Friday, April 30, 2021

Death Watch by Annie Anderson ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Death Watch
Annie Anderson
(Soul Reader #2)
Publication date: April 27th 2021
Genres: Adult, Urban Fantasy

A prison break, a secret admirer, and a boatload of lies.
Just about everything Sloane Cabot knows about her past is a big old pile of malarkey. Couple that with the blank spot of how her family died, and she needs answers, like, yesterday.

But when a man shows up dead on her family’s grave, she knows it somehow has to be tied to that fateful night a year ago.

Too bad you can’t question the dead… or can you?

Goodreads / Amazon / Bookbub

EXCERPT:

A pair of guards opened the giant doors, bowing at Thomas as he guided me through. It was an actual struggle not to freeze at the entrance and stare. But man, did I want to. This place—while definitely what I would consider on-brand for a vamp nest—was one of the most magnificent buildings I’d ever been in. I wasn’t particularly interested in other churches, but this cathedral was just a beauty. A gallery of pews sat to the left and right of a wide aisle that led to a raised dais. Vampires filled the seats, dressed similarly to Thomas and me, their voices a low buzz of conversation. More people were sitting in the upper gallery, their opulent gowns and sharp tuxedos a happy reminder that Thomas had my back. Had I walked in here with leather pants and a whip on my hip, I had a feeling I would have been just a touch out of place.

Thomas continued his leading, guiding me down the aisle toward a stunningly severe woman sitting on what appeared to be a throne. Skin paler than death, eyes vamped out in a way that seemed permanent, and painted lips the color of blood, she was the most beautiful and yet most frightening woman I’d ever seen. Dark hair was piled on her head in purposefully haphazard curls, a few tendrils snaking out of the complicated up-do to artfully caress her neck. She wore a brilliant green gown that was so simple, and yet so achingly complex, it had to have cost a fortune.

We reached the end of the aisle, and Thomas bowed his head slightly. I copied him, wishing I would have received an etiquette lesson on the hour-long drive here. All I’d gotten was Thomas’ clenched jaw and silence.

“You have some nerve,” a woman growled, drawing my gaze from what had to be the queen of this nest to her right.

I quickly realized that the voice did not belong to a woman at all but a child. Pale-blonde hair and blue eyes were set in an elfin face of a vampire who had likely been no more than ten when she was turned. And that had to have been centuries ago. This little whisp of a “girl”—and I use that word lightly—had the look of a being older than dirt. Dressed in a black lace confection appropriate for a child beauty queen, she stood from her chair.

She then launched herself at Thomas.

I couldn’t exactly say why I did it. I mean, she had me by centuries, and Thomas could take care of himself. But as soon as her feet left the dais, I had the knife Clem had given me yanked from its sheath and was in front of the man in an instant.

Thomas owed me, not the other way around, but he’d been kind to me when I’d needed it, and I wouldn’t let him get attacked. No way, no how.

It was as if everyone froze. Conversations halted, guards stood stock-still, and even this slip of a thing stood arrested at the end of my blade, which was poised at her throat.

To this tiny—but by no means less deadly—vampire at the point of my knife, I said, “Settle down there, Blondie, or we’re going to have a problem.”

I had a feeling we probably already had one.

Author Bio:

Annie Anderson is a military wife and United States Air Force veteran. Originally from Dallas, Texas, she is a southern girl at heart, but has lived all over the US and abroad. As soon as the military stops moving her family around, she'll settle on a state, but for now she enjoys being a nomad with her husband, two daughters, an old man of a dog, and a young pup that makes life... interesting.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest


GIVEAWAY!

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Thursday, April 29, 2021

Up For Seconds by Melissa Chambers ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Up for Seconds: A Second Chance Steamy Romance
Melissa Chambers
(Destiny Dunes, #2)
Publication date: April 27th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He won’t get in her head again…

Tori:

Jack Massey broke my heart. He was jealous and possessive. We were all wrong together—too engrossed, too greedy for one another…like we were each other’s fix.

We made no sense. He’s a stuffy, number-cruncher from a wealthy family, and I’m a hot mess from a trailer park. We’d never work long-term.

He says he wants me back. He needs to let the past stay behind us. I’ve worked too hard this year to get over him. I’ve thrown myself into my work with the kids at the resort. I’ve nurtured friendships with my amazing co-workers. I even tried another relationship. Though Jack’s never left my head or my heart.

Jack:

I screwed up. I’ve paid the price this past year. I quit drinking and became obsessed with my job and working out. I’ve not so much as looked at another woman. Tori’s all I’ve been able to focus on, even after a year

I want her back. It’s not going to be easy. We come from different worlds, and she makes sure I know it at every turn.

I’ve never failed at anything in my life except for my relationship with her, and I don’t intend to lose at that again.

Welcome to Destiny Dunes, where the only thing hotter than the Florida sun is the romance between this resort’s employees. Each book in this steamy series focuses on your favorite romance tropes. Once you enter the gates of Destiny Dunes, you’ll never want to leave!

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

EXCERPT:

He stands up and holds his hand out to me. “Well, I’m not ready to let this go. Come into the water with me.”

I wipe the sand off my hands and then take his hand. He pulls me up, and I follow him into the surf.

“Wow, look at that sunset,” he says.

I’m embarrassed that I hadn’t even noticed. I’ve been too caught up in him. “That’s a beautiful one.”

“Do you know what they say about first kisses under a sunset like that?” he asks.

My chest sears with anticipation. “What do they say?”

“That they’re pretty damn amazing.”

I wish I could stop my stupid grin, but there’s no way. “It’s not our first kiss.”

He takes my hand. “It is for this go-around.”

“I think we skipped past kisses last weekend.”

“We just did things a little out of order. We still get to have our second first kiss.”

“Lucky us.”

He looks down at my hand and takes it as the water washes over our calves. The longer he hesitates to kiss me, the more buildup rolls through my body like a big rig. He takes my other hand as well, still not looking into my eyes. I can’t tell if he’s nervous or trying to make me collapse with want.


Author Bio:

Melissa Chambers writes contemporary novels for young, new, and actual adults. A Nashville native, she spends her days working in the music industry and her nights tapping away at her keyboard. While she’s slightly obsessed with alt rock, she leaves the guitar playing to her husband and kid. She never misses a chance to play a tennis match, listen to an audiobook, or eat a bowl of ice cream. (Rocky road, please!) She has served as president for the Music City Romance Writers and is the author of the Love Along Hwy 30A series, the Destiny Dunes series, the Before Forever series (YA), and Courting Carlyn (YA).

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Amazon / Bookbub


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Wednesday, April 28, 2021

It's a Curse Thing by Lisa Wells ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

It’s a Curse Thing
Lisa Wells
Publication date: April 27th 2021
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Paranormal, Romance

It’s not forever. It’s not freaking forever.

What’s a witch to do when her magic’s been hacked and her tongue wickedly cursed! No matter how hard Eloise Redd concentrates on keeping her thoughts to herself, she blurts them. The only option is to lie low and wait for the hacker’s ransom note —and hope the demands aren’t too steep. In the meantime, she hides out in a haunted town as a palm reader. What could possibly go wrong reading palms?

Jeffrey Bales, Chief Operating Officer of Think Tank Innovations, is excellent at peopling. What he’s not good at is fending off a multitude of women convinced he’s their souls’ missing puzzle piece. This thanks to the town’s magical palm reader. A woman whose mouth should come with a hazard warning. He has no choice but to turn his charms on her to silence those wayward words. Just a tiny, fake relationship should work…

Unless it takes place under the roof of a bewitched house. One determined to bind them together eternally. That ransom demand can’t arrive soon enough.

What if this is forever?

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

“Welcome to Hand Picked.” Eloise struck a pose at the top of her stairs and spoke to the gentleman who stood in her doorway, looking very much like a shabby prince with his stiff stance and sexy-as-hell five o’clock shadow. Was he her three o’clock?

If so, she now wished she’d reapplied her Rouge Louboutin Velvet Matte lipstick after her cup of tea. Perhaps living in Knotty would be more than bores and snores after all. A little hot weekend sex would make the months go by faster.

“Thank you,” he said.

About to take a step forward, she paused, left foot dangling above the stair. Hmmm. What do we have here? His voice sounded familiar. She tilted her head to the left and tried to get a look at his profile. Nope. His face, what she could see of it in the shadows, didn’t ring any bells. Perhaps she’d overheard him talking while she’d explored the town last weekend. “Have you come to have your palm read?”

Not waiting for his response, she lifted her floral, floor-length, multi-ruffled skirt and glided down the stairs, aiming to appear like a royal subject entering a magical ball being held in her honor. Not to impress the man. Not much anyway. But mostly because presentation mattered when one read palms for a living. With her skirt, she wore a black long sleeve bodysuit and a headscarf that had beads that dangled over her forehead.

She’d been just as meticulous regarding her appearance when she had practiced law. Only then, instead of every aspect of her projecting flamboyant exuberance, she’d projected the appropriate image of strength and intelligence and the ability to cut your throat in a courtroom without leaving any traces of blood on her Louboutin heels.

At the bottom of the stairs, she got her first shadow-free view of her latest customer. A view that caused her world to tumble and land ass up. Balls. Balls. Balls.

Author Bio:

Lisa Wells writes romantic comedy with enough steam to fog your eyeglasses, your brain, and sometimes your Kindle screen. On the other hands, her eighty-year-old mother-in-law has read Lisa's steamiest book and lived to offer her commentary. Which went something like this: You used words I've never heard of...

She lives in Missouri with her husband and slightly-chunky rescue dog. Lisa loves dark chocolate, red wine, and those rare mornings when her skinny jeans fit. Which isn't often, considering the first two entries on her love-it list.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Bookbub / Newsletter

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This is not a Stuck In Books giveaway.  Stuck In Books is not responsible for selecting the winner or delivering the prize.


Palm reading examples:

Look at the amazing crown of luck in this hand !!! It looks like a M in the middle of her palm, touching & empowering her heart line. This is the palm of a Starseed Princess, someone who is determined to leave her mark on this world and has all the mojo from her birth Starseed planet, which is Alpha Centauri to get it done.

Her birthright lines shown between her heart and head line show she is a Starseed with much to do in this dimension.
This hand carries the keys and codes of the Divine Feminie at a high level. When she falls in love, which she doesn’t do easily. But when she falls in love it is with a fierceness to protect her divine twin flame counterpart.

The key for her stepping into her power is shown in the head line area, is to remember who she really is, not to buy into the illusionary matrix.

She has a powerful heart line and her ticket into the Universe is through an open activated heart chakra. Which shows some crosses and islands on the heart line. This is where image makers, teachers and even family may have tried to mold her and indoctrinate her with the ideas that the matrix is real. In order for her tap into her rich heritage as a Divine Princess of Alpha Centauri, she needs to learn deepening meditation skills, to get herself beyond the dark web trapping systems where she can activate the keys and codices of her birth star and bring that magic into this planet for the purpose of helping other Starseeds learn more of who they really are, to empower them through her heart centered ability to share knowledge and wisdom codes.

This hand shows a good balance of Heart line across the top of her hand. It starts in the Mars + area under her pinky finger which is ruled by Mercury. The heart line runs all the way over to the Jupiter finger. The line is curved softly which shows a loving kind hearted nature. This represents a heart that can give and receive love.

Her pinky shows there may be several men who fall in love with her. A neptunes fork is under her Apollo finger shooting off of her heart line. This very lucky sign shows opportunity for wealth, spirituality and deep love.

The long and deep heart line shows her love runs deep, even though she may look cool as a cucumber on the surface.

When she activates and steps up into her power, fully grounded in higher 5th dimensional awareness, she will be a force to be reckoned with.

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Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Flight by Laura Griffin ~ Review

 


When former forensic photographer Miranda Rhoads moves to the seaside town of Lost Beach, she's decided to make her living as a wildlife photographer and put crime scenes behind her. But her plans are quickly upended when one morning, she comes across a couple sleeping in a canoe, entwined in an embrace. Looking closer, she realizes the man and woman aren't asleep – they've been murdered.

Detective Joel Breda sets out to find answers – not only about the unidentified victims in the marshy death scene, but also about the aloof and beautiful photographer who seems to know more about his investigation than he does.

As they begin to unravel the motivation of a merciless serial killer, Miranda and Joel must race against the clock to make an arrest before the killer can find them first.


Available from Berkley



I've been in the mood for Romantic Suspense when this book became available.  I picked it up on a whim and had it half read before I realized it.

Having never read this author before, I'm sure I'll read more.  I want to go back and read the first book in this companion series.  The characters are fascinating and they are the reason I kept reading.

We start the book with Miranda Rhoads photographing birds at dawn.  I loved the detail of the morning and was drawn right into the story.  Of course, birds were not the only thing she finds.  She comes across a murder scene.  As a forensic photographer trying to make a change to wildlife photographer, she does what needs to be done before the rain comes down to ruin the evidence.  And detective Joel Breda is grateful for that.  He's supposed to be taking time off but can't let this one go.  He is a masterful detective who notices everything including the beautiful photographer.  I enjoyed watching him work.

The story is compelling and it's difficult to put the book down and more and more clues takes these two through cold cases.  But neither can stop the hunt for the killer.  It's too bad the killer has realized what they are doing.  And it's a race.

I enjoyed it very much and will definitely read more from this series and this author.


Monday, April 26, 2021

Brutal Winter by Quirah Casey ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Brutal Winter
Quirah Casey
Publication date: April 20th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Reverse Harem, Romance

I’ve always hated winter. This year when it comes, I’ll belong to them.

When you sign your soul over to the devil, there are no take backs.

I knew the terms of the contract when I signed it.

For one year, my life isn’t mine.

For one year I am to obey, to be seen not heard.

For one year I’m theirs, mind, body, and soul.

The bodyguard. The fixer. The maniac. The boss.
Four men on a path to ruin me.

I may be theirs for a year, but the damage they plan on doing to me will last a lifetime. That’s if I even survive, because between the family and their enemies, the odds of me even making it past the end of winter are low.

This is the first book in a dark reverse harem contemporary romance series that will contain explicit language and graphic scenes. This series will contain triggering material such as dub con and non con. It is not for the faint of heart.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

He leans over until his face is right in front of mine. His warm breath moves over my face. His voice is low and coiled with tension. “Did that make you feel better?”

I can only stare at him, my jaw tight, because no that didn’t make me feel better, not even close. There’s still this right tension inside of me demanding to be satisfied.

My eyes drift down to Vito’s lips, to the way they’re pulled down and oh so close to my face. And again, I act without thinking, pressing my lips to his.

Neither of us move for a second, our lips touching but nothing more until I move a fraction closer. Vito’s hand wraps in my hair and he pulls, pressing my lips harder against his and I let out a startled gasp. He takes the moment to dip his tongue between my lips, drinking in the moan that leaves my mouth.

I reach out, gripping his neck roughly. I dig my fingernails into his skin as heat moves through my body. His lips move away from mine as he jerks my head back, his mouth dancing over the skin of my neck. Goosebumps break across my flesh.

My legs spread as he steps closer before he’s lowering me back, my back slamming against the mattress. His hard body comes over mine and I wrap my legs against his waist, my head falling back to give him more access to my neck.

I know that it’s wrong, that I shouldn’t be allowing this to happen, to participate.

But with the hollow feeling in my soul, all I want is to feel.

And the way that Vito touches me, kisses me, it crushes the simple word and morphs into something stronger.

Author Bio:

Quirah is still a new author, but not new to writing. She has been writing since the first grade, and has been winning awards since kindergarten, when she told her teacher about her trip to Chicago. Her teacher wrote down the story for her and she won the young authors contest at 5 years old! Quirah plans on working hard in the next couple of years to publish as many books as possible from her chöąts world.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram


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Sunday, April 25, 2021

Stacking Our Shelves ~ 4/25/21


Stacking the Shelves is hosted by Tynga's Reviews.  Make sure to checkout her post with links to all the other participates.

Click covers for Goodreads links



For Review...



Thanks goes to...

Berkley

Bought...








That's what we added to our shelves this week! What do you think? What did you add to your stacks? Leave us a comment and link us up!


Saturday, April 24, 2021

Mini Reviews: Broke Down, The Spanish Love Deception, and Drag Me Up


I've read a few books lately that I want to talk about, but I don't think I'm quite in the mood to write an entire long-form review. So...here we are with mini reviews! :)

Broke Down by Sharan Daire

Source: KindleUnlimited.

My car broke down on an icy road in the middle of nowhere. I’ve got no money in the bank, no place to stay, and no food for my kids. Can it get any worse?

Sure. A police car pulls up.

The county sheriff calls his twin brother to tow my car for repairs that'll probably cost more than the beater is worth. They say don’t worry about it. They only want to help.

Sure they do.

These gorgeous guys just happen to have two friends who own a luxurious motel called Little Cypress Lodge. I walk into this incredible hotel and it's like I've entered a new fantasy world. It's warm, there's plenty of food for my kids, and they say I can stay. For free. As long as I need a place.

The four of them even want to hire me to do some modeling work for their new fashion line. Crazy, right?

Me. The broke down, homeless single mom.

If I can keep up the act long enough to make some deposits on a new place, I can start a new life for me and my kids. If I don't lose my heart first.

Goodreads | Amazon

**Available through KindleUnlimited!**

I picked this one up as a brain candy read right before the new Mariana Zapata book released. I started it and it was so fun. Then the MZ book released, so I put this one aside for a few days before picking it back up. It was just as easy to get into the second time as it was the first. It doesn't have loads of depth, and it falls on rather simple tropes that tend to be present in books like this, but it really did hit the spot. If you're looking for a quick read that will make you smile and, yeah, probably roll your eyes too...but that's part of its charm, then I say definitely give this one a try!

3 stars - A fun, brain candy RH!


The Spanish Love Deception by Elena Armas

Source: KindleUnlimited.

A wedding. A trip to Spain. The most infuriating man. And three days of pretending. Or in other words, a plan that will never work.

Catalina Martín, finally, not single. Her family is happy to announce that she will bring her American boyfriend to her sister’s wedding. Everyone is invited to come and witness the most magical event of the year.

That would certainly be tomorrow’s headline in the local newspaper of the small Spanish town I came from. Or the epitaph on my tombstone, seeing the turn my life had taken in the span of a phone call.

Four weeks wasn’t a lot of time to find someone willing to cross the Atlantic–from NYC and all the way to Spain–for a wedding. Let alone, someone eager to play along my charade. But that didn’t mean I was desperate enough to bring the 6’4 blue eyed pain in my ass standing before me.

Aaron Blackford. The man whose main occupation was making my blood boil had just offered himself to be my date. Right after inserting his nose in my business, calling me delusional, and calling himself my best option. See? Outrageous. Aggravating. Blood boiling. And much to my total despair, also right. Which left me with a surly and extra large dilemma in my hands. Was it worth the suffering to bring my colleague and bane of my existence as my fake boyfriend to my sister’s wedding? Or was I better off coming clean and facing the consequences of my panic induced lie?

Like my abuela would say, que dios nos pille confesados.

The Spanish Love Deception is an enemies-to-lovers, fake-dating romantic comedy. Perfect for those looking for a steamy slow-burn romance with the sweetest Happily Ever After.


**Available through KindleUnlimited!**


Before I say anything else, I must tell y'all that THIS BOOK WAS SO GOOD. It was such an absolute delight. So many of my favorite romance tropes thrown into one beautiful book: grumpy hero, fake relationship, office romance, SLOW BURN! I'd been looking forward to reading this one, and I'm so glad it delivered. I give it 4.5 stars (rounding up to 5) only because of a couple of tiny things that don't entirely matter but did take it from being a definite favorite to only a *contender* for favorite. Even so, I absolutely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys the tropes I listed, and also to fans of Mariana Zapata.


4.5 stars - A delightful slow burn romance!


Drag Me Up (Gods of Hunger #1) by R.M. Virtues

Source: Purchased.

They say he’s a myth...

And Hades prefers it that way. He may do all the work, and Zeus may get all the credit, but at least it allows Hades to preserve the one thing he truly cares to have: his solitude. The mere mention of the Wraith of Khaos Falls is enough to keep order, and he is rarely forced to leave the shadows of Casino Asphodel.

She belongs in the spotlight...

And Persephone clawed her way out of Demeter’s shadow to reach it. Now she’s lead in Calliope’s Cirque production but not without great cost, and there is not enough money in the world to pay off the debt accrued for the simple mistake of trusting Zeus. Though it’s easier to ignore the bars when she still has room to fly.

Landing a residency at the legendary Casino Asphodel is everything she trained for. Meeting a man she’d been convinced didn’t exist? She could never be prepared for that. Hades isn’t prepared for her either, but it’s soon evident they’re a force when together. He gives her a soft place to land, and she makes him want to reach for the stars. But when Zeus ups the stakes, they must be willing to go all in, even if it means coming down from the sky. Or stepping into the light.


I've been seeing this book all over Twitter lately, and I was intrigued enough to download the sample. Then, of course, the sample intrigued me enough that I bought the ebook. And I must say that I'm glad I did, because I really enjoyed it. Mostly because the romance was so well done. Hades and Persephone (yes, THE Hades and Persephone!) connect right away, and I love that neither of them play games with each other as they ease their way into a relationship. It was sweet and lovely. Drag Me Up also uses Greek mythology in a unique way. I liked it, but I wish I'd been more drawn to the inner workings of it all. Maybe as the series goes and I get to know the characters better, I'll grow more interested in that aspect. Overall, I really liked Drag Me Up and I'm excited to read more of the series as it releases! I definitely recommend y'all give this book a try!!

3 stars - A well done Hades & Persephone romance!


Friday, April 23, 2021

Absolution by Marla Holt ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Absolution
Marla Holt
(Lightning Crashes #2)
Publication date: April 20th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

Lightning crashes.

The tower falls.

Rachel Ferrer thinks she’s already hit rock bottom, but then the ground crumbles beneath her feet. Alone, she is finally forced to face the darkness she’s been avoiding. Rachel doesn’t dare hope the spark of light in the distance might include Nicolas, even when she can’t forget the feel of his lips on hers.

Nicolas Rivera has always been the stable one. He is who others come to when their worlds shatter, but suddenly his life is the one in ruins. He doesn’t hope to connect with Rachel in the aftermath, but he discovers her in the last place he expected to. Uninhibited at last, the electricity between them finally ignites.

Is their flame enough for Rachel and Nicolas sift through the rubble, rebuild, and finally emerge, together, into the light?

Absolution is Volume 2 of the Lightning Crashes Duet and should be read after Temptation. Melt into this forbidden, slow-burn duet with a guaranteed happily ever after today.

Goodreads / Amazon

EXCERPT:

Rachel lifted the quilt covering Nicolas and slipped beneath it. He made as much room for her as he could, but his legs were already hanging over the far arm, his back pressed against the cushions.

Rachel didn’t need much room as she snuggled into his side, tucking the quilt back around them. “It’s freezing in here,” she said, her voice husky and low, her breath feathering against his neck.

“You need to check your insulation,” he said. “And probably get new windows.”

“I’ll get right on that,” she said in a voice that implied the opposite.

She shivered, and Nicolas allowed himself the indulgence of pulling her closer against him. In the name of keeping her warm. “What are you doing up?”

Rachel’s hand found his waist under the blanket, her fingers icy against his bare skin, but he didn’t dare flinch, lest he scared her off. “I wanted to see if you showed up. I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”

“It’s good you got some rest.”

“More like I sobbed myself to sleep in Naomi’s bed, but yeah, sleep was good. How are you?”

He sighed, at a loss for words to describe how he was feeling. His face ached, his body felt drawn, like he’d worked out too hard without enough food afterward. Nicolas couldn’t remember the last time he’d eaten. He wasn’t even sure he had a digestive tract anymore. Who had room for food when they were filled with heartbreak and betrayal? Was it possible to be yawning open with emptiness and full of dread and darkness all at the same time? It felt like the same thing, and yet entirely different.

Rachel’s hand was playing over his torso in a way that she probably didn’t even realize she was doing, but in a way that was distracting, allowing temptation to edge in on the periphery.

Author Bio:

Marla Holt believes in second chances, romance, and the radical notion that everyone deserves a happily every after. She's living her own fairy tale, writing contemporary romance novels in her Kansas farmhouse with her husband, three boys, three cats, and flock of imaginary sheep. Follow her at marlaholt.com or on Instagram as @marlaholtauthor

Website / Goodreads / Instagram / Newsletter


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Thursday, April 22, 2021

Code by Mary Ting ~ Excerpt & Giveaway

Code
Mary Ting
(Isan, #4)
Published by: Vesuvian Books
Publication date: April 20th 2021
Genres: Dystopian, Science Fiction, Young Adult

Behind enemy lines, new soldiers will emerge, and unexpected heroes will rise.

Ava is a prisoner. And she is not the only rebel held hostage at ISAN’s secret compound. As she plans an escape, the lives of the rebel prisoners are in her hands, along with those she thought were dead.

Rhett and his team desperately search for Ava while one of the Remnant Council joins forces with another network looking for the creator of the Helix serum. And time is running out. Mr. Novak has been secretly creating an army called CODE, and what he plans for Ava will mean a permanent end to the rebels–and her.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo

EXCERPT:

I should have landed on him, but instead I dropped to the floor on my hands and knees like a wounded deer. An electrical sensation zapped through my middle and wrapped around me like invisible arms, holding me in place. Hundreds of needles pricked me all at once.

Excruciating pain seared from head to toe. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t even blink. I had been wounded many times on missions, but nothing I’d felt in ISAN compared to what had just hit me.

Immobile, a foot from my monster of a brother, I’d never felt so vulnerable. My muscles simply shut down. A whimper escaped me, but it could have been only in my head. Worse, a tear slid down my cheek. I felt humiliated beyond measure.

“Aw, sis. Are you crying? Does it hurt?” Gene took his hand out of his pocket and showed me a metal trinket, a circle about the size of his thumb.

“I thought it was best to have it handy in case you lost control.” He came dangerously closer and lowered, his warm breath brushing the shell of my ear. “Now you know, sis. I can contain you. You might want to show me some respect if you don’t want to be on the ground, helpless and weak. I might accidentally hurt you. We don’t want that do we?”

Oh, the pain. Every tiny movement—every blink—hurt so much.

He ran a knuckle down my cheek to wipe away another teardrop, and then grazed his index finger slowly across my neck, savoring my weakness.

“Next time it won’t be so soft,” he said. “You should get some rest. You look like hell.”

I screamed in my head. Peering up under my eyelashes, I watched him walk toward the sliding door. I wanted to rip out his throat, stomp on his heart, but I couldn’t move. Even a fraction of movement felt like a knife slitting deeper into my spine.

I couldn’t win. At least not this time. But I would find a way. There had to be a way.

Gene’s back to me, he held up that metal circle trinket and clicked. Just as the door blended into the wall, he released me. I thumped my head on the tile floor and wept for Brooke and the rebels who had died because of my stupid mistake.

Groaning, I crawled like a worm, my knees and elbows digging across to get to the rug, each movement agony. I refused to lie on the cold ground like I was nothing.

I’d never felt so small. No—I had, when my foster father beat me. Where was he now? Locked up. That would be Gene’s fate, too.

Just you wait, big brother. Just you wait. Karma is a bitch.

Author Bio:

International Bestselling, Award-Winning Author Mary Ting writes soulful, spellbinding stories that excite the imagination and captivate readers all over the world. Her books run a wide range of genres: science fiction, fantasy, and swoon worthy stories. Her storytelling talents have won her a devoted legion of fans and garnered critical praise.

Mary was born in Seoul Korea and resides in Southern California with her husband, two children, and two dogs—Mochi and Mocha. She enjoys oil painting and making jewelry. Becoming an author was a way to grieve the death of her beloved grandmother. After realizing she wanted to become a full-time author, she retired from teaching after twenty years.

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