Exits, Desires, & Slow Fires by J.R. Rogue

Exits, Desires, & Slow Fires by J.R. Rogue

Blurb:

It’s going to hit you below the belt. 


You’re going to reach for the 
closest stand-in lover you can 
find
& you’re going to make 
a home in their body
& 
you’re going to pretend your 
childhood memories are hung 
in his chest
& you skinned your knee 
tripping over the curve of his arm 

& you have always been here.

Review:

Heartache

Betrayal

And the all elusive love(r)

That is the feel of the book to me. The words strung together so eloquently that they give you a glimpse into the life of the author. 

I'm not going to pretend that I know everything there is to know about poetry and composition or that I even understand everything there is to understand about them. I always base the poetry on the feel of it. And gosh did this collection of poems make me feel.

I've been following the author on Instagram for a while now and her words have always been beautiful to read. And now after reading this book it has me itching to read the rest of her poems and books. Although its been a fairly recent obsession with poems, and I don't have much to compare it to; I think this book was full of raw emotion that translated very well onto the page.

I loved this collection. This has been a fantastic read.

Reviews for The Dark Prophecy and The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan

Rick Riordan books are my happy place. Seriously, they are something I look forward to every year. I loved writing the reviews for both books together last year so here it is again. Hopefully you enjoy ^_^

The Dark Prophecy by Rick Riordan

Blurb:

Zeus has punished his son Apollo--god of the sun, music, archery, poetry, and more--by casting him down to earth in the form of a gawky, acne-covered sixteen-year-old mortal named Lester. The only way Apollo can reclaim his rightful place on Mount Olympus is by restoring several Oracles that have gone dark. What is affecting the Oracles, and how can Apollo/Lester do anything about them without his powers?

After experiencing a series of dangerous--and frankly, humiliating--trials at Camp Half-Blood, Lester must now leave the relative safety of the demigod training ground and embark on a hair-raising journey across North America. Fortunately, what he lacks in godly graces he's gaining in new friendships--with heroes who will be very familiar to fans of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians and Heroes of Olympus series. Come along for what promises to be a harrowing, hilarious, and haiku-filled ride. . . .

Review:

I loved the book. Seriously how could I not?

I loved everything about the book - the plot, the writing style, the characters and Apollo is Apollo adorable and obnoxious. You would think those two character traits don't go together but they do. They just do. 

I want to talk about the other characters but I'm afraid I'd get ahead of myself and post spoilers. :P Also if you haven't read book one, you will definitely read spoilers. So I'm going to stop here.

Overall, fantastic read.

The Ship of the Dead by Rick Riordan

Blurb:

Magnus Chase, a once-homeless teen, is a resident of the Hotel Valhalla and one of Odin's chosen warriors. As the son of Frey, the god of summer, fertility, and health, Magnus isn't naturally inclined to fighting. But he has strong and steadfast friends, including Hearthstone the elf, Blitzen the dwarf, and Samirah the Valkyrie, and together they have achieved brave deeds, such as defeating Fenris Wolf and battling giants for Thor's hammer, Mjolnir. Now Magnus and his crew must sail to the farthest borders of Jotunheim and Niflheim in pursuit of Asgard's greatest threat. Will they succeed in their perilous journey, or is Ragnarok lurking on the horizon?

Review:

OF COURSE I LOVED THIS TOO!! This book was just glorious! Alex and Magnus are just perfect.

But here is where I have a problem. THIS IS THE LAST BOOK IN THE SERIES! 

*shouts/cries for eternity*

So I was a terrible fangirl and as usual I did not read the blurb or you know ANY posts before I finished the book. Imagine my panic when I went to Goodreads and it said that it was the FINAL book. I mean what even?! I had a panic attack and a book emergency with no one to talk to! The torture!!!

I NEED more Alex in my life and Magnus and Hearth and Blitz and Sam, and just everyone!!!!! Please tell me Magnus and Alex will be back! Pretty please?

At least there will be two more Apollo books. *sigh*

What did you think of the books. Let me know in the comments below! 

Review for The Lucky Beggar Trilogy by Craig Anderson

The Lucky Beggar Trilogy by Craig Anderson 

Blurb:

How would you behave if karma was instant? 

Luke is not a nice person. Living on the streets of London has forced him to beg, borrow and steal to survive. In the hunt for a big payday he stumbles across a scientist willing to pay for test subjects that don't ask any questions. It was supposed to be easy money, a quick jab for a stack of cash. Unfortunately fate had other ideas. Now Luke is infected with a concentrated form of karma that judges his every decision, rewarding good and punishing bad.

He'll need all the help he can get if he's going to survive murderous mimes, homeless gangs, angry bullies and hired mercenaries. His only friend is an otterhound called Lucky, a matted ball of fur and enthusiasm. Together they must find the cure before karma gets them both killed.

This hilarious romp around England contains all three novellas in the Lucky Beggar Trilogy (Getting Lucky, Lucky Shot and Lucky Break) in one handy dandy package.

Review:

I loved this trilogy! I thought that this was such a great and unique concept. It definitely was one of my most interesting reads in 2017.

The concept of Karma has been around for a while but this book has a completely unique take on the concept. The whole idea about Karma being an actual organism and how the events unfolded from there were very interesting to me and pretty fun to read. I loved the sense of humour in the book.

The book for the most part set a pretty good pace, but I felt that it did drag in certain places. Other than that I thought the book was fantastic and unique. Overall, a fun read!

All the Crooked Saints by Maggie Stiefvater

All The Crooked Saints by Maggie Steifvater

Blurb:

Here is a thing everyone wants: a miracle.
Here is a thing everyone fears: what it takes to get one.

Any visitor to Bicho Raro, Colorado is likely to find a landscape of dark saints, forbidden love, scientific dreams, miracle-mad owls, estranged affections, one or two orphans, and a sky full of watchful desert stars.

At the heart of this place you will find the Soria family, who all have the ability to perform unusual miracles. And at the heart of this family are three cousins longing to change its future: Beatriz, the girl without feelings, who wants only to be free to examine her thoughts; Daniel, the Saint of Bicho Raro, who performs miracles for everyone but himself; and Joaquin, who spends his nights running a renegade radio station under the name Diablo Diablo.

They are all looking for a miracle. But the miracles of Bicho Raro are never quite what you expect.

Review:

So here's the thing, I LOVE the Raven Boys. Its probably one of my favourite series OF ALL TIME. Then there's books like The Scorpio Races and this gorgeous book, that are just everything.

First of all the COVER. HOW GORGEOUS IS IT!!?!?! I could just sit and stare at it for hours.

All The Crooked Saints was just as amazing as all things Stiefvater. Everything she touches is magic. There's some inexplicable magic every time I read a book by her. And this book was no different. I loved the book so much. I can't even find the right words to tell you how amazing this book was.  

I loved the characters, the writing style, everything, just everything was great. 

Go read this book. 

New YA Read

Becoming Charlie by Kristie Haigwood is out! Happy Release Day! Here's a little more about the book and the series, directly from Kristie. Honestly, I'm really looking forward to this book/series! 

I hope I didn't lose you at YA, because Charlie's story is anything but ordinary. First, I'm going to tell you my plan, and then I'll let you have a sneak peek into Charlie's world. Today is release day, and the reviews from the ARCs I sent out are rolling in, so if you don't believe me, go check them out for yourself.

The Plan:

Charlie will have two books as a teenager, and so will Sean. Same story, different POVs.

Becoming Charlie - Part One

Becoming Charlie - Part Two

Becoming Sean - Part One

Becoming Sean - Part Two

The end of both of the second parts will have alternate endings. See, this series is good for all ages, well, above 13 anyway. The first ending at the end of part two will end completely for the younger audience with a HEA, while the other will end on a pretty big cliffhanger. Now, I know what you're thinking. You're thinking that you will read both endings. And that's completely fine. You're going to need that closure to get you through until I get the ADULT book written. Yes, Charlie and Sean are 15 and 17 in part one. They are 16 and 18 in part two. They will be 25 and 27 in book 3. One book will wrap up their adult book, and yes, it will be titled...

Becoming Us.

Here's the prologue. If you decide to purchase the book and love it, please return and leave an honest review. And tell your friends. Word of mouth is the best advertisement.

Prologue

Mental pain is a real thing.

In most cases, when mental pain is triggered, the brain sends signals to the heart, causing it to contract so fiercely that it pulls the tendons and nerves—the heartstrings—that support the most important muscle in the human body. Sometimes these tendons snap, causing an intense, physical reaction. Most of the time, this type of pain stays in the chest area, settling in around the heart, making the individual who is experiencing it hyperventilate or feel extreme discomfort. Instances that might cause this to happen are getting your heart broken, losing a friend, loved one or pet, witnessing or hearing about something horrible or even reading a good ugly-cry book.

There is another type of mental pain that is so much worse. The type of mental pain I'm referring to is so severe and traumatic that, almost immediately after the mind registers what happened, it starts to shut down as a defense, and in some cases blacks out and causes the person to forget what took place, a condition also known as amnesia. Numbness and/or bouts of anger usually occur when this happens. Some triggers for this type of mental pain are losing a child, accidentally killing someone, being a victim of rape or PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), to name just a few.

I suffer from the second one. Or maybe I should say that I used to suffer from the second one. The day Sean Reese walked into my life was the day I started to heal and live again. My name is Charlie Mason. If you have a little while, I'd like to tell you my story.

BUY THE BOOK HERE:

US 

UK

CA

The Becoming series will be available at B&N, Kobo, iBooks and anywhere else digital books are sold. If you'd like a paperback, those can be purchased at Amazon, too.

Review for Immersion by Colleen Nye

Immersion by Colleen Nye

Blurb:

Three things Seren knew: #1 Her life felt odd being so tame. #2 She lost her parents when she was young and missed then dearly. #3 Her life was never going to be the same after the day Chase came back into it.

In a world, not unlike our own the economy has tanked allowing the inhabitants to seek solace in a world of virtual gaming. Now, money hungry corporations will stop at nothing to make a buck, even if that means releasing a product that will claim millions of lives.

Review:

I was pretty excited about this book when I started reading it. I thought the concept was pretty cool and seeing the way we are becoming more and more obsessed with technology and how much technology is taking over our lives, it felt appropriate I guess?

I really liked all the characters, I can't say much out here about why or whom I liked because spoilers. But I thought that the book was well thought out and had a pretty good concept.

This might be just me but I felt that in some chapters/scenes, I would have liked to have one single clear POV compared to just having dialogues/inner monologues from different characters. And in some places the book felt too dry for me, I mean the story was pretty exciting and a lot was happening but in some places I felt that the book was a little dry. It could be a little more polished.

But I LOVED the fact that the book was like wrapped up neatly by the ending of the book. Yes people NO CLIFFHANGERS!! Whohoo! In all honesty, I love when a book comes full circle, I love the fact that we got to see the "After" scenes. 

Also can we just take a moment to appreciate the cover?! I love the cover so much.

Overall a pretty good read.

Review for Veiled by Stacey Rourke

Veiled by Stacey Rourke

Blurb:

Political propaganda would have us believe vampires are our friends. Fanged teddy bears misunderstood thanks to archaic lore. Activists picket for them to be welcomed into our society.

They claim vamps don't kill.
They preach we are safe.
They ... are dead wrong.

One year ago a hive slaughtered my family and left me for dead. Found by a team of scientists with their own agenda, I was forged into an unstoppable weapon.

I possess their strength, with none of their weaknesses.
I can move among them free from their crippling hunger.
I am their greatest threat.

Armed with this arsenal, vengeance will feed my desire to penetrate the seedy underbelly of their fetishized lifestyle and expose them for the monsters they truly are.

Review:

To be very honest, I wasn't sure I'd like this book. I thought I'd never read another vampire book again, much less enjoy it. But hello here we are. This just goes to show I'd read anything and everything that Stacey Rourke writes.

This book was quite different to any other vampire books that I've read. I won't exactly classify this as a retelling, but I'd say you will definitely see some characters and names that maayyyyybe familiar. Honestly my mind was blown at the 60% mark and GOD DAMN I NEED TO TALK TO SOMEONE ABOUT THIS!

Anyway, I loved the story and the characters were amazing. I especially adored Vinx and Batdog, those scenes were just adorable. The writing style was amazing and it just draws you in completely till you're invested into the story. 

As with all of her books especially The Legends Saga, I loved how she intertwines the stories, the legends and the lore, and brings it into the modern world. I cannot wait to see where she takes this story. I'm pretty sure it will be amazing!

Overall, loved the story and I can't wait for the next book!!!

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Review for Chasing Darkness by Julie Cassar

Chasing Darkness by Julie Cassar

Blurb:

As Cecelia Walker embraces her gift of stealing Light, she learns of the horror that lurks in every shadow. A hellacious evil force seeks to quench its insatiable hunger for power. Which souls will fall in the path of its destruction?

Angels, Anninox, and other-worldly warriors wreak havoc and join in the battle for souls, while CeeCee and Cash find themselves as pawns in the center of this deadly game. Chasing the Darkness, they discover that all choices come with a cost. Will her power be enough to save them, or will it be used against her as Dark forces invade every inch of her life and threaten to drive a wedge between these long-lost soulmates?

Review:

I adored Stealing Light and so obviously I was pretty excited about reading the next part of the story.

Chasing Darkness picks up right after Stealing Light, and it seems like the story just gets darker and more complex from here. I think this book was just more gritter I guess?

I love how Julie Cassar has built this whole book world that has more depth with each book in the series and the character development is fantastic. I loved the characters and their distinct personality. And I loved Merrick. He's the new to the whole guardian thing, and I think he's like us readers in the book world, we know a little bit but not a whole lot. I feel like he might have a bigger role in this series. I think Cash and the other guardian angels should get him a book or something like a Handbook of Deamons and Other Important Events. 😂

All joking aside, I loved the book and can't wait for Book 3!!

Cover Reveal for Veiled by Stacey Rourke

Veiled by Stacey Rourke

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Cover Designer: Wicked Book Covers

Publication Date: Nov. 7^th, 2017

Blurb: 
Political propaganda would have us believe vampires are our friends. Fanged teddy bears misunderstood thanks to archaic lore. Activists picket for them to be welcomed into our society.

They claim vamps don't kill.

They preach we are safe.

They ... are dead wrong.

One year ago a hive slaughtered my family and left me for dead. Found by a team of scientists with their own agenda, I was forged into an unstoppable weapon.

I possess their strength, with none of their weaknesses.

I can move among them free from their crippling hunger.

I am their greatest threat.

Armed with this arsenal, vengeance will feed my desire to penetrate the seedy underbelly of their fetishized lifestyle and expose them for the monsters they truly are.

RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel

Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012

Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013 

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Adapted for Film. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head. 

Visit her at www.staceyrourke.com
diaryofasemi-crazyauthor.blogspot.com
Facebook at www.facebook.com/staceyrourkeauthor

or on Twitter or instagram at Rourkewrites.

Updates and Workshops

Hello there lovelies!

I've pretty much taken the last week or so off. Sometimes you need to take a little time off social media and everything, in order to recharge yourself. And well I tanked the #LetteringPotterLines challenge on Instagram. I just didn't want to do anything. I did take two pictures but I still haven't posted them.

I found that doing something new just for myself really helps. With no expectations, and no need to take pictures to post on the social media, it made me relax and just wind down basically. Trying on something new doesn't necessarily mean that you need to break your bank for it. There are plenty of things that you can try that won't cost as much. The two things that I'm trying this month are watercolours and an online webinar/workshop. Then next month I'm trying on basics of Calligraphy!

(Lemme know in the comments below if you would like to see which workshops and events I'm participating in.)

I participated in a super fun Show Me Your Florals Workshop that I ABSOLUTELY LOVED! Thank you Stephanie and Becca for organising this. This was my first ever time using water colours. And it was so fun! I didn't take a single picture during the whole challenge week, but did take pictures after to thank Stephanie for hosting the workshop. 

Thank you @stephaniefehrenbach ! I absolutely loved my first ever water colour basics workshop/challenge! Thank you for making it so fun and engaging ❤ Of course I'd be remiss if I didn't thank @thehappyevercrafter for organizing this. So thank you Becca! For a first timer I think my flowers turned out okay. Maybe now I'd actually try painting?! WHO KNOWS! #ShowMeYourFlorals #watercolor #flowers #amateurartist #artistsoninstagram #artistsofig #watercolour #floral #handlettering #newbie

A post shared by TJ 📖 (@thecuriositykey) on Aug 8, 2017 at 10:39am PDT

Even though the challenge is officially over, you can still access the FREE workshop materials and learn basics of watercolour by signing up for a free one week challenge HERE.

I also signed up for a FREE live online seminar or "webinar" -
"FIGHT PROCRASTINATION WITH POSITIVE THINKING" by Shelby from Little Coffee Fox and Kara from Boho Berry. 

This workshop is today (17th August 2017) at 11 Central (9:30PM here in India), so there is still time to sign up for it.

By now you know I struggle with procrastination and positive thinking, so this workshop is PERFECT. And I want to do it with all of you lovelies. Join me and let's prepare to kick some procrastination ass!

Read more about it HERE and Sign up for it HERE or right from Shelby's Blog. 

Another thing that I'm looking forward to is the Show Me Your Drills Challenge by Becca at The Happy Ever Crafter. I absolutely loved the Show Me Your Florals Challenge and I'm really looking forward to the Show Me Your Drills Challenge. This challenge will focus on the basic drills for calligraphy. I think this will be the perfect way to start with calligraphy and lettering, which is something that I've wanted to do for a long time. The registration closes on September 3rd 2017 and the challenge starts the very next day. 

You can sign up for the challenge HERE.

PS: This post is in no way sponsored, I just wanted to put this out there and share the love. ♥
PPS: Comment below and let me know if you want me to post more about workshops and challenges and such. ♥♥♥

Follow me on Instagram and Twitter to keep in touch and see snippets of what I'm up to.

Cover Reveal for Fragile by Diana Nixon

Fragile by Diana Nixon

Blurb:

She was off the limits for many reasons: too young, too naïve, and too beautiful to resist. But most of all – because she was my best friend’s little sister. She was like a taboo that should have never been broken.
But we crossed the line together… We gave in to the temptation and made a mistake that changed us forever.
Years passed, but for some unknown reason, the memories of her never stopped haunting my dreams.
I was even more obsessed with her than I was years ago, while she hated me to the bone. And she had a very good reason to feel that way…
“I owe you a lifetime of us, and I will not let you down, not again…”

Author Bio:

Diana Nixon, an International Bestselling Author of contemporary and paranormal romances, is a woman of contradictions. She was born in Minsk., Belarus. She has a Master of Law degree and speaks several foreign languages, including English, Polish and Spanish.

Diana’s writing career is like a roller coaster ride. It started with a fantasy novel named Love Lines, that was originally written in Russian and only later, it was translated into English. Since then, Diana has published 18 more books, both of contemporary and fantasy genres. Her books are being translated into Spanish, French and Russian.

Diana Nixon is the founder of Inks & Scratches, a literary magazine intended to help authors of all genres find readers and spread the news about their writing all over the world. 

LINKS:

Official page: www.diana-nixon.com

Facebook: @authordiananixonhttps://www.facebook.com/authordiananixon/?ref=hl

Twitter: @DianaNixon9 https://twitter.com/DianaNixon9

Instagram: @authordiananixonhttps://www.instagram.com/authordiananixon/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/diananixon96/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/112813735252711884205/posts

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5814368.Diana_Nixon

Review for TS901: Anomaly by Stacey Rourke and Tish Thawer

TS901: Anomaly by Stacey Rourke and Tish Thawer

Blurb:

Tainted water for the good of the people. Fluoride and vitamins to sustain the health of the human race. Added ingredients to extend and elevate the quality of life. All good things, right?

Wrong.

Thia Kelly has been changed by the TS901 chemical in the world’s water supply. Now, forced into hiding with the other inflicted outcasts, she struggles to survive as her powers emerge.

Evan Daniels hunted for others like himself, and finding Thia suddenly brought meaning back into his life. Love blossomed between the strange couple while they searched for a way to reverse the effects. Unfortunately, the Government had something else in mind.

Super-soldier creation on a mass scale was their end goal, and thanks to an unfortunate family tie, Evan became Patient #1.

Good-guy? Bad-guy? The world isn’t sure, but Thia is left with only one choice––save the ass of the world’s first Anomaly who just happens to be her boyfriend.

TS901:Anomaly - Rise of the Rebels

Review:

A post shared by TJ 📖 (@thecuriositykey) on Aug 10, 2017 at 10:54am PDT

TS901: Anomaly is a gritty dystopian novel by Stacey Rourke and Tish Thawer. I've loved books by Stacey Rourke and when I read the blurb for this book, I knew I just HAD to read this one too. I thought the book would be a bit chaotic because two different authors were writing it, but when I read this book, I have to say that the writing style blended together beautifully. 

TS901: Anomaly does not have the same feel as I've come to expect and love by Stacey Rourke, its grittier and a little bit more serious I guess? Nevertheless, it was a great read. It did have its sassy moments and was pretty entertaining. 

The Malies were my favourites, obviously. I loved how all the characters were so different and had a distinct voice. I feel I enjoyed this book more because it was pretty fast paced and the descriptions of the characters and their powers were pretty great. It was like watching a mini movie in my head.

The scene with the lab is still giving me nightmares. 

I just wish that this book was a little more polished. I was waiting for a wow moment in the book and maybe because I guessed one of the major reveals in the plots, I didn't really get that impact? I dunno.

Overall, I think that TS901: Anomaly was a pretty good start to a series. This series has a lot of scope to grow and become a fan favourite. I can't wait to see where the authors take it!

Dystopian and Sci-Fi lovers will enjoy this book. 

Cover Reveal for ISAN by Mary Ting

ISAN
Mary Ting
Publication date: May 1st 2018
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Blurb:

The world has changed.
Scientists warned it would happen.
Meteors devastated the Earth. World Governments developed plans to help surviving citizens. The United States disbanded and salvageable land was divided into four quadrants—North, South, East, and West—governed by The Remnant Council.
Struggling to survive, seventeen-year-old Ava ends up in juvenile detention, until she is selected for a new life—with a catch. She must be injected with an experimental serum. The results will be life changing. The serum will make her better. To receive the serum Ava agrees to join a program controlled by ISAN, the International Sensory Assassin Network.
While on a training mission, she is abducted by a rebel group led by Rhett and told that not only does she have a history with him, but her entire past is a lie perpetuated by ISAN to ensure her compliance. Unsure of who to trust, Ava must decide if her strangely familiar and handsome captor is her enemy or her savior—and time is running out.

Add to Goodreads

Author Bio:
International Bestselling Author Mary Ting/M. Clarke 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.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter

TS901: Anomaly by Stacey Rourke and Tish Thawer + Giveaway

TS901: ANOMALY by Stacey Rourke & Tish Thawer

Genre: NA Dystopian

Blurb: Tainted water for the good of the people. Fluoride and vitamins to sustain the health of the human race. Added ingredients to extend and elevate the quality of life. All good things, right?

Wrong.

Thia Kelly has been changed by the TS901 chemical in the world’s water supply. Now, forced into hiding with the other inflicted outcasts, she struggles to survive as her powers emerge.

Evan Daniels hunted for others like himself, and finding Thia suddenly brought meaning back into his life. Love blossomed between the strange couple while they searched for a way to reverse the effects. Unfortunately, the Government had something else in mind.

Super-soldier creation on a mass scale was their end goal, and thanks to an unfortunate family tie, Evan became Patient #1.

Good-guy? Bad-guy? The world isn’t sure, but Thia is left with only one choice––save the ass of the world’s first Anomaly who just happens to be her boyfriend.

RONE Award Winner for Best YA Paranormal Work of 2012 for Embrace, a Gryphon Series Novel

Young Adult and Teen Reader voted Author of the Year 2012

Turning Pages Magazine Winner for Best YA book of 2013 & Best Teen Book of 2013

Stacey Rourke is the author of the award winning YA Gryphon Series, the chillingly suspenseful Legends Saga, and the romantic comedy Adapted for Film. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two beautiful daughters, and two giant dogs. She loves to travel, has an unhealthy shoe addiction, and considers herself blessed to make a career out of talking to the imaginary people that live in her head.



Visit her at www.staceyrourke.com
diaryofasemi-crazyauthor.blogspot.com
Facebook at www.facebook.com/staceyrourkeauthor
or on Twitter or instagram at Rourkewrites.




Award Winning Author, Tish Thawer, writes paranormal romances for all ages. From her first paranormal cartoon, Isis, to the Twilight phenomenon, myth, magic, and superpowers have always held a special place in her heart.

Tish is known for her detailed world-building and magic-laced stories. Her work has been compared to Nora Roberts, Sam Cheever, and Charlaine Harris. She has received nominations for multiple RONE Awards (Reward of Novel Excellence), and Author of the Year (Fantasy, Dystopian, Mystery), as well as nominations and wins for Best Cover, and a Reader’s Choice Award.

Tish has worked as a computer consultant, photographer, and graphic designer, and is a columnist for Gliterary Girl Media and has bylines in RT Magazine and Literary Lunes Magazine. She resides in Colorado with her husband and three wonderful children and is represented by Gandolfo, Helin, and Fountain Literary Management.

Author Links:

Website: http://www.tishthawer.com/
Blog: http://tishthawer.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorTishThawer/(Fan page)
Twitter: https://twitter.com/TishThawer/ | @TishThawer





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My Harry Potter Story

I did a post like this a while back about The Hunger Games. So in honour of Harry's Birthday, the Queen's birthday and this year being a pretty special year for Harry Potter books (It completed 20 Years #HarryPotter20). I thought I'd share my HP Story.

I got into Harry Potter fairly late. I still remember the first time I heard of Harry Potter.

A little backstory, I was on an extended reading hiatus. I used to read books when I was younger but for some reason, I had taken a break and hadn't read anything for years.

I was visiting my cousin and was just waiting for her to get ready so that we could leave. Me and another cousin of mine were just passing time and surfing through the different channels on the TV. Suddenly I saw something that caught my eye. There it was a scene in a movie that would change everything. Okay that was overly dramatic. But it did change things.

I caught a brief glimpse of the Quidditch scene from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone.

I asked my cousin which movie it was, and she said, "Its just Harry Potter, come on lets go." I was pretty fascinated by it already and I just knew the movie's name.

When I got back home, I asked my mom about it. Then we found out there was a series of books that the movie was based on. The next day my mom got a copy of it from her Library's Children's Library section. I was over the moon!

I finished reading the book and I was completely in love. In love with the characters, the words and in love with the Wizarding World. I proceeded to talk to everyone who would listen to me about the book and how wonderful it was.

My uncle, bless him, must have been amused by my tiny little obsession. He told me that he'd check the local bookstores and see if he could find the books for me. The next time I went to visit him, he got me all the books of the series that had been released. I had my first proper paperback copies of books 1-5.

I read all of the books multiple times. By then the first three books were made into movies already. I sat down to see all of them whenever they came on TV (I still do).  I also dragged my mom to see all the movies from Goblet of Fire to Deathly Hollows Part 2 when they released. I became a Potterhead.

Harry Potter has been a truly wonderful escape for me. It bought back my love for reading. And for that I couldn't be more grateful. Harry Potter books and movies have saved me, more than once. They have taught me what true friendship should look like, they have taught me about courage, and they have taught me more about myself.

I would truly not be the person I am today without them. I still am hoping to forge friendships like the books. But for now, I've found comfort between the pages of these books and in the scenes of the movies.

Thank you JK Rowling for a wonderful childhood, for the great stories, and for the best escape a lonely little girl could ask for.

Happy Birthday Queen! And Happy Birthday Harry!

Your Potterhead,
TJ oxox

Yesterday a musician that I've loved passed away. Many of you out there loved him and I just needed to share a little about him.

Last night just before I headed off to bed, I saw a notification from Facebook. I checked the notification and as I was backing out I saw an article that said that Chester Bennington  (of Linkin Park fame) had passed away. I grabbed on to the table next to me because I was afraid I'd fall down. I read the headline again, and quickly dismissed it. Then I scrolled down. I saw article upon article reporting his demise. I couldn't believe it. I refused to.

I closed the app and just went off to bed with his songs stuck in my head.

He was a part of one of the first bands I loved. I discovered Linkin Park through my then close friend. We listened to Numb, the first song I'd ever heard from Linkin Park, and we were done for; fans for life. It spoke to me on a different level entirely.

As I woke up I didn't remember about what I'd read last night. Then as I logged in to aimlessly scroll through Facebook it hit me again like a ton of bricks. Chester Bennington was gone. How could he just be dead? I was expecting tears, instead I was just numb.

A post shared by TJ 📖 (@thecuriositykey) on Jul 21, 2017 at 11:03am PDT

I read two amazing articles by Buzzfeed India. You can check them out HERE and HERE.


I'll end it here. I just need to listen to his words and drift off to sleep. Chester, you'll forever be missed. I hope you are in a better place now and I hope that you know that in the end it did matter. You've touched the lives of thousands of people everywhere, and we'll sorely miss you. RIP ♥

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Cover Reveal for 19 Marigold Lane by R.M. Gilmore

19 Marigold Lane (Prudence Penderhaus #2) by R.M. Gilmore 

Blurb:

New foes and old come together in this second episode of Prudence Penderhaus's wild ride called life. Cassius, Bonnie, Heego, Mom, and the douche bags of Flintlock are back to tie up loose ends and dig up more than they ever bargained for.

**Release date TBA

Excerpt from 19 Marigold Lane

Consciousness was a fleeting thing. In and out. In and out. Without Cassius and Bonnie to keep me motivated, the exhaustion from healing mixed with the pain meds and swept me quickly into dreamless sleep. It wasn’t real sleep. Not that deep, restful sleep that comes naturally when the sun goes down and your body has had its fill of humaning. It was shallow and in the end really only perpetuated my exhaustion. I did snore, however. Apparently.

“You snore loudly, Prudence.”

My eyes were hardly open and my brain still foggy from sleep refused to comprehend what I was looking at. I jarred awake, startled, shoving myself away from the thing beside me, and yelped both from pain and fear.

“What. In. The Hell. Are. You. Trying to kill me?” I said, words stunted around panting breaths and raging heartbeat.

His black eyes stared deep into mine. “Why would I do that?” Cassius, in his innocent glory, asked in a tone that questioned my sanity instead of his own.



Catch up on the series now with 17 Marigold Lane! Check out my Review for 17 Marigold Lane the first book in the series HERE.

SO EXCITED FOR BOOK 2!!!

Check out R.M. Gilmore on the interwebs:

www.RMGilmoreAuthor.com

www.Facebook.com/rmgilmoreauthor

www.Twitter.com/rmgilmoreauthor

www.Instagram.com/rmgilmoreauthor

Atheists Who Kneel and Pray by Tarryn Fisher

SURPRISE! #AWKAP is LIVE!!! Who's ready for Yara and David? Available NOW on

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon CA | iTunes | B&N

Yara Phillips is a wandering muse.

She dates men who need her, but always moves on to something new, never staying in one place for very long.

David Lisey is in need of a muse.

A talented musician lacking lyrical inspiration. When he first sees her, he knows he's found what he's been looking for.

Yara believes she can give David exactly what he needs to reach his full potential:

A broken heart.

David’s religion is love.

Yara’s religion is heartache.

Neither is willing to surrender, but religion always requires sacrifice.

 

Yara’s Yesterday Spotify List:

https://open.spotify.com/user/1226318453/playlist/6h5mCg008D4VxjkWuudzQ7

 

Dear Yara, The bands in London, November 12th. Want to catch up? David So casual. So nonchalant. You’d think we were only acquaintances, that we’d once sipped a couple of beers together instead of tattooing love on our skin and reciting marriage vows. I read the e-mail again and analyze the shit out of it. How can I not? I count out the words: thirteen. The punctuation: four. His name, my name. A flippant, casual turn of phrase: catch up. In the end, there’s only so much psychoanalyzing you can do to a thirteen-word e-mail. I move on with my life, feeling rather pathetic. But not before I e-mail him back. And okay, sure, I don’t move on with my life. What does that even entail? Forgetting? Forgiving? Being happy? Besides, I know what he wants to talk about. I know why he’s coming. Hi David, Yeah, sounds good. Let me know when and where. Yara My e-mail is a word shorter. I’m that petty.  

Tarryn was born and raised in Johannesburg, South Africa. She immigrated to America with her parents when she was thirteen, and spent the next eighteen years in South Florida where she earned her degree in Psychology, wrote her first novel, and had two children. In 2012, on a whim, she moved her family to Seattle, Washington where she currently makes her home safely away from the sun. Tarryn is the founder of Guise of the Villain, a fashion blog, and has written eleven published novels. Tarryn is a Slytherin.
Website: www.tarrynfisher.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authortarrynfisher Instagram: https://instagram.com/tarrynfisher/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/Tarryn__Fisher        

 

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Review for Rise of the Sea Witch by Stacey Rourke

Rise of the Sea Witch by Stacey Rourke

Blurb: 

 Details of the sea witch’s banishment have been exaggerated. The body count that preempted it was not. Once an illustrious princess, her hands and tentacles were stained with the blood of thousands. No one could comprehend how the hooks of madness dragged her down from her life of privilege.

Born Princess Vanessa of Atlantica, the ambitious young royal was one of two children born to the great King Poseidon. She and her brother, Triton, were groomed from birth to rule. Yet only one would ascend that coveted throne. While carefree Triton flits through his training with a cavalier demeanor and beguiling charm, Vanessa’s hunger for her father’s acceptance drives her to push herself to the limits of magic, and combat to become a leader worthy of her people.

When war against the humans ravages their once regal kingdom, political sides are chosen. Factions from the seven seas challenge the existing leadership, pitting Vanessa against her brother in a vicious battle for the crown. Traitors are exposed, dark family secrets revealed, and a once strong sibling bond is strained to its breaking point.

Only when the ink black waters from the ultimate betrayal rescind, will the truth be known of how the villainous sea witch rose with one name on her vengeful lips--Triton.

Review:

Who here loves Disney?! You do? Do you love The Little Mermaid? Of course you do! 

I also love The Little Mermaid. I'd sit up glued to the TV whenever it would come on. Even back then I'd wonder what happened to Ursula? What made her "her", you know? Worry not, for here's an answer for you in an amazingly well written book format! (Wow, I'm feeling super hyper today. Tone it down TJ!)

Lately,I've been on a re-telling and anti-heroes kick. And you know I love a good back story. So OBVIOUSLY, this book hit just the right spot! I absolutely love books by Stacey Rourke. She has a way to just pull you in and keep you hooked. I expected no less from this book and it absolutely delivered. 

Rise of the Sea Witch is the back story for Ursula, or Princess Vanessa as she was known back then. I absolutely LOVED it. The characters were amazing and the writing style, as usual, was brilliant. There was a little surprise character that I totally did not expect to see in this particular story, but I hope he/she comes back in the next instalment. (No, I'm not telling you which character. Because SPOILERS!)

I particularly loved how Stacey Rourke just incorporates these little bits that are reminiscent of the characters we know. It actually felt like the character you know? But at the same time, manages to make the story her own. She created a book world around a few characters we know and love, and gave it her own distinct voice. (That was confusing, wasn't it?)

Finally, lets take a moment to appreciate the gorgeous cover! How cool does that look?!

Overall, just get this book if you love The Little Mermaid, or just mermaids in general, or re-tellings. Absolutely loved this book!

PS: I don't know how she will top this book, but I have no doubt the next book will still blow me away!

Read the Prologue for Rise of the Sea Witch in my last post HERE.