Archive for the ‘Romance’ Category

Shooting stars Book tour Banner

This is so exciting. I was so thrilled to be a part of the cover reveal for H.D. Gordon’s newest release, Shooting Stars. Not really knowing what the story was about, I was happy dancing when I saw the cover!

Now I’ve read the book and I’m here to tell ya, you get excellent writing, characterization and world building in Shooting Stars.  I wouldn’t expect anything less from H.D.

Make sure you enter the awesome giveaway following my review!

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Title: Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel #1)

Author: H.D. Gordon

Publisher: ShareAread

Release Date: March 15th, 2013

Formats:  E-book

Cover Artist: Regina Wamba

 Shooting Stars Synopsis

Once upon a time, a common boy fell in love with a princess. It was a hopeless, forbidden love, grown in a world where sorcery and magic rule over all. Now, dark times are brewing, and destiny will bring them together, while fate works to keep them apart. Extraordinary battles will be fought, and extraordinary choices made. Join the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga for the beginning of a tale of star-crossed lovers and magic, of hope and love and loss, of desperate wishes made on stars.

Enjoy this excerpt

He spoke first, and Surah found herself listening carefully to the way a slight twang rode his words, she had never heard such an accent before. “You plannin on skewerin sumthin with those?” he asked, eyeing the silver sais still clutched in her hands.

Surah watched him closely, wishing she had mastered teleportation for what seemed like the billionth time, so that she could just take herself out of here. She didn’t think that the boy meant her any harm, he was obviously just a common Sorcerer, not a spy for the Vampires or Fairies or any of the other races currently feuding over the Territories, but in the past two days the young princess had learned a very important lesson, one that she would carry with her for hundreds and hundreds of years.

You couldn’t really trust anyone.

She gave a slight shrug, held his gaze, which was somehow very penetrating. “I was thinking about it,” she said, hastily brushing the tears from her face that she just remembered were there.

The boy approached the lake slowly, giving Surah a wide berth, his dirty hands raised at his sides, dark hair falling into his face. Then he plopped down on the shore of the lake and stared out over it. He settled his arms on his knees and put a hand over his chest were his heart was. “Alright,” he said, “right here, then. Put er right here.” He looked at her now, his eyes burning with the same amount of grief Surah felt burning in her own soul. A piece of her broken heart went out to him then, even though she tried with all her might to call it back. She felt broken, but he looked broken.

“And don’t miss,” he added.

My Review

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I’ve never read a book By H.D. that I didn’t love.

I first met Surah Stormsong in Redemption, an Alexa Montgomery Saga novel. She was much more impetuous and looking for a fight. Now she has matured and has been forced to take on a heavy mantle in being the Keeper for her kingdom.

Surah acts like a princess, looks like a princess, and fulfills her duties to her people. But she’s tired of the pomp. Tired of people never saying what they mean, only what they think she wants to hear. Tired of the rigid behavior expected of her. She has a desire. A desire to be free from it all, from the cold walls of the castle, to breathe the fresh air, to be ordinary. Just be…

Someday I will shed the mask, she thought. Someday.’

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Until then, she will do whatever she must to serve and protect her people in a world torn asunder.

I didn’t know what to expect when I received this ARC. I was surprised to learn it was about sorcerers, witches, and supernatural creatures. How exciting. And there is romance, a gentle romance that starts as a flicker and becomes a beautiful flame.

I really like Surah. She’s stuck, but she doesn’t whine. And her partially shaved purple haircut and the combat boots she wears makes her normal, gives her attitude. I like my protagonists to have some quirks.

Charles. Now there’s someone I could fall in love with. He’s quite, introspective, slow to rile, and still carries a torch for the young girl he met for only a brief moment a thousand years ago. That’s what I call a love that endures, that lasts a lifetime! You’re gonna love him.

Samson is Surah’s best friend. She saved him when he was but a cub. That’s right, he’s a tiger. I like when an animal gets a major role in a story. I feel a bond. I imagine that’s how man felt when a wolf came in to share his fire.  Samson won me over instantly and made me wish we could all have a friend like him. Who wouldn’t love a giant tiger of their very own.

There are some bad guys too. There’s no way H.D. wouldn’t give us some characters to loathe and where would we be without some action. One character was a mystery to me right from the beginning and I’m sure he was intended to be. All through the book, I wondered what his story was and whether he would turn out to be the villain or the good guy. Definitely kept my curiosity ramped up.

Shooting Stars is something different from H.D. Gordon. It’s romance, adventure, and magic with a lighter touch. Not quite as kick-ass as The Alexa Montgomery Series. They were more violent, darker, and while that’s the stuff that gets my endorphins pumping, I really loved Surah’s story.

Five Stars for the beginning of a new, addictive series!

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Giveaway

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

Prizes include:

$50.00 Adopt a Tiger package from WWF

Baby Samson Plush

5 e-copies of Shooting Stars.

Ends April 15th.

Click on rafflecopter link below to enter.

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

About the Author

H.D author pic shooting stars

H. D. Gordon is the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga. Blood Warrior, the first book of the Alexa series was her debut novel and has held a spot in the top 100 fantasy bestsellers for over a month. Half Black Soul is the second book in this series and H. D. plans to complete Alexa’s tales by the end of 2012. In June of 2012, Joe, a fantasy novel about a young clairvoyant, was released as well. H. D. is a lifelong reader and writer, a true lover of words. When she is not reading or writing she is raising her two daughters, playing a little guitar, and spending time with her family. She is twenty three years old and lives in the northeastern United States.

You can follow H.D. Gordon at:

Blog

Author Facebook Page

Twitter

Goodreads Author Page

H.D.Gordon Facebook page

Webpage

Goodreads Fan Club

 H.D. Gordon’s Books

The Surah Stormsong Series

The Alexa Montgomery Saga

       

JOE

 

                       

I’ve always loved reading stories about firefighters and investigators. It’s fascinating and terrifying.

Fire and Ash sounds like it will keep me on my toes, staying one step ahead of the flames!

Fire and Ash by Anne Patrick



Fire and Ash is the story of female fire investigator Sadie McGregor.  When she was a child, Sadie lost her family in a horrific fire that still haunts her.  She’s now been called in to investigate a fatality fire in her hometown of Emerald Point, Missouri. What Sadie and the handsome new police chief discover will not only affect those close to them, but will rock the entire community.
 
 
Reviews and Awards
“This is a beautiful, yet hard-hitting story, fluently written, presenting characters you fall in love with.” ~ Reviewed by Fennel at LASR
“A Top Pick! Another Fantastic Novel!!!! Anne Patrick’s novel, “Fire and Ash” is a well-written novel that flows wonderfully. A fantastic read!” ~ Night Owl Reviews
“A wonderful read, this book had me laughing and crying. True to life characters and vivid descriptions, along with comedy and heart stopping moments, make this a page turner you’ll want to read again.” ~ Happily Ever After Reviews
“As a forensics show enthusiast, I found that Anne Patrick, in her book, Fire and Ash, goes into great, minute detail of the fire investigation, that puts you on the scent of a perpetrator.  Her unique ability to incorporate multiple plots to throw you off course makes the pages fly by to connect the dots.”  ~ Onedesertrose’s Christian Book Reviews Blog
“As a retired fire investigator I have to say kudos to Ms Patrick on her research. I normally don’t read romantic suspense, but this book sounded intriguing so I couldn’t resist. I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED” ~Review from ‘Fireboy’ at Christianbook.com


Received Four Stars from Romantic Times Book Reviews!
LASR BEST BOOK of 2010 Nominee!
‘Best Inspirational’ 2010 at The Romance Reviews!
#1 Bestselling Suspense eBook, and #1 Bestselling Romance eBook at Christianbook.com!
Amazon Top 100 Bestseller in Christian Fiction!
 

Author Anne Patrick

 
Anne Patrick is the author of more than a dozen novels of Romance, Mayhem & Faith, including the award winning and bestselling WOUNDED HEROES SERIES, FIRE AND ASH, and TIES THAT BIND. When she isn’t working on her next novel she enjoys spending time with family and friends, and traveling to foreign countries to experience new cultures and adventures. Born and raised in Oklahoma, she now makes her home in Kansas. 



She loves to hear from her readers!

Book Blast Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/10/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Thank you for visiting fuonlyknew.

For all of my giveaways go here.

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Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page.
•Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!
~

My tease for today is from Shooting Stars by HD Gordon

The Surah Stormsong Series, Book #1

Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel, #1)

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Someday I will shed the mask, she thought. Someday.

This book is so freakin good! Another great new series by H.D.

I kept this mysterious because I am doing my review on Friday, March 29th.

I don’t want to say much more until then!

How about you? Got a tease? Tell me!

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hlhcover hurts like hell

Title: Hurt Like HELL

Author:London Casey

Genre: New Adult Romance

Publisher: Hundred to Home

Format: Ebook

Length: 56000 words

Release Date: March 21st 2013

Buy Links:

Book Description:

The debut novel from London Casey

Available now on AMAZON / Barnes & Noble

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HURT LIKE HELL

Tessa Belle barely escaped her father’s abusive hands ten years ago, when she was just thirteen.

On her own now, in her own apartment, she tells herself it’s time to start living.  Her dating life has been lackluster as no boy or man could ever love her or protect her the way Jack Smithen had.  After all these years, she can still picture his face that fateful night.

When her deadly past comes crashing into the present, she feels too alone to do anything.  That’s when her long lost love, Jack, appears – literally – and takes hold of her life, and her heart.  It’s been ten years since their first kiss, ten years since their lives were changed forever.  But now they’re together again, adults now, able to help each other, able to love each other openly.  Jack’s the only person who understands what Tessa endured, because Jack endured the same from his own abusive mother.

Just when it feels they can share the life they always dreamed, Tessa’s father is released early from prison.  His sole mission is to finish what he started that night in their basement ten years ago…

Hand in hand, Tessa and Jack prepare to face Tessa’s father one last time… but this time, can they both make it out alive?

Tour Schedule:

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Enchanter (Giver of Life #1)

by Kristy Centeno

YA Romance

Category: Adventure

Publisher: Lazy Day Publisher

Release Date: January 23, 2013

Heat Level: Sweet

Length: 164 pages

Buy Links

Amazon

ARe

B&N

Blurb

Leah Parker is furious when she finds out she’s been paired up for a class project with deadly silent, tough as nails, and incredibly intimidating Brandon Morris. Though she’s known him for years, Leah has made it a priority to stay away from him for a reason. As they are forced to spend time together however, Leah comes to find that there is more to Brandon than what meets the eye.

When a series of unexpected events forces Brandon to reveal his true identity, Leah suddenly finds herself fighting to come to terms with who he is and with the fact that by fulfilling his destiny she will come to lose the only guy she’s ever loved. As a family secret is unveiled and old threats possess new risks, they both have to find the strength to do what is expected of them. Even if that means losing each other in the process.

Love brought them together. His bloodline threatens to pull them apart. Will Brandon choose duty over love? Or will other forces far beyond their control separate them first?

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Excerpt

Brandon tore his lips away from mine so he could explore my neck, nipping and nibbling as he traveled the length of it. Deliberately, gently, passionately, he kissed a path down my skin and paused only when he reached my naked shoulder. “So soft,” he murmured, the hoarseness of his voice forcing my body to break out in goose bumps.

My fingers intertwined in his hair, forcing the long locks out of the black bow keeping it neatly tied at the nape of his neck. As soon as it came loose, his dark hair cascaded around his face like a curtain, making him look like some exotic creature of the night.

“Brandon…” I glanced up at his pale blue eyes, admiring the beauty of them. “Kiss me… please.”

He immediately obliged, devouring my lips with so much intensity it caused my knees to wobble. Heat, fast and powerful, spread through my body in rapid sequences as our tongues playfully toyed with each other and our bodies touched. I moaned when the feel of his strong, hard, and warm body pressed against mine. I did enjoy his masculinity and how wonderful it felt to have his hands massaging my back.

Feeling the need to explore, I untangled my fingers from his long mane and slowly allowed my hands to glide down his neck, and to his upper torso where they paused just over his pectorals. The tips of my fingers slowly slithered over his hard-as-steel chest and there they lingered for a while, exploring, touching, and feeling. Ever so slightly, they lowered to his abs, which despite the jacket and white shirt, I detected to be just as defined as the rest of him.

My greedy fingers worked their magic over Brandon, who immediately groaned and pulled away from me. His breath was ragged, his eyes filled with lust, his body language tense.

“Leah… I…”

A movement over his left shoulder caught my attention and I no longer focused on him or on what he was saying.

“Brandon, I don’t think we’re alone anymore,” I murmured as another flash of whiteness rushed from one side to the other, some ten to fifteen feet from us. It was too dark for me to determine who it was, but I was certain of one thing: we were being watched.

March 20, 2013
Aspired Writer (Review)
I Heart Romance (Review)
Margay Leah
Justice
(Review)
My Seryniti
Once Upon A Book
paranormal book club
Proserpine Craving Books
The Broke Book
Bank

The Stuff of Success
YA Novel Reader

March 21, 2013
Andi’s Young Adult Books
Brianna’s YA Bookshelf
Bunny’s Review
Full Moon Bites
fuonlyknew
House Millar
In This World of
Books..

Keeping Up With
The Rheinlander’s

Lindsay’s Scribblings (Review)
Musings of a Writing
Reader

Mythical
Books
(Review)
Sweet n’ Sassi (Review)
The YA Cafe
Wicked Readings
By Tawania

About the Author

kcenteno-authorphoto enchanter

As a child, I used to lose myself in an imaginary world by the means of a good book. Now that I’m all grown up, I get to create my own fictional realms and make them come to life in ways that most readers might not expect.

I’ve always had a passion for writing but never had the opportunity do so until now. After trying out numerous options I realized that writing was what I loved the most so when I found myself with some free time on my hands, I decided to give it a shot. As it turned out, my very active imagination helped me achieve my goals of creating believable plots with some ordinary, and some not so ordinary characters that helped the stories move along in one way or another.

As I keep moving along in achieving my dreams of becoming a published author, I divide my time in between my four children and my very understanding husband.

Connect with Kristy Centeno

http://www.kristycenteno.com

http://www.booksbycenteno.com

http://www.facebook.com/KristyCenteno

http://www.twitter.com/KrissyGirl122

http://www.goodreads.com/KristyCenteno

Don’t you just love this cover art! I just had to be a part of the Virtual Book Tour  when I spotted this.

Thanks to Reading Addiction Blog Tours!

Wait until you read the description and excerpt. I know it’ll grab your attention!

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Going Under by  S. Walden

New Adult

Date to be Published: March 19, 2013
Synopsis:
Brooke Wright has only two goals her senior year at Charity Run High School: stay out of trouble and learn to forgive herself for the past. Forgiveness proves elusive, and trouble finds her anyway when she discovers a secret club at school connected to the death of her best friend. She learns that swim team members participate in a “Fantasy Slut League,” scoring points for their sexual acts with unsuspecting girls.
Brooke, wracked with guilt over her friend’s death, decides to infiltrate the league by becoming one of the “unsuspecting girls,” and exact revenge on the boys who stole away her best friend. An unexpected romance complicates her plans, and her dogged pursuit of justice turns her reckless as she underestimates just how far the boys will go to keep their sex club a secret.
(This is a New Adult fiction book with mature themes.  It contains explicit language and descriptions of sexual violence.)
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Excerpt

I left the bathroom in a hurry, turning the corner for the foyer and slamming into him. The force of the hit was so great that I stumbled backwards, nearly falling on my bottom if not for his outstretched hand. I grabbed it before going down and wobbled on my too-high heels, clutching him as I worked to regain my balance.

“God, I’m sorry!” he exclaimed.

I looked at his face then, unprepared to see something so beautiful. I think I gasped. And then I averted my eyes out of sheer embarrassment.

“I really should watch where I’m going,” he said.

He still held my hand, and I let him. I couldn’t remember who I was or where I was going. I couldn’t remember where I had just been. I only knew that a very cute boy . . . no, he was more than cute. He was gorgeous. This very gorgeous boy was holding my hand, and I had only one thought. I wanted to make our handholding more intimate. I wanted to lace my fingers with his.

“I think I should,” I mumbled.

I chanced another look at him. I made a conscientious effort not to gasp as I took in his light blue eyes. I’d never seen eyes that color. Jared Leto had nothing on this guy’s eyes, and Jared’s eyes were the color of the Mediterranean. No, the eyes I looked into now were so light blue they looked translucent. I thought if I stared a little longer I could see right inside his head, to his brain, and I don’t know why that turned me on so much. I wanted to witness the workings of his mind, the firing synapses, information traveling safely inside neurons to different parts of his body. A few made it to his hand, and they must have told him to keep holding mine because he didn’t let go.

I stared shamelessly, licking my lips at one point. He stared back just as boldly. I wanted him to like what he saw. I wanted him to think I was sexy. I wanted him to feel the same instant attraction I did. I’d never felt it before. Not really. Not even with Finn. It was unsettling, and I wondered how people functioned after being smacked upside the head with it. Instant. Physical. Chemical.

Primal.

Just rip my clothes off, I thought. Just rip my clothes off and do me right here in the hallway!

He smiled and released my hand. I thought he did it reluctantly, like his brain ordered him to and he finally acquiesced. I smiled back, a flirty grin. I pulled my ponytail forward over my shoulder and played with the strands. I bit my lower lip. And then reality came crashing down like a hailstorm, large lumps of ice banging my head and screaming at me in unison.

“YOU’RE AT A FUNERAL!”

I looked at the gorgeous guy, and my face went white.

“Oh my God,” I whispered.

He stared at me for a moment before saying, “Are you okay?”

I shook my head and started towards the sanctuary doors. He followed behind.

“I’m awful, I’m awful, I’m awful,” I whispered over and over. I didn’t care if he could hear.

What the hell was I doing? Trying to flirt with a guy at my best friend’s funeral? How could I even forget for a second that I was at a funeral? I was supposed to be carrying around heavy, black sorrow to match my black dress and black heart, not batting lashes and fantasizing about sex with a stranger. Was I so ridiculous that a hot guy could make me forget to have any kind of decency? Or shame?

I rounded the corner and saw my mother waiting for me. And then I ran to her, threw myself into her arms, and burst into a fit of tears.

“Brooklyn,” she whispered, holding me in a tight hug. “It’s okay,” she cooed as she stroked my hair.

“I’m a terrible friend!” I wailed. I saw the fuzzy outline of a boy walking past us tentatively through the doors.

“No, you aren’t,” my mother replied.

“Yes, I am! I don’t even know why I’m here! Beth hated my guts! She wouldn’t talk to me all summer!”

“Brooke,” Mom said. “I want you to calm down. Now, we talked about this. You knew it would be hard, but she was your best friend for all those years. Do you think she wouldn’t have wanted you here?”

“No, I don’t!” I cried.

“Yes, she would,” Mom said. “Now we have to go in.”

“I can’t!”

“Brooke, Beth was your best friend,” Mom said, trying for patience.

“No she wasn’t! Not after what I did! I ruined everything! I’m a freaking slut!” I sobbed, shaking my head from side to side.

“Sweetheart, don’t say words like ‘freaking’ and ‘slut’ in a church,” Mom replied.

I only sobbed louder.

“You can do this,” Mom encouraged.

I stood my ground, shaking my head violently, refusing to go in.

“Brooklyn Wright!” Mom hissed, pushing me away and grabbing my upper arm. She squeezed too tightly, and I squeaked in discomfort. There was no more tenderness in her voice. “Get yourself together. This isn’t about you. So stop making it about you. You’re going into that sanctuary and you’re going to pay your respects to your friend, and you’re going to make it about Beth. Do you understand me?”

I swallowed hard and wiped my face.

“Do you understand me?” Mom repeated.

I nodded grudgingly, and she took my hand, leading me through the doors.

Visit all of the stops. All kinds of fun!

Virtual Book Tour Schedule March 19 -March 21
March 19th
PROMO Stops
1. Reading Addiction Blog Tours – Meet and Greet
18.
March 20th
Review Stops
March 21st
PROMO/Excerpts

S. Walden

Author Bio:
S. Walden used to teach English before making the best decision of her life by becoming a
full-time writer. She lives in Georgia with her very supportive husband who prefers physics
textbooks over fiction and has a difficult time understanding why her characters must have
personality flaws. She is wary of small children, so she has a Westie instead. Her dreams
include raising chickens and owning and operating a beachside inn on the Gulf Coast (chickens
included). When she’s not writing, she’s thinking about it.
She loves her fans and loves to hear from them. Email her at swaldenauthor@hotmail.com and
follow her blog at http://swaldenauthor.blogspot.com where you can get up-to-date information
on her current projects.
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Welcome to my stop on the Sometimes Never Blog Tour organized by Good Choice Reading Promotions.
~

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Hope and Mason’s playlist:

Wondering by: Good Charlotte

Dark Side by: Kelly Clarkson

Animal by: Neon Trees

Amazing by: Aerosmith

How to Love by: Lil Wayne

Crash into Me by: The Dave Mathews Band

More than Words by: Extreme

Looks like Love by: Needtobreathe

When She Begins by: Social Distortion

The Only Exception by: Paramore

Love Like Woe by: The Ready Set

Lost In You by: Three Days Grace

Down by: Blink 182

Truly Madly Deeply by: Savage Garden

After Midnight by: Blink 182

You Make Me Smile by: Uncle Kracker

Say When by: The Fray

I Wanna by: The All-American Rejects

Blackbird by: The Beatles

And Then He Kissed Me by: The Crystals

Paradise by: Craig Owens

Demons by: Imagine Dragons

Marry Me by: Train

Lovesong by: Adele

****Giveaway****

There is an awesome Giveaway. Check it out!

10 Paperbacks of Sometimes Never (with original book cover)

2 – $25 Amazon Gift Cards

12 Kindle ebooks of Sometimes Never.

To enter click on the rafflecopter link below.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Thank you for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

Cheryl McIntyre is a
mother, author, and insomniac, as well as a reader, movie critic, and
incredibly bad singer. She’s lived in the same area of Ohio her whole life,
though she secretly has dreams of moving somewhere a little warmer—preferably
near a beach.
Her life revolves
around four things: family, music, books, and really bad scary movies. If she
doesn’t have a kid on her hip, an iPod in her hand, or a laptop in front of her
face, it’s one of those rare moments when she’s actually sleeping.
You can follow her
author page on Facebook where she lives part time. On Goodreads, which is like
crack for avid readers. Or on Twitter, though it’s rumored she has yet to
master the art of tweeting.
 
Enter the MEGA GIVEAWAY each day by visiting every stop.
This tour is brought to you by

I love short stories and collections and was ecstatic when Donna published these! A Human Element still lingers with me and I’ve been waiting for a while now to read the sequel, A Hidden Element. The Dark Inside has me even more excited now. You get more of some of the old characters and are introduced to many new ones.

Check out the giveaway after my review.

The Dark Inside (A Human Element)

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The Dark Inside

These short stories contain characters from A Human Element and the soon to be released sequel, A Hidden Element.

The Well

It seems like no matter how hard he tries, Caleb can never be good enough in his father’s eyes. When he hears about the mission to the new world, he jumps at the chance to escape the dying planet and maybe get out from under his fathers disapproving control.

When his hopes are crushed, he’s devastated. And then his mother goes missing.

She’s disappeared without a trace.

The Well starts out being about Caleb and his conflicts with his father and his peers, and deepens into a mystery when his mother just vanishes. The author does a great job of misdirecting me, and I rushed to a wrong conclusion. This one is a deep, emotional read.

 The First Time

X-10 is not going to give in. He’s not going to let the twisted Dr. Bjord control this experiment.

He’s scared of the human girl. Not for the usual reasons, but because he’s afraid he’ll give in to the rip, tear, kill, urges that are the base part of him.

It’s the first time X-10 has coupled with a female and he experiences some human emotions like nervousness, lust, and excitement. But can he control the monster inside, the one that needs to rend?

Donna, through her characters conversations, made the tentative bond between the monster and the prostitute endearing for me. I wanted things to be okay, wanted both of them to survive this experiment.

But she’s a prostitute, he’s a monster, and this is an experiment. A deadly one.

The Job

Felix is a Seeker. His partner, Maria, is all woman, all human.

He’s never felt attracted to her before, but he’s made a mistake. He’s let his guard down and things got messy. Now he has to clean it up.

I was surprised a couple of times with this one. Had a few, ‘what the???’ moments. This is twisted fun. Can’t help it. I sometimes laugh at the dark stuff.

Frat Night

Tara’s so excited. Tonight she’s going to do it with Jonah. She’s been lying to him, telling him she’s a virgin, so he’ll woo her, romance her. But she’s ready now. Tonight they’ll finally be together.

It was a beautiful spring night.

Kind of saw some of this coming, but still got a shock. I was grinning and thinking, yes!

The Tree of Sheltered Secrets

She was going to kill whoever did it. Whoever cut down her tree.

She’d spent her childhood hiding in that tree, escaping into her own world. It was the only happy memory in her miserable existence. And now someone had hacked it down. It felt like she’d been cut down too.

Someone had to pay.

I felt sorry for Hilary. She had a horrendous life and now the only thing good was gone. I felt her rage build and as I read on, I wanted someone to pay. Pay big!

The Beginning

They were seventy-five strong. Adrian and his crew silently entered the chosen town and quickly got what they needed with mind persuasion. No one realized the strangeness of these visitors.

But that wasn’t enough for Adrian. Oh no. He had to go and make it nasty, make two people do despicable things just for his pleasure.

He also made his son Caleb and the others watch. It was a warning and a lesson.

This one is so twisted. Adrian is a sick twist and I feel so sorry for Caleb. His hate for his father is changing him. Molding him. I hope he doesn’t follow in his fathers dark footsteps.

A Lucky Strike

Ben is all alone with his foster-father now. His foster-mother is now buried and Frank expects him to take over her duties. All of them.

As Ben fantasizes about ways to kill Frank, he knows it’s only a matter of time before things turn real ugly.

It’s time to flee, but has he waited too long?

I forgot this part in A Human Element. It’s disturbing and sad. You see where Ben came from, what he endured, what shaped him.

I’m surprised he survived at all.

Excerpt – A Human Element ~ Ben

This is an excerpt from A Human Element. It’s another short about Ben taking place later than in A Lucky Strike. I’ll give a tease and tell you what I got from it.

Ben had no business being in Hud’s Place.

“North of Hotel Street in Chinatown, or NoHo as it was called, carried its distinction as the known spot for prostitute action any time of the week. He swallowed the last of his beer and laughed to himself. SoHo could be a better name for the so-many-ho’s that could be had around here.”

He shouldn’t be here. He shouldn’t have got so drunk. And he definitely shouldn’t have stepped into it with the Marines.

If he thinks the ass-kicking he just got from them was bad, the locals that get a hold of him, set him straight.

If it weren’t for the tall man, the familiar looking stranger with the bright green eyes, he’d be totally screwed.

Ben just keeps putting himself in bad situation after bad situation. I hate seeing him in the self-destruct mode.

I’m curious about the tall man, why is he always showing up at the worst times? Why is he following Ben?

Seeing a character falter, make bad moves and stupid ones, helps me connect with them, makes them human for me. I’m connected with Ben.

I enjoyed all of these stories. If I had to pick a favorite, it would be…..Ha! Not gonna tell ya!

The Dark Inside gets Five Stars from me. Each story is distinct and wrings out my emotions.

Giveaway

For the giveaway I have five ebooks of The Dark Inside in any format.

This is International.

I also have one Paperback copy of A Human Element, Book #1 in the series to give away.

The paperback is for US/Canada Only. Sorry my International friends.

To enter, please leave your email address, state whether entering for e-book or paperback, and answer this question,

Why do you like short stories?

Giveaway ends March 28th.

Thank you for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

About the author

Image of Donna Galanti

Donna Galanti is an International Thriller Writers Debut Author of the paranormal suspense novel A HUMAN ELEMENT and the author of the short story collection, The Dark Inside.

If she couldn’t write she would bike, hike, and kayak every day. She was stationed in Pearl Harbor as a photographer in the U.S. Navy followed by a career in marketing. Donna dreamed of being a writer at seven years old when she fell in love with Narnia and Roald Dahl. She lived in England at the time, attending school in a magical castle where her imagination ran wild in an itchy uniform. (bowling hat and tie included). She now lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, son,  and two crazy cats in an old farmhouse. It has lots of writing nooks, fireplaces, and stink bugs, but she’s still wishing for a castle again.

Her blog: http://blog.donnagalanti.com/wp/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/DonnaGalantiAuthor?-ref+hl

Twitter: https://twitter.com/DonnaGalanti

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5767306Donna_Galanti

Find all of her books here.

A Human Element

The Dark Inside (A Human Element)

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Release Day Book Blast

Author H.D. Gordon

For Release: March 15th

Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel, #1)

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Title: Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel #1)

Author: H.D. Gordon

Publisher: ShareAread

Release Date: March 15th, 2013

Formats:  E-book

Cover Artist: Regina Wamba

Synopsis

. Once upon a time, a common boy fell in love with a princess. It was a hopeless, forbidden love, grown in a world where sorcery and magic rule over all. Now, dark times are brewing, and destiny will bring them together, while fate works to keep them apart. Extraordinary battles will be fought, and extraordinary choices made. Join the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga for the beginning of a tale of star-crossed lovers and magic, of hope and love and loss, of desperate wishes made on stars.

Early praise for the author

“From the very first sentence the author has you hooked and wanting to read more.”

Tt ~Goodreads

“This debut novel from H.D. Gordon has everything what I love in ya. Romance, suspense, action, kick ass heroine and of course smokin hot Kayden. I loved every moment of this book and I found it extremely difficult to put down. “ Patrycja ~ Goodreads

“She keeps the reader’s attention throughout the novel with unique twists in the ever unfolding plot.” Tiffany {A Purrfect Read} ~Goodreads

Blood Warrior has one of the best Chapter One opening and ending I’ve ever read.

Cecilia Robert ~ Goodreads

Release Day Book Blast

TOUR WIDE GIVEAWAY

$50 Adopt a Tiger package from WWF

  • Baby Samson Plush
  • 5 e-copies of Shooting Stars

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Thank you for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For all of my giveaways go here.

About the Author

H.DauthorpicH. D. Gordon is the author of The Alexa Montgomery Saga. Blood Warrior, the first book of the Alexa series was her debut novel and has held a spot in the top 100 fantasy bestsellers for over a month. Half Black Soul is the second book in this series and H. D. plans to complete Alexa’s tales by the end of 2012. In June of 2012, Joe, a fantasy novel about a young clairvoyant, was released as well. H. D. is a lifelong reader and writer, a true lover of words. When she is not reading or writing she is raising her two daughters, playing a little guitar, and spending time with her family. She is twenty three years old and lives in the northeastern United States.

You can follow H.D. Gordon at:

Blog

Author Facebook Page

Twitter

Goodreads Author Page

H.D.Gordon Facebook page

Webpage

Goodreads Fan Club

H.D. Gordon’s Books

The Surah Stormsong Series

Shooting Stars (A Surah Stormsong Novel, #1)

The Alexa Montgomery Saga

     

JOE

I stumbled upon this book trailer on You Tube and after watching it, I went and checked out the book. It now rests in my Kindle and it won’t have to wait long for me to read it.

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dr6Sz9cC7Mw]
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I love trailers, whether for movies or for books. They are a great way to tease you.

While I don’t just go out and buy every book because of its awesome book trailer, it does make me go check out the book and the author.

How about you? Do book trailers help when you are thinking about reading a book? Do they sway you one way or the other?

Here’s the book cover and links in case the trailer has you hooked!

Broken Flight (Angels of Punishment, #1)

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Amazon

Anna James never planned on dying at age nineteen or ending up somewhere other than heaven. Five years later, her heart is still on Earth with her soulmate Grey, while the rest of her struggles to survive in Beyond. Not quite heaven and a lot like hell, Beyond is a proving ground where only the strongest souls are allowed to move on. With no way out, Anna keeps her head down and plays by the rules… Until she learns Grey is about to die.

Grey Wilson would give anything to go back and stop the accident that ripped Anna from his arms. But when Anna appears on Earth again, he quickly realizes things can never be as they were. Death and Beyond have changed her; brought out the dark side and dimmed her inner light. Before they can even revel in this semblance of a miracle, Grey and Anna find themselves in the middle of an angelic civil war where sabotage and danger lurk around every corner.

Anna’s dark side is exactly what Azrael – the leader of the Angels of Punishment – craves. When Azrael lays out his demands, Anna will have to make the biggest decision of her life.

Released 2013