Thursday, August 29, 2013

Cover reveal: When Stars Die by Amber Skye Forbes

Title: When Stars Die
Author: Amber Skye Forbes
Publisher: ACE Stellar Publishing
Cover Designer: Viola Estrealla of Estrella Cover Art
Release Date: October 2013
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
Cover Reveal Host: Lady Amber's Tours

Surviving these trials is not easy, especially for Amelia, who is being stalked by shadowy beings only she can see. They're searching for people they can physically touch, because only those they can touch can see them. Amelia soon learns why she is being stalked when she accidentally harms her best friend with fire during the third trial. Fire is a witch's signature. The shadows are after witches.
          
Now Amelia must decide what to do: should she continue on her path to profession knowing there is no redemption, or should she give up on her dream and turn away from Cathedral Reims in order to stop the shadows who plan to destroy everything she loves?

Author Bio:
Amber Skye Forbes is a dancing writer who prefers pointe shoes over street shoes, leotards over skirts, and ballet buns over other hairstyles. She loves striped tights and bows and will edit your face with a Sharpie if she doesn't like your attitude. She lives in Augusta, Georgia where she writes dark fiction that will one day put her in a psychiatric ward...again. But she doesn't care because her cat is a super hero who will break her out. 

Review: Reckless by Danielle Weiler

Title: Reckless
Author: Danielle Weiler

Age Group: New Adult
Release Date: 9th August 2013
Publishers: Ranga Books
Available from: Amazon

Source: Author

‘Are you going to ask me in?’ he replied, a cheeky smile forming on the edges of his lips. Then he leaned towards me conspiratorially. ‘We aren’t strangers, you know.’

Milly Benton wants it all to go away. Wants to flip the bird to the nightmares and her parent’s grief and the incessant questions about when she’s going to make something of herself.

But when her parents exile her to the country, Milly has to cope with her annoyingly helpful aunt and three cousins instead. Bitter at the hand she’s been dealt, Milly has stopped dreaming of a future. 

In steps Jerome with his tormented blue eyes. Familiar from her childhood and as broken as she. They need each other. But how can they forget?



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I have yet to fully jump on the NA band wagon, but the few NA books I have read are slowly converting me. Reckless by Danielle Weiler being one of them. Reckless is story about love and forgiveness. Milly's brother Christian has died and her family seems to be one big black hole of grief and bitterness. 

For me, I found Milly to be a very unlikable character. Even though she has lost her brother, I found I held no sympathy for her. She is rude, blunt, slightly wild and has no direction in life. Her constant bad choices will have you asking why and you may even feel like putting the book down, but don't. You will find small insights into her character that will have you realising she hides behind a wall of indifference. These small little moments give you hope for her.

Milly's story doesn't really begin until her parents send her away to live on her aunts farm. This is when you'll find yourself flipping though the pages to see how she's going. Her journey from being a bitter and broken young woman is not easy or pretty. Her overly helpful aunt and slightly annoying younger cousins all help to show her that life is worth so much more than she can see. I loved reading about Milly's metamorphosis. 

Jerome. A boy she used to know, who's just as damaged as her. Their romance is slow but real. At first they find friendship with each other, Christian being the glue that binds them. Jerome is one of those good guys; the kind, caring, and supportive type who stick by you no matter how ugly your life seems to be. The romance is sweet and you can't help but hope they find happiness together. There is a revelation though that could tear them apart and I think this is when Milly realises that even if life is hard it can also be beautiful. 

This is the second book I have read and reviewed for Danielle Weiler and I can't wait to see what she has coming up next. Danielle's books are a breathe of fresh air. I suggest you add her to your TBR.
4/5

Cover reveal: Betraying Innocence by Airicka Phoenix

The lovely and amazing Airicka Phoenix has another awesome cover reveal. This time for a YA horror romance. Is there anything this woman can't do? This sounds creeptastic. If you haven't read any of Airicka's books, I have to ask WHY? Add all her books to your TBR. You won't be disappointed. 
Book Name: Betraying Innocence
Author: Airicka Phoenix
Publisher: Fire & Ash Publishing
Release date: Oct 31, 2013

Genre: Young Adult, Horror Romance
Warnings: Language. 
Formats: ebook, paperback
Roseanna - Ana - French was happy with her life. Sure she had to move to a strange new town and live in a creepy new house that had inexplicable cold spots, but she could live with that. What she couldn't deal with was the relentless tapping inside the walls at night, the sinister shadows in the halls or the spirit crawling its way beneath her skin. 

Author Bio
Airicka Phoenix is the best-selling author of The Touch Saga, Games of Fire, Octavian's Undoing & The Lost Girl Series with short stories in Whispered Beginnings: A Clever Fiction Anthology and Midnight Surrender Anthology. She also writes adult paranormal & contemporary romance under her alter ego, Morgana Phoenix.

For more about Airicka, also on how to win giveaways, read author interviews and reviews, visit her website at: 
http://airickaphoenix.com/Author/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Airicka-Phoenix/252135634831614
Twitter:
http://twitter.com/#!/AirickaPhoenix
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/AirickaPhoenix
LinkedIn:
http://www.linkedin.com/pub/airicka-phoenix/40/432/74
Fanpage:
http://www.goodreads.com/group/show/100193
- See more at: http://www.anchorgrouppublishing.com/authors.html#sthash.ldk4sWph.dpuf

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

Review: Touch of Power & Scent of Magic by Maria V. Synder

Title: Touch of Power & Scent of Magic (Healer series)
Author: Maria V. Synder
Age Group: Young Adult Fantasy
Release Date: 20th December 2011 & 18th December 2012
Publishers: Harleqiun MIRA
Available from: Touch of Power - Amazon

Scent of Magic - AmazonSource: Harlequin
TOUCH OF POWER
Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted. Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture. Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people. As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....


SCENT OF MAGIC
As the last Healer in the Fifteen Realms, Avry of Kazan is in a unique position: in the minds of friends and foes alike, she no longer exists. Despite her need to prevent the megalomaniacal King Tohon from winning control of the Realms, Avry is also determined to find her sister and repair their estrangement. And she must do it alone, as Kerrick, her partner and sole confidant, returns to Alga to summon his country into battle.
Though she should be in hiding, Avry will do whatever she can to support Tohon's opponents. Including infiltrating a holy army, evading magic sniffers, teaching forest skills to soldiers and figuring out how to stop Tohon's most horrible creations yet: an army of the walking dead—human and animal alike and nearly impossible to defeat.
War is coming and Avry is alone. Unless she figures out how to do the impossible…again.

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Do NOT read "TOUCH OF POWER" or "SCENT OF MAGIC" until you get your hands on the next book in the series "TASTE OF DARKNESS". Unfortunately the last book in this series won't be released until late December 2013. Make sure that you have all 3 books and don't start reading until after Christmas because if you have children, you'll be able to find someone to take them or send them somewhere during the school holidays for a week. Once you know you've got everyone out of the house for a week, lay in all the food and drink supplies that you'll need. Pop a "Do not Disturb" note on the front door with some excuse that will keep everyone away, turn off the phones after you've told everyone that you're taking a week to yourself, cancel the newspapers for that week and organise a neighbour to collect your mail.
Now that you've organised a week of solitude, sit back, relax and read to your heart's content. The reason I'm saying all this is; once you start to get engrossed into the first book you'll not want to stop until all 3 books are read. Your mind will be swept away into this mythical world. You will feel as if you are a voyeur watching everything unfold in front of you. Your emotions will become involved in the adventure and you'll laugh, cry, get angry, say the occasional Awwww and actually want to offer your advice to the characters!
When I finished book 1, I immediately started book 2. When I finished book 2, I was craving book 3. Once book 3 comes onto the market I'll be buying it and going into isolation to start reading this series all over again. At least this time I'll be able to complete these adventures in full. I won't give you any "spoilers" about the story lines as I just would like you to enjoy it all for yourself.
5/5
LEONE