July 30, 2013

200 LIKES?!?!? This calls for a GIVEAWAY

at 7/30/2013 08:30:00 PM 34 comments
What the frack? 200 likes? Thanks to all of you likers ;) It humbles me to know that my little blog is liked by so many awesome peeps. I am in awe of all you my fans who like my blog and therefore! Since we passed 100 some time ago, I will be giving away 2 prize packs! Scroll down below to see pictures of the packs and to enter the giveaways. Best wishes! mwah! FYI, these giveaways are for residents of the U.S.A and Canada! 

100 LIKES PRIZE PACK [1 WINNER]

1 WINNER will get a signed copy of Dark Prince, a stainless steel water bottle, a mini fan, some bookmarks, some book cover cards, a box of mints, a temp tattoo, a booklet of excerpts from Christine's upcoming books, and a printed Dark series bag.

and if that wasn't enough, this already awesome prize will include a variety pack of swag I gathered from Comic Con and other book signings.

a Rafflecopter giveaway




200 LIKES PRIZE PACK [1 WINNER]

1 WINNER will get a signed copy of Heart of Obsidian (Hardcover) and a variety swag pack.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour Stop Post: Biting Bad by Chloe Neill

at 7/30/2013 12:00:00 AM 7 comments

Merit has been a vampire for only a short while, but she’s already seen a lifetime’s worth of trouble. She and her Master, centuries-old Ethan Sullivan, have risked their lives time and again to save the city they love. But not all of Chicago is loving them back.Anti-vampire riots are erupting all over town, striking vampires where it hurts the most. A splinter group armed with Molotov cocktails and deep-seated hate is intent on clearing the fanged from the Windy City come hell or high water.Merit and her allies rush to figure out who’s behind the attacks, who will be targeted next, and whether there’s any way to stop the wanton destruction. The battle for Chicago is just beginning, and Merit is running out of time.
Chloe says:

Hi, everyone, and welcome to the BITING BAD Blog Tour! From July 29, 2013 to August 9, 2013 (click here for full schedule), I’m visiting blogs to give Merit an opportunity to rate the men of the Chicagoland Vampires series–are they “Book Boyfriend” material? Let’s see what she has to say.
Morgan Greer, Master
Hair/eye color: Dark Brown/Navy Blue
Species: Vampire
House affiliation: Navarre
First appearance in book (book/page): SGB, pg. 147
Thoughts: He was flush with potential until a twist of fate put him at the helm of Navarre House. Now . . . I’m not sure. He’s got an old House, and a young soul. But perhaps there’s time for him yet.
Verdict: C- / Book boyfriend material for those with high drama tolerance.


*NOTE from Lisa* Check out my ARC review/Giveaway of Biting Bad by clicking here. Below is a picture to peak your interest ;)




~*~About the Author~*~





photo by Dana Damewood

Chloe Neill is the New York Times bestselling author of the Chicagoland Vampires series and was born and raised in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Neill now makes her home in the Midwest with her husband, Jeremy Dixon, a photographer and IT guru, and their two dogs, Baxter and Scout.

Neill studied art in college and she had big plans to move to New York to become an artist until she took her first political science class--she was hooked! Chloe Neill went on to earn two more degrees, both a BA and an MA, in Political Science and has a full-time office job with long hours but somehow manages to find the time to write wonderful novels.

Chloe Neill began writing novels in 2004 after reading every Paranormal, Urban Fantasy and Romance series she could find. After sending a query letter directly to Penguin, Editor Jessica Wade read it, breathlessly requested a full manuscript, and a dew short weeks later was able to make Chloe a deal. This book was to become Some Girls Bite, the first book in Chloe Neill's New York Times bestselling Chicagoland Vampires series.

While writing the Chicagoland Vampires series, Chloe Neill also wrote a series for Young adult readers about a boarding school for teens with paranormal abilities in Chicago called the Dark Elite series. When not working or writing, Chloe Neill enjoys graphic design, web design, baking, travel, visiting Chicago, playing with her dogs and learning how to use her Nikon camera. 


To learn more about Chloe and the stories she weaves, visit her website.

July 24, 2013

Cover Reveal: The Edge of Darkness by Melissa Andrea

at 7/24/2013 07:00:00 AM 0 comments


Araya Noelle.
I used to dance. I loved to dance, but I don’t anymore. I was in an accident I don’t remember…or maybe I don’t want to remember. Either way, every day since, has been…an adjustment and I’m left with a constant reminder that nothing is forever. Now, my life is a tangled web of darkness filled with deceit, hate, betrayal and lies. I don’t dwell on the past, I don’t regret and I don’t remember. I thought I was surviving – but then I met Ryland Dare and he changed everything. He reminded me that life’s worth living and that remembering isn’t always a bad thing.

You don’t know true darkness until you've felt light…

Ryland Dare.
On the outside looking in, some would say my siblings and I have had a pretty easy life. But beyond the fancy cars, the huge house and endless social events, is where the truth really lies. Power hungry father, defeated mother and fake friends? Yeah I have one of each. It’s not as depressing as it sounds. My brat of a sister, crazy ass brother and sweeter than sweet Annie, keep me entertained. Then Araya Noelle comes along and shows me what I’ve been missing. She thinks I changed her life, but really, she saved mine.

At the edge of darkness, a ray of light, will dare them to HOPE. DARE them to LOVE. DARE them to LIVE.
EXCERPT

 “I’m afraid I’m going to have this hanging on my conscious all day now.” he teased.
“That only seems fair.”
“Yes it does, but I have a better suggestion.” his voice slid over my skin like silk.
“Better for whom?”
“Go out with me.”
His proposal stunned me for a second and then I found my voice.
“So better for you?”
“I like to think of it as a mutual enjoyment.”
“I fail to see how.”
He shifted, and his breath hit my face in warm puffs. “Go out with me and I’ll show you.”




AUTHOR BIO


Melissa Andrea

I find it hard to sum up my life in a paragraph, but I’ll try.

I am the author of Flutter, The Discover Series! Reading has always been a passion for me, and writing as instinctive as breathing. Every inhale is an idea; every exhale a creation.  The only thing I do better than writing you ask? Making beautiful girls. My daughter’s will always be my greatest accomplishment.

I was born in Denver, Colorado–but I will always think of sunny Arizona as my home. I don’t have a big family, but I’m close with my sister, brother & my mom. My mom is my hero, my inspiration, and I couldn’t have asked for a more amazing person to be raised by.

4 things you should know about me: I’m very girly, but I can get down and dirty with the best of them. I adore the color pink and things that sparkle (including vampires), I am a firm believer that chocolate cures ALL and I like even numbers (hence 4 things about me, not 5) Okay, maybe I cheated a little with my list, shhhh.


BUY LINKS

AMAZON:

B & N:

ITUNES:

KOBO:



SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS

Goodreads – Book:

Facebook:


Twitter:


Pinterest:


Website:

July 23, 2013

Release Day Blitz: Sharpshooter by Cynthia Eden

at 7/23/2013 02:30:00 AM 0 comments

Heart-pounding action meets smoldering desire in USA TODAY bestselling author Cynthia Eden's Shadow Agents miniseries! Two years ago Gunner Ortez saved Sydney Sloan's life on a mission gone wrong. And ever since then, he's been watching her back. Now a hostage-rescue mission is about to blow the Elite Ops agents' lives apart once again.


Book Links








Author’s Bio & Picture


USA Today Best-selling author Cynthia Eden has written over twenty-five novels and novellas. She was named as a 2013 RITA® finalist for her paranormal romance, ANGEL IN CHAINS, and, in 2011, Cynthia Eden was a RITA finalist for her romantic suspense, DEADLY FEAR.
Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings.  She has always wanted to write (don’t most authors say that?), and particularly enjoys creating stories about monsters–vampires, werewolves, and even the real-life monsters that populate her romantic suspense stories.

Cynthia’s foreign sales for her books include translations to Japan, Germany, Thailand, Greece, and Brazil.
(Back in the day…) Cynthia graduated summa cum laude from the University of South Alabama where she studied Sociology (because people interest her) and Communication (because she likes to write about said people).  Cynthia has worked as a college admissions counselor, a teacher, and as an editor. But now, Cynthia is thrilled to be spending her days making up stories.

Author Links





July 18, 2013

ARC Review & Giveaway: Biting Bad by Chloe Neil

at 7/18/2013 01:08:00 AM 31 comments


Merit has been a vampire for only a short while, but she’s already seen a lifetime’s worth of trouble. She and her Master, centuries-old Ethan Sullivan, have risked their lives time and again to save the city they love. But not all of Chicago is loving them back.
Anti-vampire riots are erupting all over town, striking vampires where it hurts the most. A splinter group armed with Molotov cocktails and deep-seated hate is intent on clearing the fanged from the Windy City come hell or high water.
Merit and her allies rush to figure out who’s behind the attacks, who will be targeted next, and whether there’s any way to stop the wanton destruction. The battle for Chicago is just beginning, and Merit is running out of time.

First, I want to thank the lovely staff at Berkley/NAL, Penguin Group who sent me this ARC. Chloe Neill has done it again with the next installment of her Chicagoland Vampires series. I have been a fan of Neil since Comic Con 2012. I was passing by a publisher's booth and one of the booth babes handed me a copy of Some Girls Bite, the first book in the series. After recovering from my day in geek central, I started reading the book and didn't put it down until I was done with the whole thing. By the time I was done, I was in love with the Merit's world and could not wait to get my hands on the next book, then the next book, then the next book, and so on. Like many of you, I am waiting on pins and needles for the next installment and according to Neil's website, next book after Biting Bad is called Wild Things. :D

After finishing this book, I sat in speechless silence. For 5 MINUTES! I read through the book like there was no tomorrow. Now, that I think about it, that's exactly what it felt like. Merit and Sullivan are still in their cutesy (lusty) phase of their relationship and things were actually ok....UNTIL! A BLOOD4YOU factory is set on fire by a bunch of rioters who hate vampires. Things were already tense with Cadogan House breaking away from the GP, but the GP makes a move that no one saw coming. Mischief is afoot in the streets of Chicago and Merit is just the girl to get things done! Things get personal when the rioters start to attack friends and allies of the Cadogan House. All of the characters you know and love are given enough face time. I especially loved the banter between Merit and Ethan when they are alone. :D 

There are plenty of one lined zingers and playful banter scattered in every chapter to give you a good laugh. Chloe Neill certainly knows what she's writing about. Biting Bad is definitely worth reading and a great addition to the series. I give this book a five star rating!

Click the links below to pre-order a copy! The book is set to be released on August 6th. If you want to take your chances with Lady Luck, I am giving away a paperback copy of Biting Bad, along with a Chicagoland bag and a pack of various swag! Keep scrolling down to the widget to submit your entries.






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~*~About the Author~*~



photo by Dana Damewood

Chloe Neill is the New York Times bestselling author of the Chicagoland Vampires series and was born and raised in Jacksonville, Arkansas. Neill now makes her home in the Midwest with her husband, Jeremy Dixon, a photographer and IT guru, and their two dogs, Baxter and Scout.

Neill studied art in college and she had big plans to move to New York to become an artist until she took her first political science class--she was hooked! Chloe Neill went on to earn two more degrees, both a BA and an MA, in Political Science and has a full-time office job with long hours but somehow manages to find the time to write wonderful novels.

Chloe Neill began writing novels in 2004 after reading every Paranormal, Urban Fantasy and Romance series she could find. After sending a query letter directly to Penguin, Editor Jessica Wade read it, breathlessly requested a full manuscript, and a dew short weeks later was able to make Chloe a deal. This book was to become Some Girls Bite, the first book in Chloe Neill's New York Times bestselling Chicagoland Vampires series.

While writing the Chicagoland Vampires series, Chloe Neill also wrote a series for Young adult readers about a boarding school for teens with paranormal abilities in Chicago called the Dark Elite series. When not working or writing, Chloe Neill enjoys graphic design, web design, baking, travel, visiting Chicago, playing with her dogs and learning how to use her Nikon camera. 

To learn more about Chloe and the stories she weaves, visit her website.

July 10, 2013

Blog Tour Stop: Fifth Grave Past the Light by Darynda Jones

at 7/10/2013 12:00:00 AM 34 comments
Never underestimate the power of a woman
on a double espresso with a mocha latte chaser high.
—T-shirt
Charley Davidson isn’t your everyday, run-of-the-mill grim reaper.  She’s more of a paranormal private eye/grim reaper extraordinaire.  However, she gets sidetracked when the sexy, sultry son of Satan, Reyes Farrow, moves in next door. To further complicate matters, Reyes is her main suspect in an arson case.  Charley has vowed to stay away from him until she can find out the truth…but then dead women start appearing in her apartment, one after another, each lost, confused, and terrified beyond reason.  When it becomes apparent that her own sister, Gemma, is the serial killer’s next target Charley has no choice but to ask for Reyes’ help.  Arsonist or not, he’s the one man alive who could protect Gemma no matter who or what came at her. But he wants something in return. Charley. All of her, body and soul. And to keep her sister safe, it is a price she is willing to pay.


Charley Davidson is at it again in Fifth Grave Past the Light, the sexy, suspenseful, and laugh-out-loud funny fifth installment of the New York Times bestselling series by Darynda Jones.

I am so excited to read this book. I am still waiting for my copy to arrive. It's times like this, I wish I had the forethought to get the ebook version and a Kindle instead. Keep scrolling to read an excerpt from Fifth Grave Past the Light and to enter a giveaway for an autographed copy of Fifth Grave. There are also links to sites where you can purchase your own copy. There's also a quiz that you can take at the way bottom. I got an 8, so that means, "You are open to unique experiences and you have an open, inquisitive mind. You may have experienced the supernatural at some point in your life. You are a fan of all paranormal, books, movies and TV series." So true! :D



~*~EXCERPT~*~

Ask me about life after death.
—T-shirt often seen on Charley Davidson,
    a grim reaper with questionable morals

The dead guy at the end of the bar kept trying to buy me a drink.
Which figured. No one else was even taking a second look and I’d
dressed to the nines. Or, at the very least, the eight- and- a-halves.
But the truly disturbing part of my evening was the fact that my
mark, one Mr. Marvin Tidwell, blond real estate broker and suspected
adulterer, actually turned down the drink I’d tried to buy
him.

Turned it down!

I felt violated.

I sat at the bar, sipping a margarita, lamenting the sad turn my life
had taken. Especially to night. This case was not going as planned.
Maybe I wasn’t Marv’s type. It happened. But I was oozing interest.
And I wore makeup. And I had cleavage. Even with all that going for
me, this investigation was firmly wedged between the cracks of no and
where. At least I could tell my client, aka Mrs. Marvin Tidwell, that it
would seem her husband was not cheating on her. Not randomly,
anyway. The fact that he could’ve been meeting someone in par tic ular
kept me glued to my barstool.

“C-come here often?”

I looked over at the dead guy. He’d finally worked up the courage
to approach and I got a better view of him. I figured him for the runt
of the litter. He wore round- rimmed glasses and a tattered baseball
cap that sat backwards on top of muddy brown hair. Add to that a
faded blue T-shirt and loosely ripped jeans and he could’ve been a
skater, a computer geek, or a backwoods moonshiner.

His cause of death was not immediately apparent. No stab wounds
or gaping holes. No missing limbs or tire tracks across his face. He
didn’t even look like a drug addict, so I couldn’t tell why he’d died at
such a young age. Taking into account the fact that his baby- faced
features would make him look younger than he probably was, I estimated
him to be somewhere around my age when he’d passed.

He stood waiting for an answer. I thought “Come here often?”
was rhetorical, but okay. Not wanting to be perceived as talking to
myself in a room full of people, I responded by lifting one shoulder
in a halfhearted shrug.

Sadly, I did. Come here often. This was my dad’s bar, and while I
never set up stings here for fear of someone I knew blowing my
cover, this just happened to be the very same bar Mr. Tidwell frequented.
At least if it came to a knockdown drag- out, I might have
some backup. I knew most of the regulars and all of the employees.

Dead Guy glanced toward the kitchen, seeming nervous before he
refocused on me. I glanced that way as well. Saw a door.

“Y-you’re very shiny,” he said, drawing my attention back to him.

He had a stutter. Few things were more adorable than a grown
man with boyish features and a stutter. I stirred my margarita and
pasted on a fake smile. I couldn’t talk to him in a room full of living,
breathing patrons. Especially when one was named Jessica Guinn, to
my utter mortification. I hadn’t seen her fiery red hair since high
school but there she sat, a few seats down from me, surrounded by a
group of chattering socialites who looked almost as fake as her boobs.
But that could be my bitterness rearing its ugly head.

Unfortunately, my forced smile only encouraged Dead Guy.

“Y-you are. You’re like the s-sun reflecting off the chrome bumper of
a f-fifty- seven Chevy.”

He splayed his fingers in the air to demonstrate, and my heart was
gone. Damn it. He was like all those lost puppies I tried to save as a
child to no avail because I had an evil stepmother who believed all
stray dogs were rabid and would try to rip out her jugular. A fact that
had nothing to do with my desire to bring them into the house.

“Yeah,” I said under my breath, doing my best ventriloquist impersonation,
“thanks.”

“I’m D-Duff ,” he said.

“I’m Charley.” I kept my hands wrapped around my drink lest he
decide we needed to shake. Not many things looked stranger to the
living world than a grown woman shaking air. You know those kids
with invisible friends? Well, I was one of those. Only I wasn’t a kid,
and my friends weren’t invisible. Not to me, anyway. And I could see
them because I’d been born the grim reaper, which was not as bad as
it sounded. I was basically a portal to heaven, and whenever someone
was stuck on Earth, having chosen not to cross over immediately after
death, they could cross to the other side through me. I was like a giant
bug light, only what I lured was already dead.

I pulled at my extra- tight sweater. “Is it just me, or is it really
warm in here?”

His baby blues shot toward the kitchen again. “Hot is m-more
like it. S-so, I— I couldn’t help but notice you t-tried to buy that guy
over there a drink.”

I let my fake smile go. Freed it like a captured bird. If it came back
to me, it would be mine. If not, it never was. “And?”

“You’re b-barking up the wrong tree with that one.”

Surprised, I put my drink down— the one I bought myself— and
leaned in a little closer. “He’s gay?”

Duff snorted. “N-no. But he’s been in here a lot lately. He l-likes
his women a little . . . l-looser.”

“Dude, how much sluttier can I get?” I indicated my attire with a
sweep of my hand.

“N-no, I mean, well, you’re a l-little—” He let his gaze travel the
length of me. “—t-tight.”

I gasped. “I look anal?”

He drew in a deep breath and tried again. “H-he only hits on
women who are more s-substantial than you.”

Oh, that wasn’t offensive at all. “I have depth. I’ve read Proust.
No, wait, that was Pooh. Winnie- the- Pooh. My bad.”

He shifted his non ex is tent weight, cleared his throat, and tried
again. “More v-voluptuous.”

“I have curves,” I said through a clenched jaw. “Have you seen
my ass?”

“Heavier!” he blurted out.

“I weigh— Oh, you mean he likes bigger women.”

“E-exactly, while I on the other hand—”

Duff ’s words faded into the background like elevator music. So
Marv liked big women. A new plan formed in the darkest, most corrupt
corners of Barbara. My brain.

Cookie, otherwise known as my receptionist during regular business
hours and my best friend 24/7, was perfect. She was large and in
charge. Or well, large and kind of bossy. I picked up my cell phone
and called her.

“This better be good,” she said.

“It is. I need your assistance.”

“I’m watching the first season of Prison Break.

“Cookie, you’re my assistant. I need assistance. With a case. You
know those things we take on to make money?”

Prison. Break. It’s about these brothers who—”

“I know what Prison Break is.”

“Then have you ever actually seen these boys? If you had, you
would not expect me to abandon them in their time of need. I think
there’s a shower scene coming up.”

“Do these brothers sign your paycheck?”

“No, but technically neither do you.”

Damn. She was right. It was much easier to just have her forge my
name.

“I need you to come flirt with my mark.”

“Oh, okay. I can do that.”

Nice. The F-word always worked with her. I filled her in and told
her the deal with Tidwell, then ordered her to hurry over.

“And dress sexy,” I said right before hanging up. But I regretted
the sexy part instantly. The last time I told Cookie to dress sexy for a
much- needed girls’ night out on the town, she wore a lace- up corset,
fishnet stockings, and a feather boa. She looked like a dominatrix. I’d
never been the same.

~*~Links To Purchase Books~*~



   Audible





~*~GIVEAWAY~*~

1 Autographed copy of Fifth Grave Past the Light to one lucky winner.



~*~ About the Author ~*~


NY Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Darynda Jones has won numerous awards for her work, including a prestigious Golden Heart®, a Rebecca, two Hold Medallions, a RITA ®, and a Daphne du Maurier, and she has received stellar reviews from dozens of publications including starred reviews from Publisher’s Weekly, Booklist, and the Library Journal. As a born storyteller, Darynda grew up spinning tales of dashing damsels and heroes in distress for any unfortunate soul who happened by, annoying man and beast alike, and she is ever so grateful for the opportunity to carry on that tradition. She currently has two series with St. Martin’s Press: The Charley Davidson Series and the Darklight Trilogy. She lives in the Land of Enchantment, also known as New Mexico, with her husband of almost 30 years and two beautiful sons, the Mighty, Mighty Jones Boys. She can be found at www.daryndajones.com.

Darynda Jones Website
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The “Maybe I Have Charley Abilities" Test
“Ask me about life after death.”
—Charley Davidson
     Let’s face it, Charley is all kinds of awesome. But her job as the Grim Reaper comes with a whole lot of crazy. Imagine being the portal to heaven. See? Crazy. But didn’t we all inherit a little of the crazy gene? You know. The one your great aunt Sally passed down? So even though you aren’t the grim reaper, thanks to Great Aunt Sally, you may still have the ability to speak to ghosts. Think about it. Do you sense things before they happen? Do you sometimes know things, yet you can’t for the life of you explain how you know them? You may have powers similar to Charley. Are you a ghost whisperer such as our snarky heroine Charley?
Let’s take a test and see how much extrasensory perception you have.
First, take a deep breath and hold it.
Hold it . . .
Hold it . . .
              Just kidding. Your ability, or lack thereof, to go deep sea diving without a *** has nothing to do with extrasensory perception.
But maybe this will help:
            1. Do you see dead people in your home?  Especially in the corners and bathroom?
Yes___ No___
             2. Have you ever gotten goose bumps from a sudden chill in a room for no apparent reason?
Yes___ No___
3. Have you ever been told that psychic gifts run in your family?
Yes___ No___
           4. Have you ever known the cell phone was going to ring before it actually rang?
Yes___ No___
5. Have you ever had a dream or a vision that came true?
Yes___ No___
6. Have you ever felt you were being watched when you were alone?
Yes___ No___
7. Would you refuse to spend the night in a "haunted” house?
Yes___ No___
8. Do you meditate?
Yes___ No___
        9. Do you easily accept new experiences without trying to find an explanation?
Yes___ No___
10. Do you go with your "gut feeling”?
Yes___ No___
     11.  Have you ever seen anything that could not be explained logically?
Yes___ No___
12.    Do you have an open mind about the supernatural?
Yes___ No___
13.  Do you hear voices, yet are alone in your room?
Yes___ No___
14. Do you wear black 90% of the time?
Yes___ No___
15.  Do you drink lots of coffee?
Yes___ No___

Scoring your test:
         Give yourself one point for each "yes” answer. As for question "14 &  15”  you don’t count those. LOL 
The 4-1-1 on your Score:
Scores 1 – 4
             Your psychic ability has not been fully developed.  It may be that your personality is collected and commonsensical, and you prefer to see "phenomena” in your books only.  However, keep reading paranormal romances. Who knows? You may get lucky.  

Scores 5 – 8
             You are open to unique experiences and you have an open, inquisitive mind. You may have experienced the supernatural at some point in your life. You are a fan of all paranormal, books, movies and TV series.

Scores 9 – 13
         It is certainly possible that you have Charley’s ghost whispering abilities. Your score is very encouraging. You have almost certainly experienced a supernatural event.  You are very open to the subject. You are a fan of planning vacations around spots that are rumored to be haunted, and you read tons of paranormal romances. Warning: You should place a sign on the bathroom door, just in case.  Happy ghost whispering!



 

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