Title: The Gifted Ones: The Fairytale Author: P.G. Shriver Find "The Gifted Ones: The Fairytale":
Amazon
Thrown together by the cruelties of a modern day world in which genuine compassion is rare, evil abounds, and goodness is often tainted by the fight to survive, two unusually gifted teenagers discover they are linked by a fairytale told them repeatedly throughout their youth by their late mothers.
Destiny awaits them, but first they must locate the others, as the fairytale foretells, to defeat the evil monster who waits and change the lonely world in which they live. Only then will they find peace... and family.
~From the Author~
On Hair
A part of The Gifted Ones The Fairytale forms a bond between the two main characters as they seek their destiny. During their journey, a storm brews blowing Cheater's hair about, annoying her new friend, so I though this fitting for the tour.
Today a poem of mystery (written under my other pseudonym)...
The strangest thing
just floating there
before the mirror
one strand of hair.
A perfect question
mark it made,
just hanging there
and there it stayed.
I gently blew
At the strand.
Moved by the breeze
it swung and
it dangled, fluttered,
spun and twisted
no visible tie
of help enlisted.
It’s gentle spin
caught my eye,
made me wonder,
question why?
More so how?
I could only stare
At the motion
Of that strand of hair.
Was it mine?
Was it his?
What unknown source
was the cause of this?
At eye level
it was plain
that simple strand
came from my mane.
But how it floated
without support
I could not tell
A silk of sort?
I peered up
into the light
searchingfor silk
but none in sight.
A ghost behind
this trickery?
A message of
my hair to me?
Gently I pulled
at the long end
and saw it stretch
'til giving in.
The question lingers,
about that hair
of certainly how
it floated there?
~About the Author~
Born in California, and raised in Minnesota and Texas, P.G. spent her early years writing poetry and winning poetry contests, while escaping the drama in her own childhood by reading great books for children. Ever since her earliest days, she loved story telling. She wrote numerous short stories in High School and her early college years, continually trying to relive that first experience at the age of seven of seeing her name in print in the local newspaper.
P.G. sought her education at the University of Texas, where she studied English, literature, and Education. During the entire process of earning her BA and M.Ed, she never stopped writing and trying to be published. It was during this time that her first children's book No More Stinkbugs! was accepted for publication by Castle Keep Press. Many of her stories develop from nature.
P.G. graduated college and began her career in education, another great world that offered real experiences to humor and delight through children's books. She watched children interact, bringing to surface her own experiences as a child and yet more events to write about. While teaching, she discovered many great books for young people, such as The Watsons Go to Birmingham-1963, Maniac Magee, So. B. It and many more. She is a fan of Dean Koontz novels, too, and loves reading fantasy and paranormal books.
P.G. was married 20 years in March 2012 and has a bright, young daughter who has begun her own college career. She lives on a small farm in Texas with her family and animals. P.G. has experienced great love and loss throughout her life. Those her family has lost have dedications in her books.
P.G. has two young adult books published, Dead Perfect and The Gifted Ones: The Fairytale the first book in The Gifted Ones Trilogy. She also has several children's books written under Gean Penny, her pseudonym. P. G. has since dissolved her contract for her first book with Castle Keep Press and moved the title to her own imprint, Gean Penny Books.
Title: Faded Author: Chloe Miles Find "Faded":
Amazon
"Savannah wanted to kiss him, but she had never even kissed a human guy before, let alone a ghost. How was she supposed to kiss him if he wasn't really there?"
Savannah has never been in love before, but she's in love with Hunter Emmerton. He's cute, funny, charming...and a ghost. How can you date someone if nobody else can see them?
After seventeen-year-old Savannah Fraser and her three friends are killed in a car accident, they are given a second chance at life by a group of hundred-year-old teenage earthbound spirits who need their help.
Savannah and her friends learn that they are The Chosen Ones, which means they can switch between human and spirit form, heal people and control the weather. And they are also now invincible.
The Chosen Ones are the only ones who can defeat The Forces - a group of evil spirits who are slowly destroying the perfect little town of Fort Everwick with violent storms and not-so-natural disasters - and stop them from harming everyone they care about.
The Forces are set on destroying everything Savannah knows and loves, but they also have another plan - they want a new member to join them. They aren't willing to give up until they get the one they want...and they have Savannah firmly in their sights.
Savannah had never been confident in herself before, but with her new-found powers, she discovers just how strong herself and her friends really are. But what Savannah didn't count on was falling in love with Hunter. She's never loved anyone the way she loves Hunter and she knows he loves her too. But how can they be together forever if he no longer exists and she's the only one who can see him?
Will Savannah have enough belief in herself to defeat The Forces, or will they be able to lure her to the dark side and turn her against her loved ones...and tear her and Hunter apart?
~From the Author~
Hey everyone. I'm so grateful for the opportunity to share an excerpt of Faded, the first book in The Faded Trilogy. I hope you enjoy it!
Just as Savannah turned, the glass window behind her smashed and sent shattered glass out onto the seats in the cinema below. Everybody screamed and scrambled towards the door.
The girls ducked for cover out of instinct, even though they knew nothing could hurt them. They looked around, but there was still no one there.
“Thought you were alone, didn’t you?’ a deep voice seemed to come out of nowhere. He laughed. “What a shame, you didn’t get to see the end of the movie. I can tell you how it ends,” The movie projector exploded. “With three nosy young girls dying.”
A man appeared in the doorway and looked at each of the girls. It was Griffin. He grinned to himself then looked over at the remains of the movie projector. It burst into flames.
Abigail stood up and glared at him. “Well, what a shame, we’re spirits too. Don’t you know that you can’t kill the dead?”
Griffin looked in her direction and smiled. “Maybe not, but there’s a whole room full of people down there that I can.”
Savannah looked at the burning projector, then back in Griffin’s direction. A gust of wind blew the flames into the air and she sent the projector hurtling straight at him.
Griffin laughed. “If you don’t play nice, I’ll just have to hurt someone.”
“Those people are innocent,” said Savannah. “Leave them out of it.”
Griffin disappeared and then reappeared behind Savannah. “There are so many of them, you can’t possibly protect them all. Why even bother? You can make it easier for yourselves and I won’t even hurt a hair on any of their heads. Or you can choose to protect yourselves. Selfish, if you ask me, but the decision is yours. What’s it going to be?”
Savannah stared him down, showing no sign of giving in. “We’re stronger than you could ever hope to be. We will save everyone,” she said, “including ourselves.”
Griffin shook his head and looked over at Abigail and Madison, then back at Savannah. “Wrong decision, ladies. When will you ever learn?”
He disappeared and the girls looked around the room, waiting for something to happen. Everything was still and quiet. Too quiet.
~Bonus Excerpt~
Savannah made her way across the dark hallway to her own room to get her flashlight out of her drawer. As she felt her way to the drawer, she heard a rattling noise coming from the other side of her room. She looked across the dark room, trying to see where the noise was coming from. Her bedroom window suddenly flung open, sending a gust of wind through the room and scattering Savannah’s homework papers all across the floor.
“Great,” Savannah mumbled as she closed the window and picked the papers back up and put them on her bed. She went back over to her drawer to grab her flashlight and then headed downstairs to the kitchen.
As she got to the end of the stairs, Savannah could hear the front door banging open and shut and the kitchen window rattling. Savannah knew she had locked the door after her parents had left. She ran over to the door to shut it, but it swung shut and locked itself before she got there. Savannah could feel her heart beating fast as she looked over at the kitchen window to see it slide shut and lock itself as well. She shone her flashlight around the room. There was no one there. A sense of fear came over her as she realized who was causing it. The woman at the lake had seen her with Hunter. The Forces knew who she was.
Savannah ran over to the kitchen window to see if she could open it. It was stuck. All she could think about was how to get herself and Annabelle out of there before anything happened to them.
The lights came back on and started flickering on and off around the house. Savannah placed her flashlight on the bench and closed her eyes, bracing herself for whatever was about to happen. She could feel a presence and hear a high pitched squealing around her. Suddenly, it stopped.
Savannah opened her eyes. The lights had stopped flickering and the power was back on. She looked around the room. Everything was still and quiet. Too quiet, she thought. As Savannah reached out her hand to get her flashlight, the kitchen window flew open again, sending another gust of wind through the house.
Hunter appeared beside her and knocked her out of the way just as the light above Savannah’s head exploded and smashed onto the floor, sending glass scattering where Savannah had just been standing. The two of them landed on the floor with Hunter shielding Savannah from the glass.
“Savannah, what happened?” Annabelle yelled from upstairs after she heard the glass smash.
“Nothing, Annabelle. Everything’s OK!” Savannah yelled back. She lifted her head off the floor and tried to steady her breath as she looked up at Hunter. “You saved my life again.”
“I seem to be making a habit of doing that, don’t I?” Hunter smiled. He stood up and helped Savannah to her feet. “They know who you are now, Savannah.”
“I know,” said Savannah. “What did they want with me?” She looked around the room. “Where are they now?”
“They’ve gone,” Hunter explained. “They got what they wanted. They knew I wouldn’t let anything happen to you. This was just a test to see if I would show up and I did. I just confirmed to them what they suspected, Savannah – that you’re a Chosen One.”
“They know where I live, Hunter. My whole family is in danger, aren’t they?” Savannah asked him.
“Everybody around you will be a target, and it won’t be long before they figure out who the other Chosen Ones are either.” Hunter touched Savannah’s hand. “But I promise I won’t let anything happen to you, Savannah.”
“I have to see if Annabelle’s alright,” said Savannah. Hunter followed her upstairs to Annabelle’s room. When they got there, Annabelle was nowhere to be seen.
Savannah could feel a sense of fear coming back. “Annabelle?” she yelled out as her eyes searched Annabelle’s room.
Annabelle crawled out from under her bed. “It was dark and I was scared,” said Annabelle. “And I heard a noise.”
Savannah grabbed Annabelle and held her in a tight hug. “I thought you had…”
“You thought I had what?” asked Annabelle.
“Nothing,” said Savannah, hugging her tighter. “It’s OK now.”
“Savannah?” Annabelle looked up at her. “Where’s my water?”
“Um, it’s…” Savannah looked at Hunter. Hunter grinned and disappeared. He reappeared with a glass of water in his hand and placed it on the bedside table behind Annabelle.
Savannah reached over and grabbed the glass. “It’s here, Annabelle.” She looked over at Hunter again. “Thank you,” she whispered.
Hunter winked at her and disappeared. Savannah smiled to herself. Their lives had come so close to being in danger that night, so why did she feel so happy? She looked down at Annabelle and stroked her hair. There was no way she was ever going to let anything happen to Annabelle. She cared about Annabelle more than anything.
Savannah thought about what Hunter had said. He won’t let anything happen to her. There were four Chosen Ones to protect, so why was he always there for Savannah more than the others? Savannah smiled to herself again. Hunter was probably just doing his job by protecting her, but maybe he cared about her too.
~About the Author~
Chloe Miles is the author of Faded, the first book in The Faded Trilogy. The second book in the series, See No Evil, is due to be released soon.
Venus has become immortal, just as she always wanted. In the process she hurt Zaren, lost Michael, and destroyed her family.
At least that's what she believed.
Turns out Ramien, the god of her planets' underworld, has her parents, and Michael.
To save them, Venus makes a deal. She must complete three trials. They seem impossible. They certainly won't be easy. Worst of all, someone she loves won't make it out alive.
~My Review~
You know how some books start out slow and you feel like you have to just KEEP pushing to get through to the good stuff? Yeah?
Well, Beguiled is NOT that kind of book. At all. I had to brush up on Exiled since it'd been a while since I'd read it. So, I did. I remembered how great it was, and then jumped right into Beguiled. I was so pleased that Ms. Workman put me right back into Venus' world where I got to fall right back in love with Venus, Michael, and Zaren.
If you enjoyed Exiled then there's no possible way you won't love this installment to the Immortal Essence series.
Because of the quick jump-in to the story, I feel like there was no time wasted with the new challenges that Venus had to face. I grew to love her character even more! And Michael!!! Oh, heavens!!! Michael, is amazing. That's all I can say about that.
I was completely taken aback by the villain in this story because he was evil and hateful and he added so much to the story! Great job, Ms. Workman!
I am most certainly looking forward to the next installment in this series. I canNOT wait!
Rayla Tate’s life is about to turn vertical…again. As if it wasn’t bad enough her mother disappeared under questionable circumstances leaving Rayla to be raised by her aunt in a horrendously small town. Her overprotective guardian is determined to ruin Rayla’s life. She refuses to let Rayla out of her sight or out of the state. Provincial living might be what her aunt demands of her purposely sheltered niece; but, Rayla has other ideas. In a desperate attempt to follow her dreams she flees the safety of her home and runs away to college with her best friend toward a bright future in the art world.
However, excitement over her newfound freedom turns into terror when she is chased by a mysterious stranger on her way to school. When his motorcycle suddenly morphs into a fire-breathing pegasus, Rayla questions her sanity. Worse, the man riding next to her stirs a burning desire in her soul she has never known or could have ever imagined. Using all the will she owns, she manages to resist the compulsion she feels; yet, as he disappears into the night, she is certain he hasn't gone far.
Rayla quickly dismisses the encounter to her overactive imagination. She is determined to settle into her new life, yet the images and feelings of that night still haunt her. To make matters worse, her aunt seems to be in on the act, insisting that Rayla will soon be hunted by a pack of fae lords for a power over the elements she never knew she possessed—a power that could change the world. Quicker than she ever thought possible, she finds herself surrounded by stunning men that all seem determined to win her heart. Why does she feel drawn to each one of them? More importantly, what dark power do they hold over her? Rayla must quickly learn to fend off these beautiful and seductive pursuers using whatever means necessary or find herself lost to the fae world forever.
~Excerpt~
Excerpt Five (Elemental Enmity Book I) by Christie Rich
The view of the sunset reminded me of my favorite bluff back home. Nothing but sky was visible in the horizon. I might as well have been standing on the edge of the world gazing at the gilded gates of heaven.
“I will never tire of seeing that,” a melodic voice erupted behind me.
If I had gotten a bit more air, I would have landed on Mars. “Zach.” I put a hand against my pounding heart. “You scared me.” I hadn’t even heard him come up to me.
“I noticed.” He smirked. “I was trying my best not to disturb you. You looked so peaceful, but I am a selfish man.” He chuckled, moving closer.
My attraction to him was hard enough to handle when he had all his clothes on. My pulse raced with his approach for an entirely different reason. He had the sort of flawless body that belonged on the airbrushed pages of a magazine. His skin glowed golden in the blazing sunset that brought out rusty hues in his dark hair. My fingers itched to trace every angle of his sculpted abdomen and chest.
“Leave it to you to make this thing look good,” he said, running a finger under the strap on my shoulder. “By rights, it should be burned. Are you going to tell me why you insisted on wearing it?”
“No.”
He traced my collarbone. “Really?” In one fluid motion, I was in his arms, and he was carrying me deeper into the water.
I hoped he couldn’t feel the thud of my heart beating against his chest. “What do you think you’re doing?” I asked more calmly than I felt.
“Changing your mind,” he said just as evenly.
I could see where he was going with this, and over the edge of a cliff wasn’t my idea of fun. “Don’t.”
He grinned. “Tell me.”
I stiffened in his arms. “If you do this, I will leave—without you.” His exaggerated exhale tickled my neck, sending goose-bumps down my body.
“Don’t you ever relax?”
I gritted my teeth, hating what I had become in the past few weeks. If he had tried this back home, I would have protested, giggled, and screamed but loved every minute of his antics.
Things were different now. I was on edge constantly. “I’m so not okay with heights. Let me down.”
The set of his jaw didn’t give me any comfort. He walked up a ramp between the two converging rivers that made the waterfall. On sure feet, he stepped to the edge. I honestly didn’t know how he was still standing with the water blasting against his knees. He leaned into my ear. “Tell me.”
I clung to his neck like grime to a barn cat. “I don’t want to.”
He looked over the edge and back at me. The humor in his gaze died. He sighed, stepping back a few paces. My heart found its way back into my chest. He carried me to a lounge chair, setting me down gently.
“You can’t possibly think that thing is pretty,” he commented after a while.
“Pretty isn’t everything,” I said.
He raised his brows, tucking his strong chin inward in mockery then looked at me sidelong. “It helps.” He smiled teasingly.
I shot him a dirty look before giving him my back. He placed a timid hand on my shoulder.
“Come, now. It can’t possibly be as bad as all that.”
Why couldn’t he just let it go? I wasn’t all up in his business, why did he feel the need to be in mine. “Drop it already.”
Zach sat beside me, coaxing my chin upward. His voice was soft. “Aren’t you having fun, lass?”
I wouldn’t look him in the eye. If I did he would see every insecurity I had. “I was before you decided to go all Tarzan on me.”
He thumped his chest, doing a great imitation of the call. I tried to smile, but I didn’t think it helped.
“You weren’t like this the other day.” He turned away as if in thought, glancing at me hastily. “Don’t you like swimming?”
The other day I didn’t have four terrifying men after me. I would have liked to give him an easy out, but I didn’t want to lie. “I usually love it.”
Cassie had an indoor pool back home. On the rare occasion I actually got to stay the night at her house, we would spend hours in the water. She taught me how to float first. I had progressively gotten better. I was an adequate swimmer now. The one thing I didn’t like was the high-dive.
He frowned. “Is it me?” His brows furrowed as though he was really worried. “Have I done something to offend you?”
I closed my eyes, inhaling sharply. “I’m sorry. I’ve had fun today, really. I just have other things on my mind right now.”
He grinned, tucking my hair behind my ear. “I’m a great listener.”
I didn’t like being such a disappointment, but I couldn’t snap myself out of it. I could just imagine how fast he’d be gone if I did tell him everything that was wrong with me at the moment. “I’d rather not talk about it right now.”
He knelt in front of me and took my hands in his. “You can’t expect me to not be curious.”
“It’s a free country,” I said. “Be curious all you like.” I was pushing him away when normally I would have been doing everything in my power to keep him interested in me.
The sun had made its final descent. The haze of twilight settled all around us with the stars spotting the barely glowing sky. In a few minutes, I would be able to relax a little.
Zach tugged my hand. “Do you wish to go join the others?” He sounded dejected.
Why was I acting like this? I needed to snap out of it. My mood wasn’t his fault. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather stay here for a while.”
He nodded then moved to a lounge chair opposite me, wasting no time in getting comfortable. “Why don’t you tell me of your home?”
The subject seemed safe enough. “Have you ever been to eastern Utah?”
He made an odd sound, sort of a half concealed groan. “It has been many years.”
He wasn’t old enough for it to have been that long ago. I leaned back and put my arms behind my head preparing to give him details.
“I see,” he said in a sympathetic tone, his eyes soft with compassion.
I followed his gaze down to my exposed torso. How could I have been so stupid? The bottom half of my scar poked out from beneath the fringe. I bolted up, pulling awkwardly at the fabric.
He shook his head. “Everyone has imperfections, Rayla.” In an instant he moved to the edge of my chair. Calloused fingers caressed my shoulder before skimming down my arm. “Some are just more visible than others.”
I turned away. Then I got mad. “Really, where’s yours?”
His face crinkled thoughtfully. His eyes held haunted shadows. “You’d be surprised.”
I gave him a look. “Enlighten me.”
“There are certain things I want to change so badly about myself that it consumes my life.” Unless he was a fantastic actor, he was being sincere.
“Like?”
He grimaced, only slightly, but it was enough to make me wonder. “I would rather not get into that with you yet.”
I cocked my jaw, clicking my tongue. “It’s okay for me, but not for you, huh?”
He leveled his gaze to mine seriously. “If a scar is all you have to hide, you should be thankful.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
He shoved a hand through his hair. “Only that there are worse things to bear than a scar.”
The truth burned me like a solar flare. I should have been able to put on a pretty bikini without so much as a second thought, but I wasn’t there yet. I hoped I would be some day. I felt ridiculous being so shallow. “You didn’t answer my question,” I said after a moment of hesitation.
The lines of his face turned hard. “I know.”
“There you are,” Natalie yelled, cresting the hill in a sprint with Sam close behind her. “Help me, Rayla!” She crouched down between my chair and the stacked rock wall.
“They can’t save you,” Sam said coldly, standing by my feet. “You will pay.”
I turned back, whispering, “What did you do?”
She smiled proudly. “Put ice in his trunks.”
Zach narrowed his eyes at Natalie. His jaw tightened. “You deserve anything you get.” He grabbed my hand, pulling me to my feet.
Sam swept the chair sideways. Natalie squealed, trying to out-maneuver him. She didn’t make it.
Attempting to wrench away from him, she said desperately, “You can put ice in my suit. Rayla, do you have a drink?”
Sam smiled wickedly. He looked over at the edge of the falls. Did all male minds work the same? “I have something better in mind.”
She put her hands on his cheeks. “Please, Sam. I’m sorry. I won’t do anything like that again.”
He grabbed her wrists, pushing her into the river. She kicked at him and squealed the entire way.
“Not after this,” he said, grinning. Without another word, he pinned her arms to her sides in a bear hug. She smiled at him. I couldn’t see his expression, but her eyes flew wide just before he shouted, “Geronimo.”
Her “No” was squelched when they hit the water. Zach grinned down at me. My smile shriveled.
“Don’t even think about it,” I said when he came closer. Natalie’s laugh rang clear from below.
“Not that I don’t find the idea tempting once more, but I think I will pursue your affections another way.”
~About the Author~
I grew up daydreaming about fairytales, and my love for discovering new worlds has never died. I am not one of those writers who always knew I would write. I thought that was what other people did until one day a few years ago, I took a challenge from a friend and typed my first words. My journey has been wonderful, and I cannot imagine a day where I would ever give up writing now. My love for reading is what fueled my imagination in the first place and still does. When I am not writing or reading, I am enjoying family time with my husband and two children. We live in a quiet community under the Wellsville mountains in Utah, and I am so thankful for the rich life I have been blessed with.
So, some of you may have noticed my absence around here. Some of you may not. So, if you haven't, well, now you know. I've been pretty much inactive.
So, here's the thing... I absolutely LOVE to review books. It is and always will be one of my most favorite activities. HOWEVER, I have come to realize that the more time I put into Captivated Reading, the more time I take away from my home life. My kids, my house, and my husband get neglected.
And right now, with homeschooling my Kindergartener fully in process and two three-year olds, and a newly-walking-all-over-the-place-and-loving-to-get-into-the-toilet fourteen-month-old, I absolutely CANNOT neglect my family or my house.
It is my belief that God has given me the privilege of taking care of and providing an emotionally stable environment for my family. And, while I'm sure, MANY of you may be able to multitask like there's no tomorrow, I am not one of those people. I find taking care of all of the above mentioned responsibilities plus making sure I'm in a GOOD mood is a little difficult when I check my iPad and realize I have a book review deadline coming up and I have to read the book in two days because I didn't check until just NOW.
That's not fair to the authors who provide me with their AMAZING work or to Captivated Reading. So, here's where it stands.
I'm going to continue to fulfill any of the commitments that I've already made, but they may not be in a TIMELY fashion, unless they're part of a blog tour or the author needs a review on a specific day.
So, at this point, I won't be taking any more book review requests. I'm hoping that when things get to be more calm around here, that that will change. But, I'm not going to lie, I won't make any promises.
I also may be asking for some friends to help. I have a couple people (one of which who has already done a Guest Review) that I may ask to pick up where I can't and do some Guest Reviews. If I feel like I won't make the deadline for a review by myself, I may need some backup. I will let you know ahead of time, but I'm just warning you now.
My plate is full. It's full of WONDERFUL things, but it's full nonetheless.
Thank you all for being understanding. I will be around here, but not often. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to email me at [email protected].
Whether she likes it or not, eighteen year old Celeste Garrett has come to terms with being the Chosen One. She knew having a “normal life” would be tricky, between intense training sessions and epic demonic battles, but she didn’t know at what cost it would come. That is, until a dear friend is harmed by the malicious forces hunting her.
Now, she’d like nothing more than to retreat into a hermit lifestyle to prevent anyone else from getting hurt. But startling revelations, amazing new abilities, and mortifying moments in front of insanely hot guys won’t allow time for that. Soon, Celeste finds herself surrounded by darkness and wondering who she can trust—if anyone.
~Excerpt~
“So,” I interrupted, before things got too nauseating. “The plan is for us to pretend all is right in the world, and basically be bait, while you guys snoop around for info on what’s going on?”
They all nodded without taking their eyes off Kendall.
“Consider us the Rebel Alliance.” Eddie snort laughed. When he caught my quizzical expression, he clarified. “It’s a Star Wars joke. ‘Cause your lion is wearing Millennium Falcon boxer shorts.”
“My lion’s wearing what?” All eyes turned to my brother. Even Gabe glanced over his shoulder. Our big, intimidating predatory cat still had on his underwear.
Gabe huffed, and changed back to human. The Glee Club members grimaced, cringed and gagged at the sensory extravagance that is my brother’s morphing process.
“Changed in a hurry,” Gabe nonchalantly explained.
“Just so you know,” Eddie replied with a wavering voice. “A lion in underpants doesn’t evoke quite the same amount of fear into the hearts of your enemies. Don’t get me wrong, you’re still scary as all get out. But it does take away your edge a bit.”
“Thanks, I’ll keep that in mind,” Gabe said tightly, and folded his arms across his massive chest.
“Hey, are you the only bad guys out tonight?” Kendall interjected. “’Cause I’m missing America’s Next Top Model.”
“Far as we know, we’re it.” Shrugged Boil Face, as he gazed at my sister with stars in his eyes.
“Awesome! I’m outtee!” Kendall bubbled. She retracted her wings, spun on her heel and started down the mountain. In her wake she left a crestfallen Glee Club.
Gabe followed her lead. “Me too. I’m beat. Going home to crash.”
Red hiccup-laughed. “The lion’s tired.”
“What’s funny about that demon?” Gabe scowled. His chest shook with a low growl.
Kendall and I went on high alert. Keni stopped walking and waited for a signal from me to intervene. I stepped closer to Gabe, anticipating having to pull a cranky lion off a harmless demon that would most likely wet himself at the sight of Gabe’s exposed fangs.
The Glee Club diffused the situation by harmonizing their answer. “Ah-wee-ma-way, ah-wee-ma-way, ah-wee-ma-way…”
Gabe swore under his breath and stomped off. Kendall and I giggled at his misery.
“You have to admit, they’re good!” I yelled after him.
The Glee Club sang him off. “In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight. In the jungle, the quiet jungle, the lion sleeps tonight. Weeeeeee-eeeee-wee-amum-awayy.”
Title: Awaken (Daughters of the Sea #2)Author: Kristen Day Pub. Date: Oct. 2, 2012 Find "Awaken":
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The sacrifices we make have the power to shift the very fabric of who we are, and ultimately who we are meant to be…
After learning of her true destiny as the intended Leader of the Tydes, Anastasia Whitman must now embark on a perilous quest to the Underworld before the age of eighteen in order to plant the seed of immortality and complete her essence to become a true Sea Goddess. But before she can make her legendary journey, an unexpected new student transfers to Lorelei; initiating a sequence of events that will unravel Stasia’s new life, and test the boundaries of her relationship with the mysterious, dark, and sexy Finn Morrison. The line between the Underworld and the Living begins to blur as gruesome ghosts, morbid reveries, and pure evil haunt her waking hours as well as her sanity. Once the details of Finn’s own startling destiny are revealed, the dangerous secrets he’s been hiding will threaten the very love Stasia believed to be indestructible. As time begins to run out, she will be forced to choose between the one she loves and the destiny she cannot escape.
I'm so pleased to have Kristen Day here at Captivated Reading! After reading Forsaken I'm a huge fan! So, everyone welcome Ms. Kristen Day!
~From the Author~
What inspired you to write The Daughters of the Sea series?
Paranormal is my normal: I may or may not be completely in love with YA Paranormal Romance Series. Actually, it’s more of an obsession. I devour them like strawberry shortcake cheesecake (best dessert EVER) and have no control over the need to read them over and over. I’ve read The Hush, Hush series four times so far, but who’s counting? I fell in love with writing since succeeded in writing that pesky letter G in cursive (or Z for that matter). Then I fell in love with it all over again when I learned how to diagram sentences. It became more of a work of art to me. It just…made sense. So anyway, after reading every YA paranormal romance novel on the planet, I found myself craving certain aspects to the story that I wasn’t getting in the books I was reading. I wanted a stronger heroine, less drama with more action, and a different kind of ‘darkness’. That’s when I decided to create my own imaginary world and characters; intertwining all of the things I couldn’t seem to find in other books.
Life’s a Beach: Choosing the beach as my location for the series was a balancing act. I despise mermaids, but love the idea of having a connection with the sea. This is where my favorite classics came into play: The Odyssey and The Iliad. I know what you’re saying - seriously? That awful monstrosity of a story we were forced to read in high school? Yes, that’s the one. I didn’t have the normal gag reflex most of my friends had to reading them though; I fell in love. The challenges, the beasts, the sirens, the twists and turns and the intertwining love story; all sucked me in and had a profound effect on me. Couple that with a love of the beach and it suddenly occurred to me what I wanted to write about. My family lives on Oak Island, with Bald Head Island a mere ferry ride away. Bald Head is truly magical and enchanting (if you have never been, you should go!) and was the perfect setting!
Reality meet Fiction: I desperately wanted to read about a heroine that had a real reason for being strong. Last I checked being gifted with magical powers doesn’t make you an instant leader/hero/bad*ss. Experience is the only thing that can give you that kind of mental strength. So, that’s what inspired me to incorporate a little bit of tough reality into my fiction.
Thank you so much for hosting the Awaken Blog Tour! I hope everyone has enjoyed reading the Daughters of the Sea series as much as I enjoyed writing it!
~About the Author~
Kristen Day is a southern belle at heart with a crazy streak that desperately tries to escape at every opportunity. She loves all things nostalgic, rustic, and quirky. She’s been told she sees the world through rose-colored glasses, but she prefers to think of them as kaleidoscope glasses - swirling and morphing reality into something she can digest (who hasn't pretended those pasty lima beans were really kiwi strawberry jelly beans?).
She is the author of the DAUGHTERS OF THE SEA trilogy, which includes FORSAKEN, AWAKEN (Oct 2012), and CHOSEN (Winter 2012). She loves all books, but really enjoys writing young adult, paranormal romances. She’s loved to write for as long as she can remember. Her first published work was her poem RED in second grade (you guessed it - it was a poem about the color red - life altering, right?) that won her 5 gold stars and a spot in her elementary school's poetry book. That's when her addiction to the written word officially began. She was the only kid in fifth grade that actually enjoyed diagramming sentences. Go ahead and laugh - its okay.
When she’s not writing she’s making jewelry, painting, feeding her addiction to sweet tea, watching the Discovery Channel, or going on random adventures in the mountains of North Carolina with her amazing husband. She was born in Boone, NC and graduated from Appalachian State University with a degree in Marketing in 2001.
