Blog Feature: Blue Rose

 

BOOK INFO: TITLE: Blue Rose, a Flowering novel  

AUTHOR: Sarah Daltry  

RELEASE DATE: 2/1/2014  

PUBLISHER: SDE Press  

COVER DESIGN: Shoutlines Design

 

 

“Four. My life has been shaped by four people. Four men, to be more specific. My father, my stepfather, my best friend, and my boyfriend. The first two shaped it in horrible ways, but what I am, who I am, is all because of four men.”

 

Alana Reardon has secrets. Some of them are too dark to tell, but everyone already thinks they know anyhow. At 20, she takes too many pills, hides the parts of her that she hates, and willingly becomes the person that they think she is. A slut. A whore. Trash.

There have only been two guys who ever saw Alana as more: Jack, the guy she can’t get over, and Dave, the one who never got over her.

With the help of therapy, facing her past, and the inevitable ways that life changes without your permission, can Alana learn to stop blaming herself? Can she allow love into her life? Is she ready to move on?

Warning: This book deals with topics of abuse and may trigger reactions in people who have experienced those things in their own lives.

Amazon Kindle | Goodreads

 

Later that day, at lunch, I had just found a seat by the window when he sat across from me. I was used to sitting alone. He didn’t say anything, and he had nothing to eat. He looked up at me, though, after a few minutes, and his eyes did it again. I hated my body, hated the way I looked, hated that somehow I owed my body and my looks to everyone else. But when Jack looked at me, I wanted to let someone touch me. I wanted him to hold me. He felt like safety.
It didn’t even make sense. He was just a broken kid, like me. He always wore the same threadbare hoodie. Most days, it covered his head. He was cute, but awkward. His hair was too long and usually greasy. His Chucks were a little too big, so they looked a little like clown shoes. Yet those gorgeous eyes were all I cared about. I hadn’t considered guys at all. I didn’t find them attractive, and I certainly couldn’t see the appeal of sex or of intimacy. With Jack, though, the thought of him near me didn’t make me nauseous.
“Do you want my orange?” I asked him.
“Are you sure?”
It wasn’t a groundbreaking question. But it was how I knew that what I naturally felt for Jack was right. Because no one had ever asked me that. No one had asked if I minded, if I was sure, if something was okay. They just took things.
“Yeah.”
He took it and I handed him my knife. It was flimsy plastic and wouldn’t even pierce the rind, so I took the orange back and peeled it with my fingernails. Jack just watched me and, when I handed him the orange, now peeled, he smiled. His upper lip curled more than it should have and he looked silly, smiling at an orange. But he drew the same smile from me.
“Thank you,” he said, and he pulled two slices free from the whole and handed them back to me. I didn’t eat them right away. I just watched him eat his part. He was messy and he ended up covering himself in the juices. He unzipped his hoodie after the orange squirted down the front. Underneath, he was wearing a washed out blue T-shirt with a train on it. He looked ten.
“Nice shirt,” I teased.
He looked down. “I live with my grandmother. She has no concept of clothes.”
“It’s cute.”
He smiled again and it was less awkward this time. “Do you live with your grandmother, too?”
I was wearing a huge black sweater over baggy black pants. “No. I just… I don’t like people looking at me.”
“Yeah. I get that.”
He didn’t tell me that I was too pretty to dress the way I did; he didn’t say my body was too good to hide. He just went back to eating his orange, letting the juice spill all over the train shirt. We were fourteen, but I already knew Jack would always be the only thing that mattered in my future.

 

 

Playlist:

Link:

http://hypster.com/hypsterPlayer/MPL?media_type=playlist&playlist_id=6787810&us_id=4993560

Forget Me Not | Lily Of The Valley | Star of Bethlehem | Blue Rose |

Orange Blossom-Coming Soon | Ambrosia-Coming Soon

 

 

Sarah Daltry writes about the regular people who populate our lives. She's written works in various genres - romance, erotica, fantasy, horror. Genre isn't as important as telling a story about people and how their lives unfold. Sarah tends to focus on YA/NA characters but she's been known to shake it up. Most of her stories are about relationships - romantic, familial, friendly - because love and empathy are the foundation of life. It doesn't matter if the story is set in contemporary NY, historical Britain, or a fantasy world in the future - human beings are most interesting in the ways they interact with others. This is the principle behind all of Sarah's stories.

Sarah has spent most of her life in school, from her BA and MA in English and writing to teaching both at the high school and college level. She also loves studying art history and really anything because learning is fun.

When Sarah isn't writing, she tends to waste a lot of time checking Facebook for pictures of cats, shooting virtual zombies, and simply staring out the window.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr

 

TOUR ORGANIZED BY

-Brenda Franklin, author of The Pulse Trilogy.

Blog Blitz: Wounded Love

Title – Wounded Love 

Series – From Love to Loathe 

Author – Phoenix Rayne 

Genre – Romance 

Publication Date –February 14, 2014 

Publisher – G Street Chronicles 

Cover Artist – G Street Chronicles

Jyme has searched across country for his one and only true love. He get's a reliable lead and rescues Cricket from the horrid Casino life. It appears that Cricket and Jyme have it all together now. They have a house, serenity, safety...a normal life. But something always seems to take Cricket back to her past...sometimes, her present life requires it.

Amazon Paperback Link (Pre-Order) | Goodreads

I woke to an alarm but it wasn’t my alarm. I sat up, looked around, and realized it was the hotel’s fire alarm going off. I jumped up, ran to Cinnamon’s room, and swung the door open. She was knocked out on her bed half dressed; I shook the shit out of her, and she started yelling.
“What the hell is that noise?”
I ran down to Sugar’s room, and she was butt naked and so was her company. I screamed at the both of them to get up. They both jumped up disoriented. I ran back to my room. I put my stilettos I’d had on earlier in my big purse and slid into my house shoes. I ran back down the hall, passing Sugar and her company. I ran back into Cinnamon’s room, and she was wide-awake at her safe in her closet getting money out. I had forgotten about my safe, so I ran back to my room. I put the code in and yanked the door open; I pulled out the small stack of money and reached in deeper. I got the plastic bag that was balled up in the corner and shoved everything in my purse. I reached deeper, found the last item in the safe, and slid it on my ring finger. I slammed the door and took off towards the living room. Cinnamon was waiting at the door; we clasped hands and ran for the stairs. The hotel was in an uproar. We made it down to the lobby, but it was so congested with customers trying to leave the casino.
“Basement,” I yelled to Cinnamon. We took the employee stairs and ran down the long concrete hall. There were about a dozen people in front of us, but we finally made it through the door. When we got outside, the back lawn was crammed with people rushing towards the front of the building. Cinnamon and I still held on to each other’s hands. We made it to the front of the building, and everyone was frantic. I pulled out my cell phone to call Sugar, but someone pushed me so hard I dropped the phone. I let go of Cinnamon’s hand to retrieve my fallen phone. I found it and stood up straight; a man in all black with a white ski mask stood right in front of me. Before I could even prepare a good scream, someone covered my mouth with a wet bandana, and then I was out.
I woke up to soft kisses all over my face, and then I stretched wide. I was sleeping well and I kept my eyes shut. Someone was happy to see me. I have had this dream so many times, and I enjoyed every single one of them.
“Hi there,” I breathed.
“Hi.”
“Where’ve you been?”
“Looking for you.”
“I’ve been right here the whole time.”
“What?”
“You used to come and see me all the time, and then you stopped.” I told him. I kissed his neck and pulled him closer.
“I’ve missed you so much.”
“Cricket?” He said my name in an odd way.
“What’s wrong? Do you have to go now? Please, Jyme, just stay a little longer.”
“Cricket,”
“Shh, just hold me real tight before you go.” There was a knock at the door, and I freaked.
“NO…PLEASE…JYME, DON’T LET HIM HURT ME. HE HITS ME SO HARD. PLEASE DON’T LEAVE ME PLEASE.” I screamed at the top of lungs through tears. Someone knocked again, louder this time.
“Wait a minute,” Jyme yelling. I clung to him and wrapped my arms around him tighter. I cried into his chest, and my eyes started stinging.
“Cricket, I’m right here, and I won’t let anybody hurt you, I swear.”
“But he’s at the door, and he’ll beat it down. He’s done it before,” I said frantically.
“Shh, Babe. Are you afraid of me?” he asked softly.
“No.”I assured him.
“Then open your eyes and look at me” I slowly opened my eyes and blinked several times through piercing pain. Then, I saw him, and I slid my fingers through his jet-black hair.
“Oh it’s you!”
“It’s me,” he chuckled
“You know, you with hair; you’ve never come to see me.”
“Cricket, you’re really here, and I’m really here with you. I’m not sure what you’re talking about right now. But I’m not going anywhere, and neither are you.”
“Huh” I asked him. I couldn’t help it but I pinched myself. I felt the pain but I didn’t wake up.
There was another knock at the door, and Jyme got up from the bed. I really saw him this time. His hair was loose and shoulder length. He wore jeans and a t-shirt, and his feet were bare. I looked around and recognized everything. We were in our room, and nothing had changed. The bedding was the same, and so was the furniture. I looked out the window, and there were the boats all in the water.

My parents planned for me, conceived me, and then birthed me. After that, things got much more boring. I didn’t do much, but I did do some things. I lived more and did more things. Then I found that I’m only happy when I write. So now, I mostly write and am, therefore, happy.

Amazon Author Page | Website/Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

 

Tour organized by

Anniversary cover reveal of Games of Fire

Games of Fire by Airicka Phoenix

Book Name: Games of Fire

Author: Airicka Phoenix

Publisher: Fire & Ice Publisher

Released: Feb 12, 2013

Genre: Young Adult Thriller and mystery with a strong dose of romance.

Warnings: language and mild sexual content

Formats: ebook & Paperback

Other Novels: http://www.amazon.com/Airicka-Phoenix/e/B00906AGHM
Buying Locations: http://www.amazon.com/Airicka-Phoenix/e/B00906AGHM

Stalker Links:

Author Website

Author Facebook Page

Touch Series Page

Design Page

Goodreads

Twitter

Amazon Author Page

LinkedIn

Kobo

Pinterest

Barns & Nobles

SYNOPSIS

Sophie has enough problems in her life without Spencer turning her blood to fire, without his eyes freezing and burning her, without his hatred of her. Since his migration into the house next to hers, Sophia Valdez isn’t sure whether she wants to toss him under a bus or kiss that smirking mouth of his. But even as the temperature rises around them, leaping flames of passion, want and desire, everything either has ever known will be shattered by the lurking shadow hounding their every step, wanting revenge.

Spencer Rowth moves to the sleepy town of River Port with his mother and twelve year old sister, Suzy, to escape a deceitful father, an unfaithful girlfriend and a life crumbling much too fast for him to grapple onto only to be smacked upside the head by the last thing he wanted again. Sophie was everything he refused to want. Her temper, her wit, her laugh, her smile, the way her entire body goes up in flames under his hands are things he would rather slam a lid on and forget. Instead, he finds himself falling for the smart-mouth next door. But how long will he have before the evil chasing them catches up? How long before the very thing he never wanted becomes his only thread to sanity? And who is after them? What do they want and why do they want Spencer and Sophie dead?

Excerpt

“I won’t bite,” he said, probably meaning it as a joke. 
“Oh if only that were my only problem,” she sighed under her breath.
“What?”
She shook her head. “Nothing.” 
She took his hand, slipping her icy fingers through his. The electric sparks tore a fiery path down the length of her arms, nearly melting the ice beneath their feet. She shivered involuntarily and felt his fingers flex. 
“All right?” Had his voice always been so husky?
She dampened her lips. “Yeah…” The single word died in her throat as she was pulled towards him. Her heart tripped. Her lungs stilled. The heat of his body rushed over her with the subtle scent peppermint, leather, spices and smoke. 
A soft mist blew around them. Raindrops glistened in his hair, shimmering under the pale glow of the light post. His eyes were shadowed beneath wispy fringes, but the silver in them glinted like pools of liquid mercury. Her breath caught. It must have made a sound because his fingers tightened. His shaky exhale caressed her flushed face.
“This,” he whispered so quietly she almost didn’t hear him. “Is why you are so bad for me.”

AUTHOR BIO

Best-Selling author Airicka Phoenix lives in rainy British Columbia with her beautiful family. When she's not pounding away at the keyboard, she can be found reading, shining her collection of daggers or chilling with her kids.

She is the author of the Touch Saga, The Sons of Judgment Saga, The Lost Girl Series, Betraying Innocence and Games of Fire.

Airicka also writes adult paranormal & contemporary romance under her alter ego, Morgana Phoenix. Her first novel, Capture Me, will be out 2014.

For more about Airicka, visit her website at:

http://airickaphoenix.com/Author/

-Brenda Franklin, author of The Pulse Trilogy

Book Review: Black and Blue

Title: Black and Blue

Author: Gena Showalter

Series: Otherworld Assassin, book 2

Purchase it here: Amazon

Corbin Blue, professional football star and black Ops agent, is one of the most powerful otherworlders ever born. Everything about him breaths power, seduction, and danger. When his team is attacked and separated he ends up going to his boss’s daughter-a woman who is off limits to him. Or so he is forced to remind himself as, Evangeline Black’s life becomes a part of a more dangerous game. But as the pieces begin to fall into place and all the players are revealed can Blue really keep her safe and complete the mission? Will he be able to safe the ones he loves? Or, will he lose everything?

Gena Showalter’s Black and Blue Otherworld Assassin novel is finger licking good. This book is filled with vivid settings, a plot that keeps you on your toes, characters you want to dip in honey and devour, and a dialogue that you won’t be able to get enough of. Missions, weapons, neat-o toys, and plenty of delicious scenes as Blue and Evie fall head over dangerous heels for each other. This book is the kind you don’t want to pass up.

My favorite scenes are when Blue is digging through Evie’s purse. Now, please pay attention. This does not mean it’s okay for any normal man to go digging through a woman’s purse (pausing to glare at my husband).  What makes these small scenes cute and hilarious is everything Evie has turned into a weapon, her explanations, and Blue’s excitement to know that this woman can take care of herself in such crafty ways. Example being a glass eye…yeah, you’re going to have to read to figure out why she has a glass eye in her purse.

I can’t wait to read another Otherworld Assassin book.

5 out of 5

-Brenda Franklin

Book Review: The Souls of Rain

Heavens Trilogy

By Diana Nixon

Book 1

The Souls of Rain

Synopsis

The secrets of the heavens had always been carefully guarded. Until one day when the angels realized that what they used to believe in was nothing but a cruel game between heaven and hell.

And Claire’s life is a part of that game too….

She is a guardian angel. She always thought that her existence was perfect. But perfection is a very relative term, and no one is protected from making mistakes.

Everything changes the moment Claire gets a new assignment. Guarding humans has never been easy, and this time won’t be an exception.

Alan Rosenford is a spoilt party-boy, whose life is a hurricane of risk and adrenaline rush. His soul is damaged, his heart is bleeding, and there are so many things he prefers to keep private….

The words they have never said before ….

The sins they have never committed….

How much does forgiveness of the heavens cost?

Or maybe even the heavens make mistakes?...

***

Trailing my fingers over the lines of your face,

Kissing your lips and melting in your embrace,

Enjoying the warmth and drinking in the moment,

Leading multiple lives feels like a pure torment.

Falling even deeper in love with you,

Discovering all the things I never knew,

Evolving into someone better and someone new,

I’ll stay for one more day, or maybe for a few,

To build up my strength to live centuries without you.

I’ll follow you to the deserts and across the oceans,

Desperate for changes and overwhelming emotions;

I’ll stay with you on the earth, or follow you to the sky,

Only with you can I breathe and feel myself alive.

Holding hands, we walk between the silver raindrops,

With the snow-white doves flying around us;

Leaving for the memories we shared, lives ago,

Can we put them back together? No one knows.

Look around and tell me what you see,

There’s no one else in sight, but you and me,

Chasing away the darkness and stormy clouds,

Just the way it was always meant to be.

Living like there’s nothing left to lose,

No one to forgive, no one to accuse.

When the bridges of hope come crashing down,

In the bewitching sounds of love we drown,

As we kiss away each other’s worst fears,

Banishing regrets, pains and bitter tears.

Take a breath and wait for the long tomorrow,

If I disappear in the shadows, find me and follow,

Rescue me in the midst of my endless night,

Turn the pale moon into bright daylight,

Make this heart of mine miss a beat,

Only with you is my soul complete.

-------------Review-------------

For Claire, a Guardian Angel, fighting demons is what she does. She is assigned people to protect from demons. Her latest assignment is going to be a handful. From the moment she meets Alan Rosenford it is apparent that this won’t be like any of the others. Right off the bat he is able to see her, something that humans can’t do unless the Angel drops their ‘invisibility cloak’.

That’s not this man’s only trick. One day after the other he continues to surprise Claire with his intuition and on top of Alan’s senses and feelings towards Claire heaven isn’t making life any easier. What’s going on? Rules begin to change, the bonds of friendship are tested, dark allies are formed unwillingly, and secrets kept at the highest level start to unravel.

What truly is going on between heaven and hell? What part is Claire supposed to play? And, can she save not only her own soul, but Alan’s soul as well?

 Everything about the Souls of Rain is outstanding and creative. I’m not much of an angel book reader, so going into this book I wasn’t sure how to judge it. After chapter two I was taken. Claire is a very no nonsense kind of angel, Alan is the reckless bad boy, and Nolan… Yep, he’s just awesome! But as each chapter slid by and I thought I knew my characters I found out just how wrong I was.

Clair is a head strong, determined, and top class fighting Guardian Angel. She is dictated and will do anything to protect the ones she is guarding. Even though she’s a bit rough she has such a kind side and Alan really brings it out of her. But their real connection will have you breathless.

Alan isn’t without a reason as to why he is the way he is and as the story progresses he turns into a heck of a man with a tragic story. His affection is sweet as he and Clair slowly begin to bond. Though he shows it and Claire denies her feelings that have started to grow, for if she dared to cross that line she would fall.

Then there is Nolan. He’s a fallen that has his hold on me. He is always looking out for Claire, perhaps too much even. There is something there, something he is hiding from her. But with all his mysteries he is still a very helpful character and also very reliable.

By the last couple of chapters I thought ‘I can see where this is going’ I was pleasantly surprised I had no clue what I was talking about. Diana aims to please when it comes to getting the reader hooked and guessing. She pulls you in and twists the world you think you know. By the end of the book I was left rereading the last two pages wishing book two would just appear in front of me!

I say this book was a success and I’m waiting to hear about book two. I’m serious, Diana I’m trying to make it materialize in front of me. Haha Just let me know when to sign up for that blog tour. I’m looking forward to it.

-5 out of 5

Buy The Souls of Rain:

Ebook 

 ------------------------------------------

About the author:

Diana Nixon is the author of fantasy and contemporary romances. She was born in Minsk, Belarus, where she currently lives. In 2008 she graduated from Belorussian state University. She has a Master of Law degree and speaks several foreign languages, including English, Polish, and Spanish.

To learn more about Diana Nixon or to buy her works:

Main website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads,

Love Lines:
Ebook or Paperback

Songs of the wind:
Ebook or Paperback
From Scratch:
Ebook or Paperback
Diamond Sky:
Ebook or Paperback

-Brenda Franklin, Author of the Pulse Trilogy and Guardian, A Fated Pairing