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Albert Camus

Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Fool for Books Giveaway Hop International

No better way to spend April Fools Day!  

Click here to see the list of blogs participating to this hop.

The PRIZE is:
Absolutely any book you want up to 13 Euro ~17 $
The Giveaway is INTERNATIONAL as long as The Book Depository ships to you for free OR you want ebooks from Smashwords or Amazon 
If you are interested, please fill the Raffle form:
Good luck!
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No Joke! Win Big – April Fools Giveaway – Win a Kindle Fire HD


No Joke - Win Big April Fools Giveaway
Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway

The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)
Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)


Sponsoring Authors


The Breeders by Katie French

"The Breeders is a YA dystopian read that's as gritty and dark as the cover and title suggest. It takes a look at how society might devolve if females were commodities: bought, sold, stolen, and traded to keep the dwindling human race going. Frightening concept. I loved it." --A.G. Henley, author of The Scourge




Dissidence by Jamie Canosa

"An amazingly snarky protagonist, two hot boys, a mass rebellion, and an ending that will blow your mind are the perfect ingredients that will make Dissidence the next big thing in YA." --Beth, YA Sisterhood




The Moon Dwellers and Fire Country 
by David Estes

“Fire Country is an epic start to the Country saga and left me with my heart pounding and totally breathless. Phenomenal" --K-booksxo.blogspot.com




Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas

Love between humans and androids is forbidden, but that doesn't mean it doesn't happen...






The Tale of Mally Biddle by M.L. LeGette

"To say I loved this book is an understatement." --April Holgate






Terra by Gretchen Powell

"This could be your world... but it's definitely Terra's, and she navigates it with determination, and a longing for answers that makes her story engrossing and entertaining." -- abookobsession.com





After the Fear by Rosanne Rivers


"The book is just breathtaking from the moment you start till the moment you put it down." -- Amazon review





Entanglement by Dan Rix

A YA Dystopian Romance where every human is born with a soulmate, whom they meet on their 18th birthday...and the one boy who's the exception.





daynight by Megan Thomason

“Sure to win over YA readers looking for a dangerous, dystopian adventure story” --Kirkus Reviews
 “Gripping; page-turner” --BlueInk Review (starred review)




Fields of Elysium by A.B. Whelan

"The novel's take on otherworldly travel is a compelling one, and the romantic plot will likely appeal to Twilight fans." - Kirkus Reviews





Giveaway Details
1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International).
Ends 4/15/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
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Review and Giveaway The Grimm Chronicles 2 Blog Tour

Description:

200 years ago, the Brothers Grimm changed everything.

With the help of a little magic, fairy tales were made real, manifesting all over the world. Charming princes. Gold-hunting dwarfs. Terrible step-mothers. Heroic animals.

Then, slowly, they began to change. Everyone—from Prince Charming to the old miller—grew more evil. Corrupted. A hero was chosen to stop them, hunting them down one by one and destroying them with the help of a magic pen and a special rabbit assistant.

For 200 years, the hero’s magic pen has been passed on from generation to generation. The newest hero is Alice Goodenough, an 18-year-old junior from Washington High School. While her friends spent their summer working and having fun, Alice found herself doing battle with creatures most human beings don’t even realize exist. A giant snake. A blood-sucking prince. A terrifying half-man, half-hedgehog. Dastardly dwarfs intent on mind-controlling everyone who uses a cell phone.

Now, senior year has begun. With it comes a new challenge at school, where bullies have grown bolder and classes more challenging. As if that’s not enough, Alice must face off against a collection of Corrupted who all share a terrible secret, one that might awaken a creature capable of doing untold damage. To uncover the secret, Alice will have to face off against a man-eating lizard, a bloodthirsty sea captain, and a mysterious wizard who can see into the future …

My Review:
I must admit that I didn’t finish the book until now. BUT only because the plans you make are not always match with those that real life have for you and, like Alice (fortunately not quite the same) you cannot always do what you want and when you want. And that sucks! Especially when you really want to read a certain book.

From what I've read so far I can say that it announces even a better volume than the first! The action starts quicker, and the authors have imposed a much faster rhythm from the start. The tension, the horror, thrill and puzzles don’t delay too long. Several plans are open and you cannot wait to see how they will coalesce.

Alice’s Heroine's life is closely weaves to the real one, with the concerns and requirements of senior year. Briar seemed to become (even) nicer. Seth is present and the way in which Alice relates almost everything to him, sustain the hope for a change in their relationship.

The corrupt characters seem to be difficult to split "only" into the good and bad. The assumption that to be corrupted is equivalent to being evil turns out to be inconsistent and this is an aspect that I liked in the first volume also: the power to choose to oppose the fate that you're doomed at. The range between good and evil is very high, with many shadows and patches of light and evil seems to going to extreme.

The secondary and transient characters are built to contribute to a story which is as moralistic as it is funny, full of adventure and suspense.

In short, the Grimm Chronicles #2 is a book for which I will definitely make time to finish it and which I recommend to you. It brings not only a story well and with passion written, but also the pleasure of remembering childhood stories and even discovering a new ones.

I received the book for review as part of Book Tour - Thank you
The Grimm Chronicles 1 review - here

 Romanian:
Tour schedule
Trebuie să recunosc că nu am reuşit să termin cartea până la acest moment. DAR asta doar pentru că planurile de acasă nu se potrivesc mereu cu cele din târg şi, la fel ca Alice (din fericire nu CHIAR la fel), nu putem face mereu ceea ce vrem când vrem. Şi asta sucks! Mai ales când vrei neapărat să citeşti o carte.

Din câte am citit până acum vă pot spune că se anunță un volum mai bun decât primul! Acțiunea începe mai repede, iar autorii au impus un ritm mult mai alert încă de la început. Tensiunea, groaza şi enigmele nu se lasă aşteptate prea mult. Mai multe planuri sunt deschise şi abia aştepți să vezi cum se vor întrepătrunde.

Viața lui Alice de Eroină este strâns legată de cea reală, cu preocupările şi cerințele ultimului an de şcoală. Brian parcă devine (şi) mai simpatic. Seth este prezent şi modul în care Alice raportează multe la el, face să existe speranța unei schimbări în relația lor.

Personajele corupte se anunță a fi greu de împărțit în „doar” bune şi rele. Presupunerea că a fi corupt este egal cu a fi rău se dovedeşte a fi contrazisă şi ăsta e un aspect care mi-a plăcut şi în primul volum: puterea de a alege, de a te opune soartei care ți-e sortită. Plaja dintre bine şi rău este foarte mare, cu multe umbre şi pete de lumină, iar răul se anunță a fi dus la extem.

Personajele secundare şi cele pasagere sunt construite pentru a reuşi să-şi aducă aportul la o poveste care este pe atât de moralizatoare, pe atât de amuzantă, plină de aventură şi suspans.

Ce mai, o carte pentru care cu siguranță îmi voi face timp să o termin şi pe care v-o recomand. Ea nu aduce doar o poveste bine şi cu pasiune scrisă, ci şi plăcerea reamintirii poveştilor copilăriei şi chiar a descoperirii unora noi.

Recenzia pentru The Grimm  Chronicles 1 - aici

Excerpt:

      In just moments, the dream changed back to the bar. Instead of country music playing this time, there was the sound of a beating drum. The pool table and the other tables were pulled back against the wall. A band was set up on the little stage. Tall black amplifiers stood on either side of the drummer. It was the guy with the baseball cap. The bassist was the formerly half-asleep one. The guitar player was Eyebrows himself, one hand held tightly around the neck of his sleek red guitar to mute the strings.
     In front of them were a hundred screaming fans. Everyone was dressed in dark clothes. Most had piercings. They were all cheering as the drummer picked up the tempo, the thumping of the bass drum so loud that the half-empty glasses of beer sitting on the bar hopped with each thump.
    And the bartender? Well, he couldn’t have cared less. He had bright yellow plugs in both his ears and was the only person in the room not nodding along to the drumbeat. He refilled a half-dozen cups with more beer, then stared out at the crowd.
     He had the same sour look on his face as the previous night.
    “Are you ready?” Eyebrows shouted into the microphone. His voice blared through the heavy black speakers. The crowd cheered. They were packed in tightly, hands raised high in the air.
    “Then let’s rock!” And with that, Eyebrows played a heavy chord. The crunching, distortion-driven sound escaped the speakers, flooding the room. Eyebrows changed to a new chord, then another, and by the third chord everyone in the room was dancing and cheering.
     His finger slipped and one chord came out all wrong and out of key. The crowd’s dancing stopped instantaneously. Some of the people looked around, confused.
    Eyebrows moved his fingers a little bit on the fret board, fixing the note. The dancing started up again. It seemed like everyone loved these guys … who were they? If only Seth were here, I thought; he would recognize the music for sure. It was hard rock, with crunching guitars and heavy bass drums and a furious tempo.
    So furious, in fact, that I was surprised the people kept dancing. For a moment, it looked like just another rock concert—albeit one more exciting than any I’d ever witnessed—but then I saw two people in the crowd look at each other, and I recognized the look immediately.
    Fear.
    Eyebrows let another chord ring out while he took a long swig from his beer. Then he picked up the tempo, quickly moving into a melodic solo. The crowd danced harder. They were cheering now—no, not cheering … crying out! They were in pain. They couldn’t stop. It wasn’t long before a handful of them collapsed in exhaustion, but still they writhed around on the floor. Some tried to escape, pushing each other over, unable to stop dancing.
    The exit was locked. The bartender smiled his yellow smile. Some shouted at him, others cried out. The music got faster.
    More people collapsed. Eyebrows slowed the tempo to a smooth groove, and the handful of brave fools who’d tried rushing the stage found themselves unable to move forward. They swayed left and right, almost as if hypnotized.
     I felt a cold breeze rush past me. The lights above flickered. More people in the crowd dropped to the floor, their legs still dancing in the air. Something began to escape from their open mouths: a blue essence, like a wisp of smoke, traveling to the little stage.
Ken Brosky

    Eyebrows opened his mouth, inhaling. Sucking up every last wisp.

The Grimm Chronicles Volume 2 contains:

Episode four: The Orphanage of Doom
Episode five: Blood and Thunder
Episode six: The Order of the Golden Dragon

Bonus material:
The Lost Journal of Eugene Washington
Assorted fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm
A Legacy of Red

The Grimm Chronicles Volume 1
This book contains the first 3 episodes of the critically acclaimed series:
Episode 1: Prince Charming Must Die!
Episode 2: Happily Never After
Episode 3: Revenge of the Castle Cats

The Grimm Chronicles is intended for Young Adults aged 13 and up. The goal is to provide Young Adult readers with a strong, charismatic young woman in the role of the hero and provide readers with a positive protagonist who uses her brain to overcome obstacles life throws in her way.

Praise

5 stars!” ~ Bookies Book Blog

"Highly recommended for all who love fairy tales and the YA genre." ~ My Cozie Corner

"All in all the books were excellent." ~ LilyElement

"If you love fairy tales and them being turned into modern day stories you will love these short stories." ~ Mom With a Kindle

"5 stars (out of 5)" ~ I Am, Indeed

Isabella Fontaine and Ken Brosky’s incredible talent for storytelling takes the reader on an amazing action-packed ride fueled by endless creativity and limitless imagination. TGC is like a high-stakes version of Harold and the Purple Crayon meets a contemporary, above ground Alice in Wonderland. “ ~ Bookfetish

I absolutely loved this book! No, let me rephrase that, I FREAKING LOVE THIS BOOK! Nope, that doesn't even do it justice. Vol. 1 has the first three stories from the 12 that will ultimately make up the chronicles.” ~ Jesse Kimmel-Freeman
Purchase:

About the Authors
Ken Brosky received his MFA in fiction writing from the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He also teaches English at Madison College. This is his first Young Adult series.

Isabella Fontaine owns a farm in Wisconsin and enjoys reading weird books like House of Leaves. This is her first Young Adult series.

Tour Giveaway
5 Kindle ebook copies of The Grimm Chronicles Volume 2
Ends 4/11/13
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Saturday, March 30, 2013

Winner Kick-Butt Characters Giveaway Hop International

The winner is:
kelly grant
Congratulations!
You have 7 days to send us your book option, full name and your address (please write the address in the "BookDepository form").
You can see the winner in Raffle form here
Our email is: mythicalbooks@ymail.com

Review and Giveaway Starseed by Liz Gruder Blog Tour


«“I am the dark side, you are the light,” Jordyn responded to her thought. “Together, we make a whole. Don’t be afraid, Kaila. You’ve just received another gift.” He pressed his small lips to her ear. “Be all that you are. Be proud of who you are.”»
Is a bit difficult to talk about Starseed, because it's that kind of book which to categorize it into "liked" or "not liked" is not enough.  If I would reduce it to this, I'll know what category I’ll choose. There are many things that I liked even that are some of them that I would have liked to be a little different. However, I think that what is more important is what the book tells us.

The book’s atmosphere is one of the X-Files TV series. The author managed to recreate that atmosphere, but I have in mind that atmosphere from the episodes of the first series, you know which, those that are the best. We get half-truths, half of information that makes you curious about what will follow. You never know how the pages go, even though the action is not very alert. But as I said, that's not important here. Important is what we become and what we decide to be.
"There is no help for you. You have no choice. You must turn your allegiance. Choose to rule or choose to be a slave."
Starseed’s universe is a world in which there are entwine Science Fiction and ancient astronauts elements that together give expression to many of the hopes, frustrations, curiosities and fears of mankind since immemorial times. In the end what matters, no matter at what level, is what we choose: good vs. evil.

Some of our heroes find that to be human can sometimes be a disadvantage, but it will be always a bigger advantage. Our humanity is there, in our depths, no matter in what "quantity", and there is always a second chance for those who lost it to regain it... if it's not too late. Each character has its well-established importance and supports the story.

Given the above, I recommend to you to read Starseed because it is a pleasant way to receive help to determine your own path.

If the cover shocked you or you find something wrong about it, I assure you that you will find the explanation in the book. Everything is as it should be and how many say: do not judge the book (only) by its cover, as should not judge people (only) as they look.

Read it and we’ll talk after.
„This is an ancient war, the birds and the serpents. The light and the dark. Christ and Lucifer. Yahweh and Azazel. Buddha and Mara. Allah and Iblis. In the end, it is up to you. Don’t let them take your spirit. That truly, is what they are here for. Do not be harvested. Do not be recycled. You have a choice. In the whole universe there is no other planet like this. We all watch you. Your choices affect the entire universe. Each and every one of you matters. Come back to us. Ascend. Gain knowledge. Live for more than yourself and you’ll be free. But we can do nothing unless you ask. The others seduce and blind, take and manipulate you. They don’t honor free will. Power and domination is their master. [...]. Do not succumb to the veils. Do not succumb to the deceit. Do not look outward. Look within. You hold the torch of the universe within. Come home, beautiful ones. Do not, we beg you, be lost. Come home.”

I received the book for review as part of Book Tour - Thank you

Romanian:
Tour Schedule
«“I am the dark side, you are the light,” Jordyn responded to her thought. “Together, we make a whole. Don’t be afraid, Kaila. You’ve just received another gift.” He pressed his small lips to her ear. “Be all that you are. Be proud of who you are.”»

E dificil să vorbeşti despre Starseed pentru că este o carte pe care s-o categoriseşti în „mi-a plăcut” sau „nu mi-a plăcut” nu este suficient. Dacă ar fi s-o reduc la atât, stiu ce o să aleg. Sunt multe lucruri care mi-au plăcut, deşi sunt si unele pe care le-aş fi vrut un pic altfel. Ce este mai important este însă, cred eu, ceea ce ne transmite.

Atmosfera cărții este una de Dosarele X. Autoarea a reuşit să recreeze acea atmosferă, dar am în vedere acea atmosferă a serialelor din primele serii, ştiți voi, alea mai bune. Avem jumătăți de adevăruri, jumătăți de informații care te fac curios cu privire la ceea ce urmează. Nici nu ştii cum trec paginile, deşi acțiunea nu este chiar foarte alertă. Dar cum am spus, nu asta e important aici. Important e ceea ce putem deveni şi ceea ce decidem să fim.
"There is no help for you. You have no choice. You must turn your allegiance. Choose to rule or choose to be a slave."
Universul Starseed este o lume în care se regăsesc şi întrepătrund elemente Science Fiction şi paleoastronautice care dau expresie multor dintre speranțele, frustrările, curiozitățile şi spaimele omenirii încă din cele mai vechi timpuri. În final ceea ce contează, indiferent la ce nivel, este ceea ce alegem: binele vs răul.

Parte din eroii noştri află că a fi uman poate reprezenta uneori un dezavantaj, dar întotdeauna este un avantaj. Umanitatea e acolo în adâncul nostru, indiferent în ce „cantitate”, şi întotdeauna mai există o şansă pentru cei ce-au pierdut-o s-o regăsească...dacă nu-i prea târziu. Fiecare personaj secundar are rolul său bine stabilit şi susține povestea.

Având în vedere cele de mai sus, vă recomand să citiți Starseed pentru că este o cale plăcută de a primi un ajutor în a vă stabili propria cale.

Dacă coperta v-a şocat sau dacă vi se pare ceva-n neregulă, vă asigur că veți găsi explicația în carte. Totul e aşa cum trebuie şi, cum spun mulți, nu judeca cartea (doar) după copertă, aşa cum nu trebuie să judecăm oamenii (doar) după cum arată.

Citiți-o şi mai vorbim după.

„This is an ancient war, the birds and the serpents. The light and the dark. Christ and Lucifer. Yahweh and Azazel. Buddha and Mara. Allah and Iblis. In the end, it is up to you. Don’t let them take your spirit. That truly, is what they are here for. Do not be harvested. Do not be recycled. You have a choice. In the whole universe there is no other planet like this. We all watch you. Your choices affect the entire universe. Each and every one of you matters. Come back to us. Ascend. Gain knowledge. Live for more than yourself and you’ll be free. But we can do nothing unless you ask. The others seduce and blind, take and manipulate you. They don’t honor free will. Power and domination is their master. [...]. Do not succumb to the veils. Do not succumb to the deceit. Do not look outward. Look within. You hold the torch of the universe within. Come home, beautiful ones. Do not, we beg you, be lost. Come home.”

Praise

"After reading Starseed, my faith in YA sci-fi has been restored! ... I didn't want to put it down ... it had enough mystery and suspense to keep me going, page after page. Superb job 4.5 out of 5!"
-- The Forbidden Library Book Reviews

"I would recommend this book to all sci-fi lovers and, to those who aren't into it, take a chance. Who knows? You may love this book just as much as I did! Liz Gruder is definitely an author you should keep a look out for as she has great talent in writing and a huge imagination. Starseed was a wonderful read and very different from other books I've read. It was a very nice change from what I usually read and kept me enticed all the way."
--Starlight Book Reviews

"Interesting read. A lot like Roswell, but different. Gruder does a great job building the dark mystery of what the aliens are really up to on earth."
--Charity Bradford, sci-fi author, "The Magic Wakes"

“The story caught me off guard and won me over after the first chapter. The main conflict is a personal one for Kalia. Will she embrace her alien side or continue life as a human?
--Pixie Dust Book Reviews

Starseed is a fun sci-fi read with romance. It brings light to the cliques of high school, and challenges the main character, Kaila, to be herself, instead of how others expect her to be.
--Kerri Cuevas, YA Author "Deadly Kisses"

"Liz Gruder's characters come alive through youthful, spunky narrative, and her headstrong heroine, Kaila Guidry, elicits a reader's encouragement from the first page. Fans of P.C. Cast will find themselves similarly transported into Gruder's exploration of the dark sides of faith, love, higher dimensions, and, of course, high school."
-- Jadie Jones, YA author "Moonlit"

Purchase
Author Liz Gruder
As a youth, Liz Gruder saw a series of UFOs with her best friend while riding bikes. Ever since, she’s held a fascination for the stars. An avid reader, she used to hide under her covers and read with a flashlight. She has degrees in English and Psychology from Tulane University, a nursing license and a yoga certification. After going through Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, Liz realized how short life is and is now slowly fulfilling her bucket list: she’s been to the Egyptian pyramids (totally awesome and thought provoking) and is now teaching yoga and writing speculative fiction. Starseed is her debut novel.



Blog Tour Giveaway
$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash
Ends 4/10/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the authors. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reaper's Novice (Soul Collector #1) by Cecilia Robert Book Blitz

Description:

17- year- old Ana Maria Tei’s life has always been perfect: loving parents, good grades, and a future so bright it outshone the sun. But now words like “separation” and “divorce” are sending her world plummeting to hell. Determined to keep her family intact, Ana plans a family-bonding trip from Vienna to Tuscany. Except fate has other plans. Ana’s parents and siblings are killed in a car accident on their way to pick Ana up from school.

Enter Grim, aka Ernest. He promises to relinquish the four souls if Ana agrees to trade her soul for theirs and serve a lifetime as his novice. In order for Ana to graduate from her Reaper’s Novice station to a Soul Collector graduate, Grim puts her to test. To her horror, she finds out becoming a Reaper’s Novice didn’t happen by chance. It was preordained, and she is forced to make a choice: save her family’s souls or come to terms with who she really is and complete the task set for her.


About the author:
Cecilia Robert lives in Vienna with her two children, has an incurable obsession with books, anything romantic, TV and medieval architecture. When not working in her full time job, catching up with her two children, writing or reading, she can be found, knitting or crocheting, taking photos of old buildings.


Excerpt:

It’s almost two in the morning when Zig appears to escort me home. He hovers on the doorway, his arms folded across his broad chest. “You don’t need to,” I say.
His eyebrows shoot up. “Are you planning on walking home?”
I cross my arms over my chest. “I can make it to my room without your help. I picked up a few things during practise, you know.”
“Can you, really?” He swaggers into the room. “A gentleman always sees the lady home and safely tucked in bed. Safely.”
I roll my eyes as I tug the edge of my skirt lower. It’s so tiny it should be declared illegal. My dinner gown was disposed of, or so I was told. Don’t they have washing machines? I really loved that gown. “I’m not in the mood to argue, Zig.”
He halts before me, eyebrows raised, and smiles. “What are you in the mood for?”
“My mood,” I snatch the clutch bag from the bed, “has nothing to do with you.” I’m not sure the little shifting knowledge I mustered will help me reach home. All I know is I want to get far away from Grim’s castle, lose myself, and not think about tonight’s dinner. Even if it means getting lost shifting back home.
I brush past him and towards the door. His strong fingers wrap around my wrist, yanking me around. He narrows his eyes. “I have a theory.”
My heart thumps violently until I feel as if my chest will rupture. Sweat beads on my forehead. Does he know what happened in the library? I clear my throat and lift my chin forwards. “What theory?”
“You’re trying to pick a fight with me. Have to warn you, though, I always win.”
What?” I squeak. My legs almost buckle in relief.
It happens so fast I don’t have enough time to process his actions. He slips one arm on my waist, and the other glides up my back until his hand holds my head firmly in place. I blink, and his lips are on mine, kissing me. Kissing me!
What on earth? I twist my body to raise my arms. Too late. They are trapped between our bodies. Considering his height, bulk, and strength, which I feel pressing onto my bones, I’m at a disadvantage. His arm and hand are like steel around my waist and head. How had I not seen this coming? I stop my struggles, hoping he’ll get the hint. He doesn’t. His kisses taste like curiosity and peppermint. The eyes staring into mine gleam with amusement and… a challenge.
This is nothing close to Rolf’s sensual, toe-curling kisses. And I have a feeling Zig won’t stop anytime soon.
I lift my high-heeled foot and slam it down on his. Immediately, his lips leave mine. He takes a step back, a grin on his face. Is he made of stone? I’m sure I used a lot of force.
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I brush my tingling lips with the back of my trembling hand.
“Cheering you up.” He shoves his hands inside his pants pockets.
Heat spreads all over my body until I feel as though I’ll explode into thousands of pieces. It pools on my fisted hands, tangling with tonight’s frustration build-up. I lift my right arm and swing. It lands perfectly on his chin, and I curse my height for the misplaced aim. I was aiming for the nose. He smiles wider, as if I patted him.
“Don’t you ever kiss me again, Zig. Ever.” My knuckles are on fire, and moisture gathers at the corners of my eyes. I swallow the tears threatening to spill.
“You enjoyed it. Your eyes say so.”
Before I can stop myself, I swing my left arm. It lands on his chest. His body doesn’t budge an inch.
“You can do better than that, lovely Ana.”
My tolerance quota of the day has been reached and surpassed. “Are you angering me on purpose?”
“Clearly, it’s working.” He holds his palms up, facing me, legs braced to balance his weight. “Come on.” With hands raised like he’s some sort of trainer, he looks hot.
I bite my lip as I stare at him. “Why are you doing this?”
He shrugs, still grinning, and beckons me with his hands. I kick my heels to the side and fold my hands into fists. Tiny fists compared to his huge ones. I swing anyway.
Five minutes later, I stop and lean forwards, wheezing unhealthily. Was that the best I could do? Five minutes and breathing like I’ll drop dead in the next second? So disgusting.
“You fight like a girl.”
I gulp air, lift my head, and glare at Zig. “I am a girl.”
He chuckles and pats my shoulder. “A girl who desperately needs fighting lessons.”
My chest is on fire. “Why would I need those?” I wince as I massage my knuckles. I doubt my fingers will manage to hold a pen in class in the morning. I should’ve taken those defence classes Lea slaved away to complete two years ago. They seemed like torture back then.
“Eternity is a very long time. People tend to get bored doing nothing. Feeling better?”
“Extremely invigorated.” I wanted to punch something during the course of the night. This was a great escape. My breathing regulates. “Wasn’t there another way to get me all worked up instead of kissing me?”
“I was thinking on my feet.” He grins, brushing a thumb along his lips.
“Well, next time try to think while sitting,” I snap at him.
“Oh, come on. Don’t be angry with me. Let’s get you home.”
Seconds later, we’re standing inside my bedroom. He strides towards the door, lifts his hand in a small arc, and mutters under his breath to un-spell my door.
I really need to learn that.
“You look exhausted. Need help with anything?” he asks, stretching his long body.
“Can you change forms and attend class for me in the morning?”
He chuckles. “Sorry, can’t help you there, lovely Ana. I was never good in keeping with school rules.”
Blitz Host Lady Amber's Tours

Taming Tyler by Rebecca Rembish Book Tour

Description:

In Rebecca Rembish's premier novel, 'texting tyler', Chris lives in the shadow of his older brother, struggling to be the popular one... the good looking one... the one all the girls adored.

No doubt about it, TylerClarke is hot.
Tyler Clarke has a reputation.
Tyler Clarke has been with every girl in
school.
Tyler Clarke is also a virgin... or at least he was until his first date with Lori Matthews.

One thing Tyler could never seem to avoid was a label. Good or bad, no label had ever bothered him quite as much as the one he received from Lori. What was it about her that made him care so much? Why was she different from all the other girls he ever met?

While Tyler never made decisions on a future beyond high school, Lori is a planner. After graduation, she decides to spend her first year at home and attend the community college for two reasons. She needs more time to plan
her future and she needs to save money. Tyler and what came next were never part of her plan.

With an uncertain future, a pregnant girlfriend and not many people to turn to, Tyler struggles with one of the toughest years of his life.

Lori's careful plans are turned upside down. The fear of raising a baby inthe same difficult circumstances she grew up with and a relationship that scares her to death, Lori must make the most heart wrenching decision of her life.

About the author:
 Rebecca Rembish is a stay at home mom to a mini super-hero. To help balance out her adventurous days with a pre-schooler and grown-up married life, she escapes by writing Young Adult Romantic Fiction.

She is a compulsive nail biter, who makes daily trips to 7-11 for blueberry coffee. Rebecca grew up in Rockland County, New York, and now resides in New Jersey with her husband and son. Although Rebecca loves to text, amazingly, she and her husband of ten years have never once sent each other a text message.

A aparut Lupta celor Noua!

In sfarsit!

A aparut Lupta celor Noua, volumul trei din seria Eu sunt numarul patru de Pittacus Lore.

In engleza seria este The Lorien Legacies si puteti citi recenzia noastra la volumul  2, Puterea celor Sase, aici.

Volumul 4 al seriei este The Fall of Five si are programata lansarea internationala pe 27 august 2013


Seria in Romania e publicata de Nemira, pe site-ul careia  puteti gasi acum volumul 3 la noutati (=20% reducere)!


Concurs la Sfarsit de saptamana - Ovidiu de David Wishart

Prezentare:
Marcus Corvinus...
este un tânăr patrician care are parte de vin, femei şi petreceri până-n noapte mult mai adesea decât de o zi lungă muncă. Dar lui Marcus îi plac cel mai mult investigaţiile celor mai bizare crime de la curtea regală, care adesea ascund intrigi nebănuite.

Şi când Doamna Rufia Perilla,
Nespus de frumoasa nepoată a celebrului poet Ovidiu, îi cere ajutorul, lui Corvinus îi este imposibil să refuze. Însă un caz foarte simplu ca aducerea cenuşii poetului înapoi la Roma devine pe neaşteptate o poveste în care secretele, minciunile şi trădarea formează un amestec letal.
"Tată, te rog să mă lămureşti. Spune-mi tu de ce îl urăşte atât de mult împăratul pe un poet mort, încât nu îngăduie nici cenuşii lui să ajungă acasă, la Roma. Explică-mi motivul pentru care, când pun întrebări despre un scandal atât de vechi, încât îl socoteam aproape uitat, toată lumea strânge din buze, ferindu-se, la fel cum procedează şi vestalele ca să-şi apere fetia. Spune-mi de ce era să sfârşesc în apele Tibrului cu beregata tăiată doar pentru că m-am dus să stau de vorbă cu un bărbat pe care Augustus nu l-a exilat, pentru că nu s-a culcat cu nepoata lui. Şi dacă tu pricepi ce înseamnă acest ultim amănunt, te rog să mi-l desluşeşti, pentru că eu singur nu reuşesc.”
David Wishart – Ovidiu

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Friday, March 29, 2013

Blood of Ancient Kings by V.J.O. Gardner

Description:
Blood of Ancient Kings begins as an evil king is overthrown and his kingdom taken from him on the same day his wife dies in childbirth. He’s devastated and wants to die, but the new king having compassion offers both a punishment and a blessing. He must raise the child on his own – but there is a catch: He is stripped of title and privilege and forced to live among the very people that he abused as king.

The first night in the village, the villagers block the door shut and set the house on fire! He rescues his daughter as the roof falls in! He finds himself surrounded by angry villagers that pelt him with rocks as he runs seeking shelter. He crawls under a bridge and huddles in the mud to protect his infant daughter. For the first time in his life he is truly afraid of death, but not for himself – for his daughter. And that’s when it starts getting exciting!

A medieval fantasy novel that has been loved by teens and adults, both male and female, Blood of Ancient Kings drops two men into new and unfamiliar circumstances. One must figure out how to care for himself and his infant daughter, while the other must learn to lead and defend an entire nation instead of just a troop of men. Each must learn to be a father and gain the respect of others. Follow their children as they find friendship and inner strength while searching for love and their own identities. Meet two brothers that are as different as their fates are. Discover how they cope with life together and apart.

About the author:

Growing up in a small Utah town, I was a voracious reader. In college I took Fantasy Lit and writing classes. I’ve always enjoyed observing people and how they interact based on their individual experiences and upbringing. I found that I enjoyed writing to take a break from the reality of life. After trying my hand at a variety of jobs, I felt it was finally time I begin to publish what I had been writing.

There have been so many great authors that I have learned from and a few very poor ones. I do not presume to compare myself to any other author’s style but only attempt to tell the story in such a way as to immerse the reader in the story. Just as some of the characters spend most of their time trying to figure out where they fit in this life, I too have been searching for a place where I fit only to realize that it’s the journey of discovery that is the most important part of life.

Cover Reveal Of Silver and Beasts (A Goddess Wars Novel) by Trisha Wolfe

Cover Reveal Organized by: YA Bound
Cover Designed by: Steven Novak

Description:

In the sand-covered queendom of Cavan, the goddess once saved a young Kaliope’s life, preventing the mercury her father attempted to hide in her blood from reaching her heart. Now, a cybernetic clamp filters it, but the silver streaks swirling faintly beneath her skin are a constant reminder that she’s different.When nineteen- year-old Kaliope is chosen as head of the Nactue Guard, she becomes the sworn protector to her empress.

In the midst of an invasion on a neighboring land, Kaliope is placed in charge of guarding Prince Caben, the last heir to his kingdom. But when they’re attacked by the feared Otherworlders, Caben and Kaliope are abducted and taken below to a realm where they must fight for their life in a caged arena.

Kaliope struggles to protect her princely charge, keeping him and herself alive while battling inhumanly opponents, and trying to save the stolen, sacred relic that will restore her empress’s life force and all of Cavan. And if she can somehow awaken the goddess within her, she may save what’s most important.

Excerpt

I open my mouth to say something comforting, but I’m unsure of what. In this moment, I’m reminded that I know little about him. Other than the sarcasm and desire to understand nothing of my queendom, he hasn’t allowed me past the surface. But then, I have my own walls, hiding things I’d never want him or any other to know. And I understand that need to hide them. You can’t trust anyone. “Caben…” I start, but still can’t find the right words. He lowers his hand from his face, never taking his eyes off the glinting water top. “You’re right,” he finally says. “Let’s find the access to Lilly’s section.” A hollow pang hits my chest, and I’m not sure why. Something in his voice sounds lost, broken. I imagine the gears around my heart spinning faster, trying to keep up with my racing heart. When he sidesteps me, I reach out and grab his arm. “Caben, I didn’t mean—” “It’s fine, Kal,” he snaps. “We have work to do.” “No, I’ve said something to offend you.” I drop my hand, but keep close to him, not allowing him to leave my side. Goddess, trying to understand the male brain is harder than anything in protector training. I’ve heard people say that you have to tip-toe around a woman’s emotions, but a man’s ego is every bit as fragile, if not more so. He releases a heavy breath through his nose and walks back to the pool. He sits down along the edge and rolls up his pants, then slips off his boots. “I honestly don’t think Bax or his goons will be returning tonight.” He sinks his bare feet into the water and sighs. Glancing at the back of the cave, I plant my hands on my hips. We don’t have time for indulgencies, but the prince is still my charge. If it were my empress, I’d give her anything she’d ask for. Allow her as much time as she needed to collect herself. I have to watch over his mental state as well as protect him, so I try to push the pending need to find Lilly aside and sit down next to him. “Here,” he says, turning his hand out near my crossed feet. “You have to feel this.” A smile tugs at the corner of my mouth. “I can remove my own—” “Have you never been pampered a day in your life?” he asks, lifting an eyebrow. “I know that the Nactue are fierce and will put a hurt on any man for touching them. But try to relax.” “Is that the rumor in Perinya?” “What?” I bite my lip, suddenly regretting my blurt. “Nothing. Never mind.” From the corner of my eye, I see his lips pucker into a pinched smile, as if he’s trying not to. “Ah,” he says, like he’s made some great universal connection. “Well, there are many whisperings about the Nactue. Some I dare not repeat for fear I’d leave here missing a limb, but that’s one, yes.” He takes my booted foot and begins to unlace it. “I’ve heard that the empress’s protectors are untouchable—forbidden to give themselves to men. And that they’ll snap a man’s neck just for making an advance.” My mouth drops open. Appalled, I counter, “That’s not true.” “All right,” he says, as if he hasn’t just insulted my very existence. “It’s only rumors. Things men jaw about in pubs. The unattainable woman is a fantasy, Kal. Don’t be offended.” “Unattainable?” I grit my teeth, trying to maintain my composure. “Tell me, prince. Do men in your country just go around bedding every woman they can in order to keep them compliant?” I shake my head. “If their fantasy is a woman that would have nothing to do with them, it seems to me it’s their way of feeding their egos after being rejected.” His eyes widen. “No! How does your brain come up with these—” He bites off his words, his lips thin as he presses them together. “Look, it was a joke.” I nod, many times. “Another joke. I’m glad that our hard work and sacrifice is amusing to the men of Perinya.” Caben lets out another sigh and slowly pulls off my boot. His warm fingers skim my calf as he inches up my pant leg. “Just stick your foot in,” he says, then adds lower, “while I stick mine in my mouth.” Unexpectedly, I laugh. “At least it’s now clean,” I say. “Would you like some help getting it to your face?”

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