Thursday 27 February 2014

Tour Stop & Giveaway : Crashing Back Down by Kristin Hope Mazzola




Title: Crashing Back Down
Author: Kristen Hope Mazzola
 Release Date: November 4, 2013 




Mags McManus has just become a war widow in her mid-twenties. Her late husband, Randy, left for the Army right after their wedding. Instead of celebrating his homecoming and living in marital bliss with her soulmate, Mags finds herself living in constant agony. Dealing with the guilt of still living without Randy, are Randy's best friends and parents.

Rising from the ashes of this tragedy, Mags starts to learn how to love and trust again, finally being able to find happiness. But sometimes things really are too good to be true and again Mags learns how cruel the world can be as she crashes back down.

**18+ for sexual situations, cursing and adult content**
A portion of all royalties from Crashing Back Down are donated by the author to The Marcie Mazzola Foundation.
















Kristen Hope Mazzola is an up and coming independent author from sunny South Florida. Crashing Back Down is her debut into the literary world. Kristen is currently working on the rest of her Crashing Series, which will include a sequel, Falling Back Together, and a prequel, Walking Away. She even has a few more tricks up her sleeve, with more characters to introduce and more twists to unravel, so keep your eye on this talented young author!

When Kristen is not driving a pen into paper, she enjoys reading all different genres and fishing. “There is just something so magical about water and the calm it brings to my life,” says Kristen. Even though writing is not her only career she is pursuing, Kristen hopes to one day be a full time writer. Having a day job and a busy life, makes finding time for writing difficult, but anything worthwhile in life is difficult. Loving life, writing, and fishing basically make up her world.

Wednesday 26 February 2014

Blitz Tour : Twisted Bliss by C. A. Williams

Twisted Bliss Banner

Twisted Bliss Cover

Title: Twisted Bliss
Author: C.A. Williams
Release Date: February 26, 2014
Genre: New Adult

Synopsis

Finding yourself is all a part of life, and Della McGregor is finally happy with who she has become, even though she’s still missing something. She’s learned along the way that life isn’t always a perfect love story, but she may have missed her one shot at it. Unforeseen events might just stop that from happening. Justin Parker is done with the whole love thing, Della made sure of that. Old habits are hard to break, and his world is tilted on its side when dealing with the chaos. Is their love strong enough to find their way back to each other, or will their paths lead elsewhere?
goodreads-badge-add-plus
Twisted Blitz Teaser 1

About the Author

CA WilliamsC.A. Williams is the author of The Journey Series, Full Count, Imperfect Perfection Series, and The Crush; all of the New Adult Genre. She lives in Michigan and is married to her high school sweetheart. When she's not busy typing away at a new book, she's also trying to juggle three little ones. While being a stay at home to her three little ones, she likes to read and write, in between cleaning up messes and being a short order cook.


Twisted Bliss Teaser 2

Chaotic, book one of the series, is on sale for only $0.99!

Chaotic Sale Pic

Giveaway

(2) ebook set of Chaotic and Twisted Bliss

Sinful Thoughts Logo

Waiting On Wednesday #24 Steadfast by Claudia Gray


Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine It’s a chance to showcase upcoming releases we are interested in or drooling over.


March 4, 2014
Steadfast by Claudia Gray (Spellcaster #2)

See more at Goodreads





Nadia, Mateo, and Verlaine have saved Captive's Sound from the dark Sorceress Elizabeth...or so they thought. Despite their best efforts, a crack opened and a new, greater evil seeped through. With Mateo as her Steadfast, Nadia's magic is magnified and she is more powerful than ever. But there is still so much she doesn't know about the craft, leaving her open and vulnerable to a darker magic...which has begun to call Nadia's name.

Tuesday 25 February 2014

Tour Stop & Review & Givaway : Headhunters Race by Kimberly Afe



Summary (from Goodreads)

Title:  Headhunters Race

Author:  Kimberly Afe

Publication Date:  3 Jan, 2014

Publisher:  January Sky Publishing

GoodreadsAmazon – Barnes & Noble






Summary:



Sixteen-year-old Avene was sentenced to prison at thirteen for a crime she didn't commit. Now she has a chance to win her freedom back – if she enters the Headhunters Race. Second prize isn't so bad either, an upgrade to the Leisure Prison if you make it to the finish line. To win either prize, Avene and the other prisoners must navigate one hundred and fifty miles of dense forest, desert, and worst of all, cannibal territory.

With a mechanical collar timed to strangle the prisoners if they're not back in nine days, Avene allies herself with seventeen-year-old McCoy, another prisoner that insists on helping her at every turn and a boy she's trying hard not to fall for. Together they battle nature, other prisoners, and the timed death collars to win the coveted prize. But when Avene is tested with one deadly conflict after another, she realizes there is more at stake than winning her freedom – first she has to survive. 


My Thoughts:


Who has read hunger games and loved the book, will love Headhunters Race. It is amazing book, which makes you be on edge the whole time while reading it. It is quite short and that was my main disappointment in it. It was less than 200 pages and I really wanted to know more about that world. The one and only similarity with hunger games is the race. But not in its concept. While tributes were chosen in Hunger Games, to participate in the race is your own choice to gain freedom. And I didn’t just write freedom by mistake, I meant it. All the participants of the race are prisoners sent to the prison for petite crimes or just because the governor doesn’t like them. There is a mission, to find a person named Gavin and bring him or his head to the governor. You have only 9 days to cover 160 miles and not get caught by the cannibals.

If I never was a big fan of Katniss, I became a really big fan of Avene. She is great and I really did get a good feel on her character. I felt all her emotions her fears and her desires. The only thing I didn’t like about Avene was her wholehearted distrust to everyone and everything. I liked how she became a new person, and we get to see everything from the first raw.

Another great character is McCoy. I didn’t get only one thing: is his surname Mitchell or McCoy? I mean everyone calls him McCoy… okay not talking about it now. He is amazing, and well I never was his fan in the beginning, but I always was getting a good vibe from him, no matter how much Avene disliked him, I had a soft spot for him, and he didn’t disappoint me.

Overall, the book is amazing, and I really can’t describe it all for you. I really hope you will consider it, and will be as lost in it as I was. Happy Reading! Enjoy every bit of it, and don’t forget to leave your thoughts, and read this amazing expert.

XOXO


Katie

My Rating: 




Excerpt:

This excerpt is from the day the race starts and Avene is getting ready.

                Hours later, when the birds start chirping, I know it's almost time to wake up. I get out of bed and change into my special clothes. The ones I've been saving for this day: a sturdy pair of jeans and a man's blue flannel shirt. Underneath I wear my white fitted tee-shirt, depicting a crudely drawn skull. I added the crossbones bearing a set of daggers with a nearly dried-up marker I found a year ago. It represents my mantra for the race: stay away from me or I'll kill you.

            I tie my sheath around my thigh, re-lace my boots with longer and sturdier cord I found on a pair of men's boots in the goodie two shoes clothing pile, and then gulp down several handfuls of water. I wipe the droplets from my mouth while I pace like a caged panther. A few minutes later I slug down another five handfuls before I remember to fill my water bottle.

            Zita leans up on her elbow. "You're sure you want to do this?"

            "I have to, Zita. It's our only way out. The only way we'll be free."

            She throws off her cover and leaps to her feet. "Well, we better do something with that hair. They'll start calling the prisoners out soon."

            Zita snatches our slop container from the table. She fills it with dirt from the corner and mixes in a bit of water. "I'm not sure how well this will work," she says, stirring it with her finger. "Sit."

            I sit on the ground cross-legged at her feet. She kneels beside me, takes a small lock of hair, and rubs mud all through the strands. The stringy tresses stick together, cold and wet against my cheek. After one side of my head is finished, she steps back and surveys her work. "Nope, this isn't working. Your roots are still too light."

            "Why don't you wash her whole head in it?" says McCoy.

            I stiffen. Leave it to him to think of dunking my whole head in mud.

            "You're a genius!" says Zita. She grabs my arm and pulls me to my feet. "Help me," she says to McCoy and I cringe at the thought of him touching my head when I'm a direct competitor. He might send his ninja blade across my neck.

            He grabs the sink, half full of water, water I need to drink, and dumps three quarters of it into the corner. "Hey, I need to drink that!" I say.

            "You can drink ours," says McCoy.

            Right. I'm not going to drink theirs. He'd love that. Especially now that he's going to have to hunt on his own and the only way he knows how is by poaching off me.

            Zita stops short of pouring in handfuls of dirt. Instead she goes to the fire pit and scoops out gobs of ash. She swishes it around with her fingers, stares at it like she's not satisfied, and goes ahead and dumps in a handful of dirt anyway. "Okay, bend over, girl."

            I lean over the sink while Zita pours the murky mixture over my hair and massages it in. It's gritty and gross.

            "Hand me that old shirt in the corner," says Zita.

            I'm looking upside down at McCoy while he retrieves the old shirt she uses as her dust rag. She wrings out my hair and then places the shirt over top and squeezes out the excess water. "I wish I had a comb," she says, flipping my head up and steering my behind back to the ground.

            "It's okay, I can use my fingers," I say.

            McCoy dashes into their room. "Boom has one, hold on."


            I lean my head back in defeat. He's determined to help me, to make me feel obligated to help him in return, but his niceties aren't going to work on me.


About the Author: 




Kimberly is the mother of two awesome kids, wife of the nicest man in the world, and her dog's best friend. She works by day and writes middle grade and young adult science fiction and fantasy novels in her spare time. She lives with her family in the beautiful Sonoran Desert.

Social Sites

Website     Goodreads     Twitter     Facebook     Blog   Amazon


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blitz Stop : Bound And Unbroken by Skye Callahan

Saturday 22 February 2014

Book Haul & Blog Weekly #26


Book Haul & Blog Weekly is a weekly featute here at Katie's Corner inspired by Stacking Shelves by Tynga's Reviews and The Sunday Post by Caffeinated Book Reviewer.


Book Haul:



Purchased/Freebies:



NetGalley/Edelweiss:


Sun And Moon by Elizabeth Paradasi



Author Request/Tour:









Gifted:



Blog Weekly:



Thursday 20 February 2014

Spotlight : Shattered and Shaken and All for Allie by J. Bailes




Synopsis:
***Mature Audience Only 18+***
Allie Anderson has encountered more heartache than any one person deserves. She's lost her father to cancer, her brother to war, and the love of her life –Wyatt - took her most prized possession and vanished without a trace. She’s left crushed and heart-broken.
Blake, Allie's best friend, is everything she needs; he'd give her the moon if she asked for it, but there's one problem - he wants Allie entirely. How can Allie give herself to anyone when she's not sure there’s enough left of her heart to give away?
Allie's life begins to fall into place. Her heart begins to heal. Being happy is no longer a foreign emotion. That is until the man who broke her years ago returns, shattering her fragile heart all over again.
Allie soon discovers that hearts are like broken glass; you can put it back together again, but it will never be the same.


Buy Links




Synopsis

After all of Allie’s loss, my thought was only on her and her happiness. On her love and need for her big brother. I was replaceable, Kyle wasn’t. I wouldn’t allow him to crush her heart with his death. I knew I had to follow him. I would throw myself on top of bombs, in front of bullets, whatever it took to get him home to her, alive. There are two sides to every story, and you’ve only heard one. Don’t be so quick to judge; I hate myself for what I’ve done. But all that I did, it was all for Allie.

Buy Link


 Meet J. Bailes
Born and raised in Nashville, TN. A mother of three, wife to one, and nursing student turned writer. Loves all things pink, glittery, and chocolate.





Wednesday 19 February 2014

Waiting On Wednesday #23 Panic by Lauren Oliver


Waiting On” Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill @ Breaking the Spine It’s a chance to showcase upcoming releases we are interested in or drooling over.

March 4, 2014
Panic by Lauren Oliver

See more at Goodreads 




Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a dead-end town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in Panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She’d never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of Panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game, he’s sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he’s not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them—and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

Monday 17 February 2014

Tour Stop & Giveaway : Absolution by Amanda Dick

Absolution blog tour

hosted by Everything Marie


A freak accident, a moment in time, and life changes forever. Stay or go - there's no such thing as the easy way out. The accident wasn't his fault but in the horrific aftermath, Jack's actions may have possibly caused consequences he could never have foreseen. Consumed with guilt and unable to listen to reason, he takes the only option he believes is open to him: he disappears. Living a quiet life away from everyone he loves, he drops off the grid but the memories continue to haunt him.
Four years later, a funeral signals a homecoming fraught with tension as he finally forces himself to face up to the consequences of his actions. Betrayed and angry, his former best friend Callum wants nothing more than to see him disappear once again - for good this time. Meanwhile his ex-girlfriend Ally has moved on and he can see that his return is anything but easy for her. People change, life goes on and things are never as simple as they seem. The past has a habit of catching up with you when you least expect it.
Living with regret and guilt almost tore him apart, but there is no guarantee that trying to make amends will soothe his soul or help the people he loves the most.
Courage has many faces. Fighting for what you believe in, no matter what. Showing strength of mind and body when the cards are stacked against you. Rising to the challenge and playing through the pain.
And yet sometimes, courage means simply standing your ground.



excerpt

“You want to know if I told her about what happened that night.”
Callum glared at him, and Jack could tell he was on the right track.
“The answer is no, I didn’t. But why the hell didn’t you? You were there, you knew.”
“Because it wasn’t my place to tell her – it was yours.” Callum snapped.
“Jesus, Callum! You just let her think God knows what, all this time?”
“What the hell do you care what she thought! You weren’t here, remember? I didn’t tell her because what the hell would be the point?”
“What would be the point?” Jack repeated indignantly. “She would have known!”
“Known what? That you were a coward? She figured that one out for herself when she woke up and you were gone!”
Jack opened his mouth to speak, but Callum cut him off.
“Don’t you dare come back here and start blaming me or anyone else! No one told you to go – you made that choice yourself.” Callum hissed, eyes blazing. “You did the wrong thing then and by coming back now and stirring it all up again, all you’re doing is making it worse. You’re here for your own selfish reasons, not because of Tom or because of her!”
“I’m trying to make it right!” Jack insisted, heart racing.
“And how in the hell do you think you’re gonna do that?”
Jack stared at him dumbfounded, knowing that he had asked himself that question a million times and come up empty.
“She doesn’t need you anymore. The best thing you can do now is just crawl back into whatever hole you crawled out of and leave her be.”
Jack shook his head determinedly, his heart pounding. “No. I’m not going anywhere, not this time.”
Callum laughed scornfully. “That’s your master plan? Seriously?”
Jack glared at him in silence, his anger mounting.
“Oh come on – you gotta admit, that’s a reckless statement, especially for you.” Callum snorted derisively. “You disappear when the going gets tough, remember?”
Jack clenched his teeth so tight his jaw ached. “That’s not what happened and you know it.”
“Do I? Because that’s what it looked like from where I was standing!”
“You know damn well why I left!” Jack blurted out, his voice thunderous and desperate. “You knew what I did – you were there!”
“Yeah, I knew what you did - big deal! You were trying to save her life - she wouldn’t have blamed you!” he said hotly. “You did the wrong thing, Jack – you should’ve stayed.”
Jack stared at him, his heart racing. He thought about the relationship they used to have – how close they were. Like brothers. And now this; strangers - worse than that; enemies.
“I made a mistake.” he choked. “I won’t make that mistake again.”
Callum shook his head. He stood up straight and took a step backwards, eyeballing Jack as he forced his hands back into his pockets.
“Here’s the thing – you made your choice. Now you have to live with it, just like the rest of us. You can’t change what happened and if you stick around, you’re only gonna hurt her. Is that what you want?”
Jack opened his mouth to reply but Callum didn’t give him a chance.
“She was just starting to get her life back together, after everything she’s been through. Don’t rip it all apart again.” he pleaded quietly, clearly emotional. “Do the right thing this time - leave.”


playlist

link to spotify

 

dreamcast


purchase links


about amanda

Amanda Dick is a night-owl, coffee addict, movie buff and music lover.  She also writes.

Born in Opotiki, New Zealand, she is rather partial to dark chocolate and believes in the power of a good vanilla latte.  She has a passion for the colour green (particularly in clothes and gemstones) and insists there is nothing sexier than a man in a kilt.

She spent several months traveling around Europe in her late 20’s (there’s a story there – she’ll get around to writing it one day).  After ridding herself of her wanderlust, she met the love of her life (while working to pay off said wanderlust) in Edinburgh, Scotland.  They moved in together the week after their first date – so yes, she believes in love at first sight.  She also believes in Women's Intuition and following your heart.

She writes on her trusty laptop, predominantly late at night, when it's quiet and interruptions are few.  Most of all, she enjoys writing about human behaviour - love, loss, joy, grief, friendship and relationships in general.  She loves to put normal, everyday people into situations that will test their boundaries.  She is passionately curious about how we, as human beings, react when pushed to the edge.

After living in Scotland for five years, she has now settled back home in New Zealand, where she lives with her husband and two children.

contact amanda


giveaway




Saturday 15 February 2014

Tour Stop : Fractured Steel by T. J. Loveless

Fractured Steel Tour Banner
Fractured Steel ebook cover
Title: Fractured Steel
Author: T.J. Loveless
Release Date: February 15, 2014
Genre: Thriller/Contemporary Fiction
Synopsis
After a bloody tour in Iraq, all Karen Barnes wants is a simple life, surrounded by horses and the mountains of Wyoming. But when a stranger tries boarding a famous horse worth millions at her stable, Karen grows suspicious that the horse has been stolen. When her worse fears are confirmed and her life is threatened, her instinct for survival kicks in. But things are far worse than she could have even imagined when she discovers that the theft is just a coverup for espionage. With the lives of those she cares for at stake, can she find the courage to fight one more battle, or will the violence and carnage tear her to pieces?
c64e3-goodreads-badge-add-38px
Fractured Steel Teaser 5

Buy Links


 
 
 


Excerpt

Johnny swung the M16 and pointed it at me, “Come here, honey.” He smiled, and I held back the waves of nausea. I knew the smile, what he wanted, knew if he got me out of here, I was going to hurt. “Stop shooting and I will.” I kept my feet planted, hoping the fear didn’t show. He turned and shot a man trying to crawl away. I flinched as blood and thicker things spread over the floor. “You don’t negotiate. Come here, Karen. We have unfinished business.” I took a deep breath, the smell of copper pennies and released bowels covering my nose and throat. Don’t cry, show no weakness. There are others that might survive. I took a step, followed by several more. If I managed to get Johnny and Jake out of here, they could lock down and call for help. Peripheral vision said at least seven survived. The good of the many outweigh the good of the few, or the one, I repeated in my head, remembering the line from the eighties movie, Star Trek: Wrath of Khan. I wasn’t brave like Spock, I was a coward, and couldn’t live with myself. Standing in front of Johnny, I released a punch, sending him reeling. I grabbed his M16 as he lurched to the left, and turned it on Jake. I hesitated, seeing his beautiful eyes, a dozen years of memories flashing in front of me. Shaking my head, I pulled the trigger. His body jumped and moved, eyes wide with pain and surprise. I turned the muzzle to a hunched over Johnny, “Look at me. For once, don’t be a coward, and face the person who is going to take your life.”
Fractured Steel Teaser 3
About the Author
TJ Loveless
T.J. Loveless has been reading and writing stories since the fourth grade. A former copy/content editor at a medium sized pub house, she now spends her time writing and helping other authors reach for the stars through Cliffhanger Press, LLC. She lives with The Writing Zoo, a Hubby who prefers her mood when writing, and a teenager who loves to tells stories of Mom on the floor trying to visualize "legs all akimbo" and the long, often yelling, conversations with the computer screen.
Purchase Her Other Books Today
Lucky Number Six cover
Going Thru Hell cover
Giveaway
Open Internationally
$100 Visa Gift Card, Signed Paperback of Fractured Steel and an ebook of Going Thru Hell/Odd Number Five
Sinful Thoughts Logo