RELEASE DAY

BEFORE
by

MELISSA PEARL!

(A Betwixt Novella #0.5) (Betwixt Series)

Book Description:

Dale Finnigan is a teenage rebel; he lives for parties, girls and joy riding in stolen cars. In spite of his uptight parents' constant warnings and lectures, he continues to run wild. His crazy lifestyle is the only way he can live and feel free…until his reckless behavior takes him down a path where there is no going back.

In this prequel to BETWIXT, find out who Dale Finnigan was before he became known as “scar-face”—the unassuming hero everyone underestimates.

WARNING: This book is intended for mature teen readers due to coarse language and mature content.

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Excerpt:

The car horn sounded like a trumpet, making me laugh hysterically. Hugh was anything but subtle. Jamming my feet into my Converse shoes, I tie the laces in a hurry and rush for the door.

"Where are you going?"

My mother, one of the shortest people I know, tries to block my way. I gently nudge her aside as I zip up my hoody. "I'm going out," I mumble.

"No you're not. It's Friday night. You have youth group. Your father is expecting to see you there."

"Well he's going to be disappointed...again. How many times do I have to tell you guys I'm not interested? I don't want to sound snarky, but I can't help it. I hate youth group. I hate church. I hate that my minister is my dad who is constantly harping on about it and forcing me to go to stuff that is as boring as hell. It's bad enough they force me to the Sunday morning snore-fest each week. I decided a few months ago, that my parents could stop stealing my Friday nights as well. I used to sneak out after youth group all the time, but it was getting tiring. The last few months of just skipping it have been much easier, although I could do without the arguments.”

"Dale, stop."

I don't bother holding in my sigh as I pause by the front door. My mother's voice, usually so soft and sweet has taken on a hard edge. It's been doing that a lot lately.

"You know the rules."

Do I ever!

"You must attend youth group. How do you think it looks to the parishioners when their own minister's son doesn't even show up?"

"I don't care how it looks." I spin around to face her. "I don't care what any of those people think. I'm not here to impress them. I never asked to be a minister's kid."

"Dale…"

"No! I'm going out."

Her expression crests with sadness before bunching into a tight frown.

I race out the door before she can stop me. Her voice chases me down the path all the way to Hugh's car. I slam the door shut, trying to block out the, "Dale, you get back here right now!"

"Go, man, go!"

Hugh nods and screeches away from the curb, but not fast enough for me to miss the tears welling in my mother's eyes. I shouldn't have looked back.

I hate that. Why does she have to go crying about it and making me feel bad? Maybe if her and Dad would stop lumping so many rules on me, and actually listen to what I had to say, I wouldn't have to cause her so much pain. This had been brewing for years, mostly without me knowing it, but at the end of my freshman year I just snapped. I couldn't play the role anymore. I refused to keep following the rules I thought were stupid. They weren't doing it because they loved me, they were just worried about what the damn church goers thought. It was all about appearances to them. I refused to follow some religion I wasn't even sure I believed in. Hypocrites were the worst kind of sinners, and I wasn't going to be lumped in with them.

No, I had chosen to swing to the complete opposite side of the spectrum. Having spent a lifetime living by the letter of the law, I was now doing my best to live as far from the law as possible. 

Add it to your TBR list on GOODREADS!

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 COVER REVEAL!

Meant for Her

A New Adult Contemporary Romance

by

Raine Thomas

Cover design by Regina Wamba of www.MaeIDesign.com

Cover photos by Kelsey Kukal-Keeton of K Keeton Designs

Cover reveal organized by: AToMR Tours

  Photographer Sierra Stratton views the world through a lens all her own. She has an uncanny sense about people, something that often causes her trouble. When she meets the sexy and brooding Evan Dorsey, her intuition tells her he’s suffering, and she wants to be the one to help him. Evan isn’t open to help from anyone, however. His focus is on his Major League career and making himself as marketable as possible for his upcoming free agency. He plans to ride out the season in Atlanta and then sign with another team, away from the painful memories that haunt him. Someone’s eager to send him on his way, too. Between anonymous threats and equipment sabotage, it’s clear he’s earned himself an enemy along the way. To him, it’s one more sign that he’s right to move on. But Sierra threatens his conviction. Her contagious smile proves hard to resist, as does her kiss. She tempts him in ways he never anticipated, making him question his plans for the first time. If he’s not careful, she might just convince him that he’s meant for her.  

Coming October 17, 2013

Check out For Everly on Amazon and Barnes and Noble and get to know some of the characters making appearances in Meant for Her!

About the Author

Raine Thomas is the author of bestselling YA and NA romantic fiction, including the award-winning Estilorian series. She’s a proud member of Romance Writers of America and is a contributing blogger to The Writer's Voice. When she isn’t planning weddings, writing, or glued to social networking sites, she can usually be found on one of Florida’s beautiful beaches with her husband and daughter or crossing the border to visit with her Canadian friends and relatives.

Ways readers can connect with Raine:
Twitter (http://twitter/Raine_Thomas)
Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/rainethomas) Goodreads (http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5053436.Raine_Thomas)
Pinterest (http://pinterest.com/raine_thomas/)
Linkedin (http://www.linkedin.com/pub/raine-thomas/53/111/bb3)
Website (http://rainethomas.com) Blog (http://RaineThomas.com/blog/)

  

Review:

Finding Home

by

Lauren K. McKellar 

Blurb:

Moody, atmospheric, and just a little bit punk, Finding Home takes contemporary YA to a new level of grit...

When Amy’s mum dies, the last thing she expects is to be kicked off her dad’s music tour all the way to her Aunt Lou in a depressing hole of a seaside town. But it’s okay — Amy learned how to cope with the best, and soon finds a hard-drinking, party-loving crowd to help ease the pain.

The only solace is her music class, but even there she can’t seem to keep it together, sabotaging her grade and her one chance at a meaningful relationship. It takes a hard truth from her only friend before Amy realises that she has to come to terms with her past, before she destroys her future.

My Review:

Warning: Possible Spoilers…

I’m pretty torn on this one. On one hand, I read it in 5 hours, straight through and liked the main character Amy, for the most part, her best friend Lily and the mysterious Nick. But…for some reason, there were parts of this book I found really unlikeable. That being said, I did enjoy it overall and it was a quick fast read that wasn’t the usually teenage angst story but did portray many elements that make up these sort of novels as of late.

Amy’s trying to cope with losing her mother, being carted off by her rock star father to her aunt’s house in some forgettable small town named Cherrybrook. Not the way Amy envisioned her life at all. Dealing with issues of drinking, sex and betrayal, she certainly makes a fine mess of her life. I found her extremely naïve, probably because she’d been homeschooled for most of her high school career. I really didn’t like Luke and Coral from the start and became highly suspicious of Luke’s motivations with Amy almost immediately. This book takes place in a country where drinking is legal at 18 so some of these problems seem like a non-issue to the main character and some adults for most of the book.

The parental units in this story were the definition of a FAIL. They practically gave the teens in the story a pass to do what they wanted, when they wanted, with whatever means possible. It was disheartening to see one of the parents blatantly allow teens to drink, have sex and have house parties without an inkling of responsibility of an adult in sight. I especially was confused because this parent seemed concerned with Amy when she spoke with her one morning and apparently was lucid too, but her actions later on painted her out as a very irresponsible person who didn’t care what happened to herself or her daughter. In fact, almost all of the parents featured were afraid to intervene on any of these teens lives and were very lenient. I found that very hard to believe.

The characters I liked a lot were Nick and Lily, though I believe neither got enough attention and were discarded frequently by Amy when they were truly the only ones who gave a care in the world for her. This was frustrating for me and had me kind of wanting to shake some sense into Amy. Nick was a gentlemen, though labeled easily by Amy as someone she could do without and too similar to her Rock Star father, who always put his family second to his music. Lily seemed to have a good head on her shoulders, but she didn’t seem to like Amy all that much for most of the book, even though they were labeled as good friends. Amy obviously was a terrible judge in character, frequently seen throughout the story.

Overall an easy, fast read that does kind of suck you in as Amy trudges through tragedy, denial, a broken heart and finally gains her wits back (thank goodness). Though a difficult tale to swallow, it was highly entertaining.

4/5 stars

I received an ARC from the Publisher via Netgalley for an honest review.

Add it to GOODREADS

Author Bio:

Photos courtesy of Goodreads.com

Lauren K. McKellar is an author and editor. Her debut novel, Finding Home, will be released through Escape Publishing on October 1, 2013.

As well as being a magazine editor for a national audited publication on pet care, Lauren works as a freelance editor for independent authors. She is also a Senior Editor for digital romance house, Entranced Publishing.

Lauren is a member of the Romance Writers of Australia and is obsessed with words--she really likes the way they work.

She lives on the Central Coast of New South Wales with her fiance and their two fur-children.

Find her here:

WEBSITE

GOODREADS

FACEBOOK

 Cover Reveal!!!

Release Date: September 17, 2013
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Spin off of Star Struck)
Blurb:

Since I was little I've had a list of carefully constructed plans for my life. But when I meet sexy musician Ryker Collins I'm prepared to give it all up just to be with him. Until one single act makes me question his true feelings for me. Now I'm left to wonder if falling for him was a huge mistake. I just hope he can prove to me that it wasn't before it's too late for us.

Author Bio:

Amber Garza writes young adult contemporary and paranormal romances. She lives in California with her amazing husband and two hilarious children who give her enough material to keep her writing for years.

DOUBLE COVER REVEAL!!!

SEASONS IN ASH: PREQUEL & AFTERSHOCK: BOOK THREE

By

Madison Daniel

All fires have a beginning.

Seasons In Ash, the emotional prequel to the best selling YA/PARANORMAL Ember Series, will give you a glimpse into the lives and past of the main characters in the series.


THE FIRE-STARTER: Meet Max Valentine’s first love, and the heartbreaking consequences that shape his teenage years. Young hearts beat fast.

THE RAINMAKER: Witness one of the worst days in Asia Michaels past. A very public and messy unveiling of her emotional storms. Beware her wrath.

THE GIRL NEXT DOOR: A day in the life of Samantha Summers. Experience the bittersweet events that lead to her foreboding future. Can she prepare herself for the most challenging of adventures? A new love...

A short novella from the mind and soul of Madison Daniel. Music and words collide in the beginning of the Ember Series.

Also, here’s the link to a Seasons book trailer.

Book 3 Aftershock is Due out in December!

A Life To Waste

by

Andrew Lennon

Blurb:

Dave liked nothing more than to sit and waste his life away. 

Until one night his world was turned upside down and his life ripped apart, throwing him into a must win battle with an unknown enemy. 

With time running out and the odds against him. 

Can he stop this "thing" or is it too late?

BUY IT ON AMAZON HERE

My Review:

This story is novella length and not written in the traditional sense of a book. It’s more of a fable type story and must be taken into account when reading it.

I enjoyed this story very much. It read and felt almost like a fable, set up to tell a very intense lesson on life. Though it is a bit rough in transitions and is very much narrated instead of told through actions, it’s an engrossing story of how life can go very, very wrong.

The first half of it concentrates on Dave’s story and history. It goes through his memories systematically showing what a loser he’s become, who he used to be and why he is the way he is. He’s now a lazy drunk who doesn’t work and mooches off his mother, expecting her to clean and provide food for him even though he treats her like utter garbage. I disliked him immediately. That is, until I read the parts in the past where he behaved quite differently − a child with big dreams, a firm dedication to sports and running, and hopes of joining the Olympics as a star athlete. But all that is ruined on a fateful day and his love of life disappears. 

Back to the present, the story takes a swift turn and follows Dave as he stumbles upon a mystery killer who has kidnapped not only his slutty neighbor Lisa, but also now his mother. Can he catch the culprit in time or will it be the end of Dave’s useless life? The horrors that come up and the test of is real character come into play and provide a swift, but satisfying conclusion.

A fast read with gritty details that will keep you flipping the pages to see what’s going to happen next. If you love short horror fiction tales with unpredictable plots, you’d love this.

I received a free copy of this book from the author for an honest review.

About the Author:

BIO:

Andrew Lennon was born in Maghull, Merseyside in 1984. 

Having being lucky to survive a nearly fatal jet ski crash at the age of 11. Followed by a spinal fracture at 15 incurred playing Rugby.

Andrew went on to finish school and work in finance.

He has since been working for his fathers company based in Warrington.

"A Life To Waste" is Andrew's first Novella and is now available in E-Book format and paperback.

Andrew enjoys reading, camping, watching tv and spending time with his wife Hazel and their children.

Follow him here:

Facebook Page

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Sanctuary

by

Pauline Creeden
Releases: Sept. 30th 2013

The Reapers Series
By: Kate Evangelista

Reaping Me Softly
Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-1-623429-11-0
E-ISBN: 978-1-623429-11-9
Length: Novel
Publication Date: October 30, 2012
Cover art by: Liliana Sanches
Published by: Omnific Publishing

Buy Now: Just $0.99 for a limited time!
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Omnific Publishing

~Watch Book Trailer~

Ever since a near-death-experience on the operating table, seventeen-year-old Arianne Wilson can see dead people. Just as she’s learned to accept her new-found talents, she discovers that the boy she’s had a crush on since freshman year, Niko Clark, is a Reaper.

At last they have something in common, but that doesn’t mean life is getting any easier. All while facing merciless bullying from the most powerful girl in school, Arianne’s world is turned upside down after Niko accidentally reaps the soul of someone she loves. This sends them both into a spiral that threatens to end Arianne’s life. But will Niko break his own Reaper’s code to save her? And what would the consequences be if he did?

~Read Excerpt~

Praise for Reaping Me Softly:

"This book was an addicting and exciting adventure that I didn't want to end." -- Steph from A Dream Within a Dream

"Kate Evangelista has written an engrossing paranormal story which had me laughing, oohing, swooning and totally believing main character Arianne's escapades." -- Laurie from Reader Girls Blog

"Reaping Me Softly grabbed me right from the first page and kept me intrigued all the way through." -- Tee from A Diary of a Book Addict

"Reaping Me Softly was an extremely engaging read. Once I picked up the book, I couldn't put it down." -- Krista from Breathe In Books

Book 2

Unreap My Heart

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance
ISBN: 978-1-623420-49-9
E-ISBN: 978-1-623420-50-5
Length: Novel
Publication Date: September 17, 2013
Cover art by: Liliana Sanches
Published by: Omnific Publishing




Blurb:

Only a villain can save the day.

During his thousand year banishment in the Nethers, Balthazar thought of nothing but taking over the Crossroads from Death.

On the day he puts his plans into action, Balthazar finds the Crossroads on lockdown. Death has been stabbed by Brianne’s Bitterness, a blade that slowly leaches him of his powers. In order to challenge Death for his seat and prevent utter chaos, Balthazar is forced into a mission to find the Redeemer, the only being capable of pulling out the blade from Death’s chest. The only person who can identify the Redeemer is a human girl in the Crossroads whose soul is still attached to her body.

Meeting Arianne Wilson pushes Balthazar’s patience to the limit. In a deal he makes with Death, he must protect Arianne during their journey through the Underverse using all the resources available to him. He soon realizes the one he needs to protect is himself. For as much harm as it inflicts on Balthazar's body, trekking through the Underverse with Arianne is proving more dangerous for his heart and soul.

Can the villain remain a villain when love gets in the way?

COVER REVEAL!

Holly & Theo: The Complete Painter Series

Kindle Edition Release Date: 8/30/2013

Buy it at Amazon HERE

Synopsis:

Warning: This is New Adult and is suggested for late teens and up. There are mild sensual love scenes in this book but are not graphic.

When a young woman discovers the boy in drama class is actually the immortal who painted the world into being, she becomes the target of another painter who hates humanity. Holly & Theo is a New Adult Supernatural Romance set in the small mill town of Chesnee, SC and beautiful historic Charleston, SC. It starts with Holly Scruggs in her senior year of high school, after a major downsize for their family that lands her in Chesnee, her parents’ hometown. Her image conscious mother corrects her to the point of brokenness until she meets Theo. He is the artist responsible for all the beauty of the land and he thinks Holly is beautiful too. Together they will fight against Fritz, the water painter who hates humans and is hiding a secret under the high school.

The story continues two years later with a twenty year old Holly and a very changed Theo. Fritz is up to his old tricks and the story continues to be life or death. What price is Holly willing to pay to save those she loves? What price has Theo already paid?

Secrets can kill a relationship. But the secrets Holly and Theo keep from each other in the start of their relationship could mean the death of either of them. Fritz holds all the cards, and raises the stakes in this deadly, more adult conclusion of The Painter Series.

Review Quotes:

“The main character, Holly Scruggs, who has been beaten down by her mother, is such an inspiration! She never allows herself to fall into self-pity.

With the mysterious Theo's help, she discovers her true calling in life and the confidence she needs.”

~Sheila Hollinghead Amazon Reviewer


“The author was very descriptive; it was like she was painting every scene. The book is different from all other books I have read in its genre. Even the ending surprised me… I couldn't put this book down.”

~The Mystical World of Book Reviews


“My heart is bursting at the seams and my mind is empty now that I have just finished reading the last page... I was completely blown away by the life-altering transformation that we see Holly and Theo go through day by day. They slowly shed the filthy skin of selfishness and replace it with the selfless depth of love that they have for each other. This is a story of true and pure love at its finest, and it is an extraordinary end to an amazingly beautiful and captivating series.

I can't say enough good things about this series!”

~Shadowplay Amazon Reviewer


Author Bio:

Melissa Turner Lee is a stay-at-home-mom to 3 wild and very loud boys. She used to skip sleep at night to write, but now that they are in school writes in the daylight. She is married to a wonderful man she met when she was 17, back before texting and people wrote notes that might be in a trunk in her house. While dating, her then boyfriend, now husband told her his friend had pointed out that the picture he had drawn for art class long before meeting, that hung behind the door in his room, looked just like her.

The picture disappeared after the wedding and was never seen again. These events helped inspire Holly and Theo’s story.


Excerpt: 

My mouth fell open. Was he nuts? How was I supposed to answer a question like that?

I balled my hands into fists and put them on my hips. “What’s the matter with you?”

When he put his hands on his hips, I got upset for a moment before I realized he was still doing the mirroring exercise.

Ms. Jones suddenly yelled and clapped. “I love this. Love it! Everybody look at Holly and her partner. They aren’t just moving, they are conveying emotion with it. Brilliant!”

I went back to doing normal movements. And Theo continued to stare at me. “You look so familiar. I heard you say you just moved here, but did you move back? I mean, did you live here before…a long time ago maybe?”

“No.” I half-smiled and then bit my lip.

He was exceptionally good looking. I’d been too irritated to notice at first, but the more I looked at him the warmer my cheeks grew. The way he stared at me didn’t help. It was intense and inquisitive, and he was too close. We weren’t touchy-feely at my house so this invasion into my personal space was especially uncomfortable.

“So you’ve never been here before?” His gray-blue eyes studied me even more.

“Well…um…I’ve been to Chesnee before—to visit my grandmother before she died. Maybe you saw me around town then.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s not it. I’ve seen you up close, like this. I remember your eyes. They’re the color of the sea—just inside a coral reef, and your freckles are the stones of a volcanic island scattered along the sand. Your hair is like the sun setting over the water, shooting out orange rays in all directions.” He stared into my eyes even deeper. “You’re very pretty.”

The impact of his words slammed into me. I’d braced myself for an insult. That’s what I was used to. This was either the way he came onto girls for a hook-up, or more likely, some mean joke to get a good laugh going with the other kids. Anger bubbled up. I knew those kinds of tricks. Those were the kinds of things the kids I used to hang with did all the time. They played them on me too, when I no longer belonged in their circle.

My hands trembled, and my lips drew up to hold in the anger, but I refused to cry in front of this boy. I wanted to call him on his prank. I knew better than to think it was a real compliment, but I couldn’t think of anything clever to say.

The tears burned in my eyes despite my efforts.

“Forget this!” I shouted as I ran off the stage. Everyone’s stares bore into my back as I grabbed my backpack and made for the door. My head throbbed from ear to ear. I was dropping the class, and that was final.

And Theo continued to stare at me. “You look so familiar. I heard you say you just moved here, but did you move back? I mean, did you live here before…a long time ago maybe?”

“No.” I half-smiled and then bit my lip.

He was exceptionally good looking. I’d been too irritated to notice at first, but the more I looked at him the warmer my cheeks grew. The way he stared at me didn’t help. It was intense and inquisitive, and he was too close. We weren’t touchy-feely at my house so this invasion into my personal space was especially uncomfortable.

“So you’ve never been here before?” His gray-blue eyes studied me even more.

“Well…um…I’ve been to Chesnee before—to visit my grandmother before she died. Maybe you saw me around town then.”

He shook his head. “No, that’s not it. I’ve seen you up close, like this. I remember your eyes. They’re the color of the sea—just inside a coral reef, and your freckles are the stones of a volcanic island scattered along the sand. Your hair is like the sun setting over the water, shooting out orange rays in all directions.” He stared into my eyes even deeper. “You’re very pretty.”

The impact of his words slammed into me. I’d braced myself for an insult. That’s what I was used to. This was either the way he came onto girls for a hook-up, or more likely, some mean joke to get a good laugh going with the other kids. Anger bubbled up. I knew those kinds of tricks. Those were the kinds of things the kids I used to hang with did all the time. They played them on me too, when I no longer belonged in their circle.

My hands trembled, and my lips drew up to hold in the anger, but I refused to cry in front of this boy. I wanted to call him on his prank. I knew better than to think it was a real compliment, but I couldn’t think of anything clever to say.

The tears burned in my eyes despite my efforts.

“Forget this!” I shouted as I ran off the stage. Everyone’s stares bore into my back as I grabbed my backpack and made for the door. My head throbbed from ear to ear. I was dropping the class, and that was final.