Friday, August 31, 2012

Cover Reveal!! The Modified by C.A. Kunz



The Modified 
by C.A. Kunz
Cover Reveal & Giveaway!


 What would you sacrifice to save the one’s you love? To save the one who holds your heart? To save the world?

Kenley Grayson is all too familiar with these questions.

After Earth is thrust into its first intergalactic war with an unknown race called the Bringers, our military forces begin to suffer heavy losses. Desperate for a solution, the Allied Federation issues a worldwide draft for every able seventeen-year-old to enlist. As Kenley turns seventeen, she finds herself thrown into the very war that took her older brother’s life.
This year’s draft is a little different than in the past though. A new program, known as the Magnus Project, has been introduced, and only the best and brightest qualify. Kenley is amongst a select few whom are chosen to join this elite group of soldiers, and as a part of this project, undergoes a modification procedure that leaves her and her peers endowed with powers beyond their wildest dreams.
As Earth continues in its struggle against the Bringers, Kenley is transported to a high-tech training facility, the Magnus Academy, to prepare for the major battle that lies ahead. It’s here that she meets the California heartthrob, and son of a legendary war hero, Landon Shaw. As unexpected feelings toward Landon begin to develop, Kenley wonders if this is the right time or place for romance to bloom, especially when those feelings start to interfere with her training.
With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Kenley is constantly reminded of how important she and the rest of the Magnus cadets are to the fate of humanity. She is one of the Modified, Earth’s last line of defense against utter destruction.

The Modified releases this Fall!

Like the cover for The Modified? Well then head over to Nathan Szerdy’s website and peruse his amazing collection of works. We guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!



 The mom and son author duo, C.A. Kunz, thoroughly enjoys writing about things that go bump in the night and futuristic action-packed romances while drinking massive amounts of English breakfast tea and Starbucks coffee. To find out more about this duo and their books visit their blog, or find them on Facebook and Twitter!

The Giveaway!


Please fill out Rafflecopter to be entered! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway


A big THANKS to C.A. Kunz for letting me be a part of this!! 
Happy Reading!!

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Madly Tour!!


I am super-thrilled to be involved in the MADLY Series Tour!! I absolutely love these these books & the author!  There are three books in this series so far, they are Madly, Madly & Wolfhardt, and Madly & the Jackal.  Trust me, you want to read them!! Here's a little overview of Madly, followed by an excerpt to entice you! 

Madly
M. Leighton

Madly is your average nearly-eighteen year old girl—for a princess, that is.

Madly James is thoroughly enjoying her internship in the small town of Slumber when the unthinkable happens—there’s a prison break in Atlas, the magically-protected home of Madly’s race. A traitor has set free eight Lore, the spirits of what humans know as fairy tales, and they are making their way to Slumber to awaken their descendants. 

In order to save her home, the lives of her family, and all of humanity, Madly must learn to wield her exceptional powers and recapture the Lore before it’s too late and all is lost. But Madly’s only help are her two best friends and the Sentinel, Jackson Hamilton, that threatens both her heart and her destiny. Madly has loved Jackson as long as she can remember, but he is the one thing even a princess can’t have. Can she resist love to become the queen she was fated to be? Or can she find a way to have both?

This novelette introduces you to Madly and prepares you for the quest of a lifetime.
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

Excerpt
“Madly, talk to me.  Are you alright?”
The smooth, rich baritone caused chills to break out all over my arms.  It was then that I concluded I was definitely dreaming, because it wasn’t Aidan leaning over me; it was Jackson, and there was no way that he could make me feel this way.  No possible way.
“Am I dreaming?”
Jackson exhaled what sounded like a sigh of relief and his perfectly shaped lips curved into a smile.  I thought my heart would stop. 
“No, you’re not dreaming.  Do you feel ok?”
As I stared up into his pale eyes, I felt as if I was lost once again in the gentle sway of hypnotic waters. 
My eyes dropped back to his mouth. I reached up and ran my fingers lightly across Jackson’s lips, and as I watched, his smile faded.  I felt a puzzled frown pinch at my brow.  He certainly felt real, not like a dream.  But what does a dream really feel like anyway?
Jackson’s lips pursed as he kissed my fingertips, sending a shockwave of electricity scorching its way along my nerve ends.  My eyes flew back to his.  The sky blue was nearly imperceptible now, eclipsed by his ever-widening pupils.  And in them there was a heat, a want that resonated somewhere deep within me.  It fluttered in my stomach like a thousand butterflies, butterflies that knew something that I did not.   It burned in my chest like the age-old flame of recognition. 
I blinked, not trusting my eyes, but nothing changed.  Somehow, my head knew that this was all wrong, but my heart thought nothing had ever felt so right. 
“Jackson?” I said uncertainly.
I felt his fingers wind around my wrist.
“I’m right here,” he whispered.
I felt the scratch of his stubble against my fingers as he turned his face into my palm.
“Madly, you scared me half to death.”
“But you’re not Aidan.  This is all wrong.”
As I watched, the heat in Jackson’s eyes turned to ice, freezing me where I lay in the sand.  I saw anger flicker to life in the darkness of his pupils and he pulled my hand away from his face.
“Then I guess you’d better get dressed and get back to him before he starts to worry.”

Now for some wonderful, fantastical news...
you can download Madly the novelette for FREE on Amazon here.

Madly & Wolfhardt
M. Leighton

Madly is your average nearly-eighteen year old girl—for a princess, that is.

Madly James is thoroughly enjoying her internship in the small town of Slumber when the unthinkable happens—there’s a prison break in Atlas, the magically-protected home of Madly’s race. A traitor has set free eight Lore, the spirits of what humans know as fairy tales, and they are making their way to Slumber to awaken their descendants. 

The first spirit to arrive is that of Ulrich Wolfhardt, a man that was once obsessed with wolves and a young maiden he would follow through the woods. After a bite from a wolf, Wolfhardt’s obsession with the girl became an unnatural hunger and the young maiden’s grandmother cursed him with a fate worse than death. And now he’s back…with a vengeance and a bite that can infect others as well.

Madly must learn the identity of Wolfhardt’s descendant and stop him before he kills again and spreads his curse across the earth. But the only person strong enough to help Madly is Jackson, the Sentinel who vowed to protect her and the one person capable of breaking her heart. Can Madly resist forbidden love long enough to save the world from Wolfhardt? Or will she have to sacrifice her heart and her destiny to save the ones she loves?
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

*The print version of Madly & Wolfhardt also contains the novella Madly!  The following review is for both books. 

My Review  
AMAZING! Honestly, when I first saw this I wasn't too sure if mermaids sounded very exciting or not. But this is such a great author that she has had me daydreaming about a fish-man! (who thankfully doesn't keep his scales when he's on land- so it's not as weird as it sounds!) Madly is your basic teenager (besides the whole mermaid princess thing) until all hell breaks loose underwater and she is forced into an adult position immediately. She is torn between thinking with her head so she can save her people follow through with the future her parents have planned for her and thinking with her heart so she can be with her forbidden love and be happy. Madly & Jackson have to work together to find the Wolf spirit (Wolfhardt) who has escaped from his underwater prison, before he can begin his killing spree. This story is filled with action and suspense to keep you on your toes and constant frustration surrounding Jackson, the sexy sentinel that watches over Madly. This is one of those books that you won't be able to put down until you finish it! I cannot wait for more!

Madly & the Jackal
M. Leighton

How deep does love run? Deeper than the ocean? Deeper than memory? Deeper than magic?

Following their plan to save Atlas, Madly and Jackson return the spirit of Wolfhardt to his prison beneath the sea. But even the best laid plans couldn’t account for the surprises they find. This time, Lore aren’t their only challenges. 

Madly is special in ways no one could have guessed and dark forces seek to control her. They want her power, but first they must weaken her. They need her beaten. Vulnerable. Near death. And alone. But that task isn’t an easy one with Jackson at her side. The strongest of their kind, the only way to separate Jackson from Madly is to destroy his love for her, to erase it from his mind. And his heart. 

Is it possible to steal Jackson’s love from Madly? Or is their love the only truly unbreakable thing?
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review  
Wow! What a perfect blend of nonstop action and steamy romance! I love seeing this new passionate, loving side of Jackson instead of the constant struggle not to be a jackass trying to fight off his feelings for Madly. Just thinking about some of those hot scenes between the two of them makes me a little weak in the knees. Madly has grown so much since the beginning of the story, she is so much stronger with Jackson by her side. I am amazed at what they can accomplish together. Being a couple is not all peaches and cream for them of course, the Lore are still out there causing all kinds of trouble along with a terrifying secret weapon they have at their disposal. Although there were several parts that had me screaming (good and bad) ultimately I’m just left screaming for more!!

These are some really amazing books that I encourage you to check out immediately!  And if you're interested in stalking the author (M. Leighton) you can do so at her blog here.  Twitter here.  And Facebook here.  
Here is a list of the other stops on the Madly Series Tour!
MADLY Series Tour Schedule
August 27-September 1, 2012

Monday, August 27:

The Autumn Review ~ Jackson Interview

Insightful Minds ~ Dream Cast

The ParaRomance Club ~ Series Review


The Fairytale Nerd ~ Excerpt-Madly 1-1

Tuesday, August 28:
A Diary Of A Book Addict ~ Series Review

StuckInBooks ~ Author Interview

Books to the Sky ~ MADLY Review

FireStarBooks ~ Excerpt 2-1


A Dream Within A Dream ~ Series Review

Always YA at Heart ~ Series Review



Wednesday, August 29:

Britt's kick-butt blog ~ Excerpt 3-1

Breathe In BooKs ~ Series Review

Bookshelf Confessions ~ Madly Top 10

whoopeeyoo :D ~ Series Review

Thursday, August 30:
BlookGirl ~ Review Book 1 & 2

Bookworm Lisa ~ Review MADLY

Mother/Gamer/Writer ~ Creating the Chemistry

Sated Faery ~ Excerpt 1-2

Speculating on SpecFic ~ Review 1 & 2

Kimmie's Bookshelf ~ Review Book 2

YA Book Addict ~ Review Book 3



Thursday, August 31:
The Bookish Babe ~ Madly Interview

Hackaroo's Reviews ~ Series Review

Paranormal Book Fan ~ Review Books 1 & 2

Sweet Southern Home ~ Series Review

Reader Girls ~ MADLY Review


Saturday, September 1:
Paranormal Book Fan ~ Review Book 3

JennReneeRead ~ Review Books 1 & 2

Comfort Books ~ MADLY Review

Swoon Worthy Books ~ Series Review

A Soul Unsung ~ Review Books 1 & 2

Thanks for stopping by!! Happy Reading!









Saturday, August 25, 2012

Onyx (Lux #2) by Jennifer L Armentrout

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review  
Oh my freakin’ alien!! This just keeps getting better and better! I can’t even tell you how much I love Daemon!! Especially when he’s not being a complete assmunch, which actually happened way more than I expected it to this time! And dang, that boy is hot enough to melt the polar ice caps when he turns on the charm! And Katy, as always, is a strong, stubborn, badass bookworm!! She is seriously the only one who can take everything Daemon dishes out & throw it right back at him! The interaction between the two of them is even more intense & electrifying than ever! Get ready for shocking & devastating moments mixed with moments of passion that will knock your striped socks off!!

See my review of Obsidian (Lux #1) by Jennifer L Armentrout here.

Monday, August 20, 2012

The Wild Ones Review & Giveaway!!!

So, you've been hearing a lot about M. Leighton's fantastic new adult novel The Wild Ones!  If you haven't gotten your hands on a copy yet, here's your chance!  Take a minute to drool over the sexy cover, read the blurb & excerpt, then fill out the Rafflecopter below to be entered!  

The Wild Ones
M. Leighton
Passion as hot as midnight in the South and love as wild as the horses they tame.

Camille “Cami” Hines is the darling daughter of the South’s champion thoroughbred breeder, Jack Hines.  She has a pedigree that rivals some of her father’s best horses.  Other than feeling a little suffocated at times, Cami thought she was pretty happy with her boyfriend, her life and her future. 

But that was before she met Patrick Henley.

“Trick” blurs the lines between what Cami wants and what is expected of her.  He’s considered the “help,” which is forbidden fruit as far as her father is concerned, not to mention that Trick would be fired if he ever laid a hand on her.  And Trick needs his job.  Desperately.  His family depends on him.

The heart wants what the heart wants, though, and Trick and Cami are drawn to each other despite the obstacles.  At least the ones they know of.

When Trick stumbles upon a note from his father, it triggers a series of revelations that could ruin what he and Cami have worked so hard to overcome.  It turns out there’s more to Trick’s presence at the ranch than either of them knew, secrets that could tear them apart.

My Review  
Holy Dang!! This book was just awesome! And I know what you’re thinking – I don’t usually read non-paranormal books but let me tell you something. There is nothing normal about Trick! Guys that are that perfect have to be of supernatural origin because they don’t exist in nature! Trick has that cocky attitude that we all love, but deep down he’s as loyal & loving as can be! Not to mention sexy & hardworking! And I love Cami, too. That girl has some spunk! And she’s strong enough to fight for what she believes in and what she wants! Seriously this book has it all! I laughed, I cried, I fanned myself from the hot & steamy scenes- I absolutely loved it! 

And now, here's a little sneak peak at what's inside....

Sipping my beer, I look around at the familiar scene.  If the honky tonk music blaring from the speakers in the ceiling hadn’t been enough to scream COUNTRY BAR, the sea of cowboy hats would have been.  I smile as I adjust the black one that sits atop my own head.  I love being incognito.  Even if, by chance, someone I know stumbles into the smoke-filled dive, they’d never believe it was me looking out from beneath the brim. 

Something hits the back of my barstool­—hard—just as I put the glass to my lips.  Ice cold beer pours down my chin and straight into my cleavage.  I suck in a breath.

“’Scuse me,” a deep voice rumbles in my ear.  Two hands grip my upper arms and pull me back, keeping me from tipping right out of my seat.  I’m looking down at my soggy jeans and t-shirt when I feel the hands disappear.  Half a second later, a face appears in my line of sight.  “I’m so sorry.  Are you okay?”

My fingers stop plucking wet cotton away from my chest and I stare. Quite rudely, I might add.  I’m speechless. Literally.  And that, like,never happens to me.  

The most amazing eyes I’ve ever seen are staring back at me.  They are pale greenish-gray, rimmed in sooty lashes and filled with concern.

A sharp jab to my shin makes me let out the breath I hadn’t been aware of holding.  I see my best friend Jenna’s head poke out from behind the mystery face.  I know she kicked me and I know she’s trying to get my attention, but I can’t look away from these eyes long enough to glare at her.

God, his eyes!  I’ve never seen eyes that make me want to gasp and giggle and do a strip tease all at once. 
But these do.

They flicker down, letting me go just long enough to collect my wits.  I find very few of them.  They are well and truly scattered.  When he looks back up at me, his eyes are wrinkled at the corners.  He’s smiling.  And holy hell, what a smile it is!

“Does it make me a bad person for liking your shirt better this way?”

I glance down at myself.  My dark pink bra is plainly visible through the now-wet paper thin material of my pale pink shirt.  So are my very erect nipples.  I blush, mortified.

Why, oh why did I wear a light pink t-shirt with a dark pink bra? 

Because you can’t see your bra through it when it’s dry, dumb ass.

A thumb brushes my right cheek.  “God, that’s sexy,” he whispers. Against my will, my eyes fly to his face.  His smile has died to a lopsided grin that is devastation in its purest form.  “I’ve never made a girl blush before.”

I laugh nervously, struggling to find my voice, to find my dignity. “Somehow I doubt that,” I say softly.

“Wow! The hair of a devil, the face of an angel and the voice of a phone sex operator.  You really are the perfect woman.”

To my utter humiliation, my cheeks burn even hotter.  Curse my fair skin!

Reaching into his pocket, Hot Stranger pulls out a couple bills and slides them across the bar.  “Another of whatever…” He trails off, looking at me in question, waiting for me to fill in the blank.

“Cami,” I say, trying to hold back my grin. 

Smooth way of getting my name.  Chalk one up for Hot Stranger.

“Another of whatever Cami is having.”  He turns back to me, a wicked gleam in his smoky eyes.  “Sorry about your drink.  Not so much about your shirt, though,” he admits candidly.

Willing myself not to blush again, I tilt my head.  “So, do clumsy strangers have names in this place?  Or are you just called ‘bull in china shop’?”

The lopsided grin comes back.  “Patrick, but my friends call me Trick.”

“Trick?  As in trick or treat?  That kind of trick?”

He laughs and my stomach flutters.  It actually flutters.  “Yep.  That kind of trick.”  He sobers and leans in close to me.  “Cami, can I ask a favor?”

I’m breathless again.  He’s so close I can count every hair in the stubble that dusts his tan cheeks.  For just a second, his clean manly scent overrides the cigarette smoke and stale beer smell of the bar.  
I lose my voice—again—so I nod.

“Pick ‘treat.’  Please, for the love of God, pick ‘treat’.”

Like an idiot, I say nothing. I do nothing.  I simply stare.  Like a…a…well, like an idiot.

He makes a disappointed noise with his lips then starts shaking his head.  “Too bad.  Woulda made my night.”

He straightens, takes a step back and smiles at me again.  “Nice to meet you, Cami,” he says, and then he turns and melts into the crowd.

Now I know you're dying to read the rest, so if you want to get it immediately you can go to Amazon & get your Kindle copy here.  Or you can get your Nook copy from Barnes & Noble here.  
You can also find the fabulous M. Leighton at her blog here.

Now if you would like to be entered to win a copy of The Wild Ones, please just fill out the Rafflecopter below.  The contest will end at 11:59 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012. Open internationally.  Winner will be posted & contacted soon after.  Thanks for reading!! 
And a big THANKS to M. Leighton for letting me part of this giveaway!!




Sunday, August 19, 2012

This is Not a Test by Courtney Summers

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up. As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, the motivations for survival change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life—and death—inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads

My Review  
Wow. I’m still a little emotionally drained from reading this. It’s probably a little closer to reality than most books of its kind. These are normal teenagers in an impossible situation & they can’t always be strong & brave. Sometimes, they just crumple. The world has become absolutely terrifying and there’s really nothing they can do about it. They can only hide away from it for so long. This was very well and realistically written, so don’t expect it to give you a warm & happy feeling when you read it. But it will definitely make an impact!


Sunday, August 12, 2012

The Lost Prince (The Iron Fey: Call of the Forgotten #1) by Julie Kagawa

Don't look at Them. Never let Them know you can see Them.

That is Ethan Chase's unbreakable rule. Until the fey he avoids at all costs—including his reputation—begin to disappear, and Ethan is attacked. Now he must change the rules to protect his family. To save a girl he never thought he's dare to fall for.

Ethan thought he had protected himself from his older sister's world—the land of Faery. His previous time in the Iron Realm left him with nothing but fear and disgust for the world Meghan Chase has made her home, a land of myths and talking cats, of magic and seductive enemies. But when destiny comes for Ethan, there is no escape from a danger long, long forgotten.

My name is Ethan Chase. And I may not live to see my eighteenth birthday.
Synopsis courtesy of Goodreads.

My Review  
Ok, let me just start by saying - THIS. BOOK. ROCKED!!! I absolutely loved the entire Iron Fey series but I wasn’t too sure what I’d think of poor little Ethan all grown up. The cover drew me in pretty quickly though! There’s definitely no “poor little Ethan” anymore! He’s all hunky & brooding now, trying to ignore both the faery & human worlds around him. He may also be harboring a bit of resentment for his sister for remaining in the faery world that tortured him when he was younger. As expected, you can’t ignore the faery world forever, not when you’re already as attached to it as Ethan is. It doesn’t take long for all hell to break loose & Ethan is forced back to the one place he swore he’d never go. This book was filled with excitement! (And some happy tears for me, as I was reunited with an old friend) It’s going to be agonizing to wait for the next installment!!