Blog Tour: Fissure (Chronicles of the Interred #2), by Marilyn Almodovar

By Marilyn Almodovar

YA Paranormal Romance

Released May 20, 2014

Published by Iambe Books, LLC

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Baxter Jacobs just survived the worst Sweet Sixteen in history: buried in a coffin, hunted down by assassins, and losing almost everything that mattered to her. She’s ready for some normalcy, but “normal” won’t play any part of this Time Bender’s future.

Now that the immediate threat is over, Baxter learns just how much the English Council expects of the newest Interred. The pressure has her seriously considering her uncle’s offer to take her to New York, especially since she thinks it will keep her Healer, Jack, from overusing his abilities. Knowing the New York Council’s ranks are filled with beings using dark powers, however, makes her hesitate.

Before she can choose, the decision is wrenched from her. Fissures in Time result in a new battle with an old enemy. Someone she thought she’d lost reenters her life, and she’ll discover a web of lies woven into the fabric of Time…lies only she can unravel. Baxter will have to use her growing abilities to try and reveal the truth, even if it forever changes the reality she knows.

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20705918-fissure




YouTube link: http://youtu.be/zuf2iPkMCUI

About the Author

Marilyn Almodóvar is the author of a series of YA paranormal novels. Born in Ft. Huachuca, Arizona, Lyn is a lover of words whose reading tastes range from Victorian novels to the books of Stephen King. Her favorite past-times have always been reading and writing, two activities that let her escape to other worlds.

Lyn could happily exist breathing the clean air of Narnia, trapped in a cupboard under the stairs with Harry, fighting alongside Captain Jack Sparrow, doing an internship in Torchwood, or traveling around time and space with the Doctor...as long as she can have Mr. Spock, Captain Kirk and Captain Mal as companions.

She currently lives in Central Florida with her French husband, English-born eldest son, and French-born youngest son.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon

Amazon Author Page: www.amazon.com/Marilyn-Almodovar/e/B00B44X170/

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/marilynalmodovarauthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LynAlmodovar

Website/Blog: http://www.marilynalmodovar.com/

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Blog Tour schedule: http://wp.me/p20ttU-31T

Book #1

On sale for .99 cents!

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1gLNa1I
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Time has never been an issue for Baxter Jacobs, but then she never knew she had the ability to Bend it.

As her sixteenth birthday approaches, Baxter inherits a pendant that will change her life. Connected to the pendant is a dark and mysterious young man named Declan Ashdown. Trapped in a Time loop for the past 122 years, Declan needs Baxter’s help to escape. The only problem is, she has no idea how to do it.

To acquire the power she needs to free him, she’ll become one of the Interred, those whose Magical abilities emerge as they come of age. When she does, she’ll discover that Declan isn’t the only one interested in the fact that she’s a Time Bender.

As the Interment arrives, Baxter knows this will be no Sweet Sixteen. A vengeful relative and ruthless Council are determined to control her. Declan’s powerful and charming descendant, Jack Ashdown, claims he can save her. She’ll soon have to decide who she can trust, and how to master her new abilities before Time runs out.

Direct Links:

FISSURE

Amazon: http://bit.ly/Fissurebook2

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1lUb24m

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/fissure-1

Cover reveal: Scared to Death, by C.S Latu

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Title: Scared to Death

Author: CS Latu

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: June 10, 2014

Cover Design: Kari Ayasha , Cover To Cover Design

Synopsis

You don't always get a choice in life. You can't control who dies. You can't control who you love and you can't stop change. But you can make a mess of it.

For Ruby Green, life is about loss. Everyone she has ever loved has died, save one. Her best friend from childhood. He has always been her saving grace. When things change between them, Ruby finds herself lost in a maelstrom of emotions. She's not ready to lose him in order to have him.

Noah Carrington believes in living. Even if the road is dark, the fear makes you feel alive. Life is too short and regret is a wound that festers. He always saw his best friend, Ruby, in his future, she would be just around the corner in the next room until he started seeing her in his arms.

They both know that being scared to death means you have something to lose. The question is, will they learn that it means you have something to gain too?

About The Author

I was born on a cold day in January. They said I was the only baby in the hospital. They also said that I picked my head up twice to turn away from people who came to see me after I was born (Who wants strangers looking at you after such a life altering event while you are naked?). Not much has changed. That cold day was 30 years ago in South Carolina. Needless to say, I got the twang! At the ripe age of 22, I married my man bear pig hubby who happens to be from Chicago. I learned that there are people who do not have accents, who sound like they have accents because they don't have accents. Mind blowing there. Our love story is pretty nifty. I met him online when I was 15 and chatted with him for four years, on and off as friends, until we met and I showed him some southern charm and BAM! Here we are ten years later with eight years of marriage and several fur persons rounding out the family thus far! My writing started as a child when I tried to write about three pewter statues of wizards coming to life. Books and words have always been a passion for me. My mind is incredibly random, if you talk to me for more than ten minutes, it becomes painfully obvious. I draw inspiration from absolutely anything and everything I come in contact with, with particular emphasis on music, pictures and the crazy situations in life. It is my hope one day to have a small hot air balloon tied to my chimney so I can write by starlight. I am pretty sure I would find that most inspiring.

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Just Breathe, by Tamara Mataya

My review:

Just Breathe by Tamara Mataya

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy for an honest review.

Just Breathe was a nice, okay, new adult romance. There was a nice flow to the story and the quality of the writing was good (but not outstanding), which is a make-or-break criteria for me these days (there are too many badly written books out there these days). The characters (main and secondary) were fun and well described, each with their own distinct personalities. I'm not used to reading about drug using characters so it took a little adapting on my part but other than that, the characters were very relatable.

The romance was very sweet, which is always a plus. There's nothing too far fetched, making this a realistic story about rebounding from a broken heart and learning to let yourself trust and love again.

Although this book didn't blow me over, it provided me with a couple hours of entertainment

I will probably be picking up more books from Tamara Mataya based on her writing style.

My rating criteria:

- Did I finish the book? Yes

- Did I have unsurmountable issues with any aspects of the story? No

- Did it have romance/love story? Yes

- Did I like the writing style? Yes

- Did I read it in one sitting, unable to put it down? No

- Did I skip any parts? No

- Did I cry/laugh/scream/cringe/swoon? No

- Am I going to read it again? No

View all my reviews

Synopsis:

Twenty-one-year-old Elle Granger’s boyfriend broke up with her like a coward. He moved to another city without so much as a kiss goodbye. Devastated and embarrassed, Elle told her friends the break-up was mutual and hid her heartache working long hours at the library. By night, she self medicated with pot. Weeks later, with her heart and lungs screaming for a break, Elle quits smoking and turns to her friends. But before she can let them in on Jason’s betrayal, her best friend moves to Spain, and her roommates start acting strangely. 

Enter sexy library patron Dominic, who sweeps Elle off her feet and into his Maserati. He makes her feel oh so good, and puts effort into coming up with dates that don’t set off her Synaesthesia. Just when Elle starts feeling whole again, Jason returns, determined to reunite. Elle rejects his effusive apologies and reasons for leaving – until she catches Dominic in a devastating lie. 


Will his betrayal push her back into her suddenly attentive ex’s arms? Can she trust Jason not to break her heart again? The wrong choice and Elle’s happy ending could go up in smoke. But when your only choices are the devils you know, all you can do is JUST BREATHE.

Clockwork Prince, by Cassandra Clare

My review:

Clockwork Prince by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I loved this entire trilogy (The Infernal Devices). As for this particular book, I loved that we got to see more of Jem. He is such a compassionate and lovable character. This book marks the start of a beautiful love triangle like I've rarely read before. Loved it!!!

This is book 2 in "The Infernal Devices" trilogy. Set in the same world of Shadowhunters as "The Mortal Instruments" (TMI), this trilogy happens a good one-hundred-something years before Jace and Clary's story. This is a prequel of sorts to TMI but you can read either series separately and in whatever order you choose. Cassandra Clare is on my top 10 favourite author list. I love her style of writing.

Safe for teens, it is a young adult paranormal (vampires, werewolves, demons, warlocks, faeries, etc.) and historical (set in London, 1878) series bordering on Steampunk at times with automatons.

View all my reviews

Synopsis:

True love is shrouded in secrets and lies in the enchanting second book in the #1 New York Timesbestselling Infernal Devices Trilogy, prequel to the internationally bestselling Mortal Instruments series.

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray has found safety with the Shadowhunters. But that safety proves fleeting when it becomes clear that the mysterious Magister will stop at nothing to use Tessa’s powers for his own dark ends.

With the help of the handsome, tortured Will and the devoted Jem, Tessa discovers that the Magister’s war on the Shadowhunters is deeply personal and fueled by revenge. To unravel the secrets of the past, the trio journeys from mist-shrouded Yorkshire to a manor house that holds untold horrors. When they encounter a clockwork demon bearing a warning for Will, they realize that the Magister knows their every move—and that one of their own has betrayed them.

Tessa is drawn more and more to Jem, though her longing for Will continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa answers about who she really is? As their search leads to deadly peril, Tessa learns that secrets and lies can corrupt even the purest heart.

The Wedding Contract, by H.M. Ward

FERRO FAMILY FANS!

THE WEDDING CONTRACT

By H.M. Ward

New Adult Contemporary Romance

Release May 12, 2014

Synopsis:
After I finally get the evil witch at the front desk to hand me my room key, I head for the shower. I was supposed to shoot my best friend’s wedding alone, and I couldn’t wait to escape New York and Nick.

Yeah, he’s beautiful, sexy, and completely charming-but he’s stealing my clients. He’s done so much damage that I’m going to be lucky if I can keep my studio open for a few more weeks. This wedding means everything to me, and I refuse to let a spoiled brat and his shiny new MBA put me out of business. Screw that.

But then I find myself wearing nothing but a smile when the person I hate most walks through the door to my hotel room-Nick Ferro. Two adversaries, shooting one wedding, and sharing one room for one

week-what could possibly go wrong?

My review:

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review and let me start by saying: "Aaaaaaah!"

This book contains all the essential elements that continue to make H.M Ward my favourite author: beautiful characters (have you hugged a Ferro today?), tons of sassy smart-assy funny comments, improbable and unpredictable predicaments (say that 10 times fast!), sexy scenes filled with anticipation... but most of all, H.M. Ward has the ability to bring her readers into her world as if were there along with the characters, feeling every little bit of emotion her characters are feeling (yes, I cried!). Whenever you pick up an H.M. Ward book, you feel like you're visiting with a good friend.

I first fell in love with her books and characters through "Damaged" and "Damaged 2". "The Wedding Contract" is remeniscent of why I loved them so much. Very funny, heartfelt and with the perfect amount of sexy. Skylar (or Sky), her main female character has it all: smarts, quirkiness, determination, strength yet fragility... she is very relatable and I LOVE HER! As for Nick... *swoon*... what can I say other than: He's a Ferro. He's beautiful and he's broken, like all his other relatives. Every Ferro man is broken in their own beautiful way and Nick is no exception. I was curious as to how his character would stand out amongst such strong characters as Sean, Peter, Jon and Bryan. Nick is his own kind of Ferro and I love him to bits (don't worry Peter! I haven't forgotten you... a girl never forgets her first Ferro!). The chemistry between Sky and Nick is delicious and the confrontations are spicy!

Technical stuff: STAND ALONE BOOK. Contemporary new adult romance (characters in their 20's). Told in the first person from Sky's POV (present tense). Sexuality. It took me 5 hours to read it.

About the Author

H.M. Ward is the #1 bestselling New Adult author in the world, having sold over 4 million books in 2013. This NEW YORK TIMES, WALL STREET JOURNAL, USA TODAY, and Amazon #1 bestselling writer’s series include: THE FERRO FAMILY: DAMAGED, THE ARRANGEMENT, and STRIPPED; as well as SCANDALOUS, TRYSTAN SCOTT, and SECRETS. Ward was recently featured in FORBES, the WALL STREET JOURNAL, and the WASHINGTON POST.

You can interact with this bestselling author at: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorHMWard. Don’t want to miss a release date: Text AWESOMEBOOKS to 22828 and get an email reminder on release dates.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

 

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About the Ferro family books:
This is a Ferro Family story about Nick Ferro (a.k.a. the OTHER Ferro cousin, Bryan's brother). Other Ferro Family titles are Damaged (Peter Ferro Granz), Stripped (Jonathan Ferro), The Arrangement (Sean Ferro) and The Proposition (Bryan Ferro). You don't have to read the other Ferro Family books to get into The Wedding Contract but if you like H.M. Ward's books, you may want to read all of them (see note on suggested reading order below). The Ferro Family books are contemporary "new adult" romance stories involving characters mostly in their 20's (college aged women & slightly older men).

Reading order:
Although each series is stand alone & can be read in any order, if you are planning on reading all of the Ferro Family books, I recommend reading them in the order they were published (see below) to avoid any spoilers from one series to the next since they cross-over at multiple points in the timeline.

However, if your afraid of confusing characters and plots by constantly switching from one series to the next, you may want to read the series in this order: Damaged, The Arrangement, Stripped, The Proposition, The Wedding Contract.

Books in order of publication date: 

The Arrangement 1-4

Damaged 1

The Arrangement 5-7

Damaged 2

The Arrangement 8-9

Stripped

The Arrangement 10-11

The Proposition 1

The Arrangement 12

The Proposition 2

The Arrangement 13-14

The Proposition 3-4
The Wedding Contract

Ferro Family Tree:

(yes, I know, I know! There was an updated version of the family tree included in the bonus material material at the end of The Proposition 4. As soon as that image is made available for sharing, I will replace this older one with the updated one!)

Screen adaptation update: 

H.M. Ward is working hard on bringing the Ferro Family story to the screen. It's looking like it may be a web series. Here are some current updates, as per H.M. Ward herself on her Facebook page:

"HUGE things are going on with the Ferro clan. A TV/ Web series is coming. Im helping with it to make sure the characters are awesome, & to give more insight into their lives. it'll b awesome!!! Plus more, that I can't say yet.!" - May 9th 2014

"There's a script being written about the FERRO guys right now. It's pretty good too. Im impressed and nothing impresses me. Damn good script writer. Can't wait for that." - May 2nd 2014

"Calling all actors and singers - here's your big chance! I'm looking for new faces. Make a demo reel, upload it to your site. youtube or whatever, and get ready. Casting calls will start soon for THE ARRANGEMENT. BE READY!" - April 2nd 2014


Ferro Video Teasers:

THE ARRANGEMENT:

THE WEDDING CONTRACT:

HERE'S A LINK TO A FACEBOOK POST ON H.M. WARD'S PAGE TO A THIRD FERRO VIDEO:

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=752768551428906

Songs in Ferro teaser videos:

If you want to purchase the songs featured in the Ferro teaser videos, here are the links:

Hungry, by Saints of Silence (on iTunes):
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/hungry/id387236466?i=387236637

A Girl Like Me, by Dream Valley Music (on CD Baby):
http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dreamvalleymusic#.U2UHdQAb21U.blogger

Girl Lost, by Nazarea Andrews

Synopsis:

Northern was supposed to be a fresh start—a place where people didn’t know who I was or how I had spent years in and out of mental institutes. People didn't know about my parents death or the island no one heard of. But when Peter sits next to me in lit class, I can’t stop the memories, and I don’t want to. He looks too much like the boy from the island, and despite my best intentions, coaxes my secrets from me.

He’s gorgeous, irresistible, a little mad, and completely lost—we are a pair of broken cogs in a world neither of us truly fits into. He is somehow gentle and fierce, heartbreaking in his devotion and savage in his defense.

When Belle, his best friend, shows up, pale and lovely and sick, Peter pulls away from me, a startling withdrawal. It’s a relationship that scares and confuses me. She is at times warm and friendly, and other times is violent and unpredictable.

Peter says that he wants me, but refuses to let himself get close. And there are secrets, surrounding both of us, that border on nightmares. As the memories close in, as Belle gets sicker and more violent, I’m torn between what is true and what I believe, and what this magical boy knows about my mysterious past.

My rating & review: 3 of 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book for honest review:

Girl Lost is a New Adult Contemporary Romance. It provided me with a couple hours' entertainment. This book starts out sweet and innocent (more along the lines of a young adult or teen book) but then the more mature content (course language, violence, descriptive sex) starts ... this is definitely a new adult story! It's a twist on the tale of Peter Pan and Wendy, young adult style in a college setting with twisted characters. It's entertaining with sexy passages. The romance/love story aspect of it was nice. The flashbacks were cool!

I read it over the course of 3 days (it took me 6.5 hours) and was curious as to how the story was going to end.  It took me a couple chapters (the 30% mark) before I got invested in the story. Remember, this is a retelling of Peter Pan: expect a certain amount of unrealism in a realistic world. Most of the characters' reactions are over the top but I chalked it up to the fact that Gwen has mental issues and, as for all the other characters,  I assumed they were all from Never Never Land, making them all a little coo-coo in our contemporary world. Some characters could have been integrated into the classic story a bit more (I was certain one of the characters was Captain Hook and that he would end up being a villain of sorts... but he wasn't). I would have liked a little bit more to the ending. What happens to Gwen? What is her reaction and the consequences to her reaction? What happens to Peter? What happens to Belle? What happens to the company? The end is left to the reader's imagination.

This is a stand alone book.

My rating criteria:

Did I finish the book? Yes.

Did I read it in one sitting or had difficulty putting it down? No.

Will I be reading it again? Probably not.

Was I entertained? Yes.

Were there any unsurmountable issues that I couldn't get over? No.

Did I skip or skim over any sections? No.

Was I overcome with emotion? No.

Does it have romance? Yes.

General rating: 3 stars = it was an okay book!

View all my reviews

About the author:

Nazarea Andrews is an avid reader and tends to write the stories she wants to read. She loves chocolate and coffee almost as much as she loves books, but not quite as much as she loves her kids. She lives in south Georgia with her husband, daughters, and overgrown dog.

You can follow her on Facebook and Twitter.

Nazarea Andrews is agented, and all inquiries about rights should be directed to Michelle Johsnon of Inklings Literary.

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Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Girl-Lost-Nazarea-Andrews-ebook/dp/B00K14BRBQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1398925360&sr=8-6&keywords=Girl+Lost

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/girl-lost-nazarea-andrews/1119380882?ean=2940149175918

Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Author Goodreads | Girl Lost Goodreads | Amazon author page

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City of Glass, by Cassandra Clare

City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Book and trilogy review (yes, you read that right... TRILOGY review... but, isn't it 6 books? Well, yes, but it's really 2 trilogies... read on)

"City of Glass" starts off strong and emotional and halfway through, the action is so intense that you think you're reading the final battle of the story... but it isn't! I have to admit that I cried a little bit towards the 50% mark. There's a bit of a breather 75% in and then you are thrown into a powerful conclusion. I loved it and had a really hard time putting it down.

I love Cassandra Clare's writing style. She has witty characters that are easy to love (even the evil ones), she uses funny banter and sarcasm that makes me laugh (so many memorable quotes!) and she has an ability to play with her readers' emotions. There is always a romantic element that will make your heart go pitter patter as well as mysteries that are solved by the young Shadowhunters (a little reminiscent of Harry Potter). Her wonderful world of Shadowhunters is fascinating! Be prepared for unexpected romances and inner conflicts.

Trilogy "City of Glass" is the third book in the The Mortal Instruments (TMI) series. TMI is a series of 6 books total but can be divided into 2 trilogies. "City of Glass" is the last book in the first TMI trilogy (does that make sense?). The first 3 books follow a storyline that puts the heroes against Valentine, the big bad meanie of the series. By the end of book 3, that storyline is resolved and you get a sense of conclusion to most of the loose ends. I DEVOURED THE FIRST TRILOGY and can't wait to get started on book 4.

Technical stuff and parental advisory: This is a teen / young adult series in the fantasy / paranormal genre that can easily appeal to adults as well. It contains violence and explores themes of sexuality (no graphic sex but the teenage characters start feeling sexual desires towards one another) and sexual identity / orientation / homosexuality. As a parent, I'm going to wait until my pre-teen becomes a teenager before adding this book to his library but I will most definitely encourage him to read it. Told in the 3rd person, past tense, mostly from Clary and Jace's points of view.

View all my reviews

Synopsis:

To save her mother's life, Clary must travel to the City of Glass, the ancestral home of the Shadowhunters - never mind that entering the city without permission is against the Law, and breaking the Law could mean death. To make things worse, she learns that Jace does not want her there, and Simon has been thrown in prison by the Shadowhunters, who are deeply suspicious of a vampire who can withstand sunlight.

As Clary uncovers more about her family's past, she finds an ally in mysterious Shadowhunter Sebastian. With Valentine mustering the full force of his power to destroy all Shadowhunters forever, their only chance to defeat him is to fight alongside their eternal enemies. But can Downworlders and Shadowhunters put aside their hatred to work together? While Jace realizes exactly how much he's willing to risk for Clary, can she harness her newfound powers to help save the Glass City - whatever the cost?

Love is a mortal sin and the secrets of the past prove deadly as Clary and Jace face down Valentine in the third installment of the New York Timesbestselling series The Mortal Instruments.