Thursday, January 31, 2013

Book Extravagaza Tour

Book Extravagaza Tour

with
Kindred Night School Vampire Hunter Book 2
The Life and Times of Noone In Particular
The Skeleton Key

By - in order of books above

Michelle Cornwell-Jordan
Jamie B. Musings
C.P. Bialois

Tour Wide Giveaway - $25 Amazon Gift Card & 1 Cecile Monique Music CD

About Michelle Cornwell-Jordan

Michelle Cornwell-Jordan is a YA Paranormal Author.
Her titles: Reahket (Co-written with Author Danny Jones)
Michelle is also the author of the YA novella series Night School Vampire Hunter trilogy.

Series includes:

Night School Vampire Hunter novella #1 Released date March 2012

Kindred (A Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy novella) #2 Released date November 2012

Redemption (A Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy novella) #3 Released date spring 2013

Works -In-Progress

Chrysalis (Full Length) Released date spring 2013
Hunters Series novellas Released date summer 2013

Ame Academy's Paranormal novella series summer 2013

Michelle Cornwell-Jordan is also the producer of the online radio segment IndieReview Behind The Scenes, where she and her co-host Jamie B Musings interview Indie Authors and Musicians.


About Jamie White

JamieBMusings is a music addict, book lover, pet servant & NaNoWriMo survivor. When she's not busy writing posts for CultureShock, she's taking pictures for her new obsession (That Photo Blog) and spending time with her husband and pets.

Her first book, The Life and Times of No One in Particular, was released in May.




P Bialois' love of words began as a small child when his father bought a stack of comics to teach him the reading skills he wasn't mastering in class. Before long, he was reading at an advanced level and teachers were shaking their heads over the unconventional method.
Growing up in the '80s, Bialois was exposed to even further inspiration through the popular cartoons of the day. Transformers, in particular, sparked his imagination and led to him put his first stories on paper. After a decades-long break, Bialois began getting back into the world of writing by joining some role-playing groups. These groups taught him about fleshing out characters and building worlds that stuck with him as he began writing short stories for fun.
To his surprise, Bialois would end up completing his first full-length novel, Call of Poseidon, in 2007. Armed with a finished product, Bialois began working on another book, The Sword and the Flame, unsure of what he would ultimately be doing with either. As with many others in the later part of the first decade of the 2000's, he found himself out of work and looking into new options. Over the next two years, he would spend most days at the library, completing an additional half-dozen works.
Two books later, Bialois is planning for the release of many more and enjoying the feedback he receives. The up-and-coming author takes inspiration from favorites such as Steven King, Tom Clancy and Sue Grafton. His love of history, fantasy and old monster movies has also served as a muse.
When he's not busy writer or chatting on his social networks, Bialois enjoys watching Hockey and Football as well as Metallica DVDs. He currently lives with his wife- a fellow writer- and their fur children. CP Bialois is also active in several South Florida writing groups, as well as the online writer community.


Publisher: Michelle Cornwell-Jordan
Genre: YA Paranormal
Release Date: 11/24/2012
Amazon|Barnes and Noble|Smashwords

Blurb:

The Kindred is the second novella in The Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy.

Angel and her friends at Ame Academy, a boarding school for preternatural and humans are back, and they are preparing for battle against the dark forces that kidnapped Angel's younger brother Jordan. Angel had recently discovered that she was a Hunter and that she alone has a special weapon against her enemies; her blood, which is discovered to be toxic to her enemies. Angel is prepared to use her training and all that is at her disposal in order to save Jordan, even if that means joining forces with the strange and mysterious Rafael, who at their first meeting, she recognized him as the boy she had dreamed about for weeks prior to his arrival at the school. Angel cannot shake the feeling that she knew Rafael before, and is hopelessly drawn to her extremely handsome fellow hunter.

Rafael frightens her, he hints of a secret; another time and another life lived.

Can love survive two lifetimes?

Events unfold that provides the answers to who Rafael really is and what they mean to one another; and along with these strange and blossoming emotions for Rafael, along with guilt and fear for her brothers safety; Angel discovers that she is more than just a Vampire Hunter, and that she plays a major role in a ancient prophecy, which she must fulfill by facing an a force so evil that survival is not promised.

But she will face the Dark One, Angel will sacrifice all, if it means saving all whom she loves.
Many questions are answered, but the drama is just beginning….

Amazon|Barnes and Noble|Smashwords

Kindred Excerpt:

A thought came into my head and I turned, pinning Rafael with a please don't mess with me right now…or I'll rip your heart out stare. I said, "When we first met, you said we knew one another that you were with me when I was little, that we've always known one another…always…l-l-oved one another…" I quickly tuned out the others in the room, not wishing to focus on the reactions of the others…although I did catch the big smile from Elin; an incurable romantic it seemed. I knew this should have been a private conversation, but deep down I felt Rafael knew what was happening; I wanted to know what he knew…

He looked at me, with one of those intense, smoldering I'm a hot guy, and I really know what this look is doing to you stare…but I wasn't going to allow it to affect me. I simply held his gaze in a stable, strong manner…and hoped I didn't look like a deer in the headlights… he sighed and said, "Do you really want to talk about this here?" Rafael looked at me intently, leaning forward, resting his forearms on his knees…hands pressed together in the steeple formation that everyone uses to signify they are deep in thought.

I said quietly, "Yes." He looked at me again, and I swear, if he didn't stop looking at me that way, I would completely forget what we were talking about. He stood up, and crossed the room and came to stand in front of me-did I happen to mention how close he was? Well, enough that I felt a little uncomfortable, but I wouldn't step back, and I refocused. I needed to hear what he had to say.

"I knew you because I am ThunderKin; yes, I knew who you were and what this meant in the war coming Samhain…"

"Okay," I said trying to digest that here stood one of the legendary Thunderbirds…I saw how his eyes glowed, now appearing that unearthly golden hue; a worried expression passed over his features, and I wondered what worried him. I said, "And the rest about knowing me?"

"I knew you because…" he said as he reached out, placed his hand on the side of my face, and leaned in close, lips almost touching. He whispered, "I knew you because you are my destiny…my mate."

Really can you believe this?


Genre: Satire
Amazon

Beware the muse with a chip on her shoulder.
Muses are often called uncooperative, grumpy, lazy beings who abandon a writer when they're needed most. Now, one of them has decided to tell their side of the story. Meet Clarissa, a muse who has spent centuries trying to inspire artists who sometimes are too stubborn to listen to her.
What is your muse trying to say to you? Clarissa might just be able to answer that...

The Life and Times of Noone Inparticular Excerpt:

So why do they happen? Like I said, some people are not opening up to their muses so they can't hear the messages we're trying so hard to get through. They are some that are tuning out because it's just easier to take someone else's work and modify it. Others aren't doing it because they're afraid of falling flat on their faces. With a proven name, you're
guaranteed an audience. What if you do an original movie, show or song and no one likes it? I've heard it all a hundred times. Some of the most high-strung people I have ever met in all my years of doing this were entertainment executives.It's like they're afraid to be human or to have the actors and musicians they hire do the same. I gave up on them years ago. They always take the safest route possible. The safest route might make it easier to get rich quick, but it's usuallythe most creatively boring.

Fear hampers the creative process and makes it harder for us to get through to our charges. That's the one most important piece of advice you need most, take it from a muse- relax. Art doesn't just inspire or teach here and there; it's supposed to be fun, too!
Music- "Merry Go- Distressed" by Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons "Attribution 3.0" http://creativecommons.org/licenses/ by/3.0/"]




Publisher: CP Bialois
Release Date: 10/23/2012
Genre: Horror/Suspense
Amazon

Blurb:From the imagination of CP Bialois, author of Call of Poseidon and the Sword and the Flame series, comes a collection of short stories filled horror and suspense. Nothing is as it seems in the world around us. Join us as we step through the doorway and into the unseen workings of our world. With each story, Skeleton Key will warm your heart with a brother's love, break it with the ultimate betrayal, and bring the shadows around you to life.

Keep telling yourself it's only a book, and maybe that sound you heard will be just a tree limb scratching against the window. Be sure to read the paper in the morning, as it may save your life. And never, go into a room without something to defend yourself with. Most important of all, relax and have fun.



Skeleton Key Excerpt:

Camping 101 excerpt

"The one that comes to mind is about a family that went camping one summer, not too long ago. They settled in by their fire, much as we're doing now, huddled together and sharing blankets. The night was clear and you could see all of the stars." He motioned to the cloudless sky and stars, which could still be seen despite the fire. "The same as tonight."

"Unknown to the family, there was a secret military facility at the base of the mountain where they were experimenting on volunteers. The men that volunteered did so to help their country, but what was done to them…" He trailed off, shaking his head before continuing. "Is beyond description. Earlier that night they managed to escape, killing a handful of guards before escaping into the woods. Just as the family settled in for the night, the bushes around them rustled and the seven men burst out and seized the family."

"Did they kill 'em?" Jason's eyes were wide as were the rest in the group. Lester knew he had them right where he wanted them.

Slowly, Lester nodded. "They tore the people apart with their bare hands and began to eat them. That was how the men were found an hour later, sleeping with full stomachs and dried blood coating their faces, hands, and chests."

"What happened to the men?" This time Eric spoke, his face was the only one of the group that hadn't gone pale.

Lester sat back and let out a deep breath, his hand dropped to the machete propped next to him against the tree. "They took the six of them back to the compound where they still are as far as anyone knows. The incident was covered up and blamed on a hitchhiker, turned serial killer."

Scratches Excerpt

Lee nodded, "Exactly, here I thought I had found paradise. But then I guess no matter where you find it, paradise has to have a serpent."

Elias looked at him with a worried look. Thoughts of Slasher films danced through his head. "Is there something wrong here, Lee?"

Lee shrugged, "Dunno, depends on whether you believe all them ghost stories. People always come up here lookin' fer the ghost of the little girl, but they never find her."

Meredith felt a little chill go through her. "A little girl's ghost?"

Lee nodded and puffed on his pipe some more. "That's right. A little girl supposedly heard scratching at her bedroom window one night and opened it. Next day she was found dead by her brother. No one knew what to think or believe. There was no signs of struggle, no sign of what happened besides deep scratch marks on her windowsill. Since then, some say her ghost can be seen by the lake, but those that see her don't live to tell about it."

Meredith remained quiet for a moment. Her own mind was thinking of the stories of missing children in the paper on a daily basis. "Do you believe those stories?"

Lee stayed quiet for a few seconds before shaking his head. "Nah, for the simple fact that how's anyone to know you died if you see her, if no one's lived to tell about it? Nothing more than campfire stories, if you ask me."




About Artist Cecile Monique

With her powerful, yet angelic voice and unmistakable charisma, Cecile Monique is a multi-talented musical artist ready to make her mark on the international music scene. Cecile Monique is not only an accomplished vocalist; she is also a skilled writer, composer, and arranger of her own original music. Her years of formal classical vocal training provided the foundation, but her singular creativity...
, diverse musical influences, and her fresh, youthful style have provided the fuel to create the distinctive fusion of rich, classically-influenced vocals with modern, innovative instrumentation that exist together in perfect harmony and have become Cecile Monique's signature, genre-bending sound.

In addition to her impressive musical talent, Cecile's cosmopolitan personality and multicultural roots (half European and half Hispanic) also broaden her appeal to an international audience; Cecile is fluent in several languages and has recorded and performed songs in English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Czech, and Latin.

In 2010, Cecile Monique was awarded the prestigious FACTOR New Talent Award in support of her self-titled EP release featuring three of her original compositions, which was recorded at Metalworks Studios, Canada's #1 recording studio. With the launch of her new EP now available on iTunes worldwide, and a myriad of new projects on the horizon, Cecile Monique is a rising star poised to become an international phenomenon!

Contact Cecile Monique




Cecile Monique Speaks about Kindred (A Night School Vampire Hunter Trilogy Novella)

Listen Now!

Listen To Immortal Beloved!
You Tube Video





Follow the tour and Tweet each day for Extra Entries.

January 10 - VBT Cafe' Blog
January 10 - AZ Publishing Services
January 11 - BK Walker Books Etc.
January 13 - Free eBooks Daily
January 14 - Hywela Lyn
January 16 - Marketing Cafe'
January 18 - Mass Musings
January 20 - BK Walker Books
January 21 - Lost To Books
January 22 - Reviews & Interviews
January 23 - Lori's Reading Corner
January 24 - Writers with Books
January 27 - The Writing World
January 29 - Brooke Blogs
January 30 - VBTC Authors On Tour
January 31 - The Avid Reader


Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Blog Tour: Raising the Bar By Lucy Felthouse (Promo + Giveaway)




I would like to welcome Lucy Felthouse to The Avid Reader today. Thanks for stopping by Lucy. Please be sure and check out Lucy's novel Raising the Bar. Oh and be sure you enter the giveaway before you leave.




Raising the Bar banner






Raising the Bar cover

Title: Raising the Bar

Author: Lucy Felthouse

Genre: Erotica

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Format: Ebook

Words: 5181







PURCHASE

Raising the Bar




Decadent Publishing

Amazon UK

Amazon US

ARe

B&N

BookStrand

iTunes

KoBo





BOOK DESCRIPTION

Raising the Bar




When Kayleigh takes a gap year before starting University, she decides she's going to stay away from guys and just concentrate on having fun and experiencing life. That means going through a lot of batteries, but she's happy and satisfied.

That is, until she gets to Spain on her travels and meets her new co-worker, Luciano. The scorching hot Spaniard soon has Kayleigh's knickers in a twist- literally-and the time they spend together seriously raises the bar for her sex life. How will any other man ever compare?





EXCERPT

Raising the Bar




My first shift at the restaurant passes in a blur of flirtatious glances. My pussy swells and my clit throbs, desperate for attention. It's all I can do to resist disappearing into the bathroom for a sneaky wank. Even better, I'd like to drag Luciano in there with me and ride him until his teeth rattle. Instead, I console myself with the fact that once I get back to my apartment, I can do whatever the hell I like. And I know for a fact it's going to involve an orgasm.

I take a taxi back to my apartment rather than walking the dark, unfamiliar streets alone. It also means I can get there quicker and relieve the tension that the sexy Spaniard has caused. I pay the driver as fast as possible then rush inside and slam the door behind me. I heave a sigh of relief as I lock myself in.

Undressing, I drop my clothes by the washing machine and head to the bathroom, desperate to get clean. It's not work that's made me feel dirty, though. The flirting with Luciano have left me seriously wet. The panties I've just discarded in front of the washing machine are sodden.

Stepping under the shower, I groan with pleasure as the hot water caresses my fevered skin. I stand there for a few seconds, letting the heat and the water relax me. My tension slips away and runs down the plughole. I grab the shampoo and give my hair a wash, digging my fingers into my scalp and massaging it. Now I'm calmer. But by the time I've rinsed the suds, he's popped into my head again. Damn him.







ABOUT THE AUTHOR






Author Raising the Bar

Lucy is a graduate of the University of Derby, where she studied Creative Writing. During her first year, she was dared to write an erotic story - so she did. It went down a storm and she's never looked back. Lucy has had stories published by Cleis Press, Constable and Robinson, Decadent Publishing, Ellora's Cave, Evernight Publishing, House of Erotica, Ravenous Romance, Resplendence Publishing, Sweetmeats Press and Xcite Books. She is also the editor of Uniform Behaviour, Seducing the Myth, Smut by the Sea and Smut in the City.







ONLINE LINKS




Website

Facebook

Twitter

Goodreads

Lucy Felthouse Newsletter







GIVEAWAY






The giveaway is tour wide for 1 copy of any backlist Decadent Publishing title - winner's choice, open worldwide and ends 02/07/2013

a Rafflecopter giveaway






TOUR SCHEDULE LINK



This tour was put together by FMB Blog Tours

Blog Tour: When God Spoke By Mike Kearby (Review)




I would like to welcome Mike Kearby to The Avid Reader today. Thanks for stopping by Mike. Please be sure and check out Mike's short story When God Spoke book #4 in the Fone-Stories™. Check out my review and an excerpt of When God Spoke.




When God Spoke banner






When God Spoke cover

Title: When God Spoke

Author: Mike Kearby

Series: Fone-Stories™ #4

Publisher: Self

Genre: Fantasy

Format: Ebook

Words: 2500







PURCHASE

When God Spoke




Amazon







BOOK DESCRIPTION

When God Spoke




A Story Bound to be the Subject of Much Disagreement & Debate. When God Spoke is a Controversial Look at Religion Expressed by A Terminal Cancer Patient.








EXCERPT

When God Spoke




It was in the autumn of my life, when that dreaded prognosis arrived. Unheralded and harsh, but not unexpected, the reality of such a forecast was this: anyone who dared step on the stage knew that one day the curtain would come down. Unlike others given the directive, however, I refused to follow prescribed protocol for such revelations, those of shock, anger, or depression, for I never doubted the prediction of my course, I simply chose instead to proceed with great rapidity straight to the interminable question of, "Why me?"

Habitually disposed to disobedience (I confess here my one great flaw) I remained headstrong and demanding, and so, ever resolute, I refused to exit until a suitable answer was presented as to the reason.

And there is where my story actually has its genesis, for soon after my unreasonable rigidity prevailed, a voice did descend to that stage.

Then, over the course of three days I was provided with answers that my soul once thought of as incapable of occurrence.

Be assured that the voice was not without its own problems. It presented a conundrum in that it sounded much like and yet so unlike my own distinctive quality of tone and pitch. A baffling problem to be sure, yet one I resolved internally as the voice certainly had sufficient and affirmative counterclaims to my willful opposition of departing the stage.

So, what all of the above comes down to-is this: What you are about to read is neither synthetic nor spurious, but most avowedly true.





MY REVIEW

When God Spoke




 

The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I was given a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

 

When God Spoke is about a man with terminal cancer. Who sits out on the porch during the day and talks to God. When he is speaking with God he sees him sitting in the chair beside him. The man likes sitting out in the sun and feeling it upon his face. He loves how the sun feels beaming down on him. He is filled with peace and joy during his time in the sun talking with God.

 

The patient ask God in an around about way if he is real or not. He also ask him questions about religion like which one is the right one or who is right? Is any of them the right way to believe? God always answers him in round about ways so that the patient has to actually make his own decisions of what is right and what is wrong.

 

I think God is trying to tell him it doesn't matter what you believe or what anyone else believes. What matters is how you live your life doing what you know to be right. Treat all life as if it sacred. Love each and every human being the same no matter where they come from or what they believe. Each person has the right to believe how they want as long as they love and treat everyone the same. I also think he is telling him that he is smarter than some give him credit for. Like why would he let an innocent child that did something that is consider wrong when they had no control over what happened die without him. But then turn around and let that innocent child's murderer be with him? If he had all this control over what humans did then why would he not stop that poor innocent child from being hurt and killed?

 

Every day that this guy spent sitting in the sun he thought he was having a conversation with God when in reality he was talking to himself. As God told him man created God in his image it wasn't God created man in his image. Man needed this image of himself that he called God so that he could look inside himself and believe that he was pure and innocent. Man needed this image of himself to help him do what he thought was the right thing to do. To help him live a better life and help him to be a better person. Without any guidelines or any rules to follow then he believed that he would be capable of doing evil things. If God created man and not the other way around why is man not dying to be with him?







    About the Author



Kavachi's Rise author

From Wikipedia: Mike Kearby (born 1952) is an award-winning American novelist and inventor. Since 2005, Kearby has published ten novels, one graphic novel, and written two screenplays: (2011) Boston Nightly, with fellow writer Paul Bright and (2012) The Devouring. Boston Nightly is scheduled for filming in Dallas in the spring of 2013.







    ONLINE LINKS

Website

Vampyre Chronicles

Twitter







TOUR SCHEDULE LINK



This tour was put together by FMB Author Promotions

Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Blog Tour: The Gatekeepers Challenge By Eva Pohler (Review + Guest Post)




Hello and welcome to my stop on The Gatekeepers Challenge By Eva Pohler Virtual Book Tour presented by Reading Addictions Blog Tours. Please join me in welcoming Eva to The Avid Reader today. Thanks for stopping by Eva. Please be sure and check out both of Eva's novels in the Gatekeepers Trilogy. Book 1 The Gatekeeper's Son and book 2 The Gatekeepers Challenge. Check out my review of both books The Gatekeepers Challenge and The Gatekeeper's Son. Eva is going to be talking with us today about: Awakening Your Inner Goddess.




Reading Addiction Blog Tours






The Gatekeepers Challenge cover

Title: The Gatekeepers Challenge

Series: Gatekeepers Trilogy Book 2

Author: Eva Pohler

Genre: Ya Fantasy

Date Published: 11/29/12







BUY LINK
The Gatekeepers Challenge




Amazon

Smashwords







BOOK DESCRIPTION
The Gatekeepers Challenge




Ten agonizing months have gone by since Therese faced off against her parents' murderer at Mount Olympus, and she suspects Thanatos's absence is meant to send her a message: go on with your life. In cahoots with her new friend, who's gotten in with the Demon Druggies at school, Therese takes a drug that simulates a near-death experience, planning to tell Than off so she can have closure and move on, but things go very, very wrong.

Than has been busy searching for a way to make her a god, and he's found it, but it requires her to complete a set of impossible challenges designed by Hades, who hopes to see her fail.







EXCERPT
The Gatekeepers Challenge




"And I thought you were the god of justice!"

"These are challenges, Thanatos. The more challenging, the better the victory."

"Hah! Admit it. You want her to fail!"

Hades didn't hide the smile creeping across his face as he stood and met Than's eyes, their noses inches apart. "I want her to pay! She was an embarrassment to me last summer. If she's to join us here in my palace, I want her to suffer first."

"The punishment should fit the crime!" Than said.

"Agreed!" Hades bellowed. "I said those very words to your sisters before you arrived. They want to drag on too long the punishment of a murderer in Paris before they bring him here. I think they are motivated by something other than justice."

The Furies stood up, their eyes changing from blue in one and brown in the other to dark red. Blood dripped to their cheeks.

"Who doesn't love Paris?" Tizzie hissed.

"We'll leave you now," Meg snarled.

The Furies vanished.

Hades crossed his arms at his chest. "And you are, too, Thanatos."

"She had compassion for a man who was no longer a threat to her. She refused to kill him in cold blood. How is that a failure?"

"He deserved death. Her parents deserved vengeance. You deserved her to keep her word! She's the one who let you down, son. Not me. She chose to have mercy on that killer over becoming your wife. Doesn't that bother you even a little?"

Than's throat tightened and no words came. He could think of nothing to say. Yes, it had bothered him. It had bothered him a lot. Only her prayers in the aftermath of the battle convinced him of her love. Her prayers, not her actions.

The challenges gave her the opportunity to remedy that. His father was right.







GUEST POST
Awakening Your Inner Goddess
(Sans Fifty Shades of Grey)




When I say girls need to awake their inner goddesses, I'm not referring to the kind of inner goddess described by E.L. James in Fifty Shades of Grey (though I'm not opposed to awakening that type either). What I'm talking about is the warrior goddess of power inside each one of us, often latent and unrecognized in girls who continue to live in a world where men hold the highest offices in government, church, and the work force. Girls are less subjugated today than they were fifty years ago, and although the playing field still isn't perfectly level, the real culprit holding back most girls is themselves. As Alice Walker has said, "The most common way people give up their power is by believing they have none."

At the beginning of my Gatekeeper's Trilogy, a young adult contemporary fantasy based in Greek myth, fifteen-year-old Therese Mills believes she's the least powerful person on the planet. Her parents have just died. Her aunt has come to live with her in her beautiful home in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado, but even though this means her friends and school won't change, Therese is ready to give up on life to join her parents. Death, known as Thanatos, has other plans.

Thanatos briefly meets Therese while she's in a coma. Avoided by all gods and mortals because of his job, he's shocked when she throws her arms around him and calls him lovely. He later makes a deal with his father, Hades, to go to the upperworld to win her heart. In return, Therese must agree to avenge her parents' murder.

Throughout book one, The Gatekeeper's Sons, Therese struggles with her feelings of ineptitude. Thanatos's sisters, the fierce and beautiful Furies, help her hunt for the killer, but their strength and efficiency make her feel weak. She feels small and insignificant until she learns her aunt's life is in danger. The desire to protect her loved one helps her rise above her self-pity to become the warrior she never knew she was.

In book two, The Gatekeeper's Challenge, Therese is required to complete a set of five challenges designed by Hades, who hopes to see her fail because he's disappointed with the way things turned out in book one. Once again, her desire to protect a loved one-this time Thanatos-pushes her past her doubts and insecurities into determined action. One by one, she faces each seemingly impossible challenge-including Ladon (the one-hundred-headed serpent), the Minotaur, and the Hydra-because it's the only way to spare Thanatos from an eternity of torment.

The final book of the trilogy, The Gatekeeper's Daughter (to be released December 1, 2013), once again forces Therese to look inward. All gods and goddesses serve humanity or the world in some way, and in order to remain at Thanatos's side, she must discover her unique purpose while protecting her loved ones against antagonistic forces. In all three books, power isn't something Therese derives from her environment, but something she finds within her once she believes it's there. Girls need to awaken their inner goddesses and wield their power.

To celebrate the completion of this saga, I'm holding a contest from January 1, 2013 to October 1, 2013 for my readers. Details can be found at my website .







MY REVIEW
The Gatekeepers Challenge




The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I was given a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

The Gatekeepers Challenge starts off ten months after The Gatekeeper's Sons with Than still trying figure out a way to make Therese a goddess so they can spend eternity together. Therese doesn't know what Than has been up to. She has not seen nor heard from in him in all this time. She is very uncertain as to how he feels about her. She thinks he has probably forgotten about her.

Her bestfriend's brother is in love with Therese and with her feeling down about Than she starts paying more attention to Pete. Although this does cause her some quilt because of her feelings for Than besides she doesn't know that Than still loves her. She has no way of knowing this. She can pray to Than but he can not answer any of her prayers or talk to her where she could hear him.

With Therese still in a depressed state she does something that she shouldn't do. A friend of hers Vickie tells her about this drug that she has tried once. The drug put her close to death where she could go to the underworld and visit her mother who committed suicide last year. Therese wants to try this drug so she can go see Than and tell him off and to end their relationship. Therese is mad at Than for not visiting her and letting her know that he still loves her. Vickie believes that the drug is safe if it is used right and not too often. Vickie and Therese try the drug and Vickie dies. Therese is so upset she feels as if it is her fault that her friend died and now her father is all alone.

Therese finds out that Than has been trying for the last ten months to find away to make her his queen. He has come up with away for him and Therese to be together. Hades gives Therese several more challenges for her to complete and if she finishes all the challenges then she can be made a god. All of the challenges are very hard which would be very difficult for an adult man much less a girl of fifteen. But Therese is very strong minded and is fight for love. Is she strong enough to fight and win? Will love conquer all? Will Therese and Than be together for all eternity?

I loved reading the first book in this series The Gatekeeper's Sons but I think the second book The Gatekeepers Challenge was better. I loved it from the very first page and could not put it down until I read the last page. Oh and speaking of the last page when I read it I was like no, no way it can't end this way. I can't believe how it ended. Talk about cliff hangers this was one big cliff hanger. I can't wait to read the next and final book of the trilogy The Gatekeepers Daughter. I am going to have to wait a long time to read it. Well maybe not that long considering that it is to be released on December 1, 2013. But it seems like a long, long time. I will miss Therese and Than as well as all the other characters.

If you have not read the Gatekeeper's Trilogy then I suggest you go right now and order your copy of both books today on Amazon. I really don't think you would be disappointed with Therese and Than's story it is amazing.







The Gatekeepers Sons cover

Title: The Gatekeeper's Sons

Series: Gatekeepers Trilogy Book 1

Author: Eva Pohler

Genre: Ya Fantasy

Date Published: 8/12/12







BUY LINK
The Gatekeeper's Sons




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BOOK DESCRIPTION
The Gatekeeper's Sons




Fifteen-year-old Therese watches her parents die. While in a coma, she meets the twin sons of Hades—Hypnos (the god of sleep) and Thanatos (the god of death). She thinks she's manipulating a dream, not kissing the god of death and totally rocking his world.

Than makes a deal with Hades and goes as a mortal to the Upperworld to try and win Therese's heart, but not all the gods are happy. Some give her gifts. Others try to kill her.

The deal requires Therese to avenge the death of her parents. With the help of Than’s fierce and exotic sisters, the Furies, she finds herself in an arena face to face with the murderer, and only one will survive.







MY REVIEW
The Gatekeeper's Sons




The following review is my opinion and not a paid review. I was given a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Therese witness her parents death in a tragic accident while sitting in the back seat of the car with them. While being close to death herself and in a coma she sees the god of death Thanatos aka Than take her parents to the underworld. Thersese also meets Than's twin brother Hypnos aka Hyp the god of sleep. Than and Hyp are the twin sons of Hades.

Therese kisses Than which is a very big surprise to him. No one ever pays attention to Than because of his job of taking souls and helping them to cross over to the underworld. With this kiss Therese has managed to make Than fall in love with her. Than makes a deal with his father Hades to let him go to the upperworld and try to win Therese's love. Than wants to make her a god so that they can live happily ever after for all eternity. Therese falls in love with Than and will do whatever is necessary for the two of them to be together for eternity.

Hades says she can be a god if she avenges the death of her parents. Therese has to find the person responsible for her parents death and kill that person. Therese is a very loving and caring person. She loves all life and holds it sacred. She accepts Hades challenge because of the state of mind that she happens to be in at the time. The hurt of losing her parents and feeling as if she is alone in the world puts her in a different state of mine where she wants and believes that the person responsible for their death deserves to die to pay for what he has done. Being in this state of mind and wanting to be with Than causes Therese to feel hate and bitterness toward him. She wants him dead too and she wants to be the one to kill him. Will she kill the person responsible for the death of her parents? Is Therese have in it her to commit murder?

I really loved reading The Gatekeeper's Sons with all the greek gods and goddess. I've read reviews of books about greek gods and goddess and in some of the reviews the reviewers were mentioning where they were taught about the gods and goddess in school. If it was taught at my school I don't remember it. So therefore I love learning about all the gods and goddess. I liked learning or knowing that they be a god of death someone who helps souls cross over. Maybe making their journey more bearable for them.

If you like reading about gods and goddess then I think this is the book for you. Have you read The Goddess Test? If you have and you enjoyed it then you will love The Gatekeeper's Sons.







    About the Author



Author The Gatekeepers Challenge

Eva Pohler teaches writing at the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she lives with her husband, three children, two dogs, two rats, and her very large collection of books.







    ONLINE LINKS

Website

Twitter - @EvaPohler

Blog

Other Blog

Goodreads - The Gatekeepers Challenge

Goodreads - Author Page

Email

To purchase copies of Eva's books, please visit her website.







Reading Addiction Blog Tours

Monday, January 28, 2013

Blog Tour: The Life and Times of the Heir and the Keeper By Etta King ( Interview + Giveaway)

3 Day Book Bash
The Life and Times of the Heir and the Keeper
by Etta King

About The Author:

Etta King is the author of the Caspian University novels, a series chronicling the life and times of a group of wealthy teens who inevitably discover the various flavors of college drama. Etta writes from her personal experiences as a college co-ed and as the product of an all-girls prep school. Here she witnessed the very eccentricities and foibles which she depicts in her novels.

In a home filled with books, it was no surprise that Etta grew to be an avid reader, and that translated into writing when she was thirteen. She wrote simply for the fun of it, whatever would come to mind, from fantasy to thriller to romance, and shared her stories with her friends.

In 2010, at twenty-one and just as she was about to graduate from college, Etta began writing "The Life and Times of Elizabeth and the Duchess." This was a story which had first taken shape in 2008, after her freshman year, but had been put on hold. With graduation looming, Etta recalled the characters, and the events which had inspired them, and took pen to paper. Literally, as Etta enjoys writing out her stories before typing them out. Soon the first book had been completed and the series was born.

"The Life and Times of the Heir and the Keeper," comes as the sequel to "Elizabeth and the Duchess," and serves as the second semester of these teens' college saga. Etta is currently working on the third book, in what will be an eight-part series.

Etta King lives with her family in Westchester, New York.


Genre: Young Adult Fiction
Publisher: CreateSpace
Release Date: 11/28/12


They say college is a lot of things; a haven, a four-year party, the place you met the girl - or guy - of your dreams. What they don't tell you is, the best part of college is the drama YOU bring to the table! After all, that dirty little secret, that not-so-little white lie, and those texts you wish you could erase from cyberspace can't stay hidden forever. At CU, someone's always watching, and you better hope there isn't a camera phone on hand when you get caught.
It's the Spring Semester, but it's not all fun in the budding sun for Jon and Franz. Follow them as they delve through the politics of secret societies, the inevitable drama of the F-word (that's FAMILY, for the uninitiated), creepy Resident Advisors, creepier residents and girls who don't always say what they mean. Who wouldn't need two months to recuperate?

Cheers! And GL!

Excerpt:

Jonathan
I woke up to the sound of my phone vibrating on the floor. I scooted out of bed, trying not to wake Elizabeth as I went to pick it up. I missed it and I saw four missed calls. All from Chadwick. Crap, it was six thirty-seven. I called him back and made my way to my bathroom, while it rang.
"Hey," I said when he picked up. "Sorry, about that; you were on the phone when we went upstairs."
"Yeah, that's okay, I'm home. Look, Jon, I'm going to say this just this once and then I won't say it again." I got an ominous feeling and leaned against the sink, ignoring the cold marble.
"Okay…"
"Judith," he began and I bit down on my groan. If ever I was tired of hearing one person's name in a day.
"I don't care what it is you did, I really don't."
"I didn't do anything."
"Whatever. Just don't do anything else."
"What?" I couldn't help the irritation creeping into my voice.
"Nothing else, okay? Just don't lead her on, don't mess with her."
"What the hell do you think I did?"
"Honestly? I think you hooked up with her and never called her back. Or maybe you did and she didn't understand how you worked." How I worked??
"Jesus, Chad, seriously?"
"Look, I'm not judging you."
"Are you drunk?"
"I'm not judging you, I just want you to leave her alone, okay?"
I was silent; what the absolute fuck had Judith said to Chad? What was her problem anyway? Three weeks was all it had been, for God's sake.
"I didn't do anything to her, Chad."
"So why is she calling me and crying?"
I massaged my temple and shook my head.
"Because she's Judith, Chad. Because I haven't told her about Elizabeth and I, and I don't feel like calling her and skipping that conversation, so I'd rather just not. Because yes, she called me, called my house, sent me messages, but all I want is for her to calm down and stop acting like I'm Judas. Because yeah, we're friends and she feels that means she has exclusive rights to my number. Because…" My God, I could go on and on.
"Not because you hooked up with her?"
"She told you that?"
"You're not saying you didn't."
"This is not about hooking up. I don't understand why she's so anxious to talk to me, but that's pretty much it. I'm just not ready."
"You're an ass, Jon. You're my friend, but you're an ass."

INTERVIEW
Etta King



The Avid Reader: What inspired you to write The Life and Times of the Heir and the Keeper?

Etta King: Well, I was inspired by my freshman year in college; it took me by surprise, how so much could happen in so little time. There were parallel stories in my year and that laid the foundation for the series and the way these books are being written. The first book, The Life and Times of Elizabeth and the Duchess, was written from the perspective of the girls in this series, Elizabeth and Judith. This book, The Life and Times of the Heir and the Keeper, is more so the guys' story. Jonathan and Francis get their time in the limelight and, if I do say so, they have as much drama as the girls. The entire series will chronicle their college experience, from start to finish, as each character grows or even stays the same. Once I had the idea, the story just kept building and my imagination basically ran wild. I enjoy writing about these characters; they are like old friends that I can come to at any time, and, even better, I discover new things about them each time.


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The Avid Reader: When or at what age did you know you wanted to be a writer?

Etta King: I think I wrote first when I was 12 and it was a historical romance story, which I lost - tragically - that got me started. I began writing based on all the little stories I'd come up with through the years and I just couldn't stop. I would write wherever I was on whatever blank piece of paper was in front of me. I've found bits of stories in the oddest places, from school notebooks to napkins.


The Avid Reader: What is the earliest age you remember reading your first book?

Etta King: I remember reading a picture book called "Janet and John" when I was probably a little older than three. I only remember the year because I had been practicing writing the year 1993. The book consisted of "Janet saw John," "John saw Janet," "Janet and John are friends," and probably some middle parts that I can't remember haha!


The Avid Reader: What genre of books do you enjoy reading?

Etta King: Oooh, I have a list: Historical Romance > Fantasy > Young Adult Contemporary > Mystery > Thriller > Anything fun and well written. Of course I love reading, so it's difficult to choose sometimes, but, there, I've made a definitive list!


The Avid Reader: What is your favorite book?

Etta King: Emma would have to be my favorite book! She's Jane Austen's best work as far as I'm concerned and she reminds me of me in a lot of ways. She's always involved in the most dramatic situations, she has a somewhat troublesome need to help people and she has a penchant for tall dark and handsome men! :


The Avid Reader: You know I think we all have a favorite author. Who is your favorite author and why?

Etta King: I've always said I don't play favorites, but I suppose I can pick two. Ha, yes, I know I'm not playing by the rules, I'm "maverick-y" like that. First, Georgette Heyer - the undisputed queen of historical romance - and then Lisi Harrison - who has somehow got me hooked on The Clique - oh when will the next book come out? The former, because her use of language is brilliant and the latter because she's just fun to read.


The Avid Reader: If you could travel back in time here on earth to any place or time. Where would you go and why?

Etta King: Egypt circa 250 BC. Why? Well nineteenth century England has been done. Or perhaps Greece, same time? There's something beautiful about the time, and wild…which is compelling.


The Avid Reader: When writing a book do you find that writing comes easy for you or is it a difficult task?

Etta King: If I want to write, it's extremely easy; I know the story, so I'm practically transcribing from my mind. I think I'm very lucky in that, I'm glad for it.


The Avid Reader: Do you have any little fuzzy friends? Like a dog or a cat? Or any pets?

Etta King: I don't but I'd either want a Husky or a Yorkie; I'm very much inclined to extremes :.


The Avid Reader: What is your "to die for", favorite food/foods to eat?

Etta King: Thai food, hands down. Also, anything with mushrooms and/or beef.


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The Avid Reader: Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to be an author?

Etta King: I would say, just keep writing…but more practical advice would be to join a site like Fictionpress.com and "let the words flow." You get reviews, some constructive, some…not so much…but you also get to see what other people - that don't know you - think of your writing.

Giveaway: $30 Amazon Gift Card & 1 Signed Paperback