Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday: Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
Ink and Bone by Rachel Caine
Series: The Great Library #1
Publication Date: July 7, 2015
Publisher: NAL
Genre: YA, Fantasy 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: In an exhilarating new series, New York Times bestselling author Rachel Caine rewrites history, creating a dangerous world where the Great Library of Alexandria has survived the test of time.…

Ruthless and supremely powerful, the Great Library is now a presence in every major city, governing the flow of knowledge to the masses. Alchemy allows the Library to deliver the content of the greatest works of history instantly—but the personal ownership of books is expressly forbidden.

Jess Brightwell believes in the value of the Library, but the majority of his knowledge comes from illegal books obtained by his family, who are involved in the thriving black market. Jess has been sent to be his family’s spy, but his loyalties are tested in the final months of his training to enter the Library’s service.

When he inadvertently commits heresy by creating a device that could change the world, Jess discovers that those who control the Great Library believe that knowledge is more valuable than any human life—and soon both heretics and books will burn.…

Monday, February 23, 2015

The Last Changeling by Chelsea Pitcher

Series: Faerie Revolutions #1
Publication Date: November 8, 2014
Genre: Ya, Fantasy, Romance
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: A Kingdom at War . . .

Elora, the young princess of the Dark Faeries, plans to overthrow her tyrannical mother, the Dark Queen, and bring equality to faeriekind. All she has to do is convince her mother’s loathed enemy, the Bright Queen, to join her cause. But the Bright Queen demands an offering first: a human boy who is a “young leader of men.” 

A Dark Princess In Disguise . . .

To steal a mortal, Elora must become a mortal—at least, by all appearances. And infiltrating a high school is surprisingly easy. When Elora meets Taylor, the seventeen-year-old who’s plotting to overthrow a ruthless bully, she thinks she’s found her offering . . . until she starts to fall in love.

My Rating: 2/5 stars

My Review: The Last Changeling follows Elora as she begins on her quest to put an end to her mothers rule. In order to get the Bright Queen on her side, she must switch bodies with a human and pretend to be her, in order to take a boy back for the Bright Queen as requested. What Elora wasn't expecting was to make friends, and even fall in love.

This book has me torn form the beginning. While the book does have a lot of potential, it doesn't do much to impress you. While the idea of the world and the characters is good, it leaves you with a 'meh' feeling.

Elora is a character that I do admire. She's the Dark Faery Princess, which sounds like it would be super cool right? Well the book is set in the human world, so we don't really get to know about her as a faery other than the story she tells us. 
I tried my hardest to relate to her in some way, but I just couldn't. She was a 'good' character, but there was nothing amazing or impressive about her. Even though she was the main character, she seemed as plain as a background character that only gets mentioned once in a book.

I liked Taylor a little bit more than Elora. If it wasn't for Taylors point of view in the story I would have most likely stopped reading. After his brother's death, Taylor blames himself and has been secluded from family and friends until Elora arrives. 
Again, just like Elora there was nothing special about Taylor. In fact, I would actually say that he's even more annoying than Elora since he constantly wines and cries out for Elora not to leave him. Yet in his point of view there were some pretty funny moments that made me laugh which made his side of the story so much more enjoyable.

The plot of the story was alright. It seemed fairly predictable and there wasn't much action until the very end of the book. Either way it felt a little dry in most parts of the book.

The world-bulding wasn't great either. There wasn't too much descriptions and either way the characters didn't really go to many places other than the school and Taylor's house. As for Elora's land, we didn't get much description, just the basics of her story.

Overall, I would not recommend this book. I found it fairly boring and plain. There was so much potential with the idea of Elora's power but it wasn't fully used. While this book did have a really cute ending, I would not waste that much time getting to it.

Happy Reading,
-Aneta

Friday, February 20, 2015

Cover Reveal: Consent by Nancy Ohlin

Publications Date: November 10, 2015
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Genre: YA, Contemporary 
Amazon ~ Goodreads

Synopsis: Bea has a secret.

Actually, she has more than one. There’s her dreams for the future that she can’t tell anyone—not her father and not even her best friend, Plum.

And now there’s Dane Rossi. Dane is hot, he shares Bea’s love of piano, and he believes in her.

He’s also Bea’s teacher.

When their passion for music crosses into passion for each other, Bea finds herself falling completely for Dane. She’s never felt so wanted, so understood, so known to her core. But the risk of discovery carries unexpected surprises that could shake Bea entirely. Bea must piece together what is and isn’t true about Dane, herself, and the most intense relationship she’s ever experienced, in this absorbing novel from Nancy Ohlin.
 

About the Author

I am the author of BEAUTY, a YA retelling of the Snow White tale, and ALWAYS, FOREVER, a YA retelling of Daphne du Maurier's REBECCA. ALWAYS, FOREVER was originally published in hardcover as THORN ABBEY.

I've also contributed to several celebrity novels, including a New York Times-bestselling YA trilogy.

I'm currently hard at work on my next YA novel, which will be as mind-bending as ALWAYS, FOREVER (I hope!).

My favorite cures for writers' block are long walks, long showers, popcorn, chocolate, and really expensive coffee. I talk to myself a lot while I write (you know, to make sure the dialogue zings).


Thursday, February 19, 2015

Water So Deep by Nichole Giles

Series: Unknown... but I hope so! 
Publication Date: February 2nd, 2015
Publisher: Jelly Bean Publishing 
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Romance
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: Seventeen-year-old Emma Harris is drowning on dry land.

No one knows what’s happening to her, and she’d like to keep her evolution from human to mermaid a secret, but the truth is getting harder and harder to hide. From her adoptive family, from her friends, and especially from the irresistible James Phelps.

Her time in the ocean is spent dodging a possessive merman, while her time on land is split between caring for her special-needs brother and squeezing in every last possible moment of human life. She soon realizes falling for James is unavoidable when he constantly comes to Emma’s rescue and somehow manages to see through her carefully constructed icy facade to the vulnerability she lives with every day. Everything about James makes Emma yearn for a life on land she just can't have.

When Emma’s brother disappears on her watch, James is the only person she trusts to help her save him. But even if they can save her brother, nothing can prevent her return to the sea. Whether she likes it or not, Emma is changing—unable to breathe without yielding to the tide—and it's only a matter of time before she's forced to surrender forever.
 

My Rating: 4/5 stars

My Review: “Love. We’re bound by love. I love him.” 

Water So Deep is a captivating tale about a young girl slowly turning into a mermaid and falling in love.
Emma is a mermaid, but was sent away to live on land as a baby. As she's aging, she finds the need to go into the water more often. 

This book starts off strong, as Emma is abused by her current boyfriend Tom on her prom night. Being broken by Tom, Emma has a hard time dealing with new people, until James Phelps comes to town and sweeps her off her feet. As Emma struggles to stay on land, her problems only grow deeper as she takes care of her special-needs brother, and does everything she can not to break James' heart. 

I honestly fell in love with the book right from chapter one. This book gives you action and plot right from the first chapter, keeping you interested and wanting more. 

The characters in this book caught me by surprise. I wasn't expecting to like Emma as much as I did, but I can definitely say that she was an incredible character and I couldn't get enough of her. Going through and event like that in her life, I feel like I would have acted the same exact way. She was hurt, and she learned from her pain and became extremely cautious around guys which is exactly what any real person would do in a situation like that. Overall, her character was intelligent and realistic and I loved reading from her point of view.

We also get to read the book from James' point of view. While I really liked him in the beginning, there was an incident about 22% through the book that caused me to dislike him a little. 
Don't get me wrong, I still really admire him for his love for Emma and how hardworking and kind he is, but lets just say he's not my type. 

Personally, I am not a huge fan of books where there are main characters with special-needs. While I'm not trying to discriminate against special-needs people here, I just personally found many books to focus in extreme detail about them and their problems in life, which I understand, but I'm usually not a big fan of reading about.
But I can honestly say that this book does not do that at all. As soon as I found out about Emma's brother I was like "Oh no, here we go again." Yet to my surprise, the author never talked about his problems or his past extensively. The author treated him just like any other character, the same way she treated Emma and James. I highly applaud Nichole for this because this is the first book where a chapter being special-needs is considered normal. 

Nichole Giles' writing impressed me so much. No does she create a fantastic world filled with amazing detail, but she also creates a killer plot with action from beginning to end. I can honestly say that everything about her writing is brilliant.

Overall, I highly recommend this book to all fans of Romance and Fantasy. I loved everything about this book (except for little things about James), and I can't wait to read the rest of the series if the author decides to continue writing Emma's story.

Happy Reading,
Aneta

Cover Reveal: Numbers Game by Rebecca Rode

Publication Date: March 2015
Genre:YA, Dystopia 
Goodreads

Synopsis: Treena can’t wait for Rating Day. Her high score will mean a life of luxury, showing the world that she’s a valuable member of society, not a pathetic waste of space. It won’t hurt her chances with her top-Rated boyfriend, either. But when the big day arrives, her true number shocks everyone.

To get her life—and boyfriend—back, she must go undercover and expose a military spy. Doesn’t sound too hard, except that someone seems to want her dead. And then there’s the mysterious soldier with a haunted past and beautiful brown eyes. Together, they discover a dark numbers conspiracy, one that shatters the nation’s future. They must band together if they are to survive the dangerous game of numbers—and the terrible war that rages within Treena’s heart.
 

About the Author

By day, I'm a busy mom of four who struggles with housecleaning and cooking. By night...well, I'm still a busy mom of four. But scattered into those rare quiet moments is my life's passion--writing. My first book, HOW TO HAVE PEACE WHEN YOU'RE FALLING TO PIECES, was released in March 2013. It's a nonfiction quick-fix book for moms whose lives feel as crazy and out of control as mine does--and from what readers are saying, it's fun and entertaining to read. I also write for Deseret News and KSL.com on occasion, and some of my articles have also appeared in Schooled Magazine. For a sneak peek at the first two chapters of my book, HOW TO HAVE PEACE WHEN YOU'RE FALLING TO PIECES, check it out on Amazon.com. Bye now!


Wednesday, February 18, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday: The Cage by Megan Shepherd

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
The Cage by Megan Shepherd
Series: The Cage #1
Publication Date: May 26, 2015
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Dystopia 
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: The Maze Runner meets Scott Westerfeld in this gripping new series about teens held captive in a human zoo by an otherworldly race. From Megan Shepherd, the acclaimed author of The Madman's Daughtertrilogy.

When Cora Mason wakes in a desert, she doesn't know where she is or who put her there. As she explores, she finds an impossible mix of environments—tundra next to desert, farm next to jungle, and a strangely empty town cobbled together from different cultures—all watched over by eerie black windows. And she isn't alone.

Four other teenagers have also been taken: a beautiful model, a tattooed smuggler, a secretive genius, and an army brat who seems to know too much about Cora's past. None of them have a clue as to what happened, and all of them have secrets. As the unlikely group struggles for leadership, they slowly start to trust each other. But when their mysterious jailer—a handsome young guard called Cassian—appears, they realize that their captivity is more terrifying than they could ever imagine: Their captors aren't from Earth. And they have taken the five teenagers for an otherworldly zoo—where the exhibits are humans.

As a forbidden attraction develops between Cora and Cassian, she realizes that her best chance of escape might be in the arms of her own jailer—though that would mean leaving the others behind. Can Cora manage to save herself and her companions? And if so . . . what world lies beyond the walls of their cage?

Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Stolen Songbird by Danielle L. Jensen

Series: Malediction Trilogy #1
Publication Date: April 1, 2014
Genre: YA, Fantasy Romance
Amazon ~ Gooreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: For those who have loved Seraphina and Graceling comes another truly fabulous fantasy...

For five centuries, a witch’s curse has bound the trolls to their city beneath the ruins of Forsaken Mountain. Time enough for their dark and nefarious magic to fade from human memory and into myth. But a prophesy has been spoken of a union with the power to set the trolls free, and when Cécile de Troyes is kidnapped and taken beneath the mountain, she learns there is far more to the myth of the trolls than she could have imagined.

Cécile has only one thing on her mind after she is brought to Trollus: escape. Only the trolls are clever, fast, and inhumanly strong. She will have to bide her time, wait for the perfect opportunity.

But something unexpected happens while she’s waiting – she begins to fall for the enigmatic troll prince to whom she has been bonded and married. She begins to make friends. And she begins to see that she may be the only hope for the half-bloods – part troll, part human creatures who are slaves to the full-blooded trolls. There is a rebellion brewing. And her prince, Tristan, the future king, is its secret leader.

As Cécile becomes involved in the intricate political games of Trollus, she becomes more than a farmer’s daughter. She becomes a princess, the hope of a people, and a witch with magic powerful enough to change Trollus forever.
 

My Rating: 5/5 stars

My Review: Stolen Songbird has left me completely speechless. With a relatable main character, a swoon-worthy male lead, hilarious supporting characters, and a world so magical and well described it makes you want to live there. This book can hands down be one of the best books published in 2014.

After being kidnapped and taken to the lost city of Trollus, where Trolls have been trapped for five centuries, Cécile is forced to marry the King's son against her will, hoping that the marriage will grant the Trolls the power to escape the mountain. When that fails, Cécile is left trapped in a world she can't escape from, with a troll husband she never wanted.

Cécile is one of the most relatable characters I have ever encountered. She's not beautiful, she's just considered your average looking girl with nothing too special about her appearance. She's not a genius, she has her moments where she uses her brain to come up with something smart, but she almost makes mistakes like the rest of us make. There are moments when Cécile breaks down and cries from her pain or being homesick, and if I was in her place I would have done the exact same thing. Most of the time while I was reading the book, I felt like it was me going through the story because action she did, was the exact same thing I would have done. This made her such a wonderful character to read about and fall in love with.

The supporting characters in this story are all so wonderful! Each one of them has their own story that is so much different from on another (except for the twins, obviously). The stories that the characters present Cécile make you fall in love with them so easily. Tristan is just a babe, and you immediately fall in love with him, theres no denying it. Marc is that one guy who's always sad and lonely, but when you finally hear his story it almost makes you drop to your knees and cry your heart out. And the twins are so energetic and hilarious that you can't help but fall in love with both of them.

The plot is filled with tons of action to keep you on your toes and twists and turn that keep you guessing. There are obviously some predictable moments in the story, but there was also lots of times where I was blindsided by some of the events that occurred. It had the perfect balance of surprise and "aha I knew it!" which made the book so much more enjoyable to read.

The world building in this story was on point! You'd think there wouldn't be too many places to explore under a mountain, but there was. We got to explore so many places, like the labyrinth outside the city, the royal palace, the mines and tons of other places the characters ventured off to! Each one of the was perfectly described in a way that made you imagine the whole scene as it took place.

Overall, I could not be more impressed with this book. The only regret I have is not reading this book sooner! To me it was perfect in every way possible and I strongly recommend it to any Fantasy and Paranormal fans out there. You might thing Trolls are weird, and unheard of in YA books, but trust me when I say take the chance, because you will fall in love with beauty of Stolen Songbird. 

Happy Reading,
-Aneta

Saturday, February 14, 2015

Stacking the Shelves

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews. With this amazing meme, you can check out which books I've gotten this past week.

From Netgalley
A Magic Dark and Bright
She meant to help a ghost...not unleash a curse.

Amelia Dupree hasn’t seen the Woman in White since the night her brother died.

The ghost seems to have disappeared from the woods surrounding Asylum, Pennsylvania—that is, until Charlie Blue moves into the creepy old MacAllister House next door. Amelia can’t help liking him, even though she spent her childhood thinking his grandmother was a witch. And she definitely can’t ignore the connection between his arrival and the Woman in White’s return.

Then Amelia learns that the Woman in White is a prisoner, trapped between the worlds of the living and the dead. Devastated by the idea that her brother could be suffering a similar fate, Amelia decides to do whatever it takes to help the Woman in White find peace--and Charlie agrees to help her.

But when Amelia’s classmates start to drown in the Susquehanna River, one right after another, rumors swirl as people begin to connect the timing of Charlie’s arrival with the unexplained deaths. As Charlie and Amelia uncover the dark history of Asylum, they realize they may have unleashed an unspeakable evil. One they have to stop before everything they love is destroyed.
 

Bought
The Ruby Circle

The epic conclusion to Richelle Mead's New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series is finally here...

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.
 

Won
A Cold Legacy
After killing the men who tried to steal her father’s research, Juliet—along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward—has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet’s secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor’s own walls.

Then Juliet uncovers the truth about the manor’s long history of scientific experimentation—and her own intended role in it—forcing her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. And she must decide if she’ll follow her father’s dark footsteps or her mother’s tragic ones, or whether she’ll make her own.

With inspiration from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, this breathless conclusion to the Madman’s Daughter trilogy is about the things we’ll sacrifice to save those we love—even our own humanity.

Huge thank you to Kathryn @TheBookDate for hosting an amazing giveaway! The UK cover of this book is absolutely beautiful and I'm so happy I have it in my hands. :)

From Publisher
The Girl at Midnight
For readers of Cassandra Clare's City of Bones and Leigh Bardugo's Shadow and Bone, The Girl at Midnight is the story of a modern girl caught in an ancient war.

Beneath the streets of New York City live the Avicen, an ancient race of people with feathers for hair and magic running through their veins. Age-old enchantments keep them hidden from humans. All but one. Echo is a runaway pickpocket who survives by selling stolen treasures on the black market, and the Avicen are the only family she's ever known.

Echo is clever and daring, and at times she can be brash, but above all else she's fiercely loyal. So when a centuries-old war crests on the borders of her home, she decides it's time to act.

Legend has it that there is a way to end the conflict once and for all: find the Firebird, a mythical entity believed to possess power the likes of which the world has never seen. It will be no easy task, but if life as a thief has taught Echo anything, it's how to hunt down what she wants . . . and how to take it.

But some jobs aren't as straightforward as they seem. And this one might just set the world on fire.

Thank you to Random House Canada for providing me with an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 

What did you guys get this week? Let me know in the comments.

Thursday, February 12, 2015

Book Blitz + Excerpt & Giveaway: Revelations by Jennifer Carole Lewis

Publication Date: January 30, 2015
Genre: NA, Romance, Paranormal
Amazon ~ Goodreads 

Synopsis: For millennia, the lalassu have existed at the fringes of society, hiding in the shadows. But someone is determined to drag them into the light.

Dani has spent years fighting against her family’s urges to take on the mantle of High Priestess for the lalassu. Stronger and faster than any ordinary human, she has no interest in being a guide for her people. She likes being independent and enjoys her night-job as a burlesque dancer. But a darker secret lurks inside of her, one which threatens everyone around her.

Isolated and idealistic, Michael works as a developmental therapist for children, using his psychometric gifts to discover the secrets they can’t share with anyone else. When one of his clients is kidnapped, he will do almost anything to rescue her. The investigation leads him to a seedy little performance club where he is shocked and thrilled to discover a genuine live superhero.

Michael and Dani must join forces to save those they care about from becoming the latest victims of a decades-long hunt. But the fiery chemistry between them threatens to unlock a millennia-old secret which could devour them both.

The clock is ticking and they will be faced with the ultimate hero’s choice: save the world or save each other?
 

Excerpt

Chapter One

Wherever there is prey, there are hunters. Jungle, ocean, city—the location doesn’t matter. A predator will always find the vulnerable.
People spilled across the Lost Eden’s dance floor, a constant tide of glittering men and women ebbing to and from the bar. Dim lights flattered the desperate and popular alike, hiding the first glimpses of age-drawn wrinkles.
Past experience had taught Dani Harris that she could choose whomever she wanted from the crowd to go home with. The small army of free drinks lining the bar behind her only reinforced the lesson. But she’d come here with a specific purpose in mind, dressed in her guaranteed-to-attract-attention, curve-hugging red silk dress, her black hair artfully tousled to evoke sweat-dampened pillows and her eyes painted with smoldering charcoal for a classic bedroom look. All she needed was a suitable candidate.
Toying with the straw in her drink and scanning the crowd, she made note of the few potential candidates. Her fingers clenched the straw, crushing it with her growing unease. Since she’d sat down, the sexual tension had ratcheted up, becoming as tangible as the dry ice fog. Guilt gnawed at her, but she’d already pushed her luck further than she should have. She didn’t have the time to indulge in her conscience. Time to choose and hope she didn’t end up too badly scarred.
The thickly muscled black man with the shaved head in the corner kept fondling the waitresses and the customers, using his size to intimidate any potential protests. The blond in the custom-tailored leather jacket up on the VIP platform, whose companions avoided eye contact as he carried on an energetic monologue, ignoring the buxom redhead cuddled up to his side. A pair of massive bodyguards stood guard at the entrance. And the guy with the purple hair, piercings in his nose, lip, and tongue was harassing the female DJ, trying to climb into the booth. They were the best she could hope for tonight.
Brilliant light strobed the crowd in time with frenetic bass and drums. Dani scanned the club again, shaking her head lightly. The crowd was beginning to turn ugly, shoving matches breaking out on the dance floor. The oaky taste of her whiskey went sour on her tongue. She should leave and try her luck elsewhere.
“You can’t leave just yet.” A deep male voice cut across the ambient noise.
Perhaps she had a winner after all. “Why the hell not?”
“Because then I wouldn’t get a chance to talk to you.” It was the blond from the platform. “And you should know that I personally find it inexcusable.”
“What would that be?” She didn’t offer him a seat but wasn’t surprised when he took it anyway. Up close, his looks were even better: easily over six feet with broad shoulders and a well-used gym membership.
“Whoever left you waiting. He should have his head examined. Let me buy you a drink.” He lifted his hand in the bartender’s direction. Immediately, the young Latino man behind the bar abandoned the thirsty crowd to bring Dani’s new acquaintance a glass of scotch. 
His glib smugness struck sparks of irritation in her, but long practice helped her to keep her feelings masked under a seductive smile. Time for a test. “You know what they say. No matter how hot you are, someone is tired of your shit.” Dani looked deliberately at the VIP platform. “For example, I think Miss Copper Top over there is getting tired of yours.”
The buxom redhead in question glared down at them with a ridiculously childish, sulky pout. The blond glanced over his shoulder and waved his hand in a universal gesture of dismissal. Immediately, one of the bulky bodyguards approached the redhead and said something to her. She shouted something inaudible through the music and actually stamped her foot. The gentleman insisted and began escorting her off the platform.
“She won’t be a problem anymore.” The blond turned back to Dani, clearly pleased with himself. For the first time, his smile reached his eyes. He’d enjoyed the public spectacle and humiliation. “I’m Josh Hinton, and my family owns this club.”
Dani watched as the woman was summarily hustled out the front door. She forced herself to relax her grip on the smooth glass tumbler before she shattered it. 
“Break-up via bodyguard. A new low mark for the record books. Somewhere between text and post-it note.” Dani shook her head and started to get up again.
Josh immediately grabbed her arm and held her down in her seat, looming over her. “You didn’t tell me your name.”
Dani searched the room, considering her options. The bartenders were studiously ignoring her companion. The people who had been sitting beside her at the bar were long gone, pushed aside by Josh’s evident ego. A wild recklessness burned inside her, urging her to lash out and escape. But common sense warned her: no one wanted to get involved, and no one would stand up to help—and even if they did, she would still be trapped by her own demons.
Her mouth dried as a scrap of memory flickered briefly despite years of suppression. He must have seen the fear in her eyes. Predators always sensed fear no matter how deeply it was hidden. She’d learned that lesson the hard way.
“I think you’re starting to understand.” He let his hand trail up her arm, his thumb casually brushing against her breast on the way past. “I always get what I want.”
The bodyguards had descended and now stood on either side of Josh like unmovable monoliths, an unbreakable prison wall. Dani swallowed hard. It was as if the three men sucked up all the air around her. “You could have any other girl here. Why not pick someone more interested?”
“I like the challenge. Come with me to my apartment. You’d love the view.” He ran his hand freely up and down her side, a chill slither like the rasp of a reptile’s skin.
A human predator doesn’t take victims in public. A second location will be chosen in advance for the attack. Once a victim reaches the second location, chances of survival drop to nearly zero. Never go quietly to the second location. The words whispered inside her head, distantly remembered from the urgent plea of a police officer who’d spoken at her school.
“Don’t freeze up, and don’t pretend it isn’t what you came here for in your little red dress.” He slid his hand up her thigh, inching up the hemline. “Everyone comes here to have a good time.”
Dani studied the looming bodyguards. Not a blink or even a grimace of disapproval. The time for second thoughts was over. She wasn’t going to do better tonight. This was her punishment and the sooner she accepted it, the sooner it would be over. “Is that what you came for?”
“Business mostly. This tourist trap has a lot of things to recommend it.” He took a healthy swig from his drink.
It certainly had. The town of Perdition had a reputation as the “New York experience without the expense,” according to the tourist board. Between conventions and other events, the majority of the population changed on a weekly basis. It was one of the reasons her family had chosen to live here.
She put down her drink. No amount of whiskey would make this easier. She got to her feet but the bodyguards quickly blocked her exit. Adrenaline surged and her legs tensed to run but instead she forced herself to keep her wits. Blindly fleeing never helped. She couldn’t resist a flash of strength, glaring down at Josh, still perched on his stool. “Does this intimidation approach ever actually work for you?” 
He grinned. “I like you. You’re interesting. Most people don’t have the balls to call me on anything.” He stood up. “Let’s get out of here. Come on, I’ll show you I can be a nice guy with the right motivation.”
Dani kept her face impassive. Maybe this wouldn’t be as bad as she feared. Josh moved in for the kill. 
“Trust me. I’m worth it. I guarantee it’ll be a night you’ll always remember.”
Or one you’ll always pray to forget.

About the Author

Jennifer Carole Lewis is a full-time mom, a full-time administrator and a full-time writer, which means she is very much interested in speaking to anyone who comes up with any form of functional time-travel devices or practical cloning methods. Meanwhile, she spends her most of her time alternating between organizing and typing.

She is a devoted comic book geek and Marvel movie enthusiast. She spends far too much of her precious free time watching TV, especially police procedural dramas. Her enthusiasm outstrips her talent in karaoke, cross-stitch and jigsaw puzzles. She is a voracious reader of a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction and always enjoys seeking out new suggestions.


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Wednesday, February 11, 2015

Waiting on Wednesday: The Shattered Court by M.J. Scott

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we’re eagerly anticipating.
The Shattered Court by M.J. Scott
Series: A Novel of the Four Arts #1
Publication Date: April 28, 2015
Publisher: Roc
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: First in a new fantasy series from the author of the Novels of the Half-Light City.

Entangled in a court ruled by tradition and intrigue, a young witch must come to terms with newfound power and desire—and a choice between loyalty and survival.…

The royal witches of Anglion have bowed to tradition for centuries. If a woman of royal blood manifests powers, she is immediately bound by rites of marriage. She will serve her lord by practicing the tamer magics of the earth—ensuring good harvests and predicting the weather. Any magic more dangerous is forbidden.

Lady Sophia Kendall, thirty-second in line to the throne, is only days away from finding out if she will be blessed—or perhaps cursed—with magic. When a vicious attack by Anglion’s ancient enemies leaves the kingdom in chaos, Sophia is forced to flee the court. Her protector by happenstance is Lieutenant Cameron Mackenzie, a member of the royal guard, raised all his life to be fiercely loyal to the Crown.

Then Sophia’s powers manifest stronger than she ever imagined they would, and Cameron and she are inextricably linked in the process. As a witch unbound by marriage rites, Sophia is not only a threat to the established order of her country, but is also a weapon for those who seek to destroy it. Faced with old secrets and new truths, she must decide if she will fight for her country or succumb to the delicious temptation of power.…

Tuesday, February 10, 2015

Book Blitz + Giveaway: Exaltation by Jamie Magee

Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Paranormal
Amazon ~ Goodreads ~ B&N

Synopsis: Fate is a twisted b*$#@, at least his was.

Was one soul worth the lives of millions? The quandary was one that Rydell King had no choice but to face. No matter the answer, the truth remained—innocence was created to destroy him. She was beautiful…extinguishing her to save his people seemed impossible, and maybe it was. As an immortal, his focus was to destroy the curse upon his people, as he devoured the emotion that bore him—exaltation, no matter the cost. She made him question everything. 

Mercy had never been crueler.



About the Author

Jamie Magee has always believed that each of us have a defining gift that sets us apart from the rest of the world, she has always envied those who have known from their first breath what their gift was. Not knowing hers, she began a career in the fast paced world of business. Raising a young family, and competing to rise higher in that field would drive some to the point of insanity, but she always found a moment of escape in a passing daydream. Her imagination would take her to places she’d never been, introduce her to people she’s never known. Insight, her debuting novel, is a result of that powerful imagination. Today, she is grateful that not knowing what defined her, led her on a path of discovery that would always be a part of her.

Website ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Goodreads


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