tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41734816155202185102024-03-13T00:53:45.352-05:00One Guy's Guide to Good ReadsJust one guy: reading, reviewing, living the dream. I read it all! Particularly a fan of the New Adult genre, most Young Adult, Historical Fiction, and anything Paranormal! Check me out for a review or contact me for a suggestion! Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.comBlogger648125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-46166525909945532142017-05-15T05:00:00.000-05:002017-05-15T05:00:24.568-05:00Ghost Code by Sarah Negovetich Release Day Launch <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The wait is over! From the bestselling author of the <i>Acceptance</i> series, comes an all new YA-standalone that's sure to be the first summer smash-hit! Sarah Negovetich delivers and you won't want to miss out. Grab your copy today!<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Title: </b><i>Ghost Code</i></span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Author: </b>Sarah Negovetich</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Genre: </b>Young Adult/Sci-Fi</span><br />
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Release Date: </b>May 15, 2017</span><br />
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<b><i>"Ghost Code is a fast paced thrill ride that will take you to the very edge--of life and of love--and leave you begging for just one more page." </i></b><br />
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<b><i>-Bestselling Author Sherry D. Ficklin (The Hacker Series)</i></b></div>
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"Without dreams, what's the point of being awake?"</div>
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After a lifetime of fighting cancer, eighteen-year-old Viv Quiroga is dying. But she’s determined to go out on her own terms. Instead of wasting away in a hospital watching her mom worry over their mounting debt, she volunteers for a private research program.</div>
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For thirty days she’ll live in a coma as a human lab rat. When her time is up, they turn off the machines and pay off all her medical bills.</div>
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It’s supposed to be a one way trip.</div>
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Until Viv wakes up and learns what it really means to live.</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34914770-ghost-code"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjtuAnzm-kH6KVgQoVxbzzzDNHBcTMAorr5wvTC_eCe9z32JK0AKZMLc1O8b5hkUHwDpyRZS_8wQtqAwTuoAEKWYbYqqi9Z6x-7Tx68nGwO2DUBqY_8m7-Nr_DV62WSt-mCGtVrOrdcUw/s1600/add_to_goodreads.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Code-Sarah-Negovetich-ebook/dp/B06Y6GTPDW/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494799420&sr=8-1&keywords=ghost+code+sarah+negovetich"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBPdZdg8lkjx5tA30QdyKHls86jOEorHAuq5yt_YYkGsDiNQm2_-rvSwGNDIukUqFRWxZ_ECSRFOfYlsiQzHDnYLRImToaziceyMJPDMfPUBPyBPh5midXnJPr8SuhYLPbE6ss-UmGLPA/s1600/Amazon+Button.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Sarah Negovetich</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PIQo0LsZZlNyUdHfUZiOzqGJtg4JYKL4El0GduDVdl8-3NCOUU7yuFfHhxAZZjBrpR-R4IiGlMxDLZw-HPuXRLY7L-fD0ch3XCaiN0jFUp95wgzsfTxkoc57LiqLwGwXuvGy7t4LZyBZ/s1600/Sarah+Negovetich+headshot.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #3d85c6; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration-line: none;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9PIQo0LsZZlNyUdHfUZiOzqGJtg4JYKL4El0GduDVdl8-3NCOUU7yuFfHhxAZZjBrpR-R4IiGlMxDLZw-HPuXRLY7L-fD0ch3XCaiN0jFUp95wgzsfTxkoc57LiqLwGwXuvGy7t4LZyBZ/s200/Sarah+Negovetich+headshot.jpg" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="163" /></a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: white;">Sarah Negovetich knows you don't know how to pronounce her name and she's okay with that.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Her first love is Young Adult novels, because at seventeen the world is your oyster. Only oysters are slimy and more than a little salty; it's accurate if not exactly motivational. We should come up with a better cliché.</span><br />
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<span style="color: white;">Sarah divides her time between writing YA books that her husband won’t read and performing on stage at BE Theatre. Her goal in life is to never grow up.</span><br />
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<span style="text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;">FIND SARAH NEGOVETICH</span></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/SarahDNegovetich" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none;"></a><a href="https://www.facebook.com/SarahDNegovetich" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none; text-indent: 0in;">FACEBOOK </a><span style="text-indent: 0in;">| </span><a href="https://twitter.com/SarahNego" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none; text-indent: 0in;">TWITTER </a><span style="text-indent: 0in;">| </span><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23497214-rite-of-rejection" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none; text-indent: 0in;">GOODREADS </a><span style="text-indent: 0in;">| </span><a href="http://www.sarahnegovetich.com/p/blog-page_1.html" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration-line: none; text-indent: 0in;">WEBSITE</a></div>
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Happy Release Day Sarah and <i>Ghost Code</i>! Join us in wishing Sarah all the best with her new release by reaching out to her via Facebook or Twitter at the links above you will not regret it!<br />
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Grab your copy today!<br />
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-71969385502560585852017-05-10T05:00:00.000-05:002017-05-10T05:00:07.185-05:00Kindling Flames by Julie Wetzel Boxed Set Announcement<h2 style="text-align: center;">
COMING MAY 16, 2017:</h2>
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Fans of the best-selling Kindling Flames novels are in for a special treat next week. For the first time ever, this series will be available in a new boxed set with exclusive new short stories as bonus content. These boxed sets will be available at a savings from what each novel would cost if purchased individually. Check out the cover reveals below and pre-order your sets today.</div>
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Also, keep scrolling for a sneak peek of the new updated covers for Kindling Flames books One-Three. This whole series is getting a cover makeover and we'd love to hear your thoughts. Vote in the comments. Do you like the original covers or the new ones better?</div>
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KINDLING FLAMES BOXED SET ONE (Books 1-3)</h4>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kindling-Flames-Boxed-Set-Books-ebook/dp/B071YYZY79" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><img alt="" class="aligncenter wp-image-7940 size-large" src="http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/3D-KF-Series-Box-Set-1024x683.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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<strong>Available for as low as $5.99. From the best-selling author of <em>Kindling Flames</em>, comes a boxed set of the first 3 full-length <em>Kindling Flames</em> books. This boxed set includes exclusive bonus content and offers the reader a discount over purchasing each novel individually. </strong>
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<strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kindling-Flames-Boxed-Set-Books-ebook/dp/B071YYZY79" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AMAZON</a> / <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Julie_Wetzel_Kindling_Flames_Boxed_Set_Books_1_3?id=lBrPDgAAQBAJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">GOOGLE PLAY</a> / <a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/kindling-flames-boxed-set-books-1-3/id1234311875?mt=11" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iBOOKS</a> / <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kindling-flames-boxed-set-julie-wetzel/1126367775" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NOOK</a> / <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/kindling-flames-boxed-set-books-1-3" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">KOBO</a></strong></div>
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KINDLING FLAMES BOXED SET TWO (Books 4-5 and Granting Wishes)</h4>
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<strong>From the best-selling author of <em>Kindling Flames</em>, comes a boxed set with the 3rd & 4th full-length <em>Kindling Flames</em> books, the <em>Kindling Flames: Granting Wishes Novella</em>, and three exclusive short stories. This boxed set includes exclusive bonus content and offers the reader a discount over purchasing each novel individually.</strong></div>
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<strong><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Kindling-Flames-Boxed-Granting-Wishes-ebook/dp/B072F77X8J" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">AMAZON</a> / <a href="https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Julie_Wetzel_Kindling_Flames_Boxed_Set_Books_1_3?id=lBrPDgAAQBAJ" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">GOOGLE PLAY</a> / <a href="https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/kindling-flames-boxed-set-books-4-5-and-granting-wishes/id1234316495?mt=11" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">iBOOKS </a>/ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/kindling-flames-boxed-set-julie-wetzel/1126367775">NOOK</a> / <a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/kindling-flames-boxed-set-books-4-5-and-granting-wishes">KOBO</a></strong></div>
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A NEW LOOK FOR KINDLING FLAMES?</h3>
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Check out our new makeover for the Kindling Flames books below. Let us know which version you like the best by leaving us a comment.
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Original:</div>
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New:</div>
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Original:</div>
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New:</div>
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Original:</div>
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<img alt="" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-7946" src="http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/10634443_10203218535087690_903062490_n-200x300.jpg" height="300" width="200" /></div>
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New:</div>
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<strong>Find out more about Julie Wetzel <a href="http://www.crimsontreepublishing.com/authors/julie-wetzel/">here</a>. </strong></h4>
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<a href="http://www.crimsontreepublishing.com/authors/julie-wetzel/"><img class="aligncenter wp-image-5431 size-medium" src="http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Julie-Wetzel-199x300.jpg" height="300" width="199" /></a></div>
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<strong>Julie Wetzel, Author of KINDLING FLAMES and ON THE ACCIDENTAL WINGS OF DRAGONS</strong></div>
Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-47196240916258475092017-02-17T05:00:00.000-06:002017-02-17T05:00:14.552-06:00*GUEST POST* New Book-inspired Song Weaves a Midnight Melody of Love and Distrust!<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>New Book-inspired Song Weaves a Midnight Melody of Love and Distrust</b></div>
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Hello my little mogdocs! This is Bryna Butler, curator of fangirl wonderfluff and author of the Midnight Guardian teen paranormal series, with a behind-the-keyboard scoop on Beth Crowleys new song, The Dark. The song is based on my Midnight Guardian series and gives us a look into Keira Ryans conflicting feelings for someone who cant be trusted. The song was written in celebration of the 5th anniversary of the first book in the series, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UB1SZG"><i>Of Sun & Moon</i></a>.<br /><br />As I write this post, the <a href="https://youtu.be/AMkz9JF7teY">lyric video</a> for The Dark is just over 90k views. Beth tells me that its the first one of her lyric vids to surpass 1,500 views in the first few hours and the first to surpass 13,000 views in the first week. Within a month of the songs release, she was asked to perform at this years Utopia Awards during UtopiaCon in Nashville this June. <br /><br />Honestly, I never doubted the song's success. The haunting melody and Beth's passionate vocals captured the soul of my character as well as my own. So let's delve into The Dark, spoiler-free of course, and take an inside look at the lyrics as they relate to the books.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<i>Lost one, tell me do you want to be found?</i></div>
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<b>Lost one refers to Brun Gammen often called 'Lost Prince'</b></div>
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<i>You caught me moments before I hit the ground</i></div>
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<b>He let go of his secret to save her life when she had only moments left</b></div>
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<i>And I hear voices screaming to run away</i></div>
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<b>None, and I mean not one, of her friends or family approve of him, and they're very vocal about it</b></div>
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<i>Yet I see not black and white but silver and gray</i></div>
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<b>To her, he's more complex than simple black or white (evil or good). He's somewhere in between, a shining silvery gray.</b></div>
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<i>I don't trust you, but I want to</i></div>
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<b>Shes been raised in the knowledge that his kind can't be trusted, and his actions are often suspect.</b></div>
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<i>Please don't let me fall</i></div>
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<b>On multiple levels: don't let me fall in love with you, don't let me fail, don't let me die</b></div>
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<i>I gaze up at the midnight sky, Can't find a single star</i></div>
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<b>Referring to Atlantis, Brun's empire, where the sky is forever stuck in a starless midnight</b></div>
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<i>There are times when I miss the light</i></div>
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<b>On the surface it means that she misses her girl-next-door life in her very normal hometown in the Midwestern U.S., but could also be interpreted as a reference to her first love.</b></div>
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<i>But I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm not afraid of the dark</i></div>
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<b>Though he is dangerous, she's not afraid of him.</b></div>
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<i>Your whispers follow me when I try to leave</i></div>
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<b>Reference to the Gammen family's power to control the emotions of others with a simple whisper. Also gives a nod to how she's always thinking about him when they're apart.</b></div>
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<i>I fight for a love that I don't fully believe</i></div>
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<b>She knows his feelings may be just a show, but still defies those around her just to be with him.</b></div>
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<i>In my heart you're a risk I'm willing to take</i></div>
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<i>But my head is telling me there's too much at stake</i></div>
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<b>The two lines above say it all. She fears that he is probably manipulating her, and she will eventually have to take him down, but she sees goodness in him that shouldn't be there. She wants to believe he is different. The heart wants what it wants.</b></div>
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<i>I don't trust you, but I want to, Please don't let me fall</i></div>
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<i>I gaze up at the midnight sky, Can't find a single star</i></div>
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<i>There are times when I miss the light</i></div>
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<i>But I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm not afraid of the dark</i></div>
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UB1SZG"><img height="320" src="https://brynabutler.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/smashwordsosm.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<br />Those who haven't read the books can pick up the ebook edition of Book 1, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UB1SZG">Of Sun & Moon</a>, free at most major online bookstores. Right now, I'm also offering the first two ebooks of the series for FREE to those who subscribe to my <a href="http://bit.ly/Butlerbookalert">New Book Alert</a>. Not an e-newsletter, just a heads up 2-4 times a year when I have a new release, and subscribers are always auto-entered into giveaways just for opening the alert emails. Unsubscribe at any time. Anyone can sign up at <a href="http://bit.ly/Butlerbookalert">http://bit.ly/Butlerbookalert</a>. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>The Dark by Beth Crowley is available from <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0ahUKEwjkoYHB5-XRAhVFMyYKHR06AyUQFgggMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fitunes.apple.com%2Fus%2Falbum%2Fthe-dark-single%2Fid1183573873&usg=AFQjCNFWgbbvHVjYw59FJuhvqikJ-H1hwA&sig2=sI9BBYT4vr8H4YmKy4PZlw&bvm=bv.145822982,d.eWE">iTunes</a> and <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0ahUKEwi12eTS5-XRAhXI4SYKHdNLAVYQFgggMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fopen.spotify.com%2Falbum%2F3SRgqLfUK24Byq72d0Hyuj&usg=AFQjCNG-myJvMtCHWzVY6PBdpAeP4bJS6g&sig2=d3WqJpNhLjyQW5qCv8rLTw&bvm=bv.145822982,d.eWE">Spotify</a>. </b></div>
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<b>I'm giving way 21 downloads of Beth's single. Contest ends March 31, 2017. <a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/72bf909413">Go here to enter</a> </b></div>
</b><br /><a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/72bf909413/">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a>Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-15213837278221584792017-02-09T17:58:00.000-06:002017-02-09T17:58:10.075-06:00Deliciously Smooth by KB Jacobs Cover Reveal <div style="text-align: left;">
<b><i>Deliciously Smooth by KB Jacobs</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Published: March 3, 2017 – preorder available</i></b></div>
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<b><i>New Adult Romance</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Word Count: ~65,000</i></b></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">For a LIMITED TIME...</span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">The pre-order and new release price is $.99. This ends one week after release when the price will go up.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRgI2fQqyINdWnwzlJY56DVrvJ7IA4DtGx0fx8u_9vDxe4ge7mOhA05NdSYZbe3AzStrK9R8gziQ5ElTI58GeQknYYXd468tdTrJ-9ykoxpHU0yCBqDxSEmNILy5Kt_Y6_uxtCLiiONg/s1600/DeliciouslySmooth_1400x2100.jpg"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKRgI2fQqyINdWnwzlJY56DVrvJ7IA4DtGx0fx8u_9vDxe4ge7mOhA05NdSYZbe3AzStrK9R8gziQ5ElTI58GeQknYYXd468tdTrJ-9ykoxpHU0yCBqDxSEmNILy5Kt_Y6_uxtCLiiONg/s400/DeliciouslySmooth_1400x2100.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138;">My parents were conmen and I was their tool. I learned how to cheat, connive, and charm my way out of any circumstance. But now I’m respectable...kind of. Yeah, my life is still a lie, but that’s because I have no choice. My best friend, who’s also my boss, needs me to lie to keep our billion-dollar charity going. It’s complicated. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138;">But all the lies are about to end. I just have to finish one final task...taking over a brewery. Easy, right?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138;">Not so much. Because that brewery is part of a custody battle between mother and daughter. The mother owns it. The daughter thinks it should be hers. I’m caught in the middle. Not normally a bad place to be when it comes to two feisty women.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138;">But I’m falling for the daughter and when my lies come to light, everything is going to unravel. And then my future with the brewery and the girl will be shot to hell. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #e69138;">My boss probably won’t be too happy with me either...</span></div>
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Purchase Link:</div>
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Amazon... <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Deliciously-Smooth-Naked-Brews-Book-ebook/dp/B01MY7TJ2I/">https://www.amazon.com/Deliciously-Smooth-Naked-Brews-Book-ebook/dp/B01MY7TJ2I/</a></div>
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Excerpt:</div>
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"Look, whatever your name is—"</div>
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"Walsh."</div>
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"Fine. Walsh. As you can see, it's lunch hour around here, and I'm a little busy. If you want to take a seat and wait, you're welcome to it, but I have a brewery to run."</div>
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I stepped to the side to get around him, but he cut me off, his broad chest nearly knocking me over. This guy didn’t know when to quit.</div>
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He flashed me another wide smile that probably worked on most girls. "I understand you’re busy, and I am pleasantly surprised to see this much business in here. But I’m only in town for the day, and since this is about to be my brewery you're running, I'm sure you can find a minute for me."</div>
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Shock and fear shot down my body, colder than the heap of snow Walsh received from the slanted metal roof when he came in. "Naked Brews is my brewery."</div>
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Walsh the douche dropped his charming smile and rolled his eyes. He dug around in his briefcase and pulled out a leather portfolio waving it in my face. "According to the paperwork I have here, Naked Brews belongs to your mother, Emily Ryan, and when the ink is dry, it will belong to Ghost Squad Charities."</div>
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I balled my fist up at my side and jutted my chin up at his smirking face. "Emily Ryan isn't my mother, and Naked Brews will never belong to anyone but me, so you can march your arrogant ass right back out the snowy door you came in."</div>
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"Is everything okay?"</div>
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I spun around and found Alex standing in the doorway to the office, her arms crossed over her chest. Melissa stood behind her.</div>
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"Everything's fine." I jerked a thumb over my shoulder. "Mr. Fancy Pants thinks he can buy the brewery from the Motherload, and I'm simply informing him that will happen over my cold, dead body." I turned slowly back to face him to make sure he could see just how serious I was.</div>
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"Look, I couldn’t care less about your mommy issues. I have a signed letter here from Ms. Ryan, giving me permission to look around the facility and investigate operations."</div>
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Damn her. Damn Emily Ryan. Damn Walsh/Damian Thorne.</div>
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Author Bio and Social Links:</div>
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KB Jacobs is the pen name for two fabulous, best-selling authors. Obsessed with the 3 B’s...books, brews, and bodies...specifically male ones with a ladder of abs leading down to the treasure trail…</div>
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Ahem, sorry, we digress.</div>
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These two authors decided to pool their obsessions and discovered a whole new destination to whet their imaginations. Welcome to Naked Brews, one amazing microbrewery set in the middle of the Rockies, run by three women, who much like our authors, know what they want...those 3 B’s again. Side eyes the men...oh, yeah, they have very nice obsessions.</div>
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Email: kbjacobsauthor.gmail.com</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KB-Jacobs-Author-170331260050809/">https://www.facebook.com/KB-Jacobs-Author-170331260050809/</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/kbjacobsauthor/">https://www.instagram.com/kbjacobsauthor/</a></div>
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<b>Deliciously Smooth is the first book in the Naked Brews trilogy.</b></div>
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<b>The series:</b></div>
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<b>1. <i>Deliciously Smooth</i> – releasing March 3</b></div>
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<b>2. <i>Deliciously Thick</i> – releasing April 28</b></div>
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<b>3. <i>Deliciously Bitter</i> – releasing June 23</b></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-66338315389462933612017-02-09T15:58:00.000-06:002017-02-09T15:58:34.853-06:00SILVERWITCH is now available in print!<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b>NEW PRINT RELEASE:</b></div>
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<b><i><img height="400" src="http://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/12/Silverwitch.jpg" width="266" /></i></b></div>
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<b><i>Silverwitch </i></b></div>
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<b><i>Tamara Grantham</i></b></div>
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<b><i>(M.D. Series, The Olive Kennedy)</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Published by: Crimson Tree Publishing</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Publication date: February 6, 2017</i></b></div>
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<b><i>Genres: Adult, Fantasy, Romance</i></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">It’s Faythander’s legend of King Arthur. And it’s not for the faint of heart.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Olive Kennedy, Fairy World MD, isn’t ready to go back to work. But when her dragon stepfather shows up on her doorstep with bad news of the world-ending variety, that’s exactly what she’ll have to do. He wants her to stop the elven queen from obtaining seven weapons of King Arthur fame, and he wants her to break into a dragon’s vault to do it.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">One problem. Silvestra, the silverwitch of Dragon Spine Mountain, guards the weapons. And she’s not willing to give them up. With the help of Kull, her newly reunited, half-crazed Viking boyfriend, she’s hopeful they’ll stand up against the dragon. Plus, she’ll have the help from Kull’s warrior princess sister and a professional thief.</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">But Olive has never had great luck. What starts as a routine quest quickly turns into a life or death fight. And one of her companions won’t make it out alive…</span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32607646-silverwitch">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Spellweaver-Olive-Kennedy-Fairy-World-ebook/dp/B015INPTJU/ref=sr_1_2_twi_kin_1?ie=UTF8&qid=11465999562&sr=8-2&keywords=spellweaver&tag=bookesca-20">Amazon</a> / <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/silverwitch-tamara-grantham/1124865733?ean=9781634222334">Barnes & Noble</a></span></b></div>
<br />EXCERPT:<br /><br />“I fail to see how we’re lucky. We’re trapped in an unfamiliar world with no way of returning home. The staff is gone, and I have a suspicion that if we find it, we will not live long enough to return it to the sky king.”<br /><br />Maveryck gave me a condescending smile. “Perhaps you will not live long enough,” he said as he stood, and without further explanation, he limped away from me and down a narrow hallway. I hesitated before following him. Navigating alone through a tomb like this would be suicide, so I reluctantly trailed him, barely keeping my temper in check.<br /><br />“Where are you going?” I demanded.<br /><br />“To find a way out of here.”<br /><br />“What then?” I asked. “Where will we go? How will we find the staff? How will we return home? Have you the magic to create portals?”<br /><br />He rounded on me, his jaw clenched. “First, and listen very clearly, I’m not in the habit of answering questions—not from you or anyone else. Second, I’m not your friend, nor am I trying to help you. For the time being, we share the same goal, so I will work with you in order to bring the staff back. After that, our partnership will be dissolved. I’ve never lost an object before, and it won’t happen now. If you impede me in any way, I will aid you no more.”<br /><br />“Have you forgotten who my brother is? Should you return to Faythander without me, what do you think the king will do to you?”<br /><br />“I don’t care.”<br /><br />“You might care when you’re rotting in the Wult dungeons.”<br /><br />“I doubt he would throw me in the dungeons for leaving you. In all honesty, I believe he would reward me.”<br /><br />Now he’d pushed too far. I’d had an ill feeling about this man from the moment I’d met him, and I would tolerate his superior attitude no more. I shoved him against the wall, pressing the weight of my body against him, making the stacks of skeletal remains rattle behind us.<br /><br />“Enough,” I hissed. “I will not tolerate being spoken to in such a manner.”<br /><br />Instead of shying away as I expected, he clamped my wrists in his hands. He used no magic, but the calculated look he gave me sent shivers down my spine. “And I,” he said, “will also not tolerate being spoken to in such a manner.”<br /><br />Fear made my heart beat wildly. Who is this man? It was at that moment I realized how very little I knew about him. Where did he come from? Where did he live? Who were his kin? His gaze locked with mine, and sparks of purple danced in the gray of his irises. I knew he possessed magic, but he’d led me to believe his powers were limited. Had he lied?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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Tamara Grantham is the award-winning author of more than half a dozen books and novellas, including the Olive Kennedy: Fairy World MD series and the Shine novellas. Dreamthief, the first book of her Fairy World MD series, won first place for fantasy in INDIEFAB’S Book of the Year Awards, a RONE award for best New Adult Romance of 2016, and is a #1 bestseller on Amazon in both the Mythology and Fairy Tales categories with over 100 reviews.</div>
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Tamara holds a Bachelor’s degree in English. She has been a featured speaker at the Rose State Writing Conference and has been a panelist at Comic Con Wizard World speaking on the topic of female leads. For her first published project, she collaborated with New York-Times bestselling author, William Bernhardt, in writing the Shine series.</div>
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Born and raised in Texas, Tamara now lives with her husband and five children in Wichita, Kansas. She rarely has any free time, but when the stars align and she gets a moment to relax, she enjoys reading fantasy novels, taking nature walks, which fuel her inspiration for creating fantastical worlds, and watching every Star Wars or Star Trek movie ever made. You can find her online at www.TamaraGranthamBooks.com.</div>
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<a href="http://www.tamaragranthambooks.com/"></a><a href="http://www.tamaragranthambooks.com/">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8086515.Tamara_Grantham">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tamaraclairegrantham/">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/TamaraGrantham">Twitter</a></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-53479877328124457582016-12-01T15:55:00.000-06:002016-12-01T15:55:37.925-06:00Gilded Cage (The Canary Club Novelettes #1) by Sherry D. Ficklin Review<div class="separator" style="background-color: #141414; clear: both; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #141414; font-size: 13px;">Hey readers, Ethan here with a new review for you guys. I'm so excited to be sharing my thoughts on this first novella in a new series from one of my all-time favorite authors, Sherry D. Ficklin. Get ready for a new historical adventure that'll rock your socks off! Read on to see my thoughts on <i>Gilded Cage</i>, the first in Sherry's new: <i>Canary Club </i>series. Before we get to my thoughts, here a bit about the novel and our author:</span></span><br />
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<b style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>Gilded Cage</i></b><br />
<b style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>The Canary Club Novelettes, Book 1</i><br />Author: Sherry D. Ficklin<br />Published: December 1st 2016<br />Publisher: Spark Serials</b><br />
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<b>Genre: YA/Historical/Romance</b></div>
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<b>Series Website: <a href="http://thecanary.club/">http://thecanary.club/ </a></b></div>
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<br /><span style="color: white;">The Canary Club series consists of three novelettes which together form a stunning prequel to the full length novel, </span><i style="color: white;"><b>The Canary Club</b></i><span style="color: white;">.</span><br /><br /><b style="color: white;"><i>About the book:</i></b><br /><br /><span style="color: #cc0000;">A dazzling story of star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of gritty prohibition-era New York City and the dangerous gangs who ruled the streets.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><br />Masie, the flaxen-haired daughter of notorious bootlegger Dutch Schultz, returns home from boarding school to find her family in crisis.Her mother is dangerously unstable, her father’s empire is on the brink of ruin, and the boy she once loved has become a ruthless killer for hire. To keep her family’s dangerous secrets Masie is forced into a lie that will change the course of her future–and leave her trapped in a gilded cage of her own making. As she watches her world fall apart, Masie must decide whether to take her place in the hierarchy, or spread her wings, leaving the people she loves, and the life she despises, far behind her.</span><br /><br /><br /><div style="color: white; text-align: center;">
<b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gilded-Cage-Canary-Club-Books-ebook/dp/B01N3PDSG9/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1480350855&sr=1-1" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Amazon</a> |<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gilded-cage-sherry-d-ficklin/1125151453?ean=2940153857213" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;"> Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/682272" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Smashwords</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32795209-gilded-cage" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">GoodReads</a></i></b></div>
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<b style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"><i>About the Author:</i></b></div>
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<span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sherry is a full-time writer from Colorado and the author of over a dozen novels for teens and young adults including the best-selling Stolen Empire series. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.</span><br style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">Sherry also writes New Adult fiction under the pen name Ranae Glass and appears as a guest speaker at several conventions annually. You can find her at her official website, www.sherryficklin.com, or stalk her on her Facebook page www.facebook.com/sherry.ficklin. She is represented by </span><a href="http://firebrandliterary.co/" style="background-color: #141414; color: #3d85c6; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; text-decoration: none;">Nadia Cornier of Firebrand Literary</a><span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;">.</span><br style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;" /><br />
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<b><i><a href="http://sherryficklin.com/" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sherry.ficklin" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/authorsherry" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a></i></b></div>
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*****</div>
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<b>My Thoughts:</b></div>
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As most of my readers well know, I am a historic fiction freak! I love everything and everything to do with historical literature and am always searching for something new. I've always been of the mindset that the historic genre is the big opportunity the YA market has, but that's another story. With one of my all-time historical series (<i>Stolen Empire)</i> already under her belt, I had no doubt that entering into yet another literary universe of Sherry Ficklin's would be an adventure well worthwhile. </div>
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The raging 20s, gangsters, mobs, booze, and rubes: what could be better?<br />
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<i>Gilded Cage</i> is a rip-roaring good time! An incredible start to a series that's sure to be the 'bees-knees'.<br />
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I'll go ahead and admit that I'm one of the few readers lucky enough to have read <i>Canary Club</i> (Release TBA) [having been fortunate enough to beta-read it for the author]. That being said, I was foaming at the mouth for more from the characters and world that Ficklin created. Even I was shocked at how blown away <i>Gilded Cage</i> left me.<br />
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While a quick read, <i>Gilded Cage</i> is everything readers will be looking for and more. A great introduction to the plot and, more importantly, the life of our heroine, Masie Schultz. Our young ingenue will steal your heart and leave you begging for more. Any fan of Ficklin's will well-know her talent for crafting strong female characters and Masie certainly doesn't disappoint.<br />
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True to the setting, Ficklin's <i>Canary Club </i>novelettes hold nothing back. They're gritty and dark, complete with a mysterious, yet jovial-tone that fans of the Jazz Era are well acquainted with. Straight from the worlds of Gatsby and Bill McCoy, Ficklin will jazz her way into your bookish hearts with <i>Gilded Cage</i>.<br />
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Come for the words, but stay for the party!<br />
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It should come as no surprise that I am granting <i>Gilded Cage </i>a <b>near-perfect 5-star review</b>. Be sure to grab yourself a copy today and let's get this joint a-swinging! The perfect read to start your holiday reading season out right!<br />
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*****</div>
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Alright readers, you've heard the word! Now get-to-gettin' and grab yourself a copy of <i>Gilded Cage </i>today! Huge happy release day to the incredible Sherry Ficklin. Thanks so much for stopping by. Until next time, Happy Reading!</div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: x-large;">-<b><i>Ethan</i></b></span></div>
Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-3465130144646582372016-12-01T12:32:00.000-06:002016-12-01T12:32:46.501-06:00Gilded Cage (The Canary Club Novelettes #1) by Sherry D. Ficklin Release Day Launch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><i>Gilded Cage<br />The Canary Club Novelettes, Book 1</i><br />Author: Sherry D. Ficklin<br />Published: December 1st 2016<br />Publisher: Spark Serials</b><div>
<b>Genre: YA/Historical/Romance</b></div>
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<br />The Canary Club series consists of three novelettes which together form a stunning prequel to the full length novel, <i><b>The Canary Club</b></i>.<br /><br />About the book:<br /><br />A dazzling story of star-crossed lovers set against the backdrop of gritty prohibition-era New York City and the dangerous gangs who ruled the streets.<br />Masie, the flaxen-haired daughter of notorious bootlegger Dutch Schultz, returns home from boarding school to find her family in crisis.Her mother is dangerously unstable, her father’s empire is on the brink of ruin, and the boy she once loved has become a ruthless killer for hire. To keep her family’s dangerous secrets Masie is forced into a lie that will change the course of her future–and leave her trapped in a gilded cage of her own making. As she watches her world fall apart, Masie must decide whether to take her place in the hierarchy, or spread her wings, leaving the people she loves, and the life she despises, far behind her.<br /><br /> <br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Gilded-Cage-Canary-Club-Books-ebook/dp/B01N3PDSG9/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1480350855&sr=1-1">Amazon</a> |<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-gilded-cage-sherry-d-ficklin/1125151453?ean=2940153857213"> Barnes & Noble</a> | <a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/682272">Smashwords</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32795209-gilded-cage">GoodReads</a></i></b></div>
<br /> <br /><b><i>Excerpt:</i></b><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">It’s dark when I finally roll to my feet, wrapping my lavender satin robe around me. I wait until I’ve heard Daddy and JD leave before sneaking from my room and out onto the terrace. Butler has left a plate of pasta for me, covered with a tin lid to keep it warm in the hopes that I might eat. My stomach growls at the scent of garlic and pesto, chipping away at my pathetic attempt at a hunger strike.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Taking my seat I lift the lid and dig in, stopping only long enough to breathe and drain a bottle of red wine. By the time I’ve finished I’m full and sleepy and enjoying the soft tingle of drunkenness as it spreads through me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Maybe that’s why I don’t hear the front door. I don’t hear the footsteps approaching me from behind. I don’t even hear his breath until I feel the weight of his hands on my shoulders, rubbing in gentle circles. “How you feelin’, Mas?” Vinny asks.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Relaxing back into the chair I look up, unable to keep the sour grin from my face. “Never better.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Releasing me he steps around the table, helping himself to a seat. “That’s not how I hear it. I hear you lay in bed all day feelin’ sorry for yourself”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">“Can you blame me?” I ash harshly, straightening in my chair.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">He’s still for a minute, then pulls the fedora off his head and plays with it in his hands. “I’m sorry about your ma, she was a fine lady.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">I snort, the booze in my belly making me bold. “She was a nut job and everyone knew it.” Now he looks up, his thin lips downturned at the edges, “She was good to me.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Signing I stand, helping myself to the crystal decanters on the tray. “She loved you like her own,” I offer gently as I pour myself a drink. “It’s the only thing she was good at, loving people. Wasn’t great at taking care of them, though.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">She’d tried to take care of Daddy at first. I know she always secretly hoped he’d change his ways, as if her love could make him a better man. But, as much as they may want to, people don’t really change. Time passes, choices are made, but we are who we are in the end.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">“Is there anything I can do?” he asks, twisting in his chair to look at me.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">I just hold up my glass, “This seems to be helping.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">Standing, he walks over, taking the glass from my hand and swallows back the contents in one gulp. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">“Never drink to feel better, Mas. That’s not how the stuff works.” I frown, pushing past him, “Don’t tell me what to do.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">He stops me, grabbing my arm and pulling me toward him until the tip of his crooked nose is touching my forehead, “I’m not gonna let you throw yourself away like she did.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">His words are sharp and they cut like glass.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">I shut my eyes against them, against the closeness of him, the heat radiating off his body, the smell of bourbon on his breath. Part of me demanding to push him away, the other part wanting to lose myself in him.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">“You left,” he continues, his tone accusatory. “You left so you wouldn’t have to watch—but I watched. I watched the light in her go out. I won’t watch that happen to you, Masie. I can’t. So you’re going to have to be strong. Because we need you. I need you. It’s awful dark here, Mas. We need you to be the light.”</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">The first tear slips from beneath my closed lids. Maybe it’s the desperation in his voice, or the fact that he’s right, but something in his words strikes me to the core. It’s tempting, far too tempting, to drink the pain away, to let it eat me from the inside out until there’s nothing left to hurt.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">But I can’t.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #cc0000;">I can’t be like my mother. I won’t.</span></div>
<br /> <br /><b><i>About the Author:</i></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDN2y2whkJ1IIrOD7WDWMVF34fxYmhyzReH3aH8Sg1oJeCRjJp_rF0jYF5dgxzkgnhn0KttNFb9t-LnhOdhvlcP76CjY_FdZDM9wDytWdmUjUusMiuTtgV0M4NzNk2T43jzOCSOhEHHic/s1600/cc3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDN2y2whkJ1IIrOD7WDWMVF34fxYmhyzReH3aH8Sg1oJeCRjJp_rF0jYF5dgxzkgnhn0KttNFb9t-LnhOdhvlcP76CjY_FdZDM9wDytWdmUjUusMiuTtgV0M4NzNk2T43jzOCSOhEHHic/s200/cc3.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Sherry is a full-time writer from Colorado and the author of over a dozen novels for teens and young adults including the best-selling Stolen Empire series. She can often be found browsing her local bookstore with a large white hot chocolate in one hand and a towering stack of books in the other. That is, unless she’s on deadline at which time she, like the Loch Ness monster, is only seen in blurry photographs.<br />Sherry also writes New Adult fiction under the pen name Ranae Glass and appears as a guest speaker at several conventions annually. You can find her at her official website, www.sherryficklin.com, or stalk her on her Facebook page www.facebook.com/sherry.ficklin. She is represented by <a href="http://firebrandliterary.co/">Nadia Cornier of Firebrand Literary</a>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><a href="http://sherryficklin.com/">Website</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/sherry.ficklin">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://twitter.com/authorsherry">Twitter</a></i></b></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-11073062628366668922016-11-28T05:00:00.000-06:002016-11-28T05:00:02.859-06:00Fated Destiny (A Crimson Tree Publishing Romance Anthology) Announcement<br />We have an exciting romance anthology coming soon from seven amazing authors!<br /><br /><b><i>FROM SEVEN AMAZING AUTHORS COMES…</i></b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<b><i>FATED DESTINATIONS: A ROMANCE COLLECTION</i></b></div>
</b><br /><a href="http://www.crimsontreepublishing.com/">Crimson Tree Publishing</a> is pleased to announce the upcoming release and cover reveal for FATED DESTINATIONS: A ROMANCE COLLECTION. This romantic boxed set will take readers across the World and possibly the Universe to multiple unique destinations. This set is scheduled for an exclusive Amazon onlyrelease on December 27, 2016. Readers who subscribe to Kindle Unlimited will be able to get this title for FREE on release day. If you don’t have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, don’t worry because Crimson Tree Publishing has an amazing pre-order and release day deal listing this boxed set at only $.99. Don’t miss out on this exciting deal with seven uniquely romantic tales by best-selling and award-winning authors.<br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N7BD28X"><b><i>PRE-ORDER ON AMAZON TODAY!</i></b></a></div>
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<b><i><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33133270-fated-destinations">ADD TO GOODREADS</a></i></b></div>
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<b><i>FATED DESTINATIONS: A Contemporary, Paranormal, and Science Fiction Romance Boxed Set</i></b></div>
<br /><i>Escape from the everyday with this set of 7 all-new travel-based romances from award-winning authors. These exciting stories span the globe (and beyond!) to spin tales of love and intrigue in exotic locations. Take a mental vacation today with the Fated Destinations box set.</i><br /><b><i>A Royal Problem by <a href="http://www.crimsontreepublishing.com/authors/julie-wetzel/">Julie Wetzel</a></i></b><br />Jessie is tasked with saving a set of jewels from pirates that attack her cruise ship. She jumps overboard and swims for shore, knowing only that she must find Lord Marcus at the majestic castle in Ospioria…<br /><br /><b><i>Mandatory Vacation by <a href="http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/authors/kelly-risser/">Kelly Risser</a></i></b><br />When workaholic Natalie Olsen is forced to take a vacation by her new boss, she books a cabana at the private island resort of Hibiscus Cay. But instead of relaxing, she finds herself intrigued by the handsome resort manager who seems to be hiding something…<br /><br /><b><i>Guide Me Gently by <a href="http://www.crimsontreepublishing.com/authors/peggy-martinez/">Peggy Martinez</a></i></b><br />Alyssa Monroe always dreamed of escaping to exotic locales as a photographer, so she’s thrilled as she sets off for Dasia Island. But only one guide is willing to take her deep into a forbidden forest… a sexy, tattooed local who sets her blood on fire and gets her camera finger itching.<br /><br /><b><i>Hawaiian Sunrise by <a href="http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/authors/melissa-j-cunningham/">Melissa J. Cunningham</a></i></b><br />Betrayed just before her wedding day, brokenhearted Jamie rents a bungalow on the beautiful island of Maui. Will the tour guide who shows her the island also be able to show her how to trust again?<br /><br /><b><i>Jessie’s Girl by <a href="http://www.crimsontreepublishing.com/authors/susan-harris/">Susan Harris</a></i></b><br />After she lost her mother to cancer, Maxine Fox threw herself into drugs, drink, and partying to cope with the loss. When she is expelled from her third school, her father decides to send her to a catholic private school in Ireland. But tattooed bisexual Max is probably not going to fit in easily…<br /><br /><b><i>Prisms by <a href="http://www.crimsontreepublishing.com/authors/kendra-l-saunders/">Kendra Saunders</a></i></b><br />The invitation was to a diplomatic peace ceremony on the desert planet of Quassdar. But Quassdar is also known for its steamy sex magick rituals, and it seems like Griffin may have gotten things a little bit mixed up…<br /><br /><b><i>Ashes Overboard by <a href="http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/authors/sandy-goldsworthy/">Sandy Goldsworthy</a></i></b><br />For graduation, Aubrey Sheppard’s fiancé gave her a dream Caribbean Cruise vacation. The only problem is, their relationship ended before the ship ever set sail. Now Aubrey—an inexperienced traveler—sets out alone, nervous and unsure. A shared cab ride introduces her to someone new, who’s also trying to move on with his life…<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-47876716441007116142016-10-24T07:00:00.000-05:002016-10-24T07:00:17.970-05:00The Lost Codex (The Collectors' Society #4) by Heather Lyons Teaser Blitz<div id="141" style="color: #241e1e; font-family: Verdana, Arial, "Microsoft Sans Serif"; font-size: 12.8px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />Today we are sharing some teasers for THE LOST CODEX by Heather Lyons. This is the 4th book in The Collectors' Society series and it will be released on November 7th. Pre-order for this title will be available soon. Be sure to check out the links for previous books in the series below.</span></span><span style="color: #3d3b3c; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="color: #3d3b3c; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span></h1>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f;"><b>✿ </b><b>THE LOST CODEX by Heather Lyons</b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #6aa84f;">(The Collectors’ Society, #4 / November 7, 2016)</span></b></div>
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<span style="text-decoration: underline;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Pre-order links will be available soon!</span></span></div>
<strong style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">BLURB:</span></strong><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;"> Allies, once inseparable, splinter until they break apart. An insidiousness carves its way through Wonderland, challenging the land’s very existence. Battle lines will be drawn as pages, long languishing in darkness, are finally illuminated. Swords will clash, blood will be spilled, and lives will be lost. For what is written can still be erased.</span></span></span></span></span></div>
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PURCHASE PREVIOUS BOOKS IN THE SERIES</div>
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<strong>THE COLLECTORS' SOCIETY Buy Links:</strong></div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/CollectorsSocietyUS" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Amazon US</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/CollectorsSocietyUK" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Amazon UK</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/CollectorsSocietyIBOOKS" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">iBooks</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/CollectorsSociety1KOBO" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Kobo</a></div>
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<strong>THE HIDDEN LIBRARY Buy Links:</strong></div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/HiddenLibraryUS" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Amazon US</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/HiddenLibraryUK" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Amazon UK</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/HiddenLibraryIBOOKS" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">iBooks</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/HiddenLibraryKOBO" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Kobo</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/HiddenLibraryNOOK" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Nook</a></div>
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<img alt="tcs_tfm_ecover" class="aligncenter wp-image- 20976" height="225" src="http://www.inkslingerpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/TCS_TFM_eCover.jpg" style="font-size: 12px;" width="150" /></div>
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<strong>THE FORGOTTEN MOUNTAIN Buy Links:</strong></div>
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<a href="http://bit.ly/ForgottenMountainUS" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Amazon US</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/ForgottenMountainUK" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Amazon UK</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/ForgottenMountainKOBO" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Kobo</a> | <a href="http://bit.ly/ForgottenMountainNOOK" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Nook</a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12px;">Heather Lyons is known for writing epic, heartfelt love stories often with a fantastical twist. From Young Adult to New Adult to Adult novels—one commonality in all her books is the touching, and sometimes heart-wrenching, romance. In addition to writing, she's also been an archaeologist and a teacher. She and her husband and children live in sunny Southern California and are currently working their way through every cupcakery she can find.</span></div>
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<strong>AUTHOR LINKS: </strong><a href="http://www.heatherlyons.net/" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/_heatherlyons" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a> | <a href="http://www.facebook.com/heatherlyonsbooks" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6552446.Heather_Lyons" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Goodreads</a> | <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/hymheather/" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Pinterest</a> | <a href="http://amzn.to/29oQIt2" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Amazon</a> | <a href="http://eepurl.com/2Lkij" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Newsletter</a></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-77376722694358671062016-10-24T05:00:00.000-05:002016-10-24T05:00:02.676-05:00Enchanted Souls (Saint's Grove #11) by Tia Silverthorne Bach Blog Tour (Creature-A-Day #1)<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3eidTmIdMD4/WAZDo14a5SI/AAAAAAAAL8k/98OoXpvCG94usEte6p6Mlu9Co3d3gphLQCLcB/s1600/Day1.jpg"><img border="0" height="148" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3eidTmIdMD4/WAZDo14a5SI/AAAAAAAAL8k/98OoXpvCG94usEte6p6Mlu9Co3d3gphLQCLcB/s400/Day1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Enchanted Souls</span></i></b><br />
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<b><span style="color: #8e7cc3;">by Tia Silverthorne Bach<br />A Saint’s Grove Novel, Book 11<br />Publication Date: 10/21/16</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x6g-D1JzSKk/WAZIR6iH8YI/AAAAAAAAL-Y/C1wFiOW8SyE4Z6KLSbH5zjNDn-YswsmkACLcB/s1600/ES.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x6g-D1JzSKk/WAZIR6iH8YI/AAAAAAAAL-Y/C1wFiOW8SyE4Z6KLSbH5zjNDn-YswsmkACLcB/s320/ES.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Two Souls Tethered. An Unbreakable Bond.<br /><br />A rare occurrence brings the planets into alignment, causing the seals that separate the universes to break. Lost souls search for home while two hearts that were shattered try to find their missing pieces.<br /><br />When Alyxandria Duvall meets Micah, sparks fly, and their hearts burst into flames. They welcome their daughter not long after; then Micah goes missing under mysterious circumstances, leaving a path of heartache, death, and destruction in his wake. Still, Fate has more in store for them.<br /><br />Galactic anomalies are propelling their lives toward their destinies. Light years separate them, but their souls gravitate toward one another. Can love overpower the universe’s boundaries? </span><br />
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<b>Buy Links:</b></div>
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<b><b><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Enchanted-Souls-Saints-Grove-Book-ebook/dp/B01L7XZ6UC/">Amazon</a> ~ <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/enchanted-souls-tia-silverthorne-bach/1124499714">B&N</a> ~ <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/enchanted-souls-a-saint-s-grove-novel">Kobo</a> ~ <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/enchanted-souls-saints-grove/id1149024626">iBooks</a> </b></b></div>
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<b><i>Welcome! To celebrate the release of Enchanted Souls, we are featuring a creature from the book every weekday from 10/24-10/31, including daily giveaways.</i></b></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YmQGirEKJT8/WAZEeB0VIqI/AAAAAAAAL-E/dZZrD5QbmFcP8yGTSqOP1YXER55ZaJyowCLcB/s1600/Werewolves.jpg"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-YmQGirEKJT8/WAZEeB0VIqI/AAAAAAAAL-E/dZZrD5QbmFcP8yGTSqOP1YXER55ZaJyowCLcB/s400/Werewolves.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>*******</b></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A-9WbZhyTzI/WAZEdu4bjpI/AAAAAAAAL-A/IqO6QLGKqOEy7_skgSwRbxh6WCBGdbQzACLcB/s1600/Available1.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-A-9WbZhyTzI/WAZEdu4bjpI/AAAAAAAAL-A/IqO6QLGKqOEy7_skgSwRbxh6WCBGdbQzACLcB/s400/Available1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g4_GZ0oextI/WAZEe6nkpNI/AAAAAAAAL-I/-iyuRuHH5KUDa96I85u-7plUp1XCKOq0gCLcB/s1600/Available2.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g4_GZ0oextI/WAZEe6nkpNI/AAAAAAAAL-I/-iyuRuHH5KUDa96I85u-7plUp1XCKOq0gCLcB/s400/Available2.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J0wjSg8oanY/WAZEfyTpTSI/AAAAAAAAL-M/23Az6XGZWjY2YlZtbI7utoKr4VLGF67PACLcB/s1600/Available3.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J0wjSg8oanY/WAZEfyTpTSI/AAAAAAAAL-M/23Az6XGZWjY2YlZtbI7utoKr4VLGF67PACLcB/s400/Available3.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>About the Author:</b></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hylO4GQ2_lY/WAZFneW3x6I/AAAAAAAAL-U/_tyYu-F3MQwIfgxR-2IeRPJq3vq4E8BoACEw/s1600/Tia%2B7.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hylO4GQ2_lY/WAZFneW3x6I/AAAAAAAAL-U/_tyYu-F3MQwIfgxR-2IeRPJq3vq4E8BoACEw/s200/Tia%2B7.jpg" width="133" /></a>Tia Silverthorne Bach has been married to her college sweetheart for twenty years, has three beautiful girls, and adores living in the breathtaking state of Colorado. Her daughters were born in Chicago, San Diego, and Baltimore; and she feels fortunate to have called many places home. She believes in fairy tales and happy endings and is an avid reader and rabid grammar hound. <br />
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She is an award-winning, multi-genre author and an Editor for Indie Books Gone Wild. From an early age, she escaped into books and believes they can be the source of healing and strength. If she’s not writing, you can find her on the tennis court, at the movies, reading a good book, or spooning Jif peanut butter right out of the jar.<br />
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<b><b>Connect with the Author:</b></b></div>
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<b><a href="http://www.tiabach.com/">Website</a> ~ <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tia.bach.author">Facebook</a> ~ <a href="https://twitter.com/Tia_Bach_Author">Twitter</a> ~ <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4456703.Tia_Silverthorne_Bach">Goodreads</a> ~ <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tia_bach_author/">Instagram</a> ~<a href="https://www.wattpad.com/user/tiabach">Wattpad</a> ~ <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Tia-Silverthorne-Bach/e/B004RGSL4K/">Amazon Author Page</a></b></div>
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<b>Sign up for her Author newsletter: <a href="http://eepurl.com/bif19P">http://eepurl.com/bif19P</a></b></div>
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Check out <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tia.bach.author">Tia Bach, Author</a> on Facebook for today’s creature giveaway.</div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z67RYVR6iHY/WAZD0E7P7OI/AAAAAAAAL9A/1vkdKd-4vjALxyOCn5dq2ewjLtCNZxNPQCLcB/s1600/Day1.jpg"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Z67RYVR6iHY/WAZD0E7P7OI/AAAAAAAAL9A/1vkdKd-4vjALxyOCn5dq2ewjLtCNZxNPQCLcB/s400/Day1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<b>HOSTED BY:</b></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsNDTqetFcg/VxPw9j_JPrI/AAAAAAAAKTY/GXLm1baaC64x0VS-u2PLvAVwHt6PLh5UQCPcB/s1600/Jaci%2BLogo.png"></a><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsNDTqetFcg/VxPw9j_JPrI/AAAAAAAAKTY/GXLm1baaC64x0VS-u2PLvAVwHt6PLh5UQCPcB/s1600/Jaci%2BLogo.png"><b><img border="0" height="110" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZsNDTqetFcg/VxPw9j_JPrI/AAAAAAAAKTY/GXLm1baaC64x0VS-u2PLvAVwHt6PLh5UQCPcB/s200/Jaci%2BLogo.png" width="200" /></b></a></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-67281217115678728972016-09-28T21:36:00.000-05:002016-09-28T22:14:15.232-05:00Searching for Answers in a Life Full of Questions (AKA Where the Hell Have I Been Part 2)Hello readers! Very long time, no talk.<br />
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No seriously, it's been so long since I drafted a blog post that I had to confirm my identity to Blogger. That's beyond embarrassing. Hello world! It's Ethan, and believe it or not, I am still alive. I'm writing today for the first time in... months. I've come to you today with some feels I've been holding in for quite some time that I'm ready to get out into the open. With explanation for my absence and for support from my tribe.<br />
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Nine months and two weeks ago, I posted a very important post entitled "<a href="http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogspot.com/2016/01/mandatory-where-hell-have-i-been-post.html">Mandatory 'Where the Hell Have I Been?' Post</a>". January 13, 2016 seems an entire lifetime away from me now. I just re-read that post and I can't even see the Ethan that wrote that post. He had such high hopes for this year. He was going to straighten up his ways and blaze a path, making 2016 his best year yet. He was struggling, but he was optimistic. He was confused, and saw darkness on his horizon, but he was determined to fight it.<br />
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Nine months and two week later, I now know that Ethan didn't survive the battle.<br />
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Life sunk its' claws into that Ethan. And broke him.<br />
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Physically.<br />
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Mentally.<br />
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Emotionally.<br />
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Nine months and two weeks later, I mourn the loss of that Ethan. The Ethan with an inkling of hope for 2016. The Ethan who thought the dark times had ended and the time for a new era was neigh.<br />
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Nine months and two weeks later, I'm here writing this post. Trying to answer life's most important question:<br />
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Who is Ethan Gregory?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSWQnYqJnKFuNhHetixJSAZQr5vQbYj0IsqgZzsQ6fx0UiraWCZalyIKCydumCtXpQMbehQD5D5GmF4pZ0JvhXXVJO2Hx4QZiEUmdiZ1N1hx0aSQyEI7HrjBgFPEpnU0ubx3fiq-ez8M/s1600/14522044_10153722521157471_1262773875_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSWQnYqJnKFuNhHetixJSAZQr5vQbYj0IsqgZzsQ6fx0UiraWCZalyIKCydumCtXpQMbehQD5D5GmF4pZ0JvhXXVJO2Hx4QZiEUmdiZ1N1hx0aSQyEI7HrjBgFPEpnU0ubx3fiq-ez8M/s200/14522044_10153722521157471_1262773875_o.jpg" width="112" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">For the record, this sexy mo-fo is Ethan Gregory.</td></tr>
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I've fought tooth and nail over the last year to answer that question. I've been broken beyond recognition and searched every part of my heart and soul to find myself. I've looked in every mirror and analyzed every moment looking for an answer. And still have come up empty. Or have I?<br />
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When I last wrote on my personal life, I was in a pretty dark place. Or, what I thought was a dark place. I was so burnt out on drama, on the book world, on life in general, that I thought I had hit rock bottom and the only place to go was up.<br />
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Then I fell into the sub basement. As I continued my descent into madness, I had to let go of the ties that were binding me to my old life. The first one was one of the strongest. The ties to one of my deepest loves and passions: the book world. As I mentioned in that post nine months ago, this blog and the book world have ruled my life for a very long time. I spent more time in front of a screen or my Nook working for someone else, that I forgot who I was. As mentioned before, I began to resent everything about this industry and honestly, nothing really changed.<br />
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The emails still continued to build up, the drama became more and more overbearing. The name calling, the snarkiness, the negative vibes coming from all corners of the arena. It became too much. Everything about the industry became too much for me to bear. Ethan was only one guy, trying to make a difference. But then something happened. I realized that no matter how hard I try, how much I stress, and no matter how many nights I stay awake wondering how I can change the industry: I can't. I'm but one person. I can't change the situation. I can only change the way I feel about the situation. I can change my outlook on life. And so I did.<br />
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I shrugged off the negativity. I found the root of the issue and I eradicated it from my life. I realized the only way for me to move on and find my footing again was to step back. Hardcord. Remove myself completely from the situation and then slowly find a way to fall back in love with the world that's saved me from the brink on more than one occasion. So I did. I quit.<br />
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I stopped accepting review requests. I resigned from my internship. I stopped reading. I turned off my email notifications. I backed out of several book events and conferences.<br />
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For the first time in years, I was free. And boy, was it liberating.<br />
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I lived life.<br />
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I embraced my life. For a few months, I was on cloud nine. My life was finally falling into place. I grew to a level of acceptance with my employment. I spent time exploring my life and finding what made me happy. I got to have fun. I went out, I made memories.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI9XCvP1-IQWbn74iRQ-rZwYkpAL1bYtg11FLtBFuw5GwsJaEyVI0pkR9FGgmEOa1E2g5J-zpZPjzCaoOP7xPX8BvRbRzrk_JZQIF5d67dRlpcix8o56-AgafJGkh_6fj4AaYXwD9Fh0/s1600/14466423_10153722526262471_1683000423_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRI9XCvP1-IQWbn74iRQ-rZwYkpAL1bYtg11FLtBFuw5GwsJaEyVI0pkR9FGgmEOa1E2g5J-zpZPjzCaoOP7xPX8BvRbRzrk_JZQIF5d67dRlpcix8o56-AgafJGkh_6fj4AaYXwD9Fh0/s200/14466423_10153722526262471_1683000423_o.jpg" width="160" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Third Eye Blind concert with Landon in March. This proved to be one of the most interesting nights of my life.Seriously. </td></tr>
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I explored the grey zone. That area between what I'd always considered taboo and wrong, and the white-picket-fence life I'd always aspired to have. I gave into life and let go. I allowed myself to experience things I'd only heard about. The kind of life you see on TV or read about in books. The kind of life where you fall asleep at night thankful and then wake up with a smile on your face ready to face it all again. Life was good. Life was great. 2016 was going to be my year.<br />
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I lived fully, never looking back or giving myself a reason to say no. I told myself to only say 'yes'. Don't think about the 'what ifs' or the 'how', just 'do it'. I made those kinds of life experiences you hope to one day tell your grandkids about. The kinds where you think 'what was I thinking?' but then laugh until you cry about the stories you can tell. I smile as I write this. I was feeling great. I've done the responsible adult thing for years. I got my degree(s), I worked hard. I was allowed a few months of fun, right?<br />
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I was, however, slightly weary.<br />
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When would life come crashing down? Could I really let myself be happy knowing that any day, it could come to a screeching halt? I tried not to worry. To live in the moment and take life as it came. I grew increasingly paranoid. I prayed I wouldn't sabotage my happiness. Every day was a blessing.<br />
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Until it wasn't.<br />
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Life gave me lemons.<br />
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Then the whole damn forest burnt down.<br />
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My life changed overnight. Literally. My high, all the carefree feelings I had? Everything changed when mortality and responsibility slapped me in the face so hard, I still feel the pain all this time later.<br />
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That cold night in February, after a night of questionable decisions and more stories, I got the call. The call that broke me in ways I didn't even know you could be broken. The night I almost said goodbye to someone very, very close to me. The night someone in my life made a snap decision that nearly ended theirs. The moment I realized that people in my life were suffering, way worse than me. Suffering in ways I still can't comprehend. Suffering in ways they didn't see a solution and there was only one way out.<br />
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I remember calling my best friend in the middle of the night, so ridiculously broken that I couldn't even speak right. I was inconsolable, scared, and without answers. I couldn't comprehend the decisions that were being made and I felt helpless to stop them.<br />
<br />
After a night of no sleep, I spent the next several days in the ICU, watching as that person fought for their life. You never know how fortunate you are until you see someone you've known your entire life hooked up to machines, not knowing if or when they'll leave the hospital the same person. I watched as not only I broke, but all of those around me. I was shattered. As they grew stronger, and eventually left the hospital and sought out help, I couldn't piece myself back together. I tried, but my 'high' on life was over.<br />
<br />
My entire mood changed, my outlook on life changed. Everything became a rush. Life was fleeting, and I was wasting mine. I had no direction, I didn't know what tomorrow held. I suddenly felt guilty for every moment of happiness I'd afforded myself as I shrugged my responsibilities. I resented myself and all the time I had wasted. I pulled away from the grey zone and flung myself clear into the darkness.<br />
<br />
The next months I spent barely able to pull myself out of bed in the mornings. If I wasn't working, I was sleeping. Or crying. I couldn't pull myself together. I don't know exactly what switch was flipped, but Ethan was gone. That voice in my head that told me to stay strong died. He was overpowered by voices of doubt, hatred, and fear. The needle on my moral compass spun so out of control, it flew into another orbit.<br />
<br />
I found the few things in life that tethered me to reality. And I held on. Through all the darkness, I held on. To those two people that saved me from the edge of destruction. They held me as I cried, checked on me every day. Ensured that they'd be here for me regardless of the situation. They never left me alone. Never judged, never prodded. They made sure I worked, slept, ate. I couldn't have made it. They reminded me I was loved. Reminded me I had a purpose. Introduced me to new habits and actions. They welcomed me into their lives with open arms. And sheltered me from further harm.<br />
<br />
JK Rowling said it best when she wrote:<i> <b>'Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and, above all those who live without love.'</b></i><br />
<i><br /></i>
I never had to live without love. In fact, I experienced love in ways I'd never felt before. I made sacrifices and after years of caring for others, I allowed someone to care for me. I let go of everything and for the first time focused on the only thing I could: myself. For the first time in nearly twenty-five years, I cared for myself.<br />
<br />
I fell and allowed my friends to care for me. I may as well have had a live-in nurse. Even now there are huge gaps in my memory. Long periods of time I don't remember. Things I've completely blocked from my memory. Anyone who knows me, knows I have somewhat of a photographic memory. I remember everything so this is a big deal for me.<br />
<br />
Much like Batman's escape from The Pit, it was a long journey, and it wasn't easy. It's so strange to be writing about this, but I fought as both my mind and body rebelled against me. I thought I was going crazy. The voices in my head, never ceasing. Constantly dragging me down. Becoming physically ill several times a day as I watched my life crumble, bit-by-bit each day. The voices tore at the walls around my psyche, eventually blasting through them. Effectively destroying the few things that made me, me.<br />
<br />
Having already given up the book world, I turned to my other passions: broadway, comics, film. Nothing would fill the void. Everything disappointed me. I begun to feel that I'd never be happy again.<br />
<br />
I watched as those around me, my friends and family dealt with huge life changes. Births, deaths, marriage, divorce. I watched it all through a window. Like a hazy fog. I couldn't even control my own emotions, how could I bring myself to care for theirs? I hated myself for pulling away from the friends who had been there for me, but I knew then (as I do now) that they not only understood, but applauded me for caring for myself.<br />
<br />
After months of sadness, I woke up one day and realized something had snapped. I'd done all the crying I could. I saw what my life had become and I couldn't face it anymore. I had to make a change. I was absolutely ashamed of what I was. So thus I jumped to yet another phase I didn't see coming. The one that would truly be the end of Ethan.<br />
<br />
Anger.<br />
<br />
As the depression took hold, I became more paranoid than ever. The voices in my head grew to a cacophony of such magnitude, I couldn't sleep. I talked to myself. Yelled at myself. I punished myself. I was my own worst enemy. And as such, I destroyed the pillars around me. I lashed out at my friends and family. Distancing myself from them in the most drastic of ways. I tore myself apart from anything and everything that didn't involve me being alone in the dark, attempting to fight the demons in my mind.<br />
<br />
It was months before I was able to find joy again. I honestly don't know that I smiled for weeks at a time. Between the sleeping pills and energy drinks, I was more zombie than human. I realized in an effort to save myself, I was slowly killing myself. I became sick. Disgustingly so. My body rebelled against me and my new lifestyle. I fought to control myself, but lost the battle. Terribly<br />
<br />
The level of fitness I was so proud of just months before, became a sickening reality. I couldn't eat. I shook all the time. I was pale and gaunt. In the span of six months, I lost eighty pounds. Some from diet and exercise, but most from my trials and depression. I'm so happy to say I've kept the weight off and I feel better than ever now, but it was not the ideal diet. I'll be the first to admit.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cxS8Z3x7rjuKE3wThMdIwP039OGg8CVXciRytmEHZK3KFfQPdzQ_FeN9gBvv0pBs3Ff19LUAhmU4HkFRhydJAD2abQe0NWYI1dOzbVWXyR34JZw1TpPcFZ4TN0BB2QBo8w9Izjzx9Q8/s1600/NewEthan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2cxS8Z3x7rjuKE3wThMdIwP039OGg8CVXciRytmEHZK3KFfQPdzQ_FeN9gBvv0pBs3Ff19LUAhmU4HkFRhydJAD2abQe0NWYI1dOzbVWXyR34JZw1TpPcFZ4TN0BB2QBo8w9Izjzx9Q8/s320/NewEthan.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crazy transformation right? May 2014 vs May 2016. Now I look even more different than the pic on the right!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I thought things could only get better after reaching rock bottom. I was wrong. I thought I had nothing else to lose. Life has a funny way of kicking you while you're down, doesn't she?<br />
<br />
April was the hardest month of my entire life. As long as I live, I think I may forever remember the last few weeks of April 2016 as being the hardest time of my life. It started out on a high note. I attended the Roanoke Author Invasion (hosted by one of my very best friends, the incredible Liz Long). It was my first book event of the year (after I had already bailed on three). I <i>needed </i>RAI. I needed the ten hour roadtrip and the weekend surrounded by my friends and the world I had loved. I needed it more than I could say. And it did wonders. I had an absolutely amazing time. I remembered why'd I'd turned to the book world and the security it provided me.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5m5odEZf4CQsLxtW8f6KquyeQnarR1Wc-6X8N7GvEBRRdFXdXQrQB-j_IDzXRRsOpInsVtzRYPWHehVZEIr6cVyGt_Gk1YP37loJ7yuuJlC5WtVWZ8KmiaX_BNtkYE7Gc6AlGW4RS9CE/s1600/RAIGroup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5m5odEZf4CQsLxtW8f6KquyeQnarR1Wc-6X8N7GvEBRRdFXdXQrQB-j_IDzXRRsOpInsVtzRYPWHehVZEIr6cVyGt_Gk1YP37loJ7yuuJlC5WtVWZ8KmiaX_BNtkYE7Gc6AlGW4RS9CE/s320/RAIGroup.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Roanoke Author Invasion with Liz Long, Jo Michaels, Tia Silverthorne-Bach, and P.M. Hernandez</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I left Roanoke feeling like a rockstar. Positive and ready to take life by the horns. I felt Ethan stirring to life for the first time in months and did whatever I could to revive him. My old life was there. Ethan was still inside me somewhere, I just needed to bring him out. I came home feeling better than I had in months,<br />
<br />
The last three weeks of April were.... trying. To say the very least.<br />
<br />
In those three short weeks, I managed to lose three of the most important people in my life. What little bit of heart and soul I had wouldn't make it to May. In a moment of clarity, I realized the only way to move forward in life was to make amends with those who I'd long blamed for my sorrows. And I tried. With explosive results.<br />
<br />
When you find yourself in a dark place, the worst thing you can do is surround yourself with others facing their own demons. You feed off one another. When I realized my darkness was being fed by another, I confronted the other and it didn't go well. I learned the hard way that you cannot help those who don't want help. Everyone has to heal at their own pace. As a result, I was forced to detach myself from one who I'd grown extremely close as they (literally) leapt from my life.<br />
<br />
While reeling from this, my second tragedy unfolded. My very best friend in life, the girl I've loved since the day we met, faced her darkest hour. The one person in my life who has always been my constant. My catalyst to life and reality, she lost one of the most important people in her life only a week before leaving for boot camp. Our last moments together were shrouded in sadness. Not only would she have to learn to live life with a part of her heart missing, I'd have to learn to live with a large part of mine leaving at a time when I couldn't even hardly live with myself. I did what I could to be there for her. To shield her from spiraling out of control as I had. Grief and loss were emotions I was becoming close to. Closer in ways I didn't even know existed. Barely having time to recover from her loss, fate ripped us apart. For six long weeks, I had to live without my best friend. It was pure hell. Thankfully she's out now and I'm more proud of her than I can put into words, but man. It was a rough time for us both.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8qsFCy6Vi3uiz2H9VYsqpymVnhHmrqfY5TZDsjdQgHLx3ljn1ErzwfeURZPeAK9y6cja9cRyNnZcy5jTBTqi_5rNiISmbnXrZADW04jue1hlf3LSHJUodXtI4asq3pPVdxYaibLuL40/s1600/HannahGrad.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU8qsFCy6Vi3uiz2H9VYsqpymVnhHmrqfY5TZDsjdQgHLx3ljn1ErzwfeURZPeAK9y6cja9cRyNnZcy5jTBTqi_5rNiISmbnXrZADW04jue1hlf3LSHJUodXtI4asq3pPVdxYaibLuL40/s320/HannahGrad.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah's Navy Boot Camp Graduation June 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
With the absence of Hannah and the loss of my friend, I found April ending and leaving me in the darkest place yet. Sad and angry. I held fast to one of the only people I had left in life. I poured every ounce of emotion into one vessel and fell into our friendship so hard, we truly became two parts of the same person. Anyone who has experienced a friendship this deep knows how it feels. Words cannot describe the feeling of growing so close to someone. The kind of friendship that 'makes the bad and cold days have light and warmth'. The kind of relationship where the love is so strong, you know it's unhealthy. Love isn't always a physical manifestation, and in my experience emotional relationships are so much more trying than the physical ones.<br />
<br />
They also end much more violently.<br />
<br />
My mother is a pretty interesting lady. Most of my friends have heard my various 'Melissa-stories'. While we may not get along all the time, I have more respect for her than I can put into writing. The one thing I'll always carry with me is the mantra she's lived by my entire life. The philosophy she's instilled in me that I've learned this year to be more true than most anything I know: 'you can't help who you fall in love with'. Your heart and soul are drawn to who they are and there's truly little-to-nothing you can do about it.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkXV1mbsLjaVBIeQ4_fR2kB5gPH-3a1uCCge5gbPtAjOFzZYYubfppFER_DmW53Z58yCvUyKPVIHQElObUpSXKnuD_qauPDI_nFZd6stfxz8uLN2XkUPe4jS6K_WedzF1uU_i9jLdSTE/s1600/family.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUkXV1mbsLjaVBIeQ4_fR2kB5gPH-3a1uCCge5gbPtAjOFzZYYubfppFER_DmW53Z58yCvUyKPVIHQElObUpSXKnuD_qauPDI_nFZd6stfxz8uLN2XkUPe4jS6K_WedzF1uU_i9jLdSTE/s320/family.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melissa (Mom) and Austin (brother). Just for reference. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
But that being said, sometimes your heart and mind disagree. When I found myself in a position I shouldn't have, I made brash decisions that left me questioning my entire existence up to this point. After much soul searching, my mind overpowered my heart and decided I wasn't in a good place. It was right, of course. But the break I'd have to make would be anything but clean.<br />
<br />
Tearing yourself away from your one source of protection is one of the hardest things I've ever done. I literally felt as though I'd ripped my soul in two. Ethan came back to life in a way that didn't come from strength, but desperation. I needed him back as he was all I had left. The light, the dark, the grey. It was all ripped from me. My heart was shattered in more pieces than I could ever hope to put back together. I was blinded.<br />
<br />
My life had no light. No direction. I fell. Spiraled into a darkness I never knew existed. Everything about this reality was a living hell. The very air I breathed depressed me.<br />
<br />
I tore myself away from any vestiges of my former life. Vowing to spend some time alone. Finding myself. Knowing I could never be happy until I learned to love myself and stopped depending upon others for my own happiness. Much like Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde, Old Ethan and New Ethan were inside of me, leaning upon one another, struggling for their very existence. I never knew who I'd see when I looked into the mirror. I didn't know who I was, but each day I grew both weaker and stronger.<br />
<br />
Over the next several months, life was a roller coaster of emotions. I didn't feel comfortable anywhere and nothing I did seemed right. I always felt like I was missing *something*. A huge chunk of my heart and soul were missing and no matter what I did, I never felt whole.<br />
<br />
With some friends, I managed to attend several awesome events that have become a staple in my life. Planet Comicon (for the fourth year running) was an incredible experience. I met Stan Lee. Well... waved at Stan Lee, but he DID wave back. My partner in crime, Christina Marie (you guys all know who she is) and I really tore up the town and lived the Comicon experience to the fullest.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01-oGTSNwq1-5JYlXhKJKrrhsAhkVbPo42Ey6p-gOTpVtd3DWAyfbL3EpIswl4lRCc_8pX4TASI3WH2tapygGJDXlY15hx30i_QX1-yQyQy_LIsZjvf5fnsoSL1Kb6t6Y2nwIypKYPjo/s1600/13221473_10105574726360506_6228167822436269722_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi01-oGTSNwq1-5JYlXhKJKrrhsAhkVbPo42Ey6p-gOTpVtd3DWAyfbL3EpIswl4lRCc_8pX4TASI3WH2tapygGJDXlY15hx30i_QX1-yQyQy_LIsZjvf5fnsoSL1Kb6t6Y2nwIypKYPjo/s320/13221473_10105574726360506_6228167822436269722_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Planet Comicon with Christina Marie May 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
The next month I sunk my claws into UtopiaCon for the 3rd time where I was an invited guest. I spoke on a panel regarding book blogging to a packed house alongside four other industry professionals I have the deepest of respect for. It was a week full of lasting memories alongside more friends, but most definitely a rough week for me mentally. I was so glad to have such an awesome support system on hand while I continued to live my dreams. I met so many amazing folks and reconnected with even more old friends. It was a week of ups and downs for me, but in the end, I cherish the memories I made and the experiences I had.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPGnofVlfZmeuxu2pmR2CLXuNSg24Y8P4i7KVQ2WSFF8CZsJGdXW51uUrKRFAWqJmDeDbXJlnXDiqd-n6K8j6R1ObZPtnQSWiHEdJnV__t3034sduJZc3V2Hob7BowQ3_iC7DpqPLvRc/s1600/UtopiaPanel.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIPGnofVlfZmeuxu2pmR2CLXuNSg24Y8P4i7KVQ2WSFF8CZsJGdXW51uUrKRFAWqJmDeDbXJlnXDiqd-n6K8j6R1ObZPtnQSWiHEdJnV__t3034sduJZc3V2Hob7BowQ3_iC7DpqPLvRc/s320/UtopiaPanel.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UtopiaCon 2016: I was on a panel! People came to hear ME talk! Can you imagine?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
They say bad things come in threes, and unfortunately I found this to be true. In August, my third trial came. I lost my grandmother. My father's mother. She and I were close and her passing really took its' toll on me. In a year full of loss, I hated to experience more, yet I was glad to know she was no longer suffering. My grandma was an incredible woman and was taken from us very suddenly, with little warning. That being said, I am still incredibly thankful for the time I got to spend with her. Many of you saw my memorial to her as I wrote my feelings towards her passing. As a result of that post, at my family's request, I gave the eulogy at Grandma's funeral. Sharing my thoughts with her friends and our family. It was an honor to pay homage to someone who has so special in my life.<br />
<br />
My life that, as you can see, had been trampled upon. 2016 has not been kind to me.<br />
<br />
Throughout the remainder of the summer, I worked even harder to maintain a balance, but eventually had to come to a hard decision.<br />
<br />
I needed help.<br />
<br />
It was clear to me that this wasn't just a rough patch I was going through, and I needed the assistance of a professional. After consulting with friends and family, I sought out professional help for my... problems (if you can't tell yet, I <i>hate</i> the 'D' word. I deplore putting labels on anything!) After some hard conversations with my doctor, we planned a course of action and together found a treatment that best fit my lifestyle.<br />
<br />
Treatment hasn't been easy, but effective nonetheless.<br />
<br />
Eventually I regained my independence. It's an odd feeling to feel so alone, even when you know you never have to be. I isolated myself. Allowing only the closet members of my inner circle to know anything of what I was experiencing. I talked, they listened. Many offering kind words of encouragement, some listening to me cry, some silent as they just allowed me to vent. I slowly came to realize that the one I once called my worst enemy, was actually my closest ally.<br />
<br />
Myself.<br />
<br />
Ethan.<br />
<br />
He was in there this whole time. He just needed a break I guess. I still haven't figured out exactly what went wrong. I haven't figured out where he went for all these months when I needed him more than ever. I realized that I didn't hate him. And he didn't hate me. I was proud of him.<br />
<br />
Ethan is strong. Intelligent. Hardworking. Ethan has two degrees. Speaks three languages. Has read more literature than he can count. Loves deeply, lives fully. Has an incredible family, and Avi. Ethan has an Avi! What isn't to love about Ethan? I realized that all the things I hated about myself. All the insecurities I'd faced were actually what made me strong. <b><i>What makes us special, makes us strong</i>.</b><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7X4r9yg8pA7dY_rCAZiKe5AOsFa0AaBkmtpN3Y0JlqHQb3N9XXDkyhmyHruqNtKXIqHLZFh98TxxJd5B4ADss-Z1zSkdL4bjN6ybkoTIVrEv8x8o97a8JccapVcNgWiO8dh02jjrt3M/s1600/14375183_10153722525292471_913160191_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil7X4r9yg8pA7dY_rCAZiKe5AOsFa0AaBkmtpN3Y0JlqHQb3N9XXDkyhmyHruqNtKXIqHLZFh98TxxJd5B4ADss-Z1zSkdL4bjN6ybkoTIVrEv8x8o97a8JccapVcNgWiO8dh02jjrt3M/s200/14375183_10153722525292471_913160191_o.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I have an Avi. Best pig ever. Seriously. Look at that face. Forreal. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I didn't need to lose Ethan. I needed to love Ethan. I needed to accept Ethan. I needed to embrace Ethan.<br />
<br />
And so I did.<br />
<br />
It wasn't easy. In fact, it was probably one of the hardest things I have ever done in my entire life. To fall in love with myself again. To allow myself to open myself up to feelings and emotions, to love again. To live again.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwzui6o4Smw-pEqAFOeFQMV3IyCOMqxRqfc77b0Ycui9PTAGK1MuOx10xlIfMs6HZHXOF1d7nQNR6Mo02HKoYjzpoJ-VxgfArF_6sj_llDtodihJZvm-EoV7QvCJunKpLM_GS8WEKM_4/s1600/14536820_10153722525912471_707198875_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhwzui6o4Smw-pEqAFOeFQMV3IyCOMqxRqfc77b0Ycui9PTAGK1MuOx10xlIfMs6HZHXOF1d7nQNR6Mo02HKoYjzpoJ-VxgfArF_6sj_llDtodihJZvm-EoV7QvCJunKpLM_GS8WEKM_4/s320/14536820_10153722525912471_707198875_o.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because what's not to fall in love with? I mean have you seen me ? Come on. Damn. The sticker says it all. Oh and Lindsey is alright looking too, I guess. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I watched and stood beside one of my best friends as he married the love of his life. I was surprised to learn I've got a niece/nephew on the way in the form of a pregnant best friend. I've fallen back into a comfortable groove at work, where I'm excelling beyond anything I have ever done before. I've made new friends. Friends who I can text at any time and say 'put on pants, we're going on an adventure'. And they don't question my motives. They join my parade of crazy and we have adventures that leave me filled with joy again. I've opened my heart yet again. I'm ready to love life. I'm ready to accept change and have the courage to accept the things I cannot.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMDJVQPohxcN3rSu_6abecXTdzKrfMe30o6WZMr0RbPtMFYU7KZX5WtfA7K9r13720JSi6D505VhUAdz8QSVT7AzU7uJTmmYMbafMe6G44RNZd31w4Vvl0fdCN4n4iRrr1hCgF_pOxHU/s1600/kokowedding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYMDJVQPohxcN3rSu_6abecXTdzKrfMe30o6WZMr0RbPtMFYU7KZX5WtfA7K9r13720JSi6D505VhUAdz8QSVT7AzU7uJTmmYMbafMe6G44RNZd31w4Vvl0fdCN4n4iRrr1hCgF_pOxHU/s320/kokowedding.jpg" width="176" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Koko's Wedding (August 13, 2016)</td></tr>
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I've reconnected with the ones I've lost. Well, some of them. It's going to be rocky, but I know that one of the biggest parts of being happy is learning to let go of the past. While things may never work out quite how we sometimes want them to, so long as we have good intentions and a positive outlook, I strongly believe it's worth trying. Love is the strongest of all emotions, and with love on your side, you really cannot lose. Love trumps hate. Hate is hard. Hate hurts. Hate will eat at your soul until there's nothing left. I've learned that you have to forgive others. It's been a struggle for me, but I've come to accept many different facets of my life and that's been a huge one.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TbZm6ZnenFnneMPAwwryQzWBh_YWVovoQrDsaK104pyVs21cP1oPlcEL9sR9go6FU-swy3UYTSYQCWjYiATl7_v6Hz98UpX2etIicWX9WWLmezkkA23YzWnDo3PjeoyalHMWmIc1MM0/s1600/14536503_10153722519122471_1314934086_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5TbZm6ZnenFnneMPAwwryQzWBh_YWVovoQrDsaK104pyVs21cP1oPlcEL9sR9go6FU-swy3UYTSYQCWjYiATl7_v6Hz98UpX2etIicWX9WWLmezkkA23YzWnDo3PjeoyalHMWmIc1MM0/s320/14536503_10153722519122471_1314934086_o.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Head Broseph Jordan and I (Sept 2016) </td></tr>
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Slowly but surely, I found Ethan again. Together we did things Ethan loved. I reconnected with nature. I reconnected with old friends. Friends that Ethan had. Friends that Ethan loved and who loved Ethan before he turned into someone who didn't recognize his reflection. He reconnected with life.<br />
<br />
And then guess what happened? I fell in love with Literature. AGAIN.<br />
<br />
I'm not back to 100%. Not by a long shot. In fact, to be honest, I don't think I'll ever again go back to the constant level of book worlding I was doing. To be honest, the idea of writing reviews makes my skin crawl, but I do have several to do. The past couple of months, I have started reading on the regular. I've ready about 30 novels this summer. Some amazing new works by my favorite authors and a few of my all time favorites to remind me why I fell in love with the written word. I'm getting away from the things I feel like I 'have' to do and finally working on things I 'want' to do. I'm working with fewer people and not taking on so many large projects, but Ethan FINALLY started getting back into the swing of things.<br />
<br />
I'm still here.<br />
<br />
I'm still fighting.<br />
<br />
Trying each and every day to see the positives in life. Coming to terms with both of the beings living inside me. Old Ethan and New Ethan, finding a symbiotic balance inside my mind. Allowing me to fully embrace both my light and dark sides. And coming to terms with that being okay.<br />
<br />
Because it is okay.<br />
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Nobody is perfect. Life is messy<br />
<br />
Love is messy.<br />
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I don't know my place on this Earth quite yet. I know that sometimes we go through rough patches. I know that it's okay to ask for help. I actually consider it quite brave to realize you've reached a certain point and be able to say 'I can't do this on my own anymore'. And finding the help you need. Life shouldn't be dreaded. We only get one.<br />
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Ethan's not completely healed yet. But he's on the mend. As for the rest of me, I'm working to face my demons. I'm still looking out for number one, but I've learned more in the last year than I ever learned in 22 years of schooling. Life isn't measured in moments of victory and triumph, it's measured in the moments you find yourself in the face of adversary and how you rise to the occasion. It's not about proving yourself to others, it's about finding your own sense of well-being and self-worth.<br />
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It took me 25 years to learn that the key to my success and happiness isn't going to be found on a piece of paper. A fancy car, home, or six-figure salary. It's inside me. It's been inside me all along. It's in the faces of those I love. In those I trust. In my family whom I love dearly and who believe and support me. In my friends who never turned their backs on me. Who never told me to 'get over it'. Who never shunned me.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhR2hO_lJPUKca15nbkOVWV3TqpkWbrX1r0YuIZlDcO_ToMoTX2mKc-ai0Jcv9r9fdYzV6rQZMVXmxtS6Zo-P8GCqKZqfe_W3izmsjz1kIuThn9Xz9e4Hu6zmZDVRqzZO-9FGgurjZlGk/s1600/funkos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhR2hO_lJPUKca15nbkOVWV3TqpkWbrX1r0YuIZlDcO_ToMoTX2mKc-ai0Jcv9r9fdYzV6rQZMVXmxtS6Zo-P8GCqKZqfe_W3izmsjz1kIuThn9Xz9e4Hu6zmZDVRqzZO-9FGgurjZlGk/s320/funkos.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh I lied. The key to happiness is Funkos. Straight up. I've got well over 200 of these little bastards floating around. I channeled <i>a lot</i> of my energy and emotions into collecting these little guys this year. Time and money well spent, right? I also do Funko photography now.... it's a thing. Go check out my Instagram accounts at <a href="https://www.instagram.com/egrgry/">@egrgry</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/pigandpops/">@pigandpops</a>!</td></tr>
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Even those who broke me, helped me in the end. I won. I'm winning. Life isn't a game, but dammit, I'm out to win. I'm not in it for fame and fortune, but I am here to stay. I'm not giving up.<br />
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I don't know what tomorrow holds. I really don't, and that's okay. I have spent my entire life fearing the unknown. Allowing my anxiety to shape me into something unhealthy. Never able to accept what I cannot see. It's bizarre to say, but actually enjoy spontaneity now. I like not knowing where life may take me next. I love the random adventures I find myself taking, and I'm loving the new memories I'm making each and every day.<br />
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This year has sucked. I mean woah holy hell. It's been horrible. But it's finally looking up. And I mean it this time. In three weeks, I turn twenty-five. I'm a quarter of a century old. I'm nowhere close to where I wanted to be at age 25, but you know what? That's okay.<br />
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I had a bucket list. Things I wanted to accomplish before I hit this milestone, and believe it or not, I've hit several of them. I've missed a few opportunities that I'm still kicking myself for, but 25 sure isn't the end, it's just the beginning. I survived childhood, my teens, and my New Adulthood. It's smooth sailing from here on out, right?<br />
<br />
Right? Right.....<br />
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Kidding. Kidding.<br />
<br />
But let's be honest, now that I've gotten my quarter-life crisis out of the way, maybe the mid-life one won't be so horrible. What's going bald if you get a motorcycle out of it, right? (*prays biggest problems at 45 are going bald and wanting a motorcycle*)<br />
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I've thrown a couple of quotes in here already to describe my place in life right now, but I'd like to share another quote from one of my closest friends and confidantes, Bestselling Author Sherry D. Ficklin. This quote touched me from the day I read it and I've never related so closely with a character as I did hers in this moment:<br />
<br />
<i><b>"I have made mistakes that I will never be able to atone for, and I have allowed myself to be selfish in ways you might never understand. I’m not proud of my choices, but neither would I retract a single one."</b></i><br />
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The funny thing is that no matter how much I love that quote, I'm not sure I completely agree with it anymore. I <i>am</i> proud of myself for the choices I made. I pulled myself away and protected myself at a time when life could have taken a very different direction. While I wish I could alter some decisions, I no longer consider them mistakes of my past, but stepping stones on the path of where and who I am today. </div>
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Friends and family, I implore you. Don't give into the darkness. Live your life to the fullest and without regrets. Don't ever be ashamed to seek guidance and never be too embarrassed to say "I need help". There is always someone out there who can help. Don't be afraid to live, and certainly never be afraid to love.</div>
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But above all: love yourself. Claim yourself. Don't live in the grey zone.</div>
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Embrace the light.</div>
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Embrace the dark.</div>
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Embrace you.</div>
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Defy the conventions of society and 'do you'. </div>
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As written in my favorite novel, <i>Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West</i> by Gregory Maguire: </div>
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<i><b>“Remember this: Nothing is written in the stars. Not these stars, nor any others. No one controls your destiny.”</b></i></div>
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Hug your loved ones folks. Never miss an opportunity to share your love and spirit with the world. The world in which we live would truly be a better place if we could all do our part to leave it just a little more positive than we found it. </div>
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I thank you all for your kind words, love, and your support this year. I never would have made it through it without you. Ethan is here to stay and getting stronger each and every day. I thank the heavens above for every breath I get to take, Thank you to my family for supporting me and helping me to get the help I needed. Thank you to my brothers and sisters (both biological and not) for being here for me. For giving me strength at a time I had none. Thank you to my colleagues and book world peeps for all the love and messages, reminding me that I am never alone. </div>
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I'm healthier than I've ever been and I'm working to make 25 the best year of my entire life. </div>
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I've got some huge changes on the horizon that I'm keeping under my hat for the time being, but I know so long as I keep the faith, everything is going to work out in the end. </div>
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As for the book world? Don't worry, I'm here. Maybe in a smaller, more intimate capacity, but I'm here nonetheless. I'll start reviewing again, but until that day, I'm here. Reading. Listening. And loving every second. For the first time in a <i>very</i> long time.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaVkCxa8TjhMQ0BC3fN8SwFyLzxgon0gEt5LeFBjd8MMwpSIjlCIpW5akYfGb1A55z_6BWdKrqN1f5-vj_cedtAkQAT6i7h4dbmO074TWwYs6N6b0vLiK7FW5VMyOluV3aF2bFzraaDg/s1600/14522535_10153722554362471_1807663832_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWaVkCxa8TjhMQ0BC3fN8SwFyLzxgon0gEt5LeFBjd8MMwpSIjlCIpW5akYfGb1A55z_6BWdKrqN1f5-vj_cedtAkQAT6i7h4dbmO074TWwYs6N6b0vLiK7FW5VMyOluV3aF2bFzraaDg/s320/14522535_10153722554362471_1807663832_o.jpg" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Because eventually I just realized. Some days you gotta put on your robe and beard, grab your fake wand and be a wizard. Because life's too short to be anything less... than a wizard. I'm a 25 year old man in a costume. Your point?</td></tr>
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It's going to take time and I know there'll be good days and bad, but each day I get stronger, and I know deep down, I'm ready to face the next chapter of my life with excitement and open arms. </div>
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Here's to you 2016: you may have kicked me down, but you taught me more than I would have ever imagined. </div>
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God Bless.</div>
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Until next time, Happy Reading!</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">-Ethan</span></i></b></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-47373196529412777882016-08-20T05:00:00.000-05:002016-08-20T05:00:29.656-05:00The Harvest Saga by Casey L. Bond Book Blitz <div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: #3d3b3c; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Title: The Harvest Saga Box Set</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Author: Casey L Bond</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: #e06666;">Genre: YA Dystopian</span></b></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: #e06666;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">Hosted by: </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ladyambersreviews.blogspot.com/" style="font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;">Lady Amber’s PR</a></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Blurb: </span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Reap (Book 1): The remnants of the United States of America have been divided.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">From five enormous, technologically- advanced cities, the Greaters rule over the Lessers. In the Lesser village of Orchard, things are not as perfect as Abby Kelley thinks they are. When the apple harvest draws near and the Greater’s engineered fruits become too much for one village to handle alone, reinforcements from neighboring villages are called upon.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Having to choose between her best friend, whom she has no romantic feelings for, and mysterious newcomer Crew, Abby finds herself in the middle of a harvest that she had no intention of becoming a part of. She becomes involved in a situation that threatens the strict rule of the Greaters, and just might give the Lessers hope for a better tomorrow. But, can she help the Lessers without losing Crew? And if she chooses Crew, will she lose her best friend?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Resist (Book 2): Abby Kelley returns home from the Greater city of Olympus to find that things in Orchard Village are bad, very bad. The Olympian Guard has taken over village affairs. The Lessers are being worked to the bone in the coldest winter Orchard has seen. Villagers are being dragged away for the slightest indication of what they call “resistance.” She needs to keep her head down and her mouth shut. But, it’s so hard to do when everything within you screams rebellion.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Kyan is coming on strong, trying to convince her to take a chance on him. Shocking news of Crew’s activities in Olympus sweeps through the Villages. When Abby is taken away by the Olympian guard, Kyan sends word to Vesuvius for help. But, no one could have predicted their idea of help or what they might expect in return.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Who will be left to pick up the pieces of Abby’s heart?<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Reclaim (Book 3): The Greaters have ruled over the Lessers since The Fall. They’ve taken Abby’s family. They’ve taken her friends. They’ve taken her hostage and threatened the villages.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Enough is enough. Freedom is worth fighting for. Love is worth dying for.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">And the Lessers are done taking orders from the Greaters.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">Reclaim…the epic conclusion of the award- winning Harvest Saga.</span><b style="color: #3d3b3c;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtio44Zl9ejmaO1nX9lrjznIyaPIqMECFhy0VdxSzqbumtrdFXNGoUQhdzppRC40zBCohHk4GPfBCLiRa8zcZu5CYq-egy7nJ9JqPmtZ4xfEVYgQAeCrHnHbAK-_NPVr36bCZoiyd9Fzx/s1600/Casey+L+Bond.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; color: #883afc; float: right; font-family: arial, monospace; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEtio44Zl9ejmaO1nX9lrjznIyaPIqMECFhy0VdxSzqbumtrdFXNGoUQhdzppRC40zBCohHk4GPfBCLiRa8zcZu5CYq-egy7nJ9JqPmtZ4xfEVYgQAeCrHnHbAK-_NPVr36bCZoiyd9Fzx/s200/Casey+L+Bond.jpg" style="border: none;" width="127" /></a><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #e06666;">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: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">If you love The Harvest Saga, you can vote for the series to be made into a television show or film! You can nominate actors and choose your dream cast! </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.iflist.com/stories/reaptheharvestsaga" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.iflist.com/stories/reaptheharvestsaga</a></span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<i><span style="color: #e06666;"><b style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;">A SLAM JOLTED ME OUT</span></b><span class="apple-converted- space" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">of my slumber. Another bang echoed in the front of the cabin, and footsteps hurried to my door. I didn’t know how long I’d slept, or if it was still daylight, but I was still tired and wanted to retreat back into the sweet abyss again. My door opened, and I turned my head to see my aunt standing in the doorway.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">“What happened, Abby?” She rushed over.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I tried to push myself up, but my back was so stiff. The skin even felt stiff. How was that possible? I winced.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">“Stay down. Let me see.” She gingerly lifted the back of Ky’s shirt and peeked underneath. The fabric slowly peeled away from my skin where the bandages Evelyn had applied didn’t quite reach, or had shifted, and it felt like part of the wounds tore open again. A hiss escaped from between my teeth at the same time a curse flew from her lips.<o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">“Evelyn sent more salve. She said that your body would absorb part of it and that more would have to be packed in.” Lulu helped me sit up and, one by one, I unbuttoned the shirt and again pried it away from my back. The only portion not torn to shreds from the fifteen lashes was the part my bra had covered; although, by the last lash, it only hung on by a thread.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">“Evelyn came to the depot. She said you’d been injured and gave me the medicine and salve. I had no idea. Did Norris do this?”</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">All I could do was nod.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Lulu took my shirt as I laid back down on my stomach and tried to remain as still as possible while she packed my wounds. Having left the room, I could hear her banging around in the kitchen before she returned with a steaming mug containing more of the special tea. I gulped it down, hoping it would help numb the pain like it had before. When my head hit the pillow, I fell asleep almost immediately.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Something was touching my face, caressing my cheek. The skin that brushed mine was rough, hardened by the work we all shared.<span class="apple-converted-
space"> </span>Am I dreaming?<span class="apple-converted- space"> </span>I waited, trying to see if it was real or part of a dream. Whichever it was, it was nice, comforting.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">Rough fingertips moved over the parts of my back that weren’t split open and packed with gunk. I sucked in a breath and held it. It was real. I moved my head and saw his silhouette against the candlelight flickering in from the kitchen and living room. “Ky?” My voice was raspy and barely sounded like my own. Sleep and exhaustion filled every chord.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">“Shh. I’m here.” Suddenly, I was very aware I was lying shirtless on my bed. Even though I was on my stomach, that didn’t help me feel any less naked in front of my best friend—who happened to be a member of the male species—a very fine specimen according to my girlfriends.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">I knew he was handsome. I wasn’t blind. But I didn’t see him like that. He’d dated many of my friends and was getting ready to marry Paige Winters after the harvest was complete and the orchards picked bare. His fingertips traced the intact skin between my shoulder blades, and I tensed under his touch.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">He’d kissed my head and temple and hugged me more times than I could count, but that was different; it was more intimate. His touch was delicate, gentle compared to his normal strength, and anything but playful. “Ky?”</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">He didn’t answer. His fingers explored my back, careful not to stray too close to the wounds streaking across my skin. “Kyan?”</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"> </span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">“Shut up, Abby. Just let me... Just shut up.” He’d never talked to me like that. His voice was raspy, and he’d never, ever told me to shut up before. So I did. I wasn’t sure why. He shouldn’t have been touching my skin. Shouldn’t have been caressing the good parts left; but, sitting with me in the dark, he was doing exactly that, and I was allowing it.</span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"></span></span></i></div>
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<b style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><i><span style="color: #e06666;">Copyrighted 2014 Casey L. Bond</span></i></span></b><span style="color: #3d3b3c; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><o:p></o:p></span><span style="color: #3d3b3c; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"></span></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-32092213379816447152016-08-18T16:22:00.000-05:002016-08-18T16:22:56.694-05:00Heroes of Arcania: Unbreakable by Liz Long Review <span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Hey readers! Ethan here on this very special Thursday with another review for you all. Today is the release day for the final novel in an incredible new series that's taking Summer 2016 by storm. The latest release from one of my all-time favorite authors. I'm so pumped to share my thoughts. On the chopping block today? </span><i style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Heroes of Arcania: Unbreakable </i><span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">by Liz Long! Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and out author:</span><br style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;" /><span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: arial, tahoma, helvetica, freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">True heroes refuse to be broken.</span><div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br />Nova started the fight against Fortune for simple revenge, but now it’s turned into something much bigger. Arcania’s criminals are at each other’s throats, putting the city right in the middle of a warzone. She’ll have to work with a few unlikely allies to end Fortune’s games once and for all. Nova thought she understood what it meant to be a superhero, but will she have to lose herself to truly defeat Fortune? <br /><br />Fortune has given Cole a choice, one with unbearable consequences. When Cole takes matters into his own hands to save his sister Penelope, he realizes too late he’s another pawn in Fortune’s games. Fortune will use Cole’s gift against his enemies…including Nova. Cole will have to become the hero he always wanted to be if he’s going to protect the love of his life. <br /><br />Nova and Cole could finally save Arcania from Fortune’s deadly games, but are they willing to sacrifice each other?</span><div class="separator" style="background-color: #141414; clear: both; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30296890-unbreakable"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMV1mr5xJNs5kTy3FdDIn-IbylzdqllFONVxC3Bfy7T6RHdB_Z4SrXF_zTqFUoglBXiuRCxn4YMxw1ZZTV92NRswuDyyOpv2sELOu22Ty8J_OUEf5GelIdaXic7_r1l2tkHWh1KdU9YM/s1600/add_to_goodreads.png" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Unbreakable-Heroes-Arcania-Liz-Long-ebook/dp/B01FWBCAXQ/ref=pd_sim_351_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&refRID=A0C73XYR6TG35C0H5KJW"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GrmYIB90SCxv03oxIUCPnt9AfbGq8wgSC2a8-THFOYbyPlYEQ3s6qIjzB7NusiXDowGkcGgmbskhmvCp28cxYb9kitUCpZp3QDp6u-4Uqhq7u2z34AHMpQPULIxT8pc7ts3jZO_SxHY/s1600/Amazon+Button.png" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">About the Author:</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://lizclong.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/dsc_0089.jpeg" style="clear: left; color: #3d85c6; float: left; line-height: 18.2px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Liz Long, indie author" class="alignleft wp-image-2816 size-thumbnail" height="150" src="http://lizclong.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/dsc_0089.jpeg?w=132&h=150" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="132" /></a>Liz Long is a ridiculously proud graduate of Longwood University with a BA in English. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her fabulous day job as a social media editor includes writing for a publishing company in Roanoke, VA.</div>
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<br />Her first book, Gifted, is the first book in the Donovan Circus series, where superpowers meets the circus. Burned is the second adventure. Her standalone book Witch Hearts, is a story about a serial killer hunting witches for their powers. Her newest book A Reaper Made is an NA Paranormal tale of a Reaper using magic to save her family from demons. All titles are available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback, Barnes & Noble for Nook, and iBooks.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Find Liz Online</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://lizclong.com/" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Website</a> I <a href="http://facebook.com/lizclongauthor" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a> I <a href="http://twitter.com/lizclong" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a> I <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Liz-Long/e/B007VWHVMA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Amazon Author Page</a></div>
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*****</div>
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<b>My Thoughts:</b></div>
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In a summer full of great releases, one has stood high above the masses. A series full of hope, action, adventure, and emotion. A series that has taken critics by storm. <i>Heroes of Arcania</i> has been one amazing trilogy from start to finish! With the release of <i>Unbreakable</i>, Liz Long has completed the story of Nova, Cole, and Penelope as they take on Arcania's greatest threat: the madman Fortune with more than a few secrets up his sleeve.<br />
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After a successful summer of releases leading up to the earth-shattering finale, could Long deliver on the high hopes and promises made? Absolutely! And so much more!<br />
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As anyone who has followed the writing career of Long will attest, <i>Unbreakable </i>is her greatest work yet! After two highly successful releases in the trilogy, I have found myself holding my breath in anticipation of the <i>HoA </i>finale. Will Nova finally avenge her sister's death and save her precious Arcania from Fortune's evil grasps?<br />
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I won't say too much about the plot in this one as to avoid massive spoilers, but I can tell you that this finale was everything I was hoping for, and more. We finally get answers to the hard-hitting questions the readers have been begging for since the release of book one. Our story comes to a close in one action-packed finale that will leave you on the edge of your seat until the very last page. Long has truly outdone herself with this release!<br />
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<i>Unbreakable </i>really brought out the emotions unlike anything I've seen from Long previously (and everyone who has read her <i>Donovan Circus</i> series knows that's a feat). Long pulls out all the stops with some incredible themes and a more than a few heart-stopping moments of suspense and action. Saying goodbye to the Heroes of Arcania wasn't easy, but wow, what an ending!<br />
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In a one-of-a-kind series like <i>Heroes of Arcania</i>, Long has taken the traditional conventions of the Superhero genre and turned them on their heads. With an exception cast of well-developed characters, an emotionally-gripping plot, and a setting that really takes the cake, Long has crafted a trilogy sure to stay fresh on the minds of readers for years to come!<br />
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Look out Hollywood, I've got your next Superhero blockbuster right here! Be on the look out readers, Long is a star who is here to stay and shine on! Massive kudos to Long for completing such an intriguing and well-written superhero series for fans of all ages and reader-interests. The perfect read for anyone looking to spice up their TBR this summer, <i>Heroes of Arcania</i> is NOT to be missed!<br />
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As you can clearly see, I was a huge fan of the finale to this incredible series. I am so excited to be granting <i>Unbreakable</i>, a <b>near-perfect 5-star</b> review. I highly recommend this series to all fans of sci-fi, paranormal, or superheros of all age levels. Add this series to your TBR today!<br />
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Don't forget to check out Liz Long's <i>Donovan Circus</i> series for even MORE Gifted fun!<br />
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*****</div>
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Alright readers, that's all I have for you today on the topic of <i>Heroes of Arcania: Unbreakable! </i>This has been an incredible summer full of releases from Liz Long and I absolutely cannot wait to see what she comes up with next? Is this truly the end to Nova's story? Only time will tell! Thanks so much for stopping by. Until next time, Happy Reading! </div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;">-Ethan</span></span></i></b></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-86696111763687510052016-08-01T05:00:00.000-05:002016-08-01T05:00:06.918-05:00Gilded Inferno (The Helio Trilogy #2) by Valerie Roeseler Cover Reveal <div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="148" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=0e9183f29a&view=fimg&th=155ff63701d3969b&attid=0.3&disp=emb&realattid=ii_iqsbr46m0_155ff1f50a9d93f2&attbid=ANGjdJ9OyvkBbzReDrs3nNx9g3euuk17cX9HqIxkm4MNqkUR79bvdg4eieZ-7T4YquVu8OHSQzqG1FMXYUzbfA594WeOxVxr1R3-w7teSaMLm0dINbnBtuaIQSgt6wM&sz=w968-h358&ats=1468868639812&rm=155ff63701d3969b&zw&atsh=1" width="400" /></div>
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<b><i>Gilded Inferno: The Helio Trilogy (Book 2)</i></b></div>
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Valerie Roeseler</div>
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<b>Publication date</b>: December 2016</div>
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<b>Genres</b>: New Adult Paranormal Romance</div>
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<img height="400" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=0e9183f29a&view=fimg&th=155ff63701d3969b&attid=0.1&disp=emb&realattid=ii_iqsbu9cp1_155ff218d3e59995&attbid=ANGjdJ-4iWWZZRQFCFdRG5UspP2AUPAO3uUfz5a4reSsXruPH3GTF0rUMVRBIt5AdjoAAWLExF6b9MoQzYVnl94Lrtt2TYsOsrTA4lpKMmVAga5APYqis6MSCrHShP0&sz=w646-h968&ats=1468868639812&rm=155ff63701d3969b&zw&atsh=1" width="266" /></div>
<br />Ivy Harris has been hunted down ever since unearthing her true nature as an immortal weapon created by divine intervention. She has fought and bled, and loved and lost. Now, withdrawn from the family she gained, the love of her life, Jack, attempts to break through her walls. While she’s lost in the guilt of her past and her first love, Solas, remains in the depths of their enemies, Ivy struggles to find a balance between who she is and who she is expected to be.<br /><br />A new ally emerges, and Ivy finds herself lying to Jack and her friends as she attempts to save Solas. Putting herself in danger time and time again creates a wedge between her and everyone she cares about. Will she find a way to rescue Solas from the Darkness? Will she be able to salvage the relationships she has destroyed?<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
Goodreads:</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31146264-gilded-inferno">https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31146264-gilded-inferno</a></div>
<br />Author Bio:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
<img height="200" src="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/?ui=2&ik=0e9183f29a&view=fimg&th=155ff63701d3969b&attid=0.2&disp=emb&realattid=ii_iqsc37vq3_155ff27edd8ba0f2&attbid=ANGjdJ_oK9zJVFxZ01UjdAU76yDv8LRuebQFlen4LmAMfUczE07aUzD59MU1izVSvmQL4vLPkqqkIds5WhETDD-awjq_91G7dcGTfJ0CoRWFTu6rJ957a8wCyD7IkPM&sz=w386-h386&ats=1468868639813&rm=155ff63701d3969b&zw&atsh=1" width="200" /></div>
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Valerie Roeseler is a devoted mother, author, and workaholic with the determination of a queen bee. She began writing as a child, creating fantastical stories with villainous animals on her toy typewriter. In her teenage years, her writing became a poetic secret before she wrote music, transforming them into lyrics. Valerie’s early inspirations came from her obsession with fantasy films and television. Her debut novel, Midnight Divine, is the first in The Helio Trilogy. She is a native Texan and an enthusiast of art, music, adrenaline, coffee, wine, and hair dye. When left to her own devices, she tends to forget that sleep is a necessity.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
Website:</div>
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<a href="http://www.valerieroeseler.com/">www.valerieroeseler.com</a></div>
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Goodreads:</div>
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<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14916874.Valerie_Roeseler">www.goodreads.com/author/show/14916874.Valerie_Roeseler</a></div>
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Facebook:</div>
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/authorvalerieroeseler">www.facebook.com/authorvalerieroeseler</a></div>
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Twitter:</div>
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<a href="http://www.twitter.com/teamroeseler">www.twitter.com/teamroeseler</a></div>
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Instagram:</div>
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<a href="http://www.instagram.com/teamroeseler"></a><a href="http://www.instagram.com/teamroeseler">www.instagram.com/teamroeseler</a></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-58664488343111701052016-07-25T05:00:00.000-05:002016-07-25T05:00:07.172-05:00Bad Bloods: November Snow by Shannon A. Thompson Release Day Launch<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhSig_K33bHAbHzyhAqZuXefoc3rwAC3SjiOCEQyBr0lAVaFP2tbc_FQKH9DEyGfTzUrAkF6CLW5OP5eS5ev5n6A3Vix4fkUecTvv4YAG086KpYwlqUtARCHnPARoOtGB3s67A60iUw/s1600/banner.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfhSig_K33bHAbHzyhAqZuXefoc3rwAC3SjiOCEQyBr0lAVaFP2tbc_FQKH9DEyGfTzUrAkF6CLW5OP5eS5ev5n6A3Vix4fkUecTvv4YAG086KpYwlqUtARCHnPARoOtGB3s67A60iUw/s400/banner.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/">Clean Teen Publishing</a> is proud to present an exciting new release: November Snow (Bad Bloods Book 2) By Shannon A. Thompson.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDh7BStOgwY8Gew5gY31a9fEcEfhfUJiwu8sO14CahblSaBBREBb1VFkQSYdOER4ziCPVg9CwShiX7tjVICfGd0lQBooszcbIpNJL3gShsfhjQ83HoTLKJ8sV-IoZHWuONVfYom0BeSg/s1600/snow.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDh7BStOgwY8Gew5gY31a9fEcEfhfUJiwu8sO14CahblSaBBREBb1VFkQSYdOER4ziCPVg9CwShiX7tjVICfGd0lQBooszcbIpNJL3gShsfhjQ83HoTLKJ8sV-IoZHWuONVfYom0BeSg/s320/snow.jpg" /></a></div>
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When Daniel and Serena unite, their accidental relationship becomes the catalyst for a twelve-year war to continue. Exposing the twisted past of a corrupt city, Daniel, Serena, and everyone they know will come together to fight. But Serena has another battle.</div>
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After a political rumor threatens their lives, Serena must leave her family and join the political front against her will. To survive apart, Daniel has to separate his love from his hatred and join forces with his worst memory to secure Vendona’s war. But very few of them will survive to see the last day. Bad blood or human, a city will burn, snow will fall, and all will be united by catastrophic secrets and irrevocable tragedy.</div>
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<b>Buy Links</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Bloods-November-Shannon-Thompson-ebook/dp/B01F4NW1OU"><img src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/amazon-button.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bad-bloods-shannon-a-thompson/1123329231?ean=2940152611205"><img src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/bngreen.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/bad-bloods-november-snow"><img src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/kobo-logo.png" /></a><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bad-bloods-november-snow/id1082266608?mt=11"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHLsfn6tTr1hnTpwFSqNlWRJECjKH8at0VdtTWL2JoU9t2An2wjCM01vWpZJd0-QKwTrwxp2_KYfTdw1NUMgHbvlkmQlpFR8fP0BsaqlIXrS5086TEGan3cDkRbWEych1wdrFYU8T3A/s1600/ibooks_logo125x.png" /></a> </div>
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Win a CTP eBook of Your Choice!!!</div>
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<a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6bef941e32/">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a></div>
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November Rain (Bad Bloods Book 1) </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyg-Yb8kg77P610bIuXZdT1e0aqqfv5-_RzvXgSlIelL7o5xEr76kIzP61K8JEq5Sj2I8RFR1hV0XjDGV_VOJIgWViXIf8E3lWKXr64jz3xXP0fsYt1v9jLz-Fi4kPqv4utnnmeicAw/s1600/rain.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyg-Yb8kg77P610bIuXZdT1e0aqqfv5-_RzvXgSlIelL7o5xEr76kIzP61K8JEq5Sj2I8RFR1hV0XjDGV_VOJIgWViXIf8E3lWKXr64jz3xXP0fsYt1v9jLz-Fi4kPqv4utnnmeicAw/s320/rain.jpg" /></a></div>
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Seventeen-year-old Serena isn’t human. She is a bad blood, and in the city of Vendona, bad bloods are executed. In the last moments before she faces imminent death, a prison guard aids her escape and sparks a revolt. Back on the streets determined to destroy her kind, Serena is spared by a fellow bad blood named Daniel. His past tragedies are as equally mysterious as her connection to them.</div>
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Unbeknownst to the two, this connection is the key to winning the election for bad bloods’ rights to be seen as human again. But Serena is the only one who can secure Vendona’s vote. Now, Daniel must unite with her before all hope is lost and bad bloods are eradicated, even if it means exposing secrets worse than death itself. United or not, a city will fight, rain will fall, and all will be threatened by star-crossed love and political corruption.</div>
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<b>Buy Links:</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Bloods-November-Shannon-Thompson-ebook/dp/B01F4NW1OU"><img src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/amazon-button.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bad-bloods-shannon-a-thompson/1123329231?ean=2940152611205"><img src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/bngreen.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/bad-bloods-november-snow"><img src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/kobo-logo.png" /></a><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bad-bloods-november-snow/id1082266608?mt=11"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHLsfn6tTr1hnTpwFSqNlWRJECjKH8at0VdtTWL2JoU9t2An2wjCM01vWpZJd0-QKwTrwxp2_KYfTdw1NUMgHbvlkmQlpFR8fP0BsaqlIXrS5086TEGan3cDkRbWEych1wdrFYU8T3A/s1600/ibooks_logo125x.png" /></a> </div>
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About The Author:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAuPPBcE-75fmvTY4cPTWdzhAfgVKklojvOfjgGJMspDBDbp22TWeBMj-JrCGjqYcownuHQT5yb1RnZMuEXSB71Oe6333kZbif2IM2Dqeq5kGfoNZXj2UEGOae3NQV9yMyxcIfm-whg/s1600/6880615.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAuPPBcE-75fmvTY4cPTWdzhAfgVKklojvOfjgGJMspDBDbp22TWeBMj-JrCGjqYcownuHQT5yb1RnZMuEXSB71Oe6333kZbif2IM2Dqeq5kGfoNZXj2UEGOae3NQV9yMyxcIfm-whg/s1600/6880615.jpg" /></a></div>
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Shannon 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. Represented by Clean Teen Publishing, Thompson is the best-selling author of The Timely Death Trilogy and the Bad Bloods duology. When she is not writing, she is climbing rooftops, baking cookies, or watching murder shows in the middle of the night, often done with her cats by her side. </div>
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Connect With Shannon:</div>
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<a href="https://shannonathompson.com/">Shannon's Website</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shannon-A-Thompson"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALZKIoe8-jBLfxMuSAKgNZjebG7gfBCX8aTpHBu3Nx0FrynEqKRJSJNsatsKsYghQNdmzMQr1Xb7VlQD4W0ogESY1Qidl2xad9siX4LtTnkgth3VAB_xNtz2u9-tcyjGdp2lXHwEv3Q/s1600/fb.jpg" /></a><a href="https://twitter.com/ShanAshleeT23"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXmpOONK4KK4_fhuf4wQj020Cu9wC5yCbY6038ZDAMfK0c-_EPpqWddfutDwtukHsXjwwQCDOGYAMK8h3bk2rWTTovWmG1B-sgZu_Q7Ezq2AUCZvBWvjoj5l2iT2OAYorREzk2CHl6A/s1600/twitter.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcbYhVpVG2MY1siT38n9Nig"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHqS8cO-KOM1YexDo60iomej66sEte3P5D7Y-qhHCeIxL1rn7xdzAOrsxPSLKEu0ZkYf8WXXFnWUWd1esxqy8AoV3BRgoNw49VAl8_fNOGH1p6Ai-u7JSm4o9ISVPHDlmQrPf3VSeZw/s1600/youtb.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://instagram.com/shannonathompson"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_R1LMEx84IIwvr1UL9uedkesK3m5pzH1V5nBs3NxUbFNC4-YthZf9-rxEZT5Ixqh9kXorgGHYv_odyy2D1MG7vbCSsv6f177Rt89185-K4dLMP6HFCOYGDSkC12UbR_lyzDbuQM4biw/s1600/insta.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-2990279055944982572016-07-21T16:33:00.002-05:002016-07-21T16:33:32.460-05:00Bad Bloods: November Rain by Shannon Thompson Release Day Launch <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2eeYwnMy-vAuHlxvc5rAs2O_oCMqk2aBY5wuFosJtaaW4qot7W3QTzo4b56fqeEZgXArAbUUaNet-RwqkSinShDuXY3-l0Z7gZsAS8d-mQlpapDbPD3xrW29FTUkapWl58VjlbTRNg/s1600/banner.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE2eeYwnMy-vAuHlxvc5rAs2O_oCMqk2aBY5wuFosJtaaW4qot7W3QTzo4b56fqeEZgXArAbUUaNet-RwqkSinShDuXY3-l0Z7gZsAS8d-mQlpapDbPD3xrW29FTUkapWl58VjlbTRNg/s400/banner.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.cleanteenpublishing.com/">Clean Teen Publishing</a> is proud to present an exciting new release: November Rain (Bad Bloods Book1) By Shannon A. Thompson.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyg-Yb8kg77P610bIuXZdT1e0aqqfv5-_RzvXgSlIelL7o5xEr76kIzP61K8JEq5Sj2I8RFR1hV0XjDGV_VOJIgWViXIf8E3lWKXr64jz3xXP0fsYt1v9jLz-Fi4kPqv4utnnmeicAw/s1600/rain.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEyg-Yb8kg77P610bIuXZdT1e0aqqfv5-_RzvXgSlIelL7o5xEr76kIzP61K8JEq5Sj2I8RFR1hV0XjDGV_VOJIgWViXIf8E3lWKXr64jz3xXP0fsYt1v9jLz-Fi4kPqv4utnnmeicAw/s320/rain.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Seventeen-year-old Serena isn’t human. She is a bad blood, and in the city of Vendona, bad bloods are executed. In the last moments before she faces imminent death, a prison guard aids her escape and sparks a revolt. Back on the streets determined to destroy her kind, Serena is spared by a fellow bad blood named Daniel. His past tragedies are as equally mysterious as her connection to them.</div>
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Unbeknownst to the two, this connection is the key to winning the election for bad bloods’ rights to be seen as human again. But Serena is the only one who can secure Vendona’s vote. Now, Daniel must unite with her before all hope is lost and bad bloods are eradicated, even if it means exposing secrets worse than death itself. United or not, a city will fight, rain will fall, and all will be threatened by star-crossed love and political corruption.</div>
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<b>Buy Links:</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Bloods-November-Shannon-Thompson-ebook/dp/B01EKM4GX0"><img src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/amazon-button.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bad-bloods-shannon-a-thompson/1123329209?ean=2940152611212"><img src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/bngreen.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/bad-bloods-november-rain"><img src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/kobo-logo.png" /></a><a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/bad-bloods-november-rain/id1082266683?mt=11"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwHLsfn6tTr1hnTpwFSqNlWRJECjKH8at0VdtTWL2JoU9t2An2wjCM01vWpZJd0-QKwTrwxp2_KYfTdw1NUMgHbvlkmQlpFR8fP0BsaqlIXrS5086TEGan3cDkRbWEych1wdrFYU8T3A/s1600/ibooks_logo125x.png" /></a> </div>
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Win a CTP Mystery Box!!!</div>
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Please note, mystery boxes are shipped to US addresses only. International winners will be offered their choice of 3 CTP eBooks in lieu of the mystery box. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYKtNyimXaOjVcXxrTgwdStH70GfgFpO_eYYbrxK_wAy8IrmDWstXB0OAKdS2sYJiWbC0LkWpijw6ml6tSCVy9lre6kb3Rb-rgAdc1D0psVBy7ydS0b82QYTnN2mnJofWNQIJBkD-xA/s1600/mybx.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuYKtNyimXaOjVcXxrTgwdStH70GfgFpO_eYYbrxK_wAy8IrmDWstXB0OAKdS2sYJiWbC0LkWpijw6ml6tSCVy9lre6kb3Rb-rgAdc1D0psVBy7ydS0b82QYTnN2mnJofWNQIJBkD-xA/s320/mybx.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/6bef941e31/">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a> </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2a5u_ygZD8QBLWglEAFO3du0J-_S3HK6pbb4gMycaalrXlNrWNJGhub7O5Kzl9PlgelRvGha3gVcsFWdIBJJHIdhk_BKdKClWF0eHvgM_7J4xx-fVqAhVePKFHwAFht2AjZyUQDkeA/s1600/teaser2.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl2a5u_ygZD8QBLWglEAFO3du0J-_S3HK6pbb4gMycaalrXlNrWNJGhub7O5Kzl9PlgelRvGha3gVcsFWdIBJJHIdhk_BKdKClWF0eHvgM_7J4xx-fVqAhVePKFHwAFht2AjZyUQDkeA/s320/teaser2.jpg" /></a></div>
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About The Author:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAuPPBcE-75fmvTY4cPTWdzhAfgVKklojvOfjgGJMspDBDbp22TWeBMj-JrCGjqYcownuHQT5yb1RnZMuEXSB71Oe6333kZbif2IM2Dqeq5kGfoNZXj2UEGOae3NQV9yMyxcIfm-whg/s1600/6880615.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYAuPPBcE-75fmvTY4cPTWdzhAfgVKklojvOfjgGJMspDBDbp22TWeBMj-JrCGjqYcownuHQT5yb1RnZMuEXSB71Oe6333kZbif2IM2Dqeq5kGfoNZXj2UEGOae3NQV9yMyxcIfm-whg/s1600/6880615.jpg" /></a></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Shannon 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. Represented by Clean Teen Publishing, Thompson is the best-selling author of The Timely Death Trilogy and the Bad Bloods duology. When she is not writing, she is climbing rooftops, baking cookies, or watching murder shows in the middle of the night, often done with her cats by her side. </div>
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Connect With Shannon:</div>
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<a href="https://shannonathompson.com/">Shannon's Website</a></div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shannon-A-Thompson"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALZKIoe8-jBLfxMuSAKgNZjebG7gfBCX8aTpHBu3Nx0FrynEqKRJSJNsatsKsYghQNdmzMQr1Xb7VlQD4W0ogESY1Qidl2xad9siX4LtTnkgth3VAB_xNtz2u9-tcyjGdp2lXHwEv3Q/s1600/fb.jpg" /></a><a href="https://twitter.com/ShanAshleeT23"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmXmpOONK4KK4_fhuf4wQj020Cu9wC5yCbY6038ZDAMfK0c-_EPpqWddfutDwtukHsXjwwQCDOGYAMK8h3bk2rWTTovWmG1B-sgZu_Q7Ezq2AUCZvBWvjoj5l2iT2OAYorREzk2CHl6A/s1600/twitter.jpg" /></a> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcbYhVpVG2MY1siT38n9Nig"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxHqS8cO-KOM1YexDo60iomej66sEte3P5D7Y-qhHCeIxL1rn7xdzAOrsxPSLKEu0ZkYf8WXXFnWUWd1esxqy8AoV3BRgoNw49VAl8_fNOGH1p6Ai-u7JSm4o9ISVPHDlmQrPf3VSeZw/s1600/youtb.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://instagram.com/shannonathompson"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_R1LMEx84IIwvr1UL9uedkesK3m5pzH1V5nBs3NxUbFNC4-YthZf9-rxEZT5Ixqh9kXorgGHYv_odyy2D1MG7vbCSsv6f177Rt89185-K4dLMP6HFCOYGDSkC12UbR_lyzDbuQM4biw/s1600/insta.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-18776530386722185942016-07-18T13:31:00.000-05:002016-07-18T13:31:14.320-05:00Heroes of Arcania: Fortune's Favor (HoA #2) by Liz Long Review<span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Hey readers! Ethan here on this very special Thursday with a review for you all. This past Thursday was release day for the second novel in an incredible new series that's taking Summer 2016 by storm. The latest release from one of my all time favorite authors. I'm so pumped to share my thoughts. On the chopping block today? </span><i style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Heroes of Arcania: Fortune's Favor </i><span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">by Liz Long! Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and out author:</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_wCbZOXMqJhnNbv4JQSaTsOd0aAoQYVuQ4ViFU6x2ux9Fkd4Xn8mfkSeGKzNJhdtQOBU2TOdDra6vuUzTx4lJNhvx60EuOh1PV0ul1jp7s1nwtdKFpIQjbgUFlov2qRGUL1yRTx_WoQ/s1600/fortunesfavor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB_wCbZOXMqJhnNbv4JQSaTsOd0aAoQYVuQ4ViFU6x2ux9Fkd4Xn8mfkSeGKzNJhdtQOBU2TOdDra6vuUzTx4lJNhvx60EuOh1PV0ul1jp7s1nwtdKFpIQjbgUFlov2qRGUL1yRTx_WoQ/s320/fortunesfavor.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Nova will learn it takes more than sheer strength to be a superhero. Her world implodes when Fortune strikes back for all the trouble she's caused. His dangerous games put everyone around her at risk, especially when he decides to turn Arcania against its precious Heroes. Nova wants to protect Arcania, but how does she save a city that doesn't want her help? </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Cole has no idea how to deal with his sister Penelope, especially now that she's learned the truth about their family secret. Thanks to Fortune, she's headed down a dark path, one with no return. Torn between helping Nova and protecting his sister, Cole will be forced to make a choice. Tensions rise as Cole and Nova discover war will come to Arcania if they don't get Fortune off the streets...or preferably six feet under. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">Nova and Cole might have each other, but will they lose everything else in their mission to save Arcania?</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30274923-fortune-s-favor"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMV1mr5xJNs5kTy3FdDIn-IbylzdqllFONVxC3Bfy7T6RHdB_Z4SrXF_zTqFUoglBXiuRCxn4YMxw1ZZTV92NRswuDyyOpv2sELOu22Ty8J_OUEf5GelIdaXic7_r1l2tkHWh1KdU9YM/s1600/add_to_goodreads.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Fortunes-Favor-Arcania-Liz-Long-ebook/dp/B01FKR0JR6"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GrmYIB90SCxv03oxIUCPnt9AfbGq8wgSC2a8-THFOYbyPlYEQ3s6qIjzB7NusiXDowGkcGgmbskhmvCp28cxYb9kitUCpZp3QDp6u-4Uqhq7u2z34AHMpQPULIxT8pc7ts3jZO_SxHY/s1600/Amazon+Button.png" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">About the Author:</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://lizclong.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/dsc_0089.jpeg" style="clear: left; color: #3d85c6; float: left; line-height: 18.2px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Liz Long, indie author" class="alignleft wp-image-2816 size-thumbnail" src="http://lizclong.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/dsc_0089.jpeg?w=132&h=150" height="150" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="132" /></a>Liz Long is a ridiculously proud graduate of Longwood University with a BA in English. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her fabulous day job as a social media editor includes writing for a publishing company in Roanoke, VA.</div>
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Her first book, Gifted, is the first book in the Donovan Circus series, where superpowers meets the circus. Burned is the second adventure. Her standalone book Witch Hearts, is a story about a serial killer hunting witches for their powers. Her newest book A Reaper Made is an NA Paranormal tale of a Reaper using magic to save her family from demons. All titles are available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback, Barnes & Noble for Nook, and iBooks.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Find Liz Online</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://lizclong.com/" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Website</a> I <a href="http://facebook.com/lizclongauthor" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a> I <a href="http://twitter.com/lizclong" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a> I <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Liz-Long/e/B007VWHVMA/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Amazon Author Page</a></div>
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*****</div>
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<b>My Thoughts:</b></div>
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In a world full of turmoil, escaping away into the pages of a good series is an amazing way to escape reality, if even for a moment. While many books will whisk you away to a land of make-believe, many cannot depict our own world in positive light these days. Many cannot see that light. Few authors can deliver the emotional uplifting required to lift the spirits of readers today. Liz Long, however, is one of those authors. The world needs heroes. And Long delivers.<br />
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Last month, Long rocked the bookish community with the release of Heroes of Arcania: SuperNova, the first in a YA Superhero trilogy that is set to take Summer 2016 by storm. I, along with many other readers, absolutely devoured book one and couldn't wait to get my hands on the second installment of the series. Book could book two live up to the hype?<br />
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Yes. So. Much. Yes.<br />
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I'm one of those weird readers who actually finds second novels in a series (particularly a trilogy) to be the best. The second installment is always one full of emotional storybuilding and character development before the big showdowns in the finale. While some readers aren't always impressed by that, I know I sure am. On top of those points, Long goes even further and delivers some huge action-packed scenes in Fortune's Favor. If you were expecting a slow-paced feels-fest, you're looking in the wrong place.<br />
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From the very first page (which picks up immediately after book one), we're drawn back into the world of Nova Benson, Fortune, and the Heroes of Arcania. The stakes are higher than ever when not only are our hero's lives, but their identities, are at stake. Can Nova and the gang stop Fortune from his biggest heist yet? Will Nova avenge her sister's death and finally bring an end to Fortune's reign of terror?<br />
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Fans of Long and HoA will love what Long has done with this second installment in the series. I can't say much else for fear of spoilers, but trust me: you won't be able to set down this high-octane adventure full of thrills and suspense. Fortune's Favor may be Long's best work to-date! Expect the unexpected in this one folks, Long is here to surprise!<br />
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As you can see, I was clearly a huge fan of Heroes of Arcania: Fortune's Favor and I am so glad I have had the opportunity to share these thoughts with you all. I am so excited to be granting HoA: Fortune's Factor a well-deserved, near-perfect 5-star review. I highly recommend this series to all fans of sci-fi, paranormal, or superheros. Add this series to your TBR today!<br />
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*****</div>
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Alright readers, that's all I have for you today on the topic of <i>Heroes of Arcania: Fortune's Favor</i>. This was just the second in an incredible that's being rapid released this summer so definitely be on the lookout for more info about the rest of the series. I've already read book three and can promise you that you're going to love this finale! Be sure to add this one to your TBR today. Thanks so much for stopping by. Until next time, Happy Reading! </div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: x-large;">-Ethan</span></span></i></b></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-43474139903008229102016-07-18T06:00:00.000-05:002016-07-18T06:00:11.549-05:00November Rain (Bad Bloods #1) by Shannon A. Thompson Book Blitz (Excerpt + Giveaway)<div style="margin: 0px auto 15px; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://xpressobooktours.com/" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"><img alt="" height="148" src="http://www.xpressobooktours.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2016/05/BadBloodBlitzBanner-1.png" style="border: none; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="400" /> </a> </div>
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<strong>November Rain </strong><br /><strong>Shannon A. Thompson</strong><br />(Bad Bloods #1)<br />Published by: Clean Teen Publishing<br />Publication date: July 18th 2016<br />Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult</div>
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<span id="freeText14328283095091440097">Seventeen- year-old Serena isn’t human. She is a bad blood, and in the city of Vendona, bad bloods are executed. In the last moments before she faces imminent death, a prison guard aids her escape and sparks a revolt. Back on the streets determined to destroy her kind, Serena is spared by a fellow bad blood named Daniel. His past tragedies are as equally mysterious as her connection to them.</span></div>
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Unbeknownst to the two, this connection is the key to winning the election for bad bloods’ rights to be seen as human again. But Serena is the only one who can secure Vendona’s vote. Now, Daniel must unite with her before all hope is lost and bad bloods are eradicated, even if it means exposing secrets worse than death itself. United or not, a city will fight, rain will fall, and all will be threatened by star-crossed love and political corruption.</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28459688-november-%20rain" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Bad-Bloods-November-Shannon-%20Thompson/dp/1634221893" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Amazon</a> / <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bad-bloods-%20shannon-a-thompson/1123329209?ean=9781634221894" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/bad-%20bloods-november-%20rain" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Kobo</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/ca/book/bad-bloods-november-rain/id1082266683?mt=11" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">iTunes</a></div>
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<strong>EXCERPT:</strong></div>
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“She used to tell me that a full moon is when mysterious things happen and wishes come true.” I stared at the little paper in my hands. “Do you think she tells my sister those stories?”</div>
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Daniel didn’t respond. He only listened. I had told him before I had a sister. He had probably assumed I lied, but I hadn’t. It was the truth, and it tumbled out like a story my mom created before bedtime. I tried to picture her telling stories to my sister, but nothing came. I only saw the little girl, with Mom’s hair and Dad’s eyes, standing in the road, saying my name.</div>
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“I’ve never met her,” I confessed, staring at the writing bleeding through the folded end. “I think her name is on this, but I can’t read.”</div>
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Daniel reached for it. “I can—”</div>
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“No.” I held the note against my chest. “I want to learn and read it on my own,” I explained, softer than my previous snap.</div>
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Daniel’s head tilted. “Robert never taught you.”</div>
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I wasn’t sure if it was a question or a statement, but I responded anyway. “He can’t read.”</div>
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Daniel’s eyes swept over me. He took the time to rub his face before looking away.</div>
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“He can’t read,” I repeated, studying his reaction. “Right?”</div>
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Daniel’s hand lowered to his lap. “I can teach you,” he said, and when he faced me again, he was remarkably closer than I realized. His hand moved to rest on my knee. My heart stabilized. “What else do you want?”</div>
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It was a question I had never heard before, and the way Daniel stumbled over the sentence suggested he had never been able to say it before either. Bad bloods weren’t allowed to want anything. Not even life. So, when I was asked, my mind spiraled into obscurity, never actually solidifying an answer even though I searched for one.</div>
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“I’ve never been allowed to want anything,” I confessed.</div>
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“Me neither,” Daniel agreed, and for a brief second, I was oblivious to the fact that his lips were on mine.</div>
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Author Bio:</div>
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Shannon A. Thompson is a twenty-three- year-old author, avid reader, and habitual chatterbox. She was merely sixteen when she was first published, and a lot has happened since then. Thompson's work has appeared in numerous poetry collections and anthologies, and her first installment of The Timely Death Trilogy became Goodreads' Book of the Month. As a novelist, poet, and blogger, Thompson spends her free time writing and sharing ideas with her black cat named after her favorite actor, Humphrey Bogart. Between writing and befriending cats, she graduated from the University of Kansas with a bachelor's degree in English, and she travels whenever the road calls her.<br />Visit her blog for writers and readers at www.shannonathompson.com.</div>
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<a href="https://shannonathompson.com/" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6880615.Shannon_A_Thompson" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/AuthorShannonAThompson/" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/AuthorSAT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" style="color: #883afc; font-family: arial, monospace; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Twitter</a></div>
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<span style="color: #3d3b3c; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"></span><span id="149" style="color: #3d3b3c; font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><span id="158"><span style="color: #2a05fc;"><</span>/</span><span id="159"><span style="color: #910f3a;">XZ</span></span><span id="160"><span style="color: #2a05fc;">></span></span></span>Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-46823865584366144252016-06-28T05:00:00.000-05:002016-06-28T05:00:31.773-05:00Eternal Sacrifice (Mortal Enchantment #3) by Stacey O'Neale Blog Tour (Review + Giveaway)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnbWS9eJORB6fv0J2KQxer33l2PtmHzhqSNPDj_jxX1m-qLgRDKCMUb8NWYQOpHlE0Uh3J2YjyZu4cBmUH5JgymtHKT8GWzzKjr3TjkzdZO-3yZOrjDMO1ctAlT9lVxqUfaxHobC7xJA/s1600/Eternal+Sacrifice+Blog+Tour+Button.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHnbWS9eJORB6fv0J2KQxer33l2PtmHzhqSNPDj_jxX1m-qLgRDKCMUb8NWYQOpHlE0Uh3J2YjyZu4cBmUH5JgymtHKT8GWzzKjr3TjkzdZO-3yZOrjDMO1ctAlT9lVxqUfaxHobC7xJA/s320/Eternal+Sacrifice+Blog+Tour+Button.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Hey Readers! Ethan here with an exciting post for you today. I am so honored to be presenting this blog tour post to you all today. Why is this post so important? It's my review of the series finale to one of my all-time favorite series. It's such a bittersweet moment here at <i>One Guy's Guide to Good Reads</i>, but let's get started. Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and our author:</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23446593-eternal-sacrifice"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMV1mr5xJNs5kTy3FdDIn-IbylzdqllFONVxC3Bfy7T6RHdB_Z4SrXF_zTqFUoglBXiuRCxn4YMxw1ZZTV92NRswuDyyOpv2sELOu22Ty8J_OUEf5GelIdaXic7_r1l2tkHWh1KdU9YM/s1600/add_to_goodreads.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Eternal-Sacrifice-Mortal-Enchantment-Book-ebook/dp/B01DOCWFI0/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GrmYIB90SCxv03oxIUCPnt9AfbGq8wgSC2a8-THFOYbyPlYEQ3s6qIjzB7NusiXDowGkcGgmbskhmvCp28cxYb9kitUCpZp3QDp6u-4Uqhq7u2z34AHMpQPULIxT8pc7ts3jZO_SxHY/s1600/Amazon+Button.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><i>The explosive conclusion to Stacey O’Neale’s award-winning Mortal Enchantment series reveals the secrets of the fantasy world!</i></b><br /><br />Valac has stolen two of the sacred objects. In a bid to rule all four courts, he has threatened to use Excalibur to cut the mist that protects Avalon—ultimately ending the lives of thousands of elementals. As the Akasha, Kalin has the power to stop him. And she refuses to lose anyone else she loves.<br /><br />Will she have to sacrifice herself to save them?<br /><br />Desperate to save Kalin’s life, Rowan searches for the long-lost creator of the mist. But what he finds is the very last thing he expected. Everything he thought he knew about his past is turned upside down, and he questions whether he’s meant to be the savior or the elemental that destroys them all.<br /><br />Told from Kalin, Rowan, and Marcus’s perspective, the final installment to the series follows their journey of courage, duty, sacrifice, and love.</span></div>
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<strong><img alt="Stacey O'Neale" class="size-medium wp-image-1836 alignleft" src="http://jenhalliganpr.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/Stacey_ONeale-300x200.jpg" height="200" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px;" width="300" /></strong></h3>
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<strong>Stacey O'Neale </strong></h3>
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<a href="http://staceyoneale.com/" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Website</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/StaceyONeale" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Twitter</a> | <a href="https://www.facebook.com/StaceyMONeale" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Facebook</a> | <a href="http://pinterest.com/staceyoneale" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Pinterest</a> | <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7765793.Stacey_O_Neale?from_search=true" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;">Goodreads</a></div>
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Stacey O'Neale lives in Annapolis, Maryland. When she's not writing, she spends her time fangirling over books, blogging, watching fantasy television shows, cheering for the Baltimore Ravens, and hanging out with her husband and daughter. Her career in publishing started as a blogger-turned-publicist for two successful small publishers. Stacey writes young adult paranormal romance and adult science fiction romance. Her books always include swoon-worthy heroes, snarky heroines, and lots of kissing. Stacey loves hearing from readers. Follow her on Twitter @StaceyONeale, look for her on Facebook, Pinterest, and GoodReads. You can also visit her blog at <a href="http://staceyoneale.com/">http://staceyoneale.com/</a>.</div>
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*****</div>
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<b>My Thoughts:</b></div>
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Series finales are always one of my favorite and least favorite reviews to post, at the same time. How can that be? While I'm so overjoyed to rave about an incredible finale (they are too few and far between), I hate juggling the bittersweet emotion of finality meaning I'm saying goodbye to another cast of characters that I've grown to love. I won't lie folks, as many series as I've read, this one will forever be a special one to me. The love and hard work that author Stacey O'Neale has poured into this series over the last two years is unquestionable. While I dreaded the final chapters, how did <i>Eternal Sacrifice </i>finish up? After three wildly successful stories, did O'Neale end the series on a great note?<br />
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Absolutely. Prepare for the feels, readers. Tissues are a must.<br />
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When it comes to the plot of this one, I have quite a bit to say, however I have to restrain myself here for two huge reasons that happen to be my only critiques of the novel. First, this one is super short. Way shorted than most finales I have read, however there is a plus side to this I'll get to in a bit. Second, the pacing of this novel is extremely quick. There is little-to-no downtime so if you aren't careful, you will miss something. So, sharing plot details is a little tricky. What I can tell you is that <i>Eternal Sacrifice </i>is probably one of the most unique novels I have ever read in one specific aspect: it's only the 'good parts'. Does that make sense?<br />
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Imagine reading <i>Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows </i>without the 350 page camping trip and only a book full of 'The Battle of Hogwarts'. That my friends, is <i>Eternal Sacrifice</i>. It's short, but that's because O'Neale ensures her readers are fully satisfied. There isn't anything standing in the way of Kalin, Rowan, and the Avalonian forces of good to finally put an end to Valac and his reign of terror. With knowledge and hope on their sides, our heroes must stop Valac at any and all costs. Every breathe is precious and the battles fought in this finale will determine the fates of both their world, and ours, forever.<br />
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The costs will bring you to tears. Over. And over.<br />
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With any great series finale, some characters must make the ultimate sacrifice for peace and safety for the ones they love. This novel is no exception. Again, I'm going to refrain from spoilers, but don't worry, O'Neale definitely teaches the reader to read on the very edge of their seat and always to expect the unexpected. With plot twist after plot twist, I was shaking with anticipation by the novel's final chapters.<br />
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In a unique twist, O'Neale introduces one major character in the finale to the story, however anyone who has followed the series closely may not be <i>that </i>surprised by their appearance. What I can definitely say about the characters in this one is that Stacey really changes the game, right from the very beginning. We see several characters in an entirely new light, casting doubt over any preconceived notions the reader may have. I loved the idea of waiting until the end to reveal the true dedication behind the actions of some characters in this series. On that same note, seeing into the psyche of some characters on a much more personal level really opens the reader's eyes to the 'full' story behind O'Neale's literary universe.<br />
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Speaking a bit more on the characters, this one take three different POVs into consideration and crafts them in the most delicate of ways. Kalin, Rowan, and Marcus all play pivotal roles in the finale, but for entirely different reasons. They each have their own trials to face before the final battle to save Avalon. Thankfully, O'Neale really satisfied me with her ability to craft such individual storylines within such a fast-paced story. Interweaving the three storylines within such a powerful conclusion is a true testament to the literary landmark that is Stacey O'Neale.<br />
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Love, forgiveness, sacrifice, brotherhood, family, responsibility: I could go on and on with the plethora of themes O'Neale has implemented within <i>Eternal Sacrifice</i>. Each is fully explored and written to perfection. I'm not even lying when I say this story brought me to literal tears on at least three occasions.<br />
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As a series finale, I was greatly impressed. While my thoughts and predictions did not come true, I was still genuinely pleased with the end result. It was an ending that 'made sense' for the series, even if it wasn't particularly the one I was most looking for. That being said, the series ends rather abruptly and doesn't exactly tie up every possible loose end (as it shouldn't), leaving the door open for potential novellas or spin-offs in the future. I know this reader would love more insight to this world and the future of these characters. It is my belief that all readers of this series will be greatly impressed by the honorable finale O'Neale has crafted, sending off her series with respect and memorable flair!<br />
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As if it isn't already obvious by the amount of raving I have done for this series over the past two years, I am absolutely enamored of Stacey O'Neale's <i>Mortal Enchantment </i>series. I absolutely cannot get enough of this incredible story, the unforgettable cast, and the truly deep emotions found within the pages of these four stories. While I may have had a few issues with the finale, I still was beyond thrilled with the end result as a whole. That being said, it is my honor to be granting <i>Eternal Sacrifice </i>a near-perfect 5-star review. I <i>highly </i>recommend this series to any fans of YA, paranornal. elemental fiction, romance, or adventure novels. You will not regret this read! </div>
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*****</div>
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<b style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">Also by Stacey O'Neale</b><b style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></b><span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: "arial" , "tahoma" , "helvetica" , "freesans" , sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"></span><br />
*Click each cover to see my review*<br />
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<a href="http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-shadow-prince-mortal-enchantment-05.html"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEig3FcANIS7NagACsuOv9sta085vop4Qm-l0Qo8XqtjLFDfHYHY7UuTTF9ItWniF161s4rXmvxrOJaXGos0p9GPRnn2max6UgKtBlYxaPhH4G8HOduJ2ewedhADeU27p1f2_CtaG56KFKo/s200/cover8.jpg" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="133" /></a> <a href="http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogspot.com/2014/08/mortal-enchantment-by-stacey-oneale.html"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcO_DU5PWqr7BSRGViJ4eUd2gjDjagKRwGVDBAz-eVDoa-WoCQXm0HB7iAQbJPr_2z2Mc0IU93SkdmsDZC2sqIVU2lCXk1qBd1iYxwPDUV9-TjXOw4yZYt0zcmvwfoLBtdFKcqCPWbkgM/s200/ME1.jpg" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="133" /></a> <a href="http://oneguysguidetogoodreads.blogspot.com/2014/12/fragile-reign-mortal-enchantment-2-by_20.html"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyDVwqLC1aPscEkJiBDmMBEORfzUL53AS6_vML7BkX7AfWptXL-Lr7u7iCdsho5USAmlLUh5ATxdELf-Ma2BmxYTBv-yI0YaJnuFzhwKrfGCZlOKd8yVUQGjyZxfBrklt53vck2Lys1lA/s200/fragile.jpg" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="133" /></a></div>
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<b style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><i>The Shadow Prince</i> is FREE click below for your copy!</b><br />
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<b><a href="https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b86d075d211/"><span style="font-size: large;">$100 GIFT CARD GIVEAWAY FROM STACEY O'NEALE</span></a></b></div>
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<b><a href="https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b86d075d211/"><span style="font-size: large;">CLICK HERE</span></a></b></div>
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Alright readers, that's all I have for you today on the topic of <i>Eternal Sacrifice </i>by the incredible Stacey O'Neale. As I said in the beginning, this is an incredible bittersweet moment for me as I've followed this series since the very beginning and consider myself one of its' biggest fans. I don't have words enough to describe how much this entire series has meant to me. Way to end it with a bang Stacey O'Neale! Be sure to add this series to your TBR today. Special thank to the author for allowing me to participate in this blog tour and for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review. Until next time, Happy Reading!</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">-Ethan</span></i></b></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-39241241205712404642016-06-27T21:05:00.000-05:002016-06-27T21:05:14.509-05:00Breathless (Heartless #3) by Kelly Martin Blog Tour (Excerpt + Review) <div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhudd6I58eHeqDZBZxgJUGkgAe_0vwkX_OjzcR7rd6p3r1Z2FgEV07JlZvkr5vSscjKZ4LfG2SOGAJjX9PnqDLu7-ZE5kXgfLsOmQ1m-CxMPvuOimu7jELm5u-oVM5nJJjJaJEuqP-b_2-/s1600/Book+Banner+6+-+Kelly+Martin+%2528Breathless+Tour%2529.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhudd6I58eHeqDZBZxgJUGkgAe_0vwkX_OjzcR7rd6p3r1Z2FgEV07JlZvkr5vSscjKZ4LfG2SOGAJjX9PnqDLu7-ZE5kXgfLsOmQ1m-CxMPvuOimu7jELm5u-oVM5nJJjJaJEuqP-b_2-/s400/Book+Banner+6+-+Kelly+Martin+%2528Breathless+Tour%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<b>Title</b>: <i>Breathless </i>(<i>Heartless</i>, Book Three)<br />
<b>Author</b>: Kelly Martin<br />
<b>Genre</b>: YA Paranormal<br />
<b>Hosted by</b>: <a href="http://ladyambersreviews.blogspot.com/">Lady Amber’s PR</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP36-PoOAPrRuItecz-4RmDWVxyWXbzJEogmvYzMwANQof9J3LtRRukBNLMCW-mNMu9LEfGumCX2m9zdEuZFWeTBlh55UqeXhEiYAc6qEJZYMf2kZZ749kneFR4jNUcI0UgJR5ia3OoWVT/s1600/Breathless+Front.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP36-PoOAPrRuItecz-4RmDWVxyWXbzJEogmvYzMwANQof9J3LtRRukBNLMCW-mNMu9LEfGumCX2m9zdEuZFWeTBlh55UqeXhEiYAc6qEJZYMf2kZZ749kneFR4jNUcI0UgJR5ia3OoWVT/s400/Breathless+Front.jpg" /></a></div>
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There's good.</div>
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There's evil.</div>
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Then there's her.</div>
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When Gracen Sullivan stabbed Hart Blackwell, she thought it was over. She thought the world was safe-- safe from her. Stuck in the Abyss, watching as the evil inside her body takes over, she has to find some way to stop it.</div>
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Hart Blackwell expected to wake up in Hell. Instead, he woke up in his grave. With the world falling apart, he has to put the bad history with his brother in the past or there will be no future.</div>
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Armageddon has been set in motion. Enemies will have to work together or everything will end in fire and brimstone.</div>
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The Abomination is here. And she must be stopped no matter the consequences.</div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30251906-breathless"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6w6aaKjdb7bFo7grHA9KId3L0ivGT9KUMFmh9Bux3kxaOmH74XflXybqnkkrIbUkHgRwnIio75_mj4k4Set-p6_OpF9tDSiIEzbz7NghURxZzemlBfoVdS8BjjLbXw1PqyB2NcNqztMPG/s1600/AddtoGoodreads.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Buy Links:</span><br />
<span style="text-align: start;">#Free with #KindleUnlimited Heartless (Book One): </span><a href="http://amzn.to/1P8YzVI" style="text-align: start;">http://amzn.to/1P8YzVI</a><br />
<span style="text-align: start;">Soulless (Book Two): </span><a href="http://amzn.to/1Uu1ijs" style="text-align: start;">http://amzn.to/1Uu1ijs</a><br />
<span style="text-align: start;">Breathless (Book Three): </span><a href="http://amzn.to/1Upr3Rd" style="text-align: start;">http://amzn.to/1Upr3Rd</a><br />
<span style="text-align: start;">Hart (Book Four): </span><a href="http://amzn.to/1V5TRvo" style="text-align: start;">http://amzn.to/1V5TRvo</a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbc9v-lP8MWnxiNqmZFQGlfQQL0Y7nAnLXaZgkVHGgYwwQeBnx1ilsyLLIqjiKp18GPwhBTwDsc8ymZ4y-bwxZdcJBR6rv_tBm-McBNM2Tb58aqFOGPKW9H-QmR8p4oJyXK9e4Q5vyjgLO/s1600/Breathless+Teaser+1.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbc9v-lP8MWnxiNqmZFQGlfQQL0Y7nAnLXaZgkVHGgYwwQeBnx1ilsyLLIqjiKp18GPwhBTwDsc8ymZ4y-bwxZdcJBR6rv_tBm-McBNM2Tb58aqFOGPKW9H-QmR8p4oJyXK9e4Q5vyjgLO/s320/Breathless+Teaser+1.jpg" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjbwD0fDsgemoR7Ki8biZxnUi1jKOs6wpQTXljAKacnkF5QNY93F-0QuPp4cA-zW5h2XA-aruLf6JOB0S2CZpr-Uwhog-SWZ9S8bp6Luv3QJW6rAH25_sYBbPa5WlY2xnG_a3Q1NNH75n/s1600/Author-Bio.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbjbwD0fDsgemoR7Ki8biZxnUi1jKOs6wpQTXljAKacnkF5QNY93F-0QuPp4cA-zW5h2XA-aruLf6JOB0S2CZpr-Uwhog-SWZ9S8bp6Luv3QJW6rAH25_sYBbPa5WlY2xnG_a3Q1NNH75n/s1600/Author-Bio.png" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioATSAFcQNNpC3H6Mhd0FlTceJcfuILDpspSAgexgLbhgiBtXSCzekQ8MG86oceDIjw5pkW3mJKiJDhyFKj7AOuSmExph13cIAG4aWGT8juGGitAmfjvqMy7Rbm9i-X02ySFxqgVdQgQ6o/s1600/Kelly+Martin.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioATSAFcQNNpC3H6Mhd0FlTceJcfuILDpspSAgexgLbhgiBtXSCzekQ8MG86oceDIjw5pkW3mJKiJDhyFKj7AOuSmExph13cIAG4aWGT8juGGitAmfjvqMy7Rbm9i-X02ySFxqgVdQgQ6o/s200/Kelly+Martin.jpg" /></a></div>
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Kelly Martin writes paranormal, contemporary, historical, and YA fiction. She has been married for over ten years and has three rowdy, angelic daughters. When she's not writing, she loves taking picture of abandoned houses, watching horror gamers on YouTube-- even though she's a huge wimp-- and drinking decaf white chocolate mochas. She's a total fangirl, loves the 80s and 90s, and has a sad addiction to paranormal TV shows. {Basically, she likes creepy stuff.} Her favorite characters are the very flawed 'good guys'-- and 'bad guys' who don't know they are evil. She loves giving her readers books with unexpected twists and turns, but (here's a hint) most of her books have the ending spelled out in the first chapter. See if you can figure it out. If you ever have a question or comment, feel free to email her at kellymartin215 @ yahoo . com ♥ You can follow her writing adventure at <a href="http://www.kellymartinbooks.com/">www.kellymartinbooks.com</a>.</div>
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Author Links: </div>
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Instagram: <a href="https://instagram.com/kellymartin215/">https://instagram.com/kellymartin215/</a><br />
My "nerd" group on facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/1451773008377850/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/1451773008377850/</a><br />
Kelly's Heartbreakers (my official street team): <a href="https://www.facebook.com/groups/922087044551273/">https://www.facebook.com/groups/922087044551273/</a><br />
Newsletter: <a href="http://kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com/p/subscribe-to-%20our-newsletter.html">http://kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com/p/subscribe-to- our-newsletter.html</a><br />
Blog: <a href="http://www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com/">www.kellymartinbooks.blogspot.com</a><br />
Youtube: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSQGJ5gViQ-0ajHRvWUqaA">https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBSQGJ5gViQ- 0ajHRvWUqaA</a><br />
Amazon: <a href="http://amzn.to/1RiFqC4">http://amzn.to/1RiFqC4</a><br />
Facebook: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/KellyMartinAuthor">https://www.facebook.com/KellyMartinAuthor</a><br />
Twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/martieKay">https://twitter.com/martieKay</a> <br />
tumblr: <a href="http://martiekay.tumblr.com/">martiekay.tumblr.com</a> <br />
Pinterest: <a href="https://www.pinterest.com/KMBooks">https://www.pinterest.com/KMBooks</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQ4cY63iNAOrFKT9E3MoReWWieGQ_b-gqctGZVTYnIGIhD8BgD0hw_pNY-QtSeJaASXLxYbRvMMffhVq4XJSqTaTrzLm1O1905VYiRM2mEt7Fc5eviLAkVmhgdIkaBuMbl-iSdikCa_Os/s1600/Excerpt.png"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQ4cY63iNAOrFKT9E3MoReWWieGQ_b-gqctGZVTYnIGIhD8BgD0hw_pNY-QtSeJaASXLxYbRvMMffhVq4XJSqTaTrzLm1O1905VYiRM2mEt7Fc5eviLAkVmhgdIkaBuMbl-iSdikCa_Os/s1600/Excerpt.png" /></a></div>
<i>Hart</i>:<br />
<br />
"Lucien! Slow down! Wait for me!" The sounds all around us drown out my words. I can barely hear them, and I'm right there with me. I'm sure Lucien doesn't hear. I can't even see him anymore.<br />
<br />
What I do see, through the wind whipping my hair in my eyes and squinting through the rain, is a dim light in the distance. I don't know if it’s a house or a barn or a serial killer's cabin. I don't know. I don't care. All I know is that I see it, and I want to be there. It has to be warmer and drier than out here in the middle of the woods.<br />
Out here where any bear or wolf or fox could pounce on us and rip us to shreds.<br />
Though I haven't heard any animal since we started into the woods.<br />
I'm sure that's totally a great sign.<br />
<br />
Could this get any worse?<br />
<br />
A hand grasps my shoulder and pulls me back.<br />
<br />
I’m pinned down on the ground before I can fully comprehend what’s going on. I can’t see what’s holding me down, but I know it can’t be my brother. I claw at its face to try to get up, but my hands are pinned down over my head, and I can’t make my legs move.<br />
I’m trapped.<br />
<br />
The lightning fills the sky.<br />
For a split second, I can see.<br />
For a split second, I wish I couldn’t.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGbEcZSeLR7Gy4mGsFCHUTMo0bLBSoqphFjTKLHcfNWhuHj4nwqY5qWY61581Ez3bOAmqnPgL69bh0uv3dpTwt-Zxe-RaOq7esdfqpwnoXnoBkovPnFZlZ3dYXl_gFvVAvp-mbW26A6fN/s1600/Breathless+Teaser+2.jpg"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjGbEcZSeLR7Gy4mGsFCHUTMo0bLBSoqphFjTKLHcfNWhuHj4nwqY5qWY61581Ez3bOAmqnPgL69bh0uv3dpTwt-Zxe-RaOq7esdfqpwnoXnoBkovPnFZlZ3dYXl_gFvVAvp-mbW26A6fN/s320/Breathless+Teaser+2.jpg" /></a></div>
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*****</div>
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<div style="text-align: left;">
<b>My Thoughts:</b><br />
<b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></b>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">"Hope is a dangerous thing. The most dangerous thing on the planet. Hope kills more dreams than anything. Hope, if we aren't very careful, will kill the world." </span></i></b></div>
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<div>
<b><br /></b></div>
<div>
As I type this review, I <i>just</i> set my Nook down after finishing Breathless. My thoughts are wow. A lot to handle right now. I've caught all the feels. All. The. Feels. As you guys will well-remember, I just recently discovered Kelly Martin with this series earlier this year and it absolutely blew my mind. This series and I found one another at the perfect time in my life and for that I have been extremely grateful. For three full novels now, I have had my bookish world turned upside down. I can;t even begin to describe the emotional journey this series has led me on. After so many incredible novels, could <i>Breathless</i> live up to its' predecessors?<br />
<br />
Yes. Oh <i>hell </i>yes. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div>
Readers of <i>Heartless </i>and <i>Soulless </i>will be extremely happy to know that <i>Breathless </i>is very much in the same vein. In fact, all of these stories could just be called episodes to one huge story as they are all very much dependent upon one another. Picking up shortly after <i>Soulless</i> left off, <i>Breathless</i> may be Martin's most spellbinding adventure to date!<br />
<br />
When it comes to the plot of <i>Breathless</i>, be ready for an adventure. Literally. Through time and realms, Gracen is on a mission to stop the Abomination and save the world from its' bitter end. With the pieces of the machine already in motion, it's going to take the combined efforts of human, angel, and demon to save the world, but even that may not be enough.<br />
<br />
This is a relatively short read so I really have to be careful of what I say to avoid any plot spoilers, but I can definitely tell you without hesitation that if you were a fan of books one and two, you will <i>love</i> book three. It's incredible to say the least. I will warn you though, it ends on Martin's most emotional cliffhanger yet. Bring the tissues folks. You've been warned.<br />
<br />
Thankfully, Martin has already established all the groundwork in this world so there were no new characters to meet in <i>Breathless</i>. As a result, we really get some incredible insight to our existing characters and their stories. The character building was absolutely incredible and one of the most unique I have seen. <i>Breathless </i>is told from FOUR different character's POV. Yes, four. Don't worry, each narrative is necessary and doesn't repeat from the plot at all. In fact, I could have used a fifth at times!<br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">
One thing I really didn't expect out of this novel was the deep religious roots it shared at times. I've read several novels as of late with religious undertones, but this one is probably the one who has done it the best. Martin has delivered an incredible tale full of spirit without drowning her readers in scripture or history. She took her own unique twist on the scriptural tale and crafted a story that readers of all faiths and walks of life can enjoy.</div>
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<div style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">
Martin really hits home with some incredibly hard hitting themes in <i>Brethless</i>. It's an extremely deep read that really resonated with me for many reasons. If you can read this series without catching all the feels, you've done something wrong. With reflections on topics such as: faith, family, love, forgiveness, acceptance, fate, destiny, and so many more, Martin opened the floodgates of emotion and really let them roar. It was a beautiful adventure in reading. </div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
As you guys can clearly see, I was a huge fan of <i>Breathless</i>. As far as the series goes, I'm going to be keeping a very close eye on Martin in the future and cannot wait until <i>Reckless </i>(book four) is released this fall. In the meantime, Martin has already released <i>Hart</i>, a novella chronicling the human life of Jessup Hart Blackwell, the male MC in the series. I'll be devouring it soon!<br />
<br />
All-in-all, i<span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">t should come as absolutely no surprise that I am granting <i>Breath</i></span><i style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">ess </i><span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">by Kelly Martin a </span><b style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">near-perfect 5-star review</b><span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;">. I seriously couldn't rave any more if I tried. I can absolutely tell you that I'll be closely following this series until the very end. </span><b style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><i>A truly unique read, Martin ignites a flame with her elegant words, captivating settings, and enough psychological insight to keep even the most hesitant of readers satisfied.</i></b><span style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"> Don't miss your chance to add this one to your TBR today.</span></div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
*****</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div>
There you have it, my stop on the blog tour for <i>Breathless </i>by the incredible Kelly Martin! You guys know how much I love this series so I can't tell you to go one-click fast enough! Go, go now! Thanks so much for stopping by and a huge thanks to the author and <i>Lady Amber's PR</i> for allowing me to participate. Until next time, Happy Reading!</div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;"><b><i>-Ethan</i></b></span><br />
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-74290854842032080162016-06-20T05:00:00.000-05:002016-06-20T18:06:12.657-05:00Skin and Bones by Susan Harris Blog Tour (Interview + Giveaway)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://www.crimsontreepublishing.com/" target="_blank">Crimson Tree Publishing </a>is proud to present Skin And Bones, a new release from Susan Harris, <span 14px="" 20px="" arial="" font-family:="" font-size:="" helvetica="" line-height:="" neue="" quot="" sans-serif="">author of Shattered Memories.</span><br />
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<i><div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Teens are turning up dead, and it will take a special team to catch a killer.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Derek Doyle has been a member of the Paranormal Investigations Team since the monsters revealed themselves to the world. Considering that he thinks a monster is needed to catch a monster, he's definitely in the right place. As a lone wolf not used to letting many people in, neither man nor beast was prepared for the effect consultant Dr. Ever Chace has on them.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Growing up human in a world of supernatural creatures, Dr. Ever Chace has always felt a need to be special, to stand out. When asked to consult on a case where teens are being brutalized, she relishes the chance to make a difference and help stop a monster. But working alongside a wolf who she's so drawn to could be the beginning of something Ever might never have envisioned.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Fate and Destiny have a funny way of creeping up on you when you least expect it. With a murderer on the loose, Ever and Derek will have to put their attraction to one another aside while the hunt continues.</i></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<i>Easier said than done… right?</i></div>
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<b style="color: #333333; font-family: arial, "helvetica neue", helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Buy Links:</b></div>
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<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Skin-Bones-Ever-Chase-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B01CRL0G80"><img alt="amazon-button" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-9" height="128" src="https://jayellesee76.files.wordpress.com/2015/11/amazon-button.png" width="128" /></a><a href="http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/638633" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir8urShnb9JLayo7rGt6MGYWICHMa0mpJ-9ubHMwsV_rZIXLWP8WyiiAZVqr9mh8PkGCMghjNNDaybSDsW1UpW_cFyluBi1tKK7ByaeGs4f7nZ4YO2gPBybkaAlb7Ln_ldZsLOaiwRyA/s1600/smash.png" /></a><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Skin-Bones-Ever-Chase-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B01CRL0G80/ref=sr_1_15?ie=UTF8&qid=1459878406&sr=8-15&keywords=skin+and+bones" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6mYLES8OWuYIStY8AMjLdAYxqAXA2gF3o1tGr02KoXecjMob3Hsi3-i-wApTr9LD85-zuAUuAYvEBP94vldxWEJlLGSpW_0xDqKyOZtRqOjFrXOAFeZG2iQaPlhezneAgW-vfkEPtsg/s1600/amcouk.png" /></a>
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<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Interview
with the Warlock.</b></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><i>*May
contain language not suitable for younger readers*</i></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The
time is currently 12.30pm and I’ve been waiting for the bones of a
half hour for my interview subject to turn up. Since I started
cataloguing the lives of the Paranormal Investigations Team from the
side-lines, interviewing members of the team has scared me half to
death. But, as I sit here awaiting the arrival of Richard, “Ricky”
Moore, my nerves have doubled and I consider upping sticks and
leaving.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Just as I have made
the decision to leave, the door swings open and in strolls Ricky.
Dressed in jeans, black boots and a short sleeved ACDC tee, Ricky
looks the epitome of a grunge God- very Kurt Cobain. His shoulder
length black hair is pulled back into a loose ponytail, with his eyes
covered by sunglasses. I can’t help it, my heart skips a beat as
Ricky removes his shades and I get the full Ricky Moore charm
offensive.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Beautiful moss green
eyes twinkle with mischief, the warlock grinning as he apologizes for
being late. I tell him it’s grand and glance down at my notes,
trying to be professional. When Ricky is relaxed, sitting cross
legged in front of me, I begin my questioning.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">ME:
Hey Ricky, thanks so much for talking time out to chat with me.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>No
problems darling. Anything for a pretty lady. (his smiles deepens,
revealing almost too cute dimples.)</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
Let’s start easy…What’s your full name? When were you born? </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Richard,</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Spencer,
Ignatius, Moore. Born July 9</i></span></span><sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>th</i></span></span></sup><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>
1987. If you laugh, I’m gonna be pissed.)</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>
</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">No
laughing I swear. (while biting the inside of my mouth to supress a
giggle as he pretends to glares at me.)</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.25in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
What religion are you, Ricky?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
(With a snort of laughter) </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
bloody Irish and our religions. Did you get some of your questions
from the census? Feel like I’ve answered these questions before.
(he flashes me a teasing smile and I return it.) I don't really
practice a set religion but if I had to label it, I guess I am kinda
sorta wiccan. I definitely try and follow their rede .... I am just
not always good at it lol ... sometimes things just need to get done
- whatever the cost.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
What kind of car do you drive?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Ford
Focus RS. She’s a beaut</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">.
</span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
What do you most dislike about your appearance?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>(Ricky
arches his eyebrow.) Nothing. I’m gorgeous. Next question please.
(He waves his hand in the air and I can only obey. And agree with
him)</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
What is the quality you most like in a woman?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">He
scrubs his jaw with his knuckles while he contemplates my question.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Loyalty.
You need someone in your life that you can trust. Someone that won’t
run out the door when shit gets tough and you know will be there at
the end of day, no matter how late you come home. </i></span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I’m
shocked to hear anger laced in his words. I might not be a profiler,
but I pretty sure Ricky’s been hurt before. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
What do you most value in your friends?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>The
same I suppose. You need to know your friends have your back, will be
there to catch ya when you fall. I’m lucky to have that…but shh,
don’t tell them I said that.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
Have you ever cheated on a partner?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>
People who cheat on their significant other are just plain scum. Next
question.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Yup,
definitely think he’s had his heartbroken before. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
Who are your heroes in real life?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Leaning
back in his chair, Ricky folds his arms across his chest and grins.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>My
team are rock stars. We hunt and apprehend the worst of the worst.
Those guys all have their own B.S to deal with, but we are the best
at what we do.</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
That’s very sweet.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>You’ll
realize I said we right? I’m for sure my own hero</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">.</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">(Then
again maybe not.)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
What’s your greatest regret?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>
I don’t have regrets. You make a mistake and you learn from it.
People who live with regrets, always looking back, never experience
this big ole world we live in. So nah, I’ve no regrets. I’ve had
major fuck-ups, but I’ve learned a hell of a lot from them.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
Ricky, what sort of music do you enjoy? Favourite song?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Ricky
takes the time to fold his right leg over his knee.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I
enjoy most genres of music unless the songs are just utter tripe.
Lyrics in songs should have meaning, not just repeats of the same
line over and over again. I mean c’mon, anything with the lyrics
bitches and hoes, is not real music. </i></span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: small;"><i>Fave
song, easy… Foo Fighters, The Pretender.</i></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
We should get to some of the more important questions, if that’s
okay?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sure,
I can’t wait to see what you think are more important questions.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
Marvel or DC? Fave comic book hero?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM.
(Chuckles) </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sweetheart,
you know exactly the right questions to ask. Marvel for sure and you
just have to go with Captain America for that right? I mean, he is
truth, justice and the American way.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
So no point asking if you were TeamCap or TeamIronMan for Civil War?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>
#TeamCap for the win.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
(Continuing on with a little geeky smile on my face.) Have you ever
been drunk? What are you like when you stay up all night? </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Haha…stupid
question darling. Hell yeah, I’ve been drunk…you ever tried going
for pints with a werewolf and trying to drink him under the table?
No, those morning afters are not pretty let me tell ya. </i></span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I
burst out laughing as the image of Ricky hungover pops into my head.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>So
not funny like. To answer your question, after staying up all night,
I look as handsome as always. You know people pay good money to have
that ‘I just rolled outta bed and look sexy as fudge’ look.
That’s me for damn sure.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
What do you wear to bed? Have you any tattoos or piercings? </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>
Is this for your personal files babe, or something? Shit just got
personal.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
(Holding up my fingers in the girl guides salute.) I swear these are
questions readers wanted to know! Don’t shoot the messenger.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Both
his eyebrows go up, and his gaze is so intense I feel my cheeks
redden.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Sure
babe, whatever you say. Answer to first part; sweet FA. And I sure
do, but I ‘aint showing you.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
What really moves you, or touches you to the soul?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Disney
movies. That shits just heart-breaking. I’m still not over Mufasa’s
death.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
What are you most afraid of?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Oblivion.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
Pardon? (I’m unsure if I misheard or he just quoted one of my fave
books.)</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Oblivion.
And yes, I have read The Fault in Our Stars… don’t put that in
the interview…you so will won’t you… Donnie’s gonna take the
piss for months now.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
I think female readers of this interview will fall a teeny bit more
in love with you after reading that.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:(He
leans forward and winks.) </span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Well,
okay then.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
You work very closely with Agent Derek Doyle and have done so for
many years. What’s it like to work with him, and what’s the worst
thing ye’ve done together?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>D’s</i></span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">
</span></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>my
boy. He’s lightened up so much over the years, but he’s solid. I
couldn’t ask for a better person to watch my back. (He bounces his
leg on his knee and a mischievous twinkle brightens his eyes.) So
this one time, when we were in Clare- we were undercover and had to
infiltrate a band of motorcycle criminals and D, he –</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">The
door opens and the gorgeous Derek Doyle pops his head in. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">DD:
Finish that story Rick and I’ll tell them what happened with the
stripper in Liverpool. </span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Spoilsport.
</i></span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">DD:
Sorry for the interruption Ms. Harris. Carry on.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">It’s
all I can do to nod, as I end up on the receiving end of a rare Derek
Doyle smile.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Derek
slaps Ricky on the back of the head and turns to leave.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Loves
you too honey!</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">He
looks at me and shrugs.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
We could talk about what happened in Liverpool?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>(Chuckles)
Nice try, next question…</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">In
my defence, I tried.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I’m
coming close to the end, time running out far too quickly. I’ve
notice in my observation the way Ricky looks at the tech girl
Melanie, but I’m subtle with my last few questions.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
Ricky, would you give a girl flowers or chocolate?</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Neither.
Chocs and flowers are too obvious. I’d sing a song or go old
school. Give a girl a mixtape. Be original; not predictable.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me:
Describe your ideal mate.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Ricky
takes his time in answering, brushing a stray wisp of hair from his
face. When he does answer though, I totally get the feeling he’s
speaking of someone in particular.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>She’s
gotta be smart and know her own mind. Fiery with a thirst for life.
Loyal and trustworthy. Someone who sees me for who I am, and loves me
regardless. It’s not about being the ideal person for me; it’s
about me being worthy of them.</i></span></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/null" name="_GoBack"></a>
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">Me: Ricky, thanks
for answering my questions today. I know they’re kind of personal,
but that’s why I’m here; to get to know you better. One last
question…What is your idea of perfect happiness?</span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">RM:
</span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Perfect
happiness? For me, I guess, good friends, good music, falling in love
with someone who loves me back. Being left alone to be who I am
without any inherited bullshit. To be good police and save some
lives. </i></span></span>
</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;">I
thank him for his time, shivering as he lifts my outstretched hand
and presses his lips to the back of my hand. Ricky lets go of my
hand, covers those beautiful eyes with his dark shades and with a big
grin strides from the room.</span></div>
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "times new roman" , serif;"> It’s
hard not to fall in love with the enigma that is Ricky Moore. He is
charming, romantic, and has all the right answers. And memorable,
because after leaving the station, heading home and siting down to
type up my interview, I’m still left feeling flushed by the charm.
And those haunting moss green eyes.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: 150%; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0.5in;">
<div style="line-height: 150%;">
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<b>About the Author</b><br />
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<i><br /><br />Susan Harris is a writer from Cork in Ireland. An avid reader, she quickly grew to love books in the supernatural/fantasy genre. When she is not writing or reading, she loves music, oriental cultures, tattoos, anything Disney and psychology. If she wasn't a writer she would love to be a FBI profiler or a PA for Dave Grohl or Jared Leto.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<i>Connect with Susan</i></div>
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<i><a href="http://www.susanharrisauthor.com/">Susan's Website</a></i></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; font-family: "merriweather" , "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 21px;"><br /></span>Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-7524532891552496102016-06-20T00:10:00.000-05:002016-06-20T00:15:34.570-05:00The Color of Us (College Bound #2) by Laura Ward and Christine Manzari Hey Readers! Ethan here with the first of several reviews I'll be sharing today. Best part about sharing this one first is that it's also RELEASE DAY! Woohoo! I am so excited to be sharing my thoughts on a NA novel that blew me away. This time on the chopping block? <i>The Color of Us</i>, the second installment in the <i>College Bound </i>series by Laura Ward and Christine Manzari. Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and our authors:<br />
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<b style="background-color: #141414; color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18.2px;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Title: <i>The Color of Us</i> (College Bound #2)<br />Authors: Laura Ward & Christine Manzari<br />Release Date: June 20, 2016</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #f1c232;">Eighteen year old Alexis Sinclair is lost in the darkness of grief. Since the death of her sister in a car accident, she can’t find the will to get out and enjoy life again. When she’s forced to face her biggest fear and take a summer Driver’s Ed course, she’s surprised to find hope in the most unlikely person. <br /><br />Liam O’Connell is trouble. He isn’t proud of his dark past, and he knows Alexis is the one girl he has no business pursuing. Doing the right thing has never been easy for him, but this time, it just might be impossible. <br /><br />The perfect girl and troubled boy are all wrong for each other, but as Liam helps Alexis cope with her grief, they realize nothing has ever felt more right.<br /><br />That is, until Alexis uncovers a secret about Liam that breaks her heart. <br /><br />Liam knows he can’t allow the one good thing in his life to walk away without a fight, and he’s determined to convince Alexis they can find their way out of the darkness together. <br /><br />Can he prove he’s worthy of her, or is some love too tainted to be saved?</span><br />
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29345617-the-color-of-us?ac=1&from_search=true"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMV1mr5xJNs5kTy3FdDIn-IbylzdqllFONVxC3Bfy7T6RHdB_Z4SrXF_zTqFUoglBXiuRCxn4YMxw1ZZTV92NRswuDyyOpv2sELOu22Ty8J_OUEf5GelIdaXic7_r1l2tkHWh1KdU9YM/s1600/add_to_goodreads.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Color-Us-College-Bound-Book-ebook/dp/B01H9SOZ92/"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GrmYIB90SCxv03oxIUCPnt9AfbGq8wgSC2a8-THFOYbyPlYEQ3s6qIjzB7NusiXDowGkcGgmbskhmvCp28cxYb9kitUCpZp3QDp6u-4Uqhq7u2z34AHMpQPULIxT8pc7ts3jZO_SxHY/s1600/Amazon+Button.png" /></a></div>
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<b style="color: white;">About the Authors:</b><br />
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<b style="color: white; line-height: 18.2px;">Laura Ward</b><br />
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<span style="color: #674ea7;"><span id="freeTextContainerauthor8328712" style="line-height: 18.2px;">Laura Ward lives in Maryland with her loud and very loving three children and husband. She married her college sweetheart and is endlessly grateful for the support he has given her through all their years together, and especially toward her goal of writing books. When not changing diapers, driving to lacrosse practice, or checking spelling homework, Laura is writing or reading romance novels. </span><span style="line-height: 18.2px;"><b style="line-height: 18.2px;"></b></span></span><b style="color: white; line-height: 18.2px;"><br /></b><span style="color: white;"><span style="line-height: 18.2px; line-height: 18.2px;"></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px; line-height: 18.2px;"></span><span style="line-height: 18.2px; line-height: 18.2px;"></span></span><br />
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<b>Find Laura Ward</b></div>
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<b style="line-height: 18.2px;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/LauraWardAuthor" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">FACEBOOK </a>| <a href="https://twitter.com/laurarosnerward" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">TWITTER </a>| <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8328712.Laura_Ward" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">GOODREADS</a></b></div>
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<span id="freeText1779494402354614460" style="color: white; line-height: 18.2px;"><b>Christine Manzari</b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #cc0000;"><span id="freeText1779494402354614460" style="line-height: 18.2px;"><span id="freeTextContainerauthor7218946">The first thing Christine does when she's getting ready to read a book is to crack the spine in at least five places. She wholeheartedly believes there is no place as comfy as the pages of a well-worn book. She's addicted to buying books, reading books, and writing books. Books, books, books. She also has a weakness for adventure, inappropriate humor, and coke (the caffeine-laden bubbly kind). Christine is from Forest Hill, Maryland where she lives with her husband, three kids, and her library of ugly spine books. </span> </span></span><br />
<span id="freeText1779494402354614460" style="color: white;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ChristineManzari" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Facebook </a>| <a href="http://www.twitter.com/Xenatine" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Twitter </a>| <a href="http://www.christinemanzari.com/" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Website </a>| <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7218946.Christine_Manzari" style="color: #3d85c6; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">Goodreads </a></span></div>
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<b>My Thoughts:</b></div>
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Last summer, I discovered that two of my favorite NA authors were teaming up to co-write a <i>new </i>NA series that was sure to impress. I anxiously awaited <i>The Pledge</i> and absolutely devoured it. While I had a few issues with their collaborative debut, I knew I saw a spark in this series that would only grow brighter with each passing chapter. By the end of book one, I was confident they had found their stride and was pumped about book two. Knowing the readers would get an incredible novel made this long wait almost unbearable.</div>
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I am so excited to say that the wait was well worth it. In fact, <i>The Color of Us</i> may have just become one of my favorite novels of the year! </div>
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I will admit that much like <i>The Pledge</i>, it took me a few chapters to really get into the story on this one. Thankfully, it didn't take too long though before I was absolutely immersed in the story Ward and Manzari had crafted. It's their best collaborative work yet! </div>
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I'll talk about this more a little later, but people. Be prepared for feels. I'll tell you, the plot for <i>The Color of Us</i> is an emotional roller coaster if I've ever seen one. You'll go from mad to happy to excruciating emotional pain over the span of this novel. The plot is so intimate and the settings and situations are so real, you can almost reach out and comfort the characters yourself in their time of need. It's truly an eye-opening novel and while I won't spoil any of the plot for anyone, I really didn't see most of it coming. I was a little iffy about one particular aspect of this story, but in the end I think it really helped pull the story together in the best of ways. Ward and Manzari make use of time jumps. The story isn't chronologically set in one time period, but rather jumps months or years into the future. It was very easy to follow, but I will admit there were times I would have like to see more in one time frame before jumping to the next. For a variety of reasons, this literary device worked extremely well in <i>TCoU </i>compared to other stories in which I have seen it attempted. My biggest input I can give on the plot of this one is to not give up, and certainly expect the unexpected. I won't say there are huge plot twists left and right, but there were several points in the story where I was genuinely surprised (and overtaken with emotion) with what I had read. It's truly a work of collaborative literary genius, </div>
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When it comes to the characters in this one, I don't even know where to start. Both Liam and Alexis are written to perfection, but I have to be perfectly honest and say that Liam really stole the show for me in this one. Alexis was extremely well-written and we see some great scenes and quotes from her, but Liam's story really hit hard for this reader. It may just be me relating to the male character by default, but I found Liam's struggles to be so real and fitting to the story that I ended <i>TCoU</i> with massive amounts of respect for his trials. While the NA genre is really known for it's college-age character and campus settings, I really appreciated the path the authors took with Liam's character choosing an alternate path in life. It's important for young readers to realize that college is not the only path in life. I was extremely pleased by the authors presentation of Liam. The relationship that Alexis and Liam build is truly an unconventional one, but Ward and Manzari definitely did an incredible job crafting a respectable relationship and not falling to the trends of insta-love. The secondary characters in the story are numerous, but each play an important role in the story and build up the emotional plot that I fell in love with. </div>
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While this novel is the second in a series, it has very little to do with <i>The Pledge</i> and each novel can be read as a standalone. I definitely recommend reading book one as well, but rest assured you won't be missing out on any part of the plot by starting with book two. </div>
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In true Ward-Manzari fashion, you probably won't make it to the epilogue without drowning in feels. I know I sure couldn't. Right from the very first chapter we see the signs that <i>TCoU</i> is about to hit on some extremely hard hitting themes. Themes of maturity and forgiveness are <i>huge</i> in this story. Definitely themes that are very important to all New Adults. Other hard hitting themes include death, family, love, and overcoming uncertainty. It's truly a testament to the writing styles of Ward and Manzari that they can relate so fully to the trials of the NA generation. It's so refreshing to read an NA about true NAs. Honestly. Major kudos to them. </div>
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As you guys can clearly see, I was a <i>huge </i>fan in the second installment of the <i>College Bound</i> series by Ward and Manzari. It impressed me beyond my wildest dreams and I am so glad to have gotten to read it. I can definitely say that I am more than excited about the future of this series. With the combined genius that is the Ward-Manzari team, I know this series will get better with each passing installment! That being said, it should come as no surprise that I am granting <i>The Color of Us</i> a <b>near-perfect 5-star review</b>. I highly recommend this read to all lovers of New Adult and romance series. Don't miss out on this read! </div>
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**This <i>can </i>be read a a standalone**<br />
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Alright folks, there you have it. My thoughts on <i>The Color of Us </i>by Laura Ward and Christine Manzari. It's an absolutely incredible novel that I can't wait to devour again. Be sure to check this one out. Don't miss out on the release day sale 6/20 ONLY! Thanks for stopping by and until next time, Happy Reading!</div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: x-large;">-Ethan</span></i></b></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-38485734880082979482016-06-17T05:00:00.000-05:002016-06-17T05:00:24.599-05:00Dating an Alien Popstar by Kendra L. Saunders Book Blitz (Excerpt + Giveaway)<div style="text-align: center;">
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<br /><i style="font-weight: bold;">Dating an Alien Pop Star </i><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kendra L. Saunders</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Published by: Crimson Tree Publishing</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Publication date: June 7th 2016</span><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Daisy Kirkwood has only just escaped her small- town life and run away to New York City, the land of last-minute secret gigs at famous musical venues, when she’s kidnapped by aliens. Unfortunately, no one ever writes about how to handle alien abduction in those fancy NYC guidebooks.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Griffin and Dev are supermassively sexy aliens from a politically and environmentally troubled planet who arrive on Earth with very little knowledge about human ways other than what they learned from a wayward E! News signal. Their mission is to pretend to be the most influential people on the planet—English pop stars, of course!—and gain the help of a powerful secret society. Upon arriving, they abduct Daisy Kirkwood, a nerdy young woman who loves music but could seriously use a bit of help in the love-life department. Though Griffin and Daisy initially squabble, neither can deny the intergalactic sparks whenever they’re too close to each other. Together, they must face murderous aliens, cultural misunderstandings, bad backup musicians, and the dark side of fame and the media, all set against a tight deadline…</span></div>
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<span style="color: #8e7cc3;">Part High Fidelity, part Bridget Jones’ Diary, part Doctor Who, Dating an Alien Pop Star is a sexy romantic comedy.</span></div>
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<span style="color: white; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27212678-dating-%20an-alien-%20pop-star">Goodreads</a> / <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Dating-Alien-%20Star-Kendra-Saunders/dp/1634221753">Amazon</a> / <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/dating-an-%20alien-popstar-%20kendra-l-saunders/1123261669?ean=9781634221757">Barnes & Noble</a> / <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/dating-an-%20alien-pop-%20star/id1103996676?mt=11">iBooks</a> / <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-ca/ebook/dating-an-alien-%20pop-star">Kobo</a></span></div>
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<b><i>EXCERPT:</i></b></div>
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Griffin raises a dark eyebrow. “Are you afraid of me?”<br /><br />“I didn’t say I’m afraid!”<br /><br />“But are you?”<br /><br />“No!”<br /><br />“Good.” He kicks off his shoes. “This will be a nice period of bonding for us, Wanda.”<br /><br />“Why are you here?” I demand, sitting on the edge of the bed and crossing my arms over my chest. “You say you want to become the most powerful being on the planet with your music and all of that, but why?”<br /><br />“It’s none of your business.”<br /><br />“It’s my planet, so it is my business. You’re not planning to brainwash all of us, and then harvest our organs or something, are you? Keep our livers in jars in a spaceship somewhere? Burn the planet and then plant your weird medicinal drugs here?”<br /><br />Griffin stalks closer to me with every word, until he’s standing directly in front of me, the glowing light in his eyes showing through the lenses. “And if I am, do you think you’re going to stop me?”<br /><br />A shudder traces through me. I’m not sure if it’s because of his words or because he’s standing so close. “I’ll have to stop you,” I say in a very brave tone. Okay, actually, it’s not brave at all. More like a wheezy whisper. But Bjork or Kim Gordon wouldn’t just bow down to an alien invasion without at least attempting to protect their planet, and neither will I.<br /><br />Before I can fully process what’s happening, Griffin’s pinned me down, holding my wrists against the bed under his hands. His body, though slight, feels substantial and warm against mine—simultaneously threatening and a bit of a turn on. “You don’t know me very well at all, do you, Wanda?” he whispers, and I want to correct him about my name, but I find it hard to say anything at all. “I would never come all the way to your planet just to enjoy the food and then destroy it. I’m not cruel!”<br /><br />“I don’t know anything about you, other than your bad taste in clothes,” I say, but his weight pressed against my pelvis has my body pulsing and warm all over. Bad, bad, bad.<br /><br />“Then look into me, why don’t you? You could see anything you wanted, if you’d just look. I’d let you.”<br /><br />When I shake my head, he releases me, climbing right over top of me to take his place on the bed. I can feel the mattress shaking a bit, and I gather my wits enough to sit up and glance at him. He’s maneuvered his way out of the rest of his clothes, leaving only the underwear.<br /><br />Thank God. Especially since my close proximity reveals he’s not doing too bad in that department. Even under a layer of fabric.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">
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Author Bio:</div>
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Kendra L. Saunders is a time-and- space traveling fashionista author who writes books about magical, dark-haired men, interviews famous people, and suggests way too many bands to you via whatever social media platform she can get her hands on. She writes with good humor because humor is the best weapon for a girl who can't learn karate (or ballroom dancing).</div>
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She is the author of DATING AN ALIEN POP STAR, the magic realism novel INANIMATE OBJECTS, dark comedy DEATH AND MR. RIGHT, the upcoming romance THE UNLOVE SPELL, and has conducted interviews with NYT Bestselling author Jennifer L. Armentrout, goth rocker Aurelio Voltaire, and Project Runway winners Dmitry Sholokhov and Michelle Lesniak Franklin among many, many others.</div>
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<a href="http://www.kendralsaunders.com/">Website</a> / <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3856305.Kendra_L_Saunders">Goodreads</a> / <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorkendralsaunders/">Facebook</a> / <a href="https://twitter.com/kendrybird">Twitter</a> / <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/KendraLSaunders">YouTube</a></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-72807406681226707832016-06-16T19:36:00.000-05:002016-06-16T19:36:51.488-05:00Heroes of Arcania: SuperNova (HoA #1) by Liz Long Review Hey readers! Ethan here on this very special Thursday with a review for you all. Today is the release day for the first novel in an incredible new series that's set to take Summer 2016 by storm. The latest release from one of my all time favorite authors. I'm so pumped to share my thoughts. On the chopping block today? <i>Heroes of Arcania: SuperNova </i>by Liz Long! Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and out author:<br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6;">The streets of Arcania are overrun with crime, deteriorating as a madman named Fortune makes himself at home. He shows no mercy, striking down anyone in his path – including Nova Benson’s little sister. Devastated, Nova vows to seek justice for her family, but aside from her freak strength and impenetrable skin, how is she supposed to stop a monster like Fortune?<br /><br />Cole Warner wants to help people. Entrusted to keep his family’s secret, he’s also frustrated at having to hide his gift. He knows he could do more to help in the fight against Fortune. If he could convince his sister Penelope to join him, they might even have a chance at beating him. When Cole meets Nova, he realizes his whole world is about to change. And he’s going to welcome it with open arms.<br /><br />Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan.<br /><br />Then again, neither was becoming a superhero.</span><div>
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29473487-supernova"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAMV1mr5xJNs5kTy3FdDIn-IbylzdqllFONVxC3Bfy7T6RHdB_Z4SrXF_zTqFUoglBXiuRCxn4YMxw1ZZTV92NRswuDyyOpv2sELOu22Ty8J_OUEf5GelIdaXic7_r1l2tkHWh1KdU9YM/s1600/add_to_goodreads.png" /></a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/SuperNova-Heroes-Arcania-Liz-Long-ebook/dp/B01FKR0FPM/ref=zg_bsnr_9059889011_3"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-GrmYIB90SCxv03oxIUCPnt9AfbGq8wgSC2a8-THFOYbyPlYEQ3s6qIjzB7NusiXDowGkcGgmbskhmvCp28cxYb9kitUCpZp3QDp6u-4Uqhq7u2z34AHMpQPULIxT8pc7ts3jZO_SxHY/s1600/Amazon+Button.png" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">About the Author:</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://lizclong.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/dsc_0089.jpeg" style="clear: left; color: #3d85c6; float: left; line-height: 18.2px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="Liz Long, indie author" class="alignleft wp-image-2816 size-thumbnail" height="150" src="http://lizclong.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/dsc_0089.jpeg?w=132&h=150" style="background: rgb(34, 34, 34); border-radius: 0px; border: 1px solid transparent; box-shadow: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2) 0px 0px 0px; padding: 8px; position: relative;" width="132" /></a><span style="color: white;">Liz Long is a ridiculously proud graduate of Longwood University with a BA in English. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her fabulous day job as a social media editor includes writing for a publishing company in Roanoke, VA.</span></div>
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<br />Her first book, Gifted, is the first book in the Donovan Circus series, where superpowers meets the circus. Burned is the second adventure. Her standalone book Witch Hearts, is a story about a serial killer hunting witches for their powers. Her newest book A Reaper Made is an NA Paranormal tale of a Reaper using magic to save her family from demons. All titles are available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback, Barnes & Noble for Nook, and iBooks.</div>
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<b><span style="color: #674ea7;">Find Liz Online</span></b></div>
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<b>My Thoughts:</b></div>
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With all the negatives we see in our world on a day to day basis, we're in desperate need of heroes. Be them on the big screen, in our books, or in real life, fighting crime to keep us safe, heroes are always needed in our world. I'm a huge superhero fan. I read comics, I've seen all the films, but I've never actually read about any in novel format. I've always been on the side of 'this medium works better visually than mentally'. As much as I love the works of Liz Long, I'll be honest and admit my hesitation in picking up <i>HoA: SuperNova</i>.</div>
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Thankfully with Long at the helm, I knew I would get a quality story. And did I ever!</div>
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In true superhero fashion, it takes an event to turn a 'super' into a 'hero'. Heroes aren't born, they're created. Sure Nova Benson has always had the Gift of super strength and impenetrable skin, but until her life is stopped in its' tracks, its never been more than a second thought to her. When Fortune arrives in her hometown of Arcania looking for nothing but trouble, Nova's life is forever changed after the death of her kid sister. With a broken heart and full of rage, Nova sets out for revenge. Vowing to stop Fortune before others suffer as she did. Along the way she discovers she may not be the only one hiding gifts. An entire new world opens for Nova, but will her new friends and their combined gifts be enough to stop Fortune and liberate Arcania from his clutches?</div>
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Sounds awesome, right? Where are the film rights?</div>
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While Liz has already created her entire Gifted universe with the <i>Donovan Circus</i>. She build on that world in some incredible ways with this new series. Fans of Long will recognize the Gifted terminology, while new readers will be excited to learn all about the world that Long has created. Sure our heroes have incredible gifts, but what's the best part about them? They're teenagers! High school-aged, curfew breaking, real-life teenagers! It's so refreshing as a reader to see YA characters actually acting YA age appropriate. Nova, Cole, and Penelope (our heroes) all face real-life challengers in their day-to-day lives and still fight crime by night. It's a testament to the writing talent of Liz Long that she can craft such a creative story, but still make it as realistic as she does. YA readers will strongly relate to these characters and will feel their pain as they journey through their story. </div>
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The series has a rather large cast of characters so make sure you're paying attention. In the end, everyone has an important role to play, will you catch on? I also applaud Long for the vast diversity of her characters. We see various age groups, genders, races, ethnicities in this series and that's something to be proud of! Kudos to you Liz Long!</div>
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As any good YA series should, <i>SuperNova </i>is full of some extremely hard hitting themes that will leave the reader with a lot to reflect upon. Themes of love, family, loss, responsibility, good vs evil, and judgement are all present in this series. It's really an incredible story that will leave you with that satisfied feeling down in your bookish heart. And it only gets better with each installment! </div>
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<i>SuperNova</i> ends on quite the cliffhanger that will leave readers begging for book two. Thankfully, we won't have to wait long as Long is rapid releasing the entire series this summer to make sure all her readers are satisfied! I know this series will be one that's discussed for many years to come. It's got everything you'd look for in a superhero series: heroes that slay, villains that are truly evil, and even a touch of that YA romance that readers love! Seriously folks, this series is off to an incredible start and it's only going to get better from here.</div>
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The perfect series for readers of all genres, <i>HoA: SuperNova</i> is sure to please. While the general tone is definitely YA, it is safe enough for younger readers while being satisfying to older readers of any age. Only mild language, no gore, and no sexual content, but there's all kind of action-packed awesome within these pages, plus some instances of teenagers being teenagers! </div>
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As you can see, I was clearly a huge fan of <i>Heroes of Arcania: SuperNova</i> and I am so glad I have the opportunity to share these thoughts with you all. I am so excited to be granting <i>HoA: SuperNova</i> a well-deserved, <b>near-perfect 5-star review</b>. I highly recommend this series to all fans of sci-fi, paranormal, or superheros. Add this series to your TBR today!</div>
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*****</div>
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Alright readers, that's all I have for you today on the topic of <i>Heroes of Arcania: SuperNova</i>. This was just the first in an incredible that's being rapid released this summer so definitely be on the lookout for more info about the rest of the series. I've already read books two and three and can promise you that you're going to love them even more! Be sure to add this one to your TBR today. Thanks so much for stopping by. Until next time, Happy Reading! </div>
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<b><i><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-size: x-large;">-Ethan</span></i></b></div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4173481615520218510.post-89025805939776883792016-06-16T05:00:00.000-05:002016-06-16T15:45:31.029-05:00Heroes of Arcania: SuperNova by Liz Long Release Day Launch <br />
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<b>SuperNova (HoA #1)</b></div>
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<b>Heroes of Arcania Trilogy</b></div>
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<b>RELEASE DAY BLITZ</b></div>
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<b>June 16th, 2016</b></div>
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">The streets of Arcania are overrun with crime, deteriorating as a madman named Fortune makes himself at home. He shows no mercy, striking down anyone in his path – including Nova Benson’s little sister. Devastated, Nova vows to seek justice for her family, but aside from her freak strength and impenetrable skin, how is she supposed to stop a monster like Fortune?</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Cole Warner wants to help people. Entrusted to keep his family’s secret, he’s also frustrated at having to hide his gift. He knows he could do more to help in the fight against Fortune. If he could convince his sister Penelope to join him, they might even have a chance at beating him. When Cole meets Nova, he realizes his whole world is about to change. And he’s going to welcome it with open arms.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Falling for each other wasn’t part of the plan.</span></i></div>
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<i><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Then again, neither was becoming a superhero.</span></i></div>
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<a href="http://amzn.to/20f9LaJ">BUY ON AMAZON</a></div>
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~*~ABOUT LIZ~*~</div>
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Liz Long is a proud graduate of Longwood University. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her day job includes writing for a magazine publisher in Roanoke, VA. The Donovan Circus series has best been described as "X-Men meets the circus." Adult horror story Witch Hearts tells the tale of a serial killer hunting witches for their powers. New Adult PNR A Reaper Made is about a teen Reaper who gets caught between falling in love or saving her sister's soul. All titles are available for paperback or ebook on Amazon. To learn more about Liz (including more information on her books, plus writing, marketing, and social media tips), visit her website: <a href="http://lizclong.com/">http://lizclong.com</a>.</div>
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Ethanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00314786402250645665noreply@blogger.com0