Monday, April 30, 2012

{#TeamAmity} Your Dream Cast

All right! Your dream cast for Four and Tris are...Max Irons and Saoirse Ronan!

I think these are most excellent choices, though, I really like Zac Effron for Four and he was a very close second.

Since I didn't get many suggestions for the other characters, I'm going to send you over to the Divergent Lexicon (our team leader) where they have done a terrific job of casting ALL the characters in The Divergent Series. Be sure you run on over and take a look.

Yes, today is the end-all, be-all of #DivergentNation and #TeamAmity and we're headed straight for the win...we couldn't have done it without you. Each and every person who has clicked our links and/or will click them today has shown the true spirit of the Amity Faction. I know Divergent didn't get into the nitty-gritty of Amity, but I promise Insurgent will. How do I know? Well, I've read the book silly. I haven't written my review, but I promise it's getting 5+ Stars. Yes, that is how good it is, it deserves more than 5 Stars.

This is the very last day of the contest...go click those links.


And...Winners for the two contests I had going on are:

Kelly Mills
and 
Sarah

Both have been notified and I hope to hear from them soon. In the event that I don't hear from them in the next 48 hours, a new winner will be selected!


Max Irons as Four



And Saoirse Ronan as Tris:


{#TeamAmity} For the Win


The last day has arrived and #TeamAmity is taking over the Internet. Our goal...get #TeamAmity trending on twitter! We will be giving something away every hour to one person who tweets something about supporting #TeamAmity and the links. Here is an example you can use!

I supported #TeamAmity by clicking these links! http://bit.ly/amityfaction or http://bit.ly/choose_amity! #DivergentNation

Share our blog posts on facebook and twitter. Don't forget to enter our Faction wide contest and click those links! After today, it's all over and the winner will be chosen! Let's blow HarperTeen away with our support of Insurgent by Veronica Roth which releases tomorrow! Look for my review later today!

Synopsis:

One choice can transform you—or it can destroy you. But every choice has consequences, and as unrest surges in the factions all around her, Tris Prior must continue trying to save those she loves—and herself—while grappling with haunting questions of grief and forgiveness, identity and loyalty, politics and love.

Tris's initiation day should have been marked by celebration and victory with her chosen faction; instead, the day ended with unspeakable horrors. War now looms as conflict between the factions and their ideologies grows. And in times of war, sides must be chosen, secrets will emerge, and choices will become even more irrevocable—and even more powerful. Transformed by her own decisions but also by haunting grief and guilt, radical new discoveries, and shifting relationships, Tris must fully embrace her Divergence, even if she does not know what she may lose by doing so.

New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth's much-anticipated second book of the dystopian Divergent series is another intoxicating thrill ride of a story, rich with hallmark twists, heartbreaks, romance, and powerful insights about human nature.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

{#DaemonInvasion} Official Street Team for The Lux Series by Jennifer Armentrout


Over the last couple of weeks, you’ve heard us talking about the upcoming #daemoninvasion and we’re so excited to finally share with you what is going on.

Really excited.
The beautiful and uber cool models, Pepe Toth and Sztella Tziotziosz, who grace the Lux covers, will be joining us in the United States! You heard right. They are flying here, from Hungary to spend a few days as Daemon and Katy! While they are here, they will be working with Vania, from VLC Productions (the team behind Cassandra Clare’s The Mortal Instruments, Melissa de La Cruz, Kimberly Derting, Moira Young, Kami Garcia and Margret Stohl, Hillary Duff, Lauren Destefano, and many, many more authors’ book trailers), to film book trailers for the Lux Series.

During the filming in Atlanta, they will be accompanying us on tour! What does that mean? You get to meet them. In the flesh. They will be participating in the signings and events. At those signings, we’ll be giving away signed posters, photos, and other swag. There will also be meet and greet events you can join in on. 
At each signing, there will be advanced copies of Onyx given away!

And to top things off (as if this isn’t enough, but we don’t do anything small), there’s something very, very exciting in the works! It involves advanced copies of Opal, water, and a little destination known as the Bahamas. 

I am not kidding. 

This will be epic. 

Aare you excited? I am! This tour is going to be so, so much fun, and I’m so thrilled that Pepe and Sztella are a part of it. We owe them a huge thank you and a giant welcome making the 16 hour flight to meet the readers of the Lux Series. You!


Daemon Invasion Signing and Event Schedule

June 8th
FoxTale Book Shoppe
Woodstock, GA
3:00pm

June 10th 
Barnes and Noble
St Johns Town Center 
Jacksonville, FL
3:00pm

June 13th
Barnes and Noble
Waterford Lakes Town Center 
Orlando, FL
3:00pm

June 14th
Barnes and Noble
The Palladium at City Place
West Palm Beach, FL
4:00pm 

There are several #daemoninvasion street teamers out there and if you want to join a team to win exclusive prizes, search down the #daemoninvasion hashtag to join one of the teams!

Don’t forget to visit Jennifer L. Armentrout’s blog to win a signed set of Half-Blood and Pure HERE In celebration of her adult romance release, Tempting the Best Man, under pen name J. Lynn.  It can be purchased HERE.

{Cover Reveal} Redheads are Soulless by Heather M. White

I love cover reveals and today, I've got a gorgeous one for you...although, as a redhead, I might take offense to the title of this book. Hmmmm??? 



Blurb:

High School senior, Sofia Black, has had a very hard life. Since her father's death 7 years ago, she has had to look after her drug addicted, alcoholic mother. School isn't any better for her either. The other kids constantly tease, and ridicule her. All she wants is to get out of her small hometown in Alabama.

When new student, Jason, shows up, Sofia's world is turned upside down. She doesn't understand why he wants to befriend her so badly... And, just when she thinks she can trust him, trouble appears.

Jason's twin brother, Robbie, moves into town, and things go haywire. Sofia is now running for her life - and Jason is forced to share hidden secrets with her. She learns the truth about her father's death, and finds out that she may not be as "human" as she once thought. She struggles to accept her fate, while fighting for her life.

So...what do you think about this amazing cover? And the blurb...doesn't this book sound amazing? 

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

{#TeamAmity} The Divergent Series Dream Cast - Four

So the results are in for the Dream Cast of The Divergent Series. Use the Rafflecopter Widget to vote for which character you like the most and enter to win some great books!


Today, I am featuring Four. Which of these hunky guys would you want to see on screen Four.








Max Irons



Alex Pettyfer



Chase Crawford


 Stephen Colletti




Zac Effron





Ian Somerhalder





a Rafflecopter giveaway

{Blog Tour and #Giveaway} The Light Tamer by Devyn Dawson



Hey everyone and welcome to The Light Tamer Blog Tour hosted by These Paper Worlds. Today I have an excerpt to share with you, plus two extra special giveaways! 

Title: The Light Tamer
Author: Devyn Dawson
Synopsis:

Jessie moved from New York to North Carolina one week after school let out for summer break. Her newly single mother and Jessie move in with grandma Gayle. Being a teen in a retirement area, is one more thing to add to her 'this sucks' list. It's bad enough to have to move, but even worse her alcoholic father left them as he went on a quest to be an artist in Greece.

Things begin to look up when she is reintroduced to Caleb, the dorky boy that saved her life one summer at the beach. Caleb is no longer scrawny and nerdy, he is now tall, dark and handsome. Caleb is a Light Tamer.

Jessie and Amber become fast friends. Amber is a no frills girl, her snarky comments and sassy attitude will raise a few eyebrows and have you laughing out loud. Amber is rough around the edges, a light tamer with only two years left to find the one she is bound to. Her father's surfing accident left her dad paralyzed and her brother dead.

This paranormal romance will keep you on the edge of your seat with humor, romance, and determination. Fall head over heels for Caleb and Jessie.

***Excerpt***

The girl that answers the door is about five foot two with chin length hair. I’m surprised that a private school would allow multi-colored hair or a scene kid at all. The top of her hair is white with blue tips. The peace sign covered tie-dye sundress cinched around her waist with a belt makes her pixie-ish. My mom would kill me if I had on a dress that barely covered my butt, I think to myself. Her complexion is slightly pimply but nothing a little Zap-A-Zit couldn’t fix. “You’re shittin’ me, this is Jessie?” The girl asked. “No wonder you didn’t want to hook up with me, she’s adorable,” she said.


“You’re going to scare her off with that mouth Amber. You going to let us in or do we have to sit on the porch,” Caleb asked. “Jess, this is Amber, Amber meet Jessie.”


I put my hand out to shake her hand; I’d never met anyone like her before.


“Oh shit, you haven’t told her that we can’t touch have you? Ha! Get your asses in the house before my dad comes in here pitchin’ a holy hell fit,” she said and scoots out of the way allowing us to enter.


The entry opens up to a beautiful great-room and I was totally thrown off. The dark wood floors have a high-gloss finish that shines like no tomorrow. A beautiful stair case with wood stairs and an intricate banister graced the right side of the room. I’d never been in a manufactured house before and was blown away at how beautiful it was. I look over at Caleb to figure out what she was talking about.


“Dad! I have company! We’re going up to my room! If you need me, let me know! Deloris, could you bring up three Cokes for us?” Amber shouts out. “You do drink regular soda don’t you? Don’t tell me you’re one of those skinny-ass girls that think they need to be on a diet are you?” She said accusingly.


“Ah, no, I like regular Coke, that’s fine, thank you,” I said.


“Her dad is in the study most likely. He was in a surfing accident last year and is paralyzed from the waist down. Deloris is their maid and care-taker of him,” Caleb whispers in my ear.


“What the hell, can’t anyone acknowledge me? Caleb, take her and go up to my room, I’ll go get the drinks. Can’t get good help anywhere,” she says exasperated.


I wasn’t prepared for someone that is so blatantly crass. The hallway at the top of the stairs led to six doors. Caleb walks to the last door on the right and opens it up to the most chicked-out room. The pink walls and giant white canopy bed throw me off. “This is her room?”


Caleb laughs quietly. “She is very girly, at home that is. Her mouth, well she likes to cuss. She is trying to work on it, so if you hear her shout out some strange word…that is her idea of not cussing. She’ll calm down in a minute. She is a little anti-social at school, and I’m not allowed to act like we’re good friends because she likes her reputation. At school, she has this bad-ass attitude, it is her defense mechanism to keep people away.” 


She bangs open the door with a tray full of chips and drinks for us. “You two just gonna stare at me or give me a hand over here? I’m not a damned waitress you know. Your decision, of course,” she said sarcastically.


After we grabbed the drinks off her tray, she set it down on the glass coffee table. Caleb and I sit down on a pink canvas loveseat. Directly in front of the loveseat are two pink and white candy-striped chairs. The entire room looked like something out of a fancy magazine. I lean over and grab a cookie off of the tray, basically to prove I’m not dieting.


Amber sat Indian style in her designer chair and popped open a Coke. She pointed a finger and shook it back and forth at Caleb and me. “So, what’s this all about? Didn’t you two meet like five minutes ago or something?” Her perfectly arched eyebrows raised a little as she gave us a wide-eyed look.


“We didn’t meet five minutes ago, and what’s it to you?” Caleb said matter-of-factly.


I could feel my face warm up as I blushed in embarrassment.


“Amber, we’re bonded remember? It isn’t like she and I just met. Every summer until three years ago, we went to the beach with her grandma and my mom. We need to get her up to speed, tell her what you told me about the Sliders,” Caleb said and patted my hand.


*************************************************

So now you want to know about the giveaways, right?

The first giveaway is open internationally! 
~One ebook of The Light Tamer by Devyn Dawson

The second giveaway is open to US citizens only.
~A cute tote with a heart print
~Two The Light Tamer Trading Cards


(I have no idea why Blogger keeps turning the bag sideways...that's not the way it downloaded. Anywhoo...you get the idea, right?)

To enter either giveaway, just leave a comment below telling me about the most exotic place you've ever visited or lived in. Be sure to leave your email address and tell me whether you live in the US or internationally. Contest ends April 30th at 11:59 PM CDT!


Other Tour Stops
Be sure to check them out because there are lots of other cool giveaways going on.


Sunday, April 22, 2012

{ARC Review} The Immortal Rules by Julie Kagawa

Title: The Immortal Rules
Series: Blood of Eden #1
Author: Julie Kagawa
Publisher: HarlequinTeen
Release Date: April 24, 2012



Synopsis:

In a future world, Vampires reign. Humans are blood cattle. And one girl will search for the key to save humanity.

Allison Sekemoto survives in the Fringe, the outermost circle of a vampire city. By day, she and her crew scavenge for food. By night, any one of them could be eaten.

Some days, all that drives Allie is her hatred of them. The vampires who keep humans as blood cattle. Until the night Allie herself is attacked—and given the ultimate choice. Die… or become one of the monsters.

Faced with her own mortality, Allie becomes what she despises most. To survive, she must learn the rules of being immortal, including the most important: go long enough without human blood, and you will go mad.

Then Allie is forced to flee into the unknown, outside her city walls. There she joins a ragged band of humans who are seeking a legend—a possible cure to the disease that killed off most of humankind and created the rabids, the mindless creatures who threaten humans and vampires alike.

But it isn't easy to pass for human. Especially not around Zeke, who might see past the monster inside her. And Allie soon must decide what—and who—is worth dying for.


A dystopian vampire-ruled society...what's not to like? The Immortal Rules is the first book in Julie Kagawa's new series Blood of Eden. I absolutely adored her Iron Fey series and feel she is off to a great start with this novel. Julie's world-building and character development amaze me. Her worlds are always imaginative but, somehow, still realistic. Her protagonists are strong-willed, both mentally and physically, but also humanly flawed.

Summary:

The world in The Immortal Rules is dystopian, meaning that society is oppressed and disintegrating under some type of government...in this case, vampires rule. Humans are either Registered or Unregistered. Registered meaning that the vampires keep track of you, collect blood for their feeding from you, and, in return, the vampires provide you with food and necessities. Unregistered humans are able to easily slip through the cracks, because, in the vampires' eyes, they didn't exist. This also means the Unregistered aren't given a meal ticket, leaving bands of misfits to scavenge for food and supplies. If an Unregistered is caught stealing, imminent death is certain..

Allie is a young Unregistered living with three other teenagers in an abandoned schoolhouse, struggling to survive. They depend on each other for food and protection. Lucas, Rat, Stick, and Allie attempt to stay under the radar of the Prince of their city. Before her death, Allie's mother taught her to read, a rarity in this particular society. Knowledge of any sort can cause humans, Registered and/or Unregistered, to become Taken and used by the vampires.

It doesn't take long for Allie to lose more than just her parents. She loses the only friends she has ever known and her own life as a human. Nothing can keep her from dying, but Kanin can make her immortal. Kanin is bluntly honest with her. She will, from the point she turns, always be a monster. Nothing changes that fact. She will kill a human, no matter how hard she tries not to...it will happen. Even with this information, Allie makes the only choice she can, she allows Kanin to turn her and teach her how to become a vampire. 

Allie's journey with Kanin is only the beginning. Once he has taught her all he can, she must set off on her own path and learn to survive without his protection. Along the way, she discovers a group of humans searching for Eden...the proverbial promised land. The choices she makes along her travels will eventually define her as a person and a vampire. She begins to realize that hiding her true nature is going to be extremely difficult...especially as her feelings for Zeke grow into something more than friendship. Holding on to her humanity is important to Allie and the lengths she takes to save her new friends might be the one thing that gives her away.

My Opinion:

I loved the storyline. A dystopian vampire society is a unique and intriguing concept. I also appreciated the fact that Julie made no qualms with including Christian beliefs and ideologies in The Immortal Rules. Her candor with not only Allie's, but with all of the going-to-Eden pack's, beliefs--or loss of belief, as the case maybe--is refreshing to see in writing. 

Allie is a strong female lead, who does what she must to survive, but...she also has flaws and battles internally about what is right and wrong. Occasionally, she makes the wrong decisions and suffers the consequences of her actions. Although she is a strong character, it took me a while to "like" her.

Several things about this novel didn't bode well with me. First, I am a dialogue-from-the-word-go girl. I love character interaction and character driven literature. I felt like there was too much world-building and information dumping in the first quarter of the book. For me...it dragged. Second, I didn't feel like all the "vampire lore" was needed. Honestly, Julie's vampires were traditional...they didn't sparkle, they couldn't go out in the sun, they had to live off human blood, they were virtually immortal...all of this was explained in great detail. If you've read a vampire novel...even Twilight, where the vampires were not your everyday vamps...you know these specifics about traditional vampires. Lastly, and I know many disagree, but I needed more romance in this book. I love romance and I don't mind the insta-love thing if it's written believably. There is very, very little romance in The Immortal Rules.

The Result:

All things combined...awesome and not-so-awesome...I am giving this book 3 Stars. However, I don't want anyone to get the wrong message...I loved the book and YES, I will be reading the rest of the series. Julie's writing continues to captivate me and take me to unique and interesting worlds.

*I acquired this copy of The Immortal Rules from NetGalley and HarlequinTeen in exchange for my honest review. 


Friday, April 20, 2012

{Giveaway & Feature} Quotable Quotes from Toxic


I'm excited to be a part of "Quotable Quotes" from Toxic, Book 2 in the Denazen Series by Jus Accardo. To participate, simply identify the person who said the quote below in a comment. Jus will be stopping by on April 27th to identify who said the quote and to announce the winners. Ebook winners will be international, all swag and signed copies are US/Canada only.

The quote is from one of these 5 people: Ginger, Dez, Alex, Kale, or Kiernan. 

“I’m not stupid. I know you’re hiding something. You’re avoiding me. You never avoid me.”


***Jus on Quotes***
Quotes
A great quote can be inspirational. It can make us laugh, or swoon. It can make us feel connected when we’re lonely. A quote is the perfect example of the power words can hold. They can come from anywhere. Movies, books, people… I thought today I’d share some of my favorites with you.
Let’s start with people. Some of my absolute favorites come from Lord Byron.
For truth is always strange; stranger than fiction – Simple and says it all. This describes my life perfectly. Example? My 60 something year old neighbor mowing the lawn at midnight wearing nothing but a red Speedo. Seriously. You can’t make this stuff up…
If I don't write to empty my mind, I go mad – My brain is a random idea generator. Some pan out, others get filed away in a WTF were you thinking folder. Either way though, I need to get them out. If I don’t, it gets really crowded in there…
            And what about movies? Everything from creepy to hilarious. Movie quotes stick with us.
I’ll be back... – You know you think badass, unstoppable killing machine when you hear that.
I see dead people – Tell me you didn’t get the chills when you saw Haley Joel Osment turn to Bruce Willis and confess his big secret?
I want my two dollars! – I don’t care how old you are, if you don’t know this quote, a small part of me just died…
            Of course I saved the best for last. The book quotes. Funny, swoontastic, and all around awesome! I’ve seen everything from t-shirts to tattoos honoring these puppies. A few weeks ago, I even saw a van that had Jacob’s face (Twilight) and I'm gonna fight for you, until your heart stops beating airbrushed across the driver’s side. On the passenger’s side, Edward's face and Look after my heart - I've left it with you. Crazy, right?
Pick up your clothes. I am not your maid. How do I know this? A maid cannot kill you with a tube sock. I can. – If you haven’t read Rob Thurman’s Cal Leandros series, you need to snap it up ASAP. There are so many awesome one liners, it will make your head spin.
            So, since I’m a sucker for book quotes, we’re going to play a little game! There are 15 participating blogs for this event. At each stop there will be a teaser quote from TOXIC. It will be your job to figure out who said what. A random commenter from each blog will be picked to receive a swag bag and an eBook copy of UNTOUCHED, and then those winners will be pooled and one grand prize winner will get a signed copy of TOUCH and a Touch key chain. On the last day of the event, I’ll pop by each of the blogs and give the answers!

Here's the quote one more time:

“I’m not stupid. I know you’re hiding something. You’re avoiding me. You never avoid me.”

Remember, it came from any of these 5: Ginger, Dez, Alex, Kale, or Kiernan!


Book Blurb


Add Untouched to your TBR pile on Goodreads 
Untouched (A Denazen Novella 1.5)

Until he met Dez, Kale’s days were filled with violence and death. He was used as a weapon of destruction by the power hungry men of Denazen. He’s a Six. A person with an abnormal ability. Some people call them gifts, but not Kale. Kale’s touch means instant death.

But now there’s Dez, the girl he can touch, and they’re hunting down Sixes and warning them about Denazen. Kale is learning about the world outside captivity and trying to put his dark past behind him. But they underestimated how badly Denazen wanted him back.

When Dez sacrifices herself to save the new Six they’d rescued from falling into the corp’s hands, Kale is lost. Denazen has brought out its best to get the job done. Samsen, a nightmare from Kale’s past—the only person he’s ever truly feared—has come for them, and it soon becomes obvious he has his own twisted agenda.

Kale will need all his training to get Dez back and ensure they make it out, free—and alive. But will it be enough?






Touch, the first novel in the Denazen series, is set to re-release in mass market on June 12th (Complete with additional scenes from Kale’s POV!). 











You can pre-order your copy here: Barnes & Nobles, Amazon

Toxic (Denazen 2) hits shelves on September 11th 2012

Synopsis:

When a Six saved Kale’s life the night of Sumrun, she warned there would be consequences. A trade-off. Something taken for the life they gained. But Dez never imagined she’d lose the one thing she’d give anything to keep… And as if it’s not enough Dez finds her immunity to Kale fading, the Six brought in to help Kale learn to control his killer touch starts drooling on him the moment they meet. Worse than that? Jade can touch Kale. But bimbo Barbie is the least of Dez's problems.

After Dez and Kale got away at Sumrun, her father lost not only his most powerful weapon but an important piece of the Supremacy project. Forced by Denazen to remedy the situation, he poisons Dez and offers her a choice—surrender to Denazen for the cure…or die. Determined to find a solution that doesn’t involve being bagged and tagged—or losing someone she loves—Dez keeps the poison a secret. But when a rash of Denazen attacks hit a little too close to home, Dez is convinced there’s a traitor among them. Jade.

Sacrifices, broken promises, and secrets. Dez will have to lay it all on the line if there’s any hope of proving Jade’s guilt before they all end up Residents of Denazen. Or worse, dead...


Bio
Jus Accardo is the author of YA paranormal romance and urban fantasy fiction. A native New Yorker, she lives in the middle of nowhere with her husband, three dogs, and sometimes guard bear, Oswald. Her first book, Touch, is available now from Entangled Publishing. She is represented by Kevan Lyon of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency.
Give Jus a yell on Twitter, or visit her on Facebook, and her website.



“I’m not stupid. I know you’re hiding something. You’re avoiding me. You never avoid me.”

Who said it? Kale, Alex, Kiernan, Ginger, or Dez? 

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

{TeamAmity} We Need You to Cast Divergent/Insurgent by Veronica Roth

Okay...this part of the contest is closed but head to the Casting Call for Four and cast you vote. All votes count toward this giveaway!

Vote for your Four Here!


Hey-Oh everybody. #TeamAmity needs your help. We want to create our very own "dream cast" for the Divergent Series and we want your input. As of today, I have absolutely no idea who I would cast for a single character? Do you? If so...I want your vote.

Here's the deal...everybody throw a few names and faces my way. Leave a comment with just a name or include a link to the pic. Feel free to cast one or two of the characters or everyone. At the end of this week...April 20th, I'll gather all the entries...pick the top 5 for every character and then we'll set up a pole so everyone can vote for their favorite.




Cast Members Include:
(I didn't include characters that are new to Insurgent)

Four and Tris (of course)
Caleb
Christina
Will (I know...but just for the fun of it)
Edward
Molly
Lynn
Shauna
Marlene
Zeke
Uriah
Tori
Eric
Peter
Andrew and Natalie Prior (Tris's Parents)
Marcus Eaton (Leader of Abnegation)

Monday, April 16, 2012

{Blog Tour and Giveaway} Meeting Destiny by Nancy Straight


Welcome to the Meeting Destiny Blog Tour and Giveaway. Did you see the banner? How awesome is that? Nancy Straight, the author, has been kind enough to write a guest post about destiny...I really like her insight; I hope you do to!


*******Nancy's Thoughts on Fate and Destiny*******

I believe people are in our lives for a reason, whether they are friends, family, spouses or acquaintances.  I am very fortunate to have known people all over the world, each person I’ve met has had an impact on me, even if I didn’t understand the impact at the time.

My aunt Linda was always that really cool Aunt that I only saw a couple times a year growing up.  Other than Christmas and family events we almost never spoke.  When I wrote Meeting Destiny I sent her a copy as a Christmas present.  She had been an English teacher and creative writing instructor her whole life and I thought she might get a kick out of it.  After receiving the book, she volunteered to become my editor.  She is the reason that readers aren’t subjected to my poor grammar!  This wasn’t anything that I had planned, but destiny was on my side.

My husband and I grew up in the mid-west, several hundred miles away from each other.  We met in 1991 after we had both joined the Marine Corps.  Although our first meeting in Virginia Beach, VA wasn’t that remarkable, we knew each other.  In 1993 we were both in Waikiki, HI, we didn’t meet each other but years later we realized that we were both there the same time.  In 1994 we again met in El Toro, CA – again, no crazy love-at-first-sight but we re-introduced ourselves to each other.  In 1995 we were stationed together at Camp Pendleton, CA.  None of these encounters yielded anything more than just a friendly familiarity, but in 1996 we decided to go on our first date.  We have been together ever since.  Destiny is sometimes a series of strange coincidences that are meaningless at the time but all strung together are something one can’t discount.

My advice to anyone is look closely at your relationships.  I bet you’ll find people that have made an extraordinary impact on you and you may have not even realized.  Or maybe that friend that you’ve lost touch with reappeared years later – there is a reason for that reappearance.

************************************************
Now...my review on Meeting Destiny

Title: Meeting Destiny
Series: Destiny #1
Author: Nancy Straight

Links


Synopsis:

Lauren is visited in her dreams for years by a stranger claiming to be her destiny. Destiny becomes reality when paths cross during a failed robbery attempt. Lauren and the stranger experience chemistry like no other and now her doubt over her long time relationship with her high school sweetheart is not her only secret…someone else knows about her keen intuition and sixth sense.A mysterious clairvoyant seeks Lauren out and tells her not only of her life now but what the future may hold. Soon Lauren is in the middle of a murder investigation and a questionable friendship with the key suspect. Law enforcement, friends and family are concerned for Lauren but unfortunately they are unaware of the true danger…Sinister forces are at work and will stop at nothing to destroy Lauren’s abilities.



I love books revolving around fate and destiny, so when I was asked to be a part of the blog tour for a book called Meeting Destiny, how could I refuse? After actually reading the book, I know I couldn't have made a better decision...I was destined to read Ms. Straight's novel...so to speak.

Lauren is a young lady who works in a diner and is month's away from graduating college. She's comfortable in her present life with a boyfriend she's known all her life and a great best friend. Who knew everything would change for her in the span of a single shift at the diner? Honestly... Lauren has suspicions that she is meant for something bigger. She'd been having dreams about her destiny for several years. It wasn't until a frightening incident during a shift at the diner, that she realized her life was tied to a green-eyed paramedic.

Now...many people will say there is an "insta-love" in Meeting Destiny and there is. But...what would you expect from a book about destiny? At first, I thought Lauren might have seemed a little pushy but truly, she was the one who understood her mission, and she had to make Max understand his. She accepted what needed to be done and refused to deviate from her path. Convincing Max to believe and trust in her is only part of the many tasks she must accomplish.

Several things about this novel stood out to me in ways others don't. First...Ms. Straight added action into the romance. Lauren, though some might find it annoying, was unwaveringly true to her path and herself. I don't want to lead you to believe that everything comes easy to Lauren, because that would be far, far from the truth. Lauren visibly struggles in her relationship with both Max and Seth. She finds her "sixth sense" difficult to explain to others, even those closest to het. But...throughout it all she remained strong and relentless.

I read Meeting Destiny in one sitting, taking only a couple of hours. It's a quick read that sucks you in from the first page and keeps you engaged until the very last sentence. And, well...there's a cliffhanger that will make you run on over to your bookstore of choice and download Destiny's Revenge and Destiny's Wrath, just like I did.

Did I mention the giveaway? This one's really cool. Every stop on the tour is giving away a SIGNED copy of Meeting Destiny. Wow!...Right? US Only...Ends April 30th.

How do you enter? 

Well, I personally believe I was put on this Earth for some reason. I don't have a guess what that reason is and realize I won't until I am meant to. I also like to believe there is a person out there that is the other half to my whole. 

What do you think about destiny and fate? Tell me in the comments and include your email address.


{Blog Tour} Friendly Fire by Lynn Seresin


Today I'm hosting a Friendly Fire excerpt for Lynn Seresin's Blog Tour. Friendly Fire is the second book in the Thin Air Saga. I'm also giving away an ebook of Friendly Fire. Details at the bottom of the post.

***Friendly Fire Excerpt***

How could he understand, when he had always felt a connection with his own
kind? Even as a sylphid, I’d felt out of step with other air spirits. Hungry for a world
of greater sensation, greater possibility. I’d given up everything for a body of flesh and
bone. A body that could appreciate touch. Daniel’s touch, to be specific. And now, he
was telling me I still didn’t quite fit in. Was there no place in the whole of the universe
where I truly belonged?

“No one suspects my secret,” I argued. “Even our closest friends wouldn’t
guess that I wasn’t born human. I’ve learned how to use forks and spoons. I know it’s
proper to shake hands when introduced to someone new, and to make small talk at dinner
parties. I have a job. I have friends. Thanks to Shane, I’ve mastered reading and writing. I
can operate a computer and a cell phone. I know how to text and download apps. I can
play Angry Birds. I can navigate the subways. I know who John Lennon is, and how he
died. I know about 9/11. I even have a Facebook page. I know so much—”
Wasn’t that enough?

Daniel’s face blurred behind my tears and I quickly blinked them away.
He reached for my hand again but I pulled it back. I had once hungered for his touch, and
suddenly I wanted no part of it.

His voice, when he finally spoke, was laden with sympathy. “Alice, you
can’t become the same as everyone else by gathering practical knowledge and wearing
the latest hairstyle. That doesn’t change the fact that you’re still different, and always
will be. I just wish you wouldn’t look at it as some sort of a disease.” His eyes crinkled at
the corners. In the past, that smile would have melted my heart instead of turning it to
stone. “It’s what I love about you the most, baby. I’ve dated dozens of human girls—”

“I am human,” I corrected him, frostily. I seized his hand and pressed it to
my breast. “Can’t you feel my heart beating? My chest rising and falling as I breathe in
air?” I flung his hand away. “If you’re going to label me, get it right.”

Daniel shook his head and smiled again. “Alice—”

“Perhaps you should call me Aeris,” I interrupted, swallowing back
tears. “Alice is a human name, after all.”

“Alice is your name. You’re not Aeris anymore.”

I scowled at the bedspread as I traced its paisley pattern with my fingertip,
remembering the day Daniel and I had purchased it. How happy—how normal—we’d
been, shopping like so many other young couples in the store that day. “I don’t know
who I am,” I mumbled, shuddering as the tears started to flow.

“You’re my Alice,” Daniel said, softly.

I looked up at him. “Is that all I am?”

He gazed back at me, pain in his eyes. “Isn’t that enough?”

*************************************************
And...since I completely screwed up and forgot to do my guest post on the 10th...welcome to 


Lynn's Weird Writing Habits.
I’ve read about writers having some pretty unusual rituals surrounding the writing process. I can’t say I’m really one of them. I can pretty much write anywhere, anytime. My best friend once said I could probably write in the middle of a construction site and not be put off by all the hubbub. That might be a bit of an extreme example, but I’ll admit I’ve been blessed with the ability to concentrate in the face of all sorts of distractions—especially two young children clambering all over me while Spongebob Squarepants blares in the background. (Truth be told, my son and daughter are now teens, but writing throughout their early childhood gave me plenty of opportunities to increase my powers of concentration!)

I may not have any “quirks,” but I definitely have preferences. I prefer a quiet environment, tucked away from the rest of the household. I’ve set up a spare bedroom (dubbed “the writing room” by my family) at the back of the house that’s absolutely perfect. I like to sit in a comfy barrel chair and place my laptop on an adjustable table designed for that purpose (both from IKEA). I usually can’t resist checking my email, latest ratings/reviews on Goodreads, and maybe tweeting a bit as a way of warming up my fingers before starting. If my energy is really flagging, I might watch a video of Adam Lambert performing one of the songs from his first album. His enthusiasm and positive energy is better than a can of Jolt, as far as I’m concerned. Then, I re-read the last couple of pages of my manuscript and begin to write.

I have two writing companions that keep me company—our black Lab, Dudley, and our teacup Chihuahua, Layla. Dudley usually stretches out at my feet, and Layla’s only happy if she’s tucked in beside me on the chair. Aside from Dudley’s occasional snoring, they’re the perfect writing buddies: they’re quiet, patient, and don’t think I’m weird when I read my writing aloud to hear how it flows. Of course, I can write without them if I have to, but I definitely prefer their company.

The only other possibly quirky part of my writing process is my tendency to write in spurts. I usually write about two hours in the mid-morning, take a break to tend to laundry, housework, grocery shopping, and anything else that needs to be done around the house, and then reconvene after dinner to write for another hour or so. I’m not one of those writers who can write for hours on end because I sort of run out of gas and need to recharge my creative battery.

So, that’s my not-so-quirky (well, maybe a little quirky) writing process…
**************************************************
So we have 2 giveaways. One is the tour giveaway. 



To win this necklace, all you have to do is leave a comment and be sure you mention that your comment is an entry into the contest. Be sure to leave your email address. Your comment will automatically enter you in Better Read Than Dead's giveaway for a free ebook of Friendly Fire.

Good luck and happy reading!

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