Thursday, January 16, 2014

Copied Blog Tour






Author: S. M. Anderson 
Publisher: Curiosity Quills
Release Date: December 11 ISBN-13: 
Genre: YA Science Fiction 
Target Audience: 14 and up
Distributor: Ingram 

Book Blurb: 
Adopted off the black market, Alexander Mitchell, has no idea his DNA is copyrighted and property of military weapons giant Texacom Defense. Nor that his DNA is being used to develop an army of clones. When the company discovers he was not properly disposed of 17 years ago, they send an assassin copy, BETA23, to terminate Xan and cover it up After he narrowly escapes BETA23’s first attempt, Xan teams up with Lacey, a genetically engineered genius he’s surprised to find common ground with— only they’re awkward together. Half of the time she stares at Xan like the science project he is and the other half…let’s just say Xan can’t keep his eyes off her lips. When they manage to capture a company copy by luck and sheer stupidity on Xan’s part, Lacey is determined to see the good in their prisoner to the point she believes BETA23 can be persuaded to give them the intelligence they need to keep the company forever off Xan’s back. Xan’s not sure if he can trust the darker version of himself, not when it means gambling with the lives of his family and the possibility of losing Lacey.
 

Chapter One

BETA23 stood straight, with his arms at his side, waiting for the man sitting behind the desk to acknowledge him. The room contained the same gray walls and minimal design as the rest of the complex, only larger than the other offices. Dr. Carol tapped the glass panel that doubled as a touch screen on top of his desk, illuminating the surface.

23,” he said without looking up.

BETA23 straightened his shoulders and inhaled sharply. “Yes, sir.” He strained his eyes to read the graph displayed upside down on the table.

Dr. Carol rubbed his chin. “Your comprehensive results are very good. Second in your batch―only 0.02% behind 17.”

BETA23 flinched; he’d been chasing that 0.02% his whole life. Never mind that he’d beaten thousands of others.

Dr. Carol glanced up at BETA23. “The company has a mission for you.” He paused, emphasizing his next words. “Your future, and that of everyone here, depends upon it.”

BETA23 returned Dr. Carol’s gaze with a steel-hard look of his own. “Yes, sir.” His voice remained cool and collected, masking the true excitement he felt over his first assignment.

Dr. Carol tapped the top of his desk and the orientation of his computer screen rotated, displaying a picture of an adolescent.

BETA23’s eyes widened as he took in the image, and the text typed at the bottom, Alexander Mitchell. It was an Original name, not a number.

***

Thirds at dinner less than an hour ago should have quelled Xan’s hunger, but the smell of movie-theater popcorn set his stomach growling. He held his breath and frowned, trying to ignore the gnawing in his abdomen. It was unreal how much his appetite had grown over the course of a year and no matter how much food he ate, he could barely maintain his wiry frame.

Miles’ extra-wide build blocked his view of the menu board. Xan rocked on the balls of his feet and craned his neck for a glimpse of it.

Miles placed his order and then turned to Xan. “Spot me twenty.”

Serious? You still owe me thirty from last week.” Xan bit back some of the outrage in his voice. He knew Miles’ mother struggled to keep a roof over their heads, but it wasn’t like Xan’s family was made of money.

Duke beat Virginia Tech,” Miles countered.

Xan grunted. “So?”

Miles avoided meeting his eyes. “We have a long-standing bet, remember? You owe me twenty every time Duke wins.”

Xan grimaced. “That was from junior high.” He didn’t add that he hadn’t collected for a Virginia Tech win in over two years.

Miles folded his arms across his chest and his gaze met Xan's. The firm set to his jaw, visible in spite of the baby fat that still clung to his face, indicated Miles wasn’t backing down.

Xan glared at Miles, whispers from the annoyed movie patrons behind them buzzing in his ears. The showdown wasn’t worth making a scene, not when their dates were saving seats for them in the theater. Still, Xan was more than a little peeved. If he paid for Miles’ food, he wouldn’t have enough to get himself more than a drink. Defeated, he relaxed his shoulders and stepped up to the counter. It took a second for him to recall what Malinda had said she wanted, before she and Miles’ date had headed into the theater to save their seats.

Add a large Coke and a small Sprite to the order.” He slipped his wallet from the back pocket of his jeans and pulled out a crisp twenty-dollar bill. Without bothering to look at the cashier, he laid it on the counter. He didn’t know why he still hung out with Miles when the guy was such a mooch. He supposed friendships formed in kindergarten deserved more tolerance.

The cash drawer popped out with a ring. Xan held his hand out to collect the change and glanced up at the uniformed worker. The guy’s hard gaze, an exact parallel in height to Xan's, felt like a fist hovering inches from his face. Xan’s breath cut short and he backed up a half step, feeling too much like he’d caught the eye of a rabid dog.

The cashier dropped the change into his hand and disappeared behind the soda fountain. A clank followed the sudden wheesh of liquid.

There was something strange about the worker; a smug confidence Xan didn’t like. He nudged Miles in the ribs. “Hey, do you know that guy?”

Huh?” Miles tore his gaze from two skimpily-dressed girls hanging out near the bathrooms. The end of his cornrow braids flicked across his face with the sudden turn of his head. He blinked. “What did you say?”

Xan nodded at the cashier and lowered his voice. “Does he go to our school?”

Miles shot the worker a sideways glance. “I think I would remember someone with a full beard.”

Yeah, you’re right.” Xan still wasn’t certain, though. The guy gave him a bad vibe. He grabbed his drinks from the counter, leaving the rest for Miles to handle.

Miles snatched his food. He set his date’s drink on top of the popcorn and shoved the tub into Xan's already-full arms. “Toss me one―I’m going long.”

But…”

Miles released his grip on the bucket, darting past Xan down the corridor. Xan juggled his drinks into one hand and stopped the popcorn with his knee before it tumbled to the ground. The extra drink sloshed, brown liquid pooling on the plastic lid.

Miles,” he groaned. But Miles was already ten feet away, waving his hands back and forth, like a wide receiver looking for the Hail Mary play. Xan freed his throwing arm by stashing the two drinks next to the other atop the bucket. “Ready?” He grabbed a piece of popcorn and chucked it.

The popcorn flew in a graceful arc. Miles scrambled into position beneath it, his mouth opened wide. He ducked at the last second, over-adjusting, and his knee caught the edge of a large trash can. Miles shook off the knock to his leg and checked that none of his drink had spilled. A giant grin spread across his face. “One more time.”

Xan shook his head and chuckled. Miles was always good for a laugh. “The girls are waiting.”

Come on―give me your best shot.”

Xan shot him a “you must be crazy” look and threw the next piece of popcorn as hard as he could. It sailed past a movie poster, framed by dancing lights, and lost its momentum.

Miles dove, his opened mouth lined up to snatch the popcorn out of the air. A split second before the food missile reached its target, he crashed into an unsuspecting girl exiting a nearby theater. They landed on the ground in a tangled heap.

Lacey let out a startled yelp. Ice-cold soda drenched her face and shoulders and dripped down her square jaw, spotting the thin pink cami she wore under an open lab coat. Splotches spread like the aftermath of miniature explosions until her shirt changed from pink to a solid brown. She jerked her head upward, flashing her dark, slanted eyes filled with resentment.

Watch it, Smarty-pants.” The tone in his voice transformed from surprised, to menacing. Lacey was one of the few people Miles couldn’t resist torturing. He called it “payback” for something that happened in the second grade. “What are you doing here? Your daddy rent the whole theater? I thought people like you stayed at home or hid in the library on Saturday nights.”

Lacey shoved Miles off her. “I just saw The Blue Planet documentary, not that it’s any of your business.” She glanced down at her shirt. The wet fabric clung to the contours of her bra, leaving little to the imagination. Her pale face flushed red. She gripped the front of her lab coat, trying to wrap it around the see-through fabric.

Xan tugged on the collar of his T-shirt, uncomfortable in the situation. “Miles, just leave her alone.”

The words soared past Miles, who didn’t bother to acknowledge them. He rose to his feet, his indignant gaze fixed on Lacey. The line in the middle of his forehead creased as he scowled. “You owe me another soda.”

Xan yanked Miles away from Lacey so hard that he nearly dislocated his shoulder. “Just go.”

Miles cranked his head toward Xan, finally acknowledging Xan’s attempts to intervene.

Didn’t you see how she got in my way?” He spun around and pointed an accusing finger at Lacey. “She thinks she can walk all over people just because her dad’s some hotshot CEO. But that’s not how it works in the real world. People have to pay for…”

Here, take my soda.” Xan pressed his drink against Miles' chest. “I haven’t touched it yet.”

Miles wrinkled his nose and waved the paper cup away with the back of his hand. “I don’t want your soda. You know I only drink diet.”

Xan stood there unwavering, his feet planted on the ground, facing off against Miles. Xan wasn’t going to let him bully her, not when the incident was their fault.

This,” he said, nodding toward Lacey, “was our bad.”

Miles pursed his lips and glanced at their theater, then turned his hard gaze back toward Xan. “I can’t believe you’re taking her side.” Betrayal flashed across his face and then he jutted the ball of his shoulder into Xan's chest as he crossed the hall.

Popcorn spilled over the bucket’s lip. Xan staggered back, absorbing the blow, and fought his impulse to wince as he watched Miles disappear. Once the double doors closed behind Miles, Xan set down his food and turned back around to help Lacey.

She still sat on the floor, squeezing drops of soda from the nerdy coat she wore to pay homage to pharmacists and evil scientists. Xan offered her his hand. She shrank away from it, as though he couldn’t be trusted, eyes narrowed and full of suspicion. He swallowed, forcing himself to hold still and be studied like a science project. Her observing look unnerved him as he imagined her taking in the sight his light-brown hair, greenish eyes, and tanned skin. She was clearly not checking him out. That sort of appreciative glance wouldn’t have felt so strange. He considered her scrutiny a penance for his part in inadvertently knocking over an innocent bystander.

After a few tense seconds, she relaxed. Lacey reached out and slipped her hand into Xan’s, and he pulled her to her feet. She wobbled and he gripped her elbow with his other hand, holding her until she steadied. Her eyes met his, and Xan frowned. She was tall for a girl, but not as tall as he. Xan glanced down, noticing her high-heeled boots and smirked. Cheater shoes.

Her lab coat hung open, and she quickly readjusted it to conceal her wet shirt.

He glanced away and slipped his arms out of the green windbreaker he wore. “Here, take it.”

She furrowed her eyebrows. “But won’t you need it? It’s cold outside.”

Xan shook his head. “I don’t mind the cold.”

Lacey looked him over―he was the subject of close observation once again. Then her forehead smoothed and she nodded, removing her wet coat.

He held the windbreaker open while she slipped her arms in. Once the jacket was zipped, she spun back around, a slight smile playing on her lips. “Thanks.”

It’s nothing.”

He watched her timid expression grow to a genuine smile. He didn’t know if he’d ever seen her smile―at least, not at people. Before Xan could stop himself, he grinned dumbly in return, surprised by how pretty she looked. Even in the baggy windbreaker, with nothing to hint at her feminine form, there was a carefree light in her eyes that made her appealing.

Lacey’s smile melted away, replaced by the no-nonsense expression he saw every day in school. “Don’t forget about the lab on Monday.”

Xan nodded. The air between them seemed to shift, feeling tight and rigid again. The carefree Lacey was gone, replaced by his AP biology T.A. He ran a hand through his thick brown hair. “Yeah, thanks for the reminder.”

Well, I gotta go.” She pivoted on the heels of her boots and strode past him for the exit. A whoosh of air whipped through the corridor as she opened the door.

Enjoy your movie,” she called over her shoulder.

Xan raised his hand, stopping mid-wave because he suddenly remembered where he was supposed to be―the movie, Miles, Malinda! He cursed under his breath.

Grabbing the concession food, he darted into their theater. It took a few seconds for his eyes to adjust, but soon he could see well enough, with the reflection from the screen and the sharp incline of stadium seating, to spot them near the back.

Xan plopped down in the open seat next to Malinda and glanced over at Miles and his date, who were busy making out. The armrest between them was up, and they huddled together in one mass with Miles’ hand rubbing up and down her back. Xan grunted at their lack of restraint, set the popcorn tub down by his feet, and took a long sip of soda. If Miles was too busy to eat the popcorn, Xan wasn’t about to let it go to waste―not after he had paid for it.

A woman sobbed on screen, but he had no idea what was going on. It wasn’t like he could hear the audio through Miles’ and Tina’s urgent smacking.

Malinda’s delicate fingers interlaced with his, and Xan leaned closer. She draped his arm over her shoulder, and snuggled into the crook of it. His chin rested on the top of her honey-blonde hair and the scent of her strawberry shampoo filled his nostrils. He smiled, realizing how perfectly she fit next to him.

He took another sip of soda and his stomach lurched. He doubled over, clutching his sides. The movie theater spun around him. He rested his head between his knees. The pain subsided, but returned, sharper, moments later.

Are you okay?” Malinda’s eyes were wide with concern.

Xan could barely comprehend Malinda’s words through the potent throbbing inside his head. Her mouth moved again, but he had no idea what she said.

He scrambled out of his seat, bumping into the back of the chair in front of him. An older woman glanced over her shoulder and shushed him, but he didn’t stop. He had to get out of there, had to get to a bathroom before he hurled on someone. His foot kicked Miles’ stupid popcorn, unleashing a cloud of artificial butter flavor that assaulted his senses. He clamped a hand over his mouth and stumbled down the steps two at a time.

Muffled footfalls treaded behind him and Xan thought he recognized Miles’ voice calling after him. He didn’t look back, knowing that if he stopped, he wouldn’t make it. His legs turned to jelly. He rammed the bathroom door open with his shoulder and darted into the nearest stall.

A wave of nausea slammed into him. He staggered backward, knocking the stall door closed behind him. The checkered pattern of the floor blurred to gray.

He puked up the contents of his stomach into the toilet, bits of vomit soiling his T-shirt. Xan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. For a moment he thought the worst had passed, but then darkness closed in. His arms flailed against the laminate walls of the partition. He slumped to the tile floor, his forehead ricocheting off the edge of the toilet seat. His head pounded as if someone had taken a hammer to it. He half-opened his eyes. Tears blurred his vision and then everything went black.



Author Biography   

S. M. Anderson (Sarah Anderson) was born in Lima, Peru. She has lived in seven different countries, on five continents, and speaks a smattering of languages. As a child and even young adult, writing and reading were difficult for her, so difficult that she received extra help outside the classroom and was diagnosed with a learning disability. However, she always loved stories, especially ethnic folktales from the countries she lived in. It was the desire to create stories of her own that fueled her determination to overcome the challenges that came with writing. She has a BA in Art Education from BYU, with a minor in Russian, and a love of power tools.  She has a growing family of three kids and currently lives in Springville, Utah.       
Target Audience/Markets  
Copied will find a home in the hearts of readers who enjoyed Divergent and the TV show Heroes. The novel contains enough action to engross male readers with a romantic subplot that will captivate the fairer sex. Although Copied’s main target audience is teenagers the core of the story deals with ethical dilemmas that will trigger a crossover appeal to more mature readers. 



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Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Tour and Giveaway - Love Water Memory

Title: Love Water Memory

Author: Jennie Shortridge

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Publication Date: January 14, 2014

Publisher: Gallery Books

Event organized by: Literati Author Services, Inc.

Synopsis

If you could do it all over again, would you still choose him?

At age thirty-nine, Lucie Walker has no choice but to start her life over when she comes to, up to her knees in the chilly San Francisco Bay, with no idea how she got there or who she is. Her memory loss is caused by an emotional trauma she knows nothing about, and only when handsome, quiet Grady Goodall arrives at the hospital does she learn she has a home, a career, and a wedding just two months away. What went wrong? Grady seems to care for her, but Lucie is no more sure of him than she is of anything. As she collects the clues of her past self, she unlocks the mystery of what happened to her. The painful secrets she uncovers could hold the key to her future—if she trusts her heart enough to guide her.

Add to Goodreads

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | IndieBound

About the Author

Jennie Shortridge has published five novels: Love Water Memory,When She Flew, Love and Biology at the Center of the Universe,Eating Heaven, and Riding with the Queen. When not writing, teaching writing workshops, or volunteering with kids, Jennie stays busy as a founding member of Seattle7Writers.org, a collective of Northwest authors devoted both to raising funds for community literacy projects and to raising awareness of Northwest literature.

Connect with Jennie: Facebook | Twitter | Website | Goodreads

 
 
 
 
 
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
 
My Review:
 
Just reading the synopsis tugged me into this story.  The book is definitely right up my alley, filled with different aspects that I knew would pull me in.  I'm a psychology/social work student, so there were so many aspects of this book that made me want to suggest it to many students in my program.  This book went beyond interesting,  This book shows the power of love and change. 
 
Lucie and Grady are an interesting duo.  While reading Grady's POV, I couldn't hold back my own guilt.  He was so easy to relate to, mostly while he was dealing with his own turmoil over the mystery behind Lucie's disappearance.  In fact, all of the characters were so well developed and likeable. 
 
Overall, this is a beautiful story that would be a great read for anyone, especially those who have ever started over. 

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Saturday, January 11, 2014

Tour and Giveaway - Heart of Fire series

CHARRED HEART

Heart of Fire series, #1
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Release date: November 21, 2013
Published by: Lizzy Ford, http://www.guerrillawordfare.com
Cover by: Sarah Hansen, http://www.okaycreations.com/
Cover model: James D. Magnussen,


**Contains adult situations. Recommended for ages 18+** 
Modern day retelling of “Beauty and the Beast.”

For a thousand years, Chace has searched for a way to break the curse placed on him by a jilted lover. He’s a dragon shifter, one who can’t control when the magic will force him into a different form. He’s already lost everyone he ever cared about a few times over and doesn’t know how much longer he’s meant to suffer.

 At his wit’s end, he makes a deal with a mysterious figure that offers him what he wants most – an end to his misery – in exchange for everything that’s his: His life, his power. His heart.

The next day, he meets Skylar, a modern day dragon slayer whose mission is to cage him – or kill him. Sexy, witty and brave, she is the yin to his yang, the woman destined to break the curse, balance his magic and make his broken heart whole.

Except it’s too late. Not only has he sealed his fate, but an innocent one-night-stand with Skylar has dragged her into the middle of a deal with the devil, one she won’t escape, if he can’t convince her that dragon shifters aren’t her enemies.

 

My Review:

 
Immediately upon starting this book, I was hooked. Dragon shifters are so uncommon, this being only the second book I've read with them. I'm also very glad I already have book two ready to go, because the ending really sucks you in to reading the second book.

Chace and Skylar are a quirky couple. I found Sky's reactions to Chace really cute - one minute afraid of him because he's a big scary dragon that is going to turn her into fried chicken, the next minute jumping his bones. Honestly, I think done in many other books, I'd find that to be a huge inconsistency with the character and it would drive me crazy, but Ms Ford did such a great job with this aspect that it was more endearing than annoying. It was as if her baser needs were overpowering her brain.

Mr Nothing was quite the enigma, although I did figure out who he was before it was fully revealed. I still did a little fan girl squeal when I found out I was right though.

One thing that I really hope to see in the next book is Mason. He wasn't in this book a very large amount, but he really made an impression on me. I hope the other half of his heart is okay and he finds his love as well!
 
CHARRED TEARS

Heart of Fire series, #2
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Release date: December 16, 2013
Published by: Lizzy Ford, http://www.GuerrillaWordfare.com
Cover by: Claudia McKinney,
Cover model: James D. Magnussen,

**Contains adult situations. Recommended for ages 18+**

Skylar is being hunted by the very people she used to trust. Stung by Chace’s betrayal, she struggles to keep one step ahead of the slayers while digging deeper into the past she doesn’t remember for answers. Her heart belongs to Chace, but she won’t be fooled by him again, not when the price of trusting him could cost more than their lives.

Chace got what he wanted – freedom from the curse – only to discover he’s given up much more than the power he didn’t want. He’s lost the woman who holds the other half of his heart. Exiled and powerless, he’s all that stands between her and the danger tracking both of them. To save her, he must prove himself worthy of her heart and trust and find a way to recover the magic he traded to become human.

 
 

My Review:

 
After reading the first book in this series, I immediately started reading this second installment. Wow! I loved the first book, yet somehow I feel as if I loved the second book even more. Sky really comes out of her confused state and becomes the person she is truly destined to be.

There's so many aspects of this installment that I really loved that it's hard to really pinpoint what the most important parts are! Everything flowed so well together that I actually devoured this book within just a couple hours.

Chace finally gets what he wants. He's not magical anymore, he's as close to human as he was before he was cursed. Now that he's gotten what he wanted, he realized that it's not what he wanted at all. You'd think someone would mature more in a thousand years, but well... he is a man after all. =P. His internal struggle with himself was very well done, the magic peeking through where necessary, keeping the reader with the hopes that the magic will truly return and there will be the fantastic HEA we all want. Just not in this installment ;)

I think my favorite part of this installment is the figurines and the magic involved all around them. Would love to go into more details about it, but I totally won't spoil it for you! I'll never look at a mythical figurine the same again, though!

I definitely want book three now. Next month? Yeah. Totally not fast enough for me! I've read quite a few books from this author, but I have to say she's totally outdone herself this time. Definitely a must read series for anyone that loves their shifter stories!
 

CHARRED HOPE
Heart of Fire series, #3

COMING 2014

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
About Lizzy:

Lizzy Ford is the author of over twenty books written for young adult and adult paranormal romance readers, to include the internationally bestselling “Rhyn Trilogy,” “Witchling Series” and the “War of Gods” series. Considered a freak of nature by her peers for the ability to write and release a commercial quality novel in under a month, Lizzy has focused on keeping her readers happy by producing brilliant, gritty romances that remind people why true love is a trial worth enduring.  Lizzy’s books can be found on every major ereader library, to include: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Sony and Smashwords. She lives in southern Arizona with her husband, three dogs and a cat.

Connect with Lizzy:

Lizzy Ford Books on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/LizzyFordBooks
TOUR GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

GRAND PRIZE:  Kindle Fire

RUNNERS-UP:  Two (2) runners-up will each receive a prize packs consisting of a Lizzy Ford tote + a Charred Heart paperback + Charred Tears paperback.