Blog Tour: Dark Halo by Shannon Dittemore+ Giveaway

 

Welcome to my stop on the Dark Halo blog tour hosted by YA Bound Book Tours.  Click HERE to see the full blog tour schedule!

Dark Halo

Angel Eyes 3

Author: Shannon Dittemore 
Pages: 368 pgs
Genre: YA, Fantasy, Christian Fic
Release Date: August 20th 2013
Review Source:Thomas Nelson Publishers

One halo brought sight to Brielle. Another offers sweet relief from what she sees.

Brielle can't help but see the Celestial realm. Even without the halo, it's everywhere she looks. And with the heavens above Stratus ravaged by war, Brielle wishes for another gift, any gift. Because Jake is gone. The only boy she's ever loved has been taken by the demon, Damien--and she knows if she ever wants to see him again, she must fight.

But fighting is so hard when everything you see makes you afraid.

When she receives instructions from the Throne Room leading her to Jake, she unknowingly walks into a diabolical and heartbreaking trap. Then the Prince of Darkness himself offers Brielle a halo of his own making. With the dark halo, she won't have to see the fear and brokenness that surround her. She'll be free of that unbearable burden. And it comes with a promise: the guarantee of a life with Jake.

When confusing details about Jake's past emerge, and the battle above reaches a fever pitch, Brielle is forced to make a choice. Will she choose the dark halo and the ignorance that comes with it, or will she choose to live with her eyes wide open and trust the Creator's design--even if it means a future without Jake?

I am so happy that I got the chance to read and review the final book in Shannon Dittemore's Angel Eyes trilogy. She is the sweetest person I've had the chance to talk with, and it's fun to help her out with these blog tours!

One of my favorite things about Shannon's writing, is her descriptions. Going into details about how a character looks, their feelings, a room they're in is great, but I love how she goes a step above. Brielle was blessed with a gift to see into the Celestial realm, which means she can not only see angels and demons, but she can also see worship. And Shannon describes how it looks, sounds, tastes, as well as the different forms it takes for different people (including angels).

Since this is also the last book, there were also some pretty tough decisions that her characters had to make. And Shannon didn't sugar coat it either. We got to see the struggles they went through and the temptation to choose the darkness that seemed so enticing, or to keep the knowledge that wasn't always pleasant.

Jake was also a love interest that melted my heart from the get go. Not only was he strong, good looking, and smart, but he also wanted what was best for Brielle. And he was able to help her find that for herself. I love that they helped one another and seemed to motivate each other to be... more. They were so good for each other.

I'm so sad to say goodbye to this series and the characters that Shannon created, but I'm also glad that I had the opportunity to immerse myself in her world. Though things weren't always happy and fun, the message was still uplifting and encouraging.

Thank you to Shannon Dittemore for giving us such a wonderful series and I can say that I can't wait to read more from her!

Now...

*GIVEAWAY TIME*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Scorched Pre-Order Campaign

From Sourcebooks....

It’s Game of Thrones meets The Terminator in award-winning author Mari Mancusi’s newest, powerful new series, SCORCHED which will be in stores on September 3^rd! 

We’ve put together a fun campaign to thank readers for pre-ordering: send us your proof of pre-order and we’ll send you this fabulous dragon charm!

A Gift for You, for Pre-Ordering SCORCHED by Mari Mancusi










We have a special offer for U.S. and Canada YA fans for the release of SCORCHED by Mari Mancusi in stores in a little over three weeks! If you pre-order the book, we will send you an exclusive dragon charm—perfect to wear as jewelry or to decorate an accessory. You have until September 2 or until quantities run out.

 

Here’s how to get your charm:

1. Pre-order the book (print or eBook) through any retailer (Barnes & Noble, Amazon, your local independent bookseller/Indiebound, Books-A-Million, Hastings, etc.)

2. Email your proof of purchase (receipt or picture of the receipt) to teenfire@sourcebooks.com. Put “Scorched Pre-Order” in the subject line. Don’t forget to include your home address (US & Canada only please) so we can send you the dragon charm! If you’ve already pre-ordered this book—not a problem! Send us your receipt!

3. You will get an email back confirming when the items have been sent out. 

4. Enjoy Scorched when it comes out in September!

Optional: take a pic of you and your dragon charm and share it with Mari Mancusi or Sourcebooks Fire on Twitter! You can find Mari @marimancusi and Sourcebooks Fire @sourcebooksfire.

Blog Tour: No Reverse by Marion Croslydon + Giveaway

 

Thanks to AToMR for hosting this tour. To check out the rest of the schedule go HERE.

No Reverse

No Reverse 1

Author: Marion Croslydon 
Pages: 206 pgs
Genre: NA, Romance, Contemporary
Release Date: August 12th 2013
Review Source: Author

A girl who needs to undo the past.
A boy who wants to forget it.
In love, there’s no way back.

At high school in Steep Hill, Kansas, Cassie O’Malley and Josh MacBride were the poster couple for quarterback/cheerleader romance until they starred in their own tale of teen pregnancy. No need to say: their shotgun wedding was low-key. But when there was no baby anymore, they went their separate ways.

Five years later, Josh has breezed through Georgetown and is about to finish his post-grad degree at Oxford University. He is set to join a lobbying group on Capitol Hill, owned by his new fiancée’s father. For Josh, the sky is now the limit… only he must first take care of a tiny legal matter: technically, he’s still married to the girl who broke his heart.

Meanwhile, Cassie has been waiting tables in Steep Hill to pay for her sick grandmother’s care. On the day of the old lady’s funeral, Cassie is served with two sets of papers. Josh is asking for a divorce. Her heart squeezes, but, well, he moved on a long time ago. But the second envelope shakes Cassie to the core. So, for the first time, she leaves Kansas and heads to good ol’ England.

There, Cassie finds that Josh has not just “moved on,” he’s freakin’ engaged to some blue-blooded heiress. The feelings Cassie had buried deep rush back to her. But no matter if he keeps thrusting the divorce papers under her nose, she needs him to save the only person she loves more than Josh, more than life itself…

We immediately start off this story with both character's points of view, Josh and Cassie's. Which I tend to really like, especially when it's done well. Marion allows us to see what's going on with both characters without overlapping and that just made me enjoy it more. And I think it was important to hear from Cassie and Josh, there were parts of their story that just couldn't be told singularly.

This may have had a typical teen pregnancy base, but Marion made her own. What you think you know about what happened to Cassie and Josh from the description is only part of it, and I loved that. There was so much more to not only on their past, but their future as well.

What would you do if everything you thought you lost could be yours again?

Relationships are delved into, but not into as much detail as I would have liked. I think I've gotten spoiled over the years. BUT, Marion does mention that there will be a sequel to No Reverse, and I'm crossing my fingers that we'll get an even better look into the lives of our main characters.

I've tried really hard to write this review without giving too much away. There are just some reads you have to go into with fresh eyes. And this one, though it deals with some pretty tough issues, it's done in a way that stays true to the world and the characters.

Now, if you're interested in getting your hands on a copy, check out the giveaway below:

*GIVEAWAY TIME*

Prize Pack #1: Signed copy of No Reverse, £10 Amazon gift card (British Pounds), 1 No Reverse notebook, 1 No Reverse mug, 1 No Reverse mouse pad, 1 No Reverse pen

Prize Pack # 2: Signed copy of No Reverse, £10 Amazon gift card (British Pounds), 1 No Reverse notebook, 1 No Reverse mug

Prize Pack # 3: Signed copy of No Reverse, 1 No Reverse notebook, 1 No Reverse pen

a Rafflecopter giveaway 

 

Frontline Blog Tour: Interview + Excerpt

 

Before we start, I would like to say thank you to The Novel Tease for approaching me for this interview.

1.       What does Alexandra Richland do when she’s not writing?

As a registered nurse, I spend a lot of my time at the hospital, caring for pediatric patients. I also enjoying running, reading, and traveling.

2.       How does your writing process look? Do you tend to write a standard number of words in regular sittings, or does inspiration hit you sporadically?

It varies. Sometimes when I’m in my “writing zone” I can write many pages in one sitting. If I feel emotionally connected to the scene/chapter, the words will come easily, and I can read them back the next day and desire to change only minor things. On other occasions, the process is more difficult, which tends to happen when I’m pressed for time. When this occurs, I will step away from the computer and go for a run, or just busy myself with other tasks. If I feel inspired to write later on that day, I will. If not, I don’t push it. Or if the interest is semi-there, I’ll write as much as I can, even if I might think it sucks, and then rewrite it at another time. Editing and rewriting are the easiest parts of the writing process for me. As long as I have a foundation, even in point form, I’m confident I can turn out something I’m very proud of. The scenes that come easiest to me are the ones I can visualize like a movie. Music also helps inspire emotion and assists in the writing process.

3.       What inspired you to write Frontline?

The Starlight Trilogy is a very detailed Hollywood romance set in the 1950s. When I finished all three novels, I wanted to write a book with an entirely opposite tone – a modern thrill ride that kept the reader turning the pages, unable to put it down, with a lot of sexual tension, action, adventure, romance, and intrigue. As I was in the midst of nursing school at the time, I thought of a crazy thing that could potentially happen to a nurse while on the job and expanded on the idea, pushing the boundaries of my writing as well as character behavior and development. I couldn’t be happier with the result.

4.       If you could describe Frontline in 3 words, what would they be?

Sexy. Exciting. Suspenseful.

5.       Which character speaks the loudest?

Though he was never supposed to play such a significant role, Randall really surprised me as the book progressed. I relied on him more and more, as did the other characters, for his wisdom, insight, loyalty, and mysteriousness. I just finished writing an origin tale for Randall, as I was as curious about his background. I hope Frontline readers will be interested in him, too, after they finish the story. I'm very happy to be able to include Randall’s tale as part of the bonus material in the appendix of Frontline when it's published.

6.       Which of your characters would you like to meet in person and why?

My answer will depend on my mood. If I'm in the mood to shop, I can't think of a better pair to hit the town with than Kelly and Denim. Kelly would know where to get all the best deals on the most stylish clothes, while Denim would supply the most laughs and energy during the expedition.

Chris and Sean are still very mysterious to me, but I’d definitely give them a call if I wanted people to go running with, or if I had a task that needed to be done requiring speed, efficiency, and stealth. They are men of many talents.

If my life was in some kind of crisis and I needed a friend to listen to me and help me get through it, Sara would be ideal.

As for Trenton, I don’t have as many scruples as Sara does, so he can pay off my student loan any day!

7.       Will you have a new book coming out soon?

I have several. The second book in The Starlight Trilogy, Starbright, will most likely be out later this fall (2013), or very early next year (2014), with the third book in the trilogy, Stardust, following in the spring or summer of 2014. The Frontline sequel is already in the works. I'm also working on several short story collections to release in between my novels, as well as a brand new novel, separate from the Frontline series and The Starlight Trilogy, which I just started writing in recent weeks. I cannot say more at this time, but I’m very excited about it!

Information on all of my writing projects can be found on my Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ms.alexandrarichland

AND now a short excerpt for you to enjoy:


“I meant it when I said we need to cool our physical contact. We need to start fresh––a proper courtship with boundaries that get removed gradually as we get to know each other better. That’s the only way I’ll agree to see you again.”

Trenton looks amused as he shakes my hand. “Courtship?”

I giggle. “Okay, so it’s a little old-school. The bottom line is I’d like to get back to basics.”

Trenton cocks an eyebrow. “No touching at all?”

“No inappropriate groping, how about that?”

“So you want me to court you?” His blue eyes blaze.

I blush.

Trenton brushes his lips to my ear. “In that case, wait here.”

He darts out of the room and returns a few moments later. My heart melts when I see what he holds: one of the long-stemmed roses from the bouquet at the nurses’ station.

“This is my proper and honorable good-bye, Sara. And please accept my sincerest apologies for leaving so abruptly last night.” Trenton extends the rose to me.

With just one look, he makes me feel as though I’m the center of his world.

I accept the flower with a gracious smile.

Trenton takes my other hand and bows his head to place a soft kiss on my knuckles––a gesture far sweeter and meaningful than anything we’ve shared thus far. He peers up at me with those bedroom eyes, his lips brushing my skin.

“I look forward to courting you, Sara. Thank you for giving me another chance.”

His eyes linger on mine for a few heart-stopping moments. Then he drops my hand, sweeps past me, and exits the room.

I exhale a big gust of air as he slides the door shut and the curtain falls back into place. My heart feels empty and I’m left craving our next encounter. I just hope I didn’t make a mistake by trusting him again.