Blog Tour - Thoughtful by S.C. Stephens - Review by Kimmy

Hello all,

Welcome to todays stop in the blog tour.

Thoughtful

by S. C. STEPHENS

Published 24th February 2015

Available as a paperback and eBook 

*** Disclaimer ***
I received a free copy through (add info here) in exchange for an honest review.

Rating:

‘From page one, this book is impossible to put down’

ABBI GLINES, New York Times bestselling author on THOUGHTLESS 

‘Wildly addictive, beautifully written, and uniquely captivating’

TRACEY GARVIS-GRAVES, New York Times bestselling author on THOUGHTLESS

Synopsis:

It's time for Kellan Kyle, the rockstar who captured our hearts in Thoughtless, to tell his side of the story. 

The only place Kellan has ever felt at home is on stage. Gripping his guitar in a darkened bar, he can forget his painful past. These days his life revolves around his music and his band mates, and that's the way he likes it. And then one woman changes everything . . . 

Kiera is the kind of girl Kellan has no business wanting - she's smart, sweet, and dating his best friend. Certain he could never be worthy of her love, he hides his growing attraction . . . until Kiera's own tormented heart hints that his feelings might not be one-sided. Now, no matter the consequences, Kellan is sure of one thing: he won't let Kiera go without a fight. 

‘What happens when you find your soul mate at the worst possible time, in the least expected place? What if being with that person means doing the most wrong thing you've ever done? [It] leaves you thinking about these questions, the characters and their choices for days if not weeks after reading.’ 

TAMMARA WEBBER, New York Times bestselling author on THOUGHTLESS 

About the Author:

S.C. Stephens is a New York Times #1 bestselling author who spends her every free moment creating stories that are packed with emotion and heavy on romance. In addition to writing, she enjoys spending lazy afternoons in the sun reading, listening to music, watching movies, and spending time with her friends and family. She lives in Washington State with her two children. Follow her on Twitter @SC_Stephens_

Review

I was approached by the lovely Clara from Little, Brown Book Group to see if I was interested in reading and reviewing this book.  This series is new to me, I haven't read any of the other books, however reading the synopsis etc it appeared that this book could be read as a standalone.  My intrigue was instantly piqued.  To read a book from a males point of view seemed exciting so I couldn't turn down the opportunity.

This book was awesome.  The author instantly had us falling for Kellan Kyle.  Each page was filled with so much emotion, passion and frustration.  It often killed me as much as it did for Kellan throughout the story.  I had no problem connecting with any of the characters.  The stories progression flowed well and with each page I wanted more.  I even found myself wanting to hear the music that the D-Bags were playing, I'm a huge rock music fan and the music from this book sounds like its right up my street.  I need a D-Bags album now!

As much as this book worked as a standalone, I do feel that I will have to read the rest.  I think it would work best as a companion to the other books, as I found myself at times wanting to know what was going on in Keira's head also.

Old fans will love being able to get deeper into Kellan's head and without a doubt he will have many more new fans, I am most certainly one of the new fans.

I highly recommend you get this book, whether you are familiar with this series or new to it, you will not be disappointed!

Useful Links

 Goodreads | Author | Amazon UK | Amazon US

Continue on the blog tour

Thunderlight by Adrienne Woods Blog Tour & Review by Kimmy

Book Details

Title: Thunderlight, Book Two

Author: Adrienne Woods

Series: The Dragonian Series

Publisher: Fire Quill Publishing

Release Date: 20 November 2014

ISBN: 9780992244613

Synopsis 

Vibrant, scale swathed wings… Abilities that can be harnessed by a chosen few… Dragons…

All this may seem like old news, but for seventeen year-old Elena Watkins the world of Paegeia is not finished revealing all its secrets. During a summer break intended for relaxation, she discovers that her harrowing adventure to retrieve the King of Lion sword wasn’t the destiny foretold by the cryptic Viden, a dragon with the ability to see a person’s true fate. The words inked onto the page of the mysterious Book of Shadows remains black and Elena must return to Dragonia Academy to discover their true meaning.
Upon her return to the magnificent castle she has to face a challenge of a different kind, keeping her boyfriend Lucian McKenzie, the Prince of Tith and love of her life, away from the dangerous new student, Paul Sutton. As a Wyvern, Paul has made it his mission to claim Elena as his rider but he is proving to be more perilous than at first glance.

Everyone knew that Wyverns were bad news, and just as evil as the darkness that lurked inside Blake Leaf, the Rubicon forced to fight against his inner nature every day. But Elena can see a small light lurking in the darkness, a destiny still unfulfilled; to prove that Wyverns can be claimed.

Will Lucian’s dark secret about Wyverns and Elena’s need to prove their true nature cause their love to be torn apart? And which of Elena’s friends will be sacrificed this time if she is wrong?

Excerpt two

As we continued to look for the jerseys and get ready Isabel came up to give us a five minute warning. Blake had vanished around five, simply saying that he would meet us there. Sir Robert had given him his ticket before he disappeared so he would be able to find us. 

Ever since that night at camp when he got wasted and he put me under some sort of hypnotizing spell which almost made us kiss, which was seriously ridiculous as he despised me, he’d been acting like his old self; arrogant and a total dick. Something about Blake being wasted and for some reason always wanting me, was really freaking me out…but it also made me wonder about a lot of things he was hiding and maybe that those things only came out when he was truly drunk. 

I shook my head and the thoughts of Blake washed away as I grabbed my bag and followed Sammy to Sir Robert’s old Sedan. 

The drive wasn’t that long and I gasped when Sir Robert pulled into the parking area in front of a giant mountain. There were at least a million cars already parked in neat rows and the noise coming from inside the mountain told me that it must be the location where the Warbel games took place. 

Crowds of people wearing different colored jerseys, caps and scarves huddled around. Some even carried flags and I saw a yellow flag with a huge hornet on top of what looked like a raider. 

Raiders were flying objects that made me think of an enhanced skateboard. 

Everywhere in Paegeia’s parks, and ports, people flew on them. You needed a special license for one and I tried so hard to suppress my laughter when Becky told me that her next try would be her fiftieth or so to get hers. Becky wasn’t one of the safest drivers out there. I still wondered every time I was her passenger if the inspector that gave hers hadn’t been smoking weed or something. 

We climbed out of the car and a feeling of excitement rose inside my chest as I followed the Leafs into the opening at the bottom of the mountain. It was dark as the only light came from tiny globes mounted in the wall. It took a while for my eyes to adjust to the soft glow of the lights as we piled into another tunnel. 

People pushed and shoved us as we tried to make our way to our seats. The pace we moved was reasonable for such a big crowd, but it was still too dark and too cramped up for my liking. We finally stopped when the people in front of us didn’t move. I hated every second we had to wait for whatever held up the crowd to pass. I was feeling jumpy and took huge breaths as the heaviness on my chest came back, mixed with a shot of adrenaline. 

“Are you okay?” Sammy asked softly and I realized that I was squeezing her hand really tightly in my own. 

“Sorry, just crowded. What’s happening at the front?” 

“It’s normal, we are close to the check-in point.” 

I flinched as a huge horn blew right behind me. It echoed off the wall and sounded like an archangel announcing doomsday. 

The crowd barely moved now, and I felt like punching the guy when he blew on it a second and third time. The other people thought it was funny, and I wished that I felt the same spirit inside of me, but this dark passageway seriously was starting to creep me out. 

After a few minutes, I could finally see the outline of what looked like five cubicles and people moving into rows. We took the one closest to us and waited until it was time to present our tickets. Ours had blue dots on them and I still had no idea what I was going to find myself at tonight. 

It took a couple of seconds for my eyes to adjust as we entered toward a lighter room. Six black elevators, three on a side opposite one another, made my heart jump a bit faster. 

In Paegeia, an elevator wasn’t just an elevator. It was how the people of Paegeia traveled around the world, if you were a dragon, and inside Paegeia, if you were human. I hadn’t experienced it myself and had only seen them once inside their funny looking tubes when we went to fetch George at the Wall when he’d come back from the other side. 

“Are these the same elevators they have at the Wall?” I spoke softly. 

She laughed at the small shake in my voice. “No, Elena. They are normal elevators.” 

People surged forward again as they maximized the elevator’s weight limit and I saw Sir Robert pushing the blue button. He wore a black t-shirt with a pair of jeans and a baseball cap. Wrapped around his neck was a green and black stripped scarf. 

Sir Robert Leaf was Sammy and Blake’s father and, The Greatest King That Ever Lived, King Albert’s dragon. He looked nothing like the figure inside the museum of Etan, and he was nothing like I’d imagined. He was kind, always friendly and no matter how much Blake pissed him off, he would give me a soft look and a friendly smile. It was hard to imagine that he was Chromatic, a Night Villain, and one of the vilest dragons that roamed this world. The people of Paegeia didn’t address him as Sir Robert anymore. Some of them even thought that he’d had something to do with betraying the King, but I knew better. He missed his Rider every single day; he missed his Dragonian. 

His wife, Isabel, stood next to him with her arm wrapped in his. She wore a parka with a green and black striped beanie. A huge smile, along with pure excitement, was written all over her face. She was the spitting image of her sister. She had a twin sister who I was very familiar with. The first time I saw her I’d thought for a second that Constance, the doctor at the Infirmary was Sammy and Blake’s mom. 

Sammy had doubled over with laughter when she saw the expression on my face when I first met Isabel. She was a Swallow Annex just like Constance and I was sure if you put them together, you wouldn’t be able to tell them apart just by looking at them. She was also just as kind as her twin and made me feel at home the first moment I stepped inside their house. 

The elevator screamed as we ascended into the peak of the mountain. It felt like forever and a million things that could go wrong filled my head. The door finally opened and we all had to get out so that a couple at the back could exit. 

When the door opened for about the fifth time, we spilled out.

Bonus Excerpt

ANGER, BETRAYAL, AND HATE turned my stomach to acid. It consumed my mind and I watched as bottles, papers and books on the desk flew off and crashed to the floor. 

A maid rushed to my side. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes reflected fear in their watery depths. The dustpan in her hand trembled as she started to sweep up the jagged shards of glass. Rising, she began to straighten the books that had fallen to the floor in a heap. Every few seconds her eyes darted nervously in my direction as if a mere breath would make me lash out at her with my outstretched hand. 

I touched her face gently until my hand reached her neck, tightening slowly as my anger began to rise once again. My grip tightened around her soft, shapely neck as I lifted her up from her position at my feet until her face was level with mine. Listening carefully I heard her heart fluttering like a bird trapped inside a cage. 

“How did I become this way?” I spoke, giving voice to my reality softly. 

She just stared at me with round, brown unblinking eyes. Her eyes were sunken deep into the surface of her face and her cheek bones were sharply defined. 

Looking at her sullen face made me feel worse. I lifted up my other hand and struck the woman hard across her cheek. 

A cry left her mouth and I threw her from me as if she weighed nothing. She skidded across the floor landing in a heap against a wall of cold, unforgiving stone. If I was a dragon I would blast fire, reduce this wretched place to a pile of insignificant ashes. 

Two other maids, hearing the startled cry, rushed into the room. Their eyes were wide as they took in the room and the immobile heap near the far wall. “Sorry, m’lord,” the older one said, her voice slightly trembling. “She’s new, we will train her better.” 

They picked up the maid who had come to and was sobbing. She clutched the side of her face, covering the huge, red handprint where I’d struck her. 

I nodded. The old maid knew her place well, although I still didn’t care for her name, she knew where she stood. 

I plunged myself down onto the chair and closed my eyes. A silent roar growled inside of me lighting a fire of rage deep in my core. 

The girl had made it. 

The Rubicon saved her life, so a part of him was still fighting me. I could still see her eyes searching mine. They bore into my soul, seeking answers. How was this possible! The wall wouldn’t allow any human to go to the other side. 

Albert’s laughter echoed inside the castle; a startling reminder that good would always win. He would pay dearly for this. I would find a way, and I promised myself she wouldn’t live much longer. 

I pushed myself up from the chair and rubbed my face hard. The emotion of my anger escaped my lips making a sickening sound. Rage that emanated from deep within me overpowered the haunting laughter and echoed throughout the entire castle. 

“Master,” Cain’s voice interrupted my thoughts. 

“Speak, my loyal servant,” I said out loud. “What is the news?” 

“Everything is in place. We won’t fail you,” his voice said in my head. 

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and let it out hard. “We’ll see.”

Review

Author Bio

Adrienne Woods was born and raised in South Africa, where she still lives with her husband and two beautiful little girls. She always knew she was going to be a writer, but it only started to really happen about four years ago. In her free time―if she gets any because moms don’t really have free time―she loves to spend it with friends, whether it’s a girls night out, or just watching a movie. She’s a very chilled person. Her writing career started with Firebolt, book one in the Dragonian series. There will be four books in total, including a further two to three books, which will be stories that take place within the Dragonian series. Her other series, Dream Casters, will be released mid 2015. She also writes in different genres, and her woman’s fiction, The Pregnancy Diaries, will be published under a pseudonym. And then, she has a paranormal series by the name of the Aswang series, which will consist of about ten novels. And if that wasn’t enough, there is another series, Guardians of Monsters, which will be released in 2016.

Author’s Links: 

Blog | Facebook Book Series Page | G+

Twitter | Website | Fire Quill Publishing

Giveaway

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Lichgates by S.M. Boyce - Review Tour - By Kimmy

Welcome to my tour stop for Lichgates by S.M. Boyce. This is a review tour that runs December 1-12. Lichgates is a young adult fantasy and is the first in the series. Check out the tour page for the schedule.

About the Book:

Lichgates (Grimoire Saga #1)

The final page will leave you breathless.

When Kara Magari uncovers a secret door in the middle of the forest, she discovers (and trips through) a portal to a hidden world full of terrifying things: Ourea. She just wants to go home, but the natives have other plans for her. She clashes with immortal shapeshifters, is carried off by a dragon, nearly dies on several occasions, and somehow becomes the master of an ancient book of magic called the Grimoire. Every time she thinks she's safe, her new "friends" show their true colors.

Kara needs an ally, or she might not survive Ourea's monsters. She drops her guard when Braeden, a native soldier with a dark secret, vows to keep her safe. And though she doesn't know it, her growing attraction to him may just be her undoing.

For twelve years, Braeden Drakonin has lived a lie. The Grimoire is his one chance at redemption, and it lands in his lap when Kara Magari comes into his life. Though he begins to care for this stranded girl, there's something he wants more. He wants the Grimoire.

Welcome to Ourea, where only the cunning survive.

Boyce’s Store: ePub | Mobi | Signed Paperback

Amazon: US | UK | DE | FR | ES | IT

Other Retailers: Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | Smashwords

Goodreads

Review:

Upon seeing the cover I was instantly intrigued.  And after reading the synopsis, I knew I wanted to read this book.  Luckily I was given an opportunity to participate in this Blog Tour.

The author has created a wonderful fantasy filled story, the first in the series.  This book left me wanting the second in the series immediately...unfortunately, I will have to wait!

I loved both the main lead characters Kara and Braeden.  Both characters are well written.  Their relationship develops in a natural pace and I loved that the author focused on what each character was dealing with personally, their roles in the world of Ourea and didn't focus their relationship purely on romance.

A story filled with action, magic, mystery, much more.  An enjoyable read you won't want to miss out on!

My Rating :

 

About S.M. Boyce:

 

When I graduated with a degree in creative writing, I realized that made me well qualified for serving French fries. It would take years of writing hundreds of thousands of words of all kinds before I became the action and adventure bestselling author that I am today.

I specialize in action-packed stories that weave in fantasy, mystery, and heroines with a knack for mischief. All romantic leads are based loosely on my husband, who proved that soul mates are real. I have a deep love for ghosts, magic, and spooky things. If you’ve already finished my books, check out my blog or twitter feed for a dash of adventure.

Links:

Contact Form | Website | Blog

Social Media:

Twitter | Facebook | Google+ | YouTube |Pinterest | Amazon | Goodreads 

Giveaway:

A beautiful Grimoire Saga Pendant

US only
Ends December 17th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.

Life After: The Basement and The Phoenix by Bryan Way - Review by Kimmy

Hello all,

Today's review from myself.  Its the 2nd and 3rd short stories related to Life After: The Arising by Bryan Way.  My review of the first book can be found by clicking here.

Life After: The Basement
by Bryan Way

Published Date: 15th July 2014

Rating:

**Disclaimer - I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Summary:

How far would you go to understand why the dead began returning to life? What would you be willing to sacrifice?

Eric Matthews, a fanatical conspiracy theorist, and Mia Muxworthy, a fatal realist, have been following suspicious activity surrounding the existence of the undead in Newtown Square. Convinced that the government has some stake in the matter, they enlist the help of an amateur surveillance expert to make sense of the data, but on the cusp of a what might be a major discovery, these amateur spies find themselves in a situation far more insidious than they could have imagined.

Bridging the gap between Life After: The Arising and the forthcoming sequel, Life After: The Basement reveals an exclusive background on a major development in the ongoing series, calling into question the purpose and drive of seeking answers while ignoring the terrifying realities lurking beneath the surface of society.

Life After: The Phoenix
by Bryan Way

Published Date: 29th July 2014

Rating:

**Disclaimer - I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review**

Summary:

Adam Wilent and Shar Antosky have been split up for months, but neither of them can let go; while Shar suffers silently with a flaky new companion, Adam has turned his old flame into a burning obsession. Shar's invitation for Adam to visit her on a late shift brings tensions to a boil, but as the former lovers quarrel, the living dead swarm the area. Between fighting the undead and each other, Adam and Shar only have a few hours to figure out what sacrifices they have to make in order to survive.

Set during the events of Life After: The Arising, and offering a unique insight into one of the novel's major characters, Life After: The Phoenix explores the myriad of emotions stirred when a breakup is complicated by the onset of a disaster and considers the pain and abuse we endure for the sake of love.

*****

Review:

After previously reading and reviewing Life After: The Arising back in January and Life After: The Cemetery Plot in July, Bryan again offered the opportunity to review the next two instalments of short stories in the series.  I am a huge zombie fan and loved the first book, so I had to read more to try and piece more of the puzzle together as to how it all began or came to be in the first book.

Bryan is always capable of delivering excellent well written pieces.  His ability to pull you into the world of the characters is always amazing.  Reading each of these stories almost gives you a feeling of realism.  For each story and the characters in it, you find yourself thinking, someone, somewhere could be in that exact situation and that is how it could possibly happen if we were ever to have a zombie apocalypse.  Bryan has a great attention to detail when writing and ensures that each of these stories compliment the main book.

Whether your already a zombie fan or considering venturing into the world of zombie fiction, this is a great short story, one that must be read after reading Life After: The Arising.  You really don't want to spoil the surprises in the main book!

So what are you waiting for, go get the first book and short stories now.  Trust me, you won't be disappointed.  Grab your copy now using the links below!

Congratulations to Bryan Way, may you have many future successes!

Useful Links

The Basement - Goodreads

The Basement - Amazon UK
The Basement - Amazon US

The Phoenix - Goodreads Page

The Phoenix - Amazon UK
The Phoenix - Amazon US
Authors Website