Book Blitz & Giveaway ~ Lost Without You by Liz Hannah

Lost Without You (Haven #1)

by Liz Hannah 

Release Date: 12/30/13

Summary from Goodreads:

Grace Young thought she was a survivor - until the day her twin brother died, leaving her parents heartbroken and their relationship with Grace fractured beyond repair. Now all Grace wants is a chance to experience something of a normal life, before it's all too late.

Going to college hundreds of miles from home seems like the right way to embrace her new found freedom, especially after years of homeschooling, but while Grace takes to her classes naturally, it's the other side of college that she's unprepared for.

The parties. The friendships. The boys. Especially one Dean Michaels, the Haven University's star soccer player. Fate throws the pair together, and their friendship starts to turn into something more. But can Grace keep the secrets of her past hidden without hurting those she's come to count on the most?

Excerpt:

It’s dark when I wake, except for the glow of the television. There’s no sound, but the movie we started watching earlier is playing; again, I presume, because I’m pretty sure that I’ve seen this part before. I can’t remember what it was about, aside from that it was a nineties adaption of Jane Austen’s Emma, the Californian accents all too uncomfortably familiar.

I blink a couple of times, stretching out. My arm collides with something solid, and I freeze, realizing that I’m not alone on the couch. Glancing upwards, I find myself looking into emerald eyes that seem to be illuminated in the soft light.


Oh, that’s right.


I quickly scramble to sit up, only to pause again the next second, my balance wavering. I’m half on Dean’s lap, and his hands shoot out to my waist to steady me before I fall off. A small wave of dizziness flows through me, and though I’m acutely aware of Dean’s fingers pressing into my side, a sweater the only thing between our skin, I’m glad that he has hold of me.


“Hey.” I take a deep breath in before exhaling. The hand I’ve placed on his shoulder burns like fire, and there’s an intensity building that scares me to death, but I can’t quite bring myself to pull away. In fact, instead of moving away from Dean like I should, I’m acutely aware that we’re so close, his breath tickling the loose strands of hair around my face.


“Hi.” His voice is thick from sleep. He tucks one behind my ear, his fingers hovering over the side of my face for a fraction of a second before pulling away. I want to lean in to his touch.


I shift my gaze away from his. This is not me. I’m not the kind of girl who melts when a guy looks at her. Especially one I still don’t know that well.


Lies, a voice hisses inside my head. You do know this boy, better than you think. Better than you want to know.


“You looked so peaceful; I didn’t want to wake you.” I could feel his words rumble in his chest. My lips turn up in a small smile. He was watching me sleep?


A quick look down at his watch told me it was well after midnight. I don’t even want to know how many texts Rosie’s sent to find out where I am. The thought alone sends a blush across my face.


“I didn’t mean to fall asleep. It’s been a long week.”


Dean nodded. “Midterms are an ass.”


I shift slightly, moving my weight into the dip between his legs, alleviating the pressure on his own, but he didn’t seem to mind. Instinctively, as if he thought I was about to run off, his fingers bunched the edges of my sweater together, holding on to me tighter.


I’m not going anywhere.


“What are you doing for Thanksgiving?”


I look down, at his chest. It rises slowly with his heartbeat, calm and even. How can he be so relaxed? I can feel the tension knotting its way through my own body. The v neck of his sweater dips low, small swirls of hair escaping up. I wonder what it would feel like to run my hand across his chest.


I blink. Question. He’d asked a question.


“Uh, nothing, as of yet. Study? Maybe. What about you?”


My voice sounds as if I just swallowed helium. His he as affected by me as I am of him?


I wouldn’t know. I can’t look him directly in the eye, so I concentrate on a spot on the wall, just below his ear. Brown locks curl around the nape of his neck, and it takes all of my self-control to not stretch out and play with them. What was it about the darkness that made us so bold?


“Come home with me. Have Thanksgiving with my family.”


I straighten up. Hands tighten around my waist, preparing for me to bolt. I don’t give in to my instinct to run. With all the heat that was passing between us, what did going home with him mean?
And why was my brain screaming at me to say yes?

About the Author

Liz Hannah is a New Adult author that calls both Scotland and Australia home. Currently studying at university, when she’s not busy reading or writing, Liz can be found procrastinating from her studies pinning everything on Pinterest or collecting GIFs from Tumblr. 

Author Links:

   

***GIVEAWAY***

International giveaway – one winner will win a New Adult prize pack, consisting of Lost Without You swag, two New Adult titles and a dandelion necklace, as featured in Lost Without You.

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Book Blitz Organized by:

Book Blitz & Giveaway ~ Darkness Watching by Emma L Adams

Darkness Watching

by Emma L Adams

Release Date: 10^th October 2013

Publisher: Curiosity Quills

Genre: Urban fantasy/paranormal
Target Audience: Upper YA/New Adult


Summary from Goodreads:


Eighteen-year-old Ashlyn is one interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she's losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back.


Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone, in the middle of nowhere - little knowing that it isn't coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world.


All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life - but demons never give up, and their focus on Ash has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she's looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is.


In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be...

Excerpt

David turned to me. "You okay? I saw that girl stand on your foot."

"I'll live," I said, examining the ugly purple bruise already forming. "Ouch."

Then I saw something that chilled me instantly. Not two feet away from me―one of those dark spaces, a patch of nothingness, like a tear in the universe. I stared helplessly, waiting for the inevitable pair of malevolent purple eyes to meet mine.

But there was nothing there. Just blackness.

"Ash? What're you looking at?" said Sarah.

"Nothing," I said, tearing my gaze away. "Thought I saw someone I knew."

Out of the corner of my eye, I continued to watch the dark space.

"I think clubbing's kind of overrated," said Alex. "Yeah, it's fun for a bit, but I'd rather be watching a film or sitting in a pub or something."

"Ditto," said Sarah.

I shifted my gaze back to the dark space- and I almost stopped breathing. Something stepped out of the darkness.

The something was a shadow, black as the gap itself, hunched and shapeless, but as it moved, it seemed to solidify into an animalistic shape, crouched on all fours. Shadows blurred around it like a long shaggy coat.

This was no demon; it was something else. I could hear its soft footfalls on the pavement. This creature was here, physically, not hiding behind a dark space. Before, I'd always instinctively known the demons weren't part of the world as I knew it. But this creature was as solidly here as I was.

I backed away, almost tripping over the front step of Satan's Pit.

"Ash? You okay?"

"Fine," I said, amazed at how steady my voice sounded, despite the tremors that made my heart rattle against my rib cage. "It's really cold out here. I think we should go back inside."

"You sure?" David looked at me doubtfully. "Okay, then."

Coward. A sharp voice in my head berated me for running away. But I didn't want this, not now. Not now I'd almost regained a normal life.

But before I could follow Alex, Sarah, and David back inside, someone grabbed my arm.

"It's sensed you," a voice hissed. 'You can't go back in there."

I turned. It was the girl who'd knocked into me earlier, the red-haired girl from the car.

Swaying unsteadily on her three-inch heels, she pointed at the creature, which crept closer until its muzzle almost brushed my feet. It looked like a shadowy, oversized fox, but the eyes it fixed on me were crimson, like bloody gouges in its face.

I felt an icy claw grip my heart, rooting me to the spot.

"Shit," I whispered. "What the hell is that?"

"A shadow-beast. It can't see you, but it can sense you," whispered the girl. "Move."

But I couldn't move. I was backed up against the door to Satan's Pit.

The girl swore, stepping back to stand beside me. Dark tendrils rippled across the pavement like a creeping plant. The creature edged forward, raising its head to bare two rows of teeth. Shit, I thought. It's really going to kill me.

The girl cursed, and moved in front of me, taking something out of her bag so fast her hands appeared blurred. A plain, black Japanese-style fan, patterned with flames. She held it out in her right hand, between us and the creature.

Confusion leaked through my terror. What's she doing?

For a second, I saw something flicker down her arms to her fingertips, then flames appeared out of nowhere, igniting the fan. She made a threatening motion toward the creature, which let out a high-pitched squeal. Faster than I could blink, it leapt at the dark space, vanishing into nothingness.

The girl flicked the fan, and the flames receded, becoming a simple pattern once again. She snapped the fan back into its case and stashed it in her bag. I couldn't stop staring at her, speechless.

ReadChapter One

Buy Links:
Amazon * AmazonUK * Barnesand Noble * Kobo


If you are a blogger and would like to request a review copy of Darkness Watching, sign up below:

Reviews of DARKNESS WATCHING:

"Emma is an amazing writer. She has become one of my favorites. I couldn’t put Darkness Watching down." - Diane at A Creative Mind

"Darkness Watching provides an original world that is fully complete and from a teens POV. It was dark and entertaining and sometimes teen books don’t go full out, this one did. The world building was truly strong in this novel." - Lexi at Book Bliss

"Like good books should, Darkness Watching left me pondering the story after I'd finished reading AND left me wanting more. Adams built a strong world for readers to be immersed. But the regular world retained full realism. Normal every day teen situations felt completely believable." - Erin at Erin Albert Books

I have to say, I didn’t see the ending coming! ... the final showdown left me speechless (You will have to read it!)" - Julia at Never Judge a Book by its Movie

"This was entertaining from the start...I didn’t want to put it down, and fans of urban fantasies I think will enjoy this. Darkness Watching was definitely worth the read." - Jenea at Books Live Forever

"This book is unique, fun and interesting. I kept wondering what was going to happen next...I felt that this book was well written and It was hard to put this book down once I started. " -Jessica at Eat Sleep Read

About the Author

Emma spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy and paranormal for young adults. She was born in Birmingham, UK, which she fled at the first opportunity to study English Literature at Lancaster University. In her three years at Lancaster, she hiked up mountains, skydived in Australia, and endured a traumatic episode involving a swarm of bees in the Costa Rican jungle. She also wrote various novels and short stories. These included her first publication, a rather bleak dystopian piece, and a disturbing story about a homicidal duck (which she hopes will never see the light of day).


Now a reluctant graduate, she can usually be found in front of her writing desk, creating weird and wonderful alternative worlds. Her debut novel The Puppet Spell, published in January 2013 by Rowanvale Books, is a fantasy tale for young adults and the young at heart, inspired by her lifelong love of the fantastical, mythology, and video games. Emma also writes supernatural fantasy novels for older teens and adults. Her next book, Darkness Watching, is the first in the upper-YA/New Adult Darkworld series, and was published in October 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press.

Author Links:

   

***GIVEAWAY***

$10 Amazon gift card (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Blitz Organized by:

Book Blitz & Giveaway ~ Othello by C.E. Wilson

Othello (Shakespeare for Everyone Else, #2)

by C.E. Wilson

Release Date: 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Shakespeare’s work features some of the most memorable stories and characters ever created, yet for too many curious readers the combination of ultra-dense dialogue and unfamiliar historical settings make tackling the Bard’s work something between a tedious chore and a confusing mess of bird-bolts and quondam carpet-mongers.

While it’s nearly impossible to replicate or improve on these works, it is (thanks to their timeless nature) possible to make them more accessible to a wider audience.

In this Young Adult retelling of one of William Shakespeare’s most memorable plays, join C.E. Wilson as she breathes new life into Othello, the second book in her series Shakespeare for Everyone Else.

Excerpt

“Stop!” Roderick said.  “I don’t want to hear about it.  If you’re so miserable being his treasurer then quit.  Who cares, you know?  You’ve already been rejected—”

“So then I’ll have a rep as a quitter?  Give me a break, I’ll stick it out.  I wasn’t raised to give up when things get shitty.  Besides, with me serving under him, I’m pretty sure I’m at an advantage.  Orion trusts me – he doesn’t know how my mind works.  He thinks I’m perfectly okay being passed over for Micah but he has no idea I’m against him.  At the end of the day, I will serve my post well,” he said sarcastically while giving a mock salute.  “I care about the school and I care about my reputation, but let me tell you this, Roderick.  I’m not the friendly nice guy everyone thinks I am.”

Roderick lifted up his head, looking at his friend curiously.  “If Orion really believes you’re working for him then he’s stupider than he looks.  But what are we going to do about him dating Devony?  How am I supposed to land her for myself if she’s actually with him?”

“I have an idea.”

Available from:

 

If you are a blogger and would like to request a review copy, sign up below!

Book One:

(linked to Goodreads)

Praise for the first book Much Ado About Nothing in new YA series, Shakespeare for Everyone Else:

“If you’re a fan of Shakespeare, I say, give this a go. And even if you have attempted Shakespeare, but haven’t been able to get past the language, pick up this edition and enjoy.” ~The Turning Pages~

“I definitely recommend this to all the Shakespeare lovers, especially if you're a young adult yourself, or really enjoy reading YA books.”  ~Angelic Reviews~

“The writing is beautiful, as C.E. Wilson was able to keep the poetic tone of the story. My love for YA stories has been restored!”  ~NWA Gossip Girl~

About the Author

C.E. Wilson is currently living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband and her two dogs and two cats. They are all the loves of her life. When she’s not writing young adult fantasy novels, she enjoys writing short stories on her Deviant Art page. She loves to write stories involving giants and little people (also known as GT) and nothing helps her to write more than Coca-Cola and glazed doughnut holes.

Author Links:

   

***GIVEAWAY***

5 ebooks of Othello (INT)

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Book Blitz Organized by:

Blog Tour Giveaway ~ Rook by Monica MacDonald

 

Rook


Could you be the monster to save who you love?


Two women, separated by generations, must leave what they know to start a new life. Seventeen-year-old Kate's senior year is ruined when she's moved from the only home she's ever known. After an isolating month alone in her apartment, school starts, but neither her classmates nor her teacher are who they seem. Kali, a single mother living in the nineteenth century wilds of Montana, is stalked by a malicious past. She fights to keep her daughter safe while her freedom is threatened by her less than benevolent benefactor. Both find love, and with it hope, but that is quickly ripped away as one woman must learn the lessons of the other -- before it's too late to save either.

Praise for Rook:


"This book also drew me in. I couldn't let go of what was happening and when life intervened and forced me to close my computer I kept looking for a few moments to sit down and read some more.” Brookeworm, a Blog 4 Stars


"Rook had me hooked from the first page. It all started so mysteriously that I just had to know what it was all about. “ Jannat Bhat, Obsessive Compulsive Reader 4 Stars


“Rook is an amazing story that had me at the edge of my seat.” Tee Loves Kyle Jacobson Blog, 5 Stars


Excerpt


Is that him? Is he back? My legs jerked, kicking and twitching me around to face the sound. I managed to roll slightly, knocking against a soft, solid object at my feet. It grunted weakly, and immediately I recoiled as though I had been bitten. Squinting, I stared, willing my eyes to find light in the dark, but there was nothing. The sound of the runner drew closer, as if they would trample me any moment. A dim, swaying light appeared through the trees, burning away the inky edges of the deep shadows. When light and sound were almost upon me, branches above me snapped, spraying me in a shower of dried pine needles and snow.

Tour Schedule

 

Author Stella MacDonald

Stella is a married graduate student with three boys. Utah is home right now, but the need to wander has extended beyond the fantasy world of writing and into real life. She's lived all around the US and even into the Middle East. The world is really a small place, only made bigger through imagination.

Blog Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 1/24/14

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Cover Reveal ~ Illusions Begin by N.L. Greene

Illusions Begin

A Mystic Seeker Novel ( #1)

By- N.L. Greene

Expected Publication Date- January 16th, 2014

Katherine Rebecca has always done exactly what was expected of her.  Her prim and proper upbringing taught her the importance of family, sacrifice, and social stature.  She has followed in her parent’s footsteps, being trained and groomed daily almost from birth, to take over the family law firm.  It was never a question of IF she wanted to but WHEN she would take the reins of the company.  She worked rigorously toward that predetermined goal her entire life. She gave up friends, boyfriends, and an exciting social life in order to propel herself through school and college.  Katherine Rebecca strived to please her parents.  More than anything, she basked in their praise and approval.  But now, at 21 years old, she finds herself leading a life that is nothing like the life she imagined for herself.

Becky has always possessed a deep love of magic.  Ever since she was a small child she has been fascinated with magicians, illusions, mystery, and the vague hope that there was some sort of real magic in the world.  But this is a secret no one knows, or at least that’s what she thought.  Until one day Becky finds a mysterious business card in her pocket that leads her to an equally mysterious man.  He opens up a whole new world of possibilities to her, one with a tantalizing proposition that she never thought imaginable.

Could magic actually be real?

About the Author-

N.L. Greene, who is 1/2 of the author duo Riana Lucas, has decided to venture outside of the Fantasy world that she and her best friend created with Poppy and The Deadly Flowers Series to write a few books on her own.  While she loves working with her best friend, writing solo has allowed her to explore interest that had solely been her own.  She spends a lot of time reading her favorite authors which range all over the place and in every genre, but spends just as much time with her husband and two daughters, traveling, shopping, and playing video games.  Nichole was born in Pennsylvania but grew up in Florida, where she and her high school sweetheart live with their two children.