Book Blitz: PODs by Michelle K. Pickett @michelle_kp @NereydaG1003

PODs

by Michelle K. Pickett

Release Date: 06/24/13

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Paperback/ebook

312 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

Excerpt:

"Who ate all the damn strawberries?" Aidan yelled. "I was saving them for my cereal."

"I did. Use the banana," Josh said.

"A banana isn't a strawberry. I marked the container with my name. You're a jerk-"

The container hit the metal wall of the chute with a crack. I always jumped when it did that. I hated it. It reminded me of the banging and crunching we'd heard when Cam's sub-POD was cut off from the main.

"It's not time for our blood checks," I said.

"Maybe it's strawberries. I'd really like some strawberries… Josh," Aidan said, an edge to his voice.

"Drop dead," Josh replied, never looking up from his computer.

David got up from the table where we were having breakfast. Taking the container from the chute, he pulled a manila envelope out of the basket.

He dumped the contents on the table for everyone to see. Inside were ten name badges, one for each of us. Our photos- except Faith's- and names were printed on one side; the other had barcodes. David scanned the label on the envelope, his face growing pale. "What's it say, David?" I whispered.

"'The seals to each sub-POD will be broken tomorrow morning. Do not attempt to leave your sub-POD. Officers will give residents directions and escort them to their appropriate area topside.' That's all it says."

"It's over," Tiffany murmured, pulling the baby close.

"Hot damn! Finally, I'm free of this tin can," Josh jumped up and hurried to the guys' bedroom.

Well, at least Josh is happy. Why aren't the rest of us? I thought we'd be excited. But instead everyone looks… anxious. What will we find up there? What has the world become?

"Well, guess we should start packing up our stuff," Aidan said.

"Yeah, I guess so," Seth agreed, rising slowly from his seat, rubbing his hands up and down his thighs.

One by one, everyone walked to their sleeping areas and started packing their belongings- except me. I sat in the living room alone, flicking the corner of my name badge with my fingernail. The lanyard wound so tightly around my fingers they turned red. My insides were quivering, jittery. Something wasn't right. For fifteen months we'd all looked forward to the moment we could leave, but now that the time was here it felt… wrong.

Praise for the Amazon Bestselling PODs:

"5 Stars! I loved this book. I have been kind of bogged down with dystopias lately, but this was amazing. It was so cool to see life before the 'event', to see Eva wrestle with her choices and then, to watch her change as she lived inside the PODs...Yes, there are zombies. Yes, there's a little romance. But I think, at its heart, PODs is a coming of age story about Eva and how she grows from a girl into a strong, decisive woman during this period of absolute destruction. And Pickett writes it beautifully." ~ Sherry Ficklin, author of "Extracted"

"I was blown away by this debut novel from Michelle Pickett! Rather than feeling like I was reading a book, I actually sometimes felt like I was actually watching the characters' lives progress; it was kind of weird! The emotions that Eva felt were so raw and real, and I think Michelle really captured the emotions that one would be feeling in a post-apocalyptic world...PODs may very well be one of the next big things in YA, so I am very happy to have been one of the ones that was part of the beginning of it all! Congrats Michelle on your YA debut and I am looking forward to more by you!  I gave PODs a well-deserved 5/5 stars!  " ~Phil book reviewer at Stack of Hardbacks

"5 glowing, sparkling stars for this one!...I absolutely adored every character Michelle introduces us to. This book isn't just about a romance, or two people fighting some battle. This book allows us to get to know several, amazing, diverse characters who all grab your heart (even a few who have attitude issues). They all held such an important place in the story… Now for the plot. Holy crap!... Michelle did a flippin' fantastic job giving us each piece of this puzzle… I won't go into details about what happens after they are removed from the POD but O-M-G! The action never stops…This book seriously needs to be a movie. I could picture every detail and already see it playing out on screen. PLEASE SOMEONE MAKE THIS HAPPEN!"  ~Jessica of Total Bookaholic

Buy Links:

  

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About the Author:

I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order.  I write young adult urban fantasies, science/fiction and paranormal romances and have recently started dabbling in young adult contemporary romance. Reading was one of my earliest passions, writing soon followed. I began writing seriously during college where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a career that frowns on creativity remains a mystery.

I'm addicted to Reese's peanut butter cups and eat way too many while I write, have an abnormal obsession with hoodies and can't write without one, and I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows on television. An unabashed romantic, I love a swoon-worthy ending that will give me butterflies for days.

I wrote my debut young adult novel, PODs, in 2011. PODs, a science/fiction, post-apocalyptic romance, will be released June 4, 2013 through the amazing Spencer Hill Press.  My second young adult title, Milayna, a paranormal romance, will release through Spencer Hill Press beginning in March 2014. Milayna is a standalone, with series potential. It's meant to be a trilogy. The Infected, a PODs novel, will release November 2014. It is the second, and last, book in the PODs series.

I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan.  I now reside in a small community outside Houston, Texas with my incredibly supportive, not to mention gorgeous, husband, three amazing school-aged children, a 125-pound lap dog, and a snooty cat.

Keep up-to-date with my current, future projects, appearances, and fun giveaways at www.michelle-pickett.com.

I always love to hear from readers, bloggers and other authors!

Find me here:

Website?Email?Blog?Facebook?Twitter?Goodreads

Giveaway

First place: Signed copy of PODs, tote bag, and swag (US only see note for international)

Second place: Signed copy of PODs and swag (US only see note for international)

*International winners will receive a print copy of PODs only if www.Bookdepository.com delivers to their country. Otherwise they will receive an e-book. Swag will not be included.

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Review of Justice by Rebecca Royce @ParanormalCravi @rebeccaroyce

Justice
by Rebecca Royce
Genre: New Adult Urban Fantasy/
Post-Apocalyptic
ISBN: C 978-1-61333-629-8
Book Length: 147 pages
Publisher: Decadent Publishing

DESCRIPTION

My name is Rachel Clancy, and if you're reading this, chances are I am dead. I have returned to Genesis, my family and Chad. I think I might even be happy. But you know, happy endings aren't for everyone least of all me.

Dr. Icahn is still out there, and if I have any hope of finishing this fight once and for all-I will need the help of those who want to kill me. Please don't think me a hero or a martyr. I'm just a girl, who's made a lot of mistakes, but I know what I have to do.

And know, whatever happens next, I didn't do it for me. I did it for a future that I have to have faith will exist…even if I'm not there to see it.

Goodreads

Amazon Kindle

My Review:

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Justice is the fifth and final installment of The Warrior series. Justice is the first book that I have read in the series. Although I did understand what was going on in the book I would have to recommend reading all of the books in order even though you can understand the book without reading the other first. I would like to have got to known all of the characters better and to have know about their lives before this point in the story. I would like to have known more about the werewolves and the vampires as well as Dr. Icahn. You know about their lives and their stories too.

In Justice Rachel Clancy is a clone and no one really knows how old they are. Most of the characters are all warriors who go up top to fight in shifts. At night they mostly fight the vampires and now they are starting to have to fight other humans as well. Dr. Icahn wants to take over their home Genesis. There are people out there who want Rachel dead and if that is want it takes to keep the ones she loves a live and safe then that is just what she will give them. Rachel has such a big heart and cares so much for her family and her boyfriend Chad that she is willing to give up her own life to keep them alive.

Like I said I did not read the other books in the series so I do not know about much about the vampires and the werewolves. I would like to have known more about Rachel's werewolf boyfriend and what happened to have caused them not to end up together. I would also like to have known more about the vampires. The little that I read about them made them seem so much different than any vampires that I have ever read before.

Justice was a very fantastic read and I am glad that I got the chance to read it even thought I didn't read the other books first. I still very much enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to anyone who loves a futuristic read.

About The Author:

My name is Rachel Clancy.

If you've been reading these books, then you already know that. But I feel the need to introduce myself to you every time I start a new one, like you might have just found me, or you're a stranger I don't know. Manners dictate the introduction although I suspect I'll never know your name in return, which is okay. Maybe it's better I never do.

I haven't held anything back from you. I've not tried to make myself look better or less selfish or more mature. No, I wrote down everything the way I remember it happening. Someone else might remember the events differently but this is how it happened for me, or at least how I see it when I think about the years between my sixteenth and eighteenth birthdays.

Eighteen would have made me a grown-up in the Before Time, in the days before Dr. Icahn's experiments nearly ended the entire world. In the time after, sixteen became the year we achieved maturity. Still, for me, since I could remember what my life had been like before, eighteen meant something when I finally got there.

It indicated I had survived, somehow. When I blew out the candles, low-sung lyrics of "Happy Birthday" filling the room, and my mother and father cheering, I couldn't help but disbelieve I'd actually made it to my birthday. Was this all a dream? Had I died on a field, eaten by a Werewolf, and these thoughts of my eighteenth birthday were imaginings of my dying mind?

Writing these tales, telling them to you, helps me to believe they happened.

But the sad truth is, if you are reading them, then most likely I am dead.

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Birthday Bash: Relativity By M.A. George @ProximityAuth @GHBTours

Relativity

Proximity Series Book #2

By M.A. George

Publication Date: January 9, 2013

No matter the planet, Palta Capal is an alien. 

She's lived a lifetime where she never belonged…but relocating to the "home world" she's never seen has her feeling more like an outsider than ever. 

Teetering between the thrill of newfound love and the despair of family loss-not to mention the looming threat of global war-Palta doesn't need any more excitement in her life. 

But what she needs and what she gets are two entirely different things.

 

    

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Book Blitz: Othello by C.E. Wilson @cewilson1 @NereydaG1003

Othello (Shakespeare for Everyone Else, #2)

by C.E. Wilson

Release Date: 2013

Summary from Goodreads:

Shakespeare's work features some of the most memorable stories and characters ever created, yet for too many curious readers the combination of ultra-dense dialogue and unfamiliar historical settings make tackling the Bard's work something between a tedious chore and a confusing mess of bird-bolts and quondam carpet-mongers.

While it's nearly impossible to replicate or improve on these works, it is (thanks to their timeless nature) possible to make them more accessible to a wider audience.

In this Young Adult retelling of one of William Shakespeare's most memorable plays, join C.E. Wilson as she breathes new life into Othello, the second book in her series Shakespeare for Everyone Else.

Available from:

 

Excerpt:

Orion's eyes widened. "I'm…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to imply-"

"Imply? You didn't imply anything! You said it straight out! Can you just forget what I told you? If this is how you're going to act then I wish that I never said anything! Orion, I don't think she's cheating on you, I just thought you should know what I saw between her and Micah!"

"I know! I get it, I get it," Orion said. "I'm sorry. I know what you're doing, Archer. I really don't think that Devony would cheat on me, let alone with Micah but damn, I can't get these thoughts out of my head. I need to know if there's a way to prove this. Even if she might still be faithful, I can't convince myself of that fact. Your words…" he trailed off, looking at his tray, "…poisoned me."

"That was never my intention," Archer said. "Look, I'm sorry about what I said. Is there anything I can do?"

"Proof."

If you are a blogger and would like to request a review copy, sign up below!

Book One:

(linked to Goodreads)

Praise for the first book Much Ado About Nothing in new YA series, Shakespeare for Everyone Else:

"If you're a fan of Shakespeare, I say, give this a go. And even if you have attempted Shakespeare, but haven't been able to get past the language, pick up this edition and enjoy." ~The Turning Pages~

"I definitely recommend this to all the Shakespeare lovers, especially if you're a young adult yourself, or really enjoy reading YA books."  ~Angelic Reviews~

"The writing is beautiful, as C.E. Wilson was able to keep the poetic tone of the story. My love for YA stories has been restored!"  ~NWA Gossip Girl~

About the Author

C.E. Wilson is currently living in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with her husband and her two dogs and two cats. They are all the loves of her life. When she's not writing young adult fantasy novels, she enjoys writing short stories on her Deviant Art page. She loves to write stories involving giants and little people (also known as GT) and nothing helps her to write more than Coca-Cola and glazed doughnut holes.

Author Links:
   

***GIVEAWAY***

5 ebooks of Othello (INT)

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Review of Branded By Branded (Sinners #1) by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki @AbiandMissy @NereydaG1003

Branded (Sinners #1)
by Abi Ketner and Missy Kalicicki
Release Date: 06/28/13
252 pages

Summary from Goodreads:
Fifty years ago the Commander came into power and murdered all who opposed him. In his warped mind, the seven deadly sins were the downfall of society. He created the Hole where sinners are branded according to their sins and might survive a few years. At best.
Now LUST wraps around my neck like blue fingers strangling me. I've been accused of a crime I didn't commit and now the Hole is my new home.

Darkness. Death. Violence. Pain.

Now every day is a fight for survival. But I won't die. I won't let them win.

The Hole can't keep me. The Hole can't break me.
I am more than my brand. I'm a fighter.
My name is Lexi Hamilton, and this is my story.

Available from:

 

My Review:


I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

Lexie Hamilton was abused by her step-father and then was arrested for a crime that she never commented. Lexie lives in a world where if you are accused of a sin then you are put in the hole to live out your life. You are not given the opportunity to prove if you are innocent or guilty. You do not pass go and you definitely do not collect $200.

Lexie after being accused of lust she is then put in the hole to live out the rest of her life. She is assigned a guard a gurard to watch over her as well as a job. Lexie is sent to work in the hospital. The sinners and the guards are not allowed to have any kind of relationship much less fall in love with one another. But Lexie and her guard Cole fall for each other very hard and very fast. Cole and Lexie can never let anyone know about how they feel about one another outside the walls of their home or they will have to pay the consequences.

Living life in the hole is like living in hell. Most of the sinners probably wish they were dead and lived in hell. It is possible that hell just may be a little bit better than living in the hole. Life outside the hole is not much better than life inside the hole. You never want to get caught commenting any kind of crime inside the hole because the punishments for the crimes are so serve. Reading Branded is not recommended for the faint of heart.

If you like reading books with a lot of cruelty and can handle people being severely punished then I do highly recommend that you give Branded a try, it is an epic read and not one to keep putting off if you have ever thought of reading it. It is so superbly written that it is out of this world and it will throw you for a loop. Once it is picked up you will not want to put it down under no circumstances unless the house is on fire of course. There were times when I so felt like crying for Lexi that I didn't know what to do. The writers drag you into Lexie and Cole's world to the point that you forget that your own world even exist. There is no way I can say how much I really enjoyed reading Branded and cannot wait for the next book in the series.

About the Authors

Abi and Missy met in the summer of 1999 at college orientation and have been best friends ever since. After college, they added jobs, husbands and kids to their lives, but they still found time for their friendship. Instead of hanging out on weekends, they went to dinner once a month and reviewed books. What started out as an enjoyable hobby has now become an incredible adventure.

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Promo Sale: M-Day By D.T. Dyllin @DTDyllin @GHBTours

Zombies? That's kids stuff.  

Welcome to the ultimate battle of the sexes. Welcome to M-Day... 

Available now and on sale from February 7-14!

Title: M-Day (M-Day #1)
Author: D.T. Dyllin
Genre: Dystopian Romance
Publisher: Tik Tok Press
Cover Artist: Lindsay Tiry
Interior Book Design: The Eyes For Editing
Buy on Amazon: http://amzn.to/1fdcqz4

Synopsis:

Before the day… before M-day… people used to read books and watch movies about zombies. They used to dress up as zombies; pretend to kill zombies… Basically, zombies had become a part of popular culture in a very unexpected way.

The highly anticipated zombie apocalypse never came.

What did come was much worse than any city over run with shambling corpses after brains and flesh. A virus… a virus that only affected men. Nobody knew what caused it, or where it had come from, not that it really mattered. It's here and there's no going back.

Maxine was one of the lucky ones--she got out alive. She and her friends banded together to survive the new desolate conditions left behind by the virus. When a supply gathering mission goes awry, Max and company are left with no better choice than to trust a group of uninfected military men. No longer on the run from her infected husband, Max discovers there could be worse dangers for her on the horizon… Like losing her heart to her mysterious savior everyone calls Zee.  

About the Author

D.T. Dyllin is a Bestselling Romance Author who writes in both New Adult and Adult genres. She is a member of the RWA (Romance Writers of America) and also her local chapter, the MCRW (Music City Romance Writers).

D.T. was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Black & Gold for life, baby!) She now lives in Nashville, Tennessee with her husband and two spoiled GSDs.

Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

 

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Cover Reveal: Illusions Begin A Mystic Seeker Novel ( #1) By- N.L. Greene @GHBTours @AuthorNLGreene

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Book Blast: The Master Plan by E.J. Hinze

The Master Plan by E.J. Hinze

Avery Sterling just can't seem to catch a break. Between her uncle being mysteriously murdered and dealing with tough co-workers she is assigned to find out what happened to her uncle. When she comes up with evidence to support the case, she is abruptly shot down for the lesser value of the evidence. She has decided to take the case into her own hands, desperately seeking answers. When she meets Sebastian, a seemingly insane man who knows a lot more then he's leading on, she starts to discover new found information about her uncle and what he was really doing the night he was murdered. As she finds out more, the more she realizes how deep she's getting herself into the world of mass destruction.

Is putting her and her partner - Scott's - life at risk worth finding out what happened to her uncle the night he was murdered? Or is there a lot more to her uncles murder then she realizes.

Excerpt:

He took in a sharp breath and walked out onto the stage causing the room to erupt in applause. Adrian smiled, raising his hand up and waving lightly. He reached the podium where his speech sat and put his hands on either side.

The applause eventually died down and was replaced by silence. Adrian cleared his throat and shuffled his speech around, making some last-second reorganization possible. "Thank you all for coming," he started, gazing up at the large group of people in front of him.

"I am very honored to be speaking in front of such a large group of people who have the same life goal as me." He chuckled, moving his first paper away and looking down at the next. "As you all know, the S.S. leaders have made a few changes to this year's plan. They have added things we have never done or even tried before." A quiet cough escaped the sea of heads.

"The idea was formed a while back that we needed to target the best police officers, detectives, and crime investigators in the United States. It surfaced in one meeting last year. Doug Burch, the leader of our society, was very pleased with this idea." The door opened, revealing a man dressed in all black. He stepped inside, closing the door quietly behind him. He backed quietly up to the wall and stood against it. This puzzled Adrian, but he went on.

"Now, I am here to represent that idea and present it all to you," Adrian stated, the ends of his lips tugging into a smirk. "I think it's time this society left the control of the government." He spoke firmly, pounding his fist on the podium.

"The government trashed this society a while ago, giving up on us. They trained us like mice for experiments," he growled, feeling his insides begin to jump around with anger. "They trained us in order to kill, and they expect us to just forget everything they taught us? No!" he shouted, throwing his hands up in the air.

"This society has grown larger and more elite than ever before, without the help of the government, and I think it's time we made a mark, our mark. It's time for the Stelophidial Society to make its mark and show them what we can do! I think it's time we make ourselves known and make ourselves feared! This is our time to take over. This is the rebellion!" Adrian roared, sending the hall into loud cheers. He smirked to himself, satisfied with his speech.

What happened next, however, seemed to happen in slow motion. The lights were suddenly cut from the ballroom, sending it into complete darkness. Screams from women and angry yells filled the room. Adrian looked nervously over at Tom, whose eyes held confusion.

"Stelophidials!" a deep voice spat through the speakers. "If you wish to go through with the idea of straying from the government's eyes, we will not hesitate to take you out," the voice threatened, causing everyone to grow silent. "However," the voice trailed on, "if you wish to reconsider the thought of straying, we will leave you in peace. We can forget this night ever occurred." The voice echoed.

The hall was overcome with soft whispers of controversy. Adrian shook his head angrily. "Please!" he spat loudly, making everyone go silent instantly. "Do you honestly think you, only one voice, can take out a room filled with hundreds of assassins? I think you should reconsider and reevaluate your deal." Adrian laughed, making the crowd chuckle.

The voice was quiet for a minute. "I will say this one more time," the voice finally spoke. "Reconsider the idea of straying from the government, and we will leave you in peace."

Adrian fumed. "No. We have thought this over too long; we will go through with this." There was a sound after he spoke. It was like a microphone being dropping or turned off. Then silence.

Suddenly, a gun fired, then again, then finally a third time. Soon enough, the sound of guns firing filled the room with a loud crack for every bullet. The cracks echoed throughout the hall, making everyone scream.

Adrian felt his heart being to pound faster than normal. He looked to his side, expecting to see Tom. Instead, he saw an empty doorway to backstage. His palms grew sweaty, and his body shook. He quickly reached down into his boot and grabbed his pistol, snapping upward and holding the pistol forward into the darkness. A bullet hit the gun in his hand, forcing him to drop it.

Buy Link: Amazon

About the Author:

E.J. Hinze is a 14 year old who was born in the southern part of Michigan, and currently lives in the eastern part of Texas. Writing is her passion and can't imagine the life she has ahead of her without it - as corney as that sounds. She's exploring with her genere's of writing at the moment, but mostly writes Fiction, Non-fiction, Fantasy and sometimes Supernatural. When she isn't writing, shes swallowed into the never ending pit of school work and studying. She also enjoys watching Netflix and munching on snacks or reading a fantastic book while nipping at baby carrots.

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