They weren’t panic attacks. Of that, seventeen year old Kate is certain, no matter what the shrink told her parents. But it’s even harder to accept the explanation offered by her terminally ill grandmother – that Kate has inherited designer DNA from the time-traveling historians of CHRONOS, who were stranded in the past by a saboteur. Kate knows that her grandmother’s story could easily be the brain tumor talking, but that doesn’t explain the odd medallion or the two young men – one of them hauntingly familiar — who simply vanish before her eyes on the subway. It doesn’t explain Trey, the handsome stranger who now occupies Kate’s assigned seat in trig class. And it definitely doesn’t explain why Kate is now in an alternate timeline, where leaders of a previously unknown cult hold great power and are planning a rather drastic form of environmental defense.
In this new reality, Kate’s grandmother was murdered at age twenty-two on a research trip to the past, which means that Kate’s mother was never born, her father doesn’t know her and, for all intents and purposes, she doesn’t exist. The only thing keeping her from disappearing entirely is the strange blue medallion around her neck, and the only thing keeping her sane is her burgeoning relationship with Trey. To restore the time line, Kate must travel back to 1893 and keep herself and her grandmother clear of H.H. Holmes, the serial killer who is stalking young women at the Chicago World’s Fair. But that choice comes at a price – she’ll remember the past few months with Trey, but when he looks at her, he’ll see a total stranger.
This is a very clever book, despite the criticism that I’ll probably inflict on this poor, defenceless book, I must state that it was extremely smart and must have taken someone with a very bright mind to actually get a book like this out on the paper. (Believe me, I’ve tried. Way harder than it looks!) Now that I’ve complimented the Times Twisted Arrow, I can be mean.
I thought that Kate was very trusting in the beginning of this book. She wasn’t asking many questions or raising any issue. I know that the evidence was right there in front of her with the necklace and her being able to see what others couldn’t, but yeah, she seemed to go along with whatever her grandmother told her.
I’ll admit it’s better than most books, where the main character take FOREVER to believe the what is happening around them. You end up wanting to slap them. I didn’t want to slap Kate at any point in this story.
The relationship with Trey seemed to happen WAY to fast. I mean, Kate fainted in front of him and then he drove her across the country? And believed her when she told him about the time travel? Again, the evidence was there, with the picture disappearing, but the romance side progressed at a faster pace than normal. Although, the romance was to be expected. At one point they were talking about bathroom familiarity. Too much!
While we’re on the subject of romance, I’d go for Kieran! Perhaps a little too pretentious with his ‘Of course, LOVE’ but hey, he did spend a passionate year with her.
Romance is almost a turning point in books for me. Either I like the book or I hate it according to how the romance is written. (Obviously others things to, but I love romance.) Thank goodness Rysa Walker can write good love bits! It was only into the first few chapters that we got a kiss from Kieran and Kate!
I sound like such a pervert. Of course, I’m only interested in the kissing parts because of how its written, kay? (Not.)
I got the impression that the characters in Times Twisted Arrow, were either too emotional and crying over someone they have never met, or complete robots.
Also, and I really hate to say this, while reading a section or two of this book it reminded me of Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer.
(Alright, alright! Stop throwing rocks at me! Let me explain.)
Kate, our heroine, is about to leave to try and save the world (spoilers) and she has one night left with her boyfriend, Trey. They start talking, but then Kate tries to make a move on Trey. Trey tells her that he wants to wait, so he can remember it (Timeline freakiness. Read the book.) Kate starts to cry and has a hissy fit, she feel rejected. Ring any bells? Also, Kate talked in her sleep.
I’m not being unreasonable, because I know there are billions of books out there and nowadays you can’t have a completely new storyline and MAYBE Rysa Walker hasn’t even READ the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer. I’m just SAYING, it REMINDED me of Eclipse.
Overall I enjoyed it, and if Rysa Walker writes a sequel, I would be interested in reading it! There’s still room for another book if she wanted to go down that route. Maybe she already has a date for book two, three and four.
GIVEAWAY:
This blog is hosting a giveaway for one (1) ebook copy of Time’s Twisted Arrow. Open internationally. All you have to do is COMMENT!
Grand Prize:
$25 Amazon Giftcard and One signed copy of Times Twisted Arrow.
RYSA WALKER grew up on a cattle ranch in the South. Her options for entertainment were talking to cows and reading books. (Occasionally, she would mix things up a bit and read books to cows.) On the rare occasion that she gained control of the television, she watched Star Trek and imagined living in the future, on distant planets, or at least in a town big enough to have a stop light.
When not writing, she teaches history and government in North Carolina, where she shares an office with her husband, who heroically pays the mortgage each month, and a golden retriever named Lucy. She still doesn’t get control of the TV very often, thanks to two sports-obsessed kids.
***
This Book Tour was organised by Xpresso Book Tours. Click the banner below to learn more.
Genre: Psychological Suspense (Adult w/ YA and NA crossover appeal)
Book Description:
Grace Jensen survived a horrific fire at age 15. The flames changed her: badly scarred in body and mind, Grace developed an ability to feel other people’s pain. Unable to bear human touch, she has made a small life for herself in Northern California, living with her hoarder mother, tending wounded animals, and falling a little in love with her former doctor. Her safe world explodes when the magnetic Marly Kennet reappears in town; Grace falls right back into the dynamic of their complicated friendship. Marly is the holder of many secrets, including one that has haunted Grace for over a decade: what really happened the night of the fire?
When Marly exhorts Grace to join her in Las Vegas, to make up for the years they have been lost to each other, Grace takes a leap of faith and goes. Although Marly is not entirely honest about her intentions, neither woman anticipates that enlarging Grace’s world will magnify her ability to sense the suffering of others—or that she will begin to heal wounds by swallowing her own pain and laying her hands on the afflicted.
This gift soon turns darker when the truth of Marly’s life—and the real reason she ended her friendship with Grace—pushes the boundaries of loyalty and exposes both women to danger.
This blog is hosting a giveaway for one (1) ebook copy of Forged in Grace. Open internationally. To enter, all you have to do is Comment Below. Smileys not counted 😦 I will contact you via email if you win.
Jordan E. Rosenfeld learned early on that people prefer a storyteller to a know-it-all. She channeled any Hermione-esque tendencies into a career as a writing coach, editor and freelance journalist and saves the Tall Tales for her novels. She earned her MFA from the Bennington Writing Seminars and is the author of the books, Make A Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time (Writer’s Digest Books) and Write Free! Attracting the Creative Life with Rebecca Lawton (BeijaFlor Books). Jordan’s essays and articles have appeared in such publications asAlterNet.org, Publisher’s Weekly, The San Francisco Chronicle, The St. Petersburg Times, The Writer and Writer’s Digest magazine. Her book commentaries have appeared on The California Report, a news-magazine produced by NPR-affiliate KQED radio. She lives in Northern California with her Batman-obsessed son and Psychologist husband.
I feel swimmy, high, adrenaline on full tilt, though I haven’t consumed a drop of alcohol. “We need to subdue him first,” I hear myself say. “Can’t just slap a hand on his face and hope it knocks him out.”
Marly nods, though she is too encumbered to move quickly, and me—there’s no guarantee of what I can do.
“I have pepper spray,” she fidgets with her purse as though she’s about to withdraw it. “And it’s not like we have to break in, Grace. He’ll let us in, when he sees it’s me. Think I’m coming to talk.”
“Okay, then,” I say, before I lose my nerve. And we get in her car and drive.
We park and walk four residential blocks. The streets are lit by yellow halogen lamps, but there’s also a nearly-full moon. Its bold light makes me feel bolstered, sanctioned. Marly points to his condo, one square box among many in a beige world of homogenous residences.
“This could have been my life,” Marly whispers, her face a portrait of disgust. “I should be in that kitchen right now making dinner, then go spread my legs for him. I can’t believe he thought he could get away with what he did to me.”
The guilt surges through me again. If only I hadn’t healed away the evidence. But we didn’t know. Nobody could have known.
“Let’s do it soon, before I chicken out.” My palms have begun to ache with heat.
“Damn straight,” she agrees, and the toss of her hair is so familiar it’s like we’re fifteen again.
Simultaneously, we take a deep breath.
Marly repeats her lines, “I’ll say we’re here to talk—that I brought you as my friend and witness. That will put him on his best behavior. And you?”
I choke a little on my own saliva, cough, and answer, “I’ll ask for a glass of water, say I got too much sun today. He’ll take one look at me and have a hard time refusing, right?”
Marly pats her purse. “Let’s go.” She’s always one step ahead of me.
Meet Kiera, a pretty, intelligent, and talented girl, brought up by her uncle, and abandoned by her parents. Life is as normal as she believes it to be, apart from the deep ache inside her, telling her she’s different.
For years, Kiera had dreams where she ventures into a different reality. She’s not alone; a presence is always there, keeping her safe, yet she feels vulnerable, and hunted.
Zakk, Prince of Zantar, is under the Witch Queen’s spell as she tries to take over his world. He crosses paths with Kiera, and their fates are entwined. As their journey unravels, she learns that she is not the only one affected by this prince.
Who is on her side? Will she find out why she has been chosen? How can someone so young, defeat such evil? Will she find the strength to save the ones closest to her? Will this be Kiera’s only Quest?
(The author contacted me and gave me a PDF copy of her book for an honest review. Yay! Usually it’s me begging authors to send me stuff!)
4/5 Stars
This book started off really well! It was exciting and full of action that made you want to read more!
Zakk, the prince of Zantar, has been thrown into our world and turned into a plastic doll. Also, the Witch Queen is after him and two rings, so that she may rule the earth! It wasn’t the most original of ideas, but I haven’t read a book like this in a long time and was a nice difference!
Kiera had been abandoned by her mother so that she could pursue a singing career. Instantly, you thought ‘Poor Keira!’ She lived with her uncle and worked in his shop, so she wasn’t completely alone but still.
During the book, I thought that Keira was a little dramatic. She practically threw herself off a train, she turned on her best friend because she thought she was plotting against them…
Also, Zakk got lost quite often in the story. It seemed like a recurring theme. At least three times, if not more, he got lost. This was only a 75 page book, so it was quite noticeable.
I liked this quote, it made me laugh. “Jack took a run at his dark rival, whom he once called Brother”. It’s not bad writing, it’s just not really suited to this kind of novel. And…it’s only one more thing, don’t worry!
Kiera flashed her friend Jack, a flirtatious smile whilst running for their lives. I can imagine flashing a smile, because of the craziness, but flirtatious?
Other than the very few things mentioned above that kept me from rating it a five star, i enjoyed this book! It didn’t take long to read, seeing as it was only 75 pages in PDF format. The ending was left open for another book in the series, (I know there is a second and a third sometime in the future.) Would like to see some more background on Zakk and the Witch Queen in the upcoming books!
Thanks for letting me have a copy of your book Kristy!
Hi I’m Kristy and I live in the U.K. I have always written short stories and poetry. I went to university to study acting which I loved, but my real passion has always been writing. So now I write the kind of stories I would have wanted to read when I was a teen. “Kiera’s Quest-Awakenings” is my first ebook. There will be four in the series. Book two-“Sacrifices” came out August 2012(Muse It Up Publishing) Book three is now completed and due out this May. My dream is to have them in print someday! I love reading YA angels,vamps etc. I love my kids and hopefully one day they will enjoy my crazy tales!xx
Not as big as last week I’ll admit, but its been a busy, busy week for me! Because I have time on my hands, I’ll list the books I’m most excited about in order. Click the cover to be taken to Goodreads 🙂 (Yes, i’m still lazy.)
Feel free to comment and tell me whether you’ve read any of these books. Liked them, hated them?
So excited to read this one! Amber (BooksOfAmber) liked this one, and I’d seen it on goodreads a few times and thought ‘why not?’ I reserved it at my library about two weeks ago and it’s here!
I love a good historical romance! It’s been on my Goodreads, ‘To-Read’ shelf for ages now. Finally got round to reserving it!
Not really bothered by this one. Some liked it, some didn’t….eh.
Read the first book last year in January. Felt guilty that I hadn’t read the second one, and it had been on my ‘To-Read’ shelf for a while. Not sure if i’ll be able to remeber characters introduced to me a year ago, but I’ll give it a go!
For Review:
Got it this morning! I review it on 26th March 🙂
Thanks to Kat Clayton and Giselle for providing me with a paperback copy!
Yeah. Bit romancy, love a romance. I review it in April or something.
Today, Disconnect is released out into the world! This is the Tour Blitz, on March 21st I will be reviewing this book. Check out the tour HERE and stay tuned!
Title:Disconnect
Author: Imran Siddiq
Series:Divided Worlds Trilogy, #1
Published: February 22nd 2013
Genre: YA Sci-Fi
Book Description:
In space, love has boundaries.
Dirtying fingernails in sewers is fast approaching worthlessness for Zachary, a 16-year old Underworld scavenger. When footage of an Overworld girl, Rosa, is discovered, his intrigue heightens at why she expresses sadness with a lavish lifestyle.
In meeting Rosa, Zachary is scorned by her opinion of the deprived. She pities him and provides a means for them to communicate. With time, friendship and something he’s never felt grows; love for another human. Knowing Rosa calls him when it suits her isn’t enough; he wants to meet her, but how? Relationships in Underworld are few, let alone the impossibility with those above the ceiling.
Underworld will suffer when plans to conquer Jupiter’s moon, Europa move ahead. Worse is Rosa’s father, a disgraced Overworld ambassador, approving the plan.
Zachary must defeat the prejudice of the worlds, sneak within opposing forces, lose friends and challenge Rosa’s sadness. In doing so, a twisted secret is uncovered that may devour the reason he lives; Rosa.
This blog is hosting a giveaway for one (1) ebook copy of Disconnect. Open internationally. All you have to do is Comment below! Smileys not included 😦 Winner will be notified by email if they have won. Thanks!
EXCERPT:
You can read the full book on Goodreads! Just click the Goodreads link above and look under the cover art!
Imran Siddiq may have tried to leave Leicester a few times, but its become his place to wake up to two cats, freeze when the heating’s off and most of all, get down to writing. At a young age, his primary school teacher commented on his creativity and ability to tell stories. At the age of 29, during a night in the jungle, the bug inside awakened, and for the last 5 years he’s been sacrificing every second that he can to write. A veteran of writing festivals, a presence on Twitter and gobbling up all forms of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings, he hopes he can bring a smile to others in the same way that he had, aged 5, reading with a torch under his duvet. Imran’s preferred genre is YA Sci Fi, and he has a tendency to throw a droid in every novel.
With no clue of what to do next and the responsibility of looking after Alex and Mia as promised, Kale is up to his ears in problems and no solutions. How will Kale save Ella, keep Alex and Mia safe, control Jace as well as control the Bloodlust that creeps beneath the surface waiting to be released? Will Kale be Ella’s savior or will he convict her to a fate worse than the one Laurent has already promised her?
What truths will she learn?
Ella knows that the choices she makes affects not only her but everyone else around her, but what about the choices made to find her? Ella learns the truth about the death of her parents, learns that the ones she thought she could trust aren’t so trustworthy after all.
How will Ella handle these betrayals, and will she be able to sacrifice what is necessary to obtain eternal life?
Giveaway is for 1 print copy of Few Are Angels & Awakened by Inger Iversen. Giveaway is open to US ONLY. Starts on Friday 2/22 and will end on Monday 2/25.
The only thing that 17 year old Barbie Starr wants to do is graduate high school so she and her little brother, Everett, can get out of Alabama. She doesn’t care about the rumors that are spread around about her like wild fire. Rumors are nothing new to her. Sure, maybe she could change her reputation, but why bother. She is leaving Alabama as soon as she can. That is, if she can pass algebra and graduate.
The only thing Dylan Knight would like to do is go through high school unnoticed; he has had enough of the drama that is high school. He took the whole of last summer to bulk-up: finally he is not being called names or being shoved into lockers. He wants to remain on the outside of the circle of constant rumors that surround the so-called popular kids who get all the attention. He would not, however, mind if his long time crush Katie took notice of him.
But it is Barbie who notices Dylan and she offers him a deal he can’t pass up: if he helps her pass algebra, she’ll help him get the girl of his dreams. Dylan agrees, but, as it turns out, nothing is simple when it comes to Barbie. Somehow, she can’t help but draw attention to herself — and to him. Soon Dylan finds himself tossed into the whirlwind of rumors that seem to follow Barbie everywhere. Can he save his reputation and still get the girl of his dreams? Or will Barbie be the one to break through his carefully-built facade?
Barbie girl was an interesting read for me. It reminded me of the Perfect Chemistry series by Simone Elkeles and Pushing the Limits by Kate McGarry, except that this time, the girl was the bad one, whereas in the other books, it’s the bad boys!
I noticed a few grammar mistakes in this book, just a few tense mishaps, but nevertheless it was annoying and I had to read several passages again, so the reading wasn’t entirely smooth and seamless.
Barbie, the main girl character, was supposed to be this hard girl who didn’t let what anyone thought of her affect her, but in several scenes when she was talking with Dylan, she would burst into tears and run away from him. I can understand having a bit of a weep in private but she’s not supposed to care. Barbie needed to take some of her own advice and tell everyone to… “Please vacate the area.” And the scene where she dived from a cliff with Dylan was unnecessary. It was reckless and Barbie only done it to prove a point to Dylan.
During the book, Dylan kept changing and changing his mind about her. He’s in love, he’s not in love, he loves her, he hates her! Such a teenager! He needed to make up his mind quicker and decide if he wanted to be with Barbie or Kate. You cannot kiss two girls in the same day, man!
The point of view was sometimes confusing. It would have been better in third person instead of switching between Dylan and Barbie.
Barbie’s brother. We didn’t know much about him until about 90+ pages in. We knew that he wasn’t as developed as he should have been, that much was pointed out. But other than that, chapters containing him in were very scarce. I can’t even remember his name now. The relationship between Barbie and her brother was sweet though. You could really tell that she loved him and would protect him no matter what. Just wish that his condition was pointed out a bit earlier on in the book. (No, I don’t mean a full scientific run down of his whole brain synapses. What are you like?)
There was one thing that I hated about this book, about any romantic books really. The couple got together, fantastic! The wedding bells are ringing…Whoops! Not anymore! Someone done something, the couple break up and then a few chapters later, they’re back together. Please help me! We all know it’s going to happen! I must admit, I really did like the ending to this book, it wasn’t typical to other romances that I have recently read.
Overall, I would recommend this book to readers that enjoyed Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkelkes and Pushing the Limits by Kate McGarry. Don’t be put off by the pretty girl on the cover! I’m not going to get excited over the second book, but if a copy comes my way I would defiantly read it!
And by reading this book, I have realised that I read way too many romance books 🙂
~Giveaway~
This blog is hosting a giveaway for one (1) ebook copy of Barbie Girl. Open internationally. All you have to do is comment. Smileys not counted 😦
Giveaway 2 (grand prize)
The giveaway is for a swag pack of goodies that relate to the book.
Heidi Acosta was born on Long Island, New York. Moving around a lot when she was younger, she has lived in New York, Arizona, New York (again), Washington, Georgia, and Florida, in that order. Each place offered her something special, but she will always consider New York her home.
Heidi started writing as soon as she could spell. When she was three, Heidi’s mother gave her a copy of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House in the Big Woods; thus beginning her lifelong love affair with literature.
Writing soon also became a form of therapy for Heidi, when she realized that no matter what was happening in her life, she could find emotional escape while writing. Some of her earliest stories featured her as a princess who explored new worlds with her horse Buttercup. If it sounds romantic, it wasn’t, there was no prince charming in those fairy lands (boys where yucky).
Heidi now resides in Florida with her husband, very active daughter, one hyper Chihuahua, two sweet cats, and one very fat moody cat.
~~Read an Excerpt and Watch the Trailer.
Chapter 1.
Unpredictable
Her words are an arrow shot straight at my heart. It’s as if she is speaking only to me, even though I am sitting in a crowded auditorium and she speaks to all of us. I love each note; I love each piece of red hair sending tiny dancing rainbows into the crowd as the light hits it. I love the way the corner of her mouth tilts up in a slight smile. I love everything about her.
I am supposed to be calling lighting cues up to Third, but I am stunned by the words that she sings, they ring around me. Magical. Her song is like tiny birds serenading me.
The first time I saw Katie she had just moved to Phenix City. Walking into class, like a scene right out of one of those sappy teen romance movies. Violins were playing behind her as she floated in. Her red hair pulled in a low bun, an escaped strand blowing gently across her porcelain skin. As she was introduced to the class she looked right at me her light green eyes pinning me in my seat. I could not breathe, my heart stopped beating. I had never seen someone so beautiful before. I have been in love with her ever since.
With each passing day that drones on, I fall more for her, she is smart, beautiful, and funny, at least I assume she is. When I watch her passing by in the hall all her friends are laughing, and Katie is smiling like she has a joke on her lips. Every day that I watch her, I ache to touch her, to talk to her, to be part of the joke. Every day I find another reason to fall more in love with her. I sound like a stalker, but I can’t help it she is the perfect girl for me. And one day soon I am going to tell her exactly how I feel. But for now I have barely managed to pluck up the courage to say a few words to her, “Can I barrow a pen?” or “Good luck on the test,” but by the end of this year I am determined to take things further. More than a few empty words.
“Hello, earth to Dylan! Stop checking out Katie Bloom’s ass and read me the cues. Should I go brighter?” Third blinds the stage with a bright light. Shouts erupt around the stage, “Knock it off man just put the rose-colored light on Katie.” The stage softens in a pink glow, but the glare coming from Katie is bright white.
Laughter fills my ear piece, “Dude she thinks you’re an asshole,” Third snorts. “Now you ain’t ever getting in her pants.”
Third, my best friend, and the most obnoxious person I know. He goes through phases like he changes his underwear. Now he is in his street phase, down to the fake diamond chain, saggy pants, and his occasional street terms he got off the Jersey Shore. No matter how hard he tries he will always be the overweight kid who gets shoved into the locker on a regular basis. Even so we have been best friends ever since he tried stopping the eighth-grade wrestling team from shoving my scrawny sixth-grade body in the dumpster. That only resulted to both of us spending the rest of the third period in the dumpster behind the cafeteria. He has had my back since; no matter how annoying he is, he is still my best friend. We have been pushed into lockers, threatened to have our asses kicked and called loser and other endearing names together.
“Shut up. You have no clue what you’re talking about, besides Katie is not that type of girl. You don’t just get into her pants.” She is perfect. She is perfect for me.
“Katie might not be that type of girl, but here comes someone that is, and me want in those pants.” The caveman version of him begins to rear its ugly head. I look to were Third had the light pointed. Bathed in a bright white light making her look otherworldly; stood Barbie Starr in all her glory. She has posed with her hands on her hips, black combat boots tapping. She is searching the room for her next victim. And she found him, her eyes narrow as she hones in on me.
I slide down in my chair trying to avoid eye contact. “Damn that girl is hot.”
I can practically hear the drool falling from Third’s mouth. “What do you think she wants?” I groan.
Wherever Barbie is you can guarantee trouble is not far behind her, she is the most screwed-up girl at Lee County. “Probably looking for a place to get high,” I mumble into my headpiece. Barbie is known for two things around Central, partying and hooking up.
“Send her up in the box with me man. I’ll take care of her,” Third begs.
The cast begins to stumble over their words as they glance nervously toward Barbie. Even Ms. Rita can’t help but glance in her direction. She is like a car accident you don’t want to look, but you can’t help but assess the damage.
Barbie starts to walk in my direction; her green, plaid mini skirt is so short that I am not even sure it can be still classified as a skirt. She has on a tight, black tank top that exposes a gold belly button ring, torn fishnet stockings with knee-high combat boots completes her look. That cannot be dress code. Her big, freaky blue eyes are lined in heavy black liner, and they are looking right at me. I am frozen in my seat. A predator holding its prey, and I am the prey. Crap. She walks up the aisle in front of me, flipping her long, bleached blond hair with one hot pink strip over her shoulder. “Dylan Knight?” her voice is a knife cutting through me. I nod too stunned to talk.
“Dude she knows your name! Get her number and you are my hero,” Third chirps in my ear.
“Umm…yeah…that’s me,” I choke out. My heart felt like it was about to take flight leaving a gaping hole in my chest as I watched her with an anxious stare.
She smiles at me, but that smile reads more like she is the Greek goddess Ishtar. She is either going to step over the seat and start making out with me or strangle me. I hope for the second and make it quick. “Well today is your lucky day,” she leans over and grips the back of the chair with her black-chipped finger nails, giving me a full view of her cleavage.
“Dude this is so hot, I have a movie that starts out like this. If she steps over that chair and rips off your clothes I am going to film it.” Third is defiantly drooling; actually the whole theater has fallen silent. I don’t look but I know all eyes are on us or maybe they are on Barbie’s ass.
“You can totally see down her shirt, what color is her bra?” Third begs.
“Red,” I say.
She glares at me. “What?”
I shake my head clearing my thoughts and make eye contact with her again. “Why is today my lucky day?” I change the subject crossing my arms across my chest glaring back at her.
“You get to tutor me in Math,” she holds out her arms like she has just given me the best gift ever.
“Holy crow dude, you got to do it. For all things virgin you got to do it. She totally is going to screw your brains out; and you have to videotape it for me.” I shake my head trying to rid Third’s annoying voice in my head.
“No,” I say with more conviction then I feel.
“No?” her eyes narrow into tiny slits.
“Dylan bro you are killing me,” Third groans. “Listen man you are not thinking with the right head. Listen to the little man down below, you have to tutor her, and report every dirty detail back to me.” Third is back to begging.
“Well are you a tutor or not?” she snaps. The room is so silent that you can hear a pin drop. I glance at the stage, big mistake, Katie is sending death rays in my direction or maybe they are meant for Barbie. I cannot tell. Could she be jealous? We don’t speak much even though we are in all the same classes together. Girls, I never will get them.
“Yes I am…but I am not taking any more clients.” Actually I have not tutored anyone in a while. I am sure as hell not tutoring crazy.
“Idiot! Do you get what could happen with your reputation if you let her de-virgin you.” Third says to me. Yeah she can ruin whatever little social life I happen to have. “Katie might finally know your name,” Third says. Katie knew my name. Right? I glance back at the stage to where Katie is talking to that douche bag Tyler.
“Fine I will tutor you.” I know I will end up regretting this, but if there is a chance that Katie will recognize me. Her face softens and her freaky alien eyes go back to their normal size. I rip out a piece of the cue paper and jot down my address and phone number on it.
“Thanks, hot stuff.” She takes the paper out of my hand and folds it in a messy square before stuffing it into her bra. She stands straight and looks up at the box and says, “It is red with black hearts.” She winks and saunters out of the auditorium.
There is silence, the whole room in a state of shock. I think Third might have keeled over and died.
“Dylan read the cues,” Mrs. Rita snaps. She is wearing the same look of astonishment on her face that I feel. I cannot read the cues because they are in Barbie’s red bra with black hearts. What just happened? Did I just agree to tutor Barbie?
“Man what you are going to do?” Third stuffs a whole Twinkie in his mouth. That is impressive.
“I don’t know she is freaking crazy,” I groan, running my hand through my hair.
“Yeah, but she is like the hottest girl in school,” Third points out.
“She is not the hottest girl in school, she is the easiest girl in school,” I correct him.
Third takes out another Twinkie from the plastic wrapper. “Name one girl hotter than Barbie? And not the sweet girl-next-door look, like Katie, I mean hot! Like dripping sex hot!” He says before devouring another Twinkie.
“Okay so Barbie is hot in a stripper kind of way,” I agree with him. She has that long, bleached blond hair, and big blue eyes, and these pouty lips that make you wonder if they are as soft as they look. Third grabs a cheese burger off his plate.
“Her boobs are freaking huge,” Third groans.
“Yeah I noticed.” I am a guy, how could I not notice. I shake my head trying to clear the images in my head. How could I not notice she practically shoved them in my face.
“You got to bang her,” Third points a greasy finger in my direction.
“Bang her, who freaking talks like that?” I throw one of his Twinkies at him.
“Hey my mom packed those.” He scoops up the rest of his stash protectively.
“Hey boys,” Barbie’s voice cuts in it has a low and sexy quality to it. How long has she been behind us? She pulls up a chair next to me. She locks eyes with me and stares making me uncomfortable, but I will not be the first to look away. I swallow the lump in my throat and stare back. “Look we need to figure out the terms of this tutoring thing,” she says flicking her long hair over her shoulder.
More uncomfortable staring. Damn, does she ever blink? She has these weird, intense blue eyes that are huge, almost like one of those plastic dolls Emmy is always trying to talk Mom into getting her.
Reaching over the table she picks up a burger off Third’s tray and takes a bite, which puts him to shame. “I can’t pay you,” she says over a mouth full of food.
“I charge ten dollars an hour, but I am sure we can work out a deal,” I shoot back. I usually charge ten bucks an hour but I have done it before for five dollars, of course she was in first grade and not a raging loon.
“So what, you want me to like show you my boobs or something?” I choke on my chocolate milk. Third is shaking his head “yes” fiercely. “Or make out with you?” she points the burger at me. Her eyes still remain unblinking.
“I know, how about I pretend I am your girlfriend, boost your popularity.” What? She continues, “How about I say we did it, that you rocked my world, you know…” She leans back in her chair and kicks up her long booted legs onto the table.
“No!” I get my voice back, and looking away I blink. “I don’t want you to ‘pretend’ to be my girlfriend.” I make air quotes around pretend.
She smiles, “I am not really going to be your girlfriend.” She laughs like being my girlfriend is incongruous.
“This is a cafeteria. Do you mind?” I glance at her feet; she is starting to grate on my last nerve.
“Not at all,” She smiles at me.
“What does pretending to be his girlfriend entitle him to? Just out of curiosity,” Third inserts himself into the conversation. I can practically see the perverted wheels of his mind turning.
“Look, I don’t want you to pretend that you are my girlfriend or pretend to do ‘it’ with me,” I say before she can answer his question. This girl is trouble, she is probably higher than a kite right now, and I do not want to get more involved than I already am.
“I am not really going to do it with you.” She rolls her eyes. “I tell you what, how about I let you feel me up,” she gives me a wink.
Holy crap. Third is really drooling. “Marry me,” Third in his comatose state says dreamy-eyed. If anyone knows how to get attention it is Barbie. She swings her legs down and perches her chin in her hands ignoring the puddle of drool that is forming under Third.
“Remember the time you made me eat that roly-poly?” she looks at me innocently.
“What? No.” Of course I do, it was the first and only time I was in the Principal’s office.
We were in kindergarten; her hair was not blonde like it is now, but a mousey brown that she wore down her back in two long braids. I always had this weird desire to yank on them to see what would happen, to see if she would smile and laugh, or just punch me. She was known for beating up the boys, but she never did touch me. I was jealous. I didn’t know any better I was six.
Every day during recess I would chase her; she never let me catch her. None of the other girls let me chase them like she did; she was always faster than me, flittering just out of reach. I wanted to catch her so bad.
Then one day I got the flu, a week later when I got back to school Billy Nichols was chasing her, pulling on her braids and she was laughing. I had to do something drastic! So I found a roly-poly and hid in the slide popping out when she ran by. I caught her and stuffed the little bug in her mouth. It was the first and last time I caught her. So I didn’t say it was a smart choice but I needed something drastic and I was like six. When I got off her she finally punched me, right in the nose so hard that I saw stars. To make it worse she tattled on me, getting me in trouble. I was the only boy she ever told on.
I rub at the bump on my nose; I swear it was from her. “Why did you stop chasing me?” She is looking at me with those alien eyes.
“What? I… it was…I… Billy…you punched me, and I got in trouble…what does this have to do with tutoring?” My checks are burning.
“I know, Katie Bloom,” Third says throwing his hands in the air like he just scored a touchdown.
“What?” We both look at him.
“What does this have to do with Katie Bloom?” I say irritated.
“Ahhh, Katie Bloom, goodie two shoes straight as with a freak underneath. You’re in love with her.” She points at me an all-knowing smile on her face. “And I can help you get her,” she says nonchalantly like we are talking about the weather and not the girl of my dreams.
“What…no I am not in love with her,” I protest. “And she is not a freak; she is a lady, unlike some people.”
She looks at me like she is trying to read something that is not there. “Katie Bloom is little bit of a psycho,” her voice raises an octave, my face is on fire.
“Will you keep it down, she is sitting right over there and can here every word you are saying,” I hiss.
I steal a glance nervously in Katie’s direction. She is not even paying attention to our table; she is too busy laughing at Tyler. Douche bag. I should be the one making her laugh. “You don’t even know her, she is smart, and kind, and pretty,” I say in a hushed tone. I am filled with images of Katie gliding past me, always with text books in her hand, a halo around her auburn head. I love her. I love her. I love her.
Barbie throws her hands in the air, “Okay lover boy don’t say I didn’t warn you. You get me a passing grade on the next test in Gregor’s class, and I will help you get Katie Bloom’s pants.”
Even though it feels like I am making a deal with the devil, I agree.
“How exactly are you going to do that?” I lean over to her. Her blue eyes glisten with a scheme.
“I have my ways,” she leans close to me licking her lips.
“This is going to be awesome,” Third chimes in, breaking my lock on those lips.
“So why don’t you wear glasses anymore?” she asks. This girl is freaking crazy! I spend the rest of the day not concentrating on school, but how to get out of a deal I somehow got tricked into by the she-devil Barbie.
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Emma and her father are always on the move, travelling from place to place as her father’s work demands. Their new home, however, is different. There’s a frightening woman who lives down the hall: she bears an uncanny resemblance to a witch. A mysterious light comes from her apartment, and a small boy seems to be trapped inside.
School in this town is no happy place either, with an odd principal and a gang of girls who make tormenting Emma their special project. And strangest of all is the fact that there seem to be brownies – basement brownies, in the air vent in her bedroom.
Haunted by visions of her mother, Emma travels through the brownie burrow to the valley of Hades to visit with the goddess Ceres, following a series of clues that lead her across the sea of memory to the centre of the world.
There, on an inhospitable rock floating in a sea of steaming lava, Emma must find a way to release her mother from the sea of memory and restore magic to both the brownie burrow and the human world above.
Tanya Karen Gough was born in Montreal, Quebec and raised in New England, where she developed a healthy appetite for ghosts and things that go bump in the night. An avid reader from a young age, she quickly worked her way through Alice in Wonderland, the Magical Monarch of Mo, Andrew Lang’s Fairy Books, all of the Tintin comic books, Nancy Drew, and most of the other books in the children’s library.Finally, at the tender age of 10, she produced this poetic masterpiece:
“Whene’er you get a wandering leg
And feel that you must roam
Remember this and don’t forget
The best place is at home”
To date, she has moved more than 25 times. Along the way, she earned two degrees in English Literature, taught overseas, became the owner operator of the Poor Yorick Shakespeare Catalogue, and contributed to a number of Shakespeare-related publications. Root Bound is the first of four books in the Emma and the Elementals series.
~EXCERPT~
The goddess studied Emma for a moment.
“So small and unfinished, aren’t you, seedling,” Ceres smiled as she spoke. Then a look of astonishment crossed her face. “But you are not the one we were expecting. Not the Wanderer of the prophecy. No, but yet so full of power you do not yet realize.” She leaned in conspiratorially. Emma stepped forward to hear what she had to say.
“You feel it, don’t you,” Ceres whispered.
“I feel … something … ma’am,” Emma replied tentatively, as the uneasy feeling in her stomach grew stronger. The goddess stared into her eyes for several minutes longer than Emma thought she could bear. Then Ceres smiled broadly, and as she did so, several more wrinkles vanished and a tiger stripe of grey hair turned to lustrous brown–green with a flick of her head.
“The Wanderer is lost,” the goddess said to the brownies, without taking her eyes off Emma. “This child also searches, but does not know what it seeks. Do you know what it is you feel, child?”
Emma did not.
***
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In his father’s eyes, Dylan Deveraux is just a playboy spending the family fortune on prostitutes, alcohol, and fast cars. And it isn’t even with the cars his father produces. Because of that, his father forbids his presence at the ball that will mark the launch of the US plant of his company, strategically scheduled on Valentine’s Day.
Hayley Allen is a failing model with the worse luck in the world. She always ends up in the hands of cruel designers and photographers. At least, that’s what she tells herself. Better than admit having a weak nervous system that always reacted during her gigs. Desperate, she would do anything to help her career.
Dylan shows up at her door, wasted as usual. Friends for a long time, Hayley is the only one able to put up with Dylan’s bullshit, and he appreciates that, but not the way her heart wants.
Even though he doesn’t believe in Valentine’s Day, Dylan has an idea for his father’s ball. When he suggests a deal to Hayley, a deal that could finally put her in the spotlight of success and help him impress his father, she doesn’t hesitate. Even if it means hurting her heart a little more.
International. Includes, eBook of ‘His Allure, Her Passion’ – eBook of ‘Her Hearts Secret Wish’ and $15 Kindle or Nook giftcard. a Rafflecopter giveaway
While Juliana Haygert dreams of being Wonder Woman, Buffy, or a blood elf shadow priest, she settles for the less exciting—but equally gratifying—life of a wife, mother, and author. Thousands of miles away from her former home in Brazil, she now resides in Connecticut and spends her days writing about kick-ass heroines and the heroes who drive them crazy.
~EXCERPT~
On tiptoes, Dylan crossed the short corridor and found Hayley sleeping on the couch. She looked peaceful, but he doubted she was really comfortable there. The pillow was on the floor, the comforter pressed in between her legs and arms, as if she was hugging it, her delicate feet propped on the arm of the couch. Her long amber hair fell around her shoulders, her tank top had ridden up, showing a piece of her soft midriff skin, and her breasts barely fit inside her tight top.
Shit. He turned his back to her, ashamed at having stared at her body.
But it was such a nice body, how could he resist? He peeked at her over his shoulder. He didn’t understand how she wasn’t a famous model yet. She was so, so beautiful.
He smiled, remembering the first time he saw her. They were at a party, and he spent over six hours trying to woo her, but she didn’t fall for his bullshit. No girl had ever resisted him—except Hayley. She was the first and only. And that’s how their friendship was born. Even though his instinct was to try and kiss her and sleep with her each time he saw her, Dylan had found a true friend in her, and for that he put his physical needs aside. She was the only one who understood his problems, his dark moments, who endured him, who saw past the bullshit, and didn’t throw herself at him. More importantly, she didn’t care about his fortune.
Hayley stirred, moaned, and opened her eyes. “What are you smiling about?”
Was he smiling? “Nothing.” He sat in an armchair beside the couch. As she sat up, she pulled the comforter up to hide herself. “Hey, hmm, sorry. I didn’t mean to take your bed.”
“I know.” She smiled and her green eyes shone.
“Was I too much of a jerk?”
“The usual.”
Their eyes locked and she lost her smile. There was so much he wanted to tell her, so much shit about his life, but he was always afraid he’d push her away if she found out every one of his little messes. Wouldn’t it be better, though? For her? To be away from him and his bad influence? But then who would give him pep talks and receive drunken him with open arms in the wee hours of the night? Who would tell him everything would be okay? Who would give him a hug when he was down because of his brother? He had driven many, many times from Princeton to New York just to have one of those hugs.
She was one of those rare jewels and he couldn’t afford to lose her.
Feeling like a coward, Dylan averted his gaze.
***
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Title:
ReadingToTheStarsAndBack 