Snapshots Book Tour

Snapshots
Author: Patricia Lynne
Release Date:  July 18th 2012
Format : Kindle
Genre: Young Adult, Romance,
Science Fiction, Fantasy

Summary
My name is Cyclop Blaine and I am a real person.
“You are mine.”
I am a real person: heedless of a childhood spent under the supervision of an old man I only know as Master.
“You belong to me.”
I am a real person: regardless of my teenage years bound by violence as the adoptive son of the Victory Street Gang's leader.
“You will obey me.”
I am a real person: despite the visions I see in others' eyes. Snapshots of their futures.
“You will cower before me.”
I am a real person: my life will be my own. I belong to no one.
“You. Are. MINE.”

Review

I got through this book rather quickly. Even within the writing, some parts in the book moved to fast, while other parts of the book moved at a normal pace. The writer also tends to skim over what seems to be key events, and I wished that they had gone into more depth about those events. Otherwise this alien book was interesting, featuring of gang involvement and scientific experiments on our main character.

The book centers around a character called Cyclop, taking place in a gang's house. He’s a member of a gang that he has been in since he was a kid when the leader took him in. Everything was fine with him being in the gang until in-gang fighting broke out. Cyclop tried to help his gang, but in the end they threw him out and then he had to learn to live on his own. Its then that he and Amber, our female lead, grow even closer. Things were starting to look up for him, until he began to hear a voice talking in his mind. He hears it almost everyday, which aggravates his nightmares. Then he learns that his master is looking for him and will get him back no matter what.

The reason he’s called Cyclop is because he keeps one eye covered with a bandana. If he doesn’t do this, every time he looks into someone’s eye he would have visions of the future. Cyclop is a really good guy and he really doesn’t belong in a gang. You can tell this by the way he goes to a gym to train to hold in his strength so that he doesn’t hurt anyone. He also thought at first that he was only interested in men because of how he had dated one of the gang members. Though that changed when he met Amber and realized that he was bi. This is a Young Adult book and there is no sex in this book, only mentions of it.

Amber is a sweet Asian girl who falls for Cyclop. At first she is weary of Cyclop because he is in a gang. Though soon that changes when she sees a different side to Cyclop. Beyond the gang she sees the sweet guy. She even believes him and trusts him when he tells her the truth about his powers.

There is romance in this book, but it doesn’t center around it. Cyclop and Amber are an interesting pair because they are both different in some way. What attracted Cyclop to Amber was because she was the only Asian in his area. At first he’s confused thinking he was only gay but soon realizes that he is bi and that he can love Amber.

Rating
3 out of 5 Howling Wolves

Author

Patricia Lynne never set out to become a writer, and in fact, never gave it any thought during high school and college. But now she can't stop writing. Patricia lives with her husband in Michigan, hopes one day to have what will resemble a small petting zoo and has a fondness for dying her hair the colors of the rainbow.

Links 

Blog - http://www.patricialynne.com

Twitterhttps://twitter.com/patricialynne07

Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/patricialynne07

Goodreadshttp://www.goodreads.com/author/show/635444.Patricia_Lynne

Snapshots Amazon http://www.amazon.com/dp/B008O7VYPG

Snapshots Smashwords https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/207756

The Last Year Series Book Review and Giveaway!

Whispers in Autumn
(The Last Year Series)

Author:  Trisha Leigh   

ISBN: 1475235941 (ISBN13: 9781475235944)

Release Date:   July 24th 2012
Format : Kindle
Pages: 388

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance,
Science Fiction, Fantasy
Series: The Last Year #1

Summary
In 2015, a race of alien Others conquered Earth. They enslaved humanity not by force, but through an aggressive mind control that turned people into contented, unquestioning robots.

Except sixteen-year-old Althea isn’t content at all, and she doesn’t need the mysterious note inside her locket to tell her she’s Something Else. It also warns her to trust no one, so she hides the pieces that make her different, even though it means being alone.

Then she meets Lucas, everything changes.

Althea and Lucas are immune to the alien mind control, and together they search for the reason why. What they uncover is a stunning truth the Others never anticipated, one with the potential to free the brainwashed human race.

It’s not who they are that makes them special, but what.

And what they are is a threat. One the Others are determined to eliminate for good.

Review

One word comes to mind when I read this book; “Wow”. I have never read a alien book quite like this before, and it was different and exciting. I can see this book being turned into a movie. These aren’t good aliens, they control human minds so that they could take over the earth for its resources. I disliked them right away. In this book the Aliens are called Others. I find that trust is a major theme in this book. Do you trust yourself and your own gut, or do you trust what the ones in charge are telling you?

The book takes place in Connecticut. Our main character, Althea, is living with the Morgans for the autumn season.  The Morgans believe that Althea is their daughter. That's interesting, because every season (except for summer) she travels to different cities. Does she have a family for each season, and how does she convince them that she's their daughter?

The plot centers around Althea and how her life has always been a lie.  She has to hide her true thoughts from everyone, and doesn't trust anyone because a note she found in a necklace told her not to. Then she meets Lucas at the cell (cells are like schools, but changed when the Others arrived on earth) they both attend, everything changes. She wants to trust him and believe him, but she can’t fully trust him because she lived without trusting someone for so long. When Wardens arrive, they begin to trust each other more. Wardens are Others who watch out for anyone who isn't under the Other mind control. Their arrival leads Althea and Lucas to come together and learn to trust each other, so that they can find out why they are different from everyone. As the truth slowly starts to unfold, they learn that they have powers most humans do not and that they are in danger.

Althea is a great character. She has a strong personality, but when it comes to the Others she’s scared. She also doesn’t trust anyone, even when it came to Lucas. She wants to believe that Lucas is someone she can trust. It’s not until later when the Wardens come that they began to talk. Slowly she starts to let down her guard around Lucas, trusting him and even falling for the boy with golden hair and blue eyes. They do everything to find out what the Others want with them, who and what they are, and how they came to be something the Others can’t control.

Lucas is a great guy. At first he’s careful around Althea, but after a while of talking to her he learns that he could trust her. He does what he can to protect Althea, and shows his strength even when he is hurt in the process.

Rating
5 out of 5 Howling Books

Winter Omens Arc
(The Last Year Series)

Author:  Trisha Leigh   

ISBN: 147828787X

Release Date: September 25th 2012
Format : Kindle
Pages: 398

Genre: Young Adult, Dystopian, Romance,
Science Fiction, Fantasy
Series: The Last Year #2

Summary
Althea and Lucas barely escaped the Others’ clutches in the autumn, and were separated in the process. Alone and on the run from the cruel alien race determined to exterminate her, Althea struggles to adapt and survive in a world she never imagined.

When a boy named Pax appears out of nowhere, he quickly recognizes Althea for what she is – a human/Other hybrid just like him. Althea begs him to help her find Lucas, but Pax refuses, intent on following his own mysterious agenda.

The Others’ presence continues to devour the planet’s resources, and if history is an indication, they won’t leave until Earth is destroyed beyond repair. Althea and Pax sense the only way to save themselves – and maybe their home – is to understand the powers simmering inside them.

Together they push the limits of their capabilities in the quiet Wilds, but are soon confronted with a terrifying fact: no place is safe from the relentless pursuit of the Others.

Least of all their own minds.

Review

Just as good as the first book, there were even times where I cried in this book. The blend of emotion tugging romance and sadness made me fall in love with this series. This book was even more exciting then the first, and the romance is more heated up, and you won’t believe with who.

This series takes place in Lowa at first, where Althea wakes up from escaping the Others. She isn’t with Lucas and she has to get out of the town before the Others locate her. Soon she meets up with Pax, and they travel across the country to get to Portland.

After escaping the Others and being separated from Lucas, Althea is by herself. She runs away from the town of Lowa, where she wakes up in and flees into the wilds. In the wilds, she meets a dog that she mistakes as a wolf at first, and a boy name Pax who she realizes is like her. Though they are weary of each other at first, they soon come to trust each other with their secrets as they travel together. At first Althea tries to convince Pax that they need to find Lucas, but soon gives up when Pax only has one thought and that is to get to Portland. As they travel they learn more of each other and grow closer. It doesn’t help that Althea is being targeted every time she sleeps by the Others who have found her in the hive of their minds.

Althea is more trusting in this book then the last. Though it still took time for her to trust Pax, it was a lot faster then when she first met Lucas. Probably because she learns that there are three other season elements beside her. Finding Pax, who is autumn, makes her glad that she isn’t alone any longer. Despite the fact she found a dog to keep her company, finding someone like her made her relax about not being alone anymore.  She learns more about why the Others don’t allow animals in the towns and that the Others might be afraid of her and the other three dissidents because of their powers.

Pax is different from Lucas. While Lucas is kind and cares about Althe, Pax doesn’t treat her the same, he’s keeping her at a distance. He serious about his mission, and he hates the Others as much as Althea, but has no reason to stop them. He just wants to get to Portland to solve unfinished business. Though things change when Althea starts to travel with him. He feels their connection and how strong the pull is towards one another every time they touch. He soon learns to trust Althea and even has a couple romantic moments together.

The romance between these two is heated and you can see how much they attract one another. Every time they touch they want to kiss and be closer together. At a few parts they couldn’t help but react on these feelings only to stop just as fast. It’s because of these moments between Althea and Pax that I’m confused on which guy I like more. Lucas hardly had time to act on his feelings in the first book because of the trust issue and the issue with the Others. Pax is new and Althea trusts him much faster, and they spend all their time together to grow and develop romantic feelings right away. Both guys are great, so I’m not sure if I’m a Pax fan or a Lucas fan.

Rating
5 out of 5 Howling Books

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Dancing with Death Book Tour Giveaway!

 

 

Dancing with Death

Author: Andrea Heltsley

ISBN: 1478204184

Release Date: August 10th 2012
Published: Createspace 
Genre: Paranormal, Mystery
Series: A Dancing Book #1

Summary

Murders have plagued the woods in the past, making them a place of fear. Eighteen year old Wendy and her friends become worried when a new string of murders come to their high school. After a horrible car accident, Wendy returns to school, going from wallflower to popular overnight. As the murderer edges closer to Wendy she realizes things are changing. She is afflicted with nightmares that are all too real and she herself is undergoing unnatural changes. Learning the truth about her past, could be the key to saving her future. 

Author Link: http://www.andreaheltsley.blogspot.com

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Kavachi's Rise The Devouring Book Tour Excerpt!

The Devouring
Author: Mike Kearby

ISBN13: 9781615727636
Release Date: September 1st 2012
Published: Damnation Books
Format: Paperback and Ebook

Genre: Horror, Thriller

B&N

Summary

A Dark Secret. Thomas Morehart and his sister, Kara are vampyre, not the undead, but creatures evolved over hundreds of thousands of years to mimic their prey, man. Then - rescued from a Nazi Prison Camp, Thomas and Kara are brought to the U.S. and forced to work inside government-owned mortuaries. Now -betrayed by the government sixty-seven years later, Thomas and Kara are in a race against time to transform back to their feral states or risk Exsanguination by government sanctioned hit squads.

Excerpt

The soldiers knew this lieutenant. Knew of him, anyway. Nikolai Borisoff was his Russian name, but if all the rumors were true, nobody knew his real name. Others of his kind referred to him as, “Rom baro,” the big man. But in the stories he was known simply as the necromancer hunter.

“Shall we put him in with the others, sir?” one soldier asked.

Nikolai ignored the question and squared himself off to stand face-to-face with the prisoner. He stared into the darkness of the creature’s eyes. “How do you write yourself?” he asked in Amria.

The creature stopped rocking. He looked up and opened a dark pit of a mouth. A word tumbled out: “Death.”

Nikolai frowned, “But where are the others?”

Death tilted his head right and left, like a confused animal trying to make sense of an unfamiliar sound. After several seconds of the head movement, he parted leathery lips and emitted a rattling laugh.

“Others?”

“Yes, the others, like yourself.”

“Killed, dead. All meat.”

“In the showers?”

“A death they would have welcomed.”

Nikolai leaned back. He stared across his left shoulder, down the rows of barracks where the camp’s prisoners were being assembled. The 48^thhad found only a handful of them, yet intelligence had said there would be thousands. Reports had indicated as many as twenty thousand. He turned back to Death.

“Where?” he asked.

Death lifted his chin toward the camp entrance. “There,” he whispered. “Only a short way from the death gate. Toward the sea.”

Nikolai looked past the gathered prisoners and through the opened gates of the camp. Pine and aspen lined the road for as far as he could see. He turned back, questioning, “In the woods?”

“In the ground.”

Nikolai frowned. “Can you show me?”

Death shook his head. “I prefer here. It’s very bad luck to go to that place.”

“Why?”

Death began to rock again. “It’s a madhouse filled with all kinds of madness.”

Nikolai studied Death’s face. “Then you’ve been there?”

Death wagged a finger in Nikolai’s direction. “Oh, I went there once. It might even have been twice or maybe three times. I can’t be sure, for the madness takes away one’s sensibility.”

“And your job there?”

“I helped push the carts back to this camp.”

“Back? What had been on the carts before?”

“Creatures.”

“And when you returned?”

“Shoes…and pyjamas…and hair.”

“And what of those who once wore the shoes and pyjamas and hair?”

Death rested his chin against his knees once more and resumed his monotonous cantillate. Then, just as quickly, stopped. It looked up at Nikolai. Its pupils contracted. “Porrajmos!”

Nikolai narrowed his eyes and pinched his bottom lip between his thumb and forefinger. His gaze darted back to the front gate and to the forests outside. “Are you saying violate?”

Death’s face twisted. He screamed again, “Porrajmos!”

Nikolai shook his head and released his lip. “To open? To open one’s mouth?”

Death stopped rocking and stared ahead, rigid. His pupils dilated back to their dead state. He exhaled a short breath, then pushed his right index finger into a spot just below his right ear and directly above his jawbone. He held his finger in the spot for several breaths, as if to make sure Nikolai understood, then slowly dragged the finger down his neck to his collarbone.

Nikolai watched, fascinated at the visual. “Rip open?” he uttered.

Death shook his head, exasperated, exhaled a rattling breath, and motioned with an outstretched finger for Nikolai to lean close.

Nikolai stooped forward and turned an ear toward Death’s mouth.

A gush of stagnant air rushed from the man’s lips and flowed across Nikolai’s cheek and nose.

Nikolai jerked away from the dead gas -- and from the two words that had drifted on the offensive fumes. He sucked in a quick breath and jerked the pilotka from his head.

Death nodded blindly, as if pleased, and then started rocking again.

Nikolai could only stare at the living corpse swaying in front of him.

Porrajmos.

Such a simple word.

And when translated into Russian, two words: The devouring.

About the Author

From Wikipedia: Mike Kearby (born 1952) is an American novelist and inventor. Since 2005, Kearby has published ten novels, one graphic novel, and written two screenplays: (2011) Boston Nightly, with fellow writer Paul Bright and (2012) The Devouring. Boston Nightly is scheduled for filming in the spring of 2013.

Kearby was born in Mineral Wells, Texas, and received a B.S. from North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas) in 1972. He taught high school English and reading for 10 years and created ""The Collaborative Novella Project"" The project allows future authors to go through the novel writing process from idea to published work. Kearby began novel writing in 2005 and has completed eight novels, one graphic novel, and written the afterword to the TCU Press 2010 release of western novelist's, Elmer Kelton, ""The Far Away Canyon"".

""Ambush at Mustang Canyon"" was a finalist for the 2008 Spur Awards.

""A Hundred Miles to Water"" was awarded the 2011 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Best Adult Fiction.

“Texas Tales Illustrated” was awarded the 2012 Will Rogers Medallion Award for Best YA Non-Fiction.

Find the Author:

Website | Twitter | Blog |

Death is a Bitch Book Tour Promo and Giveaway!

  Death Is a Bitch

Author:  Cate Masters 

ASIN: B008RQFJEQ

Format : Kindle

Pages: 113

Genre: Urban fantasy/dark paranormal

Decadent Publishing   Amazon  All Romance Ebooks

Summary

Eternity can suck when it’s all work, work, work. Death harvests souls even when they stack up faster than pancakes in an all-you-can-eat-buffet. No wonder she can’t shed the Grim Reaper rep.

As the patron angel of death and dying, Azrael works closely with Death but is dying for true intimacy. She’s the only immortal who’s ever aroused such powerful emotions in him. One taste of her leaves him needing her like humans need air and food, but will a demon’s lies leave a bad taste?

No one escapes Death – except King Sisyphus. Twice. With the help of Damien the demon, Sisyphus tries again, and she’s determined to have justice. Some say Death’s a bitch, but only when she has to be. But will the price of justice be a broken heart?

Short Excerpt

Death stepped from the shadowy curtain of night along a deserted stretch of road toward the mangled hunk of cherry-red metal that used to be a sweet Z240 sports car. Stardust glinted in the black hair that dipped to her waist.

She kept a safe distance from the wreck. Inside, a thirtyish man slumped behind the wheel, the air bag deflating away from his near-lifeless body. Blood oozed from a nasty gash to his head. Should have worn his seat belt. Too late for life lessons, though. Those weren’t her expertise anyway. Just the opposite.

Leaves crackled in the underbrush beyond the nearby trees. Death gripped the silver charm bracelet on her wrist, her senses on high alert. Her finger poised near the hidden latch, ready to release a stream of lightning.

A deer. It stilled, its wide eyes fixed on her.

Seeing nothing else, she continued with a modicum of caution. Taking souls didn’t exactly make her popular, and after so many millennia, she should’ve been used to it. The bad jokes. The Halloween parodies. A scythe? Please. She’d never used cheap props. Only the finest weaponry. No mortal ever suspected the intricately designed baubles adorning her bracelet were anything more than ornamental.

Moonlight gleamed off the curves of the sports car, and she ran a gilded nail along its hood. She wouldn’t mind taking one of these babies for a spin. In its former condition, of course, before this guy took the curve too fast and wrapped it around a tree. Humans always rushed everywhere, sometimes straight into her arms.

The man’s moan signaled she had no need for weapons. This one would give her no trouble. She fingered his blond hair, matted with blood. What a shame. So young, and so handsome. He’d leave at least one lover grieving, no doubt.

His eyes fluttered open. When he looked up, recognition intensified the flicker of life in his eyes.

She needed no introduction. They always knew her, unmistakable in the glimmering black filament gown, its folds revealing a glimpse into infinity.

The stilettos usually earned a second glance, the four-inch heels glistening like fool’s gold. The butterfly tattoo spanning her upper arm likewise drew curious looks, which inevitably changed to horror when the souls recognized the face imprinted within that colorful ink: their own.

View more about Death Is A Bitch at http://catemasters.blogspot.com/2011/04/death-is-bitch-dark-paranormal.html

 

Author Bio

Cate Masters loves romance with a dash of magic and mayhem! Multipublished in contemporary to historical, sweet to erotic, fantasy/dark fantasy to speculative, she sometimes mashes genres. Reviewers have described her stories as “so compelling, I did not want to put it down,” and “such romantic tales that really touch your soul.”

When not spending time with her family, she can be found in her lair, concocting a magical brew of contemporary, historical, and fantasy/paranormal stories with her cat Chairman Maiow and dog Lily as company. Look for her at http://catemasters.blogspot.com and in strange nooks and far-flung corners of the web.

Cate loves to hear from readers! Friend her on Facebook or Goodreads, or email her at: cate.masters AT gmail.com

Blog: http://catemasters.blogspot.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Cate-Masters/89969413736

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CateMasters

Goodreads:  http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2944596.Cate_Masters

Coffee Time Romance: http://coffeetimeromance.com/board/forumdisplay.php

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Cate-Masters/e/B002OBQ98A/ref=sr_tc_ep?qid=1331753999

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/CateMasters

Giveaway

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Promotional Event: The Sleeping Beauty Trilogy by Anne Rice and Penguin and Giveaway!!

Before 50 Shades of Grey & Bared To You There was….

THE SLEEPING BEAUTY CHRONICLES

Anne Rice

WITH A NEW PREFACE BY THE AUTHOR

People are much more comfortable today admitting and talking about what they enjoy in fiction and film. Much more. People are “out of the closet” about sexuality, period. The whole world knows women are sensual human beings as well as men. It’s no secret anymore that women want to read sexy fiction just as men do, and there’s a new frankness about the varieties of fantasies one might enjoy. So many clichés have been broken and abandoned. And this is a wonderful thing. – From Anne Rice’s new preface in the Sleeping Beauty Chronicles

Many people know that Anne Rice paved the way for blockbuster books about witches and vampires. What they may not realize, is that she is also the godmother of pleasure and pain erotica. When Anne Rice published her seminal SLEEPING BEAUTY CHRONICLES in the mid-eighties under the pen name A.N. Roquelaure, she couldn’t have predicted that not only would her erotic take on

the famous fairy tale become a huge underground hit and a mainstay for erotica fans for three decades, but it would also be a choice as ahead of the curve as her supernatural novels.

The series is more popular than ever, and with sadomasochistic erotica dominating bestseller lists, more and more people are discovering this classic trilogy. Now her books will be available for a whole new generation of erotica fans. All three books will hit stores nationwide on July 11^th 2012, from Plume with a provocative new preface and gorgeous re-package

In the first book of the series; Rice follows the traditional folktale of Sleeping Beauty, the spell cast upon the lovely young can only be broken by the kiss of a Prince. In Rice’s steamy retelling, The Prince awakens Beauty, not with a kiss, but with sexual conquer. His reward for ending the hundred years of enchantment is Beauty's complete and total enslavement to him. Rice’s exploration of the master and sexual slave fantasy is both elegant and arousing under her skillful pen.

Second Book of the series; continues her explicit, teasing exploration of the psychology of human desire. Now Beauty, having indulged in a secret and forbidden infatuation with the rebellious slave Prince Tristan, is sent away from the Satyricon-like world of the Castle. Sold at auction, she will soon experience the tantalizing punishments of "the village," as her education in love, cruelty, dominance, submission, and tenderness is turned over to the brazenly handsome Captain of the Guard. And once again Rice's tale of pleasure and pain dares to explore the most primal desires of the human heart.

In the final volume of Anne Rice's titillating erotic trilogy, Beauty's adventures on the dark side of sexuality make her the bound captive of an Eastern Sultan and a prisoner in the exotic confines of the harem. As this voluptuous adult fairy tale moves toward conclusion, all Beauty's encounters with the myriad variations of sexual fantasy are presented in a sensuous, rich prose that intensifies this exquisite rendition of Love's secret world, and makes the Beauty series and incomparable study of erotica. In it, Anne Rice makes the forbidden side of passion a doorway into the hidden regions of the psyche and the heart.

THE CLAIMING OF SLEEPING BEAUTY

Chapter 1 Excerpt

Anne Rice

Excerpt 1

The Prince had all his young life know the story of Sleeping Beauty, cursed to sleep for a hundred years, with her parents, the King and Queen, and all of the Court, after pricking her finger on a spindle.

But he did not believe it until he was inside the castle.

Even the bodies of those other Princes caught in the thorns of the rose vines that covered the walls had not made him believe it.  They had come believing it, true enough, but he must see for himself inside the castle. 

Careless with grief for the death of his father, and too powerful under his mother’s rule for his own good, he cut these awesome vines at their roots, and immediately prevented them from ensnaring him.  It was not his desire to die so much as to conquer.

And picking his way through the bones of those who had failed to solve the mystery, he stepped alone into the great banquet hall.

The sun was high in the sky and those vines had fallen away, so the light fell in dusty shafts from the lofty windows.

And all along the banquet table, the Prince saw the men and women of the old Court, sleeping under layers of dust, their ruddy and slack faces spun over with spider webs.

He gasped to see the servants dozing against the walls, their clothes rotted to tatters.

But it was true, this old tale. And, fearless as before, he went in search of the Sleeping Beauty who must be at the core of it.

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