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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover

Finding Cinderella by Colleen Hoover

★★★★★

#1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover writes a free novella about the search for happily ever after.

A chance encounter in the dark leads eighteen-year-old Daniel and the girl who stumbles across him to profess their love for each other. But this love comes with conditions: they agree it will only last one hour and it will only be make-believe.

When their hour is up and the girl rushes off like Cinderella, Daniel tries to convince himself that what happened between them only seemed perfect because they were pretending it was perfect. Moments like that with girls like her don’t happen outside of fairytales.

One year and one bad relationship later, his disbelief in insta-love is stripped away the day he meets Six: a girl with a strange name and an even stranger personality. Daniel soon realizes the way he pretended to feel about Cinderella and the way he really feels about Six may not be so different after all. Especially when the two loves of his life end up being one in the same.

Unfortunately for Daniel, finding Cinderella doesn't guarantee their happily ever after…it only further threatens it. (Amazon)

Daniel met the girl of his dreams in a dark closet by chance. He had no idea who she was or what she looked like, just that he shared the best experience of his life with her. A year later and a roller-coaster of a relationship with the wrong girl, he had since given up his search to find his Cinderella, when he met Six. Opinionated, straight to the point and an inappropriate sense of humor to match his, she was the perfect girl for him until a discovery challenged their relationship.

I LOVED this novella, and even though the ending was nicely tied up, I wanted more of Daniel and Six. I loved their story more than I expected. If the author decided to continue their story, I would not complain one bit.

I loved Daniel, when I got to meet him in Losing Hope as Holder’s best friend. He was always hilarious, and that hilarity did not easy up in this novella, it exploded throughout the text. I liked getting to know him and Six better through their own story. I got to see different sides of them that I didn’t get in Hopeless or Losing Hope. didn't realize what I was missing out on until I read Finding Cinderella.
The author always puts me under a spell with her words and stories. They are always beautiful and touch my heart in the most intimate ways. She is an amazing writer and I will read every book she comes out with, without hesitation.

The last reason why she is such an amazing author and I will always support her is how grateful she is of her readers. She wrote this novella and released it for FREE, a thank-you to her readers. I would have bought this book, and it would have been way worth it, and I know her other loyal readers would have done the same. As a loyal reader, this means a lot to me.


 I want to finish this review by saying thank you to Colleen Hoover for this gift and also continuously inspiring me.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover

Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover
★★★★★

Sometimes in life, in order to move forward you must face the past…

#1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover held readers spellbound with her novel Hopeless, the story of what happened when a troubled girl named Sky encountered a long-lost childhood friend, Dean Holder. With Holder’s help, Sky uncovered shocking family secrets and came to terms with memories and emotions that had left deep scars.

Hopeless was Sky’s story. Now, in Losing Hope, we finally learn the truth about Dean Holder.

Haunted by the little girl he couldn't save from imminent danger, Holder’s life has been overshadowed by feelings of guilt and remorse. He has never stopped searching for her, believing that finding her would bring him the peace he needs to move on. However, Holder could not have anticipated that he would be faced with even greater pain the moment they reconnect.


In Losing Hope, Holder reveals the way in which the events of Sky’s youth affected him and his family, leading him to seek his own redemption in the act of saving her. But it is only in loving Sky that he can finally begin to heal himself. (Amazon)

Just when Dean Holder gave up on finding Hope, he found her -- a lot closer to home than he ever expected. Holder has a whirlwind of emotions and inner demons that he has to work through. The reason he does the things he does stems from childhood events that changed his life forever, along with unforgettable memories of a more recent tragedy.

In this book, I got to know Holder on a whole new level. I absolutely loved Hopeless.  It is one of my all-time favorite books; and when I heard the author was releasing the story in Holder’s (one of my all-time favorite book boyfriends) point of view, I knew I had to have it. The story of Holder and Sky from Hopeless was so beautiful and tragic; and somehow, in Holder's point of view, it was even more tragic. It made me love the characters and story even more.

I loved getting to know things about Holder I never knew and reasons behind the things he did in Hopeless that drove me nuts and had me thinking What the hell!? This wasn’t just Hopeless in Holder’s point of view; it was so much more. I really didn’t expect it to be as much of its own story like it was.

This story had its grip on me again from the very opening page, already throwing me into a scene I had never read before. I was hanging onto every word the author wrote, even the words that were from Hopeless because I was seeing them in a whole new way.

I didn’t think Colleen Hoover could break me again and make it so I couldn’t go on to read another book because I was so heartbroken over ending it like I was with Hopeless, but boy, was I wrong. When I finished the last beautifully written line, I found myself wondering how I would pick up another book again.

I loved meeting new characters like Holder’s friend Daniel. He was flipping awesome and made me laugh hysterically many times. The crap that came out of his mouth was ridiculous and awesome.

Long review short, this book was amazing, and I would highly recommend it! If you haven’t read Hopeless, read it and fall in love with Holder and then read this book and fall in love with him all over again, possibly even more than you did the first time. I know I did!


I received this book for review from Net Galley.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

Chasing Memories by Tia Silverthorne Bach Blog Tour Review


Welcome to the Chasing Memories by Tia Silverthorne Bach blog tour, put together by Tribute Books. I'm happy to have Tia on my blog today, especially since she is a fellow blogger. I'm excited to support her as a new author and was lucky enough to get a copy of her book to review for this tour. I hope everyone checks her book out. Thank you everyone that checks out this post and my review.


Chasing Memories by Tia Silverthorne Bach
★★★☆☆

There isn’t another way; not now. The others are coming. I can’t let them have you…

Seventeen-year-old Reagan has a problem: She can’t remember what happened the night her brother was taken.

Now, the dreams haunting her from the incident are becoming more intense by the day. All the while, the lines between what’s real and what’s a product of her paranormal-obsessed mind are becoming blurred.

Is she losing her mind or has she just stepped into a world she thought only existed in books?

Caught in a web of worried parents, competing boys, Wiccan relatives, protective amulets, and psychiatrist babble, Reagan must determine the truth before it’s too late.

Buy Now: | Amazon | Barnes & Noble


Reagan wasn’t happy about going camping with her family and having to share a tent with her younger brother. Little did she know the first night would be the only night of camping and an end to the life she had before the trip, caught between hiding from the memories and embracing them to learn the truth about what happened that fatal night and who she really was.

Chasing Memories was a fast read and nice introduction to the series. I enjoyed getting to know Reagan and watching her work through what happened and secrets that she didn’t know about her family before. It is a journey of growing and learning about herself and what she will do to know the truth.

The story starts with a terrible event that spins the story into a mystery because Reagan doesn’t remember what happened. Bits and pieces come back in the form of dreams – which, in turn, helps the reader try to figure out the mystery as well. When the book ends, there are still a lot of questions that need to be answered, propelling the reader to want to read the next book in the series.

I received this book for review from Tribute Books.



Tia Silverthorne Bach's Bio:

Tia Silverthorne Bach is an avid reader, sometimes runner, involved wife and mother, and rabid grammar hound in addition to being a multi-genre writer. Her three daughters were born in Chicago, San Diego, and Baltimore; and she feels fortunate to have called many places home. She's the award-winning co-author of Depression Cookies, a coming of age story written with her mother. Tia's office is wherever her laptop takes her and any place that's conducive to allowing a wild imagination like hers to flourish.

Find Tia:

Tuesday, July 30, 2013

Teaser Tuesday (22)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!


Rain by Christie Cote

Taylor Sullivan took her life for granted until she received news that would change her life forever. In a state of denial she met Kyle, who didn’t end up being what she expected. She wasn’t able to escape her new reality, but with his friendship, just maybe she could survive it. (©Christie Cote)




*TEASER* “There is a flaw to your plan.” A sly grin crept onto his face once again. My eyebrow arched at him questioningly.
“I live across the street,” he told me; and, without another word, he turned around toward his house and I realized what he meant. I told my problems to a stranger that I would probably see again.

-Rain by Christie Cote


(This is a teaser from the book that I'm writing. The cover image will not be the real cover and the image is not mine. I found it online and really like it for a placeholder.)

What do you think? 

If it caught your interest please follow me on facebook here to see my progress and future teasers and information.

©Christie Cote

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

The Black Shard by Victoria Simcox Spotlight & Giveaway

Welcome awesome readers! My blog has been severely neglected lately because I have been so busy. I'm happy to break that chain by having Victoria Simcox on my blog today to spotlight one of her books. Not only is she spotlighting her book for all of you to check out but she is giving away an e-book copy! Be sure to enter for a chance to win at the end of this post. I'm very happy to have Victoria back on my blog. Her presence is always a pleasure and I hope to work with her more in the future. Everyone give a warm welcome to Victoria! I hope you enjoy finding out about her book and check it out.


The Black Shard by Victoria Simcox

Kristina's stay at summer horse camp is horrible to say the least, and it's all because Hester and Davina are there as well, making her life miserable. When Hester's cruel prank goes terribly wrong, it's actually what sends the three girls back to the magical land of Bernovem. In Bernovem, Kristina is very excited to see her former friend, Prince Werrien. When he invites her to sail with him on his ship to his homeland Tezerel, putting it simply, Kristina can't refuse. Reunited with her gnome, dwarf, animal, fairy friends ... and best of all, Werrien, things seem like they couldn't get any better for Kristina. But when Werrien becomes fascinated with an unusual seeing stone, the "Black Shard," Kristina is haunted by a ghostlike old hag. Struggling against suspicion, guilt, illness, and ultimately the one who wants to possess her soul, Kristina will see it's in her weakest moment that she will encounter more strength than she has ever known. (Goodreads)

Buy Now:



About Victoria:

Victoria was born in Scarborough, Ontario, Canada, to an Austrian immigrant mother, and a Dutch immigrant father. She now lives in Western Washington with her husband, Russ and their three children, Toby, Kristina, and William. Her other family members are a Chihuahua, named Pipsy and two cats, named Frodo and Fritz. Besides being an author, Victoria is a home-schooling mother of twelve years and an elementary school art teacher of eleven years. In her spare time, Victoria enjoys managing her two older children's Celtic band. She also loves writing, reading, painting watercolors, hiking, good movies, and just simply hanging out with her family and friends. 

Find Victoria:
Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads |

Giveaway:
The author has generously provided an e-book copy of the book for an international giveaway! Just use the rafflecopter form below to enter for a chance to win a copy! I hope you all enter and good luck!


Thursday, June 13, 2013

Running into the Darkness by D. A. Bale Blog Tour Guest Post


Welcome fellow readers! It has been a while since I hosted a blog tour from the wonderful Tribute Books! I'm so happy to have them on my blog again. I have been so busy that I haven't been able to commit to much, but I'm very happy to be helping out for this blog tour. I would like to give a big welcome to D. A. Bale and her new book Running into the Darkness. She has provided a guest post today for you all to read and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. This book sounds good and I have added it to my TBR list, I hope you do the same.


Running into the Darkness by D. A. Bale

Death follows Dr. Samantha Bartlett throughout her life until it claims everyone close to her. There's one powerful man responsible on whom Samantha sets her sights for revenge. The price is her soul. For centuries, sex has been the weapon of men...now it's her turn.

“I never intended to kill the President. As a doctor, I swore an oath to protect life – not take it. But that was before...”

Second year resident, Dr. Samantha Bartlett, is swept from the frigid New York winter to once again confront the sting of death back home – and face those she left behind. But she’s not alone. A strange man she dubs Shades haunts her every step as she seeks answers to the inferno which claimed her grandmother, an eerie reminder of her parents’ deaths. The secrets Samantha uncovers forever changes her image of those she only thought she knew.

Confronted by Shades, Samantha joins a secret underworld known only as the Elite, where a web of power and control is woven deep within governments worldwide. Their sights are set on the power structure of the United States, and Samantha becomes the unlikely key to infiltrating the White House at its most intimate levels.

The quest for blood threatens to destroy Samantha. From the darkness there is no escape.



Guest Post:

As anyone will tell you, most authors tend to be avid readers.  I’m no exception.  My favorite books typically involve rich characters with layers to peel aside as I delve deeper into the story.  On the surface, they may be strong, tough, and unafraid of speaking their mind when opportunity arises.  But just like in real life, they each have vulnerabilities and areas they hide and bury deep.  That’s when characters get interesting.

Take Jane Eyre, for example.  This classic is a timeless masterpiece I read every year.  It follows the life of Jane from an emotionally charged orphan to a woman who discovers an incredible strength within.  Life as a quiet, mousy governess is non-descript, and she yearns for more even though she deigns to be satisfied with her station and situation.  But when faced with a life-altering decision, Jane makes a choice that places her in danger’s path – yet she maintains a clear conscience, knowing she’d have been enslaved if she’d chosen differently.  Through her struggles, she faces the very real possibility of starvation and death, reduced to begging followed by the humbling experience of accepting a helping hand.  In the end, there is pain but also an enduring peace and grace as she fully comes into her own.  The road to discover her strength of character is what makes this novel enormously satisfying.

In my own writing, I love to explore the vulnerabilities of my characters.  What are their fears?  What makes them angry?  What do they love (and sometimes who)?  Then it’s time to go deeper.  What in the past created their current emotional state?  What secrets do they hide?  Why did they choose a particular career, or was it chosen for them?  What people and situations push their buttons?  I LOVE to push their buttons and wait to see what happens! 

Maybe I’m a little twisted that way. J

I spend an obscene amount of time delving into what makes my characters tick – but that’s what makes them three-dimensional.  That’s what makes them feel like real people to me and ultimately to my readers.  Occasionally, even I’M surprised by the direction my characters take during the writing process.  They seem to have minds of their own.

For instance, in my novel Running into the Darkness, there is a character who was supposed to be a constant through the entire series.  Then as I was writing one day, he came to me in my mind, laid down his gun and said it was better for him to sacrifice his life for the sake of another.  I fought him, told him he was crazy, but in the end I capitulated.  His actions gave him a more redemptive quality he had previously never possessed.  It rounded out his character and brought him full-circle, though it left me in a bit of a quandary for book two.

When we as writers don’t take the time to fully flesh-out the people who make up a story, characters come across as flat, unemotional and therefore uninteresting.  Unless readers can emotionally engage with your “peeps”, they likely won’t come back for more. 

Go ahead and ratchet up the action, the suspense, the drama or the comedy, just don’t forget to let your characters anchor the story.  Readers will thank you for it by buying and recommending your novels.  Then you as an author will find greater satisfaction and identity with your characters.



About D. A. Bale:

Sometimes life emulates fiction.

Life is filled with tragedy and Ms. Bale's writing reflects this reality. However, there is always a silver lining...even if one must spend their entire life searching for it.

In her previous career, Ms. Bale traveled the United States as a Government Relations Liaison, working closely with Congressional offices and various government agencies. This experience afforded her a glimpse into the sometimes "not so pretty" reality of the political sphere. Much of this reality and various locations throughout her travels make it into her writing.

She dreams of the day she can return to visit Alaska.

Find D. A. Bale

Thursday, May 30, 2013

The Chemistry of Fate by Meradeth Houston Blog Tour


THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE by Meradeth Houston

“They are everywhere, can be anyone, and are always the last person you’d expect.” When Tom stumbles across his grandfather’s journal, he’s convinced the old man was crazier than he thought. The book contains references to beings called the Sary, immortals who are assigned to save humans on the verge of suicide. They certainly aren’t allowed to fall in love with mortals. Which the journal claims Tom’s grandfather did, resulting in his expulsion from the Sary. As strange as the journal seems, Tom can’t get the stories out of his head; especially when he finds the photo of his grandfather’s wings.


Tom’s only distraction is Ari, the girl he studies with for their chemistry class.


Ari has one goal when she arrives in town: see how much Tom knows about the Sary and neutralize the situation. This isn’t a normal job, but protecting the secrecy of the Sary is vital. If Tom is a threat to exposing the Sary to the public, fate has a way of taking care of the situation, usually ending with the mortal’s death. While Ari spends time with Tom, he becomes more than just an assignment, but how far can a relationship go when she can’t tell him who she really is? When she finds out just how much Tom actually knows about the Sary, Ari is forced to choose between her wings, and her heart.


THE CHEMISTRY OF FATE is a companion to COLORS LIKE MEMORIES and is set before the latter takes place. (Check it out on GoodReads!)


BUY NOW: only $2.99 for the blog tour




Meradeth is giving away a leather journal and a $10 Amazon gift certificate to two lucky winners! Check out the rafflecopter to enter:



Excerpt:



Chapter One

Tom

“They are everywhere, can be anyone, and are always the last person you’d expect.”

I should have said the seat was taken before she sat down. I should have gotten up and moved. But there she was, already getting comfortable, pulling a notebook from her bag. I couldn’t bring myself to be rude enough to switch to another spot.
I was staring; couldn’t help it. She was less than a foot away and fidgeting with her pen. She glanced up and smiled; the kind of grin that made her eyes scrunch and told me she’d probably start talking during class. I looked away.
When she dropped her bag next to her feet, she managed to tip my backpack over in the process. My assortment of pens skittered under the seats ahead of us, hiding behind chair legs and other students’ shoes.
“Oh, sorry!” She hurried to grab what things she could, slender hands reaching under seats to catch pencils and paperclips.
My heart almost stopped when she reached for the journal. Why hadn’t I left the stupid thing at home? Her fingers curled around the edge of the small book, and she paused for a moment to meet my eyes; I hoped she couldn’t see the panic in mine. It hadn’t fallen open, but I didn’t even want her touching my grandfather’s notebook. Or any of my stuff for that matter but especially that.
I snatched it from her outstretched hand, knowing my reaction was going to draw more attention, but I couldn’t help it. I buried it back in my bag.
“Thanks,” I said, taking the small pile of school-related detritus from her. Carefully, I stowed them away, making sure the pens all faced in the same direction.
“No problem. Sorry I dumped it all over the place. These rows are so narrow.” She tried to smile, but it wavered and fell from her lips.
The professor started class with a thump on his microphone, and I turned my attention to his lecture. The only way to keep up in this class was to write down everything and pray it all fit together later. It was going to be a miracle if I passed chemistry this semester. Normally science classes were my strong point, but the way this class was taught made it seem like some foreign language with no translation.
After half an hour, the professor had to hunt through his papers for some missing notes, leaving us all hanging half-way through an explanation. My eyes wandered to my bag and the slight bulge the old book made, reminding me it was still there, still confusing me.
I should have left it at home, but leaving it behind didn’t feel right. It bugged me, kind of like the feeling that maybe I’d left my stove on. So I carried it around, taking it out when I had a minute, trying to decipher the meaning of what my grandfather wrote.
It didn’t help that every word it contained unnerved me.


About the author:


Meradeth’s never been a big fan of talking about herself, but if you really want to know, here are some random tidbits about her:

>She’s a Northern California girl, but now lives and teaches anthropology in Montana.
>When she’s not writing, she’s sequencing dead people’s DNA. For fun!
>She’s been writing since she was 11 years old. It's her hobby, her passion, and she’s so happy to get to share her work!
>If she could have a super-power, it would totally be flying. Which is a little strange, because she’s terrified of heights.

Find The Author

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday (42)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.


Losing Hope by Colleen Hoover
Expected Release Date: July 9, 2013

In the follow-up to Colleen Hoover’s #1 New York Times bestseller Hopeless, the charming and irresistible Dean Holder tells the passionate story that has melted thousands of hearts.

In Hopeless, Sky left no secret unearthed, no feeling unshared, and no memory forgotten, but Holder’s past remained a mystery.

Still haunted by the little girl he let walk away, Holder has spent his entire life searching for her in an attempt to finally rid himself of the crushing guilt he has felt for years. But he could not have anticipated that the moment they reconnect, even greater remorse would overwhelm him…

Sometimes in life, if we wish to move forward, we must first dig deep into our past and make amends. In Losing Hope, bestselling author Colleen Hoover reveals what was going on inside Holder’s head during all those hopeless moments—and whether he can gain the peace he desperately needs. (Goodreads)

I LOVED Hopeless! It is one of my all time favorite books and I can't wait for Holder's point of view and to get to know him even better! If you haven't read Hopeless yet buy it and read it now, yes I mean right now!

Tuesday, May 28, 2013

Teaser Tuesday (21)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!



Slammed by Colleen Hoover

Following the unexpected death of her father, 18-year-old Layken is forced to be the rock for both her mother and younger brother. Outwardly, she appears resilient and tenacious, but inwardly, she's losing hope.

Enter Will Cooper: The attractive, 21-year-old new neighbor with an intriguing passion for slam poetry and a unique sense of humor. Within days of their introduction, Will and Layken form an intense emotional connection, leaving Layken with a renewed sense of hope.

Not long after an intense, heart-stopping first date, they are slammed to the core when a shocking revelation forces their new relationship to a sudden halt. Daily interactions become impossibly painful as they struggle to find a balance between the feelings that pull them together, and the secret that keeps them apart. (Goodreads)

*TEASER* "So... tell me about Will. Does he work? Is he in college? What's his major? Is he a serial killer?"

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Teaser Tuesday (20)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along!


Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Danger and betrayal, secrets and enchantment in the breathtaking conclusion to the Infernal Devices trilogy.

Tessa Gray should be happy - aren't all brides happy?
Yet as she prepares for her wedding, a net of shadows begins to tighten around the Shadowhunters of the London Institute.
A new demon appears, one linked by blood and secrecy to Mortmain, the man who plans to use his army of pitiless automatons, the Infernal Devices, to destroy the Shadowhunters. Mortmain needs only one last item to complete his plan. He needs Tessa. And Jem and Will, the boys who lay equal claim to Tessa's heart, will do anything to save her. (Goodreads)

*TEASER* "I am not a certified idiot--"
"Lack of certification hardly proves intelligence," Will muttered.

- Page 27, Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

A Privilege by Amy Lignor Release Day Blitz


Welcome to the release day blitz for A Privilege by Amy Lignor, the final book in the Angel Chronicles series. I have been with this series since the beginning and will be sad to say goodbye to this series and characters. Until Next Time was one of my first author requests and was how I got introduced to the wonderful Tribute Books that I now frequently work with for blog tours. This is a great series and I look forward to seeing what Amy Lignor does next. Make sure you check out the giveaway to enter win an e-book copy of the book. 50 copies are being given away, so the chances are good! I'll be entering, that is for sure! I hope you all enjoy this post and check out this series if you haven't already.

A Privilege:
The Angel Chronicles, Book 3

The beloved Angel/Warrior team face pure evil in their final climactic story!

The first time they were sent down, Irish lives were led. Emily, the angel, ended up embedded in murder and lost in the realm of true love. While Matthew, the warrior, took over a life that left blood on his hands and anger in his soul.

With their second coming, Emily found herself facing an oncoming war that brought her to the shores of America. While Matthew tried desperately to unveil the evil character of a young man who was intent on locking his partner in a ‘gilded’ cage.

Now...Emily and Matthew find that their lives are all their own. Yet, all the memories, hatred, longing and regret have come hand-in-hand with this newfound freedom.

In small town U.S.A., Matthew finds himself loving his new life. From his military school existence to a new, ‘odd’ friend who’s arrived in town, Matthew’s looking forward to graduation and heading off into a brilliant future with Emily by his side.

Emily wants nothing more than to hide. Although doing her best to fit in, she lives a life on the edge, wondering when her past love with reappear to either forgive or seek revenge on the angel who let him down. Battling the shadows that seem to be breaking her soul in two, Emily soon discovers that her small, quiet town has a secret that’s beyond dangerous...

As she and Matthew join forces to help a ‘haunted’ victim, they open the door on a mystery neither of them can believe. A true villain has returned from the past, and not even their heavenly family will be able to save them. This time they’re on their own, as they face a fight that could lead them straight to Hell…and end the angel/warrior team forever.


Buy Now:
Kindle |  Nook | iBookstore | Smashwords | Google | PDF |

Excerpt

Without a word, Matthew reached out, took Emily by the hand and pulled her down beside him. He looked into her eyes and smiled. “I knew my Emily was still in there.”

Out of the blue, the room became incredibly hot, as if Gabriel had entered in order to give a lesson to his favorite students. “What?”

“That spark.” He pulled Emily’s face closer before she could push herself away. “You’ve been acting all this time like you’re just here to sit and wait it out until you’re lucky enough to go Home. But you’re still in there, Emily. You still have all that energy and belief in there and you want to do something. That’s the partner I know.”

Shaking her head, Emily listened to her own breathing intensify as she stared at his full lips and wondered why she felt so completely and utterly strange...vulnerable even. “I want to help this girl. This is a job, maybe my only job down here. She saw a ghost and she wants me to help her out, that’s all.”

“And you will.” Matthew captured Emily’s lips, and she could no longer feel the breath in her lungs. Completely different than the one kiss they’d shared up above so long ago, this one was far more demanding, as if Matthew was a young man determined to kiss his human love for the very first time.

Sitting back, Emily practically jumped off the bed.

“I’m sorry,” she heard him whisper behind her. “I guess I was just excited to see you again.”

Not trusting her voice, she remained silent.

“We have jobs, but we also have a life to live. Our own lives this time around. Maybe you should think about adding that into your angelic plans.” Matthew continued softly, “Jason isn’t here, Emily.”

The name being said out loud sent a chill down Emily’s spine. It reminded her of the vow she’d made a long time ago—a vow that an angel couldn’t break.

She cleared her throat. “It doesn’t matter if he’s here. We were sent to do a job, and maybe helping this little girl prove her story is what I need to begin.”

Standing up, Matthew looked as if he was a man who wanted nothing more than to turn back the clock and erase the name he’d spoken aloud. He walked to the open window. “Well, I hope the job goes well. Good luck with it.”

“Matthew,” Emily took a step toward him. “Don’t leave like this.”

He nodded at the book on the bed. “You have your mission, Emily...your job. Ghosts, goblins, lost souls—knock yourself out.” He took a deep breath. “I wonder when you’re going to figure out that the living souls around you would like some of your attention as well.”

Closing her eyes, Emily shed silent tears as she heard his feet hit the ground beneath her window. A friend, a partner, the one who actually listened, was now just an angry young man racing back to The Armory—a place where warriors reigned.

Emily sighed. She’d done it again. No matter how hard she tried to be good, her mouth always got her into trouble. She needed Matthew to understand. She’d made a promise to a young man a long time ago; a promise that was supposed to last for eternity. How was she to know at the time that their eternity would include death by her hand?
Had the second time around broken their vow? Emily had no idea. But whatever happened she could not and would not offer Matthew her heart if payment was still due for her past sins. Above all, Matthew was the last person who deserved to be punished for her mistakes.


About Amy Lignor:

Amy Lignor began her career at Grey House Publishing in northwest Connecticut where she was the Editor-in-Chief of numerous educational and business directories.

Now she is a published author of several works of fiction. The Billy the Kid historical The Heart of a Legend; the thriller, Mind Made; and the adventure novel, Tallent & Lowery 13.

She is also the owner of The Write Companion, a company that offers help and support to writers through a full range of editorial services from proofreading and copyediting to ghostwriting and research. As the daughter of a research librarian, she is also an active book reviewer.

Currently, she lives with her daughter, mother and a rambunctious German Shepherd named Reuben, in the beautiful state of New Mexico.

Find Amy:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads |



Books 1 and 2 are now 99 cents on Kindle!
   





Tuesday, April 9, 2013

Apollyon by Jennifer Armentrout Review


Apollyon by Jennifer Armentrout
★★★★★

Fate isn’t something to mess with… and now, neither is Alex.

Alex has always feared two things: losing herself in the Awakening and being placed on the Elixir. But love has always been stronger than Fate, and Aiden St. Delphi is willing to make war on the gods—and Alex herself—to bring her back.

The gods have killed thousands and could destroy entire cities in their quest to stop Seth from taking Alex’s power and becoming the all-powerful God Killer. But breaking Alex’s connection to Seth isn’t the only problem. There are a few pesky little loopholes in the whole “an Apollyon can’t be killed” theory, and the only person who might know how to stop the destruction has been dead for centuries.

Finding their way past the barriers that guard the Underworld, searching for one soul among countless millions, and then somehow returning will be hard enough. Alex might be able to keep Seth from becoming the God Killer… or she might become the God Killer herself.



Alex has discovered how special she really is; not only is she a half-blood, but she is also an Apollyon. Alex had to rise to new challenges and had to face many of her fears. Even when she didn’t believe in herself, she had people around her that did -- especially Aiden. Her world is crumbling down around her. Will she make it out alive?

Jennifer Armentrout has done it again -- her books are like a bad drug addiction. Just like every book of hers that I have finished -- in this series and the Lux series -- I have been left craving more. Without another one to read, I go instantly into withdrawals. I have no idea how I’m going to wait for the conclusion to this amazing series. She seriously makes me feel like a crazed junkie. Thankfully, she writes fast and publishes books fairly faster than other authors.

The characters are pushed even farther in this book. There are a lot of holy crap moments and some great action scenes. This book was intense, to say the least; and I don’t want to give too much away, especially to people who haven’t read this series yet. I’m terrified for the next book to see how this all ends up, and I know I will be sad to say goodbye to this world and these amazing characters that have found a permanent place in my heart.

This is one of my favorite series, and I highly recommend it! You won’t be able to put these books down until you finish them. I have to go back to read the other ones to review them because I couldn’t stop reading them to review them, and I don’t want to accidentally mix up what happened in each specific book. It is a great series for readers of any age.

received this book from the publisher, Spencer Hill Press, for review. Thank you Spencer Hill Press!

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