Shadow Fire by Kimber Leigh Wheaton Spotlight and $50 Gift Card Giveaway

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Shadow Fire

Ashlyn – a free-spirited teenager whose peaceful life is shattered when the village elders honor her with a perilous quest to recover a stolen relic.

Zane – a jaded mercenary, torn by his undeniable desire for Ashlyn and the dark secret that could make her hate him forever.

Delistaire – a malevolent sorcerer driven by an insatiable lust for power.

All three are bound together by an ancient relic supposedly infused with the power of a Goddess.

Shadow Fire – adventure, passion, secrets, and betrayal

As Ashlyn and Zane race to stay one step ahead of the evil lurking in the shadows, their passions are ignited and their bond strengthens. But will they find the relic before Delistaire? Or has their entire quest been orchestrated from the very beginning by a madman in pursuit of ultimate power?

Each installment of The Light Chronicles is a standalone story.

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Praise for Shadow Fire

"This book contains monsters, magic, majestic creatures, and a evil guy that wants to destroy the world. If you love hot guys.....Zane is all that plus a few tricks up his sleeve. Just read it!" Venture ~Amazon Reviewer

"Adventure, magical creatures, fun characters, and romance make this book a perfect read for all ages." James ~Amazon Reviewer

"I thought the writing was strong; it had me turning the pages quickly to see what would happen next. The characters were engaging and the dialogue well-written." Lisa Temple ~ Goodreads

"Oh, I truly loved this one! Shadow Fire, by Kimber Leigh Wheaton, is a snappy, sassy, sweet, all-that-kind-of-awesome-and-then-some YA read. I couldn't put it down." ~Sasha Hibbs ~ Amazon Reviewer

Excerpt
When we reach the deck, everyone stops to stare at me. Trying to ignore the blatant curiosity, I follow Hanna down the aft stairs to the brig. Zane and Taranis occupy cells across from each other. They're both sitting on the floor glaring daggers at each other. Hanna hands the key to me and slips away. Inching closer, I'm careful to remain out of reach of the two prisoners. As soon as they see me, both men jump up and start talking over each other.

"Ashlyn! How are you feeling, Love?" Zane asks.

"Ashlyn, my fiery angel, you are a ray of sunshine in this dank prison!" Taranis says.

"I'm gonna let you both out, if, and only if, you promise to behave," I threaten. Both men nod their agreement. "That means no fighting. It also means we never, and I mean never, speak of what happened last night." When I get no argument, I free Zane first and then Taranis.

"Do you even know what happened last night?" Zane asks, taking me into his arms. I stand rigid in his embrace, not sure if I'm ready to forgive him quite yet.

"Only what Hanna told me," I snap at him.

"I saved your virtue from this raving lunatic," Taranis says, pointing at Zane.

"Then you decided to take it for yourself!" Zane yells back at him.

"Did you not hear me?" I shout. Pulling myself from Zane's embrace, I back up and glare at both men. "No speaking of last night. Period. End of discussion."

"Yes, Love," Zane replies.

"Yes, virtuous virgin," Taranis replies.

"Taranis!" I release a menacing growl, and wince when my right eye starts to tic. "Yes?" he asks, eyes full of mock innocence.

"Run," Zane says.

Taranis listens to Zane's advice and takes off up the stairs to the deck with me hot on his heels.





Author Kimber Leigh Wheaton

Kimber Leigh Wheaton is a YA/NA author with a soft spot for sweet romance and is a member of Romance Writers of America.

She is married to her soul mate, has a teenage son, and shares her home with three dogs and four cats. No, she doesn’t live on a farm, she just loves animals. Her house is filled with dragons, though she does lament that they are the porcelain, non-flying variety.

Kimber Leigh is addicted to romance, videogames, superheroes, villains, and chocolate—not necessarily in that order. (If she has to choose, she’ll take a chocolate covered superhero!)

Her debut novel, Shadow Fire, is the first book in The Light Chronicles series. Watch for book two, Stolen Moon, a standalone sequel, coming soon.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Blog

Blast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 5/15/14

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 and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Review: Meridian by Josin L. McQuein

Goodreads Summary:

Marina thought that she had solved all of the Arclight’s mysteries. She had found her own history—that she was one of the Fade, that she never should have been human. She knows that the Fade who surround the Arclight don’t want to be the humans' enemies at all. She knows that the leader of those inside the Arc, Honoria Whit, never told the whole truth. But there is so much more that Marina is just discovering. There are more survivors out there. Only Marina—and her friends, all of whom have connections to the Fade they'd never known about—can lead her people to them. But there are also darker dangers, things that even the Fade fear. And Marina slowly realizes she may never have been “cured,” after all. The sequel to Arclight, Meridian is an intense, action-packed page-turner about the lines we draw between right and wrong, light and dark . . . and the way nothing is ever that black and white.

Publication Date: April 22, 2014

I like the Arclight series, but I felt like Meridian dragged. Although I found it interesting to learn about how the Fade came into existence, I wanted more about the present conflict. However, I liked how Meridian set up the conflict for the next book.

The series definitely reminds me of The Host, which is one of my favorite books. Marina has a Fade conscience living inside of her named Cherish. Cherish is in love with a Fade named Rue while Marina has developed feelings for a human boy named Tobin. I actually wish more of the book focused on the complicated romance. Although it’s touched upon, there was very little development with the relationships.

There was a lot of action in the book, which made the novel hold my attention. The beginning was a little slow as the reader gets reacquainted with the Fade and a new type of threat. The Arclight survivors set out on a mission and the book really picked up. The writing was very descriptive and it gave me the ability to easily imagine what the Fade and Wild Fade looked like.

Meridian is a likable character and with Cherish inside of her, I could empathize with how she was being pulled in two different directions. I’m not sure how her dual personality issue will be resolved, but I’m curious to see if everyone is able to get a happy ending. I’m hoping for a way that Cherish ends up with Rue and Meridian stays with Tobin. Tobin is my favorite character. He’s such a real teen boy and I liked that the author didn’t make him out to be a boring Gary Stu and instead kept him flawed.

Overall, I do really like the series and will continue on. I was hoping for more resolution and romantic development, but Meridian did make me eager for the next book.

Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Review: One Broke Girl by Rhonda Helms

Goodreads Summary:

Anna Parker’s life disintegrates with one phone call. Her dad’s selling their ritzy New York City condo because her Wall Street banker mom emptied their bank account and ran off with another man. Which means Anna has to drop out of her elite college and move with Dad back to their small Ohio hometown. Anna’s determined to reclaim her life ASAP, so she’ll use the next few months to save money, help Dad get back on his feet, and find and confront her mom.

But Anna doesn’t anticipate things going so wrong. The only job she can get is working as a lunch lady in an elementary school. Their money-pit duplex is falling apart around their feet. And her dad is depressed without her mom, who's proving hard to find.

One bright spot in the chaos is Gavin Metcalf, a kindergarten teacher she dated when they were young teens. With his easy wit and sexy smiles, he makes her forget her stresses—and the fact that her boyfriend Steven back in New York doesn’t know the truth yet about her dire circumstances. When past and present collide, Anna has to decide where her future lies...


Publication Date: April 2014

This was a short read with an interesting premise. I loved the idea of the main character going from riches to rags and discovering her self along the way. Although there were some cute moments, I think the length of the story didn’t allow me to form enough of a connection to the main characters.

Anna had a lot of growth during the novel. I liked how she changed for the better. It would’ve been interesting to read more about what she was like before her mom left. I think it could’ve helped to better understand what she was going through. If the book started at an earlier point, it would have made me understand her relationship with Steven and why she was torn up about potentially ending things with him.

Gavin was a cutie and I definitely loved him as a potential love interest (he’s a kindergarten teacher, such a swoony job). My favorite parts of the book were Anna’s run ins with Gavin and how much he flustered her. Anna’s budding friendships with Bianca and Natalie was also a strong plot point.

Overall, I liked One Broke Girl, but would’ve preferred more conflict and development. I think this book is the start of the series, so hopefully future books will let readers get to know the characters better.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

I received a complimentary copy of One Broke Girl for review.

Release Day!!! Falling for Autumn Sale Event and $20 Amazon and Paypal Cash Giveaway

Autumn Dorey had no problem leaving her hometown of Newpine and the friends there who’d betrayed her. Everyone thought they knew what happened the spring night Autumn’s world fell apart. Vicious rumors about the incident circulated, and she had to be homeschooled the last year of high school to escape her tormentors. All she wants now is to get away from it all and start over at Cook University. She leaves everything but the memory behind—something she swore she’d never forget—and sets off to rebuild what was broken.

Blake Preston is precisely the type of guy Autumn wants to avoid. He’s gorgeous, arrogant and the college’s beloved football star. As much as she believes he’s someone she should steer clear of, avoiding him proves to be impossible. He shows up everywhere around campus, offering her a no-strings attached friendship. 

Autumn can’t deny Blake stirs up emotions she thought fled years ago. But things he’s been hiding begin to emerge and collide with her past, leaving her heart ravaged in their wake.

Amazon Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Autumn-Heather-Topham-Wood-ebook/dp/B00JMHTHV0/
Paperback Purchase Link: http://www.amazon.com/Falling-Autumn-Heather-Topham-Wood/dp/1496191838

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20571274-falling-for-autumn

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Review: Plus One by Elizabeth Fama

Goodreads Summary:

Divided by day and night and on the run from authorities, star-crossed young lovers unearth a sinister conspiracy in this compelling romantic thriller.

Seventeen-year-old Soleil Le Coeur is a Smudge—a night dweller prohibited by law from going out during the day. When she fakes an injury in order to get access to and kidnap her newborn niece—a day dweller, or Ray—she sets in motion a fast-paced adventure that will bring her into conflict with the powerful lawmakers who order her world, and draw her together with the boy she was destined to fall in love with, but who is also a Ray.

Set in a vivid alternate reality and peopled with complex, deeply human characters on both sides of the day-night divide, Plus One is a brilliantly imagined drama of individual liberty and civil rights, and a fast-paced romantic adventure story.

Publication Date: April 8, 2014

Plus One had an interesting premise, but I’m not sure if I totally bought into the idea behind the dystopian society. However, I did like some of the unique plot elements and interesting secondary characters.

I’m usually easily sold on dystopian setups, but for some reason Plus One’s world building didn’t really work for me. There was a vague explanation of why the country had separated into day and night dwellers (something to do with increased productivity), but it was a little too implausible for me to believe. The government was paying a huge expense to keep the program in place (guards to check IDs, surgeries to correct circadian rhythms, medications to treat vitamin D and melatonin deficiencies), with very little payoff. Also, the plot of Plus One could’ve been stronger. It just didn’t make much sense for a smart girl like Sol to enact this half-baked scheme to steal her niece for a few hours from the maternity ward so her grandfather can finally meet her.

Although Sol’s impulsiveness was maddening at times, I did admire her fierce loyalty to her family. The romance was also sweet and slow building with Sol and D’Arcy not really getting along for two-thirds of the novel. D’Arcy was a great love interest and I liked how kind and good he was, especially when it came to protecting Sol. The secondary characters, such as Jean and Poppu, were also very likable.

There was a lot of action in the novel, so I never grew bored while reading. The author also put in some unexpected twists that I hadn’t anticipated. Because of the gorgeous cover, I thought it would be more of a plot driven by the romance, but that wasn’t the case. It was more about how Sol’s race to save her grandfather while uncovering government conspiracies.

I did enjoy Fama’s writing style and her superb characterizations, which would make me pick up another book by the author despite my issues with the world building.

Rating: 3/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!

Stacking the Shelves #86

Stacking the Shelves is a weekly meme hosted by Tynga's Reviews and features books you've added to your shelves, both physical and virtual.

Purchased:

Mud Vein by Tarryn Fisher

For Review:

The Dolls by Kiki Sullivan

Feral by Holly Schindler

In a Handful of Dust by Mindy McGinnis

Kiss of Broken Glass by Madeline Kuderick

Fool Me Twice by Mandy Hubbard

A Kiss by the Book by Christy Hayes

Review: The Winner's Curse by Marie Rutkoski

Goodreads Summary:

Winning what you want may cost you everything you love

As a general’s daughter in a vast empire that revels in war and enslaves those it conquers, seventeen-year-old Kestrel has two choices: she can join the military or get married. But Kestrel has other intentions.

One day, she is startled to find a kindred spirit in a young slave up for auction. Arin’s eyes seem to defy everything and everyone. Following her instinct, Kestrel buys him—with unexpected consequences. It’s not long before she has to hide her growing love for Arin.

But he, too, has a secret, and Kestrel quickly learns that the price she paid for a fellow human is much higher than she ever could have imagined.

Set in a richly imagined new world, The Winner’s Curse by Marie Rutkoski is a story of deadly games where everything is at stake, and the gamble is whether you will keep your head or lose your heart.

Publication Date: March 4, 2014

I’m really torn over how I feel about this book and I definitely think it has to do with a mix of the novel being super hyped and my personal reading preferences. Don’t get me wrong, I liked the book a lot, but it took me a while to get into it.

The setup was intriguing: a fantasy setting where two people from warring nations find love. Kestrel is a general’s daughter and Arin is the slave she purchases at auction. The romance is slow building and sweet and the author has a wonderful way of invoking emotions with her words. The writing was exceptional in the book and I really felt like I could picture the world in my head.

Kestrel was interesting and the author made it easy to see Kestrel’s two sides at war with one another. She has a lot of expectations placed on her because of her father, but she also empathizes with the plight of the slaves. Arin was a little bland to me and I guess I was expecting to read about the horrors of his enslavement. Obviously, slavery is horrible no matter how it happens, but the lack of urgency of his plight took away from some of the tension. And despite Kestrel being the slave owner, Arin bosses her around and she gives in every single time. It was just a strange dynamic from what I was expecting.

The book was slow for me in the beginning and this is definitely where my personal reading preferences come into play. Some readers won’t mind the pages and pages depicting balls, card games, fancy gowns, etc. But to hold my attention, I need more conflict. Luckily, the second half picked up and I was able to find myself getting further invested.

However, despite it all, I am a fan of the author’s works. I read The Shadow Society by her last year and honestly I liked that book more than this one. I’ll continue the series because after the ending there’s no possible way readers can’t.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of the novel for review!