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Monday, September 5, 2016

Blog Tour - Prodigal by Jody Wallace | Interview, Spreading the Word, & Critter Prize Pack Giveaway

Today I'm showing off Jody Wallace's "Prodigal," which is her recently released novel, the THIRD novel in her Maelstrom Chronicles, and the novel I recently interviewed her about!

ALSO -- Be sure to check out Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post to be able to sign up for this blog stop's GIVEAWAY(s)!! [Blog Tour will run from September 5 - 13, 2016]



My Q&A with Jody Wallace :

Jess : Which of your characters would you most & least like to invite to dinner, from which book and why?

Jody : Most like to invite to dinner – Adam Alsing from "PRODIGAL." He has amnesia and it would be a lot of fun to introduce him to foods he hadn’t had a chance to eat yet. Plus he’s very friendly and a good conversationalist and would maybe even charm my mother.

Least like to invite to dinner – his love interest, Claire, also from "PRODIGAL." She would probably hate my cooking and tell me I was bad at it. The woman has no filter. Hm, unless I invited them at the same time, which might be my smartest move. Adam has a mitigating effect on Claire, and I wouldn’t want her to miss out on Adam trying peanut butter chocolate ice cream cake for the first time.

Jess : Please describe your Maelstrom Chronicles in one to five sentences.

Jody : When black and red devils invade Terra (our earth), its citizens are shocked when beings who claim to be “angels” show up to aid them in their time of need. Many believe—and many do not. Turns out the ones who didn’t believe had the right of it, as the angels are actually technologically advanced aliens who try to save planets from otherdimensional entities without spoiling those planets’ unique cultural systems. The Maelstrom Chronicles are the stories of how the Shipborn aliens and Terran humans navigate the war with the entities once the apocalypse has begun and the truth is revealed.

Jess : Is there any differences and/or similarities between Adam from your "Prodigal" and Nikolas (Niko) from your "Traitor?"

Jody : Adam and Niko are both guys. They’re both heterosexual, as far as I know. Both willing to die for the people they love. The resemblance ends there.

Niko’s a highly trained warrior who had a lot of issues with his father and his upbringing and has taken his father’s place as the general of Ship. He’s careful, serious, and somewhat cynical. His past drives him to create a better future for everyone on Terra and everyone aboard Ship 1001, even though he has to go against the Shipborn’s laws to do it.

Adam, on the other hand, has complete amnesia about his life before "PRODIGAL." He’s eager to learn about the world he’s forgotten, helpful, good-humored (Niko’s a grouch), brave, and more than a little reckless. He doesn’t think things completely through before acting on them, because he doesn’t want to miss out. He’s not the opposite of Niko, but the important thing is he’s a good match for Claire, the heroine of "PRODIGAL." He brings passion and optimism into her life in a post-apocalyptic wasteland.

Jess : Out of all of the secondary characters within your Maelstrom Chronicles, do you have one or two favorites so far? If so, who are they and can you tell us why?

Jody : I’m really pleased readers have responded so positively to Ship, who’s probably my favorite secondary character in the Maelstrom Chronicles. Ship is the AI who runs the giant spacecraft used by the “good” aliens. In this universe, Ships evolve into sentience at a certain point in their life cycle, at which time they are “born” and get to choose their role in the Shipborn fleet. Ship 1001, who’s about 100 years old, is a mother hen, a smart ass, a worry wart, a matchmaker, an adventure seeker, and a psychologist all rolled up into one giant, blue glowing matrix. I really enjoyed imagining a nearly-omniscient being who didn’t have an organic body. How would that influence that being’s personality and development, its hopes and dreams? How would it maintain relationships with organics? What would it do for fun?

I’m also really fond of Claire’s sister Tracy Lawson, who was a pediatrician before the apocalypse and is now one of the foremost Terran experts in Shipborn medical techniques. She’s stealthy, clever, and an excellent actress when she needs to be. She uses crutches due to a medical condition, which she has converted into weapons, of course. People stupidly underestimate her all the time. She is one of the few characters who doesn’t take any crap from her sister, and she has a weakness for beauty products and little luxuries. In "TRAITOR" there were hints she had a fling with a Shipborn pilot—but was it for real or was it for some other purpose? Tracy is multilayered, highly intelligent, and very independent. If I ever write a book about her, I know she’ll make a fantastic protagonist.

Jess : Do you have any other projects in the works? If so, can you share a little of your current work with us?

Jody : Unfortunately I don’t have anything in any condition to share! I’m very shy with my work until it’s polished.



"Prodigal"
[Maelstrom Chronicles, Book 3] by Jody Wallace

Author's Book Description :
    He nearly destroyed the world, but with her help, he can save it.

    Adam Alsing—at least that’s what they tell him his name is—has no idea who he is or why he’s huddled naked in the snow next to a mysterious silver pod. When a gorgeous, no-nonsense sheriff by the name of Claire Lawson rescues him, she explains the planet’s under attack—and he’s been missing for over two years. The problem is, what he doesn’t remember can kill them.

    Keeping the peace in her post-apocalyptic town is all the trouble Sheriff Claire Lawson can handle. Until the MIA Chosen One—the guy who could have prevented the apocalypse—interrupts her supply run. The Shipborn aliens want to study him, and what’s left of the Terran government wants to lock him up. But his charming demeanor and his desire to help, along with his sexy smile, has Claire fighting her better judgment to keep Adam around. For now.

This book is available to order on :

Amazon (e-Book) USD | Amazon (Paperback) USD | Barnes & Noble (NOOK Book) USD | Barnes & Noble (Paperback) USD | Shop Your Local Bookstores (IndieBound - Paperback) USD | Kobo (e-Book) USD

** Be sure to add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads & LibraryThing! **




About the Author :

Jody Wallace grew up in the South in a very rural area. She went to school a long time and ended up with a Master's Degree in Creative Writing. Her resume includes college English instructor, technical documents editor, market analyst, web designer, and all around pain in the butt. She resides in Tennessee with one husband, two children, one Grandma, six cats, and a lot of junk.

My Previous Review(s) for this Author : Pack and Coven

My Previous Mention(s) of this Author's Books/Characters : Entangled Otherworld Fortune Teller Booth at Entangled Publishing's Summer Carnival | Blog Tour, Guest Post, Spreading the Word & GC Giveaway




Book Excerpt/Teaser(s) :

-- Chapter One --
Claire flipped down the visor of the Humvee when the late afternoon sun nearly blinded her, reflecting off the white of the latest snowfall. She and two other loads of able bodies out of Camp Chanute were returning from a hardware- and tech-foraging mission to the mostly deserted city of Bloomington, Illinois. The long, straight roads, free of debris and stalled cars, didn’t lend themselves to ambushes—humans or monsters. Detritus littered the highways to the north, thicker as the roads approached Chicago.
She didn’t make foraging trips toward Chicago if it could be helped.
But the visor didn’t cancel out the glare. She blinked and squinted. Her eyesight had been enhanced by her Shipborn associates, enough to ascertain the flash of light wasn’t reflecting off the snow. For that kind of glint, it had to be a metallic object.
An object that hadn’t been there when they’d driven this road this morning. She knew this highway well, and that huge field had dead corn in it. Nothing else.
“Slow down,” she told the driver. “You see that?”
Will shook his head. “I just see snow. Snow and old, dead corn. Maybe it’s one of the Children of the Corn.”
“Shut up.” Not visible to the human eye, then. Claire flicked on the radio to talk to the supply truck. Dixie had the best binoculars. “Dix, what do you make on the right side of the road? Far midfield.”
Static crackled through the speaker before Dixie’s response. “I don’t see any…wait. Huh. There’s a big silver thingamabob, but sugar, I don’t know what it is. Weather blimp or something? Could be Shipborn.”
“That doesn’t make sense. Will, get us closer.”
Will stepped on the accelerator, increasing speed until the object came into focus—sleek and silver, possibly some kind of vessel. No landing marks around it, but no snow built up on it, either. Didn’t look like Ship 1001 or its shuttles, which tended to be roughly triangular. More like a giant pill, so brightly silver it was almost white. Hard to see against the patchy snow. Was that a window? A door?
The sun emerged from behind a cloud and sparkled on the metal again, obscuring the details.
“I’m going to check it out. Hold position,” she advised Dixie before directing Will off road.
When the Humvee thumped through the corn stubble that rose above the snow, she pressed a hand against the ceiling to keep from bouncing into it. A gentle rise ahead took them out of sight of the object.
“Be careful,” Dixie chided over the radio. “Last time you went to check something out, that group of survivalist dregs from Chicago ambushed you.”
Soul-sucking black shades and vicious flying red daemons, the most common varieties of the interdimensional entities currently attempting to destroy their planet, weren’t the only dangers on post-apocalypse Earth. The Shipborn had helped quell the worst of the human-against-human atrocities, but their code wouldn’t allow them to lord over the planet the way Claire sometimes wished she could.
Her fellow Terrans could be a bunch of fucking idiots when they half tried. The planet was in shambles after the entity invasion that had begun in California over two years ago, making it increasingly impossible for the natives to police the masses and maintain any semblance of justice. That was why she and her team had set up a civilian settlement in Illinois instead of seeking the dubious safety of the Eastern states in the so-called safe zone.
Claire shoved her coat sleeve off the blaster band around her wrist and opened the window. “Come on, Dix. Bygones. Respect the badge.”
“Sure, Sheriff.” She could practically see the other woman’s dimples. “But I’m still telling Tracy and Mayor Newcome on you for not calling this in first.”
“If I reported it,” Claire answered reasonably, “I’d just browbeat everyone into agreeing that I should check out…whatever it is. This saves time.”
Both men in the Humvee with her chuckled. Claire might run Camp Chanute with military precision, but she didn’t insist on mealy-mouthed respect from her people.
She sure as hell didn’t give any mealy-mouthed respect to anybody, so it would be hypocritical of her to demand it. She was a stubborn asshole according to her sister, and a foul-mouthed sourpuss according to Dixie, but she wasn’t hypocritical.
They crested the rise almost on top of the silver object. About forty feet long, and narrow, with rounded ends. Couldn’t tell heads or tails on it. This close she didn’t see any doors or windows. The whole thing looked like a single piece of metal—no joints.
“What the hell is it?” Will said. “Some kind of rocket?”
“I don’t know.” Tactanium, the non-Terran metal favored by the Shipborn, was pale silver like this thing, but not as glossy. The surface of the object was practically mirrored, and the bullet shape was completely unfamiliar. “Shit. Guess I need to check it out with a sensor array.”
“You should have worn it in the first place.”
“I hate the way it feels.”
“I’ll wear it,” he offered. “I like talking to Ship.”
“Nah, I got this.” The creepy little piece of advanced tech gave Ship 1001, the nosy sentient AI spacecraft that the Shipborn called home, access to her brain, and that didn’t always mesh with her plans.
Will brought the Humvee to a stop a decent distance from the object. Claire and her deputies—really, most Terrans in general—relied on native tech for communications, transportation, and daily activities. Though she was favored by the Shipborn, having given birth to the current general’s daughter a year and a half ago, Shipborn tech wasn’t infinite. The Shipborn were cut off from their people now and trapped in the Terran system with limited supplies. That was what happened when you violated your society’s laws just to save some measly primitive planet.
With a grimace, Claire plucked the translucent jumble of wires from an inside coat pocket and flipped down the visor mirror. Aligning the endo-organic end with the neural implant in her temple, she allowed it to squiggle beneath her dark skin. It sank into place inaudibly, but she felt the vibration of it in her skull. She nestled the rest of the wire around her short, tightly curled black hair like a crown.
The crown that made her the Queen of Assholes, but hey, she got shit done.
She focused the array’s nano-computer on the object, activating the scanning feature.
It didn’t register. At all. No power source, no metal, no nothing. It was as if the object wasn’t there.
“That is not good,” she said to her men. “Sensor’s not picking it up.”
“A mirage?” Will suggested, staring through the windshield. “Light rays could refract off the snow.”
“That is one solid-ass mirage.” Claire swung open the door of the Humvee, and the other two did the same. She hadn’t needed to give the order to free their tactanium blaster bands from their parka sleeves.
A warning pinged on the sensor as the scan completed, presenting her with some information that was almost as worrisome as a vessel her sensor array couldn’t detect. “Folks, I’m picking up signs of entity activity. Past few hours.”
“Shouldn’t be any shades here.” Will scruffed a hand over his chin. “Do you think this is one of those invisible shade hits?”
“We’ll look for bodies,” Claire said grimly. A whiff of rotten garbage reached her, confirming what her sensor had already warned her about the shades.
In the past six months, there had been a huge uptick of human bodies drained of life by shades in areas where no shades had been reported by Shipborn or Terran inspections. That shouldn’t be the case in the buffer zone. Daemon attacks, sure—those bastards could fly anywhere. But shade hordes crept along at barely a mile an hour on a good day, and remained in contact with larger bodies of shades. The primary shade hordes were tracked by both Terran military on the planet and the Shipborn from space, and there were no hordes close to Illinois.
It was a mystery. Camp Chanute and other settlements had lost people—good people. Scouts, foragers, farmers. No scans, no searches, and no flyovers had been able to locate the shades responsible. It couldn’t be daemons or really perverse humans depositing the bodies from elsewhere, because the surroundings always evidenced molecular shade residue. Had to be shades, leaving traces on that spot, doing the killing.
It was like the entities were picking off stragglers, people who ventured too far away from protected compounds. The problem was, once they ate all the loners, they’d go for the towns.
“Will, warn Dix about the shade traces. Tell her she and the supply truck should head back to Chanute and raise a level two alert.” The laser rifle Jeep would be enough cover. Once they were inside the walls of Chanute, they’d be better equipped to deal with attacks from entities or more mundane raiders.
The other deputy in the Humvee, Randall Barber, craned his neck, checking the sky for daemons. Will didn’t immediately obey. “Mayor Newcome won’t like you raising an alert without consulting her.”
“Don’t care.” Claire scanned the skies, too, her enhanced eyes picking up nothing unusual. Clouds, birds, incipient snow—that was all. “My job is security. Her job is paperwork. Your job is to do what I say. Now go.”
Will jogged back to the Humvee.
“Greetings, Claire.” Ship spoke through the sensor array. “You’re using your array. Do you require assistance?”
“Hold up,” she told Ship, trying not to be irritable. Unlike the Shipborn, who’d used their communications and sensor arrays their whole lives, she always had to adjust to Ship’s voice in her head. “We’re investigating shade traces in a place they shouldn’t be and a possibly alien object of some sort I’ve never seen before. I’m calling it a UO.”
“I will scan the larger area,” Ship volunteered. “You must be protected from danger. You should value yourself more, Claire. You’re a mother.”
Ship wasn’t the kind of sentient machine that waited to be told what to do. It wasn’t the kind that refrained from butting in, either. Or eavesdropping. Or nagging.
“I’m doing exactly what Frances needs her mama to be doing,” she responded. “Protecting our people. This isn’t a high threat situation. The UO is just sitting here. But we do have shade residue.” She sent visuals of the object to Ship, orbiting the planet far above.
“I will run it through my databanks. Do you want me to send aid?”
“Hell, no, don’t send any Shipborn here. We picked up shade traces.” The risk was too great for the Shipborn themselves to venture away from the safe areas of the planet—or the sky—and lately the buffer zone no longer qualified. “We got this.”
“As you wish.” The AI had taken a liking to Claire. She wasn’t sure if it was because she was Frannie’s mom and Niko’s ex, or because Ship was Ship.
She didn’t return the liking, but she tried to hide it. Ship definitely had feelings, and Claire had hurt them more than once. Since Frannie lived on Ship with Niko and his wife Sarah part time, it wouldn’t do to have Ship get pissy with Claire.
Scuffing her feet through the icy snow, Claire kicked around until she found what she wanted. She picked up a small rock and weighed it in her hand. It would do. With careful aim, she lobbed the stone at the silver vessel.
It pinged off the metal with a high-pitched noise like a tuning fork. Claire gritted her teeth as the sound scraped across her nerves.
“Well, that’s unusual,” Randall observed laconically.
The noise swelled instead of faded. Soon it became so intense that she and Randall were stuffing their fingers in their ears.
“To hell with this.” She raised her blaster band and let it heat up to a good level. The UO’s whine sang in her eardrum like the teakettle from Hell. She blasted the object with a white-hot bar of Shipborn’s finest laser weaponry.
The beam pierced the silver tube, and the surface shimmered. Shivered. But it didn’t explode.
It should explode. She liked it when things exploded.
She shut off her laser and protected her ears. This damned silver object definitely counted as a thing that needed to be destroyed.
“Ship, gimme another reading,” she shouted over the din.
“I detect life signs approximately fifty paces in front of you,” Ship responded promptly. Even though the AI was in her head, she could barely hear it over the high-pitched resonance. “I do not detect any human bodies.”
“Recalibrate your sensors on my exact location,” she yelled back. “You’ve got interference or something. Didn’t you see the pictures? There’s a forty by ten foot silver metallic object in the spot where you think you see life signs, and it’s hitting us with some kind of noise weapon.”
They were forty minutes out of Camp Chanute. She didn’t need this kind of mystery so close to her home base.
“The photograph showed a barren field, not an object. A forty by ten foot metallic noise weapon is not a device I have in my databanks.”
Claire reviewed the images. Blank. “Why doesn’t it photograph?”
She wasn’t sure it was a good idea to get any closer if the thing wasn’t showing up on sensors.
Then again, she and her people were the ones on the scene, and it was their duty to investigate.
Finally the deafening chime faded.
“There is a life sign in the location of the object you think you see,” Ship insisted, more urgently. “It is a human life sign. It is fluctuating. The individual may require assistance.”
“I don’t see anybody.” She gestured to Randall, sending him around one side. Could this be the answer to the shade hits in the buffer zone? Were they in time to save today’s victim? “Don’t touch anything.”
Slowly she advanced. Her nose wrinkled involuntarily at the continued whiff of carrion and ozone. Her heart pulsed. “You smell the shades, right?”
Was her sensor broken? Or her senses?
Randall nodded. “Roadkill.”
“There are no current entities in your area,” Ship assured her. “I have a tight focus on your proximity. You are twenty-five feet from the life sign, at a south-south-west diagonal.”
That would take her to one end of the UO. Randall had reached one tip and peeked behind it. Wariness tightened her skin, and the chilly breeze on her cheeks faded to nothing. “Anything back there?”
“Nothin’.” He waved toward the horizon. “Your shot passed through the vessel.”
“If it’s a vessel.” Just because it had an aerodynamic bullet shape didn’t make it a ship. It could be—hell, she didn’t know. A Terran military gadget. A weather balloon. A time capsule. Most likely, though, it was an alien device, and that didn’t bode well. “Ship, are you sure the UO I described isn’t something your people’s enforcers might have? Like a bomb to blow us all up? If they’re supposed to make sure the Shipborn obey the rules, I can see why they’d come after you. You guys sure as hell aren’t sticking to code.”
“As far as I can ascertain, the enforcers have made no move to investigate my crew’s code breaking. The beacons that mark this system as off-limits would have notified the enforcers of our continued violation,” Ship said.
“Why would you know if they were coming after us?” She inched toward the UO, blaster revved and ready. “You talk about the enforcers like they’re so much more advanced than you that you wouldn’t stand a chance against them.”
“I do not know,” Ship answered. “But it has been eighteen months and we are surviving unmolested.”
“Unmolested by your homeland security guys… Wait a minute.”
A crack appeared near one end of the ship, slowly expanding. Behind the crack was a blackness that churned like shades but…
A large, pale human stumbled out of the craft. Naked. He landed on his hands and knees in the corn stubble and snow, gasping for breath.
Blaster hot, she aimed at the figure, but no shades oozed out after him. The crack in the UO remained quiescent. The roiling of the blackness must have been her imagination. Now it just looked dark inside.
“Hold it right there,” Claire demanded unnecessarily. The man didn’t stand up. He didn’t even lift his head. She scanned him with the sensor array, picking up elevated levels of testosterone and adrenaline—he was afraid.
But he wasn’t dead. Was this going to be their first save from one of the mysterious shade hits?
Randall jogged back from the other side of the capsule, instantly on guard against the stranger. He’d been an experienced hunter before the apocalypse, so he was good with guns, but he wasn’t exactly military.
“Are you hurt?” she asked the stranger warily; he wasn’t the only one on edge. “Were you attacked by shades? Can you tell me what this silver craft is and how you got here?”
The man didn’t respond. His shaggy blond hair clumped like it hadn’t been washed in ages. Muscles bunched and twitched in a body that seemed to be well honed, not malnourished.
“I found your life sign,” she told Ship, transmitting the readings via her array. “It’s a naked ass white boy, and I think he’s deaf. Please tell me you’re getting these images, at least.”
“Not deaf,” the man croaked. So he could talk. “Water. Please.”
“I’ve got some in the Humvee.” Her sensors continued their probe, assessing the man’s physical condition. Ship would ID the fellow soon enough, but at least he spoke English. She didn’t have many translators at Chanute besides Ship, and using Ship to translate was a pain in everyone’s ass. Ship…paraphrased a lot. “Can you walk or do you need help?”
“I don’t know.” He rose, shaky and shivering. He stood over six feet, and every inch of him was lean, molded perfection. His cock nested in hair a couple shades darker than the clumps on his head, and not a single blemish marred the surface of his pale skin. In contrast to his impressive physique, he swayed like he was coming off a three-day bender.
Claire found herself rushing forward to support him and barely stopped herself from grabbing his arms. He could have interpreted that as aggressive. She would have decked any stranger who tried to touch her, especially if she was naked.
“Did you fly here? Is this some kind of escape pod?” she asked more politely now that she could be pretty sure he wasn’t about to attack. She’d grown more apt to help people since becoming sheriff. All that responsibility changed a woman. Arguably so did becoming a mother, but it wasn’t until she’d founded Camp Chanute along with the rest of her team that her obligations really sank in. “What are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere?”
“Where’d he come from?” Randall advanced from behind, closing in. If this guy was military, he was bound to react to that.
He didn’t. He didn’t answer their questions, either. He stood there like an ashen pillar of flesh, shivering. His vitals read as stable on her sensor array, but his core temperature was lower than it should be. For obvious reasons.
“Check out the inside of the UO, Randall. Carefully. See if he left his clothes in there.”
Blaster hand aimed in front of him, her less than stealthy deputy tromped through the wide opening of the otherwise nondescript silver object.
She was curious and worried about the UO, but she was more curious about the stranger. Where had he come from? Why was he naked? He didn’t seem shy about his body—and who would be, with a body like his? But he had to be miserable. “You realize it’s below freezing out here, right?” She shrugged out of her coat and thrust it at him. Winter air cut through her protective tactanium vest and fatigues, but she wasn’t the one who was naked and trembling. “Put this on.”
Voice still rough and dry, he answered. “Thank you.”
This close, she could assess him more carefully without getting disrespectful. He was definitely in good shape. His body looked like a fitness photo shoot waiting to happen, minus the oil, but this wasn’t the time and place to ogle. They both held onto the coat a minute—she was a little worried the weight of the parka would pitch him over on his face. “What’s your name?”
At last he raised his head to look at her.
Sea-green eyes in a perfectly chiseled face pierced her like the laser beam had pierced the silver UO. Through and through. She felt that gaze in her brain, her gut, and her knees. It zinged with energy. Heat flushed her skin but then dribbled away as recognition struck her.
She knew that face.
Everybody on the planet knew that face.
“I don’t know how I got here,” he said. “I don’t know what my name is.”
Claire swallowed the hard knot of anger that had risen at the very sight of him.
“I know what it is.” She released the coat and took a hasty step away from this man, this man who everyone knew was dead. “Your name is Adam Alsing, and you’re a fucking idiot.”

He was so easy on the eyes he was practically pornographic. ~ within Chapter 6

“I’ll come with you,” he said, which was her preferred answer, so she smiled at him.
He grinned back.
Her stomach got a butterfly when their gazes connected. Just one. She didn’t have time for a whole gutful of the distracting little bastards. “I was hoping you’d say that.” ~ within Chapter 11



Giveaway(s)!! :

ALSO -- Check out Nina Croft's pet pig Piggles and Jody Wallace's pet cat Meankitty in their two part interview posted on the Entangled in Romance blog that goes along with this giveaway below ...

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Soo .... TWEET about this post & COMMENT on this post!! And you could WIN!! =0)



Find Jody Wallace :


This was put together by myself (From Me to You ... Video, Photography & Book Reviews) please contact me if you'd like your own promo post, while the tour is through Entangled Publishing and they supplied some of the info.

Monday, February 20, 2012

Blog Tour Interview & Review - Made the Grade: Love Beyond Loyalty by Rebecca Royce -- Plus Giveaway

Today I'm turning my blog over to Rebecca Royce, who I interviewed about her latest novel "Love Beyond Loyalty," which is the 3rd book in her Outsiders Series!!

ALSO -- Be sure to comment on this post to be able to sign up for this tour's GIVEAWAY (listed below)!! [Book Tour will run from February 6 - March 2, 2012]



My Q&A with Rebecca Royce :

Jess : What would your ideal career be, if you couldn't be an author?

Rebecca : I might like to be a teacher. I loved English in High School and college. I might like to teach it.

Jess : What sparked the idea for your most recent novel, "Love Beyond Loyalty?"

Rebecca : Well, the whole series has been with me for a long time. Brewing in my brain, if you will. So, its just the next section of a series that I see more as one long cohesive story.

Jess : Which of your characters would you most/least to invite to dinner, from which book and why?

Rebecca : Well, Sebastian, the demon would be my least likely to invite. He’s scary, even to me and he travels through all of the books in the Outsider series.

Jess : If you had to describe Gabriel & Loraine (from "Love Beyond Loyalty") in one word, what would it be?

Rebecca : Misunderstood.

Jess : Which usually comes first for you, the character(s) story or the idea for the novel?

Rebecca : The idea for the novel and then the characters introduce themselves to me.

Jess : What is your latest published book? And if you could write it all over again, would you change anything about it?

Rebecca : "Love Beyond Loyalty" is the third book in my Outsider series. I don’t think I would change anything. I’m really excited about it.

Jess : How many books have you written? Which is your favorite and why?

Rebecca : 29 books. I’m not sure which one is my favorite. Its like choosing between my kids. I just can’t.

Jess : Did you do anything fun and/or get anything good for Valentine’s Day this year?

Rebecca : I hope so. It’s not quite Valentines as I am writing this. I hope the husband did something good!



About the Author :

As a teenager, Rebecca Royce would hide in her room to read her favorite romance novels when she was supposed to be doing her homework. She hopes, these days, that her parents think it was well worth it.

Rebecca is the mother of three adorable boys and is fortunate to be married to her best friend. They live in northern New Jersey and try not to freeze too badly during the winter months.

She's in love with science fiction, fantasy, and the paranormal and tries to use all of these elements in her writing. She's been told she's a little bloodthirsty so she hopes that when you read her work you'll enjoy the action packed ride that always ends in romance. Rebecca loves to write series because she loves to see characters develop over time and it always makes her happy to see her favorite characters make guest appearances in other books.

In Rebecca Royce's world anything is possible, anything can happen, and you should suspect that it will.




- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon.com: Kindle Edition - File Size: 669 KB | Expected Release Date: January 13, 2012 | Publisher: Silver Publishing | Obtained: Goddess Fish Promotions

"Love Beyond Loyalty" [The Outsiders Series, Book 3] by Rebecca Royce

My Book Summary : All his life Gabriel has been fending for himself and trying to keep Alexa (a girl/woman who has special powers like him) safe from either the foster care system or just trying to survive on their own. Because of the way he grew up, he already knows that even if he may not be smart, he is definitely street smart. However, now he has come to a point in his life where he's ready to settle down. The problem is things don't seem to be that easy for him. Especially when he has a group called "the Outsiders" (a group of people who have supernatural powers who have plans to find everyone like them and defeat a demon who is on the earth) who want him to join their cause and while Alexa believes that he has turned to evil while the opposite could really be said. This is when it all comes to blows for him but in doing so, it brings Loraine into his life.

Loraine is a woman who can speak to animals. When she and Gabriel first meet is when she saves his life the first time. Soon afterwards Gabriel and Loraine start facing their destinies and Gabriel must decide if Loraine is worth more than staying loyal to Alexa and what she believe in. Will he be able to choose before it's too late?

My Book Review : 3.5 out of 5 stars, this striking, creative, and adventurous novel is a thing to behold and made me fall in love with this series!! It is action-packed! In addition, to having so many plots that the stories in this series seem to be never-ending which was very intriguing!

I know you can't love all the characters in a story (all the time) but the way Alexa handles the situations and the decisions she makes, really ruined the story for me. Nevertheless, I LOVED Gabriel and Loraine!! Their relationship is just soo sweet and I just couldn't get enough of them!! So, even though they aren't the main characters in the next book I hope to read more about them in it!! =0) Also, I am really curious as to what will happen with Christophe & Ruby since they sound like an interesting couple too.

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys good vs. evil type of plots. Or just anyone who likes paranormal romance novels!!

Author Book Trailer :

Book Teaser(s) :
Leonardo moved forward until he stood next to Gabriel. "So what you're saying is that Alexa---that's her name, right?---is so far gone she's not just believing the demon; she's helping him?"
Loraine swallowed hard. She wondered if anyone else in the room had caught what she just caught. There was a certain gleam in Leonardo's eyes. A heated glance that was different from the indifference or sometimes hostile glances he'd held since entering the room. He was very interested in finding out more about that woman. ~ within Chapter 8
For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Rebecca, then please check out her website.



Book Excerpt :

She turned on her heel, and Gabriel‘s heart sped up. He walked forward and grabbed her arm, which was tricky to do because he needed to hold up his blanket to prevent from being arrested for public indecency.

“You‘re leaving?” God, he wanted to shout, 'don‘t leave.'

Nodding, she gave him that forced smile again, and he wanted to wipe it off her face. “I am. I brought you to Alexa. It‘s time for me to go on my way. You‘ve told me a lot of stuff I have to digest. Good luck.” She looked at Alexa and he wished that one of his powers was mind reading because he had no clue what was going on inside of hers. “To both of you. It was nice meeting you.”

Pulling her arm free of his grip he thought for a second he felt her shake. Was she okay?

“Loraine, wait a second...”

He wouldn‘t have believed she could move that fast. One second she was there and the next she, while still walking, sprinted out of the building.

“Loraine,” he yelled but she didn‘t turn around and soon the crowd in the room blocked his view.

Why was she leaving? Like a light turning on, realization struck him. She had used the phrase your Alexa. What did she think his relationship with his oldest friend was?



Giveaway!! :
  • A $50 Amazon Gift Card to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour

To Enter : Please leave a comment on this post, with a valid email address included at the end of it.

Soo .... COMMENT, COMMENT, COMMENT on this post!! And you could WIN!! =0)

ALSO -- Be sure to follow the tour around the other blog sites! Commenting on the other stops on the tour will also increase your chance of winning!


Find Rebecca Royce :

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Guest Post :: The 5 Things that have Helped or Inspired Us to Write by April Fifer & Danielle Hylton-Outland

Today I'm turning my blog over to April Fifer & Danielle Hylton-Outland authors of "Flesh and Feathers"... So, take it away girls!!

The Five Things that have Helped or Inspired Us to Write

Thank you so much for having us on your blog today. We must say there have been many occurrences that have happened to make us want to write. First, we both read a book (we will not mention the name) that made us so furious about the ending that we wanted to write an ending we loved, our way-our rules. Secondly, we kept asking all the bookstores if there were any paranormal romance books that were less steamy than an erotica but more steamy than YA novels. Their answer was always, “It’s either one genre or the other," **sad face**. Third, we tend to fall-hard for our guys in novels. After all, doesn't everyone? We wanted to create the perfect fictional man. In our case, we created a few. The fourth reason would be we both love to write. Both of us write to relieve emotion, relive experiences the way we really wanted to in real life and generate worlds that are just simply intriguing. Lastly, we write because we want to prove something. For one of us to deal with dyslexia daily and the other to grow up in extreme poverty with an erratic childhood, we owe it to ourselves to be able to say, “I did it.” These are our five reasons we sleep with a pencil in our hands at night.



About the Authors :

Danielle Hylton-Outland was raised in Virginia. She grew up having a huge appetite for daydreaming; always wanting to live in the spectacular worlds she created in her mind. She now lives with her husband and dog where she is pursuing a degree in literature. Danielle is a strong animal activist. She is currently co-writing the second book in the Flesh Series, "Flesh and Flames."

April Fifer grew up in a small town in Virginia, where it was common practice believing that dreams could only be found in stories. At the age of seven she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She was told that she would struggle through life and would never pick up a book to read for pleasure. Although school was hard, she was able to find her way with the help of two teachers who taught her self-discovery. Ignoring what she was taught growing up, she turned it around and found that your dreams could become stories.



"Flesh and Feathers" [The Flesh Series, Book 1] by April Fifer & Danielle Hylton-Outland

Authors' Book Description :

    Azaleigh's life is simple until, by chance, she meets Kale. Charming and handsome, Az is immediately drawn to him. But long kept secrets lurk in the hearts of those Az holds most dear, and dangerous plans are unfolding around her. As her life begins to crumble and Kale disappears, Gage, charismatic and striking, arrives, providing a calm port in an increasingly violent storm. But with every narrow escape from a far from human bounty hunter who's after her life, Az begins to unravel a secret with the power to change her forever. In an increasingly hostile world of Angel and Fallen, Azaleigh must navigate her own path, chose her own side, and ultimately protect her heart. Faced with two gorgeous men, an enemy she doesn’t know, and a future she cannot understand, Az must make a choice—the man she loves, or the man she cannot live without.

Authors' Book Trailer :



Find April Fifer & Danielle Hylton-Outland :

Made the Grade: The Outsiders Series, Book 4

- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon.com: Kindle Edition - File Size: 651 KB | Expected Release Date: March 2012 | Publisher: Silver Publishing | Obtained: Goddess Fish Promotions

"Love Beyond Sight" [The Outsiders Series, Book 4] by Rebecca Royce

My Book Summary : When Samuel was twelve-years-old, he got caught in a fire that the demon, Sebastian, trapped him in, which happened to burn his face mostly and gave him very horrid scars. Now about twenty years later he has been using his powers to steal other people's looks/features so he doesn't ever have to look like his scarred self. However, because of how he's self-conscious about his looks he knows that he'll never be able to be with his soul mate, Eden. But fate will soon take that decision out of his hands....

Eden loves her fellow Outsiders, but recently she is starting to feel like a burden to them. So, after being told that she is being left behind while the rest of the Outsiders are off to steal back more of their things from Sebastian, Eden decides that she is going to take off for a while. She hopes that while she's away she will gain the confidence she needs to be able to be an Outsider and gain control over her powers so she can finally be an asset to them.

However, when Sebastian finds out that Eden is now unprotected, Samuel is forced to protect the woman of his heart at all costs. Nevertheless, will he be able to protect her from everything, even the things everyone would least suspect?

My Book Review : 3 out of 5 stars, this novel is about what it's like to get to know a person from who they are from within over what their outward appearance is, along with proving that all you need is love. Both main characters have problems with their looks that seem to put major road bumps in their relationship that for one of them it's harder to get over then the over. However, Eden and Samuel's plot is very intense and surprising, yet I loved reading about them together and I can't wait to see where their relationship will go!

For the other characters ... I'm curious to see what will happen with the new characters that were introduced within this book. Very interesting new possible storylines. Plus, I loved the brief glimpses I got to read about of Gabriel and Loraine! As they are still my favorite couple in this series thus far in this series. However, I am still mad at Alexa, she just seems so dense and I hope she'll shape up soon. =0/

I do recommend this novel to anyone who is a fan of the Outsiders Series, as it just opens up the doors to so much more for this series you won't want to miss out!

This review is a part of a Blog Tour through Goddess Fish Promotions -- Be sure to check out the tour around the other blog sites! Commenting at the stops on the tour will also increase your chance of winning! Here's my stop for this blog tour. [Blog Tour will run from April 2 - 27, 2012]

My Previous Interview(s) with this Author or the Author's Characters : February 2012 | April 2012

My Previous Review(s) for this Series : Book 3

Author's Book Trailer :

Book Teaser(s) :
"Reading my mind? I'm going to have to figure out how to stop you from getting in there so easily."
Not going to happen. His back was stiff as he answered her telepathically.
"Turn around and speak to me if you want to say something. At least look me in the eye if you're going to invade my mind."
He whirled around, his blue gaze meeting hers. "You've never minded the so-called invasion before. You like it. You look for me in your head. I love being in there. You don't get to tell me I can't do it anymore when it's the one time of the day that I actually feel like life matters."
She threw her hands in the air. This was an impossible situation. "Wonderful."
The cleaning idea seemed better and better. ~ within Chapter 7
For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Rebecca, then please check out her website.

Friday, October 5, 2012

Blog Tour - Made the Grade: Flirting To Win by Natalie Anderson | Interview, Review, & Giveaway

Today I'm turning my blog over to Natalie Anderson, who I interviewed about her latest anthology "Flirting To Win!!"

ALSO -- Be sure to check out Rafflecopter at the bottom of this post to be able to sign up for this blog stop's GIVEAWAY!! [Blog Tour will run from September 6 - October 19, 2012]



My Q&A with Natalie Anderson :

Jess : What books did you enjoy reading while growing up?

Natalie : I loved Paddington Bear, moved on to Trixie Belden, the Bobbsey Twins, anything by Arthur Ransome, "Bridge to Terabithia" always sticks out as does "To Kill a Mockingbird," by the time I was into my teens then it was Agatha Christie classics and my first Mills & Boons along with Lynne Reid Banks and what girl didn’t read Judy Blume???

Jess : Tell us about your "Flirting To Win" Anthology.

Natalie : This is a trilogy of novellas. The stories themselves are not intertwined—they’re three separate tales involving some complex, fun and hot(!) characters laughing and learning to love. They’re all set in summer in London—there’s muesli, flashmobs and a mad dog... so they’re definitely fun, but I think they’re also emotional reads :)

Jess : Which of your characters would you most & least to invite to dinner, from which book and why?

Natalie : I’d love to meet them all! I think all three heroines, Lexie, Nina and Libby would be such fun to have a girly chat with... and the guys??! It might take me half an hour or so to be able to speak around the guys... they’re all a bit gorgeous... but I think Luke would be very funny, Eduardo very intense and Jack would definitely be compelling. It’d be a great night!

Jess : Please describe your heroine, from "Bargain in Bronze," in one to two sentences.

Natalie : Libby has been alone for a while having put herself into isolation—with the best of intentions but it’s so wrong for her really. She’s too soft-hearted and she should be part of a big, loving family… but don’t be fooled into thinking she’s a pushover, she knows how to stand up for herself and certainly gives as good as she gets to Jack!

Jess : What is the most romantic thing one of your characters, from "Seduction in Silver," said or did?

Natalie : I think it would have to be when Eduardo totally breaks his reserve and does a one-man Flashmob for Nina on the Tube—totally embarrassing both him and her but neither care. I love the laughter in that scene and I love a guy who doesn’t give a damn about what anyone else might think of him—not when he’s on a mission to do something important for the woman he loves!

Jess : If "Gamble in Gold" was to be made into a film, who do you see playing the main characters and why?

Natalie : Oh golly – I always find ‘casting’ characters really hard. I know many writers do use pictures of actors and models when writing their books but this has never worked for me... but, if you insist ;) I think I’d love Emma Stone as Lexie—mainly because I just love Emma Stone and have a total girl crush on her ;) for Luke, I need a guy who’s completely gorgeous and who comes across as light-hearted and laidback – maybe Chris Hemsworth?! (Ok, I admit it, I just went for the buff factor!)


Jess : Which usually comes first for you, the character(s) story or the idea for the novel?

Natalie : Usually it’s the characters. I’ll hear them talking and then the scene develops in my mind—sometimes it’s a cute-meet but sometimes it’s an argument! Then I develop the characters as much as I can before drafting as the characters drive the plot, so I really need to know who they are and what they’ve been doing so I can understand what decisions they’d make when I put some nasty big obstacle in their way!

Jess : Is there one particular scene in "Bargain in Bronze" that you’re dying for readers to read? Can you tell us anything about it?

Natalie : I love the scene in the commercial kitchen where Libby is trying to make her stuff and Jack is trying to concentrate on work and neither really can because they’re so totally drawn to each other... I love those early stages in a relationship where the characters are trying hard to hide their fascination with each other but at the same time keep revealing it in their actions and speech—its fun!

Jess : If you had to describe Nina & Eduardo (from "Seduction in Silver") in one word, what would it be?

Natalie : I’d say Nina is sparkle and Eduardo is true.

Jess : What sparked the idea for your most recent novella, "Gamble in Gold?"

Natalie : I really wanted to do a high-school-crush story and here in New Zealand a number of very lucky students get to go on foreign exchange for a few months. I thought it would be fun to have a heroine who’d gone on an exchange a few years ago and never gotten over the eldest son of her host family... then she meets up with him in London and so badly wants to show him that she’s not the ‘useless’ and awkwardly shy kid she was when she’d seen him last... I love those stories where the heroine is trying to be something ‘more’ only to finally learn and accept that the hero loves her for exactly who she is—she doesn’t need to be ‘more’ :)

Jess : How many books have you written? Which is your favorite and why?

Natalie : I’ve written 24 novels and novellas and nope, I can’t name one as a favourite! That’s just impossible – they’re like children ;) But I’m always totally in love with the next idea, that’s the real favourite—the one I’m just about to start :)

Jess : Do you have any other projects in the works? If so, can you share a little of your current work with us?

Natalie : I’m just finishing up a novella duo—there is a little twist to these two that I can’t share just yet—you’ll have to wait and see! After that I’m launching straight into a new full length contemporary. I’m hoping to do the first draft of this in NaNoWriMo this year—I love the energy of that month!!!

Jess : What do you normally eat for breakfast, or do you skip it and get straight to work?

Natalie : I’m a smoothie girl – banana, raspberry, rolled oats and pineapple juice whizzed up – yum!

Jess : What book are you reading now? How do you like it so far?

Natalie : I’m currently reading "Coraline" by Neil Gaiman with my daughter—we’re just up to the second to last chapter and we’re loving it!



About the Author :

USA TODAY bestseller Natalie Anderson writes fun, frisky, feels-good contemporary romance for Harlequin Mills & Boon and Entangled Publishing. With over twenty books published, she's also been a Romantic Times Award nominee & a finalist for the R*BY (Romantic Book of the Year).

She lives in Christchurch, New Zealand with her husband, four children and what feels like a million ducks.




- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon.com: Kindle Edition - File Size: 503 KB | Release Date: August 20, 2012 | Publisher: Entangled Publishing : Indulgence | Obtained: Entangled Publishing

"Flirting to Win" by Natalie Anderson



"Bargain in Bronze" [Flirting to Win Anthology, Novella 1]

My Story Summary : Libby was hired by Tom, an Olympic rower, to come to his house and make her special muesli---a popular breakfast meal based on uncooked rolled oats, fruit and nuts---for him since her company is not operating for the moment. While there Tom's older brother, Jack, arrives and is very suspicious of her intentions towards his brother. Once their intentions are made clear, for Tom's sake at least at first, Jack helps Libby with her business. Yet spending every day together makes their passions fly high, and soon they both realize the instant chemistry that passes between them as they get to know each other more. However, will old wounds keep them from turning their attraction into something more?

My Story Review : 3.5 out of 5 stars. This feisty duo will keep you on your toes! Jack & Libby were great together and I loved how they played off of one another. However, the plot fell a little short for me towards the end. =0/

Story Teaser :
“Why cut by hand?” He pointed out the industrial food processor.
“It’s better chopped by hand. One too many presses of the pulse button of that machine would make it pulp rather than bite-size pieces.”
“But it takes so much time.”
“I have time.”
Really? When she worked full time and ran her business on the side? “Then how do you fit in time for—” He broke off, temporarily blinded by the dangerous glitter in her eyes.
He got the no kisses rule, but did that mean personal talk was a no go area too? “Your commitment to the circus,” he finished slyly. “Knife throwing and stuff with strong Serge.”
She almost smiled. “I’ve retired from the circus.”
Had she now? Serge too? ~ within Chapter 6



"Seduction in Silver" [Flirting to Win Anthology, Novella 2]

My Story Summary : Nina is excited because in a week she plans on traveling around Europe during the time that the Olympics are going on. It's also a way for her to avoid seeing some of her old "friends" as much as possible while they are visiting London during the games. However, an unexpected meeting with Eduardo, the guy she has been crushing on for the past few weeks, while on the tube changes her life. Especially when he asks her out to help him through a difficult family dinner in trade of him helping her out through her quick meet up with her old "friends." They instantly hit it off and soon find that they are willing to spend her last week in London together. The question is will only one week together be enough for them?

My Story Review : 4 out of 5 stars, you will gobble up this seductive novella!! It's vivacious, funny, hot & steamy, with a whole bunch of charming plot thrown in! I couldn't get enough of these characters and wish there was more to the novella so I didn't have to stop reading about them!

Story Teaser :
“Why don’t you bring your little finger this way,” she teased, glowing inside with confidence and desire and for the first time feeling free to declare her every desire. Hallelujah and thanks be to Shakespeare.
“’Little finger’?” He knelt back onto the bed, straddling her. “I object to that.”
“Thorn? Bugle? Dart of love?” She spread her hands wide on his hips. “How about instrument?”
“Of pleasure or torture?”
“Both,” she answered playfully, running one hand up his abs, bringing the other to encircle him.
“All right, you asked for it.” ~ within Chapter 4



"Gamble in Gold" [Flirting to Win Anthology, Novella 3]

My Story Summary : Lexie and Luke met when they were in teenagers while Lexie was staying with Luke's family during an exchange program. During that time, both were attracted to each other but Luke broke Lexie's heart by kissing her and then becoming distant. Now about seven years have passed leaving them both to believe they've overcome their infatuation with each other. Only to come face-to-face with each other again to find that instead of leaving their infatuation for each other has grown. Nevertheless, will they be able to give into their lust and still be able to be friends? Can they find a way to have their relationship grow into something more? Or will old hurts and wild pasts get in the way of something special?

My Story Review : 3 out of 5 stars! Old passions ignite in this fast-paced novella! I liked Lexie and Luke together, especially getting to read how they fumbled through their private reunion. I just wish Lexie didn't leave the way she did, because it just didn't play out in a way that I could support. Even though I'm happy with the way it ended, I just hoped it would have turned out better.

Story Teaser :
“Why do you do it?”
He sat back and breathed a long sigh out. “The chance to help someone reach their goal? Achieve something they’ve always wanted to?” He shook his head. “That’s an amazing feeling.”
“But what about you? You just said you wanted to win. You were an amazing runner at school.”
He laughed. “I’m good, but I’m not that good.” He stretched out his sore leg. “Helping Kate was the best thing I could do with what talent I have. Helping her win is how I get to win.”
Okay, so he was totally Mr. Perfect. And so damn easy to fall for. The trouble was that so many women fell for him. ~ within Chapter 5



My Book Review : For the full book I give it 3.5 out of 5 stars! Even though I feel that the "Seduction in Silver" novella really won the gold medal out of these three, I did truly enjoy reading them all!

I would recommend this anthology to anyone who enjoys reading contemporary romances!

Author's Anthology Extras : Winning the Gold - with Natalie Anderson | Kicking off the “Flirting to Win” Blog tour!

For more information on this book and/or any other books by Natalie, then please check out her website.



My Giveaway!! :

  • An ARC e-book copy of "Flirting To Win" to one randomly drawn person from the Rafflecopter entries
  • An kindle copy of "Bargain in Bronze" Novella 1 to one randomly drawn person from the Rafflecopter entries
The Fine Print -- To Enter :
  1. This contest ends on October 12th 2012.
  2. This contest is International!!
  3. You must be 18 years-old or older!!
  4. It's the author/publisher's responsibility to ensure that the winner gets "Flirting To Win," not mine.

a Rafflecopter giveaway


ALSO -- Be sure to follow the tour around the other blog sites!



Find Natalie Anderson :

Monday, May 31, 2010

Made the Grade: Voices of Dragons by Carrie Vaughn

Format: Kindle Edition | File Size: 341 KB | Release Date: March 2010 | Publisher: HarperCollins

"Voices of Dragons" [Voices of Dragons Series, Book 1] by Carrie Vaughn

My Book Summary : Have you ever wondered what it would be like if dragons lived among us? Well, for Kay that is her reality. However, in recent years humans and dragons have been isolated from each other and stayed out of each other's territories for the past sixty years because of the treaty that was signed. The only problem with that is now each side doesn't know a thing about the other, they just base what they know on fear and legion which make it so each side lives in fear of what the other might do.

For Kay, she has grown up right in the middle of it. As she lives in Silver River, Montana a town that is the closest to the border of the dragon territory in America. Also, with a father who's the sheriff of the town and a mother who works for border control, Kay knows this area really well, which doesn't hurt when she likes to seek adventure type of activities (i.e. free-climbing on the mountains the border is on).

The story starts off when Kay is partaking in one of these types of activities, she decides to free-climb in an area on the border that she knows her parents (or anyone working with them) won't be looking at. However, once she gets down and decides to wash her hands off in the river, then slips, and falls into that river taking her over the border into dragon territory .... and her life really gets adventurous!

After being in the water for a while unable to get herself out, something saves her .... a young dragon named Artegal. Artegal wants to know/learn more about humans and just really wants to talk to someone, and is happy when Kay agrees to come back to do so. Which is how they grow to become friends, but they keep it a secret since the treaty states that once one from the other side crosses the border an all out war can happen.

Nevertheless, after a couple of months the reality of their friendship comes into play when the military on the human-side starts testing the border and the dragons’ patience. Will they be able to stay friends when they are supposed to be enemies? Or maybe will their friendship show that both sides are able to live in peace once and for all?

My Book Review : 3 out of 5 stars. Not as good as I had hoped. I mean it was cute, and a VERY touching story about friendship and love. And for a good portion of the book I cried like a baby. However, I just think it could have been better. It's like Romeo & Juliet only between friends ....

Book Teaser :
"We have stories," the dragon said. "Of people with swords. They hunt us down. Seek us out. Wicked deeds."
Kay wondered what stories the dragons told about human beings. Saint George--Silver River High's mascot was Saint George--must be like the devil to them.
"Foolish, maybe," he said. "But I want to see for myself. To understand. We used to talk to people. Maybe we should again." ~ within Chapter 3

For more information on this book and/or any other books by Carrie, then please check out her website.



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Wednesday, October 5, 2016

Feasted On: Maelstrom Chronicles, Book 3

- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon: Paperback - Pages: 361; Kindle Edition - File Size: 1445 KB | Expected Release Date: September 5, 2016 | Publisher: Entangled Publishing : Select Otherworld | Obtained: NetGalley

"Prodigal" [Maelstrom Chronicles, Book 3] by Jody Wallace (aka Ellie Marvel)

Author's Book Description : He nearly destroyed the world, but with her help, he can save it.

Adam Alsing—at least that’s what they tell him his name is—has no idea who he is or why he’s huddled naked in the snow next to a mysterious silver pod. When a gorgeous, no-nonsense sheriff by the name of Claire Lawson rescues him, she explains the planet’s under attack—and he’s been missing for over two years. The problem is, what he doesn’t remember can kill them.

Keeping the peace in her post-apocalyptic town is all the trouble Sheriff Claire Lawson can handle. Until the MIA Chosen One—the guy who could have prevented the apocalypse—interrupts her supply run. The Shipborn aliens want to study him, and what’s left of the Terran government wants to lock him up. But his charming demeanor and his desire to help, along with his sexy smile, has Claire fighting her better judgment to keep Adam around. For now.

Book 1 of the Maelstrom Chronicles is "ANGELI."
Book 2 is "TRAITOR."
Read Scene 1 of "TRAITOR" from Ship’s POV at Literary Escapism.
Read a Tour of the Universe article about sentient space ships at Bitten by Romance.
Listen to a Blog Talk Radio show with Linda Mooney where we talk "PRODIGAL" and peens.

My Book Review : 4 out of 5 stars!! The “Chosen One,” Adam Alsing, returns in the most unexpected way ... a pod with the remains of shades. He doesn’t remember who he was. He learns that he now has extraordinary powers (ones that no one can account for) so he’s not sure if who he use to be is who he truly is anymore. Nevertheless, even if he isn’t completely the old Adam Alsing, who Adam is now is the man who can help everyone out and actually save the world. But will the mystery of how he came to be, make it so no one will trust him, let alone himself? Claire helps him navigate his “new world” and together they try to save it before it’s all too late…

I’ll admit that this is the first novel I’ve read from Ms. Wallace’s Maelstrom Chronicles. Though it felt like it dragged here and there, I never felt lost in this novel’s action and suspenseful romance. Thrilling, exciting, and romantic! This world hooks you with its wit and charm then reels you in for more! Engaging characters make you fall for them all and hope to read more about them too.

Yet it was Claire’s relationship to Adam that lights up this novel and makes me wish it didn’t have to end. I enjoyed how prickly Claire was, with her being her vivacious-self. I loved how Adam seemed to calm her down in a way to make her see the “bigger picture” of it all while opening up her heart too. In addition, how they deal with Adam’s “skills” while still supporting one another was very heartwarming to read.

Even though this was my first time getting into this world, it enticed me enough that I really hope it’ll continue. I am hoping that Ship will finally get its Android and possibly a love of its own too. *hehee* Basically, what I am saying is that I HIGHLY recommend it, especially to those who are fans of this series and/or are looking for an enticing series-driven standalone sci-fi romance!

Purchase This Book and/or The Other Books From It's Series Here : Shop Your Indie/Local Bookstores (IndieBound - Paperback) USD : Angeli (Book 1) | Shop Your Indie/Local Bookstores (IndieBound - Paperback) USD : Traitor (Book 2) | Amazon (Kindle) USD : Angeli (Book 1) | Amazon (Kindle) USD : Traitor (Book 2) | Amazon (Paperback) USD : Angeli (Book 1) | Amazon (Paperback) USD : Traitor (Book 2) | Barnes & Noble (NOOK Book) USD : Angeli (Book 1) | Barnes & Noble (NOOK Book) USD : Traitor (Book 2)


Shop Your Indie/Local Bookstores (IndieBound - Paperback) USD : Prodigal (Book 3)
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Kobo (e-Book) USD : Prodigal (Book 3)

Amazon (Kindle) USD : Prodigal (Book 3)

Amazon (Paperback) USD : Prodigal (Book 3)
Prodigal
Barnes & Noble (NOOK Book) USD : Prodigal (Book 3)
Prodigal
Barnes & Noble (Paperback) USD : Prodigal (Book 3)
Amazon (Paperback) USD : Maelstrom ChroniclesKobo (e-Book) USD : Maelstrom Chronicles

My Previous Interview(s) with this Author : September 2016

My Previous Guest Post(s) by this Author : Fortune Tellers - Fact or Fiction by Jody Wallace - August 2016

My Previous Review(s) for this Author : Pack and Coven

My Previous Mention(s) of this Author's Books/Characters : Entangled Otherworld Fortune Teller Booth at Entangled Publishing's Summer Carnival | Blog Tour, Guest Post, Spreading the Word & GC Giveaway | Blog Tour - Prodigal by Jody Wallace | Interview, Spreading the Word, & Critter Prize Pack Giveaway


Author's Novel Extras : New Release: PRODIGAL

Author's Series Extras :

Book Teaser(s) :
The crown that made her the Queen of Assholes, but hey, she got shit done. ~ within Chapter 1
For this lady, he'd cast aside his exhaustion and doubt. "What do you say I get you out of here, ma'am?"
"You don't know me?" she asked, eyes big and wet.
"Should I?" He'd like to know her. She wasn't as tall as he was, but there was something solid about her, something reliable and strong. He couldn't remember what he'd done to be tossed into Hell--in fact, he was starting to realize he had zero memories of anything--but the fact she was here meant it wasn't all bad. ~ within Chapter 28

Book Preview(s) :

For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Jody, then please check out her Amazon Acct.
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