Defenseless Release Day Blitze

Defenseless (Diamond Girls #3)

by Elisa Dane 

Release Date: 01/27/15

Swoon Romance

Summary from Goodreads:

High school senior, Claire Reilly’s world revolves around All-Star cheerleading. The Diamond Girls, are gearing up for a major competition, which, if they win will allow them to compete at Worlds for the first time. But the unimaginable happens, and both Claire and her team are rocked by a devastating loss. Determined to get to Worlds any way she can, Claire finds help from the last person she imagined would give it—up and coming UFC fighter and notorious bad boy, Ryker Vaughn.

Fouled out of the octagon by a dirty opponent and a vicious kick to the head, Ryker loses control when he learns he may never fight again. Angry over the loss of his mother, an unsupportive family, and the world in general, he gives up, gives in, and unleashes his rage—destroying part of his cousin’s cheer gym in the process. Things go from bad to worse when Ryker is given an ultimatum: help the Diamond Girls compete for a bid to Worlds, or go to jail.

Overwhelmed with anger, sadness, and grief, the unlikely pair learn that what you see is not always what you get, and that the most difficult losses sometimes open the door to a frightening, yet amazing new future.

Excerpt

I tore my eyes from the mess in front of me and zeroed in on the crap weasel standing in front of Coach Shea's office. If Tayla had seen him, she wouldn't have questioned who was behind the destruction. The perpetrator stood a measly yard and a half from us, and wore a bored expression.

Ryker Vaughn, Tayla's black-sheep cousin and all-around douche nozzle extraordinaire, was as noxious and irritating as he was handsome. Looking as though he were plucked straight out of one of those big-budget Clash of the Titans movies, he was chiseled like Hercules and rocked a massive Narcissus complex. Gorgeous, with stormy gray eyes and cropped, dark hair, dude thought he was the shizzle, and refused to give the meager masses the time of day. As deadly as he was handsome, there wasn't a person in Indigo Falls, or the surrounding counties, who wouldn't recognize his name: Ryker the Striker.

A humanized weapon of the martial arts variety, Ryker had spent a large portion of his eighteen years studying and perfecting Brazilian Jui-Juitsu and Muay Thai. The captain of the wrestling team at Douglas High before he graduated last year, he won two state championships and held the record for most wins and takedowns in a single season.

Unfortunately for him, neither his name, his good looks, or his martial arts skills saved him from the set of security cameras stationed around the building's perimeter. Why was he here talking to Coach Shea? Why wasn't his butt sitting in a jail cell somewhere?

I let my eyes wander from Ryker to the wreckage in front of me and frowned. The guy was more than capable of this type of demolition. What I couldn't understand was the why of it? He wasn't the world's friendliest guy, but I'd never known him to be outright destructive and criminal.

Though, if I were being honest, I didn't really know him. I'd only crossed paths with him at a few of Tayla's family gatherings. He'd kept to his scowling self, barely uttering a word to anyone the entire time. Unsociable bastard.  

Buy Links:
Amazon

Companion books in this series:
(each book is a separate story and do not have to be read in order)
 

Links for Ex-Factor:

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

Links for Unbreakable:
Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble

About the Author
I'm a lover of books (YA & Adult romance), chocolate, reality television, and am a proud mother to three All Star cheerleaders. Woot!

I write Contemporary YA romance with cheerleaders. Yep. I write what I know, and it's my hope that my stories will not only take you on a romantic journey that will warm your heart, but that you'll find a new respect and interest in the sport of Cheerleading you may not have had before.

Author Links:

   

GIVEAWAY:

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Book Blitz Organized by:

Book blitz: PODs

PODs

by Michelle K. Pickett

Release Date: 06/24/13

Publisher: Spencer Hill Press

Paperback/ebook

312 pages

Summary from Goodreads:

Seventeen-year-old Eva is a chosen one. Chosen to live, while others meet a swift and painful death from an incurable virus so lethal, a person is dead within days of symptoms emerging. In the POD system, a series of underground habitats built by the government, she waits with the other chosen for the deadly virus to claim those above. Separated from family and friends, it's in the PODs she meets David. And while true love might not conquer all, it's a balm for the broken soul.

After a year, scientists believe the population has died, and without living hosts, so has the virus. That's the theory, anyway. But when the PODs are opened, survivors find the surface holds a vicious secret. The virus mutated, infecting those left top-side and creating... monsters.

Eva and David hide from the infected in the abandoned PODs. Together they try to build a life--a new beginning. But the infected follow and are relentless in their attacks. Leaving Eva and David to fight for survival, and pray for a cure.

Praise for the Amazon Bestselling PODs:

"5 Stars! I loved this book. I have been kind of bogged down with dystopias lately, but this was amazing. It was so cool to see life before the 'event', to see Eva wrestle with her choices and then, to watch her change as she lived inside the PODs...Yes, there are zombies. Yes, there's a little romance. But I think, at its heart, PODs is a coming of age story about Eva and how she grows from a girl into a strong, decisive woman during this period of absolute destruction. And Pickett writes it beautifully." ~ Sherry Ficklin, author of "Extracted"

"I was blown away by this debut novel from Michelle Pickett! Rather than feeling like I was reading a book, I actually sometimes felt like I was actually watching the characters' lives progress; it was kind of weird! The emotions that Eva felt were so raw and real, and I think Michelle really captured the emotions that one would be feeling in a post-apocalyptic world...PODs may very well be one of the next big things in YA, so I am very happy to have been one of the ones that was part of the beginning of it all! Congrats Michelle on your YA debut and I am looking forward to more by you!  I gave PODs a well-deserved 5/5 stars!  " ~Phil book reviewer at Stack of Hardbacks

“5 glowing, sparkling stars for this one!...I absolutely adored every character Michelle introduces us to. This book isn't just about a romance, or two people fighting some battle. This book allows us to get to know several, amazing, diverse characters who all grab your heart (even a few who have attitude issues). They all held such an important place in the story… Now for the plot. Holy crap!... Michelle did a flippin' fantastic job giving us each piece of this puzzle… I won't go into details about what happens after they are removed from the POD but O-M-G! The action never stops…This book seriously needs to be a movie. I could picture every detail and already see it playing out on screen. PLEASE SOMEONE MAKE THIS HAPPEN!”  ~Jessica of Total Bookaholic

Buy Links:

  

Also Available from:
Books-A-Million

Wal-Mart

Excerpt

“Who ate all the damn strawberries?” Aidan yelled. “I was saving them for my cereal.” 

“I did. Use the banana,” Josh said. 

“A banana isn’t a strawberry. I marked the container with my name. You’re a jerk—” 

The container hit the metal wall of the chute with a crack. I always jumped when it did that. I hated it. It reminded me of the banging and crunching we’d heard when Cam’s sub-POD was cut off from the main. 

“It’s not time for our blood checks,” I said. 

“Maybe it’s strawberries. I’d really like some strawberries… Josh,” Aidan said, an edge to his voice. 

“Drop dead,” Josh replied, never looking up from his computer. 

David got up from the table where we were having breakfast. Taking the container from the chute, he pulled a manila envelope out of the basket. 

He dumped the contents on the table for everyone to see. Inside were ten name badges, one for each of us. Our photos— except Faith’s— and names were printed on one side; the other had barcodes. David scanned the label on the envelope, his face growing pale. “What’s it say, David?” I whispered. 

“‘The seals to each sub-POD will be broken tomorrow morning. Do not attempt to leave your sub-POD. Officers will give residents directions and escort them to their appropriate area topside.’ That’s all it says.” 

“It’s over,” Tiffany murmured, pulling the baby close. 

“Hot damn! Finally, I’m free of this tin can,” Josh jumped up and hurried to the guys’ bedroom. 

Well, at least Josh is happy. Why aren’t the rest of us? I thought we’d be excited. But instead everyone looks… anxious. What will we find up there? What has the world become? 

“Well, guess we should start packing up our stuff,” Aidan said.

 “Yeah, I guess so,” Seth agreed, rising slowly from his seat, rubbing his hands up and down his thighs. 

One by one, everyone walked to their sleeping areas and started packing their belongings— except me. I sat in the living room alone, flicking the corner of my name badge with my fingernail. The lanyard wound so tightly around my fingers they turned red. My insides were quivering, jittery. Something wasn’t right. For fifteen months we’d all looked forward to the moment we could leave, but now that the time was here it felt… wrong.

About the Author:

I'm a wife, mother, author, reader, although not always in that order.  I write young adult urban fantasies, science/fiction and paranormal romances and have recently started dabbling in young adult contemporary romance. Reading was one of my earliest passions, writing soon followed. I began writing seriously during college where I graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting. Why I chose a career that frowns on creativity remains a mystery.

I’m addicted to Reese’s peanut butter cups and eat way too many while I write, have an abnormal obsession with hoodies and can’t write without one, and I hate to cook, but love to watch cooking shows on television. An unabashed romantic, I love a swoon-worthy ending that will give me butterflies for days.

I wrote my debut young adult novel, PODs, in 2011. PODs, a science/fiction, post-apocalyptic romance, will be released June 4, 2013 through the amazing Spencer Hill Press.  My second young adult title, Milayna, a paranormal romance, will release through Spencer Hill Press beginning in March 2014. Milayna is a standalone, with series potential. It’s meant to be a trilogy. The Infected, a PODs novel, will release November 2014. It is the second, and last, book in the PODs series.

I was born and raised in Flint, Michigan.  I now reside in a small community outside Houston, Texas with my incredibly supportive, not to mention gorgeous, husband, three amazing school-aged children, a 125-pound lap dog, and a snooty cat.

Keep up-to-date with my current, future projects, appearances, and fun giveaways at www.michelle-pickett.com.

I always love to hear from readers, bloggers and other authors!

Find me here:

Website│Email│Blog│Facebook│Twitter│Goodreads

Giveaway

First place: Signed copy of PODs, tote bag, and swag (US only see note for international)

Second place: Signed copy of PODs and swag (US only see note for international)

*International winners will receive a print copy of PODs only if www.Bookdepository.com delivers to their country. Otherwise they will receive an e-book. Swag will not be included.

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Book Blitz Organized by:

Book blitz: Darkness Watching

Darkness Watching

by Emma L Adams

Release Date: 10^th October 2013

Publisher: Curiosity Quills

Genre: Urban fantasy/paranormal
Target Audience: Upper YA/New Adult

Summary from Goodreads:

Eighteen-year-old Ashlyn is one interview away from her future when she first sees the demons. She thinks she's losing her mind, but the truth is far more frightening: she can see into the Darkworld, the home of spirits– and the darkness is staring back.

Desperate to escape the demons, Ash accepts a place at a university in the small town of Blackstone, in the middle of nowhere - little knowing that it isn't coincidence that led her there but the pull of the Venantium, the sorcerers who maintain the barrier keeping demons from crossing from the Darkworld into our own world.

All-night parties, new friendships and a life without rules or limits are all part of the package of student life - but demons never give up, and their focus on Ash has attracted the attention of every sorcerer in the area. Ash is soon caught between her new life and a group of other students with a connection to the Darkworld, who could offer the answers she's looking for. The demons want something from her, and someone is determined to kill her before she can find out what it is. 

In a world where darkness lurks beneath the surface, not everyone is what they appear to be...

ReadChapter One

Buy Links:

Amazon * AmazonUK * Barnesand Noble * Kobo

If you are a blogger and would like to request a review copy of Darkness Watching, sign up below:

Reviews of DARKNESS WATCHING:

"Emma is an amazing writer. She has become one of my favorites. I couldn’t put Darkness Watching down." - Diane at A Creative Mind

"Darkness Watching provides an original world that is fully complete and from a teens POV. It was dark and entertaining and sometimes teen books don’t go full out, this one did. The world building was truly strong in this novel." - Lexi at Book Bliss

"Like good books should, Darkness Watching left me pondering the story after I'd finished reading AND left me wanting more. Adams built a strong world for readers to be immersed. But the regular world retained full realism. Normal every day teen situations felt completely believable." - Erin at Erin Albert Books

I have to say, I didn’t see the ending coming! ... the final showdown left me speechless (You will have to read it!)" - Julia at Never Judge a Book by its Movie

"This was entertaining from the start...I didn’t want to put it down, and fans of urban fantasies I think will enjoy this. Darkness Watching was definitely worth the read." - Jenea at Books Live Forever

"This book is unique, fun and interesting. I kept wondering what was going to happen next...I felt that this book was well written and It was hard to put this book down once I started. " -Jessica at Eat Sleep Read

Excerpt:

It started out as yet another exam dream. I sat in the school hall, looking at an unfamiliar paper, as all the other students began to write with frantic enthusiasm, pens racing down the page.

I didn't revise this at all. Panic rose within me. I looked around desperately. Everyone else scribbled away. The clock ticked, seconds passing. Minutes. Shit.

I felt a familiar surge of dizziness; my breath stuck in my throat, my heart pounded. I stared at the back of the seat in front of me, which seemed to waver and shimmer before my eyes, turning to blackness―

And a face grinned at me. Sharp teeth formed a malevolent smile. Violet eyes stared at me, unblinking. I could see nothing else for the smoke, which completely obscured everything before my eyes.

Then my chair tipped backward of its own accord. In slow motion, it leaned back, teetered for a moment. The demon grinned as I sat there, powerless to move.

The panic inside my chest spilled over and I tried to cry out. But I couldn't move my jaw, couldn't open my mouth. I was frozen to the seat as it hit the floor with a soundless thud.

I couldn't move.

I couldn't feel anything.

And I couldn't speak, couldn't scream.

I lay on my back, and around me, people continued to write, like robots programmed to scribble endless pages. No one spared a glance for me. I was trapped there on the floor, and no one even knew I was trapped.

The eyes blinked, then vanished.

My heart restarted with a jolt, hammering in my ears. I fought to escape the trap. My eyes felt as though something heavy weighed them shut, but I managed to force my eyelids apart. The sight of my digital alarm clock greeted me, sideways; I'd fallen asleep at my desk, my head resting on my laptop, the cold edge digging into my face.

I tried to lift my head, but I couldn't. I tried to open my mouth, but my jaw remained locked.

Impossible. I'm awake. Trapped again, this time for real. Not a muscle in my body responded to my pleas. I couldn't feel my hands, but I knew my right hand rested under my chin where I'd used it as a pillow. I couldn't feel my face, either.

I'd lost all feeling in my entire body, as if something invisible laid on top of me, pinning me down.

I tried to cry out, but not a sound escaped.

Move! I thought, trying to lift my head. The weight continued to press on me. I recalled one of those websites I'd browsed had mentioned poltergeists that sat on people in the middle of the night, leaving them unable to move. This felt just like it. Terror washed over me, cold and merciless.

Every short breath hurt my chest. Let me go. Please. Please―I'll do anything, just let me move.

"Anything, Ashlyn?"

That voice.

What do you want from me?

Somehow, not being able to see the speaker made it a thousand times worse. It felt like a thousand invisible hands gripped me all over, numbing all sensation. At the edges of my vision, I thought I saw dark shapes, but no eyes, no mouth for the voice.

Demons.

Finally, the messages between my brain and nerves seemed to hit home, and I managed to raise my head, to lift my arm an inch. Slowly I regained feeling in my limbs. I shifted, twitched my hands, my feet.

Even then, I knew they watched me.

That day, the fear began.

About the Author

Emma spent her childhood creating imaginary worlds to compensate for a disappointingly average reality, so it was probably inevitable that she ended up writing fantasy and paranormal for young adults. She was born in Birmingham, UK, which she fled at the first opportunity to study English Literature at Lancaster University. In her three years at Lancaster, she hiked up mountains, skydived in Australia, and endured a traumatic episode involving a swarm of bees in the Costa Rican jungle. She also wrote various novels and short stories. These included her first publication, a rather bleak dystopian piece, and a disturbing story about a homicidal duck (which she hopes will never see the light of day).

Now a reluctant graduate, she can usually be found in front of her writing desk, creating weird and wonderful alternative worlds. Her debut novel The Puppet Spell, published in January 2013 by Rowanvale Books, is a fantasy tale for young adults and the young at heart, inspired by her lifelong love of the fantastical, mythology, and video games. Emma also writes supernatural fantasy novels for older teens and adults. Her next book, Darkness Watching, is the first in the upper-YA/New Adult Darkworld series, and was published in October 2013 by Curiosity Quills Press.

Author Links:

   

***GIVEAWAY***

$10 Amazon gift card (INT)

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Book Blitz Organized by:

Book Tour: Alabaster Nights

Today I'm proud to be a part of the 'Alabaster Nights Tour', hosted by Dark World Books. To view other stops on this tour just click on the banner.

Alabaster Nights

(A Josie Hawk Companion Novella)

A Vampire with a soul. A Huntress with a knife.

In Nashville, Blood equals Power. Will one taste of Josie Hawk cost Keller everything?

Coming January 2014

Add Alabaster Nights to your Goodreads list!

_________________________

Interested in reading how the tale of Josie and Keller began? Then check Crimson Beat, a novella within the A Celtic Tapestry anthology!

Character Interview

Elle J Rossi interviews Josie Hawk:

EJR: Thanks for being here today, Josie. I know you can’t stay long. I appreciate you taking the time. 
JH: Thank you for having me here, Elle. It’s nice to take a short break sometimes. 
EJR: I bet. So, tell me, what does it mean to you to be a Huntress.
JH: Simply put, it means everything. Hunters and Huntresses live to protect. My people are the people of Nashville. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do to keep them safe.
EJR: That’s pretty intense. I imagine it’s a full time job. Do you ever take time off?
JH: I can’t afford to. The dark beings of the occult would snatch up any chance to turn the game in their favor. I won’t give them that chance. 
EJR: Can you tell me the story about how you met Mr. Keller O’Leary? 
JH: Sure. Irish, as I like to call him, made the mistake of feeding in my domain and taking the act a little too far. I understand vampires need to feed. I don’t hold it against them. But when they kill their food, I get upset.
EJR: Are you saying you saw Keller kill someone?
JH: Luckily for him, no. He didn’t go quite that far. But he was on the edge, and it’s my job to show him the error of his ways. I kicked his ass.  
EJR: Quick change of subject. What’s in your refrigerator? 
JH: Bottled water, jelly, and a loaf of bread. I usually grab a meal on the go.
EJR: Here’s a fun one. What’s on your bedroom floor?
JH: Clothes. Dirty towels. Lots of boots. Organization has never been my strength. Unlike Keller. My mess drives him nuts.
EJR: A bit of a neat freak, huh?
JH: Yeah. I try not to hold it against him.
EJR: So, this thing you have with Keller. Is it as serious for you as it is for him?
JH: I’m not sure how to answer that. I’m not evading, I just don’t know. It’s complicated. Keller is intense. He wants my heart, body, and soul. If I give it all to him, what would I have left for me? On the other hand, there is no one else I want to be with. I can’t imagine my life without him. When he’s not with me, I’m lost. When he’s close, I’m scared to be who he needs me to be. Like I said, it’s complicated. 
EJR: Okay, last one. Most women like diamonds. If Keller were to give you the perfect gift, what would it be? 
JH: Haha! Blinged out blades. Please, I’m a woman, too, and I love me some diamonds. Just as long as their covering the handle of a five incher.

Excerpt

Keller shoved off the bar and strode toward the stage, an invisible bond tethering his chest to the singer. Her voice swirled around him, wrapping him in a cocoon made of hunger, desire, and need. A waitress walked by, her drink tray held high over the crowd. Keller reached up and deposited his untouched beverage. Fake blood would never soothe his cravings. For that matter, no blood, human or animal, had ever taken the edge off. He had little doubt that all of that was about to change. 

Eyes that had been full of happiness, as if singing was the only thing that kept her alive, narrowed to slits so thin he could no longer make out their color. 

She knew.

He’d thought she was human. Perhaps not. A human would never be able to tell he was a night creature. This new development had Keller even more intrigued.

“Hey, buddy, Watch out.”

Keller kept his fangs hidden, briefly looked away from the singer, and reminded himself not to kill the man wearing a ridiculously oversized hat and an even larger belt buckle who was currently blocking his path.  

Reaching out, Keller gripped the man’s shoulder, careful not to squeeze hard enough to break his bones. “Move.” One word, infused with the power of persuasion.

The man blinked and rushed off the dance floor. Keller refocused his attention back to his… His what? He hesitated to use the word mate, but everything inside him screamed that’s exactly who this woman was. 

“Big brother. You made it.”

Keller clenched his jaw and fought the tension in his body that wanted nothing more than to pounce on the singer and make her his. Once he felt even a modicum of control, he turned and offered Sage a genuine smile. His sister. Biological or not did not matter.

 “Of course I made it.” He said. “You know I can’t deny you anything.” He pulled on Sage’s braid. “Pink?”

Sage hugged him tight. The singer continued to sing. He squelched the urge to turn and watch.

“This week, anyway. Eventually my hair will probably fall out from all this dying.” Sage shrugged. “That’s what wigs are for. Just ask Dolly Parton.”

“Dolly who?” 

“Never mind,” Sage said, laughing.

Sage grabbed his hand and guided him back to the bar. 

Keller positioned himself so he could see the stage as well as Sage. Sage looked good. Almost peaceful. Almost. A vampire could never truly find peace. Not until the end came, and Keller wondered if far worse awaited on the other side. That depended on which myth one chose to believe.

“So?”

“So, what?” His sister was up to something. Her eyes sparkled. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her this happy. Maybe never.

“Do you like her?”

Every muscle in his body stiffened. No. He couldn’t be so transparent that Sage had picked up on his fixation. “Do I like who?” His words were stilted. He cleared his throat. 

She swept her arm in a circle. “This place? I’m going to buy it,” she said, bouncing on the balls of her feet.

Keller angled his head. Buying meant staying, didn’t it? “You’re going to buy a pub?”

Sage shoved him playfully. “You’re not in Ireland, Keller. This is Nashville and this pub is called a honkytonk.”

“I’ll try to remember that.”

“But, yes,” she said with a smile. “To answer your question, I am going to buy it. Isn’t it great? We’re going to call it Wolfie’s”

The song ended and the singer stepped down from the stage. Keller tracked her movements as every nerve in his body strained, begging him to act.

Keller cracked his neck. The motion did little to ease his headache. “We? Will I approve of this partner?” He pictured someone taking advantage of Sage’s soft heart. Keller held his words, but he would not allow Sage to buy this place until Keller met her partner and agreed with the terms. Sage was family and her safety trumped her happiness. 

The singer marched through the crowd. Her heart beat in time with her footsteps as her boots pounded against the wood floor. Something, probably a knife, glinted under the hem of her skirt. Why the weapon? Her gaze never left his. Keller wore a lazy smile and waited.

Sage jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow. “I hope so, bro. She’s awesome.”

He hadn’t considered that Sage’s partner could be a woman. A thought crept in. Keller eased off the bar and straightened his suit jacket. “I look forward to meeting her.”

Deep red hair bounced as the singer planted her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. She smiled at Sage before she turned to him. The smile disappeared as her lips flattened into a thin line.

Keller breathed deeply—something he rarely did—and his heart, along with another vital organ, jerked to attention.

“Perfect timing,” Sage said. “Keller, I’d like you to meet my partner, and best friend, Josephine Hawk. Josie, this is my brother, Keller.”

The redhead licked her lips and swept her gaze from his head to his feet and back up.

Keller could not hear over the roar in his ears. Yes. Josephine Hawk was indeed the one he had been waiting for.

About the Author

Ell J Rossi

Elle J Rossi grew up in rural Indiana surrounded by great people, a huge family and more animals than she could count. But the sites and sounds of the world beckoned, so she left her small town to escape into a creative world full of music. As a full time singer she was able to lose herself in a thousand different songs in a hundred different places. After meeting the love of her life and settling down, she yearned to find a new and fulfilling creative outlet. Overly fond of the happily ever after, she wondered what it would be like to have her own characters lead her down dark and twisted paths. The very first word on the very first page sealed her fate. She’d found a new love. She’d found her escape. Now along with weaving haunting tales about the journey to love, she’s creating cover art for authors around the world and loving every second of it. For fun, she cranks country music to take her back to her roots, and sings karaoke anytime she gets a chance. Her husband, two children, and a cat that rules the roost keep her company along the way and guarantee she doesn’t get lost in the enchanted forest. She wouldn’t have it any other way.

Website – Twitter – Facebook

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