The Jelly Bean Crisis by Jolene Stockman

The Jelly Bean Crisis 

by Jolene Stockman

A total meltdown. The whole school watching. Now Poppy’s an ex-straight-A with no Plan B.

When Poppy Johnson throws away a full scholarship to Columbia, she can only blame the jelly beans. The yucky green ones? Midnight cram sessions and Saturday’s spent studying. The delicious red? The family legacy: Columbia, and a future in finance. Except now it’s starting to look like Poppy’s jelly bean theory is wrong. School has been her life until, but maybe it’s time to start living now.

Poppy has thirty days to try a new life. No school, no studying. Just jumping into every possible world. Thirty days to find her passion, her path, and maybe even love.

The Jelly Bean Crisis is officially on.

*** Praise for The Jelly Bean Crisis***

"The Jelly Bean Crisis is a heart warming and thought provoking story, especially if you're in the process of figuring out your life!"  - Ajoop On Books!

"This book had me riveted. Completely riveted the entire time. The Jelly Bean Crisis was instant love for me."  - Book Briefs.

"It's a beautifully told story that you'll be thinking about long after you finish reading."  - A Pocket Full of Books.

If you're looking for a smart contemporary YA read, then The Jelly Bean Crisis is for you!

Purchase

Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Amazon Kindle

Author bio
Author Jolene Stockman

Jolene Stockman is an award winning writer, speaker, and an expert for Girlfriend Magazine Australia. She is a Master of Neuro Linguistic Programming, and one of the youngest in the world to achieve the Distinguished Toastmaster Award. Jolene lives in New Zealand, and is the author of Total Blueprint for World Domination. The Jelly Bean Crisis is her debut fiction.

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Cover Reveal: Pieces by Michelle Davidson Argyle

Pieces 

by Michelle Davidson Argyle

Series: The Breakaways #2

Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing

Expected publication: February 14th, 2013

Two years after watching her kidnappers go to prison, Naomi Jensen is still in love with one of them. Jesse will be released in a few years, and Naomi knows college is the perfect distraction while she waits. But when her new friend Finn makes her question what is right and what is wrong, she begins to wonder if Jesse is the one for her … until she discovers he's out on parole. Naomi must sort through her confusion to figure out where love and freedom truly lie—in Finn, who has no connections to her past, or Jesse, who has just asked her to run away with him.

Pieces is a companion to The Breakaway and can be read independently, if desired.

Book trailer

The Breakaway Series

The Breakaway

by Michelle Davidson Argyle

Series: The Breakaways #1

Publisher: Rhemalda Publishing

Published: May 1st, 2012
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

When Naomi Jensen is kidnapped, it takes her parents two days to realize she’s missing. Escape isn’t high on her list of priorities when all she has to return to is an abusive boyfriend and parents who never paid much attention to her. For the first time in her life she’s part of a family—even if it is a family of criminals. But she’s still a captive. In a desperate attempt to regain some control in her life, Naomi embarks on a dangerous plan to make one of her kidnappers think she’s falling in love with him. The plan works too well, and when faced with the chance to escape, Naomi isn’t sure she wants to take it.

Author bio

Michelle lives and writes in Utah, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains. She loves the seasons, but late summer and early fall are her favorites. She adores chocolate, sushi, and lots of ethnic food, and loves to read and write books in whatever time she can grab between her sword-wielding husband and energetic daughter. She believes a simple life is the best life.

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Guest Post: Tasting Fire by Shelly Holt

Today we have invited to a special author: Shelly Holt who wrote Tasting Fire.
So don't stop reading!

Guest post

Panthera unica or Asian Snow Leopard is one of the most highly endangered felines on the planet. When I sat down last March and decided to write a paranormal romance about a shape-shifting species, one of the first things I had to decide was which animal I would bring to life in the book. You should have seen me sitting literally on the floor going through my collection of library discards until I found a book called Snow Leopards and their babies. I paid a whopping twenty-five cents for it at the library. I have a habit of buying books at library bookstores and putting them on my shelf and forgetting about them. As I sat there and read the children's book I feel in love with the incredibly beautiful exotic cat. After I finished the book, I got up and started to Google everything I could about the Asian Snow Leopard.

I was horrified to learn that experts believe there are only three to seven thousand of them left in the wild. I watched video after video on You Tube to learn all I could about their habitat and challenges the snow leopard faces in the wild. Everything I learned pretty much ended up distilled into the book. I knew that to do justice to my story about shape-shifting Asian Snow Leopards that the characters would have to actually be from cultures that evolved in the habitat range of the animal itself. That's why my alpha male hero Kai Tenzin is from Tibet, because snow leopards are from Tibet. Many of my secondary characters are from cultures that live in the habitat range of the exotic cat as well. My shape-shifters come from China, Mongolia and Pakistan and India.

As I wrote the book, I found I had to walk a very thin line between preaching and educating people about conservation of this amazing animal. Hopefully the plot and romance are also evenly balanced as well. The very presence of the Asian Snow Leopard in the story helped guide the tone and style of the book.

Tasting Fire is not your average paranormal shape-shifting romance. Twenty thousand years ago a thermophilic (heat loving) bacteria that thrives in hot springs, infected primitive nomads in many parts of the world. The bacteria when ingested orally allows the infected individual with just the right genetic makeup to add a secondary DNA sequence to their own genetic code. Over the course of thousands of years, this little bug has given rise to the many different legends of shape-shifters that have evolved on nearly every continent. Tasting Fire is the story of how one species in particular, the Pari of central Asia, fought to stay hidden and what happens when they are revealed to the world.

There is no magic in Tasting Fire by design. This forced me as a writer to not use a crutch to prop up weak writing. Instead, I was forced to develop a strong plot and create fully developed characters. There is humor, adventure, passion, and intelligence, but Tasting Fire is not a light read!

If you want a book where the hero and heroine fall into bed within the first two minutes of meeting and have mindless sex, than this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a rich, textured romance full of world building and character development, and if you want to lose yourself in an intelligent, romantic, SEXY, adventure, this is your book.

My thanks to Books Down My Pillow for inviting me on the blog today to share my thoughts on Tasting Fire with you.

Tasting Fire 

by Shelly Holt

Purchase: Amazon

Shape-shifters have always walked the earth. Shrouded in myth and folklore, hiding in the shadows, watching and waiting. Advances in modern science are now about to reveal them to the world. Kai Tenzin is the self appointed leader of the Pari people. He and his kind evolved from the most reclusive predators on earth, the Asian Snow Leopard. They live and hunt in the most fearsome and rugged terrain known to man, the Himalayas. As a young man, Kai left his small village where the mountain touches the heavens, determined to do anything to protect his people. When he is forced to enlist the aid of the beautiful American scientist Dr. Rae Hales, the last thing he expects to find is a woman who will ensnare his heart and endanger them all. Their action-packed adventure will take them around the world to discover the truth behind the legends and reveal the future of humanity. 

Excerpt:

 Rae took an admiring look at the vista below as she dropped her heavy pack on the ground. The mountains in the distance looked purple and the desert brush spread out below them like a master oil painting.  It was awe inspiring to human eyes. Rae wondered what would it look like to a snow leopard. She suddenly realized many a biologist would sell their very soul for the opportunity she had at that moment. Rae turned to Kai who had been sitting on the ground with his pack and fishing around for lunch and asked him “what is it like when you're in your Shan form out in country like this?”  Kai rewarded Rae with the most brilliant smile she had yet seen to grace the handsome shape-shifter's face.  He seemed truly delighted to discuss the subject with her.  Kai stood up to answer Rae's question.  He addressed the human scientist.  “It's like nothing you can imagine Rae. Every sense is in tune with the planet. See that tree over there” he pointed a few yards away at an ancient gnarled pinyon. “Yes” Rae replied. Kai walked up behind Rae and put his hands on her shoulders and directed her to look even closer at the tree. He whispered intimately in her ear as if they were in a church or another sacred space “when you look at that tree with your limited human vision, the average person can certainly appreciate its form and color. A biologist like yourself would ask what type of tree is it and how old it is.  A philosopher might ask who may have sat underneath it in the past or who might sit underneath it in the future. All of you might even wonder when will it die. That's the limit of your human perception. When you're in Shan form every single leaf will bid you a glorious greeting as you walk up to the tree for the first time. Every drop of sap tells you the history of the tree's life like an intimate biography written in the utterly sensual language of scent. The tree itself will tell you if it's healthy or sick. You can smell if the water that nourishes it is bitter or sweet. If you deeply pay attention you can smell every animal that has ever been there.” Kai looked to Rae like he was experiencing a spiritual moment and Rae suddenly realized he was. The enthralled shape-shifter continued to explain to Rae the nuances of the animal world  “when you are ready to move on to another place you reach up with your powerful claws and dig deep into the bark to mark the tree with your scent.  It's added harmoniously to the scent of hundreds of other animals. You do this not just to mark your hunting territory, but to tell every animal after you have left this world that you lived and breathed here at one time in the great mystery that is life. That is your only immortality in the animal world. There are no monuments to mark a man's ego, or family albums for a mother to remember her children by, but neither is there hate, nor fear of the future or regret of the past. You are fully alive in each and every moment. It's a wonderfully free existence. I wish I could truly share it with you... words, words pale in comparison.” Kai looked so happy at that moment. Rae was so moved by what he had just shared with her that all she could do was reach out and touch his wrist. “Thank you!” she whispered. Kai nodded at her in acknowledgment, but he was too emotional to even speak. 

Author bio:

My name is Shelly Holt and I live in the middle of the harsh and unforgiving Mojave desert. I write my stories looking out of a window that shows sweeping desert views. Outside is a barren and severe landscape, yet inside my head lives a world filled with exotic shape-shifters come to life, pulled from the pages of myth and legend, ready to entice and seduce any reader brave enough to take them on. 

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Cover Reveal: Hollywood Holiday by Sasha Summers

Hollywood Holiday
by Sasha Summers

Red Carpet Series #2

All she wants for Christmas is for Hollywood to love her again. But once she meets him, her Christmas list changes.

Jen’s only Christmas wish: Hollywood falling back in love with her. Meeting ex-Marine Gunner was a bonus. She likes that he isn’t impressed by celebrities or the movie biz. She likes that he’s funny and sweet … and drop-dead gorgeous. And she loves that he has no idea who her alter-ego is: Jen Fleming, Hollywood bad-girl and paparazzi target number one. Why ruin an amazing affair when he’s leaving after the new year? 

But the closer they get, the harder she falls, and the more she wants to tell Gunner everything. Especially once he shares his secret with her. 

Her new Christmas wish: Gunner accepts and loves her for who she really is. 

Red Carper Series
Know More about Red Carpet: Series Book 1: 

Hollywood Ever After (Paperback Giveaway)

She wasn’t meant for movie stars, Hollywood, or happy endings. 

And then she met him.

Happy Endings are for fairy tales. Or the movies. Not for real life. At least, not in Claire’s life. Even though she’s starting over, she knows better than to want too much this time. But when she falls, literally, into the strong arms of Hollywood’s ‘it’ boy Josh Wiley, Claire’s in for some surprises. Her plans for rest and relaxation are forgotten as one incredible night with Josh becomes two… And her heart begins to want him as much as her body. Will two kids, one bastard ex-husband, and Josh’s juggernaut career mean the end of their affair? Or can Claire find her happy ending after all?

Author bio

Sasha is part gypsy. Her passions have always been storytelling, Hollywood, history, and travel. It’s no surprise that her books include a little of each. Her first play, ‘Greek Gods and Goddesses’ was written for her Girl Scout troupe. She’s been writing ever since. She loves getting lost in the worlds and characters she creates; even if she frequently forgets to run the dishwasher or wash socks when she’s doing so. Luckily, her four brilliant children and hero-inspiring hubby are super understanding and supportive.

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Book Blast: Concilium by Michelle Pickett

Concilium 
by Michelle Pickett
Purchase: MuseItUpPublishing | Amazon | Bookstrand | Omnilit | Smashwords | Kindlegraph

A tale of deadly creatures and forbidden romance...

Leslee hit a strange animal with her car. Now she’s marked for death.

It was a simple car accident – the animal didn’t even die – but it drew the attention of the Cruor Imbibo. Driven by their insatiable need to feed, the secret society of Imbibo has devoured the dregs of civilization for centuries. Afraid Leslee will expose them, and put an end to their meal ticket, the Imbibo want her dead.

The Concilium is Leslee's only protection. Guardian of the ancient secret and the protector of humans, the Concilium fights to control the Imbibo and end their feeding frenzy. Miller works for the Concilium. Keeping Leslee alive is his next assignment.

Now Leslee is on the run, and the only thing between her flesh and the snapping jaws of the Imbibo is Miller. He and Leslee quickly form a bond, but will falling in love make Miller’s job more difficult? Because if he fails, Leslee will be next on the Imbibo menu.

The Cruor Imbibo are coming, and they're coming for Leslee.

Author bio:

Michelle Pickett

Michelle has been an avid reader since a young child.  She began writing for personal enjoyment in college, where she graduated Summa Cum Laude with a degree in accounting.  Deciding sitting in a cubical all day was her form of cruel and unusual punishment, she decided to do what she really wanted to—share her passion for reading and writing with others.

She wrote her debut novel Concilium in 2010.  It was released July of 2012 by MuseItUp Publishing.  The sequel, Concilium: The Departure will also be published by MuseItUp Publishing with scheduled release date of November 2012.

Her Debut young adult novel, PODs, will be published by Spencer Hill Press and is scheduled for release in paperback June 4th, 2013.  Milayna, a young adult paranormal romance, will be released through Spencer Hill Press March 2014.

Michelle was born and raised in Michigan.  She now resides in a small community outside Houston, Texas with her incredibly supportive husband, four wonderful children, a 125-pound lap dog, a very grumpy cockatiel and a cat that thinks it's queen.

Michelle writes adult and young adult Sci/Fi and urban fantasy romance.

Links and Contact Information:

Website  | Email | Blog | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | PODs

Book Blast Giveaway:

~ $50 Amazon Gift Code
~ Ends 10/2/12
~ Open to anyone who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent's permission. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Blog Tour: Hive by Marc Davies

Hive

by Marc Davies

Psionic Man #1

Genre: M/M - Sci-Fi/Paranormal

Date Published: 8/6/12

Publisher: Champagne Books

Purchase: Amazon | Burst Books

For centuries the Hive has waged a secret war, pitting psychic powers against the monstrous appetites of the Silencers.  Now its visionary leader has an ambitious plan to tip the balance, and the conflict threatens to boil over onto the streets of modern dayLondon.

Nineteen-year-old Luke is thrust into the conflict when he foils an assassination attempt on the charismatic Dr. Jean-Paul Lysayer, a world renowned expert on telepathy.  Down on his luck, and torn between an old flame and blossoming desire, the last thing Luke needs is to be used as a pawn in the eternal conflict.

But the Hive needs Luke's unique abilities, and when he uncovers evidence of a conspiracy it will take all his street-smarts to stay alive long enough to separate friend from foe.

My thoughts

With this reading I got what I was expecting. I'm not a huge fan of sci-fi, but some times in a while a take some of this genre to vary and don't be boring myself with only one genre. So. in this time I've decided jump into Hive and it haven't disappointed at all.

In his debut novel, Marc Davies has created a realistic world which captivates you immediately after reading some pages. I have a little bit of all, comedy and anxious are mixed into yourself trying to figure out what will happen next, and you you think you have get it,  the story totally turns!
It has been an amazing reading, I can't put it down for a long time. Maybe I should read sci-fi more often, so, who know? Maybe I'd find more books like this, which surprise you in a really good way.

My rating : 4/5

Excerpt

           An inferno roiled where the briefcase had been only moments before, held back by an invisible, sphere-shaped barrier. It seethed with barely contained violence, testing the limits of its prison with fingers of fire.
           Lysayer stood in front of it, legs planted wide and arm locked rigid as if pushing against an invisible force. A howling wind tore at his leather suit, streaming through his blond hair. His entire body shuddered with strain, and sweat ran down the back of his neck. Excess Psi traced his back in dancing, red flames.
           The explosion appeared to get the better of him. Half a dozen fiery fingers escaped their cage, reaching for me with hunger. The sphere wobbled, and I threw my hands up to protect my face. But Lysayer twisted his wrist, and the inferno shrunk into a pinpoint of space with the howl of displaced air.

Author bio

Marc started writing as a teenager, and has always been obsessed with science fiction and fantasy. He has a soft spot for books with fast plots, unusual characters and twisted humor. The more unusual, the better. He predominantly reads sci-fi and fantasy, depending on mood.

Marc is an active member of several writers groups, including the Online Workshop for Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, and maintains a blog at www.marcdavies.net.  He lives in an old house owned by a Golden Retriever and a Labrador, with a mountain of books, an impressive collection of half-finished wine bottles, and the occasional ball of drifting dog hair.

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Follow the tour

September 24 - Books Down My Pillow- Review/Excerpt/Giveaway {You're here}

September 25 - How I See It - Review/Guest Post

September 26 - My Seryniti - Giveaway/Excerpt/PROMO

September 27 - Reader Girls - Review/Interview/Giveaway

September 28 - Up All Night Reviews - Review/Giveaway/Guest Post/Excerpt

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I am a member of Reading Addiction Blog Tours and a copy of this book was provided to me by the author. Although payment may have been received by Reading Addiction Blog Tours, no payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was no obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are entirely my own and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, publisher, publicist, or readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning Use of Endorcements and Testimonials in Advertising*

Blog Tour: Glimpse by Sara Daniell

Welcome to my tour stop! I hope you are having a good week. Today in my stop in the blog tour of Glimpse, so I hope you enjoy it.

Glimpse

by Sara Daniell

Series: The Dwellers #1

Genre: YA - Dystopian

Purchase: Paperback | Kiddle

Orion Draper is not your typical Dweller. She is a non-conformist with an insatiable appetite for adventure. And trouble. So it is no surprise when she finds herself eavesdropping on a Constable meeting. One word that makes no sense, "Earth", sends Orion on a quest for answers.

What is this "Earth"? And why has it never been mentioned before? Her search is soon over, but not without a heavy price to pay. Forced to leave behind the only home she has ever known, Orion fights for the chance to return. Every corner holds a new danger, and every shadow hides a secret. No one can be trusted, and no town is permanent.

Will Orion ever return to Dandux? Or is she forever condemned to repeat this hell she now knows?

*I received this book from the author as part of the blog book tour. I have not received any reward for my review, this contains my most honest thoughts.* 

My thoughts

I just loved, I want wishing to read something like this but I haven't find anything until now, and I'm more than happy of have read it. But I want to be honest, at first sight I was hoping to find something more... dark. I was totally wrong the history is just hilarious, intense and with a love-hate relationship that had me on the edge from start to finish. 

Sometimes felt the story was a little fast from chapter to chapter, and this is where must I do a stop and explain myself. If you are a person who like slow stories and details of almost every second that happens, this story is not for you, but if instead you're like me and you like fast stories, in which the story progresses and light without major entanglements, this book is strongly recommended for you.

Orion is a fearless girl says when she thinks it is. One of the things I most liked about her was her sense of humor, mixing it with the personality of Plath, the hottie who saved his live mo than twice, turn out to be a perfect odd couple.

What I can say? I wanted have a paperback edition! I enjoyed this book as I did some time ago, I laughed as could be though in the end there were several parts that made cracks in my heart.

My rating: 4/5

Interview

Please tell us a little bit about you.  Who is Sara Daniell?

I am a 27 year old wife and mother.  I have two amazing daughters, one 6 and the other 1 year old.  I am currently going to college to get my Masters degree in Special Education.  I have published four books.  The Holly Nather Trilogy (Visions, Secrets, and Choices) and Glimpse, book one of The Dwellers series. 

I am obsessed with Coke and Twix – together.  Best snack EVER. 

What is your favorite part of the writing process?

When I finish the first draft of a book.  This is my favorite part because then I have something to work with and perfect.  Until that first draft is done, you have nothing to work with.  

Describe your book in your own words.

On a quest for answers, Dweller Orion Draper finds herself trapped on a strange planet known as Earth.  Fighting to return to the world that she left behind, every corner holds new dangers and every shadow a secret.  Orion wonders if she will ever get to return home to Dandux, or if she will be condemned this hell she now knows. Forever. 

Where did you get the idea to write Glimpse?

I can’t pinpoint the exact thing that inspired me to write Glimpse.  I had been playing with the idea of the story line for a while but couldn’t get anything to really make sense.  Then one day, the whole story came to me.   

Can you share with us your favorite non-spoiler quote or scene from Glimpse?

        He looks down at his feet, and then looks up at me with a playful grin. He slowly walks towards me, slowly taking off his jacket.  He then slowly removes his shirt, exposing his bare chest. As he gets closer he runs his hands through his hair and bites his bottom lip. Oh my damn, he is hot. I swear the temperature in here is rising as he gets only inches away from me.  He cups my face in his hands, and I am too shocked to pull away. He brings his lips close, gently brushing them against mine.  He smiles against my lips and starts laughing, quickly pulling away. 

        “You were going to let me kiss you?!” He asks in pure shock, while still laughing.

        I look away.  Embarrassed as hell.  “No I wasn’t!”

        “Yes you were. Don’t lie.” He has a cocky smile plastered across his face.

        “Go put on your shirt.” I say while not making eye contact with him.

        “Sorry I know my sexy body can be intimidating.”  He is seriously amused by this.

        I roll my eyes and take off my shoes.  “I never said anything about your body being attractive.  It is just weird you standing here, shirtless.” 

Are there any songs you could list as the theme of this book or any of your characters?

Barton Hallow by The Civil Wars

Can you give any details about the second part in The Dwellers series?

It is called Sway.  I hope to have it released by spring 2013.  

How many books do you have planned in The Dwellers Series?

I am not sure yet. I should have a better idea of how many after Sway is done. 

Author bio

Sara Daniell is a 27 year old from a small town in Arkansas. She is married to her best friend, has two amazing daughters, and is a full time college student working towards her Masters in Special Education. When not busy with working, doing homework, and being a mom, she loves to read and write. 

Sara Daniell is the author of The Holly Nather Trilogy & The Dwellers series. 

Favorite Quote: 

"You're off to Great Places! Today is YOUR day! Your mountain is waiting, So... get on your way!" ~ Dr. Seuss

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