Cover reveal: ‘Eventide’ by Christine Allen-Riley
Posted: August 14, 2014 Filed under: On Books | Tags: book covers, urban fantasy Leave a commentEventide (Iron Falls, #1)
by Christine Allen-Riley
Release Date: 10/2014
The driver in a tragic car accident that killed her best friend, Devon Greer is consumed by guilt. When powerful hallucinations convince her that she’s seeing Rachael everywhere, Devon thinks she’s going crazy. But her friend isn’t truly gone.
To save Rachael from the faeries who stole her, Devon must pit herself against the Court of the Sidhe. Once she witnesses the true form of the fey, Devon’s life is in danger—and so are the lives of everyone she loves.
Now, Devon must not only protect herself, but also Jonah Seafort, Rachael’s cousin and the only person Devon can trust to help her. While the Sidhe walk among them, no one is safe…
About Christine
Lover of books, nature, cats and shiny things. Active disliker of cooking, cleaning and stress. Mom, freelance editor and YA author — also a bit of a nerd.
Author Links:
http://chrisallenriley.blogspot.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8389838.Christine_Allen_Riley
http://www.twitter.com/ChrisAllenRiley
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Allen-Riley/484216054955321?ref=ts&fref=ts
Review: ‘Shimmer’ (The Rephaim #3) by Paula Weston
Posted: August 9, 2014 Filed under: Reviews | Tags: AWW, reviews, urban fantasy 3 Comments
Gaby thought her life couldn’t get more complicated.
She’s almost used to the idea that she’s not the nineteen-year-old backpacker she thought she was. She can just about cope with being one of the Rephaim—a 140-year-old half-angel—whose memories have been stolen. She’s even coming to grips with the fact that Jude, the brother she’s mourned for a year, didn’t die at all.
But now Rafa—sexy, infuriating Rafa—is being held, and hurt, by Gatekeeper demons. And Gaby has to get the bitterly divided Rephaim to work together, or Rafa has no chance at all.
It’s a race against time—and history. And it may already be too late.
(Two reviews in a row from me? I know, right?! It’s because I’m between writing one novel and the next, and it’s been so busy and stressful at work I’ve been comfort reading at night time. Anyway, enough about that. On with the review!)
Shimmer is book three of four in The Rephaim series, and I usually don’t see much point in reviewing books this far into a series. You’re presumably either reading it because you loved the first two books—and really don’t want to read spoilers—or you haven’t encountered it yet and would probably be better served by a review of the first book.
But the blurb itself contains all the spoilers I’m going to reveal: that Gaby is a Rephaim, Jude is alive and Rafa has been taken by demons. I pinkie swear.
I commented in my review of the previous book, Haze, that the first two books are set over the space of about two weeks, and how the fast pace is one of the breathtaking things about the series. Shimmer continues and accelerates that action-packed trend; the events in it are set over a total of about 24 hours. But that doesn’t mean the story is hollow. In fact, it’s packed with tension and combat, and starts to reveal more of the hidden truth about the Rephaim and others around them. The next and final book, Burn, comes out in 2015 and—if the cliff-hangery, super-exciting end of Haze is anything to go by—promises to be even more jammed full of awesome.
Also, I love these characters like you would not believe. With the exception of the demons themselves, there are very few people to hate in this—even the enigmatic politician of a fallen angel, Nathaniel, is a character I can sympathise with, despite the fact he’s frustrating as anything and blinded by his own goals. One of the interesting thing about the story is how some of the characters I really didn’t like in the first book have grown, and grown on me: Mya, Malachi, Taya and even Daniel are all good examples.
My favourite character, though, is Jude. If I could choose anyone in the world to be my long-lost twin brother, it’d be him. Although since the post of twin is taken by Gaby, I can think of other ways I could use Jude in my life. Phwoar! Just sayin’.
The romantic tension between Gaby and Rafa is, naturally, missing for a large slice of the book, since he’s, well, not in it. But we really get to see how much Gaby cares about him; all her ambivalence over the secrets he’s keeping about their past evaporates, and in turn his ambivalence about her possible reaction when she finds out those secrets falls away. I guess being tortured—or seeing your loved one tortured—by demons gives you a sense of perspective.
This is a great book and a great series. The only bad thing is that now I have to wait, like, a year to see how the story concludes. My plan is to stare at Paula Weston until she’s finished.
That’s not creepy, is it?
Review: ‘Because the Night’ by Kirsten Strassel
Posted: August 8, 2014 Filed under: Reviews | Tags: reviews, urban fantasy Leave a comment
Sex, Blood, and Rock n’ Roll.
Immortal Dilemma is the hottest band in the Las Vegas vampire rock scene. They draw insatiable fans from around the globe, thanks to a supernatural attraction called Bloodlust. Tristan craved such an opportunity to fill his empty mortal life, and now he has eternity to earn his place along the legends of rock n roll debauchery.
Callie always feared that Tristan’s excesses would get him into trouble, but she never thought they’d lead him to immortality. To reconnect with him, she must weave her way through a world not only she had no idea existed, but does not welcome her.
Blade turned down a spot in Immortal Dilemma after learning what he must sacrifice for that lifestyle. He finds Callie a refreshing change from the girls in the vampire rock scene. When Callie drags Blade back into the world of Immortal Dilemma, his resistance drives her into the waiting arms of Tristan, who shows her the true meaning of Bloodlust.
But the very things that Callie fights so hard to save are the very things that fight to destroy her.
I’m going to start off this review by saying that I almost never like the bad boy in a book. When presented with a choice between two love interests in a triangle, I almost always choose the guy who I’d actually like to know in real life: the reliable, dependable, safer option. Because the Night was definitely not written for someone with my tastes, as far as men go.
The reason I want to state this up front is that I think if I’d been the target reader, this would have rated much more highly for me. If you love bad boys, the things that were a negative for me might be a positive for you. 😉
At times (especially early on, before we saw his gentler side) I wanted to set fire to Tristan. He was all arogant vampire rock star, and totally insufferable. I simply couldn’t understand why Callie was drawn back to him, time and again. I get nostalgia for an old relationship, and I even get her desire to “save” him from his drug-addled lifestyle. But after he attacks her — in a scene that has rape metaphor written all over it — and tells her that she would have enjoyed it if she’d just relaxed…well, I nearly threw my Kindle across the room.
That being said, the fact that Strassel’s book made me feel so strongly, and yet kept me reading, is a testament to her pacing and the story. And once Callie got past Tristan’s arrogant exterior and he started acting a bit more, well, human, he wasn’t too bad. He really cared for her, and struggled with the darker side of his nature, the vampire side. I was definitely Team Blade all the way, though. He had moments where he was furious with Callie and was a little cruel, but I totally got where he was coming from. She was awful to him, without even thinking about it at times; such was the power of her obsession with Tristan.
My favourite character in the story was Lennon, Callie’s work colleague and, later, her best friend. The bubbly bartender, girlfriend to a vampire, and part-time makeup artist was a point of sanity in Callie’s life. She’s the sort of person I’d love to hang out with.
There’s definitely sizzle in this book, although the sex scenes don’t go into huge amounts of detail, which keeps it from being outright erotica. I never thought I’d think all that blood was hot, but it kind of was. There’s also implied (although not observed) drug use, which didn’t bother me but some readers may find it offensive.
Despite how much I loathed Tristan at times, Because the Night would have been a four-star read for me, except that there was also a smattering of grammatical errors that drew me out of the story every time I noticed one. (I’m a trainspotter when it comes to that sort of thing; it’s an occupational hazard.) So I’m giving it 3.5 stars.*
* I note on Goodreads that there’s a newer edition of this book than the one I bought a while back, so these errors may have been tidied up.
Review: ‘Tur’ by S.T. Bende
Posted: July 20, 2014 Filed under: Reviews | Tags: new adult, reviews, romance, urban fantasy 1 Comment
Inga Andersson is the envy of every girl in Asgard. On the surface she has it all — great friends, a job as Odin’s personal fight choreographer, and a happy ever after with her realm’s hottest assassin. But when evil invades Asgard, her perfect world comes crashing down. Someone is planning to kill off the gods, and Inga’s best friend Ull is first on their list. With the Norse apocalypse a nanosecond away, Inga has to decide how she’ll spend her final moments of freedom. Because from the moment this battle begins, Inga’s happily ever after will be nothing more than a memory.
Some things are worth fighting for.
TUR is an Elsker Saga novella. It is approximately 10,000 words long.
As I mentioned a few days ago during the launch blitz for book two in this series, I just finished reading Tur, the novella from Inga Andersson’s perspective that is set just before the events of Elsker start to unfold.
I really enjoyed this little tale from Inga’s perspective. There’s enough action and foreshadowing in here to keep the momentum of the novella going, and it seeds the romance between Ull and Kristia in the sweetest way. (That last page or two. Aww!) Ull is a very serious and intense fellow — as you would be if you were the God of Winter being drafted into a different portfolio, one you really didn’t want — and it was fun to see Inga trying to get him to lighten up.
Inga and Gunnar are definitely the focus of the novella, though — Inga’s drive to be taken seriously as a warrior by Odin, and Gunnar’s desire to, well, spend some “quality time” with Inga. This is a sweet romance though, like the rest of the series, so it fades to black at appropriate moments. Part of me regreted that, to be honest, because it was so promising. 😉
One touch that I really love in this series is that the gods are given a modern makeover. Even in Asgard they live in modern houses and wear modern clothes. It made the sprinkling of references to the more ancient parts of their world stand out even more. Fun!
I felt Inga’s frustration at the blokes’ desire to protect her, given what a kick-butt warrior she is. At first I thought it was old-fashioned chivalry or even sexism (she’s weak; we can’t let her go to battle). It was a relief to discover it was more about politics, in Odin’s case at least. Gunnar on the other hand just didn’t want his wife in danger; I can respect that, because who wants to see their loved ones get hurt?
Also, if this has intrigued you, here’s one more thing to consider: Tur is a great opportunity to try a new author, because it’s free. It can be a risky proposition buying a book by an unknown author, but you can, ah, suck it and see. (Speaking of Gunnar…)
Excerpt and giveaway: ‘Tortured Souls’ by Kimber Leigh Wheaton
Posted: July 17, 2014 Filed under: On Books | Tags: contests, romance, urban fantasy, young adult 2 Comments
Tortured Souls (The Orion Circle #1)
by Amazon Bestselling Author Kimber Leigh Wheaton
YA Paranormal Romance
Sometimes Rest in Peace isn’t an option
Kacie Ramsey sees ghosts—and it’s ruining her life. Her mother left, her father blames her, and no matter how hard she tries, she can’t keep the ghosts away. Now a new power has emerged. Nightly visions of grisly murders and a relentless predator draw her to the brink of insanity.
When the phantom appears at a party, Kacie’s longtime crush, Logan, saves her. He invites her to join the Orion Circle, a group of supernatural hunters with chapters in schools all over the country. Through the Circle, Kacie learns to embrace her spiritual powers, and for the first time in her life she feels in control rather than a victim.
But the Foxblood Demon will not give up so easily. A demented serial killer in life who trapped the souls of the thirteen children he murdered, imprisoning them within the walls of his mansion. Now in death, he plots his return while drawing power from the pure souls of the children. He recognizes something in Kacie he’s never seen before—a medium powerful enough to provide a vessel for his tainted soul.
Kacie can’t ignore the tortured souls of the children crying out to her every night. With Logan at her side, she will fight the Foxblood Demon. But can they banish this powerful phantom, or will Kacie lose not only her body, but her eternal soul to the monster.
Excerpt
Deafening music shakes the walls, vibrates the floor, and pounds a rhythmic beat in my skull. Gyrating bodies turn every bit of space into a dance floor. Sweat breaks out on my forehead, and my heart races. Strobe lights flash, teens dance with wild abandon. Shrieking laughter bubbles around me.
“Gotta take a leak!” my dance partner shouts over the music.
He races off, weaving through the thick wall of bodies. Mike or Mick or something—I didn’t catch the name he yelled when he asked me to dance. Doesn’t matter, he wasn’t my type at all. I mean, the guy guzzled beer while dancing. After grabbing a diet soda from a nearby cooler, I’m about to search for my friends when a dark feeling washes over me. My feet refuse to move, and I stand rooted in place.
The once loud music is now hollow in my ears. I gasp for breath, choking on the lack of air around me. Tiny hairs on the nape of my neck rise to attention. Something wicked is behind me. I know I’m the only one here who feels a difference in air pressure. An oppressive weight presses against my skin, making me feel as though I’m underwater. I blink a few times, watching the people around me continue their manic dancing—oblivious to the bogeyman that just entered the room.
Afraid to turn around, I stand my ground, sipping my soda. I pretend I’m unaware of the shuffling noises behind me, sounds I shouldn’t be able to hear over the blaring music. Swaying my hips, I hum along with the music, trying to ignore the ominous presence crushing me.
Whatever it is, I can’t let it know I sense it. Evil pours off it in waves, blanketing the entire room. I close my eyes, willing the creature to go away, return to whatever mausoleum or grave it calls home. Malevolent spirits feed on fear. I must control mine at all costs.
When I open my eyes, I’m gazing into the face of an angel. Not literally, but he may as well be in my book. Logan glances behind me, and I know he sees the spirit. He doesn’t gasp or scream or faint dead away. His golden eyes narrow as though he’s in a staring contest with the specter.
“You’re not welcome here,” Logan says to the presence behind me. He meets my gaze again. “You know it’s there.”
It’s not a question but a statement. I nod, a weak bob of my head, unsure whether this intimate moment with my dream guy is a good thing or not. Meeting over a nasty phantom is not my idea of romantic. And yet I can’t stop staring at the way his blue t-shirt hugs his broad shoulders and chest—how his light brown hair curls around his earlobes. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry. For six weeks I’ve wanted out of the friendship box with Logan, but I was hoping for girlfriend, not crazy girl.
“Kassandra,” a voice rasps behind me.
Giveaway
Enter to win HERE!
About the Author
Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a bestselling YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance. She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs, four cats, and lots of dragons. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!) She currently lives in San Antonio, TX but has been somewhat a rolling stone in life, having resided in several different cities and states.
Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Facebook | Pinterest
Release day blitz: ‘Endre’ (Elsker Saga #2) by ST Bende
Posted: July 17, 2014 Filed under: On Books | Tags: book launch, romance, urban fantasy 3 Comments
Before I launch into the festivities, I just wanted to add a little note to this post. I’ve read both the first book in the series, Elsker, and the novella prequel, Tur (which, by the way, you can get for free if you want to try ST’s style before you buy — there are links at the bottom of this post!). I’m planning to put a review of Tur up in the next few days, and Endre is on my TBR list. The series is a sweet romance with hot Norse gods in it. If that sounds like your thing, these are the books for you! — Cass
Endre (Elsker Saga #2) by S.T. Bende
Upper YA/NA Paranormal Romance
Sometimes, finding your destiny means doing the exact opposite of what The Fates have planned.
Winning the heart of an immortal assassin was a dream come true for Kristia Tostenson. Now she’s knee deep in wedding plans, goddess lessons, and stolen kisses. But her decision to become immortal could end in heartbreak — not only for Kristia, but for the god who loves her. Because while Ull would do anything to protect his bride, even the God of Winter is powerless against the Norse apocalypse. Ragnarok is coming.
And the gods aren’t even close to ready.
Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
The Amazon bestselling Upper YA Paranormal Romance series inspired by Norse mythology and featured in USA Today.
What reviewers are saying about The Elsker Saga:
“The characters will leave an imprint on your heart and mind for a long time to come.” — Lisa (Bound by Books)
“Bende takes classic bits of Norse mythology and throws in original elements to create her own tasty Nordic blend… I’ll definitely be checking out the sequel!” — Bookalicious Reviews
“One of my favorite books of the year.” — White Zin Bookends
“Action packed with a heart pounding romance!” — Curse of the Bibliophile
“This book was nearly impossible to put down and I’m dying for the sequel!” — Brittany and Bianca Blab Books (now BiblioBelles)
Excerpt
When I came to, my chest heaved with sobs. Cold sweat cloaked my body from my forehead to the backs of my knees. My hair was damp, my pulse was racing, and my fingers gripped the sheets so tightly my knuckles ached. I was in my room at Ýdalir, the one place I had always felt safe. Only now I was absolutely terrified.
I ripped the covers off and wrapped my arms around my legs. My nose twitched at an unfamiliar smell. I pulled the cord on the bedside lamp, and looked around to see what might be burning. There was no smoke in the room; all of the furniture seemed to be intact. But when I glanced down, I saw the hems of my pajamas. They were black, singed from the fire I’d desperately hoped had been part of a dream.
This time things had gone too far. If my smoldering pant legs were any indication, being injured in a vision could have far-reaching worldly consequences. And if Elfie had come that close to killing me . . .
Ull had his rules, but I no longer cared. I jumped out of bed and raced down the hallway. When I reached his door I pounded on the distressed wood. Tears streamed down my face but I didn’t bother to wipe them away. The downpour was too intense; it wouldn’t have done any good anyway.
The door flew open and Ull stood on the other side. He wore a loose pair of grey sweatpants and nothing else. Oh hot bejeebus. There was no way this guy was for real. It just wasn’t humanly possible to look that good.
Oh, right. Ull wasn’t human.
Despite the agony coursing through my awakening consciousness, this was a moment of glory I’d remember forever—the first time I saw Ull’s naked torso. His sweats hung low on his hips, affording me a view of the cut just above the bone.
Holy Lord.
“Kristia?” Ull rubbed the sleep from his eyes. He took in my matted hair, tear-streaked face, and shaking hands. “Great Odin. What happened?”
He pulled me to him, crushing my face against the muscles of his chest. The knot in my stomach loosened infinitesimally. Just being near Ull gave me peace, but being this near Ull was like taking a sedative. Breathing in his woodsy smell made my panic subside. And when he pressed his hands against me—one to my hair, the other against the small of my back—my gut knew I was safe. Nothing bad could happen to me so long as I was in Ull’s arms. I inhaled again, letting his familiar scent fill me from the inside until my shaking stilled. Then I pressed my lips against his skin. Hard.
“Sweetheart?” he asked again.
“I had another vision and it freaked me out. Can I stay with you?” I didn’t take my lips off his chest as I spoke. I couldn’t. He tasted divine—like spruce and soap and home. There was a very real possibility my mouth might be permanently adhered to his flesh, like a kid who’d tried to lick a frozen railing.
Only this was far less unpleasant.
Giveaway
Enter to win an ebook copy of Endre HERE!
Tur: An Elsker Saga Novella (Prequel)
AMAZON – BARNES&NOBLE – KOBO
Inga Andersson is the envy of every girl in Asgard. On the surface she has it all — great friends, a job as Odin’s personal fight choreographer, and a happy ever after with her realm’s hottest assassin. But when evil invades Asgard, her perfect world comes crashing down. Someone is planning to kill off the gods, and Inga’s best friend Ull is first on their list. With the Norse apocalypse a nanosecond away, Inga has to decide how she’ll spend her final moments of freedom. Because from the moment this battle begins, Inga’s happily ever after will be nothing more than a memory.
Some things are worth fighting for.
Elsker: The Elsker Saga Book One
You don’t win the heart of an immortal assassin without making a few enemies along the way. Kristia Tostenson prefers Earl Grey to Grey Goose and book clubs to nightclubs, but when she transfers from her one-stoplight town to Cardiff University in Wales she falls in love with Ull Myhr. Her new boyfriend isn’t exactly what she was expecting. He’s an honest to goodness Norse God – an immortal assassin fated to die at Ragnarok, the battle destined to destroy Asgard and Earth. Kristia’s crazy visions are the only thing that can save their realms.
Her orderly life just got very messy.
About the Author
Before finding domestic bliss in suburbia, ST Bende lived in Manhattan Beach (became overly fond of Peet’s Coffee) and Europe… where she became overly fond of McVities cookies. Her love of Scandinavian culture and a very patient Norwegian teacher inspired the books of The Elsker Saga. She hopes her characters make you smile and that one day, pastries will be considered a health food.
Find ST on Twitter @stbende or her blog. While you’re at it, introduce yourself to @UllMyhr — when he’s not saving the cosmos from dark elves, he loves meeting new friends. Especially the human kind.
Excerpt and giveaway: ‘Collide’ by Christine Fonseca
Posted: July 12, 2014 Filed under: On Books | Tags: book launch, contests, urban fantasy 2 Comments
Collide
by Christine Fonseca
Release Date: 7 July 2014
Christine Fonseca’s latest action-packed, heart-pounding thriller COLLIDE, explores the world of psychic warfare with a new twist!
The most dangerous secrets are the ones that kill.
When a surprising mental breakdown draws too much attention from a secret government group call the Order, 17-year-old Dakota discovers that her so-called boring life isn’t so boring after all. Between the lies, secrets and assassins out to kill her family, Dakota discovers there’s more to paranormal activity than ghosts and cheap mind tricks. Now she must uncover the truth before a new breed of terrorism takes everything away – including her life.
Excerpt
Project Stargate 2.0
The Solomon Experiments
Dr. LeMercier’s Personal Journal
June 29, 2002
Day 1:
The children are assembled, selected from a pool of more than a thousand recruits. It’s exciting to have so many of the former participants’ offspring in this group. I expect Jennings and Harrison to provide strong recruits. We agreed it best if I didn’t know their identities to avoid tainting the experiments in any way. Avoid favoritism. I expect them to pass the weeding, especially with their genetics.
Training begins in the morning. Dr. Tate and I have redesigned the protocols. They are more grueling than the previous tests, designed to push not only the candidates’ physical and mental stamina but also their emotional development. The new program measures every aspect of their supernatural potential, from telekinesis to telepathy and more.
We anticipate better results this time. These children are younger, stronger than their predecessors. Their abilities, unmatched. But will it be enough? I can measure their ethics, but I can’t guarantee their willingness to do everything their country requires.
We’ve run out of time. Global terrorism has reached unfathomable heights. The attacks have increased since 9/11. It’s worse than before, worse than during the Cold War. I fear another Hitler. We should’ve acted swifter when we first discovered Hitler and Stalin’s early research into the supernatural. Instead, we let our fear supersede our responsibilities to keep our nation safe.
Never again.
There will be no safety until we find a better way to train our special forces. Our country will not be free from the terrorism that threatens us until we resume our goal of new, advanced weaponry. These experiments are the key. We cannot fail this time as we have before.
The younger recruits offer something we haven’t had in the past, a way to shape and train their morality. We will be able to push the experiments beyond the confines of humanity. We will bypass ethical concerns and find the recruits we can train to use their gifts in new ways.
We will teach them to kill.
Giveaway
To enter, click HERE!
About the Author
Critically acclaimed nonfiction and YA author Christine Fonseca is dedicated to helping children of all ages find their voice in the world. In fiction, she explores the darker aspects of humanity and delivers gothic thrillers that take you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.
In addition to writing, Ms. Fonseca is a frequent presenter and trainer on subjects ranging from writing to behavior and understanding the unique needs of gifted children. She blogs regularly on many sites and participates in events throughout the country. See the News/Events page on her website for upcoming events.
When Christine isn’t crafting her next book and working with kids, she can be found sipping too many skinny vanilla lattes at her favorite coffee house or exploring the world with her family.
Author Links
http://www.christinefonseca.com/
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4077598.Christine_Fonseca
http://www.twitter.com/chrstinef
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Fonseca-Author/226271671435
Double cover reveal: ‘Forget Me Not’ and ‘Remember Me’ by Stacey Nash
Posted: July 1, 2014 Filed under: On Books | Tags: aussie-owned, AWW, sci-fi, urban fantasy, young adult 4 CommentsThose of you who have followed me for more than, like, five minutes will know that I’m a big fan of Stacey Nash. She’s one of the co-founders of Aussie Owned and Read — it was her that invited me to take part — and she beta read Lucid Dreaming for me. She received her contract offer for Forget Me Not at the same time as I received one for Isla’s Inheritance. I was lucky enough to sign with Turquoise Morning Press rather than the doomed Press Which Shall Not Be Named.
Stacey wasn’t so lucky. Not long after FMN released, her press folded.
But then this absolutely crazy thing happened. At around this time, Stacey was contacted by someone at Harper Collins. She’d subbed FMN there over a year earlier, and they wanted it for their new digital imprint. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeee! It’s pretty much the perfect fairy tale ending, and it couldn’t have happened to a nicer human. That’s why I’m over the moon to be part of the cover reveal for the new (and much prettier!) Forget Me Not, as well as for Remember Me.
Both of which are available for preorder (something I’ve totally done already). Go go go!
Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | Goodreads
Anamae is drawn into a world which shatters everything she knew to be true.
Since her mother vanished nine years ago, Anamae and her father have shared a quiet life. But when Anamae discovers a brooch identical to her mother’s favorite pendant, she unknowingly invites a slew of trouble into their world. They’re not just jewellery, they’re part of a highly developed technology capable of cloaking the human form. Triggering the jewellery’s power attracts the attention of a secret society determined to confiscate the device – and silence everyone who is aware of its existence. Anamae knows too much, and now she’s Enemy Number One.
She’s forced to leave her father behind when she’s taken in by a group determined to keep her safe. Here Anamae searches for answers about this hidden world. With her father kidnapped and her own life on the line, Anamae must decide if saving her dad is worth risking her new friends’ lives. No matter what she does, somebody is going to get hurt.
Amazon | iBooks | Google Play | Goodreads
When all is lost, she must remember…
Anamae Gilbert managed to thwart The Collective and rescue her father, even though his mind is now a shell. Determined to stop Councilor Manvyke hurting her family again, she’s training to become an active resistance member and enjoying a growing romance. But things never sail along smoothly – Manvyke wants retribution. And Anamae’s name is high on his list.
After a blow to the head, she awakes in an unfamiliar location. Anamae can’t remember the last few weeks and she can’t believe the fascinating new technology she’s seeing. She’s the new kid at school and weapons training comes with ease, but something feels off. Why does the other new kid’s smile make her heart ache?
And why does she get the feeling these people are deadly?
About Stacey
Stacey Nash writes adventure filled stories for Young Adults in the Science Fiction and Fantasy genres. When her head isn’t stuck in a fictional world, she calls the Hunter Valley of New South Wales home. It is an area nestled between mountains and vineyards, full of history and culture that all comes together to create an abundance of writing inspiration. Stacey loves nothing more than writing when inspiration strikes.
Excerpt and giveaway: ‘Honey Queen’ by Christina Mercer
Posted: June 28, 2014 Filed under: On Books | Tags: urban fantasy Leave a comment
Honey Queen
by Christina Mercer
Release Date: 31 May 2014
Love is honey sweet, but it comes with a fatal sting . . .
Melaina Maris needs wings to fly the gap between loving Sam and her family’s ancient curse that forces carnal love and then kills the male lovers. She won’t let the same fate that killed her father befall another. She refuses to allow her goddess-created bloodline to continue. But there’s no easy way out, especially after the curse turns her into the Honey Queen—savior to honey bees—intensifying her charms.
To help her fulfill the curse’s demands in the least harmful way, her grandmother takes her to mate with terminally ill Boyd. But Boyd’s gay. And an expert in mythology. Instead of having sex, Melaina learns how she might summon the goddess who created the first ancestor bee-charmer and cursed her bloodline. Melaina’s magic—tears to save honey bees from endangerment—could be enough to persuade the goddess to end the curse. But an unexpected discovery soon changes that hope, spinning Melaina into a swarm of love, friendship and death.
Excerpt
The kiss of a sting sends heat up my arm. I don’t flick away the stinger. Instead, I watch the barb pulse like a heartbeat as it unloads its venom. Pleasure and guilt war within me. I’ve never before felt the sensation of a sting, as if a swarm buzzed through my veins. Nor have I ever murdered one of my own. But life with our honey bees changed last summer. Now our connection to them is even more twisted, morphed into a love-hate battle I wish would end.
“I know,” I say with partial regret, as squadrons of bees swoop in to investigate their sister’s death. The banana-like scent of alarm pheromones fills my nose. I pull on my glove, deciding not to kill any others or further tempt fate. Even one sting raises my risk of becoming like Mom, crazy with need, using alcohol to replace her addiction to bee venom. But I had to understand what seduced my mother. I had to taste the pleasure that deceives, so that I know firsthand what I’m fighting against.
I wait until the buzzing heat of the sting fades, ignore the temptation to expose my flesh again, and continue to work the hives. Three colonies down, three more to go—just enough to pollinate our fruit orchard and release the pheromones Gran, Mom, and I need to stay alive.
A part of me misses the rows of hives that used to make up our apiary, how spring’s arrival was like a big party with a million honey bees as our guests. A bigger part of me misses my mother who, before last summer, danced in the orchard every morning and sang to me every night. Now it’s my turn to come out here in the morning and greet bees that would kill her in a wing’s flutter but that we both depend on for life.
Giveaway
1 ebook of Honey Queen (INT)
1 “Honey Bee” swag pack (USA):
bookmark
buzz card
beeswax lip balm
honey sticks
honeybee charm
Enter here!
About the Author
Christina Mercer is an award-winning author of fiction for children and young adults. She took Writer’s Best in Show at the 2012 SCBWI CA North/Central Regional Conference, was a Semi-Finalist in the 2010 Amazon Breakout Novel Award Contest, and won Honorable Mention in the 21st Annual Writer’s Digest Self Published Book Awards. She holds a degree in Accounting from California State University at Sacramento and a Certificate in Herbal Studies from Clayton College of Natural Health. Christina resides in Northern California enjoying life with her husband, two sons, four dogs, and about 100,000 honeybees.
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This Writer’s Space: S. T. Bende
Posted: June 25, 2014 Filed under: On writing | Tags: new adult, this writer's space, urban fantasy 4 Comments
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