Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Book Tour Giveaway: A Lost Legacy: Awakening by C.E. Dimond




 A Lost Legacy: Awakening
Release Date: 07/09/15
204 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
Finn Adams thought she knew what her life had in store for her; a mundane existence of day to day life. After meeting Eamon her whole world is flipped upside down. When her mother goes missing, Finn soon discovers that she is a witch and she is being hunted for her power. Ripped from the only life she's ever known, Finn is transported across the country to Broadhaven, Maine to discover the secrets she never knew about herself, her heritage, and the tremendous power she's kept hidden for so long.

Her loyalties are tested when she learns of her true parentage and discovers she is part of a prophecy, destined to awaken an ancient power that has been lost for centuries . As she struggles to learn from her mother's past, she is faced with the ultimate struggle of good and evil, family or friends. She must learn who she can trust and find the power within herself to stop the prophecy from coming true. 


Buy Links:

About the Author:
I am an Irish-Canadian Young Adult author who was born in WinnipegCanada (yes, it really does exist). I love my city and love even more that it's become Hollywood's running joke (Don't believe me? Just check out Youtube).

I have always been a writer, from poems in my Grade 6 diary (Ode to Hobbits), to short stories in the back of my math's book. I have always loved to create stories and find myself constantly creating new characters.

I am a dedicated Fangirl of many proportions and I have a knack for getting expressions all wrong and saying incredibly stupid, but often hilarious things (My graduation gift from my friends was a book of my own quotes).

I am a proud alumna of St. Mary’s Academy, an all-girls Catholic prep school and I studied Theatre and Film at the University of Winnipeg. Currently, I am still hanging out in Winnipeg.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:

Awakening Playlist

1) Icarus – Bastille 
2) Sail Away - Stray Dogg
3) Our Song - Matchbox Twenty
4) Kings and Queens - Thirty Seconds to Mars
5) Somewhere Out There - Our Lady Peace
6) Never Say Never - The Fray
7) My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark - Fall Out Boy
8) Love Runs Out – OneRepublic
9) Longest Night - Howie Day
10) Closer To The Edge - Thirty Seconds to Mars
11) If You Could See Me Now - The Script
12) Get Home – Bastille
13) How To Save a Life - The Fray
14) Bad Blood – Bastille
15) Heartless - The Fray Cover


 Excerpt
 I sat up with a start, my heart racing as my eyes took in my surroundings. After a moment
of panic, a calm settled over me as I realized I was in my room. It had only been a dream, a
horrific, confusing, and altogether terrifying dream. My heart was still racing, pounding fiercely
against my chest, as I felt a cold sweat beading on the back of my neck. It took a few seconds
before I realized I was holding my breath. Letting out a sigh of relief, I turned my eyes to the
clock by my bed. A groan escaped my lips as I saw the time; it was three A.M. Running my hand
down my face, I took a second to compose myself, taking in slow careful breaths, trying to calm
my heart. Sliding my hand back up across my face, I ran it through the long strands of blond hair,
pulling them off my neck and over my shoulder. As I turned to lie back down, a shadow moved
past my window and I froze, my breath caught in my chest once more. Standing up quickly, I
moved to the window but found nothing but the darkened street below, illuminated only by the
singular lamppost at the intersection. Of course, there was nothing there; I was on the second
story. That sort of thinking was probably one of the first signs of insanity. Finally letting my
breath out, I stared at the streets for a moment just to be certain, before I shook my head clear
and turned back to bed. Clearly, I needed sleep. Between this and my dream, the chances of
getting a decent night's rest were slim at this point. Lying back down, I gazed at the ceiling for a
moment before I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. School started back tomorrow, the first day of
junior year, which just meant one more year of being just a little bit lower on the food chain. I
turned my head to glance at the time; I blinked in confusion as the clock still read three A.M.
Reaching my hand over, I hit it only to see it click into one after three. Yup, it was definitely
broken. With a sigh, I closed my eyes, trying to let the dream escape my mind as I drifted back to
sleep.




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Urania

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Book Tour Giveaway: Clean by Mia Kerick


 Clean
by  Mia Kerick
Release Date: December 1st 2015
Young Dudes Publishing



Summary from Goodreads:

High school senior Lanny Keating has it all. A three-sport athlete at Lauserville High School looking at a college football scholarship, with a supportive family, stellar grades, boy band good looks… until the fateful day when it all falls apart.
Seventeen-year-old Trevor Ladd has always been a publicly declared zero and the high school badboy. Abandoned by his mother and sexually abused by his legal guardian, Trevor sets his sights on mere survival.
Lanny seeks out Trevor’s companionship to avoid his shattered home life. Unwilling to share their personal experiences of pain, the boys explore ways to escape, leading them into sexual experimentation, and the abuse of illegal drugs and alcohol. Their mutual suffering creates a lasting bond of friendship and love.
When the time finally comes to get clean and sober, or flunk out of high school, only one of the boys will graduate, while the other spirals downward into addiction.
Will Lanny and Trevor find the strength to battle their demons of mind-altering substances as well as emotional vulnerability?
Clean takes the reader on a gritty trip into the real and raw world of teenage substance abuse.



Buy Links:

 About the Author
Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled men and their relationships, and she believes that sex has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press for providing her with an alternate place to stash her stories.

Mia is proud of her involvement with the Human Rights Campaign and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Contact Mia at miakerick@gmail.com.

Author Links:

GIVEAWAY:






Keep being distracted by reading,
Urania

Monday, December 14, 2015

Book Tour Giveaway: Beating cancer by Melinda Hill.






Book Genre: Health, fitness, wellness, healing

Publisher: Createspace

Release Date: October 30, 1015 and Oct. 18, 2015 for the ebook

Buy Link(s): Hard Copy | Amazon



Book Description:

Beating Cancer is a powerful illustration of God's healing power through the eyes of one of His favored daughters, Melinda Hill. This book is for anyone who is in the fight of their lives and wants to experience victory, discover their true identity, and achieve great success in their health, both physically and spiritually. Use the action steps in this book for living a healthier life, walk in your God-given authority, and live the life that God intended when He sent His son to bore our sicknesses. TAKE UP THY BED AND WALK! I won my fight and I continue to battle on a daily basis to remain cancer-free. In this book, I will share how the combination of faith, favor, and fulfillment can cause you to win your battle.



INSIDE:
* Actions steps for living a cancer-free life.
* Discover God's promises and keys to unlocking your inheritance.
* How to develop a winning mindset.
* 5 ways to beat cancer every day.
* American Anti-Cancer Institute's number one recommendation for natural products
* What to do while waiting on the next doctor's appointment.
* And much, much, more!

Picture

Author Bio:

Melinda is a coach, author, researcher, and cancer survivor.  Melinda is an ordained minister; however, it’s not a title she uses because it is every Christian’s role to minister; licensed or not.  Melinda's educational background has been focused in the areas of business, coaching and counseling. She holds a doctorate in higher education and organizational change, a master’s degree in counselor education and a bachelor’s degree in organizational management. She is also a graduate of the Executive and Professional Coaching Program from the University of Texas at Dallas.

Working primarily in the health care, communication and education arenas, Melinda has devoted herself to helping individuals meet their goals; whether it is personal or professional.
Partnering with people for success is her mission. Leading an ethical, balanced, purposeful life while living your dreams are guiding principles for Melinda.

As a coach, Melinda is supporting and encouraging. She has a unique ability to support her clients while holding them accountable for their desired outcomes. She is known as a change agent.

Author Links - www.melindachill.com; www.facebook.com/drmelindachill



Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Book Tour Giveaway:Tarnished by Kate Jarvik Birch.



Tarnished (Perfected #2)
Release Date: 2015
Entangled Teen

Summary from Goodreads:


Freedom comes at a cost...

Ella was genetically engineered to be the perfect pet—graceful, demure...and kept. In a daring move, she escaped her captivity and took refuge in Canada. But while she can think and act as she pleases, the life of a liberated pet is just as confining as the Congressman’s gilded cage. Her escape started a revolution, but she’s trapped, unable to get back to Penn—the boy she loves—or help the girls who need her.

Back in the United States, pets are turning up dead. With help from a very unexpected source, Ella slips deep into the dangerous black market, posing as a tarnished pet available to buy or sell. If she's lucky, she'll be able to rescue Penn and expose the truth about the breeding program. If she fails, Ella will pay not only with her life, but the lives of everyone she's tried to save...


Add to Goodreads
Buy Links:AmazonBarnes & NobleKobo Books
Book One (Perfected):GoodreadsAmazonBarnes & Noble

Praise for Perfected:“Compelling, imaginative, and unique. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!”— Mary Lindsey, author of Shattered Souls


About the Author:

Kate Jarvik Birch is a visual artist, author, playwright, daydreamer, and professional procrastinator. As a child, she wanted to grow up to be either a unicorn or mermaid. Luckily, being a writer turned out to be just as magical. Her essays and short stories have been published in literary journals including Indiana Review and Saint Ann’s Review. She lives in Salt Lake City, Utah with her husband and three kids. To learn more visit www.katejarvikbirch.com

Author Links:
WebsiteGoodreadsTwitterFacebook


Excerpt from Tarnished:
“You came,” I said. “Of course.” He closed the distance between us in a heartbeat.
Standing before me, he reached out and stroked the blunt ends of my hair.
 “As I was walking down here, I wondered if maybe I’d dreamed you. If it wasn’t real. But here you are.”
With his thumb and his forefinger, he gently lifted my chin and pressed his lips to mine. His mouth moved slowly, tenderly. Time slowed. Melted. Broke away. The moments stretched, as fluid as water, flowing forward: a drop, a river, an ocean, until I was suspended inside it. Lost.
He pulled away and the world rushed back into focus, time crashing down around us.
“Your father—” I said.
He shook his head. “Don’t worry. He won’t follow me out here. No one will.”
“But inside... He knew!”
Penn shook his head. “He has the house bugged. He lis- tens to everything: all my phone calls, all my conversations. He has a chokehold on me, but it’s safe out here.”
“What about those men?”
“His henchmen?” Penn chuckled, but it was a sad sound. “They won’t come, either. I’ve been coming out here almost every night since he hired them. They’re lazy. They got sick of following me after the first few nights. Once they realized that I was just coming out here to sit, they gave up.”
He pulled me into him again, holding me so tight against his chest I could feel the thrum of his heart against my cheek.
“I can’t believe you’re really here,” he said. “I didn’t think I’d ever see you again.” I looked up at him and he turned away, his face contorting. “I thought about trying to come to you a thousand times, but I didn’t know how. My dad is watching the borders and I think he almost expected me to go running after you. But he never could have dreamed that you’d come back.”
 “I came as fast as I could,” I said. “I saw you on TV. You looked so...” What could I say? So beaten down? So empty? “But how? It’s hundreds of miles and...” His voice trailed off and he shook his head.
There was so much to tell him about: My escape from the refugee center, the train, the horrible things I’d seen in the black markets.
“There’s no time now, but I promise, I’ll tell you later.”
He sighed. “At least I got this chance to hold you one more time. To touch you. But you can’t stay. It’s too dangerous. If my dad knew you were here—”
“What has he done to you?” I ran my fingers through his cut hair. Even after he’d been sleeping on it, it looked too groomed, like his father had managed to suck the wildness right out of the top of his head.
“I’m fine,” he said. “I can handle it as long as I know you’re okay.”
“But I’m not okay without you.” He closed his eyes. He wasn’t okay either.

“Come with me,” I said.

Giveaway Info: Blog Tour Giveaway $20 Amazon Gift Card


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 Keep being distracted by reading,
Urania


Friday, December 4, 2015

Book Blast Giveaway: Trail of Secrets, YA Mystery by Laura Wolfe


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Title:  Trail of Secrets
Author:  Laura Wolfe
Published:  August 27th, 2015
Publisher:  Fire and Ice YA
Genre:  YA Mystery
Content Warning:  PG-13

Synopsis:  Spending three weeks of her summer at the elite Foxwoode Riding Academy in northern Michigan should have been one of the happiest times of sixteen year-old Brynlei’s life. But from the moment Brynlei arrives at Foxwoode, she can’t shake the feeling she’s being watched. Then she hears the story of a girl who vanished on a trail ride four years earlier. While the other girls laugh over the story of the dead girl who haunts Foxwoode, Brynlei senses that the girl—or her ghost—may be lurking in the shadows.

Brynlei’s quest to reveal the truth interferes with her plan to keep her head down and win Foxwoode’s coveted “Top Rider” award. To make things worse, someone discovers Brynlei’s search for answers and will go to any length to stop her. As Brynlei begins to unravel the facts surrounding the missing girl’s disappearance, she is faced with an impossible choice. Will she protect a valuable secret? Or save a life?



Book Trailer Link:  https://youtu.be/1agKipTUZZQ



Excerpt from Trails of Secrets by Laura Wolfe:

Jett plodded rhythmically through the pristine landscape. The earthy scent of pine needles, tree moss, and raspberries filled Brynlei’s senses. Wild raspberry bushes sprouted up along the trail, their thorns threatening to impale anyone who reached for the ripe fruit. A small creek with crystal clear water babbled to the right of the trail. She could see straight through the rushing water to the leaves and stones on the bottom.
Anna turned back toward Brynlei. “We’re stopping for minute to let the horses drink from the creek. Pass it on.”

Brynlei passed the same message back to Kaitlyn. She guided Jett over to the creek and let him stretch his head toward the water. Out of the corner of her eye, Brynlei saw something dart behind one of the trees in the distance. She would have dismissed it as a squirrel or a deer, but it was too tall. It almost looked like a person, but then it was gone. The hairs on Brynlei’s neck stood on end. The dark energy prickled her skin. She could feel someone watching her. Jett jerked his head up and perked his ears toward the trees beyond the creek. His nostrils flared and his feet danced. He was on alert and so was Brynlei.




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About the Author:
Laura Wolfe is a lover of animals and nature. When she is not writing, Laura can be found playing games with her highly-energetic kids, riding horses, growing vegetables in her garden, or spoiling her rescue dog. She lives in her home state of Michigan with her husband, son, and daughter. Laura holds a BA in English from the University of Michigan and a JD from DePaul University. She is an active member of multiple writing groups, including Sisters in Crime and the SCBWI. In addition to Trail of Secrets, Laura’s writing credits include an article in Practical Horseman Magazine, and a picture book, Henrietta’s Hoof Polish (forthcoming from Guardian Angel Publishing).





Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
  • A $10 Amazon gift card.


Giveaway is International.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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Keep being distracted by reading,
Urania


Thursday, December 3, 2015

Cover reveal: United (The United Trilogy #1) by Jaci Wheeler

United (The United Trilogy #1)
Release Date: January 19th 2015
Limitless Publishing

Summary from Goodreads:

United America runs like a machine. Everyone has a job and a purpose to make the country run smooth and efficiently. Nothing is left up to chance. The people are under constant monitoring for the good of the Country. After careful consideration every citizen is given their career at the age of sixteen. "Rosaline, come now!" ordered President Vaughn. Sixteen-year-old Rosaline Thatcher got up from her seat among her classmates and walked toward the stage. The sound of her blood pumping resounded deeply in her ears and, perhaps for the first time in her life, a reminder to breathe was necessary. All eyes were on her. She knew this day was coming, the day when she would be asked to serve her country in the career path chosen for her, but as she moved closer to the stage with President Vaughn and further away from her parents and dearest friends, she wondered why she was being singled out. What future lies ahead for Rosaline? In a country where citizens blindly follow the rules, what will happen when one girl dares to defy them, and what does that mean for United America?


 
Author Links:


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