Thursday, September 26, 2013

**Think Out Loud ~ #3**




“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of any thing than of a book! -- When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”  --Bingley, Pride & Prejudice

Hmm, do you think there's a connection between my love of P&P and my library?!? I'm working on the 'excellent'. ;)

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

**Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Life, Love, & Lemons ~ Magan Vernon**


Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Magan Vernon's Life, Love, & Lemons. My stop includes all you need to know about the book, my review and a giveaway.

To follow along with all the blogs on the tour, you can click here.


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Life, Love, & Lemons by Magan Vernon 
Publication date: August 20th 2013 
Genre: YA Contemporary

Synopsis
When life hands you lemons, sometimes you have to say screw the lemons and bail.

Seventeen-year-old Bentley Evans had it all. Then her Dad got laid off.

Now she has to move across town to a small apartment and leave her life of luxury for public school and a job at the local burger place. Just when her world seems like it's crumbling she finds solace in the unlikely punk boy next door, Kai Stone. But as their relationship blossoms, a jealous ex-girlfriend and a secret to tell that threatens to bring disaster back into Bentley’s life.






"When life hands you lemons sometimes you just have to say screw the lemons, and bail."

Wow ~ When I first began reading Life, Love, & Lemons, I was worried I wasn't going to connect with Bentley, the main character. Ms. Vernon surprised me. I ended up loving Bentley and her story.

Bentley Evans is a young lady who has lost her private school education, fancy clothes, sushi dates, and huge house due to her father's being laid off. While at first I thought Bentley was going to be a whiny, entitled teenager, she proved me wrong. I ended up admiring the maturity she showed in dealing with the difficult circumstances she faced. She proved she was a deeper person by adapting to her new life, making sacrifices and making new friends.

Malakai 'Kai' Stone is the epitome of a gentleman hiding behind piercings, tattoos, and strange clothes - oh, and guyliner. ;) He lives next door to Bentley, at the apartment complex, and works with her, too. And he does his level best to befriend her despite his being a punk/emo and her being a preppy girl. Bentley denies her attraction but after a particularly nasty incident with a customer at work, Kai comes to her rescue. From that point forward, Kai helps Bentley learn to be more positive. Kai had me swooning often. He was snarky quite often but romantic when the situation required it.

One particularly endearing consequence to Bentley's new life is the improvement in the relationship between she and her dad. Bentley's mom was a real piece of work - hated her. But Bentley's dad was a gen and it took him losing his job to really get to know his daughter. 

Another thing I enjoyed about Life, Love, & Lemons is the 80's pop culture references. From punk music to John Hughes, I found these mentions charming. Oh, and I loved that Kai drove a Ford Falcon. I LOVE that car! ;)

Life, Love, & Lemons is a sweet story with just the right amount of depth to keep things interesting. It was about teens coping with life changes and showing their mettle. And I found it quite a pleasant read.



**I received an eARC of the book, as part of the tour, in exchange for an honest review.








Magan Vernon is a Young Adult and New Adult writer who lives with her family in the insurance capital of the world. She is in a very serious, fake relationship with Adam Lambert and constantly asks her husband to wear guyliner. He still refuses. She also believes her husband is secretly an alien, disguised as a southern gentleman.

**Trailer Reveal ~ Welcome to Sugartown ~ Carmen Jenner**

I'm thrilled to be part of the trailer reveal for Carmen Jenner's
Welcome to Sugartown

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Welcome to Sugartown by Carmen Jenner 
Publication date: November 3rd 2013 
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Synopsis
Ana Belle never wanted anything more than to hang up her apron, jump on her Vespa and ride off into the sunset, leaving Sugartown in the dust.

Elijah Cade never wanted anything more than a hot meal, a side of hot arse and a soft place to lay his head at night where he could forget about his past.

But you know what they say about wanting: you always want what you can’t have.

Nineteen year-old virgin Ana is about to discover that’s not quite true because a six foot three, hotter than hell, tattooed, Aussie sex god just rode into town. He’s had a taste of her pie and he wants more– no really, Ana bakes pies for a living, get your mind out of the gutter.

She’d be willing to hand over everything tied up in a big red bow, there’s just one problem; Elijah has secrets dirtier than last week’s underwear. Secrets that won’t just break Ana’s heart, but put her life at risk, too. When those secrets come to light, their relationship is pushed to breaking point.

Add to that a psychotic nympho best friend, an overbearing father, a cuter than humanly possible kid brother, a wanton womanizing cousin, the ex from hell, and more pies than you could poke a … err … stick … at.

And you thought small towns were boring.

Welcome to Sugartown.

*Content Warning. Intended for a mature 18+ audience. Contains explicit sex, oodles of profanity and a crap-tonne of AWKWARD





Carmen Jenner is a thirty-something author, doctor, pilot and CIA agent.
She's also a compulsive, flagrant prevaricator who gets to make things up for a living.

While Sugartown may not technically exist, Carmen grew up in a small Australian town just like it, and just like her characters, she always longed for something more.They didn't have an Elijah Cade, though. If they did, you can be sure she would have never left.

Her debut novel, Welcome to Sugartown, releases November 3, 2013.

Catch up on all the news from the Sugartown Series at: www.welcometosugartown.blogspot.com.au

Keep a look out for the follow up novels in the Sugartown Series:

Enjoy Your Stay (Sugartown #2)
Now Leaving Sugartown (Sugartown #3)




Tuesday, September 24, 2013

**Blitz & Giveaway ~ Eramane ~ Frankie Ash**


I'm super excited to be a part of the release blitz for Frankie Ash's Eramane. I have all the pertinent details for y'all, as well as an excerpt and a giveaway! 


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Eramane by Frankie Ash 
(Eramane Trilogy, #1) 
Publication date: August 13, 2013 
by Archway Publishing
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Synopsis:
In the village of Eludwid, seventeen-year-old Eramane Fahnestock goes about her life, cheerfully disregarding a prophecy made to her parents that she would have a great gift. Not yet wed and beset with boredom, Eramane cannot shake the feeling that something exciting awaits her beyond Eludwid. But when she is invited to picnic with a handsome young suitor, Eramane has no idea that her life will soon change forever.

As Eramane prepares for her date, she is suddenly hypnotized by a strange voice that tells her he will be coming for her that night. Unsettled but determined to press forward, Eramane and her suitor, Lebis, head to the woods to enjoy their picnic. As darkness falls on the forest, however, a beast emerges, transforming their beautiful outing into a terrifying scene. Taken captive and carried away to a mountain hideaway, Eramane finds her memories are soon clouded, even as her family frantically searches for her back home.

In this gripping fantasy tale, evil is summoned to the mountaintop, forcing a young woman to discover her magical gifts and exact revenge against a beast determined to destroy everything she has ever loved.





Crackling flames from the oversized hearth touch my face with their heat and wake me from my void. I feel as though I have been asleep for days, without having dreams or any other reassurance of existence. I am lying on a white fur on the floor of a chamber. The bright fur stuns my vision momentarily; I have had my eyes closed for too long. I move my fingers through the fur; it is soft and smells like wood and smoke. Where am I? I blink my eyes to adjust my vision, and it begins to clear. Then my mind clears.  Lebis! I sit up, and fright surges through me. My eyes search the room for my abductor. Where is it? It is dark in the corners of the chamber; does it lurk there? The chamber is a large stone room with no outside openings, and the ceiling is so high that I cannot see where it ends. I rise from the soft fur bedding and put my feet onto the cold floor. It is not until I stand on the chamber floor that I notice my foot has been re-bandaged. I look around the room, desperately trying to see into the darkness. If that thing is in here with me, I would rather discover it now than wait in wonder of my fate. I make my way to the shadowed corners. I see nothing, for now I am alone. 

The rock walls have pieces of crystal that catch the reflection from the fire, causing them to twinkle like the night sky. I feel as if I am atop a mountain, surrounded only by the starlit skies. I walk slowly toward one of the walls, touching one of the sparkling crystals. The warmth of the large fire does not reach the walls, so I go back to it for comfort. I stand in front of the hearth feeling the flame’s heat begin to lightly toast my skin. I stare into the flames, and their color reminds me of what brought me here, those fire-colored eyes! Images of Lebis flash inside of the flames, like a reflection in a mirror replaying that horrible event. Tears fill my eyes and blur the flames. I lie down on the white fur again and weep until I lose myself again to the bliss of sleep.

My breath is taken by a swift, musky draft. I am aware that I am still in the room with the twinkling walls and golden fire pit, but when I wake this time I can sense the presence of someone else in the chamber. However, my eyes cannot find anyone. I had hoped that death would find me in my slumber; instead it passed me over, left me alive, in the captivity of a monster. I am at the mercy of the beast that murdered Lebis, robbed me of an innocent life, and confiscated my future. Only where is this murderer? I do not believe that I can bear to gaze upon that creature again. The horrid memories spin through my head, and I wonder if I will go mad harboring all of them. 

Creak, the door to my chamber opens. Hinges squeak and rattle, taking me away from my thoughts. I am suddenly keenly aware of my vulnerability, not having the safety of a closed door. “Come, Eramane,” a raspy, cracking voice says. I stand and listen for the voice to speak again. “Do not be afraid; you are safe here,” it says. My eyes dart around intently, not finding the source of these words. 

“What do you want from me? Why have you brought me here?” I shout. My voice carries around the chamber, echoing off the stone. The door closes, leaving me alone once more, alone with my thoughts.

I do not know how long I have been held captive—hours, days? It could be either, for I have battled exhaustion the entire time, sleeping most of it. I am certain that my brother is searching for me by now. I imagine him and his Riders invading this stone prison and saving me. I have dreamt that scenario several times. It is a hope that keeps me from walking into the fire that continuously burns, hot and strong. My daydream of rescue is intruded on as the creaking of hinges and jarring of metal accompany the opening of my chamber door. There is no dark, odorous cloud this time. Again a voice, seeming to radiate from the walls themselves, offers a meal to me. Taking the offer as a cue, my stomach rumbles and gnaws at me, as if trying to claw its way out, hoping to find food on its own, in the belief that I have given up on its need of sustenance. I am 
starving but afraid to leave the chamber. I stare at the open door, wondering what fate awaits me if I walk through it. The door begins to close, but this time my fear of the unknown is second to my need of nourishment. “Wait, please,” I say, choking back my words, afraid to actually say them. The door pauses. I walk toward it, and it waits for me. 

I cannot see anything outside of the door, but I am compelled to continue through the opening anyway. I look to my right, into the darkness, and there is nothing. I look left, and it offers the same. My body is numb with fear, but I cannot seem to control its will to find food. My body moves me forward while my mind pleads for me to turn around and run back to the warm fur next to the hearth; it is desperately trying to fight against going into the dark hallway. 

As I proceed down the dark corridor, torches hanging from the walls begin to ignite with my every step. The walkway appears to be endless, yet with each grumble from my belly, I am compelled to proceed. I turn to look behind me; there is nothing there, not even the torches that burned a moment ago. Complete darkness backs me. All I can navigate is the way in front of me. I follow the torches until I come to another door, an oversized, wooden double door, with black iron rings the size of wagon wheels hanging from the center. The doors are so big that it seems like I will need a team of plow horses to open them. I stand in front of the wooden barriers and watch with intense curiosity as they slowly open on their own. Finally, the enormous doors cease to move, and my eyes take in a beautiful sight.




a Rafflecopter giveaway




Frankie Ash is the author of the YA novel Eramane, COMING SOON! She holds a B.A. in English and resides on the east-coast somewhere between “Will it ever be warm again?” and “The summers here are too short!” She is currently writing book #2 of The Eramane Trilogy, to be published in 2014.


**Cover Reveal ~ The Demon Mistess ~ Jordan K. Rose**


I'm excited to be a part of the cover reveal for Jordan K. Rose's The Demon Mistress. This is the first Eva Prim novel and I rather like this cover. I think the moonlight reflecting off the couple is done well. And I like the demons(?) in the mist in the bottom corners. I also like the premise. I think Eva's gonna make me giggle. What do y'all think?


The Demon Mistress by Jordan K. Rose
Release Date: October, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Romance

What’s a girl to do when she discovers her husband, who happens to be the Master Vampire for the New England Region, has been lying to her for, oh, say a hundred and eighty years? 

Well, it all depends. If she’s accidentally released forty demons from some creepy old book, unintentionally announced the existence of vampires on The Internet, kidnapped a werewolf, enraged a lovesick vampire by stealing his approved mate, and attracted the attention of The High Commander for The Vampire Federation, not to mention gotten stoned and mastered the forbidden art of demon calling, she might be willing to call it even.

Or, she might plead her case at an Inquisition and hope like all hell, she isn’t staked before sunrise. Eh, a slightly busier night than usual, but nothing Eva Prim can’t handle.






Jordan loves vampires. But if you know anything about Jordan, you already knew that detail. What you didn’t know was it wasn’t long ago that she began writing about them. 

A few years back Jordan received a copy of Twilight from her husband as part of her anniversary gift. By the end of that week she’d read the entire series and moved onto Anne Rice’s Vampire Chronicles. Eight weeks and eighteen vampire books later the idea for her first book, Perpetual Light came to her followed very quickly by Eva Prim.

In October of 2013, The Demon Mistress, the first Eva Prim Novel is available along with four short stories. For continual updates on Eva please join the Snack Of The Week Club at www.evaprim.com. 

Coming November 2013 Black Magic Rose, Book One of The Alliance Series. Join Jordan’s newsletter for updates.  

Jordan is a member of the national Romance Writers of America organization and several chapters. 

When she’s not writing about one vampire or another Jordan enjoys spending time with her husband, Ken and their lovable Labrador, Dino on the beautiful beaches of New England.  

Monday, September 23, 2013

Review ~ Taliesin Ascendant ~ Megan Joel Peterson**


Taliesin Ascendant (The Children and The Blood #2)
Taliesin Ascendant by Megan Joel Peterson
The Children and the Blood #2
Release Date: July 27, 2013
Genre: YA Urban Fantasy
Source: I received an ecopy from the author in exchange for an honest review

Synopsis
The war isn't over.

And new enemies await. 

Life on the run hasn't been easy, but so far, Ashe has survived. But now Carter has ordered her to leave the Hunters and find her family's people – an order she can't refuse, no matter how much she wants to stay. 

Following his command will bring her into an unknown world, however – a world filled with new enemies and old prejudices that will demand more of her than she can imagine, at a cost higher than she'll ever be willing to pay. 







I read and reviewed The Children and the Blood back in July and I loved it. If you missed my review, you can read it here

Taliesin Ascendant is a thrilling follow up to The Children and the Blood. It's one of those books you want to race through because you have to know what happens next, but you can't race through because the words are so lovely, you don't want to miss anything.

Taliesin Ascendant picks up where The Children and the Blood left off. Ashe continues her quest to find the Merlins in order to fulfill her promise to Carter - telling the Merlins that the Blood do exist. However, finding the Merlins puts Ashe on a path she'd never expected.

Cole and Lily try to keep moving in order to evade the Taliesins and the Bloods. Unfortunately, they happen upon a fringe family of Merlins. They are held against their will and while there, they have revelation upon revelation about each of their families and the history of the war between the Merlins and the Taliesins.

The war between the Merlins and the Taliesins is escalating. But as these two groups fight for dominance and power, they have no idea there is another threat to them both - and it's stronger than they can imagine. Ashe, Cole and Lily all have integral roles in this war, and they aren't sure whom to trust. Seriously, I didn't know who to trust and as Ashe did, I misjudged a few people.

Taliesin Ascendant is equally as pulse-pounding as The Children and the Blood. I felt there was fantastic character development combined with the spine-tingling suspense and action. Oh, all the intrigue! Megan Joel Peterson did a phenomenal job of keeping me in the dark about the direction of the plot. The new players introduced and the further questions which arose really created a pulse-pounding story that I was completely immersed in.


This is such a brilliant story! There's action, tension, suspense, magic, intrigue, betrayal, mystery - and no romance. ;) (I know you're shocked but none so far) Megan Joel Peterson weaves all these elements together for a fascinating, adrenaline pumping story. I'm thrilled my wait for the next installment isn't long. For although some questions were answered, many more arose. And I am anxious to know what happens next!







Megan Joel Peterson lives somewhere between the cornfields of Illinois and fantasy worlds filled with magic. She has a degree in English Literature from the University of Illinois, and has worked a little bit of everywhere over the years. Now she spends her days and nights creating new stories, and thinks writing is the best job she ever could have asked for.



Saturday, September 21, 2013

**Sidekick Showcase ~ #12**


Sidekick Showcase (previously known as Sidekick Saturday) is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Jaclyn at JC's Book Haven. There are many secondary characters that are as great as the primaries. In some cases, the sidekicks actually steal the show and you like them better than the heroine or hero. Maybe they didn't have enough page time for how great they were. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Choose a sidekick *or someone other than the hero or heroine* that you would like to put in the spotlight that fits in this week's type
• Share a picture (if possible) and information about the character
• Give the title and author of a book the character can be found in
• Please don't include too many spoilers when describing why the character is such a great sidekick
• Put your link in the Linky thing and comment


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This week, Jaclyn has really stumped me. The theme is 
Love Interest's Best Friend.  
Why is this so hard?!? I keep coming up with best friends of the MC! But in the end, I decided on:

Spade

from Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series
a.k.a. Cat & Bones series


Spade, whose actual name is Baron Charles DeMortimer, met Bones on the voyage to the New South Wales penal colonies. The overseer gave the prisoners names based on their jobs...Spade was a digger. Spade and Bones became best friends following their change.

Spade is about 6'4'' of hunky vampire! But what I like about him most, besides the humor he injects into scenes, is his loyalty to Bones. Spade comes from a time when loyalty and chivalry ruled. He and Bones have been through so much together. And Spade does all he can to protect Bones from enduring some of the pain he has endured. 

I love Spade almost as much as Bones...and Vlad! :) *sigh* 


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“If you’d refrain from slamming my face any more into this dirty rock floor, I’ll do whatever you like,” was his even reply. “Fancy letting my head go?”
“Sure,” I said with an unpleasant snicker, not relinquishing an ounce of pressure. “How about I let you floss with my jugular as
well? I don’t think so.”  -Spade & Cat, Halfway to the Grave


Charles, Bones said distinctly. You'd better have a splendid explanation for her being on top of you.

The black-haired vampire rose to his feet as soon as I jumped off, brushing the dirt off his clothes. Believe me, mate, I've never enjoyed a woman astride me less. I came out to say hello, and this she-devil blinded me by flinging rocks in my eyes. Then she vigorously attempted to split my skull before threatening to impale me with silver if I so much as even twitched. It's been a few years since I've been to America, but I daresay the method of greet a person has changed dramatically.
 -Spade & Bones, Halfway to the Grave


Okay y'all, I couldn't find enough quotes and I was just getting sucked into the books...so sorry! Just know that if you haven't read this series yet, you'll LOVE it. And you'll love Spade. :)

Friday, September 20, 2013

**Blog Tour & Giveaway ~ Quantum Entanglement ~ Liesel K. Hill**


Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for Liesel K. Hill's Quantum Entanglement. This is the second book in the Interchron series. If you missed my review of book one, Persistence of Vision, you can read it here. Today, I have all the important details about the book, a list of the top ten memories for Maggie and Marcus, and a giveaway.

Quantum Entanglement is a book I've been waiting to read. I hope to read it soon!

And, during the blog tour, Quantum Entanglement is available for only 99 cents!!


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Quantum Entanglement by Liesel K. Hill
Book 2 of Interchron
Release Date: September 17, 2913

Synopsis
Five months after traveling to a post-apocalyptic future where collectives reign supreme and individuals have been hunted to the verge of extinction, Maggie Harper was returned to her own time until the threat to her life could be neutralized. She thought Marcus and the others would return for her within a few weeks, and now she’s beginning to worry. 

When travelers from the future finally show up to collect her, it’s not who she expected. With the return of her memories, she wants more than ever to see Marcus again, but a snake-like woman whose abilities are a perfect match for Maggie’s, an injured Traveler, and decades of civil unrest to wade through all stand in the way of their reunion.

Meanwhile, Marcus and Karl traipse through the countryside, trying to neutralize Colin, who’s promised to brutalize and murder Maggie if he can get his hands on her. When a collective woman is left for dead, Marcus heals her, hoping she’ll be the key to killing Colin and bringing Maggie back. But she may prove as much a hindrance as a help.

The team struggles to get their bearings, but things happen faster than they know. The collectives are coalescing, power is shifting, and the one called B is putting sinister plans into action. If the team can’t reunite and get a handle on the situation, their freedom and individuality—perhaps their very identity—will be ripped away before they can catch their breath.






****Top Ten****
Significant Memories for Maggie & Marcus

Hello Bookworms! I’m back. I was here just over a week ago for the Dark Remnants blog tour. Now I’m here to promote Quantum Entanglement, book 2 of Interchron, my dystopian series. Whew! What a busy couple of weeks!

I’m so happy to be here, though. Interchron is my first published series, and I dearly love the characters and the story. Brandee has asked me to do a Top Ten list, such as Maggie and Marcus’s top favorite memories together. For those who haven’t read book 1, Persistence of Vision, yet, just know this is significant because Maggie has some serious issues with her memories. 

In truth, it’s hard to come up with favorite memories, because that implies that they’re happy ones. Not that the characters don’t have happy memories, but because of Maggie’s memory issues, we haven’t seen many of them yet. So, I’ve modified the list to include their top ten significant memories. So, here goes.

10. For Marcus, the days surrounding the time that David decided to become a collectivist. Book 2 will explain the reasons behind this. Remembering what happened back then will end up being key to Interchron’s central mission, which is to bring down the collectives.

9. For Maggie, time spent with Jonah at his friend’s mountain cabin. This is mentioned in Quantum Entanglement and it may seem a bit random. I’m sure I’ll have some readers that will be like, “what the…” but don’t worry. Her emotions about this place are very significant and will come into play in the next installment.

8. For Maggie, B cornering her in a glass room. This has been one of her flashes since the beginning. It’s one of the most significant memories she has. We see more of it in Quantum Entanglement, though it won’t be fully explained until near the end of the series.

7. For Maggie, Clay on his knees, mouth open in a silent scream. On par with #8, Maggie has a flash of this, but can’t remember what it pertains to. It will become VERY significant as we further explore her memories.

6. For Marcus, aside from just what happened between himself and his brother when they were young men, there’s a specific part where they meet three collectivists on the bank of a river. That memory will also be significant as it will give them information that will also help them in Interchron’s central mission. (Again, you’ll understand this once you read book 2).

5. For Maggie, a rock formation, with people standing atop it. She doesn’t see the latter detail until Quantum Entanglement, but this will end up helping her save many when the memory comes fully to fruition.

4. For Maggie, Joan holding a baby, crying. The significance of this memory won’t be unveiled until nearly the end of the series. But trust me, it’s big.

3. For both Maggie and Marcus, memories of spending time with the entire team, especially back when it included both Clay and his wife. Nothing specific, just typical fond memories we all have of good times spent with family and close friends.

2. Maggie and Marcus’s first kiss. We haven’t actually seen this yet, because Maggie sort of forgot about it, but perhaps a flashback in a future volume…? Just sayin’. 

1. Spending a romantic evening together in the diamond mines beneath Interchron. Maggie has recovered parts of this memory already, and it’s significant that Marcus gave her a bracelet that correlates with the memory. As the series goes on, we’ll learn the higher significance of this time for the two of them.

Well, there you have it! Maggie and Marcus’s top ten memories. Sorry to be so mysterious, but memory is one of the major aspects of this series, and I don’t want to give any spoilers. I guess (shameless plug coming!) to learn more, you’ll just have to read the books. Hehe. 

Books are a great way to make memories, and as the Remembrancer said, “Memories are intensely personal things…like rivers of identity that seep into the pores of your soul.” (Persistence of Vision, 275)


Happy memory-making everyone! I hope Interchron sparks some great ones!






Goodreads Book Giveaway


Quantum Entanglement by Liesel K. Hill

Quantum Entanglement

by Liesel K. Hill


Giveaway ends September 30, 2013.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win






Author Liesel K. Hill.jpg
I'm a novelist who writes across three genres: fantasy/sci-fi, historical fiction, and crime drama.  I live in northern Utah and come from a large, tight-knit family. I love to bake, read, and watch plenty of T.V. And I plan to keep writing until they nail my coffin shut. Or the Second Coming happens. You know, whichever happens first. ;D