Blog Tour Promo - Captured by Christmas by Lynn Crandall

Captured by Christmas: A Christmas Anthology
Author: Lynn Crandall
Publisher: Amazon Digital Services
Pages: 129
Genre: Holiday Romance
Format: Ecopy

Book Description:
It’s Christmas, and the season of holly, Christmas trees, and goodwill is drifting on air in merry holiday wishes. Romantic suspense and paranormal author Lynn Crandall and contemporary author Lainee Cole present in their own way two stories of love in Captured by Christmas. However it finds you—under a Christmas tree or drifted in snow in a backwoods cabin—the spirit of the season will wrap you in love.

In Snowbound, Lynn Crandall lets readers check in on favorite Fierce Hearts series were-lynx characters Kennedy Mitchell and Asher Monroe as they uncover the identity of the creature scaring the humans in Octavia, a small rural community in northern Michigan. Plans for an intimate getaway and family-style holiday are crumbling as the snow piles higher and Kennedy and Asher find themselves snowbound with a killer outside their door.

In The Mistletoe Effect, Christmas is second-grade teacher Tess McCall’s least favorite holiday, but she’s doing her best not to let it show. Learning he’s a father to seven-year-old Holly makes Alex Randle anxious about the upcoming holidays. When Tess’s class starts reading to shelter dogs, Holly and the antics of shelter dog Mistletoe lead them all to rediscover the magic of Christmas.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Golden Dragon by V.E. Ulett

Golden Dragon

(Code Black #1)
Author: V.E. Ulett
Genre: Historical Fantasy/Steampunk Adventure
Release Date: October 30th, 2016

Book Description:
Romance, Intrigue, and Airships - Code Black Book 1

Miriam Kodio Blackwell is caught between East and West. When a Code Black arises she is recruited by Lord Q, head of British intelligence and airships, who helps Miriam escape Iran only to press her into service of the Crown. Will Miriam survive when she's put aboard the airship Nonesuch—with her captain, crew, and a Hell-Cat of fearsome reputation—and the assignment to rescue the niece of a Dutch ally taken captive in the South China Sea?

Golden Dragon is a witty new steampunk adventure, set in the Romantic age of Byron and Shelley.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ Indiebound

Release Blitz - Wilder by Lena North

Wilder

Author: Lena North

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy
Date Published: 12/14/2016

Book Description:
Wilder’s wonderful grandfather is dead, and so is her mother, but Grandpa Willy gives her one final gift in his will – the knowledge that her father is only her step-father.

Once she meets Hawker, the scary man who turns out to be her real dad, her life takes an unexpected turn. She finds out about a heritage she never knew she had, and secrets from the past are uncovered as she fights to save her part of the world from destruction.

And then there’s Mac, with his green eyes and a soft voice that flows through her like sweet honey. He’s there to help Wilder when she needs it the most, and as she struggles with how to fit into the group of people around her dad - having Mac in her life becomes more important with every bad thing that happens.

“Wilder” is the first in the Birds of a Feather series and a spin-off from the Dreughan trilogy. It’s set in modern time and can be read stand-alone.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ Book Buzz

BOOK REVIEW: The Ascension by Lauren Hudson

The Ascension

Author: Lauren Hudson
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Release Date: October 10th, 2016

Book Description:
Desdemona, Felix and Jinx live as only children in their ordinary houses with their ordinary parents. But on their fifteenth birthdays, at the stroke of midnight, they come to realize nothing is as it seems. Thrown into a world completely unknown, they learn the identity of their biological mother, Jane Anchor, a member of the mysterious Asterian race and a woman whose goal is terror and destruction.

As the Anchor kids enter The House, a group of Asterians who secretly co-exist with us to help mankind, Jane sets a plot in motion to lure her progeny to a fortress atop Truchas Peak. Seven days is all the Anchor kids have to liberate Asterians from Jane's threatened reign of terror. Can three naïve, yet powerful kids confront evil and preserve a community of guardian angels on earth?

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway - Unexpected Rewards (Not Every Girl #2) by Jane McGarry

Unexpected Rewards
(Not Every Girl #2)
Author: Jane McGarry
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: August 11th, 2016
Clean Reads

Book Description:
Olivia Davenport is looking forward to her future. After all, Prince Liam has professed his love and King William has promised her a reward for her role on a recent mission. She fully expects to continue her knightly training while enjoying a blossoming romance with her Prince. The King, however, has other ideas, appointing her as a lady-in-waiting to Queen Helen.

Thrust into unfamiliar territory and left to fend against the malicious women of court, Olivia feels awkward and confused. With the help of her new friend, Kat, and her sister, Anne, she tries to find her footing among the courtiers, their protocol, and the added complication of Jocelyn Crawford, a lady who has her eyes set on becoming Liam’s bride.

When, a disturbing prophecy puts the safety of the King in question, fear spreads through kingdom. Intrigue abounds at the palace with an enigmatic witch and a strict Friar at the center of the controversy. Olivia must use her training and instincts to unravel what is truly going on in order to protect the King. Through it all, she questions if she will ever be able to fit into Liam’s life and if, in the end, their love can prevail.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ CA ¦ B&N ¦ Kobo ¦ Smashwords

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Travelers by K.L. Kranes

The Travelers
Author: K.L. Kranes
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: October 2nd, 2016
Sanguaro Books

Book Description:
Dagny lives a dangerous life. Pursued by an unknown enemy, Dagny and her family are always on the run and must use magic to stay hidden and safe. When Dagny meets Marc, everything changes. For the first time, she can imagine a future that doesn't involve constantly changing her life. Despite the risk, Dagny vows to stop running. But as their enemies start closing in, Dagny wonders if she can ever really live a normal life and if she can actually trust Marc.

This fast-paced debut novel by K.L. Kranes merges fantasy and romance and takes the reader on an exciting magical adventure.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N

Cover Reveal - Obsidian Sky by Amy Braun

Obsidian Sky
(Dark Sky #3)

Author: Amy Braun
Publication Date: February 7th, 2017
Genres: Dystopian, Fantasy, Young Adult

Release Blitz - Disaster at Roosevelt Ranch by Elise Faber

Disaster at Roosevelt Ranch

Author: Elise Faber

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Date Published: December 13, 2016

Book Description:
I slept with the wrong twin.

And all I got for it in return was a broken heart.

Oh yeah, and a baby on the way—there’s that too.

But I’m determined to make it on my own. I don’t need a man, thank you very much. Not rich, charismatic, and decidedly flighty Rex Roosevelt, and especially not his twin brother, Justin.

No matter that the gorgeous former military doctor makes my heart beat a little faster . . . and all spots lower than that pay careful, careful attention.

None of that matters. The Roosevelt men are dangerous and I’m steering clear.

The trouble is, Justin refuses to leave me be.

And deep down, I don’t want to avoid him.

Deep down, I want to be even closer.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway - Hero High: Figure in the Flames by Mina Chara

Hero High: Figure in the Flames
Author: Mina Chara
Genre: YA Mystery Romance/Superheroes
Release Date: October 1st, 2016

Book Description:
Reality TV meets Superhero High School in this intriguing story about friendship, fame, and what it means to be a hero.

In Icon City superheroes save the day every day on the quarter hour. Led by Captain Fantastic, scores of superhero celebrities do their best to train the next generation. Seventeen year old Friday Fitzsimmons and Jake her childhood friend are their latest starstruck recruits. When Doctor Dangerous returns from the dead and the Figure in Flames decimates the city, Captain Fantastic is betrayed by one of his own.

Torn between Jake, Ashley and her feelings for Doctor Dangerous, Friday must decide if her childhood friend is worth fighting for, and if the worlds most famous super-villain is worth saving, all while learning how to be a hero.

On sale this week only (12/12-12/16)!

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Spotlight - A Darker Shore by Malia Zaldi

A Darker Shore
Author: Malia Zaldi
Publisher: Bookbaby
Pages: 400
Genre: Historical Mystery

Book Description:
1926: A year has passed since the events of "A Poisonous Journey" and Lady Evelyn has made a home for herself in Greece, living with her cousin, Briony, her husband, Jeffrey and Daniel Harper. Disturbing this island idyll is a letter, which arrives from France with troubling information about the Daniel’s long-believed-dead brother, Henry. A new journey awaits! With the shadows of the Great War reaching out, Lady Evelyn and Daniel voyage to Amiens in Northern France with the aim of discovering the truth behind the ominous letter. Upon their arrival, they are met not with clarity but rather with crime. Murder, to be precise. Is it linked to their presence in France, or even worse, to Henry himself?  Evelyn and Daniel must confront their history as they try to make sense of the present before the killer can strike again, and the secrets of the past are lost forever.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

Book Blitz & Giveaway - The Secret Billionaire by Teymour Shahabi

 

The Secret Billionaire
Author: Teymour Shahabi
Publication Date: September 26th, 2016
Genres: Mystery, Young Adult 

Book Description:

March 24. Billionaire Lyndon Surway takes off in his private plane and never returns. 

His will leaves the entirety of his wealth—one of the largest fortunes in history—to his “dear friend Lucian Baker.” Only there is no trace of anyone by that name. And the fortune itself is nowhere to be found.

Andrew Day knows nothing of wealth and privilege, but he won a scholarship to study at the most exclusive school in the country, in the town where the mystery, decades later, remains unsolved. There he discovers friendship and danger with the aristocratic Cameron and the beautiful Olivia. But watchful eyes follow him everywhere… Until, one night, he comes across a secret that will change his life. As he begins to unravel what really happened to the Surway fortune, the question remains: who is Lucian Baker? 

Winner: Northern California Book Festival, Best Young Adult Book, 2016

Winner: Great Midwest Book Festival, Best Young Adult Book, 2016

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

BOOK REVIEW: Lost in Wonderland (The Twisted and the Brave #1) by Nicky Peacock

Lost in Wonderland

(The Twisted and the Brave #1)

Author: Nicky Peacock

Book Description:

Monsters, serial killers, and imaginary friends—being a Wonderlander can be murder...

Once upon a time, Kayla was lost. Then she found Wonderland, but not the one you know. Run by ex-government agents and funded by an eccentric Silicon Valley billionaire, this Wonderland is the name of a collective of highly trained vigilantes who hunt serial killers. Now Kayla, aka Mouse, works tirelessly alongside her fellow Wonderlanders, Rabbit and Cheshire, baiting dangerous murderers. But even her extensive training hasn’t prepared her for the return of her older brother…

Shilo has spent most of his life in an insane asylum, convinced his mother was abducted by a sinister Alaskan monster who lures the lost away to feast upon their flesh. And now he’s certain that his sister is in the same monster’s crosshairs. But if Shilo is going to save what’s left of his family, he’ll have to convince his sister that maybe, just maybe, we’re all a little mad.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

MY REVIEW

Now this is what I call a kick-ass assassin. Forget Hit-Girl. Welcome Kayla, aka Mouse. She may be petite but she's deadly. Mouse resides at Wonderland, an organisation dedicated to purging the world of murderers. Mouse has had a tough upbringing. After the murder of her mother, her father committing suicide and her older brother, Shilo, being admitted into a mental asylum for insisting that a monster known as the Kushtaka killed their mother, Mouse finds herself in the foster care system. Her life takes a turn when she meets the Wonderlanders, who train her to be a shoot-first-ask-questions-later vigilante - or rather, just a shoot-to-kill assassin. No serial killer is safe with the Wonderlanders around.

This was an enjoyable read. It was fast paced, adventurous and full of adrenaline. Although there were a few subplots taking place, they all tied up quite neatly to the main plot, that being Mouse coming to terms with what really happened the day her mother was murdered. As much as she wishes to put the past behind her, it appears the murderer is still on the loose and it has a great yearning for her blood. Perhaps Shilo isn't as crazy as everyone thinks him to be.

This is a very dark tale, but what I liked was that the detail of the deaths weren't too gorey or too graphic. The descriptions surrounding the killings was handled well. The idea that Mouse was taken in by this organisation at a young age and while she was in a vulnerable state was provoking. Although Kenneth and Sandra - founders of Wonderland - weren't directly portrayed as villains, I couldn't help but to see them as such for infiltrating Mouse's vulnerable mind and making her believe that was the life she deserved. The villain of Mouse's story weren't the serial killers but rather those whom she referred to as Mum and Dad. It's one thing to alert a child to the true nature of the world. It's another thing entirely to throw them into the lions' den. It was a brilliant depiction of lost innocence, purely for the fact that the seedy and unethical nature of Kenneth's and Sandra's organisation wasn't directly addressed but subtly hinted at.

I liked that Mouse was a flawed character. After the upbringing she's had, it's expected. It was good to see different sides to her character. I can't say the same for the other characters as there wasn't much revealed about them to form lasting impressions. Yes, they were quirky but there wasn't much about them that demanded my attention. I did like the twist with Mr. Custard, Shilo's imaginary yellow friend. Another issue that I found disrupting was the lack of explanation with certain situations. Sometimes, you're thrust into events without warning or explanation. All you can do is assume you'll catch on to what's happening, and just when things are starting to clear up, the scene ends. It would have been nice to have certain scenes fleshed out a little more to keep me fully engaged in the story. It was just a little too choppy at times, which left some of the scenes feeling unfinished. Mouse's hunts ended before they began. We are told a lot about her lifestyle, but because we see so little of it, scenes moving so swiftly we don't really get to experience her life as an assasin, we don't get to really discover how she feels about her life through her actions and reactions. It would have been nice to experience Mouse's state of mind in these situations just a little bit more.

I know this is classified as a twist on the classic Alice in Wonderland, and I was expecting to feel that connection, but I didn't. I couldn't connect with any of the Alice in Wonderland references. If anything, it seemed to be an intrusion. I didn't see the point of the references when this story clearly stands strongly on its own two feet. It made me tune out sometimes. It wasn't a great distraction but, every so often, I would be reminded of Alice in Wonderland when I didn't feel I needed to be as this was Mouse's story and that was who I wanted to focus on.

Overall, I very much enjoyed the story. I was excited throughout. The little issues I found with the story wasn't a dealbreaker for me, so it was definitely worth the read.

VERDICT:

GOLD

Award: Gold

Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars

Source: Author

Blog Tour Excerpt - The Star-Crossed Saga Series by Braxton A. Cosby

The award-winning StarCrossed Saga series, where teen romance blends with science fiction to open a whole new world of action, adventure and discovery

Protostar

Author: Braxton A. Cosby

Genre: YA Science Fiction/Romance
Publisher: Cosby Media Productions

Book 1 of the award-winning StarCrossed Saga series, where teen romance blends with science fiction to open a whole new world of action, adventure and discovery!

Book Description:
What Would You Choose: Love or Duty?

As the Torrian Alliance continues its age-old mission of hunting down Star-children, King Gregorio Derry reluctantly agrees to send his only son, William, to planet Earth on a mission to bring honor back to the Royal Family name. The target: Sydney, a young teenage girl, unaware of her alien heritage. When an unforeseen accident delays the assassination, William begins to realize a connection forming with Sydney and struggles to follow through with his orders. With the fear of Civil War imminent back home, William must make the ultimate choice between his irrevocable duty and love, sacrificing everything he believes. But as a hidden menace emerges to secure a vested interest, and impossible odds begin to mount against them, William and Sydney wonder if a connection between two Star-Crossed lovers is enough to save them from destruction.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N

Book Blitz & Giveaway - Discord by Katy Haye

Discord
Author: Katy Haye
Genre: Young Adult
Release Date: December 8th, 2016

Book Description:
Beth forgot her past. What if there’s nothing to remember?

Seventeen-year-old Beth has brain damage. That’s why she lives in a hospital in the middle of the English countryside filled with therapeutic music and medical tests. Some days she feels well enough to go home, but other days – the days filled with shadows and ghosts, and a strong sense of déjà vu – she fears she’ll never get better.

Toby’s arrival signals a turning point. Beth faces her fears instead of hiding from them. But even with Toby’s help, is she strong enough to face a truth that is stranger than anything Beth could imagine?

On sale for only $0.99 from 12/8-12/10!

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK

CBY'S Saturday Current Reads - The Ascension by Lauren Hudson

 MY SATURDAY CURRENT READS IS:

Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Release Date: October 10th, 2016

Book Description:
 Desdemona, Felix and Jinx live as only children in their ordinary houses with their ordinary parents. But on their fifteenth birthdays, at the stroke of midnight, they come to realize nothing is as it seems. Thrown into a world completely unknown, they learn the identity of their biological mother, Jane Anchor, a member of the mysterious Asterian race and a woman whose goal is terror and destruction.

As the Anchor kids enter The House, a group of Asterians who secretly co-exist with us to help mankind, Jane sets a plot in motion to lure her progeny to a fortress atop Truchas Peak. Seven days is all the Anchor kids have to liberate Asterians from Jane's threatened reign of terror. Can three naïve, yet powerful kids confront evil and preserve a community of guardian angels on earth?

Buy Links:
Amazon US ¦ UK

Blog Tour Promo & Giveaway - S.H.A.Y. by Christina Leigh Pritchard

S.H.A.Y.
(Almost #1)
Author: Christina Leigh Pritchard
Genre: NA Scifi/Suspense
Release Date: August 16th, 2016
Limitless Publishing

Book Description:
Experiment 318: Gone Rogue

Shay is scientific experiment #318. Science may have created her, but she refuses to allow it to blind her to the difference between right and wrong…

Synthetic Hominid Assumed Youth (S.H.A.Y.) is eighteen years old, which means she has completed Phase One: Developmental. Shay no longer requires the assistance of her Optional Human Parent, Darla, who has guided her in the process of discovering her morality. Shay loves her easy, charming life aboard the marine research facility and doesn’t want it to change.

Phase Two: Experimental. All S.H.A.Y. ages 18-20 will experience loss…

Darla shouldn’t have to die because of an experiment. The thought of losing the only parent she’s ever known is too much. Determined to make sure the scientists at the facility don’t get their way, Shay entraps Darla in a transport device to escape across the Miami Border. There, on the mainland, law enforcement will keep her human parent safe. 

Escape Mission: Failed…

Shay crashes into one of the Lone Keys off the coast of Florida, abandoned to all humanity, except for the stranger who drags her ashore. Shay must get Darla to safety or she will die of radiation poisoning trapped inside the Freeze Portal, but Shay can’t do it alone.

The boy who found her, an Ersatz Reproduction Intelligence Clone (E.R.I.C.), is her only hope. He has adaptation skills she needs to complete her mission. Eric was created by the same scientists who want to kill Darla, though. She tries to keep their interaction strictly business, but it’s hard to hate him. He’s flirty, charming and not to mention devastatingly handsome.

Shay must put her trust in Eric’s hands if she wants to save Darla from her fate. It may be worth her heart, but will it be worth her life?

Buy Links:

Amazon US ¦ UK ¦ B&N ¦ BAM