Book Blitz: The Heart’s Journey Home

The Heart’s Journey Home by Nikki Jackson
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: September 12, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

California Blend Summer Vacation is the first book of this series.

As book one it introduces the three main characters: Tori Logan, AJ Reynolds and Kalea Kinimaka.

It’s summer vacation, and all seventeen-year-old Tori Logan wants to do is hang out with her two best friends, practice her mixed martial arts and go to FBI spy camp. Summer means freedom (mostly from adults) and Tori plans to fill every spare moment of her last summer before graduating from High School with all the fun things she and her best pals can come up with.

The Heart’s Journey Home Book CoverTori, whose mom died of breast cancer when she was young, has always relied on her own strength to get by – especially because her Archeologist father tends to leave her behind with his live-in girlfriend while he gallivants around the world on digs. Thankfully, Tori can take care of herself. She knows exactly who she is and what she wants to do with her life. Her Lakota Sioux grandfather, a former Navy SEAL, trained Tori in self-defense from a young age. Now, as a teenager, Tori excels at mixed martial arts and the use of various weapons. During the summer she will be attending an FBI sponsored Summer Camp which she hopes will lead to her dream job – becoming an FBI serial killer profiler.

With her two best friends at her side, Tori believes she can handle anything. And with summer vacation stretching before them, the trio plans to find plenty of adventure.

But while Tori is determined to be independent, life has other plans for this fierce young woman, and they include coming to grips with some hard – and surprising – truths about both her past and her future.

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Excerpt:

“I gotta go,” Tori said.

“I was thinking that for the first day of summer vacation maybe we could do something as a family,” Rachael faintly smiled. “When you dad wakes up...”

“Dad got home late and won’t be waking up until 4, by then it’ll almost be time for the bar-b-que so I’ll see you guys anyway.” Tori was talking and backing out of the kitchen.

“Then maybe you and I...” Rachael started but Tori cut her off.

“Look, you’re my dad’s girlfriend not my mother, we don’t have to hang. I gotta jet. I’m meeting AJ at Kalea’s.” And with that Tori bounded out of the kitchen and ran towards the front door.

Book Blitz: Hidden Scars (Hidden Scars #1)

Hidden Scars (Hidden Scars #1) by Amanda K. Byrne
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Sometimes the past won’t stay where it belongs.

Sara’s number one rule of dating: closed off, secretive men need not apply. Years of therapy helped her move past the damage done by her emotionally abusive boyfriend, and she’s ready to date again. Someone funny, laid back, and easy to talk to. All things her coworker Taylor isn’t.

Taylor’s quiet. Too quiet. He operates in permanent stealth mode, and he hides his secrets as well as Sara does. She doesn’t want to be attracted to him, but after a night spent in a hotel room together, trapped by a blizzard, she can’t deny there’s a fire-hot connection between them, waiting to ignite. Their working relationship inches closer and closer to friendship, until one day she gathers her courage and kisses him.

It’s the match Taylor was waiting for.

What starts as a sweet, fumbling friendship quickly becomes a passionate and intense affair. Just when Sara’s starting to feel safe in Taylor’s arms, his secrets come out, and she wonders if she’ll ever be able to stop looking over her shoulder.

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We’re all familiar with the alpha hero – the badass who doesn’t take crap from anyone, who never hesitates in the face of danger, who’s overbearing and bossy and uber-protective of the heroine. And we know beta heroes, too. They’re the sweethearts, the nice guys, the ones who make you laugh and make you feel treasured, who are kind and smart and basically the one you’d take home to your parents.

When I wrote the first draft of Hidden Scars almost three years ago, most of the heroes I’d written to date (or the ones I liked the most, anyway) were beta heroes. There’s something about alphas that just turn me off, and while I’d written one or two before, they weren’t my favorites.

Book Blitz: Picture Imperfect

Picture Imperfect by Jelsa Mepsey
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon

Book Description:

Sixteen-year-old Max Prescott knows all too well the joys of cheating girlfriends and traitorous friends. He’s not eager to have his heart trampled again, but money and a fresh start can mean the difference between happiness and a dark path with his name on it.

So when Melly Hewson, a perky and enigmatic classmate, asks him to be her model for a year-long photography project, Max agrees. Melly Hewson is everything Max isn’t. She’s outgoing, witty and always knows the right words to say. And despite his best efforts, Max finds himself drawn to her.

Still, he isn’t stupid. He knows a girl like Melly will only use him and then never speak to him again. Besides, he’s been to that rodeo. As long as he keeps his feelings off the market, he won’t make the same mistakes as last time.

Yet underneath Melly’s sweet smiles lies a secret she’d rather kept hidden. And as the year goes on and the photos pile up, Max and Melly will find themselves developing through the negatives, a story that when told could push them to opposite ends of their world. But the only thing worst than the truth is, the facade that surrounds them.

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Excerpt:

So much for sleeping. Screw hangovers. I roll onto my side and shut my eyes tighter. Someone knocks on the door. I jerk backwards into the headboard. Shit. My skull throbs.

Knock. Knock. Who’s there? If it’s him, he’s not supposed to be here until after school starts. Besides, he usually just barges in. Is that really him?

The door rattles as the pounding becomes louder, shaking the room. I bury my face into the pillow. “Go away.” The door creaks open anyway. Thanks for listening to me, asshole. My brother would’ve slammed it open, so it can’t be him.

Book Blitz: Every Wrong Reason

Every Wrong Reason by Rachel Higginson
Age Group: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: September 22, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

First comes love.

Then comes marriage.

Then comes the... really nasty divorce.

Kate Carter thought she married her soul mate. She thought she had her happily ever after. But seven years into Kate's marriage, she realizes that her husband Nick is not what she wanted. He's selfish, he's oblivious and he doesn't love her anymore.

Maybe she doesn't love him anymore either.

Divorce is the only option if either of them wants to find happiness.

Kate and Nick thought they knew what they wanted, but neither is prepared for the heartache that separating will bring them. The journey they embark on is not the freedom they wished for, but a painful look at the people they've become.

At the end of it, Kate has to decide if this is really the life she wants or if maybe there's a way to salvage her broken heart.


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Author Bio:

Rachel Higginson is the creator of The Star-Crossed Series, Love & Decay Novella Series, The Starbright Series, The Siren Series, Bet on Us and the soon to be released, The Five Stages of Falling in Love! She is also the co-creator of the podcast "Zach & Rachel Take Over the World."

She was born and raised in Nebraska, and spent her college years traveling the world. She fell in love with Eastern Europe, Paris, Indian Food and the beautiful beaches of Sri Lanka, but came back home to marry her high school sweetheart.

Now she spends her days raising four amazing kids. In the few spare moments she has to herself, she is either reading for hours on end or writing her own stories.

Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Website ♥ Goodreads

Book Blitz: The Natural Order

The Natural Order by R.J. Vickers
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Fantasy
Release Date: March 14, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Tristan Fairholm is one of 15 juvenile delinquents selected to learn magic…for a purpose that is kept secret from them. 

When they at last learn that the magic they have harvested causes death and ruin in a bid to keep the world from collapse, they must make a choice: do they fight it? Or do they use it?

If you loved Harry Potter and The Golden Compass, you won’t want to miss this new YA fantasy!






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Excerpt:

It came as a surprise when Brikkens announced that he would be giving everyone a chance to try magic. At the unexpected announcement, Tristan lifted his head from the desk and blinked up at Brikkens, whose bulk was spilling over the arms of his sturdy chair.

“Ah, Mr. Fairholm,” Brikkens said happily. Pushing his glasses farther up his stubby nose, he leaned forward and peered at Tristan.

“Yeah?” Tristan said sleepily. He sat up straighter, smoothing his hair over his face.

“Brinley Alldusk tells me that you’re rather good at detecting auras. Is this true?”

Tristan shrugged.

“Well, come forward,” Brikkens urged. “You will be the first to attempt a rudimentary spell, because out of everyone here, you are the most likely to succeed.”

Book Blitz: Salvaged Soul (Ignited Series #3)

Salvaged Soul (Ignited Series #3) by Desni Dantone
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Mythology, Urban Fantasy
Release Date: September 19, 2015
Buy Links:

Amazon ♥ B & N

Book Description:

Life in paradise isn’t exactly what Kris thought it would be. Treated like a prisoner and forced to keep her romance with Nathan hidden, she struggles to adapt to island life with the Kala. Worse, her specialties are coming in faster than she can control, and she fears the Skotadi within her will soon win the battle for her soul. Her only hope is to embrace her Incantation lineage, master the skills she’s supposed to have, and free herself of her destiny. If only she could figure out how to do it…

The ghosts of Nathan’s past still inhabit the island. Adapting to the Kala way of life again is something he will grudgingly accept, as long as they agree to help Kris. But falling back into the Kala system means being a Kala soldier, and when the gods ask for help, he cannot refuse. Sent around the world on a mission, he faces new dangers and stumbles upon a startling discovery that could change everything…

Together, they face their biggest hurdle yet and put their relationship to the ultimate test. When old temptations arise, new enemies emerge, and emotions run high, can their love survive?

From Amazon’s bestselling author, Desni Dantone, comes the third installment of The Ignited Series, where the danger is real, the stakes are higher, and nothing is as it seems. Continue the journey with Kris, Nathan, Alec, and Callie as they discover that when friends become enemies, enemies become friends, and the battles lines between good and evil blur, choosing the right side isn’t always easy.

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Excerpt:

My training hadn’t been going so well the past few days. I knew why. Everyone knew why. My head wasn’t in it because my heart was gone, and I didn’t know when it would come back.

Top secret mission. How long could it take? A week?

“I was talking to Gran the other day about your specialties.” Alec sat across from me at our usual table in the mess hall, with Kim and Bruce between us. We had been talking about the progress we both had made so far, but somewhere between fire yielding and charming, my mind started to wander.

“Uh-huh.” Two weeks tops. Definitely couldn’t be more than two weeks.

“And we both think that maybe some of the things you’re trying to do aren’t working because . . .”

How was I going to make it two weeks? What if it ended up being longer?