BLOG TOUR AND REVIEW OF SEERS BY HEATHER FROST

I want to welcome Heather Frost  to Books R Us. Heather  is the author the Seers and is touring the blogosphere. Thanks for stopping by.

About the Book-

When Kate Bennett survived the car accident that claimed her parents' lives, she knew her world would be forever changed. But her life is more dramatically altered than she first realized. Not only is she able to see “mood auras” on the people around her, she's even started seeing invisible people with no colors at all. And no matter how attractive the new addition to her American Lit class is, Kate sees what no one else can—the dangerous truths this mysterious man threatens to pour into her life.

Patrick O'Donnell was killed in the Irish Revolution in 1798. He's here now to try and keep Kate alive, and stop her life from spinning out of control. The one thing he's not going to do is fall in love with her. But plans change, especially when Demons are involved . . .

Kate is about to enter the world of Seers; where immortals are at war with each other, and unfortunate mortals like Kate are in over their heads.

My Thoughts-

This was a different type of book and when I first started reading it, I did not know what to expect. I liked all of the characters especially Kate's grandfather who is sincere, lovable and cool. I was unsure of Patrick and In the beginning, I thought he was a bad boy but my opinion of him changed as I read on. I liked the way the author used the aura to portray Kate's powers and how she utilized it to read people. I read it rather quickly and I enjoyed it very much. The novel is a typical YA novel with a twist. There is a hot new guy, gossip, and two sisters and paranormal events that makes the novel interesting. I recommend this book to everyone who likes paranormal romance. Heather did a great job with the characters, the scenes and the plot. I cannot to read the next book in the trilogy

The novel will be available October 8th and can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other online retailers.

Check out the other stops on the tour

Sneek Peak of seers. 

Disclaimer: I received a free ecopy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.

REVIEW OF WITCH SONG BY A. ARGYLE

The world is changing. Once, Witch Song controlled everything from the winds to the shifting of the seasons-but not anymore. All the Witches are gone, taken captive by a traitor. All but Brusenna. As the echo of their songs fade, the traitor grows stronger. Now she is coming for Brusenna. Her guardian has sworn to protect her, but even he can't stop the Dark Witch. Somehow, Brusenna has to succeed where every other Witch has failed. Find the traitor. Fight her. Defeat her. Because if Brusenna doesn't, there won't be anything left to save.


About the Author-

Amber Argyle grew up with three brothers on a cattle ranch in the Rocky Mountains. She spent hours riding horses, roaming the mountains, and playing in her family's creepy barn. This environment fueled her imagination while she was writing her debut novel. She has worked as a short-order cook and a janitor in a mental institution, all of which gave her great insight into the human condition and has made for some unique characters. She received her bachelor's degree in English and physical education from Utah State University. 
                 

Author's Website-

Read an Excerpt.


My Thoughts-

I was hooked from the first page and I was taken into a world of magic, innocence, adventure and drama. The main character, Brusenna is witty, charming, magical and stubborn and the author takes you on a fantastic journey to save the last of the witches. Brusenna travels with her guardian, Joshen who is protective of her and they develop a bond that gets stronger throughout novel. The medieval touch, and the scene descriptions were fantastic and all of the characters were developed fully.  This is a fantastic YA debut novel and I hope the author continues to write in the future. Ms Argyle has a wonderful imagination and a writing style that kept me interested and I could not put the book down. I recommend this book to everyone who loves fantasy, paranormal and a touch of romance.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.

GUEST POST BY JAMES SANDERSON- AUTHOR OF THE ANGELIC MYSTERIES

I want to welcome James D. Sanderson to Books R Us. James is the author of The Angelic Mysteries and is touring the blogosphere. Thanks for stopping by.

                                              

About the Book:       

More is at stake than her wings when the beautiful angel Sarah finds herself grounded in New York City.  She is accosted by a man she believes is an anti-angel – one who would capture her and take her into the dark underworld.  Fortunately for her as she flees to Europe she meets a man, Daniel Allman, who is willing to travel along with her and offer some protection.  Allman, however, is fleeing his own demons – the specter of madness that runs in his family.  He is confronted with the possibility that none of this may actually be happening at all.  There is no going back for either of them, it seems. Lets learn more about Sarah.

SARAH’S STORY

I don’t even know where my name came from.  I like it though. Sarah.  There is something romantic about my name.  But when people ask about my mother or father, I have no idea how to respond to them.  I tried to explain it to Daniel, I really did, but he seemed to understand even less than anyone else.  Leave it to me to run into such a skeptic.

Actually, Sarah has always been my name.  There has never been a time I know of that I was not called Sarah.  It means something different in heaven though, I think.  Sarah was Abraham’s wife in the Bible, of course, and the name itself if from the Hebrew for ‘Princess’.  But a princess on earth is one who is honored for being born high-up in society, while in heaven the name has more to do with servant hood.  That’s what makes me the perfect guardian, I guess.  The name fits for that, don’t you think?

Many stories are told about angels but not many of them are very accurate.  Angels are not born as humans are.  We are created and have always been.  Our encounters with humans have been relatively recent, in fact.  I recall my very first assignment with human beings.  They were the first man and first woman – Adam and Eve.  They had become hopelessly lost in the harsh land to the east of Eden and I helped them find their way.  The morning after they were expelled from the Garden both of them paused for a long moment to look out over the land around them.  Behind them the smoke and fire at the gates of the Garden that had seemed so near the night before now was far off.  The black smoke was on the distant horizon.  Far beyond that – a mere dimple on the skyline – was the mountain they had called God’s Throne.  It was part of a great range of peaks that bled off into the distance, purple and indistinct.  The hillock they stood upon led down into what looked to have been a river valley; dry now.  As they descended they slid in the rough rock scree and were forced to steady themselves with their hands.  Adam was pricked by the spine of a tiny cactus and he held his palm to his mouth and tried to force the black spine out with his teeth.  At last he succeeded and he rubbed his palm against the thigh of his skin robe.

They reached the bottom of the slope now and began to follow the dry stream bed along, generally to the south.  Here, they were confronted with a world that was so different from the life they had led in the Garden that both of them felt slightly unhinged from their former identity.  Nothing was as it had been.  They were no longer who they had been.  The life they had lived was no more, and yet they had no idea what their life ahead might lead them to.  As they passed under gigantic overhangs of rock and the infinite sky overhead, they seemed to be passing through time – from one time  (the time that had been) – into another.

Distances were deceptive here.  They walked the entire long day before they reached the other side of the bowl and came upon a ridgeline of rotted rock and crumbling outcroppings.  They lay down in the sand at the base of this rise just as the sun was blotted out by the distant line of the horizon.  The next morning they climbed the outcropping to the top of the ridge.  Ahead was more of the same.  Rock sculptures were thrust up here and there with colors that were so muted they almost could not be called colors.  There were layers of light red and pink and brown and tan all fused together into one grand effect.  When the yellow sun hit them, they seemed to be transformed into even more indescribable hues.

A sense of emptiness plagued them all that day as they walked along the floor of this immense flat expanse of dirt and rock.  Only the shifting colors of the rocks – red, yellow, brown, confirmed that they were actually moving forward.  An eagle flying far overhead was a major event.  They found no water that day and by nightfall their tongues were thick with thirst.

The next day the land changed again and I managed to lead them without their knowledge to a narrow stream that ran down between the rocks.  They drank as much as they could hold – their bellies were bloated by the time they had finished – and then they began to follow the stream down into a wide valley that was strung along with greenery because of the water.  Who knows what would have happened to humankind if I had not been there to lead them to water.

Anyway, my story goes on like that over the centuries.  I go wherever I am needed and I could tell you some interesting things all right.  (Perhaps one day I will write my angelic memoirs, who knows?)  But my most recent story (the story Mr. Sanderson relates in his ‘The Angelic Mysteries’), begins with the trickery of Morton Toombs.  I was in New York City following my charge Daniel Allman when I found myself getting turned around in the dark alleys and streets.  I recognize now what I did not recognize then – that Toombs had drawn me into an elaborate labyrinth from which I could not escape.  In this way he clipped my wings and brought me into an earthbound existence.  I am still not certain exactly how he did it.

Then, when he had me completely lost and without my superpowers (as it were), he tried to get his hands on me.  I knew very well what would happen if he did.  But let me leave all that to your reading of ‘The Angelic Mysteries’ which is being released on August 18^th.  Mr. Sanderson is a capable storyteller and he has written very well the story I have just begun for you.  I do hope you will continue reading it there.

Oh and by the way, you can keep up with Mr. Sanderson and his writing on Facebook.

Hope to see you there.  Sarah

Copyright © 2011 by James D. Sanderson.  All Rights Reserved.

About the Author:

James D. Sanderson is an author living in SW Colorado with his wife and they are raising a granddaughter. He has written two novels in the past -'Mirabilia' and 'The Angelic Mysteries', and one nonfiction book 'Called To Love'.
His novel 'The Angelic Mysteries' has been completely re-written ("For the better, I assure you", he says), and is available as a novella on Kindle.
A screenplay of 'The Angelic Mysteries' is also complete and James D. Sanderson will be looking to market it to film production companies soon.
He is currently working on a collection of short stories about nonviolence and the nonviolent revolutions that took place in 1989, called 'Sacred Are The Brave'. It will be out in the spring of 2012.
He loves to travel, hike, camp, read, blog, and watch movies. "I have been a writer all my life and love to read classic literature," he says. "I hope my readers will love my work as much as I love writing it."

Stop by tomorrow for my review of the Novella.

GUEST POST BY AYA KNIGHT AUTHOR OF THE CHRONICLES OF KALE.

__________________________________________________________


I want to welcome Aya Knight to Books R Us. Aya is the author of The Chronicles of Kale: A Dragons Awakening (Book 1) (Old Line Publishing). Thanks for stopping by.

 My Inspiration

It all began with the passion to write—combine a touch of Diablo II (yep, the computer game), a dash of D&D, and a cup of imagination and you’ve got the perfect mixture of inspiration for The Chronicles of Kale: A Dragon’s Awakening.

I’ve always been fond of the fantasy genre and anything that can “sweep me away” to an alternate reality. As years passed, little pieces of the story would come to me. Eventually, a plot began to form within my mind and all I could think was “I need to write this down before I forget”. It started with a few simple paragraphs and before I knew it, my pen began to lead the path ahead—page after page filled with words of a hot-headed dragon and his amazing journey. I soon fell into a repetitive routine of scribbling notes and paragraphs of content down on a nightly basis.                       

What started as an adventure I was in control of, was quickly taking me on an epic quest. Many of the aspects in the story I had originally planned out never happened. As the story progressed I began to let things unfold naturally. My advice to other aspiring authors would be to devise a plan before writing. You’ll need to have an idea of A (being the beginning of your story) to Z (the conclusion of your story). Mapping out how your character(s) will get from A to Z is highly recommended since it will greatly aid in the flow of your story—you won’t find yourself questioning “what will happen next?” as often by pre-planning. However, never let your ‘structured’ plotline hold you back. While it’s great to know where you’re going in a story, as the story progresses allow things to flow in the direction that “feels right”. If you push yourself to abide solely by your original outline, the story has good odds of coming off as forced to readers. You, as the author, know where you want to go in the story—let the characters show you how they want to get there. That to me is where the true “life” of a novel comes from.

To shed a little more insight on my book: A dragon versus humans has been the cliché storyline in countless novels and movies. I wanted to take this classic plot and throw a completely new twist into the mix. Kale, known to most as the black dragon Firehart, despises human-kind more than any other species in the world of Revaxis. Suddenly, his life is thrown into shambles as a spell is cast, transforming him into the very flesh he has longed to avoid.

It’s a roller-coaster ride of emotions; from heart-pounding battles, to bittersweet romance. If you’re a fan of dragons, yet looking for something out of the norm in a visually painted world unlike any other—then take a chance on The Chronicles of Kale: A Dragon’s Awakening!

About the Author-


Aya Knight was born in South Florida, where she spent the majority of her childhood. At a young age she developed a strong passion for fantasy and a love of writing. Through movies, books and video/computer games she would escape into an alternate reality filled with adventure, magic and epic quests. As Aya entered adulthood, she expressed her enjoyment of writing through becoming a freelance journalist. She wrote about a broad variety of topics that gave her a brighter insight of the world. Eventually a story began to develop within her mind involving characters she immediately grew attached to. Aya knew that she needed to compile her thoughts onto paper. She grew so intrigued with the evolving storyline that she placed all hopes within the hands of her imagination, leaving journalism behind. Aya now lives in Central Florida with her husband and two sons where she continues her passion.


The book will be available on May 6th 2011 but you can pre-order the book at Amazon.com.
I will be reviewing the book on my blog soon.

Disclosure: This was an unpaid post.

REVIEW OF CALLING ALL ANGELS BY ALEX SMITH.

Em never believed in angels. That was until she met Zak and Kai….

 Em - shy, sensitive, with her head in the clouds - and Caitlyn - gorgeous, popular and talented - have been best friends forever, in a sleepy, nondescript town called Philiton.

But when new boy Zak moves into town, Philiton suddenly becomes a much more interesting place.  With his meltingly hot looks, sense of humour and a smile that has even the hardest-hearted girls falling at his feet, Zak has the female population of Philiton Comprehensive School convinced he's an angel.

Caitlyn usually has the boys worshipping at her feet, so it’s a shock when Zak seems to be more interested in Em. Cracks appear, tensions arise, but surely Em and Caitlyn’s lifelong friendship can survive?

Em feels beset by demons. At home, she’s looking after her grandmother, who is slowly deteriorating, whilst despairing at her normally sensible brother, who is going off the rails just to fit in with the ‘right crowd’.  Even Zak’s unexpected attention causes jealous girls to shower Em with spite – not least Caitlyn.  If only she had a guardian angel…

Then a second boy steps into Em’s life. Dark and brooding, a captive to the secrets of a past he’d rather forget, Kai, who has appeared as if from nowhere and fallen head over heels in love with Em, is the exact opposite of Zak. 

And although he may not seem like it, Kai is the real thing. He really is an angel.

About the Author-

Alex Smith is 17 and lives in Hertfordshire, England.  She started writing when she was just four and says, ‘To me, writing is like breathing’.  She wrote her debut novel, Calling For Angels, at the age of 14, ‘as a way of relaxing’. 

My Thoughts-

This is a wonderful debut novel. I really enjoyed the relationship that Em had with Kai. The story is basically from Em's point of view but there are parts when Kai is telling the story. Kai is a very interesting character sent to help her with her problems and I wish I had learned more about him.  The beginning was a little slow moving but it picked up quickly. The story was sad, funny, romantic, emotional and has a wonderful ending. I recommend this book for teens and the young at heart. Great Job, Alex.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from The Red Telephone Publishers for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.

BLOG TOUR OF CLOSURE BY R. MCGAHA (GIVEAWAY)

I want to welcome Rie McGaha to Books R Us. Rie is the author of Closure (Champagne Books: 8/2/2010)  Thanks for stopping by.

Going Through the Going Through

Recently a seven-year-old little girl named Maybl passed away as a result of Rhett's Syndrome. This little known disease is sneaky, deadly and steals a child's life. Maybl was born a healthy, happy baby girl who developed like any other baby. She sat up, crawled, cut teeth and laughed at her older sister, Audreay. When she was about a year old she began to digress physically and emotionally until she could only lie on her back as she did right after birth. The life expectancy of a Rhett's Syndrome child is late teens to early twenties but Maybl, bless her sweet little heart, lived seven and a half years. Unable to even eat, she was fed through a tube in her stomach. She couldn't sit up, crawl or talk but when she smiled she lit up the room. On the evening of September 20, 2010 Maybl's mother went to get her up for a bath and found she had passed away.

I have known Maybl's mom Kori since she was fifteen years old. She and my daughter Lisa were best friends from the moment they met and Kori spent as much time in my home as she did her own. I consider her one of my daughters and she calls me mom. Well, usually she calls me "Lisa's mom" because Lisa introduced me as her mom and Kori said, "Hi, Lisa's mom." And I said, "Hi, Lisa's friend." It's been a running joke ever since.

Over the course of my life I have lost five children and two grandchildren. Loss is something that we all experience. We know our grandparents are going to die, followed by our parents and various aunts, uncles and other relatives. The loss of a child throws our entire view of life off kilter. Our children and grandchildren are supposed to follow us in death, not precede us. When someone experiences the death of their child or grandchild everything changes. Life, God, breathing, getting through each day…everything is now a huge question mark and answers aren't easy to come by.

When my daughter Cassandra died at age sixteen I thought my world had ended. Taking a breath was difficult and just getting up in the morning was a chore, which was strange because I never thought I would sleep again. But I had other children to take care of, to try and explain the loss to, and a husband to take care of. While I was vocal with my feelings and cried often over our loss, Cassandra's father was the opposite. He didn't cry, he didn't talk about her, and in fact, he didn't want to talk about anything. I know he felt guilty because as a man, he felt as if he should have been able to protect her. I understood his feelings logically, but not emotionally.

In Maybl's case, I understand Kori's distress as a mother losing her baby girl. But for Maybl, I am happy. She is no longer confined to a body that refuses to obey, that refuses to move, and has been her prison for the past six years. I know her spirit is now free from the earthly confines she has known, and I know that as sad as Kori is, she also knows her baby is now in the arms of Grace. While the loss of a child is devastating and it's something you never really "get over," it does become easier to accept as time goes by. And when you know that a pure soul like Maybl's has been released, there is something very mystical and satisfying that settles inside of you.

Going through the going through is the hardest part of life but when you arrive on the other side, you find you are a better, more caring and loving person for having made it through the going through.

About the Author-

Rie McGaha is a wife, mother, grandmother who lives in SE Oklahoma. She is the author of several books in various genres. Her recent book, CLOSURE, is a spicy romantic/thriller from Champagne Books.  COMES AN OUTLAW, a historical romantic/western is now available at Silver Publishing. Excerpts are available on Rie's website www.riemcgaha.com.

About the Book-

High in the hills above Albuquerque, New Mexico Detective Zachariah Ellison arrives at the scene of a murder, and not just any murder, but one that definitely falls into the “gruesome” category even for a seasoned cop like Zach. When another body is found murdered in much the same fashion, Zach knows he’s got a serial killer on his hands, and to top it off he’s got an assistant district attorney hounding him about the case. As Zach tries to investigate the crimes while sidestepping nosey Amy Logan, a third body is found and Zach hasn’t a clue as to whom the perpetrator might be.

Amy Logan has worked hard to put herself through school and pay for law school on her own and now that she’s secured a position as assistant district attorney in Albuquerque, she’s determined to do everything she can to be the best prosecutor this office has ever seen. And as if luck was following her, she’s been assigned to the biggest homicide case the city has ever seen. The only problem she’s having is the homicide detective who’s leading the investigation—Zach Ellison.

My Thoughts-

What a great thriller. It was a page-turner and well written. This novel is definitely for the 18 + crowd due to the erotic content and descriptive scenes in the book. I Thought I knew who the killer was but I never expected it to be... All the characters were well developed and interacted well. There were twists and turns throughout the book. I have always loved thrillers and this was one of the best ones that I had read recently. I Look forward to reading the author's other novels.

CONTEST-

Click here to purchase your copy of Closure today or visit Rie at her website to learn more.

By commenting to this post, you will be entered to win a Rie McGaha Writing Tablet. By commenting at every stop on Rie's virtual book tour, your chances of winning increase so be sure to stop by Goddess Fish Promotions for a complete tour schedule.

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.

REVIEW OF ALMOST HUMAN ( FIRST TRILOGY) VOLUME 1 BY M. NOWAK

The Almost Human Trilogy is a paranormal fantasy that involves a vampire and a young woman. They are joined by a cast of characters as they deal with addictions, desire, struggles with abuse, morality, college life and zombies.

Volume 1: Fatal Infatuation


Felicity views going away to college as an opportunity to mature into a confident young woman, but her new beginning turns out to be more of an adventure than she bargains for when she finds that her school is plagued by vampires!

Cain is an elder vampire who displays quiet confidence even as he struggles to overcome sins of his past. Surprisingly, he found that in losing his life he gained his faith and a purpose.

His mission: find the hostile vampires that inhabit this small college town, and educate them to live in peace with humans. Their leader, Sindy, is a wicked temptress who has set her sights on Felicity's new friend Ben. She will be difficult to control, but after meeting Felicity, Cain's most difficult task lies in controlling himself.


My Thoughts-

I have always been a fan of vampires and Ms. Nowak's first volume of the trilogy was great. The way the author alternated chapters between characters was very clever and kept me interested. All the characters were developed nicely and I could feel their emotions. I was unsure of who the good or bad guy was and that kept me thinking throughout the book. I have been waiting for another series similar to the Twilight Series and after reading the first volume, I can't wait to sink my teeth into the other two volumes.There are some unanswered questions that I hope will be answered in the next two volumes but I knew that this was not a stand alone novel before I started reading it. If you like vampires, mysteries and romance this is the book for you.





Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book by the author for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.

GUEST POST BY M.J. ROSE AUTHOR OF THE HYPNOTIST

I want to welcome M.J. Rose to Books R Us.  M.J. is the  is the Author of  The Hypnotist (The Reincarnationist, Book 3) She is presently touring the blogosphere on her first virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!  Thanks for stopping by.

At the Museum

by M.J. Rose

Growing up, I didn’t want to be a writer; I wanted to be an artist. We lived a block away from the Metropolitan Museum of Art and I started taking Saturday morning art classes there when I was just seven years old.

I’ve often felt art is my religion and that museums in general but the Met specifically is my temple of choice. It’s where I go to be renewed, refreshed and inspired.  I don’t think I’ve ever gone longer than a month without visiting there.

So its not all that surprising that sooner or later I’d write a novel with a museum as one of my main characters and that I’d pick the museum that was in my backyard when I was a kid.

But how I got idea for the Hypnotist is surprising, at least to me.

One day about three and a half years ago, on one of my regular pilgrimages to the Met, I headed straight for one of my favorite spots. The Mastaba Tomb of Perneb is a tiny bit of 5^th Dynasty Egypt transplanted to Manhattan. A gift from Edward S. Harkness to the museum in 1913.

You can enter the limestone tomb from the left or the right.  One doorway leads to the main offering chapel. I took the other, which leads to a second ritual chamber. The space is very small and only three or four people can fit at the same time.  I was lucky to be in the intimate ritual chamber alone and looking through the slot in the wall at a wooden statue of Perneb in the room beyond known as a serdab. In ancient times this passage way allowed for family and priests to offer up incense and chants to the deceased.

I heard footsteps. A little girl about seven or eight had entered and came up beside me to look through the slot. She had long blonde hair and was wearing a school uniform. I watched her examine the space, giving every section careful attention.

 “It hasn’t changed much at all,” she said finally in a wistful voice.

I asked her what she meant.

“Since the last time I was here,” she said.

Something about the way she said it made me curious. “When was that?” I asked.

“When I lived in Egypt.”

“You know this tomb has been on display in this museum since 1916.” I said.

“I lived in Egypt way before that,” she said and smiled. She was about to say something else when from outside the chamber an older woman’s voice called out.

“Veronica, it’s time to go. Now. Please.”

The little girl ran off, quickly, without looking back, without giving me a chance to ask her anything else.

Even though I write about reincarnation, I haven’t had any meaningful reincarnation episodes of my own. I don’t get visitations. I’ve never seen a ghost.  But I’m not sure what happened that afternoon.

I can picture Veronica in her navy jumper and white blouse that had a dark smudge on the collar. She had a one-inch scratch on her left hand. Her hair was pulled off her face with a silver barrette. A lot of curls had escaped. She had a child’s voice but it was so charged with adult emotion.

It was that emotion which sparked the idea for my novel, The Hypnotist.  And the paintings and sculpture at the Metropolitan Museum that fueled it.

 If you go the Met, please go visit Perneb’s tomb. And if you see a little girl there with long blonde hair and a blue school uniform… ask her if her name is Veronica… and if it is, thank her for me.


Please visit  M.J.'s website and check back on 9/2 for my review of this fascinating book.

REVIEW OF THE PHANTOM DIARIES BY KAILIN GOW

Join Kailin Gow, author of the young adult novel, The Phantom Diaries (The EDGE), as she virtually tours the blogosphere in June ‘10 on her second virtual book tour with Pump Up Your Book!

Dear Diary, Most of the night was spent dreaming of this Phantom. I would never admit it to anyone, but I believe I m enamored with this legendary figure. The strange goings-on at the Opera House are eerie, but I m always eager to go back.


My name is Annette Binoche. I am 18 years old, and the new seamstress assistant at the New York Metropolitan Opera House. I am lucky to find this job. I never expected to be the lead singer in a new opera and I get involved with a phantom whose madness spanned centuries.
There was a tragic occurrence in the Paris Opera House that everyone claims this is the same phantom who now terrorize the New York Opera House. I would get away, but I love it here...New York, the Opera, this job, and then there is Eric, who seems a little older than me, but knows the music better than anyone. He is my vocal coach; and has helped me develop the side of me that I never knew existed. There is something about Eric. Can I resist the phantom's passion, even if my life depends on it? -

About the Author-

 Kailin Gow is the author of over 30 books for all generations, but her specialty is the young adult/teen genre.  Her books have been recommended by PBS Kids, the PTA, homeschooling organizations, and on the Best Teens Books list.  She is a mentor for young women, has founded 3A for Autism (Actors, Artists, and Authors for Autism), and runs a publishing and production company known as Sparklesoup, a mid-size publisher and production company.





 My Thoughts-


I have never the Phantom of the opera, but my mom said that it was one of the best plays that she had seen. The book is a great young adult paranormal modern day version of the Phantom of the Opera. There was a lot of twists and turns and of course romance. Eric was mysterious, romantic and compassionate. The book was well written and I really enjoyed it. I have never read any of the author's books before and it will not be the last.

Read an Excerpt.

My breath caught in my throat and I had to remind myself to breathe. My fingers remained frozen above the ivory keys, poised to play again. I listened and while I heard nothing, I felt something.
I glanced sidelong on either side of me, reluctant to turn around and face who or what was actually behind me. Steeling myself, I finally turned around and was hardly surprised to see a young man standing there.
“That was quite lovely,” he said with a hint of a European accent; French perhaps.
“Hello.” Nothing more came to mind.
From what I could see, he was handsome, painfully so. Dark waves of thick hair flowed to his shoulders and, in the gloom of the room, and through the mask he wore, I could just barely make out the startlingly blue eyes that stared at me. His chin was strong, his lips welcoming, tender and sensual.
“You mustn’t have heard that the show has been temporarily cancelled,” I offered. He was in costume, that of an eighteenth century aristocrat. But the elegance of his attire betrayed his strength. The breadth of his chest, the power of his arms and the sensual line of his thighs were all quite evident. “Are you a swordsman?”
What a stupid question. I immediately felt the blood rush to my face and thanked the darkness.
“Your voice carries well. The emotion you evoke is almost painful.” His voice was smooth and calm. Though he appeared to be barely older than I, he exuded confidence and despite the unusual circumstance of our encounter, I felt at ease, almost as if I knew him.
I tried to concentrate on what he was saying and on keeping my eyes from drifting down over the strong line of his shoulders. “I don’t remember seeing such a costume in the wardrobe department. It’s quite magnificent. Very authentic looking.”
He smiled and I had to reach for the piano to steady myself. A wave of warmth spread over me, ran through my hair and soothed the nape of my neck.
“Have you considered trying out for the role of Adelle?”
“The lead? Me? In the Masquerade? No. Of course not.”
“You have the rich tone and depth Marie lacked. You’re also considerably more beautiful. Marie’s appeal was flat and one-dimensional. Blond is so predictable; but the depth of darkness that surrounds your flawless skin makes a man burn to get closer.”
I swallowed and my gut turned an involuntary somersault. To emphasize his words he took a step closer and I was mesmerized by the power of his stride. His scent came to me and I wanted to inhale deeply and breathe him all in. He wasn’t artificially perfumed, but the blend of leather, linen and plain old masculinity was intoxicating.
“You could easily be the star of this show, Annette.”
He knew my name and I knew I should question how, but my eyes dipped down to his chest and the urge to put my hand to the fine fabric of his jacket was more than I could bear.
“I’m just a seamstress, not a singer. And I should get back to wardrobe. Roberta will be looking for me.” I grabbed the sheets of music and stepped around him, my heart pounding.
Heat seared up my arm as he reached out for my hand and stopped my progress. “Return at five o’clock . I’ll wait for you.”
My gaze remained on his lips, expecting to see a playful smile, flirtatious grin or victorious smirk. But his mouth remained aligned in determination and I knew I would do as he requested.
“And who, exactly, are you?”
“Eric.”

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book by the author for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review.

GIVEAWAY AND REVIEW OF STARLIGHTER BY BRYAN DAVIS

In the book Starlighter (Dragons of Starlight) by Bryan Davis, Jason Masters has been hearing tales about dragons from another world who are kidnapping humans by taking them through a portal and forcing them to work as slaves. He did not believe in the myth but when he receives a cryptic message from his long lost brother, he is determined to find the portal and uncover the truth before it is too late. In the other world there lives a slave girl, Koran. She has heard about the human world and thought it was pure myth. Koran is chosen to protect a black egg that holds the dragon prince. There is a prophecy surrounding the egg that makes all of their efforts worthwhile. Koran realizes that she is a Starlighter . She has special powers and is able to tell stories that come to life and enchants dragons. When the two teens finally meet they must find away to release the humans and escape from the dragons world.

About the Author-

Bryan Davis is the author of the bestselling fantasy series Dragons in Our Midst, Oracles of Fire and Echoes from the Edge. He and his wife, Susie, have seven children and live in western Tennessee where he continues to cook up his imaginative blend of fantasy and inspiration.

My Thoughts-

I have always loved fantasy novels. The characters were well developed and I found the plot exciting. This is a great book for teens because it was fast paced and I did not lose interest. The story was well written and there were many Christian themes blended into the story line. I have not read any other books by the author and I look forward to reading the next book in the series Masters and Slayers which will be published September 2010.

And Now For the Contest-

Thanks to the folks at PR by The Book, I am able to giveaway one copy of the book.

TO ENTER- PUT ALL ENTRIES IN ONE COMMENT AND INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL.

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CONTEST ENDS- Thur June 18th at 12MN Eastern Good Luck!!

Disclaimer: I received a free copy of the book for my honest review and I was not compensated for my review