Thursday, February 28, 2013

Excerpt of The Last Witch by Debbie Dee

Title: The Last Witch
Author: Debbie Dee
Publisher: Dolce Books
Pages: 248

For generations the Incenaga Witches have been forced to use their power to fulfill the wishes of others until they are drained of their magic and left to die. Desperate to protect his infant daughter--the last surviving witch--Emmeline's father escapes with her to the forests where he vows to keep her hidden from the world and from the truth. 

Sixteen years later, Emmeline is discovered and finds herself in the grip of a traitor who will stop at nothing to get what he wants, even if it means abusing her power until she dies. She is taken to a distant country and told she must marry the Crown Prince or her own country will be overtake, its people slaughtered. But what sort of prince would marry a witch? And why would she be the difference between war and peace?

As she fights to regain her freedom, she is faced with a choice between a prince who offers a lifetime of security and a common gamekeeper who has no idea of her power, but offers his heart.

But who can she trust when her power can be used against her?

| Goodreads | Amazon | Barnes & Noble |

Excerpt from Chapter 1:
"Stay here," he ordered.

Emmeline nodded and wrapped her arms around herself. This is it. This was how all the other witches lived out the end of their days. Cold, alone, and chained to a relentless master.

"Pace yourself as you near the soldiers, Emmeline. When they recognize you many will try to run. Kill them."

Emmeline gasped. "Please, don't make me do this." But she was already stepping toward the soldiers.

"Wait," her master said. "Only kill those who run. My men are in need of sport. Detain the remainder until we come to you. You may go."

Emmeline fought every step, but the need to obey was stronger. Her movements were jilter like a wooden puppet on a string. There was nothing she could do to stop. With the torch still in her hand, her face shone like a beacon. The soldiers narrowed their eyes as she neared. A few drew their heads back, their eyes wide.

"An Incenaga!" one of them shouted. "Run for your lives!"

"No!" Emmeline called out, her voice a strangled cry. "Don't run!" But they couldn't hear her and her arms were already lifting in obedience. 
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About the Author:
Debbie Dee recently moved to southern Idaho with her husband and three children where she is learning how to be a country girl in her favorite pair of blue heels. She adores fairy tales and happy endings, but secretly crushes on the bad guy now and then. As a dedicated musician who practices way too much, she never expected writing would sweep her off her feet until she jotted down a scene from a daydream, which turned into two scenes, which turned into a messy house and her first novel. Since then she hasn't been able to let a day go by without writing.

Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday (26)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can not wait to read! This meme is the perfect way to add books to your TBR list. Along with upcoming releases, I sometimes include books that I have not had the chance to read or buy even if they have already come out. 
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Flowers in the Sky 
by Lynn Joseph
Release Date: March 5, 2013

From Goodreads:
Fifteen-year-old Nina Perez is faced with a future she never expected. She must leave her Garden of Eden, her lush home in the Dominican Republic, when she's sent by her mother to seek out a better life with her brother in New York. As Nina searches for some glimpse of familiarity amid the jarring world of Washington Heights, she must uncover her own strength. She learns to uncover roots within foreign soil and finds a way to grow, just like the orchids that blossom on her fire escape. And when she is confronted by ugly secrets about her brother's business, she comes to understand the realities of life in this new place. But then she meets him--that green-eyed boy--who she can't erase from her thoughts, the one who just might help her learn to see beauty in spite of tragedy.

Kfir Luzzatto's Top 10 Favorite Books

Title: An Italian Obsession
Author: Kfir Luzzatto
Release Date: Sept 3, 2012

In the lax atmosphere of middle-class post-war Italy, sex and drugs are easy to come by. Roberto tries to find his own balance, but a crush he had for Alessandra in elementary school is reignited and the course of his life is changed forever.

It's the 1970's, a time of political upheaval driven by disillusioned young people. Roberto is caught up in the times. He makes a new start, but his past catches up with him. Finding himself accused of a crime, he must defend himself even when he isn't sure he committed it. A vivid snapshot of European post-war society, this novel is viewed through the eyes of a young adult coming of age. 


1. The Trial, by Franz Kafka - because of the genius that emanates from every page, dialogue and situation in the book.

2. I, Claudius, by Robert Graves - because the people and struggles of the time come alive in this book like nowhere else.

3. Aunts Aren't Gentlemen, by P. G. Wodehouse - because it is the funniest, wittiest and most enjoyable book I ever read, the dialogue is simply outstanding and the prose is perfect.

4. The Chrysalids, by John Wyndham - because of the vision of a possible, haunting future, which is all the scarier because it is based on human nature, and not so different from the present we witness in some parts of the globe.

5. Memoirs of a Geisha, by Arthur Golden - because Golden managed to make me care for the protagonist, and to keep reading on, in spite of the long and winding descriptions that should't have made me stop reading after page 50.

6. Fluke, by James Herbert - because of the naive, but still great idea behind the book, couples with Herbert's great prose, which leave you wanting more.

7. Not Quite Dead Enough, by Rex Stout - because Archie Goldwin and Nero Wolfe make an irresistible  odd couple and the plot is brilliant.

8. Aztec, by Garry Jennings - because midway through the book I found myself surprisingly identified with a man from a totally different, strange and violent culture, and taken again and again back in time.

9. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams - because it is crammed with the most original and funny, irreverent ideas about human beings, and it utterly and unrelendingly absurd.

10. Ubik, by Philip K. Dick - because I couldn't put it down, so I skipped a night's sleep and read through to the last page.
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About the Author:
Kfir was born and raised in Italy, and moved to Israel as a teenager. He acquired the love for the English language from his father, a former U.S. soldier and WWII veteran, a voracious reader and a prolific writer. Kfir has a PhD in chemical engineering and works as a patent attorney. He lives in Omer, Israel, with his full-time partner, Esther, and their four children, Michal, Lilach, Tamar and Yonatan, and the dog Elvis.

Monday, February 25, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday (7)

Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

So this weeks topic is: Top Ten Authors That I'd Put On My Auto-Buy List


Richelle Mead
I don't know what it is about the Vampire Academy books, but they are one of my all time favorite series. And I love Bloodlines just as much. Mead just knows what she's doing when it comes to romance and action and suspense. 

Julie Kagawa
The Iron King is a fantastic series, I definitely recommend it. Plus, there are some swoon worthy boys in this one. The Immortal Rules was also pretty good, but the Iron Fey series will forever be my favorite of hers.

Stephanie Perkins
Anna and the French Kiss is the first book I've read by Perkins, but it will most definitely not be my last. Honestly, I don't know what I loved more: St. Clair or the book. 

Tahereh Mafi
I've only read Shatter Me but her writing is seriously AMAZING; I was in love by chapter 2.

Meg Cabot
Cabot has seriously been around forever. I've read a bunch of her books but my favorite is probably All-American Girl. I just really love how versatile she is!

Susane Colasanti
I think When It Happens was the first book I read by Colasanti and every one after has been just as great. 

Jennifer Echols
I actually haven't read many by Echols. I just recently finished Such a Rush and really loved it so I thought I'd include her since as soon as I was done I added every book she's ever written to my TBR shelf on Goodreads.

Cassandra Clare
I devour her books, lol. I CAN'T WAIT FOR CITY OF BONES, THE MOVIE!

Suzanne Collins
She gave us The Hunger Games, what more is there to say?

Sarah Dessen
I don't even bother with the synopsis when it comes to Sarah Dessen; as soon as I see her name, I buy.

Guest Post from Gareth Russell, author of Popular

Title: Popular
Author: Gareth Russell
Publisher: CreateSpace
Pages: 326  

On the first day of September, 16-year-old Meredith Harper rules over the teen it-crowd of Belfast, Northern Ireland. But beneath the surface, Meredith's complicated web of manipulative lies and self-serving intrigue are slowly beginning to threaten her social position and she finds herself being challenged by handsome Mark Kingston, the only guy in the school who's always hated her. In a world where nothing stays secret for very long, Meredith and her friends will need all their skills to guess who's in, out, coming out, going up, going down, dating, cheating, lying and trying to cope...

Let the games begin!


Judging a Book By Its Cover
The old saying "Never judge a book by its cover" is supposed to be a reminder to all of us that we shouldn't make judgements based on appearances. It's a noble idea, certainly--but particularly when it comes to what books we pick, that saying can be misleading. Realistically, most of us are attracted to a new book by its cover and publishers therefore spend a great deal of time designing artwork for their books. If they don't, then they certainly should, because a bad cover can sink a good book. I love the visual; I love things that look good and show artistic flair. So I've always wanted good covers for the "Popular" series and, luckily, I've been able to compare a few of them to see what works and what doesn't.

Sunday, February 24, 2013

Author Interview & GIVEAWAY of The Prophecy by Rachel Deagan

Title: The Prophecy
Author: Rachel Deagan
Release Date: Feb 8, 2013
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy / Sci-Fi

"The cards tell me of the children of the stars."

Jacey thinks her life is worthless, when she finds herself in a psychiatric hospital after a failed attempt to end her life; her wounds miraculously healed. Devin, who claims to kill on touch, is also there. When Michael arrives, bearing telekinetic powers, he insists the government, and an even darker, more powerful force, wants them dead.

In a desperate attempt to escape for their lives, the three teens find they must confront an even greater adversary, themselves--and with a prophecy forced upon them, they must find a way to accept their fate, or rebel together, as one.

| Goodreads | Amazon |

Hi Rachel! Thank you for taking the time to answer some questions about your new book! First off, did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
No. I wanted to be an actress and an Olympic Equestrian Rider first. Funny thing is, in fourth grade I wrote my first 'book'. It was about horses. Although, the equestrian dream has fizzled over the years, I do think my love of acting helps greatly in developing and feeling out the characters I write.

What authors inspire you?
As far as authors go, I love Cassandra Claire's flare for characterization and storytelling. Although, I didn't start reading her work until after my first book, Caged Moon, was into the editing phase. My original inspiration stemmed mostly from Maggie Steivator's Shiver, Melissa Marr's Wicked Lovely Series. Julie Kagawa, and her Iron Fey Series are definitely a favorite of mine now.

Is your family supportive of your writing?
Yes, once my parents realized the seriousness of my writing, they became some of my most forefront advocates. My two little boys are probably my best cheer squad.

Do your characters talk to you when you're writing?
All the time. They never shut up and sometimes we even argue when they want to go in a direction that I hadn't planned. This happened numerous times over the course of writing, The Prophecy. They told me to throw out my book outline numerous times. I finally gave up on that. ;)

Do you like it quiet or do you need noise to write?
It honestly depends on my mood. Sometimes it's hard for me to focus with music on because I end up listening to it instead of zoning in on the writing, but sometimes it helps set the mood if I can put into the 'background' and focus. It can aid emotional mood of a scene. If I do have music on, it's usually non-vocal thematic music from movies.

Are you currently writing anything?
Yes! The Prophecy is the first book of a series. There is a book two in the works. I'm also finishing up book two of my Caged Moon series, which will be out shortly. Right now, we're looking at an early April release date.

What do you do when you're not writing?
I have two little boys that keep me pretty busy, but when I do find time to myself, I always enjoy watching a good movie/tv show. I'm hooked on The Vampire Diaries, and Supernatural. I also love reading, and have recently taken up Zumba.

Once again, thank you for sitting down with us & good luck with your new novel! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway _______________________________________________________________________

About the Author:
Rachel grew up in a small town Massachusetts where she spent most of her time writing about strange paranormal creatures instead of paying attention in class. She has always been considered the 'dreamy' one with her head in the clouds. She now lives in Nevada with her two sons, a cat, and a rat named Sam,

Weekly Recap: February 17 - 23



On the blog this week we had:

Saturday, February 23, 2013

Excerpt of Don't Fear the Reaper by Michelle Muto

Title: Don't Fear the Reaper
Series: Netherworld, #1

Author: Michelle Muto
Release Date: Sept 23, 2011

Grief-stricken by the murder of her twin, Keely Morrison is convinced suicide is her ticket to eternal peace and a chance to reunite with her sister. When Keely succeeds in taking her own life, she discovers death isn't at all what she expected. Instead, she's trapped in the netherworld on Earth and her only hope for reconnecting with her sister and navigating the afterlife is a bounty-hunting reaper and a sardonic, possibly unscrupulous, demon. But when the demon offers Keely her greatest temptation--revenge on her sister's murderer--she must uncover his motives and determine who she can trust. Because, as Keely soon learns, both reaper and demon are keeping secrets and she fears the worst is true--that her every decision will change how, and with whom, she spends eternity. 

| Goodreads | Barnes & Noble | Amazon US / UK | iTunes | Smashwords |

Chapter 1:
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for they are with me.

I repeated my version of the psalm as I watched the ribbon of blood drift from my wrist. I'd hoped it would be a distraction--something to stop me from wondering what my sister's dying thoughts had been. Exhaling slowly, I let the emptiness consume me.

Jordan had kept my secrets and I had kept hers. In the end, it came down to just one secret between us that took her life. Now, it would take mine. I should have said something, but nothing I said or did now could bring her back or make anyone understand what she meant to me.

Are you here, Jordan? Are you with me? Tell me about heaven...

I told myself Jordan was gone, never coming back, but her memories continued to haunt me. I had no idea if there even was an afterlife. If God existed, I was convinced he had given up on me. Not once did I sense he'd heard a single one of my prayers. I wasn't asking for the world--I only wanted to know if my sister was safe and at peace. What was so hard about that?

She should still be here. It wasn't fair.

I'd been the difficult one--much more than Jordan. For a while, I'd even gotten into drugs. Mom and Dad had worried I'd get Jordan into drugs, too. But I wouldn't. Not ever. Besides, that part of my life had been over long before Jordan's death. A small gargoyle tattoo on my left shoulder was all that remained of my previous lifestyle.

Mom and Dad started treating me differently after Jordan's funeral two months ago. She and I were twins, so I understood how hard it was for them to look at me and not see her. Sometimes, they wouldn't look at me at all. Mom went to the psychiatrist, but no one asked if I needed to talk to someone about what happened. No one asked if I needed sleeping pills or antidepressants. Yeah, sure. Don't give the former addict pills of any sort.

Not one person saw the all-consuming suffering that gnawed at my soul. Why couldn't anyone see? Jordan had been more than my sister--she'd been my Samson, my strength. I would have done anything for her, and yet, I'd failed her. I wasn't the one who'd killed her, but I might as well have been. How could I ever live with that? My heart had a stillness to it since her death.

I shall fear no evil.

I couldn't very well recite the first part of Psalm 23 because it said I shall not want, and I did want. I wanted to go back in time. I wanted my sister back. Clearly, goodness and mercy were never going to be part of my life ever again. In my mind, I saw myself walking through the iron gates of hell with demons cackling gleefully all around.

I didn't want to die. Not really. I was just tired and didn't know of another way to stop the pain. Doctors removed a bad appendix. Dentists pulled rotten teeth. What was I supposed to do when my very essence hurt, when the cancer I'd come to call depression made every decent memory agonizingly unbearable?

Before I'd gotten down to cutting my wrist (I managed to only cut one), I'd taken a few swigs of Dad's tequila--the good kind he kept in the basement freezer. I'd used another swig or two to chase down the remainder of Mom's sleeping pills in the event I failed to hit an artery or vein. Then I'd set the bottle on the ledge of the tub in case I needed further liquid encouragement. Instead of using a knife or a razor, I attached a cutting blade to my Dad's Dremel. The Dremel was faster, I reasoned. More efficient.

It would have been easier to OD, I suppose. But I felt closer to my sister this way, to suffer as she'd suffered.

I recited the line from Psalms 23 again. It had become my personal mantra.

The words resonated in my parents' oversized bathroom. I'd chosen theirs because the Jacuzzi tub was larger than the tub in the hall bathroom. Jordan and I used to take bubble baths together in this same tub when we were little.

Innocence felt like a lifetime ago. I searched the bathroom for bubble bath but came up short. Soap might have made the laceration hurt more so it was probably just as well. Besides, the crimson streaming from my wrist like watercolor on silk was oddly mesmerizing.

The loneliness inside proved unrelenting, and the line from the psalms made me feel better. I prayed for the agony inside me to stop. I argued with God. Pleaded. But after all was said and done, I just wanted the darkness to call me home.

I tried not to think of who would find my body or who'd read the note I'd left. I blamed myself not only for failing Jordan, but for failing my parents, too.

My lifeline to this existence continued to bleed out into the warm water. Killing myself had been harder than I'd imagined. I hadn't anticipated the searing fire racing through my veins. I reached for the tequila with my good arm but couldn't quite manage. Tears welled in my eyes.

Part of me foolishly felt Jordan was here. The other part feared she wasn't.

Give me a sign, Sis. Just one.

I imagined seeing my parents at my funeral--their gaunt faces, red-eyed and sleepless. How could I do this to them? Wasn't the devastation of losing one child enough?

No. Stop. A voice in my head screamed. Don't do this. Don't. Please...

I shifted my boy, attempted to get my uncooperative legs under me. I could see the phone on my parents' nightstand. I could make it that far. Had to. The voice was right. I didn't want to do this. I felt disoriented, dizzy. Darkness crept along the edges of my vision. Focusing became difficult. A sweeping shadow of black caught my attention. Someone stood in the bathroom--not my sister. A man. Had I managed to call 911? I couldn't remember getting out of the tub. And why'd I get back in? Did I use a towel?

Mom is going to be pissed when she sees the blood I've tracked all over the bedroom carpet.

"I'm sorry," I told the man in black.

"It's okay, Keely. Don't be afraid." Not my father's voice. It was softer, with a hint of sorrow. Distant. Fleeting. Later, I'd feel embarrassed about this, but for now I was safe from the nothing I'd almost become. My teeth clattered from the chill. My eyelids fluttered in time with my breaths. The tub water had turned the color of port wine. The ribbons, the pretty, red watercolor ribbons were gone.

Dull gray clouded my sight.

A voice whispered to me, and my consciousness floated to the surface again.

"--okay, Keely."

Cold. So cold. 

"I'm right here."

There was no fear in me as the man bent forward, his face inches from mine. He was my father's age, and yet strangely older. His eyes were so...blue, almost iridescent. The irises were rimmed in a fine link of black, and the creases etched at the corners reminded me of sunbeams as he gave me a weak smile. The oddly. Dressed. Paramedic. A warm hand reached into the water and cradled mine. My fingers clutched his. I sighed, feeling myself floating, drifting. Light--high and intense exploded before me. No! Too much. Too much! I shuddered and labored to catch my breath, but it wouldn't come.

Finally, the comfort of darkness rose to greet me.
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About the Author:
Michelle Muto lives in northeast Georgia with her husband and two dogs. She loves changes of season, dogs, and all things geeky. Currently, she's hard at work on her next book.

Friday, February 22, 2013

Excerpt of Disconnect by Imran Siddiq

Title: Disconnect
Series: Divided Worlds, #1 

Author: Imran Siddiq
Genre: Sci-Fi
Release Date: Feb 22, 2011

In space, love has boundaries.

Dirtying fingernails in sewers is fast approaching worthlessness of Zachary, a 16-year old Underworld scavenger. When footage of an Overworld girl, Rosa, is discovered, his intrigue heightens at why she expresses sadness with a lavish lifestyle.

In meeting Rosa, Zachary is scorned by her opinion of the deprived. She pities him and provides a means for them to communicate. With time, friendship and something he's never felt grows; love for another human. Knowing Rosa calls him when it suits her isn't enough; he want to meet her, but how? Relationships in Underworld are few, let alone the impossibility with those above the ceiling.

Underworld will suffer when plans to conquer Jupiter's moon, Europa move ahead. Worse is Rosa's father, a disgraced Overworld ambassador, approving the plan.

Zachary must defeat the prejudice of the worlds, sneak within opposing forces, lose friends and challenge Rosa's sadness. In doing so, a twisted secret is uncovered that may devour the reason he lives; Rosa.

Chapter 1:
Zachary stopped at the clunk under his boot. How had nobody seen the box? With a glance into the darkness of the Wastelands, he licked his chapped lips. Taking the box, Zachary darted past heaps of tottering metallic sheets. 

So far today, he’d scavenged nothing that was worth shoving into the pockets of his knee- length coat. If there was one thing to beat today, it was the pride-crashing kick to the guts of returning empty-handed for a fourth day. As the shortest scavenger of the stall at five foot six, a barren run made him the easiest target for teasing.

The stall’s heckles from the day before still chilled him. The quickest rat with the hunting skill of a slug.

But thoughts of leaving the vast Wastelands with only a handful of screws and two-inch nails drowned in his anticipation that the jingling in the box would be ratchets, fuses and battery cells.

Zachary sprinted along the ledge of the bay to an overhanging bank. Not even the sick rested amongst the rusty vehicles deserted here. Using his trusted titanium screwdriver, he teased off the knot of wires beneath the mesh. Why would anyone take trouble to wrap and then to discard this box?

Whatever, thought Zachary freeing the last clasp of the lid. Inside there was a folded note, a silver Intercom-transmitter, and an orange-tinted bracelet. Result! Twiddling his long, brown hair, he scrutinised the box for hidden compartments within the padded interior. The smooth texture couldn’t have started life in Underworld, could it?

Locked away from light, Underworld was a murky pit in comparison to the rich nature of Overworld that few had seen, and finds such as these were rare here. Luck placed Zachary within easy access of the clutter that lay on the west side of Underworld, the Wastelands. Spending most of his day amongst the sewer pipes didn’t bother him for it was far better than the dull lanes of District Two. No day was the same amongst junk. Every gush from the pipes revealed a new surprise.

Nobody knew how thick the ceiling was or why its creation blocked Underworld from the world above. Often Zachary pondered what exactly sat above the ceiling. He guessed unlimited power, droids with abilities that dwarfed the functions of humans, and a life that didn’t require working in muck. Short hours. Free time.

An eerie chill climbed his spine at imagining the scattered giant steel support pillars dropping aside? Would Overworld add to the mess of Underworld? Could the two worlds of the Galilei Research Base co-exist? No chance.

What did it matter? Underworld’s builders had left it to rot.

Zachary squinted in the darkness at the unbroken chain links on the bracelet and the deep dent in its centre. Components of music-playing Harmon bracelets weren’t difficult to locate, though one as complete as this? He clicked his teeth thinking of when a working bracelet had last been handed to the stall. Longer than five years at least. There was a harsh rattle as he shook the bracelet. If he fixed this, it could be enough to save him another day of shame.

More than that, he could show his dad that scavenging wasn’t a deadbeat job by putting some good food on the table.

The Intercom-transmitter, a communication device he’d often see in the hands of a ruthless looter, felt light in his palm. If this find functioned – he held his breath – then mushrooms for supper would become a memory. Zachary squirmed. Adjusting to the slimy, vomit-wrenching taste of mushrooms that thrived in abundance was at the bottom of his to-do list.

He rubbed his back against the carcass of a vehicle, his heart thumping. Maybe the Master of the stall would let him look behind the curtain?

Zachary’s hazel eyes reflected off the Intercom’s shiny shell. He rubbed the recognition pad underneath, not sure what to expect. Dull lights clicked along the screen’s circular pattern. Blue tinted static formed in the air a foot above the Intercom.

“What in Europa!” Zachary swiped the image. Signs of energy were a signal to the greedy. If any of the gangs roaming the dry deluge saw this, they’d seize the Intercom and snap his skinny limbs apart.

Coat over the Intercom, Zachary sunk deeper into the bank. He paused before returning his thumb to the pad. The blue static burst out again, accompanied by a disturbing cackle. A human head with long hair formed in front of him. The image rotated, showing blurs where the eyes and mouth should have been. An incomplete android? Or an Overworlder?

Zachary’s curiosity peaked. He’d never seen an Overworlder before and it wasn’t like he had a choice in that matter. Galilei’s distinct division prevented any mixing. There was no doorway, window or ladder to allow sight or sound between the worlds. Yet, he held a gateway to one in his hand. Were Overworlders as perfectly skinned as he imagined them to be? Did they wash every day without scrounging for water under steam-filled pipes?

“Fourth of August 2340, 15:16,” said a young girl.

Shut up!

Zachary crammed the Intercom to his waist. A spark erupted in the centre of the device, and then it switched off. He gasped open-mouthed. Eyes closed, he bugged his memory to repeat her soft words. It was gone. Zachary rubbed the pad. Nothing. Inactive. Dead. Worthless. No – the Intercom could be salvaged. It could be worth ... something.

His eyes narrowed at the unfolded note. “Initial surveillance confirms the location. Continue with Project Centurion.” There was nothing on the reverse.

The word surveillance bothered him. It was what scavengers said when watching a lucrative drop point in the Wastelands. Did the girl write the note? Was she after someone?

Zachary tapped the Intercom. It didn’t make sense for anybody to write on paper if they were going to place it with a messaging device, unless they knew the Intercom to be faulty.

He shrugged, putting all three items into his pocket. The box weighed little, but it was valuable. Hooking a wire from the box to an inner seam of his coat to aid its hidden transport, Zachary smirked. The mushrooms looked closer to being history.

After snaking around the vehicles, he jumped onto a protruding sewer pipe to reach the upper level. Whirring sounds halted him. Eastwards, embedded turbines spun clockwise like a volatile drill within the high ceiling.

A drop was coming. Normally, Zachary would’ve dashed over bust circuit boards to reach the drop point. Instead he watched a triangular section of the ceiling, secured by hydraulic arms, eject downwards. Wind spurted ahead of blazing light before rock-like objects rushed out, followed by a rainstorm of particles in pursuit. Discarded rubbish of Overworld had entered his world.

Zachary’s eyes tightened upon other Underworlders swarming to the falling treasure. It was a good one-minute run away, and by the time they reached it, the Wasteland gangs would have fought one another for the glory. If the wired-box had been part of that drop, there’d be steel cutting through bodies to get it. He shivered with thoughts of the carnage if they’d found the Intercom.

Emitters within the ceiling dimmed, ending the artificial day. Turning on his heels, Zachary took the southern route to the bartering camps of District Two.

He manoeuvred to the steep ladder against the gigantic heated pipe. Halfway up on the forty-fifth rung, Zachary gazed over the irregular horizon of the Wastelands scanning for a girl running between the swamps, searching for her box. Who was she?

On reaching the platforms jutting from a mountain of metal, Zachary moved into the bartering camp, avoiding locking eyes with the near-naked hut occupiers begging with their scrawny fingers. Drooped faces, similar in every way, shared cracked bowls of sludge. He considered them to be a clever scheme, detracting from the pick-pocketers groping his coat.

If anybody here owned an Intercom, they wouldn’t place it in a box, even for safekeeping. No – they’d solder it to their belts and some to their piercings. That wired-box had to have come from Overworld.

Zachary licked his lips. The Intercom wasn’t totally broken; some life inside remained, and that gave it a chance to be repaired. There was someone who could repair it, but he’d have to be quick. If Zachary’s dad found out that he’d messed around with a device rather than exchanging it for money, then he’d be in for a kicking.

Recessed between the huts of the rat seller and the cockroach grinder sat Zachary’s employer’s stall. A bullish man nodded, allowing him entry into the candlelit foyer. He spoke little to the other scavengers lining the room’s edge. Either their goods had been delivered, or they had nothing spectacular to show. He continued, descending to the symmetrically carved area underground.

At the front of a corridor, a middle-aged man mumbled at his desk as he scribbled into a paperbound book. Shekhar peeked over cracked spectacles, showing no amusement at Zachary’s tentative loosening of his fingers.

The Harmon bracelet glittered in the candlelight.
Shekhar bit the lid off his red pen. “He already has many.”

“This works.” Zachary yanked the bracelet away from the attempted snatch. “Whereabouts?”

“The drop.”

“A working Harmon, Mister Connor? Why would anybody throw it away?”

Zachary gulped. The stall’s beady-eyed Secretary wasn’t a man to irritate. “Why does anyone throw away anything?”

Shekhar murmured. Pushing his spectacles up onto the bridge of his nose, he led Zachary to the wooden door with depictions of men carrying building blocks and guiding barrows. Shekhar knocked three times.

Zachary exhaled upon entry into the Master of the stall’s five-cornered room. Air swept from Shekhar’s slam of the door didn’t detract from the heart thumps Zachary felt. He was seconds away from the padded curtain that hung behind the Master’s chair. Desperation at wanting to peek behind the curtain accompanied the slide of his heel. No – wait, there wasn’t time for the curtain, no matter how long it’d been since he’d gazed beyond it. Priority stormed his mind. Get home. Repair the Intercom.

Cobwebs pinned inside picture frames decorated the walls above stacked items and metallic gadgetry. Dust floated between the generous glows of the corner- mounted tubes of energy. Zachary passed the human skeleton standing there with sharpened pencils crammed into the holes and notches of its skull. It was a symbol of man stripped of protection whose purpose was to hold objects of use. Maybe that was the Master’s interpretation of Galilei; Underworld lived as the skeleton holding up Overworld.

A strange smell hooked Zachary’s nostrils. Of all the sewers he’d stepped in, this was by far the most rancid. Had something died here?

He drew near to the long, polished table in the centre of the room where Master Salvador “Biro” Burton sat observing him. The rear curtain skewered in place by copper rods tempted a grin.

Then, the thump of Zachary’s heart tightened.

On the table lay a male torso. No arms or anything below the waist. Splatters of blood and jagged cuts ran along its light brown skin. Charred muscles overlapped where the neck should have been. Zachary’s eyes swept the floor for dismembered limbs and the head. The rotting smell filled his lungs. A dead body? Here? Whose?

For a man who’d hoarded enough coins to build his own town, the Master’s scrawny state drew pity. Going on seventy years, Biro had entered beyond the final phase of life. Blemishes littered his sunken skin. He looked ill. Diseased. Almost like the skeleton in his room. But what the heck was the Master doing with a corpse? Glaring at the torso, Zachary rubbed his sweaty palms.

Biro twitched with a never-ending shake of his left leg. “Quite extraordinary, isn’t it? They’re now creating them to look like us.” His tone hummed between tainted teeth.

Zachary almost cried out. The corpse was an android! Impossible. It looked – too – perfect. Lines of blood-carrying veins could be made out above the region of the collar bone. Zachary shivered. Androids were pale, almost ghost-like. Where was the streaming-port that every android had on its abdomen? And why the blood, and the muscles?

“I suspect Overworlders are trying to integrate them deeper into their extravagant lifestyle,” continued Biro. “It’s rather artistic, isn’t it?”

“Did you find this?” Zachary gulped. It wasn’t his place to ask a question.

Biro’s smirk lasted a second. “Found in the most intriguing manner. Something almost flawless and no doubt expensive, yet, it came to rest here. Enough of that. Your find?”

Zachary handed over the bracelet. His eyes focussed on the padded curtain which was coloured black to prevent the sneakiest glimpse of the reward behind it. Zachary’s palms moistened as he clenched his anxious stomach. His thoughts stopped lingering on the torso.

After loosening the slim compartment on the bracelet’s edge, the aged Master directed a charged-stylus onto teeny cogs inside. The bracelet illuminated. Frozen in mid-twitch, Biro shuddered at the melody’s beginning. Soft strings gave way to a slowly building drumbeat.

An intensifying harp played, swaying Biro’s pleased face. “Shekhar will give you enough to treat yourself for this find.”

Zachary unhooked the box from his coat.

Biro’s gaze sharpened. “What’s inside?”

“I found it ... empty.” He looked at the curtain, knowing the Master would interpret it without asking.

“Going behind will forfeit any reward for the box,” Biro went on, seeing Zachary’s furrowed brow. “Tell me. Why love something so far away?”

“It lets me without asking,” replied Zachary.

Spinning the bracelet twice to prolong the melody, Biro waved for Zachary to continue. “You need to find yourself a girl”.

There was no point in Zachary fighting the urge. His breathing accelerated. Hands trembling under his chin, he went around the table, and then behind the curtain. Lights sparkled outside the awaiting window with greater strength than a thousand diodes. His heart raced quicker. The melody, behind him, peaked to a thunderous fanfare.

Remnants of Zachary’s breath frosted the glass as his eyes soaked up the atmospheric dense bands of the gas giant of space. 

Jupiter.

He’d always thought that there was nothing more intriguing than this planet. Except now. Something new seeped into his mind; something that reduced the gas giant to a ball. Eyes closed, Zachary took a deep breath. He visualised the blurred face of a girl without eyes.

Who was she?
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About the Author:

Imran Siddiq may have tried to leave Leicester a few times, but its become his place to wake up to two cats, freeze when the heating's off and most of all, get down to writing. At a young age, his primary school teacher commented on his creativity and ability to tell stories. At the age of 20, during a night in the jungle, the bug inside awakened, and for the last 5 years he's been sacrificing every second that he can to write. A veteran of writing festivals, a presence on Twitter and gobbling up all forms of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, he hopes he can bring a smile to others in the same way that he had, aged 5, reading with a torch under his duvet. Irman's preferred genre is Sci-Fi, and he has a tendency to throw a droid in every novel.

Thursday, February 21, 2013

Review (40) - Smile for the Camera: A Memoir by Kelle James

Smile for the Camera: A Memoir
by Kelle James

Series: None
Other Reviewed Titles: None
Release Date:
November 2, 2010
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Pages: 392
Format: Hardcover
Source: Purchased
Challenge: None

My Thoughts: 
Sick of dealing with an abusive father, Kelle decides it’s time to leave home and heads for the Big Apple. She has dreams of becoming a model and New York City is just the place to make them come true. She is sure she will find fame, fortune, and people who treat her right, but what she gets is definitely not what she expected. Young, beautiful, and naive, she is taken advantage of by the men she encounters, gets herself mixed up in the most famous murder trial of the 70s, and still manages to make a name for herself in the modeling and acting industry. This is the true story of a 16 year-old girl who, with nothing to her name, fights for what she wants and overcomes adversary. 

I actually wasn’t planning on reviewing this since I almost felt like I was going to be reviewing her life, but I liked it so much that I needed to share! I normally shy away from anything that has to do with actual, real people, but this doesn’t even feel like a memoir most of the time--or at all really. I seriously wish my life had been this exciting at 16. She had more adventure in that year and a half then I’ll probably ever see in my entire life! But I wouldn’t have wanted to be in her shoes because she did not have an easy childhood. Throughout the book, she replays memories of her violent and verbally abusive father. I’m glad she had the courage to leave home when she did and that she gave her brother the courage to do the same. Unfortunately though, abuse is all she knows and, because she is extremely naive and new to the big city life, she gets sexually abused and pushed around. 
Kelle during a photoshoot

Luckily she meets and befriends people that show her what love really is. She encounters a lot of kind people her first week in the city, but two make a lasting impression. There is Rayna, also an aspiring model, who becomes Kelle’s best friend. Together they experience being broke and homeless and support each other through their various struggles. And there is Buddy who becomes almost like a father figure to her and is the first person to tell Kelle that he is proud of her. Despite what he is convicted of later in the book, I thought he was an alright guy. He is one of the few men she meets that doesn’t try to sleep with her and he constantly helps the two girls throughout the book. 

I think this is a great book for anyone, even those who, like me, do not normally go for this type of read; the writing is simple and the story is interesting.


Click here for more pictures of people and places mentioned in the book!

Tuesday, February 19, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday (25)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can not wait to read! This meme is the perfect way to add books to your TBR list. Along with upcoming releases, I sometimes include books that I have not had the chance to read or buy even if they have already come out. 
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How to Lead a Life of Crime 
by Kristen Miller
Release Date: February 21, 2013

From Goodreads:
A meth dealer. A prostitute. A serial killer. 

Anywhere else, they'd be vermin. At the Mandel Academy, they're called prodigies. The most exclusive school in New York City has been training young criminals for over a century. Only the most ruthless students are allowed to graduate. The rest disappear.

Flick, a teenage pickpocket, has risen to the top of his class. But then Mandel recruits a fierce new competitor who also happens to be Flick's old flame. They've been told only one of them will make it out of the Mandel Academy. Will they find a way to save each other--or will the school destroy them both?

Monday, February 18, 2013

GIVEAWAY & Excerpt of Power by Theresa M. Jones!


Title: Power
Author: Theresa M. Jones
Release Date: Feb 7, 2013

Thousands of years after the battle between the angels, when Lucifer was defeated by Michael in the Heavens, the war is still being fought on Earth by the humans who have their Power, the Angel's Power.

Allison Stevens is a 21 year old single mother who gets thrown into the middle of this battle when Damien, the Leader of the Rising, decides to hunt her down and kill her because he fears she is the descendent prophesied to save the world.

David, a member of the Order, takes Allison under his wing in order to show her the ropes, and hopefully groom her into being the one they have been waiting for. The only problem is that they start to grow more attached than a teacher/student relationship should allow.

But that isn't all. Damien wants to open the Seven Seals and bring about the apocalypse and it's up to Allison to not only save herself and her family, but save the world, all while trying to keep her heart from breaking.
No problem..right?

Excerpt from Chapter 1:
I fell asleep before I had even covered myself up, just after my head touched the pillow. The dreams that had been haunting me so often left me miserable, exhausted, and craving rest.

My legs trembled as I tried to push myself to go faster. Despite the adrenaline that surged through me and the exertion from every cell of my being. I felt frozen. I shivered and yet was sweating at the same time. Waves of terror pulsed through my every limb.

Where was I going? Where could I go to get away from him? He knows where I am all the time, even though I have no clue as to my own whereabouts. 

I slowed, just briefly, to try to catch a good long drag of air hoping it would fill up my lungs and give me strength to continue on. However, instead of the oxygen that I so desperately needed, I breathed in the rank air of pure evil. It was the same foul scent I smelled every time he was close. I could taste it on my tongue.

I could feel him closer now than ever before. Pure horror seeped in and I was running again. To where, I was still unsure.

Just as I could feel myself actually widening the distance between us for once, I slid to a stop. I had almost run into a huge wall that blocked my path. It was not quite brick, but made of reddish gray stones that were symmetrical in every way. No cracks, no breaks, no holes. A perfect wall. Dark green moss was growing up the wall in many spots making it slightly slippery and shiny looking. I stood there wondering how a wall like this was built, or rather how it came to be here, right here in front of me, blocking my only escape.

The small amount of moonlight that had been lighting my path suddenly disappeared leaving absolute blackness and the faint smell of damp. I turned. I felt for the wall behind me now as the slimy moss caressed my fingertips. I heard him walking towards me. As if he realized there was no possible way for me to escape him now. 

Then he stopped.

There was no sight now in this dreadful black, no taste, the wall was somehow no longer touching me, and if it weren't for his atrocious smell, I might be able to think I had just ceased to exist. But it was the loss of sound that unnerved me the most. The only sound now was my breathing, the ragged gasping noise that cut through me with every breath and reminded me why I had been running in the first place.

That's when I felt it. I could feel it first around him, a concentrated evil that spread over the grass and through the air towards me. Like a match to a stream of gasoline, the feeling of hate and anger spread like wildfire. I felt it circling me, searing my skin and burning inside at the same time. It took away my air. My lungs begged for oxygen and my eyes burned as tears started to flood down my face.

When I had almost lost myself to the pain, something changed. He felt it in the same instant I did. And instead of the hateful, anger-filled, death-like feeling that was surrounding me, I felt hope. It started right in the center of my chest and expanded out through my whole torso, like being dipped in a warm bath after being outside in the snow. It spread down to my toes and up to my head at the same time. A wave of pure hope, love, or...joy! I felt strong and courageous. No, powerful!

This new feeling of power poured through me and out through my fingertips, pushing away the dread and hate that had been eating at me, and straight across to the hateful man standing in front of me. I was surprised by the intensity. The force. The strength. I knew that he could feel it too, surging out of me and flowing freely wherever it felt the need to.


Continue reading to enter to win a copy of Power!

Sunday, February 17, 2013

GIVEAWAY & Excerpt of His Allure, Her Passion by Juliana Haygert

Title: His Allure, Her Passion
Author: Juliana Haygert
Genre: New Adult Contemp.
Release Date: February 2013

In his father's eyes, Dylan Deveraux is just a playboy spending the family fortune on prostitutes, alcohol, and fast cars. And it isn't even with the cars his father produces. Because of that, his father forbids his presence at the ball that will mark the launch of the US plant of his company, strategically scheduled on Valentine's Day.

Hayley Allen is a failing model with the worst luck in the world. She always ends up in the hands of cruel designers and photographers. At least, that's what she tells herself. Better than admit having a weak nervous system that always reacted during her gigs. Desperate, she would do anything to help her career. 

Dylan shows up at her door, wasted as usual. Friends for a long time, Hayley is the only one able to put up with Dylan's bullshit, and he appreciates that, but not the way her heart wants.

Even though he doesn't believe in Valentine's Day, Dylan has an idea for his father's ball. When he suggests a deal to Hayley, a deal that could finally put her in the spotlight of success and help him impress his father, she doesn't hesitate. Even if it means hurting her heart a little more.


Excerpt from Chapter 1:
Dylan kissed Hayley, his lips moving slowly at first, afraid of getting her madder than she already was, afraid of falling under her spell more than he already had. But her scent burnt his nostrils and her sweet taste teased his mouth, and he lost it. His need grew, and he increased the speed and pressure of the kiss. Startling him, she matched his new rhythm, her soft lips moving along with his, her nails scratching the back of his shoulder, sending shivers down his spine, shaking his core. Wanting more of her, needing more of her, he slid his hands up her bare back, rubbed her silky skin, glued himself to her. He loved her skin on his, her warmth mingled with his.

Dylan could have kissed her forever, and he would have, weren't it for Dorant.

"Perfect," the photography said, destroying the moment. "And that's a wrap. We're done here, people."

The kiss slowed, their hands drew back, and finally Hayley pulled her head back, breaking the kiss, her wide eyes on his.

Damn, he missed her lips already.

"Hayley, I-"

She walked away without hearing him. Perhaps, it was for the best, since he wasn't sure what to say. He felt he needed to say something, to fix them, to fix their relationshop. Hayley, on the other hand, didn't seem eager to fix anything.



Continue reading to enter to win a copy of His Allure, Her Passion!

Weekly Recap: February 10 - 16

On the blog this week we had:

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Review (39): Royally Crushed by Niki Burnham

Royally Crushed
by Niki Burnham

Series: Royally Jacked, #1-3
Other Reviewed Titles: None
Release Date:
March 22, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Pages: 624
Format: Paperback
Source: Purchased
Challenge: None

My Thoughts:
This is a bind-up of the Royally Jacked series and includes all 3 books; Royally Jacked, Spin Control, and Do-Over. They follow Valerie Winslow who’s parents have just split up. She is given the choice to either stay in Virginia and move in with her mother and her new girlfriend--yes THAT kind--or to move all the way to a tiny European country most people don’t even know exists. Her father has just been reassigned as the King’s new protocol expert in Schwerinborg and invites her to go with him. Neither option seem all that great, but she decides that maybe living in Europe for a year wouldn’t be too bad--especially since she’d be staying at the palace with the royal family. That’s where she meets Georg. He is nice, smart and just gets her. He also happens to be heir to the throne which complicates their relationship. She discovers that dating a prince isn’t anything like what the fairytales describe, but she’s fallen hard for the boy and isn’t about to give him up just yet.

First off, I love bind-ups. They make owning and reading an entire series that much easier. I also love the new covers that come with them because they always seem to be so much better than the originals. Isn’t this one just the cutest thing you’ve ever seen?

But anyways, on to the actual books. All 3 are around 200 pages which makes them quick, easy reads. The title kind of makes you think that Valerie is going to get her heart crushed by the prince, but that is totally not the case. These books are sweet, fun and just plain CUTE. I don’t want to go into too much detail about each because I feel like that will spoil it for you, but I will say that I thoroughly enjoyed them. The last one, Do-Over, was definitely my favorite. 

As for the characters, they were okay. I did like Val and Georg, but her friends back in the US (Natalie, Jules, and Christie) were kind of annoying. As if moving to an entirely new continent wasn’t bad enough, they made her feel horrible about it. Two of them even stopped speaking to her for like a week when they found out which was just ridiculous. I also felt they were really pushy and didn’t listen to her or what she wanted. But that was also Valerie’s fault because she never really spoke up until about the end of the second book. 

If you’ve already read this series, Niki wrote a bonus short story that follows Jules Jackson and the best part is, it’s FREE! Click here to read Reality Check.

I reviewed a similar book to this last month--A Royal Match by Tyne O’Connell. If you’re interested, click here to read it!

Thursday, February 14, 2013

Faster We Burn by Chelsea M. Cameron (Deeper We Fall #2) Cover Reveal

Title: Faster We Burn
Author: Chelsea M. Cameron
Genre: New Adult Contemp.
Release Date: April 2013

The last thing Katie Hallman needs is another guy in her life, but Stryker Grant is there anyway. What starts out as just an escape from her previous relationship disaster soon turns into something more. Stryker gets under her skin the way no one has before, and soon she realizes she can't shake him, even if she wanted to. But is katie ready to trust her already-battered heart to the guy who could shatter it into a million pieces?
_______________________________________________________________________

About the Author:
Chelsea M. Cameron is a YA/NA New York Times and USA Today Best-Selling author from Maine. Lover of things random and ridiculous, Jane Austen/Charlotte and Emily Bronte Fangirl, red velvet cake enthusiast, obsessive tea drinker, vegetarian, former cheerleader and world's worst video gamer. When not writing, she enjoys watching infomercials, singing in the car and tweeting. She has a degree in journalism from the University of Maine, Orono that she promptly abandoned to write about the people in her own head. More often than not, these people turn out to be just as weird as she is.

Tuesday, February 12, 2013

Waiting on Wednesday (24)

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a meme hosted by Breaking the Spine that spotlights upcoming releases we can not wait to read! This meme is the perfect way to add books to your TBR list. Along with upcoming releases, I sometimes include books that I have not had the chance to read or buy even if they have already come out. 
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The Indigo Spell 
by Richelle Mead
Release Date: February 12, 2013

From Barnes & Noble:
Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets--and human lives.

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next.

I know this came out yesterday but I still haven't gotten my hands on it so it counts lol.