Review: Ashes Trilogy by Ilsa J. Bick

Titles: Ashes, Shadows, and Monsters

Author: Ilsa J. Bick | Website

Available: Now

Reading Level: YA

Genre: Dystopian

Source: Ashes and Shadows were purchased by me. 

A galley of Monsters was provided for review from the publisher (thank you!)

My thoughts:

I need to start by saying I had planned to review these separately. I probably should review these separately, but I read this series back to back in the matter of a couple of weeks. It is a blur of crazy in my head, and I have such a hard time forming my thoughts for a review of a book if I read the rest of the series before I sit down to do it. So this happens. Trilogy review instead of individual review :) Spoiler free I promise!

The trilogy starts with Ashes. Main character Alex hasn't had an easy life. First her parents are killed and now she has a stubborn brain tumor that isn't responding to treatment. She heads to the mountains on a camping trip accompanied by the ashes of her parents and her father's glock. I don't know if she plans to return. While in the mountains the world as she knows it comes to a screeching halt. Animals act erratic. People drop dead. Teens and young adults begin to feast on the few survivors. Alex quickly finds herself struggling to survive.

Ashes is one of those book you just can't put down. I was completely enthralled. It was packed full of amazing characters. Alex is about as bad ass as you can get. Love interest Tom, a soldier struggling with PTSD, spoke to me on so many levels. I loved how the story developed. The pacing was fast thanks to non-stop action. After I was done I wanted to run to the store to stock pile survival nescessities, but I didn't because that would have delayed me starting the second book in this trilogy, Shadows.

Unfortunately, Shadows was not a win with me. The alternating points of view (many, many points of view) and rapidly increasing cast of characters was overwhelming. I didn't want all these new characters! I wanted the characters I had grown attached to over the course of Ashes. My love for Alex and Tom, paired with my desire to know the outcome of all the crazy, made me keep on keeping on. & I'm so glad I did.

I was worried when I started reading Monsters. Shadows had really thrown me for a loop and left me scratching my head wondering what the hell had just happened. After just a few chapters in I was so glad I hadn't abandoned this series. Now that I've finished I totally see what the author was trying to do with the second book. The course the plot takes requires a very elaborate set up, but for me I found it to me more overwhelming than interesting.

While I didn't love Shadows nearly as much as Ashes, it rang much more true to what I had wanted and needed in this series. FYI this finale is HUGE. Like 600+ pages huge. The ending is killer. I've read it over and over and still don't have the closure I desire. Please say there will be some type of follow up novella for folks like me!

While book two left me baffled, I still have much love for this trilogy and author. I won't hesitate to pick up anything she writes in the future. Looking for a creepy Halloween read? Look no further!

Book Blast & Giveaway: Run with the Wolves by T c Tombs

About the Author:

T c TOMBS earned degrees from Trent University and Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada. Like many Canadians, he loves hockey and golf, and he has a passion for medieval history, folk lore, literature, film, and music. Terry and his wife, Sandra, live in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada, where they have raised five daughters.

About the Book:

Title: Run With the Wolves 

Author: T c Tombs 

Publisher: iUniverse 

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy 

Pages: 410 

Language: English 

ISBN-13: 978-1-46201-092-9 

It is the fifteenth century, and three kingdoms are caught up in the dire conflicts of their time. As the possibility of a peaceful resolution provides hope that a decade-long war will finally end, no one realizes that dark forces are waiting to invoke chaos as a full moon rises.


On a farm nestled beneath the Euralene Mountains along the western border of Medinia, young Willie works for the Smythes as a serf. One moonlit evening when the Smythes are gone to a neighbouring village, Willie hears the terrified cries of animals in the pastures. When he goes to investigate, he discovers that this wolf pack attack is like no other. Badly injured during the raid, he survives—but now he is afflicted by the full-moon madness that will soon transform him into one of the wolf creatures he dreads. With his life seemingly warped forever, Willie must face the prospect of a lifelong descent into horror.


In a time of witchcraft, superstitious folk lore, and fearsome creatures roaming the night, Willie struggles with an uncertain destiny and must seek help from the one man he holds most responsible for the dark fate that awaits him during the next full moon cycle.


“Beware of the full moon. This one is for all of the werewolf lovers!”
—Top Book Reviewers


A well-written and addictive first novel.
—Blue Ink Review


A well-developed, tightly plotted fantasy; readers will want installments two and three.
—Kirkus Reviews

Purchase your copy:

iUniverse

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Winner of Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick

The winner is Alexandra!

Congrats!

Please check your email and respond in the next 24 hours or I'll have to choose a new winner.

Giveaway: Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick

Up for grabs is a copy of Monsters by Ilsa J. Bick courtesy of Egmont. 

This is book 3 in the Ashes trilogy and not to be missed!

About the book: (possible spoilers for earlier books in the series!)

The Changed are on the move. The Spared are out of time. The End...is now.

When her parents died, Alex thought things couldn't get much worse-until the doctors found the monster in her head.

She headed into the wilderness as a good-bye, to leave everything behind. But then the end of the world happened, and Alex took the first step down a treacherous road of betrayal and terror and death.

Now, with no hope of rescue-on the brink of starvation in a winter that just won't quit-she discovers a new and horrifying truth.

The Change isn't over.
The Changed are still evolving.
And...they've had help.

With this final volume of The Ashes Trilogy, Ilsa J. Bick delivers a riveting, blockbuster finish, returning readers to a brutal, post-apocalyptic world where no one is safe and hope is in short supply.

A world where, from these ashes, the monsters may rise.

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Visit Ilsa J. Bick's website for more info about her books!

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Spotlight: Knight of Flame by Scott Eder

Title: Knight of Flame 

Author: Scott Eder 

Publisher: Twilight Times Books (September 14, 2013) 

Genre: Romantic Fantasy 

Pages: 355 

Language: English

 ASIN: B00F7SXQ8I 

Purchase at AMAZON

Fire. The most chaotic of the primal elements. When wielded properly by the Knight of Flame, it burns like the sun. Otherwise, it slowly consumes the Knight, burning away his control, driving him towards dark deeds.


Stationed in Tampa, FL, Develore Quinteele, sixth Knight of Flame, waits impatiently for the predicted emergence of the last Gray Lord, his Order’s ancient enemy. Hampered by a centuries-old tragedy, Dev knows of only one way to control his elemental power—rage. It broils just below his surface, waiting for the slightest provocation to set it alight.

Anticipating Dev’s transition from asset to liability, his commander assigns a young guardian, Wren, to report on Dev’s actions. Torn between duty and love, Wren struggles to save her Knight; but, after a brutal attack by the Gray Lord’s minions for which Dev is wrongly blamed, he’s stripped of his freedom until he regains control.


With the help of his fellow Knights, can Dev regain his balance and unlock his full elemental potential in time to prevent the destruction of all life in Tampa?

About the author:

Since he was a kid, Scott wanted to be an author and explored many genres through high school and college. Fantasy, though, captivated his soul. Tales of Knights and magic, dragons and elves filled his dreams. After greasing the gears of the corporate machine for many years, he escaped the Information Technology vortex to focus full-time on writing. The stories he’d envisioned years ago—of nobility and strife, honor and chaos—demanded they be brought to life.

Scott lives with his wife, two children, and a giant Chihuahua on the west coast of Florida.

Find Scott on the web:

Website | Twitter | Facebook

Character Guest Post: Danni Lewis from Weak At The Knees

Please welcome Danni Lewis from Jo Kessel's Weak At The Knees!

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Thou shall not commit adultery. It’s one of the Ten Commandments – the only one which I have specifically vowed, both to me as well as to my best friend Amber, I would never, ever break. And when I made that promise, I truly believed it. Why shouldn’t I? There are enough single men in the world. Why look for trouble by falling for someone who is married? It’s not fair on the person they’re married to and it can certainly never end in happiness. Can it?

I know all this and yet I find myself, against my best judgment, strangely drawn to a married man. His name’s Olivier and whilst I might have used the word ‘strangely’, I don’t really mean it. There’s nothing strange about my attraction for Olivier. It’s very real, very powerful and very confusing. I don’t think I’ve ever done anything bad in my life. I avoid knowingly stepping on ants. I hate wasps with a vengeance and yet I struggle to kill them even if they’re attacking me. Harming anyone or anything is not something that comes naturally to me. And yet here I am, contemplating doing just that. I’m contemplating what it would feel like to be kissed by Olivier, to be held by him and caressed by him. Just looking at him makes me want him, makes me feel weak at the knees. 

Contemplation is hardly a crime, but the thought process is a dangerous one, because the more I think about it the more real it gets and I must never let this become my reality. It’s a horrible thing to do and I don’t want to be that type of person.

And yet, what if Olivier is my soul mate? What if he’s married the wrong person? What if I’m the right person and we were always destined to be together? Perhaps ‘thou shall not commit adultery’ is too black and white when in reality it’s an area full of fifty shades of grey – or in my case, fifty shades of white. Olivier is a ski instructor and as I look out my window snow is tumbling from the sky in thick, urgent flurries, pretty fat flakes landing heavily on the outside ledge before melting away.

Adultery is an ugly world and people are quick to judge. I’m aware that if I were to actually become involved with Olivier, that others would swiftly cast an opinion, condemning my behaviour. Particularly here in this tiny, insular French mountain village full of gossipy women and prying eyes. I’m not saying that they’re wrong. I too would have done the same a few months ago. But that was before I met someone who made me feel this way.

Of course, I don’t even know for sure if Olivier feels the same way. Perhaps he doesn’t. Perhaps this is all a product of my imagination and my longing for him will never be put to the test because he’s married and has no intention of ever being unfaithful. But what if he does feel exactly the same way? What if he sees me as his soul mate too? What if it’s just bad timing? What then – are we really not meant to be together?

Life isn’t always straightforward. Life isn’t always about the saccharine fairytale. Sometimes real life is gritty and messy. It’s taken me twenty-six years to realise that and to realise that perhaps in the past I have been too judgmental. People make mistakes. People marry the wrong people.

The insides of my head are a confused mess. They twist everything around to suit the way I feel. No, adultery is bad, very, very bad. STOP! Stop considering it and leave Olivier alone. Steer well clear of him so that temptation doesn’t cross your path. 

Yes, yes, that is exactly what I’ll do. I’ll steer clear of him.

That very decision has me opening the window and sticking out my hand into the chill, wet atmosphere, marveling as the snowflakes land on the flat of my palm instead of the outside wooden ledge. But when two flakes collide dramatically in the air and trickle down onto my hand merged as one, my thought process starts to wobble.

How can something so wrong feel so right?   

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Thank you for stopping by Danni!

About the book:

“We got so busy living life that we forgot to live our dreams.”

Danni Lewis has been playing it safe for twenty-six years, but her sheltered existence is making her feel old ahead of time. When a sudden death plunges her into a spiral of grief, she throws caution to the wind and runs away toFrance in search of a new beginning.

The moment ski instructor Olivier du Pape enters her shattered world she falls hard, in more ways than one.

Their mutual desire is as powerful and seductive as the mountains around them. His dark gypsy looks and piercing blue eyes are irresistible.

Only she must resist, because he has a wife - and she’d made a pact to never get involved with a married man. 

But how do you choose between keeping your word and being true to your soul? 

Weak at the Knees is Jo’s debut novel in the new adult, contemporary romance genre – a story of love and loss set between London and the heart of the French Alps.

Purchase your copy at AMAZON (US) or AMAZON (UK)

Find Jo Kessel on the web:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Book Spotlight: Weak At The Knees by Jo Kessel

About the Book:

 “We got so busy living life that we forgot to live our dreams.”

Danni Lewis has been playing it safe for twenty-six years, but her sheltered existence is making her feel old ahead of time. When a sudden death plunges her into a spiral of grief, she throws caution to the wind and runs away to France in search of a new beginning.

The moment ski instructor Olivier du Pape enters her shattered world she falls hard, in more ways than one.

Their mutual desire is as powerful and seductive as the mountains around them. His dark gypsy looks and piercing blue eyes are irresistible.

Only she must resist, because he has a wife - and she’d made a pact to never get involved with a married man. 

But how do you choose between keeping your word and being true to your soul? 

Weak at the Knees is Jo’s debut novel in the new adult, contemporary romance genre – a story of love and loss set between London and the heart of the French Alps.

Purchase your copy at AMAZON (US) or AMAZON (UK)

About the author:

Jo Kessel is a journalist in the UK, working for the BBC and reporting and presenting for ITV on holiday, consumer and current affairs programs. She writes for several national newspapers including the Daily Mail, the Telegraph, the Guardian and the Express and was the anonymous author of the Independent’s hit column: Diary of a Primary School Mum.

When Jo was ten years old she wrote a short story about losing a loved one. Her mother and big sister were so moved by the tale that it made them cry. Having reduced them to tears she vowed that the next time she wrote a story it would make them smile instead. Happily she succeeded and with this success grew an addiction for wanting to reach out and touch people with words.

P.S Jo’s pretty certain one of her daughters has inherited this gene.  

Other books by Jo Kessel include Lover in Law.

Her latest book is the new adult contemporary romance novel, Weak at the Knees.

Find Jo on the web:

Website | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

Release Day & Giveaway! Her Accidental Boyfriend by Robin Bielman

Her Accidental Boyfriend by Robin Bielman

About the book:

Faking it with this flirt never felt so real...

Kagan Owens has a secret. One she thought she'd escaped by leaving New York, but when her past follows her to her temporary new life, Kagan lets a teeny lie slip. And now the town's biggest playboy and flirt, Shane Sullivan, has become her pretend boyfriend--just until she's ready to return to NYC. But the handsome, fun-loving Shane makes it tough to determine where their friendly agreement begins and ends...

Shane has no intention of settling down--in fact, his job depends on it, and nothing's more important than his work. Still, he can't help but agree to Kagan's scheme, if only to find out more about the mysterious beauty. But when every touch from her sets his heart and body on fire, he realizes playing an accidental boyfriend may be more than he bargained for--and more than he can give.

About the author:

Robin Bielman lives in Southern California with her high school sweetheart husband, two sons, and crazy-cute mini Labradoodle, Harry (named after Harry Dresden from Jim Butcher's Dresden Files books). When not attached to her laptop, she can almost always be found with her nose in a book. She also likes to run, hike, and dip her toes in the ocean. Filled with wanderlust, she longs to visit many different places and fulfill her curiosity. She wouldn’t mind indulging her sweet tooth in every location either. She’s a lover of Post-it notes, cable television shows and café mochas. Writing is a dream come true, and she still pinches herself to be sure it’s real.

Her other novels include Kissing the Maid of Honor, Worth the Risk, Risky Surrender and Yours At Midnight. She loves to connect with readers. Learn more and sign up for her newsletter on her website at http://robinbielman.com. 

She can also be found online here:

Facebook: http://facebook.com/RobinBielmanWriter

Twitter: http://twitter.com/RobinBielman

Goodreads: http://goodreads.com/robinbielman

Find Robin’s latest release, Her Accidental Boyfriend, online at: Amazon | B&N | Goodreads

Giveaway Info:

In Her Accidental Boyfriend Kagan designs jewelry similar to this beautiful pink pearl double wrap bracelet that is up for grabs.

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Praise for Robin Bielman

Robin Bielman is a must read! ~ NYT Bestselling Author Vicki Lewis Thompson

"Sweet, sassy, and toe-curlingly sexy, my *secret wish* is to live inside the pages of this story!" ~ Rachel Harris, author of Seven Day Fiancé

Book Blast & Giveaway: The Third Reason by J. B. Villegas

Title: The Third Reason 

Author: J.B. Villegas 

Publisher: iUniverse 

Genre: Romance 

Pages: 96 

Language: English 

ISBN: 978-1-46202-342-4 

Purchase at iUniverse

A story of love that was never meant to live yet refused to die … Set against the backdrop of one of the most tragic events in Philippine history—the imposition of the Martial Law Regime in 1972—and a seemingly innocent yet an equally enigmatic story for children, the novel focuses on Lisa Rubio, a woman haunted by her deprived childhood, a lost love, and a broken identity after her incarceration during the President Marcos regime. Resolute and strong-willed, she slowly resurrects from her bitterness and disillusionment against life’s baffling questions, the deceit and trappings of the adult world that she learned to despise. By excelling in academics and in her chosen career as a woman of science, she regains a sure footing and rebuilds her shattered self. But fate has other plans, in the person of a young man named Leo. Thus begins yet another painful journey of her self-doubt, psychological trepidation and moral dilemma. Lisa’s psychiatrist helps her navigate and dissect her emotional turmoil at falling for a boy half her age. “Here is a brilliant woman who studies the stars, who stands on the shoulders of Galileo, but peeps through the eyes of Ichabod,” as Dr. Mores allegorically described Lisa’s person. Yet, when despair takes her almost to the brink, salvation comes from an unexpected stranger—Professor Justin Pullin, a man whom Lisa distrusts. With stoic calm and gentle prudence, the professor leads Lisa through a deep introspection and to the wisdom behind suffering that is almost too heavy for the human heart to bear. Just when she resolves to make a right decision, a restless and capricious fate taunts her again: a strange twist of reality brings her and Leo together, and now that they are both adults, their restrained love is suddenly freed and opens like a floodgate. That fateful meeting, however, proves to be Lisa’s adamant yet ultimate act of love, a poignant redemption afforded her by the third reason.



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Guest Post: Dora Machado

Please welcome author of The Curse Giver, Dora Machado, to the blog!

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The Story Behind The Curse Giver

By

Dora Machado

           The Curse Giver was an accident, a professional indiscretion, if you will, conceived during one of my little escapades, and born out of unchecked passion. Yep, I might as well come clean. Even the most disciplined writer can be unfaithful to her projects, and no matter how thoroughly taken one is with one's current novel, the danger for a tangent is always there when venturing into the world of research.

            So there I was, researching one book, working hard to finalize the Stonewiser series, when I came across this insidious concept that kept disrupting my train of thought.

            Now, to understand the story behind The Curse Giver, you must understand me and my writing habits. I'm not easily distracted. When I'm writing a novel, my brain goes into hyper mode. I'm disciplined, motivated and focused to the point of obsession, which is whyThe Curse Giver was such a surprise to me.

            The subject of curses has always fascinated me, not only because curses are such a vital part of magic and fantasy, but also because they are so prevalent to the human experience. To be honest, I had always been intrigued by the subject, but didn't delve into it, until one very late night—or was it very early morning?—when the wind rattled my window as a coastal storm blew in from the sea.

            The clay tablets that popped up on my screen dated from 600 BC and were part of the library of Nineveh, also known as the library of Ashurbanipal, the oldest surviving library of cuneiform tablets. This is the same collection that gave us the famous Gilgamesh epic. Visually, the tablets weren't much to look at, chicken scratches on clay. But the translated words had an impact on me.

"May all these [gods] curse him with a curse that cannot be relieved, terrible and merciless, as long as he lives, may they let his name, his seed, be carried off from the land, may they put his flesh in a dog’s mouth.”

            I know, hardly an inspiration for most. Me? I immediately thought of the man who had been thus cursed, of the pain and hardship such curse would bring upon him and his people, of the character that eventually became Bren, Lord of Laonia in The Curse Giver.

            From there on, the curses flowed before my eyes, mysterious ones from ancient civilizations in Egypt, India and the Far East; thin lead tablets dating from the Greco-Roman world, judicial prayers, secret invocations, warnings and love spells that streamed into my consciousness. I knew I should get back to my original research, and yet I was smitten with the subject.

            There were curses quoted from the Bible, medieval curses, real and forgeries, Viking, Celtic, Germanic, Visigoth, Mayan, Incan, Hopi, you name it. There were ancient curses but also modern curses, some associated with Santeria, voodoo and the 21 Divisions, religions that are common in the Dominican Republic where I grew up.

            Who would cast these curses and why? What kind of creature could be capable of such powers? What would motivate a person to curse another one? As I explored these questions, a character profile began to emerge in my mind, someone whose understanding of good and evil was very different from my own.

            Sorting through the research, I could see that some curses had practical applications to make sure people did what they were told. They served as alternate forms of law enforcement in lawless societies. Some were obviously malicious. They were meant to frighten and intimidate. Some were more like venting or wishful thinking. It turns out that mankind has been casting curses since the beginning of time and will probably continue for as long as we have the imagination and faith to do so.

            A new question formed in my mind. Once cursed, what could a person do to defend himself? A third character emerged from this question, Lusielle, a common remedy mixer, a healer of hearts and bodies, someone who didn't realize the scope of her own power until it began to transform her life.

            Eventually, I wrestled myself out of the trance. I had a book to write and a series to complete. I had deadlines. But my little detour had made an impact. The concepts were at work in my subconscious, coalescing into a new novel, fashioning these powerful characters who demanded their own story. My encounter with curses had been but a slight detour from my research plan, a tiny deviation, an indiscretion to my schedule, but the seed had been planted and The Curse Giver thrived, even if I didn't know it yet.

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About the book:

Lusielle’s bleak but orderly life as a remedy mixer is shattered when her husband betrays her and she is sentenced to die for a crime she didn’t commit. She’s on the pyre, about to be burned, when a stranger breaks through the crowd and rescues her from the flames.

Brennus, Lord of Laonia is the last of his line. He is caught in the grip of a mysterious curse that has murdered his kin, doomed his people and embittered his life. To defeat the curse, he must hunt a birthmark and kill the woman who bears it in the foulest of ways. Lusielle bears such a mark.

Stalked by intrigue and confounded by the forbidden passion flaring between them, predator and prey must come together to defeat not only the vile curse, but also the curse giver who has already conjured their ends.

Purchase your copy of The Curse Giver at AMAZON or at Barnes and Noble.

About the Author:

Dora Machado is the award winning author of the Stonewiser series and her newest novel, The Curse Giver, coming this summer from Twilight Times Books. She is one of the few Latinas exploring her heritage and her world through the epic fantasy genre today. She holds a master’s degree in business administration and graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Georgetown University. She was born in Michigan and grew up in the Dominican Republic, where she developed a bilingual fascination for writing, a love for history, and a taste for Merengue. After a lifetime of straddling such compelling but different worlds, fantasy is a natural fit to her stories. She enjoys long walks, traveling, and connecting with the amazing readers who share in her mind’s adventures. She lives in Florida with her indulging husband and three very opinionated cats.

Her latest book is The Curse Giver.

Visit her website at www.doramachado.com

Find Dora on the web:

TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

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Thanks for stopping by, Dora!!

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: In the Blood and Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up?

Today we’re revealing not one, but two covers for upcoming books by Sara Hantz. In the Blood releases November 5 and Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up? releases May 6, 2014.

In the Blood

For seventeen years Jed Franklin’s life was normal. Then his father was charged with the abuse and murder of four young boys and normal became a nightmare.

His mom’s practically a walking zombie, he’s lost most of his friends, and the press camps out on his lawn. The only things that keep him sane are his little sis; his best friend and dream girl, Summer; and the alcohol he stashes in his room. But after Jed wakes up from a total blackout to discover a local kid has gone missing—a kid he was last seen talking to—he’s forced to face his greatest fear: that he could somehow be responsible.

In a life that’s spiraled out of control, Jed must decide if he chooses his own destiny with Summer by his side or if the violent urges that plagued his father are truly in the blood…

Excerpt

Chapter One

Pedophile: Noun

An adult who is sexually attracted to children.

Scum.

Sleazeball.

Creep.

Loser.

Lowlife.

Asswipe.

Dad.

Chapter Two

Benjamin Franklin. My Dad.

Not that Benjamin Franklin.

That Benjamin Franklin.

Pedophile and murderer.

Freaked out?

Did you even know a bastard like that could lead a regular life?

With a wife and two children. A son and a daughter. No, nor did we. Until it was too late.

Too fucking late.

The numbing shock when he was arrested. The disbelief. The conviction that the police had gotten it wrong. Way wrong. Even in the face of damning evidence, we knew that the truth would come out. That the evidence got switched. That there was a cover up, or something.

Something.

Then the police found locks of hair belonging to each of those dead boys, so well hidden in the little trinket box my dad’s mom gave him on her deathbed.

Then we knew. Really knew.

And that’s when our lives changed.

Forever.

Add In the Blood to your Goodreads shelf.

Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up?

Abi Saunders might be a kickboxing champion, but when it comes to being the center of attention, she’d rather take a roundhouse kick to the solar plexus any day. So when her trainer convinces her to audition to be the stunt double for hot teen starlet Tilly Watson, Abi is shocked—and a little freaked out—when she gets the job.

Being a stunt double is overwhelming, but once the wig and makeup are on, Abi feels like a different person. Tilly Watson, to be exact. And when Tilly’s gorgeous boyfriend, Jon, mistakes Abi for the real star, Abi's completely smitten. In fact, she’s so in love with her new life, it isn’t long before she doesn’t have time for her old one.

But when the cameras are turned off, will she discover running with the Hollywood A-list isn’t quite the glamorous existence she thought it was?

Excerpt

“Abi, for God’s sake, concentrate,” Zak shouts. “Fairies don’t look like elephants when they fly. Legs together, arms graceful, and glide. Please.”

My cheeks are crimson and I want to die. I know he’s the director and has the right to holler, but doesn’t he understand that the louder he is the worse I am? We must have gone over this move fifty times and I still can’t get it. And I know, without even looking, the other guys have lost it with me. It’s easy for them but I’m a kick-boxer, not a freakin’ acrobat.

And now Zak’s saying something to one of the crew. Let’s all guess what it is: get rid of the silly girl. We couldn’t get anyone more incompetent if we tried. In fact a monkey could do better.

Well, he’s right, a monkey could do better. Then again, a monkey wouldn’t need to wear a harness that cuts badly into its thighs so it can fly across the room. We’re doing wire work, the one thing I was looking forward to. Ha. What a laugh that is.

At least we’re not filming yet. This is just the rehearsal or, as they say, ‘prepping’. We’re in one of the studios that’s full of equipment with pulleys and wires. I’ve no idea how it all works, except that it keeps me up in the air. I thought we’d be doing this outside but it seems they film wire work stuff indoors against a big screen, and then edit to make it look like it’s outside by dropping in a background. As Mom would say: “the wonders of modern science”.

What I’m doing is really basic stuff, nothing like the things they did on the Matrix. Which it wouldn’t be, obviously. I remember reading that those actors had months and months of kung fu training even though most of the stunts were done by stunt men.

Right. This is it. I’m going to really concentrate. I will not be beaten. I can do this. It’s not hard.

I’m a graceful fairy, 

I’m a graceful fairy, 

I’m a graceful fairy. 

“Ready,” I call, for the first time feeling confident of success.

The technician holds up his thumb so I know we’re about to go. I take a deep breath, point my toes, bring my legs together and hold out my arms at a forty-five degree angle. So far, so good. I swallow hard as I begin to move.

Yay, I’m doing it. I’m actually doing it. Please let Zak say it’s ok. 

“Hu-fucking-ray,” booms Zak’s voice. “At last, she’s got it.”

I’ve done it. I’ve actually done it. I can do wirework. And even Zak’s sarcastic tone can’t spoil it.

A loud crash, sounding like someone slamming the door, gives me a start and I jerk backwards. My legs splay and I lose all control of my body, until suddenly I’m hanging upside down.

This so isn’t happening to me. My hair flops into my eyes and my arms dangle in mid-air. And let’s not even think about how shallow my breathing is.

Crap.

After what seems like an eternity (which is probably only a few seconds) someone starts a slow handclap. And here’s me thinking it couldn’t get any worse.

I figure it’s Zak and wait for everyone to join in. Except they don’t.

The silence is deafening. Until…

“Look at that crazy bitch. You’re surely not expecting her to be my double.”

Tilly Winters in the flesh. And none too happy to see me!

Add Will the Real Abi Saunders Please Stand Up to your Goodreads shelf.

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About Sara

Sara Hantz originally comes from the UK and is one of four children, having three younger brothers. Although she was an avid reader from a very early age, she didn’t get the writing bug until much later in life, though English was always one of her stronger subjects. She’s an avid sun chaser and now lives on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Australia (via 10 years in New Zealand). She writes young adult fiction and her debut book The Second Virginity of Suzy Green was published by Flux Books and made the prestigious list ‘New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age’. Sara has a PhD in Education and lectured for many years before deciding to devote more time to her writing and working in the family hospitality business. She has two grown-up children and w hen not writing, working or online with her friends, she spends more time than most people she knows watching TV - in fact if TV watching was an Olympic sport she'd win gold.

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Book Spotlight & Trailer Reveal: Upir and the Monster Gang by Sharron and Raymond Thornton

Coming from a long line of highly respected vampires, Upir knew that going to Neewollah, the Monster Mausoleum, would help him live up to his family’s reputation, but he never anticipated the terrifying turn his stay there would take. Upon entering, Upir befriends several strange creatures and their nights soon become treacherous when they have to dodge flying skulls whose hollow eye sockets shimmer with bright blue lights, avoid huge plants with tongue-like tentacles that devour young monsters, and run from a mad scientist who loves to use the monster students in his experiments. Most of all, they try to stay away from Muriel, an ill-tempered, nasty gorgon girl with slithering snakes for hair. She is the leader of three cantankerous monsters that follow her every command. Her group is bent on destroying Upir and his gang.

Without warning the young monsters find themselves entangled in a plot to destroy the Monster race. Will they escape the clutches of this horrifying villain and alert the Monster world, or will they become his loyal soldiers?

Excerpt:

The Welcoming Committee

  “Yeah, you kid!” A monster with an enormous bumpy head, bulbous nose and winged ears pointed at the vampire. A single tooth protruded from the troll’s lower lip as he gaped at Upir.

     A wolf-boy, his grin revealing sharp pointy teeth, was with the group. His eyes had a hungry look to them.

     Upir swallowed and tried to sound calm. “Yeah, what do you want?” he asked.

     A green goblin boy, a skateboard under one arm, shoved his way between the other two and glared at Upir. “We’re the welcoming committee around here,” he said sarcastically.

     Upir doubted that. “Okay,” he said slowly.

     The goblin boy pointed up at the troll. “He’s Groks. I’m Gordon.” He tilted his head at the wolf boy. “And that’s Raff.”

     Raff sneered, “What’s your name?”

     Without thinking, Upir said his whole name. “Upir Amarande.”

     “Yooper! Yooper!” Groks laughed, slobber spilling down his chin. “What kinda stupid name--”

     “Move it!” A girl with dozens of slithering snakes for hair came forward as the other three monsters stepped aside. The gorgon stood before Upir, her breath smelled of swamp water; the snakes on her head hissed and stretched toward him. “What did you say your name was?”

     Upir told her.

     “Amarande, huh?” She looked Upir up and down and smiled, “Well look what we’ve got here boys, a little monster royalty in our midst.”

     Upir started to shake his head, but before he could speak, the gorgon stuck out her hand. “Glad to have you aboard,” she said.

     Upir shook her hand as he asked, “Aboard?”

     Groks groaned. “Muriel, we don’t need a vamp--”

     “Shut up, troll!” She turned back to Upir. “My gang,” she said as her head tilted toward the monsters behind her. “We plan on running this place, and I’m inviting you to join.”

     Upir smiled. “Serious?” he asked. He didn’t like the fact that, once again, he’d been befriended because of his name. But to run with the in-crowd, he could deal with that. “Thanks,” he said.

     “What’s going on!” a voice screamed behind them. The kids turned. The

hunchback lumbered toward them, his hump weighing him down to the floor. “What are you kids doing in the hall? It’s almost lights out. Get to your rooms!” Turning to his hump he mumbled, “Hugo always has to chase kids all over the place.”

     Muriel lowered her gaze and innocently said, “We’re going now, Mr. Hugo.” Turning to her gang she growled, “Let’s go!” She slapped Upir on the arm as she brushed past him. “Welcome to my gang, Amarande. See ya around.”

     “Yeah, see ya around,” Groks said hitting Upir on the back so hard that he stumbled into the wall.

     Raff snickered and Gordon hooted. Muriel called out another “Shut up!” before they were out of sight.

     Upir pushed open the creaky door and entered a dark, stone-like cave.

Jagged pieces of rock, some crooked as bad teeth, protruded from the ceiling and floor. Nestled in an alcove was a bunk bed made of heavily-polished dragon bones. On one wall rested a long narrow desk of stone and against the other wall sat a black coffin, just his size. The room smelled like the dust of ages past. And although there was no window, a strange light emanated across the ceiling. Looking around the room, Upir noticed a ghost hovering above the top bunk. The floating boy wore a long transparent shroud; a green woolen scarf was slung around his neck. A long chain, wrapped around his waist, clinked as it drifted lazily

in the air. Upir saw the rock wall through the boy’s glowing form.

     The ghost boy smiled making his blue eyes look bluer and his plain face look mischievous. “Hi,” he said. “I’m Gusty,”

     Upir smiled back. “I’m Upir,” he replied, glad he hadn’t offered his last name. He knew everyone would find out soon enough. But until then, maybe he’d have a chance to make friends on his own.

     Gusty moved, seeping in and out of form like a genie near the mouth of its bottle. Upir blinked a few times, not sure the boy was really there.

     “Yeah, he’s really there,” said another boy who emerged from a pile of blankets on the bottom bunk. He stood up, his rumpled flannel shirt and jeans hung limply from his stick frame. “Gusty likes to show off,” he said. The boy’s head was a carved hollow pumpkin. Light flowed through the triangular holes; the yellowish rays reflected across the room like searchlights. The grin on his face was cheerful. “I’m Payne,” he said to Upir. “Welcome to Neewollah

About the authors:

Sharron Thornton taught elementary school for 35 ½ years. She felt it was important that her students developed a love for reading. One of the special times of each school day was right after lunch recess when she read a novel to her children. It didn’t take the kids long to get quiet and settle down for they were anxious to hear where the next chapter would take them. Sharron soon realized that books were doors to imagination for all children at all levels of learning.

When she retired, Sharron missed all of those young faces. She missed their emotional involvement with the characters and story lines from the books she read to them. So, she decided to work on an illustrated novel with her son Raymond who is an artist. Thus, Upir and the Monster Gang was born, a world of monsters, mad scientists, zombies, ghosts, vampires and all things that live in the night. Sharron has been writing for almost a decade. Besides the Upir series, she is working on several other children’s novels.

Raymond Thornton is an artist from Northwest Indiana. At the age of fifteen he started his fine art training at the Drisi Studio Academy of Fine Art. For five years he studied the finer points of painting and drawing. He then continued his studies at Columbia College and the American Academy of Art in Chicago where he received a degree in fine art.

Raymond’s oil paintings have been exhibited across the country. He has received many awards including the gold medal at the 96th annual Allied Artists of America Exhibition and an award of excellence at the 2012 Oil Painters of America Eastern Exhibition. He has illustrated many national ad campaigns. Most recently he illustrated and co-created with author Sharron Thornton, his mother, Upir and the Monster Gang. It is an illustrated novel about a young vampire and his monster friends which features over 60 full colored illustrations.

Visit their website at www.upirandthemonstergang.com

Book Trailer: