I Just Came Here To Dance Review

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I JUST CAME HERE TO DANCE

By Susan Mary Malone

Genre: Literary Fiction

Publisher: White Bird Publications

Date of Publication: September 15, 2016

Number of Pages: 340

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Paula Anne Fairbanks understands all about the unexamined life. And she likes hers that way—until her world gets ripped smooth apart.

Running from reality, Paula falls under the mythological yarns being spun on Diana Maclean’s porch. Surely Paula’s own choices aren’t to blame for the summer of insanity she spends under the spells of Diana…who is, after all, known as the White Witch of Sociable, Texas.

I JUST CAME HERE TO DANCE, a modern allegory, waltzes atop the line between the creative and the crazy, the sacred and the maligned. Through myths it weaves together the multi-layers of personal Self with that of the collective whole. And finally, Paula Anne and the townsfolk learn the simplest of truths: that the fire’s ashes produce wisdom and courage, just as the stories say.

PRAISE FOR I JUST CAME HERE TO DANCE:

“Malone’s voice is one of the most charming I’ve read. It brings the story and her characters to life. I feel like I grew up with Paula right over the hill from the lively little town of Sociable, Texas.” –New York Times bestselling author M. Leighton

“Susan Mary Malone pens well-crafted characters that are so vivid you can picture them in an award winning movie or television series.” –New York Times bestselling author Mary Honey B Morrison

“. . . a magical story about love ripped apart, a life examined, and then healed. To be read slowly, to savor as one would a tall cool glass of lemonade, on a hot afternoon, watching the world become new.” –Ginnie Siena Bivona, author of Ida Mae Tutweiler and the Traveling Tea Party, made into a Hallmark TV film, Bound by a Secret

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Malone has a very charismatic way of writing. I would consider it easy reading, with great flow and dialogue throughout the scenes. To be honest, I put the book down a few times in frustration and would revisit it later. It was easy to read it in sections and not be lost at all. The characters really leave an impression. I thought it interesting that characters in the book tell stories so you get this added story in a story ‘inception’.

What struck me most for this book was the pure Texan vibe I got from it. It really exuded Texas in such a way that I knew this place. I’ve seen those scenes described, experienced those people, heard that drawl. I felt like it perfectly captured what a Texan native grew up with and was literally nodding my head at points for things I strongly remember.

Of course, It also had those frustrating parts of this state as well. There’s a certain line of traditions and closed-mindedness. It was really frustrating to read through Paula’s actions, especially after the ‘not-so-shocking’ discovery of her husband. It felt very melancholy in the first half while she is trying to live her life day to day in an unhappy marriage and livelihood. It’s her love for her son that is her main motivation but it’s clear in the beginning that she’s beginning to spiral and make bad decisions. As well as choose to ignore events happening around her. Still, every book that encourages you to look deeper into society and makes you feel deep emotions is considered good in my opinion.

Paula learns to pick herself up, to speak her mind, and to break from what is expected. This book is about the grittier side of relationships and the end of them. The reality of heartbreak and expectation to tough things out when all you want to do is run away. Drama with a side of pure-Texan humor.

Texas native Susan Mary Malone has published two novels, co-authored four nonfiction books, and written many short stories. Her happiness is fiction, wine, and Labrador Retrievers, the latter of which she raises, trains, and shows. Literature is her love. In addition to writing, she edits; fifty-plus Malone-edited books have sold to traditional publishers, and one of them was made into a Hallmark Hall of Fame film (while another is in production, set to be released in 2015). Her stories revolve around the passions and purpose, the myths and meaning of women’s lives. Which often involves wine. She does, however, try to keep the Labradors out of that.

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Mystery Mash Giveaway

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Soul Finder Review and Giveaway

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Soul Finder (The Immortal Gene #2)
by Jacinta Maree
Genre: NA Supernatural/Dystopian
Release Date: September 16th 2016
4/5 Rating

Summary from Goodreads:

Since being discovered as Soulless, Nadia has become a target for both terrorist groups and government corporations. Now, her only hope for survival rests in the hands of the man sent out to kill her: Diesel, the Mad Dog terrorist.

Diesel is determined to free himself of the never ending curse of reincarnation and the haunting memories that plague his mind. But when his search leads him to Nadia, a greater desire stills him from taking her life.

Unable to see into Diesel’s cracking mind, Nadia instead puts her faith into his strength, fueled by eleven generations of unmatched rage and insanity. Their tight-rope relationship balances the two between life and death, love and rage, trust and betrayal.
Tension pulls at the hems of their dangerous companionship, and as time runs out all madmen must eventually make their choice.

Book two of the thrilling Immortal Gene series dives deeper into the danger of trusting your heart over your head.

Readers discretion: Adult language, violence and some adult scenes. For mature audiences only.

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My Review of Soul Finder:

Soul Finder starts right where Soulless left off. Nadia has jumped off the cliff and is rescued by a person that has an alternate motive than just saving her life. Now a captive, Nadia is dragged far from the last place she had seen Diesel. Before she knows it, she’s running for her life and captured again by people that want to sell her. Hidden in a dark cell, the last thing she expected to find there was Diesel. One of Diesel’s personalities comes out to try and do what he can to save Nadia. He goes by the name of Kane. Nadia and Diesel’s relationship is intoxicating and consuming, becoming something more and more at every turn. But can Nadia and Diesel learn to trust each other? Or will they ultimately betray each other?

I thought Soulless had pushed the limits of reality and imagination, but I wasn’t expecting Soul Finder to take it just another step further. The world Jacinta created is dark, demented, and tragic. It’s one of those tales that cuts so deep and is so violent and filled with horror that you just can’t put it down and you want to know more. It was so great to see Nadia grow as a person and to see her feelings deepen for Diesel. I also loved how Nadia and Diesel’s relationship unfolds. They are a toxic pair, but their love is deep and real and all consuming. When I was reading Soul Finder I couldn’t help but think that Diesel is a bit like the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera. Like the Phantom he is a dark, tragic, tormented soul that has this glimmer of redemption that you can see and want him to find. When Diesel isn’t taking the D400 his other personalities from past lives pokes through. When this happens, the dark Kane comes out and does whatever he can to save Nadia. And like the phantom, Diesel kills and is a bit of this tragic, beautiful monster that you can’t help but love.

I think what Jacinta has created here is beautiful and unique. She has explored the boundaries of what makes a dark world and has pushed it and her characters almost to the breaking point. I think the world she has created is one of those places you can’t believe and yet are unable to set the book down because you aren’t sure what to expect next. I think her characters have flaws and are definitely not perfect, but Nadia is this strong character that begins to realize she can do something about saving everyone. And Diesel, even with his multiple personalities, has this side to him that is calm and patient, and underneath that mask is someone who is willing to do whatever it takes to help the person he loves. I think both the main characters are beautiful and unlike any characters I have ever seen before. And I loved the story. There’s something new at every turn and it’s so gripping of a story I almost finished it in one sitting because I had to know what happened next.

I must say I LOVED this book. Soul Finder is action packed right from the start. There is a lot of violence though and the book also deals with human trafficking. It’s definitely a read for mature audiences. But if you’re looking for a dark read that definitely gives you a book hangover, the kind that leaves you thinking about the book and it’s awesome craziness weeks and weeks later, then be sure to check this book out. I think Nadia and Diesel’s love story is probably one of my favorites. It’s tragic, intoxicating, unexpecting, and yet in the midst of all the darkness and violence around them, they are able to find a raw beauty within each other that they are desperate to hold on to. It’s a read worth obsessing over.

Be sure to click on the image below for my review of Soulless if you are interested to read it!

Soulless (The Immortal Gene #1) on Goodreads

About the Author

jacinta-maree

Born in Melbourne Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, video gaming and Japan. She writes a variety of genres including YA paranormal, steampunk, horror, new adult, dystopian and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the year and bestselling author, Jacinta writes to bring enjoyment to others while fulfilling her own need to explore the weird and the impossible.

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Lost Wolf Book Blitz and Giveaway

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Book & Author Details:

Lost Wolf
by Stacy Claflin
(Curse of the Moon, #1)
Publication date: July 17th 2016
Genres: Paranormal Romance, Young Adult

Synopsis:

She’s hiding a dark secret. It already killed her once.

Victoria can’t wait to start college, but there’s a hitch—she can’t remember anything before arriving on campus. Her memories spark when she sees her ruggedly handsome math professor, but she senses something horrific. The shock on his face affirms her fears.

Toby is an alpha wolf who never thought he’d see his true love again—not after she died in his arms. Nothing could have prepared him for her walking into his class. But to his dismay, not only has she forgotten what happened, she doesn’t even know who she is.

He’s determined to do whatever it takes to restore what they’ve lost. Can Toby help Victoria recover her memories, or will he lose her forever?

Excerpt:

Beads of sweat broke out along my hairline. I wiped them away, tightened my ponytail, and ran faster along the dirt trail, jumping over exposed roots and ducking under low-hanging branches. Pine trees, firs, and alders turned my path into more of an obstacle course than a trail.

A twig snapped behind me.

I glanced back, but didn’t see anything. Probably just a raccoon.

My sneaker hit a root and my arms flew in front of me. I landed on my hands and knees, and slid down an incline. Rocks and branches dug into my skin until I crashed into a huckleberry bush.

I stood and dusted myself off. Blood dripped from my legs. I pulled twigs, dirt, and small rocks from the cuts.

“Nice work, Victoria,” I muttered to myself.

Sasha had said I shouldn’t have gone into the forest for my first jog. But having just moved to the beautiful Olympic Peninsula, I wasn’t about to join a club when I had the great outdoors. Birds chirped all around and a stream bubbled nearby. It was like the woods were telling me I’d made the right choice.

Another snap.

“Who’s there?” I sounded a lot braver than I felt. My heart thundered against my ribcage and I whipped my head around. My roommates had said the woods were safe, but I was also trusting people who had been strangers only a couple days earlier.

Why had I gone into the woods alone? Wasn’t that how half of all horror movies started?

I thought of Sasha running on a treadmill, flirting with cute college guys. Maybe she was the smart one.

Footsteps.

“Hello?” I called.

Nothing. The birds had even stopped singing.

“Is anyone there?”

The footsteps came closer.

My pulse drummed in my ears. I fought to breathe normally.

A small gray and black wolf stepped out from behind the tree. He made eye contact with me.

I didn’t move a muscle, holding its gaze.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Stacy Claflin is a USA Today bestselling author who writes about complex women overcoming incredible odds. Whether it’s her Gone saga of psychological thrillers, her various paranormal romance tales, or her sweet romance series, Stacy’s three-dimensional characters shine through.

Decades after she wrote her first stories on construction paper and years after typing on an inherited green screen computer that weighed half a ton, Stacy realized her dream of becoming a full-time bestselling author.

When she’s not busy writing or educating her kids from home, Stacy enjoys watching TV shows like Supernatural, Pretty Little Liars, and Once Upon a Time.

Join Stacy’s newsletter to get three free novels. Register here to get your books right away: http://stacyclaflin.com/newsletter/

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Whisper Hollow: Interview and Giveaway

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WHISPER HOLLOW
by
Chris Cander

Genre: Literary Fiction / Friendship
Publisher: Other Press
Date of Publication: March 17, 2016
Number of Pages: 400

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Synopsis

Set in a small coal-mining town, Whisper Hollow is full of secrets, love, and betrayal, where Catholicism casts a long shadow and three courageous women make choices that will challenge our own moral convictions.

One morning in Verra, a town nestled into the hillsides of West Virginia, the young Myrthen Bergmann is playing tug-of-war with her twin, when her sister is killed. Unable to accept her own guilt, Myrthen excludes herself from all forms of friendship and affection and begins a twisted, haunted life dedicated to God. Meanwhile, her neighbor Alta Krol longs to be an artist even as her days are taken up caring for her widowed father and siblings. Everything changes when Myrthen marries the man Alta loves. Fourteen years later, we meet Lidia, a teenage girl in the same town, and her precocious son, Gabriel. When Gabriel starts telling eerily prescient stories that hint at Verra’s long-buried secrets, it’s not long before the townspeople begin to suspect that the boy harbors evil spirits—an irresistible state of affairs for Myrthen and her obsession with salvation. Rendered in exquisite prose, Whisper Hollow is an extended reflection on guilt, redemption and the affirmation of life in this early 20th century Appalachian community.

PRAISE FOR WHISPER HOLLOW . . .

~Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW)

“Cander divinely delves into multiple points of view, crafting a collage of vibrant, layered characters while charting six decades of poignant, precise moments. A distinctive novel that sublimely measures the distressed though determined heartbeat of a small mountain community.”

~Shelf Awareness (STARRED REVIEW)

 “Cander weaves together the stories of these varied characters across nearly five decades with skill and grace, and in her hands, Whisper Hollow grows into much more than the sum of its many parts. The result is a memorable novel about the bonds of town and family, the strength of friendships in unlikely places and the power of secrets to shape a life–or many lives–often without anyone even recognizing it.”

~Booklist

“Cander superbly envisions the town, its residents’ dynamics, and the early twentieth-century immigrant experience…[and] rewards the reader with…well-developed, believable characters whose mental fortitude and capacity to love linger in the reader’s mind long after the last page.”

~Publishers Weekly

“[Whisper Hollow] is inextricably rooted in West Virginia coal country—the rough locale that determines and intertwines [Cander’s] characters’ fates…Cander closely tracks how Myrthen’s and Alta’s romantic decisions unknowingly complicate each other’s lives in the lead-up to a tragic incident that bisects the novel…[and] admirably captures the lack of choice that men and women have in rural West Virginia.”

~Library Journal

“Spare, elegant writing by the author of 11 Stories evokes a bleak atmosphere and creates a smooth, compelling narrative… much of the prose is so outstanding, this writer is clearly gifted. Give this literary, plot-driven novel to those who enjoy the West Virginia setting and who like a gentle handling of their tragedies.”

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AuthorInterview

How has being a Houstonian influenced your writing?

Houston is a relatively young city to be the fourth largest in this country, but it comes with a rich history. Against the backdrop of the Alamo, the Indian wars, and the cattle drives, early settlers along Buffalo Bayou in the 1830s were known for their profanity and prostitution, drunkenness and dueling. (We locals are still trying to tame one another.) The ship channel and railroads made Houston a successful cotton and lumber market, and the discovery of Texas Tea at Spindletop made the economy go boom in the 20th century. Since people tend to follow the money, Houston has always been a fascinating melting pot. If there’s a more vibrant place for a writer to observe a cross section of humanity—and to be influenced by those observations—I’d like to know where it is.

Which Texas writers do you read and which Texas writers have inspired you?

Of all the Texas writers I’ve read, I’ve probably been inspired most by Katherine Ann Porter’s stories, especially “Pale Horse, Pale Rider.” I also love Donald Barthelme for his disciplined, unique, word-cloud prose. Mary Karr, who grew up in my dad’s hometown, for her vivid, tragicomic memoirs. Larry McMurtry for Lonesome Dove. The poetry of Naomi Shihab Nye, who used to babysit my husband when he was a pre-teen in San Antonio in the late 1960s. I’m a fan of Justin Cronin’s early work, and recently picked up Friendswood by René Steinke, which I’m looking forward to reading.

How long have you been writing?

For almost forty years.

What do you think most characterizes your writing?

My fiction isn’t about what happens to people, but the way that those people respond to what happens. It’s very character-driven, and can be, I’ve been told, dark.

What’s the most important part for you when creating characters? And have you ever created one you really didn’t like writing about?

I like to explore the dark truths about the human condition. To create authentic and interesting characters, first I plumb the shameful, private, aching depths of my own soul, then I start in on the people I know or have read about or simply imagine. The best literary figures are those who appear unique on the page, but who reveal something universal about humanity. I’ve created characters that are vehemently unlikeable, but I’ve never disliked writing about them.

What was the hardest part of writing this book?

Rewriting it. Three different publishers asked for total rewrites—and then didn’t accept the manuscript for publication. My agent finally said, “We’re not doing this again. You write the book you want to write, and we’ll go with that.” I put the book back into its original structure and added everything I learned about the characters in those three subsequent drafts. It was so much work. So many cut pages! So many lost words! I realized, though, that those losses weren’t waste. They were practice. After I returned the book to her, my agent sold it within two weeks.

Is there one subject you would never write about as an author? What is it?

Myself.

What’s your funniest flaw?

I’m hyper-organized. I like things at 90-degree angles and if something’s the tiniest bit out of alignment, I can spot it instantly. Is that funny? Probably not. But certain people would definitely consider it a flaw.

What do you want your tombstone to say?

Writer, fighter, mother, lover.

about the author

author-pic-cander2

Chris Cander is a novelist, children’s book author, screenplay writer, and writer-in-residence for Houston-based Writers in the Schools. Her novel Whisper Hollow was selected as an Indie Next pick and nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize in fiction and her award-winning novel 11 Stories was included in Kirkus’s best indie general fiction of 2013. Her children’s book The Word Burglar received the silver 2014 Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards for Reading Skills & Literacy. Her animated feature film Germs! is currently in pre-production with Cinsesite in partnership with Comic Animations. Chris well knows that the pen is mightier than the sword, but she’s willing to wield one of those, too. A former fitness competitor and model, she currently holds a 3rd dan in taekwondo and is a certified ICSU Women’s Defensive Tactics Instructor. She is a member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, the Author’s Guild, the Writers’ League of Texas, PEN, and MENSA.

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9/26	Author Interview 1	The Page Unbound
9/27	Review	Byers Editing Reviews & Blog
9/28	Video Guest Post	Texas Book Lover
9/29	Author Interview 2	Forgotten Winds
9/30	Review	Country Girl Bookaholic
10/1	Excerpt	Kara The Redhead
10/2	Promo	A Novel Reality
10/3	Review	Book Chase
10/4	Author Interview 3	Chapter Break Book Blog
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Fall into Books $250 Giveaway!

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Fall Into Books $250 Giveaway

September 23rd to October 15th

An awesome group of bloggers and authors has joined with me to bring you one fabulous prize!!

A $250 Amazon Gift Code or you can choose to receive $250 in Paypal Cash.

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$250 in Paypal Cash or a $250 Amazon.com eGift Card

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Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use money sent via Paypal or gift codes via Amazon.com. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the authors, bloggers and publishers on the sponsor list. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Blood of the Prophet Review and Giveaway

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Book details:

Blood of the Prophet
by Kat Ross
Publication date: September 12th 2016
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:

Visionary. Alchemist. Savior. Saint.

The Prophet Zarathustra has been called many things. Now he spends his time drawing pictures of weird-looking goats. That’s what happens when you’ve been stuck in a prison cell for two hundred years. But the man who might be mad, and is definitely supposed to be dead, has suddenly become very valuable again…

It’s only been a few weeks since Nazafareen escaped the King’s dungeons with her daēva, Darius. She hoped never to set foot in the empire again, but the search for the Prophet has led them to the ancient city of Karnopolis. They have to find him before Alexander of Macydon burns Persepolae, and Darius’s mother with it. But they’re not the only ones looking.

The necromancer Balthazar has his own plans for the Prophet, and so does the sinister spymaster of the Numerators. As Nazafareen is drawn in to a dangerous game of cat and mouse, her newfound powers take a decidedly dark turn. Only the Prophet understands the secret of her gift, but the price of that knowledge may turn out to be more than Nazafareen is willing to pay…

My Review:

Nazafareen, Darius, and their friends travel to the city of Karnopolis to find the Prophet Zarathustra. There is no time to lose if they want to save the life of Darius’ mother. They must free her from the cuff she wears binding her to the King, before Alexander burns Persepolae. Only the Prophet knows how to break the cuffs that enslave the daevas. Little do they know that they are not the only ones looking. Queen Neblis has sent one of her necromancers, Balthazar, and King, Artaxeros the second, sent the spymaster of the Numerators, both on the same quest. Will they be able to find the Prophet before the others find him? Will Darius and Nazafareen be able to stay hidden from the evil regime while they search?

If you read the first book in the series, The Midnight Sea, then this book is a must read. It starts where the last book ended. I found the first part of the book to be a little slow, but then it picked up the pace and was very intense the rest of the way through. I love the characters of Darius and Nazafareen. It was wonderful to be back in their world again. We get to see their love for each other grow and Nazafareen’s power grow as well. I also really liked the two friends that accompanied them on their search, Tijah and Myrri.

This book is well written with wonderful world building. The characters are very well developed. Not just the main characters, but the side characters as well. I will be anxiously awaiting the next installment in this series. Especially with the way the book ended. Although it didn’t end on a cliff hanger per se, some things are about to happen that will put many of the characters I have come to like in extreme danger.

I really liked this book. As far as second books in a series go, this book is pretty good. It avoided the second book syndrome where the first book is really good and the second falls flat. That being said, I still like the first one a little bit better. If you haven’t read The Mignight Sea, you definitely should read it first. The Blood of the Prophet is a great sequel, but you will be lost if you haven’t read the first book. I recommend this book to anyone who loves YA books like I do. Especially if you like dystopian societies with magic thrown in the mix and a little bit of history, then this series is for you. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Purchase Links:

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AUTHOR BIO:

Kat Ross worked as a journalist at the United Nations for ten years before happily falling back into what she likes best: making stuff up. She lives in Westchester with her kid and a few sleepy cats. Kat is also the author of the dystopian thriller Some Fine Day (Skyscape, 2014), about a world where the sea levels have risen sixty meters. She loves magic, monsters and doomsday scenarios. Preferably with mutants.

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The Fourth Piece Promo and Giveaway

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The Fourth Piece (Order’s Last Play #1)
by E. Ardell
Genre: YA Sci-fi/Fantasy
Release Date: July 8th 2016
48fourteen

Summary from Goodreads:

Admitting what you are will end everything you know. Embracing who you are will start a war…

Life is great when you’re good-looking and popular…so long as no one knows you’re a vulatto. Being half-alien gets you labeled “loser” quicker than being a full vader. So it’s a good thing Devon, Lyle, and Lawrence can easily pass for human—until the night of the party. Nothing kills a good time faster than three brothers sharing a psychic vision of a fourth brother who’s off-world and going to die unless they do something. But when your brother’s emergency happens off-planet, calling 9-1-1 really isn’t an option.

In their attempt to save a brother they barely remember, Devon, Lyle and Lawrence expose themselves to mortal danger and inherit a destiny that killed the last four guys cursed with it. In 2022, there are humans and aliens, heroes and monsters, choices and prophecies—and four brothers with the power to choose what’s left when the gods decide they’re through playing games.

Book I in the Order’s Last Play series

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An Excerpt from Chapter Six of The Fourth Piece

Chapter Six

Devon

THE NEIGHBORHOOD’S QUIET AT SIX in the morning.

The only people out are joggers and folks walking

their dogs. I nod to them as they pass by panting and

sweating, earbuds secure. I love early morning people;

they don’t talk much. We all have a purpose: workout.

We got no time for keeping up appearances. Mrs. Garner,

a lady who’s always in pumps and nylons at the

damn grocery store, runs in a ratty old sweat suit. Mr.

Taylor, three-piece Armani man, runs in biker shorts and

a tank. I love being alone and not having to slow down

to keep pace with teammates.

I’m miles from my house, running through the suburban

maze known as the Better Side of Town. Houston’s

so big there’s no telling how many suburbs are out

there claiming to be H-Town’s ‘Best Part.’ One day, the

Greater Houston Area is gonna take up half the state.

Every five minutes some new little town gets annexed.

Just last month, the city reigned in another million dollar

neighborhood—though a lot of people protested because

it’s full of aliens.

I still remember the insanity when aliens first started

buying houses in the area. All the humans moved out,

saying the Visitors were bringing down the property value.

But, you know, one thing I can say about Visitors is

that they keep stuff clean. Since the regulars moved out,

that whole place friggin’ sparkles. I like running by it

every now and again.

My sneakers pound the pavement, pat, pat, pat. I

love that sound more than listening to my iPlay. The

sports watch on my wrist tells me I’ve gone ten miles in

forty-nine minutes. My skin’s dry and I’m not breathing

hard; my heart beats slow and steady.

The sun’s not up until seven, so the sky’s dark and

streetlights are still on. A few cars are in the street, and

the red glow from their taillights wash over my tan skin.

The woman staring at me through a bay window makes

me wonder what I look like bathed in red light.

I slow my pace, waving at the woman as she stands

behind open blinds, curtains drawn, holding a mug and

watching. A little smirk crosses her lips and pride flushes

through me. I know that smirk. I grin and make a show

of rolling my T-shirt up over my abs and fanning myself

with it. I pass her window, but I know that cougar’s probably

ogling my ass. A lot of PTA moms do.

I run through the subdivision’s gate. The entry is a

stone playhouse made to look like a miniature version of

the houses in the neighborhood. It’s about six feet tall.

I look around—no cars, no people—and leap onto the

roof of the thing, breathing in deep. Mornings around

here smell like pinecones and flowers from the manicured

trees and gardens winding around the brick fences

that surround various subdivisions. The gardens stop an

inch before the sign announcing the city limits, and wild

grass and weeds take over.

I jump off the roof. My feet hit the grass with a

thump and I run towards the edge of the city. I jog into

the parking lot of a shopping strip with a grocery store,

pawn shop, Chinese restaurant, and a Mom and Pop

donut place. The lights are on inside Silva’s Donuts.

Through the glass door and big windows, I see Monica

sitting on a stool behind the counter, head tilted up, probably

watching the TV mounted on the far wall.

The store’s empty aside from Monica, and the only

vehicle in the lot is her Kawasaki. I’m completely into

college chicks with motorcycles; too bad she treats me

like jailbait. I’m seventeen, the age of consent woman,

come on. The gravel of the parking lot is crispy under

my shoes as I sprint toward Silva’s. A bell over the door

rings as I let myself into the store and a waft of hot sugar

and roasting coffee beans makes my stomach growl.

Monica barely glances at me, but gives me the

“hello” nod. Silva’s isn’t fancy, but it’s clean. The walls

are Peep yellow and the tables are small and round with

white tablecloths. A glass case up front displays donuts,

kolaches, and cheese danishes. I make my way to the bar

and hop up on a stool.

Planting my elbows on the bar’s surface, I grin at

Monica. “Hey.”

“Hn.” She slips off her stool and goes to the donut

display, pulling out two sausage and cheese kolaches

and dropping them on a paper plate in front of me. After

a beat, a bottle of chocolate milk appears too. “There’s

your breakfast, Champ. How far did you run today?”

I glance at the pedometer. “Fifteen miles.”

“You’re slacking,” Monica says. Her voice is kinda

deep for a girl’s, but it’s nice. Not as sexy as Keelie’s, but

still hot. “How’d your party go?”

I bite into a kolache. “It was okay,” I mumble,

mouth full.

“Must not have gone well if that’s all you got to

say,” Monica says, passing me a napkin.

She sits back down on her stool and I stare at her.

She’s in a tight T-shirt that makes her boobs pop and

low-rise jeans that fit her like a second skin. She’s probably

got on cowboy boots too. Monica doesn’t care how

hot it is; she’s always got on jeans and boots, always

ready to ride.

I set the napkin on the counter and lick sticky cheese

off my lips, thinking about what I want to say to Monica

about the party. Hmm. So, it’s like this, Monica. The party

was going great until I had a seizure and ripped apart

a chair. Oh, and I can’t leave out the part where Lawrie

almost drowned.

I grind my teeth. I almost killed that idiot when he

wasn’t dead. I thought for sure when I got down there

and saw him stretched out on the ground that he was a

goner. But then he sat up and clung to Lyle, and the both

of them looked at me like I was as useless as the rest

of the losers standing around watching. And from that

spazz look in Lyle’s eyes, I know he and Lawrie were

probably doing that mind-to-mind telepathy crap.

I didn’t ask Lyle about it because I was afraid I’d

hit him, but if he used his powers to send me that vision,

I would have—God, I don’t know. We aren’t close like

we used to be when we were kids, but he’s still my twin.

“Devon? Devon?” Monica waves her hand in my

face.

“Huh?” I blink and stare at her.

She’s got great eyes, so brown they look black

with thick lashes around them. She doesn’t wear all that

makeup high school girls do and she keeps her black hair

long and straight with red streaks dyed under the bottom.

“Your party?” Monica presses. She pulls the top off

my chocolate milk and takes a swig.

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Book Trailer:

About the Author:

E. Ardell spent her childhood in Houston, Texas, obsessed with anything science fiction, fantastic, paranormal or just plain weird. She loves to write stories that feature young people with extraordinary talents thrown into strange and dangerous situations. She took her obsession to the next level, earning a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Southern Maine where she specialized in young adult genre fiction. She’s a big kid at heart and loves her job as a teen librarian at Monterey Public Library in Monterey, California, where she voluntarily shuts herself in rooms with hungry hordes of teenagers and runs crazy after-school programs for them. When she’s not working, she’s reading, writing, running writers critique groups, trying to keep up with a blog, and even writing fan fiction as her guilty pleasure.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook│Instagram│Tumblr│Youtube│Pinterest

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Blog Tour Schedule

Blog Tour Organized by:

Soul Finder Blitz

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Soul Finder
Jacinta Maree
(The Immortal Gene, #2)
Publication date: September 16th 2016
Genres: Dystopian, New Adult, Supernatural

Since being discovered as Soulless, Nadia has become a target for both terrorist groups and government corporations. Now, her only hope for survival rests in the hands of the man sent out to kill her: Diesel, the Mad Dog terrorist.

Diesel is determined to free himself of the never ending curse of reincarnation and the haunting memories that plague his mind. But when his search leads him to Nadia, a greater desire stills him from taking her life.

Unable to see into Diesel’s cracking mind, Nadia instead puts her faith into his strength, fueled by eleven generations of unmatched rage and insanity. Their tight-rope relationship balances the two between life and death, love and rage, trust and betrayal.

Tension pulls at the hems of their dangerous companionship, and as time runs out all madmen must eventually make their choice.

Book two of the thrilling Immortal Gene series dives deeper into the danger of trusting your heart over your head.

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Sequel to:

—

EXCERPT:

Diesel slowly stood. “I have been thinking a lot lately. About

how delicate this situation is. I have had many experiences in hostage situations. But you are different. Difficult.” He stepped around the table. I shuffled back. His voice dropped and curled with a gentle accent that didn’t suit his pitch. A Russian accent, spoken through an English voice. Krane. He jabbed at his own temple with the gun. “You’ve done something to me. You’ve planted this desire in my head. Something I need to stamp out.” His eyes shot down and his eyebrows twitched, pinched by a thought.

“I need you to stay with me, Nadia. I have sacrificed so much for you. Don’t you get it? You and me, we are more than life. We are more than this. Without you I will crumple into ruins.” The earnestly behind his words shuddered his breath. Weakened his body. I blinked at the poetry of it. At first I thought I was the wax, bending and breaking within Diesel’s presence, but it turned out I was the flame. I was destroying him.

“You forget.” I turned the gun against my own head. “I know your weakness too.”

Author Bio:

Born in Melbourne Australia, Jacinta Maree considers herself a chocoholic with an obsession with dragons, video gaming and Japan. She writes a variety of genres including YA paranormal, steampunk, horror, new adult, dystopian and fantasy. Winner of 2014 Horror of the year and bestselling author, Jacinta writes to bring enjoyment to others while fulfilling her own need to explore the weird and the impossible.

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Hey there friends,

Haley and I are a few months away from launching our blog tour services website for authors. We are currently recruiting bloggers that may be interested in hosting for YA and NA novels (we may branch out a little too). If any of you are interested in hosting with us please feel free to sign up!