Category: Blog Tour

Withering Hope By: Layla Hagen Audiobook Review (+Giveaway)

April 1st Blog Tour Date

Withering Hope by Layla Hagen Audio Tour organized by IndieSage PR

Author: Layla Hagen
Title: Withering Hope
Narrators: Coleen Marlo, Michael David Axtell &  Christy Romano
Publisher: Audible Studios (Unabridged)
Length of Production: 6hrs and 57 mins
Publication: December 11, 2015
Rating: 3.5 stars
Genres:Contemporary,Romance  Amazon | iBooks | Nook | Books-A-Million | Audible

Synopsis:

Aimee’s wedding is supposed to turn out perfect. Her dress, her fiancé and the location—the idyllic holiday ranch in Brazil—are perfect. But all Aimee’s plans come crashing down when the private jet that’s taking her from the U.S. to the ranch—where her fiancé awaits her—defects mid-flight and the pilot is forced to perform an emergency landing in the heart of the Amazon rainforest.

With no way to reach civilisation, being rescued is Aimee and Tristan’s—the pilot—only hope. A slim one that slowly withers away, desperation taking its place. Because death wanders in the jungle under many forms: starvation, diseases. Beasts. As Aimee and Tristan fight to find ways to survive, they grow closer. Together they discover that facing old, inner agonies carved by painful pasts takes just as much courage, if not even more, than facing the rainforest. Despite her devotion to her fiancé, Aimee can’t hide her feelings for Tristan—the man for whom she’s slowly becoming everything. You can hide many things in the rainforest. But not lies. Or love.

Withering Hope is the story of a man who desperately needs forgiveness and the woman who brings him hope. It is a story in which hope births wings and blooms into a love that is as beautiful and intense as it is forbidden.

Excerpt For Withering Hope 5

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The Stone Legacy Series By Theresa DaLayne Review For Books 1-3

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Happy Monday, folks. So, today I have my first ever book series review to share for The Stone Legacy Series by Theresa DaLayne. Hosted by HEA Book Tours, PR & More.

Overall, The Stone Legacy Series is an easy story and concept to follow with a steady pace that allows the reader to become immersed in the cultural and paranormal universe built into the narrative.

I found the characters layered, powerful and even some darkly intimidating. I think most readers will enjoy these books because of their even balance of action, danger, and bidding love triangles in this Paranormal, YA Fiction series. I’ve never done a book series before, so I thought it would be best to section my review by book and give individual ratings as well.

NOTE: since this is a series review post, it was kind of difficult not to include a few spoilers on a few plot points. Okay enough chit-chat. Strap in for a long review post :-D.

 

MAYAN BLOOD by Theresa DaLayne
The Stone Legacy Series #1
|| SYNOPSIS ||
Their empires have fallen, but their mythology lives on…
 
Zanya Coreandero is a seventeen-year-old orphan with only a single friend and no hope for a normal life. Diagnosed with anxiety and night terrors, no one believes her cuts and bruises are a result of an evil entity, and not a brutal case of self-harm.
 
With the only home she’s ever known being the isolated institution—where breakfast is a handful of medications, the psychiatry sessions are mandatory, and her every move is watched—the only relief is her red-haired roommate named Tara, who’s more like a little sister than her best friend.
 
Free will is strong, but destiny is stronger…
 
When Zanya is kidnapped, she meets a group of gifted Mayan descendants, each with a unique ability. Gone from a nameless castaway to the only hope of mankind, Zanya is forced to make a grueling decision: bond with an enchanted stone and save humanity from rising underworld forces, or watch helplessly as Earth falls victim to a familiar dark deity from her dreams. This time, he’s playing for keeps.
 
A wicked secret hides behind a handsome face…
 
When Arwan, a dark-eyed timebender, takes interest in Zanya’s mission, it’s unclear if his intention is to help, or if he’s on a hell-bent mission for revenge. Wary of falling for another guy with major secrets and a tainted past, Zanya fights to keep her distance. If only her heart gave her a choice.
 
|| PURCHASE TODAY! ||

AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/1ldFdrY        AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/1IHMPYH

Mayan Blood Book Review  (Rating: 4 stars)

From beginning to end, (so far) this book remained my favorite. The character and story introduction and walk through Zanya’s life pre-guardian and post following the unexpected revelation of her Mayan/Riyata heritage. I found Zanya’s reactions and resistance relatable and naturally unique to her situation and I loved her connection and devotion to her best friend, Tara. I feel other readers will effectively feel the pain and fear Zanya struggles with when she’s faced with having to actually face the tormentor from her dreams, Sarian.

I found the Mayan warriors (aka Peter, Hawa, Arwan, Renato and Marzena) dedication, and support for Zanya and her mission endearing. While Jayden’s character (technically a Mayan warrior, but considered an outsider to the rest of the group) annoyed me 2/3rds of the book, I found his character really started to come around or become less annoying toward the end.

I may not be on the same page with everyone else, but I didn’t care much for the Zanya, Arwan and Jayden triangle that manifested at the half way mark because locating the stone and fighting Sarian seemed to take a back seat to the trio drama. I also felt like it stole precious time away from Zanya immersing herself in her mission and her role as guardian.

Spoiler–> I mean traveling back in time to meet her mother was a big deal, yet I felt like not enough time was spent on this pivotal focal point. Zanya has been an orphan her entire life and she knew nothing of her life, her family or her destiny. The time with her mother was over too quickly.

Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the fact that Arwan and Zanya were growing closer, but it is no secret that I am a fan of the slow burn and subtly when it comes to budding romances. (hint for my notes on the other two books) Plus, I just found it odd and irrational that on the brink of war, a supreme under-lord ruler with a heart of darkness (Sarian) Jayden and Arwan are consumed with bickering over Zanya……

As odd as it sounds, I liked the difficult place where the characters end up in at the end of book one because of the interesting physical and emotional directions Interlude and Aurora of Lights takes them in.

INTERLUDE by Theresa DaLayne
The Stone Legacy Series #2
|| SYNOPSIS ||
Tara may have spent years in an asylum, but that doesn’t make her crazy–just fearless. 
Dropped in Moscow with a the group of enchanted Mayan descendants, seventeen-year-old Tara Weeble is forced to wait on the sideline while her best friend—the Stone Guardian— battles to reclaim a friend’s soul trapped in the underworld. 
It sucks being ordinary when everyone else is superhuman… 
A mortal girl with a tainted past, Tara is left to deal with an overwhelming sense of inadequacy. Her boyfriend, Peter, is a healer. Her best friend is The Guardian, and everyone else is a powerhouse of awesome strengths. Meanwhile, she struggles to leave her childhood of abuse in the past, and while Peter picks her up every time she falls, it becomes clear he deserves better. 
When they opened Pandora’s Box, hell came pouring out… 
When she’s given a chance to aid in the group’s mission, Tara is eager to pull her own weight, even if it means uncovering buried memories of being held prisoner by the underworld general. Now haunted with flashbacks of torture, Tara wanders from the safety of Peter’s arms into a city of depravity and corruption. And amidst all this evil is a young man with an agenda of his own, who leads her down a road that will either prove she is a hero at heart, or drag her into a world she’s always feared. 
He wants revenge, she wants redemption. And in an underground ring of missing girls and bloody sacrifices, only the fearless can survive…

|| PURCHASE TODAY! ||
AMAZON US: http://amzn.to/1JxP9Y6       AMAZON UK: http://amzn.to/1T8tzwO

Interlude Book Review (Rating: 3.7 stars)

This book left me in a different mind set than the first book. I loved that with Interlude, the reader gets to see things from Tara’s perspective and learn more about her troubled past and the affects Sarian’s torture had on her. I think it was important for the second book to only focus on Tara’s voice and the development of her character, but I have to admit it took me a while to really get into the narrative.

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Broken Politics by Janae Keyes Book Review (+ Giveaway)

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RB-BrokePolitics-JKeyes_FINALBroken Politics release blast/tour is hosted by, Tasty Book Tours, so be sure to check out the rest of the stops for this book here. 🙂

“I didn’t quite understand any of this. I wasn’t a fan of his. I despised his administration and everything it stood for, but yet I wanted him in the worst way.” – Kayla

Broken Politics by: Janae Keyes

Genre: Political Romance, Interracial, New Adult

Release date: March 7th 2016

Rating: 3.89/4 stars

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis:

Kayla is stuck in a rut writing puff pieces for a magazine that she doesn’t even like and is far from being a political reporter for a publication with actual substance. Until then she writes a political blog that blasts the current administration and their policies. She can feel her big break coming soon when she gets the chance to do a piece on the President. President Matthew Von Hansen is the youngest president to date and the first single president in the last 130 years. He’s found himself in the seat of power, but with no real power. He wants to make a difference, but that can be hard when being forced to stay within party lines. Matthew is everything that Kayla despises about Washington or so she originally thinks. Sparks fly and love is on the horizon, but can these two find their way around broken politics?

Excerpt-BannerCheck out this tasty and heated book excerpt  🙂

The door to the other room opened and Victor walked out with Matthew behind him. Victor didn’t even acknowledge me before he left the residence. I looked at Matthew who stood there looking pleased with himself. I knew what he’d just done and it pissed me off. I then stood.

“Are you going somewhere?” he asked me at once.

“Yeah I’m leaving.” I said as I picked up my bag.

“Seriously because I just vetoed that bill?” he questioned.

“Exactly you are an asshole.” I spat at him. I wasn’t going to hold my emotions back. He then laughed out loud. I walked to him and pointed my finger in his face. “You know that you just crushed so many hopes and dreams.”

“I did, but they will thank me in the end when this bill is rewritten, but for now it’s been denied.” He said in an overly confident tone.

“God you are just impossible.” I said before I turned around, but he quickly grabbed my arm and spun me to him. His face was right in front of mine. No more than a centimeter kept us apart. I could feel his warm breath on my face and his lips right there.

“But the fact that I’m impossible makes you like me more, admit it.” He said in barely a whisper his lips brushing against mine. I didn’t want to say anything.

“Not admitting anything.” I hissed feeling his hand let go of my arm, but instantly now on my waist. He slowly pulled my body just closer with his hand firmly on my waist.

“I’ve been trying to keep my distance from you. You piss me off, but I can’t help, but like it.” He said. I bit my lip slightly. He smirked at me. I took a shallow breath and before I could finish letting my breath go he crushed his lips to mine.

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Free Men: A Novel by Katy Simpson Smith Book Review

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Free Men: A novel by Katy Simpson Smith

Hardcover: 368 pages
Publisher: Harper (February 16, 2016)

Rating: 4 stars

Genre: Historical, Literary Fiction

Copy Received from Publisher

Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | HarperCollins

Synopsis:

In 1788 three men converge in the southern woods of what is now Alabama: Cat, an emotionally scarred white man; Bob, a garrulous black man fleeing slavery; and Istillicha, who seeks retribution after being edged out of his Creek town’s leadership.

In the few days they spend together, the makeshift trio commits a shocking murder that soon has the forces of the law bearing down upon them. Sent to pick up their trail, a probing French tracker named Le Clerc must decide which has a greater claim: swift justice or his own curiosity about how three such disparate, desperate men could act in unison.

Katy Simpson Smith skillfully brings into focus men whose lives are both catastrophic and full of hope—and illuminates the beating heart of a new America. A captivating exploration of how four men grapple with the importance of family, the stain of guilt, and the competing forces of power, love, race, and freedom.

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Running In The Dark Book Review + Giveaway

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Feb 12th Blog Tour Date

Happy, Friday, guys! Welcome to the Running in The Dark  Book Tour hosted by Xpresso Book Tour. Be sure to follow the full Book Tour Schedule and the other posts :-).

 

Running in the Dark (Running in the Dark #1)

Author: Inger Iversen
Publication date: February 8th 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Young/New Adult, Romance

Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads | Amazon

Synopsis:

He is known only as Trace—because he leaves no trace of his victims behind.

A deadly Russian slayer, Trace’s life has always revolved around death. Death, and preventing humankind from learning about the legendary creatures of the night. But now his position as a Watcher has become a prison, and dealing death for the Vampire Nation isn’t as prestigious as he once believed it to be.

College dropout Bessina Darrow has witnessed things she isn’t permitted to see, a simple case of wrong place at the wrong time putting her life in danger. When Bessina becomes his new mark, Trace is prepared to eliminate her—until he discovers a way out for them both.

Protecting Bessina means defying the leaders of the Nation, an act that has them both running for their lives. The more Trace fights to disappear from danger, the more he unravels the secrets crafting his world—secrets he must unveil in order to finally save a life, instead of destroy it. Okay, I can do that.

Review

If you love the paranormal, or ever wondered what goes on in the vampire underworld that may, or may not exist in real life, then you will enjoy this book.

Now, I am not the biggest vampire-based/concept fan in the world, but I do love strong story and universe structure. At times, I forgot I was even reading a book about vampires, which means the story and characters were so immersive that I didn’t notice and I love that.

Out of everything, the intensity and chemistry between Bessina and Trace is definitely the driving force within this book, never mind the fact that the two of them are running for their lives! XD If I had to put a level or peg their heat meter, I’d say it’s between 3 ½ – 4 out of five.

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The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses Book Review + Giveaway

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UB_Tour_Banner

Happy, Saturday, guys! It’s finally here: The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses Book Tour hosted by MMSAI. So, be sure to follow the full Book Tour Schedule 🙂

 

TUB Cover_new 

THE URBAN BOYS
Author: K.N. Smith
Pages: 292
Release Date: September 29th, 2015
Publisher: Two Petals Publishing

Genre: Middle School, Paranormal, Diverse, Action, Friendship

Rating: 4 Stars

Amazon | B&N | Goodreads | Apple

Synopsis:

The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses is an action-adventure story about five teen boys who are mysteriously exposed to a foreign energy source that gives them extremely heightened senses. Sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell become hypersensitive gifts that forever change the world. The story chronicles their effortless interrelations and later exposes the testing of their deep bonds. It introduces the reader to an array of supporting characters who alter the boys’ lives forever. The Urban Boys offers young and mature readers central themes of loyalty, responsibility, honesty, fear, and triumph, which become artfully integrated with cinematic-level action and high drama. The story twists, turns, and grinds through elements of paranormal and action-adventure in a diverse, exciting, edge-of-your-seat narrative!

Overview: The story’s small town of Danville Heights, a carefully crafted universe, contrasts with the dark, gloomy town of Sandry Lake, where evil abounds. Upon the boys’ mysterious incident with the energy source, they’re instinctively called to Sandry Lake to root out evil. Their senses guide them each time. However, secrecy about their mission, furious battles with evil thugs, extreme fatigue, and stress and pressure soon overwhelm the boys, but they must find a way to embrace their fate. A lurking, Dark Stranger seems to know their plight, and a strikingly beautiful, fearless girl lends way to heightened confusion. Shocking details about these two characters, and the evil antagonist, the dreaded Druth, twist and grind the story even further.

Despite tension and fierce battles, will the boys hold it together long enough to fulfill their destiny?

Intriguing, intelligent, and full of action, The Urban Boys: Discovery of the Five Senses offers a memorable, emotion-packed, thrilling ride for young and mature readers alike!

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Stormwielder (Book #1 of The Sword of Light Trilogy) Book Review

Stormwielder (The Sword of Light Trilogy Book #1)
Author:  Aaron D. Hodgens
Release date:  December 1st, 2015
Rating: 3.5 stars
Format: eBook (495 pages)

Genres: YA fantasy, Magic, Adventure

FOR A LIMITED TIME – STORMWIELDER IS ON SALE FOR $0.99 ON AMAZON.
Amazon | Goodreads

 

Synopsis:

For five hundred years the Gods have united the Three Lands in harmony.
Now that balance has been shattered, and chaos threatens.

A town burns and flames light the night sky. Hunted and alone, seventeen year old Eric flees through the wreckage. The mob grows closer, baying for the blood of their tormentor. Guilt weighs on his soul, but he cannot stop, cannot turn back.

If he stops, they die.

For two years he has carried this curse, bringing death and destruction wherever he goes. But now there is another searching for him – one who offers salvation. His name is Alastair and he knows the true nature of the curse.

Magic.

 

Review:

When I began this book, I was expecting Eric’s character to be connected to or be one of three things: Humanity’s last hope/sole savior from the coldest and darkest of all evil, a descendant of the gods or gifted with the power of the mythological power of the unstoppable Greek fire. When I finished the book, I was certain that two of these three things were not true and for the third, only time will tell preceding the release of the remaining books in this series.

I gave this book three and a half stars because I liked the story’s concept and most of the characters in this book. I immediately liked Eric’s character and genuinely felt his sadness and fearful state of mind he was stuck in since discovering his ‘ability’. It is really easy to connect to Eric in this book as the reader is able to learn about him and Alistair’s true quest through Eric’s eyes.

Although my opinion about Inken eventually changed by the end of the book, I wanted to also mention that I liked her character’s introduction (pretty visually graphic and memorable). I didn’t much care for her character once Eric started to crush on her character though because then her character was no longer independent from Eric’s storyline. Her character, in my opinion becomes a prop for Eric’s character development and I would have liked to have seen a neutral friendship form in this book between these two characters as they forged on against Archon instead of the two of them falling for one another right away.

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Dead Jed: Return of The Jed Book Review + Giveaway

DeadJed3Tour

Dead Jed: Return of The Jed Blog tour organized through Chapter by Chapter 🙂

DeadJed3Cover for chapter by chapter book tour

Dead Jed: Return of The Jed
by: Scott Craven
Publisher: Month9Books
Release Date: December 15th, 2015
Genre: Juvenile Fiction, Zombie Humor, Supernatural
Rating: 4 Stars

Goodreads | Google Play | BAM | Chapters | Amazon | B&N | Kobo | TBD | iBooks

Synopsis:

With seventh grade behind him, Jed jumps at the opportunity to spend the summer in Mexico with his dad. But there’s just one catch: Luke and Tread get to tag along.

​In Mexico, fitting in​might be easier than Jed imagined, ​with Holidays such as Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead)​.​ Here, a ​rising 8th grade zombie ​boy ​and his zombie dog ​won’t draw that much attention.

​But then Tread unwittingly sets off Mexico’s Chupacabra Defense Network and Jed accidentally collides with a bus​. So much for blending in. T​​he unusual pair catch the eye of a professional wrestler, who challenges ​Jed to a fight!​ ​

Their antics manage to ​capture the attention of a doctor​ who​se knowledge of the undead ​caus​es Jed to question his very existence. ​Is this the answer Jed’s been hoping for since his parents sat him down for the “you’re a zombie” talk? Jed may have finally found a way to be normal, but at what cost?

Dead Jed: Return of the Jed is book 3 in Scott Craven’s humorous and heartwarming series about surviving middle school, fitting in, and embracing one’s differences – even if you are a zombie.

 

Book & Series Review:

Honestly, before this book tour, I wasn’t aware of this series and I wanted to give the best review I could, so I read the first two books in this series, Adventures of a Middle School Zombie and Dawn of The Jed, and I am beyond thrilled that I did!

Scott Craven does a great job of pulling the reader into a state of suspension of disbelief with the creation of such a relatable, adolescent recall of those awkward pre-teen years, while incorporating such vivid body horror and humor.

This may just be the fan in me—and the fact that I haven’t seen that many Zombie centered films, per say—but I found myself thinking of David Cronenberg’s earlier cult-classics while reading of Jed and his “cardiovascularly challenged,” condition. Which I feel has something to do with Craven’s meticulously serious and professional approach of the undead.

There were a lot of things about this series that made me laugh, that made me teary eyed and that made me fall in love with all of these characters: Jed and Luke’s friendship, Jed’s supportive and quirky parents, and even Robbie-the-bully. Moreover, I really loved reading about Jed’s dog, Tread in book two and the rise of tension Jed had to face in school, but more to the point.

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