Blitz+Excerpt+Giveaway: Take Me On

Title: Take Me On (Pushing the Limits #4)

Author: Katie McGarry

Publication Date: May 27, 2014

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

Acclaimed author Katie McGarry returns with the knockout new story of two high school seniors who are about to learn what winning really means.

Champion kickboxer Haley swore she'd never set foot in the ring again after one tragic night. But then the guy she can't stop thinking about accepts a mixed martial arts fight in her honor. Suddenly, Haley has to train West Young. All attitude, West is everything Haley promised herself she'd stay away from. Yet he won't last five seconds in the ring without her help.

West is keeping a big secret from Haley. About who he really is. But helping her-fighting for her-is a shot at redemption. Especially since it's his fault his family is falling apart. He can't change the past, but maybe he can change Haley's future.

Hayley and West have agreed to keep their relationship strictly in the ring. But as an unexpected bond forms between them and attraction mocks their best intentions, they'll face their darkest fears and discover love is worth fighting for.

Bonus novella included: Crossing the Line.

Available from:
    

Books in the series:
(covers linked to Goodreads)

Excerpt From West's POV

I’m used to people talking, saying words aloud to prove they know more than me, that they’re better than me. But they’re just words. Syllables strung together between breaths to fill uncomfortable silences.

Meaningless words.

Haley, on the other hand, speaks volumes with a touch. The way her hand clutches mine, it rips out my heart and tosses it onto a platter.

This moment, it’s too raw. It’s too real. And the instinct is to snatch my hand back and slam the door shut on the sharing, but the other part of me—the part that feels as if my remaining sanity is a gift on the verge of being returned—it clings to her.

I knot my fingers with Haley’s and turn my head so I’m focusing out the driver’s side window—away from her. If I look at Haley, I’m terrified of what I might say, what I might feel. And fuck me, I’ve already said too much.

If she understands this, being without a home, will she understand the rejection? Will she understand the devastation that everything you have ever loved doesn’t love you in return? And because I can’t face those fears, I’m unable to face Haley.

She squeezes once and it’s like her voice caresses my mind: I’m here. I get it.

I squeeze back.

Seconds pass into moments. Moments into minutes. No words. No meaningless conversation. No eye contact. Just our hands combined.

My throat swells. Haley’s the only string holding me together.

Teaser for Breaking the Rules (YAY!!!)

Noah's POV

I love how Echo molds her body around mine: head on my shoulder, her hair teasing my neck, her arms winding around my chest. I hug her and revel in her warmth.

About the Author

KATIE MCGARRY was a teenager during the age of grunge and boy bands and remembers those years as the best and worst of her life. She is a lover of music, happy endings, and reality television, and is a secret University of Kentucky basketball fan.

Katie would love to hear from her readers. Contact her via her website, katielmcgarry.com, follow her on Twitter @KatieMcGarry, or become a fan on Facebook and Goodreads.

Author Links
   

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Blitz+Excerpt+Giveaway: Adrian Lessons

Title: Adrian Lessons
Author: L.A. Rose
Genres: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Publication Date: August 25, 2014

Amazon || B&N || Kobo

Synopsis from Goodreads:

If there’s one thing Cleo Reynolds knows, it’s that she’s not into Adrian King.

The son of a model with the looks to prove it, the experienced author of her school newspaper’s sex advice column, the cocky playboy with a hint of darkness. That Adrian King.

Nope. Nuh-uh. No way. 

The problem is, he’s very into her.

After accidentally flashing him, and slightly-less-accidentally-but-still-totally-unintentionally making out with him in front of the whole class, she expects to be called crazy. Instead, he asks her out. 

Cleo’s determined not to end up as another notch on his bedpost. Except she hasn’t done…you know…it in a while. (Read: ever.) And as a girl who pays her tuition by writing all the sex scenes in her roommate’s bestselling romance series, the lack of inspiration has served up a fat slice of writer’s block.

Until her roommate proposes that Cleo and Adrian act out all the steamy scenes in her book.

It’s just research. No feelings involved.

Nope. Nuh-uh.

No way.

Excerpt

“Christ,” Adrian finally mutters after a good half minute of staring at my body. He runs his hand through his hair.

I’m not saying my grand plan is to make him so worked up he’ll have to satisfy me. And then I can move on with my life.

I’m not saying that’s my plan, but if it were, I’d be an evil genius.

“You too,” I smirk, trailing my fingers down my bare waist. “That shirt looks expensive. Wouldn’t want to mess it up.”

Not taking his eyes from me, he pulls his shirt off, back over front in that casual way boys have. I gasp. Doves zoom overhead, sprinkling golden confetti. A chorus of angels sing. Okay, not all that actually happens, but it’s the first time I’ve seen him shirtless.

And that chest deserves some fanfare.

His torso is tan, lithe and strong, the hard contours of a six-pack-verging-on-eight-pack begging to be licked. Every ounce of him is sculpted, refined. Just looking at him floods my abdomen with tension. There’s a swirling tattoo on the left side of his ribs, but I’m too busy thinking about how I want to mount his torso on my mantelpiece like a serial killer to dwell on it.

My roommate looks between us, her eyes narrowed. “You two seem to be getting along much better today.”

If by ‘getting along’ she means ‘staring at each other with enough sexual tension to hoist the Titanic from the bottom of the sea’ then yes.

“Remember, guys,” she says. “Last time was more about the romance between the characters. Their first kiss. This is purely sexual.”

At the words ‘purely sexual’, a shiver grips my spine. I think Adrian might be similarly affected, because he hardens all over. And I mean all over.

“Come on, then,” I muster up the courage to say, fingering the lacy edge of my panties. “Inspire me.” 

About the Author

Facebook || Twitter

L.A Rose recently made it out of college alive and with an English degree. She's a habitual beach bum and a not-exactly-recovered romance addict. She's also plucked up the courage to become an indie author! ADRIAN LESSONS, a New Adult contemporary romance to be released on August 25th, is her first book - if you don't count the ones she wrote before she finally came up with something publishable. (She prefers not to.)

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Blitz+Excerpt+Giveaway: One Two Three

Follow the tour here!

Title: One, Two, Three…

Author: Elodie Nowodazkij 

Publication date: June 26th 2014 

Genres: Young Adult, Contemporary Romance

Amazon || B&N || iTunes || Kobo

Synopsis from Goodreads:

When seventeen-year-old Natalya’s dreams of being a ballerina are killed in a car accident along with her father, she must choose: shut down—like her mother—or open up to love.

Last year, Natalya was attending the School of Performing Arts in New York City. Last year, she was well on her way to becoming a professional ballerina. Last year, her father was still alive.

But a car crash changed all that—and Natalya can’t stop blaming herself. Now, she goes to a regular high school in New Jersey; lives with her onetime prima ballerina, now alcoholic mother; and has no hope of a dance career.

At her new school, however, sexy soccer player Antonio sees a brighter future for Natalya, or at least a more pleasant present, and his patient charms eventually draw her out of her shell.

But when upsetting secrets come to light and Tonio’s own problems draw her in, Natalya shuts down again, this time turning to alcohol herself.

Can Natalya learn to trust Antonio before she loses him—and destroys herself?

Excerpt

Unknown number. “Hello?”

“Hi Princesa. Have you thought about which book we should write our report about?” 

I fight off a small smile. “Did you really have to call me to discuss this right now?”

“Totally did. By the way, you’ll type the report.”

“No I won’t.”

“Let’s talk about it later tonight. You and me.” There’s shuffle behind him and some laughs. “I’ll call you later.”

He hangs up and I stare at the phone for a second. Shaking my head, I search my bag for the list of books Miss Taylor gave us. I scan it, trying to find one we could work on. My mind wanders to the last time I worked on a project. It was with Emilia and it was for History. She’s a total buff and she promised that if I taught her how to land her grand jeté with even more grace, she’d tutor me. It was a week before the accident, and I never managed to teach her. I never took that History test.

I check the time again and my eyebrows draw together. Mama’s not only a bit late. She’s super late.

Where the hell is she?

About the Author

Elodie Nowodazkij was raised in a tiny village in France, where she could always be found a book in hand. At nineteen, she moved to the US, where she learned she'd never lose her French accent. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in Modern Language & Linguistics, and later earned master's degrees in German Cultural Studies and European Studies. Unbeknownst to her professors, she sometimes drafted stories in class. Now she lives in Germany with her husband and their cat (who doesn't seem to realize he's not human), and uses her commuting time to write the stories swirling in her head. She's also a serial smiley user.

Author Links

Website: www.elodienowodazkij.com 

Twitter:  https://twitter.com/commutinggirl 

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/elodienowodazkij 

Newsletter: Sign up here

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$50 Amazon GC || $50 to the project of their choice in DonorsChoose.org

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Blitz+Excerpt+Giveaway: Kids in Love

Title: Kids in Love (Saturn #1.5)
Author: Nikki Godwin
Date of Publication: September 7, 2014

Amazon || Smashwords

Synopsis from Goodreads:
As one of the original Saturnites, Darby McMillon has been a longtime face of the fandom. From the days when the boys were just a YouTube band trying to gain fans up through their recent lockdown, Darby's channel - Darby's Daily Dose of Drama - was the "go to" spot for all things Spaceships Around Saturn.

Until now, she's been trusted by most and envied by few, but her meet up with SAS girlfriend Chloe Branson shakes Darby's world. She learns quickly that when you're with the band, everything isn't always red carpets and music videos.

And the closer she gets to her SAS crush Tate Kingsley, the closer she comes to losing her Saturnite status forever.

American Girl on Saturn

Title: American Girl on Saturn (Saturn #1)
Author: Nikki Godwin
Date of Publication: August 29, 2013

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Synopsis from Goodreads:
The summer after graduation is supposed to be that first real taste of freedom - but not for eighteen-year-old Chloe Branson. Just as that breeze of freedom is making its way into her galaxy, her secret-service-agent dad drops a meteor-sized bomb of bad news on her and her sisters. An attempt has been made on the lives of Canadian boyband, Spaceships Around Saturn, during their USA tour, and the guys have to go into hiding ASAP. The only problem? In the midst of the crisis and media frenzy, their dad volunteered to hide the guys...in their house.

Six-year-old Emery is as ecstatic as any self-proclaimed Saturnite would be, but Chloe and her seventeen-year-old sister Aralie watch their summer plans crash and burn like a falling star. The SAS guys aren't happy with the situation, either. Bad boy Jules picks fights with Aralie about everything from his Twitter followers to his laundry, and heart-throb Benji can't escape Emery's fangirlisms for more than three minutes.

But after the super-cute Milo kisses Chloe during a game of hide-and-seek, she finally understands what Emery means when she talks about SAS being "out of this world." If this is what Saturn feels like, Chloe doesn't want to come back to Earth.
 

Excerpt from Kids in Love

A stampede of girls charge through the mall, running like a herd of zebras in the safari lands, dashing away from their predator and into a safe zone – which in this case, is Saturn. They scream in hysteria, pushing people aside and fighting with each other as they dart toward the stage. I don’t know how they got past all the security and law enforcement, but I don’t have time to process it. 

In the midst of the craziness, Jules brushes past me, grabbing Aralie and moving out quickly. Tank shouts something toward the stage, and Benji slams into me trying to reach his bodyguard bestie. He doesn’t apologize or ask if I’m okay or even make eye contact. Instead, Benji latches onto Chloe’s shoulder and pushes her ahead of him, keeping her wedged safely between himself and Tank. 

So this is how I’ll die? I’ll get caught in the crossfire and stampede of Saturnites, who are already angry with me anyway, while security rushes to save the precious Branson sisters and Benji Baccarini. If I ever felt VIP before, I’ve lost that status entirely. I wasn’t even important enough for security to grab on their way to safety. I’m just another crazy fangirl who’s been left behind for the mall security and local law enforcement to send home. 

“What the hell?” Sydney shouts, bumping into me as girls push toward the empty stage. “How did they get in? And what the hell are we supposed to do now?”

She screams the words, but it’s almost useless. We’re jostled around in the crowd, even in our VIP wing. I could stab the idiot who didn’t secure whatever portal these crazy Saturnites crawled through. Not only did they ruin my first SAS show but they also proved my Saturnite worth, which is nothing.

About the Author

Nikki Godwin is a YA/NA/LGBT author. She can't live without Mountain Dew, black eyeliner, and music by Hawthorne Heights. When not writing, she internet-stalks her favorite bands and keeps tabs on surf competitions. Her life goal is to meet David Desrosiers of Simple Plan. Her favorite pro surfers are Jeremy Flores, Gabriel Medina, and John John Florence.

Blog: http://nikkigodwin.blogspot.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NikGodwin
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NikkiGodwinWrites
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6895711.Nikki_Godwin
Newsletter: http://t.co/CwsrsCMf9G

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Blitz+Dream Movie Cast+Guest Post: The Legacy

Title: The Legacy (Legacy Series #1)
Author: Melissa Delport
Genre: Speculative Fiction, Dystopian

Amazon.com || Amazon.co.uk || B&N || Kobo

Synopsis from Goodreads:

One man obsessed with power. 
One woman prepared to sacrifice everything to stop him.
One war that changed the world.

"Eric Dane has segregated the wealth and resources that remain, giving a select few the highest chance of survival and leaving the rest to starve!”

World War 3 lasted twelve days and almost eradicated the human species. Growing up in post nuclear America, Rebecca Davis remained blissfully ignorant of the despotic leadership that had seized what was previously the most powerful nation in the world. When the truth is revealed and Rebecca discovers that everything she has been taught is a lie, she is determined to fight for the life that she has not been allowed to live.

In order to do this, Rebecca has to cross the boundary fences and venture out of the safety of the New United States, into the barren wastelands. It is there that she finds allies she never dreamed existed. 

In Rebecca, the Resistance has finally found the ultimate weapon.

“You were given this life Rebecca, because you alone are strong enough to live it."

An action-packed, adrenalin inducing thrill ride that will have you riveted until long after you have turned the last page.

Delport's Dream Movie Cast

Sadly, authors have very little say in the casting of movie adaptations of their books. In fact, they have very little say over anything to do with the movie version. I think this is a tragedy of epic proportion, given that we created the characters being brought to life on the big screen.

I am struggling to come to terms with this fact, because there are a few cast members in my Dream Movie cast that I really wouldn’t mind meeting. (Are you paying attention, Mr Spielberg?)

When I started writing The Legacy, I had images in my mind that I used to describe my characters. I actually find this the easiest way to remember all the details about them (hair colour, eye colour, etc) because otherwise halfway though I have forgotten.

So, without any further ado, here is my DREAM MOVIE CAST (drum roll, please!)

Rebecca Davis – played by Ashley Greene

Rebecca is the feisty heroine of The Legacy Trilogy. I love writing this character - I love that she's strong yet vulnerable... and she collects soldiers like other women collect shoes! She is the ultimate weapon, and prepared to sacrifice everything for the cause she believes in.
 

Aidan Moore – played by Justin Hartley

This fine specimen has long been a firm favourite of mine - ever since he first wore those "toit" green tights as the Green Arrow on the CW series, Smallville. I even sat through the entire first (and thankfully last) season of Emily Owens MD, just to witness this eye candy every Wednesday night. The CW axed the show and my withdrawals began...so imagine my delight when he showed up in the third season of Revenge!!! And he is just SO Aidan.... handsome, clean-cut, wholesome. Yum!

Reed McCoy – played by Chris Hemsworth

Aidan's nemesis comes in the form of our Sexy Southern Bad Boy, Reed, and who better than Chris Hemsworth to play the role of Rebecca’s equal? He is rugged, handsome, tough, and can pull off Reed’s longer hair. Purists would argue that there are a few tiny points of contention in this casting, but I have addressed each and come up with a solution:

1.  Reed has green eyes: Nothing some contacts couldn’t fix (and besides, LOOK at that face!)
2.  Reed has a southern accent, whereas Chris is an Aussie native: Who cares... LOOK at that face!

Eric Dane – played by Ian Somerhalder

In my opinion, every single movie ever made should feature Ian “Smoulder”-halder, or, as I like to call him: “sex on legs”. Eric Dane is a narcissistic, cruel megalomaniac. Ian Somerhalder is a compassionate philanthropist...but I hardly see the problem. Ian is an actor – ie: he can play any role. And I would so love for him to play the part of Eric.   

Kwan Lee – played by an attractive 40-year-old Korean actor

Try as I might, I could not think of a single Korean actor off the top of my head. Coming up short, I took to Google with the single-minded determination of a Hollywood casting agent. Sadly, I couldn’t pronounce any of the Korean names, and I still didn’t find my “Kwan”. So I will let you use your imaginations, and picture him as you will.

Morgan Kelly - played by Teresa Palmer

Morgan is the girl we love to hate. She is reckless, stubborn and sassy, and the mother in all of us would like nothing better than  to throw her over our lap and give her the hiding of her life for behaving like a petulant child. In casting Teresa Palmer, I’m certain male viewers will want to spank her for a whole other reason! 

Michael Kelly – played by Alex Pettyfer

 

Michael Kelly is Morgan’s cute younger brother. With his boy-next-door looks and mischievous smile, Alex Pettyfer’s got my vote to play the quirky lovable character of Michael.

Now that our cast is all taken care of, there really are only three words left to say:

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ACTION!

Guest Post

How I Came Up With The Legacy Trilogy

Two years ago I was reading a lot of YA books, particularly in the dystopian and SFF genres. I devoured them all, every story intriguing and inspiring me, but I felt slightly disappointed that in the direst of circumstances, it was always the most unexceptional, ordinary people who survived. In my head, I imagined an extraordinary character equipped with the necessary skills and training to not only survive, but excel in these speculative situations. And so, Rebecca Davis was born.

The creation of Rebecca’s character then inspired me to write The Legacy. Her story simply needed to be told and, as I breathed life into her character, so she became an entity all of her own. Her story unfolded as if she were telling it to me, and often during the writing process I felt that I was simply the instrument – a ghost writer for this exceptional character that had become so real to me.

Rebecca is so incredibly determined, strong and feisty, and prepared to sacrifice everything for the cause that she believes in. She would die to protect the people that she loves, and her character’s depth is something I am very proud of. She is also not unwillingly foisted into the war against oppression and tyranny – she makes a conscious choice, and that choice makes all the difference – setting her apart from other dystopian heroines. Rebecca takes the road less travelled, armed with knowledge of the risks involved, but she believes that the risk is worth it. When faced with danger, most people would take flight, but Rebecca never falters – she fights for what she believes in.

Another aspect of The Legacy that inspired me was the world building. I love that while the Rebeldom represents all the traditional destruction that characterizes dystopian fiction, there is the contrast of the opulence of the New United States. Getting the balance right, between the hardship of the Rebeldom and the luxury of NUSA, was no easy feat, but I think that the two worlds create a vivid picture in the readers mind.

This story completely overwhelmed me, and I spent eighteen months writing the trilogy, although the basic plot took me only a day or two to come up with. I am thrilled with the response to the books and how far Rebecca has come, and I can only hope that readers continue to identify with Rebecca as they have, and enjoy reading her incredible journey as much as I enjoyed writing it!

About the Author

Wife and mother of 3, Melissa Delport is the author of The Legacy Trilogy and the stand-alone self-published ebooks Rainfall and The Traveler.

She graduated from the University of South Africa with a Bachelor’s Degree in English in 2000

At the age of twenty-four Melissa started a logistics company (Transmax) from the spare room of her flat and built it up to two fully operational depots in Durban and Johannesburg. Now, 10 years later, she has sold her business in order to write full time.

Melissa lives with her husband and three children in Hillcrest, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

The Legacy (book 1 of The Legacy Trilogy) and The Legion (book 2) are available now and the final book, The Legend, will be released early 2015.

An avid reader herself, Melissa finally decided to stop ‘watching from the sidelines’ and to do what is her passion.

“I was driving home from work when inspiration struck, and a storyline started unravelling in my head. For a few days it was all I could think about and eventually I realised that the only way to get it out of my head, was to put it all down on paper. I started writing, and that was that.”

Author's Links

Blog: www.melissadelport.com
The Legacy Trilogy Website: www.thelegacytrilogy.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheMelissaDelportBookClub
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/MelissaDelport
Twitter: www.twitter.com/MelissaDelport
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/MelissaDelport
Publisher’s website: www.traceymcdonaldpublishers.com

Twitter Hashtag for the book blog tour: #TheLegacyBlogTour