Tour: Review and Spotlight!

Date Published: April, 2013

Publisher: WJ May

Acquired? Gifted to by Author

YA Suspense/Fantasy

Links:

         Amazon                        Barnes & Noble                   Goodreads

Synopsis:

Like most teenagers, Rouge is trying to figure out who she is and what she wants to be. With little knowledge about her past, she has questions but has never tried to find the answers. Everything changes when she befriends a strangely intoxicating family. Siblings Grace and Michael, appear to have secrets which seem connected to Rouge. Her hunch is confirmed when a horrible incident occurs at an outdoor party. Rouge may be the only one who can find the answer.

An ancient journal, a Sioghra necklace and a special mark force life-altering decisions for a girl who grew up unprepared to fight for her life or others.

All secrets have a cost and Rouge’s determination to find the truth can only lead to trouble…or something even more sinister.

My Thoughts:

Rouge has just moved to a new town with her foster parents, who could care less about her. She is one of those unlucky kids that have been tossed around the system, no family wanted her for long, and is now just stuck with the foster parents she has now. While out exploring her new town she literally runs into a gorgeous guy, Michael, who oozes charm and mystery. After there encounter she can not get him out of her head, even thinks to go as far as trying to find his house! In the mean time Rouge is befriended by a bubbly and fun girl named Grace, they become fast friends and Rouge is invited over to a sleepover at Graces house when she finds the surprise of her life….Michael is Grace’s brother! She has found him at last! After that encounter Rouge becomes immersed in the siblings’ family and their lives where she is in for even more surprises, secrets, and life-altering discoveries.

This was a wonderful fist book to this amazing fantasy saga! The synopsis gives nothing away to us about what magical discoveries this book holds. The whole fist part of the book were we are learning about Michael and Grace and their family I was running all these guesses through my mind about what they could possibly be! Vampire? Werewolf? Demons? I had no clue and I was intrigued by what I found out!!! ( I know you will be too)  I was HOOKED by the first chapter!  Grace is a fantastic character. She fits the best friend roll perfectly! She is so full of life and personality that its contagious. Michael is this deep and mysterious guy that you think is hard but on the inside is just a guy that just wants to love and be loved. His romance with Rouge is beautiful and endearing. It just makes you smile. Rouge is a tough cookie. She has a strong head on her shoulders, a sharp mind, and is just looking for a family that she will fit into and feel at home.

There is mystery, romance, desire, danger, love, and discovering the truth about ones self! I cannot wait to see what the next book in the saga holds. I am still asking my self so many questions about Rouge, the dangers they are facing, and what will happen between Michael and Rouge after he finds out what she is hiding from him! If fantasy is right up your alley then this book and Saga is for you!

Rating: 4 Bookshelves

Tour: Author Interview & Giveaway!

About the Author:

Melanie Karsak, steampunk connoisseur, white elephant collector, and caffeine junkie, resides in Florida with her husband and two children. Visit the author at her blog, melaniekarsak.blogspot.com, to learn more about upcoming projects.

LINKS:

Blog                                   Twitter                                    

Facebook                            Goodreads

 

     

The Harvesting Series Book#1

Published Date: September, 2012

Publisher: Steampunk Press

Acquired? Gifted to by Author through BBT

Horror/Urban Fantasy

Number of pages: 394

Word Count: 71000

Cover Artist: Michael Hall Photography

TV interview with book info:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGHrhTv5YAA

Amazon    Smashwords

Synopsis:

When mankind finally consumes itself, can any spark of humanity survive? Layla fights to keep those she loves alive when the zombie apocalypse unfolds, but she soon learns that zombies are not the only problem. With mankind silenced, those beings living on the fringe seek to reclaim power. Layla must learn who to trust, fast, if she hopes to save what is left of our kind.

Get to know Melanie!

(Emily) Where did you get the idea for the novel?

(Melanie) Well, I knew I wanted to write a “zombie” novel, but I didn’t want it to be the standard brain-eating fare. I actually had a false-start. I started writing a novel centered on a group of people, focusing in particular on two sisters, but it just wasn’t going anywhere. One day, the character of Layla sort of “came to me.” I decided to write about a woman who survived “z-day,” but I wanted the novel to be more than that. I wanted her to be someone who had more on her mind than zombies. After all, your past and all your hang ups don’t just go away when the world ends. I tried to flesh out the character of Layla while also thinking about why zombies were so darned popular. Once that was done, I pulled in some other fantasy elements to give us the “big picture” of The Harvesting Series and away we went!

(Emily) Why did you pick this genre? What do you enjoy about it?

(Melanie) My novel is labeled horror, but it is actually a horror/fantasy hybrid. Everything I write has fantasy elements attached: historical, science fiction, or horror. I just can’t shake it. Fantasy is part of me. The Harvesting was the first really dark fantasy novel I’ve ever written. People looking for straight-up horror are sometimes a little disappointed confused when they read my novel, but if you go into the work knowing it is horror and fantasy, you’ll enjoy it. It was a lot of fun to blend the elements.

(Emily) Since becoming a writer, what is the most exciting thing that has happened to you?

(Melanie) Receiving a physical copy of my book. My book. With my name on it! That has to be one of the single best moments of my life right after the birth of my children and my marriage!

(Emily) Are you reading any books now?

(Melanie) Right now I am doing historical research for the Steampunk series I am writing, so I have my head in nonfiction. I am also currently teaching a course on Shakespeare which has me back to the classics. I do have some goodies on my bed-stand I am dying to read. The last novel I read was “The Ordinary Truth” by Jana Richman which is an amazing contemporary/literary read. I highly recommend it if you enjoy that genre.

(Emily) Anything you are working on now?

(Melanie) Soooo many things! I am working on an awesome Steampunk series, two novels are already completed, which is currently being considered by the big, scary world of literary agents and publishers. The Shadow Aspect, which is the second novel in The Harvesting Series, is due out soon. In addition, I have about 10 projects, literally, lined up on my production schedule. I need more hours in the day!

(Emily) Is there something  people would be surprised to know about you?

(Melanie) Sometimes people are surprised to learn, given I am a writer and an English professor, that I also have dyslexia. It makes for a lot of fun in my classroom when I start writing things backward and upside down on the board. In that venue, I just make fun of myself then carry on. When writing, however, it can be a real challenge. I can usually catch my mistakes, but sometimes I cannot see “typos” for the life of me. My brain just does not see that some letters or words are inverted. It’s annoying. Thank goodness I have great beta readers!

Oh yes, and I was once bitten by a monkey. I was in a petting zoo. I had to go to the ER. For real.

Giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour: Interview

 

About theAuthor:

Heather Topham Wood’s obsession with novels began in childhood while growing up in a shore town in New Jersey. Writing since her teens, she recently returned to penning novels after a successful career as a freelance writer. She’s the author of the Second Sight series and the standalone The Disappearing Girl.

Heather graduated from the College of New Jersey in 2005 and holds a bachelor's degree in English. Her freelance work has appeared in publications such as USA Today, Livestrong.com, Outlook by the Bay and Step in Style magazine. She resides in Trenton, New Jersey with her husband and two sons. Besides writing, Heather is a pop culture fanatic and has an obsession with supernatural novels and TV shows.

 

 

 

 

 

New Adult Contemporary

Date Published: 5/7/2013

Kayla Marlowe is slowly vanishing…


Last year, Kayla’s world imploded. Her beloved father died, leaving her alone with a narcissistic mother who
is quick to criticize her daughter’s appearance. During her winter break from college, Kayla’s dangerous
obsession with losing weight begins.


Kayla feels like her world changes for the better overnight. Being skinny seems to be the key to the happiness
she has desperately been seeking. Her mother and friends shower her with compliments, telling her how
fantastic she looks. Kayla is starving, but no one knows it.


Cameron Bennett explodes into Kayla’s life. He’s sexy and kind—he has every quality she has been looking
for in a guy. As Cameron grows closer to Kayla and learns of how far she’s willing to go to stay thin, he
becomes desperate to save her.


Kayla’s struggles with anorexia and bulimia reach a breaking point and she is forced to confront her body
image issues in order to survive. She wonders if Cameron could be the one to help heal her from the pain of
her past.


New Adult Contemporary-Ages 17+ due to language and sexual situations.

Get to know the Author!
 

(Emily)What made you decide to tell the story of Kayla and her struggles with anorexia?

 

To be honest, the story idea kind of came out of nowhere. I was all set to write the final book in my paranormal romance series when all of a sudden Kayla's story came to me. I've dealt with weight issues and I know a lot of my friends have as well. I wanted to tell a story not only about how a college girl ends up struggling with an eating disorder, but falls in love at the same time. Part of Kayla's struggles lies in keeping her bulimia and anorexia under wraps from Cameron.

 

(Emily)How do you think this book will impact others who are struggling? 

 

My hope is that they understand how important it is to reach out to people who genuinely care and let them know they're struggling with an eating disorder. One of Kayla's problems is she begins to rely on members of the ProAna community to keep her on track. When you surround yourself with people with a similar mindset, it makes it challenging to get healthy again. Admitting you have a problem can be hard and there's a lot of stigma surrounding eating disorders that prevent people from getting help.

 

(Emily)Since writing your novels, what's the most exciting thing that has ever happened to you?

I'm easy to please, so everything is exciting to me! I did sign my latest paranormal book with Crescent Moon Press, so that was pretty darn cool =)

 

(Emily) Are you currently reading any books?

I'm a total book nerd and run a book blog too. I just finished Damaged by H.M. Ward and I'm about to start The Program by Suzanna Young. I can pretty much read any genre as long as the author has a good story to tell. I love my Kindle and I'm already on my third one (FYI Preschoolers and Kindles do not mix well).

 

(Emily)Any new writing in progress?

I'm in the middle of writing the final book in my Second Sight series. I'm so sad to be concluding the story! I'm already dreaming up spin off series in my head.

 

(Emily)What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

I skip to the end of a book often to decide whether or not to finish a novel. I've been burned by one too many love triangles and I have to be sure the main character ends up with the right guy, lol.

Thanks for having me!

Tour: Review

 About the Author:

I write fiction for teens and adults and teach writing and literature at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where I live with my husband, three kids, two dogs, and two rats (Katniss and Prim, of course). I'm also an avid reader and book reviewer. I've always said I never want to give up reading for writing or vice versa. I want to do both. My favorite authors are Tracy Chevalier, Ann Patchett, Suzanne Collins, Veronica Roth, Rick Riordan, and Stephanie Meyer. I have too many to name, but those are a handful of them. When I'm not spending time with the family, working, reading, or writing, I can be found watching The Big Bang Theory, Modern Family, The Middle, and NCIS.I love to interact with readers and have recently added features to my website at http://www.evapohler.comwith this in mind. If you email me your art and/or stories based on The Gatekeeper's Trilogy, or on Greek mythology in general, I will post them on my website for others to enjoy. I have also added a short video on the Olympians and a fun Jeopardy Game to test your knowledge. Please visit my website for more details.

Thanks for taking the time to read about me and my writing.

Links:
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GoodReads                                   Amazon

(Gatekeepers Trilogy Book #3)

Date Published: May, 2013

Publisher: Green Press

Mythology/Romance

Synopsis:

In The Gatekeeper's Sons (book1), Therese and Thanatos, the god of death, met and fell in love. In The Gatekeeper's Challenge(book2), they did everything they could to be together, even break an oath on the River Styx. But the Olympians don't tolerate oath-breakers.

In this final book in the trilogy, The Gatekeeper's Daughter, Therese may have finally succeeded in becoming a goddess, but if she wants to remain one, she'll not only have to discover her unique purpose, but also make some allies among the gods. Artemis sends her on a seemingly impossible quest across the world, while Than searches for a way to appease Ares. To make matters worse, her baby sister's life depends on the outcome of her quest.

My Thoughts:

We left Than and Therese burning on an alter trying to transform Therese into a God!....They succeeded! Now Than must get ripped to pieces every year and on top of that the other Gods are extremely angry with them. One God in particular will do anything in his power to make sure Therese does not stay a God.

This final installment of the Trilogy is by far the most gripping and suspenseful. Therese gets entangled with Artemis, Hera, and Aphrodite, has to go on another impossible quest, and decide what her purpose is so that she can stay a God. We get a better look at the Gods personas and how petty and deceitful they are to each other. They only care about their positions in the heavens and what they can get out of deals with each other. We get to see Thereses’ strength and willfulness come out in this final installment, which is long awaited! It was nice seeing her stand up for herself and to the Gods no less!

I really can not tell you too much more because it all comes to a head in this book! Throughout your entire time reading the Trilogy you are asking yourself “will there be a happy ending?”, “Will Therese and Than live forever together?”. All those questions are answered and the journeys and adventures are a thrilling ride! The love story is a sweet one too. J

My Rating: 4 Bookshelves

Read the Previous Books in the Trilogy!

(Click on the links below to read my reviews on the previous books)

(Gatekeepers Trilogy Book #2)

(Gatekeepers Trilogy Book #1)