Lichgates Blog Tour - Top 5

Tour Schedule

Lichgates



Kara Magari is about to discover a beautiful world full of terrifying things--Ourea.



Kara, a college student still reeling from her mother's recent death, has no idea the hidden world of Ourea even exists until a freak storm traps her in a sunken library. With no way out, she opens an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire and unwittingly becomes its master, which means Kara now wields the cursed book's untamed power. Discovered by Ourea's royalty, she becomes an unwilling pawn in a generations-old conflict--a war intensified by her arrival. In this world of chilling creatures and betrayal, Kara shouldn't trust anyone... but she's being hunted and can't survive on her own. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn't know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.



For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this human girl, there is something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.



Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.

For my stop on this blog tour S.M. Boyce has dropped by to let us know about her top 5 fictional worlds..

Hey there, beautiful people! I’m S. M. Boyce (call me Boyce)—fantasy author of the young adult Grimoire Saga. I’ve been invited over to chat about my favorite fictional worlds. There are too many to name, but I thought I would share my top 5 favorites.

#5—Wonderland

If nothing else, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland is a fun, fun book. There’s just so much to Wonderland—it’s a treasure trove of the strange and surreal. Every time Alice stumbled upon something new, I connected more with the world itself. Though everything was intensely weird, it was exciting, entertaining, and adventurous—and that’s what I like best in a book.

#4— Neverwhere

Neil Gaiman’s Neverwhere is yet another intriguing world. It is an urban fantasy that examines the world beneath London that everyone ignores, which is rife with incredible creatures, magic, rebirth, immortality, oddities, the forgotten, and murder.

One of my favorite images from the book was when an out-of-service metro car pulled up to the station where our main characters were waiting. It stops for them, opens, and reveals a royal court sitting on the train seats. Now I grin whenever an “empty” train car passes me in the metro.

#3— Ourea

Ourea is the world within my Grimoire Saga, so yes, I designed it. Part of me thinks that should automatically disqualify it from the list, but I have so enjoyed building the world of Ourea that I wanted to share a bit of it with you here.

Ourea is a beautiful world full of terrifying things. It’s a hidden part of Earth that’s only accessible through portals called lichgates, and magic is very much alive here. The world is a character in unto itself, and often lures back those who have left it. According to the world’s legends, no one who belongs toOurea can escape it for very long.

#2— Middle Earth

No, Middle Earth is not the most forgiving place. It’s pretty dark. Tumultuous. Dangerous. But the sheer expanse of Tolkien’s universe has always interested me. It has just as many beautiful and elegant kingdoms as it does dangerous and dark ones.

Though bits of the Lord of the Rings trilogy dragged on too long, I pretty much always perked up when they arrived at some new city or kingdom. I couldn’t wait to see what new people and settings Tolkien would introduce next.

#1—The Wizarding World

The world of Harry Potter is awesome. It’s a vast universe with a lot of fun to it. From the strange names to the candies to the pranks, there’s so much of the wizarding world to explore and love. Every book introduced some  new location and new characters, and that was just one of the many reasons I personally fell in love with the books.

How about you?

So those are my favorites. What are yours?

Lichgates is FREE

Download your copy now!

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Praise for Lichgates

Wow, the world building on this one was breathtaking. The world of Ourea is just full of so many things. Surprises are around every corner.

~Alexia P.



From the first few pages into this story, it was obvious that Boyce has a way with words.

~Author Becca Campbell

Author S.M. Boyce



International Amazon Bestseller. Fantasy Author. Twitter addict. Book Blogger. Geek. Sarcastic. Gooey. Odd. Author of the action-packed Grimoire Saga.



S.M. Boyce is a novelist who loves ghosts, magic, and spooky things. She prefers loose-leaf tea, reads far too many books, and is always cold. She’s married to her soul mate and couldn’t be happier. Her B.A. in Creative Writing qualifies her to serve you french fries.



Boyce likes to update her blog a few times each week so that you have something to wake you up in the morning.

Contact

Blog | Website | Facebook | Twitter 

Google+ | Pinterest | Youtube

Goodreads Page | Amazon Page

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash

Ends 4/25/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.



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Blue Hearts of Mars Blog Tour

Tour Schedule

Blue Hearts of Mars by Nicole Grotepas

Retta Heikkinen knows the unspoken rule of society: love between androids and humans is forbidden. A simple enough edict until Hemingway Koskinen spends an evening charming her with his intense gaze, bewitching smile, and sparkling conversation that hints at so much more than the usual obsessions of high school boys. Rules were meant to be cast aside, especially when love beckons.

If only it were as simple as being in love.

Trouble is brewing, not just for Hemingway--for all androids. Secrets have been kept, lies propagated, and Retta soon discovers that a frightening future awaits thousands of androids if she doesn’t do something to stop it. Worse yet, she will lose the one love she’s ever endangered herself for: Hemingway.

Amazon

Nicole has kindly provided us with an excerpt from Blue Hearts of Mars to give you a taster of what the novel is like

“I saw you at school,” I said, handing him his drink. He thanked me, still grinning, and took a sip without ever taking his eyes from mine.
He lowered the mug and wiped the foam from his mouth. “Really? Why didn’t you say anything?”
I shrugged. “You were far away. We were in the cafeteria. Stuff like that.”
He nodded as though he understood. “The elephant.”
“What?”
“The elephant in the room. Haven’t you heard that expression?”
“No.” I shook my head.
“It means there’s an enormous thing in the room with us, but we’re both pretending to not see it, and it’s silly because it’s as big as an elephant.”
“Right, right.” I nodded. “What are we ignoring?”
He leaned forward and took my hand, which was resting on the cold counter between us. “That I’m an android.”
I pulled my hand away reflexively. I didn’t want to actually, and once it was out of his hand, I regretted it. I couldn’t give it back to him, though, because that would look stupid. I tried laughing, but it just sounded hollow. A frown creased Hemingway’s perfect cheeks.
“I’m sorry,” he said, haltingly. “I guess—I must have been reading things inaccurately. I thought—”
“No, no, it’s OK. Don’t apologize. It’s me, I’m the one who’s sorry.”
“Why?” His eyes found mine, and there was this appeal in them, this hope. I couldn’t crush it. Because I wanted to encourage it. I want to encourage him. For some stupid reason. And not just because he’s beautiful and his eyes swallow me like a black sun sucks in light—because, well, I don’t know yet. Maybe that’s just it. Maybe I need to find out what it is about him that makes my head spin.
I do, right? I mean, even though I tried to forget him, I never did. A week is a long time. Especially when you’ve only been alive for seventeen Earth years. “I—I like you.”
“Like?” he laughed. “OK. I’ll take that. It’s a place to start.”
“I know you’re an android,” I whispered. “But I don’t care.” What was I saying? I must be a complete idiot.

Praise

"Nothing like I've read before. A true original story! Everything is so well described. Now if they could make a follow up book and movie, that would be great!" ~Mrs. Z (Amazon)

"I was addicted to this book from the beginning. Life on Mars was very real and not at all a sci fi world I didn't understand . . . I found myself rooting for Retta and Hemingway from the very beginning. Easy reading, couldn't put it down and had it read in a weekend. Waiting for a sequel!" ~TNielsen (Amazon)

"The ending of this book is exceptional. While it was different from what I imagined, the way the author brought in a shocking revelation was amazing. I probably reread the last chapter 3 times letting it sink in and the meaning behind it. It was truly beautiful . . . I would love to see more of Retta and Hemingway!" ~Kat Meyer, (Goodreads)

"I love how the author populated Mars . . . so descriptive and comprehensive . . . I could clearly picture everything as if I was seeing the movie &/or was along for the ride. . . . Retta, the main character, is strong, opinionated, and a great champion for her cause." ~Megan (Amazon)

"I had been in the worst reading slump ever and came across this on Goodreads and thought I'd give it a try. Well, I was pleasantly surprised on how funny and exciting and mysterious it was . . . Mei, Retta's bff, had me laughing out loud quite a bit as well as Retta herself. I'd definitely hang out with those two." ~Deanneluvbooks (Goodreads)

Blue Hearts of Mars has made it to the quarterfinals of the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Readers are invited to download the excerpts (here) and rate and comment on the entries. So please, if you want to contribute, download and rate Blue Hearts! Your support is incredibly appreciated!

Or purchase the full version of the book here: Amazon

Author Nicole Grotepas

Nicole wrote her first fantasy novel in 7th grade on her mother's old Brother typewriter. It was never finished but it strongly resembled a Dragonlance plot and she's forever wondered what happened to the manuscript and Tonathan--the handsome elven protagonist. After living in Nashville where she worked as an editor, she returned to the Utah desert where she was raised. Nicole now lives near the Wasatch mountains with her husband. She writes and raises her son and three cats full time.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest

Tour Schedule

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash (Internationally)

Signed Copy of Cinder & Blue Hearts of Mars (US only)

Ends 4/19/13

Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop!!

Hoppy Easter Eggstravaganza Giveaway Hop

March 29th to April 5th

Hosted by I Am A Reader, Not A Writer & Read Now Sleep Later

It's time for the Easter Giveaway!! For this I'm going to be offering up an ebook of The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd, I'm hoping to get this read over the Easter break so thought you might like the chance to read it as well.

To enter you just need to fill in the Rafflecopter below. To see other blogs taking part in this giveaway see the links at the bottom of this post

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Review: Have I Got To Have Another Scar by PG Cook

Title: Have I Got To Have Another Scar
Author: P.G. Cook
Pages: 221
Publisher: Self-published
Source: Author

My story takes us through the years of my post university life. Meeting my now wife and the subsequent years that followed. The birth of my daughter and the worrying times that lay ahead.

I knew becoming a dad for the first time would have its tough times. I just didn’t realise how tough. But then I hadn’t reckoned on anything other than a ‘normal’ birth. And perfectly healthy offspring. It had crossed my mind of course, but how many of us really think it could happen to us?

I’d certainly never imagined I would have to stand by and watch my little girl, 2 days old, being driven off in an ambulance with its lights flashing and sirens blaring. Isn’t that just something that happens to other people? Our destination was Addenbrookes Hospital, the specialist hospital for babies in our area. I had never been so frightened.

I have been ever present since the birth of my little princess. Changed her first nappy and carried her to the operating theatre for her first operation and every subsequent operation. I have been consoled and been the one consoling.

I have had many days and nights when my emotions and those of my wife and extended family have been stretched to a limit above and beyond anything I ever thought I would be able to cope with. But I have also laughed so hard its hurt.

This book takes in everything. From simple tales of splashing about in puddles, changing nappies and ending up with the contents of a soiled nappy on my forehead, to not being able to pick my daughter up for a cuddle as she was “way to poorly” and being told by an intensive care nurse “I genuinely thought she was going to die”.

I’ve had days when I have thought “why us” and days where I have been thankful it wasn’t us.

I never thought anything could be more frightening than that first operation when Charlotte was just two weeks old. But then came open heart surgery in Gt Ormond St. and what happened in Addenbrookes in June 2008 made the heart surgery operation feel more like a check up at the dentist. Seven operations later and the memories are as fresh today as if it was yesterday.

Being a parent is the most amazing experience that has ever happened to me and ultimately I love being a dad, it is without doubt the best feeling in the world, If we could just stop having to go through so many life saving operations………..

Self-published autobiography - this is a phrase that strikes fear into the heart of many book bloggers! It is by far the hardest book to review and the type of book that we're all very wary of taking on, you're providing your thoughts on someone else's life. For this reason it is very rare that I accept a book in this genre (as in I've never done it before and probably won't do it again), however, after reading the blurb on this book I knew I had to read it.

Pete starts his story before the birth of Charlotte so we have a bit of a chance to get to know him and his wife before Charlotte's arrival. From the minute that Charlotte is born things then start to go wrong. I'm sure there must have been many times when the words "why me?" were uttered but, despite having the odd moment of crying, Pete comes across as remarkably strong.

I'm in the (un)fortunate position of knowing someone who has been through one of the operations that Charlotte has had to face, for me the person wasn't close but the daughter of a friend, I know how hard we found it sitting back and watching what she was going through and although Pete does describe to us the pain and anguish that the continuous operations caused him and his family, I don't think you really get a feel for the depth of worry that these operations must cause.

Throughout the book you are constantly thinking, "this must be it now, everything's sorted, there can't be any more happen" to then find that they are again knocked backwards. For all that life has put him through the wringer, Pete has a very positive outlook on life. It shows just how strong the bonds are in this family that they have had so much thrown at them but have come out the other side stronger for it.

I know most people will have looked at this book and been wary but it's definitely a book that I think more people should read!

The book can currently be purchased for only £1.53 here

Fairy Tale Giveaway Hop

This hop is in conjunction with the 3rd annual Fairy Tale Fortnight.

Fairy Tale Giveaway Hop

Hosted by

I Am A Reader, Not A Writer

The Book Rat and

A Backwards Story

For this hop I'm going to give away an ebook copy of Cinder my Marissa Meyer, I know I've given away this book before but I just love it so much!! If you're one of the many who've already read it then I'm also going to offer up an ebook copy of Scarlett, the second book in the series! Feel free to enter for either or both of these.

To enter all you need to do is fill in the Rafflecopter form(s) below, for details of other blogs participating in this tour please see the links at the bottom of this post.

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