Wednesday 30 October 2013

Prisoners

Release date: 27th September

Top Billing: Hugh Jackman, Jake Gyllenhaal, Viola Davies


When Keller Dover’s daughter and her friend go missing, he takes matters into his own hands as the police pursue multiple leads and the pressure mounts. But just how far will this desperate father go to protect his family?

What a scary film to watch as a mother, it comes across as very realistic when the two girls are taken and so easily done. There is a terrifying wait as they track down the initial suspect and then when nothing comes of it and the father takes matters into his own hands, things really hot up. As expected, the feelings are running high and both Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal are excellent in this, but it is a long film and not necessary in my opinion. As in other films I have to wonder about the decisions the main characters made. I know parents would do almost anything to save their children and I know it wouldn’t make a good story if they made all the right choices, as parents that is just not the case. It lost all realism at one point and all I could do is wish for it to end, regardless of the great two lead characters.

Tuesday 29 October 2013

Sanctuary by Pauline Creeden


ISBN-13 - 9781491072066

Title - Sanctuary
Author - Pauline Creeden
Pub Date – October 10, 2013 (Paperback)
                   September 30, 2013 (eBook pre-release)
Price – $9.99
Buy Links:

Description –
“Left Behind for the Hunger Games Generation”
In a heart-racing thriller described as Falling Skies meets The Walking Dead, Jennie struggles to find a safe place for what’s left of her family. But it seems as though there is no place sacred, no place secure. First the aliens attacked the sun, making it dimmer, weaker, and half what it used to be. Then they attacked the water supply, killing one-third of Earth’s population with a bitter contaminate. And when they unleash a new terror on humankind, the victims will wish for death, but will not find it…When the world shatters to pieces around her, will Jennie find the strength she needs to keep going?

Advance Praise
“Pauline Creeden managed to mix more genres into one book than I could possibly imagine. The overall concept, aliens attacking the earth, is straight out of Science Fiction, but then you throw in a few zombies and post-apocalyptic fiction with how the dead/sick humans are acting. Overall, the entire story was charged with the adrenaline and thrills of a suspense/thriller novel, but the mood was terrifyingly eerie like a Horror story. There was almost too much sensory information for my primitive human brain to handle. Still, all of these genres combined made for one unique and fascinating story. This kind of book is of the same flavor as The Hunger Games with its originality, which I really appreciated.” - Katelyn Hensel for Readers' Favorite

“Sanctuary is a fast-paced Christian fantasy thriller that is original and quite entertaining. The story revolves around Jennie and her family, Pastor Billy and his wife, and two brothers who are polar opposites of each other. Each chapter is presented in the point of view of Jennie, Brad or Hugh (the brothers), which gives Pauline Creeden's Sanctuary, a multidimensional feel. The three different story-lines merge into a full-fledged fantasy/horror novel that never sags or lets up on the action. While there are Christian themes present in Sanctuary, and Jennie's faith is an important part of who she is, I, a non-Christian, did not feel I was being preached to or proselytized. I recommend Pauline Creeden's Sanctuary -- it's well-written and a lot of fun to read.” – Jack Magnus for Readers Favorite


YouTube book Trailers:

About the Author:

In simple language, Pauline Creeden creates worlds that are both familiar and strange, often pulling the veil between dimensions. She becomes the main character in each of her stories, and because she has ADD, she will get bored if she pretends to be one person for too long.


Pauline is a horse trainer from Virginia, but writing is her therapy.

Armored Hearts, her joint effort with author Melissa Turner Lee, has been a #1 Bestseller in Christian Fantasy and been awarded the Crowned Heart for Excellence by InDtale Magazine. Her debut novel, Sanctuary is scheduled for release September 30, 2013, and has already been nominated for two awards in YA Science Fiction.

One of Pauline's short stories has won the CCW Short Story contest. Other short stories have been published in Fear & Trembling Magazine, Obsidian River and Avenir Eclectia. An urban fantasy short will appear in The Book of Sylvari: An Anthology of Elves from Port Yonder Press, and a vampire short will appear in Monsters! from Diminished Media Group.


A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:

Why on earth did I write a Christian novel that has both aliens and zombies in it?

When I was a teen/young adult and my faith was wavering at best, there were several movies out with the likely design to shake faith even more. End of the world movies were in their hay day. Alien invasion was another big one. And I couldn’t help but wonder. If something like this actually happened, would anyone be able to maintain their faith?

And now today, Zombies are on the rise.

Could aliens be reconciled with the Bible? Zombies? This is the purpose of Sanctuary.

Because of its poetic nature, the book of Revelation lends itself to a plethora of interpretation. I am not saying that my book is the only true possibility, but it could be one. Could not demons be misinterpreted as alien life forms? Might not Satan use this mirage to his advantage to explain the bitter water or the blotting out of the sun, moon, and stars?  And then there’s Revelation 9:6 - "And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them."

Zombies?

If anyone reading this book at least opens themselves up to the fact that yes, a biblical interpretation could resolve the problems between faith and an apocalyptic reality, then Sanctuary has completed its purpose.


EXCERPT:

When Jennie reached the back door, she saw them. Four large dog-like creatures with pinched faces like bulldogs and lion-like manes. They snarled, and one of them leapt at the window on the top half of the door when it saw her. Jennie jumped back and fell hard on the cold tile floor. The bottle of painkiller bounced across the kitchen tiles. The creature slammed against the window a second time, cracking it. She blinked hard. Her heart sunk, and the hairs on her arms stood on end. A horrendous gargling howl rent the air, causing a shiver down her spine. She held her breath and waited for the creature to slam into the door again.
“What on earth?” she whispered to herself.
When the third attempt never came, she scrambled toward the door. Blinking hard, she used the door knob to help herself stand. Out the cracked window, her mother was still out of sight, but the last of the dogs headed across the field behind her backyard.
“MOM?” Jennie called out.
The rumbling faded, and the vibrations in her chest receded with the dogs. She pulled open the door and rushed onto their back deck. “Mom, where are you?”
When she reached the banister, she looked over the side. Her mom lay sprawled with one hand on the lattice. Blood gushed from Mom’s leg and her opposite arm. Jennie’s ears rang and flooded with every beat of her heart.
Jennie didn’t know how she got to the second floor of her house, but she found herself shaking her sleeping father. How had he slept through the rumbling? “Outside, it’s Mom…”
Her father leapt from the bed. Mickey, her little brother, lay asleep and undisturbed. Dad ran down the stairs and outside in his flannel pajama bottoms and white t-shirt. He scooped Mom up to his chest and carried her inside. Blood stained his shirt in crimson.
“Jennie, call 911!”  Her father had said it at least three times before it finally registered in her brain.
She pulled the cell phone from her pocket, but it refused to connect. With a groan, she grabbed the cordless from the wall receiver, glad her heart stopped pounding in her head so she could hear.
“All operators are busy at this time,” a mechanical voice deadpanned, “Please stay on the line, and the next available operator will take your call.”
“They have me on hold, Dad. Should I hang up and try again?” She held the phone in both hands away from her face.
“No, just stay on the line.” Her father lifted the shredded jeans from Mom’s leg. “It looks like a shark bite. What on earth happened?”
Jennie took in the damage through tear-filled eyes. A huge chunk was taken from her mother’s calf, exposing the fibrous tendons that covered the bone in her leg. A bloodstain grew on the beige couch. Was she going to die? Panic rose up.
“What happened, Jennie?”
“I...I...They looked like lions, or dogs, or something. The rumbling shook the whole house…I tried to go outside to get Mom, but—” A sob blocked her throat.
Her father grabbed a throw pillow and held it against the leg. Mom’s exposed forearm laid across her chest in much the same condition as her calf.
“Grab me the duct tape.”
Jennie suddenly remembered the phone, put it back to her ear, and headed to the hall closet. She reached for the shelf above the jackets and grabbed the junk basket next to the toolbox.
“Please stay on the line. An operator will be with you shortly.”
She shoved the phone in the crook of her neck and fished through the box.  Half the contents dropped around her feet. Who cares? When her fingers wrapped around the silver duct tape, a short-lived relief sent prickles down her arms. But the urgency gripped her chest in less than a heart beat, and she threw the junk basket on the ground with the rest of the items.
“Hurry, Jennie!” her father called from the living room. “And turn on the TV. Maybe they’ll have something about what’s going on.”
She handed her father the tape and turned toward the TV. The mechanical voice on the phone came through again, followed by more easy listening.
When she clicked on the TV, the shouting and wailing began before the picture warmed up on the screen. A sideways picture of New York City broke through, with the shaky voice of the newscaster voicing over.
“What we are watching now – I can’t believe it – is live footage of Times Square,” the newscaster’s voice paused for a deep breath. “We’ve lost our man on the scene and his camera man to what appears to be some kind of new alien creature. Just a short half-hour ago, the doors to the ship that hovered above Central Park opened and these dog-like creatures flooded out.”
Jennie couldn’t pull her eyes from the screen. She straightened and dropped the phone on the hardwood. The battery popped out and skidded across the floor.


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Friday 25 October 2013

Destined for Darkness by Lucian Barnes: Cover Reveal

           

Destined for Darkness Synopsis


Frank Mancini had suffered with his abusive mother for many years, until the day that he snapped. After telling his friend, Johnny, about the incident, his friend encouraged him to leave Misty Hollows. Taking his advice, Frank journeyed across the country to California hoping for a fresh start.
Shortly after his arrival, he met a beautiful woman. He was determined to hide his dark past from her, especially after finding out that she was a psychic, able to see both the past and the future of anyone she came into contact with. He managed to hide his secrets from her until several years after they'd gotten married and started a family. Fearing that she would turn him in to the police, he killed her. Not realizing that his son, George, witnessed this act, Frank decided to take him back to Misty Hollows.
How would the memory of his mother's death effect young George? Would he follow in his father's footsteps? Journey through the years, from infancy to adulthood, with George to see if he can resist the inner darkness!

Excerpt:
 "Where exactly is ..." Frank's question trailed off unfinished as he noticed the small stone structure. The man was standing by a sturdy-looking wooden door. As Frank approached, he could see an intricate carving—which almost seemed to be burned into the wood—depicting a strange symbol he'd never seen. It was a five-pointed star with the image of what appeared to be the head of a goat inside. Two circles surrounded this odd emblem, one touching the points of the star, the other was larger. There were more markings between the two circles, each one near a point of the star.
            The man pulled the heavy door open and beckoned Frank to come inside. The interior of the building was dimly lit by two iron candelabras hanging from the vaulted ceiling by long chains, giving the chamber an ancient feel as if it belonged somewhere in the middle ages. When the man closed the door to the outside it added to this effect.
            "This way, please," he said as he went to a nearly solid metal gate. It creaked open and revealed a stone staircase leading into the ground. Torches flickered at intervals along the way, casting their shadows in a way that made them look like they belonged to something inhuman.
            Frank wondered where he was being led. This didn't seem like a place Candice was likely to hang out, and the further down the stairs he went the more he had the urge to turn around and run. Their footfalls continued to echo eerily in the passage until they finally reached a large chamber at the bottom.
            Torches blazed all around the outer edge of the enormous room. Hanging on the far wall was another rendition of the symbol from the door leading outside, only this one was much bigger. So large, in fact, that it took up almost the entire wall. In front of the huge tapestry bearing this emblem was a bald man wearing a black robe, standing behind what appeared to be some sort of church-like altar draped with a blood red cloth.
            As the two of them crossed the chamber, the bald man regarded them with furrowed brows. "Brother. Who is the outsider you have brought here?" he asked in a booming voice.

            "I didn't catch his name, but I found him in the woods. He was asking about your daughter."
Find Lucian on
 Twitter ~ Blog

Tuesday 22 October 2013

LUCIFER (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1) is ONLY .99 CENTS


Holaz Nerdians!
We have some really FABULOUS news! From TODAY until THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24, LUCIFER (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1) is ONLY .99 CENTS on AMAZON AND BARNES AND NOBLE!! *gasp* *squeal* *clap excitedly*
Yep, that’s right! In honor of Annabell Cadiz’ birthday this week *cough on the 24th cough,* she decided to celebrate by giving a discount to readers on her book ;) Check out all the intense action, hawt cast of swoon worthy male leads, and kick-butt best friend duo, Zahara and Becca, for just 99 CENTS!!
Go get your copy now! Happy reading everyone! *grins*
BOOK INFO

Have you ever wondered what could be hiding in the shadows?

Well, for eighteen-year-old Zahara Faraday, she doesn’t have to wonder. You see she comes from a lineage of Light Witches, those who have chosen to help protect and serve between the supernatural world and the human world. The only problem is Zahara, like her father Solomon, is as human as a human being can be whereas her mother, Mia, and her Aunt Catalina, were born as Light Witches. As a family they hunt down rogue supernaturals—creatures who harm humans or who have committed an act against their kingdom. 

Zahara’s hunting skills are usually kept dormant since her parents would prefer she live life as a normal human girl without knowledge of the supernatural world. She plans on doing just that—except when she finds a couple being attacked by fairies, she has no choice but to step in. Before she can return to pretending to be blissfully ignorant, Zahara encounters a problem she isn’t the least equip to handle: Bryan Hamilton, the good looking new co-worker she has to help train. In a heartbeat, her best friend, Becca King, has set her up on a double date with herself and her new crush, Rekesh Saint-Louis, who happens to be the most powerful leader of the biggest Imago Coven in South Florida –supernatural creatures with the ability to control water . . . and suck out human souls. 

Zahara has no time to focus on how she’s going to explain her double date with her best friend and the enemy they have a tentative truce with to her parents because soon one of the members of Mia and Catalina’s coven is found murdered with a strange tattoo of a snake with wings carved into his arm.

Zahara is then thrown into a whirlwind battle with an angel determined to have revenge against God, an Imago coven she doesn’t think they should trust, and slew of dream-eating fairies and powerful Nephilims, hybrid children of angels and humans, more than happy to rip her to shreds.

Normal just got a deadlier definition.
PRAISE FOR LUCIFER
"I love discovering new authors and can’t wait for more books by Annabell Cadiz, the writing was well crafted, and characters developed nicely with the plots twist and turns that just kept me hooked. This is a paranormal trilogy to look out for and get your hands on it asap!" ~Seeing Night Reviews
“Lucifer  has everything a good book should have: a kick ass heroine with an awesome best friend, hot guys that are seriously full of  hotness, epic fight scenes, and an ending that made me want to demand the author release the second installment  now!” ~Writing, Stuff and Nonsense
“First, I have to say CONGRATS to Annabell on her debut release! She has done a great job at writing a paranormal world where things are not always as they seem. Things go bump in the night and if you’re not careful they will bump into you. I have to say that I was thoroughly immersed in this story and I could not put it down. For all you paranormal lovers out there this is a must read to add to your list!” ~Kaidans Seduction
“It was an action packed adventure that had me on the edge of my seat many times throughout the book. The plot had action, supes, some romance, mystery, kick a**heroines, and an awesome cast of characters all masterfully woven together to give us a story unlike any other I have read. What an ending!” ~Crazy Four Books
"I really enjoyed this book. There is several different paranormal beings you get to see from Fairies, Angels, Witches and more. There is plenty of action going on. You never know when danger is going to appear in this book. I liked all of the characters even some of the bad ones. I will say there is lots of twist and turns and you never know what will happen. The ending I was surprised hugely by and it makes me crave the next book even more. I need to know what will happen next. I won't give any spoilers but I will say expect the unexpected." ~Racing To Read
AUTHOR INFO

Annabell Cadiz was born in the sweltering heat of South Florida. She was raised surrounded by Puerto Rican chefs and band of siblings that weren’t all related to her. A self-proclaimed nerd and book-a-holic (her room does hold much evidence to prove her claims are justifiable), she created TeamNerd Reviews to showcase her EXTREME love for novels where, along with her best friend, Bridget Strahin, she hosts book reviews, interviews, giveaways, Indie Shoutouts and much more. She also had the pleasure of being published in three separate issue of Suspense Magazine. She is currently attending Trinity International University to attain her B.A. in Psychology. She also adores Cinnamon Teddy Grahams, has an addiction to Minute Maid Orange juice, and is a proud Jesus Freak. Her debut novel, LUCIFER (SONS OF OLD TRILOGY, #1) was published January 2013 and the second book, MICHAEL, will be out Fall 2013 and the third book, NEPHILIM, will be out Spring 2014.
WHERE TO STALK ANNABELL!

Monday 21 October 2013

Halloween Event with Anchor Group Publishing


Halloween Event with Anchor Group Publishing
If you are not familiar with this publishing company
you must do so, a.s.a.p. 
Here is their link to Facebook
and the lovely  Website
BE SURE TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY AT THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE
A wonderful group of authors
belong to this  firm and its imperative for all book lovers to meet them.
So many delightful books are published monthly from Anchor Group.
You will meet a few now.
Anchor Group has decided to do an annual Halloween event and giveaway for all the fans.
Not only are the authors hosting giveaways but they have also included snippets from their books.
They were asked to include the spookiest parts of their books so that the Halloween theme will spread from blog to blog.
Without further ado, here they are.
 Enjoy!

Author Emily Fogle
Chasing Flames

Spooky Teaser:

A sudden flood of panic froze me where I stood. I could only stand there, gaping in shock at the horrifying beast. Its shadow blotted out the waning light and blocked the view of the outside world. I stared at it with my mouth hanging open. The tip of my tongue held onto my scream, too terrified to let it go.
A hideous face of matted fur and gnarled teeth glared at me. Its eyes glowed blood red, and a monstrous paw with jagged dagger-claws reached out toward me. The tip of one nail snagged on my shirt and I could feel the horrendous power beneath its grip. I tried to run, but my fumbling feet got tangled together. Hard, I fell on the wood floor. I kicked my legs, trying to get away from the beast, but it closed the distance before I could back up an inch. It crouched down in front of me, kneeling on all fours, and I could see its ripping teeth.
It was so close.
            With one twisted claw, the monster ripped at his face with tearing nails. The fur-riddled flesh tore away from the wolf’s face, but the slashing fingers did not shred the skin. Instead, it melted away into a solid hunk of deformed fur. What was left in the wake of the gruesome carnage was ...
Find Emily on Facebook
 and attend her Release Event for Chasing Flames:

Author Karen Swart
Kasayda Hellhound Awakened

Spooky Teaser:

   I could hear a girls giggle as he stepped out silently. I followed the silent approach he was doing, and closed the door slowly. Turning around, I could see the couple in the corner of the alley; the girl was between the wall and the guy.
   Chax moved along the wall, keeping his eyes on them, one slow step at a time. I looked at him and decided that this is as far as I go. I dont want to be in the middle of whatever he has in mind. The girl suddenly screamed, and I looked away from Chax to them. The ally was dark, so I couldnt make out whats going on. She was hitting him on the back but he wasnt backing off. The next thing I knew, Chax punched the guy in his side, a growl like a beast escaping into the alley.
   Holy crap, its not a guy, its a freaking demon!
   I took a few steps back. So not ready for this yet.
  The demon turned around and faced Chax, who already had his swords drawn; he stood there ready and waiting. The guys face changed then, into what can only be described as a cross between a cat and a dragon. He had two large fangs sticking out of his mouth and from his chin downwards, I could see what looked like dark liquid running down, crap it was blood!


   I stopped dead, not wanting to attract attention to me. The demon stormed forward attacking Chax, who only stepped aside, made two swipes with his sword and then walked over to the girl. I looked at the demon to see why the hell Chax is just leaving  it and not killing it, only to see its head missing, and the body slumping to the ground.

   Something hit my boot so I looked down straight into a pair of eyes, I jumped away from it. “Oh thats so gross,” I complained and slammed into the opposite wall, keeping my eyes on the head.
Find Karen on  Facebook

Author Lucian Barnes

City of The Dead

Spooky Excerpt:

 Confusion swirled through his consciousness. The last thing he remembered was being lashed to a tree as the main course for an army of bugs. Had they detoured around him and gone after an alternate food source? He didn't think so, but why else would he still be here?
   Just thinking about it made him itch, like the massive column of insects was crawling over his skin at this very moment. Realizing he could move now, George reached with one hand for his other arm to dig his fingernails into his flesh and peel it from his bones if he had to in order to quell the maddening sensation.
   "No!" he screamed into the still dusk air as he watched his fingertips pass right through his arm. "This can't be!" Spinning around he came face to face with what was left of his body. Most of his flesh was gone, but there were still tiny fragments of tissue clinging to the skeletal frame which was bound tightly to the enormous oak. Tilting his head toward the sky George bellowed out in rage, vowing to pay the Black Knight back for what he had done to him. It was now just a matter of how and when he would exact his revenge upon his former master.

Find Lucian on Facebook

Author Elizabeth Kirke

More Than Magic Series


Spooky Excerpt:

   It was dark, truly dark. I had thought that it was dark in the desert, but I had been able to look up and see stars. The canopy of leaves above us was so thick that I couldn't see a single star. I wasn't sure if I had ever been somewhere with literally no light anywhere in sight. The fact that I was moving made things even eerier.
   "How well can you see in the dark?" I had to ask. TS hadn't stumbled once, even though I could feel him hopping and stepping over obstacles.
   "Me?" TS asked. "Well enough."
   We probably walked for another five minutes when TS stopped.
    "You smell that?"
   "Yeah," Thomas said. "Been hearing it, too."
   "What?" I asked.
   "We're being watched," Thomas whispered.
   "Why do you come here?" an unfamiliar voice asked. I nearly jumped out of my skin. Suddenly a horrible snarling hiss came from way, way too close to me. TS tensed and growled.
Find Elizabeth on  Facebook

Author Christy Sloat

The Visitors Series


Spooky Excerpt:
Ephraim kissed me in an attempt to distract me,
 and for a moment it worked. I got lost in his arms as he held me gently. The kiss deepened a bit more, and then I opened my eyes. That’s when things went all wrong. I saw a misty cloud coming toward us. At first I thought it had to be low lying fog, until I started to see the eyes forming in the mist. I pulled myself away from Ephraim and he turned around to see what I was seeing. There was no way he would be able to see it, because he didn’t see the dead. But they say those who are close to death can see death. It’s completely true because he saw them. At first he was frozen as they walked closer to us. Then he got up and backed away, scared. He wasn’t used to seeing them like I was. Scratch that! I was never going to get used to this, but I had to try if this was my life now. I went toward the mist as the dead started to surround me, locking me inside a circle of their bodies. Their eyes were glassy and their faces veiny and gruesome. They didn’t look like their former selves, unless they were zombies in their life. A woman put her hand on my arm. I froze as her clammy palm rested on my skin. It felt cold at first, and then wet.
“Who are you?” I asked with a shaky voice. She tried to talk,
 but her mouth was sewn shut. Her lips were moving so fast; she was desperately trying to tell me something. Only murmuring came out.
“Brylee, get away from them,” Ephraim called.
I didn’t try to get away, like an idiot stayed there. A man, whose lips were not sealed,
 came forward. “You surround yourself with the dead?” he asked as he pointed to Ephraim.
“He isn’t dead. He is alive. Why are you here?” I snapped.
“He isn’t dead yet, but he will be soon.” I shivered at his words. The woman pointed to a spot in the grass and led me to it. I was being shoved toward a place I had no clue of what it was. Once I was on top of it, I saw them … graves. The headstones bore the names of the dead that now surrounded me.
 Find Christy on Facebook

Author Amy Richie
Sapphire City

Spooky Excerpt:

   “There’s nothing to be afraid of,” I whispered to myself. Just a mysterious light in the ocean. Probably happens all the time.
   I reached the dock and hesitated again. I would just have a quick look and then leave. No big deal. I took a deep breath and walked all the way to the edge of the dock.
   “Stella.”
   With my heart hammering fast enough to make me dizzy, I looked down into the calm water. I didn’t really expect to see anything, but there it was … a small circle of beautiful orange light. My breath caught.
Find Amy on Facebook




Author H.J Daly
Awaken

Spooky Excerpt:
   As they fought with the tangled branches and thick undergrowth it took them a while to reach their friend. They could already see the blood pouring down his cheek, his pupils blacker than the night. He stood motionless, caught in some sick game between two creatures who were circling him in the small clearing. The creatures had no need for weapons, their claw like hands were tipped with razor sharp talons, each tip delivering a small dose of poison. One ran up to Bendrin, its thick serpent tongue lashed out, licked the blood from his face and sighed in ecstasy.
   The boys had seen enough and managed to angle a bow in the small space to hit one of the creatures in the neck. It shrieked out and fell to the floor, seeing its opportunity, the other dived on top of its fellow creature and started to devour the flesh before it had even stopped struggling. Quickly, they reached Bendrin and between them, began to drag him back through the trees. It was a wasted effort, the cries from the dying creature had brought others and they all wanted to play.
Find H.J on her Blog


Author Katherine Polillo

The Watchers Trilogy



Spooky Excerpt:


   I shot down a side street, thinking it was probably no one, just my mind playing tricks on me, but why not try to lose them anyway. As soon as I turned the corner, I felt better. I let a sigh escape my lips as I tried to determine how to get where I needed to go from my new location. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps echoed through the dark alley and a distinct panting noise rose along the quiet night. I lost all control and broke into a desperate run for the opposite end of the alley, where I would again be shot off onto a street with hopefully someone in screaming range, or at least a streetlight. I really didn’t want to face my attacker in the dark. I could face the minions of Hell, just not in the dark. I hit the end of the alley at a dead run and promptly dove into a large hydrangea bush meant to mark the property line of someone’s front yard. I clamped a hand over my mouth and attempted to slow my racing heartbeat. Crouching down, I attempted to make myself as small as possible while I waited to see who my assailant was.
   I didn’t have to wait long. From the alley emerged a large chocolate lab, its owner not far behind. The dog’s leash grasped firmly in his hand as he jogged out of the alley and made a left onto the main street. The adrenaline slowly began to dissipate, leaving me feeling euphoric and foolish all at once. I sat back on my backside, relief and chagrin mixing as a giggle escaped my lips. I had surely brought paranoia to a new level. Standing, I started attempting to free myself from my hiding spot, realizing the poor bush was never going to be the same. I caught a reflection out of the corner of my eye and I froze in place. It was as if the sun had glinted off something metallic, only there was no sun … it was midnight. I stood, still half in the bush, waiting for the reflection to happen again. I glanced around the seemingly empty street, waiting, but it didn’t reoccur. Jerking my purse free of the branches that entwined it, I hurried off for home. I couldn’t quite shake the feeling that I was being watched .
Find Katherine on Facebook


Author Stacey Rourke
The Gryphon Series

Spooky Excerpt:

   Somewhere between sleep and awake he came to me. The mattress shifted under his weight as he settled in beside me. Warm breath teased against my ear. “I could ne’er leave you, lovey.” His wandering hands gripped my waist and rolled me to face him. This warbled land governed by sleep couldn’t conjure his whole essence—too much time had passed for that. Instead it teased me with glimpses of what I’d been missing; silky hair caressing my cheek. Hot kisses traveling down my neck. Emerald eyes filled with an insatiable hunger. The sensual awakening that jolted
through me when his mouth found mine. “I’m always with you,” Caleb whispered against my lips. I twined my arms around his neck and pulled him closer—a move that garnered a low groan of appreciation. His hands roamed up my arms and encircled my wrists. In a sudden, shockingly violent, move he forced them down against the mattress and pinned me there. I gaped in confusion as green eyes blinked to sapphire blue. His seductive stare twisted into visible disgust and hatred. Like ink dumped from a bottle, the black drained from Caleb’s hair. The dripping color leaked away to reveal long strawberry blond hair ponytailed at the nape of his neck. Alec. But not the latest version of him currently possessed by a three hundred
year old demon. This was the Alec I first met whilst rolling a tire. The carefree boy I had started to fall for before fate intervened. Yet the look that darkened his gaze was more murderous then welcoming. I thrashed and bucked beneath him but couldn’t seem to summon one iota of strength. His grip on my wrists tightened to the point of pain. “Is he worth it?” He hissed in my face, “Is he worth the blood on your hands?” Crimson red blood bubbled up Alec’s throat. It seeped between his teeth and dribbled down his chin. “Will he still want you when he knows what you’ve done and what it cost?” Squeezing my eyes shut, I cringed further into the mattress as blood rained down. The warm stickiness, with its pungent rusty smell, dripped on my face and soaked my shirt. I risked a glance up to see Alec’s lips curl in an evil grin. “Now, how ‘bout a kiss?” He bowed his head and crammed his blood soaked lips to mine. My muffled scream quickly turned into a gurgled gasp for air as I fought not to drown in this crimson hell. -Excerpt from Ascension, Gryphon Series Book 4 releasing in November
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Author Alicia Michaels
Lost Kingdom of Fallada Series


Spooky Excerpt:

   “Such anger,” she said with a ‘tsk’. “I can see that you have much passion, Elf. I shall enjoy your company greatly before I kill you. Perhaps watching your beloved die will take the wind out of your sails.”
   Kai simply glared at her, his eyes cold, blue slits of rage. His chest heaved with the force of his anger. Eranna shrugged and turned back to Zara, approaching the stone slab again, her lips parted in a gruesome grin. When she reached the altar, she plucked a lock of Zara’s hair from the ground and inspected it with interest.
   “Such beauty,” she murmured. “Such freshness and youth, wasted on a mere human. I know of your father’s treachery, girl. He stole from Fallada what was rightfully mine, and I intend to have it back.”
   “Please,” Zara pleaded, hoping to appeal to the woman’s sense of right and wrong—if she possessed any at all. “Why are you doing this? What did I ever do to you?”
Eranna laughed. The sound was bitter and raw. “Do to me? Why, nothing, child. You are my enemy simply by circumstance of your birth. You are an abomination, an anomaly; you have no right to exist. What right do you have to such power? You do not even know how to control it! You are weak, a simpering little girl with no idea the kind of might she possesses within her bones! And why should you possess it when I am so much more worthy? Why should you experience the joys of a lover’s embrace and his child in your belly while I …” she trailed off, her expression crestfallen as she turned her back on Zara. For a moment, Zara thought she detected the glisten of tears in the queen’s eyes. “It is no matter,” she continued, her voice gruff and choked. “I will amass so much power unto myself, that no one will stand in the way of what I want. I shall have it all; beauty, youth, power, eternal life.” She turned back to Zara, her knife glistening in the candlelight. “And I shall begin by taking from you what I so rightfully deserve.”
   Zara could only stare, hypnotized by the madness in Eranna’s eyes as she advanced on her knife raised. Through the roaring in her ears, she faintly heard Kai’s roars of anger, his voice growing hoarse, soon smothered by the rattling of his chains as he fought against them to no avail. The glint of the knife caught her eye as Eranna lifted it high over her head.
   Her smile was sad as she turned for one last look at the love of her life. He’d ceased struggling and stared back at her with tears in his eyes, silent sobs shaking him from the inside.
   “Zara,” he whispered as he realized then that the fight was over.
   “I love you,” she whispered, closing her eyes as a swift current of air warned her of the knife’s descent.
From Beyond the Iron Gate: Zara’s Journey
A FREE read, and prequel novella to the Lost Kingdom of Fallada Series
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Sunday 20 October 2013

Talented - Sophie Davis


When Talia Lyons was six years old she watched the murder of her parents and the only thing that got her through the pain was the thought of one day taking her revenge on the man that killed them. She is taken in by a family who work for the government and helps her develop her talent which happens to be the ability to read and influence the minds of others around her. Everyone who is ‘talented’ is taken to a military school and taught how to use their talents to benefit the agency and help them fight against the rebellion.


I really liked this story, it gripped me from the very beginning once I got over the idea that nuclear contamination would develop these talents and not actually kill and maim. It felt a little like the x-men at first but on a bigger scale. All children are forced to take a test at a young age and then if a talent is found, are moved to a school in order to develop their talent. Of course there were those who hated the idea of being taken away from the family and used in a war that they thought was wrong. For me it showed a wider story but as the MC is a teenage girl, we see the development of her relationship with Donavan and her team mates Eric and Henri.

I did feel that it spent a little too much time on her inner turmoil over the men in her life rather than the story of war but that said it still kept my interest. I just wanted her to question things a little more, I know she lived within the agency walls for a long time and she had never thought to question but even at the end in the middle of her solo mission, she still didn’t think to question what she had been told and if there was something more out there. From the beginning when it was mentioned what the government do to you once you were tested positive, I just waited for the questions to arise, for people to ask what was really going on, though I think I might be a rather cynical woman who doesn’t trust authority.

With all that being said, it was a good read, it hooked me and I read it quickly wanting to know what happened. Talia is a strong character and this first book only scratches the surface of what she can do and I can’t wait to find out more about what is next for her and what her past really holds.
 

Supernatural Seduction - Aneesa Price

With the group of witch-vampires, known as Coffin Girls, now established, they are doing all they can to rescue kidnapped witches who are being tortured and killed by an old adversary. Sophie forms part of the Coffin Girls and from her witch half, is a powerful empath who can read and even influence others with her ability. As her powers grow, she suffers from horrendous nightmares and the only way to tackle them is by accepting the help of a fae prince called Sylvain. As friends they work well together, but as she seeks his help, their feelings for each other collide leaving them unsure of where this will take them.

Although we follow the Coffin Girls, the main focus of this book is around the growing relationship between Sophie and Sylvain. The story between the two of them is strong and the characters are well developed. As an adult book, which I have to say is not one of my favourites as on the whole the bedroom scenes are crude and uncaring, here however I found them written well. They were well thought out and dealt with the emotions rather than just the act.

The only thing that slowed the pace of this good story for me, was it spent so much time on the budding relationship between the two characters that the fight against the evil kidnappers seemed like a subplot and a little rushed. Maybe I just like action rather than romance.

Friday 18 October 2013

The Call


Release date: 20th September 2013

Top billing: Halle Berry, Evie Thompson, Abigail Breslin


A 911 operator takes a life altering, emergency call from a teenage girl that is about to be kidnapped and so begins a race against time to save her.

I sat down expecting an action thriller and it started well enough, we saw a previous call that led to the death of a young girl and the operator is now in a position to save a teenage girl caught in a deadly game. I like the premise that the girl was in constant contact with the operator and it created the tension that drove the film. That said, as time passes you have to think why the operator makes the decisions she does. I know if they didn’t make stupid decisions the film would be very short, but in this kind of film where it is supposed to be gritty, realistic I just kept thinking why. Why would you do that and not speak to the police at the scene or lose your phone at the most inopportune moment and then the end ...

The acting wasn’t bad, nothing special and it came across as a run of the mill thriller. Not one that I will be revisiting.
 

Thursday 17 October 2013

About Time


Release date: 4th September 2013

Top Billing:  Domhnall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams, Bill Nighy

At the age of 21 Tim is told that he can travel back in time, only on his own timeline and only to change the little things in life. For Tim the only thing he wants is to be in love, but the road to a wonderful girlfriend is not an easy one.

Everyone told me what a great feel good film this was and maybe if I was in a different mood, it might have been but as it was I didn’t really see it. It was the usual British film, very Four Weddings but as the writer was Richard Curtis, it’s not a surprise. The humour was low key and made me smile though the pace was slow and I did look at my watch from time to time.

The two main characters did nothing wrong, they didn’t quite fit for me but I really liked the relationship between Tim and his father. It was so nice to see a strong, healthy love for one another.  This film won’t be on my favourites list but it didn’t do anything wrong, just didn’t do anything special either.