Book Blitz + #Giveaway: The Exiled Seven by Blake Renworth @XpressoTours

The Exiled Seven
Blake Renworth
(The Exiled Series, #1)
Published by: Inglenook Publishing House
Publication date: May 12th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, New Adult

When Alariq is exiled from his home city-state for a crime he did not commit, only six stand by his side, convinced of his innocence and steadfast in their loyalty.

The seven dwarfs must set out from Ishtara to look for a new place to call home, but in doing so, they make a discovery that puts them all in danger. They are rescued and taken in by a mysterious and beautiful outsider, who lives alone in the depths of Loraheem Forest. What follows is Alariq’s struggle to come to terms with his exile, as those around him seek to make a place for themselves in this new life. Soon, however, it becomes clear their situation is more complex than they initially realized, and they begin to wonder if there is more behind Alariq’s exile than simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Told in a unique storyteller voice, this reversal and reimagining of the classic fairy tale explores the themes of shattering betrayal, the subsequent struggle to trust again, and the basic desire to take control of one’s own destiny.

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—

EXCERPT:

If you will, please imagine the tallest and most beautifully handsome man you can, the complete and perfect embodiment of classic male beauty, charm, and chivalry.
Now—cast this image far from your mind. For this tale is not about him. Many of such tales have already been told, and to tell yet another would be a great disservice to the other heroes of the world.
The hero around whom this tale revolves—and a hero I assure you he was, even if your faith may waver during the events that follow—was a hero of a different sort. Though it would be altogether unfair to say that he did not entirely look the part. He was as handsome as dwarfs come. Strong, in both physique and demeanor, and clearly one who commanded respect. But his jaw-length, dark blonde hair, the color of wet straw, and not even five-foot stature are not what you and I are accustomed to seeing in our mind’s eye when we think of the heroes of tall tales. Nor his slightly crooked nose or angular jawline, for that matter.
What about his personality, you ask? For, of course, looks are not all that matter in a champion. And I applaud your depth of character. But sadly, I must disappoint you and your commendable optimism. For this hero was not charming, or dashing, or gallant, or really very pleasant in any way at all. In fact, he could be downright unpleasant to be around when in one of his all-too-frequent foul dispositions. And unfortunately, it is in such a disposition that we find Alariq as we join his story.
As disagreeable as Alariq was, I am sure you will find his demeanor quite understandable. You see, his story is an unfortunate one. We find him, and his six loyal companions, banished from their city-state, Alariq for a crime he did not commit, and the others for their loyalty to him and their faith in his innocence.
Seven dwarfs they were, exiled and alone.

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Book Blitz + #Giveaway: #Kissing by Ellie Brixton @EllieBrixton @XpressoTours

#Kissing
Ellie Brixton
Publication date: June 14th 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

I was always the good girl. 

Then when the pressure became too much, I took off and found me a bad boy.

Niko. The hot, British rock star and frontman of the Halos.

He took my angel wings and gave me a lot of things, well, everything but the Big O. 

And fidelity. 

So with my #fail in hand, I did the worst thing imaginable. 

I went home. The insta-nagging, criticism, and impossible expectations reminded me why my life #sucked—the reason I left in the first place. 

Well, everything was the same except for JQ, my high school crush. With a snug T-shirt and jeans that fit in all of the right places, it looks like he became man and maybe it was time for me to become a woman. 

#Kissing is a sexy, rock star romance for new adult, college, and contemporary romance readers who enjoy love stories with an HEA. 

Author’s note: #KISSING is a full-length, standalone novel. Due to strong language and content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

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EXCERPT:

I used to be a good girl. I used to be many things. Now I just make it up as I go along. Most of the time I don’t even know what I’m doing. Only that right now, I like the way this feels.
My moan disappears into the grinding of a guitar as I squeeze my eyes shut. I make my own stars as phosphenes flicker and dance behind my shuttered lids, winding through my vision in silver and yellow. I’m close, but not close enough for my mind not to wander.
JQ and I found a field as far from town as we could, dimming the city light. His fingers rested just inches from mine. We were young and nervous enough to make an excuse: a science project for Mr. Wilkins. We watched a celestial show in the sky that night, drifting to sleep under a summer blanket of stars. When dawn kissed our cold cheeks awake, we clasped hands. Then he kissed me, and I ran away.
Our lives went in parallax and here I am, my back arching as I call out with pleasure while my boyfriend has his head between my legs. I shouldn’t be thinking about someone else. But he accidentally called me Heather once—whoever that is. These days the line between right and wrong is a blur. But pleasure is pleasure. And I can’t deny Niko makes me feel good. I’ll settle for good.

Author Bio:
Ellie Brixton is a unicorn by day and an author by night. She's a firm believer in eating dessert first and fancies herself a cookie connoisseur. Although she runs every day, she wishes for a 1959 Cadillac convertible, in pink of course. This is her first novel.

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Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Ghost Hope by Ripley Patton @rippatton @XpressoTours

Ghost Hope
Ripley Patton
(The PSS Chronicles #4)
Publication date: June 15th 2016
Genres: Paranormal, Thriller, Young Adult

Olivia Black does not feel safe. Nightmares plague her sleep and haunt her days. If she has to endure one more minute stuck in a safe house in rainy Portland, she’s going to lose it. When Mike Palmer sneaks off to find her sister Kaylee without her, it’s the last straw. She has to do something.

Then Palmer’s hackers find the Dome on a satellite feed: dark, abandoned and smack in the middle of the Oregon desert three hundred miles from where it started. If they can reach it before anyone else, they can crack the computer systems and access every piece of information on PSS the CAMFers and The Hold have ever collected.

But in order to do that, Olivia must return to the origin of her fears in a race against all the forces that have ever pitted themselves against her. She must unravel decades of deceit to reveal the true origins of Psyche Sans Soma to the world at last.

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Previous books in the series:

**Grab Ghost Hand (book 1) for FREE! 

Plus, book 2 & 3 are on sale for 99cents 

Until the end of June only!**

—

EXCERPT:

“Olivia!” My mother’s voice jolted me awake.

I sat up in the rental van’s passenger seat, wiping drool from my cheek. Chase and T-dog’s Westfalia had stopped in front of us at a massive gate rising out of the darkness, topped with barbed wire and sporting several Danger: High Voltage and No Trespassing on Federal Land signs.
We had arrived at Umatilla, and I’d fallen asleep, like I always did in a moving vehicle, before I’d explained to my mother that I’d lied about our destination. We were not on a scenic over-nighter up the Columbia River Gorge. That had just been a cover story.
“Olivia Anne Black,” she said, pointing at the gate. “What is that?”
“Um—I don’t know,” I stammered. “We must have taken a wrong turn.”
“Is this the motel?” Grant asked groggily from the back. It sounded like I wasn’t the only one who’d taken a nap.
“No, it’s not,” my mother answered testily. “What the hell is he doing?”
She was referring to T-Dog, who had gotten out of their van carrying something bulky under his arm. When he set it down and started fiddling with a controller in his hands, I realized it was one of those personal drones. Suddenly, the little thing lit up and went whirling into the air, kicking up dust and flying over the gate. On the other side, it dipped down and stopped, a green light flashing on its undercarriage as it hovered over some kind of control panel. As I watched, a green light began flashing on the panel too, like they were communicating with one another. Because they were. T-dog was hacking into Umatilla. He was breaking into a federally-owned chemical depot.
I could feel my mother turning toward me, a question in her eyes, her lips parting to ask it.
Headlights, high and wide, flashed in the rearview mirror, blinding me. They were barreling down on us, but I only heard the rev of the engine just before the crunch of impact.
The whole van jerked forward, shoving us toward the back of the Westfalia and stopping only inches from its rear bumper.
“What the—?” Grant yelled, and I heard cries of alarm from Passion and Samantha.
My seatbelt dug into my waist and my shoulder, but the airbags hadn’t deployed, so that was good.
In front of us, T-Dog scrambled back into their van and slammed his door. The gate started to open, the drone hovering on the other side, still blinking green.
There was another crunching sound and a slight tug backwards. Then, more revving.
“Hold on. They’re coming again,” my mother said, jamming the van into drive and laying on the horn like a mad woman. We couldn’t go anywhere. The Westfalia was right in front of us and some lunatic was behind us, gearing up to rear-end us a second time.
“We have to go through,” I told my mom, gesturing at the gate.
“I know,” she said, glaring out at the windshield and revving our engine now. “Get out of my way, you two. What are you waiting for?” she mumbled under her breath, laying on the horn again and not letting up.
The vehicle behind was almost upon us. I could hear it coming.
Up ahead, T-dog glanced at me in his side view mirror, but it was too dark to read his expression. Had he and Chase set us up? Was this their doing?
The gate was open wider now, maybe wide enough for the Westfalia, but would it be enough for our bigger van?
“Hold on,” my mom said, glancing in the rearview mirror and slamming her foot on the gas.
I braced myself, this time for impact from the back and front, but it didn’t come.
We surged forward, gently kissing the back bumper of the Westfalia, both of us racing through the still opening gate. I heard a horrible sound, metal screeching against metal, and sparks flew in a shower away from us as the huge closures of the gate scraped down both sides of our van.
As soon as we were free and clear, Chase veered off to the right and pulled to a stop. As we drove past, I could see T-Dog holding the drone remote out his window, working it frantically, trying to close the gate before our attackers made it in. But he wasn’t fast enough. The pick-up truck that had rear-ended us roared forward, squeezing through just like we had. For a moment, I thought it had a really weird hood ornament, but then I realized it was the drone, flying low and toward us in front of the truck.
“Get higher,” I murmured to the little thing. As if hearing me, it did, rising above the front of the truck only to plummet a second later just as the vehicle overtook it.
And then it was gone, sucked under the huge wheel of the big truck with a soft crunch and a shower of shrapnel spraying from its undercarriage.
“Stop the van,” I told my mother, but she’d already turned and was pulling up alongside the guys.
“Who is that?” I shouted out my window at Chase, pointing at the truck as it pulled up, headlights blinding us all, the gate clanging shut behind it.
“I have no idea,” he shouted back. “But I think we’re about to find out.”
A truck door slammed.
A dark form moved, crossing the dusty swathe of its high beams, and a man emerged, tall, wrinkled, and tan, a long rifle dangling from his right hand.

Author Bio:
Ripley Patton lives in Portland, Oregon with one cat, two teenagers, and a man who wants to live on a boat. She doesn't smoke, or drink, or cuss as much as her characters. Her only real vices are writing, eating M&Ms, and watching reality television. 

Ripley is an award-winning short story writer and author of The PSS Chronicles, a young adult paranormal thriller series. The first book in the series, GHOST HAND, was a semi-finalist for The Kindle Book Review 2013 Best Indie Book Awards and a Cybil Award Nominee. 

The second book in the series, GHOST HOLD, was released in September 2013. 

The third book in the series, GHOST HEART, was released in October 2014. 

And GHOST HOPE, the final book of the series will be released in the Spring 2016. 

You can find out more about Ripley and her fiction on her website at ripleypatton.com. 

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Book Blitz: A Wish For Remembrance by Laurencia Hoffman @iwritestories7 @starange13

  Title: A Wish For Remembrance

By: Laurencia Hoffman

Publication Date: June 7, 2016

Publisher: Vamptasy Publishing

Genre: Paranormal/Horror

In a small town, there sits a house at the top of a hill. Mystery surrounds the couple that lives there. What the town doesn't know is that they are vampires. One night, Scarlett and Corbin decide to take a slave. Some of the townspeople decide to uncover the secrets of the house, starting with that man's ex-fiancee, Naomi.

Once she learns the truth, she becomes a target. Even her brother Wesley thinks she's gone insane, but he soon discovers that there is much more to the story. He finds that he is the very spectacle of Scarlett and Corbin's schemes. He and a band of unlikely friends must unite to save the town, and the world along with it.

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The fog suddenly consumed him and he screamed as loud as he could. When everything was clear again, he saw that he was in a house. He was in a room that was lit by candles. The walls were covered in red wallpaper and the curtains were black.

The room struck him as being old. The decorations weren't normal. There were skeletons and things that looked like claws, cauldrons and crystals. There was at least one cross on every wall. What was this place and how had he gotten there?

As his mind filled with worried thoughts, two people came into the room. One was a man and the other was a woman. The man was very handsome. He had dark brown hair and captivating brown eyes.

Abel couldn't look away from them and he didn't know why. He managed to tear his eyes away from the man and look over to the woman. She was one of the most beautiful brunettes he had ever seen. Her hair was long, well past her shoulders. Her lovely brown eyes matched the darker shades of her hair.

"Hello, Abel," she said with an excited smirk.

How did she know his name? "He…hello…"

"Do you know where you are?"

He shook his head.

"Do you know who we are?"

He shook his head again.

"You're going to be our new slave," the man said, "My name is Corbin, and this incredibly sexy creature is Scarlett."

Abel now noticed that he was laying on a bed. He sat up and cushioned his back against the pillows, forcing himself to remain calm until he knew what was happening. "I beg your pardon?"

"You are going to be our slave." Scarlett said this slowly, as if he was deaf or stupid. She was mocking his confusion.

"This woman has no patience." Corbin smiled admiringly at her. "Allow me to explain. We…are vampires. Now, we're fairly new because she's only one hundred years old. I'm two hundred years old. Nothing, really, compared to most vampires we know. Just the same, we've worked hard and wanted to reward ourselves with a servant."

Abel put his hand to his forehead to check his temperature. He didn't have a fever. He sat there a minute, waiting for his head to start spinning. He had to be drunk out of his mind. That was the only explanation for this nonsense. "Vampires don't exist…they aren't real…"

"Everyone has the same reaction." Scarlett sighed. "They say that vampires can't be real, they drive themselves crazy trying to block out what they're being told. Then we have to prove it to them."

Corbin smiled widely. The grin revealed two sharp fangs. Abel gasped in horror and looked over at Scarlett. She had fangs too. She was right; he was trying to block out what he was being shown. This couldn't be real.

"You're not sick," Corbin said, taking a step closer to him, "You're not drunk and you're not dreaming. You could call this a nightmare, except that it's real."

"Before you become our permanent slave," Scarlett began, "We have to have a taste test."

"A-a-a…taste…test?" Abel's heart was racing again. He said it wasn't a dream, but it had to be. These things only happened in books and movies.

"Yes!" she said excitedly. "We have to see how sweet your blood is."

Abel tried to scramble out of bed, but Corbin was at his side in a flash and holding him down with one finger. He was obviously of enormous strength. Scarlett was now sitting next to him on the bed.

Laurencia Hoffman is the author of five published books; Casting Stones, A Wish for Remembrance, Wages of Sin: Bad Blood, Bittersweet, and Star Crossed: Worlds Apart (published under her legal name: Jolene Poole).

Laurencia lives with her family in Michigan. When she's not writing she also enjoys making her own line of natural products, and watching films.

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