Amity Hope's Twisted Blog Tour & Giveaway

Wow!! So I hadn't realized that it's been as long as it has since I last posted something on the blog! Craziness has ensued around here since my last post, and I've neglected SO MUCH! For this I apologize. I hope that it won't happen again!

Now, what do you say we work past our differences, and my neglect, with a tour stop and giveaway, huh? I was asked a bit ago by Book Nerds Across America if I would like to participate in Amity Hope's blog tour for her recent release Twisted. I said yes, and committed to writing a review for the book. Might I say, this is a good one!

Allow me to introduce you to Amity Hope by sharing a little bit about her, and then we'll jump directly into my review...

I live in Minnesota with my two sons, two cats and our Rottweiler named Daisy.

I have been a book-addict my entire life. I have always enjoyed reading and writing stories just for fun. In 2012 I decided to try self-publishing. To my delight and dismay, my debut novel took off. Since then, I have been fortunate enough to write full-time.

If I'm not writing or spending time with my kids, I'm most likely reading.

You can find Amity by clicking on any of the following links.

Facebook
Goodreads
Amazon

Maya Anderson has faced more than her share of tragedy and heartbreak. For the past six years she’s constantly been on the move with her mom. When another disaster strikes, she finds herself back in her childhood hometown of Beaumont, living with her older sister for her senior year.

A chance meeting reacquaints her with Ben McCaffey, a long-forgotten classmate from her past. After the death of his girlfriend, Ben has become a social outcast. He’s despised by some and feared by most.

Determined to become Ben’s friend, Maya begins to break through his layers of emotional protection. It isn’t long before they realize that they both have secrets in their pasts. As the line between dealing with grief and struggling with a desire for revenge begins to fade, the secrets that draw them together may be what will ultimately tear them apart. Because the closer Maya gets to Ben, the more dangerous her situation becomes.

I have to tell y'all that I absolutely enjoyed this book. It was deep, but not dark. It was fluid, while at the same time keeping you on the edge of your seat. The touches of suspense were just enough and very tasteful. There isn't really much I can complain about when it comes to this book, however, by the time I was finished, I was looking for more. I couldn't believe it was over so quickly. I felt like there was so much more to tell, so you can imagine how elated I was to read that there IS a follow up companion. That small bit of news tucked into the back of the book made my heart sing. 

I have to admit that there were some editorial flaws within the text, but it wasn't so bad that it completely threw me off the story. I was able to read through them as though they were barely there. Now, having said that, I have to tell you this... 

I adored Maya, and I loved Ben. I felt awful for the both of them, and I think it's okay for me to say that I was just as frustrated with the entire situation as Maya was. I literally found myself wanting to toss my Kindle across the room a time or two, because I was so fed up with certain characters and a few aspects. There were some portions in which I caught myself tearing up and then others I could almost feel the strain coming through the pages when Maya couldn't break through. It was enough to make me want to crawl into the book and squeeze her and thank her so much for trying. 

All in all, this book captivated me from the opening scene and held on to me until the closing sentence. It's a great read, with strong characters and a beautiful, touching premise. I'm giving it FOUR Blue Butterflies (because that's how I roll over here at Ramblings of a Writer.). Do yourself a favor and check out the buy links below. Don't forget to enter in the giveaway for your chance to win a signed copy and/or one of 3 e-books. Also, check out the book trailer, it is awesome! 

Best wishes and happy reading!!!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

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One Tiny Secret Reveal & Giveaway

I have another cover reveal for you guys today. It's for my friend C.A. Kunz, however, there is a twist. You see this book, One Tiny Secret, is written solely by the A portion of C.A. Kunz. That's right, readers. Adam Kunz is writing this book all by himself, and I couldn't be more proud of him! It's going to be wonderful! 

So please allow me to share with you a little more about C.A. Kunz and then we'll get down to the blurb and cover reveals, shall we. Okay. Here we go.

Carol and Adam Kunz make up the mother and son author duo, C.A. Kunz. They thoroughly enjoy writing about things that go bump in the night and action-packed dystopian romances while drinking massive amounts of English breakfast tea and Starbucks coffee. The author pair currently reside fourty-five minutes away from each other in the sunny state of Florida. If you would like to find out more about this duo, The Modified, or The Childe, please visit the following links:

C.A. Kunz Blog
C.A. Kunz Facebook
C.A. Kunz Twitter

Now, One Tiny Secret, as I mentioned above is written by Adam, the A. in C.A. Kunz. I'm certain that this book will be wonderful, because Adam is incredibly talented. So what do you say I share with you the blurb followed by the cover? 

One Tiny Secret Blurb:

Just one tiny secret…has the potential to ruin everything.

Being the daughter of the sheriff in a small town like Holden Ridge means that Danielle “Dani” Marks’ life is under constant surveillance. She’s made a habit of staying under the radar by being a floater between social circles at school, and up until now this has kept her out of trouble, but that’s all about to change.

After a missing persons case stirs up the entire town, Dani finds herself caught right in the middle of the scandal. When she’s labeled as a possible suspect, things quickly go from bad to worse. Not to mention the resurfacing of an old flame, in the form of her ex-best friend’s swoon-worthy older brother, only makes matters more complicated.

Then an elusive person begins to blackmail Dani by threatening to reveal her deepest secrets if she doesn't cooperate. When she refuses to play along, the person’s actions take a violent turn, and the quaint town of Holden Ridge completely loses its false sense of security. 

Who can Dani turn to? Who can she really trust when anyone around her could be a suspect? One thing’s for certain though…never underestimate the power of one tiny secret.

Does that sound like a great book or what?! I'm so excited. Now I'll show you guys this beautiful cover that Sarah Hansen over at Okay Creations put together.

Completely gorgeous, right?

Before you guys go, though, I have a giveaway for you. Well, I don't, but i have the link to one. In this giveaway, you will have a chance to win the following:

A foamcore mounted poster of the cover for One Tiny Secret

A One Tiny Secret beaded bracelet
A framed print of the hand-drawn (by Adam himself) original mock-up for the One Tiny Secret cover. 
Winner’s choice of either a $25.00 Amazon or Barnes and Noble gift card.

All you have to do is head over to Books Complete Me and fill out the Rafflecopter for your chance to win. Best of luck and thanks for stopping by!

Walking Away is LIVE!!!!

So, as all of my loyal followers know, I have released a book!!! What?!?! That's madness, right?!?! Well, madness or not, I have done it. I am now a fancy published author!! YES!!! Hang on while I mark that off my bucket list...

*carefully unrolls the bucket list and scrolls down to number 3*

#3- Publish a book.

DONE!

*sings Celebration by Kool and the Gang while dancing around like a maniac*

I would insert a soundbyte or the video, but I think we all know that song. Anywho! So, Walking Away is now available on Kindle, and will soon be available on Barnes & Noble for Nook and on Kobo for those of you who use that platform. I WOULD upload it to Smashwords, but it has decided to be my arch nemesis, and so Kobo is the best I can do for now.

However, if you don't want to wait for Walking Away to finally show up on Kobo or B&N, you can always download the Kindle app onto you mobile device or computer and purchase Walking Away using this link.

And now I'm going to leave you guys with a giveaway!!! Just fill out the Rafflecopter below and you will be entered to win one of 3, that's right, THREE ecopies of Walking Away! Good luck!

OH! Two more things... 

1)Don't forget to send me a request for an Authorgraph! The widget is in the sidebar over there on the right. 

2) My friend Michelle Nicole created a playlist for Walking Away. Check it out in the sidebar on the right as well.


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Ten Tiny Breaths... An ARC Review and Giveaway

Ten Tiny Breaths

by

K.A. Tucker

K.A. contacted me not too long ago and asked me if I would be interested in doing a cover reveal for her upcoming book Ten Tiny Breaths (you can find it here), and naturally, I jumped on it. Of course I wanted to be a part of the cover reveal. DUH! Who doesn't want to be a part of one of their favorite author's new works in some small way? I know I do!

Well, after the reveal went off without a hitch, K.A. reached out to me once again and asked me the one thing that I had been dying to hear her ask... "Would you like to receive an ARC of Ten Tiny Breaths?"....... Pardon me a moment while I scream my utter delight and utmost fan girl joy....... 

AAAAHHHH!!!!

And we're back... I'm sure you can all guess what my response was, right? I should hope so, because you're all too smart for that! 

Well, I JUST finished the book. Like literally, I just turned the final page and all I can say is W.O.W! This book is absolutely fan-freaking-tastic!!! It's the love story you've been dying to read, but by the time you're halfway through it, you want to scream and throw things and punch someone in the mouth, because all of the tension is eating you alive.

It's so beautifully written that you can't help but feel every single touch, hear every single breath, and live every.single.minute. It sucks you in and it doesn't let you go. I mean it. And I know what you're thinking, "She says that a lot," but it's true! It is so true about Ten Tiny Breaths.

You see, Kacey is messed up. Like really, REALLY messed up. She's lost everything. Well, not everything,everything, but everything that meant the world to her. Everything she thought she'd never lose. And it's all because of a decision that someone else made. A decision that left her broken and alone and scarred beyond just the physical damage. She's compartmentalized her feelings over the trauma that she's suffered, channeled all of her rage into kick-boxing, and shut herself off from almost all human physical contact. Let me tell you, this girl is one step away from owning the crazy train! 

After her sick uncle climbs into bed with her sister, Kacey has had enough. She packs their bags and moves them both to Miami. Once there, she meets a gorgeous guy named Trent who slowly begins to try to put her back together. Only there's just one problem... Trent is hiding something, and it's a complete game changer. This gorgeous hunk of man, isn't who she thinks he is, and falling in love with him will change everything she thought she ever knew. Because when the truth comes out, Kacey learns about forgiveness in a way that not many people ever do. Letting go is hard, but facing your past is even harder. Especially when your sanity is involved.

K.A., I am happy to say, totally delivered! Even as I sit here writing this review, I still feel as though my emotions and my heart have been ripped out of me, tossed to the ground, and mercilessly stomped on... Repeatedly. This story is beyond powerful. It's beyond gut-wrenching. It's beyond phenomenal. I feel comfortable telling y'all that I'm sure this book with haunt me for quite some time. It is definitely in a class of it's own! 

And now I have a giveaway for you... Just fill out the Rafflecopter below and you'll be entered to win one of 3 e-copies of Ten Tiny Breaths!!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Song For Julia Cover Reveal!

Hello readers! I'd like to share with you guys the cover for A Song For Julia, the newest book by a man who's come to mean a whole lot to me, Mr. Charles Sheehan-Miles! A few weeks back, I posted a review that I wrote for his book Just Remember to Breathe (you'll find it here) and gushed about how much I loved the book. Well, I can assure you that this one will be just as good as that one!!

Now, I've already seen the cover, and it is beautiful! I absolutely love it, and it truly encompasses the feel of the book. Here... I'll just let you see for yourselves...

And now for the blurb...

Blurb:

Crank Wilson left his South Boston home at sixteen to start a punk band and burn out his rage at the world. He’s at war with his father, a Boston cop, and doesn’t ever speak to his mother, who left when he was sixteen. The only connection that really matters to him is his younger brother. Watching out for Sean can be a full-time job: at seventeen, with Aspergers, he doesn’t fit anywhere. The only thing Crank wants in life is to be left the hell alone to write his music and drive his band to success. Julia Thompson left a secret behind in Beijing that exploded into scandal in Washington, DC, threatening her father's career and dominating her family's life. Now, in her senior year at Harvard, she's haunted by a voice from her past and refuses to ever lose control of her emotions again: especially when it comes to a guy. When Julia and Crank meet at an anti-war protest in Washington in the fall of 2002, the connection between them is so powerful it threatens to tear apart everything they've ever worked for.

But wait, there's more!!! What? More? Yes, more. There's a GIVEAWAY!!!! 

AAAAHHHH!!!!

You guys are so incredibly lucky! Okay, here are the rules:

In order to be entered, you must comment on this post. Charles will give one lucky commenter a digital copy of the first book Just Remember to Breathe. The winner will be chosen via Rafflecopter on 12-7-12.

Good luck!!!

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The Modified Review Blitz

I am so incredibly honored to host my first ever Review Blitz on this blog. You guys can't imagine how happy this makes me. I am also equally honored to have that Review Blitz be for The Modified, a new novel by the superb mother & son author duo, C.A. Kunz.

When I was asked to be a part of the Blitz, I eagerly jumped at the opportunity because Carol and Adam have come to mean a great deal to me. So, it was with great pride, and pleasure, that I accepted the offer.

If you would, please allow me to tell you a bit about Adam & Carol.

Carol and Adam Kunz make up the mother and son author duo, C.A. Kunz. They thoroughly enjoy writing about things that go bump in the night and action-packed dystopian romances while drinking massive amounts of English breakfast tea and Starbucks coffee. The author pair currently reside fourty-five minutes away from each other in the sunny state of Florida. If you would like to find out more about this duo, The Modified, or The Childe, please visit the following links:

C.A. Kunz's Blog
C.A. Kunz's Facebook
C.A. Kunz's Twitter

And now for my review of The Modified. Please hang around after, because there will be a giveaway! Yes, yes. You read that correctly... GIVEAWAY!!!! At this time, I would break out into a spastic happy dance, but I don't know that you guys want that visual, so I'll let you do your own happy dance while you're reading my review. *grins*

 What would you sacrifice to save the one’s you love? To save the one who holds your heart? To save the world?

Kenley Grayson is all too familiar with these questions.

After Earth is thrust into its first intergalactic war with an unknown race called the Bringers, our military forces begin to suffer heavy losses. Desperate for a solution, the Allied Federation issues a worldwide draft for every able seventeen year old to enlist. As Kenley turns seventeen, she finds herself thrown into the very war that took her older brother’s life.

This year’s draft is a little different than in the past though. A new program, known as the Magnus Project, has been introduced, and only the best and brightest qualify. Kenley is amongst a select few whom are chosen to join this elite group of soldiers, and as a part of this project, undergoes a modification procedure that leaves her and her peers endowed with powers beyond their wildest dreams.

As Earth continues in its struggle against the Bringers, Kenley is transported to a high-tech training facility, the Magnus Academy, to prepare for the major battle that lies ahead. It’s here that she meets the California heartthrob, and son of a legendary war hero, Landon Shaw. As unexpected feelings toward Landon begin to develop, Kenley wonders if this is the right time or place for romance to bloom, especially when those feelings start to interfere with her training.

With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Kenley is constantly reminded of how important she and the rest of the Magnus cadets are to the fate of humanity. She is one of the Modified, Earth’s last line of defense against utter destruction.

It's always been hard for me to sink into a futuristic/dystopian style book, but they made it sooo easy. The style is flawless. I actually caught myself on a couple of occasions while reading the book, staring at my hands and asking myself, "Why can't you do that?!" Obviously, it's because I myself am not modified, but a girl can dream, right? Or in this case, read.  It's an absolutely amazing story.

Upon reading the first sentence of the book, I was immediately drawn to Kenley and could only imagine that she and I would be great friends, provided I were still a teenager and we lived in the same time period. Kenley is just my kind of girl. You see, Kenley and her friends (old and new) have been tasked with saving mankind and the world. However, there is only one way to do that and it means altering not only who they are, but their biology as well. They are called the Modified, and they are pretty badass. But, it's hard to focus on saving the world when you're falling in love at the exact same time. Enter Landon Shaw. Landon is a pretty boy. He's hot, sweet, intense, and although he comes off as filled with confidence, the only thing he's truly confident about is his ability to fight in this war and the fact that he wants Kenley for himself.

 I was also incredibly impressed with not only the character development and relationships between all of the characters, as well as the plot, flow, pit falls and resolution. I, personally, don't think it could have gotten any better. No wait, I take that back. It could only get better if I had my own Galileo. I have to admit that I'm a bit jealous that Kenley has one and I don't. It's just too bad that there wasn't a Galileo bracelet tucked into the back of my Kindle case. Ah well, ya win some, ya lose some. Now, if you don't mind, I would like to take this opportunity to share with you one of my favorite lines from the book.

"It isn't a line, Kenley. From the first time I saw you in the crowded tram station, I knew I wanted to meet you. I felt this connection that made me want to push my way through the mass of bodies just to talk to you. I know you probably think I'm crazy or something. And I am crazy...for you."

Okay, now I need a moment. *SWOON* Fabulous, right?! If you said yes, then I can only hope that that means you're going to run off to Amazon or Barnes & Noble or even Smashwords to grab your own copy of this truly outstanding book! I know that I loved it, and it's pretty safe to say that I am impatiently looking forward to the next book in this series! Color my hooked!!!

And now for that giveaway that I promised you would be coming!! All you have to do is complete the rafflecopter, and you will be entered to win one of the following:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck, happy reading, and thank you all so much for stopping by! I do hope you'll come back in the future!!! And please don't forget to grab your copy of the book! Just follow the links below!

Amazon
Barnes & Noble
Smashwords