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Feb 24, 2012

ARC Book Review: My Only by Sophia Duane

February 24, 2012 6 Comments

Author: Sophia Duane
Category: Romance
Publication date: Mar 8, 2012
ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-095-8
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-096-5

Book Blurb:

Adam James’s life is far from perfect. A talented drummer from a small suburb of Chicago, he keeps to himself, downplaying his abilities, thinking that he is less than all those around him, including his popular twin brother, Aaron..

When a free-spirited new girl with a troubled past moves in across the street, Adam's eyes are opened to a new world of possibilities. Olivia Cartwright’s philosophies on life give her a deeper understanding of the world. An instant connection between Adam and Olivia draws them closer, but he wonders why anyone would choose him when a better version exists, particularly when Aaron also takes an interest in her.
Will the friendship with Olivia change Adam, or will he continue to close himself off in his own world?
Adam has a choice to make: risk his friendship with Olivia or fight for something more.
It seems Adam has a lot to learn about love....and life.


My Thoughts:

My Only is the first book I've read from Ms. Sophia Duane and I must say that it's a revelation. This book is a bittersweet novel that will surely make you run through a roll of tissue.

I'm not gonna write anything that will spoil the story for you. Sometimes, we just need to let a book that we know little of, to take us in a journey that would let us see things in a different light because that is how real life works, and this book is all about REAL LIFE. When I accepted this book for review, I didn't know much  about it and actually I'm glad I didn't, because it's more natural that way. It'll keep you guessing and the feelings you get from reading this book were more genuine. 

The characters of the book are so complex and yet you can identify yourselves with them. On one point or another, you knew, that somehow, you've felt that same feeling. Adam and Olivia's relationship was pretty natural. It wasn't rushed and it went through some ups and downs before it became real. 

The way Ms. Sophia Duane wrote this book was really amazing because few authors would have that courage to write a book for teens with honesty and without glamouring it with beautiful lies to make it more acceptable for young readers who'd want a happy romance with a happy ending. 

Overall, I really devoured every word in this book. It was the kind of  book that will stay stuck inside your mind and your heart for a really long time. Ms. Sophia Duane wrote a book about the realities of life. It's not perfect but we live it the best way we could. Sometimes, bad things happen to make us stronger and to make us appreciate the good things. This book will make you think and would definitely make you feel and I think that's the best kind of read every reader wants.


About the Author:


Sophia Duane is a thirty-something writer from the heartland of America. She grew up telling stories and creating characters to pass the time. She enjoys books, movies, music, and yoga.  An avid lover of history, art, and people-watching, she is interested in the study what makes people tick.




http://sophiaduane.blogspot.com/
http://www.twitter.com/sophiaduane

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Feb 20, 2012

Book Review: Passion ( Fallen Book 3) by Lauren Kate

February 20, 2012 0 Comments


Hardcover: 432 pages


Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (June 14, 2011)


Language: English



Book Blurb:



Luce would die for Daniel. 

And she has. Over and over again. Throughout time, Luce and Daniel have found each other, only to be painfully torn apart: Luce dead, Daniel left broken and alone. But perhaps it doesn’t need to be that way. . . 

Luce is certain that something—or someone—in a past life can help her in her present one. So she begins the most important journey of this lifetime . . . going back eternities to witness firsthand her romances with Daniel . . . and finally unlock the key to making their love last. 

Cam and the legions of angels and Outcasts are desperate to catch Luce, but none are as frantic as Daniel. He chases Luce through their shared pasts, terrified of what might happen if she rewrites history. 

Because their romance for the ages could go up in flames . . . forever. 

Sweeping across centuries, PASSION is the third novel in the unforgettably epic FALLEN series.



My Thoughts:
A very wonderful and intense read that would take you on a quest to understand the depths of true love.

Passion started where 'Torment' ended. Luce jumped inside the 'Announcer' or what she used to call 'Shadow' to get away from all her conflicted emotions. She wants to understand if what she and Daniel feels for each other is real. Well, as for Daniel, he followed her. Daniel and Luce takes a journey back to where it all began.

Reading 'Passion' made me love Luce. In this book, she really did grow up. To tell you the truth, I didn't like Luce in the first two books. I felt that she was too selfish, always thinking about herself first. It was as if she always puts the blame on Daniel's. She's always doubting and whining. But reading 'Passion' made me understand her past actions in the first two books. I may not agree with her but, now, I see where she's coming from.

In 'Passion' we get to dig deeper on what Luce and Daniel endured for love.  Lauren Kate took the readers on a journey to different amazing places and different eras on a quest to understand the depth of true
love between Luce and Daniel. I've read this book in a span of four hours because I couldn't put it down.

Reading it was really amazing because it makes you feel for Daniel and Luce. It makes you root for them, for their love to prevail.  It would surely piss off if Luce and Daniel won't get their happy ending.

And right at this moment I am dying to get my hands on the last book of Fallen.


Favorite Quote:

"I will always love you, Daniel.” Only, that didn’t seem quite
right—or not quite enough. She had to make him understand, and damn
the consequences—if she changed history, so be it. “I’ll always choose
you.” Yes, that was the word. “Every single lifetime, I’ll choose you.
Just as you have always chosen me. Forever.”




About the Author:

Lauren Kate grew up in Dallas, went to school in Atlanta, and started writing in New York. She is the author of The Betrayal of Natalie Hargrove, Fallen, Torment, and Passion. 

She wants to work in a restaurant kitchen and learn how to surf. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband.



Buying Links:


Feb 16, 2012

Book Review: I am Wolf (The Children of Nox 1) by Joann Buchanan

February 16, 2012 2 Comments


Publication Date: Jan 12 2012
ISBN/EAN13: 1937593800 / 9781937593803
Page Count: 300
Language: English
Color: Black and White
Related Categories: Fiction / Psychological



Book Blurb:

Angel, hero, monster, devil--we all become what we really are. I Am Wolf --
The journey of a boy about to become a man who inherits his ancestors gift and must learn the right way to use it. He falls in love with Alaynee and begins to feel like he is normal again.

 When their world is shattered by the kidnapping of Alaynee's little brother, Jonah breaks the cardinal rule of his gift and bites the kidnapper, creating a creature called the unnatural.

This sends him and all his friends on an adventure across the states to a place in Tennessee. There they find not only must they stop the unnatural creature, but they must save Cara--the girl the creature is after. Jonah must ask himself the most important question of all, would you sacrifice yourself to save another?


My Thoughts:

I am Wolf is the first installment of The Children of Nox Series by Ms. Joann H. Buchanan. I've always believed that the first book of a series is the most critical one because it should have the ability to draw in the readers and read the next book. I think Ms. Joann H. Buchanan did a great job in passing that critical stage of the first book of a series.

I liked this book a lot. It's a bit different from my normal reads because the romance is not the highlight of the book. It's different but mostly welcome. This is a gripping tale of a boy who wasn't ready for the changes that has entered in his life. The author did a great job on conveying the different emotions of Jonah, his confusion, anger, guilt, his love for Alaynee and his protectiveness for his family and for Cara.

I also liked how the author painted a picture inside my head as I read. It made me feel like I was really there. Ms. Joann H. Buchanan has a knack for using descriptive words that has that power to take you inside that book. It was really awesome.

The author used different points of views in this book. It was nice to know how the other characters think and feel. I think it was nice to get to know the other characters besides the protagonist. It makes it more exciting.

This book will take you to a very unique ride. This book will make you feel a myriad of emotions that would take you to the highest and lowest. Ms. Joann H. Buchanan is one author to watch out for. A book lover wouldn't want to miss a great book from a great author.

About the Author:

Joann H. Buchanan, author, radio show host and mother of 5, is living in Kansas. Soulless Light is her debut novel. She is currently working on Night Walkers, book 1 of The Burning Times series.

She hosts The Eclectic Artist Cave Mon-Fri on The Shark at 11 AM CST. She interviews writers, producers, musicians and creative people of all kinds. Information about her show can be found at, http://theeclecticartistcave.blogspot.com.

Some of her work can also be found on Scribd.com and her short story blog, http://joannhamann.blogspot.com .
She lives by 2 mottos, above all else, entertain and make it work.


Buying Links:


Feb 15, 2012

Blog Tour: Courageous Dare by Lacie Nation

February 15, 2012 0 Comments



Hi my loves! I'm back with another blog tour! I'm featuring Courageous Dare by Lacie Nation. I'm giving you guys a little glimpse of what this book is all about. And now, let's start!




Title:  Courageous Dare
Author:  Lacie Nation
Publisher:  Secret Cravings Publishing
Length:  160 Pages, eBook Format
Sub-Genres:  Contemporary, Military

Blurb:
Baylee Crawford thought she had her whole life figured out, right up until she accepts a scandalous little dare involving a mysterious man that makes her throw caution to the wind. When she falls completely in love with her mystery man, how will she cope when she has to say goodbye to him as he leaves for war? When a tragedy threatens to tear her world apart, Baylee is left feeling lost and has no idea how to help her family in the midst of this loss. Follow Baylee and Nash through a tale of love, passion, longing, war, and tragedy.

Excerpt:

Teeth hitting, tongues warring, and their breath mingling together, desperate and needy, she couldn’t stop it.
“I need to feel you,” he begged against her lips.
 She could have cried from the desperation thick in his voice. Wrapping her legs around his waist and pulling his hips into her, she clung to his body in every way she could. In less than four hours he’d be gone. She molded her body to his, keeping every sliver of skin she could connected to him. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she broke the kiss, and hid her face in the crook of his neck. She breathed him in, sun, mint, and the tiniest hint of cigarette smoke. She always hated the smell of smoke, but on him, mixed with the smell of mint and a scent inherently him, it was mouth watering.
Their bodies moved together as one. Her hands roamed over his back, memorizing every muscle and curve of him. His forehead rested against hers, and she noticed moisture on his cheek, although she didn’t know if it came from her eyes or his.
Baylee pushed on his chest. When he moved back, she moved as well, shifting them, him sitting and her perched in his lap. With her legs around his waist, she writhed against him. She wanted to look into his eyes, fearing if she did, she’d never stop crying. His head rested on her shoulder as she whispered soft words of love in his ear.
When she had an orgasm, it rocked her soul, right down to the very core of her. Her body shook against his. She pulled back slightly, she wanted to see his face when she brought him to bliss. When she looked at him, she couldn’t stop the sob from leaving her. His eyes, bright all the time, shimmered. His chin quivered, but the look of absolute terror there in the depths of his gaze broke her.
“Nash…” She couldn’t say anything else, couldn’t speak past the emotion lodged in her throat.
“Baylee, please tell me you know how much I love you…please.”
She put her hands on both sides of his face, using her left thumb to wipe away the tear slipping from his eye.
“I know, Nash, I know it with everything inside. You love me.”
They still moved together, still worshiped the other’s body until his pace became erratic. When he came, he gripped her hips too tightly. She didn’t give a word of complaint. She held onto him, running her fingers through his hair, trying to hold him together with all the strength she had.
“I love you, baby girl. Don’t ever forget.”
“I love you too.”
Nash carried her to the shower where she washed his body, and he washed hers. She stopped crying, but it took all of her strength to do it. They finished showering, and she went to the kitchen to make breakfast while he finished getting ready. At a sound behind her, she turned and saw him standing there. She gasped and nearly fell down. Standing in the doorway in his combat uniform, her husband, the most amazing thing she had ever seen. She wanted to have her way with him. At the same time, she wanted to hide him away and never let him leave.
Baylee ran across the room and threw herself into his arms, unable to stop the flow of tears from falling. She tried hard to be strong for him, to be as calm as she could, knowing it’d be hard enough for him to leave. She couldn’t stand the thought of him being in a war zone, being in the blistering dessert, being shot at, or anything else along those lines.
“Promise me you will come back. Lie if you have to. Right now, I need you to say the words,” she begged against his neck.
She could feel him choking back his emotion. She could feel his pain radiating off of him in waves.
“I promise,” he whispered into her ear, as if unable to say anymore.
They ate breakfast, neither of them able to say much. Ethan, Jolie, and Jamie went with them on the silent drive to the airport. Once parked, Nash grabbed his duffle bag from the trunk of Jolie’s car, and they all walked inside.
Baylee wanted there to be a line, wanted it to be crowded to give her more time with him. Back to holding it all in, she fought to be strong for him. Her strength ebbed away with ever step they took towards security. Her grip of his hand must have been painful, but she couldn’t loosen it though.
She looked at her watch, seeing he had to go. Looking around, she noticed many of the people watching them, some with smiles and looks of understanding, while others wore looks of appreciation toward Nash. Being proud of him, proud to be his wife, didn’t make it easier to let go of his hand.
When they reached the security gates, she could go no further. The time had come where she would say goodbye to him. Not see him, touch him, or feel him for the next seven months. Baylee stopped, took a deep breath, and turned to face him.
He put his hands on her face looking deep into her eyes and spoke in a soft voice. “I’m coming home to you, baby girl. Seven months, we can do this.”
She nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck. When he hugged her, he stood up straight, lifting her feet from the ground. She wrapped her legs around him, not caring in the least who saw. She kissed his cheeks, both his eyes, and finally his lips, letting her tongue slip into his mouth. The kiss was heated and completely inappropriate for public. She didn’t care.
“I love you, Nash Jenson.”





About the Author :


Lacie lives in Ga with her boyfriend of five years and their dog, Libby.  She spends most of her time reading and writing.  She writes from a very personal place and finds that creating a story based off of things she has been through is very cleansing.  She is extremely close to her family so she tends to use little quirks that she loves from her family members to create characters that are realistic.

Website - http://www.lacienation.weebly.com
Blog - http://soulshakinromance.blogspot.com/
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/AuthorLacieNation 


Buying Links:

Feb 13, 2012

Book Review: Healing the Faith (Mocked by Faith 2) by Michele Richard

February 13, 2012 0 Comments

Healing the Faith - Mocked by Faith 2 (Mocked by Series #3)

Author: Michele Richard
Category: Romance
Publication date: Feb 9, 2012
ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-072-9
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-073-6



Summary:

Just saying “I do” was only the beginning for Alexia and Justin McNear. Now when their lives, loves, and faith are left in turmoil, they will have to fight even harder to heal themselves and their faith. Can two people already struggling help heal the communities they call home?
How do you rebuild after the loss of a child? After suffering a tragedy, are these two lost to each other forever?

With all the church’s money missing, the hunt for the tyrant will take Mark, an exminister, Justin, and his twin cousins away from their secluded, gated community and into the real world while leaving their wives behind to pick up the pieces. Can Justin survive it again?

Or will returning to the retreat that once abused him be his end?

Alexia, Madison, and Ginger will need to be strong and independent with their  men gone. Left to raise their child alone,  Alexia will make decisions that will affect their marriage and lives. Will they be the right ones?
Raised in a community where the men run everything, these three families will have to fight to survive the coming changes.

The temptations run high in this sequel to Mocked by Faith, but hope is not lost, and they will learn how to heal their faith.


My Thoughts:

Healing the Faith is the second part of Mocked by Faith written by Michele Richard. It's not your typical romance but it has the power to touch your hearts and believe that love still prevails despite of all the differences between two people.

Healing the Faith started where Mocked by Faith ended. Justin left with his cousins to chase that ex-minister who abused him and stole the money of their ministries. Justin left Alexia and their baby because it's important to him to get that justice he longs for himself.

Alexia on the other hand, was in despair because of Justin's decision to leave. She felt that Justin's quest for justice is more important than their family. And so, Alexia became reckless. She became prone to hurt herself thinking that it would bring Justin back to her. This part actually reminds me of how Bella of Twilight reacted when Edward left her in New Moon, although Alexia and Justin didn't really broke up, they just had to separate for a while. 

The book is really great. I loved it. Though it wasn't easy to understand if you're not going to put yourself in Justin and Alexia's place. It wasn't easy to read actually, not because it was bad but because of the intensity of the emotions that the characters feel. As a reader, you tend to feel what these characters are feelings and I must say that the angst that the first book have wasn't lost on this second book. It has this great intensity that makes you feel and I think Ms. Michele Richard did a great job on making her readers feel. 

Even though I said that this book isn't easy to read, it's also not easy to let go. The moment I started reading it, I couldn't stop. This is one of those books that has the power to imprison you. It would make you read it till dawn if you have to because you wouldn't be able to stop reading it in the middle. You'd continue reading it until the very last page. 

The complexity of the characters in this book really stood out. I don't know if you could say that they're likable but what I could definitely say is that a reader would really root for them to have their happy ending because of what they went through, you can't just accept any alternative. 

I also appreciated that Ms. Michele Richard gave the other character the importance it needed. They weren't just there for the heck of it.

The pacing of the story was done well although the flashbacks at the first few chapters bothered me. I guess those flashbacks are necessary to make them recall what happened on the fist book but I wish it was done in a more subtle way.

Overall, this book is on my list of great reads. I don't really know if Justin and Alexia's story would be continued but if it's the end I think Ms. Michele Richard gave them a nice and satisfying ending. It had been one hell of roller coaster ride, at times it was heart wrenching and then there were time it would make you smile and at the end it would make you sigh with contentment.

About the Author:

Michele Richard is the proud mother of 2 daughters. Married since 1997 to a wonderful husband, who for 25 years has been her best friend and supporter. Being an overly creative and caring person, she has been a volunteer co-leader for the Girl Scout Troop for five years. She takes great pride in teaching and guiding our future generations.

Her desire to continue her education drove her to attend night classes at Waltham High School. She refuse to just let life be. There is too much to learn than to stand by and watch it go by. Though she is not fluent yet in either, she has learned to speak French and Spanish in school. One day her dream is to be fluent in both.


”I supposed that makes me a lover of languages. Never stop learning is my motto.”

Travel is one of her great passions. Having seen the beaches of the Bahama’s, Aruba and Mexico to the deserts of Utah and Arizona, her personal favorite was bicycling down Mount Vail and standing on top of the Intercontinental Divide, followed closely by the Grand Canyon.

“America is truly a beautiful place to see. I recommend seeing as much of it as you can.”


Buying Links:


Book Tag!

February 13, 2012 2 Comments

I want to thank Ttoria for tagging me! This is really fun. I haven't done this in a long time. So for those people I've tagged, I hope you'll do this too. Just follow these rules! Have fun!


Rules:
1. You must post the rules.
2. Answer the questions the tagger set for you in their post and then create ten new questions to ask the people that you have tagged.
3. Tag eleven people and link to them on your post.
4. Let them know you've tagged them!


Questions givien by Ttoria


Where in the world do you live?
I live in the Philippines.

When and why did you start book blogging?
I started blogging last May 2011. I was quite amazed by the people who blogs about books so I decided to try it. I realized how hard it is and committed those book bloggers must be to make their blogs that good.

Who is your favourite author?
I have so many favorite authors. It's hard to choose but I'll name a few. I love Mary Ting, Nalini Singh, Julie Garwood, Judith McNaught, Amy Plum and many more. It's really hard to pick just one author because they're all different from each other.

What was the novel that first ignited your love of reading?
The very first novel I've ever read was C.S. Adler's "Magic of the Glits". I was pretty young then. I think I was only 9 or 10 when I read it after that I've been a book lover.

If you had to choose one genre to read for the rest of your life, what would it be?
This is a question that I'm really having a hard time to answer. I've been sitting here for 15 minutes and I'm just thinking on what to answer but my mind just can't see myself sticking to one genre to read for the rest of my life. It's like being sentenced to prison for the rest of my life which scares the hell out of me. So, I'm not gonna choose one! Hahaha.. I just can't.

What book or series would you love to be made into a movie adaptation?
There's a lot of books/series I would like to see on the big screen. The first that comes into my mind is Nalini Singh's Guild Hunter Series which I think deserves to be seen on the big screen. I also thought Amy Plum's "Revenants Series" would be really good. And lastly, I think Mary Ting's "Crossroads Saga"  would be nice too.

Who is your ultimate fictional crush and why?
Awwww.. do I have to choose just one?? I love the Archangel Raphael from the Guild Hunter Series. Yup! I want the great Archangel!  If he's real I'll probably stalk him.

If you had the option of taking two random books by unknown authors or one of your favourite books, to a deserted island; which would you choose?
This is hard. I don't know what you meant by unknown authors but I'll just give you my favorites. I'll probably bring "Fifty Shades of Grey" by E.L. James and the Guild Hunter Series books by Nalini Singh.

What was the last book you read that almost, or did, cause tears?
Amy Plum's "Die For Me" .  I actually send Amy a message and I told her how much her book affected me, that the way she wrote about the feelings of grief  is so real to me. I was so happy when she replied back. I was actually ecstatic.

Has there been a novel so bad you've struggled to, or been unable to, finish it?
There  are a couple of books but I don't really want to write it here. It's just that as much as I could I don't want to do a review on books I didn't enjoy.

My Questions:
  1. Where are you from?
  2. What is the first ever book you've ever read?
  3. What is your favorite past time besides reading and blogging?
  4. What is your most difficult read? 
  5. What is that one book you can never forget and why?
  6. What is the last book that has made you cry? Like really cry with rolls of tissues wasted.
  7. What is the hardest part in book blogging?
  8. One book that  you wished you've never ever read?
  9. If you're going to hell, who would you take with you?
  10. If you're going to heaven, who would you take with you?
  11. If you have the power to make one character inside a book real for one day, who would it be and why?


I tag..

Vicky

Donna

Jess

Nimue

Kira

Pararomparty blog

Maria

Natalie

Lindsay

What's Beyond Forks?

Alyssa

Feb 12, 2012

Book Review: Behind Closed Doors (Daniels Brothers 1) by Sherri Hayes

February 12, 2012 2 Comments
Behind Closed Doors (Daniels Brothers #1)

Author: Sherri Hayes

Category: Romance

Publication date: Feb 9, 2012

ISBN (paper): 978-1-61213-091-0

ISBN (ebook): 978-1-61213-092-7

Blurb:

Elizabeth Marshall spent the last nine years doing all the things she was supposed to do. She went to a good college. Married a man with a promising future. Elizabeth even had a nice house in a respectable part of town. There was even the promise of 2.4 kids in her future. From the outside everything looked picture perfect. 

One night, six months ago, the world she lived in came crashing down. Her husband dead and her friends gone, Elizabeth moves to the small town of Springfield to start a new life for herself where no one knows who she is or anything to do with her past. 

Christopher Daniels enjoys the simplicity of his bachelor life. After his divorce three years ago, he swore off women. He has no desire to change that philosophy. 

When Elizabeth Marshall moves into the apartment below him in the small Victorian house, she makes him begin to reconsider the motto he’s lived by for the last three years: women are trouble. She is everything is ex wife was not and it doesn't help that she is his wet dream come to life. 

He is determined to resist her charms, however when someone starts sending threatening messages to Elizabeth, he finds himself in the role of protector. Can he protect Elizabeth and still be able to resist the pull she has on his body and his heart?


My Thoughts:

Behind Closed Doors is the first installment of Daniels Brothers Series. It has obviously captured my interest. It's a good way to start a series.  Ms. Sherri Hayes definitely did the right thing on writing this book.

The characters really have an amazing chemistry. I love the way Ms. Sherri Hayes didn't rush the romance between Elizabeth and Christopher. It grew naturally with time which I think makes it much more believable considering both Elizabeth and Christopher  were burned by love before.

The plot is also interesting. At first it kept me guessing. The phasing is just right. It wasn't too slow nor too fast. The progress is also natural. The suspense part of the story didn't overshadow the romance. It was quite mixed naturally which makes this book really nice.

Ms. Sherri Hayes wrote a book that would surely make the readers fall in love. It will make you believe in second chances, that even if bad things happen to you, you can still survive it and have the good things at the end. If you're a lover of a good suspense with a lot of doses of romance then this book is certainly for you.


About the Author:




Sherri is the author of two novels, 
Hidden Threat and Slave (Finding Anna Book1), and a short story, A 
Christmas Proposal. She lives in central Ohio with her husband and three cats. Her mother fostered her love for books at a young age by reading to her as a child. Stories have been floating around in her head for as long as she can remember; however, she didn’t start writing them down until four years ago. It has become a creative outlet that allows her to explore a wide range of emotions while having fun taking her characters through all the twists and turns she can create. When she’s not writing, she can usually be found helping her husband in his woodworking shop.

Buying Link:


Feb 6, 2012

Blog Tour: Pride's Run by Cat Kalen

February 06, 2012 1 Comments



Hi everyone! I'm back with another blog tour! Today my blog is featuring an exciting and action-packed book entitled Pride's Run by Cat Kalen. I'm actually late in posting this because of some internet connection difficulties. I want to apologize to Ms. Cat Kalen and Bewitching Book Tours for this delay.

And now let's see what Ms. Cat Kalen have for us today.

Tight guy friends, and the girl who comes between them.
By

Cat Kalen


Back in my teen years I’ve watched many boys come between two best girl friends. This, of course, always puts a strain on the best friend relationship. Typically, come Saturday night one girl is left home alone because the other wants to hang out with her new boyfriend.
I always thought girls were the more emotional ones of the two sexes, and because of this I always thought of this situation as a ‘girl’ thing.

Do boys get upset when a girl comes along and gets between them and their best guy friend, their buddy, their video game partner? I never thought so, because I never thought guys cared about things like that. Then again how would I know? I’m a girl, and grew up in a household with two older sisters. I never really knew how ‘boys’ thought, felt or reacted.

It was only recently, after watching my own teen daughter come between two guys that I’ve learned how wrong I was about boys and their feelings.

Let’s call my daughter’s boyfriend Jack. Well, Jack has a best friend and we’ll call him Tom. Jack and Tom are tight, and even in the high school year book they were voted as cutest couple. They Skype every night and chat to each other while playing video games until the wee hours of the morning. Now Tom DOES have a girlfriend and he’s been going out with her for over two years. But when my daughter started dating Jack, Tom was very, very upset. It seemed to me Tom wanted both his girlfriend and his best guy friend all to himself and didn’t like the idea of sharing.

So what did Tom do?

Tom started saying nasty things about my daughter, texting nasty messages for all to see. Clearly he’s trying to break the two up.

My daughter is not a fan of Tom, naturally, but how is she supposed to handle this situation? Or, is it hers to handle? Perhaps Jack should be the one to put a stop to Tom’s antics.

For all you boys out there, what are your thoughts on the subject?

In my book Pride’s Run, Pride, who is a very strong and assertive shifter, has the opposite problem. She has two alpha males who hate each other, (because they are both vying for her attention) and all the while she’s trying to get them to work together for a greater cause. If they don’t, it could be the downfall for all and a life of captivity.

Wow, Ms. Cat Kalen's daughter have a difficult problem. I'm gonna give her some advice, I think it's Jack should be the one to put a stop on Tom's antics. It should be his move. He should be able to protect his girlfriend from his bestfriend. I think they should all just sit down and talk about their problems.


Thank you Ms. Cat Kalen for sharing this to us and for including me in your blog tour.






 Pride’s Run

By Cat Kalen

Genre: Paranormal YA

Blurb:

Seventeen year old Pride is a tracker—a werewolf with a hunger for blood. Taught to trick and to lure, she is the perfect killing machine.

Kept leashed in the cellar by a master who is as ruthless as he is powerful, Pride dreams of freedom, of living a normal life, but escape from the compound is near impossible and disobedience comes with a price.

When she learns her master intends to breed her she knows she has to run.

But Pride soon learns that if she is to survive in the wild, she must trust in the boy who promises her freedom, the same boy she was sent to hunt.

With life and death hanging in the balance the two find themselves on the run from the Paranormal Task Force—officers who shoot first and ask questions later—as well as her master’s handlers.

Can Pride flee the man who has held her captive since birth and find sanctuary in the arms of a boy who has captured her heart? Or will her master find her first?

Book Excerpt:



California Wine Country
August 23rd, six days until full moon

The click of the lock at the top of the stairwell is my only indication that morning is upon me. My ears perk up and I listen for the coming footfalls. The weight on the stairs combined with the creaking of each wooden step will let me know which handler has come for us this time, which unlucky puppet has drawn the short end of the straw and is stuck with letting the dogs out, or in this case, the werewolves.

Sure, he’ll come sauntering down the stairs sporting a brave face and looking at me with cold, dark eyes meant to intimidate. But the wolf inside me can smell his inner fear. Despite the fact that I’m the one caged, underneath the handler’s cool, superficial shell he’s the one who’s truly afraid.

A long column of light filters down the stairs and I blink my eyes into focus as the bright rays infiltrate the pitch black cellar. I don’t really need to blink. Not with my exceptional vision. But I do it anyway because sometimes I simply like to pretend I’m a normal seventeen year old girl, one who can’t see in the dark. It’s nonsense, I know. I’m not fooling anyone. Least of all myself.

The door yawns wider and before the first heavy boot, soiled with old blood that he’ll pass off as wine stains, hits the top step, my senses go on high alert. I never know what morning will bring—or who will bring it.

A breeze rushes down the stairs ahead of the handler, carrying the aroma of the grand estate with it. I push past the metallic scent of dried blood to catch traces of grape juice in the air, a common smell on the majestic vineyard—that and illegal drugs, the estate’s real source of income. Going beyond those familiar fragrances, I breathe deeper and get hints of fresh bread baking in the upstairs kitchen. It must be Thursday. Mica, the estate’s cook, always bakes on Thursday.

In my human form I roll onto my side and lean toward the smell. Wistfully, my tongue darts out and brushes over my bottom lip. There is something about that scent that always entices me and before I can help it I envision myself eating a warm slice covered in rich creamy butter, crispy on the outside, moist and tender on the inside.

My nostrils widen, but I know the bread isn’t meant for me and not even one delicious crumb will pass over my dry lips. Not unless Mica sneaks it to me. As much as I’d love to taste her offerings I don’t like it when she takes chances for me. Disobedience is far too risky for the aging housekeeper. Despite that, my stomach growls in response to the aroma and I fight off the cravings. I can’t hope for bread when it’s unlikely that I’ll even be given a scrap of food today, especially if I can’t please him.

My master.

A boot hits the second step—the handlers always descend slowly—and as I stretch my legs out on my dusty mattress I hear the waking groans of Jace and Clover stirring in their own cages beside me. I glance their way, and that’s when my attention falls on the one empty cage in the cellar. My mother’s den. I breathe deep and fight off a pang of sadness that I cannot afford to feel.

I turn away from the empty cage and stare at the gray cement walls. I can’t bear to look at her den any longer. It only reminds me of how they killed her and how all the pups were forced to watch—to learn that disobedience comes with a price. Guilt and sorrow eat at me to think that she’d died trying to free me.

When step number five creaks, I diligently try to shake off the memories. The handler is close which means I can’t think about my mother right now. I push all thoughts of her aside, knowing that right now I have to think about my father and what he taught me before the master killed him. Never let them see your fear.

I harden myself.

Prepare.

Before my master’s puppet even reaches the bottom step, I know it’s the one they call Lawrence, the handler I hate the most. The one with a weak mind, strong back, teeth like baked beans and beady eyes that fit his ugly rat face.

He likes to call me kitten. I have a few choice names that I’d like to call him in return, but I always bite the inside of my cheek to resist the urge. Partly because I’d be whipped and partly because Miss Kara educated me and taught me all about manners. I realize that an educated wolf with manners might sound laughable. In my line of work, however, education and manners are as lethal as a bear trap to those I hunt. That’s how I lure my marks, how I bait my prey. A pretty face and good grace go a long way for a trained killer like me.

My glance wanders to my leg, the one peeking out from beneath my ratty blanket, and my eyes are drawn to the long jagged scar tracking the length of my calf. I grimace. Even with my education and manners, I never forget what I really am. I’m never allowed to.

“Hey kitten,” Lawrence says. Most would think the nickname is a play on my birth name, Pride. But I know it’s the handler’s way of cutting me down, to find control where he feels none. My parents called me Pride because I was their pride and joy. Lions live in a pride and since lions are cats…

He tosses a collar and chain into my cage. “Leash up.”

I take note of the gun in his holster before my glance locks on his. As I give him a good hard stare, he flinches. The movement is slight, but I notice it. Dressed in my knee length nightgown, long hair loose around my shoulders, I might look like an average seventeen year old girl—harmless and innocent—but we all know I’m not.

Even though Lawrence keeps his face blank and stares down at me with those dark eyes of his, he reeks of terror. The scent is like a mixture of hot sweat and rotting compost. Oh, it’s not pretty by any means. Nevertheless, the werewolf slumbering restlessly inside me feeds off his fear, thrives on it, so I inhale and draw it deep into my lungs.

Without taking my eyes off his, I take my time to leash up. My movements are slow and deliberate as I position the collar. Metal grinds metal and the sound cuts the silence as I secure it around my neck. The handler winces. So do the older, more obedient wolves that I bunk with.

Jace cuts me a glance, chocolate eyes now milky from old age warn me to behave. I realize he’s doing it for my own good, but this morning I’m cold and hungry and in no mood for Lawrence’s insults. Clover makes a noise to draw the handler’s attention away from me, and all sets of eyes shift to her.

As Clover tries to pacify Lawrence, averting her gaze in a show of respect and making small talk about the weather, Lawrence opens my mother’s former cage and pulls out her cot. He gives it a good hard shake and the breeze stirs the dust on the unfinished boards masquerading as our ceiling. The particles dance in the stairwell light before falling to the cold, cement floor.

When Lawrence tosses the cot into a corner I stiffen. It can only mean one thing. My mother has been gone for a little over a year now, and I know the master rarely keeps a cell empty for long, which makes me wonder when and how he’s going to fill it?

Who will he breed?

I cringe at the thought of bringing puppies into this world, but know it’s not something I have to worry about. The master would never breed a wolf like me. My mother always said I was a survivor, the only pup in a litter of three to make it, but hey, a runt is a runt. Thanks to Darwin and his theory of ‘natural selection’ a runt is a heritable trait that a pack can do without. When it comes to canine reproduction, only one motto dictates: runts need not apply.

Deep in the bowels of the estate’s basement, the master keeps other wolves, separating the strong and young from one another. I’m smart enough to understand that he distances us so we can’t conspire against him or speak telepathically. Wolves can only use telepathy when in animal form, however. Well, most wolves that is. Oddly enough, I along with Stone, an alpha wolf two years my senior are able to communicate while in our human forms.

Sometimes the master does in-house breeding, sometimes he sends us out to one of his associates—other drug-lords who also harbor werewolves. It’s like he’s running a regular old puppy mill in here. Except his puppies kill for him. Which begs the question, what does my master have in store for me today?


Author Bio: 

 




Cat Kalen is a multi published author in the romance genre under two pen names, Cat is a wife, mom, sister, daughter, and friend. She loves dogs, sunny weather, anything chocolate (she never says no to a brownie) pizza and watermelon. She has two teenagers who keep her busy with their never ending activities, and a husband who is convinced he can turn her into a mixed martial arts fan. Cat can never find balance in her life, is always trying to find time to go to the gym, can never keep up with emails, Facebook or Twitter and tries to write page-turning books that her readers will love.

A maritime native and former financial officer, Cat has lived all over Canada but has finally settled down in her childhood hometown with her family.

Links:

www.catkalen.com

www.yabeyond.com

Twitter: @catkalen
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100002600082432



Buying Link:

Amazon



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