Sunday, August 25, 2013

Review | Tour Stop | The Rising Wind by Ken Floro III

The Rising Wind

By

Ken Floro III

Have you ever dreamed of being swept into adventure alongside a dashing knight or two? Would you be outraged if you were suddenly thrust into terrifying dangers against your will? What if you found yourself trapped on a cursed island, in the middle of a haunted sea, surrounded by your worst enemies? When a conniving treasure-hunter hijacks the Rising Wind, its passengers will find themselves facing all this and more!
“The same trick didn’t work a third time. When Marc stepped into the ring of firelight and shouted a challenge, his adversaries shrank into the shadows across from him – more cautious now than they had been earlier. Their broad limbs and hulking silhouettes prowled the darkness at the edge of the forest, disguising their numbers. Standing exposed, in the open clearing, Marc felt vulnerable, but he knew he couldn’t run. For an anxious moment, he just stood there, uncertain what to do next. The curse of inexperience was lack of foresight, and Marc hadn’t stopped to calculate an alternative in case his original plan failed. Now he had to think on the spot. Unfortunately the present circumstance was no place for contemplation. So, in that dangerous moment, he acted on instinct.”

About the Author:  
Ken was born and raised in the Southside of Saint Louis. After earning a degree in World Literature, followed by a degree in Culinary Arts, Ken soon made the obvious career move and went to work in medicine. If you’re having any trouble guessing why, then you’ve probably never served time in the literary or culinary fields. A little taste of reality can suddenly turn a healthy paycheck, normal working hours, and long-term job security into sumptuous delicacies. Despite the sudden change in his employment trajectory, Ken never turned away from his dream of writing. He’d nurtured a lifelong creative ambition, which had gained direction when a funny true story he wrote for a high school English class became so popular with his classmates they traded copies of it in the hall and passed them up and down the bus. Ever since that catalytic moment, Ken has been writing as a hobby and a passion. Thus far, he’s published eight books, along with several other tidbits, all of which are available on his website, southsidecavaliers.com.

My Thoughts:

I loved this novel. The characters were all very well written. The names fit the story and the persona of the characters. The characters were very intelligent but they were also quite amusing. The character development is perfect. 

The novel is action packed. There wasn't a boring page in the entire 406 pages. I love that the chapters are named. The story is well edited, well written, and very well laid out. I love that Floro ended the story about the island. I will have to read the sequel when it's available! 

Read an excerpt:

The same trick didn’t work a third time. When Marc stepped into the ring of firelight and shouted a challenge, his adversaries shrank into the shadows across from him – more cautious now than they had been earlier. Their broad limbs and hulking silhouettes prowled the darkness at the edge of the forest, disguising their numbers. Standing exposed, in the open clearing, Marc felt vulnerable, but he knew he couldn’t run.
For an anxious moment, he just stood there, uncertain what to do next. The curse of inexperience was lack of foresight, and Marc hadn’t stopped to calculate an alternative in case his original plan failed. Now he had to think on the spot. Unfortunately the present circumstance was no place for contemplation. So, in that dangerous moment, he acted on instinct. 
With a mighty roar he charged forward! Wild courage lit his eyes. He leapt over the dying fire – not because he needed to but because it made his reckless charge feel more heroic. If he was going to die, he certainly wasn’t going to die a coward!
His cry roused the others. Monty raced up from his hiding place, and the Gray Fox peeked out from the cave. They emerged just in time to see Marc vanish into the forest, accompanied by the rustle of brutish figures racing through the foliage. Driven by the same reflex, they both rushed after him immediately.
The next moments were frantic. Shadows spun. Monstrous jaws snapped. Steel crunched against hide, and human voices punctuated a tide of grunting moans.
Struggling to orient in the commotion, Marc gasped with relief when he saw the glow of Monty’s sword flicker toward him through the undergrowth. He dashed in that direction, but a shadow next to him suddenly turned to block his path.  As a pair of bulging eyes glared down at him, the monster groaned – an ominous sound that rumbled in its broad chest.
Marc didn’t waste a moment. He jumped straight toward the creature’s face. Not many men had such audacity, and it seemed to catch the beast off-guard. Instead of snapping off a limb with its fangs, or shredding flesh with its talons, it recoiled in surprise and staggered backward.
Marc exploited this momentary advantage, hooking his forearm over one of the bony plates on the monster’s chest – Imperial mail protected his flesh from the jagged edge. This grip gave him purchase and held him close to the creature’s soft neck. He stabbed his sword overhead immediately, knowing it wouldn’t take long for the beast to brush him off.
Once, twice, three times he lunged blind. Two of his strokes passed through empty air. Then the blade finally bit into something. Fragile veins instantly gave way to steel. As the sword sliced free, blood pumped from the wound in heavy, mortal gouts, showering the troll’s plated chest, and Marc’s bare head.
Just then a massive fist struck the knight. It caught him in the ribs with such force that it flung him from his perch, and knocked the breath from his lungs. His arm wrenched free of its grip, and he cart-wheeled into a tangle of weeds.
A moment later the bulk of the troll crashed down in a nearby bush. The creature fumbled at its crimsoned throat and made panicked gurgles as it gasped for life. Marc rolled away, also gasping. Somehow he’d managed to hold onto his sword – a reflex bred by Imperial discipline. As he climbed to his feet he swung the weapon to guard and scanned the forest.
The deep grunts of the trolls were fading. It sounded like they were in retreat. Could it really be over; could it have been that easy? Marc winced as he felt his tender ribs. Had it really been easy? Scowling at the dying troll beside him with sudden worry, he ran to check on the others.

 Prizes!!!

About the prizes: Who doesn't love prizes? You could win one of two $50 Amazon gift cards or an autographed copy of The Rising Wind! Here's what you need to do...
  1. Enter the Rafflecopter contest
  2. Leave a comment on my blog.
That's it! One random commenter during this tour will win the first gift card. Visit more blogs for more chances to win--the full list of participating bloggers can be found here. The other two prizes will be given out via Rafflecopter. You can find the contest entry form linked below or on the official Rising Wind tour page via Novel Publicity. Good luck!

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Saturday, August 24, 2013

Review | Tour Stop | Knight Blindness by Chris Karlsen



Knight Blindness 
by 
Chris Karlsen

Given a choice between the pleasant life you knew centuries ago or 
the possibility of all you want in an uncertain new world, which would you choose?

Two men torn through time find themselves in the modern but alien world. 
Old enemies, one hunting the other,one discovering love, both fighting private battles to survive.

Book 3 of The Knights in Time Series

Ready for battle, Medieval English knight, Stephen Palmer, charges into the French enemy’s cavalry line. Heeding a warning given months before, he hesitates as he comes face-to-face with the knight in the warning. Struck down in the year 1356, he finds himself landing in the year 2013. 
Grievously wounded, he’s taken to a nearby hospital. Confused by the new world surrounding him, he attempts to convince the staff he’s from another time, only to find they think him mad. 

Rescued by friends, who, to his surprise, have also come through time, he must find a way to function in this odd modern England. He is quickly enchanted by the kind Esme Crippen, the young woman hired to tutor him. She too is enchanted by him. Tempted to deepen the relationship, she hesitates thinking him adorable, but mad. 

He must discover the means for getting her to believe the truth, all the while, unknown to him, he didn’t come forward in time alone. The enemy knight has also traveled to 2013.

French noble, Roger Marchand, doesn’t question why the English knight who charged him hesitated. That fraction of a pause gave him the advantage needed and he brought his sword down upon the Englishman’s helmet hard, unhorsing the knight. He moved to finish the Englishman off when the world changed in a rush of sensations as he is ripped through time. 

Seeking a reason for the terrible event, he enters a nearby chapel. There, thinking God has chosen him for a quest to turn French defeat that day in 1356 to victory, he sets out to find the English knight. The man he is convinced holds the key to time. If he returns to the day of the battle, he can warn his king of mistakes that snatched victory from them.

My Thoughts:

This was my first Chris Karlsen book. I know I know. It's the third book in the knights series. I still loved it as a stand alone. Although, I think I will have to find the rest of Ms. Karlsen's work now that I have dabbled in her talent. I absolutely loved everything about this novel. Chris did an amazing job with describing the time travel aspect so that there was no confusion at all. The characters are very strong and well defined. Chris makes you feel like you are watching the events unfold on tv instead of reading it. 


BIO:
I was born and raised in Chicago. My father was a history professor and my mother was, and is, a voracious reader. I grew up with a love of history and books.

My parents also love traveling, a passion they passed onto me. I wanted to see the places I read about, see the land and monuments from the time periods that fascinated me. I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively throughout Europe, the Near East, and North Africa. 

I am a retired police detective. I spent twenty-five years in law enforcement with two different agencies. My desire to write came in my early teens. After I retired, I decided to pursue that dream. I write two different series. My paranormal romance series is called, Knights in Time. My romantic thriller series is, Dangerous Waters.

I currently live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, four rescue dogs and a rescue horse.  

ONLINE LINKS:
Twitter:      @chriskarlsen1

BUY NOW LINK:
Excerpt

Stephen woke from the dreamless sleep groggy. Since the Frenchmen took him from the field, he'd lost all sense of time.  Bits and pieces of events faded in and out of memory. He recalled at one point he'd tried to fight and they'd stuck him with a small spiked weapon. It hadn't hurt, no more than a prick from a lady's sewing needle. Then, he was floating and had the sense of angels lifting him.
Not angels but his captors.
The delicious scent brought him awake. He might've slept hours or days, he didn't know. All he knew was the food smelled like fine fare and his stomach felt stuck to his backbone, he was so hungry. Those last weeks before the battle the army had run short of provisions. The knights had foraged for food along with their horses. The night before the battle he'd dined on overripe berries and dandelion soup. Soup indeed. Nothing but a handful of dandelion greens thrown into a kettle of boiling water.
“Is the food for me?” he'd asked, stomach rumbling.
A new man, one whose voice he'd never heard answered, “Yes.”
He attempted to rise but tethers kept him prone. His wrists and ankles were tied to the bed with padded cuffs instead of chains. A small but curious kindness.
“How am I to eat it tethered as I am? Smell alone will not get it to my stomach.”
“I'll release you, but first you must promise not to fight or to touch your eye wrap.”
“Yes, yes, I promise.” He'd agree to most anything for a full belly.
Stephen sat up as soon as he was free.
The man put the tray of food on his lap and set cloth wrapped utensils into his palm.  
“What is this?” Stephen poked the tined edge of a four-pronged eating tool to his fingertip.
“What is it? It's a fork. You know--for sticking your food with and bringing pieces to your mouth.”
Seems silly. Why bother with cutting then sticking your food with the fork before bringing it to your mouth, an eating dagger is faster, more sensible? Stab and eat.
The aroma of meat and bread filled his nose and he put the fork aside. His head low to the tray, he shoveled the vegetables into his mouth with the spoon. A juicy, plump chicken breast nestled next to the vegetables. He tore the meat from the bone with his fingers, licking the buttery drippings from the tips as he devoured it. He last ate chicken in July and then it wasn't a fat hen but a wiry, tough rooster. When the spoon no longer scooped vegetables, he used his bread to wipe up any remaining morsels on the plate. The captors brought two more plates and he finished those before he was finally full.
Stephen sensed someone enter the room as the man left with the last tray.
“Who is there?”
“I'm here to give you a sponge bath, if you like,” a female, young by the sound of her said.
“You wish to bathe me?”
The pass of his hand over his hair told him somebody had washed it. No dried blood was caked anywhere. He sniffed his forearms. They smelled of soap and had also been cleaned. He had no need of a bath. The woman offered something other than a wash.
He smiled with knowledge. It had been a long time since he'd enjoyed the services of a bawd. Tempting as the harlot's offer was, he suspected enemy devilry and declined.
“Would you like to listen to music?” she asked.
The bawd traveled with minstrels. He wasn't in the mood for her other services, but he'd welcome a cheerful tune. “I would.”
“What station do you wish,” she asked.
“I don't understand.”
“I'll turn it to a classical one.”
A tune different from any he ever heard came from across the room. “I'll come back tomorrow,” the bawd said. Her light footfalls told him she left.
Classical station? Lovelier than any minstrel's music, he dozed off still baffled by weird words and goings on of his captors. They'd woken him an unknown amount of time later and said it was the day and hour for his eye surgery. A man told him to make a fist. He said perfect when he found a vein and then stuck a needle into the crook of Stephen's elbow. That was the last he remembered.
“Monsieur, monsieur,” a female voice said, patting his hand. “Wake up.”
Stephen yawned and propped himself up on an elbow. “Ugh.” His mouth tasted like sour milk and his tongue felt like it was wrapped in a mitten. “I'd like some water.”
“Here.” The woman slid a flexible spout between his lips. “Suck.”
He didn't know what the spout was made of, nor did he care. The water tasted sweet to his parched mouth and he sucked the cup dry. “More.” When he'd sucked another cup dry, he asked. “What day is this?” 
“September 22,” the woman said, taking the empty cup.
Three days had passed since the battle. Why had they let him live? There could be no good reason for it.
“This is Dr. Berger. Do you remember me speaking to you two days ago about your eye surgery?”
“Yes.”
“Dr. Monette is here too. We want to talk to you about the day they found you. The more we know about you, the more we can help.”
“Who is the woman?” She didn't sound like the first woman, the one who smelled like a garden. This one carried no scent of any flower. Nor did she sound young as the bawd. What was this one's purpose? The first, he suspected, had created the potion that put him to sleep. He knew a bawd's.
“She is Nurse Cloutier.”
Probably Witch Cloutier. “Ask what you will.”
“What is your name?”
“Stephen Palmer.”
“What's the last thing you remember before receiving your injury?”
“I am a knight in service to the Baron Guiscard. He rode to the aid of his friend. I saw your men surround the baron. They were trying to pull him from his mount. I was about to ride to his aid when one of your knights, his heraldic symbol was of a panther on a field of orange, challenged me.” Stephen thought again how Guy's warning had made him falter. “I...I hesitated and your man struck with his sword.”
“Monsieur Palmer, your eye injury is serious. If this answer is an attempt at humor, then it is a poor time to engage in such a jest.”
“You asked what I remembered. I told you. I'm not in the habit of making jests with my enemies.”
“Monsieur Palmer, we are not your enemy. We are not at war.” A long moment passed and then Berger asked, “What year do you believe it to be?”
“The year of our Lord, 1356.”
“Mon Dieu,” Cloutier said in the background.
“From what the paramedics told us you said when they arrived, and your answer today, I am convinced that you do believe this is 1356. Monsieur Palmer,” Berger covered Stephen's hand with his own. “The year is 2013.”

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Friday, August 23, 2013

Review | Tour Stop | Shadow Embraced by Cheree Smith






Shadow Embraced
(Haven #1)
No escape.
Those words haunt Scar’s dreams. She thinks the creature that terrorises her while asleep isn’t real, but when she’s abducted and taken to a reform school meant to contain creatures too dangerous to function in society, she starts to wonder whether she isn’t some monster.
She turns to an underground fight club full of vampires, werewolves and witches established by the students to control her urges, and who is she kidding, she loves to fight.
When fighters begin to disappear, turning Scar into the prime suspect, she must race to prove her innocence before her true nature is exposed.
The only problem is that she’s not entirely sure she’s innocent.
Amazon – Smashwords – Barnes & Noble
Add Shadow Embraced to your Goodreads list!

My thoughts: 
This novel is very different than what I would normally read. Not to say I didn't enjoy it because I did. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. It's nice to step out of your comfort zone once in a while and that's what I did with reading this one but I'm really glad I did. 


Cheree Smith lives in a country town in Australia as a high school English teacher where she writes paranormal, horror and dark stories for young adults. She enjoys listening to and learning about legends and myths, watching scary movies and dreaming up new worlds where monsters can come alive. When she is not in her writing cave she can be found listening to music, even dabbling in the occasional writing of music or reading.


Website –  Blog – Twitter – Facebook – Goodreads





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Free Promotion | Nadia's Tears by Julie Gilbert

 Title: Nadia’s Tears
Author: Julie Gilbert
Genre: YA, Science Fiction
Length: 258 pgs
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Available in Formats: eBook & Paperback
Cover Artist: Timothy Sparvero

Nadia's Tears...
Two Teens. Two Missions. One Chance to Save Their Friends.

Jillian can shape dreams but can she wake Nadia from a coma?
Danielle will do almost anything for her friends, and she may soon have to prove it if she wants to save Christy from slavers.

Did you know slavery still exists today? Human trafficking isn't just a foreign problem. Learn about this pressing problem along with Danielle in Nadia's Tears.

Now's the perfect chance to check out Nadia's Tears. Download the kindle book for free on Amazon - Friday, August 23 through Sunday, August 25, 2013.


About the Author
Julie writes, reads, reviews, plays video games, and teaches chemistry. She’s mildly disturbed by the fact that 10 words can sum up her life. Her stories have fallen into many categories, including Christian, science fiction, YA, and fantasy (not all at the same time!). She enjoys detailed letters, snail mail style, as well as emails but cannot quite grasp this texting thing.


Author Social Media Links

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Thursday, August 22, 2013

Spotlight | Beyond Earth by Arlene Lagos


Title:  Beyond Earth
Author:  Arlene Lagos
Published:  June 24th, 2013
Word Count:  45,700
Genre:  YA Science Fiction Fantasy
Recommended Age:  13+
Synopsis:
Hidden in the fabric of our own galaxy are five planets, anchored to Earth and thriving with life. When young Adaminia walks through a doorway and onto another planet, she learns the truth about her destiny. She must locate the other six warriors and unite their shared power in order to fight off the growing darkness set to destroy their existence.




About the Author:
Lagos has written poetry, stage plays, screenplays and short stories for over 20 years. In addition to writing the Beyond Earth Series she also has twelve award-winning short stories published in the Giant Tales anthology. "Beyond Earth" is Book one of the series. "Beyond Planets" and "Beyond Time" will be coming out later this summer. Lagos currently resides in Massachusetts with her husband and their daughter.




Giveaway Details:
There is a tour wide giveaway. Prizes include the following:
  • 5 eBook copies of Beyond Earth (INT)
  • 3 Beyond Earth mouse pads (US)
10 Beyond Earth swag packs containing a pen and keychain (US)

Excerpt:


Excerpt from Beyond Earth by Arlene Lagos:
Day two at my first job ever and I already have a hit list of co-workers I want to torture. My aunt convinced me to take a summer internship at a marketing firm outside of Boston. It was less about convincing and more of an ultimatum if you ask me. I immediately regret agreeing to this insanity. I’d much rather be at the beach right now.
Blindly I thumb through the new employee manual while some really loud German guy a few cubicles down from me makes telesales calls. He says the same thing to everyone, "Oh what a beautiful name you have." If I hear it one more time I might have to invest in duct tape.
I never understood the appeal of working in a cubicle. It’s very sad when I walk down the hallway and have to count the rows so I know which row is mine because there are no distinguishing markers. At least these ones have sliding glass doors so nobody will notice me listening to Aerosmith on my iPod instead of actually doing my job.
It’s eleven in the morning and I've already gone to the bathroom twice, eaten my mid-morning snack and am secretly hoping someone will pull the fire alarm, when all of a sudden I hear a sound rattling in the hallway.
It’s getting louder and louder and now drowns out even the loud, wacky German dude. At one point I stand up because the sound is so alarming that I am passed curious and moving closer to concern. Nobody else seems to be bothered by it, which intrigues me. Way-too-tall guy is on a dating website; annoying girl is trying to fix the copier; and I’m pretty sure my irritating boss is asleep. I sit back down. Perhaps the noise is nothing, since it doesn't seem to alarm anyone else.
There it is again, the same sound. It’s five times louder than before and the vibration of it causes my phone to fall off the receiver. I couldn’t have imagined it. I stand up quickly this time sure that others have noticed. Nobody seems to care. Am I going crazy? I have to find out where it’s coming from.
Sneaking out of my cube and down the first stairwell, I walk towards the vibrating sound. This old brick building is massive, with endless winding hallways, elevators, secret halls and hidden floors with adjoining catwalks that lead to four other buildings. I was lost for over two hours yesterday trying to climb my way back from lunch, but at this point I hope I get lost again. I need to know what that sound is, if only to ensure that I am not hearing things or going crazy.
The sound is likened to that of a wounded animal mixed with a throbbing pulse that penetrates my eardrums as I claw my way closer.

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