Thursday, July 31, 2014

Release Blitz ~ In Between Seasons by Cassandra Giovanni

release button


Attractive young woman near tree trunk
     

Show n'ot Tell Publishing Presents:

NEW ADULT POST - APOCALYPTIC ROMANCE SERIES

In 2021 the world as we know it changed. The government collapsed, and the worst characteristics of human nature were shown as the world fell into ruins. Years after The Fall, the Tribes that were established are still at war. They still fight to keep what they pillaged, and most of all, they fight to keep their lies a secret. In a world filled with deception, nothing is as it seems. I was born into this world. Hunter Marks was molded into this world; a General— a person cold and harsh. A person meant to kill me. We were told to just believe. We were taught to never question. We’re supposed to be robots, and accept our roles in this altered society. Too bad Hunter and I don’t follow the rules. And we’re a hell of a lot stronger than they ever thought possible. They’ve been searching for the world’s deadliest weapon. It’s me. And I’m not following the leader any more. 



Excerpt
I would have given him everything. I would have melded every part of me into him. My breath caught in my throat. I already had. Love hadn’t existed in this world. Only hate, deceit and lies, but by letting him in I’d let all of that crumble. By letting me in he’d done the same, and now we were engaged in an even deadlier game than before. We weren’t enemies as we had been born to be. We weren’t friends as we had come to be. Then what were we? I let my hands run through my hair as I clasped my eyes shut even tighter. We were cursed.

Young woman standing in dark forest
available now

Release Special Ebook- Just $1.99 for a limited time!

Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Kobo

Google Play

Signed Paperback - Author Direct (limited quantities)

 Click HERE to add In Between Seasons to Goodreads

about the author
back1

Cassandra doesn't remember a time when she wasn't writing. In fact, the first time she was published was when she was seven years old and won a contest to be published in an American Girl Doll novel. Since then Cassandra has written more novels than she can count and put just as many in the circular bin. Her personal goal with her writing is to show the reader the character's stories through their dialogue and actions instead of just telling the reader what is happening. Besides being a writer, Cassandra is a professional photographer known for her automotive, nature and architectural shots. She is happily married to the man of her dreams and they live in the rolling hills of New England their dogs, Bubski and Kanga. Cassandra Giovanni is published by Show n’ot Tell Publishing based out of Connecticut, USA.
Cover Design: Gio Design Studios
Photography: Alex Kotlov via iStock
 

Follow on Bloglovin

Virtual Book Tour ~ Captured Lies (Book #1 The Caspian Wine Series) by Maggie Thom ~ Excerpt





Captured Lies 
(Book #1 The Caspian Wine Series) 
by Maggie Thom

Suspense/Thriller
Date Published: October 2012

She was kidnapped not once but twice and now someone wants her dead because of it...

Her life was a lie!

Bailey knew her upbringing wasn’t normal but she’s worked hard to stabilize her life. At 29, she finally has a good business, a stable home; her life is miles from that of her childhood. Then suddenly her mother dies, leaving a gaping hole and a discovery that they may not even be related. If Guy, the private investigator is to be believed, her life is a lie. Using the skills she learned on the streets, Bailey travels back through a sketchy and dangerous past, to find answers. Dodging bullets, staying ahead of those who want her dead and convincing Guy she can do it alone, are making it difficult to discover not only the secrets of her mother’s past but that of a family claiming she is theirs.

Everyone seems to have a story... but who’s telling the truth? And who wants her dead? Is Guy part of the solution? Or part of the problem? To discover the facts, she’ll have to untangle a web of deceit, lies, and secrets, dating back over thirty years.

But can she do it in time...

Captured Lies won Book of the Month LAS Reviews (March 2014)
"This is a story that when you start to read it you don’t want to put it down until you finish it." Cindy's Reviews
"Captured Lies is a very edge of your seat sort of book... I was totally enthralled with this book..." Tammy's Tea Time
"Maggie Thom has a hidden gem with Captured Lies!... Like an onion, each layer of this action-packed tale becomes more involved, more wickedly deceitful and more dangerous..." Tome Tender
"Captured Lies is an outstanding book and it was a book I couldn't put down..." Dee Sauter (Moderator Linda Howard Book Junkies)



The phone rang.
The incessant thumping continued.
He swung his legs out of bed, ignoring the phone, dragged his hand over his face and stood up.
“Mr. Lund, open this door. It’s me, Bailey Saunders. I need to talk to you. I need to talk to you about my mom. I think she knew stuff. Important stuff. Stuff that could get one killed.” Her voice drifted in, through his open second story window.
He jerked upright, frozen for a moment before sinking weakly to the bed. Realizing his wife wasn’t complaining about the noise, he rose and walked across the hall to her bedroom. He briefly knocked before opening her door. In that moment, it dawned on him that she was at her sister’s for the weekend. Overcome with relief, he walked back to his room and slumped against the door frame.
“Open up. Please! This is important.”
He went into his bathroom, grabbed his robe and tied it around him. Annoyed at not having the opportunity to at least get dressed, he took his time, going down the stairs. He schooled his face into one of concern, before pulling open the door.
“Miss Saunders, please don’t take this wrong but call me in the morning and I’d be more than happy to make an appointment with you, to discuss whatever is causing you so much distress.” His white knuckles clung to the back of the door, while he smiled at her reassuringly.
She tilted her head sideways and stared at him for a full minute before addressing him. “You’ve known my mom a long time.”
His mind quickly reviewed the odds that answering that would backfire on him. “Y-yes.”
She moved a little closer. “A very long time.”
The way she said it, sent shivers up his spine and his bowels to almost empty. He stepped back and started to close the door. “Really. Call me in the morning. We can go down memory—”
She shoved him back and slammed the door behind her. Leaning against it she stared at him. “Let me tell you something about myself, Mr. Lund. I’m a very good judge of character. I know that when a man is sugary sweet to you that he wants something, usually it’s to steal you blind. I know that when a man puts his hand on the thigh of an eight year old…” She stared pointedly at him.
He gulped. How could she know? She had the picture. He should have told Payme to remove the problem, not follow it.






Maggie Thom
Award winning author, Maggie Thom, took the challenge and leapt off, leaving a fulltime, twenty year career in management, to write full time. After publishing her first suspense/thriller book Captured Lies, October 2012, she published her second novel, Tainted Waters, April, 2013. Tainted Waters went on to win 2013 Suspense and Thriller Book of the Year through Turning the Pages Magazine and Captured Lies won book of the Month through LAS Reviews (February 2014). She published her third novel, Deceitful Truths (The Caspian Wine Series - Book 2), March 2014. An avid reader and writer her whole life, she decided to break the monotony of wishing to be an author by making it happen. She is a wholehearted nature lover and likes nothing better than to take a book, hike to a remote spot by a river or waterfalls and read. Married to her best friend, she is learning that humor, love and patience help her navigate her way through her twins’ teen years. Her motto: Escape to read and Read to escape. "Maggie Thom writes a fast paced thriller laced with romance that keeps the reader interested and on edge!" InDtale Magazine



a Rafflecopter giveaway


Reading Addiction Blog Tours

Follow on Bloglovin

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

Book Review ~ Destiny Awaits by Jaidis Shaw ~ Book Tour ~ Giveaway!

Destiny Awaits 
(Juniper Grove Chronicles #1)
by Jaidis Shaw

To Be Published: July 19th, 2014
Publisher: Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly Publishing
Word Count: approx. 50,000

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Recommended Age: 14+


She wants a normal life. They want her dead. Destiny has other plans.

Twenty-year-old Alayna Scott receives visions around water, but even her foresight couldn’t prepare her for the tragic accident that claimed the lives of her parents. With everything she loves gone, Alayna packs up and moves to the small town of Juniper Grove in hopes of starting over.

Jayden McKnight can’t explain the attraction that he feels whenever Alayna is near, but he does know that he will do whatever it takes to win her heart. When a vampire selects Alayna as his next victim, Jayden will stop at nothing to ensure her safety – even if that means bringing Alayna into a world that she never knew existed.

Love blossoms, challenges are made and Alayna will find herself fighting not only to survive, but to understand what she has become.



Prologue from Destiny Awaits:

Sunlight caught the crystal that hung from the rear view mirror, and rainbow bursts of color radiated throughout the car. My parents and I had gotten up early so that we could make the three hour drive to my uncle’s house, but from the line of backed up traffic in front of us, it seemed that it would take us longer. I leaned back in my seat and let the music blaring in my earbuds help pass the time. My mother turned in her seat in the front, and I glanced at her. Seeing her mouth my name, I pulled one side of the earbuds out of my ear.

“What did you say?” I asked.

“I asked if you were hungry,” she replied. “Your father thinks that we should get off the interstate at the next exit and grab something to eat while the traffic clears up.”

“Sure, that’s fine with me. It’s a good idea, anyway, since Uncle John turned vegetarian. There’s no telling what he’s going to try to get us to eat.”

My father’s hearty laugh rumbled through the car. “Do you remember that rolled up spinach thing he tried to feed us last time?”

“How could I forget?” I said.

Mom sprung to her brother’s defense. “It wasn’t so bad.”

“Then how come you didn’t eat it? I saw you slip it to the dog when you thought nobody was watching.” My father glanced at my mother while she tried to come up with a retort.

“If you saw that, then it’s obvious that I wasn’t sneaky enough.” She crossed her arms over her chest and stared out the window.

My dad laughed as he flipped on the turn signal and merged into the right lane, coming to a stop behind a logging truck. I looked at the long logs protruding from the flatbed. “It always makes me nervous when they hang off like that,” I said. A shiver raced over my body.

“It’s okay. They make sure to load them on so that they won’t come off,” my dad reassured me.

I opened my mouth to reply, but stopped when I heard a screech of tires behind us. Turning my head, I locked eyes with the man in the driver’s seat of the truck that was hurtling toward us. The truck slammed into the back of our car, and my mother’s scream echoed in the tight space around me. A shower of white stars filled my vision as pain ripped through my shoulder and cut off my own scream. As the darkness closed in around me, I heard the faint shrill of sirens in the distance.



After the tragic accident that claimed the lives of her parents, Alayna packs up everything and moves to Juniper Grove.  She has high hopes of starting her life over and she hopes that the small, quaint town will help her accomplish that.  Things start off a little rocky however, when Gavin selects Alayna as his next victim, and Gavin is not one you want to cross paths with.  Thankfully, Alayna has a hunky shape-shifter to protect her and he will do everything he can to make sure she lives so that they can be together.

Destiny Awaits is one of those books that will instantly grab your attention from the very first sentence and you can not stop reading - yep, it was good!  I enjoy all things paranormal, but when a book has both vampires AND shape-shifters - well, I am in paranormal heaven!

With the authors vivid descriptions and characters that 'mesh' well with one another, I became completely engrossed in this story.  It was fast-paced, compelling, suspenseful and action-packed.  The romance between Alayna and Jayden developed a little too quickly for me.  I wouldn't call it insta-love, but it's close.  Still, the two of them are not only adorable together, they are awesome characters.  

Overall, this was a great debut novel written by a very talented author.  I am really looking forward to the next installment and reading more of Juniper Grove and its residents.

My rating:  4 out of 5 stars


Click HERE to add Destiny Awaits to Goodreads



Jaidis Shaw currently resides in South Carolina with her husband and beautiful daughter. With a passion for reading, Jaidis can always be found surrounded by books and dreaming of new stories. She enjoys challenging herself by writing in different genres and currently has several projects in the works.


Jaidis also owns and operates Juniper Grove Book Solutions, voted Top Three for Best Promotional Firm, Site, or Resource in the 2013 Preditors & Editors Readers’ Poll. In her spare time, Jaidis maintains her two blogs, Juniper Grove and Blooming with Jaidis. One of her main goals in life is to encourage her daughter to let her imagination run wild.







Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
  • A $20 Amazon Gift Card
  • Winner’s choice of any one current Kindle eBook release from CHBB, Vamptasy, or Hot Ink Press
Giveaway is International.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 photo JGBSBanner.gif

Follow on Bloglovin

Virtual Book Tour ~ Irradiated by S. Elliot Brandis ~ Excerpt



Irradiated
by S. Elliot Brandis


Sci-Fi (Post Apocalyptic / Dystopian)
Date Published: May 12, 2014



A man thrust a baby into Jade’s hands. It trembled in her arms. The man had a message: escape from the tunnels and never return, her parents were already dead. Jade had a sister; she was irradiated.

Thirteen years later, her sister, Pearl, is coming of age. Rows of sucker-caps line her arms and hands. Her skin is coral pink. Each night, her dreams fill with visions of violence, depression, and fear.

On the surface, people have grown wild and dangerous. They scavenge, fight, and steal. Below, in the tunnels, they're controlled by a ruthless leader and an army of beings known only as Shadows. When both groups come searching for Pearl, sensing the power her dreams may hold, only Jade can stand in the way.



~Excerpt~
Birth
The man thrust a baby into Jade’s hands. It was warm and wet and its cries were muffled. Thick fabric covered its face and body. It trembled in her arms.
“You have to go,” said the man. His voice was urgent and his movements were rapid. Each breath was hot and laboured.
“I don’t understand. Where’s Mum, where’s Dad?” Jade asked.
The tunnel was dark but she could place him by the sound, by the heat, by the air. His panic rushed into her, as though it was her own. He grabbed her with heavy hands and turned her around.
“There’s no time,” he said. “No time, child. They’re coming. The Shadows are coming. You need to get out of here.”
“B-But, what about my parents?” she stammered.
The man squeezed her shoulders tightly, his fingers digging into her muscles and between her bones.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “They’re dead. You have to trust us. This is your only chance. This is your sister’s only chance. You have to keep going and never turn back.”
He pushed her onward, and other hands grabbed her. They grasped her then passed her on to the next set. They all knew what was happening, all knew where she was headed—everybody but her. She clutched the squealing baby in her long, thin arms and yielded herself to their guidance.
Jade had a sister; she was irradiated.




S. Elliot Brandis

S. Elliot Brandis is a Speculative Fiction writer from Brisbane, Australia. He writes about societies on the brink of collapse, and civilizations that have long since crumbled. His debut novel, Irradiated, is a dark tale about survival, love, and moral ambiguity.
When he’s not putting his characters through the wringer, he’s actually kind of a nice guy. He keeps literature on the same shelf as comic books, and mixes his beer with tobasco. He invites you to visit him at selliotbrandis.com.




Purchase Link



Reading Addiction Blog Tours

Follow on Bloglovin

Blog Tour ~ Touched by the Sandman by Beverly Ovalle ~ Excerpt + Giveaway


Touched by the Sandman
by Beverly Ovalle

Genre – Erotic Paranormal
Publication Date – March 20, 2014
Length (Pages/# Words) – 34
Publisher – Boroughs Publishing Group
Cover Artist – Boroughs Publishing Group

Touched Sandman - Book Cover
   

Synopsis

~A lonely woman's torrid sexual dreams and fantasy partner await her as a dominant reality in another dimension~

The sandman visits those that need him, assisting them to sleep. Until one night he meets a woman that he cannot help but return to time after time.

She is lonely. He comes to her as she drifts off to sleep, the man of her dreams. Awake or asleep, which is her reality?

He knows she is the one meant for him. He will find a way to make both of their dreams come true.

Purchase Links

Amazon Kindle * Amazon UK * Barnes & Nobles Nook  * Smashwords  * AllRomance * Publisher *



Click HERE to add Touched by the Sandman to Goodreads

 Excerpt

The darkness blurred and shimmered, bringing to life a man of moonlight and darkness: Aryne.

Before him Aryne could see her, lying in bed, tears of loneliness staining her pillow. She made his heart ache. He softly stepped to her side. His hand touched her face and gently pushed back her hair. He leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead, turning her dreams from sadness to joy. Her body arched toward his touch as the skim of his hand, the heat of his skin traced the edges of her curves. He stepped back…and then within the shimmer of dreams disappeared.

Night after night her loneliness cried to him. Unable to resist, he came to her. Subtly he inserted himself into her dreams, into her arms. Aryne knew it was wrong. As a guide, his job was to bring sweet, peaceful dreams. But no one affected him like she had. He was unable to resist comforting her, drawing her into his arms, covering her body with his…but only in her dreams. There Aryne stole the passion from her lips, igniting an ache in his body that would not go away.

Touching her shattered him. He knew instinctively that her touch would be his downfall. Her touch could keep him here in this splinter of his world, isolated as all of the Outcasts were. Generations had gone by; those exiled had died long ago, their children mixing amongst the races of the universe.

He had tried to stay away, fearing this. He was adrift, swept away, drowning in her passion, breaths away from losing himself. Giving in, acknowledging the power she unknowingly had over him would condemn him, keep him here if she was unable to travel to his world. Very few could navigate between worlds. And this world would drain his power rather than enhance it. Even the short time he spent there took its toll on him, the drain only in abeyance when he was in her arms. Try as he might, he could not resist her siren call. Only by controlling her and the passion between them could he make sure that he would not become lost. Lost in her. Trapped forever in her world.

He had done his best, gentling her to his hand, to his control. She knew the unspoken rules, knew the consequences. He played them out in her dreams, a dark symphony of passion and restraint. Perhaps unforgivable for a guide, but he could not resist. And just her body was no longer enough. Eventually he would capture her heart and soul.

A man of shadows, it would be during the midnight hours of her slumber.

 

Touched Sandman - Author Photo
About the Author

 Beverly Ovalle lives in Wisconsin with her husband Edmond of 24 years and two Chinese Water Dragons. Having her own Dragons is expected as she is dragon crazy and anyone that walks in her house can tell. Her son Nicholas visits when he is on leave from the Marines. Her daughter Susannah visits from time to time to make sure us ‘old’ folks are alive and kicking.

Beverly has traveled around the world thanks to five years in the US Navy and has worked for the government in one capacity or another for the past 30 years. Beverly and her brothers have travelled most of the continental United States as children due to the station wagon from Hell. Still active with veterans, she is adjutant for her local AMVETS.

Beverly has been reading romances since her Aunt introduced her to the gothic romance in the fourth grade and is still reading every chance she gets.

 

Author Links

Amazon Author Page  * Website/Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Google+ * Pinterest *  Tumblr Blog * Yahoo * Goodreads * LinkedIn * Facebook

 

Giveaway

5 book Lunchbox Romance subscription from Boroughs Publishing Group

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Tour Organized By
1-MINIBUTTON


Follow on Bloglovin

Tuesday, July 29, 2014

Book Blast ~ The Marquesa's Necklace by P.J. MacLayne ~ Excerpt + Giveaway



This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding free ecopy of The Marquesa's Necklace and a $10 Amazon gift card to a randomly drawn winner via the rafflecopter at the end of this post during the tour. Please click on the banner to see the other stops on this tour.

Harmony Duprie enjoyed her well-ordered life in the quiet little town of Oak Grove—until her arrest for drug trafficking. Cleared of all charges, she wants nothing more than to return to the uneventful lifestyle of a historical researcher she once savored.

But when her beloved old car “George” is stolen and explodes into a ball of flames, it sets off a series of events that throws her plans into turmoil. Toss in a police detective that may or may not be interested in her, an attractive but mysterious stranger on her trail, and an ex-boyfriend doing time, and Harmony’s life freefalls into a downward spiral of chaos.

Now she has to use her research skills to figure out who is behind the sinister incidents plaguing her, and why. And she better take it seriously, like her life depends upon finding the right answers.

Because it might.

Excerpt

“Have a seat, please,” he said, indicating an armless office chair—at least its seat was padded. He sat on the other side of a desk covered with an assortment of files and paperwork, and picked up a file from the top of the stack.

“Harmony,” he said tentatively.

“Detective Thomason,” He might be trying to be friendly, but I still hadn’t forgiven him for arresting me.

He cleared his throat, and set the file back on his desk. “Did you let anyone borrow your car today?” he asked.

“No, my keys are right here.” I started digging through the contents of my purse.

“I’ll take your word for it,” he said, after I pulled out my checkbook, a packet of pink tissues, and a paperback with an almost-naked man on the front cover and piled them on the corner of his desk. His mouth twitched. “Have you made any new enemies recently, Miss Duprie?” I guess he got my message about the terms of our relationship.

“Besides a certain insufferable cop?” Even in the artificial fluorescent light, I saw the red rising in his cheeks. I could almost hear him counting to ten as I pretended to consider the question. “I think Larry, the florist, is ticked off that I’m not receiving flowers anymore. And Bart at the grocery store yelled at me last week when I went through the ten items or less line with fourteen items. But what does that have to do with someone stealing and wrecking my car?”


 About the Author
P.J. MacLayne is a computer geek by day and a writer by night. She grew up among the rolling hills of Pennsylvania and uses that as the setting for many of her stories. She currently makes her home in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains.


Author Links
 * Facebook * Twitter

Purchase Links

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow on Bloglovin