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Spotlight Post: Little White Lies by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Hey everyone! Little White Lies (Debutantes #1) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes (November 6, 2018 – Freeform) came out this week, and it looks ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Have you purchased it yet??

“I’m not saying this is Sawyer’s fault,” the prim and proper one said delicately. “But.”

Eighteen-year-old auto mechanic Sawyer Taft did not expect her estranged grandmother to show up at her apartment door and offer her a six-figure contract to participate in debutante season. And she definitely never imagined she would accept. But when she realizes that immersing herself in her grandmother’s “society” might mean discovering the answer to the biggest mystery of her life-her father’s identity-she signs on the dotted line and braces herself for a year of makeovers, big dresses, bigger egos, and a whole lot of bless your heart. The one thing she doesn’t expect to find is friendship, but as she’s drawn into a group of debutantes with scandalous, dangerous secrets of their own, Sawyer quickly discovers that her family isn’t the only mainstay of high society with skeletons in their closet. There are people in her grandmother’s glittering world who are not what they appear, and no one wants Sawyer poking her nose into the past. As she navigates the twisted relationships between her new friends and their powerful parents, Sawyer’s search for the truth about her own origins is just the beginning.

Set in the world of debutante balls, grand estates and rolling green hills, Little White Lies combines a charming setting, a classic fish-out-of-water story, and the sort of layered mystery only author Jennifer Lynn Barnes can pull off.

Goodreads | Amazon

The Book Depository | Kobo | IndieBound

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About the Author:
 
Jennifer Lynn Barnes (who mostly goes by Jen) is the author of more than a dozen critically acclaimed young adult novels. She has advanced degrees in psychology, psychiatry, and cognitive science, including graduate degrees from Cambridge University, where she was a Fulbright Scholar, and Yale University, where she received her Ph.D. in 2012. Jen wrote her first published novel when she was nineteen-years-old and sold her first five books while still in college. In additional to writing YA novels, Jen has also written original pilot scripts for television networks like USA and MTV, and she is one of the world’s leading experts on the psychology of fandom and the cognitive science of fiction and the imagination more broadly. Jen is an Associate Professor at the University of Oklahoma, where she holds a dual appointment in Psychology and Professional Writing.

Website | Twitter

Release Week Launch: Starfall by Melissa Landers

 
Hey everyone! I’m so excited to be participating in the release week launch of Melissa Landers’ Starfall, book two in the Starflight duology! First, here’s a note from the author!

From Melissa Landers: “Hi, booklovers!

I’m author Melissa Landers, and I’m so excited to launch STARFALL, the second and final book in my Starflight duology! This story picks up shortly after the first book ends, but now Cassia and Kane are the main characters, with Doran, Solara, and the rest of the Banshee crew pitching in to help take down an intergalactic mafia. (You know, just an ordinary day in space.) And while saying goodbye to characters is never easy, I think I gave the crew a proper sendoff with plenty of humor, heart, and action. I hope you love STARFALL as much as I do!

Haven’t read the first book? You’re in luck, because for a limited time, Starflight is on sale for 99 cents in all e-formats. Now you can binge read the entire duology in one sitting!”

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And now here’s more about the book!

When Princess Cassia Rose fled her home world of Eturia to escape an arranged marriage, she had no idea her sudden departure would spark a war. Now after two years hiding as a ship hand, she is finally returning to her beloved home, but not in the way she imagined. Shackled by bounty hunters, she is violently dragged back to account for her crimes. Her only solace is that the Banshee crew managed to evade capture, including Kane Arric, her best friend…with occasional benefits.

Meanwhile, Kane and the rest of the crew of the Banshee plan a desperate rescue mission. But when they arrive on Eturia, Cassia isn’t exactly in need of heroics—she’s claimed her birthright as Eturia’s queen, but has inherited a war-torn planet simmering with rebellion. Cassia must make alliances, and Kane, the bastard son of a merchant, isn’t a choice that will earn her any friends. Kane knows he will never find someone to replace Cassia—and is certain she returns his feelings—but how can he throw away his own promising future waiting on a queen?

When the outer realm is threatened by the dangerous Zhang mafia, Cassia, Kane and the rest of the Banshee crew uncover a horrifying conspiracy that endangers the entire universe. In the face of unspeakable evil, Cassia must confront her own family’s complicated legacy on Eturia and decide once and for all who her real family is.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indie Bound

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And now here’s more about book one, Starflight!

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She’s so desperate to reach the realm that she’s willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he’s been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe…

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Praise for Starflight:

“Smart, action-packed and utterly addictive!” –New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman

“Starflight has the cinematic appeal, warp-speed action and unlikely heroes of Star Wars.” –Justine Magazine

“A lively tale of romance, space pirates, conspiracy, and made (as opposed to genetic) families.” –Booklist

“A great choice for fans of raw sci-fi action, reminiscent of the lawlessness presented in the television series Firefly.” –School Library Journal

If you love sci-fi adventure with a dash of romance, I hope you’ll pick up the Starflight duology today. Starflight and Starfall are both available in stores and online.

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Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository | Indie Bound

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And now for the giveaway, with a note from Melissa!

From Melissa Landers: “To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a Starflight duology swag pack, complete with bookmarks and two signed mini posters! The giveaway is open internationally. Due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate.

Best of luck, and happy reading!”

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About the Author:
 
 
Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” For more information or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.
 

Spotlight Post: The Littlest Bigfoot by Jennifer Weiner (Giveaway)

Happy Release Week to The Littlest Bigfoot by Jennifer Weiner (September 13, 2016 — Aladdin)!

tlbFrom New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Weiner comes a laugh-out-loud funny and painstakingly real tale of friendship, furry creatures, and finding the place where you belong.

Alice Mayfair, twelve years old, slips through the world unseen and unnoticed. Ignored by her family and shipped off to her eighth boarding school, Alice would like a friend. And when she rescues Millie Maximus from drowning in a lake one day, she finds one.

But Millie is a Bigfoot, part of a clan who dwells deep in the woods. Most Bigfoots believe that people—NoFurs, as they call them—are dangerous, yet Millie is fascinated with the No-Fur world. She is convinced that humans will appreciate all the things about her that her Bigfoot tribe does not: her fearless nature, her lovely singing voice, and her desire to be a star.

Alice swears to protect Millie’s secret. But a league of Bigfoot hunters is on their trail, led by a lonely kid named Jeremy. And in order to survive, Alice and Millie have to put their trust in each other—and have faith in themselves—above all else.

Goodreads | Amazon
Book Depository | Kobo

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And now for the giveaway! To enter to win a hardcover of The Littlest Bigfoot by Jennifer Weiner (US only), fill out the Rafflectoper below!

-Winner has 48 hours to respond. If winner does not respond, a new winner will be selected.

-You must be 13 or older to enter OR have your parents’ permission.

-I am not responsible for lost, stolen, or damaged items.

-I reserve the right to change any rules as I see fit for each individual giveaway

With that being said, I wish you luck! May the odds be ever in your favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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jwAbout the Author:
 
A #1 New York Times bestselling author, Jennifer Weiner’s books have spent over five years on the New York Times bestseller list with over 11 million copies in print in 36 countries.

She is the author of the novels Good in Bed (2001); In Her Shoes(2002), which was turned into a major motion picture starring Cameron Diaz, Toni Collette and Shirley MacLaine; Little Earthquakes (2004); Goodnight Nobody (2005); the short story collection The Guy Not Taken (2006); Certain Girls (2008); Best Friends Forever (2009); Fly Away Home (2010); Then Came You(2011); The Next Best Thing (2012); All Fall Down (2014) and Who Do You Love (2015). Her debut middle-grade book, THE LITTLEST BIGFOOT, will be published in September of 2016. Her first nonfiction collection, HUNGRY HEART, will appear in October of 2016.

Jennifer Weiner grew up in Connecticut and graduated summa cum laude with a degree in English literature from Princeton University in 1991. She worked as a newspaper reporter in central Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Philadelphia, where she was a feature writer and columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer. Now a contributing opinion writer for The New York Times Op-Ed and Sunday Review, Weiner’s essays – “Mean Girls in the Retirement Home” and “Another Thing to Hate About Ourselves” – rose to the top of the “most emailed” lists and have been reprinted in newspapers and media outlets across the world.

With over 128,000 fans on Facebook and 131,000 followers on Twitter, Weiner appeared on Time magazine’s list of “140 Best Twitter Feeds.” The magazine hailed her “must-read” live “Bachelor” tweets, noting that “rarely has there been such an ideal pairing of material and writer.” Forbes magazine put her on their list of “25 Working Moms to Follow on Twitter,” writing “tune in for hilarious shards of brilliance.” Entertainment Weekly named her as part of its “brain trust” for social media coverage of the 2016 election. writing “the best-selling novelist comments on the race with the same wit she brings to live-tweeting ‘The Bachelor.”

A 2014 New Yorker profile called Jen an “unlikely feminist enforcer” and celebrated her “lively public discussion about the reception and consumption of fiction written by women.”

In 2015, Slate praised Jen’s “power-tweeting, Bachelor-watching feminist brand” and her mastery of the “haterbrag,” “a bit of social media sleight-of-hand that turns an insult into an asset.”

Jen uses her social media platform to encourage women’s voices, self-esteem, and body positivity. In the summer of 2016, she posted a picture of herself in a bathing suit with the #weartheswimsuit hashtag, encouraging women of all ages and sizes to put on their bathing suits and get in the water. The movement, which was covered in media outlets including PopSugar, Time, Kveller, “The Today Show” and “Good Morning America,” encouraged hundreds of women to shuck their cover-ups, skip the heat rash, get in the water and post shots of themselves in their swimsuits.

Jennifer has appeared on many national television programs, including The Today Show, Good Morning America, CBS This Morning, and CBS Sunday Morning, as well as #RichkidsofBeverlyHills and, as herself, on Younger. She did a series of pop culture videos for People.com, which will resume in of 2017, with the new season of “The Bachelor.” Her frank, funny Facebook Live videos, on topics from the Taylor Swift/Kim Kardashian feud to gold-medal-winning shot-putter Michelle Carter’s lack of endorsement deals, have been viewed tens of thousands of times and have made her page a destination for fans of sharp, witty takes on the world.

Her work has been published in dozens of newspapers and magazines, including Seventeen, Redbook, Glamour, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Allure, Ladies Home Journal, Time and Good Housekeeping. Jennifer can be found on Facebook, on Twitter, on Instagram and, in real life, Philadelphia, where she lives with her family.

Website

Release Week Blitz: Unknown by Wendy Higgins (Giveaway)

Happy (Belated) Book Birthday to Wendy Higgins and Unknown, book one of Wendy’s debut New Adult series! I’m SO excited to read this book! It looks EPIC!

UnknownHighRes Amber Tate believes the worst thing she’ll suffer in life is dealing with the unrequited love she feels for her brother’s best friend, Rylen Fite. She also believes war is something unfortunate that happens places far, far away from her rural Nevada town. She’s wrong on both counts.

When an unknown organization meticulously bombs major cities in the United States and across the globe, a trickle-down effect spreads to remaining towns at an alarming speed—everything from food and water sources to technology and communications are compromised. Without leadership, the nation is split between paralysis and panic, but Amber isn’t one to hide or watch helplessly. She’s determined to put her nursing skills to use, despite the danger, even if it means working alongside the man she can never have.

In this first installment of NY Times bestselling author, Wendy Higgins’s debut New Adult series, a frighteningly realistic apocalyptic America is brought to life, entwined with searing romantic tension that will leave you eager for more.

Goodreads | Amazon | iTunes | Kobo

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And now for the giveaway, which is open International!

Grand Prize: Signed Paperback copy of Unknown with Poster, bookplate stickers, and bookmarks

1st & 2nd Prize: digital copies of Unknown (has to be B&N or Amazon user – will be gifted via their email address) plus signed bookmarks and bookplate stickers.

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To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below!

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WendyHigginsAuthorPicAbout the Author:
 
Wendy Higgins is the USA Today and NY Times bestselling author of the SWEET EVIL series from HarperTeen, the high fantasy duology THE GREAT HUNT, and her independently published Irish Fantasy SEE ME.
After earning a Creative Writing degree from George Mason University and a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Radford, Wendy taught high school English until achieving her dream job as a full-time writer.

Wendy lives on the Eastern Shore of Virginia with her husband, daughter, son, and little doggie Rue.

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Pre-release Blitz: The Flame Never Dies by Rachel Vincent (Excerpt + Giveaway)

 
I am super excited to be a part of this pre-release blitz to help spread the word that THE FLAME NEVER DIES, the second book in Rachel Vincent’s The Stars Never Rise series, is releasing on August 16th!

For those that are already caught up on this series, the wait is (almost) finally over! For those that haven’t yet met Nina Kane or discovered the dark and dangerous world she lives in, there’s still time to catch up – and a really sweet deal (details below) that will make you want to move this series to the top of your reading pile!

Scroll down to learn more about THE FLAME NEVER DIES and THE STARS NEVER RISE, the author, Rachel Vincent, and to enter the giveaway for a chance to win a signed hardback set of these two amazing books!

And for even more peeks at the fab content being shared throughout the blitz – shareable quotation graphics, excerpts and an interview – look for other blogger participants now through August 15th on social media #TheFlameNeverDies.

AND…


THE STARS NEVER RISE goes on sale!

In anticipation of the upcoming release of THE FLAME NEVER DIES, the publisher is dropping the price for the eBook version of the first book in the series – THE STARS NEVER RISE! So if you haven’t yet discovered this series, now is the perfect time!

Just head over to your favorite online e-tailer to look for THE STARS NEVER RISE with its newly lowered price or visit one of these online stores – AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | iTUNES | GOOGLE PLAY | KOBO.

Please note that at the time of this post some stores may not yet have updated their sites to the promotional pricing. If they haven’t, be sure to check back for this awesome not-to-be-missed deal!


About THE FLAME NEVER DIES

Title & Series: THE FLAME NEVER DIES (The Stars Never Rise #2)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Release date: August 16, 2016
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 352
Formats: Hardcover, eBook

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For fans of Cassandra Clare and Richelle Mead comes the unputdownable sequel to The Stars Never Rise, a book Rachel Caine, author of the bestselling Morganville Vampires series, called “haunting, unsettling, and eerily beautiful.”

ONE SPARK WILL RISE. Nina Kane was born to be an exorcist. And since uncovering the horrifying truth—that the war against demons is far from over—seventeen-year-old Nina and her pregnant younger sister, Mellie, have been on the run, incinerating the remains of the demon horde as they go.

In the badlands, Nina, Mellie, and Finn, the fugitive and rogue exorcist who saved her life, find allies in a group of freedom fighters. They also face a new threat: Pandemonia, a city full of demons. But this fresh new hell is the least of Nina’s worries. The well of souls ran dry more than a century ago, drained by the demons secretly living among humans, and without a donor soul, Mellie’s child will die within hours of its birth.
Nina isn’t about to let that happen . . . even if it means she has to make the ultimate sacrifice.


The Excerpt


Here’s a sneak peek from chapter two of THE FLAME NEVER DIES…


“What’s your name, sweetheart?” Ana asked the boy, and I realized there would be no teaching her caution where children were concerned. She had spent five years as a grade-school teacher.

“Tobias.” The boy’s voice was soft and hoarse, as if he’d been crying. His gaze slid from Anabelle to me, and I decided the glazed look in his eyes was from shock.

He reminded me of the kindergartners I’d spent my service hour with every day of my senior year, until the Church had declared me a cancerous wart on mankind’s collective hind end. Tobias could have been any kid in my class, terrified and traumatically orphaned.

We couldn’t leave him alone in the badlands. Yet ours was no life for a kid.

The irony in that thought hit home when my sister waddled past me, one hand on her huge belly. “Melanie,” I called, but she waved off my warning. When I glanced at Finn, he nodded to give me the all clear, the rifle still aimed at the ground. He’d inspected the car from the outside and squatted to peer beneath it, and had found no immediate danger.

Still, Mellie was too pregnant to fight or to flee from sudden danger, so I followed her, ready to pull her out of the path of evil should a demon burst from the bloody car.

“Are you okay, Tobias?” my sister asked, kneeling in front of the child with Anabelle’s help.

For a moment he only stared at her, studying her pale skin and even paler hair. Finally he nodded, his gaze fixated on her stomach, while I tried to calculate the mileage his family must have traveled in that doomed blue car. “You got a baby in there?”

Melanie laughed, and I marveled at the fact that she could find joy where the rest of us saw only tragedy and hardship. “Yes. And I like your name, Tobias.” She laid one hand on her stomach. “Maybe I’ll borrow it if this little one’s a boy.”

Assuming it lived.

Melanie was a tireless optimist, not blind to the dangers of the world, exactly, but not quite concerned enough about them. She refused to think about the overwhelming odds against her child’s survival, and neither she nor Ana had even glanced at the carnage inside that blue car.

And I hadn’t heard her mention Adam, the ill-fated father of her child, in weeks.

Reese pulled the SUV to a stop beside our truck, right in the middle of the road, and the other half of our group poured out of the vehicle. “What the hell?” Footsteps crunched in the dirt behind me, and then Reese and Grayson stopped at my side. She carried a plastic jug and he had a hose wrapped around his massive left arm.

“Looks like the parents are dead in the front seat,” I whispered. “Not sure what happened yet, but Finn hasn’t found any immediate threat.”

“Poor thing!” Grayson cried.

Devi rolled her eyes and scuffed her boot in the dirt on the side of the road. “What the hell are we supposed to do with him?”

“We can’t leave him here.” Maddock threaded his arm through hers, frowning as he watched the little boy. “It’s a miracle he’s still alive. He must not have been here long.”

“We’re not even going to think about taking him with us until we know what killed his parents.” Devi circled the car toward the driver’s side and used one hand to shield the sun from her face while she bent to peer through the window. When she stood a second later, she looked sick. “Nothin’ but blood.”

While the rest of us took a closer look at the car, Grayson, Ana, and Mellie lured Tobias toward the cargo truck with promises of water and chocolate from a box of sweets that had been intended for the general store in New Temperance.

As Devi and Finn had said, the front windows were too caked with blood to show anything at all, and through the rear windshield we could see little more than the outlines of two bodies sitting in the front seats. The trunk door stood open a couple of inches, and when I lifted it, I saw that the narrow center seat had been folded down, creating a small path into the trunk from the backseat of the car. A path just wide enough for a six-year-old.

My stomach twisted at the thought of what Tobias must have witnessed. How could any kid see that much carnage without being psychologically destroyed?

When the child was out of sight behind the cargo truck, Maddock opened the driver’s door while Finn aimed his rifle at the interior just in case. Nothing jumped out at us, but after one glance inside I gasped and stepped back. Finn’s jaw tightened, and even Devi covered her mouth in horror.

The man and woman, still buckled into the front seats of the car, were drenched in blood fresh enough to glisten in the afternoon sunlight. The dashboard, windows, windshield, and floorboard had all been heavily splattered with what could only have been an arterial spray.

Yet even through all the gore, two things were clear.

First, the man and woman in the blue car were not Tobias’s biological parents—their skin was as pale as mine, even accounting for the pallor of recent death. And second, based on the blood and bits of flesh caking their right hands, the couple’s wounds appeared to be self-inflicted.

The man and woman had simply pulled onto the side of the road, then ripped out their own throats.


About Rachel Vincent

Rachel Vincent is a former English teacher and an eager champion of the Oxford comma. She shares her home in Oklahoma with two cats, two teenagers, and her husband, who’s been her # 1 fan from the start. Rachel is older than she looks and younger than she feels, and she remains convinced that writing about the things that scare her is the cheapest form of therapy—but social media is a close second.


About THE STARS NEVER RISE

Title & Series: THE STARS NEVER RISE (The Stars Never Rise #1)
Author: Rachel Vincent
Release date: June 9, 2015
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Pages: 368
Formats: Hardcover, paperback, eBook***

***See above for details on the promotional pricing of the eBook

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Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she’s too busy trying to actually survive. Her town’s population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she’ll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie’s sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can’t survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.


The Giveaway


Courtesy of the author, there is a blitz-wide giveaway for…

  • ONE (1) winner will receive a SIGNED hardback set of THE STARS NEVER RISE + THE FLAME NEVER DIES

Giveaway is US only. Must be 13 or older to enter. Giveaway ends on August 14th at 11:59 PM Pacific.

Enter in the Rafflecopter below…

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Release Week Blitz: Royal Marriage Market by Heather Lyons (Except + Giveaway)

RMM RWB Banner_edited-1 
We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Release Week Blitz for Heather Lyons’ ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET! ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET is a brand new standalone contemporary romance by Heather Lyons due to be released TODAY(!!!), December 15, 2015! Grab ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET now for a limited time special sale price of $1.99! Price will rise on December 23rd.

So, first, here’s more about the book!

rmr_ebook

“Heather Lyons has officially charmed me. Royal Marriage Market is an indulgent read that will have you flipping pages until the very end.” – R.S. Grey, USA Today bestselling author.

“The perfect royal romance.” – Nichole Chase, New York Times bestselling author.

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Every decade, the world’s monarchs and their heirs secretly convene to discuss global politics and social issues—and arrange marriages between kingdoms.

Elsa may be the Hereditary Princess of Vattenguldia, but she finds the entire situation archaic and unsavory. While she wants what’s best for her country, she isn’t about to jump into an unwanted relationship—let alone a marriage—with a virtual stranger. Of course, her feelings matter little to her parents, whose wheeling and dealings over trade pacts and alliances achieved at her expense begin the moment they set foot in California for the Summit. So when a blindingly handsome royal runs into her, she doesn’t hesitate to tell him there’s no way she’s marrying him.

Christian is all too happy to agree: no marriage. As the Hereditary Grand Duke of Aiboland, his main goal is to get through the summit without a bride being foisted on him. Which is why he suggests they help each other field potential intendeds. As Christian slowly gets to know Elsa, though, he realizes they have a lot more in common than just their feelings about the Royal Marriage Market. Only he can’t fall for her, because royal or not, they’re not meant for each other.

Elsa and Christian will have to evaluate matters of the heart verses those of state and crown, and decide whether or not tradition trumps love.

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Goodreads

iBooks | Amazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

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And now here’s the excerpt! Enjoy!

“I denied myself the éclairs earlier and then resolved, as I stared up at the ceiling for a good hour, that life is too short to not indulge in things that bring about small joys.”

I wander over to the island, positioning myself on the opposite side. “Éclairs bring you such?”

His grin grows. “Hell yeah, they do. Want one?”

Three éclairs rest upon his plate. “Will it bring me joy?”

“Have you ever eaten an éclair in the middle of the night, Els?”

I blink at the nickname he bestows upon me. No one has ever called me Els. Not a single person. It’s bizarre, because one would think such a derivative would be natural, but Her Serene Highness was strict about such things during my childhood. My name is Elsa. I ought to be called Elsa. Nicknames are common, and she claimed she wanted more for me.

Whatever that meant.

Despite our earlier conversation concerning his own, though, I happen to like nicknames. “As a matter of fact,” I say, absurdly pleased at the bestowment, “I have not.”

“Then this shall be a first for you.” He shoves the plate my way. “Don’t worry. Éclairs eaten in the middle of the night have no calories. If they did, I’d be at least five pounds heavier already.”

It is impossible to not grin like a fool. Are we really standing here in the kitchen, in the dead of night, sparring with one another again? And why is it so bloody entertaining? Small joys, indeed. “Is that so? Well then. This will be more than just a first for eating an éclair in the middle of the night. It will be my first time consuming a calorie free dessert, too. Who knew such things existed?”

“Shall I make you some warm milk, too?”

I blink again, abruptly unsteady.

“You were rooting around in the fridge for milk to heat up, weren’t you?” He motions to his own mug. “As it helps with snoring parents?”

I counter with, “Why were you sitting here in the dark?”

“I’d had my cell’s flashlight on, but switched it off when noises sounded outside the door. I suppose I wasn’t too keen on being caught rummaging around the kitchen in the middle of the night.” He touches the ceramic in front of him once more. “Yes or no?”

I gingerly select one of the éclairs, shivering at its coldness. “Actually, yes. I would very much like that. Do you know how to heat up milk?”

The room may be dim, but there’s no mistaking the comical yet wounded look he proffers. “Everyone knows how to do that.”

“Not everyone. There are surely milk virgins in the world.”

He wanders over to the fridge and extracts a carton of milk. “Rest assured, I am no milk virgin. I’m thirty, remember?”

It is my turn to nearly choke as I swallow a far too large bite of éclair.

“No choking allowed. If four a.m. rolls around, the calories will come back.”

I clear my throat. “Is three a.m. a magical hour, then?”

He heads over toward the stovetop, where a small pan rests upon another stainless steel countertop. I angle our phones’ flashlights his way; shadows crawl around his body as a blue flame erupts from a burner, allowing me to ogle silently at a well-shaped arse. Goodness. Will his too-ness ever cease?

“As a matter of fact, it is. All the best firsts should be experienced at three a.m.” He sets the pan on the stove and adds milk. “But it’s a witching hour. The magic only lasts for sixty minutes before turning ordinary once more.”

With the next bite of éclair, pleasure bursts across my tongue. Curse him for being spot on about pastry-based joy.

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And now for the giveaway! One winner will receive a signed copy of Royal Marriage Market and Kate Spade Ring! To enter, fill out the Rafflectoper below!

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Heather LyonsAbout Heather Lyons:

Heather Lyons has always had a thing for words—She’s been writing stories since she was a kid. In addition to writing, she’s also been an archaeologist and a teacher. Heather is a rabid music fan, as evidenced by her (mostly) music-centric blog, and she’s married to an even larger music snob. They’re happily raising three kids who are mini music fiends who love to read and be read to.

 
 
 
 
 

Heather’s website | Heather on Goodreads

Heather’s Twitter | Heather’s Facebook

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Heather Lyons’s ROYAL MARRIAGE MARKET – Release Week Blitz Schedule:

December 14th

{Books She Reads}

A Sky Full of Stars

Alpha Book Club

Bad Boy Book Addicts

Becca Reads A Lot

Behind Closed Covers

BFF Book Blog

Book Junkie: Not-So-Anonymous

Collector of book boyfriends

Desert Divas Book Addiction

Got Nikki?

I Love Romance

Jen in Bookland

Jen’s Reading Obsession

Love Affair With Fiction

Maari Loves Her Indies

Musings In Fiction Alley

Oh My Growing TBR

Once Upon a Book Blog

Once Upon a Twilight

One Guy’s Guide to Good Reads

Rachel Reads Ravenously

Read, Write, Ripley

Roxy’s Reviews

Shelf_Life

The Book Beacon

The Book Hoarders

The Book Hookup

The NA Book Blog

The Paisley Reader

The Talking Bookworm

Those Crazy Book Chicks

Three Little Birds Book Blog

TSK TSK What to Read

Typical Distractions

Witchy Richey’s Booktastic Reviews

December 15th

Adventures in Writing

Book Angel Booktopia

Ceres Books World

Chrissy’s Book Blog

G & T’s Indie Café

kariny’s teen boox frenzy

Kimmy Loves to Read

Library of a Book Witch

LuLo Fangirl

Mama Reads Hazel Sleeps

My Girlfriends Nook Korner

NightWolf Book Blog

One Girl Lost in Romance Books

Pandora’s Books

Pretty Little Book Blog

Pretty Little Book Reviews

Reading Addict

Renee Entress’s Blog

Sassy Book Lovers

The BookWhisperer

The Shadow Realm

December 16th

Book Starlets

Bookaholics Not-So-Anonymous

Book-o-Craze

Cocktails and Books

Confessions FromRomaholics

Cupcakes & Vodka Book Blog

Ellesea Loves Reading

Jackie’s Book World

KatyaRath

Lea’s Book Blog

Lost in a Book Blog

Mama She’s Crazy About Books

Movies, Shows & Books

Nicole’s Book Musings

Nose Stuck in a Book

Penny for my thoughts

Ramblings on Readings

Seeking Book Boyfriends

Sexy Bibliophiles

Teatime and Books

The Bookstore Diaries

The Butterfly Reads

True Story Book Blog

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InkSlinger Blogger Final

Release Week Blitz: Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard (Excerpt + Giveaway)

Bloodcraft by Amalie Howard
Series: Bloodspell #2 
Genre: Upper YA/NA (mature content), Fantasy
Publication: December 15th, 2015

All magic has its price, and no one knows that better than Victoria Warrick. Gifted with a centuries-old blood curse, Tori has finally learned to master her blood’s demands and has emerged triumphant with Christian Devereux, a vampire overlord, at her side.

But the worst is yet to come …

In the infamous City of Lights, home to both the Witch Clans and the Vampire Council, Tori enrolls at the exclusive Belles Fontaines school in Paris, where she is faced with a devastating choice: choose Christian and be an outcast, or choose the coven and secure her place with the witches.

When the fate of the supernatural world is targeted by a sinister new threat, Christian and Victoria must unite their two warring species to defeat it. Their bond will be tested, twisted, and sorely weakened, and Tori will find herself in uncharted territory—a dangerous place to be when her blood’s magic has its own dark agenda.

But to save them all, she may have no choice but to invoke its deadly power.

PURCHASE
Amazon | Kobo | B&N

—————————————————-

Book #1, Bloodspell


AVAILABLE ON

Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Kobo

for 99¢!

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Excerpt

     With a frustrated growl, he gently but firmly separated their bodies, composing himself with a harsh breath. Victoria sighed and leaned back against the table, watching a muscle work in his jaw. It should be getting easier, but it only seemed to be getting harder—and riskier—for them to be together. Every touch, every look, every kiss drew them closer to the edge of the abyss from which there would be no return—one mistake and one of them would die. Victoria took his cool hands in hers.

     “I love you,” she said as his hands trembled in hers. Touching his cheek, she climbed off his lap, putting some space between them. Despite the distance, she could feel her blood churning wildly, tempting him, inciting him to take it, and she shivered at the volatility of it. Her blood’s siren call was near impossible to resist, and she knew how hard it was for him. He’d once told her that he’d risk the consequences of her blood’s appeal because he couldn’t deprive himself of never being able to touch her.

     Seeing the savage transformation in his face and the tips of teeth pressing into his lower lip, she wondered whether he still thought the same. Christian stood and kissed her fingers, and with the ever-present apology in his eyes, excused himself from the room. Victoria watched him leave, his long, lithe body loping with an easy grace across the back gardens into the forest beyond.

     The château sat at the edge of the Fontainebleau forest, which, as in the days of old, continued to fulfill its function as a royal hunting park, for Christian’s purposes anyway. She pressed a finger to her lips, the impression of his lingering on them. Sometimes she felt like the vampire, as if she were the one who couldn’t get enough of him. And most times, she didn’t know if those feelings were hers or those of her blood. Given the chance, her blood would devour Christian’s very essence until there was nothing left.

     It thrummed in her veins as if sensing her ominous thoughts, its hunger unabated and ever-present. It, too, was voracious and would consume anything to sate its dark thirst—even the one she loved. Victoria shivered, wrapping her arms about herself and staring toward the forest lost in thought. She wasn’t afraid of Christian or the fact that he was a vampire. After all, she was more of a monster than he could ever be.

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About the Author

AMALIE HOWARD grew up on a small Caribbean island (Trinidad & Tobago) where she spent most of her childhood with her nose buried in a book or running around barefoot, shimmying up mango trees and dreaming of adventure. 25 countries, surfing with sharks and several tattoos later, she has traded in bungee jumping in China for writing the adventures she imagines instead. She isn’t entirely convinced which takes more guts.

An aspiring writer from a young age, Amalie’s poem “The Candle,” written at age twelve, was published in a University of Warwick journal. At fifteen, she was  a recipient of a Royal Commonwealth Society Essay Award (a global youth writing competition). A Colby College graduate, she completed simultaneous Honors Theses in both French and International Studies, and graduated Summa Cum Laude/Phi Beta Kappa. At Colby, she was cited for research and criticism in Raffael Scheck’s article, “German Conservatism and Female Political Activism in the Early Weimar Republic,” and his subsequent book, Mothers of the Nation. She also received a distinction in English Literature from the University of Cambridge (A-levels) as well as a certificate in French Literature from the Ecole Normale Supérieure in Paris, France. Traveling the globe, she has worked as a research assistant, marketing representative, teen speaker and global sales executive.

agold-authorShe is the author of several young adult novels critically acclaimed by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, VOYA, and Booklist, including Waterfell, The Almost Girl, and Alpha Goddess, a Spring 2014 Kid’s INDIE NEXT title. Her debut novel, Bloodspell, was a #1 Amazon bestseller and a Seventeen Magazine Summer Read. As an author of color and a proud supporter of diversity in fiction, her articles on multicultural fiction have appeared in The Portland Book Review and on the popular Diversity in YA blog. She currently resides in Colorado with her husband and three children. She is represented by the Liza Royce Agency and is a member of SCBWI.

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Giveaway
  • Kindle Fire giveaway is open to US residents due to shipping restrictions. 
  • Paperback copies of BLOODSPELL & BLOODCRAFT are open to US and INT readers.
  • This giveaway is sponsored by Amalie Howard. 
  • Leading up to the release of BLOODCRAFT, more entries/options will be added to the rafflecopter to double your chances! 



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Release Week Blitz: EVERY LAST BREATH by Jennifer L. Armentrout (Excerpt + Giveaway)

ELB RWB Banner_edited-1 

The Epic Finale in Jennifer L. Armentrout’s Dark Elements Series… Who Will She Choose?


 

ELB Teaser 3
 

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Don’t miss the conclusion to this stunning Young Adult Paranormal series filled with danger and romance published by HarlequinTEEN.

9780373211142_prd_proof_FC Some loves will last ‘til your dying breath

Every choice has consequences—but seventeen-year-old Layla faces tougher choices than most. Light or darkness. Wickedly sexy demon prince Roth, or Zayne, the gorgeous, protective Warden she never thought could be hers. Hardest of all, Layla has to decide which side of herself to trust.

Layla has a new problem, too. A Lilin—the deadliest of demons—has been unleashed, wreaking havoc on those around her…including her best friend. To keep Sam from a fate much, much worse than death, Layla must strike a deal with the enemy while saving her city—and her race—from destruction.

Torn between two worlds and two different boys, Layla has no certainties, least of all survival, especially when an old bargain comes back to haunt them all. But sometimes, when secrets are everywhere and the truth seems unknowable, you have to listen to your heart, pick a side—and then fight like hell…

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

IndieBound | Kobo | Books-A-Million

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Praise for The Dark Elements series

“Armentrout is a major talent…I just can’t stop reading!”
—New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter

“Armentrout works her magic with swoon-worthy guys and a twist you never see coming.”
–#1 New York Times bestselling author Abbi Glines on White Hot Kiss

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And now here’s the excerpt! Enjoy!

“Oh my God!” This time my hand connected with his arm. “You’re going to be in so much trouble, Roth! So much trouble.”

He shrugged a shoulder. “Defended myself.”

“Defended myself.” I mimicked him, bopping my head back and forth. “You can’t just go around killing Alphas, Roth!”

“You killed those angels?” Stacey asked, so I guessed she did remember them.

He sent her an innocent grin. “Well, I didn’t, but…”

“Roth!” I shouted, backing away before I started choking the ever-loving life out of him. “This is not a joke. You—”

He was damn fast when he wanted to be. One second he was several feet away from me and the next he was there, clasping the sides of my face. He lowered his head so he was eye level with me. “There are rules, Shortie.”

“But—”

“Rules that even the Alphas have to abide by. They cannot attack me without physical provocation. If they do, they tick the Boss off, and then the Boss retaliates in a way that makes what the Lilin could do look like child’s play. I’m not just some random demon. I’m the Crown Prince. They took a swing at me, and I defended myself. End of story.”

But he had provoked them—maybe not physically, but he wasn’t an innocent bystander in this. As the shock ebbed, there was a different kind of bitter pill to swallow. What if Roth had gotten his rules wrong? What if more Alphas were even now on the way to avenge their brethren?

“I’m going to be okay.” His eyes held mine as he stepped closer, lining his booted feet up with mine. “Nothing is going to happen to me. I promise.”

“You can’t make that promise,” I whispered, searching his gaze intently. “None of us can.”

His hands slid back and he curled his fingers in my loose hair. “I can.”

Those two words were like throwing down a gauntlet to the whole universe. I lowered my gaze as he dragged my hair back, tucking both sides behind my ears. It was then, as he slowly withdrew his hands, that I remembered we were not alone.

I jerked back and my gaze collided with Zayne’s. For a moment, I let myself really see Zayne. I hadn’t almost killed him. I had almost done something much, much worse than that. When a Warden lost their soul, they turned into a horrific creature. I knew that for a fact, because I’d seen what had happened to a Warden after their soul had been taken from them. I’d almost done that to Zayne, and he was still here, standing by my side.

A hole opened up in my chest as I saw the keen wariness in his stare. My stomach twisted something awful and I opened my mouth, but I didn’t know what to say. My heart and head were suddenly tearing in two very different directions. Fortunately, I didn’t get the chance to say anything.

“I leave you alone for a few hours, and you let Thumper fry and eat an Alpha.”

Yelping, I spun around as Stacey screamed. Cayman stood in the center of the destroyed living room. He’d come out of nowhere. Poof. There. He wore dark trousers and a white dress shirt he appeared to have gotten bored with when it came to buttoning it up, and his blond hair was loose around his angular face. When it came to the demon pecking order, Roth had once explained that as an Infernal Ruler, Cayman was middle management. He was kind of like the demon-of-all-trades, and I had a feeling he was more than just a…um, coworker of Roth’s. Whether Roth claimed it or not, they were friends.

“That was quick,” Roth commented, folding his arms across his chest.

Cayman shrugged. “It’s a sign of the times, man. It’ll probably be on some Alpha’s Facebook wall within the hour.”

Alphas had Facebook accounts?

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Every Last Breath official Book trailer!

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And don’t miss the first titles in the Dark Elements Series!

covers

BITTER SWEET LOVE


Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | BAM | Kobo

WHITE HOT KISS


Amazon | Barnes & Noble | BAM | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo

STONE COLD TOUCH


Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks | IndieBound | Kobo | BAM

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JLA_Author-photo About Jennifer L. Armentrout:
 
# 1 New York Times and # 1 International Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing, she spends her time reading, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV. Her young adult romantic suspense novel DON’T LOOK BACK was a 2014 nominated Best in Young Adult Fiction by YALSA.

She also writes Adult and New Adult contemporary and paranormal romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website | Facebook

Twitter | Novel Goodreads | Author Goodreads

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Release Week Blast: Catalyst by Lydia Kang (Promo Post + Giveaway)

Hey everyone! To celebrate the Book Birthday of Catalyst by Lydia Kang (March 24, 2015), I’ve got an awesome post and giveaway to share with you!

CatalystFor fans of Uglies and The Maze Runner comes a complex, thrill-filled love story that will make you question exactly what it means to be human

In the past year Zel lost her father, the boy she loves, her safety, and any future she might have imagined for herself. Now she, her sister, and the band of genetic outcasts they’ve come to call their family are forced on the run when their safe house is attacked by men with neural guns. But on the way to a rumored haven in Chicago, Zel hears something–a whisper from Cy, the boy who traded himself for her sister’s safety. And when she veers off plan in order to search for him, what she finds is not what she expected. There’s more to their genetic mutations than they ever imagined…aspects that make them wonder if they might be accepted by the outside world after all.

Goodreads

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

The Book Depository | IndieBound

Kobo | iBooks

And don’t miss book one in this intense duology, Control!

Control

“Control blew me away. The twists and turns and suspense made for a thrilling ride . . . Highly recommended” – James Dashner, New York Times bestselling author of The Maze Runner

Set in 2150 — in a world of automatic cars, nightclubs with auditory ecstasy drugs, and guys with four arms — this is about the human genetic “mistakes” that society wants to forget, and the way that outcasts can turn out to be heroes.

When their overprotective father is killed in a terrible accident, Zel and her younger sister, Dylia, are lost in grief. But it’s not until strangers appear, using bizarre sensory weapons, that the life they had is truly eviscerated. Zel ends up in a safe house for teens that aren’t like any she’s ever seen — teens who, by law, shouldn’t even exist. One of them — an angry tattooed boy haunted by tragedy — can help Zel reunite with her sister.

But only if she is willing to lose him.

Goodreads

 

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Now for the giveaway! We have one copy of Control to give away to one lucky reader! US only. To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter below:

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Lydia KangAbout Lydia:
 
Lydia Kang is an author of young adult fiction, poetry, and narrative non-fiction. She graduated from Columbia University and New York University School of Medicine, completing her residency and chief residency at Bellevue Hospital in New York City. She is a practicing physician who has gained a reputation for helping fellow writers achieve medical accuracy in fiction. Her poetry and non-fiction have been published in JAMA, The Annals of Internal Medicine, Canadian Medical Association Journal, Journal of General Internal Medicine, and Great Weather for Media. She believes in science and knocking on wood, and currently lives in Omaha with her husband and three children.

Website

Twitter | Facebook

Release Week Blast: Invaded by Melissa Landers (Giveaway)

invaded banner 
I am so thrilled to help Melissa Landers with her release week launch party for INVADED! See a note from Melissa below and make sure to enter the giveaway!

A Note from Melissa:

Hey, fiction lovers. I’m Melissa Landers, author of the Alienated series (YA sci-fi from Disney-Hyperion), and today I’m bouncing with excitement because THE SEQUEL IS FINALLY HERE!

It’s been a year since we left Aelyx and Cara onboard the intergalactic transport, and INVADED begins with an emotional goodbye as they part ways—Aelyx returning to Earth to salvage the alliance, and Cara continuing to L’eihr to serve out her part of the student exchange. While they’re apart, our star-crossed lovers will face assassination attempts, betrayal, crippling self-doubt, and a sadistic alien Phys Ed class. (Because there’s no escaping PE, even in another galaxy.) When Aelyx and Cara finally reunite…well, let’s just say it’s combustive. ;-)

What do reviewers think? I’m glad you asked!

Invaded high res cover “Readers will love the seamless blend of suspense, humor, and romance set against an interstellar landscape. Dual narratives and a tightly plotted mystery keep the suspense running high, and the chemistry between Aelyx and Cara smolders.” –Booklist

“Excellent character development and integration between modern reality and science fiction. Teens will be rooting for the galactic couple while enjoying the action and suspense that runs through the two volumes.” –School Library Journal

“The protagonists’ forced separation gives greater depth to their romance. Each learns to turn a critical eye upon the flaws of their native societies while confronting genuine obstacles to a future together. These complications only underscore the growing sense of menace that propels the narrative to an action-packed climax.” –Kirkus

A Note from Melissa (continued):

I hope you’ll make tracks to the nearest bookstore and pick up a copy of INVADED! If you’re snowed in, here are some easy links to bring the sequel right to you:

Amazon| Barnes & Noble | iBooks

Book Depository (free worldwide shipping)

Indie Bound |Indigo| Books-A-Million

To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble and an autographed swag pack, complete with mini posters of BOTH books! This giveaway is open internationally, and due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate. Best of luck, and happy reading!

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Landers Watermark (6392-006)About the Author:
 
Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” For more information, or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.
 

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