**Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ The Alyx Rayer Chronicles ~ S.J. Pierce**

I'm so excited to be a part of the blog tour for S.J. Pierce's Alyx Rayer Chronicles. This series is such a unique concept and it's very suspenseful and exciting. I reviewed the first book in the series, Marked for Vengeance, back in January. If you missed it, you can read it here. Tethered by Fate is the second book in the series. My stop today includes all the information for both books, my review of Tethered by Fate, and a giveaway.

The giveaway is for ONE ecopy of either Marked for Vengeance or Tethered by Fate. To enter, simply leave a comment. This contest is open internationally and ends July 2nd. The winner will be chosen randomly.

This tour is presented by Xpresso Book Tours. To follow all the participating blogs, click here.

**This week, both Marked for Vengeance 

AND Tethered by Fate are available for only 99 cents!!**

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Marked for Vengeance by S.J. Pierce 

Series: Alyx Rayer Chronicles #1 

Publication date: October 10th 2012 

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:

Alyx Rayer’s existence in Atlanta, the eternally bustling capital of Georgia, is one of routine and blending in among the worker bees. But her ‘normal’ life is actually a façade for a higher calling; she's a three hundred year old soul, encased in a human vessel and sent from the darkness between heaven and Earth to capture her Marked when summoned by her superiors.

During the initial, routine stake-out of her Marked, a dream prophet named Isaac Walsh, Alyx is thrown for an emotional loop when his allure captivates her heart from two rooftops away. The event marks the very instance when her sense of what’s right and what’s wrong is brutally challenged as her contact with him is strictly forbidden.

While already trapped between honor and desire, her emotional struggles are further challenged by a man in a black suit who continually pops up when she least expects it, his presence evoking a strange response from the scar she was branded with at birth. The scar tingles like a warning beacon, alerting her that something is amiss. Because her superiors never told her what this would mean, or much of anything except what to do when they summon, she can only conclude to try and keep her sanity, and her life, from completely shattering to pieces.

This engaging first book of the series is a Paranormal Romance novel interlaced with twists, turns, and thrilling suspense that is sure to satisfy readers of any genre.

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Tethered by Fate by S.J. Pierce

Series: Alyx Rayer Chronicles #2

Publication date: November 29th 2012

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Synopsis:

Where fate would take the both of them now, Isaac wasn’t sure, but either way their paths were irrevocably tethered."

Hurled into the midst of a holy war between the sinister fallen Angel of War and their beloved Creator, gifted humans, Angels, and Spirit  Guides unite to create a formidable, ethereal army. With the imminent battle only days away, continue to follow the story that captivated your hearts as a Protector Angel named Alyx struggles with her own inner conflicts between right and wrong, love and honor.

Passionate, engaging, and filled with surprising twists and turns -- see which path fate will lead our beloved Angel down next in this second book of the Alyx Rayer Chronicles.

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My Review

Tethered by Fate picks up right where Marked for Vengeance left us. This installment is equally as suspenseful and well crafted. And I thought it flowed better than MfV since all the world building was complete. I thoroughly enjoyed it! For those of you who haven't read MfV, I'm trying to be as non-spoilery as possible. I do want to give you a bit of backstory though...

Alyx is "...a three hundred year old soul, encased in a human vessel and sent from the darkness between heaven and Earth to capture her Marked when summoned by her superiors."

She's protecting "...her Marked, a dream prophet named Isaac Walsh..."

Tethered by Fate primarily focuses on preparing the Protectors (angels) and the gifted humans for their battle with the demons and therefore saving the souls of humans on Earth. The Elders must train the gifted humans to perfect their gifts (visions of the future, etc.) in order to create a battle plan. They must also ensure the angels can use all their gifts in battle - along with their counterparts, the Warriors.

In this book, we get to know some characters better and are introduced to some new ones. There are some plot twists that had me wanting to pull my hair out (in a good way ;) and I was surprised the story took some of the turns it did.

I like the fact that Tethered by Fate also explores Alyx's differences from the other angels - and the conflict those differences introduce into the story, as well as the feelings of self-doubt and inadequacy they evoke in Alyx. There are also strong threads of fate (obviously), redemption and forgiveness in this story. 

Tethered by Fate also contains action and suspense. Although the action isn't graphic, the Protectors and their Warriors are out to defend the souls of all humans on Earth. Their instruction on using their abilities, such as using their wings for flight and projecting defensive walls, was fascinating to read about. The mystery we first got a glimpse of in MfV also comes to a head and I'll be the first to admit that I was surprised with the reveal. :)

I love Ms. Pierce's storytelling and her unique story line. Tethered by Fate was every bit as exciting and tense as I was hoping it would be. I'm certainly emotionally invested in these characters. Oh, and that ending...Ms. Pierce, what was that?!? I'm very interested to see Alyx and Isaac's story resolve, along with the fate of Earth.

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About S.J.

Susan James Pierce has a degree in Marketing Management, works for a Fortune 500 company in Atlanta, Georgia, and devotes her precious, spare time to writing Fantasy and Sci-fi novels. 

Even though her full-time career has nothing to do with books at all, she has always enjoyed complex storytelling with fascinating characters, and has had a penchant for the written word since grade school. As a matter of fact, her first publishing credit was a poem she wrote at the age of twelve. Why her love for writing never translated into a career, she can only attribute to 'life happens', but her wish is that she can redirect her career path into something that satisfies her creative inner-self.

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