Forsaken by Kristen Day Blog Tour: Group Review & Giveaway

Forsaken 

A Daughters of the Sea Novel

By: Kristen Day

Self Published

Once you’ve been touched by darkness, it never leaves you…

Abandoned by her parents as an infant; seventeen year old Hannah spent her childhood wading through countless foster families until being adopted by the Whitmans three years ago. Unfortunately, Atlanta’s high society wasn’t quite ready for Hannah…or the strange events that plague her.

Chilling visions of murder, unexplained hallucinations, and a dark, mysterious guy who haunts her nightmares all culminate to set in motion a journey of self-discovery that will challenge everything she’s ever believed; not to mention her sanity.

Sent to live at The House of Lorelei on Bald Head Island, NC for ‘kids like her’, Hannah quickly realizes things are not what they seem. Her fellow ‘disturbed’ teens are actually the descendents of mythical Sea Gods and Goddesses. And so is she.

But when Finn, the ghost from her dreams, appears in the flesh; her nightmares become reality and her dark visions begin coming true. Inexplicably drawn to him, she can’t deny the dangerous hold he has on her heart. The deadly secrets he harbors will ultimately test her courage and push the boundaries of her love.

She must decide if she is ready to embrace the ancient legend she is prophesized to be a part of. The fate of all the descendents will forever depend upon it.

Forsaken is the first novel in the Daughters of the Sea series by Kristen Day.  When I read the synopsis of this book on Goodreads I was instantly intrigued. When I learned that YARN was doing a blog tour I signed up right away. I enjoyed every second of this book. 

We see the story through the eyes of Hannah, the main character. She is a wonderful character; tough but sweet, sassy, brave and funny. You can't help but love her as you follow her journey to discover who she really is. She is my favorite character in the story; she is a take charge kind of girl. If there is a crisis, she doesn't cry and get hysterical, she figures out what she can do to help. It's so nice to see a heroine who doesn't depend on others to get her out of trouble. 

My next favorite character is Finn, Hannah's love interest. He is an enigma of sorts when we first meet him and it's easy to see why Hannah is drawn to him.  He is insanely hot, yes but there's more to him than that. He's brave and he'd do anything to help Hannah, but he also helps her  figure out how to save herself and I love him for that. He isn't some neanderthal type trying to keep her in a gilded cage to protect her in the name of love. 

Full of suspense and packed with action and romance, this book is a fast paced thrill ride and I could not stop reading it once I'd started.  The end was a slight cliff hanger and I'm now anxiously awaiting the next volume in this exciting new series. 

My Rating: 

Again, here I sit, following Mel around like a puppy so I can continue to read read read like a maniac. I shall be honest- When I read the summary for Forsaken, I sighed somewhat. "Oh, goodie, a Percy Jackson rip-off. Yay..." But I bit my tongue and read it (who am I to complain about a book?), and as much as I hate being wrong, I am actually happy to say I was DEAD wrong about this book.

Stasia has got to be one of the fiercest characters I've read about this year. She's a sassy little firecracker who has every reason to curl up under the bed and cry forever, but no. She is strong, and I admire that about her. I'm honestly not sure I could get up in the morning after everything she's been through, and there she goes- Somehow finding out all this information and remaining sane. None of the other characters fall flat, either. Phoebe, Willow and Carmen are all totally unique, and somehow get along well with one another. None of her characters act alike, and none of them fall all over the place, as if they were just put there because Day liked her names and couldn't narrow it down.

But all the girls aside, umm.. Finn. Holy. Crap. Can I have him, please? I need a visual aid, mostly because we need a Team Finn button down on that little Book Boys roll down there. Who doesn't love the bad boy? The very, very bad boy? The could-possibly-be-a-murderer bad boy who has really pretty blue eyes? "Possible murderer" get your attention? Oh, good. No, I'm not telling you- Just read it yourself. You will not regret it!

Definitely getting put on my "Favorites" shelf! Cannot wait for the next installment! 

My Rating:

And now for the giveaway!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kristen Day is a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries to escape at every opportunity. She loves all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky. She’s been told she sees the world through rose-colored glasses, but she prefers to think of them as kaleidoscope glasses - swirling and morphing reality into something she can digest (who hasn't pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly beans?).

She is the author of the DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA trilogy, which includes FORSAKEN, AWAKEN (Oct 2012), and CHOSEN (Winter 2012). She loves all books, but really enjoys writing young adult, paranormal romances. She’s loved to write for as long as she can remember. Her first published work was her poem RED in second grade (you guessed it - it was a poem about the color red - life altering, right?) that won her 5 gold stars and a spot in her elementary school's poetry book. That's when her addiction to the written word officially began. She was the only kid in fifth grade that actually enjoyed diagramming sentences. Go ahead and laugh - its okay.

When she’s not writing she’s making jewelry, painting, feeding her addiction to sweet tea, watching the Discovery Channel, or going on random adventures in the mountains of North Carolina with her amazing husband. She was born in Boone, NC and graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Marketing in 2001.

Follow Kristen Day:

Goodreads
Blog
Twitter
Facebook

 

Purchase Forsaken:

Buy Link: Nook

Buy Link: Kindle

First Frost by Liz DeJesus Blog Tour: Group Review

First Frost

By Liz DeJesus

Publication Date: June 22, 2012

Published By: Musa Publishing

For generations, the Frost family has run the Museum of Magical and Rare Artifacts, handing down guardianship from mother to daughter, always keeping their secrets to “family only.”

Gathered within museum’s walls is a collection dedicated to the Grimm fairy tales and to the rare items the family has acquired: Cinderella’s glass slipper, Snow White’s poisoned apple, the evil queen’s magic mirror, Sleeping Beauty’s enchanted spinning wheel…

Seventeen-year-old Bianca Frost wants none of it, dreaming instead of a career in art or photography or…well, anything except working in the family’s museum. She knows the items in the glass display cases are fakes because, of course, magic doesn’t really exist.

She’s about to find out how wrong she is.

First Frost is the first book in the Frost Series by Liz DeJesus.  I actually learned about this book on Goodreads and then saw YARN was doing a blog tour and immediately signed us up. What little girl hasn't sat around wondering if the fairy tales we all know and love were true stories at one time? I know I did. This book seemed to be something I'd really enjoy. I like it when I'm right. 

The narrative is in the third person, but we see things from the main character, Bianca, and her nemesis, Lenore's points of view for the most part.  Getting inside their heads made this a very fun read for me.  The characters were all unique and easy to relate to.

While the story is packed with action, I wasn't surprised by much that happened.  It was still an exciting and enjoyable read, though. Action, humor and terror all combine with the strong bonds of family and friendship to make this a must read. I can't wait for the sequel. 

My Rating:

I think it's obvious I will follow Mel's opinion of a book off a cliff, so when she came to me asking if I wanted to be apart of this book tour, I jumped at the chance. 

Bianca's story intrigued me - I've never been big on fairy-tale stories (save for the classics, though, come on), so this was a first for me. I wasn't disappointed, per se, but I did find the story to be somewhat predictable at times. I thought it was very light, and the characters seemed a little younger than they were supposed to be. 

However, I did like the humor in the story, and Prince Ferdinand and Terrance were both equally hilarious and yummy. The kind of guys you want to step into the story, kidnap, and bring into the real world- Why can't that happen? Why, I ask?

A light, fluffy read. Not bad at all.

My Rating:

Liz DeJesus was born on the tiny island of Puerto Rico. She is a novelist and a poet. She has been writing for as long as she was capable of holding a pen. She is the author of the novel Nina (Blu Phi'er Publishing, October 2007), The Jackets (Arte Publico Press, March 31st 2011) and First Frost (Musa Publishing, June 2012). Liz is currently working on a new novel.

Follow Liz DeJesus:

Goodreads

Website

Glass Frost Facebook Fanpage

Twitter

Purchase First Frost here!

Forsaken by Kristen Day Blog Tour: Excerpt & Giveaway!!

Forsaken

Book #1 in Daughters of the Sea Series

By: Kristen Day

Self Published

Once you’ve been touched by darkness, it never leaves you…

Abandoned by her parents as an infant; seventeen year old Hannah spent her childhood wading through countless foster families until being adopted by the Whitmans three years ago. Unfortunately, Atlanta’s high society wasn’t quite ready for Hannah…or the strange events that plague her.

Chilling visions of murder, unexplained hallucinations, and a dark, mysterious guy who haunts her nightmares all culminate to set in motion a journey of self-discovery that will challenge everything she’s ever believed; not to mention her sanity.

Sent to live at The House of Lorelei on Bald Head Island, NC for ‘kids like her’, Hannah quickly realizes things are not what they seem. Her fellow ‘disturbed’ teens are actually the descendents of mythical Sea Gods and Goddesses. And so is she.

But when Finn, the ghost from her dreams, appears in the flesh; her nightmares become reality and her dark visions begin coming true. Inexplicably drawn to him, she can’t deny the dangerous hold he has on her heart. The deadly secrets he harbors will ultimately test her courage and push the boundaries of her love.

She must decide if she is ready to embrace the ancient legend she is prophesized to be a part of. The fate of all the descendents will forever depend upon it.

Author Kristen Day has stopped by today with an excerpt from her new book Forsaken:

I jumped as Finn seemingly materialized next to me. I couldn’t tell if he was talking about the ocean or my desire to be close to him. I lost all train of thought as he fixed his blue eyes on me.

“What are you doing here?” I said, a little too spastic.

“Baking cookies,” he smirked at me.

“You shouldn’t tease me like that, it’s dangerous. I take baked goods very seriously.” A slow smile formed on his lips.

“Dangerous happens to be my specialty,” he said in a low voice, taking a step closer to me. My entire body warmed. He was like my own personal bonfire. “Being afraid reminds us how alive we are. What makes you afraid, Stasia?” I felt my legs get wobbly.

“Nothing scares me,” I said with as much confidence as I could muster. He definitely terrified me, but only because I didn’t trust my body to function correctly around him.

“Nothing at all?” His gaze intensified.

“Nothing at all.” I straightened and held my chin slightly higher to prove it.

“You’re not a good liar.” He leaned in closer and I could feel his breath on my cheeks.

“What makes you afraid?” I whispered. I was having trouble breathing. His answer was another slow smile. If I moved forward even an inch, his mouth would be on mine. Trying not to hyperventilate, I noticed when his eyes glanced down at my lips. His smile disappeared abruptly and he took a step back. As he turned his attention to the water, I tried to figure out what had just happened. My entire body, humming with electricity, was instantly cooled by the distance he’d put between us.

“Come with me.” He took my hand in his, leading me down to the water. It fit perfectly in mine and warmth spread up my arm and into my chest. We stopped once the waves hit our ankles. “Don’t move your feet.” He grinned down at me as I rolled up my jeans. He raked his fingers through his dark hair and the skull and crossbones trace on his forearm shimmered at me. In the pale light of the moon, it was dangerously alluring.

“I used to do this all the time when I was younger,” he explained with obvious nostalgia. My feet disappeared farther into the wet sand, locking me in place, while the water rushed onto the shore and then back out again.

“What happens if we need to go somewhere?” I asked. I could be buried up to my knees in no time at this rate.

“Who says we’re going anywhere?” He held my eyes and put a hand on my shoulder. Before I could come to grips with the tingling sensation his touch created on my skin, he lightly pushed backward. Too late, it dawned on me. Once set in motion, however, I had no way of preventing it. My knees bent and I fell right on my butt onto the wet sand. The water crashed over my knees, soaking my jeans. I tried to stand back up and failed miserably. I glared up at my assailant.

“What are you doing way down there?” He looked down at me with mock surprise. I scooted forward and pushed behind his knees with my hand as hard as I could. He came crashing down beside me. “What was that for?” he asked innocently.

“I told you I can be dangerous. Bad things happen to people who try to push me around.” If he only knew how true that was. I shook the thought and smiled at him. A piece of leather peeking out of the sand caught my attention. Wrapped around his ankle, it held four small black beads shining in the moonlight. I had a good guess as to which type of stones they were.

“If that’s all you’ve got, I’m not too worried,” he taunted me. I dipped my hand in the wet sand, grabbing a handful. I slowly raised it above his head threatening to release it. Before I even noticed, he caught my wrist and pulled it back down. Holding my eyes, he delicately threaded his fingers through mine, while the wet sand squished out. The gesture was somehow very intimate and a shiver ran down my spine. The wet sand ran down my arm but I didn’t even notice. We stayed like that, hand in hand, facing the ocean for what seemed like hours.

I had a million more questions waiting in the wings, but decided this wasn’t the time to open up that can of worms. So, I settled for the least complicated one.

“Why weren’t you in class today?”

“There was somewhere I had to be,” he answered simply.

“You missed a very important lesson. It was life altering.” I teased him.

“The only thing I really missed was sitting next to one very extraordinary girl.” I didn’t think I was breathing anymore.

“She sounds wonderful.” I tried some humor to shake off my nervousness.

“You have no idea.”

Someone laughed in the distance and I pulled my eyes away from his. I realized my roommates were probably getting worried about me.

“I should be getting back to the bonfire. They’re going to think I’ve been kidnapped.” He pulled me toward him in one quick motion.

“Kidnapped insinuates some sort of struggle.” He said in a low voice with a sexy grin. “You’d enjoy being captured by me.” My heart jumped in my throat, but I tried to remain cool.

“I’d like to see you try,” I threw back at him, “but first you’ll have to escape your own sandy death trap” I wiggled my feet out of the sand, stood up and washed my hands off in the water. He followed my every move with curious eyes.

“Sweet dreams, Anastasia.” I wasn’t sure if there was an underlying meaning to his words. “Sweet dreams, Finn,” I responded, breathlessly.

And because she rocks, Kristen Day has also decided to have a giveaway! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Kristen Day is a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries to escape at every opportunity. She loves all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky. She’s been told she sees the world through rose-colored glasses, but she prefers to think of them as kaleidoscope glasses - swirling and morphing reality into something she can digest (who hasn't pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly beans?).

She is the author of the DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA trilogy, which includes FORSAKEN, AWAKEN (Oct 2012), and CHOSEN (Winter 2012). She loves all books, but really enjoys writing young adult, paranormal romances. She’s loved to write for as long as she can remember. Her first published work was her poem RED in second grade (you guessed it - it was a poem about the color red - life altering, right?) that won her 5 gold stars and a spot in her elementary school's poetry book. That's when her addiction to the written word officially began. She was the only kid in fifth grade that actually enjoyed diagramming sentences. Go ahead and laugh - its okay.

When she’s not writing she’s making jewelry, painting, feeding her addiction to sweet tea, watching the Discovery Channel, or going on random adventures in the mountains of North Carolina with her amazing husband. She was born in Boone, NC and graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Marketing in 2001.

Find Kristen Day: 

Goodreads
Blog
Twitter
Facebook

Buy Forsaken: 

  Nook

 Kindle

Cover Reveal & Giveaway for "The Modified" by C.A. Kunz

What would you sacrifice to save the one’s you love? To save the one who holds your heart? To save the world?

Kenley Grayson is all too familiar with these questions.

After Earth is thrust into its first intergalactic war with an unknown race called the Bringers, our military forces begin to suffer heavy losses. Desperate for a solution, the Allied Federation issues a worldwide draft for every able seventeen-year-old to enlist. As Kenley turns seventeen, she finds herself thrown into the very war that took her older brother’s life.

This year’s draft is a little different than in the past though. A new program, known as the Magnus Project, has been introduced, and only the best and brightest qualify. Kenley is amongst a select few whom are chosen to join this elite group of soldiers, and as a part of this project, undergoes a modification procedure that leaves her and her peers endowed with powers beyond their wildest dreams.

As Earth continues in its struggle against the Bringers, Kenley is transported to a high-tech training facility, the Magnus Academy, to prepare for the major battle that lies ahead. It’s here that she meets the California heartthrob, and son of a legendary war hero, Landon Shaw. As unexpected feelings toward Landon begin to develop, Kenley wonders if this is the right time or place for romance to bloom, especially when those feelings start to interfere with her training.

With the weight of the world on her shoulders, Kenley is constantly reminded of how important she and the rest of the Magnus cadets are to the fate of humanity. She is one of the Modified, Earth’s last line of defense against utter destruction.

And now for the giveaway! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Modified releases this Fall!

Like the cover for The Modified? Well then head over to Nathan Szerdy’s website and peruse his amazing collection of works. We guarantee that you won’t be disappointed!

The mom and son author duo, C.A. Kunz, thoroughly enjoys writing about things that go bump in the night and futuristic action-packed romances while drinking massive amounts of English breakfast tea and Starbucks coffee. To find out more about this duo and their books visit their blog, or find them on Facebook and Twitter!

Amateur Angel by Karri Thompson Blog Tour: Excerpt

 Only 18-years-old, Ashley is no ordinary teenager. Not only is she dead, but upon her death, she mistakenly enters the wrong line in the afterlife, a line meant for trained, guardian angels. With a pair of wings on her back, Ashley is sent to Los Angeles to replace another angel whose "assignment" was none-other-than Cannon Michaels, a current member of the band Sendher, the sexiest man alive, and Ashley's celebrity crush in life. 

While exposed to Cannon's selfish, judgmental behavior and his reckless, rock-and-roll lifestyle, Ashley is far from meeting the requirements of a true guardian angel. She misses her family and friends. Will she ever be able to accept her own death? What will she do when she jeopardizes her position as an angel and Cannon's physical safety by falling in love with him?

About Karri Thompson:

As a first-time author, I cannot express- not even in words- how excited I am about the release of my debut novel, Amateur Angel. It took a lot of hard work and sleepless nights. There were many disappointments and rejections along the way, but in the end, my persistence and determination eventually paid off. In many ways, I think writing a novel is easier than finding an agent to represent it and then a publisher to buy it. Two years ago, I almost gave up on my dream to become an author, but then my son, Kyle, wrote a special poem for me, and it inspired me to write a new book and try again. The new book was Amateur Angel.

Here is his poem:

You fail and you fail,
You fix and you fix,
You wait and you wait,
Until you succeed.

I hung this poem in my closet and read it every day when I was getting ready to go to work and each night before I went to bed. It is still there and always will be. I know what I’m about to say will sound like a cliché, but based on my own personal experience, the best advice I can give anyone is to always believe in your abilities, hold your head high, swallow your pride, accept criticism and then learn from it, and most importantly, never give up.

I grew up in San Diego County and attended San Diego State University, earning a bachelor’s degree in English, a master’s degree in education, and my teaching credential. I am a high-school English teacher in the East County of San Diego where I also live with my husband, our son, and two dogs.

Being a lover of Victorian literature, my favorite author is Charles Dickens although I haven’t quite finished reading all of his books. Someday I’ll finally finish David Copperfield- I promise. If you are one of my students, you are either laughing or shaking your head at this.

I lead a very busy life, but when I’m not teaching, grading papers, or attending my son’s soccer games, I find time to write novels, my greatest passion.

Author's Links: 

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