Labels

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Becoming Blue by Angie M. Brashears @XpressoReads @XpressoTours #XpressoBookTours

Becoming Blue 
Angie M. Brashears
(January 15th 2016)
Publication date: January 12th 2016
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Romance

Every single thing I’ve been taught not to do…I just did. 
Talk to a stranger? Check 
Get in a car with a stranger? Check 
Go to a second location? Check 
Go into a stranger’s house? Check 
Take candy from a stranger? Check 
If this is a kidnapping, it’s the kindest one I’ve ever heard of. 
I’m living a fat girl fantasy. Snatched from a Weight Watcher meeting by a powdered-donut eating stranger, was by far the most excitinng that has ever happened to me. Who knew I didn’t need to make appointments or attend meetings to have someone to talk to. A Friend. Two Friends. A dark, intense stranger. Secrets. 
Everything I ever wanted, and something’s I didn’t. Not every tasty treat is for eating. 
To each his own….right?

EXCERPT:

“Take another bite of that rice that I worked so hard on for you, now.” Husky, but there is no doubt it’s a command, so I do.

He leans his head back, eyes on me, and continues to stroke his long shaft, tip to stem, through his jeans. “More,” he says, his eyes never leaving my mouth. Two more bites go in. I can barely chew around the food. “Faster, keep going, stuff those pink lips, Blue.” I can see just the tip of his tanned man muscle peeking at me above his waistband, leaving a trail of pre-cum on his tight stomach.

I crunch into a taquito dripping with guacamole, and chew. I can’t stop watching his hand. I’ve never seen a guy I want, rub himself off so blatantly. Is that all for me? I chew, trying to swallow, and meet his eyes.

“That’s so fucking sexy, Blue. You don’t know what that does to me, to watch you eat what I’ve made with my own two hands. I want to keep that big tummy of yours full of my food, nourish and satisfy you. That’s my job, baby girl, and I take it seriously.” He stands, opening the fridge, and pulls out a large baking dish. It’s flan, dripping with caramel, and he sits it right on my half-full plate, his hand never leaving his cock.

When I feel like I can speak, I ask, “No spoon?”

He’s so close, I can feel heat radiating from him, and he smells like hot sin. “You won’t need one.”

Leaning into my hair, he takes a deep breath of me, inhaling me in, leaning into me further. I can feel his cock rubbing the outside of my arm, but I want it on my breast.

“Time for dessert, baby girl, and if you wanna make Daddy proud, you’ll eat every morsel,” he pushes his hard length right up against my breast. The contact feels like he’s branding me right through his jeans.

I look down his body, trying to look anywhere but at the slow-pulsing cock escaping out of his pants.
His long fingers reach into the dish of flan, poking a hole through the top. Using two fingers, he moves nice and slow, finger-fucking the sticky dessert. I can’t look away. It’s obscene, and it’s making me drip. I shift in my chair, snugging my full breast right up against his hardness. His fingers move leisurely, in and out, in and out. My lips are dry, all the wetness in my body pooling at my core, making my underwear as sticky as the dish. I can’t stop imagining those fingers dragging through my own hot wetness, searching for my entrance.

A moan, low and slutty, escapes from my parched lips at the thought. I lick them, but my spit isn’t the wetness I seek.

His bulge rocks against the side of my boob, that peeking, weeping big head bulging with veins just inches from my jaw. If I moved, just a bit to the right, leaned into him a little, I could kiss the tip. My head drifts in that direction, but his hand comes up and tightens at the base of my skull, holding me in place. “Don’t move,” he says, all business.

His fingers are coated with sweetness, and he hooks them as he skims the top of the flan grabbing a big scoopful.

The hand at the back of my head moves to cup my chin firmly in place.

“Open.”

My mouth drops open at the command. Leaning down, he looks me in the eye and says, “Wider.” All low and dirty. And I do. I close my eyes as he jams the scoopful between my lips. His fingers caress my tongue on the way out. A sound of pleasure escapes me, a sound I’m sure I’ve never made before. Guess that’s why they call it the ‘spice kitchen.’

My eyes follow his fingers, which dig back into the dish. He trails two ragged grooves through the flan with those fingers, scooping more. I open my mouth, waiting, but he smears the tip of his cock with the sweetness, then pokes those same fingers in between my lips. I suck them clean, swirling my tongue around them, making sure to get every drop of Javi-laced flan.

“That’s it, eat what Daddy gives you.” I feel his other hand at the back of my head, urging me down to the mess at the top of his waistband. “Taste me,” he whispers, and I do. “Lick that dirty monkey, make him clean.” I do, not caring for this dirty talk. ‘Dirty monkey.’ That’s a new one, even to my virgin ears.

His tastes like salted caramel. My tongue swirls the head, and with each go around I try to go lower, lick the hidden depths, trying to get inside those jeans. “Greedy little piggy.” It sounds so hot from his lips, I moan for him.

He steps back to rip open the button fly, shoving his underwear down. “This monkey wants out of his cage.”

I watch, licking my lips as he leans over the dish and places his full balls right into the flan. My hands itch to touch him.

Gripping the sides of the table, he drags his thick cock through the flan, burrowing a long deep tunnel right through the middle. He’s fucking the flan, making me wish it was my long deep tunnel he was drilling.

He pulls his dick out, and it’s obscene. Full of curds, dripping with caramel.

“Lick me clean.”

I get to work, licking the tip, down his shaft, sucking each of his balls into my mouth. Only after he’s clean does he push his penis to my flushed face. “Kiss it, Blue, just the tip. Do not get greedy.” My insides turn over at the husk in his voice, the sexy glimmer in his eye. He is by far the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen. I do as he commands, light kisses, all lip, and no tongue, really working the head of his penis. He groans and shoves his fingers into the ruined flan.

Stroking his cock with the remaining flan, he pushes past my lips into my wet mouth. A sigh escapes. He smells like a Mexican bakery, cinnamon, sugar and spice, my favorite. I suck dessert off him, moving my mouth further and further down his shaft, wanting all that he is offering. He lets me control the tempo, I can’t even watch his face, just his fingers twirling and digging into the dessert on the table.

I let his cock plop out of my mouth, and I move to his fingers, which are hidden in the flan. I lick the trail his dick made through the top, coming to his fingers. I eat my way down to them, sucking one and then the other clean. He moans, jerks, grabs a towel, and let’s himself go, cumming into a dishtowel as I eat the dessert he’s made for me. I turn back towards his dick, hoping he’ll let me lick him clean again, but this time he turns away, zipping his pants. “I don’t understand. Did I do something wrong?”

“You did everything perfect, too perfect.” He clears his throat and continues, “I’m just embarrassed, Blue.” Before I can protest or say anything, he pushes on the spice rack door, leaving the room.

I don’t know what just happened, can I be sued for sexual harassment? Even if I wasn’t the one who brought the flan?

Getting up, I feel sticky head to toe, and unsatisfied. Fuck the dishes, let Mr. Embarrassed clean his own mess. I head to my room with the wonderful smell of caramel wafting all around me.


Author Bio:
Angie M Brashears is a lover of everything books. When not writing, she’s reading anything she can get her hands on. She grew up in Southern California, and loves the mountains, hiking with her dogs, the beach, and of course, Disneyland! She loves music, and loves singing along to the radio, loud and off-key, performing for anyone unlucky enough to be in the passenger seat.
Angie loves dark and twisted, which she refers to as Dark Ever After books, but is known to read an occasional HEA story as well. When she’s not writing, she working, saving lives. A busy Trauma ER nurse for over twenty years, she gets enough reality in her life, and is always looking for a story to take her away from the harsh reality of Emergency Nursing. 
If there’s football on, she sure to have a huge party going on to cheer her team on…Go Patriots! 
As a new author, she’d love to hear from you! 


Hosted by:
XBT250

Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Immurement (The Undergrounders Series, #1) by Norma Hinkens @XpressoReads @XpressoTours #XpressoBookTours





Immurement
Norma Hinkens
(The Undergrounders Series, #1)
Publication date: December 16th 2015
Genres: Post-Apocalyptic, Young Adult

The earth's core overheats. The sovereign leader vanishes. A young girl is the survivors' only hope … 
What little land is habitable is patrolled by cutthroat gangs of escaped subversives, but that's not the greatest threat facing sixteen-year-old Derry Connelly, her brother Owen, and a ragged band of Preppers holed up in a bunker in the Sawtooth Mountains. Mysterious hoverships operated by clones are targeting adolescents for extraction. 
Owen, is one of the first to disappear. To save him, Derry must strike a deal with the murderous subversives, and risk a daring raid to infiltrate the heart of the extraction operation. 
But will the rookie leader falter when forced to choose between her brother and a clone who ignites something inside her she didn't know was possible?

Are you a reviewer? You can request a review copy here!
-
EXCERPT:

Someone gives a feeble clap. "Magnificent! A most rousing speech to rally the heathens, Mason!"
My feet fuse to the floor at the raspy voice that wafts into the room. Tucker strains at his collar. I yank him back, my heart pounding.

A shrunken man with an unnatural stoop steps into view. My skin crawls with a new level of fear. My gun's in the Crematauto, along with the rest of the weapons. I fumble around in my pocket and latch onto my switchblade. A trickle of sweat runs down behind my ears. The man standing in the entry looks freakishly old and frail. Tucker could take him down in a heartbeat, but my brain sounds an inner caution. He probably didn't come alone.

Before I even finish my thought, the doorway darkens and four armed men in black fatigues troop through. Big-shouldered, faces set like flint on necks thick as tree stumps. Schutz Clones! I tighten my grip on Tucker and command him to stay. One false move and he'll end up another carcass waiting to be incinerated. He minds me, but tension radiates through his collar.

"Welcome to the Craniopolis," the old man says. "My apologies for the modest welcoming committee, but your timing is most unfortunate. Everyone is at the unveiling of our new Hovermedes prototype." His body shakes out a shallow breath, as he shuffles toward me. "Allow me to introduce myself. I am Dr. Lyong."

I slide my gaze in Mason's direction. His face registers confusion. Then a flicker of recognition.
"What … happened to you?" he asks, in a half-whisper.

Dr. Lyong jerks to a stop in front of me and lets out a long, trembling sigh. It's all I can do not to gag. His breath smells of decaying compost.

"Restructuring DNA proved more complex than I had hoped." Dr. Lyong runs a finger under his beaked nose and waves it dismissively in Mason's direction. The skin is stretched so tight over his hand I can see the grape-colored veins forking out beneath it. He barely looks human.

I can't repress a shudder.


Author Bio:
Norma Hinkens grew up among vibrant storytelling traditions in her native Ireland. A Celtic bard at heart, she wields her wordsmithing sword with as much wit and eloquence as a bard can muster. She's a legend-loving author who takes a fiendish delight in pushing reluctant characters over cliffs to find out what they're made of. Epic odds, seemingly impossible missions, pasts that haunt, intrigue and misadventure. She's happiest when wrangling provocative big picture ideas that are never black and white when you turn them inside out. It's all about the tension in the journey. She lived and worked in Germany for several years, and currently resides in California with her husband, three children and Chihuahua extraordinaire. She is the author of The Undergrounders Series, Immurement, Embattlement and Adjudgement, a Young Adult post-apocalyptic, sci-fi adventure trilogy.




Hosted by:
XBT250

Pre-Order Blitz + #Giveaway: Progress - The Progress Series - Book One By Amalie Silver @AmalieSilver @StarAnge13







Title: Progress
Series: The Progress Series - Book One
By: Amalie Silver
Publication Date: January 15, 2016

Jesse I admit, I didn’t think much of Charlie at first. She was rounder than the girls who usually caught my eye. Not my type. But when I saw her sitting in that booth alone, for the first time something in my mind or my instincts or my heart told me to join her. She defied me. She challenged me. She gave me hope. Before I knew it, moving forward was my only option. Charlie I couldn’t tell you when it happened, but it had to have been a gradual change; I never moved too quickly. If someone would have told me earlier that year what I was going to go through, I wouldn't have believed them. Jesse was so different from anyone I’d met before. And everyone I’ve met since. He sucked all the life out of me, in the best—and worst—ways. We don’t get strong overnight. For most of us it takes time. Strength isn’t measured by how high and fast our walls go up, but how easily we can watch them fall. Warning: This book contains material that might be a trigger for some readers. Abuse and rape are implied, but not described in detail. Discretion is advised.



 







“Play the fucking game. It’s supposed to be fun. And you’re killing my buzz!” I exhaled. “Fine. Dare.” I cringed, wishing I could take it back. But before I could say anything, she’d already spit it out. “Take off all of your clothes and jump in the water.” My jaw dropped and my eyes popped out of their sockets. “Fuck you. Nuh-uh.” We sat in a stare-down for at least thirty seconds. “Dude. You totally chose dare.” Angie snickered. I waited for the shakes to come. I anticipated my fear getting the best of me, and that any minute my head would begin to spin. But they didn’t come. Karal winked at me and nudged her chin out toward the beach. “It’s dark. No one will see you. The closest house is too far and I haven’t heard them all weekend. I don’t even think they’re home.” I swallowed and tugged on my lip. The night air suddenly chilled, and I rubbed my arms for warmth. Karal smiled and mouthed the words you’re beautiful, and I frowned at how ungrateful I was for the compliment. Angie wouldn’t relent, I knew that. But I also knew that at any point I could just walk away from the fire and resign for the evening. I didn’t have to play their little game. Or I could’ve just pulled up my big girl panties—errr, pulled them down—and had it over and done with in less than five minutes. I certainly had enough alcohol in my system to make the task bearable, so maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as I thought. “Fine,” I said, my stomach shuddering with turns and flips. I got to my feet and walked slowly to the beach, removing my shirt as I went. Then one by one, I unclasped each hook on the back of my bra. But by the time I removed it, I was out of their sight. I could barely see the sand under my feet, let alone thirty feet in front of me. From their vantage point, I doubt they could even make out my silhouette. When I reached the edge of the water, I stripped off my jeans and underpants, letting them rest next to a large boulder so I’d know where to find them when I returned. “You go girl!” Angie shouted, and I lowered myself into the shallow waters of Lake Mille Lacs, keeping my middle finger above my head in case she could see it. The moon shone down on my pale skin. Even with the sun I’d gotten that afternoon, I still looked like a ghost. The reflections danced around me, my ears trying to pick up on any tiny sound or sudden movement in the trees. It was lonely out there, and a little scary too. It had been more than ten years since anyone had seen my flesh, and I was surprised to see how well I handled it. The booze helped. My belly held a large bulge, and my thighs weren’t even close to having a gap. I still felt my double chin every time I spoke, and I saw the way Jesse looked at me. I wasn’t even remotely on his radar. But I was moving forward, doing something about it. I could at least applaud myself for my efforts. The stars began to sparkle, and I couldn’t help but stare. But the realization struck me: I was drunk. In a lake. Naked. Smart. Really smart. Get your ass back to the fire. I laughed and got up, gathering my clothes on the way back. By the time I got there, I’d managed to get my tee back on. I slipped on my panties just as Karal turned her head. “Where’s Ang?” I asked, sliding one leg into my jeans. “She had to pee. How was the water?” “Surprisingly warm,” I said, trying to maneuver my bra underneath my T-shirt. The old high school locker room trick never failed. Under the shirt, clasp, twist, and slip the arms through. Piece of cake. “Oooo. I might have to go for a swim!” Karal said. I smiled and heard Angie rustling through the grass. “Charlie? Oh, Charlie?” I turned to Angie’s voice, but I couldn’t see her yet. The glare from the fire was too harsh and Angie was back by the cabin where there was little light. “You better be naked or in your swimsuit,” I shouted. “Because I’m dragging your ass to the lake and throwing you in!” “Put your clothes on, Charlie. You’ve got company,” Angie sang. My brow furrowed and I looked down to my shirt. “What are you talking about?” I laughed, remembering our conversation from the night prior. “Did you pick up the pizza delivery guy?” Angie came into the light of the fire, her face twisted into a frown. “You could say that.” “Oh yeah?” I opened the cooler and took out a beer. “Yeah.” Angie’s voice sounded hoarse, and I looked up again just as she stepped aside. Approaching the fire, the faces became clearer. “Ladies, Jesse Anders has joined the party,” Angie snarled. And I dropped my beer.





dc7622ced556cc65302c88a72f224f73.jpgAmalie Silver resides in Minnesota with her husband, two toddlers, and German Short-haired Pointer, Saba. She consumes approximately three pots of coffee a day, and credits this for her survival over the past decade. When not completely consumed in her writing, she can be found taking road trips to northern Minnesota, engaging in fierce Scrabble games, or reading a good book. She’s a sucker for all romance genres, literary fiction, and psychological fiction.



Social Media Links 








Virtual Tour + #Giveaway: The X Factor: Confession of a Naïve Fashion Model by Ivan Sivec @Ivan_Sivec @GoddessFish






The X Factor: Confession of a Naïve Fashion Model
by Ivan Sivec
GENRE: Young Adult



BLURB:


It takes three mistakes to be swallowed up and spat out by the fashion industry. 

You think you know everything there is to know about life. 
You abuse drugs. 


The almost 18-year-old Maja is a regular high-school kid, who at the threshold of adulthood thinks she knows everything there is to know about life. As she enters the world of fashion modelling she gets completely enchanted. 



However, the more her career thrives she’s less able to see the danger lurking around fashion industry.  Maja starts falling in a downward spiral of drug addiction and is torn between the tempting dream of becoming a world famous model and the horrendous thought of destroying her body beyond the point of no salvation. 



At a yacht party Maja gets drugged, assaulted and tossed overboard. She’s found the next day. Barely alive. Only a shade of her former self, in a gray space between life and death, she realises the fashion industry sucked everything out of her – except one thing – the will to live. Maja wants to be her old self again. 



Ironically, it means losing the only thing that made her special. She has to give up on her hidden X Factor. 



The X Factor: 
Confession of a Naïve Fashion Model
is a psychological YA novel showing the glamorous fashion world behind its less glamorous scenes.




Goodreads ~ Amazon ~ Kobo ~ B&N

The X Factor is free on Amazon January 13th and 14th!


EXCERPT:

On the evening of the third day the agent Maurizio paid them a visit. They didn’t have any money or food, so they begged him to lend them a couple of euros to buy lunch at McDonald’s. He didn’t want to hear anything about that.

“I came to make sure you’re successfully losing weight. In Milan there’s currently somewhere between two hundred and three hundred too many models, and the ones that don’t respect the rules will be fired without compensation of any sort.”

They curled up and managed to convince themselves they didn’t even need yoghurt. They stayed determined even after Maurizio had left.

Later Maja and Svetlana found out that Maurizio had locked them in the apartment, so they weren’t able to leave, even if they had somehow been able to beg for some food money.

They managed it until midnight.

But at 00.30am Svetlana suddenly jumped up from her sleep.

“Maja, are you asleep? I can’t sleep. I’m going crazy from hunger.”

“Don’t even start on food,” Maja grumbled. “My vision is blurred. I’ll probably die tonight. I’ll die of hunger.”

“I’ll die, too. We’ll both die of starvation.”


At 1am they started banging on the door: “Open, please! We’re dying of starvation. Help!”

There wasn’t a living soul to be found anywhere. It seemed like there was nobody in the neighbouring apartments and the shops downstairs were already closed. Maja started looking for the business card. She would call that famous director. She’d ask him to bring them half a loaf of bread. She’d do whatever he wanted as long as he saved their lives.

“No, don’t do it! You know Monica will be mad. For now we belong to Milleuno. We cannot make contact with anyone outside the agency. We cannot go out. We cannot meet anyone. We have to take care of everything by ourselves or with the help of the agency.”

At 2am they were in such crisis they were rolling around with cramps. Maja had never experienced something like this before. She felt like she was about to die any moment now.

“I don’t want to die!” Svetlana made one last effort to get up and swayed to the window.

“Quickly, pass me the bed sheet!”

It was like in a film.


An entertaining film for the good children.


AUTHOR BIO:


Ivan Sivec is a writer, poet and publicist from Slovenia, Europe. People say he is ‘a man with a hundred stories’ and he has been sharing them with his audience, both young and mature, for over four decades now. He is listed under the top five Slovenian bestselling authors.

In his rich and thriving career he has written in many genres. As a poet he has written more than 2,500 lyrics for ethnic and entertaining music for which he received several awards. His broad prosaic ‘repertoire’ includes biographies, historical, psychological and adventure novels, travelogues, youth book series, picture books as well as humorous stories. To this date he published over 130 books and is considered to be one of the most popular Slovenian authors.

His particular interest goes to psychological novels on issues teenagers face today, especially topics like suicide, drug addiction, adoption, AIDS...  He shares true stories to let the young reader know they’re not alone.

Sivec devotes his free time to his wife of 44 years, their two children and three grandchildren. Since his retirement a decade ago he enjoys his days hiking the Alpine peaks (he is especially proud to have conquered the tallest mountain in Europe, the French Mont Blanc (4,810 m/ 15,771 ft), together with his daughter-in-law Tina). When he is not gathering inspiration from the mountains he is soaking in the tranquility of the Mediterranean Sea with his wife.  Nature is his source of creativity. It allows Ivan to gather his thoughts and pour them onto paper.  







Giveaway:

A free e-copy of the X Factor or a signed greeting card from Slovenia (international)




Follow the tour and comment; the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.


Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Blog Tour + #Giveaway: The Boundary Stone - The Stockbridge Series # 1 By Gail Avery Halverson @gailhalv @GHBTours







The Boundary Stone
The Stockbridge Series # 1
By- Gail Avery Halverson
Genre- Historical Fiction/Romance


Bound since childhood to an arranged marriage with the restless and irresponsible heir of Houghton Hall, Viscount Miles Houghton; Lady Catherine Abbott, now grown, finds herself torn between duty to her family and her smoldering ambitions. Possessed of a nimble, curious mind, a love of science and the natural world, and a singular talent for illustration, Catherine desperately longs to accomplish something before she resigns herself to a loveless marriage and the idle, aristocratic whirl of parties and social gatherings within the confines of the palatial Houghton Hall.


Banished before his final year of medical training for pushing harder on the boundaries of scientific knowledge than any student at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, the mysterious and driven Simon McKensie has blurred the lines between research and criminality and must now choose between exile to the rural country village of Wells, or the hangman's noose.


When the terrifying Great Plague of 1665 spreads from London to Wells, the town's very existence is threatened and Catherine must confront her fears, her place in the world - and the burning passions she has long held inside.

   

Book Blitz + #Giveaway: Next to Me by Allie Everhart @AuthorAllie @XpressoReads @XpressoTours #XpressoBookTours

Next to Me
Allie Everhart
Publication date: January 2nd 2016
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult, Romance

After losing her parents and brother in a car crash, Callie dropped out of college and went to live in the small town where her family used to spend the summers. A year later, and struggling to move on, she keeps to herself and wants to be left alone. So she’s not too happy when her new neighbor keeps knocking on her door. 
Nash Wheeler, a 25-year-old construction worker from Chicago, inherited the house next to Callie’s and is living there while he renovates it. Outgoing, confident, and never one to back down from a challenge, Nash sets out to get to know his new neighbor, inviting her over for dinner and offering to fix things around her house. 
As much as his persistence annoys her, Callie finds herself attracted to the tall, muscular guy next door. And the more time she spends with him, the more she realizes how much they have in common. Like Callie, Nash has experienced loss, but when he opens up to her about it, she’s not willing to do the same. It’s too personal. 
Nash is just her neighbor. Just some guy living there for the summer. But is that really all he is? Or is he the one person who can finally help her move on?


EXCERPT:

Nash

“You’re holding my hand,” she says, her lips creeping up.

“I am,” I say, matter-of-factly.

Her eyes return to mine. “Why are you holding my hand?”

“You have nice hands.” I rub the top of it with my thumb.

“That’s why you’re holding it? Because I have nice hands?”

“You got a problem with that?”

“I guess it’s okay. Although your hands aren’t the greatest.” She tries to hide her smile.

“You’re making fun of my hands?” I hold up the other one that’s not connected with hers. “I do construction for a living. I work with my hands. I’m surprised they look as good as they do.”

She takes the hand I was holding up and inspects my nails. “You need a manicure.” She tries to be serious, but then laughs.

“I’m not getting a freaking manicure. I’m not one of those metrosexual guys or whatever the hell they call them. The guys who walk around with purses? You see them downtown Chicago.”

“There’s nothing wrong with those guys.” She sits back but keeps her hand in mine. “And by the way, it’s not a purse. It’s called a man bag. Or a murse. And a lot of guys get manicures. They’re not just for women. It even has the word ‘man’ in it. And cure.” She pauses, then smiles. “It’s a cure for manly hands. Get it?” She laughs at her own joke.

I scoot my chair over and lean in close to her face. Her smile drops, her breath quickens, and her eyes fix on mine. She thinks I’m going to kiss her, but I’m not.

Instead I say, “I don’t want a man bag. Or a murse. Or a manicure.” I look directly in her eyes. “I’m a man’s man. I like red meat. Football. A cold beer. Hard liquor. Pounding nails into walls. And women who challenge me.”

She’s looking at me with lust in her eyes, and God, I feel it too. The intense need to rip off her clothes and do her right here on this table. How the hell did this happen? How did we go from having a conversation to wanting to have sex? I’m not even trying to date this girl, and I definitely wasn’t planning to have sex with her.

I’m here to do a job. Fix the house. That’s it. Plain and simple. But suddenly it feels more complicated than that.

Author Bio:
Allie Everhart is a hopeless romantic who writes books about love. Allie has authored fourteen novels, including The Jade Series, a college romance that follows the story of Jade and Garret as they deal with numerous obstacles trying to tear them apart. Her other series, The Kensingtons, is a romantic suspense series. After writing two series, she’s now working on several standalone books, including her latest book, Next to Me, a new adult romance.




Hosted by:
XBT250

Review of HOUSE OF RAVENS - The Nightfall Chronicles #2 by Karpov Kinrade @KarpovKinrade




HOUSE OF RAVENS 
The Nightfall Chronicles #2
by Karpov Kinrade



BLURB:


USA TODAY bestselling author Karpov Kinrade defied genre convention with Court of Nightfall. Now, they continue the epic saga of Scarlett Night, a rebel torn between two identities, in House of Ravens.


You think you know the path to victory? Then tell me how you'll win. 

Will you buy triumph with gold and favors? Will you marshal armies and trade in blood? Or will you be the hand in the dark, your fingers on the strings? Whatever you decide, know this. If you put the innocent at risk… 

You will answer to me. 

I am the keeper of secrets and the teller of lies. I am the shadow of death and the bringer of light. I will become a Knight of the First. 

And the Orders will crumble. 



Excerpt:

I head to my room as quickly as I can and collapse on my bed. Nox jumps onto my chest and curls into a warm, purring ball of fur. I close my eyes, squeezing out a renegade tear. I don't want to see Jax whipped tonight. But I don't want him to go through that punishment without my support, either.

This makes me sick, that we do this to each other, that these kinds of punishments even exist.

 There's a knock at my door and I groan. "Scarlett's not here right now."

The door opens and my grandfather comes in, closing it behind him. "Then she won't mind if an old man rests in her room for a moment."

I sit up and move the reluctant cat to my lap, while my grandfather sits in the chair at my desk.

"No, she won't," I say.

"Jax said he told you about tonight," he says. Nox jumps off my lap and onto my grandfather's, who pets him.

"Yes."

"Are you alright?"

"No. It's not right, what they're doing to him."

He nods. "You're right, it's not. But it will help Jax."

"How so?"

"Right now he's the Knight who went rogue. He didn't have authorization to hunt down Apex, and as awful as it is, many in our Orders benefited from the work Apex did."

I'm about to get very vocal on that topic when my grandfather holds up his hand. "I'm as appalled as you by the trafficking of Zeniths. That doesn't change the fact that many in high positions of power feel differently. And they watched a high-ranking Knight destroy something they helped build, without penalty. Tonight he will be the Knight who faced the consequences of his choices with bravery. It will help him in his career. It will appease those who are angry at what he's done, and it will allow Jax to continue his climb to the top. He will be fine. He's more worried about you than himself."

I sigh and flop back on my bed. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm meant for this world."

"I think we all feel that way from time to time." He stands. "Shall we go? I think he'd like you to be there for him."

I stand. "I suppose I should."

Nox rubs himself against my grandfather's leg. "He's a good cat, but this might not be the best place for him, cooped up in this room all day."

"You're probably right," I say, leaning over to pet his head before we leave. "Perhaps he's not meant for this world either."


My Review:

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

I read the first edition of House of Ravens in March 2015 and second edition in January 2016. I read somewhere that the authors had mentioned that there were only subtle changes nothing drastic. I agree with that to an extent. I thought when reading the second edition that I had seen something or recognized something in the revised book that I did not see in the first edition but after reading my review again I realized that I did see it the first time but I was just more open to it the second time. I felt more in tuned with not only Scarlett and the other characters but with the authors as well.  

I feel like I know Scarlett, Nightfall, Zorin, Kai, Wytt, Corinne, Trix, TR and even King Varian more. I feel like I got to know more of Scarlett’s everyday life as a Templar in training, and a student at Castle V. I love how she will stand up and fight for what she believes in no matter what the cost to her maybe. I love how she stands up to her instructors and won’t back down when they don’t agree on something or maybe doesn’t believe the same way.  She is a very honest person with a great big heart and would never hurt anyone unless they really and truly deserved it. 

Scarlett Night is a Nephilim who lives a double life. As Scarlett Night she is just a human teenage girl just going to college during the day, training to be a Knights Templar. And at night she is Nightfall and like a super hero; a Nephilim with special abilities that no human has. Scarlett wants to make the world a better place for Zeniths, Nephilim, humans and anyone else out there they may be different. She wants everyone to treat each other the same and to open up their hearts and minds and grow to be a better soul. She wants to stop all the hate and killing someone just because they are different than they are. She wants the world to wake up and see that we are all one. Scarlett tries her best to see the good in every person that she comes in contact with. But it is almost impossible to find any good in someone who has an evil heart.

Scarlett meets a lot of new friends in her new life in and out of her new school. She meets some pretty amazing people at this new school that she has chosen to attend. She has their back while they have her back all at the same time. Scarlett does run into some pretty difficult situations and decisions that she has to make. In a way I don't see how she could make the choice that she did. But at the same time I do think she made the right choice for everyone involved considering what the outcome could have been if she had went down another road. Scarlett has some amazing friends, have I already said that? Oh well it is true either way and sure doesn't hurt to say it over and over. Scarlett had a couple of great admires who cared for her more than their own lives. They would do or give up whatever they had to so they could keep her safe and alive.

HOUSE OF RAVENS is so full of twists and turns that I was getting very dizzy every time I turned a page. I felt as if there were so many hidden messages that were being dropped all over the place that I didn't know which way to turn myself. I was spinning and spinning so fast that I thought I was going to go right off the edge and step right into insanity trying to figure out what everyone was up to and what they were hiding.

I kept thinking who is Jax? What is his secret? Is he for or against Scarlett? Is he trying to protect her? Does he know who she really is? Why did he leave and where did he go? I hated that he told her he loved her and then just walked away. What was he thinking? What was he feeling?

What about Kai? What is his story? Is he for real? Does he really care or love Scarlett? Is he a pawn for his father, the king? What about Wytt and Corrine? Are they truly her friends? Whose side will they all be on in the end?

You know I have always heard that when you read a book for the second time or more that you can see something new or in a different light than the first time you read it. This is very true I know because I have done it on more than one occasion. This duo writing team are amazing authors and are climbing right on up that author’s ladder right up there on the top right along with Stephen King. They have put so much more in this second edition which I never thought could happen but it has. I would have to say that I do like the second edition of House of Ravens a lot better than the first. All the little add-ins and changes help to make it a better book.


I highly recommend HOUSE OF RAVENS to anyone who loves reading about Nephilim's with a heroine that is learning who and what she is and what she can do. Scarlett is a very tough girl who has been through a lot and has had to grow up way before her time but she is strong and can handle herself and others well. Not only do I recommend HOUSE OF RAVENS and COURT OF NIGHTFALL the first book in The Nightfall Chronicles I would recommend you read any book that is written by this amazing duo; Karpov Kinrade..



About The Authors:


Karpov Kinrade is the pen name for the husband and wife writing duo of USA TODAY bestselling, award-winning authors Kimberly Kinrade and Dmytry Karpov.

Together, they write fantasy and science fiction, including the ever popular ongoing Nightfall Chronicles.

They live with three little girls who think they're ninja princesses with super powers and who are also showing a propensity for telling tall tales and using the written word to weave stories of wonder and magic.