Blog Tour: This Time Around by Ellie Grace - Review/Giveaway

This Time Around
By: Ellie Grace
Release Date: July 15, 2013

Description:
Nora Montgomery left home and heartbreak behind in South Carolina when she moved to New York City after her high school graduation. Now, four years later, she returns home and is forced to confront the past she left behind and the reckless boy who broke her heart. It’s not long before the pieces of her past begin to blur with the present and she realizes that the feelings she had for her first love never really went away. As old dreams resurface and new truths come to light, she begins to question the future she's always planned on.

Jake Harris has spent four years regretting the night he let her get away. When she finally reappears in his life, he is determined to win her back and prove how much he’s changed. She might never forgive him for that night, but if he tells her the truth about what really happened it will shatter the world she thought she knew. If he doesn't, he might not get a second chance. He’s already lost her once and he won’t lose her again.

They come from two different worlds that are threatening to tear them apart…can they make it this time around?

Review:

First of all I have to say that I am absolutely in love with this cover.  It just too perfect, sweet, and just fits the characters so well.  This is a debut book for author Ellie Grace and I think she did a fabulous job with it.  The characters were very likeable; the story was sweet and believable. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and it is a perfect read for the summer, wish I would have bought it with me to the beach. 

We meet Nora as she’s on her way back to her hometown after being gone for four years (left with a broken heart to college in the big city).  It’s the summer before she goes back to start Law school, her best friend is getting married and she’s going to be there every step of the way, even if she might run into her ex that broke her heart.  Nora seems to me like a character that really does have a good head on her shoulders but seems to always want to please everyone before pleasing herself which is very evident in the way she is around her parents.  When she gets back into town the inevitable happens and she runs into Jake (her ex), and there are still sparks there on both sides and even though he left her high and dry she still gives him another chance.

They pretty much pick up where they left off, but the more time they spend together the more they realized that they have missed out on so much, all due to an overbearing parent who thinks he knows best.  This is a typical story that can really happen to anyone and it definitely gives me the advice of letting your kids go with the way they feel, because in the end it’s essentially their life and sometimes there will be heartache and hard times but it’s definitely going to have to be their decision.  The interactions between Jake and Nora are very special and I know that I enjoyed their scenes together, but I will say this it is just my personal preference but I can’t stand when people call other people Baby, sounds so cliché and it was used a lot.  But I know some people like that, just not me.

Jake spends a long time trying to prove himself to Nora’s dad and to everyone around him, he has worked hard in the past four years and believes that even though he still might not be what she deserves he knows that he wants to be with her and will definitely fight for Nora’s happiness.  But there are obstacles in the way and it’s all about how the two of them overcome them both together and separately. Again this was just a really sweet read that was much appreciated.  It was light, and just a perfect summer read, reading a book about someone else’s summer and how fast and quickly things can change.  Gives you hope. 

PS I’m in love with this cover.

About the Author:

Ellie Grace is an avid reader, chocolate lover and caffeine addict. When a story popped into her head that she couldn’t seem to shake, she decided to pursue her childhood dream of becoming a writer. When she’s not writing, she’s usually curled up with a book by one of her many, many favorite authors.

Author Social Media Links:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/elliegracebooks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elliegracebooks

Blog/Website: http://elliegracebooks.blogspot.com 
Goodreads

BUY LINKS:

Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Smashwords

Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

No purchase necessary. Must be 13 years of age and older to enter unless stated 18 + years of age. Must reside in countries able to receive eBooks via email. The retail value of the items is $1.99 USD/ebook. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Winners will be selected after July 31, 2013   randomly by Rafflecopter. Entries will be reviewed for accuracy. Participating blogs and AToMR Tours are not liable for purchasing, shipping or emailing the items, winner not receiving the items, or lost items shipped/emailed. This sweepstakes is sponsored by the author and items will be provided via email or shipped by the author. If the items are not claimed via email within 24 hours of receiving notification the item will be forfeited with no winner or an alternate winner may be selected at AToMR Tours discretion with email verification by July 31, 2013. Any taxes associated will be paid by the author unless otherwise stated. AToMR Tours has the right to obtain and publicize the winners name and likeness. Void where prohibited by law.

To see other stops on the tour for reviews, guest posts, and excerpt click here

Tour organized by: AToMR Tours

Teaser Tuesday: LIzzy Speare and Star Crossed

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following: •Grab your current read •Open to a random page •Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page •BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!) •Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Here's my teaser for the week:
I'm actually reading several books at the moment so here are some teasers for you:

Some Muse you are— a one-hit wonder! And you? Please. You’re just a little girl. You have no idea what you’re in store for. Good luck, little girl. You’re going to need it. Especially with this scoundrel looking over your shoulder at everything you do.

Lizzy Speare and the Cursed Tomb (Kindle Locations 839-841).
By Ally Malinenko

If she’d wanted him to have it, he would have it. The night had given him a high he hadn’t felt in forever, but right now he was as low as he’d been in a while, feeling positively bereft of her.

Star Crossed (Kindle Locations 1235-1237).
By Jennifer Echols

Review: Heartbeat by Faith Sullivan

Heartbeat
By: Faith Sullivan
Release Date: February 5, 2013
Series: Heartbeat #1

Description:
Katie and Adam are afraid of love.

She carries the scars of a first kiss gone terribly wrong.

He uproots his life to flee the stinging betrayal of an ex.

When trust is no longer an option, all romance is suspect.

As a young paramedic, Adam rescues people for a living but cannot save himself. Katie, just out of high school, struggles with a tortured home life she cannot escape.

Everything changes when Katie hops into the front seat of Adam's ambulance. Overwhelmed by what they are feeling, neither possess the confidence to make the first move. They walk away from each other, full of regret.

To find her, Adam risks his future. To be with him, Katie sacrifices her security.

Little do they know, what little time they do have, is being measured by a heartbeat that is slowly dying out.

Review:

Have you ever read a book where you want to finish it but it’s waning on you because it just seems semi adolescent, then you keep on reading anyway and then bam it smacks you in the face with something so unbelievably unexpected that now you just have to know how it’s going to end.  That’s what this book did to me.  I can’t give away the ending because it was the best part and if you want to know how I feel then you will definitely have to read the book.

We start the story off with Katie and her grandmother who are returning home from a movie but then the roads being as icy as they are they get into an accident.  It’s all very hard on Katie but she meets a young paramedic named Adam.  It’s a chance meeting but in that brief moment they feel the strongest connection to one another.  It’s as if the universe is pulling them together undoubtedly.  They keep having a lot of misses on seeing each other again but it’s inevitable that they will meet again.

Both being rather young but still adults, 18/19, even with that said they have a large amount of baggage, that is so different from one another but somehow they come together and help the other get through some of their issues.  Their budding romance is not much detailed you just know they belong together and that’s how they feel about it.  Just one look that’s all it took for them to know they were practically soul mates.  To me that’s a little unrealistic but maybe it’s just because I haven’t experienced something that full on.  There were stolen kisses here and there but it wasn’t really described much in the book more as if you had to use your own imagination, but it was there. 

Even some of the characters seemed very juvenile to me but that’s how they were meant to be.  The best part by far was the cliffhanger at the end that made you wonder what did you just finish reading.  It’s like when you watch the show Lost and you think things are going one way and then it completely flipped the script on you at the end, that’s how I feel right now, but it was definitely a good thing.  I’ll enjoy seeing how this story continues and if it will be flipped yet again.  Crazy how some things turn out. 

I really like the cover of the book, but I don’t picture the two main characters as them, it could just be my perspective but nonetheless I like the cover.  Definitely has promise.

Disclaimer:
I received this book from the author Faith Sullivan, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Blog Tour: Indelible by Bethany Lopez

Indelible
By: Bethany Lopez
Release Date: July 9, 2013

Description:
After a year of partying, Sam decides to buckle down and focus on college. Things are going great until a one-night stand leaves her pregnant and alone. Raising a child while going to school isn’t easy, but Sam is determined to be strong for her daughter. She doesn’t have time for guys or relationships, and takes great care to protect her child and her heart.

Judd doesn’t fit the mold of a college ballplayer. His long hair and tattoos may fit the life he’s created for himself, but baseball is the one thing he takes seriously. When he meets Sam, he’s immediately drawn to her curves and refusal to put up with his crap. When Judd learns the truth, can he handle the responsibility that comes with loving a single mother?

Sam yearns for the fire that Judd fuels in her, but her child’s needs have to come first. Can two people at different stages in their life find a way to make a life together?

Review:

I knew the second I got a chance to review a book from Bethany Lopez that it was going to be great, and I was so right because this book was addicting.  I literally received it early in the morning and was done by the time I went to bed.  This book was just too good to put down for any reason at all.  The characters were great, realistic and their situations were also realistic.  I can only imagine how hard it would be to be a single mother and trying to have your own life at the same time.  Bethany Lopez bought that out into the light and showed how it could be possible and how some things do work out in the end but not with some hardships along the way.

We meet Sam who got pregnant from a one night stand her sophomore year in college.  But with a lot of help and determination she is still in school and raising a child as a single mother.  With all of the things going on in her life though she sometimes feels lonely and hasn’t been with anyone since the day she got pregnant.  Finally her friend convinces her to go out and that’s when the magic happens, she meets Judd at a bar, not liking him at first of course.  Eventually they run into each other again and then they run into each other on purpose.

Their relationship starts to blossom and even though she feels like there might be something there she is hesitant to introduce him to her daughter and her life.  As I’m sure all single mothers are guarded about introducing men they are dating to their kids, you don’t want them to get attached if there is no potential there so I completely understand her actions.  And so does Judd when she finally lets him meet her family and vice versa.  Their budding romance was just overall sweet and seemed kind of perfect and understanding and that’s what I liked about the book the most.  Well I can’t deny the fact that there were some very very steamy parts in this book and Bethany did a great job in describing them to her readers. 

There was only one thing I knew was going to happen in this book and you know when you know something is going to happen but it still surprises you in the end, those are always good feelings.  So now if I didn’t confuse you enough let me just say that overall this book again was very addicting and I am hoping that there will be a second book or more books to this one because there are some secondary characters that I would love to read about, especially James who was an enigma within herself (yes HER name is James).  Great characters, lovely story and a completely adorable quick read. Can’t wait to see what Ms. Lopez comes up with next!

The cover is really great because it seems more like real people instead of having models looking all decked out in couture; it’s real and authentic to the story.  The title had me interested in what it meant because I had never heard the word before, it does mean memorable and this book definitely was that.  

About the Author:

Bethany Lopez began self-publishing in June 2011. Since then she has published various YA and NA books. She is a lover of romance, family, and friends, and enjoys incorporating those things in what she writes. When she isn't reading or writing, she loves spending time with her husband and children, traveling whenever possible.

IAN | Webpage | Twitter | Facebook | Pinterest

 

 

 

Book Blast: Runaway by Lorhainne Eckhart

Runaway by Lorhainne Eckhart
Genre: Adult contemporary romance
Kindle edition published May 29th 2013

"Where's my wife..."
Andy Friessen has been looking for Laura for six months. After she walked out with her son, no goodbye, with no money and leaving everything he bought her, behind. But he knew she'd come crawling back, she needed him. After all he married her to protect her. And any woman would give their right arm to be his wife.
And then for six months his conscience poked at what an ass he'd been: Until he's served...for divorce.
 Even though Andy is the first man she's every truly loved, and the first to break her heart, Laura plans to never see him again. After all to him she was nothing but a nuisance, someone he could order around, just another woman to warm his bed at night.
But Laura is hurt and she's thought nothing through including the fact she's keeping the biggest surprise from him yet.
She's pregnant.
And when Andy finds out ... all hell will break loose.

Buy:

Amazon

     Just watching the scene had something disturbing squeezing deep inside her. It wasn’t sudden; it had crept up throughout the day and through each second that Andy had spent with Gabriel tonight. He could be the perfect father, the perfect man and role model for her son. She cleared her throat but nearly choked when she whispered, “Goodnight, Gabriel. Have a good sleep.”

     This was all so confusing. What did Andy want? Why hadn’t he left, and why was he taking such an interest in Gabriel? Her throat felt all scratchy and tight, but that was only because she wanted to tuck her face in the pillow and cry those thousand tears she’d cried almost every night for Andy. All she’d ever wanted was to be loved.

     What he’d done today was horrible, cruel, and she wanted to scream and yell “Why?” He had stayed, caring for her tonight and today at the hospital in a way that made her feel important, special, but she also knew she wasn’t any of that to him, not in the way she wanted to be. It was the babies. She was just the vessel, a warm cocoon for a rich man’s babies, and that was something she could not allow herself to forget. He was powerful, he was rich, and his family was dangerous.

     “Are you all right?” He brushed his finger across her brows.

     “Yeah, fine,” she blurted as she pulled back, her skin burning from the spark of his touch.

     “You look worried about something, upset.” He was watching her, studying her as if he knew what she was thinking, and she couldn’t have that.

     “No, I’m just...” She couldn’t think of what to say when her brain suddenly blanked out. That always happened when Andy stood so close to her and watched her with compelling blue eyes that could set her soul on fire, so she shut her mouth and shook her head.

     He sat right beside her on the bed so his hip pressed into hers. She knew all too well what those slim hips and tight abs looked like naked and pressed against her hips, nestled between her thighs. It was almost too much heat for her, so she squirmed and tried to slide over and away from him.

     “You all right? You look uncomfortable.”

     He wouldn’t even look away. Uncomfortable, hell yeah. And it was all his fault. “Just stiff is all.”

     “Can I?” He rested his hand over her swollen belly, where the babies had been kicking furiously for the last hour.

     He was connecting with her babies. She wanted to scream and yell at him, “Hell no! Keep your hands off!” but her body was betraying her. The reality was that she wanted him to touch her, to run his hands over every square inch of her.

     He didn’t wait for her to say anything, but then, she couldn’t get her tongue to move. The damn thing had thickened, and her throat had completed dried up as he invaded her space. My God, he even smelled good, and his scruffy jaw...she longed to reach up and run her hands over it.

     His touch sent shockwaves through her, and the babies responded in kind. She’d swear they jumped from his touch, as if they knew that Andy was their daddy. He smiled that charming, boyish grin she’d only seen a few times. Never once had he smiled just for her.

     “Wow, that’s amazing. Did you feel that?”

     For a moment, she felt herself being pulled into his joy, just like a little boy’s first Christmas, but she had to look away, to move away from his touch, because she’d never again be treated as if she was nothing. Andy Friessen could turn on a dime, and she’d never play second again. “Yeah, I did. Listen, I’m tired.” She scooted over and lifted his hand off her belly. She couldn’t look at him even though she could feel the sharp change in him as if she’d just ripped away all his joy. So why was she feeling guilty? She wasn’t the bad guy here.

2012 was an amazing year in the publishing world for me, and it started with The Forgotten Child, which landed on the Amazon bestseller list for western romance and romance series. With the publication of each novel and short story, each one made its way to the top ten for its respective genre. 2013 has seen me posted in the top 100 authors on Amazon for romantic suspense and mystery/thrillers, police procedural.

Where did it all begin? In 2008, I published my first novel, The Captain’s Lady, a contemporary military romance, through The Wild Rose Press. This year I have a crazy writing schedule with four books scheduled for release and six short stories.

I write three genres, edgy romantic suspense (Walk the Right Road Series), western romance (Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series), and young adult mystery, and I warn my readers to expect the unexpected. I’m the mother of three children, one a special needs child. We live on a small Island in the Pacific Northwest, where I advocate for the environment and the rights of special needs children. Somewhere in my busy schedule, I do find time to write. I encourage you to contact me by email; I do answer every email I receive.

Stay tuned. There is more to come from the Walk the Right Road Series and Finding Love ~ The Outsider Series. 

And to my readers and all of you who have shared my stories with your family and friends, a big heartfelt thank you.

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Blog Tour: Call Me Crazy - Review/Excerpt

Call Me Crazy
By Quinn Loftis
Release Date: May 31, 2013

Description:
“I’m looking out from inside the chaos. It must be a one-way mirror because no one seems to be able to see back inside to where I am. The looks on their faces, the judgment in their eyes, tells me everything I need to know. The most frustrating part about the whole messed up situation is that even though I’m the one that they stare at in shock, I am just as shocked as they are. I know no more than they do of why I lose control. What they don’t know is that I am more scared of myself than they could ever be.” ~ Tally Baker

After a devastating turn of events, seventeen year old Tally Baker is admitted to Mercy Psychiatric Facility where she is diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder. She has come to a place where she honestly believes that her life is over. Her mind tells her that she will never smile or laugh again, that she will never be normal again. It is in this unlikely place that she meets two people, different in every way, yet both critical to helping her realize that she has so much more living to do. 

Candy, a cantankerous sixty year old Mercy Psychiatric patient, is hell bent on driving everyone as crazy as she is. Candy shows Tally that, regardless of her diagnosis, the ability to push on and live her life to the fullest is her choice and hers alone. In the midst of Tally’s oftentimes humorous, sometimes heart-wrenching, escapades with Candy, a new patient is admitted to Mercy—a native American woman named Lolotea. Along with this new patient comes a daily visitor, her son, Trey Swift. At first glance, it is obvious to Tally that he is incredibly handsome and unbelievably caring. But what she learns through her second glance, and many thereafter, is that there is much more to Trey than he ever lets on. It is during these daily visits that Trey and Tally build a friendship far deeper than either of them truly realize. With Trey, Tally feels for the first time since being admitted that someone is looking at her as a person and not as a disease. Trey begins to make it clear that he wants more than friendship, but she knows that she can never give him more. How can she, when she won’t even give him the truth?  Tally doesn’t tell Trey that she is a patient at Mercy, and she doesn’t ever plan to. Her plans go up in flames when she finds out that Trey is a new student at her school, the school where her brokenness was found out in the floor of the girl’s bathroom in a pool of her own blood. 

Review:
I've always loved anything that was written by Quinn Loftis, I'm an avid Grey Wolves fan.  There is something about the way she writes that always gets me going, whether it's something serious or funny it's always to the utmost extreme and you feel like you are on a roller coaster experience that you just haven't gotten enough of, that is why I keep coming back for more of her books.  Call Me Crazy was an intensely beautiful, heart whelming book that pulled at all the right strings at all the right time.

We meet Tally who is spending time with Candy at the mental institution because she has been recently diagnosed with bipolar disorder, and she's to spend the summer there before her senior year after an episode.  Candy is also in the institution for similar reasons and despite this they get along fabulously.  I think Candy by far is one of my favorite characters because she will come out with the most out on left field saying and you can't help but laugh or at least put a smile on your face.  Their friendship is what keeps them stronger, especially Tally.  One day there is a new patient though, and it's not the new patient that catches her interest but the son of that patient, Trey.  He's tall and gorgeous and seems absolutely perfect for Tally. 

They talk here and there and even though she hasn't told him that she is a patient there, the relationship seems to blossom.  yes there are some very hard times, and in the beginning  a lot of secrets being kept, but despite all that, Trey still wants to be with Tally.  They really do belong together.  When the summer is over and Tally is to return to school she didn't give Trey a second thought thinking she wasn't going to see him again, but yes you've guessed it low and behold they are both seniors and in every class together.  This just brings them closer, because Trey is a very determined young man to keep what is his and he believes that is Tally.  It's very romantic the way he does it of course, but again there are some hard times and some angry parts in this book that make it very intense. 

This book highlighted very well different disorders that can occur in people but I think it highlighted that in the end really you have to be strong and live the life you deserve to live even if you don't think you deserve it, you really do.  Especially when you have a really good support group.  The characters in this book were amazing and there were parts that bought me to tears and there are parts that bought me to laugh out loud.  This book had a little bit of everything in it and it made me love it that much more.  Yeah Trey was a very old soul, and even I know there isn't anyone that perfect, but in Tally's world he was perfect for her and they fit together like a puzzle. 

I really don't know how much more praise to give this book, you should definitely read it because you will fall in love with everyone, faults and all.  I'm really glad they didn't go with the cover that is on Goodreads, because I like the one pictured above much better.  The bench is perfect because that's where they met and it's where the story begins for the two main characters.  Love this book!!

Excerpt:

I’m hunched down beneath the table like a frightened rabbit as I watch the tall figure kneel before the new patient across the room. I’m not sure how I came to be hunched down. All I know is that the moment he walked in the room, I felt the uncomfortable rush of something pouring through me. I’m not sure if I liked it or not.

       He is Native American; there is no doubt in my mind about that based on his extremely apparent features. His long, black, amazingly shiny hair would have any woman envious of the obvious health in the locks. It flows down his back like a cascading waterfall. His naturally tan skin appears as smooth as silk and his piercing dark eyes don’t seem to miss a thing. He had even caught my movement and had glanced in my direction when I had so brilliantly decided to hide from a person I didn’t even know. I watch as he slowly stands and continues to look down at the woman before him. By the hesitancy in his movements she is obviously very important to him and I’m awed by the tenderness that such a large, imposing guy can show. After several minutes he turns to leave and my eyes never leave his retreating form until I can no longer see him. I feel a kick to my ribs and scramble up with a grunt.
       “Crap Candy,” I growl at my snickering companion as I rub my side and glare at her. “What was that for?”
        “A better question would be why were you hunkered down under the table drooling over Kemosabe?”
       I frown at her. “That’s tacky don’t you think?”
       “I’m sixty years old and crazy; I can do tacky if I want,” she snorts at me.
       I can’t really argue with her there. Like pregnant women, old, crazy ladies pretty much get a free pass on crassness and eccentricity.
       “So come on,” she pats the chair that I had so quickly vacated, “tell Candy all about it.”
        I roll my eyes. “He just took me off guard, that’s all,” I lie smoothly.
       Candy isn’t buying it. “He was hot, just admit it. Hot and he got you bothered.”
       I cringe. “Candy, you calling a guy young enough to be your grandson hot is just not right.”
      “Psht,” she flips her hand at me. “I’m old, not blind or dead. Besides, I didn’t say I wanted to jump his exotic bones.”
       I groan as I bang my head against the table. “Where do you learn these terms? I mean it’s not normal for someone your age to blurt out crap like that.”
       “Did you just use the term normal in a sentence describing me?” She raises her brow surprisingly at me.
       I laugh. “Good point.”
       “So, are you going to tell me why Pocahontas’ brother had you running for the hills?”
       “There is something wrong with you, you know that, right?”
       She smiles at me. “That’s what the voices in my head keep telling me. Now spill it.”

About the Author:

Quinn is a 32 year old wife, mother, nurse, and writer, not necessarily in that order.  She lives in beautiful West Arkansas with her husband, son, Nora their Doberman pinscher and Phoebe their cat (who thinks she is a ninja in disguise). She loves writing, reading, and crocheting. Her favourite holiday is Christmas, favourite book(s) is Pride and Prejudice, The Alpha and Omega Series by Patricia Briggs, and the Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling. She loves to be silly and have fun, loves music and thinks there is no greater sound in the world than that of her little boy's laughter.

 Goodreads | Website | Facebook | Twitter: @AuthQuinnLoftis

LINKS TO BUY 

Amazon | Smashwords |Barnes&Noble 

  

Review: The Emerald Tablet

The Emerald Tablet
By: Joshua Silverman
Release Date: September 15, 2012
Series: Legends of Amun Ra #1

Description:
Leoros doesn't have many friends. The son of a scientist and archaeologist, he is constantly on the move. But when his parents make a startling discovery in Egypt, Leoros' world is turned upside down.

When an archaeologist discovers the mythic Emerald Tablet buried beneath Egypt’s desert, her son decodes the ancient text leading him to a distant world.

On that world, a slave girl begins a journey towards a destiny she cannot imagine. But when an ancient foe rises from the ashes, they will be brought together by forces neither understands.

Leoros, who dreams of being like the heroes in the comic books, must fight to unlock the secrets of the universe to save a people he never knew existed.

Atlantia, whose bloody visions wake her in the night, senses the darkness coming.

Together they will face an enemy with the power of dark energy, lose a mentor to the assassin’s blade, and be betrayed by someone they trust. Their fight for the future is just beginning, and before it is over, a final sacrifice must be made. When the darkness comes, will they stand and fight or will they join it?

There is darkness in everyone.

Review:

First let me start off by saying that this is not my typical kind of read, but I'm so glad that the author gave me the opportunity to review this book because it was an adventure and a half that I thoroughly enjoyed from beginning to end.  This sci-fi/fantasy adventure takes you from the past and mythological, to the present and even into the future all at the same time, while on two different planets.  I especially loved the rich imagination and references to the Egyptian/Greek beliefs in Gods and prophecies that just made it more exciting for me as I love reading anything about that time period and learning more about ancient history. 

We meet Leoros who is in present day Egypt with his family while his mother is on an archeological dig looking for the emerald tablet, which she does end up finding and giving to her son along with a stone she finds lying next to the pillar.  This pillar calls out to Leoros and he decides to answer the call as he is transported to another planet where they believe he will be the savior of their world.  Hence begins the adventure Leoros has been waiting for as he is an avid sci-fi fan and definitely believes in being a hero.  Here he meets Pythos and his students as they are training to become Priests of Amun.  He also meets Atlantia who while being a servant he can't seem to pull away from her; they both feel a connection there that is apparent to even Pythos. 

The other trainees (Dio, Cadmus, Kesi and Kem) are very hesitant towards Leoros because they believe that they should receive more attention, but this new person comes in and Pythos seems to show a stronger preference towards Leoros.  This of course causes a slight rift in the group of four that have been training since they were children.  There is definitely a lot of mistrust and uncertainty about who Leoros is and what he can actually do.  There are times when it seems they might get along, but still there is tension there and it grows throughout the book until it deteriorates because of certain actions that take place.

The war is coming and Pythos knows it, with the Priests of Amun dying one by one it's only a matter of time before everything breaks loose.  There are a group of events that happen, that have been planned for a very long time as King Osiris is back to take his power, he's left his exile and with the help of his daughters he's ready to take over completely.  His daughters, while one was completely obvious the other was a surprise to many.  Because of the events these two girls put into place the wheels have started turning, a war has begun and they have literally pit brother against brother.   Good versus evil, who will win, what will become of Potora and will Leoros succeed.  There are a lot of trials and tribulations that he goes through, especially when he finally meets Osiris face to face for the first time. 

There is unquestionably a lot of action in this book, and the adventure will make your head spin in a good way.  The author did a really amazing job in describing the different locations, the myths, the legends and especially the different characters.  Each character is represented thoroughly throughout the book, you get to know who they are and what they stand for and that is a rarity as usually in secondary characters you only get the gist of what they are about but Joshua Silverman has bought them to life and made them just as important as Leoros.  I really enjoyed this rollercoaster of an adventure.

Disclaimer:
I received this book from the author, Joshua Silverman, so that I may give my honest opinion and a review. Whether it is good or not please do not let it discourage you from purchasing/reading the book yourself and forming your own opinion. What might be good for me may not be good for you and vice versa. With that said, Happy Reading Everyone!!!

Promo: Never Too Far by Thomas Christopher

Never Too Far
by Thomas Christopher
Kindle Edition, 272 pages
Published May 10th 2012 by Kalmaha Press

A harrowing story of love and survival.

In a future of scarce resources, where the possession of gas and diesel is punishable by death, a teenage boy and a pregnant girl must save their impoverished family. They risk their lives on a terrifying journey to sell stolen fuel on the black market.

Mary surprised Joe by knocking his arms away. She was stronger than she looked. Then she swept her legs off the bed and sprang to her feet. She took two steps and turned to face him as if to prove there was nothing wrong with her. But there was definitely something wrong. She wavered a moment. Her already white face turned ghostly. Her eyelids trembled. She seemed to realize she was becoming faint, and what that meant.

“I’m fine,” she said. “You don’t have to go.”

Joe got ready to catch her in case she fell, but somehow she held herself steady.

“It’s okay,” Joe said. “Just sit down. I will go find some food.”

Joe inched toward her. He was afraid to grab her again because she might try to wrench free once more and really fall. When she coughed, her little shoulders jerked and her round stomach jumped. Her head was drooped low and her hair hung down so he couldn’t see her face at all.

“Come on, lay down,” Joe said.

She didn’t move. Joe stepped toward her, but before he could put his arms around her, she tilted forward and rested the crown of her head against his chest. He slid his arms along the sides of her hard belly and around her waist. Then he shifted her toward the bed again. She moved like a bundle of empty sacks in his arms. He set her gently on the bed before he bent down to lift her feet onto the sheets.

After he sat in the chair, Mary asked him, “What if you don’t come back?”

“That’s not going to happen,” Joe said.

“How do you know?”

“I just know. You have to trust me.”

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Thomas Christopher grew up in Iowa, where he graduated from the University of Northern Iowa. After living in Seattle and Montana, he received his MFA at Western Michigan University. He has published short stories in The Louisville Review, The MacGuffin, Redivider, Small Spiral Notebook, Cooweescoowee, and other places. He was also awarded an Irving S. Gilmore Emerging Artist Grant and was a finalist for the Matthew Clark Prize in Fiction. Currently, he lives in Wisconsin with his wife Jessica and their son Holton.

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