Laura Kaye’s WEST OF WANT Preview & Prizes Event!

Last month I read and loved the first book in Laura Kayes's Hearts of Anemoi series North of Need (you can read my review here) so I can't wait for the second book West of Want to be published. Unfortunately we still have 3 months to wait but in the meantime I'm excited to be part of the preview event Laura has organised. Read on for an extract from West of Want and to find out how you can enter Laura's fab giveaway for the chance to win an Amazon gift card valued up to $100!

So without further ado let me hand over to Laura . . .

Happy WEST OF WANT Preview & Prizes Event, everyone! Today, April 10, was the original release date for Book 2 in my Hearts of the Anemoi series, West of Want. And then some really cool things happened: my publisher, Entangled Publishing, signed a huge deal with the nation’s biggest book distributor, which means for the first time ever, my books will be shelved in brick-and-mortar bookstores. And then, West of Want received a very nice pre-sales estimate by the booksellers and Barnes and Nobles bought it for all their stores nationwide (and it got bought for airports, too—squee!). The only bad news in this whole scenario was this: the release date got pushed back, by three LONG months! LOL So, I thought I’d celebrate the original release date with a preview of the book and a big contest, and give you a small taste to whet your appetite until the actual release date arrives.

"Laura Kaye’s captivating writing and vibrant world-building will have readers hooked on the gods of the Anemoi. WEST OF WANT is steamy, spellbinding, and a must-read for all romance fantasy fans."

~Elisabeth Naughton, author of the Eternal Guardians series

Forty sites are celebrating with me today, and there are different posts at those different sites. To see the whole list of participants, click here. Now, without further ado, here’s the book blurb and one of four different never-before-seen excerpts from the book available for you to enjoy:

WEST OF WANT BLURB:
Betrayal is all he's ever known, but in her, he'll find a love strong enough to be trusted...

When Marcella Raines' twin brother dies, she honors his request to be buried at sea, never expecting the violent storm that swamps her boat. Though she's gravely injured--and still emotionally damaged from her recent divorce--Ella fights to survive.

Zephyros Martius is the Supreme God of the West Wind and Spring, but being the strongest Anemoi hasn't protected him from betrayal and loss. Worse, he's sure his brother Eurus is behind it. When Zeph's heartbreak whips up a storm that shipwrecks a human, his guilt forces him to save her.

Ella is drawn to the vulnerability Zeph hides beneath his otherworldly masculinity and ancient blue eyes. And her honesty, empathy, and unique, calming influence leave Zeph wanting...everything. When Eurus threatens Ella, she and Zeph struggle to let go of the past, defend their future, and embrace what they most want--a love that can be trusted.

WEST OF WANT EXCERPT:

Restrained power made Zephyros’s hands tremble. At first, he’d wanted to help Ella because he owed it to her. Now, want bloomed into need. When he’d held her soft curves, the strength of her life force soaked into him. Seldom did he have any cause to interact with humans, let alone touch them, but the soft yellow aura that surrounded her body told him this woman was good, pure, true. A rare character, in his experience.

And then she’d said his name. Whispered it, really, but that didn’t keep him from fully enjoying the way her lips wrapped around the sound.

Silently, he summoned the ancient, elemental power, the one that flowed through him, that made him what he was. His palms warmed. Soft white light spilled from between his clasped hands.

Ella’s eyes cut to his glowing hands, went wide. “What? Don’t hurt…” She swallowed thickly. A tear leaked down her temple into her hair.

He met Ella’s barely focused gaze. “Fear not, I promise to hurt you no more.”

Her only answer was a shiver that racked her whole body.

Normally, a healing of this magnitude required sacrifice. It was how the gods worked. Quid pro quo, and all that. But, in this case, Ella’s case, that was hardly appropriate. After all, she wouldn’t need to be healed if he’d kept better control of himself.

Words in his native tongue spilled into the quiet of the room. He parted his hands, held them over her prone form, and let the healing energy cover her. The pale, white glow infused her aura, which absorbed the curative force, distributed small doses of it throughout her body.

Ella sucked in a breath.

“Be well, now,” Zeph whispered.

Pre-order West of Want on Amazon | B&N

So, what d’ya think? Want more Zephyros and Ella? Visit more participating sites to read all the excerpts, meet the characters, see the the West of Want romance trading cards, and enter to win! Thanks for reading! July 10 can’t get here soon enough for me! *grins*

~Laura Kaye

“Using ancient winter mythology as an allegory for grief, Kaye has written a sexy story that packs a powerful emotional punch. NORTH OF NEED is pure winter magic and Kaye’s sparkling talent warms the heart.”

~Stephanie Draven, author of the Mythica series about

multi-award-winning Book 1 in the Anemoi series, North of Need

WEST OF WANT PREVIEW CONTEST!

Event Wide Contest (entries taken from across all participating blogs):

Seven participants who enter through the Rafflecopter form will win gift cards from winners’ choice of Amazon or B&N valued between $15 and $100! Those prize winners will be announced on West of Want’s release day, July 10, 2012. As a special thank you to those who have pre-ordered the print West of Want through Amazon or B&N, you'll receive extra entries - just enter your order confirmation number on the appropriate Rafflecopter line. Pre-orders are hugely important for an author because they determine how many books bookstores will actually stock and they count toward an author’s first-week sales which is when most authors have their best chance to hit the big bestseller lists. However, pre-orders/purchases are not required to enter. Commenting is the only required entry. Open to international.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Site-Specific Contest (With 1 winnner from each participating blog):

One commenter from each participating blog site will win a West of Want bookmark and the romance trading cards for North of Need and West of Want. Simply comment to enter to win and be sure to leave your email address. These prizes will be announced soon after May 10. Open to international.

About Laura Kaye:
Voted Breakout Author of the Year in the 2011 GraveTells Readers’ Choice Awards, Laura is a bestselling and award-winning author paranormal and contemporary romance. Hearts in Darkness is the EPIC eBook Award Winner for Best Novella, Forever Freed won the NJRW Golden Leaf Award for Best Paranormal of 2011, and North of Need, the first book in the Hearts of the Anemoi series, was named GraveTells’ Best Book of 2011 and won their 5-STAR Gold Heart Award, and won Sizzling Hot Read of the Year at Sizzling Hot Books. Laura lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

Buy Laura's Books

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News Roundup: Publisher Contests, New Book News, Chip Lit Fest & a Book Trailer

It's time for another round up of some of the bookish news I've come across recently. First up HarperCollins have created a game on Facebook to celebrate the launch of The Rising by Will Hill. Test your powers of observation by watching the video below and then heading to the Department 19 Facebook page to answer questions about it and you could win a spy training day for you and your friends!

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Philip Pullman

Did you see the article on The Guardian website confirming that Philip Pullman's next book is going to be an anthology containing his versions of 50 of his favourite Grimm's Fairy Tales? I'm looking forward to seeing his take on the classics like Cinderella, Snow White and Rapunzel - I love a good fairytale retelling - but I'm even more curious to discover new to me stories like Hans-My-Hedgehog and Godfather Death.  The book will be published in September by Penguin Classics and has been timed to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the first publication of the original Grimm's Fairy Tales.

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Have you heard about the Chipping Norton Literary Festival being held from the 20th to the 22nd of April?  It sounds like a great opportunity to meet some fabulous authors! Unfortunately I won't be there but I'd love to hear all about it from anyone that does go. Here is the press release with all the details or you can find out more at the Chip Lit Fest website:

20th – 22nd April 2012

Fifty events throughout Chipping Norton

Hear your favourite author and learn how to become one too.

For aspiring writers, Chipping Norton Literary Festival sets the tone. There are lots of events on getting started, finding your ‘voice’, keeping focused, finding your genre, as well as one-on-one meetings with established authors and other writers.

Come April, Chipping Norton will be in the news again as organisers launch the town’s first literary festival. The event will take place at venues convenient to the centre of Chipping Norton and will include speakers such as Mark Billingham, Joanna Trollope, Colin Dexter, Katie Fforde, and Sir Andrew Motion. In total about fifty literary luminaries will be participating.

For aspiring or developing writers there are a host of useful workshops and panel discussions on topics such as…

• How to break into freelance writing
• Life writing
• Writing historical fiction
• Author, agent & publishers
• Bringing your characters to life
• A rough guide to travel writing
• Writing humour
• Writing short stories
• Crime Writing Workshop
• How to Get Published – panel discussion
• Book Groups and the Novel chaired by Sue MacGregor

Events will be held at The Theatre, Jaffé & Neale Bookshop and Café, and the historic Town Hall. Chipping Norton is easily accessible via car or trains to Kingham, Charlbury, and Oxford.

The idea originated via WOW, the West Oxfordshire Writers group. Local to Chipping Norton, they meet twice a month to discuss creative writing, how to get published, and how to go about writing within various genres. Thus the Festival has a host of events which will be of interest to aspiring writers.

And in addition to being known for its array of celebrity residents and now putting itself on the map with the ChipLitFest, as it is known, Chipping Norton itself is a fine example of Georgian market town architecture and a splendid setting for taking in talks as well as the town.

Other Topics and Events include:

Fiction
Emily Barr, Elizabeth Buchan, Julie Cohen, Josceline Dimbleby, Katie Fforde, Louise Harwood, Veronica Henry, Angela Huth, Prue Leith, Jill Mansel, Sir Andrew Motion, Joanna Trollope, Fiona Walker.

Crime/Mystery
Mark Billingham, Helen Black, S.J. Bolton, Colin Dexter, Sophie Hannah, Dan Waddell

History and Biography
Carole Angier, Sally Cline, Mick Conefrey, Robert Hardman, Mark Johnson, Penny Junor, Ian Mathie, Fiona Mountain, John Julius Norwich.

Gardening
Cotswold Gardening – panel discussion with Roddy Llewellyn,
Robin Lane Fox, Andrew Lawson

Humour
Guy Browning, Jasper Fforde, Graeme Garden, John O’Farrell,
Sandra Smith.

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Jonathan Stroud

Random House Children's Books have announced that they have signed a deal to publish a new supernatural thriller by Jonathan Stroud in 2013.  The book is going to be called Lockwood & Co and will star three young operatives who work for a Psychic Detection Agency fighting an epidemic of ghosts in London.  Sounds fab doesn't it, it's just a shame we have to wait so long to get our hands on it!  Check out Jonathan Stroud's blog for more information.

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If you're a fan of I Am Number Four by Pittacus Law then you'll definitely want to head over to the Facebook fan page on Monday (the 2nd of April). To celebrate the paperback release of The Power of Six on the 12th of April Penguin Books have created a game where using your knowledge of the series could win you some fantastic prizes. The Power of Six Quest won't be up on Facebook until Monday but here is a bit more information about how it works and the prizes that will be available. Good luck to everyone who enters!

We have created a Facebook game called The Power of Six Quest - a game show that draws on your knowledge of the books to help the Loriens fight against the Mogadorians and track down one of the characters in the book, Seven.

Points are collected by speed of which contestants answer questions (there's a countdown clock for added urgency and pressure!), accuracy of answers and how many friends a player recommends to play the game. Prizes are awarded to players who collect the most points.

The amazing prizes Prizes include: 

• a holiday to Spain for Seven nights!
• an ipad
• a kindle
• special release hardbacks of The Power of Six
• advance special release hardbacks of Rise of Nine (published in August)
• DVDs of the film I am Number Four

Game play will be open to all from 2nd April 2012 at our Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/IAmNumberFourBook

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OK well I think that's everything for now so I'm going to leave you with the book trailer for Gemma Malley's new novel The Killables. The book was released in the UK yesterday and sounds fabulous, I'll be reading my copy soon so keep an eye out for my review.

News Roundup: New Covers and a couple of Publisher Contests

It's time for another roundup post to share some of the bookish news that has come through in the last week or so.

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First I have a quick reminder about the Faber & Faber Glimpse contest.  I haven't been online to share this sooner and the closing date is tomorrow so you don't have much time left to enter but here are the details just in case you want to do a last minute entry!

ONE DAY LEFT TO ENTER THE GLIMPSE COMPETITION - COULD YOU BE TAMSIN?

Calling all young aspiring actors!

Our first project is for 13 -18 year olds, we’re looking to find a young actor to play one of the characters in Claire Merle’s debut YA novel, THE GLIMPSE, in a series of web films. Entrants are invited to film themselves performing one of two audition scripts available at www.facebook.com/theglimpse and all entries will be showcased on THE GLIMPSE You Tube Channel.

Competition closing date is MONDAY 20 FEBRUARY. The winner will be announced in March 2012 and the web films will be broadcast online around publication of THE GLIMPSE in June 2012.

Look out for more competitions on THE SPARK www.facebook.com/thesparkpage - Take part in an exciting new online community where books provide the inspiration for your talent.

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Have you seen the cover for Michelle Harrison's next novel yet?  Michelle is known for her children's 13 Treasures series but Unrest will be her YA debut.  I really enjoyed The 13 Treasures (read my review here) so was already looking forward to Unrest but having seen the cover and blurb I'm now even more excited!  Unrest is being published in the UK on the 26th of April by Simon & Schuster.

Seventeen-year-old Elliott hasn’t slept properly for months. Not since the accident that nearly killed him. Sometimes he half-wakes, paralysed, while shadowy figures move around him. Other times he is the one moving around, while his body lies asleep on the bed. His doctors say sleep paralysis and out of body experiences are harmless - but to Elliott they’re terrifying.

Convinced that his brush with death has attracted the spirit world, Elliott secures a job at a reputedly haunted museum, determined to discover the truth. There, he meets the enigmatic Ophelia. But, as she and Elliott grow closer, Elliott draws new attention from the dead. One night, during an out of body experience, Elliott returns to bed to find his body gone. Something is occupying it, something dead that wants to live again . . . and it wants Ophelia, too . . .

A chilling new novel for teen readers from the best-selling author of the widely-acclaimed 13 Treasures sequence.  (Description taken from Goodreads)

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You may remember me mentioning a new Delirium short story called Hana by Lauren Oliver that was released as an ebook exclusive in December.  I loved Delirium (read my review here) so it was nice to see some of the story from Hana's point of view (read my review of Hana here).

To celebrate the fact that it is only 2 weeks until the release of Pandemonium (book 2 in the series) Hodder & Stoughton have announced a very special competition.  Here are the details:

We know that lots of you have read and loved Lauren Oliver's short story HANA on ebook, but those of you without access to an e-reader have so far missed out. SO... we are going to print FIVE COPIES ONLY - super, super exclusive bound manuscripts - and are ...offering them to you as competition prizes.

All you have to do is answer the following question:
What is the first name of the main (female) character in Delirium?

Just send your answer to competition@hodder.co.uk  putting HANA in the subject line.

Visit www.facebook.com/lovedelirium for more information about the series.

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I'm a massive, massive fan of Jana Oliver's Demon Trappers series I loved both Forsaken (read my review here) and Forbidden (read my review here) so can't wait to read Forgiven which is released in the UK in March.  I'm not sure why but I was convinced that this series was a trilogy so I was incredibly excited when the press release for Forgiven mentioned that a 4th book - Foretold - is being published in August!  Thanks to the lovely Laura at SisterSpooky: Book Fangirl I've now seen the Foretold cover so I thought I'd share it with you here.

What do you think?  It's fab isn't it!  If you haven't started this series yet then trust me it is one you need to pick up now!

So that's all the news I have to share today, I hope you found some of it interesting!  Good luck if you decide to enter either of the contests & let me know what you think of the covers.

Julie Cross Blog Tour - Tempest Photo Challenge: TIME

To celebrate the release of Julie Cross' debut novel Tempest, a story that is all about a character who has the ability to travel through time, Macmillan are holding a photo challenge with the theme of time.  See details from Macmillan below:

Tempest photo challenge: TIME

With Julie Cross’ epic new novel Tempest coming out soon we wanted to get you in the time-travelling frame of mind – so we’re asking you to send us your pictures inspired by the theme of TIME.

You can add your photos on the wall at www.facebook.com/tempestseries or get creative with Instagram on your iPhone/ iPad and upload your photos to Twitter (tweet @MyKindaBook) with the hash tag #thistimelastyear

It could be a photo that reminds you of the past, or makes you think about the future. It could be an old photo of you or your friends and family, or a place that you love. . . It could be a photo of something that reminds you how much time has passed, or how much things have not changed with time. It is completely up to you! (Just remember to get permission from whoever’s in the pic)

In January we'll be awarding bundles of books to those with the most creative flair.

You can see some example pictures at the My Kinda Book blog here

Photography is all about capturing that perfect moment in time, be it a holiday snap or a special family event or even just a completely random picture, photos are all snapshots of a moment that can never be repeated.  I think that's probably one of the reasons I love my camera so much - a picture really is worth a thousand words and looking at old photos is a great way of bringing back special memories that were buried deep at the back of your mind.

I'm excited to share a couple of pictures around the theme of time here today.  This first one was taken by Julie Cross:

Julie's Photo Caption: This photo is one I took in New York last summer from the Flat Iron building. Time moved slow where I was standing and much faster down below. New York is like that.

and this second picture is one of mine:

I love sunsets, there is something magical about them but what I love most is knowing that in millions of years the sky never has and never will look exactly the same as it does at that particular moment.

So what kind of photo would you pick to represent time?  Make sure you post them to the Tempest facebook wall or tweet the pictures to join the contest.  I'd love to see your pictures so leave me a link in the comments if you can.  I don't think there is any limit to the number of entries you can make so feel free to share more than one picture!

I wanted to include a bit of information about Tempest for you so here is the cover and blurb.  I really enjoyed the story and will be posting my review later today so make sure you check back later to read it.

The year is 2009. Nineteen-year-old Jackson Meyer is a normal guy… he’s in college, has a girlfriend… and he can travel back through time. But it’s not like the movies – nothing changes in the present after his jumps, there’s no space-time continuum issues or broken flux capacitors – it’s just harmless fun.

That is… until the day strangers burst in on Jackson and his girlfriend, Holly, and during a struggle with Jackson, Holly is fatally shot. In his panic, Jackson jumps back two years to 2007, but this is not like his previous time jumps. Now he’s stuck in 2007 and can’t get back to the future.

Desperate to somehow return to 2009 to save Holly but unable to return to his rightful year, Jackson settles into 2007 and learns what he can about his abilities.

But it’s not long before the people who shot Holly in 2009 come looking for Jackson in the past, and these “Enemies of Time” will stop at nothing to recruit this powerful young time-traveller. Recruit… or kill him.

Piecing together the clues about his father, the Enemies of Time, and himself, Jackson must decide how far he’s willing to go to save Holly… and possibly the entire world

Macmillan have also created this really cool book trailer where you even get to pick the ending that you prefer!

Animated Cover: My Soul to Steal - Rachel Vincent + UK Competition

Mira Ink have created the first ever animated book jacket for My Soul to Steal, the fourth book in Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamers series.  I have to confess I absolutely love the UK covers for this series but the animated cover just blew me away, it's just so pretty - I wish I could have an actual book with the animated version on it lol!

What do you think?  Isn't it beautiful!

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UK Competition Details:

Mira Ink are also offering 10 UK readers the chance of winning a copy of My Soul to Steal.  All you have to do is go to Mira Ink's facebook page click on the jacket image of My Soul to Steal and leave a comment.  10 lucky winners will be selected at random and each will receive a copy of the book.

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While I'm talking about the Soul Screamers series I thought it would be the perfect time to compare the UK and US covers.

My Soul to Take:

UK / US

My Soul to Save:

UK / US

My Soul to Keep:

UK / US

My Soul to Steal:

UK / US

So what do you think?  Although I love the colours of the US covers I prefer the smokey feel to the UK ones.  They're so different compared to other YA paranormal books that they easily stand out when you spot them on the shelves and I love how the colours of the lips, eyes, flower & butterfly stand out against the pale background.  Do you prefer the UK or the US covers? 

Have you read the series yet?  If so I'd love to know what you think of it.  I really need to do a catch up on these books, I really enjoyed My Soul to Take (you can read my review here) but haven't read the others yet.  They're sitting on my shelves waiting for me though so I'll have to pick up My Soul to Save soon!

Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger Blog Award & Contest by Gini Koch

As a massive fan of Gini Koch's Katherine "Kitty" Katt series I couldn't resist entering the fantastic contest she currently has on her blog.  If you'd like to enter too you can find out all the details you need on her blog here.

I was given the award by Gini Koch so consider me on Team Hook!

As part of the award I have to nominate 5 other bloggers, the hardest part of this was narrowing it down to just 5 because I follow a lot of awesome blogs!  I narrowed it down to bloggers I know who love adult novels and who I'm sure would love this series.

1. First I had to tag Larrissa at Welcome to Larissa's Bookish Life, I know she is a massive fan of the series as she is the person who introduced me to it.
2. Next we have the lovely Minx from Loose Knickers and Window Lickers, I'm not sure if she has started the series yet but I'm pretty sure she'd love Martini just as much as I do!
3. Then there is the fab Jen from That's What I'm Talking About who tends to have quite similar tastes as me when it comes to romance
4. I couldn't forget Sparklybearsy from Ramblings of a Book Bitch - she has added plenty of books to my wish list and I know she'd have a thing for the HAWT A/C aliens
5. Last but by no means least is Amanda from StoryWings who often ends up reading similar books to me and I have a feeling would love this series

Now I just have to keep my fingers crossed that I might actually win something :o)  There are some amazing prizes up for grabs but I really have my eye on an ARC of book 4 in the series Alien Proliferation, it's going to be a long wait until the December release otherwise!

HarperCollins Announce A Fantastic Maureen Johnson Competition

Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux flies to London for the start of a new life at boarding school.  But her arrival is overshadowed by the sudden outbreak of brutal murders in the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific work of Jack the Ripper.

"Rippermania" grabs hold of modern day London, and the police are stumped with few leads and no witnesses.  Except one.  Rory has seen their prime suspect on the school grounds.  But her friend Jazza, who was with her at the time, didn't see anyone.

So why could only Rory see him?  And more urgently, what is he planning next?

Shades of London Series:
The Name of the Star
Future book titles and release dates to be confirmed

Visit Maureen Johnson's website for more information



To celebrate today's release of The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson HarperCollins have announced a competition with a fabulous prize.  How do you fancy getting to meet Maureen Johnson?  Do you like the idea of going with her on a tour of London stopping at the haunts of the famous murderer Jack the Ripper?  Sounds like fun doesn't it!  To be in with you chance of winning just check out the information below (I know I'm going to enter!)

JACK THE RIPPER FAN WALK

To celebrate the publication of Maureen Johnson's new YA thriller The Name of the Star, HarperCollins Children’s Books is offering 10 lucky readers the opportunity to accompany Maureen Johnson on a private Jack the Ripper walk in London on Thursday, 13th October 2011.

The walk begins at 5:00 PM and will carry-on for two hours into the night! Visit the haunting sites of Jack the Ripper and hear first-hand from Maureen how they inspired her new book The Name of the Star.

To enter, simply email nameofthestar@harpercollins.co.uk for a chance to attend the event with a friend.

Disclaimer: Entrants must be 13 or over. Please ensure that you are available to attend the event on Thursday, 13th October from 5.00pm to 7.00pm before entering. Winners will be informed on Friday, 7th October, and will be provided with further instructions then.

Win an ARC of His Darkest Embrace by Juliana Stone

A solitary hunter with no regard for the human world, Jagger Castille is a shifter living on the edge. It will take the woman who calls him enemy to give him a reason to live.

Jagger is a creature of the night—Skye Knightly soars in the sun. Natural adversaries, they have been joined by destiny in a mission entrusted to Skye’s family centuries ago: Nothing less than the salvation of the Earth.

Wounded and bitter, Jagger sought escape in the solitude of the jungle, driven by a need to disappear forever… until a mysterious shifter who calls to his soul and feeds a yearning long forgotten, pulls him from his dark path. A courageous warrior, Skye’s passion is equal to Jagger’s own—but can she trust a man on the edge? A man whose secrets are as devastating as her own?

Each is the other’s sole hope for survival. But a dark and twisted truth is leading them toward the ultimate sacrifice for a love they may never live to claim.

I read book 1 in the Jaguar Warriors series by Juliana Stone His Darkest Hunger earlier this year and have been excitedly waiting for the sequel His Darkest Embrace ever since!  His Darkest Hunger was a great start to this new paranormal romance series - you can read my review here.
 
Juliana is giving 2 digital ARCs of book 2 His Darkest Embrace on her blog here.  I can't wait to read Jagger's story!!  This book releases in the UK on October 26th & I've already pre-ordered my copy from Amazon.  For more information about this series check out Juliana's website.  You can also read an excerpt from His Darkest Embrace and find out more about this book here.
 
Juliana is also including a Digital copy of her newest time travel novella Black Destiny in her giveaway.  Black Destiny is book 2 in her Black Opals series and is another book that I've got on my wishlist.  I read & really enjoyed the first story in the series Black Legacy earlier this year - you can read my review here.  You can find out more and read an excerpt from Black Destiny here on Juliana's website or find the blurb below.  I just have to say - don't you think Juliana has the most fabulous covers?!
 

She will protect him at all costs, even if it means her life.
 
Undercover, deep in the heart of enemy territory, Lily Black has been charged with a mission: guard the life of Kerr Strome.

Like her warrior sisters, the Black Opals, Lily is a time traveller who shifts wherever she’s needed. She’ll do whatever it takes to foil an assassination attempt on Kerr by The New Order. There’s only one way to fly under his radar: pose as a man.

Kerr Strome is a warrior with his back to the wall. His planet is in chaos, his life threatened at every turn. The safe evacuation of his people from their war-ravaged planet depends entirely on his team of elite soldiers—and their ability to lie low for the next few days. The holding pattern might make him crazy, except for the intriguing new team member. A small soldier with big-time fighting skills, and something extra Kerr can’t quite figure out.

When Lily intercepts a New Order assassin—and a bullet meant for Kerr—her cover isn’t all that’s blown. Their pent-up desire reveals a bitter truth. The reason Kerr is marked for death? He is Lily’s destined mate. And the only way to save his life is to give her own.

Warning: Contains one hard-bodied soldier, illicit loving, a kick-ass lady and a little bit of time travel.

The Download Dante Party - Giveaway with Stella & Audra Price

Released Today!

You Burn Me: A Tale of the Eververse

A priestess of The Morrigan, Xxieda Rolla is a woman who has known success in her business, fulfillment in her family life and is only missing one thing: the love of the man that would have her for always. Sent to Shadow Heights New York by her goddess to find him, she meets the ever tasty, ever surly Dante Barratt. Sparks fly, and so does Amaretto Latte.

Dante, a dealer of rare and illegal commodities, and a very tempestuous fire demon might want the woman who's brown eyes haunt him, but knows better then to get involved with someone who just screams purity. Shes hot, and successful in ways he never could be, and knows a man that just gave away his soul like he did didn't deserve a woman like that.

After a chance encounter on a dark street corner, and an earth shattering kiss, Both are powerless to deny the chemistry between them... until Xxieda tells him her secret: shes a virgin.

Caught between his head and his heart, can Dante accept the fact that Fate sometimes gives us exactly what we really need, not what we think we want?

Authors Note: This is a novella and answer to the question several readers have had of "What happened to Dante?" after his little cameo in Sugar and Sin.

And guess what? the book is Amazingly priced at 99 cents! that's right, a full 45k novella for only 99 cents! You know you wanna read about Dante and the woman that turns his world upside down, and now you can, for CHEAP!

Giveaway Details:

And how would YOU like to win 3 Ebooks from our backlist, YOUR CHOICE? Its simple! You have three chances to win:

1. Send your snail mail address to: stella@stellaandaudra.com with "Dante's contest" in the subject
2. Follow our Blog (http://stellaandaudra.blogspot.com/) And let us know you have
3. Buy 'You Burn Me' and answer the question: "Who do we thank first and foremost in the dedication? Send your answer to stella@stellaandaudra.com with "Dante's book answer" in the subject.

Winner will receive 3 books from Stella & Audra's backlist in ebook form.

You can read my review of You Burn Me by clicking here
I'm also very happy to announce that Stella will be dropping by my blog next week to take part in my new Author's Animal Antics feature, don't forget to drop by on Thursday to read Stella's guest post.

Amazing Trailer for Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

I'm sure a lot of you have probably already seen the Linger trailer but I had to post it anyway as it is so fab!  I absolutely loved Shiver (click here to read my review) & can't wait to read Linger - especially after seeing the trailer.



Maggie is holding a fantastic contest on her blog with some amazing prizes - a beautiful necklace, an ARC of Linger, the Linger dust jacket that was used in the trailer which she has signed and a beautiful frame from the shiver trailer.  The contest is open internationally and there will be 4 winners (each winning 1 of the prizes mentioned).  To enter Maggie's contest click here

Win an ARC of Linger by Maggie Stiefvater

Maggie is holding a fantstic contest over on her blog with loads of prizes up for grabs!  I really can't wait to read Linger so would love to get my hands on it early!  Good luck to everyone who is entering the contest.

In Maggie Stiefvater's Shiver, Grace and Sam found each other.  Now, in Linger, they must fight to be together. For Grace, this means defying her parents and keeping a very dangerous secret about her own well-being. For Sam, this means grappling with his werewolf past . . . and figuring out a way to survive into the future. Add into the mix a new wolf named Cole, whose own past has the potential to destroy the whole pack.  And Isabelle, who already lost her brother to the wolves . . . and is nonetheless drawn to Cole.

At turns harrowing and euphoric, Linger is a spellbinding love story that explores both sides of love -- the light and the dark, the warm and the cold -- in a way you will never forget.

Comes out in stores everywhere July 20th. Pre-order here.

Enter to win an advanced review copies of LINGER, Sisters Red, The Dead-Tossed Waves, and The Replacement on Maggie's blog.

Win a signed copy of Sing Me To Sleep by Angela Morrison

THE TRANSFORMATION

Beth has always been “The Beast”—that’s what everyone at school calls her because of her awkward height, facial scars, and thick glasses. Beth’s only friend is geeky, golden-haired Scott. That is, until she’s selected to be her choir’s soprano soloist, and receives the makeover that will change her life forever.

THE LOVE AFFAIR
When Beth’s choir travels to Switzerland, she meets Derek: pale, brooding, totally dreamy. Derek’s untethered passion—for music, and for Beth—leaves her breathless. Because in Derek’s eyes? She’s not The Beast, she’s The Beauty.

THE IMPOSSIBLE CHOICE
When Beth comes home, Scott, her best friend in the world, makes a confession that leaves her completely torn. Should she stand by sweet, steady Scott or follow the dangerous, intense new feelings she has for Derek?

THE HEARTBREAK
The closer Beth gets to Derek, the further away he seems. Then Beth discovers that Derek’s been hiding a dark secret from her …one that could shatter everything.



Doesn't it sound like a great book?  I love the song in the trailer & and am looking forward to reading the book when it comes out.  The hardback is available in the UK on 18th May but why not head over to Trisha's Book Blog and check out the great guest post by Angela Morrison - she is offering 1 lucky winner a signed copy of the book.

Valentines Contest by Jennifer Laurens

Want to win this fantastic Valentine's goodie bag?  Check out the contest on Jennifer Lauren's Blog.

Jennifer is the author of Heavenly which looks I've not read yet but I have already ordered because it looks so good!

Win an ARC of His Darkest Hunger by Juliana Stone

Jaxon Castille: jaguar shifter, warrior, assassin. He has long hungered for the chance to make his former lover, Libby Jamieson, pay for her deadly betrayal. After three long years he’s finally found her. The hunt is over…

But the Libby that he finds is not what he expected. She has no memory of their tumultuous affair; of her treachery; of anything beyond her own name. A shadowy and deadly clan has marked them both for death, and in an instant the game changes: the hunter has become the hunted.

On the run, with the ghosts of their past between them and a dark, desperate hunger quickly reclaiming their bodies and souls, Libby and Jaxon must discover the truth behind the dark forces working against them. Together, they must grab hold of a destiny that has the power to either heal them or destroy them.

But the truth is far more shattering than anyone could imagine…

I think this book sounds great & I love the cover, I've already added it to my wish list! It's the first book in a new series called Jaguar Warriors & is available in the UK from 1st April. For your chance to win this ARC head over to Juliana's blog.