Thursday, October 11, 2012

BLOG TOUR - PROMO & EXCERPT: Forbidden Mind (Forbidden #1) by Kimberly Kinrade



Author: Kimberly Kinrade
Title of book: Forbidden Mind (Forbidden Trilogy, #1)
Publisher: Evolved Publisher
Original: September 7, 2011,
New edition launch: June 26, 2012
Length of book: 248 pages
YA paranormal romance/thriller

She reads minds.
He controls minds.
Together, they might get out alive.

49% of Americans believe their government officials are honest.

I don't know these officials, or their supporters, but I know their secrets, and 49% of Americans are wrong.

My employers pay me well to be right, to know things others can't. But I don't know why they brought that boy in, strapped to a stretcher, barely conscious. He asked me for help when I could give none.

I'm a wealthy spy, a talented artist, a martial arts black belt, and a prisoner.

They tell me that on my eighteenth birthday, I will be released, free to go to the college of my dreams.

It's my eighteenth birthday, and a man in black is at my door. I know he's not here to free me.

I know, because I can read minds.

My name is Sam, and this is my story.

So begins the tale of Sam and Drake—from the time they link minds, forging a bond that leads to an unconventional romance—to their fight for survival against the corrupt, twisted organization known as 'Rent-A-Kid.' 

"...a thrilling, dark and deeply romantic read that had me sitting on the edge of my seat and eagerly awaiting the next installment." ~ Refracted Light Young Adult Book Reviews

"The plot is very ALIAS and DARK ANGEL-like with X-MEN as its backdrop (awesome combo!). Forbidden Mind BLEW my mind!" ~Sour Skittles Book Blog

Winner of 2011 Forward National Literature Award


Book Excerpt:
 
When Drake regained some semblance of consciousness, intense pain stripped every nerve ending raw. His mind felt crushed into his skull, not just from the hit to the head
—his powers gave him the ability to heal faster than most—but from the mind assault when someone used Drake's powers against him. How was that even possible?
He didn't open his eyes. First, he wanted to get a sense of his environment. Wheels clanked against a linoleum floor and he felt himself move forward. Voices floated around him like clouds. The world around him drifted through his awareness like bubbles—so fragile and immaterial.
He'd been drugged. He remembered the dart to his arm, but he suspected they'd given him something more since taking him.
Who did this? Where was he?
Questions swirled through his mind, and he couldn't steady his thoughts enough to make sense of anything. He had clothes on, not just his bathing suit, so someone had dressed him. The air smelled of chemicals and
sickness, like a hospital.
Darkness threatened to close in on him again. Panic filled his veins and sent a small shot of adrenaline through
him.
Another mind connected with his—someone with similar powers, someone who could help. He reached out,
pushing his mind with the little strength he had left.
He squinted through pain, and locked eyes with a dark-haired, pale-faced beauty who looked as if she'd been in
a bar fight. One blue eye shined bright with intelligence, while the other was swollen nearly shut. Her pink lips curved into a frown, and she placed a fist on the swell of her hips, which accented her petite frame.
A protective instinct flared and Drake wanted to defend her against whoever had given her that black eye, but he couldn't be the knight when he needed saving himself.
He reached out to her mind.
'Help me.'
She held his fate in her mind. Before he collapsed back into oblivion he willed her to help, willed her to remember him and find a way to free him.
As he sank into nothing, her blue eyes, fair face and dark hair haunted him, and he was left with one thought: she's mine.

Links:
Forbidden Mind is the first book in the Forbidden Trilogy by Kimberly Kinrade. Check out Forbidden Fire (Book 2 in the Forbidden Trilogy) and get it on Amazon
here. Forbidden Life the third and final book in the trilogy will be available in October on Amazon!

Author Bio:
Kimberly Kinrade was born with ink in her veins and magic in her heart. She writes fantasy and paranormal stories for children, YA and adults and still believes in magic worlds. Check out her YA paranormal novels　Forbidden Mind, Forbidden Fire and Forbidden Life and her illustrated children's fantasy chapter books　Lexie World, Bella World, and Maddie World all on Amazon.
She lives with her three little girls who think they're ninja princesses with super powers, her two dogs who think they're humans, her two cats who think they're gods, and her husband, also known as the sexy Russian Prince, who is the love of her life and writing partner.

For a list of her books, check out:
Website:
For a fun fan experience, join the team at I.P.I. at
For kids and parents of young kids, join the Lost Kids at
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GUEST REVIEW: Awaken (Patronus #1) by Sarah M. Ross



Lucy Donovan was supposed to have a weekend of fun in the sun, celebrating her upcoming graduation from college. In a split second, everything changed. A drunk driver ended Lucy’s mortal life.

Lucy opens her eyes to a world she never imagined possible and a new destiny: as a Patronus, a guardian of spirits. Adjusting to her new role and abilities while negotiating this confusing realm will test her limits and push her further than she ever dreamed she would go. From wayward spirits who don’t want her help to soul stealing vampires, and even a stuck-up British royal, Lucy must brave them all to save one spirit she can’t bear to lose.

Further complicating her life is an inexplicable yet growing connection she feels to a member of her team, Max, whose mysterious behavior leaves her both confused and intrigued.

Waking up dead was just the beginning of her problems. Lucy’s death is about to become the greatest adventure of her life.



Review:

This is a great book!  Lucy is a girl on her way for a weekend away with her best friend to celebrate their upcoming graduation from college.  Her last memory is of being in the car singing and thinking about her life and the next thing she knows she opens her eyes and has no idea where she is or what happened.  She looks around and sees a small group of people in the room that she does not recognize.  She questions who they are and where she is and they introduce themselves (they are Max, Cassie, Adam and James) and explain what happened to her.  It turns out a drunk driver hit the car she was in and she was killed.  They explain that her soul has been chosen to do a specific job- to be a Patronus.  A Patronus’ job is to protect the souls of people who pass away and to help them reach their final destination.  They explain that souls must be protected from evils such as vampires and werewolves.  As the story unfolds Lucy learns what is needed to do the job of a Patronus (the training involved) and she takes on the job of protecting one soul she does not want to lose- her sister’s.  Even though the training is exhausting both, physically and mentally, Lucy trains hard and does very well.  She takes on vampires in a fierce battle to save her sister.  From the start, she is drawn to one of the other Patronus- Max.  Max is gorgeous- his hair, his eyes, his dimple- Lucy loves them all and cannot stay away from him.  She feels drawn to him and so happy and relaxed in his presence and she does not understand why.  When he pulls away, she feels empty and lost.  It is evident that Max and Cassie know why this is but they keep from telling her.  At the very end of the book, we find out the reason.


This is Sarah’s first book and I was very impressed.  It was well-written and easy to read.  Lucy is such a sweet, strong, determined girl and Max is so sweet to her.  She could have very easily not dealt well with the path that has been chosen for her but she accepts it and handles it well.  I loved the attraction/pull between them.  Since we do not know the nature/reason for their attraction until the end and I couldn’t wait to find out what it was, I could not put this book down.  My only complaint about this book was that it is too short!!  I am patiently awaiting book 2.  I want to learn more about the connection between Lucy and Max and I want to see where their relationship goes.  I also want to read more about Lucy’s job as a Patronus as the story goes on.  A definite must read!!


5/5 Stars!

Reviewed by 
Virginia Tesi Carey for YA Book Addict
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Wednesday, October 10, 2012

BLOG TOUR - EXCERPT & GIVEAWAY: Determinant (The Guardians of Vesturon #3) by A.M. Hargrove

Today is our stop on the Determinant book tour. You can check out the rest of the stops at Incandescent Enchantments.



Book Title: Determinant (The Guardians of Vesturon #3)
Author: A.M. Hargrove
Age Group: Young Adult
Book Description from Goodreads:
January St. Davis, on her own since the age of sixteen and struggling to stay in college, thinks she’s scored in a major way when she lands a paid summer internship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta. One evening, after working an especially long shift, a chance encounter with a group of mysterious men alters the course of her life.

Rykerian Yarrister, a Guardian of Vesturon with unearthly powers and impossibly gorgeous looks, finds himself at odds over the human female he recently saved from certain death. When it seems he is on the verge of winning her over, she is ripped from his hands by a strange and powerful being, threatening to destroy her if his demands are not met.

Do Rykerian and the Guardians have the ability to meet this fierce barbarian’s ultimatums, or will January suffer a horrid demise?



Determinant Excerpt 

The young female had been at our home for two weeks before Julian felt she would make a full recovery.  She had hovered at death’s door for much of that time.  Her fever raged and during those spells, she would scream at some unknown being that seemed to be torturing her.  Julian assured me it was the fever causing these spells, but they worried me nonetheless.

Julian had sent a robomedic to see to all of her medical needs.  She was given IV fluids and medication such as antibiotics, but the virus was incurable and would have to run its course.  We were troubled over how she contracted this disease.

Her name was January St. Davis and she was a college student at Western Carolina University.  She had interned as a medical technologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta from June until August and had an employee identification badge that indicated as such.  We speculated that perhaps this is where she had been exposed to this horrific virus.

My brother Tesslar, who was an expert in both human and Vesturion technology, had been monitoring the hospitals around our location. 

“Rykerian, you need to see this,” he called to me one day.

I made my way to the Command Center where he was running checks of hospitals.

“There are reports coming in around Atlanta of humans with this disease.”

I checked his screen and saw that indeed, the medical reports showed the same symptoms that the human female originally had.

“Our worst fears are coming to light,” I murmured.

“We must contact Father and Rayn.  This can be catastrophic for the humans.”

“Indeed,” I said.  How could this have happened?

“Tesslar, can you plant some directives into the homeland security and into emergency preparedness programs everywhere?” I wondered aloud.

“Yes…I see where you are going with this.  We can get these agencies on Red Alert now so they can start instituting quarantine methods.  This may help stop the spread of the disease.”

I shook my head, glad to see he was thinking along these lines.  I left the Compound, intending to go to the kitchen in search of some lunch when I heard the blood-curdling screams.  They were coming from upstairs.  What is happening?  It must be the human…

Using my Power of Speed I made short work of the stairs and burst through the bedroom door.  She crouched on her knees in the corner, wide-eyed and trembling.

“Fear not, we mean you no harm,” I gently said.

“Liar!” she rasped, scrambling tightly into the corner.

What?  Why would she think me a liar?

“I know not why you say such, but I am no liar.  I am here to help you,” I explained gently.

She looked terrified.  Her large eyes were nearly popping out of her head and she held up her hand, palm facing me as if she intended to ward me off.

“It is impossible for me to lie, this I swear.”

“That…that thing over there hurt me so that makes you a liar.”

I turned and glanced at the robomedic.  “Stand down robomedic,” I ordered.

“I am programmed to contain the subject and said subject attempted to exit the room,” the robomedic explained.

Great!  Just great! The bloody robomedic zapped her!

“You’re so bloody right!  That bloody whatever-it-is, bloody zapped me.”  Every time she said bloody, she held her hands up and bent her first two fingers.  Her gesture confused me.

“Robomedic, alter programming.  Remove containment order and stand down,” I ordered.

“Affirmative.  Programming altered.  Robotic Medical Assistant 3279 standing down.”

I turned back to the female and apologized.  “I am very sorry for that.  We only wanted to ensure you were safe, so it was programmed to guard you.  I didn’t intend for this to happen.”  She cocked her head and gave me a hateful stare.

“Truly, I am sorry.”

She made no attempt to respond or rise as her eyes drilled into mine.

“Here, let me assist you back to bed.”

“Stay away from me,” she croaked.

She cringed when I reached toward her.  Great day, I am frightening her!

“Damned right you’re frightening me!” she exclaimed.

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BLOG TOUR - PROMO POST & GIVEAWAY: Dark Promise (Between Worlds #1) by Julia Crane & Talia Jager



Rylie has it all - great friends, dream boy, loving family. But on the eve of her sixteenth birthday, her perfect little world shatters. A stranger claiming to be her real mother appears with a secret: Rylie is a faery whose powers will be unleashed on her birthday. Captured and forced into a new life, Rylie struggles to keep everything she loves and discovers a terrifying truth: some promises cannot be broken.



About Julia Crane:
Julia crane is the author of the Coexist: Keegan’s Chronicles. She has a bachelors degree in criminal justice. Julia has believed in magical creatures since the day her grandmother first told her an Irish tale. Growing up her mother greatly encouraged reading and using your imagination. Although she’s spent most of her life on the US east coast, she currently lives in Dubai with her husband and three children.

About Talia Jager:
Talia Jager is a author, wife and mother to six beautiful children. Her passion is to write young adult books. She can't remember a time when she wasn't carrying a notebook around with her or thinking up stories in her head. Talia is the author of The Gifted Teens series, If I die Young, Damaged: Natalies Story, Teagan's story, secret bloodline and Dark Promise & Mesmerized with author Julia Crane.


Social Media links:
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Tuesday, October 9, 2012

BLOG TOUR - REVIEW & PLAYLIST: My Favorite Mistake by Chelsea M. Cameron



Taylor Caldwell can't decide if she wants to kiss her new college roommate or punch him.

On the one hand, Hunter Zaccadelli is a handsome, blue-eyed bundle of charm. On the other, he's a tattooed, guitar-playing bundle of bad boy. Maybe that's why Taylor's afraid of falling in love with him, or anyone else. She doesn't want to get burned, and even though her other roommates adore him, she wants him gone before it's too late.

Hunter himself has been been burned before, but the fact that Taylor calls him out on his crap and has the sexiest laugh ever make him decide maybe love isn't a lost cause. They make a bet: if she can convince him she truly loves or hates him, he'll leave the apartment--and leave her alone. The problem is, the more time they spend together, the less she hates him, and the more she moves toward love.

But when the man who holds the key to Taylor's fear of giving up her heart resurfaces and threatens to wreck everything, she has to decide: trust Hunter with her greatest secret, or do everything in her power to win that bet and drive him away forever.  
Author Info:
Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA writer from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

She has two books out now, Nocturnal and Nightmare, the first and second books in the Noctalis Chronicles about a girl with a dying mother who meets an immortal boy. The third book, Numb will be out this August, and the fourth in the winter. Her other book, Whisper, about a girl who is alive, a boy who isn't and the complications that go along with their relationship, released June 16 and is the first in a trilogy. 

Links : Blog | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon

My Thoughts:
I don't think I can adequately describe how much I loved this book and it's characters and I'm pretty sure I don't think I can put into words how much I enjoyed this authors writing and I'm kicking myself for never having read anything written by her before this. 

When Taylor answers the knock at her college room door the last thing she expects is to find Hunter proclaiming to be her new roommate. And let me tell you, she doesn't take it well. And to make matters worse, the only spare bed is in her room. She tries everything she can think of to get rid of him but with no luck. So Hunter proposes a bet. Taylor has to prove that she either loves him, hates him or she has to sleep with him. If any of those three things happen he agrees that he will move out.

There was so much sexual tension between these two and the build up was at times excruciating and at some points I was so frustrated with Taylor but as the book goes on and you get to know her better you can completely understand her reluctance. Both her and Hunter are dealing with some pretty heavy stuff. And there were some instances where they both acted with anger rather than talk and divulge the things that were hurting them.

Now, If I could describe my perfect man in three words it would be Hunter Aaron Zaccadelli. He was written purely for my pleasure. And let me tell you, he delivered!! Oh boy, did he deliver!!

On the one hand, Hunter Zaccadelli is a handsome, blue-eyed bundle of charm. On the other, he's a tattooed, guitar-playing bundle of bad boy.

Yes please!! I would love me one of those!! I love a man who can sing... I love a man who can play the guitar... I love a man with tattoo's... I love a man who knows how to take care of a woman... I love a man who's a little bit broken... I love a man who loves with passion... And that is Hunter. He is complex and deep and thoughtful and caring and as sexy as all hell!! 

And I have to mention the music interlaced throughout the story. I loved that Hunter seemed to take his guitar with him everywhere and could play anything and everything!! Oh and the cover of the book... How insanely happy do they look!! I can't help but smile when I look at it!!

I'm loving the New Adult genre at the moment. That extra level of hotness can only be a good thing and My Favorite Mistake sure doesn't disappoint!! I absolutely loved this book!! More than the stars!!

5/5 Huge Sexy Hunter Stars!!

Hunter and Taylor's relationship playlist:

Neon Trees-In The Next Room
Darryl Worley-Awful, Beautiful Life
Bonnie Rait-Something To Talk About
The Civil Wars-C’est La Morte
Taylor Swift-Ours
Jason Mraz-I Won’t Give Up
Kelly Clarkson-My Life Would Suck Without You
The Head and the Heart-Honey, Come Home
Katy Perry-Teenage Dream
New Found Glory-The Promise
Maroon 5-One More Night
Kelly Clarkson and Jason Aldean-Don’t You Wanna Stay
The Civil Wars-Tip of My Tongue
Glorianna-(Kissed You) Goodnight
Rihanna-Umbrella
Coldplay-Fix You
Phillip Phillips-Home
***I love this playlist, but because I absolutely love Coldplay and their beautiful words and music I'm choosing to share Fix you...***


You can check out the rest of the tour schedule at SupaGurl Tours



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Happily Ever After Giveaway Hop


I love giveaway hops!! Who doesn't love all those chances to win some awesome book related prizes!! The Happily Ever After Giveaway Hop is a celebration of Fairy Tales and Happily Ever Afters and is being hosted by I Am a Reader, Not a Writer and Murphy's Library. 

You have the chance to win a book of your choice to the value of $15 from The Book Depository. Book must be either Fairy Tale related or have a Happily Ever After. So really your choices are pretty huge!! Thank you for stopping by and don't forget to check out all the other stops on the hop!!

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AUTHOR SPOTLIGHT & GIVEAWAY: J.B. McGee

J.B. McGee was born and raised in Aiken, South Carolina. After graduating from South Aiken High School, she toured Europe as a member of the 1999 International Bands of America Tour, playing the clairnet. While attending Converse College, an all girls school in Spartanburg, South Carolina, she visited Charleston often. It quickly became one of her favorite vacation spots. She met her husband, Chad, during Christmas break her freshman year, and they married in 2001 and she moved back to her home town. 

In 2005, the couple welcomed their first son, Noah. J.B. finished her Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education at the University of South Carolina-Aiken in 2006. During her time studying children's literature, a professor had encouraged her to become a writer.

In 2007, she welcomed their second child, Jonah, and she became a stay at home mom/entrepreneur. In 2009, the found out their two children and J.B. have Mitochondrial Disease. In 2011, a diagnosis also was given to Chad. Please take a moment and learn more about Mitochondrial Disease. Awareness is key to this disease that has no cure or treatments.

J.B. McGee and her family now reside in Buford, Georgia, to be closer to their children's medical team. After a passion for reading had been re-ignited, J.B. decided to finally give writing a shot. Broken (This Series), is her first book and first series. (Taken from Goodreads)


Broken (This Trilogy #1)
Gabby's life has been anything but easy. She is surrounded by friends who seem to have everything she doesn't: money, social standing, and happily married parents. While dealing with the loss of her mother, she experiences her first heartbreak. She commits herself to her studies and runs away from any emotions that aren't safe. Bradley Banks, a confident CEO and commercial architect, who has long time commitment issues forces Gabby to feel again, but will he be her next heartbreak?

 Author Links: Blog l Website l Facebook l Twitter
Buy Links: Amazon l Smashwords

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