Book Blitz and Giveaway: The Swan and the Jackal by JA Redmerski

 

By
NYT Bestselling Author J.A. Redmerski

An
Adult Suspense/Crime/Thriller/Romantic
Suspense

Releasing
March 5, 2014

Amazon
| Barnes and Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

KILLING
SARAI (Book, #1) is on sale for .99 cents for a limited time!

Fredrik Gustavsson never considered the possibility of love, or that anyone could ever understand or accept his dark and bloody lifestyle—until he met Seraphina, a
woman as vicious and blood-thirsty as Fredrik himself. They spent two short but
unforgettable years together, full of lust and killing and the darkest kind of
love that two people can share.

And then Seraphina was gone.

It’s been six years since Fredrik’s lover and sadistic partner in crime turned his world upside-down. Seraphina went into hiding and has eluded him ever since. Now, he’s getting closer to finding her, and an innocent woman named Cassia is the key to drawing Seraphina from the shadows. But Cassia—after sustaining injuries from a fire that Seraphina ignited—suffers from amnesia and can’t give Fredrik the information he desperately seeks. Having no other choice, Fredrik has been keeping Cassia locked in his basement as he not only tries to get her to recall her past—because she and Seraphina share it—but also to protect her from Seraphina,
who clearly wants her dead.

But Cassia is a light in the darkness hat Fredrik never believed existed. After a year subjected to her kindness and compassion, he finds himself struggling with his love for Seraphina, and his growing feelings for Cassia—because he knows that to love one, the other must die.

Will light win out over darkness, or will something more powerful than either further destroy an already tortured soul?

(Note: THE SWAN & THE JACKAL
is NOT a New Adult title.)

 Exclusive Release Excerpt

Cassia pushes herself closer when I thought she couldn’t get any closer and urges me
to look at her. Her right hand moves toward my face to console me, but I stop
it, holding it at the wrist and pushing it back down.

“The only one of us who should be talking about our past, is you,” I tell her.

Her doe-like eyes fall under a shroud of disappointment.

But she’s not going to give up so easily.

“You’ve asked so much of me, Fredrik,” she says with such kindness, “but when I ask anything of you, you turn me away. I only want to know this one thing. I don’t care anymore about Seraphina, or the history you have with her. I don’t even care
what I have to do with it.” Her soft hand ends up touching the side of my face anyway, and I’m not sure how she slipped it past my barrier. “All I care about anymore is you, Fredrik.” She peers deeply into my eyes and ensnares my gaze, her face full of heartbreak and longing. “What are your demons trying so hard to kill?”

I push her hand away more forcibly this time.

“Do you remember anything?” I ask, disregarding her question altogether.

“Stop,” she says with more intensity than I expected. “You’re going to give me this. 

Before you leave me alone down here another night, you’re going to tell me.”

The desperation in her eyes bores into me. I look away, only to look right back at her.

“Please…,” she says.

A lump moves down my throat and settles somewhere in my chest. All ten of my fingers spear through the top of my dark, messy hair and I let out a miserable sigh of defeat.

I never talk about my past to anyone. Ever. I try not to think about it, but on some days that is as futile as trying not to breathe. It wasn’t until I met Seraphina eight years ago that I learned to control it, that I became a much different man from the one who hunted shit stains like Dante Furlong, tortured and murdered them every other night, never feeling the satisfaction that I longed to feel with every kill. I was like a
drug addict, always looking for a fix but never really satisfied enough to stop. Never satisfied at all, because I only wanted to do it more and more.

Seraphina helped me control the perpetual urges. She showed me how to release the darkness within me with quieter, cleaner methods so that I didn’t leave a trail of bodies and evidence behind. But the biggest impact that Seraphina had on my life was making me feel like I had one. Because before her, I was just a speck of dust floating around in oblivion. I didn’t know the meaning of happiness, or understand the thrill of pleasure or the hunger for excitement. I was just a shell of a man who knew only darkness and death, who only felt the emotions of anger, and hatred, and rage and vengeance.

But Seraphina, she was my dark angel, who came into my life and showed me that there was so much more to living than I ever understood. Ever since she left me in that field the night she set my house ablaze, I’ve been slowly but surely succumbing to my old life again, and I need to find her before I fall too far.

If I haven’t already.

        

About the Author

Born November 25, 1975, J.A. (Jessica Ann) Redmerski is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She lives in North Little Rock, Arkansas with her three children and a Maltese. She is a lover of television and books that push boundaries and is a huge fan of AMC’s The Walking Dead.

Website | Facebook | Twitter| Pinterest | Goodreads

   

 

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Cover Reveal and Giveaway: Falling for Autumn by Heather Topham Wood

Today I'm super excited to reveal the cover to my upcoming New Adult release Falling for Autumn!

Summary:

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.


Publication Date: April 15, 2014

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

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Stacking the Shelves #81

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.

For Review:

Off the Record by K.A. Linde

Bleed Like Me by C. Desir

The Wicked We Have Done by Sarah Harian

Waiting for Wednesday by Nicci French

He's Come Undone by Theresa Weir

Fall Into Forever by Beth Hyland

Review: The Vanishing by Wendy Webb

Summary:

Recently widowed and rendered penniless by her Ponzi-scheming husband, Julia Bishop is eager to start anew. So when a stranger appears on her doorstep with a job offer, she finds herself accepting the mysterious yet unique position: caretaker to his mother, Amaris Sinclair, the famous and rather eccentric horror novelist whom Julia has always admired…and who the world believes is dead.

When she arrives at the Sinclairs' enormous estate on Lake Superior, Julia begins to suspect that there may be sinister undercurrents to her "too-good-to-be-true" position. As Julia delves into the reasons of why Amaris chose to abandon her successful writing career and withdraw from the public eye, her search leads to unsettling connections to her own family tree, making her wonder why she really was invited to Havenwood in the first place, and what monstrous secrets are still held prisoner within its walls.

Publication Date: January 21. 2014

The Vanishing had all the trappings of a good ghost story: the mysterious manor with a dark past, a horror writer and a troubled unreliable narrator. The suspense was slow-building and there were certainly some scenes where I had to put the book aside because the creep factor was high.

Julia is swept away at the start of the story to a spooky and isolated manor under the guise of being a companion to famed horror novelist Amaris Sinclair. As soon as Julia arrives, she begins to see the ghosts of Havenwood. Julia and readers are unsure of what she sees and hears is real because of Julia’s delicate mental state. She had been taking psychotropic drugs and withdrawal from the meds can cause side effects including hallucinations.

I loved a lot of the secondary characters. As soon as Drew entered the picture, I was swooning over his Scottish brogue. Mrs. Sinclair was also great and I loved how she helped provide some levity to the plot. There were a few slow parts that I found myself skimming over. I liked that the author took the time to detail everything about the manor, but it did make the plot lag at times.

The Vanishing had a touch of romance, mystery and suspense as Julia fears an evil is closing in on Havenwood. This was the first book I picked up from the author, but I would certainly read more of her work.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of The Vanishing for review!

Book Blitz and Giveaway: Finding Monsters by Liss Thomas

Finding Monsters (Guardians
of Esurack #1)

by Liss Thomas

Release Date: 10/16/13

Summary from Goodreads:

Monsters are real but they're not what we'd expect. Their realm
lays hidden only to be found in darkness. They watch their humans and keep them
from the dark portals leading to their world. To touch is forbidden... but not
all follow the rules.



Missy has been fighting to live her entire life, but when she finds herself in
a realm of unique and sometimes deadly monsters, she discovers just how much of
a survivor she really is. Accidentally transferred to this mysterious realm by
her monster and only friend, Charlie, he finds himself weak and unable to
protect her. The only way she can defend herself and him, is to become a
monster herself. But an unknown dark stalker watches her progress and if he
steals her power, he will unleash a scourge on both his world and the world she
left behind.

Available from:

About the Author

I love writing fantasy
fiction and especially for young adults. Many of my stories contain real life
issues that teens face and although there’s a fantasy element to the solution,
my job is to provide hope that things will get better. I’ve seen too many articles
about teens who end their lives over bullying. I’m working on a spin off series
from The Guardians of Esurack and hope to use this subject throughout each
book. Life is too short to give in to bullies. I hope I can make that clear
through my writings.

Author Links:

   

Chapter 6 Excerpt – The Monster

After washing and dressing, I make my way to the cooking fires to prepare breakfast for Missy and myself. I carry the tray of breads and fruits to her room. I knock. I knock again. Opening the door, I glance inside, ready to retreat if she is still sleeping. I panic. Missy is not in her room. Flinging open the door, I put the tray down. Her bed is made. I check the washing room which is also empty. I check my room just in case. Not there. I run to my parents’ room with my heart thrashing in my chest.

“Where is she?” I cry without preamble. “Where is she?”

Mother comes to me and tries to calm my fears. “She left this morning before dawn. She has started her quest.”

“I don’t understand. What quest? Why didn’t she tell me? Who is protecting her?” I look in turn to each as I question them. I can’t think straight. The hurt inside is growing, increasing with my panic.

“Charlie, Missy has gone on a quest to become a monster. I explained to her what happened to you when you touched her. She wants you to be as you were. As she completes the tasks of her quest, she will gain traits of a monster, strengths and abilities you probably take for granted. She will grow stronger, and so will you.”

I am reeling from the news. Did I want her to become a monster like me? Somehow, I always envisioned myself as a human for her. Staggering toward the window, I look out into the distance. I scan the horizon for any sign of her. She’s gone. My human is gone. “Who’s protecting her?” I ask not looking at them.

“This is a quest she must complete on her own, Charlie,” Mother says.

I whirl in a rage. “You sent her into our world alone?” I let out a stream of curses as the hurt inside turns to nausea. I run from the room before either can stop me. I run through the halls, knocking over a servant before I reach the outer doors. I wrench them open and scream her name. Other bulls stop to stare at me as I continue yelling for my human to return to me. Father appears behind me.

“Enough, Charlie!” Father jerks me back inside and I slump to the polished stone floor in silence.

Mother approaches me and kneels, her long cream dress bunching around her. “She left you a note.” She puts the letter in my hand and leaves with Father. I stare at the folded parchment, a tremor runs through me. I rise and storm to my room, slamming the door. I sit on my bed, unfold the letter, and begin to read:

“My dearest Charlie, please forgive me for leaving you like this, but I fear it’s the only way we will truly be together and happy. I don’t want you crippled by my presence and that is what has happened. It’s almost as though we’ve traded places; you are sickly now and I am well. Only this time, I have the power to make you whole again. I have received my first task in a series of three that will transform me into a monster. Your mother assures me that I will be able to change back to my normal appearance at will so I am not really changing that much at all, right? Don’t fear for me, my love, your mother has told me all I need to know about your world. I am currently on my way to challenge ‘The Devil’. It sounds worse than it is. I should return to you in three days. I wish you could be with me. Even a tiny bit of you to comfort me. The hurt I feel inside is worse than the pain I felt as a human. I know you are feeling it too. Dawn will be here soon, and I must leave before then. I love you with all my heart.

Missy.

I read the note again and again. I won’t let her be alone. Moving toward the corner, I view my reflection in the full-length mirror. I grip the sides and stare for a moment before I speak.

“Reflection! Come forth.” I stand back and watch as my reflection in the mirror steps though the pane in front of me. “I need you to find our human and stay with her. I only have the strength to transform you into a butterfly but she will know who we are in that form.” I pull up the shimmering blue light and transform my reflection into the swallowtail butterfly. I feel the drain on my strength but don’t care. I open the window and my reflection flies away in search of our human. I check my mirror and I can see all that it sees. Satisfied that we will be together soon, I turn the mirror so I can see it from the bed and lie down to conserve my strength.

“I’m coming, Missy  …  I’m coming.”

***GIVEAWAY***

(2) $25 Amazon or Paypal gift card (INT)

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Book Blitz Organized by:

He Belongs With Me by Sarah Darlington Book Blitz and Giveaway

Title: HE BELONGS WITH ME

Author: Sarah Darlington

Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Synopsis: 
Identical twins, Maggie and Clara Ryder, both grew up with Leo Maddox, billionaire playboy, apparent alcoholic, and heir to his grandfather's world-famous Maddox hotel empire. Their roles were cemented long ago: Maggie, as his best friend and Clara as his childhood nemesis.

But when a simple twist of fate changes everything and both girls start to fall for the lean, mean, ridiculously sexy and seemingly spoiled Leo... which girl will win his heart?

Throw in a little mischief, drama, and one smoking-hot bartender and lines are sure to blur. But one thing's for certain, neither good-girl Maggie nor rebellious Clara will be satisfied until they each figure out where they belong. 

LINKS TO BUY: 

Amazon I Amazon UK I Barnes and Noble

Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19081595-he-belongs-with-me

Excerpt #1:

How dare he make me start questioning everything? How dare he make me feel something I shouldn't for him? I found my voice and my breath. “I accidentally saw you naked this morning and so-freaking-what if I happened to like what I saw, okay? Are you trying to say you like me?”

“Yes,” he said in a tone so serious it made me want to duck under the table.

“No... No! NO! You can't. Not now. Not after all these years of being so mean to me. It's not fair. If that's how you feel, then why are you such a jackass?”

I waited for my childhood nemesis’s usual spiteful response, but it never came. Instead, he simply finished the conversation by saying, “You're right. I've been mean to you for far too fucking long. It ends tonight.” Then very carefully, very calmly, he slid his beer and mine to the other side of the table. I watched him with guarded eyes, my heart jack-hammering against my ribs.

“What are you doing?” I demanded.

He stood, ignoring my question, and started moving toward me.

“Don't you dare.”

Still he came.

“Leo.” I tried one last time, but my voice came out in a terrified whisper.

With the confidence of a rock god, he came to me. He grabbed one of my now trembling hands, and in a single swift motion, pulled me up and into his arms. I let him do it too. I let him because I knew what was coming and I had no willpower to stop it. Then, Leo tangled his hands in my hair in a way so tender and out of character that if my eyes weren't open, I wouldn't have believed it was him.

GIVEAWAY:

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About the Author:

Sarah Darlington lives in the DC metro area, is married to her high school sweetheart, and currently spends her time chasing around a very active toddler. As a former flight attendant, she misses the days of pantyhose, galley gossip with good friends, and traveling to new places. In the future she'd like to return to that career, but, just as flying gets into your bones, so does writing. Whenever she gets a free moment these days, she writes.

Connect with Sarah:   Blog I Facebook I Goodreads I Twitter

Book Blitz and Amazon Gift Card Giveaway: From Gods by Mary Ting

From Gods by Mary Ting
Did you just see a flash of lightning across the sky on a clear sunny day? Don't blame Mother Nature.

Skylar Rome should have been having the best summer ever, before heading off to college. Suddenly her whole life changes while visiting her cousin, and meeting the Grand brothers; Mason, in particular. Though she's sure he is someone she should stay away from, the attraction was undeniable.

Strange things begin to happen, throwing
Skylar's life into turmoil. Implausibly, she gets caught up in a world where the descendants of ancient gods have super powers, and evil beings are after her. Not only are her discoveries difficult to accept, but now she is running
out of time and running for her life, while trying to unravel the mystery of what they want from her. Forced into a battle set into motion long before she was born, will Skylar find the answers she seeks, or will she die trying?







Praise for From Gods

“A fast paced adventure full of mystery, action, magic and romance! Readers won’t be able to put this book down!” ~InD’tale Magazine



“From Gods takes mythology to a whole new level of imagination with its incredible plot and amazing characters. It’s full of hotness that you never want to end!” ~Michele, Insane About Books



“From Gods by the AMAZING AUTHOR Mary Ting is OMGods good!! If you even LIKE Greek Mythology, set aside some time because you will DEVOUR Mary Ting's Demi Gods and Vultures!!!” ~Mindy, Books Complete Me



“This book is “electric” as it blends paranormal romance, mythology (which I love), action and suspense together for an amazing read. Mary Ting, you’ve done it again! This book exceeded my expectations and I was literally blown away as if I were struck by lightning!” ~Vanessa, Fairiechick’s Fantasy Book Reader

Grab your copy for just .99 cents!

Author Mary Ting
Bestselling/award-winning author Mary Ting resides in Southern California with her husband and two children. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Writing her first novel, Crossroads Saga, happened by chance. It was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother, and inspired by a dream she once had as a young girl. When she started reading new adult novels, she fell in love with the genre. It was the reason she had to write one-Something Great. Why the pen name, M Clarke? She tours with Magic Johnson Foundation to promote literacy and her children's chapter book-No Bullies Allowed.





BookBlast Giveaway

$50 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 3/23/14

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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