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January 30, 2015

Digital Digital Get Down ~ Feature & Follow #62


Feature & Follow Friday is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee and Alison Can Read where two blogs are featured. Click the links above to follow the hosting bloggers and featured bloggers. Enter your own post's link in the linky, then hop around to as many blogs as you can - find new blogs to follow and gain new followers as well. Mingle and make some new bloggy friends! :D

Adamant by Emma Adams ~ #CoverReveal & #Giveaway

Ready for a cover reveal?? I haven't done one of these in a while so get ready! This cover reveal was organized by Lola's Blog Tours. :D



Title: Adamant
Series: The Alliance Series #1
Author: Emma L. Adams
Genre: Contemporary Fantasy
Age category: Adult
Release date: March 11th 2015 






Synopsis

On an alternative 21st-century Earth in which our world is one of many in the Multiverse, the Inter-World Alliance exists to keep the peace between the worlds, and keep the monsters out.

Ada Fletcher is twenty-one, keeps a collection of knives in her room, and is more interested in fighting than her day job as a cashier. She also risks her life on a daily basis, helping refugees from a devastating magical war on her homeworld hide on the low-magic Earth. But when she's taken into custody by the Alliance, her unusual magic makes her a prime suspect for a supervisor's suspicious death. 

For Kay Walker, whose family founded the organization, there has never been any doubt that his future is with the Alliance - even if it means dealing with sarcastic centaurs and dangerous monsters in the dark Passages between worlds. But when his supervisor is murdered, Kay discovers that a research project might have been the reason, and faces the choice of whether to ignore his instincts or risk becoming the next target, not to mention digging into the Alliance's history and memories he'd rather keep buried. And there's something not quite right about the strange, fierce girl he arrested as a suspect.

The last thing Ada wants is to help the infuriating Alliance guard who arrested her, but it soon becomes clear that the Alliance knows too much about Ada's offworld origins. More, in fact, than she knows herself. Now she has to choose between loyalty to her family, and helping the Alliance save the Earth - and the Multiverse - from a deadly enemy. 

You can pre-order Adamant here:


Teasers







About the Author



Emma spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing speculative fiction. She was born in Birmingham, UK, which she fled at the first opportunity to study English Literature at Lancaster University. In her three years at Lancaster, she hiked up mountains, skydived in Australia, and endured a traumatic episode involving a swarm of bees in the Costa Rican jungle. She also entertained her creative writing group and baffled her tutors by submitting strange fantasy tales featuring dragons and supernatural monsters to workshops. These included her first publication, a rather bleak dystopian piece, and a disturbing story about a homicidal duck (which she hopes will never see the light of day). 

Now a reluctant graduate, Emma refuses to settle down and be normal. When not embarking on wild excursions and writing fantasy novels, she edits and proofreads novels for various publishing houses and reads an improbable number of books. Emma is currently working on the Alliance series, a multiple-universe adult fantasy featuring magic, monsters, cool gadgets and sarcasm. Her upper-YA urban fantasy Darkworld series is published by Curiosity Quills Press.

You can find and contact Emma here:

Giveaway 


Cover Reveal organized by:

January 29, 2015

Bridges Burned by Chris Cannon ~ Blog Tour: #Review & #Giveaway


Hey guys! Welcome to my stop on the Bridges Burned Book Tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours! Click here to follow along with the full tour schedule. 


Title: Bridges Burned 
Series: Going Down in Flames #2
Author: Chris Cannon
Publication date: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Genre: YA Fantasy 
Source: Copy for review

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo   






Synopsis

Don't just fight the system...burn it. 

Since discovering she is a shape-shifting, fire-breathing dragon on her sixteenth birthday (surprise!), Bryn McKenna's world has been thrown into chaos. Being a "crossbreed" - part Red dragon and part Blue - means Bryn will never fit in. Not with dragon society. Not with the archaic and controlling Directorate. And definitely not when she has striped hair and a not-so-popular affection for rule-breaking...

But sneaking around with her secret boyfriend, Zavien, gets a whole lot harder when he's betrothed to someone else. Someone who isn't a mixed breed and totally forbidden. And for an added complication, it turns out Bryn's former archnemesis Jaxon Westgate isn't quite the evil asshat she thought. Now she's caught between her desire to fit in and a need to set things on fire. Literally. 

Because if Bryn can't adapt to the status quo...well, then maybe it's time for her to change it. 



Getting ready to read Bridges Burned gave me an excuse to re-read the first book, Going Down in Flames, and I'm so glad I did. I really didn't need an excuse to read it again though - GDiF was just as awesome the second time around! Bryn is the kind of heroine you don't soon forget. In case you haven't read GDiF yet, I've done my best to make sure not to include any spoilers. 

A couple of things stood out to me right away. It's interesting when an author can subtly shift your opinion of a character and even more so when it's achieved with multiple characters. That's exactly what Chris Cannon did in Bridges Burned. I found myself starting to feel differently about some of the characters than I had in GDiF, and it was surprising because I never would have thought my opinions could change that way. 

I'm also super jealous that dragons can eat as much as they want without gaining weight. Like SUPER jealous. And it can be anything, even food that isn't good for you. Bryn could eat three or four pieces of cake after dinner! How can anyone not be jealous of that! 

Like in the first book, I felt Zavien, the black dragon who is kind of Bryn's protector, is a jerk. I don't get his appeal. I can see it, I just don't get it. Nola, a black dragon and Zavien's friend, becomes super needy this time around, and of course he runs to her rescue at the drop of a hat. I was sad to see Bryn get left behind over and over.  

I always liked Valmont, Bryn's literal knight in shining armor, and it was cool to get to know him and his backstory. He works at an Italian restaurant near the school in Dragon's Bluff. Bryn brought out the knight in him, so he really does protect her. There were definite sparks flying between them, and I think he's much more noble and caring than Zavien. 

There was a lot of story around Bryn and her love life, which definitely kept me turning the pages. But I was also eager to delve into the politics of the Directorate and the ways in which Bryn could really shake things up. With conspiracy theories and the mystery of who would have gained what from trying to kill her, there was plenty of action and suspense to keep me reading straight through. 

I love this series! Chris Cannon delivers once again with a heart-pounding and action-filled story with romance and heart.  

My Rating:



~ Book One ~


Going Down in Flames
Chris Cannon
Release date: 6/30/14
Entangled Teen

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo





Synopsis

If her love life is going down in flames, she might as well spark a revolution.

Finding out on your sixteenth birthday you're a shape-shifting dragon is tough to swallow. Being hauled off to an elite boarding school is enough to choke on. 

Since Bryn is the only crossbreed at the Institute for Excellence, all eyes are on her, but it's a particular black dragon, Zavien, who catches her attention. 

Zavien is tired of the Council's rules. Segregated clans, being told who to love, and close-minded leaders make freedom of choice almost impossible. The new girl with the striped hair is a breath of fresh air, and with Bryn's help, they may be able to change the rules. 

At the Institute, old grudges, new crushes, and death threats are all part of a normal day for Bryn. She'll need to learn to control her dragon powers if she wants to make it through her first year at school. But even focusing on staying alive is difficult when you're falling for someone you can't have. 

Click for my review of Going Down in Flames! :D 

About the Author


I love reading and writing snarky, kick-butt characters who take on the world and win. 
My truths: You can never have too many books, shoes, or purses. 
Coffee is the Elixir of Life.
There should be a National Nerf Bat Day where you are allowed to whack annoying people upside the head. 

Author Links






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January 28, 2015

Cursed By Fire by Danielle Annett ~ Release Day Blitz: Excerpt & #Giveaway


Happy Release Day to Danielle Annett of Coffee and Characters! 


Cursed by Fire
Danielle Annett
Release Date: January 28th 2015




Synopsis

It has been six years since the Awakening and peace in Spokane, Washington is still tenuous at best. The vampires and shifters are all vying for control of the city and the humans seem to be the ones suffering the consequences, or so it seems.

Aria Naveed has spent the last two years of her life fighting to make the many wrongs of the world right, but soon finds out that the humans aren't as weak as they appear and may be a more terrifying foe than any of the other races combined. 

When a stranger rolls into town with trouble on his heels, Aria finds herself trapped in the middle of a battle that could cost her more than she has bargained for as a fight for justice turns into an unexpected fight for her life.  

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | GooglePlay | Kobo | Smashwords 










About the Author


Danielle Annett is a reader, writer, photographer, and the blogger behind Coffee and Characters. Born in the SF Bay area, she now resides in Spokane, WA, the primary location for her Blood & Magic series. 

Addicted to coffee at an early age, she spends her restless nights putting pen to paper as she tries to get all of the stories out of her head before the dogs wake up the rest of the house and vy for her attention.

You can learn more about Danielle on her website at Danielle-Annett.com or follow on Twitter @Danielle_Annett or on Facebook at https://www/facebook.com/AuthorDaniel

Author Links



Excerpt

The light began to fade from his eyes as I crawled across the floor in an effort to reach my father. My nails were raw and bloody as I struggled to carry myself closer to him, digging into the rough wooden floors with each drag of my body. 

"I'm coming," I panted in between breaths. "Just hang on, Papa, I'm coming." 

I woke gasping for breath, drenched in a cold sweat, clutching the hilt of my dagger as if my life depended on it. I frantically looked around the room in search of our attacker while also taking stock of any injuries. I was perfectly whole. 

"It was just a nightmare," I told myself, though that did little to ease the ache in my chest over the remembered pain. I miss you so much. 

Rubbing my hands over my face, I pushed back the wet, loose tendrils of hair that had escaped my braid during my fitful rest and returned my dagger to its resting place beneath my pillow. Taking another deep breath I registered a hint of smoke. 

Shit!

My eyes roamed over the room, frantically looking for the source of fire.

"You have got to be kidding me!" 

I untangled my body from the sheets, tripping and falling into a heap on the floor before I was able to crawl out of my covers and retrieve an old shirt. I frenziedly swatted at the bedroom curtains with the old t-shirt but the flames continued to rise. Deciding there was no other choice, I ripped the curtains from the window and rushed to the kitchen. 

Throwing the curtains into the sink and turning the faucet on all the way, I watched as the flames were snuffed and steam began to rise. The curtains ruined. 

Turning the water off, I allowed my body to slide down the smooth wooden cabinets until my bottom met the cool tile floor. I folded my arms across my knees and rested my forehead against them. Closing my eyes I took several deep breaths, my heart still racing from the effects of the recurring nightmare. 

This was getting out of hand. I had thought the nightmares were fading, but something was bringing the memories back with a screaming vengeance and this was the third time this week they'd plagued me. I missed my parents but it'd been over six years now. They weren't coming back and I needed to let it go. My subconscious needed to let it go and I needed to let Daniel's death go. Not the case, no, I wouldn't let that go. But his death was affecting me in ways I couldn't allow to continue.    

I breathed deeply in an effort to calm my nerves. Small tremors racked my body, the nightmare had shaken me more than I'd like to admit. My skin was covered in a fine sheen of sweat. A physical reminder that I needed to relax before I accidentally caught something else on fire.    




Giveaway

January 27, 2015

No One Gets Out Alive by Mindy Larson ~ Release Day Blitz & #Giveaway




Title: No One Gets Out Alive
Series: Pre-Earth #3
Author: Mindy Larson
Publisher: Lavish Publishing
 Release Date: January 27, 2015


Synopsis


While Dominic Morris is struggling to exist in the afterlife, Hope and Sebastian Wilkes live out their 'happily after' on Pre-Earth. With a baby on the way life for them is nearly perfect. But when Hope's father, Oliver Luck, is tempted to reconnect with his soul mate, Phoenix, he threatens to take Hope down with him.

Drowning in sorrow and thinking he's getting a second chance to help Phoenix, Dominic follows her to The Other Place.

The place no one wants to go.

Will Dominic help Phoenix escape The Other Place? And more importantly, will he be able to leave himself?

One thousand years later, Hadley Christensen is back on Earth, but as Hayden Caldwell. With the help of her deceased fiancé, Luke, and her handsome doctor, Dexter Martin, Hayden considers what to believe.

Hayden has a choice.


A choice to believe or to stay blissfully unaware.

Will she follow a path of no return and challenge The Masters once and for all? Or will she succumb to staying in the dark and remain closer to her happily ever after.










Links to Buy

AMAZON US / UK



Also Available


AMAZON US / UK



AMAZON US / UK








Author Bio

Born in Provo, Utah in 1977, Mindy Larson is the oldest of four children and the only daughter. This Morning I Woke Up Dead is her first published novel. She lives happily ever after in Southeast Idaho with her four children, and the love of her life. When she isn't writing she can be found traveling, running, baking, cooking, or chasing after her kids, cats, and dog.



Author Links







Giveaway

Bridges Burned by Chris Cannon ~ Release Day Blitz


Bridges Burned
By Chris Cannon
January 27, 2015


Don’t just fight the system…burn it.

Since discovering she is a shape-shifting, fire-breathing dragon on her sixteenth birthday (surprise!), Bryn McKenna’s world has been thrown into chaos. Being a “crossbreed”—part Red dragon and part Blue—means Bryn will never fit in. Not with dragon society. Not with the archaic and controlling Directorate. And definitely not when she has striped hair and a not-so-popular affection for rule-breaking…

But sneaking around with her secret boyfriend, Zavien, gets a whole lot harder when he’s betrothed to someone else. Someone who isn’t a mixed breed and totally forbidden. And for an added complication, it turns out Bryn’s former archnemesis Jaxon Westgate isn’t quite the evil asshat she thought. Now she’s caught between her desire to fit in and a need to set things on fire. Literally.

Because if Bryn can’t adapt to the status quo…well, then maybe it’s time for her to change it.

BUY IT ON AMAZON, ITUNES, BARNES AND NOBLE, & KOBO: http://www.entangledpublishing.com/bridges-burned/


~*~ABOUT CHRIS CANNON~*~


Chris Cannon lives in Southern Illinois with her husband and her three dogs, Pete the shih tzu who sleeps on her desk while she writes, Molly the ever-shedding yellow lab, and Tyson the sandwich-stealing German Shepherd Beagle. She believes coffee is the Elixir of Life. Most evenings after work, you can find her sucking down caffeine and writing fire-breathing paranormal adventures. Going Down In Flames is the first book in Chris Cannon's shape-shifting dragon series.

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