The Bone Season Samantha Shannon *ARC Tour Review*

WELCOME TO SCION.

NO SAFER PLACE.

In this review post you’ll find:

The synopsis

A ‘things you need to know’ section

My review

Author info

LINKS (:

Synopsis

It is the year 2059. Several major world cities are under the control of a security force called Scion. Paige Mahoney works in the criminal underworld of Scion London, part of a secret cell known as the Seven Seals. The work she does is unusual: scouting for information by breaking into others’ minds. Paige is a dreamwalker, a rare kind of clairvoyant, and in this world, the voyants commit treason simply by breathing.

But when Paige is captured and arrested, she encounters a power more sinister even than Scion. The voyant prison is a separate city—Oxford, erased from the map two centuries ago and now controlled by a powerful, otherworldly race. These creatures, the Rephaim, value the voyants highly—as soldiers in their army.

Paige is assigned to a Rephaite keeper, Warden, who will be in charge of her care and training. He is her master. Her natural enemy. But if she wants to regain her freedom, Paige will have to learn something of his mind and his own mysterious motives.

The Bone Season introduces a compelling heroine—a young woman learning to harness her powers in a world where everything has been taken from her. It also introduces an extraordinary young writer, with huge ambition and a teeming imagination. Samantha Shannon has created a bold new reality in this riveting debut.

| Goodreads | Amazon |

Doesn’t that sound incredible?? Yeah, I thought so too. By the end of the book, I felt it was a tad misleading…

But anyway, before I get into my review, there are two things that need to be addressed in regard to The Bone Season:

1) I want to put the Harry-Potter-level hype surrounding this book in its proper context by expressing that The Bone Season is not, in any way, shape, or form, a true rival of Harry Potter (except, perhaps, the hype).

You may be wondering why I bothered to mention HP in the first place. Well, Samantha Shannon is from the UK, The Bone Season is the first in a 7 book series, it deals with fantastical elements, it has a HUGE marketing campaign, and the book (or at least the idea behind it) seemed so impressive to certain people they decided, 'We're going to make this into a movie' AND 'We're going to translate this into 17 different languages.'

So, you see, mentioning HP was kind of necessary, really...because many believe that she is or is going to become the next J.K. Rowling.

But as I said, The Bone Season is not comparable. If you begin reading this novel with the notion that you're about to be sucked into a world of genius remotely as epic as Harry Potter (and I define epic, in part, by its ability to reach across generations), you will be disappointed.

You will be. Trust me. (And if you aren’t…my condolences on many levels.)

So don't do that. Begin reading The Bone Season like you would any other first novel of a series.

2) The Bone Season is a lot like Shadow and Bone. 

WHAT? I cannot believe you just made such a ludicrous claim! Take it back.

Ok, I admit that I had about the same reaction when I read a review that mentioned the similarity(ies). Of course I *had* noted some similarities, but I hadn't realized just how many there are.

Bottom line: If you liked Shadow and Bone, you'll probably like The Bone Season. If you didn't...well, there are still loads of things that *aren't* similar to Shadow and Bone...so you may still like it.

Personally, I generally don't care if a book is similar/uncannily similar to a previous one, especially if factors like geographic distance are part of the equation (Hunger Games and Battle Royale, anyone?). 

Every author borrows. Every single one. I don't think that Samantha Shannon even knew about Shadow and Bone when she wrote The Bone Season. And again, I don't much care because she still made her own story out of it; it isn’t a rip-off copy.

And because this needs Axel snark...Kioku shita ka?

**

Now that I've gotten that out of the way, let me also express that The Bone Season is more of a mature read--not really because of the themes it deals with, but because of the grittiness of the content. I was genuinely concerned that the protagonist was going to tear the lining of her esophagus because she threw up so many times.

That said, it might have a wider audience range than most YA novels because it has a lighter version of the grittiness of a novel like Game of Thrones for adults, and the age/dilemmas/themes it contains are typically presented to young adults.

*I was given an ARC copy to read in exchange for an honest review.*

AND NOW, what you've been patiently (or impatiently) waiting for: my review :3!

Pendomus Carissa Andrews *Book Blast and Giveaway*

This may well be the last book blast I have for you in October! But don't worry--if you enjoy blasts, that is; although I don't think November is going to be quite as bookish, I'll probably still have a few blasts. 

Same format as always: synopsis, author info, and a super cool giveaway (I am unashamed to say I plan to enter this one!)!

Pendomus is the first book in the Pendomus Chronicles series.

Synopsis

Humanity has colonized on the tidally locked planet Pendomus. 

Residing between extreme heat and frigid cold is the complex known as the Helix. Within lies a highly sophisticated society functioning solely on humans fulfilling their life’s purpose as determined by their natural aptitudes and daily brain scans. 

Seventeen-year-old Runa Cophem has found her calling studying the ancient trees nearby and anxiously awaits a professional placement which will allow her to continue her work. 

Runa’s life takes an unforeseen turn when she’s brutally attacked and left for dead in those woods. Rescued by a stranger with blue hair, she’s immersed into a surprising way humanity has survived without the Helix. Fueled by a yearning to understand and an attraction she didn’t even know was possible, Runa tries to make a new life for herself. Yet, there’s much she doesn’t know about herself, about the planet, and the forces controlling her from afar. 

What she needs are some answers.

| Goodreads | Amazon |

About the Author
Born and raised in central MN, Carissa Andrews has always loved books. She started her career at 15 in a bookstore, just to be able to afford her book fetish. By 19, she worked for a magazine publisher. At 22, she was working for printers to learn their trade. At 27, she went back to school for graphic design, and became an award winning designer. Little did she know all of her experiences would lead her to becoming a self-publishing power house.

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| Website |

Giveaway

Open to US only

Must be 13+ to enter

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*The Blue-Eyed General by Rebecca Inman Review*

Rebecca Inman's debut novel, The Blue-Eyed General, will be released tomorrow!

The Blue-Eyed General is a fantastical story about a girl with bright blue eyes whose sole purpose in life has been to avenge her friend by tracking down and defeating his murderer...and I'm excited to share my thoughts about the novel in a no-holds-barred review! :) 

The Blue-Eyed General will likely appeal to fans of the sci-fi/fantasy genre, gamers, and manga/anime otaku. For the most part, it's an entertaining read.

*I received an e-copy in exchange for an honest review.*

Synopsis

Jed’s dead. These are the words that transform seventeen year old Cecelia Rivermire’s quiet life into a manhunt. A manhunt to kill the man that murdered her only friend. A manhunt to kill the man that murdered her first love. In this quest for revenge, however, she’ll soon discover that everything she’s ever known has been a lie, including everything she thinks she knows about herself…

Set in a world where a dictator’s word is gospel, rebellion looms, and science and superstition collide with devastating consequences, The Blue-Eyed General follows Cecelia as she strives for her vengeance. Though the man she hunts is an extremely illusive figure, and she finds herself hunted by her own tyrannical Emperor, she’s confident that taking her revenge should be easy. After all, she’s no ordinary girl. With incredible strength, speed, and otherworldly blue eyes, she’s a beautiful enigma; but none of that can protect her from the terrifying places that her journey will take her to, and nothing on Gaia can prepare her for the horrible truths that she’ll learn about herself. By the time she’s done, Cecelia will wish that she’d left the past undisturbed.

With tensions and treason, madness and murder, romance and revelation, for the blue-eyed general, revenge really is only the beginning…

Find out more on...

| Goodreads |

Review

If you're looking for a book that is unique, yet has a distinctly Final Fantasy feel, The Blue-Eyed General is a good place to start!

While this book was not 'all that I hoped for a more', it had a relatively compelling plot, a very familiar environment (I grew up with Final Fantasy and I've been reading manga and watching anime for ages), and a lovable protagonist. I do, however, have mixed feelings about, well, pretty much everything.

Prose

The prose was *shocking*--in a I'm-not-sure-if-this-is-a-good-thing kind of way. It's tainted with a melodramatic flavor I felt was perhaps too blatant; there are more refined ways of expressing drama, tension, and panic than loading a paragraph with 5-6 exclamation points. 

If exclamation points aren't your thing, sorry. The typical paragraph has 3-6 exclamation points. And if there aren't an overwhelming number of exclamation marks, there are loads of question marks. (Or both [?!].) 

Because I'm a huge fan of manga/anime/j-drama (and because I'm pretty melodramatic myself lol), the style wasn't horrifically jarring; however, even I had trouble keeping my eyes from rolling, or yelling at the book, or ranting to my husband.

And yet, for all my snarkiness about this strategy...I can't say it doesn't work. 

Cecelia/Tieve is extremely immature and rambunctious, and she's easily incited to threaten (or perform) bodily harm. But the prose betrays the General's soft nature. Even after she's filleted people or after she *threatens* to kill people, her internal dialogue belies her anger and attitude. 

It's kind of like watching a kitten attempt to catch an evasive piece of string; while the chase is on, the kitten won't stop trying to reach that string, but once the kitten catches it, it's so content its entire demeanor changes. 

Yes, I am saying that you could compare Cecelia to a kitten.

Cecelia likes to think of herself as a tough, I-don't-take-crap--ever--kind of person. But the prose doesn't really back this persona up. She's fierce, but her ferocity is usually somewhat silly/melodramatic. Plus, the fact that she's so naive doesn't help her "I'm super tough" case much.

Somehow, it's as if the exclamation point overkill is strangely appropriate...

If The Blue-Eyed General becomes a manga, it will be BRILLIANT.

Characters


Cecelia is ridiculously full of herself, and wears erraticism like a second skin, becoming enraged at the slightest offense (and sometimes, non-offense, really, which is even worse). She *attacks* people. 

Personally, I don't have a problem with a character who attacks people, especially if they're supposed to be bad-arse or whatever. I mean, Cecelia is a general with super-human strength (hope that's not a spoiler...), so I understand her bouts of anger to a degree. I even understand her desire to assert herself--with force, if necessary. 

What I don't understand is how she can be angered by pretty much anything and everything to the point that she either inflicts harm or wants to...and still generally feels her sentiments and actions are justified.


That said, I still like Cecelia. There's something beautiful about the fact that she's flawed. Her perseverance to achieve her goals is undeniable, and she's gutsy. Despite her flaws, Cecelia is still a sympathtic and relateable character.


As for everyone else, I thought they were 'ok'. Nothing extraordinary, aside from Devin, who is fantastically weird. Derado is pretty creepy, too, though, so he's also a good fit for the title.

Most of the time I felt like the characters' immaturity in scenes could be compared to that of children; they get so angry over the pettiest things. It's a lot like listening to children whine about not being able to play with a toy they really want, actually.

Also, though the trajectory for the platonic relationship between Brey and Cecelia is hinted at extensively, the end result(s) still seemed too sudden for me.

Overall, most of the interactions didn't seem believable to me. The dialogue is diluted at most points and rather strained. Sometimes characters bicker just to bicker, and/or to pull readers into the story with action...but there isn't usually any real action behind those scenes.

Plot

The plot wasn't *stellar*, but it was definitely compelling enough to move forward! 

There were several things that piqued my curiosity--especially those lovely blue eyes. Such an enigma...! What did they mean? Where did they come from? Do other people have them? Are there other special powers that these eyes give people (Cecelia has super strength, so...maybe)?

And then there were the plot twists. Most of them were somewhat obvious--I played FF, remember?--and the fact that I've read loads of books and am in the process of writing my own series helped lol...but they were enjoyable for the most part. The ending was definitely the best--I loved it! 

I'm looking forward to reading the next installment ^_^. 

About the Author

She's not normal. Not even a little bit. Not at all.

Rebecca Inman was born and lives in Sheffield, UK, and spends most of her time at her laptop with a Peeta Mellark blanket wrapped around her constantly cold body. As a child, she could competently lie through her back teeth, so writing fiction always seemed like the most appropriate career move. She often wrote short stories when she was young, but never had the patience to sit down and complete a full-length novel. Deciding that writing shorter pieces better suited her one-track-mind then, she moved to Leeds to study English Literature in the hopes of entering into journalism. Her love of writing fantastical works of fiction never left her though, and after completing two degrees, and getting herself into a crap-load of debt, she moved back in with her mother to live out her twenties as an impoverished novelist. She enjoys reading YA books, listening to teentastic pop music sung by British five-pieces, and is convinced that she will one day actually transform into Taylor Swift.

You can connect with Rebecca on...

| Twitter |  Facebook |

| Website |
The link to the website is the right one, but it might not work. I've been trying and haven't been successful...but it could just be my internet. The others are good, though :)

**SPOILER ALERT** 

If you don't want to spoil the story, don't read this!!

**Blog Tour Excerpt, Review, and Giveaway: Broken Symmetry by Dan Rix**

Hello :3! Thanks for stopping in to find out more about Dan Rix's YA sci-fi novel, Broken Symmetry!

What you'll find in this post:

Synopsis & excerpt
My rating & review

Author info & a sweet giveaway :) 

Also, don't forget to check out the other blogs on the tour!  There are 5 other excerpts...plus there'll be interviews/guest posts. 

Author: Dan Rix

Publisher: Burning Ember Press

Date of Publication: July 28, 2013

Genre: YA sci-fi

SYNOPSIS
Eleven months after the father of sixteen-year-old Blaire Adams vanished without a trace, he's found wandering outside The Scripps Research Institute vomiting blood and speaking gibberish, his sole possession a worn leather diary filled with an unrecognizable language. He has a message for her.

As he dies in her arms, he claims he never vanished. She vanished.

In a nearby military quarantine zone, scientists are being called in from around the world to sequence a previously unknown strain of DNA. Scientists…and soldiers.

When her father’s autopsy reveals a rare chromosomal disorder—a disorder, it turns out, she inherited—Blaire begins to suspect her father’s last words weren’t induced by amnesia. Like her dad, she has an additional set of instructions in her genes—instructions for what, doctors can’t say. Only one thing is certain: it’s what killed him…and it will kill her too.

But now she’s haunted by prophetic nightmares of the Yellowjacket—a young murderer, eyes the black of charcoal, who lures his victims to suicide without ever paying them a visit. The only clue she has to his handiwork is a lingering feeling of déjà vu. That, and the nagging suspicion that all she knows is a mirage. She is certain of two things—though it may mean confiding in the wrong side of good and evil, he has the answers she needs.

And he is recruiting her.

EXCERPT :)

The glass under my thumb gave way. It was like a thin sheet of ice...melting under the warmth of my finger. I squealed and yanked my hand back.

I stared at the mirror, unable to believe what I’d just felt—and what I was seeing. My reflection had just vanished. So had Damian’s. 
Gone. And I understood. The mirror was now a portal; the world on the other side no longer matched our own.

“There. You just broke the symmetry,” said Damian. “Now try to get more of your hand through.”

Once again I grabbed his hand and touched the glass. This time, I melted through much faster—now that I believed it could happen—and got up to my wrist. On the other side, my hand tingled, like I had pressed it into an electric field. When I stopped moving my hand, it felt solid again.

Damian chuckled. “You already broke the symmetry. You can let go of my hand.”

If his hand had been a hot coal, I wouldn’t have dropped it any faster.

“Come on,” he said. “It’s just like a door now.” In a sudden, unbelievable moment, he took a giant step into the mirror—into what was now another room.

I tried to follow him, worked my hand through the mirror up to my elbow, then lost it. The glass hardened around skin, and a cold sweat broke out along my body. My arm wouldn’t budge. “Damian, I’m stuck,” I said, hating the fear in my voice.

“You’re not stuck,” he said, and through the partition of glass between us, his voice sounded muted. “Just relax.”

The harder I pushed, the harder the glass froze around my elbow, now cutting into my skin. I closed my eyes. I’m not stuck. I can walk through mirrors. And then I pictured Damian, and fantasized about him holding my hand again.

At last the glass melted, and I tumbled all the way through the mirror, praying he never managed to pry out of me my final thoughts about him. The moment I landed in his arms, I knew I had crossed over.

And I knew something had gone very wrong.

Find Broken Symmetry on...

| Amazon | Goodreads |

If I had to choose one word to describe Broken Symmetry, it would be **surprising**. Here's why:

I began reading my review copy of Broken Symmetry on Derek (my kindle)...and I was like, seriously? I was so disappointed with the prose, the dialogue, and, most of all, the characterization. 

Let's talk about characterization first. I thought Blaire, the popular and knock-out-pretty protagonist, was the stupidest psat semi-finalist to walk the planet. Plus, her arrogance and disrespect toward others really bothered me. 

The other characters were equally annoying--Amy because she was a jerkface all the time just because (I'm not exaggerating); Damian because he was selfish, arrogant, and seemed to enjoy playing with Blaire's feelings a little too much; Charles because he was unreasonable and enigmatic seemingly for the sake of frustrating our dear protagonist's plans...I could go on, but I think you understand why I was upset, so I won't. 

The gist: I didn't empathize with any of the characters because I found them so obnoxious (and irrational/erratic). *Don't worry, though; they come around :).* 

As for the prose and dialogue, well...the prose disappointed me because I didn't think the choppiness flattered the plot/characters in general. The dialogue often felt strained--and sometimes, it was pointless/irrelevant. The plot, however, kept me going from the beginning--who can resist a good mystery?

Still, at the quarter point I was unsure I'd be giving Broken Symmetry a rating of *3* stars, nevermind 5. 

But then Dan Rix showed me his genius as a writer and dreamer, and Broken Symmetry became INCREDIBLE.

So, wait. What happened???

For one thing, Rix submerged me into the concept of breaking symmetry. Breaking symmetry is both brilliant and fascinating, and he takes great effort to dumb the uber cool phenomenon down, which is wonderful, because it gets complicated really quickly. I got confused. I had to re-read. And I. Loved. It. In fact, the complexity of breaking symmetry continued to impress and intrigue me throughout the novel. 

For another, the oceanic philosophical (ontological, epistemological...) dilemma of Broken Symmetry made that of The Matrix look like a pond. I'm not saying Rix reflects the genius of Plato or Socrates; the dilemmas about the "realness of reality" aren't exactly new. But the depth was impressive nonetheless, and it was a huge factor in my rating. 

Broken Symmetry asks the question, Is this the Source (reality), or is this--and are we--merely a reflection? From this question a string of other pertinent questions follow: If we're reflections, does our existence matter? Could it even be considered 'existence'? Can we obtain certainty (or rational confidence lol) that we aren't reflections/that we aren't in a reflection? If so, how? And then there are less critical questions that we could ask--if this is a reflection, how far down are we?

The other surprise was the growth of the characters; almost every character became sympathetic (to a degree) to me by the end. They learned from mistakes, revealed their motivations, and became believable. 

While I personally can't recommend Broken Symmetry for its dialogue or characterization in general (though that excerpt above is fantastic), the story is fairly riveting and the questions it raises are worth investigating. Plus, breaking symmetry really is fascinating ;)! I'd definitely recommend it.

My final rating is...*drumroll please*

3.5 paopu fruits! (Erm...stars...) 

About the Author

Dan Rix lives in Santa Barbara, California with his fiancée, paranormal romance author Laura Thalassa. He started writing his first novel in college while procrastinating his architecture studio work.

Connect with Dan on...

| His blog | Facebook | Twitter |

Giveaway Time!

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Sisters in Bloom (Snow Sisters 2) By Melissa Foster *Book Blast and Giveaway*

This *should* be the last blast this week...but I may be wrong. ^_^'

Sisters in Bloom is the second book in the Snow Sisters series.


Synopsis

You loved Danica and Kaylie in SISTERS IN LOVE, find out what happens next with

SISTERS IN BLOOM

Kaylie Snow has always been the fun, flirty, pretty sister. Now, her burgeoning baby bump, hormone infused emotions, and faltering singing career are sending her into an unexpected identity crisis. Watching her older sister Danica glide through a major career change and a new relationship with the grace of a ballerina, Kaylie’s insecurities rise to the forefront—and her relationship, with fiancé Chaz Crew, is caught in the crossfire.

Chaz Crew has everything he’s ever wanted: a lovely fiancé, a baby on the way, and soon, the film festival he owns will host its biggest event ever. When he’s called away to woo the festival’s largest sponsor—and the lover he’s never admitted to having—secrets from his past turn his new life upside down.

With her baby shower around the corner, and her fiancé’s big event looming, the pressure is on for Kaylie to pull herself together—and for Chaz to right his wrongs. In a few short weeks, the couple who had it all figured out will learn things about life and love that may change their minds—and their hearts.

SISTERS IN BLOOM is a testament to the bond of sisters, the strength of women, and the pains and delights that accompany motherhood. A book for every mother, sister, and daughter, SISTERS IN BLOOM will resonate with readers who love to explore family dramas

| Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads |

About the Author

Melissa Foster is the award-winning author of four International bestselling novels. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, the World Literary Café. 

When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on  Fostering Success. Melissa is also a community builder for the Alliance for Independent Authors. She has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.

Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.

Visit Melissa on The Women’s Nest, Fostering Success, or World Lit Cafe. Join Melissa and the YaYa Writer Girls at their annual in-person event. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.

Giveaway

Win a $10 Amazon Gift Card!

Us Only

Must be 13+ to enter

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Black by Russell Blake *Book Blast and Giveaway*

It's another blast and (INTL) giveaway :3! Enjoy.

Synopsis

Artemus Black. Perennially down-on-his-luck Hollywood PI whose Bogie fixation is as dated as his wardrobe. With an assistant who mocks him relentlessly, an obese cat that loathes him, a romantic life that's deader than Elvis, money problems, booze, nicotine, and anger management issues, how much worse can it get? When he takes a case that's supposed to be easy money working for a celebrity whose colleagues and surrounding paparazzi are dropping faster than interest in the star's big comeback, the cakewalk turns ugly and Black finds himself in a web of deceit, betrayal, and murder - and bad hair days.

The first in a new series from bestselling author Russell Blake, Black is a detective mystery with a difference that fans of the genre are sure to enjoy.

| Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads |

Praise for Black: 

“A sadistically good writer.” – The Kindle Book Review

“I haven’t been this excited by a new series in a long time. I’ve read five or six Blake books, which were all very good, but he absolutely nails the hard-boiled genre. He has a knack for creating memorable characters and the main character Black and his assistant will not be forgotten anytime soon. I’ve always enjoyed Blake’s humor, but the dialogue between the two aforementioned characters is hysterical. Finally – as usual, Blake moves the book along at a nice pace with enough twists, turns, and adventure to keep any reader engrossed. I can’t wait for the next one in this series.” Trenchgold, Amazon 5 Star review.

“I’ve read several of Blake’s books and this is my favorite. It features well developed characters, great humor, and a fun plot. The writing is also fantastic. I especially love the book’s treatment of LA, and its characters, more often than not leftovers from broken dreams. If you love Elmore Leonard, and who doesn’t, you’re going to love Black. Five stars.” Wright Forbucks, Amazon 5 Star review.

About the Author
Russell Blake is the bestselling author of twenty-two novels, including the thrillers Fatal Exchange, The Geronimo Breach, Zero Sum, King of Swords, Night of the Assassin, Revenge of the Assassin, Return of the Assassin, Blood of the Assassin, The Delphi Chronicle trilogy, The Voynich Cypher, Silver Justice, JET, JET II – Betrayal, JET III – Vengeance, JET IV – Reckoning, JET V – Legacy, Upon A Pale Horse, and BLACK. Non-fiction includes the international bestseller An Angel With Fur (animal biography) and How To Sell A Gazillion eBooks In No Time (even if drunk, high or incarcerated), a parody of all things writing-related. Blake lives in Mexico and enjoys his dogs, fishing, boating, tequila and writing, while battling world domination by clowns. 

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| Website |

Giveaway

Win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

INTL

Must be 13+ to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Born of Deception (Born of Illusion #2) by Teri Brown *Cover Reveal*

Hello all :)! I'm a bit later than usual posting, but I'm very excited about this one. 

Obviously you all want to see this fabulous cover of Born of Deception (right??!)...so I'm going to do the reveal and then give you the skinny on the book and the author (with lots o' links :3). Woot woot!

Synopsis
Budding illusionist Anna Van Housen is on top of the world: after scoring a spot on a prestigious European vaudeville tour, she has moved to London to chase her dream and to join an underground society for people like her with psychic abilities. Along with her handsome beau, Cole Archer, Anna is prepared to take the city by storm.

But when Anna arrives in London, she finds the group in turmoil. Sensitives are disappearing and, without a suspect, the group’s members are turning on one another. Could the kidnapper be someone within the society itself—or has the nefarious Dr. Boyle followed them to London?

As Cole and Anna begin to unravel the case and secrets about the society are revealed, they find themselves at odds, their plans for romance in London having vanished. Her life in danger and her relationship fizzling, can Anna find a way to track down the killer before he makes her his next victim—or will she have to pay the ultimate price for her powers?

Set in Jazz-Age London, this alluring sequel to Born of Illusion comes alive with sparkling romance, deadly intrigue, and daring magic.

| Amazon | Goodreads |

About the Author
I’m not sure who to tell you about here because I’m actually two people rolled into one. As a responsible mother of teens, I show one persona to the world. That person is driven, conservative and level headed. But the other part of me just never grew up. She is rebellious, impulsive and curious.

It’s hard being both these people. They’re often at odds.
The mother part of me knows I should put a cap on how many animals we take in. The teen part of me wants to save them all. We have five cats and two dogs. Who do you think is winning?
Even now. The mother part wants to make a meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and a tossed salad. The teen part wants to order a pizza, work on my website and check my Facebook.

Luckily, though my two halves don’t always agree, both of us live happily in Portland, Oregon, with a husband and too many animals. And we both love to write and write and write...

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| Website |

Giveaway

Win an ARC of Born of Deception!

US Only

Must be 13+ to enter

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The Cutting Room Floor by Dawn Klehr *Book Blast*

Here's the second blast and giveaway :)! 

Synopsis

Behind-the-scenes secrets could turn deadly for Desmond and Riley

Life in the Heights has never been easy for seventeen-year-old Riley Frost, but when she's publicly dumped and outed at the same time, she becomes an immediate social outcast at her high school. So Riley swears off romance and throws herself into solving the shocking murder of her favorite teacher, Ms. Dunn.

Riley turns to her best friend, budding filmmaker Desmond Brandt, for help. What she doesn't know is that Dez has been secretly directing her life, blackmailing her friends, and hoping his manipulations will make her love him. When his schemes go too far, Dez's web of lies threatens to destroy both of their lives.

| Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Goodreads | Kobo |

About the Author

Dawn Klehr began her career in TV and though she’s been on both sides of the camera, she prefers to lurk behind the lens. Mostly, she loves to get lost in stories –in film, the theater, or on the page – and is a sucker for both the sinister and the sappy. She’s currently channeling her dark side as she works on her next book.

Dawn lives in the Twin Cities with her funny husband, adorable son, and naughty dog. The Cutting Room Floor is her debut YA novel. 

|Twitter | Facebook |

| Website |

Giveaway

Win a $25 Amazon gift card!

INTL

Must be 13+ to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Phantom Eyes (Witch Eyes #3) by Scott Tracey *Book Blast*

Today I have 2 book blasts--and 2 giveaways--to share with everyone! As usual, there'll be a synopsis, author info, lots o' links, and an uber fantastic giveaway!

Synopsis

Every child in Belle Dam is taught about the feud from an early age. There are ‘our’ people and ‘their’ people. Friends and enemies. Associates and strangers. It’s the kind of town where eyes are always watching, and you don’t need a reason to sell out your neighbors.

But the feud is a lie. As a new wave of fury sweeps through the town, creating a third front to an already overtaxed war, Braden has been broken worse than ever. His innocence? Shattered. His heart? Crushed. His magic? Gone. His new life? Ruined. And this is only the beginning.

Beneath the city lay deep wellsprings of power. The one who controls them is the one who will win the feud. In a city filled with puppet masters, Braden must elude their strings and end the feud once and for all. But first, he must outsmart his father, evade Catherine’s dark magic, regain what was stolen from him, trick a phantom who refuses to die, and foil a demon’s master plan.

Even then, he may not survive. Because power is a problem, and victory comes with a cost…

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About the Author

Scott wrote his autobiography at age six, and its all been downhill since then. He traveled the country on a Greyhound for a month, devoted a semester of school to starting a series of urban legends, and spent five years perfecting how to say “would you like fries with that” for a short story. Or so he claims.

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Giveaway

Win a complete autographed set of The Witch Eyes Trilogy!

Open to US only 

Must be 13+ to enter

a Rafflecopter giveaway