{October 8, 2013} {Fall Into UtopYA Party} Semester Abroad by Elizabeth Kirke Spotlight and Giveaway

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Semester Abroad by Elizabeth Kirke

Semester Aboard, the first book in the YA urban fantasy series More than Magic series has a brand new cover! If you haven’t read Semester Aboard yet, here’s a quick summary and a little peek for you!

College student Jen Maddox is a few days into her summer study abroad program and has loved every moment. She just left Mexico and is back on her cruise ship campus, ready to sail to Panama. Everyone tells her that the experience will change her life, but none of them realize just how right they really are.

One night Jen goes out on deck and encounters five other students. She knows Charlie from one of her classes and he’s a funny, friendly, regular guy. Picture-perfect Dani and his gorgeous wife Mariana live right down the hall from Jen. And she has seen TS, who’s built like a truck, around the ship and recognizes the cute, but quiet Thomas as well.

Then Jen sees something that isn’t humanly possible. Jen would have thought that it was all a dream, if not for the fact that Charlie, Dani, Mariana, TS, and Thomas are making every effort to cover it up. Suddenly, the five of them are everything but normal and Jen is determined to figure out what they’re hiding.

When she does, her life really does change. Jen expected to spend her summer studying the cultures of Latin America, she never dreamed she’d learn about a magical culture instead.

But Jen’s childhood fantasy come true is about to turn into a nightmare; there’s something on the ship. Something dangerous. Suddenly, everyone on board is threatened by a creature that Jen never even believed existed. Jen and her new friends might be the only people who can stop it!

Now Jen has to learn everything she can about her new world before it kills her. And her friends. And maybe everyone on the entire ship.

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Excerpt:

It started raining early in the afternoon and was a bad storm by the time I went to bed. I woke up in the middle of the night and stumbled over to our bathroom, feeling awful. A bit of quality time bent over the toilet didn’t help at all and I decided to try for some fresh air. I pulled a sweater on over my pajamas, hung my ID card strap around my neck, and slipped out of the room. I made my way down the corridor to the door that led outside. For the first time since getting on the ship I had to keep one hand on the railing. The halls were well lit, even though it was the middle of the night, and it was almost disconcerting to step outside into the darkness. But the moment the cool, damp wind hit my face I felt better. I hadn’t been seasick since our first night, but sometimes I felt nauseous if I stayed in our room too long. Being out on the deck always helped.

I had assumed that I’d be the only one crazy enough to go out in the rain in the middle of the night, but to my surprise I wasn’t. There were people on the other side of the deck. It was too dark to see them well, but the lights from the deck above us illuminated them a little. One of them was Charlie. He was standing under the overhang where Deck Five extended out above Deck Four. He was just wearing a t-shirt and jeans and I shivered in sympathy. A guy I recognized, not surprising since we all lived on a ship, was sitting on the bottom steps of the outdoor stairway that led to Deck Five. He was probably a football player back home or something. He had shaggy, dark brown hair and a fairly large nose. I’d heard a few girls giggling about him, but I didn’t think he was that good looking. I wasn’t sure what his name was. Another guy was sitting in a chair, probably pilfered from Deck Five, with his back to me and his feet up on the rails. Mariana was near him, wearing only a bikini top and a short skirt. I couldn’t believe she wasn’t cold.

“I didn’t scream!” she said.

“You totally did! You freaked out!” Dani laughed.

It had been too dark to notice Dani until he spoke. My jaw dropped in shock. Dani was sitting on the railing of the ship. Messing around on the rails was one of the first things they’d told us not to do when we got on board. Even sitting on them in the middle of a calm day was suicidal at best. But to sit there in the middle of a stormy night was nothing short of a death wish.

“I was not!” Mariana cried.

“You were all like, ‘Oh, Danio, save me Danio!'”

“Well, I…I-don’t be such a jerk!”

As Mariana spoke she spun to face Dani and shoved him hard. Dani’s laugh turned into a yell of surprise and he tumbled backward off of the railing! I gasped in horror. Every second now was critical. If someone went overboard we were supposed to immediately throw them a life preserver and then run and tell a crew member. But not a single one of them did anything! The one in the chair uncrossed his legs and recrossed them with a different one on top. The guy on the stairs threw back his head and laughed! Charlie quickly stuck his head over the railing and then pulled back and shivered. It was as if Dani hadn’t gone overboard at all.

“Oh my god!” I gasped. They must have been in shock. That was the only reason they weren’t rushing to save Dani. I ran across the deck, at the very least, I could throw the life preserver in and hope he was still alive to use it.

They all jerked around to look at me. They acted more surprised to see me than they were about Dani falling overboard. Mariana gasped and backed against the rail. Charlie stepped to the edge of the overhang and Football Guy jumped off of the stairs to his feet. The guy in the chair was on his feet in an instant. I hardly even saw him move; one second he was sitting and the next he was up. He stepped in front of the others, almost protectively.

“That’s Jennifer.” Charlie spoke softly like he didn’t want me to hear, but the wind carried his words right to me. “She’s in one of my classes.”

The guy in front smiled. “You’re up late.”

They were acting like nothing had happened! This was insane!

“What’s the matter with you?” I cried. “We have to do something!”

“Do something?” He almost looked genuinely confused. “About what?”

“She just…” I gestured to Mariana. “She just pushed Dani overboard!”

He had the audacity to laugh. “It’s raining, you know. And dark. You’re mistaken.”

Hungry for more? Find the first four chapters on Elizabeth’s blog…

In addition to the new cover, courtesy of the amazing Strong Image Editing, a bonus chapter, from a different POV as been added to Semester Aboard, along with a glossary! It has also been edited one more time, just for good measure! It’s available from Amazon and Smashwords!

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The More than Magic series is written by Elizabeth Kirke. She wanted to be an author before she even knew what an author was. She used to say that she wanted to be an artist, but that was only because she was too young to write and had to tell stories with pictures instead. She hasn’t stopped writing since she learned how. It wasn’t long before she dreamed of becoming an author and couldn’t be happier now that that dream is a reality.

If she isn’t writing…well, let’s be honest; if she isn’t writing she’s probably on Facebook thinking that she should start writing. But, if she isn’t writing or on Facebook, she’s probably doing something involving books, baking, gardening, or yarn. In an ideal world, she’d be reading and knitting while something from the garden is in the oven. Then again, in an ideal world, she’d have a flock of ducks and a couple of goats.

Visit the author at:
Blog: http://elizabeth-kirke.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/morethanmagicseries
Twitter: @more_than_magic
Email: morethanmagicseries@gmail.com

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{October 8, 2013} {Review} Decoy by S.B. Sebrick (Assassin’s Rising #1)

From Goodreads: The last few grueling years of training have served Kaltor well. He’s learned to harness the magic within his body, overcome a stronger opponent, avoid capture, and everything else an assassin-in-training needs to survive.

Or so he thought.

But when those they protect at an excavation site release a demon from the Abyss itself, Kaltor realizes just how poorly prepared they all are for what’s coming. Within a single night, their mining camp of one thousand people plummets to a couple hundred terrified survivors, the majority turned against each other by the demon’s potent abilities. Then he turns towards Shaylis, the largest city in the region, for the next stage of his plan.

In a constant battle of both steel and strategy Kaltor and his friends struggle to delay, deceive and defeat their opponent, who’s spent the last thousand years planning out every detail of her assault to perfection. As the number of casualties mounts and her final plan comes to light, Kaltor is left with only one option. He must draw on the secret power within himself, knowing if his true identity is discovered, his life and the fate of the world, will be changed forever.

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Welcome to the fantastical world of Varadours, Sight Seekers, and humans, a world unlike any other. When an amulet in an archeological dig sends prince Melshek over the edge, taking over people’s will, destroying families, and turning them into black veined humans controlled by webbed mouth women, Kaltor and the Varadour assassins must act to save the kingdom before Melshek’s presence spreads throughout the world, though this valor comes at a great cost to all.

Kaltor is a great young male lead, a Battle Born Varadour assassin in training, and a hero at heart. The Varadour assassins have many different powers that range from the ability to promote healing, to blending in with their surroundings, and even to being able to see things that are happening behind their backs. Kaltor has many powers, but even more that reach far beyond those of his companions, a fact he’s had to keep hidden for years. Now, fighting for all that is right against a world that doesn’t truly understand his powers, Kaltor will have to make the ultimate sacrifice if he plans to save those he holds dear.

With the advent of an ancient evil taking over the region, Kaltor steps up to the challenge of defending his people, and the epic fights that ensue will have any fantasy lover enthralled. The creation of the black veined people and webbed mouth controllers was extremely intense, and the battle scenes and stealth against the hoards of black veined assailants held me captive as a siege against the crown rages on throughout the novel. Although I found Kaltor’s thoughts to be a bit repetitive at times, I enjoyed his inner monologue as he tried time and time again to overcome the evil around him and convince the remaining people of the kingdom that he and the Varadour’s had their best interests at heart.

The Sight Seekers, with their vivid blue eyes and skills in stealth, create another intense barrier that Kaltor must overcome if he has hopes to save the people, and the many aspects of the world building that Sebrick adds to this novel were extremely well written and thought out. While I’m not always a fantasy buff, Sebrick did a great job holding my attention and generating interest and feelings on my behalf towards the characters, and I highly suggest lovers of fantasy, world building, and epic war pick this one up. Four stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

{October 7, 2013} {Fall Into UtopYA Party} Rivulet by Jamie MaGee Spotlight and Giveaway

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Rivulet by Jamie Magee

rivulet

Synopsis:

Unfathomable forces have always contested Genevieve Indiana Falcon, known as Indie. The curse of her cold touch entraps her just as the grief ignited in her past torments her. Yet, her mysterious ability to dream while awake saturates her in the belief that she was not always anguished. There is hope that one day a true peace in her soul can be found.

Foolishly, Indie assumes she has contained her life in an odd balance, and she cherishes the visions she sees of the enigmatic boy that held her in a lost time, but can never reach. She grieves for a life she fears she’ll never possess, and that grief is a weapon she uses against her aunt who stands between her and her inheritance.Weeks away from her twenty-first birthday, the date where she would assume control over her family legacy, a night terror robs Indie of the balance she was clinging to. Like the dream she had before she lost her family, it predicts a fatal catastrophe on the horizon. The fight between life and death, good and evil, began the moment her thundering heart awoke her.

Everything changed after that dream. The one thing that keeps her curse at bay is stolen, and then the enigmatic boy arrives in the flesh. Face to face with her fiery born-again lover Indie realizes that the only way she can prevent the tragedy before her is to surrender everything she was, is, and could be.

Can she bend the laws of nature and fight the improbability that fire and ice could ever be one? As far as Indie is concerned, there is not a myth, spoken fate, or curse that is stronger than her stubborn desire to have it all … including him.

Add Rivulet to your Goodreads shelf.

Rivulet is available on Amazon.com.

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jamie

About the author:

Jamie Magee has always believed that each of us have a defining gift that sets us apart from the rest of the world, she has always envied those who have known from their first breath what their gift was. Not knowing hers, she began a career in the fast paced world of business. Raising a young family, and competing to rise higher in that field would drive some to the point of insanity, but she always found a moment of escape in a passing daydream. Her imagination would take her to places she’d never been, introduce her to people she’s never known. Insight, her debuting novel, is a result of that powerful imagination. Today, she is grateful that not knowing what defined her, led her on a path of discovery that would always be a part of her.

Author Contact Links:

Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ Amazon Author Page

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{October 7, 2013} {Review} Disturbing Bedtime Tales by Dean Wilkinson

From Goodreads: Disturbing Bedtime Tales is an anthology that takes the medium of the fairytale and fable to new dimensions of dark and twisted, comedic surrealism. From the story of Brasnips the Pisswitch, who terrorises a village by slashing on its vegetable yield, to the fable of The Chronic Arsetronaut, the first sexist man in outer space, these fragmented parables will leave you wide-eyed and wondering if there really is a God.

The Liar, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Angels of the Garden Shed and Wee Willy Knicker-Sniffer are the cautionary tales the Brothers Grimm nearly wrote but thought better of and the ideas Hans Christian Andersen dismissed as the onset of madness.

**THIS IS FOR ADULTS ONLY**

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These were extremely short and even more so vulgar. From stuffing couches with feces, to random interjections of things like the titanic, mice, and gnomes, to a witch with melons for breasts and who pees on vegetables, this is not for me. I was put off by how putrid the stories were, and I didn’t find them funny in the least. The references to sex and sexual acts was also extremely off-putting and I don’t recommend this novel for anyone. There was so much randomness and vulgarity, as if the author was trying to go for shock value, but in my opinion, it didn’t hit its mark. It’s just gross. The potential was there for a great read, but the vulgarity and random acts of disgust dropped it short. One and a half stars.

I received this anthology from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

{October 6, 2013} {Review} Three if By Air by Patrick Koepke

From Goodreads: Nathaniel Hewitt is a Patriot and resolute supporter of the Glorious Cause, fighting for liberty and self-governance for the American colonies of Great Britain. When he joins the newly formed Continental Air Cavalry, he quickly establishes himself as one of America’s best fliers. Striving for success against the British kites in the air undermines his efforts to court Constance Whitegate, the daughter of the most vocal loyalist in South Carolina. Together they must stay unified and steadfast in the war that threatens to consume them.

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If you love history with a bit of a twist, then this is definitely a novel for you. Three if by Air adds in the fantastical element of an Air Cavalry to the Revolutionary War, but it also still gives a fairly accurate portrayal of the many events that lead up to America’s freedom from British rule.

Beginning with the Boston Massacre, this novel follows the life of Nathaniel Hewitt as he joins the Cause and fights for liberty from Great Britain, and with his acute attention to detail, Koepke draws his readers in from the very first page as we begin to learn how truly dire life was for those in the colonies. Nathaniel Hewitt is a very well fleshed out character, and Koepke does a great job making him real for us as readers. We follow him closely throughout the War, and though the novel is a tad long for my tastes, I really enjoyed this in-depth look at our hero, as well as the alternate look at a battle we’ve heard so much about in our history classes as young students.

I’m not really one for mechanism and scientific explanation, though, so I personally found some of the information regarding the Continental Air Cavalry to be beyond my attention span, but the story itself intrigued me more than enough. It’s the idea of “what if” that really gets me as I read this story. Though a little early for the advent of gliders, in terms of history, the Air Cavalry really added to this alternate history, and the twists it brought about (when it wasn’t being technical) were quite interesting to me. Three stars.

I received this novel from the author in exchange for an honest review.

{October 5, 2013} The 99 Cent Club–Feature 65–Ten Books for Ten Bucks

Every Saturday I run a feature for the 99 Cent Club, and below are the eBook picks for this week that caught my eye and are currently ONLY 99 Cents on Barnes and Noble and Amazon. I don’t know if these are permanent prices, so please don’t shoot the messenger, and double check pricing before pressing the buy button. Enjoy! (If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.)

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The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard

Allison O’Malley’s plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she’s been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison’s mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn’t trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother’s sanity.

Find it on Amazon.

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Incomplete by Lindy Zart

There are three absolute truths in Grayson Lee’s life:

1. His existence was a mistake.

2. No one is good enough for his best friend, Lily Jacobs, especially not him.

3. He loves her anyway.

Find it on Amazon.

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Carter Reed by Tijan

Emma decided to skip the gym and went home early. It was the last easy decision she made because she found her roommate being raped by the boyfriend. She had two choices. Call the cops and be killed by his family’s mafia connections or kill him first and hope to survive. There was no choice to her. She killed the bastard first and went to the one person who could protect her. Carter Reed. He’s a weapon for the rivaling mafia family, but he’s also Emma’s secret. Not only was he best friends with her brother, but she’s the reason he became that weapon in the first place.

This book is not for the faint of heart.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Elfin by Quinn Loftis

Before tonight Cassie Tate’s biggest concerns were whether she could pass Algebra and how she was going to keep Elora, her best friend, from dressing her in a skimpy fairy costume for Halloween. Her feet were firmly planted in suburban reality and she had no reason to believe her life would be anything but that of a typical teenager. That is until tonight, when Cassie saw something that no human was ever supposed to see; in the blink of an eye she was thrown into the world of the Light and Dark Elves.

He comes from a realm where light and dark have fought for millennia. He is of a race known to humans only in myths and legends. The darkness that lives inside him is a part of both who and what he is and it makes him the most gifted spy and assassin in the history of his time. His life is not his own; he lives in the service of the Dark Elf King. He slays who he must, has mercy on no one, is relentless in his hunt, and never tires of seeing his prey fall. He is Triktapic, assassin, spy, most feared of the Dark Elves.
Now, in the midst of his King’s complicated plans to expand the Dark Elves’ holdings into the mortal realm, for the first time, Trik finds his loyalties divided. For no Elf, Dark or Light, can turn away from their Chosen.

Unbeknownst to the mortal realm, the battle between Light and Dark is being brought to their doorstep. The only one who can keep it at bay holds darkness in his heart like a lover, and the one who can sway that heart must decide if she can look beyond his black past, beyond his evil nature and see the man he is destined to be.

The questions must be asked, does love really cover a multitude of sins? Can true love actually conquer all or will his darkness consume those around him until all that stands is an assassin with the blood of the mortal realm on his hands?

Find it on Amazon.

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Few Are Angels by Inger Iversen

After a fatal hit and run accident, Ella Monroe fears that she’s lost more than her beloved parents. Horrifying visions of a past life and a disturbing voice in her head have psychiatric professionals convinced that she’s lost her sanity as well. But when Kale–a dark and handsome stranger with a mysterious past–reveals the true meaning of her visions and the tremendous power she wields through them, Ella must come to terms with the devastating truths of her own past, while eluding an ancient Dark Prince who seeks to control not only her future, but all of mankind’s, by means of abilities that Ella is only beginning to understand.

Enter the shrouded world of an age old battle between an ancient race known as the Immortals and their bitter enemy Laurent, the so-called Dark Prince, who commands an army of half-breed vampires known as Chorý. Both sides have been desperately searching for the prophesied emergence of the Arc, a clairvoyant with unparalleled power to recall the past and a soothsayer with clear vision into the future.

The Council of Immortals has sworn to protect the Arc, whom they have identified as young Ella Monroe, a college freshman from Virginia living quietly and unaware of her powers or her past. But a renegade Chorý has other plans for the protection of a girl he has loved through the ages. Can Kale convince Ella of who she is, what she is destined to become, and what he once meant to her? Is he truly the best protector to shield the world from the devastating misuse of her powers that Laurent is bent on controlling? Or will the forbidden love they share and Kale’s cursed condition as a retched and hated Chorý be used against them both?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Bloody Valentine by Lucy Swing

In Lucy Swing’s novella, Bloody Valentine, nothing is as it seems.

Bailey has been having horrible nightmares. She is not sure what is going on but her dreams are too vivid for comfort. It’s like she is seeing things that haven’t happened yet. When girls start to go missing and she knows something is wrong and her nightmares are more than just that. She soon realizes that she trusted the wrong person and the one who she was afraid of was the one who wanted to protect her all along. But, will she be able to save all the girls before it’s too late?
Will she even be able to save herself?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Nocturnal by Chelsea M. Cameron

Seventeen-year-old Ava-Claire Sullivan isn’t one for doing the expected. Especially when she finds out her mother’s cancer is terminal. After a crying session in the local cemetery where she’s attacked by one strange guy and saved by another, she doesn’t call the cops. Because those guys definitely weren’t your average hooligans.

And the one who sort-of saved her? Well, he’s odd. He doesn’t seem to breathe or smile or have anything better to do than wait in the cemetery for Ava to come back. Which she does. Call it morbid curiosity. Even after he warns her that he’s dangerous, she can’t stop wanting to see him, talk to him, be with him.

There’s something about Peter that provides a much-needed escape from her mother’s diagnosis and her tenuous relationship with her father. Even her best friends Jamie and Texas don’t know what it’s like to face death. But Peter does. He already has. He also made a promise a long time ago that could destroy both of them.

When everything in your life is falling apart, what are you willing to give up to hold onto the one thing that could last forever?

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Don’t Kill Dinner by Jennifer Martinez

“I love you Kenna and I will never lose you. I promise.”

There are three rules when it comes to being a vampire in New Orleans.
1) Don’t kill dinner.
2) Don’t feed from people you know.
3) Don’t tell anyone.

Not too hard, right? Wrong. Kenna is a new vampire filled with a passion that has turned into an uncontrollable lust for blood.
Will Arthur be able to stop her feeding spree before the coven comes after her or is Kenna beyond saving?

Arthur has been watching Kenna for years, wanting her to try her own hand in life before he gave her the ultimate proposal. Now that she has accepted, will his love be enough to save her?

Find it on Amazon.

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True Connection by Rachel Walter

It’s going to take a fight, I know that. But it’s more than just a fight for my life. It’s a fight for my soul and my soul mate.’

Jazzy Williams is not your average coffee-loving teen. She’s battling depression, an overprotective big brother, and a depressed mother, all while trying to make friends at her new school. In the first week, she meets a gorgeous green-eyed hottie who turns out to be more than just some high school crush — he’s more than human. And she unknowingly enrages a dangerous breed of demon who wants her soul and life as payment. With the help of supernatural friends and protectors, Jazzy thinks she’s safe until what remains of her family is put in danger. Does Jazzy have what it takes to save her family, life, soul, and soul mate, or will all be lost?

*Warning* Mature Content. This contains some profanity, mild sexual situations, innuendos, and violence. Recommended for ages 16 and up, depending on maturity level.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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Deadly Crush by Ashley Stoyanoff

Dog Mountain is just like any other small town — peaceful and uneventful. Well, that is if peaceful means wolves howling all night, and uneventful means it’s overrun by pesky werewolves, then yes, Dog Mountain is just your average small town.

Find it on Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

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If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

For more information about books on sale throughout the week, as well as giveaway updates, be sure to like A Book Vacation’s Facebook Page.

{October 4, 2013} {Fall Into UtopYA Party} Fire in the Darkness by Stacey Marie Brown Spotlight and Giveaway

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Synopsis:

It’s been four weeks since Ember Brycin witnessed what her powers are capable of. The Electrical Current Storm has turned Seattle, Washington into a natural disaster zone. The death toll is in the thousands with countless others homeless and hungry.

And Ember is the one who caused it. Something she will have to live with every day.

Those people who were unable to escape either turned quickly into gangs or live in shelters. Ember, on the other hand, can’t do either. With a price on her head and a Dark Dweller on her ass, she is constantly on the move. Both Light and Dark are hunting her for their own purpose to use her as a weapon or a pawn in the war between the Unseelie King of the Dark and the Seelie Queen of the Light.

Em needs help but doesn’t know who to trust: Lars, the mystery man Torin told her to find? Torin, the Seelie Queen’s personal knight, who has sworn to keep Em safe? Or Eli, who wants to turn her over to the Unseelie King, but whom she has an undeniable, intense connection with?

No matter what she chooses she will probably lose—her life or everything and everyone she loves.

Add Fire in the Darkness to your Goodreads shelf.

Buy from Amazon!

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About the Author:

Stacey Marie Brown works by day as an Interior/Set Designer and by night a writer of paranormal fantasy, adventure, and literary fiction. When she’s not writing, she’s out hiking, spending time with friends, traveling, listening to music, or designing.

Author Contact Links:

My site ~ FaceBook Author Page ~ FaceBook Book Page ~ Goodreads ~Amazon ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Google+

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{October 4, 2013} {ARC Review} Never Fade by Alexandra Bracken (The Darkest Minds #2)

From Goodreads: Ruby never asked for the abilities that almost cost her her life. Now she must call upon them on a daily basis, leading dangerous missions to bring down a corrupt government and breaking into the minds of her enemies. Other kids in the Children’s League call Ruby “Leader,” but she knows what she really is: a monster.

When Ruby is entrusted with an explosive secret, she must embark on her most dangerous mission yet: leaving the Children’s League behind. Crucial information about the disease that killed most of America’s children—and turned Ruby and the others who lived into feared and hated outcasts—has survived every attempt to destroy it. But the truth is only saved in one place: a flashdrive in the hands of Liam Stewart, the boy Ruby once believed was her future—and who now wouldn’t recognize her.

As Ruby sets out across a desperate, lawless country to find Liam—and answers about the catastrophe that has ripped both her life and America apart—she is torn between old friends and the promise she made to serve the League. Ruby will do anything to protect the people she loves. But what if winning the war means losing herself?

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Truth be told, this novel started off a little slow for me because I didn’t refresh my memory about the prequel, The Darkest Minds, and so I felt like I was playing catch-up a bit in the beginning. This is not fault of the author, but rather a reader error that I now know to remedy for the third installment, because I can’t wait for it to release next year! As certain events from the first novel began to clarify in my mind as I read, the novel picked up speed and I soon found that it was a nonstop action packed sequence novel that had my stomach dropping all over the place. If you’ve read The Darkest Minds, brush up on the major events because they’re going to come back to haunt Ruby in this novel, and it really helps to remember them from the get-go. And if you haven’t read The Darkest Minds? Do it. It’s a very interesting tale, and this sequel knocked my breath away—but these novels really need to be read in order.

Ruby is an Orange. That means she can root around in a person’s head and make them believe things that aren’t true, see things that aren’t there, erase entire memories and people from a mind, and this makes her extremely dangerous. And awesome. Because Ruby doesn’t exploit her power; she hates it, internalizing her terror and referring to herself as a monster. In truth, Ruby’s life has been shattered on more than one occasion, and she hasn’t known much happiness since the catastrophe that changed the face of America’s children. Living in constant fear, and having ripped the memories from the one boy that mattered, Ruby reviles herself. And yet, there is a glimmer of hope as she sets off to find Liam and the flash drive that has the potential to answer her deepest questions and save the exploited and abused children of the world.

I spent a lot of this novel wondering whether The Children’s League was truly good or bad. The first novel makes readers think one way, and this novel hovers between the two, sometimes pointing in one direction, and sometimes in the other, but in the end, the true threat lies with the government. I still can’t say whether The Children’s League is good or evil, but many of my questions have been answered, and as Ruby and her friends traipse off into the wilderness and band together time and time again against other children, the pursuers of the League, and the government, the novel swallows the reader whole, dropping us right into the middle of this war, making it impossible not to root for Ruby and her unlikely team of misfits.

Reader beware, not everyone goes unscathed in this novel, and with the death of a character I initially disliked and learned to love, I suggest you keep a box of tissues handy. This is war. People die, people turn on each other, and lives are ruined. And it’s one hell of a ride. Four and a half stars.

Disney-Hyperion has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release on October 15, 2013.

The Darkest Minds (#1)

Never Fade (#2)

{October 4, 2013} {Cover Reveal} Whispers and Wishes by Hollie Westring

Cover Reveal:

Whispers and Wishes

By Hollie Westring

Releasing on Nov 7^th!

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Synopsis:

Eliza Monroe has been traveling the United States for three years, immersing herself in the towns she visits as she searches for the mother she’s never known. She hopes returning to her grandmother’s inn in Sage Springs, Mo., will provide the break she needs to evaluate her lonely life.

What Eliza isn’t expecting is to have two men enter the picture, not making her decision to stay or leave any easier. One has been her foundation, while the other is as comfortable as she is hopping from city to city. Throw in a kooky grandmother, a cheerful best friend, a sarcastic guest, a town where residents and spirits interact like neighbors, and Eliza has little time to contemplate her future.

Friendships grow, webs are spun and lies are revealed before Eliza comes to terms with what she wants in life and learns what’s really important.

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About the Author

Hollie Westring hails from Kansas City, Mo. She used to be a journalist, which probably explains her extreme dislike of the serial comma and her preference for AP style.

After realizing the hours of journalists were not productive to any type of social or family life, she settled into a job at a publishing syndicate. She worked with comics, astrology columns, word puzzles and feature columns for six years. Although she enjoyed her time there, Hollie decided to leave the nine-to-five world and join the twenty-four/seven world of motherhood. Now she edits from home.

When not writing, editing or reading, Hollie can be found baking cookies or watching more than her fair share of crime TV. She’s a loyal Royals and Chiefs fan.

Connect with Hollie

Twitter: @holliewestring

Website: www.holliewestring.com

Facebook: facebook.com/authorholliewestring

{October 3, 2013} {Fall Into UtopYA Party} Burning in Water by Arielle Caldwell Spotlight and Giveaway

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Burning in Water by Arielle Caldwell

Marya with Strong Image Editing, has done an amazing job with the cover! She had done each one for The Nerita Torlan Trilogy by Arielle. Burning in Water is book one in the series.

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The Nerita Torlan Trilogy, Book One

Synopsis:

Nerita is the twenty-two year old daughter of a water goddess who was given to Cari, a fairy, to be raised by on land. Her memories are bound and shifted after Cari disappears.

Gavan, her trainer, helps to strengthen her powers and helps her to realize her true potential. When she is old enough, he takes her to Camberton to meet the queen of the fairy folk, Rueh. While there, she learns the truth to her past and the future she is meant to have.

The more time she spends around Gavan, the harder it becomes to deny her feelings for him. He is holding on to a secret that shocks and hurts Nerita. Can she forgive him for what he could never tell her?

She is confronted by Ahlic, the shifter who has taken everything from her. Now that her powers are getting stronger, she sets out to find him and bring down his kingdom. Along the way, she discovers more about herself than she could ever imagine; forever changing her life.

Can the daughter of a goddess be strong enough? Or will she falter; costing the lives of those around her? Follow Nerita on her journeys of love, sorrow, and vengeance.

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About the author:

Arielle Caldwell began writing in grade school but never pursued a career in it until early 2012. She started writing poetry in middle school and progressed to books a few years later. She is a proud Cajun from Louisiana but was raised in Pensacola, Florida. Shortly after graduating high school, she joined the US Navy where she met her husband and became the mother of two wonderfully crazy little boys. After separating from the military, she decided to go to college in Texas. A year later, she moved back to Pensacola when offered a job at the naval base as a civilian contractor. She is currently juggling college, work, family, writing, managing her website, Arc Indie Reviews, and being a columnist for APSS, the new Small Publishers of America newsletter. She loves going to the river with her family and friends or to the water park for a few hours. Her Kindle is overflowing with books, she loves rock music the most, and she loves to sing and dance with her children around the house. Her first series, The Nerita Torlan Trilogy, has two books currently released. “Burning in Water” is her debut book, also being book one in the series with “Drowning in Fire” book two, released as well. Book three is “The Awakening” and in the works. “After-Ending” is her dystopian novel that has a planned release of beginning to mid 2014. She resides in Pensacola with her husband, two kids, and their Great Dane, Scooby.

Contact Arielle:

Facebook: AFCaldwellsBooks

Email: Arielle Caldwell

Twitter: @ArielleCaldwell

Publisher: Nevermore Press

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{October 3, 2013} {Review} The Journals of Jacob and Hyde by Randall Morris

From Goodreads: Jake was just a normal kid who enjoyed hearing his mother’s bedtime stories. The stories became shockingly real when he discovered that he was a descendant of Dr. Jekyll and that he had his own Mr. Hyde living inside him. Driven by a desire to do good, he attempts to hunt down and kill the remaining Hyde monsters. Can he finish off the onslaught of Hyde monsters and keep the girl he loves safe from their retaliation?

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This is a fast paced, short read focusing on the descendants of the original Jekyll and Hyde. Jacob, the hero of this story, first learns of his ability to change between his two sides as a young boy when his mother begins to tell him the story of Jekyll and Hyde. However, his mother doesn’t stop with the final page of Robert Louis Stevenson’s famous novella, but rather continues the stories and lineage, explaining to Jacob that the stories are, indeed, true. At first, Jacob is confused, but upon seeing the transformation of his mother in a fit of rage, Jacob learns the truth about his descendants, noting just how vastly different the Jekyll and Hyde sides truly are. And though he thinks himself to be alone, our narrator soon learns that there are many more like him…

This story is the remnants of Jacob’s life, spanning from his time as a child through to his middle adulthood, including his reliance on, and disagreements with, his own personal demon, Hyde. Told through a confessional/conversational tone, readers are whisked away on an adventure that ends with the revelation that Jacob now has children of his own, and so while the story ends, there is room for more should Morris decide to pursue that avenue. This is a well-written story that lovers of fantasy and Jekyll and Hyde will enjoy. Three stars.

I purchased this novella from Amazon.

{October 2, 2013} {Fall Into UtopYA Party} Something Great by M. Clarke Spotlight and Giveaway

Something Great (Something Great #1)

by M. Clarke

Published July 24th 2013 (first published July 15th 2013)

* This is a New Adult romance novel recommended for ages 18+ due to sexual content and mature subject matter.

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Synopsis:

She didn’t know what she was missing…until he found her.

Maxwell Knight was positively trouble, dangerously good-looking, and seductively charming. He was everything Jeanella didn’t need in her life. Only Maxwell didn’t see it that way. His pursuit was relentless, making her even more determined to push him away.

Fresh out of college, life was simple and plain for Jeanella Mefferd. Every part of her life was smooth sailing; her friends, her job, and even the guy she’d started dating. Then one night, while at dinner, she spotted someone who made her feel things she’d never felt before—dangerous, heart pounding and breathless heat. Thinking she would never see him again, she brushed it off, but when she started to run into him unexpectedly, all she could think of was how he made her feel with his sweet flirtations. Everything about Maxwell Knight screamed trouble, especially when she found out he was her new boss’s son. Now, heading to a New York fashion show, would she be able to focus on her career instead of Maxwell, who had been scheduled to attend with her? As much as she tried to forget their encounters, his good looks, smooth words and determination to win her over gravitated her toward him. The next thing she knew, her mind was utterly consumed by him. Would she be willing to ignore all the dangerous signs and jump into his arms? Or would she miss out on the chance of finding something great?

Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Add Something Great to your Goodreads shelf http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17998741-something-great?from_search=true

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About the Author: M. Clarke also known as Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children’s chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMClarke

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MaryTing

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1721361.M_Clarke

Website: http://www.authormaryting.com

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Enter the Fall Into UtopYA Party Giveaway!

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{October 2, 2013} {Review} Six Earlier Days by David Levithan (Every Day #0.5)

From Goodreads: In Every Day, New York Times bestselling author David Levithan presented readers with his most ambitious novel to date: Every morning, A wakes up in a different body and leads a different life. A must never get too attached, must never be noticed, must never interfere.

The novel Every Day starts on Day 5994 of A’s life. In this digital-only collection Six Earlier Days, Levithan gives readers a glimpse at a handful of the other 5993 stories yet to be told that inform how A navigates the complexities of a life lived anew each day.

In Every Day, readers discover if you can truly love someone who is destined to change every day. In Six Earlier Days, readers will discover a little bit more about how A became that someone.

Fans of Levithan’s books such as Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist, co-written with Rachel Cohn, and Will Grayson, Will Grayson, co-written with John Green, will not want to miss A’s adventures in Every Day and Six Earlier Days.

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This is a very short novella that gives readers a taste of A’s life prior to his/her appearance in Every Day, a book I absolutely adore. Six Earlier Days doesn’t really follow a sequential order, but instead gives readers glimpses into six other days of A’s life. For those who have read Every Day, it’s similar to those days that A wakes up away from the girl s/he loves and has to live another person’s life, but it’s not the long intricate days readers get to know in the full fledged novel, but rather those short ones A talks about, if that makes any sense? The ones where readers get a couple pages, a glimpse really, of the day as A moves through yet another day as someone knew.

Really, this novella is a cursory glance at the lives A invades for just a day, allowing the reader to understand how A feels and doesn’t want to mess with the person’s routine or body. Really, my ramblings don’t give it justice. You’ll just have to read it. It’s short, and not anywhere as detailed as Every Day, so it might not pull you in completely, but if you’re intrigued, then Every Day is a MUST READ, because that novel is epic.

I personally didn’t think this novel gave much insight into A that the novel Every Day didn’t already give, but it’s a nice jog back into A’s world, and I certainly hope there is a sequel to that lovely novel because it was so epic and different, and Levithan certainly did give an opening for a sequel. We shall see.

If you haven’t read Every Day, I suggest you check out Six Earlier Days just to at least get a taste. Three stars.

I purchased this novella from Amazon.

{October 1, 2013} {Fall Into UtopYA Party} Veiled Shadows by Morgan Wylie RELEASE DAY!

Today is the first day of the Fall into UtopYa Party

and

**It is RELEASE DAY for Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two)!!**

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Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Red Cabin Publishing

Release date: Oct 1, 2013

Blurb:

Shadows linger where light is obstructed, and truth is veiled.

Evil is an untreated disease in the once beautiful realm of Alandria.

Kaeleigh is faced with a revelation that she must reconcile. She will decide if discovering the truth is worth the unknown consequences to both herself and her friends.

Daegan, the Ferrishyn warrior, is conflicted by more than his loyalties, and is confronted with emotions he doesn’t know how to deal with. A choice must be made. A choice… that may cost him more than he ever wanted to give.

The Droch-Shúil—enforcers and servants of the ancient darkness—continue to cast their shadow over Alandria seeking those who can be turned to their side.

The magic of The Orchids is growing, but not everyone will survive what is to come.

Veiled Shadows is the second installment in The Age of Alandria series: the story of the Sol-lumieth’s quest for freedom of self and the power to battle the evil of the Droch-Shúil.

Buy links:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Smashwords | Add to Goodreads!!

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Morgan Wylie, originally from the Pacific Northwest, now resides near Nashville, TN with her husband and daughter. She and her husband work everyday at their individual and combined creative pursuits while she learns to balance being “Mama”, wife, and mediator to the many voices and muses constantly chattering in her head.

You can find her and news on her books at the following:

MorganWylie.net

MorganWylieBooks on Facebook

@MWylieBooks on Twitter

Info@MorganWylie.net Email

Goodreads and Amazon (Author Bio)

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Silent Orchids (The Age of Alandria: Book One):

A dying realm.

The ancient evil of the Droch-Shúil has been unleashed.

The Orchids have been silenced… but for how long?

Daegan, elite of the Ferrishyn warrior tribe of Faeries, is charged with a mission to find the Sol-lumieth, a mysterious new power that
could change the fate of all in the realm of Alandria. But he is conflicted by his purpose, and he cannot trust the motives of those he serves. He has too many questions and they must be answered.

Kaeleigh, a girl abandoned as a small child just outside Missoula, Montana, is now 18. She is trying to discover who she is and where she belongs. In her heart, she feels she has family out there… somewhere. Desperate to unravel the mysteries of her past, she embarks on a journey that will forever change her along with her two best friends, Finn and Chel—who have secrets of their own.

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords | Kobo iTunes

ENTER THIS RAFFLECOPTER GIVEAWAY!

{October 1, 2013} Recently Released Giveaway Goodness #29–October–Choose from Eight Recent Book Releases

It’s that time again! For no other reason than that I like giveaways… we’re onto the TWENTY-NINTH Recently Released Giveaway Goodness Giveaway!

Many of these novels have recently released. I’ve included my reviews below to help you pick the novel you’d like to win!

Interested? Of course you are! I’m offering ONE lucky winner one of these novels:

Intuition by C.J. Omolulu
Quite Contrary by Richard Roberts
Some Quiet Place by Kelsey Sutton
Ink by Amanda Sun
Left Drowning by Jessica Park
Shallow Pond by Alisso Grosso
Canary by Rachelle Alpine
Demonic Dora by Claire Chilton

This is an INTERNATIONAL giveaway from the book depository, but you need to make sure they send to your country before entering–check here.

To enter you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click here to go to the Rafflecopter entry form!

This contest is open internationally and will end at 12:01am EST on November 1st. The winner will be announced later on November 1st, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

{October 1, 2013} Announcing the Winner of My Recently Released Giveaway Goodness #28–September

My Recently Released Giveaway Goodness #28–September–has just concluded, and I’m excited to say that the winner has been chosen via Rafflecopter.

And the winner is…

Zemira Djedović

Book of Choice:

Sea Of Tranquility by Katja Millay

A tweet has already gone out to the winner, and an email will go out later this evening! If I don’t hear from the winner within 48 hours, I will select a new winner using Rafflecopter.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to the winner… but don’t despair if you didn’t win this round!

Enter to win my other great giveaways:

Win a Signed Paperback of Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace: Ends October 13

Win a Recently Released Book of Your Choice: Ends November 1

{September 30, 2013} {ARC Review} Allure by Lea Nolan (The Hoodoo Apprentice #2)

From Goodreads: Worst. Summer. Ever.

Emma Guthrie races to learn the hoodoo magic needed to break The Beaumont Curse before her marked boyfriend Cooper’s sixteenth birthday. But deep in the South Carolina Lowcountry, dark, mysterious forces encroach, conspiring to separate Emma and Cooper forever. When Cooper starts to change, turning cold and indifferent, Emma discovers that both his heart and body are marked for possession by competing but equally powerful adversaries.

Desperate to save him, Emma and her twin brother, Jack, risk their lives to uncover the source of the black magic that has allured Cooper and holds him in its grip. Face with the horror of a soul-eating boohag, Emma and Jack must fight to resist its fiendish power to free Cooper long enough to join their strengths and face it together, before it destroys them all.

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The tables have turned in this sequel to Conjure, and though one curse was broken, another looms on the horizon, one thats potential to wreak havoc threatens not only Cooper, but Emma and Jack as well. Everything is nearly right with the world again now that Jack is finally back to his caring, loving self, however there’s another curse to break, and suddenly, Cooper isn’t acting like himself. In truth, Nolan replaced my hate for Jack with my hate for Cooper in this sequel, and it seems there truly is no break for Emma from the mental and verbal abuse she endures, first in Conjure, and now in Allure.

In my opinion, Emma is too good of a person, and whereas I wanted her to leave Jack by the wayside in book one, I was even more desperate for Emma to leave Cooper by the wayside in book two. However, with a heart of gold and a love stronger than her hate, Emma works desperately to break Cooper’s curse. She’s a much better person than I, that’s for sure, but, while Cooper is a jerk, the difference between Jack’s curse and Cooper’s is that this time, it’s obviously not Cooper’s fault he’s acting this way. Unfortunately, I’m not that forgiving and, fault or not, his actions still hurt, A LOT, so I desperately wanted Emma to leave Cooper in the dust, curse and all. However, some very interesting facts come out about this curse later on in the novel, and it’s not just the Beaumont’s that it effects, but also Emma and Jack, unbeknownst to them, and this makes the race against time a fun one for the reader, especially with the revelation of the boohag…

While a majority of this novel was much more predictable for me than the first one, I think it was meant to be written this way in order to add shock value for the reader later on, because all at once the reader is blindsided by some events that, I, at least, never saw coming. And, these events added an extra air of awesome for me as a reader, especially because it includes some magical forms that I’ve never thought about or read about in any other novels, which is epic.

There are a number of characters in this novel that we love to hate, and with the events unfurling, it becomes obvious that there is more evil present in this novel than readers initially knew going in. While there is a resolution of sorts in this novel, an even bigger allusion to events to come is looming overhead, and I can’t wait to read the next installment! Four stars.

Entangled Publishing, LLC has been extremely gracious in allowing me to read an ARC of this novel, via Netgalley, prior to its release tomorrow, October 1, 2013.

Conjure (#1)

Allure (#2)

{September 29, 2013} {Review} Conjure by Lea Nolan (The Hoodoo Apprentice #1)

From Goodreads: Be careful what you search for…

Emma Guthrie expects this summer to be like any other in the South Carolina Lowcountry–hot and steamy with plenty of beach time alongside her best friend and secret crush, Cooper Beaumont, and Emma’s ever-present twin brother, Jack. But then a mysterious eighteenth-century message in a bottle surfaces, revealing a hidden pirate bounty. Lured by the adventure, the trio discovers the treasure and unwittingly unleashes an ancient Gullah curse that attacks Jack with the wicked flesh-eating Creep and promises to steal Cooper’s soul on his approaching sixteenth birthday.

When a strange girl appears, bent on revenge; demon dogs become a threat; and Jack turns into a walking skeleton; Emma has no choice but to learn hoodoo magic to undo the hex, all before summer—and her friends–are lost forever.

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This past Spring, I went to a book festival in my area and had the pleasure of listening to Lea Nolan speak on a panel. Up until that point, I had never head of Nolan, but as she spoke, and then read a snippet from her novel, Conjure, I knew I had to read this book, especially as it dealt with magic, mystery, and a curse that eats the flesh right off the bone. Sound intriguing? It is.

This novel follows the adventures of Emma, Jack, and Cooper as they attempt to break a 300-year-old curse that, until recently, they didn’t even know existed.

With the appearance of a beautiful young woman, Magnolia, everything changes for the teens, including Jack’s easy going disposition. As a reader, I really enjoyed the lore behind the curse, and the teens’ attempts to find it, however, Jack quickly moved onto my “hate list” as he began to whine and rage against everyone accept Maggie. For me, it was hard to know whether his change was due to the influence of Maggie or if this was his true character since he changed very early on in the novel, and it think this is one of the reasons that I truly hated him so much. Not only is he degrading and nasty to his sister and best friend, the two people trying to help him, but he is self-centered, and this is just not endearing by any means. However, as the story continued, I realized that an outside force had to be making Jack act this way, but as Nolan shields the truth behind it from the reader quite well, it’s virtually impossible to not hate him throughout much of the novel.

Once the curse took hold, dissolving Jack’s flesh from his skin in increments, I really wanted to say good riddance because his words and actions prior had been so hurtful, and he only gets worse as the novel continues. Yet, both Emma and Cooper prove to be better than I, and with the understanding that Jack will die when the curse finally takes his last piece of flesh, the clock to stop the curse begins ticking. And this, in my opinion, is where the novel really begins to take flight. With the introduction of Miss Delia, the hoodoo apprenticeship begins, and readers are brought into a completely different world full of Gullah traditions and beliefs. This was extremely eye opening and I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel, especially as sweet Emma works so hard to save her whiny, irritating twin, Jack. Throw in some extremely large black dogs made of pure evil, and a second curse threatening the life of Emma’s love, Cooper, and the novel becomes one of many twists and turns that keep the reader glued to the pages.

What I really liked about this novel was that there were many different events happening, but Nolan worked to explain them and bring about a resolution before moving on to the next big issue. While the reader initially believes this novel is all about saving Jack, and much time is devoted to this difficult task, this isn’t the only obstacle staring the teens in the face. Cooper also has a curse, but Nolan waits to focus on this aspect until the time is right, creating a roller coaster effect for readers, without the whiplash. There is triumph, and there are letdowns in this novel, which makes it all the more real as the fate of Emma’s family and one true love are in her hands, and I loved how the novel continually picked up speed, paving the way for the sequel, Allure. Four stars.

I purchased this novel at a book festival.

Conjure (#1)

Allure (#2)

{September 29, 2013} Win a Signed Paperback of Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace (Vampire Born #1)

This summer I had the chance to hang out with Angeline Kace at UtopYA 2013 in Nashville, and she gave me an extra copy of her amazing novel, Descended by Blood, for a giveaway!! It is signed, and I also have some extra swag that I picked up at the conference that will go out to the winner as well.

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Book Blurb:

Brooke Keller is a high school junior who has never spent much time living in one place. She is finally in a town long enough to almost snag the boy of her dreams, until her life is threatened after killing a fanged man in his attempt to kidnap her. Brooke begins a dangerous journey in an effort to find out who is after her and how to stop them. In a world with powerful and prejudiced vampires, Brooke must tap into the side of her that she never knew existed at the risk of losing her life in order to save it.

Read my 5 star review HERE!

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Author Information

Angeline is a Scorpio living in the Rocky Mountains with her husband and dogs. She loves all things paranormal, believes ghosts are real, werewolves aren’t, and vampires? Definitely real! At least in the Vampire Born world they are. She just released her first New Adult Romance, Wicked Thing, which came out late September 2013.

Website: http://www.angelinekace.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angeline-Kace-YA-Author/122820374454142

Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Angeline-Kace-YA-Author/122820374454142?fref=ts

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Angeline_Kace

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4641669.Angeline_Kace

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To enter this giveaway, you must:

-Be 13 years or older (or have parent/guardian permission)

-Fill in the mandatory question on rafflecopter (extra entries optional)

Click this Rafflecopter Link to Enter!

This giveaway is open to USA and Canadian entrants only and will end at 12:01am EST on October 13th at 12:01am. Please only enter once. The winner will be announced later on October 13th, and will receive email notification! Please read my giveaway policy and leave me a comment!

{September 29, 2013} Announcing the Winner of the ENTIRE Between the Lines Series by Tammara Webber

The winner of a signed set of the Between the Lines Series by Tammara Webber has just concluded, and I’m excited to say that the winner has been chosen via Rafflecopter.

And the winner is…

Aurélie

Version Chosen:

UK Covers

A tweet has already gone out to the winner, and an email will go out later this evening! If I don’t hear from the winner within 48 hours, I will select a new winner using Rafflecopter.

Thanks to everyone who participated, and congratulations to the winner… but don’t despair if you didn’t win this round!

Enter to win my other great giveaways:

Win a Recently Released Book of Your Choice: Ends October 1

Win a Signed Paperback of Descended by Blood by Angeline Kace: Ends October 13

Semester Abroad by Elizabeth Kirke

Semester Aboard, the first book in the YA urban fantasy series More than Magic series has a brand new cover! If you haven’t read Semester Aboard yet, here’s a quick summary and a little peek for you!

When she does, her life really does change. Jen expected to spend her summer studying the cultures of Latin America, she never dreamed she’d learn about a magical culture instead.

But Jen’s childhood fantasy come true is about to turn into a nightmare; there’s something on the ship. Something dangerous. Suddenly, everyone on board is threatened by a creature that Jen never even believed existed. Jen and her new friends might be the only people who can stop it!

Now Jen has to learn everything she can about her new world before it kills her. And her friends. And maybe everyone on the entire ship.

Enter this week’s Fall Into UtopYA Party Giveaway!

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Rivulet by Jamie Magee

Synopsis:

Can she bend the laws of nature and fight the improbability that fire and ice could ever be one? As far as Indie is concerned, there is not a myth, spoken fate, or curse that is stronger than her stubborn desire to have it all … including him.

Author Contact Links:

Twitter ~ Goodreads ~ Website ~ Amazon Author Page

Enter this week’s Fall Into UtopYA Party Giveaway!

Click this Rafflecopter link to ENTER!

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If you could help give these authors some love by spreading the word, that would be epic.

For more information about books on sale throughout the week, as well as giveaway updates, be sure to like A Book Vacation’s Facebook Page.

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It’s been four weeks since Ember Brycin witnessed what her powers are capable of. The Electrical Current Storm has turned Seattle, Washington into a natural disaster zone. The death toll is in the thousands with countless others homeless and hungry.

And Ember is the one who caused it. Something she will have to live with every day.

Em needs help but doesn’t know who to trust: Lars, the mystery man Torin told her to find? Torin, the Seelie Queen’s personal knight, who has sworn to keep Em safe? Or Eli, who wants to turn her over to the Unseelie King, but whom she has an undeniable, intense connection with?

No matter what she chooses she will probably lose—her life or everything and everyone she loves.

About the Author:

Stacey Marie Brown works by day as an Interior/Set Designer and by night a writer of paranormal fantasy, adventure, and literary fiction. When she’s not writing, she’s out hiking, spending time with friends, traveling, listening to music, or designing.

Author Contact Links:

My site ~ FaceBook Author Page ~ FaceBook Book Page ~ Goodreads ~Amazon ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Google+

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Cover Reveal:

Whispers and Wishes

By Hollie Westring

Releasing on Nov 7th!

Synopsis:

Eliza Monroe has been traveling the United States for three years, immersing herself in the towns she visits as she searches for the mother she’s never known. She hopes returning to her grandmother’s inn in Sage Springs, Mo., will provide the break she needs to evaluate her lonely life.

Friendships grow, webs are spun and lies are revealed before Eliza comes to terms with what she wants in life and learns what’s really important.

About the Author

Hollie Westring hails from Kansas City, Mo. She used to be a journalist, which probably explains her extreme dislike of the serial comma and her preference for AP style.

When not writing, editing or reading, Hollie can be found baking cookies or watching more than her fair share of crime TV. She’s a loyal Royals and Chiefs fan.

Connect with Hollie

Twitter: @holliewestring

Website: www.holliewestring.com

Facebook: facebook.com/authorholliewestring

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Burning in Water by Arielle Caldwell

Marya with Strong Image Editing, has done an amazing job with the cover! She had done each one for The Nerita Torlan Trilogy by Arielle. Burning in Water is book one in the series.

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Something Great (Something Great #1)

by M. Clarke

Published July 24th 2013 (first published July 15th 2013)

* This is a New Adult romance novel recommended for ages 18+ due to sexual content and mature subject matter.

Synopsis:

Buy: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Add Something Great to your Goodreads shelf http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17998741-something-great?from_search=true

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Today is the first day of the Fall into UtopYa Party

and

It is RELEASE DAY for Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two)!!

Genre: YA Fantasy

Publisher: Red Cabin Publishing

Release date: Oct 1, 2013

Blurb:

Shadows linger where light is obstructed, and truth is veiled.

Evil is an untreated disease in the once beautiful realm of Alandria.

Kaeleigh is faced with a revelation that she must reconcile. She will decide if discovering the truth is worth the unknown consequences to both herself and her friends.

Daegan, the Ferrishyn warrior, is conflicted by more than his loyalties, and is confronted with emotions he doesn’t know how to deal with. A choice must be made. A choice… that may cost him more than he ever wanted to give.

The Droch-Shúil—enforcers and servants of the ancient darkness—continue to cast their shadow over Alandria seeking those who can be turned to their side.

The magic of The Orchids is growing, but not everyone will survive what is to come.

Veiled Shadows is the second installment in The Age of Alandria series: the story of the Sol-lumieth’s quest for freedom of self and the power to battle the evil of the Droch-Shúil.

Releasing on Nov 7^th!

**It is RELEASE DAY for Veiled Shadows (The Age of Alandria: Book Two)!!**