COLD BLOOD Blog Tour!!

I am very pleased to be a part of Heather Hildenbrand's blog tour featuring Cold Blood, the latest in the Dirty Blood series!  So without further ado, let's take a look at Cold Blood! 

Wood Point Academy is not at all what I expected. For one thing, it looks like a cross between military school and Buckingham Palace. Everyone stares, the floors shine so bright you can see your reflection in them from a mile away, and no one smiles. Unless they're kicking your butt in the process.

At least I've got plenty to take my mind off the fact that my psycho cousin, Miles De'Luca, keeps calling and declaring his love and promising to come for me just as soon as he's destroyed anyone standing in our way. Wes isn't going to like that idea. So between Miles, Wood Point's evil welcoming committee, and the drill sergeant hottie trainer from hell, I just keep asking myself, how did I end up here?

Cold Blood is Book 2 in the Dirty Blood series. It is available for purchase on Amazon and Barnes & Noble as e-book and coming soon to paperback. To read more about the Dirty Blood series, visit www.accendopress.com

My Review ❈❈❈❈

The action continues in Cold Blood!  Tara has so many changes taking place in her life and now to top it all off, she is sent away to a boarding school for hunters!  Things keep getting more complicated & more threats are always around the corner.  Wes's absence to take charge of the Cause adds even more stress to Tara's life (and mine, I really missed Wes!!).  At least she makes some new friends to help her out at a boarding school that is less than friendly.  Cambria is definitely my favorite of those new friends, she is sweet and spunky with dangerous edge.  I can't wait to see what happens next for Tara!

And now, as a special treat, here is an excerpt from Cold Blood!!

I sat there, still as a statue, until the recorded voice had asked me three times whether I wanted to save or delete the message. I hit the button to end the call and let the phone fall to my lap. I stared blankly out the windshield, trying to decide whether I was actually even surprised by Miles' call. Not really. I guess I'd known he would contact me when he found out his shot had missed the mark. The thing that bothered me was the way he spoke. He sounded so much like Leo; smooth charm with a layer of psycho and a dash of sarcasm.

   I shuddered. Movement outside caught my eye, and I looked up. Grandma held the door for my mother, who had a drink tray in one hand and a bag of greasy breakfast sandwiches in the other. Grandma let go of the door and took the bag from my mother before they started towards the car. If I wasn't freaking out, I might've been able to appreciate the fact that they were being nice to each other.

   Instead, I punched the power button on my phone and shoved it back into my backpack just as they reached the car. In that split second, I decided not to tell my mom. I didn’t even have time to second guess it before she opened her car door and hauled herself inside.

"Sausage biscuit?" she asked, handing a wrapped sandwich over her shoulder.

I mumbled a “thanks” and took it as Grandma settled in the driver's seat and passed me a paper coffee cup. Steam rose through the tiny hole in the lid. I set the food aside and wrapped both hands around it, enjoying the emanating warmth. Grandma turned the key and the Hummer roared to life. In no time, we were back on the highway.

I ate my sandwich, or what little of it I could manage to get down. The voice mail had pretty much killed my appetite. All I could think about was Leo, and how truly crazy he’d been. Not only because he was willing to kill his own flesh and blood, but he'd made sure to instill the same kind of narcissistic hate in his own son. I still didn't understand why, completely, but I was pretty sure I knew who had answers.

"Mom, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," she answered, without turning. "What's up?"

"I was thinking about Leo. I mean, what happened to make him hate us so much?"

My mother sighed, and Grandma glanced over at her, like she was wondering if my mother was even going to answer.

A minute passed.

"Mom?"

"Tara, can we talk about this some other time?"

"You said that last time." Even though she couldn't see me, I crossed my arms over my chest, defiantly. She wouldn't put me off again. "When you told me about being related to him, and I asked why that would make him want to kill me, you said, 'There's a lot you don't understand and I can't take the time to explain it all right now', remember?"

My mother’s shoulders rose and fell like she was sighing again, but no sound came out. "You're right. I did."

"And you also said you'd stop treating me like I'm helpless," I pointed out. Saying the words made me grit my teeth. If she'd really meant them, she wouldn't be about to drop me off at a boarding school in the middle of nowhere.

"You're right," she said, “I did say that.” She paused for so long I wondered if she was ignoring me. Finally, she glanced over at Grandma and spoke.

To find out where you can read the next installment of Cold Blood, visitwww.heatherhildenbrand.blogspot.com

Existence by Abbi Glines

What happens when you are stalked by Death? You fall in love with him of course. Pagan Moore doesn’t cheat Death, instead, she falls in love with him. 

Seventeen year old Pagan Moore, has seen souls her entire life. Once she realized the strangers she often saw walking through walls were not visible to anyone else, she started ignoring them. If she didn’t let them know she could see them, they left her alone. Until she steps out of her car on the first day of school and sees an incredibly sexy guy lounging on a picnic table, watching her with an amused smirk on his face. Problem is, she knows he's dead. Not only does he not go away, when she ignores him he does something none of the others have ever done; he speaks. Pagan is fascinated by the soul. What Pagan doesn’t realize is that her appointed time to die is drawing near and the wickedly beautiful soul she is falling in love with is not a soul. He is Death and he is about to break all the rules.

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review ❈❈❈❈❈

Yowza!! That was dang good!! I have been hypnotized by this gorgeous cover ever since I saw it & I am thrilled to find that the inside of this book was just as amazing as the outside! Those intense blue eyes will haunt you as you read & just like Pagan, you won't be able to get enough of him. He's the epitome of bad boys (you don't get any more dark & dangerous than Death himself!) so it's easy to see why Pagan is so taken with him. And Pagan is such a loving, caring girl, it's no wonder that even Death is fascinated by her. She will do whatever it takes to protect those she cares about. Pagan has to struggle so much with understanding what's going on & it almost made me crazy to see them both try to figure out how to deal with the impossible situation they were in. (I may have screamed at the book in frustration a few times.) There wasn't one second of this book that was boring, I loved every bit of it! Now comes the really hard part... waiting for more!!

Devour (The Devoured Series) by Shelly Crane

Clara has it all. A wrestling star boyfriend, popular friends, all the right school activities...pretty much a perfect life...up until her parents died. Now she lives with the Pastor and his family and though they take good care of her, she feels alone. Then her boyfriend, Tate, starts to show signs of trouble when a new guy, Eli, comes to town. Clara is fascinated with him but hides it until something happens. Eli confesses to her that she gives him something he's never had before...something he needs. Everything is about to change for this normal, pretty, popular girl in a supernatural way.

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review ❈❈❈❈❈

Wow! Once again Shelly Crane has created a masterpiece! This is another one of those books that I just could not put down! There's so much action and mystery, and the love story is just beautiful! Eli is a gorgeous, perfect gentleman with a mysterious dark side. And Clara starts out very kind & caring but a bit weak and it is amazing to watch her develop her confidence & self-worth. I know there's more coming for Eli & Clara and I will be very impatiently waiting to find out what's next for them!

Ties To The Blood Moon by Robin P Waldrop

Genevieve is a teenage girl who moves in with her aunt in Alaska after the death of her mother. Soon after her arrival she learns the things she was raised to believe only existed in fairytales are in fact a big part of her history. When it gets to be too much she seeks refuge in the arms of her new boyfriend, William, only to find out he's not who she thought he was either.

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review❈❈❈❈❈

This was an amazing book! The Alaskan setting was perfect for the story and I was drawn in right from the start. I loved Gen - she had a great outlook on things even after everything she had been through. The other characters were all intriguing as well; William is dreamy & mysterious. Luna is a fun & loyal friend & her brothers are hunky & exciting. The bad guys are manipulative & scary & sometimes its hard to tell who's on their side! I love the action, mystery, & surprises, as well as the growing bonds between characters! Can't wait to see what's next!

Accordance (Significance #2) by Shelly Crane

In the sequel, Maggie learns much more about all the strange things that happened to her, and has to face new ones. She rebels against it, but ultimately, must face it for her new families sake and maybe even her life. Bish went from being her biggest supporter to her biggest pain in the butt and Kyle's intentions to attract her interest may not be so innocent. Caleb and Maggie face many new obstacles together and fight to work through them but will one that should be a good thing be too much for Maggie to handle?

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review ❈❈❈❈❈

This has got to be the greatest love story I have ever read! Caleb & Maggie are so wonderful & perfect for each other. The imprint gives them such a powerful connection that they know is forever and keeps them from doing a lot of the normal stupid-teenage-romance stuff. Caleb doesn't try to make Maggie jealous or leave her "for her own good" and Maggie doesn't decide to date some other guy on the side or try to push Caleb away. They accept that they are meant to be together and explore their connection together while fighting all the external threats side by side. I absolutely love reading about them, it makes my heart feel full & happy. They have so many evils and obstacles to face, but their incredible love for each other gives me a hopeful feeling no matter what they face. I will counting the days until Defiance comes out!

Significance (Significance #1) by Shelly Crane

Maggie is a seventeen year old girl who's had a bad year. Her mom left, her dad is depressed, she's graduating, barely, and her boyfriend of almost three years dumped her for a college football schalorship. Lately she thinks life is all about hanging on by a thread and is gripping tight with everything she has. Then she meets Caleb. She saves his life and instantly knows there's something about him that's intriguing but she is supposed to be on her way to a date with his cousin. But things change when they touch, sparks ignite. Literally. They imprint with each other and she sees their future life together flash before her eyes. She learns that not only is she his soul mate, and can feel his heartbeat in her chest, but there is a whole other world of people with gifts and abilities that she never knew existed. She herself is experiencing supernatural changes unlike anything she's ever felt before and she needs the touch of his skin to survive. Now, not only has her dad come out of his depression to be a father again, and a pain as well, but Caleb's enemies know he's imprinted and are after Maggie to stop them both from gaining their abilities and take her from him. Can Caleb save her or will they be forced to live without each other after just finding one another?

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review ❈❈❈❈❈

Wow! This was such a beautiful story!! I absolutely loved every second of it! The imprint was so intense and unexpected and the author did a great job of making you feel what Maggie & Caleb felt through their imprint. They felt the pain of being separated from each other and I felt the pain every time I had to put this book down! I didn't want to stop reading it for a second! It was great to watch the characters grow, together and separately, as they learned about themselves and what it meant to be tied to each other. Caleb's entire family is so lovable and great (except maybe Kyle, he got on my nerves. I kinda wanted to punch him in the face on several occasions). Maggie has been through so much in her life she deserves a perfect love like Caleb and she does a great job of not taking him for granted. I found myself completely absorbed in this story and cannot wait to start Accordance!

Carrier of the Mark (Carrier Trilogy #1) by Leigh Fallon

Their love was meant to be.

When Megan Rosenberg moves to Ireland, everything in her life seems to fall into place. After growing up in America, she's surprised to find herself feeling at home in her new school. She connects with a group of friends, and she is instantly drawn to darkly handsome Adam DeRÍs.

But Megan is about to discover that her feelings for Adam are tied to a fate that was sealed long ago—and that the passion and power that brought them together could be their ultimate destruction.          
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review ❈❈❈❈❈

I totally loved this book! The story was fascinating and drew me in right from the beginning. I loved the history behind the carriers and how they got their marks. Megan & Adam have such a passionate relationship and I loved seeing them come together and struggle to fight against anything that threatened their relationship. The other characters really add a spark to the it, too.  I thought the whole story was beautiful and I can't wait to read the next one!

Fahlloween Giveaway!!

Giveaway Ended
Winner: AMANDA!!

As you know, I've just finished reading The Reckoning (The Fahllen #2) by M. Leighton and am still in awe of how much I loved it.  So, I have a set of the Fahllen books by M Leighton to give to one lucky reader on Monday October 31 to celebrate Fahlloween. 

The Reaping (The Fahllen #1) by M. Leighton 

Every hell has its devil. And Carson is about to become  
intimately acquainted with hers.  Seventeen-year-old 
wallflower Carson Porter has always dreamed of being 
something special, but what she gets isn’t what she signed 
up for.  
Yeah, a girl’s supposed to change as she gets older,

 but this is ridiculous! Shiny skin, greener eyes and a run-in 
with the flesh-eating dead are just a few of the changes Carson 
has to adjust to, not to mention the arrival of very hot and very dangerous Derek Hrolf.

If all that wasn’t enough to turn her once hum-drum life into something unrecognizable, a twin sister that haunts her from 
the shadows and a wheeling, dealing collector of souls will 
definitely do the trick. The question is: what will her life become? And what will she become?

See my review for The Reaping here. 

The Reckoning (Fahllen #2) by M. Leighton 

Carson Porter thought she’d had one of her most
challenging years to date when she began her

 transformation into a reaper, but little did she know

 her battle had only just begun.

Faced with changes in her boyfriend, Derek, the fear

 of her sister being able to steal her powers through

 mirrors and having to fight her every step of the way

 to rescue even one soul, Carson is ready to throw in

 the towel.  Only she can’t.  During a visit from an

 angel, Carson learns that her destiny is far more

important than even she realized—and far more deadly.

Can she dig deep within herself for the strength and

the perseverance that she’ll need to carry out her

mission?  And will she have to do so without Derek or

can she recover the man she’d once loved so desperately? 

See my review for The Reckoning here.

What better way to celebrate the creepiest, scariest day of the year than with

 Fahl and the Reapers?!  

Here’s the deal…

There are 5 little requirements to enter:                                                            

1. Be a follower of this blog.         
2. Be a follower of M. Leighton’s blog here. 
3. Follow me on Twitter here.
4. Follow M. Leighton on Twitter here. 
5. Finally, leave a comment below letting me know you have done all these things (please include the name you follow with and your twitter username). Also leave me an email address that I can use to let you know if you win. And if you have any questions or comments for M. Leighton, feel free to leave them as well!

So that’s it – easy enough?  Good! 

The contest will end at Midnight on Sunday Night October 30 and I will randomly draw a winner and announce by noon on Monday October 31.  The books will be in Kindle or Nook format so the contest is international. (If you don’t have either of these, you can download a Kindle app from Amazon to allow you to read on your computer.)

*A big thanks to M. Leighton for donating the books!!*

The Reckoning (The Fahllen #2) by M. Leighton

Carson Porter thought she’d had one of her most challenging years to date when she began her transformation into a reaper, but little did she know her battle had only just begun.

Faced with changes in her boyfriend, Derek, the fear of her sister being able to steal her powers through mirrors and having to fight her every step of the way to rescue even one soul, Carson is ready to throw in the towel.  Only she can’t.  During a visit from an angel, Carson learns that her destiny is far more important than even she realized—and far more deadly.  Can she dig deep within herself for the strength and the perseverance that she’ll need to carry out her mission?  And will she have to do so without Derek or can she recover the man she’d once loved so desperately?  Find out in the exciting conclusion of the Fahllen series, The Reckoning.

Synopsis courtesy of M. Leighton.

My Review ❈❈❈❈❈

OMG - I LOVE LOVE LOVED it!!!! This is such a wonderful, passionate story! It's so full of heartache but instead of letting all it bring her down, Carson remains filled with hope & faith that she can accomplish everything she was meant to do. And very determined to keep Derek beside her despite all the complications they encounter. There were several scenes that nearly made my heart stop beating, I was so invested in the story. And many times the emotions made me feel a little dizzy or maybe I just get a little light-headed reading about Derek....ahhhh Derek. He is the perfect bad boy on the outside, loyal & perfect heart on the inside. And Carson is one of the strongest heroines I have ever seen. Together they are just amazing and even though I'm sad to see their story come to an end, this conclusion was just as beautiful as the cover of the book itself! 

Daughter of Smoke and Bone (Daughter of Smoke and Bone #1) by Laini Taylor

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages--not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers--beautiful, haunted Akiva--fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review  ❈❈❈❈❈

Wow! This book is definitely unique! There are so many unheard-of creatures! And the author creates vivid imagery of the characters and their surroundings! I love the dynamic between Karou & Akiva, and learning what makes them feel so connected was beautiful & very unexpected. It was quite an emotional ride, too, with more than enough action to keep you on your toes. The only thing about it that I didn't absolutely LOVE was the ending... I wasn't sure if I wanted to scream & throw it against the wall, cry my eyes out, or have faith in what was to come. I definitely need the next book now! I must know the rest of this story!!

Anna Dressed In Blood (Anna #1) by Kendare Blake

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until he was gruesomely murdered by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: track, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, now stained red and dripping with blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.

But she, for whatever reason, spares Cas's life.

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review ❈❈❈❈❈

Wow! This one will have you sleeping with the lights on for a while! You know those ghost-hunter shows where they see a little cloud of light or hear a small noise and that's their ghost? Well, that is NOT Anna! Anna is a dangerous, bloody, killing-machine that charges in like a hurricane! Not the kind of ghost you wanna find in your attic. She is bold & terrifying and that's makes her so entrancing. Then you have Cas, he is definitely a long-lost Winchester brother. He's used to moving around and tracking different ghost, and is very capable of taking them out once he finds them. Not to mention he has great wit that will keep you laughing through the whole book. This was definitely different from any other book I've read, mostly because of Anna - there is no other character like her! Even though I was a little scared (meaning: terrified of every noise in the house & about to pee my pants) in the beginning, I was fully sucked into this book and loved every minute of it! Hope to see more from this author in the future!

Silence (Hush, Hush #3) by Becca Fitzpatrick

The noise between Patch and Nora is gone. They've overcome the secrets riddled in Patch's dark past...bridged two irreconcilable worlds...faced heart-wrenching tests of betrayal, loyalty and trust...and all for a love that will transcend the boundary between heaven and earth. Armed with nothing but their absolute faith in one another, Patch and Nora enter a desperate fight to stop a villain who holds the power to shatter everything they've worked for—and their love—forever.

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review ❈❈❈❈❈

OMG - by the time I was done reading this I felt like I had been hit by truck! And then it backed up over me and plowed through again! I'm not sure I can handle the emotional turmoil of reading these books! But I also can't live without Patch, so I guess I'm in this for the long haul. This is the first book where Nora has kind of got on my nerves a little. Patch my be a huge pain in the butt 90% of the time but I think she should be done doubting his motives by now. He always has a hidden agenda, but he's proven himself time and again. I was a little on the fence with the rating. I loved it just not quite as much as the first two in the series. I absolutely love Patch - he will always be one of my top guys - but his absence in part of this book was simply torturous!  But the writing is amazing, as always, and I am anxiously waiting to see what becomes of them in the next book!  And I can't bear to give Patch any less than 5 faery kisses!

Dirty Blood (Dirty Blood #1) by Heather Hildenbrand

I killed a girl last night. I did it with my bare hands and an old piece of pipe I found lying next to the dumpster. But that’s not the part that got me. The part that scared me, the part I can’t seem to wrap my head around and still has me reeling, was that when she charged me, her body shifted – and then she was a wolf. All snapping teeth and extended claws. But by the time I stood over her lifeless body, she was a girl again. That’s about the time I went into shock… And that was the moment he showed up.

Now, all I can do is accept the truths that are staring me in the face. One, Werewolves do exist. And Two, I was born to kill them.

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review ❈❈❈❈❈

What a great book! It's been awhile since I've read about werewolves so this was a pleasant change, but I had no idea how much I would love it! The cover really drew me to it - so pretty & intense looking! The characters were strong and dangerous, it was filled with surprises, and Wes....oh Wes.... He's that perfect mix of dangerously sexy and passionately loyal, aside from being so aggravating that you just want to smack him half the time! I am very anxiously awaiting the continuation in Cold Blood.

Released (Agents of Evil #1) by Megan Duncan

After a demon apocalypse kills their parents and everyone they know, 17-year old Abby Phillips, her brother, Carter, and friend, Max flee their home to travel through what has become the wastelands of America. When radio transmissions of a resistance offering shelter and safety cease, Abby is tempted to give up. Struggling to overcome life-threatening obstacles in their dangerous journey, Abby and her companions quickly discover there are much worse things lurking in the dark than they could have ever imagined. 

Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review ❈❈❈❈

Wow - this was pretty freaky & intense! You learn real quick that Abby, Cartar, & Max are all very strong & determined characters as they battle demons and try to get to safety. There is never a dull moment! And a little romance here and there is just what it needs in between all the fighting to give hope to them & to the reader! The other people they meet along their way are also very unique & each add their own bit of excitement to the story. I will be looking forward to reading more of their story in the future!