Afterimage & Encender by J Kowallis!

Afterimage
J. Kowallis
(The Enertia Trials #1)
Publication date: May 7th 2015
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult

Reggie’s dreams . . .

aren’t dreams.
Visions of the future flood her mind like shards of broken puzzles. Caged in her cell, every morning begins the same. She’s drugged, tortured, and images are torn from her memory by Public One.
Until the morning everything changes. The vision is different. The future’s never been about her, and now she knows they’re coming for her:
Nomads.
How will she convince them to keep her alive when Nate, their leader, doesn’t like or even trust her? To him, she’s a science experiment. A machine.
When Public One will do anything to keep her, Reggie must make a decision: remain a slave to her past, or risk her future to venture into a world more terrifying than she’s ever known.

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My Review

Well goodness! This was a very cool book and unique too. It's so different than the norms for me, but oh so good. Seriously, excellent characters, great writing, and a super cool plot line, so it had it all for me. AND I am so happy and lucky, because the wonderful author SENT me copies. Those pretty colors in paper form just made my day. I almost hardly ever read paper books anymore, mainly because I read ARCs for review, or use my kindle, but it's just so nice to have that feeling again. So special thanks to the author for doing that! Now, with that said let me tell you some goodies.

I wanna talk about the characters, man they are excellently written. Some great depth and complexity, and some of the POVs made it seem more than most because you get to feel what they feel and see what they see. Reggie and Nate are fantastic lead characters. They may be the leads but they aren't the only one's around so I liked getting to see their POVs as well as others who saw them. Ok, so Reggie has been an "experiment" for 15 years. Yes, how that sounds, she has been poked and prodded and worse. So at first, you think she's like a robot, until she surprises the hell out of you with her choices and actions. They forget that she is mostly human and don't always treat her as such. I won't lie, there's a lot of other characters that get significant screen time, and they are all great as well, including Olivia who I LOVE. Then there's the bad guy, Martin. Well, I love to hate him and he's one hell of a villain. And Nate, be ready to fall in love. I can't say everything I want to say about the characters, just know that this is how it should be done, all the time. Great Great character writing.

The writing style is great. It's an intense and gritty book, but that just made me glue myself to the story. I couldn't help myself. It had multiple twists, great suspense, and a feeling that I just can't fully describe. It's not a light hearted story, it's dark and gritty and it will grab you, hold on to you, and never let you go. I wanna know more about Public One. It's an apocalyptic style book and I LOVE world building, and this one is really good, but that's probably my only complaint, but it's not a real one. The world building is really good, but I want great like the characters, but if I have to chose, I always want great characters, so I hope that as the series goes along, the world building gets added to it. Not that it's "missing" anything, I just want more, cuz I'm greedy like that. LOL   This is my new recommendation for dystopian readers. Holy goodness, grab it, read it, and then be awed, because I was :) so with that said- 5 PAWS!! Like you were worried I would give anything else LOL 

 

 

Encender
J. Kowallis
(The Enertia Trials #2)
Publication date: February 29th 2016
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult

They say you feel cold when you die.
The people I’ve killed would beg to differ.
For twenty-something Ransley, the adopted daughter of famed street fighter Estevan Benitez, fighting is all she knows. One hidden detail separates her from the endless string of her pathetic opponents: she can craft and influence heat and fire.
When she’s pitted against the strongest fighters at the infamous Argolla, Ransley faces something she never expected:
A man like her.
Roydon can duplicate himself. When the two collide in the ring, a chain of deals turns Roydon over to Public Four and he’s taken away to undergo the disturbing process of the Nexis. What it is, or what it does, no one outside of The Public knows.
Driven by guilt and a desire to release the only person she’s ever met who’s like her, Ransley isn’t about to leave him for dead—not when he might hold the answers to her missing past. Now she must trust a pair of strangers: a former military man out to collapse the system, and a woman whose premonitions could tear them all apart.

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My Review

ok, so book two is both better and not. Before you think I'm about to say something bad- forget it. I'm saying this book is AWESOME, but I miss some of the characters that were in book one LOL yep, that's it. But, honestly WOW. Sometimes, book one is so good that book two falls just short because of all the expectations you have. Well, I can say proudly that book two is just as freaking great as book one. It's just not from that same character POVs as the first. But seriously, maybe this one might be even better. So, now we get to meet Ransley and Royden. I was super happy to see some of Reggie and Nate but they take a back seat here. 

Ransley is a lot like Reggie though. Except she's a fighter and she is awesome. She has an ability to control fire and she is a fighter, like think cage fighting but way more complicated LOL. She is strong and brave and has to be because she's been fighting for 15 years, like Reggie was. And one day in the right, she meets Royden. Royden also has an ability, and together they take Public Four by storm. Or Fire. LOL In my review for book one, I wanted more about Public One, but NOW I understand, why the author did it this way, she didn't stay in one place, we are seeing another public section, so we get to see the differences. Brilliant if I must say :) 

And of course character depth and development is just as spectacular. They may be different characters and different areas, but they way the author writes them just makes you wanna hug them all anyways. I am seriously impressed with how she does this. LOL For me, I tend to like one set of characters more than others, and yet I feel in love with these as much as the leaders from book one. I am so happy I got to experience these books and I can't wait to read book three!!! Well done! 5 PAWS!  

 

Author Bio:
J. Kowallis, the only girl of four children, grew up in northern Utah with a head full of wild stories (most often unreal). At the age of 9, she wrote her first poem, a dedication to E.B. White’s Charlotte’s Web. It was so intriguing, her third grade teacher requested to keep the original. Between living in various fictional worlds, and spending time on her studies, she managed to graduate from Weber State University’s creative writing program. She now lives in Utah with her Mini Schnauzer, Etta, and spends most of her time still bouncing between this world and the fantastical while enjoying delectable über-dark chocolate and lavender baths. She enjoys dreaming about, flying to, and writing about distant lands (real or unreal).

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The V Girl by Mya Robarts!!

The V Girl: Second Edition
Mya Robarts
Publication date: July 1st 2014
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

In post-apocalyptic North America, sexual slavery is legal. Lila Velez desperately wants to lose her virginity before the troops visit her town and take it away by force. She makes plans to seduce her only friend. Lila does not love him, but he is the only man who has shown her true affection, an affection she is willing to take as a substitute for love. 

Lila’s coping mechanism to cope with her mother’s loss is her secret. A secret that will bring her closer to Aleksey Fürst, a foreign, broody man who she distrusts because of his links to the troops and his rough, yet irresistible appearance. He offers Lila an alternative to her plans, a possibility that terrifies her…and tempts her in spite of herself. 

With threats looming at every turn and no way to escape, Lila fears that falling in love will only lead to more heartache. The consequences of laying down her arms for Aleksey and welcoming hope might destroy more than her heart. They might force her to face the worst of her nightmares becoming a reality. Is love possible in a world that has forgotten what the human touch is? 

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My Review

Let me start by saying this... This book is the most devastating, sexually frustrating, most arousing, absolutely horrifically beautiful book I've read in forever- or maybe just ever. I did not think I would like this book. I have my own tragedy from childhood so the mention of abuse and rape tend to steer me running in the opposite direction. Boy would I have regretted every word I didn't read of this book of I had passed on it. Now it's not light, short, or hollow. It's complex, terrible, haunting, tragic, and yet beautiful, loving, and magical all in one. This is a dystopian- but not a fantasy. That was my other doubt, as I strictly review paranormal/fantasy books. Let me make this clear before I go any further-- DO NOT PASS ON THIS BOOK!!!!! One more time- do not mistake a vague small blurb that you think you understand have you thinking that this book is not something completely magnificent. I did not think one should care so much about being a virgin, and thought I knew what was going to happen- no I was wrong. And I am both completely heartbroken and brilliantly captivated by the beauty of this book. Now- I will talk as much as I can about this book without spoilers because I think everyone should go into this book like I did- I never read a review for it on purpose- though I usually read a few before hand. I read the synopsis and went straight in and I was not only surprised, I was completely committed to every single word. 


I had a very surprising amount of conflicting emotions throughout this whole book. I laughed, I cried, I loved, I hated, I raged, and I completely broke down because it's inevitable if you even read a few pages. I am not sure I can express things without saying something that will ruin something else but I'm gunna try really hard. With the US bit longer that- it's split in two- with each side warring each other- some of the rules have changed. Rape is legal and condoned and completely almost celebrated with ceremonies- dear God I said some prayers while reading this book. Because of this- recruitment is a ceremony where the soldiers will take what they want, how they want, with whom they want. And no one- nothing- can stop them nor can they run from it. Lila is set to have her recruitment ceremony soon- she's that age- and if she's a Virgin, she'll be forced to do things I never thought I could imagine. They call her V-girl like a derogatory name and she's desperate to make sure this first time, she has choices. So she is set to make her best friend sleep with her. But things don't always work out like we want- or even hope. Here and now- we want every girl to KEEP her v card for as long as possible. Lila lives in a world that if you possess that v card, it's a death sentence or pretty damn close to it. I will not explain this any more because you need to understand it from Lila. I think reading how she felt and what she thinks makes the world of a difference to get the full effect. But I will talk about Lila. She's 18, she's pretty but everyone thinks she's strange so they avoid her and her family. Her dad is a doctor but it's a complicated thing in this time. Her was gravely injured in trying to protect Lila's mother, and that's a whole different category I can't explain. She has twin siblings whom I completely adored and fell in love with. Her best friend Rey is almost her saving grace, but he's her best friend, and they struggle through a whole heap of things throughout the whole story. I liked Rey, I wanted to cheer for him, but come on- Aleksy just stole the damn show from the moment Lila laid terrified eyes on him. He's a beautiful disaster and one that was so welcome. And sometimes- Lila needed a swift kick in the ass because when it came to those two in her life- she was so damn see-sawed with her feelings! Lawd I almost slapped her lol. But it's hard to judge someone when what they have over their hang is a life or death decision and can directly effect every single person connected to you. When something so profoundly devastating happens to you- there's a lot of confusing things that will happen to you and your judgement too. And Lila won't be the only one who will have to deal with devastation in here. 


Now with the amount of frustrations here, there's only one real romantic sex scene. Notice I said romantic. Do not mistake this for a swoon worthy sweet romance. It's a romance but I will repeat tragic and disastrous and hauntingly beautifully brilliant. I have never been so heartbroken for so many different people. And if I can say one thing- do not so drugs- yes this means a whole lot if you read the book. But back on topic- when that romantic sex scene finally happened-I swear I was at a football game- hooting and hollering and crying like I won the game... I'm from the south ok- football is almost a religion lol along with food lol!! But let me say that I pretty much feared every other sex scene for good reason. This author does not leave one soul untouched! I am completely dumbfounded at how this author weaved her words to take something horrible and turn it to what it became. And through it all- there was hope that hung on by a thread. And love that blossomed in the most hateful place of all. I freaking loved that part!!!!!! And most of all... Lila keeps her VGirl name- but virgin is not what it means, and I couldn't agree with her more! 


One small thing... I have to say this, I just can't not... There's some memorable moments that though I will completely befuddle your brain with, I must talk about them. They almost times... There are several and I swear I almost hyperventilated. The almost love of a best friend- though it turns to love but changes. The almost downfall of her sister and the true downfall of her other great friend. The love shared by that other couple- yeah I cheered for them. The right hand man and best friend if Aleksy and his complete tragic sacrifice for Lila- Tristan- if I could I would scoop you up, though there's multiple reasons you can't. The first kiss... Yeah I can't not mention that because it about blew my mind!! 


Ok enough- I think This may be the longest review I've ever written but I could go on- seriously-I have several more things I'd love to talk about. If you haven't noticed- the author has left an extreme imprint on me. That should say a lot to you about her skills of writing. I'm awed and amazed if you need a description. I don't know what else to say except read this. If only to show you that sometimes all you have is hope and you should hang on to it with every single piece of you that you have. And never let it go. Ever. And I will leave you with my 5 PAWs because this book should win awards- a lot of them.

Author Bio:
Mya Robarts is a bookaholic who regrets nothing.
She spent years trying to become a contemporary dance choreographer. Eventually she realized that she enjoyed writing her stories rather than dancing to them.
Robarts is obsessed with books that present damaged characters, swoon-worthy guys, controversial topics and happy endings.

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GIVEAWAY!

Cover Reveal~ Concealed by Christina Bauer!!

Concealed
Christina Bauer
(Beholder #2)
Published by: Ink Monster LLC
Publication date: October 25th 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Young Adult

As a Grand Mistress Necromancer, Elea commands the ultimate power over spirit and bone… Magick that she’ll need in order to rescue her friends from the evil Vicomte Gaspard. In a matter of days, Gaspard will kill thousands of Necromancers by draining their magick, along with their life force.
To find and free her fellow mages, Elea must venture into some of the most dangerous places in the realm. What starts off as a rescue quest could easily turn into a suicide mission. And with the handsome mage Rowan along to help, Elea may be risking more than her life. Her growing feelings for Rowan might put her heart on the line, too.

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Sequel to:

Author Bio:
Christina graduated from Syracuse University's Newhouse School with BA's in English as well as Television, Radio, and Film Production. Her day job is in marketing for companies like Microsoft, Cisco, and Zerto. Back in the go-go 90′s, she founded her own software start-up, Mindful Technologies. Christina believes that, upon close examination of Tolkien's text, it's entirely possible that the Balrog was wearing fuzzy bunny slippers.

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Cover RevEAL~ Daemoneum by Laney McMann

I am so super excited to share this one with you! I absolutely love this author, and I have been waiting for this one!! It's gunna be fantastic! :)

Daemoneum
Laney McMann
(The Primordial Principles #2)
Published by: Jagged Lane Books
Publication date: July 2016
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Boulder, Colorado is too quiet, and no one needs to remind Cole Spires how unnatural that is.
In the aftermath of Dracon’s death, the Daemoneum have gone into hiding. Every known Hive has been shut down and evacuated, and for the first time in Cole’s memory, the Brotherhood, Kinship, and all common houses across the country and abroad are considering lockdown. Leygates are being systematically closed around the world, and the Primordial are waiting …
In the bunker underneath the Brotherhood, Kade Sparrow is as safe as she can possibly be, or that’s the idea, but no one can explain how her Astrum necklace found its way into her bedroom. There were no footprints, no traces of breaking and entering, no evidence of any kind that someone had infiltrated the Brotherhood common house. Yet the necklace still sat on her night stand, wound in a perfect circle of gold, the tiny star glinting on its chain. And the only person who could have put it there … is dead.
In the second installment of The Primordial Principles, strange occurrences are happening across the globe. Relationships will be tested, old players will become new, foes will turn into allies, and an unlikely adversary will force Cole and Kade to go on the run.
As the fallen rise, the Primordial must unite as one.
Or all could be lost.

Add to Goodreads

Sequel to:

Author Bio:
Laney McMann is the author of The Fire Born Novels, The Primordial Principles, and The CrossWorld Chronicles (coming soon)
The product of very creative parents and the most imaginative grandmother ever, she has an untapped passion for the supernatural and all things magical. Her voracious appetite for reading fantasy started really young ~ and so did her love of words.
She writes young adult dark urban fantasy novels mixed with a spike of romance, a hint of history, a dash of mythology, and lots of paranormal.
On the non-writing side of life, Laney is a former classical dancer, music snob, chef, and a right-brained thinker to a fault. When she's not dreaming up new dead ends to torture herself with, she spends her time running and playing her music way too loud.
Laney is published by J. Taylor Publishing and formerly by Booktrope Publishing.

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Daughter of Magic by Teresa Roman!

Hi everyone! Welcome to The Daughter of Magic blog tour!  You can find the schedule here (http://xpressobooktours.com/2016/03/31/tour-sign-up-daughter-of-magic-by-teresa-roman/).

Book & Author Details:

Daughter of Magic by Teresa Roman
Publication date: March 15th 2016
Genres: Urban Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Lilli sees things no one else does.

Desperate to make sense of the dreams and visions that have plagued her since childhood, Lilli confides in Devin, her closest friend, and the boy she’s fallen for.

Instead of questioning her sanity, Devin confesses to secrets of his own, which are far darker. His revelations about magic, witches and demons stun Lilli. But it’s what he knows about Lilli’s mother, long believed to be dead, that leaves her feeling betrayed. Despite her anger, Lilli will have to learn to trust Devin again, because he is the only one who can protect her from a dark danger that’s coming for her from a world away.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29401250-daughter-of-magic

Purchase:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Daughter-Magic-Teresa-Roman-ebook/dp/B01CH8DURW

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/daughter-of-magic-teresa-roman/1123485826?ean=2940152834260

My Review
What started out as a very sad moment then turns into a mystery with a wonderful guy and a girl stronger than she gives herself credit for. Lilli just lost her dad, and her mom died when she was a baby. She is feeling depressed and confused. Until she thinks she sees her dead mother. Then she has the nightmares. That sometimes happen in reality. And Devin is her best friend, she leans on him, but she's also in love with him. So when she gets the courage to confide in him, she gets a big shocker. 

It's hard for me to describe certain things without ruining to much for you. Kills had some major difficulty to overcome but she did it beautifully. And Devin is that great guy we all wish for. Flaws and all. And then, there's the magical part. I will keep it vague because I loved figuring it out with Lilli. 

The writing is great! I couldn't put this one down. I'm seriously hoping this becomes a series because I want more!! With that major shocking secret revealed at the end, I was mind blown and I would love to see how it's all going to play out. Especially since Lilli has some new powers. Overall, I loved it! 5 PAWS!!!

 

AUTHOR BIO:

Teresa currently lives in beautiful Sacramento, CA with her husband, three adorable children and a dog named Parker that her son convinced them to adopt. When she's not at her day job or running around with her kids, you can find her in front of the computer writing, or with her head buried in another book. If you'd like to find out more about her, she can be found at www.teresaromanwrites.com where you can also sign up for her newsletter to receive exclusive book release information.

Author links:

http://www.teresaromanwrites.com/

https://twitter.com/TRomanauthor

https://www.facebook.com/teresaromanauthor

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14163515.Teresa_Roman

Giveaway:

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

$25 Amazon gift card
Paperback copy of Daughter of Magic

The Lunam Ceremony by Nicole Loufas!!

Hi everyone, and welcome to The Lunam Ceremony blog tour! You can find the schedule here (http://xpressobooktours.com/2016/03/15/tour-sign-up-the-lunam-ceremony-by-nicole-loufas/). 

Book & Author Details:

The Lunam Ceremony
by Nicole Loufas
Publication date: May 20th 2016
Genres: New Adult, Urban Fantasy

Synopsis:

Born from a curse that allows her kind to shift from human to wolf, Kalysia won the genetic lottery. She is the offspring of an original, born to lead and bound by her duty to produce an heir to continue their bloodline she must leave the only life she has ever known to take part in The Lunam Ceremony. This ancient ritual will solidify her place in the pack and determine who she will love for the rest of her life. There’s just one problem – Kalysia doesn’t believe in love.
That changes when she falls into the hands of Dillan Dukes. The attraction is undeniable. The connection unbreakable. He is everything love at first site is supposed to be, suddenly her future doesn’t look that bad.
Unwilling to give up hope on going to college and having the life her and Dillan fantasize about outside the pack, she reluctantly takes on the role as pack leader. When an unexpected proposal is made that will grant both Dillan and Kalysia their freedom she is willing to put her ego, and her heart aside, to make her dream come true.
One night.
One act of selflessness.
For the life she’s always dreamt about.
Only things are not what they seem.
Can Kalysia and Dillan find happily ever after with the consequences of that night haunting them forever?
Will one fateful night destroy Kalysia’s future along with the future of the pack?

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29341829-the-lunam-ceremony

Purchase:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Lunam-Ceremony-Book-One-ebook/dp/B01CPVIS2I?ie=UTF8&redirect=true

My Review 

Well, I'm kinda shocked. I was not expecting any of this, ever. So, the blurb describes the book well.... For the first third of the book lol. It however doesn't describe the amount of shock and heart break and twists and down right mind boggling moments for the next 2/3 of the book. I loved this book but in still struggling to put it into words as why. I was thinking we were gunna drop a human girl turned wolf into a pack, she would find a mate, and make it all great. Ummmm. Ahhh. Yeah I can't! Just no. ;)

Ok so Kalysia is born with the curse to turn into a werewolf. But she lives in the human world. Her mom raised her this way to make her grow up with her own mind and opinions and dreams. Pack mentality is not always a good thing. So on the Lunam ceremony night when she will shift for the first time and find her mate, her world changes. Some for the better. She learns what family can be like and real friends. She also learns about enemies and greed and sometimes the humans have it better. She also meets her mate- or so she thinks. This is where it gets complicated. There's this one choice Kalysia made and I don't think it's the right one. She gave up something she can never take back, and I don't think if Dillon or her friend were really what they say they are, would have ever agreed. I'm pissed. But then Dillon really is the sweet caring guy he comes off as. And though they are both young, he's trying to make the right decisions for everyone. But... I also think he made the wrong choice. When he used the "L" word, I know he meant it, but that would have stopped that bad choice, stopped that big giant mistake. And it will be a mistake- I know it will bite them both in the ass!! And then there's Jace... Oh God, my stomach hurts to think about the situation because I want so much for it to be a nice happy situation but it won't be. And Leah, for all intents and purposes, I love her and she and Kalysia I think will need each other a lot in the future. And then there's that other little mistake. That one night which I can't help but be secretly happy about. Because when all is said and done, Dillon will have his, but without that part, Kalysia would have missed out something huge. Dammit two wrongs never make a right but a little bit of fair is fair. I fault Kalysia because she agreed and said yes, but if it's good for the goose then it's good for the gander and yes I'm so torn. I will not tell you anything but jeez Louise be prepared for a complete melt down because I am. I still am. It's been over a week and I'm still slack jawed with my tongue on the floor. And boy oh boy, that last chapter, well I think this might be another mistake. You cannot "make" something from nothing. It's going to be an epic proportioned knock down drag out no holds barred straight up brawl when the truth comes out. And it will. Someone is gunna say something or figure something out. Someone is not gunna make it through this. I just don't know who yet. 

Ok enough about my emotional loss of words, and more about the writing. It's spectacular! And not because it's over the top or anything but it's simple and realistic and if you can make me "feel" like I do, weeks after I finished, you've accomplished a major feat here. I couldn't write my review right away- not without spilling my guts and yelling to the world how complicated this poor girl's life has become. She was supposed to be the simple one. She was supposed to make changes. Oh she did alright but it's gunna be a nuclear disaster soon!  hahahaha seriously... The characters are all well written. From Kalysia to Dillon to Leah to the leading alphas and the parents and the whole outlook of their lives. And to that parent that put them all in this predicament of that bad choice- I have many very bad thoughts about him. Please please tell me he will die horribly in a torturous way that will sate my need for pain- because he sure has caused a whole lot of pain and it's not even the real start of it. And on top of it, the twists on "non pure" shifters, oh it's going to be a beautiful disaster when everyone figures out that part. You know it's like you know it's wrong, but you can't help but stare when something crazy happens. Yeah, think that times 10! You feel bad for those hurt but you know it's not over! If anyone reads this book- comment me, email me, find some way to tell me you read it and then let's hash out things. I need a sounding board for this book so I can try to figure out who's actually gunna make it through this intact and alive. I've NEVER read a werewolf book like this and it's a wammy!! And dammit if I won't pay to get my hands on book two! Lol!!! I'm all screwed up in my morals and feelings and for once, I'm glad I'm a human who lives on a farm in simple life styles because I could not handle "that"!!!! Well done! I don't know how else to say it but well done!!! I recommend this book but maybe not for the faint of heart, and I don't mean gory, I mean emotionally. 5 PHENOMENONAL WOLFY PAWS!! 

AUTHOR BIO:

Nicole was born and raised in California. She claims to be a San Francisco native, however she’s lived in both Northern and Southern California. She credits her creativity to the fact that she attended 12 schools between kindergarten and her senior year in high school. Her nomadic childhood allowed her to reinvent herself often. Some might say she was a liar. While others see the stories she told as a coping mechanism. Twelve schools, in six cities, in twelve years – give her a break. Today she channels her storytelling ability into writing novels. Long story short – kids that lie become writers.

Author Links:

https://nicoleloufas.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14358647.Nicole_Loufas

https://www.facebook.com/nicoleloufasauthor/

https://twitter.com/nicoleloufas

Giveaway:

Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

• $15 Amazon Gift Card
• - end June 2nd:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani!

Welcome to the Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani tour! You can find the schedule here (http://xpressobooktours.com/2016/02/23/tour-sign-up-memories-of-ash-by-intisar-khanani/).

_________

Book details:

Memories of Ash by Intisar Khanani
(The Sunbolt Chronicles #2)
Publication date: May 30th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

In the year since she cast her sunbolt, Hitomi has recovered only a handful of memories. But the truths of the past have a tendency to come calling, and an isolated mountain fastness can offer only so much shelter. When the High Council of Mages summons Brigit Stormwind to stand trial for treason, Hitomi knows her mentor won’t return—not with Arch Mage Blackflame behind the charges.

Armed only with her magic and her wits, Hitomi vows to free her mentor from unjust imprisonment. She must traverse spell-cursed lands and barren deserts, facing powerful ancient enchantments and navigating bitter enmities, as she races to reach the High Council. There, she reunites with old friends, planning a rescue equal parts magic and trickery.

If she succeeds, Hitomi will be hunted the rest of her life. If she fails, she’ll face the ultimate punishment: enslavement to the High Council, her magic slowly drained until she dies.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17969479-memories-of-ash

Purchase:

(Both Sunbolt (Book 1) and Memories of Ash sale for 99cents until release day!)

Amazon – http://smarturl.it/moa
Apple – http://smarturl.it/moait
Barnes and Noble – http://smarturl.it/moabn
Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/memories-of-ash

My review 

If you enjoyed book one and have been waiting-you're wait is over. And it's worth it. Or if you're like me and hadn't heard of this series yet- trust me and pick up book one now. I couldn't help myself, I read both books in one day. It's pretty phenomenal to keep my attention for that long lol! This one picks up a little time after the ending of book one. Hitomi is with Stormwind, studying peacefully. Hitomi doesn't remember everything that happened before but it never changed who she was. She's still the same loyal girl and still finding trouble not on purpose. And she finds new friends in new places. I love this author's way of describing places and scenery.  And we are learning more about the Mage world. And we see more fantastically written characters. Everything just keeps building a little at a time until your jaw drops! Some characters are new,

Some reoccurring. But I'll tell you- I love them all- even the totally well written bad guy!! And I'm struggling with talking about things without giving away too much! And since I haven't written my review for book one yet- no worries I just need to find some time- I have a lot to say and no way to say it without ruining something for someone. So I will just say READ THIS BOOK!!! Read this series!!!! And a completely awed WELL DONE!!!! 5 MAGICAL PAWS!!! 

Purchase book 1 - Sunbolt:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Memories-Ash-Sunbolt-Chronicles-Book-ebook/dp/B01CX5G3OG?ie=UTF8&tag=smarturl-ca-20

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/memories-of-ash-intisar-khanani/1123485421?ean=2940152899597

Apple: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/book/memories-of-ash/id1090135023

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/memories-of-ash

Thunderclap:
The author has a Thunderclap campaign set for release day, May 30, and wanted to share the link with you in case you would also like to support it. You can find the campaign here: thunderclap.it/projects/39850-memories-of-ash-release-day

AUTHOR BIO:

Intisar Khanani grew up a nomad and world traveler. She has lived in five different states as well as in Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. Until recently, Intisar wrote grants and developed projects to address community health with the Cincinnati Health Department, which was as close as she could get to saving the world. Now she focuses her time on her two passions: raising her family and writing fantasy. Intisar's current projects include a companion trilogy to Thorn, featuring the heroine introduced in her free short story The Bone Knife, and The Sunbolt Chronicles.

Author links:
http://booksbyintisar.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5780445.Intisar_Khanani

https://www.facebook.com/booksbyintisar

https://twitter.com/BooksByIntisar

Giveaway:
Tour-wide giveaway (INTL)

a Kindle Fire (or $50 GC for international winners)

ends May 29th:

Happy Book Birthday Cloaked in Blood by TF Walsh!!

Cloaked in Blood
T.F. Walsh
(The Wulfkin Legacy #3)
Published by: Crimson Romance
Publication date: May 9th 2016
Genres: Adult, Paranormal

The daughter of a sultan alpha, Selena Kurt agrees to an arranged wulfkin mating to protect her sister from a dangerous alpha from the enemy clan. To her surprise, her match is Marcin Ulf, the next in line for the Hungarian throne . . . and the wulfkin who broke her heart years ago.
Marcin is just as shocked to learn he’ll be matched to the enemy’s daughter and the woman he’s never forgotten. Before they can be paired, however, they’re drawn into a tournament where Marcin will compete to free his estranged imprisoned brother, while Selena battles for the life of another wulfkin alpha. Both intend to seize this chance to save those they’re fighting for – even if it means facing off with one another just as their romance rekindles.
Will tribe loyalty triumph, or will they realize they’re better off as a team before it’s too late?
Cloaked in Blood is the book 3 in the Wulfkin Legacy series, but can be read a stand-alone-book.
Wulfkin Legacy Series:

Cloaked (prequel to #1) – Out now

Cloaked in Fur (Book #1) – Out now

Cloaked in Secrecy (Book #2) – Out now

Cloaked in Blood (Book #3) – Out now

Cloaked in Christmas – End of 2016
Sign up here for T.F. Walsh’s newsletter to keep up to date with latest releases, giveaways, and exclusive content.

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EXCERPT:

SELENA
Then another wulfkin entered the room behind him. Solid, tall, and all shoulders.
And suddenly my heart hammered so hard the walls seemed to be thumping too.
Marcin.
Windblown hair draped over his shoulders, tawny brown strands reaching halfway down his chest. His shirt was torn across his shoulder. Blood stained the fabric, worn as a badge of honor for whatever heroic deeds he’d accomplished.
Our gazes locked, and he stopped midstride. It was like a sucker punch to the gut. All the air left my lungs, leaving me light-headed.
Sea-spray blue eyes, darker than I remembered them, searched my face. Shock crammed behind his gaze as his cheeks blanched. He’d had no idea I was coming here—it was written all over his frozen expression, the way his mouth fell open, his breath hitched.
My wolf prodded me, stirring inside, well aware of who stood before us. Marcin had grown into even more of a wulfkin god: muscular, strong cheekbones, and a chest broad enough for me to sleep across. All I could think about was touching him to make sure he was real and not in my imagination.
Move closer. Take him.
I shouldn’t, yet every molecule in my body fought against the logic that said stay away.
Sure, I’d planned for this very moment and even practiced my nonchalant response in front of the mirror. Except now, my voice was wedged somewhere between my toes and head. My body shook with the desperate urge to be pressed up against him, feel his hungry kisses, and listen to his wicked whispers. I struggled with the charge in my veins screaming that I should run to him, throw my arms around his neck, and forget the past nine years. Forget that he tore out my soul. Forget that I mistook him as my mate because he’d lied to me. Abandoned me.

My Review

I love this series!! Ok so i was prepared to hate Marcin on Enre's behalf. We all know how evil his father is- actually it's worse in this book because you see first hand so many horrible things Levin did and still does to his sons and those around him. So when Enre and Daciana are taken prisoners by Levin, Marcin will not let his father win this time. He will save his brother! Oh and his father is forcing him to mate with the enemy-whom he still loves but cannot trust because her pack tried to kill him! And now there's so many damn secrets and secret plots, I never thought this would end as well as it did. Seriously, I thought it would be horrible. 

I loved Marcin- he's nothing like everyone thought he was. He's smart and kind and caring- I dunno how being raised by that monster- but I guess he saw exactly what he didn't want to be with his father. He really did care about other shifters and other clans, but he had to almost fake everything so his father wouldn't kill him or his brother before he could help. I liked that after all the crappy lies Selena told- she had reason- he still wanted to look for the best on her. Selena is stuck between a rock and a hard place. One hand is trying to help her father secure peace so Levin doesn't slaughter her whole family and packs, the other hand is keeping her sister safe , and lastly is knowing Marcin is her mate but not getting close to him because she believes the lies people tell her- that he never loved her and never wanted her to begin with. Blah! She was such a smart and independent girl with kick ass fighting skills and yet she was STUPID!! She almost got herself, Marcin, and her two pets- which are super cool btw- killed because she was gullible! She let her father manipulate her, her sister walk over her- though innocently- levin berate her and pushed Marcin away so many times. I know it sounds like I didn't like her, but I really did. I just think she should have actually used her brain and her mouth once or twice and several of those issues could have been avoided lol but then I wouldn't have glued myself to the pages to read this one!! 

Seriously, the twists and turns at every corner had me shocked! You will never predict what's gunna happen in this one- seriously, I kept thinking- I know how Levin can screw this up- and then BAM- it was ten times worse lol. The writing is excellent and I absolutely love how it finally all came together. With Daciana and Enre and Marcin, finally somehow there's the sunrise after the nightmare from hell! I'm seriously also hoping that Vincent can get a story as well- you'll meet him with Marcin and I totally look forward to seeing more from these characters!! It's been so much fun and I'm not ready to let go yet! :) 5 WOLFY PAWS!!! 

 

Author Bio:
T.F. Walsh emigrated from Romania to Australia at the age of eight and now lives in a regional city south of Sydney with her husband. Growing up hearing dark fairytales, she's always had a passion for reading and writing horror, paranormal romance, urban fantasy and young adult stories. She balances all the dark with light fluffy stuff like baking and traveling.

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