Book Tour: Secrets: Diary of a Gutsy Teen

Secrets: Diary of a Gutsy Teen by Barbara Becker Holstein
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: February 10, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Following in the footsteps of The Truth, Secrets: Diary of a Gutsy Teen begins as the thirteen-year-old protagonist makes a move with her family to a new town. She has grown up a lot over the past year—and has made a list of everything that’s important to her now that she doesn’t want to forget when she gets older. 

But now, as she enters her early teen years, she begins to write down the secrets she wants to keep—and the ones she has no one to tell about. 

From new school experiences to a new baby in the family to a new crush, this new teen finally feels empowered on making her own decisions with confidence and keeping those secrets she holds dearest for herself.

In a positive and supportive diary-entry format, Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein encourages tween and early teen girls to carry the most precious parts of themselves into adulthood. A great book for mothers and daughters to read together, Secrets is aimed to improve communication, understanding, and self-esteem for young girls as they enter the rocky road of teenager-dom.

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Excerpt:

Date: December 2

Dear Diary,

I have a secret and it’s been eating me up inside, so I have to tell you. I lied to Angela. I told her I had a terrible sore throat and couldn’t come for the weekend. She said she was sorry and that she would invite me again.

I felt terrible, and then my throat really began to hurt. But I just couldn’t go to Springport for a whole weekend_even though I miss being around Angela.

Now that I have best friends here, I don’t feel the same way I used to about going back to visit. And I didn’t know how to tell Angela that. I could tell when we talked on the phone that she really wanted me to come. And she sent me a new selfie, holding a sign that reads I Miss You! She even told me that she doesn’t have a new best friend since I left. She really misses me. She also told me that Paul is in lots of her classes and he asks if she’s talked to me. How could I tell her I’m in love with Rob and don’t care about Paul anymore? How could I tell her that I have new best friends and want to stay here with them?

Book Blitz: Meet Me in the Dark

Meet Me in the Dark by J.A. Huss
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Suspense
Release Date: April 15, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

He’s empty, inhuman, dishonest, and cruel. She’s never wanted anyone more.

Sydney has lived in fear for eight years after freelance assassin, Merc, failed to rescue her from a cult-like militia group. Left in the hands of a sadistic man, she did whatever it took to survive. But Merc’s last words gave her hope. Hope he’d be back to finish the job.

After Merc is betrayed by her father, Sydney becomes his target. He wields sex, drugs, lies, and love like weapons. Merc knows just what to do with a fearful girl like Sydney. He’s in control. He’s always in control.

But Sydney Channing is not what she appears. And Merc’s only redeeming act—the very one that made Sydney’s life a living hell—might just be his worst mistake yet.


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Excerpt:

I think this is it for me.

“What?” Case is next to me. I’m in bed with him. I can feel his bare chest up against my feverish back. His arms tighten around me as he repositions. I want to open my eyes and see if we’re in the crow’s nest room or some other room, but I can’t quite do that yet.

“Sydney?”

I hope we’re in the crow’s nest. And it’s daylight still, so maybe I only lost a few hours? I really like it up here. It feels good to be tall, looking down on things, instead of small, always looking up. It feels like a watchtower. A place where you can see the bad shit coming from a distance and prepare.

“Syd,” he says, a little softer now. “I didn’t want to drug you again, but you were hysterical. It was the only way I could calm you down. I won’t do it again, but I need you to help me out here. OK? Can you do that?”

Book Blitz: Bittersweet (Faerie Song Trilogy, #2)

Bittersweet (Faerie Song Trilogy, #2) by Michele Barrow-Belisle
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: March 24, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

To save the Faery world and her mother’s life, seventeen year old Lorelei sacrificed everything, and the dangerous bargains she made in Nevermore had lasting repercussions. Now safely back in her own world, Lorelei seems the same to her high school friends and her supernatural boyfriend, despite the dark magic growing within her. Love across dimensions is complicated, especially when an invisible veil between the two worlds is sealing, threatening to separate Lorelei and Adrius forever.

Determined to find a solution, Lorelei resorts to exploring her new found powers. But when her friends fall ill, and her healing touch only makes things worse, Lorelei can’t help but wonder if she's responsible.

Nightmares from the Nevermore tighten their icy hold when someone arrives determined to destroy Lorelei’s world, starting with those closest to her. Once again she’s forced to choose between her family… her friends… and a love that was ill-fated from the start.

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13 Little Known facts About Me

By Michele Barrow-Belisle

1. My debut novel series Fire & Ice was optioned for a movie. We sold the film right, audio right and foreign langue rights all in the same month. Soon, I’ll be reading a copy of Fire & Ice in Turkish. How cool is that!??

2. I’m a polymer clay sculptor. My favourite things to sculpt are faeries and miniature clay food.

3. I secretly have a fascination with pirates. And mermaids. And vampires. True story.

4. I’m a Libra. And as balanced as they come ;)

5. I really love chocolate. Ok, so that’s not exactly top secret. But it’s a fact none the less.

Review: Homecoming (The Hundred #3)

Homecoming (The Hundred #3) by Kass Morgan
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Dystopia, Science Fiction
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Weeks after landing on Earth, the Hundred have managed to create a sense of order amidst their wild, chaotic surroundings. But their delicate balance comes crashing down with the arrival of new dropships from space.

These new arrivals are the lucky ones - back on the Colony, the oxygen is almost gone - but after making it safely to Earth, GLASS's luck seems to be running out. CLARKE leads a rescue party to the crash site, ready to treat the wounded, but she can't stop thinking about her parents who may still be alive. 

Meanwhile, WELLS struggles to maintain his authority despite the presence of the Vice Chancellor and his armed guards, and BELLAMY must decide whether to face or flee the crimes he thought he'd left behind.

It's time for the Hundred to come together and fight for the freedom they've found on Earth, or risk losing everything - and everyone - they love.

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I'm gross sobbing right now excuse me while I wipe my keyboard off.

Homecoming, the third book in The 100 series by Kass Morgan was perfection. To be honest I'm not entirely sure how to describe it any other way. Morgan outdid herself with this one. Homecoming, like the two books before it was impossible to put down. The pacing was fast, brutal and extremely well put together. From the second the rest of the colony hit the ground drama was afoot and my favorite character were smack dead in the middle of it.

Book Blitz: Vampire's Bane (Vampire's Bane Book 1)

Vampire's Bane (Vampire's Bane Book 1) by Suzannah Daniels
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy
Release Date: April 14, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

VAMPIRE’S BANE is a mature young adult paranormal fantasy/romance/action & adventure/post-apocalyptic story.

Now available for pre-order on Amazon…will be released on Amazon on April 14, 2015.

A lethal sword.

A dangerous mission.

A seventeen-year-old girl finding her way in a world that is nothing like she remembered.

When Maylin Kavanagh’s parents surrendered her to The Program, they swore it was for her protection. After being confined in a small underground cell for nearly two years, she is finally released.

But the world has changed.

Most of the populace has been wiped out by a deadly disease, and the rules of society have regressed. But that’s not the worst of it. When her group is kidnapped by a band of rogue vampires, Maylin realizes the decline of the human population has brought other races to the forefront—races she never knew existed. And now they’re all battling for survival and power.

In his father’s absence, Thane Warwick must lead his people. He has two priorities: find his father and find humans who can supply blood to his tribe. Immediately intrigued by his latest captive, he becomes interested in Maylin for more than just her blood, but he soon discovers that he must make a choice between his father and her.

Despite their attraction, Maylin and Thane each have an agenda, and only one can be the victor.

VAMPIRE’S BANE is the first book in the VAMPIRE’S BANE series. While it does end at a natural turning point in the heroine’s journey, it is an ongoing story, and not all questions will be answered. You will need to read this series in order.

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Excerpt:

I fired the gun.

Time slowed as the bullet spiraled toward his shoulder.

Another shot rang out, though I had no idea who had fired it.

My bullet pierced my target in the shoulder. It pushed him back, but it didn’t knock him off his feet. He released the girl, and her body crumpled to the ground. The second figure immediately crouched over her.

I fired at the man still on his feet, hitting him in the chest. His head snapped up, and he glared directly at me.

Shock assaulted my system. I sucked in air, my mind desperately searching for some logic to apply to the scene before me. His eyes glowed an eerie red, a luminous warning to stay back. Blood dribbled down his chin. I fired a third time, but his swift movements caused my bullet to miss its mark.

Blog Tour: The Botanist

The Botanist by AUTHOR
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Mystery
Release Date: March 31, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

In the heat of the desert, Detective Cody Oliver inadvertently stumbles upon a strange garden adorned with exotic flowers. 

Upon closer inspection, he finds the garden is but a cover for the scores of bodies buried below. Soon, the small town of Mt. Dessicate plunges into chaos as journalists, reporters, and cameramen from across the nation descend upon the tiny, desert town to get a piece of the action.

Along with the media, a mysterious woman appears. She may be the only person who has come face to face with the killer, dubbed the Botanist, and lived to tell the tale. 

If Cody can't piece together a timeline of the land the crime scene is located on, decipher how the woman's mysterious past is connected to the killer, and bring the Botanist to justice, he may lose the people he values most.

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Creating Believable Character Relationships

By L.K.Hill

As writers, we often talk about creating believable characters, but creating believable character relationships is a whole new level of difficult.

You have to start by creating two (or more) believable characters, which means they need to be flawed, human, well-rounded, and captivating. That’s a whole other discussion, but once this is done, you have to get your characters to interact in a way that’s not only believable, but also compelling to your readers.

The short answer is that the relationships have to be gripping, real, and believable. But how do you go about making them so?

There are three things that allow characters to interact believably. If all of these elements are present, your character relationships will be nearly flawless. (There are many kinds of character relationships: romantic and platonic, friend and enemy, strangers and familial. I’ll try to apply to all types.)