In honor of the Circle of Lies blog
tour starting tomorrow authors Sara Dailey and Staci Weber are giving
away a e-book copy of Pack of Lies, the first book in the Red Ridge
Pack series and a $25 Amazon Gift Card!
Book Description:
The last thing Allison Wright ever
expected when she moved to Red Ridge, New Mexico was to come muzzle
to muzzle with the wolf of her dreams.
Seventeen-year-old Allison Wright is
convinced she’s losing her mind. Uncontrollable mood swings, hot
flashes, and the urge to punch anyone who gets in her way are
suddenly becoming everyday occurrences. Before her erratic behavior
gets out of hand, Allison’s mother finally comes clean about her
dark secret. Mom is a werewolf, and soon Allison and her brother
Aiden will suffer the same fate. When Allison reaches her breaking
point, the family leaves their life in Texas to move to Red Ridge,
New Mexico where they rejoin the pack that Allison’s mother left
behind almost 20 years ago.
Unfortunately, not everyone in Red
Ridge is thrilled about Allison’s arrival, especially when she
attracts the attention of the very handsome, very taken, soon-to-be
alpha, Cade Walker. Little does Allison know, her mere presence is
causing a rift in a once unified pack. Not only has Cade been
forbidden from being with Allison by his father, the pack’s alpha,
Cade’s girlfriend, Kendall Stuart, will stop at nothing to get
Allison out of the picture. Well on her way to becoming the next
alpha’s mate, Kendall expects to rule the pack by Cade’s side
even if it means teaming up with a rogue werewolf with an agenda of
his own. Determined to get rid of Allison permanently, when Kendall
and the rogue join forces, all hell breaks loose and no one in the
pack is safe, especially not Cade and his true mate.
The Circle of Lies blog tour kicks off
February 1st! Check out the schedule of the tour here.
Title: Circle of
Lies (Red Ridge Pack #2)
Authors: Sara Dailey
and Staci Weber
Publisher: Boroughs
Publishing Group
Description:
Aiden Wright is trying to
figure out who he really is, but the truth could cost him his true
mate—or his life.
Life has always been easy for
Aiden Wright. He’s smart, athletic, funny, and the ladies adore
him. But when tragedy strikes, Aiden discovers the truth about who he
really is, and his whole world comes crashing down around him. Aiden
thought that being a teenage werewolf was going to be awesome, but it
might just cost him the one girl who could make him whole.
Since her mother’s
disappearance, Teagan Rhodes’s life has been littered with her
father’s empty beer cans and his hollow promises to change.
Convinced that others would only let her down, she keeps everyone at
arm’s length—but resisting Aiden’s charm is proving to be more
difficult than she thought. Throw in a psychotic werewolf hunter out
to terminate the species, and one wrong move, one wrong decision
could destroy everything.
ABOUT SARA DAILEY & STACI
WEBER co-authors of Pack of Lies & Circle of Lies - the first
two Red Ridge Pack Novels
Both Sara Dailey and Staci Weber are
avid readers, English teachers, friends, wives and soccer moms. They
have been teaching together for the past ten years and writing
together for six.
Born and raised in Houston, TX, Staci
Weber is a graduate of the University of North Texas. Staci is a
junior high school teacher with an addiction to reading romance
novels. She considers herself incredibly lucky to have a close
family, some good friends, a fabulous husband and two beautiful
little girls.
Sara Dailey co-authored the Red Ridge
Pack Novels with her good friend and co-worker Staci Weber. She has a
degree in literature from U of H Clear Lake and is a graduate of The
Institute of Children’s Literature. Sara is a native Texan and
lives with her wonderful husband and son in League City, TX.
The Voice by Jennifer Anne Davi - YA Contemporary novel - Publication date: January 29th, 2013 During
her abduction and assault, Audrey begins to hear a voice. She hopes
she’s not going crazy, because after what she’s experienced, that’s the
most logical explanation. However, as she begins to listen to the voice,
Audrey realizes that someone may be telepathically trying to help her.
Unfortunately,
rescue isn’t all she needs. In order to leave behind the constant
reminders, she flees to her Aunt Kate’s house in San Diego, and assumes a
new identity. It works—until the eighteen-year-old twin boys who live
next door threaten to break through the protective walls she’s worked so
hard to build.
Between Caleb going
out of his way to befriend her and Justin avoiding her at all costs,
Audrey doesn’t know if normalcy will ever find her again. But one thing
is certain: When a familiar danger resurfaces, it’s the same voice that
she turns to—a voice that is not only real, but a lot closer than she
realizes.
Gripping and tastefully told, The Voice is a story of healing, trust, and courage.
Jennifer
graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and
a teaching credential. Afterwards, she married her high school
sweetheart, worked as a legal assistant, and taught high school English.
Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young
children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her
own kids’ creativity. The Voice is her first novel. Visit Jennifer online at www.JenniferAnneDavis.com
Fighting to Survive by Rhiannon Frater (As the World Dies, #2) -
Adult Zombie Series - Paperback Release: January 29th 2013 / Tor Books
It’s time to clear the hotel.
The fort
has grown crowded as survivors of the zombie apocalypse
have found safety between its walls. Winter is coming; soon it will be
too cold to live in tents and other makeshift shelters. The leaders of
the survivors—Katie, Jenni, Juan, Travis, and Nerit—decide it’s time
for an assault on the zombie-occupied hotel that looms over the
town square.
A pitched battle in the banquet room is the start
of a harrowing, room-by-room struggle from Reception to roof. As
the sun sets, the people of Ashley Oaks gather in the hotel’s rooftop
ballroom and gazebo to celebrate their survival. Gazing out over the
beauty of the surrounding Texas countryside, it’s hard to believe that
death and danger lurk around every corner.
The fort’s search
and rescue teams have attracted unwanted attention from bandits who see
the fort as competition for food . . . and as a ready source of women.
The first attacks are minor, but everyone knows there is worse to come.
And beyond the fort’s walls, the zombies shamble, moaning, eyes fastened hungrily upon the living.
Rhiannon
Frater is the award-winning author of the As the World Dies trilogy
(The First Days, Fighting to Survive, Siege,) and the author of three
other books: the vampire novels Pretty When She Dies and The Tale of the
Vampire Bride and the young-adult zombie novel The Living Dead Boy and
the Zombie Hunters. Inspired to independently produce her work from the
urging of her fans, she published The First Days in late 2008 and
quickly gathered a cult following. She won the Dead Letter
Award back-to-back for both The First Days and Fighting to Survive, the
former of which the Harrisburg Book Examiner called ‘one of the best
zombie books of the decade.’ Rhiannon is currently represented by Hannah
Gordon of the Foundry + Literary Media agency. You may contact her by
sending an email to rhiannonfrater@gmail.com.
Blurb:
A paranormal force has lured Ava to New Orleans, where shadows lurk behind every corner and an unknown power has yet to be unleashed. There is a darkness in New Orleans, one that has brought sixteen year old Ava Lopez to the city in search of her best friend, Dyson. A dark crime has been committed, and there are supernatural forces involved. Three sisters who whisper "fate" are awaiting the arrival of the Guardian. Shadow People fiercely haunt the city, unchallenged, but Ava senses that Dyson may be involved with their crimes. She must discover the secret that the Shadows are so determined to keep hidden. Ava will have to risk everything, because where the Fates are concerned there are no second chances.
Author Bio:
M.M. Shelley is a storyteller, word smith and dreamer. She has traveled
the world extensively in search of the magic which is often overlooked in every
day life. M.M. Shelley is a native of southern California, and a student of mythology from
which she gets much inspiration.
My Review: Yup, this was definitely a fun read. Clever writing, character's that are real, and a plot that pulls you in. I loved the story and enjoyed myself. There were a few format issues, but that could be on my end. *I only have an original nook* Otherwise, this was a great story, fun, quick read, and very unique. Ava is a fun character that anyone would love! Also, LOVE *love* the name Dyson! :P Tons of good paranormal elements that will satisfy fans of the Paranormal genres, and a good solid mystery too! Pretty much everything for everyone!
Get hooked on a girl named Fred…HE said: Fred Oday is a girl? Puh-leeze. Why is a girl taking my best friend's spot on the boys' varsity golf team? SHE said: Can I seriously do this? Can I join the boys' team? Everyone will hate me—especially Ryan Berenger. HE said:
Coach expects me to partner with Fred on the green? That is crazy bad.
Fred's got to go—especially now that I can't get her out of my head. So
not happening. SHE said: Ryan can be nice, when he's not
being a jerk. Like the time he carried my golf bag. But the girl from
the rez and the spoiled rich boy from the suburbs? So not happening. But there's no denying that things are happening as the girl with the killer swing takes on the boy with the killer smile…
Book Details:
Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Harlequin Teen; Original edition (January 29, 2013)
Brew with a Vue. Keurig has done it again with an entirely
new brewing system that gives you more of the tasty beverages you love,
exactly the way you want them. Now, you can decide how strong you want
your coffee to taste and how hot, no matter how big or small your cup
is! From creamy hot chocolate to delicious iced teas and frothy cafe
beverages, the Keurig Vue V700 delivers the size,
strength, and consistency you love, with every single-serving.
Still deliciously simple. At just the touch of a
button, Keurig's revolutionary Custom Brew Technology adjusts water
pressure, timing, and airflow to deliver the perfect cup of coffee or
tea every time. You'll love the Vue's quiet operation and shortened
steep time, as it whips up cafe-quality treats in a matter of minutes.
Plus, there's no grinding beans, measuring, or cleanup needed--just add
water and enjoy.
Countertop coffee shop. With the
Keurig Vue system, you get the single-serve brewer with interactive
touchscreen display, 66 Vue packs and a water filtration kit. And, for
your convenience, it comes with two 16-oz iced coffee tumblers to get
you started right out of the box.
Well, if that
isn't the pot calling the Keurig fabulous!
Includes
Keurig V700 Vue Brewer, 10 Variety Vue packs, 12 travel-sized Breakfast
Vue packs, 12 Vue House Blend Vue packs, 16 Donut Shop Vue packs, 16
Celestial Iced Tea Vue packs, two 16-oz tumblers, and a water filter
kit
Variety pack
includes one each of Gloria Jean Hazelnut Coffee, Timothy's Decaf,
Tully's French Roast, Celestial Seasoning Southern Sweet Tea, Green
Mountain Breakfast Blend travel-sized, Celestial Seasoning Sleepytime,
Barista Prima Italian Roast, Cafe Escape Milk Chocolate, GMC Nantucket
Blend, and Donut Shop
Tumblers: plastic/acrylic construction
Colored touchscreen user interface
Eight brew sizes: 4 oz, 6 oz, 8 oz, 10 oz, 12 oz, 14 oz, 16 oz, and 18 oz
74-oz water reservoir
Brew coffee from 187F to 197F
Strength selection for stronger flavor
Removable drip tray with adjustable plate
Vue packs are #5 recyclable plastic
One winner will receive a
Keurig Vue V700 + V-Cups!
Giveaway ends February 7th at 11:59pm,
open to US & Canada, ages 18+. To enter please use the
Rafflecopter form below. Good luck!
Disclosure: I received no compensation for this
publication. My opinions are my own and may differ from those of your
own. MUST READ FASTER is not responsible for sponsor prize shipment. Please
contact Mom Powered Media
with questions or to see
your business or blog featured on the next big
event!
What happens when an introverted artist
who only likes sex when it’s a one-night stand meets a
computer-geek-extraordinaire with his own sexy secrets?
Objectification, romance, pain, adoration, lots of kinky toys, and
oodles and oodles of wonderfully imaginative sex.
Join Cara and Travis on their journey to mesh their distinctive
sexual tastes into a loving relationship with blow-your- mind
kink.
Ob·jec·ti·fi·ca·tion:
Treating a person as an
object for use, with no regard for a person’s personality or
sentience.
Regarding someone as a
commodity; considering them merely an instrument towards one’s
sexual pleasure.
Examples of OBJECTIFICATION:
A woman is on her back at the
edge of a tall bed with hands and feet bound together and restrained
above her head. A curtain drapes from a canopy above and puddles on
the backs of her thighs. The man about to penetrate her sees only
female genitals available for use.
A woman is dressed in a full
latex blow-up doll costume with durable latex ‘pockets’ stuffed
into her orifices. She is bound into a position giving easy access to
all three holes at a party. Her face is completely covered excepting
nose and mouth. The men do not know who is in the costume.
Safeword:
Quinacridone is a stand-alone book. You do not
need to have read the previous books in this series.
Warning:This
title contains graphic language, consensual BDSM, extreme
objectification, bondage, watersports (one scene), chemical play,
fisting, temporary body modification with saline injections (one
scene), and the use of toys including clamps, canes, plugs, paddles,
whips, floggers, and zip-ties.
About the Author: Candace Blevins is a southern girl who loves to
travel the world.
She lives with her husband of 15
years and their two daughters. When not working or driving kids all
over the place she can be found reading, writing, meditating, or
swimming.
Candace writes romance books
about characters who happen to have some extreme kinks. Relationships
can be difficult enough without throwing power exchange into the mix,
and her books show characters who care enough about each other to
fight to make the relationship work.
Each book in the Safeword series
highlights a couple with a different BDSM issue to resolve. All books
are standalone books and can be read in any order, with the exception
of the two Davenport books, since Safewords: Davenport and Chiffon is
a sequel to Safeword: Davenport.
Orphan Jack Templar has no memory of
his parents and only the smallest details from his Aunt Sophie about
how they died. The day before Jack's fourteenth birthday, things
start to change for him. At first it's great: A sudden new strength
helps him defend his nose-picking friend "T-Rex" from the
school bully, and even his crush, Cindy Adams, takes notice. But then
a mysterious girl named Eva arrives and tells him two facts that will
change his life forever. First, that he's the descendent of a long
line of monster hunters and he's destined to be in the family
business. Second, that there's a truce between man and monster that
children are off-limits...until their fourteenth birthday! Jack has
only one day before hundreds of monsters will descend on his little
town of Sunnyvale and try to kill him.
As if that weren't enough, things get
even more complicated when Jack discovers that the Lord of the Creach
(as the monsters are collectively known) holds a personal grudge
against him and will do anything to see that Jack has a slow and
painful death. To stay alive and save his friends, Jack will have to
battle werewolves, vampires, harpies, trolls, zombies and more. But
perhaps the most dangerous thing he must face is the truth about his
past. Why do the other hunters call him the last Templar? Why do they
whisper that he may be the "One?" Why do the monsters want
him dead so badly? Even as these questions plague him, he quickly
discovers survival is his new full-time job and that in the world of
monster hunters, nothing is really what it seems.
Author Jeff Gunhus
Jeff Gunhus grew up in Cyprus, Greece,
and Saudi Arabia where there was a distinct lack of television. He
quickly found books were the gateway to incredible adventures,
fascinating characters and unbelievable discoveries. Now, with five
children of his own (all who watch too much television, in his
opinion), he has enjoyed revisiting his old books and reliving those
adventures all over again.
"Gunhus brings young readers a
monster-filled romp to read at their own risk. In the first few
pages, Jack, the storyteller and main character, warns readers not to
read about these real-world monsters that would seem to only exist in
fiction. The tone is set--sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek and likable;
rooting for Jack is easy...Gunhus masterfully introduces fully
realized characters with whom readers can connect almost instantly.
The pacing is quick but not rushed, and events seamlessly progress,
complete with action, cliff-hangers and surprise reveals. "
Amazon Reviews
Watch out Percy Jackson here
comes Jack Templar
Move over Harry Potter and Percy
Jackson, there's a new kid in town - Jack Templar, and he will take
you on a wonderful adventure of good vs evil, with friends and
enemies at every turn. The twists and turns keep the reader on a
roller coaster of entertainment in the way of JK Rowling and Rick
Riordan. ~ Penny Brein
Fast paced adventure through
and through
Written for middle school aged
students, this book is action-packed from the beginning and will hold
the attention of young readers. Not only that, as an adult reader, it
was hard to put down, so parents will enjoy it as an easy read. ~
bluejellybean
Kids will love it!
Not only will kids love it, adults will
too! I don't want to give the plot away but this is a book worth
reading. This book is creatively written drawing in the reader to be
a participant in the story. There is lots of action with enough blood
and guts to be interesting without being gross. Girls will like it
too with the strong female role models and the hint of romance. Even
though this is a children's book, I couldn't put it down. I will
definitely be adding this to my classroom library. I am looking
forward to reading the book in this series and sharing it with my
students. Awesome book! ~ pixiep
Yeah, you read it
right. I’m a monster hunter. Back before I actually became one, I
would have thought that sounded totally awesome. And don’t get me
wrong, in a lot of ways it is. But most of the time, I’m either
running for my life or hiding in the shadows, praying the monster
chasing me doesn’t pick up my scent. And I’m almost always scared
to death. In a few pages, I think you’ll see why.
But
there are a few things I need to warn you about before I tell you my
story.
First,
this isn’t a cartoon. These are bloodthirsty creatures who will
stop at nothing to kill. They are scary. Very scary. Second, the only
way to stop them is to kill them first…and that gets gross and
messy. Third, this is all real.
You
think I’m kidding, don’t you? I can almost see you smirking as
you read this. But this isn’t a joke. Monsters are real and the
story I’m about to tell you really happened. If you’d rather walk
through life believing that monsters are only found in books or on
the movie screen, then you should shut this book right now and go do
something else.
I give
you these warnings because the story I’m about to tell you isn’t
for everyone. Not everyone can handle it. The blood. The gore. The
monsters.
This
life was thrust onto me. I had no choice but to take up a sword and
fight. But you can still walk away and pretend this dark world
doesn’t exist. Or you can walk through the door that I’m about to
open and find out the truth about the world around you.
But I
warn you (and this is a big warning), if you read this book, if you
learn about the monsters that roam among us and the hunters who fight
them, if you decide to learn the truth, then you will become fair
game for the monsters to chase.
Make
sure you understand what I’m saying.
If you
read this book, you will be part of this world and the monsters will
come after you too. You will start to see things that no other humans
can see. The shadows will move when you walk near them. The creatures
of the night will seek you out, testing the doors and windows of your
house, looking for a way in.
And, at
some point, they will find you, just like they found me, and you will
be forced to defend yourself.
So,
think carefully before you turn the page, because once you do,
there’s no turning back.
Open only to those who can legally
enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash.
Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No
purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your
parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and
announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond
or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated
with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless
otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received
determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from
I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by
the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
Today is the release day of the new book The
Undesirable by S. Celi!
Title: The
Undesirable
Author: Sara Celi
Publisher: Lowe
Interactive Media
Pages: 225
Book Description:
*This book is Mature YA/ New Adult. It
is recommended for readers 14 and over.
What if everything you knew turned out
to be a lie?
Charlotte Walker knows how to live
under the rule of The Party. She has managed for 18 years. She helps
out her drunken mother and keeps life going at a familiar, steady
pace. She doesn’t ask questions, even though she has many of them
in her heart.
Fostino Sanchez knows how to live under
the rule of The Party, too. For 19 years, he’s worked to be the
perfect Party member. He knows what must be done to keep Maxwell
Cooper in power, and how find the The Undesirables that threaten to
take away everything that matters.
As the months go by, what matters most
to Fostino is Charlotte Walker.
While their love blooms, danger comes
to Charlotte and Fostino’s small hometown of Harrison Corners, OH.
Threats they never knew existed could take away all that they care
about. And just when these two teens think they know what will come
next, Charlotte learns the truth about a secret she has long
suspected.
What Charlotte finds out changes
everything.
EVERYTHING.
THE UNDESIRABLE is Charlotte Walker’s
story, from her point of view. It is a thrilling, suspenseful tale of
love, curiosity, adversity, and maturity against the backdrop of a
futuristic war.
Should Charlotte trust Fostino with
what she knows? Can she trust anyone? Will she find it in herself to
rise up against terrible odds? What if the ultimate Undesirable is
her?
Excerpt
CHAPTER
ONE
Fostino’s frown mixes with his
tightened jaw. “Are you serious about this, Charlotte? Really
serious? I just — I can’t believe you’re breaking up with me.”
His eyebrows pull tighter than any seam I have ever sewn.“God. I’m
so stupid.” His mouth sets in a hard line. My heartbeat jumps to
my ears. I bite down hard on the inside of my bottom lip.
Oh, God. Did I make the right
choice? Will he understand? Will he always hate me?
My breath quickens as the air
constricts all around the two of us. I almost taste the awkwardness
in the air. I pray my pain doesn’t show on my face.
How do people manage to stay
friends after something like this?
I can’t. No, I won’t. Not this
time.
I stand in this apartment and know that
I failed to make this breakup painless.My words cover this small
dusty room. All the muscles in my back tighten and twist from the
stress. We will never be just friends — ever.
He gets up from the couch and pulls on
his worn, muddy combat boots. He seems wounded, broken, and defeated.
He radiates pain. He picks up my keys to the apartment from the
coffee table. Awkward. My mind flickers to the
beginning. I remember the moment in the town square when The Party
transformed our lives. I want to go back and change everything since
then.
“I wanted to take care of you and
shield you from—” He stops and gestures to the windows and the
crumbling world outside this room. His soulful brown eyes glint with
anger. “Everything.” Now he exhales. “I guess I’m not
surprised. Not after all that happened.”His shoulders slump.
Sweat beads on the back of my neck. I
swallow some of my uneasiness. My plan just might work. I taste the
hollow victory in the back of my throat.
Good.
“I—I’m sorry.” I have nothing
else to say, no words to make this better. In minutes, I’ll leave
the apartment and flee my life because I have no other choice.
“I’ll never understand you. Or
this.” Fostino shakes his head of dark waves. He fixates on the
bare wall behind me.
His words hurt, but Fostino can’t
know how much he affects me. I push away the urge to reach out and
hold him tighter than I ever hugged anyone. Instead, I shudder a
little in my shapeless black dress — the one the government issued
me last month. I hate this. I am not a cold person. I don’t hurt
people on purpose.
“Fostino, I—“
In a few steps, I reach his side. My
shaky hand reaches out and the keys link our hands together. I smell
him through all the dust in this studio apartment with the Murphy bed
in the corner. I inhale just remember how he smells. I’m so afraid
I will forget it. Each second ticks by worse than the last. This
conversation is hard, so very hard. I bite down on the inside of my
cheek to stop myself from saying something I can’t back up. If only
I could tell him the truth, share my terrible secret, and find a way
out of my bleak future.
If only.
“Did you ever mean anything you said?
I mean, even for one second. Did you ever even like me?” He balls
his hand into a fist once I raise my arm to stop him. He keeps
talking anyway. “I told you I loved you right here in this room,
even though you didn’t say it back. I meant it.”
My stomach twists and heart pounds
while I keep up the lies. “Well — I did like you.”
I emphasize my next words as my toes curl in my sandals. “I thought
I loved you once. I wanted to say it, but—”
“But, I’ll always love you.
I will.”
He mutters something else I can’t
understand, and his words undo me. I give in and kiss him. His lips
are a gentle push against mine, and the kiss is so good it hurts. His
lips taste like a nectar I want to savor forever. But I can’t. This
moment must stay cold and Fostino needs to know this is goodbye for
good. Before the kiss intensifies, I pull away and remember my task.
The black Humvee full of people waits around the corner. We all must
leave soon. They gave me fifteen minutes to make sure this break-up
is a clean one. Time is up.
Now.
His eyes lock mine. “Why won’t you
tell me what’s really going on?”
Oh no. He can’t know the truth.
Hurt him.
They told me I must end it.Loving me
will destroy him. It will destroy everything.
My teeth bite my lip hard on the inside
as I search for the words. “It’s — well — we just…we aren’t
right for each other. I don’t want you to come after me. We need to
end this. This relationship—”
“Whatever. It’s fine. You shouldn’t
make stuff up.”Fostino sounds very weary and haggard with each
sentence.
I take my keys and slide them into the
black wool satchel on my left shoulder. Then I take the deception a
step further. “I won’t ever love you, Fostino Ahmed.” The words
taste like rusted metal. “I just won’t.”
My hands open the door with purpose. A
few steps will take me through an ancient hallway that links this
apartment with sixteen others. I push myself through the doorframe
and pull the door shut behind me. Then I take the first steps of what
I know will be a lifetime of solitary strides. With each step, I
sever this connection.
Once outside, I round the corner and
slide into the alleyway as the armored vehicle hums a signal. The
Humvee’s fat tires set off its flat black paint, tinted windows,
silver chrome handles, and a large armored grill on the front and the
back. This car is a fortress, made for combat and intimidation. All
the cars the government owns mirror this one. I slip inside and sink
into black leather.
Soon, we will all leave Harrison
Corners, Ohio. This small band of rebels will take me some place. And
I don’t care where. I just want to disappear, and need to more than
ever. After I close the Humvee door, Thompson speaks first.
“Did he believe you?” Thompson
throws the vehicle into gear and drives it down the alley. He gets
irritated when I don’t answer right away and runs a thick hand
through his long dreadlocks. “Well?”
New Orleans born Sara Celi has lived
all over the United States. She calls the Greater Cincinnati area and
the Queen City home.
She's currently a TV reporter and
anchor in Oklahoma City, and has spent more than a decade working in
journalism. She graduated cum laude from Western Kentucky University
in 2004.
Celi is also a contributing author to
Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Power of Positive.
The Undesirable is her debut novel.
In her spare time, she likes to read,
shop, write, travel, run long distances, volunteer with the Junior
League, and fundraise for Cooperative for Education, a non-profit
providing educational opportunities for Guatemalan kids.
Well children, it's been real I've read a crapton and am now officially (thank you daynight!) at 5 books ahead of schedule! 2013 is starting off to be pretty read-tastic! Yes ma'am (and sirs..) I am happy with my progress for this 'thon. I'm not expecting to squeeze in another one, but the day is still young so who knows.
So far the books I've read since starting AWR are:
The City of Earthly Desire
Wicked Wives
Unholy Testament: The Beginning
Daynight
Today I have my bookmark in:
One Grave at a Time ...which I'm not sure if I'm gonna be able to finish by the time this 'thon is over, but I'm super serial satisfied with what I've read so far! :)
Meet The Second Chance
Institute (SCI): Earth’s benevolent non-profit
by day, Thera’s totalitarian regime by night. Their motto: Because
Everyone Deserves a Second Chance™. Reality: the SCI subjects
Second Chancers to strict controls and politically motivated science
experiments like Cleaving—forced lifetime union between two people
who have sex.
Meet Kira
Donovan. Fiercely loyal, overly optimistic, and
ensnared by the promise of a full-ride college scholarship, Kira
signs the SCI Recruit contract to escape memories of a tragedy that
left her boyfriend and friends dead.
Meet Blake Sundry.
Bitter about being raised in Exile and his mother’s death, Blake’s
been trained to infiltrate and destroy the SCI. Current barrier to
success? His Recruit partner—Miss Goody Two Shoes Kira Donovan.
Meet Ethan Darcton.
Born with a defective heart and resulting inferiority complex,
Ethan’s forced to do his SCI elite family’s bidding.
Cleave-worthy Kira Donovan catches his eye, but the presiding powers
give defect-free Blake Sundry first dibs.
Full of competing agendas, romantic
entanglements, humor, twists and turns, daynight is Megan Thomason’s
debut young adult dystopian novel and first in the daynight
series.
“Sure to win over YA readers looking
for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story” —Kirkus Reviews
“Gripping young adult dystopian
novel; compelling conflicts; high stakes; powerful narrative;
surprises keep coming; strong writing; page-turner; engaging
characters; Readers will be hungry for the sequels.”—BlueInk
Review (starred review)
“The writing is impressive and the
story is a real page-turner. So many twists and turns… I’m
hooked… I can’t wait for the next installment to come out…4.5
out of 5 stars”—Self-Publishing Review
“Delicious humor, intelligence, and
sparkling dialogue” —Amazon reviewer
“Strangely brilliant and
imaginative”—Amazon reviewer
“Grips you from the first page and
keeps you wanting more”—Amazon reviewer
“Plot twists kept me reading till
late at night”—Amazon reviewer
“Every page a thrilling
experience”—Amazon reviewer
“Hooked from the first chapter and
could not put it down”—Amazon reviewer
“It's like a CW fantasy TV show in a
book with a really interesting environment.”—Amazon reviewer
“I'm a little tired of dystopian
novels, but Daynight has a unique and fresh story line that didn't
have any trouble keeping my interest.”—Amazon reviewer
Author Megan Thomason
Megan Thomason lives in paradise aka
San Diego, CA with her husband and five children. A former software
manager, Megan vastly prefers writing twisted tales to business,
product, and marketing plans. When she isn't typing away on her
laptop, she's reading books on her phone—over 600 in the last
year—or attending to the needs of her family. Megan’s fluent in
sarcasm, could potentially benefit from a 12-step program for road
rage, struggles with a Hot Tamales addiction, loves world travel
& fast cars and hates paperwork & being an
insomniac. Daynight is Megan's first published novel, but fourth
written one.
My Review:
This book was hard to resist and hard to put down. I enjoyed the world that was created and felt like this book laid down solid foundations for an AH-Mazing sauce series! Kira and Blake are immensely well written characters and the story just flowed. I think there were only a few times I had to double back and read again, but I think that was because of the unique way the book is written. The chapters alternate between the characters which to ME is a great thing, as it keeps the reader on their toes.
So my score sheet looks like: Great Characters: CHECK Good writing: CHECK
Awesome world building: CHECK
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the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
The day Eco first laid eyes on Rose Baines was the day she discovered (The House on
Blackstone Moor) her family’s savage butchery at the hands of her mad, incestuous father.
“I saw you leave the house that day, Rose, that terrible day you discovered your family
butchered. I saw you…”
Eco realizing he has fallen in love with her pens a confession documenting all of his sins
committed in the course of his immortal existence. The one request is that Rose reads his
confession.
Rose, having become his captive, is forced to read this unholy testament of his.
From Ancient Egyptian vampire cults to Roman vampire brothels to The Dark Ages, The
Crusades, The Black Death of 1348 to his meeting with child murderer and Satanist, Gilles de
Rais, concluding with his wicked affair with the Blood Countess herself, Erzebat Bathory.
Eco is, if nothing else, frankly and brutally honest. The pages are filled with debauchery and
vice and murder--yet, there is also love or what Eco swears is love.
The story is continued in Unholy Testament – Full Circle, to be released in early 2013.
My Thoughts:
So I do have to admit that I was a bit lost in the beginning of this, since it IS part of
a series I do think it's most likely best to start from the beginning..as per the title. I did enjoy this story though. I am a big fan of vampires and horror and as soon as said confusion evaporated..I was nose deep in this book, like literally my nose was pressed against my nook I probably left a dent in the screen!
It's a quick read, with tons to keep your attention. Eco is quite a devious character. I like my vampires nice and well ...evil. YET this book does what most other books try and fail to do successfully...makes a vampire both menacing AND vulnerable and sympathy worthy. I really appreciated that.
The only other con I found, other than needing to read the first book in order for the beginning make sense, you have the cover. To me (and I did love the book so don't take it the wrong way Mrs. Gill) the cover looks like a gothic metal band's first album cover.
The old adage "never judge a book by it's cover" applies here very well. What might be passed off as a cheesy vampire novel by someone basing their opinion SOLELY on the cover, would be missing out on a very well written story.
Carole Gill
Author Bio
I wrote my first story at age 8. It was sci-fi but as both my parents were sci-fi fanatics it wasn’t a surprise.
I continued to write however life got in the way as it often does, and it wasn’t until 2000 that I turned back to writing. I joined a local writer’s workshop and was greatly encouraged to keep up with my writing and to send things out.
Shortly afterwards, I was selected by Northwest Playwrights of England for further development but found I preferred fiction writing.
Widely published in horror and sci-fi anthologies, The House on Blackstone Moor is my first novel. It is a tale of vampirism, madness, obsession and devil worship.
Set in 19th Century Yorkshire, its locales include Victorian madhouses as well as barren, wind-swept Yorkshire moors. The story is a marriage of horror and gothic romance. I think it can best be described as being gothic paranormal romantic horror.
I suppose you could say I want to put the Goth back into Gothic.
Living in the area the novel is set in, was very beneficial. Also, as a great admirer of the Brontes and frequent visitor to the Bronte Parsonage in Haworth, I found myself nearly obsessed with recreating the gothic romantic narrative.
Having been employed in a hospital which had been historically a workhouse and asylum in Victorian times, I was able to add great realism to the depiction of the asylums as described in my novel.
The next in the series, Unholy Testament – Full Circle is the continuation of Eco’s confession. It will be released in 2013.
