Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Deity by Jennifer Armentrout (Review)

Deity (Covenant, #3)

Summary:
History is on repeat, and things didn't go so well the last time.

Alexandria isn’t sure she’s going to make it to her eighteenth birthday--to her Awakening. A long-forgotten, fanatical order is out to kill her, and if the Council ever discovers what she did in the Catskills, she’s a goner... and so is Aiden.

If that’s not freaky enough, whenever Alex and Seth spend time "training"--which really is just Seth's code word for some up-close and personal one-on-one time--she ends up with another mark of the Apollyon, which brings her one step closer to Awakening ahead of schedule. Awesome.

But as her birthday draws near, her entire world shatters with a startling revelation and she’s caught between love and Fate. One will do anything to protect her. One has been lying to her since the beginning. Once the gods have revealed themselves, unleashing their wrath, lives will be irrevocably changed… and destroyed. Those left standing will discover if love is truly greater than Fate...


My thoughts:
It is so hard to review this book and not give anything away (spoiler-wise). Let me just say that I know so many people are Team Aiden, and I get why. But I love Seth. Not that I don't love Aiden, too. I do. But from the very start, I could see why Alex was drawn to Seth. So as we learn more about Seth in this book, well...I'm not sure what to say except I'm afraid of where this series is going. Will I continue to read the books? Of course! I love Jennifer's writing, and this series drew me in from the start. 

On a different note, the gods are in this book! I love that. I'm a big mythology fan, so seeing the gods revealed in this book was just awesome. And Hades! I was excited to see that Jennifer views Hades the same way I do in Touch of Death. :) He is one hot god, hot in appearance and in temper. I'm looking forward to seeing more of these gods.

Just for fun: The last line in the summary is about whether love is greater than fate. What do you think?

Monday, June 17, 2013

Monday Mishmash 6/17/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:
  1. Father's Day  I hope everyone had a great Father's Day! I got to spend all of Saturday with my dad and then Sunday with my father-in-law.
  2. Advantage Heartbreak is only $0.99!  Swoon Romance put a bunch of their titles on sale through July 31st and the second novella in my Game. Set. Match. Heartbreak series is one of them. I hope you'll download it during this offer. Find it here.
  3. Library  Now that summer break is here, my daughter and I will be spending a lot of time at the library. :)
  4. YA Crush Tourney  Torin St. James from Ednah Walter's Runes is in the YA Crush Tourney. I love Torin, so make sure you vote for him. 
  5. Immortals by Ednah Walters Cover Reveal Here are the print and ebook covers!
Nothing can stop Raine Cooper when she wants something.


Raine finally knows that her gorgeous neighbor, Torin St. James, is a legend straight out of Norse mythology but that doesn't stop her from falling hard for him. Torin is crazy about Raine too, breaking the one rule he lives by: Never fall for a mortal. The problem is he no longer remembers her or that she saved him by making a deal with Norns—Norse destiny deities—the same Norns who have now erased his memories of their past together to punish her.

So Raine comes up with a plan...

She will make Torin forget his one rule a second time and fall in love with her all over again. But before Raine can put her plan into action, the Norns return. This time, they demand she protects Eirik Seville, her best friend since childhood, from an evil so dark even the Norns are scared.

But you know what they say about well-laid plans.

Caught between protecting Eirik and convincing the stubborn, cocky Torin St. James that the two of them are meant to be together, Raine's life slowly unravels. Friendships are tested. Enemies become allies. Desperate, Raine makes choices that could not only tear her and Torin further apart, but lead to the destruction of everything and everyone she loves.

Release Date:
August 5th 2013 by Firetrail Publishing

And there's a giveaway!

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?

Friday, June 14, 2013

Writing Sequels and a Giveaway!

With the release of Stalked by Death just under two months away, I thought I'd talk about writing sequels. I also happen to be writing another sequel at the moment, so this is perfect timing.

Sequels are tricky because while you are writing within a series, most publishers want the books to stand on their own. I'm terribly guilty of picking up book two in a series before book one. It happens a lot, so I understand this. The hard part for the author is to make sure you are giving the information needed without info dumping. The best way to make sure is by telling what's needed when it's needed. No one wants to open a book to an entire chapter of recap. One, it's insulting to your reader. Two, it's just plain boring.

The good part about writing a sequel is that you already know the characters really well. It makes them easier to write about. I love getting to delve deeper into the lives of characters I love, and I find the words just come to me.

So that's my two cents on sequels. And I have a giveaway for you. I have a Stalked by Death SWAG pack for one lucky winner. Due to postage costs, I'm going to limit this one to US and Canada. Don't worry though. I'll have more international giveaways soon. Use the rafflecopter form to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What are your thoughts on writing sequels?

*On another note, Advantage: Heartbreak is only $0.99 for a limited time! Find it on Amazon or B&N.


Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Advantage: Heartbreak Teaser

So most of you probably know that the second installment of my Game. Set. Match. Heartbreak series released on May 28th. It's called Advantage: Heartbreak and it's available for only $1.29. Honestly, I love this series more and more as it goes on. Things get intense in this novella and there are lots of swoon-worthy moments. So, I thought I'd share a teaser with you today. Enjoy!


Monday, June 10, 2013

Monday Mishmash 6/10/13

Happy Monday! Here's my mishmash of thoughts:
  1. Last week of school  My daughter's last day is Thursday. I can't believe she's going to be a first grader soon.
  2. Free Monthly Newsletter  With the excitement of BEA, I forgot to send out my monthly newsletter last Monday. It will go out at 5pm EST today. If you aren't signed up yet but would like to receive one, click here.
  3. Advantage: Heartbreak  I'll be posting a teaser this Wednesday for my second novella in the Game. Set. Match. Heartbreak series. Check back for it.
  4. Melinda's Museum Magic  My newest picture book is here! You can find Melinda's Museum Magic for sale on Amazon
  5. Stalked by Death teaser  I made a teaser video for Stalked by Death. Check it out. 

That's it for me. What's on your mind today?


Friday, June 7, 2013

Triangles by Kimberly Ann Miller

While I was at BEA, I was lucky enough to snag a copy of Triangles by my publishing house sister, Kimberly Ann Miller. I've been looking forward to reading this one.


A cruise ship. A beautiful island. Two sexy guys. What could possibly go wrong?

In the Bermuda Triangle—a lot.

Hoping to leave behind the reminders of her crappy life—her father's death years ago, her mother's medical problems, and the loser who's practically stalking her—seventeen-year-old Autumn Taylor hops on a ship with her sister for a little distraction. When she wakes up in the Bermuda Triangle, she fears she's gone nuts for more than one reason: that loser's suddenly claiming they're a happy couple... a hot guy is wrapping his arms around her and saying "Happy Anniversary"... and suddenly, she's full of bruises, losing her hair, and getting IV medication. Autumn visits the ship's doctor, hoping for a pill or a shot to make the craziness go away. Instead, she's warned that these "alternate realities" could become permanent.

She just has to ask herself one question—how the hell is she going to get out of this mess?

Kimberly Miller received Bachelor's degrees from Georgian Court University and Rutgers University and a Master's degree from The University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She is an avid reader and particularly enjoys true crime and young adult novels. She grew up in New Jersey and currently resides in Monmouth County with her husband and three cats. When she’s not writing, she loves to travel to sunny islands where she snorkels by day and stargazes by night. She always takes her Nook with her. 

Twitter: @KimberlyAnnNJ: https://twitter.com/#!/KimberlyAnnNJ

Blog: http://writersbytheshore.blogspot.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000972287894

Tumblr: http://kimberlyannmiller.tumblr.com/ 

Email: KAMillerWrites (at) aol (dot) com

Website: kimberlyannmiller.com

Buy links:
                  Barnes and Noble
                  Amazon
                  The Book Depository
What do you think?

Wednesday, June 5, 2013

Come What May Release Day Giveaway!

I've been waiting for this release for a long time! Faith Sullivan is one of my new favorite authors. If she writes it, I'm reading it. Without further ado, here's Come What May!

Title: Come What May (Heartbeat #2)
Author: Faith Sullivan
Expected release date: June 4, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Ebook available at: Kindle ($2.99) 
Paperback available at: Amazon ($6.99)





Book Description:

Adam is through with love.

He unravels blaming himself for what happened with Katie.

His final moments with her echo through his nightmares.

She owns him body and soul.

To dull the pain, Adam invites a string of women into his bed. Fueled by alcohol and desperation, his meaningless hook-ups provide little comfort. When he closes his eyes, it's Katie he sees.

The only one who helps to ease his guilt somewhat is Jada. But as his new ambulance partner, Adam considers her off limits. He doesn't want to get seriously involved with anyone, much less her. Yet he can't stop fantasizing about the feel of her caramel skin against his.

Despite his intentions, Adam's bond with Jada deepens as they respond to a series of emotional calls. Their mutual attraction becomes undeniable. But how can he give his heart to Jada when it still belongs to Katie?

Excerpt:

But I’m unsure of where this is going. Is he trying to open up or just making idle conversation? Whatever it is, it’s not enough for me. I crouch, hanging my legs over the side. A cool breeze issues from the waterfall. Its hypnotic rhythm is so relaxing. I can stretch out right here and fall asleep. I lean back on my elbows and close my eyes against the sun. So I’m startled when something smacks me in the face.

It’s Adam’s t-shirt. He’s standing before me in nothing but his jeans. “Care for a swim, Jada?” Laughing, he peers over the edge. All I see are the broad lines of his back. It doesn’t get any sexier than that.

“You’re going to jump into that tiny little pool of water?” My pulse is racing, but somehow I keep my voice steady.

“No, we’re going to climb down together. But you’re going to have to lose some of that clothing first.” His gaze runs across the length of my body, and I’m on fire.

“If you think I’m going to strip down…”

I shut up when I realize he’s bending over me. “Well, you can rid yourself of these muddy shoes for starters.” He undoes the laces and gently slips them off. My breathing gets heavy when his fingers slide up to remove my sock. He doesn’t stop there. On his knees before me, his touch glides up my leg as he rolls the cuff of my pants.

“That takes care of the bottom half. Now what about the top?” I ask brazenly. I’m fighting to regain control of the situation, but it’s a lost cause.

He pulls me up with him, and our bodies are so close together. He grips my waist and I start to get dizzy. Drawing me in, I’m surprised when he tugs at the fabric of my shirt, untucking it in a series of quick motions. His actions cause my chest to rub against his. My legs get shaky and I think I’m going to have to grab onto him for support. But I resist and somehow keep my hands to myself. Slowly, he unfastens the last two buttons and ties the shirt at my waist. His fingertips linger over the exposed skin of my midriff. His touch is driving me wild. I can’t take much more of this.

Stepping back, I feel so exposed even though I’m not showing that much skin. He’s practically naked in front of me and he doesn’t seem embarrassed at all. It’s like he wanted to bring me to some secluded spot in order to seduce me. Was this his plan all along? I’m so confused. Nothing is ever clear with him. It’s impossible to figure out what’s going through his mind and why he’s practically taking off my clothes in the middle of the woods.

And that’s the problem. I kind of like it. His unpredictability keeps me guessing, and I’ve never been so turned on. I’m practically panting before him, wishing his hands would explore every inch of me. But for some reason, it seems like there’s an invisible barrier separating us. He teases me but doesn’t take it further. And all that does is make me want him more. I’m not the type to pursue a guy, but I’d put myself out there for him if I knew that was what he was after. But what if it’s not? We do have to work together, and things can get really awkward between us if I’m wrong.

A shadow of a frown crosses his face when he sees me back away from him. Whatever was happening in that moment is over—I can’t tell if he’s disappointed or relieved. His chest rises and falls as he clenches his fists. The sheer masculine beauty of his sculpted torso is right in front of me. Yet he appears so fragile. Like one hasty word from me will break him. We’re so close. If only I knew his true intentions. Is he just playing with me or is he after something more?

“C’mon, let’s cool off.” But I can’t allow myself to get that close to him again. My thoughts scatter just picturing him against me in the water. With my inhibitions lowered, I’ll be too tempted. If I let down my guard and give into him, I’ll only regret it later when he acts like nothing’s changed between us.

“Nah, you go ahead. I’m just going to stick my feet in.” The creases in his brow deepen, but I don’t stop. “If I have any hope of salvaging this uniform, I don’t think it’ll take any more wear and tear.” It’s the lamest excuse ever, but it’s all I have to go with.

“Suit yourself.” He’s pissed as he makes his way down the rocky incline. He doesn’t even wait for me. What girl wouldn’t want to fool around with him in the water after all that? Who would ever turn him down?

Only me.


The first book of the HEARTBEAT series is only 99 cents on Amazon! 
Click cover to purchase.



Random Things about Author, Faith Sullivan:

- She was so much smarter as a teenager.

- She's a slow reader.

- She tends to like a book more for its characters rather than its plot.

- She appreciates people who are genuinely kind and come through when you need them.

- As a creative person, she's not always fun to live with, but she keeps things interesting.

- She misses the days when all she had was a rotary phone that didn't even have an answering machine.

- She's a child of the 1980s, and a teenager of the 1990s.

- She loves her dog.

- She likes to travel and see new places - when her limited budget allows.

- She thinks in another lifetime she lived in the UK somewhere by the coast.

- When she feels an emotion, she feels it deeply. It's a curse.

- She has an overactive imagination. Writing helps alleviate that problem.

- Nine times out of ten, she believes a good book trumps reality.


Author Links: Blog | Amazon | Twitter | Goodreads