Blog Tour: Elemental Lies by Elle Middaugh @ElleMiddaugh

Elemental Lies
Elle Middaugh
(The Essential Elements, #2)
Publication date: July 24th 2017
Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult

Valerie Moore is an Elemental, a person who commands one of the classical elements of wind, water, fire, or earth. She’s special, though. She controls two—fire and water—though sometimes it seems like they control her.
After the accidental exposure of Elementals to humanity, Valerie finds herself—and all of her kind—struggling to attain equality. Three different groups fight to secure leadership, and with all of their hidden agendas, she doesn’t know which side to choose. The balance between peaceful cohabitation and all-out war is precarious, at best.
When a chance meeting brings Val and earth Elemental Cade Landston back together, everything changes. She realizes what she knew in the beginning—that he’s the one she wants. Her desire to win him over draws her closer to him, and his vengeful mission to hunt down her murderous grandfather brings them both closer to trouble.
From mysterious doppelgangers to reckless rescue missions, scapegoat bombings, and evolving Elemental powers, Valerie strains to keep up.
All she knows is she must stop her grandfather at all costs. To do so, she has to figure out the truth, but how can she do so when almost everyone she knows has been telling lies?

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Sequel to:

TOP TEN AUTHORS I’D LIKE TO MEET

There are a number of authors I’d love to meet (pretty much anyone I’ve read, really)! But sticking to the genre I write (Fantasy, romance, etc.), here are a few I would particularly love to talk to! (In random order).

1.     Sabaa Tahir

2.     Sarah J. Maas

3.     Chelsea Fine

4.     Renee Ahdieh

5.     Alwyn Hamilton

6.     Bella Forrest

7.     Suzanne Collins

8.     Veronica Roth

9.     Elise Kova

Author Bio:
Elle Middaugh lives in the Allegheny Mountains outside of Clearfield, Pennsylvania, with her wonderful husband and three beautiful children. Most of her time is spent raising kids, writing stories, playing video games, reading, and attempting to keep a clean house.
She’s a proud Navy wife, a frazzle-brained mother, a fan of health and fitness, a lover of hot tea and iced tea, and a believer in happily ever afters.

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Excerpt: Glass Arrow by Kristen Simmons @kris10writes

Excerpt:

Run, Aya! I feel them! They’re coming!” 

I know a moment later what she means. The  horses’ hooves are striking the ground, vibrating the gravel beneath my knees. I look to the brush beside us and quickly consider dragging Metea into it, but the  horses are too close. If I’m going to save myself I don’t have time. 

“Get up!” I am crying now. The salty tears blend with my sweat and burn my eyes. 

“Leave me.” “No!” 

Even as I say it I’m rising, hooking my arms beneath hers, pulling her back against my chest. But she’s dead weight and I collapse. She rolls limply to one side. I kiss her cheek, and hope she knows that I love her. I will sing Bian’s soul to the next life. I will sing her soul there too, because she surely is doomed to his same fate. 

“Run,” she says one last time, and I release her. 

I sprint due north, the opposite direction from the cave where I hope Salma has hidden the twins. I run as hard and as fast as I can, fueled by fear and hatred. My feet barely graze the ground for long enough to propel me forward, but still I can feel the earth tremble beneath them. The Trackers are coming closer. The Magnate is right on my heels. 

I dodge in my zigzag pattern. I spin around the pine trees and barely feel the gray bark as it nicks my arms and legs. My hide pants rip near the knee when I cut too close to a sharp rock, and I know that it’s taken a hunk of my skin, too. No time to check the damage, no time for pain. I hurdle over a stream-bed and continue to run. 

A break in the noise behind me, and I make the mistake that will cost me my freedom. 

I look back. 

They are close. So much closer than I thought. Two  horses have jumped the creek. They are back on the bank now, twenty paces behind me. I catch a glimpse of the tattered clothes of the Trackers, and their lanky, rented geldings, frothing at the bit. The faces of the Virulent are ashy, scarred, and starved. Not just for food, but for income. They see me as a paycheck. I’ve got a credit sign tattooed across my back. 

I run again, forcing my cramping muscles to push harder. Suddenly, a crack pierces the air, and something metal— first cold, then shockingly hot—winds around my right calf. I cannot hold back the scream this time as I crash to the ground. 

The wire contracts, cutting through the skin and into the flesh and muscle of my leg. The heat turns electric, and soon it is shocking me, sending volts of lightning up through my hips, vibrating my insides. My  whole body begins to thrash wildly, and I’m powerless to hold still. The pressure squeezes my lungs and I can’t swallow. I start to pant; it is all I can do to get enough air. 

A net shoots out over me. I can see it even through my quaking vision. My seizing arms become instantly tangled. 

“Release the wire! Release it!” orders a strident male voice. 

A second later, the wire retracts its hold, and I gasp. The blood from my leg pools over the skin and soaks the dirt below. But I know I have no time to rest. I must push forward. To avoid the meat market, to keep my family safe, I must get away. 

I begin to crawl, one elbow digging into the dirt, then the next. Fingers clawing into the mossy ground, dragging my useless leg. But my body is a corpse, and I cannot revive it. 

Mother Hawk, I pray, please give me wings. 

But my prayers are too late. 

My voice is only a trembling whisper, but I sing. For Bian and for Metea. I sing as I push onward, the tears streaming from my eyes. I must try to set their souls free while I can. 

Out of the corner of my eye I see the boney fetlocks of a chestnut  horse. The smooth cartilage of his hooves is cracked. This must be a rental—the animal hasn’t even been shod. An instant later, black boots land on the ground beside my face. Tracker boots. I can hear the bay of the hounds now. The stupid mutts have found me last, even after the  horses and the humans. 

I keep trying to crawl away. My shirt is soaked by sweat and blood, some mine, some Metea’s. It drips on the ground. I bare my teeth, and swallow back the harsh copper liquid that is oozing into my mouth from a bite on the inside of my cheek. I am yelling, struggling against my failing body, summoning the strength to escape. 

“Exciting, isn’t it boys?” I hear a man say. The same one who ordered the release of the wire. 

He kneels on the ground and I notice he’s wearing fine linen pants and a collared shirt with a tie. If only I had the power to choke him with it. At least that would be vengeance for one death today. His face is smooth and creaseless, but there’s no fancy surgery to de-age his eyes. He’s at least fifty. 

He’s wearing a symbol on his breast pocket. A red bird in flight. A cardinal. Bian has told me this is the symbol for the city of Glasscaster, the capitol. This must be where he plans on taking me. He’s ripping the net away, and for a moment I think he’s freeing me, he’s letting me go. But this is ridiculous. I’m who he wants. 

Then, as though I’m an animal, he weaves his uncalloused, unblistered fingers into my black, spiraled hair, and jerks my head back so hard that I arch halfway off the ground. I hiss at the burn jolting across my scalp. He points to one of the Trackers, who’s holding a small black box. Thinking this is a gun, I close my eyes and brace for the shot that will end my life. But no shot comes. 

“Open your eyes, and smile,” the Magnate says. With his other hand he is fixing his wave of stylishly silver hair, which has become ruffled in the chase. 

I do open my eyes, and I focus through my quaking vision on the black box. I’ve heard Bian talk about these things. Picture boxes. They freeze your image, so that it can be preserved forever. Like a trophy. 

I’m going to remember this moment forever, too. And I don’t even need his stupid picture box.

Excerpted from THE GLASS ARROW © Copyright 2015 by Kristen Simmons. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.

Kristen Simmons is the author of the ARTICLE 5 series (ARTICLE 5, BREAKING POINT, and THREE), THE GLASS ARROW, METALTOWN, PACIFICA (coming March 2018 from Tor Teen), and THE PRICE OF ADMISSION (coming Fall 2018 from Tor Teen). She has a master’s degree in social work and loves red velvet cupcakes. She lives with her family in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Links

Website: http://kristensimmonsbooks.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/author.kristensimmons/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kris10writes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kris10writes

Blog Tour: Dream Frequency by S.J. Thomas @SJLomasAuthor

Dream Frequency

by S.J. Lomas

Genre: YA

Release Date: June 2017

Summary from Goodreads:

Christine would never have considered herself new recruit material for a secret U.S. agency. Until recently, she's just been an ordinary girl graduating from high school and wondering if a friendship with Gabriel, a mysterious coworker, would grow into something romantic. When Christine's fascination with Gabriel leads to her discovery of dreamworlds, she learns that she's anything but ordinary. In this thrilling conclusion to Dream Girl, Christine and Gabriel must choose their allegiances and face corruption, conspiracy, and the complexities of love in order to save themselves and everyone who matters to them - or die trying.

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Excerpt

The dream is freaking me out for three reasons:

1. It was a nightmare.

2. I haven’t spontaneously dreamt for almost a year.

3. It’s the night before my final test.

I’m sitting in the complete blackness of my training room quarters while the unsettling images cycle through my brain. It had come on slowly. Innocently. I was sitting under a tree, looking over a field of tall red poppies. I’ve never seen so many flowers before. As far as the eye could see, it was a densely packed sea of bobbing stalks waving in the warm breeze.

The bright yellow sun beamed down in a cloudless blue sky. The colors were rich and brilliant, like a summer day. At first, I’d just leaned back against a tree and soaked in the beauty. It was like my earliest days in the dreamworld, before I learned anyone could monitor and influence my dreams. It was refreshing to settle into a real dream again, created solely by my subconscious. As it should be. The only thing I’d forgotten is sometimes my subconscious turns on me.

A flicker of movement on my periphery caught my eye. A section of poppies rippled as if something was crawling through them. Judging by the width of the section of toppling stalks, probably a fairly large something. The breeze didn’t feel so warm and inviting anymore. A chill replaced it; the crawling thing was heading directly for me.

About the Author

S.J. is a cheerful Michigan girl who writes strange and somewhat dark stories for young adults and those who love to read YA literature.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Blog Tour: Seven Days With You by Hugo Driscoll @Hugosa

Seven Days with You

by Hugo Driscoll
Genre: YA Contemporary Romance
Release Date: April 10th 2017

Summary from Goodreads:

Sean Johnson’s life as a small-town farmhand has been nothing but predictable, but when he meets Sophia Hillingdon at the local animal sanctuary, she gets him out of an eighteen-year rut, away from the mundane existence on the farm, and a grieving, drunken father.

Sophia is the first person who understands him and makes him believe that he might get out of their small town, who tells him, he has the potential to be whoever he wants to be and do whatever he wants to do.

But as their relationship unfolds, it is the most devastating of news that will change both of them forever.  

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About the Author

Hugo Driscoll is a 25-year-old British author and content writer for an online publication in London.
Seven Days with You is his first novel.

Author Links:

Website│Goodreads│Twitter│Facebook

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Book Blast: The Woodlands by Lauren Nicolle Taylor @LaurenNicolleT

The Woodlands Series Box Set
Lauren Nicolle Taylor
Published by: Clean Teen Publishing
Publication date: August 7th 2017
Genres: Dystopian, Romance, Young Adult

Do you dare enter the Woodlands?
As the last livable spot on Earth, it’s the only home Rosa and Joseph have ever known. But now they need to escape, or Rosa will be trapped forever in a horrific government program. A dystopian page-turner with over 750 five-star ratings on Goodreads. The Woodlands Series is perfect for fans of The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth, and The Jewel Series by Amy Ewing. Readers can purchase this boxed set at a significant discount over the cost to purchase each novel individually. This is a complete series boxed set.
The Woodlands is an Award-Winning Finalist in the “Fiction: Young Adult” category of the USA Best Book Awards, as well as a Semifinalist in The Kindle Book Awards by the Kindle Book Review.
“Lauren Taylor’s writing is powerfully descriptive; she is a master of words and similes.” – Author Erica Kiefer
“It seems so rare these days to find a dystopian with an original vein in it. The Woodlands Succeeds.” -Author Pauline Creeden
“I went into this story with my own ideas, but they were obliterated by what I found instead. I was so happy to be wrong because this story touched my heart deeply in a way that I never expected.” – Reviewer Amber Douglas Mcallister
“This book was fantastic! Spectacular! It had everything I look for in a book: Action, Adventure, and even romance!” – Reviewer Jocelyn Sanchez

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—

EXCERPT:

The helicopters were stationed at the rim of Ring One, just inside the low, sandy-colored wall that surrounded the center podium. They were waiting, crouching like black angels ready to lift us from this place, this hell, into an unknown world. A Guardian in black uniform with gold trim walked to the front of the choppers and signaled for us to come forward. Another one threw the bags in the cargo hold as he read from his list. Three girls and eight boys. Joseph’s name was not on the list. I felt a flood of relief that was washed away by panic. I was barely holding myself together as it was, seeing him was liable to make me fall to pieces. But he was supposed to be here.
Paulo’s hand was on my back, pushing me towards the helicopter like I was an uncooperative apple on the conveyor belt. I was trying so hard to muster up some courage. Today I was leaving the only home I had ever known. I would never see my mother again. I felt the anxiety rising, the crushing pain of the separation I was about to suffer. Suddenly the grey-washed town didn’t look so horrible. It was home after all, I guess. I told myself it was fear that was making me feel this way. It didn’t help.
My mother, who had been quietly following us around like a dazed puppy, pulled me to her in a tight embrace. She whispered, “Sorry,” in my ear before stepping back, fists clenched, showing the appropriate restraint. Some other mothers were crying and holding their children as the Guardian wrenched them away and led them onto the aircraft.
My mother’s face was my own, the way she moved mirrored my own movements and mannerisms, but that’s where the similarities ended. Although raised by this woman, I was nothing like her. For the first time, I saw things from her perspective. Getting into trouble all the time, never showing Paulo anything other than contempt. I must have been such a frustration to her.
They called my name. Paulo put his hands firmly on my shoulders, holding me in my place. His intense stare was impossible to look away from. “Don’t shame your family,” he spat at me. And with that, he made it easy to leave. I could feel the blades starting to move, my hair whipping around my face. I stripped away the fear and anxiety, leaving a girl that was fierce, empowered by his hatred.
“Don’t worry, Paulo, I’ll stir it up, make a little noise!” I shouted through the wind. The Guardian that let me sign up was watching me, probably regretting his decision. My mother was standing rigidly, her handmade skirt billowing as the air churned around her, her hand outstretched, pleading. I could see it in her eyes—please Rosa, don’t cause more trouble. She couldn’t stop me, no one ever could. Paulo was already walking away, his back to me. Behind my mother stood a man, one blue eye, one brown, smiling. He lifted his hand to wave. I raised my hand, confused. The chopper lurched awkwardly and I was knocked back into the cargo hold.
“Sit down!” the Guardian snapped at me. I quickly found a spot and strapped myself in. The others were staring at me, eyes wide. The Guardian tapped the pilot on the shoulder. “Wait, there’s one more.”
He bounded in, bag in hand, and casually threw it on the pile and scanned the seats. There was plenty of room on the other side but he squeezed his bulky form between me and the boy I was sitting next to.
Suddenly we were in the air. When the Guardian wasn’t looking, Joseph slipped his hand over mine. Warmth calmed the agitation I felt, like pouring gold over lead, glowing. We stayed that way the entire ride. Eyes forward. Impossibly trying to anticipate what may lie ahead.

Author Bio:
Lauren Nicolle Taylor lives in the lush Adelaide Hills. The daughter of a Malaysian nuclear physicist and an Australian scientist, she was expected to follow a science career path, attending Adelaide University and completing a Health Science degree with Honours in obstetrics and gynaecology.
She then worked in health research for a short time before having her first child. Due to their extensive health issues, Lauren spent her twenties as a full-time mother/carer to her three children. When her family life settled down, she turned to writing.
She is a 2014 Kindle Book Awards Semi-finalist and a USA Best Book Awards Finalist.

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Blog Tour: Reunited by Colleen Houck @ColleenHouck

About the Book:

Title: REUNITED 

Author: Colleen Houck

Pub. Date: August 8, 2017

Publisher: Delacorte Press

Pages: 446

Formats: Hardcover, eBook, audiobook

Find it: Amazon, Barnes&Noble, iBooks, TBD, Goodreads

After surviving her otherworldly adventure, Lily wakes up on her nana’s farm having forgotten everything. Her sun prince, her travels to Egypt, and her journey to the Afterlife are all distant memories.

But Lily is not the girl she once was. Her body is now part human, part lion, and part fairy. And if that isn’t bad enough, she must now harness this power of three and become Wasret: a goddess destined to defeat the evil god Seth once and for all.

With the help of her old friend Dr. Hassan, Lily departs on her final voyage through the cosmos and across the plains of Egypt. On the journey, she will transform into the being she is destined to become.

Reunited is the heart-pounding conclusion to the Reawakened series. 

It is time for Lily to find her sunset.

We welcome Colleen to the blog today for an interview!

Did you always know you wanted to be a writer or did you want to be something else? 

I originally wanted to be a teacher for Deaf children. Then I realized I needed a master’s degree to do that so I became an American Sign Language interpreter instead. I always loved reading and books though, and ended up writing as a hobby while I worked full time. Now it’s my full-time career.

How long does it take you to write a book from start to finish?

A full-length novel takes me about six months. The longest I ever wrote was Tiger’s Destiny and that one was eighteen months and the shortest was my most recent, as yet unannounced book, which took three.

How do you come up with themes for your stories?

Themes are the fun part for me. I research and write down several ideas and then figure out a way to incorporate them. I am particularly good at writing myself out of corners. All of my stories carry the basic theme of sacrifice so that underlies everything.

Do you have a schedule of when you write? 

Yes. I write in the afternoons. Most mornings I’m taking care of business and doing social media. The prime time for me to write is between 1pm and 5pm though, when I’m on a rough deadline, I also write from 7 or 8pm until 11pm too.

How are you able to balance other aspects of your life with your writing?

I think that’s the toughest part for any writer. It’s very difficult for my mind to let go of a story. As soon as I settle down for a vacation, I’m already brainstorming for the next book. Getting outside or shopping is really the best way for me to escape my mental work. I also love being with my family and always spend holidays with them so that time is always set aside.

What elements do you think make a great story line? 

I think you have to hurt your characters, emotionally, physically, psychologically. They need to suffer to keep the reader engaged. It’s tough because as an author, I love my characters, but it makes them heroic and better people in the end. Also dragons. Never met a dragon book I didn’t like.

What was the hardest thing about writing a book?

Editing is the hardest part for me. It’s very painful to chop away pieces. Over the years I’ve grown more immune to it, but it’s still the part where I cringe.

How many books have you written so far? Do you have a favorite?

I’ve just finished my eleventh book. My favorite is always the one I’m working on now. I suppose that’s a love the one you’re with mentality. 

Do you have a favorite character?

I think Mr. Kadam from the tiger series will always be my favorite. He’s just so wise and caring. I’d love to have tea with him.

Where do you write?  

My home office. Right now I’m in a rental property and sharing an office with my mom so I’ve already planned out my schedule to only write one book this year. Having my mom with me is constantly distracting. She always wants to show me cute dog videos or ask me how to Google.

When deciding on how to publish, what directed you to the route you took? 

I honestly thought writing was just going to be a hobby for me so I started out with self-publishing. I learned a lot by doing it and I wouldn’t be where I am now without it. It was a long road though, and I’d advise other aspiring authors to try something different.

 Have you gotten feedback from family about your book(s)? What do they think?

My family has inspired many things about my books. All my nieces and nephews are found somewhere in my books and they’re very proud of the fact. My brothers like to make fun of the romance. My sisters all help me out at conferences and take care of my newsletters and fan mail so it’s become quite the family project. They’re all very proud.

What kinds of things do you like to do outside of writing?

I love cooking, baking, and home decorating. Gardening is fun though not vegetables. I like landscaping more. I still interpret when I get the chance and I love shopping.

What kinds of advice would you give to someone who wants to start writing? 

Don’t give up on the dream. Writing is a great thing to aspire to. When that book of your heart is done, find a conference and set an appointment with an agent. Once you get a good agent, everything begins to fall in place.

What is your favorite book? favorite author? Do you have an author that inspired/inspires you to write? 

I was inspired by Stephenie Meyer and J. K. Rowling. Both women were my age when I started writing and their personal journeys gave me the courage to give writing a try. I love many, many books. My goal on Goodreads this year is to finish 150 new books.

Do you have any go to people when writing a book that help you with your story lines as well as editing, beta reading and such? 

I don’t really use beta readers other than my family and close friends. They are more supportive and interested than helpful which is how I like it. I discover my story as I write so too many questions along the way can throw me off course.

17.                  Are you working on anything now? 

I am sort of on vacation. I say sort of since we just moved and I’m working on edits and blog tour. I hope to start my next book this fall.

18.                  Tell us 5 things that make you smile

Chocolate, my dog, my husband, flowers, and cinnamon rolls.

19.                  Tell us 5 things that make you sad

A crying child, hurt animals, the homeless, forest fires, and the hubby forgetting the anniversary.

20.                 If you could travel anywhere in the world to visit a place so you could use it as a background for a book, where would it be?

Ireland

Thanks so much for stopping by today, Colleen. Great having you here!

New York Times Bestselling author Colleen Houck is a lifelong reader whose literary interests include action, adventure, paranormal, science fiction, and romance. When she’s not busy writing, she likes to spend time chatting on the phone with one of her six siblings, watching plays, and shopping online. Colleen has lived in Arizona, Idaho, Utah, California, and North Carolina and is now permanently settled in Salem, Oregon with her husband and a huge assortment of plush tigers.

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Giveaway Details:

3 winners will receive a finished copy of REUNITED, US Only.

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Tour Schedule:

Week One:

7/31/2017- YA Books Central- Interview

8/1/2017- Here's to Happy Endings- Review

8/2/2017- YA and Wine- Guest Post

8/3/2017- a GREAT read- Review

8/4/2017- Two Chicks on Books- Interview

Week Two:

8/7/2017- Tales of the Ravenous Reader-Review

8/8/2017- Ohana Reads- Guest Post

8/9/2017- Seeing Double In Neverland- Review

8/10/2017- The Cover Contessa- Interview

8/11/2017- Riddle's Reviews- Review