Monday, July 24, 2017

Fangdemonium by Lucienne Diver: Blog Tour Stop


I love teen reads and when vampires are the main characters, it's all good! It's my pleasure to present a spotlight and review of the latest book in the Vamped series, Fangedemonium.

Blurb:


Fanged and fabulous…and hunted.
Gina Covella, fashionista of the fanged, and her entourage are primed to reveal the existence of vampires on the popular Ghouligans television show, when their former federal handlers swoop in to shut them down and imprison the vamps in one of their super secret testing facilities. Or not so secret, as the gang knows all about the horror hospitals and has sworn to take them down.
Their daring escape runs them right into the arms of “the resistance”—a group of humans and vampires who’ve joined together to stop the fighting that’s made Gina and her boy Bobby’s hometown a bloody battlefield. Going home brings them back to old nemeses as well, including the psycho psychic who declared Gina “chaos” and Bobby “the key”. They hope he’ll unlock the secret of stopping the Feds’s freakshow experiments for good, because they’re building up to something big. Huge. And they’re consolidating their power in the Big Easy, aka New Orleans, where what’s cooking is nothing less than the final showdown.

Publisher: Lore Seekers Press
Price: $6.99
Release date: July 17th, 2017
ASIN: B073BMFDJ8

Purchase Link: 


Excerpt:   

Alistaire . . . I still held the breath I’d taken. The moment suspended in time as I studied the sunken face of the psycho psychic I’d first met back in Mozulla. He’d been twisted into something both more and less than human—well, than vampire—by a failed murder attempt by his blood-daughter. He’d been too strong to die, and the spell too strong to leave him whole in mind or body. Or maybe he’d been half crazy to start. I hadn’t known him before his transformation, only after, when his body took on extra joints that bent every which way, giving him a spider or cricket-like appearance when he articulated to his full potential. I’d first met him when he’d menaced Marcy. The memory of his mindspeak skittered through my brain like swarming spiders.
Oddly, he’d saved my life several times over. He’d also threatened it, along with the lives of those I loved. He was nothing if not unpredictable. But still, I owed him. And no one deserved what I saw in that drawing. Tubes went into and out of him, and restraints bound him to a hospital type bed. He seemed to have become one with the mattress, making barely a dent in the sheets. The flesh of his face was nearly melted away so that his skin outlined bones and gristle. He looked like a living mummy, and I could tell the living part only because he was staring at the camera, his eyes as bat-crap crazy as ever, looking like he wanted to kill and eat something, but not before playing with his food.
“Holy crap,” Bobby said, staring with me.
“What is it?” Marcy asked. “I’ll trade you.”
I traded her the sketch for the note. I didn’t want to hold it one second longer than I had to anyway. 

My Review:  



There will be Fangs ♥
There will be Non-Stop Action♥
There will be Clothes♥
There will be Car Chases♥
There will be Shopping♥
There will be a Fashionista♥

Throw in some great side characters and just the right light touch of romance and you have another winner. Book Five is undead!!!

In prepping for this post I saw quite a few comparisons to other authors and other series. I'm reminded of Betsy the Vampire Queen by Mary Janice Davidson. A teen version of that with even more action. The whole series is just great fun and if you haven't read any of these books, I'm going to link to the first one. I urge you to give it a try. Great Reads!!!


Get Vamped (Book One):  https://www.amazon.com/Vamped-Lucienne-Diver-ebook/dp/B06XY53343

GIVEAWAY
There’s a tour-wide giveaway for copies of FANGDEMONIUM and a Rafflecopter gift certificate for 20 dollars! Open to US residents only.




a Rafflecopter giveaway


About LUCIENNE DIVER 

Lucienne Diver is the author of Vamped young adult series (think Clueless meets Buffy) and the Latter-Day Olympians urban fantasy series from Samhain, which Long and Short Reviews called “a clever mix of Janet Evanovich and Rick Riordan”. Her short stories have appeared in the KICKING IT anthology edited by Faith Hunter and Kalayna Price (Roc Books), the STRIP-MAULED and FANGS FOR THE MAMMARIES anthologies edited by Esther Friesner (Baen Books) and her essay “Abuse” was published in DEAR BULLY: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories (HarperCollins). More information can be found on her website: www.luciennediver.com.


Thursday, July 20, 2017

Jade: Audio Book is now Live ♥


I'm so happy to announce that Jade is now available on audio!

Get it here...
https://www.amazon.com/Jade-Three-Jamigos-Book-1/dp/B0741STLGL

Teaser:

4 LOLs, 5 WTFs, & 6 OMGs Surprises, plot twists, & shockers keep coming ♥

Blurb:

Meet Jade Smith, a magical mutt with a mission. A detective partnered with a shifter named Rolfe, she’s on the case to solve a slew of murders: Vamps are killing humans, and nobody knows why. When London Jane, the most powerful vamp in town, is implicated in the murders, Jade knows something isn’t right. Together with Jill, the Winter Queen of Faerie, Jade and Jane take their investigation underground. On the run, with nowhere to hide, they uncover a secret that could destroy Faerie, as well as the human realm. Will Jade stop the killer in time? Or will she be the next victim? 

Magic, mayhem, and mystery abound, and the odds are stacked against them; it’s three against three hundred.

Buy Links: 

Amazon   https://www.amazon.com/Jade-Three-Jamigos-Book-1/dp/B0741STLGL

Audible    https://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Jade-Audiobook/B0741Q42G6

iTunes     https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook/jade-three-jamigos-book-1-unabridged/id1262038654

Wednesday, July 19, 2017

The Caging at Deadwater Manor


***
The Caging at Deadwater Manor
by 
Sandie Will
Genre: YA/NA Psychological Thriller/Suspense
Release Date: March 31st 2017

Summary:
Time is running out for Jeannie, a young girl taken against her will by staff at Deadwater Manor - a psychiatric hospital with an unscrupulous past. Inspired by true events, this is a captivating story where Jeannie shares her heart-wrenching experience while undergoing treatments that will make you cringe.
On a cold, January evening, fourteen-year-old Jeannie Kynde is told that her beloved mother drowned in the murky waters along Florida's Gulf Coast. Her distraught father turns on Jeannie, no longer the caring father she once knew.
Four years later, Jeannie is finally old enough to escape her father's clutches, but he has different plans. He imprisons her at Deadwater Manor, a psychiatric hospital with an unscrupulous past.
Will she be locked away forever? Or can she fight against the nightmare that has now become her world?  


Buy Links:
Universal ebook link (international): books2read.com/u/me0vgZ



Note from the Author:
Hi everyone! I am a thriller/suspense Indie author. I write primarily in the YA/NA genre. My debut, The Caging at Deadwater Manor, was just released on March 31 and was written for mature young adults (16+) and older. This book has been professionally edited and the cover was done by a professional artist. I strive to provide high-quality books that stay with you - so I hope you'll find it an enjoyable read. The story evolved from experiences my dad had during short periods of his career at psychiatric hospitals. He shared patient routines, treatments, hospital layouts and stories, but the book primarily evolved from a discovery he made in the attic—something that unnerved me enough to bring this book to life. Though the story is fiction, I've intertwined much of the information shared by my dad and research I performed while writing this book.




Excerpt:
I smile as I think of her, until my concentration is interrupted by footsteps coming down the hallway. I quickly look over to see if it’s my aunt.
It isn’t.
Instead, a male attendant greets me. His name badge identifies him as Drake.
You’re Jean Kynde?” he inquires.
I nod.
Follow me, then.”
I follow him down the hallway to the wooden door I saw earlier and enter. This room is much larger than the reception area with pink walls and white accents. To the left is a glass office; a semi-circle nurses’ station. A couple rows of tables with metal chairs are scattered about, and a steel water fountain is stationed at the other side of the room.
Drake pulls out a chair for me and assures me he’ll be right back. As I wait for my aunt, I try to imagine how it would feel to be locked up with a guard on every corner.
I wonder if my aunt feels like a prisoner. Why in the world did she agree to come here?
My attention is soon drawn to a commotion outside the same door I entered. I listen, but all I can hear is some mumbling, perhaps arguing.
Eventually, another man comes through the door. He appears to be older, with gray hair and eyebrows and sagging skin on his neck. As he approaches, I can see the script writing on his lab coat.
Doctor Garrett Wiggins; this is Dad’s friend. Okay, so I’m in the right spot.
Jeannie, correct?”
Uh, yes. I’m here to see my aunt. Have you talked to my dad?”
Yes, he’s been telling me about some issues.”
Yeah, well, I guess my aunt had a nervous breakdown.”
Aunt?”
Yes, Lesley Odell. You have her chart there, right?”
He looks at me for a few seconds and then looks away, unable to find words. He pauses. I’m not sure what is going on, but I don’t like the uneasiness I’m feeling right now. I’m getting that gut feeling that something is wrong.
Did she die?
He pulls his chair closer to me like a true friend would. In a caring voice, he says softly, “Your aunt is not here.”
I stare at him blankly for a second and then ask, “What? What do you mean? She’s gone already or—or worse?” The reality of the situation starts to take hold as racing thoughts of never seeing her again start scaring me.
He touches my arm for a second and says, “Jeannie, listen to me carefully.” I try to focus more on his mouth, since my difficulty in hearing is worsened by the tall ceiling in the room. “Your aunt was never here.”
The racing thoughts stop. I look at him dead seriously, trying to figure out what the hell he’s telling me.
Is she dead or not?
I look toward the table for a minute, not sure what he’s going to tell me next.
She’s dead? She’s alive? She’s somewhere else? She’s a fucking FBI agent? What’s going on?
What do you mean? Where is she?” I finally manage.
I don’t really know. There’s no record of her here. What I want to concentrate on is you, now. How do you feel about this?”
 I frown and mumble, “Confused.”
He nods and says sincerely, “It’s understandable especially with the recent loss of your mom.” At least, I think that’s what he said.
I watch him, trying to figure out why we’re having this conversation. I don’t know how my dad knows this doctor, but his fake sincerity is not calming me. I glance over to the wooden door, and there are now two guards standing in front of them, one of which I recognize as Drake. Another door on the opposite side of the room opens, and two more guards move in.
This definitely doesn’t feel right.
Hey, they’re just here for your protection,” the doctor says. I lean back in my chair, as he moves forward and whispers, “No worries.” His breath puffs across my hair, leaving me with a gift of strong cigarette stench. I try to lean back more but feel pinned. This guy does not know his boundaries. He starts stroking my arm in what seems like an attempt to comfort me, but it only makes me panic more. I can feel my palms moistening with every word.
Is it okay if we talk for a while? I’d like to get to know you a little more, Jeannie. I’ve always heard your dad’s side of things, but the opportunity to hear your side is what’s important now. Why don’t we have you go relax in another room, and then you can come into my office a little later?”
I try hard not to show the panic that’s now taking over, hiding what I can of my heaving chest. It feels difficult to breathe with the short, shallow breaths that are now uncontrollable.
I’m going to have a panic attack.
I’m so screwed.
I look over to the guards, begging them not to force me behind the walls that will separate me from the rest of the world. I frantically search for a way to get myself out of what I know is inevitable, but it’s useless with all the guards.
I’m going to become the prisoner. I’m going to become the next rumor throughout the school.
It’s all part of a calculated plot my dad would be proud of. This is his victory—a victory that includes my never leaving Deadwater or having a life, even if he won’t be a part of it. As long as he knows where I am, he’ll be happy. I close my eyes in disgust, concerned about what I’m about to endure. I hate the unknown, but this is way beyond what any eighteen-year-old should have to experience.
Jeannie, you still with me?” the doctor asks.
I look up at the cohort who is now starting to tug at my forearm.
I think we need to get you comfortable.”
I frown between the doctor and the guards. They both come forward to “help” me. Gasping for air, I throw my chair backwards to try the only path of escape I can think of, but they’re too fast and catch the chair before I hit the ground.
No! I am not going anywhere with you! I’m not a minor and my dad can’t institutionalize me without my consent. Let me out of here!”
Well, Miss Kynde, you just signed all the consents. There’s nothing illegal here.”
What starts as a rational protest spirals out of control quickly. Panic sets in. I’m crying, screaming, and clawing at them. I try to kick their groins, but they predict that move and easily pin my legs to the chair.
I start breathing heavier now. Panic takes over, and I’m quickly losing control.
Get the syringe!” orders Doctor Wiggins, pointing to the table next to the water fountain.
Drake holds out one of my arms and lunges backward for the syringe with his other arm, knocking the table over.
Oh, God! Get me out of here!
Drake is grasping for the syringe on the floor, so I take the opportunity to bite his forearm, causing him to bleed and withdraw his clutch. This does nothing but make things worse for me, though. Drake leaps toward me, pinning the back of my head against his stomach muscles. My free arm flails back and forth, as I try to reach something to use to hit him.
It’s no use.
Frantically, the doctor kicks the syringe toward Drake, and I watch in horror when the needle roughly enters my vein. 



About the Author
Sandie Will is a young adult novelist who lives in Tampa Bay, Florida and works as a manager and geologist by day. She has written two novels and is currently working on her third. Her first novel, The Caging at Deadwater Manor, is a young adult psychological thriller that will be released on March 31, 2017. Her second is a time travel and her third will be another psychological thriller. She has been married to her husband, Charlie, for 30 years and they have two sons. Their home has been blessed by many laughs, hugs and one-too-many beer pong parties with college friends.



Author Links:

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Sunday, July 2, 2017

Melabeth The Vampire by E.B. Hood: Series Review


This is not your ordinary vampire series. I read the first book in one sitting and immediately went through the next two. Be prepared and warned. This series is dark but it is also full of wonder and discovery. The author is a true storyteller. Prepare to be hooked.

Book One: Melabeth The Vampire

Blurb:

Melanie Dare is a teenage girl. Drugs and abuse by her parents change all that. She is raped and murdered and finds herself awake in a new decade. Melanie becomes Melabeth the vampire, and she is thrust into events outside of her control. Meeting a small circle of friends - not all who can be trusted - she finds herself obsessed with revenge against her killers… but along the way finds love. Her battle for revenge has terrible, unintended consequences, and she will question, who, and what she is. Can her love survive her need for revenge? This is the first part of a three part series about forgiveness.

Review:

It doesn't take long to get into this book. Melabeth is a fascinating character, both tragic and powerful. She hungers for friendship and love yet she also thirsts for revenge. Because of what happened to her she is flawed and even when she tries to do the right thing, unexpected consequences arise. Her nature and origin is hidden and as she comes into her powers she discovers there is mystery around what she is and what she may yet become. It is full of action and fighting. If you are looking for flowers and unicorns, happy endings and perfect relationships, goodness and mercy, you will be disappointed. If you prefer a true anti-hero who despite her powers is just as much a mess as the rest of us, then I urge you to give this one a read.



Buy Book One Here

Book Two: Melabeth: Forgive Me, For I Am Sin

Blurb:

Melabeth is relentless in her pursuit of revenge. David joins her; no one who has wronged them is safe. Will revenge triumph over their need for love? Melabeth still battles for her true heart's desire, when a new kind of foe arrives. A foe that is stronger and worst of all, what he wants he gets… and he wants her! Even with this new threat, she hunts down the rapists; one by one. In her victory, she terrorizes her most vulnerable victim and sees her plan come together flawlessly. Gradually an uneasy truth takes hold… the relief and peace Melabeth seeks, turns to dust. In the end, she will find the price for her revenge to be higher than she ever could imagine! With twist and turns you'll never see coming, this is the second installment of the Melabeth series.

Review: 

In this one you will want Melabeth to fight for good, instead she embraces the dark side and dark is the nature of the second book. She is used, abused, and taken advantage of but she seems not to care as long as her need for payback is satisfied. New powers are gained, great characters in her new vampire family are explored, and some of her mysteries are revealed. A big twist you will not see coming will leave you hungry for the next book. 


Book Three: Melabeth: Purification Through Fire

Blurb:

This is third and final installment of the Melabeth series. She begins her new life, hoping to leave the old one behind. Melabeth dreams of a second chance to repair broken ties. Eventually she sees more to life than the mindless pursuit of revenge. Old Friends and new enemies thrust her into a supernatural world, once again captivating our imaginations. Transformation gives her the unexpected ability to forgive and love. Will her new found power give her power over mankind’s greatest enemy?
A cleverly disguised plot, born from the first pages of book one. Clues that have been slyly weaved through this story and are reveled on the final page of this heart pounding book, opening our eyes to what we never saw coming

Review:

Through fire she has come and by fire she has been reborn. A third chance at life and the darkness begins to lift. The action comes quickly as the battle between good and evil is drawn. Love and even a good bit of humor can be found in this final installment. I was pleased with the way the series came together and I think you will love this as well. 



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