*GUEST POST* New Book-inspired Song Weaves a Midnight Melody of Love and Distrust!

New Book-inspired Song Weaves a Midnight Melody of Love and Distrust

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 Crowley’s new song, The Dark. The song is based on my Midnight Guardian series and gives us a look into Keira Ryan’s conflicting feelings for someone who can’t be trusted. The song was written in celebration of the 5th anniversary of the first book in the series, Of Sun & Moon.

As I write this post, the lyric video for The Dark is just over 90k views. Beth tells me that it’s 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 song’s release, she was asked to perform at this year’s Utopia Awards during UtopiaCon in Nashville this June.

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.

Lost one, tell me do you want to be found?

Lost one refers to Brun Gammen often called 'Lost Prince'

You caught me moments before I hit the ground

He let go of his secret to save her life when she had only moments left

And I hear voices screaming to run away

None, and I mean not one, of her friends or family approve of him, and they're very vocal about it

Yet I see not black and white but silver and gray

To her, he's more complex than simple black or white (evil or good). He's somewhere in between, a shining silvery gray.

I don't trust you, but I want to

She’s been raised in the knowledge that his kind can't be trusted, and his actions are often suspect.

Please don't let me fall

On multiple levels: don't let me fall in love with you, don't let me fail, don't let me die

I gaze up at the midnight sky, Can't find a single star

Referring to Atlantis, Brun's empire, where the sky is forever stuck in a starless midnight

There are times when I miss the light

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.

But I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm not afraid of the dark

Though he is dangerous, she's not afraid of him.

Your whispers follow me when I try to leave

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.

I fight for a love that I don't fully believe

She knows his feelings may be just a show, but still defies those around her just to be with him.

In my heart you're a risk I'm willing to take

But my head is telling me there's too much at stake

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.

I don't trust you, but I want to, Please don't let me fall

I gaze up at the midnight sky, Can't find a single star

There are times when I miss the light

But I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm not afraid of the dark, I'm not afraid of the dark

Those who haven't read the books can pick up the ebook edition of Book 1, Of Sun & Moon, 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 New Book Alert. 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 http://bit.ly/Butlerbookalert.

The Dark by Beth Crowley is available from iTunes and Spotify. 

I'm giving way 21 downloads of Beth's single. Contest ends March 31, 2017. Go here to enter

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Frequency (Book Three: The Frantic Series) by Casey L. Bond Blog Tour (Video Guest Post + Review + Giveaway)

Hey readers! Happy Monday! I'm so excited to be sharing this blog tour stop with all of you today. Anyone who's been following the blog here in 2016 has seen me absolutely rave about every word of this incredible series by the amazing Casey L. Bond. Vampires and Zombies, a gripping tale of suspense and a mysterious romance that will leave you begging for each passing installment? On the chopping block today? Frequency by Casey L. Bond. I've got all kinds of awesome here for you including my first EVER video Guest Post and review. Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel and our author:

When the Infected attacked, something horrific happened to Porschia Grant. Porschia in Frenzy was scary; Porschia with hallucinations is terrifying. There has to be a reason, and there must be a cure for the episodes refusing to release her from their tentacles of insanity. 

Saul is in the center of the city surrounded by secrets–some are damning, some are eye opening—others might just offer hope and be worth fighting for. How can a person justify the possibility of infecting another human being? What might the humans and night-walkers lose if he doesn’t take the chance?

The decisions made, and the lies uncovered, will shock everyone in and around Blackwater, and they just might spark a revolution.

Everything emits a sound… and hunger is deafening… horrible.

     

Casey L. Bond

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.

In 2003, Bond graduated Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts degree from Marshall University in the field of Criminal Justice. 

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

Special Video Guest Post from Author Casey L. Bond

'On the Topic of Combining the Vampire/Zombie Tropes'

*****

My Thoughts:

As anyone who follows this blog will well know, I am a huge Casey L. Bond fan. Admittedly, I haven't read her entire backlog and just recently jumped on board the Bond Bandwagon, but even based on the few works I have devoured, I can say with confidence that she's one of the most talented writers I've worked with as of late. Her stories are full of gripping emotion and such vivid plots and settings that really leave a lasting impression on the mind of her readers. 

I have to say, of all the reviews I have written for Casey's books, this one here has proven to be the most difficult. How do you adequately interpret all these feels without spoiling the novel for new readers? Well, I'm honestly not sure I can, but doggone it, I'm going to try.

Frequency was everything I wanted from the third installment in this incredible series, but the funny thing is that I didn't realize it until after I read it. It's near-perfect. Continuing the gripping plotline she crafted in books one and two, the stakes are higher than ever now that Portia is fresh out of Frenzy and attempting to setting into a life as the one thing she's feared her entire life long. The nightwalkers have claimed Portia as their own after her own community abandoned her without a second glance. But with some digging and some hard-hitting questions, Portia learns the hard way that there's much more to the story than what the Elders of Blackwater let on. Can Portia uncover the secrets in time to save those she loves?

I can't say much more because OH BOY huge spoilers, but let's just say that Casey blew the doors on the genre fresh off their hinges. You will not see this plot twist coming from a mile away. Think you know Blackwater? Think again. But vamps aren't the only paranormal in town, what of Mercedes and the Infected, long-feared? Is there redemption for the Infected? Will there be hope for Saul, Portia's once love?

Readers everywhere are going to want to grab the tissues for this one, because the feels are real. Casey holds nothing back and delivers several emotional blows that really help to ground this story into a reality that's terrifying, but relatable, on multiple levels.

Much like the previous novels, each chapter is told from an alternative POV, but this time definitely holds some twists as well. With new characters' insight to the madness, Bond is able to further envelope us into the world she has so delicately crafted. Bond's writing transcends the boundaries of paranormal literally, leaving readers with minds blown and hearts full.

As I mentioned in my reviews for both books one and two, Bond really challenges the conventions of the genre with each installment. It's so much more than what you see on the surface and that in itself will leave you with so many questions at the end of the novel. Questions that will leave you pondering everything you thought you knew about the genre and leave you begging for more!

I have to say that the ending to Frequency was probably one of my favorite scenes that Bond has written to-date. After so much heart stopping action and emotion, Bond leaves you hanging on to each and every word, anxiously awaiting the finale. I was definitely not disappointed. Bond left the door wide open for the world that she has created and I know she will continue to shatter our realities with each passing installment. 

I know I've left a lot of vagueness in this review, with good reason. Any fan of Bond or the paranormal genre is definitely going to need to grab a copy of Frequency themselves to see what becomes of the Grant family, Blackwater, and the creatures that lurk in the surrounding forest. It's not to be missed! 

All of this being said, it should come as absolutely no surprise that I am granting Frequency by Casey L. Bond a near-perfect 5-star review. I'd have to say that this has been my favorite series of 2016 thus far and I can't speak highly enough of it. A perfect read for fans of New Adult, Paranormal, or anyone looking to shake up their TBR with something a little different. Add this incredible series to your TBR today!

*****

GIVEAWAY

You read it right! I'm giving away an entire Frantic trilogy set to one lucky reader. Comment below with YOUR favorite vampire/zombie tale to enter. That's it! Likes/follows/shares are greatly appreciated but not required for entry.

*****

Alright readers, that's all I have for you on the topic of Frequency by Casey L. Bond. It was a fun, fast-paced read that I couldn't put down. I have yet to read something from Bond that I didn't love from the very first sentence. I know this guy will be anxiously awaiting the release of Bond's next great novel. Don't forget to comment below for your chance to win an ecopy of THE ENTIRE Frantic trilogy! Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Playing With Fire by Sherry D. Ficklin Blog Tour (Dream Cast + Giveaway)

Hey Readers! Ethan here with an exciting post for you all. As many of you will have seen throughout social media , it's release week for one of my all-time favorite authors, Sherry D. Ficklin! Today I am so excited to be taking part in the blog tour for this incredible novel. Who's excited!? I know I am. Today's post will feature Sherry's Dream Cast and a giveaway!  Before we get to that, here's a bit about the novel and our author:

One brilliant young hacker.
One experimental government aircraft.
One chance to keep it all from going up in flames.

Still recovering from her troubled past, Farris is no stranger to change. But when the military transfers her father across the country to an experimental aircraft squadron, settling in to a new life is the least of her problems. As a series of apparent computer glitches threaten the security of the fleet and the blame falls on her father, she decides to put her computer skills to use digging up the truth. Soon she’s drawn into the perilous world of a hacker who is determined to ground the fleet—at any cost.

When all signs lead to someone close to her as the mastermind, Farris will have to burn more than bridges to get to the truth. She will have to risk her fragile new life to uncover the identity of the cyber criminal before they can escalate from harmless tampering… to all out murder.

          

Sherry D. Ficklin

Sherry D. Ficklin is a full time writer from Colorado where she lives with her husband, four kids, two dogs, and a fluctuating number of chickens and house guests. A former military brat, she loves to travel and meet new people. 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.

Find Sherry F. Ficklin

FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS | WEBSITE

*****

Guest Post from Sherry Ficklin (Dream Cast)

Hello Followers of One Guy’s Guide To Good Reads! Thanks for having me out today to celebrate the release of the first book in my new #HACKER series, Playing With Fire! Ethan has challenged me to cast my own book-movie. I gotta say, this is tough. I know that what they look like in my head will never be the same as what they look like in yours, but we are gonna give it a crack! If you have any suggestions, feel free to drop your dream cast in the comments below!

Here we go.

First up, Farris, my MC and hacker girl. She has a boldness that I find hard to really express, so I picked Adelaide Kane (Reign, Teen Wolf) as my star. 

Adalaide Kane as Farris

And as her besties, the adorable goth couple Kayla and Derek, Malese Jow (The Vampire Diaries) and Devon Bostick (The 100). 

Malese Jow as Kayla

Devon Bostick as Derek

Then, for my main guys, I went with Cody Christian (Teen Wolf) as Oliver: 

Cody Christian as Oliver

And Ryan Kelley (Teen Wolf, Ben 10) as Reid:

Ryan Kelley as Reid

(I know he’s a little old for the part, but in my head he’s still Ben 10, so him at that age is what I’m thinking.)

And last but not least, Oliver’s friend Cole, aka Casey Deidrick (Eye Candy): 

Casey Deidrick as Cole

So that’s my cast. They are much more fun to look at than the real life counterparts of my LAST book series! ;) I hope you check out Playing with Fire and book 2, In Too Deep is now available for pre-order and is releasing Nov 30th!

*****

Win A CTP Mystery Box!!!

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Alright readers, that's all I have for you today on the topic of Playing With Fire by the incredible Sherry D. Ficklin. I have no doubt that this series is going to be one to watch. Don't miss your chance to pick up your copy today. How about that dream cast? Awesome group for an even more awesome novel! Click the release day graphic above to see my review of Playing With Fire from earlier this week! Special thanks to the author and Clean Teen Publishing for providing me with an early ARC of this novel and for allowing me to participate in this blog tour. Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Zombie Crawl 2 - Blog Party: Confessions of a Recent Convert (Post + Giveaway)

Zombie Crawl 2 - Blog Party

October 22 - 31, 2015

by Band of Dystopian Authors & Fans

How it works: Each day, the scheduled authors and bloggers will post awesome zombie-tastic content for your enjoyment along with a giveaway on their site/blog/page. You can hop around to all of the participating sites and enter as many giveaways as you like! If you would like to be emailed links to the new posts each day, join this Zombie Crawl Daily Digest list which will ensure you don't miss a post (or join the party on Facebook to get notifications). Make sure to leave comments and interact with the participating sites. Thanks for joining the party!

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Confessions of a Recent Convert

Hey there blog hoppers. Welcome to my stop on the Zombie Crawl Blog Party! Today I'm going to be sharing my brief story as a recent convert to the zombie trope. Hope you enjoy!

I'll be honest with you readers, Ethan here is not really a zombie fan. *gasp* I know, I know. Hard to believe. I've never seen an episode of The Walking Dead, most horror movies bore me to tears, and until about a two years ago, I'd never so much as touched a zombie novel. So what am I doing here? Well, it just so happens that the works of a few pretty awesome people have converted me over full fledged to where I maybe, just kind of really freaking enjoy the trope now. So what changed? Let's take a walk through my top five favorite zombies ever.

So let's go back to my childhood. Yes, I'm pretty young, I know. In my house, we were big Scooby-Doo fans. Couldn't get enough. I watched all the movies, TV shows, and all. Let's be honest, some of it was pretty scary for a cartoon. None more so than the 1998 hit Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island. Zombies, pirates, were-cats, voodoo, and the Louisiana bayou all rolled into one cartoon? Uh yeah, scary as hell. To this day it remains one of my all time favorite cartoon films. Those zombies were seriously legit. That and I tend to get the "It's Terror Time Again" song stuck in my head whenever I think of zombies. If you've never seen this one, you're really missing out.

So picking up from the screen side of things, I've recently took the plunge into trying to enjoy some television zombies. No, it's not TWD, but one other that really appealed to my love of crime shows and forensics: iZombie. Adapted from the wildly popular comic series, this new CW series has really taken me by storm, I seriously cannot get enough. It's a bit different than your average zombie series, but I'm thoroughly impressed. The first season is now in Netflix, be sure to check it out.

So honestly, that's about it when it comes to the visualized zombies that I can tolerate. Thankfully, there have been some absolutely incredible zombie book series that have really appealed to my inner bookworm. I've read about a dozen at this point, but these three are hands-down my favorite. Let's check them out!

First would have to be the novel that first introduced me to literary zombies, Warm Bodies by Isaac Marion. I know there's a lot of controversy around this one and it's inclusion in true zombie lore, but seriously as a newbie who was really hesitant about zombies in the first place, it was the perfect introduction for me. I've read these books so many times now. They're great!

Second would be The World Without End series by the incredible Nazarea Andrews. Right after I began my journey in the bookish world, I came across Andrews and this series. It's a New Adult zombie series that is full of horror, drama, and steam. I've been raving about this series for a long time now and all my bookish friends know how much Ren and Finn appealed to me. This four book series has now ended, but Andrews is beginning a spin-off series starting next year. Definitely worth adding to your TBR!

Finally we've got what would have to be my number one all-time favorite zombie anything ever. The absolutely amazing Rachel Auke's Deadland Saga. Oh holy hell you guys. On my list of all-time favorite book series, this one definitely is close to the top. I have never felt the wide spectrum of emotions I felt when I devoured this series. From absolute horror to heartbreaking emotion, it was one ride I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forget. I'm not an emotional reader but there were times when this series had me in tears. Nothing is sacred in the apocalypse and Aukes definitely knows it. Spinning the trilogy off as a retelling of Dante Alighieri's classic Dante's Inferno, Aukes weaves together the perfect series of survival and redemption in a shattering world. It's the only series I've seen that really closely follows the zombie apocalypse from the very beginning. I couldn't recommend this series any more if I tried.

As you guys can see, while I may not be a huge zombie fan, I've got a few zom-favories under my cap. Every time I read another zombie series it changes my bookish mind towards the zombie trope. While I don't believe it'll ever become my favorite, I think it's definitely going to be something I see becoming more and more prominent in my future! What about you guys? Fan of the films? The books? Let me know what you think in the comments below! To share some of my favorites with you all, I'm giving away box set copies of both Andrews and Aukes series below. Don't miss it!

*****

GIVEAWAY

Anxious to learn just how Nazarea Andrews and Rachel Aukes converted me to the dark side? I'm giving away a box set of EACH incredible series to a lucky winner. Enter the rafflecopter below and it could be you!

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The Schedule:

OCTOBER 22 - Thursday

Band of Dystopian Authors & Fans (Party & Grand Prize Host) Jo Michaels Blog (author) Rissa Blakeley (author) OCTOBER 23 - Friday Claire C. Riley (author) 2 Girls & A Book (blog) Emily Shore (author) OCTOBER 24 - Saturday Kathy Dinisi (author) Us Girls & A Book (blog) The Voluptuous Book Diva (blog 18+) OCTOBER 25 - Sunday Casey L. Bond (author) THE KATY blog (blog) OCTOBER 26 - Monday Saul Tanpepper (author) Warren Fielding (author) The Leighgendarium (blog) OCTOBER 27 - Tuesday Kody Boye (author) Rhiannon Frater (author) ER Arroyo (author) OCTOBER 28 - Wednesday Allen Gamboa (author) Armand Rosamilia (author) Ethan @ One Guy's Guide to Good Reads (blog) OCTOBER 29 - Thursday Kate L. Mary (author) aftershockzombieseries (author) Eli Constant (author) OCTOBER 30 - Friday Aria Michaels (author) Brian Parker (author) Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps (blog) OCTOBER 31 - Saturday Cindy Carroll (author) M. R. Pritchard (author) Toni L.H. Boughton (author) Digital Dirty Girl (blog)

To learn more about Band of Dystopian and/or to enter our Grand Prize Giveaway, visit BandofDystopian.com and don't forget to join the group on Facebook!

*****

Thanks so much for stopping by! Don't miss out on all the fun, be sure to head on over to all the other blog tour stops for even more amazing giveaways and fun. Like what you read? Subscribe to One Guy's Guide to Good Reads via any of the links in the sidebar. Thanks so much for stopping by today and to the incredible gang over at Band of Dystopian for allowing me to participate in this blog hop. Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

A Castle for Dragons (Dragons of Eternity 0.5) by Julie Wetzel Blog Tour (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Hey readers! Ethan here with an awesome post for you today courtesy of my family over at Crimson Tree Publishing. Today I am beyond honored to be the blog tour stop for a novel that stopped me in my tracks. One of my all time favorite (and highest rated) authors wrote this one to near-perfection. Today we're hosting A Castle for Dragons by Julie Wetzel. Today's post will feature an incredible Guest Post from Wetzel as well an an amazing giveaway! Here's a bit about the novel and out author before we get to the fun:

Castle For Dragons by Julie Wetzel

Dragons of Eternity, The First Archive

This is a Crimson Tree Publishing Title

Genre: Adult, Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Science Fiction

Release Date: August 11th, 2015

With a dragon ravaging the countryside, the Prince of Dragons sends out his best man, Patrick Markel. His orders—to secure an abandoned castle and stop the foul beast from stealing more maidens. This shouldn’t be an issue for an Elite of Eternity.

But there is more going on than there seems. When other dragons are sighted in the area, the town sends their maidens to their new lord for protection… and Patrick’s life becomes a lot more complicated. With the dragon he’s hunting acting odd and a castle filled with women distracting him, how is he supposed to do the job he was sent for? And what are the ladies going to do when they find out he’s the other dragon in the area?

          

Julie Wetzel is a mother of a hyperactive red headed boy, and what time she’s not chasing down dirty socks and unsticking toys from the ceiling she's crafting worlds readers can get lost it. Julie is a self-proclaimed bibliophile and lover of big words. She likes hiking, frogs, interesting earrings, and a plethora of other fun things.


Webpage | Amazon | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

*****

Guest Post

Fiction! Fantasy verses Paranormal.

Hello everyone. I’m new to this whole blogging thing, so I not really sure how this should start, but the question has been asked and I feel it needs to be answered: Which do you like writing more, paranormal or fantasy?

I wanted to start out with something witty about fiction writing being anything you wanted it to be, but I think that goes without saying, so I’m just going to jump straight into it. Because, when this question was asked, I didn’t know how to answer it. 

As a writer, I’ve delved into the realm of fantasy without as much as a life line back to reality, but I hadn’t sat down and made a conscious choice on what form that fiction would take. I build the worlds to fit the story without worrying where it fell in the realms of paranormal and fantasy. It took tearing my two series apart to see the differences. This is what I found. 

Vampires and werewolves have been around since the dawn of time… or so that’s how it seems. They are well established in their rolls. Anyone that doesn’t live under a rock knows that vampires suck blood and werewolves get hairy once a month. So when I started writing Kindling Flames, I had already established canon to use as fodder. Even most of the fay had stories that could be used to base characters on. So, while there was a fair amount of world building needed, it was more research and taking what was already there and changing it to fit my vision. But, if you changed it too far, you had better be ready to defend yourself.

I had a lot more freedom when writing the Dragons of Eternity Series. Dragons are one of the classic fantasy creatures, but there’s less predetermined information available. While there are dragon shaped holes, you can stuff just about anything in them and be accepted. No defending necessary. This is how it is, accept it or put the book down. 

With going into world building, writing fantasy took more effort because there weren’t set rules to follow. If I wanted magic, I could drop it in without explain where it came from or how it works. Bam! It’s there because I said so. Don’t like it, too bad, because that is how it is. But on the other hand, while the paranormal world was based on the real world and mostly established, anything that stepped outside the lines of excepted reality had to be explained. There had to be a reason it was there, and if that reason isn’t plausible, you had better be ready to catch flax from it.

But that still leaves the question, which do I like writing more, paranormal or fantasy? Well, for me, that question isn’t answerable. An answer would mean that I liked one more that the other and I can’t commit to that. I enjoy both forms of fiction and I write in whatever form fits the story best. And for my next trick, vampire dragons! 

*****

Other Works by Julie Wetzel:

Click the cover below to check out my 5-star review of A Castle for Dragons!

*****

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Hosted and Organized by:

Alright readers, that's all I have for you today on the topic of A Castle for Dragons by the absolutely incredible Julie Wetzel! As you guys well know, I am one of Wetzel's self-proclaimed biggest fans so it's truly an honor to host this incredible novel here on the blog today! I highly recommend this series to any reader looking for a unique read to add to their TBR, I promise you will not be disappointed. Huge shout out to the team at Crimson Tree Publishing for allowing me to participate. Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

Crushed (The Witch Game Novels Book One) by Kasi Blake Blog Tour

Hey readers, Ethan here with a fun blog tour for you guys. Today I am honored to share a guest post from the amazing Kasi Blake! Kasi joins us today from the incredible team at Clean Teen Publishing. Today post will feature some great promo, a guest post, and a giveaway! Don't miss out!

 

AMAZON / iBOOKS / BARNES and NOBLE / MORE

The Noah girls have beauty, powers, and brains.

They use all three to play their games.

They blow the dust,

the boys are crushed,

and no one is ever the same.

Each year the Noah girls play a secret game― Crushed. The rules are simple.

1. Use wisdom to pick your target. The boy can't be too weak or too strong-willed. 

2. Blow the enchanted dust into your target's face to enchant (Crush) him. 

3. Give verbal commands and assign them tasks to perform throughout the year. The more tasks completed, the stronger the witch's power grows. 

4. At the end of the year, the witch with the most power wins cold, hard cash. 

As if being a witch in high school isn't complicated enough, Kristen picks the wrong boy to Crush. Zach is tall, handsome, and a little scary. Her Crush spell isn't working on him like it has with the others. In fact, he is behaving the opposite of every other boy she's Crushed, hating her instead of adoring her. Something is definitely wrong. After someone attempts to kill her, Kristen realizes there is more at risk than a few hundred dollars. She may be betting with her life.

WATCH THE TRAILER: 

GET CRUSHED TODAY! 

AMAZON / iBOOKS / BARNES and NOBLE / MORE

About Kasi Blake

When Kasi Blake was in the third grade, she found out that a good story could get her out of trouble. Okay, some people call it a lie, but she didn't see anything wrong with using every skill available to her to avoid being grounded. Over the years, that didn't change. Her stories just grew more elaborate. When she was 12, she began to write them down, starting with a six-page tale about a boy from the wrong side of the tracks and the good girl that secretly wanted him. Kasi went on to write for Harlequin for a few years. Then, she published a vampire series on her own, and now she is publishing with Clean Teen. 

Get ready for an exciting series on witches using their powers to play dangerous games at school. The first is Crushed. You can find her on Twitter @kasiblake, on FB, and she has a website under her name. 

Kasi lives on a farm in the Midwest with tons of animals including cows, ducks, chickens, a dog, and cats.

Amazon | Goodreads | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Smashwords

*****

Guest Post

Story Behind Crushed

I had just finished writing my vampire series, and my agent couldn’t find a publisher for it even though she worked for one of the top agencies in New York City. We kept hearing the same thing over and over: the market is saturated with vampires.

So, my agent suggested I move onto a new series and put the vampires behind me. We talked about paranormal creatures. In essence, what haven’t we seen again and again?

Witches was just one thing on a long list, but when I got to it and really started to think about it, the possibilities seemed infinite. Since I knew my characters would be in high school, I asked myself a question. What would I have done back then if I had magical powers?

I made another list. There were a lot of things to choose from. I might use the power to make myself popular, get better grades, or make my parents disappear. Just kidding. The idea I found most intriguing was that I would put a love spell on the boy of my dreams.

This made me think about the movie The Craft, and I didn’t want to go in that direction. I also didn’t want it to be like Sabrina, The Teenage Witch with lots of laughs and silly stuff. I wanted something in the middle, so I decided to have three sisters playing a game at school that they call Crushed. The name comes from the fact that you can’t (even in movies) make someone love you. It always goes horribly wrong. But, maybe, you can give the person a little crush.

There are so many ways this spell could go wrong, and I enjoyed exploring them. But, I didn’t want to be too obvious, so I threw in a mystery. What happens if someone else, an enemy, somehow uses the Crushed spell against them? Hmm.

*****

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What do you think, does Crushed sound like the read for you? Be sure to add this incredible read to your TBR and be on the lookout for my review soon. Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan

The Forlorned by Angela J. Townsend Blog Tour (Guest Post + Giveaway)

Hey guys, Ethan here with another exciting blog tour for you guys. This time we're raving about a new horror novel from Crimson Tree Publishing, stick around for the giveaway and check out the awesome guest post from our author:

Title:  The Forlorned

Author:   Angela J. Townsend

Published: July 21st, 2015

Publisher:  Crimson Tree Publishing

Genre:  Horror

Content Warning:  Violence

Recommended Age:  13+

Synopsis:  When Tom Doherty first laid eyes on the lighthouse he knew it was damned.

An advertisement lured him to the island, offering a job renovating the old lighthouse and ramshackle buildings. What he didn’t know was that he was the only applicant. None of the locals wanted the job – no one dared.

Isolated and alone, Tom soon discovers why. Messages from disembodied voices; ghostly visitations and escalating horrors draw Tom deeper into the island’s evil past—a darkness that forces Tom to unbury the truth and bring demons of his own into the light.

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The Forlorned upcoming movie release information can be found on IMDb at: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4294968/?

About the Author: Angela Townsend was born in the beautiful Rocky Mountains of Missoula, Montana. As a child, Angela grew up listening to stories told by her grandparents, ancient tales and legends of faraway places. Influenced by her Irish and Scottish heritage, Angela became an avid research historian, specializing in Celtic mythology. Her gift for storytelling finally led her to a full time career in historical research and writing. A writer in local community circulations, Angela is also a published genealogical and historical resource writer who has taught numerous research seminars. Currently, Angela divides her time between writing, playing Celtic music on her fiddle, and Irish dancing.

Angela resides on a ranch, in rural Northwestern Montana, with her two children Levi and Grant.

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Guest Post

The Perils of Writing Horror

Writing horror is something that comes natural to me because I enjoy the genre so much. From the time I was old enough to tell stories my main characters seemed to be ghost, witches, wizards and all things fantasy and supernatural. Although I enjoy writing horror I do not like gore at all. I think gore is brainless. I want a good old fashioned ghost story that usually involves a spooky old house or some other historic structure to hold my attention. Because I’m a very descriptive writer--my book translated very well into a movie. I think in order to have a good horror story you must have a good setting and description is a big part of it. There also has to be a mood set from the very start. Each chapter must make the reader what to continue on to the next. Mystery is a big part of writing horror. My advice is simple. Don’t tell the reader everything all at once, show the reader the setting, be original in your ideas, and don’t drown your audience in gore. You can read more about the movie and book at www.theforlorned.com

Crimson Tree Publishing Links:

(An adult division of Clean Teen)

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Giveaway Details:

There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:

• A bookmark swag pack and winner’s choice of any Clean Teen Publishing eBook.

Giveaway is International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Special thanks to the author and the team at Juniper Grove Book Solutions for allowing me to participate. Thanks for stopping by. Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan