Wishful Thinking Blitz: Guest Post & GIVEAWAY!!!

Such a cool plot line! Will James ever figure out what happened fourteen years ago?

Wishful Thinking by Elle Jefferson

Seventeen year old James Castle Jr. has rugby to deal with the pressures of high school. Fights with his girlfriend, his dad’s constant blame game and graduation anxieties all work out on the field. Every pass, tackle and scrum works out a kink.

That is until rugby gets suspended.

Without rugby as an outlet he has no idea how to deal with stress or the feelings of fear plaguing him since the break-in at home. James walked in on a burglar who knocked him out and left him with a concussion. Now, James keeps seeing a little girl with pigtails everywhere. Great, he can add delusional to the list of shit he can’t deal with.

What makes the situation weirder, if that’s possible, is this little girl looks a lot like the new girl at his school, Claudia. He can’t explain the connection he feels to Claudia, it’s not lust or friendship even, but it’s there. Everything ties to one event; a hit and run accident he was the victim of fourteen years ago. An accident he doesn’t remember. An accident his father never told him about. An accident that wasn't in fact an accident. It seems someone from his father’s past is hellbent on revenge and this time they plan to make sure James is dead. James will have to remember the past or else be caught in a killer's crosshairs.

***Parents strongly cautioned due to minor drug use, underage drinking, sex and foul language***

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Elle Jefferson lives up in northern Arizona with her two beautiful sons, wonderful husband and her German Shepard Dorrie. When she's not reading or writing she's painting or enjoying the great outdoors.

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Guest Post

Did you know that my life as a writer started when I was pregnant with my second child? I had just finished my fifth or sixth read through of Harry Potter and was left going "now what?" And thus I started writing. In the beginning I started reading all the books I could find on writing ... on editing ... on plots ... on characters ... on grammar. I took classes, mostly online, and then I plunged head-first into the world of writing. It was in the seas of writing while trying to tread water but mostly drowning that I learned of a forum. It was a magical forum where other wannabe writers talked, shared, laughed and mostly gave each other encouragement (I also happened to meet Colleen Hoover there long before Slammed became a NY Times bestseller).

It was through this forum that I met some amazing people and five particular women who became my betas. Later they became my sounding boards and then even later became my everything in the writing world. So without further ado, here is my post on writing.

1. What am I currently working on?

As of today I'm working on book three in my vampire series ADIB. It's the final book and ties up everything and it's making me a total mess. To say "no pressure" is a lie. There's so much pressure that yesterday after I took a shower and went to clean my ears I actually saw some of my brain oozing out. Have you ever tickled your brain through your ear with a q-tip? Needless to say I looked like a dog whose owner had found her favorite scratching spot. But on a more serious note I love this series and want the final book to blow the other two out of the water.

2. How does my work differ from others of its genre?

You got me. I'm still working on figuring out genres. Books never fit neatly into a box, although you'd think they would since they're rectangular, but whatever. I do know that my books no matter what level i.e YA, NA, or Adult (yes I'm a genre hopper so sue me) always have a hint of the paranormal. I also like my characters to be diverse which is a trend I'm seeing more and more in books and it makes me happy. Since I can only be me it's awesome to read books where the MC is different from me. Either by sex, race, religion or even sexual orientation, I love it!! Diversity in books? One word, WONDERFUL.

3. Why do I write what I do?

I will say no matter what I write, whether it be paranormal, or sciency (so not a word but should be) there is always a romance. You ask why and I'll tell you why, because I'm a romantic, because I'm in love with love. Personally, I don't believe there is nothing more powerful or more beautiful than two people falling in love. Probably makes me terribly sappy but I can't help it I love love man!! I totally just sounded like an aging hippie.

4. How does your writing process work?

Okay here's a visual to end all visuals, picture a monkey. Are you picturing it? Is he skinny? Hairy? Maybe has a bald butt? Okay, now that you have your monkey I want you to imagine said monkey picking up a pile of his poo and flinging it at the wall. Can you see it? Is it making you laugh? Because it's totally making me laugh. You and your monkey just hanging out flinging poo. HAHAHAHA!!! Well that's me only instead of poo its words and I fling them and some stick and are actually pretty good, but some? Man some stink.

Keep your eyes out because I have lots more stories brewing in my head. Thanks for reading.

Elle

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Phobic Blitz: Guest Post & GIVEAWAY!!!

And here is yet another book blitz! Just in time for Halloween, too! Maybe a tad bit too early, but here at Marked By Books, we like to keep our followers on their toes! I hope this blitz gets you in the right mindset for Halloween!

Phobic by Cortney Pearson

Fifteen-year-old Piper Crenshaw knows her house is strange. It’s never needed repairs since it was built in the 1800s, and the lights flicker in response to things she says. As if those things aren’t creepy enough, it’s also the place where her mother committed murder.

To prove she’s not afraid of where she lives, Piper opens a forbidden door, which hides a staircase that leads to the ceiling. That’s when the flashbacks of the original residents from 1875 start, including a love affair between two young servants. Each vision pulls Piper deeper into not only their story, but also her house. Piper confides in her best friend, Todd, whom she's gradually falling for, but even he doesn't believe her. At least, not until her house gets axed during a prank, and the act injures Piper instead, cutting a gash the size of Texas into her stomach.

Piper realizes her house isn’t haunted—it’s alive. To sever her link to it, she must unravel the clues in the flashbacks and uncover the truth about her mother’s crime, before she becomes part of her house for good.

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Guest Post

I love teasers, and am so excited to share mine with you! PHOBIC is not only mega creepy with a great mystery surrounding the house Piper lives in…

I’ve played the clarinet for 18 years, and I’ve always wanted to write a character with the same trait because it’s been such a huge part of my life for so long.

Piper plays the clarinet in PHOBIC and music for her provides an escape from the horrible life she’s had. Her mom’s in prison for murder, her dad pretty much ignored her after that (except for the times when he gave all these crazypants rules about places she wasn’t allowed to go IN HER OWN HOUSE), and then he died. Not to mention she’s hoping to win a scholarship that will provide a way to get her out of her creepy house for a while.

But it’s not just Piper. Who here doesn’t love music? *checks for any raised hands*

I don’t know about you, but not only do I love to play music I’ve constantly got music playing. While I work, while I clean, while I write, while I drive.

And this is something I’ve thought about, what my personal theme song would be. It’s so hard to choose just one! I know on the day I announced I’d be publishing PHOBIC it was this song:

BEST DAY OF MY LIFE — Glee Cast

But music definitely needs to fit our moods, our current situations.


What about you? If you had to choose, what would your personal theme song be?

About the Author

Cortney Pearson is a book nerd who studied literature at BYU-Idaho, a music nerd who plays clarinet in her local community orchestra, and a writing nerd who creates stories for young adults. Cortney lives with her husband and three sons in a small Idaho farm town.

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Play of Light Cover Reveal & GIVEAWAY!!!

Another beauty from Okay Creations! Seriously, this may be my favorite one from them yet. For more, check out their newly designed website, it looks great!

Play of Light by Debra Doxer

I lived in paradise, and I loved Spencer Pierce.

At fourteen, my life was perfect. The beach was my playground, and the boy who stole my heart lived just around the corner. But perfect never lasts. In one horrifying moment, I lost it all. My family was destroyed, and the boy I believed in turned his back on me. Paradise became a nightmare.

That was five years ago. Everything changed when we moved from our home by the sea. I’ve changed, and I don’t like who I’ve become. I miss the smiling, carefree beach girl who disappeared that terrible night. I want to find her again. I want to face the people we ran from so long ago. Most of all, I have to face Spencer. So I can prove that when he broke my heart, he didn’t break me.

But when I see him again, Spencer Pierce is no longer the boy from my memories. He’s now a man who could devastate me if I let him. He watches me when he thinks I’m not looking. There’s regret written on his face when he’s near. Each time I see him, my heart aches for what might have been, and I think his does too. How can I convince myself I’m over him when I suspect he never got over me?

~ This is a standalone story. ~

Play of Light releases December 8th!

Debra Doxer was born in Boston, and other than a few lost years in the California sunshine, she has always resided in the Boston area. She writes fiction, technical software documents, illegible scribbles on sticky notes, and texts that get mangled by AutoCorrect. She writes for a living, and she writes for fun. When her daughter asks when she'll run out of words, her response always is, "When I run out of time."

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The Undead: Playing for Keeps Blitz: Excerpt & GIVEAWAY!!!

I LOVE the idea for this novel! It's been so long since I've read a good reaper/resurrection book, so I'm really excited to check this one out! Don't forget to enter into our exclusive giveaway for the chance to win a copy!

The Undead: Playing for Keeps by Elsie Elmore

When an undead woman with serious de-comp issues stalks sixteen-year-old Lyla Grimm, her hope of rescuing her rock-bottom reputation takes a back seat. Especially once Lyla’s new talent of resurrecting the dead draws the attention of Eric, a Grim Reaper with a guitar and a chip on his shoulder.

While Lyla navigates the gossip-ridden halls, Eric works to gain her trust and discover why Death’s clients aren’t staying down. If she passes on her gift, his death-messenger destiny might be altered. But the closer he gets to Lyla, the less sure he is of his plan. The dead are way easier to deal with than the living.

Gossip explodes, the Grimm family implodes, and desperation sets in. Death wants the gift and a soul. Lyla and Eric face hard choices with hidden consequences. Sometimes life’s choices aren’t really choices at all.

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Elsie Elmore lives in North Carolina with her husband and two kids. She loves the color red, has an appreciation for chocolate and coffee that borders on obsession, writes stories that challenge the laws of nature, and wishes fall temperatures would linger year round.

Elsie is a member of several writing organizations: RWA, SCBWI, and WSW. The Undead : Playing for Keeps is her debut novel.

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Her straw wrapper refuses to tear off in flakes larger than two millimeters. “What are you doing here?” she asks, tearing off tiny pieces. “Having lunch with you.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Once you understand my intentions, you’ll realize that I only want to protect you.” I point to her tray. “You should eat something.” Her blushes show up too easily. She looks tired and thin.

“I can’t.” She eyes the Salisbury steak on her tray and then slides it toward me. “You want it?”

I press my forefinger on the tray’s edge and scoot it back towards her before the smell becomes too clear. “No thanks.” For the first time, the food doesn’t look disgusting and the smell doesn’t bother me, but I might not be able to fake my reaction once I put a bite in my mouth. Repulsion is hard to hide.

“Why do you wear gloves all the time?” She looks at my hands resting on the table. “It’s not even that cold yet.”

“I like the way they feel. I have cold hands.” I watch her eyes as I speak, hoping she’s buying what I’m selling. I’d rather not confess why. My label is hard to live with. “So, what happened with the table of jocks before I walked in? I feel like I missed the main event.”

Her gaze drops to her tray. She rips off a corner of her napkin and rolls it into a tiny ball. “Nothing really. He was making comments about the missing bodies and my family.”

“That bothered you?”

Her expression crumbles when I say that. “Yeah. He was making fun of my family being twisted. I’m not ashamed of what my dad does. It’s a business. He and my mom treat the families who lose people with a lot of care and compassion.”

“I don’t doubt that. Your mom seems like a good person.”

At the mention of her mom, a small smile lifts her lips. I bet she doesn’t realize she did that.

“So the fact that the corpses aren’t staying is bad for your family, huh?”

She nods. “Can we change the subject, please?” Her fingers trace the edge of her tray. “Where are you from?”

I pause. That’s a loaded question.

“Did you forget? You an Army brat that moves around or something?”

“Nah,” I shake my head. “I lived in Miami last.”

“You have brothers or sisters?”

A chill rushes down my back and I zip up my jacket. But the leather is no match for the demons crawling beneath my skin right now. This interaction, this conversation becomes an inquisition, a cross-examination as I sit here. The chill settles in my bones, aching. “Yeah,” I say in a cough. “But I haven’t seen them in a while.” Is that right? Did I?

“I’m sorry. You must miss them.” Her eyes look misty. She’s probably thinking of Ben, who’s somewhere on the campus alive. Her world is near perfect, yet she doesn’t see.

I exhale harder to push away the cold infecting my body, chilling my insides, and churning anger. “We can talk about your gift, if you want.”

“I already told you, this isn’t a gift,” she whispers.

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Embers Cover Reveal, Excerpt, & GIVEAWAY!!!

What a beautiful cover! I love the touches of fire coming up from the title!

Embers by Karen Ann Hopkins

There are descendants of angels walking among us. Ember is one of them. And she may be the only hope mankind has as the rapture approaches and evils rises.

Embers is an epic paranormal adventure about an eighteen year old girl who discovers that she's immune to fire and any other injury when she’s in a horrific car crash that kills her parents. Following a violent episode with her aunt's boyfriend, Ember flees Ohio to live with an old relative in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee. Ember's exuberance at escaping a bad home life soon turns to trepidation when she finds out that she's a Watcher, a descendant of angels. While Ember learns about her heritage and the powers that go along with it, she strikes up friendships with two young men who live in a frightening walled compound in the forest. Inexplicitly drawn to one of the men in particular, an impossible romance develops. But it is cut short when Ember discovers that her new friends are fighting on the opposite side of a war—one that’s been raging between two factions of Watchers for thousands of years. When the compound’s inhabitants threaten the townspeople, Ember takes action, sealing her fate in the ancient battle of good versus evil—and the grayness in between. Ember is up to the challenge, until she realizes that she isn’t only fighting for the lives of the locals and the souls of her new friends. She also might be one of the few champions who will make a stand for all of mankind as the rapture approaches and the end of days begin.

Embers is a dark and gritty YA novel that’s the first book in the series, The Wings of War.

Embers releases October 21st!

A native of New York State, Karen Ann Hopkins now lives with her family on a farm in northern Kentucky, where her neighbors in all directions are members of a strict Amish community. Her unique perspective became the inspiration for the story of star-crossed lovers Rose and Noah. When she’s not homeschooling her kids, giving riding lessons or tending to a menagerie of horses, goats, peacocks, chickens, ducks, rabbits, dogs and cats, she is dreaming up her next romantic novel.

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“How can this be? My hands were closer to the flame than yours, yet mine are all right, and yours are ruined.” I was confused and weak, yet I was still trying to think rationally. “I need to get you to a hospital.”

“My dear child, I know this is going to be difficult for you to accept. You have been conditioned your entire life to not believe the things I’m about to tell you, but the truth is in front of you. You can’t deny it now.” Aunt Ila paused and wrinkled her nose as if she was in pain, but she continued to talk.

“The fire can’t harm you, because it’s inside of you. It’s part of your essence, your soul. Of course you know that humans are made up of water, bones, tissue and organs. And you have all those things in your body, but the fire is in there too, just hiding. But it is in there just the same.” She poked her bloody finger into my belly. “That’s why you weren’t injured during that horrible accident. All the others had to try to explain it away somehow, but you knew the truth in your heart all along. You just couldn’t face it or didn’t know how to. You were in the fire and the only thing it did was make you stronger. You are what you are and you can’t deny it.”

Her voice was soft, yet it boomed in my head.

In a shaky voice I asked her, “What am I?”

“A Watcher, my dear—you are a Watcher.”

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Shades of Chaos Blitz: Excerpt & GIVEAWAY!!!

Oh, anthologies. Those wonderful little packages full of books for when you simply can't choose just one. Walking into a bookstore, seeing all of those glorious options spread out in front of you, how are you supposed to choose? And when that one person who doesn't know what the heck they're talking about comes up to you and asks, "Do you really need that many books?", you can simply shove it in their face and say, "What? I only bought one."

AND FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY, THESE NINE BOOKS ARE AVAILABLE FOR $.99!

Shades of Chaos by Cameron Jace, Katie Salidas, Chrystalla Thoma, Alexia Purdy, Megan Duncan, and Nadége Richards

Dare yourself to enter into post-apocalyptic future with this gritty collection of first-in-a-series books by six bestselling authors! Discover unique worlds packed with non-stop action, adventure, and suspense set against a gritty, futuristic backdrop.

NOTE: Together, these books have over 320 5-star reviews on Amazon!

Over 1400 pages of stories, with *exclusive* content from Alexia Purdy, Katie Salidas, and Chrystalla Thoma!

Best for ages 16 and up~

I AM Alive: I am not my heart rate. I am not my skills. I am not how I look like. My name is Decca Tenderstone. I live in a future America where teenagers are ranked on a scale from 1 to 10 on graduation day. There has never been a 10. Those below the rank of 5 are considered Monsters, a liability to society. The system says I am a Monster. I will not let them kill me. I will survive.

Initiation: Being a Vampire is a crime punishable by eternal servitude in the arena as a Gladiator of the Iron Gate. Mira, a newly turned vampire, must prove she has what it takes to survive in the human’s world. It’s kill or be killed. Immortality is not guaranteed.

Dissension: In the aftermath of the great cataclysm, vampires are enslaved by humans and used for blood sport as gladiators in the arena. Mira is undefeated, uncompromising, and unbreakable, but when an escape attempt leads her into the path of the city’s Regent, her destiny is changed forever.

Finding Hope: After the death of the one person he called mother, Elei leaves the Trashlands of Ost for the city – looking for other people and for answers. But he soon finds out that people are complicated and answers hard to come by…

Rex Rising: In a world where parasites create new human races, Elei leads a peaceful life as aircar driver — until a mysterious attack on his boss sends him fleeing with a bullet in his side and the fleet at his heels.

Resonant: As the first days of the end of humanity tumble across the City of Las Vegas, turning everyone into vampire-like creatures, April Tate will find out what it really means to survive.

Reign of Blood: April Tate is a seventeen-year-old ferocious vampire killer who lives in the remains of Las Vegas one year after a viral epidemic has left the world decimated. After her family is abducted, her world tilts when she discovers they’re not truly alone.

Released: After a demon apocalypse kills everyone they know, 17-year old Abby Phillips, her brother and her friend Max flee their home to travel through the wastelands of America, chasing a radio transmissions of a resistance offering shelter. But soon enough Abby and her companions discover what awaits them is much worse they could have ever imagined.

Burning Bridges: In a world divided between Hunters and Warriors, where prisoners are forced to fight in the arena until death, young Princess Echo must fight to find out who she really is and to put a world that has been swallowed by lies back together again.

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And here are all of the full-length novels in the anthology. Just click on the cover to read more about them.

Excerpt from Resonant (Reign of Blood Prequel) by Alexia Purdy

Morning’s here. Another restless night. I’m up before the others, unable to attempt any more sleeping. My mother still tosses and turns, constantly reaching next to her, subconsciously touching the empty mat where Randy should be. It makes my heart squeeze for a moment as I feel her longing, but it also ignites my determination to go find him and get more food and supplies.

I grab a duffle bag sitting near the front door. Lacing up my boots, I can feel my mom watching me, but I don’t meet her eyes. The question is coming.

“Where are you going?

I pull out my shoulder holster for my 9mm and strap a sheath to my thigh for a machete, which had belonged to my father. I was okay with the machete, but I know how to use a gun thanks to him.

“Out.”

“Where?”

I flick my eyes up to my mother and do my darnedest to not roll them.

My hand flicks out into the air. “Out there.”

She says nothing but watches as I finish prepping. I’m turning to walk toward the garage when she grabs my arm, holding it with an iron grip.

“Don’t look for Randy.” She pauses, swallowing as her voice breaks. “Get as many supplies as you can. Food. Guns. Water.”

I nod. Her face is stoic, but I see the tears fighting to slip from her eyes.

“Okay.”

“I’ll see you back here before sunset.” With that, she lets go and turns away to go sit on the couch near a sleeping Jeremy. The silence lingers around us, but it says so much, it’s overbearing. Something tells me things are never going to be the same after today. For her, for me, or for anyone else.

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Being Blog Tour: Guest Post & GIVEAWAY!!!

I LOVE the summary for Being! It paints such a mysterious and enticing image of what may be going on with the main character, and I think it's going to be one of those books that you just can't wait to figure out. Take a look!

Being by Mechelle Morrison 

Seventeen-year-old Shepherd doesn’t believe in stuff he can’t explain, like ghosts or life after death. So when he awakens in a strange city, seventy-five years ahead of where he was at breakfast, he’s understandably confused. But not alone. His sister’s there. So is the family cat.

Five minutes into their new future, Shepherd witnesses a murder. He finds a strange marble with a sun-colored shadow. It begins to rain, his sister wants to go home, the cat runs away. Stranger still, the people on the sidewalk don't seem to see him. No one can hear him. Until he meets Tienne. It’s not love, but it could be. She’s got fabulous blue eyes. At least that’s what Shepherd thought right before she fainted.

What he doesn’t know is that Tienne knows everything about him—even the dark secret he created in a previous life. His secret would explain his situation and a whole lot more, if he could remember it. Which he can’t. Tienne wants to help, but she once swore she’d keep his secret—even from him. And she’s not the kind of girl to break her word.

Deep down, Shepherd knows he’s forgotten something major. But he doesn’t want to remember; in fact, he does everything in his power not to.

Until someone tries to kill Tienne.

BEING is a different kind of ghost story about the power of memory, the nature of the universe and just how far one boy will go to ensure the love of his life lasts . . . forever.

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As a child I filled my journals with someday-my-prince-will-come fantasies. Then one day my prince arrived, driving a silver Tundra, and we adopted a fine daughter. Life got busy—work, family, daily cooking—but I still spend my evenings giving voice to the stories inside my head. Only now instead of locking them away, I publish them.

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Guest Post

BEING takes you on one boy’s journey to find himself and his true place in the universe. The complexity of his journey required years of thought to get it right—not to mention endless drafts. I love how all that thinking found its way into my character’s dialogue. Here are six of my favorite quotes.

“Hell is a mortal word for trash can.” – Luq Marton (Tienne’s brother)

“You didn’t know any better than to lose yourself to becoming something other than who you are the instant you were exposed to a different point of view.” –Luq Marton

“Gods concern themselves with being worshipped, non? They get their fingers dirty in the little details of who did what to whom and why.” –Sabine Vantard (Tienne & Luq’s cousin)

“Madame Françoise does not easily part with her fruit.”—Tienne Marton (Shepherd’s love interest)

“There’s no joy in it, but I feel vindicated.”—Elly Sebastian (Shepherd’s younger sister)

“My love for her becomes my voice.”—Shepherd Sebastian (the main character)

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You can check out the rest of the tour here!

Matt Archer: Redemption Blog Tour: Review & GIVEAWAY!!!

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Sigh.


I can't believe it's over. The Matt Archer series is really over. Done. Finished. Completed. Gone. After over a year of being completely in love with these books, the end has finally come. I think I may go into mourning!

In all seriousness, this has been an incredible journey since I started Monster Hunter not so long ago. I've come to love so many of these characters and the world that they're in, and I can't thank Mrs. Highley enough for bringing their stories to life. It's been quite a ride, and while I'm very sad that it's over, none of that compares to how happy I am that I was even a part of it in the first place.

If you're just now discovering this series, you can learn more about it here (books 1-3) and here (book 4). I also did a cover reveal for Redemption a few weeks ago, and that post contains an excerpt from the first chapter if you want to go on over and check it out.

And now, back to Matt!

BEWARE OF THIS SYNOPSIS FOR SPOILERS FOR THE PREVIOUS BOOKS ARE CONTAINED WITHIN.

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Matt Archer: Redemption by Kendra C. Highley

“There’s more to me than you know…”

When Matt Archer’s sister, Mamie, said those words to him three years ago, he had no idea how prophetic they were, or what this would mean for his family.

Now, he knows. And it changes everything, bringing the war right to Matt’s doorstep.

In the epic conclusion to the Matt Archer series, the endgame is near. Betrayed by an enemy, the wielders have been called off the hunt by their own government, despite increasing reports of paranormal activity—and deaths—worldwide. Matt is forced to sit on the sidelines, knowing that proving monsters exist means revealing who—and what—he is. Soon the world will know his name…which will only make his job harder.

Matt’s only hope resides with a man he barely knows—his father. If Erik Archer can put together the final puzzle before the monsters do, maybe they’ll have a chance. Maybe.

Mystery, tragedy and the power of family combine as Matt races to win the war and save the people he loves. There’s just one thing he’s afraid of…

It might already be too late.

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Kendra C. Highley lives in north Texas with her husband and two children. She also serves as staff to two self-important and high-powered cats. This, according to the cats, is her most critical job. She believes chocolate is a basic human right, running a 10k is harder than it sounds, and that everyone should learn to drive a stick-shift. She loves monsters, vacations, baking and listening to bad electronica.

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The summary for Matt Archer: Redemption describes this book as "the epic conclusion." EPIC. Now I'd say that's a fairly accurate description.

Everything has been leading up to this. When Matt saw the vision of his team riding through the sand dunes to face an unspeakable, oncoming evil, that day was always far off somewhere in the future. But now that day is here, and there is nothing anyone can do to stop it. The darkness is tired of waiting, and it's coming for the Archers.

And can I just say, will somebody PLEASE make a movie out of these books? From the very beginning, they've had that big screen, action movie quality to them, coupled with Kendra C. Highley's beautifully clear writing that just makes the story jump right off of the page. These books are GORGEOUS, people! Somebody please give them the glory they deserve!

Anyway, in case you haven't noticed, I really liked this one. I can't exactly say it was my favorite of the series (but to be fair, it's got some pretty stiff competition), but it was without a doubt a very worthy conclusion to such an incredible series.

Oh, but it was sad. So very sad. Without saying too much, I can only mention that there are a lot of deaths in this one, a few very close to Matt. Kendra C. Highley does a very good job of putting me in Matt's mind during the battle scenes, so, just like him, I don't feel like there's any time to be sad until it's all over. But once it is.... man, it hits hard. Have you ever had those moments when you read something, and then seconds later have to put the book down and just breathe because you can't take it anymore?

That doesn't happen here.

You see, the thing with these books is that I can't put them down. Ever. Even if I want to, I'm so completely stuck with Matt through it all that all I can do mourn with him and keep on pulling through. And sadly, that happens a lot in this book.

It's not all sadness, though. There are still so many wonderful moments of happiness and life in a book where the world should be coming to an end. As Mamie put it, "None of us know how this is going to turn out. If the end is coming, if the darkness wins, I want to feel the sun on my face while I can. I want to eat cookies for dinner and ice cream for breakfast. I want to enjoy life, not hide. And I want the same for you, too."

Matt's all grown up now, and from where I see it, it does seem like it's all coming to an end. Horrible sacrifices were made, so many lives were taken too soon, and through it all, I have to keep reminding myself that it's just a book. That's the thing about the Matt Archer series, though: I believe in it. I believe in the talking knife spirits, and the mutant monsters, and the fact that a seventeen-year-old boy is being tasked with saving the world from darkness. It shouldn't make any sense; I should laugh at the whole thing, but I don't. Because sometimes you find a book with something behind all of the magic, something real that you can believe in. You find the story of a boy, who became a man, who became a hero. And you see the stories of everyone else around him: the soldiers who fight against a threat that shouldn't be real, the friends who never give up when you need them there at your side, and the family who will give everything to protect what they love. Yes, the Matt Archer series does throw a few things out there that seem a little ridiculous, but through all of that, the story remains as one that will pull you in and never let you go. And to that, all I can say is hang on and enjoy the ride.

My Rating:

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