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

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Incendiary Blog Tour

Hi guys!!! So today Ramblings of a Writer is a stop on the blog tour for Amy Bartol's Incendiary tour! YAY!!! *throws confetti while blowing a party whistle and marching around happily*

As a part of this tour, I am obligated to tell you all about the book, BUT because I was a part of the cover reveal, I think I can safely link you to all of the same info there and it'll be okay. However, I still want to show you just how gorgeous Amy Bartol is, so here's her picture and her bio!

She's so pretty. I love her to death!

Author Information:

I live in Michigan with my husband and our two sons. My family is very supportive of my writing. When I’m writing, they often bring me the take-out menu so that I can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when I talk about my characters like they’re real. They rarely roll their eyes when I tell them I’ll only be a second while I finish writing a chapter…and then they take off their coats. They ask me how the story is going when I surface after living for hours in a world of my own making. They have learned to accept my “writing uniform” consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at my nerdy bookishness whenever I try to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get me, so they are perfect and I am blessed. Please visit me at my website: http://www.amyabartol.com/

So now that you know more about Amy, and have checked out the cover and all that fun stuff in the previous post, I have something special for you! Amy has sent me the biography for one of the new characters that we meet in Incendiary. This character is absolutely, 100%, F.I.N.E. I want him for my own. I'm not kidding in the slightest. You might know him, you might not. You might even have your own image of how you think his looks, but I have my own, and it is freaking PERFECT!!! Okay, okay. I'll stop teasing you and tell you who he is...

It's XAVIER REECE!!! Sadly Xavier couldn't join me here on the blog today but Amy was kind enough to give me his playlist, as per his request, and I would like to share it with you now.

So please allow me now to share with you more about Xavier. Honestly this man, celestial being, angel, eternal creature, whatever the hell you'd like to call him is the be all, end all for me when it comes to the Premonition series. I mean I love Reed, and Brennus takes hot bad ass undead faerie vampire to a whole new level, but Xavier Reece? Wow. Just wow. Anyway, here's more about X.

FIRST- I want to show you guys how I think Xavier looks... 

Give him a pair of red seraph wings and BAM! Xavier. Of course we'd have to have him wear contacts, but you get it.

XAVIER REECE – Evie’s incredibly sexy ex-boyfriend from high school who she now learns has been her guardian angel in every one of her past lifetimes, including this one.  Having been unable to tell Evie about her physiology, or their history together, Xavier is anxious for Evie to remember the secrets that lie hidden between them.  As her angel, he’ll stop at nothing to protect her while he waits for the day that she’ll rediscover her love for him.

Physical attributes:  Appears to be approximately 20 years old (but he’s ancient), 6’ 5”, golden-blond hair with a “in the now” style, he has heterochromia iridium so one eye is blue and the other is green, crimson-colored wings that are retractable and can be completely hidden within him and resemble an avian, chiseled face, flawless angelic skin, sleek muscles.

Xavier’s Class of angel:  

Divine Seraphim angel – first tier of angels, they’re the highest order of angel and the closest to God.  They’re known as God’s guardians and are distinguishable by their wing color, which is red or crimson and resemble an avian.  They’re equal in physical strength to a Power angel when fully evolved.  Their symbol is the shield.

Supernatural abilities:

·      Immense physical strength - he can juggle minivans if he wanted. This is a standard angelic trait.

·      Run extremely fast - he can move so fast he is just a blur to the human eye. This is a standard angelic trait.

·      Fly – he can fly by using his crimson wings. This is a standard angelic trait.

·      Acute hearing

·      Higher visual acuity –  Xavier can see vast distances and has night vision.  Able to detect several colors not in the human spectrum of vision, and allows the angel to see lingering “souls” who have not ascended (ghosts). This is a standard angelic trait.

·      Extremely developed fighting skills – Seraphim are created to protect God.  They’re the most lethal of all angels.

·      Immortality – Xavier will never die unless another being kills him.  If he is killed, he ‘ceases to be’ because angels do not have souls.

·      Heal from serious wounds – ability to heal quickly and regenerate tissue, sinew and bone rapidly.  This is a standard angelic trait.

Well, that's all I have for you guys today! Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out all things Xavier. Make sure to check out all of the places in which you can find all things Amy Bartol, and hit the next spot on the tour, Doctor's Notes, tomorrow!

Amy's Blog
Amy's Facebook
Amy's Twitter
Amy's Pinterest
Goodreads
Amazon

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!

Falcon is MINE!!!

I'm guessing that some of you are wondering about the title of this post, so I will explain. The incredible Lila Felix is doing something spectacular... She's writing another Love & Skate novel!!! Except this one is about the love of my fictional life, Falcon! You may remember him from Love & Skate as Owen's little brother. 

Well, in this book (and the reason I call Falcon the love of my fictional life, trust me it isn't creepy) Falcon is older. He's hotter. And well, here. Let me just show you the cover! And keep in mind that Reed (the girl in the book) was based on me. End of story. Falcon is actually and really mine so be jealous, please. :-)

Okay... Here is your cover... Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Falcon Livingston Black! 

He has INK!!! And a mohawk!!!

I really, really cannot wait to get my hands on this book. I am so incredibly anxious for it, you have no idea! It's going to be phenomenal, that I can assure you. Now I hate to tell you that I don't have a blurb as of yet, but I'm sure to have one before How It Rolls is released in February so stay tuned!

Hoax

Hoax by Lila Felix

She's spent a long time in a bubble. In an odd turn of events, Corinne is taken out of boarding school and plunged into high school where bullies reign and nice guys come in last.

But this is after she's already fallen in love with Abel over the summer.

Abel is trapped, with friends he secretly hates, but has chosen to stay with the status quo. It's just high school, right?

What do you do when the person you love sees the very worst part of you? And how do you help them when they discover their life is a hoax?

I've got to be honest here, y'all. I loved this book. I really did. It was great. Not really great, but it was great. Having said that, let me explain to you why. 

For me, Hoax was missing something. I can't put my finger on what exactly, but it was something that I feel like would have granted me the ability to fall head over heels for it and give it five stars. Was it my favorite from Lila, no. Nothing can beat Love & Skate... Not yet anyway. We'll see soon enough, but this isn't about that. 

Hoax was a wonderful story about hope, trust and love. Corrine has a hard time trusting people, mostly because no one has ever been there for her. Not her parents, not anyone. Not until Abel. Spending the summer with Abel taught her the meaning of trust, faith. friendship, and love. But, when Corrine sees Abel sitting on the sidelines watching while his "friends" terrorize someone she cares about, she snaps and loses the faith that she had in Abel during their summer romance. Corrine loses further control of her life when things come to light about her family. However, with the damage done, she internalizes and refuses to let anyone in. Even Abel.

I feel like, looking back, what Hoax was missing was a deeper bond for Corrine. I feel like if she'd had another person to lean on, someone who could help her heal, it would have been better. Please don't misunderstand, I'm not saying that Corrine's character was underdeveloped, I'm saying that this book needed something more.

All in all, I would recommend this book to friends. It really is a good book, and it may not be missing something for other readers. Give it a chance. You may find something that I didn't.

Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Jordyn

Alright, alright, alright. I think it's pretty safe for you all to assume that I am on Tiffany King's street team. That being said, I have something for all of you guys! That always amazing Tiffany is releasing a book soon! Now I know what you're all thinking, and the answer is YES!!! Yes, already. Yes, she is a machine. Yes, it's is going to be fantastic. What you DON'T know, however, is that it is book one in a new paranormal series from one of our most favorite Indie authors!

The only thing I am sad to report is that I do not have a blurb for you guys yet, but never fear, I will have one for you soon enough! So what do you say we get down to the reason I summoned you all here. Ha ha. Get it? Summoned. 'Cause this is a paranormal series... Ah forget it. Here's the stunning cover...

Don't you just love it? I know I do! And believe me, I'm just as anxious as you are to read the blurb. I want to know what is going to go on behind this outstanding cover! 

So, that's all I've got for y'all today! Stop by later this week and I should have the blurb posted for you.