Book Tour: Flux of Skin By Kris Austen Radcliffe

Title: Flux of Skin
Series: Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon #2
By Kris Austen Radcliffe

  

Blurb:

Contains Adult Sexual Content and some violent imagery.

Flux of Skin, book two of the Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon series, picks up Ladon and Rysa's story four hours after the events of book one,Games of Fate.

How many loves must Ladon watch die?

Ladon thought he controlled the rage. He thought he left his past-and his violence-behind. But the Shifters take Rysa and now no one is safe…

Ladon wanted a gentle life. But century after century, the call to battle malicious Fates, Shifters, and Burners always won. The world needed him. So he fought.

War took its toll and now, sometimes, his scars show. When it happens, Ladon ruptures-body, mind, and soul. And the world pays.

But he's found a new way: a modern life with his beloved Rysa. He won't give her up. Not because of family strife. Not because of the issues twisting her life into a raging cyclone. And definitely not because of war-until a new group of Shifters rain death onto everyone he loves.

Every Shifter understands fury. Now they learn rupture.

FLUX OF SKIN, book 2 of the Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon series, a New Adult Urban Fantasy with Strong Romantic Elements by Kris Austen Radcliffe, continues the story of Rysa and Ladon. Set in the open spaces of America, the series takes Rysa and Ladon-and Ladon's companion beast, Dragon-through a landscape punctuated by unfamiliar creatures: Fates with the ability to see past, present, and future. Ghouls called Burners who devour with fire and acid. Shifters who shape much more than their bodies. And two dragons who speak with color and pattern.

My Review:

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

Rysa and Ladon have known each other for a very short time and they are totally and completely in love with each other. Rysa doesn't understand what is going on. How can she be in love with him when she has only known him for this short period of time? The love she feels for Ladon and his Dragon is very much real. It feels like they have been together for centuries. Rysa, Ladon and Dragon are on the run someone is after Rysa and want her dead. Ladon and Dragon are both very much determined to keep her alive and well. Ladon has lost a lot of people in his lifetime that he has cared so much for but he will not lose Rysa, his "Love".

Ladon's sister AnnaBelinda doesn't like Rysa because of what she is and not who she is. She dislikes Rysa because she is half Fate and half Shifter. Rysa never knew what she was growing up. So it doesn't make since to me how AnnaBelinda could dislike Rysa so much for what she was when Rysa never knew what she was and couldn't be like other Fates and Shifters. Why couldn't AnnaBelinda give her a chance and take the time to get to know her before she judged her for being what she was.

AnnaBelinda also dislikes Rysa because her husband Derek was taken from her by the Seraphim while they were fighting with them when they were trying to take Rysa. The Seraphim want Rysa dead for what she is. AnnaBelinda blames Rysa for her husband being gone. AnnaBelinda is a smart person and she knows that Rysa had nothing to do with them taking her husband. Deep down she knows Rysa tried to help them and stopped the Seraphim from taking him but she is hurting and has to blame someone. AnnaBelinda and her Dragon both dislike Rysa and blame her. They are both mad at Ladon for even trying to help her and wanting to be her friend. They don't trust Rysa. There are times that Rysa doesn't trust her own self either. She is learning what she is and what she is capable of doing. Rysa really has no idea what she can do or how powerful she really is.

Flux of Skin is an awesome book and I have loved every minute of reading it. There were times when I just couldn't believe what was happening and times when I would just laugh right out loud. My husband would say "hey you can't laugh out loud in public" but I would it was funny I couldn't help myself. I had the opportunity of reading Games of Fate book #1 in the Fate ~ Fire ~ Shifter ~ Dragon series and loved it as well. I can't wait to read the third book in the series Fifth of Blood due out Feb. 2014 I am not sure which book I like the best. If you have not read Games of Fate or Flux of Skin you don't know what you are missing out on. This is my first series about dragons that I have read and I am glad that I gave it a try and you should too.

About the Author:

As a child, Kris took down a pack of hungry wolves with only a hardcover copy of The Dragonriders of Pern and a sharpened toothbrush. That fateful day set her on a path traversing many storytelling worlds-dabbles in film and comic books, time as a talent agent and a textbook photo coordinator, and a foray into nonfiction. After co-authoring Mind Shapes: Understanding the Differences in Thinking and Communication, Kris returned to academia. But she craved narrative and a richly-textured world of Fates, Shifters, Burners, and Dragons-and unexpected, true love.

Kris lives in Minnesota with her husband, two daughters, an Handsome Cat, and an entire menagerie of suburban wildlife bent on destroying her house. That battered-but-true copy of "Dragonriders"? She found it yesterday. It's time to pay a visit to the woodpeckers.

Author Links:

or my profile account, if you want to see the snarkier me:

It's best to use Facebook to contact me.

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Cover Reveal: Alluring Turmoil By Skye Turner

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Birthday Blast: Born in Flames By Candace Knoebel

Born in Flames

Born in Flames Trilogy Book #1

By-Candace Knoebel

Publication Date-September 6, 2012 

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

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

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

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Book Tour: American Girl on Saturn By Nikki Godwin

Title: American Girl on Saturn
By Nikki Godwin

Amazon | Smashwords | B & N

Blurb:

The summer after graduation is supposed to be that first real taste of freedom - but not for eighteen-year-old Chloe Branson. Just as that breeze of freedom is making its way into her galaxy, her secret-service-agent dad drops a meteor-sized bomb of bad news on her and her sisters. An attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around Saturn, during their USA tour, and the guys have to go into hiding ASAP. The only problem? In the midst of the crisis and media frenzy, their dad volunteered to hide the guys...in their house.

Six-year-old Emery is as ecstatic as any self-proclaimed Saturnite would be, but Chloe and her seventeen-year-old sister Aralie watch their summer plans crash and burn like a falling star. The SAS guys aren't happy with the situation, either. Bad boy Jules picks fights with Aralie about everything from his Twitter followers to his laundry, and heart-throb Benji can't escape Emery's fangirlisms for more than three minutes.

But after the super-cute Milo kisses Chloe during a game of hide-and-seek, she finally understands what Emery means when she talks about SAS being "out of this world." If this is what Saturn feels like, Chloe doesn't want to come back to Earth.

Excerpt:

He reaches toward the tray and grabs the lone Oreo. "Okay, this is my last one for the night," he says. "Half it with me?"

Seriously? If I wasn't the envy of every Saturnite in the world just by sitting across the table from him, I'm definitely the envy of them now because the Milo Grayson wants to half his precious Oreo with me. And the thing that sucks the most is that no one knows about it to be jealous of me!

He holds the cookie up and waits for a response.

"Yeah, we can half it," I say.

I reach across the table for it, but he jerks his arm back. The sleeve of his T-shirt hugs his bicep tightly, and oh how I wish to be that fabric.

"Not so fast," he says. "Let's make it interesting."

Could this be any more interesting? Hello - you're gorgeous and famous and sharing cookies with me! Any more 'interest' and I might burst like a firework.

"If you get the side with the cream, I'll give you my honest male opinion about your checkout line drama today," he says. "But if I get the cream side, you have to tell me, honestly, who you think the best looking guy is in Spaceships Around Saturn."

Oh God. He's for real. Does he know? He totally knows. He knows I'm lusting for him from behind this glass of milk and tattoo magazine. He knows that his eyes make me melt and that I clearly watch him on Twitter because I know all about amazzzzzing. Now he wants to make me 'fess up.

"Deal." I say it before I can chicken out.

I can always lie and say Benji's name. He's the fan favorite anyway. Benji Baccarini is Spaceships Around Saturn for so many girls.

He leans forward, positions himself over the table, and holds up that fated Oreo. I push my glass of milk aside because the last thing I want is to knock it over with my quivering nerves. Then I lean toward him, grip the cookie with my fingers, and inhale every scent of his body wash that I can while I twist my half of the Oreo away from his half.

Top Tens:

Top Ten favorite books or authors

In no particular order...

1.) The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton - This book is the reason I stopped dreaming up stories and actually started writing them.

2.) Where You Are by J. H. Trumble - My favorite book of 2013

3.) Twenty Boy Summer by Sarah Ockler - My favorite book of 2012

4.) Mutilate My Heart by Emily Godwin - Yes, she's my sister, but I loved this book. It's a YA paranormal romance with rockstars.

5.) Don't Let Me Go by J. H. Trumble - This book ripped my heart out. Loved it.

6.) Raven's Gate by Anthony Horowitz (book 1 of the Gatekeepers Series) - My favorite book of 2011

7.) Evil Star by Anthony Horowitz (book 2 of the Gatekeepers Series) - This series is epic, simply put.

8.) 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher - This book still haunts me.

9.) Merch Girl by Rebecca Lewis - If you read and liked American Girl On Saturn, you'll want this book next.

10.) One by Leigh Ann Kopans - My most recent read! It was very much "not my type" of book, and I still insanely loved it, which speaks volumes for how awesome it is.

My Review:

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

Here we have the Branson sisters. The oldest is eighteen year old Chloe who has just graduated from high school. Then we have Aralie who is seventeen years old and she is not afraid of no one or anything who will speak her mind, Aralie will tell you like it is straight to your face. Then we have the youngest Branson sister Emery who is five years. I loved Emery's attitude and the way she did and said things. She reminded me so much of my Grandniece Emily.

The Branson sister's summer was all screwed up when their dad volunteered to let a boyband from Canada who was on tour in the USA stay at their home after being shot at. Their dad let them stay with them while he investigated the shooting. Their vacation was taken from them as well as some other things that they did every year. Needless to say the Branson sisters were very upset until they learned who it was that was going to be staying with them. The guys from the boyband called Spaceships around Saturn. Emery was probably their biggest fan especially for a five year old. She had the biggest crush on the lead singer Benji; she followed him around everywhere he went. The only time Benji got any piece was when Emery was in bed a sleep. After Chloe and Aralie got to know the guys they didn't seem to mind the fact that their summer was taken from them. Chloe and Aralie both had their own pick of the guys and they each started dating them as they called it. Chole, Aralie and their guy of choice would slip out of the house at all hours of the night but at different times of course.

American Girl on Saturn was not anything like I thought it would be. I thought it would be about this girl who got on a spaceship and went to Saturn, boy was I wrong. When I first started reading it I was kind of disappointed that no one was going to Saturn but it didn't take me long to forget all about anyone going to Saturn. I think the Branson sisters were all very lucky to get to spend their summer with a boyband. How cool would that be? To be able to spend the summer with your favorite band and at your own house too. WOW! I really enjoyed reading American Girl on Saturn. I would catch myself at times just laughing out loud at some of the things that Emery would do or say. That little girl just made my day. I know my family probably thought I was losing it. On second thought I think they know me well enough by now and figure well she must be reading again. LOL! If you haven't read American Girl on Saturn yet then I recommended that you give it a try. I think you will probably like it.

About the Author:

Nikki Godwin is a Young Adult/New Adult author from the southern USA. She is a city girl who can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, Hawthorne Heights, and candles from Bath & Body Works. When not writing, she's not-so-secretly internet-stalking her favorite bands. She may or may not completely love One Direction.

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Cover Reveal: Irresistible Refrain By Michelle Mankin

Title: Irresistible Refrain
Series: Tempest Series # 1
By Michelle Mankin
Expected Publication Date: October 8th, 2013
Genre: New Adult

Blurb:

Two years ago everything changed for the remaining members of the Seattle rock band Tempest.

Two years is a long time.

Too long to keep on remembering.

Not nearly long enough to forget.

In trouble with nowhere else to go songstress Lace Lowell seeks refuge with the band during their stop in New York City. It's a risky move for her because they are both there, two impossibly good looking men whose lives are inseparably entwined with hers. One who bruised her heart and one who smashed it into pieces.

Warren "War" Jinkins, the mercurial lead singer of Tempest, has always had a thing for Lace.

But then again so does his best friend and band mate.

Bryan "Bullet" Jackson, the sinfully handsome tat-sleeved lead guitarist, has a bad boy reputation befitting his nickname. For the past two years Bullet's had a rule with the groupies: one time, never twice, leave 'em satisfied, but always leave 'em.

Two guys, one woman, and a host of dark secrets all together within the tight confines of a tour bus as the group travels cross country.

Can the past be forgotten and buried?

Will friendships prevail?

Or will the three of them succumb to seductive impulses too addictive to resist?

** Irresistible Refrain is a gritty rock and roll tale intended for mature readers seventeen and up. Contains sexual situations, strong language, and drug use. **

About the Author:

Michelle Mankin is a young/new adult romance writer as well as a self-proclaimed giant…inside her own mind.

For many years, she toiled in the insurance industry as an underwriter. Somehow, the boredom didn't kill her, and the hours of looking at facts and figures provided ample time for her mind to wander.

Love Evolution, Love Revolution, and the latest novel, Love Resolution are rock 'n roll romances. The first is based on Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, the second on Much Ado About Nothing, and the third on The Tempest. The first three books in the Black Cat Records series combine the plot underpinnings of the famous playwright with the drama, excitement, and the indisputable sexiness of the rock 'n roll industry.

When she is not putting her daydreams down on paper, you can find Michelle traveling the world with her family. Sometimes for real and sometimes just for pretend as she takes the children to school and back.

Author Links:

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Book Trailer Reveal: Sanctuary By Pauline Creeden

Sanctuary

By: Pauline Creeden

Expected Publication Date: September 30th, 2013

Published by AltWit Press 

In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meets The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what's left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. 

Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth's population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it…When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?

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Book Tour: The Frost Series By Liz DeJesus

Title: First Frost
Series: The Frost Series Book # 1
By Liz DeJesus
Publication Date: June 22, 2012
Published By: Musa Publishing

Publisher | Amazon Kindle

Blurb:

Fairytales aren't real…yeah…that's exactly what Bianca thought. She was wrong.

For generations, the Frost family has run the Museum of Magical and Rare Artifacts, handing down guardianship from mother to daughter, always keeping their secrets to "family only."

Gathered within museum's walls is a collection dedicated to the Grimm fairy tales and to the rare items the family has acquired: Cinderella's glass slipper, Snow White's poisoned apple, the evil queen's magic mirror, Sleeping Beauty's enchanted spinning wheel…

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Frost wants none of it, dreaming instead of a career in art or photography or…well, anything except working in the family's museum. She knows the items in the glass display cases are fakes because, of course, magic doesn't really exist.

She's about to find out how wrong she is.

Title: Glass Frost
Series: The Frost Series Book # 2
By Liz DeJesus
Publication Date: July 19th, 2013
Published By: Musa Publishing

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Blurb:

When joined together, Cinderella's slippers grant the wearer her heart's desire. But whose wish will be granted?

When Cinderella's glass slipper is stolen, Queen Felicia sends her faithful steward Terrance to the real world to retrieve his love and witch-in-training, Bianca Frost. The power of the glass slipper, when paired with its mate, and in the wrong hands, could ruin the peace of Everafter. Bianca must gather every bit of magic she has learned in the past few weeks to find the slipper and protect her new love. Together, Bianca, Ming, Prince Ferdinand, and Terrance venture deep into the heart of Everafter to seek clues as to who has stolen the slipper and why. Along the way, they uncover what happened to the Seven Dwarves after Snow White married the prince, but also learn the awful risk of tampering with black magic and the high price that must be paid for magic, even when used for good.

Bianca and Terrance's relationship is put to the test. Through the pain of suffering and loss, Bianca must determine if following her gallant boyfriend into his faraway world is in fact her heart's desire.

Guest Post:

How does music affect your writing?

I'm pretty sure that if I had been an extrovert instead of an extremely shy, nerdy introvert I'd be in a rock band. And yes, I can actually sing, but my throat gets dry and seals itself shut the moment someone asks me to sing for them. So instead of being the next Gwen Stefani, I listen to music while I write. Some of the scenes in First Frost and Glass Frost were actually inspired by certain songs.

For some reason I always start listening to Imogen Heap before I start writing. I love her music, it has such a dream-like quality to it and sometimes I feel as though it takes me to a completely different place in my mind. One of my favorite songs of hers are: "Hide and Seek", "Let Go", "The Moment I Said It", "2 - 1", "Can't Take It In" and "Glittering Cloud".

The song "The Cave" by Mumford and Sons inspired a scene in First Frost. It was this particular part of the song that made me stop and think:

But I will hold on hope
And I won't let you choke
On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain
And I will change my ways
I'll know my name as it's called again

I could picture Bianca with black ribbons around her neck as Queen Mirabel slowly drained the life out of her. What was amazing to me was how clearly I could imagine this happening to Bianca so it became my goal to get my characters to reach that point in the story. And then I had to ask myself will Bianca survive? Who will come to her rescue? What will happen to Mirabel afterwards?

Last year while I was thinking about the sequel to First Frost, I was listening to "The Catalyst" by Linkin Park. I hadn't written a single word yet, but as I listened to this song I had a clear image of Bianca crawling out of a pit. I was driving at the time (which is a dangerous thing to do if you have my brain because I literally go somewhere else when I'm writing) and I just burst into tears. I wanted to know what happened that made Bianca fall into that dark place. How was she supposed to get out of there? Why wasn't there someone there to help her? So that was another plot point that I could reach.

Like memories in cold decay
Transmissions echoing away
Far from the world of you and I
Where oceans bleed into the sky
Lift me up, Let me go...

It was that particular part of the song that just got to me for some reason. I can't wait for you all to read that scene in the book. I hate torturing my characters, but sometimes that's the only way they will learn and grow.

Another song that inspired a scene in Glass Frost is "Shipping Up to Boston" by Dropkick Murphys (yes, my taste in music is ALL OVER THE PLACE). I can't really tell you about it because it'll ruin part of the book. But I can say that Bianca learns a very harsh lesson on karma.

"Enchanted" by Taylor Swift. When I first heard that song I could only think of Bianca and Terrance dancing to it. I love the romance that has blossomed between them. Their relationship goes through many trials in the sequel. I really push them to the edge and I test their resolve to stay together. I do everything in my power to see if these two characters really are meant to be together.

I also listen to classical music when I write, because sometimes the lyrics get jumbled up in my mind and get in the way of my writing. I'll sometimes listen to Mozart, Beethoven and Vanessa Mae's album "Storm". I've also been listening to Vitamin String Quartet Performs Imogen Heap, all of my favorite songs of hers are played by a four string quartet.

Again…I love music. I think it has the power to transport you to another place in time. It can inspire you to write (even when you think your creative well is dry). It's one of the few things that can touch your soul. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed my post and definitely check out some of the singers and bands I mentioned. You never know, it might inspire you to write something.

About the Author:

Liz DeJesus was born on the tiny island of Puerto Rico. She is a novelist and a poet. She has been writing for as long as she was capable of holding a pen. She is the author of the novel Nina (Blu Phi'er Publishing, October 2007), The Jackets (Arte Publico Press, March 31st 2011) First Frost (Musa Publishing, June 22nd 2012) and Glass Frost (Musa Publishing, COMING SOON).

She is also a member of The Written Remains Writers Guild.

Liz is currently working on a new novel.

Author Links:

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