageous, take-no-prisoners kind of women, and Dixie, the main character, is certainly no exception. As her case turns very dark and the bodies start to stack up, Dixie swallows her fears, stays the course, and becomes more determined than ever to find the killer—even when the cards are stacked against her.

3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know?

No, and that’s what I love so much about writing fiction! I get to create characters out of thin air, and build a story around them. I create their strengths, their weaknesses, their physical appearance, their pasts and present. It’s so much fun! Shaping characters is one of my favorite parts of writing.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

Honestly, my mom. Every dream begins somewhere, but the next step—the hardest step—is believing in yourself enough to make it happen. Reading had always been a passion of mine, and that passion evolved into a dream of becoming a writer, and I can honestly say that I wouldn’t have taken that first step, written that first word, without the support and gentle push of my mom at my back. She wholeheartedly believed in me and my talent, and because of that, I’m currently writing my sixth book, with many, many more to come. Love you so much, mama!

5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why?

First and foremost, Roarke from Nora Roberts’ In Death Series, and Eve, too, because she’s such a badass. I’d have Roarke’s invitation made separately, informing him of a “no shirt” policy. And lastly, I’d invite Gandalf from Lord of the Rings… because really, what’s a party without a wizard? I’d serve cocktails first, a fancy mix of martinis, and then a few Busch Lights for good measure; I am, after all a proud Southern woman. And then we’d play spin the bottle, with a magical bottle created by Gandalf that always pointed to Roarke, and then promptly head outside to watch Gandalf practice his latest magic tricks. I’d close the night serving Roarke’s special coffee in cute little cups. Do you think it’s as good as Starbucks?

6) Do you feel that you can ever have too many books?

Absolutely not! As cliché and corny as it sounds, I believe that books are the keys to our imaginations—they inspire us to step out of our narrow little minds for a bit, and think out of the box. And wonderful, amazing, powerful things can happen when we think out of the box.

Author Bio:
Amanda McKinney, author of Sexy, Suspenseful Mysteries wrote her debut novel, LETHAL LEGACY, after walking away from her career to become a writer and stay-at-home mom. When Amanda isn’t tending to her two beautiful boys, she’s hidden behind her computer screen crafting page-turning murder mysteries, peppered with titillating love scenes. Having been born and raised in the south, Amanda’s books are set in small, country towns and reflect southern culture at its finest.
Amanda’s debut novel, LETHAL LEGACY, was released in January 2017, followed by the first two books in the BERRY SPRINGS SERIES, THE WOODS and THE LAKE. The third book in the series, THE STORM is scheduled to be released in the Winter of 2017. 
XBTBanner1

BOOK BLITZ for "Happy Endings Book Club Boxed Set (Books #1-3)" by Kylie Gilmore


Happy Endings Book Club 
Boxed Set (Books #1-3)
by Kylie Gilmore
Publication date: January 10th, 2018
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Book 1: Hidden Hollywood

She’s on top…
When superstar actress Claire Jordan researched her role for the Fierce Trilogy movies, she never expected the bond she feels with the author and her romance book club aka The Happy Endings Book Club. Soon Claire finds herself confessing her secret longing for a regular guy—no more egocentric wealthy players—and the book club is all too ready to help. In disguise as a regular girl, she’s all set for a date with book-club-approved Josh Campbell.
He’s on top…
Billionaire tech CEO Jake Campbell is weary of gold-digging women, especially the glamorous superficial types. So when his identical twin, Josh, calls in a favor, asking Jake to step in as him on a date, Jake figures one of Josh’s cute girl-next-door types might be just what he needs. One night of passion with the sweet girl next door leaves Jake wanting more, except she seems to have vanished.
Sometimes a Happy Ending is just the beginning. 
Book 2: Inviting Trouble

Madison Campbell has worshipped her older brother’s best friend, Parker Shaw, for as long as she can remember. So the night before he leaves for the Air Force, she decides he’s leaving town with her virginity. All she has to do is transform her tomboy self into a sexy woman with a bit of borrowed makeup and some creative fashion choices. The results? One drunken kiss that Park doesn’t even remember.
Ten years later, no man has ever gotten close to her heart the way Park did. And now that he’s back, the very unfeminine Madison refuses to blow her second chance. But when her bold attempts to snag his attention (“Oops! Dropped my towel.”) fail miserably, she does something completely insane—she caves to a makeover from the meddling matchmaker in charge of The Happy Endings Book Club. Hey, Park, you want some of this? Madison is about to find out. 
Book 3: So Revealing

The last thing Charlotte Vega needs is a cocky HOT stuntman like Ty Campbell in her life. But when he pulls the ultimate stunt—a sexy romantic gesture that ends with a charming invitation to a sunset dinner cruise—she finds him impossible to resist. Cue disaster.
Their rocky first date goes from bad to worse when his yacht (okay, it’s actually borrowed) gets stranded in deep mud. Turns out there’s nothing Ty can do but wait hours and hours for high tide with no power, no way to cook dinner, and a hangry sexy-as-hell woman.
But Ty is determined to salvage the date so he starts a game to pass the time. Only what Ty learns makes him realize he may have just botched a date with the perfect woman. How will he ever win her now? 
The Happy Endings Book Club series continues with Book 4, Formal Arrangement, plus more! 
Happy Endings Book Club Series:
Book 1: Hidden Hollywood
Book 2: Inviting Trouble
Book 3: So Revealing
Book 4: Formal Arrangement
Book 5: Bad Boy Done Wrong
Book 6: Mess With Me
Book 7: Resisting Fate

99¢ for a limited time only!

Excerpt:

Hidden Hollywood 
© 2016 Kylie Gilmore

Claire bit her lower lip. “Dammit. This is why I can’t have real relationships. I can’t trust anyone.”
“You can trust me.”
She sighed. “I don’t even know you.”
“Get to know me.”
“Jake…” She looked away.
“One date, the real deal. Jake and Claire.”
She was tempted. He could tell. She didn’t give him a no right away and now she was searching his face, looking for the truth. He leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers, coaxing. He pulled back and met her eyes, fully prepared to do this all night if he had to. Coaxing, charming, easing his way in. He’d thought coaxing would be too difficult with the way he wanted her, but having her pull away was much harder.
She spoke quietly. “You don’t want that kind of spotlight on you. It’s not pretty.”
It wasn’t a no.
“I want you, and whatever comes with it, I don’t care.” He cradled her face with both hands. “I want Claire.”
She closed her eyes, and he dropped his hands to her shoulders, sliding them down the satiny smooth skin of her arms to her hands. He took her hands from behind her and pulled them forward, just holding them. She didn’t pull away. He sensed she was leaning toward letting him in.
Finally she spoke, the words filling him with elation. “We’d have to keep it quiet.”
Not that he wanted to keep it quiet. He just wanted to be with her so much he was willing to play the game her way. For now. He kissed her softly and spoke against her lips. “Is that a yes?”
“Yes.” She shoved him away. “Now stop kissing me. One date. Jake and Claire.”
“Why do I have to stop kissing you?”
“Because you want to get to know me, remember?”
“I can get to know your body first. Get reacquainted.”
She laughed. “Yeah. I’ve heard that one before.”
He figured she probably did. Everyone wanted the sexiest woman alive. He’d seen the magazine giving her that honor and her bikini body splashed everywhere. He knew that kind of attention didn’t always bring out the best in people, and he realized he had to stand out from the pack.
He stepped back and helped her off the table.
“Such a gentleman,” she teased.
“It’s all an illusion,” he replied, not bothering to hide the edge of unsatisfied lust in his voice.
“Story of my life,” she said breezily. “I’ll text Hailey to let you know when I’m free.”
“At least give me your number now that we’ve established how much you lust for me.” She laughed, and he grinned. “I’d like to stop going through other people.” He pulled his cell from his pocket, punched in the code, and handed it over.
She typed her number in while saying, “I never give this number to anyone. Only a handful of people have it on a need-to-know basis. Can you handle that kind of responsibility?”
“What do you think?” It was an honor and, hell, he’d earned it with all his restraint.
She met his eyes, fire back in hers. “I hope so. I swear I will hunt you down—”
He cut her off with a kiss. Not a gentle one. The kind that said he’d be taking what he wanted and she’d damn well like it. She sagged against him.
When he was good and ready, he broke the kiss and snagged his cell from her limp hand. “Later, Claire Jordan.”
She fought back a smile and then beamed a big one at him, stunningly beautiful in her well-kissed, hot-for-him state. “Later, Jake Campbell.”
He grinned and headed out the door. Now that was more like it.



Author Bio:
Kylie Gilmore is the USA Today bestselling author of the Clover Park series, the Clover Park STUDS series, and the brand new Happy Endings Book Club series. She writes humorous romance that makes you laugh, cry, and reach for a cold glass of water.
Kylie lives in New York with her family, two cats, and a nutso dog. When she's not writing, wrangling kids, or dutifully taking notes at writing conferences, you can find her flexing her muscles all the way to the high cabinet for her secret chocolate stash. 
XBTBanner1

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

BOOK BLITZ for "Fire and Bone (Otherborn, #1)" by Rachel A. Marks

Fire and Bone 
(Otherborn, #1)
by Rachel A. Marks
Publication date: February 20th, 2018
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult
“Gossip Girl meets Percy Jackson in the glitz and grit of L.A….” 
In Hollywood’s underworld of demigods, druids, and ancient bonds, one girl has a dangerous future. 
Sage is eighteen, down on her luck, and struggling to survive on the streets of Los Angeles. Everything changes the night she’s invited to a party — one that turns out to be a trap. 
Thrust into a magical world hidden within the City of Angels, Sage discovers that she’s the daughter of a Celtic goddess, with powers that are only in their infancy. Now that she is of age, she’s asked to pledge her service to one of the five deities, all keen on winning her favor by any means possible. She has to admit that she’s tempted — especially when this new life comes with spells, Hollywood glam, and a bodyguard with secrets of his own. Not to mention a prince whose proposal could boost her rank in the Otherworld. 
As loyalties shift, and as the two men vie for her attention, Sage tries to figure out who to trust in a realm she doesn’t understand. One thing’s for sure: the trap she’s in has bigger claws than she thought. And it’s going to take a lot more than magic for this Celtic demigoddess to make it out alive.

Excerpt:
LILY
I try to hide my shivering as I wait before the altar, in my position as the Bonding begins. Around me, shadows dance over the cairn walls from the restless flames licking up the ram’s body—the sacrifice on the pyre behind me—and the smell of sweat and burnt flesh smother the smoky air.
The King of Ravens paints an alarming image, standing almost naked across from me on the other side of the blood circle. He wears the corona radiata, the golden laurel-leafed crown, on his head of onyx hair. His short beard is neatly trimmed, combed with lavender oil for the ceremony. His sharp silver eyes study me beneath a heavy brow.
I try not to think about the past. Or future. I try not to think about what those hard hands will feel like on my skin when he seals this Bond.
I study the stone floor rather than look in those metallic eyes. I feel them on me, though, the same way they have been for the fortnight I’ve been here preparing for the ceremony. He hasn’t touched me; he’s only brought me gifts and insisted I sit with him beside the greatfire in the evening before he goes out for his hunt. Sometimes I smell him in the hallway outside my rooms. But he never comes in, thank the goddess. The scent of blood is heavy on him in those moments. I’m not sure what I would’ve done if he’d attempted anything.
After this is done, it won’t matter. My bed will be his. As will my life.
A druid walks back and forth behind me, tossing rosemary and lavender onto the pyre after each stanza of his spell. He calls to the wind from the east, he calls to the waters in the west, and he pulls the spirit of flame and earth into the cairn with us, asking the Penta to approve the Bond set to be made between the two most powerful Houses, as he pleads for a blessing from our mothers, Brighid and Morrígan, and thanks the Cast for their permission to seal the Bond between the two very different powers.
A female druid comes to my side with bowl and brush, beginning to paint my skin in blue woad, tracing patterns of knots and runes across my back, then baring my chest and continuing.
The king’s gaze follows the woman’s strokes, and when she’s finished, he raises his chin at me in approval but says nothing. What does he see when he looks at me? My wild copper hair? My simple features? The awkward birthmark just above my heart? I’m round of cheek and hips and not much of a beauty. But however I look to him, I will belong to him.
Determination is set in hard lines on his face, and I wonder if the torque on his neck is working properly. I can see his dark energy lifting in silver and black curls over his shoulders now. It should be tight inside his skin, as mine is. The iron shackle should be holding it in place so that we don’t harm each other in the first merging, before we can get used to the feel of each other’s powers.
The female druid moves to the king next and begins painting the woad in circles over his torso. The druid chanting behind me recites the final section of his spell, walking the ram’s-blood circle painted on the floor. He holds a rowan stick aloft, flicking rosewater over the king and then me as he passes by, mumbling, “A price paid, a covenant sealed, in earth and blood and ash, in spirit and flesh and fire.”
The price is my will, my soul, in payment for the life of the human prince that I took.
In the center of the circle, between the king and me, is an altar with two bowls set atop, one full of salt, one full of rye.
The iron union dagger rests between them.
I stare at it, imagining the blade cutting into my flesh. And I can’t help when my gaze moves to the king. I want to blink and make this moment a dream, perhaps find myself in the thicket with Lailoken, among the bluebells in the Caledonian wood.
I should run from this son of Morrígan, deny him, deny our mothers, and let the world burn. But my heart twists at the thought. I was running from duty when fate took my heart from me, when the prince succumbed to my fire’s will. It was the childish notion of freedom that tore him from me.
Now it’s time to accept my punishment for allowing the humans to glimpse our world. Time to atone.
The druid’s voice fills the room again. “When moon gives birth to stars,” he says, in a droning hum, flicking more rosewater over us with the rowan stick, “let this Bond be sealed in blood.”
My skin prickles with fear as the king takes the cue, reaching out to pick up the ceremonial dagger by the leather-wrapped hilt. I focus on not moving, not making a sound, as I watch him bring the blade to his chest, tip pricking his left breast. A drop of crimson pearls up at the spot.
With a slow hiss of breath, he cuts across.
Dark blood slides down his abdomen in a thick swath of red. “My blood with yours,” he says. And he turns the knife, holding out the hilt for me.
My hands clench into fists at my side, and I force my shaking limbs to still.
I breathe in slowly again. Then I reach out, taking the ceremonial dagger from him, careful not to touch his fingers.
I pretend not to care about the cage I’m about to be locked in. About the pain in my soul from loss, from the goddess Brighid abandoning me to this darkness, pain from the reality of everything in front of me.
I press the tip of the blade to the center of my chest, the point breaking the skin. I look into the silver eyes of the king in front of me. And consider my fate.
One deep plunge to the heart and the pain will end. One plunge.
One.




Author Bio:
Rachel A. Marks is a cancer survivor, a writer and artist, a surfer and dirt-bike rider, chocolate lover and keeper of faerie secrets. Her four kids and amazing hubby put up with her nerdiness with tremendous grace, even when she makes them watch Buffy or Smallville re-runs for days on end. She was voted: Most Likely To Survive A Zombie Apocalypse, but hopes she'll never have to test the theory. 


XBTBanner1

Tuesday, February 20, 2018

BOOK REVIEW for "Last Chances" by Jeanne Bannon

***(3) out of 5 stars

Last Chances
by Jeanne Bannon 
Published: February 9th, 2018
Genres: Contemporary, Romance

SYNOPSIS:

Two lost causes in need of one last chance.

Love isn't easy to find when your heart has been shattered. 

Will Hayden's walls come crashing down when the beautiful, intelligent, and quirky Pressley James enters his life or, will he retreat as usual and let his last chance slip away? 

(Last Chances will appeal to readers of Maya Banks, Kresley Cole, and Debbie Macomber.)

REVIEW:

I rather enjoyed this cute story about last chances.  Of course, I am a sucker for contemporary romance in general.  And the fact that the setting was a no-kill animal shelter certainly didn't hurt.  

All of the main characters were very distinctive individuals with their own quirks, with whom I found it easy to make a connection.  Will and Pressley were both vulnerable, adorable personas who it was fun to watch come together.  But my favorite character had to be Jasper, the German Shepherd/Mastiff mix who was well past his quota of chances.    

Most of the action of the story was back and forth about whether or not Jasper was going to be put to sleep for being too aggressive.  The whole concept started getting real annoying before too long.  But since it was used as one of the major plot devices, it would have been hard to avoid.

I found quite a few things to be rather implausible, not the leat of which was how little these supposedly veteran pet care givers seemed to know about animal behavior and training.

Overall though, it was a quick, fun, clean, and (eventually) uplifting tale.  One that I would definitely recommend for dog lovers and romantics alike.   
  
Although no longer on pre-order, 
Last Chances is currently still just 99-cents on Amazon.


I received a free eBook copy of this title from the author for acting as a Beta reader.

Monday, February 19, 2018

BLOG TOUR & AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Ariella Moon for "The Amber Elixir (A Two Realms Novella, #1)"

The Amber Elixir 
(A Two Realms Novella, #1)
by Ariella Moon
Publication date: October 3rd, 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Viviane, the new Lady of the Lake and High Priestess of Avalon, accepts a challenge from Merlin unaware her bold actions will have tragic consequences. Two of her priestesses are turned to stone. A forbidden love deserts her. Now alone, she has six young handmaidens to train and protect. 
When Morgan le Fay demands assistance with a spell that could change the balance of power in the Two Realms, Viviane refuses her. But what if Morgan’s secret knowledge could restore the stone priestesses? Will an alliance prompt Viviane’s love to return? Or will the gamble cost her all she holds dear?

~AUTHOR INTERVIEW with Ariella Moon~

1) What gave you the inspiration for the storyline?  

In The Viking Mist, my upcoming sequel to The Beltane Escape, Talfryn, a half-Viking/half-Fairy, is thrust into a deadly quest to recover a stolen magic potion. My editor said, “Your readers want more Merlin. More of the Lady of the Lake. More magic.”

My muse whispered, “Tell them how the potion came into existence.” From this cacophony, was born the idea to work backwards in time with a series of companion novellas. The Amber Elixir gives the backstory for the magic potion central to The Viking Mist.

2) Are there any hidden themes in the book that you hope readers will discover?

The exploration of love—supportive, unrequited, and estranged—underpins The Amber Elixir. Love elicits such heightened emotions. So, too, does female power and ambition, another theme in the novella.

3) Are any of the characters based on real people you know?

Aspects of me are sprinkled among the young handmaidens, but otherwise, no.

4) Who has influenced you most as a writer?

I was a voracious reader while I was growing up. Reviewers, especially of The Beltane Escape, have noted some of my childhood influences, including Lewis Carroll’s Through The Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There, C. S. Lewis’s  The Chronicles of Narnia, and L. Frank Baum’s, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Later, Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon opened the door for female-centric Arthurian tales like The Amber Elixir, and Gregory Maguire’s Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, further inspired me.

5) If you could have any three literary characters over to your place for game night, who would you invite, what would you play, what would you serve, and why?

The thought of hosting any kind of party terrifies me!

I would invite Hermione Granger because she is brilliant and I love being around smart people. For the same reason, the second invitation would go to Alexia Maccon, the Lady Woolsey, from Gail Carriger’s wonderful Steampunk novels. The final invitation would go to Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple. I would serve tea, brownies, and strawberries. The tea would be a nod to the Brits. The brownies would be because Alexia shares my weakness for sweets, and strawberries so there would be something healthy on the menu. We’d play Clue.

6) Do you feel that you can ever have too many books?

One can never have too many books. However, it is quite possible to have too few bookcases.


Author Bio:
Ariella Moon draws upon her experiences as a shaman and former teen to create magical Young Adult fiction. Her series include The Two Realms Trilogy, a medieval Scotland and Fairy fantasy adventure, and The Teen Wytche Saga, a series of sweet contemporary paranormal romances. Moon’s “Covert Hearts” appears in Second Chances: A Romance Writers of America Collection. 
Ms. Moon spent her childhood flying to rooftops in her dreams and searching for a magical wardrobe that would transport her to Narnia. Extreme math anxiety and taller students who mistook her for a leaning post, marred her youth. Despite these horrors, she graduated summa cum laude from the University of California at Davis. She lives a nearly normal life doting on her extraordinary daughter, two shamelessly spoiled dogs, and a media-shy dragon. 
XBTBanner1