Saturday, September 29, 2012

Five (Elemental Enmity Book I) is FREE for Nook Now!~

Hey Guys!

So I've been trying to make Five free on Barnes and Noble for a while now, and guess what?!  It happened :)

If you know anyone that uses the Nook, I'd appreciate you spreading the word!  Thanks a bunch, and I wanted to take a moment to tell all of you who have written reviews and/or stopped by either here, at goodreads, facebook, and twitter, that I appreciate your kind words and enthusiasm where the Elemental Enmity Series is concerned.

I'm so happy that you have connected with this story and am grateful for everything you've done to help me spread the word.  You guys are awesome!!!!

Here is the link:

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/five-christie-rich/1105118810?ean=2940011476075

Happy Reading Everyone~

Christie

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Blog Tour--Born in Flames by Candace Knoebel


Hey, Guys!

I'm excited to be participating in my first blog hop.  I've already started reading an ARC of this book, and so far it is Amazing!  I love the writing style, and you can see for yourself below in an excerpt!  Look for a review soon.

So let's get started with the Synopsis, or as I lovingly call it, the Blurb:


Synopsis:
Red mirrored scales race up my arms as the haze of pain blurs my vision. My bones crack, breaking to realign. I scream. It is then that the realization of my unavoidable fate sinks in; I am of a dying race. I am dragon.

Aurora Megalos, orphaned and teetering on the edge of adulthood, thought finding her past would curb the sting of being an outcast .Having no memories of the time before she awoke on her foster mother’s doorstep, she yearns for the emptiness inside her to be filled. With her fellow orphaned best friend, Fenn, by her side, she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. But something powerful stirred within her that she couldn’t explain. Something wanted out.

In the dark of night, a crazed Seer, dubbed Mr.Creepy, erases everything she’s ever known with an impending prophecy. She now faces two paths. Return to her true home to protect a dying race against a growing evil, or stay hidden in the safety of our realm with a shot at a true love. With a vengeful Arch Enemy stopping at nothing to see her dead, she’s running out of time; a decision must be made. What would you choose?


Excerpt:

The call of the orb was strong now that it rested in my hands. A song thrummed in my chest as I felt the veins in my neck beating wildly. Looking at it now, the change wasn’t as scary as I had thought it would be. Even with knowing that I could be staring my possible death in the face. The question was—would I be strong enough to sustain these powers given to me? Maybe I was just scared of The Fates choosing my destiny, or maybe I was scared that what was about to happen would forever change my life. Either way, growing up I had always hoped that my life would mean something more than just being a foster child, but this, this was much bigger than anyone could imagine. And what lies ahead? Well if it’s anything compared to what I am going through now, then I expect my life to fall into a whole new level of crazy. And I think it may be just what I was looking for.

Still not convinced?  Watch the trailer: 

Embedded code:


So what are you waiting for?

Where to buy Born In Flames (Isn't the cover Amazing?):



Rafflecopter giveaway link:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

·         The giveaway will run from the length of the tour.
·         This is a tour wide giveaway and there will be two winners chosen
·         Giveaway is International ( eBooks available in ePub, Mobi. or PDF format )
·         Entrants must be 13 years or older
·         The Winner will be contacted by email 48 hours after the giveaway ends, and will have 72 hours in which to respond.

Connect with Candace:

 About the author:


Candace Knoebel dreamed of being a dancer ever since she could remember. With a love of all things art, she saw herself moving to New York and pursuing her passion as an artist. But all that changed on October 10th 2002 when she met the love of her life. Her dreams diverged and after marrying her high school sweetheart and having two beautiful children, she realized she missed her creative side.
Growing up alongside the Harry Potter series, Candace found herself missing the epicosity of a story that pulls you in and won’t let you go. In 2009, she began dreaming up characters that would mold her first novel. Through lunch breaks and late nights, after putting her kids to bed, she built a world where she could escape the ever-pressing days of an eight to five Purgatory. She found her calling in life and knew this was more than dancing could’ve ever meant to her.
Once complete in 2010, she began the grueling process of finding a publisher. With relentless determination, she was finally able to realize her dream in December of 2011 when 48fourteen offered her a publishing contract. With a HUGE yes and a happy dance, she now continues her Trilogy.


Wednesday, September 19, 2012

The Look Challenge--Excerpts Anyone?



I've been tagged in the "Look Challenge" by my sweet friend and fellow author, Noree Cosper. Here's the way it works: You take your current manuscript and find the first instance of the word “look”. Then you post the surrounding paragraphs as an excerpt of the book on your blog. Lastly, you tag five more blogging authors who you think would be a good choice for the game.

So I am going to cheat a little bit.  I'm giving you an excerpt from Horizon (Elemental Enmity Book IV) and Dreamscape (Netherworld Book I).  These are truly the first examples of the word look in both manuscripts :)

First Horizon:

Tabitha’s expression softened.  “I’m sorry for deceiving you.  There was no other way.”

I shook my head.  “Ainessa could have taken control of me, at any time.  How could you put me in that kind of danger knowing what she has planned?”

She didn’t flinch when I said Ainessa’s name even though I had been berated for using it in times past.  I knew it was stupid to say her name, but sometimes it just came out of me.  Besides, it reminded me who I was up against.  She sighed and said, “You were being guarded.  There was no way she could have captured your mind.  Give me some credit.”

A disgusted huff raced up my throat.  “After what you pulled, you’ll be lucky if I ever speak to you again.”  I walked closer to her, but my mind traveled to the last time I’d seen Zach.  My temper died on a gust of remorse.  He hadn’t even moved after I blasted him.  My question came out as a whisper.  “What if I hurt him?”  I let the real question fizzle before it fully formed in my mind—what if he wouldn’t forgive me?

She looked at me like a was a five year old new to kindergarten.  “Ammon is fine.  In fact, as we speak, he is organizing your rescue.”

A jolt of fear shot through me.  Had I misheard her?  Best to make sure, though.  “My what?”

Tabitha shook her head as her pale gray eyes settled on mine.  “He is your bondmate.”

“But…Heath…”

She finished for me.  “Is aware.”

My hands flew to my mouth.  “What are we going to do?”

She chuckled.  “It’s good to see you asking for a change.”

Now for Dreamscape.  There are two distinct points of view in this excerpt so I have labeled them:
Amelia
 The hallway stretches forever in front of me like an endless highway to Nowheresville.  One thing’s for certain:  I’m getting nowhere, so I slam to a stop and bend over, sucking in wind.

This is the worst shape I’ve been in.  I got kind of lazy when Justine took me in five years ago.  At first I made life pretty difficult, thinking she was just going to ditch me too.  Wouldn’t you know it the minute I thought I’d have her forever is when she left me.  Being with her was the only time I felt safe in my whole life.  I should have known it wouldn’t last.

Psycho dude inches closer to me, and I snap up, facing him—the door is right behind us.

No way.  There is no freaking way.  I blink a couple times just to make sure my eyes are working right.  When that yields the same result, I lower to my haunches to check the cobbled floor.  If this thing’s a conveyor belt, I’m a red banana.

With as much composure as I can muster I say, “You’d better start giving me explanations, buddy.  Why am I here?  What is this place?  Who are you?  I don’t even know your freaking name!”
Deep green eyes flit towards the door.  When he looks up again, he holds out his hand.

I shake my head.  I’m not touching him on purpose.  He’s not far from me.  He could snatch me up like he did when he barged into my room and stole me from my bed, but he doesn’t.
His voice is barely audible.  “Come with me.  I’ll explain everything.”

Seth

My heart slams against my chest.  All I have to do is stay calm and she won’t know; she won’t figure it out.  There is no way I am letting her go no matter what now.  Even if she manages to see through my bluff, I’ll figure something out to keep her with me.  I motion for her to move ahead of me, but she shakes her head like I want her to.

For her to be tied to me, this has to be her decision—her mistake.  I reach for the handle with controlled movements, hoping I don’t give anything away.  A smile spreads my mouth when I face the door to block her access.  The cool metal knob twists, and I push the door away.  With practiced movements, I lead her into my shrine.

Now I'm supposed to pick Five authors that would have fun with this.  My choices are:

I hope you guys will have fun with this!  I know I did.  Thanks Noree!

Sunday, September 16, 2012

Book Review--A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter



The Blurb:

"No secret stays hidden forever."

A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.

A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series.

My Review:


A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter surprised me.  I picked up the first book for free on Amazon, and once I started reading, I couldn't stop.  This isn't your ordinary Vampire book.  In fact, most of the vampire books I've read lately have been original and great.

Ms. Hunter combines vampires and elemental magic in a way that is refreshing and enthralling.  I loved the mystery aspect to the story and the sexual tension between Beatrice and Giovanni was electrifying throughout the read.  Beatrice is likable without being a wilting rose.  She makes some pretty hard choices and not the ones I figured she would sometimes.  Being the strong heroine she is, she fights her attraction for the enigmatic Gio from the beginning, knowing he maybe isn't so good for her.  For all of you "insta-love" haters out there, there's none of that in this book.  Yeah, it's instant attraction, but the chemistry as well as the relationship grows with the normal flow of the story.

The characters come to life on the page as well as the settings.  Ms. Hunter has an engaging voice that I really enjoyed reading.  My only problem now is that all I want to do is read the rest of the series instead of writing and any number of things I need to get done, lol.

If your looking for an exciting read full of action and romance, this is the book for you!  I'm looking forward to finishing the series, not if I can only find some time :)


Five stars from me!  Here is the Amazon link if you are interested. As of this morning, it was still free. I know I wasn't disappointed, and I'm looking forward to reading more from this great author.



Thursday, September 6, 2012

New Cover Reveal--Lichgates by S.M. Boyce


S. M. Boyce wrote Lichgates a year ago. Now, she’s formally re-releasing the novel with a bunch of bonus features and a gorgeous new cover. Check it out!


Lichgates  New Features

The Lichgates re-release is going to be snazzy. I’m so excited. Here’s what you’ll get with the new edition:
<    ·     New cover.
<    ·  Re-polished narrative.
<    ·  New Prelude chapter. This is an entirely new short that gives insight into Kara’s life before she found Ourea.

The re-release date is currently set for some time in September. Be sure to sign up for the Grimoire Trilogy VIP list to be the first to know when the date’s set!

What’s cooler is that its sequel, Treason, will come out just a month or so later. You can sign up for the VIP list to learn more about that the second news becomes available or apply for an Advanced Review Copy (ARC).


Lichgates  Reviews

This would make a great movie. A great TV show. Great everything. I mean, Boyce sells it at the concept, but she doesn’t stop there. She delivers.” —Rebecca Hamilton, author of The Forever Girl series

Boyce’s storytelling is so rich and deftly executed that I found myself bouncing between pure amazement, unadulterated enjoyment, and absolute, perverse envy. She is that good.” H—Tom Winship, author of the Vaempires series

“This is fantasy at its best!” —The Story Seekers Reviews

“The writing is flawless. The kingdoms and surrounding landscapes breathtaking. The Grimoire is a piece of imaginative genius that bedazzles from the moment Kara falls into the land of Ourea.” —Nikki Jefford, author of the Spellbound Trilogy

…and those are only a few reviews. Check out Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Goodreads to hear what has people grabbing copies and salivating for the sequel.

The Lichgates  Blurb

The Grimoire turns its own pages and can answer any question asked of it...and Kara Magari is its next target.

Kara has no idea what she's getting herself into when she stumbles across the old book while hiking along a hidden trail. Once she opens it, she's thrown into Ourea: a beautiful world full of terrifying beings that all want the Grimoire's secrets. Everyone in this new world is trying to find her, but most just want to control the new-found power the Grimoire bestows upon her.

Braeden Drakonin grew up in Ourea, and all he’s ever known in life is lying. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. He has one question to ask the book—one question that can fix everything in his broken world—and he’s not letting Kara out of his sight until he gets an answer.

Kara cannot escape her new life in Ourea. There’s no going back now.

The Lichgates  Prelude

Boyce is going to provide the prelude free online for anyone who has already bought the previous version. Sign up for the VIP list to learn when she posts it!

Lichgates  Links

Impatient? You can still grab the old edition and read while you wait.

Grab Your Copy


Learn More


Teaser: Treason (Grimoire Trilogy #2)

Available October 27, 2012
Kara Magari ignited a war when she stumbled into the dark and stunning world of Ourea, and all because of that stupid Grimoire she found. The armies have amassed. The traitors are exposed, and Kara is alone.

The war has started.

The Author



S.M. Boyce is a fantasy and paranormal fiction novelist who also dabbles in contemporary fiction and comedy. She’s a sarcastic twit, but her friends seem to like her anyway. She updates her blog a few times each week so that you have something to wake you up in the morning?).
Also, her B.A. in Creative Writing qualifies her to serve you french fries.

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

The Next Big Thing


The Next Big Thing!


I'm so excited today!  I've been tagged in a really fun interview tag-a-thon with a few other authors where we answer questions about us and our work and then tag others to do the same! Thank you A.D. Trosper for tagging me! 
I hope you're as excited about this as I am :) I've been dying to talk about a new project I'm working on and this is my chance! LOL.  I'm sure most of you know I'm working on Horizon, the final book in my Elemental Enmity series, but I'm not going to talk about that today because I've got a great series churning in my brain; and besides, I don't want to spoil anything for anyone that is currently reading one of my other books :)  So here goes :
1. What is the working title of your book?  Dreamscape (Netherworld Book 1)
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?  I was reading about Morpheus one day and somehow a link between he and Hades formed in my mind.  Suddenly a character named Seth was born and he started telling me his story.  I've been captivated ever since :)
3. What genre does your book fall under? New Adult Paranormal Romance.
4. Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?
For Seth this was an absolute no-brainer.  It took me less than two seconds to think of Chris Hemsworth.  

Amelia, on the other hand, was harder to peg down, but I finally came up with Phoebe Tonkin from the Secret Circle.  (Can I just vent right now about how angry I am they cancelled the show?  Who runs these networks anyway?) :0D


5. What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?  Now this was much harder to come up with.  Amelia Blake never knew how real dreams could become until Seth ripped her from her crumbling world and wrangled her into helping him win a centuries old feud between the Oneiroi and the Erebos for control of the Netherworld. (Now that's a long sentence, but it's still one ;))
6. Will your book be self-published or represented by an agency?  Self-published
7. How long did it take you to write the first draft of your manuscript? I am still working on it. Started it a month ago, and I'm trying hard to not let it derail Horizon (grins).  It's just the newness of discovering this story that is thrilling for me, but I actually think it will help me keep on track with Horizon rather than hinder my efforts.  I'm not going to say when it will come out because at this point I don't know if it will beat Horizon or not (grins again).  Hey don't get mad at me.  If you like my Elemental Enmity Series, chances are you'll love this one, too.
8. What other books would you compare this story to within your genre? Hmm, this is a hard one because I haven't read anything quite like it, but I guess in a way it is like Hush, Hush with the mystery and danger factor.
9. Who or What inspired you to write this book? I'd have to go with God or Homer, not sure which, lol; but if I were a betting woman, I would say the former.
10. What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest? So I'm flying by the seat of my pants here, so hold on tight :)  Seth's character was based on a mixture of Hades and Morpheus.  He is a keeper of dreams and requires a mortal's help to stop the evil Erebos from taking over his realm.  Little does Amelia Blake know she has become his target until she finds herself trapped in his lair with the only way out through her dreams.  The only thing is, by the time she figures out how to leave him, will she want to?
So there you have it! I'd love to hear your thoughts!
To check out what other authors had to say, click the links below!  I hope they'll accept my tag because they are all amazing authors and I want to know what they have up their sleeve next :)
Happy Reading Everyone!
Julie Reece
Nancy Straight
Amy Bartol
Krystle Jones
Charlotte Abel

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Cover Reveal--Vaempires: Zombie Rising by Thomas Winship

Hello Everyone!
I'm excited to be hosting Thomas Winship today to participate in his newest cover reveal.  I told Tom this cover was chilling when I saw it, and I haven't changed my mind one bit.  I also told him it was eye-catching, hardy har har! 
I actually hate Zombies, but somehow, in Thomas's books, they are so interesting.  I'm looking forward to seeing what happens in this Vaempires addition.  In fact, I'm into it so much, I've changed my color scheme just for this occasion.  So without further adieu:


So what do you think?  Sort of freaky right?  But in an amazing eye-catching way :)
Here's the Blurb:
Væmpires: Zombie Rising
The tale of The Evolutionary War resumes in Væmpires: Zombie Rising.
Væmpires have taken control of twelve major cities. Their leader, Vielyn, seeks the atomic weapons that will bring the rest of the world to its knees.
Vampire forces are reeling. As Linq and Ray race to the royal estate to rendezvous with Cassandra and Daniel … the princess is captured and Daniel falls.
With the fate of world shifting to their teenage shoulders, Linq and Ray must deal with tremendous losses while battling a most unexpected—and undeadly—new foe.
Thomas Winship
Tom writes in his spare time. His first novel, a mystery/legal thriller entitled Temporary Insanity (a.k.a. Case Closed), was a 2008 finalist in a national contest but failed to garner industry attention. He published Vaempires: Revolution last October and a follow-up novella, Vaempires: White Christmas, in December. He is currently working on the next installment of the Vaempires series.
Tom is an avid collector of books, comic books, music, and movies. His interests are diverse—on any given day, Tom is likely to be found watching a horror movie, attending a hard rock concert, or enjoying a Broadway show.   
Links
Væmpires: Zombie Rising will be released in October 2012. However, you can view the book trailer and read the entire book during the Dark Mind Book Tours pre-release tour that begins September 10th. Details announced soon!

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Book Review--Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout



So I finally got some time to read this! Yay!

The Blurb:

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we're linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there's this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that's possible. Against all common sense, I'm falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…


My Review:

I wonder if I'm ever going to think one of Jennifer Armentrout books are just so so? Not likely!

Armentrout is just amazing in both her story-telling ability and her character interaction. Onyx is the second book in her Lux Series, and I've been waiting half a year to find out what the heck happened to Katy at the end of Obsidian.

Well, let's just say I was right about a few things and wrong about others. In this installment we get a lot of answers that were raised in Obsidian...like what exactly happened to Katy and what happened to Dawson and Bethany. Onyx was completely satisfying yet left me wanting more, as usual.

Daemon was in rare form throughout the book. He was still his jerk self, but we got to see a softer side to him. When Daemon loves, it's all the way, and I love that about his character.

I actually got a little bit annoyed with Katy in this book, but it wasn't much. The chemistry between Daemon and Katy continues to sizzle, but they are also developing into a heartwarming couple, which I'm happy about.

Once again, I couldn't get enough of Daemon and Katy and am looking forward to the next book. Ms. Armentrout is thankfully a writing machine, so I shouldn't have to wait too long. Onyx is well worth the read and if you are anything like me will leave you breathless.

My Rating: