Beacon by Angela Brown - Virtual book tour and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Angela will be awarding a $75 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Pretend your protagonist is at school and opens his/her locker – what will we see inside? Students in New Festus, or any school in The Colony for that matter, don’t have to worry about lockers. All books, text or otherwise, are digital. So a student will have their personal holo-rod as well as a holo-pad for doing assignments and turning them in.

What would you write in a letter to your teen self? Dear Teen Me, You are one stubborn girl. But don’t let that stick-to-it-tive-ness go. You’re going to need it when your mother passes on and you make some crazy decisions feeling that your world is over. You’ll have to learn that starting over isn’t bad, new beginnings are good for the soul and for those story ideas you have bouncing around in your head, and that yes, you are worthy of being a writer.

What candy do you give out at Halloween? Chocolate! Mini-Snickers, mini-Twix, varieties of mini-Hershey bars, yeah, I love eating and giving chocolate. If you don’t like chocolate, we can still be friends, but if you see me looking at you all cock-eyed, it’s because I’m trying to figure out how it is humanly possible to NOT like chocolate lol!

What book is on your nightstand currently? I have my kindle set for Gears of Brass, a steampunk anthology with fairy tale re-tellings and more. I’m really excited to get into it.

Hunger Games or Twilight? Why? Definitely Hunger Games. It was the inspiration for Beacon, my YA urban fantasy dystopian, and the action throughout both the book and movie were awesome.

Favorite TV show from your childhood? I’m a Cosby Show kid. Loved crushing on Theo and Vanessa tended to be my fave with her antics and experiments, like trying to sew lol!!!

Sum up your book for Twitter: 140 characters or less. Life's norm slams to a halt when Macie is forced to the capital city of Biss, onto a path of self-discovery & the unraveling of all she knew. (I think the period makes it 141 characters)

Ideal summer vacation. It would be me and my siblings, along with our respective kiddos, doing a weeklong trip to an all-inclusive resort at some place along the west coast of Mexico. Fun in the sun. Sand in our toes. Pools for swimming. Adventures together and having the space to have comforting time alone getting a much needed massage.

You’re stranded on a desert island—which character from your book do you want with you? Why? I would so take Thane. As an unregistered, he knows how to hunt his food, clean his kills, cook meals without the luxury of a gas or electric stove, and can turn the nearest trees and cave into a functioning shelter. I’m still thinking about what I’d add to the situation lol!

Tsunamis reduced the USA into a shell of itself, called The Fold. Surviving humans and vampires joined forces to form The Colony, where registered citizens do as they're told. They donate blood quarterly and dream of being chosen as Attendees for the Jubilee celebrations, that is, everyone except Macie Breen. With high school graduation near, she’s anxious to ditch the rules in hopes of starting a new life with Thane, an unregistered and also her best friend.

Her hopes fizzle when Macie is selected as an Attendee, forever registered. Any future with Thane…impossible. Being chosen comes with another unexpected price.

Truths about The Colony blaze into ashes and lies when she discovers the vampires haven't kept their part of the bargain. Worst still, Macie’s life unravels as her stint in the city of Bliss forces her to face daunting truths about who, and what, she really is.

Enjoy an excerpt

"We’re not kids anymore, Macie. You’ve learned what little The Colony had to say about the vampeer, wights and devil spawn. There’s something else they’ve hidden from you. From all registered citizens. I’ve wanted to tell you for a long time why we met. Just how special you really are. But you won’t want to be my friend anymore once you know the truth. Losing you would be…”

Words trickled from my mouth unfiltered. “I, what do you mean I wouldn’t…”

He turned to me, chewing his bottom lip. The last time he did that was the day I broke first blood.

We were playing at knight warriors, a favorite of ours since we were kids. I thrust my wooden sword forward. It clattered to the ground as I doubled over from a sharp spasm in my stomach. I tried to shoo Thane away, deal with the pain on my own. But, noticing the grimace on my face – I really tried hard to be quiet, but I cried out anyway – he wouldn’t have it. When he glanced at my yellow cargo pants, he chewed his bottom lip, eyes wide. My gaze trailed down to the bloody mess I’d become. My face couldn’t have flashed hotter if I set it on fire.

Now he was doing it again, chewing his bottom lip. What could he possibly have to say? He opened his mouth to speak when the tent flap ripped away. We jerked our heads around to face a tall being covered in shaggy, brown fur from scalp to hoof. A shadowy glow encircled it like a dirty aura. Two arms protruded from both sides. Jagged teeth crowded its mouth. Drool leaked down its chin. Reptilian eyes shone bright white with a red slit down the middle. One set of eyelids blinked side to side as the second set followed up and down. It snarled, spat and drooled some more. My bladder felt one moment away from losing it.

“Frag me,” I whispered as my world collapsed into a nightmare.

About the Author

Born and raised in Little Rock, AR, Angela now calls Central Texas home. She's a lover of Wild Cherry Pepsi and chocolate/chocolate covered delicious-ness. Steampunk, fantasy and paranormal to contemporary - mostly young adult - fill her growing library of books. Mother to a rambunctious darling girl aptly nicknamed Chipmunk, life stays busy. Her favorite quote keeps her moving: "You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing there will be no result." ~ Mahatma Gandhi

Goodreads author page: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6476148.Angela_Brown
Angela Brown in the Pursuit of Publishness blog: http://publishness.blogspot.com/
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Angela-Brown/e/B009JJEX60
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AngelaLBrownWrites
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ALBrownwrites
Buy Links:
Evernight: http://www.evernightteen.com/beacon-by-angela-brown/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Beacon-Ripped-Ties-Book-1-ebook/dp/B00PXHHUX0

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Ocean of Dust by Graeme Ing - Blurb Blitz and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Graeme will be awarding a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour, and a $20 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn host. Please click the banner to visit other stops on the tour and increase your chances of winning!

Fourteen-year old Lissa is snatched from her home and finds herself a slave on a trading ship traveling on a waterless ocean of nothing but gray dust. A feisty, curious and intelligent girl, her desire to explore the ship earns her the hatred of the cruel first officer, Farq.

Fascinated by the ocean of dust, Lissa becomes embroiled in its mysteries, sensing things that the crew cannot, while cryptic whispers in her head are leading her toward a destiny linked to the dust itself. Only one man aboard can help her make sense of her new talent, but can she trust him? All is not as it seems, and she must unravel the clues before it’s too late.

When a sinister plot casts her adrift on the barren ocean, her best friend is left in the hands of the treacherous crew. Everything hinges upon her courage, quick wits, and her ability to master her new talent.

... she spotted a brown conical shape lodged on a fallen stump between a pair of trees. Dozens of bugs with red striped abdomens swarmed above it - War-blits. She couldn’t keep up the pace for much longer, and her lungs felt ready to burst. Her hastily formed plan might be her only chance to escape the feline snapping at her heels. She sucked in air and urged her aching body forward. Up close, the bugs were as large as her thumb, with wicked, black stingers on their rear-ends.

Now she was caught between a swarm of spiteful bugs and an animal about to bite her in half. It was now or never. Screaming for courage, she launched herself at the War-blit mound, praying her timing was right. She clenched every muscle, waiting for the stings to stab all over her body. The furious buzzing engulfed her as she flew through the air and over the mound.

Her shoulders hit the ground on the other side, and she tumbled over and over, smashing into a tree. Something stabbed her leg. Agony ripped through her body. Then a sharp pain on her right arm. She flailed her limbs in all directions trying to keep the bugs from her face.

The feline had landed atop the stump and crushed the mound. The air turned black as a cloud of War-blits sprayed from a hole in the stump, buzzing angrily and covering the creature like a cloak.

Graeme is a writer of speculative fiction. He probably won't fall into existing pigeonholes, but hang around and you'll get to read tales of fantasy, science-fiction, paranormal, cyberpunk, steampunk and who knows what.

Born in England, Graeme now lives in San Diego, California. His career as a software engineer and development manager spans 30 years, including the development of a dozen computer games for consoles, home computers and online. Graeme is also an avid armchair mountaineer, astronomer, mapmaker, pilot and general geek. He and his wife, Tamara, share their house with six crazy cats.

Website: http://www.graemeing.com/
Blog: http://www.graemeing.com/blog/
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/GraemeIngAuthor
Twitter: @GraemeIng https://twitter.com/GraemeIng
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/106761802400693987858/about
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6571955.Graeme_Ing
Buy Links
Amazon (Kindle/paperback/audiobook): http://www.amazon.com/Ocean-of-Dust-ebook/dp/B00A1FYJX8
Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Sci-Fi-Fantasy/Ocean-of-Dust-Audiobook/B00K0SBSCQ

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Waiting on Wednesday - Winter

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

Winter by Marissa Meyer

I love love love the Lunar Chronicles! They're definitely one of my favorite dystopian series, and I cannot wait to get my hands on the last book in the series! :) Meyer had me hooked from the beginning with her unique way of warping and twisting the everyday fairy tale into something I had never even dreamed of, especially in a dystopian society. Scarlet's story was the one that really blew me away, but Cress's was a close second and Cinder 's was third, simply because it followed Cinderella's story pretty much completely. Except, I don't remember Cinderella being...cyborg.

Also, Marissa mentions this tidbit in an interview: "Winter is based on Snow White, and will be the epic conclusion of the story. Princess Winter, Levana's stepdaughter, has been raised in the luxurious courts of Artemisia, Luna's capital city, and has seen firsthand the destruction that can be caused when people abuse their Lunar gift. As a result, she's sworn an oath to never use her gift at all... which has come with the side effect of slowly driving her mad. There's only one person she feels she can trust—Jacin Clay, her best friend since childhood. Unfortunately, as a royal guard, Jacin is already under her stepmother's control..."

I can't recommend this series enough, and I cannot wait for the release of the next book!

Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books I Almost Put Down But Didn't

Ten Books I Almost Put Down But Didn't

 

10. Generation Dead by Daniel Waters - I was having a hard time getting through these supposedly "dead" teenagers...it was confusing and a little overwhelming.

 

9. Allegiant by Veronica Roth - I had the end somewhat spoiled, and I was uncertain if I wanted to keep on reading...but I did. Then I cried.

 

8. Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake - I was really sad when *insert spoiler here* happened...I had to stop reading for a while because I was just like....no....not okay.

 

7. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen - I love classics (to some extent) and I wanted to read them, but the way that they were written is very difficult to get through, and I had a hard time actually understanding what they were talking about.

 

6. The War Inside by M. Kircher - the beginning was draggy, so I basically read a chapter and then I was like....Okay, I'm done for the day. BUT, the story line picked up considerably, and I was hooked until the end.

 

5. The City of Bones by Cassandra Clare - I turned this book down three times before I actually read it because I was so hooked on another book series, I didn't want to get distracted. BUT, I did end up reading them (after my best friend spoiled the whole series for me :P )

 

4. Boys Like You by Juliana Stone - I'm sensitive to swearing, and there was a lot of it in here (enough to make me annoyed) that I had a very difficult time finishing.

 

3. Goddess Legacy by M.W. Muse - It was just never super amazingly awesome,  but the plot never slowed (nor did it pick up)

 

2. Hidden by M. Lathan - The story was good, the editing was really bad. I read it, but the process of doing so was very slow. And painful. But somewhat enjoyable.

 

1. The Fault in our Star by John Green - if there was one word to sum up this book, it was (actually, four words) Feels, heartbreak, and most of all, NOT OKAY.

EMILY'S TRIAL by Natalie Wright - Book Review and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Leave a comment and fill out the Rafflecopter at the end of this post for a chance to win one digital copy of "Emily's House" to a randomly drawn commenter at every stop, plus a Grand Prize of a $15 Amazon gift card + a digital copy of Emily's House--the other stops on the tour can be seen by clicking the tour banner. Remember, the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

EMILY'S TRIAL by Natalie Wright
Paranormal Dystopian Fantasy YA
3.5 Stars

Two years ago, Emily Adams took a perilous journey, answered the hero’s call and became a modern Celtic Priestess. Armed with a magic dagger and powerful golden torc, she was entrusted with sacred magic and ancient wisdom.

But even a Priestess can know desire, feel temptation, and yearn for love. Will passion entice Emily to use the sacred magic entrusted to her in a forbidden way? Can new love take root in a world of nightmares? And will her friendships survive Emily’s Trial?



The Journey Continues . . .

My Review:

This is the second book of the series and, while I enjoyed the book, I highly recommend reading the first one. I would loved to have seen the background of Emily and her friends. In this book, you are thrust immediately into a situation where Emily and her friends are in school, people are aware of her abilities, and she's apparently been using her powers to entertain people. Not an auspicious start to getting to know Emily.

However, as the story went on--I grew to like her more and more. Yes, she's impulsive...yes, she's tempted by the fact the hottest guy in school is coming on to her...yes, she puts more effort into this relationship than into her friendships...but that just made her more real. I can see that happening...being a teenager is hard. And it sucks sometimes.

The action is non-stop...and I could really see this as a movie... very very visual. Good job on that, Ms. Wright. And, she leaves us with a humdinger of a cliff-hanger! I really want to read the next book in the series to see what's going to happen and how the story is going to be resolved. First, though, I want to read the first book. :-)

Now, enjoy an excerpt:

The Apocalypse didn't start with four horsemen, harbingers of the horror to come. It didn't start with a plague, or pestilence, or even zombies rising from the dead.

It came slowly, and without warning. It crept up on people in the shadows, no more than a vague darkness that spread like an unseen cancer.

And it wasn't set into action by a divine hand. A teenage girl was the catalyst for the End Times. I should know. I'm the one that started it.

I didn't plan to. I didn't want to start the End Times, and I'm not evil.

Madame Wong taught me to tell the truth, and so here it is. I'm the one responsible for the Apocalypse. And this is the story of how I unwittingly unlocked the door to the darkness; of how a Priestess of the Order of Brighid, entrusted with powerful magic that was supposed to be used for the benefit of all humankind, unleashed a force that would destroy it instead.

And it all began with desire.

About the Author:

Natalie is the author of The Akasha Chronicles, a young adult paranormal fantasy trilogy. When not writing, blogging, Facebooking, Tweeting, Wattpadding or eating chocolate, Natalie nurtures her young daughter, feeds her dog too many treats, and can’t resist watching Ancient Aliens, no matter how absurd the show becomes.

Natalie enjoys travel, good wine, and excellent food shared with family and friends. She was raised an Ohio farm girl, now lives in the desert Southwest, and dreams of living in a high rise in a big city.

Natalie enjoys chatting with readers, so stop by and say hi:

Blog: http://www.NatalieWrightsYA.blogspot.com

Twitter: @NatalieWright_

Facebook: NatalieWright.Author

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/468945.Natalie_Wright

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/WritesKidsBooks

Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/NatalieWright_

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/natwrites/

Emily's Trial Video: http://youtu.be/qMw7boPnIIE



Buy Links:

Barnes & Noble Ebook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/emilys-trial-natalie-wright/ 1112990363?ean=2940044978607

Barnes & Noble Print: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/emilys-trial-natalie-wright/ 1115658839?ean=9780615702766

Amazon Print: http://www.amazon.com/Emilys-Trial-Akasha-Chronicles-Volume/dp/ 0615702767/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1379030587&sr=8-1&keywords=emily%27s+trial

Amazon Ebook: http://www.amazon.com/Emilys-Trial-Akasha-Chronicles-ebook/dp/ B009LMAIGE/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&sr=8-1&qid=1379030587

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/242466



Please use this Rafflecopter code for entries:

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The War Inside by M. Kircher - Virtual Tour and Giveaway

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Leave a comment for a chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card--the other stops on the tour can be seen by clicking the tour banner. Remember, the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

Why YA fiction? What draws you to it?

You know, I think that no matter what age any of us are, we all feel about sixteen inside. There’s just something amazing about the teenage years; a feeling like the world is yours to explore and change. Teens and young adults dream bigger, love harder, and feel deeper. I read YA fiction all the time and have been doing so since I was an actual teen myself. (Which wasn’t so long ago, I’m only 30 after all!) Also, so much of adult fiction is about selling books and using violence or dirty stuff to do so. YA fiction, on the other hand, seems to be able to stick to the basic principal that every book needs to tell a great story. If the story isn’t engaging, fun, gut wrenching, fantastical, or inspiring…what good is it? I love that YA books help new generations of teens, young adults, and readers of all ages to fall in love with reading again.

What’s your favorite sweet treat?

It’s cliché, but I am so addicted to chocolate. It’s not actually a dessert if there’s not some element of chocolate involved. Currently, I’m in love with this brownie recipe that I found online where you use baking cocoa instead of flour as a base. The brownies come out super chocolate-y and have the consistency of a flourless cake. To die for! I’m a big fan of online recipes instead of cookbooks. People can rate recipes, share what did or didn’t work, and give tips on how to make the recipe even better. It’s much smarter in my opinion, because not all of us can be five star chefs, but we want to be able to make something easy and delicious.

What would you write in a letter to your teen self?

Honestly, I would tell myself teenage self to take more risks. I’m an introvert, so I’m more than happy curling up in a quiet corner with a book all day. In high school I had good friends, but I think if I had made myself be a bit more outgoing, I could have had some great experiences. One of the best memories I have from high school is when a friend of mine (guy friend, and yes I was totally in love with him) gave me a ride home from school and we stopped, bought ice cream, and then sat in the woods overlooking a lake and talked. I never made a move! It seems that I gave off this “don’t touch me vibe” when inside I was dying, literally dying, for male attention. I wish I had just leaned over and kissed him. Maybe he would have been repulsed, but maybe he’d have kissed me back. And now I will never know! I think being open to failure and trying new things is also so important. The world likes to tell you that you have to conform to a certain set of standards. You have to do things a certain way. But you don’t. I’d tell my teenage self to dream big, take risks, learn from failure, and keep on trying new things.

What superpower would you love to have? Why?

Flying. Doesn’t everybody say that? I don’t know, I just think that out of the realm of superhero possibilities, the power of flight is the coolest thing ever. Plus, it’d save you from having to spend money on gas, you’d never have to sit in traffic, and you could drop water balloons on people and they’d never

What are your favorite books?

There are many because not only am I a total bookworm, I read really fast too. It’s the result of reading books instead of having friends over as a child. A few I’m reading right now are: Dragoon by A.R. Ivanovich, The Crowd, The Critic, and the Muse: A Book for Creators by M. Gungor, Black Amaranth by Sasha Hibbs, Lexicon by Max Barry, and Inferno by Dan Brown.

Hunger Games or Twilight? Why?

Hunger Games all the way. I loved Twilight, I really did, but The Hunger Games captured my imagination, made me think, and kept me reading into the wee hours of the morning.

At first, the plot of the book horrified me. A bunch of children fighting to the death? It sounded awful. And I will admit that the violence was hard to take. But as I read further, I began to see what Suzanne Collins was trying to make us understand. We have the ability to forget the innate worth of every human being, even to the point that we let our children kill one another. The Capitol is an exaggerated take on where our society might be heading; they’re people obsessed with money, looks, themselves, and completely ignorant of anyone else less fortunate. They see the other people of Panem as sub-human and so they forget to be appalled by the fact that they watch children massacring each other on TV as a form of entertainment.

It’s a brilliant series…I think even as insightful about today’s society as Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice was about the marriage market and the plight of women in her day. And on top of that, the books were amazingly well written and beautifully woven. Each third of the trilogy left you with a bit of a wrap-up so that you didn’t feel cheated out of an ending. One big, giant well done.

Sum up your book for Twitter: 140 characters or less.

The end of the world is only just the beginning. THE WAR INSIDE - A new YA Paranormal Dystopian novel by @MKircher83

You’ve just won a million dollars and you’re not allowed to save any of it. What do you spend it on?

I’m trying to work on being more generous, so at first I’d want to challenge myself to at least give about $200,000 of it away to charity or people in need. I’d love to figure out a way to change the nation’s foster care system. It’s a mess and if some money could help that mess, I’d write a check in a second. After that, I would buy a house. My husband and I have moved around a lot and probably will continue to do so. We’re sort of wandering souls that need big life changes every five years or so. But I’d love to buy a beach house somewhere that we could have for summers and vacations. The ocean feeds my soul like nothing else, so I’d want it to be somewhere warm, southern, and by the water. If I had any left over winnings after those two things, I’d put them into a fund for my two kids. Who knows what college is going to cost in seventeen years? I shudder to imagine.

Playlist for your current book.

Muse, the Snow White and the Huntsman soundtrack, Radioactive by Imagine Dragons, Switchfoot, Flyleaf, Gungor, Linkin Park (the earlier albums), and Lovestrong. by Christina Perri. Those are just a few bands and songs that were in my head as I wrote, and edited, The War Inside.

The end of the world is only just the beginning. So eighteen-year-old Thea discovers when her solitary life on a dying Earth is shattered by a mysterious dream, a devastating choice, and a strange gift that propels her on a journey towards the restoration of all mankind.

Thea is bitter and alone; eking out her miserable life on the sunless, cloud-covered Earth she inhabits. A terrifying dream convinces her to save the life of an injured girl, and despite her misgivings, Thea decides to rescue sixteen-year-old Viviana. She soon learns that gentle Viv has a life-threatening infection, as well as a freakish patch of glowing skin over her heart. When this light spreads to Thea, causing her palms to glow, she is forced to trust Caden, an arrogant, lazy, and annoyingly handsome boy she despises. Caden has a map to the last city on Earth, and the only place that might have a cure for both Viv's infection and the strange light on Thea's hands. As the trio embark on a journey through the barren wilderness, Thea and Caden discover, and try to fight, their mounting attraction to each other. Along the way they are joined by Rain, Naomi, and Enoch who explain that the light is not a curse, but a powerful gift meant to heal the polluted Earth and reconnect the remnants of humanity. When the group learns that Viv is the key to this planet-wide redemption, and that there are deadly shadows who will do anything to keep humans in the darkness forever, they each must make the difficult decision to help Viv fulfill her destiny...and save the world.

Don't miss THE WAR INSIDE, an exciting young adult dystopian/fantasy novel by debut author M. Kircher.

Now enjoy an excerpt:

“It’s real. All of it. And Viv. She changed me, even before I left, I think. I started to feel things, and it scared me. Is that what you want me to say, Thea? I was scared; I admit it.”

Thea hunched her shoulders, knowing Caden was right. If she had been in his place, she would have walked away. Without a second thought.

Caden stepped closer and pulled Thea to her feet. “I’m sorry I left. I’ve never cared about right or wrong before now. But somehow I knew I had to come find you.”

He took her hands, and Thea felt a tingle of sensation run up her spine. She knew she should pull away, but she stood frozen, unable to break the contact. Caden slowly unwrapped the strips of cloth that still covered her palms. When they fell to the floor, he took his thumbs and rubbed them in circles over her shining skin. It felt very warm.

“What do you want from me?” she whispered.

Caden ran his palms over hers. “A second chance,” he said softly, and Thea felt her heart jump. “Ahem!” Rain cleared his throat loudly, and Thea and Caden leaped apart. “I hate to break up this touching scene.” Rain grinned mischievously. “But Enoch wants us to go with Naomi. He says we need to practice. Whatever that means.” He looked from Thea to Caden. “Unless you two have other plans….”

“No!” said Thea quickly, her heart still pounding in her chest. She couldn’t even look at Caden. How had she let herself be drawn in like that? Ugh, no wonder he’d been with almost every girl in the Valley. The guy could turn on the charm, but she wouldn’t let him get to her. She could never forget what he had done.

“We’re coming,” she told Rain briskly.

About the Author:

M. KIRCHER graduated with a B.A. in Fine Arts from Gordon College and is currently an author and artist. "The War Inside" is her first novel, but there are more to come including the second book in The Horizons Trilogy, "The Gray Horizon" and "Dreamcatchers", a futuristic twist on the legend of Rip Van Winkle. She devours YA, science fiction, fantasy, and romance on a regular basis and is immensely happy to pour her time and energy into creating stories for other people to enjoy. Bob Ross and J.R.R. Tolkien tie for her two favorite people of all time. She and her husband write regularly for Relevant Magazine (www.relevantmagazine.com) and Simply Youth Ministry (www.youthministry.com). They also just had their first book published called "99 Thoughts on Marriage and Ministry", by Group Publishing. M. Kircher lives in Connecticut with her husband, one energetic son, and a new baby girl.

Find M. Kircher online at:

Website: www.mkircher.com
Blog: http://mkircher.com/blog/
Twitter: @MKircher83
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mkircher83
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7202354.M_KircherAmazon Author Profile: http://www.amazon.com/M.-Kircher/e/B00E8AKEGI

Wisteria by Bisi Leyton - review and giveaway!

This review is done in conjunction with the author's tour with Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will be awarding a $15 Amazon GC to one lucky commenter on her tour, so leave your thoughts here and you're entered!

Wisteria by Bisi Leyton
Paranormal, Dystopian YA
278 pages
Rated: 3.5 Stars

Sixteen year old Wisteria Kuti has two options—track the infected around the Isle of Smythe or leave the only known safe haven and face a world infested with flesh eating biters. But even with well-armed trackers, things go wrong and Wisteria ends up alone facing certain death, until she is rescued by the mysterious Bach. Uninfected, Bach is able to survive among the hordes of living dead.


Eighteen year old Bach, from a race known as The Family, has no interest in human affairs. He was sent here to complete his Great Walk and return home as a man—as a Sen Son. The Family regard humans as Dirt People, but Bach is drawn to this Terran girl, whom he has never seen before, but somehow knows.

Hunted by flesh eaters, cannibals, and the mysterious blood thirsty group called Red Phoenix, Wisteria and Bach make their way back to the Isle of Smythe, a community built on secrets and lies.

My review:  Wisteria has a neat twist on zombies and their creation in this novel of a futuristic earth.  But it's more than a zombie book and has plenty of other twists involved.

Wisteria is pretty much a typical teen:  impulsive, crushing on the cute guy, and frequently overly-dramatic.  But she's got a good heart, and a good mind and uses both (occasionally to her detriment ... like when she tried to save her "friend" from biters).

I liked Wisteria.  Bach?  Not so much, at least not through the first half or so of the book--which was intentional on the author's part I think.  Bach was arrogant, prideful, and sometimes just downright nasty.  Don't worry, he grows up and learns how to be a better man eventually.  But, there were sure times I wanted to smack him upside the head!

The book isn't just about the action, though there is plenty of that, but about the mystery behind the biters and even the Isle of Smythe.  The author has certainly thought through things and created a very complex world.

Still, I think the book dragged occasionally.  I admit I skipped ahead a few times to get back to the action and that's the only thing that brought the rating down on this book.  Many things were wrapped up at the end, but it's clear there will be a sequel, and I'm looking forward to it.

Bisi Leyton was born in East London in 1978. She grew up in London, Nigeria and the States, listening to the stories life and love from aunts, cousins and big sisters.She lives in London, but has worked around Europe including France, Germany, Ireland, Belgium and the Czech Republic. She has a fondness for reading graphic novels.

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Twitter: @bisileyton
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BookTrailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_TWuWK_bbY&feature=context-cha and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fvC9iJckrs4&feature=context-cha

Bisi running a giveaway until 30 November for a Kindle Fire. When people sign up for her New Release Mailing list they get a change to win. The list is not for a newsletter, but to going a mailing list where they'll be notified once a new book is released and that is it. The conditions are at www.bisileyton.blogspot.com and the link to sign up is http://eepurl.com/o8zv1. a Rafflecopter giveaway