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February 28, 2014

Blog Tour ~ Ask Again Later by Liz Czukas


Hey guys! Welcome to my stop on the Ask Again Later blog tour hosted by Merp Squad Blog Tours. Click here to follow along with the rest of the tour! :)

I'm very embarrassed to say that I was supposed to have a review for this book today, but I didn't check to make sure I had my review copy. 

To the author, Liz Czukas, and to the blog tour company, Merp Squad Blog Tours, I am so sorry! It's completely my fault, and I hope to read this book very soon and post my review.  



Ask Again Later
by Liz Czukas

Synopsis

Despite what her name might suggest, Heart has zero interest in complicated romance. So when her brilliant plan to go to prom with a group of friends is disrupted by two surprise invites, Heart knows there's only one drama-free solution: flip a coin. 

Heads: The jock. He might spend all night staring at his ex or throw up in the limo, but how bad can her brother's best friend really be? 

Tails: The theater geek...with a secret. What could be better than a guy who shares all Heart's interests - even if he wants to share all his feelings? 

Heart's simple coin flip has somehow given her the chance to live out both dates. But where her prom night ends up might be the most surprising thing of all...

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About the Author


Liz Czukas is a freelance writer who lives outside Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Ask Again Later is her first novel. She collects college degrees she doesn't use, types too loud, and always has a song stuck in her head. In high school, Liz did go to two proms but not at the same time.

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Merp Squad Blog Tours

Blitz ~ Visionary Untamed (Visionary Trilogy #2) by N. Dunham

BB Book Tours

Hey guys! Today I'm bringing to you the Visionary Untamed blitz organized by BB Book Tours. I'm so glad to have found out about this trilogy - it sounds different and interesting with spirit animal guides and visions. 

The covers for both books one and two are designed by Claudia from PhatPuppy Art, and she always does an amazing job creating a gorgeous image for a story.    


Title: Visionary Untamed 
Series: Visionary Trilogy #2
Author: N. Dunham
Release Date: January 20th 2014
Publisher: Createspace
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy

*Cover by PhatPuppy Art (http://phatpuppyart.com)*

Add: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon 

Synopsis

Aislinn and Sebastian, along with Mya and Caleb, set off to the Amazon Rainforest in search of the legendary Visionary Guru when they unexpectedly come face to face with an uprising by the Rebel Leaders. Aislinn and Caleb become separated from the group and must adapt to the extreme conditions of the Rainforest. Fending off exotic animals, building shelter, and finding food become necessities in this mysterious world. 

As Aislinn learns more about her spirit animal, the red-tailed hawk, she discovers that she holds the keys to her memories and that her memories hold the keys to her purpose. 

Discovery
Survival
Truth

Author Bio
N. Dunham is the author of the Visionary Trilogy - a young adult fantasy series that incorporates psychic phenomena & spirit animals!

Author Links

Book One
  

Visionary Unleashed 
(Visionary Trilogy #1)
by N. Dunham

Add: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon

Synopsis

Sixteen-year-old Aislinn Lee Murphy accidentally unleashes her hidden ability to see things before they happen, making her a Visionary. But little does she know that this amazing gift comes with a severe price. She must never tell a soul or she risks putting herself and her family in great peril.

When Aislinn meets Sebastian, a fellow Visionary, the two of them find themselves completely captivated by one another as they become entangled in a web of danger and adventure.

A Visionary is someone who has been chosen to see the future and has the benefit of having one of twelve spirit animals to guide and protect them, but Aislinn has had many encounters with a red-tailed hawk and that animal doesn't fall into the same category. It is one of the rarest spirit animals and it comes with a challenging prophecy.   

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Blitz ~ Fathoms of Forgiveness by Nadia Scrieva

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Fathoms of Forgiveness - PROMO Blitz
By Nadia Scrieva
Paranormal Romance - Epic Fantasy
Date Published: March 2012




Meet the brave and fearless Visola; a woman unlike any you've ever encountered. Her wit and humor take her through the darkest of dangers with a smile always on her face--and her smile only grows larger as the odds become more impossible. With no concern for her own safety, Visola dives headfirst into the throes of battle to protect the people and country she loves, even if it means facing her worst enemy--the one man who can get inside her head and break her down like no other: her own husband...       

There is no divorce in the undersea kingdom of Adlivun. Marriage is a bond that lasts until death--even if death comes in several centuries, and in that time your spouse happens to become your sworn enemy. This is the conflict that General Visola Ramaris faces when she learns that the mighty Vachlan is behind the attacks on her kingdom. She has sworn to protect Adlivun with her life, but long ago, she also swore to love and honor her husband...

Visola must choose whether she will destroy Vachlan once and for all, or attempt the hardest thing conceivable: communication. After two hundred years of desertion, she knows she can never forgive him. When he threatens the person dearest to her, she must take action. Confronting Vachlan on enemy territory would be nothing short of suicide. She knows that if she falls into his custody, the deranged mercenary would relish torturing her and making her lose her own sanity.

Princess Aazuria forbids Visola from taking matters into her own hands. She will do anything it takes to protect her friend from the man who wants to crush her. Alas, Visola is a crazy, uncontrollable warrior with the blood of Vikings in her veins. Why would she ever consider doing the safe and predictable thing?


EXCERPT

When Aazuria entered the room, her eyes were immediately drawn to Visola’s wild red hair, which had recently been a lustrous mass of audacious curls. Now, her hair was limp. It hung against her head flat, frizzy and defeated. Aazuria’s eyes darted to the warrior’s sunken cheekbones and gaunt face. She saw the bruises on Visola’s neck before her eyes traveled further to the withered, wasted limbs. Every visible part of her friend’s body was covered in fresh scars. She saw the bandaged hands. Visola had been starved and tortured.

Perhaps in these modern times, even under the surface of the sea, kings, queens, and the aristocracy had close to zero significance. Perhaps the words and decrees which left Aazuria’s mouth would have minimal consequences. No one in the throne room felt this way as they awaited Aazuria’s judgment with bated breath. Sionna was standing aside, with her arms crossed. The newly-crowned queen gripped her husband’s sword tightly in her fist as Trevain and Elandria entered the room behind her.

Aazuria shifted her eyes to the man standing beside her friend. Her face was expressionless.

“Approach me, Vachlan,” she whispered.

The man began walking toward her. Although his stride was dignified, there was hesitation on his face. Visola began speaking, pleading words which Aazuria could not hear over the sound of her heart pounding in her ears.

When Vachlan was close enough to strike, Aazuria gazed at him with death in her eyes.

“Kneel,” she commanded him. Her chest was rising and falling perceptibly.

Vachlan knew that this would be a very unwise thing to do, but he owed it to Aazuria. He owed it to Visola, and to Adlivun—the nation he had once called home.  He lowered his head and dropped to one knee before the queen, saluting her across his chest. His eyes were level with the sword she held, and he could see the veins bulging through her translucent pale skin from how tightly she clutched it.

“It would be futile to order you punished,” she said slowly. “No one can even attempt to hurt you as much as you have hurt her.”

“I know,” he answered quietly.

“But it is my duty to try.”

She struck out with her sword, slicing the air until the blade collided with his face, knocking Vachlan off his knees and onto the floor. Aazuria could vaguely hear Visola screaming for her to stop, but she was already standing over Vachlan and forcing the tip of her sword between his teeth. Her previous strike had resulted in a huge bleeding gash along the side of his handsome face, but it had not been enough to kill him. She was poised to finish the job.

Vachlan moved his tongue against the steel, tasting the freshly-sharpened metal edge garnished with the metallic taste of his own blood. It is rare that the wine so perfectly accompanies the main dish, he thought as he swallowed the coppery fluid accumulating in his mouth. Kind of like a German Pinot Noir. He looked into the azure eyes of Adlivun’s queen and realized that this was no longer the innocent, charitable philanthropist he had known hundreds of years ago. She was hard. He wondered what percentage of the tempered rage behind her eyes he was responsible for generating.

“One reason.” Aazuria was demanding. “Give me one convincing reason that I should not thrust my blade directly through your skull.”


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Nadia Scrieva

Nadia Scrieva lives in Toronto, Canada with no husband, no kids, and no pets. She does own a very attractive houseplant which she occasionally remembers to water between her all-consuming writing marathons.



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This Blitz is brought to you by Reading Addiction Book Tours

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February 27, 2014

Shattered Worlds Boxed Set Blitz ~ Excerpt, Guest Post & Giveaway!



Shattered Worlds Boxed Set
Publication date: February 26th 2014
Genres: Dystopia, Young Adult

Blitz organized by: Xpresso Book Tours

Add: Goodreads

Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Smashwords 

Limited Time Only! Special Sale Price of 99 cents! Together these books have over 650 five star reviews! 

Synopsis: 
Read these bestselling tales of survival against the odds, dark worlds, dystopian regimes and heroic rebels. 

Shattered Worlds features six full-length novels from bestselling authors. Immerse yourself in post-apocalyptic civilizations and bleak near-futures where hope still lives. 

Featured authors and books are: 

Elle Casey: Apocalypsis
Shalini Boland: Outside
Zoe Cannon: The Torturer's Daughter
Scott Cramer: Night of the Purple Moon
Sarah Dalton: The Blemished
Katie French: The Breeders

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Elle Casey - Apocalypsis Book 1: Kahayatle



My name's Bryn Mathis. I'm seventeen years old, and I live in a neighborhood outside of Orlando, Florida. I live alone because my dad died almost a year ago, along with all the other adults in the world. I'm almost out of food and the gangs of kids that roam around my town are getting more vicious by the day. 

It's time for me to leave and find another place to live...a place where I can find food and shelter...a place where they won't be able to find me.

Alone, it might have been possible; but now I've got company. I'm worried that I don't have what it takes to get from here to my final destination. 

And I have no idea what might be waiting for me when I get there.

**May not be suitable for younger, middle grade readers.**

Elle Casey



Elle Casey is a full-time writer of New Adult and Young Adult titles in several genres, including romance, urban fantasy, sci-fi dystopian, and action-adventure. She's an American girl who's been living in southern France with her husband and three children since 2010. She loves chatting with her readers, so feel free to drop her a line. 

You can find her on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ellecaseytheauthor or on her website: http://www.ElleCasey.com.   


Shalini Boland - Outside




A post-apocalyptic romance thriller. 

The world of the future is divided by Perimeters: high-security gated communities where life goes on as normal. If you're inside you're lucky, if you're outside life expectancy takes a nose dive.

Riley is fortunate to have been born on the right side of the fence. But her life of privilege comes crashing down when someone breaks through the Perimeter and murders her sister. She forsakes her own safety to go in search of the killer. Luc decides to go with her otherwise she'll be dead before she's past the security gate. But what awaits her outside is more unbelievable than she ever expected.

Cut to the present day where Eleanor's world is falling apart. This time next year, civilisation won't be quite so civilised...

*Suitable for adults and teens aged 13+*

Shalini Boland


Shalini lives in Dorset, England with her husband and two noisy boys. Before children, she was signed to Universal Music as a singer songwriter. Now, writing novels has hijacked her life and she is usually to be found with a laptop welded to her fingers and the house in a permanent state of neglect. Find Shalini at: http://www.shaliniboland.co.uk.

Excerpt from Outside by Shalini Boland

Pa is a black marketeer. Nobody and everybody knows this. Pa pays people not to rock the boat. He pays the guards, he pays the neighbours and he even pays his friends. He pays off just about everyone - a litre of whisky here and a bag of sugar there, and in return we live a life of ease and comfort. Pa believes in the carrot approach just as much as the punishing stick. As long as he doesn't draw too much attention to himself from the wrong quarters, we're safe and free.

Pa can get his hands on just about anything from before. If you've got a craving for a pot noodle he can probably magic one up from somewhere. But it'll cost you all you've got and more besides. He isn't swayed by threats or tears. He'll hold fast and stare you down and if you can't pay you might get a bullet in your head, or worse. 

This morning, my parents are standing together in the doorway of the sitting room. Behind me, the sun floods in through the windows and they edge closer to avoid squinting into the too-bright light.

Their faces are ghost white and Ma's nose and eyes are pink and swollen. She shivers and her teeth chatter as though she's chilled and it isn't the warm July morning it appears to be. 

'Riley, can you sit down?' Pa asks. 

'Okay,' I say. They're acting weird. It's freaking me out. My legs are heavy wood and I'm not sure I can make the three feet required to reach the sofa. 

'Okay,' I repeat. But I don't move. I just keep looking from one to the other and they stare back almost as if they're afraid of me. 

'Riley, sit down,' Pa says. 

I walk to the sofa and sit in one corner with my hands on my lap. The leather is cool against my legs in the warmth of the room. Fear has travelled up from my stomach to my throat and I can't swallow. I feel sick.

'Riley,' he says, running his hands slowly through his hair. 

'No!' Ma loses it. She sobs and stumbles towards me. Sits and buries her head in my chestnut curls, rocking me backwards and forwards, moaning and muttering. I can't breathe she's holding me so tight. 

'Sweetheart, let go, you're crushing her. Go and lie down upstairs if you want. I'll tell her.' Pa's voice is soft and broken. It doesn't sound a bit like him. 

She lets go of me, cups my face in her hands and kisses my face all over. 'No, it's alright, I'm alright,' she says not taking her eyes from my face. 'I'm not leaving my baby.' She leans back, trembling. I press my hands back into my lap and she wraps her arms around herself, still shivering and rocking. 

Our house has always been a light and happy place. I don't understand what's going on. My face and pyjama top are wet from Ma's sticky tears. I let my mind wander for a minute, away from the awful strangeness of what's going on and I hear the low background hum of the generators overlaid by the familiar whirr and thrum of a copter hovering overhead.

Has my father done something wrong? Are we in danger? Do we have to leave the Perimeter? All the most awful things I can think of crowd my brain. And then...Skye! Why isn't she here? My little sister is usually up before me. I hesitate, not wanting to pose the question. Maybe she's too young for this conversation and they've sent her out of earshot. She won't like that; she'll kick up a real fuss. But then I would have heard them arguing and everything has been quiet this morning; abnormally quiet up until now.

An unwanted thought creeps into my head and I push it out quickly. 

'Where's Skye?' My voice sounds high pitched and distant, like my ears need to pop.

Pa comes close and crouches down in front of me. He takes both my hands in his and looks into my eyes. 

'Something's happened.' He breaks off. 'We're waiting for...We're not sure...' 

And then something really horrible happens. My powerful, strong, wonderful father starts crying. Proper messy crying where his face twists and his voice sounds broken. I'm appalled. He never cries.

'Pa...'

I'm not a typical daddy's girl. I love the bones of him, but I feel easiest around Ma. We always talk make-up, fashion, gossipy stuff and laugh a lot together. Skye belongs to Pa and Pa definitely belongs to Skye. They're a team. I never feel excluded exactly, but I don't have the same natural connection they do. 

'Riley,' he says. 'I don't know how to say this.' He looks over at Ma who's staring at him in horror. 'Skye is...Skye is. Oh Riley, she...she's dead.' 

I stare down at the patterns on the carpet. I've never noticed just how vivid the individual colours are. The over-all effect is of a soft warmth, but I focus on a particular strand of red that seems almost luminous, as if it's going to jump out of the weave and hit me in the face.


Zoe Cannon - The Torturer's Daughter



When her best friend Heather calls in the middle of the night, Becca Dalcourt assumes it's the usual drama. Wrong. Heather's parents have been arrested as dissidents - and Becca's mother, the dystopian regime's most infamous torturer, has already executed them for their crimes against the state.

To stop Heather from getting herself killed trying to prove her parents' innocence, Becca hunts for proof of their guilt. She doesn't expect to find evidence that leaves her questioning everything she thought she knew about the dissidents...and about her mother.

When she risks her life to save a dissident, she learns her mother isn't the only one with secrets - and the plot she uncovers will threaten the lives of the people she loves most. For Becca, it's no longer just a choice between risking execution and ignoring the regime's crimes; she has to decide whose life to save and whose to sacrifice.

It's easy to be a hero when you can save the world, but what about when all you can do is choose how you live in it? An Amazon dystopian bestseller, The Torturer's Daughter, is a story about ordinary life amidst the realities of living under an oppressive regime...and the extraordinary courage it takes to do what's right in a world gone wrong.

Zoe Cannon



Zoe Cannon writes about the things that fascinate her: outsiders, societies no sane person would want to live in, questions with no easy answers, and the inner workings of the mind. If she couldn't be a writer, she would probably be a psychologist, a penniless philosopher, or a hermit in a cave somewhere. While she'll read anything that isn't nailed down, she considers herself a YA reader and writer at heart. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and a giant teddy bear of a dog, and spends entirely too much time on the internet. Find Zoe at: http://www.zoecannon.com.  


Scott Cramer - Night of the Purple Moon



Abby, 13, is looking forward to watching the moon turn purple, unaware that deadly bacteria from a passing comet will soon kill off older teens and adults. She must help her brother and baby sister survive in this new world, but all the while she has a ticking time bomb inside of her - adolescence.

*Parental discretion advised for readers 13 and under*

Scott Cramer

Scott Cramer has written feature articles for national magazines, covered school committee meetings for a local newspaper, published haiku and poetry, optioned a screenplay, and worked in high-tech marketing communications. His pursuit of a good story has put him behind the stick of an F-18, flying a Navy Blue Angels' fighter jet, and he has trekked through the Peruvian mountains in search of an ancient Quechua festival featuring a condor. 

Scott and his wife have two daughters and reside outside Lowell, Massachusetts (birthplace of Jack Kerouac) in an empty nest/zoo/suburban farm/art studio with too many surfboards in the garage. 



Sarah Dalton - The Blemished



A beautiful world comes at a price...

In a world filled with stunning clones Mina Hart is Blemished. Her genes are worthless and that takes away her rights: her right to an Education, her right to a normal life and her right to have a child. 

Mina keeps a dangerous secret which she never though she could share until she meets Angela on her first day at St. Jude's School. But their friendship is soon complicated by Angela's adoptive brother Daniel. Mina finds herself drawn to his mysterious powers and impulsive nature. Then there is the gorgeous clone Sebastian who Mina is forbidden from even speaking to...

The Blemished is a frightening take on a fractured future where the Genetic Enhancement Ministry have taken control of Britain. It will take you on a ride filled with adventure, romance and rebellion. 

Book one in the popular YA dystopia series 'Blemished.'

Sarah Dalton



Sarah grew up in the middle of nowhere in the countryside of Derbyshire and as a result has an overactive imagination. She has been an avid reader for most of her life, taking inspiration from the stories she read as a child, and the novels she devoured as an adult.

She is the author of the popular YA dystopia series 'Blemished' and the gothic novella 'My Daylight Monsters.' She is currently working on a YA Fantasy series titled 'White Hart.' Find Sarah at: http://sarahdaltonbooks.com/.

    
10 Things Readers Would Be Surprised to Know About Me 
Guest Post by Sarah Dalton 

1. I didn't think I was good enough to be a writer - I thought being a writer meant writing books that would change the world or become a poetic masterpiece. I completely lost sight of the books that entertain people. Sometimes the books that we love are not the books that will be remembered in a hundred years. When I learned that I realised that I could be a writer.

2. I'm chaotic - I have to force myself to approach things systematically. I want to just start with a line or a character and write the book from there. I've learnt the hard way that approaching a novel is something that needs to be planned.

3. The Blemished started off on another planet - except it wasn't really The Blemished but it did still have Mina as the main character. She was a Princess who could read people's emotions through smell. She met a boy who she couldn't smell and could not speak her language and they fell in love. There were many problems with it and I had to give it up!

4. I'm British - Okay, that's probably not a surprise seeing as the book is set in Britain and I tend to talk about being British a lot. I find it hard to find many other indie British YA authors out there. If you're there come say hello! 

5. I find soaps inspiring - I love watching human nature and soaps are our human-nature outlets. They are what we think relationships are and I find that a bit fascinating. I think watching soaps has helped me with my characters. 

6. I'm addicted to the internet - I'm old enough to remember when emails were invented and to have actually been on a chat-room. I think I got addicted to the internet before it was really popular, back in the day when you had to wait 2 hours for a song to download from Napster! Yup, I'm old.

7. Leave the past alone - I get fed-up of people older than me telling me how much better the past was and how bad kids are these days. The truth is that everyone's teenage/young adult years are the best of their life and they are always going to see that period in the golden-glow of youth. It doesn't mean there was less crime, TV was better or we had better manners. Move on.

8. I don't drive - people tend to comment on this a lot and I get hassle from my family but I hate driving and I won't do it. It doesn't mean I'm not independent, I live in the middle of a city and everything I need is in walking distance. 

9. I grew up in the middle of nowhere - and it gave me cabin fever. I could never live in the countryside again. I need the hustle and bustle of a city. 

10. I believe we make our own fate - I don't believe in luck or destiny. When I was growing up I heard a lot of people say 'it just wasn't meant to be.' I don't think anyone should hear this as a child. You have to go out into the world and carve out your own path. That's the advice I would give to anyone. Make things happen.        

Katie French - The Breeders



"When the Breeders come for ya, there ain't no escape. They strap ya to a bed and all ya hear is the thud of your heart and the cries of your friends as they wheel ya down to hell. Then the doctors come. You squeeze your eyes shut and pray you can forget. But ya never do."

Sixteen-year-old Riley Meemick is one of the world's last free girls. When Riley was born, her mother escaped the Breeders, the group of doctors using cruel experiments to bolster the dwindling human race. Her parents do everything possible to keep her from their clutches - moving from one desolate farm after another to escape the Breeders' long reach. The Breeders control everything - the local war lords, the remaining factories, the fuel. They have unchecked power in this lawless society. And they're hunting Riley.

When the local Sheriff abducts the adult members of her family and hands her mother over to the Breeders, Riley and her eight-year-old brother, Ethan, hiding in a shelter, are left to starve. Then Clay arrives, the handsome gunslinger who seems determined to help to make up for past sins. The problem is Clay thinks Riley is a bender - a genderless mutation, neither male nor female. As Riley's affection for Clay grows she wonders can she trust Clay with her secret and risk her freedom? 

The three embark on a journey across the scarred remains of New Mexico - escaping the Riders who use human sacrifice to appease their Good Mother, various men scrambling for luck, and a deranged lone survivor of a plague. When Riley is forced into the Breeder's hospital, she learns the horrible fate of her mother - a fate she'll share unless she can find a way out.

Katie French



Katie French imagined herself an author when her poem caught the eye of her second grade teacher. In middle school she spent her free time locked in her room, writing her first young adult novel. Though her social life suffered, her love for literature thrived. 

She studied English at Eastern Michigan University, where she veered from writing and earned an education degree. She spent nine years teaching high school English. Currently she is a school counselor, doing a job that is both one of the hardest things she's ever done and the most rewarding. 

In her free time she writes, reads great books and takes care of her two beautiful and crazy children. She is a contributor and co-creator of Underground Book Reviews, a website dedicated to erasing the boundaries between traditional and non-traditional publishing. She lives in Michigan with her husband and two children. You can find her at http://www.katiefrenchbooks.com.



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