Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Happy Birthday Doorways to Extra Time!


In our busy world of meetings and microwaves, car radios and cellphones, people always wish they could get an extra hour in the day. But what if they could? Doorways to Extra Time is an anthology that explores ways to get extra time (be it an hour, a day, or a decade) and the impact it would have--whether upon a single life, a family or an entire world.



Interested? You can order it at any online retailer, OR enter to win a copy. Contest ends September 30th.        And while we're on the topic of winning, have you entered my giveaway to win a $100 Amazon gift card? You only have a few more days! Unless, of course, you have a secret doorway to extra time. See what I did there? ;)






Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Working On: A Lot

Right now I have so much going on it's hard for me to keep it all straight. So, for the benefit of all, here are some reminders.

First off, HI NEW FOLLOWERS! Please take a minute to explore my blog. Especially the "About Me," "Where to Find Me", and of course, the Free Stuff tabs.

Okay, now on to the good stuff. If you're reading this, you're eligible to win a $100 Amazon Gift card AND free e-books. Just check out this post.

Then, don't forget to enter the Goodreads giveaway for Doorways to Extra Time.

Then enter the one for my debut novel, Blood Bound.

And, of course, add them to your TBR shelves right from my handy-dandy sidebar.

And, as always, I love comments, so make sure to introduce yourselves!

Monday, August 12, 2013

Review: The Deepest Night (The Sweetest Dark #2) Shana Abe

             It’s 1915, and sixteen-year-old Lora Jones is finishing up her first year as a charity student at
Iverson, a prestigious, gothic boarding school on England’s southern coast. While she’s always felt different from everyone around her, now she finally knows why: She is a drákon, a rare, enchanted being with astonishing magical abilities.

As war hits Britain’s shores, and Lora reels from an unimaginable loss, she finds that her powers come with grave and dangerous responsibilities. At the request of Armand Louis, the darkly mysterious boy whose father owns Iverson, Lora will spend her summer at his lavish estate. To help the war effort—and to keep Lora by his side—Armand turns his home into a military hospital, where Lora will serve as a nurse. For Armand is inescapably drawn to her—bound to her by heart-deep secrets and a supernatural connection that runs thicker than blood.

Yet while Lora tries to sort out her own feelings toward Armand, fate offers an unexpected surprise. Lora discovers there is another drákon, a prisoner of war being held in Germany. And that only she, with her newly honed Gifts, will be able to rescue him.

With Armand, Lora will cross enemy lines on an incredible mission—one that could bond her to Armand forever, or irrevocably tear them apart. Goodreads


I practically devoured this book. Everything I said about The Sweetest Dark still holds true. The writing style was amazing, the plot was richly unique and darkly beautiful, and the entire premise is unlike anything else I've read. (Did I mention I like this series?) 

And, unlike many sequels, The Deepest Night got even better. I felt like Lora really began to blossom in this book, showing more true courage and care for others. Readers get to know her more as a person, while getting a bigger glimpse at her past.

Then there is Armand. While I completely understand why Lora's feelings for him are restrained, I am in love. For some reason, he pulls off the good-hearted bad boy better than most. I really feel for him and his situation, which is much more central to the plot this time.

Something I felt that was missing from The Sweetest Dark was a little humor. The Deepest Night, while maintaining the same dark and foreboding tone, managed to throw in some scenes that made me laugh out loud as well.

I really wish there were words to describe how I feel about this book, but there just aren't. I almost wish I hadn't read it, so I could read it for the first time again. 

I received this book through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. 

Rating: 4.5/5 stars

YA notes: mild language, suggestive content

Sunday, August 11, 2013

$100 Amazon Gift Card Giveaway!

So, on Friday when I announced the delay in Blood Bound's release, I promised to fill the time by giving away more stuff. Well, here is your first opportunity to win. I've teamed up with several other bloggers/authors for this awesome giveaway. What could be better than an Amazon gift card (or pay pal cash) AND free books?

Don't forget to grab your free entry, plus the one for following my blog, and any others that catch your eye. Then, tell me in the comments what you'd do with the cash. Good luck!


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Friday, August 9, 2013

Setbacks.

    I remember reading a blog post several months ago from a fellow author in which she discussed all the reasons having a book published was maddening. I clearly remember commenting that I'd be able to handle just about anything...as long as my book came out on time. I really should have known better than to curse myself like that.

   Due to some technical issues, Blood Bound has a new release date of October 8th. Don't worry, everyone who has pre-ordered will still get their copies, it will just be a few weeks later than we'd all hoped. On the bright side, this gives us more time to do promotional stuff (like giveaways) and I may have a bit more time to settle in with baby Swaim.

    So, today's lesson: never say you can handle anything, except... You'll be forced to handle it at some point down the road.

Have a Happy Weekend!