With All My Soul Mini-Reading Challenge

Remember way back when, when Fiktshun hosted the Soul Screamers Reading Challenge for the release of Before I Wake? Good times, good times.... At least for me anyway. That was the beginning of it all.

Ah, memories.

I'd always loved Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series, and was an avid reader of her blog. Well about a year ago (has it really been that long?!) I was looking around over there, and I read something about this goddess-like, vision of perfection, all hallowed by her name woman called Rachel. She was hosting a reading challenge for the entire series via her blog, Fiktshun.

So, I was like eh, what the heck. (Actually it was more like an extremely hyperventilation-filled few weeks before I finally decided that I might like to try writing reviews.) Of course, I'd already read the books, but I'd never done anything other than talk about them with my friends. And shoved them in their faces until they realized how wonderful they were.

What can I say? I'm passionate when it comes to books!

A few re-reads and near aneurisms later, I had written a handful of reviews to find out that I actually enjoyed myself. Not to mention discovered Fiktshun, which I still really look up to. But in that time, I started thinking about writing some more reviews. So, I struck up a nonchalant conversation with Gabby and subtly hinted shoved her towards the idea of creating a blog with me. And what do you know, she agreed.

And as a piercing cry was heard in the night, Marked By Books was born.

I ended up re-posting those reviews I had written for the challenge as the first ones over here. I had used a different name then (don't ask me why I chose that one; there's a reason, I'm just not going to tell you), but the reviews were still the same. They were just over here instead of being on the blog Rachel had created for the challenge.

And that's about the end of the story. But wait, it continues! Because Rachel has created a mini-challenge for the release of With All My Soul, which is the last book in the series! I can't believe it's going to be over after this one! I think I'm going to cry! At least thanks to Rachel at Fiktshun, it can go out with a bang!

You can read the rules and sign up for the challenge at her post here.

Good luck!



Oh, and on a completely off topic subject, I'm sorta extending the deadlines for The Voice and The Boys of Summer giveaways because we still haven't had any entries! I definitely have to have the one for The Voice finalized by the 20th, so you have until that night to sign up. And until the night of the 22nd for The Boys of Summer. But after that, I really can't extend them anymore. You guys should all sign up, they're both really good!

Look on the "Current Giveaways" page at the top for the links!

Stronger Than Magic Book Tour: Review & Guest Post

Welcome to our stop of Melinda VanLone's Stronger Than Magic book tour, hosted by Reading Addiction Blog Tours. I just finished reading the book, so I've got my review here for you, but first I'm going to hand the blog over for a few moments to the very capable Melinda.

Guest Post

A Day In The Life of a Writer

I treat writing like I would any other job. That means I keep regular hours, and try to be professional about what I get done for the day or week. Working from home is a privilege but also a responsibility. It's so easy to get distracted.

My typical day goes something like this:

• Grumble at the alarm. Poke the husband to get him out of bed, then drag myself out of bed.
• Feed the cat.
• Get a cup of coffee.
• Sit down to answer emails. Get distracted by shiny things for sale on the internet. • See husband out the door, then sit down to take advantage of the caffeine surge. I'm a morning person by nature, so often a spark of inspiration will hit first thing and I usually want to grab it before it flits away.
• Type furiously on whatever project is at hand.
• Look up and realize it's 11 am and I haven't showered and the kitchen is a mess. Attempt to remedy those things.
• Get distracted by shiny object.
• Grab more coffee.
• Sit down to write, fighting the urge to surf the internet or chat on Twitter.
• Type furiously for a few minutes.
• Get distracted by fluffy plot bunny in an entirely different project. Firmly push plot bunny off to the side to continue with the main project.
• Leap out of chair and head for a different room. Realize I have no idea why I'm there or what I intended to do and force myself back to the office to write.
• Urge to chat on Twitter wins...spend next few minutes with internet friends.
• Get lost in internet research for new series.
• Look up and realize it's now 4 pm and I have no idea what I'm making for dinner.
• Get distracted by dirt on keyboard.
• Type furiously for a few more minutes until the door opens and husband arrives home from work.
• Order take out since dinner never got made.
• Spend a bit of quality time with husband.
• Wander back to keyboard and type some more.

My writing usually doesn't take place all at once, but the writing day also never really stops. I write when I have an idea, and I write when I don't. I write when the urge hits, and when it doesn't. It's a heck of a job that invades every part of my life. Anything and everything I see is potential material for a story. It often means I suffer from sensory overload and spend a lot of time out in public taking furious notes and muttering to myself. I know I look slightly insane, but such is the price of my art and I wouldn't have it any other way.

***

Tarian Xannon fights demons, like the rest of us. This time, the demon just happens to be real.

When Tarian tracks down a petty magical criminal in Philadelphia as a favor for a friend, she ends up fighting with a demon instead. He steals some of her blood during the struggle, which doesn’t seem like a big deal until she learns that he can use it to siphon away her power and subject her to his will. She’ll be nothing more than a puppet in less than a week unless she can find a way to stop him.

This is bad news for her and for the family throne, a magical object she didn’t want to inherit, but now feels pressured to protect. Nothing could stop the demon from killing anyone in his path once he has the throne’s power.

The demon’s attack on her also triggers the Succession Ritual. Tarian must have sex with three or more men in order to produce a child who will carry a blend of their magic, or the throne can be won in battle by anyone. With a demon ready and willing to fight, Tarian has no choice but to follow the rules of succession, even though she thinks the idea is outdated and stupid.

The pressure of family obligations, combined with the loss of her magic, pushes Tarian to rush in when she should plan, and to make deals that have consequences for her and her future child.
She’s not ready to be a mother, or a leader. But Tarian realizes her inner demons are nothing next to the evil which threatens her life and the throne.

Amazon

 Melinda VanLone writes fantasy and science fiction, freelances as a graphic designer, and dabbles in photography. She currently lives in Rockville, Maryland, with her husband and furbabies. When she's not playing with her imaginary friends you can find her playing World of Warcraft, wandering aimlessly through the streets taking photos, or hovered over coffee in Starbucks.

Website          Twitter          Goodreads          Facebook

The Excerpt

"Tarian took off her jacket and focused her magic on the wound in an attempt to heal it, but after a couple of minutes had to admit it: She sucked at healing. Even if she hadn’t just spent a lot of energy fighting the demon, she couldn’t have managed to heal this. When she tried to handle something as delicate as skin, she felt clumsy and awkward. The headache wasn’t helping, either. The best she was able to manage was a loose scab that she wasn’t entirely sure wouldn’t have formed on its own in a few more minutes. She surveyed the damage. It was angry and in-your-face, and it hurt like hell, but at least she’d managed to make it stop bleeding.

She put the jacket back on and winced as the stiff leather brushed against the wound. The torn section stuck out at odd angles. She tried to tuck it in so it was less obvious, then searched the alley for any scrap the lizard man might have touched. If she couldn’t track her own blood, for whatever reason, maybe she could use something he’d touched as a focus. She found nothing, not even a button or a scale.

“Lose something?”

A man stood on the sidewalk, surveying the alley. A strong magical signature emanated from him, plus a whiff of some sort of spice. She tested the air, ready to throw every ounce of magic at him that she could muster, which wasn’t much at the moment. She relaxed as she realized he wasn’t attempting to focus power of any sort. Satisfied that he wasn’t an immediate threat, she took a good look at him.

He had the kind of strong jaw she loved, and his messy black hair soaked up the afternoon sun. He wore jeans, a black wool coat and relaxed confidence. A shiver crawled down her back and settled in her groin. If they’d met in a bar, she’d have bought him a drink. Or three.

The stranger raised his eyebrows as his eyes passed over the slice in her jacket, then had the nerve to wink at her as his eyes traveled down her leather pants.

“You’re in some kinda trouble. Need help?” His smile stretched up and lit a sparkler in his eyes. “I felt that blast all the way in the coffee shop.”

“I’m doing just fine, thanks. I have a job to do, if you don’t mind.” Great, just what she needed, some magic citizen thinking he was a detective. She needed to finish her original mission and get the hell out of here.

“You’re anything but fine. Whatever job you think you’re doing, you need to have that arm looked at first.” His eyes didn’t lose the sparkle, but his voice took on a serious tone. “It smells wrong. If it’s what I think, you need to have it sealed. Fast. And then you need to catch the guy, quick, before he uses what he got.”

She couldn’t stop herself from putting a hand over the injury. He was right. The wound felt wrong, somehow. The cold inside her wove in and around her internal organs. She didn’t want to think about what it searched for. It pulsed in time to the throbbing in her arm. But surely the healers could handle this when she got home. No big deal.

“Look, I appreciate the concern, but I’ll be fine. I don’t have time to get it looked at right now.” She resolutely put her hand down and pushed past him. Her target couldn’t be far. She’d only been here for what, a few minutes? He was probably in the nearest bar.

The man put a hand on her good arm to stop her. The warmth soaked into her bicep and loosened muscles all over the place.

“Make time.” The sparks were gone from his eyes. “I’d hate to see someone so fine used by something that foul.”

“Just who are you, anyway?” She pulled her arm away from him.

He put a hand in his back pocket, fished out a card and handed it to her.

Daric Voltain, Private Society Investigations

The address was the building next to the alley they stood in, the home of her favorite coffee shop. No wonder he’d felt the backlash of spell power. He must live above the alley.

“I told you, I’ve had some experience with this. And it’s obvious you haven’t. That arm is bad news. He’s left a mark on you. And if you have some of him, it means he has some of you.”

Her skin turned cold as she remembered the lizard man tasting her blood.

“It’s no big deal.” She put the card in her back pocket and matched his know-it-all stare with a glare of her own.

“I’ll take that as confirmation. The clock is ticking, hun. If he’s a demon, the stronger he is, the faster it will tick. If he knows what he’s doing, I’d say you have a week, maybe less.”

A week before what? Before her arm fell off? She put her hand over the wound again. It didn’t feel life-threatening. Her head pounded. Dizziness threatened to drop her on her ass.

It was as if Daric read her mind.

"A week before he has control over you. Your powers. Everything. You'll be his to command. That would be a very bad thing, for you and the rest of us.” "

My Review

Okay, I did something really stupid regarding this book, and I just have to get it off my chest. It's eating a hole inside of me. Figuratively, of course, but still.

Up until about fifty pages into the book, I was pretty convinced that Alex was gay.

I know, I know, I'm horrible! I can see that now. Maybe it was because he called himself a style magnet the first time I met him and practically strutted his stuff trying to show off his new shirt to Tarain.

And then I got to the whole mating issue part, and I'm like well.... this is awkward....

So yes, I'm really sorry, Alex, for the misunderstanding, but at least I figured it out eventually! I hope there has been no permanent infringement on the subject of your masculinity because I think you've got a pretty good handle on that. I was being stereotypical, and I apologize.

Now that that's over with, let's get on to the actual book.

The thing that I liked the most about it was that it always kept me guessing. Melinda would throw me little crumbs of information at a time that would lead my thoughts in a certain direction, but then I would pick up on another trail that sent me in a completely different one. I wouldn't say that anything was unexpected because my brain had be exploring every option since the beginning, just that I wasn't sure which one would be true.

In a way, I kinda hated having to do that. Not in any way is that a problem with the book, just that I'm not a huge fan of having to question everybody's loyalties. And by everybody, I do mean everybody. Daric, Alex, Calliope, even Tarian's mother at one point in time. I just hated having to consider the possibility that they were actually out to get Tarain.

My favorite character wasn't actually one character, but many: the archivists. At least towards the end when they weren't being bratty and actually decided to help. There was just something so cool about those little guys and how they all shared the same consciousness, even if they did tend to have a bit on an attitude. I really hope they're explored more in later books.

Tarain herself I liked a lot more than I expected to. At the beginning, I was on the same boat as Daric and thought she was a tad spoiled, always used to getting her way and never having to face a problem she couldn't blow right through. I'm not saying that she's some high and mighty pampered princess because that's not her at all. She is just very powerful, and she knew it, so there was no need for her to ever think that she might fail.

But she grew up a lot as the novel progressed, and it was very believable too. She didn't just wake up one morning and say, "Today's the day I'm going to be responsible." No, if she tried that, it would probably last ten minutes before someone tried to shove her in a dress, stick her in a room full of men, and she'd say, "Screw it," and leave.

Instead, she learned through her mistakes, like real people do. She messes up many, many times, and rushes into things without thinking more often than not. But sooner or later she figures it out, and she does start to mature. She grows into her responsibilities as a leader and as a possible mother, without anything seeming too fake. Because, like every else Tarain does, it's done her way, on her terms, and in her own sweet time.

Rating: 4 stars

A copy of the novel was provided for us in exchange for an honest review.

 

Update: 2013 TBR Pile Reading Challenge (January) & 2 GIVEAWAYS!!!

The time has come! The first month of the challenge is over! I know that it's no longer January, but better late than never, right? Right? RIGHT?! Please say yes.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, this is the 2013 TBR Reading Challenge, hosted by Fiktshun, Bookish, Justin's Book Blog, Escaping... One Book at a Time, Words at Home, and Doodle's Book Blog. My little introduction post is here.

Okay, so now that that's out of the way, let's get on with it. The first wrap-up post was done by Evie over at Bookish and can be found here.

The mini challenge she's holding is to create a poem out of the spines of books. All of the information for that is also included in her post.

And now, drum roll please.... Here's my entry!

Yeah, not as awesome as I'd hoped, but it was the best that I could come up with! Though there are a few too many classics in there for my tastes.

And, just as a recap, here are the books I read in January for the challenge. Just click on the cover for the review.

And here are the ones Gabby read:

***

Okay, so that's all there is for that. The other thing I wanted to remind you guys about is the two giveaways we are hosting here that end tomorrow.

Remember, these are just for our blog, so your chances of winning are ridiculously high. Especially because no one has entered yet! So get a move on and go win a book!

Seal of Destiny Blog Tour: Review

Welcome to our stop of Traci Douglass's Seal of Destiny book tour, hosted by Bewitching Book Tours. I got to read this book a little while ago, so now I've got my review here to share. But first, here's what it's about....

Seal of Destiny by Traci Douglass

Love conquers all . . . but can it stop the Apocalypse?

Mira Herald is having the worst life ever. Not only is she plagued by horrific nightmares starring the Devil himself, she’s now the target of a power-hungry, rogue minion, freshly sprung from Hell and bent on her destruction. To complicate matters further, she’s acquired a stalker. One who insists he’s a divine warrior sent for her protection because she houses an ancient relic with the power to unleash Armageddon. Last time Mira checked, she wasn’t insane. Still, all this celestial mayhem is enough to drive a girl crazy.

Kagan is a member of the Scion, an elite team of immortal warriors selected by Divinity to aid mankind and save the world. After a century alone, Kagan is summoned for a new mission. He’s eager to begin. Eager until he’s informed his mission consists of protecting a woman with no clue to the power she wields. Plus, his briefing fails to prepare him for his new target’s cosmic-sized attitude problem. As Divinity’s sworn servant, he’s required to fulfill his duty. His oath, however, does not require him to be enthusiastic about his new assignment or warm-and-fuzzy toward his new compatriot. He plans a wham-bam rescue and a quick return to solitude.

The minion attacks—with the backing of a mysterious organization—and all Hades erupts, putting a fast end to any whirlwind escapes. Accustomed to staunch independence, Mira’s survival now requires full cooperation and an unwavering belief in Kagan. The battle-hardened warrior is also forced to chose: between duty and desire. Amidst the turmoil, Kagan and Mira’s undeniable passion draws them closer to each other and down a path neither expected but both yearn for, more than they ever knew.

Will love save the day? The world’s fate depends on the answer.

 Amazon            Kobo            B&N

Traci is the author of paranormal/urban fantasy and contemporary romances featuring a sly, urban edge, including her current Seven Seals series. Her stories feature sizzling alpha-male heroes full of dark humor, quick wits and major attitudes; smart, independent heroines who always give as good as they get; and scrumptiously evil villains who are—more often than not—bent on world destruction. She enjoys weaving ancient curses and mythology, modern science and old religion, and great dialogue together to build red-hot, sizzling chemistry between her main characters.

A storyteller since childhood, she began putting her tales down on paper in November 2011 after the idea for the Seven Seals Series occurred to her in a dream. She finished the first draft of what was to become Seal of Destiny in one month and decided to pursue a full-time writing career in January of 2012. Life has now been a rollercoaster, crash course in pursuing your dreams.

Traci is an active member of Romance Writers of America (RWA), Indiana Romance Writers of America (IRWA) and Fantasy, Futuristic & Paranormal Writers (FF&P) and is pursuing a Masters of Fine Arts degree in Writing Popular Fiction through Seton Hill University. Her stories have made the final rounds in several RWA chapter contests, including the 2012 Duel on the Delta, the 2012 Molly Awards, and the 2012 Catherine Awards. An earlier draft of Seal of Destiny won the paranormal category of the 2012 Marlene Awards sponsored by the Washington Romance Writers.

Other current projects include upcoming books in the Seven Seals series and a new futuristic detective series with hints of the paranormal and plenty of romance.

Website          Facebook          Twitter          Goodreads

The blurb says that Mira is having the worst life ever. Yeah, that sounds pretty accurate.

I'm not usually a huge fan of the main character because they usually just like to complain a lot, but I really became attached to Mira. She'd had a really rough life as a child, and things hadn't exactly been looking up since. Traded throughout uncaring foster homes and mentally and physically abused beyond compare, she's learned the hard way that people can't be trusted. Especially when someone is trying to convince her that he was "selected by God to serve as her immortal bad***."

You can probably guess what my favorite quote was.

My favorite part of Seal of Destiny was definitely all of the characters. There were so many of them all together, but I really appreciate that they didn't all blend into a glob of figureheads to move the story along. Each of them had their own personalities and backstories, so it was really interesting to read the parts of the novel tilted more towards their perspectives.

Another helpful thing with most of the characters being Scions (those are the "immortal bad***es") is that they're immortal. Nothing annoys me more than when my favorite secondary characters are killed off just for the fun of it, but luckily I don't have to worry about that here. No matter how many times people like Chay and Wyck get shot or stabbed or whatever else may happen to them, they can't die on me! Yay!

There was one pet peeve I did have with this book, however, and that was all of the colloquialisms. I love Wyck dearly and all, but I swear, if he had said "bollocks" one more time, I was probably going to start regretting the fact that I couldn't kill him.

My Rating:

"Basta!” Kagan grabbed her by the arm and twisted slightly, not enough to hurt, but enough to let her know he meant business as he directed her to a corner booth. He ignored the half-full beverages and coats scattered on the seats and shoved Mira into the confined space. When the booth’s original owners took issue with his hostile takeover, Kagan dispatched them with a lethal glare. He wasn’t sure where the girl had gotten the idea his mind was damaged, but he was damn sure he didn’t like it. He moved in behind her to block her escape.

“Oh, hell, no!” After several unsuccessful strikes to his muscled physique, Mira tried to slide out beneath the table. The angle proved too awkward. Defeated, she shoved as far away as she could into the corner and propped those killer boots on the seat in front of her in warning. “You better let me out of here, asshole, before I call the cops! I caught you stalking me, pervert!”

Kagan took a deep breath. He never lost his cool in battle, and he wasn’t about to start now. “Pervert? You’re of age, si?”

Mira glared. Kagan ticked through their earlier interactions, searching for a reason behind her intense hostility. His preternatural instincts sensed her intention before her hand reached his carotid. He blocked her quickly, locking her small hand within his and forcing it to the table beneath his own. Her pulse raced against his palm. He took another swig of beer then flashed his most endearing grin. “Let’s start over.” He released his bottle and extended his hand. “I’m Kagan.”

She refused to acquiesce. Kagan spoke in quiet tones meant to calm, to reassure. “I know I’m a stranger, but we have things to discuss.” He glanced around the crowded club, at the bodies packed tight. “We can’t do it here, though—no privacy. My apartment is close. Why don’t we go there and talk?”

Mira kicked him hard in the thigh.

“Merda!” Kagan grabbed his throbbing leg. “What’s in those damn boots? Marble?”

“Let me out of here, jackass, before I sideline your baby-maker!” Mira struggled within the tight confines of the booth. As she squirmed, the spicy scent of her shampoo wafted, and he was overcome with the strangest urge to plunge his hands into the riotous mass of her hair, to feel it curl around his fingers. She tugged on the hand pinned beneath his, and his thumb traced over her thudding veins. His heart pounding along with hers. The odd tingle sped through his torso, and his mouth turned to cotton. Her gaze blazed up at him, a swirling mix of green and golden brown. He noted the dark smudges below and wondered what kept her from slumber.

Dolce Cristo! Kagan looked away, fought for control. This was getting way out of hand. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d bedded a woman, but apparently it had been far too long.

January 21 - Character Interview & Review at  Butterfly-o-Meter Books

January 22 - Promo at Christina McKnight

January 23 - Interview at Immortality & Beyond

January 23 - Review at Not Now...Mommy's Reading

January 24 - Promo at Krystal's Enchanting Reads

January 25 - Promo at Arianne Cruz 

January 26 - Interview at Jodie Pierce's Ink Slinger

January 27 - Review at Bending the Spine

January 30 - Promo at Nomi’s Paranormal Palace

January 30 - Review at Bookishly Devoted

January 31 - Interview & Review at Not Just 9 to 5 

February 1 - Guest Blog & Review at Romance Book Junkies

February 2 - Interview at Vivi Dumas

February 3 - Interview & Review at Happy Tails and Tales

February 5 - Review at Deb Sanders

February 6 - Review at The Avid Reader

February 7 - Review at A Bibliophiles Thoughts on Books

February 7 - Promo at Smart Mouth Texan

February 9 - Guest Blog & Review at Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess

February 10 - Interview & Review at Storm Goddess Book Reviews

February 11 - Interview at Books, Books the Magical Fruit

February 11 - Interview at Books and Tales

February 12 - Guest Blog at Buffy's Ramblings

February 13 - Review at Always a Booklover

February 13 - Interview at JeanzBookReadNReview

February 14 - Guest Blog at Coffee Addicted Writer

February 15 - Promo at Pure Textuality

February 16 - Review at Marked By Books 

February 16 - Interview & Review at Crazy Four Books

February 17 - Guest Blog & Review at Michelle's Paranormal Vault of Books

February 17 - Promo at Books & Other Spells

February 18 - Review at Donna's Blog Home

February 18 - Interview & Review at What's Beyond Forks?

A copy of the novel was provided for us in exchange for an honest review.

The Voice Book Blitz: Excerpt & GIVEAWAYS

Thanks to Xpresso Book Tours, we have to opportunity to talk about Jennifer Anne Davis's debut novel, The Voice. We're going to share an excerpt from the first chapter, and I have to say, it sounds really good. I haven't read this book yet, but now I really want to! Then we've got two awesome giveaways for a copy of the book. But first, here's what it's about....

During her abduction and assault, Audrey begins to hear a voice. She hopes she's not going crazy, because after what she's experienced, that's the most logical explanation. However, as she begins to listen to the voice, Audrey realizes that someone may be telepathically trying to help her.

Unfortunately, rescue isn't all she needs. In order to leave behind the constant reminders, she flees to her Aunt Kate's house in San Diego, and assumes a new identity. It works until the eighteen-year-old twin boys who live next door threaten to break through the protective walls she's worked so hard to build.

Between Caleb going out of his way to befriend her and Justin avoiding her at all costs, Audrey doesn't know if normalcy will ever find her again. But one thing is certain: When a familiar danger resurfaces, it's the same voice that she turns to -- a voice that is not only real, but a lot closer than she realizes.

Amazon          B&N          The Book Depository

 

  

For When Words Aren't Enough....

 

 About the Author

Jennifer graduated from the University of San Diego with a degree in English and a teaching credential. Afterwards, she married her high school sweetheart, worked as a legal assistant, and taught high school English. Jennifer is currently a full-time writer and mother of three young children. Her days are spent living in imaginary worlds and fueling her own kids' creativity. 

 Website          Goodreads          Facebook          Twitter

 

 

 

 

 And here's that excerpt I promised:

The Excerpt

"Lying in the dark cabin, I tried not to think about the foul smell of body odor mixed with the stench of urine. I tried not to think about how hungry I was, or when I would eat again. About the plastic zip ties cutting into my wrists, or the spider crawling up my arm. I kept trying and failing. There was nothing to do but think.

Audrey? he spoke in my mind.

“Here,” I replied, still not understanding who or what the voice was, hoping I wasn’t going crazy. Though, after what I had been through, crazy wasn’t too far off. Instead, I focused on what the voice was saying. After weeks of being stuck here, he was the only thing keeping me grounded and giving me hope.

I need you to do something for me.

He sounded drained. “Are you okay?” I asked.

Scream.

“What?”

I need you to scream as loud as you can. Now, Audrey! Scream!

Bill had left the cabin only five minutes earlier, and I was afraid to make any noise. What if he was still outside and heard me? Would he come back in? I was so sore and bruised that I couldn’t handle anymore.

Scream! he urged.

Finally trusting the voice, I sucked in a deep breath, closed my eyes, and screamed as loud as I could. At first I sounded like a cat that was being strangled, the sound barely audible and grating on my ears. But I kept trying, and the noise transformed into something loud and fierce.

Yell the word “help.”

“HELP!” My throat was raw, but that didn’t stop me. I took all of my hurt and anger, and used those emotions for the energy needed to sustain the scream.

Then a thumping came from the other room—maybe the front door. My body shuddered. Shimmying to the edge of the mattress, I tried to stand, but my legs gave out, and I fell to the rough, wooden floor, landing on my knees. With bound hands, I inched my way to the corner of the room, as far away from the door as possible.

Keep screaming!

I wanted to curl into a ball and disappear, but I did what the voice said and let out a shrill, loud cry for help. The sound bounced off the walls, echoing.

Wood shattered in the other room. I kept yelling, wishing that I had the power to destroy Bill with my scream.

The doorknob twisted. Please don’t hurt me again . . . please don’t touch me . . . no more, please. No more.

The door exploded open. Instead of Bill, there stood three hunters dressed in camouflage and bright orange vests. One held a shotgun, and another held an axe. I froze in horror. The men looked at one another and then back at me.

Audrey, tell them who you are. Your name.

“I’m Audrey Marshall. Please help me.”

“The kidnapped girl?” the older guy on the right asked. I nodded. “I’m calling 9-1-1. You’re going to be all right now,” he said reassuringly, his cell phone already at his ear.

“Thank you,” I whispered to the voice. But he didn’t respond."

The Giveaways

The second giveaway is just for our blog, so your chances of winning are so much higher. Almost ridiculously so. All you have to do is leave us a comment saying:

• why you want to read The Voice
•  the e-mail address we can contact you at if you win

If you'd like an extra entry into our giveaway, just follow Marked By Books. RSS, GFC, e-mail, we don't really care. Just let us know in your comment which it is and you'll be entered twice.

We're going to choose a winner via Random.org on Monday, February 18th, so you have until then to enter. The winner will be contacted and allowed to chose what format of eBook they'd like. If they don't respond within 48 hours, a new winner will be chosen.


Good luck!

Reckoning Blog Tour: Review & GIVEAWAY

Welcome to our stop of Molly M. Hall's Reckoning book tour, hosted by Bewitching Book Tours. I just finished reading this book a few hours ago, so I'm just going to start with the review right off the bat before I forget anything important. But first, here's just a little bit about the book....

"They say the truth can set you free. I found out it can kill you."

Seventeen-year-old Kat Matheson has never revealed the dark secret that sets her apart from everyone else: She can see and hear the dead. Until now, she has been able to ignore the strange apparitions and whispering voices. But it may not be that simple anymore. Haunted by eerie visions and increasingly frightening nightmares, Kat begins to fear she may be the target of a dark and ominous force from beyond the grave. Complicating matters is the arrival of her new neighbor, a young man she instinctively distrusts but is inexplicably drawn to. Gorgeous and mysterious, he seems to hold a disturbing knowledge of her long-held secrets.

As she desperately tries to maintain control, events take an unexpected and violent turn. Discovering that nothing is what it seems and that her psychic abilities may involve far more than just communing with the dead, Kat may be forced to confront her worst fears and the powerful curse that controls her destiny.

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My Review

This book wasn't really what I expected it to be. I had thought that it was just going to be another book about some shy yet secretly strong girl who discovers that there's more to her past then what she believes. Of course, this has to be facilitated by the arrival of an undeniably attractive male. Said girl knows that, for her own safety, she should have absolutely nothing to do with him yet weakly succumbs to his masculine charms.

Yeah, not this time.

The thing that I admired the most about Kat was how practical she was. From a young age, she learned that telling people about her "gift" wasn't going to get her anywhere but a psych ward, so she never talked about it. And when the "gorgeous and mysterious" Lovell moves in next to her, she does not immediately fall in love with him. In fact, she doesn't really like him much at all. You know why? Because Kat is smart.

My main problem with Reckoning was that it took a pretty long time for the story to actually get started. Now, don't get me wrong, once things did start moving along, it was hard for me to put the book down, I just wish that it hadn't taken so long. There were a few dry parts that I had to sift through to find the gems buried in there, but, overall, it was worth it and I really enjoyed reading about Kat and her destiny. Now if only I knew what that was.... Curse you, cliffhangers!

Rating: 4 stars

And here's a chunk of the novel to get you interested. This was one of my favorite parts from the story because this is the time when we see that some serious stuff is really about to go down.

The Excerpt

"A gentle breeze moves through the trees and gooseflesh creeps up my arms. I look around cautiously, my ears straining for even the slightest sound. Nothing. No dreaded flashes of a ghostly pink dress. No brain-numbing whispering. Just an empty expanse of green, dotted with trees, the stark silhouettes of houses rising behind.

My phone buzzes again, the vibration rippling through the nerve endings in my hand like a low-voltage jolt of electricity. I feel a sudden desire to fling it as far away from me as I can.

Reluctantly, I look down and click on the message.

RUN

Turning around, I see Rick, smiling back at me, waiting patiently. A scream of anguish and frustration begins to build deep inside of me and I hear a noise to my right, like the whooshing of wings. Jerking my head to the side, my eyes widen in shock, and I duck, narrowly missing a massive black bird as it sweeps past me, angling upward. I think I hear Rick say something, but his words are drowned out by the sound of my pulse pounding in my ears. I glance up, looking for the bird and see a large, dark shape sweeping past the top of the trees. I have no idea how any of it is connected – the girl, the texts, the bird – but instinctively I know they are. And it isn’t good.

I look at Rick again, the wonder and magic of this evening still singing through my veins, and my shock turns to anger. Hot, fiery, rebellious anger. This will not happen. Not tonight.

Clenching my jaw, I glare up at the sky. LEAVE ME ALONE, I scream in my head. Whatever issues this dead girl has, it has nothing to do with me.

Rick begins walking toward me. “Everything OK, Kat?”

I swallow, gathering my emotions back into a tight bundle. “Fine.” I force a smile onto my face, jogging back to him. “Just Rachel sending me another message.”

I step into the pool of light beneath the streetlamp, anxious to leave the darkness behind. Suddenly, the light flickers, an odd sizzling sound emanating from the globes. I stop and stare, watching as several sparks shoot out the sides. The bird, the largest crow I have ever seen, swoops down from the trees, one shining, jet black eye looking directly at me. Sound disappears and time seems to fold in on itself, slowing to half-speed. The same weightless feeling I’d experienced at school creeps over me, and I tense, fighting off the panic.

I stare at the bird, watching it descend lower and lower. It’s wings beat once, moving slowly down and back up again. Sparks continue to jet from the streetlamp, each brightly pointed flash of light spewing out in a torpid, glowing trail, before dropping slowly and silently to the ground. The bird is nearly on top of me. It sweeps past, close enough that I can feel the rush of air beneath its wings, gently lifting my hair. Then it arcs upward, higher and higher, before turning and diving back toward me again, it’s beak open in a silent cry.

I stand and stare, frozen in place, numb with shock and disbelief. My phone vibrates dully in my palm, and I slowly lower my head. As though acting strictly through muscle memory, my thumb pushes the message button.

NOW

I look back up at the bird. Then at the streetlamp. And suddenly, I understand. The obscure text messages melding into clear and precise meaning. But my legs won’t move.

I gasp, inhaling sharply as I struggle to break free of the torpor that has possessed me, and the world abruptly charges back into normal motion, sound and movement taking on a vivid clarity. The bird rushes toward me, it’s head cocked at an odd angle. The sparking and sizzling of the streetlamp grows louder, the globes glowing and flashing like some kind of deranged sparkler on the fourth of July. I take one slow step backward just as the globes explode with a loud bang, hundreds of tiny pieces of glass slicing through the air. I yelp and duck, lunging to the side."

About the Author

Molly M Hall is the author of Reckoning, the first novel in the Dark Prophecy series. She has spent most of her life in Colorado and currently lives just outside of Denver. She pursued a degree in English Literature at Columbia College, and worked in the corporate world for several years before turning to writing full time.

When not reading or writing, she can be found shopping for awesome boots, listening to music, exercising, working on her very inadequate French, playing piano, or looking for inspiring landscapes to photograph. 

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The Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

A copy of the novel was provided for us in exchange for an honest review.

Dominion Book Tour: Review & GIVEAWAYS

Welcome to our stop of Melody Manful's Dominion, hosted by ABG Reads Book Tours! I'm really, really, REALLY excited about this book. I absolutely jumped at the chance to read it because it sounded so good. And it was! But more on that later....

Okay, now usually, I save the book trailer for the end (I'm not really sure why, maybe it's more dramatic...?), but that's not going to happen this time. Want to know why? Listen.

Did you hear that? Please tell me you heard that. That piece of perfection, my friends, is called "Lux Aeterna," composed by Clint Mansell, and it is one of my favorite songs ever! And I really mean it when I say ever. Little known fact about me, not only am I obsessed with books, I'm also a complete music nut. And violins are my babies. I can't actually play (I know, I'm pathetic), but they are without a doubt my favorite instrument. Just ask Gabby.

But now back to Dominion because although the trailer is AWESOME, the book is even better. Trust me.

 

I Dare You.
Look Over Your Shoulders.
Do You See Them?
They are behind you...
They are always behind you.

Abigail Cells had a nightmare the day before she met Gideon, the new guy in school who has every girl drooling just to be near him. In her nightmare, she was murdered by a magical creature. As she gets to know Gideon, she begins to remember pieces of her nightmare, and was shocked when Gideon turned out to be the creature from her nightmare. Who is Gideon really? Should Abby allow herself to fall completely for him, or is he the next disaster waiting to happen?

Dominion releases February 16th!

 

My Review

At first look for this book you're probably thinking something along the lines of "great, another damsel in distress." I can see where you'd get that. She is, after all, wearing a pink dress on the cover while being flanked by two guys with wings floating nonchalantly in the middle of a burning city. And the blurb might just sound like another stupid girl falling for some stupid guy just because he's stupidly hot when he actually just wants to kill her. Stupid, right? Yeah, no.

You see the thing with these "damsels" is that they usually don't run around with a bow strapped to their back and something that looks like the handle of a gun peeking out behind it. And they certainly don't knock the "drool-worthy" guy back up against a wall and put him in a choke hold in the middle of an empty classroom. Because Abby did that. And it was fabulous.

I really enjoyed reading this book. Unlike the more weak female protagonists, Abigail actually has a spine and, heaven forbid, a brain, and she's not afraid to use either of them. She is one mean, sharpshooting, ice cream loving, fire extinguisher wielding machine. That sentence will make more sense once you read the book. And you should, because it's good!

Abby doesn't just fall in love with Gideon from the moment she sees him, and he definitely doesn't just pledge himself to her either. There is actually a believable progression here, which is really nice to see. There are some very sweet moments, but you have to believe me when I say that this isn't just a romance novel. It's so much more.

The Cells family has a pretty big secret hidden behind their seemingly perfect life, and Abigail has been training for years to make sure that it doesn't become the death of them. But wait, that's not all! You think life threatening human issues are bad enough? Oh no, it gets much worse. Because what does Abby say when she's thrust into the middle of a war between Heaven and Hell? "Honey, hold my earrings. I'm going in."

Rating: 5 stars

 

My favorite quote: "Great! Now I'm becoming one of those guys with hearts and flowers and... feelings."

While the ending did make me a little mad (curse you, cliffhangers!), I'm really excited to read the next book, which I hope I'll have the opportunity to review as well whenever it comes out. Hint, hint....





Melody Manful was born on June 8, 1994, in a town in Ghana called Tema. She started writing at a very early age and has been doing it ever since. Melody has two siblings and lives in Denmark with her family. She loves music, reading, and writing, and she puts a great deal into making her friends happy.

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The Giveaways

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And just because I was snooping around on Melody's website, found this, and thought they were beautiful, here are a few original songs for the book. The second one is my favorite. Great job, Melody, these are amazing!

A copy of the novel was provided for us in exchange for an honest review.