The Demon Side (The Demon Side Series, #1)

Blurb: “Every kid has problems. Every kid has even more problems when they move to a new home. But when a kid with problems moves to a new home that has a Demon living inside it—look out!

Etta’s world is about to spin out of control when she encounters her new roommate—and Rahovart, that ancient trickster, is in for a few surprises too. So don’t mind all the crashing and rumbling; that’s just the normal noise Angels and Demons make when they’re fighting an epic war in the attic.

One thing’s for sure: Etta and Rahovart will have to go through Hell to Heaven and back again before that old Victorian home in Quantico Town finally quiets down… ”

Excerpt – The Demon Side:

Etta plopped back onto her bed and stared at the ceiling for a few moments. I wished I could hear her thoughts. Her father had just admitted to being a murderer for all practical purposes, though that was not how I viewed him. I truly believed John only tried to save the village, but his fervor and some help from a desperate Alastor, turned what should have been a heroic act into a bloodbath. Many men have unknowingly fallen from grace in the name of the greater good. Now, hopefully Etta would see that her father was just the victim of blurred lines between good and evil.

“What are you thinking?” I asked as I lay down next to her on the bed.

“Can a person still go to Heaven even if they’ve killed someone?”

“Well, I’m not in the business of getting people to Heaven, Etta. That’s the last place I want them to go,” I reluctantly replied.

“Even if it were me?” Etta stared hard at me with watery eyes, looking right into my blackened soul. I never gave much thought to where her soul would go, except to stop her from mistakenly giving it to me.

“That is a choice for you to make. I can’t force you to choose a side. I can only put the temptations in front of you.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“What do you want me to say? I want to see you burn in the depths of Hell? You’ll never hear that from me. Only you and your actions can decide where you go when you leave this world.”

“I would go if it meant I could be with you, you know.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.” As much as I would have loved for that to be the case, her comment angered me. I couldn’t imagine a person like her becoming something like me.

“I know that when you’re around I feel safe nothing could ever hurt me. I get butterflies in my stomach when you touch me. I know your soul, Ra. I don’t know how, but I know. I knew it the second I saw you. You weren’t meant for this existence. You fought for good once, and I’m certain you will again.” Etta was strong in words. She spoke with solid confidence. She described what I felt.

The Human Side (The Demon Side Series, #2)

Blurb: From above, Etta’s life seems to be calming down in the town of Quantico, Virginia, but with every passing moment away from his love, Rahovart finds the emptiness unbearable. After redeeming himself once again as an Arch, Rahovart is still unable to let his past go. Needing to be near Etta, he strikes a deal with Father—except it turns into a mission with great consequences.

With Arch Angel Gabriel in tow, Rahovart sets out to prove himself worthy of Etta’s love, only to face discouragement from Etta’s father, John, and her new boyfriend, Tristan—on top of the threats made to Etta. Would he be able to protect her if she no longer remembered him or shared the love the once held so dearly?

One thing’s for sure: The past, with all of its secrets and lies will come back to haunt them all.

Excerpt – The Human Side:

“I have two solutions, but the choice of which to accept is up to you. There is plenty of time to think about these choices, but remember, whatever you choose, you will be bound to it.”

“What are the choices Father?”

“Your first choice is an exchange. Swear never to interfere with Etta’s life again, and all you have lost will be restored, including rank and principalities. If and when she returns to Heaven, her memories will be restored. Break the promise at any time for any reason, your soul shall be sent to Purgatory and Etta’s Guardians will be removed from her detail. As for the second choice, go to Earth in human form with no wings, no abilities. Show Etta the same cruelty and disdain as when the Demon Rahovart met her. Etta fell in love with a Demon once. It should be quite interesting to see if she can do it again. She must profess her love without coaxing or prompting. There can be no mention of our deal or what lies beyond the veil, including who you truly are, where you come from. Fail to abide by the rules or rekindle her affections, your days shall be spent on Earth with no recollection of life beyond the veil. But, succeed, and you can return home with the added benefit of continuing your relationship with her. Visit her anytime as long as it does not interfere with work.”

I listened intently as Father explained my options. Both carried heavy consequences if I failed to abide by their guidelines. He’d given me a life or death decision to make, but I didn’t need time to think. Without thought or question, I gave Father my answer.

About the Author: Heaven Liegh Eldeen started her writing career three years ago after being challenged by a relative. With her ‘Oh, Yes I can!’ attitude, determination and support from her family, she completed her first novel The Demon Side, which released in October 2011 and has been a finalist for Best Paranormal Romance in Romcom Inc.’s 2011 Reader Crown Awards as well as Oklahoma Romance Writers of America 2012 International Digital Awards. On November 28th, 2012 she celebrated the release of The Human Side; book two of The Demon Side series, which won Turning the Pages YA Paranormal Romance of the Year.

When she’s not kissing owies, climbing Mount Dishmore, or obsessing over her Facebook book page, you can find her at the computer revising or editing one of her five works in progress or Saturday evenings as a co-host to KMYC’s 1410AM The Dirt’s with Lori Schulz. Having lived in many states, she has now settled down in California with her husband, her son, and a beta fish named Barry and guinea pig Skunkers.

Website   Blog   Twitter   Facebook   MySpace

Phoenix: The Rising

Welcome to Evernight Teen’s Summer Kick-off Blog Hop!

It’s a great opportunity to get to know Evernight Teen: Gritty Fiction for Today’s Young Adult. Our stories include fresh teen fiction that’s raw, gritty and real.

My spotlight is on Bette Maybee’s PHOENIX: THE RISING:

Blurb:

Every 300 years, the immortal Phoenix returns to Mono Lake to be reborn—but this time it didn't return alone. The Nephilim are back in force, trying to keep it from being reborn so one of them can claim its immortality. But first they have to figure out who the Phoenix is—and any red-haired, green-eyed, seventeen-year-old in the area is fair game. And so, the killing begins...

Julie Mason doesn't believe all this legend crap until she falls for Eli Sullivan, whose hallucination-inducing kiss not only saves her, but makes her the Nephilim’s prime target. But, it's worth the risk. Her death is inevitable...not even Eli can prevent it. All she has to do is keep the Nephilim off Eli’s trail until The Rising. Once Eli is reborn and forgets his past life, Julie’s life is over, whether she’s dead or not. At least that's what she thinks...

14+ for brief violence and sexuality

Excerpt:

“That asshole flipped you the bird.”

Julie jerked her head up from the drinking fountain to find Kas Penemue towering over her.

“Wha-what?” She backed against the wall. The pounding of her heart amplified against the hard surface, shaking her body with each beat.

“Fredricks. He flipped you the bird. Want me to break his finger?”

“No!” The word gushed from her mouth, causing the heads of those nearby to swivel her way.

Kas chuckled and leaned his arm against the wall over her head.

“I’m just kidding, Julie. Chill.”

Julie inhaled slowly. The scent of peppermint wafted from his mouth, a pleasant smell that had a strange, calming effect on her.

“How did you know? That he did that, I mean.” Julie hadn’t noticed Kas in the classroom, and with his size, she would have had to be blind not to see him.

“I have my ways.”

Across and down the hall, Julie saw Eli Sullivan open his locker and grab a book. He turned his head in her direction and locked his eyes on hers. Why does he keep staring at me?

“Well, do you?”

Julie blinked and then looked up into Kas’s dark chocolate eyes.

“Do I what?”

Kas’s voice softened. “I asked if you wanted to go to a party with me tomorrow night after the game.”

Julie’s eyes shifted back to Eli. He had been joined at his locker by Charsey who was busy giggling and flipping her silky strawberry blonde locks over her shoulder. Charsey was a flirt, and she had the looks to get the job done. Eli Sullivan didn’t stand a chance. He would soon join Charsey’s long list of male conquests.

“Umm. Sure. I guess that would be okay.” Julie bit her tongue the moment the words came out of her mouth.

Kas took a step back and smiled.

“Great. Meet me by the gate after the game.” He jogged down the hallway.

Yeah, great. Julie could have kicked herself. How am I gonna get myself out of this one? Julie turned. Eli and Charsey were gone. In fact, the whole hallway was practically deserted. Julie glanced at the clock. She had less than a minute to get to her next class. She might make it if she ran.

The moment she turned the corner, she collided with someone, rebounding off a hard male chest and landing on her butt.

“Oh, man! I am so sorry!” A tanned, muscular hand was offered to her, the same hand that returned a discarded cigarette to her the day before. Julie looked up into the apologetic face of Eli Sullivan. At that moment, the second period tardy bell rang.

“Crap!” She slapped his hand away and hauled herself up. “Thanks a lot!”

Eli raised his hands in surrender. “I really am sorry, Julie. I—I just need to talk to you.”

Julie hesitated for a moment as his eyes met hers. They seemed to burn right into her, throwing her off-kilter, making her forget why she was so upset. She shook her head to realign her thoughts then pushed her way past him. “I’m late.”

Eli grabbed her arm, halting her retreat. “Please. This is important.”

Julie tensed her arm, ready to pull away, until she looked into his face. His sapphire eyes darkened with concern. Her heart thrummed as he pulled her closer, brushing his lips across her temple.

“What did he want?” Eli spoke barely above a whisper, his breath warm on her ear.

Julie tried to blink away the spots that suddenly clouded her vision. She could feel her heart beating in her throat and a red flag went up. This was not happening. She wouldn’t let it. This time she did pull away.

“What did who want?” Julie lifted her chin and exhaled, trying to calm her heart.

Eli’s eyes hardened. “Penemue. What did he want?”

Julie was totally confused. “What business is it of yours?” She backed away, and he grabbed her arm again. Gently, this time. Once again, his touch sent her heart into overdrive.

“I just think you should steer clear of him.”

Julie jerked her arm out of his hand. “Who do you think you are? My father?” She spun around and headed in the opposite direction.

“Julie!”

Julie stopped in her tracks.

“What?” she snapped.

“You’re gonna need a tardy pass.”

Crap!

Phoenix: The Rising is available here!



What's up for Grabs?

•              One lucky hopper will win a KINDLE PAPERWHITE eREADER sponsored by Evernight Teen.

•              Every book blogger/reviewer site is giving away one free eBook from Evernight Teen (winner’s choice of any eBook from Evernight Teen’s website).

•              Plus, each author offers their own unique prize! So visit each blog hop stop for a host of fabulous prizes to win.

How to enter? Comment and leave your email address in the comments section below to be eligible to win a prize.

Continue hopping to the next stop!

Resisting Fate

Title: Resisting Fate

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Release Day: June 14th 2013

Publisher: Sunshine Press

Seventeen-year-old Emmy O’Connell is the epitome of a hot mess. 

Her boyfriend’s been shipped out of town to some boarding school four states away. Her step douche is constantly drunk and badgering her. And then there’s her good-ole-mom… The lady is nothing more than a miserable shell of a woman. She’s turned off all of her feelings and her ability to be a good mother as well, leaving poor Emmy and her four year old brother Jamie to suffer. Life couldn’t get much worse, right?

Enter the elusive, cocky, and oh-so-broody Jack Hartman…

The jerk cousin of her boyfriend becomes Emmy’s worst nightmare…times ten. He’s cruel. He’s insensitive. But he also has this strange little ability over her – he makes her weak in the knees with the single touch of his hand. But no matter how miserable or amazing Jack makes her feel, Emmy can’t seem to deny him, especially when he takes on the role of her protector –her pseudo-knight in a black leather coat. A knight who also just so happens to ride in on his black Harley, instead of a white horse…

And to make a bad situation worse… 

Werewolves and teens shouldn’t mix! But what can Emmy do when she finds herself thrown head first into the center of it all? Can she handle the supernatural mess her life rapidly becomes or will she fight against the inevitable fate her heart desires?

About the author:

Heather Van Fleet currently reside in northern Illinois, with her three little ladies, and fabulous hubby, and high school sweetheart, Chris. She’s a stay at home mom by day, and an avid and completely obsessive writer and reader by night.

She’s always had a soft spot in her heart for books, and has been creating her own little stories since the age of seven. But she never really had the confidence or the time to actually sit down and really do something about it until her youngest daughter Isabella was born just two years ago. Bella, as well as her older sisters Kelsey and Emma, are and always will be her greatest inspirations.

Disintegrate

Emily just wanted a normal life: a boyfriend, college, two parents who loved her. Instead, her dad disappeared when she was fourteen and her life at college is anything but ordinary. When you can manipulate matter like putty and you have no idea why, how do you pretend to be like everyone else? What happens when you meet a guy who has the same powers? Do you trust him to help you find the answers you need? Emily desperately wants to believe that Jax can help, but the stakes grow higher than she’d ever expected: someone is after them and they’re not afraid to use violence to get what they want.

Disintegrate is a fast paced and well plotted story that any avid YA reader is sure to enjoy. Emily is different with her unique powers, yet so different as to yank you out of the story into the unbelievable. Jax is a lot more like Emily than she first realizes. Together, they set out to learn the whys of their paranormal gift and how to embrace the thing that sets them apart from just about everyone else.

This would make a great summer time read of a girl just graduating from high school and enjoying her last summer of freedom before heading off to college.

On The Backs of Dragons

"Life can get awfully complicated when you make promises you intend to keep."

So says Akari, and he speaks from experience. A simple promise he made to his sister leads him to faking his death, living with dragons in a live volcano, and using all of his powers and skill with magic and warfare to overcome the ruthless army of Azoria. Eventually, he realizes that only he can bring a costly war to an end – with the Fate of three kingdoms at stake.

It is only with the help of Akari's niece Caroline and his nephews Jonas and "Mouse," who travel great distances down rivers, through caves, swamps, oceans, over mountains – and in the air, with the help of a stray dragon or two. They all must show courage they didn't know they had so that the island of Ambrosia can be saved from the menacing King Maldazor.

Sasquatches, ruthless Barbarian invaders, the wild and free men of Mulvaria, a Cyclops that enjoys the taste of rat meat, and nasty little cave creatures known as "In-Betweeners" all play a part in their adventures – either helping them along the way, or doing whatever they can to thwart their plans.

About the Author:

Jeremy Morong is one of those people that read book series like Harry Potter and Narnia and said "That's easy! I can do that!" After ten years and a lot of stops and starts, he learned it wasn't even close to easy - but it was fun. On The Backs of Dragons is his first novel; if his wife, Abby, has a say, it will be his last. He lives in Omaha, Nebraska with her and their daughter Madelyn.

Visit Jeremy's website

Book Lovers Buffet

Introducing the Book Lovers’ Buffet.

Load up, you won’t gain a pound!

 Buffet’s “Bouquet of Books” sale will be open May 1-3. More than 175 ebooks, all reduced in price to just 99 cents. Save in categories such as Young Adult, Contemporary, Paranormal, Suspense, Erotic Romance, and more!

 PLUS, visit the website to win gift cards to your choice of online retailers. $400 in gift cards up for grabs! Titles from popular YA authors such as:

Clover Autrey

Amanda Brice

Juli Alexander

Jo Lewis

Jesse Kimmel-Freeman

Catherine Chant

Gemma Juliana

PJ Sharon

Renee Pace

Athea Sharp

Stacy Juba

Myndi Shafer

.99 cent YA ebook sale

I'm going to try Death and Kisses first since I'm partial to characters that can see dead people.

Here's the Blurb:
Since the night Kasey was responsible for the star football player’s death, she can see ghosts. Not that she’s afraid of them. Most ghosts just go about their own business. She’s more concerned with staying under the radar as the school’s once-popular, now outcast loner freak. Until the boy she killed shows up wanting revenge. 
Regardless of Kasey’s outcast status, the hot new guy in school, Aden, not only befriends her, but wants to help her figure out how to get the angry ghost to leave her alone. So what if he also wants to contact his dead brother?

Friday Freebie: Fall Girl

I just sent Fall Girl to my Kindle and am looking forward to checking it out tonight. Author Marybeth Smith is an advocate for bipolar disorder and addresses this complex issue in her writing.

Annabelle Jones has always taken her bipolar brother under her wing, but after years of acting as his personal disaster janitor she finds herself rebelling against her lifelong compulsion to take responsibility for his actions and fix all his mistakes. Unfortunately, the more she rebels the more personal it becomes, especially when his actions start to affect her own future.

The struggle between letting her brother deal with his own consequences and fixing just one more thing for him pushes and pulls at Annabelle as each mistake he makes lands her further and further from the life she's always known and crushes all hopes of the future she has planned. If the decision she makes about whether or not to play clean up crew for his most recent disaster fails to produce the results she needs most, life as she knows it will be forever changed. But maybe ... just maybe, letting him take the fall for his screw ups this time might turn out to be the best thing that's ever happened to her.

Whereas books like The Bell Jar, by Sylvia Plath or Impulse, by Ellen Hopkins show mental disorders through the viewpoint of the individual suffering from the illness, Fall Girl explores Bipolar through the eyes of a family member in order to show that bipolar disorder not only affects the person suffering from the illness, but also the people who are close to them.

The Vampire Hunter's Daughter

Jennifer Malone Wright

Jennifer Malone Wright resides in the beautiful mountains of northern Idaho with her husband and five children. Between the craziness of taking care of her children, whose ages range from fourteen all the way down to six months, and being a homemaker, Jennifer has little time left for herself. The time she does have left, usually leading far into the night, is spent working on freelance work or her beloved fiction.

When she grew up, Jennifer always had her nose in a book. She has been writing stories and poems since grade school. This love of the written word and her strong interest in the paranormal is what has led to her first novel “The Birth of Jaiden.”

In addition to being a mother and homemaker, Jennifer is also a very proud military wife. Moving around the country for the last ten years has made her a bit of a nomad and she finds it difficult to be in one place for too long.

Jennifer is also the author of The Birth of Jaiden, a paranormal novel filled with action, suspense, and even a love story.

Website/ Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads / Amazon Author Page

The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter

Complete Collection

Parts I-VI

Genre: YA Paranormal

June 2012

This special edition of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter contains parts I-VI, the complete collection. Fourteen-year-old Chloe witnesses her mother’s murder at the hands of a vampire. Before the vampire can kidnap her, there is an unexpected rescue by a group of vampire hunters.

Overwhelmed by the feeling of safety, Chloe passes out and they whisk her away to their small community. When Chloe wakes, she comes face to face with the only other living relative, besides her mother, whom she has ever met: her grandfather. Chloe’s mother kept her hidden from the family; now, Chloe tries to unveil the family secrets.

Through her grandfather, she learns her mother was a vampire hunter. In fact, her entire family is descended from the powerful bloodlines of vampire hunters. Chloe agrees to join the family she has never known for one reason only: Chloe vows to kill the vampire responsible for her mother’s murder. With vengeance in her soul, Chloe is even more determined to follow through on her vow when she discovers the true identity of her enemy and how he is connected to her.

Experience the world of vampire hunter’s, vampires and mythology with Chloe in this exciting series.

Excerpt:

I took the first book off the stack and examined the cover. It was titled Vampires throughout History. The cover was leather and so old it was stiff and cracked in spots. The pages showed signs of age too, yellowing and stiff to the touch. There was no table of contents, so it looked like I was going to have to scan the entire book for what I was wanting. I flipped the pages carefully, so as not to tear any of them.

After an hour of scanning and about half way through the book, I found something referring to vampire children.

~~~

Although extremely rare, the natural-born offspring of vampires exist throughout the world. These rare beings are called the dhampir. Dhampir are usually the product of a vampire and mortal. The most common of these unions is a male vampire impregnating a mortal woman. Vampires, both male and female, are seductive in nature and some mortals came willingly to these unions. However, the majority of dhampir born were produced through an act of rape.

Solitary by nature, it is uncommon for a vampire to settle with any one mate for long. The children of vampires, the dhampir, more often than not exhibit all the characteristics of their vampire parent. The strength, speed and agility are the usual hereditary traits that the children develop. They are not always born with these traits but develop them as they grow into adulthood.

The dhampir are day walkers. Some of these children are sensitive to the sunlight but will not perish in the direct rays. Most have no sensitivity at all. Drinking the fresh blood of mortals is also not usually required of the dhampir; however, some have a liking for it. Very few actually need it to survive.

Most dhampir are rejected by the vampire species because of their mortality and weaknesses. Mortals often reject the dhampir, as well, due to their vampirism, so they frequently remain outcast.

Dhampir are known for becoming vampire killers. Their closeness to the vampires and their vampire characteristics make them powerful vampire hunters. The unique ability to track and kill vampires is specific to only the dhampir and the mythological race of vampire hunters.

Historically, dhampir became vampire hunters as a trade. Towns and villages became plagued by vampires who were terrorizing their homes and killing their people. The dhampir accepted contracts in exchange for monetary payment and used their likeness to their vampire counterparts to exterminate the vampires.

~~~

Holy crap, that was a lot to process. The more I read the passages, the more I understood that my being a hunter was more than my heritage; it was my history and my future. Everything about my bloodlines had hunters involved.

Part I of The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter is FREE and the author would appreciate it if this was included in the tour spots.  You can find it FREE at the links below.

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Buy Links for The Vampire Hunter’s Daughter Complete Collection:

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Giveaway

The Author is giving away a $100 gift card from Amazon as the Grand Prize throughout the tour. I will send you the code for this before the tour begins.

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Newly Shattered

To celebrate the updated release of Shattered I am offering it for only $1.99 from now until the end of the month at Smashwords with coupon code GP58M.

If you have a Kindle you can download the .mobi format and email it to your Kindle email.

If you have a Nook, Kobo Reader, and any other device that supports that file type you can download the .epub format.

If you have an iPad or iPhone you can download a free app from your App Store call Bluefire Reader and read it in .epub format.

You can also download either the Kindle or Nook reading apps for free for your laptop and enjoy books there.

Or you can do it the old fashioned way with a .pdf file format that will open on any computer.

YA Buffet

I'd like to giva a shot out to all my fellow YA authors participating in the Book Lovers Buffet. The buffet runs through the 22nd and has some awesome YA selections for only .99 cents. That's right, less than one dollar to download some great books for your summer reading pleasure. Take a break from that required for school summer reading list and enjoy a a decadent little treat on the side.

Veronica Blade has three books for you to grab up - From Fame to Shame, A Bite's Tale: A Furry Fable, and the book with the cover my witchy side digs the most, Something Witchy Comes This Way.

Brainiac Tessa McClean’s newly discovered magical powers give her an escape from her self-absorbed parents. But the thrill of being a witch fades when she learns of a rival coven and begins to suspect her own coven’s motives. Evidence tells Tessa to trust one side, but instinct drives her toward the other.

When the school’s scrumptious delinquent, Hayden Anders, offers Tessa self-defense lessons in exchange for tutoring, his timing couldn’t be better. Although hanging out with him is a necessary evil in Tessa’s fight to stay alive, resisting a bad-boy she secretly yearns for might be more than she can manage. 

Together, Tessa and Hayden work to unravel the mysteries behind the two covens to discover why they’ll stop at nothing to lure Tessa to their side. She must form an alliance with one of the covens before it’s too late. But the wrong decision could cost Tessa the lives of all who she holds dear — including Hayden.

I just gifted my niece Hayley a copy since she reads way faster than me. Hopefully, we'll get her to give us a review and / or have Victoria stop by to say hi. Next week we are going to take a look at another featured author, Stacy Juba and her book, Dark Before Dawn. I gifted that one to Hayley, too. Aren't I the coolest aunt ever!?!

Love...

I want to share some words of wisdom from Megan...


Some people think as love of just another often used word. But what is it exactly? A sign, fate, .... or is it something created by our own subconchious? Throughout my life I've seen people who are in love, and people in love with the idea of love. My mother says that love is complicated, and she's right. It's not easy, and we have to work at it. When we do or say something we regret, we wish to go back in time and change it. But we can't, and then we have to deal with the pain... and frustration. I think of love as a song. Every note has it's own meaning, just like people. I hope to fall in love someday, and when i do I'll look back and think to myself "I'm glad I had heartbreak, or else I wouldn't have met him."

Megan is only 13 years old and already has an incredible way with words. I have a feeling we'll be buying her books someday.

Her mom has determined that she can't read Shattered yet. But, I figure that by the time I'm able to write something age appropriate for her to read, she'll already be old enough to read what I've already written.