Monday, July 31, 2017

Release Blitz: SINK by M.E. Rhines


Sink
M.E. Rhines
(Mermaid Royalty #1)
Publication date: July 31st 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult
Obedience has always been a matter of survival for sixteen-year-old mermaid princess Pauline. Her mother is the tyrannical Queen Calypso, who rules the kingdom of Atargatis with an iron trident. To utter one word against her would mean banishment—or worse—so Pauline bites her tongue and minds her manners. But on the eve of her sister’s merling-shower, all of that is about to change. Confronted with the truth about what happens to the human men who are betrothed to the mermaids of Atargatis, Pauline realizes she can stay silent no more.
Determined to end the queen’s dark tradition, Pauline goes along on a search for shipwreck survivors, secretly planning to free them. But things get complicated when she finds herself inexplicably drawn to one of the men. Before she realizes what’s happening, she has kissed him—and a kiss from a mermaid is not without consequences. Now Pauline will have to risk everything if she is to save the young man and thwart the queen’s dark plans…
EXCERPT:
My eyes widened, my heart hammering against my rib cage. A fear I didn’t understand tugged at my tailfin, like an anchor had been tied to its end. I sank against the wall of our pirated vessel and watched the chaos as it unfolded in slow motion.
Gene laughed at something my sister said just before it hit him. His smile fell in an instant as soon as the sudden deadening feeling pummeled into his chest. He dropped the plate and held out his hand. From my experience with Beaked Sea Snake, he was seeing double the fingers.
A fogginess washed over his eyes. He reached out for Fawna for just a second before his arms fell to his sides, limp and useless. Then, his human legs gave out from under him. A loud crack sounded as his knees made impact with the hard floor of the ship.
When he finally fell backward, my sister stood over his paralyzed body with a shameless, cruel smirk that gave me the chills. My mother, hovering well above me, nodded her approval with a warm, glowing pride showing on her face.
I looked around, expecting to see the same shocked expression I wore among my clan. But not one jaw was dropped. Every one of them watched with tense, excited eyes. They looked like bloodthirsty demons from where I was sitting.
“Mother,” I whispered. “What’s going on?”
She didn’t hear me.
“My Queen,” someone shouted from below. “What are your orders?”
Mother took in a long, powerful breath and shouted, “Air him out.”
I gasped, disbelief shuddering through me. “Mother,” I screamed. “Mother, you can’t!”
My protests were drowned out by the unified battle cry that erupted from every member of our clan. Angelique dropped her guitar, dashing for Gene with two other mermaids close behind.
I rushed for him, but Mother grabbed my arm with bruising fingers.
“Let me go,” I demanded.
Even through the screeching cheers below, I could hear Mother’s teeth grinding. “Don’t make a scene.”
I stilled, having every intention to stay put and comply, as usual. But then, I caught a glimpse of Gene’s face. While his muscles were tight and immobile, his eyes were filled with a conscious terror. They pleaded with me from across the ship, begging me to save him.
Before I could stop myself, I twisted my arm out of Mother’s grasp and swam to him, hoping to talk some sense into my sister before she did something terrible.
It was no use. I couldn’t reach them. They had too much of a head start. All I could do was watch as they snatched the helpless human and dragged his lifeless body up, up, and up until…
Bubbles sprayed all around them as they held Gene’s head and neck above water, but kept their own gills safely submerged. Even if he had working legs to thrash and fight with, he would be outmatched. Our tails treaded water in a way a human’s boney appendages couldn’t come close to.
He was in our world, by no choice of his own. We brought him down here against his will, and now that he was a part of it, my mother was sending him back home to die.
The gills would not disappear. They would only struggle for a short while before giving up to the heat of the land above. Gene’s chest moved in and out, in faster but shallower spurts.
I kicked my tail harder. Just as he came into my reach, he took one final gulp of air from his own world, and the movement stopped.
Mother had killed him.


Author Bio:
ME Rhines a southwest Florida native currently living in North Port with her two beautiful children and a third, much larger child whom she affectionately calls husband.
She writes young adult paranormal romance to feed her belief that fairy tales are real and
nonsense is necessary.
She also writes adult romances under her edgier alter-ego, Mary Bernsen.

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Friday, July 28, 2017

Book Review: STATIC MAYHEM by Edward Aubry



Title: Static Mayhem
Author: Edward Aubry
Category/Genre: Sci-Fi/Fantasy
My Star Rating: 4/5

Goodreads Blurb:

A year after the world was thrown into magical chaos, Harrison Cody takes part in an expedition to learn the cause. What his team finds is an unfathomable enemy, who intends to finish what was started and wipe out every remaining survivor. Harrison is the key to stopping it, but doing so will come with an unbelievable sacrifice, one he might not be willing to make.


My Review: 

 As much as I loved Prelude to Mayhem, I was super excited to read Static Mayhem.  The same exciting entanglement of time grabbed at my attention, only this time Aubry dug into the magic aspect a lot more, which was a perfect angle to tackle this story-line with.  Harrison's character developed quite a bit in this book, as did his relationship with Glimmer.  Their dynamic is incredibly perplexing and fun - and Glimmer's spunky personality is exactly what I would imagine from a pixie.  There were parts in the middle that tended to drag on a bit, and other sections that left me scratching my head. All in all, another great chapter in the Mayhem Wave!

**I received a complimentary advance reader's copy from the author and voluntarily offered a honest review**

Thursday, July 27, 2017

Sale Blitz: THE GRYPHON SERIES by Stacey Rourke

Title: The Gryphon Series
Author: Stacey Rourke
Genre: YA Fantasy
Publisher: Anchor Group Publishing
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb: Embrace the call of destiny with the Award-Winning Gryphon Series written by Stacey Rourke. Fate and sacred calling have landed nineteen-year-old Celeste Garrett in the middle of a demonic war, with nowhere to run. Journey through the chronicles of this Young Adult adventure which includes four full length books, and two bonus novellas.
The Conduit
Embrace
The Sidekick Chronicles, Vol I
Sacrifice
The Sidekick Chronicles, Vol II
Ascension
RONE Award Winner Young Adult Fantasy 2012
YATR Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Best Teen Read 2013
“Another fantastic, awesome, laugh-out-loud funny addition to the library of ‘falling in love’ with Stacey Rourke books! It’s different, and a great example of some pre-Twilight era YA Paranormal books, where angst was minimal, family was important and adventures were up front and center.” -InD’Tale Magazine
“Celeste is a well-rounded character and a spunky, sassy protagonist. Though she is a superhero, she commands compassion because she is so human and vulnerable, flawed and weak in spite of super powers. She has the demands of a job, sibling feuds, family issues and the weight of the world on her shoulders.” -IndieReader
RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel
Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012
Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013 
Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Adapted for Film. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. 
Visit her at www.staceyrourke.com
or on Twitter or instagram at Rourkewrites.
Buy Link:

Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Cover Reveal: THE SECOND WINDOW by Erica Kiefer

THE SECOND WINDOW by Erica Kiefer


We're pleased to share the very first cover reveal from Clean Teen Publishing's new digital first imprint— CTP Pulse. We couldn't have launched this new imprint with a better title. THE SECOND WINDOW by Erica Kiefer is a young adult mystery with romance, betrayal, and twists you will never guess are coming. Scheduled to release on December 5, 2017, this book definitely warrants an add to your To Be Read pile. Pre-orders will roll out next month.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

Available December 5, 2017
As her senior year flies by on cruise control, seventeen-year-old Olivia Cole yearns for excitement—something her upscale private school no longer provides. Her job as a grocery store bagger isn't much help…until the day she has a bizarre exchange with the cagey town recluse. When the woman abruptly surrenders to the police, Olivia feels compelled to dig deeper into her perplexing story. But the investigation stalls when Olivia receives another piece of news—Andre Steele, the golden boy of Westmont and her previous tormentor, has unexpectedly returned from his four-year stay in Brazil—and the whole school is buzzing! All at once, Olivia's dull and predictable life is uprooted, and she wonders if "boring" was so bad after all.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Erica Kiefer’s is also the author of the now available Lingering Echoes Series a set of stand-alone contemporary YA fiction novels, touched with romance, emotional drama and suspense. With a degree in Recreation Therapy from Brigham Young University, Erica’s experiences working with at-risk youth have influenced the realistic and relatable nature of her writing. Her first inspirational non-fiction entitled Borrowed Angel (published in April 2014 with Currawong Press) describes the loss of her infant son and her journey towards healing.
Married since 2005, Erica resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her four children and can often be found satisfying her sweet-tooth with chocolate-chip cookies and a glass of milk. Now and then, she dusts off her collegiate rugby skills and dives back into the game.

START READING THE LINGERING ECHOES SERIES TODAY FOR FREE:

ABOUT CTP PULSE:

CTP Pulse is our new Digital First Imprint! Titles in this Imprint are perfect for the avid reader. We will be publishing titles to this imprint in half the time of our other Imprints Clean Teen Publishing and Crimson Tree Publishing. This makes this cross-genre Imprint perfect for the binge reader. While this Imprint won't have it's own website, you can find CTP Pulse Titles under Clean Teen Publishing or Crimson Tree Publishing depending on their genres. These titles will have the special CTP Pulse Logo added to their page.

DON'T FORGET TO ENTER OUR GIVEAWAY:

Don't forget to enter our giveaway for a CTP Mystery box. Press on the picture below to take you to the post with the giveaway form. :)

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Sale Blitz: DARK BISHOP by C.L. Bond and Rachael Brownell

Title: Dark Bishop
Author: C.L. Bond & Rachael Brownell
Genre: Dark Romance
Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR
Blurb:
A dangerous game has begun.
Sydney. Her skin felt as soft as it looked. I shouldn’t have touched her, but I couldn’t help myself. I’ve been to New Orleans dozens upon dozens of times. It’s a unique city, filled with tourists and superstition. And until tonight, I’d never been superstitious.
An old fortuneteller freak stopped me on the way to the diner and said I would make a decision that would change my path. She didn’t know that I’d walked the path to this very restaurant before. It had been a few years.
Who knew that the decision to return would be blessed with a beauty—five foot six with curves in all the right mouth-watering places. Clothed in cheap polyester, stained with God only knew what, Sydney was a vision. Blonde hair to her waist. Big brown doe eyes. I could almost taste her.
In his game, everyone’s a pawn…
I didn’t miss the rumble of her stomach when I asked her to dine with us. She was hungry. Something that flashed in those eyes told me it wasn’t because she just skipped lunch today. Maybe I could meet some of her needs. Forget that. I could definitely meet her needs, but it was up to her to let me. So, I left her my business card, my number.
Girls like Sydney, they’re afraid. They never make the first move. Most never even make the second. I doubt she’d call. I’d tipped her well, not because she was the best waitress I’d ever had, not even because she was within my sites. I tipped her so that when I came back to the diner, she would remember me. She would want to serve me.
And, oh, would she ever serve me. I just have to play my cards right.
…and he’s never lost a game.
Dark Bishop is unsuitable for those under the age of eighteen due to adult language and situations.
Award-winning author Casey L. Bond resides in Milton, West Virginia with her husband and their two beautiful daughters. When she’s not busy being a domestic goddess and chasing her baby girls, she loves to write young adult and new adult fiction. You can find more information about Bond’s books via the following links: 
Rachael Brownell is the author of both YA and NA Romance. Her titles are available on all platforms. If you would like to know more about Rachael or her work, she is active on most social media sites or you can always drop her an email. She loves to hear from readers.
Author Links:
Buy Link:  


Monday, July 24, 2017

Release Blitz: HUNTED FATE by Jennifer Derrick


Hunted Fate
Jennifer Derrick
(Threads of the Moirae, #3)
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: July 24th 2017
Genres: Mythology, Romance, Young Adult
Alex and Atropos have taken refuge at an abandoned mountain resort compound. Atropos is a wanted woman in hiding, and the downtime with her soul mate is a nice change of pace. But the peace will be short-lived. The authorities are after her for her role in the attack on the city of Charlotte. Zeus has put a bounty on her head. There’s also a war to prepare for—and if she wins, the gods will be deposed once and for all. But first she needs to track down Gaia, and even that won’t be simple. Gaia resides at the bottom of the ocean, and the humans and gods are already hot on Atropos’ trail…
A heart-pounding romantic adventure where Greek mythology and modern-day life collide, Hunted Fate is the third book in the epic Threads of the Moirae series by Jennifer Derrick.
Previous books in the series:
Grab book 1 – Broken Fate – for FREE!
EXCERPT:
“We need whoever provides security around here. Or Hades. They’re bound to be the ones who can open this. If we can find them, we can drag them down here and slap their hand on this thing to get it open,” Alex says.
“We need another way,” Sara says, shaking her head. “We haven’t seen a single person since we got here. It’s too time consuming to track them down. And we’ll never get Hades.”
“Anyone know of any other ways to crack a palm plate?” I ask.
“Short of finding a valid fingerprint and going through an awful lot of steps to create a fake finger, the only other way is to break down the software controlling it,” Alex says.
“Are any of you hackers?”
Alex raises his hand.
“You can hack this?” I ask. “I didn’t know you were a hacker.”
“I’m not. But there isn’t a lot to do when you’re stuck at home with a terminal disease or trapped in a crappy boarding school. I taught myself a few things, made a few online friends who were a little shady. Depending on how sophisticated the software is, I might be able to crack it.”
“Would it be controlled from the computer out front?”
“It might be. Or it might be controlled from a central server that’s who knows where. No way to know without looking,” he says.
“That computer is password protected. If you try to force it, you may set off alarms.”
“Then I’ll have to be careful,” he says, heading back to the lobby.
We follow and gather around the desk while he works. The keys clack under his fingers as he mutters instructions to himself.
“Okay, I’m in the system,” he says. “While I’m here, I’m going to shut down those security cameras. No need for everyone to know where we are.”
The TV feed blinks and is gone.
He keeps typing and clicking and muttering. The rest of us sit down on the floor and wait. There’s nothing we can do.
“Huh. That could be tricky,” he says.
“What?” I ask, getting up and going around the desk so I can see his screen. Not that the gibberish there means squat to me.
“The system that controls the fingerprint scanners also controls the card locks. Worse, it’s not separated by floor. I’m not good enough to bring down only one piece of the system. It’s all or nothing.”
“What’s the problem?” I ask.
“It means that the only thing standing between us and whatever is behind those cell doors is the hope that none of them try the doors. If the inmates figure out the doors are open, then security will be the least of our problems. All of them could walk right out of here.”
“Do it,” I tell him. “It’s not like we’ll be broadcasting the locks are down. No one will notice. Hopefully.”
“Okay,” he says and goes back to pounding on the keys.
After a few minutes, the computer beeps and Alex pushes away from it.
“Done,” he says.
The words are barely out of his mouth when a series of small pops echoes around the room. They sound like they’re both surrounding us and simultaneously heading away from us.
“Aw, shit,” I say. “The locks. We forgot they make noise! We are idiots. Come on,” I say, racing for the doors on the right.
We slam through the doors and pull up in front of door number four. No one is coming into the hall yet. I’m hoping the inmates think it’s a trap and are too intimidated to try their doors. Either that or they didn’t hear the locks release. Please, just let me get out of here before hell literally opens, I think.


Author Bio:
Jennifer is a freelance writer and novelist. As a freelancer, she writes everything from technical manuals to articles on personal finance and European-style board games. Her interest in storytelling began when she was six and her parents gave her a typewriter for Christmas and agreed to pay her $.01 per page for any stories she churned out. Such a loose payment system naturally led to a lot of story padding. Broken Fate, her first novel, earned her $2.80 from her parents.
Jennifer lives in North Carolina and, when not writing, can often be found reading, trawling the shelves at the library, playing board games, watching sports, camping, running marathons, and playing with her dog. You can visit her at her official website:www.JenniferDerrick.com.

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Sunday, July 23, 2017

Paperback Release: BAD BLOODS JULY LIGHTNING by Shannon A. Thompson

NEW PAPERBACK RELEASE A DAY EARLY!


We're celebrating the official paperback release of BAD BLOODS: JULY LIGHTNING by Shannon A. Thompson a day early! Readers can grab their print copy of this Young Adult Dystopian Romance at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Book Depository. The official release day is tomorrow, but you can order it today online!

DON'T FORGET ABOUT OUR SERIES SALE!

It's hot out there and so is this exciting July sale from Shannon A. Thompson on her BAD BLOODS Series! Take advantage of the 29 DAYS OF SUMMER SALE where you can grab this entire series for less than $10. If you're ready for a brand-new exciting series filled with action, adventure, romance, and intrigue, this is the series to grab in July!

START READING THIS SERIES TODAY FOR FREE!

November Rain REview
START THIS SERIES NOW FOR FREE: AMAZON / NOOK / iBOOKS / KOBO

About Shannon A. Thompson:

pic1Shannon A. Thompson is a young adult author, avid reader, and a habitual chatterbox.
As a novelist, poet, and blogger, Thompson spends her free time writing and sharing ideas with her black cat, Bogart, named after her favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart. Her other two cats bring her coffee. Between writing and befriending cats, Thompson graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor's degree in English with an emphasis on creative writing, and her work has appeared in numerous poetry collections and anthologies. Thompson is currently represented by Clean Teen Publishing, and The Timely Death Trilogy is now available.
Visit her blog for writers and readers at www.ShannonAThompson.com.
Love free books? Shannon has one up for grabs right now!
Minutes Before Sunset on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Goodreads

Friday, July 21, 2017

Cover Reveal: NO HESITATIONS by T.C. Matson

  
 Title: No Hesitations Series: The Fighter Series #5
By: T.C. Matson
Publication Date: August 11, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Cover Designer: Mayhem Cover Creations
#nohesitationsreveal
Ryker My life is perfect. I have it all—the woman of my fantasies and my shot at the championship. It’s all right in front of me. In my grips. I can see it, taste it, feel it. No chance in hell I’ll lose. Until I fall at the mercy of another man’s hands. I’m torn apart and forced to make difficult decisions while staring malicious hatred in the eyes. Doors open and others close—ones I’m not ready to see go. My course changes. My dreams begin evading me. You think I fought hard to get where I’m at now? You haven’t seen the depth of my perseverance yet. This isn’t the end of me. I AM NOT DONE. Whitney He has everything in his hands—his career, me, our future. One costly mistake, a defiant decision, and everything vanishes. As he holds my hand through the darkness, he loses it all. I watch with anguish as he struggles to put the torn pieces back together. It’s not as easy as he had hoped. But his strength proves powerful. His determination unbreakable. Together we’ll conquer. Together we don’t accept defeat. WE ARE NOT DONE.
Pre-Order Links!
Blindsided
The Fighter Series Book One
UnExpected
The Fighter Series Book Two
Awakened
The Fighter Series Book Three
AMAZON - http://amzn.to/2gLDQDa
No Holds
The Fighter Series Book Four
“Dreaming in Reality…You dream in reality when you pick up a book and get lost in it. In my writing, I strive to take you to a place where reality and fantasy become a blurry line. Everything should be relatable. It could happen…couldn’t it?” ~ TC Matson TC Matson loves to let her character’s voices be heard. With a head full of stories, she puts her keyboard through a beating daily. With an understanding that love isn’t always instant and full of flowers—her writing mirrors it. She’s a romance junkie at heart and an avid reader. Add those two together and she will devour books within hours, getting lost in the world the author creates. Matson resides in the peaceful Piedmont area of NC with her husband and three boys, where staying hopped up on caffeine is the key to her sanity. Chaos is indefinite and a sense of humor is an absolute must.
Social Media Links
Goodreads - http://bit.ly/1p2TVMf
Twitter - @TC_Matson
Instagram - tc_matson
Author Amazon Page - http://amzn.to/10sZnTF
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