Journey with Books

Mar 2, 2013

Blog Tour: Book Review and Giveaway: Frost Fire (Tortured Elements Book 1) by Olivia Rivers

Unknown March 02, 2013 0 Comments

Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing great! Anyways, I'm here to feature another book! It's entitled Frost Fire. It's the first installment of Tortured Elements Series. It's written by the lovely Ms. Olivia Rivers. Well, you'll all get my inside thoughts about this wonderful YA Paranormal Romance book. Plus, there's a giveaway open to everyone!

Author: Olivia Rivers

Print Length: 213 pages
Goodreads: Frost Fire(Tortured Elements #1)

Genre: YA Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Red Sparrow Press

Date Published: November 12, 2012

Language: English

Book Blurb:

“Magic is just like love, Allai. It won’t wait for permission before it destroys you.”

Like sand in an hourglass, Allai’s future is dwindling away. She’s spent her entire life fighting the Mages who threaten humanity, and dreams of someday eradicating magic. But all it takes is an anonymous phone call for the truth to spill out: Allai is the one thing she despises most.

She’s a Mage.

Though ancient law mandates Allai’s death, she still has one last chance of survival. His name is Drake Rhaize, and he swears he can lead Allai to a sanctuary for Mages. Allai hasn’t seen Drake in years, but she remembers him as the Demon boy who used to hold her close and softly whisper that he’d keep her safe. But Drake has changed since then: He’s now suspected of murder, and has been out-casted for betraying his own kind.

While Allai doesn’t trust Drake, she has no choice but to put her life in his hands and hope he can get her to safety. Because Allai’s father has hired a pack of Demons to bring her back to him, dead or alive–and Demons never stop the hunt.

"Frost Fire" is a YA Paranormal Romance intended for ages 14+.

My Thoughts:

Frost Fire is the first book I've read from Ms. Olivia Rivers and I must say that it pleasantly surprised me.

Frost Fire is all about 'the girl', Allai. She was raised by the fierce leader of the Sentinels who have a long standing war against the demons who hurt the humans. They all thought she's just a weak human with a little blood of demon in her but they were all wrong. The truth is Allai is a very powerful Mage and the moment they discovered the truth, they all turned their backs on her and decided to order a kill on her.

The only one who can save her is Drake, the demon who once promised to protect her but tried to kill her years ago... or so she thought.

Frost Fire is a really good book to read. The plot is wisely executed. There were a lot of twists and turns that made it so exciting.

I loved the characters. They were simply amazing. Allai is the kind of girl who is so brave despite her limitations. She's really strong despite her vulnerabilities. And Drake is simply adorable. The way he values and protects Allai is the one that made me fall in love with him. I also liked Luke. He's an amazing character and I am so intrigue on what would happen to him in the next book.

The chemistry between Allai and Drake is good and I would love to see how their chemistry grows on the next book.

The pacing of the story is quite nice. The start seems a bit slow but it's quite understandable because I think the author is trying to slowly introduce the new world inside the book. I appreciated that.

Overall, I think Frost Fire is a nicely written YA Paranormal Romance book. It has an unforgettable and at times an action packed adventure every adventure book junkie wants to read. And the nice and sweet romance in it is definitely one you don't want to miss out on. It's definitely on my great reads list for YA Paranormal Romances.

So, if you guys want all that in your YA Paranormal Romance book, then get your copy of it from your favorite stores because I'm sure you do not want to miss this lovely lovely book!

Buy This Book On:

Amazon

Barnes & Noble:

Frost Fire

Author Bio:

Olivia Rivers

Olivia Rivers is a high school student, a literary agent intern, and an obsessive-compulsive reader. She has a slight obsession with Kootenai County in Idaho, and she’s pretty sure life will always be awesome as long as Irish accents exist.

She lives with dysautonomia, a chronic medical condition affecting her nervous system. Portions of proceeds from her “Tortured Elements” series go toward supporting youth with dysautonomia.

Giveaway:

One (1) ebook copy of Frost Fire.

Open internationally.

Just answer this question:

If you could have any celebrity/book character/book boyfriend with you on a road trip, who would you choose and why?

Good Luck!

This amazing tour was organized by:

Mar 1, 2013

Cover Reveal: Second Chance Boyfriend (Drew + Fable Series Book 2) by Monica Murphy

Unknown March 01, 2013 0 Comments

Second Chance Boyfriend (Drew + Fable #2)

by Monica Murphy

Release Date: April 2013

Cover Designed by: Sarah Hansen at Okay Creations

Cover Reveal Organized by: YA Bound Blog Tours

Summary from Goodreads:

Lost. That one single word best describes my life at this very moment. I lost the last games of the season and both my team and my coach blame me. I lost the last two months because I drowned in my own despair like a complete loser. And I lost the only girl who ever mattered because I was afraid being with me would destroy her.

But now I realize how truly lost I am without her. She has become my story…and even though she acts like she’s moved on, I know she still thinks about me just as much as I think about her. She’s beautiful, sweet—and so damn vulnerable, all I want to do is help her. Be there for her.

Love her…

If only I could convince Fable to give me a second chance. Then I wouldn't feel so lost anymore, and neither would she. We could be found together.

Forever.

***

Take a look at the revamped cover of One Week Girlfriend:

One Week Girlfriend (Drew + Fable #1)

by Monica Murphy

Release Date: 01/11/ 13

Summary from Goodreads:

New Adult Contemporary Romance
**Mature situations and sexual content - recommended for ages 17+**

Temporary. That one single word best describes my life these last few years. I’m working at a temporary job until I can finally break free. I’m my little brother’s temporary mother since our mom doesn’t give a crap about either of us. And I’m that temporary girl all the guys want to get with because I give it up so easily. According to the rumors, at least.

But now I’m the temporary girlfriend of Drew Callahan, college football legend and all around golden guy. He’s beautiful, sweet—and he’s hiding way more secrets than I am. He’s brought me into this fake life where everyone seems to hate me. And everyone seems to want something from him. The only thing he seems to want though is…

Me.

I don’t know what to believe anymore. All I know is, I think Drew needs me. And I want to be there for him.

Forever.

About the Author

Monica Murphy is a writer, a wife and a mom. She drinks too much coffee and spends too much time in front of her computer. She likes to read, she watches bad reality TV and she sometimes acts younger than she really is. Though most of the time she's sure her kids think she's a complete buzz kill.
One Week Girlfriend, a new adult/contemporary romance, is Monica's first book.

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

ONE WEEK GIRLFRIEND available NOW

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Feb 28, 2013

Promo Post and a $50 GC Giveaway: Odor of Violet by Ju Ephraime

Unknown February 28, 2013 32 Comments

Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing great! I'm here today to feature the book entitled The Odor of Violet by Ms. Ju Ephraime. Today we're all going to get a glimpse of what's inside the book. Plus the generous author is giving away a $50 GC to a luck commenter. Read on to know more about this giveaway!

BOOK BLURB:

STEP INTO THE SIGHTLESS WORLD OF DAMIEN FALCONER, AS HE STRUGGLES TO COME TO GRIPS WITH THE BLISTERING ATTRACTION HE FEELS FOR HIS NEW PERSONAL ASSISTANT, LISA ANDREWS.

Full of self-doubt as he struggled to regain his independence, the last thing Damien was looking for when he hired his new assistant, was to fall in love. So, he fought it for as long as he could, until the feelings he had for Lisa kept chipping away at him. Exposing a heart he had thought encased in stone, never to love again.

Lisa, a gentle, caring individual, a professional nurse, and inexperienced in matters of the heart, was ill-equipped to deal with the emotional and physical attraction she felt for her boss, Damien Falconer. Fully cognizant of the pitfalls that exist in such a relationship, Lisa fought equally hard to resist the powerful lure of Damien.

The blistering attraction between Damien and Lisa was searing in its intensity. Both were trying desperately to do the right thing, but the fates had other plans for them. Can two hearts that were broken be made whole again?…..

BOOK EXCERPT:

Ms. Andrews walked into the room, and Damien felt the air leave his lungs. He could not see her, but he felt Jake’s reaction also. He was not certain if he was mirroring Jake’s reaction to the candidate or his own overactive imagination. Whatever the reason, he had a physical reaction to whomever it was that walked into his library. She was polite and calm, and he sensed she had a smile onher face because Jake had an answering smile in his voice when he greeted her. Poor Damien, he couldn’t see a thing, but boy, was he aware of her. He could smell the fragrance she was wearing, and it was doing strange things to his body.

There was a hint of jasmine, mixed with a bit of musk, but the overwhelming scent was of violet. He recognized the scent because of the perfusion of violet plants that grew in the garden surrounding his house.

It was his favorite flower. He was never tired of sitting on the porch just inhaling its heady fragrance.

On Ms. Andrews, the fragrance was positively intoxicating. The mixture of violet with her unique scent was overpowering. Damien was almost in pain from the strength of his physical reaction to her. He was uncomfortable in his seat and kept fidgeting and moving to get a more comfortable position. He did not want either Jake or the young woman to notice his discomfort. He desperately wanted to see the woman who was in his library, but he had to be content with just listening to her responses to Jake’s questions.

She sounded a bit flustered because she would begin each response with a slight nervous laugh, and Jake would respond in kind. This exchange between the two infuriated Damien, who wanted to participate in the conversation. He interrupted one of Jake’s questions to her with one of his own.

“Tell me, Ms. Andrews, how long have you been out of school?”

Author Bio:

I can’t recall a time in my life when I wasn’t writing. I know I started a long, long, time ago. I began writing short stories for the local radio station in my home town, which were read on the air at

story time. After I had my children, I went back to school to further my education. I have since earned several degrees, including two Masters and a Doctorate in Higher Education Administration

from Northeastern University in Boston. During the course of my schooling, I wrote and published a working curriculum for a career school, as well as, other literary works. A couple years ago, I revisited my first love, writing for fun and enjoyment.

I live in a small town in Connecticut, where the closest thing to a mall is a shopping strip, so nothing exciting happens there. I’m a mother of three and a grandmother of five. My dog Bondine is my

favorite companion when I take up pen and paper to write.

Many of my stories are set in the places I've visited. The children I encounter during my travels determine the theme of the book. I love to write stories about talented, inquisitive, and curious

children who are thirsty for knowledge.

When I’m not writing my children books, I write romance novels under a pen name. Oftentimes, I take the time to visit the places in which my stories are set, which is the icing on the cake. My second love is traveling, and those times when I can combine writing with traveling, I’m usually in writers' heaven because I’m doing my two most favorite things...

http://www.juliaeantoine.com/default.html
http://www.facebook.com/juephraimeauthor?ref=hl
https://twitter.com/EditorJulia
http://juephraime.blogspot.com/
http://shop.envisionschoolpublishing.com/

Giveaway:

Ju will be awarding a $50.00 Gift Certificate,

(winner's choice: Amazon, Kobo, B&N, or ENVISION)

to one randomly chosen commenter.

Just answer this question:

What is your favorite fragrant/odor in the world?

(it could be anything, food, perfume, flower, place.. etc)

Feb 25, 2013

Blog Tour: Author Guest Post and Kindle HD/Paperwhite Giveaway: Turning Point by Tiffany A. Snow

Unknown February 25, 2013 4 Comments

Hi everyone! Haven't had a guest in Journey with Books in a long time, right?! Well, the long wait is over! Journey with Books blog have a guest today! Ms. Tiffany A. Snow, the author of The Kathleen Turner Series has graces us with her presence! She's going to give a few tips on how to write a successful Romantic Suspense novel for the Romantic Suspense author hopefuls out there.

And of course, there's a lovely, lovely giveaway for all of you down below. Trust me, you wouldn't want to miss this! You should also check out the tour schedule for more chances to win great prizes!

Author Guest Post:

Thank you to Journey with Books for hosting me on the blog tour for TURNING POINT, the third book in The Kathleen Turner Series. There will be a total of five books in the series. Book four, OUT OF TURN, will be released on 12/17/13.

Romantic Suspense (RS) is a genre that’s been around a long time, and there are as many variations of books classified as such as there are in paranormal or urban fantasy. Before I crafted the story, there were some things I needed to decide up front. For anyone else choosing to try their hand at RS, perhaps this will help.

1 – Decide how your character will be involved in the mystery. – Unless your heroine/hero is in the law enforcement field, a murder/mystery/etc. doesn't normally happen to them. If they are in some kind of crime-related job, the tie-in is easy. If not, then it’s more difficult and should be thought out to be as believable as possible (though this is fiction, so readers allow some leeway there).

2 – Plan how your hero and heroine will interact. – The hero and heroine not only have to solve a mystery together, they also have to fall in love. So career choice and the How’s and Why’s of them working together need to be fleshed out so your readers can believe the necessity of why they’re together.

3 – The trail of clues. – You want your readers to not only be involved in the blooming romance between your hero and heroine, but to also be following along as they unravel the mystery. Leave clues, let them figure things out the same as your heroine. This is necessary so you don’t get to the end of the book and do an info dump of the Who, What and Why, which can make the reader feel cheated out of “solving” the mystery.

4 – Plan the Big Finish. – You want tension and danger to increase as the story unfolds, keeping the pace moving briskly enough to keep the reader interested but not so fast that they feel information and events are unfolding too fast to a) keep up or b) be believable. The last couple of chapters should be where the hero/heroine are in maximum danger that resolves in a satisfying way with enough time for resolution and closure. Readers can sometimes feel cheated in RS if there’s not a long enough “down time” after the conflict is resolved for your characters to wrap things up and have their HEA.

5 – Romance vs. Plot – This is a big one for me as one of my beefs with RS is usually that there’s too much plot and not enough romance to satisfy me as a reader. There are readers who prefer a thriller with a dash of romance, just as there are readers (like me) who want a romance with a dash of mystery. Decide ahead of time which one is right for you and plan accordingly. The Kathleen Turner Series is much more romance than plot – the plot being what I prefer to call the “skeleton” on which I hang the “flesh” of my characters and their intertwined relationships.

Turning Point Book Blurb:

After her promotion from law firm Runner to Investigator, Kathleen Turner is learning the ropes of her new job from none other than assassin-for-hire Kade Dennon, a situation her boyfriend Blane Kirk is none too happy about. But the lessons with Kathleen take a back seat when Kade becomes a target. Previously untouchable, his enemies now know of the chink in his armor – his brother’s girlfriend.

And Kade’s not the only thing coming between Kathleen and Blane. From Blane’s inexplicable defense of a man guilty of a horrible crime, to a mysterious stranger from Kathleen’s past, to Kathleen’ risky investigation into human traffickers, the obstacles mount against a relationship that’s just begun to find trust again.

While Blane considers a job offer that would take him back to the front lines in the war on terror, Kathleen is determined to pursue her new career, with or without his approval. Unfortunately, her current case is far more dangerous than anyone knows. Someone close to Blane will go to extreme lengths to split them up, lengths that may prove worse than death for Kathleen.

Kathleen, Blane and Kade must atone for the sins of the past and the present. The fallout will force Kathleen to a turning point…in her career, and her life.

Giveaway:

Tiffany is giving away, a grand prize of the winner's choice, KINDLE Paperwhite or HD. Winner will be selected by Rafflecopter. One lucky commenter a Kindle copy or print copy of one of her KATHLEEN TURNER books, winner's choice (Print copy is Cont US only) .

a Rafflecopter giveaway

TURNING POINT TOUR SCHEDULE

February 19

SnifferWalk Books

February 20

February 21

My Fiction Nook

February 22

February 23

Musings of a Bookworm

Storm Goddess Reviews

Mrs. Condit & Friends Read Books

February 24

Reading, Eating & Dreaming

Reading Between The Wines

Heart Breaking Reviews

Cocktails and Books

February 25

Little Fiction of Every Flavour Scorching Book Reviews

Journey With Books

February 26

Tattooed Book Reviews

Sugar & Spice Read Your Writes

February 27

Romance Book Craze My Life Beyond Labels

Ali's Bookshelf

February 28

Jessy's Book Club

Harlie's Books

Queen of the Night Reviews

Feb 19, 2013

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Unbroken by Melody Grace

Unknown February 19, 2013 0 Comments

Expected publication: March 12th 2013

"Mom always told me there are two kinds of love in this world: the steady breeze, and the hurricane. Emerson Ray was my hurricane…"

Juliet McKenzie was an innocent eighteen-year old when she spent the summer in Cedar Cove—and fell head over heels in love with Emerson. Complicated, intense Emerson, the local bad boy. His blue eyes hid dark secrets, and just one touch could set Juliet ablaze. Their love was demanding and all-consuming, but when summer ended, tragedy tore them apart. Juliet swore she’d never go back, and she’s kept that promise… Until now.

Four years later, Juliet’s done her best to rebuild the wreckage of her shattered life. She’s got a great boyfriend, and a steady job planned after she graduates. Returning to Cedar Cove to pack up her family’s beach house to prepare it for sale, Juliet is determined that nothing will stand in the way of her future. But one look from Emerson, and all her old desire comes flooding back. He let her go once, but this time, he’s not giving up without a fight. And Emerson fights dirty.

A heartbreaking history. An unstoppable passion. Torn between her past and future, Juliet struggles to separate love from desire. But will they find a way to overcome their tragic secrets—together? And after so much damage has been done, can a love remain unbroken?

*This book contains adult situations and explicit content.*

Make sure to follow author Melody Grace! She will be revealing a sneak peek soon!

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/melodygrace and http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17342189-unbroken

Facebook † Twitter † Blog

GIVEAWAY

OPEN INTERNATIONAL

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Feb 11, 2013

Blog Tour: Book Review: Lennon's Jinx by Chris Myers

Unknown February 11, 2013 1 Comments

Hi everyone! How are you guys doing? I know it's been a long time but I'm back! I'm here to feature a book entitled Lennon's Jinx by Chris Myers. You're all going to know my thoughts about this angsty book.

This lovely tour was organized by none other than the wonderful people behind AToMR Tours.

Book Blurb:

Sometimes, you don’t get to choose who you fall for...

Lennon spends most of his time raising his little sister Currie while trying to skate through his senior year of high school. He prefers groupies with no-strings attached but finds himself strangely attracted to Jinx, the straight-A student in his choir. Lennon’s curiosity overrules his good sense as he tries to peel away the layers to discover the reason for Jinx’s skittishness.

Jinx conceals the black truth about herself from her friends. She won’t admit to them that she screwed up big time, losing her first love and what she once held most precious.

When Lennon’s band holds auditions to replace their keyboard player, Jinx comes to tryout and almost leaves after seeing Lennon. Despite the fact she despises him, she joins the band to nurture her love of music that will hopefully ease the guilt gnawing away at her.

Like the rest of his band mates, Jinx soon witnesses Lennon battling his infamous father for the custody of Currie. While confronting his pent-up anger at his dad, Lennon exposes vulnerabilities he had no intention of letting any girl ever see, especially Jinx. Their reckless pasts may bring them together or further complicate their already messy lives.

My Thoughts:

Lennon's Jinx is a pretty angsty New Adult novel that I'm sure angsty-romance lovers will sure love to get their hands on and spend hours devouring non-stop!

Lennon's Jinx is a story about two young people who were forced to grow too fast. Lennon is a guy who seemed to have it all on the outside but the truth is he was forced to grow up too soon to take care of his little sister because of his parents who seemed to know nothing about responsibility. And Jinx is the weird girl who had a very traumatic experience which changed her whole outlook on life and men.

I love Lennon and Jinx's story. Their romance was nicely written. The pacing was great. It was a process. I loved the way the author played out with these character's relationship. It was well written and very much heart felt.

I also enjoyed reading and getting to know the other characters besides Lennon and Jinx. Their interactions with those other characters are fun to read. I appreciated how the author gave importance to minor characters.

I also enjoyed how the author executed the whole plot. It was angsty and exciting. It kept me reading till the wee hours of dawn. I think that's a sign that this book is such a keeper!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this novel. It's angsty, sweet and also heartbreaking on some parts. The issues discussed inside this book are realistic enough that it would definitely touch a reader's heart. Chris Myers is a talented author a book lover shouldn't miss out on!

About the Author:

Chris Myers suffers from an overactive imagination. In second grade, Sister Bernice produced Chris's first play about pumpkins mauling and eating children. Apparently, the nuns didn't catch the underlying meaning. This instantly raised Chris to stardom amongst her peers for the several days off from schoolwork while in production. She spent her high school years writing torch songs for fantasy guys then moved onto writing thrillers and young adult. She has a real job but would love to write full time. Her books have won and placed in the finals and semifinals for several awards including Paul Gillette, Rocky Mountain Gold, and Amazon Breakthrough Novel. Chris lives in Colorado with her daughter, her better half, and BeBe, a rambunctious Bichon.

Feb 6, 2013

Cover Reveal: Trust in Me by Bethany Lopez

Unknown February 06, 2013 0 Comments

Trust In Me by Bethany Lopez

(Friends & Lovers #3)

Roni’s dreams of becoming a contemporary dancer were smashed under the brutal rage of her ex-husband's fists. Getting divorced and starting over at the age of twenty-two was never her plan, but maybe in Texas, she'll find her path. When the town's local player, Rich, opens a Rec Center, she sees a way to rekindle her dancing dreams...and maybe have a little fun with her sexy new boss.

Rich never expected to fulfill his dreams in the town he planned to leave behind, but that's just what he's doing. His reputation as a noncommittal ladies' man might make it challenging to earn respect in the business world, but he's willing to prove that he's serious. In fact, when it comes to pursuing Roni, he's more than willing. But she's taking a page out of his book, not wanting to risk another relationship. Can he convince her that his playboy days are over and that she can trust him with her heart?

Release Date: February 28th, 2013

Goodreads

About the Author:

Bethany Lopez was born in Detroit, Michigan, and grew up in Michigan and San Antonio, Texas. She went to High School at Dearborn High, in Dearborn, Michigan, which is where she has set her Young Adult series. She is married and has a blended family with five children. She is currently serving in the United States Air Force as a Recruiter in Los Angeles, California. She has always loved to read and write and has seen her dream realized by independently publishing her novels through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Smashwords.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.bethanylopez.blogspot.ca/

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com

Twitter: https://twitter.com/BethanyLopez2

This lovely Cover Reveal was organized by: