Cinderella’s Inferno Blog Tour – Excerpt and Giveaway

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Title: CINDERELLA’S INFERNO (Cinderella, Necromancer #2)

Author: F.M. Boughan

Pub. Date: May 28, 2018

Publisher: Month9Books

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook

Pages: 324

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD

 

Purity cannot abide the darkness.
It’s been two years since Ellison defeated her stepsisters and sent her evil stepmother back into the Abyss.

Though she’s learning to control her dark magic and has spent time traveling with Prince William and bringing peace to the kingdom, one fact remains. She is a necromancer and he is a paladin of light. And so, the king refuses to give his blessing for them to marry.

To appease his father, William has begun to avoid her. But when even her younger brother Edward grows distant, Ellison learns her mother’s spirit has been visiting Edward in secret, threatening to overwhelm him with her own loneliness and longing. When Ellison accidentally touches her mother’s spirit, her tainted touch condemns her mother’s spirit to eternal damnation.

Ellison resolves to descend into hell to save her mother’s soul and bring her physical body back to the world of the living. William hopes this good deed will bring Ellison into favor and finally allow them to be wed.

But the journey through hell is fraught with peril. Temptations abound and the demons Ellison sent back to the Abyss are thirsty for revenge.

Evil cannot be defeated without sacrifice—but when that sacrifice means choosing between the ones Ellison loves and her very own life, how far is she willing to go to make her family whole again?

Excerpt from Chapter 4, “The Damning”

 

I crouched beside the iron gate, peering above the branches of a roughly trimmed hedge to watch Edward’s hand reach toward our mother as she, too, extended hers to him. I hoped for a word of joy or encouragement that Edward might pass on to Father and me. Or, better still, a reason for her absence. I didn’t need to touch her, I would not inflict purposeful pain, but did she truly believe otherwise? Perhaps she recalled that moment two years prior when we’d reached for each other—how angry, black scabs had formed over her luminescent spirit flesh when we’d made contact. I still heard her cries of pain, recalling easily the way my skin had burned at her touch. Did she fear I would reach for her again, that I would cause her purity to fester? Was that why she’d stayed away?

Anger flared in my belly and unbalanced my deep crouch. My toe caught on the front of my skirt and I toppled forward to land directly in front of the closed gate. No longer hidden by the hedge, I held a quiet hope that the fumble had gone unnoticed. But when I glanced up to regard my family, Edward gaped as though he had forgotten my presence at all, and my mother—oh, my dear and most precious mother—was not pleased to see me. If she had any reaction at all, I might have called it … anger. Or was it blame?

“Ella, go back,” Edward pleaded.

“Mother, please,” I breathed. She didn’t speak to me but the air around her shimmering form darkened. The dulled brightness of her spirit dimmed further, and I stared in alarm as I rose to my feet.

“No, Ella. Go.” Edward took a step toward me as I found myself pressed into the iron gate. My trembling fingers caught the latch and raised it. My mother’s spirit, faded and stark, lifted her palms toward me—not beckoning, but forbidding.

“Why don’t you want me?” My voice cracked, and I choked on the words as I stepped through onto hallowed ground. “Why doesn’t anyone want me?”

 

Title: CINDERELLA NECROMANCER

Author: F.M. Boughan

Pub. Date: September 5, 2017

Publisher: Month9Books, LLC

Pages: 324

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it: Amazon, B&N,  iBooks, TBD, Goodreads

 

CINDERELLA,NECROMANCER is CHIME meets ANNA, DRESSED IN BLOOD and was inspired by a real medieval grimoire of necromancy from 15th-century Germany.

Ellison lost her mother at an early age. But since then, her father has found love again. He’s happy and doesn’t quite notice that Ellison does not get along with his new wife or her mean daughters.

When Ellison discovers a necromantic tome while traveling the secret passages of her father’s mansion, she wonders if it could be the key to her freedom.

Until then, she must master her dark new power, even as her stepmother makes her a servant in her own home. And when her younger brother falls incurably ill, Ellison will do anything to ease his pain, including falling prey to her stepmother and stepsisters’ every whim and fancy.

Stumbling into a chance meeting of Prince William during a secret visit to her mother’s grave feels like a trick of fate when her stepmother refuses to allow Ellison to attend a palace festival.

But what if Ellison could see the kind and handsome prince once more? What if she could attend the festival? What if she could have everything she ever wanted and deserved by conjuring spirits to take revenge on her cruel stepmother?

As Ellison’s power grows, she loses control over the evil spirits meant to do her bidding. And as they begin to exert their own power over Ellison, she will have to decide whether it is she or her stepmother who is the true monster.

About F.M. Boughan:

F.M. Boughan is a bibliophile, a writer, and an unabashed parrot enthusiast. She can often be found writing in local coffee shops, namely because it’s hard to concentrate with a cat lying on the keyboard and a small, colorful parrot screaming into her ear. Her work is somewhat dark, somewhat violent, somewhat hopeful, and always contains a hint of magic.

You can follow Faith on Twitter (@FaithBoughan) for plenty of flailing about food (she likes to cook!), TV shows (she watches too many), and world dance (did you know she’s been performing & instructing in Bollywood-style dance for over 8 years?).

Or catch her on Facebook where she just might post pictures of her adorable cat & bird… among other things.

F.M. Boughan is represented by Bill Contardi of Brandt & Hochman.

 

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodread

Giveaway Details:

 1 winner will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card.

 

Rafflecopter Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2753/?

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

6/11/2018- Dorky Girl and Skeletor– Excerpt

6/11/2018- Writer of Wrongs– Review

 

6/12/2018- Book Briefs– Interview

6/12/2018- Book-o-Craze– Spotlight

 

6/13/2018- For the Lover of Books– Review

6/13/2018- Books a Plenty Book Reviews– Spotlight

 

6/14/2018- Lauren is Reading– Review

6/14/2018- A Gingerly Review– Excerpt

 

6/15/2018- Book-Keeping– Guest Post

6/15/2018- RhythmicBooktrovert– Spotlight

 

Week Two:

6/18/2018- Zach’s YA Reviews– Review

6/18/2018- Rattle the Stars– Spotlight

 

6/19/2018- Bluestocking Bookworm– Review

6/19/2018- A Dream Within A Dream– Excerpt

 

6/20/2018- books are love– Review

6/20/2018- Here’s to Happy Endings– Excerpt

 

6/21/2018- Blushing Bibliophile– Review

6/21/2018- Two Chicks on Books– Interview

 

6/22/2018- Bookroomreviews– Guest Post

6/22/2018- Tales of the Ravenous Reader– Guest Post

 

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Lost Until You Blog Tour – Excerpt Post

 

Today we have the blog tour for Kimberly Daniels’ LOST UNTIL YOU! Check it out and be sure to grab your copy today!

Title: LOST UNTIL YOU

Author: Kimberly Daniels

Genre: Contemporary Romance

About Lost Until You:

Camryn Singer never imagined that she would return to the place where she lost everything. To grant a dying wish, she and her young son make the move back to the small Jersey beach town where she grew up, hoping to somehow find the missing pieces of her life. Determined to keep her heart guarded, the last thing she needs is the force that is sexy surfer, Cole Stevens, literally slamming into her life.

Struggling against growing feelings for Cole, Camryn tries to focus on life with her son. But when Cole picks the lock to her heart, Camryn knows he might be the one to change everything. Just when Camryn thinks she’s finally finding her happiness, a ghost from the past comes back to haunt her.

Get Your Copy Today!

Amazon | iBooks | Kobo | B&N | Evernight Publishing

 

Excerpt:

Grabbing a striped beach blanket hanging over the side of the lifeguard stand, he reaches for my hand to lead me away. As the houses that line the beach begin to disappear from sight, I have an idea about where we are going. When we reach the inlet, Cole boosts me up on the jetty and then leads me to an opening that is hidden behind the flat-top rocks that are exposed to the rough waters. He unfolds the blanket and spreads it over the damp sand between the rocks that hide us. The privacy of this spot makes me wonder how many teenagers sneak here for heavy make-out sessions.

As a small laugh escapes me, I tease, “So how many women have you brought here and had your way with?”

He guides me down and places me gently against the blanketed sand. “None at this point. But I’m hoping I can add one to my list by the end of the day.”

 

 

About the Author:

Kimberly Daniels is a middle school English Teacher who took the advice of her students to pursue her writing hobby as a career. When she’s not at her laptop dreaming up new happily-ever-afters, she can be found glued to the TV or Kindle consumed with a new show or book addiction. She lives with her husband and two daughters in in the suburbs of Philadelphia, spending weekends at basketball games, softball fields, and dance recitals.

 

Connect with Kimberly:

Website | FB Page | FB Profile | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page

Enter Kimberly’s Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

MONSTERLAND REANIMATED: Excerpt & Giveaway

 

About The Book:

Title: MONSTERLAND REANIMATED

Author: Michael Okon

Pub. Date: April 13, 2018

Publisher: WordFire Press

Formats: Hardcover, Paperback, eBook, audiobook

Pages: 267

Find it: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, Kobo, Goodreads

 

After Monsterland has been destroyed, the entire world is thrown into chaos. Wyatt Baldwin and his friends must go beyond the boundaries of their small town to reestablish contact with the outside world. During their journey they discover a new threat released from the bowels of the defunct theme park. The danger of werewolves, vampires and zombies pale in comparison to an army of relentless mummies, Vincent Conrad’s reanimated monster and the menace of a life-sucking ooze they call The Glob.  Wil Wyatt and his friends survive when they reenter the scariest place on earth?

Excerpt:

Front page of the Copper Valley Sun

President of the US, World Leaders,and Thousands Dead

 

Many still missing as the world reels from the impact

of the Monsterland disaster

 

Multitudes are still unaccounted for and presumed dead. Escaping werewolves, vampires, and zombies of Dr. Vincent Konrad’s theme parks inexplicably escaped en masse and massacred unwitting parkgoers … Massive government shutdowns as the world teeters on the brink of chaos.

 

Chapter 1

The Night After the Monsterland Catastrophe

 

A bright moon painted the desert’s surface pewter. Here and there, dark spots soiled the landscape like oil spills. Most of the bodies had been taken before the troops were ordered to leave. They carted away the corpses, bulldozing the zombies into mass graves, until radios chirped with urgent orders deploying the soldiers to the bigger threats that erupted in the main cities like a chain of angry volcanos.

Monsterland was extinguished, its carcass left for the vultures to pick, the exhibits silent as a tomb.

The dead president and his equally dead entourage were whisked away on Air Force One, along with the dark-clad special operatives that came and left like the brisk desert wind that now howled through the empty streets.

A gate screamed in the silence, slamming with a reverberating smash. The uneven gait of someone with a physical challenge filled the void. The scrape and plod of his limp echoed against the wall of mountains framing the theme park. His labored breathing huffed as he made his way down the streets.

A door creaked loudly as it was blown by the wind. He stopped, his distorted figure silhouetted in the pale moonlight, his body turning silver. He looked at the broken glass littering the pavement like diamonds, then up to the still, pre-dawn sky. He considered the sun peeking over the jagged horizon in the east, its golden light painting the dips and hollows of the hills. Soon the coming day would chase the darkness away.

Time was the enemy now. He had to move faster, or it would be too late. He picked up his pace, lurching along the winding road. A keening howl ricocheted through the streets, bouncing off the walls. It sounded like a … no, he thought, it couldn’t be. The werewolves were all dead. Destroyed by Vincent Konrad when he made their heads explode.

The old man paused, listening for it again, and was not disappointed when the animal whimpered. He gauged it to be inside the defunct vampire exhibit. He moved toward the entrance. The storefronts had been destroyed. A few body parts lay on the pavement, as if people had discarded them in a rush. He heard the scraping of paws on the street and a shiver went down his crooked spine.

He knew the werewolves were dead; he had seen it with his own eyes. A figure detached from the shadows. Igor flattened himself against the wall. He watched it move stealthily down the street, stopping when it scavenged a morsel of rotting flesh. It looked up to stare at Igor, its eyes glowing in the darkness.

A coyote? He waved a hand, dismissing it. It had to be a coyote; it was too small to be a wolf, too big to be a dog. The beast twitched its ears, then resumed its meal.

Igor knew the coyote was not a threat, and he continued his mission. His lame foot hit a can, sending a cacophony of sound like an explosion in the deserted park. The beast dropped the bone it was gnawing on, sniffing the area. Its iridescent eyes searched the streets.

It could be a baby wolf, Igor thought, keeping himself as still as possible. He felt it watching him, even from this distance. It was not a threat, yet.

Igor skittered away, hugging the walls of Monsterland, putting as much distance as he could between them. Not an easy feat, considering his distorted hips. He muttered to himself about carrion and the wind. His eyes darted nervously, scouring the hills, not exactly sure what he was looking for. Adrenaline coursed through his veins. His heart pounded so loudly he was certain that the creature watching him could hear it too.

His feet stumbling to a halt, he bent over, gasping for air, cursing Vincent and those meddlesome teenagers, as well as the rest of the world.

The beast gave another mournful howl that went right through him. Igor glanced at his empty hands, berating himself for not bringing a weapon. He searched his surroundings for anything to protect himself.

Then he saw it, one of the axes they had on almost every corner. All of them had been pulled from their protective cases. One was lying in a pool of coagulating blood, the blade long gone. He picked up the broken axe handle, turning in a semicircle. He was ready for an attacker.

A new, larger outline made his heart quiver with fear. It crouched in a corner, its snout covered with blood. This one was bigger, not a coyote, a wild wolf. Wait, he thought. Weren’t the gray wolves of California all but extinct?

Igor narrowed his eyes. The beast was a light reddish brown and not the silver gray of a wolf ’s pelt. A chain hung from its neck, the pendant of a werewolf ’s head dangling, emerald eyes flashing. What was it? Was it a mutant coyote? A wolf ? Some weird hybrid, he wondered for a minute, his breath harsh in his ears. They watched each other soundlessly.

A hybrid then. He’d heard about them, a rare mixture of wolf and coyote. What did they call them? Coywolves …? or was it Woyotes? He shrugged indifferently. Perhaps someone’s pet, he decided. Igor’s mirthless laugh came out like a snort.

The coywolf stood still, its ears alert, its head cocked as if it was observing him.

Igor dropped the makeshift weapon, calling out, “Eat the rest of your meal, you dumb beast.”

The animal continued to watch him, its two front paws on the remains of a zombie’s chest.

Igor wiped his forehead, waiting, his eyes coming back to search the village, confirming it was empty, except for the carrion eaters like the coyotes and vultures. He looked up, noting the circling predators waiting for him to move on.

“Interrupted your meal,” he chuckled. Just the local scavengers looking for food. That was all; the shadows revealed nothing else. Satisfied he was alone, he moved on. He had work to do.

A paper flew past him, hitting a kiosk as the wind plastered it against its surface. It flapped like a dying bird. Igor reached over, taking the fluttering paper, peering at the map of the park, the one they gave people as they entered Monsterland. A bark of laughter escaped his mouth.

He looked up at the giant monolith that was once the Werewolf River Run, its hulking shape obscuring the horizon. “You are here,” he giggled, pointing a grimy finger on the paper’s surface. He dragged his deformed body further down the pavement. The storefronts that used to be Monsterland’s Main Street yawned vacantly, the wind whistling through the narrow alleyways. “Now, you are here,” he laughed. Shouting, he listened to the sound of his voice bouncing off the blood-splattered walls.

He made his way to the back end of the zombie village, feeling like the last man on earth. He glanced around at the desolate landscape. His home, the beautiful theme park, was little more than ruins destroyed by the army.

His nose twitched from the fetid smell of rot. The US Army had massacred the zombies. The troops came like a force of nature wiping out everything in its path, every last one of them blown away by the troops.

They were black ops, special forces, he knew from their uniforms. He wondered if things were indeed going as planned. He shrugged, knowing right now nothing mattered except for what he had to do. The irony that he was just about the most important man on earth brought more amusement to his smile.

The local police force was gone, as were the leaders of most countries in the world. He knew all was chaos outside, perhaps even war, each nation blaming the next for the loss of their leadership. Not to worry, he thought. Vincent left America in capable hands.

Dreams do come true, he snickered. Nightmares too, he finished the thought. A long line of drool pulled at his lower lip. He paused at a pothole in the road, decomposing body parts glistening, the disappearing moon turning the bits of bone and brains pearly.

Anxiety bloomed in his chest as he passed the opaque windows of Vincent’s derelict Monsterland hotel, the Copper Valley Inn. He hated that place. Abandoned construction vehicles were frozen in their spots, testimony to the hotel’s unfinished business.

Despite the pastel colors of its exterior, it sat like an ominous crypt to the part of the theme park that Vincent could never control. Told Vincent it was a money pit. Crews couldn’t work because … well, it didn’t matter anymore. The help was all dead. He thought he saw a light flicker in the window, but when he turned, he realized it was nothing more than a sputtering gas lamp that had never been disconnected.

He stood for a while, staring for more activity, and then jerked with the realization that he waited too long and wasted precious time. Surely no one expected him to go searching during the heat of battle.

Vincent said it was enough time to set up the timetable. Vincent knew everything, and Igor felt his panic ebb. It had been barely twenty-four hours since the attack. For all he knew, he could be on a fool’s errand.

He pressed his hand on his hip, his back screaming with resentment at so much movement. He was not used to any exercise. He sighed, wiping his brow with the ragged end of his costume, the lace scratching his skin. He caught the cuff, snagging the material with his teeth, tugging it free from his velvet jacket. He loathed the show and was glad he’d never have to endure the humiliation of performing again, especially with the vamps. Those condescending, blood-sucking parasites. He wouldn’t have to worry about them anymore, he thought with satisfaction. Vincent had promised he’d not have to endure them for long, living up to his part of the bargain quite nicely. They were gone, torn apart by the werewolves or transformed into a tasty dinner by the zombies. Either way, they wouldn’t be bullying him with their nasty insults. Something buzzed around him, and he swiped at it.

It felt as though he walked to the other side of the earth. Why Vincent had to pick Zombieville to make his last stand, he’d never know. The Werewolf River Run would have been much more convenient. It was getting lighter now, and he could easily make out the smoking devastation.

He searched the horizon, his eyes resting on the burnt wreckage of a golf cart, the torched skeleton listing at an odd angle.

Pulling his lame foot, he pushed himself as fast as his body could travel, his breath hitching with the effort.

The corpse was gone. He knew they would have taken that for DNA testing, proof that the enemy was vanquished. The only things left were the putrid carcasses from Monsterland, the decaying zombies, massacred vampires, and what was left of the werewolves after Vincent had exterminated them.

He climbed a small hill, his bad leg screaming with pain. Igor crowed with triumph when he saw it, the discarded lump of flesh, lying forgotten in a ditch, face down. He shivered as the desert wind stirred and eddied around him. Damn, but it was desolate here.

He hunkered down, forcing himself to skitter on the hardpacked earth. He wondered what his son, the vice president—no, he corrected himself, the new president of the United States, Mr. Nate Owens—would think of his father now, scrambling like a dung beetle in the dirt.

He cursed. The drool was back, dripping from his mouth like a sparkling spider web. Instead of rising—it was beyond him at this point—he shimmied over to the severed head, reaching forward, reverently, grabbing it by the matted hair, and grasping it to his chest.

The black eyes stared back dully, the dark depths reflecting the hunchback’s twisted smile.

Vincent Konrad’s lifeless face lay in his hands, the pale lips open in a soundless scream.

“I’m so happy I could kiss you, Vincent!” he told the decapitated head. He cradled the face of his friend. “We’ll get you fixed up in no time.”

The moon bathed the face a pale blue. The hunchback jiggled the dead weight, cackling with delight as the one papery eyelid drooped as if it were winking.

In the distance, that coywolf howled, making Igor suck in his breath with fear. He tucked the head under his arm as he struggled back up the small hill, mumbling something about Plan B.

 

Title: MONSTERLAND

Author: Michael Okon

Pub. Date: October 13, 2017

Publisher: WordFire Press

Pages: 214

Formats: Paperback eBook

Find it: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD, Goodreads

 

Welcome to Monsterland, the scariest place on earth.

When world markets are decimated by a crippling plague, philanthropist, and billionaire businessman, Vincent Konrad decides to place monsters in a theme park setting to promote education and tolerance. Copper Valley is chosen as the primary site for the park in the United States.

Wyatt Baldwin, a high school senior is dying to go to the opening and when he lands special passes to the park, he and his friends are expecting the experience of a lifetime.

After all, in a theme park where real zombies, werewolves, and vampires are the main attractions, what could possibly go wrong?

Book Trailer:

 

Link:

https://youtu.be/aMcub3RN5JI

 

About Michael:

Michael Okon is an award-winning and best-selling author of multiple genres including paranormal, thriller, horror, action/adventure and self-help. He graduated from Long Island University with a degree in English, and then later received his MBA in business and finance. Coming from a family of writers, he has storytelling in his DNA. Michael has been writing from as far back as he can remember, his inspiration being his love for films and their impact on his life. From the time he saw The Goonies, he was hooked on the idea of entertaining people through unforgettable characters.

Michael is a lifelong movie buff, a music playlist aficionado, and a sucker for self-help books. He lives on the North Shore of Long Island with his wife and children.

 Find Michael:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Goodreads | Snapchat

 

Giveaway Details:

2 winners will receive a signed finished copy of MONSTERLAND REANIMATED, US Only.

 

Rafflecopter Link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2739/?

 

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/30/2018- Devouring Books– Review

4/30/2018- A Gingerly Review– Excerpt

 

5/1/2018- Novel Novice– Guest Post

5/1/2018- Cindy’s Love of Books– Spotlight

 

5/2/2018- Twirling Book Princess– Excerpt

5/2/2018- Reese’s Reviews– Spotlight

 

5/3/2018- A Dream Within A Dream– Excerpt

 

5/4/2018- FUONLYKNEW– Spotlight

5/4/2018- Dazzled by Books– Excerpt

 

Week Two:

5/7/2018- Sweet Southern Home– Review

 

5/8/2018- BookHounds YA– Interview

5/8/2018- Two Chicks on Books– Excerpt

 

5/9/2018- Birdie Bookworm– Review

5/9/2018- Owl Always Be Reading– Excerpt

 

5/10/2018- Don’t Judge, Read– Review

 

5/11/2018- Books A-Brewin’– Excerpt

 

 

The Sweet Life: Book Excerpt & Giveaway

www.rockstarbooktours.com

 

About the Book:

Title: THE SWEET LIFE

Author: Dakota Star

Pub. Date: March 28, 2018

Publisher: Limitless Publishing, LLC

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Pages: 176

Find it: Amazon, B&N, Goodreads

 

Alexis takes her job very seriously. As one of the younger account executives, proving herself in the workplace is much more important than having a love life. And now that she’s been assigned a dude ranch account, she’s more determined than ever to show her doubters that she has what it takes.
Unfortunately there’s a tall, hot-tempered, brown-eyed cowboy who manages to distract Alexis from her goal by grabbing her attention…in a non-professional kind of way.

Mitch is the cowboy of her dreams—and also a distraction her career can’t afford.
And the real doozy? He also happens to be the ranch owner’s son, and this little fact alone has the potential to ruin everything for this city girl.

Excerpt:

Alexis followed Mitch outside, butterflies tickling her stomach. The crisp night air smelled delightful after the crowded, stuffy bar. They passed by a bonfire at the edge of the lake, roaring red and orange. Children scurried around with marshmallows on sticks while parents watched on. He kept hold of her hand as they climbed a rugged, twisting path. Alexis slipped a couple times, prompting Mitch to put a gentle hand against her back. Her lungs ached by the time they reached the top. So much for all the money she spent on cardio and kickboxing. They settled on a large boulder, shoulder to shoulder. Small trees lined up like soldiers behind them. In front of her, a valley lay dark and undisturbed, the only noise a faint echo from the dude ranch.

“Look up,” he said.

She did, and all her negative thoughts fled. Heavenly was now a term she better understood. The stars above shone bright and numerous, so many she couldn’t even attempt to count them. She hardly ever stargazed in New York, where the night stars battled streetlights and neon store signs.

“It’s spectacular,” she said.

“No. You are.” He turned her head toward his with a gentle hand and kissed her. At first, their lips barely met, but soon his lips devoured hers. Time stood still under the eternity of the stars, and she lost herself in his touch. “What number is your cabin?” He broke the connection.

“Three.” It was hard to think, and forming words became a chore. “Why?”

“Why do you think?” Grabbing her hands, he helped her up before they hastened down the hill. His pace quick, she struggled in the dark to keep up.

She should have thought about what might happen, but her mind focused on not falling and the sweetness of his large, calloused hand holding hers. She didn’t want to think anyway. She wanted a night of doing. She was good at getting things done.

She fumbled getting the key into the lock as they entered the small cabin. Mitch tugged his shirt over his head, taking his cowboy hat with it. Alexis watched, admiring the coil of muscles in his arms, every bit the rugged cowboy with his jeans slung low on his narrow hips, the outline of a beard on his cheeks, and his hair mussed from under his cowboy hat.

He placed a surprisingly gentle hand on her cheek. His soft kiss caused flames to erupt in her stomach. Butterflies be damned, this was a heat she had never known. The bed was directly in front of them. When he gently sent her falling onto it, she hit the scratchy coverlet with less grace than she had hoped. She couldn’t help that her mind worked overtime, even with a half-naked cowboy in front of her.

“They need new covers on these beds. These are not romantic. But we can take it off. I’m sure the sheets are soft.”

He smiled at the surly remark, moving over her. “I’ll be sure to let my father know tomorrow after I give you all the romance you’ve ever wanted, plus some.”

Alexis bolted up, hand hitting his naked chest, pushing him back. “Excuse me? Your father?”

“My father owns this place. He bought it after he retired from New York Hospital. He was head of surgery for close to twenty years but wanted to try something different.”

“You’re Dr. Johnson’s son?”

“So what? What does that have to do with us?” Confusion laced the words.

“Our firm was hired by him. I’m working on the dude ranch’s marketing and rebranding account. I came to the ranch to get a firsthand understanding of how it worked.”

“What?” His stare turned hard and probing.

She tucked back loose strands of hair behind her ears. “Your father just hired my company to rebrand and revamp the image of the ranch.”

“He did what? I told him not to do that. Shit, he went behind my back and hired people from the city who know nothing about running a real ranch.”

“I came here to help.”

“You can’t help. You don’t know how to help, and there is no way you could imagine everything that goes into running a ranch from a skyscraper in New York City.”

“That’s not true.” She heard the doubt in her own words.

“Did you tell my father you were coming to the ranch?”

It was Alexis’s turn to be confused. “No.”

“You came out here to snoop around without telling anyone.” Anger and confusion tore through his words. “You sure you’re not just trying to take the ranch for all it’s worth? My dad wouldn’t know any better.”

“Your dad did the right thing hiring my firm. I only came out here to see what I could do to improve the place.” She stood tall, meeting his eyes, but the top of her head barely reached his chin.

“Bullshit.” He pulled away from her. “There is nothing wrong with this ranch. It’s a working dude ranch with livestock. The three years I’ve been here, I’ve seen people come because it’s authentic. Scratchy bed coverings and all.”

“I can’t do this with you.” Alexis circled away from the bed. “It wouldn’t be right with your father as my client.”

He spat the words out. “You’re from the city. You don’t understand anything. You come out here, without telling my father, to snoop around and try to find dirty little secrets, and then complain about how it’s not as ritzy or as wonderful as New York, but we want it to be nothing like the city.”

“You should go.” She pointed at the door.

“Damn right, I’m going. You should head back to your penthouse.”

She crossed her arms over her chest.

“I’m here for the weekend and there is no way you are telling me to leave early.”

Mitch shook his head in frustration. “I just met you and you’re making me act crazy.” Mitch turned on his heels, retrieving his shirt and hat from the floor. “I need some time to think.” He flung himself out the door. It slammed behind him.

Alexis sat back down on the bed in shock. She couldn’t have imagined a worse weekend.

 

About Dakota/Lisa:

Lisa Acerbo is the author of numerous books including Wear White to Your Funeral. Two new releases will be available in 2018.

 

Website | Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

 

2 winners will receive a $10 Amazon Gift Card, International.

Rafflecopter link:

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2732/?

Tour Schedule:

Week One:

4/23/2018- Sincerely Karen Jo– Interview

4/24/2018- To Be Read– Review

4/25/2018- BookHounds– Guest Post

4/26/2018- A Gingerly Review– Excerpt

4/27/2018- Owl Always Be Reading– Excerpt

 

Week Two:

4/30/2018- Spilling Words– Spotlight

5/1/2018- TMBA Corbett Tries to Write– Interview

5/2/2018- Love in a time of Feminism– Review

5/3/2018- Two Chicks on Books– Guest Post

5/4/2018- Jaime’s World– Excerpt

 

 

The History Maker: Book tour – Excerpt and Giveaway

 

About the Book:

Title: THE HISTORY MAKER

Author: Eamonn Hickson

Pub. Date: December 4, 2017

Publisher: Eamonn Hickson

Pages: 303

Formats: Paperback, eBook

Find it: Goodreads, Amazon

 

Memories are our greatest link to the past. They are what we create in the present, and they can guide us in the future. Memories can define us.

Adam Fletcher has none.

A crippling car accident has pressed reset on Adam’s life, leaving the young man broken and lost. Britney, the woman who claims to be his best friend, tries to bring him back to society, while hiding the truth about her involvement in the crash.

Starting from scratch, Adam tries to make new memories. But, what use are memories if they are constructed from lies?

Excerpt:

He had seen a young woman in the doorway, speaking to the man who claimed to be his father. He had watched them embrace, seen the distress etched on their faces, apparently sorrow poured out for him and his current predicament.

Nothing registered.

The young woman stepped into the ward and walked to him, struggling to keep her eyes steady. Flowers were clenched tightly in her grasp, slender fingers curled around the ribbon-tied stems. Her small but defined frame moved delicately past the other patients in the ICU, as if careful not to upset anyone. A nurse at the window drew across the curtain, dimming the dazzling sun that bounded off the tiled floor. A sympathetic smile sneaked onto his guest’s face as she approached the bedside.

“Hi, Adam,” she said delicately. Her face changed, her forehead creased as she leaned closer. “Can you remember me?”

He knew his face told the whole story. She placed the yellow flowers on a nearby locker and sat on the bed. He, Adam—it felt so wrong to refer to himself by an alien name, as if referring in the third person—did not feel a need to explain himself; he was the injured party. His eyes scanned her face, his brain worked overtime to make a link with the past. The white skin, the blue eyes and the blonde curly hair that draped over a black t-shirt. Knowing it was far from a one-way exam, Adam watched his guest stare at his forehead—there must be something? Her inquisitive eyes darted over him and to the tubes connected to his arms.

Reaching for his hand, she whispered, “Britney. My name is Britney.” A struggle to recognise a hand, her hand, an attempt to make a connection between her soft skin and his. Again, there was nothing. He leaned back in the bed and stared at the ceiling. Drawing his hands close to his face, Adam looked at the drips connected to his veins.

“How did I get here?” Britney hesitated for a moment before shaking her head.

“I don’t think it’s my place to tell you that.”

“Are you not my friend?”

“Of course I am!”

“What will it matter if you, claiming to be my friend, tell me, or some people, claiming to be my parents, tell me?” he sighed, “either way, I don’t know any of you.”

 

About Eamonn:

Eamonn Hickson is an Irish author. He released his first novel, The History Maker, in December 2012.

He has undertaken a number of creative writing, and writing for print courses recently.

His second novel, Angel of Death, was released in December 2013.

Twitter | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

 

1 winner will receive a finished copy of THE HISTORY MAKER, International.

 Rafflecopter link:

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2676/?

Tour Schedule:

 

12/18/2017- Am Kinda Busy Reading– Review

12/18/2017- Rattle the Stars– Spotlight

 

12/19/2017- Abooktropolis– Review

12/19/2017- Rainy Day Reviews– Guest Post

 

12/20/2017- Le Petit Photograph– Review

12/20/2017- A Gingerly Review– Excerpt

 

12/21/2017- The Book Recluse Review– Spotlight

12/21/2017- La libreria di Beppe– Guest Post

 

12/22/2017- Pooled Ink– Spotlight

12/22/2017- BookHounds– Excerpt

 

R.I.P. ELIZA HART Blog Tour: Excerpt and Giveaway

www.rockstarbooktours.com

 

About the Book:

Title: R.I.P. ELIZA HART

Author: Alyssa B. Sheinmel

Pub. Date: November 28, 2017

Publisher: Scholastic Press

Pages: 336

Formats: Hardcover, eBook

Find it: Amazon, B&N, iBooks, TBD, Goodreads

 

When Eliza Hart, the most popular girl at Ventana Ranch boarding school, is found dead on the cliffs outside her dormitory, Ellie Sokoloff is determined to figure out what happened to her. After all, Eliza was Ellie’s childhood best friend.

Never mind that ever since Ellie arrived at school Eliza has spread terrible rumors about her, calling her a liar and a stalker, when all Ellie wanted to do was rekindle their old friendship. Or that Ellie’s claustrophobia limits where she can go and what she can do. Or that Ellie’s suitemate, Sam, is the only one who will help her . . . because to everyone else, Ellie looks like the top suspect.

Can Ellie clear her name and solve the mystery behind Eliza’s death? Her hunt for the truth will uncover secrets she never imagined, sending her deep into her own memories of her childhood with Eliza Hart.

New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Sheinmel delivers a gripping mystery and a sensitive and moving examination of the secrets that can hold us back—and even destroy us.

 

EXCERPT

ELLIE

Wednesday, march 16

 When I find out that it’s her, a lump rises in my throat and I’m so surprised that it almost chokes me. I shouldn’t care. I mean, I care because caring is the human thing to do, but I shouldn’t care this much because I didn’t really know her. Not really. Not anymore.

We’re still standing by the window. In fact, we’ve barely moved since Sam’s phone dinged with a text from a friend outside who heard the dean identify the body.

I wipe my eyes, but that just draws more attention to my tears. Sam offers me a tissue, but I bet he thinks I don’t deserve to cry.

“You okay, Elizabeth?”

They put her on a gurney, zip her into a black bag, and wheel her into the back of an ambulance.

“We held hands during recess.”

“What?”

I bend my fingers, pressing my nails into my palms so my hands will stop shaking. Like everyone else on campus, Sam’s heard the rumors about Eliza and me. I think even the teachers are wary of me thanks to her. But maybe Sam doesn’t remember them, maybe they went in one ear and out the other like my repeated requests that he call me Ellie instead of Elizabeth.

“Nothing,” I say carefully. “I don’t know.”

Sam’s phone buzzes with another text. “Cooper says someone called the police when they saw something strange out there.”

“I just can’t believe it.”

She wasn’t in Spanish class this afternoon (the one class we have together), but I didn’t think much of it. Arden Lin, one of her roommates and best friends, said she had a cold.

“Is she okay?” I’d asked. Stupid. I should’ve kept my mouth shut. I couldn’t help it. It was a reflex.

“Why?” Arden asked. “You wanna bring her some chicken soup? Can’t help noticing that when I was sick a few months ago, you didn’t seem so concerned.”

“¡En español!” Señora Rocha admonished, oblivious to the fact that Arden was making fun of me. She made us repeat the whole conversation. Arden didn’t know how to say chicken soup in Spanish. While Señora Rocha clucked her disapproval, Arden stared daggers at me.

Now Sam says, “I can’t believe it, either.” He takes a deep breath, his black T-shirt stretching over the muscles in his chest. “She didn’t seem the type.”

“What type?”

He shrugs. “I guess you never can tell. I read somewhere that in half of all suicides, the friends and family say they never had a clue. I thought they were just trying to cover up their guilt, you know? But maybe—”

I interrupt before he can finish his thought. “You think Eliza Hart killed herself?”

 

About Alyssa B. Sheinmel

I was born in Stanford, California, and even though I moved across the country to New York when I was six years old, I still think of myself as a California girl.

Like so many writers, I grew up loving books. I loved stories so much that when there was nothing to read, I wrote my own stories just to give myself something to read. And when there was no pen and paper to be had, I made up stories and acted them out by myself. I played all the parts, and I was never bored.

 

Website | Blog | Twitter | Instagram | Tumblr | Goodreads

Giveaway Details:

 

3 winners will receive a finished copy of R.I.P. ELIZA HART, US Only.

 

Rafflecopter link:

 http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/e2389ba2670/?

 

Tour Schedule:

 

Week One:

11/20/2017- The Cover Contessa– Interview

11/21/2017- Hauntedbybooks13– Review

11/22/2017- A Gingerly Review– Excerpt

11/23/2017- Here’s to Happy Endings– Review

11/24/2017- BookHounds YA– Interview

 

Week Two:

11/27/2017- Bibliobakes– Review

11/28/2017- Savings in Seconds– Review

11/29/2017- Book-Keeping– Review

11/30/2017- Books at Dawn– Excerpt

12/1/2017- Owl always be reading– Review

 

 

ROAR by Cora Carmack: Release Day Launch, Excerpt, and Giveaway!

 

 

From New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack comes her debut young adult fantasy, ROAR! Now available, ROAR takes readers on an adventure filled with charismatic characters in an enthralling world sure to keep them turning the pages. Grab your copy today!

 

 

About ROAR (Stormheart #1):

New York Times bestselling author Cora Carmack’s young adult debut: Roar.

In a land ruled and shaped by violent magical storms, power lies with those who control them.

Aurora Pavan comes from one of the oldest Stormling families in existence. Long ago, the ungifted pledged fealty and service to her family in exchange for safe haven, and a kingdom was carved out from the wildlands and sustained by magic capable of repelling the world’s deadliest foes. As the sole heir of Pavan, Aurora’s been groomed to be the perfect queen. She’s intelligent and brave and honorable. But she’s yet to show any trace of the magic she’ll need to protect her people.

To keep her secret and save her crown, Aurora’s mother arranges for her to marry a dark and brooding Stormling prince from another kingdom. At first, the prince seems like the perfect solution to all her problems. He’ll guarantee her spot as the next queen and be the champion her people need to remain safe. But the more secrets Aurora uncovers about him, the more a future with him frightens her. When she dons a disguise and sneaks out of the palace one night to spy on him, she stumbles upon a black market dealing in the very thing she lacks—storm magic. And the people selling it? They’re not Stormlings. They’re storm hunters.

Legend says that her ancestors first gained their magic by facing a storm and stealing part of its essence. And when a handsome young storm hunter reveals he was born without magic, but possesses it now, Aurora realizes there’s a third option for her future besides ruin or marriage.
She might not have magic now, but she can steal it if she’s brave enough.

Challenge a tempest. Survive it. And you become its master.

 

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Add to your Goodreads

 

 

 

EXCERPT:

“This life is not glamorous,” Duke told her. “We travel constantly. We sleep on the ground most nights. When we’re not in danger from storms, we’re in danger in cities where we are considered criminals. This life is not for the faint of heart.”

“There are things I do not know, things I will have to learn. But I am capable. I am familiar with sacrifice. I know what it is to make hard choices.”

“Tell me you’re not considering this,” Locke said to Duke.

The old man was silent for a long moment, both Locke and Roar looking to him for support. Duke rubbed at his mustache, a habit of his when he was thinking deeply. “Let’s think about this, Locke. She’s smart. And determined.”

“She’s a child.”

Roar’s shoulders hunched in Locke’s peripheral vision, and he swallowed back the guilt. He could apologize later. For now, it was imperative that he won this argument.

“You were a child when I brought you into the fold,” Duke said. “She’s a young woman with a good head on her shoulders. And if this is what she wants, I’m inclined to at least hear her out.”

Just like that, Roar’s shoulders straightened, and Locke turned to watch a devastating smile bloom across her mouth. His weakness when it came to her only made him more cross.

“What skills do you have?” he snapped at Roar.

“Skills?”

“Yes, skills. What can you do? Or do you just plan to tag along for the ride?”

A flush spread over her cheeks, and her voice was tentative when she answered, “I’m good on a horse. Very good.”

Where in the world would she have learned to ride? He quickly hardened his expression. “Horses are fine for travel, but they don’t do well in storms. They, unlike you, have good survival instincts.”

As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Locke could have sworn he felt an updraft—the first sign that bad weather could occur—and he knew that this time he had pushed too far.

Roar marched toward him, spearing a finger into his chest and said, “I can read and write. I can speak Taraanese, Finlaghi, and Odilarian. I can read maps. I know enough about grassland vegetation and wildlife to survive without a market to buy food and drink. I’m good with knives and a bow. I learn quickly, and I’m not afraid of hard work. And I’ve spent my entire life reading as much about storms as I could get my hands on.” For a moment, her voice cracked under the weight of her anger, but she took a huffing breath and continued: “I’m good with numbers. It’s been a while, but I think I can probably still draw the constellations from memory, which should make me decent at navigation. I can—“

“Enough.” Locke’s voice came out in a deep rasp. He captured her long, delicate finger in his fist before she could continue poking him. He felt short of breath at the sight of her—livid and lovely. “Enough.”

The old Locke might have kept arguing, and Roar would have met him toe-to-toe. But if becoming a storm hunter had taught him anything, it was that fighting head-on wasn’t always the way to win. Sometimes strategy was required. He met Duke’s eyes over her shoulder, and if he had thought Roar looked smug before, she had nothing on his mentor. The man raised his eyebrows in a challenge and asked, “You?”

He hated the idea of bringing someone into this dangerous life, but if it was going to happen regardless, he sure as hell wouldn’t hand her safety over to anyone else, not even Ransom. And at the very least, it would give him the opportunity to change her mind. He gritted his teeth and nodded his acceptance.

 

 

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About Cora Carmack:

Cora Carmack is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. Since she was a teenager, her favorite genre to read has been fantasy, and now she’s thrilled to bring her usual compelling characters and swoon-worthy romance into worlds of magic and intrigue with her debut YA fantasy, Roar. Her previous adult romance titles include the Losing It, Rusk University, and Muse series. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages around the world. Cora splits her time between Austin, TX and New York City, and on any given day you might find her typing away at her computer, flying to various cities around the world, or just watching Netflix with her kitty Katniss. But she can always be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her website www.coracarmack.com.

 

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