Book Blitz & Giveaway ~ Lightning Kissed by Lila Felix

Lightning Kissed

Lila Felix

Published by: Clean Teen Publishing

Publication date: January 4th 2016

Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Colby Evans can leap from one country to the next in a heartbeat. She can see every sunset in every time zone in the same day. She can travel across the world in a flash. She defies gravity and physics with every breath she takes. She’s tested her abilities and found them limitless.
She is the lightning. She is Lucent. And nothing can stop her.
Except him.
Theodore Ramsey isn’t supposed to be able to flash like Colby. The power of travel is passed on from mother to daughter in their people. Except once in every hundred generations.
Theo is the one.
He can flash like Colby. And it makes him a target to their enemies and to himself. His abilities change everything he knows about life and throws his future into an uncertain tangent. In fact, the only thing certain in his life is the love he feels for Colby.
Their love defies time and space and has been the only constant thing in their lives since childhood. But even their infallible love will be stretched to its limits.
She will risk her life to protect him. But he will risk everything to protect them all.

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What would you be doing right now if you were not an author?

If I were not an author, I would still be editing books for indie authors and loving every second of it.

5 years ago: what were you doing?

Five years ago, I was working nights at Wal-Mart in their cash office, counting tons of money every night.

Do you have a certain writing ritual?

My writing ritual is to listen to some inspiring music for about a half hour or read some before starting. After that, I try to write whenever I can, sneaking in the time gaps in our schedules.

What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author?

My toughest criticism has been that my endings aren’t always what the reader expected. I see this as a criticism and a compliment. I don’t really want to write what everyone expects.

Ever fangirled over another author? Who was it?

Absolutely! I’ve totally fan-girled over so many authors. I’m first and foremost a reader after all! It was actually Shelly Crane. I flew to Florida to see her and wigged out hard.

Is there an author you'd like to meet?

I would love to meet Jay Asher. 13 Reasons Why is a book that continues to impact my life every day. It makes me think about who I am and how I treat others in every situation. He’s a brilliant author. I’d probably faint.

Biggest writing pet peeve?

My biggest writing peeve is that horrible little word count box at the bottom of the page. Once I learned to make that sucker go away, I was in heaven.

Do you read other's reviews of your books?

I read other’s reviews of my books in the first month of their release. After that, I check them every 6 months or so. It can be painful and humbling to see what others think of our books.

Lila Felix is full of antics and stories. She refused to go to Kindergarten after the teacher made her take a nap on the first day of school. She staged her first protest in middle school. She almost flunked out of her first semester at Pepperdine University because she was enthralled with their library and frequently was locked in. Now her husband and three children have to put up with her rebel nature in Louisiana where her days are filled with cypress trees, crawfish, and of course her books and writing. She writes about the ordinary people who fall extraordinarily in wild, true love.

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Book Blitz & Giveaway ~ The Seventh Hour by Tracey Ward

The Seventh Hour 

Tracey Ward

Publication date: January 6th 2016

Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

When the Earth’s rotation slowed to a crawl mankind was plunged into a harsh world of burning hot days and endless, arctic nights. Some fled to the mountains for shelter. Others took to the seas, sailing forever in the perfect gold between the night and the day; a place known as the Seventh Hour.
Liv was raised aboard a ship chasing the Seventh. She’s never seen the night, never known true cold, and when a storm destroys her home she’s on land for the first time in her life. She’s alone, surrounded by strangers and perils she couldn’t have imagined in her worst nightmares. Her only chance at survival is Grayson.
He saved her. He’ll protect her. He hates her.
Old grudges run deeper than the sea, and Liv and Gray will have to overcome them together to make it to morning.
To survive the longest night.

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Change doesn’t happen overnight.

That’s what they used to say. I bet it used to be true.
Now it’s an idiom, a phrase we use out of six hundred year old habit that has no literal meaning anymore. Not since the world changed and everything was forced to change with it. The people, the animals. The weather and the landscape. The very nature of the Earth shifted, taking all of us with it.
And no, it didn’t happen overnight.

We adapted or we died, and if there was one good thing about the slowing of the Earth it was that it gave us time. Time to learn, time to prep, time to adjust. Time to save what technology we needed to survive and cast the rest aside. To build cities to withstand the bitter cold and the blistering heat.

Some burrowed into the mountains, building their homes and cities under the ground. They hid from the elements and they waited out the summers. The winters. The hours.
Others refused to hide. As the oceans pooled to the north and south, burying the old world and raising a new supercontinent that circled the Earth like a ring, they took to the sea. They built boats, set sail, and left the frigid night and burning day behind. They stay in the hours in between, in the half-light. That perfect hour. The golden hour.

The Seventh hour.

"I don't write romances, I write relationships. One is pretty and perfect and all consuming. The other is real."
I was born in Eugene, Oregon and studied English Literature at the University of Oregon (Go Ducks!) I love writing all kinds of genres from YA Dystopian to New Adult Romance, the common themes between them all being strong character development and a good dose of humor.
My husband, son, and snuggly pitbull are my world.

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Book Review & Blog Tour ~ Hannah Both Ways by Rosie Greenway {Giveaway}

Hannah Both Ways

by Rosie Greenway

Publication Date: November 17th 2015

by Rebelight Publishing Inc.

A devastating Twitter prank yanks Hannah out of the popular crowd and turns her into the high school’s best bad joke. Determined to finish the year and graduate, Hannah must keep the humiliating details from her impulsive mother—who just might pack up their belongings and move. Again.

Hannah hovers below the radar by submersing herself in a new routine. Post-it notes, Dewey Decimal numbers and carefully planned trips to the library are her refuge. That is, until a persistent new student invades her space. Lucas has complete disregard for Hannah’s cynicism and snark, and he seems to know the bullies who targeted her. Can Hannah trust him, or is he part of another ploy to torment her?

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Hannah Both Ways is a story of one high school student who is a victim of cyber-bullying and how she deals with the aftermath of social media bashing and untrue nasty rumors. 

I really admired Hannah because even though her world was crumbling, she stayed strong and resilient.  The most admirable aspect of Hannah is she never gave up – she realized that this was a temporary problem in her life and did not even contemplate a more permanent solution.  I also loved her snarky words, her wittiness, and most of all her social awkwardness.  Hannah is a character that I truly liked and rooted for until the very end.  Her ritual with the Dewey Decimal System was ingenious and I thought it was a great way for her to have a goal for each day.

Lucas was indeed a God-send that came at the perfect time in Hannah’s life and I was so happy that he had the patience of a saint when it came to dealing with Hannah’s cynical and untrusting ways.  These two made the perfect duo and rounded out the story perfectly.

Reading this book took me back to my high school days and reminded me that kids can be cruel and heartless – it seems some things never change.  Add the social media outlets and I am beyond thankful that these outlets weren't around in my day.  Some kids have no idea how their hateful actions affect others or if they are aware, they flat out just don’t care.  This story depicted verbal/written bullying perfectly and I applaud the author for creating an outstanding story that deals with a very difficult subject.

I would absolutely recommend Hannah Both Ways not only to young adults but older ones as well.  It’s a great way of bringing cyber-bullying to light and showing a positive outcome to a dismal situation.

4 stars

Rosie Greenway grew up on the outskirts of Toronto, and continues to live and work in the GTA with her husband and family. After spending her formative years public-school hopping, Rosie attended the University of Toronto, specializing in English literature.  A former English teacher, Rosie now finds herself putting into practice the many lessons she used to impart to the students in her class room. While she has often turned to writing as a way to relax and unwind, Hannah Both Ways is her first foray into the world of Young Adult publishing.

When she isn’t writing, Rosie is an avid traveler, armchair film critic, enthusiastic foodie and voracious reader.  She is a passionate literacy advocate and one of her greatest achievements is instilling in her daughter the joy of reading.

You can connect with Rosie on Twitter @Rosie_Greenway.

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Book Review ~ Rite of Revelation (Acceptance #2) by Sarah Negovetich

Rite of Revelation

(Acceptance #2)

by Sarah Negovetich

Publication Date:  December 4, 2015

The Cardinal plans to execute seventeen-year-old Rebecca Collins, just as soon as he gets what he needs to solidify his rule over the United Territories. Faced with certain death, Rebecca discovers not everyone is under the Cardinal's control. A new alliance helps Rebecca and her friends escape the PIT, giving Rebecca a chance to live the life her Rejection took away.

But the Cardinal needs her in order to stay in power, and he doesn't care who has to die to bring her back to justice.

Her last fight was a push to survive. This time, Rebecca has a life that might be worth dying for.

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Last year, I had the pleasure of reading Rite of Rejection and finding a new author to add to my ever growing list of favorites.  But after devouring the story, I had questions in the end and needed to know more – more about what happened after the speech  – more about Rebecca, Daniel and Eric - just MORE.  Thankfully, Ms. Negovetich heard the pleas of her readers and has given us Rite of Revelation, and for this reader, I am ecstatic beyond words! 

So, was Rite of Revelation everything I wanted it to be?  Why, yes…yes it was, plus so much more! In Rite of Rejection, the story left off with Rebecca giving her speech across the hacked airwaves, and even though it left me with a feeling of hope for the people, there really was no closure.  I mean, did they escape? Did life get better?  Did the Cardinal finally get what he had coming? In this second installment of the Acceptance series, the author took the story to heights I didn't see coming and I loved it!  This is a story of hope, love, the desire to belong and the desire to change the seemingly impossible.  It is also a story of believing in yourself and doing what you feel is right despite what others might feel is wrong.  Most importantly of all, this is a story of the desire for something better, and along the way finding out that it was right in front of you staring you in the face.

From the start, the story grabbed my attention and held it until the very last page.  I loved all the characters, and really enjoyed witnessing their growth as they dealt with everything life was dishing out.  I became completely immersed in the world that the author has created and at times found myself holding my breath because things grew intense at times.  The writing flows almost effortlessly and the story line is one that is easy to believe. My only disappointment is now I have to wait for the next book to be released. 

If you are looking for a great read that is uniquely different and impossible to put down, then this series is one you will definitely need to check out especially if you like Young Adult Dsytopian fiction. 

“Freedom isn’t found in a place; it’s how you choose to live your life every day and the people who fill that life with you.”

5 stars

Sarah Negovetich knows you don't know how to pronounce her name and she's okay with that.

Her first love is Young Adult novels, because at seventeen the world is your oyster. Only oysters are slimy and more than a little salty; it's accurate if not exactly motivational. We should come up with a better cliché.

Sarah divides her time between writing YA books that her husband won’t read and working with amazing authors as an agent at Corvisiero Literary Agency. Her life’s goal is to be only a mildly embarrassing mom when her kids hit their teens.

You can learn more about Sarah and her books at www.SarahNegovetich.com.

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Book Blast & Giveaway ~ Trail of Secrets by Laura Wolfe

Title:  Trail of Secrets

Author:  Laura Wolfe

Published:  August 27th, 2015

Publisher:  Fire and Ice YA

Genre:  YA Mystery

Content Warning:  PG-13

Synopsis~
Spending three weeks of her summer at the elite Foxwoode Riding Academy in northern Michigan should have been one of the happiest times of sixteen year-old Brynlei’s life. But from the moment Brynlei arrives at Foxwoode, she can’t shake the feeling she’s being watched. Then she hears the story of a girl who vanished on a trail ride four years earlier. While the other girls laugh over the story of the dead girl who haunts Foxwoode, Brynlei senses that the girl—or her ghost—may be lurking in the shadows.

Brynlei’s quest to reveal the truth interferes with her plan to keep her head down and win Foxwoode’s coveted “Top Rider” award. To make things worse, someone discovers Brynlei’s search for answers and will go to any length to stop her. As Brynlei begins to unravel the facts surrounding the missing girl’s disappearance, she is faced with an impossible choice. Will she protect a valuable secret? Or save a life?

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Excerpt from Trails of Secrets by Laura Wolfe:

Jett plodded rhythmically through the pristine landscape. The earthy scent of pine needles, tree moss, and raspberries filled Brynlei’s senses. Wild raspberry bushes sprouted up along the trail, their thorns threatening to impale anyone who reached for the ripe fruit. A small creek with crystal clear water babbled to the right of the trail. She could see straight through the rushing water to the leaves and stones on the bottom.

Anna turned back toward Brynlei. “We’re stopping for minute to let the horses drink from the creek. Pass it on.”

Brynlei passed the same message back to Kaitlyn. She guided Jett over to the creek and let him stretch his head toward the water. Out of the corner of her eye, Brynlei saw something dart behind one of the trees in the distance. She would have dismissed it as a squirrel or a deer, but it was too tall. It almost looked like a person, but then it was gone. The hairs on Brynlei’s neck stood on end. The dark energy prickled her skin. She could feel someone watching her. Jett jerked his head up and perked his ears toward the trees beyond the creek. His nostrils flared and his feet danced. He was on alert and so was Brynlei.

Laura Wolfe is a lover of animals and nature. When she is not writing, Laura can be found playing games with her highly-energetic kids, riding horses, growing vegetables in her garden, or spoiling her rescue dog. She lives in her home state of Michigan with her husband, son, and daughter. Laura holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan and a JD from DePaul University. She is an active member of multiple writing groups, including Sisters in Crime and the SCBWI. In addition to Trail of Secrets, Laura’s writing credits include an article in Practical Horseman Magazine, and a picture book, Henrietta’s Hoof Polish (forthcoming from Guardian Angel Publishing).

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Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Death Becomes Me (Call Me Grim #2) by Elizabeth Holloway {Guest Post}

Death Becomes Me

(Call Me Grim #2)

by Elizabeth Holloway

Publication Date:  November 2015

Genre:  YA, Paranormal

Libbi and Aaron are Grim Reapers on the run. They may have escaped their hometown of Carroll Falls unscathed, and are together and alive (well, more or less), but they’ll soon find there’s a price to pay. A deadly one.

By escaping Carroll Falls, Libbi and Aaron have broken the Reaper’s covenant with Abaddon, aka Death himself – and now they’re right at the top of Abaddon’s Most Wanted list. There’s nowhere to hide, and not a single person, alive or dead, they can turn to for help.

But just as it's looking like the end of the line, Libbi hears word of a Reaper in hiding – a Reaper who once escaped Abaddon's wrath. Finding this mysterious Reaper might be the perfect solution… if Death doesn’t find them first.

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The World of Carroll Falls

Carroll Falls is a town in backwoods Pennsylvania featured in both Call Me Grim and Death Becomes Me. And though it’s completely made up, I still modeled it after the many small towns I’ve visited and driven through as a resident of PA.

What I love about Carroll Falls is how normal it is. It’s one of those towns where everyone knows everyone else. When something tragic happens, the town doesn’t quickly forget, as much as Aaron wishes they would.

Carroll Falls, and Libbi for that matter, are normal on purpose. I wanted a normal girl from a normal town to be thrown into the dark life of a Reaper. I wanted her life to be flipped completely.

In the Call Me Grim series, there is not just one Grim Reaper. There are thousands. They are lorded over by Abaddon, aka Death himself, and are locked inside of the territory they are responsible for reaping. It’s a lonely existence. Reapers are invisible and inaudible to the living and can’t leave their territories. Plus they have the crappiest job ever. They have to watch people die. Every day. And they have to escort those people, sometimes people they love, to the Gateway, which may or may not be Hell. Basically, the job sucks. Well, except for the flying part. Libbi thinks flying’s pretty awesome.

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The truck should have turned Libbi Piper into a Libbi Pancake—and it would have, too, if Aaron hadn't shown up and saved her life. The problem? Aaron's the local Grim Reaper . . . and he only saved Libbi's life because he needs someone to take over his job. Now, Libbi has two days to choose between dying like she was supposed to, or living a lonely life as Death Incarnate. Talk about a rock and a hard place. And the choice goes from hard to sucktastic when her best friend shows up marked: condemned as a future murderer. Libbi could have an extra week to stop the murder and fix the mark . . . but only if she accepts Aaron's job as Reaper, trapping herself in her crappy town forever, invisible and inaudible to everyone except the newly dead. But, if she refuses? Her best friend is headed straight for Hell.

 Elizabeth Holloway is a writer of young adult fiction living in Southern Pennsylvania with her two teen children and their growing number of pets.

In addition to writing, she is a registered nurse, an avid reader, an out-of-practice artist, a karaoke singer, and music lover. She is still trying to decide what she wants to be when she grows up.

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